# Epsilon CMS Content
This file contains structured content from our CMS for AI tools.
Generated on: 2026-09-15T20:11:54.793Z
Total documents: 3255
## Creative Capabilities
Type: eps_page
URL: /creative-capabilities
Last Modified: 2026-06-04T16:46:53Z
What intelligent creative can do for your marketing
Personalization at scale requires more than just intelligent creative
McDonalds: Star-studded creative with tasty results
McDonald’s wanted to cultivate a new generation of brand fans. Tapping into culturally-relevant creative, they developed their “Famous Orders” campaign, a multi-channel, engaging and eye-catching program designed to make every customer feel unique.
FAQs
Other resources
---
## Products And Services/Epsilon Peoplecloud
Type: eps_page
URL: /products-and-services/epsilon-peoplecloud
Last Modified: 2026-09-14T11:06:03Z
Epsilon PeopleCloud is the only marketing platform with AI-powered identity resolution that personalises every marketing message at scale.
Epsilon PeopleCloud offers greater flexibility
See what impact your marketing is driving
Our PeopleCloud platform provides a complete, reliable picture of every action your marketing drives - and it improves your performance along the way.
Other resources
---
## Ai Capabilities
Type: eps_page
URL: /ai-capabilities
Last Modified: 2026-06-02T20:43:53Z
What AI can do for your marketing
Personalization at scale requires more than AI.
How are other marketers using AI?
This Epsilon research report examines how marketers are using AI now, and how they hope to evolve in the near future.
Learn how our products use AI
FAQs
Other resources
---
## Lp/The State Of Ai
Type: eps_page
URL: /lp/the-state-of-ai
Last Modified: 2026-06-10T15:33:40Z
AI is on every marketer’s mind. But how are they really using it?
In partnership with Phronesis Partners Inc., Epsilon conducted an online survey of 259 U.S. marketers who are key decision-makers or influencers for digital advertising and AI in their organizations across the retail, financial services, CPG, restaurant and travel industries.
Each industry is prioritizing a different facet of AI.
---
## Products And Services/Identity Essentials
Type: eps_page
URL: /products-and-services/identity-essentials
Last Modified: 2026-03-26T18:44:26Z
Identity Essentials
Epsilon Identity Essentials, powered by COREid, helps you learn about your customers’ actions and understand their changing needs and intentions. It connects your customers’ online and offline worlds—including their devices, channels, and transactions—and enriches your customer profiles with industry-specific attributes. You’ll be better equipped to speak to your customers on owned and paid channels, and deliver on the promise of personalization.
Our connected identity solution
Want to learn more?
---
## Products And Services/Accelerate
Type: eps_page
URL: /products-and-services/accelerate
Last Modified: 2026-06-03T14:44:18Z
Personalised website experiences that move shoppers forward.
Dynamic, personalised websites shouldn’t distract visitors, they should improve the shopping experience. As web visitors engage, Epsilon Accelerate transforms real-time signals into responsive design.
Relevant products surface, paths to purchase adjust, friction fades.
With the power to test, refine and launch instantly, with no dev support required, brands can turn traffic into growth easily.
Views to fuel your growth
---
## Products And Services/Direct Mail
Type: eps_page
URL: /products-and-services/direct-mail
Last Modified: 2026-08-10T15:20:36Z
Direct mail that delivers results
No brand can afford to overlook channels that genuinely move the needle. Direct Mail offers a precise and tangible way to connect with consumers, build trust and strengthen loyalty. Unlike fleeting digital touchpoints, catalogue marketing stands apart delivering a personal experience that resonates with shoppers and inspires action.
Trusted by leading brands
Piglet in Bed: Awakens rapid LTV growth with Direct Mail
British lifestyle brand Piglet in Bed, famed for its bedding and sleepwear, wanted to explore direct mail to acquire new customers, elevate revenue streams and deepen engagement with their existing customers.
Thanks to Epsilon, Piglet In Bed's acquisition campaigns achieved:
25% higher Average Order Value
35% increase in Lifetime Value
CV Villas: Charts a new route to customer acquisition
Discover how CV Villas, a leading villa holiday specialist with over 50 years of experience, embarked on a transformative journey to diversify its customer acquisition strategy.
Using direct mail as an acquisition channel resulted in:
20:1 ROAS over the key January period
x3 increase in mailable prospects
10% uplift in booking value vs returning customers
Audley Travel: A journey of customer discovery
Audley Travel needed scalable new customer acquisition, with a focus on identifying high-value prospects in a competitive luxury travel market.
Thanks to Epsilon, Audley Travel's acquisition campaigns achieved:
21:1 ROAS
20% higher booking values
4x improved CPA
School up with Epsilon resources
---
## Products And Services/Epsilon Digital/Online Video
Type: eps_page
URL: /products-and-services/epsilon-digital/online-video
Last Modified: 2026-06-24T16:03:05Z
Online Video focused on your top buyers.
Epsilon Online Video connects your brand with high-value audiences through video ads served across publisher sites and apps on desktop, tablet and mobile.
Person-based identity replaces cookies and device IDs, giving you precise reach and optimal frequency control across every channel on the platform.
What is online video advertising?
How does Epsilon Online Video work?
Your first-party data is matched against Epsilon's CORE Identity graph, which resolves individuals across browsers and devices into a single profile, without relying on third-party cookies.
From there, each person is ranked by their likelihood to take your desired action, and campaigns activate across thousands of publisher partners with frequency managed at the person level across all channels on the platform.
How your video creative can work harder
---
## Epsilon Podcasts
Type: eps_page
URL: /epsilon-podcasts
Last Modified: 2026-07-15T18:29:20Z
Podcasts
Catch-up on the latest conversations in digital advertising, retail media and loyalty.
---
## Products And Services/Epsilon Peoplecloud/Clean Room
Type: eps_page
URL: /products-and-services/epsilon-peoplecloud/clean-room
Last Modified: 2026-05-07T17:23:03Z
Open your brand to a world of fresh new faces.
Epsilon’s data clean room gives brands access to a universe of potential customers. Our clean room comes with data and identity built-in from day one, giving you insights on 255M+ unique US individuals to create audiences of those most likely to buy.
---
## Use Cases
Type: eps_page
URL: /use-cases
Last Modified: 2026-07-30T14:41:23Z
Discover how we’ve helped the world’s leading brands grow
---
## Identity Capabilities
Type: eps_page
URL: /identity-capabilities
Last Modified: 2026-06-02T20:45:09Z
What identity resolution can do for your marketing
Personalization at scale requires more than just identity resolution.
Ulta: Going more than skin deep thanks to identity
Creating emotional connections with customers is especially important in the beauty industry. Working with Epsilon, Ulta Beauty used identity resolution to get a comprehensive view of their customer and tap into rich insights for more personalized connections with consumers—and help the brands it serves to do the same.
Learn how our products use identity resolution
FAQs
Other resources
---
## Trends/Identity In Action
Type: eps_page
URL: /trends/identity-in-action
Last Modified: 2026-04-16T21:18:38Z
One Identity. One Experience. Endless Possibilities.
A unified identity ties together every touchpoint—both online and offline—letting you connect with customers more effectively. With Epsilon’s identity resolution technology, you can break down data silos and run cross-channel campaigns that drive engagement and boost ROI.
Identity-Driven Success Starts with Epsilon
---
## Products And Services/Identity Core Id
Type: eps_page
URL: /products-and-services/identity-core-id
Last Modified: 2026-04-20T10:51:37Z
Fill the gaps in your customer data
For over a decade, Epsilon has strengthened COREid through trusted publisher partnerships and continuous validation. This creates a live, ever-expanding network that can identify and reach real people at scale.
COREid underpins all Epsilon products, enabling brands to recognise, reach and measure individuals with precision and prove outcomes, not just intent.
FAQs
An industry-verified complete solution
---
## Cross Channel Messaging
Type: eps_page
URL: /cross-channel-messaging
Last Modified: 2026-05-27T23:07:01Z
Harmonize messages across your paid, owned and earned channels.
For your marketing to be effective, you need to engage each consumer with a message they’ll care about—in every interaction, regardless of channel. Using 1 Voice, harmonized across paid, owned and earned channels, enables you to have a conversation that builds a relationship with each consumer.
1 Voice in action
See how 1 Voice will help you have conversations that build relationships.
Epsilon PeopleCloud
Our PeopleCloud platform is the bridge between advertising and marketing technology, allowing marketers to create:
What makes Epsilon different
---
## Know Each Customer
Type: eps_page
URL: /know-each-customer
Last Modified: 2026-06-02T18:08:12Z
It all starts with understanding each consumer.
When you work with a trusted partner like Epsilon, you’ll activate industry-leading identity to get 1 View of all your customers: what they buy, where to find them and how to engage them. And we’ll help you use that data to identify your entire universe of potential buyers, driving acquisition, retention and growth.
1 View in action
Read more about how to get 1 View of your universe of consumers.
Epsilon PeopleCloud
Our PeopleCloud platform is the bridge between advertising and marketing technology, allowing marketers to create:
What makes Epsilon different
---
## Products And Services/Creative Services
Type: eps_page
URL: /products-and-services/creative-services
Last Modified: 2026-06-04T21:20:28Z
We craft stunning experiences powered by data.
The Epsilon Creative team builds long-lasting connections with real people through strategic design. We combine rich and unique insights with innovation to reach your consumers at scale.
Creative services
Omnichannel expertise and support
Powerful creative.
Real results.
Across display, connected TV, audio, email and retail media, we deliver high-performing, personalized creative that drives results.
Case studies
Our results speak for themselves.
Solutions we support
---
## Lp/Data Strategy Wp
Type: eps_page
URL: /lp/data-strategy-wp
Last Modified: 2026-08-26T16:26:21Z
A customer’s journey never stays in one channel.
So why would your data strategy? When you connect paid and owned data, you can unlock connected, identity-driven data strategies that improve personalization, reduce media waste and power full-funnel results.
See how leading brands are making it happen.
Your data isn’t the problem.
How to build a stronger data foundation
Learn how different data types work together for deeper customer understanding.
Why connected data strategies matter
---
## About Us/Recognition
Type: eps_page
URL: /about-us/recognition
Last Modified: 2026-05-27T22:39:30Z
Industry recognition
---
## Trends/Identity In Action
Type: eps_page
URL: /trends/identity-in-action
Last Modified: 2026-05-07T17:24:08Z
One Identity. One Experience. Endless Possibilities.
A unified identity ties together every touchpoint—both online and offline—letting you connect with customers more effectively. With Epsilon’s identity resolution technology, you can break down data silos and run cross-channel campaigns that drive engagement and boost ROI.
Identity-Driven Success Starts with Epsilon
---
## Lp/Loyalty Research
Type: eps_page
URL: /lp/loyalty-research
Last Modified: 2026-06-10T15:42:12Z
Loyalty isn’t just built. It’s earned.
Loyalty programs are everywhere, but what actually drives consumers to join, engage and stay loyal? Our latest research reveals the answer.
Joining is easy. Staying is harder.
Loyalty is a two-way exchange
---
## Lp/Mammothbrands/Ankur
Type: eps_page
URL: /lp/mammothbrands/ankur
Last Modified: 2026-02-18T22:21:26Z
Ankur, scale 15X growth across every channel.
Connected identity. Smarter personalization. Measurable performance.
---
## Cross Channel Messaging
Type: eps_page
URL: /cross-channel-messaging
Last Modified: 2026-06-02T19:34:07Z
Harmonize messages across your paid, owned and earned channels.
For your marketing to be effective, you need to engage each consumer with a message they’ll care about—in every interaction, regardless of channel. Using 1 Voice, harmonized across paid, owned and earned channels, enables you to have a conversation that builds a relationship with each consumer.
1 Voice in action
See how 1 Voice will help you have conversations that build relationships.
Epsilon PeopleCloud
Our PeopleCloud platform is the bridge between advertising and marketing technology, allowing marketers to create:
What makes Epsilon different
---
## Template Gated Asset
Type: eps_page
URL: /template-gated-asset
Last Modified: 2025-04-07T19:48:25Z
Headline lorem ipsum dolor sin amet
Body copy lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam.
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit
Sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua
Laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat
Here are some proof points about the marketing campaign we're running:
Here's another piece of information to share
Optional supporting content, like a video or an additional paragraph of information with a supporting image
---
## Products And Services/Retail Media Network/Advertisers
Type: eps_page
URL: /products-and-services/retail-media-network/advertisers
Last Modified: 2026-06-22T18:02:33Z
Retail media
Epsilon Retail Media helps you reach and measure real shoppers, not cookies, devices or modeled audiences. Built on persistent identity and powered by AI, our platform connects media exposure directly to real sales, online and in-store.
---
## Lp/Full Clean Room
Type: eps_page
URL: /lp/full-clean-room
Last Modified: 2026-06-02T20:45:11Z
Most clean rooms start empty. Epsilon starts full.
With Epsilon, you get more than an empty container. Our clean room comes with data and identity from day one—giving you instant insight into 255M+ verified U.S. individuals so every audience you build is grounded in real people, not probabilistic guesses.
What sets Epsilon apart is the quality of our identity graph, powered by:
Highly reliable, validated data sources that ensure every match is rooted in real-world accuracy
Proprietary third-party data competitors can’t access, giving you a clearer, more complete view of real people
Deterministic, person-level identity resolution that removes guesswork and drives more confident targeting and measurement
See how Epsilon Clean Room delivers more from the start.
How Epsilon can drive better results for your brand
When your clean room starts full, every part of your marketing performs better.
Start your journey to smarter marketing with advice from the experts
---
## Stay Relevant
Type: eps_page
URL: /stay-relevant
Last Modified: 2026-06-02T19:34:11Z
Create marketing that’s relevant in the moment and stays relevant over time.
For your marketing to be effective, you need to craft 1 Vision of what matters to each person, engage them with a message they’ll care about and learn more about them with each interaction. That’s how you have a conversation with them that’s relevant in the moment and evolves with them to stay relevant over time.
1 Vision in action
Learn more about how 1 Vision of what matters to each consumer helps you have relevant conversations.
Epsilon PeopleCloud
Our PeopleCloud platform is the bridge between advertising and marketing technology, allowing marketers to create:
What makes Epsilon different
---
## Epsilon Insider Subscription
Type: eps_page
URL: /epsilon-insider-subscription
Last Modified: 2026-06-15T19:50:17Z
Become an Insider
Epsilon Insider is the newsletter for forward-thinking marketers who strive to stay ahead of the curve. Each month, our experts will send all the news you need to know straight to your inbox.
You’ll get:
Exclusive insights into the latest marketing trends and strategies
Expert tips for elevating your marketing game
Inspiring stories about how top brands are succeeding through innovation
Sign up today to keep pace with the ever-evolving world of marketing.
Subscribe for a first look at exclusive thought leadership resources like:
---
## Lp/Ad Frequency
Type: eps_page
URL: /lp/ad-frequency
Last Modified: 2026-06-10T15:40:17Z
Too many ads, too often: What consumers are actually noticing.
Epsilon surveyed consumers to understand how repeated ad exposure is showing up across channels and how it's shaping attention, perception and purchase behavior.
Repetition is everywhere.
Where ads repeat the most.
Repetition is most visible in digital-first environments, especially where consumers spend the most time.
---
## Lp/Marketing Frozen
Type: eps_page
URL: /lp/marketing-frozen
Last Modified: 2026-02-18T22:21:26Z
Your marketing shouldn’t be frozen in place.
When marketing is done right, it should feel like a friendly conversation—a conversation that flows naturally and moves seamlessly across channels. See what it looks like when you get it right.
How 1:1 conversations drive customer loyalty and profits
According to Epsilon research, more than half of respondents said they want to receive personalized marketing from brands. This guide will inspire you to reimagine your marketing personalization efforts and make personalization your marketing superpower.
---
## Lp/Personalization Guide
Type: eps_page
URL: /lp/personalization-guide
Last Modified: 2026-03-12T16:06:31Z
Discover what’s happening with personalization today.
Trying to create meaningful, relevant experiences for customers? The struggle is real. Our research shows how personalized marketing is essential to customers and how getting it wrong can ruin brand loyalty.
How consumers really feel about personalization
---
## Products And Services/Epsilon Digital/Display
Type: eps_page
URL: /products-and-services/epsilon-digital/display
Last Modified: 2026-06-24T16:19:43Z
Display advertising that finds the right moment, every time.
Epsilon Display is a display advertising platform that helps brands acquire new customers and retain existing ones across the open web. Every impression is tied to a real person and to real commercial outcomes through Epsilon's identity graph.
What is digital display advertising?
How does Epsilon Display work?
Your customer data is onboarded and matched against Epsilon CORE Identity, which resolves individuals across browsers, devices and offline touchpoints into a single profile, enabling accurate reach, controlled frequency and suppression of already-converted customers at the person level.
Campaigns activate across a private exchange of brand-safe publishers, with dynamic creative optimisation tailoring ad content in real time for each individual.
What formats are available?
Epsilon Display offers a range of formats across desktop, tablet and mobile to suit different campaign objectives.
---
## Connected Marketing
Type: eps_page
URL: /connected-marketing
Last Modified: 2026-07-30T14:59:07Z
Marketing that connects.
Most marketing is built in pieces: disconnected data, siloed channels, short-term signals. Epsilon connects data, identity, activation and measurement, so every interaction informs the next and every dollar works harder over time.
Epsilon helps brands make every marketing moment count.
See Epsilon in action
When our capabilities work together, brands can overcome any marketing challenge.
What is connected marketing?
---
## Products And Services/Data
Type: eps_page
URL: /products-and-services/data
Last Modified: 2026-09-15T15:32:26Z
Find new customers who look like your best customers.
Epsilon Data builds a 360-degree view of customers to understand who they are, what they buy and what they care about. These insights provide a deeper understanding of your customer beyond how they transact with your brand, which enables more personalised and relevant campaigns.
See how clean, accurate data can power your marketing strategy
Our data is third-party verified
FAQs
---
## Products And Services/Epsilon Retail Media Citrusad
Type: eps_page
URL: /products-and-services/epsilon-retail-media-citrusad
Last Modified: 2026-03-03T17:36:23Z
One unified platform
Onsite and offsite, better together
Epsilon works with leading retailers across grocery, electrical, home improvement and marketplace environments.
Trusted by leading retailers
A retail media supergroup
Frequently asked questions
Further reading
---
## Learn/Data Clean Room
Type: eps_page
URL: /learn/data-clean-room
Last Modified: 2026-06-17T19:47:18Z
The definitive guide to data clean rooms
Marketing runs on data, but the data needed to drive performance is more fragmented, restricted and difficult to access than ever. The data clean room is emerging as a solution, enabling brands to securely collaborate, unlock insights and activate campaigns—and proving that privacy and performance can go hand in hand.
What is a data clean room?
A data clean room is a secure, pseudonymized environment where brands can combine first-, second- and third-party data to better understand their customers and expand prospective audiences without compromising data privacy.
In a data clean room, multiple parties can access the data for insights, activation and measurement, but those parties can never take or deanonymize data they don’t own. For example, a retailer and a CPG brand may use this technology to share customer data with each other, both augmenting what they know about shared customers, expanding unknown audiences and enabling more effective campaigns.
The Real Deal on Data Clean Rooms
Learn how data clean rooms can help you reach new customers in this video with Epsilon’s Michelle Dieschbourg, Senior Manager of Product Marketing.
How fragmented data hurts your marketing strategy
Third-party cookies are (still) on their way out. Identity signals are increasingly fragmented across multiple emails, devices and channels. And customer data is locked inside internal silos, platforms and partners. Meanwhile, consumers still expect marketers to provide highly relevant experiences with every interaction.
Put simply, it’s hard to effectively connect with consumers.
First-party data is often touted as the silver bullet. Clean, resolved first-party data is foundational to omnichannel marketing, but it only provides information about what known customers do within the brand’s owned universe (not outside it). Plus, some brands just don’t have a lot of first-party data to begin with.
Partners offer complementary signals from their data ecosystems, and third-party platforms and publishers provide their own insights for purchase. Combining insights from these data sources provides brands with a rich, complete customer view needed to power marketing performance.
But doing this has become more difficult. Data privacy regulations remain paramount, and brands can’t just share data anymore—they need a controlled way to work on it together.
Clean rooms offer a privacy-safe space for brands to use multiple sources of data to derive insights and build a complete customer view.
CDP vs. clean room—what’s the difference?
Customer data platforms (CDPs) and clean rooms both help brands to unlock deeper insights about consumers—but in slightly different ways. Many marketers consider them find them to be complementary technologies.
The primary role of a CDP is to unify, cleanse and serve as a repository for a brand’s known customer data. It helps you know your own customers better so you can personalize and orchestrate campaigns across owned and paid channels.
A data clean room platform serves as a secure, pseudonymized environment to combine data sets from various sources—including first-party data, data from walled gardens, partner data, regulated data, etc. It helps you find and understand current and prospective new customers safely.
CDP vs. clean room roles
Regardless of whether you choose to use a CDP, a clean room or both, the full value of these platforms will come from unifying these tools with the rest of your adtech and martech. Properly integrating the technology allows you to funnel the insights to activation platforms like demand-side platforms (DSPs) to deploy more personalized campaigns—and measure performance in real time.
Clean rooms and CDPs: Dive into the details
AI and data clean rooms
Data clean rooms and AI have a symbiotic relationship. A clean room can provide the required data foundation for effective AI, and AI scales the clean room’s capabilities.
Creating a data foundation for AI
For AI to work effectively, it requires large amounts of high-quality data, which a clean room can provide.
Clean room technology allows your brand to work with various data sets to augment and enrich data, filling gaps on known and prospective customers. The best data clean rooms are also equipped with identity resolution. Identity unifies fragmented data into a single, accurate view of each person—giving AI the clean, consistent inputs it needs to generate reliable predictions in a privacy-safe environment.
Deploying AI inside a data clean room
On the flip side, AI can also scale the functionality of the clean room. When a clean room is equipped with identity and properly integrated with the broader tech stack, the technology can:
Develop audience strategies tailored to real, unique individuals
Activate campaigns based on those strategies
Measure the outcomes
Use outcomes to inform future strategies
Now add AI to the mix.
AI data clean rooms use AI-driven audience insights to develop, activate, measure and learn from campaigns—in real-time and at scale.
5 marketing data clean room use cases
Data clean rooms turn data collaboration into action. From insights to activation to measurement, here are five ways marketers are putting them to work.
1. Audience insights and planning
Clean rooms combine first-, second-, and third-party data to create a richer, more complete understanding of both known and prospective customers. This unified view helps identify high-value audiences, uncover new prospects and build more precise targeting strategies.
2. Cross-channel media activation
Data clean rooms turn audience insights into action by allowing you to activate campaigns across channels with unified, person-level data. With identity resolution and integrated activation capabilities, you can deliver the right message to the right individual at the right time—and continuously optimize based on real performance signals.
3. Closed-loop media measurement and attribution
Data clean rooms enable person-level measurement by connecting exposures and outcomes across channels. With identity resolution, you can move beyond siloed metrics to understand real customer behavior and optimize spend.
4. Cross-brand partnerships
Clean rooms provide a privacy-safe environment for brands and partners to collaborate on data, unlocking shared insights without exposing sensitive information. This collaboration helps both parties better understand overlapping customers and create more effective joint marketing strategies.
5. Retail media collaboration
Retailers and brands can use clean rooms to combine transaction data with media exposure data for more precise targeting and measurement. This allows brands to reach in-market shoppers more effectively while helping retailers monetize their data through more valuable retail media offerings.
Clean room platform technology
Many independent clean rooms come as an empty box a brand is expected to fill. But these solutions are missing two key components present in any high-performing data clean room platform:
Access to data
Identity resolution
For brands without a lot of first-party data, it can be hard to find value in the average clean room—they only have so much data to analyze and glean insights from. They would need to rely heavily on partners and purchased third-party data to make the clean room investment valuable, thus tacking on costs to an already-expensive technology investment (not to mention the additional procurement involved).
And then there's the issue of data quality—quality data is foundational for quality results. Brands often have disparate data that live in various systems and platforms, and a lot of that data is often inaccurate, duplicative or incomplete. Data clean rooms can deploy identity resolution solutions designed to unify, clean and organize data, but that often comes at an additional cost.
A data clean room equipped with preloaded data and identity enables brands to start activating their data on day one. Epsilon Clean Room comes preloaded with data and identity that delivers better prospect identification, high-performance media activation and closed-loop measurement.
The future of privacy-safe data collaboration
The future of privacy-safe data collaboration will be defined by stricter regulations, the continued decline of third-party cookies and the growing need for brands to work together without exposing sensitive data. Data clean rooms are emerging as the foundation for this shift—enabling secure, compliant collaboration across companies while still unlocking valuable customer insights.
As identity resolution and AI become more tightly integrated, brands can unify fragmented data, enrich it with partner inputs and power more accurate modeling, activation and measurement at scale. The result is a new marketing paradigm: one where privacy and performance are no longer in conflict but mutually reinforcing.
Explore Epsilon Clean Room
---
## Lp/Vfc
Type: eps_page
URL: /lp/vfc
Last Modified: 2026-06-18T19:10:21Z
Turn VF Corporation’s disconnected brand moments into one connected customer experience.
From The North Face to Timberland, your customers experience your brands individually.
Epsilon helps you connect those moments - driving stronger engagement, bigger baskets, and lasting loyalty.
---
## Products And Services/Publishers
Type: eps_page
URL: /products-and-services/publishers
Last Modified: 2025-11-25T13:57:33Z
Maximize site monetization
Publisher monetization shouldn’t be a one-size-fits-all approach. Epsilon can help you tap the power of your audience and enhance monetization with tools and flexible integrations that adapt to your business needs. With our direct demand, premium technology platform, and future-proofed publisher identity solutions, you can unlock the most value from your properties.
---
## Lp/Chomps
Type: eps_page
URL: /lp/chomps
Last Modified: 2026-02-18T22:21:26Z
Let’s take bigger bites out of the snack category.
Congratulations! You’re the fastest growing snack brand in the US. And we can help you keep the momentum going—especially as more competitors enter the market. By creating personalized engagement across paid, owned and earned channels, we’ll help you keep interactions with the Chomps brand appetizing for each unique person.
Hungry to learn how we can partner for success? We’ve made a recipe-style guide to grow the Chomps brand together.
---
## Lp/Jollibee
Type: eps_page
URL: /lp/jollibee
Last Modified: 2026-02-18T22:21:26Z
How AI can serve up better dining experiences
Unlock the AI black box. Here’s how restaurant marketers are using the tech.
Jollibee is redefining the fast-food experience—and AI can help accelerate that transformation. As Jollibee continues its impressive expansion across North America, staying ahead of consumer experiences and operational efficiency is more important than ever. Our research in the Epsilon Pulse report, The state of AI in marketing, highlights how AI is shaping the future of dining and how Jollibee can harness it to deliver more personalized, efficient and impactful marketing experiences.
---
## Products And Services/Retail Media Advertisers
Type: eps_page
URL: /products-and-services/retail-media-advertisers
Last Modified: 2026-08-06T13:22:39Z
Reach real shoppers with retail media advertising.
Epsilon Retail Media helps you reach and measure real shopper interactions, not cookies, devices or modelled audiences.
Built on persistent identity, our platform connects media exposure directly to real sales, online and in-store.
Find out more about how we work with retailers.
Tap into leading retailer networks
Onsite
Offsite
Faster, smarter campaigns at your fingertips
Our all-in-one retail media UI streamlines brand campaigns with bulk actions and enhanced reporting that connects your digital efforts with real world, in-store shopping activity.
Identify patterns in shopper behaviour around key shopping seasons and deliver the right message at the most effective time.
How to start, measure and prove retail media success
Watch our demo to learn more
Technology that delivers
Are you a retailer?
News & views to fuel your growth
---
## Lp/Identity And Ai
Type: eps_page
URL: /lp/identity-and-ai
Last Modified: 2026-02-18T22:21:26Z
Identity and AI make the right connections.
To get marketing right, it should feel like a friendly conversation. But you need both identity and AI to make it happen.
Being able to recognize individuals is useful, but it’s not enough—you need AI to decide how to decide what to do next to engage each consumer.
Having AI-driven capabilities is useful, but it’s not enough—you need recognition to get its full value.
That’s why we pair the two at Epsilon: watch the video to see how that match drives better outcomes for your brand.
We support all aspects of marketing and advertising
---
## Products And Services/Accelerate/Segmentation
Type: eps_page
URL: /products-and-services/accelerate/segmentation
Last Modified: 2026-06-02T20:45:17Z
Group your audience and automatically customize what they see.
Whether it’s first-time visitors or returning loyalty customers, behavioral segmentation ensures each group sees content that speaks directly to them.
Customization works best when it’s precise.
Smarter targeting. Better conversations.
Fuel precision website journeys with effective segmentation.
Epsilon Accelerate turns unknown traffic into experiences that resonate. By dividing your audience, you can build sharper segmentation with interest-based attributes—tailored to new visitors, return buyers and high-value customers—and deliver more meaningful website experiences.
---
## Learn/Connected Tv
Type: eps_page
URL: /learn/connected-tv
Last Modified: 2026-08-13T14:38:41Z
The definitive guide to CTV advertising in the UK and EMEA
Learn how the TV landscape has evolved, what connected TV actually is and how to build a smarter strategy.
Explore Connected TV
---
## Lp/Idc Ctv Vendor Assessment 2025
Type: eps_page
URL: /lp/idc-ctv-vendor-assessment-2025
Last Modified: 2026-06-15T19:56:50Z
Epsilon has been named a new Leader in CTV solution providers
IDC just released the first and only report of its kind: the IDC MarketScape: Worldwide Connected TV Advertising Platforms 2025 Vendor Assessment. In it, Epsilon is named a Leader.
We believe the recognition marks a significant milestone for Epsilon’s CTV capabilities by reinforcing our unique capabilities:
Industry-leading identity: We consolidate disparate customer data into a single ID, for deduplicated reach across a large portion of U.S. TV households, more precise targeting and less wasted ad spend.
Person-based audiences: With our vast library of granular audiences, brands can connect with consumers across multiple channels, including display, online video and audio. And we can activate or model off brands' customer data for comprehensive audience strategies.
Connected measurement: Brands can observe and analyze their campaign performance with a wide range of media KPIs, and, in many cases, optimize toward performance KPIs.
AI-powered real-time decisioning: Using machine learning and predictive AI, our model optimizes in real-time so brands reach the right prospects when they’re ready to buy - and suppress those who already made a purchase.
---
## Products And Services/Accelerate/Activation
Type: eps_page
URL: /products-and-services/accelerate/activation
Last Modified: 2026-06-02T20:45:13Z
Convert more visitors with real-time website messages.
Serve the right message at exactly the right moment based on what users do, where they came from or what they’re viewing. Epsilon Accelerate connects seamlessly with your existing tools to activate campaigns across your website and email channels.
Every click is an opportunity and our activation tools make sure you seize it.
Guide customers to the next step at moments in the buying journey.
Activation is where your customer engagement strategy comes to life.
By launching high-impact experiences at just the right moments, you transform visitor interest into action. Epsilon Accelerate’s activation capabilities ensure every touchpoint counts. Every pop-up, banner or badge is working to capture attention, convert and ultimately drive more revenue from your existing traffic.
---
## Lp/Mammothbrands/Coterie
Type: eps_page
URL: /lp/mammothbrands/coterie
Last Modified: 2026-05-13T18:22:13Z
Growth shouldn’t cost you connection.
Unified identity. Smarter personalization. Deeper trust at scale.
---
## Learn/Programmatic Advertising
Type: eps_page
URL: /learn/programmatic-advertising
Last Modified: 2026-06-29T17:42:23Z
Programmatic advertising: What you need to know in 2026
Programmatic advertising today has evolved far beyond buying banner ad impressions.
In 2026, the only programmatic approach that consistently grows revenue is built on person‑level identity, privacy‑safe data and AI—so you can recognize real people across channels, reach more in‑market customers and prove the incremental impact of every impression.
This guide covers the basics of what programmatic advertising is and how it works, as well as the technological foundations you need to succeed.
What is programmatic advertising?
Programmatic advertising is the use of data and technology to buy, sell and optimize digital ads in real time. Programmatic advertising serves relevant ad impressions to specific audiences in milliseconds through automated, data-driven processes.
Why is programmatic advertising important?
According to Epsilon personalization research, 76% of respondents say they view brands negatively when they include inaccurate information about them in their advertising. Yet, 91% still see irrelevant ads daily.
Programmatic advertising powered by data, identity resolution and AI helps brands deliver precise, highly relevant ads. The technology automates decisions about who to reach, where, when and with what message, eliminating the inefficiencies, wasted ad spend and manual processes of traditional media buying.
Reaching people on their preferred channels and devices opens the door for more meaningful, personalized conversations. And, if you can reach them at the right time by understanding their habits or anticipating their wants and needs, you develop deeper affinity and connection.
Integrating programmatic advertising across the omnichannel customer journey helps to increase customer acquisition, improve customer retention and reengage lapsed customers—contributing meaningfully to business outcomes.
Primary types of programmatic advertising
Most programmatic campaigns center on a few core channels that match how people actually consume content across their day: video, display and audio.
1. Programmatic video advertising
Programmatic video advertising uses automated buying to place video ads across connected TV (CTV), online video (OLV) and other streaming environments in real time.
Video uniquely suits users’ preferences for snackable content and their tendency to multitask on their devices—but it also serves as a connection point to people who are locked in to long-form content (binge session, anyone?). And with its engaging, captivating and often entertaining appeal to consumers, video is the standout leader in today’s programmatic campaigns.
2. Programmatic display advertising
Programmatic display advertising uses automated buying to deliver banner, native and rich media ads across the open web wherever people browse, read and shop. Brands rely on display for efficient reach and retargeting, using audience and contextual signals to stay present with prospects throughout their daily journeys.
3. Programmatic audio advertising
Programmatic audio advertising extends programmatic buying into streaming music, podcasts and internet radio. Audio is particularly useful for reaching people during commutes, workouts and other off‑screen moments. Advertisers use it to add an always‑on “voice” to their campaigns, reinforcing messages from video and display with targeted, interruption‑light audio spots.
How does programmatic advertising work?
Imagine streaming your favorite TV show and you hit a commercial break. A personalized ad for your local hardware store instantly plays on screen. How did that ad find you—in less than the blink of an eye?
As you watch, click and scroll, DSPs, SSPs, ad exchanges and other advertising technologies are executing complex auction negotiations to put the right ad in front of the viewer.
Let’s break down the process (and those acronyms).
An ad opportunity appears. You open a site or streaming app and a slot becomes available to show an ad (for example, during a streaming TV commercial break).
The publisher offers the ad slot. The publisher’s supply-side platform (SSP) sends details about the impression (page/app, device, basic context) into an ad exchange.
Buyers evaluate the impression. Advertisers use demand-side platforms (DSPs) to receive this request through an ad exchange and quickly check whether the user matches any of their targeting rules or audiences.
Automated bidding happens in real time. Each DSP runs its bidding logic and, if the impression is valuable, submits a bid and a specific creative into the auction—usually in a real-time bidding (RTB) process.
The ad exchange serves the winning ad. The ad exchange picks the highest eligible bid, notifies the publisher and shows the winning ad on your screen.
Performance data flows back. After the impression, the ad server collects data about views, clicks and conversions, feeding back into each platform so the technologies can automatically optimize future targeting and bids.
In as little as 100 milliseconds, you’re served an ad. By comparison, the blink of an eye is roughly 300 to 400 milliseconds—that’s an impressive feat of computing.
The importance of omnichannel activation
Many brands run paid, owed and earned channels as separate entities—with separate teams dedicated to paid media, website management, loyalty program strategy, etc. But consumers live across all channels and consume all types of media.
To create a cohesive, unified customer journey, your programmatic ads must be integrated across channels and with the rest of your marketing efforts.
Imagine you see an ad for a new brand on CTV, click a retargeting display ad later in the week, and then receive an email with a personalized offer a day after that. You finally convert by making a purchase on the brand’s website. In this instance, you experienced a coherent journey instead of a series of disconnected campaigns.
Common mistakes: How to avoid the advertising “Hot Zone”
Many advertisers ramp up their programmatic media spend and impressions in the hopes of acquiring new customers. But increasing spend in walled gardens like Facebook, Amazon and Google often leads to wasted budgets and disappointing results.
This is what we call the advertising “Hot Zone.” Customers here are easy to find, but they’re aggressively over-messaged (because every advertiser can reach them).
“Consumers actually spend more time on the open web versus inside walled gardens,” explains Karissa VanHooser, Vice President of Product Marketing at Epsilon. “When we look at where marketers are spending their money, it's backwards.”
The key to escaping the “Hot Zone” is connecting with high-value customers, not just easy-to-reach customers:
Make sure you can reach Apple users.
Focus on reacquiring lapsed and ultra-lapsed customers.
Every dollar you spend should go toward your best customers—not just the people you can easily reach.
The Real Deal on the Advertising "Hot Zone"
The key to escaping the “Hot Zone” is connecting with high-value customers. Learn where they are and how to reach them from Karissa VanHooser, Vice President of Product Marketing at Epsilon.
What technology do programmatic advertisers need?
To deploy successful programmatic ads that reach real people with an omnichannel experience, you need to start with a foundation of first-party data, identity resolution and artificial intelligence (AI).
Person-level data onboarding and enhancement to maximize unique reach
First-party data is your most important asset in any programmatic campaign. The first step in working with a new digital media partner is onboarding that data—connecting it to an identity solution for analysis and activation.
A “match” occurs when the onboarder can connect your brand’s CRM data to an individual in their identity graph. But there are two problems with the typical approach to matching:
Many digital partners increase their digital match rates using poor probabilistic connections. These matches are essentially educated guesses rather than a definitive, deterministic match. The approach trades accuracy for the appearance of scale.
Not all matches can be used for digital activation. Some of the “matches” are people that do exist but your programmatic media partner cannot necessarily connect with them. These people are often high-value prospects precisely because many partners cannot reach them. They’re under-messaged, as opposed to easy-to-reach users who are over-messaged to the point of fatigue.
You need a solution that goes beyond basic match rates and actually grows your addressable audience, including:
Deterministic, person-level matching that shows which customers are truly reachable online.
Strong data hygiene and enrichment to remove duplicates and fill in missing identifiers.
Identity and AI that recognize real people across channels to expand unique reach and limit over-frequency.
Strong identity resolution to message real in-market customers
Talking to real in-market customers with wallets makes all the difference in your programmatic campaigns. Messaging devices, cookies or emails can lead to over-messaging consumers and significant wasted spend. A large auto manufacturer, for example, lost over $200 million in a single quarter because of over-frequency.
Epsilon research shows consumers don’t love ad repetition, either—88% of consumers notice repetitive ads, and 71% report being annoyed or extremely annoyed by repeated ads.
The best programmatic solutions offer robust, people-based identity resolution that serves ads to real individuals. It’s also imperative that your solution connects online and offline purchases so you can track each customer’s full journey and update their in-market status based on behavior. This allows you to optimize ad frequency, reduce wasted spend and improve campaign efficiency.
Predictive AI to drive real-time decisioning and optimization
Predictive AI helps marketers connect with in-market consumers in a relevant, non-repetitive way that they appreciate. The best programmatic advertising technologies use predictive AI to understand exactly which individuals are most relevant for a brand, rather than going after a broad audience or segment, making real-time recommendations on:
Who to reach
Where to reach them
What to say to them
The same AI technology should also drive omnichannel optimization—selecting the right channel (CTV, online video, display, audio) and the optimal time to deliver an ad impression. Over time, the best solutions use AI to optimize campaigns based on clients’ objectives (conversion, budget, reach, etc.) through real-time modeling and scoring throughout the life of a campaign.
Getting started with programmatic best practices
Getting programmatic right isn’t just about turning on a platform—it’s about putting the right foundations, guardrails and feedback loops in place. These best practices help you define clear goals, find the right audiences, deliver relevant creative and continuously optimize in a privacy-safe way so every impression works harder for your brand.
Set clear and measurable objectives. Before launching a programmatic campaign, it's essential to define clear, specific and measurable goals. Set specific KPIs that reflect what success looks like, and regularly evaluate your results to ensure you're on track.
Leverage audience segmentation. Effective audience segmentation allows you to tailor your messaging to specific customer groups, increasing relevance and engagement, delivering more personalized ads and boosting your campaign’s performance.
Personalize ad creative. Dynamic creative optimization (DCO) allows you to automatically personalize ad creative in real time based on audience characteristics and behaviors.
Regularly review and optimize bids. Programmatic advertising offers real-time insights, making it possible to continually optimize your campaigns. Regularly review bid performance and adjust as needed to ensure that you’re getting the most out of your budget. Bid optimization can help improve cost efficiency and ensure your ads are shown to the right audience at the right price.
Adopt a privacy-first approach. Data privacy is increasingly important in digital marketing, and a privacy-first approach is key to building trust with your audience. Prioritize transparency and security to protect both your brand and your customers.
Test and iterate frequently. Continuous testing is essential to refining your programmatic advertising strategy. Regularly iterate based on the insights gained to ensure that your campaigns stay relevant and effective.
The Real Deal on personalizing creative at scale
AI-powered dynamic creative optimization (DCO) can transform your marketing from generic messaging to truly personalized experiences. Learn how from Stacy Ward, SVP of Creative at Epsilon.
Digital media metrics to measure programmatic performance
Epsilon's Chief Analytics Officer, Loch Rose, explains, “Many have tried to use clicks for attribution because clicks don’t require identity. But the problem is that clicks are a very limited form of attribution.”
Traditional digital advertising metrics like CPM, impressions and clicks still serve a purpose, but if you’re serious about understanding true campaign performance, it’s time to think bigger. There are variety of ways to meaningfully measure programmatic performance, but these are the top metrics to master:
iROAS: Incremental return on ad spend shows how much new revenue your campaigns generate, isolating the impact of media from sales that would have happened anyway.
eCPM: Effective cost per mille goes beyond cheap impressions to show how efficiently you’re buying quality, viewable exposure to the right people for every 1,000 impressions.
Unique reach: Unique reach measures how many distinct people saw your ads, helping you avoid over-frequency on the same users and understand how far your messages truly spread.
Examples of successful programmatic campaigns
Programmatic advertising is only as good as the outcomes it delivers. These examples show how brands are using Epsilon’s identity, data and AI to turn strategy into measurable results—from reaching in‑market shoppers with audio to scaling personalized creative that lifts revenue.
Epson inks new customers with audio ads
Epson, a multinational electronics company, wanted to build a connected campaign for its EcoTank printers. The company sought to reach in-market shoppers in the moments that matter across screens and inventory—so it integrated programmatic audio into its existing CTV, OLV and display ecosystem. As a result, Epson reached 11 million unique individuals with an 88% audio completion rate (10% above industry average).
National lifestyle and apparel brand acquires new and repeat customers with a fashionable multichannel strategy
A national lifestyle and apparel brand wanted to drive awareness of its clothing lines while landing new customers, which meant increasing its investment in a mix of upper-funnel channels and audiences.
After more than doubling its investment toward upper-funnel tactics, including a major increase in connected TV investment, the retailer wanted to reach qualified prospects.
With Epsilon Digital, the retailer used first-party data to model audiences from its existing site visitors and buyers, excluding current buyers, to maximize reach against competitors and those new to the brand.
How Epsilon Digital can help
Epsilon Digital brings together person-level identity, privacy-safe data and predictive AI so your programmatic advertising can consistently reach real people across channels—not just impressions.
By activating your first-party data through Epsilon Digital, you can find more in-market customers, limit wasted spend from over-frequency and prove the incremental impact of every impression on revenue and loyalty.
Epsilon Digital: See what person-first digital advertising can do
Frequently asked questions (FAQs)
---
## About Us/Recognition
Type: eps_page
URL: /about-us/recognition
Last Modified: 2026-02-03T08:58:17Z
Industry recognition
---
## Snapchat
Type: eps_page
URL: /snapchat
Last Modified: 2026-06-02T19:50:42Z
Gen Z and Millennials are on Snapchat—your brand should be, too.
Real conversations happen every day on Snapchat. Now, with Epsilon Clean Room’s new integration, marketers can activate their first-party data faster and smarter to be part of those moments.
With this integration, brands can push privacy-safe audience segments from Epsilon Clean Room directly into their Snapchat Ad accounts. The result: improved match rates of up to 50% for audience activation, enabling more precise targeting for campaigns—so your brand can show up in more of the moments that matter to consumers.
How Epsilon Clean Room can drive better results for your brand.
With Epsilon Clean Room, brands can move faster, target smarter and prove results—all while protecting consumer trust. Because when clean room collaboration meets people-based identity, better marketing follows.
Start your journey to smarter marketing with advice from the experts
---
## Stay Relevant
Type: eps_page
URL: /stay-relevant
Last Modified: 2026-06-02T18:10:10Z
Create marketing that’s relevant in the moment and stays relevant over time.
For your marketing to be effective, you need to craft 1 Vision of what matters to each person, engage them with a message they’ll care about and learn more about them with each interaction. That’s how you have a conversation with them that’s relevant in the moment and evolves with them to stay relevant over time.
1 Vision in action
Learn more about how 1 Vision of what matters to each consumer helps you have relevant conversations.
Epsilon PeopleCloud
Our PeopleCloud platform is the bridge between advertising and marketing technology, allowing marketers to create:
What makes Epsilon different
---
## Lp/Forrester Marketing Measurement In The Age Of Ai
Type: eps_page
URL: /lp/forrester-marketing-measurement-in-the-age-of-ai
Last Modified: 2026-09-01T18:25:03Z
Information in Forrester publications is based on Forrester’s efforts to compile and analyze the best resources reasonably available to Forrester at any given time. Opinions reflect judgment at the time and are subject to change. This report is part of a broader collection of Forrester resources, including interactive models, frameworks, tools, data, and access to analyst guidance.
---
## Lp/1member1costco
Type: eps_page
URL: /lp/1member1costco
Last Modified: 2026-06-15T20:09:09Z
Paving the road to 1 member 1 Costco
Imagine Costco members being greeted with personalized offers, timely notifications and a seamless shopping experience uniquely tailored to their preferences. Together, we can create a unified journey for each Costco member, ensuring a powerful connection for Costco and their brands.
Here’s some of what you’ll find in our exclusive content:
---
## Products And Services/Creative Services
Type: eps_page
URL: /products-and-services/creative-services
Last Modified: 2026-02-03T18:32:52Z
Scroll-stopping creative, powered by data.
With deep experience in design, production, copywriting and creative automation, the Epsilon Creative team harnesses the power of data and identity to develop ideas that stops consumers mid-scroll.
Applied creative
Here’s how our high-performing, personalised creative can drive results for you.
Case studies
Our results speak for themselves.
Solutions we support
---
## Learn/Customer Loyalty Strategy
Type: eps_page
URL: /learn/customer-loyalty-strategy
Last Modified: 2026-06-17T19:47:46Z
Customer loyalty strategy in 2026: The complete guide
Most brands still treat customer loyalty like a program:
Something you join.
Something you manage.
Something you measure in points, tiers and redemptions.
But customers don’t experience loyalty that way. They experience it in every interaction—every message, every offer, every moment your brand either understands them or doesn’t.
That gap is getting hard to ignore. 70% of consumer decisions are driven by emotion (not hard benefits with rational appeal), and 86% of loyalty members expect a relevant, two-way relationship with your brand.
Loyalty is no longer something you build for members with static tiers and rewards. It’s something you create by knowing your customer deeply, personalizing each experience and offering value over time.
And for the first time, data, identity and AI are making this kind of customer loyalty strategy possible, moving from transactional campaigns to a continuous, personalized system that reaches every customer.
Done right, loyalty is no longer just a rewards program—it’s a business outcome.
What is a customer loyalty strategy?
Loyalty leaders grow customer loyalty at both the brand and program level.
A customer loyalty strategy is a person-first marketing approach that uses data and identity, personalization and value exchange over time to build consumer relationships, increase repeat behavior and grow customer lifetime value.
This customer loyalty strategy reaches every customer, whether they’re an official loyalty member or not. It helps to generate the passion, dedication and trust people have for your brand, moves them through the customer life cycle and motivates them toward lifetime loyalty.
A loyalty program is a marketing strategy designed to grow and engage loyalty members and strengthen brand relationships through tailored incentives. The loyalty program is just one component of a successful loyalty strategy framework.
The Real Deal: Big "L" loyalty
Hear from Tamara Oliverio, Vice President of Product Management at Epsilon on how you can shift from program-centric to customer-centric loyalty.
The behavioral science behind loyalty
Many customer loyalty strategies depend heavily on rational loyalty, which appeals to a customer’s logic with transactional, hard benefits. Hard benefits are tangible and provide clear, measurable value, such as discounts, cash-back offers or points that can be redeemed for products or services.
However, research from Yale shows that emotional decisions are often stickier than rational ones, and according to Gallup, 70% of consumer decisions—including brand preference—are driven by emotions.
Generating brand-level loyalty must therefore go beyond transactions to also generate emotional loyalty, which appeals to a customer’s emotions through highly relevant experiences that make them feel known and appreciated, as well as through soft benefits that offer emotional or relational value. Examples of soft benefits include exclusive access to events, early product releases and VIP customer service.
You need elements of both rational loyalty and emotional loyalty for a successful customer loyalty strategy, but many brands over-index on rational, hard benefits while neglecting emotional, soft benefits.
4 pillars of a modern loyalty strategy
How can customer loyalty strategy managers elevate their programs beyond traditional tactics alone and form strategies that nurture real emotional connections? Loyalty program design must include the following core pillars.
1. Ongoing value exchange
Long-term loyalty is built on an ongoing, two-way value exchange.
Consumers deliver value to your brand through purchases and word-of-mouth recommendations. But in exchange, they want more than just quality products, services and experiences—Epsilon research found that 85% of loyalty members intend to buy from participating brands—demonstrating the power of mutual value exchange.
You need to take active steps to nurture this type of loyalty, kicking it up a notch from the typical transactional loyalty program.
2. Deep customer understanding
Delivering ongoing value through personal interactions requires a deep understanding of who customers are and what exactly they want. Loyalty programs powered by high-quality data allow brands to see their customers more clearly, including their:
Purchase history
Browsing behaviors
Device preferences
And more
Leveraging this kind of consumer data can reveal trends and preferences that can turn missed opportunities into rewarding experiences.
3. Personalized experiences
A deep, holistic view of your customers helps you to build customized incentives and experiences that are aligned with each customer’s interests. Consumers particularly appreciate this personalization—80% say they like it when brands adapt their communications based on their interactions and status with their loyalty programs.
Miata Boayue, Content Marketing Manager at Epsilon, explains, “Customers often perceive personalized experiences as a sign that the brand understands them and values their business. And customers who feel brands ‘know them’ are more inclined to seek out and purchase from that brand.”
Tractor Supply Company realized the importance of personalized loyalty experiences and wanted to ensure its Neighbor's Club loyalty program catered to its customers. The loyalty program had a significant amount of customer data to work with. With Epsilon as a partner, Tractor Supply Company was able to better understand the customer journey. It used these insights to make key adjustments to the Neighbor’s Club, which contribute to the program’s 75% retention rate.
4. Omnichannel engagement
Loyalty happens everywhere, and the most comprehensive approach to loyalty program design considers how to add value throughout the entire customer journey. According to McKinsey, getting omnichannel personalization right can increase revenue by 5% to 15% across the entire customer base.
Whether through email, SMS, app or in-store, personalized communications and tailored rewards boost engagement and deepen loyalty. But these communications must be coordinated across channels and adjusted based on each customer’s real time behavior.
Dunkin’s DD Perks® loyalty program delivers on omnichannel loyalty exceedingly well, personalizing experiences across the brand’s mobile app and mobile ordering, push notifications, direct mail and member statements. Connected to more than 9,000 locations, every order, reward and customer exchange is synced in real-time—enabling up-to-date experiences across channels.
Designing effective loyalty programs
While every customer loyalty strategy should build from the core pillars of loyalty, you should choose a loyalty program structure based on what makes the most sense for your brand and its customers.
Traditional tiers and redemption hurdles
Most brands operate their customer loyalty programs based on a traditional tier system with reward or redemption hurdles. Redemption hurdles are limitations brands put on members’ loyalty points, like expiration dates, spending minimums or redemption windows. This allows brands to price segment and control the cost of their loyalty program—but it can be a major frustration for customers.
Don’t forget to personalize tiers and hurdles like any other aspect of your loyalty program. Look to your customer data to design effective redemption hurdles based on individual customers’ prior behavior.
Gamification
Some brands implement gamification to transform redemption hurdles from annoyance to motivation. Loyalty gamification involves using game mechanics and game-inspired experience design to drive customer engagement and behavior. From points and badges to levels and leaderboards, gamification elements aim to influence customers using innate human motivators like competitiveness, reward-seeking behavior and the fear of missing out.
Nectar, the largest coalition loyalty program in the UK, introduced a “scratch and win” feature on top of collecting points with each purchase, and it significantly increased user engagement.
If you’re going the gamification route, make sure it's integrated seamlessly into your larger member experience strategy rather than a random bolt-on feature.
Subscription-based loyalty
Subscription-based loyalty programs like Amazon Prime and CVS CarePass have found great commercial success because they offer value exchange. Brands benefit from consistent revenue, locking in their best customers with built-in loyalty. Consumers enjoy special perks and discounts, exclusive products or services and high-quality, personalized experiences.
According to McKinsey, these paid loyalty programs increase the likelihood of higher spending by 60%, compared to 30% for free programs.
After taking a deep dive in its customer data, Chuck E. Cheese recently realized both the family entertainment brand and its customers could benefit from a subscription model. It subsequently launched the Fun Pass, which offers monthly membership starting at $7.99. Designed to increase affordability and frequency of visits, the Fun Pass provides unlimited visits, daily gameplay and 20% to 50% off food and drinks.
However, subscription models can be challenging to execute. Epsilon Senior Director of Strategic Consulting Lauren Wawrzyniak explains, “Coming up with a great idea goes a long way, but bringing it to fruition proves to be much more difficult, especially in very service-heavy subscription programs that require new supply chain logistics and staffing models."
If you’re considering a subscription-based loyalty program, make sure to choose an experienced loyalty partner.
Partner loyalty ecosystems
A multi-partner loyalty program is a connected, multi-partner program that allows customers to earn and redeem value across all partners. An ecosystem approach expands loyalty beyond a single brand’s products or channels, offering customers a broader set of rewards and ability to leverage partners’ customer data and touchpoints in a privacy-safe way.
Dunkin’ and Shell operate a partner loyalty ecosystem, allowing Dunkin’ rewards members to earn fuel rewards on top of their DD Perks rewards. “Dunkin recognized that fuel prices are a major pain point for their customer base and worked with Shell to add greater value to the loyalty program beyond their core competencies,” explains Wawrzyniak.
If you’re considering a partner ecosystem, finding the right ecosystem partners and loyalty program incentives is key. Analyze your customer data to identify relevant pain points outside of your traditional brand–customer relationship.
Data and identity in loyalty
Data and identity resolution are foundational to achieving the deep customer understanding your brand needs to create personalized, omnichannel experiences that build customer loyalty.
Schmidt gives the example of her favorite coffee shop suggesting a personalized snack she’s occasionally purchased to accompany her typical coffee order. “This resonates, because it isn't just a transaction. The brand is anticipating what else I personally would want, instead of just suggesting a blanket offer that everybody might be getting at checkout.”
Every interaction—online, in-app or in-store—generates valuable data that unlocks customer insights so you can deliver value like that personalized snack suggestion.
But you need to collect and unify that data before you can use it.
Loyalty programs are a reliable way to grow the first-party data you need. This includes basic customer information (like name, email, address, etc.). It also includes behavioral and transaction data (such as what a customer buys, their browsing behavior on your owned sites and communication preferences).
However, a lot of customer data is incomplete, duplicative and inaccurate. Identity resolution organizes a brand’s first-party data and it enriches it by filling in the missing information. Building identity into your first-party data strategy solves for:
Data gaps: More robust profiles tell you who your customers really are, what they’re doing outside of your owned channels and ensure seamless activation online and offline.
Data hygiene: You can check for duplicates, unify multiple identifiers (like email addresses across business or personal use) that belong to a single person and otherwise organize your data so it’s optimized for use.
Accurate measurement: Richer data enables more granular measurement because you can tie back measurement to individual people.
For the best view of customer, consider a customer data platform that integrates identity resolution natively. This type of CDP unifies, expands and augments your data so you can keep a pulse on your evolving customers and optimize their loyalty experiences.
Ultimately, your loyalty data should feed AI decisioning, so it’s critical to maintain complete, clean and accurate customer data. AI is only as good as the data that fuels it.
The Real Deal: Turn data into smarter loyalty
If you want to create meaningful moments that resonate with your customers—power your loyalty program with a strong data foundation.
AI-powered loyalty marketing
It’s one thing to know that your customer loyalty strategy should be delivering data-driven, personalized experiences that evolve with each customer. It’s another thing altogether to execute on that mandate. Until recently, many loyalty marketers would have considered it impossible.
But artificial intelligence is ushering in a new era of AI-powered loyalty marketing.
Loyalty programs often struggle to resonate because they’re using outdated or incomplete data, static tiers and assumptions about the customer that haven’t kept pace with their interests and intent. Now, it’s easier than ever to keep up with each customer and engage in ways that make each person feel known.
Fueled with first-party data and identity resolution, an AI loyalty platform with predictive modeling can:
Anticipate each member’s needs (e.g., next-best offer, channel and timing)
Personalize interactions at scale, using dynamic creative optimization
Activate omnichannel campaigns
Learn from member engagement to optimize performance in real time
Agentic AI takes loyalty marketing campaigns a step further. From insight delivery to decision-making, in-platform agents help loyalty program managers:
Identifying unseen behavioral shifts
Generates predictive insights that guide offers, messaging and targeting
Stay one step ahead of customer needs
Translates predictions into real-time actions across the journey
This technology allows loyalty marketers to stay one step ahead, spotting opportunities, validating customer participation and building real connections.
Boasting over 105 million members, Walgreens has seen the value of powering its MyWalgreens loyalty program with AI. Epsilon processes over 5 million transactions a day for the pharmaceutical retailer, using AI to make sure each customer gets the right experience, at the right time and in the right channel.
“Being named a Leader in Forrester’s most recent loyalty Wave reflects, for us, the work we’ve done to give brands a loyalty foundation built on enriched member data for AI-driven personalization,” said Prabhu Kannan, Managing Director, Loyalty at Epsilon. “Loyalty only works when marketers can trust the insights behind it, activate their loyalty data—enhanced by third party data across channels, and uncover the opportunities already within their customer base. Epsilon’s loyalty offering helps identify those opportunities and turn them into behavior-shifting experiences that drive meaningful outcomes and long-term customer value.”
AI-powered loyalty marketing
Measuring loyalty: Beyond transactions to true connection
Are your customers loyal to the deals—or the feels?
For years, loyalty marketers have relied on transactional metrics like redemption rates, spend and retention to gauge performance. But these metrics only tell part of the story. They show what customers did, not why they did it or whether they’ll come back.
The reality is that no single metric can define loyalty. Brands must understand how different signals work together to paint a complete picture of customer behavior, emotional connection and future value. To truly understand loyalty success, evaluate and optimize against a holistic set of loyalty metrics:
Member health: How do customers engage with your program day to day? Track activity, redemption behavior and the value customers receive.
Program health: How well is your loyalty strategy functioning overall? Includes satisfaction, attrition and how quickly members earn rewards.
Financial health: What is the business impact of your program? Measure incremental revenue, spend lift, acquisition cost and long-term value.
Emotional and predictive signals: How well is your strategy connecting emotionally? Evaluate emotional loyalty, sentiment and forward-looking indicators like value, attrition and potential (VAP).
Technology: Loyalty platforms and infrastructure
Loyalty management platforms have come a long way from managing points and distributing rewards. The modern loyalty platform is a system of intelligence that turns customer data into personalized experiences, measurable outcomes and long-term loyalty.
To achieve these aims, look for the following essential capabilities as you evaluate loyalty technology partners.
Collect first-party data and manage it in a privacy-safe way. Loyalty programs are a solid way to grow your first-party data. But your loyalty partner needs to prove how they’re keeping your data clean, accurate and secure. Look for integrated identity resolution to clean and enrich your data. The platform should also be able to adapt its approach to privacy compliance in a rapidly evolving regulatory space.
Create personalized experiences that allow customizable strategies across channels. Look for a platform that uses a decision engine with predictive modeling and AI. This technology identifies desired customer behavior and lets marketers adjust on the fly, so you can go beyond the transaction to create rewarding experiences.
Flex and scale as you evolve your program to meet customer demands. Loyalty programs and strategies look different for everyone. Can your program support growing membership? Add capabilities as members’ demand changes? Adapt to include future channels? Look for a platform with flexible options and expertise behind the scalability of those capabilities.
Provide self-service insights and reporting to understand customers, increase engagement, optimize performance and prove value. The right loyalty solution doesn’t just organize that data—it uses insights from the data to continually optimize your program and increase customer lifetime value. Look for real-time dashboards you can customize, as well as comprehensive reporting and analytics across all dimensions of program health.
The future of loyalty is always-on, always personal
Customer loyalty in 2026 is no longer about managing a program. Instead, loyalty managers must orchestrate a system:
Powered by clean, connected data.
Driven by real-time intelligence and predictive AI.
Delivering value in every interaction (not just at redemption).
The brands that win will be the ones that move beyond points and perks to create meaningful, personalized experiences at scale, turning everyday moments into reasons to stay.
That’s exactly what solutions like Epsilon Loyalty are built to enable. We help brands unify data, activate insights and deliver the kind of relevance that drives emotional connection and measurable growth.
Because in the end, loyalty isn’t something you track. It’s something you create—moment by moment, customer by customer.
Epsilon Loyalty
---
## Get In Touch Emea
Type: eps_page
URL: /get-in-touch-emea
Last Modified: 2026-04-16T15:18:11Z
Get in touch
Epsilon is a data and technology leader helping marketers drive real business outcomes.
Our platform is built on CORE Identity, the industry’s most accurate deterministic identity graph. It turns fragmented signals into real people and complete shopper journeys so brands can act at moments of genuine intent, reach their highest-value audiences and cut duplication.
No guesswork. No wasted spend. Just results.
Hear from our clients
---
## Lp/Data Solutions 101
Type: eps_page
URL: /lp/data-solutions-101
Last Modified: 2026-08-12T14:29:46Z
How to improve your data strategy
Take the next step toward becoming a data-driven marketing company, learn how data solves common business challenges and discover what data maturity looks like over time.
Why your business struggles to use data effectively
Most organizations aren’t short on data; they’re struggling to make it usable, reliable and actionable.
Common data challenges include:
Incomplete customer views: First-party data alone rarely tells the full story.
Fragmented systems and signals: Data sits across platforms, making it difficult to unify and activate.
Inconsistent performance: Targeting, personalization and measurement suffer without strong data inputs.
Limited ability to scale: Without high-quality data, it’s harder to find and convert new customers efficiently.
The result? Missed opportunities to better understand, reach and grow your customer base.
Where to start and how to improve your data strategy
To move forward in your data journey, it’s important to take stock of where your business is at today.
We’ve broken the data maturity process into three phases:
Build a clearer view of your customers
Personalize your data at scale
Optimize and transform
For each phase, there are solutions to help you move the needle and specific markers for success.
1. Build a clearer view of your customers
In phase one, it’s key to establish a data foundation and move from basic targeting to informed audience understanding. If you currently rely heavily on first-party data, you’re missing critical customer details and targeting is inconsistent.
What solutions to implement:
Pre-built audience activation across social, programmatic and emerging channels
Data appends using demographic, lifestyle and transactional insights
Data hygiene and data quality improvements
Integration of first- and third-party data into richer customer records
What this unlocks:
Rapid entry into data-driven marketing
Immediate scale and reach
Initial ability to target audiences with greater relevance
“76% of consumers say they view brands negatively when advertising contains inaccurate information about them.”
-The push and pull of personalization: How consumers perceive personalization across marketing and advertising
2. Personalize your data at scale
In phase two, focus on delivering consistent, cross-channel personalized experiences powered by enriched data. With a unified customer view, you can start connecting with consumers across channels using improved segmentation and personalized messaging.
What solutions to implement:
Segmentation improvements
Omnichannel activation across paid and owned channels
What this unlocks:
Always-on, cross-channel activation
Personalized engagement delivered at scale
Increased efficiency and consistency in execution
“82% of consumers view a brand positively when it advertises a product they actually need.”
-The push and pull of personalization: How consumers perceive personalization across marketing and advertising
3. Optimize and transform your data
Finally, in phase three, work to continuously improve performance and evolve into a fully data-driven organization. You’re investing in analytics or AI and optimizing across channels, but you want better campaign performance and to acquire more high-value customers.
What solutions to implement:
Custom surveys add unique data at scale to your customer understanding through our survey capabilities
Data installs to create closed-loop feedback, with refreshed data and insights fueling new campaigns and messaging
Predictive modeling and improvement to AI-driven outcomes
What this unlocks:
Continuous performance improvements
More efficient spend and targeting
Data-driven optimization becomes standard practice
“68% of marketers using identity resolution say they are very or extremely effective at delivering personalized campaigns, compared to 39% of those who do not.”
-The identity gap: How marketers perceive success and where performance breaks down
Data in action
Learn more about how companies like yours have seen success by incorporating data into their marketing strategy.
Learn more about choosing the right data solution for your business.
---
## Lp/Push And Pull Of Personalization
Type: eps_page
URL: /lp/push-and-pull-of-personalization
Last Modified: 2026-06-10T15:38:55Z
Personalization is everywhere—but is it actually working?
Epsilon surveyed 600 U.S. consumers to understand how they really feel about personalized marketing: when it works, when it misses and what brands need to do better.
There are a few key findings you should know about.
---
## Lp/Ama Identity Research
Type: eps_page
URL: /lp/ama-identity-research
Last Modified: 2026-08-26T16:26:31Z
Half the customer journey isn’t enough.
What happens when marketers try to scale performance without a complete view of the customer?
---
## Know Each Customer
Type: eps_page
URL: /know-each-customer
Last Modified: 2026-06-02T20:45:10Z
It all starts with understanding each consumer.
When you work with a trusted partner like Epsilon, you’ll activate industry-leading identity to get 1 View of all your customers: what they buy, where to find them and how to engage them. And we’ll help you use that data to identify your entire universe of potential buyers, driving acquisition, retention and growth.
1 View in action
Read more about how to get 1 View of your universe of consumers.
Epsilon PeopleCloud
Our PeopleCloud platform is the bridge between advertising and marketing technology, allowing marketers to create:
What makes Epsilon different
---
## Cross Channel Messaging
Type: eps_page
URL: /cross-channel-messaging
Last Modified: 2026-06-02T20:45:07Z
Harmonize messages across your paid, owned and earned channels.
For your marketing to be effective, you need to engage each consumer with a message they’ll care about—in every interaction, regardless of channel. Using 1 Voice, harmonized across paid, owned and earned channels, enables you to have a conversation that builds a relationship with each consumer.
1 Voice in action
See how 1 Voice will help you have conversations that build relationships.
Epsilon PeopleCloud
Our PeopleCloud platform is the bridge between advertising and marketing technology, allowing marketers to create:
What makes Epsilon different
---
## Home
Type: eps_page
URL: /home
Last Modified: 2026-07-21T13:42:06Z
Trusted by leading brands
Why marketers choose Epsilon
News & views to fuel your growth
---
## Products And Services/Epsilon Retail Media Citrusad
Type: eps_page
URL: /products-and-services/epsilon-retail-media-citrusad
Last Modified: 2026-05-21T10:57:34Z
One unified platform
Onsite and offsite, better together
Epsilon works with leading retailers across grocery, electrical, home improvement and marketplace environments.
Trusted by leading retailers
A retail media supergroup
Frequently asked questions
Further reading
---
## Lp/State Of Ai In Marketing 1
Type: eps_page
URL: /lp/state-of-ai-in-marketing-1
Last Modified: 2026-09-09T18:58:04Z
AI is everywhere in marketing. Is it actually working?
In the 2026 benchmark study, Marketing’s AI inflection point, we surveyed marketers across industries to get past the hype and benchmark what’s really happening: where AI is driving results, where it’s falling flat and what sets leaders apart.
Get a sneak peek from the report:
---
## Products And Services/Clean Room
Type: eps_page
URL: /products-and-services/clean-room
Last Modified: 2026-09-14T16:37:15Z
Bring all of your data together.
Get a better view of in-market customers with Epsilon Clean Room. Our solution comes pre-loaded with data and identity that delivers better prospect identification, high-performance media activation and closed-loop measurement.
More than an empty box
An industry-leading solution
A solution for every user
Technology that delivers
Watch our demo to learn more
FAQs
---
## Stay Relevant
Type: eps_page
URL: /stay-relevant
Last Modified: 2026-06-02T20:45:29Z
Create marketing that’s relevant in the moment and stays relevant over time.
For your marketing to be effective, you need to craft 1 Vision of what matters to each person, engage them with a message they’ll care about and learn more about them with each interaction. That’s how you have a conversation with them that’s relevant in the moment and evolves with them to stay relevant over time.
1 Vision in action
Learn more about how 1 Vision of what matters to each consumer helps you have relevant conversations.
Epsilon PeopleCloud
Our PeopleCloud platform is the bridge between advertising and marketing technology, allowing marketers to create:
What makes Epsilon different
---
## Lp/Mammothbrands/Douglas
Type: eps_page
URL: /lp/mammothbrands/douglas
Last Modified: 2026-02-18T22:21:26Z
Douglas, create seamless digital experiences.
Connected identity. Smarter personalization. Measurable performance.
---
## Products And Services/Accelerate/Optimization
Type: eps_page
URL: /products-and-services/accelerate/optimization
Last Modified: 2026-06-02T20:45:16Z
Continuous optimization turns experiments into growth.
Never stop improving your customer journey. Experiment with different headlines, images or calls-to-action to refine each step. Epsilon Accelerate’s built-in testing and reporting help you find what truly works to boost conversions.
With Epsilon Accelerate, improvement never stops.
Keep raising the bar.
When it comes to tailored experiences, there’s always room to optimize.
Our solutions ensure you’re never done optimizing. From simple A/B tests to clear reporting, every insight feeds back into making your customer experiences better. The payoff is ever-increasing performance, higher conversion lifts, growing order values, and an optimization loop that keeps your results trending upward.
---
## Lp/Shoptalk
Type: eps_page
URL: /lp/shoptalk
Last Modified: 2026-02-18T22:21:26Z
Show this to the PatchLab at the Epsilon booth to redeem an exclusive surprise.
Epsilon helps your marketing move to be where consumers are. And an Epsilon tote bag will help you move your stuff to be where you are.
Visit the Epsilon booth #1532 to design your own tote bag*.
*While supplies last.
Feeling like your marketing can’t keep up with consumers?
When marketing is done right, it should feel like a friendly conversation—a conversation that flows naturally and moves seamlessly across channels. That’s how you move your brand everywhere you need it to be. See what it looks like when you get it right.
How 1:1 conversations drive customer loyalty and profits
According to Epsilon research, more than half of respondents said they want to receive personalized marketing from brands. This guide will inspire you to reimagine your marketing personalization efforts and make personalization your marketing superpower.
---
## About Us/Our Partners/Databricks
Type: eps_page
URL: /about-us/our-partners/databricks
Last Modified: 2025-04-15T12:38:44Z
Epsilon & Databricks: Partners in the Democratization of Data & AI
Driving Marketing Outcomes through Unified Data, Technology, and Services
Epsilon is a proud partner with Databricks – together, we empower clients by driving marketing outcomes with unified data, cutting-edge technology, and world-class services. We focus on the seamless integration of data, enabling refined audiences to be activated in real-time across all channels, for measurable and optimized results.
Unlock the Power of Data Access with Delta Sharing and Epsilon's CDP
Delta Sharing bridges the connection between marketers and analysts, creating a unified view of your customers to drive strategic business decisions. By leveraging Epsilon's CDP and Delta Sharing, companies can boost customer lifetime value with the most comprehensive customer profiles built from first-party and third-party data.
Delta Sharing enables marketers using Epsilon's CDP and analysts using Databricks to gain easy access to essential data without moving files.
A Powerful Partnership to Revolutionize Marketing
---
## Lp/Get More
Type: eps_page
URL: /lp/get-more
Last Modified: 2026-06-02T20:45:12Z
Fuel your marketing with all the data your brand needs.
Every customer has a unique rhythm—morning coffee runs, evening stops at the pharmacy, or repeat visits to their favorite retailer's website. What if your brand could be part of that routine, even when they’re loyal to your competitors?
A clean room allows you to:
Pinpoint when, where and how often people make purchases
See how much they spend—even with your competitors
Predict who’s most likely to visit again
Then, reach them with messages timed perfectly to their buying habits across every channel.
See it in action.
How Epsilon Clean Room can drive better results for your brand.
Identify the consumers who matter most, invest where it counts and measure success across every channel.
Start your journey to smarter marketing with advice from the experts
---
## Products And Services
Type: eps_page
URL: /products-and-services
Last Modified: 2026-05-07T17:22:50Z
Designed to help you achieve every marketing goal
Looking for the right partner to help your brand take the next step? Epsilon's industry-leading technology and services are ready to get your brand where you want it to go.
---
## Products And Services/Accelerate/Insights
Type: eps_page
URL: /products-and-services/accelerate/insights
Last Modified: 2026-06-02T20:45:15Z
Gather insights as visitors interact with your site.
From browsing products to reading content, Epsilon Accelerate captures key on-site behaviors and journey paths to surface what matters to each visitor.
Grow with data-driven insights trusted by 1000+ brands.
Know what matters on your website.
Get a clear advantage with every customer interaction.
By understanding customer behavior and campaign performance in detail, you can confidently refine each experience, resulting in a continuously improving customer journey and a measurable lift in conversions and revenue.
---
## Products And Services/Epsilon Digital/Connected Tv Emea
Type: eps_page
URL: /products-and-services/epsilon-digital/connected-tv-emea
Last Modified: 2026-07-21T13:36:58Z
Connected TV tuned to in-market viewers.
With Epsilon Connected TV (CTV), person-first advertising meets broadcast-quality streaming and video-on-demand inventory.
You’ll identify and reach in-market viewers at scale with CTV ads, no matter where they’re watching. That means accessing meaningful insights that are simply unavailable with linear TV through a single, easy-to-use solution.
Boost brand impact with tailored CTV messages.
From a single video asset, our proprietary creative capabilities generate and deliver hundreds of unique iterations across household screens. Plus, our digital experts help maximise ad space by pairing your video assets with additional features, like lifestyle imagery, products, promotional copy and QR codes.
A connected TV solution built to perform
CTV technology that drives results
Buyer's Guide: Connected TV platforms
News & views to fuel your growth
---
## Know Each Customer
Type: eps_page
URL: /know-each-customer
Last Modified: 2026-06-02T19:34:08Z
It all starts with understanding each consumer.
When you work with a trusted partner like Epsilon, you’ll activate industry-leading identity to get 1 View of all your customers: what they buy, where to find them and how to engage them. And we’ll help you use that data to identify your entire universe of potential buyers, driving acquisition, retention and growth.
1 View in action
Read more about how to get 1 View of your universe of consumers.
Epsilon PeopleCloud
Our PeopleCloud platform is the bridge between advertising and marketing technology, allowing marketers to create:
What makes Epsilon different
---
## Lp/Holiday In July
Type: eps_page
URL: /lp/holiday-in-july
Last Modified: 2026-06-15T15:49:54Z
Stay cool when holiday chaos hits.
76% of Gen Z used social media for holiday gift inspiration and shopping. Can you reach them at any point from ad to site to store? Are you able to tie performance to investment? Is it hot in here?
We’ve got you covered with our Holiday Strategy Playbook. Get the full story behind the stats, including spending trends, channel influence, optimal timing and AI behavior.
Holiday success is decided before Q4.
Solve your biggest holiday challenges with smarter strategy.
Not sure where to begin? Start with your challenges. Learn from key pain points and common obstacles that brands face during the holiday season.
---
## Lp/Buyers Guide Clean Room
Type: eps_page
URL: /lp/buyers-guide-clean-room
Last Modified: 2026-06-29T15:47:51Z
Consumers never stay in one channel.
How do you keep up?
Your data is only half the story. See how the right clean room powered by strong identity gives you everything you need to fully understand your customers and prospects, for smarter activation with less media waste.
The Clean Room Buyer’s Guide will help you evaluate what capabilities matter most.
Think you know your customers?
You might only know half the story.
See what the right clean room can do
---
## Lp/Elf
Type: eps_page
URL: /lp/elf
Last Modified: 2026-08-25T21:04:52Z
Make every signal unmistakably e.l.f.ing clear.
From Beauty Squad to retail, DTC, social, and every viral product moment in between, Epsilon helps connect the signals that reveal who each customer is, so e.l.f. can turn identity into smarter loyalty, sharper AI, and more unforgettable experiences.
What the e.l.f. does Epsilon do for brands like yours?
---
## Lp/Qsr Assessment
Type: eps_page
URL: /lp/qsr-assessment
Last Modified: 2026-09-03T14:39:09Z
Find the next guest. Win back the last.
The future of QSR growth isn’t broader reach.
It’s knowing exactly who to reach and when to reach them, and proving whether they came back.
Four ways to grow guest value
How Epsilon helps power the strategy
Transaction spend signals to understand real guest behavior
COREid to connect known and addressable audiences
Identity resolution to recognize guests across touchpoints
Activation across channels to reach the right guests with the right message
Measurement to connect media investment to guest visits and incremental growth
---
## Lp/Loyalty Demo
Type: eps_page
URL: /lp/loyalty-demo
Last Modified: 2026-08-18T15:54:43Z
Smarter loyalty fueled by data, identity and AI
See how Epsilon Loyalty can help your loyalty program learn, adapt and act in real time—so every message, offer and experience becomes more relevant.
Why your loyalty platform can’t stand still
Customers change fast. Your loyalty strategy should too.
Smarter loyalty programs. Better measurement. Genuine personalization.
See how it works.
The fastest way to understand a successful loyalty solution is to see it in action. View our demo and see how Epsilon Loyalty learns to help you create more relevant customer experiences.
---
## Lp/State Of Ai In Marketing 2
Type: eps_page
URL: /lp/state-of-ai-in-marketing-2
Last Modified: 2026-09-09T18:58:32Z
AI is everywhere in marketing. Is it actually working?
In the 2026 benchmark study, Marketing’s AI inflection point, we surveyed marketers across industries to get past the hype and benchmark what’s really happening: where AI is driving results, where it’s falling flat and what sets leaders apart.
---
## About Us/Recognition
Type: eps_page
URL: /about-us/recognition
Last Modified: 2026-06-02T19:56:56Z
Industry recognition
---
## Learn/Connected Tv
Type: eps_page
URL: /learn/connected-tv
Last Modified: 2026-06-23T14:12:34Z
The definitive guide to CTV
Television advertising is undergoing a major transformation. Audiences have shifted from traditional linear TV to streaming, which has caused consumer behavior to change and has made CTV advertising as important and complicated as ever. Viewers are no longer tied to live TV schedules or single platforms, making it harder for brands to apply a one-size-fits-all approach.
At the center of this shift is connected TV (CTV) advertising. By combining the vast reach of linear TV with the impact, precision and control of a digital channel, CTV is redefining what TV advertising can achieve. For marketers, this creates new opportunities to reach audiences more intentionally but also introduces new layers of complexity.
Keep reading to learn more about how the TV landscape has evolved, what connected TV actually is, why it matters and how to build a smarter CTV strategy.
The rise of streaming and the evolution of TV advertising
The decline of linear television and rise of streaming has changed trends for both consumers and advertisers. CTV ad spending will increase 35% between 2026 and 2030, and nearly half of marketers are already shifting budgets away from linear TV to CTV. At the same time, consumers today are subscribed to an average of 4.5 streaming platforms.
In fact, many movies, TV shows and specials are only available via streaming now. At the 2026 Academy Awards, Netflix original movies won seven Oscars. Cultural phenomena like KPop Demon Hunters, Stranger Things and The Pitt are not available to watch on linear television.
But what does all of this mean for TV advertising? To put it simply, brands are missing out on a large part of the population if they only invest in linear TV advertising. The audiences that are reachable through streaming advertising will only grow in the coming years as new services launch and build their content offerings and consumers continue to subscribe.
Meggie Giancola, Head of Media Solutions at Epsilon, sums this up well: “As [CTV] continues to scale from a consumer ecosystem lens, the need for us to harness the power to have it do more than just spray and pray is critical so that we can be thoughtful marketers and manage overall brand and company ROI.”
This shift has given rise to what’s now known as advanced TV, an evolved television ecosystem shaped by streaming platforms, connected devices and new ways to reach audiences beyond linear.
What is the difference between advanced TV advertising and connected TV advertising?
As streaming continues to reshape how people watch TV, marketers are rethinking how they show up on the biggest screen in the home. That’s where connected TV advertising comes in.
Connected TV delivers in-stream video advertising on broadcast-quality content through an internet-connected device to the biggest screen in the household, the TV. To understand how CTV works, it helps to break down the broader Advanced TV advertising landscape.
AdvancedTV: This is an umbrella term for all types of technology beyond traditional linear TV delivery models. It includes OTT, connected TV, addressable TV and data-driven linear TV.
Connected TV/OTT: OTT, standing for “over the top,” refers to streaming content delivered via an internet connection rather than a traditional cable or broadcast provider. Connected TV (CTV) refers specifically to the devices that deliver TV via the internet, either as a smart TV or devices such as Roku, Amazon Fire and Apple TV.
Addressable TV: A method to deliver targeted ads on digital TVs to different viewers while they’re watching the same program.
Data-driven linear: A network direct solution that allows optimization against a target audience.
The Real Deal on Advanced TV
In this short video, Shannon Fazendin, VP, PMX Lift, gives you the full picture on Advanced TV and explains why it’s an efficient and effective advertising channel.
Part of what makes connected TV advertising so successful is that it is a part of the broader programmatic advertising landscape. Programmatic advertising is an audience-first approach to media buying. It offers brands an automated, data-driven way to access online ad space in real time based on signals received indicating if an individual is the right person to serve a message to or not.
At the core of this process is a digital auction that determines who gets to show an ad to which person in a specific ad slot at what price. These ad opportunities are evaluated and purchased in milliseconds. For more information on the programmatic ad landscape, continue reading here.
The main value of programmatic CTV advertising lies with the individual being the center of the buying process. It shifts the focus from buying ad placements within specific shows or networks to reaching defined audiences wherever they are streaming. Instead of planning around content alone, advertisers can use data signals to identify the viewers most likely to be relevant and deliver messages accordingly.
There are also benefits for marketers. Programmatic CTV advertising lets brands:
Accurately identify people and their devices
Maximize data usage to reach the right individuals
Activate at the right time when people are most receptive
Measure the impact of media on business outcomes
Core pillars of a modern CTV strategy
As connected TV continues to evolve, marketers need more than just access to premium inventory. They need a CTV marketing strategy that makes sure every impression is intentional, measurable and aligned to real business outcomes.
But a successful advanced TV strategy isn’t built on one single tactic.
In other words, a modern CTV strategy should be the result of multiple components working in tandem to create a cohesive, data-driven approach. These include:
Identity resolution
A strong identity solution is what makes everything else in a CTV strategy work. Unlike other digital channels, the TV screen is often shared among household members, which makes it more difficult to understand who you’re actually reaching with your ads. As Moe Ismail, Senior Vice President of Product Management at Epsilon, puts it, “Without identity, you cannot target effectively, you cannot frequency cap effectively and you certainly can’t measure. So, it’s crucially important that you get this right.”
That’s why identity needs to be approached differently in CTV. Many providers rely on basic identifiers like IP addresses or emails, but these can be unreliable and not represent real audiences. A stronger approach connects multiple signals rooted in more stable data, like physical addresses, to create a more accurate view of both households and the individuals within them.
When identity is done right, every other aspect of a campaign becomes more powerful. Marketers can reach the right audiences with greater precision and reduce wasted impressions, ultimately turning CTV into a more reliable, performance-driven channel.
Audience targeting and inventory offering
The next core pillar of a modern CTV strategy starts with a simple shift: prioritizing audiences over inventory. Many platforms still operate within closed ecosystems that focus on where ads run rather than who sees them, but this approach often leads to reach that looks strong but lacks real impact.
Instead, leading strategies are built around the audience. By using signals like behaviors, interests and purchase intent, brands can reach viewers across the content they’re actually watching and not just within a single platform. When audience precision and quality inventory work together, brands can deliver messaging in the right moments, not just the right places.
Reach and frequency management
Reaching more people isn’t enough to have a successful CTV strategy. Instead, marketers should focus on reaching the right people the right number of times. Fragmented streaming environments can make this challenging, especially without strong identity and deduplication practices in place.
Showing too few ads can limit awareness and impact, while overserving the same household can be a common pet peeve for consumers and an inefficient use of media spend for brands. By managing reach and frequency more intentionally, marketers can reduce wasted impressions, maintain a better viewer experience and ensure their messaging has enough consistency to drive results.
Creative solutions
Just as the methods for delivering ads have evolved with the rise in streaming, so have viewers’ expectations for the quality of those ads. Instead of a single static message designed to reach everyone, connected TV advertising uses data to align messaging to specific audiences or moments. This approach allows brands to create more meaningful connections with viewers while still maintaining the scale that television is known for.
Also important is the ability to carry these CTV ads over to other channels to allow your messaging to fit a brand’s broader campaign strategy. When CTV creative is designed to work alongside other channels—such as online video, display and audio—brands can deliver more cohesive experiences as consumers move from screen to screen. It is important to not think about this channel in a silo but rather incorporate it into the digital marketing mix so that campaigns feel more connected.
Measurement and attribution in CTV
With the right approach to CTV advertising measurement, marketers can understand how campaigns are actually driving real business outcomes instead of just gaining impressions.
Effective CTV attribution connects ad exposure to actions through conversion tracking. This allows brands to see not just what happened but what actually moved the needle through incremental lift driven by CTV compared to other channels.
A successful CTV strategy will also consider cross-channel measurement, so marketers can understand how CTV works alongside the rest of their media mix. This will give credit where it’s due and uncover how channels work together to drive results. The result is a clearer, more complete view of performance that can then be optimized.
Technology: CTV advertising platforms
Another important aspect of CTV is that it shouldn’t operate in isolation. It delivers the most value when it’s connected to the rest of your video and digital ecosystem. The most effective approaches bring CTV into a unified advertising stack, where multiple channels work together to create a more complete view of the customer.
By connecting CTV to the rest of your digital touchpoints, you can ensure your messaging stays cohesive across every screen and channel your audience encounters:
Display
OLV
Audio
CTV
Identity and data integration are central to making this “all-in-one” approach possible. By resolving audiences across devices and environments, advertisers can better understand who they’re reaching and how those audiences engage across channels. This foundation allows CTV to connect with broader digital touchpoints.
In practice, this means your campaigns aren’t just running alongside one another. Your channels can work together using shared data to refine targeting, optimize delivery and enhance performance in real time. Measurement becomes more holistic as well, giving you a clearer view into how each touchpoint contributes to outcomes.
“The number one thing that affects your top and bottom line is your consumers,” says Meggie Giancola. “When you flip the script and focus less on the nuances and the crazy step-by-step process of how you want to execute, where you want to execute, when you want to execute, and go back to that first point—the person—and allow that to be the throughline, it all starts to marry up beautifully.”
The result is a more unified and efficient strategy where CTV strengthens your broader video and digital efforts, rather than operating as a standalone channel.
CTV advertising across industries
There are several CTV advertising use cases when moving across different industries. Whether brands are focused on increasing awareness, reaching incremental audiences, driving consideration or supporting performance outcomes, CTV offers the flexibility to adapt strategies based on industry needs and consumer viewing behaviors.
These examples highlight how brands are using CTV to solve real marketing challenges, adapt to shifting viewing habits and create more impactful campaigns. Explore each story to see how different brands from industries are taking advantage of CTV.
CPG
Non-profit
Automotive
Retail
The future of advanced TV advertising
Advanced TV advertising marks a permanent shift in how television works. And within this broader advanced TV landscape, connected TV has become one of the most important ways that brands reach audiences on the biggest screen in the home. As linear viewership continues to decline, CTV will only become more central to digital marketing efforts.
What will continue to change is how CTV campaigns are planned, activated and measured. Identity-driven TV advertising will become more important as advertisers look to understand who they are truly reaching in shared household environments. At the same time, advances in automation and AI will make it possible to manage reach, frequency and optimization with greater efficiency and precision.
Because CTV isn’t going away, having a strong long-term strategy will be key. Marketers will need solutions that can continuously adapt to new inventory sources, measurement standards and ways for consumers to engage with content.
This is why choosing the right CTV partner matters. The most effective partners don’t just provide access to streaming inventory. They also help advertisers navigate complexity, connect CTV to other channels in their campaign and optimize toward meaningful business goals. As linear TV advertising continues to be taken over by digital, the brands that treat CTV as a central part of their marketing strategy will be the ones who succeed.
Explore Connected TV
---
## Lp/Adobe
Type: eps_page
URL: /lp/adobe
Last Modified: 2026-04-01T17:22:50Z
Unlock Adobe’s full power
If your organization runs on Adobe Experience Cloud, you already have powerful tools for managing content, campaigns and customer journeys.
But powerful tools alone don’t guarantee effective personalization.
When Adobe is powered by Epsilon COREid, personalization stops being channel-based and starts being person-based—driving stronger engagement, smarter activation and real growth.
Why leading brands trust us
Want to get more from Adobe?
---
## Home
Type: eps_page
URL: /home
Last Modified: 2026-04-24T16:20:55Z
Trusted by leading global brands
Why marketers choose Epsilon
News & views to fuel your growth
---
## Careers/Early Careers
Type: eps_page
URL: /careers/early-careers
Last Modified: 2025-09-16T15:22:56Z
Kickstart your career
Epsilon's Early Career Programs aim to develop top-performing talent through immersive engagement by empowering participants to unlock their full potential as tomorrow's leaders.
---
## Products And Services/Clean Room
Type: eps_page
URL: /products-and-services/clean-room
Last Modified: 2026-07-30T15:30:20Z
Data clean room
Easily bring all of your data together for a better view of in-market customers with Epsilon Clean Room. Our solution comes pre-loaded with data and identity that delivers better prospect identification, high-performance media activation and closed-loop measurement.
More resources
---
## Products And Services/Retail Media Network
Type: eps_page
URL: /products-and-services/retail-media-network
Last Modified: 2026-05-21T10:55:43Z
Reach your shoppers,
wherever they are.
Epsilon Retail Media connects you with real, in-market shoppers at every stage of the purchase journey, bringing onsite and offsite activation together in one intelligent retail media platform.
News & views to fuel your growth
---
## Products And Services/Epsilon Digital
Type: eps_page
URL: /products-and-services/epsilon-digital
Last Modified: 2026-08-31T16:42:15Z
Programmatic advertising
Epsilon Digital is a full-service programmatic media platform built on industry-leading person-based identity. We partner with brands and agencies to plan, activate, optimize and measure campaigns across channels—display, connected TV, online video and audio—using a single, privacy-safe identity solution to reach real people and prove real outcomes.
More resources
---
## Products And Services/Data/Ai Audiences
Type: eps_page
URL: /products-and-services/data/ai-audiences
Last Modified: 2025-01-17T20:15:44Z
Know you're getting the best audience every time
As your customer needs change, so does your audience. You need to adapt quickly, and your data needs to keep up. Epsilon AI Audiences combines proven industry-leading datasets with cutting-edge AI technology to deliver continuously optimized, high-performing audiences to meet your goals.
Cross-channel activation
---
## Products And Services/Customer Data Platform
Type: eps_page
URL: /products-and-services/customer-data-platform
Last Modified: 2026-07-30T15:34:14Z
Customer data platform
Get a clear view of your customers with Epsilon CDP, a customer data platform. Built on connected identity and enriched with industry-leading data, it helps you understand real people, engage them across channels and measure what’s working.
More resources
---
## Products And Services/Epsilon Digital
Type: eps_page
URL: /products-and-services/epsilon-digital
Last Modified: 2026-07-15T15:08:52Z
Find your next best buyer, faster.
Epsilon Digital is a full-service media platform built on industry-leading identity resolution. It turns fragmented digital signals into real customers, distinguishing existing customers from prospects to grow your pool of addressable buyers.
As the only provider accredited for Correlated Outcomes, Epsilon Digital drives both efficiency and highly measurable performance, giving you a roadmap for growth.
Activate across the major digital channels
Built-in creative services that make your ads as unique as each individual customer.
Included within our Digital services is Dynamic Creative Optimisation: an innovative service with limitless scalability that renders ad creative in real-time tailored for each potential customer. Powered by person-level digital signals you can't get from other digital media partners, you’ll drive better performance while reinforcing your brand’s creative.
Programmatic that delivers
News & views to fuel your growth
---
## Products And Services/Epsilon Digital
Type: eps_page
URL: /products-and-services/epsilon-digital
Last Modified: 2026-02-12T10:19:05Z
Growth without the guesswork.
With 92% coverage in Australia, Epsilon Digital resolves fragmented digital signals into real customers, helping you pinpoint high-value buyers and uncover valuable shoppers you have not yet reached.
As the only provider accredited for Correlated Outcomes, Epsilon Digital unifies media, data and identity in one intelligent system that not only drives efficiency, but also delivers precision and performance at scale.
Precise, efficient activation
Buying every channel, all the time, is not a strategy. With impressions tied to real people and real outcomes, your campaigns optimise around how people browse and shop rather than fluctuations in clicks.
Target, buy and measure across one centralised platform
Built-in creative services that make your ads as unique as each individual customer
Included within our Digital services is Dynamic Creative Optimisation: An innovative service with limitless scalability that renders ad creative in real-time tailored for each potential customer. Powered by person-level digital signals you can't get from other digital media partners, you’ll drive better performance while reinforcing your brand’s creative.
Illuminate every customer’s path to purchase
With Epsilon’s complimentary DiME visualisation tool, you’ll see detailed sales data, online and offline, and know the activity and sales that your marketing is driving.
News & views to fuel your growth
---
## Products And Services/Publishers
Type: eps_page
URL: /products-and-services/publishers
Last Modified: 2025-01-17T20:15:44Z
Maximize site monetization
Publisher monetization shouldn’t be a one-size-fits-all approach. Epsilon can help you tap the power of your audience and enhance monetization with tools and flexible integrations that adapt to your business needs. With our direct demand, premium technology platform, and future-proofed publisher identity solutions, you can unlock the most value from your properties.
---
## Products And Services/Data
Type: eps_page
URL: /products-and-services/data
Last Modified: 2026-04-28T18:41:10Z
Do more with your data to drive better outcomes
With the industry's #1 consumer database, you'll get a full view of customers and prospects—so you'll predict future buying behaviors and build a lifetime of loyalty.
---
## Use Cases/Acquire Customers
Type: eps_page
URL: /use-cases/acquire-customers
Last Modified: 2025-01-17T20:15:44Z
Acquire people who are ready to buy: even if they're loyal to your competitor
Consumers are out there buying from your competitors. Here's how you can find and reach them with messages that will make them choose your brand next time.
No matter how much or little data you have, you'll find and connect with the best in-market prospects for your brand using our privacy-safe consumer data. Activate on any channel you want, and measure outcomes at the individual level.
More stories about how we can solve your business needs.
---
## About Us/Our Partners/Aws
Type: eps_page
URL: /about-us/our-partners/aws
Last Modified: 2026-04-28T18:34:01Z
Epsilon Loyalty & AWS: Better Together
Epsilon is proud to partner with Amazon Web Services (AWS) to help you attract, engage and build lifetime connections at scale in your Amazon cloud environment. Together, Epsilon and AWS redefine customer engagement.
Grow customer loyalty with features that aren't available anywhere else
Loyalty-driven experiences run on AWS
Sally Beauty was challenged to evolve with their customers and make their marketing as unique as each person's sense of style. They turned to their loyalty program to make it happen.
See how other top brands are making personal connections that create memorable and engaging experiences through loyalty.
---
## Lp/Cookies Are History
Type: eps_page
URL: /lp/cookies-are-history
Last Modified: 2026-02-18T22:21:26Z
Cookies may be hanging on, but they’re getting stale.
Third-party cookies (3PCs) live to see another day—but they’re still not here to stay. In our research report, 250+ marketing decision-makers across five verticals weigh in on the change.
Here’s what your fellow marketers had to say:
---
## Products And Services/Data/Ai Audiences
Type: eps_page
URL: /products-and-services/data/ai-audiences
Last Modified: 2026-04-17T15:04:50Z
Know you're getting the best audience every time
As your customer needs change, so does your audience. You need to adapt quickly, and your data needs to keep up. Epsilon AI Audiences combines proven industry-leading datasets with cutting-edge AI technology to deliver continuously optimized, high-performing audiences to meet your goals.
Cross-channel activation
---
## Products And Services/Marketing Services/Strategic Consulting
Type: eps_page
URL: /products-and-services/marketing-services/strategic-consulting
Last Modified: 2026-04-28T16:06:13Z
Digital Growth Acceleration
You want to deliver the personalized experiences customers want—but it's impossible without the right technology and data. Our strategic consultants combine key digital capabilities with industry expertise, bridging the gap between marketing and technology in complex client environments. And we’re ready to work with you to transform your customer experiences.
See how our knowledge can help transform your customer experiences
Other products you might like
---
## Products And Services/Epsilon Digital/Connected Tv
Type: eps_page
URL: /products-and-services/epsilon-digital/connected-tv
Last Modified: 2026-07-29T15:58:40Z
Connected TV
With Epsilon Connected TV (CTV), person-first advertising meets broadcast-quality streaming and video-on-demand inventory. You’ll identify and reach 100M+ in-market viewers at scale with CTV ads—no matter where they’re watching. That means accessing meaningful insights that are simply unavailable with linear TV through a single, easy-to-use solution.
More resources
---
## Products And Services/Epsilon Digital/Online Video
Type: eps_page
URL: /products-and-services/epsilon-digital/online-video
Last Modified: 2026-01-09T14:51:11Z
Access your audience across the open web.
With Epsilon Online Video, you'll easily impact and quantify the consumer journey—first by accurately reaching high-value viewers across the open web with personalized advertising at optimal frequency wherever they're watching, then by measuring online and offline interactions. And it all happens on a single, unified platform.
---
## Products And Services/Epsilon Digital/Display
Type: eps_page
URL: /products-and-services/epsilon-digital/display
Last Modified: 2025-07-24T19:04:04Z
Engage your best customers and prospects in key moments.
With Display, advertisers can efficiently acquire new customers and retain current ones with enticing messaging delivered everywhere they're scrolling, and they can measure performance tied to business goals—all from a single, data-driven platform.
---
## Products And Services/Epsilon Digital/Audio
Type: eps_page
URL: /products-and-services/epsilon-digital/audio
Last Modified: 2026-01-09T14:55:04Z
Message new people wherever they’re listening.
With Audio, advertisers can extend their audience strategy to a new channel, reach listeners at scale with optimal frequency wherever they’re listening and maximize brand and ad completion performance—all from a single, easy-to-use platform.
---
## Trends/Third Party Cookies
Type: eps_page
URL: /trends/third-party-cookies
Last Modified: 2026-04-16T22:33:29Z
What a world without third-party cookies means for digital advertising
After years of back-and-forth, third-party cookies are finally on their way out.
Major browsers have been phasing out third-party cookies for a lot longer than you may think: Safari lost third-party cookies in 2017, Firefox in 2019. Since then, roughly 50% of the internet has been without third-party cookies. So, what’s going on today?
Everything changes in 2024 as Google begins to fully remove third-party cookies from their ecosystem after much delay. On January 4, 2024, Google deprecated third-party cookies for 1% of randomly selected Chrome users worldwide to test alternative solutions (collectively referred to as the Privacy Sandbox). Pending approval from the UK Competition and Markets Authority, Google is expected to remove 100% of third-party cookies in Q3 of 2024.
Digital advertisers have long used third-party cookies as an easy way to target, pace, measure and personalize their campaigns. Once they’re gone, the chasm between those who can continue to serve relevant advertising—and those who can't—will grow deeper.
Epsilon saw the flaws in third-party cookies long ago, and Google’s latest moves to finish what they started doesn’t change anything for us. We’re here to lead marketers through the changing industry by connecting brands with their consumers in ways that don’t rely on third-party cookies. Plain and simple.
Here, we’ll explore what are third-party cookies, why they are going away, and how advertisers continue to deliver relevant, effective messaging in the new digital world.
The ecosystem impact of third-party cookie deprecation
How does data deprecation impact brands, publishers and adtech? The New York Times, Forrester, Publicis Media & Epsilon weigh in on the future of identity without third-party cookies.
What are third-party cookies?
Websites use cookies to remember a user’s actions and preferences, so they aren’t asked to perform a task again and again. As a result, they help provide a better, more personalized user experience.
Third-party cookies are created and placed by someone other than the owner of the website you’re visiting to track consumers across the internet. Some common uses include cross-site tracking, retargeting and ad serving. Third-party cookies are also regularly used for person-level measurement, as they can identify when a transaction or another conversion type (page visit, log-in, etc.) occurs.
First-party cookies, on the other hand, are generated by the host domain. They are specific to the host domain, do not transfer across other sites, and help provide a better user experience. These cookies enable the browser to remember important user info, such as what items you add to shopping carts, your username and passwords, and language preferences.
For an example, let’s say you visit a website called learn.com. Any cookies put on this website by learn.com would be first-party cookies. Any cookies put on learn.com by any other site, like a social media site or an advertiser, would be third-party cookies.
First-party vs. third-party cookies
Why are third-party cookies used?
Cross-site tracking: the practice of collecting browsing data from numerous sources (websites) that details your activity and provides behavioral insights.
Retargeting: the effort of reigniting engagement or conversion by delivering visual or text ads to previous visitors based on the products and services in which they’ve shown interest.
Ad serving: making decisions regarding the ads that appear on a website, deciding when to serve these ads, and collecting data (and reporting said data, including impressions and clicks) in an effort to educate advertisers on consumer insights and ad performance.
Personalization:data collected by third-party cookies helps marketers learn a user’s browsing behaviors and preferences, which enables brands to more effectively tailor ads to the consumer.
Measurement: many use third-party cookies to measure the effectiveness of their marketing campaigns. Analytics provided help marketers attribute specific conversions to specific ads.
Why are third-party cookies going away?
Major browsers began eliminating third-party cookies in 2017. They say it’s because of consumers’ growing demand for privacy.
But without third-party cookies and IDFA, are consumers really better off? It’s no secret Google and Apple’s moves personally benefit them. Their direct customer relationships will keep them relatively unaffected while many other advertising vendors are weakened. For many marketers, a loss of third-party cookies means a loss of personalization capabilities.
According to Epsilon research, 82% of consumers say they view a brand positively when they advertise a product that person needs, and 77% view brands negatively when they include inaccurate information about them in their advertising messages. So, at the end of the day, who wins and who loses?
How will the death of third-party cookies impact digital advertising?
The death of the third-party cookie is causing a stir: About 80% of advertisers rely on third-party cookies, and 67% feel a combination of disappointed, frustrated, overwhelmed, helpless and even confused by the news.
Here are the aspects of advertising that will be most impacted by third-party cookie deprecation:
Reach: Without third-party cookies advertisers are scrambling for a way to reach their customers and prospects online, often turning to search, owned channels and walled gardens—to their own detriment.
Personalization: Behavioral and browsing data will be limited, making it hard for advertisers who depend on third-party cookies to personalize ads.
Campaign management: Basic capabilities like A/B testing and frequency capping will be challenging for advertisers who depend on third-party cookies.
Performance measurement: Analytics and attribution based on third-party cookies will be much less effective. We anticipate many advertising vendors will not be able to calculate metrics like ROAS anymore, and will turn to the less effective Media Mix Modeling (MMM).
Our research shows that 69% of advertisers think the death of the third-party cookie will have a bigger impact than the GDPR and CCPA, and 70% feel that digital advertising overall will take a step backward.
But despite the understanding of importance and concern, fewer than half (46%) feel “very prepared” for the change.
AI can help marketers adapt to a post-cookie world
Can generative AI be the next big thing to help marketers navigate a cookieless world? Epsilon's Joe Doran discusses.
What will replace third-party cookies?
Marketers will need to find a new way to identify people online so they can continue to personalize messages, optimize campaigns and measure performance.
To start, they'll want to get familiar with the different options for identifiers. When marketers understand the strengths and weaknesses of the most common identifiers, they'll be able to choose a smart approach to identity. To succeed, partner with an established, people-based identity solution—one that’s future-proofed against the loss of identifiers and built with privacy in mind. Any adtech and measurement partners you work with should have a solid plan that doesn't rely on third-party cookies.
Epsilon’s identity graph, CORE ID, is anchored to deterministic data elements which makes it not only reliable in finding the right consumers, but stable against regulatory shifts. Our data is privacy-centric and pseudonymized before it enters the digital ecosystem, keeping consumer information safe.
The industry’s top identity resolution providers
What's Epsilon's response to third-party cookie deprecation?
Epsilon has never needed third-party cookies to connect with consumers. They’re not people-based, not transparent and can’t identify people over time.
We’ve always known that the key to identity is first-party relationships with publishers and brands. That’s why we began building our identity solution in 2007 and started investing in publisher relationships all the way back in 2012. Today, Epsilon has over 17,000 PubLink integrations and a similar number of direct publisher relationships on CORE Private Exchange, our Supply-Side Platform. CORE ID does not rely on third-party cookies and 98% of our ads are delivered to individuals, not to cookies or devices. In fact, 33% of the impressions served worldwide by Epsilon Digital go to Apple users who are cookieless today.
The industry agrees that Epsilon leads the way in helping marketers deliver people-based, measurable ads that drive performance long after third-party cookies are gone.
How we drive success without third-party cookies
Resources to help you build a cookieless future
---
## Products And Services/Epsilon Peoplecloud/Digital Media Solutions/Cookieless Strategy
Type: eps_page
URL: /products-and-services/epsilon-peoplecloud/digital-media-solutions/cookieless-strategy
Last Modified: 2026-04-28T16:09:55Z
Succeed in a cookieless world
Identifiers like third-party cookies were never made to last—which is why we built our identity strategy on a strong foundation of deterministic data and consumer privacy designed to outlast industry changes.
---
## Products And Services/Identity Core Id
Type: eps_page
URL: /products-and-services/identity-core-id
Last Modified: 2026-04-28T16:12:15Z
Achieve unrivaled accuracy and reach—without walls
Effective marketing starts with knowing your customers—but walled gardens keep much of that knowledge hidden. That’s why Epsilon built a better way. COREID® services provide the industry’s most accurate, stable and scalable identity resolution solutions to recognize and reach 200M+ U.S. consumers in a privacy-safe way.
---
## Products And Services
Type: eps_page
URL: /products-and-services
Last Modified: 2026-08-12T15:24:05Z
Designed to help you achieve every marketing goal
Looking for the right partner to help your brand take the next step? Epsilon's industry-leading technology and services are ready to get your brand where you want it to go.
---
## Lp/Work Together Win Together Epsilon
Type: eps_page
URL: /lp/work-together-win-together-epsilon
Last Modified: 2026-04-28T18:56:19Z
Guiding you from the court to corporate
We’re excited to provide you with career and mentorship resources from Epsilon and Marcel, Publicis Groupe's AI-driven People Experience and Growth Platform. To register, click “get connected here” and submit your information. Check out more below.
Uplevel your skills
Awards
Run with the best
---
## Industries
Type: eps_page
URL: /industries
Last Modified: 2026-08-12T15:22:29Z
Be an industry game changer
Marketing can look different from industry to industry—that's why you need a partner, not just a provider. Discover how Epsilon's products, services and resources are uniquely positioned to set you apart in your industry.
---
## Use Cases/Website Personalization
Type: eps_page
URL: /use-cases/website-personalization
Last Modified: 2026-04-17T19:32:16Z
Personalize each customer's experience on your website: even if they've never visited before
Each customer is special and your website shouldn’t treat them like they're all the same. Here's how giving each of them a unique experience on your website could drive a 15% lift in conversion.
Limited first-party data may be stopping you from delivering personalized experiences everywhere online. Learn more about how to get a single, comprehensive view of all your potential customers.
More stories about how we can solve your business needs.
---
## About Us/Our Culture Epsilon
Type: eps_page
URL: /about-us/our-culture-epsilon
Last Modified: 2025-01-17T20:15:44Z
We’re all about you
Less me, more we. That’s the foundation of the Epsilon culture. We hire great people, give them big challenges to work on and provide the resources they need to succeed and grow.
What do we value here at Epsilon?
Our company values drive us forward as a team and with our clients. Hear Epsilon employees around the globe share how they bring these values to life.
A snapshot of our company values
What it's like to work here
Like what you see? Join us.
We're always on the hunt for top-notch talent. Explore our open positions and find your next opportunity.
What we care about
Quick links
---
## About Us/Corporate Social Responsibility
Type: eps_page
URL: /about-us/corporate-social-responsibility
Last Modified: 2026-04-28T19:01:48Z
Building a better future
We're committed to improving our people, our community and our clients. We do that by making thoughtful financial contributions, growing effective partnerships and sparking meaningful conversations.
Coming together to make a difference
Highlighted Partners
Purpose-driven partnerships
Empowering clients to create purpose-driven marketing
64% of consumers say they’ll buy or boycott a brand depending on its stance on a social or political issue. See how we help our clients create marketing that allows them to define their mission, invest in that purpose and live it every day.
Quick links
---
## About Us/Diversity Equity Inclusion
Type: eps_page
URL: /about-us/diversity-equity-inclusion
Last Modified: 2025-01-17T20:15:44Z
Creating a culture of belonging
At Epsilon, we celebrate the differences that make us unique and embrace the similarities that unite us. It’s our mission to create an environment of empathy, belonging and collaboration. We harness this commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion and strive to pass it along to the clients and communities we serve.
Commitment starts at the top
How we’re building a sustainable culture
To build a truly inclusive workplace, its leaders need to be personally committed to representing all voices. Here are the key pillars of our leadership vision.
When it comes to inclusive marketing, great data requires great responsibility
Marketers often forget that brand affinity is built just like interpersonal affinity: via trust. Epsilon uses data and AI-driven tools to build strong relationships with customers by interacting with each person differently. This is how we honor the truth of diversity in our everyday lives: acknowledging everyone as unique individuals so they feel respected, seen and heard.
From the blog
Quick links
---
## Careers At Epsilon
Type: eps_page
URL: /careers-at-epsilon
Last Modified: 2026-02-09T16:30:52Z
JOIN THE TEAM
Strategic thinking. Creative vision. Collaborative spirit. Eagerness to grow and succeed. We welcome it all—and so do the brands we serve.
Find your place here
Driving industry-leading success takes a wide range of skills. Whatever your background, you'll find the perfect fit. Here is a snapshot of our departments.
---
## Lp/Nothing Personal
Type: eps_page
URL: /lp/nothing-personal
Last Modified: 2026-02-18T22:21:26Z
Your owned-channel messaging is just OK (nothing personal).
Does 1:1 messaging feel impossible with your current provider? Get in touch with one of our experts who will show you:
Personalization that's not bogged down by manual effort and complexity
Real-time, relevant messaging that flows naturally across channels
How Epsilon Messaging's capabilities stand unmatched in the industry
Here’s why Epsilon Messaging is the superior cross-channel engagement solution:
Epsilon Messaging in action
Engage your customers wherever they are with true 1:1 personalized conversations. Watch the video to see how it's possible—only with us.
---
## Products And Services/Epsilon Digital
Type: eps_page
URL: /products-and-services/epsilon-digital
Last Modified: 2025-03-08T14:55:51Z
Speak to in-market customers how they want you to.
Meet the digital marketing platform that reaches across channels to people who are hidden from other partners—including valuable Apple device users and your offline customers.
We’re also the only digital partner that connects every digital impression to a real person. Everything is optimized to deliver real business outcomes, no matter your objectives.
---
## Products And Services/Marketing Services
Type: eps_page
URL: /products-and-services/marketing-services
Last Modified: 2026-04-23T16:51:07Z
Expertise that grows your business
Our industry-leading experts are ready to help you define and achieve all your goals. And with the right insights, strategy, tech and creative, we’ll partner with you every step of the way.
We’ll help you reach all your goals
---
## Products And Services/Retail Media Network
Type: eps_page
URL: /products-and-services/retail-media-network
Last Modified: 2025-01-17T20:15:44Z
Smart decisioning and real shoppers, wherever they are
That's what makes Epsilon Retail Media the most intelligent retail media solution. We bring retailers and advertisers a suite of person-first solutions to help them understand their core shoppers, engage meaningfully with them on retailers’ properties and across the open web from one connected platform, and evolve their retail media strategies.
---
## Lp/Marketing Done Right
Type: eps_page
URL: /lp/marketing-done-right
Last Modified: 2026-02-18T22:21:26Z
When marketing is done right, it should feel like a friendly conversation.
So why does marketing sometimes feel like an attack? With all the ways you're expected to reach your customers these days, its easy to get it wrong. See what it looks like when you get it right.
People notice when brands get marketing right (and when they don’t).
To better understand how people feel about brands that get marketing right (and how people may feel ignored or misunderstood when brands don't) we went right to the source. This research will help you understand not only how to make marketing that consumers actually want to see, but also how your brand can be damaged if you send the wrong message.
---
## Home
Type: eps_page
URL: /home
Last Modified: 2025-06-30T20:52:07Z
Connecting the dots between marketing & outcomes
---
## Products And Services/Data/Contact Complete
Type: eps_page
URL: /products-and-services/data/contact-complete
Last Modified: 2025-01-17T20:15:44Z
Full contact coverage is the foundation to make the most of customer data.
Say goodbye to wasted marketing dollars and disrupted marketing experiences caused by duplicate files and outdated customer data. With Contact Complete, leverage the #1 ranked consumer database to clean and complete your brand’s first-party data. You’ll drive better marketing outcomes and understand your customers like never before.
Complete your customer contact data for stronger connections and performance.
Contact Complete fills in missing contact details on your customer files, helping you improve the performance of your first-party data and accurately measure performance. With industry-leading data coverage and match rates up to 55%, you pay once to keep the best-in-class, certified data.
---
## About Us/Leadership
Type: eps_page
URL: /about-us/leadership
Last Modified: 2026-08-20T14:37:25Z
Meet our leadership team
Epsilon’s leadership team brings deep, cross-industry expertise, including data, technology and strategy. United by a shared vision and core values, they’re committed to fueling innovation, delivering excellence and driving client success. Get to know the people shaping the future of personalized marketing.
Our values make us who we are
Our company values drive us forward as a team and with our clients. Hear our leadership team along with Epsilon employees around the globe share how they bring these values to life.
Learn more about Epsilon
---
## Products And Services/Customer Plus
Type: eps_page
URL: /products-and-services/customer-plus
Last Modified: 2025-08-27T14:28:50Z
Say “hello” to customers you didn’t know you had.
Meet Customer+, the onboarding solution that gives you a 360-degree view of your customers—known and unknown. Unlock the full potential of all your shoppers to drive more sales, increase loyalty and achieve better outcomes for advertisers.
Get more from your first-party data.
Reach and engage your hidden customers.
---
## Get In Touch
Type: eps_page
URL: /get-in-touch
Last Modified: 2026-06-08T18:21:08Z
Get in touch
Epsilon provides the data, technology and services that the world’s top brands need. We help marketers understand consumers, engage them with one harmonized voice across channels, and learn from each interaction—all at an individual level. Get in touch with us today and find out how Epsilon can help you meet your goals.
Hear from our clients
Real brands, real results
---
## About Us
Type: eps_page
URL: /about-us
Last Modified: 2026-02-04T11:56:12Z
Decades of outcome-based marketing expertise.
We’ve spent over 50 years helping brands turn data into lasting consumer relationships and to deliver real marketing outcomes.
Our outcomes-based principle continues to guide our evolution across data, technology and digital media, powering marketing that learns and adapts over time.
Trusted by the world's leading brands
---
## Products And Services/Creative Services
Type: eps_page
URL: /products-and-services/creative-services
Last Modified: 2026-01-21T12:21:05Z
Creative services
Cross-channel expertise and support
---
## About Us/Leadership
Type: eps_page
URL: /about-us/leadership
Last Modified: 2025-04-02T07:05:05Z
Meet our leadership team
The leadership team at Epsilon has a history of experience in various industries, including HR, marketing, finance, and engineering. Learn more about our team and the values that motivate them to bring their best every day.
Meet our leadership
Our values make us who we are
Our company values drive us forward as a team and with our clients. Hear our leadership team along with Epsilon employees around the globe share how they bring these values to life.
Learn more about Epsilon
---
## Products And Services/Accelerate
Type: eps_page
URL: /products-and-services/accelerate
Last Modified: 2026-02-27T14:58:00Z
Make every touch fuel the next move.
Seamless website experiences don’t distract—they direct. As visitors engage, Epsilon Accelerate powers real-time signals that translate into action: relevant products surface, paths adjust, friction fades.
This is data with intent—measured, precise, always responding. Epsilon Accelerate orchestrates onsite experiences that guide shoppers forward—turning rich insights into impact—one personalized touch at a time.
Fuel your growth with these helpful resources
---
## Products And Services/Marketing Services Old
Type: eps_page
URL: /products-and-services/marketing-services-old
Last Modified: 2026-05-07T17:28:46Z
Rely on the experts who deliver results.
Modern marketing requires technology and data that work together. We'll help your brand thrive—now and in the future—by bridging the gap between strategy and implementation.
Our team of Digital Experience Services experts can modernize your marketing and deliver transformative solutions, helping you create data-driven, personalized experiences your customers will truly value.
---
## About Us
Type: eps_page
URL: /about-us
Last Modified: 2026-02-04T11:52:41Z
Decades of outcome-based marketing expertise.
We’ve spent over 50 years helping brands turn data into lasting consumer relationships and to deliver real marketing outcomes.
Our outcomes-based principle continues to guide our evolution across data, technology and digital media, powering marketing that learns and adapts over time.
Trusted by the world's leading brands
---
## Products And Services/Data/Digital Audiences
Type: eps_page
URL: /products-and-services/data/digital-audiences
Last Modified: 2026-04-17T20:13:47Z
Activate the best-performing audiences with ease.
Access industry-leading, high-performing audiences tailored to your brand’s needs. Whether you’re targeting mainstream categories or those hard-to-reach, niche segments, Epsilon’s Digital Audiences ensure your campaigns deliver impactful results across every channel.
Ready to activate your ideal audience?
See how our audiences drive results for top brands.
Using our direct 1:1 household-level match with DISH Media subscribers, a worldwide entertainment company was able to identify and create custom audiences. They effectively reached new customers and maximized campaign impact across multiple TV platforms while reducing ad waste.
---
## Products And Services/Epsilon Accelerate
Type: eps_page
URL: /products-and-services/epsilon-accelerate
Last Modified: 2026-02-27T14:59:38Z
Personalised website experiences that create results.
Website personalisation shouldn’t distract visitors, it should improve the shopping experience. As web visitors engage, Epsilon Accelerate transforms real-time signals into responsive design.
Relevant products surface, paths to purchase adjust and friction fades.
Test, refine and launch campaigns instantly, no dev support required. See measurable performance in 30 days.
---
## Products And Services/Accelerate
Type: eps_page
URL: /products-and-services/accelerate
Last Modified: 2026-02-27T15:00:21Z
Make every touch fuel the next move.
Seamless website experiences don’t distract—they direct. As visitors engage, Epsilon Accelerate powers real-time signals that translate into action: relevant products surface, paths adjust, friction fades.
This is data with intent—measured, precise, always responding. Epsilon Accelerate orchestrates onsite experiences that guide shoppers forward—turning rich insights into impact—one personalized touch at a time.
---
## Trends/Making Every Touchpoint Count Madfest
Type: eps_page
URL: /trends/making-every-touchpoint-count-madfest
Last Modified: 2026-05-07T17:24:26Z
Making Every Touchpoint Count
Unlocking the Power of Channel-Less Marketing
Back to the Future of Marketing
Channels are all about building seamless connections, not creating boundaries. The future of marketing will take these connections further, creating more integrated and personalised experiences.
Epsilon empowers brands to navigate the channel-less landscape with precision and purpose.
- Join Elliott Clayton on a journey in what seems to be “Back to the Future” in retail media marketing.
Discover how Epsilon is transforming marketing by focusing on customers, not channels, in Chris Cairns’ MadFest session, "Where We're Going, We Don’t Need Channels." Chris explores key insights on the challenges of customer acquisition, the inefficiencies of third-party cookies, and the importance of identity-driven personalization. With real-world examples from brands like Decathlon and Preferred Hotels, he highlights how smart identity solutions can optimize conversions, drive loyalty, and unlock revenue across channels.
Watch the full recording to learn how your brand can thrive in a customer-first, omnichannel world.
---
## Marketing Data Summary Request
Type: eps_page
URL: /marketing-data-summary-request
Last Modified: 2025-01-17T20:15:44Z
Consumer Access Report, Opt-Out and Deletion Request
Epsilon collects business and consumer data that is used by marketers and advertisers to communicate relevant messages and offers about products and services they sell. We believe it’s important to be transparent with our consumers by providing an opportunity to view that data, and allowing an easy way to delete or restrict it.
You may request Epsilon take specific action regarding personal information collected for you.
• Refrain from selling your personal information
• Delete your personal information
• Provide access to your personal information
Personal information is collected and accessed in the process of providing and reporting on digital advertising campaigns using Epsilon’s Conversant platform. The Conversant platform does not maintain personal information that directly identifies consumers, such as name and address. Rather the Conversant platform recognizes consumers online, using identifiers such as Cookie IDs. Requests pertaining to these identifiers are submitted directly to the Conversant platform:
Click here to opt-out of the sale of your personal information processed by the Conversant platform.
Click here to delete or access your personal information processed by the Conversant platform.
Scroll down to request opt-out of sale, deletion, or access of your personal information processed by Epsilon outside of the Conversant platform.
Epsilon supports offline marketing campaigns using personal information collected about consumers. Submit an opt-out, deletion and access requests pertaining to offline data using the form below.
Identity Verification:
Deletion and access report requests require verifying your identity. Epsilon will provide the personal information you submit below to a service provider who supplies identity verification services to Epsilon. The service provider will ask a series of questions to confirm your identity. Those questions are based on information the service provider has collected from public records and are not based on information collected by Epsilon.
Once your identity is verified, Epsilon will process your request, by either deleting your personal information or delivering your consumer access report to the email address you provide.
Requests for “do not sell my personal information” will be processed without verifying your identity.
If you prefer not to submit your request online, you can call our support team at (866) 267-3861.
If you need additional information please see the Epsilon privacy policy.
All fields are required.
---
## Industries/Cpg
Type: eps_page
URL: /industries/cpg
Last Modified: 2026-06-11T13:55:55Z
Attract new buyers & keep them coming back
Shoppers have endless options—so standing out is more important than ever. Epsilon will help your business sustain efficient growth by expanding your universe of potential consumers, taking control of each individual's experience, and creating more effective conversations harmonized across channels. That’s how you'll drive incremental sales and eliminate waste.
---
## Industries/Restaurants
Type: eps_page
URL: /industries/restaurants
Last Modified: 2026-02-02T19:18:29Z
Real people,
real transactions, real outcomes
We're not just another point solution—we’re your full-service data, technology and digital partner. Together we’ll deliver guest-first experiences that bring back diners more frequently and acquire new ones. Get a full view of the diners you know (and the ones you don’t) as individuals, optimize your marketing investment and prove how our partnership drives online and on-premise sales.
---
## Industries/Travel
Type: eps_page
URL: /industries/travel
Last Modified: 2026-05-28T15:34:08Z
Create meaningful experiences for every traveler
Travelers have unlimited options. Recognized as a leader in the industry to the biggest travel brands, Epsilon will help you build traveler loyalty stronger than the competition. You'll be their first choice, every time, when they’re ready to go.
---
## Solutions/Email
Type: eps_page
URL: /solutions/email
Last Modified: 2026-07-30T15:32:41Z
The next generation of email engagement is here.
You can build strong relationships with consumers the same way people do with each other: by engaging each of them with a relevant conversation that flows naturally across channels and over time.
---
## All Modules
Type: eps_page
URL: /all-modules
Last Modified: 2026-08-26T15:36:00Z
Capstone module
Optional body copy
Text Image B
Description. This image has blue and black background color options.
Carousel Management
CardGrid Type C/Challenge Cards (Optional Headline)
Cards - Insights (Optional Headline)
Cards Icon (optional headline)
Cards Simple (optional headline)
Cards Simple (optional headline)
Case Study Small (optional headline
Columns
Feature Full Image
this is body copy.
Link Tiles (Optional Headline)
This is optional body copy. This module has a maximum of six. Powered by data. Designed for personalization. Our marketing services help you grow your business and drive success by delivering on your goals—from finding the right customers, to treating them to meaningful digital experiences, to maintaining a loyal relationship with them.
This is a description. This is a description. This is a description. This is a description. This is a description. This is a description. This is a description. This is a description. This is a description. This is a description. This is a description. This is a description.
Page Slider Module
Video Player module
Text + Image A
LinkTiles G
Logos Tile Grid
Three Quote Module
Image Link
Quick Links (Optional Heading)
Optional body copy
Ordered Boxes (optional heading)
Body copy (optional). There is a minimum of 3 boxes allowed, max of 5. They will always be numbered by default.
FAQ Module (optional headline)
Body copy (optional). Limit 100 questions
The bridge between advertising and marketing technology
Dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit
Sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur.
Centered CTA
Title
Comparison Module - heading 1
Comparison Module - body. this is a long paragraph.
Comparison Module - body. this is a long paragraph.
Comparison Module - body. this is a long paragraph.
Comparison Module - body. this is a long paragraph.
Comparison Module - body. this is a long paragraph.
Comparison Module - body. this is a long paragraph.
Comparison Module - body. this is a long paragraph.
Comparison Module - body. this is a long paragraph.
Comparison Module - heading
Comparison Module - body
heading
body
Contact Form
optional body paragraph
Cards Columns
Take the data readiness assessment
Module name: Lead Generation
Optional body copy
---
## Industries/Financial Services
Type: eps_page
URL: /industries/financial-services
Last Modified: 2026-05-27T19:25:09Z
Anticipate people’s next financial need
Every consumer’s financial journey is personal—and spans their lifetime. With Epsilon's person-level intent data and leading AI technology, you'll deliver relevant messages that deepen relationships and drive bottom-line business outcomes. And you'll get the tools and expertise to ensure these experiences meet or exceed your compliance and data safety needs.
---
## Industries/Tourism
Type: eps_page
URL: /industries/tourism
Last Modified: 2026-05-27T19:42:09Z
Drive your most valuable visitors
Tourism marketing budgets are limited—and you have to make every dollar count. We can identify your net-new visitors and returning ones, then reach them with messages that are relevant in the moment and stay relevant over time.
---
## Home
Type: eps_page
URL: /home
Last Modified: 2026-08-12T15:39:25Z
Trusted by the world’s leading brands
The power of connected marketing
Today’s marketing runs on fragmented data, siloed channels and short‑term signals. Epsilon provides the data and identity essential to uniting people, channels and outcomes—so marketing finally works together.
What Epsilon can do for you
---
## Home
Type: eps_page
URL: /home
Last Modified: 2026-08-25T15:09:16Z
Trusted by the world’s leading brands
The power of connected marketing
Today’s marketing runs on fragmented data, siloed channels and short‑term signals. Epsilon provides the data and identity essential to uniting people, channels and outcomes—so marketing finally works together.
Ready to see Epsilon in action?
What Epsilon can do for you
---
## Industries/Retail
Type: eps_page
URL: /industries/retail
Last Modified: 2026-02-04T21:36:21Z
Drive more retail by getting more relevant
With competition rising, it's vital to be the retailer that shoppers consider first. Achieve it by delivering brand experiences that are personalized to each shopper—existing or new, online or offline—that are relevant in the moment and adapt over time. That's how you drive increased spend and a lifetime of loyalty.
---
## About Us
Type: eps_page
URL: /about-us
Last Modified: 2026-04-28T14:57:00Z
We help brands deliver marketing that puts people first.
Epsilon provides the data, technology and services that the world’s top brands need. We help marketers understand consumers, engage them with one harmonized voice across channels, and learn from each interaction—all at an individual level.
How Epsilon transforms marketing with 1 View, 1 Vision and 1 Voice
See how Epsilon PeopleCloud bridges advertising and marketing technology, empowering marketers to harmonize engagement with each individual consumer across every channel.
Our people make this all possible.
Learn more about Epsilon
---
## Products And Services/Data
Type: eps_page
URL: /products-and-services/data
Last Modified: 2026-08-26T21:52:09Z
Data
With the industry's #1 national consumer database, brands and marketers alike can efficiently identify and connect with customers and prospects to improve personalization while driving performance.
---
## Industries/Health
Type: eps_page
URL: /industries/health
Last Modified: 2026-02-02T20:45:15Z
Grow healthy, long-lasting relationships
Health is personal, and Epsilon knows each person at an individual level: who they are, what motivates them and how they want to engage with healthcare brands. With this knowledge, Epsilon will empower you to understand each person’s unique needs, deliver relevant conversations and experiences and adapt to changes over time.
---
## Solutions/Publishers
Type: eps_page
URL: /solutions/publishers
Last Modified: 2026-07-30T15:15:59Z
Maximize site monetization
Publisher monetization shouldn’t be a one-size-fits-all approach. Epsilon can help you tap the power of your audience and enhance monetization with tools and flexible integrations that adapt to your business needs. With our direct demand, premium technology platform, and future-proofed publisher identity solutions, you can unlock the most value from your properties.
---
## Products And Services/Loyalty
Type: eps_page
URL: /products-and-services/loyalty
Last Modified: 2026-08-06T17:10:21Z
Loyalty platform
Loyalty programs are about making the right connections. Epsilon Loyalty enriches your first-party data, providing a clear customer view—ensuring you thoughtfully engage members in the moments that matter to them.
More resources
---
## Products And Services/Marketing Services
Type: eps_page
URL: /products-and-services/marketing-services
Last Modified: 2025-02-25T20:13:37Z
Experts in digital experience, analytics, and technology.
Modern marketing requires technology and data that work together. We'll help your brand thrive—now and in the future—by bridging the gap between strategy and implementation.
Our global team of Digital Experience Services experts can modernize your marketing and deliver transformative solutions, helping you create data-driven, personalized experiences your customers will truly value.
---
## Products And Services/Auto
Type: eps_page
URL: /products-and-services/auto
Last Modified: 2026-07-30T15:27:08Z
Tune up your customer relationships
From research to word-of-mouth recommendations, auto shoppers form opinions before they even step into the dealer. With smarter technology and data, you’ll create customer connections that fuel their journey with dynamic, omnichannel messages.
---
## Products And Services/Retail Media Network
Type: eps_page
URL: /products-and-services/retail-media-network
Last Modified: 2026-06-09T18:52:48Z
Retail media
Epsilon Retail Media is a full-service retail media platform designed to be a measurable growth engine for your business. Rooted in person-first identity and AI-powered data, we help retailers build or augment their retail media networks around real shoppers, so brand partners can effectively reach the right people and measure the impact.
---
## Products And Services/Epsilon Peoplecloud
Type: eps_page
URL: /products-and-services/epsilon-peoplecloud
Last Modified: 2026-09-10T16:00:00Z
Built on identity, powered by AI and designed to deliver personalized experiences at scale.
The more of Epsilon PeopleCloud you use, the stronger your marketing becomes.
Need help along the way? Our marketing services turn your marketing visions into reality.
See how Epsilon PeopleCloud turns challenges into wins for the world’s leading brands
Other resources
---
## Learn/Third Party Cookies
Type: eps_page
URL: /learn/third-party-cookies
Last Modified: 2026-06-17T19:48:17Z
What a world beyond third-party cookies means for digital advertising
Third-party cookies (3PCs) live to see another day—but they’re still not here to stay.
Major browsers have been phasing out third-party cookies for a lot longer than you may think: Safari lost third-party cookies in 2017, Firefox in 2019. Since then, roughly 50% of the internet has been without third-party cookies. So, what’s going on right now? A lot, actually.
Everything changed in 2024 as Google announced they are not unilaterally getting rid of third-party cookies on Chrome after years of back-and-forth. Instead, they are going to invite users to make an “informed choice that applies across their web browsing” (meaning they will likely ask users to opt-in to tracking).
Digital advertisers have long used third-party cookies as an easy way to target, pace, measure and personalize their campaigns, so Google’s announcement may feel like momentary relief for brands—but it really doesn’t change anything. While information about the pivot is limited, third-party cookie deprecation is still happening—and may well accelerate with this new change.Here’s why: If Google makes the very likely (and more regulatory-friendly) decision to ask Chrome users to actively opt-in to third-party cookies, advertisers can expect to see significant signal loss. When given the choice, most users will not agree to tracking – as we’ve seen happen with Apple’s proactive privacy choices.
Epsilon saw the flaws in third-party cookies long ago, and Google’s latest moves doesn’t change our opinion. Marketers should continue to invest in tools and tactics that don’t rely on third-party cookies, and we’re here to lead them through the changing industry by connecting brands with their consumers in ways that don’t rely on them. Plain and simple.
Here, we’ll explore what are third-party cookies, why they were going away in the first place (and why that’s changed), and how advertisers continue to deliver relevant, effective messaging with or without third-party cookies.
Why identifier deprecation won't kill the open web
What are third-party cookies?
Websites use cookies to remember a user’s actions and preferences, so they aren’t asked to perform a task again and again. As a result, they help provide a better, more personalized user experience.
Third-party cookies are created and placed by someone other than the owner of the website you’re visiting to track consumers across the internet. Some common uses include cross-site tracking, retargeting and ad serving. Third-party cookies are also regularly used for person-level measurement, as they can identify when a transaction or another conversion type (page visit, log-in, etc.) occurs.
First-party cookies, on the other hand, are generated by the host domain. They are specific to the host domain, do not transfer across other sites, and help provide a better user experience. These cookies enable the browser to remember important user info, such as what items you add to shopping carts, your username and passwords, and language preferences.
For an example, let’s say you visit a website called learn.com. Any cookies put on this website by learn.com would be first-party cookies. Any cookies put on learn.com by any other site, like a social media site or an advertiser, would be third-party cookies.
First-party vs. third-party cookies
Why are third-party cookies used?
Cross-site tracking: the practice of collecting browsing data from numerous sources (websites) that details your activity and provides behavioral insights.
Retargeting: the effort of reigniting engagement or conversion by delivering visual or text ads to previous visitors based on the products and services in which they’ve shown interest.
Ad serving: making decisions regarding the ads that appear on a website, deciding when to serve these ads, and collecting data (and reporting said data, including impressions and clicks) in an effort to educate advertisers on consumer insights and ad performance.
Personalization:data collected by third-party cookies helps marketers learn a user’s browsing behaviors and preferences, which enables brands to more effectively tailor ads to the consumer.
Measurement: many use third-party cookies to measure the effectiveness of their marketing campaigns. Analytics provided help marketers attribute specific conversions to specific ads.
Why were third-party cookies going away, and now they’re not?
Remember, we’ve all been operating with limits on third-party cookies for a while—Safari, Firefox and Edge all opted to get rid of third-party cookies in the past five years, meaning a large portion of web activity in the U.S. has actually been on browsers that don’t accept them. Chrome is just the last holdout among major browsers.
Google was planning to impose full deprecation in 2025, but after many delays due to regulatory and industry pressure it’s not surprising that they are modifying their approach.And it’s no secret Google’s moves will personally benefit them, as they claim the pivot is in the name of consumer privacy. But is it really?
How will third-party cookies will still impact digital advertising, even if they aren’t fully going away?
To opt-in or to opt-out, that is the question. Google has not given us any hints as to whether users will actively have to opt-in to third-party cookies on Chrome, but, given that Google’s stated reason for eliminating third-party is to improve user privacy, it is highly likely that users will be asked to opt-in to tracking.
The most comparable previous event is Apple’s rollout of the App Tracking Transparency (ATT) framework in 2021, which required users to opt-in. Only 16% opted-in to tracking initially. Over time that number has increased to 34%, as apps are allowed to renew their opt-in requests (and some users have responded to those requests)—but that won’t apply to Chrome, because the user is making a browser-level decision not an app-specific decision. Given the latter, we expect opt-in rates well under 10% for Chrome.
All that said, although third-party cookies aren’t fully going away, signal loss will still occur—the proof is in Apple's mobile ad IDs (MAIDs).
Here are the aspects of advertising that will be most impacted by signal loss:
Reach: Without third-party cookies advertisers are scrambling for a way to reach their customers and prospects online, often turning to search, owned channels and walled gardens—to their own detriment.
Personalization: Behavioral and browsing data will be limited, making it hard for advertisers who depend on third-party cookies to personalize ads.
Campaign management: Basic capabilities like A/B testing and frequency capping will be challenging for advertisers who depend on third-party cookies.
Performance measurement: Analytics and attribution based on third-party cookies will be much less effective. We anticipate many advertising vendors will not be able to calculate metrics like ROAS anymore, and will turn to the less effective Media Mix Modeling (MMM).
Our research shows that 69% of advertisers think third-party cookie deprecation will have a bigger impact than the GDPR and CCPA, and 70% feel that digital advertising overall will take a step backward.
But despite the understanding of importance and concern, fewer than half (46%) feel “very prepared” for marketing without the third-party cookie.
AI can help marketers adapt to a first-party data world
If third-party cookies are still unreliable, what should marketers use instead?
Despite Google’s announcement, it’s critical that marketers continue to invest in tools and tactics that don’t rely on third-party cookies. They will need to find a new way to identify people online so they can continue to personalize messages, optimize campaigns and measure performance.
To start, marketers should get familiar with the different options for identifiers. When they understand the strengths and weaknesses of the most common identifiers, it will be easier to choose a smart approach to identity. To succeed, partner with an established, people-based identity solution—one that’s future-proofed against the loss of identifiers and built with privacy in mind. Any adtech and measurement partners you work with should have a solid plan that doesn't rely on third-party cookies.
Epsilon’s identity graph, COREid is anchored to deterministic data elements which makes it not only reliable in finding the right consumers, but stable against regulatory shifts. Our data is privacy-centric and pseudonymized before it enters the digital ecosystem, keeping consumer information safe.
What’s Epsilon’s response to this new reality?
For us, it’s business-as-usual.
Epsilon has never needed third-party cookies to connect with consumers. They’re not people-based, not transparent and can’t identify people over time.
We’ve always known that the key to identity is first-party relationships with publishers and brands. That’s why we began building our identity solution in 2007 and started investing in publisher relationships all the way back in 2012. Today, Epsilon has over 17,000 PubLink integrations and a similar number of direct publisher relationships on CORE Private Exchange, our Supply-Side Platform. COREid does not rely on third-party cookies and 98% of our ads are delivered to individuals, not to cookies or devices.
In fact, 33% of the impressions served worldwide by Epsilon Digital go to Apple users who are cookieless today.
The industry agrees that Epsilon leads the way in helping marketers deliver people-based, measurable ads that drive performance without needing third-party cookies.
Future-proof your digital marketing
How we drive success with or without third-party cookies
Resources to help you build a cookieless future
---
## Careers
Type: eps_page
URL: /careers
Last Modified: 2025-10-06T19:19:58Z
Run with the best
When you’re one of us, you’re part of a company with industry-leading tech with the opportunity to work on projects for the world’s biggest brands. Our people have the talent, tools and passion to do epic things together—for our clients, for consumers and for our community.
Find your place here
Driving industry-leading success takes a wide range of skills. Whatever your background, you’ll find the perfect fit. Here is a sampling of our teams.
What it's like to work here
Learn more about Epsilon
Learn more about Epsilon
---
## About Us/Corporate Social Responsibility
Type: eps_page
URL: /about-us/corporate-social-responsibility
Last Modified: 2026-04-28T19:02:02Z
Building a better future
We're committed to improving our people, our community and our clients. We do that by making thoughtful financial contributions, growing effective partnerships and sparking meaningful conversations.
Coming together to make a difference
Highlighted Partners
Purpose-driven partnerships
Empowering clients to create purpose-driven marketing
64% of consumers say they’ll buy or boycott a brand depending on its stance on a social or political issue. See how we help our clients create marketing that allows them to define their mission, invest in that purpose and live it every day.
Quick links
---
## About Us/Our Locations
Type: eps_page
URL: /about-us/our-locations
Last Modified: 2025-08-12T15:28:40Z
Powered by Global Reach and Local Knowledge
We connect the world's biggest brands to millions of consumers across the world. We can help you make that connection.
---
## Products And Services/Epsilon Peoplecloud/Digital Media Solutions
Type: eps_page
URL: /products-and-services/epsilon-peoplecloud/digital-media-solutions
Last Modified: 2025-01-17T20:15:44Z
Maximize digital media performance
With Epsilon Digital Media Solutions, you'll identify and reach people across all their devices with messages that are relevant to them—driving real business outcomes for your brand.
---
## Products And Services/Loyalty
Type: eps_page
URL: /products-and-services/loyalty
Last Modified: 2026-06-16T15:16:28Z
Make loyalty your competitive edge.
Epsilon Loyalty doesn't just power loyalty programmes, it turns them into intuitive growth engines that lift lifetime value.
Powered by first-party data and AI, Epsilon Loyalty learns from every action and adapts in real time, anticipating what each person needs next to transform passive points systems into gamified engagement that feels personal, dynamic and built for lasting relationships.
A solution for every brand
Our flexible platform allows brands of all sizes to drive desired member behaviour with programmes suited to each industry.
Technology that delivers
Watch our demo to learn more
News & views to fuel your growth
FAQs
Still wondering how our solutions work? Here’s what brands often ask us.
---
## Home
Type: eps_page
URL: /home
Last Modified: 2025-01-28T17:57:10Z
The Abacus Alliance
The premier data cooperative for catalogue and multi-channel retailers.
What we do for you
How Abacus helps you
Our members include:
News, events and resources
---
## The Abacus Alliance
Type: eps_page
URL: /the-abacus-alliance
Last Modified: 2025-01-28T18:00:44Z
Direct mail for multichannel marketers
Introduced in the UK in 1998, The Abacus Alliance has one aim – to enable multi-channel retailers to grow their businesses through more profitable marketing campaigns.
How the abacus alliance helps you
---
## New To Catalogue Marketing
Type: eps_page
URL: /new-to-catalogue-marketing
Last Modified: 2025-01-28T17:59:50Z
New to catalogue marketing?
We can help you by providing insight into your customer data.
The catalogue – delivering true multi-channel growth
Business benefits of a catalogue
The benefits of a new catalogue with Abacus
The phases of developing your catalogue strategy
---
## Why Direct Mail
Type: eps_page
URL: /why-direct-mail
Last Modified: 2025-01-28T18:02:09Z
Why direct mail marketing?
Direct Mail is undoubtedly delivering in the Digital Age. With email fatigue and digital noise, brands are relying more and more on Direct Mail to build trust and loyalty with their brands.
How Abacus helps you
Grow your profitability
Getting new customers is expensive. But turning them into repeat buyers is essential to build a profitable business. Being part of the Abacus Alliance gives you a unique insight into your customers.
---
## Who We Are
Type: eps_page
URL: /who-we-are
Last Modified: 2025-01-17T20:15:44Z
Who we are
Epsilon Abacus is part of the Epsilon Group; the marketing experts who blend data and creativity to get results.
Helping members use the power of cooperative data
Meet the team
At the core of Publicis Groupe, we're changing the industry
Epsilon is part of Publicis Groupe, the third largest communications group in the world, and leader in marketing, communication and digital business transformation. Publicis offers its clients seamless access to the expertise of its 80,000 talents across four Solution hubs: creative with Publicis Communications, media services with Publicis Media, digital business transformation with Publicis Sapient and health & wellness communications with Publicis Health. Publicis Groupe’s agencies are present in over 100 countries around the world.
---
## Our Work
Type: eps_page
URL: /our-work
Last Modified: 2025-01-17T20:15:44Z
Our work
We’ve helped many clients recruit more profitable customers to increase sales.
Charles Tyrwhitt
CharlesTyrhwitt has been an advocate for direct mail since the beginning, so much so that his wife, Chrissie Rucker began her creation of the enormously successful White Company with direct mail. It drives the business. 'People love letters.'
CV Villas
Discover how CV Villas, a leading villa holiday specialist with over 50 years of experience, embarked on a transformative journey to diversify its customer acquisition strategy.
Piglet in Bed
It's not merely about sending catalogues in abundance; it's about assessing incremental demand and achieving a nuanced understanding of your customers' behaviours and preferences. Our ultimate measure of success is not just increasing the volume of responses but also enhancing profitability. In the ever-evolving landscape of marketing, we're focused on persuading potential customers who may not have considered us previously, making it an artful endeavour. – Jake Newbould, CMO, Piglet in Bed
Lily Ella invests in direct mail
Lily Ella invested in direct mail and utilised Abacus to receive prospect data and improve customer acquisition, along with utilising data to target longtime customers. See why Lily Ella said it was one of the greatest investments they’ve ever made.
A closer look at Joe Browns
Over the past 24 years, Joe Browns has grown from a small mail order business into a large omnichannel retail player with 80% of orders now coming online, but catalogues are still the main driver.
See how Abacus helps brands
Hear from some of our customers
Recent events
---
## Get In Touch/Consumer Data Deletion Requests
Type: eps_page
URL: /get-in-touch/consumer-data-deletion-requests
Last Modified: 2025-01-17T20:15:44Z
Consumer requests
Removing your details from the Abacus Alliance and exercising other rights
Epsilon manages the Abacus Alliance on behalf of UK retailers and charities and provides other marketing related services, such as personalised direct marketing via connected TVs.
Participating retailers and charities provide us with their customers’ name and address details as well as purchasing histories. We also process personal data collected in connection with other Epsilon services as well as personal data we receive from CACI Limited. For more information, please see our Privacy Policy.
To request for your personal data to be removed from the Abacus Alliance and no longer used for the purpose of direct marketing via connected TVs, or if you want to exercise any other right, please add your details and submit a request below. Your request will be actioned by our Consumer Services Team, and we ask you to be clear and specific with your request as this will enable us to assist you in a more effective manner.
Alternatively, you can contact us directly by:
Calling: 020 8943 8049
Emailing: nomail@epsilon.com
---
## Cookie Policy
Type: eps_page
URL: /cookie-policy
Last Modified: 2025-01-17T20:15:44Z
Cookie Policy
Cookies
Cookies are small text files that store data using your web browser to make your browsing experience easier and faster. We, and our third party service providers who assist with managing our Site, use cookies, web beacons and similar technologies on our Site. We use Performance and Functionality cookies, as described below, to improve the performance of our Site and to make our Site more user-friendly.
Epsilon Abacus respects enhanced user privacy controls. We support the development and implementation of a standard “do not track” browser feature, which provides customers with control over the collection and use of information by third parties regarding their web-browsing activities.
The European Union Directive 2009/136/EC, amending Directive 2002/58/EC on Privacy and Electronic Communications (otherwise known as the e-Privacy or Cookie Directive), and laws in EU countries implementing such Directive require user consent before a site may place cookies and other similar technologies on your device or to use such technologies to access information on your device. Where required, we provide notice to consumers of our cookie practices upon visiting our Site and by using our Site you agree to the use of cookies in Europe, as detailed below.
Cookies Used by Epsilon on Our Sites
Performance Cookies:
These cookies collect information about how visitors use our Site for web analytics purposes, for instance which pages visitors go to most often and error messages received. These cookies are only used to improve how our Site works and your experience on our Site; they do not track your browsing activity on other websites. By using our Site, you agree that we can place these types of cookies on your device.
Functionality Cookies:
These cookies allow our Site to remember choices you make (such as remembering your user name and password, language preference or the region you are in) and provide enhanced, more personalized features. These cookies may also be used to remember changes you have made to text size, fonts and other personalizations. They may also be used to provide services you have requested, such as keeping you logged in to your account as you browse the internet. These cookies do not track your browsing activity on other websites. By using our Site or by signing up for an account with us, you agree that we can place these types of cookies on your device.
Modifying Your Browser Settings
You can modify your browser settings at any time, including setting your browser to notify you when you receive a cookie, giving you the choice to decide whether or not to accept it. If you reject cookies, you may still use our Sites, but the functionality of some areas may be limited.
Below are links to information on managing your cookie preferences with common browsers and links for more information on cookie practices:
Google Chrome
Mozilla Firefox
Microsoft Internet Explorer
Safari
Google Analytics
More information on cookies
For any questions related to our web technologies, you may contact us via email at privacyuk@epsilon.com.
Other tracking technologies
Other technologies such as beacons, tags and scripts are used by Epsilon and our partners marketing and analytics partners and service providers. These technologies are used in analyzing trends, administering the site, tracking users’ movements around the site and to gather demographic information about our user base as a whole. We may receive reports based on the use of these technologies by these companies on an aggregated basis.
Third parties with whom we partner to provide certain features on our site based upon your Web browsing activity use local storage objects (LSOs) such as Flash to collect and store information. Various browsers may offer their own management tools for removing Flash LSOs. To manage Flash LSOs please click here.
For any questions related to our web technologies, you may contact us via email at privacyuk@epsilon.com
---
## Terms And Conditions
Type: eps_page
URL: /terms-and-conditions
Last Modified: 2025-01-17T20:15:44Z
Terms and Conditions
Welcome to our website. If you continue to browse and use this website, you are agreeing to comply with and be bound by the following terms and conditions of use, which together with our privacy policy govern Epsilon International UK Ltd’s (trading as Epsilon Abacus) relationship with you in relation to this website. If you disagree with any part of these terms and conditions, please do not use our website.
The term ‘Epsilon Abacus’ or ‘us’ or ‘we’ refers to the owner of the website (Epsilon International UK Ltd) whose registered office is 2 Television Centre, 101 Wood Lane, London, W12 7FR. Our company registration number is 361004467. The term ‘you’ refers to the user or viewer of our website.
The use of this website is subject to the following terms of use:
The content of the pages of this website is for your general information and use only. It is subject to change without notice.
This website uses cookies to monitor browsing preferences. If you do allow cookies to be used, the following personal information may be stored by us for use by third parties: Google Analytics for monitoring and insights. HubSpot for use in sales lead generation, marketing and for enabling better use of this site by you.
Neither we nor any third parties provide any warranty or guarantee as to the accuracy, timeliness, performance, completeness or suitability of the information and materials found or offered on this website for any particular purpose. You acknowledge that such information and materials may contain inaccuracies or errors and we expressly exclude liability for any such inaccuracies or errors to the fullest extent permitted by law.
Your use of any information or materials on this website is entirely at your own risk, for which we shall not be liable. It shall be your own responsibility to ensure that any products, services or information available through this website meet your specific requirements.
This website contains material which is owned by or licensed to us. This material includes, but is not limited to, the design, layout, look, appearance and graphics. Reproduction is prohibited other than in accordance with the copyright notice, which forms part of these terms and conditions.
All trademarks reproduced in this website, which are not the property of, or licensed to the operator, are acknowledged on the website.
Unauthorised use of this website may give rise to a claim for damages and/or be a criminal offence.
From time to time, this website may also include links to other websites. These links are provided for your convenience to provide further information. They do not signify that we endorse the website(s). We have no responsibility for the content of the linked website(s).
Your use of this website and any dispute arising out of such use of the website is subject to the laws of England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales.
---
## Products And Services/Epsilon Loyalty
Type: eps_page
URL: /products-and-services/epsilon-loyalty
Last Modified: 2026-03-19T10:52:21Z
Make loyalty your competitive edge.
Epsilon Loyalty doesn't just power loyalty programmes, it turns them into intuitive growth engines that lift lifetime value.
Powered by first-party data and AI, Epsilon Loyalty learns from every action and adapts in real time, anticipating what each person needs next to transform passive points systems into gamified engagement that feels personal, dynamic and built for lasting relationships.
An industry-leading solution
Intelligent. Predictive. Adaptive.
Resources and expert insights
---
## Products And Services/Epsilon Peoplecloud/Messaging
Type: eps_page
URL: /products-and-services/epsilon-peoplecloud/messaging
Last Modified: 2026-04-28T19:05:59Z
Deliver personalized cross-channel messages
Real people deserve real conversations. With Epsilon PeopleCloud Messaging, you’ll talk to your customers in an authentic way—reaching them in the channels they prefer in the moments that matter most.
---
## Products And Services/Epsilon Peoplecloud/Data Platforms/Customer
Type: eps_page
URL: /products-and-services/epsilon-peoplecloud/data-platforms/customer
Last Modified: 2026-04-28T16:16:56Z
Activate an enterprise-ready CDP
With our CDP, Epsilon PeopleCloud Customer, you'll combine all your data, make it accessible at scale and power real-time recommendations that can be activated across your channels.
---
## Products And Services/Epsilon Peoplecloud/Data Platforms/Discovery
Type: eps_page
URL: /products-and-services/epsilon-peoplecloud/data-platforms/discovery
Last Modified: 2026-04-28T16:18:49Z
Simplify your media planning
With Epsilon PeopleCloud Discovery, you’ll uncover deep consumer insights, then activate that data to reach growth audiences with content aligned to their true interests.
---
## Products And Services/Epsilon Peoplecloud/Data Platforms/Prospect
Type: eps_page
URL: /products-and-services/epsilon-peoplecloud/data-platforms/prospect
Last Modified: 2026-04-28T16:38:16Z
Open-Activation Data Clean Room
Epsilon PeopleCloud Prospect gives you a people-based view of consumers. With this power, you'll model high-performing audiences across paid and owned channels.
---
## Solutions/Partners
Type: eps_page
URL: /solutions/partners
Last Modified: 2026-07-30T15:16:45Z
Better together
When you work with our industry-leading solutions in conjunction with our fully vetted and formalized partners, your work will be easier—and your business outcomes will be greater—because you're collaborating with the best of the best.
Technology: Strategic Partners
Technology: Core technology partners
Technology: Digital experience partners
Ad networks & DSPs
Data Marketplaces
Social
Advanced TV, CTV & OTT
Programmers
MVPDs and consortiums
SSP
Digital out-of-home media (DOOH)
Multimedia: Audio and Gaming
Epsilon & our partners in the news
---
## Learn/Idfa
Type: eps_page
URL: /learn/idfa
Last Modified: 2026-06-17T19:48:28Z
What is IDFA & Its Impact to Advertisers
What’s IDFA, and why does it matter?
Marketers are tasked with quickly understanding and preparing for a world without third-party identifiers, including third-party cookies and mobile ad IDs (MAIDs). This industry change started in 2017, but it became a much more urgent priority in 2020 when the most dominant players in desktop and mobile connectivity, Apple and Google, announced that they were deprecating common third-party identifiers.
During their developer conference in early 2020, Apple released new privacy controls related to IDFA, their iOS advertising identifier. In 2021, they took this change a step further, rolling out the App Tracking Transparency (ATT) framework, which requires consumers opt-in to being tracked by app developers and advertisers on all Apple devices. These changes impact digital advertisers in numerous ways, and marketers need to be prepared to adapt.
What exactly is IDFA, how do mobile ad IDs work for digital advertising, when and why are changes being made to IDFA, and what does a future-proofed solution look like for marketers?
How to succeed without third-party identifiers
What is IDFA?
The Identifier for Advertisers (IDFA) is an anonymized unique identifier assigned by Apple to a user's device. With IDFA, an installed mobile application can track user behavior across other companies’ apps, websites or offline properties.Much like a third-party cookie in a browser, IDFA enables advertisers to track a user’s interactions within mobile apps, such as downloads, clicks and purchases.
The purpose of the iOS ad ID is to help create personalized app experiences for users. With IDFA, Apple has enabled advertisers to deliver relevant, targeted digital advertisements to app users, which drives revenue for app developers and creates better customer experience. In iOS, IDFA allows advertisers to also track ad performance. This Apple advertising identifier doesn’t contain personally identifying information; rather, it tracks in-app activity and downloads. Ever since IDFA was first introduced, users have had the ability to reset or turn off access to their IDFA via the privacy settings on their device.
What is a mobile ad ID (MAID)?
A MAID is a type of mobile device identifier used in digital advertising. This string of letters and numbers is unique to each individual tablet or smartphone. It’s stored on a user’s mobile device, and it can be retrieved by an app for ad targeting, personalization and campaign measurement. IDFA is the mobile advertising identifier used to track iOS users on Apple devices for advertising purposes.
What changes are happening to IDFA, when do they take effect and what is the current state?
As part of its iOS 14 release in early spring 2021, Apple is rolling out a new feature called App Tracking Transparency (ATT). This will require iOS app developers to receive each user’s permission to track their activity or access their device’s IDFA for advertising purposes.
Prior to the rollout of App Tracking Transparency, which will take an opt-in approach to user privacy for each app installed on their devices, users had the option to opt out of all ad tracking across every application via the Limit Ad Tracking (LAT) feature, which is accessed by navigating to “Settings -> Privacy -> Advertising.”
See the official Apple page describing IDFA changes.
MacRumors recently shared that apps have been able to prompt users for tracking permission since iOS 14 was released in September 2020, and some apps already introduced the prompt.
If cookies and IDFA aren’t the future, what is?
How does data deprecation impact brands, publishers and adtech? The New York Times, Forrester, Publicis Media & Epsilon weigh in on the future of identity without third-party cookies and IDFA.
Why is IDFA being phased out?
Apple claims it’s making this change to IDFA in the name of privacy. Apple’s recent iPhone video ad, for example, features people loudly sharing personal, often dangerous information with those around them, and closes with: “Some things shouldn’t be shared. iPhone helps keep it that way.”
In conjunction with Data Privacy Day, Apple provided more insight regarding the change, quoting late co-founder and former CEO Steve Jobs, "I believe people are smart and some people want to share more data than other people do. Ask them. Ask them every time. Make them tell you to stop asking them if they get tired of your asking them. Let them know precisely what you’re going to do with their data."
In addition to the IDFA positioning Apple as a more privacy-centric platform, the shift will likely drive more revenue for the business. But in all likelihood, advertisers will be inclined to spend less with app developers because of their limited ability to personalize ads. This means more subscriptions and in-app purchases—of which Apple will take a 15% share starting this year. Additionally, it has been reported by industry analyst Eric Seufert that Apple seems to be giving preferential treatment to its own ad network when it comes to attribution. As Epsilon’s Ric Elert says, “It will take money out of the publishers' hands and put it in the platform's hands.”
The fallout from Apple’s IDFA announcement
What will happen to publishers and advertisers after Apple pulls the plug on marketing with IDFAs? Epsilon's Ric Elert explains.
How will the loss of IDFA impact advertisers?
The IDFA move will impact advertisers’ ability to target audiences, create personalized experiences and measure campaign effectiveness. Marketers and publishers will likely begin prioritizing strategies to maximize user consent to preserve the use of IDFA for targeting and measurement and resort to previous methods or services like contextual-based advertising. Some of the impacts advertisers and app publishers are expecting with IDFA data deprecation include:
Targeting: Advertisers will still be able to deliver messaging on iOS apps, but will not be able to identify an individual unless a user opts in to be tracked by the application where the ad runs.
Pacing: Frequency capping at an individual level will become more difficult, which can result in wasted budget by repeatedly messaging the same person.
Measurement: Conversion tracking capabilities will become more limited in iOS when a user hasn’t opted in to provide IDFA access because the advertiser will lose visibility into events such as clicks, downloads, registrations and purchases.
Personalization and dynamic creative: Without consent to access IDFA, advertisers will lose some capabilities to personalize and continuously optimize the creative messaging to an individual they’re targeting. They’ll also have more limited A/B testing ability for optimizing creative.
Fewer choices for advertisers: If advertisers see a drop in campaign performance on iOS devices, they’ll be inclined to reallocate ad dollars elsewhere—creating further dependence on walled gardens.
Our research shows that 62% of marketers don’t believe consumers will be better off as a result of these changes, and 70% feel that digital advertising overall will take a step backward.
Is personalized advertising still possible on iOS devices without IDFA?
When faced with data deprecation challenges such as losing access to IDFA, marketers will need to embrace other ways to identify people online so they can continue to personalize messages, optimize campaigns and measure performance.
For starters, it’s important to get familiar with all available options for identifiers. When you understand the strengths and weaknesses of the most common identifiers, you’ll be able to choose a smart approach to identity resolution that doesn’t rely too heavily on IDFA or any third-party identifier. To succeed, it’s important to partner with an established, people-based identity solution—one that’s future-proofed against the loss of third-party identifiers and built with privacy by design. Any adtech and measurement partners you work with should have a solid plan that limits reliance on IDFA.
Better identity strategies without IDFA
What’s Epsilon’s response?
We continue to build on the capabilities of our people-based CORE ID, something we began in 2007. Our identity is anchored in deterministic name and address data that’s tied to individual-level purchases. Shoppers provide merchants with this high-integrity data to ensure service and delivery of their purchases, allowing us to achieve 96% cross-device accuracy and industry-leading match and reach rates. Each CORE ID record is associated with an average of five points of contact. With limited dependence on mobile ad identifiers, we’ll continue to serve personalized ads across multiple touchpoints to well over 95% of the 200+ million people in our CORE ID graph even as IDFAs become limited.
Fewer than 5% of CORE IDs rely on IDFAs as their only addressable touchpoint. This means we’ll continue to deliver personalized messaging to the vast majority of iOS users across multiple touchpoints after Apple’s changes take effect. We’ll also continue building on the foundation of CORE ID to further reduce dependence on tracking cookies and mobile device IDs. We’re working closely with our clients and partners to learn, innovate and adapt so that we can continue to provide the best experiences for consumers and outcomes for our clients—all while keeping privacy at the forefront.
Epsilon was the only company to appear in all four functionality segments in Forrester Research’s "Now Tech: Identity Resolution, Q3 2020."
We’ll help you thrive
Discover how Epsilon keeps your brand personalizing, optimizing and measuring performance across the web.
---
## Privacy Policy
Type: eps_page
URL: /privacy-policy
Last Modified: 2025-01-17T20:15:44Z
Privacy at Epsilon
Epsilon, formerly also known as Conversant, is an advertising company. We are part of the Publicis Groupe, headquartered in France, but with operations around the world. Our advertising services help businesses find consumers and keep the internet free. The below Privacy Policies described how we process personal data as part of our operations in the EU and the United Kingdom.
Please visit our Services Privacy Policy if you want to learn more about the personal data we collect and use when providing our digital advertising services to our clients. It includes information about what type of personal data we process to provide consumers with personalised advertising and better digital browsing experience. This is also the policy to visit if you clicked on a link in a consent interface (CMP) and want to learn more.
Please visit our Website & Business-to-Business Privacy Policy if you want to learn more about the personal data we collect from our website and how we process personal data about our business-to-business contacts.
---
## Privacy Policy Services
Type: eps_page
URL: /privacy-policy-services
Last Modified: 2025-01-17T20:15:44Z
PRIVACY POLICY FOR SERVICES
Last Modified: 08 December 2021
Read in French here
Read in German here
Epsilon, formerly also known as Conversant, is an advertising company. We are part of the Publicis Groupe, headquartered in France but with operations around the world. Our services help businesses find customers and keep the internet free. We encourage you to read the whole notice but if you wish to jump to a certain subject, please use the table below.
Privacy commitment and scope of this Privacy Policy
What does Epsilon do?
IAB Europe and the Transparency & Consent Framework
Device access
What Personal Data do we process?
Pseudonymous Personal Data
Direct Identifiable Personal Data
How Personal Data is used and lawful basis
Social media
Who do we share Personal Data with?
How long do we keep Personal Data?
Your rights
International transfers
Security
Self-regulation
Contact us
Changes to this Privacy Policy
Definitions used in this Privacy Policy
Throughout this Privacy Policy we use several capitalised terms. You can find the definitions for these here.
Privacy commitment and scope of this Privacy Policy
This Privacy Policy (“Privacy Policy”) describes how Personal Data is collected and used by Epsilon when providing our Services. We care about your privacy and we want you to understand how we process Personal Data and what choices you have with regards to it. We have taken steps to provide you with this information as clear and easy as possible, but if you have any questions you can always Contact us.
We believe that data protection is essential to the growth and prosperity of the Internet and that a personalised experience online can provide significant benefits to users if done properly. In accordance with these believes, Epsilon creates results for advertisers in revolutionary ways without compromising users’ privacy or data protection.
By getting familiar with this Privacy Policy, you have taken the first step in understanding how advertising businesses such as ours help contribute to the Internet’s ability to remain a diverse ecosystem of free content, as well as provide a better digital browsing experience.
What does Epsilon do?
While you visit digital properties, such as websites and mobile applications, there are almost always third-parties working behind the scenes to help provide you with a great digital experience. These companies provide services such as analytics, advertising and fraud prevention for retailers, publishers, and other organisations. Epsilon is one of these companies and we help provide the advertising that keeps your favourite blogs free, your favourite stores in business, and your advertising experience more relevant.
Epsilon provides its clients with digital advertising and personalised content across the Internet. To make some of these things possible, and to make smarter decisions, we need to use information that is considered Personal Data.
We also use our technology to provide life-saving messages, geotargeted to individuals in affected areas, during tornadoes and AMBER Alerts. To learn more about these internationally recognised programs established by Epsilon through an organisation called the Federation for Internet Alerts, click here.
IAB Europe and the Transparency & Consent Framework
The Interactive Advertising Bureau in Europe (“IAB EU”) launched its Transparency and Consent Framework (“TCF”) in April 2018. The TCF is an industry tool that supports companies within the digital advertising ecosystem to manage their compliance obligations under Data Protection Laws, and it provides a standardised way to provide notice and choice across the Internet. You can read more about the TCF here.
Epsilon participates in the IAB EU’s TCF and complies with its specifications and policies. Epsilon’s identification number as a vendor within the TCF is 24. Epsilon also operates a Consent Management Platform (“CMP”) connected to the IAB EU’s TCF with identification number 23.
Device access
We will only use Cookies or otherwise access your device if you have provided us with consent to do so, as required by the ePrivacy Directive and/or the UK Privacy and Electronic Communications Regulations (PECR). You may have provided us with consent through a CMP on our website, on one of our clients or partners digital properties or elsewhere across the Internet. You can review and change your choices at any time by clicking on “Review Consent Preferences” in the footer of our website, or by changing your choices in another CMP. Withdrawing your consent in this way will apply only on the website/app you are visiting. If you want to withdraw your consent to Epsilon across the internet, please visit this tool.
However, certain essential Cookies do not require your consent. This includes Cookies that are essential to comply with the GDPR’s security principle as well as Cookies that help ensure that content of a page loads quickly and effectively by distributing the workload across numerous computers.
What Personal Data do we process?
Pseudonymous Personal Data
Epsilon uses Tags and Cookies to collect Pseudonymous Personal Data about the browser or device you are using, including Visitor Data and information about your browsing behaviour, such as what digital properties that you have visited and online transactions that you have made. This type of Pseudonymous Personal Data is processed whenever you visit digital properties and open emails where our Tags are implemented, including digital properties belonging to our clients and partners such as high street retailers.
We are a part of the digital advertising ecosystem and involved in activities such as Real-Time-Bidding (“RTB”). RTB is a set of technologies and practices used in programmatic advertising that enables advertisers to compete for available digital advertising space and place online adverts on digital properties by automated means. RTB allows for certain information to be sent to participants of the digital advertising ecosystem in Bid Requests. Bid Requests normally contain information that constitutes Personal Data, such a Visitor Data. This information is used by participants to evaluate the bid opportunity and respond with a bid price to serve an advert on the digital property. We only process Pseudonymised Personal Data that we receive in Bid Requests.
We also perform Cookie syncs with advertising exchanges and other partners, such as Eyeota, which means that we receive and share Cookie IDs with each other. This enables us to recognise information about the user and determine whether we want to respond to a Bid Request or not.
All location data we process is limited to non-precise location data (as defined by IAB EU’s TCF).
Direct Identifiable Personal Data
Some of our clients provide Direct Identifiable Personal Data such as name, address, email address and associated transactional information, to us. We also receive Direct Identifiable Personal Data from third-party partners we contract with. These partners, including CACI, provide us with name, address and profiled attributes. The source of the name and address information provided by CACI is the edited Electoral Register. You can read more about how CACI collects and processes your Personal Data here. CACI is not an Affiliate of ours and we have no control over its data practices.
The Directly Identifiable Personal Data we receive from our clients and partners is referred to as data obtained offline or offline data sources in the IAB EU’s TCF, and in this Privacy Policy as “Offline Data”. We process the Offline Data in a separate environment, and it is pseudonymised before it is processed for the purposes below. We annually engage a third-party auditor to confirm this pseudonymisation process.
How Personal Data is used and lawful basis
Purpose
Description
Lawful basis
Select basis advertising
Using information about the content you are viewing, the application you are using, your approximate location and your device type to select the advertisement that is being shown to you.
Consent
Create a personalised advertising profile
Using information that we have collected about you to create a personalised advertising profile of you and your presumed interests.
Consent
Select personalised ads
Using information from your personalised advertising profile to show you personalise advertisements that we believe to be relevant to you.
Consent
Create a personalised content profile
Using information that we have collected about you to create a personalised content profile of you and your presumed interests.
Consent
Select personalised content
Using information from your personalised content profile to show you personalised content that we believe to be relevant to you.
Consent
Measure advertising performance
Measuring the performance and effectiveness of advertisements that you have seen or interacted with.
Consent
Apply market research to generate audience insights
Using market research to learn more about the audiences who visit digital properties and view advertisements.
Consent
Develop and improve our products and services
Using information to improve existing systems and software and to develop new products.
Consent
Ensure security, prevent fraud, and debug
Using information collected and processed to monitor for and prevent fraudulent activity as well as ensuring systems and processes work properly and securely.
Legitimate Interest
Technically deliver ads or content
Receiving and sending information about and to your device such as device type and capabilities that allows you to see and interact with advertising and content delivered, e.g. to deliver the right size advertisement creative or video file in a format supported by the device.
Legitimate Interest
In support of one or more of the purposes set out above we may use Personal Data that we hold to determine whether different devices are likely to belong to you or your household and to try and distinguish your device from other devices based on information it automatically sends, such as IP address or browser type. This helps us develop a predictive profile of your interests across these different devices, including making sure we do not show you the same advert too often.
Offline Data we receive from our clients and partners will, before it is pseudonymised, be processed based on legitimate interest for receiving and storing purposes and to create a profile. We will only combine (pseudonymised) Offline Data related to you with other Pseudonymous Personal Data that we hold and process it for the above purposes if you have given us your prior consent. (Pseudonymised) Offline Data can be combined with your online activity in support of one or more purposes set out above.
Epsilon’s legitimate interests for the purposes of (i) receiving and storing Offline Data; (ii) ensuring security, prevent fraud and debug; and (iii) for technically deliver ads or content include, providing our Services and ensuring that our clients are only paying for advertising that is viewed by a natural person (e.g. not a bot). Further information can be provided upon request.
Social media
We sometimes engage social media platforms to display direct marketing to you on their platform. We use “list-based” and “look-a-like” tools to do this. Using list-based tools involves the uploading of Personal Data to the social media platform in question (such as a list of email addresses). The platform then matches the uploaded Personal Data with its own user base. Any user that matches the uploaded list is added into a group that will be sent the selected marketing message. Look-a-like tools offer the ability to build other audiences based on the characteristics of an original audience that was created using a list-based tool. These audiences generally comprise of users that have not previously engaged, but who look like the list-based audience (i.e., they are users with similar interests, behaviours or characteristics). When creating this sort of audience, the social media platform uses Personal Data it has about other users of its platform to find users who match the interests and behaviours of users that are current customers. Examples include Facebook Custom Audiences or LinkedIn Contact Targeting. We will not undertake this processing unless you have provided us with consent for the purposes set out above, and we have contractual controls in place to ensure that the social media platform can only use the Personal Data we share to enable the provision of the Services. We are not responsible for the data practices of social media platforms and recommend you read their own privacy policies.
Who do we share Personal Data with?
We share your Personal Data:
With our Affiliates and processors that assist us in providing our Services.
With our clients. For example, we may share Personal Data collected by Tags on our clients’ digital properties to help our clients learn more about their visitors, and Personal Data collected when an advert is delivered to report on the performance of advertising and to help clients understand how often they are serving an advert to the same individual and to help them optimise.
With participants of the advertising ecosystem such as advertisers, publishers, advertising exchanges, data management platforms, demand side platforms and supply side platforms, to be able to participate in RTB activities.
With the Abacus Alliance UK, which is a cooperative operated by another part of Epsilon. Personal Data will be used by Abacus Alliance UK to provide participating clients with better insight into their customers and assess, for example, whether an individual should be included on a mailing list for a specific postal marketing campaign. More information about how the Abacus Alliance UK processes your Personal Data and how to exercise any rights can be found here.
With social media platforms as described above.
Third-parties in the event of any reorganisation, merger, sale, joint venture, assignment, transfer or other disposition of all or any portion of our business, assets or stocks (including in connection with any bankruptcy or similar proceedings).
As we believe necessary and appropriate: (a) under applicable law; (b) to comply with legal processes and obligations; (c) to respond to requests from public and governmental authorities including public and government authorities outside your country of residence; (d) to enforce our terms and conditions; (e) to protect our operations; (f) to protect our rights, privacy, safety or property; and (g) to allow us to pursue available remedies or limit the damages that we may sustain.
How long do we keep Personal Data?
We retain all Personal Data in accordance with our data retention policy which abides by applicable law. The retention period depends on the type of data. For example, we retain non-transactional Pseudonymous Personal Data we collect or receive online or through Bid Requests for no more than eighteen (18) months.
Your rights
In situations when we rely on consent to process your Personal Data you have the right to withdraw your consent at any time. You can do that via the “Review Consent Preferences” in the footer of our website or via any CMP connected to the IAB EU’s TCF. A CMP will usually pop up on an EU/UK website you have not visited before that partners with advertising companies to provide you with personalised advertising and a better digital experience. Withdrawing your consent in this way will apply only on the website/app you are visiting. If you want to withdraw your consent to Epsilon across the internet, please visit our browser and device based tool here and our email based tool here.
You may also visit the European Digital Advertising Alliance opt-out page here. To learn how to opt out of receiving relevant advertisements on mobile applications, please visit this page.
We understand that you may be interested to know what Personal Data we hold about you and which advertising interest segments we believe to be connected to you (access). You can view this information and even delete it if you choose to do so by clicking here.
If you wish to exercise any other rights you might under Data Protection Laws (including rectification, portability and restriction), please Contact Us.
International transfers
In order to provide our Services, we transfer Personal Data to, and Process Personal Data in, countries outside the European Union (EU), the European Economic Area (EEA) and the United Kingdom. More specifically our servers are located in Ireland, Netherlands, Singapore and the United States, and our processors operate around the world including the United States and India.
We have taken appropriate and suitable safeguards to ensure that your Personal Data will remain protected when transferred outside EU/EEA and the United Kingdom. This includes implementing Standard Contractual Clauses for transfers of Personal Data adopted by the European Commission and/or the United Kingdom. Further information about our international transfers as well as the safeguards in place can be provided upon request.
Security
We have implemented appropriate technical and organisational security measures to protect the Personal Data in our care, both during transmission and once we receive it. This includes physical and technical security measures to protect our Personal Data from accidental or unlawful destruction, loss, or alteration, and from unauthorised disclosure or access. Although, please note that no method of transmitting information over the Internet or storing information is completely secure.
Self-regulation
Our industry has a rigorous voluntary self-regulatory regime, and we are active members of industry groups such as the Interactive Advertising Bureau (IAB), Interactive Advertising Bureau Europe (IAB EU), Interactive Advertising Bureau UK (IAB UK), Digital Advertising Alliance (DAA), European Digital Advertising Alliance (EDAA) and Digital Advertising Alliance of Canada (DAAC). These groups promulgate codes of conduct and principles that impose requirements on participating members such as transparency and choice around the use of Personal Data for interest-based advertising, and some even require regular audits of member privacy practices. Such codes and principles include the DAA Self-Regulatory Principles, the EDAA Self-Regulatory Principles, and the DAAC Self-Regulatory Principles, which we all support.
Contact us
Epsilon International UK Ltd is the controller of the Personal Data that we process as described in this Privacy Policy. If you have any question about the processing, please email us here.
Our Data Protection Officer is tasked with informing and advising us on the obligations that apply to us under Data Protection Laws, as well as monitoring our compliance with the same. If you need to contact our Data Protection Officer, please email us here. However, we respectfully ask that you only contact our Data Protection Officer regarding urgent matters relating to data protection.
As an EU resident, you have the right to report a concern to your country’s Data Protection Authority. UK residents can report a concern to the Information Commissioner’s Office. However, we respectfully request that you contact us first so that we can assist you.
Changes to this Privacy Policy
We may occasionally make changes to this Privacy Policy. If we do, we will take appropriate measures to inform you, consistent with the significance of the changes we make, and update the “Last Modified” date above.
Definitions used in this Privacy Policy
The technical nature of our Services means we need to keep referring to complex concepts. Capitalised words have the following meanings:
“Affiliates” means any corporation which controls, is controlled by, or is under common control with Epsilon.
“Cookies” are small text files that are downloaded and stored onto your device (e.g. a computer or smartphone). Cookies allow us to recognise your device and store information about your preferences or past actions. In this Privacy Policy the definition of “Cookies” includes similar technologies that can write or read information on your device such as “Local Shared Objects” (sometimes called Flash Cookies), pixels and web-beacons. For more details on the Cookies we set for our Services, click here.
“Data Protection Laws” means (i) EU Regulation 2016/679 and the UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR) as tailored by the UK Data Protection Act 2018 (together “GDPR”); (ii) EU Directive 2002/58/EC (ePrivacy Directive); (iii) the UK Privacy and Electronic Communications (EC Directive) Regulations 2003; and (iv) any and all applicable national data protection laws made under or pursuant to (i) or (iii); in each case as may be amended or superseded from time to time.
“Device IDs” are unique identifiers associated with your device. These identifiers are assigned by your device’s operating system, such as Apple’s iOS and Google’s Play Services for Android. Device IDs can be reset in your device settings.
“Directly Identifiable Personal Data” is Personal Data that directly identifies an individual. This type of Persona Data includes information such as full name, home address, telephone number, and email address.
“Epsilon” means Epsilon International UK Ltd with company number 03610044, whose registered address is 1st Floor 2 Television Centre, 101 Wood Lane, London, England, W12 7FR.
“Visitor Data” includes (i) information that is sent to us by digital properties that have our Tags implemented, such as browser type, browser time, time of access, screen resolution, IP address, referring site URL, current site URL, and search strings; and (ii) information sent to us by advertising exchanges via "Bid Requests", which may include the information in (i) above and other information such as IP addresses, Device IDs, Cookie IDs, non-precise location data, demographic data and other information including audience segmentation. Visitor Data normally constitutes Personal Data.
“Personal Data” means any information relating to an identified or identifiable natural person. Information such as name, identification number, location data and an online identifier is considered Personal Data.
“Pseudonymous Personal Data” is Personal Data that cannot be attributed to a specific individual without the use of additional information, for example 'John Smith' converted to “#12345”. Online identifiers such as Cookie IDs and Device IDs are usually considered Pseudonymous Personal Data.
“Services” means the adverting services that we provide to our clients, including services referred to as “Discovery”, “Prospect” and “Digital Media Solutions”. The definition of “Services” does not include services that Epsilon provides to its clients as a processor (as defined by GDPR), including services referred to as “Customer”, “Messaging”, “Loyalty” the “Abacus Alliance UK”.
“Tags” are tiny snippets of code inserted into a digital property that is used to collect data related to a visit. In this Privacy Policy, the definition of “Tags” includes the use of an SDK (Software Development Kit) to enable the same functionality in mobile applications.
---
## About Us/Our Locations
Type: eps_page
URL: /about-us/our-locations
Last Modified: 2026-01-04T22:23:30Z
Creating connections worldwide
Powered by global reach and local knowledge, we connect the world's biggest brands to millions of consumers across the world. We can help you make that connection.
---
## About Us/Our Locations
Type: eps_page
URL: /about-us/our-locations
Last Modified: 2025-08-12T15:31:51Z
Creating connections worldwide
Powered by global reach and local knowledge, we connect the world's biggest brands to millions of consumers across the world. We can help you make that connection.
---
## Careers
Type: eps_page
URL: /careers
Last Modified: 2026-06-03T10:59:41Z
JOIN THE TEAM
Strategic thinking. Creative vision. Collaborative spirit. Eagerness to grow and succeed. We welcome it all—and so do the brands we serve.
Who you'll be working with
Find your place here
Driving industry-leading success takes a wide range of skills. Whatever your background, you'll find the perfect fit. Here is a sampling of our departments.
Sales & Client Development at Epsilon
Our people have the talent, tools and passion to go the distance. We sat down with Dana Griffin, Client Development Manager at Epsilon, to learn about what makes her role epic.
---
## About Us/Why Epsilon
Type: eps_page
URL: /about-us/why-epsilon
Last Modified: 2025-06-30T20:41:39Z
Helping brands drive stronger business outcomes
The status quo won’t work anymore. We’re committed to delivering marketing solutions that create more than outputs—they create provable outcomes.
The right tech, strategy and expertise to hit all your business goals
Restore the balance between your brand and your customers
See all that's possible with your marketing when you start with high-definition customer views rooted in privacy by design.
Products designed to drive your success
Real stories from brands like yours
Visit our Resource Center and see how we can help you
---
## Products And Services/Epsilon Peoplecloud/Data Platforms
Type: eps_page
URL: /products-and-services/epsilon-peoplecloud/data-platforms
Last Modified: 2026-05-07T17:22:34Z
Maximize the value of your data
This is your foundation for omnichannel marketing. Link online and offline interactions back to a unified profile, powering unique insights and journeys.
---
## Products And Services/Epsilon Peoplecloud/Data Platforms
Type: eps_page
URL: /products-and-services/epsilon-peoplecloud/data-platforms
Last Modified: 2026-04-28T16:39:58Z
Maximize the value of your data
This is your foundation for omnichannel marketing. Link online and offline interactions back to a unified profile, powering unique insights and journeys.
---
## Careers New Hire
Type: eps_page
URL: /careers-new-hire
Last Modified: 2025-01-17T20:15:44Z
Welcome to Epsilon
Welcome!
Congratulations on accepting your new position at Epsilon. We’re excited to welcome you to our company.
Starting your new role on the right foot is top of mind for us. The info on this page will help prepare you for this next step in your career. Please keep in mind that your personal onboarding experience may take months, but we’ll give you the knowledge you need to get started.
We encourage you to learn our products and solutions—both within your team and the entire company. We’d also love you to get involved with our Epsilon community and to build relationships that will help you grow in your position and enjoy coming to work. We know you’re going to have a great start.
Questions? Reach out to newhireonboarding@epsilon.com.
Pre-hire checklist
Your first week & beyond
Additional resources
Pre-hire
Make sure to take these important steps before the first day of your new career at Epsilon.
If you have questions, reach out to your recruiter or hiring manager.
Complete the offer acceptance steps sent from HR.
Complete your HR background check and any other required documentation requested for employment processing.
Review the onboarding checklist (in the next tab).
Complete Section 1 of I-9 sent to you, and gather the I-9 acceptable document(s) to bring on your first day (a list will be sent to you over email).
Map your commute and plan your transportation to the office (see our office locations ).
Your first week & beyond
Your first week will set the tone for the rest of your experience at Epsilon—and we want to ensure you’re armed with the necessary resources. This is what week one will look like.
Schedule
Your first week will be packed with information to get you started. Below are the sessions you’ll be attending during your first few days.
You’ll receive invitations to these sessions upon your arrival. If there are any changes to the schedule, you’ll be notified.
Day 1: IT Orientation, HR Orientation & Epsilon 101
Day 2: Epsilon PeopleCloud Sessions
Day 3: Life at Epsilon Sessions – Culture of Epsilon & Meet Your HR Teams
Onboarding Checklist
We’ve made a list, and we’ve checked it twice. Your New Hire Checklist has everything you’ll need to complete in your first 90 days. This checklist is given to all new hires in their first week—regardless of position, team or alignment—to ensure they receive the baseline knowledge and training they need to be successful.
Here are some examples of items you’ll be able to cross off in your first 90 days:
First Week: Complete your tax forms and return them to the HR Coordinator.
Second Week: Get your first tasks or projects. Check in with your manager about your first potential assignments.
First 30 Days: Meet with your manager to discuss your first 30 days. Your manager will take this time to review and discuss what the next 30–60 days will look like for you.
First 60 Day: Begin taking on projects and tasks assigned by your manager or team. You should be able to begin working independently on initiatives.
First 90 Days: You should be accomplishing projects and tasks assigned by your manager or team at this time, or even providing new ideas or initiatives for improvement.
Additional resources
Publicis Connections: Check out what benefits we offer to our employees as a part of Publicis Groupe.
Epsilon LinkedIn: Follow our page and update your LinkedIn profile.
Epsilon Twitter: Check out what we’re up to on Twitter.
Learn about Publicis Groupe: Learn about our parent company, Publicis Groupe.
---
## Nitrogen Platinum
Type: eps_page
URL: /nitrogen-platinum
Last Modified: 2025-01-17T20:15:44Z
Consumer Data Insights – Transactional Data – 2020
Purchase data is the best predictor of future buying behavior and used to drive acquisition and retention campaigns for marketers across the globe. Epsilon is the industry leader in transactional data used for marketing and Epsilon’s Consumer Data Insights – Platinum – 2020 includes spending behavior at the Category, Sub-Category, and Brand level on over 900 specific merchants.
This highly predictive purchase data is sourced from non-cash transaction data exclusively available through Epsilon and is available across key industries. Data is aggregated at the neighborhood ZIP+4 level to allow for detailed analysis at the most discreet level of geography. Use this data for smarter market segmentation, target audience definition, modeling and business portfolio analysis.
This robust dataset includes the following transactional data:
Encompasses 23 Billion transactions and $1.4 Trillion in non-cash consumer transactions across key industries.
Aggregated across 12 months by geography and reported at the overall, category (11), sub-category (67), and merchant levels (900+ merchants).
Transactional Data - Category Data (11 Categories):
Automotive
Communications Service Providers
Education
Entertainment
Financial Services
Food-Convenience-Drug Store
Other Retail
Retail
Restaurant
Services
Travel
Sub-Category Data (67 Sub-Categories):
Airline
Amusement Parks
Apparel
Auto Dealer
Auto Parts
Auto Services
Beauty Stores
Book Stores
Bridal Stores
Car Rental
Casino
Casual Dining
Convenience Stores
Craft Stores
Credit Scores
Cruise Lines
Daily Deals Sites
Department Stores
Discount Stores
Drug Stores
Education
Electronics
Fast Casual
Fine Dining
Food Delivery
Furniture Stores
Gas Station
Gift Stores
Health Clubs-Programs
Home Furnishing Stores
Home Improvement
Home Services
Hotels
Insurance
Investment
Jewelry Stores
Kid Stores
Lease-to-Own
Logistics
Luggage Stores
Management Tools-Tax
Mass Merchandiser
Membership
Movies
Music Stores
News-Magazines
Not for Profit
Office Supplies
Online Merchandise
Optical Stores
Pet Stores
Plus Size
Quick Serve
Ride Sharing
Satellite-Cable-Telecom
Shoe Stores
Software
Sporting Goods
Streaming Music on Demand (SMOD)
Streaming Video on Demand (SVOD)
Supermarkets
Tickets
Travel Services
Video-PC Game Stores
Warehouse Clubs
Wine and Liquor
Wireless
Merchant-Level Data (900+ Merchants)
900+ merchants in the US Market. Contact us for more information on specific brands.
Consumer Data Insights – Platinum -2020 data is not available for use by any financial services related organizations.
Contact us now for more information
Nitrogen.ai_Support@epsilon.com
Privacy Policy
Epsilon Consumer Privacy Center
This Epsilon product on Nitrogen.ai Data Exchange contains aggregated data with no personally identifiable information. The data is aggregated at the Zip+4 (postal zip code concatenated with 4-digit zip extension) level by summing or averaging data across the geography. Aggregated data cannot be linked back to personally identifiable information.
---
## Nitrogen Premium
Type: eps_page
URL: /nitrogen-premium
Last Modified: 2025-01-17T20:15:44Z
Consumer Data Insights – Premium - 2020
Epsilon believes in the value of data. We’ve spent decades building our data assets and we manage the industry’s top-ranked consumer database, with coverage of every marketable U.S. household. Consumer Data Insights – 2020 – Premium is a marketing data file with 400+ elements providing demographic, financial, lifestyle, and propensity models describing U.S. consumers. Data is aggregated at the neighborhood ZIP+4 level to allow for detailed analysis at the most discreet level of geography. Use this data for smarter market segmentation, target audience definition, modeling and business portfolio analysis.
This robust dataset includes:
Demographics:
Data elements that identify the key demographics of households including age, number of people in household, presence of children, marital status, occupation, etc.
Finances:
Data elements that identify household income, financial resources, and home value indicators.
Lifestyles:
120+ variables identifying consumer hobbies, interests and lifestyles to broaden consumer understanding including: hobbies and interests, purchase characteristics, reading habits, charitable donations, pet ownership, music interests, travel habits, nutrition and diet preferences, sports participation, and much more.
Niches 5.0:
Niches 5.0 is a clustering system that segments every household within the TotalSource Plus® consumer database into 26 distinct groups based on demographic, geographic, lifestyles, interests and behaviors.
Propensity Models:
Our suite of 240+ industry-specific propensity models to identify audiences likely to engage, purchase or consume specific products and services.
Automotive (6 Fields) - Auto Warranty Purchasers, New Luxury Vehicle Purchasers, Public Transportation Users, Vehicle DIYers and more.
Consumer packaged goods (67 Fields) – including Convenience Cooks, Organic Food Purchasers, Master Cooks, Private Label Shoppers, Walmart Enthusiasts and more.
Dining (18 Fields) – including Coffee Enthusiasts, Catering Customers, Online Delivery Customers, Restaurant Loyalists, and more.
Finance (45 Fields) – including 401k Owners, Frequent ATM Customers, Likely to Use an Investment Broker, Second Homeowners, Low Interest Credit Card Users and more.
Insurance & Healthcare (29 Fields) – including Auto Insurance – Agent Sold, Pet Insurance Purchasers, Term Life Buyers, Medicare Supplement Insurance Purchasers and more.
Media & Technology (29 Fields) – including Smart Home Customers, Early Adopters, Frequent Online Movie Viewers, Gamers, Socially Active on Facebook and more.
Not for Profit (15 Fields) – including Environmental Donors, Likely Voters, High-Dollar Donors, Veterans Donors and more.
Retail (22 Fields) – including Amazon Prime Customers, Bargain Shoppers, Fresh Food Delivery Consumers, Men’s Big & Tall Apparel Customers, Restaurant App Users and more.
Travel & Leisure (10 Fields) – including Likely Cruisers, Airline Upgraders, Timeshare Owners, Casino Gamers, Hotel Loyalty Program Members and more.
Other Markets (34 Fields) – a wide variety of data including Diet-Conscious Households, Soccer Enthusiasts, Do It Yourselfers, Live Music Concert Attendees, Yoga/Pilates Enthusiasts and more.
Contact us now for more information
Nitrogen.ai_Support@epsilon.com
Privacy Policy
Epsilon Consumer Privacy Center
This Epsilon product on Nitrogen.ai Data Exchange contains aggregated data with no personally identifiable information. The data is aggregated at the Zip+4 (postal zip code concatenated with 4-digit zip extension) level by summing or averaging data across the geography. Aggregated data cannot be linked back to personally identifiable information.
---
## Nitrogen Terms
Type: eps_page
URL: /nitrogen-terms
Last Modified: 2025-01-17T20:15:44Z
Terms & Conditions
Click here to download the Terms & Conditions
---
## Snowflake Terms
Type: eps_page
URL: /snowflake-terms
Last Modified: 2025-01-17T20:15:44Z
Click here to download the Terms & Conditions
---
## Consumer Information
Type: eps_page
URL: /consumer-information
Last Modified: 2025-01-17T20:15:44Z
CONSUMER INFORMATION
We’ve created this resource to provide consumers with valuable information about Epsilon’s marketing practices, consumer privacy and protecting consumer personal information. We strive to provide our consumers with transparency and choice.
CONSUMER RESOURCES
We offer several guides and tools here with information about our industry and practices to help bring transparency. In our guide to Epsilon direct marketing, you’ll find information on how Epsilon uses the data we collect, how to opt out of information sharing and other valuable topics. The Epsilon marketing FAQs provide additional information and act as supplements to our consumer guide.
Additionally, you can request access to Epsilon’s marketing data summary of the information we have in our databases about your household. We provide this service free of charge.
CONSUMER CHOICE
Consumers have the ability to opt out of receiving direct marketing that Epsilon enables. In our consumer preference center, you can find information on Epsilon’s privacy practices, including information on how to opt out of the various services we provide.
For more information, download:
Useful Contact Information
Glossary of Terms
GUIDE TO EPSILON DIRECT MARKETING
Protecting consumer privacy and promoting trust in marketing is important to Epsilon.
It’s our business to help companies reach consumers who are interested in their products or services. We’re committed to balancing the information needs of businesses with the privacy concerns of individuals. This guide helps explain our direct marketing practices and informs you about the choices you have concerning the use of your information for direct marketing purposes.
What’s Epsilon, and what direct marketing does Epsilon do?
Epsilon is a marketing company with offices around the world. We’ve been in business for 50 years. Many companies that sell products that you may use every day have been working with us to improve their marketing efforts. We help companies and nonprofit organizations build better relationships with their customers and find new customers for their products or services.
Companies may come to Epsilon to get more information about their current customers or to obtain information about potential customers who may be interested in their products or services. This information helps make the advertising more relevant and enables a company to send you offers more tailored to the things that interest you. Companies want to find the best fit for their products, and Epsilon helps them determine their optimal target market. This benefits you, as the offers you receive will be more tailored to things you might be interested in. This process also helps companies control costs, since they focus their efforts on sending materials to people interested in their products.
What types of consumer information does Epsilon have?
Epsilon’s databases have consumer information related to household purchases, demographics and interests, and self-reported information about consumers and their households. We obtain information from a number of sources, and we use quality-control procedures to help identify inaccurate or out-of-date information.
Our household purchase database contains consumer names and addresses, along with generalized household purchase information, to help understand the types of purchases people make. Our clients (mostly catalog and retail companies, but also nonprofit organizations, publishers and others) contribute information about their customers in exchange for information about prospective customers who may be interested in their products.
We filter household purchases into categories. This information helps Epsilon and our clients narrow your preferences and interests based on where your household shops, the categories of products and services bought, and the nonprofit organizations you support. For example, if you buy children’s clothing, your household will likely be in the category of children’s apparel and merchandise, and you may receive catalogs of children’s clothing in the mail.
How does Epsilon use information to model and create groups of consumers? What are niches?
We use the information described above to group consumers who have similar interests into niches. Niches are groups, or segments, of thousands of consumers who share similar buying patterns or interests. The information is then modeled with sophisticated mathematical algorithms, based on informed guesses about what the segment of consumers might be interested in buying next. Niches help companies save money and resources by only marketing to groups of people likely to be interested in their products.
What kinds of information are not part of these databases?
Epsilon does not have Social Security numbers, driver’s license numbers, bank account numbers or other financial accounts, credit card numbers or password information. We also don’t have health-related information, unless you voluntarily provided health-related information through the customer surveys mentioned earlier.
How can I opt out of Epsilon’s information sharing?
You can contact Epsilon directly and request not to receive marketing mailings that result from Epsilon data.
By opting out with us, you’re opting out of Epsilon’s marketing databases only, not databases belonging to other companies. Other companies similar to Epsilon provide consumer information to marketers for marketing purposes, and you should also opt out with them if you don’t want your information shared for marketing purposes.
It’s important to understand that when you opt out with Epsilon, we don’t delete your information. We mark it on our databases as “Do Not Share.” We do this because if your information is deleted, in the future, we would have no way to know that you requested that your information not be shared. When you’re marked as “Do Not Share,” we’ll know that you didn’t want your information shared in case your information is later resubmitted. We want to be sure that consumers’ requests are honored until we’re told of a change.
How can I see what information Epsilon has about me?
We’re happy to provide you with information that Epsilon has in our databases about your household. If you have questions about this information, you can contact our Privacy Department at (866) 267-3861.
For your protection, we’ll first need to verify your identity, as we want to make sure information is not shared with someone else. Similarly, we can’t provide unverified access to another household’s information. If you’re receiving mail for someone who doesn’t live at your address, please contact Epsilon and we’ll opt that person out of our databases. Or you can register them with the DMA Mail Preference Service discussed above.
A note for our valuable clients and their consumers:
Epsilon will never offer a download tool or a link to determine if your information has been compromised. All communication will be conducted with our clients through normal business channels. Epsilon will never ask you to validate who you are by requiring you to reveal personal information to access a webpage or download. At no point should you divulge your personal information, such as bank account information, license or ID numbers, Social Security numbers or credit card information to gain access to your personal information.
For more information about direct marketing, please download: Guide to Direct Marketing
Ask a question or contact us
For additional information about Epsilon’s privacy and information practices, please contact us.
Epsilon
Telephone: (866) 267-3861
Request form: Opt-out
Online: Epsilon Privacy Policy
EPSILON MARKETING FAQs
How can I see what information Epsilon has?
If you have questions about the information Epsilon has about your household, you can complete the Epsilon marketing data summary request form. We’ll give you a summary of the information Epsilon has about your household in our marketing databases.
What does Epsilon do with marketing data?
Companies may come to Epsilon to get more information about their current customers or to obtain information about potential customers. This information helps make the advertising more relevant, based on an individual’s interests. Epsilon is able to help companies ensure that their marketing communications are sent to the most interested individuals. This process helps companies control costs, since they focus efforts on sending materials to people interested in their products. When companies are able to market directly to you, you benefit by potentially receiving special offers and promotions, free services and offers that marketers think are more relevant to you.
What does Epsilon not do with marketing data?
Epsilon doesn’t use marketing data for any purpose other than marketing. This means that we only help companies use data from our databases for the purpose of providing existing and potential customers with opportunities to buy products or services or to contribute to charitable causes. We never provide our data for individual consumer use. For example, if a consumer were to request information about a neighbor or coworker, we wouldn’t provide it. Epsilon doesn’t provide individual look-up products or services, and doesn’t allow clients to use Epsilon’s marketing data for activities such as granting credit, performing employment background checks or obtaining health insurance rates. Additionally, Epsilon doesn’t knowingly allow marketing to children under the age of 18.
What types of consumer information does Epsilon have?
Epsilon’s databases have consumer information related to household purchases, demographics and interests, and self-reported information about consumers and their households. Epsilon obtains information from a number of sources. To learn more about the types of consumer information, please refer to the guide to Epsilon direct marketing.
What kinds of information are not part of these databases?
Social Security numbers, driver’s license numbers, bank account numbers or other financial accounts, credit card numbers or password information. Epsilon also doesn’t have health-related information, unless you voluntarily provided health-related information through our customer surveys.
How do I opt out of information sharing?
If you decide that you aren’t interested in the benefits of direct marketing, you can opt out of Epsilon sharing your information with other companies. There are a number of ways to opt out, but no universal way to do so. For more information on opting out, visit Epsilon’s consumer preference center.
By opting out of information sharing, will I stop receiving all unwanted marketing offers?
By opting out of our databases, you should see a reduction in unwanted marketing offers you receive, but you won’t stop receiving all unwanted marketing offers. It may take several weeks or months for your opt-out to go into effect, depending on the planning cycle for the marketing offer. Advertisers begin their process several months in advance of actually sending a mail piece, so names and addresses that later opt out may already have been provided.
By opting out with Epsilon, you’re opting out of Epsilon’s marketing databases only, not databases belonging to other companies. There are other companies similar to Epsilon that provide consumer information to marketers for marketing purposes, and you should also opt out with them if you don’t want your information shared for marketing purposes. You can also ask the companies you do business with not to share your information.
The simplest way to opt out of information sharing and to reduce the amount of unwanted marketing offers in the U.S. is to register with the Direct Marketing Association’s (DMA’s) mail preference service. When you enter your name and address on the site, companies that are members of the DMA and non-member companies that use this service will remove consumers whose names and addresses are present.
How can I keep myself safe from fraud and identity theft?
Unfortunately, fraud and identity theft are common occurrences in today's marketplace. Criminals and thieves use multiple tactics to obtain personal information about an individual that can later be used to commit fraud or identity theft. The effects can be crushing and take years to remedy.
The FTC is committed to educating consumers on protecting themselves from identity theft and other related crimes. Visit their Identity Theft webpage to learn more. And for more information, please download: Fraud and Identity Theft
Who can I contact for more information?
There’s a variety of industry resources for consumers. For more information, please visit Epsilon’s consumer preference center below.
CONSUMER PREFERENCE CENTER
Epsilon believes you should understand how data about you is provided to and used by Epsilon for marketing purposes.
Epsilon provides companies with tools to bring relevant marketing offers to consumers. Our business is to help companies reach consumers who are interested in their products or services. One way we do so is by providing consumer information to other companies so that they can send you offers that may be of interest to you.
Epsilon believes you should understand how data about you is provided to and used by Epsilon for marketing purposes.
We believe that the more informed you are about the use of your data for marketing purposes, the more you can enjoy the many benefits afforded by the appropriate use of your information. We have created this Consumer Preference Center, and our guide to Epsilon direct marketing, to inform you about our use of consumer information for direct marketing purposes.
This Consumer Preference Center and the guide apply to our direct marketing and database services that we provide to our clients. This privacy policy does not apply to data collected through our corporate website. For more information about data collected on our website, please visit our privacy policy.
As a consumer, you have the ability to opt out of receiving direct marketing that Epsilon enables. You may opt out by following the steps provided below. Opting out of Epsilon’s marketing databases will stop the delivery of some direct marketing, but won’t eliminate all ad offers or even all relevant offers.
Opting out of email from clients of Epsilon
Epsilon is an email service provider. Our clients provide us with their customer email addresses in order for us to perform email services and deploy emails on behalf of our clients.
Epsilon may also aggregate email and email activity data to serve more relevant marketing emails for our clients’ global email campaigns. This data is not disclosed to our marketing partners, and Epsilon doesn’t disclose email addresses to third parties.
Epsilon does not in any way own this data and is therefore unable and unauthorised to remove you from a client’s email list. If you’re a customer of an Epsilon client and would like to be removed from a client’s email list, you may use the unsubscribe mechanism within the email you receive, or you may contact the marketer directly and request that your email be removed. Please be aware that you may do business with several companies that are clients of Epsilon, and you must contact each to be removed from their email lists. Epsilon in no way sells or shares these email addresses with any company without consent.
About interest-based advertising
As you browse the internet or mobile apps, you may see ads on the websites or apps you visit based on your browsing history. For example, while you read a news article about visiting Paris, you may see an ad at the top of the webpage for a hotel in Paris. This type of relevant advertising is known as interest-based advertising. Interest-based advertising may be based on a variety of factors, such as websites or apps you visit, perceived interests and demographic information. The goal of interest-based advertising is to make the ad that you receive on your browser or mobile app more relevant to you so that you’re more likely to click on the ad, seek additional information on a product or service or make a purchase.
Interest-based advertising doesn’t result in you seeing more ads, but rather the ads you see should be more relevant to you.
Epsilon works with advertising partners on behalf of our clients to enable the delivery of relevant advertising to the appropriate consumers.
Epsilon may use data elements from our marketing databases to assist our clients in presenting the right offer to the appropriate consumer. For more information, please read our guide to Epsilon direct marketing. You may request access to your household’s information in Epsilon’s marketing databases by filling out and submitting our marketing data summary request form.
To learn more about interest-based advertising and your choices, please visit “Relevant Advertising Opt-Out” in the Choices and Access section of our privacy policy.
Opting out of Epsilon’s marketing databases
Epsilon respects your choice not to receive direct mail marketing. You may opt out of Epsilon’s marketing databases via email or postal mail to one of the addresses listed below.
North America
optout@epsilon.com
Epsilon
Attention: Privacy
P.O. Box 1478
Broomfield, CO 80038
EU and EEA region
emeaprivacy@epsilon.com
Epsilon International
Attention: Privacy
Teddington House
67 Broad Street
Teddington
Middlesex TW11 8QZ, U.K.
Asian-Pacific region
apac-privacy@epsilon.com
Epsilon International-APAC
Attention: Privacy
Room 2601, 26/F
Hopewell Center
183 Queen’s Road East
Wanchai, Hong Kong
Please be aware:
By opting out of our marketing databases, you may stop receiving catalogs that you enjoy.
Opting out of direct mail marketing from Epsilon will only stop mailings that originate with Epsilon. You may continue to receive direct mail, as companies often work with multiple companies like Epsilon. For privacy concerns, we don’t accept or process any third-party or service-provider requests for opt-outs.
If you move or change your name, you’ll need to opt out again with your new address or name.
By opting out with Epsilon, you’re opting out of Epsilon’s marketing databases only, not databases belonging to other companies. There are other companies similar to Epsilon that provide consumer information to marketers for marketing purposes, and you should also opt out with them if you don’t want your information shared for marketing purposes.
When you opt out with Epsilon, Epsilon doesn’t delete your information but will retain the information necessary to remember your opt-out choice. We mark it on our databases as “Do Not Share.” When you’re marked as “Do Not Share,” Epsilon knows that you don’t want your information shared in the event that your information is later resubmitted to us. If your information were completely deleted, we would have no way to know you requested that your information not be shared in the future. We want to be sure that your requests are honoured until you tell us of a change.
Stop mail being sent to a deceased individual
U.S. consumers: DMA’s Deceased Do Not Contact List
Canadian consumers: CMA Do Not Mail List
U.K consumers: The Bereavement Register
You may also contact us directly at (888) 780-3869 with the full name, address and date of death, and we’ll remove the individual from our databases.
Contact us
If you have questions, including around Epsilon’s consumer preference center, please get in touch. Our email and postal addresses:
North America
privacy@epsilon.com
Epsilon
2550 Crescent Drive
Lafayette, CO 80026
Attn: Privacy Manager
EU and EEA region
emeaprivacy@epsilon.com
Epsilon International
Attention: Privacy
Teddington House
67 Broad Street
Teddington
Middlesex TW11 8QZ, UK
Asian-Pacific region
apac-privacy@epsilon.com
Epsilon International-APAC
Attention: Privacy
Room 2601, 26/F
Hopewell Centre
183 Queen’s Road East
Wanchai, Hong Kong
MARKETING DATA SUMMARY REQUEST
At Epsilon, we believe it’s important to provide consumers with clear information about the data in our marketing databases.
You may request access to information about your household contained in Epsilon’s marketing databases by filling out and submitting the online request form. Once we’ve received your form, we’ll confirm your identity with a series of test questions, and then mail your marketing data summary to the address you provide on the form. The information you provide will be used solely to process your request and will be shared only with a third party who will provide the test questions we’ll use to verify your identity.
Note that consumers outside the U.S. cannot request a marketing data summary using the online process. If you’re unable or prefer not to submit your request online, you can download the form, print and complete it offline, and submit it via the U.S. Postal Service.
If you have any questions, please contact us.
---
## Products And Services/Identity Core Id
Type: eps_page
URL: /products-and-services/identity-core-id
Last Modified: 2025-02-26T16:29:41Z
Achieve unrivaled accuracy and reach—without walls
Effective marketing starts with knowing your customers—but walled gardens keep much of that knowledge hidden. That’s why Epsilon built a better way. COREid® services provide the industry’s most accurate, stable and scalable identity resolution solutions to recognize and reach 200M+ U.S. consumers in a privacy-safe way.
---
## Letstalkloyalty
Type: eps_page
URL: /letstalkloyalty
Last Modified: 2025-01-17T20:15:44Z
Let’s talk loyalty
We support the world's first loyalty podcast because we're proven loyalty leaders, with an advanced solution that lets you bring your customers the personalized experiences they deserve.
Podcast episodes
Deeper insights on driving customer loyalty
See how our loyalty solutions help brands like yours
---
## Letstalkloyalty
Type: eps_page
URL: /letstalkloyalty
Last Modified: 2026-04-28T15:23:07Z
Podcast episodes
---
## Privacy/Dms/Opt Out/Email
Type: eps_page
URL: /privacy/dms/opt-out/email
Last Modified: 2025-01-17T20:15:44Z
Opt-out Form Page
E-Mail Opt-Out: DMS Audience Matched Advertising
Epsilon’s Digital Media Solutions (“DMS”) may process your hashed (obfuscated) e-mail address for audience matched advertising. You can request to opt-out of the processing of your hashed e-mail addresses for these purposes below.
How to Opt-Out:
You may submit your opt-out request by entering your e-mail address in the form below. After submitting the form, an automated message will be e-mailed to you with a link to verify your request. Please click on that link within 30 days. Once we have processed your verified request, we will no longer use your hashed e-mail address to participate in DMS audience matched advertising.
To protect your privacy, we take proactive measures to keep your plaintext e-mail address out of our systems. Therefore, once you submit your e-mail in the form below, we will hash your e-mail prior to processing your request. Your plaintext e-mail will be discarded and will not be logged in our systems.
Please Note: Epsilon may also use other pseudonymous identifiers to recognize you for interest-based advertising (“IBA”), such as Cookie IDs. To learn more about IBA, including how you can control how your data is collected and used for such purposes, please visit our privacy policy.
If you encounter an issue or have any questions, please contact us at privacy@epsilon.com.
---
## Website Business To Business Privacy Policy
Type: eps_page
URL: /website-business-to-business-privacy-policy
Last Modified: 2025-01-28T18:28:05Z
Abacus Website & Business to Business Privacy Policy
Last Modified: 28 June 2021
We encourage you to read the whole notice but if you wish to jump to a certain subject, please use the table below.
Privacy commitment and scope
Personal Data we Process
How we use Personal Data and lawful basis
Social media
Content sharing features
Our use of Cookies
Why do we use Cookies?
What different types of Cookies do we use?
How can I control Cookies?
How long do we keep Personal Data?
Links to third-party websites
Your Rights
International transfers
Information sharing
Security
Contact Us
Changes to this Privacy Policy
Definitions used in this Privacy Policy
Throughout this Privacy Policy we use several capitalised terms. You can find the definitions for these here.
Privacy commitment and scope
This Privacy Policy (“Privacy Policy”) describes how Personal Data is collected and used by Epsilon on our corporate Website in United Kingdom. It also describes how we collect and use Personal Data as part of our business-to-business relationship with our clients and prospects.
We care about your privacy and we want you to understand how we process Personal Data and what choices you have with regards to it. We have taken steps to provide you with this information as clear and easy as possible, but if you have any questions you can always contact us.
Personal Data we Process
Epsilon collects the following categories of Personal Data:
Contact information such as name, email address, telephone number, company you work for, business title, postal address and other similar types of information. You must be 18 years of age or older to submit this type of information to us. This type of Personal Data is collected when:
You provide it us, for example through your participation in surveys, our sign-up forms.
You attend or register for our marketing events, trade shows and webinars. We sometimes arrange these types of activities together with third parties.
You use functionalities and features of our Websites and Services. In some cases, we will also collect and retain your username and password.
You correspond with us through email. In these cases, we will also retain the content of your email messages together with the resulting correspondence.
You choose to disclose this type of Personal Data on message boards, chats, profile pages, social media posts or comments, blogs and other features on our Websites or our Services which allows you to this. Please note that any information you post or disclose through these features will become public and may be available to visitors to our Websites and to the general public. We urge you to be very careful when deciding to disclose your Personal Data, or any other information.
We may also collect this type of Personal Data from publicly available sources, such as LinkedIn, or receive it from our partners who have collected it therefrom.
Browser and device information. We and our partners use Cookies to collect certain information about the browser and device you are using. This information may include the type of web browser you are using and its version, your IP address and what parts of our Website you visited. This type of Personal Data is processed whenever you visit our Website and open emails from us. More details about such Processing is set out below under Our use of Cookies.
We ask that you not send or disclose any sensitive or special categories of Personal Data (for example information related to racial or ethnic origin, political opinions, religion or other beliefs, health, criminal background or trade union membership) to us through our Website or otherwise. Also, our Website and Services are not intended for children under the age of 16. We ask that children not provide any Personal Data through our Website or Services.
How We Use Personal Data and lawful basis
We use Personal Data for the following purposes:
Direct marketing in accordance with your preferences via email, phone and other channels. Such marketing could include newsletters, white papers, market research opportunities and similar.
To fulfil requests you have made to us, including communicate with you, respond to your inquiries and provide updates on our products and Services,
To analyse and report on trends and activities on our Website and our marketing efforts, such as understand the parts of our Website visited most often.
To improve our Services, Website and marketing communications, which includes improving the user experience of such.
Administer our Services and Website.
We rely on legitimate interests for most of the above processing activities, which include providing our Services, operating our business, obtaining new clients, retaining existing clients and responding to questions and inquiries. Further information can be provided upon request.
To administer our Services and Website and to fulfil requests you have made to us, such as to communicate with you, respond to your inquiries and provide updates on our products and Services we process some of your Personal Data to deliver a contractual service to you, or to do something before entering into a contract with you (for example provide you with a quote).
Social media
We sometimes engage social media platforms to display direct marketing to you on their platform. We use “list-based” and “look-a-like” tools to do this. Using list-based tools involves the uploading of Personal Data to the social media platform in question (such as a list of email addresses). The platform then matches the uploaded Personal Data with its own user base. Any user that matches the uploaded list is added into a group that will be sent the selected marketing message. Look-a-like tools offer the ability to build other audiences based on the characteristics of an original audience that was created using a list-based tool. These audiences generally comprise of users that have not previously engaged, but who look like the list-based audience (i.e. they are users with similar interests, behaviours, or characteristics). When creating this sort of audience, the social media platform uses Personal Data it has about other users of its platform to find users who match the interests and behaviours of users that are current customers. Examples include Facebook Custom Audiences or LinkedIn Contact Targeting. We have contractual controls in place to ensure that the social media platform can only use the Personal Data we share to enable the provision of the service they are providing to us. We are not responsible for the data practices of social media platforms and recommend you read their own privacy policies.
Content sharing features
Our Websites include social media sharing features, such as LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter buttons. A Cookie might be set to enable such features to function properly. These features may collect information about your browser and your device, including your IP address as well as which part of our Websites you are visiting.
We also have other content sharing features embedded on our Websites, such as YouTube, SoundCloud and Wistia, which lets us share content with you directly (e.g. videos, podcasts, tracks and playlists). The providers of these content sharing features might collect information about you (including Personal Data), such as what part of our Website you visited. They do this to be able to recognise you, and in some cases show you personalised content. We are not responsible for the data practices of these providers and recommend you read their own privacy policies.
Some features might allow you to email useful information from our Website to a friend or colleague. If you choose to do so, we may ask you to provide your full name and email address, as well as your friend’s complete email address. We will send your friend a one-time email inviting them to visit our Website, except where prohibited by law.
Our Use of Cookies
Cookies are widely used by website owners in order to make their websites work, operate more efficiently, as well as to provide reporting information and store things like personalisation details or user preferences. Cookies can also be used to improve your experience when seeing web and mobile advertisements and ensure that when you click on an advertisement, you are sent to the correct click-through destination.
Cookies set by the website owner (in this case, Epsilon) are called "first party Cookies". Cookies set by parties other than the website owner are called "third party Cookies". Third party Cookies enable third party features or functionality to be provided on or through the website (e.g. like advertising, interactive content and analytics). The parties that set these third party Cookies can recognise your computer and device both when it visits the website in question and also when it visits certain other websites.
Why do we use Cookies?
We use first and third party Cookies for several reasons. Some Cookies are required for technical reasons in order for our Website to operate, and we refer to these as "essential" or "strictly necessary" Cookies. Other Cookies also enable us to track and target the interests of our users to enhance the experience on our Website. We use Cookies for advertising, analytics and other purposes. This includes counting how many individual unique users visit our Website and how often they visit our Website. We also use information about your visits to our Website and other websites in order to provide relevant advertisements about goods and services that you may be interested in. They may also employ technology that is used to measure the effectiveness of advertisements.
In all these cases, unless you voluntarily provide the information directly to us, we do not use Cookies to collect data which directly identifies you. In instances where a Cookie is utilised to recognise a unique person or a device, the Cookie assigns a random identifier (i.e. “823205786528753651”) to that device. We do not know the name of the person or any other data which directly identifies the person.
Please note that the specific Cookies served may vary depending on the specific part of the Website you visit.
What different types of Cookies do we use?
Essential website Cookies
These Cookies are strictly necessary for our Websites to function properly and to use some of its features, such as access to secure areas. Because these Cookies are strictly necessary to deliver the Website content to you, you cannot refuse them. However, you can block or delete them by changing your browser settings.
Performance and functionality Cookies
These Cookies are used to enhance the performance and functionality of our Website but are non-essential to their use. However, without these Cookies, certain functionality may become unavailable.
Analytics and customisation Cookies
These Cookies collect information that is used either in aggregate form to help us understand how our Website are being used or how effective are marketing campaigns are, or to help us customise our Website for you.
Advertising Cookies
These Cookies are used to make advertising messages more relevant to you. They perform functions like preventing the same ad from continuously reappearing, ensuring that ads are properly displayed for advertisers, and in some cases selecting advertisements that are based on your interests.
How can I control Cookies?
We will only use Cookies or otherwise access your device if you have provided us with consent to do so. You may have provided us with consent through a consent management platform on our Website, or elsewhere across the Internet. You can review and change your choices at any time by clicking on “Review Consent Preferences” in the footer of our Website. However, certain essential Cookies do not require your consent.
You can also amend your web browser controls to accept or refuse Cookies. As the means by which you can refuse Cookies through your web browser controls vary from browser to browser, you should visit your browser's help menu for more information.
If you choose to reject Cookies, you may still use our Website, though your access to some functionality and areas of our Website may be restricted. We will still set the Cookies necessary for our Website to work and to operate our Services. We will also set the Cookies necessary to respect any decision that you have made with regards to Cookies. In these situations, we limit our use of Cookies to only what is necessary.
How long do we keep Personal Data?
We retain all Personal Data in accordance with our data retention policy which abides by applicable law. The retention period depends on the type of data. For example, we retain Personal Data we collect from our Websites and through our direct marketing efforts and business-to-business relationships for up to four (4) years.
Links to third-party websites
Our Website contain links to third-party websites that we are not affiliated with. We do not endorse or make any representations about any such third-party websites (or any information, software or other products or materials found there), and this Privacy Policy does not apply to the data protection practices of such. We encourage you to review the privacy policies of such unaffiliated third-party websites to understand their data protection practices.
Your rights
All direct marketing messages will include an opportunity to unsubscribe or opt-out of future messages. For example, via an unsubscribe link in the bottom of an email. You can change your preferences at any time by clicking on that link.
In situations when we rely on consent to process your Personal Data you have the right to withdraw your consent at any time.
If you wish to exercise any other rights you might have under Data Protection Laws (including access, deletion, rectification, portability and restriction), please contact us using the contact details provided below.
International transfers
In order to provide our Services and make our Websites available, we transfer Personal Data to, and Process Personal Data in, countries outside the European Union (EU), the European Economic Area (EEA) and the United Kingdom. More specifically our servers are located in the United States, and our processors operate around the world including the United States and India.
We have taken appropriate and suitable safeguards to ensure that your Personal Data will remain protected when transferred outside EU/EEA and the UK. This includes implementing Standard Contractual Clauses for transfers of Personal Data adopted by the European Commission. Further information about our international transfers as well as the safeguards in place can be provided upon request.
Information sharing
We share your Personal Data:
With other companies within the Publicis Groupe for the purposes above,
With our processors such as email service providers, customer database providers and analytics providers,
With social media platforms and providers of content sharing features as described above,
Third parties in the event of any reorganisation, merger, sale, joint venture, assignment, transfer or other disposition of all or any portion of our business, assets or stocks (including in connection with any bankruptcy or similar proceedings); and
As we believe necessary and appropriate: (a) under applicable law; (b) to comply with legal processes and obligations; (c) to respond to requests from public and governmental authorities including public and government authorities outside your country of residence; (d) to enforce our terms and conditions; (e) to protect our operations; (f) to protect our rights, privacy, safety or property; and (g) to allow us to pursue available remedies or limit the damages that we may sustain.
Security
We have implemented appropriate technical and organisational security measures to protect the Personal Data in our care, both during transmission and once we receive it. This includes physical and technical security measures to protect our Personal Data from accidental or unlawful destruction, loss, or alteration, and from unauthorised disclosure or access. Although please note that no method of transmitting information over the Internet or storing information is completely secure.
Contact Us
Epsilon International UK Ltd is the controller of the Personal Data that we Process as described in this Privacy Policy. If you have any questions about the Processing please use this contact form. You can also send a letter to “Consumer Services, Epsilon Abacus, 1st Floor 2 Television Centre, 101 Wood Lane, London, United Kingdom, W12 7FR.”.
Our Data Protection Officer is tasked with informing and advising us on the obligations that apply to us under GDPR and other privacy related laws, as well as monitoring our compliance with the same. If you need to contact our Data Protection Officer, please email us here. However, we respectfully ask that you only contact our Data Protection Officer regarding urgent matters relating to data protection.
You have the right to report a concern to your country’s Data Protection Authority. UK residents can report a concern to the Information Commissioner’s Office here: https://ico.org.uk/concerns/
Changes to this Privacy Policy
We may occasionally make changes to this Privacy Policy. If we do, we will take appropriate measures to inform you, consistent with the significance of the changes we make, and update the “Last Modified” date above.
Definitions used in this Privacy Policy
“Controller”, “Data Subject”, “Personal Data”, and “Processor” has the meaning given to them under Data Protection Laws.
“Cookies” are small text files that are downloaded and stored onto your device (e.g. a computer or smartphone). Cookies allow us to recognise your device and store information about your preferences or past actions. In this Privacy Policy the definition of “Cookies” includes similar technologies that can write or read information on your device such as “Local Shared Objects” (sometimes called Flash Cookies), pixels and web-beacons. For more details on the Cookies we set, see our Cookie list.
“Data Protection Laws” means (i) Regulation (EU) 2016/679 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 27 April 2016 on the protection of natural persons with regard to the processing of personal data and on the free movement of such data (“GDPR”); (ii) any applicable national legislation in the United Kingdom that replaces or converts in domestic law the GDPR or any other law relating to data and privacy as a consequence of the United Kingdom leaving the European Union; and (iii) the UK Data Protection Act 2018.
“Epsilon” means Epsilon International UK Ltd, registered in England and Wales with company number 03610044, whose registered address 1st Floor 2 Television Centre, 101 Wood Lane, London, United Kingdom, W12 7FR.
“Services” means the Abacus Alliance and other marketing related services that we provide to our clients, in more detail described here.
“Website” means https://epsilon.com/abacus.
---
## Industries/Nonprofits
Type: eps_page
URL: /industries/nonprofits
Last Modified: 2026-02-03T21:24:45Z
Nonprofit data that drives donors to act
Rooted in privacy and driven by powerful AI with the industry's most robust data, Epsilon helps nonprofits like yours create meaningful connections that drive better outcomes for your donors—and your organization.
---
## About Us/Our Culture Epsilon
Type: eps_page
URL: /about-us/our-culture-epsilon
Last Modified: 2025-10-16T13:20:58Z
We’re all about you
Less me, more we. That’s the foundation of the Epsilon culture. We hire great people, give them big challenges to work on and provide the resources they need to succeed and grow.
What do we value here at Epsilon?
Our company values drive us forward as a team and with our clients. Hear Epsilon employees around the globe share how they bring these values to life.
A snapshot of our company values
What it's like to work here
Like what you see? Join us.
We're always on the hunt for top-notch talent. Explore our open positions and find your next opportunity.
What we care about
Quick links
---
## About Us/Impact Equity
Type: eps_page
URL: /about-us/impact-equity
Last Modified: 2026-01-07T20:15:41Z
Creating a culture of belonging
At Epsilon, we celebrate the differences that make us unique and embrace the similarities that unite us. It’s our mission to create an environment of empathy, belonging and collaboration. We harness this commitment to impact and equity and strive to pass it along to the clients and communities we serve.
How we’re building a sustainable culture
To build a truly inclusive workplace, its leaders need to be personally committed to representing all voices. Here are the key pillars of our leadership vision.
When it comes to inclusive marketing, great data requires great responsibility
Marketers often forget that brand affinity is built just like interpersonal affinity: via trust. Epsilon uses data and AI-driven tools to build strong relationships with customers by interacting with each person differently. This is how we honor the truth of diversity in our everyday lives: acknowledging everyone as unique individuals so they feel respected, seen and heard.
From the Epic Blog
Learn more about Epsilon
---
## Industries/Cpg/Vpo
Type: eps_page
URL: /industries/cpg/vpo
Last Modified: 2025-10-28T20:46:27Z
Reach more ready-to-buy consumers
Don’t waste your ad dollars delivering ads to people who have already purchased. Through our innovative partnership with Circana, our in-flight Verified Purchase Optimization helps CPG brands like yours deliver digital media aligned to every individual’s purchase cycle—so you’ll only advertise to people who are ready to buy now.
With CORE ID, the industry's leading identity solution, Epsilon uses Circana transaction data to identify, engage and retain people when and where they want to buy your brand.
How Verified Purchase Optimization works
Made possible by Epsilon CORE ID
---
## Products And Services/Retail Media Network
Type: eps_page
URL: /products-and-services/retail-media-network
Last Modified: 2026-08-26T18:51:29Z
Build a retail media network that grows revenue.
Epsilon Retail Media is a full-service retail media platform designed to be a measurable growth engine for your business.
Rooted in person-first identity, we help build and augment retail media networks around real shoppers, so brands can effectively reach the right people and measure the impact.
Find out more about how we work with brand partners.
Smarter retail media solutions. Honest results.
Technology that delivers
Watch our demo to learn more
News & views to fuel your growth
Are you a brand?
---
## Industries/Telecom Media Entertainment
Type: eps_page
URL: /industries/telecom-media-entertainment
Last Modified: 2026-02-05T15:38:51Z
Understand, engage & attract more people
Whether you want to reach customers, subscribers, logged-in users or purchasers, they all have endless options—how will you make sure they choose you? With Epsilon, you'll connect to millions of consumers and households to deliver memorable marketing experiences that build long-term, profitable relationships.
---
## Free Download Everything You Need To Know About Loyalty Programmes Ty
Type: eps_page
URL: /free-download-everything-you-need-to-know-about-loyalty-programmes-ty
Last Modified: 2026-05-07T17:30:51Z
THANK YOU
Thanks for downloading our free guide—Everything You Need to Know About Loyalty Programmes. You can access your download below.
---
## Letstalkloyalty 2 0
Type: eps_page
URL: /letstalkloyalty-2-0
Last Modified: 2025-01-17T20:15:44Z
Let’s talk loyalty
We support the world's first loyalty podcast because we're proven loyalty leaders, with an advanced solution that lets you bring your customers the personalized experiences they deserve.
Podcast episodes
Deeper insights on driving customer loyalty
See how our loyalty solutions help brands like yours
---
## Loyalty Programme Ultimate Guide
Type: eps_page
URL: /loyalty-programme-ultimate-guide
Last Modified: 2026-06-15T15:25:12Z
Everything you need to know about loyalty programmes.
Interested in starting or improving your loyalty programme? Our comprehensive guide will break down everything you need to know—from how to get started to KPIs.
Watch our demo to learn more
---
## First-party vs third-party cookies: What’s the difference?
Type: eps_post
URL: /first-party-versus-third-party-cookies-emea
Last Modified: 2026-04-16T10:20:28Z
# First-party vs third-party cookies: What’s the difference?
Cookies help websites recognise returning visitors and remember information such as logins, language preferences or items in a shopping cart. Because web servers have no inherent memory, these small browser files allow sites to store information that improves usability and enables more relevant marketing experiences. The most important distinction for EMEA marketers is between first-party cookies and third-party cookies, which differ primarily in who sets and reads them, and increasingly, which browsers allow them.
While most marketers understand this broad idea, the distinctions between different types of cookies can be less clear. The most important distinction is between first-party cookies and third-party cookies, which differ primarily in who sets and reads them.
That distinction matters more than ever. Browsers and regulators across Europe have increased scrutiny of online tracking, and although Google ultimately cancelled its plan to fully deprecate third-party cookies in Chrome, the environment around them has changed significantly. Consumer behaviour is shifting too. 48% of UK adults say they accept cookies when visiting a new site, while 21% reject them (ICO/Savanta, 2024). For EMEA marketers, cookie-based strategies still exist, but they now operate within a tighter regulatory and privacy landscape shaped by GDPR.
For marketers, cookie-based strategies still exist, but they now operate within a more complex privacy landscape.
What are the different types of cookies?
Before exploring how cookies are used in advertising, it helps to understand the two main categories. Both use the same browser mechanism. The difference lies in which domain sets and accesses them.
First-party cookies
A first-party cookie is created by the website a user is visiting directly and can only be read by that site’s domain.
First-party cookies support essential website functions, including:
Remembering login details
Saving items in a shopping cart
Storing language preferences
Collecting analytics
Recognising returning visitors
Because they support core site functionality, first-party cookies remain widely supported across browsers.
Third-party cookies
A third-party cookie is created by a domain other than the one the user is visiting. These cookies are typically placed through advertising tags, scripts or embedded content.
They have historically enabled:
Cross-site tracking, which means following user activity across different websites to build a picture of interests and behaviour
Retargeting, where ads are shown to people based on products or pages they previously viewed
Ad serving and measurement, which involves deciding which ad to show, then tracking whether it was viewed, clicked or contributed to a desired outcome
Today these uses operate under stricter consent and transparency requirements, and many users actively limit tracking. Around one-third of UK consumers say they use an ad-blocker (YouGov, 2024).
Key differences between first-party and third-party
From a technical perspective, first- and third-party cookies use the same file structure. The key difference lies in who creates the cookie and where it can be read.
What is happening to third-party cookies in EMEA?
Several browsers, including Safari and Firefox, introduced restrictions to limit cross-site tracking years ago. Google explored alternatives and tested replacements, but ultimately cancelled its plan to fully remove third-party cookies from Chrome.
Even so, their usefulness has changed.
Several browsers already block or restrict them
Tracking-prevention tools and user privacy controls continue to expand
Industry sentiment reflects this uncertainty. In research by IAB Europe, the share of advertisers who said they felt prepared for a post-cookie environment fell from 78% in 2022 to 60% in 2024.
The result is a more fragmented environment where third-party cookies still exist but cannot be relied on consistently across browsers, devices or audiences.
Third-party cookies still exist. What should EMEA marketers do?
Third-party cookies remain available in some environments, but their reach and reliability vary widely, making over-reliance risky for EMEA advertisers.
A strategy built entirely around cross-site cookies can quickly lose visibility when audiences switch browsers or block tracking. Frequency management, attribution and cross-device recognition all become harder.
Many EMEA marketers are therefore shifting toward more durable data foundations, including:
Making better use of first-party data helps brands build on signals they collect directly through their own websites, apps and customer relationships rather than depending too heavily on external tracking.
Working with identity solutions that operate across environments helps marketers recognise audiences more consistently across browsers, devices and publisher settings where cookie coverage may vary.
Combining authenticated signals and transaction data makes it easier to recognise real individuals with greater confidence, improving targeting, suppression and measurement.
Together, these approaches create a more stable foundation for recognising and reaching audiences in an environment where third-party cookie signals are no longer consistent.
The goal is not to abandon cookies entirely. It is to avoid depending on them.
How can EMEA advertisers move beyond third-party cookies?
Epsilon’s identity strategy was designed with this evolving environment in mind. Rather than relying primarily on third-party cookies, Epsilon’s identity graph is anchored in deterministic purchase data from real individuals across EMEA. This reduces dependence on browser-level tracking while providing a more stable foundation for recognising and reaching audiences, without depending on cookie availability.
As browser policies and privacy expectations have made cookie-only approaches less dependable, identity strategies built on durable consumer signals have become increasingly important.
Epsilon also maintains direct relationships with more than 5,000 publishers, enabling advertisers to:
Identify consumers within publisher audiences
Align advertiser identity data with publisher environments
Deliver more personalised advertising experiences
Reach real individuals rather than isolated cookies or device IDs
Because this approach is built around durable identity rather than a single tracking method, it remains effective whether third-party cookies are widely available, partially restricted or further limited in the future.
In a landscape where cookie signals are increasingly constrained, recognising real people across channels becomes the foundation for more consistent marketing performance.
---
## Generative AI vs. predictive AI: Understanding the differences and synergies for modern marketing
Type: eps_post
URL: /generative-ai-vs-predictive-ai
Last Modified: 2026-05-21T09:00:24Z
# Generative AI vs. predictive AI: Understanding the differences and synergies for modern marketing
Large language models (LLMs) have surged in capability and accessibility, leading to a renaissance in artificial intelligence discussions. You might recall the excitement that surrounded voice assistants when they first emerged, much like the buzz around generative AI platforms like ChatGPT.
While the potential of generative AI is immense, marketers must ensure they have a solid data foundation to truly harness its capabilities. Quality data is non-negotiable; without it, even the most sophisticated models will yield only mediocre results. At Epsilon, we emphasise the importance of capturing and enriching first-party data to lay a robust groundwork for AI-driven marketing strategies.
Learn more about how Epsilon puts marketing strategy into action.
In this blog, we’ll explore the distinctions between generative AI and predictive AI, their respective benefits and challenges and how they can be combined to elevate marketing efforts.
What are LLMs? Are LLMs different than AI?
LLM stands for Large Language Models and are a type of machine learning model designed for understanding and generating human language. The focus of LLMs has shifted significantly toward generative AI, a specialised application of LLMs that drives innovations in hyper-personalisation, AI-generated marketing personas and more. LLMs are a subset of AI, and technically a more basic, foundational form of what we conceptually refer to as "AI."
What does AI mean in marketing?
AI in marketing refers to the use of artificial intelligence technologies to automate, enhance and optimise various marketing initiatives. As industries evolve, marketing is increasingly turning to AI tools to analyse vast amounts of data to extract actionable insights that inform decision-making. To take advantage of all that generative AI has to offer, marketers need a solid data foundation.
What is predictive AI?
Predictive AI leverages statistical algorithms and historical data patterns to forecast future outcomes. It's instrumental in helping marketers determine who to target, when and with what messaging.
How predictive AI drives customer insights and business goals
Improved decision-making: Predictive AI allows marketers to allocate resources more effectively and create personalised content based on customer behaviour analysis.
Automation: By automating the analysis of large datasets, predictive AI frees marketers to focus on strategic priorities.
Boosts ROI: Targeting the right customers with tailored messaging enhances marketing returns.
Competitive edge: Early visibility into emerging patterns gives businesses a distinct advantage.
Challenges of predictive AI
Lack of creativity: Predictive models are focused on data and insight on what to do next, but they don't generate a new creative output, like an image, a framework or written content, like generative AI does.
Bias in data: If the training data is flawed, the predictive models may also produce biased outcomes.
Resource intensive: Implementing predictive algorithms can require significant processing power and expertise.
What is generative AI?
Generative AI uses deep learning to create new content by detecting patterns in source models. It can generate realistic images, text and audio, pushing creative boundaries.
Unleashing creativity and efficiency with generative AI
Scales creativity and innovation: Generative AI can explore numerous creative ideas quickly, saving time and resources.
Automation: It automates content creation processes, increasing productivity while reducing costs.
Personalisation: By utilising past customer data, generative AI can generate tailored recommendations that enhance customer engagement and retention.
Challenges of generative AI
Unpredictable quality: Output quality heavily depends on the training data; poor data leads to inferior results.
Limited innovation: Generative AI often operates within the confines of existing data, which can stifle creativity.
Potential for misinformation: Generative AI may produce inaccuracies, known as "AI hallucinations."
Predictive AI vs. generative AI: key distinctions
While both generative and predictive AI are valuable in marketing, they serve different purposes. Predictive AI focuses on analysing historical data to forecast future events, while generative AI generates content based on existing patterns.
Realistically, the most ideal scenario for the future of marketing is for predictive AI to assess the data inputs in a marketing campaign or strategy, helping you determine who to reach and with what message, and then generative AI would then create that message in real time based on what is most likely to resonate with that person. The use of generative AI is still widely contested for outbound, consumer-facing marketing materials, and it should be. There is still a lot to still be tested in this capacity, which is why generative AI is currently most useful for generating drafts and options for creative outputs at early stages in the process, but not generating the actual creative that would be seen by a consumer.
By understanding these distinctions, marketers can leverage the strengths of both AI types to achieve superior outcomes.
Data requirements and outcomes
As marketers explore the potential of generative AI, it’s crucial to prioritise consumer privacy and ethical data usage. Generative AI can create marketing content rapidly, but this capability must be balanced against brand safety and compliance with legal standards.
Implementing a human oversight mechanism ensures that AI outputs adhere to brand guidelines and do not compromise consumer privacy. Continuous monitoring and compliance checks are essential to navigate the complexities of AI-generated content.
Use cases and business value
To effectively implement AI, businesses must prioritise a strong data foundation. Here are key steps to consider:
Data hygiene: Cleanse, structure and reinforce first-party data to ensure quality inputs for AI applications.
Access to data at scale: Implement a people-based identity system that connects customer data from various sources.
Real-time model updates: Look for solutions that can provide immediate updates to predictive and generative models, allowing for real-time customer engagement.
Read more about implementing a people-based identity system.
The power of AI synergy: How predictive and generative AI work together
Integrating predictive and generative AI can create a powerful synergy in marketing. While generative AI can produce diverse content, predictive AI ensures that this content reaches the right audience at the optimal time. This combination maximises campaign efficiency and ROI and improves the overall customer journey.
Enhancing customer understanding and personalisation
One of the results of fine-tuning your AI strategy? Deepening your customer understanding so you can better personalise your marketing messages. The right AI tools can give you the insights you need to reach customers and prospects with messaging that actually makes sense based on where they're at in the customer journey.
Optimising campaigns and driving ROI
Beyond gaining a deeper understanding of your customers, AI can help you optimise campaigns by analysing audience engagement to provide tailored recommendations so you can ensure every campaign performs to the best of its ability. And when campaigns actually perform, you're bound to see results when it comes to driving ROI.
Future outlook: the evolution of AI in marketing
Staying informed about the latest developments in AI is critical for marketers aiming to maximise their effectiveness.
To learn more about the connection between data, identify and AI, contact us today by clicking the link below, and begin augmenting your marketing with AI.
---
## Beyond foot traffic: How multi-tenant retailers can finally prove marketing ROI
Type: eps_post
URL: /how-multi-tenant-retailers-can-prove-marketing-roi
Last Modified: 2026-04-24T16:19:02Z
# Beyond foot traffic: How multi-tenant retailers can finally prove marketing ROI
For years, shopping malls, airports and mixed-use centres have been trying to answer the same question: How do we prove that our marketing efforts drive revenue for tenants?
Even with sophisticated tools and large-scale foot traffic studies, the numbers don’t tell the full story. A busy corridor doesn’t mean visitors are converting. High dwell-time could mean engaged shoppers—or it could mean people are killing time between flights. In short, “People walked by your storefront!” doesn’t satisfy tenants who expect measurable performance.
As customer journeys evolve and tenant expectations rise, the traditional toolkit of metrics is showing its limits. The good news? Multi-tenant retail properties don’t have to settle for incomplete insights anymore.
Keep reading to learn how you can take your multi-tenant retail strategy into 2026 and beyond.
A changing multi-tenant landscape
Multi-tenant retail centres represent a huge economic engine in Australia, and retail centres, mixed-use portfolios, airports and casinos all play a role in a broader ecosystem of shopping, dining, entertainment and services.
Unsurprisingly, changes to the landscape are accelerating the need for smarter marketing investments:
Spend is flowing through multi-tenant properties. Retail and service-based concepts such as fitness, dining and medical continue to grow.
There’s a shift toward experiential strategies. Retailers are increasingly investing in engagement-driven tactics—activations designed not just to attract foot traffic but deepen loyalty.
Customer behaviour is always changing. Visitors move fluidly across tenants, channels and trip purposes. Take a casino quest, for example—they could dine, browse and play all in one visit.
This makes multi-tenant properties rich with opportunity but uniquely complex to measure.
The challenges with ‘traditional’ retail marketing metrics
Many property operators still rely on metrics that have limitations when used on their own. Let’s dive into a few examples.
1. Foot traffic doesn’t equal revenue
Foot traffic studies can tell you whether people entered the building or walked past a storefront. What they can’t tell you is:
Who those visitors actually are
Whether they bought anything
If marketing influenced their behaviour
When tenants ask for proof of ROI, many of these brands are used more measurable insights from their marketing investments, and they expect more from their partners.
2. Fragmented consumer behaviour = a lack of actionable insights
Modern shoppers rarely act in a linear path. They browse in one location, buy in another, redeem loyalty offers days later and engage across multiple channels. Without a way to connect these behaviours, property owners and tenants end up with siloed insights that don’t reflect the real customer journey.
3. Precision targeting is difficult without complete data
When data is split between tenants, property owners and media partners, precision targeting becomes nearly impossible. As a result, budgets stretch thinner, campaigns underperform and proving ROI becomes more of an uphill battle.
The result of these traditional ways to measure retail impact? Incomplete insights, duplicative spend and missed opportunities.
A new approach: Epsilon’s multi-tenant marketing intelligence
To help properties and tenants work from the same playbook, Epsilon crafted a digital solution built specifically for multi-tenant environments. Its goal is simple: help properties prove marketing ROI—accurately, transparently and without heavy technical lift.
Here’s how it works at a high level:
Create pseudonymized buyer files based on past property visitors
Segment audiences by actual spend behaviour, not assumptions
Model net-new lookalike prospects who resemble high-value customers
Activate digital campaigns to bring those audiences back on-property
Measure real, unmodeled ROAS tied directly to in-store or on-property transactions
Shared value for both owners and tenants
A major advantage of this approach is that it creates a mutually beneficial environment for both tenants and property owners:
Tenants gain access to high-intent audiences, not broad demographic lookalikes. That means more efficient marketing spend, better customer acquisition and clearer visibility into the impact of on-property media placements.
Owners can demonstrate measurable marketing ROI, which is crucial for leasing teams that need to demonstrate that the property is more than a destination, it’s a revenue-generating partner.
Case study: Large mall boosts ROAS with Epsilon’s multi-tenant solution
A well-loved indoor mall wanted to drive spend and visitation but struggled to reach high-value customers. To get more customers in the door, the retailer tapped into Epsilon’s transactional data to reach past spenders and likely spenders at stores within nearby malls, serving them eye-catching cross-device display and video to generate buzz. The result?
$17.1 measured ROAS
$6.45 million measured visitor spend
4.2 million unique individuals reached
56,000 total transactions
Wrapping it up
The retail sector is in a period of reinvention. Investment volumes are rising, tenant mixes are evolving and guest expectations are high. As the lines between retail, entertainment, travel and service blur, properties need better ways to understand and influence behaviour.
Digital transformation is no longer a “nice to have.” It’s foundational and extending to every sector. And buyer intelligence gives multi-tenant destinations the clarity and confidence they’ve been missing and a way to connect the dots.
If you’d like to explore how this approach can help your property prove ROI with more confidence, let’s talk. In the meantime, learn more about Epsilon’s multi-tenant solution here.
---
## How to get started with retail media as a brand advertiser
Type: eps_post
URL: /retail-media-guide-for-brand-advertisers
Last Modified: 2026-06-19T09:53:38Z
# How to get started with retail media as a brand advertiser
Retail media is the fastest-growing advertising channel in Europe, but most brands run their first campaigns without a clear framework. Here is a practical guide to audience quality, measurement, and budget setup for brands buying retail media for the first time.
TL;DR: Retail media gives brands access to retailer shopper data and closed-loop measurement that other digital channels cannot match. The brands getting the most out of it are not necessarily spending the most, they are the ones asking the right questions before the first campaign goes live. This guide walks through what those questions are.
Retail media is the part of digital advertising that uses a retailer's first-party shopper data to reach customers, either on the retailer's own website and app or across the wider open web and connected TV. For brands that sell through retailers, it is one of the few channels that can link an ad impression to an actual sale, online or in-store.
That sounds straightforward, and the basic concept is. What is less obvious is how to evaluate retail media opportunities, what to ask a retail media partner before committing budget, and how to set up your first campaign so that you can tell whether it worked. Most brands learn these things the expensive way, by running a campaign, getting a report that does not answer their questions, and starting again.
This guide is for marketers and category managers running their first or early retail media campaigns. The goal is to give you a checklist of the things that matter most, in the order they matter.
What makes retail media different from other digital advertising?
The short answer is the data. Retail media campaigns are built on real purchase data from real shoppers, not on inferred audiences or self-reported interests. When a retailer says they can target electronics buyers, they mean people who have actually bought electronics from them, with a known frequency and basket size.
This matters for two reasons.
First, the audience is more accurate. Behavioural and interest-based targeting on the open web is built on guesses. A user who clicked an article about running shoes might be a runner, or might be a journalist writing about running, or might have clicked by accident. A retailer's shopper data tells you who actually bought running shoes last month.
Second, the measurement is closed-loop. With most digital channels, you can measure clicks and online conversions but you cannot easily connect an impression to an in-store purchase. Retail media closes that loop because the retailer owns both sides of the data: the ad exposure and the transaction. For an omnichannel brand, this is the difference between knowing whether your campaign worked and guessing.
There are two main types of retail media activity to be aware of. Onsite placements appear on the retailer's own website and app, things like sponsored products, banners, and search results. Offsite placements use the retailer's shopper data to target the same audience across the open web, connected TV, and other digital environments outside the retailer's own properties. Both have their place, and a good campaign usually uses both.
How are brands actually using retail media?
Most brand campaigns in retail media fall into one of four patterns. Understanding which one applies to your objective will save you a lot of time in the planning conversation with your retail media partner.
Driving incremental sales for a specific product or range. This is the most common starting point. You want to push a particular SKU or category, and you want to know whether the ad spend generated sales that would not have happened anyway. This requires an incremental measurement approach, not just total sales reporting.
Launching a new product to an existing audience. Retail media is particularly strong here because you can target shoppers who already buy in your category but have not yet tried your specific product. The retailer can tell you how big that audience is before you commit to the campaign.
Reaching lapsed customers. Shoppers who bought from you six or twelve months ago and have not come back are a high-value audience that is invisible to most digital channels. They exist in the retailer's loyalty data and can be reached directly.
Building brand awareness with a relevant audience. Connected TV and open-web display are increasingly available through retail media partners, and they let you reach the retailer's shopper base in environments beyond the retailer's own site. This is where retail media starts to compete with broader brand advertising channels.
The point is that retail media is not a single tactic. Decide what you are trying to achieve before you brief the campaign, because the audience build, the placement mix, and the measurement framework will be different for each one.
Where should brands start when planning a retail media campaign?
If you are new to retail media, the temptation is to start with a media plan. Resist this. The first conversations should be about data and measurement, not about placements and budgets. Here are the questions to work through, in order.
Ask about the audience match rate. This is the proportion of the retailer's shopper database that can be matched to a digital identity and reached with targeted advertising. A high match rate means you can actually reach the audience the retailer is offering. A low match rate means the headline database number is larger than the reachable audience, and you should adjust your expectations accordingly. Retailers using deterministic identity resolution, where shoppers are matched on verified data like name and address rather than email alone, typically have stronger match rates.
Confirm how outcomes will be measured. Will the report show you clicks and impressions, or will it show you transactions? Will it include in-store sales for omnichannel categories, or only online? Will it measure incremental sales using a control group, or will it count total sales that overlap with the campaign? These are not technicalities, they are the difference between a report you can take to your finance team and one you cannot.
Understand the audience options before the placements. A good retail media partner will start the planning conversation by helping you define the right audience for your objective, not by showing you a rate card. If the first thing you see is a list of ad units and CPMs, ask to step back and discuss audience first.
Plan for measurement before launch, not after. Closed-loop measurement requires the campaign exposure data to be linked to transaction data, and this needs to be set up before the campaign runs. Trying to do this retrospectively will produce a less reliable answer and take longer to deliver.
Start with a defined test, not an open-ended commitment. Your first retail media campaign should have a clear hypothesis, a defined audience, and a measurement plan you have agreed before launch. Resist the pressure to commit to a long campaign before you have seen what the data looks like.
What does good retail media measurement actually look like?
Measurement is where retail media either justifies its premium pricing or does not. If your reports look the same as your display advertising reports, you are not getting the value of the channel.
Good retail media measurement gives you three things.
Sales attribution at the SKU level, so you can see which of your products sold to which customer segments.
Online and in-store outcomes in a single view, so you are not missing the portion of the response that happened offline.
And incremental measurement against a control group, so you can tell your finance team how much of the sales total was genuinely driven by the campaign rather than sales that would have happened regardless.
A practical example. One major electronics retailer running campaigns through Epsilon found that 26% of tracked purchases from a digital campaign occurred in-store. In an online-only measurement model, that quarter of the response would have been invisible, and the campaign would have looked less effective than it actually was. For omnichannel categories, this kind of full-funnel measurement is not a nice-to-have, it is the actual outcome.
The same retailer's brand partners now plan campaigns knowing the in-store contribution will be measured and counted. That changes how budgets are set, how performance is evaluated, and how often campaigns get renewed.
Reach your shoppers through the retailers you already sell with
Retail media gives brand advertisers something the open web cannot: targeted reach against real shoppers, with closed-loop measurement back to transactions, including in-store. Epsilon partners with leading retailers across the UK and EMEA, which means brands can reach those retailers' shopper bases through a single point of contact, with consistent measurement and audience quality across networks.
If you are planning your first retail media campaign or scaling beyond initial tests, talk to our retail media team about which retailer audiences match your objectives and how to set up measurement that will hold up to a finance review.
---
## 4 ways AI enhances the customer journey
Type: eps_post
URL: /4-ways-ai-enhances-the-customer-journey
Last Modified: 2026-05-13T08:57:35Z
# 4 ways AI enhances the customer journey
4 ways AI enhances the customer journey
Marketers often adopt a cautious optimism towards AI, the benefits are clear; but the sheer feat of implementing AI is enough to steer some away, as it often requires sifting through mountains of unorganised data. However, the improvements clients have seen in their marketing strategies, executions and results are worth the effort.
Let’s walk through some of the key benefits AI can bring to the table to holistically improve the customer experience throughout their journey with your brand.
1. Customers feel like you understand them
Machines can crunch enormous amounts of data and do the heavy lifting on data aggregation and cleansing. This information is invaluable to personalise communications at the individual level.
This personalisation can be implemented across a brand’s marketing channels, connecting marketers with high-value consumers in the process. Plus, with the machines doing the heavy lifting, marketers have time to really dig into those insights to inform their strategy.
2. Customers receive thoughtful recommendations
We’ve all seen an ad for a product that you’d simply never buy or need, and it’s frustrating. You feel like that brand doesn’t know you at all.
Yes, machine learning algorithms can predict consumer behaviour to deliver personalised products, offers, messaging, content and rewards for loyalty members. But the impact is what’s important: when customers receive a brand communication built by one of these algorithms, it’s more likely to be something they need, rather than a compilation of products with little significance that they easily dismiss.
3. Personalised content creates a “human” connection
Audience development and segmentation take on a new life by adding AI as an element in the decision-making process. Each profile becomes a segment of one, so you’re treating customers like the unique individual they are, rather than part of a batch-and-blast scheme.
Creative plays a big part in this process as well. Think about colours, campaigns and timing dynamics, they all create an atmosphere for customers to connect to brands. Aligning dynamic creative fuelled by AI with different customers is a worthwhile addition to any marketing campaign and can strengthen affinity towards your brand.
4. Customers are nurtured through each buying stage
Machine learning and AI support natural language processing (NLP), which allows for organisation, optimisation and generation of content quickly. From a marketer’s perspective, this saves time and money by processing large volumes of content that can be intelligently tagged for easy use. From a consumer’s perspective, this helps successfully guide them through the customer journey with ease.
A fractured experience often deters people from continuing to engage with your brand. That’s where AI comes in. AI patterns allow marketers to make decisions on what a customer’s next best action is, so they're constantly building on past interactions to inform what should come next.
You don’t have to go it alone
Don’t be surprised if you see other brands leveraging AI. The shift came out of necessity; people simply expect more from brands these days. Marketers are pressured to deliver unique and personalised experiences on a dime, and AI can help facilitate those conversations.
Again, marketers who implement machine learning see:
Better personalisation capabilities at scale
Overall improved customer journey
It’s understandable to feel overwhelmed or still have questions. But you don’t have to go it alone. The right partner can help you with the right crawl, walk, run approach to AI.
Ultimately, AI is something you should take at your own pace, but staying ahead of the curve will set marketers up for long-term success with customers.
Get in touch via the link below to talk to our experts and see how our AI enhanced services can bring value to your business.
---
## The Crucial Role of Quality Data in Direct Mail Campaigns
Type: eps_post
URL: /crucial-role-of-quality-data-in-direct-mail
Last Modified: 2026-01-07T17:19:14Z
# The Crucial Role of Quality Data in Direct Mail Campaigns
Direct mail remains a potent tool in a marketer's toolkit, and its effectiveness hinges on one pivotal factor: quality data. In the realm of direct mail campaigns, the adage "garbage in, garbage out" takes on a whole new significance in crafting successful and impactful campaigns.
At the heart of every direct mail campaign lies the goal of establishing a genuine connection with your customer. Unlike mass emails that can easily be deleted or overlooked, creative direct mail holds the potential to stand out in the physical realm, capturing attention and evoking a tangible response. However, the true power of direct mail materialises only when it is guided by data that is accurate, up-to-date and tailored to the preferences and needs of the recipients.
So, let's talk about why data should take the spotlight in your Direct Mail campaigns.
Personalisation Redefined
Quality data transforms direct mail from a generic mass outreach to a personalised communication that resonates with the individual. Detailed customer profiles, purchase history, demographics, and behavioural insights enable marketers to craft messages that reflect the recipient's interests and preferences. A personalised touch increases engagement, resonates emotionally, and triggers a sense of value, fostering a stronger connection between the brand and the customer.
Enhanced Targeting
Precise targeting lies at the heart of a successful direct mail campaign. Quality data allows marketers to segment their audience with precision, ensuring that each piece of mail reaches individuals most likely to respond positively. By avoiding wasteful dispersion and focusing resources on potential customers, the campaign becomes more cost-effective and generates higher returns on investment.
Reduced Wastage
Imagine the environmental implications of a direct mail campaign that sends mail to incorrect addresses or individuals who have no interest in the offering. Quality data minimises wastage by ensuring that every piece of mail is directed to a relevant recipient, reducing the negative environmental impact associated with excess paper usage and resource consumption.
Trust and Credibility
Incorrect or outdated data can damage a brand's credibility and trustworthiness. Mailing inaccuracies or irrelevant content can alienate customers and create negative perceptions. On the other hand, using accurate data enhances a brand's reputation, fostering a sense of reliability and respect for the recipient's time and preferences.
Measurable Results
Quality data not only helps in crafting effective direct mail campaigns but also enables marketers to measure their success accurately. Tracking responses, conversions, and engagement rates becomes more meaningful when each piece of mail has been sent to a carefully curated audience. This data-driven approach facilitates ongoing campaign optimisation, leading to better results with each iteration.
Longevity and Memory
Physical mail tends to linger longer than digital messages. Quality data ensures that the content of a direct mail piece resonates deeply with the recipient, making it more likely to be retained, shared, and acted upon. This prolongs the campaign's impact and extends its reach beyond the initial interaction.
In the intricate dance of data-driven marketing, the importance of quality data in a direct mail campaign cannot be overstated. It serves as the guiding star, steering marketers away from the pitfalls of irrelevance and wastage and guiding them toward genuine connections, measurable results, and sustainable engagement.
As businesses navigate the evolving landscape of marketing strategies, they must remember that, in the world of direct mail, precision in data collection, analysis, and application is the key to unlocking the full potential of this age-old yet remarkably effective and relevant marketing tool.
To access Epsilon's expertise in direct mail marketing, email us at hello@epsilon.com.
---
## Loss of third-party cookies costing publishers - unless they act
Type: eps_post
URL: /loss-of-tpc-could-cost-publishers-and-broadcasters
Last Modified: 2025-11-25T09:34:00Z
# Loss of third-party cookies costing publishers - unless they act
Google keeps pushing back its deprecation deadline for third-party cookies, with the latest target set for the end of 2024. Brands across industries are bracing for the impact, but those who rely heavily on third-party cookies to power their marketing intelligence are in for a bumpy ride. For affected businesses like broadcasters and publishers, two sectors that historically lean on third-party cookies, there are two ways to respond:
Seize the delay as an opportunity to better prepare for a delicate transition with enormous revenue implications
Use the delay as an excuse to continue ignoring a complicated, challenging issue
Unfortunately, far too many media companies choose the latter option. That approach will cost them.
“Publishers need to start conversations about their first-party data strategy today,” said Briian Wilson, Vice President of Media Acquisitions at Epsilon. “There is incremental opportunity right now and companies that aren’t engaging with first-party data are missing out.”
Potential loss of revenue
Programmatic display and audience extension ads are the bulk of the broadcasting world's revenue, and third-party cookies remain king for most publishers with digital ad spend. In the past, they've relied on third-party cookies to drive the growth of interest-based advertising campaigns.
U.S. broadcasters would lose $2.1 billion annually, according to a new report by the National Association of Broadcasters (NAB) in conjunction with research firm Borrell Associates. That's 6.3% of the industry's total digital advertising revenue, constituting more than a $1 million yearly loss for the average TV station.
The report estimates that by the end of 2024, when third-party cookie deprecation is set to occur, the losses could increase by nearly 40%. Publishers have it even worse: the Interactive Advertising Bureau estimates publishers' exposure at up to $10 billion in lost revenue without third-party cookies.
Yet instead of working feverishly to develop an alternative strategy, many TV and radio executives are taking a more passive approach. Only 27% of the broadcasters surveyed in the NAB report have a dedicated team working on a transition plan. Wilson said publishers, including broadcasters, need to start looking toward a stronger data strategy, which includes first-party data.
“Third-party cookies have been widely used by publishers and marketers for many years,” Wilson said. “But third-party cookies have issues. Third-party cookies cause blind spots into the data publishers have available. We frequently run into publishers who feel first-party data will benefit them more, and it’s possible to implement a strong first-party data strategy.”
Building a better data strategy
The most proactive organizations are coalescing around first-party data-driven strategies as the way forward, a uniquely promising solution for publishers and broadcasters that often have a large, frequently interactive audience.
“First party data is valuable because it is collected directly from the source: think website or webpage where a site visitor enters their data to sign up for a newsletter, access site content or make a purchase,” Wilson said. “This data is directly provided to the site and is not impacted by cookie clearing or cookie expiration. It is unique to the property that is visited and thus creates a trustworthy source of data.”
With existing first-party data at their fingertips, broadcasters—and publishers in general—can more closely and accurately examine their data and drive more precise outcomes, including an increase in traffic. Coupled with a strong identity solution, it creates a stream of data that continually gets smarter and works harder.
“They don’t know what they don’t know,” Wilson said. “There’s a gap of knowledge there, and when you understand what data you have and how it’s gathered, you can generate more incremental lift.”
An increase in the value of first-party data
Another reason publishers are looking toward first-party data? Bigger returns. The NAB report highlights a 2019 study showing advertisers will pay a 2.8x premium for behaviorally targeted ads, an appetite likely to continue after third-party cookies are gone. New first-party data strategies could also signal new revenue streams and boosted engagement.
First-party data is an exceptionally powerful asset because it is collected directly from the source and isn't impacted by cookie clearing or expiration. It's a trustworthy source of data and can help brands and better understand consumer preferences and behaviors.
When used in concert with additional customer insights or attached to an identity solution like Epsilon's CORE ID, that first-party data enables a fuller, more personalized, cross-channel behavioral picture. Identity helps publishers identify individuals already interacting and transacting with a brand, which means incremental lift right away.
Wilson said publishers of all type, including broadcasters, need to be having conversations long before Chrome gets rid of third-party cookies. And while it seems like an undertaking, she recommends starting small.
“The first step to building a solid first-party data strategy is understanding what data you currently have and how it's being gathered,” she said. “Once you have an understanding of what you have today, talk to your demand and data partners to gain an understanding of what first-party data solutions they recommend to start monetizing that data, then look at ways to improve your current structure.”
If you're ready to future-proof your marketing, check out our guide on creating a first-party data strategy.
---
## Behavioural segmentation: The complete guide for ecommerce marketers
Type: eps_post
URL: /guide-to-segmenting-customer-behaviour-emea
Last Modified: 2026-05-01T13:19:09Z
# Behavioural segmentation: The complete guide for ecommerce marketers
Marketing segmentation has always been a key component of the most effective digital strategies. Dividing customers into smaller groups based on their needs and actions ensures you are best placed to efficiently solve their problems and in turn, sell more of your products.
Maximising your first-party data—like customer location, age and gender—is a key first step towards seeing a clearer picture of who your customers are. But if you want to truly know what motivates them and offer them what matters, you need to go deeper. This is where behavioural segmentation comes in.
Behavioural data segmentation can help you identify how your customers interact with your products and services. Fuelling your strategy with tools like Epsilon’s proprietary data, can offer valuable insights that are actionable in real time, and help you guide shoppers through each touchpoint seamlessly.
This blog will define behavioural segmentation, break down its key benefits and outline the four main types of segmentation that—with the right solutions in place—can be leveraged to optimise your marketing strategy, create tailored onsite experiences and drive conversions.
What is behavioural segmentation?
In marketing, behavioural segmentation is a way to divide your customers into segments based on their behavioural patterns when they interact with a particular business or website.
Grouping people that visit your ecommerce business by purchase behaviour, product usage and brand interaction in this way offers marketers a more holistic view of each shopper, enabling tailored onsite experiences that align products and messaging to each individual customer’s needs.
Going beyond the traditional demographic and geographic segmentation methods and utilising behavioural data allows for the execution of more successful marketing campaigns.
Why is behavioural segmentation important?
If you have a successful ecommerce business, you most likely already know a bit about who your customers are. Behavioural segmentation goes a step further, revealing what they do—and why.
Every action a shopper takes on your site can provide you with deeper layers of insight into their motivation and intent—ensuring you connect seamlessly and provide onsite experiences that reflect their needs and interests.
Behavioural segmentation can enhance your marketing efforts in these important ways:
Identifies your most engaged users. The ability to filter existing customers and potential prospects by levels of engagement will enable you to make more informed decisions on how and where to best allocate time and resources—so you can focus on those most likely to make a purchase.
Improves messaging accuracy. Imagine you’ve already identified that 24- to 35-year-olds are the most active segment on your site. Behavioural segmentation can then adapt messaging and experiences to match those behavioural trends—based on shared engagement patterns.
Provides refined personalised experiences. Offering personal touches—like recommending related products or sending a timely upsell email—can lower bounce rate, reduce cart abandonment and speed up the purchasing process.
Builds brand loyalty. Behavioural segmentation is key for ecommerce brands seeking to keep customers happy, boost repeat business and grow revenue over time by making targeting more accurate and offering unique onsite experiences.
Epsilon's identity resolution and onsite personalisation capabilities provide granular data segmentation and analytics that you can tap into for advanced insights from various touchpoints. Fuelled by industry-leading first-party data, our solutions are built to provide a clear view of who is shopping your site — and respond in real time.
And the more clearly you can see your customers, the easier it will be to provide customised onsite experiences that build meaningful connections and drive higher ROI.
What are the four types of behavioural segmentation?
Customers expect personalised experiences. When done right, segmentation can help you create onsite experiences that feel personal to each customer—ensuring they feel like you know them.
Let’s break down four main types of behavioural segmentation that provide a holistic view of your customer throughout their buying journey. Each one reveals actionable insights you can use across touchpoints to help guide their purchase decisions.
1. Segmentation based on purchase and usage behavior
Segmenting by purchase behaviour can help you pinpoint varying trends, and behaviour patterns that customers have at purchase. Businesses that leverage this type of segmentation benefit from seeing a map of each customer’s position in their journey—their role in the purchasing process, the obstacles they are facing, the incentives they’re most likely to respond to—allowing for timely, personalised engagement.
2. Occasion or timing-based segmentation
Occasion-based segmentation categorizes customers who are most likely to interact with your brand or purchase from your website on either specific occasions or set times. It can also be triggered by a customer’s daily routine, such as picking up a coffee on the morning commute or ordering lunch delivery during a regular work break.
3. Benefits-sought segmentation
Segmenting by benefits sought refers to dividing your audience based on the unique value proposition your customer is looking to gain from your product or service.
For example, some people buy skincare products for anti-ageing benefits while others are seeking solutions for sensitive skin. Investing in the right technology can ensure that you surface products that are most relevant to the benefit each person cares about most.
4. Segmentation based on customer loyalty
Loyalty-based segmentation measures the level of engagement a customer has with your brand—distinguishing between first-time buyers, repeat shoppers or high-tiered rewards program members.
The goal of this type of segmentation isn’t just recognizing your best customers, it can help you focus on repeat customers, their needs, behavior patterns—ultimately, optimising future campaigns, improving your businesses’ value proposition and strengthening your brand positioning. For retailers operating loyalty programmes across markets like the UK, France and Germany, this type of segmentation is particularly powerful for driving long-term customer value across different regional behaviours and preferences.
Other types of behavioural segmentation
In addition to purchase, benefit, loyalty and timing-based segments, there are other types of behavioural segmentation you can use to optimise the onsite experiences of your ecommerce business—such as customer journey stage, engagement and customer satisfaction.
Segmentation based on customer journey stage
Segmenting by customer journey gives direction to your business objectives and helps you provide a path for customers to seamlessly move from awareness to retention. The insight to nudge customers from desire to purchase requires well-positioned product imagery and good website design.
Our onsite personalisation platform provides a data-driven approach that streamlines website journeys, offering a comprehensive view of each stage your customer is in, as well as touchpoints they interact with—increasing opt-in rates, conversion rates and AOV.
Segmentation based on engagement
Just like customer journey stage segmentation, grouping customers based on their engagement levels can help you to understand the reasons why their behaviour falls into specific categories.
Customer engagement is categorized by three levels:
Occasional: Occasional customers are not in regular contact with your brand.
Regular: Regular customers interact with your products or services but fail to use them to the full extent.
Intensive: Intensive customers are those who are intensive advocates of your product or service.
Segmenting your customers in this way will aid customer retention by dividing the relevant materials between those engaged, and those unengaged, and ultimately help to reduce churn.
Segmentation based on satisfaction
Behavioural segmentation based on satisfaction is the most straightforward of them all. Customer feedback—like surveys and NPS scores—can help you to enhance your product or service by understanding which features your customers most desire, or which could help you stay ahead of competitors.
Conclusion
By segmenting customers based on their behavioural data, you gain a more comprehensive look at how you can adjust your messaging, brand, marketing materials and ultimately products or services to stay ahead of the competition and reduce your customer churn.
While creating marketing campaigns that resonate and offering customised onsite experiences does require deeper insight into your customer—that’s just the start. Leveraging that insight effectively is the only way to execute higher performing campaigns and drive better outcomes.
Establishing an effective behavioural segmentation strategy takes an investment in a technology partner that can provide a solid foundation of data and identity for you to build on. Epsilon Accelerate offers best-in-class identification and onsite personalisation capabilities that can help seamlessly communicate with your shoppers—always sending them the right message at the right time.
---
## Guide: How to adapt your retail media strategy to the new HFSS rules
Type: eps_post
URL: /retail-media-hfss-strategy-one-pager-guide
Last Modified: 2026-02-25T14:54:06Z
# Guide: How to adapt your retail media strategy to the new HFSS rules
As of the start of the year, restrictions on advertising less healthy food and drink products are live, changing how brands and retailers can use TV and digital media before the watershed.
If you are navigating HFSS right now, access the guide here to understand what to adjust and where to focus.
What is HFSS and why does it matter now
High in Fat, Sugar or Salt rules restrict such products from appearing in advertising, particularly in online display and TV before 9pm. While general branding is still permitted, for retailers and their partners, that shift lands right in the middle of trading, media planning and monetisation.
How HFSS impacts retail media performance
The initial impact is operational. Campaigns need new checks, familiar creatives may no longer run at key times, and high demand placements can be harder to fill. The second impact is commercial. If the buying experience becomes complex or inventory feels constrained, budgets move quickly elsewhere.
Can HFSS become a competitive advantage
Yes, if retailers adapt early. HFSS changes the balance between product led advertising and audience led strategies. It also increases the value of compliant formats, richer creative, and environments where rules are built into the workflow rather than managed manually.
This is where preparation matters. Retailers that move first can reduce friction for brands, protect revenue and create clearer routes to performance.
What this guide helps you do
The guide focuses on how retailers can adapt onsite and offsite media strategies to manage HFSS restrictions without slowing growth. It also outlines how platforms can support compliance while keeping media attractive to buy.
ACCESS THE GUIDE HERE
---
## 7 proven ecommerce strategies to maximize sales and growth
Type: eps_post
URL: /7-ecommerce-strategies-for-sales-and-growth
Last Modified: 2025-11-25T08:55:55Z
# 7 proven ecommerce strategies to maximize sales and growth
If you're feeling the pressure to accelerate growth and drive results, you're not alone. Ecommerce can be a challenging landscape to navigate, especially for teams with limited time, resources and tools.
As consumer expectations evolve, so does the pressure to increase revenue and consistently offer a first-class shopping experience. While these challenges are real, they don’t have to be roadblocks; instead, they can be opportunities to sharpen strategy and strengthen customer relationships.
In fact, a solid strategy aligned with the right technology solution, can be a powerful way to build personalized onsite experiences that capture leads and increase conversions.
Let’s dive into 7 proven strategies that’ll help you grow your ecommerce business:
1. Streamline onsite navigation
First impressions count. According to research, half of internet users say that they use website design as a factor to formulate their opinion on a business. In other words, an optimized onsite experience is one of the most powerful ways to increase engagement and build trust.
A solution with a strong foundation of data and identity adds relevant products to onsite experiences, adjusting homepage content and customizing page overlays to match corresponding behavioral segments, ensuring content resonates based on broader customer patterns.
Well-designed websites with intuitive navigation create seamless shopping experiences—from the first touchpoint through to checkout—turning casual browsers into loyal customers.
Technology that can instantly personalize onsite experience, will help you:
Build a UX-optimized navigation bar
Make your website device-responsive
Accurately categorize your products
Maintain consistent design throughout your website
Make it easier for your customers to find products
An optimized website experience enables people to easily explore your products and services, leading to better business outcomes.
2. Leverage social proof and testimonials
Most people have an innate desire to belong. They instinctively look to what others are doing to validate their decisions.
92% of customers trust non-paid advice over paid ads, according to Nielsen. That tells us something important: Showing shoppers that your products are in high demand and loved by your current ecommerce customers—using social proof and testimonials—can play a significant role in building advocacy for your brand and increasing conversions.
Sharing customer feedback and experiences on product pages, for example, reinforces the value of your products and services. Investing in technology with social proofing capabilities can increase conversions on your site by:
Spotlighting customer testimonials
Driving urgency with stock scarcity messaging
Highlighting product popularity
Leveraging case studies and success stories
Embedding trust badges
Once trust has been established with social proof messages, it can help guide visitors throughout their entire on-site experience, especially at the decision-making stage.
3. Save abandoned carts
Cart abandonment rates have been climbing steadily, hitting 80% globally in the fourth quarter of 2024, according to Statista. Essentially, cart abandonment is a consistent and complex problem for ecommerce marketers—and creating onsite personalization experiences is a critical component to reducing it.
Saving abandoned carts requires a solid first-party data strategy. A first-party data strategy can fuel better personalization across the customer journey. By surfacing relevant products to reminding visitors of abandoned carts, the right technology solution can help you activate your first-party data and drive more meaningful engagement.
It also provides analytics that can help you understand which customers abandon their carts. The right data and technology can provide insights that will help reduce drop-offs and improve retention by:
Sending basket reminders
Spotlighting "buy now, pay later" options
Sending discount reminders
Using delivery incentives
Dynamically scraping images from cart
4. A/B test everything
A/B testing can be critical to improving onsite optimization, especially when it comes to enhancing customer experiences, increasing conversions and shortening the path to purchase.
Despite its game-changing value, 23% of companies still aren’t using A/B testing to compare how website changes impact conversion rates. What’s more, 41% of email marketers aren’t using A/B testing to measure the performance of their email content.
If you’re in either of these boats, a robust technology can help you truly understand your customers preferences and needs by providing multivariant and control group testing. Having a data-driven approach at the heart of your ecommerce strategy, provides a holistic view of your shoppers and leads to better business outcomes.
5. Segment your customers
Once you understand their shopping behavior, you can start segmenting your site visitors to drive results more effectively.
Customer segmentation provides relevant onsite experiences that are engaging and increase the likelihood of conversion. In fact, according to eMarketer, 77% of marketing ROI comes from segmented, targeted and triggered campaigns.
Segmenting based on factors like customer behavior, their demographics, psychographics and geographic information provides a holistic view of shopper preferences and needs, allowing you to tailor messages in real time.
Once your shoppers are segmented, you can meet them exactly where they are in their journey.
6. Build an email marketing strategy
Email is a staple of any successful marketing strategy. It’s an excellent channel for attracting and nurturing customers because it reinforces marketing messages that are delivered through other channels, and creates a more consistent and effective customer experienced.
According to our research, 74% of consumer respondents said they typically like to see updates, product offers or new brand messages via email. Essentially, email marketing is an important extension of the consumer-brand relationship and goes hand-in-hand with onsite experiences.
Intent Messaging, part of Epsilon's Messaging solution, allows you to engage shoppers when they abandon a site at any point in their purchase journey. By optimizing your email campaigns, this powerful capability lets you to focus on planning 1:1 communication with a strategic approach that’s in line with your business needs.
Epsilon Accelerate provides seamless integration that manages the entire email marketing process from start to finish. It uses a layered lead generation strategy to acquire leads throughout the entire customer journey. It’s seamless, highly targeted, and drives results.
7. Build an SMS marketing strategy
SMS marketing is on the rise. In our research, 65% of consumer respondents said that they check their text/SMS messages four or more times per day.
For brands, this creates a key opportunity to stand out. Integrating SMS into your marketing strategy can help you deliver messages that are personalized, relevant and perfectly time.
When combined with email and onsite personalization, SMS marketing adds another high-impact, real-time channel to keep users engaged—creating a cohesive, omnichannel experience that drives results and strengthens customer relationships.
Investing in the right solution will enable you to build a strong base of SMS leads, ensuring that you can:
Segment your subscribers
Personalize content
Communicate with your customers regularly
Incentivize purchases
A/B test your messaging
Next-generation messaging technology, with advanced SMS/MMS, mobile and email capabilities as core components, seamlessly extend onsite interactions into real-time experiences that resonate. A strong tech stack integrates SMS messaging directly—ensuring consistency across channels and enabling scalable, personalized brand-consumer communications that feel seamless.
Conclusion
To execute a winning personalization strategy, start by prioritizing what’s important to your ecommerce business goals, then assess your internal capabilities. From there, identify a solution, and make the case for a dedicated budget. Finally, test new approaches, measure your results and adjust accordingly.
Epsilon Accelerate, our all-in-one site personalization solution for brands, makes implementing these techniques easy. You’ll be able to instantly create tailored experiences that boost customer engagement and drive revenue growth. Partnering with Epsilon can help you keep shoppers coming back by leveraging technology that’s built to align with your resources and understand your customers better.
---
## The Permission Economy: why loyalty will matter more in the age of AI
Type: eps_post
URL: /the-permission-economy-why-loyalty-matters-in-ai-age
Last Modified: 2026-08-18T09:28:46Z
# The Permission Economy: why loyalty will matter more in the age of AI
For years, marketers have been told that data is the new oil. Collect more signals - every click, search, browse and purchase – and build richer profiles. The more data you had, the better your ability to personalise experiences and drive growth.
But what happens when those signals start to disappear?
As AI transforms how consumers discover, evaluate and purchase products, we're entering a new era of commerce. One where decisions are increasingly influenced, and in some cases made, by intelligent agents acting on behalf of consumers.
During our recent Love of Play webinar, Microsoft's Richard Potter described a future where many of the behavioural signals brands have traditionally relied upon become hidden behind a customer's own AI agent.
The question is no longer how much data you can collect. It's whether consumers trust you enough to share it.
Welcome to the Permission Economy.
Want to explore how AI, loyalty and gamification are converging? Watch our on-demand webinar, Love of Play: Loyalty, Gamification and the Future of Customer Trust.
The end of passive personalisation
Traditional personalisation has largely been built on observation. Brands track behaviours, analyse patterns and infer intent. A customer searches for a product, abandons a basket or clicks on an offer, and the system responds with a tailored experience.
But as AI agents increasingly mediate interactions between consumers and brands, much of this behavioural telemetry becomes less visible. At the same time, personalisation becomes more important than ever.
In an increasingly crowded marketplace, relevance is what earns attention. If a brand cannot demonstrate a meaningful understanding of a customer's preferences, motivations and context, it risks becoming invisible.
As Richard Potter explained, in an agentic future, propositions won't simply be discovered by humans browsing websites. They will increasingly be surfaced by AI agents negotiating on behalf of customers. If a brand isn't relevant enough to make the shortlist, it may never even enter the conversation.
Why permission is the new competitive advantage
The brands that thrive in this environment will be those that build direct, trusted relationships with customers. That means moving beyond passive data collection towards active value exchange.
Every time a customer chooses to share information, complete a challenge, engage with content, express a preference or participate in a loyalty experience, they are doing more than generating data. They are granting permission.
When consumers willingly share information in exchange for a better experience, they create a foundation for more meaningful personalisation. The interaction feels collaborative rather than extractive.
This distinction is becoming increasingly important as consumers become more conscious of how their data is collected and used.
Loyalty's new role
For many years, loyalty programmes have been viewed primarily as retention tools; a way to reward behaviour, encourage repeat purchases and increase customer lifetime value.
Those objectives remain important, but loyalty's role is expanding. In the future, loyalty programmes will play a critical role in helping brands earn the trust, consent and first-party data needed to power meaningful customer relationships.
The most successful programmes will go beyond simply rewarding transactions to instead create ongoing dialogues. They'll encourage customers to share preferences, participate in experiences, explore new products and engage with brands in ways that feel valuable and rewarding.
In other words, loyalty becomes the mechanism through which permission is earned, and that permission becomes one of a brand's most valuable assets. Rather than viewing loyalty as a marketing programme, brands should begin viewing it as the infrastructure that supports trusted customer relationships.
Why gamification changes the equation
This is where gamification becomes particularly powerful. Too often, gamification is reduced to points, badges or prize draws. But at its best, gamification is about creating participation. It gives customers reasons to engage beyond the transaction.
During the webinar, Epsilon and PlayFab explored how game mechanics such as missions, progression, challenges and personalised experiences can create sustained engagement while helping brands better understand their customers.
The four key principles:
Each interaction strengthens understanding.
Each interaction builds trust.
Each interaction creates another opportunity for customers to voluntarily share information about who they are and what matters to them.
Importantly, these exchanges feel enjoyable rather than intrusive.
Customers aren't filling out forms because a brand wants more data, they're participating because the experience itself delivers value. The result is richer insight, stronger engagement and a deeper emotional connection.
See how brands like KFC China, Duolingo, Universal and the LA Clippers are applying these principles today.
The human advantage in an AI world
As AI continues to reshape commerce, many aspects of purchasing will become increasingly rationalised. Algorithms will compare prices faster than humans and agents will evaluate features more efficiently. Product discovery will become more automated.
In this environment, emotional loyalty becomes even more important.
During the webinar, Mrinalini Chowdhary described this as the "human override" - the emotional connection that helps brands remain relevant when decisions are increasingly driven by logic and algorithms.
The brands that succeed will be the brands customers trust, choose to engage with and those that have built relationships strong enough to survive when decisions become increasingly automated.
Trust, emotional connection and relevance become the human advantages that machines cannot easily replicate.
Preparing for the permission economy
Forward-thinking brands are recognising that the future of loyalty isn't about collecting more data, it's about earning more permission.
In the Permission Economy, the most valuable customer data isn't the data you collect, it's the data customers choose to share, and that starts with giving them a reason to say yes.
That requires a different mindset; one that prioritises trust over transactions. The brands that embrace this shift will be better positioned to navigate an increasingly AI-driven future.
Watch the webinar
The future of loyalty will be defined by more than points, discounts and transactions alone. It will be defined by trust, permission and the quality of the relationships brands build with their customers.
In Love of Play: Loyalty, Gamification and the Future of Customer Trust, experts from Microsoft, Epsilon, PlayFab and leading loyalty practitioners explore:
Why gamification is becoming the permission layer for personalisation
How agentic AI is changing customer discovery and decision-making
The growing importance of trust and first-party data
Real-world examples from leading global brands
What marketers should do now to prepare for the Permission Economy
Watch the webinar on demand.
---
## Lost in the streams? How to take back control of your CTV advertising
Type: eps_post
URL: /lost-in-the-streams-ctv-guide-new-video-frontiers
Last Modified: 2026-04-22T08:48:02Z
# Lost in the streams? How to take back control of your CTV advertising
CTV has errupted, more apps, more inventory, more ways to reach audiences on the biggest screen in the home. But for marketers, that growth has come with a trade-off: less control over who you reach, how often you reach them and how you prove impact across a fragmented streaming landscape.
That was the theme of our session at New Video Frontiers in London, hosted by VideoWeek: if streaming has turned into “chaos”, the winners won’t be the brands that buy more streams, they’ll be the brands that connect them, using identity and measurement to turn impressions into outcomes.
What’s changed in CTV (and why it matters now)
In the UK, streaming is now mainstream: BARB reports 20M households with streaming services, with an average of 2.9 SVoD services per household and 2.5+ hours per day spent watching streaming platforms. At the same time, Comscore data shows a 43% year-on-year increase in hours watched on free, ad-supported streaming, meaning more inventory and (often) lower CPMs, but not automatically better reach, frequency, or results.
The 3 control gaps holding CTV performance back
Reach and frequency without control: you can buy reach, but it’s harder to control who sees your ads, when and how often, especially across multiple publishers and platforms.
Identity built on weak signals: over-reliance on IP address signals (which can be unstable and shared) increases duplication, waste and irrelevant repeat exposure.
Measurement in silos: when every platform measures differently, proving incremental impact (and defending budget) becomes an uphill battle.
The shift: plan around people, not platforms
Real customer journeys aren’t linear. People move fluidly between CTV, online video, display, audio and in-store moments, often in the same day. That’s why CTV works best when it’s connected to an identity layer that helps you recognise the same person (or household) across environments. When you can connect exposure to outcomes, you can sequence messages, cap frequency intelligently, reduce duplication, and optimise spend based on what actually drives action, not just what was delivered.
What to look for in a CTV strategy (and partner) if you want more control
If we took one thing away from New Video Frontiers, it was this: control comes from capabilities, not CPMs. In practice, that means evaluating your CTV approach against five essentials:
Identity resolution: how reliably can you reach and measure real people/households across environments?
Audience targeting + inventory: can you activate the audiences that matter on premium supply, with transparency?
Reach + frequency management: can you control duplication and oversaturation across publishers?
Creative solutions: can you tailor messaging and sequence creative to move people forward?
Measurement + insights: can you prove outcomes (and learn) consistently across your mix?
Download the CTV Buyer’s Guide
To make this easier, we’ve turned these key themes into a practical CTV Buyer’s Guide to help you select partners and build a CTV approach that reaches real people, manages frequency and measures what matters.
The questions to ask to uncover how a platform handles identity, duplication, and transparency
The five essential capabilities to evaluate (identity, targeting/inventory, frequency, creative, measurement)
How to treat CTV as part of your full channel mix, not an island
What “good” measurement looks like so you can prove impact and improve spend decisions
Download the guide
If you attended New Video Frontiers and want to compare notes, or you’re rethinking how CTV fits into your performance mix, we’d love to hear what challenges you’re seeing most often in planning, frequency and measurement. Contact us through the button below.
---
## Online video advertising: your complete guide to OLV strategy and ROI
Type: eps_post
URL: /how-to-make-olv-advertising-work-for-you
Last Modified: 2026-06-19T09:52:46Z
# Online video advertising: your complete guide to OLV strategy and ROI
Online video advertising has moved well beyond a supporting tactic. For UK and EMEA brands, it is now one of the highest-impact channels available, combining the reach and emotional power of broadcast with the targeting precision and measurability of digital. This guide covers what OLV advertising is, why it matters and how to build a video advertising strategy that drives real, measurable returns.
What is online video advertising?
Online video advertising (OLV) refers to short- or long-form video ads placed before, during or after video content on websites and apps, typically running at 6, 15, 30 or 60 seconds. Ads can also appear in-feed, in-article or as standalone outstream placements across the open web.
OLV sits at a useful intersection in the marketing mix. It can carry brand-building creative at scale while simultaneously pushing audiences toward conversion through precise targeting. That dual function is what makes it increasingly central to how UK and EMEA marketers plan their media spend.
Find out about Epsilon’s brand-building, performance oriented creative services.
Digital video consumption in the UK continues to grow year on year, driven by streaming, on-demand viewing and the shift to mobile. Consumers now spend an average of two and a half hours per day watching digital video (eMarketer, 2025), and that figure is still climbing. For brands, this is not just a channel with large reach — it is a channel where audiences are actively engaged and receptive.
Why OLV advertising matters for UK and EMEA marketers
The case for investing in online video advertising has never been stronger, but the reasons go beyond reach alone. OLV is particularly well suited to the challenges facing UK and EMEA marketers right now:
Connected TV adoption in the UK has accelerated, creating a measurable bridge between traditional broadcast and digital video. Brands running OLV campaigns alongside CTV can reach the same household across devices and measure the combined impact.
Upper-funnel investment is under pressure across European marketing teams as budgets tighten. OLV is one of the few channels that can demonstrably prove its contribution to downstream conversion, making the business case for brand investment easier to defend.
GDPR-compliant targeting at scale is achievable through identity resolution approaches that do not depend on third-party data, giving UK and EMEA brands a sustainable path to precision OLV without consent risk.
The three pillars of an effective OLV strategy
1. Precision audience targeting
Reaching real people rather than devices requires deterministic data: physical addresses, email and purchase history. This creates persistent, non-cookie-dependent audience connections that remain accurate as privacy requirements tighten.
2. Compelling creative
Creative is the heartbeat of every OLV campaign. Ads must work across multiple formats and lengths, be optimised for mobile-first viewing, communicate a clear value proposition quickly and maintain brand consistency across every touchpoint.
3. Strategic placement and distribution
Optimising delivery across in-stream and outstream inventory in real time ensures campaigns reach the right audience across the open web when and where they are most receptive, rather than serving impressions at low-value moments.
OLV advertising in practice: Cheerz
One of the persistent challenges for UK and EMEA marketing teams is justifying upper-funnel video investment to budget holders who want to see direct attribution to revenue.
Cheerz, a photo printing brand operating across European markets, faced this challenge directly. The brand had an established performance marketing programme but needed to demonstrate that expanding into upper-funnel video would generate measurable commercial returns rather than simply adding to a reach figure.
Working with Epsilon, Cheerz launched a high-impact open-web video campaign using large-format OLV ads targeted at high-potential audience segments, including new parents. The campaign was structured specifically to isolate the contribution of video exposure to downstream conversion: results were compared between audiences who received both brand video and retention messaging against those who received retention activity alone.
The outcome was unambiguous. Audiences exposed to the full video and retention combination were 41% more likely to convert than those targeted with retention messaging only.
How to optimise OLV campaigns for maximum ROI
Getting strong returns from online video advertising comes down to a handful of best practices that apply consistently across UK and EMEA markets.
Build on first-party data foundations
The brands achieving the strongest OLV performance are those using their own customer data to drive targeting rather than relying on third-party audience segments. Segmenting by purchase behaviour, recency and lifetime value produces audience models that are both more accurate and more durable as privacy requirements tighten across Europe.
Use identity resolution to reach people, not devices
Identity resolution connects a single customer across their devices, browsers and environments, including Safari and other non-cookie contexts that standard targeting misses entirely. For UK brands, this is particularly relevant given the size of the Safari-using audience and the proportion of digital video consumed on iOS devices.
Connect OLV to the full funnel
OLV works best when it is not siloed from the rest of the media plan. Connecting video activity to display retargeting, CTV and email creates a coherent customer journey and allows you to measure the full path to purchase rather than attributing conversion solely to the last touchpoint.
Measure beyond viewability
Viewability and completion rates are useful hygiene metrics but they do not tell you whether OLV is driving business outcomes. Set up measurement that connects video exposure to downstream conversion, whether that is an online purchase, an in-store visit or a CRM sign-up, so budget decisions are based on commercial impact rather than proxy metrics.
Optimise creative continuously
Dynamic creative optimisation (DCO) uses real-time performance data to test and refine creative elements automatically, from messaging and imagery to calls to action. For OLV campaigns running across multiple audience segments, DCO significantly reduces the manual effort required to keep creative relevant and improves performance over the campaign lifecycle.
Building a future-proof OLV strategy
Online video advertising is not a channel that rewards a set-and-forget approach. The brands achieving the strongest results in the UK and EMEA are those treating OLV as a dynamic, data-driven discipline: continuously testing creative, refining audience segments, connecting video activity to broader funnel measurement and evolving their approach as the channel and the regulatory environment change.
The foundation for all of this is knowing your customer. First-party data, identity resolution and the ability to measure outcomes at the transaction level rather than the impression level are what separate OLV programmes that drive genuine business growth from those that generate reach figures without commercial impact.
Build a stronger OLV strategy with Epsilon
Epsilon helps UK and EMEA brands reach real people across online video, connected TV and the open web, using privacy-compliant first-party data, identity resolution and AI-powered optimisation to drive measurable returns.
Get in touch
---
## How to use AI for marketing: A comprehensive guide
Type: eps_post
URL: /how-to-use-ai-for-marketing
Last Modified: 2026-05-22T08:41:26Z
# How to use AI for marketing: A comprehensive guide
Artificial intelligence (AI) is revolutionizing the marketing landscape, offering innovative solutions to optimize strategies and enhance customer experiences. This guide examines how artificial intelligence (AI) might revolutionize your marketing initiatives, offering helpful advice and doable methods for making the most of this powerful technology.
How do digital marketers use AI?
Digital marketers are increasingly turning to AI to drive efficiency and effectiveness in their strategies. From automating routine tasks to gaining deeper insights into customer behavior, AI is becoming an integral part of modern marketing practices. According to SurveyMonkey research, increasing the adoption of AI is a top goal for 48% of marketing teams in 2024.
To learn more about preparing for data-driven marketing strategies, check out Epsilon's blog on AI marketing preparation.
The benefits of AI in marketing
AI brings numerous benefits to marketing, enhancing both the efficiency of operations and the effectiveness of campaigns. Here’s a closer look at the key advantages:
Data-driven insights
AI can analyze vast amounts of data to uncover insights that would be impossible to detect manually. By processing large datasets quickly, AI helps marketers understand trends and customer preferences with greater accuracy and act on insights in real time. For instance, AI algorithms can identify emerging patterns in consumer behavior, enabling more targeted marketing strategies.
Enhanced personalization at scale
AI allows for high-level customization of marketing messages and content based on individual customer data. This personalization boosts engagement and conversion rates by delivering relevant content tailored to each user’s interests. For example, a study done by Experian, found that personalized email campaigns powered by AI can achieve 2.5 times higher click through rates and generate 6 times more sales.
Reduced response times
AI-driven automation can significantly reduce response times in customer service. Chatbots and virtual assistants provide instant responses to customer queries, enhancing satisfaction and freeing up human agents for more complex issues. This quick resolution improves overall customer experience and loyalty.
Better customer experience
AI enhances the customer journey through personalized interactions and anticipatory service. By predicting customer needs and preferences, AI helps brands deliver timely and relevant experiences, leading to higher satisfaction and retention rates.
Maximized speed and efficiency
AI automates repetitive tasks, such as data entry and campaign monitoring, which maximizes speed and efficiency in marketing operations. This automation allows marketing teams to focus on strategic initiatives and creative tasks, driving overall productivity.
Cost savings
AI contributes to cost savings by optimizing marketing spend and reducing operational expenses. AI tools can analyze campaign performance in real-time, allowing for adjustments that minimize wasted budget and enhance cost-effectiveness.
Increased ROI
AI enhances return on investment by optimizing marketing campaigns and resources. With real-time data analysis and adaptive algorithms, AI ensures that marketing strategies are continuously refined for better performance and higher ROI.
How to leverage AI in marketing
Integrating AI into your marketing strategy involves several key steps. In an Epsilon study, they found that “marketers are pressured to deliver unique and personalized experiences on a dime”,so here’s how to make the most of AI in various marketing functions:
Enhanced data interpretation
AI excels at interpreting vast data sets quickly, providing actionable insights that can optimize strategies and decision-making processes. These tools can help marketers understand customer behavior and preferences more effectively.
Streamlined content generation
AI can assist in drafting initial marketing content, from social media updates to complex articles. While generative AI tools can provide a solid foundation, it's essential to remember that they're most effective when paired with predictive AI. Predictive AI helps identify your target audience, their preferences, and the optimal timing for content delivery. By combining these two approaches, you can create more relevant and engaging content that resonates with your audience.
Efficiency in administrative tasks
AI automates routine tasks such as scheduling and managing communications. This automation streamlines administrative processes, allowing marketers to focus on strategic and creative work.
Customized user experiences
AI analyzes user data to deliver personalized content and interactions. For instance, AI algorithms can recommend products based on previous purchases or browsing history, enhancing engagement and satisfaction.
Sophisticated media purchasing
AI-driven tools optimize media buying by analyzing data to select the most effective channels and times for ad placements. This ensures that marketing budgets are spent efficiently, maximizing reach and ROI.
Innovative chatbot interactions
Advanced AI chatbots provide tailored customer support and engagement. They learn from interactions to continuously improve service, offering more relevant and accurate responses over time.
Optimized email marketing
AI can tailor email marketing efforts based on user behavior analytics. By analyzing open rates, click-through rates, and other metrics, AI helps create highly targeted email campaigns that drive conversions.
Predictive analytics for consumer behavior
AI uses past data to predict the actions of customers and the results of campaigns in the future. Marketers are able to improve strategic planning and take preemptive measures because to this predictive capability. In our recent blog, How marketers can leverage the 'art and science' power of generative and predictive AI, "Predictive AI helps marketers decide whom to reach, where to reach them, when to reach them and what to say to predict the most successful outcome." By harnessing the power of predictive analytics, businesses can optimize their marketing efforts and deliver more personalized and effective campaigns.
Elevated customer journeys
AI enriches the customer experience by ensuring interactions are relevant and personalized. This approach leads to higher conversion rates and customer loyalty.
AI-Powered marketing: How to design a winning strategy
To design an effective AI-powered marketing strategy, follow these steps:
Identifyyour marketing goals
Set realistic and measurable goals for AI-driven marketing efforts. Align these goals with your overall business objectives to ensure that AI initiatives support your broader strategy.
Choose your AI framework
Select the right AI technologies that fit your marketing needs. Consider factors such as scalability, cost, and technical support when choosing AI tools and platforms.
Review and optimize regularly
Continually monitor AI systems and make adjustments based on performance data and changing market conditions. Regular optimization ensures that your AI tools remain effective and aligned with your goals.
Measure success with KPIs and metrics
Use key performance indicators (KPIs) and metrics to measure the effectiveness of AI in your marketing efforts. Track metrics such as conversion rates, ROI, and customer satisfaction to refine your strategies and achieve better outcomes.
Conclusion
AI is transforming marketing by offering advanced tools and insights that enhance efficiency, personalization, and ROI. Epsilon’s data-driven marketing solutions can help you leverage AI to achieve superior results and drive business growth. Explore Epsilon’s digital marketing services to discover how AI can elevate your marketing strategies and deliver real business outcomes.
---
## Why retail media measurement still ignores 70% of UK retail
Type: eps_post
URL: /retail-media-measurement-uk-in-store
Last Modified: 2026-05-26T15:13:28Z
# Why retail media measurement still ignores 70% of UK retail
In-store sales measurement is one of the unsolved problems in retail media, and it is the part of an effective retail media strategy that most measurement frameworks quietly skip past.
According to the ONS, around 70% of the UK's retail transactions still happen in-store, rather than online. Across EMEA the picture is similar: physical retail still accounts for the majority of transactions in every major market. The retail media industry has spent the last five years building measurement frameworks for the other 30%.
That is the problem in one sentence.
We have written up what an effective retail media strategy looks like in full, with in-store measurement as one of the foundations. You can read the guide here. What follows is the case for why this part of the strategy matters, and what the measurement gap actually costs.
Where does retail media measurement go wrong?
Retail media networks have become the fastest-growing channel in digital advertising, and the dashboards have kept pace. Impressions, clicks, onsite conversions, ROAS within the retailer's own ecosystem, all of it measurable, all of it reportable, all of it neat. The trouble is that for most UK and EMEA retailers, the dashboard is describing a minority of the business. The majority of transactions triggered by a retail media campaign happen somewhere the campaign cannot see: in an aisle, at a till, on a different device, several days later.
If your retail media measurement stops at the click, you are not measuring retail media. You are measuring a slice of it and calling it the whole.
Why does retail media measurement struggle with in-store sales?
Closing the loop is the industry's stated ambition: connect the ad exposure to the eventual sale, regardless of where that sale happens. In practice, "closed-loop" usually means closed within a single channel. Display impression to website visit. CTV view to app open. Onsite ad to onsite basket.
Find out more about Epsilon Retail Media’s onsite enhancements through the acquisition of CitrusAd.
The genuinely closed loop, the one that joins a display impression on a Tuesday to an in-store transaction on a Saturday, requires something most measurement stacks do not have: an identity layer that resolves the same person across devices, sessions, and the physical store. Offline attribution depends on this. Cookies cannot do it. Email-based identity solutions cannot do it reliably either, because one customer with four email addresses appears as four customers, and an in-store shopper who never gives their email at the till appears as nobody at all.
The result is a measurement gap that systematically under-reports the channel's actual contribution. Retail media budgets get justified on the visible 30%, and the invisible 70% gets credited to "brand," "halo," or nothing at all.
What does in-store measurement actually look like when it works?
When Currys ran a multi-channel campaign across retail media, CTV and online video with identity resolution underneath it, the measurement showed 56,000 incremental store visits, a 20% in-store sales increase, and a 46% conversion uplift compared to display alone. None of that would have surfaced in a click-attributed report. The campaign would have looked like a CTV spend with a soft ROAS, and the retail media team would have been arguing for budget on the wrong evidence.
The reason those numbers held up under scrutiny is straightforward. The same identity that resolved the digital impression also resolved the in-store transaction at the till. The person who saw the ad and the person who bought the dishwasher three days later were the same person, demonstrably, in the data. Not an inferred match. Not a cohort overlap. The same individual.
This is what changes when identity is the foundation of in-store sales measurement rather than the workaround. The performance does not change. The visibility of the performance does.
What does effective retail media measurement require?
The honest answer is that retail media measurement that captures the full 70% does not start with measurement. It starts with identity resolution.
Without a persistent identity layer that resolves to the individual, not the device and not the email address, every other measurement claim is built on sand. Loyalty and first-party data have to feed that identity with high-confidence signals, including in-store transactions, which most measurement frameworks still treat as out of scope. And the methodology that connects exposure to outcome across channels has to be verified independently. Epsilon's outcomes measurement is MRC accredited, which remains rare in the category and matters precisely because closed-loop claims are easy to make and hard to validate.
This is the strategy underneath the measurement problem. We have written it up in full, with the supporting framework and the pieces that fit alongside identity resolution to make retail media measurable end-to-end.
The question to take to your next planning meeting is not "what is our retail media ROAS." It is "what share of our retail media-influenced sales is our measurement actually capable of seeing." If the honest answer is 30%, the dashboard is not a measurement system. It is a sampling system, and the sample is the easy part.
What else does an effective retail media strategy need?
In-store sales measurement is one part of getting retail media right. The full strategy depends on two more capabilities that work alongside it.
The first is finding the right shoppers in the first place. Most retail media budgets reach the same crowded pool of high-intent buyers across every campaign, which inflates frequency without inflating sales. Reaching new and unique shoppers requires identity that can find people who are genuinely in-market, not just people who happen to be addressable.
The second is activating across channels without breaking the identity thread. Retail media is no longer onsite-only. It runs across CTV, display, online video and increasingly into the open web. The campaigns that work join those channels through the same identity layer, so frequency, sequencing and measurement hold together. The campaigns that do not work treat each channel as a separate buy and end up paying for the same shopper several times.
In the full guide we cover all three: finding unique shoppers, activating seamlessly across channels, and measuring real sales impact across online and in-store. With practical guidance on what to look for in a partner who can deliver against each.
Read the full guide, 3 elements of a successful retail media strategy
---
## Black Friday 2026: how to avoid wasting marketing budget
Type: eps_post
URL: /black-friday-2026-how-to-avoid-wasting-marketing-budget
Last Modified: 2026-09-09T09:49:59Z
# Black Friday 2026: how to avoid wasting marketing budget
Black Friday 2026 is shaping up as a confident quarter for UK marketers, and a more cautious one for the shoppers they are trying to reach. That gap is where budget gets wasted.
Marketers are planning to spend more and expecting it to pay back, with 93% forecasting higher sales than last year. Most of that money has one job, since 79% is going into performance and direct response against just 8% leaning towards brand. UK consumers are moving the other way, cutting back on non-essentials and taking longer to decide what is worth buying. When budget is weighted towards immediate conversion and shoppers are deliberately holding off, a lot of it ends up chasing sales that were never going to happen in the window.
New Epsilon research shows where that waste happens across the peak window, which runs from Black Friday through to the January sales, and how to plan around it.
What to expect from UK consumers this Black Friday
UK shoppers are not leaving the market, they are being more careful about what they buy and when. 63% are deferring bigger purchases, and 39% say they are buying less often but choosing better when they do.
ONS figures give the reason, with real UK household disposable income per head down 0.8% on the previous quarter. The IPA Bellwether, which surveys around 300 UK marketing professionals every quarter, picks up the same caution from the other direction. Asked about their own company's prospects, the net balance was -9.6% in Q2 2026, while for their industry's prospects it fell to -25.1%. Confidence in your own plan tends to run some way ahead of confidence in the market it is landing in.
The spending power itself has not disappeared, and 48% of shoppers still plan to treat themselves at some point across the season. UK consumers expect to spend £334 each over the peak window, or £17.9bn in total, but that spending is now more considered, which makes the timing of your budget matter more than its size.
How to set realistic goals for Q4
The mechanics of Black Friday have not changed. What needs to change is what you ask each pound to do and how you judge whether it worked.
Give each part of the budget a different job and a different measure, and agree those measures before the quarter starts. Visibility, consideration and conversion are not the same task and should not share a KPI. A consideration campaign judged on last-click return will look like a failure and get switched off in week two.
Measure incremental return instead of total return. Total ROAS rewards you for reaching people who were always going to buy, which is the wrong thing to optimise towards in a quarter when a shrinking group accounts for most of the purchases.
Run your non-buyer filter over 30 to 60 days, because a seven day window is not long enough when so many shoppers are deferring. Anything shorter will under-credit the work done in November and over-credit whatever reaches them in January.
Cap frequency deliberately, because over-frequency is the most common form of waste in a low-conversion quarter and it is also the easiest of them to fix once somebody is actually measuring it.
Move budget towards the moments on the UK retail calendar where competition is thinner. Our research puts the share of shoppers converting on Black Friday at 50%, falling to 37% on Boxing Day and 34% in the January sales, but the gap in what it costs to reach those audiences is far wider than the gap in how well they convert.
Fix in-store measurement before you scale spend. 93% of UK marketers say they are confident proving the impact of paid digital on online sales, but that falls to 88% for shops, and 55% say their partners give them too little data to plan across channels at all.
How to justify those goals to your leadership team
Changing what a campaign is measured on is an easier conversation to have with two arguments prepared.
The first is that not everybody is going to buy during peak, so a plan that assumes they will is a plan that misses. When most of the growth has to come from shoppers who are deliberately holding off, a pure conversion target asks the team to capture demand that has not formed yet. Setting consideration actions as a legitimate mark of success means the campaigns that moved people closer to buying get counted, instead of appearing at the end of the quarter as money that did nothing.
The second is that your peak season customer is not shopping for themselves. Across the peak window people buy for other people, to a deadline and against a list, and in January they revert to the behaviour your loyalty programme records already describe. That is what makes retail media worth treating as a consideration channel this quarter and not only a conversion one. 56% of UK consumers say they feel more confident in a brand promoted by a retailer they already shop with, and among Gen Z 71% say seeing a brand consistently makes them more confident about buying, against 48% of consumers overall. A shopper who keeps seeing you in a retailer environment in November has a reason to trust you in January, when they are buying for themselves again.
Both arguments rest on being able to prove the upper funnel worked. If success in Q4 is a consideration action instead of a sale, you have to show that the same person who saw the ad in November came back for a second touchpoint in December and bought in January. That is a tracking problem before it is a media problem, and with third-party cookies unreliable the join has to come from data you already own. Epsilon resolves identity on deterministic signals such as name and address, so one person with four email addresses is recognised as one customer and not four, and the journey from first exposure through to purchase stays visible across channels.
Get the full Golden Quarter research
Advertising Under Pressure is based on two studies Epsilon commissioned in 2026. The first surveyed 2,000 UK adults, weighted to be nationally representative. The second surveyed 200 UK marketing decision makers, all of them controlling £500,000 or more in annual marketing budget at brands turning over £5m or more.
Alongside everything above, the report covers where UK consumers are actually discovering brands and how far that sits from where marketers are putting their money, which moments across the peak retail calendar carry the strongest conversion and which are cheapest to reach, how loyalty and switching behaviour differ by category, what the trust gap between retailers and brands means for younger shoppers, and a five point action plan for the £17.9bn UK consumers expect to spend across the peak window.
Download the report
---
## How to develop a brand strategy: Roadmap to success
Type: eps_post
URL: /how-to-develop-brand-strategy-emea
Last Modified: 2026-04-16T15:39:25Z
# How to develop a brand strategy: Roadmap to success
Your brand is how people feel about your business or products. It is what they say about you when you are not in the room. And in a crowded European market, where consumers have more choices than ever and loyalty is harder to earn, building a brand that resonates consistently and measurably is one of the most important investments a marketing team can make.
What is brand strategy?
A brand strategy is a long-term plan that defines who you are as a brand and how you present yourself to customers and prospects. It is not just a name and a logo. It is your unique identity, personality and the promise you make to everyone who encounters your business.
When executed well, a brand strategy plays a powerful role in achieving business goals, from meeting sales targets and growing revenue to building the kind of customer loyalty that compounds over time. Specifically, effective brand building helps you:
Drive brand awareness in competitive categories
Acquire new customers more efficiently
Improve customer loyalty and lifetime value
Inspire word-of-mouth and organic advocacy
The intangible elements of a brand strategy get you noticed and create emotional relationships built on resonance and trust. But in 2026, the most effective brand strategies across EMEA are not built on intuition alone. They are built on data.
Why a data-driven approach is critical for modern branding
Traditional brand building relies heavily on creative instinct and experience. Sometimes that instinct is right, but with marketing budgets under sustained pressure across Europe, few CMOs can afford to build a brand strategy on guesswork.
A brand strategy built on a foundation of customer data and behavioural insight is more likely to resonate with the audiences you are trying to reach, and more likely to produce a measurable return on investment. The key shift is from asking "what do we think customers want?" to asking "what does the data tell us customers actually respond to?"
This does not diminish the role of creativity. Data makes creative decisions stronger by grounding them in evidence, ensuring your brand voice, messaging and visual identity are built around real customer insight rather than internal assumptions.
The strongest brand strategies in EMEA right now combine creative clarity with data-driven precision. Brands that can do both consistently are pulling ahead of those that treat them as separate workstreams.
How to develop a data-driven brand strategy
The following steps build on each other to create a comprehensive brand strategy grounded in customer insight. Work through them in sequence and you will have a clear framework for every marketing decision that follows.
Get clear on your brand purpose and values: Start by establishing why your brand exists beyond selling products and generating revenue. Define your brand purpose (what role you play in customers' lives), your brand values (the principles that guide your decisions) and your mission and vision (where you are going and how you plan to get there). These foundations should align with what your customers actually care about, informed by audience insight and social listening rather than internal consensus alone.
Understand your competitive landscape: Map what your direct competitors are doing and where they are winning or losing. Use transactional data, search data and social listening to understand share of voice, share of wallet and the customer needs each competitor is or is not addressing. The goal is not to imitate but to identify genuine whitespace, customer needs that no existing brand or message is serving well. In fragmented European markets, this kind of competitive intelligence is often the difference between a brand that stands out and one that blends in.
Define your ideal customers: Go beyond broad demographics. Understand who your products are genuinely best suited for, what they value, what their pain points are and how they make decisions. First-party transaction data, behavioural data and declared interest data all contribute to a more accurate picture of your actual audience. You may discover that the customers you thought you were targeting are not the ones driving your revenue, and that finding alone can reframe your entire brand strategy.
Develop your brand voice: Your brand voice is the consistent way you communicate across every channel and touchpoint. It reflects your personality and values, and it needs to feel authentic rather than corporate. Social listening is particularly useful here: understanding how your customers talk about your category, your brand and your competitors helps you develop a voice that feels genuinely aligned with theirs rather than talking at them from a distance.
Define your messaging and positioning: This is where you articulate what makes your brand different. Your value proposition, messaging pillars and positioning statement should address real customer needs, reflect your brand voice and clearly differentiate you from competitors. Everything you publish or advertise should ladder up to one of your core messaging pillars. Without this step, messaging becomes inconsistent across teams and channels, which erodes brand trust over time.
Build your visual identity: Logo, typography, colour palette, photography and iconography are the visible expression of everything you have defined in the steps above. Before briefing a design team, revisit your audience insight, brand personality and voice. Visual identity should be a direct translation of your strategy, not a creative exercise that runs in parallel to it.
Create brand guidelines: Document everything. Brand guidelines give everyone who touches your brand, from in-house teams to freelancers and agency partners, the tools they need to produce work that is consistently on brand. Without clear guidelines, brand consistency is left to interpretation, and interpretation compounds into fragmentation over time.
Brand strategy in practice: Cheerz
One of the most common tensions in EMEA marketing teams is the debate between brand investment and performance marketing. Budget holders want to see returns, and performance campaigns offer metrics that brand activity traditionally cannot. The result is a gradual shift of budget toward the bottom of the funnel, with brand-building activity deprioritised or cut entirely.
The problem is that performance-only marketing draws down on existing brand awareness without replenishing it. Conversion campaigns work because the brand has already done the work of making people aware and creating preference. Remove the brand investment and, over time, the performance campaigns become less effective too.
Photo printing brand Cheerz faced this challenge directly. Operating in a competitive consumer category, the brand needed to prove that investing in upper-funnel brand activity would drive measurable commercial outcomes, not just awareness metrics that were difficult to connect to revenue.
Working with Epsilon, Cheerz expanded beyond its existing performance activity into open-web video, using high-impact large-format ads targeted at high-potential audience segments including new parents. Crucially, the campaign was designed to measure the commercial impact of brand exposure directly, comparing results between audiences who received both brand-building and retention messaging against those who received retention activity alone.
The results made the case clearly. Audiences exposed to the full brand and retention combination were 41% more likely to convert than those who received retention messaging only. The brand-building activity was not just generating awareness; it was directly lifting the conversion rate of the performance campaigns running alongside it.
Activating your brand strategy across channels
Defining a brand strategy is only half the work. The other half is activating it consistently across every channel and touchpoint your customers encounter. In practice, this is where many EMEA brands struggle. Teams operate in silos.
Agency partners work from different briefs. Channels run independently with different messaging. The brand that customers experience is fragmented, and fragmentation undermines the trust that brand consistency is designed to build.
Consistent, omnichannel brand activation requires three things working together:
Identity resolution: Identity resolution ties lots of fragmented identifiers together around one real individual. It ensures the right person receives the right message across devices and channels, keeping personalisation consistent and avoiding the fragmented experiences.
Customer data: Paired with strong identity, customer data helps build a full view of customer needs, preferences and past behaviour making it possible to to personalise at scale without losing brand consistency.
AI-driven optimisation: AI tests and refines every element of brand communications, from message and imagery to calls to action, so each touchpoint is informed by what has worked before and what is working now.
Measuring and evolving your brand strategy over time
A brand strategy is not a document you produce once and file away. It should evolve as your products, market and customers change. Building in regular measurement and review cycles is what separates brands that adapt and grow from those that stagnate.
Beyond Net Promoter Score, which remains a common but limited measure of brand health, EMEA marketers should consider:
Share of voice across search and social, tracking how your brand's visibility compares to competitors over time
Brand sentiment analysis, understanding not just how often you are mentioned but how you are perceived
Incrementality testing, measuring the genuine uplift your brand activity is generating rather than relying on attribution models that overcount existing intent
Generative engine optimisation (GEO) visibility, tracking how your brand appears in AI-generated search results across Google, Perplexity and other platforms that are rapidly becoming primary discovery channels
Brand strategy and performance marketing are not competing priorities. As the Cheerz example shows, brand investment directly improves the efficiency of performance campaigns. The brands measuring both together are the ones making the most informed budget decisions.
Building a brand that performs across EMEA
Brand strategy looks different across European markets. Consumer expectations, cultural nuance, language and media habits vary significantly between the UK, France, Germany and beyond. A brand strategy developed for one market rarely translates intact to another, and the brands that perform consistently across EMEA are those that localise their activation while maintaining a coherent strategic core.
What holds across all markets is the underlying principle: brand strategy without data is guesswork, and data without a brand strategy is noise. The combination of creative clarity, deep customer insight and the technology to activate both consistently is what builds brands that grow sustainably in competitive European markets.
Build a stronger brand strategy with Epsilon
Epsilon works with leading European brands to develop and activate brand strategies grounded in first-party data, identity resolution and AI-powered optimisation across every channel.
Get in touch via the Contact Us link below.
---
## Gen Z: What it takes to reach the fastest-growing generation in 2025
Type: eps_post
URL: /how-to-reach-gen-z-generations-report
Last Modified: 2025-03-31T17:00:01Z
# Gen Z: What it takes to reach the fastest-growing generation in 2025
It's a tale as old as time: As a new generation gains ground in the workforce, the status quo gets flipped on its head. We saw it with millennials in the 2010s, and now we're seeing it again as Gen Zers are building their portfolios, opening their own businesses, leading companies and starting to reimagine the future of work as a whole.
Gen Z is quickly gaining ground in the workforce and economy, and it can be a struggle for brands to keep up. To better understand this ever-evolving demographic, Epsilon conducted a cross-generational research study, capturing preferences from more than 2,500 consumers across the U.S.
Our research breaks the Gen Z demographic into two segments, Gen Z minors (13- to 17-year-olds) and Gen Z adults (18- to 26-year-olds). Gen Z minors were recruited through Dynata Inc. with consent from their parents or grandparents.
In the survey, we asked respondents questions about how they consume media, what their purchasing behavior has looked like in the past year, how they use electronic devices, and how they feel about AI, brand loyalty preferences and more.
“Looking at customers and prospects by generation is a simple way to get a deeper understanding of consumers beyond what they are buying and uncover differences in behaviors, engagement, preferences and motivators," said Gillian MacPherson, Vice President of Product at Epsilon. "Starting to segment by generation lays the groundwork to have a better view of each individual, allowing you to reach them with an impactful message that resonates in the channels they use."
Our research shows that while Gen Z consumers are more adept at technology than their elders, they still respond to traditional shopping experiences, like in-store offerings.
Unpacking generational differences: 4 attributes that set Gen Z apart
Gen Zs are at the cutting edge of technology—and they're savvier than their millennial counterparts
Gen Zs grew up fully immersed in the internet. IDEO Journal put it best: "Screenagers. Digital natives. The TikTok generation. It's hard to find an epithet for those born between the mid-1990s and early 2010s—aka Gen Z—that doesn’t call out a dependency on technology."
McKinsey adds, "[Gen Zs] often turn to the internet when looking for any kind of information, including news and reviews prior to making a purchase. They flit between sites, apps and social media feeds, each one forming a different part of their online ecosystem."
When it comes to what device they’re using to shop, Epsilon research shows that 86% of Gen Z adults use their smartphones, but the device of choice shifts a bit when we look at how this demographic watches TV and streams content.
"These days, it's clear consumers are sharing their attention across multiple screens," says Shannon Fazendin, Director of Client Management at Epsilon. In a recent webinar with Samsung Ads, Fazendin outlined a report that examined device usage across generations. "What’s interesting is that, while most people identified their large-format television as the primary screen, Gen Z is where we see a shift, with a higher distribution identifying their phone as the primary screen and TV as the secondary," Fazendin says.
This shift is visible in Epsilon's research too: Sixty five percent of Gen Z minors and 46% of Gen Z adults stream content on a TV, but 24% of Gen Z adults use their smartphone most often to stream content, compared to only 15% of millennials (and the percentage drops even further for Gen Xers and boomers).
This makes sense when we consider that 31% of Gen Zs live at home or with roommates, so using their smartphones gives them more autonomy over what they’re watching and they can watch while they’re on the go. They're also just more comfortable using emerging technology, so they're not afraid to download a new app.
It's worth noting that Gen Z minors are also more likely to use streaming services (49%) than traditional TV (34%) to watch shows, movies, sports or news, but because minors are probably not the account holders for cable and/or streaming, it's hard to determine whether this behavior is intentional.
The takeaway: It's key for marketers and brands to personalize ads for younger generations and ensure they're optimized for mobile experiences. They also need to avoid oversaturating multiple channels with the same messaging.
Gen Zs are still interested in in-person experiences
Despite having such a large digital footprint, Gen Zs still yearn for in-person connection. “They’re not looking to hide behind screens; they’re actively seeking opportunities to build interpersonal skills and meaningful professional relationships. This generation has a sophisticated understanding of when technology helps and when it hinders real connection,” Janet Dell, the CEO of Freeman, an event marketing company, told CNBC.
We see that trend carry over for shopping preferences, too, as 31% of Gen Z minors and 26% of Gen Z adults see shopping as a social activity—higher than any other generation. This is likely due to the fact that third places are disappearing at an increasing rate and most nightlife options don't cater to minors or adults under the age of 21.
“Time and again, the emotional value of digital experiences is reinforced by authenticity, inclusivity and sustainability carries over into the physical world with predisposed beliefs about what a brand (and its chosen influencers) stands for. The key is getting a mix that speaks both to product utility and brand values, where physical and digital can meet," says Kevin Mabley, Epsilon's Managing Director of Strategic Consulting and Services.
The takeaway: Don't dismiss in-person events or providing bespoke opportunities for younger generations to touch and interact with physical products. In-person activations can provide a meaningful touchpoint for your audience to engage with your brand.
Gen Z adults are starting to gain a financial foothold–but they're still frugal
While inflation and rising prices continue to ripple across the country, 28% of Gen Z adults note that their financial situation has improved in the past year. This is likely due to more Gen Zs entering the workforce (by 2030, Gen Zs are expected to make up 30% of the workforce) and seeing their income and purchasing power increase as a result.
That being said, 76% of Gen Z adults said they're looking for sales, deals and discounts and more than half are shopping at less-expensive stores to combat the impacts of rising costs and inflation.
"The younger generation still wants to flourish," says Mark Beal, assistant professor at the Rutgers University School of Communication and Information, in a July 2024 article for BBC. "Gen Z does have financial goals. They are earning money. They are saving money. They are investing money. Some have already purchased homes. They're just approaching [goals] differently. It's not quite as structured and rigid as previous generations—those of us who thought, 'By the time I'm 30, I need a house with a white picket fence.'"
The takeaway: While inflation is less of a concern for this generation, they're still prioritizing deals and discounts and trying to keep costs low, so marketers and retailers need to keep price in mind when targeting this audience.
Gen Zs are increasingly relying on AI
AI usage is more common among younger generations. In our research, 32% of Gen Z minors and 36% of Gen Z adults said they use it every day. More than half of Gen Z minors agree that using AI saves time (the top reason mentioned for using AI overall), while 30% of Gen Z adults enjoy using AI because it gives them new ideas and perspectives.
"Gen Z offers brands short bursts of attention to capture interest before quickly moving on. Personalization is table-stakes, but entertainment must also be part of the mix," Mabley says. "Brands can use Gen Z's comfortability with AI technology and data sharing to their advantage when recommending products, timing or sequencing offers and tweaking the exposure environment based on what top-tier customers have engaged with in the past. Without using that data, brands experience what we call the 'opportunity cost of irrelevance,' where users immediately disengage with inconsistent content, expecting their beloved brands to at least know who they are and what they want."
Gen Zs might have fewer concerns about the technology than other generations, but 15% of Gen Z minors and 35% of Gen Z adults are worried about privacy and data security. Eight percent of Gen Z minors and 25% of Gen Z adults also said they're concerned about losing jobs to AI.
At work, 32% of Gen Z adults say they use AI tools or technology for professional tasks. The percentage is the same for millennials but dips to 19% for Gen Xers and 7% for boomers.
“Missing out on in-person interactions on campus and at work, [Gen Z] immersed themselves in screens, feeds and technology,” researchers at TalentLMS wrote in a July 2024 study. “So when AI showed up, they embraced it. For Gen Z, AI isn’t just a new tech tool. It’s their 24/7 sidekick, helping them navigate work and life.”
The takeaway: Don't be afraid to test emerging channels, trends and technology when trying to reach younger audiences. As AI takes on more prominence in the workplace, companies will need to update policies, infrastructure and processes to meet the demands of the new workforce.
Complete foundational data: The secret to connecting with Gen Z
As the Gen Z consumer base continues to grow, brands need to find unique way to meet them where they're at. To help you reach Gen Z consumers and prospects with the right message at the right time, Epsilon's complete foundational data can help you stay connected.
Learn more about how you can activate smarter campaigns across all channels with the industry’s best transactional database.
---
## Retail MediaX 2026: John Lewis and the future of retail media
Type: eps_post
URL: /retail-mediax-2026-john-lewis-future-retail-media
Last Modified: 2026-05-28T12:36:12Z
# Retail MediaX 2026: John Lewis and the future of retail media
On May 14, Epsilon took part in Retail MediaX 2026 in London. Joined on stage by John Lewis Partnership to discuss retail media as a core growth engine. The session combined practical lessons from John Lewis’ five-year transformation journey with live audience polling of over 80 brands and retailers. The result? A clear picture of both the progress being made in retail media networks and the gaps that still need solving. Read on to discover the key retail media insights from Retail Media X 2026.
The session kicked off with Epsilon’s Director of Platform and Enablement, Esme Robinson, joining Kaitlin Craig, Partner & Retail Media Proposition Strategy & Development Manager at John Lewis to share a real-world view of what it takes to build a successful retail media network and where the industry still has work to do.
From transformation to traction: the John Lewis Retail Media case study
John Lewis’ success in retail media has been driven by 4 critical principles:
1. Start with strategic alignment
Retail media works when retailer and brand goals are aligned. John Lewis placed brands at the centre of its strategy, using supplier insight to deeply understand their needs and objectives.
2. Build an integrated media offering
Retail media is now a full-funnel ecosystem. John Lewis prioritised:
Integrating online video (OLV) and connected TV
Blending onsite and offsite media
Activating across the full customer journey
3. Let data lead (and test and learn)
Maturity takes time. John Lewis highlighted that the most effective campaigns are driven by data, and the most successful brands are open to continuous testing and learning.
4. Solve measurement properly
Measurement is both the biggest challenge and growth lever. It isn’t one-size-fits-all and the John Lewis view was that measurement breakthrough depends on:
Achieving closed-loop measurement
Choosing the right partners like Epsilon
Aligning metrics to brand objectives (not just ROAS)
Incorporating in-store data completes a critical missing piece.
What brands and retailers told us: poll results
As part of the discussion, live polls ran with the retailers and brands in the audience. The results highlight where retail media is today and where it’s heading.
Biggest challenges in retail media
When thinking of the biggest challenges that retail media faces, measurement is seen as the number one barrier by a significant margin.
What it means: Solving measurement (especially closed-loop measurement) is the retail media industry’s biggest unlock and to do it, it requires partners that can help you to measure both online and in-store impact.
How differentiated are retail media networks?
When asked on their view on the differentiation between retail media networks, they are largely perceived as similar. Just over 1 in 5 respondents felt there is clear differentiation between retail media networks available today.
What it means: There’s a major opportunity for retailers to differentiate through:
Data and measurement
Customer access and unique audience traits
Media sophistication
Measuring retail media effectiveness
In response to the level of confidence in measuring the effectiveness of retail media, it highlighted that confidence is low and inconsistency is the norm.
What it means: Standardisation and robust measurement frameworks are urgently needed to improve confidence and drive greater investment in retail media.
Activation channels on the rise
When asked for their favourite activation channel, Onsite activation remains the foundation of retail media but nearly half are already looking beyond it. CTV and in-store are emerging as serious growth channels for retail media players.
What it means: Retailers must expand beyond onsite to capture full-funnel demand, particularly as CTV continues to rise.
Retail media undervalues offsite display
A truly revealing insight came when the audience was asked how they perceived offsite display in retail media. It’s apparent that offsite display is being significantly undervalued today and it presents a real opportunity for the future of retail media.
What it means: Brands are recognising the importance of extending retail media beyond retailer environments to drive scale and acquisition.
What next for retail media?
Overall, the session highlighted three priorities for the industry:
Move beyond onsite
Success now depends on full-funnel strategies that connect onsite, offsite, CTV and in-store touchpoints.
Fix measurement
Measurement remains the biggest blocker—and unlock. Closed-loop, cross-channel measurement is critical to proving impact.
Differentiate or fall behind
Competitive advantage will come from stronger first-party data, richer customer access, and smarter activation across channels.
Retail media is evolving fast, those who act on these priorities will define the next phase of growth.
Want to unlock the full value of retail media?
Use the button below to get in touch to see how Epsilon Retail Media can help you deliver closed-loop measurement, activate audiences across channels and drive measurable business growth.
---
## Trends Snapshot: What will drive growth in 2026?
Type: eps_post
URL: /2026-trends-report-snapshot-marketing-growth
Last Modified: 2026-01-15T11:01:49Z
# Trends Snapshot: What will drive growth in 2026?
Marketing is entering 2026 with no shortage of ambition, but plenty of uncertainty. Channels are fragmenting, discovery is being reshaped by AI, and measurement is under more scrutiny than ever. The 2026 Trends Snapshot brings these shifts into focus, cutting through hype to show where teams should double down and where old assumptions no longer hold.
This is not a set of predictions for prediction’s sake. It is a practical view of what is already changing across retail media, loyalty, discovery and measurement, and what marketers need to do now to stay ahead.
The questions the report answers
Will marketers finally solve John Wanamaker’s adage that half the marketing budget is wasted?
Why is retail media reaching a crossroads, and what separates full-funnel leaders from the rest?
How are loyalty programmes evolving from passive earn-and-burn to active engagement engines?
How does discovery change when AI tools compress search and reduce brand visibility?
Why is MMM back in favour, and what needs fixing before it can be trusted?
Across each theme, the report pairs a clear market shift with a simple readiness lens, outlining what to prioritise as budgets, signals and shopper behaviour continue to converge.
Who it’s for
The report is designed for senior marketers, commerce leaders and agency teams who want clarity, not noise. If you are planning for the year ahead and need sharper answers on where growth will actually come from, this report is a strong starting point.
Explore the full 2026 Trends Snapshot
---
## 11 real-life marketer benefits of identity resolution
Type: eps_post
URL: /eleven-marketer-benefits-of-identity-resolution
Last Modified: 2026-02-25T14:53:51Z
# 11 real-life marketer benefits of identity resolution
Identity resolution is the quiet workhorse powering today’s most effective marketing campaigns. It connects signals across channels and touchpoints to understand where they belong to the same person.
In today’s complex marketing landscape, it is central to how brands drive measurable growth. With identity resolution in place, marketers move beyond isolated interactions to build a more unified view of each customer and the actions that shape performance.
The important caveat is that identity resolution only helps when you can trust the output, because weak matches create weak audiences and misleading attribution, no matter how much data you layer on top.
What does deterministic identity add?
Deterministic-led identity resolution works much like verifying someone with an ID card, matching data to precise, unchanging information such as name and physical address.
Because the match is highly accurate, brands can unify interactions across digital and offline environments with greater confidence, then tie signals such as site visits, email engagement, app activity and loyalty behaviour back to the same individual.
The impact shows up in plenty of practical ways, and the sections below focus on the ones marketers tend to feel first.
Real-life benefits of identity resolution for marketers
1) Connect the dots with complete customer profiles
Modern consumers interact with brands in non-linear ways. They browse on mobile, researching on desktop, purchasing in-store and vice-versa. This behaviour fragments data, making it difficult for marketers to see the full customer journey.
Identity resolution bridges these fragmented data gaps revealing critical actions, such as a customer abandoning a cart online but converting later through a retailer ad, and provides a holistic view of behaviour. One of the most powerful real-world advantages of identity resolution is its ability to illuminate customer behaviours that occur outside a brand’s owned channels.
2) Map the complete customer journey to purchase
With cohesive identity, marketers can link together customer actions that happen across the open web, in-store environments, and through retailer partners to understand each customer’s path from initial interest to conversion.
This expanded visibility uncovers which channels, messages and moments actually drive purchase decisions. Without identity resolution, critical influences remain hidden: for example, a purchase made through a retail affiliate. By making the invisible visible, identity resolution can bring real-world benefits from optimising strategies, allocating budgets more efficiently, to delivering truly seamless customer experiences.
With Epsilon’s complimentary DiME visualisation tool, you’ll see detailed sales data, online and offline, and know the activity and sales that your marketing is driving.
3) Intelligent audience strategies for improved loyalty
Once data gaps are filled, brands can build holistic customer profiles that power smarter audience strategies. This includes identifying loyal customers who don't appear in first-party data, for example shoppers who buy in-store with cash or purchase through retail partners rather than direct.
A more complete customer profile opens the door to improving customer loyalty and lifetime value, as customers who feel understood and rewarded are more likely to remain engaged and have a higher affinity for a brand.
Epsilon’s partnership with Dunkin’ created a mouth-watering loyalty programme with offers and incentives that encouraged a 40% increase in member spending YoY.
4) Reduce waste through deduplication
On average, consumers have five or more identifiers. Often brands unknowingly “count” the same customer multiple times; once for their device ID, then several times for different emails, leading to inefficient spend and message fatigue.
Identity resolution helps identify where the same person appears more than once in your database. This deduplication eliminates redundancy, allowing marketers to reach customers more efficiently, cut wasted ad spend and improve overall campaign efficiency.
Discover how FatFace achieved a provable 3:1 increase in incremental value from its first connected TV campaign through the power of COREid.
5) Target true new customers
Ensuring acquisition campaigns reach genuinely new prospects, not existing customers, is critical because prospecting budgets are often the costliest line item in a marketer’s plan. When brands can confidently suppress known customers from acquisition campaigns, they are able to ensure budget is solely directed toward reaching net-new audiences.
See how Cheerz expanded into open-web video with high-impact large-format ads aimed at high-potential segments, including new parents.
6) Find next best customers with greater accuracy
An accurate view of current customers provides a blueprint to find high-value lookalikes. When the source audience is built from truly verified customers the resulting lookalikes are far more predictive, higher value and more aligned to your best customers.
That means prospecting becomes more precise, more cost‑effective and more likely to convert, because you're reaching people who genuinely resemble your most profitable shoppers, not just people who share a device or an email pattern.
Get the inside track on how McDonald’s won a new generation of brand fans, showing up in a culturally relevant way across channels to drive 49% growth in new customers.
7) Win back and reengage dormant customers
With a fuller picture of consumers and prospects, brands can target disengaged customers and understand why they left - whether due to moving out of the market or buying a competitor. Advanced identity solutions also use third-party data to identify when customers are shopping with competitors. Armed with this data, marketers can deploy timely win-back campaigns to reengage lapsed customers and drive sales.
Find out how Decathlon introduced data-driven dynamic creative to maintain 4.3M existing customers and add £1M in incremental revenue.
8) Bridging online and offline behaviour
According to the ONS, as of 2025 29% of UK retail sales now occur online, which means the vast majority are still happening in-store. While online-to-online journeys are well mapped, in-store purchases often remain disconnected from digital media exposure. Digital activity may be driving footfall and revenue, but without evidence, budget naturally shifts elsewhere.
Identity resolution can connect online activity with offline transactions, linking in-store purchases and CRM data back to pseudonymised IDs. Unlocking the in-store view is more than a technical improvement. It helps marketers move away from proxy metrics and towards understanding real behaviour and real outcomes. Media exposures that happen days or weeks before a sale are no longer invisible, and optimisation systems stop rewarding only the most obvious touchpoints.
See how Currys was able to connect TV, online video and display messages all the way to in-store purchase, achieving 56k store visits and a 20% increase in sales.
9) Personalise marketing campaigns with greater efficacy
Identity resolution, combined with AI and machine learning, analyses historic signals to predict future needs. Accurate, unified data is the foundation for effective AI-driven marketing, enabling real-time personalisation and campaign optimisation at scale.
The real-life benefit of understanding your consumer better is delivering more relevant, personalised messages on preferred devices.
Learn how amsterdam&partners accurately identified and reached inbound travellers to the city, achieving over 14.5k site visitors with CTR 20% above benchmark.
10) Better attribution and measurement
Solid identity resolution gives marketers the ability to see the outcome of campaigns at an individual level, rather than relying on averages and assumptions. When you can reliably connect impressions, visits and purchases back to the same person, you learn what genuinely moved behaviour, not just what looked busy in a dashboard. That clarity cuts wasted reach and over-frequency, and it makes measurement sturdier because you’re optimising against outcomes, not proxies.
Over time, the value compounds. You can spot patterns in aggregate across products, channels and audience segments, then shift budget with confidence and prove incrementality.
11) Maintaining customer privacy
Most critically, the right identity resolution solution should enable brands to maintain high levels of consumer privacy and evolve as regulations do. Epsilon’s deterministic-led identity resolution uses pseudonymised profiles, ensuring high levels of consumer privacy and compliance with evolving regulations. Privacy is built into every solution, giving brands and consumers peace of mind.
Why Epsilon COREid stands apart
Epsilon’s COREid is designed to create one consistent customer view by matching verified name and address data to a pseudonymised identity that can be used across activation and measurement.
For over a decade, Epsilon has strengthened COREid through trusted publisher partnerships and continuous validation. This creates a live, ever-expanding network that remains the industry’s most accurate, stable and scalable source of identity resolution.
Because the identity is so consistent, it also makes extension feel straightforward: the same audiences and learnings that sit behind a digital campaign can be carried into onsite retail media and loyalty programmes without rebuilding everything from scratch or losing the thread of who you are trying to reach.
The power of Epsilon for marketers
The instinct is often to add more data when performance gets murky, but identity has to come first. Once you have coherent identities, the data becomes intelligible and decisioning gets easier, because you’re optimising against real people and real outcomes rather than stitched-together proxies.
If you’d like a practical view of where you can extend existing digital audiences into retail media and loyalty without rebuilding everything from scratch, click the contact us button below and drop us a note and we’ll walk through it with your current set-up in mind.
---
## Retail media in action: five UK campaigns that drove measurable growth
Type: eps_post
URL: /five-retail-media-campaigns-that-drove-growth-uk
Last Modified: 2026-07-14T08:57:42Z
# Retail media in action: five UK campaigns that drove measurable growth
Retail media has moved from a handful of sponsored product placements into the fastest growing part of the advertising sector, and the shape of the discipline has changed with it. Campaigns now run across premium publisher sites, online video and connected TV, with retailers using first-party data and trusted shopper relationships to help brands grow across the open web.
What sits underneath that shift is a measurement model that ties exposure directly to sales, both online and in store. The five campaigns below show how that plays out in practice, with brands using precise audience definition across onsite and offsite channels to extend reach, recruit new customers and re-engage lapsed ones with relevance. Performance in each case is measured through to purchase, which is what gives retail media its credibility as a growth channel.
Taken together, they illustrate where retail media is heading in the UK: closer to the centre of the marketing mix, with measurable outcomes attached.
Sheba × Ocado
4.6:1 ROAS
25% of conversions from new or reactivated customers
+45% increase in new-customer sales versus prior period
Ocado was well placed to help premium cat food brand Sheba break through the high loyalty that defines the category. As an online-only grocer with complete visibility of customer behaviour and a tech-savvy, affluent shopper base, it could use first-party pet purchase data to find cat owners likely to try Sheba and measure incremental sales in a way traditional pet retail struggles to match.
Under the hood Audiences were built from Ocado's first-party purchase data, spanning existing Sheba buyers, lapsed users and likely new customers. The campaign combined Ocado's own channels, including personalised customer emails and on-site placements, with offsite paid social and programmatic display. Closed-loop measurement tied exposures back to actual purchases on Ocado, confirming a clear uplift in new-customer orders and a strong return on ad spend.
Premium Fashion Brand × John Lewis Partnership
17:1 brand ROAS
58% of orders from brand new customers
£9.62 cost per acquisition
John Lewis Partnership's curated, quality-first retail environment made it a credible growth channel for a global fashion house known for clean lines and understated design. The brand needed to reach high-value shoppers in a context that matched its positioning, and John Lewis offered an affluent, style-conscious customer base with a natural affinity for premium fashion, alongside the data infrastructure to evidence what media spend delivered.
Under the hood Audiences were modelled from John Lewis first-party transaction data, seeded by the brand's top purchasers and extended through lookalike higher-income households with a propensity for premium fashion. Recent buyers were suppressed to keep spend focused on recruitment. Offsite display ran across premium digital environments and closed-loop measurement linked every impression to verified sales, confirming of all converted customers, 58% had no previous purchase history and 42% were lapsed buyers who had not bought in over a year.
TV Brand × Currys Tech Hunters
+20% in-store sales
+46% conversion uplift versus display only
56,000 attributable store visits
Currys wanted to show that retail media could drive demand ahead of product launch, not only harvest intent at the checkout. For premium TVs, that meant identifying audiences early, scaling reach across channels and connecting exposure to outcomes in store. Retail media powered by Currys first-party data was well suited to the job, with the depth of behavioural signal needed to find pre-market audiences and the measurement framework to tie connected TV and online video back to physical sales.
Under the hood Using Currys first-party shopper data and Epsilon identity, Tech Hunters identified high-value TV intenders before purchase. A full-funnel plan combined onsite media, offsite display, online video and connected TV, optimised against sales rather than clicks. Identity resolution enabled frequency control and sequencing across channels, while closed-loop measurement tied exposure to online transactions and physical store visits, confirming incremental sales at launch. The campaign won Best Use of Retail Media at the Digiday Awards Europe.
Global Beer Brand × Co-op Media Network
+12% sales uplift in Co-op
+3% sales uplift in halo stores
4x higher incremental value outside Co-op
Co-op set out to prove that convenience retail media could grow brand sales beyond its own stores, not just shift share inside them. For the beer brand, incremental volume was the objective rather than retailer-specific conversion. Retail media was the right lever for the question, combining high-frequency local exposure, first-party shopper insight and the ability to measure halo effects across competing retailers.
Under the hood Co-op store-level data informed activation across in-store screens and media formats in matched test locations. Measurement isolated incremental impact through control and halo stores, with Circana applying its test versus control panels to track sales movement across both Co-op and surrounding grocery stores. The result evidenced how retail media in convenience can influence brand choice across the wider category, with the halo effect generating four times the incremental sales value of the Co-op stores alone.
Sky × Deliveroo Media
+27% uplift in Sky as a leader in "high quality, original content"
+13% lift in agreement that Sky offers a wide range of content
+7% rise in likelihood to consider switching to Sky
Sky wanted to move past awareness and reshape how audiences open to switching or upgrading their entertainment provider actually felt about the brand. Retail media made sense because Deliveroo's "staying in" occasion sits naturally alongside an evening of television, giving Sky a high-attention environment with built-in emotional receptivity and a measurable audience to survey before and after exposure.
Under the hood Deliveroo Media used first-party audience signals to identify customers who genuinely enjoy nights in, then built a full-funnel sequence across the platform's highest-attention surfaces. Homepage banners introduced Sky at the start of the browsing journey, and the order tracker screen carried stills and video from Sky's catalogue through peak evening wait times. Measurement ran through a pre and post campaign survey of Deliveroo users, linking 4.2 million impressions to verified shifts in perception and consideration.
How to take your retail media campaigns further
The campaigns explored here show retail media maturing into a full-funnel growth engine rather than a performance add-on. Across premium apparel, pet care, consumer tech, entertainment and convenience, the most effective programmes are built on real shopper behaviour, activated across connected onsite and offsite channels, and measured through to outcome.
The role of in-store measurement is a defining shift in how brands evaluate the channel. Connecting exposure to both online and physical purchase completes the picture of what worked, which gives brands the confidence to invest further up the funnel. Brand-led storytelling backed by closed-loop proof of sales and store impact is what turns retail media from tactical inventory into a strategic growth channel.
If you're building your own retail media strategy and want a clearer view of how the channel works end to end, our guide for brand advertisers walks through the fundamentals, from audience activation through to measurement.
Read the retail media guide for brand advertisers.
---
## Brand Pages by Epsilon Retail Media: new way to build branded destinations on retailer sites
Type: eps_post
URL: /onsite-retail-media-brand-pages-update
Last Modified: 2026-07-21T08:00:01Z
# Brand Pages by Epsilon Retail Media: new way to build branded destinations on retailer sites
Onsite placements are valuable real estate in retail media, but the way brand pages get built has not kept pace with retail media maturity. Most retailers still manually design, build and host dedicated pages themselves, which limits how many they can support, how quickly they can iterate, and how scalable the format becomes as advertiser demand grows.
Brand Pages, now available within the Epsilon Retail Media platform, change that model. Brands build their own dedicated, branded destinations on the retailer's website using modular, drag-and-drop templates that the retailer wireframes and pre-approves in advance. The retailer keeps full editorial control through the templated structure, and the brand gets a destination it can genuinely shape, refresh and measure.
What Brand Pages give brands
Brand Pages are full-page experiences sitting natively on the retailer's site, designed to carry both the story and the path to purchase in a single environment. Brands can drop in hero banners, video, imagery, text blocks, shoppable product grids and galleries, then style the page to a defined visual identity covering colour palette, typography and theme.
A few capabilities matter most of all:
Modular page builds. Pages are assembled from a library of content modules, with the retailer's chosen template determining which modules appear and how the page is organised.
Shoppable product grids. Products from the retailer catalogue are featured in grids that shoppers can click through and add directly to their basket, so the page works as a branding surface and a conversion surface at once.
Visual identity controls. Each page is rendered against a brand style guide, with per-page theming for the visual elements that need to flex by campaign or occasion.
Performance tracking in-platform. Views, clicks, conversions and attributed sales are reported through the Brand Page Performance tab, alongside the rest of the brand's onsite activity.
The workflow itself is deliberately compressed. Brands create the page by choosing a retailer-provided template, adding content and selecting products. They submit it for review, the retailer approves, and the page goes live at the configured URL on the scheduled dates. Measurement then runs in the same platform that's already measuring everything else.
Why we've launched it
The first reason is attribution. When the brand page is hosted by the retailer and the surrounding onsite placements are served by a separate tech platform, performance data is split across two systems and rarely reconciles cleanly. Moving the brand page into the same platform that runs the onsite media pulls views, clicks, conversions and attributed sales into one performance view. Brands get a cleaner read on what the page is contributing, and where onsite spend is actually working hardest.
The second reason is supply. Onsite inventory is finite, and brand pages are among the most valuable formats inside it. Suppliers consistently rate brand pages as one of the more effective forms of trade investment. A templated, self-serve build removes most of the manual work that historically capped how many brand pages a retailer could stand up, which means more retailers can offer the format and more brands can use it without waiting weeks for a custom build.
The third reason is the kind of partnership the format opens up. Modular templates make it considerably easier to run co-branded pages, where complementary brands share a destination tied to a shared occasion. A gin and a tonic brand sharing a summer page, or a barbecue brand and a sauce brand sharing a peak-season destination, become viable as standard formats rather than one-off custom builds.
Why this matters beyond retail media
FMCG brands in particular are under pressure as cost-of-living dynamics push shoppers toward private label and lower-priced alternatives. Premium brands need to do meaningful brand-building inside the purchase environment, not only outside it, and they need that brand-building to convert in the same moment. A brand page covers both jobs in one space. It carries the story, the imagery, the range logic and the reasons to choose this brand over a cheaper alternative, with a direct path to basket sitting underneath it.
There is also a layer of value emerging around AI-driven discovery. Generative search tools and shopping agents currently lean heavily on structured product feeds from retailers, which gives brands limited influence over how they are described or recommended. Brand pages add a richer, text-led surface where brands can communicate provenance, differentiation and the context that AI systems are increasingly weighting in their responses. They also give those tools a coherent handover point, since an assistant directing a shopper to a retailer's domain has a natural place to send them.
Peak season relevance
The launch lands ahead of a period when onsite visibility is at its hardest to secure and its most expensive to buy. In peak windows, brand pages are one of the few levers brands genuinely control. They decide what's featured, how it's framed, which products are surfaced and how the page evolves across the season. For categories where peak makes or breaks the year, that degree of control over presentation, in an environment shoppers are already in to buy, is not something many other formats can offer.
Whether that translates into a measurable lift over the season depends on how brands and retailers use the format together. The infrastructure is now in place for them to find out.
---
## No identity, no intelligence: How identity powers AI in advertising
Type: eps_post
URL: /no-identity-no-intelligence-how-identity-powers-ai-in-advertising
Last Modified: 2026-03-24T18:27:56Z
# No identity, no intelligence: How identity powers AI in advertising
Artificial intelligence is everywhere in marketing right now.
Ninety-three percent of marketers say they’re allocating at least 5% of their budgets to AI initiatives. Nearly half consider AI capabilities an extremely important factor in vendor selection. Predictive models, decisioning engines and personalization algorithms are being positioned as the answer to everything from media efficiency to customer loyalty.
The excitement is justified. AI can help brands decide who to reach, what to say, where to show up and when to engage. But there’s a growing disconnect between AI ambition and AI performance. Because in advertising, AI doesn’t fail due to weak models. It fails due to weak identity.
This isn’t about generative tools that produce copy or images or about surface-level automation. It’s about the AI that decides, optimizes and measures marketing performance over time, which depends on understanding behavior across interactions. And that foundation lives in the data and identity layers.
As Digiday recently reported, most platforms buy against broad contextual signals and layer targeting on top, while Epsilon has taken a different approach—building its AI around identity from the ground up.
AI has a data identity problem, not a model problem
Predictive AI systems are designed to learn from patterns over time. They forecast outcomes based on historical behaviors and contextual signals. But learning requires stable intelligence.
Without persistent identity resolution, a customer quickly becomes a collection of disconnected signals:
A device ID
A cookie
A loyalty record
An email open
A transaction in a store
Each interaction exists, but the person behind them does not.
When that happens, AI defaults to optimizing fragments instead of customers. Models over-weight recent clicks. Attribution skews toward easily observable channels. Lifetime value becomes an average instead of a trajectory.
The issue isn’t that the algorithms aren’t sophisticated enough. It’s that the data beneath them isn’t unified. This is where a customer data platform (CDP) becomes foundational.
An enterprise CDP cleans, unifies, completes and enhances customer data to create a persistent, cross-channel profile. When a CDP has identity resolution built in, it aligns online and offline signals to real individuals and households. It can ensure duplicate records are consolidated and contact information gaps are filled.
In addition, external demographic and intent data can be added to enrich unified profiles for greater understanding of individuals. So instead of teaching AI from impressions and events, brands can teach it from people. And that changes everything.
Identity turns AI from insight into action
In advertising, AI ultimately powers four core decisions:
Who to reach
What to say
Where to reach them
When to engage
Those decisions span paid and owned channels. They require coordination across display, social, email, SMS, direct mail, website personalization and more.
Without identity resolution, those channels operate independently. Paid media knows what was clicked. Owned channels know what was purchased. Social knows what was shared. But no system understands how one person engaged across all three.
The result is over-frequency and disjointed touchpoints. The fragmented experience this produces is what drives inefficient spend.
A CDP anchored in person-based identity creates a single, persistent customer ID that travels across activation channels. With solutions like Epsilon CDP, marketers can unify CRM records, website behaviors, transaction history and media exposure into one profile.
That profile then becomes the foundation for activation across owned and paid channels.
The shift is subtle but important. Instead of activating audiences defined by one channel, brands activate real people recognized across channels. AI moves from optimizing impressions to orchestrating customer journeys.
Real-time decisioning depends on real-time identity
AI-powered advertising increasingly operates in real time with offers changing dynamically, website content adapting in-session and media pacing adjusting based on performance signals.
But real-time decisions require real-time recognition.
If a system cannot recognize a returning visitor or connect a recent transaction to a current browsing session, the decision engine is working in the dark.
Epsilon’s COREai is designed to make individual-level marketing decisions, determining the best target, best offer, best channel and best timing. But it does so within the context of a unified identity layer. Real-time recognition connects incoming signals to an existing profile. Automated model refreshes ensure predictions reflect the most current behaviors.
Without that persistent profile, “real-time AI” becomes reactive guesswork. With it, decisioning becomes contextual and measurable.
If AI is becoming the control system of marketing, identity is the operating system beneath it.
The intelligence layer cannot function without a stable data layer.
Measurement is where weak identity breaks AI
AI doesn’t just need to decide. It needs to improve. And improvement requires closed-loop measurement.
Traditional measurement approaches often separate media exposure from transaction data. Impressions may be anonymous. Site visits may not resolve to known individuals. Conversions may live in a different system altogether.
When identity is fragmented, attribution models rely on proxies. Channels appear more or less effective based on what can be observed, not what actually influenced the customer.
A CDP grounded in identity brings together interactions based in personally identifiable information and pseudonymized media signals into a unified profile. It enables brands to link exposure, engagement and transaction at the person level—not just the campaign level.
With person-based, closed-loop measurement:
Attribution models become more accurate
Incremental impact can be measured more transparently
Media budgets can be optimized based on real outcomes
AI that cannot measure at the customer level cannot optimize at the customer level. Identity is what makes optimization durable instead of directional.
Building AI-ready marketing infrastructure
As AI investment accelerates, the conversation is shifting from tools to infrastructure. Enterprises aren’t struggling with too little data. They’re struggling to act on it before the moment passes. They’re navigating expanding privacy regulations, walled gardens, and growing channel complexity.
An AI-ready data layer requires:
Clean data that removes duplicates and improves hygiene
Unified identity that connects signals to real individuals
Complete profiles enriched with external context
Coordinated cross-channel recognition
Current, real-time updates
Accessible APIs that make data usable across systems
Not every CDP includes robust identity resolution. And not every identity solution is built to operate at enterprise scale.
Epsilon CDP was built with person-based identity at its core, enabling privacy-forward activation and measurement across owned and paid channels. With deterministic matching and persistent IDs, it supports the kind of AI-driven decisioning modern advertising demands.
Brands that win in AI-driven marketing won’t simply have the best models. They’ll have the most trusted and persistent identity foundation.
How AI is used in people-based advertising
To see how this plays out in practice, consider how AI operates in automotive brand marketing with and without a persistent identity layer. When optimization is built on fragmented or limited first-party data, models are refreshed manually—sometimes every six weeks—and operate on broad audience snapshots like “auto intenders.” Decisions are reactive and generalized.
By contrast, when AI is powered by a CDP anchored in person-based identity, models refresh in real time and recognize in-market individuals as they engage. Instead of targeting a generic segment, the system can identify a specific SUV buyer based on recent behaviors and purchase history, enabling the adjustment of messaging, channel and timing accordingly.
That shift from audience-level to individual-level decisioning acts as a force multiplier because auto brands can identify and engage two to three times more in-market customers because they’re no longer guessing at segments but recognizing real people across channels.
Think of AI’s function here as a layered system. Specialized machine learning models handle real-time, high-frequency decisioning, while LLMs can support more language-driven tasks like reporting and workflow operation. As Digiday noted in its reporting on Epsilon’s approach, this kind of system relies on multiple models working together, with decisioning models at the core, LLMs supporting them and human oversight where precision matters most.
The future of AI in advertising
AI is reshaping advertising. Predictive models are improving targeting. Real-time decisioning is accelerating personalization. Investment in AI continues to rise. But intelligence doesn’t exist in isolation. It depends on memory, context and continuity. It depends on identity.
For AI to work in advertising, the underlying data architecture has to be built on identity. If the control system of marketing is becoming AI, then the operating system beneath it must be a unified, identity-driven data foundation. And that foundation lives in the CDP.
If you’re evaluating how AI fits into your advertising strategy, start by examining the layer beneath it. Because the quality of your identity resolution may determine the ceiling of your AI performance. Learn more about the power of Epsilon CDP.
---
## The top 3 digital media metrics you need to master
Type: eps_post
URL: /top-3-digital-media-metrics-master-heading-to-2026-apac
Last Modified: 2026-04-16T13:26:42Z
# The top 3 digital media metrics you need to master
Can any marketing leader today afford to let media budget go unaccounted for? Not likely. Yet with the extended impact of signal loss, consumers’ cross-device consumption habits and continually increasing channel fragmentation, it’s harder than ever to prove media performance.
Digital media measurement is at an inflection point.
Many marketers are still relying on misleading “legacy” metrics that don’t reflect how media actually works today. To make the most out of ad spend, marketers need a new measurement playbook.
These are the top three to master to set your brand up for success.
Metric #1: Why ROAS is out—and iROAS is in
TLDR; iROAS measures how many conversions happened because of the advertising versus what would have happened anyway.
Return on ad spend (ROAS) has been a gold standard in media measurement, but it isn’t telling you the full story. ROAS measures return from all conversions attributed to media—but not all conversions are caused by media.
This metric therefore inflates your performance when:
Baseline demand is high
When media is running alongside other influences outside your control
ROAS assumes all attributed revenue is caused by your advertising. But what about customers who would have purchased anyway? What about the impact of organic search, word-of-mouth or other marketing activations? Traditional ROAS often gives advertising credit for sales that would have happened regardless.
The shift for 2026: What iROAS tells you that ROAS can’t
Incremental ROAS (iROAS) is a conversion lift metric that isolates the lift generated specifically by your media—the conversions that would not have happened without the ad exposure. This metric separates correlation from causation by measuring all marketing efforts against your total revenue. iROAS offers a more accurate picture of whether media is actually driving performance by linking impression costs to downstream actions (like purchases).
The double-click: Conversion lift 101
Conversion lift measures the incremental impact of advertising efforts on conversions, or in other words, the increase in number of conversions that can be attributed to media within a campaign or channel in your control versus factors outside of your control. Several methodologies exist, but the most accurate way is compare outcomes between a test group that was exposed to a brand’s ads and a control group that was not exposed (or even more rigorous: shown unbranded ads). By isolating the effect of media exposure, conversion lift helps marketers understand whether advertising actually changed behaviour or simply captured demand that already existed.
So what does this mean in practice for marketers?
While many walled gardens offer conversion lift reporting (which may seem compelling), those results often come with limited transparency and little insight into how lift was calculated and what actually performed well. On the other end of the spectrum, many other DSPs frequently rely on third-party lift vendors and cookie-based signals, which can introduce gaps in coverage and confidence.
Epsilon is one of the only non-walled gardens that offers intensive conversion lift measurement conducted natively within our platform to deliver brands with transparency and objectivity.
Metric #2: CPM vs. eCPM: What you’re really paying for
TLDR; eCPM allows marketers to evaluate effectiveness across channels on an equal playing field.
In the current digital media environment, CPM is also a misleading metric. It measures the cost per thousand impressions but not the quality of those impressions. As a result, CPM can reward cheap inventory that doesn’t reach real people or isn’t actually in view on the consumers’ screen.
Effective CPM (eCPM), on the other hand, adjusts CPM to be more accurate using performance factors like:
Quality of inventory
Ability to reach the right audience
Viewability
Identity accuracy
eCPM is therefore a more accurate reflection of what it really costs to reach a true, qualified consumer, which is becoming increasingly important today. With more media running across fragmented channels (CTV, mobile, in-app, retail media networks), cost surfaces are harder to compare.
Metric #3: Reach vs. unique reach: Why precision matters
TLDR; Unique reach is a true measurement of how many distinct people an ad reached.
The problem with standard reach is that the metric counts every impression, even if they come from the same person. This leads to inflated scale and misleading “coverage” metrics.
Unique reach is the new best practice for digital media measurement. It’s a true measurement of how many distinct people an ad reached. Relying on unique reach over traditional reach helps fight frequency waste, oversaturation and ad fatigue.
However, measuring unique reach can be harder than it sounds. It requires deterministic identity that can accurately find consumers and measure their ad impressions across devices and channels.
But many platforms rely on probabilistic modelling rather than deterministic identity. This results in both significant gaps (e.g., logged-out impressions that can’t be confidently tied back to a known consumer) and duplicate counts (e.g., failing to match multiple devices to the same consumer and counting them multiple times).
Epsilon COREid’s deterministic identity helps brands reach and accurately measure more unique people rather than the same people repeatedly—improving efficiency and scale.
Why these 3 metrics matter
It’s no surprise that media budgets will continue to be under intense pressure. To meet targets and secure precious dollars, marketers need to measure performance with metrics that reflect real impact, not superficial activity.
iROAS, eCPM and unique reach help your team shift toward causality, effectiveness, efficiency and identity-driven measurement. These metrics aren’t just “nice to have”—they’re table stakes for smarter planning and reporting moving forward.
---
## HFSS Advertising Rules 2026: How brands can play ball and win
Type: eps_post
URL: /hfss-retail-brand-strategy-2026
Last Modified: 2026-01-30T10:27:26Z
# HFSS Advertising Rules 2026: How brands can play ball and win
As the UK enters its first full year under new HFSS advertising restrictions, many food and drink brands face profound changes in how they reach consumers. Ofcom’s rules enforce a 9pm TV watershed for less healthy products and a 24‑hour restriction on paid online advertising for the same categories.
But while many of the formats HFSS brands once used have effectively disappeared overnight, demand hasn’t. Shoppers still plan weekly meals, prepare for gatherings, and look for moments of indulgence.
To stay relevant, brand activity must now do the work of both awareness and consideration, showing up at the right moment, for the right people to drive action.
This is where 2026 offers some relief. The year is packed with high-intent moments that naturally compress decision-making. Events like the Winter Olympics and the FIFA World Cup act as accelerants, not because of sport itself, but because of what people do around them.
In those windows, branding alone can still move the needle. The catch is precision. You need to know who you are reaching, and you need to reach them while intent is forming, not after it has passed.
Understanding audiences at a person level
Sport is one of a few cultural spaces where mass attention, emotion and shared experience still collide. It is little surprise a recent Sports Business Journal study found that 66% of consumers say they are more likely to purchase from companies that sponsor sports they like.
When audiences are thinking about food, drink, travel or social plans connected to what they are watching, attending or organising, they are innately more receptive. In these moments, brand association can be enough to influence behaviour.
HFSS regulations make broad frequency‑based campaigns less efficient, but they amplify the value of precision. The advantage lies in knowing who you are reaching, not merely how many. Advertisers must rely on first‑party data and cross‑channel identity resolution to reconstruct the customer journey.
When viewing, engagement, and purchase signals can be meaningfully connected, brands can still guide audiences from awareness to action via more sophisticated sequencing.
Find out more about Epsilon COREid, the industry’s most accurate, stable identity graph
Three channels where branding works harder under HFSS
CTV, helping reassemble the mid-funnel
Connected TV plays a critical role in this new mix. It offers premium environments that suit brand storytelling and allows advertisers to stay present as attention shifts from live moments to highlights, recaps and related viewing.
The challenge is fragmentation. CTV audiences are spread across platforms, broadcaster apps and devices, which risks duplication and wasted frequency unless advertisers know who they are reaching. When the same individual can be recognised across screens, planning becomes far more precise.
Collaborations such as Roku x Currys demonstrate how viewing data integrated with retail signals can turn exposure into verified purchase movement even without direct product promotion.
Read about Epsilon and Currys’ award-winning CTV campaigns here
2. Audio, reinforcing intent when people are on the move
Audio complements this approach by reaching people as they move through their day. Commuting, shopping and preparing for social plans are moments where brand reminders can be especially effective.
When audio is connected to the same audience spine as CTV, it becomes reinforcement rather than repetition. A household that engaged with branded video content but has not yet acted can be reached again when intent is resurfacing. The message remains brand-led, but timing and context do the work.
3. Retail media, bringing action back into reach
Retail environments complete the journey. Many retailer-owned channels sit outside HFSS restrictions, allowing brands to reintroduce product messaging at the point where decisions are finalised. In-store screens, digital out-of-home, in-basket placements and retailer audio can all act as prompts that connect brand memory to immediate action.
The Co-op's research reinforces the point. A brand activation in-store delivered a 12% sales uplift in-store and a 3% uplift at neighbouring retailers, demonstrating that lower-funnel tactics can also deliver a ‘halo’ of brand impact when aligned with wider activity.
The 2026 HFSS Advertising Playbook
The opportunity in 2026 isn’t to find loopholes but to re‑engineer brand activity around audience intent and compliant sequencing. The new brand playbook under HFSS looks like this:
Map high‑intent sporting, cultural, and seasonal events and align upper‑funnel storytelling around them.
Use CTV to deliver emotionally resonant narratives across premium, measurable environments.
Synchronise audio and CTV exposure data to maintain continuity and reinforce brand memory during daily routines.
Reintroduce product context through retailer owned inventory, where HFSS compliance allows it.
Track person‑level signals across all channels to ensure spend moves audiences toward measurable outcomes.
HFSS redefines the rules of engagement, but it does not remove the opportunity to grow. Brands that align their storytelling, sequencing, and measurement will find that 2026 isn’t a year of limitation, it’s the start of a more intelligent, precision‑led era for brand marketing.
---
## 8 Marketer Benefits of Solid Identity Resolution Across Channels
Type: eps_post
URL: /eight-marketer-benefits-of-identity-resolution
Last Modified: 2026-03-26T09:45:47Z
# 8 Marketer Benefits of Solid Identity Resolution Across Channels
Identity resolution is the quiet workhorse powering today’s most effective marketing campaigns. It connects signals across channels and touchpoints to understand where they belong to the same person.
In today’s complex marketing landscape, it is central to how brands drive measurable growth. With identity resolution in place, marketers move beyond isolated interactions to build a more unified view of each customer and the actions that shape performance.
The important caveat is that identity resolution only helps when you can trust the output, because weak matches create weak audiences and misleading attribution, no matter how much data you layer on top.
What does deterministic identity add?
Deterministic-led identity resolution works much like verifying someone with an ID card, matching data to precise, unchanging information such as name and physical address.
Because the match is highly accurate, brands can unify interactions across digital and offline environments with greater confidence, then tie signals such as site visits, email engagement, app activity and loyalty behaviour back to the same individual.
The impact shows up in plenty of practical ways, and the sections below focus on the ones marketers tend to feel first.
Real-life benefits of identity resolution for marketers
1) Map the full customer journey
Modern consumers interact with brands in non-linear ways. They browse on mobile, researching on desktop, purchasing in-store and vice-versa. This behaviour fragments data, making it difficult for marketers to see the full customer journey.
With cohesive identity, marketers can link together customer actions that happen across the open web, in-store environments, and through retailer partners to understand each customer’s path from initial interest to conversion. By making the invisible visible, identity resolution can bring real-world benefits from optimising strategies, allocating budgets more efficiently, to delivering truly seamless customer experiences.
With Epsilon’s complimentary DiME visualisation tool, you’ll see detailed sales data, online and offline, and know the activity and sales that your marketing is driving.
2) Bridge online and offline behaviour
More than 87% of Australian retail sales still take place in physical stores (ABS, 2025), which means the vast majority are still happening in-store. While online-to-online journeys are well mapped, in-store purchases often remain disconnected from digital media exposure. Digital activity may be driving footfall and revenue, but without evidence, budget naturally shifts elsewhere.
Identity resolution can connect online activity with offline transactions, linking in-store purchases and CRM data back to pseudonymised IDs. Unlocking the in-store view is more than a technical improvement. It helps marketers move away from proxy metrics and towards understanding real behaviour and real outcomes. Media exposures that happen days or weeks before a sale are no longer invisible, and optimisation systems stop rewarding only the most obvious touchpoints.
Epsilon Retail Media closes the loop on retail media attribution through online and instore sales measurement.
3) Intelligent audience strategies for improved loyalty
Once data gaps are filled, brands can build holistic customer profiles that power smarter audience strategies. This includes identifying loyal customers who don't appear in first-party data, for example shoppers who buy in-store with cash or purchase through retail partners rather than direct.
A more complete customer profile opens the door to improving customer loyalty and lifetime value, as customers who feel understood and rewarded are more likely to remain engaged and have a higher affinity for a brand.
Find out how this travel company’s two-week activation increased customer engagement and strengthened loyalty with personalised content.
4) Find next best customers with greater accuracy
An accurate view of current customers provides a blueprint to find high-value lookalikes. When the source audience is built from truly verified customers the resulting lookalikes are far more predictive, higher value and more aligned to your best customers.
That means prospecting becomes more precise, more cost effective and more likely to convert, because you're reaching people who genuinely resemble your most profitable shoppers, not just people who share a device or an email pattern.
Furthermore, when brands can confidently suppress known customers from acquisition campaigns, they are able to ensure budget is solely directed toward reaching net-new audiences.
See how a leading Australian consumer electronics retailer achieved a 17x increase in incremental revenue during the Black Friday period.
5) Win back and reengage dormant customers
With a fuller picture of consumers and prospects, brands can target disengaged customers and understand why they left - whether due to moving out of the market or buying a competitor. Advanced identity solutions also use third-party data to identify when customers are shopping with competitors. Armed with this data, marketers can deploy timely win-back campaigns to reengage lapsed customers and drive sales.
6) Personalise marketing campaigns with greater efficacy
Identity resolution, combined with AI and machine learning, analyses historic signals to predict future needs. Accurate, unified data is the foundation for effective AI-driven marketing, enabling real-time personalisation and campaign optimisation at scale.
The real-life benefit of understanding your consumer better is delivering more relevant, personalised messages on preferred devices.
Learn how one of Australia’s leading eCommerce brands drove 58% revenue uplift through onsite personalisation and A/B testing.
7) Better attribution and measurement
Solid identity resolution gives marketers the ability to see the outcome of campaigns at an individual level, rather than relying on averages and assumptions. When you can reliably connect impressions, visits and purchases back to the same person, you learn what genuinely moved behaviour, not just what looked busy in a dashboard. That clarity cuts wasted reach and over-frequency, and it makes measurement sturdier because you’re optimising against outcomes, not proxies.
Over time, the value compounds. You can spot patterns in aggregate across products, channels and audience segments, then shift budget with confidence and prove incrementality.
See how a East Asian pet product retailer drove over 16x in ad revenue growth with Epsilon Retail Media.
8) Maintaining customer privacy
Most critically, the right identity resolution solution should enable brands to maintain high levels of consumer privacy and evolve as regulations do. Epsilon’s deterministic-led identity resolution uses pseudonymised profiles, ensuring high levels of consumer privacy and compliance with evolving regulations. Privacy is built into every solution, giving brands and consumers peace of mind.
Why Epsilon CORE Identity stands apart
Epsilon’s CORE Identity is designed to create one consistent customer view by matching verified name and address data to a pseudonymised identity that can be used across activation and measurement.
For over a decade, Epsilon has strengthened CORE Identity through trusted publisher partnerships and continuous validation. This creates a live, ever-expanding network that remains the industry’s most accurate, stable and scalable source of identity resolution.
The power of Epsilon for marketers
The instinct is often to add more data when performance gets murky, but identity has to come first. Once you have coherent identities, the data becomes intelligible and decisioning gets easier, because you’re optimising against real people and real outcomes rather than stitched-together proxies.
If you’d like a practical view of where you can extend existing digital audiences into retail media and loyalty without rebuilding everything from scratch, click the contact us button below and drop us a note and we’ll walk through it with your current set-up in mind.
---
## Retail media is scaling too fast for its infrastructure
Type: eps_post
URL: /retail-media-scaling-too-fast-without-identity-apac
Last Modified: 2026-03-23T09:50:42Z
# Retail media is scaling too fast for its infrastructure
Retail media networks (RMNs) have entered a new phase of maturity. Growth remains strong, 79% of brand advertisers have increased investment according to IAB, but the conversation is evolving. Today, the question isn’t whether retail media works, but how it works at scale.
Programmatic, search and retail media are starting to converge, giving brands new ways to access retailer shoppers at scale. On the surface, these developments feel like real progress:
Buying paths are becoming more streamlined
Media workflows are consolidating
Advertisers can activate retail media more easily than ever before
But as retail media grows, access alone won’t be enough. In fact, a recent white paper from IDC, sponsored by Epsilon, Identity Drives End-to-End Retail Media Outcomes, suggests that the hardest problems, like identifying shoppers and measuring performance across channels, become more important, not less, as retail media scales.
Access alone doesn’t solve retail media’s challenges
Fragmentation has long shaped how retail media is bought. Advertisers have had to work through inconsistent buying experiences, limited interoperability and measurement that differ from retailers and platform to the next. To try to address this, the industry has focused on building integrations designed to make buying retail media easier.
But the white paper from IDC suggests that easier buying only solves part of the problem. Fragmentation at the identity and data layer plays a much larger role in determining whether retail media drives outcomes, and whether advertisers will ultimately pull spend if those outcomes can’t be proven.
IDC indicates that many of retail media's most persistent challenges (imprecise targeting, disputed attribution and incomplete measurement) stem not from how media is purchased, but by how customers are identified and understood across environments. When identity is fragmented, better access may increase efficiency without improving outcomes.
Over time, this creates a widening gap between demand and confidence. Media becomes easier to sell, but harder to measure in a way that clearly demonstrates value to advertisers and sustains growth over time.
Identity as the foundation of effective retail media
The IDC white paper is clear on one core point: person-level identity sits at the heart of effective retail media. “Person-level identity is key to targeting, attribution and data within the retail media ecosystem,” writes Ananda Chakravarty, vice president for IDC retail insights. “It is also critical to both brand and performance.”
Yet many retail media networks today are still working with identity approaches that are incomplete or inconsistently resolved. These approaches often rely on probabilistic methods, where attributes like IP address or browser type are given a score to make an educated guess about a person’s identity.
As media moves offsite or flows through partner integrations, identity signals are frequently lost due to discrepancies in attribute values and the use of different identifiers, making it even harder to recognise and reach real shoppers.
That complexity only increases as retail media expands into programmatic and search-driven ecosystems. More platforms and partners mean more identity handoffs, and with each handoff comes a greater risk of losing real shoppers along the way. While these ecosystems are built for scale, they are not inherently designed to preserve retailer-owned identity across the full media lifecycles.
Shoppers move seamlessly across channels, devices and physical locations, accurately capturing that journey depends not just on access to inventory, but on maintaining identity continuity as shoppers move from interaction to interaction.
Scale increases the complexity of attribution
One of the big promises of recent retail media integrations is "holistic” measurement. Bringing additional data sources together can certainly improve visibility across the customer journey, but the IDC white paper is clear: even in the best-case scenario, attribution is rarely simple.
Attribution windows vary, and outcomes are influenced by factors such as pricing changes, promotions, competition, seasonality and broader market conditions. As AI and machine learning play a larger role in attribution, the quality and consistency of identity inputs become even more important. Simply put: poor identity in, poor insights out.
As retail media is activated across multiple buying paths, on-site, off-site, programmatic and search, the question becomes whether outcomes can be tied back to real shoppers.
For retailers, that confidence matters. RMNs are not just monetisation tools; they are strategic businesses that depend on long-term trust from brand partners. When measurement lacks clarity or consistency, it erodes trust and diminishes justifications from brands to increase or maintain spends, regardless of how much demand flows into the ecosystem.
End-to-end retail media provides control and coherence
The IDC white paper highlights a common characteristic among higher-performing networks: they strive toward end-to-end retail media services from a single vendor. This focus is driven in large part by a desire for greater control and better alignment across activation, measurement and attribution as retail media programs scale.
Single vendor end-to-end approaches can give retailers clearer visibility across the full media lifecycle, helping maintain one view of the shopper and making it easier to execute campaigns reliably across channels. Because these systems are designed to work together, retailers can add new media and channels without adding unnecessary complexity or friction. Over time, this leads to stronger governance, greater confidence in data quality and more reliable outcomes for brand partners.
In-store media will test identity foundations
The IDC white paper points to in-store media as the next major inflection point for retail media. Nearly two-thirds of surveyed retailers expect their networks to support in-store advertising, reflecting growing interest in extending retail media beyond digital touchpoints and closer to the moment of purchase. Per Chakravarty, “The focus on the store is critical as a future effort and domain builder for retail media.”
But in-store environments raise the stakes for identity resolution. Connecting ad exposure to purchases in physical locations requires high-confidence identity, clean data and attribution models that link media directly to real transactions. Tactics that work well online don’t always carry over seamlessly offline, making identity continuity even more important.
With more than 87% of Australian retail sales still happening in store, retailers entering in-store media with fragmented identity systems may find it harder to demonstrate value at scale. By contrast, those that have invested in identity-first design are better positioned to extend retail media across channels while preserving measurement integrity.
Implications for retailers building RMNs
The recent wave of partnerships shouldn’t be read as step backwards for retail media. If anything, it reflects confidence in the channel’s future and a genuine effort to make retail media easier for advertisers to access and activate.
At the same time, the IDC white paper suggests that expanding access alone is unlikely to unlock retail media's full potential, especially as programs scale and expectations rise.
For retailers building or scaling RMNs today, this creates an opportunity to step back and evaluate how their retail media foundation is designed. Key questions include:
Is identity designed into every stage of your retail media offering, or stitched together after the fact?
Can you maintain identity continuity as media moves offsite or into programmatic and search environments?
Are data and attribution capabilities built to support growing complexity with consistency and confidence?
Will scale amplify your strengths or expose your weaknesses?
The answers to these questions shape more than near-term revenue. They influence long-term credibility and the ability to grow sustainably.
Identity as a strategic advantage
As retail media continues to evolve, the IDC white paper suggests that long-term success will be shaped less by who unlocks the most demand, and more by who delivers the most consistent and reliable outcomes. Chakravarty emphasises: “For retailers to realise the gains of retail media, across broad competition, there must be a focus on outcomes.”
Identity is what turns expanded media access into media performance.
Platforms designed with identity integrated across activation, measurement and attribution can reduce signal loss, improve confidence in results and support more durable partnerships between retailers and advertisers.
At Epsilon, this philosophy has guided our approach to retail media from the start. Our suite of retail media solutions is built with identity resolution embedded throughout, enabling retailers to activate media across channels while preserving connections to known shoppers. The result is not just scale, but accountability, an increasingly important requirement as retail media matures.
Retail media is expanding rapidly. The retailers who win won’t just ride the wave, they’ll build the identity foundation that lets them steer it.
---
## What is CTV advertising — and why are brands moving budget to it?
Type: eps_post
URL: /what-is-connected-tv-advertising
Last Modified: 2026-07-28T14:31:04Z
# What is CTV advertising — and why are brands moving budget to it?
What is CTV advertising?
Connected TV (CTV) is television watched over the internet, on smart TVs and connected devices. A CTV advertising partner helps you plan, buy, target and measure campaigns across that inventory.
How is CTV different from linear TV?
Unlike linear TV, which is bought by broad time slots and age bands, CTV can be planned around real audiences and measured against real outcomes, which is a large part of why budgets are shifting towards it.
Why is UK ad spend moving to CTV?
The viewing base has reached the point where CTV is a mainstream buy rather than an experiment. By the end of 2024, 23.6 million of the UK's 27.7 million TV households, around 85%, had their main TV set connected to the internet, up from 75% in 2019. In the UK, ad-supported inventory sits across the commercial broadcaster VOD services such as ITVX, Channel 4 and My5, alongside the ad-funded tiers of the major streamers and a long tail of smaller AVOD platforms.
What challenges should brands know about?
For all its momentum, CTV brings a set of concerns that come up in almost every planning conversation. Most trace back to the same root: the channel is fragmented, and that fragmentation makes it harder to know who you are reaching and what your money returned.
The first concern is knowing who you are actually reaching. CTV still reaches the shared television screen, but it also reaches personal devices like phones, tablets and laptops, which should make individual-level targeting easier. In practice, several people signing into one household streaming account reintroduces that household complexity, even on a personal device. Device-level signals alone cannot reliably tell you which person watched, third-party cookies are fading, and GDPR sets clear limits on how audiences are built and tracked across the UK and EMEA. Recognising real people therefore depends on a durable identity method across channels and devices to rationalise actions to a real consumer journey, rather than hopeful guesswork.
Frequency is the same problem seen from another angle. Two-thirds of UK households now subscribe to at least one of Netflix, Amazon Prime Video or Disney+, and many hold several, so the same viewer is split across multiple services. If you cannot recognise that viewer from one app to the next, you will show some people an ad far too often while missing others entirely. Solve the recognition problem and frequency becomes manageable, which is why the two sit together.
Cost is another common worry, and it is partly a matter of where attention goes. Brands tend to fixate on the biggest, most expensive platforms and overlook the long tail of other AVOD services, which can deliver comparable audiences at a more sensible price. The channel often looks pricier than it needs to because the buying conversation starts and ends with the household names, so widening the shortlist is usually the first saving available to you.
Creative is a related sticking point, with many brands assuming CTV demands the kind of production budget attached to a traditional TV spot. That is less true than it was. Newer formats such as pause ads, which appear when a viewer stops playback, ask far less of your creative. Alongside them, technologies that generate creative iterations and build lightweight dynamic ads let brands get up and running without a heavy upfront commitment.
The harder concern sits around impact. Many brands can prove delivery, things like completion rates and impression volumes, but struggle to connect CTV to real action, whether it be shifts in brand recall, increases in search activity, store visits or sales.
Taken together, these concerns are real but not disqualifying. Cost and creative are largely in your own hands from the outset. Reaching the right people at a sensible frequency, and proving genuine impact, depend far more on the partner you choose, which is where a shortlist starts to matter.
Where do you start with CTV?
Before comparing partners or platforms, get clear on two things: the audience you are trying to reach, and the outcome you want the campaign to drive. Those two answers shape everything that follows, and they keep you from being drawn in by reach figures that look impressive but say little about relevance.
You can act on some of the concerns above straight away. Look past the largest platforms to the wider pool of AVOD inventory to keep costs honest, and test lighter formats or repurposed content before committing to full-scale production. The rest comes down to the partner. Press each one on how they recognise audiences, how they control frequency, and how they tie exposure to online and in-store actions rather than stopping at impressions. Plain answers are a good sign; vague ones are a useful warning.
Download the CTV Buyer's Guide
Our CTV Buyer's Guide turns these concerns into a practical checklist, with the full RFP question list, the capabilities to look for and an industry report card to compare partners against.
Download the CTV Buyer's Guide to assess your shortlist with confidence.
---
## What is identity resolution? The complete EMEA guide
Type: eps_post
URL: /what-is-identity-resolution-the-complete-guide-emea
Last Modified: 2026-04-09T12:13:23Z
# What is identity resolution? The complete EMEA guide
Identity resolution is the process of connecting fragmented data signals from different channels, devices, and touchpoints into a single, accurate profile of one real customer.
It is the foundation for personalised marketing, accurate measurement, and effective suppression in a world where most consumer journeys span multiple devices, browsers, and environments.
For EMEA retailers and brand advertisers, this is no longer a technical nice-to-have. With third-party tracking in structural decline and GDPR raising the bar on how customer data must be collected and used, identity resolution has become the infrastructure on which compliant, effective digital retail marketing is built.
TL;DR Identity resolution unifies fragmented customer signals across devices, channels, and in-store touchpoints into one accurate, persistent profile. This eliminates duplicate profiles, enabling smarter activation strategies across channels including CTV, audio and display. Name and address anchored identity resolution, as used in Epsilon COREid, consistently achieves higher match rates, better channel reach, and more reliable attribution.
How does identity resolution work?
The short answer: identity resolution works by ingesting multiple data signals and matches them to determine which signals belong to the same real person.
What underpins the accuracy of any identity resolution platform is the quality of its core matching data.
Email is among the most common anchors used across the industry, but it is also one of the weakest. Customers use multiple email addresses, share family accounts, and change addresses over time. Platforms that anchor on email alone consistently under-match audiences and accumulate duplicate profiles, creating the very fragmentation email-first solutions set out to resolve.
Name and postal address data provides a more durable anchor. It changes far less frequently, is more consistent across channels, and is uniquely effective at capturing the in-store and offline purchase behaviour that email-only approaches miss entirely.
The output is a persistent identity: a single, pseudonymised view of a real person that travels with them across every interaction, regardless of device, channel, or session.
Find out more about Epsilon’s industry leading identity resolution solution, Epsilon CORE Identity.
The nuance is this deterministic data matching only works where strong first-party data exists. If someone is not logged in for example, many systems simply fail to match. Most serious identity strategies now start with deterministic data as the backbone and layer probabilistic methods - signals like device attributes, browser behaviour, location patterns, or network data - on top to extend reach and insight.
This is what makes it possible to reach the same individual with a relevant message whether they are browsing a retailer's app, watching a video ad on CTV, or walking into a physical store.
What is an identity graph and how does it connect digital and physical retail?
The short answer: an identity graph is the mechanism through which identity resolution operates at scale. It is a living record of all known identifiers for each individual, spanning both online devices and browsing to in-store purchases and loyalty use.
Rather than resolving identities on a transaction-by-transaction basis, an identity graph maintains a persistent record of the connections between device IDs, email addresses, loyalty card numbers, hashed identifiers, and postal addresses.
Think of it as a continuously updated network where each connection represents a verified or inferred link between an identifier and a single real person. When that network is built on verified offline data as well as digital signals, it extends identity resolution into territory that purely digital approaches cannot reach.
For a grocery retailer, this means connecting a customer's in-store loyalty card scan to their mobile browsing session, their click on a sponsored product listing, and their desktop checkout. Without an identity graph, each of those touchpoints looks like a different person. With one, they resolve into a single profile with a complete picture of purchase behaviour, channel preferences, and the full path from ad exposure to transaction.
The quality of an identity graph is determined by three things: the breadth of data signals it ingests, the accuracy of its matching methodology, and how regularly it is refreshed. Stale graphs generate false positives, over-messaging customers who have already purchased and spending media budget on audiences who have lapsed beyond the point of re-engagement.
Why does identity resolution matter more now?
The short answer: most of your audience is already invisible to traditional tracking, and the gap is growing. Identity resolution is how you reconnect the dots.
For years, marketers relied on third-party cookies to recognise customers across the web. That approach is failing. According to Comscore's 2025 State of Programmatic report, more than half of all mobile impressions (54%) and over a third of desktop impressions (36%) no longer carry any user identifier at all, including alternative IDs. That is not a future problem. It is the current reality.
Find out more about third-party party cookies and the differences between different cookie types here.
The causes are multiple and compounding. Apple's App Tracking Transparency framework saw around 96% of iOS users decline tracking at the app level. Safari and Firefox have blocked third-party cookies for years. Chrome, the largest browser by market share, has moved away from its own cookie deprecation timeline, but the broader shift toward privacy-first browsing is irreversible. GDPR and the UK Data Protection Act reinforce it further.
Did device-based tracking work before?
The short answer: not really, no. With cookies, someone who browsed your website, clicked an ad on a tablet, then completed a purchase in-store would appear as three separate, unconnected people in your data.
Most legacy advertising infrastructure was built around devices and browsers rather than people. A cookie assigned a unique identifier to a browser session and followed that session across websites. When a customer switched devices, cleared their cookies, or browsed in a private window, the link was broken. The same person appeared as multiple different users.
Device-based identity approaches, including those built on email hashes and third-party digital IDs, inherit the same fundamental limitation: they match identifiers, not individuals. Matching requires an exact identifier in common across two data points. Any gap in that identifier chain produces a broken profile. Two interactions that cannot be linked by a shared digital ID are treated as two separate people, even if they belong to the same individual.
Person-based identity resolution works differently. Instead of requiring exact identifier matches, it uses AI and probabilistic modelling to evaluate multiple signals together and build a holistic, unified view of each individual. It fills in data gaps rather than abandoning profiles where those gaps exist. The result is a more complete, more accurate, and more dynamic picture of your customers, including the ones who do not leave a consistent digital footprint.
This distinction matters most in retail and digital media. A retail media network built on person-based identity can reach its full customer base, including in-store shoppers, infrequent digital visitors, and shared-device households. One built on device-based identity reaches only the fraction of customers who interact consistently through a single, trackable digital channel.
How does identity resolution power retail media and loyalty?
The short answer: for retail media and loyalty to work effectively, a retailer must resolve identities across online shopping behaviour, in-store data and loyalty.
The link between identity resolution and retail media is structural.
European retail media advertising reached €13.7 billion in 2024, growing 21.1% year-on-year according to IAB Europe, while the broader European digital ad market grew at around 6% over the same period. In the UK, retail media spend is, growing at an average annual rate of 17% through to 2030 according to IAB UK.
This growth is being driven by first-party purchase data: the verified, transaction-level audience signals that retailers hold. But that data is only as valuable as the identity infrastructure that activates it.
Consider what a retail media proposition actually requires to deliver on its promise. A brand advertiser wants to reach pet food buyers who have not purchased in 90 days, across both the retailer's owned website and offsite programmatic display. To build and activate that audience, the retailer must resolve identities across in-store loyalty data, online browsing behaviour, and email engagement, then push that resolved audience into a DSP for offsite activation, and close the measurement loop back to actual sales.
At every stage of that workflow, identity resolution is the enabling layer. Without it, the audience is incomplete, the targeting is imprecise, and the measurement cannot be connected to real outcomes.
Loyalty programmes compound this further. They generate some of the richest first-party data in retail, but only when the identities within them are resolved accurately. A loyalty card linked to one email address but not to a customer's in-store transactions, mobile sessions, or household profile is a partial view. Identity resolution closes that loop, connecting loyalty programme membership to the full breadth of a customer's commercial behaviour and making that data actionable across every retail media format: sponsored listings, display, offsite programmatic, CTV, and video.
Example
A major UK grocery retailer’s retail media network could reach approximately 40% of active loyalty members through digital channels. After resolving in-store transaction history against verified name and address data, digital reach extended to over 75% of the same customer base, capturing a large proportion of shoppers whose purchase behaviour had previously been invisible to the digital targeting stack. Suppression accuracy improved substantially too: customers who had already purchased a promoted product stopped receiving that promotion within 24 hours rather than continuing to be served irrelevant ads for days afterwards.
How should EMEA retailers and brand marketers evaluate an identity resolution solution?
Match rate across your full customer base. What percentage of your customers can the platform resolve, including in-store and offline audiences? Email-only platforms will significantly underperform here. Ask for benchmarks specific to your market.
Person-based vs device-based architecture. Does the platform resolve identities at the individual level, using AI-driven probabilistic matching that fills data gaps? Or does it rely on exact identifier matching that breaks wherever a digital ID is absent?
Channel activation breadth. Can resolved identities be activated across display, video, CTV, programmatic, and in-store? A resolved identity that cannot be activated across every channel your campaigns require is a limited one.
Closed-loop measurement. Does the platform connect ad exposure to verified purchase data at the transaction level? Click and impression reporting is not adequate proof of retail media ROI.
Data freshness. How frequently is the identity graph updated? A static or infrequently refreshed graph produces stale audiences, inaccurate suppression, and unreliable measurement.
Accreditation. MRC accreditation for outcomes measurement provides independent validation that a platform's methodology meets recognised standards. It is a meaningful differentiator in a market where self-reported performance figures are common.
How Epsilon COREid resolves identity across retail and digital media
Epsilon's COREid is built on verified name and address data, not email alone. This foundational difference is what allows it to resolve identities across the full breadth of a retail customer base, including in-store shoppers, infrequent digital visitors, and shared-device households that email-only platforms consistently miss.
COREid uses AI-driven probabilistic matching to connect disparate data points into a single pseudonymised view of each individual. It fills data gaps rather than discarding incomplete profiles, which means resolved audience sizes are larger, more accurate, and representative of real purchasing behaviour rather than digital behaviour alone.
Because COREid underpins every Epsilon product, a resolved identity is not a static data asset. It powers personalisation and performance across every channel: display, video, CTV, and digital audio. It connects ad exposure to verified sales data both online and in-store, offering true closed-loop attribution, so the business impact of every impression is measurable against real transactions.
This is what makes COREid the identity layer for retail media specifically. When a retailer's first-party loyalty data is resolved through COREid, that audience becomes activatable across onsite sponsored placements, offsite programmatic, and CTV simultaneously, with measurement that closes the loop back to the till. The same identity infrastructure that drives retail media performance also powers loyalty programme activation, personalisation, and customer acquisition, all from a single, stable, GDPR-compliant foundation.
Epsilon was the only identity solution to capture all nine of the potential identifiers outlined in Digiday's guide to ID alternatives for publishers, reflecting the breadth of signal coverage that underpins COREid's match rates and reach across EMEA markets.
See how COREid could transform your media strategy by linking each impression to real people and real transactions.
---
## Look MMM, no hands! Why marketers still need a firm grip on measurement
Type: eps_post
URL: /media-mix-modelling-marketers-still-need-oversight
Last Modified: 2026-06-02T11:53:03Z
# Look MMM, no hands! Why marketers still need a firm grip on measurement
Media mix models have helped advertisers make sense of marketing effectiveness since the 1960s. Long before dashboards and real-time optimisation, they offered a strategic promise: step back from channel-level noise and understand what actually drives growth.
Ultimately MMMs aim to answer the questions senior marketers care about most: What was my return on ad spend on TV last year? What would happen if I shifted budget next quarter? How should I allocate spend to maximise sales?
According to Boston Consulting Group research in EMEA, 76% of companies already rely on MMM for cross-channel budget allocation. In an environment defined by fragmentation, rising media costs and pressure to prove impact, a single, big-picture view is attractive.
The risk is not that MMM is wrong. It is that it feels hands-free.
As platforms lean further into automated, probabilistic optimisation, it becomes tempting to hand over complexity and accept model outputs as truth. But when MMMs are treated as decision engines rather than decision support, model error scales quickly. If assumptions are wrong, entire budgets can drift off course before anyone notices.
What media mix modelling is actually doing
Unlike attribution approaches that attempt to reconstruct individual customer journeys, MMMs work at an aggregated level. They rely on historical time series data to understand how changes in marketing inputs relate to changes in outcomes over time.
At their core, MMMs are regression models. They estimate statistical relationships between outcomes, such as sales, and inputs, such as media spend, promotions, or pricing. From those relationships, they infer contribution and forecast future scenarios.
In principle this makes MMMs great at capturing interaction effects between channels, such as how connected TV supports in-store conversion, or how brand investment lifts downstream performance. They can also incorporate non-marketing factors like seasonality, economic conditions, competitive activity, weather, and major external events.
That breadth is exactly what makes MMM valuable, providing context that narrower methods miss. It is also what makes MMM fragile when conditions change.
Why media mix models can mislead without oversight
MMMs and probabilistic AI systems are statistical approximations of reality, not direct measurements of incrementality. They infer impact rather than observe it.
Two challenges sit at the heart of this:
First, variation. For MMMs to estimate effects accurately, there must be meaningful change in spend and tactics over time. When strategies are stable or channels move together, the model has limited signal to learn from.
Second, causality. MMMs rely on observational data, which introduces bias. Activity bias occurs when consumer behaviour influences both exposure and outcomes. Confounding factors such as promotions, pricing changes, or seasonality can distort results if they are not fully accounted for.
As a result, MMMs infer relationships from correlations that may be shaped by forces outside the model. When teams outsource judgement entirely to these outputs, they can end up accepting neat, persuasive stories about channel performance that are difficult to validate.
As AI-driven tools become more confident in their explanations, this automation bias grows stronger. Outputs feel authoritative and questioning them feels unnecessary. This is when riding hands-free becomes genuinely risky.
Reducing model risk
There is no way to guarantee that an MMM is perfectly specified. What advertisers can do is reduce model risk and increase confidence in the decisions that flow from it.
The most effective way to do that is through controlled experimentation. Experiments answer a different question to MMM. Rather than asking what likely happened in the past, they test what happens when an advertiser deliberately does something different.
By randomly splitting a population into a test group and a control group, advertisers can isolate the impact of a specific action, such as increasing spend in a channel or suppressing exposure to a particular audience. Done well, experiments provide clean causal signals.
In practice, however, experimentation is hard to scale. Clean test and control splits across fragmented media ecosystems are technically complex. Holding out users creates opportunity cost that performance-focused teams are often uncomfortable with. Many media effects are small or noisy, meaning tests must be large or long to reach statistical confidence. And individual experiments tend to answer narrow questions at specific spend levels, while MMM requires broad response curves across channels and time.
This is where deterministic data changes the equation.
How deterministic data improves MMM accuracy
Deterministic data, such as identity graphs, logged exposures, and transaction-level outcomes at the person or household level, creates a far clearer map from eligibility to exposure to outcome.
It allows advertisers to define test and control groups with greater precision, reducing contamination and leakage between cohorts. It supports more granular experiment designs by audience, publisher, or geography, without losing the ability to link outcomes reliably.
Just as importantly, deterministic outcome data from CRM, loyalty programmes, and offline sales can be tied back to exposure with far less noise than panel-based or modelled approaches. That increased fidelity boosts statistical power, making smaller and shorter experiments viable.
The result is not experimentation as a special project, but experimentation as a repeatable operating mode.
Turning experiments into MMM fuel
Traditional MMMs often smoothed performance over long time horizons, blurring the impact of recent changes. What modern planning requires is continuous, multi-channel calibration.
Deterministic experimentation allows advertisers to run targeted tests where uncertainty or risk is highest, such as contested budget decisions or emerging channels. The causal results from those tests can then be fed back into the MMM as anchors, strengthening response curves where real-world evidence exists and allowing the model to extrapolate more confidently elsewhere.
Over time, and with the right data foundation, this process can be automated. Experiments become embedded in normal campaign delivery. MMM becomes a living system that is continuously refreshed, challenged, and corrected, rather than a static report produced once or twice a year.
That is what keeping a hand on the handlebars looks like.
Where to start
Before building an MMM, advertisers need to lay the groundwork.
Start with alignment. MMM only works when marketing and finance agree on the outcomes that matter, the time horizons that count, and the decisions the model is allowed to influence. Without that agreement, even a technically sound model will struggle to drive action.
Next, define the questions. MMM is not a silver bullet. List the business questions you are trying to answer and map each to the right measurement approach. Some questions suit MMM. Others are better answered through experiments or direct attribution.
Then focus on data readiness. Robust MMMs require consistent, high-quality data over time, typically 2 to 3 years, including media activity, sales, promotions, pricing, and relevant external factors. This is rarely glamorous work, but it determines whether the model is trustworthy.
Finally, treat interpretation as a discipline. MMM is part science, part judgement. Not all impressions are equal. Not all correlations deserve equal weight. Outputs need context, challenge, and regular recalibration as market conditions change.
Media mix modelling can be a powerful guide. But like any ride worth taking, it is safest and most effective when someone keeps at least one hand firmly on the wheel.
---
## For brands, expanding isn't easy in a global data economy
Type: eps_post
URL: /-brands-expanding-global-data-economy
Last Modified: 2025-03-14T05:50:14Z
# For brands, expanding isn't easy in a global data economy
As the world becomes more connected than ever, brands are considering their global marketing strategies. But entering new global markets is far easier said than done.
Not only are people more connected—TikTok, for example, has 1 billion monthly active global users—consumers are far more exposed to brands that even 20 years ago would’ve been unreachable.
According to the Harvard Business School, the US alone has more than 268 million digital buyers accessing a variety of products largely unencumbered by “traditional” trade. Epsilon can reach more than 200+ million online U.S. consumers in our platforms. Against incredible odds, the global consumer class continues to rise. According to the World Data Lab, despite the COVID-19 pandemic and international economic pressures, including inflation and war, the global consumer class reached 4 billion people in 2023 and is estimated to grow to a staggering 5 billion by 2031.
But reaching new audiences across international lines requires more than just desire. A survey of 2,000 businesses globally found that in the US, 73% of business leaders consider identifying and entering new markets to be challenging.
To successfully launch in a new market, brands need the right strategy powered by data and technology.
“Brands need to start with an intentional strategy that includes data,” said Kate Sirkin, EVP of Global Data Partnerships at Epsilon. “Understanding current customers and category consumers using available consumer data and filling in gaps with market research will set them up for future success.”
The role of data in global expansion
Brand expansion offers companies—especially start-ups hungry for diversified revenue—a chance to compete on a global scale. In the past several years, bourgeoning US direct-to-consumer brands like Billie, a razor company, and Glossier, a makeup brand, have used international expansion as a key growth area for acquisition.
Billie co-founder Georgina Gooley said the company’s 2024 entry into Canada was part of a broader expansion strategy that included increased product offerings and in-store partnerships. They’re not alone: US-based brands commonly look to Canada as a testing ground because of its proximity geographically and culturally.
But not all brands find success abroad. In 2020, Walmart sold its majority stake in Japanese supermarket group Seiyu after failing to capture consumers. British beverage giant Diageo sold its shareholding in Guinness Nigeria in 2024 due to economic conditions in the country.
Often, a data strategy is the difference between a brand that succeeds on a global scale versus one that doesn’t—specifically, a data strategy that encompasses collection and enhancement.
“Success hinges on a brand's ability to understand and engage new consumers effectively,” said Rob Odd, Regional Managing Director of Asia, Pacific and Japan for Epsilon. “The challenges of navigating diverse markets, regulatory landscapes, and evolving consumer behaviors can be daunting— but with the right data and technology strategy, brands can turn these challenges into opportunities.”
Odd has identified four common pitfalls that brands often encounter:
Lack of a unified customer identity
Underestimating data privacy and compliance
Relying primarily on third-party data assets
Failing to optimize market spend without data-driven insights
Having robust and accurate first-party data, coupled with third-party customer behavior data, transaction trends, market potential and overall consumer research, creates a harmonized view of individuals and audiences.
A localized first-party data strategy, aligned with region-specific regulatory stipulations, should also prioritize proper collection and analysis for real-time insights. This includes using the right tools to collect, clean and enhance data through identity resolution to create a single source of data.
“A fragmented approach to data can lead to missed opportunities, inefficiencies, and wasted marketing spend,” he said. “Regardless of the region, brands need a unified data infrastructure.”
Turning insights into action
While consumers differ from region to region, one thing unites them: their desire for personalized messages.
Joshua Conrad Jackson, an Assistant Professor of Behavioral Science at the University of Chicago’s Booth School of Business, said that despite economic globalization, the unique cultural qualities of foreign markets are often where brands fail.
“The organizations that thrive when they expand across borders in the years ahead will be those that maintain their core identity while integrating partners, personnel, values and regulatory guidelines from their host culture,” he wrote in the Harvard Business Review.
Personalization requires brands to have deep knowledge supported by data and the right tech to make insights actionable. In a 2024 article examining why some US-based businesses struggle to expand globally, Pamela Ghosal, Director of Brand & Communications at Phrase, a translation tech start-up, said the inability to thoughtfully address cultural, behavioral and legal nuances of new markets holds brands back.
“Modern localization practices are increasingly sophisticated, leveraging cutting-edge advancements in artificial intelligence, large language models, and advanced machine translation,” Ghosal writes. “These technologies, when integrated with automated quality assessment frameworks, significantly diminish the risks commonly linked with expansion.
Elie Carrier-Walker, VP of Client Services at Epsilon in EMEA, said cultural complexities can be a make-it-or-break-it for brands hoping to leave their mark. Adaptability requires a holistic understanding of consumers, even from country to country within a greater region, and the ability to develop and deliver relevant messages on the right channels.
“Brands will come to us and say, ‘We’re doing the same thing in Germany that we’re doing in Spain, and we’re not getting the results we want.’ And the problem is they don’t realize they need to adapt their strategy,” Carrier-Walker said. “It’s not one-size-fits-all.”
She used the example of a major brand expanding its loyalty program from one European market to another. After Epsilon analyzed its data compared to the market analysis of the new region, the brand was able to identify regional-specific gaps and adjust its program. This included expanding communication channels and developing a dynamic journey that made program participation more achievable for the everyday consumer.
“We want to be able to drive behaviors that are specific to the real people living in that market,” she said. “And we want the offerings for those people to match what they’re actually interested in.”
What brands can do to win
Brands looking to expand need to be intentional about their data strategy, including the one in their country of origin.
“What you’re able to do with your tech, data and identity is going to vary by each country,” Sirkin said. “Brands need to understand what’s available to them and how it can be useful. Knowing what’s successful in their current and potential markets allows them to make informed hypotheses.”
Epsilon experts say brands can focus on a few key areas:
Data access and collection
Data enrichment and activation
Supplemental information like market research and readiness reports
Assessment of current tech and strategies
Prioritizing data collection, identity resolution and activation allows for more cohesion, Odd said. Stronger data begets stronger insights, which leads to stronger measurement, more seamless customer experiences across channels and strategies that build off proven effectiveness.
Both Sirkin and Odd said brands looking to expand should start small. A trusted partner can help vet market readiness and launch pilot campaigns to determine effectiveness before expanding full-scale. This gives brands a foundational jumping-off point: What tech do I have? What tech do I need? What strategies can bridge my gaps?
Epsilon is a global technology provider with industry-leading, person-first identity. Our solutions are built with privacy by design on a solid data foundation. And, coupled with AI and machine learning, Epsilon can produce personalized marketing at scale.
“At Epsilon, we believe that data isn’t just a tool—it’s the foundation for every successful global expansion strategy,” Odd said. “By combining advanced identity resolution, AI-driven personalization, and a privacy-first approach, we help brands scale smarter, engage deeper, and grow faster in new markets.”
---
## Customer interaction management: Key strategies for retention and loyalty
Type: eps_post
URL: /customer-interaction-management
Last Modified: 2026-05-19T11:11:55Z
# Customer interaction management: Key strategies for retention and loyalty
Every interaction is an opportunity to build a long-lasting relationship with your customers. The brands that win are the ones treating each touchpoint as a chance to strengthen retention and loyalty, not just resolve a ticket.
Here's how to make customer interaction management work harder for you, with the strategies that matter most and a practical view of where to start.
What is customer interaction management?
Customer interaction management is the process of coordinating customer interactions across every channel a customer might use: face-to-face, phone, text, email, chat, social media, and your website or app.
It covers more than customer service. Browsing your site, reading an FAQ, opening a marketing email, or speaking to an agent are all interactions, and they fall into two camps. Reactive interactions are typically service-led, triggered by a customer reaching out. Proactive interactions are driven by your marketing: the alert, the recommendation, the timely offer.
Why does it matter? Research consistently shows that customers will switch to a competitor after a single bad experience. You often get one chance. Get it wrong, and the lifetime value of that customer walks out the door, frequently to a brand that has invested in connected, person-level experiences.
The barrier most organisations hit is siloed execution. A whitepaper from IDC, sponsored by Epsilon, identifies three common failure points: siloed data (multiple sources of truth, no centralised identity resolution), siloed technology (poorly integrated tools creating gaps in the customer journey), and siloed teams (organisational structures that separate paid and owned channels). Solve those three, and customer interaction management becomes a retention engine rather than an overhead.
How to manage customer interactions effectively
A strong customer interaction management strategy comes down to five practical components:
Integrate your interaction tools. Connect your CRM, email service provider, loyalty platform and service systems so every customer-facing team works from the same view. One source of truth means context at every touchpoint, from the call centre to the chatbot.
Standardise your operational processes. Customers expect the same personality, ease and quality of experience whether they're in-store, on a call or messaging a bot. Use automated workflows to enforce consistency, and let customer feedback flag where processes are slipping (long wait times, frequent escalations, slow resolutions).
Gather and analyse interaction data. Purchase history shows what customers buy, service contacts expose friction, and marketing engagement reveals what cuts through. Taken together, those signals should inform what happens next, not sit in separate dashboards.
Shift from reactive to proactive engagement. Shipping updates, timely prompts, relevant recommendations and well‑judged outreach reduce effort for the customer and deflect future contact. This is where retention is earned rather than repaired.
Close the feedback loop. Every interaction leaves a signal, whether that is a repeat purchase, a return, or silence. When customers see their input lead to visible change, trust builds quickly.
The thread running through all five is identity. Without a reliable way to recognise the same customer across channels, integration breaks, personalisation misfires and feedback gets attached to the wrong record.
How to measure whether it is working
Most interaction programmes over-index on activity metrics because they are easy to report, but volume is not value. The question is whether interactions reduce friction, increase confidence and make the next best action more likely, without creating unwanted contact.
A practical measurement spine links three levels of outcomes.
At the interaction level, you look for time to resolution, containment rates and satisfaction shifts by customer segment, not generic averages.
At the relationship level, you track repeat purchase, churn risk movement, and loyalty engagement among customers who received proactive support compared with those who did not.
At the economics level, you quantify cost-to-serve reduction and lifetime value lift, because the point of connected interactions is to improve both experience and efficiency.
Where do I start?
The starting point is almost always identity resolution. Connected experiences depend on knowing the same person is the one browsing your site on Monday, calling your contact centre on Tuesday and opening your email on Thursday. Without that, every interaction is a cold start.
That means establishing a single, durable view of the customer that survives channel switching, device changes and data decay. In practice, this requires moving beyond email-led identification and accepting that customers behave like people, not records. They use multiple addresses, share devices, change preferences and appear inconsistently across systems. Until those signals are resolved to the individual level, every interaction is effectively a guess, however advanced the execution looks on paper.
The practical implication is straightforward but often resisted. Invest first in the foundations that allow recognition, continuity and accountability across interactions. Everything else, orchestration, personalisation, loyalty mechanics, becomes easier to sequence once you are no longer rebuilding context at every touchpoint.
Build customer loyalty with Epsilon
Managing every interaction manually is impossible. With Epsilon Loyalty, our loyalty management software, we help you use customer behaviour insights in three key areas:
Seeing customers fully - An identity foundation, like Epsilon COREid, resolves customers to the individual level using name and address data rather than email alone, so a single customer with multiple email addresses doesn't fragment into multiple records. That accuracy is what makes downstream personalisation, loyalty rewards, and proactive outreach actually feel personal.
Omnichannel communication strategies - A customer-centric, unified omnichannel strategy is no longer optional. As IDC's Roger Beharry Lall notes: "Marketers need to embrace a more unified approach that connects advertising and marketing silos. Whether through a single tool, a deeply integrated stack, or the use of bridging data constructs, aligning these two areas is essential."
Personalising and tailoring interactions - Whether reactive or proactive, every interaction can be personalised with the right technology. A customer interaction management strategy grounded in a strong, person-level identity helps you tailor interactions and create exceptional experiences at every touchpoint.
With additional context from prior interactions, customers feel supported whether speaking to a chatbot or a live agent.
Maximise the value of your loyalty programmes with omnichannel activation of your data, driving the kinds of connected customer experiences that create long-lasting loyalty.
Learn more
---
## Levelling Up Marketing: Gaming is the Next Frontier for Advertisers
Type: eps_post
URL: /levelling-up-marketing-gaming-next-frontier-for-advertisers
Last Modified: 2026-05-01T12:53:48Z
# Levelling Up Marketing: Gaming is the Next Frontier for Advertisers
Gaming has evolved into one of the most dynamic and immersive spaces for marketers, offering unique opportunities to engage with highly attentive and engaged audiences.
But it’s a broad field, and navigating the complexities of advertising here can be daunting, given the myriads of formats, platforms, devices, audiences, and ecosystems. That’s why many brands stick with what they know.
But if you’re looking to explore the richness of highly attentive, multi diverse gaming audiences to your media plan, here are the questions brands most frequently ask me and my advice.
Why should advertisers prioritise gaming audiences in their media mix?
Advertisers want to connect with audiences who are fully immersed and emotionally invested in what they’re doing, not those passively scrolling. And this is precisely what gaming audiences offer.
A study from Activation Blizzard Media shows that gamers report feeling 57% happier and 67% more engaged during gameplay compared to consuming other digital media. That level of focus is gold for advertisers.
That’s why gaming audiences aren’t just a good addition to a brand’s media mix but a strategic move. If you want to foster deeper connections with consumers and build loyalty in ways your other channels can’t, advertising to this valuable data set must be part of your media planning.
What makes gaming audiences so valuable for advertisers?
Think about someone completely immersed in a game. They’re focused, excited and committed to solving the challenge. This level of engagement is rare. Gaming audiences aren’t just spectators; they’re participants. They’re deeply involved in their experiences, making deliberate decisions and forming emotional connections with the content they are wrapped up in. They are also very much at home in digital environments; they understand the value exchange of digital-first products and services in their world and are familiar with making purchases online.
For advertisers, this means an opportunity to connect with people who are already primed to pay attention and transact. A well-placed, thoughtful ad becomes part of their journey. Gaming audiences don’t just consume. They experience. This makes them uniquely receptive to brands that align with their world.
What’s critical is ensuring this alignment takes into consideration the individual, their interests, and their purchase intent. Getting this right means personalisation moves to the heart of every interaction, and it’s this relevance that gets you noticed.
What channels and formats should I be considering for gaming campaigns?
Effective campaigns extend far beyond traditional in-game advertising. While in-game ads are important part of the eco-system, brands must also consider the diverse opportunities to connect with audiences across multiple touch points. For example, sponsorship of major esports events or live streams associate you with highly visible moments of excitement and community engagement.
Alternatively, consider using high impact or dynamic ads, they capture attention quickly, resonate emotionally and leave a lasting impression. This creates meaningful connections that last beyond gameplay, whilst demonstrating that a brand considers each interaction with its intended audience to be considered driving consumer action and brand loyalty in an increasingly cluttered media landscape.
Finally, a multi-channel strategy not only amplifies reach but deepens audience engagement. Navigating multiple platforms for campaign activation often results in budget inefficiencies, overlapping audiences, and weakened messaging. This is where unified solutions become essential. By frequency capping at the user level, and tracking customer journeys over time, brands can achieve efficient media spend while building stronger connections with consumers ensuring every campaign becomes a seamless part of a player’s experience.
What role does programmatic advertising play in reaching gamers?
Programmatic advertising shouldn’t be just about serving ads. It must let you weave a persistent, meaningful communication thread between a brand and consumers. This makes it essential to use an identity framework that allows you to connect with gamers across the digital ecosystem – from mobile devices to Connected TV – and create a cohesive experience wherever they are.
Whether it’s a targeted display ad based on purchase behaviour or an audience extension from Linear to Connected TV, each campaign element must ensure precision and consistency. Only then can you maintain a single, unified conversation with gamers that reinforces your brand message and ensures relevance at every touchpoint. It all comes down to accessing the best data – both online and offline – so your campaigns don’t just reach your audience but resonate with them, programmatic is merely the vehicle to deliver the message effectively.
How should I navigate the diverse ad inventory available in this environment?
Take the classic marketing approach. Don’t focus on the format or the environment alone. Instead, focus on reaching your gamer audience throughout their entire journey, online and offline.
Gamers are a diverse group with varied interests, and their engagement with gaming extends far beyond the screen. Casual mobile gamers, for example, have different behaviours and preferences to hardcore console or PC players.
Success here comes down to working with the right partner. Only then can you bring together all the key elements, including essential consumer insights, access to the right inventory and channels with the ability to understand, reach, and engage with gaming audiences across the entire ecosystem, whenever and wherever they may be.
How should I be measuring my campaigns?
Get to know your customers at an individual level. Instead of relying on surface level metrics like clicks and views, that only tell a part of the story and don’t provide actionable insights, focus on achieving a holistic understanding of your customers in three key areas:
Cross Channel Behaviour allows you to track how your audience interacts with content across platforms to uncover buying behaviours.
Device Usage allows you to understand where and how your audience engages – mobile, desktop, console and CTV.
On and Offline Spending will connect online behaviours with offline purchases to see the complete impact of your campaigns.
By integrating these data points you’ll gain a full picture of your audience’s journey, enabling better marketing attribution and sharper decision-making.
How can Epsilon help me navigate the challenges of such a cluttered media landscape?
The gaming landscape alone can feel like a maze, but we will be your map. From understanding the nuances of player types and intent to strategic audience insight and efficient, multi-channel performance, we can guide you every step of the way.
Take the findings from the IAB State of Data Report (2024).This highlights fragmentation as a top challenge. Our end-to-end solution lets you focus on crafting those compelling stories that connect with audiences at an individual level using the power of the CORE ID whilst our tech stack handles the complexities of cross device and cross channel delivery to reach in market consumers. It is our robust identify solution that delivers cost efficiencies by frequency capping at the individual level.
So, if you’re looking to take advantage of a highly engaged, audience, capture their attention wherever they are in the digital world, discover new audiences and stand out in this fast-paced and competitive arena reaching them in innovative ways, contact us at the button below.
---
## Target your customers by behaviour: A guide to behavioural segmentation
Type: eps_post
URL: /segmenting-customer-behaviour-apac
Last Modified: 2026-04-16T13:33:08Z
# Target your customers by behaviour: A guide to behavioural segmentation
Marketing segmentation has always been a key component of the most effective digital strategies. Dividing customers into smaller groups based on their needs and actions ensures you are best placed to efficiently solve their problems and in turn, sell more of your products.
Maximising your first-party data—like customer location, age and gender—is a key first step towards seeing a clearer picture of who your customers are. But if you want to truly know what motivates them and offer them what matters—you need to go deeper. This is where behavioural-based data segmentation comes in.
Behavioural data segmentation can help you identify how your customers interact with your products and services. Fuelling your strategy with tools like Epsilon’s proprietary data, can offer valuable insights that are actionable in real time, and help you guide shoppers through each touchpoint seamlessly.
This blog will define behavioural segmentation, break down its key benefits and outline the four main types of segmentation that—with the right solutions in place—can be leveraged to optimise your marketing strategy, create tailored onsite experiences and drive conversions.
What is behavioural segmentation?
In marketing, behavioural segmentation is a way to divide your customers into segments based on their behavioural patterns when they interact with a particular business or website.
Grouping people that visit your ecommerce business by purchase behaviour, product usage and brand interaction in this way offers marketers a more holistic view of each shopper, enabling tailored onsite experiences that align products and messaging to each individual customer’s needs.
Going beyond the traditional demographic and geographic segmentation methods and utilising behavioural data allows for the execution of more successful marketing campaigns.
Why is behavioural segmentation important?
If you have a successful ecommerce business, you most likely already know a bit about who your customers are. Behavioural segmentation goes a step further, revealing what they do—and why.
Every action a shopper takes on your site can provide you with deeper layers of insight into their motivation and intent—ensuring you connect seamlessly and provide onsite experiences that reflect their needs and interests.
Behavioural segmentation can enhance your marketing efforts in these important ways:
Identifies your most engaged users. The ability to filter existing customers and potential prospects by levels of engagement will enable you to make more informed decisions on how and where to best allocate time and resources—so you can focus on those most likely to make a purchase.
Improves messaging accuracy. Imagine you’ve already identified that 24- to 35-year-olds are the most active segment on your site. Behavioural segmentation can then adapt messaging and experiences to match those behavioural trends—based on shared engagement patterns.
Provides refined personalised experiences. Offering personal touches—like recommending related products or sending a timely upsell email—can lower bounce rate, reduce cart abandonment and speed up the purchasing process.
Builds brand loyalty. Behavioural segmentation is key for ecommerce brands seeking to keep customers happy, boost repeat business and grow revenue over time by making targeting more accurate and offering unique onsite experiences.
Epsilon Accelerate provides granular data segmentation and analytics that you can tap into for advanced insights from various touchpoints. Fuelled by industry-leading data and identity resolution, our solutions are built to provide a clear view of who is shopping your site—and respond in real time.
And the more clearly you can see your customers, the easier it will be to provide customised onsite experiences that build meaningful connections and drive higher ROI.
What are the four types of behavioural segmentation?
Customers expect personalised experiences. When done right, segmentation can help you create onsite experiences that feel personal to each customer—ensuring they feel like you know them.
Let’s break down four main types of behavioural segmentation that provide a holistic view of your customer throughout their buying journey. Each one reveals actionable insights you can use across touchpoints to help guide their purchase decisions.
1. Segmentation based on purchase and usage behaviour
Segmenting by purchase behaviour can help you pinpoint varying trends, and behaviour patterns that customers have at purchase. Businesses that leverage this type of segmentation benefit from seeing a map of each customer’s position in their journey—their role in the purchasing process, the obstacles they are facing, the incentives they’re most likely to respond to—allowing for timely, personalised engagement.
2. Occasion or timing-based segmentation
Occasion-based segmentation categorises customers who are most likely to interact with your brand or purchase from your website on either specific occasions or set times. It can also be triggered by a customer’s daily routine, like a happy hour round of drinks after work or routinely buying a morning coffee beverage.
3. Benefits-sought segmentation
Segmenting by benefits sought refers to dividing your audience based on the unique value proposition your customer is looking to gain from your product or service.
For example, some people buy toothpaste for whitening benefits while others seek comfort to their sensitive gums. Investing in the right technology can ensure that you surface products that are most relevant to the benefit each person cares about most.
4. Segmentation based on customer loyalty
Loyalty-based segmentation measures the level of engagement a customer has with your brand—distinguishing between first-time buyers, repeat shoppers or high-tiered rewards program members.
The goal of this type of segmentation isn’t just recognising your best customers, it can help you focus on repeat customers, their needs, behaviour patterns—ultimately, optimising future campaigns, improving your businesses’ value proposition and strengthening your brand positioning.
Other types of behavioural segmentation
In addition to purchase, benefit, loyalty and timing-based segments, there are other types of behavioural segmentation you can use to optimise the onsite experiences of your ecommerce business—such as customer journey stage, engagement and customer satisfaction.
Segmentation based on customer journey stage
Segmenting by customer journey gives direction to your business objectives and helps you provide a path for customers to seamlessly move from awareness to retention. The insight to nudge customers from desire to purchase requires well-positioned product imagery and good website design.
Our onsite personalisation platform provides a data-driven approach that streamlines website journeys, offering a comprehensive view of each stage your customer is in, as well as touchpoints they interact with—increasing opt-in rates, conversion rates and AOV.
Segmentation based on engagement
Just like customer journey stage segmentation, grouping customers based on their engagement levels can help you to understand the reasons why their behaviour falls into specific categories.
Customer engagement is categorised by three levels:
Occasional: Occasional customers are not in regular contact with your brand.
Regular: Regular customers interact with your products or services but fail to use them to the full extent.
Intensive: Intensive customers are those who are intensive advocates of your product or service.
Segmenting your customers in this way will aid customer retention by dividing the relevant materials between those engaged, and those unengaged, and ultimately help to reduce churn.
Segmentation based on satisfaction
Behavioural segmentation based on satisfaction is the most straightforward of them all. Customer feedback—like surveys and NPS scores—can help you to enhance your product or service by understanding which features your customers most desire, or which could help you stay ahead of competitors.
Conclusion
By segmenting customers based on their behavioural data, you gain a more comprehensive look at how you can adjust your messaging, brand, marketing materials and ultimately products or services to stay ahead of the competition and reduce your customer churn.
While creating marketing campaigns that resonate and offering customised onsite experiences does require deeper insight into your customer—that’s just the start. Leveraging that insight effectively is the only way to execute higher performing campaigns and drive better outcomes.
Establishing an effective behavioural segmentation strategy takes an investment in a technology partner that can provide a solid foundation of data and identity for you to build on. Epsilon Accelerate offers best-in-class identification and onsite personalisation capabilities that can help seamlessly communicate with your shoppers—always sending them the right message at the right time.
---
## How to prove that upper-funnel spend is driving lower-funnel revenue
Type: eps_post
URL: /how-to-prove-upper-funnel-incrementality
Last Modified: 2026-04-23T17:04:24Z
# How to prove that upper-funnel spend is driving lower-funnel revenue
There is a conversation that happens in almost every marketing team at some point in the year. Usually around budget planning. Sometimes triggered by a bad quarter. The finance lead pulls up the channel report, notices that the brand campaign, the CTV spend, or the video activity has no clear conversion event attached to it, and asks you to justify it.
And you know the spend is working. You can feel it in the brand search volume, in the way conversion rates have held up, in the feedback from the sales team. But the report in front of you does not say that. The report says last-click attribution gave the credit to paid search, which was always going to be the last thing someone clicked before buying.
Incrementality testing is how you fix that. Here we walk through what it is, how to set one up, and how to take the results back into that budget conversation and actually win it.
What incrementality actually measures
Rather than asking “which channel got the last click?”, incrementality testing asks: “What would have happened if we had not run this campaign at all?”
The difference between what happened with the campaign and what would have happened without it is the incremental effect. That is the number that tells you what your marketing actually caused, as opposed to what it happened to be present for.
This distinction matters more than it might sound. Most brands have a meaningful level of organic demand. Customers who were going to buy anyway will buy, and last-click will credit whichever channel they touched last. Incrementality testing separates those organic conversions from the ones your campaign genuinely drove.
For upper-funnel channels, the time lag between exposure and conversion is the key challenge. A CTV viewer might convert three weeks after seeing your ad. Last-click will not connect those events because three weeks of other digital activity sits between them. Incrementality testing will, because it is measuring outcomes at the audience level, not the session level.
How to set up a test-and-control incrementality test
The methodology is more straightforward than it tends to sound when people describe it. You split your target audience into two groups before the campaign runs. One group receives the campaign. The other group, the control group, does not. At the end of the campaign period, you compare conversion rates. The difference is your incremental lift.
Here is how to do each step without the parts that commonly go wrong.
Step 1: Define and split the audience before anything runs
Start with the full target audience for the campaign. This might be a lookalike audience built from your CRM, a category segment from a retail media network, or a broad demographic group for a brand campaign. The split needs to happen before any targeting or media delivery occurs.
The control group should be a minimum of 10% of the total audience for the results to be statistically meaningful. For smaller campaigns, 20% is safer. The larger the control group, the more confident you can be in the results, but the more reach you give up during the test period. That is a real trade-off, and it is worth making deliberately rather than just defaulting to the smallest defensible control group.
Step 2: Make sure the split is genuinely random
This is where many incrementality tests fail quietly. If the control group is selected in a way that systematically differs from the exposed group, the comparison is meaningless.
Common mistakes: excluding the control group from one channel but not others, building the control group from a different geographic region, or pulling the control group after the campaign has already started running. The split needs to happen at the individual level, using a stable identifier, before any activity begins.
If you are running the test across multiple channels simultaneously, the same individuals need to be in the control group across all of them. This is operationally fiddly, and it is the reason identity infrastructure matters for measurement, not just targeting.
Step 3: Hold the control group out of everything relevant
During the campaign period, the control group receives no exposure to the campaign being tested. If you are testing a CTV campaign, they do not see the CTV ads. If you are testing a full-funnel campaign across CTV, display, and email, they are suppressed from all three.
This requires the ability to identify and suppress the same people across multiple platforms and environments. Without that, control group members will inevitably receive some exposure, which dilutes the results in the direction of making your campaign look less effective than it is.
Step 4: Measure the right outcome over the right window
For upper-funnel campaigns, the right outcome is rarely an online click. It is more likely to be a store visit or a subscription, measured across both online and offline channels and over a window that reflects how long people actually take to make that decision.
For a fast-moving consumer product, two weeks might be sufficient. For a household appliance or a financial product, four to six weeks is more appropriate. Setting the measurement window too short is one of the most common ways incrementality tests undercount upper-funnel effectiveness.
Step 5: Express the result as incremental revenue, not incremental conversions
Here are the metrics you want to have to hand:
Incremental conversion rate: conversion rate of exposed group minus conversion rate of control group.
Incremental revenue: incremental conversion rate multiplied by average order value multiplied by the size of the exposed audience.
Incremental ROAS: incremental revenue divided by campaign spend.
Incremental ROAS is not the same number as total ROAS. Incremental ROAS measures only what the campaign caused. For upper-funnel channels, the gap between the two is typically large, and it consistently moves in the direction of making upper-funnel spend look more effective than last-click was suggesting.
The three objections you will hear, and how to handle them
“We cannot afford to hold out a control group”
The cost of running a control group is the reach you give up during the test period, typically 10 to 20% of your audience for one campaign cycle.
However, the cost of not running one is continuing to allocate budget based on measurement that systematically misattributes the contribution of your most important brand-building channels.
Run the test once properly, use the results to rebalance your channel mix, and the incremental revenue recovered will significantly outweigh the reach sacrificed during the test period.
“Our finance team will not accept results that are not in our standard dashboard”
This is a presentation challenge, not a measurement one. Build a single-page summary with three numbers side by side: total ROAS from standard reporting, incremental ROAS from the test, and the difference expressed as the revenue that last-click was not capturing.
Most finance teams respond well to being told that existing reporting is undercounting revenue. It reframes the conversation from “trust our methodology” to “your current methodology is leaving money on the table.” That is a more useful frame for a budget conversation.
“We do not have the identity infrastructure to run a clean hold-out”
This is the most legitimate objection and the one worth taking seriously. A clean incrementality test across multiple channels requires individual-level identity resolution that persists across environments, so that the same person can be held out of a CTV campaign, a display campaign, and an email campaign simultaneously. Without it, the test will leak and the results will be less reliable.
The practical answer is to start with a single-channel test where the hold-out is operationally clean, establish the methodology and the internal confidence that comes with it, and then extend to cross-channel testing as the identity infrastructure matures. Starting imperfectly is significantly better than not starting.
What this conversation looks like when you have the data
The budget conversation about upper-funnel spend has historically been won or lost on credibility rather than evidence, because the evidence was not there. Incrementality testing provides the evidence.
That is a different kind of confidence to walk into a room with. And it tends to produce different outcomes at the next planning cycle, because the number is expressed in the language finance teams use to make decisions rather than the language marketing teams use to describe their work.
If you want to understand how to build incrementality testing into your measurement framework, or how to present the results in a way that changes your internal budget conversation, talk to our team.
---
## CTV is usurping linear TV’s crown
Type: eps_post
URL: /ctv-is-usurping-linear-tvs-crown
Last Modified: 2026-05-01T13:15:23Z
# CTV is usurping linear TV’s crown
It's no surprise that TV advertising has traditionally been so successful. Offering huge reach, impact and the ability to grab attention – something hard to achieve today – it was the go-to choice for brand building. The combination of visual storytelling supported by memorable jingles resonates at that most important of levels – the emotional one.
Today, it’s a different world. The demand for attention has never been greater, and media has never been more fragmented. Attention is now divided between smart TVs, smartphones, laptops, and tablets. We’re watching streaming services, engaging in social media, instant messaging, texting, and listening to podcasts or music streams.
A declining dominance
Yes, time spent watching TV may still be relatively high compared to other media, but traditional TV faces a raft of challenges as an advertising platform.
Most significantly, it’s expensive. High production and media costs put it out of reach for many brands, bar the biggest. While it still offers reach, if you want to target, it’s not possible. And as brands seek outcomes from their advertising spend, traditional TV’s lack of a digital identifier means measurement is limited, especially when compared to video, display or social media.
Finally, it’s linear in a digital world. Evolving viewing habits mean over half of the population now watches programmes via a connected TV. But if you dig deeper and look at younger demographics, you’ll find an even greater propensity for it. Naturally, this will only increase over time as CTV becomes the norm. And for advertisers, this offers an array of opportunities.
Democratising TV advertising
Critically, it’s authenticated. This means the streaming platform – and an advertiser – knows who is watching and what they're viewing. Factor in access to additional data sources that can be brought into play, and then you can initiate greater targeting and measurement.
There’s also a wealth of choices, from smart TV platforms like Samsung or LG and the broadcasting platforms offered by ITV and Channel 4 to streaming platforms such as Disney+ or Netflix. Rather than one dominant player, there are multiple providers, and this choice results in more competitively priced media. Suddenly, smaller brands that can’t afford traditional TV advertising have access to an environment where they can run micro-campaigns on TV and target their ads to the audience they want to reach. And with authenticated identity, it’s possible to track behaviours, from when someone views a CTV ad to if they go on to buy. This can be extended further to measure customer lifetime values and understand CTV advertising’s contribution to driving this.
Take Currys, for example. By allowing Samsung to use its first-party data to reach in-market tech buyers, Samsung could integrate a CTV campaign alongside its display advertising. And the result? The addition of targeted CTV advertising saw conversions soar by 46%, and in-store sales boosted by 20%.
This combination of data, the CTV channel and precise measurement are transforming the nature and value of TV advertising, enabling brands to drive more efficient and effective media campaigns.
Watch Matt Rolfe’s presentation at eTail Spring Connect to learn how Epsilon helps brands and advertisers drive more efficient media.
---
## Trends Snapshot: Industry shifts to keep an eye on in 2026
Type: eps_post
URL: /2026-trends-report-snapshot-marketing-growth-apac
Last Modified: 2026-03-02T19:25:15Z
# Trends Snapshot: Industry shifts to keep an eye on in 2026
Marketing in 2026 is filled with big growth targets, but less certainty about what will actually work. Audiences are splintering across platforms, AI is changing how people find and choose brands, and measurement is being challenged from every angle. The 2026 Trends Snapshot cuts through the noise to show what is genuinely shifting, what is simply being renamed, and where teams should act now.
This is not a crystal-ball exercise. It is a grounded look at the changes already underway across retail media, loyalty, discovery and measurement, with a practical lens on what “ready” looks like in each area.
What the report covers
Can marketing finally move beyond the problem of spend without certainty on impact?
Why is retail media at an inflection point, and what separates full-funnel operators from “sponsored products plus”?
How are loyalty programmes shifting from points schemes to always-on engagement that actually influences behaviour?
What happens to discovery when AI compresses journeys and pushes brands further down the page, or off it entirely?
Why is MMM resurfacing, and what needs to be fixed before teams can rely on it with confidence?
Across each theme, the report pairs a clear market shift with a simple readiness lens, outlining what to prioritise as budgets, signals and shopper behaviour continue to converge.
Who it’s for
Built for senior marketers, commerce leaders and agency teams who want direction, not theatre. If you are mapping plans for the year ahead and need a clearer view of where measurable growth is likely to come from, this is a useful place to start.
Explore the full 2026 Trends Snapshot
---
## 3 ways to identify retail media networks worth investing in
Type: eps_post
URL: /retail-media-networks-worth-investing-in
Last Modified: 2026-05-26T15:13:58Z
# 3 ways to identify retail media networks worth investing in
Retail media has become a fixture in nearly every CPG marketing plan for 2026. Yet, for all its promise, it remains one of the most complex and fast-moving landscapes in marketing. There are now more than 200 retail media networks worldwide, each claiming to offer unmatched access to valuable audiences.
Capabilities evolve monthly, new entrants appear constantly, and almost every network boasts a fantastic audience and proprietary insight. So how do you tell them apart? What separates a network that promises impressions from one that truly delivers outcomes?
Below, we explore three things every brand should look for when evaluating retail media partners and highlight examples from EMEA retailers already setting the standard.
1. Do they deliver unique reach?
Reach is easy to promise, but the right kind of reach is what matters. The most effective networks can identify and connect with all of a retailer’s real shoppers across digital, in-store and offsite channels, without duplication. That’s what “unique reach” means: connecting with real people, not modelled segments.
Without this foundation, you’re investing in only a portion of the available audience. With it, you unlock greater scale, stronger performance and more value for your spend.
A robust identity layer makes this possible. It’s what enables networks to recognise the same shopper across different touchpoints, from loyalty schemes and app usage to in-store transactions and offsite behaviour.
Example: Iceland Foods
Iceland represents a uniquely valuable audience in UK grocery, with around 7% of the online market. Its expanded retail media network now gives brands access to price-sensitive and often underrepresented consumers, opening the door to more advertisers who can engage shoppers in smarter, more relevant ways. That inclusivity — built on people-based media — is what makes Iceland’s network stand out.
For more on how retailers are applying these principles in practice, you can learn about Epsilon Retail Media and how it helps retailers bring unique reach, omnichannel activation and measurable outcomes to life.
Learn more about Epsilon Retail Media.
2. Can they activate across onsite, offsite and in-store?
Brands today expect access to all shoppers, not just those browsing a retailer’s website. A high-performing retail media network should unify activation across every environment, from in-store screens and product listings to connected TV, digital audio and social media.
According to IAB Europe’s Attitudes to Retail Media report, 46% of buyers now allocate more than 41% of their digital spend to offsite channels. Yet only 30% of retailers offer offsite capabilities. That’s a critical gap and a major opportunity.
The best networks don’t just add more channels; they connect them intelligently. Success in retail media isn’t about being everywhere, it’s about showing up in the right places with a consistent understanding of who you’re reaching and how those interactions influence purchase behaviour.
Example: John Lewis Partnership
The John Lewis Partnership has recently advanced its retail media offer by activating first-party data from its loyalty schemes to power offsite campaigns. Partner brands can now run advertising across external channels including video on connected TV and display on consumer websites, all linked back to real shoppers. It’s a model that connects grocery and non-grocery journeys, showing how unified activation can translate into richer insights and stronger ROI.
3. Will they prove media drives real shopper outcomes?
Measurement is where strong networks truly distinguish themselves. Retailers must move beyond assumed ROAS to show verified outcomes, tying media exposure directly to transactions, both online and offline.
That level of precision demands two things: an accurate view of real shoppers and closed-loop measurement to confirm what happened after the ad was seen. Without identity resolution, a network can’t know who it’s talking to; without closed-loop attribution, it can’t know what those interactions achieved.
The most advanced players now apply AI to person-first identity resolution, evaluating hundreds of variables in milliseconds to decide when and where to deliver each message. This ensures the right shopper sees the right offer at the optimal moment and that every impression is accountable to real business results.
Example: Currys Connected Media
Currys Connected Media network, including its Tech Hunters proposition, combines extensive first-party data with Epsilon’s COREid technology to give brands a unified view of in-market tech shoppers. By integrating display, online video and connected TV within a single campaign, Currys can measure both digital and in-store impact. In recent campaigns, in-store sales rose by as much as 20%, showing how omnichannel measurement can connect awareness activity directly to physical outcomes.
For more information, read our Currys Retail Media Network case study.
The bottom line
Retail media is evolving at speed and every retailer sits at a different stage of maturity. For brands, the challenge is separating noise from value.
When choosing where to invest, look for networks that can:
Reach real shoppers with precision and scale
Activate intelligently across onsite, offsite and in-store environments
Prove outcomes through transparent, closed-loop measurement
Those that meet all three criteria aren’t just another media partner, they’re engines of growth. In an increasingly crowded market, they’re the networks that will move your brand forward with speed, confidence and measurable impact.
---
## How to improve your retention and loyalty: 8 foolproof strategies
Type: eps_post
URL: /strategies-to-boost-retention-and-loyalty-2026-emea
Last Modified: 2026-04-28T14:00:23Z
# How to improve your retention and loyalty: 8 foolproof strategies
As a marketer, building customer retention and loyalty is one of the most direct ways to drive sustainable growth. Loyal customers spend more, refer others and cost less to serve than acquiring new ones — making retention one of the highest-return investments a brand can make.
In this post, we'll share eight strategies to strengthen retention, deepen loyalty and create experiences that keep customers coming back.
Why customer retention and loyalty matter
Every interaction a customer has with your brand shapes whether they stay or leave. This includes the quality of your products and services, your digital engagement, marketing communications, customer service, purchasing process and delivery times.
Strong retention and loyalty don't happen by accident. They are built through consistent, relevant interactions that make customers feel valued and understood. Forrester research shows that improvements to customer experience drive increased customer loyalty, retention and increased revenue.
The reverse is equally true. One poor interaction can push a customer to a competitor, trigger negative reviews and damage your brand's reputation. In a competitive European marketplace, brands cannot afford to rely on acquisition alone. Retention is where long-term value is built.
How to improve customer retention and loyalty
Here are eight strategies to get started.
1. Develop a clear vision
The first step is to create alignment across the entire organisation around what retention and loyalty mean for your brand. This needs to be a priority, approached with clear focus.
Your leadership team needs to embody customer-centricity as a core value, not just endorse it. Once you have organisational buy-in, document your vision: why does retention matter for your business, and what does a genuinely loyal customer look like in practice?
Refer back to this vision regularly. Without it, individual tactics won't add up to a coherent retention strategy.
2. Get to know your audience
You cannot retain customers you don't truly understand. Most brands have access to basic demographics like location and age, but building loyalty requires a deeper, more individual view.
One of the biggest challenges for marketers is identity resolution. Ensure your audience profiles are complete, robust and actionable. True one-to-one identity resolution means understanding who each customer uniquely is, where they shop, what devices they use, what they need and when, giving you the foundation to market to customers as individuals rather than segments.
The more clearly you can see your customers, the easier it is to give them reasons to stay.
3. Map out the customer journey
Retention problems often hide in plain sight within the customer journey. Mapping the end-to-end experience from first interaction through to repeat purchase reveals where customers drop off, where friction builds and where loyalty is either won or lost.
Journey mapping will show the intersection of online and offline interactions. For UK and EMEA brands, this means accounting for in-store, in-person and online touchpoints and ensuring the experience feels consistent across all of them.
Strong identity resolution supports this by connecting past interactions to future ones, allowing you to anticipate what a customer needs next rather than reacting after they've already disengaged.
4. Personalise the customer experience
Personalisation is one of the most powerful drivers of retention. Customers who feel understood are significantly more likely to return and significantly less likely to switch to a competitor.
At a minimum, personalisation means tailoring product recommendations, marketing messages and service interactions to the individual. But modern customers expect more than their name in an email subject line or a reminder about an abandoned basket. They expect personalisation to be meaningful, timely and relevant to their actual behaviour — across channel, time of day and personal interests.
When personalisation is executed well, it fosters the kind of emotional connection that turns a one-time buyer into a loyal customer. The right tools give a consolidated view of all your demographic information, online purchases, website visits, email opens, plus partner data, allowing you to deliver personalised customer experiences across every touchpoint.
5. Ask for — and act on — customer feedback
Customers who feel listened to are more likely to stay. Feedback is therefore not just a research tool, it's a retention mechanism.
Customer feedback gives you insight into what's working, where friction exists and where loyalty is at risk. The most telling signal is often silence: customers who disengage without explanation are worth understanding just as much as those who complain.
Surveys, social listening, post-interaction follow-ups and churn analysis all play a role. A few principles:
Define your purpose. Be clear about what you're trying to learn before you ask. Vague questions produce vague answers.
Select your channels and timing. Ask directly after an interaction, while the experience is fresh.
Ask relevant questions. Keep surveys focused. A mix of scale-based and open-ended questions works well.
Deploy active listening. Monitor what customers say on social channels and in reviews, not just what they tell you directly.
Express gratitude. Customers taking time to give feedback deserve acknowledgement. How you handle feedback is itself a brand interaction.
Analyse churn. Asking customers why they returned items or cancelled subscriptions is one of the most direct ways to identify where your retention strategy is falling short.
Once you have feedback, let customers know when you've acted on it. That visibility is itself a loyalty signal.
6. Create an emotional connection
Transactional loyalty like points, discounts and spend thresholds, has its place. But the brands with the strongest long-term loyalty go further, building emotional connections that make switching feel like a loss rather than a neutral choice.
Customer retention is driven as much by how customers feel as by what they receive. Empathy, respect and consistency across interactions build the kind of trust that sustains a relationship through price increases, product issues and competitive pressure.
Most customers don't just buy products because they solve a need, they also consider the brand, its values and the overall experience of doing business with it. A smooth, respectful process is one of the most underrated retention tools available.
7. Build a seamless omnichannel experience
If a customer has a great in-store experience but receives irrelevant emails, or browses on mobile but can't complete a purchase seamlessly on desktop, trust erodes quickly.
Omnichannel marketing done well means bringing all your data together across email, CRM, in-store and social, enriching it with person-based identity, and activating it consistently across every channel a customer uses.
With a 360-degree view of your customers in your loyalty management software, you can create connected experiences that feel continuous rather than fragmented.
8. Measure what matters
The key is connecting your activity to the right metrics rather than relying on proxy measures like clicks or open rates.
Useful measures include:
Customer retention rate and churn rate. The most direct indicators of whether your retention strategy is working.
Customer lifetime value (CLV). Tracks the long-term commercial impact of loyalty. A rising CLV is the clearest sign your retention investment is paying off.
Net Promoter Score (NPS). Tracks how likely customers are to recommend you — a proxy for emotional loyalty. A falling NPS is an early warning worth investigating before it shows up in revenue.
Return on Experience (ROX). Connects experience improvements directly to business outcomes and commercial value.
By tracking these consistently, you can get a clearer picture of how your retention and loyalty initiatives are performing and justify further investment where it's working.
Build long-lasting loyalty with Epsilon
At Epsilon, we help brands across the UK and EMEA build retention strategies that go beyond points and discounts, connecting identity, personalisation and data to create experiences that keep customers coming back.
Learn more about the smarter path to lifetime loyalty.
---
## UK retail media networks powered by Epsilon: a guide to the partnerships behind the platforms
Type: eps_post
URL: /uk-retail-media-networks-powered-by-epsilon
Last Modified: 2026-07-10T11:00:19Z
# UK retail media networks powered by Epsilon: a guide to the partnerships behind the platforms
One of the more useful questions in mapping UK retail media is also one of the harder ones to answer cleanly: which retail media networks are powered by which technology partners, and what does each partnership cover? The following is a category-by-category view of the UK retailers Epsilon works with today, the role we play across onsite and offsite, and what's distinctive about each network.
Our experience spans grocery, department stores, quick service restaurants, home and DIY, B2B distribution, consumer electronics, fashion and sport, and the breadth of that work shapes how we approach each new partnership.
Every retailer arrives with an audience they understand better than anyone and a commercial opportunity to make that audience useful to brands. Our role is to help them realise its full value: qualifying it through real shopping behaviour, quantifying it through person-level identity, packaging it for advertisers to plan and buy against, and connecting it to the brands that stand to gain most.
That audience is activated onsite at moments of consideration and purchase, and offsite across publishers, streaming and CTV where shoppers spend most of their attention, with creative shaped by where each shopper is in the journey.
Grocery
Sainsbury's [Onsite]
Sponsored products and a strong brand pages format make Sainsbury's one of the more valuable onsite canvases in UK grocery retail media, and suppliers consistently rate brand pages as a particularly effective trade investment. The audience comes with significant household reach and shop frequency, and Epsilon powers the onsite environment in which both established suppliers and challenger brands build basket-led growth.
Waitrose [Offsite]
Few UK grocery networks offer an audience as difficult to replicate as Waitrose's, including a fast-growing on-demand grocery segment of shoppers who turn to the brand for the in-between moments rather than the main shop. Epsilon powers the offsite proposition, making it possible to reach those shoppers as they plan and browse across the open web rather than only on site.
Morrisons [Onsite]
With the More Card now linked to roughly 78% of sales and a fast-maturing first-party data asset feeding Morrisons Media Group across nearly 500 supermarkets and a growing convenience estate, Morrisons sits in a particularly interesting position in UK grocery retail media. Epsilon powers the onsite proposition, including personalised digital ads informed by More Card and ecommerce behaviour.
Ocado [Onsite & Offsite]
One of the richest verified grocery datasets in the UK sits behind Ocado, and without the dependency on loyalty card data that shapes most of its peers it becomes one of the strongest cases for an integrated proposition. Epsilon powers both onsite and offsite, capturing intent at the point of decision and extending reach across the open web, CTV and audio among real, verified Ocado shoppers.
Iceland [Onsite & Offsite]
Around nine million shoppers a year and an estimated 7% share of the UK online grocery market give Iceland strong representation among more price-sensitive and underrepresented households that the larger grocers tend to serve less well. Epsilon powers the onsite proposition, with onsite video and an auction-based buying model added through our expanded partnership across 2025.
Quick service restaurants and on-demand
Deliveroo [Offsite]
On-demand baskets that span planned weekly shops through to last-minute restaurant orders make Deliveroo one of the more interesting frontiers in UK retail media, with non-endemic advertising as commercially important as endemic. Epsilon powers the offsite proposition, developing ways to recognise new-to-brand shoppers and to read the nature of an on-demand basket as a signal in its own right.
Department stores and consumer electronics
John Lewis [Offsite]
John Lewis offers a distinctly premium audience that leans on specificity rather than reach alone, with shoppers who tend to spend a little more, shop a little better, and treat the brand as the dependable department store choice. Epsilon powers the offsite proposition, extending that audience to brands in considered categories where quality association, brand fit and longer purchase journeys matter to performance.
Currys [Offsite]
As the UK's high street tech retailer, Currys offers a network particularly well suited to connecting CTV exposure to in-store outcomes in a category where purchase journeys often stretch across weeks of consideration. Epsilon powers the offsite proposition through Tech Hunters, which combined Currys' first-party data with our identity framework in a Digiday Award-winning campaign delivering 3:1 ROI, a 20% lift in in-store sales and around 56,000 attributable store visits.
Argos [Onsite]
Argos is one of the UK's most-used retail destinations and reaches shoppers at the point of purchase intent in consumer electronics, gaming, appliances and adjacent categories. Epsilon powers the onsite proposition, and alongside our offsite partnerships with Currys and John Lewis, it gives brands meaningful coverage across both discovery and purchase moments in a tech buying journey.
Home and DIY
Wickes [Onsite & Offsite]
DIYers, design and installation customers, and trade professionals all sit under one Wickes proposition, with 230 stores, 96% of sales touching a store and two-thirds digitally enabled linking online discovery and physical purchase in ways most retailers can't yet match. Epsilon powers Wickes Connected Retail Media, which launched with onsite and offsite simultaneously, and the B2C and B2B blend opens up unusual opportunities including for advertisers in adjacent categories such as trade vehicles.
B&Q [Onsite]
One of the largest home improvement digital estates in the UK gives B&Q scale across both project-led and convenience missions, which lends itself to a strong onsite proposition. Epsilon powers the onsite environment, giving brands access to a national DIY audience at the point of consideration and purchase in a category where physical retail still drives the majority of decisions.
Fashion and sport
Frasers [Offsite]
Across Sports Direct, Flannels and the wider group, Frasers brings together a substantial audience that gives advertisers scale in both mainstream sport and premium fashion within a single environment. Epsilon powers the offsite proposition, reaching Frasers shoppers in the moments between visits across the channels where they're spending most of their media time.
B2B
TD SYNNEX [Onsite & Offsite]
A substantial volume of bulk technology buying across Europe sits behind TD SYNNEX, with complex purchase journeys that typically involve multiple stakeholders inside each customer organisation. Epsilon has powered both onsite and offsite for several years, serving niche B2B audiences at meaningful scale across regions and making it possible for global technology brands to reach specific buyer roles inside target companies with rare precision.
RS [Offsite]
The RS network is markedly different from anything else in the UK portfolio, both in the nature of the B2B audience and in how central retail media has become to the way the business reaches and grows its customer base. Epsilon powers the offsite proposition by activating RS's own first-party customer data through our platform, and offsite activity now accounts for a significant share of RS's overall marketing investment.
---
## In-store sales attribution: Closing the loop on retail media
Type: eps_post
URL: /in-store-sales-attribution-retail-media-australia
Last Modified: 2026-03-08T21:37:01Z
# In-store sales attribution: Closing the loop on retail media
Retail media is one of Australia’s fastest‑growing advertising channels, but it has had a critical unanswered question: Does retail media actually drive sales in store?
Epsilon is answering this query with the launch of in‑store sales attribution within the Epsilon Retail Media platform. The new capability enables retailers to directly measure how onsite digital retail media drives in‑store purchases, delivering true closed‑loop retail media measurement for the Australian market.
Why in‑store sales attribution matters
Australia is a highly store‑led retail market, with more than 87% of retail sales still happening in physical stores. Yet retail media measurement has focused on digital-only outcomes: impressions, clicks and ecommerce transactions. That disconnect has created a major challenge for retail media networks:
Retailers struggle to prove the true value of their retail media inventory
Brands rely on assumptions rather than confirmed in-store impact
Media investment decisions are made without a full view of performance.
Without a reliable way to link digital exposure to physical sales, retail media measurement has remained incomplete. Epsilon’s in-store attribution closes that gap.
Read more about the challenges of incomplete offline data
From digital to in-store sales, in one platform
Epsilon’s in‑store attribution is built directly into the Epsilon Retail Media platform. It automatically connects onsite digital activity with in‑store point‑of‑sale data, creating a single, unified view of performance across the shopper journey.
Now retailers and brands can clearly see how retail media campaigns influence purchasing behaviour beyond the screen and into the store.
Clear, transparent omnichannel measurement
Epsilon’s approach to in‑store attribution reporting is powered by a proprietary data infrastructure designed to process large volumes of real‑time data. This enables deterministic, scalable measurement of in‑store impact.
To support better decision‑making and accountability, Epsilon delivers a new suite of omnichannel retail media metrics, including:
Online ROAS
Maintaining continuity with existing ecommerce benchmarks
Total ROAS
Omnichannel measurement capturing both online and in‑store sales impact
Halo instore ROAS
Measuring a campaign’s influence across a brand’s full in‑store product portfolio
Together, these metrics provide a more complete view of retail media performance without sacrificing the digital insights advertisers rely on.
What this means for retailers and brands
By linking digital retail media exposure directly to in‑store sales, Epsilon is delivering true closed‑loop measurement across online and offline channels.
Retailers gain stronger proof points to grow and monetise retail media networks
Brands gain clarity on in‑store sales impact, enabling smarter optimisation and investment
Importantly, in‑store attribution can be made available to all Epsilon Retail Media onsite clients, regardless of size or maturity.
Setting a new standard for retail media measurement
With the launch of in‑store sales attribution, Epsilon is setting a new benchmark for retail media in Australia, empowering retailers and brands with the clarity, confidence and proof required to invest smarter and grow faster.
As retail media continues to evolve the ability to measure every sale, wherever it happens, will define the next phase of growth.
---
## The complete guide to getting started with CTV advertising
Type: eps_post
URL: /how-to-get-started-with-ctv-advertising
Last Modified: 2026-08-10T08:32:35Z
# The complete guide to getting started with CTV advertising
Connected TV (CTV) has moved from an emerging channel to a core part of the media mix for retailers and brands across EMEA. But knowing that CTV works is different from knowing whether your business is ready to run it, and what you actually need in place before you launch. This guide walks through the signals that tell you it's time, the assets you need to get started, and the steps to running an efficient first campaign.
How do I know if my brand is ready for CTV advertising?
CTV isn't only for the largest advertisers. If you can answer "yes" to several of the questions below, you likely have both the need and the foundations to run it:
Are you struggling to reach audiences who have shifted to streaming? CTV is one of the strongest ways to reach them at scale.
Do you have first-party or customer data you're not fully using? With identity tying it together, that data lets you reach real people rather than broad demographics.
Do you want the reach of TV with more accountable targeting and measurement? Both sharpen when CTV runs as part of a connected plan rather than on its own.
Are you under pressure to show that upper-funnel spend contributes to sales? Connected to display and online video, CTV lets you follow behaviour through the funnel.
Are you already running display, online video or retail media and want to join it up? CTV works best inside that mix, sharing audiences and measurement to cut waste.
If those questions resonate, the next step is making sure you have the right assets in place.
What do you need to run a CTV campaign?
Getting started is less about budget size and more about having the right foundations. Here's the checklist:
First-party and audience data: your customer, loyalty, and purchase data, ready to build addressable segments (new customers, lapsed buyers, category shoppers).
An identity foundation: a way to resolve those audiences to real households and devices, so you reach the right viewers and avoid wasting impressions.
Video creative: TV-quality assets in the right formats and durations. You don't need a linear-scale production, as existing brand or social video can often be adapted.
A measurement framework: defined KPIs and a plan to connect exposure to outcomes (reach and incrementality, online conversions, and in-store or loyalty-card sales).
Inventory access: premium, brand-safe streaming supply across the platforms and apps your audience actually watches in your market.
A CTV partner: a provider that brings the identity, inventory, and end-to-end measurement together, ideally with retail-media and first-party data expertise.
Where do you start with your first CTV campaign?
Once the foundations are in place, an efficient launch follows a clear sequence:
Define the outcome first. Decide what success looks like, whether that's incremental reach, new-customer acquisition, or proven sales impact, before you build anything else.
Build your audience from first-party data. Turn your customer and purchase data into the specific segments you want to reach.
Match creative to the audience and the outcome. Adapt your video assets to speak to each segment and to the action you want to drive.
Set up connected measurement from day one. Agree before launch how you'll credit CTV's part in the journey, from mid-funnel signals like search, site visits and rising engagement through to online and in-store sales, not just the final conversion.
Launch, then optimise against outcomes, not just delivery. Shift budget toward the audiences and placements building real demand, from rising engagement through to incremental sales, rather than impressions served.
Getting started with CTV in EMEA
Epsilon is one of the go-to CTV advertising providers for brands and retailers across EMEA, recognised as a Leader in the IDC MarketScape: Worldwide Connected TV Advertising Platforms.
Combining first-party data, identity resolution, and closed-loop measurement in a single connected offering is how brands move from "we think TV works" to proving how CTV contributed across the journey.
Take iconic British lifestyle brand FatFace. It needed to keep driving growth while justifying marketing spend by activating its first-party data for full-funnel, personalised marketing, without the frequency, incrementality, and measurement-transparency concerns that come with walled gardens.
Working with Epsilon gave FatFace a one-stop-shop approach: by matching its data to Epsilon's COREid, it built a deeper understanding of its audience, expanded into CTV with confidence, and gained visibility across the full customer journey, all while staying compliant with data privacy regulations.
The results:
950,000 new prospects (and 120,000 existing customers) engaged through CTV, at an average 97% video completion rate.
ROAS more than doubled through better targeting and personalisation.
A fully integrated, transparently measured approach proved incremental revenue of 3:1.
New customers reached across multiple channels were 3.8x more likely to visit the FatFace website and 4.1x more likely to purchase than those reached in a single channel.
Read the full FatFace case study →
FAQ
What is CTV advertising?
Connected TV advertising is the delivery of video ads to viewers streaming content on internet-connected televisions, combining the reach of TV with the audience-based targeting of digital.
Do brands need a lot of budget to start with CTV?
No. Readiness depends more on having usable first-party data, video creative, and a measurement plan than on a large budget. CTV can be run at a scale that suits your objectives.
What data do you need to run CTV advertising?
First-party customer, loyalty, and purchase data are ideal, as they let you build addressable audiences and measure real sales outcomes. An identity foundation to resolve those audiences to households is key.
How do you measure CTV advertising?
CTV measurement works best when it connects ad exposure to outcomes across the journey, from mid-funnel signals like search and site engagement through to online and in-store sales, using closed-loop, identity-based attribution across channels rather than the channel on its own. With around 70% of UK purchases still happening in store, a framework that captures only digital outcomes misses most of what matters.
Who are the leading CTV advertising providers in EMEA?
Leading providers combine premium streaming inventory, identity resolution, and end-to-end measurement. Epsilon is among the go-to CTV partners for brands and retailers in EMEA, particularly those activating first-party and retail-media data.
Ready to run CTV advertising?
If you've recognised the signals, have the data foundations, and want to move from testing the waters to proving impact, get in touch.
Explore Epsilon's CTV advertising solution →
---
## How to prove incrementality in retail media (and why most platforms get it wrong)
Type: eps_post
URL: /how-to-measure-incrementality-retail-media
Last Modified: 2026-06-19T09:53:34Z
# How to prove incrementality in retail media (and why most platforms get it wrong)
Your retail media campaign comes back with a 6:1 ROAS. Good number. Then your finance director asks the obvious question: did the spend actually drive those sales, or would most of them have happened anyway?
That's an incrementality question, and it's the one most retail media reports aren't designed to answer properly.
TL;DR Reported ROAS counts every sale that happened during a campaign. Incrementality measures only the sales the campaign actually caused. The gap between the two can be significant, and closing it requires a proper test setup, not a better-looking dashboard. Here's what to ask for.
What is incrementality, and why doesn't standard ROAS measure it?
Incrementality is the share of your sales that genuinely came from the ad spend, rather than sales that would have happened regardless. A campaign with a strong ROAS isn't necessarily incremental, and a campaign with a modest ROAS might be highly incremental, because the two numbers measure different things and only one of them tells you whether the budget is working.
The Advertising Research Foundation's 2025 study on retail media networks found that while metrics like CTR, sales and conversion rates dominate campaign evaluation, advanced experimental methods for measuring incrementality, such as synthetic control and matched market tests, remain among the least utilised approaches in the industry. The IAB and IAB Europe put it plainly in their joint guidelines on incremental measurement: "Incrementality differs from attribution and ROAS: those methods show what happened, not whether marketing caused the result."
Standard retail media reporting tends to overstate performance for two reasons:
The first is last-click attribution, which means a sale gets credited to the last ad someone clicked before buying. On sponsored product placements, the shopper is already on the retailer's site, already searching for something in your category. Many of them would have bought anyway. Last-click gives the ad full credit for a sale that was already on its way.
The second is identity fragmentation. If a shopper browses on their phone and buys on a laptop, weaker measurement systems count that as two different people. Audiences look bigger than they are, conversions get double-counted, and the ROAS figure ends up more a reflection of how the platform counts than how the campaign performed.
The result is a number that looks healthy in the dashboard but doesn't stand up to a serious conversation about budget.
How does a proper incrementality test work in retail media?
The principle is straightforward: take a group of shoppers, withhold the campaign from a portion of them (the holdout group), run the ads to the rest, and compare what each group bought. The difference is your incremental revenue. In practice, getting a reliable answer in retail media depends on several things.
A real holdout group, not a before-and-after comparison. A proper test needs a defined set of shoppers held out from the campaign at the same time it's running, not a comparison against last quarter's sales. Comparing time periods mixes the campaign effect with seasonality, promotions, weather, and everything else that changes between now and then.
Consider geographic holdouts as a complementary approach. Where user-level holdouts aren't practical, or where you need to measure effects that span in-store and online behaviour across a region, geo holdout testing offers a scalable alternative. This involves splitting matched markets into treatment (ads on) and control (ads off) groups and comparing outcomes across them.
Measurement that follows shoppers into stores. Around 70% of UK retail spending still happens in physical shops. If your test only captures online sales, you're measuring less than a third of the picture and assuming the rest behaved the same way. Resolving the same individual across in-store visits, online browsing, and ad exposure is what makes a holdout test reflect real behaviour rather than the slice of it that happens on a website.
Enough statistical power to trust the result. One of the most common reasons incrementality tests fail is that they're underpowered. If the expected uplift is small, you need large enough test and control groups to separate the real signal from noise. The IAB/IAB Europe guidelines are clear on this point: "a lift estimate that is statistically insignificant, e.g. falls within the noise floor, is not reliable for decision making. A failure to detect a real effect due to small sample size represents inefficient allocation of testing budget."
Enough time for the test to mean something. How long a test needs to run varies by category. Fast-moving everyday groceries can produce a reliable signal in a shorter window than considered purchases like electronics or homewares, where the gap between intent and purchase is naturally longer. The key is to set the test window based on the purchase cycle of the category, not an arbitrary calendar period, and to agree it upfront.
Independent validation of the methodology. A platform measuring its own lift has an obvious conflict of interest. It's worth asking whether your retail media partner's outcomes measurement is independently accredited, because that distinction separates self-reported results from those that have been audited against defined standards.
Where should you start if you've never run an incrementality test?
If incrementality testing is new to you, the easiest first step is to pick one campaign and add a holdout group to it. You don't need to redesign your whole measurement framework on day one. A few things to keep in mind when you do.
Pick a campaign where the answer would change a decision.
A test on a campaign you're going to run regardless is interesting but not actionable. A test on a campaign where the result could justify scaling up, or shutting down, is where the methodology earns its keep.
Agree the holdout group structure before launch.
The size of the holdout, how shoppers are assigned to it, how it's matched to the exposed group, and the statistical thresholds for calling a result all need to be decided in advance. Retrofitting this after the campaign has run gives you a much weaker answer.
Set realistic expectations about what the result will look like.
A well-run incrementality test will almost always produce a smaller number than your reported ROAS. That's not a problem with the test, it's the point of the test. The number is more accurate, even when it's less flattering.
Look at onsite and offsite together.
Offsite placements like display and connected TV often look weak under last-click attribution because they create demand that converts onsite, sometimes days later. Holdout tests that span both channels usually show offsite working harder than the click data suggests. If your retail media partner is running both for you, ask for the incrementality view across the whole campaign, not channel by channel.
What to ask your retail media partner before your next campaign
Before signing off your next campaign report, three questions are worth putting to whoever's running the activity.
Can you show me the holdout group structure, including how the test and control groups were built and the statistical thresholds you're using?
How does your measurement connect in-store sales back to individual shoppers who saw the ad?
Is your outcomes measurement methodology independently accredited?
If the answers come back vague, the ROAS figure you're looking at is an estimate dressed up as a result. A properly run incrementality test won't always make the numbers look bigger. It will make them defensible, and that's the difference between a measurement framework you can build a budget case on and one you can't.
See how incrementality should work
Epsilon's outcomes measurement is independently accredited, and Epsilon Retail Media campaigns are built to measure incremental revenue across online and in-store transactions, not just last-click conversions. If you want to see what proper incrementality testing looks like for your category, talk to our retail media team about running a controlled test on your next campaign.
---
## What is online video advertising, and why is UK spend rising?
Type: eps_post
URL: /what-is-online-video-advertising
Last Modified: 2026-08-20T09:00:11Z
# What is online video advertising, and why is UK spend rising?
Online video advertising (OLV) places short- or long-form video ads before, during or after content on websites and apps across the open web, in formats ranging from in-stream pre-roll to full-screen interstitials. It runs across desktop, tablet and mobile, which means it can reach people wherever they are watching rather than only on the television set.
Its appeal is that it carries the emotional weight of broadcast-style creative with the targeting precision and measurement of digital. That combination is why it works at every stage of the customer journey, from first awareness through to re-engaging people who already know you.
How is online video different from CTV and social video?
The three are easy to conflate but buy differently. Connected TV (CTV) is video watched through streaming apps. Social video sits inside a single platform's feed. Online video is the open web: publisher sites and apps, across every device a person uses through the day. Where CTV owns the living-room moment, OLV engages the viewer across screens — which is what makes it a full-funnel channel rather than a single-moment one.
Why is UK and EMEA media spend moving into online video?
Because viewing has moved, and budgets are following. Investment in video display in the UK rose 20% to £8.3bn in 2024, outpacing the wider digital ad market, which grew 13%.
Video now takes 64% of all online display spend, up from 51% five years ago. The shift tracks behaviour: every age group under 55 now spends more hours per week watching digital video than linear TV. IAB UK expects the trend to continue, forecasting video display to reach 27% of the digital market by 2027, up from 23% in 2024.
Where does online video fit in the customer journey?
Unlike channels tied to one moment, OLV works from top to bottom. It can build awareness with broadcast-quality creative, support consideration alongside your other media, and re-engage people who have already visited or bought. The catch is that spreading a channel across the whole funnel and every device only pays off if you can recognise the same person as they move, otherwise reach and frequency drift, and measurement fragments.
How to get started with OLV
Rising spend makes online video hard to ignore, but budget follows results, not trends. The question is less should we run OLV? and more how do we run it in a way that drives measurable outcomes?
Find out how Epsilon helps brands plan, activate and measure online video campaigns: Online Video Advertising (OLV) Platform
---
## How a data network can solve the retail media challenge for adult beverage retailers
Type: eps_post
URL: /data-network-solve-adult-beverage-retail
Last Modified: 2026-02-04T21:21:33Z
# How a data network can solve the retail media challenge for adult beverage retailers
Adult beverage retailers have always been at the center of brand growth. They shape discovery, influence purchase decisions and help secure long-term loyalty. Those relationships are well established and continue to drive meaningful results.
What's changing isn't the role retailers play, but the tools available to support that role.
Across retail, first-party data has become a cornerstone of modern marketing. In grocery, for example, brands increasingly plan media around verified shopper behavior, like a customer’s preferred coffee bean or choice of dessert, using retailer insights to reach the right buyers and measure impact more accurately.
Adult beverage retail is now seeing its own version of that evolution, built specifically for the realities of the category and designed to complement, not replace, existing supplier relationships.
At the center of this shift is a national, retailer-agnostic adult beverage data network, one that allows retailers to make their shopper data available through a licensing model while enabling brands to activate audiences and measure media with greater confidence.
The reality of shopper data in adult beverage retail
Retailers have always had a deep understanding of their shoppers. They know what people buy, how often they return, which brands drive loyalty and how purchasing behavior changes depending on the occasion. In most retail categories, that insight has become the foundation for retail media and data-driven brand partnerships.
In alcohol, it hasn’t. Historically, adult beverage retailers and their supplier brands have relied on in-store displays and general brand marketing to drive demand. These approaches still matter, but they operate largely outside the modern digital ecosystem where personalized targeting and closed-loop measurement now define how advertisers plan and measure media.
Alcohol suppliers have long been deprived of first-party data by design. They don’t sell directly to consumers, and they’ve never had consistent access to purchase-level data tied to real shoppers. As a result, brands have leaned heavily on third-party data and broad demographic targeting to reach audiences that might be in-market, without a clear way to connect media exposure to verified sales.
That gap has limited targeting and attribution at exactly the moment when brand marketers are being asked to justify every ad dollar.
Retail media principles, adapted for adult beverage
Retailers are already familiar with the fundamentals of retail media:
Brands want to reach high-intent shoppers
First-party data improves accuracy and relevance
Measurement proves value and drives reinvestment
What makes adult beverage different isn’t the goal; it’s the structure required to support it responsibly.
Adult beverage retail has unique guardrails, which is why the data network model looks different from what exists in other categories. But the outcome is familiar: supplier brands gain access to verified shopper audiences and connect verified purchases to media investments, while both brands and retailers benefit from growth in consumer spending.
A data network model for adult beverage retailers
Epsilon’s adult beverage data network is built as a syndicated ecosystem, bringing together first-party shopper data from multiple retailers, creating national scale for suppliers using first-party data and closed-loop measurement. That scale matters, both for brands planning media and for retailers looking to participate without changing how they operate today.
The result is a model that feels recognizable, practical and aligned with broader retail media trends, while remaining purpose-built for adult beverage.
What adult beverage retailers can gain from participating in a data network
For adult beverage retailers, participation in a licensed data network opens the door to new value without changing how supplier relationships work today. One of the primary advantages is a new revenue stream, offering retailers a stable form of compensation for participating in the network, independent of traditional advertising models or campaign-based performance.
Moreover, retailers can strengthen their relationships with suppliers as they actively seek better ways to reach verified alcohol purchasers and measure retail impact. By enabling these capabilities through a trusted network, retailers enable brands to plan more targeted, consumer-relevant campaigns, and deliver improved sales performance for both constituents.
Why brands are eager for retailer participation
For alcohol suppliers, the shift is significant.
The adult beverage data network allows brands to reach real alcohol purchasers, not modeled or implied audiences, across the channels where consumers spend their time. Media can be activated both onsite and offsite across the open web, with consistent identity supporting targeting and measurement.
Most importantly, brands can finally connect media exposure to actual sales, at the shopper and SKU level, across online and in-store environments. That kind of closed-loop visibility has historically been rare in adult beverage marketing. Now it’s becoming possible on a national scale.
Why identity resolution makes this work
At the center of the network is identity resolution.
Epsilon’s core strength has always been the ability to understand individual consumers responsibly and connect that understanding across the media ecosystem. When that identity foundation is paired with licensed first-party data from adult beverage retailers, it creates a consistent view of the shopper that third-party data alone can’t provide.
This consistency matters in a category where purchase journeys span online and in-store and where measurement has traditionally been fragmented. Identity is what allows brands to move beyond proxy signals and retailers to maintain confidence that outcomes are grounded in real behavior.
What early results are showing
Retailers in the network have seen measurable lifts in sales since joining. When brands can reach the right shoppers with relevant messaging—and validate impact—media dollars work harder, benefiting everyone involved.
Across a broad mix of brands and categories, campaigns have exceeded projected sales, driven meaningful household penetration and delivered a high share of new buyers, often bucking broader category trends.
In one recent case study across 18 supplier campaigns spanning Epsilon’s adult beverage data network, outcomes consistently delivered an average of 3x the initially forecasted sales projections.
The story isn’t about a single metric or channel. It’s about what happens when brands finally gain access to data that affects how people actually shop.
---
## Mastering the Art of Direct Mail Marketing with Piglet In Bed
Type: eps_post
URL: /mastering-direct-mail-marketing
Last Modified: 2026-01-05T18:52:40Z
# Mastering the Art of Direct Mail Marketing with Piglet In Bed
Epsilon hosted a live discussion with the CMO of British homewares brand, Piglet in Bed, where we delved into the experience of starting out in direct mail marketing. In this discussion, we explore the art of direct mail marketing and its profound impact on customer acquisition, retention and overall brand growth.
The journey into direct mail
Piglet in Bed boldly embarked on a new adventure in the realm of direct mail marketing. According to Jake Newbould, the brand's CMO, direct mail served as a stepping stone in their marketing strategy. They had already invested in digital channels, but direct mail offered a unique advantage – the opportunity to have a tangible and immersive experience with the brand. As Piglet in Bed expanded its product range, they saw direct mail as an ideal way to tell their brand story and showcase their offerings effectively.
Diversification of Acquisition Channels
The conversation started with diversifying acquisition channels. Jake highlighted the significance of incrementality in their approach. Piglet in Bed aimed to reach brand-new audiences through direct mail, especially with their catalogue. By comparing control groups and testing various segments, they strived for a reliable marketing activity that would ensure their investments were worthwhile.
Retention and Reactivation
The brand used direct mail not only for acquisition but also for their house file – existing customers. They conducted control group tests to measure the incremental value of direct mail in retaining customers and reactivating lapsed ones. Jake acknowledged the need to balance acquisition and retention strategies, recognising the value of long-term customer relationships.
Tailoring creative
When it comes to creative content, Piglet in Bed recognised the importance of tailoring messages for different audiences. While their overall catalogue design remained consistent for both new and house file audiences, subtle changes were made to font size and message clarity, to accommodate first-time customers who might not be as familiar with the brand. Adjustments were also made to cater to the preference of their US audiences, with tone of voice and positioning adapted to better resonate with American customers.
Timing and seasonality
Timing is crucial in direct mail marketing, and Piglet in Bed carefully planned their mailings to align with product launches and seasonal trends. The brand avoided competing with heavy promotional periods and instead aimed to create peaks in their trading calendar.
Key Takeaways
Insights from Piglet in Bed's journey into direct mail marketing provide valuable lessons for businesses looking to harness the power of this channel. Key takeaways include:
Measure the impact of direct mail using LTV vs. CAC ratios.
Diversify your acquisition channels while focusing on incrementality.
Prioritise retention and reactivation efforts through direct mail.
Tailor creative content for different audience segments.
Pay attention to timing and seasonality to optimise results.
Direct mail can be a potent tool when integrated into a holistic marketing strategy. It's a reminder that, in the ever-evolving landscape of marketing, traditional methods like direct mail still plays a vital role in driving brand growth and customer engagement.
To take advantage of Epsilon's expertise in direct mail marketing and leverage our 25 years of experience driving brand success with direct mail, contact us at hello@epsilon.com
---
## Retail in the age of AI: Key takeaways from Shoptalk 2026
Type: eps_post
URL: /retail-in-the-age-of-ai-shoptalk-2026-recap
Last Modified: 2026-04-10T16:52:25Z
# Retail in the age of AI: Key takeaways from Shoptalk 2026
If there was one thread running through Shoptalk this year, it was how quickly AI is moving from concept to reality in retail.
Not in a distant, experimental way, but in how consumers are already discovering products and navigating the shopper journey.
The shift is more than just new tools. The fundamentals of retail are also starting to change: where discovery happens, how decisions get made and who stays closest to the customer.
How AI is reshaping retail in 2026
Across sessions and tech labs, from leaders at Lowe’s to Anthropologie, the same patterns kept coming up at Shoptalk.
Why product discovery is moving upstream
Shopping isn’t only starting on a retailer’s site or even a marketplace. Increasingly, parts of the journey are happening earlier and elsewhere like inside AI tools, answer engines and conversational interfaces. In some cases, the browsing phase is getting shorter. In others, it’s being skipped entirely.
The shift is already starting to play out. For example, Sephora announced at Shoptalk a partnership with OpenAI to bring its experience into ChatGPT, an early sign that discovery and decision-making are starting to happen directly in AI-driven environments.
This changes how demand is captured. If fewer shoppers begin their journey on owned properties, then traditional entry points—homepage visits, category browsing, search—become less reliable as the starting point for engagement. The implication is subtle but important: retailers and brands need to think more proactively about how they can create more demand.
How AI is guiding consumer decisions
AI is starting to play a more active role in helping people choose what to buy, going beyond surfacing options and into decision-making.
That puts more weight on relevance and trust. If the experience feels helpful, people lean in. If it doesn’t, they move on quickly.
As Lowe’s Joe Cano, SVP of Digital Commerce, shared on stage at Shoptalk, that’s already visible through Mylow, Lowe’s AI shopping agent, which helps customers navigate everything from project questions to product selection in real-time, bringing discovery and purchase into a single experience.
The shift in who controls the shopper journey
As discovery and decision-making move into new environments, control starts to shift with it.
Retailers and brands risk losing:
visibility
influence
direct connection to the customer
If retailers and brands are not present in the moments where decisions are being shaped, you show up later when fewer decisions are left to influence.
Put another way, the closer you are to the start of the journey, the more opportunity you have to shape outcomes. The further downstream you are, the more you’re competing on price and availability.
What these AI shifts mean for retailers and brands
This is where the tone of the conversations at Shoptalk got more real.
There’s a lot of excitement around AI, but also a growing recognition that this shift comes with tradeoffs.
Less traffic flowing directly to owned channels
Less control over how products are surfaced
More reliance on platforms that sit between you and the customer
At the same time, expectations are rising. Customers want experiences that feel tailored, helpful and intuitive. They’re more willing to engage when it works and quicker to disengage when it doesn’t.
So the challenge becomes clear: how do you stay visible, relevant and influential as the journey moves beyond your walls? And more importantly, how do you do that in a way that still feels cohesive, rather than fragmented across channels and touchpoints.
Why retail media matters more in an AI-driven journey
One of the most consistent themes across sessions was the need to think beyond isolated channels.
It’s less about individual campaigns or placements, and more about how the whole journey fits together. Retail media sits right in the middle of this shift.
Not just as a way to monetize traffic, but as a way to stay present as that traffic fragments.
Reaching shoppers earlier with offsite retail media
If discovery is happening before someone reaches your site, then reaching them earlier matters more.
That’s where offsite media becomes critical—connecting with potential customers before AI or other platforms narrow down their options.
It also allows retailers to reintroduce themselves into moments they don’t directly control, helping maintain visibility even as the starting point of the journey shifts elsewhere.
Staying relevant in AI-guided decision moments
It’s not enough to reach people. Retailers and their supplier brands have to be relevant when it matters.
That comes down to how well data and decisioning are working together, so messaging reflects what someone actually needs in that moment.
That point came up at Shoptalk during a technical lab with Yum! Brands’ Gyan Mathias, who talked about the need to make data “machine-readable for AI”—a reminder that these experiences don’t work without the right foundation in place.
This is where a lot of the conversation around personalization is starting to evolve from static targeting to more dynamic, responsive engagement that adapts based on behavior and contextual data.
Extending retail presence beyond owned channels
If the journey spans multiple environments, your presence has to as well.
Retailers are being pushed to operate more like media platforms where they can show up across channels beyond their own ecosystem. This shift requires not just reach but coordination. Without it, the risk is duplicative messaging, wasted impressions and a disjointed experience for the customer.
Turning AI innovation into real retail execution
A lot of the conversation at Shoptalk focused on the gap between what AI can do and what actually works in practice.
The difference comes down to execution. It’s one thing to build models. It’s another to make them actionable and actually connect them to real data, real decisions and real outcomes.
This means integrating AI into the systems and workflows that actually drive marketing and commerce rather than treating it as a standalone capability.
As Ryan Den Rooijen from Currys pointed out onstage, you can’t just plug in AI and expect it to work. “Models can reason… but they won’t do anything—they don’t have the muscles to actually act.” You need the right data, the right context and the ability to activate it and create business value.
The larger transformation underway in retail
What stood out most over the course of Shoptalk wasn’t one specific trend. It was a broader shift in how retail operates:
The journey is becoming more distributed
Decisions are happening in new places
The point of influence is moving
This creates real pressure but also a real opportunity. The retailers and brands that adapt will be the ones that stay connected to the customer, even as the path to purchase becomes less direct.
Where retail is heading next
This is where a lot of the conversations we’re having with clients are focused right now:
How to stay visible as discovery spreads out
How to stay relevant as decisions become more guided
How to stay connected when the journey no longer runs through a single channel
That’s where your entire media mix—from programmatic to retail media—becomes more than a tactic. It becomes part of how you navigate the shift by staying present in the moments that shape the shopper journey.
How Epsilon helps retailers navigate this shift
As these changes take hold, one thing becomes clear: success depends on how well everything connects. Data, identity, media and decisioning can’t operate in silos if the goal is to stay relevant across a more fragmented journey.
That’s where Epsilon Retail Media is spending a lot of time with retailers and brands right now.
Helping them:
Connect signals across channels
Understand real customers instead of modeled audiences
And make smarter decisions about where, when and how to engage
The retailers and brands that stay ahead will have anchored AI in a strong identity foundation that makes every decision smarter and every interaction relevant. To dig into best practices concerning identity-driven AI, take a look at the recent IDC White Paper, Improve data quality to support quality AI outcomes, sponsored by Epsilon.
---
## Retailers, stop over-relying on your easy audiences
Type: eps_post
URL: /retail-media-better-reach
Last Modified: 2025-05-23T15:29:59Z
# Retailers, stop over-relying on your easy audiences
In retail media, there are easy-to-reach shoppers, and there are hard-to-reach shoppers.
The easy-to-reach shoppers:
Have a single email address
Consistently log into websites
Are the only users of their devices
Shop online only or mostly
Visit a retailer's site multiple times, daily
Only transact on the retailer's website
Hang out in walled gardens (Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, etc.)
A marketer's dream, right?
Well, not so much. Just like with picking mostly low-hanging fruit, there are problems with over-reliance on these easy-to-reach shoppers.
In this blog, we'll explore the pitfalls of this common issue—and help you get to the much higher-value fruit (i.e., those hard-to-reach shoppers that aren't just coming to your site every day) sitting at the top of the money tree.
National and retail media buyers are competing for the same shoppers
Over-reliance on easy-to-reach audiences comes with two significant drawbacks.
First, if one retailer can easily identify a shopper, so can every other retailer—and every media vendor trying to fill audiences for their advertisers. These poor shoppers end up in every third-party audience segment on the market and get flooded with ads. They are targets everywhere, from retailers’ onsite retail media to retargeting media and everywhere in between.
And, boy, are they tired of the ads. They are overused, over-messaged and less likely to respond to offers.
The same goes for walled gardens. If one retailer can dump ad dollars into the ecosystem to drive more impressions, so can every other retailer. Pushing impressions does not equate to reaching more people. Compounding the issue is the fact that 70% of retail marketers are considering additional spend in walled gardens to make up for deprecating cookies, further flooding the limited audience with ads.
The result is more annoyed, over-messaged consumers and wasted ad spend.
The second drawback of over relying on easy-to-reach shoppers is simple: missing out on everyone else.
Where are the rest of the shoppers?
Most shoppers' natural behaviors and preferences actually make marketing more difficult by:
Using more privacy-centric browsers and devices
Spending comparatively less time in walled gardens
Not visiting retailers' websites consistently
Not using their loyalty cards (or even having any)
Today, more than half of U.S. web activity occurs on browsers with consumer privacy practices in place. For example, a good chunk of consumers surf the web on Safari (about 18% of global browser usage) or Firefox (2.5% browser usage), which are not conducive to cookies. Safari deprecated third-party cookies in 2017, while Firefox followed suit in 2019, sweeping up the trackable crumbs—and making it harder to reach anonymous shoppers.
Consumers are also spending about twice as much time on the open web as they are within walled gardens (66% of time online versus 34%, respectively), rendering advertisers’ walled garden spend less effective.
And unfortunately, all that time on the open web doesn’t automatically translate to more traffic to retailers’ websites. Epsilon proprietary research shows that, on average, 80% of retail shoppers don’t visit the retailer's website—they’re browsing on the open web, and buying in person. And while at this point most retailers have expanded their retail media efforts beyond onsite advertising to the open web, not all offsite retail media advertising is created equal. It takes connected, person-level identity to ensure you're able to reach the right shoppers, wherever they are.
Why are harder-to-reach shoppers so valuable?
Despite being harder to reach, these shoppers are just as loyal and likely to purchase. In fact, they may be more receptive to retailers’ messaging because they’re not suffering from as much ad fatigue as their easier-to-find counterparts.
Plus, let's not forget that Apple device users may be considered "hard-to-reach," because they're operating on devices that don't allow for third-party cookie tracking. We know this set of users is often some of the most valuable consumers, but are often neglected by adtech partners who don't have the identity resolution capabilities to locate them sans third-party identifiers. And many partners just write off being able to serve ads on Apple products entirely, assuming it's an impossible feat to accomplish.
This all begs the question: How can retailers reach the (nearly) unreachable?
How to reach the 80% you’re missing
A disjointed mix of cookie-based retargeting, loyalty programs and walled gardens doesn’t cut it in today's retail media landscape.
To reach all high-value shoppers across the open web, retailers need two capabilities:
Identity resolution that can bridge the gap between in-store and online—without relying solely on cookies or loyalty usage
The ability to identify and serve ads to shoppers across browsers, channels and devices
Person-level identity resolution enables retailers to see their shoppers wherever they are, in a privacy-centric way, no matter what browser or device they're operating on. This means no more guessing and no more over-serving ads to a small subset of an audience base. With full visibility, a retail media network is able to reach the exact right, loyal shoppers at the right time with the right messaging.
Identify and reach your entire loyal audience with Epsilon
With Epsilon Retail Media, shoppers can be resolved to a single identity across devices, emails and other signals. A unified attribution methodology captures in-store purchasers an attributes the impact of media on those sales, and advertisers can feel confident they are identifying and reaching the right shoppers with the right message and the right time with real-time first-party shopper data from Epsilon's network of over 1,000 publishers.
It's all underpinned by COREid®, the industry’s most accurate, stable and scalable identity solution (which has never relied on third-party cookies!).
We combine COREid with AI-driven, SKU-optimized targeting and person-first ad serving that always reaches the right shopper with the best message at the most effective time across onsite and offsite channels.
With this approach:
98% of our ads are delivered to individuals (not to cookies or devices)
33% of the impressions served worldwide go to Apple users who are cookieless today
It’s time to stop over-relying on your easy-to-reach audiences. Epsilon's Retail Media solution helps you connect with all of your shoppers—including the highest-hanging fruit.
Learn more about Epsilon Retail Media today.
---
## Score breakdown: Digital media campaign readiness assessment
Type: eps_post
URL: /score-breakdown-digital-media-campaign-readiness-assessment
Last Modified: 2026-08-11T18:24:21Z
# Score breakdown: Digital media campaign readiness assessment
Just took the digital campaign assessment and wanted to see where you stack up compared to other scores? Let’s see.
Score 0–9: You’re just getting started
Your digital media strategy is in its early stages. Data activation is limited, campaign goals are a bit broad, and measurement could go a level deeper. If this is where you’re at as an organization, don’t worry—the opportunity ahead is significant.
Next steps:
Identify clear campaign goals that align with your business
Establish a strong data foundation to gain customer insights and strategically power your media decisions
Work with a partner whose digital expertise can guide you through every step of the campaign process and provide recommendations that are unique to your business—this is key
Score 10–18: Building momentum
You have core capabilities in place, but gaps in data quality, identity or measurement are limiting how much value you’re getting from your media investment.
Next steps:
Expand into an omnichannel strategy that feeds the entire funnel
Layer audiences using different types of data to scale
Move beyond impressions and clicks by measuring business outcomes that tell you the true impact of your campaign against your goals
Score 19–27: You’re ready to scale
You have a strong digital media foundation with solid data practices, multi channel activation and meaningful measurement in place. The focus now is on closing the remaining gaps to reach best-in-class performance.
Next steps:
Enhance your data with Epsilon’s clean room and customer+ to maximize audience scale
Measure with DiME for deeper customer insights that fuel campaign optimizations
Activate with a partner that is rooted in person-first identity to improve performance and optimize media
Epsilon Digital is here to help you achieve your goals, no matter what stage you’re in—if you want to speak with a digital media expert, let us know.
---
## Retailers, stop over-relying on your easy audiences
Type: eps_post
URL: /retailers-stop-relying-on-easy-audiences
Last Modified: 2026-04-01T13:49:37Z
# Retailers, stop over-relying on your easy audiences
In retail media, there are easy-to-reach shoppers, and there are hard-to-reach shoppers.
The easy-to-reach shoppers:
Have a single email address
Consistently log into websites
Are the only users of their devices
Shop online only or mostly
Visit a retailer's site multiple times, daily
Only transact on the retailer's website
Hang out in walled gardens (Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, etc.)
A marketer's dream, right?
Well, not so much. Just like with picking mostly low-hanging fruit, there are problems with over-reliance on these easy-to-reach shoppers.
In this blog, we'll explore the pitfalls of this common issue, and help you get to the much higher-value fruit sitting at the top of the money tree.
National and retail media buyers are competing for the same shoppers
Over-reliance on easy-to-reach audiences comes with two significant drawbacks.
First, if one retailer can easily identify a shopper, so can every other retailer and every media vendor trying to fill audiences for their advertisers. These poor shoppers end up in every third-party audience segment on the market and get flooded with ads. They are targets everywhere, from retailers’ onsite retail media to retargeting media and everywhere in between.
And, boy, are they tired of the ads. They are overused, over-messaged and less likely to respond to offers.
The same goes for walled gardens. If one retailer can dump ad dollars into the ecosystem to drive more impressions, so can every other retailer. Pushing impressions does not equate to reaching more people. Compounding the issue is the fact that many retail marketers are considering additional spend in walled gardens to make up for deprecating cookies, further flooding the limited audience with ads.
The result is more annoyed, over-messaged consumers and wasted ad spend.
The second drawback of over relying on easy-to-reach shoppers is simple: missing out on everyone else.
Where are the rest of the shoppers?
Most shoppers' natural behaviours and preferences actually make marketing more difficult by:
Using more privacy-centric browsers and devices
Spending comparatively less time in walled gardens
Not visiting retailers' websites consistently
Not using their loyalty cards (or even having any)
Today, well over a third of Australian web activity occurs on browsers with consumer privacy practices in place. For example, a good chunk of consumers surf the web on Safari (about 30%-35% of Australian browser usage) which is not cookie friendly.
Globally, consumers are also spending about twice as much time on the open web as they are within walled gardens (66% of time online versus 34%, respectively), rendering advertisers’ walled garden spend less effective.
And unfortunately, all that time on the open web doesn’t automatically translate to more traffic to retailers’ websites. Epsilon proprietary research shows that, on average, 80% of retail shoppers don’t visit the retailer's website, they’re browsing on the open web, and buying in person. And while at this point most retailers have expanded their retail media efforts beyond onsite advertising to the open web, not all offsite retail media advertising is created equal. It takes connected, person-level identity to ensure you're able to reach the right shoppers, wherever they are.
How to reach the 80% you’re missing
A disjointed mix of cookie-based retargeting, loyalty programs and walled gardens doesn’t cut it in today's retail media landscape.
To reach all high-value shoppers across the open web, retailers need two capabilities:
Identity resolution that can bridge the gap between in-store and online without relying solely on cookies or loyalty usage
The ability to identify and serve ads to shoppers across browsers, channels and devices
Person-level identity resolution enables retailers to see their shoppers wherever they are, in a privacy-centric way, no matter what browser or device they're operating on. This means no more guessing and no more over-serving ads to a small subset of an audience base. With full visibility, a retail media network is able to reach the exact right, loyal shoppers at the right time with the right messaging.
Identify and reach your entire loyal audience with Epsilon
With Epsilon Retail Media, shoppers can be resolved to a single identity across devices, emails and other signals. A unified attribution methodology captures in-store purchasers an attributes the impact of media on those sales, and advertisers can feel confident they are identifying and reaching the right shoppers with the right message and the right time with real-time first-party shopper data from Epsilon's network of several thousand publishers.
It's all underpinned by CORE Identity, the industry’s most accurate, stable and scalable identity solution (which has never relied on third-party cookies!)
We combine our identity layer with AI-driven, SKU-optimised targeting and person-first ad serving that always reaches the right shopper with the best message at the most effective time across onsite and offsite channels.
It’s time to stop over-relying on your easy-to-reach audiences. Epsilon's Retail Media solution helps you connect with all of your shoppers—including the highest-hanging fruit.
Learn more about Epsilon Retail Media today.
---
## The complete guide to customer acquisition strategy in 2026
Type: eps_post
URL: /the-essential-guide-to-customer-acquisition-emea
Last Modified: 2026-03-26T12:00:28Z
# The complete guide to customer acquisition strategy in 2026
Customer acquisition has never been more competitive. With marketing budgets under pressure across Europe, brands can no longer rely on broad reach and last-click attribution to justify spend. This guide covers what an effective customer acquisition strategy looks like in 2026, and how European brands are building smarter, more measurable approaches to sustainable growth.
What is customer acquisition?
Customer acquisition is the process of attracting and converting new customers. It sounds straightforward, but doing it efficiently, at scale, and in a way that can be measured and optimised is where most brands struggle.
For EMEA marketers, the challenge has deepened. The open web is fragmenting, third-party cookie deprecation has disrupted traditional targeting, and consumers across the UK, France, Germany and beyond expect increasingly personalised experiences. Meanwhile, GDPR has raised the bar for how data can be used, and the brands navigating this well are those treating first-party data as a strategic asset rather than a compliance obligation.
Customer acquisition cost (CAC), the total spend required to bring in one new customer, is the central metric to manage. A healthy benchmark is a 3:1 ratio of customer lifetime value (LTV) to CAC. But for that ratio to mean anything, you first need to measure both accurately.
Brands that can match in-store and online purchase behaviour to individual customer identities, rather than treating each channel as a separate silo, consistently achieve lower CAC and higher LTV-to-CAC ratios.
The three stages of customer acquisition
Every customer acquisition strategy maps to a journey with three core stages. Understanding where your prospects are at any given moment shapes both the channels you use and how you message them.
Stage 01 Discovery: A prospect identifies a need and evaluates options, often via search, social, or a retailer's website. This is where brand awareness and educational content do the heavy lifting.
Stage 02 Consideration: The prospect narrows their shortlist and engages more actively, reading reviews, comparing pricing, or responding to retargeting. Personalisation and proof points become critical here.
Stage 03 Conversion: The prospect becomes a customer. Conversion is not the endpoint; it is where acquisition cost is validated and the retention journey begins.
Building a customer acquisition strategy: a step-by-step approach
1 - Define your target audience
Start with a clear ideal customer profile, covering not just demographic data but behavioural patterns and purchase signals. Brands operating retail media networks across UK, French and German retailers, for example, can use first-party transaction data to build audience models based on actual shopper behaviour rather than modelled proxies.
2 - Audit your first-party data
In a post-cookie world across Europe, the quality of your own customer data is your most valuable acquisition asset. Establish what you have, identify duplication, resolve identities across touchpoints (web, app and in-store) and understand the gaps. Many EMEA brands are surprised to discover they hold far more useful data than they are actively using.
3 - Design a cross-channel activation plan
No single channel delivers an acquisition strategy on its own. Email, display, search, connected TV, retail media and direct mail each play a role at different funnel stages. The critical factor is how these channels connect, both in messaging continuity and in measurement. Fragmented channel execution leads to fragmented data and inflated CAC.
4 - Set clear acquisition KPIs
Define what you are measuring before launch: cost per acquisition (CPA), return on ad spend (ROAS), new customer revenue, and the LTV-to-CAC ratio. Where possible, measure back to transactions rather than click-through rates, which have limited correlation with real business outcomes.
5 - Launch, measure and optimise continuously
Acquisition strategy is not a set-and-forget exercise. Build a testing framework from day one, testing creative, audience segments, channel mix and landing page experience. Identify where prospects drop out of the funnel and address root causes rather than symptoms.
Customer acquisition in practice: Decathlon
Strategy is one thing. What it looks like in practice across a major European retail brand is another. Decathlon's experience illustrates how several of the principles above come together into a coherent, measurable acquisition programme.
As post-COVID buying habits shifted and consumers returned to physical retail, Decathlon faced a familiar challenge: customers who had transacted online were becoming harder to identify and reach as their behaviour changed. With a product range spanning 70 sports categories, the brand also needed to go beyond retaining existing buyers and actively acquire new customers across each of them.
Decathlon worked with Epsilon to build a single customer view, consolidating fragmented data into unified, person-level profiles. From there, the team introduced automation to build target audiences faster, get campaigns live more quickly, and deploy data-driven dynamic creative at scale. The result was more personalised acquisition communications delivered to the right people, across the right categories, at the right time.
One of the most significant outcomes was the match rate. By onboarding and enriching the Decathlon customer database, Epsilon achieved a 74% match rate, well above what the brand had anticipated, and directly enabling more effective customer acquisition activity from day one.
Case study: Decathlon
Using a single customer view to drive customer acquisition across 70 sports categories.
The measurement problem and how to solve it
The Decathlon example highlights something that applies across most EMEA acquisition programmes: the measurement model matters as much as the media strategy. Traditional last-click attribution credits only the final touchpoint before conversion, typically paid search or retargeting, while ignoring the awareness-building activity that initiated the journey. This systematically overvalues bottom-funnel tactics and undervalues the channels doing the harder work of generating new demand.
What changed for Decathlon was a shift from campaign-level reporting to business metrics. Rather than measuring impressions and clicks, the team measured incremental revenue and return on ad spend against actual purchase behaviour. That shift in measurement is what gave the brand confidence to scale up investment, knowing the returns were real and attributable.
Brands that measure acquisition outcomes at the transaction level, rather than the click level, consistently find their channel mix and true CAC look significantly different from what standard attribution reports show.
What makes EMEA customer acquisition different
Marketers operating across European markets face a set of constraints and opportunities that do not apply in the same way elsewhere:
GDPR shapes how data can be collected, stored and activated. Consent strategy is integral to acquisition, not a bolt-on compliance step.
Market fragmentation across the UK, DACH, Benelux and France means audiences behave differently, search differently and convert through different channels. A single acquisition strategy rarely travels intact across EMEA.
Germany represents a near-equivalent market to the UK in terms of digital advertising scale, yet consistently receives less content and media investment from brands headquartered elsewhere in Europe. That is a structural gap for brands willing to localise.
Identity resolution standards differ. Unlike US-first platforms that rely primarily on email matching, the most effective EMEA acquisition approaches resolve identities using name and address data, improving match rates for the broader audiences that email-only matching misses. The 74% match rate Decathlon achieved is a direct result of this approach.
From acquisition to lifetime value
Customer acquisition is not a standalone objective. The economics only work when new customers are retained and developed over time. A low CAC achieved through high-volume, low-quality acquisition, targeting easy audiences who quickly churn, is ultimately worse than a higher CAC applied to customers with strong lifetime value trajectories.
The brands building durable acquisition programmes in EMEA are those connecting acquisition data to retention strategy from day one, using the same customer identity and transaction data that drives targeting to also measure loyalty, reactivation and CLV growth over time. Acquisition and retention are not separate workstreams competing for budget. They are two stages of the same customer value journey.
Talk to Epsilon about your customer acquisition strategy
Epsilon works with leading European brands to build acquisition programmes grounded in first-party data, identity resolution and transaction-level measurement.
---
## 61% of marketers say AI is already boosting the bottom line. Are you seeing the same?
Type: eps_post
URL: /ai-investment
Last Modified: 2025-07-21T08:21:41Z
# 61% of marketers say AI is already boosting the bottom line. Are you seeing the same?
Download Now
A new study by Epsilon reveals how senior marketers across Europe are moving from AI experimentation to measurable business impact and what sets leaders apart.
Uncover:
Where your organisation sits on the AI adoption curve
The role of autonomous AI in decision-making
What’s holding others back and how to move forward
“What stands out is how expectations evolve once AI tools are actually deployed. They deliver on topline metrics like revenue and acquisition, but gaps emerge when it comes to deeper performance indicators like conversion or ROAS. That’s where identity becomes essential. Without a connected view of the customer across channels, AI doesn’t know what it’s optimising for." Esme Robinson, Director, Platform Solutions at Epsilon.
Download the full report to see how your AI strategy stacks up and what’s driving results for leading marketers
---
## Gen Z: What it takes to reach the fastest-growing generation in 2025
Type: eps_post
URL: /how-to-reach-gen-z-generations-report
Last Modified: 2025-03-31T17:00:01Z
# Gen Z: What it takes to reach the fastest-growing generation in 2025
It's a tale as old as time: As a new generation gains ground in the workforce, the status quo gets flipped on its head. We saw it with millennials in the 2010s, and now we're seeing it again as Gen Zers are building their portfolios, opening their own businesses, leading companies and starting to reimagine the future of work as a whole.
Gen Z is quickly gaining ground in the workforce and economy, and it can be a struggle for brands to keep up. To better understand this ever-evolving demographic, Epsilon conducted a cross-generational research study, capturing preferences from more than 2,500 consumers across the U.S.
Our research breaks the Gen Z demographic into two segments, Gen Z minors (13- to 17-year-olds) and Gen Z adults (18- to 26-year-olds). Gen Z minors were recruited through Dynata Inc. with consent from their parents or grandparents.
In the survey, we asked respondents questions about how they consume media, what their purchasing behavior has looked like in the past year, how they use electronic devices, and how they feel about AI, brand loyalty preferences and more.
“Looking at customers and prospects by generation is a simple way to get a deeper understanding of consumers beyond what they are buying and uncover differences in behaviors, engagement, preferences and motivators," said Gillian MacPherson, Vice President of Product at Epsilon. "Starting to segment by generation lays the groundwork to have a better view of each individual, allowing you to reach them with an impactful message that resonates in the channels they use."
Our research shows that while Gen Z consumers are more adept at technology than their elders, they still respond to traditional shopping experiences, like in-store offerings.
Unpacking generational differences: 4 attributes that set Gen Z apart
Gen Zs are at the cutting edge of technology—and they're savvier than their millennial counterparts
Gen Zs grew up fully immersed in the internet. IDEO Journal put it best: "Screenagers. Digital natives. The TikTok generation. It's hard to find an epithet for those born between the mid-1990s and early 2010s—aka Gen Z—that doesn’t call out a dependency on technology."
McKinsey adds, "[Gen Zs] often turn to the internet when looking for any kind of information, including news and reviews prior to making a purchase. They flit between sites, apps and social media feeds, each one forming a different part of their online ecosystem."
When it comes to what device they’re using to shop, Epsilon research shows that 86% of Gen Z adults use their smartphones, but the device of choice shifts a bit when we look at how this demographic watches TV and streams content.
"These days, it's clear consumers are sharing their attention across multiple screens," says Shannon Fazendin, Director of Client Management at Epsilon. In a recent webinar with Samsung Ads, Fazendin outlined a report that examined device usage across generations. "What’s interesting is that, while most people identified their large-format television as the primary screen, Gen Z is where we see a shift, with a higher distribution identifying their phone as the primary screen and TV as the secondary," Fazendin says.
This shift is visible in Epsilon's research too: Sixty five percent of Gen Z minors and 46% of Gen Z adults stream content on a TV, but 24% of Gen Z adults use their smartphone most often to stream content, compared to only 15% of millennials (and the percentage drops even further for Gen Xers and boomers).
This makes sense when we consider that 31% of Gen Zs live at home or with roommates, so using their smartphones gives them more autonomy over what they’re watching and they can watch while they’re on the go. They're also just more comfortable using emerging technology, so they're not afraid to download a new app.
It's worth noting that Gen Z minors are also more likely to use streaming services (49%) than traditional TV (34%) to watch shows, movies, sports or news, but because minors are probably not the account holders for cable and/or streaming, it's hard to determine whether this behavior is intentional.
The takeaway: It's key for marketers and brands to personalize ads for younger generations and ensure they're optimized for mobile experiences. They also need to avoid oversaturating multiple channels with the same messaging.
Gen Zs are still interested in in-person experiences
Despite having such a large digital footprint, Gen Zs still yearn for in-person connection. “They’re not looking to hide behind screens; they’re actively seeking opportunities to build interpersonal skills and meaningful professional relationships. This generation has a sophisticated understanding of when technology helps and when it hinders real connection,” Janet Dell, the CEO of Freeman, an event marketing company, told CNBC.
We see that trend carry over for shopping preferences, too, as 31% of Gen Z minors and 26% of Gen Z adults see shopping as a social activity—higher than any other generation. This is likely due to the fact that third places are disappearing at an increasing rate and most nightlife options don't cater to minors or adults under the age of 21.
“Time and again, the emotional value of digital experiences is reinforced by authenticity, inclusivity and sustainability carries over into the physical world with predisposed beliefs about what a brand (and its chosen influencers) stands for. The key is getting a mix that speaks both to product utility and brand values, where physical and digital can meet," says Kevin Mabley, Epsilon's Managing Director of Strategic Consulting and Services.
The takeaway: Don't dismiss in-person events or providing bespoke opportunities for younger generations to touch and interact with physical products. In-person activations can provide a meaningful touchpoint for your audience to engage with your brand.
Gen Z adults are starting to gain a financial foothold–but they're still frugal
While inflation and rising prices continue to ripple across the country, 28% of Gen Z adults note that their financial situation has improved in the past year. This is likely due to more Gen Zs entering the workforce (by 2030, Gen Zs are expected to make up 30% of the workforce) and seeing their income and purchasing power increase as a result.
That being said, 76% of Gen Z adults said they're looking for sales, deals and discounts and more than half are shopping at less-expensive stores to combat the impacts of rising costs and inflation.
"The younger generation still wants to flourish," says Mark Beal, assistant professor at the Rutgers University School of Communication and Information, in a July 2024 article for BBC. "Gen Z does have financial goals. They are earning money. They are saving money. They are investing money. Some have already purchased homes. They're just approaching [goals] differently. It's not quite as structured and rigid as previous generations—those of us who thought, 'By the time I'm 30, I need a house with a white picket fence.'"
The takeaway: While inflation is less of a concern for this generation, they're still prioritizing deals and discounts and trying to keep costs low, so marketers and retailers need to keep price in mind when targeting this audience.
Gen Zs are increasingly relying on AI
AI usage is more common among younger generations. In our research, 32% of Gen Z minors and 36% of Gen Z adults said they use it every day. More than half of Gen Z minors agree that using AI saves time (the top reason mentioned for using AI overall), while 30% of Gen Z adults enjoy using AI because it gives them new ideas and perspectives.
"Gen Z offers brands short bursts of attention to capture interest before quickly moving on. Personalization is table-stakes, but entertainment must also be part of the mix," Mabley says. "Brands can use Gen Z's comfortability with AI technology and data sharing to their advantage when recommending products, timing or sequencing offers and tweaking the exposure environment based on what top-tier customers have engaged with in the past. Without using that data, brands experience what we call the 'opportunity cost of irrelevance,' where users immediately disengage with inconsistent content, expecting their beloved brands to at least know who they are and what they want."
Gen Zs might have fewer concerns about the technology than other generations, but 15% of Gen Z minors and 35% of Gen Z adults are worried about privacy and data security. Eight percent of Gen Z minors and 25% of Gen Z adults also said they're concerned about losing jobs to AI.
At work, 32% of Gen Z adults say they use AI tools or technology for professional tasks. The percentage is the same for millennials but dips to 19% for Gen Xers and 7% for boomers.
“Missing out on in-person interactions on campus and at work, [Gen Z] immersed themselves in screens, feeds and technology,” researchers at TalentLMS wrote in a July 2024 study. “So when AI showed up, they embraced it. For Gen Z, AI isn’t just a new tech tool. It’s their 24/7 sidekick, helping them navigate work and life.”
The takeaway: Don't be afraid to test emerging channels, trends and technology when trying to reach younger audiences. As AI takes on more prominence in the workplace, companies will need to update policies, infrastructure and processes to meet the demands of the new workforce.
Complete foundational data: The secret to connecting with Gen Z
As the Gen Z consumer base continues to grow, brands need to find unique way to meet them where they're at. To help you reach Gen Z consumers and prospects with the right message at the right time, Epsilon's complete foundational data can help you stay connected.
Learn more about how you can activate smarter campaigns across all channels with the industry’s best transactional database.
---
## In-Store Sales Attribution: Closing the loop on retail media
Type: eps_post
URL: /in-store-sales-attribution-closing-loop-retail-media
Last Modified: 2026-03-09T08:53:51Z
# In-Store Sales Attribution: Closing the loop on retail media
Retail media is one of the fastest‑growing channels in advertising, but until now one critical question has remained unanswered: Does retail media actually drive sales in store?
Epsilon is answering that question with the launch of in‑store sales attribution within the Epsilon Retail Media platform. This capability enables retailers and brands to directly measure how onsite digital retail media drives real‑world, in‑store purchases, delivering true closed‑loop retail media measurement.
Why in‑store sales attribution matters
The UK is a highly store‑led retail market, with more than 70% of retail sales still happening in physical stores (ONS). Yet retail media measurement has historically focused on digital-only outcomes — impressions, clicks and ecommerce transactions.
That disconnect has created a major challenge for retail media networks:
Retailers struggle to prove the true value of their retail media inventory
Brands rely on assumptions rather than confirmed in-store impact
Media investment decisions are made without a full view of performance
Without a reliable way to link digital exposure to in‑store sales, retail media measurement has remained incomplete. Epsilon’s in-store attribution closes that gap.
Read more about the challenges of incomplete offline data.
From digital retail media to in-store sales – in one platform
Epsilon’s in‑store attribution is built directly into the Epsilon Retail Media platform. It automatically connects onsite digital activity with in‑store point‑of‑sale data, creating a single, unified view of performance across the shopper journey.
Now retailers and brands can clearly see how retail media campaigns influence purchasing behaviour beyond the screen and into the store.
Designed for brick-and-mortar reality
Epsilon’s approach to in‑store attribution is powered by a proprietary data infrastructure designed to process large volumes of real‑time data. Combined with Epsilon COREid, this enables deterministic, scalable measurement of in‑store impact — a critical requirement for modern retail media networks.
Read more about how Epsilon’s identity-led approach drives effective retail media.
For retailers, this means the ability to:
Prove the real‑world value of retail media networks
Strengthen advertiser confidence and long‑term investment
Differentiate their retail media offering with transparent measurement
In a market where physical retail remains dominant, in‑store attribution is no longer optional, it’s essential.
Clear, transparent omnichannel measurement
To support better decision‑making and accountability, Epsilon now delivers a new suite of omnichannel retail media metrics, including:
Online ROAS
Maintaining continuity with existing digital / ecommerce benchmarks
Total ROAS
Omnichannel measurement capturing both online and in‑store sales impact
Halo Instore ROAS
Measuring a campaign’s influence across a brand’s full in‑store product portfolio
Together, these metrics provide a more complete view of retail media performance without sacrificing the digital performance insights advertisers rely on.
What this means for retailers and brands
By linking digital retail media exposure directly to in‑store sales, Epsilon is delivering true closed‑loop measurement across online and offline channels.
Retailers gain stronger proof points to grow and monetise retail media networks
Brands gain clarity on in‑store sales impact, enabling smarter optimisation and investment
Importantly, in‑store attribution can be made available to all Epsilon Retail Media onsite clients, regardless of size or maturity.
Setting a new benchmark for retail media measurement
With the launch of in‑store attribution, Epsilon is setting a new benchmark for retail media in Europe, empowering retailers and brands with the clarity, confidence, and proof required to invest smarter and grow faster.
As retail media continues to evolve the ability to measure every sale, wherever it happens, will define the next phase of growth.
---
## How your brand category should shape your media strategy
Type: eps_post
URL: /how-brand-category-shapes-media-strategy
Last Modified: 2026-07-16T12:27:32Z
# How your brand category should shape your media strategy
Media does not work the same way in every retail category. How often people buy, what they put in the basket and what that basket is worth all differ by category, and those dynamics shape the role each channel plays in a media strategy.
This guide does two things:
It sets out the category dynamics that genuinely differ between grocery, beauty, fashion, consumer tech, homeware and what they mean for channel strategy.
It shows five UK cross-channel success stories, one per category, each with its own challenge, approach and outcome.
Why does your category matter in media?
The same channel plays a different role depending on the category being sold, because shopper behaviour changes from one category to the next.
Three category dynamics do most of the work:
Purchase frequency. How often the category is bought at all. Weekly grocery shopping and a once-every-few-years television purchase call for very different media rhythms.
Basket composition. Whether the purchase is one considered item or a single line inside a large habitual basket. This shapes how much work an ad has to do, and whether it is competing for a repertoire slot or a standalone decision.
Basket value. What the purchase is worth, which sets how much media investment a new customer can justify and how much creative depth the category can fund.
Category dynamics and the role of each channel
This is the planning frame. It describes how each category tends to behave and the role channels typically play as a result.
Five cross-channel media success stories
Each example below pairs a category with a real UK campaign, set out as the challenge the brand faced, the approach taken and the outcome achieved against that brief.
Grocery: weekly rhythm, small baskets, in-store completion
Grocery is bought most weeks, and any single product is one line inside a large habitual basket. That means an individual SKU is competing for a place in an established repertoire rather than winning a standalone decision, and the majority of sales still complete in-store. Channel strategy tends to follow: efficient reach while shoppers are thinking about food, and measurement that reaches the till rather than stopping at the website.
Success story: Waitrose x a leading sourdough brand
Challenge. A premium bakery brand wanted to grow online and in-store sales, and to track the full impact of every media touchpoint on the purchases that followed.
Approach. Waitrose first-party data was used to reach shoppers with a natural affinity for cooking, entertaining and premium experiences. Offsite activity across premium publishers engaged those shoppers as they explored mealtime ideas, with targeting built on modelled lookalikes of existing buyers, ongoing optimisation, and closed-loop tracking across online and in-store sales.
Outcome against this brief.
13:1 SKU ROAS, and 3:1 product ROAS, on a modest budget.
More than 19,000 tracked in-store orders, with the majority of tracked sales completing in-store rather than online.
24% of brand orders came from entirely new customers.
What this example shows: where a category completes most of its sales in-store, closed-loop measurement is what makes the return visible at all. Counting only online conversions would have missed the majority of this campaign's sales.
Beauty: infrequent, considered, premium-skewed
Beauty is bought a few times a year, usually as a small basket built around a single considered item at a premium price point. The purchase is a decision rather than a habit, so there is a genuine consideration phase to influence, and the product often needs to be demonstrated rather than simply listed. Basket value supports richer creative and audience modelling that goes looking for new buyers.
Success story: John Lewis x a prestige cosmetics brand
Challenge. A prestige skincare brand set out to drive renewed momentum for its flagship serum, recruiting new beauty buyers while re-engaging lapsed customers whose previous experience signalled affinity for premium formulations.
Approach. The strategy centred on John Lewis beauty data, shaped by online and in-store relationships, to reach shoppers genuinely invested in premium beauty. Lookalike expansion identified similar buyers, including those purchasing comparable premium brands. Audiences were engaged offsite through display and online video as they explored beauty advice, product benefits and skin suitability, supported by closed-loop conversion tracking.
Outcome against this brief.
11:1 brand ROAS, at a £7.47 cost per acquisition and a £50 average order value.
70% of brand orders came from new or lapsed customers, with 41% entirely new.
75% online video completion against a 65% benchmark, and 8.7 store visits per 1,000 impressions against a benchmark of 0.3 to 1.
What this example shows: with a recruitment brief, lookalikes seeded from the brand's best buyers reached genuinely new customers rather than recirculating spend among existing ones.
Fashion and apparel: seasonal, occasion-led, longer decisions
Fashion is bought a few times a year in seasonal bursts, with baskets that are multi-item but tied to an occasion, at mid-to-high value. Decisions play out over a longer window than grocery, and the recurring commercial challenge is reaching genuinely incremental audiences rather than paying to speak to existing customers. Connected TV suits the seasonal awareness job when the targeting can be held accountable.
Success story: FatFace
Challenge. FatFace needed to keep driving growth while justifying marketing spend. CTV offered high-impact engagement but raised questions about frequency management, traditional performance channels were struggling to reach incremental audiences, and reliance on walled gardens brought audience and measurement transparency issues.
Approach. Matching FatFace data to Epsilon's CORE Identity gave a deeper understanding of the audience, opened CTV as a targeted and accountable channel, provided visibility of customer journeys from awareness to conversion, and addressed data compliance concerns.
Outcome against this brief.
950,000 new prospects and 120,000 existing customers engaged through CTV, at an average 97% video completion rate.
ROAS increased more than twice year on year through better targeting and personalisation.
An incremental revenue return of 3:1, proven through transparent measurement.
New customers reached across multiple channels were 3.8x more likely to visit the website and 4.1x more likely to purchase than those reached in a single channel.
What this example shows: when the brief is incremental growth rather than efficiency, identity resolution is what makes an awareness channel like CTV accountable enough to invest in.
Consumer tech: infrequent, high value, long research window
Consumer tech is bought rarely and researched heavily, as a single high-value item often accompanied by attachments. The long research window means there is a real opportunity to build preference before the purchase decision forms, and the sale frequently completes in a shop. Channel strategy in the category tends to reward presence earlier than the bottom of the funnel.
Success story: Currys x global TV brand
Challenge. Currys saw an opportunity to extend retail media beyond the bottom of the funnel, engaging tech enthusiasts before and during product launches rather than only at the point of purchase.
Approach. The campaign marked two firsts: combining display, online video and CTV within a single campaign, and launching media before a television's release to generate anticipation before the product was widely available. Currys targeted high-end TV shoppers who had browsed the manufacturer's or a competitor's products without purchasing, using Currys first-party data and Epsilon's CORE Identity to optimise for both online and in-store sales. The work won Best Use of Retail Media at the Digiday Awards Europe.
Outcome against this brief.
56,000 store visitors and a 20% increase in in-store sales, at a 3:1 return on investment.
Conversions rose 46% when display, online video and CTV were combined, compared with display alone.
Nearly 7 store visits per 1,000 impressions, prompting Currys to scale the approach to further categories.
What this example shows: in a category with a long research window, media running before the launch window and across several channels outperformed a single-channel approach against the same objective.
Homeware and gifting: occasional, peak-led, low salience
Homeware and gifting are bought occasionally, usually a single item tied to an occasion or a seasonal peak. Because the category is low-salience for much of the year, brands have to build awareness ahead of the moments that matter. The persistent difficulty is that awareness work is harder to connect to sales than demand capture, which makes it the first budget questioned.
Success story: Cheerz
Challenge. Cheerz recognised it needed to evolve its strategy to boost awareness and drive growth without compromising performance. Central to this was proving that brand-building activities could positively impact sales.
Approach. Already working with Epsilon on display, Cheerz expanded into open-web video with high-impact large-format ads aimed at high-potential segments including new parents. Epsilon built a unified branding and performance strategy, aligning messaging, formats and frequency, then compared audiences exposed to full-funnel branding and retention against retention-only activity.
Outcome against this brief.
81% viewability and 71% viewed to completion.
A 6% revenue lift.
Audiences exposed to both branding and retention messages were 41% more likely to convert than those targeted with retention alone.
What this example shows: a clean comparison against a retention-only group is what turned an awareness argument into a measured one for this brand.
What these examples have in common…
The categories differ, and so did the briefs. Four things were nonetheless true across all five campaigns.
1. The audience was built from real first-party data. Every campaign started from retailer or brand first-party data, in several cases resolved to real people through CORE Identity, rather than from cookies or walled-garden proxies.
2. They ran cross-channel rather than single-format. Display, online video and CTV were combined according to the job in hand. Where it was tested directly, the combined approach outperformed the single-channel one.
3. Measurement was designed around the brief. SKU-level tracking, incrementality, cost per acquisition or a test-versus-control comparison were each chosen to answer that brand's question, not applied as a template.
4. The in-store effect was measured, not assumed. Where the category completes sales in shops, store visits and in-store orders were tracked directly rather than inferred.
These are observations across five campaigns rather than universal laws. They describe a way of working that held up across very different categories and objectives.
Where to start
The useful question for a brand selling across several categories is not “which metric should I chase in each category” but “can I plan, target and measure each category the way it actually behaves.” That points at three foundations: first-party data and identity so audiences are real and privacy-safe, a channel mix that can flex from demand capture to connected TV as the category requires, and measurement designed around the brief, including the sales that happen in-store.
This is where Epsilon works with brands and their retail partners, combining CORE Identity, cross-channel activation across display, online video and CTV, and closed-loop measurement tied to online and in-store sales. The five examples above are that approach applied to five different categories and five different objectives.
Talk to Epsilon
Planning media across more than one category and want every campaign built on real audience data and measured against the objective that matters? Explore Epsilon's Digital advertising and Retail Media solutions or get in touch to discuss your plan.
FAQ
What is a category specific media strategy?
It is the recognition that media plays a different role depending on the category being sold. Purchase frequency, basket composition and basket value differ by category, and those dynamics shape which channels do the work and when.
Do these campaign results apply to my category?
Not directly. Each result reflects the objective, brand, audience and timing of that specific campaign. They are worked examples of what an approach achieved against a particular brief, not benchmarks for a whole category. The transferable part is the method, not the number.
How does purchase frequency change a media strategy?
High-frequency categories such as grocery are bought habitually, so media tends to work as efficient, recurring presence. Infrequent, considered categories such as consumer tech have a long research window, which creates room to build preference before the decision forms.
Why does basket value matter in media?
Basket value sets how much media investment a new customer can justify and how much creative depth the category can fund. Low-value, high-frequency categories favour efficiency; higher-value categories can support video and awareness work.
What is the difference between onsite and offsite retail media?
Onsite runs on the retailer's own sites and apps and captures existing demand. Offsite activates the retailer's first-party audiences across the wider web, social and connected TV, and is used to build reach and recruit new customers.
Why does so much media value show up in-store?
Most retail categories still complete the majority of their sales in shops. In the examples above, grocery, beauty and consumer tech campaigns each drove measurable in-store orders or store visits. Closed-loop measurement is what makes that visible rather than inferred.
---
## Loyalty gamification: a beginner's guide for brands
Type: eps_post
URL: /loyalty-gamification
Last Modified: 2026-06-09T09:36:56Z
# Loyalty gamification: a beginner's guide for brands
Gamification turns everyday brand interactions into rewarding experiences customers want to come back to. Done well, it lifts lifetime value, deepens loyalty, and gives brands more reasons for customers to choose them again. This guide explains what loyalty gamification is, how brands are using it today, and where to start if you want to build it into your loyalty programme.
What is loyalty gamification?
There is a common misconception that loyalty gamification means a quick spin-the-wheel mechanic, a daily prize draw, or a points pop-up tacked onto an existing programme. The reality is broader, and more useful.
Loyalty gamification is the practice of designing loyalty experiences around the elements that make games engaging: progress, challenge, status, reward, surprise, and social interaction. It shows up in fitness apps that track streaks, in coffee chains that unlock the next free drink after five purchases, and in grocery apps that turn the weekly shop into a series of missions and personalised challenges. The principle is the same in each case. People are more motivated when they can see their progress, feel a sense of achievement, and know that their effort leads somewhere.
For brands, the goal is not to turn loyalty into a game. It is to use what makes games engaging to encourage the behaviours that matter, repeat purchases, app engagement, profile completion, category exploration, referrals, or simply spending more time with the brand between purchases. Most loyalty gamification works with mechanics brands have used for decades, like points and tiers. What has changed is the quality of the data and the personalisation behind them, which means a well-designed programme today can feel tailored to the individual rather than one-size-fits-all.
The mechanics matter, but the reason they work is psychological. Points and tiers tap into a sense of purpose and progress. Streaks work because of loss aversion, the discomfort of breaking a run. Surprise rewards trigger delight. Leaderboards and shared challenges activate social connection and competition. Limited-time challenges work through scarcity. As Epsilon's Mrinalini Chowdhary and Microsoft's Richard Potter discussed on the Marketing Un:Learned podcast, the specific mechanic matters less than whether it connects to a motivation the customer actually feels. The best programmes match the mechanic to the moment.
These same principles apply to B2B loyalty, where the buyer is still a person responding to recognition, progress, and reward, but the value exchange typically sits around training, certifications, and tiered partner benefits rather than discounts.
How do brands use loyalty gamification?
Building gamification into your loyalty programme does not require a full rebuild. Most brands start with a handful of practical steps:
Pick one behaviour you want to change. Repeat purchases, app opens, profile completion, referrals, pick one rather than trying to gamify everything at once. Clarity on the behaviour shapes every other decision.
Match the mechanic to the behaviour. Streaks suit habit-forming behaviours such as daily app use. Tiers suit long-term value building. Challenges suit category expansion. Surprise rewards suit win-back and reactivation.
Make the reward worth earning. The reward does not need to be expensive, but it needs to feel relevant. Recognition, access, and experiential rewards often outperform straight discounts.
Personalise the experience, do not run averages. Use customer data to decide which challenge to serve to which person, rather than running the same campaign for everyone. The right offer for the right person costs less and performs better.
Connect the experience across channels. A challenge served in the app, a points balance shown in email, and a tier benefit redeemed in store should all feel like part of the same programme.
Measure what matters. Track incremental behaviour, repeat purchase rate, app retention, and programme participation, not just engagement with the mechanic itself.
Icelandic grocer Samkaup is a useful example of what this looks like in practice. The retailer added in-app games like spin-to-win to its loyalty programme, recording 78,204 game attempts between December 2024 and January 2025. Prizes had to be collected in store, which drove footfall. Participating brands funded the prize pool, which created a retail media revenue stream alongside the engagement lift. The mechanic was simple, what made it work was the connection between the game, the store visit, the participating brand, and the customer data.
Done well, loyalty gamification lifts engagement without inflating reward costs, because the right offer reaches the right person at the right time. Done badly, it adds a layer of points and badges on top of an experience that was not working in the first place.
Where do I start with loyalty gamification?
For most brands, the honest starting point is not picking a mechanic. It is making sure you can recognise the same customer across every channel they interact with. Tiers, points, challenges, and personalised rewards all depend on a single, consistent view of the individual. Without that, your platinum-tier customer in the app is a stranger in your email programme, and a streak earned on the website resets when the customer logs in on a mobile.
This is where identity resolution matters. Epsilon's COREid resolves customer identity at the individual level using name and address data rather than email alone, which means one person with several email addresses still looks like one person, and their loyalty activity stays joined up across web, app, email, and in store.
With that foundation in place, the mechanics can do their job. Dunkin' built its loyalty programme around tight, real-time integration between POS and the app, so that offers and rewards carried across channels without friction. The result was a 40% increase in member spending year on year.
From there, most brands grow loyalty gamification in stages. They start with one behaviour and one mechanic, measure what changes, then expand. The brands that get the most out of it are the ones that resist the temptation to gamify everything at once, and instead use the data they collect to make each next step sharper than the last.
Read the loyalty programme ultimate guide
Loyalty gamification is one part of a wider loyalty strategy. If you are thinking about where it fits, or how the mechanics, data, and identity layer come together in a complete programme, Epsilon's loyalty programme ultimate guide walks through how leading brands design, run, and measure modern loyalty.
Read the loyalty programme ultimate guide
---
## Epsilon Retail Media: 7 development leaps that built a unified commerce engine
Type: eps_post
URL: /epsilon-retail-media-7-key-developments
Last Modified: 2026-05-07T11:47:27Z
# Epsilon Retail Media: 7 development leaps that built a unified commerce engine
With more than 200 retail media networks now competing for advertiser attention, the retail media market has moved decisively beyond basic activation.
Winning today is about operating retail media with the same commercial discipline that brands expect from any mature advertising channel; maximising return for advertisers while building sustainable, high‑margin revenue for retailers.
Since acquiring CitrusAd in 2021, Epsilon Retail Media teams have focused squarely on that shift. The result is a set of platform upgrades designed to help retailers and brands operate at speed, extract more value from every impression, and demonstrate genuine business impact.
Here we dive into 7 of key strategic developments.
1. Auto-bidding: Maximising retail media conversion
Retail Media auctions move too fast for human optimisation to keep up. The result is conservative bids when demand is strong, wasted spend when demand slows, and teams spending time tweaking numbers instead of driving growth.
What Epsilon changed
Epsilon introduced real‑time auto‑bidding for sponsored ads. Epsilon Retail Media evaluates every auction using both historical and live signals to predict conversion likelihood, adjusting bids dynamically rather than relying on manual inputs.
In practice, that meant
Bids automatically increase when conversion probability is high and scale back when signals weaken.
Efficiency and win rate are balanced in real time, enabling higher ROAS.
2. Campaign auto pacing: fixing the retail media underspend problem
When retail media budgets can move with real trading conditions rather than being locked to arbitrary daily caps, spend concentrates naturally around high‑traffic moments, delivery becomes more consistent across the month, and performance improves.
What Epsilon changed
Epsilon shifted campaign budgeting from fixed daily limits to fluid monthly orchestration. Retail Media spend now flexes automatically, accelerating on strong days and recovering underspend later in the month.
In practice, that meant
Dynamic pacing that reallocates budget based on traffic and performance signals.
Flexible daily caps, allowing retail media spend to scale up to 2x on peak demand days.
3. In-store measurement with unified retail media reporting
Across the advertising landscape, what can easily be measured has come to dominate decision‑making. That has meant retail media performance has been judged largely through digital outcomes, while the majority of retail sales still happen in-store.
What Epsilon changed
Epsilon extended its unified measurement to directly connect retail media activity with in‑store sales. Onsite and offsite media are also now measured together, deduplicated and attributed across touchpoints, eliminating any double counting.
In practice, that meant
Direct in‑store sales attribution linked to media exposure.
Unified, deduplicated reporting across onsite and offsite channels with clear attribution.
4. Audiences as a revenue engine
The real opportunity in retail media is the depth and quality of retailer first‑party data. For brands, it has the power to transform how audiences are activated and measured, but that only happens when data is packaged properly and usable across channels.
What Epsilon changed
Epsilon moved audience targeting beyond basic segmentation and into intelligent audience monetisation. Retailer first‑party data is directly integrated, allowing audiences to be activated both onsite and offsite, with clear governance.
In practice, that meant
Activation of transaction‑based retailer audiences across onsite and offsite media.
Team‑level controls that enable retailers to package, protect and sell premium audience segments.
5. Monetisation control
Retail media only works as a serious commercial channel when two things are true: retailers must be able to protect and price their most valuable moments properly, and brands must be able to act at scale without getting buried in operational friction.
What Epsilon changed
Epsilon strengthened retailer-level pricing control, allowing set minimum bids at placement level, protecting high‑value inventory. In parallel, bulk campaign actions removed the operational drag that slows down large‑scale advertiser activation.
In practice, that meant
Placement‑level minimum bids so homepage, checkout and promotional inventory delivers premium value.
Bulk actions that make it possible to create 1,000 banner campaigns in a single action and manage all within a single workflow.
6. API evolution: built for scale and automation
For brands and agencies, retail media must play nicely alongside lots of different tools. APIs enable system-to-system integration, secure access and the ability to update large numbers of ad and product creatives without human bottlenecks.
What Epsilon changed
Epsilon has deliberately engineered the Epsilon Retail Media platform to be interoperable by default. The focus is on breadth of API integrations, platform stability and granular control, so retail media can be integrated into broader ad tech and martech stacks rather than operating in isolation.
In practice, that meant
Support for heavier creative workflows, including campaign file uploads up to 4GB and brand page creatives, with performance tracking and reconciliation via API.
Robust operational and security controls for bulk team management and environment-specific endpoints to separate testing from live activity.
7. A rebuilt user experience
When tools feel more like spreadsheets than software, time is wasted, insights are missed and the most advanced capabilities go untouched. For brands, that slows decision‑making. For retailers, it caps adoption and limits growth.
What Epsilon changed
Epsilon overhauled the platform experience across campaign management and reporting. The focus was on clarity, speed and discoverability, so new and existing capabilities are easy to find, easy to use and easy to act on, without specialist training.
In practice, that meant
Faster, more intuitive navigation across complex campaign portfolios and reports
Streamlined workflows that reduce onboarding time and improve day‑to‑day adoption across brands and retailer teams
Epsilon Retail Media: a unified, retail growth engine
These retail media updates aren’t incidental; they reflect an ecosystem evolving to meet the needs of retailers and sophisticated brands.
Epsilon Retail Media enables:
Retailers to maximise yield, monetise data and scale operations efficiently
Brands to drive campaign performance, reach the right audiences and prove ROI
The direction is clear: Retail media is no longer just a channel; it’s a core growth engine. And Epsilon is building the infrastructure to optimise outcomes at scale with tools that drive revenue, not just efficiency. Epsilon powers scalable retail media growth for retailers and brands.
Discover more about Epsilon Retail Media capabilities
---
## Why your loyalty programme is your most underrated marketing asset
Type: eps_post
URL: /loyalty-programme-marketing-asset
Last Modified: 2026-06-18T10:49:16Z
# Why your loyalty programme is your most underrated marketing asset
Most marketing leaders treat their loyalty programme as a retention mechanic. Sign customers up, give them points, win their repeat purchase. The trouble with that framing is it underplays what the programme is actually doing. A well-run loyalty programme is one of the most valuable marketing assets a brand owns, and most companies are only using a fraction of what it generates.
This blog is for marketing leaders who already know what a loyalty programme is, and want to know what it could be doing for the rest of their marketing.
The asset most marketers undervalue
A loyalty programme is the most reliable mechanism a brand has for generating consented, first-party customer data at scale. In a market where third-party cookies are in structural decline, consumers are more selective about what they share, and GDPR has raised the bar on how data is collected and used, that exchange has become rare and valuable.
The brands pulling ahead are the ones that treat their loyalty programme not just as a retention tool but as the spine of their marketing data strategy. Writing in CX Network, Epsilon's Mrinalini Chowdhary makes the case that loyalty has quietly become the most strategic data channel a brand can run; every interaction it creates, a sign-up, a purchase, a profile update, a reward redemption, a response to an offer, is information that can fuel every other part of marketing.
The points and rewards are the surface. The data and identity underneath is the asset.
The commercial case lines up with the strategic one. McKinsey's research found top-performing loyalty programmes can lift revenue from members who redeem points by 15% to 25% annually, by increasing purchase frequency, basket size, or both. And programmes that are integrated into the wider marketing stack consistently perform even better, because the value compounds.
What a loyalty programme actually fuels
When marketing leaders look at a loyalty programme as marketing infrastructure rather than a retention scheme, the picture changes. The same data that powers the points and rewards on the surface can power most of the marketing stack underneath it.
A well-integrated loyalty programme directly fuels:
Personalised email and app communications. Member behaviour and stated preferences let you send the right offer to the right person at the right moment, instead of the same generic message to a list. Open rates and conversion typically improve substantially when communications are loyalty-data-driven.
Sharper audience targeting in paid media. Loyalty data lets you build genuine first-party audiences and suppress the customers you already have, so acquisition budget goes to genuine new prospects rather than people who would have bought anyway.
On-site and in-app personalisation. Real-time content and product recommendations based on what each member actually does, rather than what an average visitor might do.
Predictive marketing. Loyalty data lets you anticipate churn, identify high-value lookalikes, and predict next-best-product or next-best-offer with far more accuracy than is possible from purchase data alone.
Closed-loop measurement. When your loyalty data is connected to your media exposure data, you can finally answer the question that matters most: did the campaign actually change behaviour, or did it just hit the people who were going to buy anyway.
Boots is a useful illustration of what this looks like at scale. Through its Advantage Card programme, Boots delivers personalised offers via app and email, uses gamified mechanics like Play & Win to drive engagement, and applies predictive analytics to anticipate what each customer is likely to need next. The launch of Boots Media Group has turned the same loyalty data into a retail media revenue stream, with brands paying to reach Boots audiences through campaigns measured against actual transactions.
The same first-party data is doing five jobs at once: serving the customer, fuelling marketing, enabling measurement, opening a new commercial channel, and creating a competitive advantage that competitors without comparable data simply can't match.
That is what a loyalty programme can be when it is treated as marketing infrastructure rather than a discount mechanic.
Three signs your loyalty data is being underused
In most organisations, the gap between what a loyalty programme could be doing and what it actually does is structural, not technological. Three patterns to look for:
Your loyalty data lives in a different team from your media data. If your loyalty programme is owned by CRM or retention, and your paid media is owned by acquisition or performance, the loyalty data is probably not influencing your media decisions in any meaningful way. The teams optimise on different KPIs, run on different reporting cycles, and rarely share a single customer view. The result is media spend that is blind to your existing customer relationships and loyalty activity that is invisible to the media plan.
Your paid media doesn't suppress your existing loyal customers. This is the single most common sign loyalty data isn't being used properly. If you are running prospecting campaigns and your loyalty members are receiving them, you are spending acquisition budget on people you already have. For most brands, suppressing existing customers and high-value lookalikes from acquisition campaigns is the fastest way to improve return on ad spend without changing anything else about the media plan.
Your loyalty programme can't tell you whether a media campaign actually changed behaviour. If your loyalty data and your media exposure data don't connect at an individual level, you can't measure the incremental impact of a campaign on your most valuable customers. You see redemptions, you see media performance, but you can't tie them together. Closed-loop measurement, where you can attribute an exposure to a redemption or a purchase, is one of the highest-value capabilities a loyalty programme can unlock and one of the most commonly missing.
If any of these sound familiar, the loyalty programme is probably not the bottleneck. The bottleneck is usually the way the programme connects to the rest of the marketing stack.
Where to start
Unlocking the value tends to require three things to be in place at the same time, none of which is technically complicated, but most of which need cross-functional alignment to work properly.
The first is a single customer view.
A platinum-tier member in the app should be the same person in your email database, your media activation, and your in-store data. This is where identity resolution becomes the foundation underneath everything else, because without it the loyalty data is fragmented across channels and the rest of the marketing stack can't act on it.
The second is shared accountability.
Loyalty data adds the most value when CRM, performance marketing, and brand marketing are all using it. That usually means rethinking how loyalty is owned in the organisation, treating it as a horizontal capability rather than a programme run by one team.
The third is the measurement framework to prove the impact.
Member vs non-member spend, incremental margin, closed-loop attribution of media exposure to loyalty behaviour, customer lifetime value by acquisition channel. The right metrics show whether the integration is working, and which parts to invest in further.
The brands that get all three in place tend to stop thinking of their loyalty programme as a programme at all. It becomes the customer data infrastructure that everything else runs on.
Read the loyalty programme ultimate guide
If you are rethinking how your loyalty programme connects to the rest of your marketing, the next step is to look at how leading brands are designing programmes for this kind of integrated value.
Epsilon's ultimate guide covers how modern loyalty programmes are built, the foundations underneath them, and the trade-offs that come with scaling them.
Read The Ultimate Guide to Loyalty Programmes
---
## Recent Forrester Identity Resolution Landscape categorizes Epsilon as one of only three large vendors
Type: eps_post
URL: /2023-forrester-identity-resolution-landscape
Last Modified: 2025-08-27T19:52:31Z
# Recent Forrester Identity Resolution Landscape categorizes Epsilon as one of only three large vendors
CORE ID provides the industry’s most accurate, stable and scalable identity resolution solution to recognize and reach 200M+ U.S. consumers in a privacy-safe way. Don’t just take our word for it, allow us to be an extension of your team to realize the value of a strong identity resolution offering.
Research and advisory firm, Forrester, recently shared its third-party perspective and represented vendors, including Epsilon. Forrester states, “identity resolution capabilities are a mandatory investment to support consumer insights and engagement in the immediate term, putting buyers in the position of implementing solutions today that meet current marketing needs but also provide the flexibility to adapt to changing conditions in the future.”
---
## Double-screening: Just another tech trend or the new normal?
Type: eps_post
URL: /double-screening-marketing-strategy
Last Modified: 2025-05-01T16:15:25Z
# Double-screening: Just another tech trend or the new normal?
Checking phone notifications while you're watching TV? Maybe you forgot to respond to an email or want to search for the perfect dress for an upcoming wedding. Maybe you just want to decompress and scroll on social media for a bit while your favorite sitcom plays in the background.
Using multiple devices at the same time (or switching between them), which we call "double-screening," is becoming more common—92% of consumers across generations say they use another device while watching content—and this behavior change has a direct impact on how ads reach consumers and how they engage with them.
“At its core, double-screening is someone who is on multiple devices or screens at once. Whether that’s their TV and phone, TV and tablet, computer and phone, there are so many different ways people navigate all these different devices today,” says Shannon Fazendin, Epsilon's Director of Client Engagement.
So how can marketers adapt? Epsilon conducted a survey to better understand how consumers are engaging with TVs and additional devices, like phones, tablets or laptops, to help you make smarter advertising decisions.
By the numbers: The consumer journey across devices
To take a closer look at the survey results, let's break down how seeing an ad on TV impacts the likelihood of clicking "add to cart."
3 in 10 respondents have made a purchase after seeing an ad while watching TV in the past three months.
55% of consumers who didn't make a purchase indicated they would have if it were something they needed.
86% of those who made a purchase did so within a week, with 52% purchasing the same day.
Nearly 100% of purchases influenced by ads happened online, and 50% of those purchases were completed on mobile devices.
Epsilon's research found that while TV ads drive conversions across age groups, data-driven targeting is critical to reaching consumers at the right moment.
To move the needle on how many consumers make a purchase after seeing an ad, brands need to leverage complete foundational data to understand their audiences on a deeper level and ensure ads are resonating enough to drive action. Brands trying to reach Gen X and Boomers will have a significantly different strategy than brands trying to reach Gen Z and millennials (and vice versa).
3 ways to adapt your marketing strategy for a double-screening world
1. Assume everyone you're talking to is double-screening
Epsilon's research found that while Gen Z is certainly leading the charge when it comes to double-screening, the practice is ubiquitous across across generations. Switching between devices isn't just a trend—it's the new normal.
To capture fragmented attention, brands will need to identify consumer touch points across devices (via leveraging first- and third-party data) truly personalize their messaging, and activate it on the right channels at the right time.
2. Targeting the right people at the right time and place is essential.
When it comes to viewing an ad and taking action, consumers across generations are the most ready to buy when the product meets their needs.
It's not enough to just craft the right message—advertisers need to truly understand what their audience needs and is looking for so they can deliver timely, relevant messaging.
Enhancing first-party data with third-party data is key to understanding your audience on a deeper level.
"Using a blend of first-party data and third-party data will drive engagement and increase purchase rates if you're able to consistently message the right person at the right time," Fazendin says.
3. Tailor omnichannel campaigns to match your audience’s digital habits.
Today, most ad-influenced purchases happen online, but 73% of consumers shop on their phones as opposed to their laptops, desktop computers or tablets.
To maximize conversions and drive brand loyalty, marketers need to optimize messaging for smartphones while also making sure they work for other devices and ad experiences too.
Source: Epsilon, 2025, Your guide to cross-generational marketing in 2025
Additionally, even though Google halted their plans to get rid of third-party cookies, Apple devices and their Safari browser have been third-party-cookie-free for years, making those users notoriously difficult to reach via digital media. This means most advertisers are not effectively reaching iPhone users today, which is a significant amount of double-screeners.
So how do you overcome this issue? Make sure your programmatic partners can reach Apple device users. At Epsilon, we built our programmatic media offering the harder way, so that we can reach users across platforms and devices—including Apple products and browsers–and across cookie-free environments.
To learn more about double-screening and how to adapt your marketing strategy, watch Epsilon's on-demand webinar, featuring experts from Epsilon and Samsung Ads.
Survey methodology and timing: This Epsilon survey ran from January 2 to January 7, 2025, and included 2,296 respondents across generations. To qualify respondents needed to be between 18 to 77 years old and indicate they watch shows, movies, sports or the news. The sample was weighted by age and gender to align with the census.
---
## Open web advertising is getting more costly: Who is winning?
Type: eps_post
URL: /open-web-advertising-is-getting-more-costly
Last Modified: 2026-01-15T13:44:57Z
# Open web advertising is getting more costly: Who is winning?
Perhaps it’s good thatGoogle delayed third-party cookie (3PC) deprecation again this summer because it’s clear the adtech industry needs all the time it can get to prepare for the implications of the eventual phaseout.
Impacts of cookie deprecation fallout
The effects of this transition run deeper than past disruptions sparked by emerging technologies or media trends. For brands and marketers that have approached digital marketing with sheer scale as their guiding principle, the fallout from cookie deprecation may be akin to an existential crisis. The days of aiming for maximum reach with minimum spend over murky, 3PC-reliant programmatic networks are coming to an end—or, at least, the days of doing so effectively.
Of course, Google’s latest delay means some reach-obsessed programmatic players can put off their day of reckoning. Yet more proactive teams are already working to redefine their strategic priorities as the contours of a new adtech landscape take shape. The new high ground belongs to publishers with a wealth of first-party data gathered by consent. The prices they charge to access those audiences are likely to continue to rise as marketers realize how difficult it is to track and segment audiences across the open web. What’s left of the old frontier will be increasingly prone to fraud, abuse and manipulation.
The rising costs of premium inventory
As brands survey that new world, many are determining they need access to first-class inventory to continue effectively reaching their customers, even if there’s a bit of sticker shock involved. Reputable publishers still have what marketers want: quality reach rooted in consent-based, first-party cookies located outside the walled gardens.
Such premium inventory is readily available and easy to find. The only catch is, in the next era, it’ll cost a premium. Already,costs for premium inventory are rising across the board, causing a gut-check moment for brands preparing to do business in the new era of adtech. Digiday's Seb Joseph discusses the shift and what will ultimately create two sides to ad inventory: "...On one side there will be a larger portion of high-quality ad inventory powered by first-party data and consent; on the other side, there’s a long tail of poorly targeted impressions far more susceptible to fraud and manipulation."
Yet that seems to be the cost of doing business. Trusted publishers and others occupying the sell-side high ground are protective of first-party data with identifying information, increasingly limiting access to private marketplaces and programmatic guaranteed deals. The marketplaces that manage to accumulate trusted-publisher inventory are poised to emerge as next-generation power brokers.
What this means for marketers
Meanwhile, publishers are unlikely to take it easy on marketers during the transition. Sites that aggregate news content like Google, Facebook, Twitter, etc. have largely undermined the media industry's revenue model (whether intending to or not), and now that the tide is turning somewhat back in publishers' favor, they want to get paid. In Australia, for example, a group of about 30 independent publishers collaborated on a “news freeze” in February to protest the unpaid use of their content by Facebook and other Big Tech outlets.
It adds up to a growing understanding that taking the high road during the coming era of targeted, programmatic marketing will likely be more expensive than marketers are used to. But there are plenty of perks, as well, ranging from the reputational control that comes from working with atrusted network of publishers to the improved transparency that’s likely to result from streamlined programmatic networks compared to the famously opaque marketplaces that currently dominate.
Indeed, as Publicis Media's launch of their Diverse and Inclusive Media Exchange (DIME) indicates, companies near the center of the programmatic marketplace are taking steps to gain greater clarity and control over a process that hasn’t traditionally been known for either.
Bewildered or uncertain marketers can also take heart in knowing not every player is brand new to a world where first-party data is paramount, quality reach is more valuable than scattershot targeting, and premium inventory is, well, premium. That’s been Epsilon’s perspective for more than 20 years with our CORE Private Exchange and continues to guide our approach to future-proof solutions without the reliance on third-party cookies.
Embracing the next era of digital advertising
The next era of digital advertising will look different. Quality reach will be more expensive, yes, but internet advertising will also become more transparent, more respectful of consumer privacy, and less like the algorithmic equivalent of the Wild West. The adjustment will come with challenges, but brands and marketers will discover they can still profitably connect with their customers on the open web by embracing a new model based on a high-definition understanding of consumers that aligns with reputable publishers.
---
## Organizing your owned and paid channels starts with getting the right CDP
Type: eps_post
URL: /digital-cdp-media-activation
Last Modified: 2026-01-15T13:44:47Z
# Organizing your owned and paid channels starts with getting the right CDP
Personalized marketing across owned, earned and paid channels is more complicated than ever. Customer data is everywhere, leaving it fragmented and hard to use. Even on owned channels, brands might be missing the mark in unifying their data to give them the best view of their customers.
Brands that can effectively execute person-first marketing across channels have bigger gains and stronger customer loyalty. According to Epsilon research, "The push and pull of personalization," 82% of consumer respondents said they view a brand positively when they advertise a product that a person needs. Conversely, 76% said they view brands negatively when they include inaccurate information about them in their advertising messages.
Therein lies the problem: Brands that know their customers better deliver more effective messages, but if they can’t get a 360-degree view of their customers, they risk wasting their ad dollars sending messages to people who don’t care, won't buy and ultimately will develop a negative perception of the brand.
While customer data platforms (CDPs) are often seen as simple organizational tools of a brand’s customer file, not all CDPs help marketers master their data to make it actionable. To create a solid digital marketing strategy, you need a solid first-party data strategy.
Getting the best view of your customer
First-party data is an essential part of a brand’s understanding of a customer, but many brands struggle to effectively use it. That’s because their first-party data is often incomplete, duplicative or riddled with inaccuracies, making it difficult to connect a customer's journey across various paid and owned channels.
This leads to a reliance on generalized audience segments and a channel-by-channel approach to marketing, where content and messages lack connection to each other and don’t truly resonate with individuals.
According to a whitepaper from the CDP Institute's David Raab, sponsored by Epsilon, there is a price to bad data. Instead of recognizing and targeting their best customers with consistent, optimal messages across all channels, "brands send ads in each channel based only on information in that channel." Raab said this degrades not only the customer experience, it wastes marketing budget, too.
Brands often turn to marketing technology to streamline and organize their first-party data, but not all solutions are made equal. A CDP can collect and unify customer data to build a single view of each customer, but the problem is that most CDPs are just an empty box that gets filled with your existing customer data—it's not filling in any of the existing gaps you may have in your data. To fill in a complete view of their customer—who they are outside of a brand’s limited view of them—a CDP needs a strong foundation of identity resolution.
Identity resolution can unify, cleanse and complete a brand’s first-party data, transforming it into a powerful tool to activate across paid, owned and earned channels. CDPs with identity solutions built in enhance profiles with other data sources, like third-party or proprietary data. Not only does this enhance individual customer profiles, it delivers better audience targeting and personalization to drive relevance.
Activation matters
When you’re activating across channels, you want to make sure you’re getting in front of the right customers. But what does that mean? When using a CDP with identity resolution built into it, it sets a brand up for more successful campaigns.
Let’s consider these things:
A better view of your customer: Brands relying on incomplete first-party data, weak identifiers or vague audiences may unintentionally see one customer as several, creating ad waste and disjointed customer experiences.
Mastery of your owned channels: High-quality, organized first-party data delivers real-time, boots-on-the-ground insights into your customers' needs and wants, enabling you to speak to individuals with messages that are relevant.
Connecting owned and paid channels: Solid data with strong identity resolution connects you with your customers wherever they are, and helps determine the best way to message them, whether through owned channels (email and text/SMS) or paid (digital media, CTV, OLV, etc.).
Activating from a single location: True cross-channel journey orchestration requires asingular view. Activating your media from a single location, like a CDP, across owned and paid channels creates a central hub for that data to live and for insights to accumulate.
Digital advertising comes at a cost: Brands want to maximize their return on investment from their media budgets. They waste money when they talk to one person as if they’re several people, send irrelevant messages and miss in-market customers ready to buy.
A trusted tech solution from start to finish
Using that strong first-party data as a foundation for a digital media activation strategy sets brands up for success. At Epsilon, our CDP is more than just an empty box. Identity resolution and proprietary data are built into our solution, giving marketers the best view of their customer. We use hundreds of industry-specific attributes spanning demographic, lifestyle and transactional insights to improve the quality, depth and breadth of a brand’s first-party data.
Coupled with AI, we help marketers create personalized marketing at scale. Our solution is designed to work with your preferred activation partner, including Epsilon Digital, for efficient, marketing-friendly campaign execution.
Learn more about Epsilon's CDP today.
---
## How to make the most of retail media measurement
Type: eps_post
URL: /how-retail-media-is-shaping-the-future-of-ad-measurement
Last Modified: 2026-06-19T09:53:28Z
# How to make the most of retail media measurement
Retail media has transformed marketing by giving greater visibility into the entire customer journey. For most customers, buying is a journey involving multiple touchpoints across different channels, from brand app, review sites, to in-store try-ons. This is exactly where retail media is empowering marketers.
Leveraging retailer's first-party data insight, retail media gives marketers visibility and measurement of customer touchpoints as they browse and shop, from first click to post-purchase. And in an era where GDPR and growing privacy regulations have made third-party data increasingly restricted, reliance on retailer first-party data means measurement has also become privacy-compliant by design.
Let's dive into how retail media networks are revolutionising ad measurement and allow marketers to measure what actually drives sales.
The power of retailer first-party data
At the core of successful ad measurement is first-party data collected from shopper interactions within a retailer's ecosystem. This first-party data is highly accurate and provides insights into customer behaviour (searches, purchase history, wish lists, engagement with digital ads) unavailable anywhere else.
With this data, brands can focus on improved KPIs like purchase intent and conversion rates across channels. This bird’s eye view of ad performance is critical as brands seek to optimise their ad spend for both immediate impact and long-term success.
Transitioning from ‘media metrics’ to meaningful metrics
Conventionally, marketers have relied on metrics like clicks, conversions and Return on Ad Spend (ROAS) to gauge campaign success. However, to truly drive growth in the long run, they must focus on making every customer interaction unique and personal. For this, marketers need to understand not just the details of the sale but what led to the sale.
Retail media follows the customer journey from first ad interaction to post-purchase behaviour. A marketer can now see which touchpoints influenced the purchase decision and optimise campaigns for those touchpoints.
For example, by leveraging the Epsilon Retail Media platform, marketers can track detailed views of customer interactions with digital ads or content, including clicks, video views, dwell times, and add-to-cart actions. Marketers can determine if a customer is actively considering a purchase or is just browsing by analysing these activities and then personalise communications accordingly.
How Marketers Can Make the Shift
Reaching a customer before they buy typically requires multiple touchpoints, and the exact number will vary depending on competition, category and the customer's stage in the journey. Marketers need to track, personalise and measure the impact of each of these interactions to drive a sustainable growth strategy. Some of the key actionable steps include:
Use multi-touch attribution to understand the full customer journey
Not all touchpoints contribute equally to a purchase, and treating them as if they do leads to misallocated budget. Multi-touch attribution tools assign value across each interaction in the customer journey, from the first awareness-stage ad through to the final conversion, giving marketers a clearer sense of which channels and formats are genuinely influencing decisions. This is especially important in retail media, where a shopper might engage with an onsite sponsored product ad, see an offsite display ad later in the week, and then convert in-store. Without attribution that spans those touchpoints, the picture is incomplete.
Optimise campaigns in real time based on what the data is telling you
One of the practical advantages of retail media is access to live performance data that allows campaigns to be adjusted while they are still running, rather than waiting until they have ended. If a particular ad format, audience segment or creative variant is outperforming others mid-flight, budget can be reallocated accordingly. For example, if ads featuring customer reviews are generating stronger engagement than product feature creatives, that signal can be acted on immediately, whether by shifting spend, testing new messaging or introducing a time-limited offer to capitalise on the momentum.
Balance short-term ROAS with longer-term growth metrics
While ROAS can be a useful short-term indicator, it only tells part of the story. A campaign that drives a high ROAS on a single transaction may still be underperforming if it is not contributing to repeat purchases or longer-term loyalty. Marketers should track metrics like customer lifetime value (CLV), retention rates and incremental sales alongside ROAS to build a more complete picture of campaign effectiveness. In retail media particularly, where the same customer may interact with a brand across multiple visits before converting, this longer view is essential for making confident investment decisions.
Build post-purchase into your measurement strategy
Measurement should not stop at the point of conversion. Post-purchase behaviour, including repeat buying patterns, basket size changes and response to loyalty communications, provides some of the most valuable signals for understanding whether a campaign has genuinely built customer value or simply driven a one-off transaction. Incorporating post-purchase data into campaign reporting allows marketers to identify which audiences are most likely to become long-term customers and to tailor future campaigns accordingly.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. What is the difference between ROAS and incremental ROAS in retail media?
ROAS measures the revenue generated for every pound spent on advertising, but it can be misleading in retail media because it often captures sales that would have happened anyway, with or without the ad. Incremental ROAS (iROAS) isolates the uplift that is directly attributable to the campaign, separating genuine ad-driven conversions from organic purchases. For retail media specifically, where shoppers are often already in-market, iROAS gives a more accurate picture of whether your spend is actually changing behaviour or simply claiming credit for it.
2. How does retail media measurement differ from traditional digital advertising measurement?
Traditional digital advertising typically measures performance through proxy metrics such as clicks, impressions and click-through rates, which do not confirm whether a purchase actually occurred. Retail media measurement can go further because the retailer owns the transaction data. This means it is possible to link ad exposure directly to a completed sale, both online and in-store, and attribute that outcome to a specific shopper rather than an anonymous device. The result is closed-loop reporting that connects media spend to real business outcomes rather than assumed ones.
3. What role does identity resolution play in retail media measurement?
Accurate measurement depends on being able to recognise the same person across multiple touchpoints and devices throughout their shopping journey. Without reliable identity resolution, a brand cannot tell whether the customer who saw an ad on their phone is the same person who later bought in-store. Epsilon's COREid uses deterministic name and address matching to build a stable, durable view of individual shoppers, which means impressions can be tied back to transactions with confidence, even where the path to purchase spans several days, channels or devices.
To know more about how to get started on making your retail media campaigns more impactful, browse: Epsilon Retail Media Network
---
## Sales or clicks: The measurement question retail media must answer
Type: eps_post
URL: /sales-or-clicks-measurement-question-retail-media
Last Modified: 2026-05-19T14:59:22Z
# Sales or clicks: The measurement question retail media must answer
Retail media has become one of the fastest-growing areas of digital advertising, with the sector continuing to expand at a clip of ~30% year over year. As brands increase their investment in retail media networks (RMNs), expectations around performance measurement have grown just as quickly.
But evaluating retail media performance isn’t always straightforward. Different platforms within the stack measure success in different ways. Some focus on engagement metrics like clicks while others measure campaign impact based on transactions.
This raises an important question as retail media programs mature: what should success actually be measured against?
Retail media’s promise was always closed-loop measurement
Retail media emerged with a unique advantage over other digital channels: visibility into actual purchase behavior. Because retailers own both the media environment and transaction data, they can connect ad exposure to real sales outcomes. This ability to close the loop between media and commerce is one of the main reasons brands continue increasing investment in retail media. As the ecosystem grows, however, how performance is measured has become less straightforward.
Why engagement metrics became the industry default
Clicks historically became the standard performance signal across digital advertising. They were practical because early digital environments lacked access to transaction data. Engagement metrics provided a real-time signal of interaction, which helped marketers optimize campaigns quickly. Clicks are useful signals, but they measure interaction with media—not necessarily business outcomes.Retail media operates in a different environment than traditional digital advertising.
Retail media operates with a different data advantage
Retailers can see actual transactions, not just engagement signals. First-party data has the potential to connect shopper identity, media exposure and purchase behavior. In theory, this connection is what gives retail media its unique advantage. In practice, however, it is also where many retail media programs encounter challenges. Maintaining a consistent link between shopper identity, ad exposure and purchase activity often requires coordination across multiple systems responsible for activation. When those signals become fragmented as data moves between platforms, the ability to tie media exposure back to transactions can weaken.
However, when these remain connected, retailers and brands gain the ability to evaluate campaigns based on their contribution to sales. This creates the potential for closed-loop measurement, where performance reflects real purchasing behavior rather than engagement proxies. Despite this advantage, many retail media programs still rely heavily on engagement metrics. This creates a gap between what retail media can measure and what it is often measured by.
The measurement gap facing many retail media programs
Many RMN stacks include multiple partners measuring different signals. Some platforms measure clicks or impressions, while others measure transactions. When success is defined differently across platforms, comparison becomes difficult.
In practice, these differences often reflect how each technology platform is designed to optimize media performance. A demand-side platform may report metrics such as CPM efficiency, viewability rates or click-through rate. Search-based retail media tools often emphasize cost-per-click, keyword performance and conversion rate. Retail media platforms with access to transaction data may instead report return ad spend tied to verified purchases.
When these signals are presented together, retailers and advertisers may find themselves comparing engagement-based outcomes. This can make it difficult to determine which campaigns are truly driving business impact, particularly when different partners optimize different success signals.
Why sales measurement changes the conversation
Sales measurement connects media investment directly to business impact. It allows brands to evaluate ROI in terms that align with their core objectives. Transaction-based measurement supports more accurate optimization and planning.
For many advertisers, engagement metrics such as click-through rate or cost per click are still useful signals for monitoring campaign activity and making day-to-day optimizations. But those signals are often only proxies for the outcome advertisers ultimately care about: whether media investment is influencing real purchases.
Retail media is uniquely positioned to bridge those two perspectives. Engagement metrics can help explain how shoppers interact with advertiser, but the true advantage of retail media lies in its ability to connect those interactions to verified transactions. As retail media grows in scale and complexity, aligning measurement with purchase outcomes becomes increasingly important.
Measurement will become more important as retail media expands
Retail media is expanding across onsite, offsite and in-store channels. The number of platforms and data sources involved in campaigns is increasing. As the ecosystem grows, shopper journeys become more complex. A consumer may encounter an ad on a retailer’s website, see related messaging through offsite media and ultimately complete a purchase through a mobile app or physical store.
Each interaction can influence the outcome, but connecting those touchpoints requires consistent identity and reliable data signals across environments. As RMNs extend campaigns beyond their owned properties, maintaining visibility into the full path to purchase becomes more challenging. Measurement approaches that preserve the connection between media exposure and purchase behavior will play a larger role in evaluating retail media performance as these environments evolve.
Aligning retail media measurement with its core objective
Retail media exists to help brands reach shoppers and drive product sales. Engagement metrics can provide useful signals along the way. But the defining advantage of retail media remains its ability to connect advertising directly to transactions. As the ecosystem matures, aligning measurement with that outcome will become increasingly important for retailers and brand partners alike.
As retail media continues to evolve, the conversation around measurement is likely to become more nuanced. Engagement metrics will continue to play a role in helping marketers understand how shoppers interact with media and where optimization opportunities may exist. But as retail media programs grow in scale and sophistication, retailers and brand partners will increasingly look for measurement approaches that connect media activity to the outcomes that matter most for their businesses.
Retail media’s defining advantage has always been its ability to link advertising exposure to real purchase behavior. Preserving that connection as the ecosystem expands—across platforms, partners and channels—will be critical to maintaining trust, demonstrating value and sustaining long-term growth. For retailers and brands alike, aligning measurement with that core objective will remain central to realizing retail media’s full potential.
To learn more about the role of identity in enabling closed-loop measurement in retail media, explore IDC’s White Paper, sponsored by Epsilon, Identity Drives End-to-End Retail Media Outcomes.
---
## What is dynamic creative optimization? A marketer’s guide
Type: eps_post
URL: /dynamic-creative-optimization-marketing-guide
Last Modified: 2026-05-20T17:59:14Z
# What is dynamic creative optimization? A marketer’s guide
Brands spend a lot of time, money and resources trying to figure out who to talk to and how to reach them. But if you only have a handful of creative versions to deliver that message to a consumer, what's the point?
This is where dynamic creative optimization (DCO) comes in, allowing marketers to personalize ad creative to individual shoppers.
What is dynamic creative optimization? How does it work? And what technology do you need to make it happen? Read on for the details.
Understanding the fundamentals: What exactly is DCO?
Dynamic creative optimization (DCO) is the process of personalizing ad creative automatically in real time. The system looks at each viewer’s behavior and traits, and then builds an ad variation just for them. It happens in milliseconds, so the ad feels personal the moment it appears.
How DCO works
Before an ad is shown, the DCO platform reviews signals like how recently someone visited a site, how often they buy and what they’ve clicked on before. It then creates a tailored ad with the right image, message and call to action and delivers it instantly.
This speed is possible because strong DCO platforms run on three core elements:
Data is the backbone. Customer data provides insights into needs, preferences and past actions. A full view of the customer makes it possible to design ads that truly fit.
Identity ensures precision. Identity resolution makes sure the right person gets the right ad across devices and channels. It keeps personalization consistent and avoids missed or fragmented experiences.
AI drives optimization. AI studies billions of interactions in milliseconds. It tests and refines creative—images, copy, calls to action—so each impression is smarter than the last. As a result, ads continue to grow more relevant and effective over time.
4 core benefits of dynamic creative optimization
Beyond speed and efficiency, dynamic creative optimization reshapes how brands connect with people. It helps you deliver relevant messages across channels and devices, minimize ad spend (and maximize ROAS), strengthen customer experience and engagement and take a modern approach to personalization. Let’s break each benefit down to learn more.
1. Deliver relevant messages across channels and devices
DCO makes digital ads more personal. It adjusts messages to fit each customer’s needs and shows them across email, display, video and more. The result is a consistent brand voice everywhere your customer goes without extra manual work or slow turnaround times.
2. Minimize wasted ad spend and maximize ROAS
AI learns from every ad impression in real time. It tests different words, images and calls to action, and then uses what works best in the next ad. This reduces wasted ad spend and boosts return on ad spend (ROAS) because every creative gets smarter over time.
3. Strengthen customer experience and engagement
When customers see ads that feel relevant, they pay attention. DCO helps brands move beyond generic messages to deliver ads that fit each person’s life stage and interests. This builds stronger connections, improves engagement and keeps customers coming back.
4. Modernize personalization
With reliance on third-party cookies declining, brands need new ways to deliver relevance. DCO thrives in this environment because it runs on high-quality data, stable identity resolution and privacy-safe collaboration through clean rooms. That means you can continue to personalize at scale, even as traditional tracking methods fade away.
Dynamic creative optimization in action: Increasing personalization to drive customer acquisition
A large American movie theatre chain wanted to increase new customer acquisition and drive ticket sales in smaller markets. First, it used Epsilon’s COREid identity resolution to find customers in those markets that would be likely to buy.
Next, the theater chain used Epsilon’s Dynamic Creative to customize ad creative for each customer, incorporating variables like:
Theater locations
Theater-level showtimes
“Now playing” messages
The results were 237K creative iterations and a staggering $541:1 ROAS.
How to integrate dynamic creative optimization with your existing martech stack
Dynamic creative optimization doesn’t work in isolation. To reach its full potential, it needs to plug into the systems you already rely on for data, identity and activation. By connecting DCO with the rest of your martech stack, you ensure creative decisions are powered by real insights and can scale across channels.
Achieving a unified view of the customer for better personalization
A unified view of each customer—built by combining online and offline interactions, enriched with partner data and anchored in stable identity resolution—ensures ads are not only relevant but also consistent across channels.
This unified identity makes it possible to:
Recognize customers wherever they engage, whether on desktop, mobile, or connected TV.
Adjust creative dynamically to reflect where each person is in the purchase journey.
Continuously optimize based on performance, feeding insights back into the system.
The result is personalization that feels seamless to the customer and scalable for the brand. When your CDP, clean room, DCO and the rest of your martech stack all work in concert, you move beyond fragmented campaigns toward a truly integrated, one-to-one marketing strategy.
Getting started with dynamic creative optimization
Making the leap to DCO doesn’t have to be overwhelming. Think of it as an evolution of your current digital advertising strategy—one that unlocks greater personalization, efficiency and performance.
First, assess your data and identity foundation, and then look for a partner that can seamlessly integrate with your existing martech stack. From there, you can begin testing campaigns that prove the value of true one-to-one personalization.
Key considerations for dynamic creative optimization implementation
Not every solution that calls itself DCO actually delivers on the promise of true personalization. Many providers repackage basic ad management tools and label them as DCO. In reality, what you get is closer to a static, one-size-fits-all approach than dynamic, real-time optimization.
So how can you be sure a supplier is offering true DCO? Here are four things to look for when you’re evaluating vendors:
If it’s not in real time, it’s not really dynamic. A true solution should use a live, responsive feed to populate ads in milliseconds—not just churn out multiple static versions.
Tech compatibility matters. Your DCO partner’s technology should integrate seamlessly with your existing stack, whether that includes a DMP, DSP or other marketing systems.
One-to-one personalization. Ask whether the solution can adapt creative to the individual, not just to broad audience segments.
Optimization is nonnegotiable. The “O” in DCO matters. If the system can’t adjust underperforming creatives on the fly, it isn’t optimizing.
The best DCO platforms go beyond simple image or headline swaps. They continuously adjust creative and messaging based on where each person is in their journey—whether they’re still researching or ready to buy. With the right partner, you’re not just automating ad production; you’re unlocking one-to-one communication that’s personalized, contextual and built to deliver results at scale.
Measuring success and optimizing dynamic creative optimization performance
DCO success isn’t measured on clicks alone. With the right partner, you can tie performance back to the metrics that matter most:
Website interactions
Conversions
Revenue lift
Customer lifetime value
By connecting DCO to your broader martech stack and identity framework, you get a clear view of how creative drives outcomes across the entire customer journey.
And thanks to rapid, ongoing iteration testing, the system constantly fine-tunes each creative iteration according to what’s been successful. This feedback loop ensures the creative is fully optimized. The platform determines the changes needed to make the ad more enticing for the customer.
Dynamic Creative with Epsilon
Epsilon Dynamic Creative combines COREid—the industry’s most accurate and stable identity platform—with AI-driven optimization to deliver personalization at scale. Unlike basic ad management tools that mimic DCO, Epsilon’s solution adapts creative in real time across channels, devices and formats.
With the ability to generate millions of ad iterations from a single template, Epsilon ensures every message is timely, relevant and privacy-compliant.
Transform your digital advertising with our Dynamic Creative Optimization. Speak with Epsilon's experts to create a personalized strategy for measurable results.
---
## Gamification in loyalty: moving beyond gimmicks to habit-driven engagement
Type: eps_post
URL: /moving-beyond-gimmicks-in-loyalty-gamification-lets-talk-loyalty
Last Modified: 2026-07-22T19:08:21Z
# Gamification in loyalty: moving beyond gimmicks to habit-driven engagement
Gamification has spent years being dismissed as a gimmick in loyalty, associated mostly with spin-to-wins and scratch cards bolted onto a programme.
In a recent Let's Talk Loyalty episode, Mrinalini Chowdhary set out a more useful frame, treating gamification as behavioural design built on psychology rather than mechanics.
The sections below pull out the eight ideas from the discussion that most usefully reframe how loyalty teams should approach gamification design.
1. Why gamification is rising now
Several forces are pushing gamification up the loyalty agenda at once, and the direction of travel is unlikely to reverse.
Loyalty programmes look increasingly alike, with similar mechanics and diminishing scope for meaningful differentiation.
Younger audiences arrive with digital-native expectations shaped by gaming, social platforms and interactive content.
AI-driven and agentic commerce risks stripping emotion out of purchase decisions, replacing it with cold logic.
The response is not to add emotion in the abstract. It is to design programmes that give members reasons to feel involved in the moments where a decision is actually being made.
2. Gamification isn’t about games
One of the more useful distinctions Chowdhary draws is between running games inside a programme and applying game thinking to the programme itself.
Games are entertainment that generates time spent, whereas gamification borrows the mechanics, visuals, progress cues and feedback loops that make games compelling and turns them on the actual behaviours a brand wants to encourage.
Small cues carry a lot of the weight, whether that's a shimmer around a subscribe button, an animation on a completed step, or a visual pointing users towards the next thing they should do. The underlying motivation shifts from external reward to intrinsic satisfaction, which is where behaviour change tends to hold.
3. The role of psychology in driving engagement
Every gamification design conversation with a single question: what behaviour are we trying to drive, and why would someone actually do it?
Several psychological drivers feed into the answer:
Purpose and identity, of the kind Nike leans on when it positions its customers as athletes rather than shoe buyers
Achievement and progress, drawing on the goal gradient effect and interim milestones when tiers sit too far apart
Choice and empowerment, giving members meaningful decisions rather than a single prescribed reward
Social signalling through badges, status markers and shareable achievements
Delight and surprise, still one of the most reliable ways to shift how a member feels about a brand
Used in combination, these drivers move engagement away from a purely transactional register and give members reasons to keep showing up.
4. From passive to adaptive engagement
Most gamification in market today is passive. It rests on mechanics like spin-to-win or a single scratch card that generate a moment of interest and then fade quickly, without carrying that interest into the next session.
The shift Chowdhary describes is towards adaptive, personalised journeys, where the experience evolves based on what a member has already done, actions trigger new and tailored challenges rather than a fixed sequence, and engagement deepens as more signals get collected over time. This mirrors modern gaming environments, where two players inside the same game rarely walk the same path or hit the same challenges in the same order.
5. Levels of gamification
The gamification landscape can be broken into three distinct levels, each doing a different job in a loyalty programme's engagement mix.
Momentary engagement
Quick, low-commitment interactions like scratch cards or spin-to-wins
Useful for grabbing attention, less useful for holding it beyond the session
Periodic engagement
Time-bound activities such as streaks or Advent calendars
Encourage repeat visits without being fully embedded in the loyalty programme
Integrated (deep) gamification
Woven into the loyalty programme itself rather than bolted onto it
Personalised, adaptive and continuously optimised
Designed to convert time spent into time invested
6. Building habits through micro-moments
The habit-forming logic here comes straight from James Clear's Atomic Habits, where behaviour change is treated as incremental rather than dramatic. In loyalty terms, that means breaking actions down into much smaller units than programmes usually design for, so members can be rewarded at each step of the journey rather than only when the whole thing is done.
A sign-up form might award points for individual fields completed rather than for the final submission, and continuous feedback loops keep progress visible in near real time. Enough of these small interactions, repeated over enough days, start to look less like campaigns and more like rituals a member returns to without thinking about it.
7. Measuring ROI
ROI conversations in gamification tend to layer, and the layer that gets the least attention is often the one doing most of the work.
Top layer (golden metrics): revenue, transactions, customer lifetime value
Middle layer (levers): average order value, frequency, acquisition, retention, reactivation
Foundational layer (engagement): participation, completion and interaction rates across specific moments in the journey
Discounting will always lift revenue in the short term. Gamification only proves its worth when the engagement layer rises first and the commercial numbers follow behind it, which is a slower and less obvious story to sell internally.
8. The future: continuous optimisation (LiveOps)
Gamification design is starting to borrow the LiveOps model from gaming, where nothing is ever really finished shipping. Experiences get tested, refined and retested continuously rather than in set-piece campaign launches, and real-time data feeds back into the design instead of sitting in a quarterly review deck.
Personalisation gets sharper as more member signals accumulate through the system, so the version of the programme a long-standing member sees quietly diverges from the one shown to newer joiners. The practical implication is that gamification stops behaving like a feature and starts behaving like an operating discipline that a loyalty team has to properly resource.
Gamification, applied well, is really an argument for behavioural design inside loyalty programmes rather than an argument for adding more games. The brands that get value from it will be the ones that start with psychology, build engagement through smaller moments than they are used to designing for, and treat personalisation as an ongoing capability rather than a project. Whether that eventually adds up to a genuine habit or just a stickier programme will depend on how disciplined the execution is over time.
See how Epsilon Loyalty turns passive points systems into gamified engagement that adapts in real time.
---
## Open web advertising is getting more costly: Who is winning?
Type: eps_post
URL: /open-web-advertising-is-getting-more-costly
Last Modified: 2025-11-25T09:38:38Z
# Open web advertising is getting more costly: Who is winning?
Perhaps it’s good thatGoogle delayed third-party cookie (3PC) deprecation again this summer because it’s clear the adtech industry needs all the time it can get to prepare for the implications of the eventual phaseout.
Impacts of cookie deprecation fallout
The effects of this transition run deeper than past disruptions sparked by emerging technologies or media trends. For brands and marketers that have approached digital marketing with sheer scale as their guiding principle, the fallout from cookie deprecation may be akin to an existential crisis. The days of aiming for maximum reach with minimum spend over murky, 3PC-reliant programmatic networks are coming to an end—or, at least, the days of doing so effectively.
Of course, Google’s latest delay means some reach-obsessed programmatic players can put off their day of reckoning. Yet more proactive teams are already working to redefine their strategic priorities as the contours of a new adtech landscape take shape. The new high ground belongs to publishers with a wealth of first-party data gathered by consent. The prices they charge to access those audiences are likely to continue to rise as marketers realize how difficult it is to track and segment audiences across the open web. What’s left of the old frontier will be increasingly prone to fraud, abuse and manipulation.
The rising costs of premium inventory
As brands survey that new world, many are determining they need access to first-class inventory to continue effectively reaching their customers, even if there’s a bit of sticker shock involved. Reputable publishers still have what marketers want: quality reach rooted in consent-based, first-party cookies located outside the walled gardens.
Such premium inventory is readily available and easy to find. The only catch is, in the next era, it’ll cost a premium. Already,costs for premium inventory are rising across the board, causing a gut-check moment for brands preparing to do business in the new era of adtech. Digiday's Seb Joseph discusses the shift and what will ultimately create two sides to ad inventory: "...On one side there will be a larger portion of high-quality ad inventory powered by first-party data and consent; on the other side, there’s a long tail of poorly targeted impressions far more susceptible to fraud and manipulation."
Yet that seems to be the cost of doing business. Trusted publishers and others occupying the sell-side high ground are protective of first-party data with identifying information, increasingly limiting access to private marketplaces and programmatic guaranteed deals. The marketplaces that manage to accumulate trusted-publisher inventory are poised to emerge as next-generation power brokers.
What this means for marketers
Meanwhile, publishers are unlikely to take it easy on marketers during the transition. Sites that aggregate news content like Google, Facebook, Twitter, etc. have largely undermined the media industry's revenue model (whether intending to or not), and now that the tide is turning somewhat back in publishers' favor, they want to get paid. In Australia, for example, a group of about 30 independent publishers collaborated on a “news freeze” in February to protest the unpaid use of their content by Facebook and other Big Tech outlets.
It adds up to a growing understanding that taking the high road during the coming era of targeted, programmatic marketing will likely be more expensive than marketers are used to. But there are plenty of perks, as well, ranging from the reputational control that comes from working with atrusted network of publishers to the improved transparency that’s likely to result from streamlined programmatic networks compared to the famously opaque marketplaces that currently dominate.
Indeed, as Publicis Media's launch of their Diverse and Inclusive Media Exchange (DIME) indicates, companies near the center of the programmatic marketplace are taking steps to gain greater clarity and control over a process that hasn’t traditionally been known for either.
Bewildered or uncertain marketers can also take heart in knowing not every player is brand new to a world where first-party data is paramount, quality reach is more valuable than scattershot targeting, and premium inventory is, well, premium. That’s been Epsilon’s perspective for more than 20 years with our CORE Private Exchange and continues to guide our approach to future-proof solutions without the reliance on third-party cookies.
Embracing the next era of digital advertising
The next era of digital advertising will look different. Quality reach will be more expensive, yes, but internet advertising will also become more transparent, more respectful of consumer privacy, and less like the algorithmic equivalent of the Wild West. The adjustment will come with challenges, but brands and marketers will discover they can still profitably connect with their customers on the open web by embracing a new model based on a high-definition understanding of consumers that aligns with reputable publishers.
---
## Reimagine brand growth with AI-powered loyalty
Type: eps_post
URL: /create-brand-growth-with-loyalty-ai-epac
Last Modified: 2026-03-26T09:13:42Z
# Reimagine brand growth with AI-powered loyalty
Every brand has a story. Whether it’s told through clothes, music or skincare, that story, when crafted in meaningful and creative ways, is what draws people in and keeps them coming back.
Loyalty programs are uniquely positioned to keep that story alive. Because they invite people in, loyalty programs play a pivotal role in nurturing a brand’s relationship with its customers through interactions that make people feel part of a distinct community.
How a brand acknowledges their customers, remembers them and invites them back, not just to purchase more, but to show gratitude and recognition, is what drives sustainable growth through deeper customer engagement, retention and increased lifetime value.
But, while many loyalty programs work, some fall short of the mark. The path forward is through AI. Leveraging advanced AI-enabled loyalty technologies can help brands bridge the gap, deepening customer relationships with fresh thinking that takes loyalty initiatives from a state of potential to measurable growth.
Redefining loyalty through AI
As consumer expectations evolve, so does the technology people use to connect, and both factors heavily influence how people engage with and experience your brand. It’s this evolution that’s outpacing industry standards.
What once grabbed attention, a discount or complementary gift at point-of-sale, is no longer enough to make an impact. Brands looking to cut through the noise and turn their loyalty programs into a strategic growth lever need to spark consumer interest in creative ways.
Yet, amid the challenges, new possibilities are taking shape, providing loyalty program managers the ability to cultivate strategies that tap into innovation without over-complicating their workloads. With AI introducing new ways to engage customers and create unique experiences, loyalty programs can become a vehicle for brands to attract, retain and inspire lifelong advocacy from their customers.
The right loyalty partner frees up time to surface real-time insights for smarter, better decision-making and AI-enabled technologies allow busy loyalty program managers the ability to strategize beyond short-term wins, setting in place campaigns that improve over time.
Investing in the right loyalty partner can help you combine data-driven personalization with meaningful forms of recognition that spark an active, ongoing conversation, reviving how you engage customers, provide value and orchestrate member journeys that resonate. And that’s what truly drives growth.
Maximize the true power of your loyalty data
According to the Australian Loyalty Association, 69% of Australian consumers spend more with brands that have a loyalty program, than their competitors. The reason? Loyalty programs have powerful growth opportunities within them, data.
Your first-party data is what allows you to personalize offers, make product recommendations and build customer relationships through targeted segmentation. It gives direct insight into consumer behaviour, preferences and motivations, allowing marketers a clear view of their customers.
With a solid data strategy, you can innovate, creating uniquely differentiated experiences that reengage your loyal customers and also allows you to connect with prospective high-value segments. The right loyalty software unifies customer profiles across channels, cleansing and connecting it, so you can see the full picture of each person, and cultivate loyal relationships.
With the right data, brands can elevate the conversation from rewards based on how customers engaged with them in the past to crafting messages based on a vision of what’s next. First-party data, enhanced through identity resolution and amplified by supporting data sources, allows you to:
Understand your customers more deeply
Personalize every touchpoint
Identify high-value customers
Predict churn and prevent it
The right data and technology lays the groundwork for what’s next: loyalty program interactions that make a lasting impact.
Harness AI to fuel growth and engagement
According to ALA, AI’s rapid development and adoption are fundamentally changing the nature of the consumers digital interactions. This presents an opportunity for a loyalty programs to harness this change, as AI allows loyalty marketers to make interactions unique, memorable and customized to each individual.
By using AI-driven strategies, marketers can create campaigns that personalize at scale and respond in real time, allowing them the ability to do more with their loyalty programs than ever before. AI-enabled technology informs and advises, empowering marketers to build effective strategies that bring the purpose, value and vision of their brand to life for their customers.
In this way, AI does more than connect, it ensures every purchase, click and interaction facilitates meaningful consumer-brand engagement that establishes an emotional connection. Leveraging real-time insights is what helps brands show genuine understanding of their customers in a way that stands out.
The right data and technology offers rich insights that, fuelled by AI, supports decision-making that informs smarter strategic execution and enhanced creativity. Using AI-enabled technology can help facilitate:
Campaign testing and optimization – Test different versions of your loyalty campaigns and identify what resonates most with your customers.
Data-driven strategy enhancement – Leverage behavioural analytics to adapt to shifting customer interests and trends.
Customized offer optimization – Tailor offers in real-time based on past behavioural data, ensuring every offer is compelling and provides value.
Predictive forecasting analysis – Forecast campaign outcomes and identify untapped potential, trends and growth opportunities.
AI-powered loyalty is about transforming how you reach customers, allowing you to build seamless loyalty marketing campaigns that resonate with your customers across touch points.
Leverage AI as a partner
According to ADMA,74% of Australian marketers have adopted AI for marketing on a weekly basis, leaving a small contingent that has yet to explore these capabilities. In essence, AI is changing the way marketers are looking to connect with their customers, how they go about creating and executing campaigns, and ultimately, what approach they take to driving revenue growth
Loyalty programs are entering an exciting point in their evolution. According to ALA, 69% of Australian consumers consider loyalty programs an ‘important’ factor when making purchase decisions, and 74% shop more frequently at brands with loyalty programs they like..
While AI streamlines, augments and aligns insight, the loyalty marketer can focus on strategy and creativity, which is the key to turning casual customers into long-lasting brand advocates.
With AI-enabled technologies, loyalty marketers can re-envision each touchpoint, curate personalized offers and shape engaging member journeys that influence how customers experience their brand.
Innovation scaled by AI drives measurable outcomes
Loyalty programs are a valuable asset and play a critical role in building community, fostering affinity and driving growth. They are a powerful way to tell a cohesive brand story and create experiences that resonate.
The next frontier of loyalty is powered by quality data and AI. The right loyalty partner provides both.
Epsilon’s AI-powered loyalty technology can turn your data into meaningful action, reinvigorating the way you connect with your customers, helping you keep up with the latest trends, and drive them. Investing in the right partner frees your time to lead with imagination and execute loyalty initiatives with precision and speed, all while fostering a community of long-term loyalists, passionate about your brand.
---
## How to make your marketing smarter by addressing your digital bias
Type: eps_post
URL: /how-to-make-your-marketing-smarter-by-addressing-digital-bias
Last Modified: 2026-03-04T08:44:24Z
# How to make your marketing smarter by addressing your digital bias
For generations marketers have lived with John Wanamaker’s adage that half of advertising spend is wasted, we just don’t know which half.
The line has endured because measurement has always been imperfect. Even in the digital era, where precision promised to replace guesswork, blind spots remain. In 2026, one of the most expensive of these is digital media’s survivorship bias.
By optimising primarily against visible online conversions, brands risk overlooking the influence advertising has in store aisles, at restaurant counters and across other offline moments. That narrow view can distort performance, misdirect investment and quietly undermine annual planning.
Where attribution works today
Online-to-online journeys are well mapped: a shopper sees an ad, clicks through and completes a purchase on a website. Loyalty schemes add another layer of visibility by linking store sign-ups with later online behaviour.
These examples reflect genuine progress, but they represent the simplest journeys. In practice, most paths to purchase are neither linear nor fully digital. According to the ONS, as of 2025 29% of UK retail sales now occur online, which means the vast majority are still happening in-store.
For brands across many CPG, technology and hospitality categories, this creates a material gap. Digital activity may be driving footfall and revenue, but without evidence, budget naturally shifts elsewhere.
The in-store blind spot
In-store purchases often remain disconnected from digital media exposure. Even organisations with established loyalty programmes can struggle to connect offsite or onsite impressions with what happens at the till.
High-consideration categories highlight the issue. A TV purchase, for example, may unfold over several weeks, shaped by CTV, search, social and retail media listings. When the transaction happens in store, those digital signals can vanish from reporting, making campaigns appear less effective than they truly were.
The result is not just incomplete attribution, but flawed conclusions about which channels, audiences and messages are working.
Common signs this blind spot is shaping decisions include
Offline sales consistently outperforming what digital reporting predicts
Certain audiences under-indexing online but remaining strong in-store
Channels earlier in the journey being deprioritised due to weak outcomes
Shedding more light on outcomes
Addressing survivorship bias starts with broadening what counts as success. Online checkouts dominate reporting largely because they are easy to measure, not because they tell the full story. Bringing physical sales into KPIs helps rebalance the picture and prevents performance from being reduced to e-commerce alone.
Segments that look weak online may be completing their journeys offline. Older shoppers are a clear example: harder to observe digitally, yet often loyal and highly valuable in store. When these groups are consistently undervalued, investment drifts away from customers who matter most.
The most important step is connecting online exposure with offline outcomes. Loyalty programmes play a role by providing consented, individual-level purchase data that can be linked back to campaign exposure. But loyalty data often stops at a single retailer’s boundary.
When loyalty signals and data collaboration work together, the result is a more people-centred view of the journey. What matters is not the channel but recognising the same person across the moments that shaped their decision.
Media exposures that happen days or weeks before a sale are no longer invisible, and optimisation systems stop rewarding only the most obvious touchpoints.
Find out more about Epsilon Loyalty
A turning point
After decades of uncertainty, one of advertising’s longest-standing blind spots is beginning to close. Survivorship bias has skewed decisions by limiting marketers to what they could easily observe. With better data collaboration and a renewed focus on people rather than proxies, that limitation is no longer inevitable.
Key takeaways for 2026
Measuring only visible conversions risks undervaluing offline impact
In-store outcomes are essential to understanding true campaign performance
Audience value often extends beyond what digital signals alone can show
Recognising people across touchpoints leads to more confident investment decisions
Unlocking the in-store view is more than a technical improvement. It signals a shift away from chasing the easiest metrics and towards understanding real behaviour and real outcomes. By acknowledging survivorship bias and addressing it directly, marketers establish a clearer view of what works and greater confidence in where to invest for growth.
---
## ROAS vs incremental ROAS: which metric actually proves your media is working
Type: eps_post
URL: /roas-versus-incremental-roas-which-metric-is-best
Last Modified: 2026-06-23T14:07:38Z
# ROAS vs incremental ROAS: which metric actually proves your media is working
ROAS tells you what your campaigns earned.
Incremental ROAS tells you what they actually caused.
For advertisers trying to prove that media spend is working, the gap between those two numbers is where the real answer sits. One number can make a campaign look like a strong performer, while the other shows whether it grew the business at all.
This post explains the difference in plain terms, shows how the two can diverge on the same campaign, and walks through how to start measuring the metric that holds up to scrutiny.
What is the difference between ROAS and incremental ROAS?
ROAS, or return on ad spend, is the revenue your advertising generates divided by what you spent to generate it. If you spend £10,000 and the campaign is credited with £100,000 in sales, that is a 10:1 ROAS. It is quick to calculate and easy to report, which is why most teams start here.
The problem is that ROAS counts every sale the campaign touched, including sales that would have happened anyway. A loyal customer who was always going to buy, a shopper who found you through organic search, someone who already had the product in their basket: standard ROAS often takes credit for all of them, and for word-of-mouth and other activity it had nothing to do with.
Incremental ROAS, or iROAS, strips that out. It measures only the additional revenue caused by the advertising, the uplift that would not have happened without it. You work it out by comparing a group of people who saw your ads against a comparable group who did not, then looking at the difference in their behaviour. That difference is the lift your media actually created. The shift is from measuring profitability to proving that advertising drives real growth.
Picture that same 10:1 campaign. You run a test that holds the ads back from a comparable group of customers, and that group still buys half as much as the people who saw the ads. That means half the revenue credited to the campaign would have arrived without it. Your real, advertising-driven return is 5:1, not 10:1. The campaign is still profitable, but it is doing half the work the headline number claimed. That gap is what iROAS is built to expose.
As third-party cookies fall away and consent rules tighten across EMEA, this distinction matters more, not less. The easy proxies that once propped up ROAS reporting are getting less reliable, so advertisers need measurement that rests on proper test design rather than tracking trails
Why does the gap matter for advertisers?
When ROAS over-credits a campaign, the real cost is downstream: you start making budget decisions on the wrong number.
Channels that reach people who are already close to buying tend to post the highest ROAS, so they attract more budget. Judged on iROAS, some of that spend turns out to be paying to reach customers who would have converted anyway.
The opposite happens higher up the funnel. Channels such as display and online video, often look weaker on ROAS, because the sales they drive arrive later and through other channels. They can be creating genuinely new demand while a last-click view of ROAS hands the credit to whatever the customer clicked last.
iROAS is what lets you see that contribution and fund it with confidence, rather than cutting it because the surface number looked low.
How do you measure incremental ROAS?
Measuring incrementality means running a controlled experiment rather than reading a dashboard. The basic steps:
Set a clear question. Decide what you want to prove, for example whether a display campaign drives sales you would not otherwise get.
Split your audience. Create a test group that sees the ads and a control group, matched as closely as possible, that does not.
Hold the control group steady. Resist the temptation to advertise to them during the test, or you lose your baseline.
Measure the gap. Compare conversions, revenue or sign-ups between the two groups. The difference is your incremental result.
Divide by spend. Incremental revenue divided by campaign cost gives you incremental ROAS.
Geographic tests (advertising in some regions and holding others back) and audience holdouts are the two most common ways to build that control group. The method matters less than the principle: no control group, no incrementality.
What makes an incrementality test trustworthy?
A test is only as good as the control group behind it. A few things separate a result you can take to the board from one that only looks rigorous.
Use a real holdout, not a before-and-after. Comparing this month's sales to last month's mixes in seasonality, promotions and everything else that changed in between. A proper test holds a group out while the campaign runs, at the same time and under the same conditions.
Keep the control group clean. If the held-out group sees the campaign through another channel, the baseline is contaminated and the lift you measure will be understated.
Match the groups properly. The test and control groups need to look alike going in, or the difference you measure reflects the audiences rather than the advertising.
Run it more than once. A single test on a small budget in one channel tells you about that moment, not about how to allocate next year's spend. Incrementality is most useful when it becomes a habit rather than a one-off.
Does this mean you should drop ROAS?
No. ROAS is still a fast, useful read on whether a campaign is broadly profitable, and it is fine for day-to-day reporting where you are not making a major budget call. The point is to know what it can and cannot tell you. Use ROAS to keep an eye on efficiency, and reach for iROAS when the question is bigger: is this spend growing the business, or just taking credit for sales we would have had anyway?
Where should you start?
Most advertisers do not need to rebuild their entire measurement set-up to get going. Start with one campaign where the stakes are high enough to justify a proper test, and where you already suspect ROAS is flattering the result. Brand search and retargeting are common places to look, because they tend to reach people who were already close to buying.
This is the work Epsilon is built around. Our measurement runs on CORE Identity, our identity resolution layer, which ties advertising exposure to real purchases at transaction level, so the test and control groups reflect actual people rather than fragmented IDs. That is what lets us report incremental outcomes a brand can trust. When i-Run took this approach, over half its customers were recognised from day one and the programme reached a 3:1 incremental ROAS within four months.
Get the full picture on measurement
ROAS and iROAS are one of three shifts that separate metrics which prove performance from ones that just flatter it.
Our Digital Metrics Guide walks through all three, covering reach versus unique reach and clicks versus cost per acquisition alongside this one, step-by-step.
Download the Digital Metrics Guide
---
## How to make your online video (OLV) advertising work harder
Type: eps_post
URL: /online-video-advertising-strategy
Last Modified: 2026-08-25T12:34:59Z
# How to make your online video (OLV) advertising work harder
Online video is growing fast. UK video display spend rose 20% to £8.3bn in 2024, but spending more on video and getting more from it are not the same thing. What separates the two is rarely the creative or the budget. It is whether the channel is planned as part of a connected media strategy, and whether you can measure what it actually drove.
New to OLV? Start with what online video advertising is.
How does online video work alongside your other channels?
Online video is at its strongest when it is not run in isolation. The same person sees your ads across OLV, CTV and display through a single week, so the goal is for those exposures to reinforce each other rather than duplicate.
That depends on recognising the individual across channels and devices, matching first-party data to a person-based identity rather than cookies or device IDs, which are unreliable and fading.
Get that right and reach, sequencing and frequency can be planned across the whole plan. Get it wrong and you pay to hit the same people repeatedly while missing others.
Where does online video fit in the customer journey?
Online video is one of the few digital channels that can support both brand building and performance objectives.
It can introduce a brand or product to new audiences, reinforce messages already delivered through channels such as CTV, and re-engage people who have shown interest but not yet acted. Because video combines sight, sound and motion, it often carries more of the storytelling power associated with traditional TV while retaining the targeting, optimisation and measurement capabilities of digital media.
The exact role will depend on your goals, but the strongest campaigns tend to treat online video as part of a broader customer journey rather than a standalone tactic.
How can your video creative work harder?
You do not need a broadcast production budget to get more from a single asset. A few formats stretch what you already have:
Branded video wraps placements in your own identity, so every impression reinforces who you are.
Interactive video lets viewers shop or explore inside the ad, turning a passive view into engagement.
Video banners run your video creative inside standard display placements, extending reach.
Companion banners keep a persistent display unit alongside the video, holding your message after it ends.
Existing content, such as a longer brand film or even repurposed social or podcast material, can often be cut down to feed these rather than shot from scratch.
How do you measure online video beyond views?
Views and completion rates tell you an ad played, not that it worked. Measuring OLV means connecting exposure to what happened next, whether that is a site visit, a search, an online purchase or an in-store sale, and showing the campaign contributed rather than simply reaching people who would have converted anyway.
Because online video often sits in the middle of the customer journey, that depends on connecting the same exposure to the eventual outcome across channels. Ask any partner how they close that loop, whether they can measure performance across channels, and whether they can demonstrate incremental lift rather than relying on correlation alone.
Where should you start?
Start with the outcome you want and the audiences you are trying to reach, then judge each partner on the capabilities that decide whether OLV performs. Look for:
A durable, person-based identity that connects activity across channels and devices without relying on third-party cookies.
Cross-channel frequency control, so OLV, CTV and display are managed together rather than competing.
Creative flexibility to get more from limited assets.
Outcome measurement with incrementality, tying exposure to real actions, not just views.
Epsilon Online Video is one example of this approach. It matches your first-party data to the CORE Identity graph, creating a consistent view of customers and prospects across channels and devices. From there, machine learning ranks people by their likelihood to take your desired action, helping direct spend towards the audiences most likely to respond. Campaigns can then be activated across more than 17,000 publisher properties with frequency managed across channels, while measurement connects exposure to real business outcomes.
Cheerz, for instance, used video-led activity to boost awareness and growth while proving the impact on sales.
Download our Digital Media Buyer’s Guide to find out how a smarter OLV strategy fits into a better digital media plan.
Download the guide.
---
## Retail media is scaling faster than its identity infrastructure
Type: eps_post
URL: /retail-media-scale-identity-infrastructure
Last Modified: 2026-07-01T20:33:10Z
# Retail media is scaling faster than its identity infrastructure
Retail media networks (RMNs) have entered a new phase of maturity. Growth remains strong—roughly 30% year over year—but the conversation is evolving. Today, the question isn’t whether retail media works, but how it works at scale.
Over the past several months, a wave of high-profile industry partnerships has underscored just how quickly retail media is becoming embedded in the broader digital advertising ecosystem. Demand-side platforms are opening access to on-site retail inventory. Enterprise search budgets are flowing directly to retailer properties. Programmatic, search and retail media are starting to converge, giving brands new ways to access retailer shoppers at scale.
On the surface, these developments feel like real progress:
Buying paths are becoming more streamlined
Media workflows are consolidating
Advertisers can activate retail media more easily than ever before
But as retail media grows, access alone won’t be enough. In fact, a recent white paper from IDC, sponsored by Epsilon, Identity Drives End-to-End Retail Media Outcomes, suggests that the hardest problems—like identifying shoppers and measuring performance across channels—become more important, not less, as retail media scales.
Access alone doesn’t solve retail media’s challenges
Fragmentation has long shaped how retail media is bought. Advertisers have had to work through inconsistent buying experiences, limited interoperability and measurement that differ from retailers and platform to the next. To try to address this, the industry has focused on building integrations designed to make buying retail media easier.
The new programmatic and search-driven entry points for advertisers unlock incremental budgets and bring new demand to retail media. These are meaningful advancements, and from a buying perspective, these changes matter.
But the white paper from IDC suggests that easier buying only solves part of the problem. Fragmentation at the identity and data layer plays a much larger role in determining whether retail media drives outcomes, and whether advertisers will ultimately pull spend if those outcomes can’t be proven.
The IDC white paper indicates that many of retail media's most persistent challenges (imprecise targeting, disputed attribution and incomplete measurement) stem not from how media is purchased, but by how customers are identified and understood across environments. When identity is fragmented, better access may increase efficiency without improving outcomes.
Over time, this creates a widening gap between demand and confidence. Media becomes easier to sell, but harder to measure in a way that clearly demonstrates value to advertisers and sustains growth over time.
Identity as the foundation of effective retail media
The IDC white paper is clear on one core point: person-level identity sits at the heart of effective retail media. “Person-level identity is key to targeting, attribution and data within the retail media ecosystem,” writes Ananda Chakravarty, vice president for IDC retail insights. “It is also critical to both brand and performance.”
Yet many retail media networks today are still working with identity approaches that are incomplete or inconsistently resolved. These approaches often rely on probabilistic methods, where attributes like IP address or browser type are given a score to make an educated guess about a person’s identity. While useful in some contexts, they make it difficult to maintain a single, consistent view of the shopper across channels. As media moves offsite or flows through partner integrations, identity signals are frequently lost due to discrepancies in attribute values and the use of different identifiers, making it even harder to recognize and reach real shoppers.
That complexity only increases as retail media expands into programmatic and search-driven ecosystems. More platforms and partners mean more identity handoffs, and with each handoff comes a greater risk of losing real shoppers along the way. While these ecosystems are built for scale, they are not inherently designed to preserve retailer-owned identity across the full media lifecycles. Over time, shoppers will be lost in the process.
The IDC white paper characterizes this as both a compute and modeling challenge. Because shoppers move seamlessly across channels, devices and physical locations, accurately capturing that journey depends not just on access to inventory, but on maintaining identity continuity as shoppers move from interaction to interaction. According to Chakravarty, “Most retailers are unable to keep the promise of high attribution accuracy because of the nature of shopper buying.”
Scale increases the complexity of attribution
One of the big promises of recent retail media integrations is "holistic” measurement. Bringing additional data sources together can certainly improve visibility across the customer journey, but the IDC white paper is clear: even in the best-case scenario, attribution is rarely simple.
Attribution windows vary, and outcomes are influenced by factors such as pricing changes, promotions, competition, seasonality and broader market conditions. As AI and machine learning play a larger role in attribution, the quality and consistency of identity inputs become even more important. Simply put: poor identity in, poor insights out.
As retail media is activated across multiple buying paths—on-site, off-site, programmatic and search—the challenge goes beyond assigning credit. The real question becomes whether outcomes can be tied back to real shoppers.
For retailers, that confidence matters. RMNs are not just monetization tools; they are strategic businesses that depend on long-term trust from brand partners. When measurement lacks clarity or consistency, it erodes trust and diminishes justifications from brands to increase or maintain spends, regardless of how much demand flows into the ecosystem.
End-to-end retail media provides control and coherence
The IDC white paper highlights a common characteristic among higher-performing networks: they strive toward end-to-end retail media services from a single vendor. This focus is driven in large part by a desire for greater control and better alignment across activation, measurement and attribution as retail media programs scale.
Single vendor end-to-end approaches can give retailers clearer visibility across the full media lifecycle, helping maintain one view of the shopper and making it easier to execute campaigns reliably across channels. Because these systems are designed to work together, retailers can add new media and channels without adding unnecessary complexity or friction. Over time, this leads to stronger governance, greater confidence in data quality and more reliable outcomes for brand partners.
In-store media will test identity foundations
The IDC white paper points to in-store media as the next major inflection point for retail media. Nearly two-thirds of surveyed retailers expect their networks to support in-store advertising, reflecting growing interest in extending retail media beyond digital touchpoints and closer to the moment of purchase. Per Chakravarty, “The focus on the store is critical as a future effort and domain builder for retail media.”
But in-store environments raise the stakes for identity resolution. Connecting ad exposure to purchases in physical locations requires high-confidence identity, clean data and attribution models that link media directly to real transactions. Tactics that work well online don’t always carry over seamlessly offline, making identity continuity even more important.
Retailers entering in-store media with fragmented identity systems may find it harder to demonstrate value at scale. By contrast, those that have invested in identity-first design are better positioned to extend retail media across channels while preserving measurement integrity.
Implications for retailers building RMNs
The recent wave of partnerships shouldn’t be read as step backwards for retail media. If anything, it reflects confidence in the channel’s future and a genuine effort to make retail media easier for advertisers to access and activate.
At the same time, the IDC white paper suggests that expanding access alone is unlikely to unlock retail media's full potential, especially as programs scale and expectations rise.
For retailers building or scaling RMNs today, this creates an opportunity to step back and evaluate how their retail media foundation is designed. Key questions include:
Is identity designed into every stage of your retail media offering, or stitched together after the fact?
Can you maintain identity continuity as media moves offsite or into programmatic and search environments?
Are data and attribution capabilities built to support growing complexity with consistency and confidence?
Will scale amplify your strengths or expose your weaknesses?
The answers to these questions shape more than near-term revenue. They influence long-term credibility and the ability to grow sustainably.
Identity as a strategic advantage
As retail media continues to evolve, the IDC white paper suggests that long-term success will be shaped less by who unlocks the most demand, and more by who delivers the most consistent and reliable outcomes. Chakravarty emphasizes this in the white paper: “For retailers to realize the gains of retail media, across broad competition, there must be a focus on outcomes.”
Identity is what turns expanded media access into media performance.
Platforms designed with identity integrated across activation, measurement and attribution can reduce signal loss, improve confidence in results and support more durable partnerships between retailers and advertisers.
At Epsilon, this philosophy has guided our approach to retail media from the start. Our suite of retail media solutions is built with identity resolution embedded throughout, enabling retailers to activate media across channels while preserving connections to known shoppers. The result is not just scale, but accountability, an increasingly important requirement as retail media matures.
Retail media is expanding rapidly. The retailers who win won’t just ride the wave—they’ll build the identity foundation that lets them steer it.
---
## What is a retail media network?
Type: eps_post
URL: /what-is-a-retail-media-network-apac
Last Modified: 2026-03-06T12:25:42Z
# What is a retail media network?
Retail media has become a core channel in Australia, with 77% of advertisers and agencies now working with three or more retail media networks, up from 58% a year ago, according to IAB Australia.
But what exactly are retail media networks, how do they work and what should your retail media strategy look like?
What is a retail media network?
A retail media network (RMN) is an advertising platform that gives brand advertisers access to the retailer’s first-party data, allowing them to reach more specialised audiences with targeted, highly relevant messaging at the times they’re most likely to purchase.
By connecting transaction-level data and media impressions, retail media platforms also allow advertisers to close the loop on reporting and accurately measure performance.
Benefits of retail media networks
The retail media industry is growing as fast as it is because it offers significant benefits for retailers, brands and shoppers alike.
Additional revenue stream for retailers. Retail media networks are a rapidly expanding branch of advertising, which can create an entirely new revenue source for retailers.
Higher ROAS for brands. With retail media advertising, brands reach customers while they’re in the mood to buy something. The result is higher returns than many advertisers see in other channels.
Better shopping experiences for customers. First-party retail data allows brands to gain a deeper understanding of their customers and reach specific audiences at key points in their purchase journey. As a result, shoppers more easily discover the types of products they’re interested in.
How retail media networks work
There are three key players in retail media networks:
Retailers provide the advertising platform and the first-party data. They leverage their shopper relationships, transaction data and owned channels, like their app or website, to enable advertising and closed-loop measurement.
Brand advertisers use the RMN to reach the right consumers with personalised messaging based on first-party retail data, improving campaign performance and ROI.
Technology partners provide the retail media platform infrastructure. They provide identity management and analytics to maximise the effectiveness of retail media campaigns while also ensuring accurate measurement and attribution.
Learn how Epsilon’s Retail Media solution works.
Types of retail media ad placements
Retail media advertising solutions offer two main types of online ad placements, onsite and offsite.
Onsite ads
Retail media offers brands a variety of onsite placement options on the retailer’s website and app, including:
The retailer’s home page to build early consideration.
Category pages to influence shoppers who are browsing and comparing within a relevant section.
Search pages to reach shoppers who are actively looking for a specific product.
Product detail pages to promote a complementary item, trade shoppers up, or present a credible alternative at the point of decision.
Offsite ads
Offsite extends retail media beyond the retailer’s site and app, using retailer signals to find and influence in-market shoppers elsewhere, including across the open web and connected TV (CTV). The value is scale with relevance: you can reach shoppers who are in the buying window but not currently on the retailer’s digital shelf, and you can do it in a way that stays measurable rather than drifting into broad, proxy-led targeting.
The importance of in-store
Most online-to-online journeys are easy to track: a shopper sees an ad, clicks, and buys. They are also the neatest version of reality. In practice, more than 87% of Australian retail sales still take place in physical stores (ABS, 2025).
When in-store purchases stay disconnected from digital exposure, the problem is bigger than “incomplete attribution”. You end up optimising towards what’s easiest to observe, then drawing confident conclusions from partial truth: wrong channels get credit, the wrong audiences get scaled, and the wrong messages get repeated.
One of the most important criteria when selecting a retail media partner is whether they can connect online exposure to offline outcomes. That hinges on identity resolution, so you can recognise the same shopper across environments and measure what actually drove sales, not just what generated clicks.
FAQs
What are some common challenges retail media networks face?
Underperforming retail media programs are largely the product of:
Poor identity resolution. Without robust identity resolution, it becomes impossible to piece together a shopper’s various data points and signals (e.g., email addresses, search behaviour, browsing activity and transactions) into a single, persistent profile that carries through activation and measurement. Persistent identity allows retailers to find, reach and capture purchases of real shoppers onsite and offsite.
Disparate technology solutions. Retailers often begin with an enviable reservoir of customers. But when that audience is passed between multiple partners, each using inconsistent identifiers or partial datasets, the loss is immediate and compounding. Identity resolution can also help here, providing a stable base, but too many handovers will always lower confidence in who is actually being reached.
Artificial outcomes. As a result of subpar retail media tech stacks, many advertisers aren’t actually reaching new and unique individuals through their investments. Instead, they’re increasing ad spend against the same people who would have bought anyway.
Success in 2026 and beyond demands a unified, shopper-first tech stack that delivers real, measurable business outcomes. Epsilon’s retail media solutions are designed to meet that challenge.
Learn more about Epsilon’s Retail Media solutions.
What are some examples of top retail media networks?
With retail media spending (including Amazon) expected to exceed £7bn by 2028, more and more retailers are getting into the business. Other notable examples of retail media players include:
Bing Lee
Coles
Retailers of any size can (and do) launch their own retail media networks, but it doesn’t come without its challenges.
How is retail media different from co-op advertising?
Traditional co-op advertising was largely confined to print circulars, in-store signage, or basic digital buys where retailers and brands split costs. Retail media transforms those programs into data-driven, identity-powered campaigns. The difference is precision and accountability: Retail media networks enable real-time personalisation, closed-loop measurement down to the SKU level and the ability to prove true sales impact.
How is retail media different from commerce media?
Retail media focuses specifically on retailers monetising their first-party shopper data to help brand partners reach in-market consumers. Commerce media takes that same model and expands it beyond retail, enabling any business with valuable audience data—such as airlines, hotels or financial services—to create media opportunities for aligned advertisers.
---
## What is a retail media network?
Type: eps_post
URL: /what-is-a-retail-media-network-emea
Last Modified: 2026-02-25T00:10:40Z
# What is a retail media network?
In the UK, online retail media reached £1.5bn in 2025 and is now one of the fastest growing digital ad channels according to IAB UK, making it a channel that neither retailers nor advertisers can afford to ignore.
But what exactly are retail media networks, how do they work and what should your retail media strategy look like?
What is a retail media network?
A retail media network (RMN) is an advertising platform that gives brand advertisers access to the retailer’s first-party data, allowing them to reach more specialised audiences with targeted, highly relevant messaging at the times they’re most likely to purchase.
By connecting transaction-level data and media impressions, retail media platforms also allow advertisers to close the loop on reporting and accurately measure performance.
Benefits of retail media networks
The retail media industry is growing as fast as it is because it offers significant benefits for retailers, brands and shoppers alike.
Additional revenue stream for retailers. Retail media networks are a rapidly expanding branch of advertising, which can create an entirely new revenue source for retailers.
Higher ROAS for brands. With retail media advertising, brands reach customers while they’re in the mood to buy something. The result is higher returns than many advertisers see in other channels. One retail media campaign, for example, drove 20% in-store sales uplift.
Better shopping experiences for customers. First-party retail data allows brands to gain a deeper understanding of their customers and reach specific audiences at key points in their purchase journey. As a result, shoppers more easily discover the types of products they’re interested in.
How retail media networks work
There are three key players in retail media networks:
Retailers provide the advertising platform and the first-party data. They leverage their shopper relationships, transaction data and owned channels, like their app or website, to enable advertising and closed-loop measurement.
Brand advertisers use the RMN to reach the right consumers with personalised messaging based on first-party retail data, improving campaign performance and ROI.
Technology partners provide the retail media platform infrastructure. They provide identity management and analytics to maximise the effectiveness of retail media campaigns while also ensuring accurate measurement and attribution.
Learn how Epsilon’s Retail Media solution works.
Types of retail media ad placements
Retail media advertising solutions offer two main types of online ad placements, onsite and offsite.
Onsite ads
Retail media offers brands a variety of onsite placement options on the retailer’s website and app, including:
The retailer’s home page to build early consideration.
Category pages to influence shoppers who are browsing and comparing within a relevant section.
Search pages to reach shoppers who are actively looking for a specific product.
Product detail pages to promote a complementary item, trade shoppers up, or present a credible alternative at the point of decision.
Offsite ads
Offsite extends retail media beyond the retailer’s site and app, using retailer signals to find and influence in-market shoppers elsewhere, including across the open web and connected TV (CTV). The value is scale with relevance: you can reach shoppers who are in the buying window but not currently on the retailer’s digital shelf, and you can do it in a way that stays measurable rather than drifting into broad, proxy-led targeting.
The importance of in-store
Most online-to-online journeys are easy to track: a shopper sees an ad, clicks, and buys. They are also the neatest version of reality. In practice, only 29% of UK retail sales occur online (ONS), which means the majority of revenue is still won and lost in-store.
When in-store purchases stay disconnected from digital exposure, the problem is bigger than “incomplete attribution”. You end up optimising towards what’s easiest to observe, then drawing confident conclusions from partial truth: wrong channels get credit, the wrong audiences get scaled, and the wrong messages get repeated.
One of the most important criteria when selecting a retail media partner is whether they can connect online exposure to offline outcomes. That hinges on identity resolution, so you can recognise the same shopper across environments and measure what actually drove sales, not just what generated clicks.
FAQs
What are some common challenges retail media networks face?
Underperforming retail media programs are largely the product of:
Poor identity resolution. Without robust identity resolution, it becomes impossible to piece together a shopper’s various data points and signals (e.g., email addresses, search behaviour, browsing activity and transactions) into a single, persistent profile that carries through activation and measurement. Persistent identity allows retailers to find, reach and capture purchases of real shoppers onsite and offsite.
Disparate technology solutions. Retailers often begin with an enviable reservoir of customers. But when that audience is passed between multiple partners, each using inconsistent identifiers or partial datasets, the loss is immediate and compounding. Identity resolution can also help here, providing a stable base, but too many handovers will always lower confidence in who is actually being reached.
Artificial outcomes. As a result of subpar retail media tech stacks, many advertisers aren’t actually reaching new and unique individuals through their investments. Instead, they’re increasing ad spend against the same people who would have bought anyway.
Success in 2026 and beyond demands a unified, shopper-first tech stack that delivers real, measurable business outcomes. Epsilon’s retail media solutions are designed to meet that challenge.
Learn more about Epsilon’s Retail Media solutions.
What are some examples of top retail media networks?
With retail media spending (including Amazon) expected to exceed £7bn by 2028, more and more retailers are getting into the business. Other notable examples of retail media players include:
John Lewis Partnership
Currys Connected Media
Wickes Connected Media
Iceland
Ocado
Retailers of any size can (and do) launch their own retail media networks, but it doesn’t come without its challenges.
How is retail media different from co-op advertising?
Traditional co-op advertising was largely confined to print circulars, in-store signage, or basic digital buys where retailers and brands split costs. Retail media transforms those programs into data-driven, identity-powered campaigns. The difference is precision and accountability: Retail media networks enable real-time personalisation, closed-loop measurement down to the SKU level and the ability to prove true sales impact.
How is retail media different from commerce media?
Retail media focuses specifically on retailers monetising their first-party shopper data to help brand partners reach in-market consumers. Commerce media takes that same model and expands it beyond retail, enabling any business with valuable audience data—such as airlines, hotels or financial services—to create media opportunities for aligned advertisers.
---
## Score breakdown: Data readiness assessment
Type: eps_post
URL: /score-breakdown-data-readiness-assessment
Last Modified: 2026-08-11T18:25:21Z
# Score breakdown: Data readiness assessment
Just took the data readiness assessment and want to see where your score landed compared to others? Let’s take a look.
Score 0–06: You’re getting started
You have limited first-party data access, questionable data quality and some opportunities to expand your activation channels to better reach your customers.
Next steps:
Establish data hygiene best practices: de-dupe, standard fields, validation cadence
Inventory your first-party data sources and centralize access across sources
Start leveraging your centralized and cleaned data for some foundational segmentation of your current customers to help with customer insights and marketing planning
Score 07-13: You’re building momentum
Your data foundation exists but gaps in quality, tech or strategy are limiting the potential impact of that foundation to drive business outcomes.
Next steps:
Improve identity resolution and consistent customer IDs
Test our enrichment pilots (test third-party data to better customer understanding for an upcoming campaign or initiative)
Expand your activation with lookalike modeling, campaign optimization or by reaching customers across channels with omnichannel activation
Score 14-20: You’re ready to scale
Strong first-party dat foundation paired with a solid activation plan that’s ready to leverage high-quality incremental third-party data to boost results and add value fast.
Next steps:
Scale enrichment and modeling (LTV, propensity, churn)
Standardize governance and privacy workflows
Multi-channel activation across all channels
No matter where you are in your journey, Epsilon Data can help you accurately find and reach your best customers. Ready to talk to our data expert to see where you can go from here?
---
## Is probabilistic or deterministic the future in an AI world?
Type: eps_post
URL: /probabilistic-or-deterministic-matching-future-of-advertising
Last Modified: 2026-02-24T16:46:15Z
# Is probabilistic or deterministic the future in an AI world?
If you are just joining the debate, welcome! You’re joining at an exciting time as a new wave of technology reignites questions and opens new possibilities about which approach rules the roost.
At its core, this is a question about how brands recognise people online and how confident they can be in decisions based on inferences. For decades, two broad approaches have shaped digital identity and targeting.
Probabilistic matching. This uses signals like device attributes, browser behaviour, location patterns, or network data, assigning likelihood scores to infer whether different interactions belong to the same person. It is an educated guess, sometimes a very good one, but a guess nonetheless.
Deterministic matching. This relies on pseudonymised identifiers that are known to be true, such as logins, hashed email addresses, customer IDs, or consented CRM data. Instead of likelihood, it offers certainty where the data exists.
Now enter modern AI models. If machines can detect patterns across onsite behaviour, context, and first-party data at scale, the argument goes, perhaps performance can be maintained or even improved without the heavy lift of capturing and stitching together identity across the open web.
That is why the debate feels freshly energised. Better pattern detection and real-time learning make probabilistic methods look more attractive than ever. But the key question remains. Does AI truly close the gap with the accuracy and accountability of deterministic identity?
The case for probabilistic approaches
Probabilistic methods play an important role, particularly when scale matters.
They are often valuable for cross-device reach. People move constantly between phones, laptops, tablets, and shared environments where deterministic identifiers are missing. In those moments, probabilistic inference may be the only way to maintain continuity.
They unlock flexible scale. Modern models can extrapolate lookalikes from relatively small seed sets while ingesting thousands of signals and updating in near real time, delivering targeting and measurement that excel in upper and mid funnel activity.
They offer resilience in a changing ecosystem. When individual identifiers disappear or are obscured, pattern-based systems can adapt, providing flexibility in an environment that evolves faster than most data strategies can keep up.
The trade-off is transparency. Probabilistic systems deal in likelihoods and cohorts, not people. Accuracy can vary by channel, device, and time, and when something goes wrong it can be difficult to explain why. Without strong validation and experimentation, these systems risk becoming black boxes whose performance is hard to verify.
The case for deterministic identity
Deterministic matching offers something different. It provides a tangible identity spine based on persistent, unique identifiers.
It unlocks true one-to-one personalisation. Because the person is reliably known, brands can decide if someone should get promotional vs aspirational messaging and avoid wasted impressions on the wrong people.
Recognising the person matters where journeys can be longer and more complex. Or in high stakes use cases like loyalty programmes and lifecycle messaging, where tying past actions and preferences to the individual unlocks greater value.
It also brings stability to measurement and incrementality analysis, where precision and accountability are non-negotiable. When a finance team asks what drove growth, deterministic identity allows marketers to point to a clear sequence of exposure and outcome.
The nuance is that deterministic matching only works where strong first-party data exists. If someone is not logged in, or an email address is unavailable, many systems simply fail to match. When advertisers complain about low match rates, it’s usually because they're trying to force individual channels to line up.
The real unlock is to stop obsessing over how channels connect and start with the person instead. Create one identity, tie all signals back to it, and keep filling in the picture so recognising and using new signals becomes progressively easier. It’s far from a commonplace approach, so finding the right partner can open considerable competitive advantage.
In a recent campaign, sports brand I-RUN needed a simple way to use its first-party customer data at scale, so it could reach the right shoppers, grow sales, and rely less on closed advertising platforms. Epsilon onboarded and resolved I-RUN’s customer data, matching over half of I-RUN’s customers to COREids from day one, and achieving a 3:1 incremental return on ad spend within four months.
How AI is reshaping both sides
AI is not replacing identity approaches so much as refining them.
On the deterministic side, AI helps clean and reconcile first-party data, detect bad identifiers, and infer relationships such as households. This makes identity graphs richer and more durable without sacrificing accuracy.
On the probabilistic side, machine learning powers everything from lookalike modelling to propensity scoring and media mix analysis. These systems often train on deterministic data where it exists, then generalise into areas where identifiers are sparse.
The result is that probabilistic matching becomes a learning system rather than a static set of rules.
Where the debate is landing
The centre of gravity has shifted away from either or. Most serious identity strategies now start with deterministic data as the backbone and layer probabilistic methods on top to extend reach and insight. Deterministic identity provides confidence and measurement integrity. Probabilistic models add scale and flexibility.
Used together, they turn small, fragmented datasets into dynamic, scalable audience profiles that can be activated across channels and measured against real outcomes.
In an AI driven world, the future is not about choosing sides. It is about knowing when certainty matters, when inference is sufficient, and building an identity foundation strong enough to support both.
---
## Peak season 2026: how to use retail media to build shopper trust
Type: eps_post
URL: /retail-media-strategy-peak-season-2026
Last Modified: 2026-09-15T11:48:33Z
# Peak season 2026: how to use retail media to build shopper trust
A retail media strategy built only around immediate conversion is going to have a hard peak season. According to our latest Golden Quarter report, 71% of UK consumers are cutting back on non-essentials and 63% are putting off bigger purchases, which means the shopper you reach in October is often not ready to buy until January.
What retail media does well in that gap is build shopper trust. 56% of UK consumers say they feel more confident in a brand promoted by a retailer they already shop with, and the effect is strongest among the youngest shoppers, not the oldest.
Here is what that means for a retail media strategy across the peak season, which runs from the early October deals events through to the January sales.
Why do UK shoppers trust brands they find through retailers?
Buying something unfamiliar carries a risk that has little to do with price. 36% of UK consumers worry about wasting money on a product they have not tried, and in a year when 71% are already trimming non-essentials, that worry stops more purchases than the price does.
A retailer the shopper already uses removes some of that risk, because it has chosen to stock the product, it will handle the return, and its reputation is attached to the transaction. The shopper no longer has to work out whether the brand is trustworthy, because someone they already trust has vouched for it.
You might expect older shoppers, with longer relationships with established retailers, to lean on that endorsement most, but UK data shows the reverse: 71% of Gen Z say that seeing a brand consistently as they browse makes them more confident about buying, against 48% of UK consumers overall.
The likeliest explanation is exposure, because younger shoppers have spent their whole buying lives online, where quality and provenance are harder to verify and an unfamiliar brand could be anything. Scepticism is the sensible response to that, and it makes a curated retailer environment more valuable to them. A curated retailer environment does the vouching that a standalone ad cannot.
Most of that shopping still happens somewhere a retailer controls. Online accounted for 28.3% of UK retail sales in July 2026, which leaves nearly 72% happening in shops (ONS). Our own research found UK consumers discovering brands through search, browsing in store, retailer websites and recommendations from friends and family, all of which rank ahead of social media.
How to build a retail media strategy around consideration
Treating retail media as a trust and consideration channel changes how you buy it and how you judge it, in six practical ways.
Measure new-to-brand rate alongside sales. If the value of a retailer environment is that it de-risks trying something unfamiliar, then the share of buyers who have never bought from you before is the number that tells you whether it worked.
Buy for consistency across the whole window instead of concentrating spend in bursts. Consistent visibility is what 71% of Gen Z say builds their confidence, and being seen three times across October and November reassures a shopper in a way that three times in one week does not.
Extend beyond the retailer's own site. Onsite placements reach people already shopping there, while offsite retail media advertising carries that audience data onto the open web and reaches the same shoppers earlier, while they are still deciding.
Put your newest and least familiar products in retailer environments first. The trust transfer is most valuable where the shopper has least prior knowledge, so a range extension or a new line gets more from it than your best known product does.
Spread budget across the moments where reach is cheaper. Our research puts the conversion ratio on Black Friday at 50%, Boxing Day at 37% and the January sales at 34%, and the difference in what it costs to reach those audiences is much wider than the difference in how well they convert.
Use the retailer's first-party data properly. 52% of UK marketers name retailer first-party data as the capability that excites them most, and it is the part of retail media that a standalone display buy cannot replicate.
How to justify retail media spend to your leadership team
Two arguments tend to land in a budget conversation.
The first is that the channel mix is out of step with how UK shoppers actually find things. Our research found marketers leaning heaviest on social media at 71%, with search and retail media both at 38%, while consumers reported discovering brands through search, in-store browsing, retailer websites and word of mouth ahead of social. Retail media investment is growing quickly in the UK; AA/WARC put retail media growth at 17.9% in Q1 2026, which suggests the market is already correcting, and moving early costs less than catching up late.
The second is that trust built now is what converts later. Across peak, shoppers are buying for other people, to a deadline and against a list. In January they go back to buying for themselves, and to the behaviour your loyalty programme records already describe. A brand that spent October and November being visible in environments the shopper trusts is a brand they already recognise when they return in their own right.
Making either argument stick means proving the upper funnel did something. If a retail media campaign is measured on consideration, you have to show that the shopper who saw you on a retailer site in October came back in December and bought in January, which is a measurement challenge as much as a media one. With third-party cookies unreliable and GDPR setting the terms for how customer data is used, the join has to come from data you already own. Epsilon resolves identity on deterministic signals such as name and address, so one person with four email addresses is recognised as one customer and not four, and the journey from a retailer environment through to a purchase stays visible.
That consistency across trusted environments is what pays off when it is measured properly. When Currys built its retail media offering with Epsilon, shoppers reached across several channels converted 46% better than those reached through display alone, and the activity drove 56,000 store visits and a 20% increase in in-store sales.
Get the full Golden Quarter research
Advertising Under Pressure is based on two studies Epsilon commissioned Censuswide to run in June 2026. The first surveyed 2,000 UK adults, weighted to be nationally representative. The second surveyed 200 UK marketing decision makers, all of them controlling £500,000 or more in annual marketing budget at brands turning over £5m or more.
Alongside the trust findings above, the report covers where UK consumers are discovering brands and how far that sits from where marketers are spending, which moments across the peak retail calendar convert best and which are cheapest to reach, how openness to switching brands differs by category, and a five point action plan for the £17.9bn UK consumers expect to spend across the peak window.
Download the Golden Quarter report
---
## Epsilon claims Best Commerce Platform at the Adweek Tech Stack Awards
Type: eps_post
URL: /epsilon-claims-best-commerce-platform-adweek-tech-stack-awards
Last Modified: 2026-01-15T11:01:33Z
# Epsilon claims Best Commerce Platform at the Adweek Tech Stack Awards
Epsilon has been named winner in the Commerce Platform category at the inaugural Adweek Tech Stack Awards, recognising a platform built from the ground up to unite best-in-class identity resolution with AI-driven decisioning and closed-loop measurement in one place.
The win lands at a pivotal moment. Retail media is accelerating quickly, yet only a small number of platforms can genuinely show how media exposure translates into real shopper behaviour. This award speaks to that difference and the momentum behind the work.
What makes Epsilon Retail Media stand out?
Epsilon Retail Media connects shoppers across onsite, offsite and in-store environments with a single view of the individual, using AI applied to decide who to reach, where to reach them and when their next move is likely to come. What matters for marketers is that activation and measurement sit in the same framework, allowing brands to keep in step with real people from discovery to purchase without the usual fragmentation.
Where is Epsilon Retail Media being used?
Proof of that impact comes from our work with clients like Currys and its Tech Hunters proposition. This is now the second major industry recognition for the partnership in 2025 following the Digiday Media Awards Europe where it took first place in Best Use of Retail Media. Together with Currys, we have been showing what full funnel retail media looks like when identity resolution and outcomes sit at the centre.
A recent TV category campaign shows this in practice. Currys wanted to engage high intent shoppers ahead of a premium product launch and build momentum across video, display and CTV. Using Currys first party data enriched by COREid, the activity identified enthusiasts who had browsed the brand or close competitors but had not yet bought. AI then kept the campaign calibrated across channels, maintaining relevance throughout what is typically a long decision cycle. The result was a 46% rise in conversions when CTV, OLV and display were combined, with strong in-store impact and more than 50,000 store visits tied directly to campaign engagement.
Getting ready for 2026
This is the kind of future facing retail media marketers expect. Not scattergun reach but intelligent use of shopper signals across formats, and not vanity metrics but outcomes grounded in real transactions. Currys has been ahead of the curve here and the partnership will continue to deepen in 2026, with new capabilities designed to help brand partners reach the Tech Hunters audience with even greater precision and consistency.
If you are interested in what this approach could unlock for your brand, use the Contact Us button below to reach out.
---
## What is a retail media network? [2026 strategy guide]
Type: eps_post
URL: /retail-media-networks
Last Modified: 2025-09-19T14:58:48Z
# What is a retail media network? [2026 strategy guide]
As retailers look for new revenue streams and brands search for measurable ways to reach in-market shoppers, retail media networks (RMNs) sit at the center of that intersection. eMarketer predicts RMNs will surpass $60B in U.S. ad spend this year (and $100B by 2028), making them a channel that neither retailers nor advertisers can afford to ignore.
But what exactly are retail media networks, how do they work and what should your retail media strategy look like as 2026 approaches? This guide breaks it down.
What is a retail media network?
A retail media network (RMN) is an advertising platform that gives brand advertisers access to the retailer’s first-party data, allowing them to reach more specialized audiences with targeted, highly relevant messaging at the times they’re most likely to purchase.
By connecting transaction-level data and media impressions to brand sales, retail media platforms also allow advertisers to close the loop on reporting and accurately measure performance.
How retail media networks work
There are three key players in retail media networks:
Retailers provide the advertising platform and the first-party data. They leverage their shopper relationships, transaction data and owned channels (e.g., e-commerce app, website and physical stores) to enable advertising and closed-loop measurement.
Brand advertisers use the RMN to reach the right consumers with personalized messaging based on first-party retail data, improving campaign performance and ROI.
Technology partners provide the retail media platform infrastructure. They provide identity management, AI and analytics to maximize the effectiveness of retail media campaigns while also ensuring accurate measurement and attribution.
Learn how Epsilon’s Retail Media solution works.
Types of retail media ad placements
Retail media advertising solutions offer three types of ad placements, including on-site, off-site and in-store.
On-site ads
Retail media offers brands a variety of on-site placement options on the retailer’s website and e-commerce app, including:
The retailer’s home page offers the potential to capture customers’ interest early in the shopping journey.
Category pages can reach a more specialized audience that’s actively interested in browsing the types of items.
Search pages allow brands to advertise based on queries directly related to their products and reach shoppers who are actively looking for those types of product(s).
Product detail pages offer the opportunity to advertise a product that either complements the product in question or offers a viable alternative.
Off-site ads
In addition to on-site display ads and sponsored products, modern RMNs also offer targeted, measurable placements across the open web, on social media and on connected television (CTV). This capability allows advertisers to scale beyond easy-to-reach (and over-messaged) audiences to find more in-market shoppers.
These off-site placements are driven by identity resolution, which enables the recognition and targeting of real people across various channels.
In-store ads
Thanks to the growth of in-store media solutions, retailers can also serve ads on screens in their brick-and-mortar locations. However, measurement can be a challenge for some technology partners.
“In-store media is exciting, but measurement is the key,” explains Pamela Young, Epsilon’s Senior Vice President of Client Team Leadership. “Retailers have to connect the dots across online, off-site and in-store touchpoints, and that’s where AI-driven identity resolution really delivers value.”
How is retail media different from co-op advertising?
Traditional co-op advertising was largely confined to print circulars, in-store signage, or basic digital buys where retailers and brands split costs. Retail media transforms those programs into data-driven, identity-powered campaigns. The difference is precision and accountability: Retail media networks enable real-time personalization, closed-loop measurement down to the SKU level and the ability to prove true sales impact.
How is retail media different from commerce media?
Retail media focuses specifically on retailers monetizing their first-party shopper data to help brand partners reach in-market consumers. Commerce media takes that same model and expands it beyond retail, enabling any business with valuable audience data—such as airlines, hotels or financial services—to create media opportunities for aligned advertisers.
Benefits of retail media networks
Considering the significant benefits to retailers, brands and shoppers alike, it’s no surprise the retail media industry is growing as fast as it is. Retail media benefits include:
Additional revenue stream for retailers. Retail media networks are a rapidly expanding branch of advertising, which can create an entirely new revenue source for retailers. For example, Walgreens’ retail media network generated $10M in a single quarter.
Higher ROAS for brands. With retail media advertising, brands reach customers while they’re in the mood to buy something. The result is higher returns than many advertisers see in other channels. One L’Occitane retail media campaign, for example, drove $21:1 returns.
Better shopping experiences for customers. First-party retail data allows brands to gain a deeper understanding of their customers and target specific audiences at key points throughout their purchase journey. As a result, shoppers enjoy more personalized shopping experiences that allow them to more easily discover the types of products they’re interested in.
Top retail media networks
Some of the top retail media networks by ad revenue are Amazon, Walmart Connect, Target Roundel, Instacart and eBay.
However, with retail media spending expected to reach $60B in the U.S. this year, more and more retailers are getting into the business. Other notable examples of retail media players include:
Ulta Beauty UB Media
Walgreens Advertising Group (wag)
Costco
Lowe’s Media Network
Home Depot’s Orange Apron Media
CVS Media Exchange
Best Buy Ads
Retailers of any size can (and do) launch their own retail media networks—like newcomer Ace Hardware—but it doesn’t come without its challenges.
3 common challenges for retailers and brands
Retailers gather a wealth of information about what their customers buy, when they buy and how often they buy. This information has the potential to become valuable first-party data for brand advertisers—but only if the retailer has the right technology in place.
Underperforming retail media programs are largely the product of three challenges:
Poor identity resolution that fails to maximize shopper data. This limits the advertiser’s ability to find and reach unique shoppers.
Disparate technology solutions resulting in fragmented data and lost shopper visibility.
Industry reliance on traditional digital media capabilities that don't align with today’s retail media.
As a result of subpar retail media tech stacks, many advertisers aren’t actually reaching new and unique individuals through their investments. Instead, they’re increasing ad spend against the same people (and reaching them over and over again). And retailers often aren’t seeing the ad revenue they expected from their retail media platform investments.
Retailers can address these common challenges with a shopper-first retail media strategy designed to maximize first-party data through identity and AI.
Modern retail media technology
Retailers can solve common RMN challenges with a shopper-first retail media tech stack that maximizes their first-party data. What technology should retailers look for in their retail media platform?
1. Identity resolution to find and reach real shoppers
“Retailers need partners that can help them find real shoppers, not device IDs or accounts that are modeled online approximations, but real people with wallets,” explains Alexandria Garripoli, Vice President of Product Management at Epsilon.
Robust identity resolution makes it possible by piecing together a shopper’s various data points and signals (e.g., email addresses, search behavior, browsing activity and transactions) into a single, persistent profile that carries through activation and measurement. This profile is resolved using the shopper’s name, address and transaction data, not devices or email addresses.
Persistent identity allows retailers to find, reach and capture purchases of real shoppers, on-site, off-site and in-store.
2. Predictive AI for intelligent audiences
Shopper-level identity (including purchase behavior) paired with predictive AI enables retailers to move away from outdated practices like site and cohort targeting. “While these tactics can be useful for national branding campaigns, they fail to take advantage of the promise of retail media,” explains Young.
Instead, identity and predictive AI work together to create intelligent audiences based on the best in-market shoppers for each individual SKU. “This unique approach takes full advantage of shopper-level identity to predict which shoppers are most likely to convert on any given campaign,” Young says.
It’s no big surprise that these intelligent audiences lead to better performance. When we let our predictive AI help advertisers and retailers drive more sales, we saw a purchase rate 22 times higher than our control group. But intelligent audiences also aid retailers and brands in crafting customer-centric experiences for shoppers.
3. Clean rooms for secure data collaboration
A retail media cleanroom is a secure environment in which retailers and brands can share the data they need to achieve their marketing goals. Data sharing via clean rooms enables both parties to gain access to partner data in a privacy-safe way, while all parties maintain control over their data.
4. A unified retail media platform to bring it all together
Building an effective retail media tech stack is not an easy endeavor. It requires evaluating and integrating data onboarding tools, activation partners, measurement platforms and managed services. And piecing together different technology solutions creates identity handoffs that reduce campaign effectiveness.
As IDC highlights in a recent Epsilon-sponsored white paper, Identity Drives End-to-End Retail Media Outcomes (Doc#US53607125 June 2025) “While providers design many RMNs on the back of complex combinations of martech and adtech tools, the most successful services strive toward a seamless holistic service.”
A unified retail media platform that integrates identity, predictive AI and data clean rooms not only prevents tech fragmentation and data loss—it also enables retailers to activate and measure successful retail media campaigns across on-site, off-site and in-store channels.
Future-proof your retail media strategy with Epsilon
Retail media networks have quickly become one of the most powerful forces reshaping the relationship between retailers, brands and shoppers. As ad spend continues to surge and competition intensifies, retailers and advertisers can no longer afford to rely on fragmented solutions or outdated tactics.
Success in 2026 and beyond demands a unified, shopper-first tech stack that delivers real, measurable business outcomes. Epsilon’s retail media solutions are designed to meet that challenge.
Learn more about Epsilon’s Retail Media solutions.
---
## Retail media advertising: a beginner's guide for brand advertisers
Type: eps_post
URL: /retail-media-advertising-for-beginners-guide-epsilon-emea
Last Modified: 2026-05-26T15:17:41Z
# Retail media advertising: a beginner's guide for brand advertisers
Retail media is one of the fastest-growing ad channels in the UK, with online retail media reaching £1.5bn in the first half of 2025 alone (IAB UK). Retailers like Ocado, Tesco, Morrisons and Iceland offer routes into grocery audiences, while Currys, John Lewis and Deliveroo represent entirely different shopping contexts spanning electronics, homeware, cosmetics and beyond.
Through retail media, these retailers give brands the ability to reach their shopper audiences with precise, contextually relevant messaging across a growing range of channels. Here is what it is, how a campaign works, and where to start if it is new to you.
What is retail media advertising?
Retail media advertising is paid media that uses a retailer's first-party shopper data to target consumers with relevant messaging. It works across two broad environments.
Onsite refers to placements on the retailer's own channels, including their website and app. These include sponsored product listings, search ads, banner placements and brand pages.
Offsite extends that same retailer data into the wider digital ecosystem, reaching shoppers through display, online video, connected TV (CTV) and audio across the open web. Demand for offsite is growing fast: 46% of buyers allocated more than 41% of their digital retail media spend to off-site in 2025, yet only 30% of retailers currently offer offsite ads, creating a clear supply-side gap for brands that want cross-channel reach (IAB Europe).
Did you know?
Epsilon Retail Media pairs CitrusAd’s onsite engine with cross-channel audience recognition and activation, so brands can move the same shopper from first impression to purchase. Find out more here.
Why is retail media so important?
Three things distinguish retail media from the digital advertising most brand teams are used to:
First-party shopper data. With third-party cookies on the way out and GDPR keeping cross-site tracking tight, retailers hold some of the richest, most consented first-party data available. Retailers know who buys what, when, and how often, and that insight can be used to identify existing, lapsed and prospective customers with a level of precision that proxy-based targeting cannot match.
Responsive to how people actually shop. Modern shopping journeys span multiple touchpoints, channels and timeframes, and retail media allows brands to create relevant purchase moments across that journey rather than relying on a single interaction at a single point.
You can see if it worked. Because the retailer sees both the ad impression and the transaction, it is possible to connect spend to real sales outcomes, including purchases that happen in physical stores.
Why retail media is also complex
Retailers were not historically media owners. They have digitalised quickly, and many are now building media businesses at the same time as running them. The result is a landscape where every network looks and operates differently. There are now more than 200 retail media networks operating globally, with some estimates putting the figure closer to 270, and at least 28 active in the UK.
Consider the range. A business like Sainsbury's, with Argos sitting alongside its grocery operation, is a very different retail proposition to Iceland, or to a business like Wickes, which serves both trade and consumer audiences. Different customer bases, different data sets, different inventory, different commercial models. Each retailer is, quite rightly, building a media offering that reflects its own strengths and shoppers. But for brands and their agencies, who are used to buying media in more standardised ways, navigating that variation takes effort.
Fragmentation across platforms, teams, tools and measurement remains one of the biggest barriers to growth. According to IAB Europe, network fragmentation (51%) and lack of standardisation (53%) are the most significant challenges the industry faces.
Choosing the right network
The question is not simply who has the biggest reach, but whose data tells you the most about the people you want to find.
Those you sell through - The most straightforward starting point is a retailer you already sell through. You are reaching shoppers in a context where they can act on your message immediately. The data is rich, the path to purchase is short, and you can measure the full loop from impression to transaction.
Those you don't sell through - But the opportunity does not stop at the retailers that stock your products. Businesses in adjacent sectors like travel and quick service restaurants hold transaction data that can signal whether someone is in-market for what you offer.
Consider a platform like Deliveroo. If you are a drinks brand, a kitchen appliance company, or a meal kit provider, that kind of behavioural data could tell you who is in-market based on real spending patterns. This is where commerce media comes in. Commerce media takes the retail media model and expands it beyond traditional retailers, enabling any business with valuable transaction data to create media opportunities for aligned advertisers.
Whichever route you take, three things separate the networks that deliver real outcomes from the ones that simply promise impressions.
Unique reach. Every retailer has an audience, but the networks worth investing in have an audience you cannot easily find elsewhere and can prove it. Iceland Foods, for example, gives brands access to price-sensitive, often underrepresented consumers that other networks underserve. That distinctiveness is the first test. The second is whether the network can make that audience cleanly addressable, rather than serving impressions against inflated or modelled segments.
Omnichannel activation. A high-performing network should unify activation across onsite and offsite environments rather than treating them as separate buying channels. Wickes, for instance, launched its retail media network with both onsite and offsite capability from day one, allowing brands to reach its trade and consumer audiences across the retailer's own platforms and across the wider web through a single, identity-linked view of its shoppers.
Proven outcomes. Measurement is where strong networks truly distinguish themselves. The best can tie both online and offline transactions directly to online media impressions using closed-loop attribution Currys Connected Media, for instance, combines first-party data with identity technology to give brands a unified view of in-market tech shoppers, and recent campaigns have shown in-store sales uplifts of up to 20%.
Identity underpins all three. Without a robust identity layer connecting real people across channels, touchpoints and transactions, reach is inflated, activation is fragmented, and measurement is incomplete. Solutions like Epsilon's COREid resolve online and offline signals to real individuals, and as IDC notes, "person-level identity is key to targeting, closed-loop attribution, data, and personalised scaled activation of ads."
For a deeper look at how to evaluate networks against these criteria, read the full guide.
How to run a retail media campaign as a brand
Most retail media campaigns follow the same shape. The sequence mirrors the three pillars that underpin any successful retail media strategy: reach, activation and measurement.
Define your objective. Are you trying to drive sales, recruit new customers, or build awareness in a category? Pick one. It will shape everything else. Campaigns that try to do all three tend to do none of them well.
Build your audience. The default for many retail media networks is to target existing logged-in shoppers, which can mean you pay a premium to reach people already in your funnel. Identity-led targeting, built on deterministic data like name and address rather than just email, is what allows you to find genuinely new customers at scale.
Plan your activation. Onsite placements such as sponsored products, search ads and banners tend to drive conversion. Offsite placements across the open web, programmatic display, connected TV and audio tend to extend reach and build awareness. Most campaigns use a mix, and the strongest results come when these channels are planned together rather than activated in isolation.
Set your measurement framework. Before launch, settle which metrics matter, whether you will test for incrementality, and how in-store sales will be counted. The measurement plan should be designed to follow an impression through to a sale, both online and in store, and over a long enough window to capture higher-consideration purchases where weeks or months may separate first impression from final transaction.
Launch and optimise. Retail media data comes back quicker than most channels, and the brands that get the most from it treat the first few weeks as a live learning phase rather than a waiting period. Set objectives and efficiency guardrails up front, then let the data lead in-flight, shifting budget between placements and audiences based on real signals rather than assumptions made before launch.
When these steps fit together, the numbers can be serious. Currys ran a multi-channel campaign with Epsilon Retail Media that combined onsite retail media with connected TV and online video. It delivered a 46% conversion uplift versus display alone, 56,000 tracked in-store visits and a 3:1 return on ad spend, and went on to win Best Use of Retail Media at the Digiday Awards Europe.
Download the retail media strategy guide
If you want the longer version of how to think about reach, activation and measurement, the guide walks through each one and gives you the questions to ask any retail media partner before you commit.
Download the retail media strategy guide.
---
## What is commerce media, and how does it differ from retail media?
Type: eps_post
URL: /commerce-media-versus-retail-media-guide-differences
Last Modified: 2026-04-16T10:20:02Z
# What is commerce media, and how does it differ from retail media?
In recent years, "commerce media" has begun appearing alongside, and sometimes in place of, "retail media" in industry conversations. The two terms are often used interchangeably, but they describe different things. Understanding the distinction helps brands and retailers choose the right partner and ask better questions when evaluating their options.
What is commerce media?
Commerce media uses transaction data to gain audience insights, improve targeting, deliver relevant experiences, and connect impressions to sales, both online and in-store.
In practice, it extends the retail media model beyond traditional retailers. Any organisation that sits on rich transaction data (airlines, banks, delivery platforms) can monetise that data by offering targeted access to advertisers, in the same way a retailer would through a retail media network.
British Airways, for example, offers access to a travel audience that carries genuine value for advertisers selling hotels, restaurants, car hire, or travel accessories. Those advertisers are not selling through British Airways directly. They are accessing a specific, high-intent audience to promote their own products and services.
What is retail media?
Retail media refers to advertising platforms that allow brands to access a retailer's first-party data to reach consumers with targeted, contextually relevant messaging, onsite and offsite.
Find out more about retail media networks and how they can help your business.
It is worth being clear on that last point. Retail media is not limited to sponsored product listings on a retailer's website. Mature retail media networks can reach consumers across display, premium offsite publisher placements, connected TV, and more. The channel breadth of a well-built retail media network is often underestimated.
Retail media has been around for a long time, with roots in trade marketing and in-store promotions. Its digital evolution has made it one of the fastest-growing segments in advertising, and one of the most fragmented. Major UK retailers including Tesco, Sainsbury's, Ocado, Boots, M&S, and Asda now each operate their own network, which creates both opportunity and complexity for brands trying to manage multiple partnerships.
What is the difference between commerce media and retail media?
The core difference comes down to who is operating the network and what data they are using.
Retail media is powered by retailer first-party data: purchase history, browsing behaviour, and in-store transactions from shoppers on that retailer's platform. The advertisers are typically CPG or brand partners who want to reach those shoppers while they are actively in a buying mindset.
Commerce media extends this logic to any organisation with valuable transaction data, not just traditional retailers. The audience access may be equally rich, but the relationship between the advertiser and the data owner is different, and so is the measurement model.
In short: retail media is a type of commerce media. Not all commerce media is retail media.
Should I use a retail media network or a commerce media solution?
The right choice depends on your audience, not your channel preferences.
If you are a CPG brand looking to influence purchase decisions at the point of consideration (competitive conquesting, category driving, nurturing repeat purchase), a retail media network gives you direct access to high-intent shoppers in context. That is difficult to replicate elsewhere.
If you are a brand with a lifestyle or travel-adjacent product, commerce media can give you access to audiences defined by their transaction behaviour rather than their demographics. A financial services brand or a hotel group, for instance, might find more relevant reach through a commerce media partner than through a traditional retail media network.
Across both, the same risk applies: brands can miss a significant portion of their potential customers if the underlying identity and activation infrastructure is not built to find, reach, and measure against audiences wherever they are online, not just the easy-to-reach, logged-in segment.
What should I look for in a retail media solution?
Retail and commerce media networks vary significantly in capability. Three factors tend to separate the best from the rest.
Connected cross-channel strategies. Look for a network that can reach consumers offsite as well as onsite, ideally without reliance on third-party cookies.
Data collaboration. Can the network facilitate first-party data activation and measurement in a controlled, privacy-safe environment? GDPR compliance is a baseline requirement in European markets, but the quality of consent capture and data matching varies considerably between providers.
A unified experience. Fragmented technology stacks create inefficiencies for retailers and a poor experience for shoppers. When multiple technology providers are powering a single retail media network, the lack of coordination shows in data loss, inconsistent measurement, and slower campaign execution.
A unified platform, one that handles identity resolution, ad serving, activation, and measurement without handing off between vendors, avoids these compounding inefficiencies from the outset.
How Epsilon approaches retail media
Epsilon's retail media platform delivers end-to-end managed service across onsite and offsite channels, underpinned by COREid, our proprietary identity resolution technology. COREid tracks the same person across app, web, and in-store touchpoints, enabling retailers to reach a more complete shopper audience from day one, including infrequent shoppers, in-store-only buyers, and shared-device households that most networks miss entirely.
Our integrated approach means retailers and brands are not stitching together multiple providers. Identity, ad serving, activation, and measurement sit within a single platform, reducing data loss, improving match rates, and connecting every impression back to actual purchase outcomes.
If you want to explore what that looks like for your retail media strategy, get in touch with our EMEA team.
---
## How to make your marketing smarter by addressing your digital bias
Type: eps_post
URL: /how-to-make-your-marketing-smarter-by-addressing-digital-bias
Last Modified: 2026-02-25T14:53:42Z
# How to make your marketing smarter by addressing your digital bias
For generations marketers have lived with John Wanamaker’s adage that half of advertising spend is wasted, we just don’t know which half.
The line has endured because measurement has always been imperfect. Even in the digital era, where precision promised to replace guesswork, blind spots remain. In 2026, one of the most expensive of these is digital media’s survivorship bias.
By optimising primarily against visible online conversions, brands risk overlooking the influence advertising has in store aisles, at restaurant counters and across other offline moments. That narrow view can distort performance, misdirect investment and quietly undermine annual planning.
Where attribution works today
Online-to-online journeys are well mapped: a shopper sees an ad, clicks through and completes a purchase on a website. Loyalty schemes add another layer of visibility by linking store sign-ups with later online behaviour.
These examples reflect genuine progress, but they represent the simplest journeys. In practice, most paths to purchase are neither linear nor fully digital. According to the ONS, as of 2025 29% of UK retail sales now occur online, which means the vast majority are still happening in-store.
For brands across many CPG, technology and hospitality categories, this creates a material gap. Digital activity may be driving footfall and revenue, but without evidence, budget naturally shifts elsewhere.
The in-store blind spot
In-store purchases often remain disconnected from digital media exposure. Even organisations with established loyalty programmes can struggle to connect offsite or onsite impressions with what happens at the till.
High-consideration categories highlight the issue. A TV purchase, for example, may unfold over several weeks, shaped by CTV, search, social and retail media listings. When the transaction happens in store, those digital signals can vanish from reporting, making campaigns appear less effective than they truly were.
The result is not just incomplete attribution, but flawed conclusions about which channels, audiences and messages are working.
Read more about how Currys connected cross-channel digital impressions to in-store sales
Common signs this blind spot is shaping decisions include
Offline sales consistently outperforming what digital reporting predicts
Certain audiences under-indexing online but remaining strong in-store
Channels earlier in the journey being deprioritised due to weak outcomes
Shedding more light on outcomes
Addressing survivorship bias starts with broadening what counts as success. Online checkouts dominate reporting largely because they are easy to measure, not because they tell the full story. Bringing physical sales into KPIs helps rebalance the picture and prevents performance from being reduced to e-commerce alone.
Segments that look weak online may be completing their journeys offline. Older shoppers are a clear example: harder to observe digitally, yet often loyal and highly valuable in store. When these groups are consistently undervalued, investment drifts away from customers who matter most.
The most important step is connecting online exposure with offline outcomes. Loyalty programmes play a role by providing consented, individual-level purchase data that can be linked back to campaign exposure. But loyalty data often stops at a single retailer’s boundary.
When loyalty signals and data collaboration work together, the result is a more people-centred view of the journey. What matters is not the channel but recognising the same person across the moments that shaped their decision.
Media exposures that happen days or weeks before a sale are no longer invisible, and optimisation systems stop rewarding only the most obvious touchpoints.
Find out more about Epsilon Loyalty
A turning point
After decades of uncertainty, one of advertising’s longest-standing blind spots is beginning to close. Survivorship bias has skewed decisions by limiting marketers to what they could easily observe. With better data collaboration and a renewed focus on people rather than proxies, that limitation is no longer inevitable.
Key takeaways for 2026
Measuring only visible conversions risks undervaluing offline impact
In-store outcomes are essential to understanding true campaign performance
Audience value often extends beyond what digital signals alone can show
Recognising people across touchpoints leads to more confident investment decisions
Unlocking the in-store view is more than a technical improvement. It signals a shift away from chasing the easiest metrics and towards understanding real behaviour and real outcomes. By acknowledging survivorship bias and addressing it directly, marketers establish a clearer view of what works and greater confidence in where to invest for growth.
---
## Buyers’ guidance for CTV in 2026
Type: eps_post
URL: /buyers-guidance-for-ctv-2026
Last Modified: 2026-06-19T09:52:49Z
# Buyers’ guidance for CTV in 2026
Connected TV enters 2026 with clear momentum. Guideline forecasts indicate the UK will be the second-fastest growing CTV market globally, behind only Canada.
Viewing behaviour is shifting just as decisively with LG reporting that 79% of CTV viewers now prefer lower-cost, ad-supported streaming. Meanwhile free, ad-supported TV in the UK has grown almost ten times faster than subscription video on demand over the past two years.
Yet for all that growth, buyer confidence has not fully caught up. CTV is widely discussed and regularly tested, but it is still approached with caution. Legacy TV assumptions sit alongside unresolved digital frustrations, leaving many planners unsure how much trust to place in the channel.
The familiar myths holding CTV back
Three objections continue to dominate CTV planning conversations. They are often framed as structural flaws rather than solvable planning challenges.
CTV is primarily a branding channel, with limited ability to drive measurable outcomes
The cost of entry is ubiquitously high, pricing challenger brands out through creative and media investment
Fragmentation makes reach, frequency and measurement hard to control
These concerns reflect how CTV looked several years ago and are far less representative of how the channel operates today.
Is CTV really just a branding channel?
Treating CTV as ‘TV’ has kept it anchored in the awareness bucket for too long. Much of today’s inventory is delivered through app-based environments that already support interaction and commerce.
That changes how the channel should be planned because CTV exposure does not simply influence behaviour elsewhere. In many cases, it already sits within shoppable, addressable digital contexts where viewers can act immediately, depending on the screen they are using.
This is why CTV increasingly behaves as a connective layer rather than a one-off broadcast moment. Exposure on the TV screen can be reinforced through sequential messaging on mobile or web, while app links allow brands to move audiences from awareness towards action without losing momentum.
Can you run CTV cost-effectively?
According to the IAB, the average household now watches programming across more than seven apps. Content rights and licensing arrangements encourage viewers to move between platforms daily, creating a complex path for buyers to follow.
But that breadth of supply also creates genuine competition for ad spend. In practice, it lowers prices and opens TV-scale environments to brands that could never afford traditional linear campaigns. Micro-campaigns, targeted at specific audiences rather than broad demographics, are now viable on multiple screens throughout the house.
Formats are evolving too. Options such as Netflix’s Pause Ads, which appear only when an episode is paused, reduce both creative complexity and production cost. The emphasis shifts away from emotive storytelling at scale and towards showing the right message to the right person at the right moment.
How can CTV deliver precise reach and frequency?
Fragmentation becomes a problem when buyers cannot recognise the same person across platforms. Without some sort of connective layer, duplication and inflated frequency quickly follow.
This is where identity resolution changes the equation. When disparate signals can be tied back to real people, buyers can control reach and frequency across platforms, suppress existing customers, and focus spend on audiences most likely to respond.
Just as importantly, exposure can be linked to outcomes rather than inferred impact. One of the biggest unresolved doubts in CTV is whether results are genuinely incremental or simply correlated with high-intent audiences who would have converted anyway.
Retail media partnerships show incrementality in action. At Currys, brands integrating targeted CTV alongside display activity saw conversions increase by 46% and in-store sales rise by 20%. That uplift was proven through identity-led, closed-loop measurement, directly connecting viewing to purchase behaviour.
Read more about our work with Currys
If you’re looking for a second opinion on CTV in 2026
CTV marks a departure from legacy TV planning cycles oriented around age-based buying, programme adjacency and blunt demographic assumptions. When buyers can recognise people across platforms, CTV can be planned and optimised alongside display, video and retail media using the same rules.
Epsilon works with brands and retailers to connect CTV into a wider digital system, anchored in person-level identity resolution and closed-loop measurement. That means fewer assumptions, less duplication and a clearer view of what is genuinely driving growth.
IDC MarketScape’s 2025 Worldwide Connected TV Advertising Platforms assessment named Epsilon a Leader for its unified, cross-channel approach.
If you want a fast, informed second opinion on where to place bets next year, we are always open to a conversation.
---
## 2023: The year of refining
Type: eps_post
URL: /2023-the-year-of-refining
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T22:17:52Z
# 2023: The year of refining
While 2022 was the year of innovating, 2023 will be a year for refining and perfecting. Brands and marketers will better hone their channel strategies and create the right experiences to retain people's attention. While the dust has begun to settle on shifting consumer behaviors, inflation may cause more stirs. Marketers need to lean in on learnings from 2022 and previous times of economic uncertainty to ensure a successful new year.
This upcoming year is forecasted to have $1.177 trillion in eRetail sales, 12.1% year over year growth and 218.8 million digital buyers—is your brand prepared? Publicis Commerce and Epsilon looked at trends for the next year that marketers need to know.
Channel strategy
In 2023, connecting with consumers at the right touchpoints will become more defined and accurate, and creating 1:1 relationships using data becomes even more vital. It's no surprise brands will need to continue leveraging data to better tailor online experiences — but it's important to develop a tactile strategy rather than trying to reach your customers on every channel (social, dot com, retail, marketplaces, OTT and more). A brand’s owned site should be the hub of their online experiences and act as an anchor for consumers as well as a reliable point of purchase.
Emily Staples, Senior Associate of Commerce Strategy at Publicis Commerce, emphasizes that consumer journeys continue to be less linear. As a result, "it’s important to understand CRM and how it interacts with commerce. This helps you create personalization, seamless experiences, and build consumer loyalty."
Vice President of Product Management at Epsilon Lori Kimpton echoes these sentiments. “While brands may often focus solely on either a lower or upper funnel strategy, it's important to think about bringing these two together to create a more unified customer experience. Journey unification is going to be key - so while many brands may have historically thought about customer touchpoints in siloes and talk to their customers in disjointed ways, the focus should now be on developing holistic customer strategies and personalization."
According to Tyler McDaniel, Vice President of Product Management at Epsilon, opportunities in journey orchestration are a key strategy for brands to look to in 2023 as well. "[These] come in two facets" he says, "improving channel coordination with the integration of first-party data and applying journey orchestration across all channels."
Digital experience
As the attention economy becomes more competitive and consumers are surfing multiple channels at once, the online experiences brands provide become more important.
Live commerce, the combination of streaming video and e-commerce is becoming more popular as photos are no longer enough to convince shoppers to convert. The next digital experience voyage is within voice capabilities—this includes voice search on websites, voice reviews, and voice devices becoming more adapted in consumers shopping experiences.
But live commerce strategies aren't necessarily a one-size-fits-all for every market. For instance, what works in parts of Asia or Europe might not be a fit for those in North America. "Publicis Commerce has been working with a number of partners and platforms to bring live commerce experiences to life in ways that make sense for consumers in the western market," Staples says.
The creator economy continues to play a huge rule in influencing consumers' purchasing habits. As the area becomes more saturated, it's now not only important to partner with the right influencers but also encourage everyday consumers to produce advocating content on your brands behalf. Use user generated content in your marketing for more authentic messaging.
Consumer journey
As shifting behaviors become clearer, the consumer journey is redefined with new priorities.
Gen Z have become more prominent purchasers in 2022 and they aren’t turning to search when it comes to discovering products. Discovery now begins at social. According to Staples, "Gen Z are another year older and are more of a force than ever. Their drive of #tiktokmademebuyit has taught marketers new strategies that are being applied to other social platforms, media, and shopper marketing, which will only grow stronger in 2023." Brands need to start refining their social content to help with the discovery process and build out their social storefronts to collapse the funnel.
As inflation becomes an increasing barrier for sales, consumers are spending more time researching before they buy. This includes wanting more proactive customer service, leaving and reading more extensive online reviews, and interacting with brands through chatbots. Be prepared to monitor more channels for consumer feedback and requests.
This means brands need to engage in more meaningful ways with customers they already have, according to Kimpton. "Engaging in deeper conversations is key," she says. Also, with customers potentially spending less, brands will need to invest in finding more customers, which is where the use of data assets becomes a valuable lifeline. Solutions such as clean rooms and digital CDPs can be used to acquire and communicate with customers that look like your brands best customers.
Data and tech
New technology and data access allow for more efficient ways to manage commerce and reach consumers.
Many developers will opt to go "headless" in 2023. This means your frontend and backend are decoupled. This architecture comes with a plethora of benefits including more flexibility, channel connectivity and deeper personalization for an enriched customer experience.
With the loss of cookies, more brands have turned online touchpoints into battle grounds for consumer data. This includes using quizzes, polls and surveys to collect information. Brands also need to consider heightened consumer desires around data protection. So, collect that data and hold it tight.
As McDaniel points out, "Don't take your foot off the gas for first-party data strategies even if it's hard or messy because it's a foundational step. Once this is established, brands can start to apply AI and machine learning to acquire customers and create look alike analyses and align new customers to a consumer journey. With brands sitting on more valuable data, it's also important to take a look at monetization strategies on that data, obviously with consent and privacy remaining top of mind."
The sophistication of AI has reached a point where it can help brands in several ways. Aside from machine learning models, other applications include forms of inventory management, various roles in customer service with chatbots and personalization of product recommendations. "Automate with intelligence," McDaniel says, which rests on a foundation of identity solutions. "We've seen consumers make a hard right on 'opt out' as they are bombarded with irrelevant messaging, but the customers benefit when the degree of relevance is greater."
Whether your brand is looking to create seamless offline and online experiences, increase brand loyalty through commerce experiences or cement an identity resolution, Epsilon can help your brand turn New Year’s resolutions into tangible results.
---
## There's more to clean rooms than just anonymizing data
Type: eps_post
URL: /theres-more-to-clean-rooms-than-just-anonymizing-data
Last Modified: 2025-10-03T13:58:12Z
# There's more to clean rooms than just anonymizing data
When clean rooms were first introduced, they served as secure, protected environments where personally identifiable information was anonymized, processed and stored for measurement or data transformations in a privacy-compliant way.
But now clean rooms have evolved to perform a number of tasks that go beyond their original capabilities. Many major brands are using these new capacities to drive innovation, illustrating how others can use clean rooms to unlock bigger gains for themselves.
Here are three innovative ways marketers are currently using clean rooms via Epsilon PeopleCloud clean room partnerships.
Go beyond traditional retail media
Retail media networks are the talk of the marketing town, and one major pharmacy retailer is using clean rooms to make its media network more effective. With new clean-room solutions, the retailer’s brand advertisers are able to run campaigns more openly on their own terms. With Epsilon PeopleCloud clean room solutions, and through a data sharing collaboration agreement, brands can now have access to curated sets of data owned by the retailers themselves. This enables them identify overlap, create custom audiences and learn more about prospects and customers thanks to precise behavioral data points previously unknown from such brands. It also creates a way for retailers to directly monetize parts of their owned transactional data, with one or several brands at a time.
But now clean rooms have evolved to perform a number of tasks that go beyond their original capabilities.
With the new services, brand advertisers can maximize the reach and scale of campaigns across all digital channels. Advertisers can activate across the retailer’s media network DSP powered by Epsilon DMS, as well as receive audiences within their external DSPs for activation, with more connections being added in the future. Based on CORE ID, closed-loop reporting is possible where advertisers tie campaign performance to the retailer’s sales data and optimize to drive efficiency, results and learnings for future campaigns.
Create a single customer view across channels
A multi-brand jewelry retailer had a problem: Its customer data was disjointed across brands, negatively impacting its ability to develop propensity and attribution models. The retailer had a limited ability to test the agency of record’s (AOR) performance due to existing media commitments and click-based metrics limited its understanding of multichannel engagements and personalization.
To create a single customer view, the retailer combined its online and offline customer data leveraging Epsilon’s clean room solution. It built a test to evaluate its clean room audiences against the AOR’s audiences, and had acquisition via Google’s DV360, Facebook and email. The brand also delivered personalized product category recommendations in emails.
With Epsilon’s help, the jewelry retailer created a dashboard for its CMO that highlighted inefficiencies across vendors and demonstrated optimal channel combinations.
After all this, the retailer saw a 27% year-over-year increase in new customer sales while reaching 54% fewer prospects, significantly diminishing media waste; they also witnessed two times higher revenue for existing customers on Facebook and DV360. The brand opted to reach fewer prospects in favor of reaching more existing customers who had stronger lifetime value and therefore repurchasing opportunity for the brand. The retailer had 1.5 times higher conversion rates for PeopleCloud audiences vs. the AOR, and 2.8 times lift in revenue per person when received email and display vs. display alone.
Uncover growth audiences and increase ROI
A popular national coffee chain wanted to move from a view of just its loyalty customers to a persistent and connected view of all its guests to drive incremental store visits and increase revenue. It also wanted to include people who frequented competitor brands and potential customers in this view.
Using a clean room solution enabling privacy, psedudonymization of data and holistic customer views, the brand was able to merge multiple data assets, keeping identity at the center for ultra-targeted marketing. The brand used third-party location data to segment the population based on level of loyalty to the brand, time-of-day preference and category shopping frequency. And then, the coffee chain used both owned and competitive store visitation data to size and percent the most relevant population.
The coffee chain assessed every individual’s average in-store spend and averaged at the segment level, then predicted the ability to increase users’ frequency of store visits by analyzing the likelihood of individuals in given segments to move up in visitation trends. Using this strategy, the brand saw a 35% in-store lift visitation for targeted audiences and had four growth audiences.
Data clean rooms are a new technology in the advertising space, and as brands and tech partners dig into their capabilities, it’s clear that the use cases go far beyond the original intent of the technology.
This article was originally published on Adweek, December 2022.
---
## 1:You personalization with Dunkin' and AutoZone
Type: eps_post
URL: /1you-personalization-with-dunkin-and-autozone
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# 1:You personalization with Dunkin' and AutoZone
Numerous articles have been written about personalization throughout the past few years, but what’s different today is that we’re able to actually implement personalized messages, campaigns and experiences for our customers. When our strategy is supported by data sets and analytics, along with technology, our personalization goals are attainable and we’re able to communicate on a 1:You level.
1:You is about having a conversation with your customer, not just communicating to them. This means brands must anticipate and encourage feedback and create a dialog, assuming the customer wants to engage that way.
At this year's Loyalty Expo event, our own Tad Fordyce and Brad MacDonald participated in a panel with clients AutoZone and Dunkin’. During the panel, we had an interactive conversation on the topic of personalization, Forget 1:1. 1:You is the new reality when it comes to personalization.
During the panel, we discussed key themes around personalization, including the role of the human (your people or employees), the influence of the mobile app (your platform) and how consumer privacy comes into play.
Let’s further explore these themes.
The role of the human (your employees)
People are yearning for the human experience and it’s the next evolution of personalization.
As marketers, you need to engage your employees to create 1:You relationships with your customers. Brands who exhibit best practices encourage employees to enroll in the program and become advocates.
Darin Smith, Director of Loyalty for AutoZone, shared a 1:You experience as it relates to fishing: “When I go to my local bait and tackle store, I buy the fishing supplies I need for that day's excursion. But in thinking of how the store can take it a step further, the associate could share the best ‘spot’ to put the hook in the water, and/or the best bait to use at this location. It’s about creating the experience for your customers.”
As marketers, we need to invest in our employees and provide them with the tools and technologies so they can connect with customers beyond the product specifics. As Epsilon’s Brad MacDonald shared, “Nothing creates a stronger 1:You experience than human interaction”.
Technology and the influence of the mobile app
Having the right technology (such as a scalable platform) is essential for executing a 1:You strategy.
Saad Khalid, Senior IT Manager of CRM & Loyalty of Dunkin’ said, “Our platform is growing significantly, and the mobile app brings the 1:You concept to life. Within the app, we present content that’s relevant to what our members are interested in. We’re always thinking about dynamic content and capitalizing on things like the NHL playoffs, or the MLB’s opening day. It’s 1:You and your local team and with the mobile app, it’s drives behavior in-store and on the platform.”
And testing is an essential component. Saad shared how they had their employees test an offer that launched within the mobile app in which a hot beverage was available to be customized by preferred flavor, however, it was limited to only three flavor shots. Employees shared how they preferred flavors beyond which was offered, so Dunkin’ took their feedback to heart and perceived this as ‘the voice of the customer’ and modified the offering to allow members to personalize their own beverage with the flavor shot of their choice. Since then, the app engagement has skyrocketed.
How consumer privacy comes into play
Consider privacy regulation as an opportunity, not a barrier.
Epsilon’s Tad Fordyce, SVP of Loyalty, said “GDPR and CCPA are introducing additional complexities for brands, but if viewed as an opportunity to reach out to customers and proactively ask them how they’d like to engage with the brand is important. Customers value their privacy, and brands can increase customer loyalty if they demonstrate they are good stewards of customer identity.”
Download the e-book: From 1:1 to 1:You
— Personalizing the loyalty experience
As you continue to enhance your personalization strategy, remember to take a crawl-walk-run approach. Put an achievable plan in place and make sure to create a culture within your organization, from the top down, in which everyone understands why the need to create 1:You connections is essential for success.
And always keep front and center the value your brand brings to your personalization strategy. We refer to this ‘brand value’ as Big L Loyalty which is the passion, dedication, feelings, emotional connection and trust consumers establish with your brand that motivates them to continue their purchases and move through the customer lifecycle towards lifetime brand loyalty.
---
## Disney+ and Netflix adopting the old network ad model. Do we follow?
Type: eps_post
URL: /disney-and-netflix-are-adopting-the-old-network-ad-model-should-brands-follow
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Disney+ and Netflix adopting the old network ad model. Do we follow?
The race is on to turn the entertainment platforms of the future into the legacy broadcast networks of yesteryear.
That's how it seems, as the popular streaming services Netflix and Disney+ introduce ad-supported tiers. They're joining peer streamers like Hulu, Peacock, Paramount+ and HBO Max. These services already offer a variety of subscription tiers with and without ads. New offerings represent a potential bonanza for marketers. That's because Netflix and Disney+ are streaming titans, each boasting premium content, solid reputations and huge audiences.
But there's a catch—a couple of them, in fact.
First, both companies are charging exceptionally high prices to advertisers. According to reports, Netflix asks about $65 CPM, and Disney charges up to $80 CPM. That's substantially higher than most other streamers, with Hulu, Peacock and Paramount+ all in the $20-$40 CPM range.
The other obstacle relates to the severely limited targeting capabilities on offer. After launching its ad-supported tier in November, Netflix enabled advertisers to target based on only a few broad categories like genre and country. They did this while promising some additional segmentation categories down the road, like age and gender.
Ads buys based only on broad-strokes audience characteristics? In an era where advertisers are accustomed to using rich, first-party data to reach specific consumers?
The Next Big Thing in video advertising looks a lot like the process of buying a network-TV ad two decades ago.
That realization is sparking a moment of reckoning for advertisers, who must decide how strongly they value advanced tracking capabilities and cross-channel resolution compared to raw reach. Many advertisers might choose not to spend big to chase customers reachable elsewhere.
Instead, they'll likely determine they prefer the specially and measurability afforded by solutions enabling them to recognize individuals or household members across multiple devices and content platforms.
That level of visibility is incredibly valuable, as it can foster stronger customer relationships and better ad fatigue management. And it can also provide greater insight into TV ads' role relative to a brand's broader marketing mix across channels ranging from podcasts to online video and display.
Where the industry is heading
The path forward is programmatic ad buys that allow brands to connect to individuals across devices and platforms using identity solutions such as Epsilon's CORE ID. That's where the industry is heading. In many senses, it's already arrived. Epsilon's connected TV offering provides advertisers access to an abundance of streaming and linear video inventory that supports exactly that sort of targeted, measurable, cross-channel campaigns. Epsilon's recently expanded partnership with iSpot.tv even extends that capability into linear TV.
Emerging programmatic ad exchanges
Of course, those emerging programmatic ad exchanges will likely eventually include Netflix, Disney+, and any other streamer eager to compete at the top of the market. There are signs Disney+ is already headed in that direction.
Netflix, meanwhile, surprised many industry observers last summer when it tapped Microsoft as the tech partner to support its ad business. One clue is Microsoft's late 2021 acquisition of programmatic exchange Xandr, which it purchased from AT&T. Xandr's presence within Microsoft suggests that perhaps Netflix also knows the future is targeted and programmatic.
A slow-play transition?
One reason Netflix may be slow-playing its transition is that it will likely take time for Microsoft and Xandr to integrate fully. Another reason is that Netflix seems to be taking a labor-intensive approach to preparing its content for ads by manually identifying and marking the ideal insertion points within content that weren't originally designed to include commercial breaks. Awkward CTV ad interruptions are not exactly winning points with consumers.
What that suggests is that Netflix and Disney both are interested in ad-supported content. And both believe it will rely on programmatic ad buys that facilitate strong identity resolution across channels, just like most of the rest of the ads people are served on digital devices.
Yet both companies are also waiting for their markets and platforms to mature. And remember, the vast majority of the hundreds of millions of subscribers to Netflix and Disney+ are currently on the streaming services' paid plans and, thus, inaccessible to advertisers. So the companies are launching their ad-supported tiers using an old model—as old as over-the-air network television—and hoping that advertisers are willing to go along for the ride based on the companies' audiences and reputation.
It's a smart move, especially considering that many advertisers are so familiar with the old network model that some will likely forget it's no longer good business. But the better play for brands is to push forward with an ad-buying strategy rooted in identity and enabling rich targeting—not only on CTV and streaming platforms but across devices. By building those muscles, brands will see better measurement and ROI in the short term and be ready for the grown-up version of programmatic streaming whenever it finally arrives.
---
## Ad Age Next ICYMI: CTV Takeaways for 2023
Type: eps_post
URL: /ad-age-next-icymi-ctv-takeaways-for-2023
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T22:16:49Z
# Ad Age Next ICYMI: CTV Takeaways for 2023
As brands and marketers from across the CTV ecosystem scramble to make sense of their rapidly changing landscape, there's lots of value in coming together and sharing notes. That's what happened when industry publication Ad Age hosted two CTV-related installments of its "Ad Age Next" conference series in New York City late last year. Marketers gathered in Manhattan to hear speakers from companies like Netflix, Roku and Google share their thoughts about where CTV is heading in 2023.
Conference Highlights
In November, Epsilon sponsored Ad Age Next: Streaming, a conference focused on the state of the streaming industry. The following month, Epsilon's Chief Product Officer, Joe Doran, was a featured speaker at Ad Age Next: CMO, appearing on a panel to discuss the state of CTV performance measurement.
If you were there, you got a head start on many key trends and insights that will shape CTV marketing in 2023. If you weren't, fear not—we've still got you covered. Read on for a half-dozen takeaways from the conferences regarding how marketers should approach CTV this year.
1. Netflix's bare-bones ad system won't stay that way for long
Netflix's VP of Advertising Sales, Peter Naylor, spoke at Ad Age Next: Streaming the week after his company launched its ad-supported tier. This tier has limited targeting capabilities and hasn't exactly been a hit with audiences. But Naylor described the current offering as an MVP, or minimum viable product, and signaled the company's intent to move quickly toward the cutting edge in areas like targeting capabilities and ad placement.
2. We're still waiting on a gold standard for CTV measurement
Brands are eager to track CTV performance, but no solution has broken through as an industry standard. That means there's an opportunity for some companies to develop a winner. It also creates an incentive for brands to experiment and think through the performance metrics that are most valuable to them and how best to think about traditional metrics, like currency in the CTV landscape.
3. We're also waiting—but somewhat less patiently—for fully realized audience insights
Epsilon's Joe Doran predicted that brands would spend 2023 agitating to improve their understanding of CTV audiences. He said there's a great appetite amongst marketers for greater clarity into audience insight and a full feedback loop that includes purchasing behavior. And as the year continues, they'll clamor more loudly for partners that can provide them with that level of insight.
4. Consumer goods retailers are shifting ad spend to CTV faster than the broader market
This topic arose during the Ad Age Next: CMO conference, and panelist Tal Chalozin, founder and CTO of Innovid, said CPGs' leadership shouldn't come as a surprise—those companies have long been major ad-industry players, both in terms of overall spend and their embrace of new technologies. CTV makes sense because of its targeting capabilities.
That remark prompted a follow-up question about the extent to which the availability of retail data affects the appeal of CTV for consumer marketers. Marci Raible, VP of integrated marketing at Campbell Soup Co., likened the insights from emerging convergence tools to a holy grail for data-driven marketers. Epsilon's Doran pointed out that CTV insights and retail data can give marketers a new level of clarity into customer decision-making and how effective specific messages are at leading to purchases or other brand engagements.
5. Marketers are still coming to grips with CTV's multiplicity of channels, platforms and devices
Linear TV may be the technology of yesteryear, but one thing working in its favor is that it's relatively straightforward to understand. The same can't be said for the emerging world of CTV, where tracking customers across different screens and devices is a challenge matched only by the task marketers face in keeping up with the constantly multiplying number of streaming platforms and inventory options.
In response, many brands are viewing this moment in CTV's evolution as an opportunity to test different strategies and experiment with various platforms and approaches, iterating as they go. The idea is, in part, to ensure that they're covering their bases in 2023 while minimizing redundant spending. But the strategy is also intended to set them up for future success as they learn the pros and cons of various strategies and emerging technologies. They'll learn their favorites and be prepared to act quickly in the event of market consolidation.
6. This is going to be fun
So much seems possible regarding CTV marketing right now, from its "full-funnel" potential to CTV's growing prominence and its encroachment upon the last strongholds of linear TV, such as live sports. There's plenty still to be worked out—and an all-out push to get there as quickly as possible. But there was a widely shared sense at the Ad Age Next conferences that CTV marketing can open exciting new possibilities for marketers regarding targeted reach, audience insight and, eventually, precise measurement.
Look ahead to the future of CTV marketing
Epsilon is excited about the future of CTV marketing and proud to be part of a community of innovative companies helping to make CTV effective for marketers in 2023, even as we also work to help shape the industry's future.
---
## 3 ways to listen to the voice of the customer
Type: eps_post
URL: /3-ways-to-listen-to-the-voice-of-the-customer
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# 3 ways to listen to the voice of the customer
Marketers often plan and align loyalty programs and promotions to match larger marketing plans. While intentions are good, this approach can result in too heavy of a focus on internal goals instead of actually listening to the voice of the customer.
Why? Because customer feedback comes through multiple channels (in-store, online, social, etc.) and sources (sales, surveys, etc.) and synthesizing the feedback is no easy task.
To truly evolve programs and meet customer expectations, the voice of the customer must be heard.
Here I review three recommendations for how marketers can better listen to the voice of the customers and incorporate those efforts into loyalty programs:
Listen to your call center team
Customer service reps collect valuable information from customers (and loyalty members) on how your program is doing. Think about the insights reps can receive on the ‘front line’. These interactions are an opportunity to learn more about a customer’s interests to inform future interactions and ultimately influence purchasing decisions.
Have you ever called LL Bean’s customer service department? They answer by the second ring and with their phone number recognition system, they have the ability to know and talk to the individual customer.
Additionally, customer service reps are able to view all purchases made, regardless of the channel. Their mission of providing legendary customer service through Guaranteed to Last™ products has enabled the retailer to officially be named the Customer Service Champion.
Your call center is truly a 1:You experience and the insights gathered via this channel are vital to a successful loyalty program and customer experience.
Integrate customer behaviors from all channels
With customers interacting across multiple channels, it is important to ensure you are listening to them across all touchpoints.
For example, a customer’s voice could be very different in-store versus online. To put it in perspective, when I shop in-store at home improvement stores, I purchase seasonal items like fertilizer for my lawn, mulch for my flowerbeds and paint for touch ups. When I shop online, I tend to purchase everyday items such as batteries or light bulbs.
No matter where or how I have purchased, following a great experience with a product, I am likely to share a positive review on the retailer’s website. If the home improvement store is only listening to me in one channel, they are not going to understand my wants, needs, interests and preferred shopping methods.
Having a complete customer view across multiple channels provides the retailer with greater insight into what will motivate my future purchase behavior. Then, integrating this customer knowledge into personalized promotional campaigns will allow you to deliver a 1:You experience to customers.
Don’t dismiss the power of your loyalty program
Think about all the data contained within your loyalty program. Here, members opt-in and share their interests, purchase preferences, demographic information and so much more.
Loyalty members typically have a lot to say (both good and bad), and share more honest and consistent feedback because there is an established relationship with the brand. Within the loyalty program, marketers should create a way for members to provide feedback easily.
For example, establishing a customer forum or focus group will allow you to learn what is working and what is not, and provide insights into behaviors and opportunities. These insights will give you ideas for how to modify program benefits (and promotions) and allow for you to start connecting with members on a 1:You level.
By better listening to your ‘best’ customers, you can learn a great deal on program improvements or validate what you are currently doing. Additionally, you’ll create greater trust and an overall stronger relationship driving a better program and enhanced ROI for your business.
As you’re evaluating your program capabilities, think about what you need to better listen to your customers. Assess your technology solution, service capabilities and data insights along with your program strategy.
Do you have the right tools and processes in place to truly listen to each and every customer and establish the 1:You connection? Connect with us to learn more.
**This post originally appeared on L360.
---
## Can retail media recession proof retailers during an economic downturn?
Type: eps_post
URL: /can-retail-media-recession-proof-retailers-during-an-economic-downturn
Last Modified: 2026-05-01T13:26:31Z
# Can retail media recession proof retailers during an economic downturn?
When shoppers start counting the pennies during a recession, retailers must work even harder to secure every sale.
For example, there was a 7% drop in sales volumes immediately after Christmas 2022, the lowest volume growth recorded over nine months, reflecting the concerns shoppers have about the cost of living crisis.
And retailers were reaching for the sales stickers even before the cost of living crisis took hold. Way back in early autumn 2022, for example, fashion bible Drapers reported retailers were being panicked into discounting. It said Asos was discounting "almost everything" at 80%", while fast-fashion rival Boohoo held a "75% off everything" sale.
But the gloomy economic outlook doesn't mean you should ramp up your sales and discounts as well. That's the last thing you should consider. A race to the bottom on price slashes margins devalues the brand and is in nobody's best interests. It’s also particularly damaging during a period of high inflation.
Just because there’s a recession, it doesn’t mean consumers stop spending. Instead, they prioritise their purchases. This means you need to understand your customers and work harder and smarter to convince them your goods and services are worth it. Apple is a perfect example of this. Despite its premium price tag, it boasts a loyal band of customers who will buy its tech, no matter what.
During the economic downturn, retailers are increasingly turning to retail media. They're doing this to steer the conversation away from discounts to protect profits. As a result of retail media ad sales, revenues have risen by 24% during the past year.
Epsilon’s CORE ID can help you identify and personalise media to reach more than 200 million consumers globally, accelerating your retail media success. But what is retail media and how can it help you?
What is retail media?
In simple terms, retail media is marketing close or near the point of sale. Common retail media use cases include brick-and-mortar store advertising, sampling, loyalty programmes and coupons or vouchers.
When it’s used on your digital sales channels or the open web, however, things start to get exciting. A digital retail media approach enables you to act as a media owner. You can create personalised advertising opportunities either for yourself or for brands. It often brings a new, high-margin, high-value stream of media revenue alongside your core retailer business.
Most big-name retailers have now built, either on their own or with the help of a tech partner, a retail media business. It’s an industry set to be worth $6 billion in the UK alone by 2025.
According to research digital retail media in 2023 is going to grow 7.8 times as fast as the total digital ad market. This growth is due to the quality of retail media data and its ability to deliver measurable impact during the recession.
What are the different types of retail media?
There are at least three different types of retail media. These are onsite (ads displayed on retailers’ digital channels), offsite (ads displayed on the open web, social channels & email) and in-store (ads in brick-and-mortar stores).
Of these three, onsite advertising offers the highest margin for retailers and the greatest level of precision, measurability, and performance for advertisers. The two most common onsite ad formats are:
● Sponsored products – the promotion of products in a category, search results and product pages. Sold via cost-per-click auction, this is all about driving conversion and securing a share of the digital shelf.
● Display – banners where advertisers can target specific shopper audiences with static or dynamic (including product data and call to action) branded content. This is a mid-funnel format targeting shoppers in the consideration phase.
Creating retail media conversations that convert customers Retail media is particularly effective because content can be tailored to individual customers. This is achieved using a technique called dynamic content optimisation (DCO),This enables you to talk one-to-one with customers about the topics they care about most.
A great example of this is using shopper data to spot customers concerned about the planet. You can then use retail media channels to focus on the green benefit of your products. This might include sustainable manufacture, recycled materials and a low carbon footprint. Other customers may respond positively to well-being messages. In this instance, you can major in the health benefits of your products and services.
Time and channel are two other key considerations. A customer may usually buy a product late at night after several views on their mobile phone. Seasonality is also important. Does your customer spend big during Black Friday, or do they save their money for the Spring bonus season? Once you've gathered this data you can leverage the best trigger topic at the right time using the right channel to win the sale.
Sometimes the effect may be more subtle. Grocery display advertising, for example, seldom results in a 'last-click' attribution sale. When used carefully, however, it can build brand visibility and sales over a longer period.
The benefits are such that 96% of retailer businesses in the UK now have a waiting time for brands who want to place ads on their site. Such is the demand for retail media that long-tail brands are queuing up, as well as larger brands with varied product lines, to showcase personalised ad content.
4 steps towards retail media success
There are four steps retailers must take if you want to design a winning retail media strategy:
1. First, you need to identify your customers. Before you can deliver killer content, you need to know who you are talking to. Armed with this information you can speak to customers on a one-to-one level.
2. Discover the topics your customers care about. Then use this information to streamline your product lines. You can also identify the best verticals and ensure you keep innovating in those areas. If you do this, your messaging will not only be on point, your products will also remain highly relevant.
3. Communicate product innovation to customers. The product development budget is one of the few areas that isn’t scaled back during a recession. That's because it’s so important to consumers. Don't be shy about innovation efforts, use your retail media network to shout about them.
4. The last action is measurement. Incremental return on ad spend (IROAS) is a key marketing metric, that can be measured in isolation over and above existing paid media channels, no matter where we are in the economic cycle. If you can measure IROAS you'll be able to track campaign performance in your retail media network and adjust your strategy to get the best results.
Why retail media matters during a recession?
Retail media is a powerful tool during an economic downturn for two key reasons. It not only helps retailers compete against the likes of Amazon, which has reduced margins. It also gives you a powerful new revenue stream, so you can make money through data and advertising services. This is a big shift in traditional retail business models, but during a recession, you need to find value – and revenue – wherever it may be.
Unless you’re going to invest heavily in a full retail media tech stack it is going to be tough for retailers to maximise benefits. Medium and large-sized retailers will most likely have to outsource elements. That could include CRM, data warehousing and data activation, right the way through to engineering, insights, reporting, and metrics. Retail media is here to stay, so it’s well worth the investment if you can find a partner that’s right for your company.
How can Epsilon help?
Is your company struggling to generate value during the recession? Epsilon’s single turnkey retail media solution will help you achieve 30% – 40% incremental lift in customer reach, maximising revenue which can be specifically attributed down to a SKU or product level.
Find out more about Epsilon Retail Media
---
## Loss of third-party cookies costing publishers - unless they act
Type: eps_post
URL: /loss-of-tpc-could-cost-publishers-and-broadcasters
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T22:16:49Z
# Loss of third-party cookies costing publishers - unless they act
Google keeps pushing back its deprecation deadline for third-party cookies, with the latest target set for the end of 2024. Brands across industries are bracing for the impact, but those who rely heavily on third-party cookies to power their marketing intelligence are in for a bumpy ride. For affected businesses like broadcasters and publishers, two sectors that historically lean on third-party cookies, there are two ways to respond:
Seize the delay as an opportunity to better prepare for a delicate transition with enormous revenue implications
Use the delay as an excuse to continue ignoring a complicated, challenging issue
Unfortunately, far too many media companies choose the latter option. That approach will cost them.
“Publishers need to start conversations about their first-party data strategy today,” said Briian Wilson, Vice President of Media Acquisitions at Epsilon. “There is incremental opportunity right now and companies that aren’t engaging with first-party data are missing out.”
Potential loss of revenue
Programmatic display and audience extension ads are the bulk of the broadcasting world's revenue, and third-party cookies remain king for most publishers with digital ad spend. In the past, they've relied on third-party cookies to drive the growth of interest-based advertising campaigns.
U.S. broadcasters would lose $2.1 billion annually, according to a new report by the National Association of Broadcasters (NAB) in conjunction with research firm Borrell Associates. That's 6.3% of the industry's total digital advertising revenue, constituting more than a $1 million yearly loss for the average TV station.
The report estimates that by the end of 2024, when third-party cookie deprecation is set to occur, the losses could increase by nearly 40%. Publishers have it even worse: the Interactive Advertising Bureau estimates publishers' exposure at up to $10 billion in lost revenue without third-party cookies.
Yet instead of working feverishly to develop an alternative strategy, many TV and radio executives are taking a more passive approach. Only 27% of the broadcasters surveyed in the NAB report have a dedicated team working on a transition plan. Wilson said publishers, including broadcasters, need to start looking toward a stronger data strategy, which includes first-party data.
“Third-party cookies have been widely used by publishers and marketers for many years,” Wilson said. “But third-party cookies have issues. Third-party cookies cause blind spots into the data publishers have available. We frequently run into publishers who feel first-party data will benefit them more, and it’s possible to implement a strong first-party data strategy.”
Building a better data strategy
The most proactive organizations are coalescing around first-party data-driven strategies as the way forward, a uniquely promising solution for publishers and broadcasters that often have a large, frequently interactive audience.
“First party data is valuable because it is collected directly from the source: think website or webpage where a site visitor enters their data to sign up for a newsletter, access site content or make a purchase,” Wilson said. “This data is directly provided to the site and is not impacted by cookie clearing or cookie expiration. It is unique to the property that is visited and thus creates a trustworthy source of data.”
With existing first-party data at their fingertips, broadcasters—and publishers in general—can more closely and accurately examine their data and drive more precise outcomes, including an increase in traffic. Coupled with a strong identity solution, it creates a stream of data that continually gets smarter and works harder.
“They don’t know what they don’t know,” Wilson said. “There’s a gap of knowledge there, and when you understand what data you have and how it’s gathered, you can generate more incremental lift.”
An increase in the value of first-party data
Another reason publishers are looking toward first-party data? Bigger returns. The NAB report highlights a 2019 study showing advertisers will pay a 2.8x premium for behaviorally targeted ads, an appetite likely to continue after third-party cookies are gone. New first-party data strategies could also signal new revenue streams and boosted engagement.
First-party data is an exceptionally powerful asset because it is collected directly from the source and isn't impacted by cookie clearing or expiration. It's a trustworthy source of data and can help brands and better understand consumer preferences and behaviors.
When used in concert with additional customer insights or attached to an identity solution like Epsilon's CORE ID, that first-party data enables a fuller, more personalized, cross-channel behavioral picture. Identity helps publishers identify individuals already interacting and transacting with a brand, which means incremental lift right away.
Wilson said publishers of all type, including broadcasters, need to be having conversations long before Chrome gets rid of third-party cookies. And while it seems like an undertaking, she recommends starting small.
“The first step to building a solid first-party data strategy is understanding what data you currently have and how it's being gathered,” she said. “Once you have an understanding of what you have today, talk to your demand and data partners to gain an understanding of what first-party data solutions they recommend to start monetizing that data, then look at ways to improve your current structure.”
If you're ready to future-proof your marketing, check out our guide on creating a first-party data strategy.
---
## Debunking 4 retail media myths
Type: eps_post
URL: /debunking-retail-media-myths
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Debunking 4 retail media myths
Retail media momentum is showing no signs of slowing.
eMarketer predicts retail media will be the fastest-growing ad channel through 2027, hitting a whopping $109.4 billion. But hold your horses! In this gold rush, misconceptions are spreading faster than a TikTok trend.
Don't worry, I'm your Retail Media Mythbuster (think of Adam Savage with a retail media hat on) here to separate fact from fiction and keep your retail media strategy on point. Let's dive in!
Myth No. 1: "Old-school digital strategies work just fine for retail media."
Retailers and brands often think of retail media as an extension of their digital or national media strategies, overlooking the unique context within the retail media space requiring unique technology and activation strategies.
It’s not enough to simply apply standard programmatic audience building and traditional direct-buying mentalities to offsite and onsite retail media advertising. Retailers need solutions that are geared toward collecting more data—and getting the most out of it.
Retailers’ need to expand beyond their website visitors that they've used for retargeting efforts in the past and instead work to turn every shopper across in-store and digital properties into an opportunity for brands to engage. Similarly, brands need to adjust their strategies to take full advantage of the shopper data available to them.
Shopper-first retail media targeting means moving beyond the assumption- and segment-based targeting tactics of national digital media, and instead leverage intelligent AI modeling to understand past shopping behavior to inform who they should be engaging with. Targeting capabilities that focus on reaching a static audience based on limited data means limited results for brands. AI targeting uses smart modeling, which looks at past and current shopping behaviors to predict future behaviors. This enables brands to reach the right shoppers in real time.
Reality check: Retail media is a whole new beast. It's like trying to use a horse and buggy to win the Indy 500. Forget retargeting and segment-based strategies. To win, you need granular data and cutting-edge AI that knows shoppers better than their best friend.
Myth No. 2: "All AI is created equal."
There’s a fervor around AI in digital marketing, but marketers shouldn’t be fooled by claims of “AI is the future, so any and all AI drives success.”
The fact of the matter is that AI is only as good as its model and the data it's built on. AI that isn’t built to leverage shopper-level data isn’t built for retail media and won’t drive the strongest results. As the saying goes, "garbage in is garbage out;" without good, persistent shopper identity being fed into a model for identifying, finding and reaching shoppers, an AI model is useless.
For retail media, the best AI is SKU-based predictive AI. Predictive AI powered by verified first-party data which takes into account SKU level insights allows marketers to reach shoppers who are truly ready to buy with messaging that is relevant to them on an individual level.
Reality check: Just because it's shiny and new doesn't mean it's gold. AI is only as good as the data it's fed. For retail media, that means SKU-level insights and verified first-party data. Think of it like baking a cake: Garbage ingredients equals garbage cake. Demand AI that's built on shopper-level data. Otherwise, you're just throwing darts blindfolded.
Myth No. 3: "Retail media is all about activation."
Closely tied to immediate sales efforts and conversion-focused strategies, there is a common sentiment that retail media is all about activation channel, whether onsite, offsite, social or in-store.
But this isn’t accounting for the true power of retail media. Retail media is really about access to shoppers. Without a strong foundation of a large and diverse shopper audience, a retailer will struggle to break through the noise in retail media, pushing brands to shift budgets into national brand buys or to competitors directly. Retailers need the tools and tactics to identify more of their shoppers and make them reachable and measurable.
Shopper-centric retail media goes beyond activation, helping retailers and brands better connect with and understand their customer base.
Reality check: If you’re only looking to retail media at activation channels, you’re missing out on its power to illuminate shoppers’ behaviors, qualities and shopping patterns. It's about truly understanding your shoppers. Think of it as a treasure map to their hearts (and wallets!). Without that deep understanding, you'll be lost at sea. Use retail media to build deep shopper connections and unlock a treasure trove of insights.
Myth No 4: "Digital measurement tells the whole story."
NRF surveys show that over 80% of transactions happen in-store at most brick-and-mortar retailers. That means that if your retail media is only factoring online sales, you’re only looking at 20% of purchase data.
Brands need solutions that can connect online impressions to in-store conversions accurately and consistently. Otherwise, they’re just capturing a fraction of the impact of their retail media campaigns and not learning how to improve their future strategies.
Reality check: Connect those online impressions to in-store conversions to get the full picture and optimize your strategies.
Questions to ask when evaluating a retail media network
Don’t ignore your intuition the next time you’re evaluating a retail media opportunity and something seems too good to be true. Here are four questions to help you along the way:
How reliant are you on segment-based targeting?
What does your AI technology look like?
How do you use retail media to better understanding your shopper base?
Are you able to tie in-store purchase data with your digital measurement?
Separating fact from fiction is never easy, but it’s easier than regretting a million-dollar mistake. Intelligent retail media means starting with the right foundations, so learn what person-first identity coupled with next-generation AI can do for you.
---
## 4 email personalization questions for your next campaign
Type: eps_post
URL: /4-email-personalization-questions-for-your-next-campaign
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# 4 email personalization questions for your next campaign
Making data central to your email marketing
Email has evolved as a channel. The ability to integrate data used to be simplistic, but as data and technology have advanced, so has the level of sophistication. Today’s email marketers need to identify the challenges they have with data in email and ask themselves the questions that will lead them into the future. To see how far we’ve come, let’s take a look at the past.
The journey of email marketing
In the ‘early days’ of email personalization, starting a message with “Hi First Name” was enough to capture your customers attention and show that your brand was tech-savvy– but that level of personalization won’t cut it any longer.
In the era of increasing personalization, we focused on using business rules that drove recommendations at the segment level, identifying next best purchase and product recommendations based on customers with similar behaviors.
Today’s (and tomorrow’s) era of modern personalization lets marketers drive individual conversations through artificial intelligence (AI).
Better email personalization doesn’t just impact standard KPIs like opens and clicks. When you use email as a strategic touchpoint in the customer journey, whether that’s making a purchase online, getting more information from your website or visiting your brick-and-mortar store, you move closer to building a 1:You relationship focused on a holistic customer experience strategy that’s personalized with the most relevant information for every individual.
Data tells us about real people so we can build human connections
In this hyper-personalized world, robust data is everything. AI becomes more powerful, relevant and effective when you feed it more data. And the more data you have on your customer, the more insights you will have into what motivates them, meaning you can accurately speak to each customer in a way that’s will resonate.
Personalization is challenging
So if data makes such a difference in email personalization, why aren’t more people using it? Here are a few roadblocks that may get in the way:
Aligning and activating data: Getting data is the first step, but using it can be its own challenge. Although brands may have access to data, it’s often not in one place and difficult to activate within the channel.
Real-time decisioning: Often marketers can’t actually make decisions in real time because they’re subject to the most recent data they can access. Real-time decisions are critical, though, because they create seamless conversations with your customers.
Creating and managing content: Brands can find it overwhelming and difficult to scale their content creation when trying to personalize at an individual level. Features like Agility Harmony’s visual editor allows marketers to design emails using a library of ‘snippets’, modules and templates from the architecture and design suite that make it easier to personalize at scale.
Channel alignment and optimization: If you have figured out personalization for the email channel, congrats! But you’re not done yet. Reaching people across channels and devices lets you connect with them in the format that is most relevant to them, so keep expanding your approach.
Measurement: Understanding the impact of your actions is often the most difficult, yet the most important, part of your campaign. A holistic measurement approach will help you evaluate what went well (or not so well) and determine the direction for your future email strategy.
To get past the hurdles, ask yourself a few questions
Once you recognize the data challenges with your email personalization strategy, you can dig deeper. Consider these questions as you audit your data approach:
1. Are you leveraging both first- and third-party data?
Information used to be misaligned because data was less accurate in the past, and brands didn’t use personalization as well since they could not fully trust their data. Today, you can be a lot more accurate with the right data assets.
Remember that this question is not just about the data you can access; it’s also about how you’re using identity management to understand each individual.
2. How are you segmenting your customers?
Once you have first- and third-party data available, consider if you are segmenting customers appropriately based on insights like purchase behavior, psychographic data and intent.
3. Are you able to activate that data across channels to create a connected experience?
People see your brand as one entity, whether they’re shopping online, reading your blog or scrolling through your email. Centralized data creates this experience and builds that relationship on a personal level.
4. What are your goals, and are you measuring holistically?
Getting caught up in clicks and opens, it can be easy to lose sight of the goals you have for your email campaign. What are the broader goals that you have for your campaign: Driving people to your store? Building brand awareness? Establishing your brand as a thought leader?
No matter what your goals are, make sure that you can measure KPIs that drive those goals and use the results to make business decisions.
Take our quiz to see how well your brand is delivering on presonalization: 5 questions that reveal your email personalization maturity
Putting data into action: A brand story from Coach
Coach wanted to build deeper connections with their customers, so they partnered with Epsilon and used Agility Harmony to test the impact of email personalization.
First, we matched each email subscriber’s profile to modeled attributes. Using that insight, combined with demographic, behavioral and engagement data, categories were identified for selected audiences.
For example, people with a propensity to purchase high-ticket luxury products were put into the “luxury shoppers” audience, while those with seasonal spending behavior were identified as “trendsetters.”
Then we used Agility Harmony’s machine learning engine to inform recommendations for individual subscribers to deliver 1:1 content. ‘Luxury shoppers’ and ‘trendsetters,’ for instance, were served different subject lines and pre-header text based on their shopping style.
The data-driven approach not only increased online average order values (AOV), but also drove people to buy in physical locations too: Overall AOV saw a 3.7% lift, while in-store AOV went up 4.1%. This test also increased site traffic and uncovered new categories within the customer profile that Coach can leverage as they expand their personalization efforts.
The power of data in email marketing
Data’s influence on email marketing has grown rapidly, and email marketers need to keep up with the hyper-personalized world. By facing data challenges head on and asking the right questions, brands can achieve amazing results and build lasting human connections with their customers.
To see how you can improve your data-driven email marketing, learn more about Agility Harmony.
---
## [VIDEO] What do cost-conscious consumers want from brands today?
Type: eps_post
URL: /video-what-do-cost-conscious-consumers-want-from-brands-today
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T22:17:52Z
# [VIDEO] What do cost-conscious consumers want from brands today?
Understanding customers has never been more critical. Even just taking a small snapshot of consumer expectations highlights the variety. Whether it’s loving shopping online or preferring the high street, looking for offers or placing value on aftercare services, there are a myriad of viewpoints. Then add in challenges around returns, sustainability, measurement, and the slow death of the cookie, and this means a lot of pressure on retailers.
In his presentation at IMRG’s Fashion Connect, Chris Cairns discusses the issues facing retailers from consumers, the economy and technology. And with so many challenges, he explains why investing in a strong ID solution is critical to understanding today’s environment and delivering impactful, relevant messages to customers.
---
## Debunking 4 retail media myths
Type: eps_post
URL: /debunking-rmn-myths
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Debunking 4 retail media myths
2022 has been called a breakout year for retail media, and things are only looking up. Forrester Research Inc. forecasts that the retail media market will more than double in four years to reach $85 billion by 2026, according to “The Marketer’s Guide to Retail Media,” published on Feb. 1, 2023.
If history teaches us anything, however, it’s that explosive growth is often accompanied by fraud. Everyone wants to get on the gravy train, and retail media is no different. Many retail media solution providers are overpromising and underdelivering, leaving both retailers and brands frustrated.
To make sure your retail media is on the up and up, here are four common myths debunked.
Myth No. 1: The higher the number, the greater the reach
Some solution providers tout impressive numbers when it comes to their ability to reach people, but devices and email addresses are not real people.
There are more than 200 million adults in the U.S. who, on average, have more than four active email addresses and multiple devices. First, not all of those emails are in use. Many people have old email addresses linked to them that they never use but are technically active. A retail media network may seem like a great option if it claims its reach is 500 million or 700 million. Remember, five email addresses does not equal five people; it’s one person tied to five emails. You will not get the reach promised and instead will end up with a lot of wasted impressions and costs that lead to underperformance and frustrated customers.
Reality check: Quantity doesn’t always equal quality.
Myth No. 2: Retail media only happens on a retailer’s website
If you’re waiting for people to visit the retailer’s website, it’s too late.
Epsilon ran an analysis for one of its retail media clients and found that 46 million of the 53 million consumers (88%) in the client’s file could only be messaged across the open web. It’s a scary number, but one that repeatedly comes up in Epsilon’s evaluations. Only a small fraction (10-20%) of people organically shop on retailers’ owned digital channels on a regular basis; the rest is in-store. This means brands are missing 80-90% of their customers online if their retail media networks are not optimized for on-site and off-site. Beware of solution providers that call retargeting “off-site” because they are only messaging the limited people that visit the retailer’s site and not new people who will drive reach and performance.
Brands want to message more unique people. The only way retailers can meet this demand, and provide maximum reach, is by ensuring their retail media networks offer unified on-site, off-site and in-store capabilities. Off-site advertising powered by retailers’ rich first-party data improves brands’ marketing performance while providing retailers and brands with organic scale to drive more on-site shoppers. It’s a win-win for all parties.
Reality check: If retailers aren’t driving off-site demand, you’re leaving revenue and performance on the table.
Myth No. 3: Retargeting is an effective retail media strategy
Retargeting is retail media’s dirty secret, and the industry needs to clean it up.
Pretty much everyone has been chased around the internet by a product they looked at once or already purchased. Over-frequencing people isn’t going to get them to buy more. It’s going to annoy them.
Too many retail media networks lack the holistic identity solutions needed to reach real people, which is why they use retargeting for their off-site capabilities. The problem is—and it’s a big one—retargeting doesn’t help brands reach new customers.
Retail media networks must be grounded in a strong, people-based identity solution that spans multiple channels and devices if they’re going to deliver the type of personalization, relevance and performance brands require. Brands want to message more unique people to drive sales and performance in their retail media campaigns, not drive more impressions.
Reality check: Companies use retargeting amplify spend, not message more unique people.
Myth No 4: CTV is new to retail media
It may be new to some companies, but CTV certainly isn’t new to the industry.
Epsilon has helped brands use retailer data to reach their customers at the moments when they are most receptive, regardless of device and channel. CTV is no different. Like programmatic display, brand marketers can strategically use CTV to reach lapsed buyers or new prospects.
Video comes with the added benefit of allowing brands to communicate more effectively when messaging new buyers or launching a new product line to existing buyers. When media is activated on platforms powered by people-based identity, not cookies or devices, marketers can confidently see how CTV contributes to sales with connected measurement.
People experience brands across multiple channels and devices. The retail media solutions that can connect those experiences across all devices and channels, and tie everything back to sales, are the ones that will ultimately attract brand dollars.
Reality check: Brands have used retailer data to activate media across channels for decades.
Questions to ask when evaluating a retail media network
Don’t ignore your intuition the next time you’re evaluating a retail media network and something seems too good to be true. Here are four questions to help you along the way:
How many unique people (not email addresses or cookies) will I be able to reach?
Can I reach those people if they’re not visiting the retailer’s website?
What channels can I use to message people across the open web?
How do I manage costs and reduce waste?
Separating fact from fiction is never easy, but it’s easier than regretting a million-dollar mistake.
This article was originally published on Adweek, February 2023.
How Epsilon can help you to develop your Retail Media stratgy?
At Epsilon, we can help you build a marketing approach that allows you to take advantage of the new opportunities retail media networks are creating. We offer a turnkey retail media network solution, CitrusAd, that can drive up to 40% more shopper reach.
Plus, our skilled consultants can help you build a digital advertising plan to reach and engage with consumers where they are and achieve your goals with measurable ROI.
Ready to hit the gas pedal on your digital growth? Contact Epsilon today!
---
## Why retail media will be key when 3rd-party cookies are switched off?
Type: eps_post
URL: /why-retail-media-crucial-post-3rd-party-cookies
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Why retail media will be key when 3rd-party cookies are switched off?
Brands are continually seeking out alternative ways to target shoppers online after the death of third-party cookies. The answer may come from your existing retailer partners. Investing in retail media can provide a valid new marketing option for brands. You can also make the most of your own assets in the process.
Retail media is experiencing exponential growth, with the industry set to be valued at $100 billion by 2026. Businesses such as Amazon, Tesco, and Walmart are among the more progressive companies in this field. Morrisons, Boots, and some of the Kingfisher brands are at the early stages of their retail media journeys.
Retailers are working with forward-thinking companies like Epsilon to build media businesses. The process takes many forms. Creating ad space on websites and leveraging loyalty scheme data to build targeted messaging is all part of it. You can also explore different ways retail media can help your partner brands.
Dynamic content optimization and first-party data are the key ingredients for retail media. Epsilon is an expert in this space, and we can help you build a compelling retail media proposition. We have done it for retail brands in the US, UK and the EU, and you can read about it all below.
Death of the third-party cookie
Advertisers became reliant on third-party cookies to deliver targeted and measurable digital marketing. They are what underpin conventional digital ads. But alternative methods are now required. That is because Google has confirmed it will block third-party cookies from its popular Chrome browser.
The move has concerned e-commerce marketeers. Google’s announcement has spawned a plethora of events focused on “what next?” There has been much head-scratching in the industry, but brands now realise more than ever the importance of getting access to data.
By 2024, third-party cookies will have gone away completely. So, now is the time for retailers to assess how they effectively identify and reach their customers within the eCommerce arena.
Retail media is stepping up to fill that gap. Many brands believe working with their existing retailer partners in a more strategic manner will prove to be more powerful. Reliance on what many describe as flawed third-party cookies was arguably never going to be a successful long-term plan.
Retailers as platform
Retailers are becoming more than just a place to buy things. Superdrug, B&Q, and Decathlon are among many retailers adopting a marketplace model, for example. They are extending the number of brands they work with and creating a decentralised commerce model to drive revenue. Other retailers, such as Next, The Very Group, and Farfetch, are allowing third-parties to use their technology stacks. It means less sophisticated digital brands can raise their game online with the help of others.
These are all examples of retailers as platforms. Retailers are realising the value of their digital assets and their traffic. Moving into the world of retail media is a natural step to take alongside these complimentary industry trends.
Who better to help you market your brand than the retailer that’s actually selling it? And the best retail media deployments can make sure you send the right message to the right customer at the right time on the best channel.
Best Practices in retail media
Amazon has built a multi-billion dollar ad business, and is a leader in retail media. But it is not alone. Walgreens in the US has developed its game-changing Walgreens Advertising Group (WAG). The media division aims to help brand partners in many ways.
Luke Kigel, from Walgreens Media, wants to combine the strength and power of Walgreens’ customer relationships with brands' own data . The idea is for brands to work with WAG to increase the strength of their marketing capabilities. That is the perfect mix in Kigel's eyes.
WAG has access to insights from more than 95 million customers via the myWalgreens loyalty scheme. It presents a massive opportunity for brands to get their message in front of a relevant audience.
Kigel says WAG wants to build solutions that make it easier for brand and agency partners to work and engage with Walgreens. The main focus is on enabling brands to deliver personalization and drive performance. Epsilon – alongside some other key players in the space – is helping WAG open up its audience to partner brands. As a result, it provides a better return on investment than brands could get elsewhere.
Is retail media a marketer's golden ticket?
IAB Europe increased its focus on retail media in 2022, acknowledging it is no longer an emerging channel. It's arrived. The trade body says retail media is one of the fastest-growing sectors within the digital advertising industry. In a report looking at the opportunities presented by the market, IAB Europe forecasts retail media ad spend will reach €25bn in Europe by 2026.
According to IAB Europe, 92% of advertisers and 74% of agencies already partner with retailers to reach consumers. Of those not yet engaged with retail media as an advertising channel, 88% of advertisers and 77% of agencies plan to change that in 2023.
More than a third of buyers cite the need for first-party data as one of the key drivers of retail media adoption. IAB Europe reports that 91% of buyers have a first-party data strategy in place. Meanwhile, under half (49%) are still working towards scaling their first-party data strategy.
Retail media in Europe is an €8bn market and growing double-digit despite economic headwinds, according to the report.
And it is not just a select few categories looking to take advantage of the growing retail media space. According to a report in the US, jewellery and luxury is particularly focused on retail media investments. Consumer electronics, beauty, and consumer packaged goods brands are not far behind. But as eMarketer says, “just about everyone wants in, so it’s smart to get started now.”
Retail media: 4 reasons why you should get involved
1- Adopting a retail media strategy enables you to add a new revenue stream.
2- The onset of third-party cookie depreciation means brands you work with are likely to be looking for platforms with significant levels of data. If you’re a retailer – especially one with a loyalty programme – you’ll have that data.
3- Retail media enables you to deliver hyper-personalised content to each customer at the right time.
4- Retail media enables you to capture shoppers when they are already in the mindset to buy. Done effectively, it can encourage customers to increase their average order size and elevate their lifetime value.
Analysts predict the continued growth of retail media will be a major trend in 2023. The rise in e-commerce over the last two years and retailers' position as first-party data custodians contribute to the trend.
We’ve already put together a handy top-tips guide to rolling out a successful retail media strategy. Have a look at what we have to say about it. But, in short, the first and most important task is to identify your customers. You can then build out profiles for them. What do they like? When do they like to shop? How do they shop?
Then it's all about communication. Get the right messages to the right people at the most appropriate time. And never stop measuring the impact of this strategy. The beauty of retail media is it can provide a transparent view of your campaigns.
Done properly, it gives brands the ability to combine ad exposure and conversion into a single platform. From there, you can measure what works best and double down on those tactics accordingly. Our message to retailers and brands is to make sure you take your share of the market. Don’t miss out. Ride the wave.
How can Epsilon help?
Looking to optimise your first-party data and find additional revenue streams? Epsilon turns retailers into marketing platforms and connects them with more customers.
We can also strengthen brand-retailer partnerships and help build the most personalised media.
>> Learn more about Epsilon's retail media network <<
---
## 5 tips for a balanced & profitable retail media offering
Type: eps_post
URL: /tips-for-a-profitable-retail-media-offering
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# 5 tips for a balanced & profitable retail media offering
This revenue stream barely existed for retailers three years ago. Today, however, retail media networks (RMNs) are proving lucrative. In February 2022Amazon revealedits ad sales revenue was worth $31 billion for the prior year.
But how can you follow Amazon's lead, building targeted ad sales ventures via your RMNs? If you get it right, opening your existing digital platforms to external brand advertisers is a winner.
Retailers and online marketplaces in the US sold $40 billion in retail advertising in 2022. This number will more than double in the next four years, reaching $85 billion by 2026, according toForrester Research.
How can you optimise this fast-growing opportunity? And should your RMN remain ‘owned’, or ‘operated’ by an external platform?
RMNs are a burgeoning channel
Retail media is the talk of the digital advertising world. Brands love it because buying ad space on e-commerce websites and marketplaces ensures their products get seen and are sold.
They can rise to the top of search results or offer special promotions across thousands of different platforms. These includeCitrusAd powered by Epsilon, Amazon Ads, Walmart Connect, Instacart Advertising, Aldi, Wayfair, and many more.
Wherever a brand sells products online, there's a RMN option for earning more attention and boosting sales. The retail media model is attractive because it:
Enables targeted transactions
Allows for closed-loop attribution
Doesn't involve problematic third-party cookies
RMNs have powerful targeting capabilities
Established retail companies are maximising their website earning potential by selling sponsored product placements, display ads, and full brand pages. Once an interface for media selling has been set up, retailers can start driving revenue. It’s an income you’d be crazy to pass up – especially when competition in the market is so tough.
Retail media advertising delivers real value to brands too. FMCG marketers have embraced the closed-loop attribution that retail marketing provides.
And the FMCG community applauds the powerful targeting capabilities, and the use of retail shopper data that RMNs provide. Paid search and product ads make it possible to identify shoppers by their intent. This provides marketers with a way to attribute promotional spending to sales.
What do you need to succeed with a Retail Media Network?
Any retail media network (RMN) looking to scale must master many skills. These include sales, audience strategy, media activation, reporting and insights. A big question for your RMN teams is whether to opt for the owned or operated model.
The answer isn’t straightforward. There’s no one-size-fits-all approach to achieving great things with your RMN.
With the owned option, you can build your tools. Or you can buy pre-existing capabilities to help you manage the network in-house. You keep control. But this takes time and effort to set up. There are elements of risk. Some retailers are choosing the operated model. This means working with a specialist platform partner who brings a wealth of digital marketing expertise.
Each strategy has its merits, and a single RMN can mix and match its approach across different tools and technologies.
5 Key Considerations for a Balanced & Profitable RMN Business
Skills and resources
Pace of growth
Shopper reach
Compelling offer
Degree of control
Skills and Resources
Retailers are amazing merchants. But they are not publishers. You probably rely on IT professionals to run your supply chain systems, merchandising, e-commerce, and infrastructure technology. But you may struggle to recruit and keep the specialist data scientists, developers, and coders needed to launch and operate an RMN as well. With the operated model, your RMN partner is set up with the personnel and expertise to make sure you succeed.
With the operated RMN model, the service fee will include a tech team, an account management team, and a sales team all working on your behalf. Companies speaking to Epsilon considering our CitrusAd product tell us: “I’d love to tap into this new revenue stream. But I don’t have the resources to get RMN sales off the ground.”
Going down the operated route means all the tech development work is taken care of. A great deal of coding, API integration, CRM data activation, cleaning and analytics is required before money can be made with RMNs.
For smaller and medium-sized retailers, operated is perhaps the safest option. Operated is often seen as a point of entry to RMNs so that retailers can see what’s viable, and start generating ROI.
Pace of Growth
If you are keen to scale your RMN, the operated model is probably best, for the reasons outlined above. At CitrusAd, we’ve been able to help retailers get a foothold in this growing market, and achieve profitability at pace.
Building an owned RMN involves navigating a steep learning curve. It may take a few years to climb, and there will be setbacks along the way. Retailers tend to take a fast-track route with operated. They can leap-frog pitfalls, as these have been designed out by the chosen platform.
An important part of RMN work is reporting. This takes time and a great deal of testing to master and fine-tune. Operated RMNs smooth the process. CitrusAd powered by Epsilon will provide a clear view of SKU-level attributed sales. Such insights can then be used to help brands justify increasing their budgets, immediately fuelling growth for the RMN.
Omnichannel retail presents many retail media opportunities. The operated model makes it easier to perform across all channels. Any gaps in communication points, shopper contact info, CRM data fields, and lost revenue can quickly be realised.
Shopper Reach
Retailers generate valuable first-party audience data, and brands are eager to gain access to this treasure trove. But retailers will need to nurture and utilise the data with care.
When creating a retail media platform from scratch, establishing your identity strategy is key. You must begin with the ability to identify customers and grow their data set. Loyalty cards, CRM platforms, or payment data can all be deployed. Having a clearly defined strategy will attract brands to work with your RMN. With owned you have all this data at your fingertips. You can monetise it in new and innovative ways. But you need to have the skillset and resources to do so.
On the downside, you won’t have the breadth of data that the operated model can offer. Your internal team might not be skilled enough in data analytics to maximise all opportunities.
Some RMN specialist agencies have deep data lakes that can be utilised to super-charge shopper targeting. For instance, with CitrusAd, the platform can take learnings from Epsilon’s connected shopper ID data repository, and differentiate between shopper sub-categories.
For example, Mac versus PC users can be identified. This will be of interest to computer brands looking to take banners on an electrical retailer’s laptop web pages. Dynamic advertising, with tailored messaging, can be scheduled so the right people see the right ads, at the right time.
Compelling Offer
Is your offer to brands going to be compelling enough? Advertising on retailers’ digital platforms is an attractive proposition for many brands. They seek future-proofed media planning, execution, and measurement in a cookieless online advertising setting.
For brands lacking access to first-party data sets, RMNs are a treasure trove. They offer differentiated, consented datasets, which put brands within reach of high-intent shoppers.
FMCG brands, for example, are facing pressure and disruption from digitally native direct-to-consumer competitors. They urgently need to take advantage of retailer consumer first-party connections.
Timely, relevant messaging can be integrated natively into the customer journey through onsite search and product category pages. Taking an omnichannel stance, this messaging can even be served as in-store digital signage.
The CitrusAd integrated platform supports brands further by helping them identify and acquire new shoppers. These shoppers can be driven to specific actions, such as signing up for rewards, downloading the brand app, or subscribing to email marketing.
Degree of Control
A big win with owned is that it offers control over a system’s architecture, scalability, and capabilities. Audience strategy and analytics are key differentiators in the RMN space. Retaining control means you have more options to create and deliver in line with advertisers’ evolving needs, and your product niche. Keeping control might suit those retailers concerned about data governance, or risking competitive advantage.
Many retail executive boards want control over timelines and how agile they can be. Ownership of reporting and activation capabilities, for example, may suit a company that has grand plans for its RMN and is committed to investing time and internal resources to hone its in-house operation.
Customisation – adding value to the RMN’s functionality over time – is a plus point with owned. But as mentioned earlier, organisational design and resource constraints may hamper such plans.
We recommend you dig further into questions about why control is important, and where you want to be in five years with your RMN. Gartner predictsretail media will not be widely implemented for at least five to ten years.
It’s still an emerging digital advertising channel. Evaluating the importance of control in the context of your wider marketing vision, will help you weigh up the trade-off between owned and operated.
In summary: Stay flexible and watch the market
The choice between owned and operated depends on your ambition. Weigh up your strengths and weaknesses. The more you can own, the more power you have over that aspect of the business. But there’s a trade-off in time and resources when you choose to build rather than partner.
In reality, this is not a straight choice between owned and operated retail media networks. There will be instances when the selection is a little more subtle.
For example, operated may be a prudent initial step, before going fully owned once the revenues come rolling in, and the channel becomes self-funding. Keeping a degree of flexibility – and an eye on the market - could be the wisest way forward.
How can Epsilon help?
Is your company struggling to generate value during the recession? Epsilon’s single turnkey retail media solution will help you achieve 30% – 40% more shopper reach and maximise your revenue on all fronts.
>> Ready to launch your Retail Media Network? Get Started Here <<
---
## Experiences, not expiry dates: how encouraging unclaimed voucher redemption can build business and trust
Type: eps_post
URL: /experiences-not-expiry-dates-how-encouraging-unclaimed-voucher-redemption-can-build-business-and-trust
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Experiences, not expiry dates: how encouraging unclaimed voucher redemption can build business and trust
With the potential of travellers missing out on a staggering €600 million worth of expiring travel vouchers, by being proactive and targeted in their messaging, travel companies have a real opportunity to help the industry's revival and their business. And with the temptation to do the minimum, so unused vouchers get released to profit, this short-term thinking could be at the expense of future business and customer trust.
For travel businesses, people sitting on significant volumes of unclaimed vouchers means dormant customers that aren't experiencing their offering. And by not claiming them, building a relationship with these consumers is difficult until they eventually activate their vouchers.
For most businesses, encouraging voucher redemption comes down to repeatedly emailing the voucher holders, using the expiry deadline as the stick to drive action. But this one-size fits all approach fails to capitalise on the real opportunity. Personalising your messaging and adopting a multi-channel strategy can endear customers to your brand and deliver profitable relationships. So how can this be achieved?
Fresh data, fresh perspectives
Critical to this is having access to insights into your voucher holders' mindset and approach to travel. And to widen your perspective, working with the right partner that can pay dividends. After all, different voucher group segments will have different triggers and tapping into these is vital. This means taking advantage of new data to reveal these crucial insights.
In doing so, you can identify your priority segment – those who are back in the market and travelling. And it's this group that should be most responsive when it comes to encouraging them to travel by redeeming their vouchers. Data and technology can help you understand where they've been, what future trips they're considering (or even what bookings they've abandoned), and their preferred device for carrying out their research. Tailoring your messaging around destinations that may resonate with them or reminding them what they can get for their voucher is much more impactful than focusing on an expiry deadline.
You can also uncover those starting to dip their feet back into travel and what they're considering based on their research behaviour.
And what about those disengaged customers that are out of the travel mindset? Recognising this group and their need for reassurance and encouragement to return to travel is only possible by going beyond just the data you have.
In gaining these new insights, your communications will dramatically improve. Instead of being functional, suddenly, they become inspirational. Getting recipients to dream about where they want to go can trigger action. And through the right technology, this can all be achieved quickly and efficiently.
But many travel businesses are blind to the opportunities because they can't identify their audiences outside of their own website. That's why investing in a robust digital identifier tied to a real person is essential today. Rather than limiting your channels to email, using identifiers to find your customer online suddenly expands your communications options. By recognising and reaching your voucher holders across the web and using the available signals, you can take a more holistic approach and communicate with them in a relevant way that encourages them to redeem them. Ultimately, this all means you can help influence (and encourage) their travel decisions early on and not wait until they input a voucher code to begin communicating with them.
What's good for customers is good for business
And this opportunity to tap into traveller needs can lead to higher spend. Voucher values may only cover part of the flight costs, so encouraging redemption could result in a higher value final purchase. And if you offer a package of options, there could be opportunities to cross sell accommodation, car hire, or other travel services when customers redeem their vouchers. By treating your customers correctly, messaging them appropriately and encouraging them not to lose out on their money, you can gain revenue. And with customers increasingly turning to brands they trust, this can earn you their respect and a competitive advantage in these challenging times.
Far from being just an exercise in getting people to use or lose their unclaimed vouchers, there is a real opportunity for brands to engage with customers and welcome them back. It's a chance to put them in a position to re-experience (or experience) your brand by encouraging them to activate their vouchers and become a regular customer.
But this is only possible if you have the necessary insights and technology to facilitate relevant, targeted communications.
If you're looking to take advantage of the communication and business opportunities the outstanding voucher situation offers, do get in touch with our travel team.
---
## Understanding the benefits of ‘the art’ component in the art and science of loyalty
Type: eps_post
URL: /understanding-the-benefits-of-the-art-component-in-the-art-and-science-of-loyalty
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T22:16:49Z
# Understanding the benefits of ‘the art’ component in the art and science of loyalty
When you think of ‘the what’ behind a successful loyalty program, technology often comes to mind.
Technology is ‘the science’ that stores and processes all the technical functionality within our programs. But what about the items that ‘fuel’ the functionality such as your loyalty strategy and services, data and the creative components—what we like to refer to as the art of loyalty. Blending this art and science together yields loyalty program success.
Let’s take a closer look at the four key components of ‘the art’.
Strategy: Your loyalty program initiatives begins with your strategy, and your strategy is created by human intelligence (your people), not machines (technology). With the proliferation of new technologies, often brands can get caught up on integrating the ‘new’ or ‘cool and hyped’ technologies into their marketing programs before truly understanding the impact they’ll have. Keep your strategy front and center and understand both the value and role humans have in personalizing the loyalty experience and connecting emotionally, on a 1:You level—across the right touchpoints, on the right devices and at the right moments. As you’re developing and continuing to enhance your strategy and staying focused on the customer experience, determine how you can achieve personalization at the brand and program level. To start, it’s important to understand your brand level loyalty, or what we define as Big L Loyalty. Big L Loyalty is the passion, dedication, feelings, emotional connection and trust consumers establish with your brand that motivates them to continue their purchases and move through the customer lifecycle towards lifetime brand loyalty.
Services: There are multiple areas of services that contribute to the success of your loyalty program. For example, some of the services we provide to brands includes program operations management, client and account management and change management. In terms of the program management, we work with brands on loyalty program design and redesign. Client and account management services includes the day-to-day management of your loyalty program. Change management focuses on organizational design, business process optimization and digital marketing transformation. These multi-disciplinary services work together to add value to your loyalty program. In fact, several of our clients perceive these services and the team members that perform the work as an extension of their marketing team. Some of our team members actually work onsite, full-time at our client’s location. This enables our associates to be fully immersed in our client’s organization ranging from the brand initiatives to the program level details.
Data: At Epsilon, we understand customers as real people. Our compiled consumer data source provides coverage of virtually every U.S. household and supplies thousands of data points spanning demographics, lifestyle information, spend behavior and more. This proprietary self-reported consumer data and transactional information are core inputs that enable analytics and measurement. It’s the analytics component that reveals customer’s likes, dislikes and their behaviors helping marketers to make emotional connections and engage with their customers. These analytic and measurement services consist of financial modeling, customer insights, analytic sciences, measurement framework, business intelligence and reporting design, customer research and VOC and media and interaction optimization.
Creative: Creating a memorable, one-of-a-kind customer experience is something we all strive for as marketers. Understanding the role creative plays in helping to make this experience memorable is important. Creativity is the art of marketing. It helps to unveil our emotions, making connections to brands. We’ve all seen an advertisement which we’ve emotionally reacted to. For me, I connect with the advertisements promoting the Indy 500. During the Super Bowl earlier this year, the advertisements began for the Indy 500 that actually took place last weekend. From watching this ad, I was ‘re-living’ the experience of being live at the event. My adrenaline started to flow as I saw and heard the ‘engines roar’. The emotional connection is made, and the next thing you know, I’m purchasing tickets for the event. As a marketer, you need to think of the creative ways as to how you can drive these emotional connections and understand the role (the benefits) of creative services. It’s the digital and creative services such as a creative assessment, brand strategy and visual design, content and campaign development, website, app and interactive design that drive creative execution.
So as you’re continuing to enhance the art of your loyalty program, keep your technology capabilities front and center and make sure it’s not at risk for becoming part of the ‘Frankentech’ era.
We define ‘Frankentech’ as a compilation of miscellaneous (or ad-hoc) technology products and applications that are integrated together from a variety of technology providers.
In my next article I’ll take a deeper dive into ‘Frankentech’ and how marketers are transitioning from ‘Franketech’ to ‘MarTech’.
**This post originally appeared on L360.
---
## #354: Epsilon's Loyalty Index - Consumer Insights for the UAE
Type: eps_post
URL: /354-epsilons-loyalty-index-consumer-insights-for-the-uae
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# #354: Epsilon's Loyalty Index - Consumer Insights for the UAE
In a recent episode of Let's Talk Loyalty, Paula Thomas interviewed Ganga Ganapathi Poovaiah (she/ her) our VP, Head - International Marketing as she shared some exciting new loyalty insights relevant for marketers in the UAE.
As part of our global expansion, we have been hard at work researching UAE consumer loyalty preferences, and are now sharing these retail benchmarking insights.
Listen in to Ganga Ganapathi Poovaiah (she/ her) as she shares the strategic thinking that led to Epsilon's decision to invest in this industry index, with Paula Thomas and some of the surprising findings that emerged in the UAE.
In such an ambitious country, loyalty marketers are increasingly keen to truly understand how their brands compare to competitors in their industry in terms of earning their customer’s loyalty, as well as how they compare to other industries.
Listen to the conversation on the link below:
---
## 5 benefits of identity-based off-site retail media
Type: eps_post
URL: /benefits-of-identity-based-off-site-retail-media
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# 5 benefits of identity-based off-site retail media
Identity-led retail media can now help brands connect with real people on off-site channels. Transparent measurement is just one of many potential wins.
It's hard to ignore the buzz of excitement around a new generation of off-site retail media, where campaigns are based on a deterministic and unified customer ID. Marketers love the idea of targeting individuals rather than personae identified by cookies. Speaking to identified people makes digital ad campaigns more effective. And cookies won't be around much longer, anyway.
There are many benefits to identity-based off-site retail media versus the partner-funded open web programmatic approach.
What is Epsilon's role in identity-based off-site retail media?
Epsilon is a driving force in helping retailers profit from their data. CitrusAd, powered by Epsilon CoreID, is leading a new generation of identity-led retail media. Publicis Groupe launched CitrusAd in June 2022, as the industry's first unified on-site and off-site retail media platform.
Together, we are pushing the boundaries of retail media platforms. The platform helps brands reach shoppers beyond their retail partners' e-commerce websites. This empowers brands to connect with real people across the full customer journey. They can make ad spend decisions based on real-time measurement. They can confirm outcomes by transactions. They can tie digital campaigns to on-site and offliene sales.
The strength of the technology has enabled us to breathe new life into the brand/retailer partnership. In this new era of off-site, both parties collaborate to strengthen the backbone of customers' understanding. This puts everyone in a strong position as the cookieless world draws closer.
Five key benefits of identity-based off-site retail media versus the partner-funded open web programmatic approach:
You can deliver one-to-one personalisation
You can get a greater return on ad spend and efficiency
You can achieve transparent measurement, validated by transactions
You can run simultaneous campaigns at scale, driving up revenues
You can win customer trust thanks to the relevance of ads
1. You can deliver one-to-one personalisation
CPG brands can take a more targeted approach with identity-based off-site retail media campaigns. They can deliver one-to-one personalisation. This might be marketing emails tailored to a person's birthday, for example There's more relevance in tailored messaging when you deliver identity-based campaigns off-site.
Once you've delivered a high level of personalisation, so what? A big win is allowing smaller and longtail brands to enjoy your retail media solution. This broadens the reach of the market and scales up revenues for retailers.
If you've booked out your retail site based on a segment or key categories, it precludes smaller brands. They have no voice on that platform. But with identity-based off-site retail media they can claim a voice with engaged and relevant audiences.
2. You can improve your return on investment
Thanks to this targeted approach retailers and brands get a much better return on their ad spend.
With a traditional partner-funded programmatic opportunity, you are dependent on budget allocation for an audience segment. You're buying third-party data for an audience segment that might not be the best for your product push.
An electrical retailer promoting a new iPhone may pump ad cash into a segment featuring early adopter tech enthusiasts. There may be no ad budget left to target high-end gaming consumers. If you max out on one set of criteria, you exclude many others. The authenticity of that audience is hard to keep as well. The analytics are not sophisticated enough to drill down to 'sure bet' buyers.
If you can engage with individuals, your ads are relevant. Conversion rates are going to be higher. Return on digital marketing investment is proving to be better with this technology.
3. You can measure transparently, validated by transactions
With identity-based off-site retail media, SKU-level reporting is possible. So, you can clearly see the return on investment thanks to the visibility of real-time transactions.
Other digital marketing channels are less transparent, and results are difficult to measure. For instance, on paid media channels, or search, where there's a direct correlation and intent from the user point of view, it's hard to report back on spend. With identity-based, you have a powerful one-to-one dialogue and can report back on SKU level.
A great example is Gopuff, the US e-commerce platform that has expanded into off-site media with CitrusAd, powered by Epsilon's first-party purchase and future intent data. Gopuff now delivers amplified, relevant reach for its brand partners. Product sectors include cleaning and home products, pet care, baby products, and niche food and drink products.
Gopuff is expanding on-site ad inventory beyond sponsored products and search to include relevant sponsored product carousels. Gopuff can manage and measure on the full-scope platform. Brands leveraging Gopuff ads are seeing ROIs as high as 430%. Platform revenue grew nearly 170% YoY in July 2022, as active products more than doubled on-site.
With these enhancements, brands can influence consumers at the point of purchase with on-site advertising. They can also generate demand across the open web by reaching Gopuff customers with relevant, off-site display, video and connected TV advertising, tied to in-stock inventory. Brands can understand their ad performance through SKU-level sales reporting that combines both on-site and off-site campaigns.
4. You can run many campaigns at once, driving up revenues
There is a big efficiency win for retailers with identity-based off-site retail media. Nothing stops them from maxing out their returns by hosting multiple brand ad campaigns simultaneously. They can run more campaigns, with more brands, over and above what is possible with a traditional partner-funded, programmatic opportunity. This creates a virtuous circle between off-site and on-site retail media, enabling retailers to infinitely scale multiple campaigns at the same time.
A unified platform like CitrusAd, powered by Epsilon, maximises retailers' monetisation opportunities and increases reach on-site and across the open web.
There are no concerns for brand advertisers about privacy and data use. Privacy-centric clean room technology is in place. This enables both retailers and brands to securely collaborate on permissioned data, to optimise brand sales in a cookieless world. Brands want to work with retailers that have a bigger retail media network and can offer identity-based targeting. This drives up retailer revenues.
With the CitrusAd real-time reporting dashboard, brands can use a single attribution method for all online and offline activity. Brands can optimise as they go, seeing results as they happen. It makes them more likely to stay with your retail media network, and earn you greater revenues.
5. You can win customer trust thanks to the relevance of ads
Identity-based retail media campaigns aim to reach more shoppers, on more channels, with personalised messages. A major benefit of an identity-based off-site retail media platform is the heightened relevance of the ads. This is achieved by gathering multiple data sources using a cleanroom technology framework.
Epsilon is helping retailers including Pretty Little Thing and Deliveroo make use of their first-party data from loyalty schemes, website data, transaction data, and owned insights. An identity partner like CitrusAd can enhance retailers' data. In the new era, brands and retailers can personalise the customer experience by accessing our CoreID data. This includes online and offline attributes, location data, intent data, and behavioural and interest data.
We have an 'always on' view of the customer. We anticipate customer intent based on browsing and purchase behaviour. This informs us where a customer is on their purchase journey. If they are poised to make a purchase decision, we can send tailored ads to suit their mindset at that time. Perhaps the offer of free delivery for the winter coat they are viewing will ensure they click the buy button, having researched coats for a week.
Customers who received more targeted, personalised, pertinent messaging are more likely to convert than those who feel they are being spammed with irrelevant ads and emails. When ads are relevant trust grows.
Retail media is growing and evolving fast
Ad spending in retail media is forecasted to reach c.$60 billion by 2024, according to eMarketer.
Why are we seeing such rapid growth? Because it's an amazing way for retailers to leverage their data and drive a high-margin area of their business.
At Epsilon with our CoreID platform supporting CitrusAd, we can help retailers and brands leverage and monetise first-party data on-site, off-site, and in-store. We have years of data analytics and identity expertise to tap into.
Brad Moran, co-founder and CEO of CirtusAd says: "No one else in the market can provide brands with a simple and trusted platform to capitalise on retailers' assets for media investment. The CitrusAd DNA has always been to help retailers maximise their revenue potential from retail media and strengthen their relationships with suppliers.
"With CitrusAd powered by Epsilon, we are delivering the promise of the retail media revolution."
>> For high-impact retail media ad formats at scale, speak to Epsilon today. <<
---
## 4 fashion marketing focus areas to keep you on trend
Type: eps_post
URL: /fashion-marketing-focus-areas
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# 4 fashion marketing focus areas to keep you on trend
Surviving and prospering in today's environment means concentrating on activities that better connect you with your key audiences. Focusing on these 4 areas will help you deliver more effective marketing.
1. Remember that in customer communications, one size never fits all
Fashion choices are very individual, and how you communicate with your customers must be the same. Mass marketing strategies are general, bland, and ineffective. Today your customers expect tailored experiences around their needs and interests, especially if they're regular buyers. So ensure you're set up to collect and use data that allows you to speak to them as real people. Use information such as what size they order, what colours they choose, what products appeal to them, and when they buy. The more data you can employ, the better the experience and the better you can connect with them. When developing your messaging, customise as much as possible based on what you know about the buyer.
2. Boost loyalty by understanding the why, not just the what
Make sure you're focusing on your loyal customers. After all, repeat buyers are where profitability lies – which is especially important during today's economic times – and they also act as advocates and influencers for your brand. And brand preference has an emotional element based on your customer's perceptions of you and your ethos: it comes down to why they trust you. Use insights to understand their intentions, perceptions and why they buy from you to enhance your relationship, so you can focus on communicating what's important to them. Keeping them loyal will keep them buying.
3. Use your loyal customer to drive profitable acquisition
Even in challenging times, attracting new customers remains critical to delivering future success. But focus your acquisition strategy around attracting more profitable new customers. Understand the characteristics of your best customers, then target lookalike prospects matching their profile. Not only will it ensure you continue to grow your business, but long-term profitability will come from those new buyers with the potential to become high-value repeat customers, boosting .
4. Improve campaign effectiveness by buying better media
Investing in a strong digital identity delivers a wealth of benefits, including reducing advertising waste. It allows you to focus on targeting people, not devices, and buy more higher quality impressions while cutting out poor low-value placements. In doing so your media buying becomes more efficient and you deliver more effective campaigns.
If you're looking for help in any of these areas, or want to understand more about how adopting these approaches can benefit your business, then please contact us.
Send us an email
---
## Personalized email marketing: 5 keys to success
Type: eps_post
URL: /personalized-email-marketing-5-keys-to-success
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T22:16:49Z
# Personalized email marketing: 5 keys to success
The quiz explores five key areas that brands need to master in order to succeed with personalized email:
1. Data alignment and activation
It all starts with data.
Customer data is the fuel that powers any marketing engine, and email is no different. The data you need is everywhere, but it’s messy—really messy—and not always easily captured. To get beyond basic customer attributes, you need to collect and harness the right data and use it to create more personalized interactions. Here’s a few things to keep in mind as you build your data capture strategy:
Ensure it’s realistic and fits in with your overall marketing goals.
Integrate your online and offline data and incorporate the enabling technologies.
Use preference centers to collect pertinent data at enrollment and keep it going over time.
2. Real-time decisioning
Personalization is more than just presenting the best content or offer. It’s also about being able to meet the customer along their journey. If every campaign is the same or only slightly differentiated to all of your contacts, you aren’t engaging the customer in a meaningful interaction.
3. Creating and managing content
“Batch and blast” is a thing of the past. Consumers have grown to expect personalized content. In fact, 90 percent of consumers find personalization appealing, and those consumers are 10 times more likely to be your most valuable customers. Creating unique content at the individual level can be challenging, time-consuming and expensive. You should regularly evaluate your email content strategy—and be prepared to invest time and resources to update accordingly.
Creative will then become the personification of your email strategy—the all-important first impression.
The email channel is bursting with innovation, much of it driven by the demand for more personalized content, richer experiences and deeper engagement. Following design and coding best practices is a good baseline, but experimenting with subject-line personalization, live content and social integration to transform your email from one-sided dialogues to meaningful conversations with your customers.
4. Channel alignment and optimization
All marketers aspire to remove channel silos in order to integrate teams, programs and messaging in the customer’s best interest. Simultaneously, they are pulled in another direction by attribution requirements, with each channel team hungry to carve out their piece of the revenue pie. To avoid this conflict, many organizations are removing silos and unifying their teams to focus on the customer journey regardless of the channel. This allows for a more centralized, omnichannel approach to marketing strategy.
5. Holistic measurement
You can’t improve what you don’t measure, which is problematic for brands wanting to improve program performance but are only measuring email opens and click-throughs. To understand the impact of your personalization strategy, you need to be able to analyze engagement—do your life-cycle communications resonate with customers? What content inspires customers to act?
To be successful, marketers must first define their business objectives and map to them to KPIs and metrics. It’s also important to establish robust test designs, then monitor performance, analyze and adapt.
Embarking on the journey toward personalized email takes some time. We recommend a crawl-walk-run approach, with frequent testing, measurement and feedback:
Continue to advance your data strategy and insights to make your interactions more relevant.
Optimize your marketing across channels.
Tell people a connected story everywhere they go, anywhere you want to reach them.
Make the most of technological advances to provide personal, cohesive interactions that make people feel recognized.
Then you’ll succeed in delivering truly personalized experiences that drive value every step of the way.
Interested in learning more about where you are in your email personalization journey? Take our quiz today.
*This post first appeared on Ad Age
---
## Fashion your marketing around understanding and communicating to your customers as real people
Type: eps_post
URL: /fashion-your-marketing-approach-to-real-people
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Fashion your marketing around understanding and communicating to your customers as real people
As your buyers are real people, your marketing must engage them as such. But all too often, businesses approach them as IP addresses or cookies or devices. Instead of getting closer to them by treating them as individuals and providing them with personalised experiences, they push them away by serving up irrelevant, bland, and generic communications.
Rather than alienating them, you must focus on having meaningful conversations with them. And with the threat of companies at risk of losing over one-third of their customers through a lack of or poor personalisation, a joined-up approach to data, insights, and targeting is essential. Identity management is critical to removing fragmented, siloed, inaccurate data that impedes effective marketing. But what should you be doing to achieve this? Well, here are four areas to focus on.
Develop your data strategy
Concentrate on building a firm foundation for your marketing by plugging your data gaps. Ensure you’re using all your channels to collect and replenish your first-party data, while seeking additional data sources – including zero-party and second-party data – to enhance your insights beyond your current information. In doing so, you gain and offer a more holistic view of your customers. Then use this data-at-scale to update or refresh your customer profiles to reflect your buyers today and start developing long-term customer value.
Lay the foundations for your ID programme
Having well-organised and unified data across your company is essential. This allows you to build an identifier for each of your customers so you can recognise them when they’re on or off-site and communicate with them appropriately. But ensure this identifier is stable. Don’t rely on a single data point to achieve this but a broad mix – offline and online – to optimise your identity management and ensure it will be persistent, accurate and scaleable. These could include:
Email address
Phone number
Postal address
Login data from your site
Offline and online transaction data
Device ID
IP address
Social media handle
Creating your own identifier is just one option. If you lack the resources or capabilities, seek external support in developing your ID strategy. But do it soon, so your marketing continues to resonate in a post-cookie world.
Focus on truly understanding your customers
Gain a 360-degree customer view by investing in technologies that improve your analytical capabilities and provide visibility into your customer journeys, on and off-site. Use your data to understand customer buying patterns and triggers. Then activate it by developing relevant and individualised marketing messages for each stage of their buying journey to encourage purchases and drive sales.
Use customer journey insights to encourage future buying decisions
Gaining greater visibility into your customers’ purchasing behaviours and preferences allows you to begin predicting future purchasing behaviours and identify cross-selling and upselling opportunities. An effective customer ID puts you in a better position to focus your insights into driving future sales by understanding, for example, which customers can be converted to a particular up-sell or what bundled offerings might appeal to specific buyers. By better anticipating future journeys, you’ll boost long-term value.
Developing a coherent identity strategy will pay dividends in the future and overcome the issues associated with data that’s incomplete, inaccurate and in silos. And with 70% of people regularly getting irrelevant ads or messages from brands, it allows you to replace disjointed, ineffective, and annoying communications that fail to recognise customers as real people with consistent, relevant, and welcomed messages. In doing so you build stronger, more profitable, long-term relationships.
If you're looking for help in any of these areas, or want to understand more about how adopting these approaches can benefit your business, then please contact us.
Send us an email
---
## 4 consideration areas for evolving your travel marketing approach
Type: eps_post
URL: /evolving-your-travel-marketing-approach
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# 4 consideration areas for evolving your travel marketing approach
Today’s economic climate means consumers are being savvier when it comes to spending on life’s luxuries, such as holidays. But the value people put on travel as a way of escaping from the stresses of everyday life means there are opportunities to influence their decisions through technology and messaging.
Here are four areas worth exploring if you’re looking to develop more impactful and cost-effective marketing activity.
1. Focus on high-value travellers
Look to target those who are back travelling and are willing to spend. After all, this will be the easiest group to influence. Use data and technology to understand where they’ve been – and their future considerations – then tailor your messaging around those destinations that may resonate to encourage them to travel with you.
2. Build up your loyalty programme
Ensure you’re using your loyalty programme to keep current customers engaged while removing any barriers to entry to make it easy and quick for new customers to join. Ask for the minimum information to maximise sign-ups but look for key moments to encourage travellers to provide more information, such as when they redeem points.
3. Take advantage of technology
Carrying out effective multi-channel marketing is complex, so make sure you have the platforms to achieve your objectives. Invest in technologies that can simplify and speed up your activities, from Customer Data Platforms and Data Clean Rooms to control and activate your data to email and messaging platforms to streamline and automate your communications. And take advantage of machine learning to understand what messaging sequences and adverting combinations resonate with your audiences. Whether display advertising, video, mobile, or desktop, ensure you’re optimising your audience interactions and their individual journeys.
4. Communicate around value
Adapt your messaging to reflect the realities of today’s economic situation and be sensitive and empathetic to your travellers’ needs.
To cope with the cost-of-living crisis, more people are opting for all-inclusive options to help them manage and control their spending. Others are dealing with rising costs by taking fewer holidays or seeking cheaper travel options. So use your data insights to message people with personalised information reflecting their current circumstances and mindset that will resonate with them.
To find out how we can help support you in any of these areas, please
Send us an email
---
## Why better data is your building block to better marketing
Type: eps_post
URL: /why-better-data-is-your-building-block-to-better-marketing
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Why better data is your building block to better marketing
As travel continues to bounce back, with predictions that key UK airports will see passenger numbers recover to 96% of pre-pandemic numbers, understanding today’s travellers’ attitudes and behaviours is critical. And this comes down to one crucial element: data. It’s by accessing and activating data to target new customers and engage your existing ones that you can take advantage of the available sales opportunities.
But forget past behaviours and traditional assumptions as these no longer hold true. Even looking back at the emerging market last year is unhelpful, as the number of holidays and trips carried over from Covid was distorting the true picture. Instead, reset your marketing approach by using relevant, fresh, actionable data that’s not just confined to what’s in your CRM or website activity to drive future success.
Adopting any or all of these approaches will put your marketing in good stead.
Start rebuilding your own first-party data: Look to refresh, replenish, and enhance the customer and prospect data you have using your website , loyalty programmes and email CRM. Then use it to drive your targeting, messaging, and personalisation across all your marketing activities.
See the person behind the traveller: Access additional data points beyond just travel to gain a more well-rounded understanding of the people you’re targeting. From demographic, lifestyle, and preference data to purchasing behaviour and intention data, enriching your insights means better targeting, personalisation, creatives, and campaigns.
Fresh insights mean fresh ideas: Challenges around economic uncertainty, geopolitical developments and consumer confidence mean what’s correct today may be out of date tomorrow. So keep refreshing your data, insights, segmentation and assumptions by constantly analysing your customers so you can identify and respond to opportunities and challenges as they begin to emerge.
Flex your messaging across the customer journey loop: Customer journeys are no longer linear but a continual loop. Use the insights you have both to recognise these more fluid journeys and develop appropriate messaging for whatever stage of their buying journey someone enters the circle.
Demonstrate marketing’s value by demonstrating outcomes: With marketing budgets squeezed or under constant review, ensure you report on how you are impacting the bottom line. Adopt metrics that matter to the company rather than purely marketing ones and elevate marketing’s standing in the business.
Evolving your approach by focusing on these areas will put you in a stronger position to adapt your marketing in these challenging times. More data leads to more insights that feeds into better campaigns, better results, and a stronger bottom line.
Are you seeking help in developing your data-driven marketing approach? Then feel free to get in touch with us.
Send us an email
---
## Why taking advantage of the unredeemed travel voucher situation is good for your customers and your business
Type: eps_post
URL: /taking-advantage-of-the-unredeemed-travel-voucher-situation
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Why taking advantage of the unredeemed travel voucher situation is good for your customers and your business
The recent news surrounding unclaimed travel refund vouchers, described by one analyst as a ‘liability’, detracts from the real opportunity they represent for travel companies. That’s why it’s essential to approach encouraging their redemption as a critical customer relationship exercise. It’s a chance to engage with customers and drive business, rather than a communication chore to get over and done with quickly.
And to do this, you must forget about sending one-size-fits-all messages linked to a looming redemption deadline but instead focus on personalising the messaging to your audiences. In this way, you can endear customers to your brand and develop stronger and long-term relationships.
New insights and new opportunities
To achieve this requires data. Not data on your system that may be past its sell-by date and no longer relevant to today’s travel environment. But fresh data that reveals insights into your voucher holders’ behaviour and mindset. Accessing this gives you new customer perspectives, allowing you to segment your audiences, tap into messaging triggers and deliver individualised communications.
For example, accessing the right data and technology will help you find those who are back in the travel market and may be considering and researching their next trip. These are a key group, and when it comes to voucher redemption, they should be your most responsive. Understanding their behaviours allows you to focus on messages around destinations they may be considering, so they resonate better with them.
At the other end of the scale, you can find those who have switched off travelling. Offering up reassuring messaging to encourage them to consider travelling and not to miss out on the opportunity of redeeming their vouchers can’t but help encourage them to shift their mindset. But all this is only possible if you’re building your insights around fresh, relevant data.
In doing so, the value of your voucher redemption communications will dramatically improve. Rather than being functional, they will become relevant, valuable, and even inspirational. Getting your customers to imagine where their vouchers could take them can only help trigger action.
These insights can also take you beyond the confines of your website, CRM system or loyalty programme. This is why investing in a robust identifier that allows you to find – and market – to real people is essential. Opening up broader insights allows you to reach your voucher holders across the web and develop more sophisticated approaches to help influence and encourage their redemption.
And remember, when it comes to flight voucher values, they may cover only part of the costs. Encouraging them to be redeemed could result in additional incremental revenue. Or if you offer a package of options, there could be opportunities to cross sell accommodation, car hire, or other travel services when customers redeem their vouchers.
By treating your customers correctly, messaging them appropriately and encouraging them not to lose out on their money, you can gain revenue. And you can also gain something that’s essential for a brand in today’s challenging economic times – trust. When spend gets squeezed, consumers opt to purchase from businesses they trust, so getting your voucher redemption communications right can help you gain a competitive advantage going forward
Are you seeking help in developing your data-driven marketing approach? Then feel free to get in touch with us.
Send us an email
---
## 5 essential requirements for a successful off-site retail media operation
Type: eps_post
URL: /requirements-for-successful-off-site-retail-media-operation
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# 5 essential requirements for a successful off-site retail media operation
Retail media advertising promises commercial wins for everyone involved. Retailers with high-quality first-party customer data can achieve detailed personalisation. They can also generate high-margin revenue from selling ad space on their websites. Brands, meanwhile benefit from increased revenue thanks to highly-relevant ads, delivered at the point of purchase.
Retail media has so many benefits.
Selling ad space on their websites can be lucrative for retailers, but there’s only so many ads they can sell. For that reason, retailers want to maximise off-site opportunities too. Rather than publishing the ads on their website, retailers can ask brand agencies to fund or co-fund off-site ads that drive awareness and traffic.
Ads can run on any ad space across the open web. They can still be personalised and targeted using insights and audiences from the retailer’s first-party data. This is useful to brands and advertisers adapting to the post-cookie world. An additional benefit is that campaigns are highly-measurable. The retailer, for instance, can report back to the brand with KPIs such as the level of increased spend on their website.
In the US, department store Macy’s provides a good example of a retailer successfully leveraging offsite retail media. The Macy’s Media Network offsite proposition was launched in August 2020. It includes programmatic display, video-connected television, online video, email advertising, in-store screens, package inserts, and billboards. Macy’s says its Media Network generated $105m in net revenue across its offerings in 2021.
Retailers are keen to emulate high-profile success stories like this. They are using platforms such as CitrusAd to leverage the latest automation techniques and keep refining their on-site and off-site retail media offers.
Here we list and analyse the five steps retailers and brands must take to ensure a successful off-site retail media operation:
1. Assess your brand demand for retail media
2. Ensure you can accurately measure retail media performance
3. The importance of taking a flexible approach to your retail media operation
4. Ensure your retail media strategyis future-proofed
5. Lock in organisational readiness and the desire to integrate your strategy across the business
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1. Strike a balance between the supply and demand of retail media
With on-site retail media, larger retailers can offer brands the opportunity to sponsor product verticals or categories across the site. If there are, say, over 300 brands on a retail site, there is the bandwidth for the retailer to monetise that channel, selling ad tenancies on its web pages.
An electricals chain could sell brands such as Beko or Bosch a ‘tenancy’ of their entire website fridge and freezer section, with ads showing on every page. However, if only four brands in total sell through those pages, the benefit of a tenancy to the sponsor brand will be limited.
In a situation like this, the brand might see higher returns from personalised ads programmed on an impressions-basis, using on-site and off-site channels, but still using the first-party retailer data in both cases.
While many larger entrants began their retail media initiatives by monetising their owned channels, many small or mid-size players have used off-site channels to scale their retail media presence quickly. This is of particular benefit for retailers with limited brand partners who have maxed out onsite retail media.
Our view at Epsilon is that off-site supports players of all sizes because it both extends a company’s reach to a larger in-market audience and drives those users to the company’s own website, helping scale its on-site business.
For retailers, it is beneficial to join forces with dedicated brand partners who understand their ecosystem.Smaller long-tail retail brands can then activate campaigns cost effectively.
Both brands and retailers should carefully address the balance between media supply and demand both onsite & offsite, to strike the greatest level off efficiency and relevance to the consumer.
2. Ensure you can accurately measure retail media performance
The ROIon retail media can be easily measured. Such channels can be geared towards meaningful, conversion-based outcomes. Thanks to advanced platform solutions, retailers can provide brands with all themetrics they need to track the progress of campaigns.
At Epsilon, we useincremental return on ad spend (iROAS) as a key metric. It’snot uncommon for a brand to see three to four timesROAS with an off-site retail media campaign.IROAScan be measured in isolation, over and above existing paid media channels.
There are soft KPI measurements too. CTR (click-through rates) will measure the level of direct engagement a brand’s ads have achieved.While VCR (Video completion rate) measures the percentage of people that have watched the entirety of a video ad.
Other metrics, such as last-click attribution, are hard to apportion when you have several differentpaid media and organic marketing campaigns playing out at once.
Agencies specialising in off-site retail mediaprovide brands with forecasts charting the predicted ROI of campaigns. They then work towards these agreed targets and can feedback on progress over a specified timeframe.
3. The importance of taking a flexible approach to your retail media operation
If an off-site retail media campaign is not performing for a brand, it can be adapted. Flexibility is easily built in. For example, if ad spend is not achieving the desired return, the retailer can adjust their pricing and elements of the campaign.
New audiences can be found and targeted.It’s very much about getting the right mix of exposure levels and audience engagement for anyparticular brand.
However, not all products have a purchase frequencywhich meritscontinued off-site retail media ad activity. A higher price point can in some instances result in slower consumer purchase cycles.For instance, hearing aids are quite expensive and not purchased regularly. The purchase lifecycle is between three to ten years. This is where flexibility comes in.
Agencies can adapt the service they supply to specific timeframes and purchase cycles, so that the maximum returns are achieved, and ad spend is not wasted. Off-site retail media campaigns should not be considered a constant – rather a digital marketing activity to flex around known customer behaviour data.
Time and channel are two other key areas where flexibility pays off. A customer may usually buy a product late at night after several visits to the retailer’s site on their mobile phone, for example. Seasonality is also important.
Does your customer spend big at the month-end after payday? Or are they more actively spending during sale seasons?Working with Epsilon enables brands to activate their first-person data at scale, delivering personalised ad content omni-channel.
4. Ensure your retail approach is future-proofed
In this era of economic uncertainty and saturated markets, futureproofing is essential for both brands and retailers. The rules of digital marketing are changing. Brands can no longer rely on third-party cookies to inform their re-targeting programmes. An effective retail media solution should be able to adapt according to consumers’ individual requirements, without a reliance on third-party cookies.
As a result dynamic content optimisation (DCO) can be served to users, reflective of products that are of most relevance or interest to them.
You can use shopper data to spot customers interested in environmental issues, particular sports, or crafting, for example. Brands can use retail media channels to focus on the green benefits of products, upcoming sports events, or the latest crafting trends. Other customers may respond positively to well-being messages or home improvement-related messages.
Time and channel are two more considerations. A customer may habitually buy gifts late – on the eve of Mother’s Day or the weekend before Christmas. A fitness fanatic may buynew trainers every six months after several views on their mobile phone. Another invests in new swimwear every spring.Effectively leveraging customer ID insights is key to enable retailers to future-proof digital marketing.
5. Organisational readiness and the desire to integrate
‘Organisational readiness’is a buzzword in business today. It recognises that not all companies have the tech support,know-how, and corporate culture to push forward with the latest innovations.
With digital marketing moving fast, brands mustevolve their mindsets to move with the times and try something new. Existing commercial relationships might need to be adapted. Brands’ sales teams may take a while to buyinto the concept of off-site retail media advertising.
Launching a brand’s off-site retail media advertising programme takes time. Even with the organisational readiness and a desire to integrate in place, sometimes it can take up to six months to be up-and-running. Data onboarding and integration, testing, and data compliance procedures must be carried out.
A great deal of work goes into activating the retailer’s first-party data and implementing all the steps needed for a successful, targeted campaign.
All stakeholders involved must be ready for an exciting new revenue-driving venture. But there should be an acknowledgment that this is not a quick fix. Rather,it’sa complex integration project, which requiresmultiple stages to set up.
Be sure to invest in a data-led solution, so that you are targeting real people, in real-time. For the end-users to actively engage, you need to be working with unique individuals. That comes down to the quality of the data platform behind any retail media activity.
If the client data being activated is reliant on a single source, such as an email address or a device ID, it's reliant on a probabilistic outcome to identify and match a customer. CitrusAddeterministically identifies a user based on multiple online and offline attributes, with a single view of attribution, regardless of where your customer purchases.
Retail media success is an ambition worth having
Retail media is ‘The $100 Billion opportunity’ according toBoston Consulting Group. It has also been described as ‘digital advertising’s third wave’. Whatever terminology is used, retailers and brands cannot afford to miss out.
In straitened times, both on-site and off-site retail media represent powerful revenue channels. Sitting the game out will be dangerous, and those who do risk falling behind.
Find out more about CitrusAd – the first retail media platform to unite on-site and off-site capabilities.
---
## 5 customer dark spots marketers can shine a light on using a CDP
Type: eps_post
URL: /5-customer-dark-spots-cdps
Last Modified: 2025-10-03T14:19:01Z
# 5 customer dark spots marketers can shine a light on using a CDP
Brands today are looking to revive dormant customers, increase basket size, activate data anywhere, and identify lookalike audiences.
These goals, impeded by many of the challenges marketers currently face—data deprecation, pandemic-altered consumer behavior, engagement requirements escalating dramatically—are leading the drive for better marketing infrastructure and technology. But current options often don’t cut it, and marketers are increasingly finding data “dark spots” in their customer data platforms (CDPs).
For some marketers, these areas can be quite dark, and for others, they are a little dim. When implementing a CDP that is built not only for today but for the future, there are key considerations marketers need to have. Addressing the question of database optimization is an iterative process: You must take it step by step. Identifying the use cases and goals that you uniquely want to achieve with your CDP are crucial.
The types of challenges marketers have vary, but all negatively impact their ability to execute. By highlighting these areas, you will be better equipped to enact a strong CDP strategy.
1. Inaccurate identity of customers
You need a full view of customers to see their true identity. This is a foundational issue, and it’s one that the vast majority of CDP strategies struggle with.
Identity is more than just matching rules to put profiles together. It has a lot to do with making your data better: enriching it, making it smarter and easier for you to use, and ensuring you’re engaging with individual people—not cookies or devices. If you have a lot of data, implementing strong identity resolution, foundationally, becomes a critical component to make sure you put the right data together for the use cases that you need.
And that identity needs to take you further than simply matching profiles and records together. The best identity also serves as the foundation for high performance activation, enabling you to reach people wherever they consume media.
2. Limited customer attributes and interests
You need customer attributes to build audiences. Data fuels CDP solutions, and many brands source this data from all over.
But depending on the type of brand or the business you’re in, you may have a very limited aperture of the types of information and first-party data that you can collect or that consumers are willing to share with you. This data might look like transaction data, web behavior data, engagement around marketing channels that you’re working on, in-store data and more.
Is this sufficient to build the rich, individual-level profile that gets you a true understanding of the consumer? Not likely. Marketers need broader insights to understand who that consumer is and, who they are in the wild when they’re by themselves and not interacting with your brand. Getting a rounder, more focused picture of your customer is crucial for the kind of effective activation you’re looking for. So, don’t be limited just by the data you can get your hands on or that you are able to get from consent preference with your customer.
3. Disconnected experiences
Customers expect a personalized experience when they engage with a brand. Marketing solutions focused on specific types of marketing channels or engagement strategies have been the norm for a while, but that’s becoming a problem. Marketers need the ability to look at a unified experience across customers, the channel teams that serve and engage them, and across the customer lifecycle, as well.
Marketers have opportunities to engage the customer across the customer lifecycle more deeply than ever have before, and if uniformity is prioritized in terms of consistency, they’re going to get the strongest outcomes. Marketers can build better trust and relationship with customers, which, at the end of the day, is the goal.
4. Outdated privacy and preferences
You need to know how, when and where to reach your customers. There are constantly changing technology issues, consumer behavior patterns and regulations that can be very challenging to keep up with. But it’s essential that staying on top of privacy needs is foundational to your first-party data strategy and your marketing around that.
If you make a misstep in this arena, the issues range from breaking trust in the relationship you have with individual customers all the way to creating a major problem for your business. Marketers of course can’t afford to do that, so they must make sure they have the best, most recent and up-to-date information.
5. Cracks in digital measurement and performance
You need to be confident that your marketing dollars are working. If marketers bring the right data together into an understanding of an individual customer profile, they must also include the measurement around the engagement work they do.
This is an area where it’s often hard to get what you need, particularly when working with partners like walled gardens that don’t often allow certain types of data to flow back to you. So, with your CDP strategy, it’s important to consider how you can stitch together an understanding of the performance and measurement of your marketing across the customer lifecycle into the single-profile view you need.
How can the right CDP bring light to these areas?
Any of these issues could be dark spots across your marketing and first-party data strategy. There may be places where it’s a little darker than others for you, which is why it’s crucial to identify your organization’s unique gap areas when evaluating the CDP that’s right for you.
To learn what the right CDP can do for your brand, check out this webinar hosted by Adweek that dives into how you can maximize the value of your data with a CDP.
This article was originally published on Adweek, March 2023.
---
## Customer data enrichment: Completing the customer profile puzzle
Type: eps_post
URL: /third-party-data-missing-piece-of-customer-profile-puzzle
Last Modified: 2026-09-11T19:13:28Z
# Customer data enrichment: Completing the customer profile puzzle
Even the richest first-party data leaves gaps in your customer profile, and customer data enrichment is how you fill them.
Enrichment uses trusted third-party data to append the demographics, interests, household and purchase signals you can't capture from your own channels, turning a partial record into a unified customer profile. It's the difference between recognizing a customer and truly understanding them.
This article explains what customer data enrichment is, how third-party data completes the customer-profile puzzle and the signals worth appending to power sharper segmentation and personalization.
What is customer data enrichment?
It's hard to make informed marketing decisions when you're not quite sure if your customer database is powered by high-quality data—let alone if your records are accurate, privacy-compliant, consistent and granular.
When we talk about customer data enrichment, we're talking about enhancing your customer profile to clean up duplicates, fill in missing customer information and add new customer attributes to ultimately make your customer profile work for you.
After all, when your customer database is as tidy and complete as possible, you're able to understand your audience better and reach them with timely and targeted marketing messages that resonate.
So how do you get started with customer data enrichment? It all starts cleaning and deduplicating your customer data to make sure data quality is at the forefront.
Customer data enrichment 101: What customer data should you append?
Before we get into cleaning your data, let's level-set by making sure you understand the basics of first-, second-, third- and zero-party data.
First-party data is the data you already have from customers, like their name, email, purchase history and more.
Second-party data might include that type of information, too, but you access it via trusted partnerships, purchase agreements or platforms like data clean rooms.
Third-party data is data purchased from an external provider that's not the original data collector. Your business might purchase third-party data to add critical demographic information such as age, income, gender and interests to your customer file.
Zero-party data is data your customers proactively share with you by filling out feedback surveys, interest forms or polls.
The data type that will help you the most when it comes to completing your customer profile puzzle is third-party data.
3 primary types of third-party data you can leverage
Now that we're all on the same page, we can get into the types of third-party data you might want to use to enrich your customer data as a part of your foundational data strategy.
There are three primary categories of third-party data:
Psychographic
Transactional
Consumer data
When you enhance your customer profile with valuable third-party data attributes like these, you're one step closer to building a unified customer profile.
What's the value of a unified customer profile?
To help you understand the value of enriched customer data, let's take a look at how it impacted one of Epsilon's customers.
A retailer of teen casual apparel and accessories was struggling to understand the people behind their purchases. They had limited demographic data and address information and were relying heavily on email addresses alone, which just wasn't cutting it.
Their first attempt to find the missing pieces was a smart one: launching a loyalty program to build their first-party data. While the loyalty program accelerated customer data collection, there were still gaps.
According to the retailer's Senior Manager of CRM & Loyalty, “We not only wanted to understand how a customer shopped at [our store], but what they looked like outside of our store to tell a clear story of who each person is.”
Questions the retailer wanted to answer
Who were their best customers?
What did they look like?
What do they value?
How can the brand deliver it?
These questions guided the retailer as they engaged Epsilon to help find the remaining pieces.
Epsilon's data hygiene solution
The solution began with the foundational element of filling in missing contact information on the retailer’s customer file via data cleansing.
Using Epsilon’s data hygiene solution to cleanse and increase match rates, the retailer was able to add names and addresses to their email-only records.
This enabled them to grow their mailing address database from 1 million to 4 million customers. Then, they used Epsilon’s consumer database to enrich their customer profiles with key demographic and lifestyle data.
The retailer's results
After the puzzle pieces fell into place, the retailer was able to create and implement an extremely successful direct mail campaign. The campaign drove incremental sales, moved more customers from single channel experiences to omnichannel ones and grew overall customer spend and frequency.
The Senior Manager elaborates, “Prior to expanding our mailing address database, direct mail was out of reach for us. Now, we can create measurable impact with a disruptive marketing tactic. We’ve since introduced direct mail as an ongoing campaign.”
The retailer also used the newly discovered insights to inform other decisions across its business. For example, the team learned that more than 40% of their customer base is multicultural and are more likely to speak Spanish. They applied this insight to their brand-level strategy by choosing models that customers could relate to.
They also discovered that nearly one-third of their customer base was parents. This changed how they market their products, especially for the back-to-school season. The retailer made sure to tailor their messaging and offers to something parents would be receptive to as they were often buying for their kids.
Ultimately, investing in Epsilon's industry-leading data and identity resolution solution was a huge win for the apparel and accessories retailer, whose rep says, “Partnering with Epsilon helped us unlock who our customers are… and we were able to do some incredible things.”
Ready to unify your customer database? Learn how Epsilon Data can help.
This post was originally published on May 4, 2023, and has since been updated.
---
## Epsilon Loyalty Index - UAE
Type: eps_post
URL: /eli-uae
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Epsilon Loyalty Index - UAE
Epsilon’s Loyalty Value Exchange:
Each customer wants something different from your brand. And your brand has something different to gain from each customer. With our larger Value-Led Loyalty platform, you can create a 1:1 journey for each customer. More value for them. More value for you.
But before that, how do you know what truly drives customer loyalty?
That’s where the Epsilon Loyalty Index steps in.
Download a copy of the report
---
## Creating heart-to-heart connections through customer loyalty initiatives
Type: eps_post
URL: /creating-connections-with-customer-loyalty-programs
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Creating heart-to-heart connections through customer loyalty initiatives
The saying "too much of a good thing" is often true—too much ice cream, too much sun, too much rational thought. While ice cream, sunshine and logic aren't harmful in general, too much of them can cause problems—a stomachache, sunburn and a one-sided approach to marketing.
Striking a balance with food and lifestyle is great for your overall health—just like balancing rational and emotional factors are essential to the overall health of your loyalty initiatives. Research confirms something most of us already know intuitively: The reasons people make certain decisions are often strongly influenced by emotion rather than pure rational calculation.
Emotion plays a critical role in decision-making, and emotional decisions are often even stickier than rational ones.
What does this mean for customer loyalty initiatives?
Brands whose initiatives are based solely on rational incentives are missing out on a powerful opportunity to strengthen their connections with top customers, as well as create more customers like them. It doesn't mean scrapping discounts and rewards points—people, after all, represent a complicated mix of emotion and rationality—but it does mean including and emphasizing elements designed to appeal to consumers' emotions.
That's especially true in an era where the average consumer is enrolled in more than seven loyalty programs. Clearly, consumers will provide information to a brand as part of a loyalty value exchange but knowing what emotional (and rational) levers to include starts with personalization.
Building better loyalty initiatives
The first step is a paradigm shift. Personalization and making the customer the center of your loyalty initiatives is key. Brands should analyze their initiatives through the lens of connection and affinity as opposed to blanket special offers and impersonal messages. What content, offers or experiences could you present to your loyalty members that foster a greater sense of connection with your brand and drive a purchase?
It can be surprisingly difficult to hit on the right formula, partly because many brands think they have a far better handle on their emotional appeal than they really do: According to a recent survey, nearly 70% of business owners don't understand how their customers think. Which, knowing why your customers churn, or their attitudes and values can make a huge impact in your loyalty initiatives and your bottom line.
That said, connecting to your customers in emotionally different ways may be beneficial.
Community identification
One smart goal is to draw consumers into relationships with the brand, and with like-minded others who share a similar aspirational identity. Those connections are especially powerful because when together, consumers can affirm and deepen their shared values and brands reinforce their role in providing value. For example, when members reach the top, invite-only loyalty tier at NOBULL, a CrossFit-focused fitness gear brand, they're invited to VIP-only events such as classes taught by the company's founders. That experience enables the customer to feel like a core member of an elite club and underscores NOBULL's essential role in helping customers achieve their CrossFit dreams.
Shared sense of purpose
Research shows a growing number of consumers prefer spending money with brands that demonstrate values in alignment with their own—a link which has grown steadily in the past eight years. For brands whose customers unite over certain shared values, this can lead to a stronger emotional connection to the brand. Outdoor retailer REI, for example, created a charity to work for expanded access to outdoor opportunities and donates $5 from each new loyalty membership payment toward the effort. Other brands, like Kroger, demonstrate a similar commitment that allows consumers to pick their own philanthropic project. Kroger reward members select a charity of their choice that then earns rewards based on purchases.
Special brand experience
Adding immersive experiences are also a draw for loyalty customers. Take, for example, designer accessories brand Vivrelle. They opened a chic new members-only showroom in Manhattan where membership customers can stop in for a cocktail as part of their regular membership fee.
Vivrelle's approach accomplishes two things: One, it gets people into the store. Once there, visitors feel part of the luxurious Vivrelle community thanks to their membership, thus creating a memory and an emotional connection that lasts long after the visit.
The bottom line
Your bottom-line can benefit from emotionally loyal customers, too, especially in the long-term. One study showed emotionally loyal customers are more than twice as valuable than highly satisfied customers on a lifetime value basis. So how do you cultivate more emotionally loyal customers? And how do you measure their emotional attachment?
"The first step is knowing who customers are, what their needs are and how emotionally attached they are to your brand," according to Tamara Oliverio, VP, Strategic Consulting at Epsilon. "Epsilon's proprietary Attachment Loyalty score does just that—it leverages first-party and zero-party data to measure how emotionally attached a customer is to a brand."
This piece of Epsilon's loyalty platform is fueled with real-time sentiment, so you can see how campaigns, promotions, and engagement strategies impact customers' emotional attachment.
If you want a customer loyalty relationship that lasts, you'll need to appeal to customers' hearts as well as their heads. Loyalty initiatives that combine rational incentives, such as discounts and rewards, with emotional appeals, such as a sense of belonging, will be best positioned to win customers' deep and ongoing loyalty. The strategic balance of both strategies will lead to a happily ever after.
---
## Fashioning a different approach to your marketing
Type: eps_post
URL: /fashioning-a-different-approach-to-your-marketing
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Fashioning a different approach to your marketing
As the current business environment demands different marketing approaches, these articles will give you essential food for thought.
4 fashion marketing focus areas to keep you on trendwill help you deliver more effective marketing.
Fashion your marketing around understanding and communicating to your customers as real peoplediscusses the need for meaningful conversations by personalising their experience.
Your guide to bulls**t metricsgives an understanding of what today’s metrics really offer – and which ones you should use.
A PrettyLittleThing case study provides real-life inspiration around personalisation that delivers incremental growth.
So take the time to click on those articles of interest for practical advice to enhance your current approach and ideas to inspire you to get more from your marketing.
Are you seeking help in developing your data-driven marketing approach? Then feel free to get in touch with us.
Send us an email
---
## Tips to help your travel marketing soar
Type: eps_post
URL: /tips-to-help-your-travel-marketing-soar
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Tips to help your travel marketing soar
In these tough times, if you’re looking for insights and ideas to develop your marketing, then these five articles are for you.
4 consideration areas for evolving your travel marketing approach gives you ideas worth considering to develop more cost-effective marketing.
Why taking advantage of the unredeemed travel voucher situation is good for your customers and your business, discusses why voucher redemption is an opportunity to develop your business – and not a liability.
Why better data is your building block to better marketing offers data-driven approaches to evolve your activity.
The Shoals case studyprovides a real-life example of using data insights to boost visitor numbers and spend.
The cruise line case studyprovides a real-life example of using personalisation to drive your customer acquisition.
So take the time to click on those articles of interest and explore new approaches and opportunities that can inspire your marketing approach.
Are you seeking help in developing your data-driven marketing approach? Then feel free to get in touch with us.
Send us an email
---
## How to scale an existing retail media strategy?
Type: eps_post
URL: /how-to-scale-an-existing-media-retail-strategy
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# How to scale an existing retail media strategy?
Retail media growth is exploding, and this growth is far from over—in fact, it’s really only getting started. While retail media already accounts for 10.7% of ad spending worldwide and will likely reach $101 billion by the end of 2022, some experts project it growing another 60% by 2027.
Adopting a retail media strategy is an excellent way to grow revenue and remain competitive, but it’s not easy. And, though one of the hardest parts of establishing a retail media network is getting started, scaling an existing retail media strategy can be just as challenging (if not more).
So, how can you refine your strategy and boost your returns?
As the powerhouse behind retail media networks like Walgreens Advertising Group, Epsilon has a wealth of experience in this department. Below, we’ll walk through some top strategies.
Assessing your existing retail media strategy
Before deciding how to proceed with your retail media strategy, it’s important to ensure that what you have in place sets a firm foundation for any future developments. The ideal retail media strategy will vary depending on the nature of an organisation and its goals.
However, most successful approaches share the following common elements:
They understand their audience’s demographics, priorities, and desires
They prioritise brand safety and consumers’ privacy
They maintain strong relationships with their customers and their partners
They have analytics tools in place to leverage data in decision making
They know where to place ads on- and off-site and across the customer journey
They create ad campaigns that are relevant, creative, and engaging
They have the tools, talent, and departments in place to manage the network
They understand in-house capabilities and when to hire or outsource talent
How to scale an existing retail media strategy?
Building a scalable retail media strategy is equal parts science and art. The following are actions you can take to make the retail media strategy you already have in place even more effective.
Analyse and leverage your first-party data
Few things are more important to a retail media strategy than first-party data, which takes much of the guesswork out of targeting audiences for ads. First-party information allows advertisers to target specific consumer audiences based on their searches, interactions, and past buys.
First-party data empowers more successful ad campaigns.
Monitoring user behaviours along with other data can give your business a sense of the rate at which your consumer audience is growing. If you can demonstrate to advertisers that you have an expanding customer base, your platform becomes more valuable as an advertising space.
Experiment and utilise your customers
Some major retailers like Amazon have been in the retail media network business for years now, which might seem to suggest that there’s a single well-worn path to success. But this is still new territory for many others; it’s still ripe with opportunities for exploration and experimentation.
One avenue for this is user-generated content. Any platform that allows for or actively solicits user input can be a boon to your entire retail media strategy. Engage users by promoting their content, or find ways to reach out and help them feel active and engaged on your platform.
Beyond this, there are fundamental areas where you should be open to adjustments.
Once you’ve established a retail media strategy, you can evaluate data to see which kinds of retail media advertisements tend to be most effective, where yours fall short of expectations, and how new types of placements or formats could be even more effective.
Build an off-site advertising strategy
Keeping current customers satisfied and engaged is crucial, but for your retail media network strategy to be scalable, you’ll also need to reach new audiences to grow your site traffic and increase your network’s value to advertisers. To stay, they need to be there in the first place.
To that effect, on- and off-site advertising go hand in hand, and taking the time to find the right balance between the two will keep your retail media network expanding at a healthy rate.
Promote integration, avoid fragmentation
Scalable media retail networks are integrated, not fragmented.
Disconnected tech stacks can lead to the loss of data—one of the most valuable assets of a thriving retail media network—at various points across processes. CitrusAd’s media network platform, which is powered by Epsilon, is one example of a tool that makes it easy to monitor and optimise on- and off-site campaigns in one location in real-time.
Keep the customer experience a priority
Retail media strategies stand to improve customer experiences through more personalised and useful ads—and the improved privacy protection that first-party data provides when compared to third-party cookie data.
But the size and engagement of your consumer audience is what gives your retail media network its value. By ensuring your customers have positive experiences across all the ways they interact with your brand, whether that’s in-store or online, you can ensure you have the numbers that advertisers want to see when selecting a retail media network to invest in.
Certain measures can also benefit the customer experience and your retail media network at the same time. Loyalty programs, for example, allow customers to take advantage of sales while giving you access to first-party data that allows you to fill information gaps for more effective retail media advertising.
Keep studying the competition
While your retail media strategy should reflect what’s best for your business, understanding what strategies your competition is utilising will help you remain competitive. Noting what’s effective and what isn’t about their approaches can help you further refine your own.
Enlist the right retail media partners
Successful retail media networks don’t exist on an island.
Partnering with experts who have specialisations in key areas can be the missing puzzle piece for retailers looking to scale their own retail media networks. When it comes to your advertising partners, especially primary ones, it’s important to ensure that your visions align, as customers may conflate the quality of the advertiser’s products and services with your own brand.
Lastly, having support from a media sales and marketing team can help you build brand awareness, expand your consumer audience, create more demand, and build a retail media network capable of helping customers find what they want and generating more revenue.
Scale your retail media strategy with Epsilon
Looking for new partners? Epsilon offers on- and off-site solutions for retailers managing retail media networks. Our turnkey solution powers greater reach, spend, and incremental revenue.
Whether you’re looking to refine your off-site advertising approach to grow your audience, track data to prove your value to brand partners, or optimise your existing retail media network, we have the tools and expertise to help you achieve your desired next steps. If you’re looking for a new fully managed service to help you maintain your retail media network, we’re capable of that, too—we can get your network up in a matter of days after first-party data onboarding.
Ready to continue scaling your retail media strategy? Get in touch with us today.
---
## How to maximise revenue from digital retail media ?
Type: eps_post
URL: /how-to-maximise-revenue-from-digital-retail-media
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# How to maximise revenue from digital retail media ?
For many retailers, retail media networks are new and unfamiliar territory, but it’s a marketing field rife with opportunity for those who are able to execute successful strategies. To maximise revenue from retail media, retailers should prioritise strengthening their existing relationships with customers, ramping up off-site advertising to reach new consumers, and making sure they have the right tools in place—and the wherewithal to use them—to leverage first-party data.
Here at Epsilon, we help retailers build effective marketing and retail media strategies that are more lucrative and cost-effective. If you’re looking to boost your own retail media network revenue, we’ve put together a handy guide to how you can get started doing so.
What is a Retail Media Network?
Retail marketing could be the door that opens your business to a whole new realm of revenue.
At the fundamental level, retail media networks are essentially the digital equivalent of in-store advertising displays from outside brands that businesses have employed for decades.
These days, with retail media networks, advertisements can be strategically placed at key points of a user’s ecommerce shopping journey, such as above or between search results, or alongside recently-viewed products. Additionally, with the help of customers’ first-party data, products and advertisements can more easily be targeted to reach the right audiences at the right time.
And it’s certainly the right time to grow revenue with a retail media network.
Leading investment company GroupM projected in early December that spending on retail media in 2022 would reach $110.7 billion, more than its $101 billion prediction in September.
While that alone sounds impressive, there are plenty more gains to be made. A previous GroupM report notes that while retail media already accounts for 10.7% of ad spending worldwide, it could grow 60% by 2027. Retail media networks aren’t just appealing; in the coming years, they figure to be essential to remain competitive with other businesses.
The benefits of a Retail Media Network
The age of the retail media network is still dawning, but businesses across industries are quickly recognising its value and adopting their own strategies at a rapid pace. When strategies are executed effectively, the following are just some of the ways that retailers stand to benefit:
New revenue sources — For businesses who have yet to adopt a retail media network strategy of their own, this represents an entirely new, as-yet untapped revenue source.
Right place, right time — With the aid of first-party data, advertisers can reach their key customer demographic in a space where they’re already prepared to make purchases, making your site and/or app extremely valuable advertising real estate.
Advertisers’ offerings can supplement your products and services — Partnering with the right advertisers could expand your offerings and turn your business website and/or ecommerce application into a one-stop shop for your users, personalising the customer experience and making the shopping process more enjoyable.
Those who are able to successfully implement their retail media network approaches early on can carve out space in their industries and refine approaches to maximise revenue before they become increasingly competitive.
How to maximise revenue from Digital Retail Media
Boosting revenue is one of the key benefits of a successful retail media network.
Once you’ve established the foundational elements of your own retail media network approach, the following are some best practices that can help you maximise your strategy’s ROI over time.
Prioritise customer relationships
The value of any retail media network is entirely dependent on the retailer’s relationship with its customers. The more consumers there are who engage with a business, the more appealing its retail network is to prospective advertisers.
Creating loyalty programs is one way that retailers can collect information about individual shoppers to improve their experiences while also offering them additional incentives and ways to save, further solidifying the retailer-consumer relationship.
But that rule also goes the other way.
When a retailer makes decisions that isolate customers, lower trust, or harm the quality of their shopping experience, a shrinking or disengaging customer base will make it less tempting to advertisers and therefore more challenging to grow revenue from a retail media network.
Invest in off-site advertising and SEO
Keeping existing customers engaged is key to maximising retail media revenue—and so is expanding that base. That means prioritising off-site advertising and search engine optimisation strategies to drive traffic and attract new consumers is a must. Use every tool at your disposal.
Gather the data — then put it to use
Access to first-party data is yet another aspect that makes retail media networks appealing to advertisers. Sharing unique customer insights with advertisers—while complying with privacy standards and ethics, of course—holds value for a number of reasons:
It allows them to more effectively target advertisements to the right audience.
Advertisers can easily assess the success of current and future campaigns.
You can substantiate claims about the value of your network with numbers.
In summary, providing advertisers with the right data can build the confidence necessary to keep them re-investing in your media network. But monitoring website and application data is also important for your own purposes.
Understanding how people interact with your website will help you understand key information:
How users find your site?
How they use your website or application?
Where the most effective advertising spaces may be located?
How to improve usability issues (i.e., page load speeds or a confusing multi-step checkout process) as they arise so the site doesn’t needlessly drive away traffic?
Study other Retail Media Networks
Studying other retail media networks can help retailers gain insight on what works and what doesn’t as they hone their own strategies. Of course, what works for one business can be very different from what works for another. Still, it’s still important to remain up to speed on how competitors are approaching their own networks. Be sure to ask questions like:
What do ads communicate about the retailer’s understanding of its customer base?
How engaging are advertisements? What kinds of strategies are being executed?
Where are ads placed (on-site and off)? Is placement effective?
What, if any, new or creative methods are being explored?
Grow your audience
To reiterate one of the points made above, growing your audience means growing your potential retail media revenue. The larger your audience, the more valuable your retail market network is to advertisers. Partnering with the right marketing agency can help you develop and improve strategies to widen your audience.
Grow your media market revenue With Epsilon
When you have a wider consumer audience than your competitors, you stand to command more revenue with your retail media network. Epsilon can help you make that happen.
Epsilon can help you grow and engage the right audiences in the right places at the right time. And if you’re interested in setting up a fully managed retail media network of your own, Epsilon has the tools and expertise you need to go live and multiply your reach in just days. With hundreds of brands already a part of Epsilon’s network, you can already begin bringing in revenue before your promotional strategy gets underway.
Care to learn more? Get in touch with us today!
---
## 4 insights to navigate the retail media landscape in 2023
Type: eps_post
URL: /4-insights-to-navigate-the-retail-media-landscape-in-2023
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# 4 insights to navigate the retail media landscape in 2023
Retail media ad spending is projected to be $68 billion by 2025, and everyone wants to be a part of it. And for good reason—it is changing the way retailers and brands collaborate.
This could be seen at Shoptalk 2023, as it was impossible for attendees to miss the many thoughts, players, information and solutions surrounding retail media. New entrants—from data and ad platforms to analysts producing thought-leadership content to in-store tracking cameras—are emerging.
While this influx of new players is a positive development that encourages innovation and competition, it also makes the landscape even more complex and confusing for retailers, brands and consumers.
There certainly is an opportunity to bring everyone together, but the question remains of how to do so. Patrick Vesperman, Senior Director of Product Management for Retail Media Networks at Epsilon, attended Shoptalk, and here are his four key takeaways coming out of the weekend.
Patrick Vesperman
Senior Director of Product Management, Retail Media Networks at Epsilon
1. Lead with strategy
Many organizations focus on the capabilities they can sell in the short term to take advantage of the retail media trend. This approach may result in temporary gains, but it can also create long-term challenges for the organization, its partners, and the industry as a whole.
Speakers at Shoptalk anchored their innovations and partnerships in core strategic parts of their business. In Ulta CEO Dave Kimbell’s keynote speech, he discussed how Ulta is investing in robotics to enhance lash applications or AI around skin analysis to recommend products. These strategic enhancements will help shoppers have a better overall experience by making it easier for them to find their best next product, for example. Additionally, Bill Ready, Pinterest’s CEO, mentioned how Pinterest is integrating Shuffles, an app to engage with Gen-Z, into their main application to enhance commerce capabilities, which is a core Pinterest Strategy. Brands succeed when they let strategy take the lead. When it comes to retail media and the technology that a retailer builds, develop a strategy and follow a roadmap for a more sustainable approach that can lead to capturing a portion of the $55+ billion industry, along with a stronger offering and more satisfied clients.
2. Be thoughtful with your partner selection
Partnerships are vital in retail media since no single player can meet all needs. When evaluating potential partners, consider your strategic objectives.
Assess the benefits you expect to gain from a partnership as well as the expenses you’re willing to bear in the process. The value of specific synergies and the expenses you’re willing to incur will depend on your strategic goals, the potential benefits of the partnership, and the costs associated with achieving those outcomes.
For instance, a dominant player with an appealing UI might lack integration with your measurement methodology, resulting in challenging outcomes for clients or stakeholders. As a result, it’s essential to know your strategic objectives and incorporate them into you partner selection process.
3. Prioritize strategic unification
In many conversations throughout Shoptalk, retailers mentioned how they want more unified, consistent experiences for their brands. Unification should be purposeful and aligned with strategic objectives and client needs. A tech stack and solution that offers the best individual capabilities, such as a user-friendly interface, publisher network, reporting dashboard or innovative ad format, may seem appealing but can lead to a disjointed ad stack lacking consistency in delivering results.
So how do you sort out what you actually need and from whom? Look for common threads that align with your strategy and select partners who bring unification in those areas to create a seamless, consistent and high level of service.
4. Be honest
When promoting your retail media solutions, stay truthful and transparent about what you offer. Don’t make false claims about your capabilities or promise things that are not part of your roadmap.
Instead, focus on your strengths and be up front with your clients about what you can or cannot do. Actively seek feedback and incorporate your partners’ needs into your roadmap so that you are constantly evolving and being a leader in the space. It’s crucial to listen to your customers and prioritize their needs while maintaining honesty and integrity.
What does this look like in action?
We’ve developed a long-term strategy that supports our clients and enables sustainable growth and success. We’re committed to working together with others to establish an industry that values trust and transparency as much as market share and revenue.
We work with a variety of retailers from different industries ranging from CPG to healthcare and from small to large retailers. Our work with GoPuff, for example, expanded their retail media network for full shopper journey campaigns. With Epsilon's retail media solution, GoPuff’s brands are seeing ROIs as high as 430%, while platform revenue has grown nearly 170% year-over-year in July as active products doubled onsite.
As retail media continues to grow at a rapid rate, retailers need a strategy to not only get through the near term but also build for the long term as they embrace new tech advancements. Be deliberate with your partner selection and unification, and be honest with yourself and your clients.
To learn more about retail media networks, visit our website.
---
## Concerned with an economic slowdown, brands turn to retention
Type: eps_post
URL: /worried-about-a-recession-focus-on-retention
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T22:17:52Z
# Concerned with an economic slowdown, brands turn to retention
The U.S. economy has been on a rollercoaster since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic. Despite seeing record spending and profits three years ago, consumers are looking at high inflation and a possible recession.
This has marketers scrambling for a recession-proof strategy, and many are eyeing stronger retention. It's up to 25% more expensive to acquire a new customer than keep an existing customer, and even a 5% bump in retention rates boost profits by 95%.
But what makes a holistic retention strategy work? Brands need to build trust and loyalty, demonstrate an understanding of customers and their needs, and continually highlight your value proposition in a relevant way for each customer.
Five keys to making it happen:
Don't let drift turn into churn
There's a big difference between a customer who isn't buying from you right now and one who is not buying from you anymore. Yet it can be hard to tell them apart, and often it's not even a conscious choice for the consumer. Sometimes a period of inactivity just devolves into churn.
What can you do about it? Knowing the right time to reach a customer is essential, and you can't just drop everyone into a time-bound contact strategy. Sending an email two months after a purchase just because "it's been two months" has a different intent than sending an email two months after a purchase knowing they are ready to buy again. A direct retention solution focuses on sending messages when a customer is most likely to buy again.
Score points with a strong loyalty program
Loyalty programs reward customers for regularly engaging with your brand, which makes them a go-to component of a retention strategy. Loyalty programs can be especially effective during challenging economic times because their benefits can be designed to relieve hardship through discounts or rewards. They also welcome customers into an exclusive brand community—and during a downturn, people find the allure of community especially compelling. If you're not sure where to start with a loyalty solution, check out the latest Loyalty Technology Solutions Q1 2023 report from The Forrester Wave™ (spoiler: Epsilon was named a Leader).
Know what your customers do after they become customers—and market accordingly
Say it with me, "retargeting is not retention." Retargeting focuses on those who visit your site without purchasing. But, what about those who purchase and never visit the site? Or those who use a browser without third-party cookies, such as Safari or Firefox? Relying on third-party cookies for retargeting is a gamble, especially since nearly half of the internet phased them out, and the other half plans to within the next few years.
Go beyond simple retargeting and focus on what customers do after they purchase. A lifetime loyal customer has different needs than a first-time buyer. Once you understand behavior patterns for existing customers, you'll be better equipped to deliver communications at the right time to drive engagements. Focusing on current customers has the potential for a big payoff, too, as they generate the highest return on ad spend (ROAS). For example, during the COVID-19 pandemic, an economically shaky condition, many CPG brands experienced double-digit growth. Certain brands who focused on their current customers through targeted, persistent connections were able to drive awareness, repeat purchases and sales.
Speaking of data …
Many companies are embracing the power and necessity of first-party data. They're also realizing a customer profile based solely on first-party data can have gaping holes. To fill in those holes, marketers can turn to a customer data platform (CDP), which can broaden your first-party view to bridge the gap between owned and paid media activities, and include additional details ranging from demographics to entertainment tastes to expanded purchase and browsing history.
Knowing your customers more holistically allows you to tailor better messages to them. Personalized and meaningful messages (at the right time) can bring back customers time and time again, and they can help develop a stronger sense of your customers in aggregate.
Epsilon's Digital CDP, for example, uses privacy-compliant, pseudonymous data to unlock broad insights based on a combination of online and offline actions—gathered via partnerships with more than 14,000 different publishers and matched against more than 255 million unique IDs using Epsilon's CORE ID solution. It's the first of its kind to combine traditional CDP behaviors, like gathering and organizing data, with an identity solution all in one platform. The result is brands can precisely dial in their offers and messages.
Expand the scope of your customer relationship
If customers only interact with your brand when it's time to buy and start buying less frequently during an economic downturn… well, there's less of a relationship. However, as part of a holistic retention strategy, perhaps you can interact more broadly. Sometimes, the "thing" that a person needs isn't to be sold to. They need to know more about your product or brand as a next step, in which case, serving up the right piece of content continues the relationship. In that case, you're nurturing and building relationships without the pressure of a transaction.
Within some companies, there can be an impulse to cut back during a downturn on marketing spend that doesn't directly drive sales. It's wise to resist that temptation for the sake of your customer relationships.
Every brand and marketer loves to win over new customers. But retaining and expanding relationships with existing customers is just as (if not more) vital to your overall success—especially during a market downturn.
---
## Segmentation basics: How to find the right audience niche for your brand
Type: eps_post
URL: /segmentation-basics-how-to-find-the-right-audience-niche-for-your-brand
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T22:17:52Z
# Segmentation basics: How to find the right audience niche for your brand
Can you imagine an omnichannel marketing campaign fueled with data that identifies the unique characteristics of each and every household?
As marketers, we strive to obtain a 360-degree of the consumers we’re communicating to, but often times it’s easier said than done. So how can we locate a dataset that will perform the best for our campaigns when we’re surrounded by 40 trillion gigabytes of data?
By using segmentation to find the audience niche that’s best for your brand. Let’s explore further.
Improving old-school segmentation
Segmentation is a marketing technique used to define and divide the marketplace into clearly identifiable groups that share similar characteristics, needs, wants or demands. It’s a data strategy marketers have used for decades.
At Epsilon, we’ve developed Niches 5.0, a powerful segmentation or clustering system that classifies every household in our national consumer marketing file TotalSource Plus® into one of 26 meaningful groups.
Niches’ comprehensive profiles takes the whole consumer into account, including demographics, financials, insurance preferences, vehicle ownership, lifestyles and interests, geographic concentrations, spend categories and merchants, travel, media usage, and attitudes and preferences.
Brands leverage these niches, such as Big Spender Parents, IRA Spenders, Mid-Life Munchkins and Young at Heart, to identify the best audiences for their campaigns and create personalized messages/campaigns that enhance the consumer experience.
Benefits of using niches versus traditional segmentation
Traditional methods of segmentation served as a great foundation, but with niche-level data, your marketing can go even further. Niches 5.0 goes beyond the average segmentation because it:
Assigns data to households (versus predicting)
We have actual data inputs about consumers and can ‘assign’ these facts to the specific segments; whereas less sophisticated datasets would only make predictions about consumers. We evaluate all of the demographic, financial and transactional data to elicit the strongest data facts and put them to use in niche segmentation.
Is cost effective and efficient
It’s quality versus quantity. Leveraging the right data saves marketers thousands of dollars in campaign waste. With Niches 5.0, you can easily hone in on the one million households that fit your criteria from the 125 million households available on our national consumer-marketing file.
Additionally, Niches 5.0 is cost effective as it’s an off-the-shelf product and doesn’t drastically change over time. It follows the customer throughout her lifecycle and provides a current composite of buying behaviors and interests.
Helps you craft communications, with emphasis on personalization
Niches 5.0 helps you to establish a 360-degree view of your customers. Additionally, the dataset easily integrates into analytical applications by feeding into algorithms, allowing them to access comprehensive information via a single TotalSource Plus data element.
With this enhanced view, the shift from generic to personalized communications becomes a reality. Marketers strive to communicate to their customers on a personal level. With accurate data as the primary driver, you can create that holistic customer experience that’s personalized with the best choice for individuals across all points of interactions.
Success with Niches
Niches has been bringing success to marketing programs for years. Why? Because, it’s all about real humans versus inferences. Niches has been used successfully for both targeting and creative messaging efforts across all verticals.
Case in point, in the rapidly changing media and communications industry, Niches is actively used to identify the best customers and prospect audiences for evolving technology, such as the consumer movement in the shift from cable and satellite to a wide range of streaming options. Niches is intrinsic in developing tailored appeals based on life cycle stages and interests.
So as you evaluate your data strategy, start off by ensuring you have the right people (data strategists and scientists) in place to help you make sense of all the data and select the niche that’s best for you. And make sure to find a partner who offers tried and true datasets; one in which you can trust and who demonstrates transparency.
See the 26 groups represented in Niches 5.0
---
## Don’t be fooled by ‘big, bad data:’ How marketing insights drive better consumer experiences
Type: eps_post
URL: /dont-be-fooled-by-big-bad-data-how-marketing-insights-drive-better-consumer-experiences
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Don’t be fooled by ‘big, bad data:’ How marketing insights drive better consumer experiences
For some, data is truly a four-letter word.
How many times have we been scrolling through our social media feeds to find an ad about something we just talked about yesterday? How many jokes have we made about our phones “stalking” us, or about how our world is less Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood and more Black Mirror these days?
Despite what the general public might think, “big data” isn’t made up of evil, corporate overlords in suits wringing their hands in delight as they stick it to consumers. In fact, ethically collected and curated data is something that makes our lives incrementally better on a daily basis. And there are companies striving to change the image of those responsible for tailored, more personalized marketing.
In the way “fake news” does a disservice to journalism, language such as “data broker” and “surveillance advertising” misrepresent how data teams work with clients and the output of their work. Even worse, those phrases are all used to vilify entire industries and the people who work in them. Words matter, and it’s time we talk about it to shift the narrative.
What is a marketing data service provider?
Marketing data service providers do exactly what the name implies: provide data services to marketers. These providers collect, manage, process and sell consumer data on varying scales, engaging consumers directly and accessing third-party sources including public databases, to glean insights about people.
These insights can describe huge consumer segments, as well as smaller, more specific ones. And the importance of all this isn’t insignificant. Every day, companies are collectively spending billions in advertising and production, in the hopes their products and services are resonating with the right people. This type of data helps assure this to be true.
For companies, the win is clear. Better customer data drives better efficiency. Companies know with some certainty what their customers like, meaning they don’t waste time creating products or services no one cares about. And, with better data, they can find the right people to talk to about those products and services.
And for consumers, there is also a big win. Companies don’t need to inundate us with advertising we don’t care about. We’re engaged with more customized experiences: Ads for things we actually buy. This builds value between the consumer and companies, and builds long-term customer relationships with relevant, on-going value.
Doing it the right way
Still, the concept of marketing data service providers can be scary.
If companies can speak to me at exactly the right time with exactly the right message, does that mean they’re watching me all the time? Well, not exactly.
Consumers are sending millions of signals about what they want each day. These breadcrumbs act as clues for brands to understand their customers better, and in turn help companies create efficiencies for individuals. Ever been in a food delivery app and get prompted to “order again?” Ever get a message from a website like Chewy.com or Amazon reminding you your dog food is low, or you probably need more hair conditioner?
These are the types of efficiencies made possible by data.
While this seems like some sort of psychic power, it’s not. Marketing service providers adhere to consumer data privacy legislation worldwide. Thanks to these laws, consumers are the ultimate powers that be for their own data.
Existing data privacy legislation, like the CCPA (California Consumer Privacy Act), allow consumers to know what data is collected about them and to control how their data is used. You might’ve seen new pop-ups on your phone while browsing the Internet about rejecting tracking or hiding your email. This practice allows consumers to opt-out of data collection. The CCPA and other US state privacy laws afford consumers the right to receive a report on the data processed about them and take action to opt-out of the sharing or specific uses of that data, or have the data deleted all together. Verification of the consumer making the request is used to protect against unlawful access to data. While only a limited number of US states afford privacy rights to their residents, we extend those rights to all U.S. residents.
Digital transformation drives digital information
When it comes to data, the consumer should be the one in the driver’s seat. As our digital interactions increase, this distinction is only going to solidify. Good actors in this space will need to meet the requirements of increasing legislation not only so they can operate, but so they can be good stewards to the companies and consumers they service.
Marketing data service providers are an important class all their own, separate of Big Tech. These companies are meant to drive differentiation, not monopolization, and strive to do so with a privacy-first framework using proven business practices. Data service providers date back to the 1980s and have always operated to meet the requirements of ever-changing laws. At Epsilon, we've spent decades ethically sourcing and cultivating diverse data to provide the deepest consumer insight available. As the world evolves—and the Internet too—we will continue to rise to the challenge of serving consumers.
This article was originally published on Adweek, May 2023.
---
## How to maintain a healthy deliverability rate
Type: eps_post
URL: /how-to-maintain-a-healthy-deliverability-rate
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# How to maintain a healthy deliverability rate
Deliverability is table stakes for email marketers: Everyone knows how important it is to get into your subscribers' inboxes. During the sales process, brands often cite deliverability as a pain point. It’s also one of the first topics we bring up when working with clients. So how can you take a better approach to your email program when it comes to deliverability?
Be proactive about your deliverability
Deliverability is all about making sure that you get into your subscribers' inboxes and stay far away from the spam folder or being blocked outright. A lot of this is driven by adhering to best practices and maintaining recipients’ interest.
Proactively monitor deliverability and keep track of upcoming ISP changes. By staying updated about what’s going on in the email industry with resources like ReturnPath and eDataSource, you can take the right steps ahead of time to maintain deliverability even when major changes occur.
For example, the 2018 updates to Gmail had an initial expectation to impact brands at varying levels. Smart Replies, a feature that suggests responses for users, had limited impact on deliverability for promotional emails; however, the feature that proactively suggests unsubscribes could have caused major problems for those unprepared. For brands that knew about these changes ahead of time and took steps to combat them, email deliverability remained unfazed.
Also, make sure you’re working with your email team to understand where you need to be proactive, where you need to adjust mailing practices and where they can support you. Technology plays a role in improving your performance as well. Platforms like Agility Harmony can evaluate the email volume that’s being sent and analyze what’s getting to the inbox. With the right email deliverability team who stays proactive and constantly evaluates deliverability health and the right technology, you’ll be ahead of the curve and avoid potential roadblocks.
Diagnosing deliverability problems
Your email team may identify other signals indicating that your email marketing efforts aren’t reaching the inbox, such as an increase in complaints, high bounce rates or (worst of all) getting blacklisted. When that happens, dissect what’s changed in your email campaigns.
Ask yourself about changes you may have made:
Did we add new audiences?
Have we changed our data or any other processes?
Has there been a change to our program strategy?
Deliverability is more of an art than a science. There are plenty of best practices to follow, but ISPs won’t provide direct answers such as “this specific email address is being used as a spamtrap” or “the email campaign sent on this date was the key problem.” But you can take time to diagnose these issues and get back on track.
How to keep your email deliverability healthy: diet and exercise
Building a solid email deliverability rate is like maintaining your health. You know diet and exercise are the ways to get in shape, but you’re tempted by shortcuts in hopes of getting quicker results. Those won’t last.
Similarly, when it comes to email deliverability, the only way to succeed long-term is to follow best practices and consider the value your emails present to your customers. When sending emails think about what they expect and want and make sure their email addresses are valid.
You can test out your likeability by monitoring how your customers respond each time you send them an email. For instance, if you see that 40% of all your clicks are people unsubscribing or marking messages as spam to remove themselves from your list, that’s not good. There could be a mismatch between the user’s expectations and what email campaigns you are sending.
By continually checking that your emails are relevant and interesting, you can improve not just your deliverability health, but your overall email service.
Deliverability impacts your campaigns and (more importantly) your bottom line
Consider how email deliverability affects your reporting. Are your open rates lower because your messages aren’t reaching the inbox? Are you getting clicks that ultimately lead you to being marked as spam? Is your IP address and email sender reputation score low?
If your deliverability problems haunt your email campaigns, then you’ll have more than a reporting issue: You’ll have an impact on your bottom line. Driving revenue starts with building connections with your email list, and that starts with getting in their inbox.
Make sure that you’re taking the right steps to proactively monitor your email deliverability and to quickly get back on track if delivery rate issues arise. Your profit margins will thank you.
To learn more about other trends going on in the email delivery industry, download the Email trends and benchmarks report.
---
## Creating heart-to-heart connections through customer loyalty initiatives
Type: eps_post
URL: /creating-connections-with-customer-loyalty-programs
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Creating heart-to-heart connections through customer loyalty initiatives
The saying "too much of a good thing" is often true—too much ice cream, too much sun, too much rational thought. While ice cream, sunshine and logic aren't harmful in general, too much of them can cause problems—a stomachache, sunburn and a one-sided approach to marketing.
Striking a balance with food and lifestyle is great for your overall health—just like balancing rational and emotional factors are essential to the overall health of your loyalty initiatives. Research confirms something most of us already know intuitively: The reasons people make certain decisions are often strongly influenced by emotion rather than pure rational calculation.
Emotion plays a critical role in decision-making, and emotional decisions are often even stickier than rational ones.
What does this mean for customer loyalty initiatives?
Brands whose initiatives are based solely on rational incentives are missing out on a powerful opportunity to strengthen their connections with top customers, as well as create more customers like them. It doesn't mean scrapping discounts and rewards points—people, after all, represent a complicated mix of emotion and rationality—but it does mean including and emphasizing elements designed to appeal to consumers' emotions.
That's especially true in an era where the average consumer is enrolled in more than seven loyalty programs. Clearly, consumers will provide information to a brand as part of a loyalty value exchange but knowing what emotional (and rational) levers to include starts with personalization.
Building better loyalty initiatives
The first step is a paradigm shift. Personalization and making the customer the center of your loyalty initiatives is key. Brands should analyze their initiatives through the lens of connection and affinity as opposed to blanket special offers and impersonal messages. What content, offers or experiences could you present to your loyalty members that foster a greater sense of connection with your brand and drive a purchase?
It can be surprisingly difficult to hit on the right formula, partly because many brands think they have a far better handle on their emotional appeal than they really do: According to a recent survey, nearly 70% of business owners don't understand how their customers think. Which, knowing why your customers churn, or their attitudes and values can make a huge impact in your loyalty initiatives and your bottom line.
That said, connecting to your customers in emotionally different ways may be beneficial.
Community identification
One smart goal is to draw consumers into relationships with the brand, and with like-minded others who share a similar aspirational identity. Those connections are especially powerful because when together, consumers can affirm and deepen their shared values and brands reinforce their role in providing value. For example, when members reach the top, invite-only loyalty tier at NOBULL, a CrossFit-focused fitness gear brand, they're invited to VIP-only events such as classes taught by the company's founders. That experience enables the customer to feel like a core member of an elite club and underscores NOBULL's essential role in helping customers achieve their CrossFit dreams.
Shared sense of purpose
Research shows a growing number of consumers prefer spending money with brands that demonstrate values in alignment with their own—a link which has grown steadily in the past eight years. For brands whose customers unite over certain shared values, this can lead to a stronger emotional connection to the brand. Outdoor retailer REI, for example, created a charity to work for expanded access to outdoor opportunities and donates $5 from each new loyalty membership payment toward the effort. Other brands, like Kroger, demonstrate a similar commitment that allows consumers to pick their own philanthropic project. Kroger reward members select a charity of their choice that then earns rewards based on purchases.
Special brand experience
Adding immersive experiences are also a draw for loyalty customers. Take, for example, designer accessories brand Vivrelle. They opened a chic new members-only showroom in Manhattan where membership customers can stop in for a cocktail as part of their regular membership fee.
Vivrelle's approach accomplishes two things: One, it gets people into the store. Once there, visitors feel part of the luxurious Vivrelle community thanks to their membership, thus creating a memory and an emotional connection that lasts long after the visit.
The bottom line
Your bottom-line can benefit from emotionally loyal customers, too, especially in the long-term. One study showed emotionally loyal customers are more than twice as valuable than highly satisfied customers on a lifetime value basis. So how do you cultivate more emotionally loyal customers? And how do you measure their emotional attachment?
"The first step is knowing who customers are, what their needs are and how emotionally attached they are to your brand," according to Tamara Oliverio, VP, Strategic Consulting at Epsilon. "Epsilon's proprietary Attachment Loyalty score does just that—it leverages first-party and zero-party data to measure how emotionally attached a customer is to a brand."
This piece of Epsilon's loyalty platform is fueled with real-time sentiment, so you can see how campaigns, promotions, and engagement strategies impact customers' emotional attachment.
If you want a customer loyalty relationship that lasts, you'll need to appeal to customers' hearts as well as their heads. Loyalty initiatives that combine rational incentives, such as discounts and rewards, with emotional appeals, such as a sense of belonging, will be best positioned to win customers' deep and ongoing loyalty. The strategic balance of both strategies will lead to a happily ever after.
---
## How clear customer sight helped Visionworks drive maximum conversions
Type: eps_post
URL: /how-clear-customer-sight-helped-visionworks-drive-maximum-conversions
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# How clear customer sight helped Visionworks drive maximum conversions
Clear vision is essential to daily life. It allows people to connect with their surroundings, stay safe and maintain mental acuity. For those who need a little help to see clearly, prescription lenses can help not only to address these fundamentals, but to do things that exponentially increase quality of life: legally drive, watch Oscar-winning foreign films, steer clear of exes at the grocery store and so much more.
The same can be said for brands as it relates to their customers. With an imperfect or incomplete view of the customer, it’s incredibly difficult to reach the correct consumers at the right time, which is imperative for campaign optimization. Sometimes brands need a partner to bring things into focus.
To discover the impact that activating individual-level customer profiles can have on a marketing strategy, Epsilon chatted with Stan Lippelman, SVP and head of marketing for optical retail company Visionworks, who was able to share insights for others looking to maximize ROI on its own advertising campaigns.
The common problem of impressions over conversions
Visionworks sought growth in two areas: eye exam bookings and new customers. However, the company found that its previous ad-tech partner reported impressive impression numbers but failed to meet their set conversion goals.
“With our past partner, it was inefficient.” Lippelman said. “There were tons of impressions, but no conversions—which is what we were after. This felt like a red flag.”
Sadly, many marketers today face this exact problem with their current ad-tech partners. It’s frustrating to see high impressions but low conversions. What gives?
The problem is that a lot of digital media vendors serve up messages to fragmented cookies, device IDs and email addresses—not to real people. For instance, a prospective customer could be engaging with a brand on their phone, their desktop and their tablet. They could have five separate email addresses causing the ad-tech vendor to think its five separate people. They could log in to an account with the brand or log in as a guest. In all these different scenarios, the connection to a single customer profile—to that one individual—is not being made.
A lack of individual-level customer identity can result in missed attributed conversions when a consumer browses on one device and converts on another (this can result in up to 80% missed attributed outcomes).
In addition, marketers have missed opportunities to reach in-market consumers because intent data is fragmented across digital identifiers. When this data is consolidated to a real person, it becomes obvious that the consumer is in-market to convert., there’s no way for brands to get the reach promised.
Clearly, a fuzzy view of customers is not something to overlook.
Getting clear on identity to maximize ROI
The solution is clear: individual-level customer identity. Visionworks found that strong identity resolution from Epsilon Digital media solutions enabled the brand to engage consumers the way they want, with the right context, at the right time.
“For most people, eyeglasses are a ‘need to have,’ not a ‘want to have,’” Lippelman said. “We’re trying to take a category that can be seen as a hassle and make it easy. So, being able to reach out to the right people when they’re ready to buy is crucial for us.”
A recent Visionworks acquisition campaign helps to paint the picture. The campaign objective was to drive new customers to Visionworks by looking for in-market prospects who “looked like” their best buyers.
To do so, Epsilon modeled the brand’s “best buyers” while suppressing individuals that had already been active in the market (90-day site visitors and 0- to 3-year buyers). Once identified, Visionworks was able to deliver a timely offer, including the nearest store location, to these individuals on their channel and device of choice.
Using Epsilon’s best-in-class identifier, CORE ID, Visionworks could finally connect various identifiers, fill in the missing data gaps and leverage complete individual-level people profiles. Five email addresses were now properly tied to one person, and device IDs were linked to their actual owners. No longer were fragments of someone’s identity being communicated to, erroneously, as a full person. With this newfound ability, Visionworks’ cost per action (CPA) landed a whopping 87% below their original campaign goal.
Don’t settle for fuzzy customer vision—you deserve better
Just like glasses, clear customer vision is a “need to have” for marketers looking to maximize their ROI from digital advertising campaigns. To learn how to find the ad tech partner you deserve, check out the recent Adweek webinar featuring Epsilon and Visionworks.
This article was originally published on Adweek, May 2023.
---
## As inflation rises, restaurants turn to loyalty programs for customer retention
Type: eps_post
URL: /as-inflation-rises-restaurants-turn-to-loyalty-programs-for-customer-retention
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# As inflation rises, restaurants turn to loyalty programs for customer retention
Consumers across the U.S. are reeling from high inflation, and restaurants are feeling the impact. On the heels of an already turbulent past three years with COVID, a rapid shift to digital and record-low unemployment, the restaurant industry is trying to bring customers back to the table and keep them there.
A huge strategy: Loyalty programs. In a recent Epsilon survey taken at the Restaurant Leadership Conference, 44% of respondents said that acquiring and retaining loyalty members is the primary focus for bringing customers back to restaurants within the next six to 12 months. The same is true for the consumer: A 2022 Lending Tree survey found that half of Americans think loyalty programs are more important than ever.
However, more than half of the consumers surveyed said they would leave a rewards program if the deals weren’t worth it. And, as some brands begin devaluing their loyalty programs, they risk losing even more because they simply don’t know how to manage the loyalty program to be valuable for both the brand and the business.
So, what makes a restaurant loyalty program work? Jean-Yves Sabot, Vice President of Data Business Development for Retail, Restaurants and Grocery Stores at Epsilon, said having rewards isn’t enough. Brands need to understand their customers on a granular level to offer them the benefits and experiences they truly want, and to do that, they need to know how to acquire and activate first-party data.
“For the longest time, the restaurant industry hasn’t fully capitalized on the value of loyalty,” Sabot said. “You can’t just provide rewards, you need to know the customer and what is important to them, because a discount won’t get every customer in the door, and rewards won’t always get them to stay.”
Using data to drive better returns
When done right, loyalty programs are huge revenue drivers. According to Epsilon data, 65% of a brand’s business comes from loyalty customers, and 86% of emotionally engaged consumers want brands to be engaged and reciprocate their loyalty in two-way interactions.
In the past, Sabot said restaurants relied on a marketing tactics like window advertisements or flyers to drive customer interest. But in the digital age, many restaurants are still using this non-personalized approach, despite having more data at their fingertips than ever before.
First-party data allows brands a way to personalize their relationship with individual consumers 1:1. It enables brands to personalize experiences and rewards across channels based on customer interactions to drive long-term engagement with the brand. This creates a stronger value exchange: A brand can deliver the right message to the right audience, meaning customers are more willing to reciprocate.
“One customer might actually be price sensitive, but I might not be,” Sabot said. “What if a brand knew that someone is going to be motivated by a deal? What if you knew I was motivated by an experience? You don’t need to give a free hamburger to a person that would pay at full price anyway. An individual strategy at scale is going to allow you to retain customers and not lose your profit margin.”
What does that look like? It could be having exclusive menu items, drawing someone in at a different time than they normally go in, or mixing up suggested menu items based on buying behaviors.
Filling in data gaps
These blind spots are often caused by data gaps, Sabot said. If a brand is using their loyalty program as a means to solely push out deals, they’re not learning anything about their customers. Better data helps identify and understand customers at the most basic level, but it also builds better analytics and segmentation.
Some brands have a cache of first-party data, some don’t. At Epsilon, our foundational data layer provides consistent guest recognition, understanding and the ability to leverage those insights, enabling you to know customers better and improve communication across all channels.
Restaurants can also employ tools like a customer data platform (CDP) and a clean room in addition to a loyalty solution to drive those types of data enhancements. Filling in data gaps gives brands a full picture of a consumer’s story: Are they still who we think they are?
“Marketers can feed on the wrong signals,” Sabot said. “That’s why data is super important. If a restaurant says, ‘My loyalty customers aren’t coming in, I am going to reach out to this customer and give them an offer to come back,’ but they don’t realize that person has moved where they don’t have a location, they’re not realizing they’re trying to fix a totally different problem. This isn’t about retention for that person if they’re out of market. You’re spending money to bring me back and I’m not coming.”
Activation, activation, activation
The key difference for marketers looking to make more meaningful loyalty programs is how they’re activating their data. Brands need real-time, unique insights that use machine learning and loyalty models to drive success.
Matt Stewart, Senior Director, Restaurant Strategic Consulting at Epsilon adds, "Providing curated, personalized experiences and benefits based on available data is paramount to staying relevant in the current environment. It's critical to have strategic roadmaps in place to guide omnichannel and loyalty activities."
At Epsilon, our PeopleCloud solutions are powered by CORE ID, the industry’s most accurate, stable and scalable identity resolution that recognizes 250 million+ U.S. consumers in a privacy-safe way. These key insights help brands understand the customers they have, and the customers they might want to attract.
Our value-led loyalty program creates greater emotional connections, and helps brands anticipate and activate with your customers, measure the results from your program and then optimize your strategy for continual success. It creates value to the brand and their customers, with personalized experiences that use behavior-driven, real-time engagement.
“There is a lot more competitive activity in the restaurant space,” Sabot said. “When your competitors are using data as an advantage to retain their customers and take yours, you are at a disadvantage if you don’t have a way to bring them back. It’s not just about having the data, it’s about using it to its full potential – giving you and your customers the benefits and experiences you deserve.”
---
## How to find new audiences while securing personal data with clean rooms
Type: eps_post
URL: /how-to-find-new-audiences-while-securing-personal-data-with-data-clean-rooms
Last Modified: 2025-10-03T13:52:06Z
# How to find new audiences while securing personal data with clean rooms
For many marketers, clean rooms are mysterious spaces traditionally seen as the exclusive domain of data scientists. As a nascent category of solutions, providing a clear definition can be challenging.
Much like physical clean rooms have safeguards in place against biosecurity risks, clean rooms safeguard data. The impetus for the airtight seal isn't to keep out contaminants, but to safeguard personally identifiable information (PII) while making it accessible within the clean room's secure confines.
Clean rooms play a crucial role in enabling brands to find new audiences—with or without first-party data— without compromising consumers’ security and to reach customers without the aid of soon-to-be-deprecated third-party cookies.
In effective clean room solutions, “privacy and security comes first,” emphasizes Sebastien Gelas—Vice President of Product at Epsilon. “Respecting the basics of data collaboration between organizations while keeping data privacy and security guidelines at the forefront is key. The solution must be easy to leverage, as well as value generating. Sharing data is great, but using the shared data efficiently is where value resides.”
Luckily, clean rooms are designed for that: effectively achieving marketing goals and finding your next best customers while also addressing privacy and security challenges.
Enriching customer views
Missing key touchpoints as a brand can be frustrating and penalizing. Fortunately, in a clean room, a brand can collate data from various partners and bring it into a pseudonymous view across those partners. Measurement data can thus be taken across activation partners into one location for ease of viewability.
Clean rooms solutions are not created equally: many use matching identifiers such as cookies or email addresses, resulting in the same person looking like multiple people and the inability for one-to-one messaging.
Effective solutions use person-based identifiers for a pseudonymized customer view that can be activated. Marketers have access to pseudonymized customer profiles — the context for a person is there but none of the PII — which enables personalized marketing and seamless customer experiences while safeguarding individuals' security.
Hence, it's possible to serve existing customers more effectively and identify new ones. Marketers can understand true customer attributes and patterns and reach them differently--or more people like them—within their activation framework.
The value of pseudonymous data
When the EU adopted GDPR, it marked a meaningful new benchmark for international privacy and security laws and set the tone for similar laws to pass elsewhere.
GDPR includes the fundamental assumption that people are legally entitled to exercise control over their personal information. That approach is guiding the creation of new privacy legislation in the U.S. that offers substantial additional consumer protections, thus raising the bar for marketers. To maintain compliance, some brand partners have been playing catch-up or retrofitting their existing technology.
Despite the initial challenges the new approach to data security brings, roughly 70% of consumers want personalized marketing messages. Therefore, the use of pseudonymous data is key to instilling security because when data is pseudonymized through an identifier, there is significantly less chance of exposing personal data since it can no longer be attributed to a specific data subject without the use of additional information. Thus, pseudonymized data satisfies consumers want for personalized, relevant messaging, but in a secure context.
How clean rooms helps marketers win
Within interoperable clean room solutions that use person-based identifiers, such as Epsilon’s, a brand’s first-party data is attached to pseudonymized insights from third-party and/or partner brands’ data using an identity graph, including a brand's first-party customer-specific transaction and browsing histories. This data creates rich individual profiles and secure, one-to-one messaging across channels.
This includes addressable TV, where an identity-based solution is essential to unlocking the full potential of accurately targeting specific audiences: with the help of clean rooms brands can reach consumers across channels and devices. This also enables the creation of retail media networks, where clean rooms allow for the sharing of pseudonymized shopper data with brands and advertisers.
Many marketers have continued upping spend on walled garden clean rooms, such as Google or Facebook, which are closed ecosystems. Walled garden campaigns only provide limited reporting and aggregate views of campaign performance as opposed to an individualized view.
Compared to clean room solutions offered by walled gardens, interoperable clean room solutions like Epsilons have a huge advantage: the consumer insights made possible using them can be used across digital channels and can get down to the unique customer profile level, pseudonymized of course. Brands now have the power to render their data actionable in a secure way and access missing data points for a complete picture of their customer base.
The wave of new laws aimed at enhancing data privacy addresses key consumer concerns but upend some standard marketing practices. Brands that embrace emerging solutions, such as clean rooms, are well-positioned to weather the transition, increase cross-functional business opportunities and continue to reach and attract growth audiences and increase ROI while valuing data security.
---
## Clean room and CDP: What's the difference and why might you need both?
Type: eps_post
URL: /cdp_clean_room_differences
Last Modified: 2026-07-06T16:27:23Z
# Clean room and CDP: What's the difference and why might you need both?
Marketers know that in the constantly changing world of consumer expectations, having the right tech stack is key. As first-party data becomes synonymous with marketing success, many are turning to tech designed to capture, organize, understand and activate customer insights to enable audience development, customized experiences and better performance.
You may have heard of (or might even currently use) a data clean room or customer data platform (CDP) solution already. Both are integral tools when executing your first-party data strategy, but understanding which tool to use comes down to understanding their main functions. Do you know the differences between them?
Data clean rooms and CDPs are sometimes coupled together because they're both martech products that provide customer insights, but there are some significant differences between them. At their most basic, both tools take data and organize it for brands to use. Different vendors will offer different levels of support for marketers. For example, many data clean rooms and CDPs don't come pre-equipped with identity and data, which affects the efficacy and scope of both techs' capabilities.
Fundamentally, though, the two perform different jobs.
What is a customer data platform (CDP)?
A customer data platform (CDP) is a martech solution for known customer data. CDPs are rooted in PII-based data, and designed to improve marketing outcomes for known customers.
A brand's known first-party data includes basic customer information (such as name, email, address, etc.). It also includes behavioral and transaction data (such as what a customer buys, their browsing behavior on owned sites and communication preferences). If a brand uses identity resolution in their tech solutions, these data points can be unified, cleansed, completed and expanded, providing a more complete view of a customer outside of what the brand knows about them.
Key capabilities of a CDP for marketers
CDPs offer a variety of benefits for known customer data. CDPs that go beyond mere unification by using identity resolution deliver the best view of the customer.
Data repository: CDPs are meant to unify known customer data across a brand.
Insights and audience development: When equipped with identity resolution, brands can align online and offline data and connect paid and owned channels to natively activate campaigns wherever their customers are. And they can do so down to the individual-level without the help of a data scientist.
Personalized marketing: Using those rich insights, marketers can build personalized campaigns tailored to an individual's preferences, behaviors and taste.
Campaign activation: Brands can better orchestrate messages across channels, minimizing wasted ad spend and optimizing reach.
Measurement: Thanks to unified data, brands can measure campaign efficacy and draw insights back into what they already know about an individual.
Benefits of a CDP for strengthening customer experience and reviving dormant customers
Unifying customer data inherently makes it more usable. Still, a lot of customer data is incomplete, duplicative and inaccurate. CDPs equipped with identity resolution unify, cleanse and enhance customer data for maximum use. Campaigns built on that accurate, dynamic data drive intelligent marketing and advertising. Because a brand knows their customers, they can understand their habits today and tomorrow.
A better customer experience starts with a cohesive, intelligent and non-fragmented omnichannel approach. Brands can reach their customers with relevant messages and creative on all devices, even connecting paid and owned campaigns.
CDPs with identity not only help with prospecting new customers but also empower more effective cross-sell opportunities, the ability to thoughtfully re-engage dormant customers and nurture strong brand relationships. This is true whether they engage with your brand through a website, mobile app, social media or in-store.
What is a data clean room?
To find prospective customers, brands need to rely on ID-based data, or unknown data. Data clean rooms give brands access to that type of data. They provide a safe, pseudonymized data science environment for audience insights and analytics. This allows brands to drive prospect engagement based on consumer behaviors in the wild and use first-party and third-party data to build audiences, activate media and provide measurement.
Core functions of a data clean room for audience discovery
Data clean rooms are great tools to increase the quality and scope of known customer data by expanding into unknown customer data. Brands can access a broader scope of who their prospective customers are, which is especially critical for brands without a lot of first-party data.
A clean room that is equipped with identity and data enables brands to understand their current customers more deeply, build lookalike audiences based on their best customers and transform those unauthenticated customers into known ones.
With a complete, dynamic and persistent understanding of user behavior, preferences and demographics, you can personalize marketing campaigns across owned and paid channels, improving ad engagement and overall campaign performance.
Key differences between CDPs and data clean rooms
Put simply: CDPs collect and analyze known customer data. Clean rooms are a safe, pseudonymized space for known and prospective customers.
Customer data platform (CDP)
Data repository for owned customer information
Unifies, cleanses and completes first-party data in PII state
Uses insights to develop and activate campaigns on both paid and owned channels
Enables marketers to create audiences without relying on data scientists
Measures customer engagement
Clean room
Privacy-safe environment with data in a pseudonymous state for data collaboration
Identifies current and prospective customers in the wild
Provides a space to analyze anonymized data
Allows data scientists to work with data and discover new insights/analytics about current and potential customers
Uses insights to develop and activate campaigns on primarily paid channel
Why you might need both: a synergistic approach to data strategy
Ultimately, both are trying to solve for the same thing: creating seamless customer experiences rooted in first-party data. CDPs do this for customers with name-based recognition, driving lifetime value because a brand knows its current customers more deeply. Clean rooms do it in an ID-based environment, giving brands access and insights to known and prospective customers in a data-science environment.
Both support secure data collection. Both also allow for deeper insights into consumer behavior as it relates to a brand’s marketing strategy.
Driving personalization and minimizing ad waste
The synergies between a clean room and a CDP boil down to three things:
The ability to unlock data and technology for the entirety of the marketing organization
The ability to develop personalized marketing campaigns across owned and paid channels
The opportunity to holistically measure the impact of a marketing program
All three of these things enable stronger personalization and more efficient and effective media spend. Brands that opt to use both often do so because their CDP enhances known customer data and plugs it into a clean room for machine learning analysis. A solid data foundation inside a data clean room bolsters audience modeling and activation, and coupled with AI, allows personalization for known and prospective customers at scale.
Brands know who they're speaking to and where to speak to them, enabling smarter media spend.
Choosing the right CDP or clean room solution for your business
Regardless of which tech a brand chooses, there are some key considerations they should consider before selecting a technology vendor.
Identity resolution
A lot of CDPs and data clean rooms do not come pre-loaded with data and identity. They're just empty boxes to fill with your first, second or third-party data, and many marketers find they have to purchase an identity resolution layer separately to sit on top of either technology.
That said, you can buy CDPs and clean rooms with identity resolution built into the platform, which makes streamlines operations (not to mention procurements) and is critical to support a variety of use cases:
Identifying the right in-market shoppers: Both CDPs and clean rooms glean insights about in-market customers. As illustrated above, CDPs built insights about known customers. But brands only have a small window into who their customers are. CDPs with identity and pre-loaded data can fill in those data gaps. Similarly, clean rooms using identity and pre-loaded data power better prospecting data and stronger lookalike audiences.
Modeling and measurement: Having better data leads to better measurement. Much like with acquisition, with a stronger cache of first-party data in a CDP, clean rooms do better clustering, segmentation and personalization. And, with a CDP partner using reliable and long-lasting identity, brands get a persistent, unified view of individual people across devices and channels. Together, that creates closed-loop measurement with multi-touch attribution.
Connect owned and paid channels: Ultimately, the biggest win when using a CDP and clean room together is the visibility into the customer experience and path to purchase. Consumers are constantly evolving, and having the ability to launch campaigns across owned and paid channels means you're reaching your customers wherever they are with personalized, relevant content.
Personalization and activation: When brands have a more complete view of their customers (both known and unknown) they can develop campaigns based directly on what consumers actually want. That is vitally important: consumers want (and expect) personalization and they expect those experiences across channels.
Access to data
While both solutions can maximize customer data, the questions marketers need to ask themselves are, “How much data do I have?” and "who am I trying to reach?"
To get the most value out of a CDP, brands need access to first-party data. This could be existing data a brand already has or data a brand could potentially capture. For brands that don't have a lot of data—or for brands focused on data collaboration—a clean room is a better option.
A brand also needs to consider who they're trying to talk to. CDPs are designed for known customers, and when equipped with identity and data, drive deeper, more meaningful connections. Clean rooms can reach current customers, but because they're more effective for brands looking to expand their data, they're great for finding prospective in-market customers.
Based on the scope of data a brand is working with, their use cases might change. Marketers need to understand their unique challenges and their desired outcomes, especially if they have a limited budget.
Epsilon's expertise in CDP and clean room solutions
Epsilon Customer, a CDP solution, and Epsilon Clean Room are more than empty boxes. They come pre-loaded with identity and proprietary data, giving marketers access to a universe of in-market buyers. Our solutions are also designed to work together, giving marketers confidence in their data quality.
With Epsilon, you’ll be able to build, enrich and extend your first-party data through our CDP solution, and target custom audiences with other first-party and third-party data insights using clean room.
Learn more about Epsilon Customer and Epsilon Clean Room.
---
## CPG brands use sales optimization for this back-to-school season
Type: eps_post
URL: /vpo-cpg-backtoschool-marketing
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# CPG brands use sales optimization for this back-to-school season
It’s that time of year: back-to-school. While parents pack snacks and fill backpacks with school supplies, CPG brand marketers are gearing up pivotal campaigns. In 2022, back to school spending reached $37 billion despite high inflation, according to the National Retail Federation, and brands are vying to get a piece of that lucrative market.
For many CPG brands struggling with limited first-party data, there's a significant learning curve to activating campaigns for people who are ready to buy. But with the right martech solution, brands across verticals can achieve higher purchase conversions.
It’s not a cheat sheet. A sales optimization tool, like Epsilon’s Verified Purchase Optimization, can identify individual consumers instead of relying on segments or modeled audiences, meaning CPG brand marketers can identify their best customers and work within their purchase cycles to nurture strong relationships and lifetime value. Not only that, but it can drive better results (than other solutions) without having to spend any more money.
“This is CPG nirvana,” said Dan Perez, vice president of CPG media solutions at Epsilon. “CPG brands can reach consumers and optimize after they’ve seen a particular message. That means I’m reaching people who have yet to buy and not those who’ve already purchased. Brands spend less, reach more people in a more effective way and they can see how it’s working right away.”
Powerful identity is in a class all its own
Brands with limited data—or those who rely heavily on third-party cookies—often use broad segmentation to drive their campaigns. During peak times of year, like back-to-school, competition is stiff and there are fewer opportunities to capture the interest of the consumer.
Modeled audiences can give marketers a sense of who they want to reach, but ultimately contribute to waste. For brands using a sales optimization tool, especially one built on a strong identity solution like Epsilon’s CORE ID, brands can start optimizing campaigns against an individual, not just a segment.
The end result? Marketers know who is actually in-market, whether they’ve already purchased the product, and if they haven’t, what messages on which devices resonate most. This creates a continued cycle that drives higher lifetime value. Not only are brands finding people in the wild to drive new revenue, they’re establishing a solid purchase cycle with the customers who already love their product.
“It allows you to fine tune your campaign to the most active audiences and drive greater campaign performance,” Perez said. “This has always been a limitation for CPG brands that we can now address. Epsilon’s Verified Purchase Optimization tool fills that gap in the marketplace.”
For CPG brands, who have fewer opportunities to capture the interest of a consumer before they switch to different brand or skip your brand altogether, getting clearer on customer identity is imperative.
Fruits of marketing labor: Sales optimization in the wild
For one Epsilon CPG client, employing a sales optimization tool caused a reduction in ad waste, created higher reach and enabled better efficiencies. This iconic brand is known for selling fresh and packaged produce in the U.S., including items commonly found in lunchboxes across the country. They relied on third-party cookies to power their marketing operations, and in turn, couldn’t see the full scope of buyer interactions across all digital formats.
This meant serving ads to consumers who weren’t in market or had already purchased at the household level. And because they were using directional measurement to allocate budget to the “best” segments rather than individuals, they couldn’t control media delivery and message frequency to get the biggest bang for their ad buck. When it came time for their fall campaign to raise awareness and consideration for their fruit cups, they turned to Epsilon.
Integrating Epsilon CORE ID with purchase data from Circana allowed the brand to identify people that just bought. Leveraging a mix of connected TV (CTV), over-the-top (OTT), online video (OLV) and display ads, they moved buyers through the path-to-purchase. Epsilon’s Verified Purchase Optimization solution, powered by Circana, enabled the CPG brand to make sales optimizations in flight based on purchase data: Once a targeted customer purchased their product, messages to that consumer were suppressed.
With current buyers removed from upper funnel marketing, the brand could optimize their message and reach consumers that hadn’t bought, allowing them to fine-tune their media spend to drive more incremental sales. They also could reactivate buyers when they were ready to buy again.
The results were A+. Over the course of the 14-week campaign, the CPG brand reached 4.6 million unique households within their desired market and suppressed on average 295,000 weekly buyers during the same campaign cycle. Each buyer was exposed to the same advertisement 3.8 times on average and spent about 44 days in the purchase cycle. Campaign efficiencies include a 19% media savings and a 65% lift in household penetration (HHP).
Using Epsilon’s Verified Purchase Optimization solution, the brand saw their year-over-year performance increase three-fold, with a 9.6% lift in HHP
Ace your back-to-school campaigns with greater performance & media efficiencies
With true people-based identity tools like Epsilon’s Verified Purchase Optimization, CPG brands can ace their campaigns for back-to-school season and beyond, driving greater performance and media efficiencies.
When you know who’s actually buying your brand, it becomes possible to attain the seemingly impossible dream of CPG marketing: lifetime value. You can optimize the sparse first-party data you may have by identifying and reaching the right people at the right time, creating campaigns that truly make the grade.
If you want to learn more, visit the Epsilon website.
---
## 5 big retail media opportunities gleaned from a new global survey
Type: eps_post
URL: /5-big-retail-media-opportunities
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T22:17:52Z
# 5 big retail media opportunities gleaned from a new global survey
Retail media is expected to be a $130 billion industry by 2025. With a rapidly expanding market, there’s a lot of opportunity—but not all are created equal. The landscape is more complex for retailers, brands and consumers. What is critical for retailers and brands has been overlooked.
Epsilon conducted a global survey of 689 executives from retailers and brands to gain insights on their perspectives of retail media and their progress toward achieving their goals.
Here are five opportunities gleaned from the findings so you can continue to make the most of this new and exciting market.
1. Embrace off-site programmatic advertising
Epsilon’s research found that only 37% of retailers currently have off-site programmatic advertising as part of their retail media strategy. This indicates a massive opportunity.
The vast majority of most retailers’ in-market shoppers are not found on the retailers’ owned websites; they’re found on the open web. With one retail media client, for example, in a single month, 80% of its shoppers that ended up buying never even visited the retailer’s website.
Of course, it can be difficult for retailers to expand from just on-site advertising to adding off-site into the mix. Many retailers are new to the publisher game and may need assistance navigating the advertising technology ecosystem, including the many places they could reach most of their customers.
2. Prioritize people-based targeting and reporting
Individual-level identity and omnichannel reporting can solve for top retail media inefficiency drivers. Epsilon’s research discovered that at least half of retail media networks are ineffective at targeting and measuring digital media campaigns. The good news? There are solutions. The following two attributes are essential to combatting suboptimal targeting and reporting:
Individual-level identity: The underpinning of effective targeting, activation and reporting is identity. People-based identity resolution enables activation of personalized ads across every touchpoint.
Omnichannel reporting: An omnichannel solution allows brands to evaluate campaign performance seamlessly and measure outcomes connected to a real person across on-site and off-site media activation.
By having strong identity and an omnichannel solution, customers receive more unique messaging, and retailers can better analyze, optimize and accurately measure brand campaigns.
3. Focus on inventory availability and advertiser experience
Brands and retailers seem to share common priorities for their retail media experience. Brands want an easy-to-use retail media network with ample inventory—and retailers want to provide it.
Epsilon’s research discovered that 75% of respondents believe the quality of advertiser experience and amount of inventory available are the most important aspects of retail media for their organizations.
Brands seek user-friendly retail media networks with robust ad inventory, and retailers are willing to meet this demand. Both parties also recognize the importance of a seamless and efficient advertising experience. Off-site advertising capabilities are a win-win in the inventory department because they ease the on-site burden many retailers are facing: their websites are already packed with ads.
Accessing comprehensive reporting and performance data downstream is also a big goal for brands. The ability to analyze and evaluate the results of their investment is highly valuable. The more seamless and user-friendly the reporting process, the more likely brands are to continue investing with that retailer. This creates a circular growth loop, benefiting both the brands and the retailers involved.
4. Foster data collaboration
Data collaboration is a recognized retail media value-add. In Epsilon’s research, 70% of respondents stated that data collaboration is highly important to their advertising strategy. Brands and retailers recognize the value that data collaboration brings to retail media networks: 37% of respondents already have data collaborations in place, and 47% stated their organizations are actively pursuing data collaborations.
Data collaboration technologies such as clean rooms can play a vital role in facilitating collaboration, activation and measurement with first-party data in a controlled and privacy-safe environment. Clean rooms enable brands and retailers to work together more comprehensively, gaining valuable insights into their target audiences and developing effective activation strategies.
5. Mitigate tech fragmentation
Minimizing the number of retail media providers can create better shopper experiences. Epsilon’s survey found that 64% of respondents agree that retail media networks with multiple technology providers have a negative impact on shoppers. Why is this?
It starts with retailers. With a fragmented tech stack, retailers will have issues with inconsistent identity across partners. Data loss occurs between different partners, which reduces overall ability to scale. In turn, customers may then be over-messaged and get frustrated, or under-messaged and missed entirely in their buying journey.
Brands are well aware of this issue and its impact on their investments: They know they’re paying for wasted impressions due to inefficiencies across the retail media ecosystem.
What does the future look like?
To thrive in the future of retail media, retailers and brands need to further explore these opportunities. And while it might sound like a lot to take on, it is achievable with the right partner. By elevating their retail media game, retailers and brands can unlock new opportunities, drive growth and deliver the kinds of personalized advertising experiences shoppers crave.
This article was originally published on Adweek, June 2023.
---
## Gen Z adults are the next big nonprofit donors. What can organizations do to stay relevant?
Type: eps_post
URL: /gen-z-are-the-next-big-nonprofit-donors
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T22:16:49Z
# Gen Z adults are the next big nonprofit donors. What can organizations do to stay relevant?
For nonprofits struggling with attracting and keeping donors, the solution may lie in how they reach Gen Z adults, who are poised to become the next big nonprofit donors. Marketing strategies grounded with data enable organizations to reach younger generations, and maintain those important connections to older donors, too.
New Epsilon nonprofit research from the Abacus Cooperative shows that in 2022, Gen Z adults eclipsed both millennials and Gen X in donations per donor. Gen Z donations stand at roughly 5.3 donations per donor, whereas millennials and Gen X donations stand at 4.8 and 4.7 per donor, respectively. This shows the younger generation has a strong drive to give.
Nonprofit organizations should think about how they can best reach audiences of varying generations. In order to maintain (or increase) funding, organizations need to continue to identify and reach older donors and implement stronger strategies to connect with younger adults too. With data, they can do all of that and personalize their marketing to reach real people with messages that resonate.
With Epsilon Data, nonprofits can know when to reach their donors and with what messages. This in seamless conjunction with Epsilon Digital helps drive better outcomes, stronger retention and ultimately empowers further positive change.
The decline of donor retention
People commonly donate when they feel financially secure, but with the current economy’s volatility and uncertainty, donor retention has taken a downward turn. While it's still difficult to pinpoint how much debt concerns will impact charitable giving in the future, trends show a persistent dip in donors, despite the Federal Reserve's attempts to curb inflation.
With the majority of nonprofit organizations already working on a slim margin, losing donors is, at best, not ideal for budgets and, at worst, fiscally distressing. Philanthropy in the U.S. has widely withstood economic turbulence in part by leaning on more aging donors. But as older populations decline, many nonprofits are asking: What now?
Epsilon’s Abacus Cooperative, the largest cooperative database in the U.S with over 3,000 contributing brands in key B2B and B2C categories, found that while overall donation revenue has increased, the number of households giving has actually decreased. Fewer households are simply giving larger gifts. Between 2020 and 2022, the number of households donating decreased year over year by 4%.
In fact, the number of baby boomer households donating saw a 4% decrease in the past year and a 10% decrease in Silent Generation households. However, these older generations do still have the highest average gift size per donor, with the Silent Generation donating the most, at an average of $310 as compared to Gen Z donors donating the least monetarily, at an average of $149.
This may be why attracting younger donors is possibly being overlooked: although younger generations are giving more frequently, older generations still give more money, but the need to keep up donor momentum remains.
New donor opportunities on the horizon
Despite giving the least amount monetarily, Gen Z adults are still primed to give. According to Abacus, Gen Z is on par with other generations when it comes to the number of organizations they give to: They gave to roughly 3.05 organizations on average in 2022, compared to the Silent Generation, who gave to the largest amount of organizations, standing at a marginally higher 3.83.
As they gain more money, Gen Z is expected to continue that charitable spirit. And that future isn’t too far off. An estimated $68 trillion will transfer to Gen Z and millennials during the next two decades, part of what experts are calling“The Great Wealth Transfer.”
The problem many nonprofits face is how to capture and retain these donors now to foster meaningful and authentic relationships for lifetime value. And, if they’re using outdated, blanket strategies that can’t activate across multiple devices and channels, they may never create real connections that reach them at all.
Identifying and reaching younger donors
Nonprofit organizations need to have a clear understanding of how to best identify and reach these newer generations of donors to avoid facing a donation crisis in the future. Part of that equation is developing and implementing a strong data strategy. Organizations need to know how and when to best reach audiences of varying generations to maximize their support, and Epsilon Data can help.
Epsilon Data's industry-leading consumer database, TotalSource Plus, helps organizations big and small get a full view of their current donors and prospects. These insights drive more strategic retention and acquisition, helping nonprofit organizations predict donor behavior on the individual level and personalize their efforts. For instance, using Abacus Cooperative and Epsilon Data's modeling capabilities, the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA) saw a 5X increase in response rate and 2.5X lift in average gift amount.
With us, nonprofits can:
Leverage new technology to optimize your data strategy: Identify the latest macro trends and campaign opportunities with AI-powered technology. With always-on optimization, AI Audiences provide the best performing audiences based on giving levels and profiles.
Complete donor profiles: Append age and generation data, adding phone numbers, emails and addresses to complete contacts.
Support loyal donors: Mark multi-year donors for cultivation and stewardship, appending giving indicators to mark valuable renewal prospects.
Prioritize foundational data: Dedupe and merge records, cleaning up source codes and attributes.
Reach new donors: find real people, unlock additional donor transactions and recognize your most valuable donors across all marketing channels
Our consumer database gives nonprofit organizations insights into 250 million U.S. consumers and provides unparalleled coverage and breadth of consumer data all in a secure and privacy-designed framework. Our real data from real people delivers real outcomes and fosters real relationships.
Organizations can further achieve performance-based, personalized digital media at scale with the help of Epsilon Digital, which can be seamlessly linked with Epsilon Data with no data loss. This enables personalized, 1:1 communication that can drive people to complete specific conversion events. Together, you can truly know your customer and deliver messages that are relevant to them across all their devices.
Nonprofits having a comprehensive understanding of their donors and their habits provides an advantage when it comes to navigating fiscal uncertainties. With Epsilon’s help, nonprofits can do just that and not leave money on the table, which means having an even greater positive impact on the livelihood of others.
---
## 5 big retail media opportunities gleaned from a new global survey
Type: eps_post
URL: /5-big-retail-media-opportunities
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T22:17:52Z
# 5 big retail media opportunities gleaned from a new global survey
Retail media is expected to be a $130 billion industry by 2025. With a rapidly expanding market, there’s a lot of opportunity—but not all are created equal. The landscape is more complex for retailers, brands and consumers. What is critical for retailers and brands has been overlooked.
Epsilon conducted a global survey of 689 executives from retailers and brands to gain insights on their perspectives of retail media and their progress toward achieving their goals.
Here are five opportunities gleaned from the findings so you can continue to make the most of this new and exciting market.
1. Embrace off-site programmatic advertising
Epsilon’s research found that only 37% of retailers currently have off-site programmatic advertising as part of their retail media strategy. This indicates a massive opportunity.
The vast majority of most retailers’ in-market shoppers are not found on the retailers’ owned websites; they’re found on the open web. With one retail media client, for example, in a single month, 80% of its shoppers that ended up buying never even visited the retailer’s website.
Of course, it can be difficult for retailers to expand from just on-site advertising to adding off-site into the mix. Many retailers are new to the publisher game and may need assistance navigating the advertising technology ecosystem, including the many places they could reach most of their customers.
2. Prioritize people-based targeting and reporting
Individual-level identity and omnichannel reporting can solve for top retail media inefficiency drivers. Epsilon’s research discovered that at least half of retail media networks are ineffective at targeting and measuring digital media campaigns. The good news? There are solutions. The following two attributes are essential to combatting suboptimal targeting and reporting:
Individual-level identity: The underpinning of effective targeting, activation and reporting is identity. People-based identity resolution enables activation of personalized ads across every touchpoint.
Omnichannel reporting: An omnichannel solution allows brands to evaluate campaign performance seamlessly and measure outcomes connected to a real person across on-site and off-site media activation.
By having strong identity and an omnichannel solution, customers receive more unique messaging, and retailers can better analyze, optimize and accurately measure brand campaigns.
3. Focus on inventory availability and advertiser experience
Brands and retailers seem to share common priorities for their retail media experience. Brands want an easy-to-use retail media network with ample inventory—and retailers want to provide it.
Epsilon’s research discovered that 75% of respondents believe the quality of advertiser experience and amount of inventory available are the most important aspects of retail media for their organizations.
Brands seek user-friendly retail media networks with robust ad inventory, and retailers are willing to meet this demand. Both parties also recognize the importance of a seamless and efficient advertising experience. Off-site advertising capabilities are a win-win in the inventory department because they ease the on-site burden many retailers are facing: their websites are already packed with ads.
Accessing comprehensive reporting and performance data downstream is also a big goal for brands. The ability to analyze and evaluate the results of their investment is highly valuable. The more seamless and user-friendly the reporting process, the more likely brands are to continue investing with that retailer. This creates a circular growth loop, benefiting both the brands and the retailers involved.
4. Foster data collaboration
Data collaboration is a recognized retail media value-add. In Epsilon’s research, 70% of respondents stated that data collaboration is highly important to their advertising strategy. Brands and retailers recognize the value that data collaboration brings to retail media networks: 37% of respondents already have data collaborations in place, and 47% stated their organizations are actively pursuing data collaborations.
Data collaboration technologies such as clean rooms can play a vital role in facilitating collaboration, activation and measurement with first-party data in a controlled and privacy-safe environment. Clean rooms enable brands and retailers to work together more comprehensively, gaining valuable insights into their target audiences and developing effective activation strategies.
5. Mitigate tech fragmentation
Minimizing the number of retail media providers can create better shopper experiences. Epsilon’s survey found that 64% of respondents agree that retail media networks with multiple technology providers have a negative impact on shoppers. Why is this?
It starts with retailers. With a fragmented tech stack, retailers will have issues with inconsistent identity across partners. Data loss occurs between different partners, which reduces overall ability to scale. In turn, customers may then be over-messaged and get frustrated, or under-messaged and missed entirely in their buying journey.
Brands are well aware of this issue and its impact on their investments: They know they’re paying for wasted impressions due to inefficiencies across the retail media ecosystem.
What does the future look like?
To thrive in the future of retail media, retailers and brands need to further explore these opportunities. And while it might sound like a lot to take on, it is achievable with the right partner. By elevating their retail media game, retailers and brands can unlock new opportunities, drive growth and deliver the kinds of personalized advertising experiences shoppers crave.
This article was originally published on Adweek, June 2023.
---
## 3 examples of travel personalization to inspire marketers
Type: eps_post
URL: /3-travel-marketing-personalization-examples-for-marketers
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# 3 examples of travel personalization to inspire marketers
For marketers, personalization is profitable—especially in the travel industry. Brands that create a personalized travel experience establish better customer relationships, resulting in higher conversion rates and increased revenue. Any consumer is more likely to spend money with a business they trust and feel a connection with. In fact, our own research found that 87% of consumers say they’re more likely to shop with travel brands that succeed at personalizing their apps and websites.
And even though the travel industry is ahead of the game here, there’s still plenty of room for improvement across not only their apps and website but also the full omnichannel experience.
Travel and leisure brands have already proven that they’re powerhouses when it comes to personalizing discounts and offers at physical locations. It’s also important for any travel company to stay up-to-date on the latest social media trends in order to connect with customers where they spend their time (on their devices). However, appealing to the modern consumer isn't that simple—customers expect so much more from their favorite (or soon-to-be favorite) brands.
In the same study, we found that only 64% of consumers believe current websites and apps are delivering travel personalization well. As a travel marketer, you have an opportunity to get ahead of other competitors in the travel industry and deliver a truly relevant experience across interaction points—but where should you focus your efforts?
Take a look at what the following three travel brands from across industries—airline, cruise and hotel—are doing with travel personalization to gain some inspiration for your own campaigns.
1. United Airlines takes travel personalization beyond booking
A recent report from LoyaltyOne found that loyalty members can spend up to three times more than non-members. And while many travel companies take advantage of loyalty programs to communicate special discounts on new booking opportunities, United Airlines is using data from its MileagePlus program to go beyond booking with its travel personalization.
With Epsilon’s Agility Loyalty, United Airlines takes advantage of machine learning capabilities to drive upsell and cross-sell personalization for ancillary sales like seat upgrades, partner programs, priority boarding, flight changes, entertainment and more. These personalized offers are automatically executed across all channels, including web, email, SMS, mobile app, call centers and check-in kiosks. The key is that everything works together to drive personalization across every interaction point with the consumer—and ultimately for the brand as well.
The results have been clear:
12% increase in web conversions
62% higher email click-to-open rates
10% boost in conversions at the airport
70,000 personalized offers generated per day
And as a result of finding smarter ways to upsell and cross-sell, United Airlines has become the #1 airline in ancillary revenue.
Download the guide: From 1:1 to 1:You: Personalizing the loyalty experience
2. Norwegian Cruise Line focuses on data to build their best audience
Customer acquisition presents challenges for any travel brand. But for Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings (NCLH), increasing capacity for its Oceania Cruises and Regent Seven Seas Cruises lines was particularly challenging because of their premium price tags. In this case, increasing customer acquisition isn’t necessarily about discounts—it’s about reaching the right prospects at the right time.
With the help of Epsilon Data solutions, NCLH has been able to find their best audiences—people ages 55 years and older with high net-worth—more efficiently. The key to success is using actual customer transaction data rather than model-based data to gain a deeper understanding of consumer behavior. Using transactional data, NCLH learns where, when, how much and how often its target customers are spending.
After working with Epsilon Data, NCLH saw a 2X lift in conversion rates compared to the traditional modeled demographic data that previously drove travel personalization efforts. These results have been a boon to the NCLH team.
So how does this factor into the personalization conversation? Using data to bring the right offer to the right person at the right time is everything personalization strives to do. And—as is the case with NCLH—that personalization starts with identifying the audience in the first place to help find new prospects that meet the right criteria through transactional data.
3. Marriott personalizes messaging to improve email engagement
Marriott is a great example of personalization in the hospitality industry thanks to their ability to identify and cater to the preferences of their individual customers.
years, travel brands have treated email communications like a billboard. You take a batch-and-blast approach, hoping that high volume translates to high conversion rates. But with increasing consumer expectations for personalization from every travel brand today, Marriott sought to improve its approach to email communications.
Marriott’s biggest challenge for personalizing email communications (and this is something we often see across the travel industry) was connecting disparate data sources to provide their marketing team with the insights necessary to reach customers on a 1:You level. And to be fair, between online and offline booking data, call centers, rewards programs, app interactions, website interactions and much more, it can be difficult for any travel marketer to tell a cohesive story across each person’s interactions with their brand.
Using Epsilon’s Agility Harmony email solution, Marriott was able to make sense of its various information inputs and deliver relevant, personalized content to people at scale. Today, Marriott can extend the relationship each individual has with its hotels to all of their digital platforms—creating true 1:You relationships for everyone. Now, traveler data is front-and-center on every email as Marriott delivers personalized recommendations, like sharing content based on where an individual may want to go, at all stages of the travel experience and customer journey. And as a result, the hotel brand has revived email engagement and increased revenue per email delivered.
How to deliver 1:You connections across your traveler interactions
One thing is clear from the ways that these three brands are connecting with travelers—there’s no one-size-fits-all approach to travel personalization. Engaging with travelers with more personalized marketing means coming up with unique ways to tailor experiences to the individual. And in these travel personalization examples, we can see three specific ways you can go about this:
Leverage machine learning to drive personalization and content velocity: In the United example, we see the airline taking advantage of advanced machine learning to personalize offers in real-time to customers and existing loyalty program members. For the airline, this is all about boosting ancillary sales, and it works.
Know more about your target prospects: For brands like NCLH, the value of travel personalization hinges on data. The cruise line makes the most of both first-party and third-party data to improve audience segmentation and focus marketing efforts on potential customers that are most likely to convert.
Connect disparate data sources to understand more about each individual: Engaging with travelers via email is nothing new. But Marriott has shown that it’s possible to accelerate this channel by going beyond just [FirstName] personalization and delivering messaging at a true 1:You level.
Each of these takeaways represents a different way you can approach travel personalization. But when you take a closer look, they all revolve around leveraging data-driven insights and enhancing them through machine learning.
With the right data and inputs, machine learning can deliver advanced personalized experiences with a travel brand. The challenge is understanding how you can make the most of customer data and use this technology to make every interaction with your brand count.
Want to learn more about personalization in the travel industry? Contact Epsilon to learn how we can help you build an effective marketing strategy today.
Check out our webinar with Skift to learn more about how machine learning is opening the door for deeper personalization with United Airlines.
---
## 3 tips for going global with your loyalty program
Type: eps_post
URL: /3-tips-for-going-global-with-your-loyalty-program
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# 3 tips for going global with your loyalty program
In today’s loyalty landscape, brands continue to enhance their global marketing initiatives. Understanding the needs of each individual market is essential for success as there’s significant growth opportunity within the loyalty market.
In fact, the global loyalty management market was valued at USD 2617 million in 2018, and is expected to reach a value of USD 9280 million by 2024, at a CAGR of 23.3% over the forecast period (2019-2024).
So how can you as a marketer achieve your global loyalty marketing goals? Let’s further explore.
Tip #1: Develop an adoptable strategic framework
Oftentimes when we think of our loyalty marketing needs, technology is the first thing that comes to mind. And, it’s an essential component. But it’s important to take a step back and focus on your brand’s global customer engagement strategy.
Your customer engagement strategy is a living document, meaning it needs to be flexible so it can adapt to different markets and accommodate for the changes that are to come.
I like to think of the strategy development as a four-step process:
Define (and know) your customers
Create an engagement plan
Customize your engagement approach
Adapt to the local cultural nuances (language, etc.).
As you’re developing your strategy, always make engagement a top priority. For example, how can you best personalize your program offerings and communicate 1:You. And, what reward offers can you fulfill on that will create emotional connections to your brand and sustain lifetime loyalty.
Tip #2: Set-up your internal organization for success
Success starts within your organization. It’s important to align your people and processes as you’re creating your global loyalty marketing strategy.
If you’re a brand that has a successful U.S.-based loyalty program, think about the learnings you can share with the international team as to the program initiatives they can replicate, and the ones they need to customize for their specific market needs.
Consider forming a steering committee to help determine the best approach to take in setting up your global program. Include associates (both domestic and international) from all areas of your organization – IT, finance, leadership, marketing and operations – and put your task list together. And together, do your research, implement testing, mirror what other international brands have done well and always think with an innovative mindset. Put a plan in place for eliminating the barriers that might arise.
Tip #3: Integrate a global platform with local programs
Having one global platform that’s customized for each market (adaptable to specific currency types, languages, etc.) is much more cost effective as opposed to creating unique, individual platforms for each market. It reduces the administration costs.
And consumer data and privacy requirements add additional complexities to global deployments. Having a clear and robust technology platform strategy and governance is important.
Global platforms must be flexible enough to support different consumer engagement strategies. For example, because mobile is the preferred channel in many developing countries, engaging with consumers with text messages and mobile coupon offers is more important than other methods of engagement.
Brand in action
FedEx does an excellent job with their international marketing, programs and overall focus on loyalty. FedEx’s corporate culture of focusing on their people, process and technology is felt and implemented across the entire organization, both domestically and internationally.
With this alignment, FedEx has built the capabilities to expand their programs into the international markets. And, FedEx mirrors its successful U.S.-based strategy while expanding into international markets and shares learnings across regions.
So as you’re evaluating your global loyalty marketing initiatives, think of it as a crawl, walk, run approach and don’t try to accomplish the world in one day.
And remember, when deciding on a platform, make sure it’s agile, or adaptable to your needs. It’s best to integrate a platform that can serve both your domestic and international needs.
---
## Innovation at the heart of our operation
Type: eps_post
URL: /innovation-at-the-heart-of-our-operation
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T22:16:49Z
# Innovation at the heart of our operation
Disrupting today’s marketplace requires incredible human insight, the kind that inspires big innovative ideas. It also requires data and technology expertise to accurately identify individuals and deliver personalized interactions to consumers at scale. Within our new home at Publicis Groupe, we are more excited than ever to accelerate innovation for our clients and elevate all our assets to a disruptive level.
Epsilon was built on the belief that talent is the strength and driving force behind success. By focusing manically on cultivating the best people, we have been able to consistently drive results and growth for clients, pushing the envelope of what’s possible in this industry. This commitment led us to be named one of the top 50 Best Places to Work For Innovators by Fast Company alongside some of the world’s largest companies including Amazon, P&G, Morgan Stanley and many others. The recognition is a true testament to our mission to transform every customer experience into a more human experience, through constant innovation. Our core assets—data, technology and a powerful roster of clients that include the world’s best brands—each inspire innovation and help us drive transformation in the industry.
Data
Our long heritage in data allows us to understand people in unprecedented ways. With billions of transactions tied to real people, we unlock new sources of growth for marketers and an ability to drive personalized experiences at scale. We believe every one of these experiences should be personal and purposeful, as customers want to be recognized, respected and protected. That’s why we built a powerful, data-fueled marketing platform that harnesses insight and activates data across channels through industry-leading email, loyalty and CRM capabilities to drive client growth, eliminate marketing inefficiency and ultimately make every interaction count.
Marketing is evolving rapidly as the preferences and needs of consumers change, and technology and media advances. By staying one step ahead of these constant changes and focusing on innovation over time, we have built a stable, enduring business.
Technology
For decades, our strength was in building custom loyalty and CRM solutions for world-class brands. In the past two years, we innovated a massive shift in our offerings by launching over a dozen packaged, easy-to-implement technology and service offerings, speeding up our time to market and right-sizing our offerings for clients that were pushing us to be more nimble.
We believe innovating for internal efficiency is equally important. Our creative tech engineers developed a series of tools that allow us to deliver personalized digital advertising to consumers in real time and at scale.
The World’s Top Brands
We define innovation as progress: forward and onward movement with an ultimate destination in mind. A forward-thinking mind-set is critical when working with the world’s largest brands. Our teams help brands like Sephora, Dunkin’, Dell and Walgreens with everything they need to engage their customers in ongoing, rich, rewarding conversations that make people feel recognized, respected and protected.
Publicis Groupe and Epsilon are companies built to serve the CMO, acting as a trusted guide through transformation and change. As we begin the next chapter together, we have the talent, the assets and a commitment to innovation that fundamentally transforms how brands approach marketing. And we have the most demanding brands in the world in our client roster, which is what fuels our drive for success.
---
## 5 customer dark spots marketers can shine a light on using a CDP
Type: eps_post
URL: /5-customer-dark-spots-cdps
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T22:16:49Z
# 5 customer dark spots marketers can shine a light on using a CDP
Brands today are looking to revive dormant customers, increase basket size, activate data anywhere, and identify lookalike audiences.
These goals, impeded by many of the challenges marketers currently face—data deprecation, pandemic-altered consumer behavior, engagement requirements escalating dramatically—are leading the drive for better marketing infrastructure and technology. But current options often don’t cut it, and marketers are increasingly finding data “dark spots” in their customer data platforms (CDPs).
For some marketers, these areas can be quite dark, and for others, they are a little dim. When implementing a CDP that is built not only for today but for the future, there are key considerations marketers need to have. Addressing the question of database optimization is an iterative process: You must take it step by step. Identifying the use cases and goals that you uniquely want to achieve with your CDP are crucial.
The types of challenges marketers have vary, but all negatively impact their ability to execute. By highlighting these areas, you will be better equipped to enact a strong CDP strategy.
1. Inaccurate identity of customers
You need a full view of customers to see their true identity. This is a foundational issue, and it’s one that the vast majority of CDP strategies struggle with.
Identity is more than just matching rules to put profiles together. It has a lot to do with making your data better: enriching it, making it smarter and easier for you to use, and ensuring you’re engaging with individual people—not cookies or devices. If you have a lot of data, implementing strong identity resolution, foundationally, becomes a critical component to make sure you put the right data together for the use cases that you need.
And that identity needs to take you further than simply matching profiles and records together. The best identity also serves as the foundation for high performance activation, enabling you to reach people wherever they consume media.
2. Limited customer attributes and interests
You need customer attributes to build audiences. Data fuels CDP solutions, and many brands source this data from all over.
But depending on the type of brand or the business you’re in, you may have a very limited aperture of the types of information and first-party data that you can collect or that consumers are willing to share with you. This data might look like transaction data, web behavior data, engagement around marketing channels that you’re working on, in-store data and more.
Is this sufficient to build the rich, individual-level profile that gets you a true understanding of the consumer? Not likely. Marketers need broader insights to understand who that consumer is and, who they are in the wild when they’re by themselves and not interacting with your brand. Getting a rounder, more focused picture of your customer is crucial for the kind of effective activation you’re looking for. So, don’t be limited just by the data you can get your hands on or that you are able to get from consent preference with your customer.
3. Disconnected experiences
Customers expect a personalized experience when they engage with a brand. Marketing solutions focused on specific types of marketing channels or engagement strategies have been the norm for a while, but that’s becoming a problem. Marketers need the ability to look at a unified experience across customers, the channel teams that serve and engage them, and across the customer lifecycle, as well.
Marketers have opportunities to engage the customer across the customer lifecycle more deeply than ever have before, and if uniformity is prioritized in terms of consistency, they’re going to get the strongest outcomes. Marketers can build better trust and relationship with customers, which, at the end of the day, is the goal.
4. Outdated privacy and preferences
You need to know how, when and where to reach your customers. There are constantly changing technology issues, consumer behavior patterns and regulations that can be very challenging to keep up with. But it’s essential that staying on top of privacy needs is foundational to your first-party data strategy and your marketing around that.
If you make a misstep in this arena, the issues range from breaking trust in the relationship you have with individual customers all the way to creating a major problem for your business. Marketers of course can’t afford to do that, so they must make sure they have the best, most recent and up-to-date information.
5. Cracks in digital measurement and performance
You need to be confident that your marketing dollars are working. If marketers bring the right data together into an understanding of an individual customer profile, they must also include the measurement around the engagement work they do.
This is an area where it’s often hard to get what you need, particularly when working with partners like walled gardens that don’t often allow certain types of data to flow back to you. So, with your CDP strategy, it’s important to consider how you can stitch together an understanding of the performance and measurement of your marketing across the customer lifecycle into the single-profile view you need.
How can the right CDP bring light to these areas?
Any of these issues could be dark spots across your marketing and first-party data strategy. There may be places where it’s a little darker than others for you, which is why it’s crucial to identify your organization’s unique gap areas when evaluating the CDP that’s right for you.
To learn what the right CDP can do for your brand, check out this webinar hosted by Adweek that dives into how you can maximize the value of your data with a CDP.
This article was originally published on Adweek.
---
## 4 insights to navigate the retail media landscape in 2023
Type: eps_post
URL: /4-insights-to-navigate-the-retail-media-landscape-in-2023
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# 4 insights to navigate the retail media landscape in 2023
Retail media ad spending is projected to be $68 billion by 2025, and everyone wants to be a part of it. And for good reason—it is changing the way retailers and brands collaborate.
This could be seen at Shoptalk 2023, as it was impossible for attendees to miss the many thoughts, players, information and solutions surrounding retail media. New entrants—from data and ad platforms to analysts producing thought-leadership content to in-store tracking cameras—are emerging.
While this influx of new players is a positive development that encourages innovation and competition, it also makes the landscape even more complex and confusing for retailers, brands and consumers.
There certainly is an opportunity to bring everyone together, but the question remains of how to do so. Patrick Vesperman, Senior Director of Product Management for Retail Media Networks at Epsilon, attended Shoptalk, and here are his four key takeaways coming out of the weekend.
Patrick Vesperman
Senior Director of Product Management, Retail Media Networks at Epsilon
1. Lead with strategy
Many organizations focus on the capabilities they can sell in the short term to take advantage of the retail media trend. This approach may result in temporary gains, but it can also create long-term challenges for the organization, its partners, and the industry as a whole.
Speakers at Shoptalk anchored their innovations and partnerships in core strategic parts of their business. In Ulta CEO Dave Kimbell’s keynote speech, he discussed how Ulta is investing in robotics to enhance lash applications or AI around skin analysis to recommend products. These strategic enhancements will help shoppers have a better overall experience by making it easier for them to find their best next product, for example. Additionally, Bill Ready, Pinterest’s CEO, mentioned how Pinterest is integrating Shuffles, an app to engage with Gen-Z, into their main application to enhance commerce capabilities, which is a core Pinterest Strategy. Brands succeed when they let strategy take the lead. When it comes to retail media and the technology that a retailer builds, develop a strategy and follow a roadmap for a more sustainable approach that can lead to capturing a portion of the $55+ billion industry, along with a stronger offering and more satisfied clients.
2. Be thoughtful with your partner selection
Partnerships are vital in retail media since no single player can meet all needs. When evaluating potential partners, consider your strategic objectives.
Assess the benefits you expect to gain from a partnership as well as the expenses you’re willing to bear in the process. The value of specific synergies and the expenses you’re willing to incur will depend on your strategic goals, the potential benefits of the partnership, and the costs associated with achieving those outcomes.
For instance, a dominant player with an appealing UI might lack integration with your measurement methodology, resulting in challenging outcomes for clients or stakeholders. As a result, it’s essential to know your strategic objectives and incorporate them into you partner selection process.
3. Prioritize strategic unification
In many conversations throughout Shoptalk, retailers mentioned how they want more unified, consistent experiences for their brands. Unification should be purposeful and aligned with strategic objectives and client needs. A tech stack and solution that offers the best individual capabilities, such as a user-friendly interface, publisher network, reporting dashboard or innovative ad format, may seem appealing but can lead to a disjointed ad stack lacking consistency in delivering results.
So how do you sort out what you actually need and from whom? Look for common threads that align with your strategy and select partners who bring unification in those areas to create a seamless, consistent and high level of service.
4. Be honest
When promoting your retail media solutions, stay truthful and transparent about what you offer. Don’t make false claims about your capabilities or promise things that are not part of your roadmap.
Instead, focus on your strengths and be up front with your clients about what you can or cannot do. Actively seek feedback and incorporate your partners’ needs into your roadmap so that you are constantly evolving and being a leader in the space. It’s crucial to listen to your customers and prioritize their needs while maintaining honesty and integrity.
What does this look like in action?
We’ve developed a long-term strategy that supports our clients and enables sustainable growth and success. We’re committed to working together with others to establish an industry that values trust and transparency as much as market share and revenue.
We work with a variety of retailers from different industries ranging from CPG to healthcare and from small to large retailers. Our work with GoPuff, for example, expanded their retail media network for full shopper journey campaigns. With Epsilon's retail media solution, GoPuff’s brands are seeing ROIs as high as 430%, while platform revenue has grown nearly 170% year-over-year in July as active products doubled onsite.
As retail media continues to grow at a rapid rate, retailers need a strategy to not only get through the near term but also build for the long term as they embrace new tech advancements. Be deliberate with your partner selection and unification, and be honest with yourself and your clients.
To learn more, visit our website.
---
## How to find new audiences while securing personal data with clean rooms
Type: eps_post
URL: /how-to-find-new-audiences-while-securing-personal-data-with-data-clean-rooms
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T22:17:52Z
# How to find new audiences while securing personal data with clean rooms
For many marketers, clean rooms are mysterious spaces traditionally seen as the exclusive domain of data scientists. As a nascent category of solutions, providing a clear definition can be challenging.
Much like physical clean rooms have safeguards in place against biosecurity risks, clean rooms safeguard data. The impetus for the airtight seal isn't to keep out contaminants, but to safeguard personally identifiable information (PII) while making it accessible within the clean room's secure confines.
Clean rooms play a crucial role in enabling brands to find new audiences—with or without first-party data— without compromising consumers’ security and to reach customers without the aid of soon-to-be-deprecated third-party cookies.
In effective clean room solutions, “privacy and security comes first,” emphasizes Sebastien Gelas—Vice President of Product at Epsilon. “Respecting the basics of data collaboration between organizations while keeping data privacy and security guidelines at the forefront is key. The solution must be easy to leverage, as well as value generating. Sharing data is great, but using the shared data efficiently is where value resides.”
Luckily, clean rooms are designed for that: effectively achieving marketing goals and finding your next best customers while also addressing privacy and security challenges.
Enriching customer views
Missing key touchpoints as a brand can be frustrating and penalizing. Fortunately, in a clean room, a brand can collate data from various partners and bring it into a pseudonymous view across those partners. Measurement data can thus be taken across activation partners into one location for ease of viewability.
Clean rooms solutions are not created equally: many use matching identifiers such as cookies or email addresses, resulting in the same person looking like multiple people and the inability for one-to-one messaging.
Effective solutions use person-based identifiers for a pseudonymized customer view that can be activated. Marketers have access to pseudonymized customer profiles — the context for a person is there but none of the PII — which enables personalized marketing and seamless customer experiences while safeguarding individuals' security.
Hence, it's possible to serve existing customers more effectively and identify new ones. Marketers can understand true customer attributes and patterns and reach them differently--or more people like them—within their activation framework.
The value of pseudonymous data
When the EU adopted GDPR, it marked a meaningful new benchmark for international privacy and security laws and set the tone for similar laws to pass elsewhere.
GDPR includes the fundamental assumption that people are legally entitled to exercise control over their personal information. That approach is guiding the creation of new privacy legislation in the U.S. that offers substantial additional consumer protections, thus raising the bar for marketers. To maintain compliance, some brand partners have been playing catch-up or retrofitting their existing technology.
Despite the initial challenges the new approach to data security brings, roughly 70% of consumers want personalized marketing messages. Therefore, the use of pseudonymous data is key to instilling security because when data is pseudonymized through an identifier, there is significantly less chance of exposing personal data since it can no longer be attributed to a specific data subject without the use of additional information. Thus, pseudonymized data satisfies consumers want for personalized, relevant messaging, but in a secure context.
How clean rooms helps marketers win
Within interoperable clean room solutions that use person-based identifiers, such as Epsilon’s, a brand’s first-party data is attached to pseudonymized insights from third-party and/or partner brands’ data using an identity graph, including a brand's first-party customer-specific transaction and browsing histories. This data creates rich individual profiles and secure, one-to-one messaging across channels.
This includes addressable TV, where an identity-based solution is essential to unlocking the full potential of accurately targeting specific audiences: with the help of clean rooms brands can reach consumers across channels and devices. This also enables the creation of retail media networks, where clean rooms allow for the sharing of pseudonymized shopper data with brands and advertisers.
Many marketers have continued upping spend on walled garden clean rooms, such as Google or Facebook, which are closed ecosystems. Walled garden campaigns only provide limited reporting and aggregate views of campaign performance as opposed to an individualized view.
Compared to clean room solutions offered by walled gardens, interoperable clean room solutions like Epsilons have a huge advantage: the consumer insights made possible using them can be used across digital channels and can get down to the unique customer profile level, pseudonymized of course. Brands now have the power to render their data actionable in a secure way and access missing data points for a complete picture of their customer base.
The wave of new laws aimed at enhancing data privacy addresses key consumer concerns but upend some standard marketing practices. Brands that embrace emerging solutions, such as clean rooms, are well-positioned to weather the transition, increase cross-functional business opportunities and continue to reach and attract growth audiences and increase ROI while valuing data security.
---
## Should I stay or should I go? Unlocking the power of your data in retaining loyal customers
Type: eps_post
URL: /shouldistayorshouldigo
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Should I stay or should I go? Unlocking the power of your data in retaining loyal customers
During a recent conversation between our Business Development Manager, Peter Luxford and Andy Mulcahy from IMRG, we delved into the world of acquiring new e-commerce customers and explored the strategic role of Direct Mail in customer retention and reactivation efforts. Here is what transpired...
{% module_block module "widget_1690369874232" %}{% module_attribute "child_css" is_json="true" %}{}{% end_module_attribute %}{% module_attribute "css" is_json="true" %}{}{% end_module_attribute %}{% module_attribute "definition_id" is_json="true" %}null{% end_module_attribute %}{% module_attribute "field_types" is_json="true" %}{"image_field":"image","mp4_file_field":"file","mp4_url":"url"}{% end_module_attribute %}{% module_attribute "image_field" is_json="true" %}{"src":""}{% end_module_attribute %}{% module_attribute "label" is_json="true" %}null{% end_module_attribute %}{% module_attribute "module_id" is_json="true" %}8376139{% end_module_attribute %}{% module_attribute "mp4_file_field" is_json="true" %}"https://www.epsilon.com/hubfs/ABACUS/IMRG/IMRG-retention%20data%20show.mp4"{% end_module_attribute %}{% module_attribute "mp4_url" is_json="true" %}{"content_id":null,"href":"https://www.epsilon.com/hubfs/ABACUS/IMRG/IMRG-retention%20data%20show.mp4","type":"FILE"}{% end_module_attribute %}{% module_attribute "path" is_json="true" %}"/solution-center/modules/Video mp4"{% end_module_attribute %}{% module_attribute "schema_version" is_json="true" %}2{% end_module_attribute %}{% module_attribute "smart_objects" is_json="true" %}null{% end_module_attribute %}{% module_attribute "smart_type" is_json="true" %}"NOT_SMART"{% end_module_attribute %}{% module_attribute "tag" is_json="true" %}"module"{% end_module_attribute %}{% module_attribute "type" is_json="true" %}"module"{% end_module_attribute %}{% module_attribute "wrap_field_tag" is_json="true" %}"div"{% end_module_attribute %}{% end_module_block %}
What is the role of direct mail in a customer retention and reactivation strategy?
In today's competitive landscape, customer loyalty is crucial, as the next alternative is just a swipe away. While acquiring new customers and getting them to make their first purchase is important, it's equally essential to keep them engaged, encourage repeat purchases, and minimise churn.
When it comes to customer retention, email remains the preferred channel due to its immediacy, cost-effectiveness, and personalisation capabilities. However, as time passes without a response from a prospect, the chances of re-engagement decreases. After a year of ignoring offers and incentives, that customer effectively drops out of the email pool of prospects.
Many companies tend to write off these customers as lost causes, but that's where Epsilon and Direct Mail come in.
Direct Mail can help identify and reactivate a highly profitable and incremental audience for your email campaign - customers who still fit your target market but have stopped buying from you for some reason.
The response rates for lapsed customers are typically 4-5 times higher than cold acquisition campaigns, while still showing higher average order values (AOVs) and lifetime values. By mailing and recruiting these high-value customers, you can significantly boost campaign revenue and offset acquisition costs.
Why does direct mail work when email fails for customers who haven't made a purchase in over a year?
Direct mail succeeds in areas where email falls short due to its ability to cut through the clutter, establish a connection, and generate consideration from recipients.
In the digital age, adults in the UK spend approximately 24 hours a week online, exposed to hundreds or even thousands of ads and emails each day. In contrast, traditional post like bank statements and bills are now primarily received online, resulting in customers receiving only a few physical mail items per day or week. As a result, almost 100% of direct mail is seen and handled by the customer.
Furthermore, the majority of personal email addresses are accessed via smartphones, leading to less visibility for subject lines and a simple swipe-to-delete action. The average lifespan of an email is now approximately 17 seconds. On the other hand, research by JICMAIL reveals that direct mail stays in the home for an average of 8 days, with 40% of it still present after a month. This provides numerous opportunities for recipients to engage with the mail.
Direct mail also creates a physical and emotional connection with recipients. It requires them to pick it up, providing a tactile experience with movement, and may even have a distinct smell. These sensory triggers have a 49% stronger impact on long-term encoding in the brain compared to email, as shown by marketreach research. Consequently, brand, product, and pricing information are more likely to be locked in memory, making other branding activities more effective in reminding prospects why they initially chose your brand and increasing their likelihood of making another purchase.
Additionally, according to Kantar, 72% of people often read and review their mail at a time when they can give it their full attention, even after opening it. This means customers make a personal appointment to engage with your marketing materials.
Considering these factors, it's no wonder that reactivated long-term lapsed customers contribute greater order values and lifetime values compared to cold prospects.
Does direct mail work across all sectors?
Yes, direct mail is effective across all sectors, particularly in industries that experienced rapid growth during the COVID-19 lockdowns. Sectors such as fashion, homeware and furniture, gifts, and food and drink saw significant growth during that period, followed by a decrease in customers as the world returned to normal. However, even though customer numbers may have dropped, businesses still have a valuable dataset of customers that, if utilised correctly, can greatly impact their bottom line.
This is particularly relevant in the subscription market, where food and drinks brands dominate. Many of these brands experienced unprecedented growth rates. However, as people were released back into the "wild" after lockdowns, churn became inevitable. Subscription brands typically launch win-back email campaigns when a customer cancels, but the effectiveness of that email window is often shorter than previously described - around 6-9 months. Therefore, utilising direct mail a little earlier for reactivation is advisable in this scenario.
It's important to note that the majority of these customers are still purchasing goods and services elsewhere; they haven't completely dropped out of the market. The key is to differentiate between those who still fit your best customer profile and can be profitable and those who were convenience customers unlikely to return.
Epsilon offers a comprehensive solution by matching your best active customers to all their transactions with the 260 other member brands. This allows them to build a comprehensive profile based on buying behaviours and patterns, including what customers are spending, who they are spending it with, and when they are spending it. This is further enhanced by leveraging CACI Lifestyle and demographic data.
In terms of acquisition, we would then conduct a search for lookalike customers in the Abacus Alliance database. However, in the case of customer retention and reactivation, we take it a step further by profiling all your lapsed customers and identifying lookalikes within that dataset.
By identifying those lapsed customers who still demonstrate similar purchasing behaviors as your best customers, it enables us to optimise the efficiency of your campaign. You can then tailor your direct mail efforts to target these prospects and effectively reengage them.We have successfully implemented this approach with great results. Since this transactional data is updated on a monthly basis, we are able to continuously identify which of these lapsed customers are still active in the market.
Below is a quick snapshot of questions that members can answer by leveraging Abacus Alliance data:
Are they loyal to my brand, or are they also engaging with other brands in my industry?
Are there other product categories that might pique their interest?
These customers have been inactive for some time. Are they still interested in purchasing my product?
These individuals received one of our products as a gift. Are they actively making purchases in this category?
These customers have recently made their first purchase from us. How much should I invest in nurturing their relationship? What is their potential lifetime value?
Economic turbulence doesn't need to wipe out years of valuable gains with consumers. Surviving the financial downturn starts with understanding your customers. Answering the questions above will help you to improve your activation, reactivation, and cross-sell efforts and add great value to your brand.
Send us a message at enquiriesuk@epsilon.com
References: ONS Data, IRI Report, PwC
---
## 7 Habits of Highly Effective Direct Mail Campaigns
Type: eps_post
URL: /7-habits-of-highly-effective-direct-mail-campaigns
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# 7 Habits of Highly Effective Direct Mail Campaigns
Direct mail marketing is a passion of ours, but it demands meticulous planning, precise targeting, and vigilant monitoring to guarantee its effectiveness. By integrating these seven habits into your strategy, you can significantly enhance the likelihood of achieving successful outcomes and optimising your marketing efforts.
1. Define clear objectives
Start by establishing specific goals and objectives for your direct mail campaign. Whether it's generating leads, driving sales, or increasing brand awareness, having a clear focus will guide your strategy and messaging. Direct Mail can help identify and reactivate a highly profitable and incremental audience for your email campaign - customers who still fit your target market but have stopped buying from you for some reason.
2. Know your target audience
Understanding your target audience is crucial for creating personalised and relevant direct mail campaigns.
Partner with us and use the Alliance to find your perfect audience's demographics, interests, and preferences, and use this information to tailor your messaging and design to resonate with your best audiences!
3. Craft compelling copy and design
This shouldn't come as a surprise with visual stimulation all around us, your direct mail piece should grab attention, engage recipients, and clearly convey your message.
Invest time and effort into creating compelling copy that highlights the benefits of your product or service. Combine it with visually appealing design elements that align with your brand and capture your audiences attention.
4. Use high-quality data
Ensure that your mailing list is accurate, up-to-date, and properly segmented. Clean and verify your data regularly to avoid wasted resources on undeliverable mail. Segmentation allows you to target specific groups with personalised offers, increasing the chances of conversion.
5. Test and measure
Implement a culture of testing and measurement in your direct mail campaigns. Experiment with different elements such as headlines, offers, formats, or calls to action to determine what works best. Track and analyse key metrics, such as response rate, conversion rate, and return on investment, to continuously optimise your campaigns.
6. Follow up and integrate with other channels
Don't stop your campaign with a single piece of direct mail. Plan for follow-up actions, such as personalised emails or addressable tv, to deepen the engagement with your recipients. Integration with other marketing channels, like social media or digital advertising, can amplify the impact of your direct mail efforts.
7. Continuously refine and improve
Direct mail marketing is an iterative process. Regularly evaluate the results of your campaigns and use the insights gained to refine and improve future initiatives. Stay up-to-date with industry trends, consumer behaviour, and technological advancements to keep your campaigns fresh and effective.
This year Epsilon Abacus celebrates 25 years of helping you engage with your best customers through the power of direct mail.
To take advantage of our expertise in direct mail marketing and celebrate 25 years of success, reach out to us for a call back! Simply email us at enquiriesuk@epsilon.com.
{% module_block module "widget_1690571593264" %}{% module_attribute "child_css" is_json="true" %}{}{% end_module_attribute %}{% module_attribute "css" is_json="true" %}{}{% end_module_attribute %}{% module_attribute "definition_id" is_json="true" %}null{% end_module_attribute %}{% module_attribute "field_types" is_json="true" %}{"image_field":"image","mp4_file_field":"file","mp4_url":"url"}{% end_module_attribute %}{% module_attribute "image_field" is_json="true" %}{"alt":"7 habits of highly effective direct mail campaigns","height":1784,"src":"https://www.epsilon.com/hubfs/ABACUS/Blog%20Images/7%20habits%20of%20highly%20effective%20direct%20mail%20campaigns.png","width":3272}{% end_module_attribute %}{% module_attribute "label" is_json="true" %}null{% end_module_attribute %}{% module_attribute "module_id" is_json="true" %}8376139{% end_module_attribute %}{% module_attribute "mp4_file_field" is_json="true" %}"https://www.epsilon.com/hubfs/ABACUS/Blog%20Images/Habits%20of%20Direct%20mail%20(1).mp4"{% end_module_attribute %}{% module_attribute "mp4_url" is_json="true" %}{"content_id":null,"href":"https://www.epsilon.com/hubfs/ABACUS/Blog%20Images/Habits%20of%20Direct%20mail%20(1).mp4","type":"FILE"}{% end_module_attribute %}{% module_attribute "path" is_json="true" %}"/solution-center/modules/Video mp4"{% end_module_attribute %}{% module_attribute "schema_version" is_json="true" %}2{% end_module_attribute %}{% module_attribute "smart_objects" is_json="true" %}null{% end_module_attribute %}{% module_attribute "smart_type" is_json="true" %}"NOT_SMART"{% end_module_attribute %}{% module_attribute "tag" is_json="true" %}"module"{% end_module_attribute %}{% module_attribute "type" is_json="true" %}"module"{% end_module_attribute %}{% module_attribute "wrap_field_tag" is_json="true" %}"div"{% end_module_attribute %}{% end_module_block %}
---
## Direct Mail - Don’t call it a resurgence
Type: eps_post
URL: /direct-mail-dont-call-it-a-resurgence
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Direct Mail - Don’t call it a resurgence
To say direct mail is having a resurgence would be to deny its steady existence as a vital channel for many retail businesses since the mail order boom years. It’s also an inaccurate descriptor for eCommerce as “resurgence” implies a previous day in the sun exists.
What is more accurate is to say that direct mail has become one of the more exciting “new” channels for eCommerce brands as they look to differentiate themselves from their competitors and gain cut-through in a highly saturated digital marketing environment.
Many rapid growth UK eCommerce brands, including the likes of Hello Fresh, Wayfair, Beer52, Harry’s and Bloom & Wild, have incorporated the direct mail channel into their marketing mix. However, it’s more expensive and time-consuming than their tried and trusted digital channels. Many marketers have no expertise when it comes to executing campaigns and it takes longer to realise full results. So why do they do it? The advantages can be illustrated most clearly when positioned against those digital channels with which eCommerce marketers are so familiar.
Cut-through
It’s simple. Today’s letterbox is comparatively empty compared to our email inboxes and social media feeds, meaning brands can get their message in front of a significantly broader proportion of their target audience. Let’s use email campaigns as an example. If you’re getting a 25% open rate with your email sends, you’re probably pretty happy, right? Now compare that to the 100% of direct mail recipients that will, at the very least, pick up the catalogue (or whatever format the brand has chosen) and view the front and/or back cover to work out who it’s from and who it’s for before deciding on whether to keep it or put it in the recycling. Not bad! And that will be the case whether you’re targeting existing customers or prospect audiences.
Sales
Direct mail’s primary purpose is to drive sales. If you look at a catalogue or any other form of direct mail marketing from retailers, the call to action will be to go online (or pick up the phone!) and buy. What’s more, catalogues, in particular, give marketers more space for more products and, coupled with the fact that human beings like to browse tactile things, this means average order values are generally 15-20% higher than the average across digital acquisition channels.
Measurability
This follows closely from sales. Direct mail is dead easy to measure. Offer codes allow you to track performance day by day (as you’ll do with your digital campaigns) but you can also run “matchbacks” to identify the names and addresses from the audience you mailed that purchased during the campaign window. Recipients will not always use an offer code so this is vital to get an accurate read on performance. You can then report accurately at CPA, ROAS and contribution level, making it very easy to justify further investment in the channel.
Lifetime value
eCommerce brands that have built a business on digital acquisition channels almost unfailingly report the same problem – high customer churn. Put simply, they can recruit high volumes but relatively few go on and become loyal, repeat buyers. Direct mail CPAs will always be higher than digital due to the cost of print and postage. However, that’s acceptable if the customers recruited through the channel are worth way more in the long term. For example, beauty and skincare brand This Works see an average uplift of 28% in first year spend and 47% in spend over the first 2 years from direct mail recruits vs the average across their online channels. Lifetime value directly follows customer engagement and direct mail’s tactile nature, along with its greater scope for conveying brand values, ways to buy, wider product range and ways to interact with the brand and community on social media, generates significantly better audience engagement than digital campaigns.
Scale
No growth-minded marketer is going to be excited about a channel they can’t scale. Data specialists like Epsilon Abacus help marketers test for growth in each campaign, minimising exposure whilst maximising rollout potential. Depending on your brand and your audience, prospect audiences can be scaled by up to 10x.
The “C” word
Coronavirus has changed everything for everyone. Some brands are hunkering down for what we all hope will be a relatively short period of disruption whereas others are seeing a huge demand for the products. For the former, more expensive forms of marketing have rightfully taken a back seat in preference for cheaper and more reactive digital channels, like email and Instagram, as brands aim to keep their customers up to date with the latest developments. However, when normal service resumes, and it will, the storytelling role of direct mail should not be underestimated as brands look to recover. In recent years, customers increasingly want to know what the brands they buy from stand for, where their products come from and even how they support local communities. It’s no longer just a price war on Google shopping. Even as we emerge from these most unusual and unnerving of times, Coronavirus will dominate the narrative for months to come as customers look for familiarity in what will inevitably be a new normal. Channels that allow marketers to create a strong narrative around their brand may just have a greater role to play than ever.
---
## Four misperceptions about data clean rooms
Type: eps_post
URL: /data-clean-room-misperceptions
Last Modified: 2025-12-17T17:29:44Z
# Four misperceptions about data clean rooms
In today’s digital landscape, data-driven marketing strategies are essential for brands to stay competitive.
For many, that means adopting a customer data platform (CDP) to harmonize, clean and enhance their own data, or working with a data partner help fill the gaps in the data they do have. But another option for brands looking to use and expand their first-party data to understand their known and prospective customers more, there are more options than just a traditional CDP.
This is where data clean rooms come in. You may be wondering, what is a clean room? They enable a privacy-safe environment to data enrichment, activation, collaboration and measurement. Data clean rooms are a powerful solution for brands seeking to gain deep customer insights, put those insights to work and measure their effectiveness.
But with their growing popularity, there's also a lot of misunderstanding about exactly what a "clean room" is and what it can (or can't) do. To set the record straight on this data-driven solution, here are four common misperceptions about data clean rooms and what those notions get wrong.
Misperception #1: Clean rooms are just another empty box
At first glance, some marketers see clean rooms as nothing more than an empty box they have to fill, and if they don't have a lot of their own data inputs to add, what's the point?
To adequately solve a brand's marketing needs, they must also contract a data onboarder, an identity resolution provider, and third-party data sets from a reputable source. It just feels like another tech product they don't need that won't actually glean meaningful insight. This misperception holds true for most clean rooms—but not all.
A high-quality clean room should come pre-loaded with data and identity. This gives you access to your entire universe of potential customers, including current and prospects who are ready to buy. The right clean room should be able to help brands:
Create custom in-market audiences that can be activated on
Understand granular behavioral data
Maximize the scale and reach of your campaigns
Why does this matter? Having identity and data built in from day one allows brands to incorporate first-, second- and premium third-party data that helps you understand who your customers are, what they buy (and why), where to find them and when to engage them, driving retention and growth. It also eliminates the need for additional tech contracts and partners and simplifies the process of data enhancement in a single solution.
Misperception #2: Clean rooms are so complicated that they are only for data scientists
A complex tech stack can be intimidating to those who don't have extensive backgrounds in data science. While the technology behind clean rooms is sophisticated, the capabilities of this tool have evolved to be low-code or no-code environments that anyone can use. Results are presented through a user interface that allows for easy interpretation of the data collaboration.
This means data scientists, marketers, strategists and planners have simple access to and use of the clean room environment.
However, marketers and data scientists may need to use a clean room differently and want the flexibility to customize their clean room's capabilities. While data scientists may require sophisticated analytical capabilities to support their more complex, custom modeling needs, marketers may need a more friendly UI where they can create segments and audiences with ease. Not all clean rooms offer both sets of capabilities.
The right clean room should be able to meet all of its users needs. Make sure you're considering who will use your clean room, and ask potential partners whether they can support a variety of users, and if so, what do those differences actually look like?
Misperception #3: Data clean rooms only work for industries with a wealth of first-party data
Because many people assume clean rooms come as empty containers, they also assume you need a lot of first-party data to make one worthwhile. This assumption may stem from the fact that data clean rooms are a popular martech product among retailers because of their rich customer data.
But they aren’t the only ones that can find value from clean rooms. These versatile tools can benefit a wide range of industries, including healthcare, financial services, travel, entertainment, CPG and restaurants. Why? Because not all clean rooms come empty.
Clean rooms equipped with data and identity are essential tools for brands without a lot of first-party data. These spaces allow for brands to enhance what first-party data they have with identity resolution, and also collaborate with other types of data too, like third-party and partner data. This makes it perfect for non-retail brands who need to supplement their first-party data or who have several different data sources that are most useful when working in tandem.
Misperception #4: Your clean room can only match your existing tech stack to work
You don’t need a specific platform or the same tech stack as other data collaboration partners to use a data clean room. Your clean room should be flexible, convenient and interoperable with any partner to collaborate regardless of your existing technology stack. A valuable clean room provider will help you break away from closed systems with limited choice to enable all players to maximize their opportunities.
Your clean room should be interoperable with any tech stack or solution, but there are efficiencies to aligning your clean room and your activation solution. For example, marketers can launch programmatic campaigns directly from Epsilon's clean room because it's directly connected to our programmatic marketplace, which largely gives them greater media reach without any data loss since it's all on the same tech stack. In fact, with our programmatic capabilities, we typically find that clients can reach 2-3x more of their customers on the open web.
Epsilon Clean Room is an industry-recognized martech solution that offers pre-built data and identity with an interface that works for everyday marketers and data scientists.
Learn how Epsilon Clean Room can open your world to a universe of new faces.
---
## Destination marketing measurement: The future of digital advertising attribution
Type: eps_post
URL: /destination-marketing-measurement
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T22:14:19Z
# Destination marketing measurement: The future of digital advertising attribution
Tourism is back on firm-footing. The most 'normal' travel year since 2019, this year represents a return to prior levels of travel not seen since the Covid-19 pandemic. In fact, European tourism demand has shown that almost one third of reporting destinations have surpassed 2019 levels of tourist arrivals, while one fourth are just 10% below.
All but very few regional pandemic era restrictions have been lifted: testing is rarely required, most Covid-19 vouchers have been completed or voided, and traditional peak and shoulder booking patterns have materialized again. Tourism conferences are back in full swing to the returning tunes of sustainable tourism. Rather than focusing on the simpler strategic objective of 'how do we get people back' that has dominated the past two years, stakeholders alike are asking 'how do we get people back in a sustainable way.'
From a tourism marketing perspective, the challenge of driving traveler numbers whilst allowing the destination and its inhabitants to experience no negative effects has always been a delicate balancing act. The ability to communicate growth, while obtaining positive sentiment internally, has now returned to the top of many marketers’ to-do lists.
Fortunately, developments in the measurement space during the last 2-3 years are making this task easier to fulfill. Travel marketers are now able to prove visitation and media returns—a capability that is allowing the industry to do away with older, ineffective success metrics. And with the industry's most comprehensive data, Epsilon will help you know more about every traveler, so you can connect with each of them on a personal level.
Out with the old, in with the new
Most 21st century tourism boards realize their role is beyond that of providing awareness of a destination. Thus, previous “soft” metrics such as click through rates, video completion rates, brochure downloads or email list signups are not considered primary metrics of success any longer. Put simply, once the travel industry got comfortable with aggregating and sharing search and transactional data, those metrics moved into the background.
What exactly accounted for this change? Around a decade ago the travel industry woke up to the fact that making aggregated search and booking data more widely available—either directly to a destination or via an aggregator or data co-op—was a wise strategic move. In doing so, destination marketers could measure real ROI through airline bookings, hotel bookings or a mixture of both—a previously perennial challenge of promoting a product yet not transacting directly with the consumer.
Quantitative impact from marketing investment was now visible and measurable to an extent, making it easier for marketers to justify (and ask for increased) levels of spend from local or national government.
A sudden shift
Then Covid hit. Global revenue of the travel and tourism industry dropped by 40%. Suddenly, booking data was not proving as useful as it once was: for one, there wasn’t very much of it and two, what data was available was falling short in accounting for all bookings generated from a media campaign, creating a gap in attribution.
People’s travel habits changed: booking windows narrowed, more people were choosing not to fly to destinations, and accommodation with friends and family or in vacation rentals soared. With the passing of GDPR, brands became increasingly reluctant to share data outside of their own platforms; many travel companies going as far as closing off all data sharing arrangements with third parties for marketing purposes.
Taking the mystery out of destination attribution
Made evident by the pandemic, Destination Marketing Organizations (DMOs) have now turned their attention to other forms of measurement to help plug these attribution gaps. For instance, footfall and location measurement has steadily been increasing as a means to directly correlate the connection between a potential traveler seeing an ad, and the users then being visible in the destination.
Full closed-loop attribution generated in this way, like Epsilon's location measurement, is not only more accurate (not counting no-shows, cancellations, or halo bookings), but it also reduces the volume of data sources that tourist boards and DMOs have to aggregate to get reliable information. Epsilon's solution enables accurate, privacy first device-based attribution. Epsilon's identity resolution layer, COREID, is the only identity resolution solution that requires a complete name and address validated by transactions, ensuring marketers reach the right person with maximum precision and efficiency.
Traveler's unique purchasing journeys are complex, a facet that Epsilon, tourist boards and DMOs alike recognize. Just as with any physical destination, there are multiple paths and touchpoints travelers make that lead them to their final stop. We know there's a gap in the ability to prove visitation and media returns and believe a mix-and-match attribution approach to marketing attribution will beat a one-size-fits all solution every time. That's why we help your brand track visitors, not vanity media metrics.
Insights to inform destination-specific strategies
Deploying this kind of measurement solves for more than the need for confirmed travel attribution. Accurate location measurement also allows DMOs to understand which areas of their destination are attracting the most foot traffic and where any potential pressure points might be. Building destination “heat maps” can allow DMOs to work effectively with their residents on initiatives to drive responsible and sustainable tourism in their region.
For instance, with the help of Epsilon, a South American country focused advertising efforts on the high value and high-volume visitor market in the US. In addition to seeing not only the influenced visitation to their destination, Epsilon provided insights to identify those regions and areas that benefited the most from those advertising efforts and ultimately inform a more strategic creative strategy.
Tourism marketing budgets are limited—and you have to make every dollar count. Epsilon will work with you to develop a unique program that efficiently reaches all your goals. Then we’ll help you execute it with Epsilon Digital solutions for tourism and prove it drove real community impact. The ability to demonstrate to your stakeholders how your marketing programs boosted the local economy, but also worked collaboratively with its residents is not only invaluable, but also something that every destination marketer should be able to harness and understand.
{{cta('a692d4a3-ba16-488b-9d65-862c74b047b8')}}
---
## Unveiling the Essence: The Crucial Role of Quality Data in a Direct Mail Campaign
Type: eps_post
URL: /unveiling-the-essence-the-crucial-role-of-quality-data-in-a-direct-mail-campaign
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Unveiling the Essence: The Crucial Role of Quality Data in a Direct Mail Campaign
Direct mail remains a potent tool in marketing arsenals, and its effectiveness hinges on one pivotal factor: quality data. In the realm of direct mail campaigns, the adage "garbage in, garbage out" takes on a whole new significance, emphasising the indispensable role that accurate and relevant data plays in crafting successful and impactful campaigns.
At the heart of every direct mail campaign lies the goal of establishing a genuine connection with your customer. Unlike mass emails that can easily be deleted or overlooked, a well-crafted piece of direct mail holds the potential to stand out in the physical realm, capturing attention and evoking a tangible response. However, the true power of direct mail materialises only when it is guided by data that is not just voluminous, but accurate, up-to-date, and tailored to the preferences and needs of the recipients.
So, let's talk about why data should take the spotlight in your Direct Mail campaigns.
Personalisation Redefined: Quality data transforms direct mail from a generic mass outreach to a personalised communication that resonates with the individual. Detailed customer profiles, purchase history, demographics, and behavioural insights enable marketers to craft messages that reflect the recipient's interests and preferences. A personalised touch increases engagement, resonates emotionally, and triggers a sense of value, fostering a stronger connection between the brand and the customer.
Enhanced Targeting: Precise targeting lies at the heart of a successful direct mail campaign. Quality data allows marketers to segment their audience with precision, ensuring that each piece of mail reaches individuals most likely to respond positively. By avoiding wasteful dispersion and focusing resources on potential customers, the campaign becomes more cost-effective and generates higher returns on investment.
Reduced Wastage: Imagine the environmental implications of a direct mail campaign that sends mail to incorrect addresses or individuals who have no interest in the offering. Quality data minimises wastage by ensuring that every piece of mail is directed to a relevant recipient, reducing the negative environmental impact associated with excess paper usage and resource consumption.
Trust and Credibility: Incorrect or outdated data can damage a brand's credibility and trustworthiness. Mailing inaccuracies or irrelevant content can alienate customers and create negative perceptions. On the other hand, using accurate data enhances a brand's reputation, fostering a sense of reliability and respect for the recipient's time and preferences.
Measurable Results: Quality data not only helps in crafting effective direct mail campaigns but also enables marketers to measure their success accurately. Tracking responses, conversions, and engagement rates becomes more meaningful when each piece of mail has been sent to a carefully curated audience. This data-driven approach facilitates ongoing campaign optimisation, leading to better results with each iteration.
Longevity and Memory: Physical mail tends to linger longer than digital messages. Quality data ensures that the content of a direct mail piece resonates deeply with the recipient, making it more likely to be retained, shared, and acted upon. This prolongs the campaign's impact and extends its reach beyond the initial interaction.
In the intricate dance of data-driven marketing, the importance of quality data in a direct mail campaign cannot be overstated. It serves as the guiding star, steering marketers away from the pitfalls of irrelevance and wastage and guiding them toward genuine connections, measurable results, and sustainable engagement.
As businesses navigate the evolving landscape of marketing strategies, they must remember that, in the world of direct mail, precision in data collection, analysis, and application is the key to unlocking the full potential of this age-old yet remarkably effective and relevant marketing tool.
To take advantage of our expertise in direct mail marketing and celebrate 25 years of success, reach out to us for a call back! Simply email us at enquiriesuk@epsilon.com.
---
## Not a lot of first-party data? Use clean rooms to find customers
Type: eps_post
URL: /clean-rooms-no-data
Last Modified: 2026-07-06T16:37:57Z
# Not a lot of first-party data? Use clean rooms to find customers
Do brands need a lot of data to use data clean rooms?
Many brands assume that employing a data clean room requires a lot of existing first-party data. If they don’t have it, they may not consider data clean rooms as a viable solution to reach in-market customers. The truth is brands could have little to no first-party data and use martech tools like clean rooms to make a huge impact on their marketing success.
To have the best marketing performance, brands need to identify and leverage their first-party data even if they need to supplement it. Some clean room solutions act as empty boxes and can only work with a brand’s limited first-party data. But the best solutions help brands harmonize, cleanse and augment their first-party data for a holistic view of their current and prospective buyers, and in turn deliver personalized marketing campaigns across owned and paid channels.
How? By linking and aggregating different pseudonymized data sources in privacy-safe spaces where brands can access partner and third-party data for exploration and media activation.
Defeating data deficits
Not all brands have a lot of data at their disposal. Let’s look at a real-world example using CPG brands.
Most consumer goods products are sold through a retailer, like supermarkets or pharmacies. This severely decreases the first-party data they can collect, even on their most loyal customers.
These brands need help, often in the form of second-party data gathered by the retailers where the CPG products are purchased.
A data clean room facilitates those partner-collected insights, such as retailer transaction data, to create actionable profiles while allowing the partner to maintain a high standard of data privacy and security.
So what do they do about it?
Data clean rooms offer a privacy-safe space for data collaboration. Brands can take their data and glean deeper insights using partner or third-party data.
Once you incorporate first-party, second-party and premium third-party data, like Epsilon’s proprietary data, you will know who your customers are, what they buy (and why), where to find them and when to engage with them, driving retention and growth.
A leading pet food company wanted to message specific in-market customers for a niche set of products but were relying on category purchasers and current customers. When they used Epsilon’s clean room, they used purchase behavior data as well as custom data from Circana—a consumer brand and retail market research and data provider—to find competitive conquests.
Understanding purchase behavior helped the brand identify the best people to reach. Campaigns to these new shoppers drove high return on advertising spend—more than 8x their benchmark—and these shoppers became the brand’s second-best performing group of shoppers overall, including their existing clientele.
Stronger solutions supported by identity
Identity resolution within a clean room helps to harmonize data and ensure that the same user is recognized consistently across various data sets, platforms and devices.
Many clean rooms can enable some level of data enrichment, but the strongest solutions go a step further. Using a clean room with persistent identity resolution allows brands to go beyond basic audience capabilities and create one-to-one connections with in-market and prospective customers. And it helps identify customers who aren't interested or in-market, helping brands avoid wasting their marketing budgets and spend their marketing dollars more wisely.
Clean rooms can facilitate the creation of dynamic, personalized content in real time and at scale, using AI and predictive modeling. Marketers can not only reach the right people with more relevant messages, but they can also adapt messaging based on user behavior. The ability to deliver a variety of messages at key moments, tailored to a customer's needs at a specific point in time, drives better personalization through more engaging and relevant campaigns
A strong clean room solution should give marketers expanded access to data and data science so they can react faster, localize to their markets and execute cross-channel campaigns without sacrificing data security.
No matter how much or little data a brand has, Epsilon's clean room can find and connect them with a brand's universe of buyers through use of top-notch, privacy-protected consumer data.
---
## Organizing your owned and paid channels starts with getting the right CDP
Type: eps_post
URL: /digital-cdp-media-activation
Last Modified: 2025-12-08T18:22:30Z
# Organizing your owned and paid channels starts with getting the right CDP
Personalized marketing across owned, earned and paid channels is more complicated than ever. Customer data is everywhere but marketers are still lacking in insight because that data is fragmented and hard to use. Even on owned channels, brands might be missing the mark in unifying their data to give them the best view of their customers.
Brands that can effectively execute person-first marketing across channels have bigger gains and stronger customer loyalty. According to Epsilon research, "The push and pull of personalization," 82% of consumer respondents said they view a brand positively when they advertise a product that a person needs. Conversely, 76% said they view brands negatively when they include inaccurate information about them in their advertising messages.
Therein lies the problem: Brands that know their customers better deliver more effective messages, but if they can’t get a 360-degree view of their customers, they risk wasting their ad dollars sending messages to people who don’t care, won't buy and ultimately will develop a negative perception of the brand.
While customer data platforms (CDPs) are often seen as simple organizational tools of a brand’s customer file, not all CDPs help marketers master their data to make it actionable. To create a solid digital marketing strategy, you need a solid first-party data strategy.
Understanding the customer data platform (CDP)
First-party data is an essential part of a brand’s understanding of a customer, but many brands struggle to effectively use it. That’s because their first-party data is often incomplete, duplicative or riddled with inaccuracies, making it difficult to connect a customer's journey across various paid and owned channels.
This leads to a reliance on generalized audience segments and a channel-by-channel approach to marketing, where content and messages lack connection to each other and don’t truly resonate with individuals.
According to a whitepaper from the CDP Institute's David Raab, sponsored by Epsilon, there is a price to bad data. Instead of recognizing and targeting their best customers with consistent, optimal messages across all channels, "Brands send ads in each channel based only on information in that channel." Raab said this degrades not only the customer experience, it wastes marketing budget, too.
Brands often turn to marketing technology to streamline and organize their first-party data, but not all solutions are made equal. A CDP can collect and unify customer data to build a single view of each customer, but the problem is that most CDPs are just an empty box that gets filled with your existing customer data—it's not filling in any of the existing gaps you may have in your data. To fill in a complete view of their customer—who they are outside of a brand’s limited view of them—a CDP needs a strong foundation of identity resolution.
Identity resolution can unify, cleanse and complete a brand’s first-party data, transforming it into a powerful tool to activate across paid, owned and earned channels. CDPs with identity solutions built in enhance profiles with other data sources, like third-party or proprietary data. Not only does this enhance individual customer profiles, it delivers better audience targeting and personalization to drive relevance.
The strategic impact of CDP on media activation
When you’re activating across channels, you want to make sure you’re getting in front of the right customers. But what does that mean? When using a CDP with identity resolution built into it, it sets a brand up for more successful campaigns.
Strengthening customer experience and driving retention
CDPs offer a better view of your customer. Brands relying on incomplete first-party data, weak identifiers or vague audiences may unintentionally see one customer as several, creating ad waste and disjointed customer experiences.
High-quality, organized first-party data delivers real-time, boots-on-the-ground insights into your customers' needs and wants, enabling you to speak to individuals with messages that are relevant. This provides marketers a mastery over all their owned channels, and allows them to connect those channels to paid ones, too.
Minimizing ad spend waste and optimizing reach
Solid data with strong identity resolution connects you with your customers wherever they are, and helps determine the best way to message them, whether through owned channels (email and text/SMS) or paid (digital media, CTV, OLV, etc.).
Delivering those messages with true cross-channel journey orchestration requires a singular view. Activating your media from a single location, like a CDP, across owned and paid channels creates a central hub for that data to live and for insights to accumulate.
Having that unified omnichannel approach allows brands to spend their dollars more wisely. Brands want to maximize their return on investment from their media budgets. They waste money when they talk to one person as if they’re several people, send irrelevant messages and miss in-market customers ready to buy.
How Epsilon's solutions drive superior media activation
Using that strong first-party data as a foundation for a digital media activation strategy sets brands up for success. At Epsilon, our CDP is more than just an empty box. Identity resolution and proprietary data are built into our solution, giving marketers the best view of their customers. We use hundreds of industry-specific attributes spanning demographic, lifestyle and transactional insights to improve the quality, depth and breadth of a brand’s first-party data.
Coupled with AI, we help marketers create personalized marketing at scale. Our solution is designed to work with your preferred activation partner, including Epsilon Digital, for efficient, marketing-friendly campaign execution.
Learn more about what to look for in a CDP technology partner with our buyer's guide.
---
## Relationships, not reductions: why partner marketing must be a central strategy for retailers today
Type: eps_post
URL: /relationships-not-reductions-partner-marketing
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Relationships, not reductions: why partner marketing must be a central strategy for retailers today
Discounting is a mainstay for retailers to drive sales, but relying on this is costly. Eroding margins, price-sensitive consumers holding back spend in anticipation of discounts and retention concerns mean a new antidote is needed to the overuse of discounting. While its initial sales impact is immediate, a growing dependency on it results in it becoming less effective. This leads retailers to introduce deeper and more frequent price cutting to attract customers, and this vicious cycle lowers margins, reduces profitability and erodes business.
Paul Gray, Marketing Director at Chums, summed up the danger of over-relying on price cuts in our recent report, What retailers really think about Black Friday, stating, “Discounts are important for customers and us, but you have to use them carefully. It's like the retail version of antibiotics: if we overuse it, its effectiveness is completely destroyed. But if you use them sparingly and diligently, they are a very effective tool.”
With today’s economic challenges further impacting margins, retailers are seeking fresh approaches to rebalancing this situation – and the answer is Partner Marketing.
Kicking the discounting addiction
Yes, discounting works, but it's not the answer on its own. At a time when brands are struggling to communicate directly with customers, creating a platform for engagement is critical.
Partner Marketing creates a value proposition out of an experience. It gives access to a network of supporting reward businesses so retailers can swap discounting and instead offer experiences that have a value to consumers and reflect their objective – from cups of coffee or mindfulness apps to money off eating out and free dry cleaning. In doing so, suddenly, brands are freed from having a price-promotion mentality and can build emotional connections instead with their customers.
A good example of this is the work Mike Brinn fromTLC Worldwide did in conjunction with Aldi. To help the discount supermarket increase in-store basket spend during summer and promote its partnership with TeamGB and ParalympicsGB, it offered a free child’s sports lesson for every £30 spent in-store. In doing so, parents could benefit from keeping their children active over the long summer holiday without paying for this at a time of increased pressure on household spending. For Aldi, this meant reinforcing its commitment to sport, gaining the goodwill of its customers and helping to drive up basket values without the need to discount.
While customers have been trained to expect discounts through retailers' actions, it doesn’t naturally mean that lower costs are what they desire. By using data to identify rewards that customers assign true value to, Partner Marketing can tap into opportunities that build emotional attachment and create a better customer experience.
Doing so transforms the situation by shifting the emphasis away from price. Instead, it supports and amplifies a brand's storytelling while expanding this into ‘story-doing’. Now, the rewards a brand offers can reflect its ethos and values. So, if their story focuses on sustainability, the rewards should mirror this, such as planting a tree for each sale. Or if they’re all about wellness, they should be tailored to helping people be healthier.
Significantly, with technology, these rewards can be developed into a programme available to all your customers, not just a lucky few. While retailers have focused on their VIP buyers, Partner Marketing extends this to the next level of customers, who are often those at more risk of switching and looking for discounts. By cultivating this group, they can offer retailers the best opportunity for revenue growth.
Re-establishing the importance of brand
Interestingly, an addiction to discounting isn’t solely the preserve of budget or middle-tier brands. Luxury retailers are equally obsessed. And for such brands, a focus on promotions runs counter-intuitive to their positioning. Discounting doesn’t build brand equity or emotional connection. Instead, it leads to an imbalance between their messaging and how they operate, which confuses the public, devalues their brand, removes exclusivity, and makes them appear the same as any other retailer.
But retailers can change the dynamics by adopting engaging approaches that foster long-term relationships. Emotional connections build stronger brands, and engaged customers stay with you longer, spend more and are more profitable.
As we approach Black Friday, the Partner Marketing concept is very pertinent. With businesses looking to protect brand equity rather than follow the herd and offer discounts, it allows retailers to adopt a different and more valuable approach to incentivise purchases without impacting margin.
Of course, price promotions will always play a role for brands because they work. But overinvesting in these tactics damages a business. Retailers must look at new options in today's economic climate, and Partner Marketing offers a healthier alternative. In embracing this, they can entice and reward customers by creating experiences to which they attach a high value without defining themselves as discounters. Importantly, they can escape the price promotion cycle and better manage their margins while providing a way to differentiate themselves in the eyes of consumers.
If you’re interested in seeing how Partner Marketing can protect your bottom line and reduce your reliance on price promotions, get in touch with Roger.Stevens@epsilon.com. He’ll be more than happy to chat through your needs and explain how Epsilon and TLC Worldwide can support you in embracing this strategy.
---
## Get the best view of your customer with the right CDP
Type: eps_post
URL: /identity-resolution-digital-cdp
Last Modified: 2025-12-15T21:07:06Z
# Get the best view of your customer with the right CDP
What is identity? In marketing, identity refers to a brand's understanding of a real person—information, behaviors and preferences—as they consume digital content and make transactions. Brands often use customer data platforms (CDPs) to organize and activate that data for marketing campaigns. Those tools can help glean insights based on information a brand already has, like past purchases, mobile app downloads or website visits. But even that doesn't tell the whole story.
Without a deeper understanding of their customers, brands may be activating on unreliable data. This is where identity resolution comes in: it helps brands see beyond a limited view of their customers and resolves any discrepancies—ensuring the pieces of data you have all come together to create an understanding of a real person in a digital context.
Identity gaps? Big problems.
First-party data is the foundation of identity, but it can get complicated quickly. What a brand knows about their customers is limited, and people are complex. Consumers often have multiple emails, phone numbers and devices; they move, change their names, and evolve as their lives change.
When brands demonstrate that they don't know their customers, their customers notice. According to Epsilon research, "The push and pull of personalization," 76% of consumer respondents said they view brands negatively when they include inaccurate information about them in advertising messages. Compare that to the 91% of respondents who said they see at least one irrelevant ad every single day.
To deliver personalized experiences, brands need to have the best view of their customers. Not only that, they need a view that evolves with their customers.
There are ways to fill in those missing pieces.A CDP organizes a brand's first-party data, helping to unify everything they already have, but identity resolution actually cleanses, completes and expands the data by filling in gaps and missing data.
This gives brands insight into what a customer does outside of their owned channels, so they can go beyond just their first-party data to better understand what people are buying, what they're browsing, what they're watching and on what devices.
Now, most CDPs have some level of identity matching included in their technology, not true identity resolution. Identity matching is when a brand connects devices, emails or digital identifiers to existing customers. But it's easy conflated as being more than just one customer when it's really the same person.
For example: identity matching might not be able to connect a person's work email and their Gmail account. This leads to wasted budget. And it's not always up-to-date, meaning brands are missing opportunities to enhance audience targeting and personalization.
That is why many brands find they need to purchase an additional identity resolution layer that sits on top of their CDP—they need something that can bring in outside data to verify the accuracy of their own data and fill in the gaps.
Typically, the identity resolution step is purchased separately from another partner (outside the CDP but is a known integration with the technology), but it can be built into the CDP platform and comes included with the CDP purchase. The latter is certainly the better scenario, as then you don't have to onboard two different vendors to get the same outcome, and it ensures your identity resolution technology works seamlessly with your CDP technology.
Deeper insights drive smarter campaigns
CDPs that go beyond mere unification deliver the best view of the customer. They also give brands the power to align online and offline data and connect paid and owned channels to natively activate campaigns wherever their customers are.
A persistent, unified view of an individual means brands can speak to their customers about the right products on the right devices at the right time. It also illuminates the customers who have perhaps fallen off: people who are seasonal shoppers, people who have gone to a competitor, or people who are strong in-market candidates for a product a brand hadn't previously thought to market them.
When coupled with AI, brands can deliver these personalized experiences at-scale. This is a game-changer for marketers: it amplifies results, accelerates outcomes and helps drive real business impact.
It also drives more seamless customer journey orchestration. Deeper insights inform what customers will respond to. When brands know which offers to promote with the right creative and messaging on the channels and devices the customer prefers, they create a single narrative that flows as a seamless experience.
What to look for in a vendor
It's important for brands to have identity resolution capabilities built into their CDP, and they should seek a vendor who offers a secure, privacy-forward framework that makes marketers feel in control. The right CDP gives brands mastery over their data, channels and their job.
Epsilon Customer, a CDP solution, has identity and data built in, giving brands the best view of the customers to increase lifetime value. Our single-activation platform comes with a simplified user experience that leverages AI, meaning marketers can do their job quickly and accurately.
Learn more about Epsilon's CDP.
---
## To grow your business, capture–and keep–your best customers
Type: eps_post
URL: /to-grow-your-business-capture-and-keep-your-best-customers
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# To grow your business, capture–and keep–your best customers
Think of retention and acquisition as a dynamic duo—a PB&J would not be as delicious without both peanut butter AND jelly. The key to high performance marketing is finding and keeping new customers, while ensuring that existing customers continue to engage at high levels.
Epsilon Digital uses industry-leading identity resolution to deliver better-performing and personalized ads that attract new customers and speak to existing ones too. And, because of our persistent, person-based data, we can evolve a brand's messaging as their customers grow and change.
Investing in existing customers is valuable
Customer retention—when done correctly— can be extremely cost-effective for your business. According to HubSpot, companies say they have a 60-70% chance of selling to an existing customer, versus a 5-20% chance of closing a sale with a new one. One Epsilon client found that when they shifted in-market dollars to focus just on new customers, they still ended the year with a net loss of 1.3 million customers because they weren't nurturing existing ones.
What does it mean to retain customers?
Retention can be challenging because marketers often rely on outdated retargeting strategies or use a variety of third-party products, which lose reach and accuracy. Most demand side platforms (DSPs) rely on cookies for retargeting, yet nearly 50% of the internet no longer uses them. Google Chrome—the internet's largest browser and remaining holdout for third-party cookies—is poised to get rid of them in 2024. The New York Times also reports that the number of iPhone users that consent to being tracked by advertisers is shrinking as well, with only about 24% opting-in. Therefore, retargeting leads to missed opportunities and can present a number of challenges.
Negative impact on awareness: Retargeting that relies on third-party cookies reaches fewer people, therefore decreasing an ad's effectiveness. It also impedes the performance of A/B tests and awareness-building campaigns.
Decreased conversion and re-engagement: Traditional retargeting struggles to track site visitors who abandon their carts, limiting businesses' follow-up strategies to re-engage potential customers. Without applying frequency caps across websites and devices, companies risk over-messaging individuals, leading to ad waste, consumer fatigue and reduced engagement.
Unclear measurement: The inability to track conversions across browsers and devices hampers accurate measurement and analysis of retargeting campaigns. Brands that can't analyze data attributes and browsing habits of purchasing customers struggle to identify and target similar high-value customers.
To identify and reach lapsed customers, and to keep them coming back, brands need a first-party data strategy that measures site and non-site visitors wherever they choose to buy. Effective retention looks at customers based on their individual behaviors, interests and purchases across all channels, and takes those insights to continually drive more tailored messaging.
This helps with:
Cost savings: Focusing on retaining existing customers saves you (your brand) money otherwise spent on marketing and advertising efforts. It costs companies 5 to 10 times more to gain a new customer than to sell a current one, and returning customers spend 67% more on average than new ones.
Increased customer lifetime value: Engaged and satisfied customers are more likely to make repeat purchases, increasing their overall value to the business over time. Epsilon research shows customers who purchased five times in any given year had a 90% chance of buying again the following year.
Building customer loyalty: Individualized retention efforts show customers that the brand cares about their needs and preferences. This fosters a sense of loyalty, encouraging customers to remain committed to the brand and its products or services. And mitigating defection to alternative competitive options.
Media activation powered by identity connects brands with customers, new and current
A robust first-party data strategy, grounded in strong identity resolution, makes connecting with all in-market customers easier. Epsilon Digital provides real-time data points on customer behavior and interests, and using CORE ID, along with an extensive publisher network and a brand's first-party data, we can identify site visitors across the web without the use of third-party cookies.
We consensually capture behavioral data for both authenticated and unknown site visitors across the web and devices, regardless of whether they're authenticated. Epsilon then provides real-time customer data that can be used to deploy relevant and personalized messaging to customers, drawing in the right new customers and also speaking to existing customers on the devices and channels they prefer.
Because Epsilon has the only identifier adding real-time online and in-store conversions back to the customer profile, we enable brands to maximize sales for double the amount of customers than our competitors, including acquisition, nurturing, new, retaining active and winning back lapsed customers.
Unlock the power of the dynamic duo
While acquiring new customers is vital for expansion, it's important not to overlook the benefit of cultivating long-lasting relationships with existing customers.
Epsilon Digital is a cutting-edge solution proven to drive engagement and revenue growth. Our data-driven outcomes give businesses a competitive advantage that enables continued innovation. Ready to take the first steps? Visit Epsilon.com to get started today.
---
## 9 areas for retailer action to ensure a successful Black Friday – and beyond
Type: eps_post
URL: /9-action-areas-for-black-friday
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# 9 areas for retailer action to ensure a successful Black Friday – and beyond
With our recent study highlighting that just 1% of retailers said they would have no involvement in Black Friday, setting yourself up for success over this time is essential, even if you’re a reluctant participant.
But what can you do to prepare? Well, these 9 areas will allow you to build a foundation that puts you in a good position for Black Friday.
Know your customers even better.
Achieving this requires an effective data strategy. After all, better data means better insights, targeting, marketing, and results. Invest in a Customer Data Platform to unify all your information centrally. Collect first-party data and work with partners that can enhance it with additional third-party data to identify your most valuable opportunities over Black Friday. And use it to understand customers recruited during this time to find those that can be transitioned into long-term loyal ones.
Anchor your marketing around a strong identifier.
Invest in a unified, persistent ID to recognise individuals on the open web. It ensures youtarget people, not devices, so you can deliver personalised messages. And as site traffic intensifies over Black Friday, an ID lets you split out customers from prospects so you can message each segment correctly.
Get closer to your customers. Set up a loyalty programme to gain first-party data and customer insights, allowing you to drive cross-sell opportunities and reduce churn. It also allows you to discount strategically around Black Friday, so you can protect margins while rewarding your loyal customers.
Focus on the long term. Recognise who has the potential to become a long-term loyal customer from those recruited over Black Friday by introducing a nurture programme. Use all your different touchpoints to build familiarity and encourage that second order. But focus on those channels that can make an emotional connection. Direct response ads don’t move audience behaviours. However, new ones, like CTV, can.
Get personal. Ensure your communications are relevant, timely and focused. This requires data and technology to personalise your messages quickly and at scale across the whole customer journey. Individualise onsite experiences using off and onsite data. In doing so, you can move people along their sales journey and encourage that purchase over Black Friday.
Don’t underestimate the value of email. It’s a traditional channel, but make sure your email marketing approach is data-driven. Real-time triggered emails prime and move your customers along the purchase path. Over Black Friday, people are bombarded with emails, so make sure yours stand out, and, critically, drive conversions.
Go early if you can. This can reduce operational pressures, avoid being lost in the promotional melee noise closer to Black Friday and let you reach customers before they’ve made their purchasing decisions.
Measure what matters. Focus on using actionable metrics that prove outcomes and commercial impact. Today’s economic pressures mean accountability and profitability are even more important. Adopt iROAS to gain deeper insights into your channel performances to make better marketing decisions that positively influence revenue.
Don’t go it alone. While technology is an enabler, investing in platforms that don’t work for your business is costly in terms of budgets and lost opportunities. The complexity of marketing today means you must choose the right partner so your technologies work in harmony and are fit for purpose. Do your due diligence. Make sure you get it right by ensuring any partner can provide for and support your needs, solve your challenges and future-proof your approach.
Taking action in some of or all these areas will set you on your way to success over Black Friday and the long term.
To find out more about Black Friday 2023, particularly retailer sentiments around it, how they are planning for it this year and what they see as the future of Black Friday, download What retailers really think about Black Friday. Based on responses from over 100 retailers, this sheds new light on this crucial trading period and their true feelings towards it.
---
## The adult-beverage media evolution: How brands are using first-party data to drive growth through retail media
Type: eps_post
URL: /bev-alc-industry-first-party-data
Last Modified: 2026-07-21T18:18:45Z
# The adult-beverage media evolution: How brands are using first-party data to drive growth through retail media
The adult beverage industry has a growing opportunity with online shopping. Currently, nearly a quarter of online buyers are adding adult beverages to their baskets. Although this group is by no means dominant, it is surprisingly large and only continuing to grow. According to eMarketer research released in June 2023, US alcohol off-premises retail e-commerce sales will reach $6.85 billion this year, growing 6.1% over 2022, and growth is projected to reach double digits by 2026.
With consumer behavior shifting to online browsing and purchasing in recent years, brands have a newfound opportunity to connect with of-age customers in ways in-store shopping never enabled. They can follow the customer journey across the open web from first touch to conversion (online or in store), encourage shoppers to stay online, and learn from consumer behavior changes and fluctuations. But without a first-party data strategy at the core of their digital strategy—which is notoriously difficult for adult beverage brands to access—the opportunity is lost.
In this article, we’ll take a look at the importance of first-party data for adult beverage brands within retail media and how they can find and use it.
Brands’ historical reliance on third-party data
Adult beverage brands have always been first-party data-deprived. This, of course, is by design: The model is focused on retail sales, not direct sales. So historically, brands have relied on third-party data (cookies, device IDs and other identifiers) in addition to partnerships with retailers to identify and understand consumer behavior and preferences.
The problem is, while third-party data certainly has a place, it's far less reliable and actionable than first-party data. If brands want to ensure relevant and ongoing digital relationships with their customers throughout their journey, while at the same time understand and track conversion both on and offline, third-party data over-reliance could lead to missed opportunities. Without first-party data helping to create holistic customer profiles that factor in shoppers’ many different digital identities and devices, brands might be unable to accurately find and target shoppers throughout their purchase journeys.
The solution: First-party data-driven retail media
With retail media solutions that run on first-party data, adult beverage brands can deliver messages at unprecedented reach and scale, serving up off-site media like CTV, OLV, display programmatically and on-site media on retailer sites, enabling consistent, relevant and timely messaging with a seamless consumer experience.
First-party data in retail media networks provides big advantages beyond its improvements to reach and scale: It improves performance validation and further closes the loop with verified purchases and buying intent. Having “relevant” messaging is important, because recent Epsilon research found that brands are very invested in getting the right message to the right person: 42% of brand respondents stated that audience targeting accuracy and customization is a concern for them when considering expanding their retail media strategy.
How Epsilon meets brands’ first-party data need
Our adult beverage retail media offering helps brands easily activate campaigns across multiple retailers and, with the advantage of our shopper identity solution, connect with those buyers off-site. This can offer adult beverage brands a significant competitive edge in their advertising efforts.
Our adult beverage network enables brands to:
Reach adult beverage shoppers from key retailers at scale across the open web and on retailer websites
Use a unified approach to activation across on-site and off-site channels
Verify the impact of your investment with SKU- and brand-level reporting across online and in-store sales
We connect with 16 retailers, more than 5,000 stores and 47 million high-intent shoppers across the United States. Epsilon’s reach is built on first-party shopper data, allowing us to see true shopping habits from pseudonymized buyers. This combined with expertise in connecting adult beverage retailers and brands through on-site advertising leads to an advertising solution that is both easy and efficient at connecting brands to their most ideal consumers. We help connect shopper data points to paint a full picture of shopper interests and habits, providing retailers and brands the ability to deliver custom, relevant ads to high-intent buyers. There is no missing or disjointed data due to reliance on third-party data.
Access to our data, and our network, helps adult beverage brands reach customers at scale—serving up relevant ads based on the medium in which they’re shopping—and see closed-loop performance for our network of retailers on one report.
To learn more, visit our website.
---
## Charting Success in 2023: Navigating Stormy Retail Waters with the Power of Direct Mail
Type: eps_post
URL: /charting-success-in-2023-navigating-stormy-retail-waters-with-innovative-strategies-0
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Charting Success in 2023: Navigating Stormy Retail Waters with the Power of Direct Mail
In the dynamic world of UK retail, 2023 emerged as a year of extraordinary challenges and opportunities. As we plunge into the wealth of knowledge and insights gleaned from industry experts and e-commerce leadershttps://shorturl.at/oxXY8, it's clear that prosperity hinges not only on weathering economic challenges but also on embracing innovative strategies that align with shifting consumer preferences. This statement seems obvious enough, but take the fashion giant Boden, for example, in their article about bringing back printed catalogues to lure shoppers https://lnkd.in/e58z5Q6U. 'The businessman was unusually upfront about recent decisions, including their biggest mistake: cutting back on its physical catalogue and neglecting its somewhat conservative look.In this enlightening journey, we turn to our client, Bella di Notte, a Women's Designer Fashion brand, for actionable insights that have helped them through the challenging retail landscape.
"Fortune Favours The Brave"- Susan Johnson, Founder, Bella di Notte.
The Brave Trailblazers:
In a time when many businesses battened down the hatches and scaled back their marketing efforts amid a cost-of-living crisis, Bella di Notte stood strong in their commitment to direct mail campaigns for their women's designer fashion brand. Their reasoning? Fortune favours the brave. While competitors retreated, they seized the golden opportunity to have their message heard more clearly, standing out boldly amidst a landscape focused on cost-cutting measures.
A Symphony of Value:
How does one strike the delicate balance between appealing to cost-conscious consumers in a challenging economic climate while upholding the luxury image of their brand? For Bella di Notte, it's all about harmonising the notes of value. Offering free delivery and returns removes any barriers to purchase, while meticulously maintaining or even enhancing product quality ensures their customers receive excellent value for their money. It's a symphony where quality meets affordability, a proposition that resonates with the preferences of every shopper, especially during this climate.
The ROI Champions:
Direct mail may be perceived as a pricier marketing channel compared to digital alternatives, but Bella di Notte stands as a testament to its effectiveness. Their return on investment is truly remarkable, achieved through expert catalogue production and precise targeting. Teaming up with Epsilon Abacus, they hit the bullseye with their catalogue pack price to customer, ensuring exceptional response rates by targeting the right customer at the right time.
It's about spending wisely, and direct mail delivers.
Navigating the Future:
As the cost-of-living crisis rages on, Bella di Notte envisions direct mail as an ever-evolving jewel in their marketing strategy's crown. They continue to harness the prowess of Abacus for new customer acquisition and reactivation, strategies that are proving overwhelmingly effective. Furthermore, they're set on optimising their product offerings, ensuring they remain in tune with the shifting desires of their audience. The future is bright, and Bella di Notte is ready to seize it.
Conclusion:
In the dynamic realm of retail, where challenges and opportunities rise and fall, direct mail stands as a relevant and resolute channel, where results speak for itself. Bella di Notte's journey exemplifies the power of direct mail not just in surviving but delivering amidst a tough retail landscape. As you navigate the last quarter of 2023, remember direct mail isn't just a channel; it's a secret weapon in a climate where everyone is doing the same thing but expecting different results! By staying resolute in your commitment to this marketing strategy, you can ensure that your message reaches your audience clearly and consistently, even in challenging times. The simple determination to harness the potential of direct mail will not only drive customers to your brand but also fortify your market presence. It's a serious investment with substantial rewards for those who embrace it wholeheartedly.
To take advantage of our expertise in direct mail marketing and celebrate 25 years of success, reach out to us for a call back! Simply email us at enquiriesuk@epsilon.com.
---
## Loyalty mythbusters: Unpacking 4 misconceptions about building your loyalty program
Type: eps_post
URL: /unpacking-loyalty-myths
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T22:16:49Z
# Loyalty mythbusters: Unpacking 4 misconceptions about building your loyalty program
Building a loyalty program from the ground up sounds intimidating, but it’s no mystery why many companies are investing in them: on average, 65% of a brand's revenue comes from existing loyal customers. Many believe that loyalty strategies are nonessential and difficult to execute; however, neither of these are true. Strategizing, designing, implementing and optimizing a loyalty program fit for your customers (and your brand) is crucial and has never been more synergistic.
The value of fostering long-term relationships with returning customers is evident. According to Forrester, “Customer-obsessed companies report 2.5X higher revenue growth and 2.2X better customer retention." Despite the clear benefits, existing rumors about cost to run, difficulty to implement and payoff of loyalty programs act as a deterrent for some.
Successful loyalty solutions provide answers to common concerns through anticipating trends, offering 1:1 unique customer experiences and continuously optimizing your brand’s program. Epsilon’s leading loyalty solution helps you find the perfect balance of rational and emotional loyalty, leading to more meaningful customer relationships.
Believe it or not, it’s never been easier to build a loyalty program
All loyalty programs are based on similar principles, yet many brands still fall victim to preconceived notions about building a loyalty program that fundamentally aren’t true. When trying to decide if implementing a program is beneficial for your company, it’s important to separate fact from fiction.
Myth #1: Most are too complex & expensive
Busted: Sometimes all you need are the essentials, such as reliable insights, a rewards system, and multichannel activation. With as little as these three things, you can create personalized experiences that provide value to both your brand and your customers. Epsilon PeopleCloud Loyalty has the right-sized solution for your needs right now. We continuously innovate to benefit companies of all sizes, offering options for every program and tiered pricing system.
Myth #2: Platforms don’t support the evolving changes of our needs
Busted: Change is inevitable. We get that. That’s why our solution is designed to grow with your brand. Our future-proof and scalable solution lets you easily set up the right offers for your customers at the right time. Epsilon PeopleCloud Loyalty evolves with your customers to continue delivering the most relevant messages.
Myth #3: I can’t easily set up the right offers
Busted: The Epsilon PeopleCloud Loyalty platform includes an intuitive user interface for loyalty marketers or program managers to seamlessly build and test offers by audience. Whether our clients want help every step of the way or freedom to build and manage programs themselves, we provide the support they desire, with self-serve, hybrid, and full-service options. We couple industry-leading technology with end-to-end support to ensure that our clients achieve loyalty success.
Myth #4: Loyalty platforms don’t allow for multi-channel activation
Busted: Good loyalty platforms are built for much more than owned channels. You should be able to reach your loyalty program members outside of your website, email and SMS, and seamlessly speak to them across the open web. Why does this matter? Because your loyal customers are everywhere! Yes, they get your emails and texts, but you should also be able to reach them with consistent messaging on the sites and apps they visit and browse most. So go beyond owned media channels and deliver more individualized experiences. Epsilon PeopleCloud Loyalty powers omnichannel activation of your first-party data to deliver memorable customer experiences.
How Sally Beauty builds loyalty
If you’re looking to start a loyalty program, it’s important to pick the right partner. At Epsilon, we have over 50 years of experience in the loyalty space, launching programs for Walgreens, Dunkin' and many more. Even more recently, we’ve been helping Sally Beauty enhance their current loyalty program by engaging customers in a more personalized way. The brand recognized that that their customers’ styles were constantly changing, and Sally Beauty needed a way to anticipate trends to continuously deliver relevant messages.
Using Epsilon PeopleCloud Loyalty, Sally Beauty gained real-time insights that enabled individualized messaging for every customer.
“My team and I trust Epsilon as a key partner for years now,” says Gabriel Trujilo, VP of Marketing at Sally Beauty. “It’s not just managing the platform, it’s also a sounding board, a brainstorming partner and a strategic partner on what comes next.”
As the partnership remains strong, we continue to optimize our strategy to ensure Sally’s loyalty success.
Every customer has potential value. . . you just have to unlock it
Loyalty programs don’t have to be as scary as they seem—sometimes you just need the basics. With Epsilon PeopleCloud Loyalty, you can communicate effectively with every customer and alter strategy when needs change.
Don’t just take our word for it, Epsilon was named a leader in The Forrester Wave™: Loyalty Technology Solutions, Q1 2023. The report helps marketers assess Loyalty technology providers to ensure they find a partner to fit their needs.
Start building long-term relationships today by checking out Loyalty Management Software & Program |
---
## You may not be addressing all your in-market customers. Let’s fix that.
Type: eps_post
URL: /find-addressable-customers
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T22:17:52Z
# You may not be addressing all your in-market customers. Let’s fix that.
There are millions of people who are eager and ready to buy, but brands both big and small don’t always know where to find them.
It’s not a brand’s fault—it’s fairly easy for customers to fall through the cracks. Some customers haven’t given a brand any actionable information like a name or an email. Others are in-market consumers ready to buy what a brand is selling, but the brand doesn’t know they’re there. And some are buying from a brand’s competitors.
These valuable shoppers often go unnoticed by a brand, not because they don’t want them, but because they don’t have the right technology to understand and reach them in meaningful ways.
The key is using first-party data strategies to give brand’s highly valuable digital signals about in-market customers. Coupled with AI and machine learning, this data continually gets smarter and enables higher performing campaigns.
Making your first-party data actionable
Deploying effective digital media is the bread and butter of modern-day marketing and advertising. Brands have often relied on third-party cookies to find and message customers who they believe will buy their product, but as data deprecates, this is getting harder and harder to do.
That’s why first-party data has become such a powerful tool. Brands that have first-party data can collect and use it to drive messaging because they have a better understanding of who their customers are. The problem is when their first-party data is incomplete or inaccurate.
What does that look like?
Unknown transactions: These are transactions that aren’t connected to someone in a brand’s customer file.
Conquest opportunities: These are customers who are shopping with competitors.
In-market customers a brand doesn’t know: These are customers who are in-market for a specific product—maybe even in market with that brand—but remain invisible because they haven’t actively engaged with that brand yet.
Unreachable devices and browsers: These are people using devices you can’t reach because of evolving privacy regulations and data deprecation. Brands like Apple and Google have limited how brands can track identifiers for targeting, deploying and measuring digital ads
On top of that, brands may have an inflated customer file because they unknowingly have duplicate records of a person. Consumers don’t just shop on one device or with one email, and when brands can’t connect a person’s various identifiers, they unknowingly create duplicate records.
So, what’s the fix? Identity resolution. Marketing and advertising tech withidentity resolution built into the solution can use multiple sources of data to fill in first-party data gaps and create a unified view of a customer inside and outside of their owned channels.
There are many adtech and martech solutions where identity resolution greatly enhances their capabilities. We’ll highlight two:
Customer data platforms (CDPs): CDPs are a martech solution that, at its most basic level, organizes a brand’s customer file. CDPs that use identity resolution go a step further: They organize, clean, complete and enhance a brand’s first-party data. Then, they use those insights to fuel their digital media activation.
Digital media: Digital media solutions that integrate a brand’s first-party data (and use identity resolution) can create a more extensive view of a customer’s behavior, including customers a brand couldn’t previously identify.
At the core of Epsilon’s products is our identity solution CORE ID. Our digital media product, Epsilon Digital, uses CORE ID to integrate a brand’s transaction and conversion files to give brands item-level detail that’s tied to unknown and unauthenticated transactions.
Epsilon Digital CDP uses identity to reduce duplicate files and build more robust profiles thanks to our exclusive data enhancements—and plugs directly into Epsilon Digital for more efficient media activation. Tory Marpe, vice president of loyalty at The Container Store, explains why those robust profiles are so important:
“Epsilon’s Digital CDP was chosen because it contains knowledge about our shoppers that we didn’t possess while enriching our customers’ identity profiles. This is not an empty container, but rather a data rich platform that brought us speed to market faster than any other player in the space.”
Finding in-market prospects in the wild
Sometimes brands don’t know their in-market customers because they don’t have a lot (or any) data on them, like CPG brands whose products are typically sold by third-parties (retailers). Some brands might find a clean room to be the right option in this scenario. . Clean rooms provide a privacy-safe space where brands can access partner and third-party data for exploration and media activation. And if a brand does have some first-party data, they can plug that in there, too.
This helps brands find loyal shoppers who have uncapturable first-party data, people who are similar to a brand’s best customers but don’t shop with them currently, people who have shopped with a brand before but went somewhere else, and net-new in-market shoppers who are ready to buy.
With CORE ID at the center, Epsilon’s Clean Room solution is underpinned by our persistent, person-based resolution to give brands an enhanced view of individuals, not just audiences. Just like Digital CDP, our clean room integrates directly into Epsilon Digital for maximum media activation efficiency.
A data strategy in action
Finding their loyal fans: One restaurant chain used Epsilon Digital to find 2 million unauthenticated guests that had 15 million additional transactions. They also found 51 million net-new guests which resulted in an additional 404 million transactions. Because of this strategy, they had a staggering 1225% additional increase in customers.
Reaching the right (Apple) audience: A national beauty retailer reached 2.5 times more Apple users with Epsilon than a competitor, and found that not only did they increase their addressable customer base, they made more money. The retailer’s Apple customers spent an average of $98 per customer, $20 more than their non-Apple customers.
First-party data can be a powerful tool when it comes to reaching customers in ways that resonate. Learn more about how Epsilon can help you drive higher performing media activation.
---
## Acquire new customers with richer insights using clean rooms
Type: eps_post
URL: /acquire-new-customers-clean-room
Last Modified: 2025-10-03T13:58:59Z
# Acquire new customers with richer insights using clean rooms
Marketers are struggling with new ways to uncover new customers, but they don’t have to be.
While retention strategies remain top-of-mind for many brands, finding new customers is important, too. The problem? Many brands don’t know which strategy will be most affective in finding them. Whether they don’t know who’s in-market for their product or they don’t have enough data to understand their best customers and find people like them, marketers may feel like acquisition is an impossible task.
Did you know that a data clean room might be the answers to your audience challenges? These data-rich spaces put the power back into the hands of marketers to not only find new customers, but ones who are ready to buy right now. Clean rooms empower marketers to find new in-market customers and then activate on a person-level to reduce ad waste. Here's how.
The ins and outs of clean room
Today, brands are typically working with a limited amount of information to deploy their marketing messages. They have some known customer data about their customers, including how and where to find them. But without a broader picture of who they could potentially reach, there is only so much a brand can do with its own data.
It comes back to two things:
They may not have a lot of first-party data, or the data they do have is incomplete, outdated or inefficient (like only relying on email addresses to develop cross-channel messaging -one person's email activity with a brand hardly paints a picture of who they are).
They often have a handful of buyers who shop with them on a regular basis, but they have no way to authenticate those customers, and therefore can't meaningfully connect with them.
Clean rooms help bridge that gap. A clean room that is equipped with identity and data enables brands to understand their current customers more deeply, build lookalike audiences based on their best customers and transform those unauthenticated customers into known ones.
Why identity and data matter
Most clean rooms are just an empty box. They provide a data science workbench designed for brands to collaborate with trusted data partners. The problem? Without pre-loaded data, the onus is on the brand to fill it up with the "right" stuff and maximize its potential.
For brands without a lot of data, this can seem like an uphill battle. But when a clean room has identity and data built in, they get a richer view of customers and prospects right away.
Once you incorporate first-party, second-party and premium third-party data, like Epsilon’s proprietary data, you will know who your customers are, what they buy (and why), where to find them and when to engage with them, driving retention and growth.
A clean room in action
One quick service restaurant client wanted to see a more persistent and connected view of their current guests and potential customers to drive more visits. Using an Epsilon clean room that housed multiple data sources—including their own—they gained a deeper understanding of their customers, including:
How frequently they ate with the restaurant and at which locations
What time of day they typically visited the restaurant
What they were buying
This, coupled with owned and competitive store visitation data gave them insights in how to increase visits among existing guests and how to entice new guests to choose them over their competitors all through better advertising.
The results? They had a 35% increase in in-store visitations for the people they messaged and identified four areas of growth for future messaging opportunities with newly acquired customers.
Delivering personalized, meaningful marketing
Like the quick service restaurant, brands want to make sure they’re reaching the right prospects, and that they’re doing so with the right messages on the right devices.
With a complete, dynamic and persistent understanding of user behavior, preferences and demographics, you can personalize marketing campaigns across owned and paid channels, improving ad engagement and overall campaign performance.
Person-based marketing also enables person-based measurement. Brands can continually learn about their current customers and adjust acquisition strategies to find the best in-market people. Each time they deploy a campaign, the measurement helps affirm strong audience strategies and identifies ones that need adjusting.
Finding the right clean room partner
Epsilon Clean Room comes preloaded with data and identity, giving brands a foundational identity spine to bring first-party data together. We also offer proprietary audience data, giving brands a deeper view of their current customers.
But we go beyond simply having powerful tech. We offer pre-built predictive models and audiences for marketers to use, and access to audience strategists who can help with audience-first approaches and data strategies.
Learn more about Epsilon's Clean Room solution, how it works and what it can do for your business.
---
## Seeds for success: Is your digital marketing missing Apple customers?
Type: eps_post
URL: /seeds-for-success-is-your-digital-marketing-missing-apple-customers
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Seeds for success: Is your digital marketing missing Apple customers?
For most marketers, third-party identifier deprecation is now old news. But here's something that may be new news to you. Brands that run their digital campaigns exclusively on third-party cookies (3PCs) are missing out on 50% of consumers using cookie-free browsers, including Apple Safari, according to analytics and reporting company Demand Sage. In fact, Apple users tend to spend more than non-Apple users and make up 70% of in-market customers—a pretty big miss if you can't connect with them.
And now for the good news: Adopting a first-party data strategy and activating with the right digital media partner can help you reach the right customers on any device. How do you like them apples?
Apple's privacy approach
Ongoing privacy changes and regulations have posed challenges for digital marketers that prevent accurate and effective targeting of Apple users. Apple users cannot be reached through 3PC-dependent messaging methods. Why?
For one: Safari blocks 3PC tracking by default and has since 2016. Users have to opt-in to allow third-party cookies. They've also introduced several different privacy measures since 2020, including App Tracking Transparency (ATT) and Mail Privacy Protections (MPP), which limits brands who use IP addresses and other non-consent based identifiers for targeting, activation and measurement. These changes are designed to increase consumer privacy protections, but critics say Apple is using these mechanisms to bolster its own digital advertising services while shutting others out.
As of 2022, 90% of Apple users have adopted Mail Privacy Protection.
This isn't just an Apple problem. Around half of consumers prefer using Safari, Firefox, and various in-app environments—all cookie-free browsers. For marketers, this signals a potential disconnect from a substantial segment of the market.
Consumers prefer the taste of Apple
The presence of Apple device users across the web is undeniable. An estimated 1.4 billion people worldwide use iPhones and it's popularity is expected to grow in the years ahead since nearly 90% of teenagers own an iPhone. Further, according to Epsilon data, an impressive 70% of consumers can be reached on an Apple device, emphasizing the importance of engaging these devices to interact with potential customers.
However, these numbers don’t tell the full story. Apple users aren’t just abundant – they’re affluent. In the U.S. the median iPhone app user earns 40% more than the median Android user. Epsilon research discovered that a retailer with a strong Apple customer base experienced 26% higher revenue per customer with Apple users compared to their non-Apple user customers.
So what's a marketer to do?
Getting a bigger slice of Apple users
Fortunately, this situation isn’t entirely bleak. A strong identity solution and first-party data strategy can lay the groundwork for better media activation that reaches Apple users and beyond. For many brands, this may seem like a pipe dream. Whether they have a lot of first-party data or a little, many aren't activating it effectively to maximize it's use. They need to ask themselves: "What is the status of our first-party data, and are we using it to its highest potential?"
This is where a strong adtech partner can come into play. Reaching the right in-market customers—including those on Apple devices—is possible when a media activation partner uses identity resolution that relies on resilient, privacy-safe, person-level consented identifiers. When brands do so, they aren't limited to cookie-based marketing that results in not only missed customers, but also missed attributed outcomes when a customer does convert. Identity resolution solutions that include data enhancements take it even a step further, giving brand's clearer insights into their customers, their preferred devices and their behaviors outside of a brand's limited scope of them. Ultimately this leads to more efficient ad spend, better measurement and attribution for conversions and a reduction in unintended oversaturation.
At Epsilon, we use CORE ID, the industry's most accurate, stable and scalable identity resolution solution, as part of our Epsilon Digital media activation platform. This empowers marketers to reach Apple device users and those in cookie-free environments to deliver personalized messages and measurable outcomes.
Reaching more in-market customers: A thing of beauty
So how does all of this play out in the marketplace? Here's a strong example from one of our clients. A beauty retailer found that reaching customers on cookieless environments was important because it accounted for half their site traffic. Additionally, their Apple and Safari convertors spend almost 20% more than their non-Apple and Safari customers. In a head-to-head test against a global DSP competitor, Epsilon reached 2.5x more customers, whereas the competitor lost reach to customers, especially in those cookie-less environments where it was harder to unify multiple customer profiles as one individual.
Epsilon Digital offers advanced solutions that boost both engagement and revenue. Eager to learn more? Visit our website here.
---
## From Brand to Hand: Mastering the Art of Direct Mail Marketing
Type: eps_post
URL: /from-brand-to-hand-mastering-the-art-of-direct-mail-marketing
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# From Brand to Hand: Mastering the Art of Direct Mail Marketing
We recently had the pleasure of hosting a live discussion with Jake Newbould, CMO of luxury brand,Piglet in Bed, where we delved into his insights and experiences with direct mail marketing. Together, we explored its profound impact on customer acquisition, retention, and the overall growth of the brand.
The Journey into Direct Mail: Piglet in Bed, the renowned luxury brand offering exquisite Bedding, Sleepwear, and Homeware, boldly embarked on a new adventure in the realm of direct mail marketing. According to Jake, their foray into direct mail marketing started in September of the prior year, and although they faced some initial challenges, their commitment to the path paid off as they began to witness more than promising results.
But what made them take the plunge into this age-old channel?
According to Jake, direct mail served as a stepping stone in their marketing strategy. They had already invested in digital channels like paid search, but direct mail offered a unique advantage –the opportunity to have a tangible and immersive experience with the brand. As Piglet in Bed expanded its product range, they saw direct mail as an ideal way to tell their brand story and showcase their offerings effectively.
Measuring Direct Mail's Impact: Jake emphasised the importance of measuring direct mail's impact, especially when it comes to justifying the investment. While direct mail might be more expensive than some digital channels, Piglet in Bed looked at the long-term value (LTV) versus customer acquisition cost (CAC) ratio. Jake stressed that there's no one-size-fits-all ratio, as it depends on a company's goals – growth or profitability. They even employed a data warehouse to evaluate their performance over time, focusing on cumulative demand and LTV.
Diversification of Acquisition Channels: The conversation also revolved around diversifying acquisition channels. Jake highlighted the significance of incrementality in their approach. Piglet in Bed aimed to reach brand-new audiences through direct mail, especially with their catalogue. By comparing control groups and testing various segments, they strived for a reliable model that would ensure their investments were worthwhile.
Retention and Reactivation: Jake emphasised the importance of retention and reactivation efforts through direct mail. Piglet in Bed used direct mail not only for acquisition but also for their house file – existing customers. They conducted control group tests to measure the incremental value of direct mail in retaining customers and reactivating lapsed ones. Jake acknowledged the need to balance acquisition and retention strategies, recognising the value of long-term customer relationships.
Tailoring Creatives for Different Audiences: When it comes to creative content, Piglet in Bed recognised the importance of tailoring messages for different audiences. While Jake mentioned that their catalogue design remained consistent for both cold and house file audiences, they made subtle changes, such as font size and message clarity, to accommodate first-time customers who might not be familiar with the brand.
Localisation for Different Markets: In response to a question about international markets, Jake explained that they made adjustments to cater to the preferences of their US audience. While the design remained similar, they adapted the tone of voice and positioning to better resonate with their American customers. Jake highlighted the importance of being flexible and attentive to regional differences.
Timing and Seasonality: Timing is crucial in direct mail marketing, and Piglet in Bed carefully planned their mailings to align with product launches and seasonal trends. Jake mentioned that they avoided competing with heavy promotional periods and instead aimed to create peaks in their trading calendar.
Key Takeaways:
Jake's insights from Piglet in Bed's journey into direct mail marketing provide valuable lessons for businesses looking to harness the power of this channel. Some key takeaways include:
Measure the impact of direct mail using LTV vs. CAC ratios.
Diversify your acquisition channels while focusing on incrementality.
Prioritise retention and reactivation efforts through direct mail.
Tailor creative content for different audience segments.
Be flexible and adapt to regional preferences in international markets.
Pay attention to timing and seasonality to optimise results.
Direct mail can be a potent tool when integrated into a holistic marketing strategy, as evidenced by Piglet in Bed's successful foray into this channel. It's a reminder that, in the ever-evolving landscape of marketing, traditional methods like direct mail can still play a vital role in driving brand growth and customer engagement.
To take advantage of our expertise in direct mail marketing and celebrate 25 years of success, reach out to us for a call back! Simply email us at enquiriesuk@epsilon.com.
---
## The key to retail media growth? First-party data
Type: eps_post
URL: /retail-media-growth
Last Modified: 2025-08-27T14:42:26Z
# The key to retail media growth? First-party data
When it comes to retail media networks (RMNs), retailers expect easy revenue that won’t impact their shopper experience. Brands expect access to a retailer’s shoppers and the ability to accurately measure retail media campaigns.
But all too often, execution has fallen short of expectations for both parties.
In our work with major retailers around the country, we’re seeing that:
Many brands aren’t actually reaching new and unique individuals through their investments. Instead, they’re increasing impressions and ad spend against the same individuals (reaching them over and over again).
Many retailers aren't seeing the revenue that they expected from this business line. They're frustrated that brands aren't increasing their retail media ad spend.
The difference between those who succeed and those who struggle with retail media growth comes down to one critical factor: how well they use first-party data.
The strategic advantage: Why first-party data is your retail media goldmine
Underperforming retail media campaigns are often the product of poor identity resolution that fails to maximize the retailer’s shopper data. Disparate technology solutions also result in fragmented data and lost shopper visibility.
High-performing RMNs optimize first-party data to identify and reach unique audiences and measure impact on sales. These retailers seamlessly integrate first-party data across their solutions to provide advertisers with:
Ad waste management. Instead of over-targeting the same shoppers with redundant messaging, ensure media dollars reach unique, in-market audiences.
Enhanced personalization. With deep insights into customer preferences, purchase history and behavioral patterns, retailers can deliver highly relevant messaging that resonates with individual shoppers.
Measurable outcomes. First-party data allows for closed-loop retail media measurement that connects exposure to sales.
Achieving this level of first-party data optimization requires a strategic, integrated approach.
Epsilon's 3 pillars for retail media mastery
Epsilon's proven framework for retail media mastery includes three pillars that work together to unlock the full potential of your customer data.
Pillar 1: Identity resolution for unique reach
According to IDC, “Data is key to establishing identity but, in many cases, data collected is incomplete, unclean, or irrelevant. This is especially true with customer information, where even with data enrichment solutions, the data doesn't necessarily build the identity necessary for optimal targeting.”
The average consumer has multiple email addresses, uses multiple devices, shops across various channels and visits numerous websites without logging in. These multiple touchpoints are often treated as different people instead of one individual. As a result, even the most sophisticated retailers fall into the trap of over-targeting the same few easy-to-identify shoppers. That includes people who:
Only have one email address
Reliably use a single device
Consistently log into the websites they’re visiting
Shop mostly online
Successful retail media networks are based on a strong, future-proofed identity solution that drives unique reach. Unique reach is the ability to identify and connect with all of a retailer’s individual shoppers without duplication. Without unique reach, you're monetizing only a portion of your shopper base. With it, you unlock greater scale, stronger performance and more value for both your business and your advertisers.
Epsilon helps retailers achieve unique reach by resolving all first-party data points (e.g., search data or browsing data) down to a single individual and verifying that match with transactional data. This approach allows you to identify and reach more unique shoppers across channels—including on-site, off-site and in-store.
Pillar 2: Unified activation across the omnichannel journey
Omnichannel success isn’t about being in every channel all the time. It’s about showing up in the right places with the right identity-driven intelligence to drive real results. But the challenge facing most retail media networks today is fragmentation. Piecing together different technology solutions for on-site display, off-site programmatic, email marketing and in-store activation creates identity handoffs that reduce campaign effectiveness.
Unified RMN activation solves this by orchestrating all channels through a single platform with a consistent identity, which maintains one view of all shoppers across activations. When retailers combine first-party data, identity and unified technology for activation, advertisers reach their intended audiences with better outcomes, such as:
2x ROAS
5x lower eCPM
Attribute 80% more outcomes
Add intelligent targeting capabilities, and RMNs have a real differentiator. AI-driven audience building and targeting, trained on real shopper signals, enables advertisers to reach the right shopper at the right time with personalized messages throughout the journey. Identity connects the dots across platforms and touchpoints. And the result is campaigns optimized for measurable outcomes tied to real purchases (not generic awareness).
Pillar 3: Retail media measurement that benefits brands
In today’s market, brands don’t just want performance—they want proof that media drove real outcomes with real shoppers. That means moving beyond assumed return on ad spend (ROAS) to show:
Incrementality
Unique reach
Real ROAS tied to verified transactions
Retail media is uniquely positioned to deliver this insight, but it only works with the right technology. Legacy RMN platforms were designed for demographic lookalikes and optimized to drive impressions. AI-powered solutions can build audiences optimized to drive actual purchases.
Of course, the success of these AI audiences depends on the data inputs. Identity resolution is again paramount to effective retail media measurement. It allows retailers to know exactly who they’re talking to and close the loop on whether or not each person made a purchase.
"We are the first retail media solution to pair AI with person-based identity, all with closed-loop attribution,” says Jaclyn Nix, Epsilon’s EVP of Brand Sales for Retail Media. “What does it mean for advertisers? It means less waste, better performance and verified measurement."
Real-world impact: How brands drive growth with Epsilon's pillars
The three pillars work best when implemented together. Here's how leading retailers are driving measurable growth with Epsilon's integrated approach.
Ulta Beauty connects brands with its loyal audience
With 42 million members, Ulta Beauty’s loyalty program is one of the largest in the country. Ulta relies on Epsilon’s COREid identity solution to build on this extensive first-party data, creating robust member profiles of existing and potential customers.
These customer insights allow Ulta to activate its retention and acquisition digital advertising campaigns through Epsilon Digital. The team knows not only what message to share with each individual shopper but also when to share it with them (and when not to).
“We have every generation of shopper, from a granddaughter right up to the grandmother, so it’s so important for us to curate our messaging so that it’s tailored to each beauty enthusiast, where they are on their journey,” explains Michelle Crossan-Matos, former Chief Marketing Officer of Ulta Beauty.
And Ulta isn’t the only brand benefiting. UB Media, Ulta Beauty’s retail media network powered by Epsilon, helps 600+ brand partners create full-funnel marketing campaigns. With the help of predictive AI, Ulta identifies in-market customers most likely to purchase the brand’s products and reaches them with hyper-focused advertising across channels. Of course, closed-loop brand and SKU-level reporting provides each brand with a full view of its media performance.
Walgreens maximizes retail media revenue with best-in-class identity
When Walgreens wanted to build a leading retail media network, it turned to Epsilon. By resolving its first-party data with Epsilon’s COREid identity solution, the Walgreens Advertising Group can serve each brand’s ads to real people, who are in market at the right time and in the right channel.
“Whether that be phone, desk, store, socially, digitally—we got you covered,” says Tracey D. Brown, President Retail and Chief Customer Officer at Walgreens. “We can't make the retail media network roll without the tight partnership with Epsilon. The customer gets their needs met, the brand gets their needs met and then of course, we're the connection point, and we get our needs met.”
Partnering with Epsilon for retail media growth
The retail media opportunity is undeniable, but success isn't guaranteed. The difference between programs that drive meaningful revenue growth and those that fall short comes down to execution—specifically, how effectively you leverage your first-party data.
Retailers that master all three retail media pillars will transform their networks from revenue experiments into reliable profit centers that attract and retain top brand partners.
Want to see RMN growth like Ulta and Walgreens? Connect with Epsilon today.
This article was originally published on January 23, 2025, and has since been updated.
---
## Facts not fiction: Black Friday realities from the retailer perspective
Type: eps_post
URL: /black-friday-realities-from-the-retailer-perspective
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Facts not fiction: Black Friday realities from the retailer perspective
As the buying frenzy that’s Black Friday moves closer, retailers continue to plan their activity well in advance. But is this something they welcome or are wary of, especially given this year's cocktail of high inflation, rising costs and the cost-of-living crisis?
Well, that’s what we delved into in a recent study with over 100 UK retailers. So when it comes to Black Friday, what are they thinking, and how are they feeling?
Black Friday is important
Ultimately, this time of year is crucial for driving revenue. That’s why over one-third (34%) of those surveyed highlighted this as the key reason they participate, with just 1% saying they would have no involvement.
And whether good or bad, depending on your perspective, it’s become a habit. Nearly half of retailers (48%) indicate it’s ingrained in the minds of both customers and retailers, making non-participation difficult: if you don’t participate, you miss out on sales.
So it’s no surprise that the majority (58%) highlighted sales growth as the key outcome for them. For one-third, it’s their most important sales period of the year. And growing sales also translates into customer growth, with new customer acquisition being seen as the number one outcome for 64%.
But it’s not all rosy. Sacrificing profits for sales, logistical challenges around huge demand spikes, and the impact on loyalty as customers swap considered purchases with specific retailers for product and deal-led behaviours all have an impact.
Preparing for Black Friday 2023
And when it comes to this year, it’s the cost-of-living crisis and what this means for the public’s confidence and ability to spend that’s front of mind when retailers are developing their strategy.
Not surprisingly, nearly three-quarters (71%) are factoring this into their planning. But while recognising the pressures on people, they’re mindful of the economic realities for their business and what it means to how flexible they can be. The result? Retailers are looking to balance their costs base with the level of discount they can bear. For nearly two in five (38%), this year’s cost pressures mean cutting margins further to accommodate Black Friday isn’t possible.
To adapt to this situation:
28% plan to limit what they offer in the sale.
23% are looking to focus more on current customers by prioritising and rewarding them.
12% will offer fewer discounts.
11% will limit the duration they will offer discounts over.
Traditionally, there’s been a trend to starting promotions earlier and even priming audiences as early as September, well in advance of Black Friday. However, over half plan to focus their activity purely in November. 36% of retailers polled are looking to run their promotions just one week before, while one-fifth (21%) are looking at only two weeks out.
Confidence is muted
And the multitude of pressures faced this year is taking a toll on retailer confidence. Indeed, the feelings as to whether this will be a good, bad, or indifferent Black Friday are evenly split.
The highest number of responders anticipate sales will be better than in 2022. But this only equates to 36%. 32% are forecasting they will be flat, while one-third (33%) believe sales will decline compared to Black Friday 2022.
While lower expectations this year may be based on economic uncertainties, perhaps this is a sign that the nature of Black Friday is changing.
What’s the future of Black Friday
On the whole, retailer perceptions towards Black Friday are positive. The majority (51%) highlighted that, as a phenomenon, Black Friday can’t be ignored. And as a vehicle for driving revenue, 40% cited this as its critical positive benefit on retailing.
But it’s not all positive. For some, it’s distorting the retail calendar by putting greater pressure – and potential risk – on a few weeks at the end of the year. 8% go so far as to say it’s killing retail and simply encouraging rampant excessive consumerism.
We’re also seeing a significant minority beginning to question Black Friday. When asked if they had the choice, 37% of retailers stated they would be willing not to participate in Black Friday altogether, with 39% believing it’s not sustainable in its current form.
So is this thinking just a blip, or is it the start of a rethink of Black Friday? It will be interesting to see how it develops in the next few years.
To dig deeper into retailer perceptions around Black Friday, find out more about their thoughts and identify actions you can take to secure a successful event, download the What retailers really think about Black Friday study.
**This article was previously featured on the IMRG website.
---
## Holiday 2026 playbook: 5 ways retailers can thrive amid economic pressure
Type: eps_post
URL: /holiday-retail-marketing-strategies
Last Modified: 2026-01-20T18:04:53Z
# Holiday 2026 playbook: 5 ways retailers can thrive amid economic pressure
Consumers have been tightening their belts amid ongoing concerns about economic uncertainty—from tariffs to inflation to market volatility. A recent Vanguard survey reports that 71% plan to adjust their savings this summer to prioritize emergency savings and financial flexibility.
What impact can retailers expect to see on holiday 2026? Hopefully, not much. Deloitte predicts back to school spending, often considered an early indicator for holiday spending, will remain flat this year, and Heather Campain, Epsilon’s Executive of Sales Strategy, says she’s cautiously optimistic.
But as retail marketers plan and budget for the upcoming holiday season, they are under pressure to make sure every penny is delivering an additional penny in return. With sales expectations iffy, no marketer has the luxury of missing a target.
The most successful retailers this season will be those that lean into what they can control, such as value-driven messaging, operational efficiency, and smart integration of online and in-store experiences. Here are five strategies to help marketers stay grounded and get ahead, no matter how the season unfolds.
1. Lead with value to win cautious consumers
Consumers have reported concerns with inflation and rising costs over the past several holiday seasons. In 2025, 78% of consumers were actively seeking sales and deals, 54% planned to buy less expensive gifts and 44% planned to shop at less expensive stores.
Last year, consumers also added tariffs to their list of cost concerns.
As of June 2025, the average U.S. tariff rate surpassed 15%, the highest since the 1930s. According to PMG, inventory stockpiling has delayed the full impact on consumers, but more price increases are expected to materialize, especially in categories sensitive to tariffs—such as electronics, apparel, home goods and food.
As a result, 2026 holiday shoppers will likely be cautious and spend more conservatively across income levels. Campain explains, “Value-driven consumers will be looking for better deals this holiday season and may even buy down to white-label or private-label brands.”
To win cautious consumers, retailers should shift messaging and merchandising to emphasize value—not just low prices but also quality and relevance. Segmentation tools can help tailor messaging by income, past behavior or price sensitivity, while personalization engines can highlight relevant promotions and lower-cost alternatives.
Interestingly, McKinsey reports that cross-category trade-downs—trading down in one category to afford something in another—are becoming more prevalent.
“Make sure to adjust value-based messaging according to each shopper’s behavior and intent signals,” explains Campain. “Search and browsing data can identify categories where customers are trading up or down, so brands can adjust their offers in real time.”
2. Make AI work for you (not just your shoppers)
Consumers are already using AI to find gifts faster, and retailers should meet them where they are. “AI search and recommendation integration is super important, especially if you have a retailer who's trying to be competitive in the market with a very best-in-class AI chatbot that can recommend items quicker,” says Campain.
But AI is changing more than just the consumer’s shopping experience. It can also solve real operational challenges in marketing to save time (always in short supply during the holidays), reduce risk, and increase revenue.
“I think a lot of retailers are still trying to understand where AI sits in their business to help solve for a business challenge,” Campain continued. “That's where I always start my conversations. What are you trying to solve for? And does AI fit in there?”
For example, AI can speed up holiday campaign production, improve segmentation (e.g., price sensitive versus splurging) and increase personalization, assuming data quality is high enough to positively drive AI performance.
Consider preparing a “Last-Minute Gift Ideas” campaign the week before Christmas. Traditionally, this kind of campaign might take two to three weeks to concept, segment and launch, by which time the opportunity would be long gone. With AI, retail marketers can automate segmentation to identify last-minute shoppers (like those who browsed gift cards or expedited shipping options), generate tailored creative with gift suggestions based on browsing and launch the campaign in days.
“Just as personalized connections drive engagement, so should product data,” says Caroline Ballard, Vice President, Commerce Media at Profitero. “This is why combining digital shelf insights with audience data is retail media gold. By enabling national programmatic campaigns to adjust bids at the zip code level with store inventory and pricing, our AI has cracked the code for re-engaging lapsed shoppers at scale. This allows brands to be rediscovered exactly when consumers are seeking a replacement item, which is especially crucial ahead of the holidays.”
3. Consider omnichannel retailing and curbside a strategic imperative
Features like buy online, pick up in store (BOPIS) and curbside pickup were once considered optional perks. They now play an important role in meeting holiday shoppers’ urgent needs while encouraging foot traffic to brick-and-mortar stores. Epsilon research shows that during the 2025 holiday season, 45% of shoppers planned to buy online and then pick up in a physical store. And it will likely be more this year—CapitalOne Shopping research projects BOPIS sales to grow nearly 17% annually (58% faster than ecommerce as a whole).
Campain explains that shoppers will likely be searching with urgency this holiday season and want fulfillment flexibility—especially if supply chain disruptions return given evolving tariffs. “I think people are going to be frantically searching for purchases this year. We're going to see a lot of, ‘I just need it really fast. I’ll pick up in the parking lot in 10 minutes,’” she says.
Beyond convenience, these fulfillment options also help retailers get shoppers into their physical locations, which often results in additional trips to the checkout counter. According to CapitalOne, 85% of BOPIS shoppers have made an additional purchase when they went to the store to collect an order. As retailers struggle to justify their real estate footprints, BOPIS and curbside pickup offer a clear path to making each store work harder, serving as both fulfillment center and driver of incremental sales.
Retailers should double down on localized and real-time fulfillment options for holiday 2026. Consider geotargeting and store-level inventory feeds to power messages like "Available now at your local store.” Use dynamic content in email and SMS messaging to promote real-time product availability, and use automation to update fulfillment messaging across touchpoints.
“Every retailer should have a way to communicate to customers about store hours and product availability,” says Campain.
4. Don’t sleep on re-commerce
Re-commerce (reselling gently used or returned goods) is on the upswing, driven largely by millennials’ and Gen Z’s thrifting mindset. According to Ebay’s 2025 Recommerce Report, nearly nine in 10 consumers plan to plan to maintain or increase their spending on pre-loved goods, with Gen Z and millennials leading the charge.
Campain expects to see re-commerce grow this holiday season, too, as consumers become more cost- and eco-conscious.
There are two ways for retailers to address it:
First, reach out to lapsed customers with offers that may entice them to return, such as affordable price points, hot deals, and eco-friendly product lines. Retailers should also integrate transactional data with a people-based identity solution like Epsilon's COREid. This allows marketers to identify and reengage lapsed customers that were not in their database.
Second, if you can’t beat ‘em, join ‘em. Retailers should explore ways to tap into re-commerce this season, whether through curated post-holiday sales, partnering with resale platforms, or launching their own pre-owned inventory shops. Popular CPG brands have already waded into the pre-owned waters with offerings like Patagonia's "Worn Wear," Lululemon's "Like New" and REI's "Re/Supply."
5. Take advantage of the surge in first-party data
Most retailers are still not fully leveraging the rich behavioral and transactional data they collect during the holiday shopping surge. “Every retailer has a significant uptick in sales and traffic and behavior and searches online, and that's a lot of data to understand,” explains Campain.
But understanding that data and using it to fuel strategy for the following season is a huge opportunity to earn a competitive edge. For example, Campain stresses that retailers should be matching the wealth of behavioral and transactional data from the holiday season to the existing first-party data in their databases.
“If you match up new data with existing first-party data, you know exactly what someone is looking at. When they raise their digital hand at some point to say, ‘I’m Heather Campain, and I’m going to sign up for your loyalty program,’ you can now create a fairly robust profile of each shopper.”
And more robust customer profiles arm retailers for more successful marketing campaigns moving forward. In a whitepaper sponsored by Epsilon, titled Customer experience suffers without omnichannel alignment, IDC's Roger Beharry Lall explains, “By leveraging integrated first-party data and resolving identity at the person level, more accurate targeting of the intended consumers becomes possible.”
To get the most out of this year’s shopping surge, retailers should be actively capturing, connecting and enriching that data—not just to drive immediate wins but to also lay the groundwork for more efficient and effective campaigns next holiday season. The more complete the customer picture, the better positioned marketers will be to deliver timely, relevant offers when it matters most next year.
“Data quality isn't just about having a lot of information; it's about ensuring that each piece is accurate, complete, timely, consistent, and relevant to your goals. When any of these elements are missing, your marketing efforts risk missing the mark,” Schneider says. “Enhancing your first-party data with second- and third-party sources is no longer a luxury; it's a necessity in today's fast-moving market. External data can provide valuable enrichment, such as the latest address information, insights into changing consumer preferences, or behavioral trends that signal shifting interests.”
---
## Generative AI vs. predictive AI: Understanding the differences and synergies for modern marketing
Type: eps_post
URL: /generative-ai-vs-predictive-ai
Last Modified: 2025-11-06T16:42:14Z
# Generative AI vs. predictive AI: Understanding the differences and synergies for modern marketing
Large language models (LLMs) have surged in capability and accessibility, leading to a renaissance in artificial intelligence discussions. You might recall the excitement that surrounded voice assistants when they first emerged—much like the current buzz around generative AI platforms like ChatGPT.
While the potential of generative AI is immense, marketers must ensure they have a solid data foundation to truly harness its capabilities. Quality data is non-negotiable; without it, even the most sophisticated models will yield only mediocre results. At Epsilon, we emphasize the importance of capturing and enriching first-party data to lay a robust groundwork for AI-driven marketing strategies.
In this blog, we’ll explore the distinctions between generative AI and predictive AI, their respective benefits and challenges and how they can be combined to elevate marketing efforts.
What are LLMs? Are LLMs different than AI?
LLM stands for Large Language Models and are a type of machine learning model designed for understanding and generating human language. The focus of LLMs has shifted significantly toward generative AI, a specialized application of LLMs that drives innovations in hyper-personalization, AI-generated marketing personas and more. LLMs are a subset of AI, and technically a more basic, foundational form of what we conceptually refer to as "AI."
What does AI mean in marketing?
AI in marketing refers to the use of artificial intelligence technologies to automate, enhance and optimize various marketing initiatives. As industries evolve, marketing is increasingly turning to AI tools to analyze vast amounts of data—ranging from customer behavior to social media interactions—to extract actionable insights that inform decision-making. To take advantage of all that generative AI has to offer, marketers need a solid data foundation.
What is predictive AI?
Predictive AI leverages statistical algorithms and historical data patterns to forecast future outcomes. It's instrumental in helping marketers determine who to target, when and with what messaging.
How predictive AI drives customer insights and business goals
Improved decision-making: Predictive AI allows marketers to allocate resources more effectively and create personalized content based on customer behavior analysis.
Automation: By automating the analysis of large datasets, predictive AI frees marketers to focus on strategic priorities.
Boosts ROI: Targeting the right customers with tailored messaging enhances marketing returns.
Competitive edge: Early visibility into emerging patterns gives businesses a distinct advantage.
Challenges of predictive AI
Lack of creativity: Predictive models are focused on data and insight on what to do next, but they don't generate a new creative output, like an image, a framework or written content, like generative AI does.
Bias in data: If the training data is flawed, the predictive models may also produce biased outcomes.
Resource intensive: Implementing predictive algorithms can require significant processing power and expertise.
What is generative AI?
Generative AI uses deep learning to create new content by detecting patterns in source models. It can generate realistic images, text and audio, pushing creative boundaries.
Unleashing creativity and efficiency with generative AI
Scales creativity and innovation: Generative AI can explore numerous creative ideas quickly, saving time and resources.
Automation: It automates content creation processes, increasing productivity while reducing costs.
Personalization: By utilizing past customer data, generative AI can generate tailored recommendations that enhance customer engagement and retention.
Challenges of generative AI
Unpredictable quality: Output quality heavily depends on the training data; poor data leads to inferior results.
Limited innovation: Generative AI often operates within the confines of existing data, which can stifle creativity.
Potential for misinformation: Generative AI may produce inaccuracies, known as "AI hallucinations."
Predictive AI vs. generative AI: key distinctions
While both generative and predictive AI are valuable in marketing, they serve different purposes. Predictive AI focuses on analyzing historical data to forecast future events, while generative AI generates content based on existing patterns.
Realistically, the most ideal scenario for the future of marketing is for predictive AI to assess the data inputs in a marketing campaign or strategy--helping you determine who to reach and with what message--and then generative AI would then create that message in real time based on what is most likely to resonate with that person. The use of generative AI is still widely contested for outbound, consumer-facing marketing materials--and it should be. There is still a lot to still be tested in this capacity, which is why generative AI is currently most useful for generating drafts and options for creative outputs at early stages in the process, but not generating the actual creative that would be seen by a consumer.
By understanding these distinctions, marketers can leverage the strengths of both AI types to achieve superior outcomes.
Data requirements and outcomes
As marketers explore the potential of generative AI, it’s crucial to prioritize consumer privacy and ethical data usage. Generative AI can create marketing content rapidly, but this capability must be balanced against brand safety and compliance with legal standards.
Implementing a human oversight mechanism ensures that AI outputs adhere to brand guidelines and do not compromise consumer privacy. Continuous monitoring and compliance checks are essential to navigate the complexities of AI-generated content.
Use cases and business value
To effectively implement AI, businesses must prioritize a strong data foundation. Here are key steps to consider:
Data hygiene: Cleanse, structure and reinforce first-party data to ensure quality inputs for AI applications.
Access to data at scale: Implement a people-based identity system that connects customer data from various sources.
Real-time model updates: Look for solutions that can provide immediate updates to predictive and generative models, allowing for real-time customer engagement.
The power of AI synergy: How predictive and generative AI work together
Integrating predictive and generative AI can create a powerful synergy in marketing. While generative AI can produce diverse content, predictive AI ensures that this content reaches the right audience at the optimal time. This combination maximizes campaign efficiency and ROI and improves the overall customer journey.
Enhancing customer understanding and personalization
One of the results of fine-tuning your AI strategy? Deepening your customer understanding so you can better personalize your marketing messages. The right AI tools can give you the insights you need to reach customers and prospects with messaging that actually makes sense based on where they're at in the customer journey.
Optimizing campaigns and driving ROI
Beyond gaining a deeper understanding of your customers, AI can help you optimize campaigns by analyzing audience engagement to provide tailored recommendations so you can ensure every campaign performs to the best of its ability. And when campaigns actually perform, you're bound to see results when it comes to driving ROI.
Future outlook: the evolution of AI in marketing
Staying informed about the latest developments in AI is critical for marketers aiming to maximize their effectiveness.
To learn more about the connection between data, identify and AI, download the Epsilon sponsored white paper, Improve data quality to support quality AI outcomes, in which IDC’s Lynne Schneider explains why investing in data quality is essential for driving AI performance—and why having a strategy that refines the data your enterprise gathers into a clean and consolidated foundation for enrichment, analysis and action can lead to results.
This blog post was originally published on November 17, 2024, and has since been updated.
---
## 5 game-changing ideas from Advertising Week to apply in 2024
Type: eps_post
URL: /5-takeaways-advertising-week-2023
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T22:16:49Z
# 5 game-changing ideas from Advertising Week to apply in 2024
What’s great about advertising is that it’s constantly changing. That’s what keeps the industry interesting while also making our work mentally challenging.
The change was quite apparent at Advertising Week this year (the second year back in person), with a palpable buzz about everything from the impact of inflation to how to innovate with AI. Many of the sessions focused more on the technology powering advertising than the creative component, which signifies quite a shift in how we approach the work of advertising today. The end goal is still the same: Create authentic connections with consumers. But the how of doing that is very different today than it was in the past.
Read on for our five big ideas from Advertising Week that you’ll want to consider for your 2024 marketing:
1. Define what generative AI can actually do for you today, and in the future
AI was literally everywhere throughout Advertising Week, but the reality is that vendor organizations are using AI as a branding opportunity (can you blame them?). There’s an important distinction between generative AI—the kind that’s been making headlines in the past year—and rebranded, high-quality predictive AI, which is great, but many big players have been doing for more than a decade.
The applicability of true generativeAI in marketing today was minimal; most of the discussion around generative AI was how to use it for bettering your team or your own work process, like writing outlines, getting 100 different headline options in an instant, etc. “The problem is that there aren’t a whole lot of generative AI use cases for media,” said Jay Pattisall, VP, principal analyst at Forrester. “What they’re doing is mistaking the broad use case that is generative AI for actual predictive AI, which has been operating in media for the better part of 10 years.”
It's probably going to take a few years to see the real applications of generative AI in marketing—there’s a lot of refinement still needed to make the technology truly autonomous and marketing-ready. But while that’s happening, there’s a lot to be gained from using quality predictive AI, as long as you can distinguish fact from fiction with the AI hype.
2. Tech connections matter more than ever
In nearly every conversation, there was some discussion about data deprecation, cookie loss, signal loss, etc. A recurring theme was that connected tech, rooted in first-party data, is the best path forward to delivering the best customer experience.
Now, that is much easier said than done. There are myriad organization, technology and data hurdles to clear to get there. Jenni Finch, head of media for brands like Pearle Vision and Lenscrafters at Luxottica said, “It’s understanding how you set your organization up to flourish in the future… That also means getting a unified view of our consumer—our reset is really about bringing that into a single view, which is a really long and complicated process.”
And without that unified view, the customer experience does suffer. “If you don’t have that end-to-end platform that’s connecting all of these things,” said Dave Peterson, GM of retail media at Epsilon, “any one of those components that’s fragmented or done differently, that results in a poor experience for the customer.”
In another conversation, Jennifer Mennes, VP and global head of digital marketing and partnerships at Mondelez, echoed that marketing is becoming less and less about the channel or tactic, and more about using the right tech foundation to make real connections. “There’s no difference between brand marketing and performance marketing—it’s all about connecting with consumers in that authentic way,” she said. “Sometimes it’s connecting in a high-end, emotional way, and other times it’s reminding them that they need cookies for their kids’ lunchbox.”
Being able to build thoughtful, authentic relationships with consumers requires you to know each person in a real way. In a cookie-less future (and present quite frankly), that means connecting your tech stack so you’re never missing a beat across the customer journey.
3. The environmental impact of media waste is real
There was a big focus on how much energy the advertising industry uses—from running servers filled with data to delivering millions of wasted ad impressions. I counted no less than five sessions with an environmental lens.
Kroger Precision Marketing coupled an Advertising Week panel on this topic with an announcement that they’re going to start measuring carbon emissions for their retail media network. The biggest challenges started with getting corporate buy-in to do things this way and ended with making sure you don’t look like you’re just “greenwashing” your adtech.
Running tens of millions of ad impressions only to actually reach a couple thousand in-market consumers isn’t sustainable for business or the environment. "Our business is energy intensive as we think about the warehouses that are fueling servers that are influencing the digital economy," said Cara Pratt, SVP of Kroger Precision Marketing. "We're hopeful that this commitment will pave the way for retail media to make sure the ad ecosystem becomes more performant through the carbon supply chain." And that ethos applies to all of digital media, not just retail media.
What’s good for the planet is also good for marketers’ bottom line: A more efficient advertising partner ensures you’re always reaching the right in-market consumers.
4. The “brand” is the customer experience
Gone are the days of the single, perfect ad unit. Your “brand” is how the customer experiences it, which, today, can be quite different for each person. And that’s a good thing.
Elizabeth Preis, CMO at Anthropologie, shared their journey to rethinking the brand for a gen Z audience. But what that really meant was building different views of their brand—from influencers to images to messaging—to be relevant for each individual they may want to talk to. “Your creative costs are going up, but the opportunity cost of serving ads that don’t resonate is also a compelling argument,” she said. “We will think and act digitally first because that is how customers often first actually respond to your brand.”
Finch of Luxottica echoed a similar sentiment: “If we don’t know who our customer is and the various things they expect and the things they are going to want to want, then they’re going to have a bad experience. You have one customer, but they have 1,000 different behavioral characteristics that influence them at any point.”
Part of it is letting go of that perfection in creative; Pries noted that it’s all in a digital environment, so if something isn’t working, they can pull it and swap for something else. That’s the beauty of the approach—it’s very flexible, but speaking to customers the way they want you to requires your strategy to be flexible as well.
“We tend to go for an easy button and put budgets in different groups that will run up against what the marketer is trying to accomplish,” said Joe Doran, chief product officer at Epsilon. “They plan in siloes (shopper marketing vs. media buying vs. linear TV) instead of thinking ‘How do I go and most efficiently spend all of my money?’ At the end of the day, that’s what the CMO is really asking for.”
5. Retail media is stepping farther and farther outside of just “retail”
Everyone has a retail media network—not just retailers. What was a niche within a niche for retailers and brands has grown to be its own marketing category that non-retailers are finding their footing in.
We’re seeing that retail media is a space for brands that have 1) consumer data and 2) consumer attention. Lyft Media, for example, did a whole session on connecting with consumers on the go: they have data on where people are physically headed, and their value prop to brands is that they can deliver ads in those geolocated moments—i.e. picking up a bottle of wine on their way to a friend’s house, etc.
7-Eleven also has their own retail media network that skews heavily towards a gen Z audience, which is an attractive value proposition for a lot of brands that want to better connect with that group. Mario Mijares, VP of insights, loyalty, marketing and monetization platforms at 7-Eleven, said “Pick one that’s going to have the most impact not only in the retailer but in the impact of the market.”
In all of this, brands need to consider how well their retail media partners actually know who the people they’re reaching. Retail media research from Epsilon showed that 64% of brands and retailers both agree that retail media networks with multiple technology providers have a negative impact on shoppers. “Where we get in trouble is when we make assumptions,” said Diana Haussling at Colgate Palmolive. “Not everyone buying diapers is a parent; not everyone buying a pregnancy test is a woman. Consumers are more savvy and will tune you out if you don’t understand who they are.”
---
## Unify adtech and martech: The power of CDP and clean rooms for modern marketers
Type: eps_post
URL: /unifying-martech-adtech-cdp-cleanroom
Last Modified: 2026-07-06T16:42:31Z
# Unify adtech and martech: The power of CDP and clean rooms for modern marketers
The evolving marketing landscape and the challenge of disconnected data
Ultimately, brands are focused on one thing: performance.
Getting a customer to buy a product, sign up for a newsletter or join a loyalty program is critical for a brand’s bottom line, but doing so isn’t always easy. To deploy high-performing advertising, brands need to find the best in-market customers, create a relationship with them and keep them engaged as their preferences change.
How do you make that happen? By combining the power of martech and adtech.
Martech solutions, like clean rooms and customer data platforms (CDPs), can unlock deeper insights about current and prospective customers, and allow you to optimize your media activation strategy based on that knowledge. Being able to move that information seamlessly over to the advertising technology is where the rubber really meets the road—that’s where the activation of the data pays off in reaching the right people for your campaign
When adtech and martech can work together, they create a closed-loop system from audience selection to media activation and campaign measurement. And then, that same tech stack combination can take insights from that campaign (and the many before and after it) to apply to future campaigns, starting the cycle all over again. This creates a seamless, personalized customer experience across channels and devices.
Here, we’ll look at the fundamentals for creating a strong martech-to-adtech onramp to help bridge the activation gap across campaigns.
The core technologies: Understanding each component's value
Martech & adtech: The traditional pillars
How do you define martech and adtech? Martech is short for marketing technology—the software and tools that marketers use to plan, execute and measure marketing campaigns. Adtech is short for advertising technology—the software and tools for actual ad delivery and optimization. Both of these technologies use customer data to inform their strategies.
In the face of data deprecation, the customer journey is becoming even more fragmented. The best way for you to control your own marketing destiny is to define (and refine) your data strategy.
Some brands have a plethora of first-party data at their fingertips, others don’t. Martech solutions aim to bridge those data gaps. CDPs can organize a brand’s existing first-party data while data clean rooms use a combination of first-, second- and third-party data to help derive audience insights and find prospective customers.
However, it’s not enough to simply have data. The most effective CDPs and clean rooms—like the solutions at Epsilon—will enhance and enrich your data to enable sophisticated marketing insights. Using identity resolution, Epsilon can do this at an individual level.
Customer insights—both of current and prospective customers—drive better media activation. That foundation doesn’t just deliver better ads, it enables:
Deeper knowledge: Understand not only whoto target, but with what messages, on which devices and channels, and at the best time.
Better customer experience: Connect owned and paid marketing, including insights into the highest performing channels for customers individually and in aggregate.
New revenue streams: Create a privacy-compliant environment to collaborate with partners for monetization.
Reduced ad waste: Optimize ad spend, get higher returns and reduce duplicate records.
Adtech can use those insights generated by martech to inform campaign deployment. You can use the insights about customer preferences, including individual paths to purchase and channel engagement, and build a deployment strategy inside your adtech solution across channels.
Customer data platform (CDP): The foundation of customer understanding
To deliver personalized experiences, you need to have the best view of your customers. Not only that, you need a view that evolves with your customers.
There are ways to fill in those missing pieces. A CDP equipped with identity resolution organizes your first-party data, helping to unify everything you already have, and cleanses, completes and expands the data by filling in gaps and missing pieces.
This gives you insights into what a customer does outside of your owned channels, so you can go beyond just your first-party data to better understand what people are buying, what they're browsing, what they're watching and on what devices.
They also give you the power to align online and offline data and connect paid and owned channels to natively activate campaigns wherever your customers are.
A persistent, unified view of an individual means you can speak to their customers about the right products on the right devices at the right time. It also illuminates the customers who have perhaps fallen off: people who are seasonal shoppers, people who have gone to a competitor, or people who are strong in-market candidates for a product a brand hadn't previously thought to market to them.
When coupled with AI, you can deliver these personalized experiences at scale. This is a game-changer for marketers: it amplifies results, accelerates outcomes and helps drive real business impact.
Data clean room: Enabling privacy-safe collaboration and insights
A data clean room is a secure environment where data from various sources—including walled gardens, partner data, regulated data and much more—can come together in a privacy-safe way. Clean rooms are important for several reasons:
Ensuring the privacy and security of your data. Clean rooms address this need, providing a safe space for data collaboration while adhering to strict privacy regulations.
Clean rooms offer a centralized environment for integrating disparate data from various sources. This allows brands without much first-party data to aggregate audiences and segments for media activation. The centralization of data also improves their ability to gain insights and make data-driven decisions.
Clean rooms bring data together, expanding access beyond just first-party. You can incorporate data from partners, like paid or social channels, but also incorporate third-party data sets.
Most data clean rooms come as an empty box, but some come pre-loaded with data and identity. Clean rooms pre-equipped with these features give brands a richer view of customers and prospects. They take customer data and augment it with the data already built in, making existing customer profiles more comprehensive and identifying potential buyers based on those insights.
The power of unification: Why one harmonized voice matters
Bridging the gap: Unifying adtech and martech
When adtech and martech work together, it enables brands to funnel the insights derived from a CDP and/or a clean room to deploy hyper-personalized messages. When unified in a single tech stack, and bolstered by a persistent, connected identity, those insights move seamlessly into an activation platform. Campaign measurement is captured in real-time, which provides even more insights into consumer behaviors at the individual and aggregate level that go back into the martech platform.
For example, here's how a CDP (the martech) powered by identity resolution would use insights to develop and deploy campaigns via a DSP (the adtech).
Enhanced customer insights and personalization
The right martech is designed to dig deeper into customer insights and uses that knowledge to drive more personalization based on a customer's behaviors and preferences. And this is critical because in today's digital age, customers are used to—and widely expect—ads that cater to them.
When brands demonstrate that they don't know their customers, their customers notice. According to Epsilon research, "The push and pull of personalization," 76% of consumer respondents said they view brands negatively when they include inaccurate information about them in advertising messages. Compare that to the 91% of respondents who said they see at least one irrelevant ad every single day.
Using martech to build a solid data foundation can reduce this problem. Powered by AI, martech becomes an insights tool and a decision-making mechanism that informs your adtech on what to speak to a consumer about right now.
Picture this:
Jane Smith signs up for a brand’s newsletter. The brand is using Epsilon as its advertising and marketing technology partner, with Epsilon Customer as its customer data platform and Epsilon Digital for its digital media activation.
Using identity resolution within the CDP, we align Jane to COREid, include her in a modeled audience alongside other in-market customers within our CDP, and then that audience is activated through Epsilon Digital, where she gets an ad.
This sets off a series of events that takes Jane from just a newsletter subscriber to a purchaser, and eventually a repeat customer.
Using martech solutions in conjunction with adtech let this brand see Jane the moment she signed up for their newsletter and develop a relationship with her that ultimately led to conversion.
Optimizing media spend and measurement
It's not just customer insights that brands stand to gain, either. When martech is built on a solid foundation of data, and adtech is using that data to deploy campaigns, you have far more certainty when it comes to what's working and why. These solutions are designed to dig deeper into your customers and create better touch points across each person’s journey.
These insights help you optimize your media spend both individually and in aggregate. They discover what channels you need to invest in (or which ones they should pull back from), what campaigns are more effective than others, and discern patterns that can impact overall media buying strategies.
When you have closed-loop insights across all their marketing investments, you can make smarter decisions about how to evolve and enhance your media activation strategy. Because Epsilon has identity resolution at the center, we enable person-based analytics across owned and paid channels.
Realizing growth opportunities with a unified tech stack
Driving customer acquisition and retention
High-performing marketing requires an omnichannel experience for all customers, not just the ones a brand knows. When adtech and martech work together, they bolster not only stronger customer loyalty, but also help with the acquisition of new customers, reviving dormant ones and overall retention.
New customers can become loyal customers if you nurture that relationship. The right martech lays the foundation to be able to understand those customers across all channels and devices, and the adtech side allows the brand to reach them wherever they are in their journey—with brands and in life.
An adtech partner powered by identity can also expand your retention and acquisition efforts by delivering digital media across paid, owned and earned channels, including on the open web. Having a single identifier that can be mapped through martech and adtech provides:
Cross-channel personalization: Leverage data integration to personalize messages across both owned and open web channels. This would ensure that customers receive content that aligns with their previous interactions and preferences, creating a seamless experience regardless of the channel.
Frequency and timing optimization: Optimizing the frequency and timing of messages prevents overload. You can coordinate the release of messages to avoid simultaneous delivery across channels, ensuring that customers don’t feel inundated with redundant information.
Channel-specific incentives: Tailoring incentives based on the channel through which customers are engaged is another effective strategy. For owned channels, exclusive promotions or early access can be emphasized, while open web campaigns could focus on broader brand awareness or highlight unique aspects to capture wider attention.
Future-proofing your marketing strategy
Brands are working against many factors that make reaching their customers exponentially harder:
Disjointed channels
The reduction of third-party cookies on the open web
Reduced media budgets
Rising walled gardens
And, as AI becomes integral to marketing, you face an additional challenge of adopting solutions that might be feeding off of bad data or a disjointed tech stack.
Deploying the right martech and adtech helps brands obtain, maintain and understand consumer data to fight against these headwinds.
Brands need acomprehensive, thoughtful data strategy that goes beyond merely collecting data. To understand your best and next best customers, you need a holistic understanding of who each person is, not just how they engage with you. A complete data strategy, powered by connected martech and adtech, uses first-party data, enhanced by zero-, second- and third-party data to drive better customer experiences and higher performing campaigns
This dynamic data strategy allows you to grow with your customers, to fully utilize and develop AI models that are effective and to continually adjust your campaigns across any device or channel as times change.
Epsilon's role: Your partner in unification
If you're hoping to bridge the martech and adtech gap, the options can seem overwhelming. With the right vendor, having a seamless, integrated experience that drives better marketing campaigns and customer insights is possible.
At Epsilon, our suite of products is designed to work together. Our solutions power marketers' ability to harmonize engagement with consumers across paid, owned and earned channels with messages that are personalized for each individual.
When you work with a trusted partner like Epsilon, you’ll activate industry-leading identity to get one view of all your customers: what they buy, where to find them and how to engage them. And we’ll help you use that data to identify your entire universe of potential buyers, driving acquisition, retention and growth.
Then, we help brands craft one vision of what matters to each person, engage them with a message they’ll care about and learn more about them with each interaction. That paves the way for conversations with customers that are relevant in the moment and evolve with them to stay relevant over time.
Then, we help develop those messages with one voice, harmonized across paid, owned and earned channels, enabling brands to have a conversation that builds a relationship with each consumer.
Ready to unify your adtech and martech to see customers better, minimize ad waste and deliver stronger results for brand partners? Read more about Epsilon PeopleCloud.
This article was originally published on October 30, 2023, and has since been updated.
---
## How restaurants can identify and activate your highest potential digital customers
Type: eps_post
URL: /restaurants-digital-marketing-activation
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# How restaurants can identify and activate your highest potential digital customers
In the past several years, the restaurant business has seen a significant shift in consumer behavior transitioning to digital ordering and engagement.
Over the next few years, research shows that the online food delivery market worldwide is projected to grow by 12.67%, demonstrating an increasing reliance on digital channels as an essential component of the dining experience.
Customers now have the option to eat in, order takeaway, or take advantage of delivery thanks to the availability of user-friendly apps. Even still, 55% of internet orders are simply takeaway orders. Early adopters of technology are becoming increasingly interested in these new cutting-edge platforms.
Restaurants can embrace these new digital channels to reach all their in-market customers with the right messages on the right channels, especially those customers most likely to convert. The key is using their first-party data.
Applying data to find in-market customers
As online delivery flourishes, restaurants can use data to find the greatest opportunity for new digital channels.
Epsilon examined the intersection of heavy online delivery users and early adopters of technology: 1) people who frequently use online delivery, and 2) people who are more inclined to embrace new forms of digital technology. This segment of users has the highest potential for new digital channel engagement, and when restaurants can capture and activate valuable customer first-party data for media activation, they can promote messages and products that resonate with guests most likely to convert.
Epsilon’s expertise and approach allows our restaurant clients to find those people most likely to purchase. This, coupled with our media activation solution Epsilon Digital, allows restaurants to deliver highly effective messages across channels to real people, not vague audiences.
Data enhancement unlocks a deeper understanding of guests
The key to making this happen is data enhancement. At Epsilon, we take a restaurant’s first-party data and enhance it with a series of other data sources, allowing brands to see their customer on a much deeper level.
Why does this matter? Restaurants can analyze and strategize on how to effectively reach all their in-market customers, especially those who are most likely to purchase. They can determine what messages will resonate and the right channels to deploy their ads.
STEP 1: We use proprietary data of all US individuals’ demographics, eating habits, 11 major purchase category frequencies, shopping patterns, lifestyle, preferences and propensities to fill in data gaps a restaurant doesn’t know about its customers.
STEP 2: Then, we analyze and build restaurant-focused audience segments using Epsilon’s proprietary market trend propensity models. We can segment and profile the high vs. low technology early adopters and evaluate restaurant customers who frequent takeout orders, seek fresh food, are quick service enthusiasts, and order delivery online.
STEP 3: Finally, we examine and study the restaurant-focused segments and technology early adopters together because these cross segments are more inclined to embrace new digital channels for restaurant menu engagement and virtual orders.
Epsilon found that 11% of a total US audience age 18 or older are early technology adopters and frequently do online food delivery. Conversely, we found that 35% of a total US audience of the same age are generally “tech laggards” who don’t adopt new technology at the same level and do not regularly do online food delivery.
Activate stronger performing media with Epsilon’s help
Optimizing media activation is obviously good for a restaurant’s bottom line, but it also develops stronger customer affinity overall. In fact, “the new channel strategies can intersect with existing channels to make a more seamless guest led experience when ordering through and engaging with the brand,” Stewart says.
With Epsilon Digital, brands get more out of their first-party data to reach in-market guests. We deliver 98% of all messages to real people, not cookies or devices, and we see 2.5x more guests than our competitors.
And through Epsilon’s identity and activation solutions, restaurants can expect:
Personalization: Emphasize the value and convenience for these customers in new digital channels. We leverage customer data to enhance segmentation and deliver personalized experiences. Additionally, Epsilon’s CORE ID helps us understand these customers within our data base.
Fulfillment: Leveraging new digital technologies, such as metaverse digital ordering experience or delivery applications. Epsilon assists brands with their channel strategy, enabling integration of emerging digital channels and a data collection strategy that aligns with KPIs.
Loyalty/Engagement: Utilize new digital channels for interactive experiences like gamification and tiering. Epsilon’s Loyalty platform enables brands to create tailored journeys within these channels.
Restaurant brands should align on what goals they want to achieve with the launch of new channels, assess their level of existing channel maturity, and ensure proper resources before deploying.
Cook up new customers with these strategies and Epsilon’s solutions, and effectively identify and engage with all your customers, including your highest potential digital buyers.
---
## What Retailers Actually Say About Black Friday
Type: eps_post
URL: /what-retailers-actually-say-about-black-friday
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# What Retailers Actually Say About Black Friday
Study reveals the perceptions and attitudes of retailers around this key trading period.
Love it or loath it, whatever the sentiment, you can’t deny that since Black Friday arrived in the UK in 2010, it's changed the retail landscape and buying behaviours like nothing before. And from being an event that spanned just a few days, it’s established itself as a phenomenon that encompasses the whole of November – and beyond.
And no Black Friday is the same. As we approach it this year, retailers are again faced with new challenges – inflation at a generational high, rising cost issues and a cost-of-living crisis impacting people’s confidence and their ability – or willingness - to spend.
So what do retailers think about Black Friday? How are they preparing for it this year? And with expectations embedded in people for discounts while retailers face increasing costs and falling margins, are some beginning to question its value? Given a choice, would they participate?
To discover the truth, we commissioned a survey of retailers and conducted several in-depth client interviews to dig into what Black Friday means for them and provide new market insights into their sentiments around this crucial trading period.
---
## Commerce media vs. retail media: Navigating the nuances
Type: eps_post
URL: /commerce-media-vs-retail-media
Last Modified: 2025-08-27T14:36:38Z
# Commerce media vs. retail media: Navigating the nuances
Commerce media networks (CMNs) are experiencing extraordinary growth, outpacing display, connected TV and search. McKinsey projects that by 2027, the U.S. commerce media market will reach more than $100 billion, with nearly half of advertisers planning to increase their spending in commerce media in areas beyond retail media.
But what, exactly, is the difference between commerce media vs. retail media? What’s driving the evolution from RMNs to CMNs? And how do these media networks solve brand marketers’ challenges?
The evolution of retail and commerce media
Just like brands have paid top dollar to get their products in prime shelf spots in grocery stores (think eye-level shelves and endcaps), retail media networks began by taking this concept to the digital realm.
When a consumer visits a grocery retailer’s website, there are prime spaces on the website where consumers are more likely to see (and ultimately purchase) a product. This is a win-win for brands and retailers, as retailers can monetize their ad space, and brands can get face time with consumers.
However, a very small number of people shop organically on a retailer’s website regularly (10% to 20%). The best retail media solutions have therefore expanded their offerings to include off-site and in-store products to reach shoppers across channels and throughout their shopping journey. Retail media can now happen anywhere in-market consumers are, and it links ad spend directly to sales, closing the loop when it comes to reporting.
As retailers and their brand advertisers have grown their ROI through retail media, commerce media has emerged to widen the playing field for other types of businesses, from financial services to travel to healthcare.
Understanding commerce media vs. retail media
Modern retail media looks different from its original counterpart, and commerce media provides a few additional advantages. It’s important to understand both the modern definitions and distinctions between the two types of media networks.
What is retail media?
Retail media refers to an advertising platform that allows brands to access the retailer’s first-party data to reach consumers with targeted, contextual and highly relevant messaging—on-site, off-site and in-store. RMNs connect transaction-level data and media impressions to brand sales, allowing advertisers to close the loop on reporting and accurately measure performance (beyond awareness and assumed ROAS).
What is commerce media?
Commerce media expands retail media to allow any business in commerce to monetize their customer data for partner brands and/or related industries—just like a retail media network does for its CPG brand partners. However, there are two key differences between commerce media and retail media.
First, these advertisers are not selling a product directly through the retailer (like a brand through a retail media network). CMN advertisers are accessing a specific target audience through the CMN to sell their own related products.
For example, United Airlines’ commerce media offers access to a travel audience, which is particularly valuable to brands with an aligned product offering, such as hotels, restaurants, attractions, tourism bureaus, event venues, etc. In addition, many brands with lifestyle products are happy to reach certain subsets of United’s audience, like Burberry advertising to business- and first-class passengers on a trip to London.
Second, CMNs also extend the targeting and activation capabilities of an RMN to a new set of touchpoints in the customer journey. Continuing with the United example, they can not only reaches travelers on United’s website and in United’s app, but advertisers can also reach travelers with personalized messaging on their seatback screens. This allows advertisers to adjust messaging based on each traveler’s literal journey stage.
Solving marketers’ challenges through media networks
Both modern retail media and commerce media solve perennial challenges for marketers, including reaching the right shoppers, minimizing ad waste, delivering stronger results and offering better media measurement.
Reaching the right shoppers for your brand
Both retail media and commerce media networks solve the critical challenge of reaching the right people. Traditional media approaches rely on broad, cookie-based audiences that often miss the mark. In contrast, modern media networks leverage retailer and business first-party data to identify and reach shoppers with precision.
Minimizing ad waste
Media waste occurs when campaigns target the wrong people or hit the same person multiple times across different devices and channels. Both retail media and commerce media networks address this through person-level identity management and AI-driven optimization.
Delivering stronger results for brand partners
It’s no surprise that reaching the right people with minimal ad waste would deliver stronger results for brand advertisers, but a recent BCG survey proves it. The survey found 86% of buyers say commerce media powered by first-party data drives higher performance than other forms of digital advertising.
Providing better commerce and retail media measurement
Both retail media and commerce media can tie individual interactions back to actual transactions, providing real ROAS tied to verified transactions rather than assumed performance. This closed-loop measurement connects digital and in-store interactions to real purchases, offering transparent performance measurement that builds trust and drives long-term investment.
What to look for in a retail or commerce media solution
Retail and commerce media networks can do a lot of things for brands, retailers and shoppers, so why are some better than others? To build a media business that delivers real ROI to customers and partners, look for a media platform that offers three key differentiators:
Identity resolution that delivers unique reach. Unique reach is the ability to identify and connect with all of a business’s individual customers without errors or duplication. This increases advertiser reach while also reducing ad waste.
Unified activation across the omnichannel shopper journey. The most successful media networks orchestrate all channels through a single platform with a consistent identity, which maintains one view of all shoppers across activations. This allows advertisers to show up in the right places with the right intelligence and drive real results.
Closed-loop media measurement. Legacy RMN platforms were designed for demographic lookalikes and optimized to drive impressions, but AI-powered media networks can build audiences optimized to drive actual purchases and tie performance to transactions.
Related content: 3 strategies for a successful retail media network.
Unlocking growth through strategic retail media and commerce media
As commerce media continues its rapid expansion beyond traditional retail boundaries, the fundamental principles of success remain consistent:
Leverage first-party data
Maintain unified identity across omnichannel touchpoints
Deliver measurable outcomes
Whether you're operating a retail media network or exploring commerce media opportunities in travel, finance or healthcare, the businesses that prioritize accurate identity resolution, omnichannel activation and closed-loop measurement will capture the greatest share of this $100+ billion opportunity.
Want to see how leading retailers and commerce businesses are building successful media networks? Connect with Epsilon today to discover how our retail media solutions can help you unlock unique audience reach, optimize campaign performance, and prove real ROI to your brand partners.
This article was originally published on December 13, 2023, and has since been updated.
---
## Blurring the boundaries between brand and performance marketing
Type: eps_post
URL: /brand-and-performance-marketing
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Blurring the boundaries between brand and performance marketing
For years, brand marketing and performance marketing have been considered separate endeavours, competing against each other for precious budget. Now, however, savvy marketers are beginning to realise that the boundary between these two disciplines is becoming increasingly blurred. This interdependent relationship was one of the hot topics recently discussed at an Epsilon-hosted eTail Connect 2023 event.
In a nutshell: What’s the difference between brand and performance marketing
Brand marketing is focused on building awareness and creating a positive image for a company. It is a long-term strategy that aims to create a strong emotional connection with consumers through visuals, values and personality, establishing a brand identity that resonates with target customers.
Performance marketing is all about achieving specific, measurable goals such as clicks, sales or leads. It is a short-term strategy that focuses on driving conversions and generating revenue. Marketers use performance marketing platforms to track metrics and fine-tune their approach.
Deeper dive: Blurring the boundaries between brand and performance marketing
Kate Davies-Hinde, Head of Digital Marketing at Bensons for Beds, told the eTail Connect 2023 Epsilon-hosted event that brand and performance marketing is converging because marketers are realizing that they have highly complementary effect. Marketers realize they need to create a strong emotional connection with consumers while also needing specific measurable goals. At this intersection creativity is rooted in data and performance is elevated by brand equity. Davies-Hinde explained that brand marketing was particularly powerful at initiating the customers purchasing journey.
“This year Bensons for Beds has come a long way trying to figure out where brand comes in in terms of journey initiation, compared to lower-funnel conversion tactics, such as remarketing email and PPC. The challenge now is educating the business about the importance of journey initiation and how brand and performance marketing budgets should be aligned.”
Kate Davies-Hinde, Head of Digital Marketing, Bensons for Beds
Fast fact: Recent Meta research supports the claim that brand and performance marketing are converging. The firm’s analysis shows 60% of the return on investment from social media has long-term effects associated with brand, which extends into brand equity. These results highlight the importance of including both brand and performance in any marketing strategy.
Here are the five top takeaways for successfully integrating performance and brand into your marketing strategies, shared during eTail Connect 2023:
Educate your business. It is almost impossible to deliver long-term business performance if a brand fails to resonate with consumers. Budget holders need to understand that brand and performance are increasingly interdependent.
Avoid cannibalizing your channels. According to Davies-Hinde, the convergence between performance and brand means marketers must build shared KPIs across both channels – don’t just measure ROAS from a performance perspective and brand equity from a brand standpoint. KPIs must work in harmony rather that working against each other. “Ultimately shoppers use multiple channels, so you have to build your budgets to reflect that reality,” Davies-Hinde told eTail Connect 2023 delegates.
Don’t invest everything in short-term performance. Remaining front-of-mind among consumers is critical, Ciaran McClellan, Growth Director at contemporary women’s wear brand ME+EM, told delegates. He said: “Most of the marketing activity conducted by teams is about laying down memory structures for future sales. If you get too caught up in short-term measurement and lose confidence in your marketing and branding efforts, you run the risk of cutting off those opportunities for future demand.”
Product will determine where marketing emphasis should lie. Brand marketing is particularly important when it comes to high-value/high-consideration purchases with protracted buying journeys and multiple touchpoints. Brand ensures products stay front-of-mind throughout that process, but it is difficult to attribute the key touchpoints that drive a sale. Was it the brand that converted the customer or was it, for example, a 20% discount? “That’s the age-old challenge retailers and brands face!” says Davies Hinde.
Embrace the concept of performance-driven creative branding. Briefs now being submitted to creative teams are increasingly being informed by data – metrics that show if branded content and messaging is resonating with consumers. This is perhaps one of the best examples of convergence between performance and brand marketing.
The bottom line: Far from being in competition, brand and performance marketing in 2023 are intrinsically linked, enjoying a symbiotic relationship from which both disciplines benefit.
---
## Epsilon earns top Data Privacy Scores from Neutronian, Q3 2023
Type: eps_post
URL: /epsilon-earns-top-data-privacy-scores-from-neutronian-q3-2023
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Epsilon earns top Data Privacy Scores from Neutronian, Q3 2023
Unlocking the true potential of data in today's marketing landscape is a balancing act: Brands have access to more information about their customers than ever before, but respecting and protecting people's privacy has never been more essential. They also need to keep a pulse on evolving consumer privacy laws. So how do marketers truly know that the data they're sourcing to craft effective campaigns, or the partner that's running them, is privacy compliant?
In a recent white paper, "Neutronian Data Privacy Scoring," Neutronian developed a Data Privacy Scoring Methodology that assesses top data providers and domains on their overall data privacy score. Epsilon is proud to rank #1 in overall data privacy in our competitive set, landing top scores in the Policies & Compliance, Data Disclosures and Company Background categories.
Why should marketers care about this report?
The goal of Neutronian's Data Privacy Scoring Methodology is to "help marketers, data providers and digital publishers reduce compliance risk and costs, increase transparency and identify potential areas for improvement when it comes to data privacy." By developing this standard, marketers can be confident they're activating ad campaigns and sourcing data within privacy-safe environments—which is not only good for brands, but good for the consumers whose experience is shaped by data.
Neutronian's Methodology
Neutronian's Data Privacy Scoring methodology is "based on a review of data gathered from web domains and mobile applications regarding the presence and organization of key privacy policies, website/app owner background and reputation, and dataset disclosures." Neutronian assigns a data privacy score or risk rating based on their scoring algorithms that "take into account not only the presence of certain policies and information, but also how easily that information may be found and understood."
The framework comprises three main categories, each with multiple aspects that contribute to the overall score:
Policies & Compliance: Measures the data privacy risk associated with applicable laws such as GDPR and CPRA. Essentially, it answers the question "are the necessary privacy policies, opt-out procedures and compliance terms present to comply with GDPR and CPRA?"
Data Disclosures: Measures "reputational risk, ensuring that data collection policies, data usage practices and data sharing, especially as it relates to the collection and use of location data and PII, are overt and transparent" to consumers whose data is being collected and buyers who need to ensure they are safely using said data.
Company Background: Measures the trustworthiness of a company by confirming that a website or app discloses who they are in terms of items like "key executives, founders, investors, geographic locations or staff, and company history."
Epsilon is a data partner you can trust
Based on Neutronian's assessment, Epsilon achieved an overall Data Privacy Score of 84.93, the highest score in our competitive set (see figure below).
Epsilon also came out on top in the three categories: Privacy & Compliance, Data Disclosures and Company Background:
At Epsilon, privacy is at the center of everything we do. We're proud to be included in a report that helps marketers make sense of the data privacy landscape and guides them to a data partner that is focused on consumer privacy compliance.
If you’d like to learn how Epsilon’s best-in-class data can lift your marketing performances and drive better business outcomes—all while keeping data privacy at the center of your marketing—check out more on Epsilon Data here.
---
## Don't be fooled: Most CDPs are not enterprise-ready
Type: eps_post
URL: /dont-be-fooled-most-cdps-are-not-enterprise-ready
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T22:16:49Z
# Don't be fooled: Most CDPs are not enterprise-ready
2020 has been the year of the customer data platform (CDP), and it’s easy to see why.
The CDP market is projected to grow to over $10 billion by 2025, and according to Gartner, CDP technology companies have received more than $1.8 billion in VC funding. Why does this category have such big money behind it? CDPs are attempting to tackle a big and growing problem in marketing: unifying customer data to power personalized experiences.
Marketers for mid-size brands have turned to CDPs as the primary tool for driving personalization. The idea has naturally trickled up to enterprise brands looking to solve similar, but more complex, challenges. In fact, Epsilon’s new research indicates that Fortune 1,000 marketers ranked CDPs as the No. 1 way they plan to mitigate the uncertainty from third-party cookie deprecation.
Clearly, there is a lot of buzz around CDPs. But can they solve the needs of the enterprise marketer?
While mid-size brands have seen some early successes with CDPs, the experience has been different for large enterprise brands, who are quickly realizing that CDPs alone cannot solve their unique needs. Some are exploring the more difficult path of building custom internal solutions to address identity resolution and personalization. In general, this path will be a much slower trek towards the goal, whereas looking at enterprise CDP packages could accelerate progress.
To understand if a CDP could be an enterprise-ready solution, you must know the history of the category. CDP vendors had decisions to make early on. They could target the mid-market, where technology can solve less complex matching, segmentation and orchestration needs. Or they could solve more complex enterprise needs, like managing online and offline data across business units and making that data available in real-time without sacrificing scale and security (which inherently requires a mix of technology and know-how).
Not surprisingly, Forrester Research wrote in a 2018 report and again in a 2020 report that CDPs were not built to solve enterprise problems. The CDPs that started as mid-market solutions and moved upmarket were not designed with a fundamental capability that enterprise marketers need: the ability to unify online and offline data across multiple business units and brands to drive personalized marketing at scale. A traditional CDP is a foundational part of the solution. But a CDP is not—by itself—the solution. Let’s explore why.
The 2 missing links to the enterprise-ready CDP
There are two major gaps in a traditional CDP offering that will make or break an enterprise marketer’s success:
1. Identity management and resolution
Identity management, in and of itself, is hard. It’s not been made easier by the ongoing deprecation of third-party cookies and disruption to mobile ad IDs like IDFA.
It’s not uncommon for a brand to have four or more profiles for the same customer. For multi-brand companies, errors from multiple profiles are compounded and create a foundation of fragmented identities. In this scenario, accurately linking digital engagements and in-person transactions to the same individual can seem impossible.
Most CDPs and marketing clouds are not built to manage person-level identity. They can combine and link the profiles you tell them to, but the ability to link online and offline profiles back to a single individual will be superficial at best. This disconnect disrupts the customer experience and makes true 1:1 personalization attempts futile.
2. Quality data to enable advanced personalization
Determining which data supports your use cases, curating it and making it accessible in the exact moments you need is required to drive meaningful customer experiences. Augmenting your consumer profiles with unique insights around browsing history, demographics, lifestyles and propensity to purchase, for example, can help you further differentiate that experience. Distinctive third-party data—that is not rooted in third-party cookies or device IDs—is required to create an enriched profile. That, combined with a robust intelligence layer for personalized activation across channels at-scale, are the necessary components of an enterprise-ready CDP.
For example, when you identify customers who visit your website, you can leverage their browsing history combined with prior transactions and information about their lifestyle and preferences to optimize their website experience in real time. Instead of prompting them to register, you can show them products and offers that enhance their loyal customer experience.
Technology must be combined with relevant insights about the consumer to activate personalization at-scale across complex enterprise businesses. Without unique data that’s aligned to a bulletproof customer profile, you will have another point solution, unable to deliver the differentiated and personalized experiences customers have come to expect.
It’s not too late for an enterprise-ready CDP
The right enterprise-ready CDP partner will decrease time to value from years to a few months. In business, that’s a lifetime.
If your company has not yet solved the CDP challenge, rest assured you are not alone. On a scale of 1 to 10, most companies rate themselves a 6 out of 10 in terms of their ability to successfully deliver a consistent omnichannel customer experience. Many organizations have a long way to go and plenty of room for improvement.
CDPs are a foundational component of a mar-tech stack. But it’s the know-how and technology supporting customer identity, data enhancement, real-time decisioning, and omnichannel activation that makes them enterprise-ready and able to power more valuable experiences. Filling these gaps will ensure that the data platform you invest in is a bedrock solution, rather than a passing fad.
**This article was originally published on Adweek, November 2020.
---
## How CDPs do (and don’t) factor into a cookie-less world
Type: eps_post
URL: /how-cdps-factor-into-a-cookie-less-world
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T22:20:56Z
# How CDPs do (and don’t) factor into a cookie-less world
Third-party cookies have faced deprecation from all the major browsers, with Chrome being the most recent and notable shift. In January 2020, Google announced that it is phasing out third-party cookies in Chrome, which has roughly 63% of the U.S. market- share on desktop browsers, by 2022.
A cookie-less world forces a fundamental change in the online advertising industry as third-party cookies underlie many brands’ and adtech providers’ ability to track user behavior online, personalize digital ads and measure the impact of marketing campaigns.
Thinking of a future without third-party cookies at all, many marketers must question how they currently assess customer identity in an online environment and how cookie removal will impact user identification.
Some have posited that customer data platforms (CDPs) are the answer to a cookie-less world because they can aggregate, organize and align customer data, to then be used for marketing activation. But—as you dig into it—that answer isn’t so straightforward. We asked two industry experts what they predict and what they recommend for the new frontier.
Liane Nadeau
Senior vice president and head of precision media and investments, Digitas North America
"The industry is seeing the deprecation of third-party cookies as an opportunity for a new technology to emerge, and a lot of data management platforms (DMPs) are attempting to move into that space. Fundamentally, I think CDPs, as opposed to DMPs, are better positioned to solve for addressability in a cookie-less world, as they are rooted in people, not cookies or device IDs. And now that cookies are a disappearing phenomenon, we do need something that has a foundation of people.
Customer data platforms: Software that culls data from various sources and creates a persistent, unified database of customer profiles accessible to other systems.
If you think about CDP as broadly referring to a people-first technology platform, then absolutely that’s the only way forward. But I’d argue that CDPs are kind of a blank canvas. Without the right people who have the expertise to translate it into media and marketing strategies, it’s really just an empty shell.
There’s a reason walled gardens are winning in this world, and it’s because they can keep everything end-to-end within the same platform and on the same ID. That’s really the only way to do identity in its most perfect form. At the same time, what you don’t want is to have put your data and all of your protected assets behind someone else’s lock and key, like with Google, and not be able to use them in the open ecosystem.
CDPs are incredible for things like email, because you know exactly how to reach each person based on that email address. But right now, the world of adtech and ad buying is still largely based on cookies. So, until that changes, CDPs are a little bit unactionable unless you translate them to cookies.
I’d say CDPs are only one piece of the answer. If we hang our hats on CDPs alone being the way of the future, we’ll end up in a similar place to where we are now, where systems aren’t talking, and we’re reliant upon those who own the end-to-end stack, like the walled garden.
But if we see CDPs as a kind of base and a technology, not a strategy, then we’ll be able to build something stronger on top of that."
Carl Madaffari
Senior vice president of marketing technology platforms, Epsilon
"With third-party cookies being deprecated by Apple and Google, I can see why the appeal of CDPs is so strong. There are, however, several issues to consider when thinking about CDPs: This is still a nascent concept and 'CDP' means different things to different people; comprehensive and persistent identity is not usually part of a CDP toolset; and tools by themselves will not solve for this challenge.
Between venture capital pursuing the next big thing and everyone from tag-management systems to master data-management platforms rebranding themselves as CDPs, there are now over 100 options in a market that can only bear a handful of survivors, making picking the right one quite risky. The other reality is that most of the ability to centralize, collect, manage and activate customer data can be done with existing marketing technology architecture.
If I were an upstart company with a small team and a single brand to focus on—maybe something regional—I think a CDP might be a good fit. But expanding beyond that, coordinating business rules for record consolidation at an enterprise or global level will cause most solutions to fall apart.
CDPs give marketers hands-on controls to manage business rules, but they don’t provide a comprehensive identity capability, which is the connective tissue in customer-centric marketing. Brands get excited about CDPs and the ability to align data by the individual, but CDPs’ biggest gap is that they—on their own—don’t have the identity layer, and that’s what ties everything together. They struggle to capture, align and activate data at the individual level.
Core Insight: Google’s announcement follows similar restrictions on other browsers, like Firefox and Safari. Still, because Google has roughly 63% of all web traffic on its browser, its shift is a significant change that the larger adtech community will need to reconcile.
At Epsilon, we have several clients who bought a CDP and said, 'Hey, we’re kind of missing that identity layer. Can you help us bring that in?' CDPs are a good goal in theory, but they don’t do everything that a marketer expects them to do.
Expecting a tool alone to solve a problem is like expecting a brush, a palette and a piece of canvas to become a great piece of art on their own. The reality is that it takes specific know-how, the same way an effective CDP strategy takes expertise."
Image credit: INAMEL/Shutterstock
---
## How identity resolution can help solve healthcare's marketing challenge
Type: eps_post
URL: /how-identity-resolution-can-help-solve-healthcares-marketing-challenge
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T22:17:52Z
# How identity resolution can help solve healthcare's marketing challenge
In marketing circles, it’s long been true that when it comes to customers “the more you know, the more you grow.” Having a thorough understanding of existing customers not only ensures that marketers can best communicate in ways that resonate and compel customers to action, but can also help them find new ones. How? By drilling down into their characteristics and then looking for other people in the market area who share these same traits.
For instance, if you’re the CMO for an integrated healthcare system with a goal of building a broader customer base for dermatology services, you might decide to target female patients within a certain age range and geography. You might also profile your existing dermatology services patients and then reach out to the community at large within a certain geographic area and target people with those same characteristics. The odds are good that you’ll capture some new customers in the process.
This all presumes, of course, that you have actionable customer data that provides you with the opportunity to thoroughly understand who they are and how best to message them.
Healthcare marketing faces unique challenges
This same principle can apply in healthcare circles as insurance providers seek new customers or patients. There’s a yin/yang to the healthcare industry, though, in terms of data:
On the one hand, you likely have a lot of very detailed data about patients.
On the other hand, that data is highly subject to privacy and security restrictions that may limit how you’re able to use it.
That conundrum has kept many healthcare insurance providers from leveraging the value of their data as extensively as marketers in other industries can.
Ultimately, this is more because they don’t have the necessary tools than it is about not having enough data. Healthcare marketers need to accurately join disparate data from non-integrated systems to create a holistic view of consumers. In fact, tools like identity management are underutilized in the healthcare space. As a result, healthcare providers struggle to send accurate and appropriate messages to their consumers about their accounts, the management of their own healthcare, or the management of the healthcare of the loved ones they’re responsible for. Most healthcare marketers often try but fail because this is not their core competency.
How to overcome these healthcare marketing obstacles
Yes, healthcare marketers must understand how they can, and can’t, use patient healthcare information (PHI) in their marketing efforts. But just because they have to be careful doesn’t mean they can’t!
For instance: healthcare marketers can’t target your messaging specifically to diabetes patients, but you can target patients using lifestyle psychographics that correlate strongly with diabetes.
Because PHI and non-PHI data is often not stored in the same place, and because healthcare organizations must stay HIPAA compliant, many just feel it’s too complicated, and too risky, to use customer-centric messaging and marketing. Identity management solutions can help.
Building lookalike models off your patients is a great example of this.
Using identity management solutions to retain customers
Different patients, depending on age, healthcare concerns and other attributes, have different needs and interests. Understanding patient needs and taking steps to reach out to them at key times in their patient journey can help keep them on board, ensure they seek services when they need them, and help develop patients as powerful brand advocates.
If you make wellbeing content and capabilities central to patient engagement, your healthcare organization is positioned as an advocate, and partner, in their healthcare journey. Promoting your digital tools can deepen these trusted relationships while also helping patients more actively manage their health.
There are many touchpoints where you can effectively reach out to patients:
During initial sign-up
With appointment reminders
Self-care tips
Patients, depending on their care concerns, also benefit from helpful reminders that may correlate to time of year or current issues—like effectively staying safe during the pandemic.
Healthcare marketers can effectively facilitate loyalty through contextual marketing outreach and a strategy that directly relates to patients needs and concerns. At the same time, they can drive consumer advocacy through a focus on generating meaningful patient reviews.
Other industries have seen the benefits of strong identity resolution. The financial services industry is a good example of this—they strategically leverage the power of their data to grow market share and maintain customer satisfaction. They too have privacy considerations to work around, but they’re been able to find and retain new customers with the right identity resolution provider to help them succeed.
Learn more: The five building blocks of identity resolution
How one healthcare organization captured new customers through lookalike models with Epsilon’s Help
A large pharmacy benefit manager and care services group enlisted Epsilon to help with their identity management solution during open enrollment for Medicare. Because the healthcare brand invested in an identity management solution, they now know (with certainty) who their patients are, so they can run lookalike models to acquire new customers based on specific patient attributes and geography. To reduce repeat messaging and ad waste, current patients are stripped out of the acquisition efforts.
Marketing efforts can then be used to create buzz and educate consumers—the right consumers—about Medicare advantages. Influencers like brokers and physicians can also be leveraged to help spread the word.
This is just one example of how Epsilon can strategically help healthcare marketers use their patient data to help attract new patients—in a privacy complaint way, of course. Once on board, data can also be leveraged to help retain patients by reaching out to them at key times.
Don’t go at it alone
Effectively engaging patients on an ongoing basis requires a sound strategy, an understanding of how to best leverage data, the ability to analyze and respond to results. Acquisition, retention and engagement all hinge on your ability to identify customers in a private, HIPAA-compliant way. This really isn’t something you should take a DIY approach to.
Investing in a strong identity management partnership can help healthcare brands effectively utilize their customer database within privacy and HIPAA parameters. A partner like Epsilon.
Contact Epsilon to start an educational and accessible conversation on how you can leverage identity management to reach your marketing KPIs and goals.
---
## Differentiating through identity, data and technology
Type: eps_post
URL: /differentiating-through-identity-data-and-technology
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T22:16:49Z
# Differentiating through identity, data and technology
It’s difficult to differentiate in the crowded ad tech and martech ecosystems when there are 7,040 solutions all vying for marketers’ attention and budgets.
We know there’s a lot of noise in our industry, which is why at Epsilon, one of the core values we live by is “Differentiate or Die,” and we approach this mindset with passion, integrity and service. It’s helped us get to where we are today, and we’re proud to share that our commitment to differentiation has vaulted us to the top.
For the second consecutive year, Epsilon was named the winner in the Adweek Readers’ Choice: Best of Tech Awards for Identity, Data and Email Marketing.
Our commitment to innovation has us laser-focused on helping world-class brands drive growth by engaging their customers in ongoing, rich and rewarding conversations that make people feel recognized, respected and protected.
We believe these three elements are critical for organizations to transform every customer experience into a more human experience:
Identity to accurately reach existing customers and prospects in real time to deliver personalized messaging and drive measurable business outcomes.
Data assets to enrich clients’ first-party data with demographics, behavioral insights or online and offline transactions and to predict purchases driven by machine learning and AI.
Technology (including CRM, email and loyalty solutions) to organize, manage and activate clients’ first-party data across channels.
“Identity, Data, and Email are foundational elements of our business,” said President and Chief Operating Offer Ric Elert. “Our capabilities are second to none and power all that we do to deliver personalized experiences at scale for our customers.”
Today, Epsilon is positioned at the heart of Publicis Groupe, where we continue to differentiate by accelerating transformation and innovation for Publicis’ business and our clients.
---
## Data quality: The foundation of high-performance marketing
Type: eps_post
URL: /data-quality-the-foundation-of-high-performance-marketing
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Data quality: The foundation of high-performance marketing
High-performance marketing is rooted in strong data, but not all data is equal. Having quality data is critical to ensure you’re maximizing your marketing’s effectiveness, making every customer and prospect interaction count.
But what does having quality data mean? Let’s review key factors to consider when evaluating data:
Coverage: Overall coverage looks at file size and element coverage is the percent of records on the file with that specific element. In today’s environment, coverage must go beyond name and address to also include multichannel coverage. This translates to higher and consistent identification rates across all consumer touch-points for more effective omnichannel marketing.
Accuracy: Use a truth set file you have confidence in to compare and evaluate accuracy of data elements. Data accuracy ensures you’re reaching the right consumers with the optimal message and offer to maximize your marketing dollars. Tradeoffs between coverage and accuracy can happen, so the key to success is balancing and achieving high marks in both.
Performance: Performance measures how well data elements are able to predict specific actions. Well-balanced models with data elements reflecting depth, breadth, variety and uniqueness drive the best performance.
Privacy: Performance should never come at the cost of privacy. To succeed, you need data that’s transparent, verifiable and trustworthy. A privacy-first approach is fundamental to data-driven marketing.
The consequences of not using quality data
If data is not accurate or high quality, it doesn’t matter what statistical methods or advanced analytics are applied, nor how much experience is brought to the table.
Basing decisions on conclusions derived from flawed data can have costly implications for you and you business. Poor data costs the U.S. economy over $3 trillion each year and can cost businesses at least 30% of revenues. These costs go beyond the monetary impact of wasted marketing spend to include consequences like loss of reputation and higher-risk decision making.
Therefore, it’s imperative that brands seek data partners who are transparent about their sources and the steps they take to maintain data quality and respect consumer privacy.
The value of having the right partner
Let’s look at a real example of how improvements in data quality translate to improved business outcomes. Faraday faced two major challenges with their data: simplicity and quality. Their data supply chain was complicated and they were working with a large number of vendors. After piecing together data sources for many years, Faraday partnered with us on a solution.
We jointly selected several data sources, including a dynamic and robust install of our multi-sourced consumer marketing file TotalSource Plus®. Comparing our data to prior sources, Faraday found our data to have better quality, higher coverage and more attributes that suited their business.
The result? Faraday has seen a 50% increase in model validation accuracy, resulting in happier clients, better retention and an overall lift to their business.
Ongoing evaluation and commitment to quality
When was the last time you looked at the quality of your marketing data? Do you know if there are gaps? How often is the data refreshed? The time and effort you invest to ask the right questions, test (and retest!) data and find the right data partner will pay off many times over in smarter decision-making and better results.
Because of our commitment to high-quality data, we authorized a third-party audit of our consumer marketing file, TotalSource Plus, to evaluate its strength and ensure we continue to offer performance-driven data per marketing industry standards.
To see the full audit results and learn why our file is ranked #1, download the report.
---
## What is first-, second-, third- and zero-party data?
Type: eps_post
URL: /what-is-first-second-third-and-zero-party-data
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# What is first-, second-, third- and zero-party data?
So, you want to talk about data—but you’re not sure where to start. Maybe all the different parties (first, second, third, zero…) has you just wanting to stay home. We know it can get a bit messy, but as marketers today, it’s incredibly important to understand all of your data as it has a significant impact on how you connect with your customers.
Let’s dig in.
Table of contents
First-party data
Second-party data
Third-party data
Zero-party data
Wrapping it up
What is first-party data?
Simply put, first-party data is data you’ve collected directly from your customers. Many marketers hold first-party data to such high esteem for this reason—it’s gathered straight from your audience, so not only is it relatively easy to manage and store, but it’s cost-effective and considered highly accurate.
First-party data can consist of:
Website and mobile app interactions and behaviors
Purchase history
Contact information – including email, phone or address
SMS
Point-of-sale & CRM data
Call centers
Subscription information
Social media data
This data is collected directly from consumers, transactions and by placing a pixel on your website, mobile app, product or social channels. Typically, the information is recorded in a CRM or DMP.
Why is first-party data important?
As we’ve discussed, first-party data is invaluable to many marketers. It gives you a clear picture of how customers interact with your brand, so you can make informed decisions on how to best communicate with them in the future:
It enhances personalization. Having a clear understanding of your customers’ behaviors, interactions and marketing activity across devices is the key to understanding what they’re interested in. You can use this data to tailor your messages to their needs and wants, like which categories they recently purchased from.
It future-proofs your marketing. As I’m sure you’ve heard, cookies are a goner. Because first-party data is collected by you from your website, it has staying power a cookie does not. You maintain a 1:1 connection with your customer (as long as they continue interacting).
It drives cross-sell and upsell. Knowing customer purchase history and brand interactions enables segmentation and targeting of customers. This information is used to personalize offers and messaging to entice them to buy more of products they have already purchased (and try new ones they might like).
It's privacy protected. As data privacy becomes more of a concern to consumers and brands alike, it’s important to invest in a strategy that puts privacy first. As we’ve discussed, this kind of data is collected first-hand, right from the source.
What is second-party data?
Second-party data is data that you did not collect. It’s essentially first-party data that came from another organization outside of your own. This can mean that you obtained second-party data from a trusted partner in which you share a mutually beneficial relationship with, or that you purchased.
Second-party data can consist of:
Customer surveys and feedback
Website and mobile app interactions and behaviors
Purchase history
Contact information – including Email, phone or address
SMS
Point-of-sale & CRM data
Call centers
Subscription information
Social media data
Why is second-party data important?
Second-party data is a great way to expand the scope of your data. Typically, you would gather this kind of data from a trusted partner that you know, which ensures accuracy and relevancy. Plus, once you have second-party data, you can manage it in essentially the same way as your first-party data:
It increases the depth and breadth of your data. Data fielded directly from your customers is of course valuable, but there’s only so much you can learn. If you’re wanting to expand your dataset beyond what’s in your purview, second-party data is a great way to do it.
It helps you reach audiences you might not have in the past. With an increased reach, you can start to target other potential prospects that you may not have had access to in the past.
It (also) future-proofs your marketing. As with first-party data, second-party data is collected directly by your trusted partner from their website, mobile app or social profiles.
It measures performance. For certain verticals, such as CPG, partnering with retailers allow them to measure the performance of campaigns and what consumers actually purchase instore.
What is third-party data?
Third-party data is data you buy from an outside source that is not the original collector of said data. It can come from a wide variety of sources both offline and across the digital ecosystem. It is then aggregated, segmented and sold to marketers for their own advertising campaigns.
Third-party data can be purchased as audience segments for individual campaigns, meaning you can choose exactly which kind of customer you want to target. For example, you might be looking for fitness enthusiasts to buy your organic brownies. So, you could purchase an audience segment of females ages 25-45 that are outdoor enthusiasts and have shopped at health food stores in the past month.
In addition, third-party data can be purchased to enrich your own customer data with information you do not collect directly or cannot access. Most brands will purchase third-party data to add critical demographic information such as age, income, gender and interests, which enhances your customer profiles to help improve personalization.
Third-party data consists of:
Demographics
Financials such as income, net worth
Purchases
Categorical Interests
Online behaviors
Propensities and attitudes
Health information
Why is third-party data important?
The primary benefit of third-party data is to beef up the data you already have and once again widen your scope of people to target. The efficacy of third-party data is often debated in the industry, hence it is important to carefully vet any partner to ensure they follow data accuracy and privacy best practices:
It enriches the data you already have. Third-party data can help you fill in the gaps first-party data can’t—not just from your site or direct interactions. Brands will usually start with demographic and lifestyle data and expand to purchase and behavioral data.
It helps you discover best prospects. Through modeling and advanced analytics, third-party data can be used to identify your next best prospects. These prospects can be reached across all channels, including digital, aTV, email, direct mail, digital out of home, audio and gaming
It helps you target better. With additional demographic details, behavioral context and transaction insights, you can improve your understanding of customers and add multi-dimensional insights that can go beyond first-party data’s scope.
What is zero-party data?
Zero-party data is voluntarily shared by the customer, while first-party data is collected by websites and software. These types of data are similar, but zero-party data involves direct customer input.
The key word with first-party data is voluntary. While customers understand that you might be tracking their interactions and behaviors on their site to build your first-party data assets, they’re not explicitly telling you every move they make—you’re making observations and predicting behaviors based on those observations. Zero-party data leaves no room for inference.
Zero-party data consists of:
Loyalty program memberships
Interactive quiz or game responses
Preference data
Purchase intentions
Why is zero-party data important?
Zero-party data is gold to marketers:
It’s definitive and trustworthy. While self reporting can sometimes be an issue, for the most part, you have to trust what your customers are telling you. Zero-party data gives you direct access to your customers’ intentions.
It's (even more) privacy protected. Customers are encouraged to willingly provide information about themselves on their own terms—it’s not being collected in the background without their understanding. With GDPR and CCPA regulations and cookie deprecation on the horizon, marketers should prioritize collecting data their audiences are consciously giving them.
It makes personalization that much better. Using zero-party data capture techniques like interactive quizzes and games gives you the opportunity to dynamically enhance and personalize content in real-time.
Wrapping it up
There will always be some nuance when it comes to explaining and discussing the different kinds of data. But as we’ve discussed, data is the lifeline and the connection point between you and your customers (and new ones). Understanding those nuances is essential to choosing the right type of data or data mix to prioritize in your marketing mix.
---
## Modernizing digital marketing: Strategy as a Service
Type: eps_post
URL: /modernizing-digital-marketing-what-strategy-as-a-service-means-to-us
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Modernizing digital marketing: Strategy as a Service
Winning the hearts of clients in today’s ever-changing digital world isn’t just about being digitally savvy or talking the digital language. Rather, it’s about constantly pushing the boundaries of digital marketing services and coming up with ways to deliver on your promise to drive competitive advantages for clients.
For as long as I can remember, conventional engagement has focused on the product while strategy has been thought of as an add-on service. Now, we’re seeing a transition toward an “as a service” approach becoming an integral part of overall digital marketing services. The problem is that the “as a service” buzzword has been applied to just about everything in business.
What exactly does “as a service” mean when applied to strategy? That’s what we’re going to dive into here.
The impact of a strategy approach to digital marketing services
Cloud computing brought with it the “as a service” model, creating a rapidly changing business landscape and a boom in strategy consulting. Consultants made it easier for clients to overcome the challenges of new forms of engagement and explore transformative opportunities that align with the mechanics of business and technology.
Now, our clients are looking for long-term relationships with strategic partners that can talk about the big picture, cut through all the noise, steer clear of time-wasting jargon, stitch a story together and deliver in weeks instead of months. This is exactly where “Strategy as a Service” excels.
Over the years, I’ve been fortunate to take part in large-scale strategy consulting engagements where there are multiple tracks going on in parallel with different tasks ranging from employee experience strategy to supply chain optimization planning. Many times, this led to confusion within leadership as everyone had different schools of thought for their individual workstreams. But all it took was one whiteboarding session to synergize it all with the leadership team and get on a path to success.
To put this in perspective, one of India’s largest fashion companies had a vision of personalizing customer experience at their brick and mortar stores. To do this, they first had to figure out what kind of data they had available to enable personalization. This meant almost 30% of their time was spent digging out data and then another 30% was spent analyzing it, which led to a lot of overlap and confusion as each brand had a different perspective of the data.
To bring order to this chaos, a strategy approach was laid out where the objective was to be use case driven. The use cases were further divided into “earn a penny” and “save a penny” categories, making it easier to converge everyone’s time and energy.
The outcome was a prioritization of distinct use cases across brands like Market Basket Analysis for Cross Selling, Churn Modeling for Customer Win Back, and Next Best Offer for Personalization, all of which helped leaders “look for data that will help drive these use cases.” The strategy approach not only got all the leaders to a single school of thought but also ensured visibility into what each brand was trying to accomplish in terms of personalization.
Read more: In times of uncertainty, data helps us stay connected
Strategy supports a holistic view of digital marketing services
My biggest takeaway from those experiences was the need to draw the big picture top down at the very beginning, which has a bigger impact than approaching it bottom up through multiple tracks and then thinking about convergence later. It doesn’t matter whether it’s a conglomerate you’re dealing with or a specific industry client—all that matters is how (and at what touchpoints of the overall thought process) the different pieces of the puzzle fit together. Presenting that view in the very beginning is critical.
With that experience in mind, it’s essential that we approach any business problem or opportunity with the knowledge that strategy brings in a holistic view of things. From a “Strategy as a Service” perspective, we perform discovery sessions for clients, not because we have an objective to achieve after a few months, but because we have a big picture goal in mind that needs to be achieved over a few years.
Modern digital marketing services cover all foundational components of strong marketing programs like data, technology, products, approach, recommendations, and risks. Considering all of these components together leads to a strategy that spreads much wider than short term goals ever could.
If a "Strategy as a Service" approach is working, we’ll have early indications of responsiveness from clients from a broader perspective. That might mean they’re willing to accept change, stuck at the starting line and looking for guidance or ready to take on transformation initiatives that lead to increased awareness and more channelized decisions being taken. That will be the litmus test.
Tailor-made digital marketing services with Strategy as a Service
“Strategy as a Service” is tailor-made thinking that works for the unique requirements of each individual client. The incorporation of learnings from similar industry peers and in-depth subject matter expertise will lead to faster turnaround times, greater trust in our established methodologies, and recommendations and ever more collaborative relationships being nurtured.
"Strategy as a Service" starts with understanding the current state of the client based on fact-based needs and opportunities. Then, you supplement those needs with best in case examples, design the future state with workshops and prototypes and finally come up with a value/cost implementation roadmap. Of all these steps, we must put special emphasis on prototyping. It’s the single best means to validate an idea. And while there are plenty of tools for prototyping out there, it’s just as important to be creative in conveying the right message.
For example, the travel technology company, Sabre, uses the “Sprint Method” to validate business ideas with customers. This method is a five-day process for answering critical business questions through design, prototyping, and testing ideas with customers. It’s a “greatest hits” of business strategy, innovation, behavior science, design thinking, and more—packaged into a battle-tested process that any team can use. With the right team and mindset in place, this method won’t take up too much time.
Another great example, and one of my favorites, is how Rick Kazman of the Software Engineering Institute explains prototyping for developing big data systems. He not only identifies the six risks involved in developing big data systems, but also highlights how you manage the risk through prototyping. I’ve seen these recommendations live in action as we applied the minimum viable product (MVP) for a data ecosystem build for one of our CPG clients. They minimize time spent on iterations by focusing only on those features that allow product development and continuously aligning with stakeholders.
Roger L. Martin has another interesting perspective on how to approach this. In his view, strategy is iterative prototyping that addresses the 5 key questions of strategy: what is our winning aspiration, where will we play, how will we win, what capabilities we must have, and what management systems are required.
None of these methods are complete without the right skillsets and professionals within a digital marketing services provider. Clients make a judgment about service providers based on the quality of deliverables and the passion showcased through this journey. It’s essential we make transformative changes to the way we upskill ourselves to talk the language that clients understand and hold their hands throughout the entire journey. Most of all, I recommend you focus on soft skills like rapid prototyping and problem solving.
We’re facing disrupted times at a scale the world has never seen before. And as companies transition to “as a service” offerings, we need to bring in levels of transparency and knowledge that generate trust with our clients.
With "Strategy as a Service", we all sail these stormy waters together, which brings in more collaborative working principles that are backed by being trusted partners in the journey that drives long lasting relationships.
But this isn’t a fire-and-forget approach or a shock-and-awe move. It’s about remaining invested in constantly adjusting the services to the changing market dynamics and client needs.
Learn more about Epsilon’s strategy and insights services.
---
## Four elements that drive digital transformation in marketing
Type: eps_post
URL: /four-elements-that-drive-digital-transformation-in-marketing
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T22:16:49Z
# Four elements that drive digital transformation in marketing
All too often, companies rush to implement the latest solution in the name of digital transformation only to end up with technical debt. The consequences of implementing the wrong technologies become painfully evident in a disrupted marketplace like the one we’re facing today.
According to Sandy Shen, Senior Director Analyst at Gartner, “The value of digital channels, products and operations is immediately obvious to companies everywhere right now. [COVID-19] is a wake-up call for organizations that have placed too much focus on daily operational needs at the expense of investing in digital businesses and long-term resilience. Businesses that can shift technology capacity and investments to digital platforms will mitigate the impact of the outbreak and keep their companies running smoothly now, and over the long term.”
We’re being forced into a new age of digital. To successfully adapt, you need to focus on these four foundational elements that drive digital transformation.
1. Data
Data is the bedrock of any digital transformation strategy. This foundational element refers to processes and technologies related to data management, integration and identity resolution.
But for companies with high-touch, siloed data capabilities, making the most of data for digital transformation can be a challenge. Overcoming this challenge requires consideration of the two sides of data management—the technical side and the information side.
On the technical side, we have to ask ourselves if we have the right data infrastructure to achieve business goals. Enterprises that succeed in digital transformation create a tiered data environment. They have a data lake that is automatically populated by business systems without any human interaction, a conformed layer where data is cleansed and business rules are applied and a publish layer where data is made available through data stores and analytic marts.
This kind of tiered data environment creates an always-on data exchange that helps internal teams and external partners leverage actionable data. Think about it as a unified data strategy that can be democratized across your organization. Sales will still operate in CRM systems and marketers will still operate endpoint solutions—but all of those disparate systems will have more accurate and actionable data at their fingertips.
On the information side, focus on data quality as storage becomes centralized. You can enhance your data in multiple ways, including the purchase of third-party data to augment your existing insights and adoption of additional data sources to help you make more evidence-based decisions across channels.
But data is only as valuable as your ability to link it together through governance and integration.
Integration: Microservices and APIs allow systems to send data to and from platforms in your ecosystem. Connecting your systems seamlessly eliminates the inflexibility that comes with high-touch, highly manual data exchanges.
Governance: The formalization of definitions, production and usage of data to manage risk and improve quality and usability of selected data. Without putting these guardrails in place, you won’t be able to make the most of your data for digital transformation.
Data management has to be about more than just identifying customers. Knowing who your customers are without insight into their behaviors and interests won’t benefit your digital efforts. If you want to dig deeper, explains the necessity of building your foundation of data management, data hygiene and persistent identification of offline or first party profile data and the impact on customer experience when that foundation cracks.
Read more: In times of uncertainty, data helps us stay connected
2. Insights
Data on its own won’t drive your digital transformation forward. The second foundational element of your strategy is insights—the actionable information you draw from your data.
Capturing and analyzing interactions for individual channels limits your ability to derive prescriptive insights that apply to the broader customer journey. By moving away from siloed data infrastructure, you’re able to run more unified reports that uncover broader actionable insights that make customer experiences more relevant.
There are four key considerations when addressing insights as a foundational element of digital transformation:
You need a singular analytics environment to derive the most valuable insights. Most endpoint solutions have their own reporting capabilities, but that information is limited to the teams who are use that particular platform. Unifying analytics gives you broader insights.
Business and marketing measures across your organization need to be consistent and optimized for digital transformation success.
You should leverage automated capabilities with AI, machine learning and decision engines once you’ve built a mature data infrastructure and singular analytic environment.
In addition to enhancing analytics capabilities, you need to take a customer-centric approach to enable more proactive engagement and interactions. Having a cohesive data set makes this possible.
3. Orchestration
The orchestration aspect of your digital transformation foundation is where you focus on creating audience and content to build out a customer journey.
With a data infrastructure built for digital transformation, you get integrated consumer attribute and interaction data that you can segment globally and locally for audience management across channels, functions and tools. Establishing programmatic access to data will help your endpoint solutions pull information in near-real time and enable enhanced campaign activation.
There are two high-level considerations for orchestration success:
Organizational goals and approach: Define what your business is setting out to do with each segment of customers. For the best results, you need to reduce audience silos across all audience management processes.
Segmentation: Identify all meaningful areas of separation and clustering among your current customers. Create segments based on demographics, loyalty data, purchase history and other insights that can improve the targeting of marketing activities.
4. Activation
The final foundational element of digital transformation is where everything comes together. Activation is where we create and optimize the consumer experience across all touchpoints—email, web, social media, direct mail, in-stores, etc.
But this is where we see a lot of technical debt. For example, someone in the organization bought an email platform years ago, but it’s designed more for B2C than your B2B organization and rather than sunset it, you just buy a new platform.
To avoid technical debt as you execute a digital transformation strategy, you need to:
Deeply understand your channel goals and the technology capabilities you already have that can execute those goals.
Identify the right platforms and then strategically create/deliver omnichannel experiences optimized by your actionable insights.
Increase campaign velocity—not so that customers receive more, but to develop and execute faster while reducing marketing spending.
Learn more: How to maximize returns on your martech investment
Bringing the elements of digital transformation together
If we know who customers are (data) and can see trends in their buying habits (insights), we can segment them correctly to deliver the right messages (orchestration) and connect through their preferred channels (activation). But that may seem easier said than done.
Marketing is complex. We need to build an enduring foundation by thinking holistically about how we can leverage underlying technology rather than focusing on each foundational block independently.
When you create your foundation, you’re fundamentally changing the way you do business. You’re unlocking audiences, creating data-driven marketing plans, achieving higher performance with less waste and generating reliable results.
Finding the right technologies to increase marketing efficiency while also elevating customer experiences will drive digital transformation success—and ultimately lead to increased brand loyalty and sales.
---
## Transform brick-and-mortar experiences with a digital mindset
Type: eps_post
URL: /data-strategy-for-brick-and-mortar-stores
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T22:16:49Z
# Transform brick-and-mortar experiences with a digital mindset
Today, excellence in customer experience has become the chief determinant of a brand’s success.
Back in the day, customer experience was all about visiting a store in the neighborhood, being greeted by the shopkeeper, exchanging a few pleasantries, answering questions about friends and family, grabbing what you needed, paying and then heading out. After leaving, you were left satisfied that the conversation had a personalized touch to it, and the experience left a lasting impression on you.
What exactly does that experience look like when you apply today’s shopper engagement standards? The shopkeeper was trying to learn more about your buying patterns, your family’s needs, who else can they influence to come to the store, and so on. The principles and values of shopper engagement are still largely the same. But in the dynamically changing retail world, the whole brick-and-mortar store shopping experience has become uninteresting and impersonal.
Leveraging digital marketing services to unlock data-driven personalization can transform the modern brick-and-mortar retail experience, leading to competitive advantages and newfound financial success.
Bringing digital marketing services to brick-and-mortar retail
Finding ways to modernize brick-and-mortar retail experiences is critical to long-term retail strategies. However, we can’t talk about brick-and-mortar experiences in a vacuum as the COVID-19 pandemic continues to impact the industry. Even once there’s a vaccine, we won’t simply return to business as usual. There will be lasting changes to retail experiences for years to come.
As COVID-19 spread, consumers accelerated the shift to online shopping because so many brick-and-mortar retail locations were closed. Now that stores are reopening, there’s been a sharp rise in buy-online-pick-up-in-store options as retailers try to create safe shopping environments.
But those options have become the norm. Retailers have to do more to stand out in a positive way. How? Create a seamless and personalized customer experience by leveraging both online and offline data.
Recent studies show that during the pandemic, 87% of consumers prefer to shop in stores with touchless or robust self-checkout options. Many retailers are already using online and offline data to capitalize on this trend and transform brick-and-mortar experiences with contactless options. One example is Kroger, which announced its “Kroger Pay” program to combine checkout, payment, and loyalty into one app that promotes COVID-19 safety.
In order to transform brick-and-mortar experiences to adapt to the pandemic and meet new customer expectations, you need to ask yourself two questions:
“How do I best understand my customers’ needs, expectations and perceptions?”
“How do I meet my customer’s insatiable appetite for experiences?"
Read more: Modernizing digital marketing: What "Strategy as a Service" means to us
These questions tie into what Bobby Cameron, a Forrester expert on CIO-targeted business technology research, points out in the Future of Retail 2020 article. He says that “2020 is going to show early-stage differentiation for retailers that have invested in data strategies and data is becoming an essential part of the customer experience.”
Leveraging data-driven personalization through digital marketing services can achieve both aims. The more data you have about your customers, the more relevant the personalization becomes, which in turn helps create meaningful experiences. Without knowing the customer, you can’t create a positive, personalized brick-and-mortar experiences.
As a result, retailers are pushing to become more customer- and data-centric. However, while a significant amount of time and research has been devoted to digital/online personalization, offline experiences—especially in brick and mortar stores—leave a lot to be desired. Bringing the mindset of data-driven digital marketing services to the brick-and-mortar world can change that.
Transforming brick-and-mortar retail experiences
Imagine a situation where a retailer can leverage various data points about a walk-in customer to deliver relevant experiences, have meaningful conversations and make them feel welcome. That’s where the concept of Customer Experience (CX) as a service comes into play, taking offline personalization to the next level.
It could be as simple as an app in the hands of a store associate who greets the walk-in customer with a question: “Welcome to the store! Would you like to have a personalized shopping experience with us today?” If yes, then all it takes is a few quick follow-up questions to identify the customer, determine if they’re part of an existing loyalty program and serve up a relevant experience. It opens the door for the associate to educate customers on current offers and trending products. It’s also an opportunity to capture first-hand feedback, as well as data on the customer’s buying behavior. For customers new and old who aren’t part of the loyalty program, it’s a chance to increase enrollment so you can help them benefit from personalized offerings going forward.
There are many brands out there that are already leveraging the power of data to deliver personalized experiences to their shoppers. Saks Fifth Avenue rolled out a new tablet-enabled app to help their sales associates be seen as a customer’s “trusted adviser.” Early results showed that Saks generated $230,000 in sales from just one customer in five appointments set up by a sales associate.
Indigo, Canada’s largest book, gift and specialty toy retailer, has taken a similar approach and digitally transformed their in-store buying and checkout experience with a mobile app. Likewise, Bonobos uses its ‘Guides app’ as a key part of their customer engagement strategy. The app is armed with all the right customer information like purchase history and shopping preferences, enabling sales associates to make suggestions and help them find the right products to assist customers more effectively.
There’s no longer a distinct line between online and offline customer experiences. Taking principles from digital marketing services and continue to apply them to brick-and-mortar experiences can make all the difference to your bottom line.
5 keys to using CX as a Service to your retail advantage
Using CX as a Service to your advantage means finding unique ways to guide customers through the purchase process while in-store. This can be done in all areas of retail.
Take the educational sector, for example. Normally, parents would be rushing to the stores for back-to-school supply shopping this summer. But due to the pandemic, supplies and buying processes are changing.
Retailers have to adapt promotional offers to support shoppers regardless of whether learning takes place at home or in-school. Either way, 52% of parents plan to use curbside pick-up for their back-to-school shopping needs this year. And, according to an NRF back-to-school shopping update, 49% will make their final purchases one or two weeks before the start of the school year.
Learn more: Epsilon's strategy and insights services
The school year is coming up quickly and retailers have to adapt as soon as possible to provide seamless experiences both online and in-store. To do this, we have to rethink the ways we use CX as a Service concepts to guide the Gen Z students and parents alike through their purchase experience. If we think about applying CX as a Service through the Pareto Principle where 20% of customers generate 80% of revenue, there are a few strategic thoughts you can apply to make your efforts successful:
Focus on the top customers: In case of your top customers who visit the store frequently, tracking their purchases to look for patterns would be a good start as you can target back to school promotions more effectively and make curated in-store upselling and cross-selling recommendations.
Keep coaching your frontline: Coach your store sales associates as customer experience guides. Get them to focus on actively showing interest in customer needs, wants and the overall journey to satisfaction to increase the likelihood of returning.
Make it easy to consume data: Look for ways to ensure the personalization data points can be easily interpreted by the store sales associate. They only have a few seconds to grab the customer’s attention, so you have to empower them to make the biggest impact.
Bring in the right skills: Hire store sales associates who demonstrate good listening, interpersonal and customer engagement skills—especially for Gen Z. The more your sales associates can connect with individual customers, the easier it will be to find additional ways to guide them through their shopping experiences.
Have fun: Last but not the least, in-store experiences should be fun and have a lasting impression. We all like to have a personalized touch to everything, but no one wants customers to feel uncomfortable. You have to strike a balance between helping and privacy.
These same points can apply to the wider world of brick-and-mortar retail. Leveraging digital marketing services to implement a CX as a Service approach gives you an opportunity to make the most of marketing technologies and maximize personalization.
It’s never too late to transform the ways you engage customers. When you do, you can unlock a multitude of benefits, such as upselling and cross-selling at specific touchpoints during the customer lifecycle, enriching their customer data to improve conversion rates and building valuable long-term relationships—just to name a few. This strategy has cross-industry, cross-vertical applicability, and is highly modular to say the least.
The potential of personalization lies in thinking about how you would like to be treated, rather than looking at it only from the customer’s lens. It combines relevance, value-based interactions and a hassle-free experience. And in the end, isn’t that what we all strive for?
---
## Epsilon earns top Data Privacy Scores from Neutronian, Q3 2023
Type: eps_post
URL: /epsilon-earns-top-data-privacy-scores-from-neutronian-q3-2023
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Epsilon earns top Data Privacy Scores from Neutronian, Q3 2023
Unlocking the true potential of data in today's marketing landscape is a balancing act: Brands have access to more information about their customers than ever before, but respecting and protecting people's privacy has never been more essential. They also need to keep a pulse on evolving consumer privacy laws. So how do marketers truly know that the data they're sourcing to craft effective campaigns, or the partner that's running them, is privacy compliant?
In a recent white paper, "Neutronian Data Privacy Scoring," Neutronian developed a Data Privacy Scoring Methodology that assesses top data providers and domains on their overall data privacy score. Epsilon is proud to rank #1 in overall data privacy in our competitive set, landing top scores in the Policies & Compliance, Data Disclosures and Company Background categories.
Why should marketers care about this report?
The goal of Neutronian's Data Privacy Scoring Methodology is to "help marketers, data providers and digital publishers reduce compliance risk and costs, increase transparency and identify potential areas for improvement when it comes to data privacy." By developing this standard, marketers can be confident they're activating ad campaigns and sourcing data within privacy-safe environments—which is not only good for brands, but good for the consumers whose experience is shaped by data.
Neutronian's Methodology
Neutronian's Data Privacy Scoring methodology is "based on a review of data gathered from web domains and mobile applications regarding the presence and organization of key privacy policies, website/app owner background and reputation, and dataset disclosures." Neutronian assigns a data privacy score or risk rating based on their scoring algorithms that "take into account not only the presence of certain policies and information, but also how easily that information may be found and understood."
The framework comprises three main categories, each with multiple aspects that contribute to the overall score:
Policies & Compliance: Measures the data privacy risk associated with applicable laws such as GDPR and CPRA. Essentially, it answers the question "are the necessary privacy policies, opt-out procedures and compliance terms present to comply with GDPR and CPRA?"
Data Disclosures: Measures "reputational risk, ensuring that data collection policies, data usage practices and data sharing, especially as it relates to the collection and use of location data and PII, are overt and transparent" to consumers whose data is being collected and buyers who need to ensure they are safely using said data.
Company Background: Measures the trustworthiness of a company by confirming that a website or app discloses who they are in terms of items like "key executives, founders, investors, geographic locations or staff, and company history."
Epsilon is a data partner you can trust
Based on Neutronian's assessment, Epsilon achieved an overall Data Privacy Score of 84.93, the highest score in our competitive set (see figure below).
Epsilon also came out on top in the three categories: Privacy & Compliance, Data Disclosures and Company Background:
At Epsilon, privacy is at the center of everything we do. We're proud to be included in a report that helps marketers make sense of the data privacy landscape and guides them to a data partner that is focused on consumer privacy compliance.
If you’d like to learn how Epsilon’s best-in-class data can lift your marketing performances and drive better business outcomes—all while keeping data privacy at the center of your marketing—check out more on Epsilon Data here.
---
## Unwrap success: Six strategies to shine for Holiday 2023
Type: eps_post
URL: /holiday-2023-strategies
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T22:17:52Z
# Unwrap success: Six strategies to shine for Holiday 2023
Holiday season is just around the corner, and with holiday spending expected to reach $1.3 trillion this year, it’s essential that brands understand their consumers’ wants and needs so that they can offer a seamless and personalized shopping experience.
Epsilon has identified six powerful strategies that can help your brand shine amidst all the holiday glitter and cheer. Let the fa la la begin!
1. Establish top-of-mind awareness as holiday shopping kicks off early
It’s no secret that many people begin their holiday shopping early. In fact, in an Epsilon Shopper’s Voice survey of 1000 holiday gift purchasers, 38% of respondents reported starting their holiday shopping before mid October.* The research also showed that November is the month that consumers feel is appropriate for brands and store to start advertising for the holiday season (44%) closely followed by October (39%). This signals to brands that if they want to get in front of competition, they must kick off in-market campaigns as early as September. Beginning efforts early allows you to get ahead of key holiday events and beat out competition.
A great way to establish visibility is through reaching buyers who are actively shopping for what you offer but haven’t found you yet. Identify these individuals using your first-party data and then engage with relevant offers and promotions to steer them in your direction. Drive consideration events, like site visits, from buyers who haven’t engaged with you and are in-market.
2. Reactivate your lapsed buyers
One of the most often overlooked yet highly valuable opportunities for brands during the holiday season lies in reactivating lapsed customers. Another recent Epsilon study of 15 retail brands found that nearly half of lapsed customers’ page views occurred during the holiday months, and 70% of new orders from lapsed customers who were reactivated in the past 9 months happened in November-December.
The holiday season presents a unique chance to reignite interest and turbocharge your sales. Epsilon Shopper’s Voice found that 23.7% of consumers expect to spend more on holiday shopping this year compared to last year, and 56.5% of consumers expect to spend about the same as last year. A strategy that can help reactivate and drive value is highlighting back-in-stock items and exclusive offers that are too good for even your inactive customers to pass up.
Another way to reengage lapsed customers is to find and reach those who aren't captured by your own data. You can do this by integrating a customer's full transactional history and matching processor transactional files to a people-based identity solution like Epsilon's CORE ID. By doing so, your brand can both understand your customers' full spectrum of buying behaviors, and identify lapsed customers who were not in your database.
3. Drive long-term value from your newly acquired holiday customers
Holiday customers represent more than just a seasonal boost in revenue; they hold the potential to become long-term valuable customers of your brand. However, it’s easy to let them slip away—Epsilon found that 80% of newly acquired holiday customers in 2022 didn’t make a second purchase through the end of Q1 and 75% didn't through August 2023. You need to start nurturing your newly acquired holiday customers early to ensure they aren’t one and done.
With the right partner, acquiring and retaining new customers can be seamless. Epsilon helped a discount retailer identify a solution to drive repeat purchases and increase holiday revenue. Though the retailer saw acquisition as a top priority, our analysis illustrated that focusing on customer retention would help them best reach their holiday sales goals. With these insights, we helped the retailer launch a campaign that resulted in nearly $13 million in revenue and 88.3 thousand repeat customers.
Success isn’t always about how many new customers you can acquire, but rather how many new customers you can convert into long-term buyers.
4. Win over budget-conscious shoppers with personalized holiday promotions
Inflation and downsizing continue to influence a budget-conscious and deal-seeking mindset for many consumers this year. According to Epsilon Shopper’s Voice, 83% agreed that they are “making a point of looking for sales and deals on gifts,” and 46% will buy less expensive gifts. These shoppers play a critical role in driving holiday sales, so presenting them with the right buying opportunities can be a game-changer for your brand.
Consider highlighting peak season events, like Black Friday and Cyber Monday, that help shoppers save for the holidays and acquire prospects who look similar to them. If you want to sell a specific product or group of products, you can use shopper behavior to push desired categories with exclusive deals personalized to the items the buyer is shopping for.
5. Convert early and late gift givers as they embrace omnichannel shopping
Each holiday season sees a growing number of consumers embracing a blended shopping experience. Epsilon Shopper’s Voice found 51% of consumer said they prefer to shop for gifts online and in-store equally – and interestingly it is higher for Gen Z and Gen Y. As of 2023, the Mintel Winter Holiday Shopping Report expects that 81% of consumers will shop across various channels, including in-store and online, to find what they want when they want it. Nowadays, an omnichannel offering is non-negotiable for many consumers, so you must make sure to provide engaging experiences both online and in stores.
Acquire new holiday shoppers online using lookalike modeling; use customer insights to look for prospects who behave similarly to your existing customers. Retain existing buyers by tying in what you know about their interests and behaviors to personalize messaging and promotions. And don’t forget to build in-person connections as well. Drive in-store sales with holiday creative and limited time promotions customized by store location.
6. Acquire a unique audience of new buyers based on past holiday transactions
When building a new audience for the holiday season, it’s important to identify and reach individuals who purchase at a set of stores that align with or compete with your brand. Because they are already interested in products similar to yours, they are more likely to spend with you. Expand your customer base by leveraging an accurate transactional consumer database that shows the specific retailers and brands people are shopping. This opens you to a whole new set of buyers outside of your sphere of influence that will hopefully become active loyal customers beyond the end of the year.
The 2023 holiday season offers a wonderful opportunity for brands to shine, and with the right partner, they can ensure that their presence remains strong in the hearts and minds of consumers. Tap into Epsilon's unparalleled data sets across demographic, transactional and psychographic to gain a deep understanding of your consumers. Once you have a full picture of your customers, Epsilon Digital can help you reach across channels to identify people that are hidden from other partners and connect every digital impression to a real person. Discover how to make your mark during the most wonderful time of the year with Epsilon.
*Epsilon Shopper’s Voice: online survey conducted September 29-October 6, 2023, n=1,000 Christmas/Hanukkah gift purchasers, 18-84 years of age, 70/30 female/male.
---
## 4 ways CPG marketers can use Epsilon Clean Room to launch advanced media campaigns [DEMO]
Type: eps_post
URL: /4-ways-cpg-marketers-can-use-epsilon-clean-room-to-launch-advanced-media-campaigns-demo
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T22:17:52Z
# 4 ways CPG marketers can use Epsilon Clean Room to launch advanced media campaigns [DEMO]
It's no secret CPG brands face a unique set of challenges that can make executing advanced media campaigns, well, difficult. A lack of first-party and person-level transaction data leave marketers in the dark, struggling to activate efficiently. Enter, the data clean room.
Clean rooms give CPG brands a solution to classic media activation challenges by allowing marketers access to unparalleled data and insights to create better-performing campaigns.
Many have likely heard of a data clean room, but haven't seen one in action. So, in a recent webinar with Circana, we had Epsilon's Senior Director, CPG Strategic Consulting and Audience Strategy, Chris Barnett, take us inside Epsilon Clean Room for a step-by-step overview of how to glean audience insights, build advanced audience segments, activate those segments and then measure campaign performance.
The story: Launching a new energy drink flavor
To make things more tangible, the demo follows a challenger energy drink brand that is launching a new juice flavored product. Like many CPG brands, they have some data collected through their website, email and a few promotional events—but they're still unsure which buyer segments to focus on for the launch of the campaign.
By leveraging Epsilon Clean Room along with Circana's transactional data, the energy drink brand can build custom models and analyses to pinpoint the most attractive segments for their launch.
Let's get started.
1. Uncover unique audience insights
The videos showcase Epsilon Clean Room's marketer-friendly UI.
To kick things off, the energy brand wanted to uncover which buyers purchased a product very similar to the juice flavored drink the brand was launching. This information was critical to better understand the buyers best positioned to like their new product.
The energy drink brand found:
Competitor buyers: Using Epsilon Clean Room and Circana transaction data, the brand was able to see who else was buying juice flavored energy drinks in real time.
Demographics: These buyers tended to be younger, lower income and located in the south and west U.S. regions.
Interests: They were also mobile gaming enthusiasts, DIY-ers and professional wrestling fans.
2. Advanced audience segmentation
Now that the energy drink brand learned who was in the market for their new product and what interests them, they could use models and custom analysis insights to zero-in on who to message about their new product launch.
In the previous video, we saw the energy drink brand find competitive buyers. To take it a step further, the brand used Epsilon Clean Room to find out who the high and medium spenders were in that competitive list. After doing so, they found the buyers to be:
Higher income
Location skewed toward the US midwest
College-aged
Interests included taking road trips
With that level of detail, the energy drink brand had a clear view of the five audiences most likely to buy their new drink flavor:
Mobile game enthusiasts
Road trip takers
College students
DIY-ers
Professional wrestling fans
They could also look at the overlap between those five activation audiences and see which categories were driving the most growth to prioritize depending on budget. Any guesses? Turns out mobile game enthusiasts, college students and road trip takers were driving the most growth and had the highest propensity to be a brand switcher.
At this point you might be thinking, "Finding new customers is great. But how can I get more value out of my existing ones?" CPG brands often lack transactional data for the buyers in their CRM list that make this ask difficult—but with Epsilon and Circana's data, brands can fill in the gaps by enriching the first-party data they do have to figure out who is buying competitor brands.
3. Activate those audiences
The energy drink brand successfully built advanced audiences and was ready to activate their launch campaign. Inside Epsilon Clean Room, the CPG could push the audiences downstream to their media partners across:
Display
Online Video
Audio
Connected TV
Addressable TV
(In Epsilon Clean Room, you'll get full visibility into forecast reach count and match rate for each partner before you decide which channels to activate on.)
To expand their reach even further, the energy drink brand used Epsilon Clean Room's activation tool to create lookalike audiences. Our lookalike modeling tool has a simple slider to control the confidence level. In this case, the brand had an audience of 26M people, which was more than their budget could reach—but by adjusting the 90% default confidence level to 93%, the brand built a more accurate audience of 8.5M people.
4. Measure performance
After the launch, the energy drink brand was able to understand how many of the users exposed to the launch campaign actually purchased their new product within the last 30 days.
The brand was also able to see which audiences performed the best of the different ones they activated. Within the people that had purchased in the last 30 days, 21% were mobile enthusiasts, 13% were DIY-ers and 10% were college students.
This level of insight a clean room provides can help marketers understand what's working and what's not, and optimize based on those trends.
With Epsilon Clean Room, the possibilities are endless
With little-to-no first-party data, the energy drink brand was able to understand their customers at a granular level, build advanced audiences, activate those audiences and measure their performance—all in a clean room. Pretty awesome, right?
That's why with Epsilon Clean Room, the ultimate audience insights tool, the possibilities really are endless. CPG brands can expect:
A 360-degree view of customers and prospects that includes demographic, lifestyle and transaction data.
Current, detailed insights that identify and cultivate new, high-growth customers with predictive modeling based on a brand's best customers. This also increases the understanding of current customers, driving better retention strategies.
More efficient campaign performance executed through direct-media activation partners, including Epsilon Digital, with higher data fidelity.
Accurate and persistent cross-channel measurement, on both owned and paid channels, that measures effectiveness of media spend (reducing ad waste).
Micro-segmentation capabilities that identify niche audiences ready for activation and measurement.
No matter how much or little data a brand has, Epsilon's clean room solutions find and connect them with the best unique in-market prospects through use of top-notch, privacy-protected consumer data.
If you want to watch the full webinar to learn more, click here.
---
## How to revive your dormant customers with a digital CDP
Type: eps_post
URL: /revive-dormant-customers
Last Modified: 2025-10-03T14:55:22Z
# How to revive your dormant customers with a digital CDP
The early the customer's journey were amazing. You and your customer were thrilled to find one another, and the future was full of promise. They made a few purchases, perhaps signed up for your emails and maybe even engaged with you on social media. You served them well and looked forward to a long and fulfilling life together.
Then—poof!—they vanished. Months have passed. You’re trying to reach them in all the same ways, waiting for a response, but… nothing. You’re still hoping they return, but in your heart, you know it’s time to acknowledge that the patient approach isn’t working.
Your customer has officially gone dormant.
And while you’re not too proud to admit how badly you want them back, you’re not sure how to find them or what to say. Worse, that confusion speaks to a more important point: Perhaps you don’t know your customer as well as you thought you did.
It’s an easy trap for brands to fall into, especially those solely relying on their own first-party data.
Why do customers go dormant?
Owned, first-party data is a powerful and unique source of customer insights, and in the best cases, it can provide all the visibility you need into purchasing and engagement behavior to nurture a strong, lasting relationship.
But that’s the best-case scenario. There are plenty of other instances in which a first-party-only approach doesn’t get the job done because there are huge gaps in customer understanding. You don't know, say, what a customer is doing off your properties, what they're visiting and shopping for at other brands, and which devices and emails they prefer to use—all of which leads to disconnected experiences. In those cases, your rogue customer may not have intentionally turned away from your brand, but rather just slipped through the cracks of your measurement systems.
What you can do about it
How can you find those lost customers and deliver the messages most likely to resuscitate the relationship? The key is a digital customer data platform (CDP) that not only harnesses the full power of your first-party data, but also draws on external insights to create a more complete view of your customer.
For example, a brand would want to start with first-party data inputs such as a name, email address, physical address, purchase history and behavior while interacting with the brand’s website or mobile app.
Then, using a strong identity platform, the digital CDP would then match the first-party data with external insights such as what the customer watches on broadcast and streaming services, which devices and browsers they use to access the internet and the websites they frequent.
Having a strong identity platform would also enhance the efficacy of a brand’s first-party data by cleaning, completing and unifying it. This data is person-based and mapped to individuals rather than segments—but always in a privacy-compliant, pseudonymous, secure environment. And that data is only used to enhance that brand's first-party data, not shared or used in activation without privacy safeguards in place.
The result is an expanded view that leads to powerful new insights, including additional connections between online and offline touchpoints. You’ll spot new opportunities to reengage those dormant customers, identify possible sources of customer fatigue and ultimately spot opportunities for conversion, up-selling, and cross-selling.
And you’ll be able to take advantage of those insights more efficiently because digital CDPs can build highly targeted audiences to facilitate smarter media reach across both owned and paid destinations. Moreover, thanks to rapid advances in modeling and machine learning, the insights generated from a digital CDP aren’t static, but rather can continuously evolve and improve. You’ll not only gain a better sense of what your customer is up to, but you’ll be able to predict future changes in their behavior and preferences and message accordingly.
Not only can a digital CDP help revive dormant customers, but it also can help customers from lapsing or from going dormant in the first place. The expanded insights it provides lead to a clearer and more persistent view of the customer, which makes it easier to determine the factors influencing behavior. There are many reasons for a customer to go a long time between purchases beyond the dreaded possibility that they’ve begun buying from a competitor.
Some potential reasons are innocuous: Perhaps the customer’s needs are seasonal, for example, and the best strategy is to pause marketing efforts until the customer is likely to return to the market. There’s also the possibility that a digital CDP could turn up new opportunities by correctly predicting that the customer is in the market for a different product that you also offer.
Want to learn more about digital CDPs? A whitepaper from The CDP Institute, "Identity resolution lays the groundwork for stronger media activation through customer data platforms," discusses the value that identity resolution can bring to digital CDPs and what to look for in a solution.
---
## How CDPs can strengthen customer experiences
Type: eps_post
URL: /cdp-customer-experience
Last Modified: 2025-10-03T14:18:07Z
# How CDPs can strengthen customer experiences
At its best, advertising is a wildly helpful tool for consumers looking to purchase products they need and want. Positive and unified customer experiences are vital at every stage of the buyer journey and across all touch points. Doing this correctly not only serves the consumer, but it also serves the brand selling to them, too.
So how can you create this type of experience for your customers? It starts with your tech stack: Specifically a customer data platform.
Fixing a fragmented journey
Fragmentation happens when the experiences you're offering customers aren't linked. In the past, brands have used third-party cookies to act as that connection, but as data deprecates, this becomes harder and harder to do. The experiences and preferences a person has from channel to channel and device to device change because the brand can't recognize that particular consumer.
Augmenting the quality, breadth and depth of a brand’s first-party data strategy provides a complete view of real consumers, not just anonymous cookies or audience personas.
And those real people enjoy more relevant messaging, optimized offers and appropriate personalization. This makes for a better experience for consumers, everywhere they browse.
Meaningful media activation
First-party data is the foundation for digital media activation, but identity resolution makes it stronger. CDPs that use current audience insights grounded in identity drive intelligent campaigns. Because a brand knows its customers, they can understand their habits today and tomorrow. Coupled with things like machine learning and AI, brands can predict their customers' needs before they happen and re-engage customers, too. Insights into these digital signals show interest and intent, which drive higher media performance.
Brands can maintain information about their customers: Did they move out of market? Are they getting married, or looking for a house? Did they finally buy that pair of shoes they've been pining after for weeks, therefore you don't have to keep advertising it to them?
Some CDPs, like Epsilon’s Digital CDP, also have native activation, meaning you can plug insights from your enhanced first-party data directly into the endpoint activation for the consumer--whether that's digital media, connected TV or any other medium.
Native activation gives you the power to launch campaigns without needing to export, import and execute on other platforms. Measurement and new insights from campaigns are then automatically injected back into your CDP, creating a closed-loop measurement system to maximize ROAS.
This puts your advertising in front of the right customers at the right time. But also helps marketers be confident that they’re spending ad dollars wisely by talking to in-market individuals who are ready to buy.
Do you crave more intelligent media campaigns and less fear of over-sequencing or wasting ad dollars by targeting the wrong people?
Identity resolution—again—allows CDPs to deliver accurate and actionable cross-channel activation. Having a unified 360-degree view of individuals takes the guesswork out of marketing because you know what will resonate with the people in your campaign. This leads to:
Higher performing ads
Improved targeting
A reduction in ad waste
More accurate measurement
But perhaps most importantly, it creates an overall better customer experience because consumers no longer receive fragmented experiences across channels. You can reach them with relevant messages and creative on all devices, even connecting paid and owned campaigns.
Customer experience suffers without omnichannel alignment powered by a single activation platform. It’s like those shoes that follow you around online for weeks after you purchase them.
Instead, CDPs with identity not only help with prospecting new customers but also empower more effective cross-sell opportunities, the ability to thoughtfully re-engage dormant customers and nurture strong brand relationships. This is true whether they engage with your brand through a website, mobile app, social media or in-store.
Let a CDP drive your customer experiences
Customer experience is vital for brand success. Today’s consumers expect seamless processes, consistent messaging and positive brand interactions. Delivering on that is table stakes, but many brands haven’t figured it out.
Using technology, specifically CDPs with integrated identity and native activation, is the key to personalized and persistent marketing across channels.
Epsilon’s Digital CDP uses hundreds of industry-specific attributes, across demographic, lifestyle, and transactional insights to identify when, where, and how a customer is most likely to convert. Wondering how to determine which CDP is right for you? Check out our Customer Data Platforms Buyer's Guide.
---
## How a clean room can help you reach audiences ready to buy
Type: eps_post
URL: /clean-rooms-media-activation
Last Modified: 2025-12-17T17:27:39Z
# How a clean room can help you reach audiences ready to buy
Picture this: You launch a new digital media campaign and it flops. Low conversions, high costs. How can you explain what went wrong?
It could be a host of things: Bad audience selection or using the wrong channels, to name a few. The root of the problem may lie in your first-party data strategy. Many brands lack a breadth of first-party data, meaning they have limited insights about current buyers, which limits their ability to understand prospective buyers. Without solid, strong and persistent insights about consumers, brands are spending time and money speaking to people who may not want (or care) about their product.
Enter data clean rooms. While many expect these martech tools to be empty boxes used for collaboration with partners, the right data clean room can help you better understand your current customers and find new ones. The secret to success is using a clean room with data and identity pre-loaded.
Why data clean rooms matter
A data clean room is a secure environment where data from various sources—including walled gardens, partner data, regulated data, and much more—can come together in a privacy-safe way. Clean rooms are important for several reasons:
Ensuring the privacy and security of this data is paramount. Clean rooms address this need, providing a safe space for data collaboration while adhering to strict privacy regulations.
Clean rooms offer a centralized environment for integrating disparate data from various sources. This allows brands without much first-party data to aggregate audiences and segments for media activation. The centralization of data also improves their ability to gain insights and make data-driven decisions.
Clean rooms bring data together, expanding access beyond just first-party. Brands can incorporate data from partners, like paid or social channels, but also incorporate third-party data sets.
Higher performing activation needs identity
Most data clean rooms come as an empty box, but some come pre-loaded with data and identity.
Clean rooms pre-equipped with these features give brands a richer view of customers and prospects. They take a brand's customer data and augment it with the data already built in, making existing customer profiles more comprehensive and identifying potential buyers based on those insights.
Once you incorporate first-party, partner second-party and premium third-party data, like Epsilon’s proprietary data, you will know who your customers are, what they buy (and why), where to find them and when to engage with them, driving retention and growth.
Identity resolution within clean rooms helps in harmonizing data, ensuring that the same user is recognized consistently across various data sets, platforms and devices.
With a complete, dynamic and persistent understanding of user behavior, preferences and demographics, you can personalize marketing campaigns across owned and paid channels, improving ad engagement and overall campaign performance.
Activating with a clean room
Clean rooms drive better marketing through more accurate audience segmentation, native activation, dynamic content, prospecting, closed-loop reporting and attribution modeling.
Precise audience segmentation
Clean rooms enable precise audience segmentation, allowing marketers to reach users with greater accuracy. This results in more relevant and personalized ads and higher conversion rates.
Native activation
Epsilon Clean Room enables native activation, meaning brands can seamlessly use their data directly with their media activation without any loss of data or fidelity. Cross-channel activation directly from clean rooms ensures that the messaging aligns across platforms while building on the previous interaction. The insights directly feed future campaigns, and data security and privacy are maintained throughout.
Dynamic content
Clean rooms can facilitate the creation of dynamic, personalized content in real-time and at scale, using AI and predictive modeling. Marketers can not only reach the right people with more relevant messages, but also adapt messaging based on user behavior. Delivering a variety of messages at key moments, tailored to a customer's needs at a specific point in time, drives better personalization through more engaging and relevant campaigns.
Prospecting
Prospecting is more precise and effective because, instead of generic lookalike audiences based on demographics, clean rooms with identity use real attributes and person-based modeling to find new customers.
Closed-loop reporting
A clean room is your single source of truth for data from disparate sources. You can align it, collect insights and activate campaigns directly from it. Campaign-based insights feed back in from those activations, creating an insight-rich closed-loop system. This means your data is continually updated based on your campaigns and results.
Attribution modeling
Clean rooms equipped with identity resolution allow marketers to attribute conversions and interactions to specific touchpoints, enabling more accurate attribution modeling. This, in turn, helps allocate resources more effectively to high-performing channels, optimize campaigns and improve ROAS.
Finding the right tech
Epsilon Clean Room enables brands to find in-market buyers in a privacy-compliant, data-rich environment for audience sharing, high-performance media activation and closed-loop measurement. With Epsilon's proprietary data and person-based attributes, you will get access to audiences who are ready to buy. And our activation will give you the best reach in the industry.
Learn more about Epsilon's Clean Room solution, how it works and what it can do for your business.
---
## 3 tips to achieve your omnichannel strategy
Type: eps_post
URL: /3-tips-for-achieving-your-omnichannel-goals
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T22:16:49Z
# 3 tips to achieve your omnichannel strategy
The word omnichannel continues to be a buzzword for marketers. While the majority of marketers are operating with either a cross-channel or multichannel strategy, the goal is to be omnichannel and it’s proven to be profitable for companies.
Businesses that adopt an omnichannel strategy achieve 91% greater year-over-year customer retention rates.
So as a marketer, what can you do to achieve your omnichannel marketing goals? Consider these three tips that I shared at the Ricoh Marketing Innovators Symposium.
Tip #1:
Understand what omnichannel means and where folks are on their journey
It’s important to understand the difference between multi-channel and omnichannel marketing.
Multi-channel can be defined as marketers who transact and engage with customers in more than one channel (for example in-store, online store and website), however, the channel insights are not connected.
With omnichannel, there is integration across all channels so marketers can achieve a 360-degree of their customers.
To fully understand what omnichannel means and where folks are on their journey, you need to put yourself in your customers’ shoes and evaluate your organization to understand how you can connect with each and every customer. And, you need to provide the best customer experience and make it a seamless experience..
Remember, omnichannel is not a technology itself nor can you buy it off the shelf. It’s a strategy and a journey with a life of its own. It’s not a destination.
As you're planning your omnichannel strategy, think of the customer journey and all of the stages within the various lifecycles—customer, purchase and seasonal lifecycles. Determine how you can best communicate to your customers throughout each phase of their lifecycle and the channel they’re interacting in.
For example, if you think print will trigger an emotion and influence an in-store visit or an online purchase, then add print to your customer lifecycle strategy.
Tip #2:
Integrate a technology strategy that best meets your goals
I know, you’ve heard it time and time again ... Technology is a fundamental component in enabling our omnichannel goals. The key is deciding on the best or most effective technology stack for your program.
As a marketer, ideally we’d prefer to have one technology solution that hosts all our omnichannel needs. But the reality is, brands leverage multiple technology products to achieve their goals, which comes as no surprise as there’s more than 7,000 solutions within our marketing technology landscape.
So how can you best decide what solution is the right choice for your company? Consider these key questions during your evaluation:
Does the technology align with my company’s omnichannel strategy?
Is the technology solution adaptable to our existing infrastructure and is it scalable?
What’s the schedule for updates/enhancements? (you want to make sure you’re adapting a modern technology)
What customer service is offered to support the technology offerings?
What are the short and long term costs and do they fit within our budget?
Does the purchase match the journey—are you crawling, walking or running? What can the business handle?
What is hype and what is real? (You don’t want the implementation to turn into a long drawn out process where the original value and vision is missed.)
Tip #3:
Develop a data strategy to enable you to truly get to know your customers
Create a data capture strategy that’s realistic, and fits in with your overall marketing goals. Here’s a few suggestions:
Integrate your online and offline data and incorporate the enabling technologies to fulfill your omnichannel strategy.
Collect and capture cross-channel data with data lakes and then perform identity mapping to understand who’s who (in a PII compliant manner, of course).
Understand how you can activate the data at scale to leverage for marketing purposes. And, never dismiss the combined power of first + third party data.
The proliferation of access to first-party data (thanks to multiple channels like website, email, mobile, social, etc.) allows marketers to better know today’s customer. When the data created from all of these touchpoints is augmented with third-party data assets, like TotalSource Plus, it enables a true, 360-degree customer view.
This third-party data includes things like consumers' interests (sports teams, preferred travel locations, etc.), and basic demographics that can then be segmented, profiled and analyzed with first-party data to enhance the customer view.
To enable the data you’d like capture, draw out and prioritize your customer journeys. And, plot the data that’s required for the different phases of the journey. This helps to identify systems that currently store information, and it reveals the gaps where data capture and activation are needed. Planning around the customer journey helps you stay focused and not lose sight of your omnichannel journey.
Remember, omnichannel is a journey in which we’ve all embraced. We are all on the journey to successful omnichannel practices, but make sure to align to the pace of your omnichannel maturity – crawl, walk, run. Either way, your new omnichannel approach will improve your customer experience and shopping experience across all channels.
If you’re questioning as to whether or not it’s worth the investment, yes, it is. Omnichannel customers spend 4% more in-store and 10% more on online channels than single-channel customers. And, for every additional channel they use, customers spend more money. Customers expect that you know who they are and what they’re trying to do from the first to last touchpoint.
---
## New Year New Marketing: 4 expert insights for your 2024 strategy
Type: eps_post
URL: /2024-marketing-trends
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T22:17:52Z
# New Year New Marketing: 4 expert insights for your 2024 strategy
With 2023 in the rearview mirror, we're all looking toward a new year to drive better business outcomes through marketing strategy. To no one’s surprise, the rise of AI in 2023 is affecting nearly all predictions for 2024. And on the horizon has been the long discussed third-party cookie deprecation in Google Chrome, the last major browser to hold out on cookie deprecation.
For marketers to have their best year yet, they need to strategize on how they're using technology to combat data deprecation and optimize their first-party data to continue making important customer connections. Here, we gleaned the top expert recommendations to help you harness the power of AI for your 2024 strategy.
It's here: Chrome starts getting rid of third-party cookies
On Jan. 4, Google introduced one of its first measures to deprecate third-party cookies. Tracking Protection enables users to limit cross-site tracking by restricting website access to third-party cookies by default.
Google announced they were getting rid of third-party cookies starting in 2024. This latest measure is only rolling out to 1% of Chrome users, however, they're targeting to phase-out third-party cookies for all Chrome users in the second half of 2024.
Third-party cookies are a huge driver for marketing strategy. With Chrome doing away with them (and with them long gone from Safari and Foxfire), brands will need to reassess their strategy. To continue reaching customers with personalized, persistent messaging, they'll need to adopt a strong first-party data strategy.
The outputs of AI are only as good as the inputs
AI was undoubtedly a hot topic in 2023, and it will continue to be of major interest in 2024. According to Forrester’s July 2023 Artificial Intelligence Pulse Survey, 89% of AI decision-makers say their organizations are expanding or exploring the use of generative AI. Deloitte predicts it will continue to be one of the top trends of 2024 and will help propel business growth for companies across industries.
But AI on its own won’t be a silver bullet. For AI to really shine, it needs the right data and analytics. “Forward-thinking data and analytics teams know that outputs from AI technologies will only be as good as the data that goes into them, and they will embrace data platforms and data quality practices to support [large language models] and unstructured data as well as data skills training to put their staff in the best position to deliver value with new AI technologies,” according to Forrester's Predictions 2024: Data and Analytics.1
For brands to get the most out of their AI and machine learning tools, they’ll need to examine their existing first-party data strategies. Building the right first-party data strategy will help you navigate the rapid changes of the technology in the future, and set the right foundation for that tech to really shine.
Want to learn more? Hear from Epsilon's Rachel Cascisa on how marketers can leverage both generative and predictive AI for marketing.
A new way of working
Generative AI is changing how the world does virtually everything. In Gartner’s Top Strategic Predictions for 2024 and Beyond, they note the deep impact AI is having across the board, from individual people using it to draw up their resumes to companies using it to hire more efficiently and effectively. Gartner predicts that by 2026, 30% of large companies will have a dedicated business unit or sales channels to access fast-growing “machine customer” markets.
“Businesses and government organizations will find that the addition of GenAI to their strategies will mitigate some problems while amplifying and creating others,” the report says. “GenAI uses a lot of energy, opens the door to faster modernization of systems, helps supplement a deficient workforce and forces a rethink of business models — all at the same time.”
AI is forcing everyone to re-imagine how they look at work--both the structures of their own teams and their processes, orders of operation and, even more broadly, how they approach marketing. A good example is in the digital media space: At Epsilon, we use predictive AI to determine who to message, where to reach them, when to talk to them, and what to say to that person. This is a fundamentally different approach to media buying than what many marketers are used to, where they typically define a broader audience or demographic, and then go to the appropriate platforms and activation channels to reach those people.
AI is already redefining marketing work. Leaders need to figure out where it fits into their plan because it should be there somewhere.
Want to learn more? Hear from Epsilon's head of decision sciences, Steve Nowlan, on how AI works in marketing and how we think about it at Epsilon.
The ever-growing quest for personalization
With so much investment and advancements in machine learning and AI, the ability to personalize content has never been easier or more important. But personalization is so much more than making sure the message makes sense for that person; it starts with who you're reaching, what their preferences are, and then what you might want to say to them. Good marketing feels seamless while bad marketing is very noticeable, but as more companies tap into their customer data to better curate content, those who don’t adopt better data strategies might find their customers dissatisfied.
In 2024, this personalization will be table stakes. This requires strong first-party data strategies. Brands looking to build better personalization can start with martech tools like a customer data platform (CDP) or a clean room if they don’t have a lot of first-party data to begin with.
Want to learn more? See how Epsilon helps Walgreens personalize wellness at scale.
Building integrated martech ecosystems
The future of martech is bright. Chief Marketing Officers (CMOs) are moving away from marketing cloud tech to adopt integrated tech stacks. As more tech becomes available, brands are going to need their solutions to plug and play nice. According to Forrester's The State of Marketing Enterprise Suites, 20222, 91% of marketers agreed that the ability to integrate is the most important feature of marketing tools, and as AI solutions become an essential part of the marketing tool kit, having an integrated tech stack will be mission critical.
Integrated tech stacks were already on the rise. With the proliferation of digital channels and the deprecation of third-party cookies, interconnected martech tools are becoming increasingly popular. But what's often missing is also that connection to adtech, which creates a gap in what would otherwise be a seamless journey from CRM through to activation. Not to mention, that through-line creates better insights and measurement.
“Marketers taking an ecosystem approach will benefit from flexibility, use case coverage, and productivity across customer insights, brand strategy, and brand execution,” according to Forrester’s Predictions 2024: B2C Marketing3 report.
Want to learn more? A new IDC whitepaper, sponsored by Epsilon, explores how to bridge adtech and martech to create a better customer experience.
1. Predictions 2024: Data And Analytics, Forrester Research, Inc., Oct. 26, 2023
2. The State of Marketing Enterprise Suites, 2022, Forrester Research, Inc., Dec. 2, 2022
3. Predictions 2024: B2C Marketing, Forrester Research, Inc., Oct. 25, 2023
---
## Loyalty program metrics: Why a multi-pronged approach is key
Type: eps_post
URL: /loyalty-scoring-metrics
Last Modified: 2025-03-13T00:41:47Z
# Loyalty program metrics: Why a multi-pronged approach is key
If your brand was a band, how loyal would your following be?
Do you have fans who sing all the words to your hit songs and wait in line early, or do you attract casual listeners? Are your fans recommending your music to friends or are they no longer satisfied with your sound?
While you may not be touring the country with your band, fan emotional loyalty represents a small example of the challenges marketers face at a macro-level when trying to get a full view of loyalty to measure customer attachment to their brand.
To truly understand our customers—and to create meaningful loyalty programs for them—brands need a full picture. We’ve relied on the Net Promoter Score (NPS) and Customer Satisfaction Score (CSAT) to measure how loyal customers are to a brand. With emotional loyalty, we start to understand them on an even deeper level. Marketers need all three to make that picture complete.
Stronger consumer ties start with the heart
It’s no surprise that emotions impact not only the choices we make, but the preferences we have as well. Decision-making is informed by our emotional state, and this rings true in everything we do: From choosing to purchase concert tickets to buying a new pair of shoes.
That’s why personalization plays a critical role in loyalty marketing. For marketers to be effective at personalizing experiences, they must know customer preferences and emotions at a deeper level.
“Emotion plays a critical role in decision-making, and emotional decisions are often even stickier than rational ones,” said Tamara Oliverio, VP, strategic consulting at Epsilon. If brands strive for higher conversion rates, greater share of wallet, and advocation in both the long term and short term, they must acknowledge that customers want—no, expect—that they know how to speak to their full view of loyalty, including their emotional response.
Holistic measurement makes meaningful marketing
While most brands have started paying attention to consumer’s emotional ties, few compare, contrast and activate based on their observations around CSAT, NPS and emotional loyalty
Customer Satisfaction Score (CSAT) shows how satisfied customers are with product, service, interaction, program or overall business. This usually asks the question, "How satisfied are you with your experience?”
Net Promoter Score (NPT) measures customer loyalty by calculating the likelihood that a customer will recommend a brand to their friends. It's rooted in the logic that customers who are willing to recommend your brand to others are more likely to be loyal customers.
Emotional loyalty measures the emotional connection a customer has with a brand and aims to understand the customer’s feelings about a brand outside of just their behavior.
These three combined give you a more varied understanding of the customer experience: Do they like you, and if so, why, and how deeply? Each have their unique strengths and weaknesses and all scores are essential to understand your member base.
CSAT
Strengths:
Measures short-term satisfaction
Great for identifying immediate areas of improvement
High specificity: Focuses on specific product, service or interaction
Correlates some past/future behaviors
Weaknesses:
Not indicative of future retention
Not reflective of overall customer experience
NPS
Strengths:
Measures long-term satisfaction
Clear and easily understandable metric
Can compare loyalty across different brands and time
Weaknesses:
No insights on actual customer experience
Not inclusive of overall customer needs or preferences
Can’t differentiate promoters (for ex. How loyal and/or satisfied a promoter is)
Emotional loyalty
Strengths:
Measures emotional attachment
Good retention indicator
Evaluates overall purchase and engagement behaviors
Weaknesses:
Emotions tell one story behind a relationship
Better when used in tandem with CSAT and NPS
When we look at these strengths and weaknesses, we see how specific use cases might be better informed by a specific metrics. For example, if you’re looking to improve specific areas of your customer experience or loyalty program, you might turn to CSAT. If you’re looking to examine how your program has performed over a period of time, you might look at NPS. However, if you want to fully understand your member base, you need all three.
Putting metrics into action
By looking at these scores collectively, brands can start to understand the state of their customer experience and loyalty program management, and identify areas they want to improve and expand.
Let’s put this into action: Your brand polls your member base to gauge their connection to your brand. A significant amount of high-value members respond that they are "unsure" about how they fell about you. At Epsilon, we know that the "unsure" stage is where most people lapse because they might be questioning if your brand is for them, they feel it's no longer relevant or if they had a negative experience.
Next, you examine their average CSAT to determine which areas of your brand's customer experience could have caused them to feel unsure, and leverages NPS to understand their likelihood to recommend your brand. By doing this, you will have a more informed view and strategy on how to proactively prevent other members from lapsing in the future.
Each score tells an important story about the short term, long term, and emotional connection members have to a brand. And by understanding this, clients can activate to deepen it.
Americus Reed, an esteemed professor at Harvard University, explains that when this deep emotional connection is achieved, two things happen:
That person is extremely passionate about the brand.
They identify themselves with the brand and defend thhe brand the same way they would defend themselves.
These are your brand's most active, true fans. To cultivate them, brands must be able to see the full picture of customer loyalty: what satisfies them, what makes them recommend you, and how they feel about your brand.
Doing loyalty right with Epsilon
The full measurement picture acts as the fast pass to conversion. Happy people beget more happy people. When your loyal customers are committed to you, they share that commitment and trust with others and defend it when confronted with an alternative. The true holy grail of marketing is when your truly loyal “fans” do the marketing to convert normal people to be advocates for your brand. And it starts with stepping back and looking at the full view of loyalty.
At Epsilon, we provide a flexible model to meet your strategic needs. We provide a more informed view on how you can retain members. Clients can use our proprietary emotional scores to drive strategy and deliver the right targeted offers. Epsilon’s PeopleCloud Loyalty solution is fueled by meaningful insights that provide you with the full scope of loyalty, so you can continue to scale your loyalty marketing strategy based on your customers' connection to your brand.
---
## Find up to 88% more customers by expanding your universe on the open web
Type: eps_post
URL: /retention-on-the-open-web
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T22:17:52Z
# Find up to 88% more customers by expanding your universe on the open web
When it comes to customer retention, marketers tend to focus on their owned media channels. But this strategy alone can lead to missing up to 88% of your customers.
Fortunately the solution is out there. It's time to boldly go where your customers have gone before (and where the majority of them are spending their time online)—the open web. In this article, we’ll explore why such a high percentage of a brand’s audience exists outside of owned channels, how marketers can avoid overlap issues when expanding to the open web, brand success stories and questions to consider in your retention efforts.
What are owned media channels?
Owned media channels (or owned marketing channels) are any online or digital assets owned and controlled by a brand. These may include: website or ecommerce site, email, social media channels, mobile apps and blogs. The more owned media channels a business has, the larger their digital footprint, and therefore the more potential to connect with customers and followers.
What are the benefits of owned media channels?
Owned media channels offer the "owner" full control of what is published and when, communicating directly with the audience. This control can be very helpful in terms of brand consistency, flexibility and agility, and more. Owned channels also help brands generate large amounts of data that can be used to tailor retention strategies, personalize communications and enhance customer experiences.
What is the open web?
The open web, or open internet is any online property, website or app not owned by a major tech company such as Facebook, Amazon or Google (otherwise known as walled gardens). It is everywhere that people shop, read and learn across the internet in publicly accessible spaces. A survey from The Harris Poll, commissioned by OpenX, found that American consumers spend about 66% of their time on the open web.
What does this have to do with customer retention?
Many clients come to us and say "I’m already retaining my customers through my owned media channels." Our response is as simple as this: Owned channels, like email, are only a part of how you retain customers because not all customers are reachable or responsive within a single tactic or channel. Therefore, owned channels aren’t truly representative of a client’s customer base.
Expanding from owned-channel retention efforts to the open web allows brands to tap into a broader and diverse audience pool, reaching potential in-market customers who may not actively engage with the brand's owned channels. This looks like advertising on publisher websites you don't own: the spaces where your customers are when they're not available through your owned channels.
The numbers we are seeing support this approach. For example, a regional grocery store found that only 12% of its buyers visited the retailer’s website. That means that 88% of customers didn’t visit—but are reachable on the open web.
TITLE: Customer reachability examples: Owned website visitors vs. Open web
How to expand retention efforts to the open web
Expanding your efforts to the open web really comes down to one thing: the right digital media partner. But how do you know which partner is right for you as you embark on your new retention journey? Make sure they have these three core capabilities:
A robust, people-based identity solution to message real in-market customers: A solution like Epsilon’s CORE ID ensures you can identify both individual customers in your loyalty customer database as well as those that are not. It’s also imperative that online and offline purchases are connected so that a customer’s full journey can be tracked and their in-market status can be updated based on their true behavior.
Predictive AI to drive real-time decisioning and optimization: A partner that uses artificial intelligence well can help you know who message, what to say, where to reach them across channels and when to talk them so that they are most receptive to your message. At Epsilon, our mature predictive AI is the foundation for delivering personalized, impactful advertisements across our network of 17,000+ brand-safe publishers.
Transparent, closed-loop measurement to improve performance and prove value: Ensure your partner can provide granular-level measurement, reporting on every impression and outcome and tying online and in-store purchases back to the ads they serve. Ask for a custom data feed to give you a clear lens into the true impact of your marketing across touchpoints—including cookieless environments.
Solving for the most common open-web barrier: Overlap
A common barrier to open web expansion is the issue of overlap. Without proper coordination, brands risk sending redundant messages to customers who are already engaged through owned channels. This can lead to message fatigue and annoyance for the customer, and wasted resources and decreased return on investment for the brand.
The solution? Brands need to use an identifier that enables them to run additional retention campaigns that enhance their existing efforts. Here are a few examples of how a supplemental campaign could be structured:
Cross-channel personalization: Brands can leverage data integration to personalize messages across both owned and open web channels. This would ensure that customers receive content that aligns with their previous interactions and preferences, creating a seamless experience regardless of the channel.
Frequency and timing optimization: Optimizing the frequency and timing of messages prevents overload. Brands can coordinate the release of messages to avoid simultaneous delivery across channels, ensuring that customers don’t feel inundated with redundant information.
Channel-specific incentives: Tailoring incentives based on the channel through which customers are engaged is another effective strategy. For owned channels, exclusive promotions or early access can be emphasized, while open web campaigns could focus on broader brand awareness or highlight unique aspects to capture wider attention.
Open web success story: Auto retailer's $67M boost
A national auto retailer was struggling to reach their customers through existing loyalty efforts. They wanted to grow their addressable audience, introduce more customers to their loyalty program and bring them in as members.
When the retailer leveraged new customer insights and activated across all devices using Epsilon Digital, they were able to identify and message a whopping 10 million non-loyalty buyers. This led to $67 million messaged revenue from this group—a huge win.
Questions to consider in retention efforts
You may think you have customer retention covered via your owned channels, but it’s helpful to check in on the actual numbers with some questions:
What is the size of your customer file? Do you know what your reachable audience is in your owned channels?
What percentage of your customer file is subscribed to your email? What is your open rate?
How many unique individuals does your email or text database represent? What percentage of your total customers does this represent?
The open web offers an expansive landscape where brands can discover, engage and reconnect with a broader audience. Running supplemental open-web retention campaigns alongside existing owned channel retention campaigns can help brands reconnect with a large chunk of their customer base they might not have even known was missing.
For more information, check out our guide “Digital media buying solutions: Maximizing ROI with the right partner.”
---
## How Wingstop uses data, identity and activation to spice up their digital marketing
Type: eps_post
URL: /how-wingstop-uses-data-and-identity-for-digital-marketing
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# How Wingstop uses data, identity and activation to spice up their digital marketing
On average, consumers interact with brands across a mix of 20+ different touchpoints. Yes, you read that right. That means many companies serve countless messages across multiple channels but overlook channel management and optimization. This can lead to ad waste, poor consumer experiences and a lower ROI.
So how do you deliver seamless, consistent digital experiences? What are the secret ingredients that will engender trust with consumers and take your marketing to the next level?
In a recent webinar, Epsilon’s VP & Client Partner, John Adamo talked to Wingstop’s VP, Media and Digital Marketing Strategy, Matt Warren, about how the international restaurant chain known for serving the world flavor, also serves its guest relevant advertising and experiences. Wingstop’s special sauce? A combination of high-quality data, strong identity resolution and the right technology to activate across all channels.
Here are 5 things you can learn from Wingstop’s success:
1. It all starts with your first-party data
Onboarding, cleansing and enriching your consumer data lays the foundation for your digital marketing. A lot of marketers only think about the digital aspect of onboarding their first-party data, settling for an identifier that will hopefully connect them to their ideal consumer—but this often leaves brands with a fragmented and partial view.
Instead, people-based identity resolution, like Epsilon’s CORE ID, links the PII (personally identifiable information) and pseudonymous worlds to accurately match a brand’s first-party data to CORE ID (and with it, 7,000+ attributes). This means you connect with a real person, not an identifier, with unmatched transparency and accuracy.
When Wingstop enhanced their first-party data with Epsilon’s CORE ID, they were able to dedupe and complete their first party data gaps with third-party data across demographic, psychographic, contextual and transactional dimensions to gain the 360-degree view of the guest they were craving—even understanding a guest’s propensity for fried vs grilled chicken and sandwiches. Matt explains, “Completing that guest profile is so important so you can deliver the right message to the true right customer, but also make sure you’re not driving the wrong impressions or too many impressions across your media landscape."
2. Strong identity allows you to uncover growth audiences
When your data is rooted in strong, person-based identity, you can begin to break down who your customers are—what do they look like in real life? What are they interested in? What kind of media do they consume? How do they spend their money?
Wingstop used the answers to these questions alongside Epsilon’s proprietary transactional data to uncover real growth opportunities that are based on real people–both current guests and prospects—to create multi-dimensional segmentation with hundreds of audiences available for activation across channels. They can anticipate what their customers are craving next and define experiences for 1:1 personalization.
When you set your sights on building robust, data-driven audiences, you’ll drive business outcomes, conversions and increase customer lifetime value.
3. Audiences are only as good as your ability to reach them
Identifying the right audience is important, but are you able to actually reach them? “This is especially challenging in the labyrinth of paid media,” John notes. “Identity Solution providers often tout impressive match numbers—but devices and email addresses aren’t real people. Think about it: There are more than 200 million adults in the U.S. who, on average, have more than four active email addresses and more than three devices…four email addresses do not equal four customers.”
Creating a consistent and accurate connection with customers starts with a trustworthy identity solution. Epsilon’s CORE ID was able to provide Wingstop with a persistent identifier across online and offline touchpoints with an >80% match rate. “This allows us to be highly efficient with our media spend, because I know there won’t be wasted media impressions. We know that, for example, John is John [across all devices],” Matt notes.
4. Connect the dots with personalization across all channels
Accurately identifying customers across devices and maintaining a persistent connection with them becomes even more critical when you understand just how many ways there are to reach a consumer online. Wingstop found that an average guest interacts with 26+ digital touchpoints over the course of 90 days. This is where it can get tricky: marketers have unprecedented access to their customers, but it’s what they do with that access that matters.
Epsilon's platform uses machine learning to interpret millions of signals every second. By combining AI with creative, Wingstop can serve dynamic ads to the right audiences at the right time. Whether it’s knowing that John, for example, needs to get his order in before the big game and sending him new Limited Time Offer flavors, or that Jane would like a weekday deal that her whole family will love and offering her a Boneless Meal Deal. It all comes back to knowing your guests and having the ability to reach them when they need you most.
When we tie all online and offline activities back to a single identifier based on a real person, we are then able to understand the path to purchase and optimize channel strategy—ultimately impacting the customer experience and delivering improved marketing dollar ROI. Remember: It’s about messaging them in the right way at the right time rather than serving up a bunch of impressions and hoping one sticks.
5. Measure against real people, not impressions
So, how does Wingstop prove this strategy is actually driving outcomes? The level of connection CORE ID provides allows the restaurant chain to get specific in its measurement, too.
“We’ve seen strong growth in our ability to get the right message to the right customer, which gives us granular insight into our media buy. We know where we’re driving efficiency, where we’re driving gains, and it’s lead to overall a growth in our customer base; Strong acquisition and strong retention over time,” Matt explains.
For Wingstop, better measurement has led to more high-yielding customers and segments, a deeper understanding of customer journeys across awareness media like video and performance media like display, and has proven incremental growth time and time again.
To find this level of marketing success, look for a partner that can provide full transparency into every impression and outcome.
Wrapping it up
At the end of the day, it all comes down to the special mixture of high-quality data, strong identity resolution and the right technology to activate across all channels.
Completing and enhancing your customer data is pivotal for your brand to build an accurate and persistent identity resolution solution. As the marketing ecosystem continues to change and evolve (think: third-party cookie and signal deprecation), identity will become an even greater asset because it does more than just connect your brand to a digital touchpoint or person on the web; it can connect the dots between online and offline channels to give you unparalleled consumer insights to use across the business.
Wingstop found their secret sauce. Are you ready to find yours?
If you’re interested in learning more about what Epsilon’s CORE ID can do for your brand, don’t hesitate to reach out. In the meantime, watch the full conversation here and learn more about Epsilon Digital.
---
## After Google’s news, Epsilon is positioned to thrive
Type: eps_post
URL: /google-cookie-deprecation-announcement-2020
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T22:16:49Z
# After Google’s news, Epsilon is positioned to thrive
The need to know:
Google announced they will deprecate third-party cookies over the next two years.*
As much of the adtech industry’s solutions are built on third-party cookies, many are uncertain about the implications for their digital media campaigns and partners.
Anticipating a world without third-party cookies years ago, Epsilon’s solutions are well-positioned to thrive in the new advertising ecosystem.
What’s happening?
On January 14, Google announced that Chrome will phase out third-party cookies in the next two years.* Reasonably, the adtech community is concerned about this shift as many providers rely heavily on third-party cookies to identify individuals and deliver them advertising messages.
Although the announcement is causing a stir in the industry, this—in many ways—is not new news.
Early in 2019, Google announced changes to Chrome regarding the treatment of third-party cookies, including mandates to declare the purpose of the cookie and comply with Chrome’s secure settings.
Google’s initial shift in the treatment of third-party cookies was a bellwether to the industry: Google can and will deprecate third-party cookies on Chrome.
Their announcement follows similar restrictions on other browsers, like Mozilla and Safari, in recent years. Still, with roughly 63% of all web traffic on its browser, Google’s shift is a significant change that the larger adtech community will need to reconcile.
Who benefits the most from this: Google or consumers?
This has huge implications for the adtech industry, which is largely built on third-party cookies.
In a video discussion on Google’s announcement, Forrester analyst Joanna O’Connell said, “The third-party cookie is—for all of its faults—the underlying mechanism by which really the whole digital advertising ecosystem transacts and communicates.”
This move also sets Google apart—and puts them in a powerful position—for the future of digital media as all targeted, personalized ads delivered on Chrome will have to go through Google’s Privacy Sandbox. Forrester’s Fatemeh Khatibloo noted this is designed to protect consumer privacy on the browser, but this also puts Google in control of an awful lot of personal information in its future state.
For many adtech providers, this decision will alter their base solutions and their ability to connect and know individuals—with confidence—across devices and channels.
But at Epsilon, we’re not concerned.
How Epsilon is (and has been) prepared
Epsilon's CORE ID technology and our private exchange, which includes thousands of publisher relationships, allows us to uniquely navigate anticipated changes:
With proactive preparation with top supply partners, we’ve built a privacy-centric, individual level, ad ecosystem that does not rely on third-party cookies. Our private exchange is built on a direct integration with publishers—constructed with and for our publisher partners—to improve matching and monetization of a publisher’s ad space. We now have more than 2,000 sites leveraging our technology, which we anticipate expanding to meet the needs of Publicis Groupe.
This is not new news—we’ve already adapted to similar privacy enhancements from Apple and Mozilla and have come out unfazed. Our identity solution is built with a Privacy by Design approach, which leverages the persistence of our ID to maintain consumer choice over time and aligns to open web standards. Since Safari rolled out a similar initiative a few years back, we’ve seen far less competition in the marketplace for Safari inventory, indicating that our technology works well in a privacy-centric environment without third-party cookies.
As many start to grapple with the implications for their own products and solutions, we’ve been preparing—and building the appropriate technology—for years. We anticipated these changes all the way back in 2012, when we set the foundation for the private exchange to bring balance back to our publisher partners. With nearly a decade of experience working toward this inevitable industry change, we’re well-positioned to thrive in the new ecosystem, in partnership with publishers and other key industry players.
Although Google’s announcement is a significant change to how the adtech industry has traditionally operated, we see it as a step toward shifting the ecosystem to a more privacy-centric mindset, and we're ready for it.
*Editor's note: In May 20232, Google announced the deprecation will not occur until 2024.
Learn more about Epsilon PeopleCloud solutions and our private exchange.
---
## 1st-party vs 3rd-party cookies: What’s the difference?
Type: eps_post
URL: /1st-party-vs-3rd-party-cookies-whats-the-difference
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# 1st-party vs 3rd-party cookies: What’s the difference?
Cookies identify online users and have become a mainstay of digital advertising. As web servers have no memory of their own, cookies are used to make websites remember the user’s action, so they aren’t asked to perform a task again and again. As a result, they help provide a better, more personalized user experience.
And while most marketers know this broad definition, getting into the weeds regarding the different types of cookies and how they differ from one another can be trickier. However, with the current trend of third-party cookie deprecation, it’s never been more important for marketers to gain a more nuanced understanding.
In the name of building a “more private web,” Google recently announced that it plans to eliminate third-party cookies from its Chrome browser by 2024.* This announcement follows other cookie deprecation shifts by other major browsers from as far back as 2017—all of which mean a big shift for advertisers reliant on third-party cookies.
So, what are third-party cookies? And how are they different from the other types of cookies, namely first-party cookies? Read on to find out.
Types of cookies
Let’s run through definitions of first- and third-party cookies before taking a look at how they differ from one another.
First-party cookies
What are first-party cookies? First-party cookies are created and stored by the website you are visiting directly. They are used to collect user data for analytics, remember language settings, and store login information.
Third-party cookies
What is a third-party cookie? As the name implies, third-party cookies are created and placed by third parties other than the website you are visiting directly. Some common uses include:
Cross-site tracking: the practice of collecting browsing data from numerous sources (websites) that details your activity
Retargeting: using search activity to retarget visitors with visual or text ads based on the products and services for which they’ve shown interest
Ad-serving: making decisions regarding the ads that appear on a website, deciding when to serve these ads, and collecting data (and reporting said data including impressions and clicks) in an effort to educate advertisers on consumer insights and ad performance.
Key differences between 3rd-party cookies and 1st-party cookies
From the technical perspective, first- and third-party cookies are the same kind of files. The only difference lies in how they are created and used by websites.
First-party cookies are generated by the host domain. They are usually considered good because they help provide a better user experience. These cookies enable the browser to remember important user info, such as what items you add to shopping carts, your username and passwords, and language preferences.
On the other hand, third-party cookies are mostly used for tracking and online advertising purposes.
Here’s a table summarizing the key differences between first- and third-party cookies:
First-Party vs. Third-Party Cookies
The third-party cookie phase-out
Today, users are demanding greater privacy, which includes transparency, choice and control over how their data is used. That’s why Google has announced that it will phase out third-party cookies on Chrome browsers by 2024*. Although their announcement follows similar restrictions on other browsers—like Mozilla and Safari—in recent years, it is arguably the most significant, as they have the largest browser share. This means that marketers will have to pivot their advertising strategies; the way we use cookies today is going to change drastically.
Here’s how the third-party cookie phase-out is expected to affect marketers:
Third-party cookies are crumbling: Now what?
Our research on this industry shift shows that despite the impact and significance, fewer than half of marketers (46%) feel "very prepared." But at the moment, the best thing a marketer can do is not panic and continue to stay informed with news related to third-party cookies that could influence your business.
If your marketing strategies rely on third-party cookies, it’s time to start exploring alternatives. Look to partners who can provide a stable and scalable ID graph with limited reliance on third-party cookies. Explore tools that can better help you leverage first-party and transactional data. And if you have limited or no first-party data, seek out vendors and partners that do have access to consented first-party data to identify and reach customers across the web. Because publishers have a direct relationship to the visitors to their sites and apps, it’s important to work with them—or vendors who do—to continue personalizing messages with the help of their first-party data.
Still not sure how to pivot your advertising strategies during the third-party cookies phase-out?
Let us help
Because Epsilon’s identity graph is anchored in deterministic purchase data from individuals, it has limited dependence on third-party cookies. The integrity of this purchase data allows us to have 96% accuracy and industry-leading match and reach rates. As a result, we are able to identify and serve 98% of our ads to individuals, not orphaned cookies or device IDs.
Epsilon’s direct relationships with over 5000 publishers also help us defend against third-party cookie deprecation, because through these relationships we are still able to:
Identify consumers from publisher audiences. Publishers generate IDs based on their first-party data, which is then synced with Epsilon’s CORE ID.
Connect clients’ advertising goals with publishers’ ad inventory. Our first-party solution in partnership with our publishers helps us better understand the behaviors of users as they interact with publisher sites.
Deliver personalized, relevant ads. Connecting our ID with publishers’ IDs improves identification of publisher audiences and match rates.
Reach real individuals. Connecting with the publishers’ authenticated user data (logins, registrations) ensures we are serving ads and optimizing based on individuals, not cookies or device IDs, which may overlap.
Our years of preparation building people-based identity with first-party strategies and relationships will enable us to continue delivering results for our advertisers, while still providing performance transparency.
Contact us now to learn more about our services.
*This article was updated in 2023 to update correct cookie deprecation date.
---
## Without 3rd-party cookies and IDFA, are consumers really better off?
Type: eps_post
URL: /without-3rd-party-cookies-and-idfa-are-consumers-really-better-off
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Without 3rd-party cookies and IDFA, are consumers really better off?
Apple’s recent iOS 14 IDFA announcement, which followed Google’s January third-party cookie deprecation announcement, has made industry waves. It is the latest change in the clear trend of identifier deprecation that started in 2017, and will likely accelerate in the coming months and 2021. As a refresher, let’s review the differences between the two announcements:
Third-party cookies are placed on desktop and mobile web browsers. These are being removed by all major browsers. (Safari and Firefox have removed them already, and Google Chrome plans to do so by 2022.)
IDFA, Apple’s Identifier for Advertisers, is used like third-party cookies, but for apps on iOS devices. Starting in early 2021, their next operating platform update (iOS 14) will require user consent to deploy IDFA within apps. Every app will send a pop-up notification asking for user permission.
We’ve already explored how these shifts will impact advertisers, but how about the end user?
Cookie deprecation and IDFA limitations driven by consumer privacy concerns
Browsers and mobile operating companies are positioning these updates as being driven by consumers’ growing demand for privacy. Apple’s recent iPhone video ad, for example, features people loudly sharing personal, often embarrassing and dangerous information with those around them, and then closes out with: “Some things shouldn’t be shared. iPhone helps keep it that way.”
Consumers do indeed seem to care more about their privacy with every passing day, with data showing that 85% of US internet users are concerned about their privacy, and 76% of consumers are concerned about how tech and social media companies use their online data.
But what’s gained in privacy with the ecosystem shift means a customer experience tradeoff: namely, a loss of free and open, ungated content and personalized advertising which we all know consumers value.
Let’s take a look at the ways cookie deprecation and IDFA limitations negatively impact the end user, as well as what advertisers can do to best meet consumer expectations on all fronts.
A hit to the wallet—Less free content
Advertising powers a free internet and allows consumers to access content easily and at no-cost (in most cases). This free content could be lost as third-party cookies and IDFA go away. If publishers can’t fill their ad space and monetize their websites and apps, their business models will need to adapt. Likely outcomes are more subscription models, paid content and reliance on contextual targeting.
1st-party vs 3rd-party cookies: What’s the difference?
Consumers will have to wrestle with the question, “Is it better to pay for the content I want with money or with data?” Right now, we’re seeing that only 7% of consumers who do not pay for content said they would consider paying.
Even without subscription models, consumers can expect more gated content behind the requirement to register for an account. This allows emails and other information provided by consumers when creating accounts on websites to be linked to publishers’ first-party cookies. As publishers seek to monetize their websites in a world without third-party cookies, they can leverage their first-party data to better identify users and serve them relevant ads.
“Are you talkin’ to me?”—Loss of relevant, interesting ads
Consumers value personalized brand experiences. Our research shows that 80% of consumers are more willing to do business with a company that provides personalized experiences, and 90% find personalization appealing. This study also shows that 68% of consumers think it’s worth sharing personal information in exchange for relevant offers, recommendations, and discounts.
With this ecosystem shift, advertisers who were reliant on third-party cookies and IDFA permissions will have greatly diminished access to consumer browsing data, which means many will not be able to continue to provide the level of personalization consumers expect. Consumers can expect to see ads that are irrelevant and of much less interest to them, which can put the relationship at risk. According to an Infogroup 2019 survey, 90% of consumers indicate that messages from companies that are not personally relevant to them are “annoying.” And 67% of millennials/Gen-Zers have said, “I expect offers from companies to always be personalized.”
Groundhog Day—Increase in repetitive ads
Third-party cookies and IDFA signal when a user receives an ad, and advertisers set frequency caps to avoid over-messaging consumers. Without caps, consumers are likely to receive more repetitive ads and experience over-messaging as they browse—which can lead to annoyance on the consumer’s part.
Read more: With cookies crumbled and IDFA DOA, it’s time for a better identity strategy
Advertisers also tie multiple cookies and device IDs, across devices, to one individual. Without cookies and/or IDFA, advertisers won’t know how to reconcile the identity of users across their multiple devices and browsers. This will also contribute to consumers receiving repetitive ads.
Advertisers previously reliant on third-party cookies and IDFA will now have difficulty tying conversions back to the person who converted. This means consumers are more likely to receive ads for products they already purchased.
How to deliver personalized content in the new landscape
It’s time to future-proof your digital media strategy to ensure you can deliver to customers what they want: privacy + personalization.
With proactive preparation since 2012, Epsilon has built a privacy-centric, people-based identity graph that is anchored in deterministic purchase data from individuals and has limited reliance on third party cookies. The integrity of this purchase data allows us to have 96% accuracy and industry-leading match and reach rates. As a result, we are able to identify and serve 98% of our ads to individuals—not orphaned cookies or device IDs.
Epsilon’s direct relationships and growing first party integrations with over 5000 publishers also help us defend against third-party cookie deprecation, because, while third party cookies are on their way out, first party cookies are alive and well.
Our years of preparation building people-based identity with first-party strategies and relationships will enable us to continue delivering results for our advertisers, while still providing privacy.
See what Apple’s IDFA shift means for advertisers and the advertising industry: “With cookies crumbled and IDFA DOA, it’s time for a better identity strategy.”
---
## Identity isn’t just offline or online: It’s both
Type: eps_post
URL: /identity-isnt-just-offline-or-online-its-both
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Identity isn’t just offline or online: It’s both
Many marketers and industry experts discuss the importance of identity resolution and how it’s the key to marketing success in an increasingly digital customer landscape. The keyword is digital.
Digital, while a very important piece of the equation, is not the only piece.
What is commonly overlooked is how the offline or PII data can help unlock a true single customer view and help better fuel online recognition.
What is meant by “better fueling online recognition”?
When combining the digital signals observed through media interaction, device engagement or online transactions, you can paint a very robust picture of who your customers are in a PII free, online environment. This activity is incredibly valuable in knowing your customer.
Combining rich insights and behavioral data with your known, customer profile data delivers the best of both worlds and creates endless opportunities to optimize marketing efforts such as:
personalization
more transparent attribution modeling
better insight into the frequency of customer exposure to marketing touchpoints
But in order to achieve seamless alignment of online identity and offline identity, you must ensure your offline data is clean, accurate and complete. Without those important pieces of the puzzle, the alignment might fall short.
Addressing gaps in data
Addressing gaps in offline customer data—and maintaining its accuracy—are critical to online identity and can make the difference in accurately aligning most of your customer identities vs a small subset, or worse, inaccurately identifying customers altogether.
Profiles with limited information such as name and email, or simply email, aren’t uncommon across the clients we serve. However, it’s imperative to start with an accurate name and postal address. Not only are they the most persistent pieces of identification, but they are also always associated to transactions, online or offline, forming a rock-solid foundation for deterministically linking disparate identities within your database.
Once name and postal address are validated, linking additional contact points and collapsing multiple identities becomes much easier. Combine those now linked identities with additional online signals observed daily across display media and the website pages your customer frequents, and you have the recipe for optimal identity resolution across both online and offline channels.
An additional benefit of maintaining the tidiness of your customers’ PII data is that you can use it to better support outbound and inbound marketing activities across any channel; from email to inbound calls to online advertising. Maintaining data quality isn’t a silver bullet, but it’s the closest thing to it for marketers.
To further illustrate the importance of starting with quality PII data, let’s look at a study we recently performed with a client to help them align their customer identities and resolve previously unidentifiable web activity.
Case study
A large national retailer was using their own in-house identity management system, but they were struggling to consistently recognize and connect with their customers across online and offline channels. They were also looking for ways to optimize their marketing programs and decrease expenses.
Using our identity resolution solutions, they:
Cleansed and persistently keyed all CRM records
Tagged website and media impressions
Aligned online and offline individuals to a common ID during a 7-day test period
The results:
12% customer ID consolidation
38.1 million total customer IDs consolidated
9 million anonymous site visitors aligned to customer IDs
3 million site interactions aligned to customer IDs
7 million customer IDs aligned to their digital media impression activity
18 million total digital media impressions aligned to customer IDs
What we tell clients, and what we proved through this example, is that aligning clean, validated customer data is imperative to online customer recognition. When onboarded, it can increase your ability to recognize and align individuals in your database to online identities.
Optimizing this process will extend your reach, help you truly know your customers across all channels and help you bridge the gap between online and offline recognition.
**Kyle Larson also contributed to this post.
---
## Identity is the key to marketing magic
Type: eps_post
URL: /adweek-identity-resolution-cdp-martech
Last Modified: 2025-10-03T14:18:23Z
# Identity is the key to marketing magic
Marketing can sometimes feel like a mythical quest. Marketers are asked to decipher and glean meaning from disparate customer behaviors, and from those often-elusive signals forge campaigns that drive business impact.
Makes slaying a dragon sound easy, right?
The right tools can turn that marketing fantasy into reality. Customer data platforms (CDPs) can fulfill that promise. By cleaning, unifying and organizing your first-party data, you can start uncovering—and using—important customer insights. And when coupled with identity resolution, these powerful pieces of mar tech can create person-based marketing that enhances the customer experience.
A CDP Institute white paper, sponsored by Epsilon, “Identity Resolution Lays the Groundwork for Stronger Media Activation Through Customer Data Platforms,” explores why identity is the key factor in building stronger campaigns and customer insights through a CDP. Here are some key takeaways.
Putting the pieces together
To have a connected customer experience, you need to start with the right foundation. But customer data is inherently fragmented because of the litany of identifiers assigned to individual consumers, like email addresses or third-party cookies, and the vast number of channels consumers occupy.
Depending on how many identifiers a person has—say, several different email addresses or account numbers—you might see that person as several people when you go to execute a digital media, connected TV or some other campaign. If you are using a customer management tool merely as a repository, this becomes hazardous to marketing efforts.
What you need to do is unify your customer data.
CDPs powered by native identity capabilities do just that: They improve the quality of your data through deduplicating and organizing it, making it far more usable for marketers. It also unifies that data by linking those various identifiers to one cross-channel profile, and completes the profile by gathering other attributes, preferences and behaviors.
As a bonus, some CDP solutions enhance the data, too. This means layering external sources of data like demographic, intent and location history, onto customer profiles.
“CDPs underpinned by a strong and persistent identity layer develop deeper customer profiles on an individual level, leaving behind vague segmentation and inaccurate profile information,” the CDP Institute founder David Raab explained in the white paper. “Identity resolution that uses enhanced data from multiple sources fills in missing pieces of information that make profiles more robust.”
Actionable insights matter
Better customer data puts you ahead of the curve when it comes to media activation. Why? These holistic profiles give you a complete picture of who your customer is, what their preferences are and when, where and what they buy. This spins “spray and pray” on its head. You don’t have to guess when you can know.
Unlocking these insights on the person-level (and in aggregate) gives you the power to tailor marketing experiences based on what works. You deploy the right messages in the right channels to the right people—the people ready to buy right now.
Better data also equals better journey analysis and orchestration. You can see the path of the individual along with the path of various audiences and segments across all your channels (paid and owned).
“These unified views of individuals enable person-based marketing and empower marketers to make effective decisions and send instructions to delivery systems to execute those decisions,” Raab shared.
The power of closed-loop measurement
Person-based marketing also enables person-based measurement across owned and paid channels. When you see the behaviors of a person, in conjunction with the rest of your customers, you can start seeing patterns on an individual and aggregate level. The key to this is identity that provides full transparency across channels.
You can also start testing strategies to make them even better (or, sometimes, to know that something isn’t working.) How does adjusting specific parts of a campaign strategy impact your segments? How does it impact individuals? What insights can you glean from seeing the evolution of campaigns on both levels?
Injecting those insights back into your new strategies means you’re relying on accurate, actionable data to drive the ship.
Create persistent, personable marketing
Ultimately, identity lays the groundwork for higher-performing campaigns from start to finish: It unifies your data, enables enrichment, reduces media waste and provides the key to measurement. Unified and enriched customer profiles inform campaigns that work harder and reduce ad waste, and in turn, produce performance insights that flow back into those customer profiles.
Brands don’t need white-haired wizards, enchanted swords or powerful mythical creatures to make marketing magic. With the right mar tech, you can create your own marketing destiny and create higher-performing campaigns today.
“The potential value from customer data activation is huge,” Raab explained. “CDPs powered by a strong identity layer can use persistent, coordinated and current data to see individuals, launch campaigns across all the channels their customers occupy and have confidence they’re reaching in-market customers who are ready to buy.”
This article was originally published on Adweek, January 2024
---
## Digiday assesses the top 10 ID alternatives
Type: eps_post
URL: /digiday-top-id-alternatives
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T22:16:49Z
# Digiday assesses the top 10 ID alternatives
Without third-party identifiers (like cookies), we've all come to recognize that connected identity is the current and future backbone of digital marketing. But in a landscape with many players (some old, some new) and technology (also some old, some new), how do you know who has the best identity solution?
Digiday stepped in to help. In a new Digiday+ research piece, “A guide to the top ID alternatives for publishers,” Digiday looks at the major identity solutions in the market and “breaks down the key characteristics of each of the leading IDs and maps out their ideal use cases.”
Epsilon’s CORE ID was the only one to use all nine identifiers in Digiday’s criteria. While the assessment is not a stack ranking of identity solutions, Digiday assessed them across all potential identifiers used, and for reference, the next-highest solution only uses five of the nine.
This shows just how comprehensive Epsilon’s CORE ID is, and how much more you get by working with us.
Who is in the Digiday report?
The guide focuses on identity solutions for publishers, but “publishers” are what make up the entire internet—they’re everything you read online and every app you download. Which means Digiday’s assessment can be applied to any brand or publisher that needs a reliable way to reach people in a world without prevalent third-party identifiers.
In the full report, Digiday assesses the following identity solutions (in alphabetical order):
Connect ID (Yahoo)
CORE ID (Epsilon)
Fabrick ID (Neustar)
ID5 ID (ID5)
nonID (LiveIntent)
Panorama ID (Lotame)
Ramp ID (LiveRamp)
SharedID (Prebid)
SWID (51Degrees)
Unified ID 2.0 (The Trade Desk)
And they show what identifiers each solution incorporates across the nine most common ways to identify consumers, which is where Epsilon stands out as the only identity solution that incorporates and connects all of them:
Email
Phone number
Name
Postal address
IP address
Browser activity
Device data
First-party cookies
Third-party cookies
Why are all of these identifiers important?
Why does Epsilon go through all the work to use nine identifiers when the next-best option only usesfive? Well, each of these identifiers help to ensure persistent, not duplicated, privacy-safe connections with real people over time. Without all of them, you’re simply not getting the best of the best in identity resolution, and here’s why:
Email, phone number, name and postal address allow you to know the offline person.
Truly knowing a person requires having a name and address connected to that individual, which is how we anchor CORE ID.
In the Digiday report, you can see that competitors make an email address the foundation of their identity solution, and then append data to that profile. This is problematic because many people have multiple email addresses.
With CORE ID, we typically see an average of 5 email addresses associated with a single individual. We use email addresses to strengthen matches during onboarding, but it’s just one of many data points used to inform each CORE ID.
IP address, browser activity, device data, first-party cookies and third-party cookies all connect the person to digital signals.
Once we have the offline identity established, we can appropriately connect digital signals to that foundation.
In a post-cookie world, you’re going to need all digital signals to identify real, relevant consumer activity online.
Our first-party integrations with publishers are critical to connecting online activity to our CORE IDs.
What’s more, each brand client can connect their own first-party data to their instance of CORE ID, allowing them to benefit from all our identifiers plus their own data without ever sharing or comingling their data with other client data that uses CORE ID.
With all of these factors, we’ve already been delivering people-based marketing in the cookieless world on Apple and will be able to in Google’s future state.
Digiday also called out what makes CORE ID unique, which has a special nod to our persistent opt-out policy to ensure we always respect consumer preferences: “An offline name and address is the basis of CORE ID. And once a user opts out on one device, they are opted out on all devices, making user consent a dominant factor.”
What do you get by working with Epsilon?
A dynamic (not static) view of each person:People aren’t static—they’re dynamic, and your marketing should be too. Those first-party publisher integrations we just mentioned? They leverage real-time data about the individual that connects to the CORE ID. Yes, some of the other solutions in Digiday’s assessment use similar digital signals, but many reference historic (a nice way of saying “outdated”) information versus real-time, which not only creates annoying experiences for the consumer because it’s referencing information that is no longer relevant to them, but it’s also wasting your brand’s ad dollars.
More opportunities to reach consumers:One of Digiday’s callouts was CORE ID’s full-service activation through our digital media solutions and how that enables us to consistently reach consumers.With this approach, the brands we work with get 2-3x more reach when activating their customer files than they get from other identity solutions—that’s a lot more people and a lot more matches.
Persistent and built to last:Identity solutions need to build today for the future, but far too many partners just started building for today about 2.5 years ago when Google said they were getting rid of third-party cookies (yikes…). At Epsilon, we’ve been building this solution since 2012. And because we anchor across multiple data sources, we can recognize and reach consumers both online and offline, and we won’t lose them even as third-party identifiers go away.
Want to learn more?
We talk about this topic a lot (it’s a pretty big deal). Check out these other resources to learn more about Epsilon’s approach to identity and what others have to say:
Forrester’s Q1 2021 Wave on Customer Database and Engagement Agencies, where Epsilon was named a leader with the top score in the “current offering” category and the highest scores possible in 20 of the evaluation’s 29 criteria.
Our SVP of product sharing the 6 ingredients to create a fully baked identity strategy with Adweek.
Forrester’s 2020 Now Tech report on Identity Resolution providers, where Epsilon was the only partner to be categorized in all four primary functionality segments of identity resolution (first-person PII identity, onboarding, embedded digital identity and digital identity).
We also get that this topic can be super technical. For some fun, easy-to-understand ways to think about identity solutions, see what the new Spider-Man movie can teach us about identity resolution, or get a zombie’s take on how brands “just don’t seem to understand” how to talk to him since he was zombified (becausethey’re only using historical information).
And check out our website for more information on Epsilon's CORE ID.
---
## The final countdown? Navigating Google's move to deprecate third-party cookies in 2024
Type: eps_post
URL: /navigating-googles-move-to-deprecate-third-party-cookies-in-2024
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# The final countdown? Navigating Google's move to deprecate third-party cookies in 2024
After years of back-and-forth, third-party cookies are finally on their way out (or so it appears).
Cookie deprecation isn't new—major browsers like Safari and Firefox started removing third-party cookies all the way back in 2017 and 2019, respectively. Since then, 50% of web activity in the U.S. has been on browsers that don’t accept third-party cookies. So why is the industry still buzzing about third-party cookies?
Google, of course. Their will-they-won't-they approach to deprecating third-party cookies has kept the topic at the top of the news cycle for years. We know, because we wrote about it in 2020. And again in 2021... 2022... 2023... and now 2024. The persistent delays have left marketers' heads spinning, wondering when the other shoe is going to drop.
But it appears the wait is over: On January 4th, 2024, Google took the first step and deprecated third-party cookies in 1% of Chrome browsers globally. They say that their plan is to deprecate 100% of Chrome third-party cookies in Q3 of 2024. But will they actually follow through, or will we get another postponement? How much longer do marketers really have to future-proof their digital media strategy?
The short answer is, we just don’t know. But what we do know is deprecation of third party identifiers is inevitable, even if the timing is not completely clear. We also know that Epsilon has been preparing for identifier deprecation for a decade—so we can help you prepare, too.
If you're wondering how Google's moves will impact your day-to-day, the adtech partners you work with, or you're simply not sure how to navigate the future identity landscape, keep reading.
Let's recap. How did we get here?
Google’s Chrome is the last major browser to hang onto third-party cookies in the wake of regulatory changes and consumer concerns. As mentioned earlier, Safari, Firefox, and Edge all opted to get rid of third-party cookies in the past five years. Google followed by announcing in 2020 that they planned on phasing out third-party cookies, but had no successful alternatives for publishers and marketers to reach consumers.
The Sandbox was Google’s response to marketer needs in the wake of cookie deprecation. By design, Google’s Privacy Sandbox aims to create a consumer-centric, privacy-forward environment that enables targeting via Topics, a limited set of attributes based on recent browsing history, and measurement based on cohorts.
The catch? The company continues to allow itself to leverage Google-owned user-level identification while undercutting independent publishers and competing adtech companies’ ability to target consumers. In contrast, Google’s Privacy Sandbox offers advertisers limited contextual data that gives only limited insight into consumers.
In September of 2023, Google's Sandbox became generally available to Chrome users, and the company is strongly encouraging industry players to test the solution. They explained the move as a "significant step on the path towards a fundamentally more private web." Google’s approach has received plenty of criticism, but this is a major step towards a world without any third-party cookies. While they continue to enhance the Sandbox to make it more acceptable for marketers, the cookie lives on—but (maybe) not for long.
Ask questions now to avoid trouble later
There's clearly a lot of nuance when it comes to cookie deprecation. But the inevitability, no matter how long it takes Google to fully deprecate third-party cookies, is that the marketers who rely on them—even a little—will see disruptions to their day-to-day once they're gone. In fact, our survey on marketers' perceptions and readiness for the deprecation of third-party identifiers showed that 70% of marketers feel that digital advertising will take a step backward as a result of these changes. It will only get more difficult to identify customers on the web, which means:
Reach: Marketers who depend on third-party cookies will need to find a new way to reach their customers online.
Competition: With less identifiable inventory, competition for it is going to get tougher.
Campaign management: Certain campaign types (ex. retargeting) will see a larger impact due to the change, while others (ex. CTV) should see a lower impact.
Personalization: Less information means fewer chances to personalize ads, which may cause marketers to turn to low-performing cohort-based or contextual alternatives.
Campaign measurement: Unidentified inventory will make it challenging to measure return on ad spend (ROAS) and potentially lead to over-reliance on media mix modeling (MMM), which has significant time delays in delivery and offers much less actionable insights.
However you slice it, brands can expect a drop in messaged revenue and ROAS—all things that make a marketer's job harder.
These challenges are especially pertinent if you're working with a partner to run your media campaigns. Don't sit back and assume they've got it all figured out. All partners that don't have a strong identity solution will likely struggle with the same things. Here are a few key questions to consider discussing with your adtech partner about their approach to cookie deprecation:
What is your approach to identity resolution? Do you message real people—instead of just cookies or devices? Do you focus on audiences or real individuals?
How does your solution today reach browsers where third-party cookies are already gone? Can you provide me metrics about the percentage of my campaigns that are to Safari? To iOS in-app? How well do these campaigns perform?
How are you managing personalization on Safari and Firefox today? What are your plans for personalization post-Chrome deprecation?
Measurement is one of the real pitfalls of identifier deprecation. How are you going to approach multi-touch attribution, or are you going to rely on MMM?
Do you have direct relationships with publishers? How are you ensuring access to identifiable inventory?
What alternative solutions are you currently testing? How are they performing? Have you tested them in browsers like Safari that don’t accept third-party cookies?
How to succeed without third-party cookies
There is a world in which your brand can do more than just survive cookie deprecation, but thrive in the wake of it. The key is future-proofing your digital media strategy to ensure you can deliver to customers what they want: privacy + personalization.
Epsilon saw the flaws of third-party cookies long ago. Since 2012, we've invested in solutions that do not need (and will never need) third-party cookies to deliver and measure personalized advertising at scale. Here's how it works: Epsilon’s people-based CORE ID is anchored to deterministic data elements, making it not only reliable in finding the right consumers, but stable against regulatory shifts. Our data is privacy-centric and pseudonymized before it enters the digital ecosystem, keeping consumer information safe. And by working with 17,000+ publisher partners who have developed trusted first-party relationships with their audiences, we can identify site visitors without third-party cookies and provide transparent measurement at scale.
The proof is in our existing performance on Safari and with Apple users. Today, marketers using Epsilon Digital are already reaching and measuring 1:1 ads on Safari and iOS (browsers that do not have third-party cookies in tact). Currently, 33% of the impressions Epsilon Digital serves worldwide go to identified (and valuable) Apple users.
While Google’s back-and-forth is confusing and frankly frustrating, it doesn’t mean you should take your foot off the gas. Consider working with a partner like Epsilon, who the industry agrees is leading the way in helping marketers reach consumers and drive performance without third-party cookies, and is rated a top ID alternative for publishers by Digiday.
---
## The final countdown? Navigating Google's move to deprecate third-party cookies in 2024
Type: eps_post
URL: /navigating-googles-move-to-deprecate-third-party-cookies-in-2024
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# The final countdown? Navigating Google's move to deprecate third-party cookies in 2024
After years of back-and-forth, third-party cookies are finally on their way out (or so it appears).
Cookie deprecation isn't new—major browsers like Safari and Firefox started removing third-party cookies all the way back in 2017 and 2019, respectively. Since then, 50% of web activity in the U.S. has been on browsers that don’t accept third-party cookies. So why is the industry still buzzing about third-party cookies?
Google, of course. Their will-they-won't-they approach to deprecating third-party cookies has kept the topic at the top of the news cycle for years. We know, because we wrote about it in 2020. And again in 2021... 2022... 2023... and now 2024. The persistent delays have left marketers' heads spinning, wondering when the other shoe is going to drop.
But it appears the wait is over: On January 4th, 2024, Google took the first step and deprecated third-party cookies in 1% of Chrome browsers globally. They say that their plan is to deprecate 100% of Chrome third-party cookies in Q3 of 2024. But will they actually follow through, or will we get another postponement? How much longer do marketers really have to future-proof their digital media strategy?
The short answer is, we just don’t know. But what we do know is deprecation of third party identifiers is inevitable, even if the timing is not completely clear. We also know that Epsilon has been preparing for identifier deprecation for a decade—so we can help you prepare, too.
If you're wondering how Google's moves will impact your day-to-day, the adtech partners you work with, or you're simply not sure how to navigate the future identity landscape, keep reading.
Let's recap. How did we get here?
Google’s Chrome is the last major browser to hang onto third-party cookies in the wake of regulatory changes and consumer concerns. As mentioned earlier, Safari, Firefox, and Edge all opted to get rid of third-party cookies in the past five years. Google followed by announcing in 2020 that they planned on phasing out third-party cookies, but had no successful alternatives for publishers and marketers to reach consumers.
The Sandbox was Google’s response to marketer needs in the wake of cookie deprecation. By design, Google’s Privacy Sandbox aims to create a consumer-centric, privacy-forward environment that enables targeting via Topics, a limited set of attributes based on recent browsing history, and measurement based on cohorts.
The catch? The company continues to allow itself to leverage Google-owned user-level identification while undercutting independent publishers and competing adtech companies’ ability to target consumers. In contrast, Google’s Privacy Sandbox offers advertisers limited contextual data that gives only limited insight into consumers.
In September of 2023, Google's Sandbox became generally available to Chrome users, and the company is strongly encouraging industry players to test the solution. They explained the move as a "significant step on the path towards a fundamentally more private web." Google’s approach has received plenty of criticism, but this is a major step towards a world without any third-party cookies. While they continue to enhance the Sandbox to make it more acceptable for marketers, the cookie lives on—but (maybe) not for long.
Ask questions now to avoid trouble later
There's clearly a lot of nuance when it comes to cookie deprecation. But the inevitability, no matter how long it takes Google to fully deprecate third-party cookies, is that the marketers who rely on them—even a little—will see disruptions to their day-to-day once they're gone. In fact, our survey on marketers' perceptions and readiness for the deprecation of third-party identifiers showed that 70% of marketers feel that digital advertising will take a step backward as a result of these changes. It will only get more difficult to identify customers on the web, which means:
Reach: Marketers who depend on third-party cookies will need to find a new way to reach their customers online.
Competition: With less identifiable inventory, competition for it is going to get tougher.
Campaign management: Certain campaign types (ex. retargeting) will see a larger impact due to the change, while others (ex. CTV) should see a lower impact.
Personalization: Less information means fewer chances to personalize ads, which may cause marketers to turn to low-performing cohort-based or contextual alternatives.
Campaign measurement: Unidentified inventory will make it challenging to measure return on ad spend (ROAS) and potentially lead to over-reliance on media mix modeling (MMM), which has significant time delays in delivery and offers much less actionable insights.
However you slice it, brands can expect a drop in messaged revenue and ROAS—all things that make a marketer's job harder.
These challenges are especially pertinent if you're working with a partner to run your media campaigns. Don't sit back and assume they've got it all figured out. All partners that don't have a strong identity solution will likely struggle with the same things. Here are a few key questions to consider discussing with your adtech partner about their approach to cookie deprecation:
What is your approach to identity resolution? Do you message real people—instead of just cookies or devices? Do you focus on audiences or real individuals?
How does your solution today reach browsers where third-party cookies are already gone? Can you provide me metrics about the percentage of my campaigns that are to Safari? To iOS in-app? How well do these campaigns perform?
How are you managing personalization on Safari and Firefox today? What are your plans for personalization post-Chrome deprecation?
Measurement is one of the real pitfalls of identifier deprecation. How are you going to approach multi-touch attribution, or are you going to rely on MMM?
Do you have direct relationships with publishers? How are you ensuring access to identifiable inventory?
What alternative solutions are you currently testing? How are they performing? Have you tested them in browsers like Safari that don’t accept third-party cookies?
How to succeed without third-party cookies
There is a world in which your brand can do more than just survive cookie deprecation, but thrive in the wake of it. The key is future-proofing your digital media strategy to ensure you can deliver to customers what they want: privacy + personalization.
Epsilon saw the flaws of third-party cookies long ago. Since 2012, we've invested in solutions that do not need (and will never need) third-party cookies to deliver and measure personalized advertising at scale. Here's how it works: Epsilon’s people-based CORE ID is anchored to deterministic data elements, making it not only reliable in finding the right consumers, but stable against regulatory shifts. Our data is privacy-centric and pseudonymized before it enters the digital ecosystem, keeping consumer information safe. And by working with 17,000+ publisher partners who have developed trusted first-party relationships with their audiences, we can identify site visitors without third-party cookies and provide transparent measurement at scale.
The proof is in our existing performance on Safari and with Apple users. Today, marketers using Epsilon Digital are already reaching and measuring 1:1 ads on Safari and iOS (browsers that do not have third-party cookies in tact). Currently, 33% of the impressions Epsilon Digital serves worldwide go to identified (and valuable) Apple users.
While Google’s back-and-forth is confusing and frankly frustrating, it doesn’t mean you should take your foot off the gas. Consider working with a partner like Epsilon, who the industry agrees is leading the way in helping marketers reach consumers and drive performance without third-party cookies, and is rated a top ID alternative for publishers by Digiday.
---
## Building a visitor retention strategy to increase destination loyalty
Type: eps_post
URL: /destination-visitor-retention-strategy
Last Modified: 2026-05-06T20:04:14Z
# Building a visitor retention strategy to increase destination loyalty
Destination marketing organizations (DMOs) are essential to driving interest from potential visitors. However, getting in front of the right people isn’t always easy. Typically, the options available to DMOs for marketing revolve around generic audiences based on broad demographics and overlook the importance of reaching out to past visitors.
From national programs for hotels, airlines and restaurants to a punch card at the local car wash, marketers understand that loyalty is critical to growing revenue. It’s all about re-engaging past customers—whether they are tried-and-true advocates for a brand or re-engaging a one-time purchaser.
The same applies for destinations—except with visitors instead of “customers.” Traditionally though, this has been hard for destination marketers to accomplish. Understanding who has visited their destination before and being able to reach those people again is no easy feat. But now, through the power of Epsilon’s Net Economic Impact (NEI) solution, DMOs can reach, message and model verified past visitors to entice them to come back.
Leaning on visitor loyalty is a proven strategy that has manifold benefits:
Efficiency with marketing spend
Reaching out to past visitors can also be a more cost-effective marketing strategy compared to targeting new visitors. Past visitors are already interested in your destination, so the chances of successfully enticing them to return are higher. The most important lesson in marketing is that a new customer is way more expensive to acquire than it is to re-engage an existing one, and that applies to destination marketing as well.
Return visitors spend more
Re-engaging past visitors for a second visit is crucial because their potential for spending is much higher. Since these people have already experienced the location, they are more likely to spend more on their subsequent visits. And it bears out in practice: In a recent client campaign for a DMO, we saw that returning visitors spend as much as 3x more than first timers. They’re more familiar with the destination; not only will they be excited to re-visit their favorite activities from their first stay, but they’ll also want to hit what they missed the first time around. They may have heard about a great restaurant, shop or activity while they were in town but the timing was off or already had a packed schedule. That subsequent visit is the perfect opportunity to do anything they may have missed.
Return visitors stay longer
In addition to spending more, past visitors are more likely to stay for a more extended period on their return visits. As they are already familiar with the destination and its offerings, they may feel more comfortable exploring it in-depth and at a more leisurely pace. This increased length of stay can lead to higher spending and a more significant economic impact on the local community.
Return visitors engage with the community
Past visitors are more likely to engage with the local community during their return visits. They have a deeper understanding of the local culture and customs and can easily build connections and interact with the residents in a meaningful way. This interaction not only enhances the overall visitor experience but also fosters a positive image of the destination, which can further drive future visits from other potential travelers.
How Epsilon can help
Epsilon’s Net Economic Impact (NEI) solution helps destination marketers reach and engage their past visitors. Our solution can work with any DMO to better understand their past visitors, so they can start marketing to them for a second (or third or fourth) visit.
And we’ve helped DMOs from all over the US, like Visit Franklin Tennessee and the Virginia Tourism Cooperation, stay close to their past guests and reach potential new visitors. By better understanding a destination’s past visitors, the DMOs we work with can better identify their highest yielding target audiences, leading to revenue impact and economic growth for their beloved cities.
As destination marketing continues to evolve, it is essential to engage past visitors and build destination loyalty. By reaching these people, destinations can benefit from higher spending, longer stays, better community interaction and increased brand advocacy.
Learn more about how Epsilon can help you create a “loyalty program” for your destination.
---
## Identity is the key to marketing magic
Type: eps_post
URL: /adweek-identity-resolution-cdp-martech
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T22:17:52Z
# Identity is the key to marketing magic
Marketing can sometimes feel like a mythical quest. Marketers are asked to decipher and glean meaning from disparate customer behaviors, and from those often-elusive signals forge campaigns that drive business impact.
Makes slaying a dragon sound easy, right?
The right tools can turn that marketing fantasy into reality. Customer data platforms (CDPs) can fulfill that promise. By cleaning, unifying and organizing your first-party data, you can start uncovering—and using—important customer insights. And when coupled with identity resolution, these powerful pieces of mar tech can create person-based marketing that enhances the customer experience.
A CDP Institute white paper, sponsored by Epsilon, “Identity Resolution Lays the Groundwork for Stronger Media Activation Through Customer Data Platforms,” explores why identity is the key factor in building stronger campaigns and customer insights through a CDP. Here are some key takeaways.
Putting the pieces together
To have a connected customer experience, you need to start with the right foundation. But customer data is inherently fragmented because of the litany of identifiers assigned to individual consumers, like email addresses or third-party cookies, and the vast number of channels consumers occupy.
Depending on how many identifiers a person has—say, several different email addresses or account numbers—you might see that person as several people when you go to execute a digital media, connected TV or some other campaign. If you are using a customer management tool merely as a repository, this becomes hazardous to marketing efforts.
What you need to do is unify your customer data.
CDPs powered by native identity capabilities do just that: They improve the quality of your data through deduplicating and organizing it, making it far more usable for marketers. It also unifies that data by linking those various identifiers to one cross-channel profile, and completes the profile by gathering other attributes, preferences and behaviors.
As a bonus, some CDP solutions enhance the data, too. This means layering external sources of data like demographic, intent and location history, onto customer profiles.
“CDPs underpinned by a strong and persistent identity layer develop deeper customer profiles on an individual level, leaving behind vague segmentation and inaccurate profile information,” the CDP Institute founder David Raab explained in the white paper. “Identity resolution that uses enhanced data from multiple sources fills in missing pieces of information that make profiles more robust.”
Actionable insights matter
Better customer data puts you ahead of the curve when it comes to media activation. Why? These holistic profiles give you a complete picture of who your customer is, what their preferences are and when, where and what they buy. This spins “spray and pray” on its head. You don’t have to guess when you can know.
Unlocking these insights on the person-level (and in aggregate) gives you the power to tailor marketing experiences based on what works. You deploy the right messages in the right channels to the right people—the people ready to buy right now.
Better data also equals better journey analysis and orchestration. You can see the path of the individual along with the path of various audiences and segments across all your channels (paid and owned).
“These unified views of individuals enable person-based marketing and empower marketers to make effective decisions and send instructions to delivery systems to execute those decisions,” Raab shared.
The power of closed-loop measurement
Person-based marketing also enables person-based measurement across owned and paid channels. When you see the behaviors of a person, in conjunction with the rest of your customers, you can start seeing patterns on an individual and aggregate level. The key to this is identity that provides full transparency across channels.
You can also start testing strategies to make them even better (or, sometimes, to know that something isn’t working.) How does adjusting specific parts of a campaign strategy impact your segments? How does it impact individuals? What insights can you glean from seeing the evolution of campaigns on both levels?
Injecting those insights back into your new strategies means you’re relying on accurate, actionable data to drive the ship.
Create persistent, personable marketing
Ultimately, identity lays the groundwork for higher-performing campaigns from start to finish: It unifies your data, enables enrichment, reduces media waste and provides the key to measurement. Unified and enriched customer profiles inform campaigns that work harder and reduce ad waste, and in turn, produce performance insights that flow back into those customer profiles.
Brands don’t need white-haired wizards, enchanted swords or powerful mythical creatures to make marketing magic. With the right mar tech, you can create your own marketing destiny and create higher-performing campaigns today.
“The potential value from customer data activation is huge,” Raab explained. “CDPs powered by a strong identity layer can use persistent, coordinated and current data to see individuals, launch campaigns across all the channels their customers occupy and have confidence they’re reaching in-market customers who are ready to buy.”
This article was originally published on Adweek, January 2024
---
## Identity is the key to marketing magic
Type: eps_post
URL: /adweek-identity-resolution-cdp-martech
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T22:17:52Z
# Identity is the key to marketing magic
Marketing can sometimes feel like a mythical quest. Marketers are asked to decipher and glean meaning from disparate customer behaviors, and from those often-elusive signals forge campaigns that drive business impact.
Makes slaying a dragon sound easy, right?
The right tools can turn that marketing fantasy into reality. Customer data platforms (CDPs) can fulfill that promise. By cleaning, unifying and organizing your first-party data, you can start uncovering—and using—important customer insights. And when coupled with identity resolution, these powerful pieces of mar tech can create person-based marketing that enhances the customer experience.
A CDP Institute white paper, sponsored by Epsilon, “Identity Resolution Lays the Groundwork for Stronger Media Activation Through Customer Data Platforms,” explores why identity is the key factor in building stronger campaigns and customer insights through a CDP. Here are some key takeaways.
Putting the pieces together
To have a connected customer experience, you need to start with the right foundation. But customer data is inherently fragmented because of the litany of identifiers assigned to individual consumers, like email addresses or third-party cookies, and the vast number of channels consumers occupy.
Depending on how many identifiers a person has—say, several different email addresses or account numbers—you might see that person as several people when you go to execute a digital media, connected TV or some other campaign. If you are using a customer management tool merely as a repository, this becomes hazardous to marketing efforts.
What you need to do is unify your customer data.
CDPs powered by native identity capabilities do just that: They improve the quality of your data through deduplicating and organizing it, making it far more usable for marketers. It also unifies that data by linking those various identifiers to one cross-channel profile, and completes the profile by gathering other attributes, preferences and behaviors.
As a bonus, some CDP solutions enhance the data, too. This means layering external sources of data like demographic, intent and location history, onto customer profiles.
“CDPs underpinned by a strong and persistent identity layer develop deeper customer profiles on an individual level, leaving behind vague segmentation and inaccurate profile information,” the CDP Institute founder David Raab explained in the white paper. “Identity resolution that uses enhanced data from multiple sources fills in missing pieces of information that make profiles more robust.”
Actionable insights matter
Better customer data puts you ahead of the curve when it comes to media activation. Why? These holistic profiles give you a complete picture of who your customer is, what their preferences are and when, where and what they buy. This spins “spray and pray” on its head. You don’t have to guess when you can know.
Unlocking these insights on the person-level (and in aggregate) gives you the power to tailor marketing experiences based on what works. You deploy the right messages in the right channels to the right people—the people ready to buy right now.
Better data also equals better journey analysis and orchestration. You can see the path of the individual along with the path of various audiences and segments across all your channels (paid and owned).
“These unified views of individuals enable person-based marketing and empower marketers to make effective decisions and send instructions to delivery systems to execute those decisions,” Raab shared.
The power of closed-loop measurement
Person-based marketing also enables person-based measurement across owned and paid channels. When you see the behaviors of a person, in conjunction with the rest of your customers, you can start seeing patterns on an individual and aggregate level. The key to this is identity that provides full transparency across channels.
You can also start testing strategies to make them even better (or, sometimes, to know that something isn’t working.) How does adjusting specific parts of a campaign strategy impact your segments? How does it impact individuals? What insights can you glean from seeing the evolution of campaigns on both levels?
Injecting those insights back into your new strategies means you’re relying on accurate, actionable data to drive the ship.
Create persistent, personable marketing
Ultimately, identity lays the groundwork for higher-performing campaigns from start to finish: It unifies your data, enables enrichment, reduces media waste and provides the key to measurement. Unified and enriched customer profiles inform campaigns that work harder and reduce ad waste, and in turn, produce performance insights that flow back into those customer profiles.
Brands don’t need white-haired wizards, enchanted swords or powerful mythical creatures to make marketing magic. With the right mar tech, you can create your own marketing destiny and create higher-performing campaigns today.
“The potential value from customer data activation is huge,” Raab explained. “CDPs powered by a strong identity layer can use persistent, coordinated and current data to see individuals, launch campaigns across all the channels their customers occupy and have confidence they’re reaching in-market customers who are ready to buy.”
This article was originally published on Adweek, January 2024
---
## Find up to 88% more customers by expanding your universe on the open web
Type: eps_post
URL: /retention-on-the-open-web
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T22:17:52Z
# Find up to 88% more customers by expanding your universe on the open web
When it comes to customer retention, marketers tend to focus on their owned media channels. But this strategy alone can lead to missing up to 88% of your customers.
Fortunately the solution is out there. It's time to boldly go where your customers have gone before (and where the majority of them are spending their time online)—the open web. In this article, we’ll explore why such a high percentage of a brand’s audience exists outside of owned channels, how marketers can avoid overlap issues when expanding to the open web, brand success stories and questions to consider in your retention efforts.
What are owned media channels?
Owned media channels (or owned marketing channels) are any online or digital assets owned and controlled by a brand. These may include: website or ecommerce site, email, social media channels, mobile apps and blogs. The more owned media channels a business has, the larger their digital footprint, and therefore the more potential to connect with customers and followers.
What are the benefits of owned media channels?
Owned media channels offer the "owner" full control of what is published and when, communicating directly with the audience. This control can be very helpful in terms of brand consistency, flexibility and agility, and more. Owned channels also help brands generate large amounts of data that can be used to tailor retention strategies, personalize communications and enhance customer experiences.
What is the open web?
The open web, or open internet is any online property, website or app not owned by a major tech company such as Facebook, Amazon or Google (otherwise known as walled gardens). It is everywhere that people shop, read and learn across the internet in publicly accessible spaces. A survey from The Harris Poll, commissioned by OpenX, found that American consumers spend about 66% of their time on the open web.
What does this have to do with customer retention?
Many clients come to us and say "I’m already retaining my customers through my owned media channels." Our response is as simple as this: Owned channels, like email, are only a part of how you retain customers because not all customers are reachable or responsive within a single tactic or channel. Therefore, owned channels aren’t truly representative of a client’s customer base.
Expanding from owned-channel retention efforts to the open web allows brands to tap into a broader and diverse audience pool, reaching potential in-market customers who may not actively engage with the brand's owned channels. This looks like advertising on publisher websites you don't own: the spaces where your customers are when they're not available through your owned channels.
The numbers we are seeing support this approach. For example, a regional grocery store found that only 12% of its buyers visited the retailer’s website. That means that 88% of customers didn’t visit—but are reachable on the open web.
TITLE: Customer reachability examples: Owned website visitors vs. Open web
How to expand retention efforts to the open web
Expanding your efforts to the open web really comes down to one thing: the right digital media partner. But how do you know which partner is right for you as you embark on your new retention journey? Make sure they have these three core capabilities:
A robust, people-based identity solution to message real in-market customers: A solution like Epsilon’s CORE ID ensures you can identify both individual customers in your loyalty customer database as well as those that are not. It’s also imperative that online and offline purchases are connected so that a customer’s full journey can be tracked and their in-market status can be updated based on their true behavior.
Predictive AI to drive real-time decisioning and optimization: A partner that uses artificial intelligence well can help you know who message, what to say, where to reach them across channels and when to talk them so that they are most receptive to your message. At Epsilon, our mature predictive AI is the foundation for delivering personalized, impactful advertisements across our network of 17,000+ brand-safe publishers.
Transparent, closed-loop measurement to improve performance and prove value: Ensure your partner can provide granular-level measurement, reporting on every impression and outcome and tying online and in-store purchases back to the ads they serve. Ask for a custom data feed to give you a clear lens into the true impact of your marketing across touchpoints—including cookieless environments.
Solving for the most common open-web barrier: Overlap
A common barrier to open web expansion is the issue of overlap. Without proper coordination, brands risk sending redundant messages to customers who are already engaged through owned channels. This can lead to message fatigue and annoyance for the customer, and wasted resources and decreased return on investment for the brand.
The solution? Brands need to use an identifier that enables them to run additional retention campaigns that enhance their existing efforts. Here are a few examples of how a supplemental campaign could be structured:
Cross-channel personalization: Brands can leverage data integration to personalize messages across both owned and open web channels. This would ensure that customers receive content that aligns with their previous interactions and preferences, creating a seamless experience regardless of the channel.
Frequency and timing optimization: Optimizing the frequency and timing of messages prevents overload. Brands can coordinate the release of messages to avoid simultaneous delivery across channels, ensuring that customers don’t feel inundated with redundant information.
Channel-specific incentives: Tailoring incentives based on the channel through which customers are engaged is another effective strategy. For owned channels, exclusive promotions or early access can be emphasized, while open web campaigns could focus on broader brand awareness or highlight unique aspects to capture wider attention.
Open web success story: Auto retailer's $67M boost
A national auto retailer was struggling to reach their customers through existing loyalty efforts. They wanted to grow their addressable audience, introduce more customers to their loyalty program and bring them in as members.
When the retailer leveraged new customer insights and activated across all devices using Epsilon Digital, they were able to identify and message a whopping 10 million non-loyalty buyers. This led to $67 million messaged revenue from this group—a huge win.
Questions to consider in retention efforts
You may think you have customer retention covered via your owned channels, but it’s helpful to check in on the actual numbers with some questions:
What is the size of your customer file? Do you know what your reachable audience is in your owned channels?
What percentage of your customer file is subscribed to your email? What is your open rate?
How many unique individuals does your email or text database represent? What percentage of your total customers does this represent?
The open web offers an expansive landscape where brands can discover, engage and reconnect with a broader audience. Running supplemental open-web retention campaigns alongside existing owned channel retention campaigns can help brands reconnect with a large chunk of their customer base they might not have even known was missing.
For more information, check out our guide “Digital media buying solutions: Maximizing ROI with the right partner.”
---
## Find up to 88% more customers by expanding your universe on the open web
Type: eps_post
URL: /retention-on-the-open-web
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T22:17:52Z
# Find up to 88% more customers by expanding your universe on the open web
When it comes to customer retention, marketers tend to focus on their owned media channels. But this strategy alone can lead to missing up to 88% of your customers.
Fortunately the solution is out there. It's time to boldly go where your customers have gone before (and where the majority of them are spending their time online)—the open web. In this article, we’ll explore why such a high percentage of a brand’s audience exists outside of owned channels, how marketers can avoid overlap issues when expanding to the open web, brand success stories and questions to consider in your retention efforts.
What are owned media channels?
Owned media channels (or owned marketing channels) are any online or digital assets owned and controlled by a brand. These may include: website or ecommerce site, email, social media channels, mobile apps and blogs. The more owned media channels a business has, the larger their digital footprint, and therefore the more potential to connect with customers and followers.
What are the benefits of owned media channels?
Owned media channels offer the "owner" full control of what is published and when, communicating directly with the audience. This control can be very helpful in terms of brand consistency, flexibility and agility, and more. Owned channels also help brands generate large amounts of data that can be used to tailor retention strategies, personalize communications and enhance customer experiences.
What is the open web?
The open web, or open internet is any online property, website or app not owned by a major tech company such as Facebook, Amazon or Google (otherwise known as walled gardens). It is everywhere that people shop, read and learn across the internet in publicly accessible spaces. A survey from The Harris Poll, commissioned by OpenX, found that American consumers spend about 66% of their time on the open web.
What does this have to do with customer retention?
Many clients come to us and say "I’m already retaining my customers through my owned media channels." Our response is as simple as this: Owned channels, like email, are only a part of how you retain customers because not all customers are reachable or responsive within a single tactic or channel. Therefore, owned channels aren’t truly representative of a client’s customer base.
Expanding from owned-channel retention efforts to the open web allows brands to tap into a broader and diverse audience pool, reaching potential in-market customers who may not actively engage with the brand's owned channels. This looks like advertising on publisher websites you don't own: the spaces where your customers are when they're not available through your owned channels.
The numbers we are seeing support this approach. For example, a regional grocery store found that only 12% of its buyers visited the retailer’s website. That means that 88% of customers didn’t visit—but are reachable on the open web.
TITLE: Customer reachability examples: Owned website visitors vs. Open web
How to expand retention efforts to the open web
Expanding your efforts to the open web really comes down to one thing: the right digital media partner. But how do you know which partner is right for you as you embark on your new retention journey? Make sure they have these three core capabilities:
A robust, people-based identity solution to message real in-market customers: A solution like Epsilon’s CORE ID ensures you can identify both individual customers in your loyalty customer database as well as those that are not. It’s also imperative that online and offline purchases are connected so that a customer’s full journey can be tracked and their in-market status can be updated based on their true behavior.
Predictive AI to drive real-time decisioning and optimization: A partner that uses artificial intelligence well can help you know who message, what to say, where to reach them across channels and when to talk them so that they are most receptive to your message. At Epsilon, our mature predictive AI is the foundation for delivering personalized, impactful advertisements across our network of 17,000+ brand-safe publishers.
Transparent, closed-loop measurement to improve performance and prove value: Ensure your partner can provide granular-level measurement, reporting on every impression and outcome and tying online and in-store purchases back to the ads they serve. Ask for a custom data feed to give you a clear lens into the true impact of your marketing across touchpoints—including cookieless environments.
Solving for the most common open-web barrier: Overlap
A common barrier to open web expansion is the issue of overlap. Without proper coordination, brands risk sending redundant messages to customers who are already engaged through owned channels. This can lead to message fatigue and annoyance for the customer, and wasted resources and decreased return on investment for the brand.
The solution? Brands need to use an identifier that enables them to run additional retention campaigns that enhance their existing efforts. Here are a few examples of how a supplemental campaign could be structured:
Cross-channel personalization: Brands can leverage data integration to personalize messages across both owned and open web channels. This would ensure that customers receive content that aligns with their previous interactions and preferences, creating a seamless experience regardless of the channel.
Frequency and timing optimization: Optimizing the frequency and timing of messages prevents overload. Brands can coordinate the release of messages to avoid simultaneous delivery across channels, ensuring that customers don’t feel inundated with redundant information.
Channel-specific incentives: Tailoring incentives based on the channel through which customers are engaged is another effective strategy. For owned channels, exclusive promotions or early access can be emphasized, while open web campaigns could focus on broader brand awareness or highlight unique aspects to capture wider attention.
Open web success story: Auto retailer's $67M boost
A national auto retailer was struggling to reach their customers through existing loyalty efforts. They wanted to grow their addressable audience, introduce more customers to their loyalty program and bring them in as members.
When the retailer leveraged new customer insights and activated across all devices using Epsilon Digital, they were able to identify and message a whopping 10 million non-loyalty buyers. This led to $67 million messaged revenue from this group—a huge win.
Questions to consider in retention efforts
You may think you have customer retention covered via your owned channels, but it’s helpful to check in on the actual numbers with some questions:
What is the size of your customer file? Do you know what your reachable audience is in your owned channels?
What percentage of your customer file is subscribed to your email? What is your open rate?
How many unique individuals does your email or text database represent? What percentage of your total customers does this represent?
The open web offers an expansive landscape where brands can discover, engage and reconnect with a broader audience. Running supplemental open-web retention campaigns alongside existing owned channel retention campaigns can help brands reconnect with a large chunk of their customer base they might not have even known was missing.
For more information, check out our guide “Digital media buying solutions: Maximizing ROI with the right partner.”
---
## How marketers can leverage the ‘art and science’ power of generative and predictive AI
Type: eps_post
URL: /artificial-intelligence-marketing-preparation
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# How marketers can leverage the ‘art and science’ power of generative and predictive AI
Large language models (LLMs) have reached new levels of capability and accessibility, leading to the perhaps biggest boom in AI chatter since voice assistants first came onto the scene. (Remember how everyone in the family had an opinion on Siri in 2011?)
But what exactly are LLMs and how do they factor into AI? Here’s the quick context:
LLMs are a type of machine learning-trained model for language understanding.
The spotlight has been on generative AI: a special use case for LLMs that underpins recent AI advancements like the consumer-facing ChatGPT and other GPT models.
These generative AI tools have recently become available to the average person to test and use due to a significant increase in parameters available to the GPT model: from 175 billion to 1 trillion and growing.
(To put it into perspective, 1 billion seconds is about 31 years whereas 1 trillion seconds is roughly 31,000 years.)
For marketers, there’s a lot of buzzy conversations about everything that generative AI will unlock: hyper-personalization, AI-generated marketing personas guiding media strategy, GPT interfaces for data analytics and insights, and other efficiency-driving advancements.
But to take advantage of all that generative AI has to offer, marketers need to get their data ducks in a row. It is essential to have a solid data foundation together with a person-based identity solution before generative AI can play any kind of substantial role in bolstering campaign efficiency and effectiveness or driving deeper insights.
There is no replacement for quality data. You can apply the best, smartest, most sophisticated models to mediocre data—but without quality data, you will only ever get mediocre results. Capturing and cultivating your first-party data asset and then enriching it with high quality third-party data lays the right foundation for AI to work its magic.
In this blog, we address some common questions around AI, including where it’s headed and what you can do to get the most out of all kinds of AI possibilities for your marketing.
First, we’ll clarify some terminology.
Predictive or Generative AI: What’s the difference and where can they come together?
Predictive AI: Predictive AI helps marketers decide whom to reach, where to reach them, when to reach them and what to say to predict the most successful outcome.
Predictive AI uses statistical algorithms and historical data patterns to analyze data and forecast outcomes.
It is sometimes referred to as “predictive analytics”; however, the difference between predictive AI and predictive analytics is that predictive AI is autonomous, whereas predictive analytics relies on human intervention.
Generative AI: In contrast, generative AI helps marketers create: It generates content.
This includes written (like ChatGPT) or visual (like Dall-E) formats—across a wide array of needs, like writing an essay on the Civil War, generating 1,000 potential headlines for an article or converting text copy to an image.
Generative AI is unlikely to replace creative work, but rather will be a force multiplier that will accelerate creative ideation and generation. It will always be important to keep a human in the loop of the creative cycle for myriad reasons, like brand safety and standards, copyrights and privacy.
The consumer is the beneficiary of predictive AI decision-making, but they don’t necessarily know it because everything is happening behind the scenes. Predictive AI helps marketers connect with in-market consumers in a relevant, non-repetitive way that they appreciate. Predictive AI is used in marketing to define:
Whom to message
Where to reach them
When to talk to them
What to say
What generative AI can add to this process is the ability to create that message, ad or email dynamically and in response to the identified person’s preferences, wants and needs. It becomes the final step in the process, but you need the predictive foundation to provide the inputs for the generative AI side.
We see predictive and generative AI working together in the same way that art and science work together. Think of predictive AI as the science—it’s the methodology that enables deep insights and data-driven decisioning using machine learning techniques to produce better business outcomes. It’s powerful, but not terribly sexy. Generative AI is like the art—it can bring a more human understanding of data and insights through content generation that can evoke emotion. When you put them together—the art and science of AI—you can drive deeper insights and better decisions across platform and channel.
While generative AI can create content, predictive AI is needed to apply that content to the right person at the right time. We already have the science of marketing down with predictive AI; now we have started using generative AI to bring art to that equation.
How to build a strong predictive AI foundation
OK, so what does “strong” predictive AI look like? For one thing, time is of the essence.
AI learns and is trained over time. There’s no way to speed up the process. The best solutions should have a sizable amount of time training their predictive AI models already under their belt.
What does time do for predictive AI? Well, the benefit of more training time means that those solutions are faster and notably more accurate than solutions with less experience. This is because the model learns the data and improves over time.
Think back to the example of a marketer locating an in-market customer for a product using predictive AI. Over time as the model evolves and improves, it can inform technology like an ad server to find in-market customers faster and more accurately. It’s the difference between messaging someone on the verge of a purchase versus someone who has already purchased.
Marketers should look out for solutions with real-time model updates—not those that take weeks or months—because it allows for real-time customer connection (at scale).
Optimizing data for best AI functionality
AI needs the right data to train it, but your outputs are only as good as your inputs. Here are three ways to get AI-ready:
Data foundation
You need to enrich your first-party data to make it viable for AI applications in a privacy-safe way. Apply hygiene to it: cleanse, structure and reinforce. Think of your data as a stream, with AI requiring a continuous feedback loop to be effective.
Access to data at scale
Connect your data to a people-based identity. You need data about your customers everywhere they are, not just from your interactions. If you don’t have that robust identity resolution in place, connecting the dots just isn’t possible.
Readiness
Make your data asset accessible to AI methodologies. (This part is greatly aided by partnering with a marketing solution provider that can effectively apply AI to your data—and even get your data ready for AI in the first place, so no effort needed.)
Prioritizing consumer privacy and data ethics
Amid all the generative AI hype, it’s crucial marketers don’t neglect the importance of centering consumer privacy and data ethics.
Generative AI makes it possible to create an entire ad (from copy to visuals to call-to-action) in real time. Connecting predictive and generative AI could determine which creative will have the most emotional impact while also reducing waste and driving efficiency by only creating assets that are used. This hyper-responsiveness must be balanced against brand safety, content appropriateness and legality, ideally with a human in the loop.
To ensure data privacy and ethics compliance, a team of real people should monitor any generative AI outputs—you can’t just set it up and let it run. This team needs to ensure everything meets brand standards and does not infringe on copyright. Jodi Daniels, a data privacy consultant, said it best in a recent Forbes article: “A business could be put in a precarious position if it uses generative AI in a way that uses consumer data that runs counter to contractual obligations.”
Keep learning—just like good AI
Just like strong AI, it’s crucial that you never stop learning and stay up on the latest information.
As a starting point, we recommend checking out this Q&A with Steve Nowlan, our SVP of decision sciences analytics, on how organizations can truly harness the power of artificial intelligence. He answers some questions that we think just might generate some questions of your own to keep the conversation going.
And if you’d like to hear how Epsilon’s CORE AI makes real-time marketing decisions at the individual—not the audience—level, head to our webpage.
---
## How marketers can leverage the ‘art and science’ power of generative and predictive AI
Type: eps_post
URL: /artificial-intelligence-marketing-preparation
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# How marketers can leverage the ‘art and science’ power of generative and predictive AI
Large language models (LLMs) have reached new levels of capability and accessibility, leading to the perhaps biggest boom in AI chatter since voice assistants first came onto the scene. (Remember how everyone in the family had an opinion on Siri in 2011?)
But what exactly are LLMs and how do they factor into AI? Here’s the quick context:
LLMs are a type of machine learning-trained model for language understanding.
The spotlight has been on generative AI: a special use case for LLMs that underpins recent AI advancements like the consumer-facing ChatGPT and other GPT models.
These generative AI tools have recently become available to the average person to test and use due to a significant increase in parameters available to the GPT model: from 175 billion to 1 trillion and growing.
(To put it into perspective, 1 billion seconds is about 31 years whereas 1 trillion seconds is roughly 31,000 years.)
For marketers, there’s a lot of buzzy conversations about everything that generative AI will unlock: hyper-personalization, AI-generated marketing personas guiding media strategy, GPT interfaces for data analytics and insights, and other efficiency-driving advancements.
But to take advantage of all that generative AI has to offer, marketers need to get their data ducks in a row. It is essential to have a solid data foundation together with a person-based identity solution before generative AI can play any kind of substantial role in bolstering campaign efficiency and effectiveness or driving deeper insights.
There is no replacement for quality data. You can apply the best, smartest, most sophisticated models to mediocre data—but without quality data, you will only ever get mediocre results. Capturing and cultivating your first-party data asset and then enriching it with high quality third-party data lays the right foundation for AI to work its magic.
In this blog, we address some common questions around AI, including where it’s headed and what you can do to get the most out of all kinds of AI possibilities for your marketing.
First, we’ll clarify some terminology.
Predictive or Generative AI: What’s the difference and where can they come together?
Predictive AI: Predictive AI helps marketers decide whom to reach, where to reach them, when to reach them and what to say to predict the most successful outcome.
Predictive AI uses statistical algorithms and historical data patterns to analyze data and forecast outcomes.
It is sometimes referred to as “predictive analytics”; however, the difference between predictive AI and predictive analytics is that predictive AI is autonomous, whereas predictive analytics relies on human intervention.
Generative AI: In contrast, generative AI helps marketers create: It generates content.
This includes written (like ChatGPT) or visual (like Dall-E) formats—across a wide array of needs, like writing an essay on the Civil War, generating 1,000 potential headlines for an article or converting text copy to an image.
Generative AI is unlikely to replace creative work, but rather will be a force multiplier that will accelerate creative ideation and generation. It will always be important to keep a human in the loop of the creative cycle for myriad reasons, like brand safety and standards, copyrights and privacy.
The consumer is the beneficiary of predictive AI decision-making, but they don’t necessarily know it because everything is happening behind the scenes. Predictive AI helps marketers connect with in-market consumers in a relevant, non-repetitive way that they appreciate. Predictive AI is used in marketing to define:
Whom to message
Where to reach them
When to talk to them
What to say
What generative AI can add to this process is the ability to create that message, ad or email dynamically and in response to the identified person’s preferences, wants and needs. It becomes the final step in the process, but you need the predictive foundation to provide the inputs for the generative AI side.
We see predictive and generative AI working together in the same way that art and science work together. Think of predictive AI as the science—it’s the methodology that enables deep insights and data-driven decisioning using machine learning techniques to produce better business outcomes. It’s powerful, but not terribly sexy. Generative AI is like the art—it can bring a more human understanding of data and insights through content generation that can evoke emotion. When you put them together—the art and science of AI—you can drive deeper insights and better decisions across platform and channel.
While generative AI can create content, predictive AI is needed to apply that content to the right person at the right time. We already have the science of marketing down with predictive AI; now we have started using generative AI to bring art to that equation.
How to build a strong predictive AI foundation
OK, so what does “strong” predictive AI look like? For one thing, time is of the essence.
AI learns and is trained over time. There’s no way to speed up the process. The best solutions should have a sizable amount of time training their predictive AI models already under their belt.
What does time do for predictive AI? Well, the benefit of more training time means that those solutions are faster and notably more accurate than solutions with less experience. This is because the model learns the data and improves over time.
Think back to the example of a marketer locating an in-market customer for a product using predictive AI. Over time as the model evolves and improves, it can inform technology like an ad server to find in-market customers faster and more accurately. It’s the difference between messaging someone on the verge of a purchase versus someone who has already purchased.
Marketers should look out for solutions with real-time model updates—not those that take weeks or months—because it allows for real-time customer connection (at scale).
Optimizing data for best AI functionality
AI needs the right data to train it, but your outputs are only as good as your inputs. Here are three ways to get AI-ready:
Data foundation
You need to enrich your first-party data to make it viable for AI applications in a privacy-safe way. Apply hygiene to it: cleanse, structure and reinforce. Think of your data as a stream, with AI requiring a continuous feedback loop to be effective.
Access to data at scale
Connect your data to a people-based identity. You need data about your customers everywhere they are, not just from your interactions. If you don’t have that robust identity resolution in place, connecting the dots just isn’t possible.
Readiness
Make your data asset accessible to AI methodologies. (This part is greatly aided by partnering with a marketing solution provider that can effectively apply AI to your data—and even get your data ready for AI in the first place, so no effort needed.)
Prioritizing consumer privacy and data ethics
Amid all the generative AI hype, it’s crucial marketers don’t neglect the importance of centering consumer privacy and data ethics.
Generative AI makes it possible to create an entire ad (from copy to visuals to call-to-action) in real time. Connecting predictive and generative AI could determine which creative will have the most emotional impact while also reducing waste and driving efficiency by only creating assets that are used. This hyper-responsiveness must be balanced against brand safety, content appropriateness and legality, ideally with a human in the loop.
To ensure data privacy and ethics compliance, a team of real people should monitor any generative AI outputs—you can’t just set it up and let it run. This team needs to ensure everything meets brand standards and does not infringe on copyright. Jodi Daniels, a data privacy consultant, said it best in a recent Forbes article: “A business could be put in a precarious position if it uses generative AI in a way that uses consumer data that runs counter to contractual obligations.”
Keep learning—just like good AI
Just like strong AI, it’s crucial that you never stop learning and stay up on the latest information.
As a starting point, we recommend checking out this Q&A with Steve Nowlan, our SVP of decision sciences analytics, on how organizations can truly harness the power of artificial intelligence. He answers some questions that we think just might generate some questions of your own to keep the conversation going.
And if you’d like to hear how Epsilon’s CORE AI makes real-time marketing decisions at the individual—not the audience—level, head to our webpage.
---
## Commerce Media vs Retail Media Networks: The differences might surprise you
Type: eps_post
URL: /commerce-media-vs-retail-media
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T22:17:52Z
# Commerce Media vs Retail Media Networks: The differences might surprise you
It’s no surprise people are interested in retail media–it’s expected to be a $130 billion industry by 2025. What is surprising, though, is seeing the term “commerce media” pop up in place of “retail media” in some spaces. While not a widely used industry term, “commerce media” may tout itself as superior to retail media, but it’s simply another piece of the larger commerce eco-system.
In this article, we’ll define both terms and articulate their differences, because although similar, “commerce media” sells short the full range of features, capabilities and outcomes of retail media. And if you’re looking for optimal retail media success, knowing the differences is crucial.
Don’t let semantics get in the way–connected-channel strategies, data collaboration and unified solutions are key factors in a successful retail media network. Both brands and retailers should find a partner who can help unlock the full capabilities of a retail media network.
What is commerce media?
Since commerce media is such a broad term, it also has a broad definition. According to McKinsey, commerce media “makes advertising more effective by using transaction data to gain audience insights, improve targeting, deliver relevant experiences, and connect impressions to sales, online and in-store.” Essentially, it’s combining media impressions and commerce transactions for better customer experiences. Some have called it the bigger cousin or extension of retail media, but that is misleading, given the capabilities of certain retail media networks.
What is retail media?
Retail media, on the other hand, has a more specific focus. Just like brands have paid top dollar to get their products in prime shelf spots in grocery stores (think eye-level shelves and endcaps), retail media networks began taking this concept to the digital realm. When a consumer visits a grocery retailer website, there are prime spaces on the website where consumers are more likely to see (and ultimately purchase) a product. This is a win-win for brands and retailers, as retailers can monetize their ad space, and brands can get facetime with consumers—not just in grocery stores, either. Retail media can happen anywhere in-market consumers are, and it links ad spend directly to digital sales, closing the loop when it comes to reporting.
So what’s the difference between commerce media and retail media?
It’s easy to fall into the trap of using these terms interchangeably or referring to retail media as an “avatar” of commerce media. Commerce media is specifically tied to a retailer’s e-commerce platform, which can serve ads, but in a limited capacity.
A true retail media network offers unified on-site, off-site and in-store capabilities. Using the term “commerce media” sells short the additional channels that can be powered by retailers. Retail media networks can reach all of the display options including email, social channels, connected TV, social, site activations and more.
It’s true that both commerce media and retail media highlight the ability to connect transaction-level data and media impressions to sales, which is valuable. Tying retailer sales data to show effectiveness and measurable outcomes is a standard goal. But what if your KPIs aren’t about the money?
According to Epsilon's State of Retail Media report, a global survey of brands and retailers, only 47% of brands identified ROAS and total sales as the most important metrics. While a big part of retail media is sales, there are additional metrics and KPIs that are beneficial. For instance, long-term data strategies, leveraging second-party data, branding campaigns to reach shoppers, competitive conquesting and nurturing campaigns are just some of the ways to interact with consumers in a non-sales way.
The average consumer needs 7 interactions with a brand before making a purchase so it’s important to make every interaction count. It’s also worth mentioning that a very small number of people shop organically on a retailer’s website regularly (10-20%). Brands can miss a huge portion of their customers if they’re using commerce media or a retail media solution that’s not optimized for on-site, off-site and in-store.
What to look for in a retail media solution
Retail media networks can do a lot of things for brands, retailers and consumers—so why are some better than others? For a smooth retail media experience, look for three key differentiators: connected-channel strategies, data collaboration and a unified experience.
First and foremost, you need a retail media network that spans across channels, on-site, off-site and in-store. Find a retail media network that can reach consumers off-site, especially without the use of third-party cookies. This may prove difficult, as only 37% of retailers currently provide off-site as a media network offering to their brands, and only 45% offer on-site advertising, according to our research.
Data collaboration is key
Also from the report, 70% of respondents stated data collaboration is “highly important” to their advertising strategy. One data collaboration tool to enhance your retail media is a clean room solution. Epsilon’s clean room solution will help you facilitate collaboration, activation and measurement with first-party data in a controlled, privacy-safe environment. What could knowing larger customer trends and preferences do for your marketing strategy?
Unified solutions mean unified experiences
Brands and retailers agree: when you have multiple tech providers working your retail media network, it creates inefficiencies for retailers and a bad experience for shoppers. In fact, according to the Epsilon research, 64% of those surveyed believe retail media networks powered by multiple technology providers have a negative impact on shoppers, and 41% consider “multiple contracts or sets of terms” to be extremely or very frustrating.
Too many cooks in the kitchen can create inefficiencies, errors and a diluted experience. CitrusAd and Epsilon's retail media solution has everything you need in one place. We provide an end-to-end retail media solution with sophisticated identity resolution and best-in-class activation technology. We have the right number of cooks in the kitchen, working together seamlessly to serve up support to fit your needs.
As is often the case in business, semantics matter. Retail media and commerce media are not interchangeable terms, so it’s important to know the difference. Retail media networks offer brands and retailers incredible CX and revenue-generating opportunities that commerce media cannot, so don’t sell yourself short. If you’re ready to learn how Epsilon | CitrusAd can enhance your retail media strategy, let’s connect: www.epsilon.com/retail-media.
---
## Commerce Media vs Retail Media Networks: The differences might surprise you
Type: eps_post
URL: /commerce-media-vs-retail-media
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T22:17:52Z
# Commerce Media vs Retail Media Networks: The differences might surprise you
It’s no surprise people are interested in retail media–it’s expected to be a $130 billion industry by 2025. What is surprising, though, is seeing the term “commerce media” pop up in place of “retail media” in some spaces. While not a widely used industry term, “commerce media” may tout itself as superior to retail media, but it’s simply another piece of the larger commerce eco-system.
In this article, we’ll define both terms and articulate their differences, because although similar, “commerce media” sells short the full range of features, capabilities and outcomes of retail media. And if you’re looking for optimal retail media success, knowing the differences is crucial.
Don’t let semantics get in the way–connected-channel strategies, data collaboration and unified solutions are key factors in a successful retail media network. Both brands and retailers should find a partner who can help unlock the full capabilities of a retail media network.
What is commerce media?
Since commerce media is such a broad term, it also has a broad definition. According to McKinsey, commerce media “makes advertising more effective by using transaction data to gain audience insights, improve targeting, deliver relevant experiences, and connect impressions to sales, online and in-store.” Essentially, it’s combining media impressions and commerce transactions for better customer experiences. Some have called it the bigger cousin or extension of retail media, but that is misleading, given the capabilities of certain retail media networks.
What is retail media?
Retail media, on the other hand, has a more specific focus. Just like brands have paid top dollar to get their products in prime shelf spots in grocery stores (think eye-level shelves and endcaps), retail media networks began taking this concept to the digital realm. When a consumer visits a grocery retailer website, there are prime spaces on the website where consumers are more likely to see (and ultimately purchase) a product. This is a win-win for brands and retailers, as retailers can monetize their ad space, and brands can get facetime with consumers—not just in grocery stores, either. Retail media can happen anywhere in-market consumers are, and it links ad spend directly to digital sales, closing the loop when it comes to reporting.
So what’s the difference between commerce media and retail media?
It’s easy to fall into the trap of using these terms interchangeably or referring to retail media as an “avatar” of commerce media. Commerce media is specifically tied to a retailer’s e-commerce platform, which can serve ads, but in a limited capacity.
A true retail media network offers unified on-site, off-site and in-store capabilities. Using the term “commerce media” sells short the additional channels that can be powered by retailers. Retail media networks can reach all of the display options including email, social channels, connected TV, social, site activations and more.
It’s true that both commerce media and retail media highlight the ability to connect transaction-level data and media impressions to sales, which is valuable. Tying retailer sales data to show effectiveness and measurable outcomes is a standard goal. But what if your KPIs aren’t about the money?
According to Epsilon's State of Retail Media report, a global survey of brands and retailers, only 47% of brands identified ROAS and total sales as the most important metrics. While a big part of retail media is sales, there are additional metrics and KPIs that are beneficial. For instance, long-term data strategies, leveraging second-party data, branding campaigns to reach shoppers, competitive conquesting and nurturing campaigns are just some of the ways to interact with consumers in a non-sales way.
The average consumer needs 7 interactions with a brand before making a purchase so it’s important to make every interaction count. It’s also worth mentioning that a very small number of people shop organically on a retailer’s website regularly (10-20%). Brands can miss a huge portion of their customers if they’re using commerce media or a retail media solution that’s not optimized for on-site, off-site and in-store.
What to look for in a retail media solution
Retail media networks can do a lot of things for brands, retailers and consumers—so why are some better than others? For a smooth retail media experience, look for three key differentiators: connected-channel strategies, data collaboration and a unified experience.
First and foremost, you need a retail media network that spans across channels, on-site, off-site and in-store. Find a retail media network that can reach consumers off-site, especially without the use of third-party cookies. This may prove difficult, as only 37% of retailers currently provide off-site as a media network offering to their brands, and only 45% offer on-site advertising, according to our research.
Data collaboration is key
Also from the report, 70% of respondents stated data collaboration is “highly important” to their advertising strategy. One data collaboration tool to enhance your retail media is a clean room solution. Epsilon’s clean room solution will help you facilitate collaboration, activation and measurement with first-party data in a controlled, privacy-safe environment. What could knowing larger customer trends and preferences do for your marketing strategy?
Unified solutions mean unified experiences
Brands and retailers agree: when you have multiple tech providers working your retail media network, it creates inefficiencies for retailers and a bad experience for shoppers. In fact, according to the Epsilon research, 64% of those surveyed believe retail media networks powered by multiple technology providers have a negative impact on shoppers, and 41% consider “multiple contracts or sets of terms” to be extremely or very frustrating.
Too many cooks in the kitchen can create inefficiencies, errors and a diluted experience. Epsilon's retail media solution has everything you need in one place. We provide an end-to-end retail media solution with sophisticated identity resolution and best-in-class activation technology. We have the right number of cooks in the kitchen, working together seamlessly to serve up support to fit your needs.
As is often the case in business, semantics matter. Retail media and commerce media are not interchangeable terms, so it’s important to know the difference. Retail media networks offer brands and retailers incredible CX and revenue-generating opportunities that commerce media cannot, so don’t sell yourself short. If you’re ready to learn how Epsilon can enhance your retail media strategy, let’s connect: www.epsilon.com/retail-media.
---
## How to develop a brand strategy: Your roadmap to success
Type: eps_post
URL: /how-to-develop-brand-strategy
Last Modified: 2025-12-11T16:41:31Z
# How to develop a brand strategy: Your roadmap to success
Your brand is how people feel about your business or products. It’s what they say about you when you’re not around. And it’s in your best interest that they say positive things.
But a strong brand doesn’t magically develop—you have to build it.
Traditional brand building relies heavily on intuition and creativity. Sometimes that intuition hits a home run, but sometimes it strikes out. Modern data, analytics and AI can make the branding process less about guesswork and more about predictable outcomes.
But if branding has traditionally been a wholly creative endeavor, where does data come into play?
This guide will explain what a brand strategy is, why data is critical to branding and how to develop a brand strategy on a foundation of data and customer insights.
What is brand strategy?
A brand strategy is a long-term plan that defines who you are—as a brand—and how you present yourself to customers and prospects. It’s not just a name and logo; it’s your unique identity and personality.
When executed successfully, a brand strategy plays a powerful role in achieving business goals like meeting sales targets and growing revenue. Specifically, effective branding helps you improve marketing performance at all stages:
Driving brand awareness
Acquiring new customers
Improving customer loyalty
Inspiring word-of-mouth referrals
The intangible elements of a brand strategy get you noticed by consumers and create emotional relationships through resonance and trust. A strong brand strategy is an essential part of successful marketing.
Why a data-driven approach is critical for modern branding
Few marketers can afford to invest in intuition or guesswork—59% of CMOs say they don’t even have sufficient funds to deliver on their agendas this year. A brand strategy built on a foundation of data and customer insights is more likely to resonate with customers and produce a positive return on investment.
“We have a lot of clients asking about how we can integrate more data into their brand and content strategies to be more personalized to their consumers,” explains Nicollette Dineen, Senior Director of Strategic Consulting at Epsilon. “It's especially important not to just lean on what you think you know, but to look at the data and prove out those assumptions.”
How to create a data-driven brand strategy
Marketers can more reliably create an effective brand that wins over hearts and minds with a thorough understanding of the brand’s customers and market. Complete and accurate data is therefore necessary to inform crucial steps in developing a brand strategy.
Each of the following steps plays a role and builds upon the others to create a sound strategy. Once you put them all together, you’ll have a comprehensive brand strategy to guide the development of your marketing plans. And you’ll understand how to put the customer at the center of everything you do.
1. Get clear on your brand purpose and values
Start by understanding your brand purpose and values. Why do you exist? Who are you (or who do you want to be), and how do you want to show up in the world?
Brand purpose: This is why the brand exists, beyond just selling products and making money. Consider and define what purpose the brand has in the world.
Brand values: These are the fundamental beliefs or principles that guide your brand’s actions and decisions. It’s what you stand for—or against.
Brand mission and vision: This is what you’re here to do. A mission statement, often one to two sentences, describes your purpose, values and goals and how you can fulfill them. Your vision is a clear, long-term roadmap for where your brand is heading or the future you want to create. It’s often more aspirational.
These elements of your brand strategy should align with your customers’ needs, preferences and expectations. For this step, lean into audience insights and social listening.
“We just did a project for a charitable client where we used data to determine what motivates their target audience to spend money, such as convenience or value,” explains Dineen. “These sorts of insights allow you to build a brand that will resonate with your ideal customers.
2. Understand your competitors
You need to understand what your direct competitors are doing and what’s working for them. But do this competitive analysis with curiosity and to understand, not as an outline for creating your own strategy.
Remember, your brand has an opportunity to stand out from the crowd. Mimicking their brand strategy is not a winning approach. But you should research all your competitors to understand what they offer, where they are strong, where they are weak and where your brand is different. This should start to highlight opportunities for you to differentiate as you develop your brand strategy.
Another component of this step is market analysis. You need to have an intimate understanding of the overall market, including your market position, trends and customer needs. It’s difficult to have clear sights on where you’re going and how you can win if you don’t understand the broader ecosystem.
At this stage, you can use transactional data, social listening and search data to understand:
Each competitor’s share of voice
Each competitor’s share of wallet
What customer needs competitors are filling
What people are saying about each brand
Why they’re choosing one competitor over another
For example, “We regularly complete share-of-voice analyses on popular hotel brands to see their share of mentions on social, and we use that as a measure of scoring brand health,” says Dineen. Use insights like these to look for white space opportunities, such as a customer need that no product or message is addressing.
3. Identify your ideal customers
Your ideal customers are a specific group of people your brand aims to reach and influence.
You may already have a strong sense of who these people are, but in this branding strategy exercise, take time to dig deeper. Consider both who your products and services are best suited for and who your actual customers are. To successfully reach and communicate with your ideal audience, you need to understand what they value and desire. You also need to know their pain points and long-term objectives.
This is the perfect opportunity to tap into Epsilon’s top-ranked consumer database for:
Demographic data
Interest and behavioral data
Transactional data
For example, you may find that who you think you sell to isn’t accurate. Maybe you think men are your primary buyers, but it’s actually the women in their lives who are buying and gifting products to them. This is exactly the type of nuance you need to understand before you start crafting your voice and messaging. Everything you learn about your audience will then inform your brand voice, messaging, visual identity and marketing tactics. They also influence your pricing strategy.
4. Create your brand voice
Words matter, but it’s also about how you say them and the overall vibe. This comes down to your brand personality, voice and tone.
Personality: Your personality is your brand’s human characteristics, traits and attributes. If you think of your brand as a living thing, how would it act? How would you describe the way it exists in public, in private or with loved ones?
Voice: Your brand voice is the way you talk or your unique way of communicating that reflects your personality and values. This is your style, and it needs to be consistent across channels and uses.
Tone: The next part is tone or your attitude. While voice is more overarching, tone takes context into account. While voice is consistent, tone may change slightly based on the audience or channel. For example, your tone in a cheeky social post may be different from a serious educational piece on your blog. The voice should be the same, but the tone can fluctuate.
Brand voice and personality is a great way to bring uniqueness and humanness to your brand. Consumers love brands that have something interesting to say. But be careful to ensure that your voice resonates with your target market. Brands that take their personality and voice to extremes risk alienating and even losing their customers.
This is the perfect opportunity to incorporate more data from social listening. Dineen explains, “We talk about meeting consumers where they're at, but we also want to speak the same language that they're speaking in. And I think a lot of times brands get away from that, and it comes off inauthentic.”
Use social listening to understand how consumers speak about your brand and your competitors, and consider how you can incorporate these insights into your brand voice.
5. Develop your brand messaging and positioning
This is where you start to define what makes your brand different from the competition via your tagline, messaging pillars, value proposition and brand positioning statement.
Tagline: This is a memorable sentence, word or phrase that captures your brand’s essence and promise.
Messaging pillars: These are the primary stories you want to tell about your brand, focused on what makes you unique. Once you identify your pillars, everything you create, publish or advertise should ladder up to one of your pillars.
Value proposition: Your “value prop” is a succinct explanation of the value of your product or services. It explains why consumers need and want what you offer. It’s not just who you are or how you’re different but also how you can solve real problems for real customers.
Brand positioning statement: This single guiding statement serves as a reminder to customers, employees and the general market of your brand values.
As you work through these elements, look to find a balance between how consumers perceive your brand, how your products or services benefit your customers and what your products do. Don’t forget about your target audience, their values and your voice, tone and personality. This will create a narrative that resonates with your audience and can offer a deeper connection to your brand and products.
Take the time to develop and test your messaging and positioning to ensure brand consistency across all channels and teams. Without this step, you risk inconsistent—or even contradictory—messaging, which makes it difficult to attract and retain your ideal audience.
6. Design your visual identity
Visual identity is the stuff you normally think about with a brand, like logo, typography, color, imagery, photography, illustration and iconography. Visual identity is key to developing brand awareness and recognition. This is necessary to build trust in the marketplace, which ultimately impacts sales and loyalty.
But before you start working through logos, colors and fonts, take a moment to revisit your audience, brand personality, purpose and voice. Think of this step as the visual translation of everything you’ve just outlined in earlier steps. Use all of the insights you have collected thus far to ensure your visual identity is relatable and memorable for your target audience.
7. Create brand guidelines
Your brand guidelines serve as a playbook for how to use your brand in all communications and marketing materials.
Document your brand guidelines to help ensure everyone from employees to freelancers have the tools they need to uphold your brand strategy. These guidelines need to be comprehensive and provide enough direction for a writer, designer or marketer to create work that is “on brand.”
Activating your brand roadmap for optimal performance
Now comes the fun part: activating all this brand work in your marketing efforts.
Once you understand the components of your brand strategy, you can make marketing and business decisions that reflect your purpose, values and mission. All these elements allow you to experiment in an authentic way. You can also reach and engage with consumers in more meaningful and emotional ways.
“There are a lot of brands out there,” says Dineen. “What makes a brand stand out? I think it’s a matter of whether they can speak to you where you're at, whether that be in a specific part of your customer journey, or whether that be aligned to your interests and values.”
And speaking to consumers where they’re at has never been more realistic—again thanks to data and the AI tools that allow us to act on it.
Segment audiences with precision
With the data available today, marketers can skip beyond traditional demographic and geographic segmentation methods and instead segment by behavioral data to connect with consumers more effectively.
Behavioral segmentation allows you to divide your customers into segments based on their behavioral patterns when they interact with a particular business or website. For example, some people buy toothpaste for whitening benefits while others seek comfort to their sensitive gums. Understanding these behaviors allows you to speak to each segment with the value proposition they care about most.
By processing large datasets quickly, AI helps marketers understand trends and customer preferences—and act on insights in real time. For instance, AI algorithms can identify emerging patterns in consumer behavior, such as shifting purchase intent, declining brand loyalty or new product affinities. This allows you to dynamically update audience segments and deliver more relevant offers at the right moment.
Personalize interactions consistently, across channels
Consumers expect your display ads to line up with the last email you sent, which also needs to align with the in-store experience.
Connecting all of these disparate channels (and others) isn't an easy task; brands need to consider how their marketing and advertising technology work together, how their cross-channel teams work together, and (maybe most importantly) how data and information on their customers and prospects flows between all of these things.
This consistent, omnichannel experience is vital for strong brand recognition, trust and, ultimately, loyalty. But omnichannel success isn’t about being in every channel all the time. It’s about showing up in the right places—with the right identity-driven intelligence—to drive real results.
Activating your brand across the omnichannel journey requires three core components:
Customer data. It provides insights into needs, preferences and past actions. A full view of the customer makes it possible to design messages that truly fit each segment—even each person.
Identity resolution. Identity makes sure the right person gets the right message across devices and channels. It keeps personalization consistent and avoids missed or fragmented experiences.
AI for optimization. AI studies billions of interactions in milliseconds. It tests and refines communications—messages, images, copy, calls to action—so each touchpoint is smarter than the last.
Optimize your brand strategy over time
Brand development strategies are meant to adapt with time as your products, objectives, identity and purpose change. They should also change as your market and customers evolve.
You should therefore measure your brand performance over time and adjust as necessary. Many brands lean heavily on Net Promoter Score (NPS) as a measure of brand performance. You can also consider incrementality testing and brand lift testing.
“To optimize your branding, lean back into search and social,” says Dineen. “ Social sentiment is huge—what's your brand sentiment? What’s your visibility there? What’s your visibility in search and generative engine optimization (GEO)? There’s so much data you can look into.”
Partner with Epsilon: Your brand + performance marketing experts
Building a brand today is no longer a matter of intuition—it’s a matter of intelligence. The strongest brands are powered by the right mix of creative clarity and data-driven precision. As Dineen explains, “Branding is definitely still a mix of creative and science. The data makes the creative stronger.”
With Epsilon, you don’t have to choose between them.
Epsilon’s comprehensive consumer data, advanced analytics and AI-powered optimization give you the tools to understand audiences deeply, personalize authentically and activate messaging with confidence across every channel.
Get started with your data-driven brand strategy today.
This article was originally published on March 4, 2024, and has since been updated.
---
## CPG data insights: Navigating consumer trends and market dynamics
Type: eps_post
URL: /cpg-data-insights
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T22:17:52Z
# CPG data insights: Navigating consumer trends and market dynamics
Data is vital for all companies, but for CPG brands, it comes with a few unique challenges. Namely, their products are sold by retailers, not directly from the brand. This means that access to purchase data—and the insight it provides—is more difficult.
CPG data provides valuable insights into consumer behavior, preferences and market trends, enabling CPG marketers to make informed decisions. By analyzing sales data, demographic information and consumer feedback, CPG marketers can identify the best audiences for their products, optimize product offerings and tailor marketing strategies to meet consumer needs.
In this post, we’ll outline what CPG data is and how to interpret it, the importance of using data insights to drive business outcomes, and how CPG marketers can overcome the dreaded data gap.
What is CPG data?
First, CPG stands for consumer packaged goods, or products that consumers use and replace frequently, like packaged food and beverages, cleaning products, over-the-counter medicines and toiletries.
CPG data refers to the information gathered about these products and their sales. Data comes from various sources, including point-of-sale, promotions, marketing, distributors or third-party outlets. Brands use this data to understand what’s selling, where and why.
Data is also crucial for any marketer to learn about their customers and preferences regarding their products.
But CPG brands don’t have access to data like other brands across retail, travel, restaurants, auto—you name it—do. Items are sold in retail stores, making it more difficult to identify individual customers who bought their products. The data they do have is often fragmented, captured through activities like sweepstakes or loyalty programs and supplemented with second- and third-party data. CPG brands tend to have fewer direct B2C connections compared to other industries due to their reliance on intermediaries like wholesalers and retailers for distribution, their focus on brand building rather than direct consumer relationships, and the challenges associated with managing large-scale operations and accessing consumer data. This is what leads to what's sometimes referred to as the "CPG data gap."
It’s especially challenging for CPG companies with a large portfolio of brands. Marketing leaders at CPG brands need to first understand what data is available to them and how to collect it, and then analyze and enrich that data with an audience insights tool to better inform marketing strategy and tactics moving forward.
There are different types of CPG data to consider: retailer, distributor and panel.
Retailer data
CPG retail data is the information that retailers collect from purchases at the point of sale. This includes SKU data, which provides details of products purchased, and sales data, offering insights into the volume of sales at each store location.
CPG and retail data are essential for understanding product performance, consumer behavior and market trends; and this data are used to improve CPG sales through:
Forecasting and planning - understand consumer buying patterns and trends for more accurate demand forecasting and inventory planning.
Price optimization - use historical sales data to establish optimal pricing strategies to maximize revenue without impacting purchase likelihood.
Retail efficiencies - use retailer data insights to improve on-shelf availability, reduce stocking issues and improve replenishment rates, which drives sales.
Distribution - learn which regions, chains or store formats drive the most sales of your products, aiding in the strategic expansion of distribution.
Trend identification - identify emerging consumer preferences to then optimize products and their packaging to enhance shelf appeal and meet evolving demands.
Distributor data
CPG distributor data is the information provided by distributors, which sheds light on where CPG products are carried from week to week. This data can be broken down into geographic regions, retailer locations and more, allowing for a granular look at a product’s distribution strategy and channels.
Distributor data is essential for understanding how products perform in the marketplace, identifying the most successful stores and their locations and analyzing advertising and promotion effectiveness.
While retailer data focuses on sales and consumer behavior at the point of sale, distributor data is more concerned with product distribution and shipment information.
Panel data
Panel data—also called syndicated data—is self-reported purchasing details collected by third-party companies or market research firms. This data provides a comprehensive view of consumer behavior, including household purchase behaviors, demographics and brand preferences.
Panel data helps both CPG brands and retailers understand consumer trends and make informed business decisions. Collected through consumer surveys, POS scanners and apps, it offers insights into consumer behavior at a household level. This allows for an in-depth analysis of shopping habits, brand loyalty and product interactions.
Panel data helps CPG brands:
Increase sales by understanding marketshare, brand awareness and trends to make informed decisions that maximize profits.
Build loyalty by understanding consumer preferences and behaviors, and developing products, marketing strategies and retention programs that resonate, ultimately building affinity.
Improve marketing ROI by understanding consumer behavior and creating more targeted and effective marketing strategies.
Beat competitors by understanding market dynamics, emerging trends and consumer behavior to gain a competitive advantage.
One of the key benefits of panel data is its ability to examine trends over time, study correlations and analyze large amounts of consumer data. The downside is complexity and cost.
Interpreting CPG data analytics
Collecting CPG data is the first step, but you then need to interpret and make it actionable.
CPG data analytics involves gathering insights into product performance, customer behavior and market trends to understand preferences, measure success and make informed business decisions. It encompasses sales data, observational data, activity data and panel data.
Analytics tools are essential to handle the volume, velocity and variety. By leveraging these vast datasets, CPG marketers can extract invaluable insights to drive business success, optimize operations and plan for the future.
Key CPG analytics KPIs include sales velocity, loyalty, share of category, promotional lift and in-stock performance.
Leveraging CPG data insights to marketing strategy
Now that you understand what data is available for CPG brands, and the importance of collecting, analyzing and using that data, let’s discuss how these insights can propel your marketing strategy.
Improve sales methods
A key outcome of CPG data analysis is the ability to make better decisions about your products and sales processes. For example, you can see what products, categories or specific retail stores, locations or regions are underperforming. This allows you to take a critical look at improving overall sales through marketing, including:
Reaching new customers
Engaging with existing customers
Unlocking new audience opportunities
Understanding underperforming products, stores and markets
Shifting budget to higher-performing areas
To improve sales, watch what is working (and learn from it), but focus your efforts on the areas that aren’t as successful.
Inform product development
Creating products—and knowing when to retire them—is an important part of CPG brand success. With sales data analytics, marketers can see a clear picture of when to create new products, or when to optimize existing products. Sometimes all that needs to be done is optimizing your product packaging to be more appealing on the shelf.
Data helps illuminate consumer preferences, historical information and emerging trends within the market. With this insight, marketers can work with their product development teams to ensure your brand's products continually satisfy these evolving consumer needs, expectations, preferences and demands.
The key is using data to make informed decisions about brand products, thus impacting growth and profitability.
Monitor competitors
CPG data insights can be used to assess and monitor competitor activity, allowing you to differentiate your brand. Keep an eye on the competitive landscape, including:
Pricing
Promotions
Product offerings (including new products or relaunches)
Consumer behavior (particularly when shoppers choose your competitors over your products)
Market sentiment
Trending products, brands or categories
Competitive data—coupled with consumer data—allows brands to stand out with effective product recommendations. By understanding your customers' preferences and behavior patterns, you can create a more personalized customer experience, providing a competitive advantage in the marketplace.
Personalize marketing campaigns
As with marketing in all industries, data is the key to delivering targeted, personalized and effective campaigns. CPG marketing is no different.
CPG insights enable marketers to better personalize their strategies by providing a comprehensive understanding of consumer behavior, preferences and interactions. Using your CPG data analytics ensures that your marketing and promotion efforts resonate with consumers to drive engagement and sales.
But CPG brands often lack the data necessary to execute on advanced digital marketing strategies that account for reaching the right people (not just segments or demos) with relevant creative and messaging at the time they’re looking to purchase.
Data serves two primary purposes for CPG brands:
Identify customers (and new target audiences)
Send them personalized marketing messages.
Personalization is the next era of CPG marketing, allowing for 1:1 experiences at scale through smart targeting, segmentation and activation across marketing channels.
Person-first marketing made easy with Epsilon
To achieve person-first marketing for your CPG brand, you’ll need to address your data gap.
According to an Epsilon survey, 89% of CPG marketers reported being focused on developing their first-party data strategy. Collecting that data is a great first step. But you’ll also need a platform to enhance that data with real-time identify resolution, integrate it with your second and third-party data sources and connect it to your marketing campaigns.
With Epsilon’s Clean Room offering, an audience insights tool, you can close the gap in CPG marketing with an audience insights tool designed to connect you with the best in-market customers and prospects. We partner with Circana (formerly IRI) to offer CPG marketers a clean room that includes the world’s largest and most granular CPG transactional data set. This allows you to create your own closed-loop ecosystem for CPG data insights, audience development, activation and measurement.
---
## Stuck in a walled garden? A data clean room can help
Type: eps_post
URL: /stuck-in-a-walled-garden-a-data-clean-room-can-help
Last Modified: 2025-10-03T13:51:56Z
# Stuck in a walled garden? A data clean room can help
Walled gardens in the marketing ecosystem are extremely common. These closed environments make up 69% of digital display advertising, according to eMarketer.
Walled gardens like Google, Meta and Amazon make up over half of all revenue generated from digital advertising using walled gardens, and their dominance in the space remains.
While they're commonplace for brands big and small, some see these ecosystems as a "necessary evil." Why? Because even though these environments give brands access to billions of people, they lack transparency. Brands using walled gardens to run ad campaigns often get a limited view into their results, and aren't given granular measurement on the people and audiences their ads reached.
But marketers who feel stuck behind walled gardens can use martech to combat some of these problems. With the right data clean room that has the right data to support it, marketers can achieve better measurement and understand their customers on a deeper level.
The challenges of a walled garden
Walled gardens give brands the chance to reach a lot of prospects in the face of data deprecation. These networks not only have access to a huge amount of consumers, they have deep insights about these consumers, and can use audience targeting to reach a brand's desired customers. But, those audience segments can be vague.
That's because without identity, it's hard to know whether a customer who falls into an ideal prospect category is actually in-market. If a walled garden relies on weak identifiers—like email addresses—it can't see more holistic signals that indicate a person will be receptive to an ad.
This dovetails into a walled garden's measurement limitations.
Measurement is difficult within walled gardens because of the disparate nature of reporting and identity across environments. Each walled garden differs in what measurement it offers, meaning metrics can vary across each platform and can be hard to compare. And it's extremely hard to track and understand users across these platforms.
Without comparable results and clear identity, its hard for marketers to assess data needed to make critical decisions. Omnichannel visibility and collaboration require the full view of a customer's interactions. Within a walled garden, you're limited to a per-platform snapshot and campaign-by-campaign performance.
How clean rooms can help
Thankfully, as this issue has come to the forefront for marketers, solutions have as well. Data clean rooms are a relatively new(er) martech category built to solve for this issue specifically.
As the category has progressed, today's clean rooms enable multi-channel and multi-touch attribution at scale across channels and platforms, including the walled gardens. These attribution models show the true impact of each channel and identify inefficiencies so you can invest in the right places moving forward.
Using a clean room with identity provides access to better audiences and assists with new customer acquisition. With precise audience segmentation, this audience insights tool can find real people who are in-market more accurately, resulting in more relevant and personalized ads, better conversion rates and higher-performing media activations.
Building a better clean room with Epsilon
Epsilon’s clean room solution provides identity resolution for accurate targeting and better customer insights. With our person-based CORE ID at the center, you can enrich the quality and breadth of your first-party data with robust profile data and prospect universe of over 250 million customers. Ultimately, this drives more predictive analysis, better activation and more accurate measurement.
Then, native activation gives you the power to launch campaigns directly from the clean room. This feature puts your media activation in front of the right customers at the right time, leading to better ROAS and increased LTV of all customers.
Marketers don’t have to fight against walled gardens, or be stuck in them. With Epsilon Clean Room, you can work within the confines of the big media companies without negatively impacting your results.
Ready to get started? Learn more about Epsilon Clean Room.
---
## Customer interaction management: Key strategies for retention and loyalty
Type: eps_post
URL: /customer-interaction-management
Last Modified: 2025-06-06T19:38:41Z
# Customer interaction management: Key strategies for retention and loyalty
Every interaction is an opportunity to create a long-lasting relationship with your customers. Are you making the most of those interactions to build customer loyalty?
In this article, we will define customer interaction management, why marketers should care and key strategies to enhance customer retention and loyalty.
What is customer interaction?
A customer interaction is any point of contact between a business and a customer. This includes customers contacting the business and post-purchase follow-ups. Positive interactions improve a brand’s reputation and help drive revenue.
What is customer interaction management?
Customer interaction management is the process of managing customer interactions, usually using enterprise software solutions.
Interactions with customers occur across many channels:
Face-to-face
Phone, text or email
Chat, chatbots or instant messaging
Social media
Email marketing
Websites and mobile apps
While customer interactions often mean customer service, or when customers reach out for help or information, they also include your website. This includes browsing, shopping, skimming self-service articles or reading FAQs.
A customer interaction can be proactive or reactive. Reactive is often the customer service side of things. Proactive occurs through your marketing efforts. Social media posts, emails and other awareness campaigns count as interactions because they impact a consumer’s sentiment toward your brand.
All interactions with customers are crucial to your business's success. Each touchpoint—whether proactive or reactive—is an opportunity to engage with your customers, improve their satisfaction and turn them into raving fans. All of these factors ultimately have an impact on revenue and business growth.
The significance of customer interaction
Interacting with customers is an integral part of business. In fact, Zendesk’s Customer Experience Trends Report found that half of customers say they’d switch to a competitor after just one bad experience.
That means you have one chance. If you get it wrong, you risk losing the value of that customer forever.
But, by optimizing customer interactions, you have an opportunity to:
Understand your customers’ needs and empathize with them
Identify issues, gather feedback and make improvements to your products and services
Create long-lasting relationships, which is essential for retaining customers and cultivating deep loyalty
Differentiate your brand through positive and memorable customer experiences
Maintain high levels of customer satisfaction with your brand and products
Innovate based on customer desires and preferences
This ultimately delivers a great customer experience, which impacts loyalty.
The key is to provide this level of service and positive interactivity across all channels. Consumers today expect the standard email and phone service, but also text, chat, social conversations and technology like chatbots. Brands that succeed at managing customer service offer several points of interaction and create similar experiences across them all.
To put it simply, customer interaction management plays a vital role in understanding and meeting customer expectations, which is essential for improving customer experience and loyalty.
Why marketers should care about customer interaction management
Now that you understand the impact of customer interaction management, let’s discuss a few of the reasons why marketers should prioritize it.
Enhance customer engagement and satisfaction
To build strong relationships with customers, you need to provide great customer interactions. Through these interactions, you have an opportunity to engage deeper with customers, taking your relationship beyond transactional. This is how true brand loyalty and advocacy is born.
And as mentioned, when you have engaged and satisfied customers, they stick around. Retention is a key metric in long-term business success, because it lowers your cost per acquisition (CPA) and increases profits.
Brands with top-tier customer interaction management don’t just provide great customer service reactively, but rather are proactive. Through active and timely communication, customers feel supported. Examples of proactive customer interactions that improve customer satisfaction include:
Alerts: Notify customers of issues before they have a chance to ask about them, like shipping delays, out-of-stock items or defects.
New products: Inform customers about new products or services in which they may be interested (based on prior purchase history and interactions).
Live chat: Help website visitors navigate your site and find what they need quickly with the help of technology. These tools—when used correctly—make casual browsers feel supported, without having to ask for help.
Personalization: Take steps to surprise and delight customers without being asked, such as sharing a personalized recommendation, giving them an upgrade or offering a deal.
These examples show how proactive customer interactions can lead to higher customer satisfaction by addressing needs, concerns or issues before customers raise them.
Leverage insights for targeted marketing efforts
Marketers today understand the importance of high-ROI marketing efforts. There’s no space for ad waste or spray-and-pray tactics. You need data and robust customer profiles to succeed at personalized and effective marketing.
Customer interactions not only rely on targeting; they also provide some of the required insights. Every time you interact with a customer—through any channel—you have an opportunity to learn. Customer interactions are a valuable source of data and insights that can help marketers discover customer pain points, needs, preferences and behaviors. This enables you to tailor products, services and communication to meet customer expectations.
Boost ROI and conversions
A focus on customer interaction management allows marketers to win leads, increase conversions and boost ROI. Part of this is due to providing a better customer experience and activating more targeted campaigns.
By reaching customers who are more likely to respond to offers, or who are actively in-market to buy, you can increase your ROI. A major factor in conversions is sending the right message at the right time to the right prospect. But also being highly relevant, targeted and personalized.
Customer interaction management provides valuable data insights that can be used to optimize marketing strategies and engage consumers, leading to more traffic from in-market shoppers and improved conversion rates.
Create seamless customer journeys
Brands that deliver a seamless customer experience across digital and human channels experience better growth, higher sales and superior brand advocacy. But customers have different expectations across different interaction channels. For example, let's say someone taking a trip needed to change their hotel stay at the last minute due to a flight cancellation. In that moment, they typically would prefer to talk to someone so they know they are properly booked for that night (even at the last minute). Whereas that same person would have been fine booking the stay online if it was something they had been planning for months. The mode and channel of interaction can be dependent on the context in which the person is making that purchase decision.
Customer interaction management tools, like loyalty management software, allow you to create seamless experiences across all customer interactions by coordinating, documenting and organizing customer communication, while allowing for unique channel-specific strategies. Success doesn’t depend on your ability to contact customers in every channel possible. Instead, effective omnichannel marketing is about creating seamless experiences between your digital and human channels. In another example from the travel industry, it would be helpful for an airline kiosk employee to know if a traveler is a high-tier member as they're checking in to offer upgrades or other perks to a very loyal customer.
That said, it's not always easy to build holistically connected customer experiences. There are a wide range of challenges and issues to making that happen, as outlined by a recently published whitepaper from IDC, sponsored by Epsilon, titled "Customer experience suffers without omnichannel alignment":
Siloed data: With multiple sources of truth, and a lack of centralized identity resolution, adtech
and martech applications execute in a suboptimal manner.
Siloed technology: Beyond data, individual applications are poorly integrated, creating gaps
between advertising and marketing functions, which results in a fractured buyer
journey/experience.
Siloed teams: The marketing department organizational structure segregates paid versus
owned tactics and discourages collaboration.
Foster brand loyalty
By managing customer interactions effectively, marketers can foster brand loyalty and turn customers into brand advocates. Good customer interaction management enables personalized and proactive interactions with customers, which leads to less customer attrition, ultimately contributing to higher customer lifetime value (LTV) and business growth.
Just one positive experience can turn a casual customer into a loyal fan. But you need to continue to deliver on their expectations and provide value. On the opposite end of the spectrum, losing customers is extremely expensive. According to Gartner research, maintaining and selling to a current customer is a more efficient and lucrative approach compared to acquiring a fresh one. And most of the issue lies in “not valuing customers or listening to them when they have problems.”
To keep customers happy, consider a proactive approach to real-time interaction management, which can lead to more loyal customers and retention.
Key components of an effective customer interaction management strategy
The value of strong customer interactions is clear. But knowing how to make it happen is another story. This section will outline how to effectively implement customer interaction management into your business.
Use the right technology
Managing every interaction manually is impossible—you need a full-scale view. Customer interaction management technology and expertise is important for managing customer interactions across all touch points.
Creating integrated, connected customer experiences ensures strong brand-customer relationships and helps avoid "pervasive" and "problematic" customer experiences. Says IDC's Roger Beharry Lall,"Marketers need to embrace a more unified approach that connects advertising and marketing silos. Whether through a single tool, a deeply integrated stack, or the use of bridging data constructs, aligning these two areas is essential."
To quote the IDC whitepaper, "Organizations must undergo a thorough reevaluation of their martech/adtech stacks, enhance the foundational data structure, and restructure their teams, if they wish to achieve an integrated approach and compete in a modern reality."
Use omnichannel communication strategies
It's imperative that marketers today embrace a more customer-centric, unified omnichannel strategy.
In the IDC whitepaper, IDC’s Roger Beharry Lall explains why connecting martech and adtech gives brands the power to create more comprehensive data management strategies that pull through to campaign and media activation.
“Marketers need to embrace a more unified approach that connects advertising and marketing silos,” Beharry Lall writes. “Whether through a single tool, a deeply integrated stack, or the use of bridging data constructs, aligning these two areas is essential.”
Marketers can unify advertising and marketing channels by using data platforms that centralize identity resolution across their organization, enabling them to deliver campaigns seamlessly.
Gather and analyze communication data
Customer interaction management allows you to collect and analyze data from every customer interaction to better understand their needs and preferences. This provides vital information to power many teams across your organization:
Past purchase data helps you understand what customers are buying, when, where and how. It can identify bottlenecks in the process, common issues or why customers seek help.
Customer service interaction data helps you understand what’s not working. Generally, customers engage with call centers or website instant messaging when they need help. Knowing what they need can be used to prevent future issues, or find better ways to assist them. This type of insight can lead to product enhancements, new product development, website updates, future communication channels or other integrations for operational efficiencies.
Marketing interaction data, including proactive communication, can showcase what channels, messages or timing works best for your customers. This can help you further refine, target and personalize for more effective campaigns and outreach.
If you choose to focus on customer interaction management, will need to be time and resources dedicated to the collection and analysis of this comprehensive data set. A great way to ensure efficiency in this area is to work with a vendor that is already a leader in identity resolution, which creates a continuous flow of information about your customers that you can add to and learn from over time.
Customer interaction management provides easy visibility into real-time and historical data. Use those insights to make data-driven decisions about your products, services and communication. By taking action, you can further increase customer satisfaction and long-term success.
Regularly obtain feedback
Customer interactions provide plentiful opportunities for feedback, but most of it comes unprovoked. For example, every customer interaction includes some sort of feedback, whether it’s positive or negative. The positive comes in an obvious form, typically: The customer browses and makes purchases that suit their needs. The negative, however, can come in myriad forms. It can look obvious, like a return, or it might simply be no response from the customer whatsoever. One of the impactful components of customer interaction management tools is the ability to collect and make use of all these insights.
But tracking how many returns were because of odd sizing, for example, you can see that this is an issue that you should discuss with your product team. Or maybe you just need to update your sizing charts, or even add information in the product description about the fit. The key is to proactively help customers, while also solving common challenges.
But another way to regularly obtain feedback from customers is proactively. With effective customer interaction management tools, you can send surveys or offer feedback opportunities, either randomly, through targeted outreach or immediately following an interaction. Anytime you get a survey asking “How did we do?” it’s a proactive company looking for feedback on their customer interaction management processes.
The next step should always be to analyze the feedback and make appropriate changes. Customer expect that you take their feedback to heart, and will implement improvements based on it. One piece of customer satisfaction is feeling heard, so make sure you’re also proactively telling your customers about changes you’ve made because of their input.
Personalize and tailor interactions
Whether reactive or proactive, every interaction can be personalized with the right technology stack. Having a customer interaction management strategy grounded a strong, person-level identity helps you tailor interactions to create amazing experiences for customers.
Customer interaction management software extends personalization beyond communication and content. It allows you to personalize the entire customer experience, from onboarding to ongoing support, making each touchpoint unique and tailored to the individual customer's needs.
With the additional context from other interactions, customers feel supported whether speaking to a chatbot or live agent.
Integrate customer interaction tools
By integrating your customer interaction management software, customer relationship management (CRM), customer data platform (CDP), email service provider (ESP), and other key marketing systems, you can create truly personalized experiences across all touchpoints. This even includes your call center, payment processing, social media and chatbot interactions.
This puts all relevant data about prior, current and ongoing customer interactions in one place. Every frontline team member has access, which means they have context and can better serve the customer's needs.
Improve operational processes
Customer interaction management software—especially when you also have a dedicated customer interaction management specialist—helps formalize best practices in customer interactions. This leads to improved operational procedures that can create more consistent experiences for customers.
One element of a brand strategy is ensuring that customers have the same type of experience with your brand, regardless of how they interact. This means they get the same personality, ease and experience whether they’re in your store, phoning your call center or talking to a chatbot.
With an integrated customer interaction management solution, you can create automated processes and workflows. This ensures everyone knows how to interact with your customers at all times and across all channels. Automation also streamlines, making processes more efficient and reducing wasted time or errors.
Don’t forget to look to your customer feedback and data insights for assistance on where your processes could improve. Watch for long wait times, long call times, slow resolution, necessary follow-up and escalations, all of which are signs that your customer interaction processes aren’t optimal.
Best practices to boost your customer interaction
Now that we’ve discussed why marketers should care about customer interaction management and the key components of getting it right, here are a few tips for interacting with customers in an authentic, engaging way.
Deliver relevant messaging
Marketing starts and ends with relevance. To create great end-to-end customer experiences, you need to craft messages that are on-brand and suitable for the target audience. Relevance provides compelling reasons for customers to engage and helps ensure a consistent and exceptional experience. Our research found that people are most likely to engage with marketing is being helpful first and foremost.
While you can try to guess what customers want and need, the only way to know for sure is through interactions. An omnichannel approach—powered by a person-first identity solution—brings together human, digital and other channels seamlessly for a frictionless, relevant and anticipatory experience.
Take Dunkin' for example, a brand that is well known for its powerful customer loyalty. Dunkin' crafts a connected customer experience through personalized, relevant 1:1 messages in loyalty statements, and meets customers wherever they are across channels in real time. With 20M+ real-time transactions per day, it's clear Dunkin' is brewing up some effective customer loyalty.
Personalize the consumer journey
We’ve talked about personalization and creating a seamless customer journey. But the best companies go above and beyond. Use your customer interaction management software to engage in proactive and targeted interactions to build loyalty and trust. Then go above and beyond by surprising and delighting customers, and personalizing offers to make them feel special. And this means true personalization based on individual-level customer profiles, not device IDs or third-party identifiers.
Follow up that experience across all interactions, showing empathy and gratitude, but also treating every customer as an individual. By using modern technology, you can seamlessly weave personalization through every interaction.
See your customers fully
Customers are people, not device IDs or third-party cookies.
To see your customers fully, ensure you use an identity solution that creates individual-level customer profiles that aggregate customers' many devices and accounts (because we all have multiple email addresses). Also, build proactive communication into your strategy. But focus equally on mastering your customer interactions, including implementing technology and developing protocols. Be prepared to monitor more channels for consumer feedback and requests. Your customers are talking about you and providing ample information to help you improve or grow, you just have to listen to them.
Technology can help solve many of your interaction challenges and many customers want digital options. But they still want, and sometimes need, human interactions, especially with complaints, high-value transactions or complex issues. Across all channels, they expect a frictionless experience that resolves their issues. An optimal customer experience comes from informed associates backed by relevant and cohesive digital experiences.
Build customer loyalty with Epsilon
With Epsilon Loyalty, our loyalty management software, we help you use your customer behavior insights to deepen connections with relevant experiences.
Maximize the value of your loyalty programs with omnichannel activation of your data, driving the kinds of connected customer experiences that create long-lasting loyalty. Learn more.
---
## A comprehensive guide to marketing orchestration: How to streamline your campaigns
Type: eps_post
URL: /marketing-orchestration
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# A comprehensive guide to marketing orchestration: How to streamline your campaigns
Connected customer experiences are the goal for most marketing organizations, but that’s an unrealistic dream for brands without marketing orchestration.
In this article, we’ll outline what marketing orchestration is, why it’s important for brands and strategies for coordinating and optimizing your marketing campaigns.
What is marketing orchestration?
Marketing orchestration, sometimes called journey or media orchestration, refers to the strategic coordination of activities, programs and campaigns across all marketing and sales channels. The goal is to create connected and personalized experiences. This requires the integration of data from multiple sources to provide a unified and individualized customer experience, across all phases of the buyer’s journey.
The orchestrated marketing approach enables organizations to execute higher-quality campaigns by coordinating marketing technologies, channels, data and teams to engage with customers at all touch-points. By aligning all marketing efforts, you can ensure consistent messaging that resonates with your target audience. This not only enhances brand visibility and recognition but also increases the likelihood of converting potential customers and retaining existing customers.
Marketing orchestration is a more personalized, integrated and customer-focused approach compared to traditional marketing methods.
How marketing orchestration can transform your business
Customers expect brands to personalize their interactions and provide a smooth and effective shopping experience. This type of experience isn’t optional; brands must figure out how to integrate their disparate tools to create the types of experiences consumers demand.
Marketing orchestration makes that possible. Here are a few ways that orchestrating your marketing, sales and customer success tools and tactics impact your business:
Sending relevant communications and campaigns: There’s nothing worse than continuing to see the ad after purchasing an item. Or getting emails that don’t apply to the current situation. Orchestration ensures customers get the right messages—at the appropriate times—which creates great experiences, and ultimately, customer loyalty.
Saving time and money: When you’re only sending the right message, in the right channel, you can cut down on excess spend and effort--allowing you (and your team) to work smarter, not harder. Orchestration also reduces the risk of human error or the need for manual data entry.
Improving campaign performance: With integrated tools, you can be more confident in your segments, types of marketing campaigns and outcomes. This means better reach and improved campaign accuracy.
Enhancing team alignment: Orchestration ensures team alignment across the organization, which cuts down on errors, miscommunications and duplicative efforts. Teams can instead focus on more meaningful work.
Understanding customers: With integrated tools and technologies, you have better data about your customers. This means improved insight into their preferences and behaviors, which leads to more targeted content and better results.
Simply put, marketing orchestration allows you to effectively reach and engage with your customers. It optimizes your team, technology and strategy to deliver more unified, personalized and seamless interactions. It also acts as a single source of truth across your organization, improving alignment and efficiency.
This isn’t just important for the customer’s experience, it has a direct impact on your bottom line. It’s more important now than ever before to approach your marketing holistically.
How does campaign orchestration work?
Now that you understand what campaign orchestration is and why it’s important, let’s outline how it works within organizations.
Connect your data across platforms
Campaign orchestration starts with data. The purpose is to organize all your data and make it accessible and usable for your marketing and sales teams. Collecting and managing this data from disparate sources across your organization—including your CRM, e-commerce platforms, social media and more—can be challenging, but it’s crucial.
Without unifying your data flow across platforms, you won’t have the ability to create connected customer experiences. Automated, personalized and relevant campaigns require organized and high-quality data.
Most marketers rely on a customer data platform (CDPs) or all-in-one marketing platforms, like Epsilon PeopleCloud, to seamlessly and securely handle data from across their tech stack. With a comprehensive view of your data, you can make more data-driven decisions and uncover insights that aren’t noticeable when viewing data sources in isolation.
Get a unified view of each customer
To create personalized and meaningful experiences for consumers, you need to know who they are. With data orchestration, you have real-time, high-quality, centralized and consistent data, pulled from a variety of sources. This means everyone is working with the best information about your customers at all times.
Data orchestration provides a holistic view, rather than being required to pull actionable insights from one system or platform. According to a recent whitepaper from IDC, sponsored by Epsilon, titled "Customer experience suffers without omnichannel alignment," 55% of surveyed CMOs reported that the biggest issue preventing them from achieving their full potential was "too many functional silos." These silos refer to siloed teams, siloed technology and, of course, siloed data. To quote the whitepaper, "With multiple sources of truth, and a lack of centralized identity resolution, adtech and martech applications execute in a suboptimal manner."
Merging all your data means you can break down the silos and create a unified customer profile, based on individuals’ real preferences, behaviors and pain points. This is especially true if your tech stack has integrated identity resolution. With a unified view of each customer, you can send more targeted and relevant messaging and offers, which increases engagement, loyalty and revenue.
Strategize your marketing for specific channels
Once you have integrated data and a unified and persistent 360-degree view of your customers, you can build marketing strategies across channels.
With data orchestration, you have more reliable information, which leads to more effective campaigns. When properly orchestrated, your tools work together better, resulting in more delightful customer experiences and improved business performance. According to IDC's Roger Beharry Lall, “Marketers need to embrace a more unified approach that connects advertising and marketing silos. Whether through a single tool, a deeply integrated stack, or the use of bridging data constructs, aligning these two areas is essential.”
But your marketing orchestration tools must also help activate your marketing campaigns to your direct audience. With Epsilon Customer, a customer data platform, you can find customers who are normally hidden and then activate digital media campaigns directly from the customer data that informs them, so you know you're accurately reaching the right people. This allows you to maximize your media orchestration and investment across all channels, and reduce wasted spend.
Direct your shoppers down the funnel
Once you have a clear understanding of your customers, it’s important to identify their buyer’s journey. This means mapping out the key interactions or touch-points of a typical path to purchase, both online and offline. The goal is understanding what guides users through marketing campaigns, and how to ensure optimal integration and ease.
To effectively use your data and move people down the funnel, you have to know what that customer journey looks like, and how to optimize it with journey orchestration platforms. By understanding customer needs and expectations at every stage, you can find insights, refine segments and create marketing programs that convert.
Marketing orchestration gives you the foundation. By compiling your data and providing a way to put it into action, you can build cohesive messages and dynamic content. Combining ads with automated emails, for example, allows you to seamlessly satisfy and engage with shoppers, no matter where they are in their purchase process.
The key to successfully leading shoppers down the funnel is having a deep understanding of your customers, and the ability to speak to them as individuals.
Align marketing, sales and customer support
One of the key benefits of marketing orchestration is the ability to deeply align sales, marketing, customer support and every department that interacts with customers. While the marketing teams’ perspective is often central, organized and accessible data is also vital to sales teams and support staff.
Customers expect a consistent and reliable experience with your brand, across all touch-points. This means the ads they see online, and the support they get through your call center, must be similar. The only way to do this is to provide the same level of data and insight across your entire organization.
This not only helps create personalized and seamless experiences for your customers, but it also drives operational efficiencies for your brand. Automating data transfers eliminates the risk of human error, and ensures all teams reliably have access to the up-to-date information they need.
How you can start orchestrating marketing
Marketing orchestration brings alignment to your teams, organizes your data and creates meaningful and successful customer experiences. But having the right tools, people and technology is crucial.
Epsilon’s comprehensive suite of marketing solutions allows you to access, enhance and leverage valuable customer data to drive your marketing strategies.
With Epsilon, you can create cohesive and impactful marketing strategies across all channels, driving better engagement, conversion and ROI.
And right now, your data may have hundreds (or thousands) of sources—making truly connected customer experiences almost impossible. Epsilon’s customer data platform brings it into one place and enhances it with our pre-loaded, in-depth proprietary data—so you’ll know more about your customers than you ever thought possible. Learn more.
---
## First-party data strategy: Today’s marketing imperative
Type: eps_post
URL: /maximize-first-party-data
Last Modified: 2026-08-18T18:24:19Z
# First-party data strategy: Today’s marketing imperative
A first-party data strategy is no longer optional. With an increase in walled gardens and third-party cookies fading, the data you collect directly from your customers has become marketing's most valuable currency—but only if you can unify and act on it.
A complete first-party data strategy, powered by the right technology and identity resolution, turns scattered records into a single customer view that drives better experiences and higher-performing campaigns.
The payoff is real: Epsilon clients who lean into data strategies see 2X higher return on ad spend and 2X lower CPA.
This guide walks through a repeatable, five-step blueprint for building a first-party data strategy so you can get started.
Understanding first-party data and its ecosystem
While first-party data is the most valuable currency in marketing, it’s only one piece of a larger data ecosystem.
To get a complete picture of your customers, first-party data should be enhanced with zero-party data they willingly share, second-party data from trusted partners, and third-party data to fill in behavioral and demographic gaps.
This layered approach creates a unified customer view that fuels personalization, relevance, and measurable results.
What is first-party data?
First-party data is information a company collects directly from its own customers and audiences through its own channels. Typical sources of first-party data include:
Website and mobile app user interactions
Purchase history and transactions
Contact information (e.g., email, phone, address)
Loyalty programs and subscription information
Social media
SMS history
Call center interactions
Maintaining accurate contact information and clean first-party data helps build deeper customer connections and activate a data-driven marketing strategy. But that’s only the first step.
The nuance: First-party vs. other data types
There’s a lot more to know about your customers outside of your first-party data, like where else they spend their money and what their preferences and opinions are. That’s why second-, third- and even zero-party data also have key roles to play in your first-party data strategy.
Second-party data is another organization’s first-party data that your company accesses via trusted partnerships, purchase agreements or platforms like data clean rooms and customer data platforms (CDPs). Reminder: A data clean room is a safe, pseudonymized space for known and prospective customer data, while a CDP is a software solution that collects data from multiple customer touchpoints and sanitizes it to make it usable.
Third-party data is data purchased from an outside provider that is not the original information collector. Most brands purchase third-party data to add critical demographic information such as age, income, gender and interests.
Zero-party data is information a consumer voluntarily and proactively shares with your brand, such as stated preferences, subscriptions, opt-ins, responses to surveys, etc.
Why it’s critical to build a first-party data strategy now
According to Forrester, marketers are facing four massive forces eroding their ability to connect with consumers:
Consumer action: People are more privacy-aware than ever. They’re using ad blockers, clearing cookies and only sharing data on their terms.
Browser and OS restrictions: It’s not just Chrome. Safari and Firefox have blocked third-party cookies for years. Apple’s privacy settings now limit everything from email tracking to precise location data.
Privacy regulation: With no U.S. federal privacy law in place, states are stepping in, and global laws are only getting stricter. That means more compliance hurdles and stronger consent requirements.
Walled gardens: Amazon, Google, Meta and even big retailers are locking down their data ecosystems, raising the walls and limiting marketer access.
The urgency to maximize first-party data has therefore never been greater.
First-party data, enriched through identity resolution and complementary data sources, enables you to consistently recognize individuals, tailor messaging to their needs and measure performance at the person level. Brands that invest in thoughtful, privacy-forward data strategies today will be the ones still thriving tomorrow.
The value and ROI of first-party data
A complete data strategy, powered by the right technology, uses first-party data to drive better customer experiences and higher-performing campaigns. And it’s profitable:
McKinsey research says 65% of customers see targeted promotions as a top reason to make a purchase.
Deloitte reports 80% of shoppers prefer brands that offer personalized experiences. These consumers also report spending 50% more with such brands.
Epsilon Pulse research shows that 60% of brands say they look to first-party data strategies to combat the depreciation of third-party identifiers.
Overcoming challenges: Why marketers struggle to maximize first-party data
Even with customer data in hand, many marketers still face roadblocks that keep them from realizing its full potential. Common pain points and obstacles include:
Data quality issues: Incomplete profiles, outdated contact information and duplicate records limit reach and personalization.
Siloed systems: Data trapped in different departments or platforms prevents a single, unified customer view.
Blind spots outside owned channels: First-party data alone doesn’t reveal off-site behaviors or competitor interactions.
Low match rates: Inaccurate or incomplete data reduces onboarding and activation success on paid channels.
Compliance complexity: Maintaining privacy and consent requirements across states and countries adds operational burdens.
Unfortunately, the consequences of underutilizing first-party data are dire. Marketers often waste spend on the wrong audiences or repetitive messaging. Disconnected touchpoints create friction in the customer experience. And ultimately, brands that fail to maximize first-party data fall behind those with more robust first-party data strategies.
How to build a first-party data strategy that maximizes your data
Epsilon’s blueprint for building a first-party data strategy follows a five-step, repeatable process that moves you from scattered, incomplete records to a unified, actionable and continually improving view of customer behavior and engagement.
To see it in action, consider one of our multi-brand retail clients whose customer data lived in a dozen different databases. At the start of the process, it was impossible for the retailer to understand cross-brand behavior or market efficiently.
1. Audit and organize
The first step to building an effective first-party data strategy is identifying and organizing all the first-party data you already have:
Historical campaign records
CRM files
Loyalty program data
Website and app activity
In-store transactions
Etc.
For our retailer, this meant pulling customer records from the 12 different databases across its various brands and channels into one unified profile.
As Epsilon’s Kate Sirkin, EVP of Global Data Partnerships at Epsilon, explains in a recent webinar, “All of the disparate data can be very messy. This stage is about getting all of the existing data into one single view of the customer that makes the data accessible across teams and platforms.”
2. Enrich and expand
Once your data is organized, identify the missing pieces that will help you better understand and serve customers, whether that’s preferences, channel behaviors or category interests.
First, consider how you can collect additional zero- and first-party data through value-driven exchanges like loyalty programs, surveys or interactive experiences.
Then use identity resolution to further enhance your first-party data with trusted second- and third-party sources to create a more complete profile. This could include demographic, transactional or behavioral data that fills in the context your systems can’t capture.
Identity resolution connects the dots to complete customer profiles and, as a result of deduplication, reduces waste in your consumer file. This technology can help you make sure you're actually reaching net-new customers with greater accuracy and helps you find your next best customers, too.
For the retailer, enrichment meant layering in loyalty sign-up data and survey responses (zero-party data) along with third-party demographic and purchase-category insights from Epsilon’s clean rooms. This revealed new cross-brand patterns, such as customers who bought in one category but were primed for another.
3. Analyze to uncover insights and growth opportunities
With clean, organized and enriched data, you can now unlock its strategic value. Apply analytics and segmentation to uncover patterns in customer behavior, preferences and purchase triggers. Identify your best customers, your at-risk segments and untapped audiences.
Look for opportunities to grow your data set and deepen engagement, such as adding a loyalty program, refining your email/SMS strategy or expanding into new channels. These insights guide smarter creative, offers and media planning, ensuring your campaigns are built on evidence rather than assumptions.
When Epsilon analyzed the retailer’s unified data, it discovered a major opportunity to shift from brand-first to customer-first marketing. The team could now see customers’ activity across multiple brands and categories, enabling targeted cross-sell offers and better budget allocation.
4. Activate and optimize
Put your data to work across every addressable channel, including email, SMS, paid media, in-store experiences and more. Orchestrate personalized journeys that deliver the right message to the right person at the right time, with sequencing tailored to their behaviors and preferences.
Track performance in real time and use early indicators to pivot quickly. Continually refining targeting, messaging and channel mix reduces media waste, increases conversions and keeps your brand relevant as customer needs evolve.
The retailer activated personalized email, SMS and paid media campaigns, sequencing offers based on cross-brand behaviors. Real-time tracking allowed the retailer to shift budgets toward the most responsive audiences.
5. Closed-loop measurement
The real power of a first-party data strategy comes from closing the loop. Measure performance at the person level—connecting campaign exposure to online and offline actions—to understand exactly what’s working, for whom and why.
Feed these learnings back into your customer profiles so they become richer and more accurate over time. As customers’ preferences and circumstances change, your strategy adapts with them, ensuring every interaction is informed by the most current, complete picture of the individual.
For our retail client, this meant building dashboards that gave leadership full visibility into campaign performance and how data was driving growth. The results were substantial:
27% year-over-year increase in new customer sales
While reaching 24% fewer prospects
2X revenue from existing customers on key platforms
1.5X higher conversion rates for clean room-generated audiences
Partnering with Epsilon for first-party data excellence
Privacy laws will continue to proliferate. Consumers will continue to become increasingly privacy-aware. And walled gardens aren’t going to give us easy access to their data any time soon.
The brands that build and use first-party data strategically will be the ones delivering the most relevant experiences, spending media budgets more efficiently and growing loyalty while others fall behind.
In other words, the future of marketing is driven by effective first-party data collection as a part of your wider data strategy. Take the next step in your data maturing journey with our data strategy white paper.
This post was originally published on March 22, 2024, and has since been updated.
---
## Reinventing Travel Marketing
Type: eps_post
URL: /reinventing-travel-marketing
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Reinventing Travel Marketing
In the midst of a challenging economic climate, characterised by a growing cost of living crisis, individuals and households are tightening their belts, seeking ways to cut back on expenses wherever possible. From reducing household bills to limiting discretionary spending, many are reassessing their financial priorities. However, one aspect of life that remains non-negotiable for many UK households is the annual holiday—a cherished respite from the demands of everyday life.
Yet, the evolving financial landscape has prompted a shift in consumer behaviour, particularly when it comes to travel choices. As individuals strive to make prudent financial decisions, travel marketers face the daunting task of adapting to these changing preferences. With fewer customers able to afford traditional holiday options, there is a heightened emphasis on acquiring new clientele—a challenge that necessitates innovative approaches to marketing and customer outreach.
Traditionally, travel marketers have relied on broad-reaching advertising channels, such as press advertising, to target a wide demographic audience. However, the evolving economic landscape underscores the need for more targeted and measurable acquisition strategies. As consumer spending tightens, the importance of reaching specific prospective customer segments at an individual level becomes increasingly apparent.
Paid digital media has long been a staple in travel marketing, offering an accessible avenue for acquiring new customers. However, the impending disappearance of third-party cookies from major platforms like Google presents a significant obstacle for marketers reliant on digital channels. In light of these challenges, travel marketers must explore alternative channels to diversify their acquisition efforts and future-proof their businesses.
One such channel that holds promise is direct mail—a tried and tested method that has seen resurgence in recent years. While traditionally associated with large, costly mailings to existing customers, direct mail presents an untapped opportunity for acquiring new clientele when approached innovatively.
Direct mail boasts unparalleled cut-through, with research indicating that 95% of addressed mail is opened, read, filed, or set aside for later—a remarkable feat in an era dominated by digital advertising. Moreover, the tactile nature of direct mail provides a physical experience of the brand, fostering trust and engagement among recipients.
Contrary to popular belief, direct mail need not be extravagant or prohibitively expensive. Travel marketers are increasingly leveraging cost-effective formats, such as A5 mini-brochures, to showcase their offerings and convey brand values. These campaigns drive recipients to the brand's website, resulting in increased web traffic, inquiries, and repeat bookings.
By activating first-party data, travel marketers can identify prospective customer segments based on actual discretionary spending, allowing for targeted and effective outreach to individuals most likely to afford their offerings. Brands leveraging direct mail report impressive returns on investment, with some achieving ROAS ratios exceeding 20:1 during peak seasons.
Epsilon Abacus, a leader in direct mail audiences for B2C marketers in retail and travel, empowers brands to reach scalable, measurable, and guaranteed new-to-brand prospect audiences. By investing in the direct mail channel, travel brands can effectively navigate the challenges of customer acquisition and drive long-term growth and success.
In conclusion, as travel brands confront the uncertainties of the current economic landscape, direct mail emerges as a powerful tool for acquiring new customers and driving business growth. By reimagining traditional marketing channels and embracing innovative strategies, travel marketers can position themselves for success in an ever-changing marketplace.
To take advantage of our expertise in direct mail marketing and celebrate 25 years of success, reach out to us for a call back! Simply email us at enquiriesuk@epsilon.com.
---
## 4 retail media hot topics at Shoptalk 2024
Type: eps_post
URL: /retail-media-insights
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# 4 retail media hot topics at Shoptalk 2024
Retail media was once again a huge presence at Shoptalk 2024—an event bringing together key players to discuss the latest trends, innovations and strategies driving the future of grocery and CPG—amid the other retail solutions. No surprise, considering the US retail media market is expected to reach $85 billion by 2026 according to Forrester Research.
A common theme at this year’s event was the increasing convergence of retail media and traditional media. We saw it from both sides: retailers leveraging tech and service providers to help drive more traditional media investment, as well as traditional/social media companies aligning with retail media.
Jaclyn Nix, executive vice president of brand sales for Epsilon Retail Media, and Adam Skinner, managing director of unified retail media, attended Shoptalk and identified four hot topics coming out of the weekend.
1. AI everywhere
Artificial intelligence (AI) is an increasingly important tool for media and was a key theme at Shoptalk. At the event, AI was referred to more generally, but generative and predictive AI are important to retail media. Predictive AI helps marketers decide whom to reach, where to reach them, when to reach them and what to say to predict the most successful outcome. Generative AI, in contrast, helps marketers create: It generates the content shoppers see.
Optimized retail media needs both: Predictive and generative AI need to work together like art and science. It can be helpful to think of predictive AI as the science—it’s the methodology that enables deep insights and data-driven decisioning using machine learning techniques to produce better business outcomes. Generative AI is like the art—it can bring a more human understanding of data and insights through content generation that can evoke emotion. When you put them together—the art and science of AI—you can drive deeper insights and better decisions across platform and channel.
One exciting AI session at Shoptalk was titled “Leveraging AI to scale personalization.” In the panel, Doordash’s Jessica Lachs, global head of analytics and data science, shared how DoorDash is solving for the issue of product unavailability at the time of purchase by leveraging AI to automate and personalize product SKU substitutions for out-of-stock products, ensuring customers receive what they want without delay.
The session also discussed how the integration of audio-out-of-home (AOOH) advertising with AI is setting a new benchmark for the in-store experience, revolutionizing how retailers can connect with consumers. Speakers discussed how the fusion of AOOH advertising with AI is not only evolving the in-store experience, but also redefining the boundaries of retail marketing.
2. Third-party cookie deprecation
Cookie deprecation is happening—and fast. Recently, on January 4th, 2024, Google took a big, notable step when they deprecated third-party cookies in 1% of Chrome browsers globally. They say that their plan is to deprecate 100% of Chrome third-party cookies in Q3 of 2024, pending regulatory approval.
This total third-party cookie deprecation inevitability means that the marketers who rely on third-party identifiers—even a little—will see significant disruptions to their retail media operations once they're gone. In fact, our survey on marketers' perceptions and readiness for the deprecation of third-party identifiers revealed that 70% of marketers feel that digital advertising will take a step backward as a result of these changes. It will only get more difficult to identify unauthenticated customers on the web, which means retail media campaigns may see a drop in messaged revenue and ROAS.
The solution? Reaching actual people (not emails or devices) in the most relevant environment is critical to drive the success of a media program in a cookie-less world. Retail media solutions with identity resolution solutions anchored deterministic data elements makes it not only reliable in finding the right consumers, but also stable against regulatory shifts.
3. Growth of video
Shopping is no longer a linear journey, and connected TV (CTV) is an increasingly important retail media tactic. In the “The Future of Retail Media” panel with Andrew Lipsman, founder & chief analyst of Media, Ads + Commerce, Emily Bibeault, ecommerce director of Campari America, said that targeting customers on CTV required 78% fewer impressions, and customers converted 21 days sooner compared to display. Effective retail media solutions should meet shoppers wherever they are.
Another session titled “Shoppable Video Offerings that Stand Out” covered how shoppable video is transforming the way consumers interact with brands, merging entertainment with instant purchasing capabilities. The panel showcased innovative shoppable video strategies that stand out by offering immersive and interactive experiences. In the session, Walmart’s head of media, Jill Toscano shared how Walmart is revolutionizing the shopping experience by integrating shoppable video, influencers, and user-generated content (UGC) into its digital marketing strategy, setting a new standard for retail engagement.
During the discussion, CEO of Digitas North America, Amy Lanzi, said, “Consumers are telling us - they want to see more branded content. They are looking for (engaging and immersive) stories from brands. Consumers are wanting to buy directly through video whether it is CTV or OLV, and this is really driving their future intent and purchase.” And in a recent podcast episode of “Next in Media,” Dave Peterson, general manager, global head of retail media at Epsilon, shared that he sees CTV being a great channel for retail media.
“For me, it’s a marriage made in heaven,” Peterson says. “The promise of retail media is that it can reach real people, individually; and with CTV, you have the opportunity to reach people that are addressable by buying against audiences. Retail media and CTV are very, very synergistic. It’s taking all that great data and the measurement behind it at retail against a very important medium in CTV.”
4. Reporting standardization
The IAB/MRC Retail Media Guidelines have started to align on what standardization means for retail media. This was echoed at Shoptalk by brands like Kenvue who want greater standardization across retailers, as well as for retail media to be treated like traditional media.
This will be increasingly important to help drive confidence and reporting parity between retailers. Peterson sees a growing need for this standardization.
“We need to be able to have standards so that as a marketer, as a brand, I know that if I’m seeing measurement from provider A versus provider B, I can have confidence that they’re doing it the same way that is apples to apples,” Peterson says. “That’s really important.”
The next generation of retail media
As the retail media landscape continues to grow and become ever more crowded, it’s important for marketers to incorporate the most effective strategies and technologies.
Epsilon Retail Media is bringing people-based intelligence to retail media with a next-generation platform unlocking opportunities to drive stronger outcomes for advertisers and increase sales and shopper loyalty for retailers. Learn more about the first retail media platform to couple AI with person-first identity.
---
## A comprehensive guide to marketing orchestration: How to streamline your campaigns
Type: eps_post
URL: /marketing-orchestration
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# A comprehensive guide to marketing orchestration: How to streamline your campaigns
Connected customer experiences are the goal for most marketing organizations, but that’s an unrealistic dream for brands without marketing orchestration.
In this article, we’ll outline what marketing orchestration is, why it’s important for brands and strategies for coordinating and optimizing your marketing campaigns.
What is marketing orchestration?
Marketing orchestration, sometimes called journey or media orchestration, refers to the strategic coordination of activities, programs and campaigns across all marketing and sales channels. The goal is to create connected and personalized experiences. This requires the integration of data from multiple sources to provide a unified and individualized customer experience, across all phases of the buyer’s journey.
The orchestrated marketing approach enables organizations to execute higher-quality campaigns by coordinating marketing technologies, channels, data and teams to engage with customers at all touch-points. By aligning all marketing efforts, you can ensure consistent messaging that resonates with your target audience. This not only enhances brand visibility and recognition but also increases the likelihood of converting potential customers and retaining existing customers.
Marketing orchestration is a more personalized, integrated and customer-focused approach compared to traditional marketing methods.
How marketing orchestration can transform your business
Customers expect brands to personalize their interactions and provide a smooth and effective shopping experience. This type of experience isn’t optional; brands must figure out how to integrate their disparate tools to create the types of experiences consumers demand.
Marketing orchestration makes that possible. Here are a few ways that orchestrating your marketing, sales and customer success tools and tactics impact your business:
Sending relevant communications and campaigns: There’s nothing worse than continuing to see the ad after purchasing an item. Or getting emails that don’t apply to the current situation. Orchestration ensures customers get the right messages—at the appropriate times—which creates great experiences, and ultimately, customer loyalty.
Saving time and money: When you’re only sending the right message, in the right channel, you can cut down on excess spend and effort--allowing you (and your team) to work smarter, not harder. Orchestration also reduces the risk of human error or the need for manual data entry.
Improving campaign performance: With integrated tools, you can be more confident in your segments, types of marketing campaigns and outcomes. This means better reach and improved campaign accuracy.
Enhancing team alignment: Orchestration ensures team alignment across the organization, which cuts down on errors, miscommunications and duplicative efforts. Teams can instead focus on more meaningful work.
Understanding customers: With integrated tools and technologies, you have better data about your customers. This means improved insight into their preferences and behaviors, which leads to more targeted content and better results.
Simply put, marketing orchestration allows you to effectively reach and engage with your customers. It optimizes your team, technology and strategy to deliver more unified, personalized and seamless interactions. It also acts as a single source of truth across your organization, improving alignment and efficiency.
This isn’t just important for the customer’s experience, it has a direct impact on your bottom line. It’s more important now than ever before to approach your marketing holistically.
How does campaign orchestration work?
Now that you understand what campaign orchestration is and why it’s important, let’s outline how it works within organizations.
Connect your data across platforms
Campaign orchestration starts with data. The purpose is to organize all your data and make it accessible and usable for your marketing and sales teams. Collecting and managing this data from disparate sources across your organization—including your CRM, e-commerce platforms, social media and more—can be challenging, but it’s crucial.
Without unifying your data flow across platforms, you won’t have the ability to create connected customer experiences. Automated, personalized and relevant campaigns require organized and high-quality data.
Most marketers rely on a customer data platform (CDPs) or all-in-one marketing platforms, like Epsilon PeopleCloud, to seamlessly and securely handle data from across their tech stack. With a comprehensive view of your data, you can make more data-driven decisions and uncover insights that aren’t noticeable when viewing data sources in isolation.
Get a unified view of each customer
To create personalized and meaningful experiences for consumers, you need to know who they are. With data orchestration, you have real-time, high-quality, centralized and consistent data, pulled from a variety of sources. This means everyone is working with the best information about your customers at all times.
Data orchestration provides a holistic view, rather than being required to pull actionable insights from one system or platform. According to a recent whitepaper from IDC, sponsored by Epsilon, titled "Customer experience suffers without omnichannel alignment," 55% of surveyed CMOs reported that the biggest issue preventing them from achieving their full potential was "too many functional silos." These silos refer to siloed teams, siloed technology and, of course, siloed data. To quote the whitepaper, "With multiple sources of truth, and a lack of centralized identity resolution, adtech and martech applications execute in a suboptimal manner."
Merging all your data means you can break down the silos and create a unified customer profile, based on individuals’ real preferences, behaviors and pain points. This is especially true if your tech stack has integrated identity resolution. With a unified view of each customer, you can send more targeted and relevant messaging and offers, which increases engagement, loyalty and revenue.
Strategize your marketing for specific channels
Once you have integrated data and a unified and persistent 360-degree view of your customers, you can build marketing strategies across channels.
With data orchestration, you have more reliable information, which leads to more effective campaigns. When properly orchestrated, your tools work together better, resulting in more delightful customer experiences and improved business performance. According to IDC's Roger Beharry Lall, “Marketers need to embrace a more unified approach that connects advertising and marketing silos. Whether through a single tool, a deeply integrated stack, or the use of bridging data constructs, aligning these two areas is essential.”
But your marketing orchestration tools must also help activate your marketing campaigns to your direct audience. With Epsilon Customer, a customer data platform, you can find customers who are normally hidden and then activate digital media campaigns directly from the customer data that informs them, so you know you're accurately reaching the right people. This allows you to maximize your media orchestration and investment across all channels, and reduce wasted spend.
Direct your shoppers down the funnel
Once you have a clear understanding of your customers, it’s important to identify their buyer’s journey. This means mapping out the key interactions or touch-points of a typical path to purchase, both online and offline. The goal is understanding what guides users through marketing campaigns, and how to ensure optimal integration and ease.
To effectively use your data and move people down the funnel, you have to know what that customer journey looks like, and how to optimize it with journey orchestration platforms. By understanding customer needs and expectations at every stage, you can find insights, refine segments and create marketing programs that convert.
Marketing orchestration gives you the foundation. By compiling your data and providing a way to put it into action, you can build cohesive messages and dynamic content. Combining ads with automated emails, for example, allows you to seamlessly satisfy and engage with shoppers, no matter where they are in their purchase process.
The key to successfully leading shoppers down the funnel is having a deep understanding of your customers, and the ability to speak to them as individuals.
Align marketing, sales and customer support
One of the key benefits of marketing orchestration is the ability to deeply align sales, marketing, customer support and every department that interacts with customers. While the marketing teams’ perspective is often central, organized and accessible data is also vital to sales teams and support staff.
Customers expect a consistent and reliable experience with your brand, across all touch-points. This means the ads they see online, and the support they get through your call center, must be similar. The only way to do this is to provide the same level of data and insight across your entire organization.
This not only helps create personalized and seamless experiences for your customers, but it also drives operational efficiencies for your brand. Automating data transfers eliminates the risk of human error, and ensures all teams reliably have access to the up-to-date information they need.
How you can start orchestrating marketing
Marketing orchestration brings alignment to your teams, organizes your data and creates meaningful and successful customer experiences. But having the right tools, people and technology is crucial.
Epsilon’s comprehensive suite of marketing solutions allows you to access, enhance and leverage valuable customer data to drive your marketing strategies.
With Epsilon, you can create cohesive and impactful marketing strategies across all channels, driving better engagement, conversion and ROI.
And right now, your data may have hundreds (or thousands) of sources—making truly connected customer experiences almost impossible. Epsilon’s customer data platform brings it into one place and enhances it with our pre-loaded, in-depth proprietary data—so you’ll know more about your customers than you ever thought possible. Learn more.
---
## To drive better marketing with your customers, maximize your first-party data
Type: eps_post
URL: /maximize-first-party-data
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T22:17:52Z
# To drive better marketing with your customers, maximize your first-party data
First-party data is a powerful marketing tool.
That’s because it can give you a lot of direct insights about you customers: Their contact information, website activity, signups, purchases and more. But many brands aren’t using this quality data set to its highest potential. Why? Because they’re still relying on third-party cookies and other weak identifiers to fuel their marketing strategy.
But as third-party identifiers deprecate and privacy regulations change, customers are becoming harder to reach across channels and devices. If you rely on third-party cookies or identifiers, there’s a high likelihood you’re missing the customers you know as well as in-market consumers who are ready and willing to buy your products.
For marketers who want to continue driving important conversations with their customers, maximizing first-party data is critical to success.
Setting up for success
The first step for brands looking to build a better first-party data strategy is simple: Examine the state of your data today.
Specifically: How much do you have, and how are you collecting it? Some brands will have a lot of data already at their fingertips, like retailers, while others may need a vehicle to collect more data or augment the limited data available to them.
Build: Things like loyalty programs and owned channels (email, app, SMS, for example) are great ways to begin building that rich first-party data.
Collect: Find the right solution to collect your data in a privacy-safe environment, like a customer data platform (CDP).
Augment: For brands without a lot of first-party data, a clean room solution serves as a great tool for augmenting your data by enhancing it with partner data in a privacy-safe, secure space.
But this is just the foundation. Once you have data, you want to make sure you can actually use it.
The power of data enrichment
The first-party data you have can tell you a lot about your customers, but it won’t tell you everything. Your customers do a lot out in the wild outside of your owned channels, and they often use multiple devices and emails. Connecting these behaviors and preferences can help tailor personalized marketing that resonates.
Identity resolution can help by cleaning, aligning and enriching first-party data to fill in data gaps, including connecting an individual person to multiple devices and emails.
Adtech and martech solutions with identity resolution can maximize campaign performance. They reduce over-frequencing of ads, help find in-market customers who love you but aren't in your file and identify the right messages for the right people in the right channels.
In short: Identity resolution makes your valuable first-party data even sharper, allowing you to deliver higher performing media activation across channels.
Here’s an example of this in action: Visionworks struggled with high impressions but low conversions. They were getting tons of views, but that wasn't translating into customers and purchases. This was because their previous digital media vendor sent campaigns to audiences based on fragmented cookies and email addresses, not real people.
After switching to Epsilon, Visionworks’ cost per action (CPA) landed a whopping 87% below their goal. By using identity resolution, Visionworks could determine which customers were ready to buy and reach them on their preferred channels. They also connected multiple devices and emails to one person, so they stopped overfrequencing a single customer who looked like several.
Finishing strong with measurement
When you start with good data, you end with good measurement.
The power to deploy campaigns to individuals also gives you the power to measure those campaigns at an individual level. When using martech and adtech in conjunction with things like AI and machine learning, you're enabling your data to continue to get better.
You can measure true campaign performance and adjust your strategy to meet your goals. And, with closed-loop reporting, those insights go back into your first-party data. That means as your customers change, you change with them. You can see a person's preferences and needs as they evolve, and because of that, you can reach them in the right way every time.
At Epsilon, our industry-leading identity resolution solution CORE ID powers our martech and adtech tools, helping our clients reach more in-market customers and activate high performing media campaigns. And, with our connected tech stack, you can have the confidence in your data security and fidelity.
---
## Building people-based identity in the cookie less world
Type: eps_post
URL: /building-people-based-identity-in-the-cookie-less-world
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Building people-based identity in the cookie less world
Even prior to the phase-out of third-party cookies, marketers have always faced a significant obstacle in identity resolution, as mentioned inLakshmana Gnanapragasam's, SVP – Analytics, authored article in Adgully. With the cookie deprecation, the need to provide a consistent, coherent, and useful customer view across digital and physical channels is growing. Marketers need to reevaluate their first-party data strategy and unleash the possibilities it presents to succeed and thrive in a cookie-less world.
Rebalancing the three-legged stool of identity resolution
A three-legged stool has long been the foundation for successful identity resolution, requiring the integration of first-party, second-party, and third-party data to produce the highest-resolution customer identity and view.
First-party data is the data a brand collects directly from its customers through its interactions (e.g., retailer’s point-of-sale transactions). Second-party data is the data a brand can collect through its direct partnerships, often within an eco-system (e.g., a CPG brand using data from a retailer’s POS transactions to understand its customers). Third-party data is the data a brand can license from a data provider (e.g., customer demographics, digital behavior data, etc.).
Historically, brands relied on cookie-based data to understand the digital behavior of their customers and prospects. As the importance of this data grew over time, the imminent collapse of third-party cookies made the transition away from it difficult.
The good news is that the cookie deprecation brings the spotlight back to a brand’s own data strategy, with an emphasis on its own first-party data. If done well, businesses may come out of this transition with a more comprehensive understanding of their customers than they ever had before.
Championing first-party data
Establishing a base layer of first-party data can be beneficial for companies that have historically depended on audience segments and third-party data and whose consumer interactions frequently occur behind walled-garden platforms. Because of walled gardens and disjointed mar-tech solutions, it might have been challenging to combine enough first-party data into something meaningful and cohesive.
Although it might be a task to bridge those gaps, having a cohesive consumer view is extremely beneficial. This gap has accelerated the customer data platform (CDP) market's rise to maturity. The CDP industry is expected to reach over USD 10 Billion by 2025. According to Epsilon's third-party identifier deprecation study, two-thirds of marketers are considering investing in CDP to prepare for the upcoming loss of identifiers.
However, CDPs might be misunderstood, just like any other technology. It might be difficult for these data platforms to combine profiles from various touchpoints in a way that makes sense for marketers to utilize and act upon. In the end, identity management and resolution are necessary for CDPs to function for enterprise-level brands. Additionally, a lot of other things, including purchases, registration, online permission, preferences, and more, need to be anchored in that identity.
To create each profile using the most accurate data collection, marketers require solid reference data with enough data hygiene. If marketers or providers of CDP technology do not already own it, they need to devise a plan to get it.
Internal alignment for cross-channel activation
Customer identity will persist, depending on inputs from several sources that supplement and enhance first-party data associated with a brand. This enables marketers to interact with customers in a post-third-party cookie environment in ways substantially better than those seen in the current marketing ecosystem.
Brands can activate in new ways without third-party cookies by implementing strategies where different data inputs can inform one another—in a context that protects privacy, complies with legal requirements, and follows best practices for consent and opt-out. Examples of these strategies include cookie-proof digital media integrations with publishers and retail media networks and the integration of own and paid media channels. These strategies are becoming increasingly popular as both retailers and brands attempt to succeed in the cookie-less world by investing in their own people-based identify resolution and own data assets.
Many consider this to be an unclear season, given the move away from third-party cookies and device identifiers. However, it presents a chance to improve the marketing ecosystem. Every brand should aim to have the ideal configuration to foster connections and allow them to communicate with customers in a way that suits them. Naturally, companies that are more data-driven will be able to outperform those that depend more heavily on walled gardens in terms of reach and insights.
---
## A marketing world with third-party cookie-less data
Type: eps_post
URL: /a-marketing-world-with-third-party-cookie-less-data
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# A marketing world with third-party cookie-less data
In the ever-evolving digital landscape, third-party cookies have played a pivotal role in shaping user interactions, personalized advertising, and data tracking as per Lakshmana Gnanapragasam's, SVP – Analytics, authored article in Adgully. However, with increasing concerns about privacy and data security, there has been a growing push to limit the use of third-party cookies. And with giants like Google and Apple phasing out third-party cookies, the ecosystem is on the brink of a transformation that raises critical questions about the future of digital advertising.
Let’s explore what third-party cookies are, why they are going away, and how advertisers can continue to deliver relevant, effective, and personalised experiences in the new digital world.
What are third-party cookies, and how do they work?
Third-party cookies are small pieces of code that track users’ online activities across multiple websites, allowing advertisers to gather valuable data and deliver targeted ads.
These cookies are set on a user’s computer, smartphone, or tablet by a website from a domain other than the one they are currently viewing. This contributes to saving users actions and behaviours, thus enhancing, and customizing future interfaces. Some common applications of third-party cookies are ad serving, retargeting, and cross-site tracking.
How will third-party cookie deprecation affect targeted ads?
Digital advertisers have long used third-party cookies as an easy way to target, pace, measure, and personalize their campaigns. Research by Epsilon indicates that 80% of advertisers rely on third-party cookies, and 70% feel that digital advertising overall will take a step backward with cookie deprecation.
Without third-party cookies, digital media firms fear the ways to reach their customers and prospects online. The decline will impose limitations on the availability of behavioural and browsing data, making it difficult to tailor personalized content. It also raises questions about performance measurement and matrix, resulting in wasted advertising and an overall decline in consumer-centric marketing.
Moreover, since most advertisers rely on third-party cookies, their deprecation will require marketers to scout for alternative methods to connect with customers and prospects in the online space.
What does third-party cookie deprecation mean for consumers?
A world without third-party cookies promises a more secure digital environment, reducing the risk of unauthorized data collection and giving users greater control over their online identities. This shift empowers individuals to decide what information they share and with whom, fostering a sense of trust in the online space.
The way forward for marketers
Marketers will need to come up with a new method of online identification in the absence of third-party cookies if they want to keep customizing messaging, streamlining campaigns, and tracking performance.
Collaboration and creativity become critical success factors as the digital ecosystem adjusts to a future without third-party cookies. All AdTech and measurement partners ought to have a well-thought-out strategy independent of third-party cookies. One potential solution could be the use of first-party data, which involves collecting and analysing data directly from users who have willingly provided their information. This approach allows marketers to build more personalized and targeted campaigns based on user preferences and behaviours. For instance, Epsilon designed CORE ID with built-in privacy in 2007 and has been strengthening the identity graph with direct publisher relationships since 2012.
Additionally, exploring alternative technologies such as contextual advertising or advanced machine learning algorithms could also help marketers adapt to the changing landscape of online identification.
Despite its difficulties, third-party cookie deprecation presents an opportunity to create an online space that prioritizes individual privacy. However, to shape a digital future that protects user privacy while providing meaningful experiences, stakeholders must collaborate, innovate, and remain committed to ethical principles.
---
## How to improve your customer experience: 8 foolproof strategies
Type: eps_post
URL: /how-to-improve-your-customer-experience
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# How to improve your customer experience: 8 foolproof strategies
As a marketer, knowing how to improve your customer experience is vital. Customer experience is a key factor in building loyalty and long-term success for your brand.
In this post, we’ll discuss why customer experience is crucial, and how to enhance customer experience for your brand.
Why the customer experience is crucial
Customer experience refers to the impression customers have of a brand based on every interaction of the customer journey. This includes the quality of your products and services. But it also includes your mobile customer engagement, marketing efforts or advertisements, customer service, purchasing process and shipping times.
A positive customer experience is important because it directly impacts customer satisfaction, loyalty and business growth. It builds trust, creates emotional connections and makes customers feel valued and appreciated. Forrester research shows that customer experience improvements drive increased customer loyalty.
The business outcome is retention and increased sales. This also affects your marketing goals, leading to more traffic, clicks and sales.
On the other hand, a poor customer experience has negative impacts. One bad experience with a brand can lead consumers to leave negative reviews and shop elsewhere. This can lead to lost revenue, decreased customer loyalty, damaged reputation, negative word-of-mouth and fewer customers.
Great customer service used to be enough, but now that’s table stakes. In today’s competitive marketplace, it’s crucial to deliver an exceptional customer experience. You have to go above and beyond to create meaningful interactions at every touch-point.
In the following section, we will walk through how to create these exceptional experiences.
How to improve your customer experience
Improving your customer experience is necessary for long-term success. Fortunately, it's possible. Here are a few strategies to get started.
Develop a clear vision
The first step in improving your customer experiences is to create alignment across the entire organization and determine your values around experience. Improving customer experience needs to be a priority, and approached with clear focus.
This starts at the top. Without leadership support, you won’t be able to make the necessary improvements. But beyond just buy-in, your leadership team needs to embody and model customer experience as a core value. Customer-centricity needs to be a thread that carries through every decision, within every department.
Once you have organizational buy-in, create your vision. This is the why: Why do you want to improve customer experience? And what might that look like in reality? Focus on value and creating meaningful, relevant experiences for your customers and prospects.
Document your vision, which includes guiding principles and goals. And refer back to this vision regularly to ensure you’re on the right track.
If you can’t develop a clear vision of what great customer experience look like, you won’t be successful in your attempts to improve it.
Get to know your audience
Most brands have a good idea of who their customers are, but there is always more information to truly know who your best customers are and who you want to reach. You probably have access to demographics, like location and age, but to improve customer experience, you need to understand customers on a deeper, more human level.
One of the biggest challenges for marketers is identity resolution.
Companies need to have a complete, unified view of their customers as individuals, but this too often isn't the case. True one-to-one identity resolution is all about learning who customers uniquely are, including where they shop, what devices they use, and what their needs, pain points and preferences are. To ensure every touch-point is meaningful, appropriate and on time for a customer, you need to deeply understand them.
This is incredibly important, but difficult. The right technology is vital to knowing your audience—and how to reach them. One excellent tool for this task is a customer data platform (CDP) with built-in identity resolution to ensure that your audience profiles are complete, robust and actionable.
By understanding who your customers are, you can develop products and services that better meet customer expectations and deliver more satisfying experiences across all channels.
Map out the customer journey
Once you know who your customers are on an individual level, and those who are likely to become customers, you need to understand their path to purchase. Visually mapping the end-to-end experience of a customer’s journey allows you to see how people interact with your brand across all touch-points. It also illuminates their needs and perceptions.
Journey mapping will also show the intersection of online and offline interactions. Brands must be prepared to interact with customers at every critical juncture in their journey, across channels and devices. The first interaction many customers have with a brand is online, often on a mobile device. This means you also have to focus on connecting all of these touchpoints across the mobile customer experience, the in-person customer experience and their online experience.
Again, strong identity resolution helps with this because it adds to the information you already have on customers, helping you get a better understanding of their past interactions so you can anticipate and plan for their forthcoming activities.
And remember that we’re not just talking about customer service here. How you treat customers when they interact with your brand, be that in-store, by phone, chat or email, is incredibly important. But that interaction is just one portion of their overall journey and the resulting customer experience.
The challenge is that there are many paths to purchase, often including several touch-points and interactions. But by cross-referencing your journey maps with other data, you can start to see where there are issues, opportunities or friction.
To create a smoother, more enjoyable experience, you’ll need to identify and address the issues within your journey. Remember, the goal is to increase satisfaction and loyalty. Does your customer journey support that or hinder it?
Personalize the customer experience
Personalization—or adapting messaging and imagery based on what you know about a customer—has been a key theme for marketers for years.
Customer experience is all about feeling valued, supported and understood within brand interactions.
At a minimum, personalization means tailoring product recommendations, marketing messages and service interactions to the unique needs of the individual customer. But what most brands consider personalization—like using the recipient's name in an email greeting or referencing an abandoned cart item—aren’t satisfying modern customer expectations. Today’s savvy consumers want personalization, but they want it to be meaningful, specific, helpful, relevant and timely. They expect it to go above and beyond the basics as personalization applies to the content of the message, but also time of day, channel preference, browsing behavior, personal interests, and so much more.
When personalization is executed well, it fosters stronger connections and delights customers, which impacts their satisfaction, and ultimately their loyalty. The right tools, like Epsilon PeopleCloud, give a consolidated view of all your data—demographic info, online purchases, website visits, email opens, plus partner and walled garden data—allowing you to create truly personalized marketing experiences across all touch-points.
Whether it’s offline, digital or mobile, optimal customer experience relies on personalized marketing.
Ask for—and use—customer feedback
To take your customer experience efforts to the next level, you need to get feedback from your audience.
Customer review management gives you insight into how your audience feels about your experience. What went well, what didn’t go so well, what were the friction points and where are there opportunities for improvement? All of this can be understood by talking to customers. And it’s especially helpful to hear it in their own words.
The most common way to get feedback is simply not getting feedback—meaning, not receiving customer engagement. It's arguably more important to listen to customer silence, and the potential reasons for it, than to focus exclusively on what you literally hear back from customers.
Another common way to get feedback from customers, however, is through surveys. These appear at the end of customer service calls, after a chat ends and at the time of purchase. Every shopper has heard, “Tell us how we did!” But these efforts are just the beginning.
To truly understand how to make the customer experience better, you need to get more information. Here are a few tips for getting customer feedback right:
Define your purpose - Why are you asking for feedback? Is it to improve a specific product or service, get insight into desired new products, find ways to increase profits or simply enhance the overall customer experience? You can better understand customer thoughts and sentiments if you’re clear about what you’re trying to achieve.
Select your channels, tools and timing - Where is the best place to ask for feedback? And how can you gather that information in a way that makes it actionable? For example, a survey helps you easily collect and analyze data, but may not have high completion rates. But asking for comments on an Instagram post may flood you with data you have to parse through and organize. Both are valid, but you need a plan to ensure you have the tools and time to make the most of your feedback. It’s best to ask for feedback directly after an interaction.
Ask relevant questions - Asking for feedback can be a single question: How did we do? Or it can be a full survey. Avoid asking too many questions, which decreases the likelihood of completion, and take the time to carefully craft your questions. Test the survey to ensure the questions you ask are perceived as intended. Use a mix of yes/no or scale-based questions, and open-ended questions, to give customers a chance to tell you what they think in their own words.
Deploy active listening - Beyond surveys or asking direct questions of your customers, also just listen. What are people saying on your social posts? Is the sentiment overall positive or negative? What specific interactions do they mention in reviews? Whether this is manual or done through social listening tools, you have an opportunity to get candid feedback just by paying attention.
Express gratitude - Some customers give feedback freely and frequently, but the benefit is two-sided. You need customer feedback to do better, and they want you to do better. But they are also taking time out of their day to share their opinions. Express your thanks to those customers and make them feel like their voices are heard and valued. Remember that asking for feedback is just another brand interaction, so it must be done respectfully and at the right time. How you approach feedback has an impact on customer experience.
Analyze churn - Losing customers is hard, especially since it’s more costly to acquire new ones. But this is an opportunity to learn and identify areas for improvement in the customer experience. Asking customers why they returned items, or why they canceled subscriptions, is a simple way to find out where your product is lacking, or where you aren’t demonstrating your value.
Mobilize your app - If you have a mobile app, take advantage of in-app tools to understand how customers use the app, and whether they find it valuable. This helps you understand the customer experience specifically of the app.
Once you have feedback, it’s important to use it. This data is powerful and informative; you need to develop a process to systematically review the feedback and make improvement plans. And don’t forget about feedback loops. Let customers know that you made updates based on their feedback. This will further enhance the customers’ experience because they will see that you value their input, and are willing to make changes to satisfy them.
Then, go back to the steps above about knowing your audience, mapping your customer journeys and personalization, and refine based on what you’ve learned.
Create an emotional connection
All of the strategies thus far have led to loyalty. As a business, customer retention is necessary for long-term success. You need to turn casual customers into raving fans. Creating emotional connections between your brand and the customer is key to cultivating long-term loyalty.
Loyalty used to be primarily monetary: spend a certain amount, and get something in return. But today’s loyalty is also emotional. Customers make purchase decisions based on emotions. And these emotions can come through any interaction. It’s how they felt when they tried on the shoes, the special event they attended in the dress, or the memory of who they were with when they ate the dessert.
But it’s also how they felt after the customer service interaction, or while shopping in the store. Empathy, respect and patience go a long way in establishing loyalty and creating connections. But also, don’t discount humanness. This shows up when sales associates care more about finding the customer the perfect item than they do about making a sale. Or when brands show a human side in emails and social media, customers feel more connected.
Most consumers don’t just buy products because they solve a need; they also consider the brand, their values and the transaction process. A smooth process is one of the most important factors in whether shoppers will buy from you again.
Build a seamless omnichannel experience
Now to bring it all together, we need to talk about building a seamless customer experience, which relies on technology.
The right marketing technology gives brands access to high-velocity, individualized and real-time customer insights—but how do those insights improve the customer experience? For true customer-centric marketing, you need to adopt a connected tech stack including both adtech and martech.
The tech stack of yesteryear was disparate, where your email insights and activations occurred in your email service provider, customer transaction data lived in the CRM and social insights were stuck in walled gardens. Technology solutions now bring all your data insights together, enhance them with person-based identity, and activate them into your preferred channels with the right digital advertising services.
This is true omnichannel marketing at scale. With a 360-degree view of your customers as individuals in your loyalty management software, you can create authentic personalization and connected customer experiences across channels.
From chatbots to mobile apps to in-store, seamless omnichannel experiences optimize the customer journey and satisfy customers. Disconnected experiences across channels and devices are no longer acceptable.
Measure ROI
Finally, you need to understand what’s working in your customer experience strategy and what’s paying off. Essentially, you need to monitor and measure how satisfied your customers are. The key is having accurate and actionable data.
In your efforts to improve the customer experience, were there business results?
There are several ways to measure the return on investment (ROI) and success of your customer experience program:
Return on ad spend (ROAS) - Measuring your ROAS can help immediately reveal the ways in which your customer experience program are providing value to your customers or not.
Financial metrics - Connect customer experience metrics to financial outcomes such as revenue growth, cost reduction and increased customer spending.
Business growth metrics - Measure the impact of customer experience improvements on business growth by tracking metrics such as customer retention rate, customer churn rate and customer lifetime value.
Net promoter score (NPS) - This one-question survey asks customers how likely they are to recommend your business. This metric—when tracked over time—can show how well you are retaining customers, which implies a positive customer experience and loyalty. A decreasing NPS indicates issues.
Ask for feedback - By asking your existing customers about recent changes or whether they are happier with you now compared to a previous time, you can understand the customer sentiment around your efforts. If you’ve implemented widespread changes meant to improve customer experience, but you’re hearing that customers are less happy, you have a problem.
Return on Experience (ROX) - This metric measures the impact of customer experience improvements on business outcomes. It focuses on how improving experience drives consumer behavior and, ultimately, shareholder value.
By measuring ROI, you can get a clearer understanding of how customer experience initiatives impact your bottom line. This can justify further investments and drive continuous improvements.
Improve customer experience and drive long-lasting loyalty with Epsilon
With Epsilon, we help clients build a path to happier customers through our holistic loyalty management software approach.
Powered by real-time data and industry-leading technology that’s designed to grow with your loyalty needs, Epsilon Loyalty helps clients deliver a unique, memorable marketing experience to each customer, driving optimal customer experiences.
Learn more about the smarter path to lifetime loyalty.
---
## The marketer’s guide to secure data management
Type: eps_post
URL: /secure-data-management
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# The marketer’s guide to secure data management
Data privacy and security are top of mind these days, but not just for technology leaders. Secure data management is a topic at the forefront of modern marketing, not only because it's top of mind for consumers, but also because marketers are now more frequently tasked with being a key part of or managing how consumer data is collected, stored and used.
In this guide, we’ll define secure data management, data privacy and data sharing. Then outline why data management is integral to marketing today and offer advice on data security.
What is secure data management?
Secure data management describes the process of acquiring, storing, managing, using and protecting your data. This data can come from a variety of sources, internal and external alike. Protecting data is essential for:
Organizations that have a responsibility to protect user data
Marketers who need accurate and trustworthy data to power campaigns
Consumers who demand and expect their data to be secure and private
These practices aim to keep companies and consumers safe from unintentional errors and hackers.
Data management also includes data security—the process of safeguarding your information to ensure its privacy, availability and integrity. Marketers' data and all digital assets must always be protected from theft, corruption and unauthorized access.
Data privacy
Marketers have access to a wealth of information about their customers, including (but not limited to) personally identifiable information (PII), behavioral data, and purchases. This makes data privacy extremely important, and marketers should only use this personal information for the purposes listed in their notices to their customers and in accordance with their customers’ expectations.
Data availability
Data needs to be available for use. From campaign analysis to strategic segmentation, your data needs to be kept secure, while also being accessible to the appropriate parties.
Availability can be a challenge, but is solvable by using permission-based controls and data backups.
Data integrity
Data integrity means the data hasn’t been corrupted or compromised, either intentionally or unintentionally. Marketers need to trust their data is clean, accurate and complete or they won’t feel confident or comfortable using it.
To ensure data integrity, you may restrict certain access—such as editing of data files—to certain team members. These checks and balances help protect against accidental errors.
What is data sharing?
Secure data sharing is the process of sharing information with others in accordance with technical and organizational measures developed and implemented to protect the data. Sharing can happen within an organization, or between partner organizations. An example would be data integrations that happen between your customer relationship management tool (CRM) and email service provider (ESP). Or between your customer data platform (CDP) and your digital media provider for activation. The process can be on servers or via cloud data sharing.
Data sharing services make information available for use, which aids in transparency, efficiency and collaboration. It also enables organizations to disseminate information across all teams, augment internal data with broader market data, make more data-driven decisions and create a single source of truth for all data.
The sharing of secure data is vital for marketing success—you have to get data from one place to another at many points in the marketing process—but must be done in a legal, ethical, secure and protected manner to mitigate risk.
Why should marketers care about secure data management?
Secure data management is important for many reasons. Specific to marketers, here are a few reasons why you should care about how your customer data is managed and used across marketing:
Privacy and security are vital for customer trust and to preserve your reputation. Data breaches, attacks or misuse can significantly impact customer confidence in your brand, leading to potential loss of business and a damaged reputation. IBM found that the average data breach costs companies $4M, half being from fixing the issue, and the other half from lost revenue. Consumers are already wary of sharing personal information; not taking their privacy seriously will only deepen their mistrust. By handling consumer data responsibly, you can help retain customers and cultivate loyalty.
Personalized marketing campaigns rely on data integrity. Without customer data, you won’t be able to run effective and personalized marketing activations. You need access to accurate and high-quality data to tailor messages, offers and experiences. Having a strong data management process also makes marketing teams more efficient, since they can access information quickly and easily.
Strong data security is a differentiator. Many companies haven’t figured out how to protect their data from misuse or abuse. This is why it's so important to work with a trusted data partner like Epsilon who puts data security and compliance at the center of everything we do.
Simply put, by prioritizing partners and platforms with a secure data service, marketers can build customer trust, comply with regulations, maintain a competitive edge and execute effective and personalized marketing strategies.
Topics to consider when looking to secure data
Securing your data for stronger marketing campaigns requires a comprehensive approach to data protection, privacy and security. Here are some topics to consider as you're thinking about this.
Governance protocols
Policies that govern how data are used within an organization can be extremely important. Companies interested in establishing these governance protocols often take the time to review their current processes, partners and technology stacks to understand what’s working and what needs improvement.
Essentially, these companies examine what information they have and how they can protect it.
A first step often undertaken by these companies is understanding their entire data supply chain, including the source, ownership, usage and storage of data. These companies seek to holistically know how data comes into and out of their organization. Then, they ensure that each step and source follows data best practices, like encryption, access controls, authentication processes, firewalls and strong password protection to safeguard data.
Data classification helps companies understand what data sources need heightened security beyond standard security measures. Companies often build their processes with these classifications in mind.
Then, companies develop processes around the responsible management of their data. This doesn’t just mean immediately, but also long term. These are the typical questions they consider:
Who is responsible for data security?
What is our process for monitoring and auditing our data management protocols and partners?
Who can access what data? And how can that data be used?
What are our data retention and deletion policies?
Who sets up new users? And what’s the process for deleting user accounts?
When are software updates conducted, especially those with security enhancements?
How and when do we back up our data?
It's important to bear in mind that things change constantly, both laws and consumer expectations. Secure corporate data management for marketing purposes isn’t a one-time endeavor, but rather an ongoing and consistent process requiring clear oversight. Companies often familiarize themselves with relevant data protection regulations to ensure their governance protocols are compliant. And if they work with outside partners and platforms, they ensure they're adhering and exceeding standards so their secure data share doesn't become a risk to their business.
Sensitive data access limitation
Controlling who has access to the data and specifying the level of access is crucial to help companies ensure data security and privacy.
Here are a few ways companies often control access to their data:
Data encryption: Encryption puts data into an unreadable form, ensuring that only authorized users can access data.
Data classification: Companies often go back to their list of data sources and classifications and determine the type of access control required. The more sensitive and private the data, the more safeguards they typically need.
Access control models: A common tactic companies employ is allowing access based on role and seniority. This means users won’t get access to data sources they don’t need to do their jobs. Other access control models include discretionary, mandatory or attribute-based permissions.
Authentication: Companies often use authentication to verify the person who is accessing their data.
Audit logs: Companies often regularly monitor their logins to help identify suspicious behavior, like logging in from other locations, at odd times of day, or too frequently. This includes monitoring users to add or delete users in real time.
Secure file transfer: When sharing data, there is very often a need for file transfers. Companies often try to ensure their transfer protocols keep their data secure at all times.
Password management: Companies often implement 2-factor authentication and other password management processes or tools to make sure unauthorized users can’t access their data.
Anonymization: By anonymizing sensitive personal data, companies often try to further protect consumer information from unauthorized access.
Minimization: Many companies collect only necessary data and avoid keeping extra information in an effort to reduce risks. These companies also often aim to demonstrate respect for customers' privacy.
By implementing these measures, companies hope to effectively limit access to sensitive data, protect against unauthorized access and ensure compliance with data security regulations.
Usage of a customer data platform (CDP)
Marketers collect data through many disparate channels. One way companies often try to help streamline their secure data management process is by using a reliable and secure database. Companies often and increasingly are turning to a customer data platform (CDP) to allow them to manage all their data inputs and organize them in a meaningful way.
A CDP is a system that collects and manages customer data from various touchpoints, such as websites, mobile apps and social media, to create a unified customer profile. This profile can then be used for marketing and personalization.
CDPs can play a helpful role for companies in secure data management by centralizing and streamlining customer data infrastructure, which supports customer data security. Key ways a CDP can contribute to secure data management include:
CDPs centralize customer data infrastructure, reducing the risk associated with siloed data and ensuring responsible data usage.
CDPs centralize customer data in a single, secure location, which allows organizations to manage and activate member or reader data in a privacy-compliant manner.
CDPs support data governance by establishing how data can be accessed, used, and secured within an organization.
A data clean room can also support companies' data security processes. At its core, a clean room is an audience insights tool that is a safe space in which data is used to facilitate data enrichment and sharing.
However, while CDPs and clean rooms play a crucial role in centralizing and securing customer data, they do not totally eliminate the need for ongoing oversight and management of data security and privacy practices.
Managing secure data with privacy by design
One way organizations have attempted to keep up with the ever-evolving privacy needs of consumers and regulatory shifts is Privacy by Design, a concept that promotes integrating privacy and data protection measures into the design and development of systems, products and processes right from the outset, rather than adding them on as an afterthought. This was introduced by Dr. Ann Cavoukian, the former Information and Privacy Commissioner of Ontario, Canada, in the 1990s, and continues to hold strong.
Privacy by Design promotes a proactive and holistic approach to privacy protection, aiming to embed privacy considerations into the core of technological innovations and organizational practices. There are seven core principles of Privacy by Design:
Proactive not reactive: Rather than addressing privacy issues after they arise, Privacy by Design aims to anticipate and prevent privacy breaches and risks before they occur.
Privacy as the default setting: Systems should be designed to ensure that privacy is the default setting, meaning that users' personal information is protected by default, and they must take action to change their privacy preferences if they desire.
Privacy embedded into design: Privacy measures should be embedded into the design and architecture of systems and processes, rather than being added on as an afterthought.
Full functionality: Privacy measures should not compromise the functionality of systems and products. Users should still be able to enjoy all the features and benefits without sacrificing their privacy.
End-to-end security: Privacy by Design advocates for comprehensive security measures to protect data throughout its entire lifecycle, from collection to storage, use and disposal.
Visibility and transparency: Users should be informed about how their data is being collected, used and shared, as well as the measures in place to protect their privacy. Transparency builds trust between users and organizations.
Respect for user privacy: Privacy by Design emphasizes the importance of respecting users' privacy preferences and providing them with control over their personal information.
For 10+ years, Epsilon’s solutions have been built with Privacy by Design principles in mind. All our privacy-first solutions empower our clients’ data management efforts without compromising marketing performance. If you want your customer data to get the same level of data validity, high level of data understanding and governance, considering a privacy-safe customer data platform is a great place to start. Learn more about Epsilon PeopleCloud Customer.
---
## Harnessing the power of customer stickiness: A blueprint for marketing success
Type: eps_post
URL: /customer-stickiness
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Harnessing the power of customer stickiness: A blueprint for marketing success
Customer stickiness is vital to ensure long-term success and profitability for your brand. But it's hard for brands to truly create the experiences that lead to “sticky” customers.
In this article, we’ll explore the concept of customer stickiness and its benefits, and then provide a step-by-step guide for marketers to improve stickiness with their customers.
What is customer stickiness?
Customer stickiness refers to the likelihood of customers staying committed to a particular brand, product or service over time. It’s a measure of customer retention and the effectiveness of loyalty programs. When customers are sticky, it means that they’re satisfied and will stick with your brand, products or services. They are brand loyal and less likely to churn or shop with your competitors.
Factors that influence customer stickiness include price, convenience, product quality, customer service, brand reputation and the cost of switching to a competitor. And brands go about creating customer stickiness in a number of ways.
Marketers might remember the subscription service "boom" of roughly a decade ago (like Blue Apron, StitchFix, etc.), during which brands left and right were attempting to create customer stickiness through ease of use: It takes something off a customer's plate when they're subscribed to a regularly delivered product or service. There is also a higher barrier to entry to cancel or leave, which further drives stickiness. Although the general fervor for product-based subscriptions has died down, many of those brands are still around and many legacy, established retailers offer discounts to "subscribe and save" on products a person may frequently use (Sephora, for example, offers a slight discount if you subscribe for refills of a product at a regular cadence).
That's just one example of how to create customer stickiness, but brands can do this through a variety of means, always offering value to customers in an attempt to keep them coming back for more.
Customer stickiness vs. customer retention
Customer stickiness and customer retention are similar concepts but have distinct differences.
Customer retention refers to the company’s ability to retain its customers over time. It’s measured as a percentage of customers retained within a specific period. It focuses on the overall customer base and percentage of maintained customers and looks back at actual customer behavior and loyalty.
Customer retention tells you how many customers stick around, but not necessarily why.
In contrast, customer stickiness refers to the tendency of customers to remain loyal to a specific brand and continue to purchase or use that product. It focuses on future behavior and what about the product, service or brand that leads to customer engagement. Stickiness helps you understand why customers stay loyal. And it ultimately leads to retention.
Customer stickiness vs. customer loyalty
Similarly, customer stickiness and loyalty aren’t the same thing, though they are similar.
Customer loyalty is the willingness to continue purchasing from a company or brand without even considering the competition. It’s often demonstrated by actual purchase behaviors, like repeat buying or engagement and advocacy. Loyalty is about the connection with the brand itself, including its unique voice, values or perspective.
Customer stickiness, in contrast, is more about the actual products or services than the brand. Stickiness engagement is due to the unique characteristics or value proposition of a specific product or service that customers can’t get from other providers.
Both customer stickiness and loyalty are related to retention and indicate a strong relationship between customers and businesses. They both signal satisfaction and the likelihood of repeat purchases. Stickiness may be an early indicator of loyalty.
Why should marketers care about customer stickiness?
Customer stickiness is important for marketers because it directly impacts a company's long-term success and profitability. This section will outline a few reasons why you should prioritize stickiness.
Improve customer loyalty
As already mentioned, customer stickiness can lead to loyalty. Marketers can increase customer loyalty and drive repeat business by focusing on factors that increase stickiness.
Brand perception is also a part of the loyalty conversation. By ensuring that customers have a positive view of your brand (and products or services), you can influence loyalty and brand equity and encourage meaningful engagement.
Increase referrals
Sticky customers are engaged with your brand and love to share their positive experiences with others. By increasing customer stickiness, marketers can boost word-of-mouth marketing, a highly effective method for acquiring new customers.
High customer stickiness can also attract new customers. Potential customers may look to existing customers for insight into the product or service’s quality or value.
Increase customer lifetime value
Every customer is valuable, but retaining your shoppers increases your likelihood of long-term growth.
Loyal customers tend to spend more over time. By improving customer stickiness, marketers can increase customer lifetime value (LTV), a key metric for business success.
Create seamless customer journeys
Designing seamless customer journeys improves engagement and reduces customer churn, leading to increased stickiness. Marketers should focus on creating smooth, intuitive customer journeys to improve stickiness.
A positive customer journey can also reduce the churn rate, the percentage of customers who stop using a product or service. Lower churn rates contribute to higher customer stickiness.
Stabilize revenue
High customer stickiness leads to more predictable and stable revenue streams. Loyal customers are more likely to make repeat purchases, leading to consistent sales and revenue.
Acquiring new customers is time consuming and expensive. Prioritizing product stickiness can help drive consistent and reliable revenue growth.
Determine competitive advantage
High levels of customer stickiness can strengthen a brand's position in crowded marketplaces—and even create barriers to entry for new competitors.
Loyal customers can help maintain and even improve market share. By fostering loyalty and creating a unique value proposition, marketers can differentiate their brand from competitors and create a competitive advantage.
Improve operational efficiency
Loyal and engaged customers are more likely to provide valuable feedback that can be used to improve products, services and customer experiences. This leads to operational efficiencies and reduced redundancies within your supply chain and processes.
Sticky customers also reduce the need for constant aggressive marketing and sales efforts, thus improving cost efficiency.
6 steps to increase customer stickiness
Now that you understand what customer stickiness is and why it’s important for brand marketers, let’s discuss how to increase it. Below is a step-by-step guide to increasing customer stickiness.
1. Deliver quality services and products
Customer stickiness is all about why shoppers choose you over the competition. And it starts with delivering quality products or services.
One great thing to do is focusing on delivering an outstanding first impression to further hook new customers. An example of this could be an excellent onboarding/welcome experience for your customers: This could be something like an email welcoming them to the brand, or offering discounts on first purchases. The Bouqs, for instance, is a flower delivery service that offers first-time bouquet senders a hefty 20% off. This brand offers a subscription service (a monthly flower delivery), which, as mentioned earlier, further helps contribute to customer stickiness.
You also won't achieve stickiness without quality (or convenience or price/value). So, another thing to do is to work with your brand's product development teams to ensure your offering is worthy of being "sticky" in the consumer’s eyes.
2. Create a unique value proposition for your brand
Having a great product isn’t enough; you also need a clear value proposition and associated messaging. Customers need to understand why the product or service is unique, valuable and worthy of their time and attention. They need to find your offering valuable for it to be sticky.
A unique value proposition (UVP) informs your sales and marketing efforts and ensures your ideal customer understands what you have and why they should buy it over the competition. Do you offer the best price for your product or service? Do you include or add something that a competitor doesn't? Do your products have a longer lifespan than the competition? Are they made of better, high-quality materials?
It’s your job to tell customers that you have something they can’t get elsewhere.
3. Build a customer loyalty program
Ultimately, sticky customers drive loyalty. Having the right loyalty management software is an effective way to strategically engage with and nurture these customers and incentivize repeat business.
Whether it’s through exclusive offers, rewards or special experiences, loyalty programs can turn casual—or sticky—fans into brand advocates. This further strengthens the relationship and stabilizes revenue.
Dunkin' offers a loyalty program that surprises and delights their customers with membership perks, and with 20M+ real-time transactions per day, it's clear the company is offering a customer experience worth engaging with. Dunkin’ crafts a connected loyalty experience with agile mail and in-app content, 1:1 messages in loyalty statements, push notifications and contactless offerings. The right loyalty program keeps customers engaged, feeling valued and coming back for more.
4. Personalize and tailor customer interactions
Part of what makes brands sticky and beloved is the experience they provide. To increase customer stickiness, add personalization and customization to every customer interaction. This includes social media, automated transaction communications, proactive outreach and reactive responses to customer inquiries.
Use your interactions to emphasize what matters most to customers, from the products they love to the value they come back for. Customer stickiness relies on customers having a reason to stick; as soon as you no longer deliver on your promises or expectations, they may look to other providers.
Service-based brands can turn new customers into sticky ones with high-touch onboarding experiences. This allows you to share your UVP, tailor interactions to the individual and solve their unique challenges, all increasing stickiness and decreasing the likelihood of churn.
Walgreens is a great example of a brand leveraging personalization capabilities to drive measurable value for their customers. With Epsilon Digital, Walgreens leverages real-time data to personalize the customer experience for individual shoppers based on their unique preferences, and it worked: By personalizing wellness on an enormous scale, Walgreens saw $315M in incremental sales from digital media advertising in a single year.
5. Determine a stickiness metric
To determine whether your stickiness efforts are working, you need to know what metrics to track. Here are a few ways to monitor your stickiness:
Customer stickiness metric: Divide the number of repeat customers by all customers and multiply that by 100.
Lifetime value: This is the predicted net profit attributed to a customer's future relationship.
Repeat purchase analysis: This is the time it takes for customers to make repeat purchases. A shorter time frame indicates higher stickiness and a stronger likelihood of repeat business.
Affinity analysis: Purchase patterns can identify which products or categories are driving the most repeat business or are the stickiest.
Marketing campaign analysis: Campaign performance can measure engagement levels, particularly with personalized content. Higher engagement indicates stronger marketing stickiness, interest and/or loyalty.
Net promoter score (NPS): This shows how likely customers are to recommend your brand, products or services to friends and family. Your NPS is the total percentage of “promoters” minus the total percentage of “detractors.”
Customer feedback and surveys: Gather insights into customer satisfaction, loyalty and the likelihood of purchasing again. This data provides valuable indicators of stickiness and can give insight into why customers will or won’t become loyal.
6. Analyze the data
Monitor your stickiness metrics through regular reporting. By tracking this metric over time, brands can assess the effectiveness of their strategies and make data-driven decisions to increase customer stickiness.
Take your metrics, insights and learnings to understand the success of your customer stickiness efforts and plan your future efforts.
Personalized customer marketing with Epsilon
As the first step in a buyer’s journey toward loyalty, customer stickiness is perhaps one of the most important factors for marketers. Stickiness in business increases referrals, leads and LTV, stabilizes revenue, improves operational efficiency and sets a brand up for differentiation and success.
But at the core of creating customer stickiness, marketers need to focus on creating great customer experiences. The right loyalty management software can be a great place for marketers to start. Through effective personalization based on individual-level customer identity resolution real-time data and industry-leading technology, a strong loyalty strategy can optimize customer stickiness efforts. Learn more.
---
## The key to optimizing AI to drive real retail media outcomes
Type: eps_post
URL: /key-to-optimizing-ai-in-retail-media
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# The key to optimizing AI to drive real retail media outcomes
Retail media brings the promise for advertisers to reach real people relevantly, drive loyalty from existing customers and convert prospects into new customers. It also brings the promise for advertisers to measure the true effectiveness of their advertising—no more “best guesses.”
But with the deprecation of third-party cookies, the rapid advancement of artificial intelligence (AI) and the abundance of mediocre identity solutions out there, now is the time for retailers and advertisers to reevaluate their approach to retail media.
Retailers need to leverage the most enhanced capabilities to optimize their retail media offerings and drive better (and real) outcomes for advertisers. While it probably surprises no one that AI is the key here, it’s crucial that this technology is used correctly to achieve the key to modern retail media success: people-based intelligence.
Let’s look at what exactly this people-based intelligence is, what it’s not and how advertisers and retailers can include it in their retail media strategies.
What is people-based intelligence?
People-based intelligence is two-fold—combining honest identity resolution with next-generation AI intelligence.
Honest shopper identity resolution: What is “honest” in the context of identity? It comes down to retailers giving their advertising partners:
the ability to reach all of their shoppers,
assurance that they are reaching real people (not fragments of identities) and
a guarantee to reach these real shoppers wherever they are.
Many retail media solutions promise these things, but few can deliver.
Most retail media platforms leverage DSPs that evaluate sites first, not people. This eliminates the opportunity to identify and reach 100% of the retailer’s verified shoppers. Evaluating the actual person, whether they are on the retailer’s site or on the open web, ensures all shoppers can be considered and, if your AI solution determines appropriate, engaged.
When these retail media platforms get around to attempting to reach shoppers, they are actually just targeting “audiences of digital identifiers,” which translates to fragments of a whole shopper identity. This could look like messaging three different device IDs that are tied to one individual. The problems here include a large amount of wasted ad spend compounded by dissatisfied consumers annoyed by ad repetition. Studies have not only demonstrated that negative associations for a brand can spike when ads are overserved to consumers, but also that purchase intent can be eroded by ad overexposure.
The industry is also collectively facing third-party identifier deprecation, which means marketers need identity resolution centered around robust first-party data. Retail media solutions rooted in people-based identity anchored to deterministic data elements make it not only reliable in finding the right consumers, but also stable and future-proofed against regulatory and industry shifts. For retail media strategies to function optimally, retailers need to select partners with these identity capabilities; both retailers and the partners with which they work need to be grounded in person-based identity.
Intelligent AI decisioning: Typical retail media offerings use ad servers that, at most, can consider one variable in the milliseconds available for decisioning. But in today’s world, ad servers must be capable of making hundreds of decisions in the same time frame in order for both retailers and advertisers to realize the true promise of retail media.
When AI is applied to the ad server and shopper engagements on the retailer’s owned properties and across the open web, a multitude of variables can be evaluated in the milliseconds before a bid is placed. AI can also learn from each shopper engagement, adjusting the next in real time to improve the outcome. This increase in power and speed enables advertisers and retailers to go far beyond delivering the proverbial right message to the right person at the right time. Now, on top of delivering true relevance to shoppers, they can also determine where to engage these shoppers, how often to engage them and how much to spend to acquire any given impression, or the shopper in total. These advances can make a difference in driving ROAS, creating loyalty and converting prospects into new customers.
Of course, AI is only as good as the data that fuels it. AI needs the right data to train it, and its outputs are only as good as the data inputs it receives. To that end, it’s important to ensure that the shopper data fueling your retail media’s AI comprises known individuals, not “best guesses” or general audiences. Honest shopper identity resolution powers AI to create truly impactful people-based intelligence.
Driving real outcomes
People-based intelligence drives reliable outcomes for advertisers while increasing returns and shopper loyalty for retailers.
Ulta Beauty’s retail media network, UB Media, uses people-based intelligence to help its advertisers/partners identify which potential or existing in-market customers are most likely to purchase from Ulta Beauty, and then connect with them across channels—onsite and offsite—with personalized, relevant advertising.
According to Ulta Beauty CMO, Michelle Crossan-Matos, “A lot of brands put media on the air and aren’t able to directly link it to revenue. Because our retail media network has closed-loop reporting, we can see the direct link to revenue, and that’s pretty powerful.” This is the case as UB Media’s campaign results consistently exceed industry benchmarks across offerings.
Along the same lines, Walgreens Advertising Group (wag) leverages people-based intelligence to ensure real-time optimization. Each brand campaign is continuously optimized in real time across Walgreens’ owned website and the open web, based on verified in-store and online purchase data, to ensure delivery is prioritized to the best prospects.
When describing wag, Tracey D. Brown, president of Walgreens retail and chief customer officer said, “Our ability to take the data and connect at an individual level and then serve up the things that are most important to meet the customer’s needs—that is golden.”
A single shopper view, applied intelligently
When you combine true one-to-one customer identity resolution with next-generation predictive AI capabilities, you arrive at people-based intelligence that levels up retail media campaigns. Of course, none of this will work if advertisers don’t have the freedom to decide where, when, what and how to engage with shoppers.
A complete retail media solution that also is flexible enough to augment retailers’ existing retail media offerings applies people-based intelligence wherever it is needed—always linking via a single view of the shopper across any channel, on the retailer’s or across the open web, applied intelligently in the retail media context.
This article was originally published on Adweek, April 2024.
---
## Customer Loyalty is About People, Not Just Points
Type: eps_post
URL: /customer-loyalty-is-about-people-not-just-points
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Customer Loyalty is About People, Not Just Points
Epsilon Loyalty Index UK reveals that winning hearts is the key to loyalty today
As UK consumers battle inflation, a cost-of-living crisis, and economic uncertainty, the need for brands to build loyalty with buyers is critical. And it’s what they want, with 72% indicating rising prices mean loyalty programs are more important than ever. But what constitutes loyalty today? Is it all about providing value, or is there something deeper? Well, the recently launched Epsilon Loyalty Index UK explores this – and there are some interesting findings.
Recognizing the aspects influencing loyalty
Loyalty is multifaceted, and to understand it, you must understand what influences it. Our research found that this boils down to three aspects: behavior, attitudes, and drivers.
Behavior is obvious, with people demonstrating loyalty by their willingness to spend on a brand. But we need to go further than financial commitment. Attitudes are critical to recognizing what’s happening in a consumer’s heart and mind. And finally, what drivers – those meaningful actions brands perform – endear a buyer to a brand? In essence, drivers influence attitude, and attitude drives behaviors.
This highlights how loyalty has changed. Traditionally, points were the bedrock of loyalty programs, but now it’s gone beyond this rational element. Developing authentic emotional connections with customers is critical, with loyalty now being derived from the entire experience someone has with a brand.
In today’s challenging economic climate, you’d be forgiven for thinking that price was the key consideration for buyers. Surprisingly, it’s not. Across all four categories the research covered – fashion, electronics and appliances, grocery retailing, and banking – Share of Heart was the key builder of behavioral loyalty.
For groceries, a sector with little differentiation, the assumption has been that store proximity to where someone lives influences where they shop. However, at 47%, this category saw the highest contribution of any for Share of Heart as an attitudinal loyalty builder. Even in electronics and appliances, where value for money is often top of mind, Share of Heart is critical.
This demonstrates the importance of trust and why people’s needs, values, and preferences must be recognized, understood, and acted upon to provide a personalized experience. For loyalty programs to work today, they must embrace this and jettison the traditional approach of rewarding customers in the same way.
Understanding loyalty’s four customer types
With the need to treat customers individually, the research discovered four distinct consumer types when it comes to loyalty.
True Loyalists are emotionally loyal to one brand and, as a result, are strong advocates willing to pay more to experience the brand.
Multi-Brand Loyalists are more fluid, and their loyalty is spread across several brands, which they are happy to switch between.
Explorers have no emotional connection to a specific brand and are open to novelty and experiencing different ones.
Transactionals seek out the best deals for themselves, opting for whichever brand offers them the best price or reward.
Each type is distinct, and by recognizing this, brands can adopt relevant approaches to influence and drive loyalty.
So, when it comes to loyalty, how does this look for each category? Well, let’s explore each of them.
Fashion
In this category, the number one loyalty accelerator is personalization. With style an individual choice, being personal in how you engage customers is critical to win them over. And winning them over is vital because fashion has the highest proportion of Explorers of the categories.
Online accounts for 61% of spend, rising to 66% for millennials, who are also big users of social shopping. This means having a great personalized experience online and offline is critical for success.
When it comes to loyalty programs, people want incentives alongside exclusive access to events and sales and having their loyalty recognized. But if you want to appeal to a younger audience, they relish experiences and feeling part of a community.
Electronics and appliances
Again, most purchases happen online. However, repeat store visits are a critical predictor of loyalty. And while a quarter of their customers are Transactionals, Share of Value as a predictor of loyalty came a lowly third to Share of Heart and Share of Mind, scoring the lowest across all categories.
Buyers look beyond price, and when it comes to loyalty programs, they prize value-added services. Delivering here can help brands engender loyalty and win in this space.
Not surprisingly, getting the fundamentals right, particularly around price, product, and service levels, is essential for this category. However, if you want to accelerate loyalty, encouraging customer participation and feedback and offering educational content to help people make the right buying decisions is key.
Grocery retailing
Even with a commodity offering, brand trust, buying experience, and meeting customer needs count a lot towards loyalty. Although there has been a big uptick in online buying, most spend still happens in-store, particularly larger ones. This highlights the importance of offering an enhanced, attractive, welcoming environment that delivers the enjoyable buying experience consumers want. Doing so helps create an emotional connection, which is key to encouraging repeat visits, an essential loyalty driver.
While incentives remain the most valued element of a grocery loyalty program, younger audiences are attracted more by content that helps them make informed decisions about what they eat, access to experiences, and a sense of belonging. To appeal to this younger group, grocery retailers must tie these aspects into their loyalty program.
Banking
Once influenced by who your parents banked with, this no longer rings true. 40% of younger audiences are opting for digital banking, while Explorers is the number one customer type in this category. Of all the categories, it also has the lowest percentage of True Loyalists by some margin.
Dealing with people’s money means getting the fundamentals right is essential. But, still, Share of Heart, especially concerning trust, is the major contributor to loyalty. However, Share of Value is the highest compared to the other categories. This acknowledges the desire for value. It also recognizes that inconvenience around switching does help foster behavioral loyalty.
When it comes to age, there’s a split around what people value in a loyalty program. With older groups, it’s cash back and customer service, while younger audiences want recognition, value-added services, and experiences.
Above all, the report highlights that today, loyalty is less about points and more about authentic connections so it must be approached as offering an experience, not just a program. Understanding and responding to customer needs while addressing their desire for education, participation, and recognition can pave new ways for loyalty. Take this into account, and you’ll create more value for your customers and engender greater loyalty.
To find out more about the changing nature of loyalty, the new insights the Epsilon Loyalty Index UK reveals, and which 40 brands were covered in the study, download your copy here.
*This article was previously published on the Wise Marketer.
{% module_block module "widget_3736c660-51ed-40d4-b399-3b5103e3b855" %}{% module_attribute "child_css" is_json="true" %}{% raw %}{}{% endraw %}{% end_module_attribute %}{% module_attribute "css" is_json="true" %}{% raw %}{}{% endraw %}{% end_module_attribute %}{% module_attribute "definition_id" is_json="true" %}{% raw %}null{% endraw %}{% end_module_attribute %}{% module_attribute "field_types" is_json="true" %}{% raw %}{"industry_form_field":"text","subtitle_text_field2":"text","boolean_field":"boolean","title_text_field2":"text","contentSlugName_form_field":"text","subtitle_text_field":"text","title_text_field":"text","thank_you_cta_field":"cta","form_id":"text","cid_field":"text","area_of_interest_form_field":"text"}{% endraw %}{% end_module_attribute %}{% module_attribute "label" is_json="true" %}{% raw %}null{% endraw %}{% end_module_attribute %}{% module_attribute "module_id" is_json="true" %}{% raw %}4021783{% endraw %}{% end_module_attribute %}{% module_attribute "path" is_json="true" %}{% raw %}"/parsec/modules/RC__gateway-popup"{% endraw %}{% end_module_attribute %}{% module_attribute "schema_version" is_json="true" %}{% raw %}2{% endraw %}{% end_module_attribute %}{% module_attribute "smart_objects" is_json="true" %}{% raw %}null{% endraw %}{% end_module_attribute %}{% module_attribute "smart_type" is_json="true" %}{% raw %}"NOT_SMART"{% endraw %}{% end_module_attribute %}{% module_attribute "tag" is_json="true" %}{% raw %}"module"{% endraw %}{% end_module_attribute %}{% module_attribute "type" is_json="true" %}{% raw %}"module"{% endraw %}{% end_module_attribute %}{% module_attribute "wrap_field_tag" is_json="true" %}{% raw %}"div"{% endraw %}{% end_module_attribute %}{% end_module_block %} {% module_block module "widget_38ea2e74-16b6-4388-bff5-58ad9893f261" %}{% module_attribute "child_css" is_json="true" %}{% raw %}{}{% endraw %}{% end_module_attribute %}{% module_attribute "css" is_json="true" %}{% raw %}{}{% endraw %}{% end_module_attribute %}{% module_attribute "definition_id" is_json="true" %}{% raw %}null{% endraw %}{% end_module_attribute %}{% module_attribute "field_types" is_json="true" %}{% raw %}{"industry_form_field":"text","subtitle_text_field2":"text","boolean_field":"boolean","title_text_field2":"text","contentSlugName_form_field":"text","subtitle_text_field":"text","title_text_field":"text","thank_you_cta_field":"cta","form_id":"text","cid_field":"text","area_of_interest_form_field":"text"}{% endraw %}{% end_module_attribute %}{% module_attribute "label" is_json="true" %}{% raw %}null{% endraw %}{% end_module_attribute %}{% module_attribute "module_id" is_json="true" %}{% raw %}4021783{% endraw %}{% end_module_attribute %}{% module_attribute "path" is_json="true" %}{% raw %}"/parsec/modules/RC__gateway-popup"{% endraw %}{% end_module_attribute %}{% module_attribute "schema_version" is_json="true" %}{% raw %}2{% endraw %}{% end_module_attribute %}{% module_attribute "smart_objects" is_json="true" %}{% raw %}null{% endraw %}{% end_module_attribute %}{% module_attribute "smart_type" is_json="true" %}{% raw %}"NOT_SMART"{% endraw %}{% end_module_attribute %}{% module_attribute "tag" is_json="true" %}{% raw %}"module"{% endraw %}{% end_module_attribute %}{% module_attribute "type" is_json="true" %}{% raw %}"module"{% endraw %}{% end_module_attribute %}{% module_attribute "wrap_field_tag" is_json="true" %}{% raw %}"div"{% endraw %}{% end_module_attribute %}{% end_module_block %} {% module_block module "widget_ae2d4080-2ce4-430c-b8fd-d02661423de9" %}{% module_attribute "boolean_field" is_json="true" %}{% raw %}true{% endraw %}{% end_module_attribute %}{% module_attribute "child_css" is_json="true" %}{% raw %}{}{% endraw %}{% end_module_attribute %}{% module_attribute "css" is_json="true" %}{% raw %}{}{% endraw %}{% end_module_attribute %}{% module_attribute "definition_id" is_json="true" %}{% raw %}null{% endraw %}{% end_module_attribute %}{% module_attribute "field_types" is_json="true" %}{% raw %}{"industry_form_field":"text","subtitle_text_field2":"text","boolean_field":"boolean","title_text_field2":"text","contentSlugName_form_field":"text","subtitle_text_field":"text","title_text_field":"text","thank_you_cta_field":"cta","form_id":"text","cid_field":"text","area_of_interest_form_field":"text"}{% endraw %}{% end_module_attribute %}{% module_attribute "label" is_json="true" %}{% raw %}null{% endraw %}{% end_module_attribute %}{% module_attribute "module_id" is_json="true" %}{% raw %}4021783{% endraw %}{% end_module_attribute %}{% module_attribute "path" is_json="true" %}{% raw %}"/parsec/modules/RC__gateway-popup"{% endraw %}{% end_module_attribute %}{% module_attribute "schema_version" is_json="true" %}{% raw %}2{% endraw %}{% end_module_attribute %}{% module_attribute "smart_objects" is_json="true" %}{% raw %}null{% endraw %}{% end_module_attribute %}{% module_attribute "smart_type" is_json="true" %}{% raw %}"NOT_SMART"{% endraw %}{% end_module_attribute %}{% module_attribute "tag" is_json="true" %}{% raw %}"module"{% endraw %}{% end_module_attribute %}{% module_attribute "type" is_json="true" %}{% raw %}"module"{% endraw %}{% end_module_attribute %}{% module_attribute "wrap_field_tag" is_json="true" %}{% raw %}"div"{% endraw %}{% end_module_attribute %}{% end_module_block %} {% module_block module "widget_d19bb70e-8cbd-4927-a520-11a3eb4f780b" %}{% module_attribute "boolean_field" is_json="true" %}{% raw %}true{% endraw %}{% end_module_attribute %}{% module_attribute "child_css" is_json="true" %}{% raw %}{}{% endraw %}{% end_module_attribute %}{% module_attribute "css" is_json="true" %}{% raw %}{}{% endraw %}{% end_module_attribute %}{% module_attribute "definition_id" is_json="true" %}{% raw %}null{% endraw %}{% end_module_attribute %}{% module_attribute "field_types" is_json="true" %}{% raw %}{"industry_form_field":"text","subtitle_text_field2":"text","boolean_field":"boolean","title_text_field2":"text","contentSlugName_form_field":"text","subtitle_text_field":"text","title_text_field":"text","thank_you_cta_field":"cta","form_id":"text","cid_field":"text","area_of_interest_form_field":"text"}{% endraw %}{% end_module_attribute %}{% module_attribute "label" is_json="true" %}{% raw %}null{% endraw %}{% end_module_attribute %}{% module_attribute "module_id" is_json="true" %}{% raw %}4021783{% endraw %}{% end_module_attribute %}{% module_attribute "path" is_json="true" %}{% raw %}"/parsec/modules/RC__gateway-popup"{% endraw %}{% end_module_attribute %}{% module_attribute "schema_version" is_json="true" %}{% raw %}2{% endraw %}{% end_module_attribute %}{% module_attribute "smart_objects" is_json="true" %}{% raw %}null{% endraw %}{% end_module_attribute %}{% module_attribute "smart_type" is_json="true" %}{% raw %}"NOT_SMART"{% endraw %}{% end_module_attribute %}{% module_attribute "tag" is_json="true" %}{% raw %}"module"{% endraw %}{% end_module_attribute %}{% module_attribute "thank_you_cta_field" is_json="true" %}{% raw %}""{% endraw %}{% end_module_attribute %}{% module_attribute "type" is_json="true" %}{% raw %}"module"{% endraw %}{% end_module_attribute %}{% module_attribute "wrap_field_tag" is_json="true" %}{% raw %}"div"{% endraw %}{% end_module_attribute %}{% end_module_block %} {% module_block module "widget_1b27fac5-a437-425b-b9f8-6abf8dff1b85" %}{% module_attribute "boolean_field" is_json="true" %}{% raw %}true{% endraw %}{% end_module_attribute %}{% module_attribute "child_css" is_json="true" %}{% raw %}{}{% endraw %}{% end_module_attribute %}{% module_attribute "css" is_json="true" %}{% raw %}{}{% endraw %}{% end_module_attribute %}{% module_attribute "definition_id" is_json="true" %}{% raw %}null{% endraw %}{% end_module_attribute %}{% module_attribute "field_types" is_json="true" %}{% raw %}{"industry_form_field":"text","subtitle_text_field2":"text","boolean_field":"boolean","title_text_field2":"text","contentSlugName_form_field":"text","subtitle_text_field":"text","title_text_field":"text","thank_you_cta_field":"cta","form_id":"text","cid_field":"text","area_of_interest_form_field":"text"}{% endraw %}{% end_module_attribute %}{% module_attribute "label" is_json="true" %}{% raw %}null{% endraw %}{% end_module_attribute %}{% module_attribute "module_id" is_json="true" %}{% raw %}4021783{% endraw %}{% end_module_attribute %}{% module_attribute "path" is_json="true" %}{% raw %}"/parsec/modules/RC__gateway-popup"{% endraw %}{% end_module_attribute %}{% module_attribute "schema_version" is_json="true" %}{% raw %}2{% endraw %}{% end_module_attribute %}{% module_attribute "smart_objects" is_json="true" %}{% raw %}null{% endraw %}{% end_module_attribute %}{% module_attribute "smart_type" is_json="true" %}{% raw %}"NOT_SMART"{% endraw %}{% end_module_attribute %}{% module_attribute "tag" is_json="true" %}{% raw %}"module"{% endraw %}{% end_module_attribute %}{% module_attribute "thank_you_cta_field" is_json="true" %}{% raw %}""{% endraw %}{% end_module_attribute %}{% module_attribute "type" is_json="true" %}{% raw %}"module"{% endraw %}{% end_module_attribute %}{% module_attribute "wrap_field_tag" is_json="true" %}{% raw %}"div"{% endraw %}{% end_module_attribute %}{% end_module_block %} {% module_block module "widget_4244e053-129c-4ada-9b70-99fb92da4772" %}{% module_attribute "boolean_field" is_json="true" %}{% raw %}true{% endraw %}{% end_module_attribute %}{% module_attribute "child_css" is_json="true" %}{% raw %}{}{% endraw %}{% end_module_attribute %}{% module_attribute "css" is_json="true" %}{% raw %}{}{% endraw %}{% end_module_attribute %}{% module_attribute "definition_id" is_json="true" %}{% raw %}null{% endraw %}{% end_module_attribute %}{% module_attribute "field_types" is_json="true" %}{% raw %}{"industry_form_field":"text","subtitle_text_field2":"text","boolean_field":"boolean","title_text_field2":"text","contentSlugName_form_field":"text","subtitle_text_field":"text","title_text_field":"text","thank_you_cta_field":"cta","form_id":"text","cid_field":"text","area_of_interest_form_field":"text"}{% endraw %}{% end_module_attribute %}{% module_attribute "label" is_json="true" %}{% raw %}null{% endraw %}{% end_module_attribute %}{% module_attribute "module_id" is_json="true" %}{% raw %}4021783{% endraw %}{% end_module_attribute %}{% module_attribute "path" is_json="true" %}{% raw %}"/parsec/modules/RC__gateway-popup"{% endraw %}{% end_module_attribute %}{% module_attribute "schema_version" is_json="true" %}{% raw %}2{% endraw %}{% end_module_attribute %}{% module_attribute "smart_objects" is_json="true" %}{% raw %}null{% endraw %}{% end_module_attribute %}{% module_attribute "smart_type" is_json="true" %}{% raw %}"NOT_SMART"{% endraw %}{% end_module_attribute %}{% module_attribute "tag" is_json="true" %}{% raw %}"module"{% endraw %}{% end_module_attribute %}{% module_attribute "thank_you_cta_field" is_json="true" %}{% raw %}"9b43fd5b-be96-4b3b-aa82-62dadcd04eaf"{% endraw %}{% end_module_attribute %}{% module_attribute "type" is_json="true" %}{% raw %}"module"{% endraw %}{% end_module_attribute %}{% module_attribute "wrap_field_tag" is_json="true" %}{% raw %}"div"{% endraw %}{% end_module_attribute %}{% end_module_block %}
---
## The key to optimizing AI to drive real retail media outcomes
Type: eps_post
URL: /key-to-optimizing-ai-in-retail-media
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# The key to optimizing AI to drive real retail media outcomes
Retail media brings the promise for advertisers to reach real people relevantly, drive loyalty from existing customers and convert prospects into new customers. It also brings the promise for advertisers to measure the true effectiveness of their advertising—no more “best guesses.”
But with the deprecation of third-party cookies, the rapid advancement of artificial intelligence (AI) and the abundance of mediocre identity solutions out there, now is the time for retailers and advertisers to reevaluate their approach to retail media.
Retailers need to leverage the most enhanced capabilities to optimize their retail media offerings and drive better (and real) outcomes for advertisers. While it probably surprises no one that AI is the key here, it’s crucial that this technology is used correctly to achieve the key to modern retail media success: people-based intelligence.
Let’s look at what exactly this people-based intelligence is, what it’s not and how advertisers and retailers can include it in their retail media strategies.
What is people-based intelligence?
People-based intelligence is two-fold—combining honest identity resolution with next-generation AI intelligence.
Honest shopper identity resolution: What is “honest” in the context of identity? It comes down to retailers giving their advertising partners:
the ability to reach all of their shoppers,
assurance that they are reaching real people (not fragments of identities) and
a guarantee to reach these real shoppers wherever they are.
Many retail media solutions promise these things, but few can deliver.
Most retail media platforms leverage DSPs that evaluate sites first, not people. This eliminates the opportunity to identify and reach 100% of the retailer’s verified shoppers. Evaluating the actual person, whether they are on the retailer’s site or on the open web, ensures all shoppers can be considered and, if your AI solution determines appropriate, engaged.
When these retail media platforms get around to attempting to reach shoppers, they are actually just targeting “audiences of digital identifiers,” which translates to fragments of a whole shopper identity. This could look like messaging three different device IDs that are tied to one individual. The problems here include a large amount of wasted ad spend compounded by dissatisfied consumers annoyed by ad repetition. Studies have not only demonstrated that negative associations for a brand can spike when ads are overserved to consumers, but also that purchase intent can be eroded by ad overexposure.
The industry is also collectively facing third-party identifier deprecation, which means marketers need identity resolution centered around robust first-party data. Retail media solutions rooted in people-based identity anchored to deterministic data elements make it not only reliable in finding the right consumers, but also stable and future-proofed against regulatory and industry shifts. For retail media strategies to function optimally, retailers need to select partners with these identity capabilities; both retailers and the partners with which they work need to be grounded in person-based identity.
Intelligent AI decisioning: Typical retail media offerings use ad servers that, at most, can consider one variable in the milliseconds available for decisioning. But in today’s world, ad servers must be capable of making hundreds of decisions in the same time frame in order for both retailers and advertisers to realize the true promise of retail media.
When AI is applied to the ad server and shopper engagements on the retailer’s owned properties and across the open web, a multitude of variables can be evaluated in the milliseconds before a bid is placed. AI can also learn from each shopper engagement, adjusting the next in real time to improve the outcome. This increase in power and speed enables advertisers and retailers to go far beyond delivering the proverbial right message to the right person at the right time. Now, on top of delivering true relevance to shoppers, they can also determine where to engage these shoppers, how often to engage them and how much to spend to acquire any given impression, or the shopper in total. These advances can make a difference in driving ROAS, creating loyalty and converting prospects into new customers.
Of course, AI is only as good as the data that fuels it. AI needs the right data to train it, and its outputs are only as good as the data inputs it receives. To that end, it’s important to ensure that the shopper data fueling your retail media’s AI comprises known individuals, not “best guesses” or general audiences. Honest shopper identity resolution powers AI to create truly impactful people-based intelligence.
Driving real outcomes
People-based intelligence drives reliable outcomes for advertisers while increasing returns and shopper loyalty for retailers.
Ulta Beauty’s retail media network, UB Media, uses people-based intelligence to help its advertisers/partners identify which potential or existing in-market customers are most likely to purchase from Ulta Beauty, and then connect with them across channels—onsite and offsite—with personalized, relevant advertising.
According to Ulta Beauty CMO, Michelle Crossan-Matos, “A lot of brands put media on the air and aren’t able to directly link it to revenue. Because our retail media network has closed-loop reporting, we can see the direct link to revenue, and that’s pretty powerful.” This is the case as UB Media’s campaign results consistently exceed industry benchmarks across offerings.
Along the same lines, Walgreens Advertising Group (wag) leverages people-based intelligence to ensure real-time optimization. Each brand campaign is continuously optimized in real time across Walgreens’ owned website and the open web, based on verified in-store and online purchase data, to ensure delivery is prioritized to the best prospects.
When describing wag, Tracey D. Brown, president of Walgreens retail and chief customer officer said, “Our ability to take the data and connect at an individual level and then serve up the things that are most important to meet the customer’s needs—that is golden.”
A single shopper view, applied intelligently
When you combine true one-to-one customer identity resolution with next-generation predictive AI capabilities, you arrive at people-based intelligence that levels up retail media campaigns. Of course, none of this will work if advertisers don’t have the freedom to decide where, when, what and how to engage with shoppers.
A complete retail media solution that also is flexible enough to augment retailers’ existing retail media offerings applies people-based intelligence wherever it is needed—always linking via a single view of the shopper across any channel, on the retailer’s or across the open web, applied intelligently in the retail media context.
This article was originally published on Adweek, April 2024.
---
## Go beyond abandoned cart emails: Power your full marketing funnel with behavior-triggered messaging
Type: eps_post
URL: /behavior-triggered-messaging
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Go beyond abandoned cart emails: Power your full marketing funnel with behavior-triggered messaging
At this point, everyone is acquainted with “Looks like you left something in your cart” emails. We receive one nearly every time we add an item to our cart on a brand’s site.
This interaction is what is known as abandonment messaging, a valuable means by which marketers can infer customer intent by their site activity and then trigger relevant messages based on this behavior. Most marketers are familiar with and leverage these behavior-triggered messages to capitalize on as much data as they can to help the purchase journey move along.
But abandoned carts aren’t the only ways consumers signal intent to purchase—not even close. Sure, abandoned carts signal the highest purchase intent, but there is an entire funnel of “intent” to consider surrounding that. By incorporating a fuller-funnel approach to your abandonment messaging strategy, you’re able to build intent with a consumer over time. This not only captures multiple moments of intent, opening various engagement opportunities, but also crucially helps to build brand affinity outside of the abandoned cart. Epsilon research found that 60% of respondents engage with marketing because they know and like a brand—so the more marketers can build a pre-cart customer relationship, the better.
Additionally, there is the matter of audience authentication. Most abandon program providers are fairly niche and focus solely on reaching out to authenticated audiences, but this misses thousands of unauthenticated users who could be part of your abandonment program.
In this blog, we’ll explore how to build a better intent-based funnel that goes far beyond just abandoned carts—for authenticated and unauthenticated users alike.
The intent funnel
We can break down the “intent funnel” by looking at all spaces someone could interact with your site: Homepage, Search, Category, Product/Browse and finally Abandoned Cart.
Homepage
It’s intuitive that visitors who are newer to your site might just be checking it out for the first time; they may be educating themselves about your brand and offerings, or just aren’t ready to purchase yet.
In this category, we want to pay attention to scenarios in which, say, a user visits a brands website multiple times and leaves without taking any action.
It is important to take note of signals a customer is sharing through their site behavior—even at the very top of the intent funnel. Start with the assumption that there is some reason this visitor has arrived at your homepage. With this in mind, we recommend sending a follow-up email to customers that visit your homepage. (Just one, though—this helps to avoid opt-outs, while still ensuring you do your due diligence with this consumer).
Search
At this stage, you have a site visitor that searches for the same, trending or multiple long-tail keywords on your website more than once but then leaves without taking any action. This indicates where that visitor’s general interests lie.
This is a great opportunity to message the consumer with content relevant to their search queries to recover and inspire their interest. You can recommend content related to their search or based on popular items.
Category
Category intent goes a little deeper than Search and Homepage. Here, a consumer goes through categories on a brand’s website multiple times but leaves the site without proceeding to products. This is a significant level of intent, as Epsilon has found that 93% of consumers abandon shopping after browsing through the categories on the website.
In terms of follow-up from your owned channels, here’s where things can get very helpful for the consumer: You can send an email leading to their previously abandoned categories, featuring viewed content and including product recommendations within the category.
Product/Browse
At our penultimate type of intent, we’re taking a look at when someone browses products more than once but leaves without proceeding further.
This is a no-brainer for a marketing follow-up, directing the person back to the product they were viewing. Additionally, this part of your intent-building strategy can be highly impactful: According to Epsilon data, typically, browse abandon emails have 80% higher open rates and 50% higher click-through rates compared to traditional emails.
Perhaps mostly importantly in this bucket, it’s smart to consider how to use owned-channel communications to build and strengthen customer relationships beyond just the sale itself. Here is where you are really getting to know a consumer and their interests, and can begin to start addressing them in the personalized, relevant ways consumers prefer to be interacted with. This will help to endear the customer to your brand and start to drive welcome consistency, which helps not only with the intended sale itself, but also the bigger fish: long-term brand affinity.
Cart
Finally we arrive at the abandoned cart. Studies show that shoppers abandon the cart for many reasons: a complex checkout, an extended research phase, cost or simply forgetting they have the tab open.
This is, of course, typically when marketers send abandonment messages encouraging people to return to their cart and finish checking out ("Don’t forget to complete your order!"). There are important best practices to bear in mind, however:
Make it a journey: A stream of 3 to 5 messages was found to be the best series length for cart abandon email journeys.
Offer types matter: Introduce offers in touches 2 or 3. Percent-based discounts are most popular, but dollar-based discounts tend to drive the most purchases.
Make it personal: Product recommendations are great! Try combining with advanced segmentation for greater personalization with lower lift.
Reaching unauthenticated audiences
For most marketers, authenticated audiences are who marketers target for abandonment messaging campaigns. These people are:
Logged in to your brand website or previously logged in on the same cookie
Clicked through in an email and landed on the website
Registered for email
Any abandonment messages sent to these individuals can be hyper-personalized based on their behavior, as they would likely expect. Communications to authenticated users can include name as well as exact categories and/or products.
The unauthenticated site visitor is a topic with many different definitions. As we look at it, this is someone who is a subscriber or someone who has opted in. In the United States, as long as the consumer has a preexisting business relationship with a brand, marketing to them is allowed.
Your ability to identify an unauthenticated user relies on the quality of your partners. The right provider, with person-based identity resolution, can resolve online signals to better understand who specifically is actually doing what on your site, so you can react accordingly, and message users that you know but just aren't authenticated on your site in that moment.
Does this approach work?
The numbers suggest that, when done well, abandonment messaging can reap high rewards.
When a specialty retailer incorporated full-funnel, identity-based Intent Messaging into their existing email strategy, the results were clear.
Although the numbers behind the brand’s non-Intent messages were solid (1¢/email sent), the Intent messages drove a staggering 10¢ per email sent. For only a $120K investment, the abandonment messages drove $1.5 million abandonment revenue.
Another specialty retailer was dissatisfied with their existing abandon program provider, and so turned to Epsilon. Epsilon successfully beat the competition by helping the retailer expand to unauthenticated audiences with CORE ID, resulting in increased reach of 145% over authenticated alone.
With Intent Messaging, part of Epsilon's Messaging solution, marketers across verticals—not only Retail—can engage customers when they abandon a brand ’site at any point in their purchase journey. Learn more on our website here.
---
## Make martech the star of your first-party data strategy
Type: eps_post
URL: /in-a-world-without-cookies-look-to-your-martech
Last Modified: 2025-10-03T13:51:46Z
# Make martech the star of your first-party data strategy
Third-party cookies have been a staple in the digital marketing playbook for years. These once-powerful pieces of digital data enable marketers to collect browsing information, serve and retarget ads, and measure the result of those ads (like a transaction or a page visit, for instance).
It’s no wonder brands are reluctant to let them go even in the face of data deprecation.
But the reality is, these digital identifiers are not very effective. More than half of U.S. web activity on browsers, like Safari and Firefox, currently don’t accept third-party cookies. And even though Google said they won't get rid of them (despite years of saying they would), it doesn't change the fact these identifiers are not as prevalent as they once were and are definitely not as strong.
So, what’s a brand to do? According to recently published research from Epsilon, “Preparing for a world without third-party cookies,” 60% of marketers surveyed are focusing on expanding their first party data strategies to be less reliant on third-party cookies.
Embracing the right marketing technology allows brands to maximize their first-party data to create people-based, personalized advertising across the open web.
Why martech matters
First-party data strategies set the stage for long-term growth and resilience. Why? Because this rich data is full of incredible insights about consumers and paves the way for a closed-loop system where you can launch campaigns, measure success and continually learn from that performance. Brands begin controlling their own destiny when they’re not relying on weak identifiers like third-party cookies.
While powerful, first-party data is not useful on its own. To get the most out of your data, it needs to be usable: organized, cleaned and enhanced for use.
The right martech solutions help build and optimize that first-party data asset by unlocking deeper insights about current and prospective customers, including information once captured by third-party cookies. This knowledge drives better personalization and reduces ad waste by delivering relevant content to those who actually want it.
What martech will get you there?
Martech solutions can run the gamut. Identifying which solutions help set the foundation for your first-party data strategy and move it along will depend on a few factors: What are your use cases and goals, how much data do you have, and how much could be available to you?
Customer data platforms (CDPs)
A popular solution is a CDP. According to Epsilon’s survey, 59% of respondents said they’re building out a CDP in response to Googles back-and-forth decisions surrounding 3PCs. And it’s clear to see why.
CDPs, at their most basic, organize a brand’s first-party data. They offer marketers a single view of their customers that can power omnichannel personalization. At their most powerful, though, CDPs are far more than just repositories.
Coupled with identity resolution, CDPs can clean, organize and enhance first-party data with proprietary and third-party data sets at a massive scale—and on a person-based level. This gives you a full view of who your customers are, individually and in aggregate, that reaches beyond the limited things you already know about them.
Data clean rooms
Data clean rooms are privacy-safe solutions designed for data collaboration between trusted partners. These audience insights tools bring together data, expanding access beyond just the brand’s first-party data, and can be a critical tool in aggregating audiences and segments for media activation.
Like CDPs, clean rooms powered by identity harmonize the data inside it, giving a dynamic and persistent view of customer behaviors, preferences and demographics at the individual-level. This enables precise targeting and audience segmentation, stronger prospecting and better attribution modeling.
Loyalty platforms
While many might not associate it with a first-party data strategy, a loyalty program can be extremely useful when building one. These data-rich environments identify things like purchase behaviors, audience categories, what kind of rewards a customer likes and how they’re incentivized to do certain actions.
Loyalty programs essentially become a huge data map for your most loyal customers, so you can anticipate what individuals want, use that to create campaigns and offers that resonate with them, and ultimately measure what is and isn’t working.
And that data can fuel not only 1:1 interactions with individual customers, it can help tell the greater story of your business: Purchasing behaviors and needs, enterprise marketing opportunities, and support for business decisions, to name a few.
Email messaging platforms
Email remains a core strategy for marketers, and as competition for the inbox continues to mount, having the right platform can enhance your first-party data strategy by leaps and bounds.
Much like CDPs and clean rooms, when an email messaging platform has identity baked into it, it empowers a person-first marketing approach, one that delivers relevant communication to the right people through better journey orchestration. Marketers can pick the best channel or path for customers through all their owned channels, including for unauthenticated (not logged in) customers when they visit your site.
The impact of connected tech
If martech sets up marketers for success, adtech is what helps you knock your campaigns out of the park.
There's an inherent activation and measurement gap caused by the unreliable nature of third-party cookies, but bringing your full tech stack together is what helps you connect the dots across all of those touchpoints--so you know what did (and didn't) work and how that can inform your marketing strategy moving forward.
Maybe even more importantly, a connected tech stack allows you to do person-first marketing. It's a newer term in the marketing world, and it inherently solves for the "third-party cookie" problem:
It starts with first-party data. And it ends with first-party data. Marketers who embrace this concept have realized they can’t evolve approaches that were originally built on third-party data to fit a first-party data world.
When it comes to using this data to recognize consumers in channels, the foundational element is an understanding of a true person, that is rooted in offline, verified data.
The person-first understanding of the consumer is used to unify martech and adtech, ensuring communications are harmonized across paid and owned channels.
Insights then compound over time. With each new activation and campaign, you can identify what worked and what didn’t, and use those insights to inform the next campaign, starting the cycle all over again.
This is why a connected tech stack is essential. Interconnected tech creates a centralized system for all of your marketing and advertising to feed off of. All activations come from the same dynamic data—which reduces fragmentation and maintains data fidelity—and ultimately offer holistic collection that can be unified on a person-level through identity resolution.
You’re creating a closed loop system that continually learns and evolves as your customers and brand do, too. And with things like AI and machine learning, you’re simultaneously building strong predictive models that anticipate your customers' needs.
Experts agree: Connected tech is best
In a whitepaper sponsored by Epsilon, titled "Customer experience suffers without omnichannel alignment," IDC's Roger Beharry Lall said combining martech and adtech allows brands to create comprehensive data strategies that lay a strong foundation to activate campaigns and media.
Part of that equation: Identity.
"By leveraging integrated first-party data and resolving identity at the person level, more accurate targeting of the intended consumers becomes possible — regardless of whether the engagement is executed in advertising, marketing, social, loyalty, or another context," Beharry Lall wrote.
Identity is at the center of everything we do at Epsilon. Our suite of martech solutions, including Epsilon Customer, a CDP product and Epsilon Clean Room, are powered by CORE ID, an industry-leading identity resolution solution. And, coupled with Epsilon Loyalty, brands can build powerful first-party data assets from the customers who already love them.
And with Epsilon Digital, you can activate campaigns using that rich data. We offer delivery at scale on platforms that have already deprecated third-party identifiers, including 2.5x more in-market customers on Apple devices and 3x more customers across the open web.
Higher performing ad campaigns require the power of martech and adtech together. In a cookieless world, these tools become essential in building a first-party data strategy that reaches the right customers to deliver better outcomes for you and your customers.dfbdfb
---
## Rewriting loyalty strategies for long-term customer engagement
Type: eps_post
URL: /rewriting-loyalty-strategies-for-customer-engagement
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Rewriting loyalty strategies for long-term customer engagement
18 Jan 2024: Geordin Jose, Director, Program Delivery, Epsilon, explores the evolving landscape of loyalty programs, delving into ways to cultivate enduring customer relationships, as per the article in afaqs.
A competitive marketplace brings in a deluge of tempting offers from countless brands, each vying for the attention of shoppers. While new customer acquisition is a top priority, savvy marketers understand the immense potential of nurturing existing customer relationships.
After all, there is a 60–70% chance of selling to existing customers. According to a study by VISA and Bond, 64% of loyalty program participants shop more frequently and spend more, with a remarkable 86% willing to recommend the brand to friends and family.
This phenomenon is particularly pronounced in price-conscious markets like India, where personal reviews and emotional recommendations drive a significant portion of sales.
However, loyalty programs encounter fresh challenges in today's dynamic business landscape, marked by price-conscious customers, intense competition, tighter profit margins, and evolving customer expectations. The conventional approach of providing discounts and rewards is no longer sufficient to retain and engage customers effectively.
To thrive in this environment, loyalty programs must innovate, stand out, and adapt to emerging customer demands to cultivate enduring customer relationships.
Challenges and opportunities for loyalty programs
Loyalty programs face significant challenges. The struggle to maintain novelty and innovation is evident, as many programs offer similar rewards, diminishing customer engagement.
According to a recent survey, 74% of consumers value feeling understood and valued over mere discounts. To address this, companies must craft innovative loyalty offerings. Gen Z's emergence demands adaptation to tech-savvy preferences, requiring seamless digital experiences.
KPMG reports that 69% of millennials find loyalty programs challenging. Hyper-personalisation is growing, with customers seeking tailored experiences through data analytics and AI. Lastly, loyalty programs should include behavioural and social loyalty, moving beyond transactions to understand behaviour and reward advocacy. Let's discuss a few innovative solutions that can be adapted.
Non-transactional engagement
To move beyond transactional loyalty, programs should integrate non-transactional elements like gamification and virtual reality experiences. For example, Epsilon provides out-of-the box gamification options, and Dunkin Donuts' Perks Week, in which the brand rolls out offers exclusively for members of the DD Perks Rewards Program, is a successful non-transactional engagement.
Diverse earn and reward types
Providing a wide range of earn and reward options can cater to different customer preferences. Examples include the Starbucks and Sephora Beauty Insider programs.
The Preferred hotels loyalty program allows members to bid on elite experiences using points. Kellogg’s provides sweepstakes for exclusive deals.
Additionally, integrating Non-Fungible Tokens (NFTs) into loyalty programs can introduce a unique and collectible dimension to rewards, encouraging active participation.
Forge greater partnerships
Collaborating with other brands can extend the reach of loyalty programs and offer customers more diverse and valuable rewards. LANDMARK Rewards, which allows customers to redeem across brands like Lifestyle, Max, and Home Center, is a prime example.
Loyalty platforms should provide greater flexibility in integrating diverse partners.
Hyper-personalisation and social loyalty
Platforms that help brands understand, listen, and provide additional data attributes can enhance campaign relevance, engagement, and trust with consumers.
For example, our Starbucks reward program provides birthday drinks, personalised coupons based on purchase history. This is an ability for the brand to provide offers to an “Me” compared to a “segment that I belong to”. The fundamental requirement for a loyalty platform to achieve effective personalisation is the capability to gather, analyse, and construct personalised profiles for customers.
Loyalty Platforms like ours, allows insights from various data sources-mobile app behaviour, preferences, purchase history, social data, device locations etc.- to build a clear persona of consumers that drives hyper – personalisation.
Premium program offerings
Introducing premium loyalty program tiers can create exclusivity and incentivise customers to aim for higher levels of engagement. Premium offerings could include early product access, personalised services, or enhanced rewards. Amazon Prime is a notable example of a premium program.
Even though being a paid premium program customers are benefited with free shipping, Prime video access, free music access etc. Swarovski Crystal Society program is another premium program that provides customers – free shipping, free repair, access to exclusive events , early / pre-sale access to products.
In the face of escalating competition and evolving customer expectations, loyalty programs and platforms must adapt and innovate to remain effective. Embracing gamification, exploring NFTs, meeting the demands of Gen Z consumers, and implementing hyper-personalisation can breathe new life into loyalty offerings.
Focusing on non-transactional engagement, forming strategic partnerships, and providing premium program options enable loyalty programs to nurture enduring and valuable relationships with their customers.
As the market continues to evolve, staying proactive and dynamic will be essential for loyalty programs to thrive in the years to come.
---
## The cookie conundrum: 1st-party vs. 3rd-party cookies
Type: eps_post
URL: /the-cookie-conundrum-1st-party-vs-3rd-party-cookies
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# The cookie conundrum: 1st-party vs. 3rd-party cookies
16 February, 2024: As per Lakshmana Gnanapragasam's, SVP – Analytics, authored article in Adgully, the evolution of the internet has been largely supplemented by cookies. As mentioned in the previous article on 'Marketing world devoid of third-party cookies', these tiny text files track users’ online activities across multiple websites, allowing advertisers to gather valuable data, identify users, and deliver targeted ads. With Google removing third-party cookies from its Chrome browser to create a more private web, marketers who rely on third-party cookies will face a significant impact.
As we navigate the digital landscape, we must understand the pivotal role of cookies in today's online world. Although most marketers are familiar with cookie technology, a thorough understanding will enable marketers to adapt their strategies, find alternative ways to gather data, and maintain effective advertising practices without relying heavily on third-party cookies.
Types of cookies
First-party cookies are created and used by the website. They are deployed to remember language preferences, gather user data for analytics, and track login credentials. These cookies improve the user experience by expediting interactions on a particular website by offering personalized content.
Third-party cookies are files from domains other than the one that is being used by the user currently. They are placed by external marketers, analytics companies, or other third-party organizations that monitor user activity on many websites with the goal of creating user profiles. The most prominent uses of this data collected through cookies are a) cross-tracking, i.e., to understand user profiles; b) retargeting, i.e., to seed in ads based on similar interests or similar use cases; and c) ad-serving, i.e., to decide when and where to serve ads.
Third-party vs. first-party cookies
From a technical perspective, both first-party and third-party cookies are the same kind of file but collected and used differently. Both play important roles in the digital ecosystem and are necessary for online eco-system.
Since first-party cookies are hosted by the domain itself, they contribute to a better user experience and are typically regarded as favourable. With the help of these cookies, the browser can retain crucial user data, such as the products you put in shopping carts, your login, passwords, and preferred language.
First-party cookies are perceived as less invasive and are generally used to provide a better user experience, whereas there are some concerns about privacy with third-party cookies. This has initiated discussions about issues such as user consent, tracking, transparency, and the responsible handling of personal data.
The cookie crumbles
The era of personalized ads based on third-party cookies is drawing to a close. Google's commitment to phase them out in Chrome, building on existing browser restrictions, signals a pivotal change for marketers, who must now reimagine their approach to reaching consumers in a privacy-conscious environment.
What’s in store?
The best thing a marketer can do at present is not panic and continue to stay informed. If the marketing strategies rely on third-party cookies, it is time to start exploring alternatives. Companies must look for a partner who can provide a stable and scalable identity graph that does not rely exclusively on the existence of third-party cookies. They can explore tools that can better help them leverage their own first party data which includes customer demographics, transactions, and onsite and in-app behaviour. Additionally, if companies have limited or no first-party data, they can seek out partners that do have access to proprietary customer data assets to identify and reach customers across the web. The other viable option is to consider publishers who have a direct relationship with the visitors to their sites and apps. It is important to collaborate with them directly or indirectly (through a partner) to continue to stay ahead of competition in this race.
---
## Balance Sales & ROI With The ‘4 Es’: Discount Culture Has Us All In A Race To The Bottom
Type: eps_post
URL: /balance-sale-roi-discount-culture
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Balance Sales & ROI With The ‘4 Es’: Discount Culture Has Us All In A Race To The Bottom
12 March 2024: The dual forces of inflation and increased cost of living have cast a looming shadow over holiday spending, reshaping the way individuals approach and plan for festive seasons as per Ganga Ganapathi's, VP and Head of International Marketing, article in Marketing Mind. As the prices of goods and services escalate and the overall cost of living edges higher, consumers are faced with the challenge of reconciling traditional holiday celebrations with the economic realities of the day.
While shoppers are tightening their wallets, marketers are starting online sales initiatives sooner, year after year. The discount period has metastasized from days to months. Thanks to back-to-back festivities from Diwali, Black Friday, Christmas, to New Years, the discount season starts earlier and lasts longer. But the straw that breaks the camel’s back is what is called ‘runaway train discounting’.
As per Deloitte, only 57% expect sales growth this year vs. 67% from last year. Moreover, with 71% expecting discounting to increase this year, more than 50% expect a decline in margins.
While the discounting technique can be alluring, runaway train methods often end up affecting the customer’s perception of the brand. Your brand’s ‘Reason to Buy’ shifts from USP to BSP (best sale price). It ends up treating all customers the same, thus alienating loyal customers who see one-time shoppers taking advantage of the discounts with ease. Not to mention how it can turn off prospective high-value customers who are looking for more than just deals.
It is interesting to note that, this shift in behavior has, in fact, led to the emergence of sustainable and value-based shopping. Consumers are more conscious of their purchases and are opting for products that align with their values and eliminate waste.
In a market deluged by click frenzy, this trend of conscious shopping while deal hunting is an opportunity for us. It enables a pivot from ‘discounts for all—all the time’ to ‘value-based conversations for each one.’
To meet deeper consumer expectations, marketers would have to innovate with better data and technology. This can yield win-win outcomes. Customers enjoy personalized experiences that serve their values and save money. Marketers can protect margins, acquire high-value customers, maintain brand loyalty, and make every penny count by targeting the right person with the right message at the right time. However, you need a game plan!
Raising the game with the 4 E’s:
1. Envision Data-Driven First Party (1P) Strategies
Holiday shoppers are not alike. To create deeper, more diverse value, we need data offering a more holistic understanding of the customer. Marketers should approach 1P data with the same seriousness that architects approach building foundations—the crux that holds up the entire edifice. Rather than using a marketing approach that is universally applicable, a partner could complement that information with more third-party data for distinct clusters. Over time, it also assists in identifying worthwhile chances.
2. Enhance 1:1 Personalization Across Digital Media
An Epsilon retailers study earlier this August, revealed that 80% of customers are more likely to make a purchase when brands offer personalized experiences. The goal is personalized, omni-channel recommendations based on customers’ preferences and digital profiles, at scale, and across the entire customer journey.
For instance, you may target a high-value customer with luxury products at 10% off rather than offering them a promotion like “25% off on shoes” (even though they weren’t looking for it) because your 1P data indicates that they are in the market for it. As they decide to buy, you also recommend a matching luxury item. This creates a meaningful experience. It also enhances sales without losing margins.
3. Execute for Measurable ‘Total ROI’
How do you define holiday sales ROI? Are discount-led high sales numbers enough? What about lost margins and disengaged, loyal customers? That is no small collateral damage. ‘Total ROI’ is when you look past sales numbers and include other key metrics. Did I target relevant, high-value customers? Did I maintain loyal customers? Do I know which channels gave me the most returns? Or which of my activities drove conversions? Data-driven ‘total ROI’ ensures you do not sacrifice long-term values for short-term holiday highs.
4. Extend the Conversation Into the long-term
Myth: Most customers acquired during the holiday shopping season are bargain hunters.
Reality: While some may be deal-focused, many have long-term potential.
Marketers are responsible for implementing nurture programs that engage consumers emotionally and convert them into loyal spending customers. Epsilon research shows that emotionally loyal customers have a 4x higher lifetime value. Use your different touchpoints—from email to catalogs—to encourage that second order, where profitability lies. For some customers, this might happen quickly. For others, with cost-of-living pressures, it may take longer. However, if you personalize and stay relevant, you build equity until they are ready to buy.
Holiday marketing isn’t just about deals and discounts, it’s about human beings searching for meaningful experiences in the year’s happiest season. When we shift from runaway train discounting to value-based marketing, we put people’s true values at the heart of what we do and make each person feel special. In fact, that level of insight and empathy is still possible today thanks to data and technology, but don’t do it alone. It helps to have a partner who can segment your audience, create compelling propositions, and deliver hyper-personalization at scale, promoting the ideal value exchange this holiday season and beyond.
---
## Epsilon’s Shane Hanby: Post-Cookie Era Relies On “Teamwork” Between Brands, Marketers & Tech
Type: eps_post
URL: /epsilons-shane-hanby-post-cookie-era-relies-on-teamwork-between-brands-marketers-tech
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Epsilon’s Shane Hanby: Post-Cookie Era Relies On “Teamwork” Between Brands, Marketers & Tech
23 April 2024: Shane Hanby, managing director ANZ of Publicis-owned Epsilon, has called on brands, marketers, agencies and tech teams to work closer together to help us navigate the post-cookie era effectively, as per the article in B&T.
Big changes are happening in digital marketing as third-party identifiers are slowly phased out. The shift is a big one, and it’s not just about adapting — it’s a chance for marketers to redefine strategies for a future where data, personalisation and transparency reign supreme.
In the new world, marketers cannot overlook the importance of building direct connections with customers. Personalised marketing matters and most importantly, marketers must be upfront and honest about how they are using customer data to achieve personalisation.
The way forward isn’t without challenges but following a blueprint can give marketers the confidence needed for success. Here are the five things marketers must prioritize along their journey in the post-cookie world.
1. RECOGNISING FIRST-PARTY DATA AS THE PATH FORWARD
With the demise of third-party identifiers, it’s time marketers cosy up to a new idea: first-party data is not just a strategy; it’s the future. For marketers, this means getting to know your customers directly instead of relying on third-party sources.
Think of it as interviewing for a job or networking — it’s more effective to establish personal connections rather than relying on hearsay. Having direct access to potential employers or industry insiders allows you to tailor your approach with interviews or networking events because you have firsthand knowledge of their preferences and interests.
Now, imagine having a direct line to in-market customers. You can create marketing campaigns that really speak to them because you know what they like. But, and it’s a big but, you must do this the right way. It’s not just about getting the info; it’s about getting the customers’ permission and respecting their privacy.
2. ENHANCING CONNECTIONS RESPONSIBLY
Let’s now explore the possibilities that come with customer data. Developing a robust first-party data strategy isn’t just industry jargon — it’s about navigating data collection compliantly and utilizing it effectively.
Consider this scenario: You discover your customer is an enthusiastic surfer. By leveraging first-party data, you can customise content specifically about surfing or showcase the latest surfboards and apparel. The goal is to enhance their engagement with your brand through personalized experiences. However, harnessing first-party data isn’t as straightforward as it may seem; it requires careful consideration of data collection methods and usage.
Cutting through the red tape of compliance with data collection, consumer privacy and activating that data is a triple win benefiting brands, adtechs and most importantly, consumers. Brands can deepen connections with their audience, adtech companies can operate transparently and within regulations and consumers can enjoy personalised interactions while retaining control over their data.
It’s a synergistic approach that elevates the entire ecosystem, delivering value to all stakeholders involved.
3. MEASURING SUCCESS WITHOUT THE COOKIE CRUTCH
Measurement has always been crucial; it’s going to be even more important as we usher in this new era.
Now, with the need to look at incremental ROAS rather than ROAS alone, the landscape is changing. It’s essential to delve deeper into the data and understand the incremental impact of each campaign. Without this insight, you can’t accurately attribute sales success to an individual partner. How do you effectively plan for the future when multiple partners are potentially taking credit for driving the same sale?
Additionally, it’s vital to consider both online and offline measurement. You need to track how your campaigns are performing across digital channels, but you also can’t overlook the impact on in-store purchases. By measuring online and offline sales activity with retail media and activating on other digital channels, you gain a comprehensive view of your marketing effectiveness.
We’re not talking complicated metrics — just simple, easy-to-understand measurements to know if your personalised campaigns are hitting the mark. Think of it like a report card. What grades are your campaigns getting? Are people engaging with your content? The trick is to keep an eye on things as they happen and make adjustments based on what the numbers are telling you. It’s a holistic approach that ensures you’re not just looking at the surface-level metrics but truly understanding the impact of your marketing efforts.
4. GETTING THE MOST FROM YOUR FIRST-PARTY DATA
The significance of first-party data cannot be overstated. It serves as the cornerstone of personalised marketing strategies, empowering brands to forge deeper connections with their audience. Leveraging first-party data effectively requires a strategic approach and a comprehensive understanding of your customer base.
By harnessing advanced analytics and segmentation techniques, marketers can unlock valuable insights that drive meaningful engagement and conversions. This data-driven approach allows for more targeted and relevant communication, fostering stronger relationships with customers.
The real game-changer though lies in activating your first-party data across digital channels. From targeted advertising to tailored content, the possibilities are endless. By integrating first-party data into your digital marketing campaigns, you can deliver highly personalised experiences that resonate with your audience on a deeper level.
In the age of evolving privacy regulations and the demise of third-party cookies, brands must seize the opportunity to leverage their first-party data assets. Those who embrace this shift will not only survive but thrive in the digital landscape, driving innovation and delivering exceptional customer experiences.
5. EMBRACING COLLABORATION AND TRANSPARENCY
Recent statistics from the Interactive Advertising Bureau (IAB) highlight that in the APJ region, only 25 per cent of marketers feel adequately prepared for the impending removal of third-party cookies. This underscores the urgency for collaboration and knowledge-sharing in navigating this transition.
You’re not alone on this journey. The post-cookie era is about teamwork. Being open and honest is the key. It’s like everyone coming together for a big brainstorming session. Brands, marketers and tech folks need to share what works and what doesn’t. It’s not about keeping secrets – it’s about everyone getting better together. Tell your customers how you’re using their data and why. Trust is everything in any relationship. And collaboration is the secret sauce that makes the whole industry tastier. Work together to win together, share ideas and create an open community where everyone benefits. Let’s leverage our collective expertise to adapt to the changing landscape and emerge stronger than ever before.
---
## Identifier deprecation won’t kill the open web – but that doesn’t mean marketers can go without a plan
Type: eps_post
URL: /identifier-wont-kill-the-open-web
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Identifier deprecation won’t kill the open web – but that doesn’t mean marketers can go without a plan
Despite Google’s shifting timeline, third-party cookies are still on their way out. Adtech and martech companies, agencies, and publishers have had some time to adjust to this seismic shift, and there’s been no shortage of reporting and speculation by industry pundits. But what do marketers think? And are they prepared for the change?
Epsilon’s new research study “Preparing for a World Without Third-party Cookies,” finds that more than half of marketers are concerned third-party cookie deprecation will threaten their ability to reach consumers across the open web. But the truth is, with the right solutions and partners, brands can still reach in-market customers at scale, wherever they are.
It’s not a future thing
Identifier deprecation is already here. Big browsers like Safari and Firefox removed third-party cookies in the 2010s, while Apple removed mobile ad identifiers in 2021 (which is huge, considering 70% of consumers own at least one Apple device).
Marketers are already feeling this impact, with 69% of respondents to the survey reporting a decreased ability to reach consumers on Apple devices since these changes. Also, about 76% of consumers’ time online is spent on the open web, where there is no authentication, unlike social media walled gardens like Facebook, YouTube, Snapchat and TikTok. The reality is that consumers are already spending a lot of time on the web in a post-deprecation environment.
Confidence gaps and concerns persist
Epsilon research shows that while marketers understand the expected impact of Google’s moves to deprecate third-party cookies, the majority (55%) are not prepared for it and continue to worry about what’s next. In fact, 64% of them believe that digital advertising will take a step backward in terms of personalization and proving marketing effectiveness due to these changes.
An even larger portion (73%) are concerned about the potential loss of the ability to do “people-based advertising.” Despite understanding cookie deprecation’s implications, 75% of marketers still depend on them and less than half (44%) feel “very prepared” for it.
First-party data remains supreme
To mitigate the impact of these changes, the survey found that advertisers are wisely adopting strategies that center on improving their foundation in first-party data (60%), using tools like customer data platforms (59%) and building out private ID graphs (54%). Yet, while building a private ID graph is essential, it’s not enough on its own.
Activating that first-party data through multiple channels, particularly digital ones, is much more difficult and typically requires engagement with the right partners—which makes the three least popular options in the survey—testing in Google’s Sandbox (31%), getting a data clean room (27%) and testing with more resilient partners (26%)—quite intriguing.
The three least popular options all relate to the digital activation of first-party data. Their low adoption is surprising given that third-party identifier deprecation directly impacts the ability to activate digitally. Google’s Privacy Sandbox is a solution for activating on Chrome in a post-deprecation world, clean rooms are a solution for synchronizing first-party data with publishers, and testing more resilient partners would be a natural hedge against the impacts of deprecation. So why are these the least prevalent?
The most likely conclusion is that the majority of marketers expect their existing partners to solve the digital activation problem for them. Epsilon found that while 61% of marketers plan to keep their overall digital advertising spend the same, they will invest more in partners and tactics that are less reliant on third-party cookies, like Google, Facebook and Amazon.
This strategy has two major flaws. First, with over two-thirds of spend already going to walled gardens, marketers’ increased dependence on them will likely create more competition for that inventory, higher prices and lower ROI. Second, when marketers double down on walled gardens instead of the open web, they’re missing out on valuable customers and prospects, further reducing media performance.
Marketers may not realize that there are solutions to activate first-party data on the open web without third-party identifiers. The truth is that the right partner can reach real people on the open web by helping marketers successfully implement the top options for building a first-party data asset: developing first-party data strategies, CDPs and private ID graphs to link and then activate first-party data.
What sort of ID solution to look for
The solution is to ground your marketing in a deprecation-proof identity that natively connects both with your first-party data and with online publisher inventory.
Many publishers achieve opt-in authentication from their users in exchange for content. Scaled and linked to a strong identity graph, this data can be used to deliver personalized advertising after third-party cookies are gone. This is a highly effective solution when it comes from an experienced vendor with scalable technology.
Not every solution is equally effective. The key for the marketer is to ask the right questions. First and most importantly, find out how well the solution reaches consumers on already-deprecated platforms, particularly Apple. Given that the value of Apple audiences makes them must-haves, any solution that is not delivering to them at scale already will inevitably struggle when every platform has deprecated third-party identifiers.
The other question to ask is how many of your customers the partner can reach online today, with and without using third-party identifiers. Many solutions tout their interoperability, meaning that they can activate some of your first-party data, but fail to answer the important question of how much of it they can activate. Many solutions filter out 80% or more of your precious first-party data on the path to activation and rely on third-party identifiers to achieve that much.
Don’t go it alone
A solid first-party data strategy requires some level of partnership. And what really makes the difference is a partner that can take that first-party data strategy and translate it into activation. Look for a solution that is transferable, interoperable and resilient—one that can face the headwinds of a changing adtech and martech environment.
The open web offers an expansive landscape where brands can discover, engage and reconnect with a broader audience. There’s no need to lose that in a post-deprecation world.
This article was originally published in Adweek, May 2024.
---
## New research shows that marketing engagement boils down to affinity over need
Type: eps_post
URL: /marketing-personalization-survey
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# New research shows that marketing engagement boils down to affinity over need
A new survey from Epsilon on how consumers view personalized marketing and advertising shows that 60% of consumers engage with marketing because they are “familiar with and like the brand.” In contrast, only 37% said their engagement was driven by a need for what was being advertised. This news can fly in the face of conventional "performance" marketing thinking where everything needs to (measurably) drive a sale in the moment for a specific product or service the brand offers.
The reality is that marketers need strategies that support building the brand while driving sales. Performance and brand marketing are not mutually exclusive. Every time a marketing campaign engages a consumer, that engagement is also going to impact how the consumer perceives the brand. And it’s that perception that drives sales over time.
Marketing is about a whole lot more than the sale in the moment
Marketers can build relationships with consumers the same way people build relationships with each other. You want to engage with people in conversations that flow naturally in the moment and over time.
But understandably, there are challenges to practically making that happen:
Marketing—by necessity—requires scale
That scale necessitates communication through channels
Channels have severe limitations to creating real conversations
In marketing, instead of having all that information in your head—as one person trying to build a relationship with someone else does—it’s siloed across data, teams and technology throughout your organization. There might be a data point about a customer that the customer service team can access, but it’s totally separate from the broader audience information the paid media team uses to re-engage current customers.
It's easy to chalk it up as the cost of doing business—you’re never going to have all the information at any one point that you might need—but also, do consumers even care or notice these discrepancies? Well, yes, they do:
From the survey, 91% of respondents say they see at least one irrelevant ad or marketing message every single day.
More than three-quarters (76%) say they view brands negatively when they include inaccurate information about them in their marketing message.
Those marketing “misses” stick with people—and it shouldn’t just be seen as a given.
Overcome the limitations of channels with person-first marketing
Building strong connections is all about talking to people like you actually know them—orienting your marketing around the person, not the data, teams or tech first. This means having:
One view, so you can not only unify and cleanse your first-party data, but also gain a single, comprehensive view of the universe of potential buyers for each of your products.
One vision, so you can not only craft a relevant message, but also decide who to engage and when, based on your objectives and the cost of engaging.
One voice, so you can not only deliver the right message to the right audience at the right time, but also deliver a message that’s relevant to each person, and learn from how they react to it to ensure the next message is also relevant.
Bringing this together is what person-first marketing is all about. In contrast, people-based marketing limits your understanding to just a fragment of the individual as part of the broader group. With person-first marketing, you’re able to understand, engage and learn from conversations with consumers on a 1:1 basis, across channels.
This strategy requires unification across two larger buckets of business solutions:
Data and technology solutions: These are your CDPs, clean rooms, prospecting tools, etc.—and the data that powers them—it’s everything you need to organize, cleanse and align your data so you have the best understanding of who you’re talking to.
Media and marketing solutions: These are your media activation channels and partners, email marketing, loyalty program, retail media, etc.—all of the ways you may want to activate that comprehensive understanding of each consumer.
Unifying these buckets allows you to have one consistent view of each person, one vision for how to speak to them based on prior and future context, and one voice across paid and owned channels—that’s person-first marketing.
Make person-first marketing possible
New technologies make this possible, but they can’t be piecemeal. If marketers employ these new solutions—but more importantly the ideologies around how they come together—they will see a shift in consumer sentiment and growth in their business.
Ultimately, it’s about creating relationships with consumers that are not just transactional. “Brand” is the context in which all purchases are made, and building relationships not only captures a consumer’s purchase in the moment, but also introduces them to products they didn’t know they wanted.
We need to stop thinking in terms of “performance” and “brand” marketing individually, and start thinking in terms of effective media—because that will drive both outcomes.
---
## 6 things to look for when evaluating CDP vendors
Type: eps_post
URL: /important-cdp-features
Last Modified: 2025-10-03T14:18:37Z
# 6 things to look for when evaluating CDP vendors
In a digital world, it's amazing how much brands can understand about their customers.
People interact with brands in myriad ways, from signing up for email lists to shopping online, in-store and via app, and capturing those actions within a single view unlocks a trove of insights about how real people tick.
One powerful tool to do that is a customer data platform (CDP). These pieces of martech are designed to organize customer data and develop insights. At their most basic, they're places for brands to pull together their existing data in a single view, but at their most complex, they can actually enhance a brand's first-party data to develop rich customer profiles and drive better-performing campaigns on a person-level.
Marketers looking to build person-first marketing across owned and paid channels should look for a CDP that does more than just organize data. Here are six essential capabilities to look for:
Persistent, stable and continually fresh identity
A key factor that sets CDPs apart is identity resolution. Many brands have a lot of first-party data at their fingertips, and can glean important insights from that alone. But any brand's own customer data is inherently incomplete —it's only looking at what customers are doing inside a brand's owned channels. Even the largest brands with the most first-party data don't have a view into every facet of a single customer.
Imagine if you could know what your customers are doing outside your brand? To truly understand a customer--and market to them accordingly--you need to have that holistic picture, which goes far beyond your first-party data. Identity resolution identifies real people across channels with a unique, privacy-compliant ID, and maintains an accurate, constantly optimized view of them as they evolve. When this is built directly into a CDP, this means brands can take their existing customer data and start filling in the gaps of things they don't know: what they buy, what they browse, what they watch and on what devices.
It also deduplicates a customer file by finding people with multiple devices or emails (common identifiers brands use to "count" a customer) and mapping all of those back to one person. A normal CDP might just take all of your data and organize it for you, which wouldn't necessarily de-dupe issues already in your data, it just exacerbates them.
A secure, privacy-forward framework that makes marketers feel in control
Privacy is critical in today's digital age. The right CDP will have privacy not only built into it, but a way to ensure that as privacy policy continues to evolve, brands will be able to stay up-to-date with the latest developments while maintaining marketing effectiveness.
When we're talking about first-party data, it's easy to assume the majority of people in your system have opted in and want to receive marketing communications from you. But it's not always that simple when you get to the activation step, as the channels where you may want to reach those people are outside of your "first-party data" purview. Again, with an underlying identity layer, you can pseudonymize your first-party data (aka stripping away the personally identifiable information, or PII), so you can reach all of your customers and people like them across activation channels. This keeps your first-party data secure and your customers' privacy at the forefront.
And you want a CDP that is proactive in letting the customer decide what they're comfortable with, too. This includes preferred (or unpreferred) device settings and contact information. Your solution should honor a customer's preferences and consent. That's how you build strong relationships.
Current audience insights that drive intelligent campaigns
People are not stagnant. What we loved one, five or ten years ago might not be the same today. Which is why its so important to understand your customers as they change.
AI and machine learning models allow you to predict your customers' needs before they happen by using digital signals that show interest and intent to drive highly relevant media activation. If your CDP maintains key things about your customers, they can anticipate what they do (and don't) need. Did they move out of market? Are they starting a family? Did they suddenly (and somewhat inexplicably) get really into mountain biking?
These are the things that help you create compelling customer experiences that change and adapt as much as your customers do.
Person-based, closed-loop measurement and optimization
Customer data enhanced by identity resolution enables person-based measurement because you can follow the customer journey on an individual level. You can construct a multistep journey with real-time personalization across all channels (both owned and paid), and then see the individual outcome of a campaign. Did this person click on this ad? Did they buy a product? Did they sign up for a newsletter or loyalty program?
This is also true in aggregate. Richer insights help group together like-individuals, so you can not only see what worked for one person, but you can also see what worked for people who are like them, too. This means you're able to prove your strategies and pivot when something isn't giving the type of return you'd hoped for.
A solution that fits into your tech stack
CDPs are often bespoke products that work on their own, but having a CDP that can plug and play into your existing tech stack makes it not only work smoother, but it also creates better connectivity from where the data is housed to where it is activated.
Look for CDPs with next-generation technology that integrate easily with what you already have, specifically what adtech you're using to deliver campaigns. When tech works together, you have less data loss, higher data fidelity and can streamline important customer insights gleaned from a CDP directly into your campaigns.
A proven partner with experience
Perhaps most importantly, you want a CDP vendor who you can count on. Epsilon Customer, a CDP product, has identity built into it. By using CORE ID, an industry-leading identity solution, Epsilon Customer not only organizes a brand's first-party data, it cleans and enhances it with proprietary and third-party data sets, meaning you have a deeper understanding of your customers on a person-level.
It also is built with activation in mind. Epsilon Customer is designed to work with media activation solutions to drive higher performing campaigns. When coupled with Epsilon Digital, we offer delivery at scale across channels and devices that reach 3x more customers across the open web.
Interested in learning more about Epsilon Customer? Visit our website.
---
## How to prepare for the future of the inbox experience
Type: eps_post
URL: /future-of-the-inbox-experience
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# How to prepare for the future of the inbox experience
Google and Yahoo have joined forces to revolutionize the email marketing landscape. Their co-announcements signal a significant industry initiative aimed at improving email deliverability and sender reputation. Although the initial changes took effect on February 1, 2024, this initiative is designed to roll out progressively, ensuring a comprehensive overhaul of current practices.
Here, we'll dive into the new requirements set forth by these key industry players, focusing on the key components that marketers need to be aware of.
The core components of the new requirements
Google and Yahoo's new requirements center around two major components: reputation requirements and identification requirements. These components are crucial for email marketers to understand and implement to maintain high deliverability rates and a positive sender reputation.
Reputation requirements
The reputation requirements primarily focus on monitoring and managing email complaints. Ensuring a good sender reputation has always been essential, but now Google and Yahoo have outlined specific metrics and practices to guide marketers.
Here’s how to monitor this:
Complaint data reporting: Your email partner should be your first line of defense in monitoring complaint data. It's essential that they provide detailed reporting at both the campaign level and by receiving domain. This granular data will help you pinpoint issues and proactively address them.
Additional complaint data: In an effort to further support marketers, both Google and Yahoo are looking to provide additional complaint data. This enhanced visibility will allow for more precise adjustments and better overall email campaign performance.
Email marketers can remain compliant with the new standards and maintain a positive reputation across major platforms by adhering to these monitoring practices.
Identification requirements
Identification requirements are another critical aspect of the new guidelines. These requirements ensure that emails are correctly authenticated, reducing the likelihood of being marked as spam. These settings ought to be automatically configured by your email service provider.
Here’s what to expect:
Your email provider should handle the setup of these identification protocols by default. This includes ensuring that your emails pass authentication checks like DKIM (DomainKeys Identified Mail) and SPF (Sender Policy Framework).
Regular audits and updates by your email provider will help maintain compliance with evolving standards and best practices.
The importance of send reputation metrics
While send reputation metrics have been considered standard practice for years, the co-announcement from Google and Yahoo introduces specific metrics and practices that are now mandatory. These metrics are designed to provide a clearer picture of sender performance and help marketers align their strategies with the new requirements.
Staying informed and proactive is essential in navigating these changes. By understanding and implementing the new reputation and identification requirements, email marketers can ensure their campaigns are successful and compliant with the latest industry standards. As these changes continue to roll out, keeping a close eye on updates is key to maintaining a robust and effective email marketing strategy.
Getting to BIMI: Elevating your brand with visual identity
In addition to addressing the Google and Yahoo updates, it’s important that email marketers also take into account BIMI, Apple’s Brand Indicators for Message Identification, introduced in 2022.
On its face, BIMI is simply displaying a brand's logo next to the “from” line in the inbox. It presents as simple branding—but really, BIMI is an industry standard that ensures brands are verified. You can learn more about what BIMI is and its requirements here, and explore its broader impact here.
Future-proofing your strategy
Navigating the evolving landscape of email marketing requires vigilance, adaptability and the right partnerships. As new industry requirements continue to roll out, staying compliant and ahead of the curve is crucial. Partnering with a robust cross-channel engagement solution can make all the difference in this journey.
A strong partner will provide the necessary tools and support to meet ongoing changes. They will offer advanced reporting capabilities, ensuring you receive detailed complaint data at both the campaign and domain levels. This data is essential for proactive reputation management and maintaining high deliverability rates.
Moreover, an effective partner will handle the technical aspects of identification and authentication protocols, such as setting up DMARC policies and managing DNS configurations. Their expertise ensures that your emails are correctly authenticated and protected against phishing and spoofing attempts.
Looking forward, an adaptable email partner will keep you informed about industry trends and updates, helping you implement best practices and new standards as they emerge. By working closely with a knowledgeable cross-channel engagement solution, you can future-proof your email marketing strategy, ensuring your campaigns remain effective, compliant and aligned with the latest industry requirements.
Learn how Epsilon Messaging can partner with you to ensure strong deliverability and compliance now and into the future.
---
## Are you invited to the Mad Tea - party?
Type: eps_post
URL: /are-you-invited-to-the-mad-tea-party
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Are you invited to the Mad Tea - party?
Imagine a fantasy panning out in the marketing landscape. You are looking for a snack to accompany your cup of tea, but (third party) cookies, those crumbly bits of data that tracked a person’s every click, are gone. There’s no point in fretting and wringing one’s hands. This is the time, just like Alice, to embrace the curious and embark on a new marketing adventure.
Alice in Wonderland has been interpreted for so many lessons over the years, and I cannot help but go back for yet another whimsical take on her adventures and the characters she found along the way. This is the Marketer’s tea party, each one of us a mad hatter in their own right. Imagine a fantasy panning out in the marketing landscape. You are looking for a snack to accompany your cup of tea, but (third party) cookies, those crumbly bits of data that tracked a person’s every click, are gone. There’s no point in fretting and wringing one’s hands. This is the time, just like Alice, to embrace the curious and embark on a new marketing adventure.
Third-party cookies were snippets of code that followed users across the internet, giving marketers useful information to compile and display customized ads. These cookies were installed on a user's computer, tablet, or smartphone by a website from a domain different from the one they were actually on. Preserving user habits and activities allowed brands to interface with potential consumers in the future, but the question to ask is whether these were explicitly consent driven? In other words, were the bakers and users of these cookies (Google, and us Marketers) actually invited to these tea parties with our consumers? Ummm…probably not, and now that we’ve got that cleared, it’s time to realise that deprecation of these cookies now restricts the browsing and activity tracking data available, filling us with dread at the challenge we now face to reach prospective customers.
What will our adventure entail?
The Golden Ticket is First Party Data. In our tea party, first party data may be your golden ticket. It’s the knowledge you gain directly from people, their preferences and their expressed interests. When one cultivates strong customer relationships, this data can be gathered through surveys, loyalty programs, website interactions. Definitely NOT the other way round, meaning let’s not imagine that strong relationships can be built once we gather data! Not so different from the way friends are made in real life, right?
Contextual Targeting: The Cheshire Cat’s grin. Gone are the days of following cookies down a rabbit hole. Contextual targeting places a brand amidst relevant online content. Imagine the Cheshire Cat grinning from a website about home storage solutions, perfectly placed next to your ad for sustainable and recycled wardrobe baskets.
Zero Party Data: No riddle for the Mad Hatter! Zero party data is the holy grail. Imagine a one-on-one conversation with a friend, where you gather stuff that helps you understand them better. In the marketing world, when done right at scale, people explicitly share information with brands. This could happen through quizzes, preferences, wish lists. Just like Alice had to answer riddles to earn another cup of tea, brands can incentivize people to share their preferences for a truly personalized advertising experience.
Welcome the uncertainty: The Queen’s croquet ground. The cookieless world may seem puzzling like the Queen’s ever changing croquet ground. But with creativity and a focus on building strong relationships, the new marketing landscape can be gracefully navigated.
(*As per article written by Ganga Ganapathi in ET Brand Equity)
---
## Holiday 2024: The 5 best strategies for advertising with your retailers
Type: eps_post
URL: /holiday-advertising-2024
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Holiday 2024: The 5 best strategies for advertising with your retailers
In the world of CPG marketing, summer means preparing for the holidays. But not the kind that include fireworks and "fun in the sun"; marketers have visions of the best strategies to drive sales during a competitive time for marketing activity dancing in their heads.
Summer is the time to start mapping out holiday retail 2024 marketing campaigns, which means creating the optimal mix of engagement strategies that will connect shoppers with the messages most relevant to them. Food and beverage categories are expected to represent 20.5% of holiday retail sales in the US in 2024, according to eMarketer; and 81% of celebrators expect to buy food for Thanksgiving, with 68% for Christmas and 72% for New Year's Eve, respectively, according to a Numerator report.
Retail media, done right, offers brands the promise of connecting with their real shoppers leveraging retailers' rich first-party data across their owned properties and the open web. And if brands can prioritize activating with retail media networks that offer SKU-level reporting, person-first identity and next-generation AI, holiday 2024 can be one for the books.
To maximize return on ad spend (ROAS) in the final months of the year, we’ll take a look at five golden strategies for how to best advertise with your retailers for holiday 2024.
1. Don’t waste your advertising dollars reaching people who would never buy
You wouldn't want to give the wrong present to the wrong person—so why give the wrong message to the wrong person?
Artificial intelligence has truly helped whittle down guesswork in marketing. With the right predictive AI (that uses statistical algorithms and historical data patterns to analyze data and forecast outcomes), advertisers can plan out how to reach the same unique individual across channels, with the same message that evolves over time.
Of course, AI is only as good as the data that goes into it. Brands' retail partners offer rich first-party data that can lead to highly precise targeting within retail media campaigns—and US holiday retail sales growth is predicted to grow year-over-year for Food & Beverage by a whopping 9.4% in 2024, according to eMarketer.
Activating with retail media networks that combine the ability to create individual, shopper-level profiles (that consolidate consumers' various digital breadcrumbs) with predictive AI to make real-time decisions on what to show those shoppers (and when) is perhaps the strongest strategy brands can make for the holidays.
2. Promote products during sales or price cuts at your retailer
According to Peekage, the main reason a shopper may change their choice of food or beverage during the holiday season is if better prices or sales are available.
So, if you are focused on increasing share of voice during the busiest time of the year, one of the best things to do is promote products during your retail partners' sales or price cuts. If you're looking to acquire new customers for holiday 2024, working closely with your retailers on timing, based around their holiday deals, can help you meet shoppers' needs best. And, if you can acquire new customers during this time by meeting their pricing needs, you can further drive brand loyalty in the new year.
But again, it's important to target any of the messages you send during this time to customers who are actually in market for the products you are offering and discounting. It doesn't matter how great of a sale is on if someone doesn't have a need for that product—especially during such an expensive time of the year.
3. Don't forget about your local grocery stores or supermarkets
A somewhat staggering 82% of consumers say they primarily use their local grocery stores or supermarkets to purchase their holiday food or beverage items, according to Peekage, and grocery stores outpaced big box stores and online retailers for nearly every holiday's shopping in this Numerator report.
4. Start early, because your shoppers do
Get in front of your shoppers ahead of the holiday season using mid- and upper-funnel tactics like social retail media and offsite retail media. Retail media networks that include offsite advertising allow you to reach your shoppers early on the open web--wherever they may be, which might not be on the retailer's site until they're closer to making decisions about what to buy and where. This keeps your brand top of mind as they prepare for the holidays and when they start to do their shopping.
You can then ramp up your onsite retail media advertising (on your retail partners' owned properties) to capitalize on traffic driven to the website from higher in the funnel. Because of third-party cookie deprecation, advertisers are increasingly shifting dollars to onsite advertising, according to Epsilon research. Onsite display advertising can be used to stay top of mind while a shopper is on the retailer's website, and sponsored product ads with the right keyword optimization strategy can help maximize conversions.
Epsilon research highlights that this year, the number of shopping days between Thanksgiving and Christmas is the shortest it's been since 2019. With earlier advertising built-in to the strategy, marketers can effectively meet this challenge.
5. Get granular with your measurement
How you measure your campaigns is just as important as how you activate them. Measurement needs to be comprehensive so you can use learnings to optimize future campaigns.
You'll want to get as granular as possible, so prioritizing receiving SKU-based performance metrics from your retailers are optimal. There's no need to settle for surface-level metrics; being able to dive into closed-loop measurement that drills down to the SKU level and looks at online and offline sales will help you truly understand your advertising's performance and make any necessary shifts.
Treat holiday advertising like gift-giving
The more personalized and individually targeted one's gift-giving is, the better. The same goes for brand advertising during the holiday season: Leverage AI technology and person-first identity with your retail partners to drive the best possible exchanges.
---
## Google’s pivot on third-party cookie deprecation doesn’t actually change anything. Here’s why.
Type: eps_post
URL: /googles-pivot-on-third-party-cookie-depreciation-doesnt-actually-change-anything
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Google’s pivot on third-party cookie deprecation doesn’t actually change anything. Here’s why.
Catching many off guard, Google announced on Monday that they are not unilaterally getting rid of third-party cookies on Chrome. Instead, they are going to invite users to make an “informed choice that applies across their web browsing.” Although the specifics aren’t clear yet, this seemingly means Google will present Chrome users with the choice to either opt-in or opt-out of third-party cookies. Google was planning to impose full deprecation in 2025, but after many delays due to regulatory and industry pressure, it’s not surprising that they are modifying their approach.
The announcement has caused many marketers and brands to ask, once again, “what does this mean for me?” While the information coming from Google about the shift is limited, third-party cookie deprecation is still happening—and may well accelerate with this new change.
We’ve all been operating with limits on third-party cookies for a while—Safari, Firefox and Edge all opted to get rid of third-party cookies in the past five years, meaning a large portion of web activity in the U.S. has actually been on browsers that don’t accept them. Google’s Chrome is just the last holdout among major browsers.
No matter how it plays out for Chrome, it’s critical that marketers continue to invest in tools and tactics that don’t rely on third-party cookies. If you’re looking to better understand Google’s moves, how it will impact your day-to-day (or the adtech partners you work with), and how to proceed from here, keep reading.
Signal loss will still occur on Chrome
To opt-in or to opt-out, that is the question. Google has not given us any hints as to whether users will actively have to opt-in to third-party cookies on Chrome, but, given that Google’s stated reason for eliminating third-party is to improve user privacy, it is highly likely that users will be asked to opt-in to tracking. The most comparable previous event is Apple’s rollout of the App Tracking Transparency (ATT) framework in 2021, which required users to opt-in. Only 16% opted-in to tracking initially. Over time that number has increased to 34%, as apps are allowed to renew their opt-in requests (and some users have responded to those requests)—but that won’t apply to Chrome, because the user is making a browser-level decision not an app-specific decision. Given the latter, we expect opt-in rates well under 10% for Chrome.
All that said, if Google makes the very likely (and more regulatory-friendly) decision to ask Chrome users to actively opt-in to third-party cookies, advertisers can expect to see significant signal loss, because when given the choice, most users will not agree to tracking.
Despite instincts, marketers should not change course
After hearing an announcement like this, it’s understandable to feel like the ground is shifting under your feet, but it’s imperative that marketers stay on course.
We just covered that, although Chrome’s third-party cookies are technically here to stay, most users will choose to opt-out of them. What happens to all your customers and prospects that opt-out? How will you reach them?
Those questions are exactly why it’s important for marketers to continue building out their first-party data strategies, investing in martech and adtech solutions that can reach people without relying on third-party cookies, and working with partners that enable person-first marketing across channels and technology and privacy compliance from the jump.
For Epsilon, it’s business-as-usual
Even though third-party cookies live to see another day, they’re still unreliable. The key is future-proofing your digital media strategy to ensure you can deliver to customers what they want: privacy and personalization.
Epsilon saw the flaws of third-party cookies long ago. Since 2012, we've invested in media solutions that do not need (and will never need) third-party cookies to deliver and measure personalized advertising at scale. Here's how it works:
Epsilon’s people-based COREid is anchored to deterministic data elements, making it not only reliable in finding the right consumers, but stable against regulatory shifts.
Our data is privacy-centric and pseudonymized before it enters the digital ecosystem, keeping consumer information safe.
By working with 17,000+ publisher partners who have developed trusted first-party relationships with their audiences, we can identify site visitors without third-party cookies and provide transparent measurement at scale.
The proof? Today, marketers using Epsilon Digital are already reaching and measuring 1:1 ads on Safari and iOS (browsers that do not have third-party cookies intact). Currently, 33% of the impressions Epsilon Digital serves worldwide go to identified (and valuable) Apple users.
Google may be backtracking on their decisions, but that doesn’t mean you have to follow suit. Marketers that prioritize reaching customers in a privacy-compliant way that doesn’t require third-party cookies are the ones that can—and will—have their cookie and eat it too.
---
## Google’s pivot on third-party cookie depreciation doesn’t actually change anything. Here’s why.
Type: eps_post
URL: /googles-pivot-on-third-party-cookie-depreciation-doesnt-actually-change-anything
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Google’s pivot on third-party cookie depreciation doesn’t actually change anything. Here’s why.
Catching many off guard, Google announced on Monday that they are not unilaterally getting rid of third-party cookies on Chrome. Instead, they are going to invite users to make an “informed choice that applies across their web browsing.” Although the specifics aren’t clear yet, this seemingly means Google will present Chrome users with the choice to either opt-in or opt-out of third-party cookies. Google was planning to impose full deprecation in 2025, but after many delays due to regulatory and industry pressure, it’s not surprising that they are modifying their approach.
The announcement has caused many marketers and brands to ask, once again, “what does this mean for me?” While the information coming from Google about the shift is limited, third-party cookie deprecation is still happening—and may well accelerate with this new change.
We’ve all been operating with limits on third-party cookies for a while—Safari, Firefox and Edge all opted to get rid of third-party cookies in the past five years, meaning a large portion of web activity in the U.S. has actually been on browsers that don’t accept them. Google’s Chrome is just the last holdout among major browsers.
No matter how it plays out for Chrome, it’s critical that marketers continue to invest in tools and tactics that don’t rely on third-party cookies. If you’re looking to better understand Google’s moves, how it will impact your day-to-day (or the adtech partners you work with), and how to proceed from here, keep reading.
Signal loss will still occur on Chrome
To opt-in or to opt-out, that is the question. Google has not given us any hints as to whether users will actively have to opt-in to third-party cookies on Chrome, but, given that Google’s stated reason for eliminating third-party is to improve user privacy, it is highly likely that users will be asked to opt-in to tracking. The most comparable previous event is Apple’s rollout of the App Tracking Transparency (ATT) framework in 2021, which required users to opt-in. Only 16% opted-in to tracking initially. Over time that number has increased to 34%, as apps are allowed to renew their opt-in requests (and some users have responded to those requests)—but that won’t apply to Chrome, because the user is making a browser-level decision not an app-specific decision. Given the latter, we expect opt-in rates well under 10% for Chrome.
All that said, if Google makes the very likely (and more regulatory-friendly) decision to ask Chrome users to actively opt-in to third-party cookies, advertisers can expect to see significant signal loss, because when given the choice, most users will not agree to tracking.
Despite instincts, marketers should not change course
After hearing an announcement like this, it’s understandable to feel like the ground is shifting under your feet, but it’s imperative that marketers stay on course.
We just covered that, although Chrome’s third-party cookies are technically here to stay, most users will choose to opt-out of them. What happens to all your customers and prospects that opt-out? How will you reach them?
Those questions are exactly why it’s important for marketers to continue building out their first-party data strategies, investing in martech and adtech solutions that can reach people without relying on third-party cookies, and working with partners that enable person-first marketing across channels and technology and privacy compliance from the jump.
For Epsilon, it’s business-as-usual
Even though third-party cookies live to see another day, they’re still unreliable. The key is future-proofing your digital media strategy to ensure you can deliver to customers what they want: privacy and personalization.
Epsilon saw the flaws of third-party cookies long ago. Since 2012, we've invested in media solutions that do not need (and will never need) third-party cookies to deliver and measure personalized advertising at scale. Here's how it works:
Epsilon’s people-based COREid is anchored to deterministic data elements, making it not only reliable in finding the right consumers, but stable against regulatory shifts.
Our data is privacy-centric and pseudonymized before it enters the digital ecosystem, keeping consumer information safe.
By working with 17,000+ publisher partners who have developed trusted first-party relationships with their audiences, we can identify site visitors without third-party cookies and provide transparent measurement at scale.
The proof? Today, marketers using Epsilon Digital are already reaching and measuring 1:1 ads on Safari and iOS (browsers that do not have third-party cookies intact). Currently, 33% of the impressions Epsilon Digital serves worldwide go to identified (and valuable) Apple users.
Google may be backtracking on their decisions, but that doesn’t mean you have to follow suit. Marketers that prioritize reaching customers in a privacy-compliant way that doesn’t require third-party cookies are the ones that can—and will—have their cookie and eat it too.
---
## 60% of parents are "very concerned" about tariffs impacting back-to-school shopping
Type: eps_post
URL: /back-to-school-report-insights
Last Modified: 2025-07-29T13:55:20Z
# 60% of parents are "very concerned" about tariffs impacting back-to-school shopping
It might still be summer, but parents in the US have already started back-to-school shopping. Inflation and rising costs are still a concern for parents in 2025, but our research shows that tariffs are adding economic uncertainty as families start making their shopping lists.
This year, while parents are hoping to spend less on back-to-school shopping, 73% expect to go over budget due to tariffs and inflation.
To help marketers navigate the busy shopping season ahead, we surveyed parents of grade school and college/university children about when they’re starting to shop, how they’re approaching budgeting for the 2025/2026 school year, factors influencing their purchasing behavior, where they prefer to shop and more. Download the full report for yourself to dig a little deeper.
5 key findings from the report
Aside from the impact of tariffs on the back-to-school shopping experience, we explored topics including which channels have the most influence on shopping decisions, which categories parents plan to prioritize this year, shifts in the types of retailers and brands parents choose for back-to-school supplies and more.
1. 43% of parents start back-to-school shopping in late July and early August.
If you think the back-to-school shopping season comes earlier and earlier every year, you’re not wrong. Families are starting to shop for essentials way before August and September, with 43% adding ruler-lined notebooks, 2B pencils and school uniforms to their carts in early and late July.
This timing shift might be due to budgeting concerns, spending more time looking for discounts, or trying to spread expenses over a longer period of time.
“Retailers will need to take a truly individualized approach, with personalized offers and messaging complementing the overall shopping experience for parents—no matter if executed in-store, online or both. First-party data will be the key for retailers in unlocking the wallet share with this season’s rush to get kids ready for their first days at scale,” says Heather Campain, Epsilon’s Executive of Sales Strategy.
Marketing takeaway: Time deals and discounts with the primary window for shopping events. For back-to-school, make sure your best offers are live during late July and early August, and use this wisdom for the upcoming holiday shopping season, too, to make sure your marketing messages have the greatest opportunity to drive results.
2. There is no clear preference between shopping in-store or online.
When it comes to brand and retailer preferences, it comes down to balancing the best price with good value and product quality. And between managing kids’ busy schedules, maintaining homes and demanding jobs, parents are always looking for ways to save time and money, which often means shopping both in-store and online.
How parents choose to shop also depends on the item category. The top spending categories for 2025 include school supplies, clothing and shoes, backpacks and lunchboxes, electronics and cleaning supplies. Sports equipment and school uniforms are also top spending categories for parents of both grade school and college/university children.
Marketing takeaway: No matter the shopping event, it's key to prioritize the online experience, but make sure your in-store experience is up to par too so consumers are able to shop however and whenever makes sense for their busy schedules. It's also important to make sure that your website has clearly marked sections for events like back-to-school and holiday shopping so consumers can easily find and choose the items they're looking for.
3. Social media is increasingly influencing parents' shopping decisions.
It's no surprise that as more parents are on social media platforms, they're increasingly being influenced by them too. TikTok, Instagram and X saw the largest percentage increases of “extremely” and “very” influential responses since 2024, and more than 50% of respondents were influenced by all the social platforms we asked about, ranging from somewhat to extremely.
Grade school parents are more likely to be influenced by social media than college/university parents, which this is likely because they tend to be younger and are more socially savvy themselves.
Marketing takeaway: Diversify your marketing spend across social media channels to reach more consumers during major shopping events like back to school and holiday and ensure your campaign resonates across channels so messaging feels connected.
4. 3 in 5 parents say that the ability to earn rewards influences where they shop.
While our research has shown that brand loyalty overall has decreased, it still plays an important role in retailer preferences during the back-to-school shopping season. Twenty-five percent of parents surveyed say that loyalty programs influence which brands they choose.
Marketing takeaway: As marketers are planning their back-to-school messaging, they may consider including loyalty program details or earning potential, rewarding loyalty members with exclusive deals or offers (like earning 3x points on back-to-school supplies) or providing early access to back-to-school products in the app.
5. Sales, discounts and deals have a strong impact on 79% of parents when it comes to brand and store choice.
Unsurprisingly, sales and discounts have the strongest impact on the brands and stores parents choose. The most appealing offer types continue to be percentage discounts, followed by free shipping.
Compared to 2024, more parents anticipate spending the same amount but making tradeoffs on what to buy this year. There is a slight increase in those who say they will shop early for selection rather than waiting for discounts (relative to 2024).
Marketing takeaway: Make sure the offers you're sharing for key shopping events like back to school align with what consumers are really looking for and what they plan to spend the most money on (like electronics and clothing items). If consumers feel like they're able to cross more items off their list and get a better deal, they're more likely to choose a site that balances value and available selection.
How marketers can leverage back-to-school shopping data
For marketers to win during this back-to-school season, it's key to prioritize both in-store and online experiences. They also need to keep key shopping categories in mind for both grade school and college/university children, as the most popular categories and the categories with the highest spend differ depending on the child's age.
Promotional timing also matters: Since the bulk of back-to-school shopping takes place in late July and early August, ensure marketing campaigns and ad spend is aligned to those dates to make the biggest splash. When it comes to channels to prioritize, marketers should take an integrated approach to ensure campaign messages resonate across channels.
Want to learn more about what to expect for the 2025 back-to-school shopping season? Dive into the data and download a copy of the report today.
---
## It’s time to innovate email and text—consumers are asking for it
Type: eps_post
URL: /email-and-text-innovation
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# It’s time to innovate email and text—consumers are asking for it
Brands have been working to incorporate better personalization in their owned-channel communications (email, text/SMS, etc.) for decades now. The problem is, the ways they're doing it within existing platforms just isn't doing enough to meet consumer expectations.
New research report "Message Received: What consumers have to say about their owned-channel messaging preferences" shows that consumer expectations for better owned-channel messaging experiences are growing. They're frustrated with too many messages, and clamoring for better personalization in the number of communications they do want to receive.
Let's take a look at what research is revealing about modern consumer personalization preferences and how brands can meet them.
Consumer expectations mount for personalization
Epsilon research conducted in June 2024asked more than 500 consumers about the preferences for and perceptions of personalization within the owned-channel communications (email and text/SMS) they receive from brands. The findings revealed that consumers want better and more personalization—even more than they realize.
Over half of the survey respondents said they appreciate personalization in email and text/SMS communications from brands, with only 19% saying they do not. As well, 41% of respondents said they want to see product recommendations based on past purchases in the emails they receive from brands (this was the third most-desired factor in emails after discounts/deals and shipping notifications for respondents). But, only 36% perceive that to be personalization. This seems to raise the interesting notion that consumers want personalization in their owned-channel communications even more than they realize.
Our research also found that 71% of respondents said that excessive brand messaging for both email and text/SMS is their top gripe with the owned-channel communications they receive. This means that even though email is “free,” there is a cost—reputation, tuning out, opting out—if brands send too many. It’s important to prioritize quality over just quantity to meet consumer expectations.
This is all doubly important knowing that earlier Epsilon research on broader consumer preferences for personalization (across all channels) found that 60% of consumers choose to engage with marketing messages when they are "familiar with and like the brand," which was the most selected option over other responses around timing of the message or offering a new or relevant product. This means that brand reputation has a significant impact on how much consumers will engage with a message, so adapting to consumer preferences on personalization and frequency makes a difference.
Why most platforms don't currently meet these expectations
Many cross-channel engagement solutions fall short of meeting consumers' expectations for more and better personalization. This gap often stems from the attempt to shoehorn personalization into existing technologies that were not originally designed with personalization in mind.
Traditional marketing platforms were primarily built to deliver generic, batch-and-blast messages. While these systems have evolved, their foundational architecture still lacks the flexibility and sophistication needed to provide truly personalized experiences that today's consumers expect.
The main issue is that these platforms typically rely on broad segmentation and basic targeting methods. This approach can lead to superficial personalization efforts, such as using a recipient's first name in an email or targeting based on basic demographic information. While these tactics are better than no personalization at all, they fall short of the deeper, more meaningful engagement that can be achieved through advanced 1:1 personalization.
Furthermore, the integration of personalization features into these legacy systems can be cumbersome and inefficient. Often, businesses end up with a patchwork of add-ons and plugins that do not communicate seamlessly with each other, leading to inconsistent and fragmented customer experiences. This disjointed approach not only hampers the effectiveness of personalization efforts but also creates additional challenges in managing and analyzing customer data.
To truly meet consumer demands, businesses need to invest in cross-channel engagement platforms specifically designed with identity at their core. This enables the kind of 1:1 personalization consumers expect.
The impact of identity at the core
We can't personalize messages without knowing the people to whom we're speaking. For this reason, a cross-channel engagement solution with person-first identity at its core is best suited to delivering the kinds of brand-customer engagements that people expect today.
What is person-first identity? It allows brands to recognize individuals between their various accounts and device IDs. These days, most consumers have multiple email addresses and devices, so creating an individual customer ID that recognizes that johnsmith2@email.com is also smithj@message.com ensures that brands a) don't over-message someone, and b) can create seamless, consistent conversations with consumers across all their many accounts and devices. One voice, wherever the customer is.
Plus, the right provider, with person-based identity resolution, can resolve online signals from your customers–in addition to accounts and device IDs. This can help brands better understand who specifically is actually doing what on their owned channels, so they can react accordingly, and message users they know but that just aren't authenticated on their site in that moment.
Prioritize personalization by design
Brands can build strong relationships with consumers the same way people do with each other: by engaging each of them with a relevant conversation that flows naturally across channels and over time.
It’s time to prioritize better personalization and get innovative with your owned-channel communications. To meet consumer expectations and continue to strengthen your brand-customer relationships, the best thing brands can do is partner with a cross-channel engagement solution with person-first identity built into the foundation.
Epsilon Messaging uses features like person-first identity and machine learning to drive optimal brand-customer relationships—all within an easy, no-code interface. In Forrester’s Email Marketing Landscape report, Q1 2024, Epsilon was recognized among notable vendors and self-reported these extended use cases as the top three that our clients choose us for:
Personalization: Customizing each email based on the recipient's
preferences, behavior or context
List activation: Driving email subscriptions from new or lapsed customers
Deliverability assurance: Getting emails to more recipients through sender
reputation management, inbox monitoring and threat detection
Epsilon Messaging resolves identities, enriches customer profiles and offers technology to drive powerful marketing communications. Epsilon delivers one comprehensive view of the customer, a singular vision for whom to engage and what to spend, and a consistent voice to create relevant customer experiences. Because at the end of the day, this is what consumers are asking for.
---
## How to unlock the power of data mapping for seamless customer insights
Type: eps_post
URL: /data-mapping
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# How to unlock the power of data mapping for seamless customer insights
Data has become a key differentiator for marketers. The ability to collect, analyze and leverage quality first-party data can be the marker of business success.
However, the abundance and diversity of data can also pose a significant challenge. This is where data mapping comes in.
This post will define data mapping, how it works and the three most common data mapping techniques. Finally, we'll highlight best practices to ensure successful data integration, migration and governance.
What is data mapping?
Data mapping involves visualizing and documenting how first-party data moves within your organization. It includes:
Understanding what data you have within different tools in your tech stack
Matching data fields from one source or database to another
Organizing and distilling large amounts of data
Making data actionable
Ensuring adherence to ongoing data management best practices
Why data mapping matters
Data mapping is important because it helps establish relationships between your disparate data sources. This process ensures your data can effectively communicate across systems, sources and tools.
Perhaps even most importantly, data mapping also allows you to streamline data processes, reduce errors and make your data actionable. It empowers you to track real-time trends as they unfold, keeping you ahead of the curve and informing data-driven decisions.
For marketers, data mapping is crucial because it creates consistency and accuracy within data, saves time, and provides a unified language for field names across different sources, making data analysis easier and more efficient. Marketers need to be able to access the right data—and trust its accuracy—to make data-driven business decisions.
Data mapping also gives marketers a visual representation of how first-party data moves through your organization, allowing you to match and link records and create 360-degree views of each data subject, including customers. This holistic view allows for deeper understanding and insights that can enhance your competitive edge.
There are numerous methods marketers can use for data mapping, but there are also purpose-build solutions to help them do this. Those include:
Customer data platforms (CDPs): Most brands store their data across multiple locations, making it difficult to achieve a consolidated, single source of customer truth that’s necessary to create a comprehensive marketing strategy. CDPs with built-in identity resolution are appealing because they can help marketers align, enrich and analyze their first-party data. Epsilon research found that 59% of marketers are building a CDP in response to third-party cookie deprecation.
Clean rooms: A clean room with deprecation-resistant identity resolution at its core can help marketers better understand their customers as well as prospects and ultimately target more effectively. That way, regardless of how much first-party data a brand may have, it’s still possible to identify their best customers, build custom audiences and effectively activate on those segments.
The outcome of data mapping for marketers is a better understanding of who their customers are, which then leads to better marketing targeting and audience identification, and, thus, more effective campaigns. Overall, data mapping is a powerful tool that empowers marketers to understand their customers better, align activities with revenue objectives and drive long-term growth.
Simply put, with the exploding amounts of data and data sources within companies today, you must prioritize data mapping to decrease errors and risk, as well as increase the accuracy and accessibility of your data.
How does data mapping work?
Data mapping begins with understanding the first-party data you have and creating an instruction set that identifies data mapping sources, targets and their relationships. Once this information is defined, you can integrate it into other capabilities, including data integration, quality, governance, consistency and migration. Data mapping outlines the process for integrating data into your workflows, including:
Data integration: Leveraging data from multiple sources and formats gives you a unified view. The data mapping process ensures you understand the relationship between the data and that the fields line up once merged. This data aggregation creates a holistic view of the data, making it more actionable.
Data quality: Mapping your data allows you to identify and fix any quality issues within your databases. Without a strategic process for mapping and managing your data, the accuracy and trustworthiness of the data quickly deteriorate.
Data management: Data mapping is the key to data management. With a unified, single source of truth, your stakeholders have easy access to the information they need.
Person-first data consistency: Consistency refers to the completeness and trustworthiness of the data across your tech stack. Person-first identity resolution is crucial; marketers need to develop customer profiles without data duplicates or errors so they can create truly personalized experiences and genuine 1:1 connections with their audience.
Data migration: Data migration allows brands to better use their data, which comes in handy for marketing strategy and campaign execution.
Common mistakes in data mapping
When getting started with data mapping, it's important to set yourself up for success to avoid mistakes—because Epsilon research shows that mistakes can be far from harmless. 76% of consumers in our recent personalization survey said they view brands negatively when receiving an ad or marketing message with inaccurate information, and a whopping 91% of consumers say they see an irrelevant ad or marketing message every single day. That's a lot of negative perception.
Here are four common data mapping mistakes to watch out for so you can avoid this negative brand perception:
Not prioritizing data quality: Starting with clean, accurate data is important for effective mapping. If the data being mapped is of poor quality, its insights and decisions will also be compromised. Investing in data quality processes and tools is important to ensure that the mapped data is reliable and trustworthy.
Lack of understanding of data sources: It's crucial to clearly understand where and how your data is collected. This includes knowing the different systems and touch points where data is generated and the specific fields and meanings. Without this understanding, it's easy to map data incorrectly, leading to inaccurate insights and decisions. Many publishers collect data from their users in exchange for content. Scaled and linked to a strong identity graph, this data can be used to identify consumers and personalize ads in a world in which third-party cookies need to be relied upon less and less. This is a highly effective solution when it comes from an experienced vendor with scalable technology. However, not all these solutions are built from the same cloth—and it’s important to dig into exactly what signals they’re using. For example, email addresses aren’t persistent, but name and address usually are.
Infrequent updates: Data sources and structures can change over time. Data mappings can become outdated and inaccurate if they are not regularly updated to reflect these changes. It's important to establish a process for periodically reviewing and updating data mappings to ensure that they remain accurate.
Relying solely on manual mapping: While manual mapping—more on this in the next section—can be useful for smaller datasets, it may not be suitable for larger or more complex jobs. Manual mapping risks introducing human errors and significantly slows down data transfer processes. Employing automated or semi-automated mapping tools can help improve accuracy and efficiency, especially when dealing with large volumes of data and complex relationships between data elements.
Avoid these common mistakes to ensure your data mapping is effective, efficient and compliant. With accurate and well-mapped data, you can extract valuable insights to power your marketing activities.
The two data mapping techniques
Now that you understand the basics of data mapping, let's dive into two different data mapping techniques: manual and semi-automated.
Manual data mapping
This technique involves manually mapping data elements from source to target systems. While it allows for granular control, it is incredibly time consuming and prone to human errors.
You also need an experienced data scientist to hardcode rules for mapping one source field to another. It's a heavy lift—and likely expensive—but it allows you to fully control your mapping.
Semi-automated data mapping
Semi-automated data mapping combines some manual effort with automation tools that suggest potential mappings based on predefined rules. It strikes a balance between control and efficiency. Artificial intelligence and machine learning are vital for mapping the amount of data that a brand would need to understand their audience successfully—but keeping a human in the loop can help verify information and make any necessary adjustments.
AI and ML can process large volumes of data and adapt to changing mapping requirements with minimal human intervention.
Data mapping best practices
To ensure success, adhering to a few data mapping best practices is important. This section will discuss tips for marketers and brands that are either new(er) to data mapping, or looking to improve data mapping organization, governance and process across their organization.
Clarify your goals
Define what success looks like before starting the data mapping process. This will help you align your efforts and set the right expectations. Be sure to involve all applicable teams and stakeholders to achieve the necessary alignment.
Document these goals and expectations and store them in a central location. Update them as things change within your data mapping process.
Understand your data sources
We've mentioned it already, but it is so important that it bears repeating. Have a clear understanding of where and how data is currently collected and stored across your organization. Dig deeply into every tool, system and solution, not just the primary data sources you use daily.
Document all data sources, including the systems and touch points where data is generated, and create a master list defining each data element's meaning and structure.
Standardize naming conventions
It's hard to keep data organized—and effectively map fields across sources—without a proper naming convention strategy. Take the time to determine and document how you'll address naming across the company.
Start with the data you already have and define a format/structure. The most critical standardization happens with easily missed data fields, like dates and times.
Implement quality checks
Regularly assess the quality of your data to identify inconsistencies, errors and duplicates. Implement data quality checks and create a process for this check-in to help maintain accuracy and reliability.
Whether using automated, semi-automated or manual mapping, it's never a one-and-done process. There is an ongoing component, and you need a dedicated person monitoring your mapping and doing periodic checks to ensure everything is mapping and integrating correctly. This should be part of your data governance protocol.
Automate the process
Embrace automation tools and technologies to streamline database mapping and reduce manual effort. Automation boosts efficiency by saving time and minimizing human error.
If you used an automated mapping technique, you already have the tools and infrastructure to automate the ongoing nature of your mapping and data management processes. But if you used a manual process to initially map your data, you may still want to invest in automation software to manage your data long term. Leverage automation to minimize human error and facilitate continuous data monitoring.
Ensure data quality
When you first map your data, quality is vital. It's not only important to ensure the data maps are correct, but it's also necessary to ensure your output is trustworthy and accurate. Mapping bad, incomplete or inaccurate data only creates more waste in your overall database, thus bringing down the quality of all your data and the related insights.
For marketers, having quality data is key to running effective campaigns, accurate segmentation and reliable 1:1 initiatives. Having quality data is critical to maximizing your marketing’s effectiveness, ensuring every customer and prospect interaction has value.
Evaluating data is no easy task. It’s a process that takes time, dedication and the right tools. Marketers should use traditional measures and review data from a contextual standpoint to ensure it meets specific business needs. And for stronger results, marketers may need to dig deeper and consider criteria they may not have before.
Regularly review and update data mapping
As already mentioned, data mapping and management is an ongoing process. Beyond your quality checks, you need dedicated resources (both people and platforms) to keep up with changes in your data sources (and regulations).
Then, establish a process for periodic reviews of your mapping to ensure all fields are integrated, even from new data sources. Watch for changes to your data systems, applications or structures that could impact how you've mapped your data.
In addition, any time you add new applications or software, develop a process for mapping that data and integrating that data with the rest.
All your data in one place with Epsilon
The overarching key of data integration is to have your data in one place and to make it actionable. Epsilon offers a comprehensive solution to empower marketers with advanced data management capabilities.
Epsilon's Customer is a customer data platform that serves as a central repository for all your data, enabling seamless integration, organization and utilization. But it's not just for data storage; you can also activate campaigns from within the tool. Epsilon provides the identify, infrastructure and expertise to harness the full power of data. Learn more.
---
## If you want to future-proof your brand, you gotta drop the cookie
Type: eps_post
URL: /adweek-first-party-data-martech
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T22:16:49Z
# If you want to future-proof your brand, you gotta drop the cookie
The impending doom of third-party cookie deprecation feels a bit like whiplash.
For the past decade, marketing and advertising experts have banged the drum when it comes to the impact of third-party identifier deprecation, which includes third-party cookies. And this doesn’t go without cause: Safari and Firefox removed third-party cookies from their browsers in the late 2010s, and new consumer privacy laws have caused tech giants like Apple to think differently about using third-party cookies on their devices.
But with the recent news that Google will not unilaterally get rid of third-party cookies on Chrome, opting to instead invite users to make “an informed choice that applies across web browsing,” marketers are still putting time and energy into using them for a majority of their marketing and advertising needs. According to new Epsilon research, “Preparing for a World Without Third-Party Cookies,” 75% of marketers say they’re still moderately to very reliant on third-party cookies.
The truth is that brands have a much stronger strategy right at their fingertips. Customer data is an incredibly rich asset that, when used securely and effectively, can drive outcomes that far exceed anything third-party cookies could ever do.
To start, brands need to understand the power of their data and how the right martech tools can bring first-party data assets to life.
First-party data is king
Third-party cookies, on their own, were not that strong to begin with. While popular, these identifiers are generally weak and relatively unreliable when it comes to targeting, delivering and measuring ads. That’s because they rely on identity matching to connect people with devices and actions via inferences (also known as probabilistic matching).
This creates several gaps in the data itself. Individuals can look like several people (depending on how many identifiers like email or IP addresses are attached to them) and depending on the limited scope a brand can see, it may view people inaccurately and deliver marketing and advertising that does not motivate action.
First-party data, on the other hand, is customer data that can be tied to one person. When coupled with identity resolution that relies on a persistent identity that spans offline and online data, brands can fill in those gaps and harmonize the true view of a customer regardless of how many identifiers are attached to them. This creates rich, 360-degree profiles of real people, including what they’re doing beyond a brand’s owned channels.
Martech makes the difference
Brands looking to move away from third-party cookies are looking toward first-party data strategies to enable person-first marketing. According to Epsilon research, 60% of marketers surveyed say they’re building first-party data strategies in lieu of cookie deprecation.
But one question continually heard is “How?” It’s a tall order for brands with potentially millions of first-party data points to get it in order. Step one is finding the right marketing technology that can take that data and make it usable.
The right solution takes a brand’s disjointed, unorganized or incomplete data and transforms it into an optimized first-party data asset on current and prospective customers. Identity resolution cleans, enhances, and unifies your data by using other types of datasets (including third-party data) to make pseudonymized, person-level profiles that allow for better personalization, higher campaign efficacy and more granular measurement.
Which solution fits your needs?
Which type of martech you need—or which types you might want to combine for optimal use—depends on your accessibility to data currently and what you want to use your data for.
Solutions like customer data platforms powered by identity are great tools to get your data in order. These take existing first-party data, organize and clean it, and then optimize it for deployment, letting you know which messages, formats and channels best align to an individual’s preferences.
Loyalty programs can be incredible pieces of martech to start building a first-party data asset. These 1:1 connections allow you to really know your best customers. They also enable zero-party data collection (data shared directly by your customer with you, like preferences), which gives an even deeper understanding of your customers.
Data clean rooms can also be an option for brands that are restricted in their ability to get data, often times because of the nature of their business (for example, CPG brands that sell through retailers, not directly to consumers). Data clean rooms are secure spaces that allow brands to collaborate with trusted partners, expanding the scope of their data for prospecting, and also opening up a new source of revenue when combined with retail media networks.
Cross-channel engagement solutions (manage email, SMS, etc.) are a way to corner your owned channel messaging strategy and enhance your first-party data at the same time. Marketers can pick the best channel or path for customers, including unauthenticated customers who aren’t logged in when they visit your site. This builds more relevant messages for your customers through better journey orchestration.
Put your data strategy first
Marketers will continue to struggle against third-party identifier deprecation as the digital world changes. But first-party data strategies will allow brands to take back the power of their marketing and use data as a tool to better connect with consumers.
Martech lays the foundation for a strong first-party data strategy that isn’t reliant on fickle and fleeting third-party cookies. These are future-proof strategies, and the right technology allows you to weather against headwinds today, tomorrow and the next day, too.
This was originally featured on Adweek.
---
## 3 tips for brands to optimize their 2025 retail media strategy
Type: eps_post
URL: /retail-media-2025-brand-strategy
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# 3 tips for brands to optimize their 2025 retail media strategy
Retail media has grown exponentially over the past decade—and it’s still growing. eMarketer expects retail media ad spend to rise 23.5% in 2025, reaching $67.28 billion. Says eMarketer, “Retail media is moving beyond performance to become a tool that marketers can use to drive both sales and brand awareness.”
Given this rapid growth, brands today have many retail media investment choices—often an overwhelming amount. Brands may not know where to even begin in deciding how to invest their budgets in 2025.
The truth is that all retail media is not created equal—and there are important considerations to keep in mind that will help simplify the process. For brands, this blog will guide you on how to think about the right way to invest your advertising dollars in retail media for 2025.
1. Build your targeting strategies around purchase behavior and real shopper needs
You might be used to activating digital media nationally, leveraging highly detailed audience profiles built on psychographic, demographic or geographic data that aligns with your “target audience.” While that is perfect for national campaigns aimed at evoking an emotion or making a connection with an audience, you have the opportunity to complement national campaigns with retail media campaigns that can unlock richer, shopper-level interactions and more efficient campaign outcomes.
Unlike traditional digital advertising, retail media offers advertisers direct access to retailer shoppers at the individual level. This ability to tap into every shopper's past purchasing activity allows advertisers to more accurately predict what products they should feature in future campaign messaging. For example, if a shopper frequently purchases plant-based food items, your ads can highlight new vegan products or special offers on plant-based foods. This level of 1:1 personalization not only increases the likelihood of a purchase, but also shows the consumer that you truly understand them, enhancing their experience with your brand.
Additionally, leveraging this data means you can optimize your ad spend by focusing on high-intent shoppers who are most likely to convert. Instead of casting a wide net with your advertising efforts, you can use precise targeting to reach those most interested in your products, ensuring that every dollar spent has the potential for a high return on investment.
Take full advantage of retailer shopper data and start building your targeting strategies around purchase behavior and real shopper needs when building your retail media strategy. By aligning your advertising choices with the actual buying patterns and preferences of your audience, you can create the most impactful and relevant campaigns.
2. Coordinate your messaging seamlessly across all channels
When setting up your retail media campaigns, think about how you can maximize different channels to create full-funnel strategies that generate a more cohesive shopper experience. Consider how your social and offsite media strategies can guide shoppers to retailer sites, leveraging tactics like online video, CTV and display. Then, ensure your onsite strategy continues that shopper journey with ads tailored to the interests and needs of each shopper at every step of the onsite experience.
For instance, you can use online video and CTV to create awareness and interest, leading potential customers to retailer sites. Once they are on the retailer's website, you can use display ads and sponsored product placements to guide them through the consideration and purchase stages. This seamless integration of offsite and onsite messaging will create a more engaging and effective shopper journey.
Accomplishing all this means coordinating your messaging across all channels to ensure consistency and relevance. If a shopper sees an offsite display ad for your product on the open web, follows a link to the retailer’s website and then is met with an onsite display ad that is truly relevant to the conversation, they’re more likely to feel a cohesive and personalized experience. See an example of what a seamless customer journey looks like in action:
3. Find the retailers that can offer you access to shoppers you wouldn't otherwise be able to reach
As you consider which retailers to prioritize for 2025, it’s important to identify those that can offer you access to shoppers you otherwise wouldn’t reach. This can be done in two key ways:
The retailer’s audience itself is unique to a location, industry or demographic.
The retailer can offer access to all its shoppers, not just the select few who consistently self-identify online or who are already part of larger audience segments.
Which of those would you prefer? If it's the latter, then here are some questions to consider when evaluating retailer audiences:
Are they giving me access to in-store shoppers or are they limited to website visitors only?
How are they matching online engagements with offline actions?
What kind of shopper-level data am I getting from this retailer?
Choose retailers who can find you the perfect prospect for your product, not just their “good enough” option from a small selection of shoppers they can identify. This approach ensures you’re reaching the most relevant and potentially high-value shoppers, maximizing the impact of your advertising spend.
It’s also important to have the right mix of retailers to support your business goals. This means expanding beyond just the large retailers. Recent data from Placer.ai reveals that the 10-most visited grocery chains (e.g., Kroger) together only comprise 42.6% of total grocery visit share for 2023. As Grocery Dive puts it, regional and specialty stores show a “commanding” market share presence that should not be overlooked when determining retail media spend.
Get the most out of 2025
Intelligent retail media enables brands to meet their real shoppers with messages that matter to them, driving the most meaningful impact in the year to come. Investing in strategic retail media choices is not just about following trends—it’s about making informed decisions that align with your brand’s goals and the evolving needs of your shoppers.
Focusing on shopper data, creating a seamless shopper journey and tailoring your retailer priorities are essential steps in maximizing the effectiveness of your retail media campaigns. By doing so, you’ll not only enhance your brand’s visibility and reach, but also build stronger connections with your target audience in 2025 and beyond.
---
## How are people using TikTok in 2024? 3 key takeaways from the report
Type: eps_post
URL: /tiktok-report-takeaways
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# How are people using TikTok in 2024? 3 key takeaways from the report
TikTok has evolved from a niche app for dancing teens and tweens into an essential element of many brands’ social media marketing strategy.
Brands today can leverage TikTok to advertise directly to customers and prospects, tap into influencer marketing opportunities and keep a pulse on what people are talking about in their industries—but that might all be about to change.
With a potential TikTok ban on the horizon (as a reminder, in April of 2024, President Joe Biden signed into law that TikTok will be banned if Byte Dance doesn’t sell it by the end of the year), Epsilon conducted a survey to better understand how people from different generations feel, how they use and engage with the app and how that might change if the policy goes into effect.
Download the full report, “How are people using TikTok in 2024? Usage trends, potential ban sentiment & more,” to learn more.
3 key takeaways from the report
People spend less money on TikTok than they do on other platforms, but TikTok is still an important social media platform to consider.
Both the amount of money users spend and how often they shop on TikTok Shop is less than we might expect. Only 13% of TikTok users report using TikTok Shop on a daily or weekly basis, while 44% of Instagram users use built-in Instagram shopping features in the same period.
That being said, if your audience is active on TikTok and has a heavy concentration of Gen Zers and Millennials, the app is still worth prioritizing. Over the past six months, the average user spent $120 on TikTok Shop and spent $123 as a result of an influencer post or ad they saw on the platform.
When we look at the spending differences generationally:
As opposed to shopping directly on TikTok Shop, Gen Zers are 23% more likely to make a daily or weekly purchase after viewing an ad on TikTok and 30% more likely to make a purchase after viewing an individual's or influencer's post on TikTok.
Millennials are 15% more influenced to make a daily or weekly purchase from ads they see on TikTok (as opposed to shopping directly on TikTok Shop) and 5% less likely to make a purchase after seeing an individual's or influencer's post on TikTok.
Gen Zers and Millennials, in particular, are also more likely to find ads they see on TikTok more convincing compared to ads on non-social media platforms.
TikTok users spend as much time on TikTok as the average person spends on all social media channels.
In our report, we found that the average user spends two hours and 20 minutes on TikTok per day, while research from Statista shows that most people typically spend that much time on social media platforms as a whole.
This means marketers have more opportunities to target their audience on TikTok and should diversify their content offerings to include media types like sponsored content, influencer and creator posts and in-app ads.
Time spent on TikTok by generation, Epsilon, 2024
If TikTok gets banned, users will shift their attention to Instagram Reels & purchasing behavior to Amazon.com.
When it comes to a potential TikTok ban, Americans are split generationally on sentiment, but most Americans feel confident that a new or existing app could replace what TikTok has to offer.
Sixty percent of users would shift their scrolling habits to Instagram Reels, and 73% would shift their shopping habits to Amazon.com, so marketers will need to be agile as the social media and online shopping landscapes continue to change.
Why this matters for marketers
As we wait to see whether the TikTok ban will go into effect, it’s important to be aware of how these policy changes will impact your overall marketing strategy, your marketing budget and how you engage with and reach your customers and prospects. That said, ensuring you're reaching the right people on those platforms is critical, which may mean buying third-party data from a provider like Epsilon Data to supplement your own first-party data, allowing you to target the best audience(s) for your brand.
If the ban goes into effect, it will be to marketers’ benefit to shift their spend and strategy focus to other social channels like Instagram, YouTube and Facebook and shopping sites like Amazon. And if you have budget allocated to TikTok, it might make more sense to spend it before the end of the year as opposed to carrying it into 2025.
Learn more about TikTok ban sentiment, app usage and more by downloading the full report.
---
## 4 insights to drive your Halloween marketing plans
Type: eps_post
URL: /halloween-marketing-insights
Last Modified: 2026-09-09T19:40:38Z
# 4 insights to drive your Halloween marketing plans
From jack-o-lantern decorations to elaborate costumes, Halloween shopping is a seasonal ritual that holds significant potential for marketers.
It’s clear that the holiday is not just for kids—rather, Halloween is a major event for shoppers of all ages. In a lot of ways, it’s a marketer's dream: Halloween celebrations draw a broad demographic, and people across the board can rally behind spooky season. In 2025, NRF expected Halloween spending to reach a record of $13.1 billion, in comparison to 2024’s record of $12.2 billion.
To better understand how shoppers are planning to buy for the 2026 Halloween season, Epsilon Pulse surveyed consumers to see when they plan to start stocking up, what they’re buying and where and how they’re shopping.
Below are four findings from the 2026 research (plus key stats to know for each) to help plan your Halloween marketing strategy and make shifts as needed throughout the season.
4 findings from Epsilon Pulse’s 2026 Halloween research
1. Nearly half of consumers use AI for Halloween shopping.
Just as we've seen AI use increase as tools become more accessible, we're also seeing people turn to AI to help them with Halloween shopping.
Across generations, 45% say they use AI for Halloween shopping, and the percentage jumps to 70% of Gen Z, the highest of all generations.
The top AI use case for Halloween shopping is looking for ideas and inspiration, followed by comparing prices, looking for deals and discounts and exploring and comparing different product types and brands.
Key AI stats from the Halloween shopping research
29% would use AI to decide where to purchase a Halloween product (especially Gen Z and millennials).
28% would read Halloween product reviews or ratings with AI summaries (jumps to 30% of Gen Z and 33% of millennials).
26% would use AI to create a Halloween shopping list.
26% would use AI to gather information after making a Halloween purchase (e.g., tutorials, Q&As).
55% say they would never use AI for Halloween shopping.
2. People start shopping for Halloween earlier than you’d expect.
While some retail events have a narrow shopping window, consumers think about Halloween all year—after all, it sometimes takes a while to find just the right costume (wig, makeup and accessories included).
When we fielded this survey at the beginning of July, 53% of those who started shopping already said they had started shopping that month for Halloween-related expenses. Twenty-two percent of that same group said they started from April to June, and starting early is more popular with Gen Z and millennials.
Halloween shopping can happen at any time of year, and knowing who may shop earlier is key when it comes to how you talk to them and what products you feature.
Key timing stats from the Halloween shopping research
22% of those who started shopping started their Halloween shopping between April and June of 2026.
For those who haven't started yet, 44% plan to start in September and 40% will wait until October to start their shopping.
Notably, 11% of those who haven’t started shopping yet leave their purchases to the last two weeks before Halloween, which is especially prominent among boomers.
3. Most consumers expect to spend $270 on Halloween this year and say they enjoy the shopping season.
While inflation and rising costs continue to be a concern for consumers in 2026, consumers have a more positive attitude about Halloween shopping. More than 50% of Gen Z, millennials and Gen X say they look forward to Halloween shopping and that they enjoy planning Halloween events.
That being said, in the current economic climate, consumers are planning to spend the same amount as last year and are still being cost-conscious. To offset anticipated price increases, people are looking for deals and discounts, using items they already have, leveraging coupons and loyalty points and implementing other cost-saving measures to stay on budget while still having enough candy for trick-or-treaters.
Even with a positive consumer sentiment, marketers still need to keep price in mind as they develop messaging for Halloween campaigns to make sure offers are relevant and timely.
Key financial stats from the Halloween shopping research
46% of consumers set a budget for Halloween shopping, with Gen Z especially likely to set one.
1 in 3 Gen Z expect to spend more this Halloween, followed by 1 in 4 millennials. Gen Z had the highest year-over-year change in expected spend (+30%) across generations, likely due to more Gen Z having young children who are interested in Halloween.
15% of Gen X and 13% of boomers expect to spend less on Halloween.
4. Item type dictates when and where consumers plan to shop.
We asked consumers to share their preferred time to start shopping for Halloween broken down by the following categories:
Costumes (including for themselves and for their children)
Food and drink
Decor
Party supplies
Candy and treats
Unsurprisingly, consumers start shopping for perishable items later in the shopping season, while they're more likely to shop for costumes, decor and party supplies earlier in the season and throughout the year. All in all, purchase timing varies significantly by category, creating multiple activation windows across the season.
When we asked them whether they prefer to shop in-store or online for these items, we see a similar story play out. Consumers overwhelmingly prefer to shop in-store for perishable items, while they're more likely to mix in-store and online options for decorations, party supplies and costumes.
Key item category stats from the Halloween shopping research
70% say they typically shop for Halloween-related food and drink in October; 65% say the same about candy and treats. A very small percentage buys these items earlier in the season.
44% buy their costumes in September (46% buy costumers for their children in the same time period), compared to 35% in October and 11% in July or August.
Both in-store and online are preferred for buying costumes, decorations and party supplies.
Gen Z are most likely of all generations to purchase costumes exclusively online, while nearly half of boomers shop for decorations exclusively in-store.
3 ways marketers can succeed during the Halloween shopping season.
By understanding how people shop for Halloween and tailoring marketing strategies accordingly, marketers can effectively reach their target audience and capitalize on the Halloween market.
Here are three tips for how to think about your Halloween marketing strategy.
1. Optimize for AI visibility to reach customers across channels.
With consumers turning to AI for Halloween shopping (especially on the inspiration and price comparison side), the buyer’s journey is changing.
To consistently reach customers across channels, retailers need to tailor web content to increase AI search visibility, ensuring product information is easily accessible and scannable.
It's also important to create Halloween inspiration sections on your website, highlighting user-generated content, inspiration from social media and more.
2. Stay up to date with consumers wherever they are with relevant messaging.
Consumers shop for Halloween items both in-store and online, and they expect information to be correct and updated across channels.
The buyer’s journey is far from linear, so retailers need to invest in tools, processes and systems that help them reach Halloween shoppers with the right message at the right time. You also need to make sure your data is connected across in-store and online channels to support the fragmented consumer journey.
3. Take advantage of first-party data.
Most retailers are still not fully tapping into the rich behavioral and transactional data they can collect during the Halloween shopping season.
To get the most out of this year’s shopping event, retailers should partner with a data solution that can help them actively capture, connect and enrich that data—not just to drive immediate wins but to also lay the groundwork for more efficient and effective campaigns in the future.
The more complete the customer profile, the better positioned marketers will be to deliver timely, relevant offers when it matters most next year.
Want to learn more about how to build a winning strategy for Halloween? Learn how Epsilon Data can help you understand your best customers, their spending behaviors and how to engage them with timely, relevant ads when they’re ready to make Halloween purchases.
---
## Retail media's next big growth spurt in Australia
Type: eps_post
URL: /retail-media-s-next-big-growth-spurt-in-australia
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Retail media's next big growth spurt in Australia
Australia’s retail media sector, currently lagging the US but catching up fast, is about to hit a growth spurt.
The local market, which produced CitrusAd, the software as a service platform which helps retailers sell digital advertising to brands, is behind the US because it started its run later.
Australia’s retail media is estimated to be attracting more than $1 billion in ad dollars and perhaps growing at 20% a year.
Morgan Stanley forecasts retail media spending in Australia on in-house/owned ad platforms to grow to $2.8 billion in 2027 from around $1 billion in 2022.
CitrusAd is now part of Epsilon at Publicis. CEO of the France-based global company, Arthur Sadoun, called out Epsilon at the latest results announcement as one of two key drivers of growth. The other is media.
David Peterson, head of global retail media at Epsilon, based in the US, has been visiting clients in Australia
“They've been building out nice businesses on their web sites and platform but now they're really looking to accelerate off site, which is a very similar move to what we saw in the US,” he told AdNews.
“But I think I think they'll get that up and running faster.
“Retail media pairs up nicely in the CTV space because of the ability to reach known shoppers and households with the data the retailers have.
“So I think that's going to be a big trend.
“And then I would say even though a lot of people are talking about in store now and there is some activity there, I think the scale for that is probably going to be out at least three years out before it has any meaningful scale.
“I think the focus right now is the retailers take what they built on their sites, leverage the data and the great knowledge they have about their shoppers, to help brands reach those shoppers.
“And what we try to do is make sure you do that in a way that the shoppers see relevancy. And that's good for them because if they do that right, everybody wins.”
Peterson sees media agencies very important to the retail media ecosystem. Many have speciality units within the organisation, whether they call its an ecommerce unit or a retail media.
“And then there's boutique agencies popping up in the US specifically around retail media and shopper marketing,” he said.
“Media agencies traditionally have been thought of upper funnel, driving media for the brands, and retail media has been more lower funnel type action.
“That funnel is collapsing and retail media is now starting to address all types of spend and all types of objectives.
“Because of the scale that it brings, I would call it more targeted awareness at scale.
“And that's where I think the media agencies are leaning in and seeing the opportunities there too. So I think that's going to continue to evolve.
Rob Odd, regional CEO based in Brisbane, says Australia and Asia Pacific is a huge opportunity and growth region for Epsilon.
“I'm slightly biased, looking after APAC, but I would dare argue there's a level of saturation in other markets that we haven't reached here yet,” he told AdNews.
“We’re here at the forefront to take these retailers and brands on this journey.
“If you talk to someone about retail media, everyone's got a different interpretation of what that is but there's also not one plan that's going to suit every retailer.
“The key for us is not just plugging in a technology platform and then hoping for the best because that's going to set them up for failure.
“It's really going through that blueprint with them and not drilling products.
“Blueprinting of the plan is super critical and that's where we have a huge strength in, especially globally. And that's what we're going to invest heavily in this country, in this region.”
---
## As Sure As Night Becomes Day, The End Of Third-Party Cookies Has Been Delayed
Type: eps_post
URL: /as-sure-as-night-becomes-day-the-end-of-third-party-cookies-has-been-delayed
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# As Sure As Night Becomes Day, The End Of Third-Party Cookies Has Been Delayed
Last week, Google took the not-unexpected step of delaying the end of third-party cookies again.
Citing “ongoing challenges” and “divergent feedback” from different corners of the digital advertising industry, Google delayed the end of third-party cookies from the “second half of Q4” to early 2025.
Much of the dragging has come from Google having to work with the UK’s Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) and Competition and Markets Authority (CMA). But frankly, we’ve seen this movie before. Does it make any difference to digital marketers? B&T chatted with a selection of industry insiders about the advertising’s very own Lazarus.
“In contrast to the moves by other web browsers, Google has been consulting the industry heavily and their transparency has helped many marketers to forward plan and prepare. We shouldn’t underestimate how helpful this has been,” said Tom Braybrook, managing director of Acceleration, GroupM’s data and technology consulting practice.
“Of course, the news today isn’t a huge surprise, but it should not provide advertisers with any increased comfort. Even prior to the changes taking effect in Chrome, we have observed up to a 35 per cent loss of signals in advertising from existing cookie rejection from web browsers and ad blocking. To reiterate, advertisers are likely to be missing out on up to a third of digital ad signals today. This has a knock-on impact to measurement, platform optimisation and ROAS as a result.
“For marketers, if you have a plan to address cookie depreciation, then stick to it. If you don’t, then get your skates on as you’re likely at a competitive disadvantage already.”
Jonas Jaanimagi, IAB Australia’s tech lead, offered similar advice to Braybrook, adding that the “changes are coming.” However, he added that companies on both sides of the demand-side aisle need to remain focused on their core offerings.
“Sellers need to initially focus on their own domain(s) and how to ensure buyers can meaningfully access audiences — whilst buyers need to be able to test for how to most effectively target, optimise and measure without third-party cookies. This is critical for both for in-house teams and for those working closely with any vendor partners,” he explained.
Of course, the death of third-party cookies is not unique to Chrome — though its status as by far and away the world’s most popular browser gives it an extra level of importance.
“This advice is not just for Chrome, but across the full range of different browsers for web (particularly Microsoft Edge and Safari), and operating systems for in-app environments (particularly iOS),” added Jaanimagi.
So what difference will delaying the death of third-party cookies actually make? We’ve known this is coming for a while.
“What was initially slated to be a two-year phase-out period is now four years and counting — and there is no firm timetable for when the changes will be in full effect,” explained Sam Thompson, agency business partner at IPG-owned Kinesso.
While Thompson said the delay “was not ideal” he did concede it gave everyone in the industry more time to test the potential alternatives and find the best way forward.
Shane Hanby, managing director ANZ of Publicis-owned Epsilon, recently told B&T that openness and honesty between brands, marketers, agencies and tech teams was “key” to getting through the end of the cookie.
For James McDonald, co-founder and director of independent advertising services agency Audience Group, news of the delay is “irrelevant” for smart marketers who are “thinking beyond traditional digital performance media strategies.”
“Cookies have been deprecated in non-Chrome browsers for a long time. Anyone not prepared with a first-party data strategy and a non-pixel measurement strategy, should not delay. A non-cookie targeting approach using your first-party data will be at least as good as a cookie-based approach and it sets you up for a post-cookie world while also allowing you to better target iOS devices and non-Chrome browsers,” he explained.
There are, of course, a litany of adtech players ready and waiting with potential solutions. Playground xyz, now known as GumGum, is one such firm. Its head of media, Sorrel Osbourne, explained that smart brands are already taking advantage of some of its tools.
“While this delay from Google won’t be an unexpected update for our industry, brands are already seeing the value of reaching the right people, in the right mindset, while not relying on cookies. We know this won’t halt the innovative approach that brands are taking to be best-in-market on respecting consumer privacy,” she said.
“GumGum’s stance will continue to be a privacy-first approach to finding the ideal match between the consumer and the brand, using our contextual technology Verity and verified through our attention technology.”
We’ll see you all again in early 2025 if (when?) Google delays the end of third-party cookies again.
---
## Top of the shops: Publicis, Omnicom, WPP outpoint IT consulting giants on commerce capability as holdcos ride disruption with fuller service – but Accenture keeps pace
Type: eps_post
URL: /publicis-omnicom-wpp-and-accenture-top-forrester-wave-research-commerce-services
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Top of the shops: Publicis, Omnicom, WPP outpoint IT consulting giants on commerce capability as holdcos ride disruption with fuller service – but Accenture keeps pace
Agency holding companies are displacing traditional IT systems integrators when it comes to commerce services and strategy. Per Forrester’s latest research, the sector is now led by holding companies Publicis, Omnicom and WPP, plus Accenture. IPG and Dentsu-owned Merkle are in the second tier, according to the research firm, but still on par with IBM and ahead of the likes of Capgemini. Report co-author Ted Schadler notes “a very important shift in the landscape” as holdcos race to re-engineer their models to ride the wave of disruption that is collapsing traditional funnels and drastically shortening the path to purchase.
What you need to know:
Forrester ranks WPP, Publicis and Omnicom as leaders when it comes to commerce – ahead of Denstu-owned Merkle and IPG. IBM and Capgemini are also trailing.
The report, Forrester Wave, Commerce Services Q2, 2024, indicates that agency groups are starting to walk the talk on end-to-end linking of creative, media, customer experience and the pointy end of commerce – at least better than traditional big systems integrators.
Co-author and Forrester Principal Analyst, Ted Schadler said agencies bring two perspectives and capabilities that consultancies either struggle to replicate or choose not to replicate: a media business and a commitment to customer databases for operations and optimisation.
“They have also integrated creative capabilities much deeper into marketing and commerce execution than others,” per Schadler.
Forrester suggests Publicis and Omnicom had a retail media edge over rivals, while WPP’s Open – the group’s new centralised marketing operating system – was highly rated as a means of joining capability dots. Accenture scored highly due to scaled commerce solutions, plus its consulting heft.
While some have suggested traditional M&A routes for creative and media agencies are closing off – the need for end-to-end services and the gap emerging between IT integrators and holdcos could potentially see a new breed of buyer in market.
Top of the shops
Forrester ranks WPP, Publicis and Omnicom as leaders when it comes to commerce – ahead of Denstu-owned Merkle and IPG. The research and advisory firm also ranks Accenture as a leader albeit marginally behind the three top-ranked agency groups.
With the likes of IBM and Capgemini ranked outside the leaders circle, the report suggests that agency groups are walking the talk on joining the dots between creative, media, customer experience and the pointy end of commerce – and displacing traditional big integrators, “a very important shift in the landscape”, per report co-author, Ted Schadler.
Schadler said agencies bring two perspectives and capabilities that consultancies either struggle to replicate or choose not to replicate: a media business and a commitment to customer databases for operations and optimisation. “They have also integrated creative capabilities much deeper into marketing and commerce execution than others.”
Schadler, said brands need to become similarly horizontal: “Most companies operate marketing, commerce, and customers in silos, often even at the channel level. That makes it very difficult to share information, data, content, and operations across the silos.”
As the report notes bluntly in its opening line: The consumer life cycle has collapsed. Agencies have recognised what that means for traditional business models – and are moving at pace to adapt.
Publicis
Per Forrester’s analysis of commerce services offering and strategy, the three holdcos came neck and neck, just ahead of Accenture.
Per the report, Publicis and Omnicom had a retail media edge over rivals, while WPP’s Open – the group’s centralised marketing operating system – was highly rated. Accenture scored highly due to capabilities in scaled commerce solutions, plus its consulting heft.
Publicis went early on retail media, buying Australian platform Citrus Ad for north of $200m in 2021 and predicting CPG advertisers would be spending more via retail media channels than on TV advertising by 2025. With the US retail media market alone expected to top $50bn this year – and retailers and now banks scrambling to build out networks – it looks a decent bet.
Publicis also acquired US ecom analytics business Profitero in 2022 and earlier this year rolled Citrus into Epsilon to create Epsilon Retail Media, headed in APAC and Japan by Rob Odd and which uses AI and Epsilon’s IDs and data trove to deliver “precision marketing” and “measurable results”, per Odd, who reckons it will keep Publicis “ahead in a highly competitive landscape”.
Omnicom
Omnicom has likewise recognised the importance of beefing-up commerce capability, spending US$835m on digital commerce platform Flywheel. Former Omnicomer Nick Manning described it as a “landgrab” as agencies scramble to adapt business models to digital commerce’s impact on customer journeys and their own services. He suggested the Flywheel deal “will be seen in time as a pivotal moment in the evolution of the agency model and the traditional holding companies”.
Omnicom chief John Wren clearly agrees. Not known for making major acquisitions, he described the buy as a “gamechanger” for clients, bringing together “commerce, media and precision marketing”. The network has also spent the last six years building out its digital transformation consulting arm, Credera, to 4,000 heads globally – a leap from the 300 US based employees it had when Omnicom bought it in 2018. With the combination of both those assets, Omnicom can offer its clients managed services for commerce operations and technology.
Madison & Wall analyst Brian Wieser, suggests Omnicom could use more of that kind of firepower and has more work to do to de-silo and future-proof its business. But he said the Flywheel deal is “really important” for Omicom’s ambition.
“It's definitely going to be speaking to where there's a lot of client interest and client need,” Wieser recently told Mi3. “You can imagine every single pitch to marketers in FMCG, apparel, electronics, you'll have people from Flywheel involved, I assume – and that will help them on so many levels.”
But Wieser thinks all agency groups must invest much more aggressively to ensure growth amid significant disruption – and that overall, IT services firms are now striking much bigger deals for marketing-adjacent services.
Omnicom Media Group ANZ boss, Peter Horgan, said that Flywheel’s integration “is already elevating our discussions with brands”.
But he suggested that commerce “is becoming one of widest but also poorly defined terms” within the industry. “For us it’s about direct connection between marketing and sales growth.”
He also backed Omnicom’s model versus some of the major tech and data bets made by rival groups in recent years.
“Omnicom's philosophy is tech and data orchestration not ownership. With so much complexity and self-preferencing within supply chains we have been very clear that orchestration that enables speed to market, rapid adoption of what's next and most importantly trust with the brands we represent is the only way to deliver sustained growth,” said Horgan. “Globally that has given the likes of Uber the confidence to share their data with us – in privacy compliant way – as it has locally with the likes of Flybuys.”
WPP
Forrester credits WPP’s unified approach – across performance marketing, commerce technology, strategy, and organisation capabilities – with enabling the holdco to “optimise total commerce experiences”.
It's underpinned by WPP Open, the group’s centralised marketing operating system (not dissimilar to Omnicom's Omni), which gives all WPP’s staff access to a shared cloud of data and products in order to better service key clients. (Wavemaker global boss Toby Jenner claims it’s built off the back of Wavemaker’s own system – with circa 50,000 staff globally now plugged-in to the new back-end.)
Centralising those capabilities serves the growing demand for integrations across commerce, media and creative, as clients seek those efficiencies described by Forrester’s Schadler.
“Every one of our clients has to transact and has to use commerce in one way or form to get their products to their customer base,” WPP ANZ chief Rose Herceg told Mi3. The trick, as ever, is doing it in the right place at the right time.
“Every day there is a new evolution in the [Open] platform that is most effective for an audience to be a commerce moment, or a transaction moment, or just an interaction moment… I would argue we are just doubling down on trialling and making sure we are getting the best return on the investment of our client’s money," said Herceg.
Another example of the accelerating race by holdcos to join the commerce dots: WPP’s performance media investment arm, GroupM Nexus, last year added retail media buying capability to its Fusion platform. “Retail media is forcing media agencies to really rethink the business that we’re in,” according to Nexus boss JiYoung Kim. “This is really the first time at scale and at this speed that our clients have started asking us to take responsibility for the whole thing, [not just the media].”
Accenture
Despite the shifting tides of the commerce services sector, Accenture retains a top-ranking spot thanks to significant investments to build out a diversified marketing services business in Accenture Song.
It has long touted end-to-end capabilities from creative, through CX, digital transformation and commerce – and is now adding media buying to that mix in a move that locally leaves rival IPG seeking a new leadership team for Initiative, its star performing media agency.
“Our point of difference is that we are able to offer our clients service across the entire end-to-end customer journey,” said Accenture Song’s ANZ commerce lead, Peter Davias. “Our commerce strategy does not simply come at the end of that chain – it is embedded throughout. We have our creative teams interacting directly with our commerce teams, as well as our technology teams, and our clients are never far from the centre of the work as it is developed.”
“We see the convergence of all of these previously siloed functions as necessary and beneficial to the customer,” Davias told Mi3.
“The customer journey is never siloed and so it makes little sense for the elements of that journey to be developed separately. Every touchpoint along the journey can provide the opportunity to engage and create tailored personal experiences that create loyalty and drive sales.”
Though Accenture was noted by Forrester to have taken less of an interest in retail media than its holdco counterparts, Davias said its recent acquisition of martech consultancy The Lumery was an example of its efforts to fill this gap, adding “significant depth to [Accenture Song’s] commerce offerings in Australia, and our capabilities in the retail media space".
Where next?
“When marketing consolidates around the acquisition journey, that's a big step forward, and agencies are deeply involved as suppliers, often across many or all channels,” said Forrester’s Schadler.
While cautioning that it is still rare for marketing and commerce organisations to work in concert, he said most brands recognise that the future requires a seamless view – and optimisation from first media impression to purchase.
“They are making big investments in content, data, and execution readiness, often funding those efforts from technology consolidation as well as media optimisation or performance marketing,” said Schadler.
He gives the example of a brand that retired dozens of content management systems and consolidated around a single content engine for marketing. “They must still consolidate that with the product information management system for efficient marketplace, retail, and dotcom transactions.”
Agencies, he suggests, can help with these consolidations and funding models – and the rise of agency groups above the traditional IT systems integrators within Forrester’s leadership set may be the shape of things to come.
According to Schadler: “This is a very important shift in the landscape as the role of technology in marketing, transactions, and ownership continues to grow. Every brand is making bigger bets on core systems of engagement, often powered by large technology suppliers like Adobe, Salesforce, Shopify, and others. That means providers must have those technology alliances as well as the design/build capabilities of a strong systems integrator.”
He said agencies bring two perspectives and capabilities that consultancies either struggle to replicate or choose not to replicate: a media business and a commitment to customer databases for operations and optimisation. “They have also integrated creative capabilities much deeper into marketing and commerce execution than others.”
That might just have the major integrators now lagging holdcos on commerce wondering whether they need to acquire agencies...
---
## It’s All Your Exclusive Happenings From Cairns Extras From Day 2!
Type: eps_post
URL: /miq-martinis-samsung-ads-haus-an-uber-exclusive-dinner-nu-nu-snapchats-supper-club-its-your-cairns-extras-from-day-2
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# It’s All Your Exclusive Happenings From Cairns Extras From Day 2!
While many would have stopped after the EPIC Pinterest Welcome Party, we had another two epic days of Cairns Extras for guests to enjoy.
Here’s a quick look at everything that took place on day two from QC.
First up, Samsung Ads Haus’ Martinis with MiQ event saw a bevy of top marketers descend on the wharf-side retreat for martinis and a delightful talk.
Samsung Ads Haus Martinis with MiQ
In a session held under Chatham House rules, Daniela Fra, head of marketing ANZ at Care Pharmaceuticals, Moola Sisaudia, marketing strategy, media and innovation lead from Afterpay and Chloe Jones, senior marketing lead on Princess Cruises joined global head of advanced TV at MiQ, Moe Chughtai and managing director of Samsung Ads ANZ Alex Spurzem and discussed how to reach increasingly fragmented TV audiences.
What we can spill is that MiQ knows how to shut down the Haus in style! With martinis flowing and beats dropping, more than 100 of you partied with us for an epic night. Samsung Haus was buzzing with energy, making it the ultimate spot for networking and fun. Cheers to unforgettable moments!
And here’s a word from Brigitte Slattery, Samsung Ad’s head of APAC marketing on the event’s roaring success.
We came, we saw, we conquered day two of #CannesinCairns! Things kicked off at Samsung Ads Haus where attendees chatted with colleagues and the Samsung Ads APAC team over breakfast and some much-needed caffeine to help fuel for the day ahead. Conference go-ers then headed to the Cairns Convention Center for another jam-packed day of break-out sessions and notable keynote speakers.
Guests were then kept entertained as the panel entered into a rapid-fire round of spicy questions which kept the panellists on their toes, before closing out both the panel and day two of Cannes in Cairns with good tunes and a range of cocktails on tap.
And that’s a wrap for Samsung Ads Haus! Thanks to everyone who came along, and made all of the events such an enjoyable experience.
Can’t wait to do it all again in 2025!
GumGum’s Hop-tastic Hemingway’s Happy Hour
Hemingway’s brewery has become the go-to place to wind down after content at Cannes in Cairns. After a day of learning and networking, it is where delegates ultimately gather and let their hair down, with the GumGum team shouting beers.
The selection of delightful craft beers was accompanied by a selection of delectable canapés including bruschetta, arancini and pulled pork. Hemingway’s does food just as well as it does drinks.
The delegates were chatting excitedly about the variety of panels and sessions they experienced that day. If you want to find out the goss – it is the place to be.
The Trade Desk’s elegant waterfront cocktail party
As the sun began to set on a gorgeous afternoon in Cairns, Whiskey & Wine by Crystalbrook Flynn came to life as anyone who’s anyone in the industry came out to celebrate at The Trade Desk Cocktail Party.
The event doubled as the launch of the new platform “Kokai,” designed to make it easier to harness the full power of programmatic, helping users centre campaigns around audiences and make smarter decisions faster. It featured a panel from a slew of industry experts.
The event kicked off with an inspiring introduction from James Bayes, vice president of ANZ at The Trade Desk. Moderated by Stephanie Famolaro, GM of business development at The Trade Desk, Josh Slighting of REA Group, Publicis Media’s Megan Elliot and Marcel Hashimoto of Youi Insurance, the panel unpacked rapid fragmentation of audiences, regulatory changes and technological advancements in the digital industry.
Waves crashed gently in the distance as cocktails and canapes flowed freely. Some of the most influential figures in the industry networked and mingled over anything from Mimosas to Margaritas. Attendees enjoyed a sophisticated atmosphere, fine drinks and the opportunity to connect with peers and industry leaders. The event highlighted The Trade Desk’s role in fostering relationships and dialogue within the advertising community, set against the stylish backdrop of one of Cairns’ premier venues.
Uber Advertising’s Spectacular Beachfront Dinner
Nestled between coconut palms and cloaked in twilight hues as the sun set over the tropical beachfront, an exclusive guest list of VIP industry leaders were treated to Uber Advertising’s spectacular dinner at the celebrated Nu Nu Restaurant in Palm Cove. B&T’s Greg ‘Sparrow’ Graham was lucky enough to snag an invite.
On-arrival tropical cocktails and gentle plumes of aromatic smoke wafting from open grills with what would soon become a carefully curated five-course menu plus matching wines. The food showcased the amazing bounty of lush, fresh produce from the rainforests and the ocean.
It was a dream night with incredible food, a dream location and incredible people. As a foodie, I was blown away with some of the best of Nu Nu’s renowned modern Australian fare, from grilled tiger prawns with rainforest honey and za’atar, BBQ scallop, green masala and smoked yoghurt, caramelised lamb rib with ginger caramel and curry leaf and that was just course one! Four more courses of incredible food plus a lavish selection of wine pairings followed.
Snapchat’s Spectacular Rooftop Supper Club
A bevy of top industry folk including major brands and movers and shakers attended drinks and dinner at the popular Rocco’s at Crystalbrook Riley venue.
Guests at the Snapchat Supper Club exclusive event sipped herb-infused, beautiful cocktail creations while admiring the most spectacular view of Cairns.
Privy to a view of the city’s highest rooftop bar and restaurant with 270-degree panoramic views of Cairns and the Coral Sea, attendees enjoyed cuisine reflecting Middle Eastern history mingled with a contemporary take on cuisine.
Seven’s Gemma Acton serves up finance and trust insights at Taboola feast
Seven Network presenter and finance editor Gemma Acton delivered a thought-provoking and sobering speech about how tough ordinary Australians are going due to the cost of living crisis.
At a Taboola dinner with a room full of financial services marketers and agency partners, she said that it is increasingly difficult for the sector to deliver cut through in marketing messages at a time when only three per cent of the population are feeling wealthy and the overwhelming majority are reigning back spending.
IAG’s communication and planning lead Mark Echo, Westpac’s senior manager of performance marketing Rebecca Valdespino and Bank of Queensland’s head of brand and advertising Stephen Thompson were among a host of senior marketers and agency leaders attending the decadent three-course meal, which featured mouthwatering prawn and beef starters, and a popular barramundi main.
Acton, who was a former investment banker before she turned to journalism, also spoke about the importance of trust in the media, and how its standards are far higher than in social media, where misinformation and disinformation are rife.
“It doesn’t surprise me that media is more trusted social media because we are regulated to the nth degree, everything we do has to be checked and it has to be editorially independent media, which keeps us honest as well. Whereas there just are no rules in place on social,” she said.
Epsilon’s Illuminating Fireside Chat At Hemingway’s Brewery
A bevy of top industry folk including major brands and movers and shakers attended a brewery tour, beer tasting and dinner event at Hemingway’s Brewery.
Amidst a brewery tour and a three-course dinner, a discussion on first-party data broke out between Shane Hanby, Epsilon’s ANZ MD, Robb Odd, the regional CEO for Epislon Retail Media and Jess Samson-Doel, the ANZ sales director, moderated by editor of B&T, Tom Fogden.
Covering everything from the upside and downside risk for brands and marketers not activating their first-party data to the remarkable opportunity presented by retail media, the discussion, set under the brewing tanks at Hemingway’s left guests absolutely fizzing. Plus, one lucky attendee got to take home a case of their favourite beer from the tasting!
Cannes in Cairns Charity Partners
At Cannes in Cairns, Presented by Pinterest, we’re all about big names, big ideas and big spenders. But, it’s just as important that we pay it forward, too. Our official charity partners this year are Mission Australia and Citizens of the Great Barrier Reef.
This year, Citizens of the Great Barrier Reef are offering lucky attendees the chance to win a trip to the Great Barrier Reef with ecotour operator Reef Unlimited. To be in with a chance to win this once-in-a-lifetime experience, all you need to do is sign up here and get to analysing images of coral. Whoever analyses the most images, wins!
Meanwhile, homelessness charity Mission Australia is running a daily coffee van sponsored by Teads and LG Ads. So, if you’re feeling tired after a day of content and networking, you can grab a long black, flat white or a latte and help end homelessness in Australia at the same time.
While the coffee is free from the van, we would love it if delegates considered donating what they can when getting their morning caffeine fix from Mission Australia.
---
## Retail media’s new era: personalised content and precision reporting
Type: eps_post
URL: /retail-medias-new-era-personalised-content-and-precision-reporting
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Retail media’s new era: personalised content and precision reporting
Australia’s retail media industry – forecast by Morgan Stanley to be worth $2.8 billion by 2027 – might have been lagging behind that of North America or Europe prior to Covid. But as more retailers adopt platforms and more brands divert marketing budgets to the fast-growing channel, the future has never looked better. Rob Odd, regional CEO – Asia, Pacific and Japan with global advertising and marketing technology company Epsilon, says the maturity of retail media in the US plays into the hands of Australian businesses that can tap into overseas learnings and advances in the technology to deploy a more comprehensive offer and reach the heights being seen abroad a lot quicker.
Key to retail media’s success here, he says, will be the next generation of technology that leverages artificial intelligence and machine learning to deliver a hyper-personalised experience for consumers, critical to achieving omnichannel integration.
As Odd explains, retail media is an opportunity for a retailer to use its assets – most importantly, including its data – to have a unique conversation with a customer and allow brands to access that customer as well. “It’s about opening up engagement and getting a better understanding across the customer lifecycle – both directly as a retailer and also with the perspective of an advertiser or brand.”
Offering online, off-site, and in-store marketing opportunities is critical to success. But the real benefits come when you link all those channels with a customer ID so you have a consistent and contextually relevant conversation with the customer. Without that link across channels your messaging and approach can become disjointed and inconsistent leading to a poor customer experience.
“There are a lot of people in the market saying they do omnichannel retail media, which is great but it’s only one element. The other key ingredient is linking those channels to a unique customer. After all, the customer experience is critical to a successful retail media network.
“Linking all channels together is critical to ensuring a retailer can provide a true omnichannel, contextually relevant customer experience.”
Odd says Epsilon is seeing significant investment in retail media. “We are still seeing consistently high growth in more mature markets and this bodes well for the growth trajectory in Australia-New Zealand and the broader Asia-Pacific region.” Odd is bullish about the growth trajectory of retail media in Apac, suggesting that in only a few years it could rival other more mature markets or regions.
Epsilon’s point of difference is that it brings the company’s unique capabilities in applying artificial intelligence against person-first identity to retailers looking to address advertisers’ desire to intelligently engage shoppers on retailers’ properties and across the open web. Epsilon’s Core AI analyses every potential shopper encountered, regardless of where they’re found, ensuring 100 per cent of potential buyers are evaluated for engagement.
The company’s Core ID, which it describes as the industry’s most accurate and privacy-centric consumer identifier, powers the recognition of a specific individual in any channel and feeds additional data on the shopper into the AI’s decision-making process. Armed with person-level insights, 5000 or more decisions are evaluated in the milliseconds before a bid must be placed, drastically improving outcomes.
The AI also learns from the result of each engagement, continually rewriting its models to further optimise outcomes across channels and time. This allows advertisers and retailers to go far beyond delivering the ‘right message to the right person at the right time’. AI also determines where to engage shoppers at any given time, how often to engage them in a channel or across channels, harmonises engagement across channels, and optimises the spend to acquire an impression based on the value of the shopper.
Retail media is not just for the majors
A common misconception in the retail industry is that retail media is only workable for large retailers.
Not so, explains Odd. There’s an opportunity for everyone to tap into it. While there is a little bit of extra work necessary for smaller retailers, they can take advantage of the technology as much as anyone else.
“I wouldn’t say anyone is too small, it’s just about activating the right channel and taking the right, phased approach.”
Groundwork is critical when setting it up, he says. “In the past, there’s been an expectation as soon as you set up a retail media network, you’re instantly going to make millions of dollars.” But the reality is different. “In the current climate, you need to understand what your point of differentiation is going to be. How are you going to position yourself as a retailer with your inventory and your data as beneficial to brands who want to target those customers or spend on your retail media network?”
Sometimes collaborations with similar retailers may pay off. For example, in the US Epsilon has developed the Grocery One Network, enabling a group of smaller retailers to offer a larger, combined single retail media network. “Individually, they were too small to compete with the big retailers, but combined, they can punch it out with the best with the best of them,” says Odd. “They’re using this network effect to compete with the big boys. That’s an interesting approach and something that is generating a lot of interest in other regions, like Apac.”
Why personalisation is key
Personalisation is a critical layer that goes on top of standard retail media, he explains. “One of the greatest benefits of retail media is that you can influence the customer’s decision when they are at their highest propensity to purchase – right at the checkout.
“Having that personalised approach knowing what that customer wants and serving them at the right time, on the right device, at the right moment, is super critical to getting that conversion. That’s where retail media differs from most other channels.”
That personalisation is key to building a rapport with customers – not just influencing sales at key decision-making points but as a brand-building tool.
“Retail media gives you a unique opportunity to have a one-on-one conversation with your customer. And it’s not all about selling products, it’s about testing and learning, taking insights from the data to improve messaging, testing product developments, and pricing, for example. Both retailers and brands can tap into all these learnings which makes retail media unique.”
Real-time monitoring
Another compelling factor in retail media is the ease of its measurability – often in real-time.
“We can see that a customer clicked on a particular ad, put a product in their basket and purchased it. We are one of the few channels where closed-loop reporting can give you accurate data output to say your ad drove this many sales. You can see how many sales are being attributed to a specific ad and that level of granularity of reporting is critical to help brands justify their marketing spend.
While noting there is still work to be done – and that the retail media landscape is constantly evolving – Odd sees an opportunity in future to seamlessly connect in-store into a retailer’s retail media network offering. While booking a campaign on in-store inventory is the easy part, it is the accurate measurement and ensuring there is a link to the customer that makes the biggest impact.
Learn more about Epsilon’s retail media solution for retailers here.
---
## Industry Reacts To Google’s Backflip: ‘Why Switch Off The Cash Cow’, ‘Cookies Are Doomed Either Way’ & ‘Multi-Touch Attribution Sucks’
Type: eps_post
URL: /industry-reacts-to-googles-backflip-why-switch-off-the-cash-cow-cookies-are-doomed-either-way-and-multi-touch-attribution-sucks
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Industry Reacts To Google’s Backflip: ‘Why Switch Off The Cash Cow’, ‘Cookies Are Doomed Either Way’ & ‘Multi-Touch Attribution Sucks’
After kicking the ‘cookiepocalypse’ can down the road for several years, Google’s decision to row back on deprecating third party cookies has been met with a mixture of relief, cynicism and shrugged shoulders by leaders in Australia’s advertising, media and technology industries.
Google’s announcement that it will let Chrome users “make an informed choice” about web browsing, instead of killing third-party cookies altogether, has been cautiously welcomed by some and provides advertisers that rely on cookies to track and target across Chrome with a reprieve.
However, most industry leaders that B&T has approached believe that third-party cookies are largely redundant and will eventually go the way of the dodo.
“The regulators are going to kibosh this stuff anyway, so I don’t realistically think it changes any plans. Instead of this happening with Google it’ll just get whacked by regulators across the market instead,” argues Mutinex boss Henry Innis. “If anything, Google is making this a regulator problem rather than a Google problem.”
Large media owners and tech vendors have invested heavily in a post-third party cookies world and have warned marketers that Google’s latest decision will only accelerate signal loss and they should continue to prepare for more effective ways to target consumers across the internet.
Many believe that adhering to tougher privacy laws in the UK, Europe and Australia may have led Google to change tack, although some have suggested that keeping third-party cookies in play has more to do with protecting the search giant’s bottom line.
Nonetheless, media owners, agencies and tech vendors advise marketers to march towards a cookieless world.
Here are a selection of views from the industry.
Henry Innis, co-founder & global CEO, Mutinex
It doesn’t really change the very real issues in attribution at all. Multi-touch attribution sucks, signal loss is getting harder and people are getting harder to track. All these things remain true, it just means we don’t have the line in the sand moment to cut out all these junky methods, which is a little sad. I would have liked to have seen Google be braver and push the ad industry to a better standard than surveillance-tech.
The regulators are making moves to shut down surveillance-tech, so I think by and large Google just doesn’t want to be responsible when the government is doing their job for them, and probably also wants to avoid the fight with advertisers. I think it’s clear that Google is under pressure from lobbying groups and the wider ad industry, alongside regulators. The ad industry has been good at making this an anti-trust issue. I do think our energy is better spent making better ads and deploying media capital well, instead of being over anxious about how much we can stalk people over the Internet. The latter will always eventually be regulated away from us.
Suzie Cardwell, chief data officer, Nine
Google’s decision not to deprecate third party cookies does not change the fact that the rich, scaled first party data from media owners like Nine is far more effective for brands in finding their target consumers and moving them to action.
The industry debate long ago moved on from third party versus first party data. Third party data scraped from the web and various undisclosed locations can never compete with the directly sourced, authenticated consumer data that media owners like Nine collect. We have a deep understanding of what our audiences want through their content consumption behaviour giving us rich signals of interest and intent for brands and advertisers.
Nine started on the first party data journey more than eight years ago, placing us in the strongest position to help brands find their customers and move them to action.
Paul Blackburn, director of commercial data & eCommerce, News Corp Australia
They have had a lot of consultations, including with the CMA in the UK, about what it means for a lot of different market participants. They have struggled to communicate the advantages of deprecating cookies completely and there are still some question marks with how to work with Sandbox.
Whilst they are not fully deprecating cookies, with user choice you are still going to see some signal loss based on the users’ decision to want to be privacy compliant and choose to opt out of cookies being tracked on the Chrome browser. It’s been reported that they are looking at limiting IP and other signals that they might be limiting as well. So my initial reaction was – as we discussed at D_Coded – is that we are still going to see signal loss, and new regulations from the Australian government will only exacerbate that.
Smart marketers need to make privacy compliant first party data partnerships with trusted partners. Overall, it’s good that Google is no longer kicking the can down the street, and our message around partnering using privacy-compliant technology with our first party data – that signal gain message that we spoke about – has really stood true. Marketers shouldn’t see this as a pressure valve has been relieved so we can go slow, they still need to think about marketing effectiveness still, as we have shown with Journey Beyond was about showing four times the return on adspend versus current third party cookie methods.
Rachel Page, national digital sales director, Seven West Media
While Google’s latest announcement may be a relief to some, a successful and sustainable data strategy must be built on the foundation of authenticated audiences obtained through a true value exchange. The industry needs to remain focussed and not forget a number of other major browsers have already removed third party cookies. Chrome will still introduce new measures for users to maintain greater control of their data, and most importantly, Australia still faces one of the strictest privacy overhauls around the globe.
There is still a serious benefit for publishers, agencies and technology vendors who have invested in shifting their reliance form third party cookies, and I am confident the best outcomes will still be achieved by partnering with organisations who prioritise privacy alongside innovative and high-value advertising solutions with engaged audiences.
Shane Hanby, managing director ANZ, Epsilon
Google Chrome’s backflip on deprecating third-party cookies, despite the Privacy Sandbox initiative, highlights a complex balance between user privacy and digital advertising needs. Unlike Firefox and Safari, which have taken decisive steps to block third-party cookies, Google’s approach remains cautious. While the Privacy Sandbox introduces promising solutions like Federated Learning of Cohorts (FLoC), the continued use of cookies suggests a hesitation to fully commit to privacy-first measures. This decision may slow industry progress toward a more privacy-respecting web. Ultimately, Google’s path reflects ongoing challenges in harmonising technological innovation with commercial and privacy interests.’
Anna Sythong, group digital director, Initiative
Some would say, ‘there is power in knowing when to pivot’. Google has wisely heeded advice from a diverse group of stakeholders, delaying the end of cookies. This may seem like a win for advertisers, but we know third-party cookies are unstable. Brands should continue to leverage signals provided by current tech whilst also prioritising new, lasting capabilities from various vendors to continue to unlock growth opportunities.
Will the cookies still crumble? Industry leaders advise advertisers to wean their addiction to third-party cookies.
James Bayes, ANZ VP, The Trade Desk
Amidst all of this, the advertising industry has moved on, realising that the digital world extends beyond Chrome. Today, we are engaged on devices, screens and apps across some of Australia’s fastest-growing cookieless channels including streaming, BVOD and digital audio.
This has paved the way for far more superior identity solutions that aren’t controlled by Big Tech, like Unified ID 2.0, which represents a significant upgrade to the internet. Whilst Google appears to have finally acknowledged that the best option for them is to give consumers choice, the question remains – will Google really give consumers choice? Or will they make the decision for consumers and then bury consumers’ access to change it?
Billy Loizou, area VP, Amperity
The sentiment towards Google’s decision to retain third-party cookies is primarily skeptical. This skepticism stems from Google’s move contradicting the industry trend, with competitors like Firefox, Safari, and Apple already abandoning cookies for new privacy-focused approaches.
Google’s reliance on advertising revenue explains its reluctance to change, highlighting the tension between business interests and privacy concerns. The phrasing “so-called cookie-based advertising solution” in the content suggests doubt about Google’s stated motivations. This decision underscores the complex balance Google is trying to strike between maintaining its business model and addressing growing privacy concerns. Overall, the skepticism reflects a critical view of Google’s motivations, questioning whether this decision truly serves user interests or primarily protects the company’s bottom line.
It encapsulates the ongoing debate in the tech industry between privacy protection and profit generation. Brands would be wise to focus on strengthening their first-party data strategies during this time. As privacy concerns continue to grow, the ability to effectively utilise data that customers willingly provide will become increasingly valuable.
Andrea Martens, CEO, ADMA
ADMA recognises that Google’s decision to introduce a new experience in its Chrome browser giving consumers more control over their online data settings aligns with the transparency requirements under Australia’s proposed privacy reforms. Customers expect to have control over how their data is used, and any move to provide better control should be welcomed by marketers. It is a key factor in building consumer trust in the marketing ecosystem.
For marketers, the proposals put forward in the Privacy Sandbox to date have been concerning due to the negative impact they would have on advertising effectiveness and campaign performance, whilst still not meeting privacy laws. ADMA is encouraged to see that Google has taken a different approach, rather than dogmatically pursuing a solution that would not benefit either the consumer or the marketer. We look forward to Google engaging with industry as it rolls this out.
While today’s announcement may provide some marketers’ relief, ADMA urges the industry not to be complacent or throw away the good work they have done in developing a post-cookie strategy. There is already a move away from relying on third-party cookie strategies as deprecation has already taken place across other browsers and consumer expectations regarding how their data is used, with consent, in fair and reasonable ways, is becoming the required standard. Those who embed their marketing strategies in these more evolved fundamental principles will be ahead of the curve in this new paradigm.
Jonas Jaanimagi, technology lead, IAB Australia
Obviously a number of key questions remain as to the actual execution of this as an experience such as is this a consumer opt-in or an opt-out, and what is the potential impact on volumes of ad campaigns that will require the use of Google’s various Privacy Sandbox APIs for competent management and measurement. We fully expect to hear more news on these various details in the coming weeks.
A significant volume of future ad campaigns will still require the use of Google’s various Privacy Sandbox APIs for competent management and measurement – so we continue to recommend that both buyers and sellers continue to fully engage with, and fully test, the full range of evolving solutions for both web-based and in-app environments provided by the likes of Google, Microsoft and Apple.
Fiona Salmon, managing director, Mantis
Despite some specifics remaining uncertain, Google’s update does not alter the direction of travel towards a more privacy-conscious landscape, something Mantis is well-prepared for, thanks to our signed-in users and established IDs. Advertisers must continue their trajectories towards a cookieless future – or at least, one where their impact is diminished.
With regulatory bodies such as the ICO still discussing the unsuitability of cookies, and with the exact nature of Google’s Privacy Sandbox remaining unclear, let’s not discount another twist in the cookie saga. This latest development benefits the ecosystem by preventing the implementation of inadequate solutions (like FLoC, FLEDGE or Topics), and enabling meaningful conversations with advertisers about embedding contextual advertising and its performance advantages. Continuing to implement contextual tools and first party data strategies should be an ongoing priority for advertisers looking to reach their target audiences in an effective way.
The end is nigh: Despite Google’s backflip, experts warn the cookiepocalypse is on the horizon. Image created using Canva’s AI generator.
Chris Parker, CEO, Awaken
It looks like Google’s decision to keep third party cookies alive is less about user experience and more about keeping the cash cow. By maintaining the status quo in their lucrative ad ecosystem, they’re ensuring that advertisers stay hooked on the precision targeting that fills Google’s dividends. After all, why fix what’s bringing in billions, even if it means kicking the can down the road on real privacy innovation?
Google’s move to retain third party cookies ensures advertisers continue benefiting from rich data streams that drive targeted marketing and boost sales. With the Privacy Sandbox and API updates, advertisers can still leverage detailed user insights while Google tweaks Chrome just enough to appease regulators. It’s a clever balancing act, keeping the data-driven dollars flowing in and presenting just enough privacy changes to keep the watchdogs at bay. This way, Google ensures it remains a powerhouse in the ad ecosystem, all while giving the impression of forward momentum on privacy.
Tom Sheppard, GM of data & technology, Atomic 212°
Irrespective of the announcement we urge brands to continue to collect and develop 1st party data with the view to develop robust strategies to improve marketing performance and measurement capabilities. Don’t lose the momentum you have built up now.
Geoffroy Martin, CEO, Ogury
Advertising identifiers have already been phased out from Safari and Firefox, they are shrinking overtime on Chrome as well, and 50 per cent of traffic on the open internet doesn’t have cookies. As a result, advertisers are already experiencing a decrease in cookie availability for their campaigns, while heightened demand is driving up prices.
The reality is our industry is at a decisive turning point in the protection of consumer data, and this shift began long before Google made the decision to deploy the Privacy Sandbox.
With all the above in mind, advertisers should not view Google’s announcement as an opportunity to postpone their move to solutions that are not exclusively relying on Third party identifiers. It’s pointless for our industry to cling to a model that is doomed to disappear. Rather, it’s time for advertisers to invest in alternative solutions which allow them to scale independently of future industry decisions, while prioritising consumer privacy.
Laura Kleiman, strategic partnerships manager, Bench Media
Brands, agencies, and even data vendors are breathing a sigh of relief that we can press pause on the doom-tinged cookieless alarm clock – even if for a few days. But definitely, the work is not done. We know Chrome makes up the majority of browser market share but nowhere near all of it, and marketing decisions should not live and die on Google’s word.
There is an impending inevitable shift towards a more privacy-conscious digital landscape in Australia and brands still face that pivotal choice – adapt to new privacy and cookieless standards that have already infiltrated users across Safari and Firefox browsers, or stay left behind in a changing market. Advertisers and marketers must innovate and explore new strategies that prioritise consumer consent and data privacy compliance.
Even while Google scratches their heads over what the next solution would look like, the future of digital advertising hinges on adapting to evolving privacy regulations and developing alternative tracking technologies that respect user privacy while meeting advertisers’ needs.
Chris Hogg, chief revenue officer, Lotame
Google may no longer be ending third-party cookies by its own hand, but the slow march of progress will still see them rendered obsolete sooner or later. Users and regulators are increasingly privacy-focused and, given cookies will be “opt-in” across the board, there will still be a need for other signals to fill the gaps — especially across channels where cookies are long gone or were never present to begin with.
The fate of third-party cookies will be as a small part of an ever-expanding array of data points, becoming less relevant over time as more privacy-first, platform-agnostic solutions evolve. No one that wishes to remain competitive should think they can take their foot off the pedal of first-party data collection and strategic data collaboration.
Angela Hampton & David Kennedy-Cosgrove, managing partners, WiredCo.
There’s two sides to this story. After years of uncertainty, performance marketers will be relieved that its business as usual in a data rich world. On the other side, for brand marketers, a cookie-less future did present an opportunity to liberate brands from a performance and data addicted world by reaching broader audiences.
It does leave one question slightly unanswered, if the Cookie Apocalypse was brought in as an answer to privacy – which many other platforms like Apple have run with – and GDPR, then what now? They’ve made some hints about a new experience in Chrome that lets the user choose, but let’s see.”
For us, nothing really changes – it’s always been about ‘brandformance’ at WiredCo. We’ll continue to focus on wiring the science of performance marketing, with the power of broad reach brand building to help inform, enhance and achieve growth for our clients.
John Phung, head of data & analytics, G Squared
Third-party cookies are an outdated and increasingly ineffective technology. Cookies often fall short in accurately measuring and reporting marketing effectiveness. Their limitations in cross-device tracking and precise user identification make them less reliable for comprehensive attribution and targeting. Google’s decision to retain cookies, despite their known flaws, appears to be a step backward rather than a move towards innovative solutions.
It provides a less than confidence relief for digital marketers and the martech industry but also highlights the inadequacies of relying on an outdated technology. While it ensures continuity and stability, it delays the necessary evolution towards more advanced, privacy-friendly solutions. Google has acknowledged that the best option is to give consumers the choice, but will they find the choice easily if that’s not really the option?
Ronny Raichura, managing director, Impressive
The news is a huge sigh of relief I imagine for those advertisers that were unprepared for this – which I imagine is a hell of a lot of them. Common sense has prevailed here, as it was a completely unworkable solution. As a result, any temporary data loss of cookie deprecation has been mitigated and advertisers can breathe easier knowing that cookies remain a short term solution to ensure measurement of their campaigns stay intact.
Regardless of this news, as the world is increasingly cross-device and fragmented, in Australia we’ve been getting our clients ready for a cookieless environment by utilising first party data to optimise and measure campaigns for a good while now. We will continue with this approach using the most future-proofed technology – but it’s nice to now have more time without the spectre of the cookie apocalypse looming large.
Ben Cicchetti, SVP of marketing & communications, InfoSum
Google’s announcement doesn’t change the fact that third-party cookies remain bad for consumer privacy. We already operate in a largely cookieless ecosystem, and any comprehensive media strategy must therefore account for numerous cookie-free environments, including display advertising on Safari and Firefox and emerging channels like CTV, retail media, and gaming platforms.
Forward-thinking organisations will continue to innovate and adopt privacy-focused approaches to data use and advertising. First-party data remains the cornerstone for advertisers seeking to reach consumers with the right message at the right moment, while media owners need it to serve relevant advertising to their audiences.
Paul Hewett, CEO, In Marketing We Trust
Google said it’s introducing a “new experience in Chrome” that will allow users to make more informed decisions about their browsing and ad targeting, and they can adjust as they go.
84 per cent of Australians want more control and choice over the collection and use of their personal information, and just 32 per cent feel in control of their data and privacy, according to the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner. So while Google giving users more choice is a good thing, it shouldn’t change what we as marketers need to still do in order to protect as well as target our customers.
Google believes its Privacy Sandbox has protected its users enough while ensuring advertisers can target their audiences.
“We developed the Privacy Sandbox with the goal of finding innovative solutions that meaningfully improve online privacy while preserving an ad-supported internet that supports a vibrant ecosystem of publishers, connects businesses with customers, and offers all of us free access to a wide range of content…
“Early testing from ad tech companies, including Google, has indicated that the Privacy Sandbox APIs have the potential to achieve these outcomes. And we expect that overall performance using Privacy Sandbox APIs will improve over time as industry adoption increases. At the same time, we recognize this transition requires significant work by many participants and will have an impact on publishers, advertisers, and everyone involved in online advertising.”
To make this solution work, advertisers need to embrace Privacy Sandbox APIs, including Google’s Topic API, Protected Audience API and Attribution Reporting API, as well as other privacy solutions from Google, including Consent Mode V2 and Behavioral Modeling in Google Analytics 4, and Enhanced Conversion, Consent Mode and Conversion Modeling in Google Ads.
This announcement from Google essentially means users have more choice over their data. It remains to be seen whether users will opt out of cookies or not. If Consent Mode is anything to go by, we could see huge differences by country and location.
For example, for one of our clients, we saw that 15 per cent of users in Austria opted out, while 40 per cent of users in Germany opted out of cookies. This difference can have a huge impact on your data and data-driven decisions.
The data privacy landscape is rapidly evolving. And while this announcement from Google may make some advertisers breathe a sigh of relief, data privacy will continue to evolve in favour of the consumer. It makes sense to comply to the highest global standards of data privacy, such as the GDPR. Simultaneously, the coming announcement from the Australian Government on the upcoming privacy reforms, show that marketers still need to act fast to comply with stricter regulations. This announcement from Google is certainly not a stop sign.
---
## EPSILON: LEADERS ON FIRST PERSON DATA, PERSONALISATION & WHY CLOSED LOOP MEASUREMENT MATTERS
Type: eps_post
URL: /epsilon-leaders-on-wastage-personalisation-why-closed-loop-measurement-matters
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# EPSILON: LEADERS ON FIRST PERSON DATA, PERSONALISATION & WHY CLOSED LOOP MEASUREMENT MATTERS
Epsilon is on a mission to eliminate wastage and improve how brands personalise and measure their marketing activity. That was the key message at a recent Epsilon dinner event held at Cannes in Cairns hosted by B&T editor Tom Fogden.
More than 25 guests attended a beer tasting session and dinner at Hemingway’s Brewery in Cairns to learn about some of the pressing issues that are challenging marketers.
Epsilon sales director of digital media Jessica Samson-Doel opened the session by pointing out some common concerns of clients.
“It’s about being more efficient, doing more with less, being able to prove that what you’re doing is working, and being able to activate first party data,” Samson-Doel told a room packed full of guests.
“At the centre of everything we do is data and identity. It’s about helping brands activate, whether that’s across digital media, personalised ads, on site personalisation, e-commerce, or retail media monetisation.”
Samson-Doel pointed out another concerning stat – that seven in 10 marketers do not feel adequately prepared for a ‘cookieless world’, even though at least 50 per cent of web traffic in Australia occurs on browsers that have already switched off third-party cookies, such as Apple’s Safari and Mozilla’s Firefox.
“Lucky for them, it keeps getting delayed by Google, but they’re already feeling the challenges with Safari and iOS.”
Epsilon leaders warn that it’s not just the deprecation of cookies that marketers should be aware of when it comes to tracking consumers online.
Rob Odd, the Regional CEO of Epsilon, said: “Brands and retailers have a huge opportunity if they can package up their data in the right way. This can drive not only revenue, but – more importantly – drive performance.”
The Epsilon Dinner and Brewery Tour, Cairns.
Epsilon has north of 120 staff across the ANZ region – which it has from a handful a four years ago – and 9,000 globally. It advises brands on how to get the most out of their data, whether it’s targeting customers and personalising ads, and accurately measuring and optimising the effectiveness of campaigns.
Epsilon, a silver sponsor at this year’s Cannes in Cairns, works with some of Australia’s largest retailers and brands to maximise their marketing effectiveness and efficiency in a closed-loop reporting ecosystem.
This allows brands to measure and track how their campaigns are performing and to optimise them in real-time using an incremental measurement solution using qualified identity markers, rather than rudimentary metrics such as return on ad spend (ROAS).
Another point of difference from its competitive set is that Epsilon looks at measurement incrementally and is accredited with the Media Ratings Council that allows it to correlate outcomes.
For example, its tech can match whether someone that has been served an ad impression then makes a purchase, whether that is in-store or online. Epsilon validates this using independent third-party verification – a far cry from the Wild West days of last click attribution.
But it’s not just a performance, measurement, and transparency play. Using this closed loop approach with rich data can help marketers retain and attract customers.
“It’s about giving the customer a better and more relevant experience,” said Odd. “If you understand your customer better, then you can start targeting those attributes to new customers. There’s no point targeting new customers without understanding what you’re looking for in the first place.
“So, retention is always a great place to start, because you can learn so much from your existing client base, then utilise that and new customers.
This helps to avoid a major concern with alarming levels of wastage in digital advertising.
“It’s been the same story for three or four years now. On average $4 out of $10 spent on digital media is wasted,” said Shane Hanby, managing director ANZ, Epsilon.
“I put this down to a lack of personalised experiences. Advertisers are commonly talking to consumers that have already purchased their products, or even worse they are offering the same recently purchased product at a lower price point. If we treat everyone the same, this can create a negative affiliation with the brand itself and doesn’t encourage lifetime customer loyalty.”
Here are three questions marketers should be asking about their agency and ad tech partners digital media and first-person data personalisation strategy:
1. How are you capturing zero- and first-party data to assist for life after cookies?
2. How are you ensuring you are compliant and up to date with data regulatory changes?
3. How do you measure success, taking into consideration incrementality, and validating what partners are driving revenue/conversions?
---
## Retail media best practices: The benefits of an evolving strategy for retailers
Type: eps_post
URL: /retail-media-best-practices-the-benefits-of-an-evolving-strategy-for-retailers
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Retail media best practices: The benefits of an evolving strategy for retailers
Retail media in Australia is accelerating in adoption and reach as more retailers and brands discover the opportunity for data-driven, timely promotional messages targeting shoppers at key points along their path to purchase.
The key reason for the strong growth is that consumers are responding to those messages, and the entire retail media ecosystem enables the measurement of responses, proving the power of the platform and its value compared with the traditional scattergun approaches of advertising and marketing.
A leader in Australia’s retail media landscape is an international company, Epsilon Retail Media, which counts the nation’s two largest grocery retail businesses among its long list of retail clients.
For those not yet in the know, a powerful retail media network leverages a retailer’s assets, particularly data, to create unique customer interactions and allow brands to reach the right customers with the right message at the right time. As Rob Odd, regional CEO of Epsilon, told Inside Retail recently, connecting various channels — on-site, off-site, and in-store — to a customer ID ensures consistent and contextually relevant communication throughout the entire purchase journey, no matter where the customer is.
Epsilon’s senior VP of sales operations, Jennifer Garner, and director of business development, Oliver Morton, now share some of the best practices retailers should follow to build out retail media platforms – and some of the pitfalls to avoid.
The clearest, most obvious benefit of implementing a retail media network is increased revenue – for the retailer and its brand partners, explains Morton. However, if those partners – along with customers – are not brought on board with equal focus and priority, the execution stands to fail.
“If you are just looking at the retailer’s goals in isolation to the brand’s goals and the customer’s goals, then you are not going to create a truly holistic retail media program.”
Understanding customers is at the heart of what Epsilon does, along with making sure that value is continually being delivered to retailers, brands and customers alike.
Partnerships are critical, Garner continues. “It’s more than being just a vendor, or just a retailer, or just a client. You have got to partner together to grow because each retailer is different, so if we were to adopt a cookie-cutter approach to every single retailer, we would not be able to deliver value to them.”
Garner says communication is essential to building strong relationships between the three core partners.
Epsilon’s team talks to retailers and brands to ensure they know the problems they are trying to solve, thus aiding the evolution of a shared solution.
How to get started
Retailers considering building out a retail media network need to adopt patience – and be very clear on what they want to achieve, advises Garner.
“When you are looking to kick off new initiatives or take something to the next level, be really clear and articulate on what the goal is, then start small and expand and iterate. Because if you try and boil that ocean or aim for perfection at the outset, you are not going to get going. You have got to start carefully, iterate, learn quickly, fail fast, and make changes that respond to your business needs.”
She and Morton advocate that retailers who get this right select around 40 top-performing brands across their retail channels to onboard first that are willing to try out new things and will unlock a lot of great case studies that retailers can show to other brands to prove the network is effective. Then focus first on a six to 12-month education program with active discussion over objectives, strategies and implementation. Epsilon’s platform allows retailers to manage it themselves – as Woolworths and Coles do – or have Epsilon manage it for them, so education is critical in those early months.
From a technical perspective, the implementation of a new retail media network offering usually takes eight to 12 weeks but can sometimes be set up significantly faster. A key component often overlooked is business onboarding – in other words, the go-to-market strategy or getting advertiser brands on board. The pair describe this as a crucial phase that cannot be rushed, as it is critical to explain to a brand why it should commit to your retail media network rather than a rival’s.
Garner says implementing a retail media network is not a silver bullet. “As a business, you have to invest time into it to make it successful. And then it will start to become a self-perpetuating revenue stream for you, where you don’t necessarily need to dedicate as much time to it.”
Tech costs are deterring retailers from retail media. They shouldn’t be
Recent research conducted for Epsilon revealed that 50 per cent of retailers believe that expanding their retail media network is challenging due to technology costs, staffing limitations and difficulties developing partnerships. Within that group, 75 per cent were concerned about the costs of the technology or supplier management, and 71 per cent about both developing or expanding their first-party data assets or the challenge of data security. Others faced staff resourcing limitations to scale technology and operations or a lack of resources to sell media space to brand partners.
Morton says retailers need not be deterred by such issues, all of which are easily addressed. He advocates starting out with a “simple yet significant offering” and then working on scaling that up bit by bit so as to demonstrate effectiveness and prove growth within one media channel before moving on to others.
“A phased approach will help. Pick your battles so as not to boil the ocean, and that will help keep your tech costs down. Choose a partner that can help you with staffing, so you’re not doing it alone.”
As retail media technology has advanced rapidly over the past several years, retailers are changing the way they engage with technology providers. Traditionally, retailers had to engage with a new supplier for every new channel or capability they wanted to introduce, which inevitably led to a very complex tech stack. “We are seeing a growing trend from retailers on how they can simplify this tech stack, which has several obvious advantages such as improved data fidelity, reduced costs, improved operational efficiencies, and reduced overall complexity,” said Garner.
Going for an experienced retail media supplier helps address staffing limitations as well. “Having a partner that is along for the ride to hold your hand and help you see success comes into play around self-service versus managed service. Having a managed service component that can work with you or your partners helps you grow without having to increase your staffing exponentially.”
Internal alignment pays dividends
Another critical factor in developing a successful retail media network is getting all the internal team members on board. Retail media’s roots date back to the merchandising fees brands would pay for their products to be displayed in premium positions in stores. That has tended to result in some retailers assigning the whole expanded concept to their merchandising teams.
Morton and Garner say it is vital that retailers get internal alignment across their category management, marketing, and e-commerce teams. “Creating and being a united front on this is going to drive value for you, and that creates brand trust as well,” he says.
“When I think about the most successful retailers that we’ve seen out there, there is a really strong alignment with category management,” adds Garner. “So the people who own those supplier relationships on a day-to-day level – whether that’s your merchandising in stores, or the activity that they’re doing across radio or print, the catalogue and retail media, whatever it might be – they have got to have a great alignment so that everyone understands the value being delivered.”
Retailers need to ensure all teams understand that retail media drives value and can deliver income and successful brand relationships for the retailer.
“Making sure that the people who are involved in it day-to-day are aligned and can see that value is paramount. So communication is always necessary in these scenarios.”
Learn more about Epsilon’s retail media solution for retailers here.
---
## The next generation of owned-channel messaging is person-first
Type: eps_post
URL: /owned-channel-messaging-person-first
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# The next generation of owned-channel messaging is person-first
"Hello, [name.]"
Remember when that used to feel personal? In the early days of email marketing, seeing your name in a subject line was eye-catching. "How are they doing that?" we asked ourselves as we clicked through to the message inside.
Then that method became mundane, so brands incorporated more personalization. And more. And more. Brands have added onto their email platforms continually, attempting to personalize every pixel of the email to stand out in an increasingly crowded inbox.
But the fact of the matter is, we've reached a tipping point: The email technological foundations themselves can no longer meet the needs of brands and consumers alike. Recent Epsilon research shows just how much consumer demand for personalization within the email and text/SMS messages they receive from brands is growing—and how much they don't care to be over-messaged.
It's time to revisit the foundations of our email marketing solutions and instead move more toward cross-channel engagement solutions, learning from previous generations of email marketing to create a more consumer-centric future. The next generation of email marketing is person-first—seamlessly messaging consumers across all their many devices and accounts, with the kind of messaging experience they truly want.
Here's what it looks like to put identity first in owned-channel messaging.
Person-first identity at the core
These days, more than ever, consumers live fragmented digital lives. In the United States, more than 200 million adults have, on average, more than four active email addresses and multiple devices.
The problem this leads to for marketers is a lack of visibility: Is johndoe@email.com the same person as jdoe74@message.com? What about devices? This is where person-first identity comes in.
Person-first, consistent identity allows brands to recognize individuals between their various accounts and device IDs with individual customer IDs. Essentially this means creating a unified, comprehensive view of your customers, which allows you to personalize to them most accurately. Plus, in a world in which we are moving beyond third-party identifiers, having these resilient individual-level customer IDs is especially important.
On top of this, person-first identity can resolve online signals from customers–in addition to accounts and device IDs. With this, brands can understand who specifically is doing what on their owned channels, so they can react accordingly, and message users they know but that just aren't authenticated on their website in that moment.
Orchestrating seamless customer experiences
The value of person-first identity is that it allows brands to speak to customers seamlessly across all their channels and devices, maintaining one consistent conversation. This is important, because our research found that nearly three-fourths (71%) of respondents said that excessive brand messaging for both email and text/SMS is their top gripe with the owned-channel communications they receive.
Brands can avoid over-messaging consumers when they can recognize them accurately, wherever they are, and whenever they want to engage. Instead of emailing John Doe the same message across his various email accounts, brands can send John one email, review his response, send him an appropriate text/SMS message, and continue the conversation naturally between each touch. This is how conversations naturally take place; personalization is grounded in listening and responding, based on consumers' true behaviors and engagements.
Person-first identity within cross-channel engagement solutions allows marketers to deliver relevant messages that are tailored to individuals—not just audience segments—with a single voice seamlessly across email, SMS/MMS and mobile push. This means real-time, relevant messaging that flows naturally across channels and builds over time.
Meeting consumer demand
As the digital landscape and consumer preferences continue to evolve, so too must our approach to email and cross-channel marketing. Personalization can no longer be a bolt-on feature; it must be ingrained in the architecture of our platforms. By prioritizing person-first identity and consistent messaging, brands can optimally connect with consumers across all devices and channels. This shift not only meets the growing demand for personalized interactions, but also respects the consumer's desire for meaningful, well-timed messages.
When it comes to owned-channel communications, it’s time to step back and reevaluate our strategies, focusing on building robust, identity-centric foundations for our cross-channel engagement platforms. By doing so, we can craft seamless and relevant experiences that can foster better brand affinity (which our research shows drives higher engagement) and lasting brand-customer relationships.
It's time to officially say, "Goodbye, [first-generation email platforms]."
This article was originally published on Adweek, September 2024.
---
## How to use AI for marketing: A comprehensive guide
Type: eps_post
URL: /how-to-use-ai-for-marketing
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T22:16:49Z
# How to use AI for marketing: A comprehensive guide
Artificial intelligence (AI) is revolutionizing the marketing landscape, offering innovative solutions to optimize strategies and enhance customer experiences. This guide examines how artificial intelligence (AI) might revolutionize your marketing initiatives, offering helpful advice and doable methods for making the most of this powerful technology.
How do digital marketers use AI?
Digital marketers are increasingly turning to AI to drive efficiency and effectiveness in their strategies. From automating routine tasks to gaining deeper insights into customer behavior, AI is becoming an integral part of modern marketing practices. According to SurveyMonkey research, increasing the adoption of AI is a top goal for 48% of marketing teams in 2024.
To learn more about preparing for data-driven marketing strategies, check out Epsilon's blog on AI marketing preparation.
The benefits of AI in marketing
AI brings numerous benefits to marketing, enhancing both the efficiency of operations and the effectiveness of campaigns. Here’s a closer look at the key advantages:
Data-driven insights
AI can analyze vast amounts of data to uncover insights that would be impossible to detect manually. By processing large datasets quickly, AI helps marketers understand trends and customer preferences with greater accuracy and act on insights in real time. For instance, AI algorithms can identify emerging patterns in consumer behavior, enabling more targeted marketing strategies. Read more here about how data-driven strategies should be a priority.
Enhanced personalization at scale
AI allows for high-level customization of marketing messages and content based on individual customer data. This personalization boosts engagement and conversion rates by delivering relevant content tailored to each user’s interests. For example, a study done by Experian, found that personalized email campaigns powered by AI can achieve 2.5 times higher click through rates and generate 6 times more sales.
Reduced response times
AI-driven automation can significantly reduce response times in customer service. Chatbots and virtual assistants provide instant responses to customer queries, enhancing satisfaction and freeing up human agents for more complex issues. This quick resolution improves overall customer experience and loyalty.
Better customer experience
AI enhances the customer journey through personalized interactions and anticipatory service. By predicting customer needs and preferences, AI helps brands deliver timely and relevant experiences, leading to higher satisfaction and retention rates. Read more on why customer experience is vital as a marketer, here.
Maximized speed and efficiency
AI automates repetitive tasks, such as data entry and campaign monitoring, which maximizes speed and efficiency in marketing operations. This automation allows marketing teams to focus on strategic initiatives and creative tasks, driving overall productivity.
Cost savings
AI contributes to cost savings by optimizing marketing spend and reducing operational expenses. AI tools can analyze campaign performance in real-time, allowing for adjustments that minimize wasted budget and enhance cost-effectiveness.
Increased ROI
AI enhances return on investment by optimizing marketing campaigns and resources. With real-time data analysis and adaptive algorithms, AI ensures that marketing strategies are continuously refined for better performance and higher ROI.
How to leverage AI in marketing
Integrating AI into your marketing strategy involves several key steps. In an Epsilon study, they found that “marketers are pressured to deliver unique and personalized experiences on a dime”,so here’s how to make the most of AI in various marketing functions:
Enhanced data interpretation
AI excels at interpreting vast data sets quickly, providing actionable insights that can optimize strategies and decision-making processes. These tools can help marketers understand customer behavior and preferences more effectively.
Streamlined content generation
AI can assist in drafting initial marketing content, from social media updates to complex articles. While generative AI tools can provide a solid foundation, it's essential to remember that they're most effective when paired with predictive AI. Predictive AI helps identify your target audience, their preferences, and the optimal timing for content delivery. By combining these two approaches, you can create more relevant and engaging content that resonates with your audience.
Efficiency in administrative tasks
AI automates routine tasks such as scheduling and managing communications. This automation streamlines administrative processes, allowing marketers to focus on strategic and creative work.
Customized user experiences
AI analyzes user data to deliver personalized content and interactions. For instance, AI algorithms can recommend products based on previous purchases or browsing history, enhancing engagement and satisfaction.
Sophisticated media purchasing
AI-driven tools optimize media buying by analyzing data to select the most effective channels and times for ad placements. This ensures that marketing budgets are spent efficiently, maximizing reach and ROI.
Innovative chatbot interactions
Advanced AI chatbots provide tailored customer support and engagement. They learn from interactions to continuously improve service, offering more relevant and accurate responses over time.
Optimized email marketing
AI can tailor email marketing efforts based on user behavior analytics. By analyzing open rates, click-through rates, and other metrics, AI helps create highly targeted email campaigns that drive conversions.
Predictive analytics for consumer behavior
AI uses past data to predict the actions of customers and the results of campaigns in the future. Marketers are able to improve strategic planning and take preemptive measures because to this predictive capability. In our recent blog, How marketers can leverage the 'art and science' power of generative and predictive AI, "Predictive AI helps marketers decide whom to reach, where to reach them, when to reach them and what to say to predict the most successful outcome." By harnessing the power of predictive analytics, businesses can optimize their marketing efforts and deliver more personalized and effective campaigns.
Elevated customer journeys
AI enriches the customer experience by ensuring interactions are relevant and personalized. This approach leads to higher conversion rates and customer loyalty.
AI-Powered marketing: How to design a winning strategy
To design an effective AI-powered marketing strategy, follow these steps:
Identifyyour marketing goals
Set realistic and measurable goals for AI-driven marketing efforts. Align these goals with your overall business objectives to ensure that AI initiatives support your broader strategy.
Choose your AI framework
Select the right AI technologies that fit your marketing needs. Consider factors such as scalability, cost, and technical support when choosing AI tools and platforms.
Review and optimize regularly
Continually monitor AI systems and make adjustments based on performance data and changing market conditions. Regular optimization ensures that your AI tools remain effective and aligned with your goals.
Measure success with KPIs and metrics
Use key performance indicators (KPIs) and metrics to measure the effectiveness of AI in your marketing efforts. Track metrics such as conversion rates, ROI, and customer satisfaction to refine your strategies and achieve better outcomes.
Conclusion
AI is transforming marketing by offering advanced tools and insights that enhance efficiency, personalization, and ROI. Epsilon’s data-driven marketing solutions can help you leverage AI to achieve superior results and drive business growth. Explore Epsilon’s digital marketing services to discover how AI can elevate your marketing strategies and deliver real business outcomes.
---
## How to maximize incremental profitability
Type: eps_post
URL: /incremental-profitability
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# How to maximize incremental profitability
"Incremental revenue" and "profitability" aren't sexy terms." But, of course, they are key metrics to understand the success of your campaigns, initiatives and overall business.
In this article, we'll define incremental revenue and incremental profitability and then highlight tips for maximizing your efforts.
What is incremental revenue?
Revenue is the money your business generates through regular operations. Incremental revenue is the additional money you make from increased sales or production. This metric can help businesses understand the return on investment (ROI) and the impact of new products, marketing campaigns, pricing strategies or other business development efforts.
To calculate incremental revenue, subtract your baseline revenue from your new revenue within a given period. This shows the change in revenue based on a decision, action or campaign.
Incremental revenue formula = new sales - baseline sales
Incremental margins, on the other hand, show how changes in sales volume impact your profits (or revenue after factoring in costs). It specifically shows the profit made from selling an additional unit and helps brands understand the profitability of additional sales.
Incremental revenue and incremental margin help businesses make smart decisions and understand the effectiveness of targeted marketing campaigns.
What is incremental profitability?
While similar, incremental revenue and incremental profitability are different concepts. Incremental revenue is additional earnings without factoring in cost; incremental profitability is the additional profit—revenue minus expenses—linked to a specific decision or activity, like a marketing initiative. Understanding this metric helps marketers evaluate the effectiveness of their work and assess the impact of specific changes on the overall business profits.
To calculate incremental profitability, subtract the incremental cost from the incremental revenue.
Incremental profit formula = incremental revenue - incremental cost
The relationship between incremental margin and incremental profitability lies in their shared focus on analyzing the impact of changes in revenue and costs on overall profitability. Calculating incremental margin allows you to assess how efficiently you're generating profits from increased sales volume, which directly influences incremental profitability and overall financial health.
5 tips for maximizing incremental profitability
Now that you understand what these terms mean—and why they are vital metrics for marketers—let's discuss a few ways to maximize your incremental profitability.
Identify and focus on high-margin products or services
You always want to know which of your products or services have the highest margin or the most revenue with the lowest expenses. Then, you can work to prioritize those products to maximize incremental profitability through:
Resource allocation: Choose your budget and resources toward products with the highest margins to maximize returns.
Optimization of marketing strategies: When you know which products are most profitable and what customers are most likely to purchase, you can maximize the ROI of your marketing efforts.
Decision-making: Knowing your most (and least) profitable products allows the entire organization to make better decisions. Rather than throwing resources at a low-margin offering or discounting to the point of a loss, understanding your incremental revenue, profitability and margins allows the team to forecast and drive results effectively.
In short, knowing these metrics helps leaders know where to focus their efforts for maximum outcomes.
Continuously analyze and optimize pricing strategies
Incremental profitability helps you analyze and optimize pricing strategies by providing insights into the true impact of pricing decisions on the company's bottom line. Again, if you know your products' margins, you can more confidently set or raise prices, build discounting strategies and increase overall revenue and profits.
Additionally, by evaluating the incremental profitability of different pricing strategies, brands can optimize pricing models to ensure that each product or service contributes positively to your overall profitability.
Create a pricing strategy schedule to ensure you regularly check in on margins, profits and prices.
Streamline operations to reduce costs and increase efficiency
While revenue is all about sales, profitability is just as much about controlling costs. You can even increase your margins by finding ways to reduce expenses and increase efficiency within production.
By understanding your metrics, you can see where opportunities lie.
Brands can streamline costs by allocating resources intelligently, streamlining production processes and prioritizing high ROI activities. However, you may also choose to discontinue certain high-cost products or change the product to use more cost-effective materials.
Explore new revenue streams or markets for expansion
Incremental profitability can provide insights—and potential financial impacts—to support exploring new revenue streams or markets. By understanding the incremental profitability of new products, services or market expansions, brands can assess the potential additional profit generated from these ventures.
This analysis helps in making informed decisions about your products. Focusing on high-margin opportunities that contribute positively to overall profitability can help you prioritize the most lucrative areas for business expansion.
Implement cross-selling and upselling strategies
Another opportunity exists in increasing customer value through cross-selling or upselling. When your existing customer base increases their spend, you will see increased revenue and profitability without adding new products or decreasing costs.
Generally, you'll prioritize high-margin products in your up or cross-sell tactics. But be sure to only offer products that will provide additional value to the customer or align with what the customer has already—or historically—purchased.
This requires a modern marketing tech stack and customer data platform (CDP) that understands your customers and prospects as individuals across platforms and channels.
Boost your business with Epsilon
To create effective marketing campaigns that focus on high-margin products and upsell opportunities, you need to truly know your customers and prospects and be able to reach them online and off.
Epsilon Retail Media helps you maximize your reach while protecting your budget. Once you understand your incremental revenue and profitability, use Epsilon Retail Media to drive meaningful business outcomes.
---
## Shopper centricity: 5 key takeaways from Groceryshop 2024
Type: eps_post
URL: /groceryshop-takeaways
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Shopper centricity: 5 key takeaways from Groceryshop 2024
At Groceryshop 2024, the conversation centered on one key theme: the shopper. As grocery retail evolves in the face of technological innovation, consumer behavior shifts and the continued rise of retail media, the industry’s success depends on how well it can keep shoppers at the heart of every decision. From AI-driven personalization to the seamless blending of online and in-store experiences, the message was clear—grocery retail must continue to become more shopper-centric, meeting the customer wherever they are. As Carla Vernon, CEO of The Honest Company, said at the conference, "Every need you have as a person, you're a different consumer."
Here’s a recap of the key takeaways from this year’s event and how they’re transforming grocery through a lens of shopper centricity.
Omnichannel innovation: Meeting shoppers where they are
At Groceryshop, it was clear that the future of grocery lies in the ability to meet shoppers wherever they choose to shop—whether online, in-store or across multiple touchpoints. Technologies like digital shelf tags with QR codes for instant coupon clipping are bridging the gap between the physical and digital realms, allowing shoppers to engage with brands in real time.
As revealed in the session "Technologies Enabling Retail Media and Personalized Marketing," this type of in-store innovation is bringing greater value to shoppers by making the experience more convenient and personalized. With 80% of purchases still happening in-store, creating omnichannel experiences that blend digital convenience with the in-store experience is key to maintaining a shopper-first approach.
Retail media’s complexity: Shopper insights drive success
As retail media grows in complexity, the challenge for brands and retailers is to keep the shopper journey simple and personalized. At Groceryshop, many thought leaders stressed the importance of data transparency and collaboration between brands and retailers. By working together, both sides can gain deeper insights into shopper behavior, creating more effective marketing campaigns and improving personalization.
One of the key takeaways from the event was that personalization efforts are now being welcomed by shoppers, who appreciate more tailored experiences. Retailers that can provide a unified view of the shopper through clean data and seamless omnichannel interactions will be best positioned to win in this competitive landscape.
AI and data: Personalizing the shopper experience
AI took center stage at Groceryshop 2024. By putting the shopper first, AI-powered tools like semantic demand forecasting are offering more relevant product recommendations, while dynamic pricing ensures that customers are always seeing the best possible prices in real time.
In markets like the Netherlands, Ahold is already using AI to update prices every 15 minutes, catering to consumer preferences and ensuring better supplier ROI. These innovations demonstrate how brands are adapting to increasingly frequent shopper visits both in-store and online, making the experience as seamless and personalized as possible.
However, maintaining a shopper-first approach means more than just technological advancements—it’s about balancing these tools with ethical data practices. Speakers emphasized that privacy must be at the forefront of any AI-driven strategy, ensuring that shoppers’ data is used transparently and responsibly.
Retail media: Creating real value for the shopper
Retail media is rapidly becoming one of the most powerful tools for engaging shoppers, with brands and retailers alike investing heavily in retail media networks. By leveraging shopper data and insights, retail media offers highly targeted ads that are more relevant and less intrusive, enhancing the shopper experience rather than disrupting it.
The conversations at Groceryshop emphasized the importance of closed-loop attribution in retail media, enabling brands to measure how well their ads resonate with shoppers and adjust their campaigns in real time. By maintaining a focus on shopper centricity, retail media networks are not just a revenue stream—they’re a tool for creating more personalized, valuable shopping experiences.
Shopper behavior: Loyalty through personalization
Understanding shopper behavior has become critical to building lasting loyalty. Groceryshop 2024 highlighted that digitally engaged shoppers tend to spend more, and brands are responding by investing in mobile apps and loyalty programs designed to increase engagement. The session "Embracing New Consumer Habits and Preferences" noted that emotionally engaging shoppers through personalized experiences encourages them to spend more, further demonstrating the power of personalization in today’s grocery landscape.
Sam’s Club shared insights on its exclusive Members Mark, an initiative inspired by Costco’s private-label strategy. By offering products designed specifically for members, Sam’s Club is building deeper relationships with its most loyal customers, meeting their needs with greater precision. This shift toward shopper-centric private label offerings reflects a broader trend in the industry, wherein personalization is becoming the key to retaining loyal customers.
Shopper centricity: The way forward
The overarching theme of Groceryshop 2024 was that the future of grocery retail is shopper-centric. Whether through AI-driven personalization, retail media innovation or omnichannel strategies, the goal remains the same: delivering value to the shopper. By focusing on convenience, personalization and relevance, grocery brands can create experiences that not only meet, but also exceed shopper expectations.
As the industry continues to evolve, those who prioritize shopper centricity will be the ones leading the charge. Whether it’s through real-time personalization, seamless shopping experiences or responsible use of data, putting the shopper first is the key to success in the modern grocery landscape.
---
## Three reasons retailers should focus on identifying shoppers this holiday season
Type: eps_post
URL: /holiday-shopper-identity
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Three reasons retailers should focus on identifying shoppers this holiday season
It’s no secret that the holiday season is critically important for retailers. NRF reports that the winter holiday season (November and December) represents an average of nearly one-fifth of total retail sales.
And even with lingering economic concerns, experts predict US holiday retail sales will grow 4.8% this year, compared to last year’s 3.8%. Certain non-discretionary categories are projected to grow even more, partly because price-conscious consumers are prioritizing essential spending. For example, eMarketer predicts 9.4% year-over-year growth for US holiday retail sales in the food and beverage category.
“The holidays are also the most competitive and active time for retailers and brands,” says Austin Leonard, Epsilon’s Senior Vice President of Business Development for Retail Media. “For that reason, it’s crucial to have the tech and strategy that can handle the high volume of data coming in and actually put it to good use.”
Your shoppers are out there, and so is the data needed to reach them—all of them. To maximize reach and revenue during the holiday season, retailers should focus not just on selling to known shoppers, but also on increasing the number of known, reachable customers in their audience. This is crucial for your own marketing efforts and for your brand partners to use with retail media.
The challenge retailers face
It’s notoriously difficult to accurately identify in-store customers and turn them into an addressable audience. And despite the growth of e-commerce, a whopping 80% of all shopping still happens in stores. Unlike e-commerce transactions, in-store sales don’t automatically come with customer data that can be linked to a digital profile or loyalty account, so it can be hard to identify those customers and build strong relationships with them.
The rise of mobile proximity payments, like Apple Pay and Google Pay, adds to this challenge. When customers pay via mobile wallet, retailers can’t always tie the transaction to a customer in their file. According to eMarketer, 39.3% of the US population will use mobile proximity payments in 2024—a figure that is forecasted to grow to 50% by 2028. Can you imagine not being able to identify and market to almost 40% of your transactions?
Identifying these shoppers is an intimidating challenge, but not an impossible one. Here are three reasons retailers should turn their focus toward expanding their addressable audience and identifying more in-store shoppers this holiday season.
1. Unlock more shoppers (and their wallets) for advertisers
On their own, retailers rely on data from their CRM and loyalty programs, and, as mentioned above, these sources often fail to capture a significant portion of in-store shoppers. Also, what little data is captured is often fragmented, making it harder to measure and optimize campaign performance.
When retailers can identify and address all shoppers, it's not only a win for their own marketing efforts. Advertisers can scale campaigns based on high-quality first-party data and achieve a more unified view of customers.
“The promise of retail media is that it can help advertisers connect with all of their shoppers,” says Leonard. “If retailers can deliver on that promise, they can continue to grow their relationships with their advertiser partners.”
2. Achieve stronger, more accurate attribution
When retailers can accurately and completely identify their shoppers and connect them to all digital touch points, they gain a clearer picture of which marketing activities influenced purchasing decisions—and to what degree. When more media is tied to purchasing outcomes, it drives more accurate reporting and helps shape future media, and even business strategies.
In short, expanding the pool of identifiable, addressable customers helps retailers and advertisers achieve stronger, more accurate attribution. With better attribution, advertisers can make more strategic, data-based decisions.
3. Offer advertisers differentiated audiences
Before expanding their addressable audience, retailers can only offer advertisers access to easily identifiable shoppers. This “low-hanging fruit” audience represents a small portion of the total shopper audience and is often not distinct from a national psychographic/demographic audience. Therefore, it’s less unique and less valuable when it comes to ad targeting.
“It’s common for retailers to only identify people who are quite digitally active,” explains Leonard. “These are the users everyone’s reaching. What’s often missed is a significant portion of an audience that is less digitally active; this audience is much harder to find and, thus, extremely relatively valuable."
Digging deeper and going beyond what you can see today means you’re broadening the profile of shoppers you can offer to advertisers for activation.
Bonus: Reach more of your own shoppers
Expanding your addressable audience not only brings more value to advertisers but it also helps you, as a retailer, reach more of your shoppers with your own digital advertising.
“If retailers can activate a higher percentage of their audience base and see more accurate attribution, it’s truly a win-win-win for retailer, brand and shopper alike,” says Leonard.
And there’s no better time to reach more of your own shoppers than the holiday season when consumers are shopping more and spending more.
Getting the most out of your expanded audience
Your expanded ability to advertise to your own customers goes even further with digital tools like Epsilon’s Customer+, a solution that helps marketers find real customers who aren't already in their first-party data. These tools use the power of predictive AI to make smarter messaging decisions based on customer identity details, ensuring that communications are personalized for maximum impact.
This holiday season, invest in intelligent retail media solutions that help you identify and address all shoppers, not just the most digitally active. By expanding your base of known, addressable shoppers, you can enhance relationships with advertisers, improve attribution and ultimately, drive higher engagement and revenue with your own audience.
---
## Why Incremental Measurement In Digital Media Is More Critical Than Ever
Type: eps_post
URL: /why-incremental-measurement-in-digital-media-is-more-critical-than-ever
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Why Incremental Measurement In Digital Media Is More Critical Than Ever
As Australia faces ongoing economic pressures, brands are under more scrutiny than ever to ensure every dollar spent on advertising is pulling its weight. The days of prioritising sheer visibility are over – now it’s all about measuring true value.
This is where incremental measurement becomes indispensable, it empowers brands to see beyond surface-level metrics and determine the real return on their ad investments. With economic challenges knocking at the door, it’s time to focus on what really drives growth in this $15.6 billion internet advertising market, which has grown by 9.7 per cent in the last financial year, as reported by IAB in their 2024 March Quarter Australia Online Advertising Expenditure Report.
Economic Headwinds and the Need for Accountability
IAB reports that there has been a 4.2 per cent softening in spend in Q1 2024, from the preceding quarter, which is to be expected after the seasonal period. After this quarterly downturn, the Australian online advertising market still grew by 9.3 per cent, quarter-on-quarter. In this growingly competitive landscape, businesses simply can’t afford to invest in campaigns without knowing if they’re genuinely working.
Traditional models like ‘last-click’ attribution are outdated and miss the bigger picture, instead, brands should be homing in on incremental measurement – the practice of identifying conversions that wouldn’t have happened without their advertising efforts.
How often have we seen the inflated ROAS figures from different partners, only to realise the actual returns were far less? By measuring the lift in consumer engagement and purchases through test-and-control methodology, advertisers can finally cut through the noise and pinpoint what’s driving real results.
The Problem with Last-Click Attribution
For too long, last-click attribution has reigned supreme in digital marketing, but it’s a deeply flawed model, because giving full credit to the last touchpoint before conversion ignores the many other touchpoints that influence a customer’s decision which leads to misattributed successes and subpar optimisation strategies.
Incremental measurement flips this on its head, allowing brands to identify the additional value their campaigns are driving. It’s not about counting every conversion, but about understanding which ones can genuinely be attributed to marketing efforts. This holistic approach ensures that campaigns are optimised for real impact, not just for show, allowing marketers to truly guide decisions when building their channel strategy.
Optimising for Incremental Value
If businesses want to stay ahead, they need to focus on incremental return on ad spend (iROAS) rather than chasing vanity metrics. It’s time to stop crediting ads for conversions that were bound to happen anyway and start zeroing in on those that were truly influenced by the campaign. Brands that shift to this mindset will stretch their marketing dollars further and gain a competitive edge in an increasingly crowded space.
Capturing In-Store and Online Conversions
As consumer behaviour continues to evolve, blending digital and in-store interactions, it’s essential for brands to track both online and offline conversions. People don’t just shop in one channel anymore – they move between them seamlessly. Marketers who can measure the full spectrum of their campaigns, from the first digital interaction to the in-store purchase, will have a clear view of their advertising’s incremental impact.
In a world where every dollar counts, incremental measurement is no longer a “nice-to-have” – it’s essential. Brands that pivot away from last-click attribution and focus on incremental ROAS will be the ones best positioned to navigate these economic headwinds and come out on top.
Shane Hanby is a seasoned digital marketing executive known for his innovative strategies and leadership. With a background in media and advertising technology, he serves as the Managing Director for Australia and New Zealand at Epsilon.
---
## How to build a robust foundational customer data strategy
Type: eps_post
URL: /foundational-customer-data-strategy-how-to
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# How to build a robust foundational customer data strategy
Acquiring new customers gets expensive—fast, so marketers know the value of not only retaining customers but also building true loyalty and advocacy. One way to do that? By maintaining accurate customer contact information and gaining a deep understanding of who they are.
We all know what it’s like to see multiple customer records with the same email address or multiple addresses affiliated with the same customer’s name. As people move more than they used to (the average American moves 11.7 times in their lifetime) and the average American has at least two email addresses (28% have four or more, source: Statista, 2022), it makes sense that first-party data can get a little muddy.
If marketers don’t take the time to clean and consolidate their first-party data, the five issues below can make it more challenging to build personalized and targeted campaigns that reach their customers effectively and efficiently.
5 common problems with incomplete first-party data
Fragmented and inaccurate customer data: This hinders your ability to create a 360-degree view of your customers.
Missing contact data: This makes it harder for marketers to reach and connect with in-market customers.
Duplicate customer records: This means it's likelier that marketing messages are reaching the same person multiple times.
Outdated customer contact information: When you can't keep track when customers move, change their name, or switch to a new primary email provider, it's harder to personalize marketing messages and increases the likelihood of failed delivery.
Inability to stay compliant with state privacy regulations: This issue, often due to lacking postal addresses, can lead to legal complications for brands and marketers.
3 steps marketers can take to build a robust foundational data strategy
Ready to make the most out of your first-party data? This simple three-step approach is key for marketers who want to leverage first-party data to the fullest of its capabilities.
1. Consolidate customer records
Once a unified customer record is established, you will have a clear view of your current customers and how to contact them. Filling in these contact detail gaps is key for building long-lasting customer relationships—and ultimately driving more revenue.
More importantly, adding more contact points improves cross-channel activation performance. Having multiple emails, a postal address and phone numbers can improve match rates to platforms by 20%.
This helps brands reach more of their customers with marketing messages across channels.
2. Enrich your first-party data
As robust as your first party data may be, you’re not always able to see what customers like me are doing outside of your owned channels. The next step in your plan should be to enrich the first-party data you already have with additional data sets like:
Demographic data: This includes data points like age, gender, income level, education, ethnicity, marital status and employment.
Financial data: This includes information like income, net worth, assets and liabilities.
Transactional data: This includes information like how much consumers spend and where they spend it.
Psychographic data: This is based on consumer characteristics like habits, interests and hobbies.
Working with a trusted third-party data provider like Epsilon, you can enhance customer records with insightful data attributes to get a full view of your customers.
3. Leverage the results
Now that your first-party data has been cleaned up and enriched, you can identify business opportunities and customer trends to create marketing strategy that yields results.
Personalized messaging creates optimal customer experiences and it’s crucial to drive an action—whether you want them to buy your product, sign up for your loyalty program, attend an event or even refer new customers. It all starts from a complete foundational data set.
Ready to tap into the power of true data-driven marketing to create business impact? Start with consolidating customer records and filling in the gaps. Learn more about how Contact Complete can help.
---
## 21 ways identity resolution can change your marketing
Type: eps_post
URL: /21-ways-identity-resolution-changes-marketing
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T22:17:52Z
# 21 ways identity resolution can change your marketing
Identity resolution is key for marketers looking to bolster their campaigns. It allows brands to know their customers more deeply because they can see beyond their limited view of them. As brands move away from using third-party cookies, identity resolution has emerged as a powerful means to connect with consumers.
That’s because it organizes a brand’s first-party data to align and enrich it. A solid first-party data strategy is centered around identity resolution, and when used in martech tools like customer data platforms (CDPs), clean rooms or engagement platforms, marketers can build higher-performing campaigns that reach the right people.
But what does that actually mean? We’ve compiled a list of 21 use cases to show you the real-life benefits of employing an identity resolution solution.
Unify data: Identity resolution helps unify data by assigning individuals a unique, privacy-complaint identifier. These identifiers are accurate, constantly optimized and can connect disparate data points, giving brands a single view of each consumer.
Identify lookalike profiles: On average, consumers have 5+ identifiers attached to them, such as emails, device IDs, and cookies. Identity resolution helps brands identify customers in their existing file that they may be counting more than once. For instance, a brand might “count” a person twice because one profile is attached to their email while the other is attached to their device ID.
Find frequent customers not in their current data file: Brands can also identify customers who are loyal to their brand that they don’t have first-party data on. These are shoppers or customers who perhaps frequently buy but, for a variety of reasons (buying with cash, for example), haven’t attached their purchases to their name or device.
Fill in data gaps: Consumer data is inherently fragmented. Identity resolution gives brands the power to see what their customers are doing in the wild and use that data to fill in important gaps.
Build better profiles: Once those gaps are filled, brands can start building more holistic profiles and using those insights to build a better audience.
Identify potential reasons customers are dropping off: Customers abandon brands for a variety of reasons. When data gaps are filled, it often puts pieces into a puzzle. Did they leave because they moved out of the market? Have they been buying a competitor?
Reengage dormant customers: Speaking of dropping off, brands can now target disengaged customers because they have a fuller picture of what motivates them, including which devices they prefer.
Win back competitors’ customers: The right identity resolution solution can use third-party data to see whether customers are shopping with competitors. This helps marketers try to win them back.
Finding new customers: Thanks to identity resolution, new customers are also easier to find. A more accurate view of their customers gives brands an important window into who buys from them now, and they can use those insights to find new customers who look just like them.
Lay a solid foundation for AI: Accurate, unified data creates a solid platform for tools like AI and machine learning to use. And with real-time insights on customers, it enables AI use on an individual level and at scale.
Bridge online and offline behaviors: Marketers can marry online and offline identities, including transaction data or identifiers like email, back to a pseudonymized ID and gain even more insights into a customer’s preferences and behaviors.
Map the customer journey: Identity resolution unifies disparate data points across channels. With persistent identity, brands can see a customer’s path to purchase from interest to actual conversion.
Discover insights about what your customer might do next: Dynamic identity resolution coupled with machine learning and AI can examine a customer's historic signals and use them to predict what they might need next.
Personalize marketing and ad campaigns: When brands know their customers better, they understand what they like. Advertising and marketing can get more personal, delivering messages that matter to real in-market people on the devices they prefer.
Improve customer interactions: Consumers react, and when a brand can see those reactions (both positive and negative), it can make adjustments in how it talks to and engages to boost customer experience.
Improve customer loyalty: Unsurprisingly, when a person feels like they’re being heard, they have a higher affinity for a brand. Emotional loyalty starts with continued positive customer experiences.
Get better attribution: Solid identity resolution gives marketers the ability to see the outcome of campaigns on an individual level.
Improve measurement: Individual attribution means stronger measurement. Beyond measuring specific campaigns, brands can start identifying areas in aggregate: the success of a product or channel type or audience segment.
Reduce media waste: Knowing what works (and what doesn’t) reduces a brand’s media waste. Marketers can now know what works—and with whom—and can pivot faster because of granular attribution.
Identify potential fraud and unusual customer activity: Rich customer profiles can help predict what a customer might do and what they have done historically. Brands can step in when strange activity happens and help mitigate risk.
Maintain customer privacy: Identity resolution uses pseudonymized profiles. The right identity resolution solution provider should enable brands to maintain high levels of consumer privacy and evolve as regulations do, too.
At Epsilon, identity resolution is built into our suite of solutions. Epsilon's COREid is the industry's most accurate, stable, and scalable identity resolution solution. It delivers person-first marketing that resonates with shoppers across their channels and devices, giving brands peace of mind that they're reaching the right people with messages that matter.
---
## Back to the Future: How the Past is Shaping the Future of Advertising
Type: eps_post
URL: /back-to-the-future-how-the-past-is-shaping-the-future-of-advertising
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Back to the Future: How the Past is Shaping the Future of Advertising
I grew up with Back to the Future. The retail media industry mirrors Marty McFly’s journey, where we live in the future, but the past still has plenty to teach us.
Lessons from the Past
We are constantly chasing the next big thing—whether AI, automation, or a new tech buzzword—but we often overlook the fundamentals. Take loyalty programs, for example. They have been around for decades and are the foundation of retail media. Before anyone talked about identity graphs or first-party data, loyalty programs were already building those relationships and gathering consent-based data. However, it is easy to lose sight of the strength inherent in these well-established systems as we push forward with new technology.
Retailers who understand the importance of loyalty include Tesco and Sainsbury's. Due to their understanding of consumer interactions, they were among the first to use what is now known as retail media technology. They built their strategies on a solid foundation of customer insights, so they are far ahead in leveraging retail media today. These retailers are not just pushing ads on websites—they are personalising experiences and creating value for their customers in ways that traditional publishers did not manage to do, and with good reason. According to the IAB, the growth rate of retail media is four times that of the total ad market (22% vs total ad market of 6%).
The Evolution of channel-less Retail Media
Retail media has evolved through different eras: from the early internet days dominated by big publishers to the search-driven era of Google, and now into the social media era. Today, we are stepping into a new dimension—channel-less marketing, where retail media transcends specific platforms and touchpoints. Retailers are well-placed to break down the boundaries between owned, earned, and sponsored media owing to the confluence of adtech and martech.
This new frontier is about creating seamless experiences across all channels. Martech traditionally focused on owned channels and direct customer relationships, while Adtech was about reach and scale. Now, these worlds are colliding, giving retailers a unique advantage: they can combine the scale of ad tech with the personalisation power of martech, allowing brands to connect with consumers in ways that weren’t possible before.
This consolidation requires technology that can seamlessly connect, so when assessing which platforms can work to support channel-less marketing, always ask how the platforms maintain persistence – of identity, audiences, and reporting at least as these can be challenges that are worthwhile to overcome.
In the Epsilon State of Retail Media survey from 2023, of 689 respondents, 43% said inconsistent targeting across channels and tactics was a top source of inefficiency and in the IAB Attitudes to Retail Media Report 2024, 58% of brands said fragmentation was the biggest buy-side investment barrier. Solving this problem with the right partners, technologies and data will open additional investment opportunities for retailers.
The Power of First-Party Data
Traditional loyalty programs were, in part, a way to better understand customers – their purchase behaviour, their engagement with a retailer and their drivers for these actions. Retail media requires this kind of data to be actionable for the benefit of both the advertisers and retailers. The IAB Attitudes to Retail Media Report (2024) highlights that of the 160 respondents, 87% said access to retailer first-party data was a top investment driver.
To make this data actionable, retailers can use martech platforms such as Customer Data Platforms (CDPs) or potentially Clean Rooms to gather, organise, clean and enrich first-party data, and even have the option for second-party data collaboration between their data and a brand’s data. The platforms required may depend on the retailer size and maturity. Using this kind of technology to store data gives an opportunity to ensure customers have been given the chance to communicate preferences on how their data is used, complying with any relevant local privacy regulations, and ensuring a trusting relationship where those choices are respected.
Once this data is organised, consented and actionable, ad tech provides a way to reach these customers in a personalised manner, across whichever touchpoint is relevant, be that at the point of sale on the retailer site or app, or in the open web, driving demand back to site. The outcome of this is facilitating an ongoing relationship between brands and consumers and ultimately driving outcomes which may be ROAS, or more upper funnel metrics to capture all stages of the customer lifecycle.
Personalisation Without Borders
The idea of channel-less marketing means specific platforms or touchpoints no longer constrain us. The convergence of martech and ad tech enables retailers to deliver hyper-personalised experiences at scale, regardless of where the customer engages. We are talking about a "one view, one vision, one voice" approach—where every interaction feels connected and coherent.
Considering evolving your loyalty program into a connected, channel-less retail media network? Be sure to remember the basics:
Organise data to ensure its actionable everywhere
Structure a retail media offering that is easy to use for brands and agencies to buy at scale, across any channel or touchpoint
Work with the right partners where needed, or plan the resource, time and experience required to drive value
Deliver the right insights and reporting for brands
This unified strategy makes for a better consumer experience. Picture this: fewer ads, but each one resonates deeply with the viewer. Customers can enjoy a harmonious experience customised to their needs and preferences rather than a disjointed experience across different channels.
And it’s not just a better experience for the customer, a connected journey across different channels and touchpoints will drive increased revenue for the brands and retailers. One CPG brand complemented their holiday display campaign with CTV to support a new product launch, and the group who received CTV + Display had 24% higher sales per converter compared to those who received display only.
Let's learn from Back to the Future. We do not need a time machine, but we should remember what has worked before, adapt it to the current environment, and be prepared for tomorrow when marketing transcends all platforms and provides a cohesive, compelling experience.
---
## Rich data, rich relationships: How Tractor Supply Company uses loyalty data to drive better business
Type: eps_post
URL: /tractor-supply-company-epsilon-loyalty
Last Modified: 2025-03-03T16:59:17Z
# Rich data, rich relationships: How Tractor Supply Company uses loyalty data to drive better business
Tractor Supply Company knows what customers want, and that’s because they put the customer first.
Neil Tenzer, vice president of Customer Loyalty, Insights & Engagement at Tractor Supply Company, said this philosophy has helped the nation’s largest rural lifestyle retailer build a powerful—and popular—loyalty program. Neighbor’s Club, their loyalty offering powered by Epsilon, has 37M+ members and supports $11B+ in sales, and has a 75%+ retention rate.
The secret to their success? Data.
Harnessing data and insights from the Neighbor’s Club program has allowed Tractor Supply to reimagine the way they do business. Not only has it transformed their loyalty offerings, it has enhanced customer satisfaction, paved the way for more personalized experiences and helped drive business decisions across the board.
“Listening to the customer and our Team Members makes a tremendous impact on the business, and now when you go in the stores, you hear customers tell us every single day how much they appreciate and like the program,” Tenzer said. “Look at the data and find ways to make [the program] easier and more rewarding for the customers first, then the insights flow and the profits follow.”
A data-first approach
Loyalty programs are extremely valuable first-party data assets. With Epsilon as the company’s partner, Tractor Supply has been able to see the full picture of its customers individually and in aggregate: What they like, how they’re motivated and where they’re best reached, for example. This creates an extremely beneficial value exchange.
“We often find that a common loyalty philosophy can be a little mundane—a ‘set it and forget it’ opportunity without understanding that [brands] have all this data at their fingertips,” said Shamba Schmidt, vice president of Solutions Consulting at Epsilon. “It’s not just about capturing all that information. You’re starting to find ways to leverage and use it to fortify and enhance that user experience to reflect what customers want.”
For Tenzer, looking into the data has allowed Tractor Supply to anticipate future customer needs and measure reactions. It also gives them the freedom to make informed hypotheses. Trends in the data—coupled with anecdotal evidence—gives them the confidence to try new things.
“It’s really important to understand ‘the why,’” Tenzer said. “That’s actually the fun part—to spend time rolling around in the data, spend time in stores, and say, okay if this is the way these numbers are moving, why is that happening? What does that customer journey look like? Why are people joining? What motivates them to join and, in those rare instances where they do leave, why?”
A win-win situation
When brands communicate more effectively and personalize rewards and experiences, customers feel an even stronger affinity for that brand. According to new Epsilon research, 82% of consumer respondents said they view a brand positively when they advertised a product that a person needs.
Building stronger relationships helps brands, too. Epsilon data shows loyalty members spend 3x as much as non-loyalty members, and it’s 5x more expensive to acquire a new customer versus retaining them.
Earlier this year, Tractor Supply announced enhancements to its Neighbor’s Club loyalty program based directly off feedback (both qualitative and quantitative) from customers. This included adjusting its annual spending tiers, lowering the point threshold for rewards, and giving military service members, veterans and first responders immediate top-tier status.
Tenzer recounted an interaction he had with a customer while visiting one of Tractor Supply’s 2,200+ stores. As the cashier rang up a customer, they asked for the phone number attached to the shopper’s Neighbor’s Club ID.
“The customer said something along the lines of, ‘Oh yeah, I’m part of the program and it seems really great, but I haven’t seen any benefits from it lately,’” Tenzer said. When Tenzer’s team looked at the data, they realized that wasn’t a unique problem.
“And that was the unlocking moment,” he said. “We recognized we probably needed to lower that tier threshold and change that default reward level.”
And it has paid off – since implementing the changes, the retailer has seen a meaningful increase in engagement with current members, on top of millions of new members. Neighbor’s Club now represents more than three-quarters of sales for the company.
Building beyond loyalty
Loyalty data also has the power to drive better business decisions. Beyond making improvements to Neighbor’s Club, Tenzer said insights gleaned from the program touch all areas of the organization. From purchasing and inventory to channel optimization, Tenzer said customer data drives nearly all of Tractor Supply’s decisions.
“If we’re making a decision, like where we should put a store, for example, there’s no data silo,” Tenzer said. “We’re leveraging information to see where customers are and how they’re shopping to make that decision.”
Schmidt said that strategic leveraging of first-party data is what sets brands apart. These programs are a treasure trove of deep, important insights, and when used effectively, they create incremental value for the business overall.
“This is really manifesting into this provocative thought process that to know your customer is to know yourself,” Schmidt said. “Leveraging the data and insights you have fortifies the mission you have as part of your value statement across all customer touchpoints.”
Why the right vendor is key
Tenzer said a huge part of the program’s success has been Epsilon. Tractor Supply values customer relationships and data-driven decision-making and having a proven partner like Epsilon bolsters its ability to do both.
“Epsilon has been wonderful for the known unknowns—trying to figure something out or think differently—and the unknown unknowns. They challenge us and help us peek around the corner about what’s coming,” he said. “We’ve invested in each other, and that has enriched both of our businesses.”
---
## Serving last rites on the click means destination marketers must swap outdated metrics for outcomes
Type: eps_post
URL: /serving-last-rites-on-the-click-means-destination-marketers-must-swap-outdated-metrics-for-outcomes
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T22:17:52Z
# Serving last rites on the click means destination marketers must swap outdated metrics for outcomes
As destination marketing gets increasingly complex and challenging, you must prove what you’re delivering. Measuring outcomes is critical, but all too often, there’s a reliance on outdated metrics that mask your effectiveness. So, why is this the case? And what should you do differently?
Historically, broad metrics have been the de facto measurement preference for Destination Marketing Organisations. And that’s no surprise. After all, you have the unique challenge of balancing the needs and requirements of three masters.
Financial stakeholders want you to show them the value your activities are delivering. Meanwhile, the communities in your destination want proof that you’re supporting them and their shared values. And, of course, visitors want a positive experience in the destination, which ensures you’re recognised as an attractive destination.
Current metrics lack value
Appeasing these groups has led to a reliance on easy-to-collect, measure and understand metrics that are vague, such as impressions served, videos viewed, or clicks generated. But clicks are meaningless. On mobile, 60% of clicks are accidental. Factor in fraudulent clicks, and this metric has little value. Indeed, one test we ran for a travel booking site discovered that messaged non-clickers were x80 more likely to convert and generated 22% more revenue than a messaged click-through buyer.
Using these metrics means measuring delivery proof points. They show a campaign has launched but don’t report on what’s critical – business outcomes. To achieve this, you must know your customers, and this means building up your data.
Start with what you have, then add to it. It could be name, address, phone number and email, or you may even have activity-related information such as email opens or web visits. Collating these connections builds a picture of your potential visitors. And having these insights puts you in control.
Enriching your data enriches your marketing
Once the fundamentals are in place, you can start extending your data over and above what you already have. How? Well, you can take advantage of lead generation tech. Overlaying this on your site is quick and easy. Then, you can introduce sign-up forms to ask site visitors for crucial information. Or use customisable surveys to reveal new and valuable insights such as their top three destinations or get them to state what kind of traveller they are, be it family, adventure, city break, or staycation.
As your data grows, you can look to enrich it to deepen your understanding of your audience and inform your promotional activity. For example, plugging into an ID solution such as Epsilon’s CORE ID allows your customer records to be enhanced with new information that gives you a rounder view of them. At the same time, you can use CORE ID to create a consolidated ID for each customer. This lets you find and engage them in all their online environments, whether that’s recognising them on their mobile when they’re visiting your site, or when browsing the open web. Suddenly, you have multiple opportunities to target (and hopefully influence) those people seeking more information about what your destination offers.
You’re then in a stronger position to measure your activity, without relying on clicks. Now, you can measure the customer journey to see if they convert and when they visit your destination. From here, you can go deeper and gain insights into their activities and interests while visiting, from how long they stayed and what locations they visited to knowing where they came from. As proof of this, find out how the Singapore Tourism Board used this approach to change perceptions of the island country from a stopover hub to a vibrant tourist destination in its own right.
Ultimately, better data means better insights, translating into more effective destination marketing. But it's also critical for future targeting because reaching your audiences is getting harder. The old ways you’ve relied on – third-party cookies – are diminishing. Today, 50% of the internet is already cookieless, cutting off your ability to reach half your potential audience unless you adopt a different approach.
So, ditch relying on irrelevant metrics. Instead, build your data and insights and show how your activities are driving better results and tangible outcomes. Then you’ll be well on the way to pleasing all your masters.
---
## Rob Odd: Retail Media in Australia - A Transformative Landscape for Brands and Retailers
Type: eps_post
URL: /rob-odd-retail-media-in-australia-a-transformative-landscape-for-brands-and-retailers
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Rob Odd: Retail Media in Australia - A Transformative Landscape for Brands and Retailers
The retail media industry in Australia is at a pivotal juncture, marked by rapid innovation, evolving consumer behaviour, and the increasing adoption of data-driven strategies. Epsilon’s recent Retail Media Report for Brands and Retailers underscores the growing importance of retail media networks and the opportunities and challenges they present to brands and retailers alike. Here's an in-depth look at the current state of retail media in Australia and how businesses are adapting to its dynamic nature.
The Growing Significance of Retail Media
Retail media has emerged as a cornerstone for advertising strategies, with Australian brands and retailers recognizing its potential to drive measurable outcomes. According to our report, up to 50% of media budgets are being allocated to retail media activation by a third of brands surveyed. This underscores its critical role in marketing strategies, enabling brands to reach consumers more effectively and optimize ROI.
Transparency, collaboration, and advanced reporting metrics have become vital priorities for brands. These elements are shaping a new standard for retail media campaigns that demand both accountability and performance.
Challenges: Privacy, Data, and Budgets
While the opportunities are abundant, challenges persist. The report highlights several hurdles faced by Australian businesses:
Data Privacy and Leakage: Australian retailers cite data leakage and privacy as their foremost concern. This reflects a growing emphasis on ethical data usage, especially as privacy regulations tighten globally.
First-Party Data Development: Both brands and retailers see the development of robust first-party data as critical yet challenging, given the resources required to scale these efforts.
Budget Constraints: Brands are increasingly re-allocating funds from non-retail media budgets to bolster retail media efforts, illustrating the financial juggling act many businesses face.
The Australian market’s focus on these challenges indicates a strong commitment to building sustainable and compliant frameworks for retail media growth.
Strategic Imperatives: A Focus on Collaboration and Agility
Data collaboration between brands and retailers is identified as essential to unlocking retail media’s full potential. However, inefficiencies such as fragmented planning and inconsistent targeting across channels remain key frustration points. Retailers, in particular, are exploring diversified monetisation strategies, incorporating on-site promotions, social media campaigns, and email marketing into their retail media frameworks.
Another standout finding from Epsilon’s report is the increasing demand for self-service capabilities across retail media networks. Australian brands are prioritising platforms that enable them to manage and service campaigns independently, reflecting a broader trend toward automation and efficiency.
The Path Forward: Innovation Meets Accountability
As Australia’s retail media ecosystem evolves, businesses must embrace innovation without compromising on accountability. The shift from third-party identifiers to first-party data platforms will be instrumental in navigating privacy concerns while delivering targeted, high-performance campaigns.
The future success of retail media in Australia hinges on three key pillars:
Agility: Adapt quickly to market dynamics and consumer behaviour.
Innovation: Invest in cutting-edge technology and scalable data solutions.
Data-Driven Decision Making: Leverage analytics to craft informed strategies that prioritise ROI and customer engagement.
Epsilon’s Role in Shaping Retail Media
As a global leader in advertising and marketing technology, Epsilon is at the forefront of this transformation. By empowering businesses to harness the power of their first-party data and providing tools for transparent, performance-driven campaigns, Epsilon is helping Australian brands and retailers thrive in a competitive landscape.
Australia’s retail media scene is a testament to the power of adaptability and strategic thinking. By addressing challenges head-on and leveraging opportunities, businesses can position themselves for long-term success in this exciting new era.
What are your thoughts on the future of retail media in Australia? Share your insights and join the conversation on LinkedIn.
For more information on how Epsilon can help power your retail media outcomes, visit https://www.epsilon.com/apac/products-and-services/retail-media-network.
---
## Conquer, Scale and Thrive in Retail Media
Type: eps_post
URL: /conquer-scale-and-thrive-in-retail-media
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T22:16:49Z
# Conquer, Scale and Thrive in Retail Media
2024 is the year when retail media has come of age. It is forecasted to reach $140 billion in global ad spending this year and is predicted to be the fastest-growing ad channel through 2027.
The reason for this growth? Retail media has something for everyone. For retailers, it opens more avenues to monetise data and properties. At the same time, for advertisers, retail media offers a ready pool of first-party consumer data along with detailed insights on products explored/bought, repeat orders and abandoned carts, a gold mine of data critical to tailoring high-performance ad campaigns.
While the promise of retail media is immense, there are some inherent challenges that both retailers and advertisers face in scaling their retail media strategies.
The rough spot
According to Epsilon’s Retail Media for Brands and Retailersreport, 69% of brands and 71% of retailers find it difficult to develop or expand first-party data to scale their retail media campaigns. With omnichannel marketing becoming a norm and the value of third-party data declining, the challenge of first-party data becomes even more urgent to solve. However, with a large amount of data scattered across disparate platforms, ensuring centralised data management and a unified customer view takes a lot of work.
Privacy Matters
Data leakage and privacy are the other key challenges common to both stakeholders. The challenge of balancing data security and compliance can undermine the effectiveness of retail media efforts, making it crucial for both parties to implement strong data protection measures and clear privacy protocols to enhance customer engagement and loyalty.
Partnering for Progress
About 74% of global retailers find it difficult to develop a robust retail media strategy due to the spiralling cost of new technology, lack of skilled workforce and difficulties in collaboration with partners. Strong partnerships, especially with self-service solution providers, can help retailers access the most advanced technologies at lower costs and sustain even with limited resources.
Personalising Experiences
Data-driven personalised experiences form the core of retail media experiences. Often, retailers fail to synchronise data, which may lead to inconsistent or conflicting messaging across channels and adversely impact customer experiences. To avoid this, retailers must ensure their data is leveraged precisely and securely for personalised customer journeys.
Retail Media Solutions: Scale Up, Stand Out
Proactive data collection strategies: Brands and retailers should aim to enhance data collection by engaging customers with interactive content like polls, quizzes, and feedback loops. They can also offer discounts and exclusive offers to incentivise customers to share quality data further.
Enriching first-party data: To acquire a more thorough grasp of their target market, brands and retailers should seek a data partner that enables data sharing and enriches first-party data with deeper insights and maps more transactions to real shoppers for better attribution and targeting.
Identity Resolution for a Unified Shopper View: Connecting fragmented customer data from different channels into a single, unified customer identity can help unravel a new world of untapped opportunities. It can empower retailers and advertisers to identify what works best for their target audiences and connect with them when and where they need the most.
Precision Targeting based on analytics and AI-insights: To keep pace with evolving consumer buying patterns, behaviour, and preferences, it is important to incorporate agile methodologies and continuous data update to increase targeting accuracy, avoid ad wastage and maximise ROAS.
Person-First, Results-Driven
To navigate retail media complexities, retailers and advertisers need solutions that are easy to integrate with their existing tech stack, save them from hiring additional resources or training existing teams and drive incremental returns on their ad spend.
Epsilon Retail Media is an all-inclusive, connected platform that offers retailers and advertisers a suite of person-first solutions to understand their core shoppers better, personalise experiences and engage more meaningfully on the retailer properties and across the open web.
Adapting Targeting Strategies: The platform leverages AI and advanced analytics to adapt targeting strategies based on evolving consumer behaviour. This agility ensures that marketing efforts remain relevant and effective, driving engagement and conversions. Continuously analysing data can help to refine the campaign approach, making it easier to connect with high-intent audiences when they want to.
Unified Attribution Across Channels: The platform enables unified attribution across onsite and offsite channels. Retailers and marketers can track and understand customer interactions across the journey, from initial awareness to final purchase. By integrating all touchpoints into a cohesive strategy, retailers and advertisers see which efforts drive results and allocate resources more effectively.
Personalisation at Scale: By leveraging first-party data and a unified customer view, retailers and advertisers can leverage Epsilon Retail Media to create and publish highly personalised ads on the retailer website and across the open web and Connected TV through multiple formats like display or video ads.
---
## Data activation in marketing: Drive better outcomes
Type: eps_post
URL: /data-activation
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Data activation in marketing: Drive better outcomes
What is data activation and how does it work?
In today's fast-paced digital landscape, understanding your customers is paramount. Data serves as the backbone for meaningful connections between businesses and consumers, yet extracting actionable insights from this data can be a daunting challenge. Enter data activation—a transformative approach that turns raw data into personalized, actionable insights, enabling brands to enhance their marketing strategies and improve customer experiences.
What is data activation?
At its core, data activation refers to the process of utilizing collected data to drive marketing strategies and decisions. This involves turning data into actionable insights that can inform personalized customer interactions, optimize marketing campaigns and enhance overall business performance.
Here are some examples of customer data points that can be transformed into actionable insights through data activation:
Pages viewed: Identify which content resonates most with different customer segments.
Messages sent: Track engagement rates and personalize future communication.
Playlists: Leverage listening habits to recommend similar content.
Subscription type: Tailor offers and promotions based on subscription tiers.
Data activation empowers marketers to move beyond generic campaigns and create targeted experiences that enhance customer engagement and loyalty.
How data activation works
The process of data activation can be broken down into several key steps, each essential for transforming raw data into valuable insights.
Data organization and storage
Data activation begins with robust data alignment and storage. Businesses use data warehouses to organize and store vast amounts of data. Properly structuring this data is critical for effective activation, enabling businesses to integrate multiple sources, including CRMs and marketing platforms.
Data transformation and enrichment
Once data is collected, the next step involves transforming it into enriched formats suitable for activation. Tools like reverse ETL platforms play a crucial role by syncing enriched data back to operational systems, ensuring that the data used across various platforms is both relevant and actionable.
Data activation across channels
Activated data is deployed across multiple channels, including CRMs, advertising platforms and customer support tools. For instance, integration with platforms like DSPs and advertising partners allows businesses to leverage real-time data activation, enabling them to respond quickly to changing customer behaviors and preferences.
Benefits of using a data activation platform
Implementing a data activation strategy offers numerous benefits that enhance marketing effectiveness and drive customer engagement.
Enhanced personalization
Data activation empowers businesses to deliver highly personalized marketing efforts. By utilizing activated data, companies can segment customers more effectively, leading to tailored email marketing campaigns, personalized product recommendations and improved customer journeys.
Better transparency
Activated data provides clarity on how customer data is utilized across various systems. This transparency fosters trust and allows businesses to make informed decisions based on reliable insights.
Improved decision-making
By offering actionable insights, data activation significantly enhances decision-making processes. Leaders can align their strategies with customer needs, ultimately driving business growth.
Increased efficiency and ROI
Automating the data activation process can lead to significant time and resource savings, maximizing return on investment (ROI). Case studies show that companies employing data activation strategies often achieve higher efficiency rates and improved marketing outcomes.
Examples of data activation by department
While data activation is commonly associated with marketing, its benefits extend to various departments within an organization.
Marketing
In marketing, data activation enables targeted campaigns that resonate with specific customer segments, leading to higher engagement and conversion rates.
Sales
For sales teams, activated data provides insights into customer preferences and behaviors, allowing for more effective outreach and relationship-building strategies.
Customer support
Data activation also enhances customer support efforts by providing representatives with real-time insights into customer histories and issues, improving response times and customer satisfaction.
Key tools and platforms to activate data
Several tools and platforms are essential for effective data activation, each contributing to the overall process.
Customer data platforms (CDPs)
Customer data platforms are crucial for collecting, organizing, and activating customer data across various platforms. For more insights on CDPs, check out our secure data management blog.
Reverse ETL tools
Reverse ETL tools enable businesses to sync data from warehouses into operational tools like CRMs or marketing platforms, facilitating seamless data flow.
Integration and automation tools
Integration tools help create seamless connections between different platforms, while automation speeds up the data activation process, making it more efficient.
Challenges in data activation
While data activation offers numerous benefits, businesses often face challenges that can hinder its effectiveness.
Unreliable data
The quality of data is paramount; unreliable data can lead to misguided strategies and poor outcomes. Ensuring data accuracy and consistency is crucial for successful data activation.
Breaking down data silos
Fragmented data across different systems can limit the effectiveness of data activation efforts. Strategies that integrate siloed data using platforms like CDPs and reverse ETL solutions are essential for comprehensive insights.
Ensuring data privacy and compliance
Adhering to data privacy regulations such as GDPR and CCPA is vital when activating customer data. Businesses must implement best practices to ensure compliance throughout the activation process.
Discover the impact of data-driven marketing with Epsilon digital
In conclusion, data activation represents a powerful approach to transforming raw data into actionable insights that drive better marketing outcomes. As trends like AI-driven data activation and real-time customer data usage continue to evolve, businesses must stay ahead of the curve.
Explore how Epsilon can help you unlock the full potential of your customer data and enhance your marketing strategies. Learn more about our data-driven marketing services and digital advertising solutions.
By embracing data activation, companies can not only improve their marketing efforts but also foster stronger, more personalized relationships with their customers, ultimately driving business growth and success.
---
## 8 benefits of programmatic advertising worth considering: Why it's worth the investment
Type: eps_post
URL: /benefits-of-programmatic-advertising
Last Modified: 2026-07-07T16:57:43Z
# 8 benefits of programmatic advertising worth considering: Why it's worth the investment
Programmatic advertising has become one of the most important innovations in digital marketing, revolutionizing how brands target and engage their audiences. With its automated buying process and advanced targeting capabilities, programmatic advertising has enabled marketers to deliver highly personalized and effective campaigns at scale. But why is it so valuable, and how can it benefit your marketing strategy?
We'll explore the key benefits of programmatic advertising and why it's worth the investment for brands aiming to drive ROI and engage customers in meaningful ways.
Why is programmatic advertising important?
As digital advertising continues to evolve, brands face increasing pressure to reach their target audiences in an effective and efficient way. Traditional advertising methods—such as TV, radio and print—can be expensive and less precise, leaving marketers with limited control over how their ads are delivered and measured.
Programmatic advertising, on the other hand, uses automated systems to buy, place and optimize digital ads in real time. By leveraging machine learning, data analytics and advanced targeting tools, programmatic allows brands to reach the right audience at the right moment—without the inefficiencies and manual processes of traditional media buying.
In a rapidly changing digital landscape, programmatic advertising has become essential for businesses that want to stay ahead of the curve, enhance customer engagement and drive measurable business results.
How does programmatic advertising work?
Programmatic advertising works by automating the ad-buying process using demand-side platforms (DSPs), supply-side platforms (SSPs) and ad exchanges. Here’s a simple breakdown of how the programmatic process works:
1. DSPs (demand-side platforms): These platforms allow advertisers to purchase ad inventory from multiple sources in real time. Advertisers can set targeting criteria, bid on available inventory and optimize their campaigns based on performance.
2. SSPs (supply-side platforms): SSPs are used by publishers to manage and sell their ad inventory. SSPs connect with multiple DSPs to sell ad space to the highest bidder.
3. Ad exchanges: These are the digital marketplaces where advertisers and publishers meet to buy and sell ad inventory. Ad exchanges facilitate the real-time auction process that is central to programmatic advertising.
By automating this process, programmatic advertising delivers precise targeting and greater campaign efficiency, ultimately improving ad performance and ROI.
8 key benefits of programmatic advertising
1. Greater audience reach
One of the standout benefits of programmatic advertising is its ability to extend your reach across a vast digital ecosystem. Programmatic buys across multiple channels—display, mobile, video, social, audio and, even, connected TV. This allows brands to target their audience wherever they are, whether they’re browsing the web, watching videos or engaging with apps.
Programmatic advertising also supports real-time optimization, meaning your ads can be shown to users at the right moment, based on their online behavior and interests.
2. Flexible and scalable spending
Unlike traditional ad buying, where costs are often fixed, programmatic advertising offers flexibility in how much you spend and how it’s allocated. With programmatic, you can adjust your budget in real-time, scaling up or down depending on campaign performance.
This flexibility allows brands to get the most out of their advertising spend, ensuring they’re investing in the highest-performing channels and tactics. It’s an efficient way to reach target audiences without overspending on underperforming ads.
3. Enhanced campaign transparency
One major advantage of programmatic digital advertising is the transparency it provides. Marketers have full visibility into where their ads are being shown, how they are performing, and the overall effectiveness of the campaign. This data can be tracked and analyzed in real time, allowing advertisers to make quick adjustments.
Epsilon’s advanced data management tools, such as COREid, help enhance transparency by providing detailed insights into consumer behavior and ad performance, making it easier to track the success of your programmatic campaigns.
4. Streamlined operational efficiency
Programmatic advertising eliminates many of the manual processes associated with traditional ad buying. By automating tasks such as bidding, targeting and optimization, programmatic campaigns run more efficiently, saving marketers time and resources.
Through machine learning, programmatic platforms can learn from historical data to improve future ad placements, optimizing ad delivery based on performance trends.
5. Precision targeting
Precision targeting is one of the most powerful programmatic advertising benefits. With the vast amount of consumer data available today, programmatic platforms can target users with remarkable accuracy based on factors such as demographics, interests, behaviors, location and device type.
This ensures your ads are being shown to the most relevant audience, leading to higher engagement rates and more effective campaigns. Brands can also apply first-party data to create highly personalized experiences for their customers, driving deeper connections and better results.
6. Insights from immediate data
Another key advantage of programmatic advertising is the ability to access and act on data in real time. With immediate insights into ad performance, marketers can make quick adjustments to their campaigns. This ability to iterate on-the-fly ensures that budgets are allocated efficiently and that ads are performing optimally.
Epsilon’s digital advertising services leverage this capability, providing real-time data and insights that help brands adjust their programmatic campaigns to achieve maximum impact.
7. Access to a rich media mix
Programmatic advertising offers access to a wide variety of ad formats and channels. Whether it’s display ads, video content, mobile ads, or, even, audio and connected TV, programmatic allows brands to diversify their media mix to reach their audience in the most engaging way.
This variety also helps brands maintain campaign freshness by rotating ad formats and experimenting with different creative approaches, ensuring their messaging reaches consumers through multiple touchpoints.
8. Increased ROI
By optimizing ad delivery and targeting, programmatic advertising often leads to higher return on investment (ROI). Through precise targeting, real-time optimization and scalable spending, programmatic ensures that every dollar spent has a higher chance of converting.
Many brands have experienced improved ROI by shifting from traditional advertising to programmatic campaigns. According to Digital Delane, programmatic advertising can deliver up to a 30% higher ROI compared to traditional methods due to its efficiency and precision.
Challenges of your programmatic digital advertising strategy
While programmatic advertising offers many benefits, it’s not without its challenges. Brands need to be aware of certain obstacles to ensure their campaigns are effective. Issues like ad fraud, viewability, brand safety and data privacy can hinder campaign success if not properly addressed.
Let’s take a closer look at some of the key challenges and how to navigate them effectively.
Navigating ad fraud and ensuring view ability
Ad fraud remains a concern in programmatic advertising, as fraudulent impressions and bots can negatively affect campaign performance. However, sophisticated fraud detection tools and third-party verification services can help mitigate this issue.
Maintaining brand safety
Ensuring ads appear in brand-safe environments is crucial to protecting your brand’s image. With the rise of brand safety concerns in programmatic, it's important to use trusted platforms and ensure that ads are only placed on reputable websites.
Overcoming ad blockers
As ad blockers become more prevalent, brands must find innovative ways to engage users while respecting their preferences. Native advertising, which blends seamlessly with content, can be an effective way to counteract ad blockers.
Achieving transparency in operations
Transparency in programmatic operations is a critical aspect that can be challenging to achieve. Advertisers must work with trusted partners to ensure full visibility into how ads are bought and placed.
Mastering attribution and performance measurement
Attribution in programmatic can be complex, especially when measuring cross-channel performance. Marketers need to use advanced attribution models to accurately measure the impact of their ads across multiple touchpoints.
Countering ad fatigue
Repetitive ads can lead to ad fatigue, where consumers become desensitized to the message. Regular creative optimization and targeting adjustments can help mitigate this issue.
Ensuring privacy and compliance
With stricter data privacy regulations like GDPR and CCPA, it’s essential for brands to prioritize compliance when running programmatic campaigns. Epsilon’s commitment to data privacy and compliance ensures that your campaigns adhere to all necessary regulations.
Common mistakes to avoid in programmatic digital advertising
Programmatic advertising is a powerful tool, but it's easy to make mistakes that undermine its effectiveness. Here are some common missteps to avoid:
Lack of clear targeting
Failing to define a precise audience can lead to wasted ad spend and lower engagement. Make sure to segment your audience and target based on the most relevant data.
Ignoring data insights
Programmatic advertising relies heavily on data. Ignoring key performance indicators (KPIs) and data insights is a common mistake in programmatic advertising. Without analyzing data, you miss opportunities to optimize campaigns and improve performance. Leveraging data-driven insights allows you to refine targeting, creative and budgets for better results.
Inadequate budget management
Poor budget management can result in inefficient spending. Monitor your campaigns closely to adjust budgets as needed to optimize performance.
Overlooking privacy regulations
Non-compliance with data privacy laws can lead to legal issues and reputational damage. Ensure your programmatic campaigns follow all necessary privacy regulations.
Poor creative execution
Non engaging creative can reduce the effectiveness of your ads. Ensure that your ad content is relevant, visually appealing and aligned with your messaging.
Neglecting mobile optimization
With mobile traffic outpacing desktop, it’s crucial to optimize your programmatic ads for mobile platforms to ensure they reach users on their preferred devices.
Underestimating the importance of transparency
Lack of transparency can hurt relationships with stakeholders and partners. Make sure you have clear visibility into how and where your ads are being placed.
Not testing enough
Testing and iteration are key to successful programmatic advertising. Run A/B tests, which is crucial for refining your strategy, adjust targeting and refine creatives to continuously improve your campaigns.
Best practices for your programmatic digital advertising strategy
To make the most of your programmatic advertising efforts, it’s crucial to follow these best practices:
Set clear and measurable objectives
Before launching a programmatic campaign, it's essential to define clear, specific and measurable goals. Set specific KPIs that reflect what success looks like, and regularly evaluate your results to ensure you're on track.
Leverage audience segmentation
Effective audience segmentation allows you to tailor your messaging to specific customer groups, increasing relevance and engagement, delivering more personalized ads and boost your campaign’s performance.
Optimize creative dynamically
Dynamic creative optimization (DCO) enables you to automatically personalize ad creatives in real time based on audience characteristics and behaviors.
Ensure cross-device consistency
Consumers interact with digital content across multiple devices, so it's crucial to ensure consistency in your ads across platforms.
Focus on data quality over quantity
When it comes to data, quality always trumps quantity. It's essential to prioritize high-quality, actionable data that can drive real insights and decisions.
Regularly review and optimize bids
Programmatic advertising offers real-time insights, making it possible to continually optimize your campaigns. Regularly review bid performance and adjust as needed to ensure that you’re getting the most out of your budget. Bid optimization can help improve cost efficiency and ensure your ads are shown to the right audience at the right price.
Adopt a privacy-first approach
Data privacy is increasingly important in digital marketing, and a privacy-first approach is key to building trust with your audience. Prioritize transparency and security to protect both your brand and your customers.
Test and iterate frequently
Continuous testing is essential to refining your programmatic advertising strategy. Regularly iterate based on the insights gained to ensure that your campaigns stay relevant and effective.
Unlocking programmatic success
By following these best practices, you can ensure your programmatic campaigns are efficient, targeted and optimized for success. Programmatic advertising offers unparalleled opportunities to reach your audience with precision and scale, but it requires a thoughtful, data-driven approach.
Epsilon’s digital advertising services can help you harness the full power of programmatic advertising, offering robust solutions that maximize your ROI and drive measurable results. Leverage our expertise to transform your digital strategy and deliver exceptional customer experiences at scale.
---
## What Travellers Want in 2025: Five Key Findings to Guide Travel Brands
Type: eps_post
URL: /what-travellers-want-in-2025
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T22:17:52Z
# What Travellers Want in 2025: Five Key Findings to Guide Travel Brands
As we approach 2025, our latest shopper research sheds light on the evolving expectations of UK travellers. The findings reveal significant shifts in how consumers approach travel planning, budgeting, and inspiration. For travel brands, these trends highlight the need for adaptation, innovation, and customer-centric strategies to remain competitive in an ever-changing landscape.
Here are five key takeaways and what they mean for the future of travel.
1. Travel Influencers Are Losing Their Edge
Travel influencers may dominate Instagram and YouTube feeds, but their impact on travel decisions is waning. Only 11% of consumers plan to rely on influencer recommendations for trips in 2025, and even among younger audiences aged 18–24, less than a quarter are influenced by their suggestions.
The main challenge lies in affordability and transparency. Nearly two-thirds of consumers feel influencer-promoted destinations are out of their price range, with some reporting gaps reaching thousands of pounds. Additionally, 23% say these recommendations lack clarity on costs, making them feel unattainable.
For travel brands, this is a wake-up call: aspirational content must also feel achievable. Highlighting affordable options and offering transparent pricing can help bridge this gap, ensuring that audiences feel empowered, not excluded, by travel marketing.
2. The Demise of “January Deals"
Longer running conventions of the industry are also drawn into question by the findings. The first Saturday after the festive period, nicknamed Sunshine Saturday by the UK travel industry, has traditionally been a peak booking day. Last year, January saw nearly 2.2 million sector transactions, according to Nationwide. However, just 7% of respondents express they typically book in January; it’s clear that the scale of opportunity for travel brands throughout the rest of the year is enormous.
This year-round spontaneity requires travel brands to adapt their marketing strategies. Seasonal campaigns remain important, but businesses must also maintain a constant presence and readiness to engage with customers whenever they decide to book.
As Elliott Clayton, Managing Director, International at Epsilon, explains: "These insights reflect a broader theme—UK travellers are looking for affordable, accessible, and transparent travel options tailored to their unique needs. With influencer-driven content falling short on budget realism and consumers exploring a wide variety of travel inspiration sources, travel brands should aim to meet their audience across multiple channels. Adapting to these expectations with personalisation, transparent pricing, and an omnichannel presence could prove crucial for driving loyalty and securing those all-important word-of-mouth recommendations.”
3. Blending Digital and Traditional Inspiration Sources
With approaching half (43%) of travellers saying when they book now hinges on the specifics of the trip, the data highlights 13 distinct channels influencing travel inspiration that marketers need to factor into their yearly plan.
Travel agents (20%) remain as popular as TripAdvisor (20%), reflecting the value placed on both personalised guidance and user reviews. Similarly, Reddit (11%) matches the influence of social influencers (11%), showing that anonymous, unfiltered advice resonates just as much as curated content.
For most demographics, traditional media continues to outperform some digital tools, with travel magazines and articles (17%) and TV adverts (14%) outpacing mobile apps for travel planning (12%).
The exception to the rule is of course 25–34-year-olds. Niche sources like AI-driven recommendations and virtual reality experiences are gaining traction. Though this audience also continues to engage with traditional mediums like direct mail, proving the value of a truly omnichannel marketing approach.
These findings reveal that travellers seek a balance between trust, variety, and expertise, valuing personal recommendations (46%) alongside visually engaging and candid advice. For brands, the key is working out which channels matter for your audience while combining personal connections, storytelling, and trusted content.
4. Hidden Time Sinks in Travel Planning
Planning a holiday is no small feat, and UK consumers report spending significant time on unexpected tasks. 39% of respondents feel they spend too much time hunting for the best discounts, while another 26% spend hours cross-referencing hotel and flight options across different platforms. Other challenges include:
Finding activities (17%)
Securing travel insurance (14%)
Coordinating time off work (11%)
Contingency planning for delays or cancellations (7%)
For travel brands, there’s a clear opportunity to streamline these processes. By offering comprehensive booking platforms, pre-packaged activity recommendations, or tools that simplify logistical hurdles, companies can save consumers time and enhance their overall experience.
5. Cost-Conscious, Experience-Focused Travel Takes Centre Stage
As we look to 2025, cost-effective and exploratory travel dominate consumer priorities. Over a third (33%) of travellers are opting for budget-friendly options, while 24% are seeking out lesser-known destinations. Additionally, 29% are prioritising activity-focused trips, valuing memorable experiences over luxury accommodations.
Spontaneous and independent travel is also on the rise, with 24% favouring last-minute trips and 19% embracing solo adventures. This growing appetite for flexibility underscores the need for personalised offerings that cater to diverse traveller preferences.
Bringing it All together
The travel industry in 2025 is being reshaped by affordability, flexibility, and a desire for meaningful experiences. From the decline of influencer-driven content to the rise of omnichannel inspiration and spontaneous bookings, these trends point to an increasingly discerning and independent traveller.
For travel brands, the path forward lies in meeting these shifting demands with agility and creativity. Transparent pricing, a seamless booking experience, and personalised marketing are no longer optional but essential. By adapting to these changes and prioritising customer needs, businesses can foster deeper loyalty and thrive in a competitive market.
Ultimately, what travellers want in 2025 is clear: they seek brands that understand their needs, respect their budgets, and deliver experiences that resonate long after the trip is over. The question is, will your brand be ready?
---
## Making owned-channel campaigns effortless: Why a user-centered approach is key
Type: eps_post
URL: /make-owned-channel-campaigns-effortlessly
Last Modified: 2025-10-14T17:17:18Z
# Making owned-channel campaigns effortless: Why a user-centered approach is key
In today’s digital marketing world, owned-channel messaging—email, SMS, and text messaging—remains one of the most effective ways for brands to engage with customers. According to Forbes, consumers are three times more likely to make purchases from email marketing than from social media.
Despite this, the challenge of creating personalized, consistent campaigns that resonate with diverse customer preferences can overwhelm marketers, especially when resources are limited. The real key to success is in simplifying the process while maintaining campaign quality.
Marketers need technology that helps them work smarter, not harder, by addressing the complexities of personalization, automation, and scalability. But how can they achieve this without being bogged down by technical hurdles?
The solution lies in choosing a platform designed with the user in mind. An advanced platform uses features like machine learning to make email marketing more efficient and effective.
Why ease-of-use matters for marketers
For today’s marketers, ease of use is a non-negotiable factor in choosing the right tools. It’s not just about a visually appealing interface; it’s about streamlining workflows, eliminating unnecessary complexity, and making campaign management as intuitive as possible. The right platform reduces the time and effort needed to create engaging content, while allowing marketers the ability to focus on strategy and customer engagement.
When technology works for the user, it adapts to their needs and automates repetitive tasks, freeing up valuable time. This level of operational efficiency enables marketers to achieve more with less, creating high-performing campaigns with fewer resources.
How machine learning transforms campaign effectiveness
Campaigns like welcome emails, product recommendations, and post-purchase follow-ups require careful attention to customer behavior and preferences. Traditional methods of segmentation and personalization are time-consuming and often less precise. This is where machine learning comes in, offering a smarter approach to campaign optimization.
Machine learning algorithms can analyze vast amounts of customer data—such as browsing history, past purchases, and email interactions—to predict what types of messages are likely to resonate with each individual. Over time, as the system processes more data, it "learns" and refines its predictions, improving campaign relevance and effectiveness.
With machine learning, marketers can automate segmentation and personalization at scale, reducing manual tasks and ensuring messages are tailored to the unique needs of each customer segment. This not only drives better customer engagement but also increases return on investment (ROI).
Simplifying campaign creation with no code drag-and-drop
One of the most common barriers to creating effective campaigns is the technical complexity of email design. Many marketers have a strong message and a great product but struggle with creating visually appealing, consistent campaigns due to a lack of technical expertise. This can result in delayed timelines and suboptimal campaign performance.
Marketers can focus on the message rather than the technical details with a drag-and-drop builder—no coding required. These intuitive tools make it easy to design clean, on-brand emails, allowing marketers to quickly create personalized, targeted campaigns. This streamlines the process, saving time and enabling faster, more efficient campaign execution.
Maximizing efficiency with pre-built templates
Creating new campaigns from scratch can also be very time-consuming, especially when the goal is to maintain brand consistency and optimize for conversions. The process of designing, laying out, and fine-tuning each email can be a slow, labor-intensive effort. This is where pre-built templates make a big difference.
A template library with expertly designed campaign-ready options allows marketers to skip the lengthy design process. Whether you’re creating a newsletter, a promotional email or a customer survey, templates can give you a jump-start. They are designed according to industry best practices, ensuring that the emails are optimized for engagement and conversions.
You can quickly customize them to reflect your brand, messaging, and target audience, saving significant time and effort. With these templates, marketers can focus on content and customer personalization rather than worrying about the technical and design aspects.
Leveraging machine learning to optimize performance
Machine learning plays a pivotal role in campaign optimization. Instead of relying on traditional methods like A/B testing, which can be time-consuming and yield only incremental improvements, machine learning can predict the success of various campaign elements—such as subject lines, images, and send times—based on past interactions and real-time data.
For example, machine learning algorithms analyze historical data from past campaigns to identify patterns and trends in customer behavior. This allows the platform to suggest adjustments to the campaign in real time, helping marketers improve engagement and conversion rates with minimal effort.
As the system continues to learn and adapt to customer behaviors, it provides increasingly accurate recommendations. These insights allow marketers to create more personalized, relevant campaigns without spending hours testing different variations manually. It’s an intelligent way to automate optimization and ensure that every message is as effective as possible.
Seamlessly integrating campaigns across channels
Today’s marketers need tools that work across multiple channels—email, SMS, social media, and beyond—while providing a unified view of customer engagement. A cross-channel engagement platform that integrates seamlessly with your existing tech stack is essential for streamlining communication efforts.
Epsilon Messaging, for example, enables marketers to create multi-step campaigns that engage customers across different touchpoints. The platform’s machine learning capabilities help optimize messaging for each channel, ensuring that your customer interactions are consistent, personalized, and relevant.
By using a single platform to manage campaigns across all owned channels, marketers can provide a more cohesive customer experience while reducing the complexity of managing multiple tools and systems.
Creating future-ready campaigns
At the end of the day, creating engaging, relevant owned-channel campaigns shouldn’t be a complex or time-consuming process. With the right tools, marketers can build sophisticated campaigns with ease. A cross-channel engagement solution like Epsilon Messaging combines ease of use, machine learning-powered insights, and pre-built templates to help marketers deploy campaigns faster and more effectively.
Whether you’re optimizing campaigns using machine learning, designing emails with drag-and-drop tools, or leveraging pre-built templates, the right platform ensures that you can meet your customers where they are—and guide them to where they want to be.
Need help choosing the right platform?
Choosing the right email marketing technology doesn’t have to be overwhelming. To make the decision easier, check out our cross-channel engagement solution buyer’s guide to find the perfect fit for your needs and elevate your owned-channel marketing efforts.
---
## Make honest measurement your retail media new year’s resolution
Type: eps_post
URL: /honest-retail-media-measurement
Last Modified: 2025-04-25T14:54:10Z
# Make honest measurement your retail media new year’s resolution
As retail media networks continue to grow, so does the pressure to deliver clear, actionable results. Measurement and attribution are no longer just operational necessities—they’re strategic differentiators.
Yet, many retailers and advertisers still grapple with incomplete data, outdated attribution models and misaligned expectations. For 2025, it’s time to set a new standard: Honest measurement must be the priority for every retailer and advertiser navigating the evolving retail media landscape.
In this blog, we'll define honest measurement and explore why it's so crucial for retail media.
What is honest measurement in retail media?
Honest measurement means providing clear, accurate and actionable insights that reflect the true impact of retail media efforts. For brands, it’s about understanding how their campaigns directly influence shopper behavior and drive sales—not just clicks or impressions. For retailers, it’s about delivering transparent reporting that showcases the value of their media networks while fostering trust with their brand partners.
Honest measurement cuts through inflated metrics and unclear attribution models, enabling brands and retailers to work from a shared foundation of truth. By prioritizing this approach, both sides can align on performance goals, optimize media spend and strengthen long-term partnerships.
The impact of honest measurement for advertisers
For advertisers—whether CPGs, brands or agencies—measurement and attribution are critical decision-making factors in retail media investment. Without clear, reliable data that proves campaign impact, advertisers often face hurdles in justifying spend and scaling their efforts.
Consider these statistics:
79% of U.S. CPG brands and agencies say that performance metrics are a top factor in deciding whether to continue working with their current retail media partners (eMarketer).
29% of agency and marketing decision-makers would increase retail media investment if offered “measurement innovation for better/easier value proof” (eMarketer).
Unfortunately, many advertisers feel their current solutions fall short. Challenges like double-counting shoppers, inaccurate or inflated attribution and poor identity resolution lead to misleading results that fail to reflect true campaign impact. This isn’t just frustrating—it also undermines confidence in retail media investments.
What advertisers should look for in retail media solutions
The best retail media solutions pair relevant and nuanced activation capabilities with advanced attribution and measurement tools. It's important for advertisers to look for platforms that offer:
Keyword-specific bid strategies and explorer functionality
SKU-automated and negative keyword capabilities
Bid strategy recommendations, and automated approval processes
These features help advertisers optimize campaigns and drive stronger business outcomes on their media investment. The strongest solutions also stay ahead of the curve by offering media measurement that can:
Connect online interactions to in-store purchases
Accurately track and measure individual shoppers
SKU- and brand-level sales attribution
By leveraging platforms with cutting-edge capabilities, advertisers can achieve transparency, precision and performance, avoiding common pitfalls like double-counted or missed conversions. With the right tools, brands can confidently measure the true impact of their campaigns across channels.
Why honest measurement matters for retailers
For retailers, accurate measurement is equally critical. Your ability to demonstrate campaign success is the foundation for building trust with your brand partners—and securing future investments. But, with fragmented systems and inconsistent reporting, many retail media networks struggle to meet the rising expectations of advertisers.
This isn’t just a theoretical problem. According to eMarketer:
48% of retail media marketers say “attribution to sales” is the biggest challenge they face with retail media networks.
40% cite the “timeliness of data and analysis” as a key issue.
58% rely on external data analytics platforms to compensate for gaps in their retail media capabilities.
When retailers can’t provide advertisers with the insights they need, brands are forced to look elsewhere. This creates a vicious cycle where trust erodes, investments stagnate and retail media networks fail to reach their full potential.
What retailers should look for in retail media solutions
When evaluating retail media platforms, it's important for retailers to prioritize solutions that offer flexible attribution models and unified reporting capabilities (across tactics and capturing online and in-store transactions). These features help retailers achieve a holistic view of campaign performance and:
Deliver accurate, transparent results to brand partners
Showcase the full value of their retail media networks
Build lasting relationships grounded in trust and performance
By choosing a solution that empowers honest measurement, retailers can stand out in a competitive market and attract the advertisers that fuel growth.
Honest measurement as the industry standard
The stakes for accurate measurement have never been higher. With retail media spend projected to grow rapidly, both advertisers and retailers need solutions that deliver clarity and confidence in their results.
For advertisers, honest measurement means knowing exactly how your campaigns drive sales and avoiding common pitfalls like:
Over-counting shoppers or misattributing conversions.
Missed conversions due to fragmented identity resolution.
Disappointing performance metrics that fail to reflect true outcomes.
For retailers, honest measurement means being able to confidently answer advertisers’ toughest questions, including:
“How can I prove my campaign impacted sales?”
“Are my investments delivering maximum ROI?”
“Why should I trust this media network over others?”
At Epsilon Retail Media, we believe the future of retail media lies in transparency, accountability and innovation. By setting a new standard for honest measurement, our goal is to help both retailers and advertisers achieve their goals.
Make 2025 the year of honest measurement
Honest measurement isn’t just a buzzword—it’s a resolution worth keeping. As you plan for the year ahead, consider how better attribution and reporting can transform your retail media strategy:
Advertisers: Look for partners that offer advanced tools, unified insights, and the ability to measure true campaign impact.
Retailers: Invest in technology providers that help you build trust with your brand partners and deliver the transparency they demand.
Let’s make 2025 the year of accountability, accuracy and growth. With Epsilon Retail Media, you’ll have the tools to achieve your honest measurement resolution through 2025 and beyond.
---
## Differentiating through identity, data and technology
Type: eps_post
URL: /differentiating-through-identity-data-and-technology
Last Modified: 2025-05-14T20:13:49Z
# Differentiating through identity, data and technology
It’s difficult to differentiate in the crowded ad tech and martech ecosystems when there are 7,040 solutions all vying for marketers’ attention and budgets.
We know there’s a lot of noise in our industry, which is why at Epsilon, one of the core values we live by is “Differentiate or Die,” and we approach this mindset with passion, integrity and service. It’s helped us get to where we are today, and we’re proud to share that our commitment to differentiation has vaulted us to the top.
For the second consecutive year, Epsilon was named the winner in the Adweek Readers’ Choice: Best of Tech Awards for Identity, Data and Email Marketing.
Our commitment to innovation has us laser-focused on helping world-class brands drive growth by engaging their customers in ongoing, rich and rewarding conversations that make people feel recognized, respected and protected.
We believe these three elements are critical for organizations to transform every customer experience into a more human experience:
Identity to accurately reach existing customers and prospects in real time to deliver personalized messaging and drive measurable business outcomes.
Data assets to enrich clients’ first-party data with demographics, behavioral insights or online and offline transactions and to predict purchases driven by machine learning and AI.
Technology (including CRM, email and loyalty solutions) to organize, manage and activate clients’ first-party data across channels.
“Identity, Data, and Email are foundational elements of our business,” said President and Chief Operating Offer Ric Elert. “Our capabilities are second to none and power all that we do to deliver personalized experiences at scale for our customers.”
Today, Epsilon is positioned at the heart of Publicis Groupe, where we continue to differentiate by accelerating transformation and innovation for Publicis’ business and our clients.
---
## Loyalty’s secret ingredient: Email
Type: eps_post
URL: /loyaltys-secret-ingredient-email
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Loyalty’s secret ingredient: Email
The best loyalty programs create 1:You experiences for their very best customers. From earning to redeeming and everything in between, a good loyalty program listens to its customers. It creates the connections that deliver lifetime value to both the customer and the brand they love.
The best email programs do exactly the same thing.
Infusing strong email best practices into a loyalty program can produce powerful results. Why? Because email rounds out the customer experience. Then, leveraging robust data—including that collected through loyalty participation— brings that 1:You experience to wherever your customers are in the moments that matter most.
1:You is about creating a holistically individualized customer experience. A customer-focused loyalty program can get you to that level of personalization. An email program rooted in analytics and automation can also get to personalization at that level. Consider what types of customer experiences you can create by bringing loyalty and email together.
Here's a 3-step plan to align your email program with your loyalty program.
1. Start with a template
As highlighted in 5 tips to fuse email creativity with data and technology, dynamic templates create efficiencies in the personalization game to connect on a 1:You level. Think of the template as a flexible journey where you can change the creative and messaging based on the individual and their previous brand interactions.
This means your email template should be built on a modular framework designed to ingest and activate loyalty data to streamline and automate 1:You personalization. Building this modular system takes time, but there are efficiencies that come into play for developing automation capabilities.
Once your template is developed, your focus can shift to strategic content development, storytelling and visual design.
2. Set customer expectations
You’ve designed your loyalty program to meet your customers’ needs; let them know! Use a real-time welcome email to acknowledge their opt-in. InAre you undervaluing trigger emails?, we explain that this is the first triggered email you should set up because the engagement rates are remarkably high.
The welcome sets the tone for the rest of your communications. It shows what kind of business your new customers have a relationship with and gives you a chance to highlight the many benefits of receiving email communications from your brand.
If your program is more complex, or you have more to say than is appropriate for one welcome message, consider an onboarding series.
An onboarding series can help establish that tone and give the newcomer a chance to better understand your program before diving right in. Put the same effort into evaluating the communication needs of your customers as you put into tailoring your loyalty program to those customers and decide if your program has enough information to demand an onboarding series.
Each touch in the welcome and onboarding series is an opportunity to educate your new member about the benefits of the program, the ways they can earn and redeem rewards, member exclusives, and more—before they move into the business-as-usual email stream. These communications give the customer the ability, over time or all at once, to convey their preferences either by sending them to a communications preference center or by collecting clicks through progressive profiling.
In this example, clothing brand Madewell uses one email to introduce the program, outline membership benefits and give the member and opportunity to learn more.
In this example, Spotify focuses on the exclusivity of membership by showcasing all the features a new member can now access.
3. Show, don’t tell
Storytellers know that you should show as much as or more than you tell. Data visualization helps your customers contextualize their personal journey, and it reinforces the value your loyalty program brings to their real life.
Loyalty dashboard:
Even promotional, non-loyalty-specific emails can be personalized for your loyalty customers with a simple-but-effective loyalty dashboard that acknowledges data points like name, member number, points earned and status.
Every email you send to customers who are in your loyalty program, regardless of whether that email is about the loyalty program, should include this loyalty program information. The dashboard on every email creates consistency, is an easy way to personalize and reminds them of their ongoing relationship with your brand.
Reminders & banners:
Visualize important data like near-tier and earned rewards in banner modules to extend value in any send and remind your customers that they can make it to the next reward or level.
End-of-year or monthly summaries:
A highly visual “look back” recaps their year or month in loyalty and highlights what you’ve achieved together with personalized infographics powered by data. Don’t be afraid to make this email celebratory and highly specific to their spend, rewards, earnings, perks they didn’t use, etc.
Here's how two brands use personalization to make a worthwhile summary. GasBuddy uses the monthly approach to show how fuel efficient the individual member was in the prior month.
Similarly, Spotify sends an end-of-year recap to show members what they listened to over the past year, top tracks and artists and more. They then offer even more value with a personalized and unique playlist based on the members' listening behavior.
Final thoughts
The right email strategy can boost the success – and experience – of your loyalty program and extend the lifetime value of the relationship. By activating the right data at the right moment, the right or relevant message lands in their inbox.
These messages help customers better understand the program they’ve opted in to, discover relevant ways to engage with the program and glean more value and celebrate their success along the way.
1:You is meaningful and powerful, and best of all, it’s achievable for every loyalty program through the right email program. Email can help you achieve 1:You dialogue with your customers when paired with loyalty data and powerful technology that enables you to reach your customers in real-time.
---
## 4 reasons your identity resolution program isn’t working
Type: eps_post
URL: /4-reasons-your-identity-resolution-program-isnt-working-according-to-forrester
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T22:14:41Z
# 4 reasons your identity resolution program isn’t working
Consumers want personalized experiences. We all know it. But delivering on this mandate is a challenge—to say the least. It requires knowing each customer (and potential customer) holistically so you can identify and accurately reach real people across devices and interactions over time with relevant messages.
It’s easy to talk about the importance of identity in marketing, but according to new research, it’s proving much harder to implement in practice.
We commissioned Forrester Consulting to conduct a study to understand the current state of identity resolution in brand marketing. Forrester surveyed more than 200 brand marketers on their identity resolution strategies and how they apply to their marketing efforts.
Unfortunately, the results aren’t great—and it’s important to understand why. What’s holding marketers back?
Most marketers are struggling with identity
While 66% of brands have had an identity program in place for at least 12 months, only half of marketers say they are fully capable of fundamental identity resolution capabilities.
The report explains:
“More than half of respondents said their brands struggle determining the right audiences for online campaigns, resulting in wasted marketing spend. More than half also struggle to prove the performance and measurement of customer marketing, and half said their brands struggle with optimizing online campaigns…”
It turns out that most of these problems can be explained by four key deficiencies:
A limited scope of identifiers
Inconsistent connection to measurement
Failure to tie programs to performance
Lack of awareness and coordination
Get the full Forrester identity resolution findings now
1. Limited scope of identifiers
The findings show that most brands’ identity resolution programs rely on identifiers like email, IP addresses or login data. These identifiers, particularly email, are very important for identifying people online, but those alone don’t give you a complete picture of an individual. Even with email, brands are only getting an understanding of their customer through interactions with their own brand as opposed to a more holistic understanding of who the customer is, where else they shop, what they buy, etc.
Many marketers are leaving out other valuable identifiers that contribute to a robust identity. Forrester’s report explains that “Over half of brands’ identity resolution programs ignore several important sources of valuable data and insights.”
There is one particularly useful identifier that’s highly underleveraged: transactional data. Only 40% of marketers incorporate online transactional data into their programs—and that number drops to only 31% for offline transactional data. Yet it’s this transactional data that offers the gold standard for identifying people. Why? Because you always use your real name and address when you buy something.
Learn more about why transactional data is so important to identity from Dave Scrim, our SVP of product management, in this video.
2. Inconsistent connection to measurement.
The Forrester research indicates that brands are more likely to use identity programs for things like customer preference management and profile development than for measuring online and offline performance or attribution.
But the best identity programs are laser-focused on recognizing the right people, reaching them effectively and accurately, and continuing to create persistent connections with them—all at scale.
This approach allows brands to make sure they know each and every person they reach and measure that person’s transactions with the brand—consistently quantifying real ROI. On the flip side, poor identity connections start a ripple effect of poor performance, creating drop-offs in ongoing conversations and offering no way to judge the true impact of marketing efforts over time.
Hear more about measuring reach in this video with Sara Stevens, VP of product management.
When it comes down to it, identity resolution should be considered the first step in end-to-end measurement. Setting this expectation up front allows you to learn more about your known and unknown contacts while also optimizing the full marketing execution.
3. Failure to tie programs to performance.
Many identity resolution programs fail to support marketers because they aren’t tied to primary marketing objectives—like reducing waste and increasing revenue. For example, only 29% of respondents said that their firms receive excellent support from identity resolution programs for reducing marketing waste.
How should an identity program reduce waste, you may ask? If you’re connecting with real people—and the right people—from the start, your marketing will reach only your best audiences. You won’t be wasting marketing spend on a more general swath of people that could be right for your brand. It’s the perfect tool to optimize spend.
Forrester’s research also found that only 42% of respondents said they receive excellent support with their identity resolution programs for helping increase revenue per customer, and only 33% for decreasing customer attrition.
Yet a high-functioning identity resolution program solves for these challenges, too. The more a brand knows about each individual as they evolve over time, the more personalized offers and recommendations the brand can provide, increasing lifetime value and improving retention.
For example, let’s say Jen has been a retail brand’s regular customer, buying women’s clothing throughout the year. However, her transactions indicate that she often buys high-end girl’s items in June and around the December holidays (for Jen’s daughter’s birthday and for Christmas, respectively). The retailer can use this knowledge to personalize offers for girls’ clothing and accessories in May and November—even changing out the offers each year as her daughter gets older.
Good identity is the underpinning of all marketing success. Don’t underestimate the contribution identity resolution can make to improving a brand’s performance across the board.
4. Lack of awareness and coordination.
The final reason so many identity programs are failing is a lack of C-suite awareness. In our research with Forrester, executives consistently overrated the performance of their identity resolution programs, compared to director-level respondents with more day-to-day visibility.
Executives in our study were:
25 percentage points more likely to be extremely confident in their customer ID profiles’ completeness and accuracy
32 percentage points more likely to rate their programs’ persistence as excellent
16 percentage points more likely than directors to believe their brands were ready to immediately leverage new online and offline customer data to update customer profiles and activate against new information
As a result, many brands lack consensus on identity resolution challenges and opportunities, and there is a lack of clear program ownership among different organizational silos. The net result of this misalignment is significant damage to a brand’s ability to succeed.
As one senior director explained in the qualitative findings, “A key challenge for us is there’s so little alignment across our company—knowledge, insights between different analytical resources don’t get shared. It’s like we’re trying to solve the same issues but have different ways of doing it; we definitely need more universal access and communication.”
Forrester concludes that “Brands with misaligned identity resolution are left with broken customer experiences, wasted marketing spend, and lost opportunities to expand customer relationships with relevant cross-sell and upsell offers.”
Final thoughts
Limited identifiers. Lack of performance measurement. Misalignment in the organization. Ultimately, these shortcomings result in inaccurate identity programs that hurt customer experiences—and brands’ financial and performance metrics.
Download the full Forrester report to learn more about the industry’s identity challenges—and how to overcome them so that your brand can offer the personalized experiences consumers expect.
---
## Retailers struggle with identity resolution: Forrester explains why
Type: eps_post
URL: /forrester-2020-retail-research-identity
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Retailers struggle with identity resolution: Forrester explains why
Identity resolution is the most critical part of marketing, but it’s also the most difficult to do correctly.
As an example: My friend Nicole needed to buy new pants for her kids—their ankles were starting to show a tad too much in their joggers. She browsed several go-to retailers online and ended up making a purchase. She’ll soon be the proud owner of eight more pairs of boys’ athletic pants (because they refuse to wear anything but).
A couple hours later, Nicole opened Safari on her iPhone and was welcomed with ads—for all of the same pants she just bought.
Not only is this a poor experience for Nicole, but think about how many other customers of that retailer are having the same experience. At scale, that is an enormous amount of wasted ad spend.
In a digital world where consumers expect highly relevant and personalized experiences, Nicole’s story is all too common. More often than not, these stories are the result of poor identity resolution.
We recently partnered with Forrester Consulting to understand how well (or not well) marketers are using identity resolution and come up with recommendations to solve for problems like ad waste and subpar experiences. In the full Forrester identity research, they surveyed more than 200 brand marketers on their identity resolution strategies and how they apply to their marketing efforts.
As we take a look at just the retail marketers’ responses from the survey, it turns out that they have some unique struggles when it comes to identity resolution.
Poor identity resolution is getting in the way of retailers’ goals
Retail brands in our survey with Forrester indicated that their top priorities include:
Improving customer satisfaction (48%)
Winning new customers (42%)
Increasing revenue per customer (41%)
They want to make happy customers. Find and engage new ones. Convince everyone they should buy more. But poor identity resolution is hampering results. Retail respondents report that they are struggling to use data to:
Personalize online campaigns (58%)
Determine the right audiences for online campaigns (56%)
Prove performance and measurement of customer marketing (52%)
Retailers struggle most with scale and recognition
When it comes to building an understanding of their customers, brands need a sound structure, propped up by the five pillars of identity:
Persistence. The ability to maintain an accurate ID over a period of time and the changes that customers undergo.
Recognition. Understanding what percentage of an addressable audience are active and reachable online.
The amount of the addressable audience a marketer can reach.
Accuracy. How precisely their identity resolution programs are able to message the correct person across devices, browsers and touchpoints.
Privacy and compliance. Ensuring that opt-outs and customer privacy controls are in place.
Retailers struggle in particular with scale (73%) and recognition (73%).
To illustrate a failure with scale, consider an athletics apparel company. The brand may accidentally oversaturate and fatigue their existing customers with messages to purchase new performance running shoes, while leaving out a large portion of other potential customers that are, in fact, in the market for shoes.
As for recognition, imagine a personal electronics company failing to suggest a wearable device to a customer even though they’ve shown interest in that product specifically through research on their work computer, and are currently active on the website on their Android phone.
Because of failures in the retailer’s identity resolution program, they aren’t recognizing this as the same person, so they serve them for a different product that appeals to a broader base instead, missing the opportunity to bring them further down their purchase journey.
Similarly, the retailer my friend Nicole was shopping with could have served her messages for complementary clothing and sneakers to match her boys’ new sweatpants as opposed to sending her ads for something she already purchased.
Two primary shortcomings are driving retailers’ difficulties
First, retailers are underperforming against core marketing goals without a complete view of customer.
Only 35% of retailers say they use their customer identity resolution program to connect with their preferred audience and segment customers (compared to 41% of companies surveyed overall). Retailers are also the least likely to use their program for customer journey analytics.
As a result, nearly half of retailers say that poor identity resolution leads to reaching the wrong customer. This failure of marketers to use their identity programs strategically in order to learn more about their customer, map their journey and interact with them accordingly inevitably leads to wasted spend and ineffective marketing.
Second, limited identifiers are limiting retailers’ performance. As Forrester’s report explains:
“More than any other industry we surveyed, retailers rely on email, IP addresses, and login data from their website to identify customers across devices and touchpoints. Meanwhile, offline transactional data and device IDs are being used by far fewer retailers (44% or fewer). Even more surprising, only half of retailers say they use online transactional data to identify customers—the type of data that retailers likely have more of than any other.”
Online and offline transactional data in particular help contribute to a robust customer identity—but our research with Forrester indicates that most retailers are leaving this valuable data out.
Opportunity lies in the challenges
The retailer in Nicole’s story may have failed to identify her correctly across devices to provide relevant messaging. But this brand—and others like it—have a clear opportunity to do better.
Nicole bought boys’ winter sweatpants this time. The next ad she sees across her devices could be for boys’ athletic socks (yes, they need non-stink). When spring rolls around, the brand could offer her athletic shorts and wicking tank tops.
As Forrester’s identity resolution research indicates, retailers can better deliver against their primary goals of improving customer satisfaction and increasing revenue by advancing their understanding of customer identity.
Learn more about how to make this happen in our full retail study: Improve Customer Experience And Optimize Spend With Identity Resolution: A Spotlight On Retail
---
## Forrester uncovers the cost of bad identity in financial services
Type: eps_post
URL: /forrester-2020-research-identity-resolution-fsi
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Forrester uncovers the cost of bad identity in financial services
Growing consumer expectations for personalization. Fintech companies stealing market share. Increased privacy and regulatory restrictions.
These growing challenges present a lot of opportunity if you focus on one foundational element: identity resolution. But what is identity resolution? True identity resolution fuels personalized messages at the individual level and delivers them seamless across devices, apps and browsers. Identity resolution helps brands deliver the right message to attract and keep customers from steering towards competitors and even ensures that opt-out or opt-in preferences are maintained for individual customers. But mastering identity resolution can also be the most difficult piece to get right.
To understand how financial marketers are doing with identity resolution, we commissioned Forrester Consulting to assess how brands are using identity resolution to better their marketing. In the Forrester identity research, they surveyed more than 200 brand marketers across industries—including financial services—on their identity resolution strategies and how they apply to their marketing efforts.
Looking at the responses from financial services marketers, Forrester’s findings indicate that many financial brands’ identity resolutions programs are not set up to sufficiently encapsulate the entire customer journey. These identity resolution programs also fail to truly measure business and marketing performance—which has a huge impact on financial marketers’ bottom line.
Below, we share a recap of how financial services marketers responded in the research, noting the best opportunities for growth and how better identity resolution can help.
Download the Forrester research: Achieve Efficiency And Improved Satisfaction With Identity Resolution: A Spotlight On Financial Services
Financial CMOs are wasting marketing spend
CMOs globally are set to increase their digital marketing budgets to over $146 billion by 2023. And the US financial services and insurance industry will spend more on digital marketing than any other industry between now and 2023.
But despite this massive investment, marketers still often find themselves unsure of the efficacy of their marketing efforts. In other words, marketers are spending big bucks on digital, but they can’t account for performance. This is a big problem. Following the old axiom of not knowing which half of your marketing is working and which isn’t, too much is at stake for financial CMOs to be wasting up to $73 billion on marketing that isn’t working for them.
Identity resolution is key to eliminating waste and measuring success
Robust identity resolution is key to understanding performance and eliminating waste. Unfortunately, our research indicates that financial services marketers have more issues in this area than other industries.
Let’s take a look at a fictional friend named Katy. Katy’s bank knows she is a good customer and wants to upgrade her to a premium account, so they start sending her emails about the benefits of upgrading. At the same time, the bank is executing an outbound acquisition campaign that is focused on reaching new eligible candidates—Katy also receives this message on her phone. Even though she is already a customer, her bank is talking to her as a prospect because they can’t accurately connect the data points across Katy’s touch points.
Katy’s example illustrates a problem with accuracy—one of the five pillars of identity resolution. Her bank is not messaging the correct customer across devices, browsers and touch points. Poor accuracy results in both a poor customer experience and wasted spend. Despite broad adoption of identity resolution strategies, our study found that financial services companies face significant challenges in each of the five pillars of identity resolution, with accuracy right at the top of the list.
In fact, our research shows that only 4 in 10 firms are very confident that their current customer ID profiles are complete and accurate. As a result, fewer than half are very confident they’ll be able to retarget this year’s customers over the coming two years. A lack of full confidence in customer ID profiles is likely to lead to wasted spend and an inability to measure channel success.
With a successful data management platform, financial brands can more effectively leverage the most accurate, complete customer data points available to deliver one-to-one customer engagement, fully measure performance, and therefore eliminate wasted marketing spend.
Bad resolution identity also means lifetime loss of dollars
To grow deeper relationships with customers, financial services marketers need to reach qualified people in meaningful ways at the most opportune moments. With a solid identity resolutions program, connected to email, loyalty and outbound digital campaigns, they can manage the full financial lifecycle needs of each customer. Not only does this help engage new in-market prospects, it also helps to stop customer attrition, increase engagement and be a better financial partner to customers over their lifetimes.
That being said, Forrester’s research indicates:
52% of financial services marketers struggle to determine the right audiences for online campaigns
46% struggle with optimizing online campaigns
52% can’t prove marketing performance
In other words, about half of financial brands can’t find the right people to talk to, don’t know how to improve, and can’t prove that anything’s working.
This is a missed opportunity to grow, cross-sell and retain valuable customers—which could result in a significant lifetime loss of dollars. Forrester offers the example of investment firms: they’re fighting for roughly $30 trillion in new assets for individuals at the same time as “robo-advisors” land on the scene. Identity resolution helps marketers reach the right individuals in real time with the offers they’re looking for, driving customers to the next action. By serving the in-the-moment needs of the customer, identity resolution can help financial services brands demonstrate their differentiation and help achieve their top business objective for the year (according to the study): improve customer satisfaction (46%).
When it comes down to it, financial brands must actively support the individual financial lifecycle stage of all individual customers—or risk losing them to one of a growing number of competitors.
Don’t forget privacy and compliance
Let’s pretend another friend John is receiving offers from his auto insurer’s partners—even though he has opted out of data-sharing with partners. His wife Elaine is receiving messaging from her bank that is so highly personalized that it includes information that is out of compliance with regulations like GDPR or the Equal Credit Opportunity Act.
Both of these scenarios mean the brand has failed at privacy and compliance, another of the five pillars of identity resolution. It’s all about ensuring that opt-outs and customer privacy controls are in place. While only half of financial firms say they struggle with this pillar, it’s significantly higher than the average company we surveyed (+10). This is a problem because:
Customer preference management ranked as the top use case for identity resolution in financial services.
This is a vertical with higher regulatory hurdles than most, creating greater legal risk.
Trust and customer advocacy go hand-in-hand—and customer advocacy is a key driver of loyalty at financial services brands.
There’s no way around it: financial brands must get privacy right. Robust identity resolution is the best path forward.
How to confidently move forward with resolution of identity
The good news is that wasted spend, lost lifetime dollars and privacy infractions are not a forgone conclusion. These challenges also present opportunities for financial brands to excel.
Forrester’s identity resolution research offers recommendations and solutions for improving your identity resolutions program—so you can both take control of your marketing spend and impress the heck out of your customers at every interaction, throughout their interactions with your brand.
Check out the research: Achieve Efficiency And Improved Satisfaction With Identity Resolution: A Spotlight on Financial Services
---
## After Google’s news, Epsilon is positioned to thrive
Type: eps_post
URL: /google-cookie-deprecation-announcement-2020
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T22:16:49Z
# After Google’s news, Epsilon is positioned to thrive
The need to know:
Google announced they will deprecate third-party cookies over the next two years.*
As much of the adtech industry’s solutions are built on third-party cookies, many are uncertain about the implications for their digital media campaigns and partners.
Anticipating a world without third-party cookies years ago, Epsilon’s solutions are well-positioned to thrive in the new advertising ecosystem.
What’s happening?
On January 14, Google announced that Chrome will phase out third-party cookies in the next two years.* Reasonably, the adtech community is concerned about this shift as many providers rely heavily on third-party cookies to identify individuals and deliver them advertising messages.
Although the announcement is causing a stir in the industry, this—in many ways—is not new news.
Early in 2019, Google announced changes to Chrome regarding the treatment of third-party cookies, including mandates to declare the purpose of the cookie and comply with Chrome’s secure settings.
Google’s initial shift in the treatment of third-party cookies was a bellwether to the industry: Google can and will deprecate third-party cookies on Chrome.
Their announcement follows similar restrictions on other browsers, like Mozilla and Safari, in recent years. Still, with roughly 63% of all web traffic on its browser, Google’s shift is a significant change that the larger adtech community will need to reconcile.
Who benefits the most from this: Google or consumers?
This has huge implications for the adtech industry, which is largely built on third-party cookies.
In a video discussion on Google’s announcement, Forrester analyst Joanna O’Connell said, “The third-party cookie is—for all of its faults—the underlying mechanism by which really the whole digital advertising ecosystem transacts and communicates.”
This move also sets Google apart—and puts them in a powerful position—for the future of digital media as all targeted, personalized ads delivered on Chrome will have to go through Google’s Privacy Sandbox. Forrester’s Fatemeh Khatibloo noted this is designed to protect consumer privacy on the browser, but this also puts Google in control of an awful lot of personal information in its future state.
For many adtech providers, this decision will alter their base solutions and their ability to connect and know individuals—with confidence—across devices and channels.
But at Epsilon, we’re not concerned.
How Epsilon is (and has been) prepared
Epsilon's CORE ID technology and our private exchange, which includes thousands of publisher relationships, allows us to uniquely navigate anticipated changes:
With proactive preparation with top supply partners, we’ve built a privacy-centric, individual level, ad ecosystem that does not rely on third-party cookies. Our private exchange is built on a direct integration with publishers—constructed with and for our publisher partners—to improve matching and monetization of a publisher’s ad space. We now have more than 2,000 sites leveraging our technology, which we anticipate expanding to meet the needs of Publicis Groupe.
This is not new news—we’ve already adapted to similar privacy enhancements from Apple and Mozilla and have come out unfazed. Our identity solution is built with a Privacy by Design approach, which leverages the persistence of our ID to maintain consumer choice over time and aligns to open web standards. Since Safari rolled out a similar initiative a few years back, we’ve seen far less competition in the marketplace for Safari inventory, indicating that our technology works well in a privacy-centric environment without third-party cookies.
As many start to grapple with the implications for their own products and solutions, we’ve been preparing—and building the appropriate technology—for years. We anticipated these changes all the way back in 2012, when we set the foundation for the private exchange to bring balance back to our publisher partners. With nearly a decade of experience working toward this inevitable industry change, we’re well-positioned to thrive in the new ecosystem, in partnership with publishers and other key industry players.
Although Google’s announcement is a significant change to how the adtech industry has traditionally operated, we see it as a step toward shifting the ecosystem to a more privacy-centric mindset, and we're ready for it.
*Editor's note: In May 20232, Google announced the deprecation will not occur until 2024.
Learn more about Epsilon PeopleCloud solutions and our private exchange.
---
## Should DTC companies invest in branding? 7 marketers weigh in
Type: eps_post
URL: /dtc-marketers-weigh-in-branding
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T22:14:19Z
# Should DTC companies invest in branding? 7 marketers weigh in
Direct-to-consumer (DTC) brands are known for killing it with performance marketing. They’ve grown up online, and they know how to move customers through the funnel with precision.
But where does brand come in? Do DTCs need to actively build one? Or is the need for a strong brand dead and gone?
We worked with the CMO Club to interview marketing leaders at 14 successful DTC companies to get their take on branding. Here’s what we discovered—and our recommendations for moving forward (check out everything we learned in the full DTC report).
Branding may come with DTC maturity
Some digitally native brands begin thinking about adding brand efforts to their budgets once they’ve established themselves in the market. For example, after working to get a scalable performance marketing machine in place, DTC company Gobi Heat is figuring out how to balance these efforts with branding:
“We are really putting more of an emphasis on the brand building, now that we have that in place and working really well,” explains Kyle Jacobson, CMO at Gobi Heat. “And so that comes from partnering with PR firms and doing some more top-level marketing, as well through display ads and video ads and things like that. Just, really navigating that difference between brand building and profitability...”
Get all the DTC insights in the full report: Direct to growth: What all brands can gain from the new DTC world
Nate Phillips, CEO and co-founder at NomNomNow agrees that branding is a secondary goal until the brand has proven their business model.
“…for figuring out whether it's worth continuing to invest in, and also for positioning the company for capitalization, nothing beats actually showing acquisition,” Philips says. “I think that filling in ‘brand enhancements’ and consistency and all that sort of stuff is always nice—but definitely secondary while you're still trying to establish the business model and prove consumer demand.”
But not all DTC companies plan to build their brand
This move toward brand building as a DTC company grows is not the rule. Some brands are going in the opposite direction, investing more in performance marketing because the tools and technologies are so reliable. Dave Brotton, VP Marketing at direct-to-consumer brand Purple Wave, explains that modern technologies make it easier to find and communicate with specific audience segments for specific products.
Some brands are going in the opposite direction, investing more in performance marketing because the tools and technologies are so reliable.
“A lot has changed in six years in terms of the technology that’s available to us. I would say today we are, I'll call it 80/20,” says Brotton. “We are 80% promotion on the items that we have on our website, and 20% brand. I would say it was maybe 60/40 when I got here. But with recommendations and targeting and segmentation that you can do now, and electronically with what you can do with targeting people, we're at 80% in terms of trying to push the items that we have on the site.”
Other DTC companies see no need to spend on brand efforts at all, considering how well their performance marketing delivers on objectives.
“What I found in DTC is that long lasting conversations, the connections just aren't that important,” says one of the marketing leaders we interviewed. “In performance marketing, it's really about making the product or the process work for you and being able to acquire people high in the funnel and work them through. … Whenever I've kind of invested more focus on [branding], it hasn't yielded improved performance.”
That said, they admit that most DTC brands need to find the right investments that may or may not deliver immediate ROI versus performance marketing that does. As brands get bigger, it becomes a complexity they have to manage.
Cost and measurability of brand initiatives holds marketers back
Some of our DTC interviewees expressed that it’s too expensive to try to compete with bigger players in the market on branding—and it’s hard to prove any return.
“We have become data, data, data,” explains Brotton at Purple Wave. “And I think because of the speed, we've developed really good data practices and really good turnaround. But where we struggle is in that ability to slow down and tell a story. …for a campaign that really only has about a two-week open time of advertising, it's pretty tough to tell a story unless you're Coca-Cola or Apple and dropping $1 billion for messaging.”
Kristina Smith, Head of Global Digital Marketing at Keen Shoes, says that while her brand has low awareness in the market, they need to invest all of their dollars in wins that will drive measurable business.
“We have a ton of competitors in this space whose pockets are considerably deeper than ours are by a factor of a hundred in some instances,” explains the b. “So, that means that every dollar that we spend, we have to figure out how to squeeze as much from that as we can. If I was spending five times the budget, that would be a different thought process.”
Does DTC understand the value of brand trust?
According to a 2019 Edelman survey published in AdAge, trust is almost as important to consumers as quality and value. They rank it higher than good reviews, corporate reputation and a brand’s environmental impact. And a majority of consumers also say they would prefer to purchase from a familiar, trusted brand overall—66% would stick with their brand of choice rather than a competitor that is more innovative. A full 75% said they’d value trust more than trendiness.
A majority of consumers say they would prefer to purchase from a familiar, trusted brand overall—66% would stick with their brand of choice rather than a competitor that is more innovative.
Yet, only a handful of our DTC brand respondents noted a focus on building trust with their audiences and customers.
“Our core marketing goals were always to establish a trustworthy and familiar brand that focuses on quality,” says Claire Stemen at DTC accessory brand FOUNT. “Early content is extremely personal and focused on the detail work, materials and heart behind the items FOUNT made.”
DTC Purple Wave auctions used heavy equipment for construction, farm, fleet, transportation, and government. These are big-ticket items, and Brotton acknowledges his business runs on trust: “For the person that owns that [item], there's a lot of trust when someone says, ‘Hey, I'm going to let you yahoos market this for three weeks, have an auction and let all the people around the country that are your customers come and bid on this.'”
Other DTC brands focusing exclusively on short-term returns through performance marketing may face increasing competitive challenges in the long term.
The path to balance lies in personalization
While some DTC brands may be struggling to figure out the balance between the performance marketing they excel at and dedicated branding efforts, and others hesitate to invest in branding at all, there’s an obvious place for all to start: Relationship building.
DTC brands can most effectively build relationships with consistent yet personalized communications, delivered throughout the customer’s lifecycle. This requires some focus on brand—but it mostly requires expertise in delivering the right message, at the right time, to the right person, across their channels and device.
DTC brand Swanson Health is doing just that.
“We're trying to build a consistent message that gets deployed and build a consistent theme across all of the different ways to interact with the customer or the ways the customer could consumer our message,” says Corey Bergstrom, President at Swanson Health. But not only are they focused on consistency—Swanson Health is also focused on identifying individual consumers so they can personalize messaging and continually evolve the relationship.
“Given we know our customers, we have the ability to build a more personalized conversation through our touch points rather than a generic one-size-fits-all offer," Bergstrom explains. "We're trying to have conversations that pick up from the prior conversation and create the relationship rather than just be a place for them to purchase."
Using modern technology to deliver a consistent and personalized experience of the brand across all consumer touch points—including offline channels like brick-and-mortar stores—can help DTC companies build their brands without sacrificing the ever-important measurement and clear ROI.
Branding is not dead
It turns out that brand building is not, in fact, dead for DTCs, but DTC brands have mixed opinions on how important it is for continued success. And it can be difficult to navigate the transition from scrappy startup to consistent, reliable brand competing with household brand names. The balance lies in honing the expertise you’ve developed as a performance marketer to create the personalized, cohesive brand experiences your customers expect—online and off.
See what other insights we learned from both DTC and B2C brands in our latest report: Direct to growth: What all brands can gain from the new DTC world.
Featured photo by Luca Bravo on Unsplash
---
## How to drive and measure movie ticket sales—when 75% are bought at the box office
Type: eps_post
URL: /how-can-movie-studios-drive-and-measure-online-offline-ticket-sales
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# How to drive and measure movie ticket sales—when 75% are bought at the box office
Consumers are complicated—and every moviegoer’s path to purchase is unique. According to a 2019 survey of more than 100,000 moviegoers, offline purchases at the theater still make up the majority of ticket sales:
While online ticket sales are on the rise (18.7% increase in 2018), in-person box office sales still account for 75% of all sales.
Of those people that bought tickets online, 36.8% bought them on the local theater’s site or app. Almost 54% bought from third-party ticketing sites.
Offline ticket buyers search for showtimes all over the place—37% with third-party ticketers, 31% on the theater’s site, 23% on Google, and 18% looked after they got to the theater.
Movie studios therefore combine a variety of separate media partners to generate buzz for their blockbusters. The idea is to provide air cover for all possible paths to purchase. But what’s working, and what’s wasted spend? How much overlap are marketers paying for across partner campaigns? Difficult to say—and even more difficult to keep track of and report on it all.
If you’re looking for a more targeted and measurable approach to activating your media budgets, let’s talk about an action plan to better reach, engage and measure every marketing dollar.
Download the report: The new era of box office digital marketing
Studios spend with numerous digital marketing partners
Without robust first-party data, movie studios currently look to a combination of several separate media partners to promote each film. Each has their strengths, but overall, they can only build a view of the customer on their platforms, which creates a disparate, fragmented approach and limited understanding of what’s working across channels.
Online ticketers. Online ticketers offer solutions to reach people on their owned platforms, including their website, email communications and mobile app. They can also target site visitors and loyalty members with programmatic advertising across other websites.
Exhibitors. Studios also partner with exhibitors directly. In these cases, studio budgets fund campaigns on social, programmatic and search—all built on the exhibitor’s customer data. These partnerships provide access to purchase data from exhibitor loyalty members.
Walled gardens (e.g. social and search). These platforms offer big reach to logged-in users within the walls of their platform.
Loyalty data partners. These media partners aggregate and sell loyalty data from theater chains to serve as a seed audience for lookalike modeling with other vendors for digital campaigns.
Do-it-yourself. Many movie studios are also looking to have more control and activate promotions on their own. They are building their own customer databases with any data they can get to make it happen.
Disparate media leads to a fragmented view of the customer
Studios have lots of potential partners—but none of these partners offers a comprehensive, single view of the individual moviegoer that unifies online and offline transactional data. Each partner only has a limited view of what a person is doing in their owned ecosystem (think website, email, app, etc.). A third-party ticketer, for example, only knows what each person is doing on their website or within their app. You lose connection to individuals everywhere else they visit—online and off.
The person browsing on that third-party ticketing site may have looked up showtimes on the website, and then purchased offline at the box office—which is a big blind spot for most partners. An exhibitor’s loyalty member might choose to view at a competitor’s theater to meet up with a friend. Your partners can’t see these people anymore when they cross over platforms.
With a partial customer view, no one really understands how each person views and interacts with the marketing messages across online and offline platforms. You’ve got access to just a fraction of each customer's lifestyle, purchases and actions. That’s not a lot to work with when it comes to efficiently (and accurately) activating customer data, and it makes it nearly impossible to get a complete understanding of each person’s past ticket purchases. It also makes it difficult to understand the unique reach and frequency of each campaign across platforms. Is your exhibitor’s campaign overlapping with your 3rd party ticketing audience, for example? Where do you attribute the transaction, if you can at all?
Connect the data dots with identity-based digital marketing
You don’t necessarily need to eliminate any of these partners to solve for these challenges. But you do need a more holistic view of the customer to connect all of these plans together—so you can create a more relevant and effective experience and accurately measure what worked and what didn’t. You can do it with identity-based digital marketing.
We recommend a three-phased approach to bring identity—a comprehensive understanding of each moviegoer—to your digital marketing.
Phase 1: Reach a unique, incremental audience
Start off by using identity-based digital marketing to efficiently reach new people that are highly likely to be interested in your film. This works by reaching:
People that have bought tickets to similar movies in the past from the small theaters you cannot partner with directly. This also means suppressing messaging or having alternate messaging for the people reached by your other partners.
General, non-loyalty guests that have made offline purchases at larger theater chains. Loyalty members might have gone to that movie anyways, so you want to speak to new people who can be more influenced by the messaging.
Then accurately measure online and offline ticket purchases to prove your return on ad spend (ROAS).
Phase 2: Multi-partner measurement
The next phase is to use identity-based digital marketing to understand how all of your separate campaigns are performing. Forget trying to make sense of and dedupe different reports from each of your media partners. You can generate a single source of truth for reporting across partners by aligning consumers’ online and offline transactional data to a stable and persistent identifier.
Having a single source of truth will help you to understand how your digital campaigns interact together, including how many unique people you reach across campaigns and how that impacted revenue with each partner. Basically, if John saw your ad on a third-party ticketing site but purchased at the box office, you’ll know about it.
Phase 3: Run always-on, integrated campaigns
At this stage, you’ve proven incremental revenue. You’ve got a feel for how each of your individual campaigns is performing (or not). It’s time to evolve from single campaigns to an always-on approach that builds persistent connections with consumers—and builds your customer data platform.
With an always-on identity platform, the technology makes smart marketing decisions across all your titles and campaigns. Essentially, you’re replicating the people-based marketing that walled gardens are so good at and scaling it outside of those walled gardens. And you’re tying it all back to ticket sales. You’re able to achieve a unified view of each customer and bridge their online and offline experiences throughout the buyer’s journey, all while being in control of your data’s security, privacy and usage.
Cookies don’t watch movies
At the end of the day, it’s important to remember that cookies and device IDs do not go to the movies. Don’t get so wrapped up in channel performance that you forget about the very real person you’re trying to reach. Identity-based digital marketing helps you generate excitement and drive (measurable) ticket sales for your next flick by understanding each individual and catering to their unique interests and buyer’s journeys—no matter what media partners you’re using.
Interested in learning more about what an identity-based box office campaign looks like? Learn more about digital marketing for movies.
And in the meantime, download our report, The new era of box office digital marketing, to get more insights on proven best practices for box office campaigns.
---
## How to deliver personalized interactions at every stage of the traveler’s journey
Type: eps_post
URL: /how-to-deliver-personalized-interactions-at-every-stage-of-the-travelers-journey
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# How to deliver personalized interactions at every stage of the traveler’s journey
As marketers, our goal is to know the wants, needs and desires of each individual traveler throughout the stages of their journey. Most travel brands struggle to deliver targeted omnichannel messages and offers in real time.
Travel marketers want their communications to be more personalized (in the moment) based on how the individual has most recently interacted with the brand, however this is not always possible without a comprehensive view of each traveler.
It all starts with identity.
Strong customer identity and advanced personalization capabilities are critical to achieve this success and build loyalty in a highly competitive travel brand environment.
Identity is important because it serves as the foundation for building robust customer profiles that drive truly personalized 1:1 marketing. The strongest customer profiles include data which helps marketers know each traveler as an individual, including who they are, what they book, what they browse and how they connect.
To put the customer profile to best use, it’s important to understand each stage of the traveler journey. Let’s further explore.
The five stages of the traveler journey
Stage #1 - Dream:
Dreaming of where to go on vacation is how it begins. The traveler starts browsing travel sites, reading online travel magazines, downloads a few mobile apps to track their preferred destinations and discusses their travel preferences with friends and family who are influencers of their decision. Wow!
This is a marketers’ dream as well. Think about all the points of communication you have with the traveler during the dream stage.
For example, once the traveler clicks on a travel website, an ad appears with crystal clear blue water promoting the Bahamas. That browsing behavior is added to the travel prospect’s individual profile using an anonymous consumer ID. Marketers can then use those data insights for future offers which are more relevant and personalized to the traveler's needs.
Stage #2– Plan:
Now it’s time to start turning the dream trip into a reality. The traveler selects his/her trip dates, researches destinations, flights, hotels and attractions.
As research is being conducted online, the traveler visits multiple travel brands' websites to evaluate the costs and amenities of competing hotels and other travel options.
While hotel options are being researched, sometimes chatbots may be available to answer questions, and the brand’s website may recognize the website visitor and offer assistance to help customize the traveler’s upcoming vacation during the reservation process.
As a result of the site visit, the traveler might receive a follow-up email offering special discounts and last minute offers to incent a booking to the hotel properties recently browsed.
Stage #3 – Book:
Once the traveler has determined that they have found the best price, location and travel options for their vacation, they make the decision to book.
This decision could involve choosing an airline or hotel first or booking both together as a package. The traveler might also choose to put several options on hold to coordinate the best flights, hotels and car rental options.
Sometimes many travel options are held in a “shopping cart” and the traveler will receive reminder emails from the brands they’ve shopped and also receive branded messaging as they visit other websites which feature the travel options they’ve considered.
Once the traveler decides to “pull the trigger” and book their trip, they are now ready to move to the next phase of the journey.
Stage #4 – Upgrade:
First class airfare, a room with an ocean view, golfing at a premier course or relaxing during a world-class spa treatment … these are all desirable travel options which can be offered through upsell offers once the booking is made.
Some travel brands will know a purchase decision has been made if the booking was made directly on their website, however they will not have visibility if the customer purchased with a competitor or if the booking was made at an OTA (online travel agency) website.
With access to a comprehensive customer profile rich with transaction data about travel that’s been booked, travel marketers will know about each customer’s travel purchases regardless of where they occur, online or off.
Now that the traveler has committed and locked down their vacation on the calendar, they might download apps relevant to his/her trip to receive mobile travel updates, and get notifications of possible hotel and/or flight upgrades.
To determine the traveler’s interests, marketers can perform data appends on the traveler’s ID to learn more about their likes/dislikes. For example, as it relates to the spa, marketers can review the data from the traveler’s visits to the local spas near his/her home. It’s connecting the offline (onsite or call center) data with the customer ID that truly helps to create a 360-degree customer view.
Stage #5 – Loyalty:
The traveler is back from vacation, they had the trip of their lifetime and are considering rebooking for next year. As a result, they ensure they’re enrolled in all of the relevant travel loyalty programs related to their wants/needs and are determining how they can increase their reward earning power.
For example, the traveler might decide to enroll in a retail credit card affiliated with their airline or hotel of choice. As marketers, we’re able to leverage the power of this opted-in loyalty data using an anonymous customer ID to communicate to the traveler on a 1:You level. The most successful travel marketers take the time to study the data and perform analytics to really get to know their members.
Once insights are gained from each stage, marketers with a fully integrated marketing solution or the right marketing partner(s) can deliver personalized messages in real time across every touchpoint through an omnichannel strategy.
Setting-up your travel brand for success
It’s important for marketers to understand that travelers engage with multiple devices and channels throughout their pre and post-booking journey and that they expect a unified, personalized experience throughout.
So how can you as a travel brand achieve success?
Here’s the secret equation: a solid identity foundation + loyalty data (including customer profile data) = personalization success.
For example, when the traveler is in their dream stage and is researching properties within the mobile app, the travel brand should be able to use this search data and instantly match the member profile. Then the travel brand can message the traveler with the specific details about their brand that aligns with the travelers' likes/wants, such as the distance of the closest golf course or the top five restaurants within the area (from detecting that they golf frequently and are ‘foodies’).
It’s this level of personalization, coming directly from the brand, that helps to grow/enhance customer relationships.
So as you’re fine tuning your omnichannel strategy and your brand is interacting with your customer during every stage of their travel journey, remember to connect the dots across the different parts of the traveler experience to deliver a better, more personalized experience. It’s critical for success in today’s highly competitive travel brand landscape.
To learn more about using advanced data and machine learning to create personalized experiences that appeal to travelers, check out this webinar.
---
## How to measure the real impact of your tourism marketing
Type: eps_post
URL: /how-to-measure-the-real-impact-of-your-tourism-marketing
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T22:14:19Z
# How to measure the real impact of your tourism marketing
Your budget is tightening. You need new visitors to spend in your destination, but you probably have fewer marketing dollars to make it happen. It’s crucial to reach the right people efficiently and understand the real impact of your efforts.
While ROI measurement is a challenge for all marketers, it can be an even greater challenge for destination marketing organizations, who need to answer to taxpayers for every dollar they spend on marketing efforts.
Considering the tourism industry’s current methods of marketing and associated challenges with measurement, that’s no easy task.
Tourism measurement challenges
Tourism marketers today are typically measuring success in two ways:
Soft metrics. This includes metrics like click-through rates, video completion rates, brochure downloads or email sign-ups. We consider these “soft” because they don’t actually tell you if someone booked a trip to your destination. These metrics are helpful for telling you about high-level engagement with your campaign, but they’re not tied to revenue for your destination.
Bookings. Destination marketers can measure ROI through airline or hotel bookings in their destination as a result of marketing campaigns. This does take it a step further to show measured, quantitative impact on your marketing investment; however, this does fall short in showing all potential bookings from your campaign. For example, people may drive to your destination, or they may stay with friends or at a vacation rental—all of which would not be counted through airline or hotel bookings.
Additionally, many marketing partners can measure soft metrics and bookings using cookies and device IDs, but few have a view of the consumer on the individual level.
With only cookies and device IDs for measurement, you’re unable to get an accurate view of who actually visits your location and what they spend across categories while they are in your destination.
This gives you an extremely limited view into the net economic impact of your marketing efforts. Thankfully, there’s a better alternative.
Get to know your travelers for more accurate ROI
Instead of these soft metrics and bookings, your focus should be on achieving a holistic understanding of your customers—across, channels, devices and spending habits. A complete view of every customer helps you to understand how each person spends across retail, tours, restaurants, grocery and more while they’re in your destination—even if they don’t book a plane ticket or a hotel room.
With this information, you can understand the true net economic impact of each individual’s trip based on actual transactions. You can connect individual online behavior with offline spend, giving you the full picture of your marketing attribution.
Let’s say Susan has been searching online for a warm weather vacation. She recently purchased a new beach towel. She’s visited Miami in the past and has been reading travel blogs. You can serve her messaging across all of her devices to inspire her to take a trip to your beach town (all while protecting her privacy).
Once she sees the ads and visits your locale, you can measure all of her non-cash transactions—her trip to the grocery store to stock her rental’s kitchen, her fancy dinner out, the gas to fuel her rental car and more.
You can even use personalized messaging to showcase your destination after her initial visit in a meaningful way, reminding Susan of her past vacation and why she may want to visit again in the coming months.
Can your marketing partner deliver? Here are 4 key questions to ask.
To get this more accurate measurement of your marketing performance and its economic impact, you’ll need to make sure your marketing partner can provide you with the right data and services. Ask them these four questions to find out if they can offer you the insights you need to show successful marketing.
1. Do you have a holistic view of each customer?
Most vendors don’t factor in offline sales, focusing only on cookies and device IDs, which expire over time (cookies after 90 days or less), making it difficult to connect with people over longer periods of time. You need to be able to talk to the people that have visited your destination in the past, which could be up to a full year ago.
2. Can you optimize media across personalized display and video?
Digital display is great for driving awareness, but video also has the power to showcase your destination’s unique differentiators in a compelling way. It’s important to work with digital marketing partners that can optimize your campaign based on which format works best and in what patterns.
For example, your team could find that showing two video ads to an individual and then following up with more display ads is the optimal media pattern. Your partner needs the skills, expertise and tools to identify these conversions and know why.
3. How are you doing cross-device matching?
You also need to be able to understand each consumer across their multiple devices.
You should not just be putting impressions in front of devices—you need to put impressions in front of people, which is not easily understood in the online context. Here’s a good explainer of how you can recognize people online for more information.
4. How are they measuring impact?
If your marketing partner is focused on soft metrics or airline and hotel spend, you need to ask yourself if this enough for you. If you want more accurate measurement of your ROI and the ability to see that return across restaurants, nightlight, groceries and more, there is a much more comprehensive data set that shows breakout across previously unmeasured categories at your destination.
The bottom line
If you’re relying on online or booking metrics alone, you’re not measuring the full value of your ad dollars. You should be able to show all of your stakeholders how your marketing program boosted the economy, drove additional tax revenue and positively impacted the quality of life for residents.
This approach to better understanding your customers shows the real value of each of your transactors—as opposed to just the overall number of visitors—and should influence your marketing strategy moving forward.
Interested in learning more? Learn more about how we work with destination marketers.
---
## Identity 101: Why vendors never talk about accuracy
Type: eps_post
URL: /identity-the-importance-of-accuracy
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Identity 101: Why vendors never talk about accuracy
Personally, I love going into my local coffee shop, and the cashier remembers my name and my typical order. The people there know me—they know who I am, they know my interests (beyond coffee), and we share stories and recent experiences.
Our world is built on personal connections, but not every brand has the luxury of knowing me like my barista. In many cases, the interactions a brand has with a person are not frequent or deep enough to build a lasting relationship. For instance, I only see the guy who changes my oil a few times a year, so our interactions are less personal because we don’t see each other every day.
Although the frequency of interactions with each individual is different, people are looking for personalized experience across all brands. In fact, 80% of consumers are more likely to do business with a company that offers personalized experiences. As marketers, you need to pick up the conversation where you left off the last time, with added information on what has changed. To achieve this in the digital world, the first step is to accurately identify who you are talking to.
Accuracy is the third building block of proper online customer identification—also known as identity management. Accuracy is about continuously verifying people’s identities across all their devices and channels. Not only will it make sure your conversation is relevant, but accurate identity can extend a marketer’s reach as much as 50%.
To get accuracy right you need two things:
Quality matching data: Instead of using only cookies, device IDs or email addresses, use transactions based on real names and addresses to anonymously tie individuals to online behavior.
Scale: And you need the ability to do this billions of times every day—constantly verifying the connection.
This relationship improves over time as connections get stronger, allowing you to advertise to the right people, with the right message and at the right time at scale. Often times, vendors don't talk about accuracy in detail because these things are difficult to do well and to do at scale.
How accuracy comes into play
It’s great if you can recognize and reach your customers across their devices, so why does accuracy play such a critical role in effective identity management? Here, we walk through a few examples that show how accuracy affects marketing efforts.
The duplicate device trap
Just because you can recognize 100 cookies or devices doesn't mean that they're 100 different people. On average, a person is connected to six devices and browsers at the same time.
As a consumer, I’ll periodically browse online for products I’m considering or know I need to buy eventually. A few weeks ago, I was looking for a new pair of tennis shoes on my work computer. When I got home, I pulled up that pair of shoes on my tablet and purchased them. The next day at work, I continued to get ads for that same pair of shoes on my work computer even though I already purchased them on a different device.
When you can't tie a consumer's devices, browsers and cookies together, you end up having a less relevant conversation. This negatively impacts the customer experience and wastes your ad spend.
Dive deeper in our ebook: 5 building blocks of identity management
The cookie bomb
It’s impossible to accurately identify your customers when you can’t track cookies, devices and browsers as individuals. For example, we recently helped a large auto manufacturer look at their messaging overlap across different car brands and dealers. It turned out that their average customer had more than 27 cookies on the same device in a 90-day period.
For this client, if they planned on messaging a single person 10 times over the next three months but messaged those 27 cookies as individual people, they would actually message a single individual 270 times over that three-month period. When you assume each cookie or device is a different individual, you actually message the same person with the same ad over and over again—otherwise known as cookie bombing.
The domino effect
When you get accuracy wrong, your campaign will have less than optimal performance, creating a domino affect that hinders your marketing strategy down the line.
You could even have a campaign that shows positive results, but it isn’t accurately reaching your ideal target audience. This could be from a lack of transparency, where you don’t get a full view into who you’re reaching and only know about the conversion. That’s why you need a full view of what your vendor can offer, otherwise you won’t be able to:
Find the right people to message. Without proper accuracy, you lack confidence in who you’re messaging. We know that the average person has six or more devices, but if they’re not accurately tied to a single profile, then you run the risk of sending your message to the wrong audience.
Know what message to send. Your customers are expecting unique and personalized messages, but without accurate customer identification, you run the risk of not sending the right message, sending a message at the wrong time of day or sending a message to the wrong device. This ultimately leads to wasted ad spend.
Accurately measure performance. Working with a partner that can prove how they identify individuals is crucial. You should know your partner's definition of accuracy and if their metrics are verified by a third party. This ensures that you spend your media dollars effectively and with the right partners.
The ad tech industry is not known for it’s transparency—so you may not be getting the full picture of your audience through digital media. If you value data-driven marketing, you should work with a partner that can prove their accuracy. A reputable partner should be able to test their accuracy by predicting who someone is, when they will convert and then see it through to confirm that was the person they said it was.
Ultimately, if you have poor accuracy, you’ll have bad customer interactions, misplaced messages and ultimately wasted ad spend. And if I was a customer at your coffee shop, I likely wouldn’t come back for a refill.
Want to learn more about how you can accurately identify your customers across all their devices and channels? Read the ebook, 5 building blocks of identity management.
---
## Identity 101: Best practices for reaching your customers online
Type: eps_post
URL: /identity-how-to-reach-people
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Identity 101: Best practices for reaching your customers online
Many marketers start with a seemingly easy goal: “I want to reach real people with my marketing message.” It’s a simple concept, yet in an ecosystem of complex digital solutions, achieving this requires careful evaluation of the vendor and reading the fine print.
Like most marketers, you desire simplicity, but the online environment produces a complex set of data that moves, changes or decays over time. When you add the varying methods of calculating reach, what seems simple is not. Only through proper evaluation and understanding can you sift through the deluge of information to find the elements that actually produce good marketing outcomes.
Reach is the number of “people” that a platform enables marketers to communicate with. I put “people” in quotes because how vendors define a person online is a real challenge for many—and one that has consequences if done incorrectly. If you aren’t speaking to a real person, how do you develop a relationship with them over time? How do you know you’re sending the right message to the right person on the right device?
Reach is one of the five building blocks of effective identity management, and the methods vendors use can disrupt proper targeting, attribution and measurement of performance downstream. This hampers your long-term goal of curating important relationships with customers and prospects.
Here, we’ll talk through some of the issues you may face with reach and how to overcome them by looking at the fine print and asking the right questions.
Examining the fine print
The analyst in me often reads charts, stats, marketing collateral—anything really—with an eye for footnotes, fine print and methodology statements. I’ve never met a marketer that wasn’t analytical, and many already have this habit.
However, I would be remiss to write about reach without highlighting the importance of asking questions and reading the fine print. Here are a few that I’ve observed over time:
Fine print observation #1: The definition of “people”
"People” are defined in different ways online. Some vendors calculate reach by totaling all cookies and devices and using them as a proxy for real people. The consequence of this is overstating the number because it’s not collated or connected to a real individual. This sets a false expectation that the campaign speaks to real people when it’s just cookies and device IDs.
The average person has six devices and cookies tied to their digital profile. Cisco predicts there will be 13 networked devices and connections per person by 2021.
Fine print observation #2: The great reach expectation
I’ve seen companies claim to reach 400 million Americans, which is interesting because there are only 327 million people in America. It's probably 400 million American devices and cookies, but not individual people. These vendors aren’t properly connecting cookies and devices to a single person and counting what is really one person as multiple people.
In the desire to talk about a platform’s scale, vendors can over-state the reality. It’s important to ask:
Are these devices and cookies active?
Can I deliver a message to them?
Will they be connected across a single person’s touchpoints?
The impact of this can be poor match rates, choppy marketing conversations, wasted ad spend and, ultimately, a negative customer experience.
Fine print observation #3: No explanation of messaging impact
Poor identity connections start a ripple effect of poor performance, creating drop-offs in ongoing conversations and no way to judge the true impact of your marketing over time.
The question to ask is: Is it a “who” (an actual person) or a “what” (a cookie or device) being messaged? If it’s a “what” conversation, then there is no way to ensure that the messaging is curated across a person’s devices. This can lead to less relevant and thoughtful conversations over time because those “whats” might decay (cookie decay and device churn) or actually be multiple people.
Reaching the right audience at the right time
If you can’t reach your intended audience, you won’t get your desired outcome. Depending on the goals of your campaign—which could be anything from building brand equity and driving a transaction to increasing your customers’ frequency of purchases—you would look for the right audience that has the greatest inclination to take that action.
If the first step is flawed, it can lead to the following:
Less relevant messaging due to messaging the wrong people.
Potentially invasive messaging, such as bombing—or sending a message out to all cookies and devices at once—leading to ad waste and a very bad experience for your audience.
Due to the amount of device and cookie churn (just think about how often someone gets a new phone), marketing effectiveness weakens over time. If you are connecting those devices and cookies to real people, you can attach new cookies and devices to drive a persistent identity. This is critical for many measurements that marketers look at over time.
Data loss due to inaccuracies or passing the data through too many vendors in the digital marketing process.
Reach diminishes as data passes through gates. Match rates can erode by 75%, leaving a quarter of an audience for activation.
Driving opportunity with reach
People-based reach is an opportunity for you to drive an action from your audience without wasting marketing dollars. But it has to be accurate and stable to succeed. By establishing one consistent view of each customer, you can learn your customers’ habits and behaviors over time.
As an example of how reach can—and should—continue over time, let’s look at a large home goods retailer with a file of loyal customers. If a customer purchases a sofa, they likely won’t be purchasing another one soon. But that doesn’t mean the brand should stop their conversation with the individual; instead, they can use it as an opportunity to message them about other categories and items, like pillows for the couch or a new coffee table. Reach continues that conversation over time, allowing you to know where each person is in the buying process and make smarter decisions about how you talk to them next.
The key takeaway is that if you can’t reach your customers over time, you won’t be top-of-mind when it’s time for them to make a purchase.
Measuring reach and the downstream benefits
Like all marketers, you want the best of both worlds: Maximum scale to reach all audiences without sacrificing accuracy. So, how do you know if your online reach is accurate?
Again, it’s important to remember that some vendors cite cookies or devices as individuals, which inflates their reach. They may say that they have massive scale because they have a huge audience, but they could count the same individual multiple times without even realizing it.
When it comes to measurement, you need to know exactly how your vendor is measuring reach. If they rely on the total number of devices and cookies they can reach, they probably aren’t giving you an accurate number. Reach should primarily be a conversation about the individuals a vendor can reach for potential messaging, and then the number of cookies and device IDs that connect to that individual.
Interested in learning more about how to reach your customers? Watch our webinar on the five building blocks of identity management.
---
## Why your tourism board needs a new approach to media
Type: eps_post
URL: /why-your-tourism-board-needs-a-new-approach-to-media
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T22:09:52Z
# Why your tourism board needs a new approach to media
Let’s pretend for a moment that you just came into a sizable inheritance. You’re not sure how to best invest that money for optimal returns, so you turn to an investment adviser for help. Your adviser puts together a comprehensive, diversified plan that looks and sounds good to you. You’re feeling good about moving forward.
Just before putting ink to paper, you ask how your investment performance will be measured and learn the following:
The adviser will meet with you in a year to evaluate the investment.
They will only look at a couple of the holdings rather than the full impact of the investment.
And their estimate of the holdings’ performance will be based on historical averages.
I’m willing to bet that there is no way you’d sign this agreement. Yet that scenario is no different than how the tourism industry currently plans their media spend. The most common objection I hear to investing in new media opportunities is: “We like this, but we already have our plan for the year.”
In other words, we’ll check on the results at some point in the future, and we’ll try to do better for next year (just like the misguided investment adviser).
This annual approach, with partial insights of loose estimates, doesn’t work any better for tourism boards than it does for investment advisers.
While you’re not directly investing your own dollars into your tourism board’s media budget, you are investing taxpayer dollars, which, in many ways, come with an even greater responsibility to be used appropriately. Those dollars are few and far between, are under intense scrutiny and must be managed efficiently. You need to show a clear return for that taxpayer investment (who wants their tax dollars wasted?).
The traveler data challenge
Historically, annual media buying made sense for the tourism industry, just like it did for other industries. Broadcast media and broadly targeted advertisements were the best we could do. But that’s just not the case anymore. Marketers in other industries have already moved on to a data-rich, agile, testing and learning, results-centric approach.
The challenge in adopting a more agile approach to tourism marketing is the traditional lack of traveler data. It’s difficult to clearly measure and optimize your campaigns when the only data you have to work with is soft metrics like display ad impressions, clicks to your website and brochure downloads. Airline and hotel bookings only bring you a small step further—it’s still difficult to reliably tie bookings to people you’ve messaged in the past. And even if you can do this passably well, it likely only accounts for a portion of the overall impact from each visit.
To top it all off, in digital marketing, these soft metrics and bookings are typically measured at the cookie level—it’s rare to have a view of the consumer on the individual level. But it’s this individual view that ultimately will give you accurate insight into how each person spends across retail, tours, restaurants (and more) while they’re in your destination.
This is the sort of customer data marketers regularly use in retail, CPG and other industries where advertising technology has been table-stakes marketing strategy for years. They use this information to define their value propositions, find their best audiences and personalize their messaging. Best practice is to identify and get a clear view of individual customers and their behavior across channels and devices, then use this information to define and send the most appropriate marketing messages in the channels where each person is most receptive.
This method is completely applicable for tourism bureaus as well, but the tourism industry lags behind in putting it to use. You can access the same data for relevant travelers or people that have visited your destination in the past.
A better understanding of your visitors for better ROI
With the technologies available to us today, you can go beyond analyzing hotel and airline bookings alone, and instead gain a full understanding of how many visitors your digital marketing influences, the top feeder markets and how much they spend at your destination across key categories such as dining, nightlife, retail, entertainment and more.
With this traveler data in hand, you’re primed to:
Accurately measure your media performance
Understand what people are looking for
Find the right people and offer the right message
Accurately measure your media performance (again)
1. Accurately measure your media performance
Yes, measurement typically comes last. In this case, it comes first, and good measurement starts with a holistic understanding of your customers—across channels, devices and spending habits. You should know how your media spend performed by tying your marketing efforts to actual visitors (real people) and see where and how much they spend while they’re in town.
This analysis provides all the data you need to be more agile and effective in your marketing. With this information in hand, you’re ready to optimize future investment to drive economic impact.
2. Understand what people are looking for
Think about your destination as a product. It’s not any different than selling beauty products or household items. You need a clear value proposition that differentiates what you’re offering from the traveler’s other options. Do you know yours?
Consider Florida. Lots of travelers come in search of a warm location with a beach. There are lots of cities all lined up next to each other that seem pretty similar. Destin, Seaside, Panama City—it’s tough to know where one stops and another begins. How does a traveler choose between them? What does each have to offer that the others don’t?
The right data helps you understand why travelers pick certain options over others so you can see a pattern in their buying behavior over time and make a recommendation that aligns with their past behavior. Destin, for example, could be appealing to a wide array of visitors from those looking for a quiet beach with a playground to those looking for a beach vacation with the best restaurants—it’s just a matter of understanding what is most important to each person you’re speaking to and highlighting that aspect of your destination for them.
3. Find the right people and offer the right message
Once you have an understanding of what each person is looking for, you can start to highlight those aspects of your destination through dynamic creative. When we talk about dynamic creative, we mean the ability to adjust an online ad to each individual traveler’s specific preferences—in real time.
These customer insights also allow you to personalize your messaging and creative to your various audiences. So the ad you’re serving up to Lisa, who is looking for a low-cost spring break getaway for her family of four, will be different from the ad you’re serving to Peter, who is an outdoor enthusiast and enjoys adventure. Lisa will get an ad showing that Destin is budget- and family-friendly while Peter will get an ad showing Destin’s options for snorkeling, parasailing and jet-skiing.
4. Accurately measure your media performance (again)
This is an agile, iterative process. It’s not your set-it-and-forget-it annual plan. Instead, you can show clear performance data for, and learn from, each media purchase, allowing you to constantly improve upon your ROI—maximizing lodging and sales tax revenue and ensuring travelers visit more often.
It’s Time to Adapt
Progressive destinations are already jumping on board—don’t get left in the dust. It’s time for your tourism board to take a more agile approach to marketing to drive real economic impact because you can’t wait until a year from now to know if your marketing is actually working.
Learn how today.
---
## CBA Live recap: Serving consumers with tech and transparency
Type: eps_post
URL: /cba-live-2019-recap-serving-consumers-with-tech-and-transparency
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T22:16:49Z
# CBA Live recap: Serving consumers with tech and transparency
Teaming up with fintech, enhancing technology and adopting AI
Last week, more than 1,500 senior bankers and industry leaders gathered in Washington D.C. to experience CBA Live 2019. At the three-day event, members of the banking community and their vendors came together to share their ideas and the challenges they face on a daily basis.
The overall buzz of the event was quite surprising, as the banking industry has come a long way since its consumer trust issues over the past decade. Bank of America (BofA) Chairman and CEO, Brian Moynihan, noted that banks were making their beds as early as 2006, which ultimately came to a head in the 2008 financial crisis, leaving a scar for many consumers in their perception of the industry as a whole.
In the past few years, the event has focused on themes of regulation, wrongdoings, branch optimizations and fighting against fintech, but this year, discussions about partnering with fintech “enemies,” technology, artificial intelligence (AI) and—above all—trust took center stage. CBA Live 2019 was all about putting competition aside for the greater good of the consumer.
Catching up to speed with technology
The banking industry has had a hard time adapting to technology. Many of the talk tracks at the conference recognized that regulation and red tape have traditionally slowed progress in this area, and old-style thinking set banks back many years.
In a panel session, Tim Spence, EVP and head of consumer banking, payments and strategy for Fifth Third Bank, said that 40% of FSI startups took less than a year to go from an idea to a product. The rest of the panel agreed that in the past, it may have taken them 2-3 years just to release a product.
This led to the entrance of fintech startups that took the industry by surprise and started solving their narrow problem with automation, technology and easy-to-use tools. However, because of M&A activity and strong digital partnerships, such as the bank-supported, person-to-person payment network Zelle, in the past year, fintech became less of a major threat and more of an industry partner to the old-school banks, not only showing them that they must change but also helping them along the way.
With the help fintech “frenemies,” traditional banks can move much faster, which is a rare pace in the banking world.
Placing bets on AI
The adoption of technology spurred many conversations about AI and how banks can (or should) use it to their benefit. The takeaway is that more banks are using machine learning (a subset or AI) to build trust with their customers.
BofA seemed to lead the way with AI. They continue to grow their investments in their “Erica” solution, which allows customers to ask hundreds of questions that normally would take 5-10 clicks or even a phone call to answer. The solution is reminiscent of Apple’s Siri, but, as with many financial services products, BofA had to take into account special privacy protections and considerations for their new roll-out. Their head of advanced solutions and digital banking, David Tyrie, took the opportunity to walk through how their solution complies with privacy concerns and regulations at the event.
In the “Taking AI to the Next Level” session, Tyrie appeared again, along with two other panelists, to share tips on how banks can get started with AI and machine learning technology by showcasing use cases and predictions for upcoming digital banking applications.
Some interesting future executions focused on predicting spends and budgeting; if a person normally spends $45 on Saturday nights for dinner, machine learning could see that spending pattern and suggest going to a cheaper place for dinner or eating in for budget-conscious consumers.
They covered the differences in deep learning and machine learning, what AI meant to them and how it has already started changing the world around us. Most importantly, they urged everyone in the industry to start exploring AI and machine-learning-led solutions as soon as possible (if they haven’t already), saying that AI is here to stay and help make customers’ lives easier.
Lessons from ad tech
With the adoption of AI comes many questions on what is right, how to use it and how bankers can stay transparent on how they use data to inform their AI and machine learning technology. In the same way that ad tech—in the form of programmatic advertising—changed the advertising world seemingly overnight, many at the conference noted that AI is poised to do the same for banking.
It was clear that bankers are learning from the ad tech industry that personalization can be a great tool for both their customer and their bottom line, if done responsibly. The introduction of ad tech and fintech into the banking world has woken a sleeping giant—banks of all sizes are moving quickly to meet consumers on their terms, on their screens and in the easiest way possible, all while building back trust with transparency.
Above all, serve the people
In the end, there were many rumblings of M&A activity from the recent SunTrust announcement, to Fifth Third Bank's even more recent acquisition of MB Financial and speculation on what will be next. As always, regulations were a major topic of conversation at the event, specifically around GDPR and the upcoming California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA).
In a panel session, “The Treasure Hunt for Consumer Data & the Governance of Data Privacy,” Epsilon-Conversant Chief Privacy Officer, Ashlen Cherry, spoke about the impacts of both regulations on the financial industry specifically and best practices for data use. “The key is building a strong partnership with your client and not just taking something that doesn’t apply to your business at face value,” she said. “You need to dig deeper and work together.”
In the end, all themes pointed back to gaining consumers’ trust with greater transparency and respect in order to further the industry, as many people still point to the economic crash in 2008 and blame the banks for putting Wall Street first.
Hopefully, technology and partnerships will continue to grow and prevent that from happening again. And from everything we saw at CBA Live, bringing bankers together really serves the public interest.
Want to learn more about how Epsilon Conversant works with financial services? Check out examples, case studies and more.
---
## Financial marketing: Using adaptable digital solutions for acquisition
Type: eps_post
URL: /financial-marketing-using-adaptable-digital-solutions-for-acquisition
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T22:09:52Z
# Financial marketing: Using adaptable digital solutions for acquisition
Direct mail has its benefits, but it needs an online counterpart
Every industry expects ups and downs. Issues with Boeing’s 737 MAX aircraft recently affected airlines as they removed planes from the air as quickly as possible, and any restaurant chain is one food poisoning outbreak away from enduring the consumer trust issues that plagued Chipotle for the past few years.
The finance industry is no different; market volatility affects everyone—from the big bank players to the community lenders—and they can require swift portfolio changes to rebalance their assets.
The industry is experiencing such a shift right now: “A flat yield curve, and questions about the path of interest rates given lingering political and economic uncertainties, have created headaches for bankers looking to optimize their balance sheets,” noted a recent article from American Banker.
However, due to financial marketing compliance and how you can (or cannot) offer products to consumers, speed to market is a real issue when you need to make an impact in a short amount of time.
The bottom line is that you need the right tools to turn certain levers on and others off based on market changes. Here, we talk through adaptable financial marketing solutions to increase acquisition, cross-sell and retention across products and segments—because direct mail isn’t the only option out there.
The monetary impact of diversified media
Direct mail is the traditional choice for many financial marketers looking for audience accuracy. It allows you to speak to the right people, but direct mail has a number of shortcomings:
Speed to market: By the time you’ve identified an acquisition need for deposits or lending, you’re probably still a month from reaching consumers. If interest rates are up and you need to focus on bringing more people in for deposit accounts or loans, direct mail takes too long to activate in market, and you’ll miss your window for consideration.
User experience: Newer products, like the just-announced Apple card, and brands, like Rocket Mortgage, have completely digital and mobile-optimized application processes. As more financial services companies focus on the customer experience, the digital side becomes more important, and direct mail is not a direct path to purchase for the consumer. Data accuracy also factors into this; there are plenty of examples of people applying for credit cards, getting denied and then receiving a direct mail piece for that same card a few weeks later.
Campaign integration: Direct mail is often the only part of a campaign with specificity to an individual while the digital side focuses on broader messaging and targeting. Direct mail often feels like a one-off as opposed to being part of a larger, integrated approach to communicating with an individual, whereas the full campaign should be personalized across online and offline.
Cost: To build a quality list of prospects for direct mail, you have to pull their credit scores, which isn’t cheap. And that’s not factoring in the cost of the direct mail piece itself (a requirement when credit is pulled). The paper, envelope, postage and fulfillment on direct mail gets expensive quickly—especially for a big list—which means more of your budget is not spent on reaching people.
Measurement: It’s always a bit of a question with direct mail. Did the person receive the mailer? Did it actually affect their decision to open an account with the bank or move their mortgage over to that institution? Without knowing your return on ad spend, you can’t intelligently make decisions to optimize or change current approaches, leading to wasted dollars and reach.
All of this is to say that you probably need more from your marketing than a direct mail campaign can deliver on its own. Direct mail should complement your marketing strategy but not stand as the only people-focused execution in it.
Use digital channels to ensure accuracy, speed and optimization
A Google study found a 48% increase in year-over-year mobile search traffic related to mortgages, credit, loans and insurance. More importantly, the average US adult spends more than six hours a day with digital media—more than any other channel.
Using online signals, you can understand peoples’ life changes—like people who have recently switched jobs, are looking for a house or are preparing for a newborn—and message them with relevant financial solutions in the moments they need them most. And the benefits of identity-based digital marketing are apparent:
Speed: You can be in market much faster with an existing digital partner than with a direct mail campaign, allowing you to quickly scale up or down based on market changes and needs. (Note: Onboarding a new partner can take time, but once they’re up and running, campaigns can easily adjust based on goals.)
Real-time optimization: Digital media allows for real-time optimization, so you can see similarities across individuals that converted and then reach more people with those attributes online. This also means better, more efficient advertising spend—you reach more people that actually convert to the goal and can measure conversions in real time.
Relevance: Identity-based digital marketing focuses on recognizing and understanding real people to provide relevant communications to them depending on their current life stage. You would know and be able to reach people based on their needs—such as shopping for a home loan, getting a new job or expecting a baby—which allows you to serve them better, more relevant marketing messages when they need it most.
Push vs. pull: To the above point about relevance, with identity-based marketing, you can be proactive and engage people that are already or about to be in market for a specific financial product. Instead of waiting for someone to reach out to your institution (or a competitor) to inquire about a home or car loan, you can message them about options as they start to consider a larger purchase.
There are compliant ways to reach in-market consumers online without resorting to spray-and-pray tactics. Using identity-based digital marketing—which focuses on reaching real people through privacy-protected digital profiles—you can reach your audiences that are in-market at that moment to support specific campaign goals:
Acquisition: Bring new customers into your financial institution.
Onboarding: Make sure they start using the service—whether that means setting up their direct deposit for the account or making their first purchase on a new credit card.
Growth: Increase stickiness over time through value-added services and upgrades.
Cross-selling: Talk to current customers about new product categories to deepen relationships.
Retention: Optimize their portfolio to ensure they stay with your financial institution and stop customer leakage.
If you approach financial marketing with adaptable solutions in mind, you’ll be able to scale up or down based on changing market dynamics. Although we don’t know what may happen next year or even next month with interest rates, we know that the one constant is always change.
Learn more about identity-based marketing for financial services.
---
## The grocer’s dilemma: Competing with Amazon, Walmart and others
Type: eps_post
URL: /the-grocers-dilemma-competing-with-amazon-walmart-and-others
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# The grocer’s dilemma: Competing with Amazon, Walmart and others
Amazon surprised us all a few weeks ago with its announcement about a new brick-and-mortar grocery presence beyond Whole Foods. The Whole Foods relationship has not been outstanding, and the new stores will offer a cheaper, expanded inventory of food and personal care in an attempt to gain customers that aren’t sold on the Whole Foods way of life. The more traditional grocery store is Amazon’s attempt to “cover critical gaps.”
But Amazon isn’t the only threat to traditional grocers: Walmart’s innovation has earned it a 21% share of the grocery market. By comparison, Amazon and Whole Foods combined are only about 4%. Walmart has focused on making shopping easier for customers in every channel, introducing mobile updates to more easily navigate each store and developing a mobile app “list” feature that modernizes the classic paper grocery list. The retailer also launched a new grocery delivery service in dozens of cities across the country, appealing to those who prefer to shop online.
In the face of changing market dynamics, how do you make sure your brand is always looking toward the future? Amazon, Walmart and other big-box stores clearly see the value in traditional grocery marketing and using new technology to gain that share. Here, we take a look at what these bigger industry players are doing across online and offline and how you can stay competitive.
E-commerce goes offline while brick-and-mortar moves online
Part of Amazon’s shift to physical spaces over the past few years is because its e-commerce growth is slowing—the store has essentially outgrown itself. Since it’s getting harder to expand online, it has to go elsewhere. As Amazon adds more physical space, brands like Target and Walmart are also changing the way that consumers shop. Target is ramping up its digital options, and Walmart’s website traffic outpaces all other big-box stores, but Amazon is still on top with 2.25 billion visitors as of February 2019.
When it comes to grocery, all of these players see opportunity in a huge market. Amazon is still a relatively small player, but the grocery industry is worth $830 billion. Amazon captured about 3% of that in 2018, so there’s a lot of room for growth, and they know that a physical presence can help.
And the in-store grocery experience is very much alive. Only 15% of people buy their groceries online, 77% prefer to pick out their own groceries, 32% prefer to go to a particular grocery store and 30% like to have control over picking the quality of their fruits and vegetables. For many, going to the grocery store is part of their weekly routine; the average American goes to the grocery store about twice a week.
Walmart has continued to invest in its in-store experiences. It has focused on back-room automation, which frees up time for associates to assist customers out on the floor, and the use of robots to take over time-consuming tasks like restocking shelves, moving misplaced products and monitoring inventory. All of these enhancements ease the shopping experience for customers.
Other brands also see value in the brick-and-mortar experience. Aldi plans to open 130 new stores in 2019 and remodel several hundred existing stores; Costco is launching 20 new stores; and Dollar General is looking to open nearly 1,000 new locations.
What does this mean for traditional grocers?
With big brands encroaching on an old-school industry, it may feel like all hope is lost for grocers. But think of it this way: If Amazon is moving into brick-and-mortar grocery stores, it must mean that there is a lot of opportunity in this industry. The same goes for big brands like Walmart and Target.
To keep up with these players, you need to:
Invest in enhancing the overall customer experience, particularly in-store. Amazon is coming, and Walmart is here to stay. Creating a better experience across all channels is quickly becoming a priority for grocery brands.
Identify who you are and who you want to be—and be the best at it. Raley’s, for example, is taking a stand to be the consumer advocate for product transparency and health and wellness. And it has revamped its online presence to reflect that commitment with assets like recipes, a head nutritionist and educational resources.
Mirror the consumer landscape in areas that might enable cost-cutting opportunities, like the print circular. Have you or do you plan to reduce or eliminate your print circular? Almost 60% of a company’s ad budget is going to the print circular, yet 46% of millennials and 36% of boomers are checking the print ad circular before they shop. There is an opportunity to deliver to this audience digitally, which saves marketing budget and could even allow for more personalized deals.
Grocery retailers have been in the data and digital space for years. Some are doing very well, but data must continue being used strategically.
In a panel at ShopTalk, Freshly Co-founder and CEO Michael Wystrach commented that “In its most simplified form, data is information. And for us, it’s information on our customers.” Freshly is a grocery and food delivery start-up, and its technology innovations can serve as a good example for those in the grocery retail space.
Freshly collects information to make its products better for customers, adjusting based on attributes like taste preferences and recipe ratings. What’s powerful about this approach is that when data is used properly for the customer, it delivers the intrinsic value that those customers are looking for. It improves the quality of Freshly’s product over time.
Collecting data is not enough, though. Most traditional grocers are conscious of data hygiene, but there need to be more concerted efforts. Grocers have some information about their customers, but it is often outdated.
For example, many grocery store loyalty members use old landlines as their “main phone number.” Not only is that an inaccurate piece of data as they likely have switched to cell phone use over time, it also precludes you from reaching people on a relevant channel.
Getting customer information right is the first step, and then it’s about continuing to focus on identity resolution. Do you have a plan to identify, know and reach customers outside of your owned properties? People engage across the web more than they engage with you on your social pages, in your stores and on your owned apps and websites. Can you reach them where they are? And if you can, are you working with the data from your CPG brand partners to serve them relevant ads?
With good data and accurate identity practices, traditional grocers can stand up against the behemoths of Amazon, Walmart and other big box stores.
Learn more about our digital solutions for grocery marketing.
---
## The role of the retail store in today’s omnichannel strategy
Type: eps_post
URL: /the-role-of-the-retail-store-in-todays-omnichannel-strategy
Last Modified: 2025-05-14T20:09:39Z
# The role of the retail store in today’s omnichannel strategy
“Is brick-and-mortar really dying” is a common question asked by marketers. The answer is no, it’s not.
In fact, it’s predicted that in-store retail sales are expected to increase by 4.4% this year reaching more than $3.8 trillion which is on par with past growth rates.
So retail stores are not dying but are staying consistent with their growth. What has changed is the role of the retail store.
Let’s further explore.
The role of the retail store
Marketers need to determine to best leverage the channel of in-store with your omnichannel strategy.
Many are positioning in-store presence as a convenient, customer service oriented channel that strengthens positioning within the marketing landscape and ‘matches’ other channels.
For example, have you ever walked into a Pottery Barn store (whether it’s the home, teen or the kids store) and noticed that the layout and design is the same, regardless of the channel?
And how in store, the displays are set up the same way they visually appear on the website, or laid out in an email or within the print catalog. In fact, the retail store carries very minimal inventory and the items are staged to be viewed by the shopper so he/she can experience the physical item and then can self-order it via a kiosk within the store or from the associate (avoiding shipping costs).
The brick-and-mortar channel is positioned to influence the sale and is being utilized in new ways such as the buy online/pick-up in store policy. Additionally, it’s aligned with all other channels.
Retail and the omnichannel journey
So how can you detect where and when the customer is shopping throughout this omnichannel journey?
It all starts with customer identification and fully understanding the purchase behavior in terms of channel and device type.
For example, if you’re an apparel retailer trying to drive new customer acquisition and build relationships with existing customers while having one-to-one conversations, you need to understand each customer’s shopping journey.
If you have a customer that shops both online and in-store, it’s important to understand the role each channel has with the customer. She may browse online to see what the latest fashion trends are, but then visits the store to try on the actual apparel items. If she decides to buy the items in-store, this activity is added to her profile which already includes demographic information, prior browsing data and her shopping preferences. Her identity is enhanced and the next time she transacts with the brand from clicking on an ad or browsing on her tablet, the retailer can customize offers based on her individual wants, likes and interests because she is identified.
And from research, we found that retailers struggle with reaching the right customer with personalized content because they haven’t optimized their identity solutions with ongoing, real-time, online and offline data.
Integrating your omnichannel strategy
An integrated omnichannel strategy is a part of the digital evolution in which we’ve all embraced. The retail industry continues to make technological advancements and the retail store ‘gets smarter’ each year.
One example of this is the increased number of retailers leveraging the ‘smart fitting room’ concept. Luxury designer Rebecca Minkoff has introduced magic mirrors into their retail stores.
How does it work? Radio-Frequency Identification (RFID) tags are placed on all apparel items which notifies the smart fitting room of the selected items to be tried on by the consumer.
Then, upon arrival in the dressing room, the mirror is informed of the items being tried on and can display the clothing item in a different color, size and also modify the lighting so the consumer can view how the item will look on them in the daytime versus the evening.
Additionally, Bloomingdales has included iPads in a select number of their stores which are wall-mounted and integrated with their inventory management system.
The benefits of the iPad include requesting assistance of a sales associate, checking to see what other colors and sizes are in-stock, reading reviews and seeing suggestions of what other clothing items might go with the selected item, while also gaining insight into the items available online.
Final thoughts
Rebecca Minkoff and Bloomingdales are two of the many retail brands who have integrated technology advancements into their brick-and-mortar stores to align with their omnichannel strategy.
This enables them to create a better identity for their customers by combining online and offline data. For today's shoppers, this integration of data and personalization at every step of the buyer's journey is paramount. Are you meeting their expectations?
---
## The diner dilemma: How restaurant marketers can keep up with third-party delivery
Type: eps_post
URL: /the-diner-dilemma-how-restaurant-marketers-can-keep-up-with-third-party-delivery
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# The diner dilemma: How restaurant marketers can keep up with third-party delivery
Technology has dramatically changed the customer experience in the past 10—even 5—years, and how people choose where to dine and when is no exception. From voice-activated ordering to in-restaurant kiosks, restaurants are hard-pressed just to stay up on the latest tech.
But few innovations have been more impactful to restaurants—especially in densely populated areas—than third-party delivery apps and services.
As more people choose staying in over a night out, many restaurants have met the rising demand for off-premise dining through third-party delivery services. However, these vendor relationships require a new approach to their data-driven marketing strategies.
According to recent research from Technomic, 68% of regular takeout users order at least three to four times a month. An explosion of third-party services is helping to drive delivery sales, with one-third of customers saying they’re ordering more frequently because of easy-to-use mobile apps.
These stats reflect a larger societal shift toward staying in, with 28% of consumers saying they’re spending more time watching TV and movies at home and 38% saying delivery is more convenient than carryout.
And while delivery was once the domain of pizza and little else, convenience-minded consumers can now summon everything from a latte to a gourmet meal with just a few clicks. More than half (52%) of restaurant operators say deliveries have increased in the past year, Technomic found, with delivery sales rising by an average of 20%.
For restaurants, capitalizing on these trends is vital to stay relevant in a crowded market. With an expanding crop of companies like Uber Eats, Grubhub and DoorDash ready to bring food to customers’ doors, many brands are finding it’s easier to work with an established third-party delivery service than to build delivery capabilities in-house.
Although these vendors offer an opportunity to reach new customers that may not otherwise have walked into one of their locations, that can come at a cost: giving up access to valuable customer data. For restaurants, continuing to find ways to connect with and engage customers will be critical for staying relevant in a new dining landscape.
Do you really know your delivery customers?
In a study with Nation’s Restaurant News (NRN), we found that understanding who their customers are after they leave the restaurant is top of mind for 71% of restaurant owners and operators. But what happens if those people never actually come into your location and that valuable customer data doesn’t enter your system at all?
Imagine you’re a local Italian restaurant that uses third-party delivery for its off-premise orders. You might receive 100 orders a night through that delivery service, but you don’t know anything about those customers—who they are, whether they’ve dined at your restaurant before or how often they order meals from your restaurant.
Without those insights, your business can’t develop the long-term customer relationships and personalized offers that help to drive more orders and sales. Multiply these challenges by thousands of locations, and it’s clear that major restaurant brands need a solid strategy to address changing diner preferences, including whether or not they embrace third-party delivery.
In the midst of industry transformation, restaurant marketers have big choices to make about how their food ultimately makes it to customers. Trust in third-party delivery certainly is an important part of that—they can help brands cultivate loyal fans of their restaurant and gain more exposure to new people that wouldn’t normally come into their establishment.
Each brand will have to make its own decision about how they want to work with third-party delivery companies—if at all—weighing factors like profit margins, customer expectations and operational considerations. And while third-party delivery is indisputably on the rise, consolidation among vendors could mean big changes for the landscape in the months to come.
Get the Nation's Restaurant News (NRN) research
For restaurant marketers, finding ways to be successful in the midst of market disruption ultimately depends on knowing your customers, including what, when and how they like to order.
To build a more holistic view of each individual, here are three strategies for you to consider:
1. Start with strong identity management.
Many brands rely only on their first-party customer data, like contact information and purchases, to make marketing decisions. For restaurants using third-party delivery services, however, that approach likely means you’re missing insights into a significant and growing portion of your customer base.
A marketing partner can help you paint a clearer picture of your customers by combining first-party data with third-party sources, like online and offline transaction data to complement your CRM data.
Our research with NRN found that only 9% of restaurant brands use this approach, which is table stakes across digitally savvy industries like retail.
Strong identity management can help you understand:
How much and how frequently diners spend in your category
How your wallet share stacks up against competitive brands
Your highest-opportunity prospects
Whether a once-loyal guest has switched brands or exited the category entirely
Customer interests in other categories that can help inform menu development or messaging
Although you may never have access to third-party delivery data, this information certainly helps restaurant brands connect with their best audiences across channels.
2. Understand and engage loyal customers.
Loyalty programs are a tried-and-true strategy for you to learn more about your customers and entice them with mouthwatering deals. In an age of third-party delivery, “stealth loyalty” is becoming the norm for many brands.
With third-party delivery, a customer could potentially order their favorite pad Thai or chicken wrap from your restaurant once a week without you knowing it. So how can you make these unknown loyal contacts known to your brand?
Starting with a foundation in strong identity management, you can model the attributes of your most loyal customers to find new audiences and prospects. It’s not a guarantee that you’ll connect with those ordering from your restaurant through third-party delivery apps, but it’s possible that those people display similar attributes as your loyal customers and would be included in that new audience.
You can send them messages highlighting the perks and benefits of your loyalty program through the restaurant, incentivizing them to sign up and become known contacts to your database.
3. Find multiple ways to reach customers.
Whether they’re grabbing a coffee in-store on the way to work or ordering lunch for the whole office, the most valuable customers often interact with your brand in multiple ways. That’s why many restaurants have embraced third-party delivery as a way to drive incremental sales, encouraging one more visit, purchase and dollar with every order.
By gaining insight into each customer’s shopping patterns and preferences, you can use third-party delivery as a new opportunity to reach them.
Building comprehensive customer profiles allows you to precisely target which customers are using these services and deliver personalized offers that increase order frequency and size. For example, if you know your customer often orders from a third-party delivery service like Grubhub or DoorDash, and your restaurant is also on that platform, you can send messages that highlight a new dish of yours, accompanied by an offer that works in the restaurant and with the delivery partner.
Final thoughts
With more diners craving the convenience and variety of delivery, restaurant marketers need a plan to extend the dining experience beyond their four walls and reach customers in new ways.
By building a clear picture at the individual level, you can fight through those blind spots in the customer journey by using one-to-one messaging to drive customer purchases across multiple channels and gain greater “share of stomach” in a competitive market.
Interested in learning more about the state of data-driven restaurant marketing?
Download our research in partnership with NRN: Driving one more visit: How restaurants fare in the digital age.
---
## <50% of brands have basic identity resolution capabilities, finds Forrester
Type: eps_post
URL: /forrester-identity-resolution-research-finds-that-50-of-brands-have-basic-capabilities
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# <50% of brands have basic identity resolution capabilities, finds Forrester
Identity resolution is the ability to accurately and persistently identify real people across online and offline interactions. Real people—not just cookies, not just devices, not just email addresses.
Why does identity resolution matter?
Because it is foundational to successful marketing in a digital world. Think about it. You’re trying to reach the right person at the right time with the right message. If you can’t reach the right person to start, you’ve already failed. And you might not even know you failed because measuring performance without quality consumer identification is sketchy at best.
As it turns out, there are lots of brands seeing less than success with their identity resolution programs. We commissioned Forrester Consulting to conduct a study to understand the current state of identity resolution, and we found that at best, half of brands are capable of fundamental identity resolution capabilities, like accurately finding customers across devices, controlling messaging frequency and sequencing and building a unified customer profile.
For the identity resolution research, Forrester surveyed more than 200 brand marketers on their ID strategies and how they apply to their marketing & business goals.
Here’s just a sampling of what they found.
Many programs lack core components of strong identity resolution
Building an understanding of your customers requires a sound structure, built by five critical building blocks of identity—persistence, recognition, scale, accuracy and privacy and compliance.
The study found that although 66% of brands have an ID strategy that’s at least one year old, the great majority are still struggling in multiple areas:
Persistence—71% of respondents struggle to maintain accurate IDs of their customers over time.
Recognition—69% struggle to understand what percentage of an addressable audience is active and reachable.
Scale—63% struggle with the size of their identity program, or the amount of the addressable audience they can reach.
Accuracy—58% struggle to ensure that opt-outs and customer privacy controls are in place.
Privacy and Compliance—40% struggle to ensure that opt-outs and customer privacy controls are in place.
Get the Forrester Consulting identity resolution research now.
The identity resolution research concluded that a majority of brands aren’t driving maximum value in their marketing because they face challenges across each of these identity pillars. Across all categories, just half of marketers are fully capable of fundamental identity resolution capabilities.
Deficiencies in identity resolution create challenges downstream
With shaky identity resolution foundations, brands are facing numerous challenges with using and activating their customer data. The top challenges are:
Determining the right audiences for online campaigns (56%)
Proving performance and measurement of customer marketing (52%)
Optimizing online campaigns (50%)
Personalizing online campaigns (47%)
But not all industries studied in the identity resolution research struggle with the same challenges. Top challenges by industry include:
Automotive: Determining the right audiences for online campaigns (63%)
Retail: Determining the right audiences for online campaigns, and proving performance and measurement of customer marketing (both (52%)
Financial services/Insurance: Personalizing online campaigns (58%)
Travel: Optimizing online campaigns (55%)
The C-suite doesn’t see it the same
Forrester’s identity resolution research indicated that there is a big disconnect between the C-suite and their director-level counterparts. C-level executives were far more confident in their identity resolution than director-level associates, who are more likely to be in touch with how the program is actually working.
Executives in the study were:
25 percentage points more likely to be extremely confident in their customer ID profiles’ completeness and accuracy
32 percentage points more likely to rate their programs’ persistence as excellent
16 percentage points more likely than directors to believe their brands were ready to immediately leverage new online and offline customer data to update customer profiles and activate against new information.
Thanks to this disconnect between executives and other areas of the organization, many brands lack internal consensus on their identity resolution challenges and opportunities. They also lack clear program ownership between organizational silos within the company.
According to Forrester, these misaligned identity resolution programs hurt customer experience and brands’ financial and performance metrics.
Shift your identity resolution focus for near-term wins
Eventually, you can expect big gains from a robust identity resolution program. In the qualitative side of the study, one enterprise marketing director explained:
“Our identity program is aimed at helping us better understand how to focus our marketing on all our different types of customers. How does a customer react to our value proposition and why, how do they choose between products and why. It’s an integral part of what we are trying to do with our customer knowledge base and is the core of how we are delivering one-to-one experiences for our customers.”
But if you’re just starting out, or if you’re struggling to get your identity program running optimally, Forrester recommends you shift your immediate focus to improving marketing performance and reducing waste.
The identity resolution research explains that even mid-sized brands stand to recover seven-figure savings by reducing waste to gain efficiencies. A focus on improved targeting and accuracy, for example, can reduce your spend on audiences that aren’t performing.
Don’t build on a shaky foundation
If you want to survive and thrive in the digital world, identity resolution is foundational to your success. The cornerstone to your customer data management, personalization and more. You need to get it right before you build your impressive skyscraper—or it may just come tumbling down on you.
Check out the rest of Forrester’s identity resolution research for more findings and recommendations:
Is Your Identity Program Built on a House of Cards? Brands Risk Missing Key Business Benefits with Unfocused Identity Resolution Programs, a commissioned study conducted by Forrester Consulting on behalf of Epsilon-Conversant
---
## Multi-touch attribution: How one auto brand proved value
Type: eps_post
URL: /attribution-success-how-one-auto-brand-proved-their-marketing-value
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T22:16:49Z
# Multi-touch attribution: How one auto brand proved value
Let’s just come right out and say it—attribution is hard. No matter how good your models are, it may feel like something is missing in your data.
It’s hard to prove the role your website played in pre-purchase research or how a display ad may have influenced customer behavior. And when your data doesn’t show what you know in your gut to be true, it can be uphill battle to figure out why.
The problem is also the solution
When it comes down to it, the problem, and ultimately the solution, lies with identity.
Identity is the foundation of everything.
Without the ability to weave together all online and offline activity back to a single profile, your view of the customer’s story will never be complete, and understanding what truly influences a conversion will remain elusive.
How one auto brand solved for attribution
Recently, one of our clients in the auto industry was getting pressure from their board to cut investment in their website. The board’s belief was that the site didn’t drive purchases—most of which occurred in store.
To disprove this theory and protect their budget, they needed to show that the unauthenticated visitors to their website actually influenced a significant portion of in-store purchases.
We were able to show that 40% of their customers were going to the site to read product reviews or find discount codes before going into a store. Because we had the capability to identify the people coming to their website (authenticated or not), we illuminated each customer journey leading up to a purchase and could confidently assign value to upstream marketing.
It completely changed the internal narrative about marketing’s impact, elevated the digital team to rock star status and guaranteed increased funding for the website in the future.
Final thoughts
How can you measure the value of any of your channels if you can’t see the entire journey from digital ads, to direct mails, to emails and purchases? It’s all there in the data, but you must be able to see it and align it back to a single person.
That’s what matters when it comes to attribution; uncovering the customer’s story from the start of their journey to the end, and every sporadic move in between.
It all begins with accurately recognizing your customers, leveraging that identity to align all behaviors into a single profile, then using the insights to make data-driven decisions within your brand.
Learn more about attribution
---
## The secret to retaining your financial customers
Type: eps_post
URL: /the-secret-to-retaining-your-financial-customers
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# The secret to retaining your financial customers
Even the most junior marketers have heard the adage at least once: it costs more to acquire a new customer than to retain an existing one.
This holds true in financial services.
Customer Think explains that the costs of acquiring a banking customer are around $200—but that customer only generates about $150 in revenue each year. It stands to reason that if you want your institution to make any money, you’ve got to keep your customers around for a while.
The good news is that if you’re acquiring the high-value customers, onboarding them and growing them through relevant upsell and cross-sell offers, you’re already well positioned to retain your customers over time.
It’s all about building relationships through highly personalized interactions, throughout the customer’s lifecycle.
According to the Digital Banking Report, effective personalization can lead to significant business growth:
Reduce customer churn rates by 10–30%
Lift customer engagement scores by 2–3x
Lead to annual revenue uplifts of 10%
On the other hand, if you acquire customers who are looking for short-term incentives, or if you haven’t fully activated and engaged your customers from the start, you’re probably still seeing a lot of attrition. You must continue to provide personalized value to each customer as their needs evolve.
Know your customers to build lifelong relationships
Retention is important in every industry, but losing a customer in financial services is about a lot more than someone not buying a new pair of shoes. For financial marketers, you're losing the entire downstream of financial interactions throughout your customers' lives, from their first credit card to setting up college savings accounts for their kids.
To stay relevant to your current and potential customers—anticipating their needs as they evolve and change throughout their lifetime—you need to build a deep understanding of each customer within and beyond your brand.
This is done through effective identity management for financial brands, which requires the following steps:
Understand your customers as a segment of one. Segmented messaging becomes one-size-fits-none when segments are too big. Knowing and understanding each customer as an individual allows you to deliver relevant messages during key decision-making moments.
Ensure privacy and compliance. Keep your digital marketing initiatives free of personally identifiable information (PII) to make sure information remains protected in all instances.
Use customer data to strengthen your connections—and establish new ones. You can reach new and existing customers, but what else do you know about them? Complement customer data with known online activity and devices for a more complete picture of each customer.
Personalize the customer lifecycle. With the right data, you’ll know when your customers’ needs change, and you’ll deliver relevant messages about the next financial product they’re ready for.
Ensure efficient marketing spend. To deliver the right messages to the right people, you need an always-on approach that optimizes every interaction in real time. You can only achieve this with machine learning.
Measure, optimize and measure again. Predetermined seasonality and product pushes don’t take the individual into account. You need a partner that can build a fluid, flexible plan and measure everything in a closed-loop environment—so there's no more guessing.
Identity management in action
We met our fictional friend Mason in our earlier posts on acquisition and onboarding.
He is 22 years old, single, makes $50k per year and lives in Seattle. He is looking forward to traveling after his recent college graduation. He has a basic savings account but no credit card. He reads the news online and checks the weather on his Android phone every morning.
His bank identified him as an ideal prospect for a credit card with travel rewards. Using identity management, they were able to deliver him messaging that offered 2x travel points on purchases and an easy online application and management interface. They reinforced these communications consistently with emails, digital ads on his favorite news sites and pop-up ads in his weather app.
The bank’s efforts to connect with Mason worked, and they acquired him as a customer. He applied for the co-branded travel card and was approved—but after a few weeks, he still hadn’t activated the card.
The bank was able to serve him new ads with messaging to activate his card to start earning points. Of course, they appeared in the channels he frequents—like his news app—and Mason ended up activating his card, thanks to these personalized onboarding efforts.
Mason will continue to need financial services throughout his life, such as financing for a car and condo, and saving for college and retirement. There are so many growth and cross-sell opportunities for the bank if the brand can show up for Mason during these life changes.
If the bank can consistently anticipate his needs and offer solutions that make the most sense for him, they’ll retain a valuable customer.
This is what retention is all about—and it’s all possible with a deep understanding of every single individual you interact with.
Learn more about being a better financial partner to your customers over their lifetimes in our e-book: How to build a lifetime of financial loyalty—Digital marketing for all 5 stages of the customer lifecycle.
---
## How financial services marketers should respond to new Facebook regulations
Type: eps_post
URL: /how-should-financial-services-marketers-respond-to-new-facebook-regulations
Last Modified: 2025-05-14T20:19:51Z
# How financial services marketers should respond to new Facebook regulations
It’s fair to say that Facebook and other social media platforms have not been having the best few years when it comes to consumer privacy and fairness.
Facebook in particular has been the subject of several legal complaints:
The National Fair Housing Alliance sued Facebook for making it possible to block individuals from viewing housing-related ads on the platform based on their race.
The Department of Housing and Urban Development followed suit with a similar complaint.
The ACLU – alongside many other organizations – filed charges with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission against Facebook for allowing recruiters to display job openings only to younger men, excluding women and non-binary individuals and older males.
As a result of this and other legal actions, Facebook made a significant change to its marketing platform by barring companies that specialize in housing, recruiting or finance from targeting certain audiences or using certain marketing tools.
What is the fallout for financial brands?
The Equal Credit Opportunity Act (ECOA) prohibits creditors from using information about race, color, religion, national origin, sex, marital status, age or the receipt of public assistance to determine eligibility for credit.
Facebook now prevents banks and credit unions from targeting audiences for credit-related products using these characteristics. Marketers for these companies can no longer use the “lookalike audiences” tool to exclude these audiences as well.
Because of these restrictions, Facebook has basically become a cheaper version of television — marketers can buy lots of low-cost ads that reach a large audience, but they have little granular control over who receives those ads.
With these changes, Facebook can no longer provide marketers access to reach their known, desired audiences.
How to scale the garden walls
Facebook is a well-known walled garden; they have lots of information on the people that use their platform, but you can only use it to power advertising on Facebook.
Walled gardens, by design, make it difficult for advertisers to connect consumer data across digital platforms and enrich their first-party data with cross-channel transactional and behavioral data at scale. This lack of transparency is crippling for advertisers, who want to know—with certainty—who they are actually reaching. And with the new regulations on Facebook, that picture only becomes fuzzier for advertisers on their platform.
Frankly, this is a problem in digital marketing for financial services outside of Facebook as well. Financial marketers are hamstrung by efforts to segment and target their audience due to a complex regulatory and compliance framework. In a recent study from Forrester Consulting commissioned by Epsilon-Conversant, Forrester found that accuracy (or how well marketers are able to reach the people they intend to target) was the #1 challenge for financial services marketers in regards to their identity resolution program.
Financial brands must find a way to accurately and persistently identify consumers as they move through their financial lifecycle without using prohibited class information or information that mimics prohibited classes.
A robust identity resolution program gives financial brands first-party data enriched with third-party data insights in an environment designed to help financial marketers remain ECOA-compliant. This data can be activated across multiple channels enabling brands to deliver timely, personalized ads in an omnichannel environment.
Download the Forrester Consulting research
In the financial services industry, identity resolution is a strategic asset that links interactions to specific individuals, eliminating duplication and wasted ad spend. Financial brands have used identity management for years to comply with anti-fraud policies, but they've been slow to implement identity technology in a strategic way to deliver marketing messages.
In a marketing context, identity resolution bypasses walled gardens and their lack of transparency, providing a closed loop for analytics and attribution. It enables precise targeting and segmentation without relying on protected classes for modeling — or even using them as inputs.
Brands who get identity right can aggressively compete for high-value customers. Identity, when combined with deep consumer knowledge and real-time activation, gives financial brands a strategic edge for acquisition, growth and retention while simultaneously reducing duplicative efforts and inefficient ad spend.
If the Facebook changes result in marketers shifting dollars to solutions that are both accurate and compliant, it’s a win for consumers and financial brands.
Should financial services marketers end their reliance on Facebook?
This isn't the first time that Facebook has come under fire for issues related to understanding who advertisers are reaching and measuring the effectiveness fo that spend.
Because of Facebook’s control over its data and metrics, the platform has endured considerable controversy over allegations that it has misrepresented audience engagement metrics in the past. For example, yet another Facebook lawsuit alleges that the social media company exaggerated the average length of a video view by up to 900 percent.
Even if this accusation is found to be incorrect, it is no secret that the platform has been dogged about questions of transparency and an inability to verify important KPIs.
Facebook and similar walled gardens have always been problematic for marketers. In addition to the problems above, marketers are hampered by their inability to correlate first-party data from these platforms with information from other channels.
Brands' ability to target customers on Facebook has always been restricted—and these newest restrictions provide you with an opportunity to leave the platform behind.
Interested in learning more about how to connect audiences in an accurate and compliant way? Download our guide: How to build a lifetime of financial loyalty—Digital marketing for all 5 stages of the customer lifecycle.
---
## How to deliver experiences customers love by building your own walled garden
Type: eps_post
URL: /how-to-deliver-experiences-customers-love-by-building-your-own-walled-garden
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T22:16:49Z
# How to deliver experiences customers love by building your own walled garden
Delivering great, multi-channel customer experiences is becoming marketing’s chicken or egg question.
How do you anticipate what customers want and deliver the consistent experiences when privacy laws restrict what you can collect and customers are more hesitant to share their data than ever before?
A precious few have figured it out.
It has taken them 15+ years and billions of dollars in investments to do it. Companies like Google and Amazon—and to a lesser extent Netflix or Nordstrom—have found privacy-compliant ways to collect rich customer profiles. They can use these profiles to create the types of experiences their customers love and expect. It’s the type of data most of us dream about.
So, daydream with me for a minute. Imagine you are a clothing retailer and you know a customer needs to buy a new cocktail dress for an upcoming wedding. You can see she was researching trends and watching fashion videos online. And you know that she shopped with you in the past three months. What could you do with that kind of data at scale?
Asked another way, how would you transform your marketing if you had access to the same data as the walled gardens?
You may be asking yourself, what’s the point. It’ll never happen. There are only a few companies in the world that have access to that kind of information and the people who do will never share it. Even if they would, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) privacy laws prohibit sharing that kind of data.
If that'd what you're thinking, you are partially correct.
It’s true in a PII-based ecosystem, but if you strip the PII away and replace it with an anonymous identifier, a whole new world of possibilities awaits allowing you to connect your consumers’ online and offline behavior. This is what the walled gardens have spent billions to create. Now you too can too; creating a huge competitive advantage without the huge investment.
How to create your own walled garden
The first thing you need is elite identity, the ability to link a person to their device and still recognize them when they step away from the screen and visit you in store.
Everything breaks down without elite identity. The walled gardens know this. It’s why their enormous community of logged in users is such an advantage. Google generates cross-device linkages from all the people logging into Gmail or Chrome on their phone, laptop and tablet. Amazon takes it a step further and links devices to shipping addresses when a purchase is made.
Next, you would need predictive buying signals captured from around the web. The walled gardens leverage advertising networks and retargeting pixels to get a better idea of the sites you visit and areas of interest at any given time.
It’s the type of predictive data that powers their lookalike audiences and allows them to outperform demographic-based audiences. When you combine your own first party data with these types of signals, the insights you learn and results you see are completely transformative.
By mastering the world of the anonymous, you can build your own walled garden.
You can take your customer experience to the next level and accurately anticipate what a person wants. You can become one of those brands that customers love to rave about because they feel like you know them. You will be fundamentally different from your competition, the same competition that use all the same marketing technology that is limited by the underlying dirty data powering them.
Here’s the rub. It’s not for everybody. It requires a sophisticated data science team. If you are still reading this, it probably means you have the capabilities to make it happen.
The brands that learn to operate in both the known and anonymous worlds are going to have huge advantages.
We are in the early stages of this movement, but make no mistake, this is where the market is going. It has to. Privacy laws (rightfully) restrict the customer data you can capture and limit your ability to personalize, but customers don’t care. They still expect you to know who they are and treat them as people.
The brands that do this will win their loyalty. The walled gardens proved this and showed us the path forward. Now it is time to take control back and do it for ourselves, so we aren’t held hostage to their rules and restrictions (never mind that we are making them harder to compete with in the process).
Maybe we can finally answer marketing’s chicken or the egg question after all.
---
## Tourism improvement districts: The new funding source for destination marketers
Type: eps_post
URL: /tourism-improvement-districts-the-new-alternate-funding-source-for-destination-marketers
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Tourism improvement districts: The new funding source for destination marketers
DMOs obtain alternative methods of funding to support promotional efforts for the tourism industry.
In 2018 alone, travel and tourism was the second-highest-growing sector of the global economy, contributing $8.8 trillion to the global GDP. Even better, the industry is projected to continue to grow in revenue and jobs created through 2025.
Tourism occupies nearly every corner of the world, bringing people together from different continents, cultures, languages and backgrounds while stimulating local economies everywhere. And every year, we celebrate World Tourism Day on September 27 to mark the positive impact that the tourism industry has on the world.
Despite growth, U.S.-based tourism marketers are still facing challenges, including a growing trend of shrinking budgets and a need to prove marketing effectiveness to decision-makers from various funding sources.
In a time when government budgets are under intense scrutiny and cuts are looming, Destination Marketing Organizations (DMOs) are fighting for every dollar of funding available.
For example, in 2017, the Alaska Travel Industry Association experienced a 90% budget reduction from two years prior, leaving the organization with just $1.5 million to market the state as a tourist destination.
When tourism budgets are reduced, those areas have a decline in visitors and revenue. Colorado is a great example of the direct impact tourism funding has on visitors. An analysis by Longwoods International found the state experienced a loss of over $1.4 billion in tourism revenue as a result of the complete elimination of their $12 million tourism budget.
To avoid a decline like Colorado, many DMOs have responded to potential budget cuts by looking for ways to generate funding from non-government entities using creative tactics, such as Tourism Improvement Districts (TID).
What are TIDs?
TIDs are programs that involve a partnership with government organizations, like DMOs, and local private businesses, where private businesses opt-in to fund tourism budgets in their areas.
In the agreement, businesses commit to support the DMO so they can continue their marketing efforts to promote tourism in the region even if government funding goes away. TIDs use this money for promotional efforts to bring in all types of tourists to the area as well as large-scale events such as conventions and conferences.
The relationship between DMOs and local businesses through TIDs is beneficial for both parties:
For local businesses:
More tourists visiting the area
Promotion of the business to new and returning visitors
Increased visibility throughout the area
For DMOs:
Additional funding source outside of government budget
Direct connection and accountability to local business
Ability to prioritize marketing efforts and measure its effectiveness
As of July 2019, TIDs are active in 15 states, and 15 additional states are in the process of implementing a TID in at least one city.
As of 2015, TIDs have generated over $250 million in funding for the US tourism industry, showing there is ample opportunity to grow this source of funding as a sufficient revenue stream for DMOs.
Challenges for dmos in establishing TIDs
Despite the benefits that TIDs bring to both parties, there are challenges that DMOs have to be thinking about to ensure the stability of the program long-term.
Imagine you are partnering with a small business owner on investment in the local TID and want to make sure local businesses join and benefit from the new program as much as possible. However, you are aware that small businesses will be reluctant to invest in a new program without knowing what results it will drive for their business specifically.
As a tourism bureau, the key question to answer for businesses in your TID is: If they invest, how will this benefit them?
If there isn’t a way to track incremental spend to individual businesses and attribute it to your marketing efforts, it may be difficult to prove the value a TID brings to your locale. But, if you can show exactly who you’re bringing in and how those people spend when they visit, you can help small businesses in your area rest easy, knowing the TID is generating new business for them every day.
The problem? This type of data requires an advanced level of customer identification and extremely accurate attribution to be successful. Unfortunately, many marketing solutions that claim to show marketers this information are pretty limited in their capabilities.
Many tourism marketers focus on hotel and flight booking transactions to show impact, but that measurement doesn’t give you the full understanding of who you’re bringing to the area and how much they’re actually spending in a TID.
Using transaction-based measurement to show net economic impact
The good news is there are partners out there that can help you measure the net economic impact of your marketing spend through transactional data across hotels, restaurants, nightlife, groceries, events and more.
This holistic view helps you as a marketer and the local business owner understand who came to your location, where they shopped, what they did and how they spent while in your area.
All of this is available through transactional data tied back to the individual, and these metrics tie real spending in the area back to the individuals who were exposed to your marketing campaign, helping make the case for TID funding.
As an example of how this measurement works in real time, let’s look at Visit Savannah, the official destination marketing organization for the greater Savannah, Georgia, area, who we worked with to help understand the full impact of their marketing spend.
They wanted to “get heads in beds” but were having issues understanding the full impact of their marketing spend. “We need to trust that we’re getting additional new people to visit, not the people that are already planning to come here,” Zeek Coleman, interactive marketing manager at Visit Savannah, said in an article with Phocuswire.
They started using our Net Economic Impact (NEI) solution earlier this year. After a three-month run using a solution that focuses on accurate, measurable identity-based marketing as the main driver for performance, Visit Savannah was able to measure:
How they influenced potential visitors to decide to come to their destination
Once they visited, how those people spent while they were in their market, across all categories
In total, Visit Savannah saw a $133:1 return on ad spend (ROAS) for their campaign with an initial investment of $182,000. For lodging alone, the ROAS was $21:1, which was double the amount they typically see for this category. “In light of the political pressures some of our peers have faced, this sort of reporting is essential to prove the impact of our work,” Coleman said in the article.
As destination marketing organizations across the U.S. continue to secure funding through alternate methods with the implementation of TIDs, it will be increasingly important for you to have a full view of your visitors and how they spend in your location.
Interested in learning more about our NEI solution? Watch our solution overview video.
---
## Why your best financial cross-sell opportunities are digital
Type: eps_post
URL: /why-your-best-financial-cross-sell-opportunities-are-digital
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Why your best financial cross-sell opportunities are digital
According to PwC, customers who use just one product at a financial institution are less profitable than those who use multiple products.
On the flip side, multiple-line-of-business customers generate 2.5 times the amount of pretax income than their single-line counterparts. Multi-line customers also spend two times more on credit cards than single-line.
Many financial brands know that the more products a customer has with them, the more profitable they will be in the long run. But how are you using marketing to build those relationships to move a customer from one product to multiple products? And are you successful in that effort?
After acquiring, onboarding and growing your relationships with each individual, to cross-sell them successfully, you need to truly understand them as an individual. You need to market to them based on the financial lifecycle and tailor your communications to each person’s life stage.
Get the e-book: How to build a lifetime of financial loyalty
Deeper relationships with digital
Unfortunately for us creatures of habit, traditional marketing doesn’t increase engagement across the entrenched product silos that are prevalent in so many financial institutions. The PwC study also found that traditional product-based acquisition strategies often lead to single-product relationships.
While traditional marketing alone isn’t likely to drive your cross-sell success, you can rely on digital—digitally-engaged customers are two times more likely to be multi-line customers than offline ones. Data-driven, digital relationships are the most logical path to cross-sell success.
But what do we mean by “data-driven, digital relationships”? First, you must get to know each individual customer and understand their life events. Then you need to communicate highly relevant offers to each person, when and where they prefer to engage.
Know each customer and their life events
The average U.S. adult spends more than six hours a day on digital media. All these online interactions leave digital signals that marketers can use to understand people, like their channel preferences, purchase habits, wants, needs, life events and more.
To stay top-of-mind, your financial brand needs to understand this information to know what’s relevant for each customer—then use that information to create highly relevant cross-sell offers. Weaving your products in with their lives will help you build a long-term relationship.
Perhaps your customer is researching a dream vacation. Or getting ready to have a baby. Looking to buy a bigger home. Figuring out how to pay for college. Approaching retirement.
These life events all indicate a potential need for a financial solution. If you can identify and understand these triggers, you can tailor your cross-sell offers with messaging that’s most likely to resonate with each individual customer—and build their trust.
Engage on their terms
You’ve spent the time and effort to create relevant offers. Now, you want to make they hit the mark.
You will be most likely to reach your customers if you place your offers when and where they prefer to interact—and that won’t always be at their mailbox as they grab the mail in the evening. You need to engage in the digital channels your customers prefer.
One customer may check his email first thing every day, frequent parenting blogs in the evenings and browse his travel booking app on Saturdays. Another may read investor news daily and rely heavily on her weather app. With these insights in hand, you can deliver your offers in the places that each person is most likely to engage.
Digital cross-sell in action
Let’s take a look at how this digital cross-sell could unfold.
Meet Rich. He’s 59 years old, married with grown kids and lives in Atlanta. He already has deposit and checking accounts, a platinum credit card and a mortgage with his bank, and he has been a loyal customer for years.
As Rich approaches retirement, the bank wants to discuss longer-term financial planning with him through owned communication channels. But it’s a long decision-making process.
The bank sends him a variety of consistent digital marketing messages through the channels and apps he uses most, reminding him of the benefits of bringing his retirement savings to the same institution as his deposit and checking accounts.
After seeing several of the messages, Rich requests a meeting with the bank’s wealth management team to discuss bringing his retirement savings to the bank.
Develop deeper, longer-lasting connections
Many financial brands still resort to spray-and-pray marketing, using broad segments and minimal contextualizing for the individual. This strategy is ineffective and outdated. It wastes ad spend and creates negative perceptions in lots of different ways, such as:
Promoting a financial product that’s irrelevant to the customer or prospect
Featuring a financial product that someone already has
Treating existing customers like new prospects
Tailoring messages to the wrong person (e.g., a spouse) who shares the device
Instead, you have the opportunity to get to know your customers. Serve them relevant, personalized offers that they’re more likely to value—and take advantage of. You’ll benefit from the immediate business, as well as from the deeper, longer-lasting connections you build for your brand.
Interested in learning more about how you can manage the full financial customer lifecycle through creating the right digital connections? Download our guide: How to build a lifetime of financial loyalty.
---
## Beyond loyalty: How to market to moviegoers throughout the entire buyer’s journey
Type: eps_post
URL: /beyond-loyalty-how-to-market-to-moviegoers-throughout-the-entire-buyers-journey
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Beyond loyalty: How to market to moviegoers throughout the entire buyer’s journey
Theaters love loyalty programs. They offer you the information you need to promote the right movies to the right customers—to keep them coming back for more flicks.
But what about all of the people that aren’t part of your loyalty program (yet)? How can you find new people, or likely returning customers that just aren’t in your program, that will enjoy a show at your theater? How do you get these individuals to return for another viewing? To eventually join your loyalty program?
There’s an entire buyer’s journey that exists outside of your theater’s loyalty program. Here’s how to communicate to film fans at every stage.
Awareness stage—inspire consumers
Studios are traditionally responsible for driving awareness of a film, and they do a stellar job at it. Trailers, TV, radio, print, out-of-home, PR, social buzz, the works. But their promotional messaging is for the film itself—not your venue.
Your goal at the awareness stage of the journey is to inspire potential moviegoers to see the latest releases at your theater.
How can you drive awareness before a consumer shows intent to buy?
You need the right data to reach known moviegoers across their devices, before they start searching for a movie.
Instead of waiting for people to show intent through some sort of search, identify individuals near your theaters who go to the movies, and show them relevant titles before they decide to go. Put the idea in their heads.
You can find and reach nearly anyone—prospects that haven’t yet visited your theater, current customers outside of your loyalty list and even competitors’ customers. Reaching them in the awareness stage gives you an early mover advantage.
Intent-to-buy stage—reach in-market shoppers
Consumers enter the “shopper” stage after they exhibit a search signal that indicates they are planning to see a movie. Most theaters begin their marketing efforts at this stage and typically identify intent signals through paid search or social and on endemic industry platforms like Fandango, Atom Tickets or IMDB.
Your goal at this stage of the journey is to convince people that are already planning on going to the movies to choose your theater over other options. But every other theater in the area is also waiting for consumers to raise their hands and become shoppers, so it becomes more expensive to reach these people through digital marketing like paid search and display ads.
Plus, there are limitations to measuring your campaign’s performance. Most of these channels aren’t going to share purchase details with you, which means unless those shoppers are buying on your website or at the box office, you don’t know who they are.
Your loyalty platform can successfully engage loyalty members at this stage if they’re logged in and browsing your website or app. You can use those signals to send them messaging and offers on their owned, personally-identifiable (PII) channels, like email, text and app push.
But what if they aren’t logged in or not part of your program at all?
You can still use your first-party data to identify loyalty members during anonymous movie browsing, as well. Then you can reach these in-market consumers across their devices with messages encouraging them to choose your theater. Maybe one person abandoned a page about a movie, so a next action is to deliver display ads for that movie to that person across their browsing behavior. If they abandoned your home page, serve ads for the most popular movie at your location nearest them.
This approach also allows you to measure when your anonymous browsers buy tickets, both online and at the box office.
Purchase stage—encourage loyalty with your guests
Your shopper made a purchase? Great. They’ve become your guest. Your goals now are to:
Maximize margins and total visit revenue
After they leave, encourage them to return and drive to loyalty (post-purchase)
There are a lot of places these guests could have bought tickets: at the box office, on your website or app or with an online ticketer. Your loyalty platform can help you talk to guests that purchased through your owned channels—website and app—because you collected contact information during checkout.
But one of the biggest challenges at this stage is finding channels on which to reach the rest of your non-loyalty guests post purchase. It’s hard to convert them to loyal customers if you can’t communicate with them.
The best approach to solve for this problem is to work with a marketing partner that can match your point of sale data to digital profiles of real people so that you can reach them online. All personally identifiable information is removed in these profiles, but you know that “Person ABC” bought tickets to your show at your box office. This allows you to reach these guests in non-PII channels with display ads to encourage additional visits and loyalty signups.
There is also a segment of guests that buy their tickets through an online ticketer, but then they also indulge in some snacks from your concession stand—transaction! This is crucial because they’re creating a transaction trail at your location even though they didn’t purchase tickets through your owned channels. Now you can reach these guests online, too, with relevant messages across devices.
Loyalty stage—engage your members
Your goal at the loyalty stage of the buyer’s journey is to increase revenue by getting your members to show up more often and spend more per visit (Snow Caps, anyone?).
There are several loyalty platforms that shine at this stage of the game by helping you to keep in touch with your members on their personally-identifiable (PII) channels like email, SMS and direct mail. But did you know that you can reach your members’ in non-PII channels, too?
You can improve the performance of your existing loyalty program by complementing your emails and text messages with related display and video ads, for example, on the sites and apps they frequent.
Reach all the right small screens to sell tickets for your big screens
You may be thinking, This sounds great, but how do I actually DO it?
Engaging moviegoers across the buyer’s journey comes down to understanding your customer outside of just your loyalty program.
Start with what you know about each person, then add privacy-protected insights—like the devices they use, the smartest ways to reach them, and details on what they buy, places they go and websites they visit. Use this information to build the perfect messages that will drive incremental ticket sales, and deliver them in all the channels each person engages in. Then find lots more people that look like your best customers in all of your geographies and repeat.
You’ll be able to improve your metrics at all stages of the journey to acquire new customers, increase visit frequency, drive loyalty signups and more.
That’s a story worth a sequel.
Learn more about how we help movie theaters sell more tickets to loyal and new customers.
---
## CPG brands: Want more from your third-party data? Start with identity
Type: eps_post
URL: /cpg-third-party-data-identity-resolution
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T22:14:19Z
# CPG brands: Want more from your third-party data? Start with identity
CPG brands have always struggled to understand exactly who is buying their product because they don’t actually have purchase data—they have traditionally relied on third-party data sources and partners for that information.
CPG marketers have been all too familiar (and likely frustrated) with this for years, and the recent trend of third-party cookie deprecation makes things all the more challenging. Our recent research shows that 67% of CPG marketers say their no. 1 concern regarding third-party identifier deprecation is performance efficiency/ROI.
Whether they use syndicated purchase data, aggregated loyalty card data or opt-in panel data, each data source will have visibility into one dimension of an individual—their shopping at one or a handful or retailers. But activating that data efficiently and effectively across marketing channels requires excelling in a technology many brands are only just beginning to adopt: identity-based marketing.
Identity-based marketing is the ability to accurately and anonymously connect all data points around individual consumers, activate it for campaigns and measure campaign success on the individual level.
When identity-based marketing is done right, CPG marketers can efficiently reach their most qualified audiences, serve them the right message at the right time and measure it all to see what really worked. But it all hinges on getting identity right at the beginning; if quality identity solutions aren’t at the foundation of your CPG campaign, every step of the campaign will falter moving forward.
So let’s cover a few things here:
Why it’s crucial to get identity right and what actually goes into good identity-based marketing.
How good identity-based marketing will help your CPG brand reach more of the top audiences in your third-party data set.
It all starts with identity
Let’s tackle the first point by starting with how most CPG campaigns have traditionally started:
A brand develops their creative idea with a target audience in mind, building an ad or a few ads that they want that audience to see—e.g. buyers of frozen snacks.
They purchase that audience from a third-party dataset like NCS or IRI.
They match that anonymous list of frozen snack buyers to profiles with a DMP or onboarder, layering on other attributes like age, gender or location.
The brand brings those profiles to a DSP to activate the file, where they to try to find the individuals online across devices and reach them with ads.
After the campaign has run, they’ll use the same third-party dataset they started with to work out who actually purchased.
The real issues start at step three, where they try to match the third-party list with actual people. The challenge here is that most vendors in the space are not identity-based (even if they say they are)—they’re actually cookie- or device-based. And, again, third-party cookies are on their way out.
What they have considered traditionally as a “person” is often a cookie or a device, which generates a ton of waste when the DSP serves eight ads each to 18 “people,” who are really just one person on three devices with six cookies per device.
In reality, that’s one person who saw the same frozen snack brand’s ad 144 times. And good luck trying to work out how many of those 18 cookies bought your product.
This is just one example of bad identity-based marketing, and it’s been, unfortunately, rampant in digital marketing.
Good identity needs to start and end with five core components: recognition, reach, accuracy, persistence and privacy. It’s a lot to dive into in a single blog post, but we put together a guide on identity-based marketing that details the importance of each piece, what to look for when selecting identity partners for your digital media and key questions to ask. I strongly recommend reading through it, as well as other identity resources on our site for more information on what best-in-class identity-based marketing looks like.
Interested in learning more? Download our e-book: 5 building blocks of identity management
How good identity helps you get more out of your third-party data
As established earlier, CPG brands have traditionally almost always activated a purchase-based audience from a third-party provider like NCS or IRI. You’re probably familiar with the fact that these lists are sorted by propensity to fit the audience, also known as a confidence score.
If we look at the process outlined at the beginning of the last section, step three is again where this can become an issue for CPG brands.
As a marketer, you would want to reach all the people at the top of that list, or those that are highly likely to have purchased a CPG product in a similar category to what you’re trying to sell them.
In a typical campaign activation process, that list of qualified prospects moves through a lot of hands:
First, you see how many people your DMP can match from that list. For purposes of this example, let’s say there are 210 million individuals in a given data set, and your DMP can match 60% of them, or 126 million people in that list.
Then you bring that list of 126 million people to the DSP, and they can match 40% of that list, which brings your number to 50.4 million people.
In total, you can now only reach 50.4 million people from your original list of 210 million, or only 24% of that total group from NCS or IRI.
This forces brands to include more of the medium to low prospects in their campaign because of identity resolution issues.
But, if you have strong, people-based identity, you can stick to your top prospects, as in the "quality identity resolution" graphic above.
This approach allows you to reach more of those high-confidence audience members as opposed to needing to expand the pool to people with lower confidence scores. These people are more likely to want or try your product, which will make your campaign that much more effective overall.
Final thoughts
If you want to get identity right as a CPG marketer, you also need to make sure that your partners meet measurement feasibility requirements. You should know what percentage of your audience segments your partner can match and reach in the digital world—and what percentage of them can be matched back to retail transactions for test and control measurement. The larger the measurement sample, the higher the confidence in reported campaign results.
As a marketer, you need to be informed on what good identity-based marketing looks like—you can’t just take your partner or vendor’s word on these things. Do your own research and ask probing questions of all your partners. In the end, your brand can’t afford to be wasting budget on campaigns with fixable problems.
Everything comes back to better identity. The more accurate your identity-based marketing is, the more you’ll get from your third-party audience buys.
Want to learn more about how you can improve your identity-based marketing strategy? Download our latest guide, 5 building blocks of identity management.
---
## How data can (and should) drive your beauty marketing strategy
Type: eps_post
URL: /how-to-be-more-data-driven-in-your-beauty-marketing
Last Modified: 2025-03-04T23:16:53Z
# How data can (and should) drive your beauty marketing strategy
As a beauty brand, you encourage consumers to express their individuality. But are you marketing to them as individuals—or as a general mass?
One of the biggest challenges we see beauty brands facing is that they’re spending millions of dollars on digital marketing every year, but it’s nearly impossible to understand what’s actually driving sales for each individual consumer.
You know if your sales go up or down, but you have very limited visibility into who—specifically—is buying your products and what influenced that individual to buy.
It all comes down to a lack of data. Beauty brands tend to be data-poor. You have very little first-party information on who your customers are and what they’re interested in because people largely buy your products at retail stores.
But if you want to be more relevant to each and every person—to celebrate and encourage their individuality—you’ll need to figure out a new approach.
Enter syndication.
What is a beauty syndicate network?
Networks and audiences built on syndicated sales data have been around for years in the CPG industry, mostly specific to grocery through working with a partner like NCS or IRI. Retail partners pool their data to create the syndicate and sell the combined data to CPG brands. This aggregate purchase data and panel data helps brands get an estimate of audience segments that are buying their products—with the goal of targeting and measuring their digital marketing more accurately.
This syndicate concept is relatively new to the beauty industry (outside of the few large brands in the grocery stores)—but it has the potential to revolutionize how you communicate with your customers.
At Epsilon, we’ve been developing a syndicate specific to beauty retailers, so beauty brands can leverage all of the great insight and online/offline customer data available from those retailers. Our solution aggregates information on past online and in-store beauty brand buyers, plus in-market shoppers that are actively searching for products online. The data comes from key beauty retailers like Ulta and Sally Beauty, and the real-time information from these retailers offers:
A better understanding of who is actually in-market for your products (and who is shopping competitors)—at the product level.
How your marketing influences each buyer throughout the campaign—no need to wait 30 days to understand your impact.
How to get consumers to buy more at your retail partners.
But what’s the difference between our solution and working with a regular CPG syndicate network? Although helpful for CPG brands, who don’t have access to first-party customer data, these syndicates have some drawbacks. The data is all from offline purchases, and it’s typically at least 12 months old, which is very removed from in-market consumers.
Why beauty brands need to think 1:1
Why do you need all of this data on individual consumers?
Although well-staged Instagram photos and influencer vlogs had their heyday, personalized and relevant communications are what drive action in today’s beauty industry. And you can’t have relevant conversations without understanding who to talk to and what to talk about.
For the best results, you need to:
Find the people most likely to want your product
Send them messaging and creative they care about, at the right time, across all their devices
Suggest the retail partner they’re most likely to purchase at based on past behavior
Our solution allows you to accurately identify your existing customers, as well as your best prospects, while they’re in market for your specific products (right down to the SKU).
For example, let’s say L’Oréal is looking to increase sales of their True Match Foundation. The brand could use beauty syndicate data to deliver personalized messages to consumers who have bought the foundation in the past (online or offline) or who have searched for or browsed the foundation online through one of the participating retail partners.
Once someone buys the foundation, L’Oréal can use that conversion to better understand who is purchasing to continually optimize audience targeting. And if it makes sense, they can turn off messaging after purchase—you don’t want to waste ad dollars on someone who has already converted. With other syndicate offerings, you have to wait 30 days to see if anyone on your target list purchased your product, and there is no opportunity for real-time suppression.
What does beauty syndicate marketing look like in real time?
Let’s pretend Maria is looking for a new mascara.
She browses a specific foundation on ULTA.com but does not immediately purchase.
Thanks to our syndicate data, that brand can see that Maria may be in market and offer her display ads for the foundation, co-branded with ULTA.
Maria ultimately purchases the foundation in-store at an ULTA retail location, which the brand can see and measure while the campaign is still in flight (with syndicate data, brands can accurately report on number of items sold, both online and in-store).
The brand can then suppress further foundation ads to Maria and use her conversion to more accurately target additional consumers like her.
Be the individual in your industry
Few beauty brands today are using smart marketing solutions based on transactional data. But it’s time to stop marketing to the masses. It’s time to stop spending millions on campaigns you can’t measure.
The future of beauty marketing lies in treating each consumer like the individual that they are. Don’t guess at what products your customers want or where they want to shop. Instead, show them that you know them and understand them. Offer them highly relevant, personalized messaging—that you can accurately measure and continually optimize.
---
## Considerations for your customer-first and CDP initiatives
Type: eps_post
URL: /considerations-for-your-customer-first-and-cdp-initiatives
Last Modified: 2025-10-03T14:19:21Z
# Considerations for your customer-first and CDP initiatives
I’ve worked with a number of clients who all want to build better customer experiences or driver higher, more profitable growth. The initial request is almost always about personalization, creating a golden record or purchasing a customer data platform (CDP), but inevitably, the goal is customer experience or growth.
Everyone comes at it with a slightly different lens and it’s easy to provide value by just helping clarify. If I had one piece of advice, it's that you should know your final solution is going to look differently than what you originally planned.
Working with clients on their customer-first initiatives always reminds me of being a freshman in college. You go to school, pick a major that will be your ticket to a long successful career, then along the way something changes forcing you to reconsider every decision to that point.
In my case, it was starting with engineering, encountering differential equations and deciding any career with that much math wasn't for me. It would have been awesome if someone helped me figure out what I loved to do from the start.
Here’s the path you should expect to follow. Typically it starts with hearing the buzz about the technology shopping spree you need to go on, you’ll hear lots of buzz about CDPs and you’ll feel like that should be a cornerstone in your tech stack.
From there, you can expect multiple rounds of speaking with industry experts and vendors, learning and iterating along the way. Most of the conversation will sound similar, but along the way you’ll uncover little nuggets that make you reassess your plan.Your understanding will start to evolve, you’ll learn which questions to ask and how to differentiate between what seem like similar feature sets.
You’ll realize solutions that don’t align your data or provide better buying signals will not dramatically change your status quo. The post-implementation realities start to set in. Hopefully that happens before you sign a contract.
Either way, the solution you settle on will be different than you thought.
If your company is deciding whether to add a CDP or CDP-like platform to power your nextgen marketing, there are several things you should consider upfront, including the definition of a CDP and what each vendor can really deliver. Developing a well-defined plan will mitigate risk to your company and your career. The plan doesn’t have to be perfect, but getting ahead of a few key considerations will increase your probability of success.
Here are a few things you should consider if you or anyone at your company has recently said we need to launch a customer-first initiative or buy a CDP:
1. Define your use cases (Hint: It’s more than a single view of the customer)
A single view of the customer is the most common use case I hear. It’s a great start, but it’s more than that. Inevitably I end up asking questions like “what are you going to with that?” or “Does that include all online interactions, even if they aren’t logged in?."
It may seem obvious, but it’s important to remember implementing any new marketing solution is about increasing sales or reducing costs. Clients who are laser focused on their uses cases and remember that building a unified customer record or improving the customer experience are all just steps to achieving their end goal have the most successful implementations.
2. Architecture plan to create and activate your golden record online and offline
A true golden record means you can move a holistic customer profile across applications. Marketers are right to believe there is a huge opportunity here and that extends to linking both online and offline engagements.
This is how the companies repeatedly praised for delivering the best customer experiences do it. It’s not easy, but the advantages they gain in analytics, insights, activation and measurement are worth it.
3. Ongoing data management strategy that connects online and offline profiles
Most people assume that identity management is built into their CDP. This is rarely correct and represents a huge gap in CDP functionality.
Bringing all your customer data into one place, but failing to unify both the offline and online components, limits your ability to move beyond the status quo and demonstrate ROI for your new investment.
4. Identify real-time buying signals and predictive models
Once you’ve built a single view of your customer, the next step is to weaponize it. Find predictive buying signals that help you understand when your customer is in market, ready to move to a new category or an attrition risk. It doesn’t matter if these signals come from your own data (ex. refinance promotion when your clients mortgage rate exceeds the market rate) or from an external partner (ex. customer is browsing properties on a real-estate site).
The key is you have a plan for maximizing the value of your unified customer profiles, even if that plan changes. It’s also a great way to mitigate the business risk of relying on lookalike models should their performance wane.
5. Cross channel activation plan with real-time personalization
This one is self-explanatory and links back to having a primary set of use cases. I can’t emphasize enough how important it is to understand the activation path and how your data will move or not move. You may find additional solutions are required or that you need to rethink what “real-time” means in some channels.
The earlier you know if your goals are achievable, and the price tag to reach them, the better. For example, real time may be possible on your website, but sending that data to your email service provider may only be viable in batch updates.
6. Integration with acquisition programs
The goal of customer-first programs is better customer experiences that result in higher lifetime values. The impact on acquisition programs raises its head when you realize that your customers are still being targeted by these campaigns when you are unable to link a device or cookie back to a person.
Failure to connect your acquisition programs to customer marketing programs causes frustrating customer experiences and leaves amazing intent signals like browsing behavior on other websites untapped. This is something a CDP cannot solve for, while most digital advertising or onboarding solutions will not help you make the connection between online and offline behavior.
7. Attribution and measurement
You probably understand that attribution is a grey area and different weightings on the same events can lead to different results. However, the quality of the underlying data is pretty black or white.
You are either connecting all your customer touchpoints in-store, PPC or digital media or you are not. CDPs are great at the offline portion, assuming a good data hygiene program, but struggle with the online component. This makes it harder to validate the impact of websites or digital media and truly allocate budget to the channels that will generate the greatest return.
8. Replacement plan for other solutions
Cost savings can come through consolidating your martech or adtech stack or from more efficient marketing spend, which usually means a reallocation of dollars to increase reach or test new channels. Many of the people I speak with think a CDP is a magical solution that replaces existing solutions like data lakes or DMPs. Sometimes this is true, but it’s not always the case.
The good news is our industry is making huge advancements in how we democratize our technology that do not require massive capital expenditures like building your own social network, spending millions on data each year or constructing 100+ person analytics team.
However, architecting a solution that is right for your business requires cutting through lots of hype and big promises. That’s the hardest part and why you started down the CDP journey in the first place.
---
## Financial brands: Knowing your customers is the first step to grow your business
Type: eps_post
URL: /financial-brands-knowing-your-customers-is-the-first-step-to-grow-your-business
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Financial brands: Knowing your customers is the first step to grow your business
There are plenty of national and regional banks, credit unions, card issuers, lenders and insurance companies that still rely too heavily on direct mail and auto-dialers alone. You may even work for one. While these tactics are still worthwhile, they should no longer stand alone in your marketing strategy.
Digital disruptors like Marcus, Apple and Lemonade are winning customers from traditional financial brands and raising the bar for all financial services institutions.
But all is not lost. With the right approach to digital marketing, you can manage the full financial lifecycle of each of your customers while also delivering on their demands for a better experience. The icing on the cake? It can all be done while balancing privacy protection.
The five stages of the financial customer lifecycle
Acquire: Bring net-new customers to your financial institution.
Onboard: Make sure they start using the service—whether that means setting up direct deposit for their account or making their first purchase on a new credit card.
Grow: Increase stickiness over time through value-added services and upgrades.
Cross-sell: Encourage adding relevant product categories to deepen relationships.
Retain: Optimize their portfolio to stop customer leakage.
We’ve already discussed the changes you can make to your acquisition and onboarding efforts. Next up is growing your customers. Read on to see how—or check out our guide for details on managing your full customer lifecycle.
Learn more in our e-book: How to build a lifetime of financial loyalty - Digital marketing for all five stages of the customer lifecycle
Grow: Mature with each customer
You probably wouldn’t ask someone to marry you on the first date. A premature proposal probably wouldn’t get anyone the results they’re looking for.
Most couples are more successful when they get to know each other over time. Support each other through life events. Surprise and delight each other. Add value to each other’s lives. Build trust.
The same goes for growing your financial customers and creating relationships that stick.
Of course, growing a relationship as a financial institution with your customers is much different than growing your relationship with a partner. You can do it most effectively by offering relevant valued-added services and upgrades, especially on digital channels.
BCG recently explained that “digitizing for value” is a key objective for financial brands. Using digital technologies, such as mobile apps, websites and interactive voice response, creates fundamentally better experiences for your customers. Adding this value can “translate into an increase in each customer’s lifetime revenue potential through higher average sales per customer and a higher retention rate across the whole customer base.”
But all customers value different things at different times.
To add the right value for each customer, you must first get to know them. You need to have visibility into their interactions not only with your institution, but also with other brands. You have to be able to understand and identify their key life events (think marriage, new baby, moving homes, retirement, etc.) that may trigger a new financial need. And you have to be able to glean this information while balancing privacy protection.
This is called identity management.
It’s all about knowing who customers are—both online and offline—and tailoring their messages in all channels. This approach allows you to send each individual relevant offers through digital media that reflect their real-time needs and preferences, closing the loop between branch interactions and the ever-growing mobile world. It builds trust and helps you build relationships.
Traditional channels such as email and direct mail are still valuable, but they should be coupled with digital media on the websites and apps each person visits most for a true omnichannel approach.
Identity management in action
To show how this works, let’s meet a new fictional friend, Shannon.
Through her privacy-protected profile, we know she’s:
34 years old
Single
Living in Chicago
Has a basic debit card account
Has been browsing online recently to learn more about her banking options
We also know that Shannon is a marketing executive, often visits industry websites and reads a news app on her phone every morning.
Her bank has mailed and emailed her an offer to upgrade to a premier account, but she hasn’t converted. The bank complements these owned tactics with relevant messaging on the sites and apps Shannon visits most (such as those leading marketing websites), reminding her of the upgrade benefits. Two weeks after she sees the digital advertising, Shannon converts to a premium account.
The beauty of this approach is that it’s personalized to Shannon’s individual triggers, preferences and behaviors. You’re able to add this personalized value for Shannon because you’ve made the effort to get to know her. The messaging and mix of ad placements would be different for other customers, adapting to each of their online behaviors.
Be the next Marcus?
You may not be a Marcus or Apple or Lemonade (yet!), but you can meet or exceed the expectations they’ve set in the market by showing your customers you know them—across all points of interaction. You have the opportunity to go beyond the auto-dialer to focus on each of your customers as an individual. Personalize every interaction to add value to their lives, and you’ll easily continue to grow your relationships.
Want to go beyond the “grow” stage to learn about managing the full financial lifecycle? Check out our latest guide: How to build a lifetime of financial loyalty.
---
## Why grocers need identity management for multicultural shoppers
Type: eps_post
URL: /multichannel-for-multicultural-shoppers-why-grocers-need-identity-management
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Why grocers need identity management for multicultural shoppers
The U.S. population is expected to grow by 98 million from 2014 to 2060, and diverse populations are driving it. Hispanic, African-American and Asian-American shoppers have growing purchasing power. They are setting market trends, including a rising comfort level when it comes to digital interactions with brands.
These changes affect grocers and other brands who need to make sure that they stay up-to-date on not only the food trends that affect their inventory, but also the digital preferences that will enhance their overall customer experience. An identity-based marketing approach is critical for grocers to stay ahead of these changes in consumer preferences.
A growing, diverse population means change for grocers
The grocery retail landscape is being shaped by the growth of a multicultural society. The U.S. population is estimated to grow by nearly 100 million people in the next 40 years, and most of that population growth will be from “minorities, as well as in a growing mixed-race population.”
In the same way that all segments differ and have unique traits about their buying habits (for instance, it’s easy to see that moms shop differently than teenage girls), shoppers with different cultural backgrounds engage differently with brands.
For example, Hispanic shoppers tend to care about social responsibility: 57% of U.S. Hispanics are more likely to purchase brands that support a cause they care about (over-indexing non-Hispanic whites by 9%), and 58% of Hispanics are willing to pay more for environmentally safe products (over-indexing by 8%).
Minority shoppers are also more comfortable with digital interactions—in fact, most shoppers in these multicultural segments are already using digital channels to interact with their favorite brands.
For instance, 44% of the Hispanic population reads digital grocery flyers or circulars, and 35% of African-American shoppers use coupons on their smartphones at checkout.
With these growing populations also come growing opportunities to connect with them. How can you engage with customers in the right way? How can you be sure you have the right inventory for changing preferences?
The importance of identity for a multicultural society
Identity is critical for grocers. If you can identify your customers and know more about their backgrounds and product preferences, you can have more relevant conversations with them. With better identity management, you’ll be able to merge disparate data sets and have a holistic view of each person’s purchase history, online behavior and other key data points.
Then, depending on insights from that data, you can make the most out of your advertising spend by personalizing each interaction and offering products that are most relevant to each shopper.
According to a report from Acosta, 49% of Hispanic, 46% of Asian-American and 41% of African-American shoppers “buy grocery brands that are authentic to their ethnic heritage.” By knowing what type of food is relevant for each shopper, you can reach them with products that are specific to their unique purchasing styles.
There’s also a greater opportunity to build brand loyalty when you know who you’re talking to: 65% of African-American and 59% of Hispanic shoppers say that they’re passionate about their favorite grocery brands, which is higher than the overall population. So by reaching individuals with loyalty messaging that resonates with their interests, you have a greater likelihood of increasing repeat purchases.
Building up to an omnichannel approach
Some of the large players in the grocery market have sophisticated approaches to digital marketing. Walmart continues to expand their online delivery service, and Amazon shows no signs of slowing down, either. Their owned platforms let them know their customers intimately and deliver messages directly to those customers.
Target is another retail and grocery brand that has made strides in omnichannel marketing, particularly when it comes to reaching the Hispanic population. The brand realized that their demographic had shifted toward Hispanic, urban millennials who tend to be more brand-loyal than other segments, so they shifted their ad spend and approach. Their Spanish-only, social-focused “#SinTraducción” campaign, for instance, created conversations online with the Hispanic community. They also sponsored product placement within Jane the Virgin, a popular English-language telenova that follows a Venezuelan-American family.
Many mid-tier grocers, on the other hand, are falling short of their full potential. They aren’t using digital marketing to speak to their shoppers and prospects right now in a way that’s relevant to them. By continuing to build an omnichannel, identity-based approach to reach people of all cultures, even smaller players in the grocery industry can get in on the growth opportunities.
Get ahead with better identity
Accurately identifying your shoppers will better help you understand how they purchase in your stores. Once you identify your customers, you can start understanding each person’s individual wants and needs.
That leads to more relevant conversations across channels, which ultimately creates a huge revenue opportunity for grocery brands.
Interested in learning more about how we work with grocery brands? Visit our grocery page.
---
## Machine learning in marketing: A practical overview
Type: eps_post
URL: /machine-learning-in-marketing-a-practical-overview
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Machine learning in marketing: A practical overview
It’s one thing to say you’re moving toward data-driven marketing. But it’s quite another to actually set yourself up for data-driven success.
Despite the fact that 64% of marketing leaders see data-driven decisions as crucial to success, 87% of teams see data as their most underutilized asset.
Using machine learning in marketing is how we can change this trend. More and more, marketers are turning to machine learning to improve all kinds of strategic efforts, from enhancing customer experience to increasing customer satisfaction, identifying product development opportunities, reducing churn and beyond.
There’s just one problem—machine learning is incredibly complicated. You can’t just wake up one morning, decide to implement machine learning in marketing, and expect to optimize results overnight.
If you’re just starting out with machine learning in marketing, you need to cut through all the hype and figure out how to make the most of this technology. (Hint: it’s all about having the right data, developing the right technology stack, and finding ways to apply it to your operations.)
What is machine learning in marketing?
According to Karen Hao, artificial intelligence reporter for MIT Technology Review: “Machine-learning algorithms use statistics to find patterns in massive amounts of data. And data, here, encompasses a lot of things—numbers, words, images, clicks, what have you. If it can be digitally stored, it can be fed into a machine-learning algorithm… Frankly, this process is quite basic: find the pattern, apply the pattern. But it pretty much runs the world.”
Marketers have always had the potential to collect a large amount of data. You have so much customer data at your fingertips and machine learning in marketing is all about finding ways to generate more insights from that information.
With the help of analytical techniques like data mining and predictive analytics, machine learning algorithms help you build autonomous marketing.
By identifying the patterns in your customer data and continuously adapting to those patterns, machine learning replaces hundreds of traditional, manual marketing models that once kept you from scaling your operations.
No matter your specific strategy, marketing success comes down to surfacing the right offer, at the right time, on the right channel to each customer. Machine learning in marketing is the key to finding that success—but only if you’re able to fuel algorithms with the right data.
How data inputs impact machine learning in marketing
Machine learning in marketing is very much predicated on the “garbage in, garbage out” concept. It doesn’t matter how much money you’ve invested in machine learning solutions and customer data. If the data inputs for your machine learning algorithms are inaccurate, low-quality, or otherwise flawed, your outcomes won’t lead to data-driven marketing success.
This is especially problematic in marketing. We might have more data available to us than ever before, but how are we doing when it comes to preparing that data for machine learning? One study found that 92% of marketers struggle to make the most of customer data due to challenges of access, unification and analysis.
The problem is that we have so many unique data inputs to manage. Customer data comes from all angles, including:
Records updated in the CRM
Point of sale and eCommerce transactional data
Marketing automation campaign engagement
Customer service ticket information
Social media interactions
Website visitor browsing data
Pay-per-click advertising information
Machine learning in marketing requires you to unify all of these channels to give algorithms an opportunity to identify larger behavioral patterns. But from a technical perspective, this has always been easier said than done.
This is why it’s so crucial to find the right technology stack. Verifying data accuracy, unifying all of your marketing channels and generating actionable insights with machine learning algorithms becomes significantly easier when you’re not trying to do it all manually and on your own.
Solving challenges with data input should be your first step when implementing machine learning in marketing. Then, once you have your technology stack, you can start to think about the specific use cases you’ll want to make the most of.
4 use cases for machine learning
You’ve cleaned up your data inputs. You’ve chosen solutions to implement machine learning in your marketing efforts. And now you need to know what you can actually do with those new solutions.
Building autonomous marketing operations with machine learning has plenty of benefits. But the following 4 use cases are the most common ways to take advantage of this technology:
1. Improve personalization and targeting:
Instead of blasting marketing messages to anyone and everyone, machine learning algorithms will help identify which customers are most valuable to you.
And not only that, but machine learning can also generate insights to help you personalize messages to specific segments of customers and prospects.
2. Reduce customer churn:
It’s far more cost effective to retain existing customers than to constantly acquire new ones. Marketers have always tracked churn, but machine learning offers the ability to identify patterns in when customers tend to leave, what behaviors lead to churn, how churn impacts performance, ways you can prevent churn and more.
3. Understand customer lifetime value:
Machine learning allows you to find patterns in behavior that indicate greater customer lifetime value (CLTV) and gain deeper understanding of what factors contribute to customer value.
4. Optimize customer attribution:
With so many channels to track and analyze, it’s harder than ever to understand customer attribution. Machine learning goes beyond simple customer journey mapping to analyze patterns in chains of events that lead to a customer taking your desired action (sale, email sign-up, application, etc.). While machine learning isn’t without bias, it can take a lot of human error out of traditional attribution tracking.
These are just a few of the ways that you can take advantage of machine learning in marketing. However, once you’ve built a foundation with the right data and the right technology stack, you can start to apply machine learning in unique and innovative ways.
Right now, there is so much hype surrounding machine learning in marketing that it can be difficult to find a practical path forward.
If you want to learn how you can put human interaction at the center of your marketing (and power it with machine learning technology), contact us today and find out how we can help.
---
## Q&A: What every marketer needs to know to drive tune-in
Type: eps_post
URL: /qa-what-every-marketer-needs-to-know-to-drive-tune-in
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T22:17:52Z
# Q&A: What every marketer needs to know to drive tune-in
Matt Weisbecker unpacks the complicated TV landscape and explains how marketers can drive better tune-in
Platforms like Netflix, Hulu and Prime Video make it seem as if there’s no end to the amount of TV content that’s available these days. While that’s good news for TV junkies, it’s daunting for TV marketers who need to gain viewership for their programs. It can be frustrating with what to watch as well for a consumer, so many options and yet how often do you find yourself saying “What should I watch?” or “What was that show my friend mentioned?”
To understand what really drives tune-in, our teams at Epsilon-Conversant analyzed dozens of tune-in campaigns that reached more than 14 million TV viewers in our e-book: 5 ways to drive tune-in with digital marketing.
We sat down with Matt Weisbecker, VP and general manager of media, sports and entertainment at Conversant, to talk about how TV marketers can adjust their approach in a changing industry.
Get even more insights in the e-book: 5 ways to drive tune-in with digital marketing
We’ve seen the TV industry change a lot in recent years, but what specifically has been the most challenging for TV marketers?
Matt Weisbecker: The biggest challenge for TV marketers today is audience fragmentation of both how consumers consume content and—because of that fragmented consumption—how to reach them.
There used to be the four major networks; then cable came along, and channels increased to the hundreds; and now with streaming platforms, there are thousands of options to consume television content.
It’s just getting more difficult than ever to reach people and build an audience around linear tune-in. In the case of driving tune-in the networks themselves had tremendous reach. Although they do still have great reach on occasion, it is significantly less than it was just 20 years ago. They are not the only fish in the sea anymore when it comes to where people go to be entertained.
Now that their own audiences have shrunk, network marketers need to reach people in more places. They need many more platforms and channels to reach the same amount of people, and it’s gotten more complicated to do that and truly understand unique reach and frequency as they plan their media across so many platforms. Now with technology and precise data at the individual level, it’s gotten easier.
Where should TV marketers start when they’re trying to increase their tune-in rates?
Weisbecker: Develop campaigns that can actually be measured against tune-in. If you can’t see if the campaigns actually affected tune in, you can’t be effective. But you need good tech and data to do be able to do this.
At Conversant, we focus on meaningful measurement toward the end goal—in this case tune-in—not impressions or clicks. Our clients see the tune-in rate and lift that they’re driving for each program that they promote, which is more impactful.
What’s a strategy or variable that TV marketers may not be thinking about when it comes to driving tune-in?
Weisbecker: I would say the creative that’s used to market the show—specifically the format they’re using—is incredibly impactful, but often overlooked. In the entertainment industry, video is king. TV marketers tend to believe that the best way to get someone excited about their show is to see a promotion of the show in video form. They often aren’t considering display advertising because the general belief is that it won’t work as well and get a consumer interested.
In our report, it’s actually a combination of video and display that drives the best tune-in results. There’s a better tune-in rate and a higher average lift when video ads account for 55–65% of a campaign, so incorporating display in a significant way effectively drives tune-in, and it brings cost efficiencies you would not see with video alone.
With many of the TV shows that we market, we assume that people have been exposed to that program before and have some awareness. We may have already served them a video within the actual media campaign, and with the fourth or fifth exposure it makes sense to switch to display.
Popular programs, like “Modern Family” or the Oscars, don’t need video to explain what they are. There are shows and franchises that have enormous familiarity, awareness and large marketing budgets behind them. The awareness is going to happen elsewhere, but we have a chance to break through all the options and push people to watch live and at a specific time.
As an example, if we’re building an audience based on viewing specific ABC shows and simultaneously running a campaign for a specific ABC show, there is a high chance those people already know about that show. We just have to remind them it’s on at 9 p.m., and a display unit or a full-screen interstitial can be much more effective than a video, especially when it comes to cost.
Keep in mind that this strategy does not necessarily hold true for a brand-new show that someone has never heard of. But it could help to promote that show in its second week after it has some awareness.
Although they’re part of the same media and entertainment universe, TV and movie marketers aren’t always categorized in the same buckets. What are the differences between digital marketing for TV versus movie theaters?
Weisbecker: They’re actually pretty similar. The creators of the content don’t typically have direct access to the consumer. Movie studios have a big budget for a film, but they rely on an exhibitor to sell the ticket to the consumer. TV marketers have the same situation with studios creating the program, and the cable company or the streaming service delivers it to the consumer, with or without ads.
These two industries are similarly aligned since the producers creating the product are not selling it to individuals. The media and entertainment industry is somewhat unique in that way.
But now streaming platforms like Netflix, Hulu and Prime Video are starting to create their own content, building a media and entertainment version of direct-to-consumer (D2C) brands. It will be interesting to see how the TV industry shifts as more of these brands own the creation and distribution channels for content in the future.
What can we learn from other verticals that media and entertainment can pick up?
Weisbecker: Retail is a great industry to learn from. I recently had an opportunity to sit with Wanda Gierhart [CMO] from Cinemark who came from retail and brought that experience to media and entertainment.
Take loyalty platforms, for instance. There were not a lot of loyalty platforms in media and entertainment a few years ago, but they were popular in retail. They have come into the media and entertainment space in different and innovative ways, some with promising results.
How can TV marketers prepare for the future of the industry?
Weisbecker: Continue to learn, and don’t be afraid to fail. Personally, I think failing is really learning what does not work, and that is important in an industry changing as quickly as this one is.
In a fast moving changing industry, disruption happens at a huge scale. No one has a crystal ball to prepare for the future, but you can make yourself aware and learn about what’s going on today.
Testing and learning is really the most important thing here. Be prepared to fail—and embrace that failure—because you can’t navigate the future of this industry with a perfect campaign every time. Some will fall flat, and that’s okay. It’s a learning experience and a way to prepare for the future. With every failure, you can learn just as much as you can from a success.
What is the main learning that TV marketers should take away from this report?
Weisbecker: Using data to understand audiences is something that we have been doing for quite some time at Conversant.
What is new is the tremendous scale and accuracy behind these campaigns. Ten years ago, we could only do this with very small groups, so it wasn’t as accurate. Today’s data has scaled and caught up with the vision, so the insights that we’re gathering are meaningful and impactful.
The scale we’ve shared in this report is significant: It’s not hundreds or thousands of people we’re reaching with these campaigns. It’s millions. That kind of scale drives insights that you can trust.
To learn more insights about driving TV tune-in, download the full report.
---
## How to get it right with attribution
Type: eps_post
URL: /how-to-get-it-right-with-attribution
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T22:14:19Z
# How to get it right with attribution
I recently had the opportunity to speak with Mr. Cooper’s SVP of Marketing, Michael Hartman, on a panel at the CMO Club’s annual summit about How to get it right with attribution.
During the session, I shared insights on the challenges of attribution, the importance of data accuracy, how to create a people-based foundation and the role of today’s modern marketer—the CMO—and what she needs in order to succeed in our complex marketing landscape.
Let’s further explore.
The biggest challenge for achieving attribution
To me, the most difficult part is linking online and offline engagements to create a single customer journey.
The mathematics behind attribution is not hard. However, it is challenging to get the right data in place from all of the channels, along with understanding what incentivizes people to make the purchase within all channels. Ultimately, it’s the CMO who has to ‘pull all’ this together and look at the customer journey holistically.
This difficulty stems from the fact that organizations are still in silos, and their teams are focused on specific channels while their customer data is stored in multiple systems across the organization.
As a result, each channel team tends to take credit for a sale if they engaged the customer anywhere on their journey, so it looks like you have ten times the sales you are currently receiving.
The data silos result in some channels being under reported because they can’t be linked back to the customer ID. We see this a lot with websites not getting the credit they deserve for in-store purchases. Remember, no customer journey is single.
The importance of data accuracy
Data accuracy is a real problem within the industry and it’s important to spend more time on the data analysis than just the math component.
There’s so much fragmentation. In fact, on average, our clients have 29 different cookies on their customers from the past 90 days. As marketers, if you don’t have a way to aggregate this data, (along with the right data) you’re essentially thinking you have 29 different customers ‘on the books’, when in fact, it’s only one person.
The accuracy of understanding the individual is broken. There’s no single journey a customer takes, but as a marketer, it’s your role to understand (and know) each and every one.
Implement a people-based foundation
It’s important to make sure your internal teams (and attribution partner) are using a people-based foundation. Most companies skip over this because it’s hard.
It’s not enough to simply ask about match rate. You need to ask the right questions to make sure your partner is linking the names and addresses, emails, cookies, device IDs, etc. back to a single person.
Remember, your people (your customers) are the anchor to connect to the digital world.
The role of the CMO
The CMO is no longer focused on just marketing. Instead, you’re the head of social media, marketing technology, analytics, attribution and measurement and so on. You wear multiple hats.
Within this role, it’s important to get armed with the right information, and technology plays a significant role. At the end of the day, attribution is about measurement and as marketers, we need to allocate marketing dollars to the right channels and make the right investments to deliver better customer experiences.
As you continue to evaluate and modify your attribution strategy, ask yourself, “Are you able to understand your marketing performance across all channels with complete transparency?” If not, consider how Conversant’s Mesobase Attribution can help.
Interested in learning more? Hear Dave Scrim discuss the topic with The CMO Club.
---
## Solving identity, matching and reach: The 5 biggest identity challenges
Type: eps_post
URL: /identity-matching-reach-5-major-challenges-epsilon
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T22:09:52Z
# Solving identity, matching and reach: The 5 biggest identity challenges
Your customers aren’t device IDs, cookies or IP addresses. They’re real people, and engaging with them effectively requires treating them that way.
As consumers follow increasingly individualized paths to purchase, identity management is key for understanding and having meaningful conversations with each one, over time, at scale.
The buyer journey is unique for each person, and businesses need to figure out how to make personalized use of the details they collect. The modern consumer expects consistent experiences, a range of options tailored to the individual, and their choice of personalized content between channels, devices, and sessions. This is where identity matching comes into play.
Marketers can learn a lot about their potential customers' online behavior—from the websites they frequent to the social profiles they have to the content they search for. By building profiles of real people that won’t fade over time, you can drive:
Connected customer experiences. Imagine telling someone a little bit about yourself the first time you meet. How frustrated would you feel if they had no idea who you were the next time you saw them? Brands without a solid identity management strategy are doing the digital equivalent to their customers, eroding their trust and making them less likely to engage.
More efficient spending. When you don’t have a handle on who you’re talking to, you end up wasting money targeting people who haven’t already purchased, aren’t your ideal buyer or aren’t even the person you think they are. Identity management helps you invest your dollars where they’ll make a difference.
Better performance. Knowing each customers’ preferences, behavior and history is the key to determining the next best interaction with them, ultimately driving greater engagement and sales.
But while getting closer to a single customer view is a universal goal among marketers, the vast majority of brands aren’t there yet. According to a study by Conversant and The CMO Club, only 15% of marketers are confident they know their customers well based on online and offline activities. To gain a clearer picture of their customers and connect with audiences on a deeper level, brands need a better approach to identity management and customer matching.
5 common identity matching challenges—and how to solve them
In a recent podcast, Conversant President Ric Elert shared some of the top challenges holding marketers back from truly knowing their customers. You can hear the full podcast here or continue reading for what Elert considers the five biggest identity issues marketers face, along with strategies to turn these challenges into successes.
Challenge 1: Fractured data
Brands often have inaccurate or duplicative customer data sets, and the bigger you scale their marketing efforts, the more gaping the cracks in your data become. This results in nothing more than partial pictures of your target market, leaving some serious holes in your customer data matching effort.
Common causes of fractured data include people signing up with multiple emails or phone numbers; brands issuing multiple customer IDs; and the temporary nature of cookies, which can decay in a matter of hours. Some marketers are also relying solely on internal data, creating a limited view of the customer through the lens of their brand.
When customers are on the receiving end of bad data, things can get ugly. For example, Elert said ads for feminine products often pop up in his feed from companies that have him mixed up with his wife.
To fix these data gaps, enhance your internal data with third-party data to create nuanced, real-time profiles of actual people. Relying on stable, privacy-protected data like offline transactions, rather than cookies or device IDs, also helps build a persistent ID for each person that won’t fade over time.
Challenge 2: Reaching the right buyers at scale
Based on internal CRM data, most brands may only reach 30% of in-market consumers. With the right marketing partner, that reach can potentially soar to 70%. As Elert points out, though, marketing success depends on accuracy as well as reach. Can you ensure that you’re talking to actual people over long periods of time? If your vendor connects you with six people, but they’re all the same person on different devices, your efforts won’t have the same impact.
To improve the accuracy of your identity management, give partner matching methods a reality check. If a partner says they can match you with 40 million people in a segment that only has 30 million people total, that’s a red flag.
In addition, focus on quality over quantity. Higher isn’t always better when it comes to reach—the ones that matter are the people who have a genuine interest in and affinity with your brand.
Challenge 3: Relying on the wrong data methods
Still settling for low match rates? Elert says he recently heard a major hotel chain tout its 25% match rate, but pointed out that rate means the brand is wrong three out of four times. The culprit is often the type of data.
Many brands rely on probabilistic data to identify customers, which uses limited third-party information like IP addresses, devices and browsing patterns to make guesses about who people are. This method isn’t as accurate as deterministic data, which depends on concrete personal information like transaction history, name and address to establish a person’s identity.
Achieving true personalization requires the no-questions-asked identification that only deterministic data can provide. By using deterministic methods for identity management, you can make more informed decisions, such as whether someone will respond best to promotional, branding or aspirational messages. The more confidence you can gain in identity management, the more efficient your marketing becomes.
Challenge 4: Not following privacy best practices
As regulations like GDPR and CCPA swiftly become the standard, a rigorous approach to privacy is a must. Many consumers are more open to exchanging data for a more personalized customer experience, with a recent IBM survey reporting that 71% of consumers were willing to share data to access technology features.
These consumers want to know that brands are being good stewards of this information, however, with 87% saying organizations should face stronger regulations on data management.
For brands performing consumer data matching, this means taking a very proactive and hands-on approach to data security and privacy. Following best practices includes scrubbing all data of personally identifiable information, such as names, addresses and financial accounts. Look for external partners that take a similar stance on data protection, using techniques like pseudo-anonymizing and randomizing where appropriate.
Challenge 5: Connecting digital marketing efforts with sales outcomes
Did that display ad convince that customer to try your new lunch combo, or would they have stopped in anyway? Many brands are grappling with questions about the true impact of their data-driven marketing activities, Elert says.
As marketers face increasing pressure to understand and optimize every decision, effective measurement is essential to prove the ROI of your marketing investments.
An individual-based measurement strategy allows you to follow customers from online to the checkout line, attributing outcomes like sales to campaigns where appropriate. External partners should be allies in this process, providing the capabilities and transparency you need to understand the effects of marketing on your business goals.
Mastering identity management
Making the shift to a marketing strategy built around real people is an ongoing process and can be challenging at times, Elert says. For early movers who master identity management, however, the potential payoff is huge for business—as well as the customers they serve.
Ready to go deeper on identity?
Learn how to establish an effective customer identity matching strategy in our e-book, 5 building blocks of identity management.
---
## Why identity is the true currency of marketing
Type: eps_post
URL: /why-identity-is-the-true-currency-of-marketing
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Why identity is the true currency of marketing
Building the case for identity management in your organization
By 2020, there will be more than 40 zettabytes of data in existence according to the World Economic Forum. To put it in perspective, that amount is equivalent of four million years of HD video or five billion Libraries of Congress. It is a staggering prediction, and the primary reason why leading economists say data—not oil—is the world’s most valuable resource.
Despite its value, companies still struggle to make sense of all that data. Only 10% of the world’s data is collected in a format that’s easy to analyze, personalize with or share. That forces marketers like you to cast a wide net when messaging people. The wider the net, the more you risk creating a negative brand impression on top of wasting valuable marketing resources and budget.
That’s why you should consider identity—and not data alone—as the true currency of marketing.
Data-driven marketing programs are limited when data is fragmented and not connected to the individual. When identity is done right, marketing programs can prioritize the human reacting to your outreach.
Thus identity-driven programs prioritize the human on the other side of the screen—knowing who the person is, how to reach them on what device and what messages will compel them. It’s the biggest challenge marketers face today, and the biggest opportunity to improve performance. For that reason, the global market for identity solutions is expected to be $2.6 billion in 2022.
Building the case for identity management
The first step towards an identity-driven marketing program is realizing that your customer views are more fragmented than you realize.
The way advertising technology has evolved, you are likely working with a number of specialty partners —a combination of data onboarders, data management platform (DMP) and demand-side platform (DSP). It’s a common approach but one that leads to data loss between systems and partial views that disrupt your message.
Some of the common pitfalls you face when you have a fragmented view of identity:
When most data is only available at a broader audience view, it becomes difficult to connect purchase and browsing behavior to individuals.
Individuals with multiple devices are often treated as separate individuals, saddling marketers with false profiles and incomplete behavior data.
Data lacks longevity beyond the life of a cookie, which means marketers cannot support lifecycle marketing efforts with relationship-building outcomes.
Data is not aligned online and offline resulting in the same messages being repeated across marketing channels.
The future will only bring more data, more channels and more devices through which we engage people. But customers will continue to demand a seamless experience, which is why you must be able to flawlessly identify them and share the right message.
---
## Measuring beyond the click
Type: eps_post
URL: /measuring-beyond-the-click
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T22:14:19Z
# Measuring beyond the click
Click it, we’ve got a hit, now go and measure it.
Pause please.
Measuring ads by click-through rate can only tell you so much.
The customer journey has changed significantly and the proliferation of devices among consumers continues to grow, therefore it’s more important than ever that you take advantage of the right opportunities and track and measure results across all devices.
Marketers need to understand that click-based measurement cannot capture consumers being exposed to advertising on one device, but then choosing to convert on another. As a standalone, click-based measurement does not provide a complete picture into the value the media investment generates.
Why marketers need to measure beyond the click
While the ideal scenario is that a consumer clicks on your ad and makes an immediate purchase, unfortunately this is not how consumers behave and thus rarely happens. Think about yourself as a consumer. How often do you click on an ad and immediately make a purchase? Oftentimes, you need time to think about it, or try something on in-store prior to deciding to purchase a specific item or service in-store or online.
There’s a number of reasons why you must measure beyond the click, including:
Click-based measurement only gives you a view into the performance of actions that occur, and can be tracked online. This measurement tactic should be leveraged for media channels that are focused on encouraging a consumer to click, such as search.
Clicks provide an incomplete picture of value. They’re a proxy metric that often is not tied to the actual online and offline sales. (clicks do not = sales)
Bots click on ads too. Don’t be misled into thinking their activity is a positive outcome for your brand.
Several industries are primarily driven by offline purchases. If you’re measuring on clicks only, you’re not connecting all of the dots on how your digital advertising investment impacts your in-store purchases.
Getting off a ‘click-based diet’
Yo-yo dieting is not a sustainable long-term weight loss method as it’s not realistic. Minimal calories are consumed, so dieters are left hungry and craving more. Similar to extreme dieting, click-based measurement does not produce the desired long-term results.
At the beginning stage of a yo-yo diet, participants are encouraged to lose five pounds within two weeks, just like how marketers get excited when they see their ad produce 100 clicks within the first few days of running the advertisement.
However, with a yo-yo diet, participants often resort to their old eating and lifestyle habits as they’re left hungry and not tackling the root of the problem. Instead of this yo-yo approach, participants should choose a healthy lifestyle change which will lead to long-term and sustainable weight loss results.
And as marketers, we need to ensure we have a ‘healthy measurement approach’ and think beyond clicks. The focus needs to be on business outcomes like actual sales or other behaviors that are indicative of business growth.
A performance based measurement approach – the ability to measure both online and offline transactions
We work with brands to help them meet their performance and measurement goals. A leading women’s clothing retailer partnered with us to drive new customer acquisition and build relationships with existing customers through one-to-one conversations.
They learned that their single-channel online focus was not working with their previous marketing partner. By measuring only click-to-conversion, they weren’t accounting for their strong brick-and-mortar presence, so they turned to Epsilon Conversant to gain a more unified view of performance.
As a result, we measured both online and offline orders, and the retailer was able to attribute 14,000+ online and offline orders back to their digital media investment versus the 3,800 online orders they saw with their previous partner, providing a more complete view of the value their media investment generated.
A marketer’s digital media measurement approach needs to be centered around humans, not just clicks because it's easy.
Your brand needs to measure effectiveness based on the outcomes you set as goals. If your primary goal is clicks, find a company that optimizes to clicks. However, to truly measure marketing effectiveness across multiple browsers and devices, you need to start with the individual-level media execution and performance measurement that goes beyond clicks.
Expand your measurement strategy beyond the click
As a first step, set new marketing goals and KPIs that measure true impact and performance for your business. And remember, you need to connect your online and offline channels (closed-loop measurement) to ensure you can measure offline sales or other relevant actions (e.g. credit card signup) that occur offline.
Additionally, it’s important to be able to connect each purchase to the individual so you have an accurate representation of measurement. Some additional marketing goals and KPIs to consider include: efficiently promote sales in specific store locations, drive repeat purchases for existing customers, convert new prospects and drive SKU-level, category and more.
Today, more marketers are partnering with digital media vendors who are helping them to optimize to multiple outcomes and deliver sales. As a brand, your goals shouldn’t be clicks or impressions, it should be new customers, repeat purchases, location-level sales, and more.
As you continue to embark on this journey, make sure you have a buyer-first strategy (retention). It’s the best way to start.
---
## Have an iffy email list? It may still be actionable
Type: eps_post
URL: /have-an-iffy-email-list-it-may-still-be-actionable
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T22:17:52Z
# Have an iffy email list? It may still be actionable
How movie studios can turn an underperforming email list into a relevant marketing opportunity
What if you could connect 77% of your existing email list to profiles of real individuals? Or what if you could use your email list to reach 40 million people on your email list outside of the email channel—across the internet, devices and connected TVs?
You’d probably be pretty psyched. There aren’t many brands that would scoff at those match results, but it’s simply unheard of for a movie studio to build such a vibrant customer repository. Theaters own the box office purchase data, retailers own the home entertainment purchase data and cable providers or streaming services own the TV tune-in data—leaving the studios with few opportunities to build their own database of customers for marketing.
Without that direct connection, it’s a challenge to reach the people most likely to buy movie tickets in a meaningful and engaging way.
But now, studios can change that game.
A new way to connect the data dots
One of our major movie studio clients had been building an email list over the years, collecting about 84.5 million addresses from sweepstakes, newsletter subscriptions, games and other promotions. They figured this was a list of their “high-value moviegoers,” but they didn’t know for sure—and they didn’t know how to reach them consistently across other channels.
Specifically, they wanted to figure out:
1) How many of these email addresses are actual people that can be matched to individual profiles?
2) How many of these individuals can be reached online, outside of the email channel?
3) How many of these individuals are moviegoers?
Without access to purchase data, the studio had to come up with a new approach. They decided to conduct a match test against Epsilon Conversant’s movie buyer audience, using only their list of email addresses, which were hashed for anonymity.
The results were unexpected. Here’s how they did it (with some help from our team)—and what they discovered.
Step 1: Clean the list
Did the studio’s list have multiple addresses for the same person? Fake emails? Typos? We needed to find out.
They anonymized the addresses, and we matched them to those in our known universe—which turned out to be 73% of the studio’s list (or a total of 61.7 million addresses). This match rate was higher than we expected to see for an email-only file, and it proved the majority of the studio’s list was real, as opposed to fake or incorrect email addresses.
The remaining 61.7 million matched email addresses that we had seen before became our baseline “customer file,” similar to a retailer’s CRM file that we would then match with our database.
Step 2: Match to real people and learn more
The next step was to find out how many of those 61.7 million emails belonged to real people—complete with past transactions, devices, cookie IDs and more.
We compared the email list to our database of profiles, which are built on anonymized purchase data from 4,300 brands and include attributes like online browsing history and TV viewing behavior.
This comparison left us with 47.4 million people, or 77% of the matched email list. Again, this is incredibly high for an email list match. This match allowed the studio to know which future releases and messages would be relevant to each person—and which devices to reach them on.
Step 3: Determine who is online
By this point, we knew the studio had a lot of real people on their list, but how big was their addressable audience? How many could they reach across online channels outside of email?
We took a look at how many of the 47.4 million people we had seen online in the past 90 days to understand who we could actually help them reach with new messages across channels and devices. It turns out, we matched a full 85% to active digital profiles, meaning the studio could efficiently reach 40.3 million real people with personalized video and display messages across devices.
For comparison, when DMPs sync their audience with DSPs for campaign activation, they will typically lose about 50% of their audience in the process because each individual step—and provider—has a different data set. If you start with 100 people, the DMP might match 75 of them; when those 75 are brought to the DSP, they might only match 50 people, and so on and so forth. The bottom line is the more unique providers you use for different services, the more people you lose along the way.
Step 4: Figure out who is a moviegoer
The studio now had a list of real email addresses that belong to real people that are actively using the internet and can be reached online with digital media. But how many of these individuals go to the movies?
The final piece of this puzzle was to review the studio’s list of 40.3 million people against our box office data that includes online and offline movie ticket purchases at the title and merchant level.
We confirmed that 16.4 million individuals in the studio’s email list have purchased movie tickets in the past few years.The studio could then have more efficient digital media spend by focusing their marketing only on people who buy tickets, as opposed to a more general spray-and-pray approach. And, they could reach that audience exclusively, with one-to-one messaging to highlight movies most relevant to each individual, across various digital channels.
Step 5: Bonus contacts!
We also identified at least 12.4 million reachable individual movie ticket buyers that were not a part of the studio’s original email list. The studio can now activate this incremental of verified movie ticket buyers that were previously unreachable outside of email.
Email list, activated
The movie studio matched their email list to consumer profiles, and they identified the relevant people on the list they should reconnect with and send relevant digital advertising over time.
Although activating an email list compiled over time might not sound particularly exciting, this is kind of a big deal. They turned their under-used, unverified email list into something actionable for their digital marketing team—all without the data most brands rely on for this kind of list activation.
Because movie studios don’t regularly interact with consumers—people buy tickets to see movies at theaters or through their TVs, not through the studio directly—most movie studios turn to audience buying and industry website advertising (like IMDB and Fandango) for their digital media efforts. In this case, our client proved to the industry that there’s a better, more efficient way to reach the right people with the right messaging across devices and channels.
Will your studio be next?
Learn more about how we work with movie studios like yours.
---
## Identity 101: The basics of recognizing people online
Type: eps_post
URL: /identity-101-the-basics-of-recognizing-people-online
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T22:09:52Z
# Identity 101: The basics of recognizing people online
Recognizing people online has only become more complicated over time. If we look back just 10 years ago, the most common marketing channel was direct mail, where marketers identified customers and prospects through mailing addresses and sent them the latest campaign, product or (physical) newsletter.
As the internet grew in prevalence, more marketing channels developed. Email gave marketers the option to stay connected with consumers daily, and smartphones eventually brought us in-app messaging and more opportunities for exposure.
Now, everyone has multiple email addresses, devices and browsers. Consumers buy things on any one of their various phones, computers or tablets, and devices like Amazon’s Alexa or Xbox create new unexpected engagement opportunities that are shaping the future of consumer behavior. And smart appliances are expected to see strong financial growth as companies like LG and Samsung introduce products allowing consumers to speak to their appliance and order groceries.
The amount of consumer touchpoints keeps expanding, and it’s only going to get harder to find and recognize each person across all of their channels and devices.
Dive deeper with the guide:5 building blocks of identity management
Every single point where you could interact with a customer needs to be tied into one holistic view of that person through proper identity management. Yet this proves to be the most important—and most challenging—aspect of successful omnichannel marketing.
How you can recognize people online
When marketers talk about recognition in digital marketing, it’s often with a very basic understanding. The key question is: “When I see a cookie or device in the digital world, how much historical information do I have on that person?”
More often than not, it’s extremely limited. Because cookies and devices are constantly changing, they lack the necessary depth of information to actually know an individual’s holistic preferences and interests.
Although there are many solutions in the market that attempt to create recognition across devices using emails, logins or IP addresses, none of them are a substitute for matching your first-party data to an established and verified network of real people, always in a privacy-protected environment. Real, verifiable information about a person is the best anchor for matching.
Matching methods for building customer profiles
There are two common methods used to identify customers in the digital world:
Probabilistic matching, where an attribute or multiple attributes are given a score to make an educated guess about a person’s identity. For example, if you see that two device IDs are on the same IP address, using probabilistic matching you might assume this is the same person and combine the profiles of each device. Your guess could be right, but it could be a family member or friend using the home wifi. Even though probabilistic matching may be the easiest option to generate scale, it will not be the most accurate, which can lead to targeting, personalization and performance issues.
Deterministic matching uses personally identifiable information (PII) to identify an authenticated user of a given device. Using real names, addresses, transactions, hashed emails and customer IDs—after being scrubbed clean of PII—you know for certain who this person is. This is the most accurate way to match real people to their online activities because it is rooted in the person’s real information—who they are, where they live and what they buy—but it removes the identifiable information before being matched to that person’s privacy-protected online profile.
When it comes to matching, most marketers only think about one number—the match rate—but recognition goes far beyond that single metric. A provider could offer a high match rate, but that doesn’t mean you can accurately communicate with your customers.
Depending on how a provider matches your customers and prospects to online IDs, you could be sacrificing reach, accuracy or persistency just to achieve higher match rates.
Deterministic matching can help solve many of these issues; however, very few companies have the capabilities to execute this way. And of the ones that can, fewer still anonymize the person’s identity for a privacy-first approach.
Avoiding repetitive conversations
Recognizing your customers impacts not only your marketing performance but also the customer experience. Think about Dory from Finding Nemo. Dory meets Marlin for the first time, introduces herself and has a conversation with Marlin.
Two minutes later, Dory doesn’t remember meeting Marlin, and they have the same conversation all over again. This happens all the time in digital marketing; just because you can match a single cookie doesn’t mean that you’ll be able to have an ongoing conversation with your customers that builds over time with every interaction.
Recognition is the fundamental first step in digital marketing because it builds the foundation for a successful campaign and performance. Good identity recognition ensures you know who you’re talking to, across channels and devices, without losing sight of each person over time.
Ultimately, identity recognition impacts how you:
Find the right people to message. You should be confident in who you are messaging. Are they the target audience you were hoping to reach? Are you contacting your existing customers when you wanted to reach new prospects? Even if you can identify your customers, it might not always be the right audience, time or place to message them.
Determine what message is best to send them. The message you send to each of your customers should be unique and personalized to the right content, format, time of delivery and preferred device. For example, are you sending the wrong product offers to the wrong people? Only if you can accurately build a holistic profile across devices will your message be relevant enough for your audience to respond.
Measure your delivery with accuracy. Accurately identifying your customers is a critical step in measuring program success. If not, what is the real cost of messaging those people? Knowing that your customer saw an advertisement on one device but bought on another can dramatically change how you view the impact of marketing campaigns.
Marketers often chase the cheaper or quicker solution, but there are a lot of opportunity costs with that approach. If you work with a provider that focuses on probabilistic matching, you’re not getting the full view of each person.
And—like Dory—you’re probably restarting the conversation over and over with the same person—or worse—speaking to the wrong person entirely.
Interested in learning more about recognition and how it factors into identity? Download our guide, 5 building blocks of identity management.
---
## With campaign optimization, real-time decisioning is key
Type: eps_post
URL: /when-it-comes-to-campaign-optimization-real-time-decisioning-is-key
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T22:16:49Z
# With campaign optimization, real-time decisioning is key
AI for media buying isn’t necessarily a far-off dream
Artificial intelligence is now a concept that we interact with almost everywhere we go. It’s the technology that drives autonomous cars, suggests what we should buy and automates our homes. So why is it taking so long for media businesses to embrace this concept?
Digital media campaign execution still isn’t easy. Marketers are faced with never-ending technology options for their marketing programs and messages, all of which need to be bolted together somehow. And for any marketer considering the DIY route, there are some important considerations to note before diving in. The reality is that the tech stacks required for truly personalized messaging aren’t off-the-shelf solutions.
Just imagine the setup requirements, technical coordination and processing power required to dynamically construct an ad, tailor it to an individual’s preferences, determine how much to bid on it and then serve the ad across multiple devices. In today’s real-time-bidding ecosystem, a marketer has less than 20 milliseconds—per ad—to do all of those things. It’s not easy, and bringing in AI to aid that decision-making process makes this even more complex.
AI tools exist that allow marketers to analyze historical performance of campaigns and make recommendations for the future. These engines can potentially determine the most valuable people for a given campaign, but that also raises some questions and issues:
How much time does that process actually take?
How much does the engine know about those people and are the recommendations statistically sound?
How does the engine know if these valuable people can be found again, and how hard will it be to find them?
What’s the opportunity cost of doing a post-campaign analysis and then having the data and recommendations go stale by the time you’re ready to launch your next campaign?
The solve for these problems is real-time optimization, and we’ve been doing this for years. Our CORE platform crunches more than 7,000 variables across our 200 million unique profiles to determine an individual’s likelihood to take an action, whether that action would be an in-store sale, loyalty program sign-up or online purchase. In addition to all of the typical ad serving necessities, our ad stack provides unique decisions on more than 150 billion messaging opportunities per day—all in less than 14 milliseconds each.
Our SVP of decision sciences recently commented in the Wall Street Journal, where he noted that we can dig into our logs and understand exactly what variables were considered in every decision and why each decision was made. Thankfully, though, we don’t need to do that—the machines do that for us (with our oversight, of course) and then further optimize those decisions each time they’re made—which is the beauty of AI and machine learning.
The sheer number of considerations our platform makes is simply mind-boggling. When our clients share their data with us, we can make correlations between client site behavior, purchase patterns, historical campaign messaging activity and many other variables to determine a person’s propensity to take an action.
And here’s the kicker: we re-analyze all of those variables every time we have an opportunity to message someone. This is real-time optimization at its finest, and our algorithms have led to an average 10x incremental return on clients’ ad spend, all while ensuring a privacy-compliant, brand-safe and fraud-free ad environment. Smart decisioning also helps ensure that the conversation with the consumer remains personal and purposeful, preventing irrelevant or wasteful messaging to people that have already taken the desired action.
When considering using AI and real-time decisioning within marketing programs, there are a number of factors to consider:
Know your own data. What types of customer data do you have on-hand? How often is that refreshed? How are all of those data points connected to an individual (both current customers and prospects)? How “clean” is your data?
Build in complimentary data. Which data sets should be prioritized for incorporation into decisioning models? What other data assets will compliment your first-party information?
Understand how it all works together. Can you construct a feedback loop between business outcomes and decisioning models? Can it be done in real-time or is there a time lag?
Know what you need to measure and how. How will the overall impact of decisioning/AI technology, both on campaign performance as well as bottom-line business results, be measured?
Persistent identity resolution and data hygiene are needed for AI to work at its best, and then the data needs to be stored in the right environment for analysis. This requires coordination between all stakeholders across marketing, IT, finance and others.
Conversant has been ahead of the advertising AI curve for quite some time now, but I do believe we’re only at the beginning of understanding what’s possible. Technology will only improve; algorithms will only get better; and our knowledge of consumer behavior will only be more enhanced by these advancements.
Both the marketer and the consumer continue to win as AI better understands peoples’ needs and desires. Consumers get more tailored and timely messages while marketers minimize wasted ad spend and drive the best possible outcomes for their businesses. Having the ability to optimize in real-time makes this happen.
Learn more about our capabilities and approach.
---
## Financial marketing: How to make interactions more relevant to each individual
Type: eps_post
URL: /financial-marketing-how-to-make-interactions-more-relevant-to-each-individual
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Financial marketing: How to make interactions more relevant to each individual
Why financial marketers can’t deliver on the “personalization promise”
In a highly regulated environment like financial services, providing relevant advertising is a challenge. According to the 2018 Digital Banking Report, 94% of banking firms can’t deliver on the “personalization promise.” And only 22% of the average bank’s budget is dedicated to marketing technology.
This confluence of limited ability to personalize and lack of marketing technology highlights a gap in financial brand marketing: relevance. 2018 research from Epsilon-Conversant showed that customers appreciate it when benefits and incentives are tailored to them, and 80% of consumers are more likely to do business with a company that offers personalized experiences.
So why are financial services so behind on this front? Here, we take a look at the traditional gaps in financial brands’ identity management, how it hinders lifecycle marketing and what they can do to improve relevancy within the guardrails of compliance.
Financial marketers only know consumers as their customers
According to PwC’s 2018 digital banking consumer survey, the number of financial institutions that consumers use increased by 10% between 2016 and 2018. Financial institutions don’t have the full picture of how their customers are spending if the average consumer has multiple credit cards, checking, savings and investment accounts. The problem is that many financial marketers are marketing based on this limited view of each person and using the same methods they’ve deployed for the past 10 years. This can lead to poor customer interactions and missed opportunities for account expansion.
Financial services products are built to support the evolving lifecycle of the customer, but with a fragmented, incomplete view of each individual, it’s not really possible. According to a recent Econsultancy study surveying financial industry leaders, the financial sector considers customer journey optimization significantly more important than other industries (81% for FSI, 69% for other sectors).
The gap is vast between what financial institutions know and what they need to know for more relevant communications across the customer’s lifetime. For example, unless a customer told them directly, a financial institution wouldn’t know that a customer is buying a home for the first time—and therefore creating a great opportunity to discuss mortgaging with the bank and the benefits of keeping all financial transactions in one place.
Without the full picture of each customer, how can financial marketers actually deliver the right messages at the most important moments?
Bringing relevance into lifecycle marketing
Digital marketing in the finance industry often involves large customer segments that don’t understand individuals’ wants, needs and life stages. Lifecycle marketing, however, is built on understanding accurate, persistent communications with customers over time.
Privacy concerns are valid here, but there are numerous privacy-compliant ways to use online signals to determine customer intent or triggering life events, signaling a person’s need for financial services and products.
Online interactions and behaviors are some of the best and most accurate indicators for understanding potential major life changes on an individual level. For example: that same person buying a home for the first time would be looking online at potential listings and searching for guidance on finding the right realtor or buying a home for the first time. These signals allow financial marketers to send them online messages about the benefits of opening a mortgage with their current bank. This can be done in a privacy-protected manner with current technology for financial services.
Knowing when customers graduate high school or college, when they’re getting married, when they’re buying their first house, when they’re having their first baby, when they’re starting to save for their kids’ future—these are all important components of marketing across the customer lifecycle, but a financial institution needs visibility, scale and reach to accurately deliver these messages at the right time.
Building an accurate approach to lifecycle management
If financial brands want to have more relevant marketing to their current and future customers over time, they should consider the following:
When it comes to where customers are in their lifecycle, stop guessing and start knowing. Complement first-party data with privacy-protected third-party information to know online activity and known devices, giving marketers a more complete picture of each customer.
Understand customers as a segment of one. Segmented messaging becomes one-size-fits-all when segments are too big. It’s possible to know and understand customers (in a privacy-protected way) on an individual level, allowing financial brands to deliver relevant messages during those decision-making moments.
Deliver relevant messages at scale. Relevance requires an always-on, always-working approach that only the right marketing technology paired with machine learning can deliver. Knowing the right signals and acting on them when they’re still relevant requires scale that can’t be accomplished in-house.
Overall, it’s about being more nimble and proactive. Predetermined seasonality and product pushes don’t take the individual into account. Financial marketers need to adopt a plan that is fluid and flexible—one that works and adjusts messaging with their customers’ wants and needs.
Having accurate, persistent lifecycle management and incorporating that into a marketing strategy is crucial for financial institutions. You need to know where your customers are in their life through the interactions they choose every day. And then be prepared to offer them advice, guidance and help with relevant products and services throughout that journey.
Learn more about how financial services brands can deliver more relevant marketing.
---
## Aligning travel intent data to your larger marketing strategy
Type: eps_post
URL: /aligning-travel-intent-data-to-your-larger-marketing-strategy
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Aligning travel intent data to your larger marketing strategy
How to use intent and historical identity to identify, create and determine the best marketing opportunities
Travel was one of the first industries to have sales coming through internet-connected mediums, starting with American Airlines’ Sabre service in 1985. Now, 30+ years later, travel brands have access to massive amounts of data through online channels and interactions, helping them make smarter decisions about how they interact with their audience.
Intent data includes specific browsing activities that indicate a consumer is intending to travel or book a trip. This is largely directional information from travelers searching for potential flights, hotels, cruises or car rentals online. It is widely seen as a signifier of a trip that a traveler is likely to book and, therefore, highly relevant for travel marketers.
Although intent data can give a brand insight into when and where an individual is looking to travel, it’s important to understand how intent data should be used in conjunction with a comprehensive traveler profile as intent data alone is not a panacea for all marketing efforts and decisions.
Intent data is great, but it is in limited supply
Intent data is available only when a traveler actively goes to an OTA or brand site to search for flights, hotels or car rentals. These actions happen quite frequently, but the chain of events begins when a traveler searches and requires the marketer to wait for this information.
In many ways, marketers can equate intent data to organic search marketing. There are only so many people searching for so many things at a given point in time, and the same goes for travel searches. As a marketer, you’re acting on those that have already raised their hand in some way and identified themselves as a candidate for marketing opportunities. But your strategy can’t hinge on waiting for others to throw a ball just so you can catch it.
The other issue here is that intent data is competitive and only actionable in the booking stage. Brands that retarget solely based on intent and retargeting data are essentially dropping in halfway through the traveler’s buying journey. And if brands only focus on those that are planning a trip, they fight against every other travel brand to convert those specific individuals.
Intent data is one part of the overall marketing strategy
If intent data is fulfilling demand that has already raised itself, the other side of that strategy is finding people who aren’t actively looking but might be soon.
Using a comprehensive travel profile, which includes historical spend, conquesting and a brand’s first-party data, travel marketers can use historical spend data on hotels, rental cars, airfare and cruises as well as other non-travel related spend to determine what kind of a traveler a specific person is, when they may be most likely to travel and what vacations or trips they prefer.
Using historical preferences, competitive insights and AI learnings, marketers can create their own demand and move known travelers into the initial dreaming stage of the traveler’s journey.
This comprehensive data set can not only allow brands to increase their share of wallet but also drive consideration to increase their share of travel. If a person regularly travels to Europe in the fall each year and books that trip around June or July, a brand can start sending them messages about European vacations and deals in May to initiate that person’s dreaming stage of the traveler’s journey.
Once the person moves into the planning and booking stages, the brand is already top of mind as the traveler starts actively booking their trip. And they have an advantage over their competitors who are just now receiving the intent data on that person for the first time.
Brands should match intent data with comprehensive traveler profile data
Pairing intent data with millions of comprehensive traveler profiles that contain the historical and purchase information for known travelers allows marketers to make better, more strategic decisions. Many people show intent, but which intenders are worth your marketing dollars and investment? Yes, all intent data is actionable in theory, but some intent data is more actionable than others.
Say, for example, that two people are showing intent to book a specific trip or offer, but you only have budget to market to one of them. Based on intent data alone, who do you choose? It’s either one or the other, and essentially a 50/50 chance on your marketing investment.
However, if you pair their intent data with their respective traveler profiles and find that one of those people takes 20 trips a year while the other only books one trip each year, now which one do you choose? You’d pick the person that takes 20 trips a year as they are more likely to book this specific offer. Having the full view of each individual helps marketers gain a better understanding of who they should connect with.
Recognizing and using intent data in conjunction with a library of comprehensive traveler profiles should be a component of any travel marketer’s larger strategy. But the key is the ability to sift through the noise and understand when that data is most actionable for your brand.
To take the next step, learn how intent data can be paired with 7000+ dimensions across traveler profiles.
---
## Restaurant marketers’ gaps and opportunities
Type: eps_post
URL: /restaurant-marketers-digital-marketing-gaps-and-opportunities
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T22:09:52Z
# Restaurant marketers’ gaps and opportunities
Increasing sales and foot traffic is top-of-mind for restaurant operators, but they aren’t making the highest impact possible through all available channels. In fact, only 18 percent are very confident of who their customers are after they leave the restaurant, and only 16 percent are extremely confident their marketing is targeting real people, not cookies or bots.
To better understand the challenges and opportunities for marketers in the industry, Epsilon-Conversant and Informa Engage worked with Nation’s Restaurant News to survey restaurant owners across the U.S. The results, available in the “Driving one more visit: How restaurant marketers fare in the digital age” whitepaper, found that two marketing tactics restaurant marketers use often—social media and loyalty programs—are not delivering on their much-needed return on investment.
Social media metrics are not telling restaurant marketers much.
A presence on social media has become a staple for most brands, especially in the restaurant industry. Denny’s, for example, has made headlines for its rather peculiar approaches on Twitter. For restaurants like Denny’s, social media plays a crucial role in defining their brand’s personality, which—although important—is an awareness and engagement play, but not a direct sales tie.
But how can restaurant marketers using social media see a significant impact on their ROAS? Many marketers simply cannot tell if their individual social followers and the people “liking” their marketing campaigns are even making purchases. Although social media analytics may demonstrate a successful campaign through likes and clicks, these metrics are not directly tied to sales. Many social campaign results largely show brand affinity and overall lift in location traffic and sales, but they fall short of directly connecting the actions of their online audience to offline sales (e.g. someone who liked and clicked on an ad actually made a purchase at the restaurant).
The results that restaurant marketers want to achieve are often incongruous from the results they are actually measuring. To measure marketing performance, 77 percent of restaurant marketers look at increased sales, 70 percent point to increased number of visits and 59 percent look at increased visit frequency. However, when measuring their digital marketing efforts, they use very different metrics. Sixty-two percent of restaurant operators use social media analytics to measure digital marketing impact, but only 24 percent review online and offline sales. This shows a clear disconnect between how restaurants measure performance of their marketing efforts if they say sales are most important but only look to brand affinity metrics to prove that their tactics had an impact.
Social media is only one facet of a robust marketing strategy—one that should include awareness and engagement strategies as well as direct sales-driving tactics. Restaurant marketers need to start using digital marketing to show that online to offline impact with their most valuable diners.
Loyalty programs may not be as effective as restaurateurs would like them to be.
Loyalty efforts like the Buffalo Wild Wings Blazin’ Rewards and Domino’s Piece of the Pie program have become widespread in the industry. Operators determine the success of their programs by increased visits and sales, but only 30 percent say their loyalty programs are extremely or very effective. For the vast majority, there is a lot of room to improve the ROI of their loyalty programs.
The study found that 70 percent of restaurant operators say they have a loyalty program, and 79 percent say members receive special offers, discounts or promotions. These programs are a helpful way for restaurants to know more about their guests’ order preferences, frequency of visits and other useful data points that can enhance their personalized experience. However, not many restaurant marketers consider their efforts successful.
Loyalty is more than enrolling customers into a program. It’s about customers choosing your restaurant over a competitor, recommending your restaurant to their friends and dining with you because they enjoy the experience. To see more success around loyalty, restaurants need to build relationships that depend on understanding individual people, not just offering points and discounts.
Identity management brings it all together.
One of the main issues for both social media marketing and loyalty programs boils down to customer identification. The survey showed that restaurant operators currently struggle to understand who their customers are after they leave the restaurant, and the restaurant marketers that scored themselves the lowest on their current marketing efforts say that understanding who their customers are after they leave the restaurant is a top priority for growth (71 percent).
To successfully know customers across all interactions—not just social media and loyalty—restaurant marketers need to focus on identity management. Marketers can then achieve a clearer view of each person and all of their interaction points. Social media marketing efforts that accurately identify customers and serve them the compelling, relevant messages can drive actual sales, not just affinity. Loyalty programs with the highest returns have unified customer views, linking the data from these programs to identities across marketing channels.
Well-executed identity management connects online and offline customer activity and helps marketers understand who each person is before, during and after a visit to the restaurant, so they can tie each visit and purchase back to actual human interactions with their brand.
Sara DePasquale is the restaurant marketing manager for Epsilon-Conversant.
---
## Get people to the theater: 4 takeaways for movie marketers to sell more tickets
Type: eps_post
URL: /getting-people-to-the-theater-4-takeaways-for-movie-marketers-to-sell-more-tickets
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T22:09:52Z
# Get people to the theater: 4 takeaways for movie marketers to sell more tickets
The summer of 2017 was the worst movie season in ten years, but box offices are starting to look hopeful again. Summer 2018 showed a 14% rise in box office sales compared to the previous year. With top grossing titles like Marvel action film “Avengers: Infinity War,” the highly anticipated romantic comedy “Crazy Rich Asians” and the Mister Rogers documentary “Won’t You Be My Neighbor” leading the way, this past year has shown that theaters have something for everyone and that quality content is key.
Studios need to break through a lot of entertainment options across more devices than ever before. Identifying and reaching known movie ticket purchasers of specific films is a great way to do it. According to a report by Neustar, digital media accounted for 46% of box office revenue despite only accounting for 14% of studio marketing budgets. Here are our top tips for making the most of your digital media budget.
Identify actual movie ticket buyers…
More than half of all movie tickets purchased are bought by frequent moviegoers; on top of that, a quarter of Americans and Canadians never buy tickets for movie theaters. Clearly, there is a lot of value in getting it right when it comes to identifying potential ticket buyers. If you deliver your marketing message to the consumers who will never go to the theater anyway, you're basically throwing away your advertising dollars.
The key to making this distinction lies in data. Marketers often use locational data to see where consumers are, like seeing that they visited a movie theater. However, this data point doesn't tell the whole story. Location data is often imprecise, so someone may actually be in an adjoining storefront. Even at its best, location data can’t determine which movie a person saw.
Transactional data, therefore, is key to identifying the consumers who regularly purchase movie tickets and excluding those who never go to the theater. This information can show how often a person buys movie tickets, which movie tickets they purchase, when they go to the movies and even their other related interests. Whether a person went to the movies in the past is often the best predictor of whether or not they’ll go in the future.
And send them to the right movie.
Identifying actual movie-ticket buyers is half the battle. The other piece comes from delivering relevant messages to those consumers. Once you have identified someone as a frequent moviegoer, you can then identify which films to promote to that person.
By getting down to movie title-level purchase data, you can accurately measure whether your marketing had a direct impact on ticket sales. Then with the accurate, re-activated data, you can find the best potential customers for a release in the same genre with the same audience in the future.
Past purchase information doesn’t have to be limited to movie-ticket transactions. Other purchases can also point to movie interests. For example, people who frequently purchase video games would be a good target for sci-fi or fantasy films. The right data can unveil insights into unexpected audiences.
Deliver messages where people are most likely to read them.
Identification also plays a role in where to reach movie-ticket buyers. By 2021, Cisco predicts that North American consumers will have as many as 13 connected devices per person, including items beyond smartphones, connected TVs and wearable technology. As consumers add more devices, it is critical to know what devices an individual is using and relay the data back to that person’s profile.
With a robust picture on how an individual interacts on their devices and channels, you have a better opportunity to reach those people. An Epsilon study found that 55 percent of media and entertainment consumers prefer to receive personalized experiences via an app on their mobile device. By understanding where and how movie ticket-buyers are most likely to engage and convert, marketers can deliver more effective advertising.
Run campaigns beyond opening weekend.
Although opening weekend is the window for movies to gain the highest revenue, it isn’t everything. In fact, many movie-ticket buyers wait until after opening weekend to purchase tickets to a new film. And there is always an audience interested in catching a film once it becomes available on demand.
Extending campaigns into week 2 has shown 56 percent more incremental transactions in the box office, and it keeps the film top of mind for movie watchers. To keep results rolling, set aside some funding to continue the campaign.
Despite an uptick in box office revenue this past summer, the quest to get movie viewers into the seats is far from over. You must continue to make a concerted effort to drive messages to the consumers that are most likely to actually purchase tickets, and see movies that are relevant to their interests.
To find out more insights about the driving ticket sales, download our latest research report, The New Era of Box Office Digital Marketing.
---
## The role of data within machine learning and the benefits to retailers
Type: eps_post
URL: /data-machine-learning-benefits-to-retailers
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T22:16:49Z
# The role of data within machine learning and the benefits to retailers
Machine learning has certainly been a “buzz word” within the marketing landscape over the past three-plus years. The difference today is that several brands are implementing machine learning strategies and are seeing positive results. In fact, the overall global artificial intelligence revenues will see a massive growth from just 643.7 million in 2016 to an excess of 36.8 billion in 2025.
As consumers, many of us have experienced machine learning firsthand. Whether it be experiencing a “smart dressing room” at a retailer or interacting with your local grocer’s robotic digital assistant, machine learning surrounds us. And as marketers, it’s important for us to understand how data factors into machine learning technology.
The role of data within machine learning:
Data adds quality to your machine learning program. Remember, it’s about data quality versus quantity—ensuring you have the right data. Many marketers think the more data, the better. This is not always the case. There’s something to be said about quality over quantity. It seems obvious, but it’s not uncommon for a marketer to line up their machine learning program and have it ready to go, to only find out that the data is not connected because there is no common ID between the disparate data sources. So find that common link and bring it all together.
Next, you have to assess the value of the data. The buzz of “Big Data” has lost some of its steam over the past few years as not all data can have an impact. We see it ourselves when we test additional data attributes, theorizing that it will provide a lift in performance, and it has no significant change. Be sure to test, test and re-test so you can feel confident knowing your investment in data will give you the results you want.
Data fuels machine learning algorithms. Prior to beginning your machine learning analysis, it’s important to ensure you have qualified data to “fuel” the machine. Often the term “machine learning” can be intimidating but as one of our own data scientists explains it: If regression is algebra, machine learning is calculus, and the machine can run calculus on hundreds of thousands of elements to make that equation more precise. For example, Amazon applies machine learning to customer data to make an accurate forecast for many products, detect fraudulent activities and offer customer-specific product recommendations. Or you might have experienced this as a customer; you receive a call or text from your bank checking on a suspicious charge on your credit card. This fraudulent activity is identified by a machine learning model.
Data enables one-to-one communications. When it comes to machine learning, one of the key desired outcomes by marketers is improved personalization. Machine learning is leveraged to create experiences, but enabling these experiences requires data. To achieve personalization, marketers need to train the machine to predict the personalized messages each consumer should receive, which could be a promotion, special landing page or product recommendation. Marketers need to identify those who have responded to a personalized offer and train the model to find “lookalike customers” and deliver that offer or creative when they visit your site.
At Epsilon, we continue to innovate our data offerings and have incorporated machine learning techniques to take our modeling solutions to the next level. We work with brands to help them:
Activate the audiences in any channel for integrated omnichannel campaigns
Reach new, incremental prospect audiences to grow their brand
Access more performing names to replace underperforming universes
Drive stronger performance while improving return on marketing spend
Let’s put it in the perspective of a retailer. The retail industry will invest more than 8 billion in machine learning by 2024. It’s important to understand how retail brands are managing their machine learning initiatives regarding their data strategy. The majority of retailers are working within their customer file, which essentially means they’re connecting with existing customers for cross-sell/upsell opportunities and prospect within their own file. As it relates to their prospecting efforts, retailers are focused on reactivating former customers. But as I mentioned above, retail brands must ask themselves if they have all the right data to succeed with their machine learning goals.
Retailers need to consider the value of third-party data as it relates to their machine learning efforts. Sure, the web-based activity data they are using is effective, but retailers need to think of how they can marry demographic and third-party transactional data to get a boost in their machine learning model. For example, a data set like niches can help retailers gain additional insights into the customers’ life stages and message them based on their individual needs.
As you’re evaluating your machine learning strategy, think data. Research all your data options so you can best understand what’s the right data for your program. And don’t be overwhelmed by the thousands of variables you’ll find in some models. A marketer with a large customer file, like Walmart or Best Buy, might have more than 10,000 variables. Embrace the options and don’t dismiss the benefits of data mining to help you achieve your goals. Machine learning will continue to transform our marketing efforts, and during this transformation, make sure you’re data-ready.
To learn more, download our e-book, how to access data quality in an omnichannel world.
---
## CRMC 2019 recap: Personalization and data take center stage
Type: eps_post
URL: /crmc-2019-recap-personalization-and-data-take-center-stage
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# CRMC 2019 recap: Personalization and data take center stage
In today’s retail landscape, every brand is facing some type of competition. Whether you’re faced with the pressure of non-traditional retailers and direct to consumer brands or decreasing engagement in loyalty programs, it’s the perfect time to re-evaluate your marketing strategy before the holiday season.
Personalization has consistently been a key topic for retailers. Whether applied to email, digital or loyalty programs, customers are expecting to have a personalized experience each time they interact with your brand. But, do you have the tools you need to make this expectation a reality?
At CRMC 2019, almost every discussion touched on the ever-growing competition between retailers and the importance of maintaining customer loyalty. Here, we’ll dive into the details and recap how industry-leaders are using personalization and data to have meaningful interactions with their customers at every stage of the customer journey.
Personalization should be a priority at every stage
Retailers are constantly facing the challenge of winning business from both customers and prospects and personalization is way to stand out and break through the clutter. Ensuring that your whole marketing team is on-board and committed to using personalization across the board—not just in a loyalty or email campaign—will give you the edge in maintaining interactions with your customers at every stage of their journey.
Many of the discussions revolved around managing the customer journey across many channels and what personalization’s role is. Because personalization touches so many facets of a marketing campaign, there’s opportunities to incorporate it into every touchpoint.
When talking about their loyalty program, Kate Jung, Director of Loyalty, Mobile & Strategic Partnerships at Express, had some great insights. “Personalization is a big theme and has a part in what we’re working on, but it has to be an enterprise initiative,” she said. “It can’t just be based in a CRM or loyalty program, it has to be the whole group.” She then went on to explain how all data isn’t created the same, and it’s important to understand what type of first-party data you have on your customers for personalization. While behavioral and transactional data is inferred data you have on a customer, declared data is explicit information that gives you an inside look into the preferences of each customer.
American clothing retailer Lands’ End also saw success using personalization in their lifecycle communications and marketing strategy. When it comes to personalization, Lands’ End Senior Director of Contact Strategy Dan Rosenthal walked through four ways that personalization can be effective and increase marketing efficiency. Personalization can enhance transactional user experiences, inform and develop lifecycle programs, re-activate and expand audiences and then with that knowledge, you can review and build upon learnings.
At Sephora, they also emphasized the importance of personalization for their customers. Allegra Stanley Krishnan, Vice President of Loyalty at Sephora shared that although retailers put a large amount of effort into personalization, there can be a disconnect between how much a consumer notices. In the session, it was noted that 50 percent of the data that’s collected from a customer is never used and given back to the them through loyalty programs. But, when they do see that happen, there can be a massive lift in customer satisfaction.
Allegra Stanley Krishnan, vice president of loyalty at Sephora shared the importance personalization plays in Sephora's loyalty strategy at CRMC 2019.
While each session covered a different aspect in the value of personalization, each session provided valuable takeaways that retailers can apply to their marketing strategy.
The power of data
Multiple brands emphasized the importance of data when it comes to building a successful marketing campaign. From using data to fuel loyalty programs to using data to model acquisition programs—every brand can agree that the power of data is limitless.
In a category of retail where other brands are seeing declining sales, Valvoline shared a data success story. By leveraging data from their partners, they have been able to understand the importance of knowing the right place and time to message their customers. “Only 5 percent of the population is due for an oil change at any given time,” Rob Stravitz, Vice President of Marketing at Valvoline, said. With rich customer data, they’ve been able to connect the dots and maximize their opportunities to interact with that 5 percent at the right place and time.
At CRMC 2019, Rob Stravitz, Vice President of Marketing at Valvoline, shares how they used customer data to grow their business in a competitive industry.
In another session, there was an emphasis of connecting both online and offline data. Tasso Argyros, Founder and CEO of Action IQ said it best: “Siloed data isn’t okay anymore. You need to be able to connect both physical and digital data into a unified profile.” He also stressed the importance of long-term success. As many retailers look for the quick, short-term gains they can achieve, it’s important to think about the big picture and what you can accomplish with the right data and strategy in place.
At Sweaty Betty, they’re also using data to lay the foundation for a successful CRM program. Vice President of Performance Marketing, Emma Rushe, emphasized the importance that data has when it comes to Sweaty Betty’s campaigns. She noted that the foundation to a great customer relationship management program begins with access and the ability to connect and pull customer data into one location and be able to organize it so you can understand what data is most meaningful to each customer.
Customer data can fuel every decision a retailer makes and lead to great successes. Because Sweaty Betty could model customers behavior based on the data that they saw, their cost per acquisition for each client dropped over 75 percent. They’re also spending a majority of their budget on digital advertising because they have rich data on their customers and can connect to them online.
These success stories emphasized the importance that data has and the power it harnesses when interacting with customers online. As more brands compete for the attention of customers in the ever-changing digital landscape, we learned that customer data can deliver a full view of the customer and influence each campaign. And, by using this customer data, you can personalize your interactions with each customer no matter where they are in their lifecycle.
---
## Identity 101: Building a persistent profile
Type: eps_post
URL: /identity-the-importance-of-persistence
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Identity 101: Building a persistent profile
Marketers like stories—telling a compelling story about their brand is the cornerstone of everything they do.
I also lean on storytelling to explain how we talk about identity in digital advertising. A good story that helps tell our story is the movie 50 First Dates. If you haven’t seen the movie, the main character Lucy suffers from short-term memory loss and starts every day not remembering what happened the day before.
All ends well in the romcom—because it’s a movie—but in marketing, many brands have the same communications over and over with each person, like a bad horror film.
To avoid this repetitive introduction, as a marketer, you need identity solutions that are anchored to real people, so you can create persistent connections over time. Persistency allows you to build on a conversation with each individual this month, this year, next year and beyond. If your identity solutions rely only on cookies and device IDs—both of which decay—that history is wiped out and the marketer has to start over again.
The issue is two-fold: These methods already have a limited shelf life, and then without aligning them to a real-person initially, you can’t tie that person’s new cookies and device IDs back to that same profile. All of that history is lost, inhibiting your ability to craft an ongoing dialogue and personalize interactions over a longer period of time.
Let’s look at what persistency really is, why it matters for your marketing and how to avoid the 50 First Dates syndrome.
Dive deeper in our ebook: 5 building blocks of identity management
What is persistence in the context of identity
Persistency is the least talked about but one of the most important facets of identity management. In this context, persistence is defined as the ability to maintain lasting digital connections with every person over years.
Many companies start identity management with cookies and device IDs. Although these online formations of an ID are great ways to first identify someone, they’re just the start. They ultimately need to tie back to a real person through their offline name and address to create both validity and stability in identification. Then identification starts evolving into a profile where known attributes and behaviors are assigned.
You can then add browsing and purchase behaviors their profile, which can be adjusted or added to throughout the buying process. This creates an increasingly richer view of each person as these observations are assigned to an individual over time. As events and behaviors become tied to a profile, they persist even as new cookies or devices are added to the customer ID. It is, and naturally should be, a dynamic process.
Identity solutions that only focus on cookies and device IDs are challenged with connecting all of the dots. They struggle to not only connect a single person to all of their cookies and device IDs, but when these identifiers expire and new ones come along, they can’t connect them back to an individual’s profile, which starts the cycle again.
Why persistence matters
Persistence matters because it provides a longitudinal view of customer behavior. You can learn more about each customer. As time passes and profiles become richer, you then have the ability to create deeper conversations with people.
This is valuable because customer buying cycles can vary from weekly grocery shopping to long-term purchases for items like cars or homes.
Let’s use the auto industry as an example. Americans, on average, purchase a new car every six years. The purchase of a car is just the starting point—dealers don’t end their relationship upon the sale. They strive for an ongoing relationship with the customer for service and maintenance over many years. Vehicle service needs can vary, with shorter cycles for oil changes and slightly longer ones for tire replacement and other maintenance services.
Varying buying cycles highlight the importance of connecting with consumers over longer periods of time:
Beauty: up to 10 different beauty segments over 1 yearAuto: new car every 6 years + continual maintenance cyclesCell Phones: replacement every 2-3 yearsNew Movers: 35 million people move every yearGrocery: average of 6-7 trips per monthClothing: 45% 1x per month and 40% 1x every six months
The auto scenario, among others, highlights the importance of speaking to a person over time. You don’t have a crystal ball for every oil change or tire replacement, but you can create a cadence of messaging on vehicle maintenance based on past activity that keeps your brand top-of-mind for services a vehicle owner needs.
Without persistent identity, this isn’t possible—how would the brand know what car each person owns, what services they had last fall and when to send them that message about new tires? These scenarios show why it matters to have a persistent ID for each individual.
Persistence drives relevance and efficiency
Ultimately, persistency affects the quality of the message you can send to your customer and how you can manage your customer relationship over time. With the right partner, you should be able to have persistent conversations with your customers for years, picking up right where you left off.
When focusing on persistency, it’s important to ask your partners the following:
What is the structure of your customer IDs—are they rooted in information about a real person? Steer clear of vendors that focus on cookies and device IDs as the main way to identify people online.
How far back do your profiles go? Can you see your individual consumers back a full year? Two years? If they can only see them for the past 30-90 days, then they aren’t building persistent profiles that you can see over time.
What are your persistence rates at 30 days, 90 days, 6 months or even 1-2 years? Digging into this information shows what importance they place on persistency in their profiles, which is very telling.
Ask vendors about the mechanics of their ID creation and for proof points on the longevity of consumers profiles. It’s a fairly new metric but one that matters. If your partner can capture this data for years, you’ll easily avoid the 50 First Dates syndrome in your marketing.
Want to learn more about how you can accurately identify your customers and have meaningful conversations with them for years? Read the ebook, 5 building blocks of identity management.
---
## Krystal CMO Dominic Losacco on restaurants’ digital transformation
Type: eps_post
URL: /krystal-cmo-dominic-losacco-on-restaurants-digital-transformation
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Krystal CMO Dominic Losacco on restaurants’ digital transformation
Restaurants are living in a very different world than they were just 10—even five—years ago. According to the NPD Group, the use of mobile apps, text messages and the internet to order food grew by 18 percent from 2016 to 2017 and accounts for 1.9 billion foodservice visits.
What’s more, our research with Nation’s Restaurant News shows that only 18 percent of restaurant operators are confident in their understanding of who their customers are after they leave the restaurant.
This need to live and operate in the digital landscape while simultaneously understanding customers more is a challenge for many restaurant brands—who might already feel behind in the digital space compared to other industries like retail.
To provide more guidance on evolving your marketing strategy for a digital approach, we sat down with Dominic Losacco, CMO of Krystal, a southeast-based QSR restaurant chain, who has been instrumental in bringing Krystal and other restaurant brands through a digital transformation.
Here, we talk about how the media landscape has shifted since he started in the industry almost 30 years ago, what restaurants looking to make a change really need to focus on and why fear is restaurant marketers’ own worst enemy.
How have restaurants needed to change or evolve the way they connect with consumers over the past 3-5 years?
Dominic Losacco: I started my career in 1991 on the account side for McDonald’s, and the media landscape back then was different than the one 10 years ago, which is different than what it is now. It just continues to change at an exponentially fast pace.
Restaurant marketers need to evolve in every way because the customer is constantly changing the way they consume media. Just look at Twitter—it was invented in 2006, but it still took a few years for it to be a mainstream channel that people regularly use and requires brand support from marketing. It took time to gain steam to be what it is now, and even with that, how people use Twitter is still changing over time.
"The biggest thing holding restaurants back is fear. There are so many options out there, where do they even begin? Where do they start?"
You have to constantly evolve and throw out the old truisms. My philosophy is that you should start from scratch each year—just because you did something last year doesn’t mean that you need to do it again this year. The digital space has been both a blessing and a curse—there is a lot of opportunity to experiment, but it also means that you need to constantly be rethinking how you want to market and what you’re experimenting with. Restaurants need to change in every single way and make their programs based on how they want to and can connect with customers.
Moving to a more data-driven, digital approach isn’t easy. What is the biggest thing holding restaurants back from making the shift?
Losacco: The biggest thing holding restaurants back is fear. There are so many options out there, where do they even begin? Where do they start? The answer is that you have to start with the consumer first and really know who that consumer is.
When I started at Krystal, the brand didn’t have a good idea of who their customers were. They built all marketing strategy based off of a specific persona, but when you went into the restaurant, you didn’t see those people. You need to have a good handle on who your guests actually are, and then you can plan out the media component.
When it comes to digital planning, there are a lot of options out there that you can start to dabble in a little bit, but it depends on the restaurant brand as well as the leadership’s “client” to know what really makes the most sense. In a past role, the franchisees at my brand were very interested in how we spent their national fund contribution. When I suggested we move it to digital instead of TV, they were very supportive because they knew TV wasn’t working for them. And then when I started getting the data back on the digital performance, they were really impressed.
What does that digital transformation really look like in practice?
Losacco: Again, it’s about knowing your customer. If you’re a restaurant that has a lot of millennials in your target audience, then your digital transformation is going to look a little bit different than mine because my customer is a bit older and doesn’t use digital channels as much.
At Krystal, our customer is typically a blue-collar customer, and they’re out driving around for a good part of their day. Our digital strategy focuses on digital radio, like Pandora, because the customer is streaming that while they’re driving around.
"The days of putting a media plan in place and letting it run are gone—you have the ability to make changes, analyze that change and then make more updates while the campaign is active."
That is the right approach for us, but it doesn’t mean that is the right approach for every brand. The transformation is going to look different based on the different restaurants and what their specific customer interacts with.
If you understand your customers, it’s easier to make that transition from traditional to digital. Experimenting and shifting in real time is key—you have to be able to change quickly based on the data you’re getting back. But that’s the great part of a digital strategy—you know what’s working and what’s not working in real time and can start or stop tactics based on performance.
With any larger change in marketing strategy, there is where you want to go and where you are now, which means increasing shifts over time because you can’t do everything at once. As a CMO, how do you plan for that gradual change process? What do you prioritize? What do you wait on?
Losacco: It’s all related to sales and traffic. You can’t do everything at once, and you eventually need to prioritize—where can you get the biggest bang for your buck?
I’m managing 15-20 different markets that have different media strategies based on the need in that market. In Atlanta, I’d like to be on TV every week at huge point levels, but that’s a major buy and we simply don’t have the budget, so that tactic isn’t even on the table. Instead, we have a strong digital plan in that market that is more targeted and focused on performance because every dollar matters.
With all of our media plans, we meet on a weekly basis to review and make adjustments. The days of putting a media plan in place and letting it run are gone—you have the ability to make changes, analyze that change and then make more updates while the campaign is active.
As a CMO, I need to prioritize how each market is performing and how the media is performing as much as we know.
As far as what to wait on, marketers need to know what’s working and focus on those tactics. When I started at Krystal, we had way too many things going on. When I dug in, we found that several of these channels and tactics simply weren’t providing returns, so we cut back and focused on just three channels that we knew were working for us and invested more in those.
My advice would be to experiment at the beginning to know what doesn’t work, which can be different based on the brand. The ultimate goal is to be able to show that any individual effort is causing someone to change their behavior to come to your restaurant.
Want to learn more about restaurants’ digital transformation? Download our research, in partnership with Nation’s Restaurant News, How restaurants fare in the digital age.
Bio: Dominic Losacco is a family man, golfer and self-proclaimed foodie. Dominic brings a wealth of marketing experience to the Krystal team after serving in marketing leadership roles with Moe’s Southwest Grill, Sonny’s BBQ and more than 12 years with Sonic Industries, Inc. It’s not unusual to see him jamming out to Foo Fighters as he develops and executes dynamic marketing campaigns and positions the brand for growth. He’ll cook you up a mean bowl of his famous spaghetti and meatballs, but don’t ask him to cook you anything else…
---
## The evolution of measurement, part II: The value of online and offline
Type: eps_post
URL: /the-evolution-of-measurement-part-ii-the-value-of-online-and-offline
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T22:14:19Z
# The evolution of measurement, part II: The value of online and offline
Digital media is an online conversation. Yet too many marketers focus only on the online outcomes. And as marketers, we face multiple challenges including adhering to our budgets, meeting and exceeding our sales targets and ensuring we’re not wasting funds.
As my colleague shared in his recent blog, marketers waste an average of 26% of their budgets on ineffective strategies. Why? Because measurement is perceived as being difficult to obtain. But does it have to be? Not if you have the right marketing solution in place, comprised of both product and strategy. Here we’ll explore how to ‘connect the dots’ between online and offline transactions and how to obtain the full view of your performance.
If you’re struggling to connect your online and offline performance, you’re not alone. Oftentimes marketers focus on measuring only their online performance (like clicks and impressions) because they don’t have solutions in place that tie their digital advertising back to actual sales. And, they don’t know if their digital efforts are driving offline purchases.
As Ric Elert (President of Conversant Media) recently shared in an interview with Marketing Insight, “90% of the CMOs we work with have a goal of growing revenues. A lot of them struggle with this because it’s both online and offline channels that really show the picture of all their interactions with their customer base. Finding a way to look at all of those channels and events under one central identity is one of the biggest challenges.”
We’ve learned that the reason why many marketers are unable to develop and track one single identity is because they are working with multiple data partners. Many companies, like the walled gardens, have a limited view into the connection between online and offline and many are outsourcing their offline measurement to a third party. The more hands are on your data, the more data loss you experience, resulting in an inaccurate view of measurement.
3 tips for achieving an integrated digital media strategy
Know what items are within the offline order: Measuring both online and offline performance is a critical component to a successful measurement strategy. With all of today's media choices and variety of consumer touchpoints, it becomes even more important to connect your online and offline channels. And despite the rise of mobile, brick-and-mortar remains a thriving channel. Research found that 80% of consumers in every generation have recently shopped in store, and there is a preference for visiting stores for almost every generation. You must be able to identify that when your customer purchases items for her young children online is the exact same person when she does fall and spring in-store shopping for herself. Many budgets are focused on driving specific SKUs or promoting products in a specific category. It’s important for marketers to know each category sale.
Measuring offline sales more frequently is the best approach: Some marketers measure offline results episodically such as once a month or once after a 60-day campaign. This results in wasted spend because campaigns can’t optimize to ‘in-campaign’ results. As marketers, we need to think about how optimization can change during seasonal peaks such as back-to-school or other holiday related events. Consumers no longer take a linear path to make a purchase and one channel influences the other. Think about yourself as a consumer on your path to purchase. A digital ad appears on your phone for the new sneakers you’ve been longing for. You think to yourself, “Should I make the purchase now, or do I go in-store to try them on so I can experience first-hand if they are as comfortable as the ad states?” What’s the end result? Was the purchase made right then and there, did browsing occur on the retailer’s website via a laptop and then was the purchase made a few days later in-store? Can you make the connection? As a marketer, how do you know if your investment is driving these types of purchases when maybe most of your transactions are happening offline? You need an integrated and holistic experience to get a more accurate representation of your digital media performance and its impact on revenue.
Fixing identity is the first step to fixing measurement: While cookies provide insights into consumers’ behaviors and help fuel campaigns with offer ideas, they’re not effective for identifying the activity of one Brands could view a consumer via 27 different cookies (on multiple devices). These multiple online activities need to connect back to the individual to truly measure business outcomes. To achieve performance-based measurement and connect it back to revenue, marketers need to follow their customers from online all the way to the check-out line and then match those transactions back to an individual or persistent profile. Without individual-level measurement, brands cannot accurately measure ROI.
So once you understand ‘the how-to’ component of creating an integrated digital media strategy, applying a measurement technique to connect the dots between online and offline transactions is essential. Conversant’s closed-loop measurement approach helps these dots to be connected. Conversant’s media measures both online and offline conversion events which provides marketers with the ability to connect every interaction with a customer to online and offline sales which helps brands understand how their programs are performing.
Now is a great time to evaluate your digital media marketing program to ensure you’re delivering results. When assessing or selecting a digital media vendor, ask questions to ensure you’re on the right path for putting an effective measurement strategy:
Are you able to tie consumer online behavior back to offline purchases?
What’s the impact of revenue when ‘these dots’ are connected?
Remember, at the end of the day your number one goal is business performance. And being able to have a holistic view of measurement across both online and offline will help you evolve from being a cost center to a growth driver while reaching your marketing goals.
To learn more about Conversant's closed-loop measurement approach click here.
---
## Age matters: How retailers can adapt across all generations
Type: eps_post
URL: /age-matters-how-retailers-should-adapt-marketing-across-all-generations
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T22:17:52Z
# Age matters: How retailers can adapt across all generations
How many times have you heard a fellow marketer say “We need to target millennials” in a meeting?
Generational marketing isn’t a new concept—it’s been around for years—but this focus has a tendency to create an over-reliance on vague insights and highly generalized segments. Retail Dive recently discussed how this generational emphasis can blind retail marketers from looking deeper into each group for trends and channels that match their behavior. What starts as good intentions toward personalization and knowing customers becomes a crutch for retailers to hold up their already prescribed marketing efforts.
Today’s retail marketers are facing a unique challenge: there are more generations with access to disposable income—and they’re spending more than ever before. When it comes to spending power, some generations of the highest spending generations are just getting started. Millennials already surpassed baby boomers when it comes to spending power, and Gen Zers are not far behind with estimated spending yielding of $143 billion.
From the silent generation to Gen Z, marketers need to contextualize and personalize messages—across channels and devices—for very different behaviors, buying preferences and shopping habits all at once. But understanding these preferences across generations is the first step.
In a recent report from Epsilon-Conversant, “A Guide to Cross-Generational Marketing,” we analyzed our proprietary market data to look at spending habits across generations. Here, we highlight four primary findings for retailers from the research to help improve every interaction a consumer has with your brand.
1. Shifts in spending power
Baby boomers are the spending heavyweights due to their large population size, and, unsurprisingly, they also spend the most per transaction across all retail categories, proving value to marketers.
Following baby boomers, Gen X spends the next highest per transaction, especially in retail categories such as warehouse clubs and sporting goods. Gen Xers are also purchasing more frequently, yet they’re largely ignored by retail marketers because of their young age. Although they’re not a huge group, they do spend a lot per transaction. Gen Xers are key trend-makers and influence how others spend, including their parents, which make them a key target for savvier brands.
Millennials, too, are starting to earn more in their careers. They’re also spending more online than other generations at places like Amazon, Gilt and Zappos. These online retailers sell a variety of products, so, as a retail marketer, it’s important to talk to your customers and offer them a wide product set.
As a group, Gen X, millennials and baby boomers comprise a large swath of consumers with spending power. By knowing how and where they spend, retail marketers can have relevant conversations with their customers and create meaningful interactions with them at every opportunity.
2. In-store shopping is not dead
Although many retailers have both physical and online stores, it’s important to know where your consumers are most likely to purchase. In fact, the research found that 80% of consumers in every generation have recently shopped in a store, and there is a large preference for visiting stores for almost every generation.
For the average person, it comes down to ease and accessibility, which generations view differently. Older generations have a preference for shopping in store, enjoying the ease of experiencing products before they buy and returning products in person because it is less time-consuming than searching for products online or having to go to the post office to return items. Younger generations, like Gen Z, surprisingly also prefer in-store shopping, which is contrary to many notions about younger people. They like in-store for the instant gratification and the social aspect of visiting stores with friends.
It’s important to note that the ease of online shopping is a key factor for millennials, baby boomers and the silent generation, who prefer the convenience of shopping from the comfort of their home, shipping and easy return policies.
Between in store and online consumers, retailers need to be aware of buying preferences so they can market their brand accordingly. For example, if Loft knows certain customers almost always purchase in-store, Loft can send them specific messages for in-store discounts and events at their nearest location. But for other customers that primarily purchase online, Loft should send online-centric discounts and offers for free shipping. This allows retail brands to optimize each customer interaction and understand individual buying preferences to drive optimal results.
3. Understand online shopping attitudes
Not all generations prioritize purchasing online versus in-store, but almost all do some sort of shopping or browsing online with specific device preferences.
Millennials dominate smartphone shopping, with around 75% of them using their phones to shop online. Additionally, 63% of Gen Z prefers to use laptops to shop online, the highest percentage of any generation. Voice assistants, such as Google Home or Amazon Alexa, are growing, but only 3% of consumers (typically in the Gen Z, millennials and Gen X generations) use them to order online.
Online shopping is growing, but, as a retail marketer, it’s important to make sure you’re able to have conversations with your customers across all their devices. Think about how often a consumer searches for something on their phone but then later makes the purchase on a laptop at home. You need that full view of a person across their devices to ensure that your message aligns with their preferences so that even after that customer closes out of their browser on their phone, you later reach them on their laptop with an offer or discount because you know they’re now on their preferred conversion channel.
4. Watch for the spending influence of Gen Z
The youngest generation of the bunch, Gen Z, may have fewer people spending as a generation, but the active buyers amongst the group spend more each year. As many in this generation are likely living with their parents or in college, they have limited financial responsibilities and can shop and spend what they have, particularly at retail stores. And because of their young age, it’s important to know how to reach this generation now since they present a long future lifetime of spending.
They also have a large impact on their parents, the baby boomers. Baby boomers with kids are more likely to shop online (42%) in comparison to baby boomers without kids (33%). They’re also more likely to use a tablet to make purchases, and millennials and Gen Xers who have kids are more likely to use a smartphone to make purchases.
With these households taking advantage of increased online shopping opportunities, it’s important to keep these habits top of mind. Ensuring you’re able to have an ongoing conversation with your customers in the digital space will allow you to say top of mind with your best customers the way they want to be reached—across generations.
Interested in reading the full research? Download the full report.
Joline Hegi is the retail marketing manager for Epsilon-Conversant.
---
## How to win with category acquisition
Type: eps_post
URL: /the-early-bird-gets-the-worm-how-to-win-with-category-acquisition
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T22:16:49Z
# How to win with category acquisition
In a world of entrenched incumbents and startups focusing on winning a certain category, marketers are looking for any advantage to grow share of category.
Oftentimes, communications (targeted ads, emails, etc.) are sent from brands about a variety of different clothing items, electronics, banking options or trending travel destinations. But are these communications tailored to the unique individual interests of the customer?
For the clients we work with, these individual interests equate to categories and the goal is to drive sales in a particular category, or what we refer to as category acquisition.
Incorporating a category acquisition strategy into your marketing program has many benefits, including detecting signs of purchase behavior, understanding campaign ROI and reducing media spend waste. Read on for more about each.
Detecting signs of early purchase behavior
Several marketers are on stand-by, waiting for Facebook posts or search terms to appear to help guide their advertising decisions. The challenge here is that at this point in time, the majority of consumers have already made their purchases.
Leveraging over 200 billion daily observations including contextual data, we observe early signs of entering a category. The result is you can reach and influence these customers weeks before your competition.
From having insights into early behavior, we’re able to see what consumers are browsing and can identify their potential category purchases.
Further, from offline data sets, we perform data appends to understand unique behaviors of target audiences for a specific brand category and then compare it to the overall brand. These insights are gleaned through our audience visualization; here's an example of a women's retailer looking at the unique behavior of those most likely to purchase in their dresses category:
Understanding your campaign ROI
With these deep, real-time insights of your consumers, you can leverage strong identification and optimization strategies to drive category acquisition (by understanding early signs of someone entering a category).
And you also have the ability to understand your campaign ROI with specific metrics around intent (category web page visits) and category sales.
Reduces wasted media spend
Let’s face it, advertising is an expensive marketing strategy. When marketers rely on cookie-based targeting or large broad-based demographics and site buys of consumers that are not ready to buy or have already bought in the intended category, they generate so much ad waste.
As my colleague shared in his blog, ad waste continues to be prevalent in the system largely due to a lack of integration across channels and is missing the full picture of the individual.
Incorporating a category acquisition strategy allows you to reduce your spend waste, better reach individuals with an intent to buy and ultimately increase your ROI.
Case in point: How one of the largest pharmacy retailers achieved success with category acquisition
We recently worked with a large pharmacy retailer who was looking to drive sales in their category of cough and cold medicine.
When they partnered with us, they were only measuring on impressions.
From leveraging predictive behavior of individuals most likely to get sick, including past purchase behavior, contextual cues (e.g. articles they read, video they watch), location data and more, our team was able to determine the early signs of intent to enter the cough and cold category and deliver category sales.
As a result, the retailer achieved an increase of $2.7M in sales vs. only $800K of all its other partners combined.
So as you’re evaluating your category acquisition strategy, think about how you can drive sales to your most important categories whether they’re associated with life events, a large purchase decision, are specific to your business or based on evolving preferences.
To learn more about how category acquisition works, watch the video below or visit the webpage.
{% video_player "embed_player" overrideable=False, type='scriptV4', hide_playlist=True, viral_sharing=False, embed_button=False, width='1920', height='1080', player_id='13739100729', style='' %}
---
## How to get your best diners to visit one more time
Type: eps_post
URL: /how-to-get-your-best-diners-to-visit-one-more-time
Last Modified: 2025-06-30T16:25:02Z
# How to get your best diners to visit one more time
See how this restaurant chain found a $32M opportunity to serve smarter marketing
Stuffed crust pizza. Unlimited pasta bowl. Doritos locos taco.
These are some of the more well-known limited-time offers (LTO) from prominent restaurant chains (the last item even became a regular on the Taco Bell menu). But let's face it: Too many restaurant marketers let the LTO drive their strategy.
The problem here is that’s using a one-size-fits-all approach for talking to new customers and reengaging current customers (albeit with mouthwatering dishes).
The benefits of the LTO campaign are obvious. They're relatively simple, effective "enough" and easy to measure—just track how many items were sold. But there's a bigger issue here: You're assuming that everyone in your database wants and needs the same message to motivate them to come in.
This approach not only creates media inefficiency and ad waste, but also a poor experience for the end user who receives a generic offer from your restaurant that likely isn’t relevant to them. It’s time to understand that each individual dines out for different reasons and also chooses your specific restaurant for different reasons. It’s time to think beyond the LTO.
Your opportunity is to engage each person with messaging that reflects what, exactly, would incentivize them to return to your restaurant over others.
To help illustrate how and why this is so important, here’s what it looks like for a real restaurant.
Understand customer spend to find opportunities
This concept is best illustrated by a recent conversation we had with a client. Our client, a full-service restaurant (FSR) chain, wanted to understand what opportunities they had to serve more relevant marketing to their diners.
We did an analysis for them where we matched their first-party data on their diners with our 200 million customer profiles. These profiles include transaction data from 1.5+ million merchants and tracks over $2.8 trillion in consumer spend each year.
Through this matching, we were able to get to know their diners better. Namely, we could see how loyal each person is to their brand versus the FSR category at large. There are low, medium and high affinities for our client and the analysis shows their customers’ spend across light, medium and heavy spend in the full FSR category (the numbers add up to 100% of our client’s diners).
We can see that 24% of our client’s diners are both high client affinity and heavy spenders in the FSR category overall, which makes sense based on the category.
But there’s another 33% (15% plus 18%) of their diners that only visit their restaurants occasionally (low and medium client affinity), even though they are heavy FSR users. These visitors love the FSR category, but they’re dining with this restaurant’s competitors instead of them.
This represents an opportunity for them to win over more of the diners that regularly spend at other FSR locations.
We also dissected the data to compare spend at the restaurant versus the overall FSR category:
The circled segment shows high spend at the restaurant and medium FSR category spend. They love our client’s restaurants, spending $156 over the course of the year, and people in this group spend $910 in the category overall each year. That’s 17% of their spend in the category that goes to our client, which is even more than the high/heavy group on the chart, who spend a lot at the restaurant, but that spend is just 5% of their spend in the category.
This group clearly likes coming to this restaurant even though they occasionally choose other restaurants. It should be fairly easy to convince these folks to grab another bite at their restaurant over other competitor brands.
Based on the number of diners (not visualized) in high/medium category, this restaurant could increase revenue by $32 million by getting this segment to make just one additional visit per year.
Activate the customer insights for personalized marketing
When you understand what each of your customers spends with your brand compared to what he or she spends within your category, you can find pockets of opportunity (like this restaurant did) and message those people appropriately.
Our client has two great revenue driving opportunities here:
Get the low- and medium-visit customers that are heavy category spenders to choose their restaurant over others.
Get one more trip from loyal, medium-spend customers that already love them.
They can and should treat these groups of people differently.
The heavy category spenders need to know why they, specifically, should choose this restaurant over others. Maybe the location is convenient to their home or office, or the chain accommodates their special dietary restrictions. This is an opportunity for our client to show consumers that they know them and give them a personalized reason to dine with them over other FSR competitors—or even QSR and fast-casual options.
The loyal diners need a reason to dine more often since they’re likely to choose this restaurant over other options. This is great time to highlight the brand’s loyalty program—or it might be the current promotion that brings them in.
It’s your opportunity, too
Just like our client, all of your diners have a different reason for going to your restaurant, too. Sending all of them the same generic promotion isn’t the answer to driving more visits. You need to identify and understand your most valuable guests, versus your lapsed guests, versus your new guests to deliver against your various goals—whether you’re looking to drive additional visits, increase ticket size or incentivize more online orders.
The more that you can treat a guest like you actually know them (because you already do), the more they will want visit you in the future.
Interested in learning more about how this works? Check out how we worked with Cracker Barrel to speak to individuals across dietary preferences and age ranges.
---
## From Gen Z to Silents—How to engage all consumers this holiday season
Type: eps_post
URL: /from-gen-z-to-silents-how-to-engage-all-consumers-this-holiday-season
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# From Gen Z to Silents—How to engage all consumers this holiday season
It’s that time of year again. We’re all getting ready for holiday 2019.
Consumers will soon be embarking on their holiday shopping journeys, and they will engage with your brand in multiple channels along the way. We know that they have high expectations for seamless experiences on these omnichannel paths to purchase—but not everyone has the same high expectations.
Each generation has different preferences and behaviors when it comes to shopping. Our recent report, Age matters: A guide to cross-generational marketing, explores these nuances, and here, we’ll explore how you can apply them to connect across generations this holiday season.
Not sure who’s a gen X versus millennial? And what’s a silent, anyway? Let’s start with a little level setting:
Gen Z minors: Born after 2000
Gen Z adults: Born 1994–2000
Millennials: Born 1983–1993
Gen X: Born 1964–1982
Boomers: Born 1943–1963
Silent: Born before 1943
Now, let’s dig into the details.
Holiday tip 1: Don’t neglect the older generations
If you’re under the impression that younger generations shop more, you’d be right. On average, gen Z takes the most trips to the checkout each year, followed closely by millennials.
However, you don’t want to forget older generations this holiday season. Baby boomers are spending heavyweights, accounting for 39% of all retail spend each year. Gen X isn’t far behind with 25%. Contrast this to gen Z, who only account for 1% of total retail spend. Although they make fewer transactions than younger generations, boomers and gen X spend more with each transaction.
Holiday tip 2: Tailor your digital strategy
Seventy-five percent of consumers say they will shop online this holiday season. But each generation shops differently. You can connect with each generation more effectively by understanding their digital habits and preferences.
Generation Z
Not surprisingly, gen Z spends more with industry disruptors such as Uber, Airbnb, Netflix, Spotify and iTunes—demonstrating their comfort with tech and a desire for personalized experiences. About 75% of this generation use smartphones to shop online—more than any other generation. Gen Z is also twice as likely to use an online-only store or brand website than any other generation.
You’ll want to increase and optimize your digital connections—especially mobile—for this generation. Focus not only on a personalized experience, but an individualized experience for each person. This group expects highly relevant, 1:You experiences from your brand in all the channels they frequent.
Millennials
This group spends more online than other generations, including Amazon, Gilt and Zappos, and enjoy the shipping convenience. In fact, they’re the only generation that does not over-index on in-store shopping experiences—they shop in-store and online equally. Millennials make heavy use of self-service offerings, and up to 80% of the group uses search daily or more (preferring Google).
You’ll want to keep in touch with millennials throughout the holiday season via digital channels and email. Focus on ongoing promotions as this group makes multiple, smaller purchases. Highlight your conveniences (like free shipping and returns) and self-service options, and don’t forget to implement a robust search strategy.
Gen X
Gen X is largely ignored by marketers, but they spend the next highest amount behind boomers. Gen X is looking for convenience, spending more in warehouse clubs than any other generation. Focus on your product offering so gen X can see your brand as a place they can get a lot of shopping done.
Gen Xers with kids are more likely to use voice assistants, shop on smartphones and use Facebook and Instagram. Consider connecting with them in these other channels that may traditionally apply to their younger counterparts.
Boomers
Baby boomers are spending heavyweights due to their population, higher incomes and large family sizes—but they spend more in fewer transactions. Older generations like boomers prefer in-store shopping to experience products and for easy returns. Interestingly, boomers with kids are more likely to shop online (42%) than boomers without (33%).
You’ll want to determine what coveted gifts boomers are after—then put your best foot forward. With fewer and larger purchases, these shoppers are probably waiting for the best offer on the gifts they seek. Use digital messaging that encourages them to visit your store to “try before you buy.” Consider digital messaging and creative that includes adult children.
Silents
The silent generation doesn’t spend much. When they do, it’s selective and with the intention of enhancing life, investing in travel and education. Only 38% of silents spend on Amazon, making them the least likely to shop there of any generation.
Use inspirational messaging and creative that’s focused on how your giftable products can enhance the lives of their loved ones. This generation is a good opportunity to highlight in-store promotions, as they aren’t as likely to shop online.
Holiday Tip 3: Bring digital conveniences in store
According to 2018 US Census data, physical stores account for nearly 90% of all retail sales, physical stores are a vital channel for customers. Around the holiday season, people specifically look to physical stores for a great experience and for conveniences, like free gift wrapping and entertainment.
In fact, going to stores is preferable for almost every generation except millennials (which is not to say they don’t shop in-store; instead, the data shows they shop in-store and online equally). Even gen Z likes to shop in-store for purchase speed and the social aspect of shopping with friends.
But there are some challenges to in-store as well.
1. The lines!
Forty-seven percent of customers selected “the ability to check out without having to wait in line” when asked what service or experience they would most prefer.
Providing technological conveniences like mobile checkout and digital wallets will help you to improve your in-store experience—especially for younger generations that want self-service. Research shows that it drives high satisfaction for users even though adoption is still a bit low.
2. Finding help and getting service.
According to Epsilon’s Shopper’s Voice survey, Forty-eight percent of customers ages 16 to 24 look to a store associate to find out about a store’s offers, promotions, or discounts, for example. Unfortunately, six percent of all possible sales are lost because of a lack of service.
The opportunity here is to take advantage of “brick-and-mobile” shopping to make sure relevant services and assistance are close at hand—online and off. Customers under age 35 are 34% more likely than older customers to use a mobile device in the store. Send timely email promotions when you know your customer may need a coupon to incentivize an in-store purchase. Complement these efforts with location-level marketing by serving digital media to in-store mobile browsers.
Holiday Tip 4: Give Amazon a run for its money
Nearly everyone loves Amazon, but millennials (62%) and gen Z (61%) are the biggest fans. Amazon Prime is accessed by more millennials and gen X than all other generations. Your brand can still compete with the ecommerce giant by offering conveniences like free shipping and in-store pickup.
According to Epsilon’s Shopper’s Voice survey, free shipping would persuade 33% of Amazon customers to purchase from a different retailer. Fifty-six percent of customers overall say “free shipping” is the promotion they prefer most at checkout, and 91% of the customers surveyed said “free shipping” had at least some influence on their decision to buy.
One third of customers bought items online and picked them up in store last year to save both time and money. Forty-five percent of customers expect to use the service this holiday season.
Bonus Amazon tip: consider upping your digital game. If you can reach customers with highly relevant and timely omnichannel messaging in the places they’re already engaged, you’re more likely to win their business over Amazon.
Take holiday 2019 to the next level
You have the opportunity to connect with the right customers across channels, devices and physical locations this holiday season by tailoring your 2019 holiday marketing to each generation’s preferences.
If you want to dive deeper to learn more about each generation’s shopping habits, check out our report: Age matters: A guide to cross-generational marketing
---
## New financial customers are 3X more likely to leave—here’s how to keep them
Type: eps_post
URL: /new-financial-customers-are-3x-more-likely-to-leave-heres-how-to-keep-them
Last Modified: 2025-05-14T20:36:00Z
# New financial customers are 3X more likely to leave—here’s how to keep them
Say you recently launched a campaign with an offer for a free balance transfer for new cardholders. Or perhaps it was a cash bonus offer for opening a new checking account. Then you saw a spike in acquisition—hooray! You succeeded in bringing in new business.
Or did you?
As it turns out, those newly acquired people didn’t turn into lifetime customers; they dropped out after a few months or never actually used the product.
Many banks struggle to onboard new customers, leading to high attrition rates. According to JD Power and Associates, new customers are nearly three times more likely to show attrition during the first 90 days of opening an account.
Fixing this problem starts with acquiring the right customers in the first place.
Financial institutions facing compliance issues typically resort to generalized, highly promotional digital marketing tactics. Unfortunately, this approach often attracts customers that are only looking to take advantage of the promotion. Naturally, they leave after they’ve gotten whatever perks they were after.
You will be more successful in the long run if you focus on the customer’s needs through each stage of their financial journey. It starts with acquiring the right, high-value accounts that are truly net new to your institution and in need of your solutions.
Learn more in our e-book: How to build a lifetime of financial loyalty - Digital marketing for all five stages of the customer lifecycle
Once you’ve mastered getting the right customers in the door, there’s also an art to engaging them through onboarding.
Omnichannel onboarding with identity management
According to The Financial Brand, customer satisfaction and cross-sell successes improve when customers are contacted 4-7 times in their first 90 days.
You’re probably pretty familiar with onboarding tactics like email and outbound calling—but reinforcing the onboarding process across multiple channels often leads to a1.5–2x lift in results.
Imagine you’ve opened a new checking account, but you’ve yet to make any deposits. The bank sends you a few reminder emails, and you get a call from the branch noting the value of starting to make deposits to your account and how it complements other bank products. But then you also start seeing personalized display ads in your news app, on the blogs you read, and in the sidebars of your email platform—all reminding you to make a deposit.
You can achieve this consistent, omnichannel approach with a solid identity management strategy.
Identity management works by using digital profiles of real individuals that have had their personally identifiable information (like name, address, email address) removed.
This approach allows you to understand key signals and insights about real people (like online browsing behavior and transaction history) without directly tying this information to their real name, email address or direct mail address. You know who they are and where they like to hang out across their devices without ever compromising their personal information.
With the accurate and actionable insights you have at your fingertips through strong identity management, you can reach your newly acquired customers consistently across all their devices and channels. This helps you to further encourage them to make a first deposit, activate their new card or set up auto-pay for their mortgage.
Identity management in action
In our last post on customer acquisition, we met our friend Mason, a 22-year-old with a $50k annual salary who lives in Seattle. His anonymized profile indicates that he loves to travel, he frequently reads the news online and he checks the weather on his Android phone every morning.
Using his anonymized profile, a bank was able to identify him as a great prospect for a credit card with travel rewards—and deliver an offer for 2X travel rewards on his purchases. They reinforced these communications consistently with emails, digital ads on his favorite news sites and page takeover ads in his weather app. The bank’s efforts to connect with Mason worked. He applied for the co-branded travel card and was approved.
But now it’s been a few weeks, and he hasn’t activated the card yet.
Thanks to identity management and his anonymized profile, the bank is able to serve him new ads with messaging to activate his new card and start earning points today. Of course, they’ll appear in the channels he frequents—like his news app.
Consistently reaching Mason with relevant messaging in his preferred channels increases the likelihood of activation and creates stickiness over time.
You’ll be able to plug up that leaky bucket and claim real acquisition success once you’ve gotten your new customers like Mason to activate and engage through successful onboarding.
Identity management goes beyond onboarding to help you consistently connect with prospects and customers across the full financial lifecycle (while also balancing privacy protection).
See how to stop customer attrition, increase engagement and be a better financial partner to your customers over their lifetimes in our latest e-book: How to build a lifetime of financial loyalty—Digital marketing for all five stages of the customer lifecycle.
---
## 4 ways integrating online and offline data improves attribution
Type: eps_post
URL: /4-ways-integrating-online-and-offline-data-improves-attribution
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T22:14:19Z
# 4 ways integrating online and offline data improves attribution
In case you haven’t read through all 334 slides of the just-released Mary Meeker 2019 Internet Trends Report, here’s the one that’s making headlines: Over 25% of U.S. adults are almost always online.
Considering our hyper-connected personal and professional habits, this probably isn’t a surprise. If you have teenagers, well, this number may even seem low.
But as a marketer already struggling to derive customer insights from myriad digital touchpoints for cross-channel measurement and attribution, this is like rubbing salt in a wound—a pain that can be felt all the way down to a brand’s bottom line.
As marketers, you must account for every ad dollar spent, an increasingly complex calculation as consumers adopt new cross-device, cross-channel habits.
However, it’s not the mathematics behind attribution causing the problem (after all, there’s a million ways to assign a value to a specific event). The real issue is that marketers are not using data from all the right channels, both online and off, to gain a complete view of buyer journeys.
By missing the many assisted touches along the way, attribution becomes a guessing game—and diminishing ROI a sure thing.
Think about the shopper’s new norm. She may start a search on her laptop, compare items on a brand’s website, check for email offers on her mobile device, seek advice via her favorite social app and then visit a store to make a purchase.
Now, it’d be easy to attribute her sale to the sponsored post she clicked on in the social app. But what if it was because of the in-store promotion at her local store? Or the loyalty member email offer she opened? Or the personalized ad she was served while on the brand’s site? Without insight into all of her behavior, we can’t truly know. This is why offline data is so critical.
Offline data is key to online success
Offline data, such as purchase history, product preferences, demographic info, loyalty status and even call center inquiries, adds underlying context. If marketers aren’t connecting these rich sources of information to their digital data, they can’t possibly gain the holistic understanding of a customer necessary for creating relevant, connected experiences that lead to conversions, brand loyalty and, ultimately, high lifetime values.
Following are four ways integrating offline and online data can help improve not only attribution, but also overall digital marketing performance.
1. Measure the impact of marketing more accurately
By connecting all of a brand’s offline and online data, marketers can see how a customer moved from an email to a website and then to a mobile app before completing a purchase in store, which is still where over 80% of U.S. retail sales occur.
In fact, think about your attribution without offline data: If you’re missing 80% of your conversions, how accurate can it really be? This more holistic view of each customer ensures you can see every interaction point across their buying journey.
2. Stop annoying customers
Odds are you’ve been stalked by a display ad long after you purchased an item in store. And—admit it—it’s annoying. Connecting offline historical data with in-the-moment digital behavior provides the most accurate understanding of where buyers are in their path to purchase. This helps marketers ensure they aren’t sending repetitive or irrelevant ads, reducing over-saturation, ad fatigue and ad waste.
3. Optimize ad strategies and media spend
Integrating offline data allows marketers to more accurately measure the effectiveness of campaigns across touchpoints, analyze attribution and gain measurable results more quickly than digital alone.
With a complete view into the customer journey, marketers can optimize creative campaigns, inform smarter budget allocations and understand how online engagement affects in-store sales.
4. Drive personalization at scale
Marketers can use offline knowledge, like in-store purchase history or loyalty member activity, to customize messaging across channels. Even more, marketers can use these insights to predict future behavior and enhance customer relationships with more relevant engagements, including opportunities to upsell and cross-sell.
Let’s be honest, we didn’t need Mary’s annual report to confirm that we spend most of our time online. But by no means does that make our offline behaviors any less important to defining who we are. It’s these underlying insights that shed light on what we need, what we desire and what we may want next. And it’s the marketer who uses all the right data that knows the best place to find us.
Interested in learning more about common attribution challenges and mistakes? Hear our SVP of Product, Dave Scrim, discuss the topic with The CMO Club.
---
## How to find and attract the best customers in a competitive financial market
Type: eps_post
URL: /how-to-find-and-attract-the-best-customers-in-a-competitive-financial-market
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# How to find and attract the best customers in a competitive financial market
Marcus—the online consumer bank of Goldman Sachs—attracted $45 billion in deposits and $5 billion in loans in fewer than three years.
Apple is launching a credit card this summer and also provides the technology infrastructure for easy and convenient mobile payments, cash back rewards and financial management tools to its 1.4 billion device users.
Online insurance provider Lemonade has more than 250,000 customers as of late 2018 and has secured a total $180 million in funding.
These new players and more have joined the financial services landscape, and they’re helping themselves to a big piece of the customer pie. That pie’s not getting any larger—how do you make sure you’re still acquiring a sizable share of your own?
Customer acquisition in financial services is all about getting as many high-value, in-market consumers in the door as possible.
Whether you’re selling deposit accounts, insurance, credit cards, mortgages or any other kind of financial solution, there are two keys to acquisition success:
Find high-value prospects to acquire (e.g. those not only looking to capitalize on an offer, like a $500 bonus or free balance transfer).
Be more useful and relevant to these people.
Download the e-book for all the insights:How to build a lifetime of financial loyalty
1. Find high-value prospects to acquire.
Knowing when people are in-market and the right fit for your financial institution requires a holistic view of the consumer, complete with understanding their online and offline behavior and browsing history (the addition of the external data helps validate the timing, the message and the best channels to engage).
Many financial institutions use broad—and often inaccurate—digital audience targeting strategies. This approach often lands you customers that are only looking to take advantage of your promotional offers—which is why new customers are nearly three times more likely to show attrition during the first 90 days of opening an account.
Instead, you can generate quality leads and add accounts without wasting budget by identifying high-value customers that are truly new to your institution and in-market based on known individual signals that they are ready for a particular product or service. You can be confident that these people are actually in need of a new account, mortgage, loan, etc. because you know who they are, what they buy, what they care about and what they like to do online.
You can achieve this level of granularity through good identity management—using digital profiles of real individuals that have had their personally identifiable information (like name, address, email address) removed. This approach allows you to understand key signals and insights about real people (like online browsing behavior and transaction history) without directly tying this information to their real name, email address, direct mail address, etc. You know who they are without ever compromising their personal information.
You can match these people-based profiles to your institution’s ideal customer profile to generate a list of qualified leads by product or service and to identify key lifecycle triggers that may indicate a new financial need.
Let’s meet a fictional customer to illustrate.
Mason is 23 years old, single, makes $50k per year and lives in Seattle. He is looking forward to planning his first vacation since joining the workforce. He has a basic savings account but no credit card. He reads the news online and checks the weather on his Android phone every morning.
Using a privacy-protected profile, his bank is able to identify him as a great prospect for a credit card with travel rewards.
2. Bring more value and relevancy.
Identifying ideal customers to acquire is great, but how do you rise above the noise to get their business?
According to Epsilon research, 77% of consumers say they’re more likely to do business with a financial institution that offers personalized experiences in their brick-and-mortar location. That number jumps to a whopping 89% for brands that offer personalization in their digital experiences (e.g. email, website, mobile app).
And according to BAI, 24% of consumers are looking for a better omnichannel banking experience—but improving the omnichannel experience has not ranked as a top priority for banks.
Your key to winning your institution more business (cutting a bigger slice of the pie) is therefore to deliver a more relevant, personalized experience across all channels.
Let’s visit Mason again.
His bank identified him as an ideal prospect for a credit card with travel rewards. With his privacy-protected profile, they are able to deliver him messaging that offers 2x travel points on purchases and an easy online application and management interface. They reinforce these communications seamlessly with emails, digital ads on his favorite news sites and pop-up ads in his weather app.
It’s all tailored to his triggers and preferred channels, delivering a highly personalized experience.
Prove your ROI
Understanding and tracking these lifecycle triggers will help your institution find the right prospects that are in-market for your solutions and provide them with consistent, relevant messaging across channels—helping you acquire the right people who will provide long-term value and minimize wasted marketing spend.
But this approach comes with another benefit: complementing your traditional tactics like direct mail and outbound calling with highly targeted digital media is easy to measure and prove clear ROI.
It’s no longer just about one marketing channel—it’s about understanding and measuring your holistic relationship with your customers across channels.
So, go ahead and grab a nice share of customer pie. Your competitors can have the crumbs.
Check out how this approach can be applied beyond acquisition and across the entire financial lifecycle.
---
## 5 ways restaurants can boost sales with data-driven marketing
Type: eps_post
URL: /5-ways-restaurants-can-boost-sales-with-data-driven-marketing
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# 5 ways restaurants can boost sales with data-driven marketing
From food halls to fast-casual, diners have countless options today to satisfy their hunger for a meal and a great experience. For restaurant marketers, capturing marketshare hinges on a common goal: driving one more visit with every guest.
That kind of incremental improvement starts with understanding your guests, an area where many restaurant marketers admit they still have work to do. According to our recent study with Nation’s Restaurant News, fewer than one in five restaurant marketers say they’re extremely confident in their knowledge of their diners outside of their own restaurants.
Read the report: How restaurants fare in the digital age
As diners interact with your brand across channels, devices and locations, this produces a wealth of customer data at your fingertips. To deliver the personalized experiences guests increasingly expect, however, you need to do more with that information.
By adopting a sophisticated approach to data analytics, you can create truly personalized communications that speak directly to diners and keep them coming back. Here are five strategies that can help your own organization win one more visit, purchase and dollar from your diners.
Strategy 1: Focus on identifying, reaching and acquiring the right guests
Getting new customers in the door is a constant quest for restaurant marketers, with 53% calling customer acquisition a top priority. The trick is identifying the right guests without wasting money on the wrong ones—including those who already dine in your restaurants.
By identifying commonalities among your best guests, you can search for lookalikes that are likely to be a perfect fit for your restaurant. Enriching first-party data with external sources can help you uncover prospects based on related interests; for example, a yoga instructor may be more interested in healthy lunch options.
All of this starts with a focus on the person through identity management—a way of marketing that allows you to gain a more complete, up-to-the-minute view of real people, so they can confidently deliver the right message to the right person.
And this varies across who you might be trying to talk to. For new guests, your message should focus on getting them in for the first time—to ultimately acquire them as a customer and introduce them to the brand. For returning guests, the conversation is more about reminders to come back in for a special occasion (if it’s a nicer restaurant) or pick up the new seasonal salad for lunch (like Sweetgreen does, for example).
Accurate identity management is also critical for driving higher lifetime value. While people continually upgrade devices and vendor cookies expire (or people opt out of them entirely), enhanced matching methods can help you continue to communicate with 80% of your customers two years later.
Strategy 2: Know your guests inside and outside your restaurant
The research notes that 71% of restaurant marketers say understanding diner interests and preferences outside their four walls is important for shaping menu offerings, promotions and messaging. With additional data on individual preferences, online behavior, buying habits, devices and more, you can better understand:
How much and how frequently guests spend in your category
How your wallet share stacks up against competitive brands
Your highest-opportunity prospects
Whether a once-loyal guest has switched brands or exited the category entirely
Customer interests in other categories that could help inform menu development or messaging
As you build your strategy, consider looking beyond the restaurant vertical to learn from the success of other sectors. Your external partners can be valuable in cross-pollinating ideas and techniques directly from the field.
For example, the retail and restaurant industries both face sky-high service expectations from their guests. Taking cues from retailers, such as an increased focus on personalized communications, can give restaurant marketers a fresh perspective that moves them closer to their marketing goals.
Strategy 3: Craft a unique message for every guest
Nearly seven in 10 restaurant marketers say that personalizing customer communications is extremely or very important to their brand. Yet many restaurants haven’t graduated from generic personalization to true one-to-one messaging. Roughly half of marketers say they personalize based on broader factors like loyalty program data and physical location, but only a quarter are doing the more complex work of personalizing based on the best combination of channels, messages, offers and frequency for each diner.
Knowing the difference between a loyal repeat guest and a first-time visitor—and tailoring your message accordingly—depends on strong identity management and personalization capabilities. By blending online and offline information with complementary, privacy-protected information, marketers can create a customer-level view that serves as the foundation for personalization.
With that foundation in place, restaurants can then create relevant cross-channel messages at scale, from serving a customer a digital ad with their favorite salad right before lunch to sending a special offer right before their birthday.
Strategy 4: Drive revenue by measuring the right data points
While many restaurant marketers are investing in digital media, they often struggle to connect the dots between spend and sales. More than three in four restaurants cite increased sales as their primary measure of marketing performance, but only 24% use online and offline sales as a metric for digital marketing efforts. Even more troubling, 11% don’t measure the results of their digital campaigns at all.
Measuring the KPIs that connect marketing efforts to actual sales is the most effective way to combat wasted spend and ensure dollars are having the desired impact. That focus on measurement will become even more important as restaurants shift spending from traditional to digital channels. Marketing executives said they expect to increase digital media from 44% to 54% percent of their budgets within the next five years, while traditional advertising will decline by 1.2%.
Strategy 5: Use machine learning to optimize the guest experience
The more you know about your customers, the more you can create delightful experiences to keep them coming back. Most of the real-time optimization and decisioning is only possible with machine learning technology that learns from each guest’s actions and presents the ideal menu offering and value proposition through the right communication channel.
Using purchase data, restaurant marketers can gather insights like how often diners re enticed to visit, which item to promote and what to feature in future campaigns. As diners feel heard and valued, they’re more likely to reward you with engagement and repeat business.
If you’re eager to capture a larger share of the diner’s dollar, the true differentiator is data. By creating a unified view of each customer and converting these insights into one-to-one communications, you can create more personal, purposeful experiences that keep diners coming back time after time.
Are you interested in learning more restaurant marketer insights? Download our research, Driving one more visit: How restaurant marketers fare in the digital age.
---
## How can grocers use customer data to boost business?
Type: eps_post
URL: /how-can-grocers-use-customer-data-to-boost-business
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T22:17:52Z
# How can grocers use customer data to boost business?
Creating incremental revenue streams to drive purchase intent and loyalty
Amazon and other big players are moving into the grocery industry. It may seem odd that high-tech brands are adopting an old-school space, but it certainly highlights one fact: Brick and mortar is still thriving. In recent research, we found that only 15% of people are buying groceries online, and the average American goes to the grocery about twice per week.
High visit frequency gives grocery retail an advantage over other industries. As a grocer, you have an in-depth view of shoppers: You know how often people shop at your store, whether they purchase in-store or on your website and (through loyalty programs) what brands they’re purchasing.
With a comprehensive view of the shopper, you can improve your customer’s experience and your brand image, and you can even create opportunities for incremental revenue using your database. First, we’ll look at ways that grocers are enhancing the customer experience through data, then we’ll show you how to monetize that data for additional revenue streams over time.
Within the store, grocers enhance the customer experience with data
Your grocery brand already has deep insights on your customers, and when you combine those insights with external data, you can make it actionable in your digital marketing. The most obvious way to use this information is to improve your customers’ grocery shopping experience. Let’s explore how many grocers use customer data today:
1. Personalizing rewards and recommendations
Most retailers have elevated their loyalty and marketing programs to include personalized rewards, such as discounts and deals for products they purchase in store. These rewards are delivered on multiple channels, like email, in-lane, online offers and load-to-card coupons.
Some retailers have even expanded their programs to include “Personalized Circulars,” which take deals from the weekly circular and delivers a “preview” to shoppers based on their purchase behavior data.
Wakefern/ShopRite’s “My ShopRite Deals” is one example of a personalized circular that can be delivered in-lane, in-app or on their website.
2. Provide unique products and solutions based on what customers want
The rise of e-commerce makes it easy to find most products online, but brand-specific items can incentivize shoppers to go to a specific store to get what they want. In fact, 38% of Amazon grocery shoppers will switch if another provider offers products they can’t find on Amazon.
Kroger has seen strong performance through its private label brands, which are only available through Kroger outlets, with 92% of Kroger households shopping its private-label brands. Kroger developed its private-label brand Simple Truth when they realized that customers were looking for an easier way to access natural and organic products. Knowing what their customers want has paid off: Simple Truth and Simple Truth Organic are Kroger’s fastest growing brands, with double-digit sales growth in Q3 2018.
Kroger also recently launched an in-store experience called “EmporiYum,” that showcases their private-label products. This endeavor has driven up sales of the featured products by 57% on average.
Kroger created brands that customers want and other grocery providers, including Amazon, can’t provide. By focusing on what their customers wanted—easier, more affordable access to healthy products—through a private-label solution, Kroger built a competitive advantage.
3. Grow digital channels to make customers’ lives easier
Amazon is growing its physical locations, in part, to ease the transition into digital grocery shopping. By decreasing the distance from fulfillment center to the customer, known as the “last mile,” Amazon can offer perks like same-day shipping and in-store pickup.
But Amazon isn’t the only brand that is tapping into this field. Traditional grocery stores already have the physical presence, and they are making it seamless with their digital channels.
Kroger grew digital sales by more than 60% in Q3 2018. From the CEO perspective, William Rodney McMullen understands the importance of growing digital platforms so customers can “have anything, anytime, anywhere from Kroger and because they're our catalysts to grow our business and improve margins in the future.”
Beyond the checkout line, grocers’ access to data offers new ways to monetize
Grocery stores have slim margins, and finding new revenue streams is critical to business growth. With all of their available customer data, grocery chains like Kroger and Ahold Delhaize are looking to monetize through the advertising side. Grocers can make the most of their relationships with CPG brands by allowing more access to consumers.
Opportunity for grocery retailers
Grocery retailers have CPG brands’ secret to success: customer data and information on specific buying habits. Shopper marketing budgets are one way you can innovate while simultaneously creating new revenue streams for your business. The right advancements not only help your in-store offerings, but also build your relationships with CPG manufacturers.
Well-known brands like Walmart and Target are quickly moving into the digital advertising provider space. And when it comes specifically to grocery, Albertsons is leading the way.
In 2018, they launched Albertsons Performance Media (APM), a marketing service that reaches millions of grocery shoppers on social media, Albertson’s digital properties and third-party publishers.
“We’ve been able to target the right shoppers at the right time and in the right digital places,” says Karen Sales, VP of national and shopper marketing at Albertsons. “It has exceeded our expectations.”
They also hosted a Shopper Marketing Summit to discuss the launch of their “shopper marketing arm.” The impending ‘Shopper Marketing Vendor Portal’ will allow the manufacturers to increase their return on advertising spend (ROAS).
Your grocery brand can look toward developing similar solutions, even if you’re not one of the big brands. The next phase may be for a syndicate of retailers to pool together anonymized data about customer spending habits, brand choices and channel preferences and sell it back to the CPG manufacturers. This would allow even smaller grocery players to participate and have access valuable data.
Make the most of data
Your grocery store should be motivated, rather than afraid, of the incoming digital phase of grocery. To stay sharp, you need to make sure you understand what your customers want by using both online and offline data.
While players like Amazon may seem daunting, you need to remember your vast customer data gives you a competitive advantage. That data can not only to enhance your in-store experiences, but also develop alternate, digital revenue streams.
---
## Digital Travel Summit: Data and personalization take center stage
Type: eps_post
URL: /digital-travel-summit-data-and-personalization-take-center-stage
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Digital Travel Summit: Data and personalization take center stage
What stood out at Digital Travel Summit 2019
Travel is all about delivering the best experience for each guest. And travel marketing is no different—at least it’s trying to get there.
The guest experience—throughout the traveler’s buying journey—was top of mind at Digital Travel Summit 2019. Numerous sessions and panels discussed the need for better data to drive marketing and advertising and how to use personalization to make marketing smarter. These are common marketing themes in any industry, but this year, travel marketers had an increased emphasis as they look for ways to unlock the power of data and personalization in their own marketing tactics.
Here, we recap the most prominent insights from the event and note who actually stole the show.
The importance of making the right data-driven decisions
We all know data is central to everything we do in marketing. But speakers this year stressed the need to make the right decisions based on the information at hand—and not try to use data to confirm our own preconceived notions.
Brendan Witcher, vice president and principal analyst at Forrester, focused on how easy it is for companies to get lost in their own data. He noted that they’re often just trying to prove their own hypothesis—and it’s true that data can be manipulated in any way to prove almost any point. Brands and marketers need to do a better job of observing what is happening without bringing in their own biases.
This concept was reiterated in our breakout session with Jennifer Pintaluba, director of digital marketing at Regent Seven Seas. Pintaluba stressed letting data lead the way with decision-making by grounding marketing strategy in what actually drives more conversions across online and offline channels. “We have a lot of offline transactions, and it’s a big reason we work with Conversant,” she said. “They can tie those activities back to our advertising program, which is very useful for attribution.”
Personalization should be core to the entire traveler journey
Personalization as a topic isn’t new, but it was a central component of almost every conversation and presentation at the event. There is still a lot of room for travel brands to grow in this area, and there were some interesting insights that highlighted this personalization gap.
During Monday’s morning keynote, Eliot Hamlisch, senior vice president of loyalty and partnerships at Wyndham Hotels and Resorts, said that brands need to personalize just to get attention today. He noted that there are 1,000+ brands in travel right now, 17 were new in 2018 and there are three new ones in 2019 already. His point: Consumers are overloaded with branding, but they’re willing to exchange information for a brand to know—and anticipate—their needs more. “Consumers are showing an increase in willingness to give brands their name, email and address in exchange for a personalized experience,” Hamlisch said.
Michael Taylor, travel practice lead at J.D. Power, shared their new study on US travel app satisfaction. “Travel apps lag far behind other consumer apps in overall customer satisfaction,” he said. “There are many reasons for this, but the biggest is a lack of personalization.”
In a panel discussion with Celebrity Cruises, Norwegian Cruise Line and Windstar Cruises, marketing representatives from the various brands discussed how personalization factors into their technology upgrades as well. Cruise guests can use apps to adjust the lighting in their rooms, order room service, request amenities, schedule meals onboard and much more—allowing the brand to learn more about each customer and make each experience feel more personal.
The stories that stole the show
There is a lot happening at these larger trade shows, but there are always a few presentations that keep everyone talking far beyond their session time. There were two at this year’s event that were consistently brought up in conversation long after the presentations.
In a fireside chat session, Leah Chandler, chief marketing officer at Discover Puerto Rico, shared how her organization overcame challenges with tourism after the devastating Hurricane Maria in 2017. Chandler’s team turned the natural disaster into a way to build a community response. They used the #CoverTheProgress hashtag on social media in an effort to get mainstream media to focus on the positive things happening throughout the island and ultimately galvanize foreigners to come back to visit and become a top Caribbean destination again. She shared a video, “From SOS to Bienvenidos,” highlighting how the community that created a viral moment about the crisis in Puerto Rico has recovered in the year since and is now inviting tourists to come back. It was a moving piece and a great example of the power of engaging, good content. And based on a recent write-up in The New York Times, her team’s efforts are working.
In an interesting case study session, Humphrey Ho, US managing director at Hylink Travel, an agency that works with brands interested in getting the attention of Chinese travelers, talked about the growth of the Chinese middle class and how they’re becoming a major force in the international travel market. According to Ho, at any given point, this demographic makes up as much as 1 in 5 travelers worldwide. This was just one presentation, but there were numerous conversations following the session that touched on this topic on some way.
Travel brands are uniquely positioned to serve a wide array of travelers. But to do that—and do it well—it requires best-in-class marketing, powered by personalization and data. Does your airline, hotel, cruise line, car rental—you name it—have what it takes attract new and retain current customers?
Learn how to connect with travelers at every stage of their journey.
---
## The evolution of measurement: How ad waste brought us to ROMI
Type: eps_post
URL: /the-evolution-of-measurement-how-ad-waste-brought-us-to-romi
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T22:14:41Z
# The evolution of measurement: How ad waste brought us to ROMI
Focusing on the cost and spend equation doesn’t tell the full story
If you look at the full history of advertising—from the Mad Men days to the first TV ad—digital marketing as a concept is relatively new to the scene. IBM launched the first personal computer just shy of 40 years ago in 1981, and the internet wasn’t accessible to the average person until the late 90s.
As digital marketing tactics and channels started to emerge, marketers were hooked. For the first time, they could see metrics like reach, frequency, impressions and clicks in near real-time, which was revolutionary.
As digital marketing evolved and grew more sophisticated, it started to become apparent that clicks are not equivalent to sales. Ad waste emerged as the primary problem to solve—and with that, better measurement.
But it’s still not perfect. Ad waste continues to be prevalent in the system, largely due to a lack of integration across channels and missing the full picture of the individual. By focusing on single streams and singular tactics, it’s hard to build a holistic attribution strategy that connects real people to channels, devices and actual purchases that show a true return on marketing investment—true ROMI.
Digital measurement evolution
This conversation starts with looking at how digital marketing channels and measurement evolved over the years:
Marketing started with no real measurement strategy; creativity and big, splashy ads were the best way to get attention. As digital marketing became the go-to tactic, simple metrics like CPC and CPA became the go-to measurement source in kind. To be fair, this measurement was revolutionary at the time. But the bottom line is that clicks are unreliable. They’re proxy metrics that largely only show brand affinity and a propensity to engage, not actual online and offline sales.
Measurement improved with return on ad spend (ROAS) as brands started to hold their marketing partners more accountable. This was a way to show return on a specific advertising spend, but it only gives a view of each campaign and spend, not the full omnichannel picture of performance or the overall impact to your business’ bottom line.
Ad waste fuels better measurement
Ad waste is a necessary part of this story and is a continuing issue in the industry. A 2018 survey of 1,000 marketers found that they waste an average of 26% of their budgets on ineffective strategies, and half of respondents said they misspend an additional 20%.
Marketing campaigns often focus on targeting people by segments, devices and siloed channels (social vs. digital vs. email, etc.). This treats everyone as if they’re the same instead of making the best decision based on the individual and creating a personalized, human experience unique to each person.
Let’s look at a few examples that show how a seemingly sophisticated marketing strategy can actually have quite a bit of waste.
Delivering a message to the right person, but wrong message or device: Say a person goes to a national restaurant chain occasionally for a morning coffee and then one day receives an offer about their lunch options. Yes, this is the right person because they do frequent the business, but it’s the wrong offer, and they clearly aren’t a loyal customer that could expand to a new category. If that same person had received a message about a discount on coffee, they would have been much more likely to convert.
Right person, right message, wrong offer: Many women’s clothing retailers offer different discounts based on the day of the week and where they are in the season, with steeper discounts as the weekend gets closer or as the season comes to an end. These brands’ loyal customers often know that better discounts are coming, so why would they convert when they see an ad for 30% off if they know that a 50% discount is in the pipeline?
Opportunity waste—didn’t deliver, not viewable or fraudulent: This speaks for itself; you build the perfect list of people and the perfect message, but the message never goes through because of delivery issues, the ads aren’t actually viewable or the campaign hits fraudulent accounts that are bots instead of real people.
Over-messaging a person: You probably have several vendors in your ad stack with differing identity capabilities. To make this issue more complicated, you probably also have numerous traffic partners across publishers, social, search, programmatic, etc., running campaigns at any given time. This creates a disjointed view of the individual you are trying to reach and significant overlap amongst partners, resulting in wasted ad spend through over-messaging at an individual level. That negative outcome is compounded for the person on the receiving end, who gets bombarded with repeat ads.
Knowing these kinds of issues exist—even in more sophisticated marketing campaigns—how can you achieve that full omnichannel picture of your campaigns and each customer?
The path to ROMI
ROMI is a performance-based concept that focuses on building an omnichannel view of performance, with an end goal of driving revenue. True return on marketing investment means being able to measure all branches of an integrated marketing strategy, not just the cost of a campaign on one end and the output on the other. ROMI helps you think more broadly about your marketing investment; it’s more than a cost and spend analysis.
How do you achieve peak performance?
Accuracy: Does the system know real people?
Completeness: Does the system take all factors, touchpoints and channels into account?
Speed: How quickly does the system learn and deliver?
Cost: Is it efficient? And what is the cost of continuing with wasteful advertising?
These are all necessary items to consider with any marketing strategy. In a tactical, campaign-driven environment, advertising can be done fast and cheap. But what is the waste and opportunity cost associated with cutting corners, focusing on individual channels and not building that holistic picture? I think we all know it’s immense.
Interested in reducing your ad waste and achieving better results? Learn more about our data-driven digital marketing solutions.
---
## How to drive customers to specific stores
Type: eps_post
URL: /how-to-drive-customers-to-specific-stores
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T22:16:49Z
# How to drive customers to specific stores
Over the last year, several major brands have approached us with this question: “What can I do to encourage my consumers to visit and buy at a specific store? And how can I measure the results of my messaging?”
There were many reasons for this question. Some brands were opening up new locations, or refurbishing existing ones, and wanted to entice local consumers to check out these specific locations.
Others wanted to promote local campaigns, pop-up store locations, sales or loyalty programs (for example, end-of-year sales, 2x points for the weekend, etc.).
And others were facing local competition and wanted to keep their brand top-of-mind with their local consumers. In addition, some of these brands have franchisees who want to use their location-level marketing budgets to increase sales at their store, instead of using overall brand marketing budgets.
Our product team was intrigued but first needed to understand what’s currently out there for location marketing and if we could make something that better solves your needs.
The challenges of location-specific marketing
The main challenge is wasted advertising spend due to bad identification. It’s often difficult to know if someone bought at a specific store or location, so the solution is to send out advertising messages based on DMA (Designated Market Area, which is geographic area targeting) or zip code through IP data.
However, the accuracy of IP data varies widely across service providers. The risk is that location-specific messaging goes to people in the wrong area. And if you can’t measure sales at the location level, especially offline sales, you can only guess if messaging translates to revenue.
This solution is just not good enough. As marketers, you need to know who is shopping in your stores, which specific store(s) they purchase in, how your marketing messages tie to revenue and how both online and offline behaviors impact the shopper journey.
How to make location marketing work
To be successful in driving customers to specific stores, focus on three unique components: Identification, personalization and reporting.
Identification:
You need the ability to identify the best local audience for individual locations. For our product, Location Driver, we decided to do this based on purchases (online and offline), online interactions and location data. Selecting the right individual takes into account a combination of location-level sales activity with our proprietary intelligence (preferred shopping area, where they live, their location at the time of impression, preferred location and more), to determine which local consumers are in-market to convert at a specific location.
We use a range of signals to drive consumers to physical locations, whether that be a special assignment, prior purchase history, geo location such as residence or IP and other profile attributes, to ensure that you're speaking to people with the highest potential to engage with these stores and drive outcomes.
Personalization:
You don’t want to cookie-bomb a large number of people with the same message; instead you want to give your customers personalized messages.
In order to personalize ads at the location level, we determine which store within the geo area is correct to reference. This ensures that every impression is personalized with location-specific CTAs tailored to each local consumer.
The ads themselves can also include map navigation to that specific location and personalized offers and content based on what people browsed online, without showing something they already bought in store. This demonstrates that connection between online and offline data to inform the advertising.
Location-level reporting:
Guessing at a return on marketing investment isn’t how you prove your value. You need a full view of the impact of your marketing spend at your location(s), as well as how it drove enterprise-level performance across consumer buying channels (including online to offline sales).
Similar to our other solutions, we provide transparency into results, including 24/7 reporting and data files of every impression and attributed conversion for validation. Our reports include store specific sales data for each store campaign. As a result, each franchisee or corporate budget holder knows their ROI during a campaign at a specific store.
Suffice to say that we believe location-level marketing to be an important tactic for many brands. But you need identification, personalization and reporting to do it well. We created Location Driver to help you reach your location-level marketing goals.
To learn more about location driver and the potential in location marketing for your brand, watch the video below. If you have any questions, let us know.
---
## Is 2019 finally the year of personalization?
Type: eps_post
URL: /shoptalk-2019-recap
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Is 2019 finally the year of personalization?
Insights on how retailers are adapting to a changing market from Shoptalk 2019
Increasingly, today’s marketers need to account for every single advertising and marketing dollar you spend. Although it’s a daunting task on its own, this challenge is also an opportunity to emphasize the impact you’re having on your business in a real way.
For years, we have talked about the need for personalization, but is 2019 finally the year we move from talk to actually delivering on the promise of personalization?
Marketing is getting smarter, and the ways we use data, personalization and machine learning were all hot topics in Las Vegas last week for Shoptalk 2019. Here, we recap the larger themes we saw at the event around how brands are using technology and information to drive more relevance for their customers.
Personalization comes down to relevance for the customer
There was a lot of discussion about creating relevance for the customer through personalization, but there was less talk about personalization as its own separate topic. It’s becoming a part of the customer experience, not living outside of it.
Dick’s Sporting Goods' VP and Head of Data Science, Analytics and CRM, Vimal Kohli, said it best: “Personalization is a business term; customers think about it as relevance.” He also mentioned that retailers used to complain about not having enough data, but now they have too much. They’re using their influx of data to offer better products to customers online—trying to understand if the item the person is currently viewing is even the right one they’re looking for, or if they need to offer an alternative or complementary product.
Another player in the sporting goods industry, Modell’s, had a lot to say on the topic of personalization as well. Tami Mohney, EVP of Marketing, Ecommerce and Human Resources at Modell’s, said they’re using data to better define where each customer is going, and what they (the customers) want that experience to look like. It’s about “making sure you’re allowing the customer to choose the path they want to take,” she said.
In a recent post, Kara Trivunovic, who leads Epsilon’s email solutions team, talked about this shift from “1:1, a messaging strategy that’s generically personalized with promotional offers to 1:You, a holistic customer experience strategy that’s personalized with the best choice for individuals across all points on interaction.”
We’re starting to see brands understand personalization through the lens of the consumer, who doesn’t see or feel personalization. At its basic level, we’re talking about relevance, does what you’re sharing or showing, connect, inspire and drive someone to take an action?
At the opposite end of the spectrum is where brands like Levi’s are doubling down with custom jeans, rolling out Levi’s FLX technology that allows the brand to shift from finished goods to a blank canvas. “Custom jeans produced just for you gives the power of self-expression in the hands of everyone,” said Marc Rosen, EVP and President of Direct-to-Consumer at Levi’s. The next retail wave is customized, personalized product.
Levi’s EVP and President of Direct-to-Consumer, Marc Rosen, shared their FLX technology, which allows people to customize their Levi’s products as they purchase them, at Shoptalk 2019.
The art and science of customer data
It’s clear that brands and retailers are trying to collect as much data as possible on their current and potential customers. However, an important differentiation is that just having the data is not the end goal. What you do with this data is the biggest challenge. And with a growing number of disparate sources and silos, how do you ensure your data is actionable, accurate and persistent over time.
Sarah Engel, VP of Marketing and Creative Communications at Lilly Pulitzer, shared her perspective on data collection and aggregation: “Customer data is going to tell you what happened, what’s happening and maybe what is going to happen, but it’s not going to tell you why.” That is the art of the equation; the “why” is the most important component, but it’s far more challenging to compile and understand. Brands need to have processes in place to help capture the “why” and make sense of it in a real, actionable way.
D2C brands excel at customer data collection and mining it for explicit and implicit insights. “We start with a questionnaire where clients answer more than 25 questions that we translate across 90 different points of data to understand style needs,” said Mike Smith, President and COO at Stitch Fix. Beyond the initial customer onboarding, Stitch Fix is also building a feedback loop into all levels of customer experience, understanding shopping behavior, customer feedback and return data and then leveraging this data to improve both the product and experience.
Why is this important? For Stitch Fix, the brand is the experience and understanding client preferences and how to better curate a more personalized product experienced drives both sales and retention.
Mike Smith, president and COO of Stitch Fix, shares how Stitch Fix uses customer questionnaires to understand their customers across 90 different data points related to their individual style.
Brands have more customer data than ever before, but the reality is that we’re just at the beginning of using it to its full effect. Brands can—and should—consider how their data works with complementary insights to deliver a full view of the customer. “First- and third-party data are a must for accurate identity,” said Ric Elert, President of Conversant, in a recent article on AdExchanger. “For example, if a mother buys items from a beauty site she and her daughter both visit, it’s important to be able to distinguish the mother’s path to purchase from the daughter’s. The insights from live third-party data can provide the additional information needed to do so.”
Everyone is talking about AI, but it’s really machine learning
AI, naturally, is a hot topic in almost any industry right now. As data becomes more central to every marketing plans, accurately using and deploying AI to improve the customer experience is incredibly important.
But in all of this discussion of AI, we’re not talking about real “AI” in that sense at all. We’re talking about machine learning, which is a subset of AI, but the two are not one and the same.
Vidya Jwala, Chief Ecommerce and Supply Chain Officer at Dick’s Sporting Goods was the first to call it out. He was asked a question about AI, and then the interviewer backpedaled because it’s not the correct term for how we (collectively as marketers) actually deploy this concept in our marketing efforts
Machine learning is a branch of AI based on the idea that machines can learn patterns and make recommendations based on data inputs; it can learn and improve from experience without constant supervision from humans. This is how brands can use customer data to deliver relevant, meaningful messages over time, but it’s not the whole universe of AI.
And any deep dive into AI and machine learning gets pretty complex pretty quickly. Swanson Health, an online vitamin and supplements company, recently spoke about the benefits but also challenges of implementing a machine learning strategy. AI “isn’t just ‘turn it on and let it run,’” said Corey Bergstron, Chief Marketing and Merchandising Officer at Swanson, in a recent article with the Wall Street Journal.
It’s a small, but important difference to note, especially as some of the biggest brands at Shoptalk talked about their AI capabilities. It starts to show who actually knows how their data, processes and partners operate.
Interested in learning more about our retail insights? Download our latest research on how Amazon is affecting consumer shopping habits.
---
## Q&A: The rideshare effect
Type: eps_post
URL: /qa-the-rideshare-effect-1
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T22:17:52Z
# Q&A: The rideshare effect
Daniel Allen explains the potential market impact of our rideshare effect research.
The wild popularity of rideshare apps, like Uber and Lyft, has changed the way that people get around. To see the measurable impact of these services, our analytics teams at Epsilon-Conversant analyzed travel marketing spend with our proprietary data assets for the Rideshare Effect whitepaper.
We sat down with Daniel Allen, VP Sales Analytics at Conversant, to talk about how this shift will affect both car rental companies and rideshare services.
MC: Can you talk a bit about the impetus for this research – where did it come from? Why was the car rental versus rideshare analysis a focus area?
DA: This topic has been in the works for a long time. Our Conversant team has been working with Amit Deshpande on the Epsilon analytics team. Originally, the topic came out of a few of the sales engagements we had in partnership with Conversant and Epsilon. Our team wanted to showcase some of our core strength and value areas when meeting with potential clients at large car rental companies. Namely, our ability to understand individuals—the profile attributes across Epsilon and Conversant allow us to identify those individuals across devices and channels, understand how they interact with different brands and determine the types of messaging they respond to. We discussed the emergence of Uber and Lyft as potential competitive threats to car rental companies as their customers migrate to rideshare services.
This information was important to share with car rental companies. A lot of these large companies have had success recently too, so there was a gap in the true understanding of rideshare as a competitive threat. They did not have all the data needed to understand what’s happening in the market. Because our robust transactional data assets provide marketers with the ability to understand aggregated, individual consumer preferences, we were uniquely positioned to provide insights into the areas that both car rental and rideshare companies should be considering as this marketplace continues to change. We measured and effectively identified shifting migration patterns of traveler spending across subcategories.
MC: What were the main patterns that you found in the data?
DA: From the research, we could confirm our initial hypotheses that customer migration patterns were occurring in the marketplace. Continued data analysis surfaced additional insights into this consumer behavior.
One of the key findings from the analysis is that 63% of car rental customers reduced their spending year over year, which validated the original impetus of the research. At a high level, that was nearly a $3.2 billion shift. We detected this was happening, and we wanted to find out the specifics.
In terms of the shift, we also identified the migration that’s happening over time. High-value car rental customers have shifted to rideshare, and there has been a 68% increase in their rideshare transactions. That frequency is the key. While car rental companies are seeing a lot of success in terms of dollar value, there seems to be a frequency pattern happening that both sides can capitalize on.
MC: So why should car rental companies care about rideshare services and vice versa? Where is the overlap in customer base?
DA: 56% of previous car rental customers stopped using car rental service altogether based on our year-over-year analysis. When you think about that disruption for car rental companies, it’s very important to consider what their retention strategies look like. They need to understand what’s making customers defect and stop using their services.
We started to break that down by reviewing the types of people that are in the areas of overlap, identifying high versus low car rental users and high versus low rideshare users and understanding who these people actually are. Individuals that have high spend in both tended to be people that were affluent or had kids; they fell in the “chic society” segment, which are people that are more business- and culturally-oriented. These are all audiences that can be reached in the Epsilon-Conversant platforms. In this case, you want make sure that you’re retaining the individuals.
MC: How can rental car companies react to this shift?
DA: There is definitely a group of people that are high rental car customers and have started using rideshare services. The key is to identify them and execute retention strategies that illustrate the value of car rental. Loyalty programs are one way to do that. For example, if they aren’t a member of your program, how can you incentivize them join? Activate your CRM, and implement strategies to drive higher rates of transactions for the people that are high-value customers but have a high propensity to switch. Car rental companies also have a broad set of offerings. Think about which of those you want to communicate to potential switchers in your brand.
Epsilon-Conversant is in a unique position to understand people on a one-to-one level. We identified 9.4 million people who were rideshare customers with zero spend on car rental. It may not be cost effective to talk to all of them, but it’s important to understand why they’re rideshare users. Based on that understanding, they can leverage opportunities to use car rental instead of rideshare.
MC: And what should rideshare services do?
DA: It’s a high frequency, low cost service with a low barrier to entry from the customer perspective. Rideshare services need to drive usage and understand how people use rideshare services. Due to the nature of the platforms, as a tech company, rideshare companies can understand the opportunities to message customers in times and environments that make the most sense for those customers. They can analyze the data on current customers: When are they using rideshare services the most? How can you remain top of mind during those peak opportunities to engage? These platforms are still emerging, and there’s still a lot of opportunity. How can they communicate the benefits of rideshare and make the usability easier for those 9.8M consumers who use car rental services but don’t use rideshare?
Rideshare companies also need to develop a better understanding of users from a broader travel perspective: Where are they traveling? How are they traveling there? Are there opportunities for them to use rideshare once they get there? It’s important to communicate the benefits of using rideshare over car rental in these situations.
MC: Rideshares made up just 2% of all travel spend but 30% of travel transactions, meaning rideshare is a high-frequency but low-cost service. What impact does that additional exposure have on this sector of the travel market?
DA: High frequency of transactions implies that there is a lower barrier to entry for consumers in this area of the market. There is potential for this migration to accelerate because of the high level of exposure that individuals are having with rideshare companies on a regular basis. People have more opportunities to interact with the brand, more “mind share.” There is certainly an opportunity for the network effect and acceleration to happen because of the frequency of transactions.
MC: What was the most unexpected finding from the analysis?
DA: Given the maturity of rideshare companies, it wasn’t surprising that this dynamic was happening, but the scale is potentially alarming. We’re seeing the combination of people that are loyal rental car customers migrating at a high rate—63% of car rental users reduced spend year over year—and a high frequency of purchase in the rideshare category. The potential of that migration to accelerate has huge implications for how that market is going to look in the future.
And, we’re already seeing rideshare companies capitalize on the frequency of transaction, horizontally building on services like Uber Eats. New services like these and others may not currently be thought of as direct competitors in the transportation market.
There’s also a large pocket of people (2.3M) that were high rideshare purchasers with no car rentals. These people are hard to move back under the existing dynamic. In the future, it will be interesting to see how car rental companies respond as this continues. They continue to change their models and their tech and platforms by experimenting with ideas such as self-driving cars, car sharing, events, tours and vehicle sales. Enterprise, Hertz and others are already trying some of these tactics.
MC: What has been the biggest takeaway for you while working on this project?
DA: This went from a hypothesis to actual results proven by the data. While the technology plays a key role in what we do, it’s also the people we have that analyze the data and can predict what’s coming. We can deliver experiences that are powered by human behavior and driven by data. Being part of a company that enables and empowers our clients to act upon that dynamic and change is really empowering as a marketer.
To learn more about the findings and tips for navigating the changing market, download the full whitepaper.
---
## Survival strategies for grocery retailers in the age of the consumer
Type: eps_post
URL: /survival-strategies-for-grocery-retailers-in-the-age-of-the-consumer
Last Modified: 2025-05-14T20:39:32Z
# Survival strategies for grocery retailers in the age of the consumer
It’s a good time to be a consumer. The proliferation of shopping channels makes it easier than ever to get what you want when you want it. It’s not as easy for the grocery industry. Ever-changing technology as well as new consumer demands and shopping rituals are requiring a continued transformation of the grocery business model.
For example, online-based industry players are growing and expanding their market share. Instacart recently raised $600 million at a $7.6 billion valuation and expanded the availability of its ‘click and collect’ pickup service to nearly 200 stores in the U.S. Large retailers in the grocery space, such as Walmart and Target, are making grabs for shopper marketing budgets by launching or revamping their own advertising platforms for CPG brand partners. And now Amazon is increasing their prominence in the grocery space (see this infographic for more on what consumers look for from grocery retailers).
Driving growth, and simply competing, is more complex in an increasingly fragmented marketplace. And there’s no end in sight.
Traditional grocery retailers cannot give up their turf as new players enter an already competitive space. They must continue to retool their in-store experience, omnichannel business model and marketing strategies. While making wholesale changes can take time, there are a few steps you can take now to survive and thrive in the age of the consumer.
1. Expand digital strategies to reach shoppers beyond your website.
People are spending more time on digital and mobile channels than ever before, yet grocery retailers continue to rely on traditional advertising such as direct mail, the weekly circular, email and TV. Some retailers are advertising on Facebook, but, like other channels, that approach offers limited reach and even more limited measurement within a “walled garden.” These tactics are just one of many components in an integrated marketing strategy that effectively engages existing and prospective shoppers in the right place, at the right time, with the right message.
The bottom line: there’s more out there beyond a your website and Facebook. A fully optimized digital strategy requires a presence outside your own walls (and the walls of social platforms) to communicate with consumers across their preferred websites and apps. It also creates new opportunities to deliver tailored advertising messages that meet different objectives such as acquiring new shoppers, retaining existing shoppers or brand building.
2. Tap into digital advertising to gain more marketing insights and accountability.
Nielsen’s 2018 CMO report indicated that a chief concern for marketing executives is getting more insights from their marketing efforts. The reality today is that more marketing insights, and therefore, more accountability, are accessible through digital advertising. There are technologies and platforms out there that can draw a direct connection between digital advertising and in-store sales.
Still, many grocery retailers place their trust in and allocate media budgets to TV advertising because it’s what they have always done. But the insights and results are not as apparent and far more difficult to prove out. Digital advertising allows marketing teams to understand which ad drove a consumer to complete an action and whether an ad inspired a consumer to stop in on their way home from work, and ultimately tie that consumer’s purchase back to the ad. Greater transparency around marketing results allows grocery retailers to optimize their budgets and maximize their dollars.
3. Look for ways to monetize shopper data.
In the grocery industry, scale and reach get attention. The larger retailers are getting the majority of national digital advertising budgets because they reach the most consumers at scale.
The good news: thanks to data, there are opportunities for regional and mid-size grocery retailers to create enough scale and reach to remain competitive. Regional retailers are sitting on a treasure trove of consumer and transactional data; it’s simply a matter of being willing to experiment and get creative in leveraging it.
The monetization of shopper data is one approach that has gained traction among grocers. They’re engaged in sharing their shopper data with CPG brands selling in their stores, which provides valuable insights that those brands previously lacked. As CPG brands increase their investment in national digital media, they are now looking to utilize that data to make their advertising and consumer interactions more relevant. The shopper data allows them to track sale in stores, understand their consumer and make marketing messages more personalized to shoppers.
It’s a win all around. Shoppers receive more relevant experiences and personalized value from retailers and brands while retailers gain shopper consideration and incremental revenue streams that can be re-invested in campaigns that drive more sales and loyalty.
When considering this approach, grocers must ensure they have the support of executive management as well as an updated consumer privacy and data statement that adheres to data privacy and security regulations.
Final thoughts
Survival for grocery retailers, and specifically the regional/independent chains, depends on a commitment to strategies that get your brands closer to shoppers. Building trust and consideration requires greeting your shopper wherever they spend their time online.
---
## 3 tips for smarter travel upselling
Type: eps_post
URL: /3-tips-for-smarter-travel-upselling
Last Modified: 2026-05-22T14:44:18Z
# 3 tips for smarter travel upselling
Make your upselling strategies work smarter, not harder.
Today, upselling is a key component of travel brands’ revenue—across travel categories. In the airline industry, sales of ancillary products and services accounted for more than $82 billion in worldwide revenue in 2017 alone. Each brand has its own dedicated pushes and reminders to “add on” to existing trips for extra comfort, delight and convenience or to book with partner brands in other travel categories.
Upselling and cross-selling is a win-win for marketers—the brand provides relevant information about add-ons and upgrades, creating additional selling opportunities with engaged audiences, while travelers get a personalized, relevant experience with the brand related to their trip. Every engagement becomes a selling opportunity, which means that brands need to make every interaction with each traveler count.
In its recently released 2019 Megatrends list, Skift noted that travel upselling is getting “smarter than ever.” The truth is that personalization is now taking a larger role in upselling—prioritizing people at the center of all the activity for better results. To execute more successful upselling initiatives for your brand, consider these three tips:
1. Know each traveler as an individual
All travel upselling opportunities start with having a comprehensive view of each traveler. This includes understanding their interactions, travel preferences and on-file information with your brand, how they spend with competitors, their historic trip-related spend information, and the ability to connect with them across all their devices without relying on cookies. For travel marketers, this requires not only unifying traveler data across input sources but also ensuring you have the right data sets to accurately and effectively market to travelers across platforms and devices.
With this information in hand, you can identify who your current and potential travelers are online—including those that have already booked a trip with them and are eligible for upgrades and cross-sell opportunities.
This knowledge factors into how brands speak to each individual. For almost every trip, there are purchasers and influencers. These roles are all part of one connected unit—consider a couple where a wife saw a campaign for a great deal on flights to Italy and mentions it to her husband, but the husband ultimately is the person who books the trip. In this situation, the husband is the purchaser, and the wife is the influencer. Our insights show that on average, individuals on group trips spend approximately 8% or more compared to a single booker. Knowing and properly classifying these individuals and their role in the trip-planning process is crucial in how you market to them
2. Take a page from other industries
Although upselling and cross-selling are common practices in the travel industry, it’s really retail that excels at this concept. Take Gap for example: Every product page has a “customers also viewed” and a “customers also liked” section to recommend other similar products. While a consumer is picking out one item, they get a preview of a similar, possibly more premium item (upselling), as well as other pieces in the same style family (cross-selling). And this is standard practice across many retail brands’ websites.
Travel brands—especially airlines—have improved their upselling experiences in recent years by breaking their ticket costs up and integrating upgrades into the booking process, but there is still a lot of opportunity lost after that initial booking. For travel brands to be truly successful with upselling and cross-selling, they need to consider how to connect with customers outside of that booking window.
Some airlines are experimenting with calendar invites as upgrade communication tools for when travelers add their trip details as an event to their digital calendars. They send event updates prompting the traveler to remember to book their car rental at their destination or add on priority boarding before they get to the airport. Chatbots are another unexpected medium to consider for travel upselling. Skift noted that the Cosmopolitan Las Vegas saw hotel guests that use its text chatbot spend as much as 30 percent more than those who don’t.
3. Be able to deliver everywhere online
Although owned channels are effective (and arguably the simplest way to reach known bookers), travel upselling isn’t limited to channels that the brand owns. Consumers have tons of screen time from their work and personal computers to smartphones and laptops—not to mention TV as well. Why limit an upgrade opportunity to an email or text message? Everywhere people are online is another opportunity to connect with them in a way that matters, but you need to be able to send them relevant, personalized communications on those channels as well.
This execution is only possible with comprehensive, historical information on each traveler. Without the ability to know each person as an individual and reach them online across all their devices, travel brands are limited to their own communication channels.
Final thoughts
Upselling is an important component of your brand’s relationship with each traveler. An effective travel upsell program starts with knowing and understanding the people you’re reaching on an individual level, and then delivering relevant information related to their upcoming travel across all channels. When upselling is done the smarter way, travel marketers can deliver on the promise of offering truly personalized brand experiences.
Want to learn more about the traveler’s omnichannel journey? Download our webinar, in partnership with Skift, “Winning strategies to reach today’s omnichannel traveler,” where we talk to Azamara Club Cruises about building comprehensive traveler profiles to deliver omnichannel results.
---
## Customer relationship management: How to improve your strategy
Type: eps_post
URL: /customer-relationship-management
Last Modified: 2025-12-05T22:14:32Z
# Customer relationship management: How to improve your strategy
Successful brands know how important customer satisfaction is for the success of their company. Leading companies understand that the way they deliver a product or service to the end customer is becoming as important as the quality of the product itself.
Developing a strong customer relationship has emerged as the key driver for growth and sustainability across industries, and brands increasingly realize they are in the customer-relationship business. Case in point: According to Salesforce research, 88% of customers say the experience a company provides is as important as its products or services.
As a result, businesses are shifting their focus from traditional product-centric strategies to customer-centric approaches. This paradigm shift involves understanding customer needs at a deeper level and tailoring experiences to meet those needs. Companies are investing in advanced customer relationship management (CRM) tools, data analytics and personalized marketing strategies to enhance customer engagement. By doing so, they aim to create a more holistic and satisfying customer lifecycle journey, which not only attracts new customers but also fosters loyalty among existing ones. This approach is crucial in an era where customer loyalty can significantly impact a brand's reputation and bottom line.
What is customer relationship management (CRM)?
Customer relationship management (CRM) is a strategic approach to managing and analyzing customer interactions and data throughout the customer lifecycle. By fostering stronger customer relationships, CRM drives sales growth and retention. CRM is often facilitated by technology tools such as CRM systems and customer data platforms (CDPs). These platforms help businesses compile and analyze customer data from various touchpoints between the customer and the company, which could include the company's website, telephone, live chat, direct mail, marketing materials and social media.
What is the difference between customer experience management and customer relationship management?
Both customer experience and customer relationships are crucial components of customer lifecycle management, but they focus on different aspects of the customer-business relationship:
Focus
Customer experience management (CEM): CEM focuses on the customer's holistic experience with a brand or company. It encompasses every touchpoint a customer has with the company, from navigating the website to interacting with customer service and using the product or service. The goal is to optimize these interactions to create a positive, memorable customer experience.
Customer relationship management: CRM, on the other hand, is more focused on managing the company's relationships and interactions with current and potential customers. It involves strategies to improve business relationships, streamline processes and increase profitability.
Scope
CEM: This is broader in scope than CRM, encompassing the entire customer journey, including marketing, sales, service and brand perception. It's about understanding and improving how customers interact with and feel about the brand at every stage.
CRM: CRM is more specific in its scope, concentrating on direct interactions with customers, such as sales and service-related processes, and managing customer data. It often involves using CRM software to organize, automate and synchronize sales, marketing, customer service and technical support.
Objective
CEM: The primary objective is to enhance the overall customer experience, which can lead to increased customer satisfaction, loyalty and advocacy.
CRM: The main goal is to improve business relationships, increase customer retention and drive sales growth.
Tools and processes
CEM: Involves using customer feedback, data analytics and market research to understand customer needs and perceptions. It often requires cross-functional collaboration within the company to ensure a consistent experience across all touchpoints.
CRM: Utilizes CRM software to collect, store and analyze customer information. This data helps in personalizing customer interactions, managing sales pipelines and providing better customer support.
Outcome
CEM: A successful CEM strategy leads to a better customer experience, which can translate into higher customer satisfaction, loyalty and advocacy.
CRM: Effective CRM strategies result in stronger customer relationships, improved customer retention and increased sales.
While CEM is about managing the customer's end-to-end experience with a brand, CRM is more focused on managing the company's relationships and interactions with its customers. Both are essential and often interconnected; a good CRM system can provide valuable data that informs CEM strategies, and excellent customer experiences can strengthen the relationships managed by CRM processes.
How to build a customer relationship management strategy
Once you thoroughly understand the customer relationship management meaning, it’s time to tackle building an effective strategy. This process involves several key steps, each focused on understanding and improving your interactions with customers. Here's a guide to developing a robust CRM strategy:
Understand your customers:
Resolving various identity fragments (device IDs and accounts) helps brands truly understand their customers on an individual level. When brands can see their customers on a 1:1 level, they can create optimal relationships based on that unique buying behavior and preferences.
Define clear objectives:
Determine what you want to achieve with your CRM strategy. Objectives could include increasing customer satisfaction, improving customer retention, boosting sales or enhancing personalized marketing.
Choose the right CRM technology:
Select a CRM system that aligns with your business needs and objectives. Ensure it can integrate with your existing systems and scale as your business grows.
The CRM software should offer features like contact management, sales tracking, marketing automation and analytics.
Explore how a Customer Data Platform (CDP) complements your CRM providing a unified view of customer data for targeted marketing.
Consider combining your CRM with a CDP to optimize marketing efforts and gain deeper customer insights.
Collect and manage data effectively:
Implement processes for gathering high-quality customer data with consent.
Ensure data is organized, up to date and accessible to relevant team members.
Personalize customer interactions:
Use the data to personalize interactions with customers. This could be through tailored marketing messages, personalized offers or customized product recommendations.
Train your team:
Ensure your team understands the CRM system and the importance of customer relationships.
Provide training on how to use the CRM tools effectively and how to engage with customers in a way that builds relationships.
Implement a customer feedback loop:
Regularly collect feedback from customers through surveys, social media and direct communication.
Use this feedback to make improvements to your products, services and customer interactions.
Monitor and analyze:
Regularly review the data and reports generated by your CRM system to analyze customer behavior, sales trends and the effectiveness of marketing campaigns.
Adjust your strategy based on these insights.
Foster a customer-centric culture:
Encourage a culture within your organization that prioritizes customer relationships.
Ensure that every department understands how their role impacts the customer experience.
Continuous improvement:
CRM is an ongoing process. Continuously look for ways to improve customer interactions and update your strategy based on changes in customer behavior and market trends.
Remember, a successful CRM strategy is not just about the technology you use; it's also about how you use that technology to understand and meet the needs of your customers.
Tips for improving your customer experience
The most important part of improving customer experience is understanding the customer and what the customer needs.Each customer has their idea of an ideal experience and it's your job to understand every individual's journey, both online and offline. Forrester research shows that customer experience improvements drive increased customer loyalty.
A solid customer experience starts with the brand and the brand's understanding of that individual's full scope of interactions with the brand. This is not easy to do,many brands have entirely different departments for email and loyalty programs, not to mention outbound digital campaigns. One of the best ways to ensure that you bring this together is through using a third-party persistent identifier that can connect all of these touch points back to a single consumer ID.
Having clean, organized data that's well-connected across the business and available in real-time is essential. Since many different teams interact with customers and affect customer experience, it's important to have a clear picture of overall effectiveness, and the only way to achieve that is to use data coming from multiple touch points. For example, if the digital team and marketing team aren't connected, they won't know how many times a certain consumer is receiving messages through various communication channels.Monitoring the customer relationship: Metrics that matter
Measuring customer relationships involves assessing various aspects of how customers interact with and feel about your brand. Here are key metrics and methods to effectively measure customer relationships:
Customer satisfaction (CSAT):
This metric is gathered through surveys asking customers to rate their satisfaction with your product, service, or a specific interaction. It's usually measured on a scale (e.g., 1 to 5 or 1 to 10). This usually asks the question, "How satisfied are you with your experience?”
Net promoter score (NPS):
NPS measures the likelihood of customers recommending your product or service to others. It's a strong indicator of customer loyalty and is obtained by asking customers how likely they are to recommend your business on a scale of 0 to 10.
Customer lifetime value (CLV):
CLV predicts the net profit attributed to the entire future relationship with a customer. Understanding CLV helps in making decisions about how much money to invest in acquiring new customers and retaining existing ones.
Customer retention rate:
This measures how well your business retains customers over a period. A high retention rate indicates that customers are satisfied and continue to engage with your brand.
Churn rate:
The churn rate is the percentage of customers who stop using your product or service over a specific period. A lower churn rate indicates stronger customer relationships.
Customer engagement metrics:
These include metrics like website visits, time spent on your site, open rates for emails, social media interactions and repeat purchase rates. High engagement often correlates with a strong customer relationship.
Customer effort score (CES):
CES measures the ease of customer experience when interacting with your company. It's based on the premise that customers are more loyal to a product or service that is easier to use.
Feedback and complaints analysis:
Regularly reviewing customer feedback and complaints can give you valuable insights into areas needing improvement.
Qualitative feedback:
Conducting interviews, focus groups or open-ended surveys can provide deeper insights into customer attitudes and feelings toward your brand.
Remember, no single metric can give a complete picture of customer relationships. A combination of these methods, tailored to your specific business context, will provide the most accurate and actionable insights.
Conclusion
Customer relationship management may seem complicated, but all you need to do is find the right partner. Through our extensive suite of Epsilon PeopleCloud solutions, we help brands connect their consumer’s online and offline activity to a single ID that their brand owns. From there, all media decisions and measurements tie back to that ID, building a comprehensive view of each brand’s customers. We know how to bring data together to enhance your brand’s customer lifecycle and bring it to the next level.
Explore how Epsilon's CRM solutions can transform your customer relationships and drive growth. Contact us today to learn more.
---
## Forrester research shows travel marketers are behind with identity
Type: eps_post
URL: /forrester-research-travel-marketers-identity
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T22:16:49Z
# Forrester research shows travel marketers are behind with identity
Lori travels at least once a month for business, and she plans a warm-weather vacation for her family every year. She’s a prime target for travel and hospitality marketing.
The problem is that Lori is also a frequent leisure traveler with her family and uses her personal email address for those trips. Although she is a frequent guest of one hotel brand as a business traveler, that travel brand fails to recognize her as a loyal customer when she travels with her family.
Although email is a helpful signifier of who the person is, a single person may have multiple email addresses across business and personal use. Subsequently, travel brands often lack a clear and cohesive picture of a person’s ongoing trips and adventures across their many channels for browsing, planning and booking.
Without a single, persistent view of Lori, they’re unable to provide her relevant offers and personalized experiences. Lori may be fictional, but this challenge is not.
We recently commissioned Forrester Consulting to understand the current state of identity resolution in brand marketing. Forrester surveyed more than 200 brand marketers on their identity resolution strategies and how they apply to their marketing efforts.
The travel marketer responses from the Forrester survey show that travel and hospitality brands are struggling most with identity, despite their unique need for persistent identity over a long buyer’s journey.
Download the research: Forrester Travel Spotlight: Resolve identity challenges to increase customer satisfaction and brand loyalty
Travel industry’s identity resolution is lowest in the study
Compared to the other industries surveyed (retail, auto and financial services), travel marketers report more nascent identity resolution programs—only 53% have an ID program that has been in place for at least 12 months.
Travel brands are also twice as likely as their peers in other industries to be using homegrown tools to assist in identity resolution (12% for travel companies compared to 5% of the total respondents). While tools built in house can offer flexibility and customization, it may be harder to make quick adjustments when changes occur in the market. Outsourcing identity technology and services offer an advantage to travel and hospitality brands that are trying to get up to speed fast—and stay there.
With younger, less mature identity programs and more homegrown identity tools, travel marketers are facing challenges with using and activating their data. Top challenges include:
Optimizing online campaigns (55%)
Proving performance and measurement of marketing (53%)
Determining the right audiences for online campaigns (51%)
Travel uses limited identifiers
One of the reasons travel marketers are struggling is their limited use of identifiers. Like we illustrated with Lori, many travel companies rely on identifiers like email, IP addresses or login data to identify people online. These identifiers, particularly email, are very important for identifying people online, but as our SVP of product management, Dave Scrim, describes in this video, there are better methods for identifying people online. They can also be misleading—just think about how many personal and professional email addresses you’ve had in your lifetime or how often you are on a Wi-Fi network that isn’t your own.
Forrester’s report explains that “Over half of brands’ identity resolution programs (not just travel) ignore several important sources of valuable data and insights.” These insights include data like phone number, social media ID or handle, internal identifiers like loyalty program numbers, device IDs, etc.
Travel companies are even further behind other marketers in the study when it comes to using offline transactional data as an identifier (just 22% are using it today compared to 31% of the total survey takers). Although many travel marketers can track online bookings though their website and travel apps, they often miss offline transactional data from call centers and travel agents—a particularly reliable source of quality and accurate information that travel companies cannot afford to ignore. It’s harder to tie offline booking activities to traveler identity, but it is worth that extra effort and ensures travel brands stay connected to their customers across time—not just months but years.
Focused on the wrong goals?
The Forrester survey also revealed that travel marketers may be behind other industries with their identity programs because they are focusing on the wrong objectives.
The research found that travel companies are prioritizing increasing the profitability of their products/services as one of their top goals. But this is taking a brand- or product-centric approach rather than focusing on the customer and his or her needs and preferences, which is ultimately the purpose of an identity management solution. Having this as the #1 goal suggests that travel brands’ focus with identity isn’t appropriately aligned to the intent of an identity solution.
Customer-focused priorities like winning new customers and satisfaction are also high on travel marketers’ lists, but they’re not at the top for most travel companies. One priority these brands have right is improving data measurement and activation capabilities. Creating a robust identity resolution program that can better identify customers and match them to a product or service will improve both profitability and customer experience.
Visit Savannah gets heads in beds with identity
Visit Savannah, the official destination marketing organization for the Greater Savannah, Georgia, area, was facing many of the same challenges as its fellow tourism organizations. They needed to get heads in beds. But not just any heads—they wanted to attract incremental visitors (those that were not already planning to come), and they wanted to reach more sophisticated luxury travelers, who can be difficult to identify online.
Using a robust identity program to find the right audiences and deliver relevant, cross-channel messaging, Visit Savannah saw a $133:1 return on ad spend from a $182,000 investment using a transaction-based identity solution. They were also able to accurately and granularly measure results from individual visitors’ spend in the area to truly understand the value of their marketing investment.
Learn more about Visit Savannah's campaign.
The opportunity to deliver highly relevant experiences that attract and engage potential travelers is there—if travel and hospitality brands want to grab it. But identity resolution is at the heart of this opportunity. Marketers will need to be able to talk to the Lori’s of the world more effectively. Check out Forrester’s report for more details on the current state of identity in travel marketing, plus three key recommendations for improvement.
Download the full Forrester research: Resolve Identity Challenges To Increase Customer Satisfaction And Brand Loyalty: A Spotlight on Travel
---
## 3 steps for CPG brands to grow customer connections and sales
Type: eps_post
URL: /cpg-brands-grow-customer-connections-sales
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T22:14:41Z
# 3 steps for CPG brands to grow customer connections and sales
The first-party data landscape for many traditional CPG brands can be challenging as most brands lack possession of the transactional relationship that fuels consumer data and is often preserved by grocers and big-box retailers.
At the other end of the CPG spectrum are direct-to-consumer (DTC) brands that sell directly to their customers without relying on a retailer. Given the direct access to transactional data via customer connections, DTC marketers can more readily deliver individualized experiences through personalized offers, promotions and messaging.
In a marketplace where consumer relationships are gold, how can marketers narrow the divide between traditional CPG and DTC marketing?
The answer for solving this data disconnect: identity-based marketing.
Leveraging an identity-based platform is a key factor in delivering more engaging customer experiences with measurable results. An October 2019 Forrester Consulting study commissioned by Epsilon reported that “Today, only half of brands at best are capable of fundamental identity resolution capabilities like finding customers across devices, controlling messaging frequency and sequencing, and building a unified customer profile.”
With that in mind, let’s walk through the three key steps for CPG brands to leverage identity resolution for their own marketing programs.
Three key steps to identity resolution:
Step 1: Make identity resolution an enterprise-level priority
Putting identity at the center of an organization’s marketing initiatives is not a trend, it’s a business requirement. The same Forrester study further identified that the absence of coordination among various corporate silos “can exacerbate the measurement and performance problems… because it can lead to a lack of true understanding across teams. Brands with misaligned identity resolution are left with broken customer experiences, wasted marketing spend, and lost opportunities to expand customer relationships with relevant cross-sell and upsell offers.”
Think of the scenarios in which an inability to identify your consumer at the individual level wastes valuable marketing dollars:
Promoting a product that’s irrelevant to the customer or prospect
Featuring a product that someone’s already purchased
Treating existing customers like new prospects
Tailoring messages to the wrong person (e.g., a spouse) who shares the device
Exposing someone to the same ad, over and over, across their devices
Messaging someone after they’ve opted out of brand communications
Any of these scenarios can lead to not only to significant marketing inefficiencies but also result in a poor experience for the customer.
Step 2: Take steps toward personalization
Although it takes time and resources to build an identity platform from the ground up, leveraging data from identity-based partners gives brands access to real-time demographic, attitudinal, behavioral and transactional insights in the absence of their own first-party data.
For example, a CPG brand with a variety of meal-time solutions can customize messaging to individuals based on insights gleaned from an identity-based data source to:
Identify an individual who entertains often and responds to messaging aimed at how to host the perfect party.
Identify a millennial mom and infrequent brand buyer who might consider purchasing more of a product if she’s inspired by easy, kid-friendly recipes for lunches.
Identify an individual who is a frequent purchaser of a competitive brand and might consider converting if they are served an incentive or offer that incites trial.
Some brands are already taking the initial steps in personalizing their messages through data. Conagra has put data at the heart of their media planning to better personalize their “always-on approach.” In leveraging a data solution, Conagra can be more strategic in what relevant offers and brand messages they send to their consumers.
Step 3: Focus on the quality of the data inputs to produce better outputs for measurement
Fewer than half of the marketers in Forrester’s research reported the ability to leverage identity resolution against online and offline marketing performance. The result: When the quality of the input cannot connect individual exposure to in-store sales, marketers are left with an inability to gain insights and drive better business solutions in the future.
Partners like Epsilon that employ an identity-based solution can often measure as much as 80% of the impressions served and connect those ad exposures to actual in store sales. Non-identity-based measurement solutions can typically only “see” 5-10% of impressions served and result in less reliable modeled attribution. Although many partners use this method, it’s not the most accurate way to measure a campaign’s effectiveness.
To help understand if a partner can provide the measurement you’re really looking for, ask these questions:
What percentage of your impressions were matched to in-store sales?
What dollar amount can be directly attributed to the impressions without modeling or extrapolating? I.e. What is the actual measured spend from your campaign?
In the end, organizations that shift focus towards identity-based marketing solutions end up with increased scale, less marketing waste and greater insights for activating future programs.
Interested in learning more about how identity-based marketing can help your brand? Check out our CPG solutions and download the 5 building blocks of identity management for more information.
---
## Third-party data isn’t dead
Type: eps_post
URL: /third-party-data-isnt-dead
Last Modified: 2026-09-08T15:10:44Z
# Third-party data isn’t dead
Is third-party data dead? Not even close.
Third-party data is information you buy from an outside source—not the company that originally collected it—to enrich what you already know about your customers with demographics, interests, purchases and more.
Despite the "death of third-party data" headlines, spend on quality third-party data keeps climbing because first-party data (https://www.epsilon.com/us/insights/blog/maximize-first-party-data) alone can't paint a complete picture of a customer.
Think about it: Even the biggest brands in the world might only have visitors coming every few weeks for a purchase (and that might be generous). No brand has enough information on any single person to really understand their current and potential needs on their own.
The catch is quality, since not all third-party data sources are created equal. Here's what third-party data actually is, where it comes from and five things to look for when choosing a provider.
What is third-party data?
Third-party data is data you buy from trusted external sources that aren't the original data collectors. It can come from a wide variety of digital and offline sources and is then aggregated, segmented and sold to marketers for their own advertising campaigns.
When you buy third-party data, you can buy the raw data to enrich your customer understanding or audience segments to activate across channels to reach the exact consumers you want your marketing campaigns to connect with.
Need a refresher on how third-party data differs from other data types? Our guide shares an overview of first-, second-, third- and zero-party data (https://www.epsilon.com/us/insights/blog/what-is-first-second-third-and-zero-party-data) to give you a complete picture.
Third-party data examples
Common examples of third-party data include:
Demographics
Financial data, such as income or net worth
Purchase information
Categorical interests
Online behaviors
Propensities and attitudes
Where third-party data comes from
Third-party data comes from a variety of sources, including offline, digital, panel and transactional sources.
Why third-party data is important
For years, there was a focus on reach in programmatic, which impacted quality. There was also limited scrutiny on data providers in terms of sourcing, the accuracy of data as well as the transparency into what was really being presented.
Thankfully, as marketers have become more sophisticated and with a shifting consumer and privacy landscape, this is changing. My hope is that this will clean up the industry and shine a light on data quality.
Third-party data should not be thought of in one sweeping statement—as with anything, there are valid and reliable sources that add to the overall picture of a consumer that first-party data alone cannot deliver, plus the ability of the provider to accurately aggregate those signals around specific individuals or households. A broader profile of consumers, including their interests, demographics, household composition and purchases, are very useful to help understand each person and improve personalization.
I’ve seen recent articles touting that first-party data can deliver it all, and any other sources are inferior and inaccurate. I have yet to come across a 100% accurate picture of a consumer from a single data source and have even seen inaccuracies from first-party data as they represent only a particular view of a consumer or are based on behavioral inferences from browsing behavior.
For example, Facebook thinks I have a toddler because I liked a friend’s picture, yet my kids are in their late teens. Additionally, they’re unaware that my brother has a dog since he purchases dog food at his vet, not a grocery or mass merchandise store. There are often inaccuracies, and marketers need to be aware of the degree of the flaws and how they impact both performance and the consumer experience with your brand.
So what’s a marketer to do? Educate yourself and ask lots of questions to ensure you know what you are getting, so you can be realistic about how it fits in with your plans and how different data sources can complement each other.
How to choose a third-party data provider
1. Think about what data you need and will use
Data is important to drive targeting to eliminate waste and also make the content more personal to each consumer. Distinguish between these two as they serve different purposes and may result in selecting different data sets. Targeting is about reaching the right person based on where they are in their consideration set along with a brand’s objective and awareness versus conversion.
This is a balance of scale versus accuracy. Anything too big can be meaningless, but anything too targeted can limit the impact and reduce efficiency.
Data for personalization makes the interaction with a consumer more meaningful and impactful—consistently providing what consumers say they want and expect. But a brand needs to be willing to vary both the creative and messaging for this to work to ensure this can be executed. It can be as simple as showing a dog image versus a cat image for pet owners (which I have seen show lift) or a family image versus a single male, and yet so few brands do it well or even at all.
2. Ask questions of every data provider to fully understand what is being provided
Take the time to review all data providers you’re working with and make sure to ask the right questions when evaluating each partner. And remember, no data set is perfect.
For example, transactional data is precise in terms of knowing what the consumer bought with a retailer, but understanding how much these transactions represent of the consumer’s total spend and how the data is managed is important. During your assessment, make sure to review:
How the data is linked to consumers? Do they use a cookie, IP address or device? And is it at the individual or household level?
Know the data derivation. Is it declared, derived, inferred, modeled or observed?
How often is the data refreshed?
For transactional data from retailers, it’s important to understand:
How are transactions captured and linked to an individual or household?
How many transactions can the retailer capture of total spend in their stores or a given consumer? Is it based on tender (plastic versus cash) or a loyalty card?
How many cardholders spend the majority of their possible spend with that retailer?
How much does that retailer represent of your brand’s sales? If it is grocery, how much else is purchased in mass, club, specialty, convenience or club?
Are multiple loyalty cards per person or household co-mingled or distinct?
3. Think quality over quantity
Did you know that over 25% of organizations estimate they lose more than 5 million USD annually due to poor data quality, with 7% reporting losses of 25 million USD or more? It’s true. Oftentimes marketers do not have the resources (or the time) to do a full data quality assessment to determine if their data is of quality.
In our data buyer's guide, we outline 10 key assessment criteria to consider when evaluating data quality and how AI fits into the picture. Remember, not all third-party data is created equally. Advertisers and agencies must be careful to validate the accuracy and validity of the partners they work with versus assuming all are either ‘bad or good’.
4. Make sure data is transparent
Understanding how data audiences are built is essential and making sure everything stated in the document/label is true is important for data success.
With recent initiatives like the IAB Data Label, the ecosystem is working to create transparency to eliminate poor data providers and hold all data providers accountable.
Check that your data provider is certified or in the process of certification to ensure what you think you are buying is actually what you are getting.
5. Ensure data is compliant
It’s important for data providers to share how they comply with current legislation in addition to how they’re preparing for new legislation. Make sure to continuously review privacy policies and opt-out language. At Epsilon, we protect and respect data, and we’re always thinking privacy. In our role as a trusted partner to clients, Epsilon remains committed to having a leadership role in shaping the changing privacy landscape.
Data is powerful. It’s the brains behind our marketing success. It’s critical to understanding consumers, reaching new buyers and to better communicate with existing customers. There is no silver bullet for the perfect data set, even first-party data.
This data is valuable when it’s of high quality, and multiple partners will always be necessary for full coverage of consumers and useful insights about them that are not skewed. Take the time to understand every partner you work with, and only work with those that are honest about their strengths, weaknesses and gaps.
Now that you better understand third-party data, learn more about how Epsilon can help.
This post was originally published on February 25, 2020, and has since been updated.
---
## How beauty brands can bridge their customer data gap
Type: eps_post
URL: /beauty-brands-customer-data-gap
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T22:13:13Z
# How beauty brands can bridge their customer data gap
A recent headline in Vogue Business declared “the U.S. cosmetics boom is over.” That prediction may be a bit too critical, but there’s no doubt the industry is on the cusp of a major change.
For one, today’s beauty buyers aren’t just interested in new trends, they’re actually incorporating them into their beauty regimen. Consumers are looking for natural skincare routines and a less-is-more approach to cosmetics, a trend pioneered by millennials and Gen Z. But this focus isn’t limited to younger consumers; clean beauty resonates with mature buyers, as well.
Product preferences aren’t the only change. Direct-to-consumer (DTC) brands are bringing retail disruption, affecting everything from apparel to pet food. No beauty brand is safe from DTC competition; about a third of retail consumers plan to make 40% of their purchases from DTC brands over the next five years and over 80% say they’ll make at least one DTC purchase in the same timeframe.
At the same time, nimble niche brands are cashing in on consumers’ desires for a more authentic and personal brand experience.
To stay relevant—and drive sales—beauty brands need a way to cut through the clutter and have meaningful, personalized conversations with their customers.
But how can they actually make this happen? For starters, they need to work on filling the major gaps in their customer data.
Learn more: Bridging the data gap: Solutions for beauty brands to bolster engagement
Symptoms of the data gap
Because they have access to high-quality first-party data, they have deep visibility into their customers—who they are, what they like, how and when they buy—retailers and DTC brands can cultivate relationships with their customers with individual personalization.
This first-party data gives DTCs and retailers a huge leg up when it comes to personalized marketing. Personalization is no longer optional for beauty brand marketing; 65% of consumers are more likely to buy from a brand that knows their history and recommends relevant products. DTC brands know how to leverage personalization—and it’s working for them; during the 2019 holiday season, 67% upped their personalization budgets, as did 58% of retail brands.
Beauty brands are at a distinct data disadvantage. In most cases, they don’t sell directly to their customers, they don’t own their consumer and transactional data, and partner retailers keep their data close to their vest. Without that information, you’re essentially in the dark when it comes to understanding who your customers are. So how do you bridge that data gap?
Finding, using and activating the right data
Beauty brands need to have personalized, persistent conversations with their customers and prospects throughout their online journey, across all their devices. That sounds like an overwhelming mandate, but if you can’t identify who you should be talking to and what devices you should be talking to them through, everything else is irrelevant.
Activating your data is the first step toward creating these conversations. Most beauty brands don’t have a lot of first-party data, unless they sell directly through an e-commerce platform. However, even with first-party data, many brands lack the online and offline behavioral insights on the consumers who buy products from a retailer and may not have the data needed to power true personalized marketing.
That’s where syndicated retailer data comes in.
Epsilon saw an opportunity to bridge the data gap beauty brands and retailers with digital marketing in a way that benefits both parties, through our retailer media solutions.
These solutions are great for shopper marketing initiatives to help drive customers to a specific retailer, like Ulta. With this rich, first-party data, marketers can serve relevant ads based on buyers’ past purchases and browsing behavior, driving them to the retailer that makes the most sense.
By building custom audiences of individuals who have bought online or in-store in the past 30 days, or have recently searched for your brand, you can deliver the type of gold standard, one-to-one messaging DTCs and retailers have thrived on. And when it’s all said and done, you will tie advertising dollars directly to online and offline purchases through closed-loop measurement.
Retailer media solutions give beauty brands the ability to communicate effectively and persistently with personalized messaging across all channels and devices, increasing brand sales and driving the right customers to partner retail stores.
Beautiful results
Ardell is the leading brand in the false lash and adhesives category with 50,000 doors of distribution in the U.S. market. With long-standing B2B relationships, Ardell’s digital marketing primarily supports its brick and mortar sales efforts.
The company participates in partner retailer marketing efforts such as loyalty clubs and in-store promotions, but accurately measuring ROI for these programs has always been a challenge. They have little control over the messaging because the customer’s direct relationship is with the retailers, not the Ardell brand. Marwan Zreik, Ardell’s VP of marketing, concurred: “When brands support retail marketing initiatives, we have minimal opportunities to control the message to a specific consumer. We are very dependent on the relationship the retailer has built with the shopper that is going in and buying our products.”
Ardell worked with Epsilon’s retailer media solutions to create a campaign supporting sales at their two largest retailer partners. They were able to target customers who had purchased an Ardell product at these two chains in the past 30 to 60 days and those who had browsed for a particular product—down to the SKU—or ordered a product online. They set a baseline goal of 5:1 return on ad spend (ROAS) for the two-month campaign.
At the end of the campaign, over 48,000 shoppers converted at the brand level and made an Ardell purchase. The company also discovered that 95% of those conversions occurred in a partner retailer’s brick and mortar store. Ardell achieved a 20% lift in sales at the two stores targeted in the campaign. “Look, at the end of the day we are omnichannel… but it’s nice to see a digital effort result in a specific, trackable and measurable in-store purchase,” Marwan said.
That 5:1 ROAS goal? In his words: “We blew it out of the water.”
If you’d like to know the whole story behind Ardell’s campaign, we recorded a webinar with all the details. You’ll learn how the company leveraged our solution to increase sales and gain valuable customer insights to guide their future marketing strategies—and how you can use similar solutions to grow your brand.
---
## Identity: How moments become meaningful customer experiences
Type: eps_post
URL: /webinar-recap-forrester-adweek-identity
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Identity: How moments become meaningful customer experiences
In today’s hyper-connected digital age, consumers are in the driver’s seat. Armed with multiple devices and channels to engage with brands, consumers are conditioned to get the information, products and services they want—instantly and from anywhere. To win them, brands must be prepared to engage at critical decision points along their path to purchase.
But many brands’ existing technology and strategies aren’t up to the challenge of truly delivering a connected experience across devices and channels in the digital space.
A 2019 commissioned study conducted by Forrester Consulting on behalf of Epsilon on identity resolution found that more than half of the 200 director-level and above marketers struggle with the basics of identity recognition, unable to identify the right audience for online campaigns or personalize and optimize campaigns effectively.
In a December 2019 webinar featuring findings from the research, guest speaker Joe Stanhope of Forrester said, “Learning how to personalize and work in the moment—there’s a lot of investment, effort and thought going into that. But there’s a delta between the effort of brands and what the customer is actually experiencing.”
Here, we dive deeper into the key findings from the research, commentary from the webinar and guidance on how to build a “good” identity program from soup to nuts.
Learn more: 5 keys to building a better identity program: It's time to stop guessing
Losing in the moment
At the most basic level, most brands' efforts at personalizing the customer experience fail. Roughly 90% of businesses say they are personalizing experiences and 72% of retailers are personalizing the in-store experience. Yet just 5% of consumers say brand emails—the most essential weapon in the marketer’s arsenal—are well-timed and meet their needs. Among 18- to 24-year-olds, only 13% feel valued by brands.
The experience ecosystem is undeniably changing; new devices and new channels of engagement mean the universe of touchpoints is constantly shifting and expanding. On the other side, consolidating media and social players wall off huge chunks of data, and thus limit brands' ability to understand—let alone manage—the customer experience.
“Identity is the connective tissue for the customer’s moment. No analytics capability, no marketing engagement capacity works correctly without an identity backbone to support it.” Joe Stanhope, Forrester
Identity: the connective tissue
Brands can innovate on and improve the customer experience using two primary dimensions:
The expanding universe of touchpoints
The increasing granularity of available data about each customer
Innovative technology exists to collect and interpret this high-velocity, individualized data in real-time, but without the ability to reliably connect it to an individual consumer, it’s essentially worthless. “Identity is the connective tissue for the customer’s moments,” said Stanhope. “No analytics capability, no marketing engagement capacity works correctly without an identity backbone to support it.”
“Identity resolution isn’t just a marketing tactic or a one-off project, but an essential strategic capability for brands,” Joe noted. The ability for brands to connect engagement breadth with granular consumer data rests on their ability to accurately identify their customers.
The current state of identity
To help better understand how brands are using identity today, Epsilon commissioned Forrester Consulting for a study of 200 marketers on their use of identity resolution capabilities. The study examined five pillars under-girding identity resolution—persistence, recognition, scale, accuracy and privacy—to see how they were driving value for marketing efforts.
Forrester found that many brands struggle across all five pillars:
71% were unable to maintain an accurate ID over time
69% couldn’t identify what percentage of an audience was active and reachable online
63% couldn’t verify what amount of the addressable audience was reachable
58% weren’t sure their solution could message the correct person across different devices and touchpoints
40% weren’t confident that their privacy opt-outs and controls were in place
While far too many brands weren’t able to leverage their identity program to innovate the customer experience, the research also showed they were overlooking a key opportunity to measure marketing and business performance.
The majority of brands used identity for customer preference management and profile development, but just over 40% used their identity program to measure marketing performance and optimize campaigns. “Measurement ultimately sits at the heart of efforts to choose the next best message in the customer buying journey,” said Stanhope.
The research also showed that many identity programs are too narrow in scope to be effective and as a result, brands miss out on the key benefits of identity resolution.
For example, most brands expected their identity program to help them achieve more complete customer profiles, deliver the right content to the right customer, and increase the efficiency of marketing spend, but only about 40% of respondents claimed these as benefits. In other words, the gains brands realized from their identity solution failed to align with their most significant challenges.
“Identity resolution has the potential to drive crucial understanding of marketing measurement and performance and sits at the heart of all one-to-one personalization efforts,” Stanhope said. But it has to go farther than its current state for marketers to be successful at innovating relevant, individualized and impactful customer experiences.
What makes “good” identity?
If many brands are faltering with just the basics of identity resolution, what does a “good” identity program actually look like?
In the second half of the webinar, Epsilon’s SVP of product management, Joel Pulliam, stepped in to offer advice on how to build a quality view of each customer. “All of our products have identity at their core, it’s the connective tissue—when we build a product, it’s the first thing we look at and the last thing we consider,” said Pulliam.
He shared that the best way to approach this is by looking at the five pillars from Forrester’s research: recognition, scale (or reach), accuracy, persistence and privacy.
Recognition
In terms of recognition, the best version of ID resolution uses implicit, explicit and deterministic purchase data and connects it to individual consumers at scale. These various methods often use email, IP address and device-based cookies to recognize people online, but they often fall short of transactional data, which is a much more consistent and accurate identifier.
Reach
Reach is more challenging in the era of intelligent tracking prevention. This technology prevents cross-site cookies and tracking, which effectively roadblocks advertising based on third-party cookies. Safari and now Google have followed suit (Google recently announced it will deprecate third-party cookies by 2022). This will create many challenges for adtech providers’ whose products rely on third-party cookies, and, based on our experience with the Safari update, many will not be able to solve it effectively. “Reach has actually plummeted over time,” Pulliam said, “because cookies are being deleted so quickly now.”
Accuracy
Accuracy is the ability to show the right message to the right person at the right time. Many solutions rely on probabilistic matching using device IDs and IP addresses, but if they aren’t connected to the right person, the message is wasted.
Persistence
Persistence, or reach over time, is the ability to have an ongoing conversation with a consumer. One impression rarely leads to a conversion, so it’s important to continue your conversation over a period of months or even years. “Most providers don’t really measure persistence, it’s the least talked about part of any ID resolution because it’s really difficult to identify over time,” Pulliam said. Even so, Epsilon's 12-month retention rate is 80%, while other solutions are estimated to be 35%.
Privacy
Privacy is an increasingly important topic in the digital space. When it comes to identity resolution, privacy isn’t necessarily an extra step in the process and more so a mindset that permeates how you think about and are a steward of consumer data. Brands can (and should) only work with partners that have a “privacy by design” mindset and offer transparency and choice for consumers. This includes:
Promoting and living by transparency and fairness with consumers and clients
Ensuring consumer privacy is considered at every step of the process when it comes to building and developing new products
Ensuring appropriate compliance across:
Are GDPR and now CCPA compliant
To ensure customers are having the best, most relevant online experiences, marketers need to take these five pillars of identity resolution into consideration, or they risk losing customers to competitors better suited to provide top-notch personalization.
Want to know more about the five pillars of identity and how your organization can leverage identity to drive critical understanding of marketing measurement and performance? Watch the full webinar with AdWeek and guest Forrester today.
---
## The connected, personalized retail experience: eTail West recap
Type: eps_post
URL: /personalized-retail-experience-etail-west-recap
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T22:17:52Z
# The connected, personalized retail experience: eTail West recap
Last week I had the opportunity to attend eTail West where over a thousand retail-focused marketers gathered to learn about what’s disrupting the industry and discuss a number of key topics, some of which include measurement, how to rebrand your loyalty program, marketing automation, the role of data, best practices for the design of retail, the importance of creating a personalized experience for each consumer and more.
One of the major takeaways discussed by multiple speakers was the fact that personalization is much more than just including the consumer’s name in an email. Brands are looking to promote and offer products and services specific to an individual’s interests and buying habits. And 80% of consumers are more likely to do business with a company who offers personalized experiences.
As marketers, we’re all striving to create personalized experiences to gain brand loyalty and encourage shoppers to buy from us, our brand, in this ever-so crowded market. And there is an increased reliance on digital to help provide these personalized experiences to consumers. But it’s important to understand that digital is just one of the channels that influences a consumer’s purchase decision. Marketers need to focus on all channels to achieve it, including in-store. As I shared in my previous blog post, the role of the retail store has changed but it’s very much an active channel. Marketers need to determine how to best leverage in-store within their overall omnichannel strategy.
Learn more: Retailers struggle with identity resolution: New Forrester research explains why
Major brands are focusing in-store
At the conference, I had the opportunity to hear from leading retail brands on how they’re working towards achieving the connected retail experience for their customers. In a panel discussion focused on the merging of online and offline to deliver the optimal customer experience, Thredup’s Head of Retail shared, “70% of women’s apparel is purchased in-store and we are using in-store as an opportunity for it to be a service center for the brand.”
Additionally, Fabletics discussed how 50% of their shoppers go in-store to interact with their brand. To stay relevant in a changing industry, Fabletics is finding new ways to integrate digital into their in-store customer experience. For example, each dressing room within the Fabletics’ retail stores is equipped with a tablet which enhances the personalized service. With the tablet, shoppers have the ability to request assistance from an attendant for a new size/style, and they’re even able to order online via the brand’s website. The Fabletics associates have can scan the clothes being tried on in the dressing rooms, which serves as a ‘testing mechanism’ to learn of the apparel items that are consistently tried on but not purchased. This provides guidance as to how certain clothing lines may need to be reworked.
Retailers like Thredup and Fabletics are incorporating new marketing strategies into their program and are working towards the common goal of being able to provide the best personalized experience for each and every customer.
The secret ingredient to a great customer experience
Oftentimes, we are asked ‘What’s the secret ingredient to creating this ultimate connected experience?’ Our answer is two words – Consistent Identity (ID). As Epsilon’s Lisa Henderson shared in the panel discussion at Leaders in Retail Tech and What’s Next, “Knowing the customer online and offline and integrating the solutions and data to create persistent and consistent ID to deliver the right message at the right time is crucial. Measuring just the last touch (or interaction with your brand) is worthless because everything is multi-touch. Retailers need to put their brand at the center of experience and know where the full journey is happening.” When retail brands are consistently able to identify their customers across channels and devices, they can use that rich information to curate the personalized experiences customers crave.
So, as you’re evaluating your marketing programs to determine how best you can create that desirable connected personalized experience for your customers, think consistent ID and how you’re able to support the ‘always on digital ID’. It truly is at the core of enabling a personalized retail experience.
Key takeaways from the event
I walked away with some great learnings retail marketers can start using right now to give them a leg up in a crowded marketplace:
Evolve your personalization strategy. Remember, personalization is more than just adding a customer’s name to an email promotion. Understand their browsing and purchasing behaviors to optimize your message to the individual shopper to include relevant items and promotions you know they’ll appreciate.
Focus on crafting a great in-store customer experience. While many people are engaging with retail brands online, the in-store visit is still extremely important to influencing the customer to buy—on the web or in-store.
Make sure to have consistent identity (ID) for each customer. It’s integral to learning who they are and what they like to buy. And, when you can reach them on any of their preferred devices and channels, your always on digital campaign will never lose touch.
Want to learn more about how data and identity can fuel your retail marketing strategy and provide top-notch customer experiences? Download our research to learn more.
---
## Power of identity—what restaurants can learn from Forrester research
Type: eps_post
URL: /the-power-of-identity-forrester-research
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T22:17:52Z
# Power of identity—what restaurants can learn from Forrester research
Identity resolution. It’s the foundation to executing—and measuring—effective, personalized restaurant marketing. You need it to go beyond one-size-fits-all offers to engaging diners in the highly relevant conversations and experiences they expect. In fact, identity resolution is one of the most critical parts of marketing—for restaurants and many other businesses.
But it’s also the most difficult to do correctly.
We recently commissioned Forrester Consulting to understand how marketers are currently using identity resolution and where they could stand to improve. Forrester surveyed more than 200 brand marketers on their ID strategies and how they apply to their marketing efforts.
It turns out, restaurant marketers could benefit from an identity resolution refresher.
Learn more: Get Forrester's full report on identity resolution
Personalization presents a significant opportunity
Only 39% of respondents in Forrester’s survey are using identity programs to personalize content and offers for their guests. That’s a significant missed opportunity, particularly in the restaurant industry.
Not everyone will be lured in for a visit by an endless pasta bowl. Lack of personalization assumes that everyone in your database wants or needs the same message to motivate them to dine with you. Generic messaging—like what’s commonly found in limited time offers (LTOs)—fails to consider the many different reasons guests may decide to choose your restaurant.
The alternative is to use what you know about your customers to tailor your conversations to them. For example, with strong identity resolution, you would be able to see Ben is tempted to visit your location for lunch based on proximity to his office. Sarah may be most likely to respond to information about your newest gluten-free offerings. And Mike might like to know that his kids will eat free on Tuesdays.
Each customer has unique motivations and decision-making processes when deciding to dine out, so each deserves their own relevant messaging strategy. But in order to achieve this level of personalization, identity resolution across channels and devices plus identity management is necessary—and many restaurant marketers just aren’t getting it right.
Use identity to accurately measure marketing performance
Generic campaigns like LTOs have become a crutch in the restaurant industry largely because they’re easy to both execute and measure—other types of campaigns can make it harder to prove a return on investment. Lots of brand marketers are falling into the same trap. Forrester found that only 43% of survey respondents use their identity program for measuring marketing performance—and 41% use identity for optimizing campaigns (see Figure 1 above). Decision makers told us they are more likely to use ID resolution for things like customer preference management and profile development than they are for driving measurement improvements or campaign optimization efforts.
Restaurant marketers most commonly associate strong identity resolution with enhanced personalization. While this is absolutely true, the value extends all the way to measurement and campaign optimization—an area of identity resolution underused by marketers. With more complete customer profiles comes more precise targeting, attribution and frequency management.
Brands can leverage their ID solution to not only personalize campaigns but also measure how their campaigns are performing and optimize mid-flight. A well-oiled identity program makes it possible to run all kinds of marketing campaigns and accurately measure your success.
Broaden the scope of your identifiers
Although brands that currently leverage an identity solution are off to a great start, there is potential to think bigger. Forrester’s research found that many programs are too narrow in scope and ignore important identifiers. The report notes:
“Most identity resolution programs rely on identifiers like email, IP addresses, or login data, while several valuable identifiers that contribute to a robust identity are being left out.”
In fact, over half of brands’ ID resolution programs ignore several important sources of valuable data and insights. Only 40% of the brands Forrester surveyed are using online transactional data, for example.
Ultimately the challenge is not access to customer information, but making it actionable. In research from Nation's Restaurant News, it’s clear that restaurants have access to first-party customer information (transactional, website app, or loyalty program data) and get transactional data from credit cards—82 percent of respondents said that less than half of their orders are paid with cash. Forrester’s research also found that only 31% of brands are incorporating offline transactional data into their identity programs, even though many restaurants do have this data from POS systems across their locations.
If restaurants have all this rich data, then what’s the problem? They have no way to tie disparate data from multiple sources back to an individual. Sure, having data from credit cards, online orders, apps and more is great, but it’s unusable if restaurant marketers can’t see that the same person is behind all those different transactions. Again—the issue is not the collection of data, but putting it to use. Restaurants have a solid mix of both online and offline insights, but are struggling to reconcile them into a single view of each customer.
This sparse data problem disappears with a robust identity program. Skilled identity partners can collate third-party transactional data—both online and offline—for nearly every individual in the United States and combine it with your first-party data. This allows you to truly know your guests: how often they dine with you, what they order, transaction totals and much more. Having top-notch identity immediately gives restaurant marketers leverageable insights to guide their marketing strategy at the individual level.
Jersey Mike’s sees a $35:1 return on ad spend with identity resolution
Jersey Mike’s provides the perfect of example of identity resolution in action. The sub and sandwich chain wanted to reconnect with their lapsed customers while also acquiring new ones. Their solution was to use identity to find the right people to engage, deliver relevant messaging to each group and accurately measure their return.
They partnered with Epsilon to better understand their customers through third-party transactional data from 1.5+ million merchants, spanning credit card types. They used this transactional data to identify both Jersey Mike’s and their competitors’ customers, create the ultimate view of each customer’s spending patterns and digital behavior and deliver highly relevant offers to each individual.
The results? Win-backs, competitive conquests and a strong return on ad spend with a digital media strategy boost:
72% of reactivated guests made at least two purchases
78% of new guests made at least two purchases
$35:1 ROAS (vs goal of $10:1)
Time to reassess your identity program?
Consumers expect marketers to personalize their experiences—it’s table stakes today. With a strong ID resolution program in place, these personalized experiences are as easy to deliver—and measure—as your more traditional, one-size-fits-all campaigns.
Download the full Forrester report to learn more about the identity challenges facing marketers across industries—and how to overcome them so that your brand can offer the personalized experiences guests expect.
---
## Customer loyalty as an outcome, not just a program
Type: eps_post
URL: /aspire-to-loyalty-as-an-outcome-not-just-a-program
Last Modified: 2025-05-14T19:59:04Z
# Customer loyalty as an outcome, not just a program
Truly progressive brands have evolved to look at ALL of their existing customers and new customers through a loyalty lens; not only those who are enrolled in their customer loyalty program. These innovators practice Big "L” loyalty, using their loyalty strategies and tactics to create exceptional customer experiences, inspire passion and trust and engender long-term relationships to keep repeat customers. These emotional connections then serve as the steppingstone to matriculate customers into a permission-based customer loyalty program. From there the brand can glean the data and insights to deepen the relationship and deliver more personalized experiences. And the customer can feel confident that their privacy and preferences are being respected.
In The Forrester Wave™: Loyalty Service Providers, Q3 2019, Forrester found that “…the best loyalty service providers help clients set an enterprise strategy that reimagines loyalty as the outcome of all the experiences a customer has with a brand and reframes programs as the source of customer insight needed to fuel those experiences.” This finding reinforces my philosophy that customer loyalty should be cultivated holistically, over time and brands must adapt, or risk failure.
Examples of two brands who are setting the gold standard for reimagining loyalty as the outcome of all customer experiences. Two brands delivering different products and services, both keeping loyal customers coming back every time: Amazon and Delta.
Amazon: Primed for long-term engagement
The world’s largest online retailer took its core value propositions for all consumers—wide selection, competitive pricing and convenient shopping—and spun them into a customer loyalty program for which a large subset of customers is willing to pay more than $150 per year. (And let’s face it—do their customers even know it’s a customer loyalty program? There are no points, rewards, redemptions, dashboards or tier structures. Yet they continue to build a strong connection with their customers and increase customer retention.)
Launched in 2005, Amazon Prime was founded on the customers’ simple desire for fast, free shipping. Since then, subscriptions have expanded to include: streaming of movies, TV shows and music, exclusive shopping deals and selection, unlimited reading and even discounts at Whole Foods stores. According to Statista, the loyalty program now has 103 million members, approximately 62% of all Amazon customers–more loyalty members than not. Amazon Prime members spend 2x+ more than non-members and 85% visit at least once a week, and the company continually scores high in retail customer experience rankings.
Delta SkyMiles®: Raising the stakes
Recently I blogged about the future of travel loyalty and the importance of experiential rewards. We all know airline travel can be a highly emotional experience—particularly when something goes wrong. When it’s good (on-time flight, no lost luggage, empty middle seat), it’s table stakes. No big pats on the back. When it’s bad (unforeseen weather, mechanical delays, schedule changes), it’s awful. Cue the irate customers, social media rants and viral videos. Delta Airlines has reset the bar on the emotional side of flying, winning several awards and accolades for their customer experience. And its SkyMiles program is making the good even better for its best customers and continues to keep their repeat customers coming back.
Like many airline loyalty programs, members earn miles for flying and everyday activities then use them toward travel on any Delta Air Lines flight or toward a Delta Vacations® package. Members can also redeem for rewards like upgrades, premium drinks at Delta Sky Club® and once in a lifetime experiences. Along with the benefit of no black-out dates, Delta has upped the ante with their technology.
Delta’s customer-friendly app is a must for frequent travelers to find, compare and book flights, manage your trips, profile and customize your travel preferences, check in, view your boarding pass and add it to Apple Wallet. The “Today” feature gathers everything you need for your day of travel into one convenient place, while “Feed” ensures you always have the latest flight updates, gate changes and more. You can even save a photo to remember your parking spot. This product delivers new and existing customers the opportunity to seamlessly manage their next trip. The app provides amazing customer service that keeps customers coming back to the app.
Meeting the needs of modern customer loyalty
Aligning your strategy, technology and people with your product or services to create differentiated, 1:You customer experiences like Amazon and Delta can be challenging. Especially, if like most brands, you’re focused on your core line of business. That’s why it’s important to partner with a customer loyalty provider who has:
A robust technology platform. Find a provider with technology that allows you to personalize at scale, connect with loyal customers in real-time and support your programs with no downtime. Your customer loyalty program is a solution you use to curate the relationship with your loyal customers—technical failure is not an option.
A seasoned team of experts. Seek a partner with a deep bench of loyalty strategy experience; one who has worked with multiple clients and can bring you trends, best practices, strategy, analytics and creative.
A proven track record. While many customer loyalty providers may be well-versed in the latest trends and consumer expectations, the trick is to be able to execute on them. You don’t want to put your loyal customers at risk.
Focusing on all customers through a loyalty lens is a smart way to increase engagement and customer acquisition, drive brand preference and ultimately higher business performance. When done well, the resulting brand loyalty will deliver results far beyond just a points-based loyalty program and keep customers coming back every time, increase customers spend, and make happy customers willing to share their great customer experience.
**This post first appeared on L360.
---
## Importance of BIMI emails for marketers
Type: eps_post
URL: /exciting-year-for-email-logos-in-the-inbox
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Importance of BIMI emails for marketers
There’s a newish industry protocol that’s going to be receiving a lot of attention this year. Whether you send mail, read mail or manage inboxes for others, the Brand Indicators for Message Identification (BIMI) protocol is something that should appeal to you.
Benefits for bulk email senders
When talking to many large brands who send bulk email, we continued to hear frustration and confusion about how to reliably influence which logo should accompany their email sends. This has been a pain point for many brands and marketers who have been unclear about how to get their logo to be displayed in various mailbox providers, or how to change out a retired logo after a merger, acquisition, or rebranding (you know, the details that keep marketers up at night).Brand Indicators for Message Identification hopes to be the standard across various mailbox providers.
Currently, Verizon Media (Yahoo! and AOL) is leveraging Brand Indicators for Message Identification (BIMI). Senders currently using the protocol will see their logos in Yahoo’s Mobile Mail app. Google has also publicly announced plans to roll forward with BIMI at some point this year.
Note: Both Verizon Media and Google have legacy systems, which will still display logos for senders who adhere to those rules, but just because you see your logo in these respective mail apps, does NOT mean that you are BIMI compliant. If and when the legacy programs are sunsetted, that logo will be a no go!
Previously, each email provider established their own methodology for identifying brand logos to display within email, but BIMI creates consistency and an industry standard. Most notably, Gmail was leveraging Google Plus Business profiles to associate a logo with a sender’s domain. With Google’s announcement to trial Brand Indicators for Message Identification in 2020, the assumption is that it will become their new BIMI standard.
Empowering a brand owner to have full control of their logo helps provide a more immersive and consistent brand experience. Many email recipients tend to scan their inboxes quickly for their favorite brands, but because of the uniformity of text size and color in the inbox, nothing stands out. The stopping power of a recognizable logo makes finding their favorite brand easy. This beacon triggers user recognition and offers a significant advantage, particularly for companies with high brand affinity.
Benefits for mailbox providers
This breakthrough is also very exciting news for mailbox providers, who see amazing potential and are motivated to promote this functionality. For this group, the immediate benefits are two-fold:
To provide an improved, intuitive visual experience for their user base
To encourage broad adoption of the anti-spoofing protocol, DMARC
That last bullet point is going to be a big one for all large volume senders who are not currently using DMARC.
Domain-based Message Authentication, Reporting and Conformance implementation is not a simple thing, and it’s even more complex for larger companies. When it is used for BIMI, it requires the brand to set a mail policy, which tells mailbox providers to either block or quarantine emails from their domain, and all sub domains, when the email does not pass SPF or DKIM authentication checks. So, for a global company sending from @example.com, they may have mail servers around the world, and possibly even third parties which have been authorized to send from their corporate domain (or a subdomain). To enable BIMI, they need to make sure that each of those mail streams pass email authentication or those messages will not be seen. The DMARC protocol does feedback reporting on the sending email server and whether mail is passing or failing email authentication, but this data is delivered from each participating email service.
Making sense of all these reports can be a major headache. So much so, that most major brands will use a DMARC provider to manage this reporting. To enable DMARC, you will likely need to coordinate with your corporation’s Security Team. Again, this is an anti-spoofing protocol and it must be enforced at the organizational domain.
Why this is big and where it could lead
For most US-based B2C senders, Gmail, Yahoo and AOL email addresses will usually account for more than 50% of their recipients. That definitely qualifies as a critical mass, which will continue to push other mailbox providers, and most major email senders, into participation. As we continue to see wider adoption, those who are not using BIMI may find themselves in a diminishing percentage of bulk mail.
I would speculate that once there is wide enough adoption, mailbox providers like Google or Verizon Media (after finding that the ‘carrot’ approach works for the majority of bulk senders) may consider using the ‘stick’ to capture the remainder who have not adopted. The stick may be a shameful ‘?’ that displays instead of a brand’s logo, or the ‘!’, which can be found in the Gmail Spam folder. These indicate that, “We aren’t really sure who sent this because they have not secured mail from their domain.”
The work of separating good mail from bad mail is an increasingly complex challenge that is shared among mailbox providers. Other than major financial mailers and a few other key brands, many have been quite vocal about the adoption of DMARC not meeting their expectations. It was designed to help the mail sender have a voice about how their mail should be treated in the event of a potential spoof. This benefits mailbox providers by taking the guesswork out of trying to distinguish between a spoof and a legitimate message that may have experienced a technical error.
BIMI logos in Yahoo app
‘!’ logo in Gmail app
What’s a sender to do?
If you want to see your beautiful BIMI logo in Verizon Media’s app (and coming soon, Google’s app) some best practices to follow include:
Talk with your ESP about DMARC and BIMI. While your ESP won’t be in a position to implement the vast majority of required steps for you, they can confirm if you have all the appropriate pre-requisites in place for your bulk mail and they should be able to help provide additional context around the pros and cons specific to your business and your bulk program.
Talk with key stakeholders within your company. Security and your IT group would need to be involved if you intend to roll out DMARC and BIMI. Depending upon scale and complexity, it can take several months to roll out, so these conversations should be taking place ASAP if you would like to have BIMI in place before Google starts to roll this out.
Talk with vendors. For it to work as intended, you will want to have a system in place where reporting is being organized and monitored on a continuous basis. This is almost always fulfilled through a third party vendor.
---
## See that ad following you around the internet? Don’t be that brand.
Type: eps_post
URL: /ad-following-dont-be-that-brand
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T22:17:52Z
# See that ad following you around the internet? Don’t be that brand.
You mention to your spouse that you need to pick up a new dog bed, and suddenly you start seeing ads for dog beds in your social feeds. Is your phone or smart home assistant listening? Maybe.
Or it could just be that the marketers for that dog bed know you really, really well.
Regardless of how those ads ended up in front of your eyes, it can be a bit disconcerting. According to Forbes, 75% of consumers find marketing personalization to be a bit creepy. And yet Gartner research shows that brands that don’t personalize (or personalize poorly) risk losing about 38% of their business.
What’s more, Harvard Business Review had this to say in an article titled, “Ads That Don’t Overstep”:
“Research has shown that digital targeting meaningfully improves the response to advertisements and that ad performance declines when marketers’ access to consumer data is reduced. But there is also evidence that using online ‘surveillance’ to sell products can lead to a consumer backlash.”
That’s quite the conundrum. How’s a brand to find the right balance?
Direct-to-consumer (DTC) brands are prioritizing performance marketing over heavy, traditional branding pushes. They’ve excelled with this tactic on digital channels, primarily because they can hone in on personalizing the full experience for the consumer.
To that end, we recently worked with the CMO Club to interview marketing leaders at 14 successful DTC brands on their efforts, and there are a few lessons that any brand can take away from DTCs’ approach. Take a look at how they’re working to personalize their marketing—in ways that don’t creep out their customers and actually add value to the overall experience.
Personalizing product recommendations
Understanding and segmenting customers based on factors like age, gender, location, interests, browsing behaviors, online and offline buying behaviors, email engagement, employment industry, etc. allows brands to make highly personalized product recommendations. For example, at Proper Cloth, a DTC brand specializing in custom dress shirts and clothing for men, focuses on creating an optimal customer experience as part of their personalization journey.
“To be a successful DTC brand, you must build that relationship with the customer,” says Daniel Zisman, public relations manager at Proper Cloth. “You don’t only want to offer a product but offer an experience. Experience will keep a customer loyal and coming back.”
With this in mind, that personalization experience is both about the product and how the customer experiences the brand. DTC brands do this well by having the right product, often targeted to a niche audience, and then they build an experience that appeals directly to those people.
Get the full report: Direct to growth: What all brands can gain from the new DTC world
Kyle Jacobson, CMO at Gobi Heat, explains that his brand focuses on being able to deliver the most relevant product to each individual—at scale—which isn’t an easy task:
"The biggest focus has been finding out where the most profitable segments are, and then really diving into those and breaking them out into sub-segments as much as possible. For example, finding the outdoor enthusiasts, breaking those down into very specific segments of location, age, affluency—and building ad sets that target those individual people as granularly as we possibly can. That’s been able to give us that profitability and that efficiency to be able to grow so rapidly.”
Using data to personalize product recommendations—and even tailor your products themselves—is generally considered helpful rather than harmful as long as the data has been acquired appropriately, with the consent of the consumer and appropriate opt-outs in place.
Personalizing the creative
Another way to personalize your marketing to show how much you understand the person is through tailoring the creative. For example, a sporting goods brand may show winter scenery to users in cold locations and warmer outdoor scenes to those in warmer locales. A shave club may show different imagery to men versus women, or older men versus younger men.
As Greg Shugar, CEO and creative director at DTC brand Beau Ties of Vermont, explains that he likes seeing diverse people and ages in marketing from Bonobos:
“There are guys who still really want to dress well, and they don't feel so comfortable when they see a 25-year-old wearing the clothes that they want to buy. So, I think [Bonobos has] done a great job in reaching out to different age groups. And for a guy like me who's not as skinny as a model, it helps to see a guy with a 35-inch-waist wearing their pants.”
Personalizing your creative based on what you know about you customer helps to make your marketing more relevant.
Creating consistent experiences
Not all personalization has to be done online. According to research from Epsilon, 80% of consumers have recently shopped in-store, and half consider it their preferred channel. As a result, more and more DTC brands are creating their own brick-and-mortar presence.
“For some products, there’s an incremental value to a customer seeing it live and for non-commodity products or something where taste or fit plays a role,” says Nate Phillips, CEO and cofounder of NomNom, a high-quality pet food brand that has found success in setting up in-person events for customers to see the quality of their product.
Don’t be that brand
The key to personalization without the “following” factor is using what you know about your customers to add actual value to your interactions with them. You can start by showing them you know which of your products they’re likely to enjoy. Help them to see themselves in your marketing with personalized creative. And create frictionless experiences across devices and channels (no one likes when items disappear from their cart as they move from mobile to desktop shopping).
Check out the full DTC report for more insights from these DTC marketers: Direct to growth: What all brands can gain from the new DTC world.
---
## 5 key movie marketing takeaways from our keynote at Variety Innovate
Type: eps_post
URL: /variety-innovate-movie-marketing-keynote
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# 5 key movie marketing takeaways from our keynote at Variety Innovate
Successfully executing movie marketing campaigns and driving ticket sales is harder than ever before thanks to the rise of alternative viewing platforms. With so many options at their fingertips, moviegoers have become much more selective when deciding to purchase tickets.
This has put pressure on movie marketers to gain a deeper understanding of who, based on past online and offline behavior, is most likely to go see their titles. At the same time, you need to understand exactly how to message them to maximize exposure and consideration for your movie into who is mostly likely to see your movie and howto get them there.
Watch now: Finding moviegoers: How to leverage innovation to drive box office (A keynote from Variety Innovate)
5 keys to identity-based movie marketing
Leveraging customer data isn’t a new concept in movie marketing. Studios have been doing this for years in an effort to identify moviegoers and target them effectively.
However, the way the industry has approached identity is often flawed. In many cases, studios rely heavily on transactional data from online ticket sales because it’s easy to obtain. A report by Webidia found that online ticket sales account for just 25% to 30% of overall revenue. Leveraging the other 70% of transactional data is critical to identity-based movie marketing.
The problem is that identity is highly complex. Many individual moviegoers buy from multiple exhibiters, online or offline, and uses a variety of devices to make decisions. Even after you gain access to individual-level purchase data, it can be difficult to determine a path forward.
Our keynote at Variety Innovate offered the following 5 key takeaways to get the most out of your movie marketing campaigns.
Find Frequent Moviegoers
About 50% of moviegoers only visit a theater once per year. And while these infrequent moviegoers are valuable customers, they aren’t the only ones to focus on when building out a movie marketing campaign. Because these customers only see one movie per year, they’re most likely to go see one of the big blockbusters. The people who go to the movies most often will be more likely to give your movie a chance.
Among our millions of verified movie ticket buyers, about 10% of moviegoers have seen 6 or more movies in the last 12 months. While the average order value is lower for this segment of customers, targeting your movie marketing campaigns to these frequent moviegoers can lead to greater ROAS.
Know ticket buyer behavior across non-entertainment sites
Understanding moviegoer behavior outside of the entertainment industry can bring valuable insights to your marketing efforts. For example, timing is everything in a digital marketing campaign. Do you know when your target customers are most likely to open your emails?
Beyond timing, it can help to know what kinds of marketing campaigns have captured your target customer’s attention in the past. Do you know if they’ve participated in any kind of sweepstakes before? Having these kinds of behavioral insights about moviegoers outside of entertainment sites helps you craft campaigns that are more likely to cut through clutter and maximize engagement.
Remember that context matters
Context within the entertainment industry is also critical to your marketing campaigns. Your ability to understand the preferences and buying behavior of moviegoers can significantly impact campaign performance. So many studios focus their market budgets on weekend transactions. And while Friday, Saturday and Sunday make up 62% of transactions, there’s plenty of value to gain from the 38% of ticket purchases that occur on weekdays. However, there’s a significant dip in average order value on Tuesdays because of somewhat standard discounts.
Understanding the ebbs and flows of transactions throughout the year will make it easier to set expectations for your movie marketing campaigns. While the summer is understandably busy, September is a noticeable lull in ticket sales before activity picks back up in the fall.
Calibrate your messaging at the title level
Every ad you create should reflect the movie you’re marketing. While video has become the de facto format for movie marketing ads, it’s important not to overlook where display ads can work.
In most cases, you’re best off starting with a balanced mix of display ads and video ads and then optimizing based on performance. But generally speaking, high-awareness blockbusters can benefit most from display ads. Because so many moviegoers know about, for example, the Mission Impossible franchise, you can maximize ROAS by focusing on display. Because the Mission Impossible franchise is so well known, many have most likely seen the trailer multiple times across social, TV and YouTube. They need a gentle nudge, i.e. a display ad, rather than a full blown trailer ad. But for something like Mortal Engines, a movie with limited awareness, video-based mass media promotion can increase your impact and help people understand what the movie is about.
Don’t underestimate message frequency
The number of times you message people matters to the performance of your movie marketing campaigns. Digital marketing isn’t a volume game. Overwhelming your target moviegoers with messages will only frustrate them. And sending too few messages will prevent your movie from standing out at the box office.
There’s a sweet spot for movie marketing messaging. We’ve found that anywhere between 3.5 and 4.5 messages per person is most efficient for increasing conversions.
Know Your Customer for Better Movie Marketing
Identity data isn’t going to turn a bad movie into a good one. What it can do is uncover the people who are most likely to have a positive experience with your movie. The more effectively and efficiently you can target ideal moviegoers, the more likely you’ll be to see strong box office numbers.
This all starts with having a deep database of transactional insights and consumer IDs that gives you the ability to creatively target moviegoers.
If you want to learn more about movie marketing in the digital age, check out this e-book about how Epsilon data services can help.
---
## Uniting spend and donating behavior to understand customers
Type: eps_post
URL: /uniting-spend-and-donating-behavior
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T22:17:52Z
# Uniting spend and donating behavior to understand customers
Several marketers are still operating under data silos. While data sets are being compiled to enhance the transactional power with the goal of wanting to achieve a 360-degree consumer view, they often don’t offer the full 'data picture' to understand the whole consumer.
Gartner noted the reason as to why the majority of marketers operate in data silos is because 87% of companies are classified as having low business intelligence and analytics. This creates a big obstacle for companies wanting to increase the value of their data assets and integration goals.
Let’s face it. Compiling all of your organization’s data into one database/infrastructure is not a reality for most marketers given the ‘Frankentech’ technology environment most operate in. Frankentech is a compilation of miscellaneous (or ad-hoc) technology products and applications that are integrated together, intended to provide an overall solution. Frankentech creates an operating environment of multiple technologies with lots of available locations to store and process data. So what can you do as a marketer to ensure you have the best data to meet your organization’s needs and really get to know your customers? Think beyond transactional data and focus on the consumer’s full spending behaviors. That is the spend patterns that leverage purchase and donation patterns to showcase consumer intent. It’s a blend of both the consumption of goods and donating.
For example, at Epsilon we create audience segments driven by robust transactional and donation behavior, or what we refer to as spending behavior – the insights that enable marketers to get to know the whole consumer and understand what drives them emotionally. Some of the segments include Perfect Gifters, the Humanitarian Donors, Mobility is Essential and Trendsetters. Perfect Gifters are defined as the shoppers who seek out the perfect, unique gifts for their loved ones; Humanitarian Donors are those who donate to national and local humanitarian causes within the United States; Mobility is Essential are older adults who want to optimize their living spaces and surroundings. They make purchases to sleep more comfortably, move around more easily and improve their health, and Trendsetters are the younger, active adults who enjoy the outdoors. They decorate their homes and wardrobes with the latest trends in home décor and fashion. They shop online for convenience, but also window shop and will use the call center when they have questions about a product.
Read more: A guide to cross-generation marketing
Oftentimes when we work with brands, they ask us why we decided to create these particular segments along with the benefits of segmentation. As for the why, we have over 150 billion dollars in transactional spend and donation history in which we’re able to leverage and offer these affinities so marketers can better understand the consumers who are more connected to their products and services. It’s essentially creating marketing personas. In regards to the benefits of segmentation, let’s further explore.
3 benefits of data segmentation
Creates customized and personalized communications: Think about a targeted group of consumers who all share similar wants, needs and interests. Having the ability to communicate with these consumers, on a personal level and share the benefits of your product or services enables marketers to connect emotionally with their customers. 80% of consumers are more likely to do business with a company that offers personalized experiences.
Reduces costs and eliminates waste: Sending targeted communications to segments of consumers who share an interest in your products/services reduces marketing costs. Marketers waste over 26% of their budget on the wrong strategies and channels.
Helps in identifying (and creating) brand advocates: When your customer segments continue to see the value of your brand first-hand and experience positive results, they become brand advocates – a spokesperson for your brand. And, brand advocates are 3X more likely to share positive feedback about your company. Essentially, the advocate is an extension of your brand and their passion for your products and services helps to mitigate customer service complaints and promotes a positive experience for consumers interacting with your brand.
So as you continue to evaluate your data strategy, make sure you have the intel to know ‘the whole consumer.’
---
## A privacy partner you can trust: CCPA and beyond
Type: eps_post
URL: /a-privacy-partner-you-can-trust-ccpa-and-beyond
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T22:16:49Z
# A privacy partner you can trust: CCPA and beyond
The California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA) went into effect on January 1, 2020, giving California residents additional rights with respect to their personal information. The privacy law is the first of its kind in the United States and is often compared to the European Union’s General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR).
While the industry has been buzzing about the CCPA for months, there are still questions around how the law will be interpreted. In fact, the California Attorney General continues to make changes to the regulations. As brand marketers grapple to understand the CCPA, its requirements, and other impending changes to the privacy landscape, knowledgeable partners become essential to the mix.
Read more: How restaurants can adjust operations and marketing amidst market uncertainty
What does it cover?
Under the CCPA, California residents have the right to:
Be informed of the types of personal information collected and the purposes of its use.
Access the personal information collected about them.
Request a business to delete the personal information they hold relating to them.
Opt-out of a business’ sale of personal information.
The CCPA defines personal information as information that “identifies, relates to, describes, is capable of being associated with, or could reasonably be linked, directly or indirectly, with a particular consumer or household.” This can include contact information like name, username, phone number and physical address and online behavioral data like browsing history and geolocation data.
According to the CCPA, selling is: “selling, renting, releasing, disclosing, disseminating, making available, transferring, or otherwise communicating orally, in writing, or by electronic or other means, a consumer’s personal information by the business to another business or a third party for monetary or other valuable consideration.”
It’s important to note that while the CCPA defines these and other terms, many entities consider the law’s definitions too broad and ambiguous, leaving room for interpretation.
Whom does it affect?
The CCPA applies to any for-profit entity doing business in California that collects California residents’ personal information and that satisfies any one of the below requirements:
With annual gross revenue in excess of $25MM+.
That derives 50% or more of its annual revenue from selling consumers' personal information.
That annually buys, receives, sells, or shares the data of 50,000 or more consumers, households or devices.
How is it manifesting in the marketplace?
The first action for major brands across industries has been to update their privacy policies. Next, many brands who are not in the business of selling data in the traditional sense are adding opt-out/do-not-sell my personal information (DNS) links to their websites in response to the CCPA’s broad definitions of sale and personal information. While the law only covers California residents, some brands like The Home Depot are enabling any U.S. residents to opt out of the sale of their personal information. Others like Walmart, however, are providing the DNS links on their sites for California residents only.
The CCPA’s broad definition of what constitutes a “sale” has led brands to different interpretations. According to Reuters, a spokeswoman from Amazon has stated, “we do not plan to put a ‘Do not sell’ button on our website because Amazon is not in the business of selling customers’ personal information and it never has been.” The Wall Street Journal reported that Facebook is telling advertisers that it does not need to make changes to its web-tracking services, a key component of Facebook's ad targeting capabilities, stating that these activities do not constitute a “sale” of consumer personal information under CCPA.
The importance of working with a trusted privacy partner
Epsilon is a trusted marketing partner and here to support our clients. How do we do it? With four key pillars:
Privacy by design
Epsilon practices the principle of Privacy by Design. This means that Epsilon proactively builds privacy protections into our products and services, and our business model, right from the start. The effect is to minimize the unnecessary collection and use of personal information by our systems and to give consumers power to exercise greater control over their personal information.
Providing transparency & choice
Epsilon strives to deliver transparency by providing consumers with notice about how their personal information is used. In addition, we maintain tools to allow consumers to request access to or deletion of their personal information and to opt out of a sale under CCPA.
Privacy industry participation
We actively participate in industry initiatives that help shape the privacy landscape. Our partnerships include:
Board of Directors at the NAI
Board of Not For Profit Alliance
Advisory Council at the DAA
Advisory Committee and Privacy Committee at the IAB
Steering Group and Privacy Task Force at the IAB EU
Respecting choice over time
Our identity is people-based, not cookie-based, which allows us to persist and respect a consumer's opt-outs over time, versus just over the short-lived life of a cookie.
Epsilon understands and respects consumers’ rights to their personal information, and is here to be a trusted privacy partner in this time of regulation change.
---
## Digital messaging strategies for restaurants in uncertain times
Type: eps_post
URL: /effective-digital-messaging-strategies-during-uncertain-times
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Digital messaging strategies for restaurants in uncertain times
In order to flatten the curve of COVID-19, restaurants have been ordered to close their doors to customers. While we hope businesses will reopen safely in due time, we’re left to navigate these unchartered waters.
Yes, some guests are choosing to staying home completely, but many can still order delivery and takeout: according to National Restaurant News, quick and limited-service restaurants are capturing more than two-thirds of all restaurant traffic. This is a great opportunity for restaurants to provide comfort to their customers and continue generating business—even if guests can’t dine-in.
During these times, restaurants need to make sure they clearly and effectively communicate to their guests. Of course, this is easier said than done. But the key is not to doubt or underestimate the importance of a strong digital messaging strategy. As consumers spend more and more time on digital right now, restaurant marketers can leverage these channels to connect with guests and guide them to dine-out, all while strengthening relationships and trust.
And while it might not feel like it, there are steps restaurants can take immediately to take back some control.
Learn more: Recovery mindset: A phased digital media approach for restaurants
Adjust your messaging
Messages should be informative and relevant
If your restaurant is new to the delivery/takeout game—as even many established restaurant brands are first-timers or underprepared for this to be the bulk of their business—brands need to adjust in-market promotions to consider the new context of their offerings.
Brands need to adapt creative quickly to use photos of menu items that travel well, remove photos from the rotation of dishes that you don’t offer for delivery and takeout, replace in-room dining creative with that of the takeout or delivery experience, etc. Additionally, use your limited messaging space to deliver the most pertinent information:
Inform customers that you are open right now for delivery and takeout options, and direct people to where they can order online or by phone. Major brands are making sure customers are aware of their new dine-out options; take Chipotle: the fast-casual giant has launched a campaign titled “Straight to Your Door” to inform guests of their new operations focus and options.
Highlight your food safety protocols as it continues to be top of mind for consumers across industries. (Notice how Chipotle was sure to feature their employees preparing food with gloves!)
Although it may seem fairly straightforward, include your hours of operation at each location. People may be less familiar with your typical hours, and we’ve seen some restaurants extend their hours as well to accommodate more mealtimes than they normally would or reduce their late-night hours.
Reflect the tone of the times
This is clearly not business as usual, so how you communicate with customers should reflect that. While restaurants need to be informative and promotional of their brands to drive revenue, it’s also important to remain empathetic with your customers.
Take Guinness’s St. Patrick’s Day ad, for example. While it’s a big-budget commercial many restaurants brands may not be able to support right now, their sentiment and tone is something all brands can emulate when they speak to customers. Right now, focus on being authentic in the moment in your creative messaging; we don’t know what is to come, but we can provide real connections to customers right now.
Prioritize flexibility in your messaging
We have all seen how quickly this situation can change—news from even a week ago is seemingly out of date. One third of advertisers have canceled at least one campaign before it started since the start of the pandemic.
During this time, work with a partner that prioritizes flexibility of marketing messages. Brands need to be able to easily swap out messaging and creative to reflect the new normal and be in market with that new message as quickly as possible.
This also means having flexibility in where messages are being placed. For some, advertising next to or around coronavirus news might be fine, but for restaurants, it may be more sensitive. Consumers report that food and travel are categories they feel most resistance towards seeing next to COVID-19 imagery.
Think through your channel strategy
Email continues to be a key channel
During this unprecedented time, email has emerged as one of the most trusted channels for communicating with consumers. But it’s also highlighting 1) just how many emails people get and 2) how outdated many brands’ email lists are.
It’s likely you’ve already sent a few emails around your business updates, but make sure you look at how you’re speaking to customers across your database moving forward. You shouldn’t send the same message to a loyal, high-value customer as you do to someone you want to re-engage. The former likely wants all of the information on how you’re adapting right now, while the latter likely just needs a friendly “hello” message and a reminder that you’re open. Consider the level of engagement of each contact and the above recommendations for creative.
Extend your message across channels
Email is still an important channel, but people’s inboxes are getting flooded (and rightly so). You need to consider how to extend the same email messaging strategy across channels.
People have more free time than normal; in a March survey from Integral Ad Science (IAS), 88% of consumers surveyed said the COVID-19 situation is changing the types of content they typically consume, and 59% said they are actively consuming more news.
In addition to emails, extend the conversation to digital media on publisher sites and leverage SMS and push notifications to reach consumers. By diversifying the channels for your conversations, you’ll gain more traction.
Consider display to reach your best customers
To bypass crowded inboxes, digital display ads are a great option to ensure you are actually getting in front of your guests. For one thing, with people staying put in their homes, online traffic has surged—in the US, traffic is up 18 percent since January.
Customers are online, but restaurant marketers need to be smart in order to reach them. Right now, every single ad dollar counts as many restaurants don’t have the short-term revenue projection needed to go all-in on massive media budgets. Make sure you message only those who are most likely to dine with you and show that you can prove performance on the backend.
Location-based advertising is critical right now, and it could be beneficial for restaurants to expand their typical geotargeting range (as long as it doesn’t impact other locations) as people may be more inclined to travel a bit farther for takeout during this time.
Be smart about your TV advertising
Always a mainstay channel, TV is becoming even more important as people increase TV consumption while home during the quarantine period. That being said, brands need to leverage their TV spots differently; a spray-and-pray approach is not the prudent choice right now. Instead, restaurant brands need to focus on connected TV and streaming advertising opportunities that allow them to know the individuals they’re reaching and tie that ad view back to an actual transaction at the restaurant.
Focus on channels and tactics that drive real results
Restaurant brands need to prioritize marketing channels that focus on results right now. Restaurant brands don’t have the luxury of big budget buys that are great for awareness but lack tangible traction. It is noted that during times of hardship or recession, companies are pressured to justify their ad spend to executives. Now is the time to use lower-funnel tactics that are guaranteed to drive results.
True understanding is needed
Keep in mind that your customers are dealing with their own concerns right now. This is the time to reach them with content that makes them feel connected and understood during a crisis. The real challenge comes in how brands can share their most important messages—at scale—to consumers.
Of course, expanding your messaging strategy will not completely solve for the current business downturn. But it will help restaurant marketers forge better, longer lasting relationships with their customers while keeping them informed of new promotions or programs.
It’s not a quick fix, but rather an overall strengthening of communication when customers need it most.
Want to learn more about how restaurants can adjust their operations to handle challenging times for their business? Check out our whitepaper with FastCasual to learn more.
Looking for an interactive and interesting way to learn how your restaurant brand can boost revenue post-coronavirus, read our new guide here.
---
## Using email to connect with moms, dads and grads during COVID-19
Type: eps_post
URL: /email-marketing-moms-dads-grads-covid-19
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Using email to connect with moms, dads and grads during COVID-19
COVID-19 has turned our lives upside down and impacted the way we do almost everything—from working, caring for our families and schooling, to shopping and entertainment. Business as usual has become business as unusual, requiring us to think differently about what customers care about and how to reach them. While many restaurants have closed their dining rooms and are only offering takeout or delivery, and many retailers are surviving by selling only online, many others have been forced to shut down completely.
One constant, however, is that email continues to be a powerful connector between brands and their customers. In fact, Epsilon’s PeopleCloud Messaging stats as of April 1 show increased email engagement during this crisis. Retail is seeing an 8% increase in unique open rates month over month, increasing 50% from the beginning to the end of March, while unique click through rates have increased 350%.
Another constant is the importance of celebrating special moments with the people we love—even if we have to do it virtually. This year’s Moms, Dads and Grads season will be marked by change and uncertainty. We don’t know if we’ll be able to celebrate these occasions in person, so it’s important to plan ahead and be flexible. Fortunately, there are still ways restaurants and retailers can employ email campaigns to strengthen relationships with customers, and as a result, boost sales.
Read more: How restaurants can adjust operations and marketing amidst uncertainty
Before creating your emails, here are 6 tips you should consider:
Put your customers first
Social distancing and quarantining at home have taken a toll on your customers. They’re concerned about the health and safety of their families, and are battling fear of the unknown, loneliness and boredom. Be authentic and show empathy, care and concern. What your customers need now is genuine comfort and support. Act selflessly and your customers will not only appreciate it, they will remember it.
Add value
Make sure your emails add value. Keep in mind that many of your customers have lost their jobs or are on much tighter budgets. Now more than ever, they’re looking for savings. So, offer them deals and free shipping. Deliver substance in your emails and solve your customers’ problems. Offer how-tos and educational content for beating boredom, tips for working from home while juggling kids, or deliver a hot, delicious meal to those who are tired of cooking or unable to cook for themselves. Be sensitive to the fact that many moms or dads might be in isolation, lonely, miles away or in a nursing home. Help your customers celebrate these loved ones in creative and appropriate ways.
Make it personal
Personalize your emails to make them more relevant and engaging to your customers. This shows them that you understand their needs and concerns and offers a higher level of service. Data-driven emails featuring personalized product recommendations, discounts and newsletter content can go a long way. Consider sending your customers emails based on their website activity. Have they browsed graduation gifts? Send them unique gift ideas based on price. Are you running low on an item they browsed? Let them know how many are left using live inventory. Out-of-stock of a high-demand product they wanted? Send an email alert when it’s back in stock. Have they placed an order? Thank them and alert them about its status with real-time shipping updates.
Give purpose to their purchase
Help make a difference by offering your customers support. Consider donating a portion of your sales to COVID-19 efforts or to a fund for displaced employees. If you’re in the food business, deliver meals or special discounts to frontline workers, or partner with a local food bank to help feed the hungry. Do what you can to do good and it won’t go unnoticed. Your customers may choose you vs. your competition because of it.
Make it engaging
Your customers are bored and isolated at home. You have a captive audience looking for distraction, humor and entertainment. Engage them by adding innovation and interactivity to your emails. Then continue the connection and conversation on your social channels.
Serve up solutions
A crisis like this is unprecedented. Help your customers navigate these uncharted waters by giving them ideas and solutions for celebrating their loved ones and staying connected in new and unique ways.
Here are some ideas for restaurants and retailers to build relationships and make the most of the Moms Dads & Grads time period through email campaigns.
Make Moms’ Day extra special
Your customers may not be able to take Mom to brunch at your restaurant this year, but they can bring brunch to mom. Send an email promoting a special Mother’s Day brunch meal package complete with special touches like dessert, mimosas and flowers from a local florist.
Offer a discount for delivering the same brunch to multiple family members, so they can all enjoy the same meal together virtually via Skype or Zoom.
Include a recipe for one of your popular menu items in your email and encourage customers to make it at home for mom and drop it off at her doorstep. Or, offer wine deliveries from your bar as a unique gift option, where available.
Feature your restaurant gift card in your email as the perfect gift for mom, when she doesn’t feel like cooking and wants to order in.
Retailers can promote a Mom’s Day gift guide in their email featuring gifts relating to comfort, staying at home or nesting, like books, Bluetooth speakers, gardening supplies, outdoor/patio furniture or décor, comfortable loungewear/activewear, cooking or home goods. To add engagement, use an interactive product carousel to feature each product.
Promote your retail e-gift card so mom can choose her own gift online.
Include a countdown clock in your email to help with last-minute gifts.
Honor dedicated Dads
Restaurants can offer a BBQ meal kit via email, complete with everything Dad needs for a delicious BBQ, including an instructional video from your chef. Or, offer up special Dad’s Day drink concoctions from your bar and deliver all of the ingredients and instructions to his door.
Promote your restaurant e-gift card as a great gift for Dad when he wants to eat out in. Have a physical gift card? Consider offering card delivery with purchases of $25 or more.
Retailers can email a Dad’s Day Gift Guide featuring items Dad can enjoy while at home, like grilling gear and equipment, sporting equipment, home improvement projects, car accessories or car wash kit, garden/patio accessories, tech or loungewear/activewear. To add engagement, use an interactive product carousel to feature each product.
Include a live poll in your email, where customers can weigh in on the Dad’s day gift they would like most, or vote for their favorite, or worst, Dad joke.
Feature an animated GIF in your email to engage customers and get their attention.
Continue the conversation on social channels by having customers share what makes their Dad the greatest.
Celebrate hard-working Grads
Restaurants can offer graduation meal packages via email that include special touches like a cake or decorations for a virtual graduation ceremony or party.
To promote online purchases, encourage gift registrants to include information about their registry on their virtual grad party and have a gift-opening session, so virtual guests can watch them open their gifts.Retailers can send an email inviting grads to create a graduation “wishlist” or “gift registry” to select gifts for their “virtual graduation party”
Include video in your email to honor and celebrate special grads and drive engagement.
Promote your restaurant e-gift card as a great gift for Dad when he wants to eat out in. Have a physical gift card? Consider offering card delivery with purchases of $25 or more.
Continue the conversation on your social channels by getting customers to nominate their hard-working grad for a chance to win a cash prize to make their future a little brighter. Then in an email, announce the winner.
In these trying times, your customers shouldn’t have to miss out on celebrating their special Mom, Dad or Grad. And as a restaurant or retailer, you shouldn’t have to miss out on opportunities to help your customers make these special holidays as meaningful as possible. Think differently by helping your customers celebrate in new and unique ways. Nurturing your customer relationships today could result in more loyal customers tomorrow.
Restaurant marketers: want to learn more ways you can leverage digital to help stabilize your business during challenging times? Check out our whitepaper with FastCasual.
---
## How to unlock the $42 billion co-op advertising opportunity
Type: eps_post
URL: /the-42-billion-co-op-advertising-opportunity
Last Modified: 2025-08-25T18:02:11Z
# How to unlock the $42 billion co-op advertising opportunity
Retail media is quickly reshaping the advertising landscape and with it, the future of co-op programs. Co-op advertising once meant sharing space in a weekly circular or a banner in-store. But the strategy is evolving into sophisticated, data-driven campaigns that reach real shoppers across channels, akin to retail media.
And as co-op advertising begins to look more like retail media, the shift opens up a $42 billion market opportunity. Brands can get a slice of the $42 billion pie by leveraging retailers’ robust first-party data to more effectively reach their target audiences with highly relevant offers.
But this transformation requires more than just a new name.
It demands new infrastructure, smarter identity resolution and unified measurement.
What is co-op advertising and why it's evolving
Cooperative (co-op) advertising is a collaborative strategy in which product manufacturers and retailers share the cost of advertising the brand’s products. Traditional co-op advertising often takes the form of in-store promotions, inclusion in retailers’ circulars or basic digital advertising campaigns, but that’s evolving as retailers advance their retail media capabilities.
The shift to digital co-op advertising and retail media
As retailers realize the value of their owned media assets and work to monetize their websites, apps and other sources of valuable first-party data, many are shifting their co-op advertising offerings to include sophisticated digital campaigns for their brand partners.
For example, a brand like Neutrogena could pay some or all of the costs for Walgreens or Target to run onsite and offsite display ads for the brand’s Stubborn Acne products to in-market shoppers and then measure performance based on actual transactions.
Yet many marketers are still failing to take advantage. While more than $70 billion is spent on co-op advertising annually, just 20% of it is used on digital channels. Continued over-reliance on imprecise, non-digital channels will result in wasted ad spend and underperformance.
4 traditional challenges: Why co-op dollars go to waste
Despite the promise of retail media, many co-op programs still operate with outdated identity resolution and technology infrastructure, resulting in a few common pitfalls that hinder performance:
Lack of precise targeting
Underutilization of data
Wasted ad spend
Ineffective measurement
Lack of precise targeting
Many retailers built their co-op advertising tech stacks by selecting partners across various specializations, using one partner for onboarding, another for activation, yet another for measurement and so on.
The problem is that each of these tech partners has their own understanding of a customer that may not properly resolve across the whole tech stack. This can create gaps that erode retailers' ability to see individuals across the full shopper journey, as well as deliver accurate reporting and actionable insights to their advertising partners.
Underutilization of data
Despite having access to rich first-party data, many retailers struggle to activate it effectively in co-op advertising programs.
Much of the issue stems from legacy systems that weren’t designed for real-time personalization or omnichannel orchestration. Valuable shopper data remains trapped in silos, under-leveraged in campaign targeting and disconnected from optimization.
The result is cooperative advertising campaigns that rely on broad segments instead of personalized signals, missing the opportunity to connect with shoppers in more relevant, high-converting ways.
Wasted ad spend
Fragmented identity systems and underutilization of data lead to inefficiencies, including over-serving shoppers with redundant ads and misallocating advertising dollars.
Retailers offering more traditional co-op advertising can’t confidently connect the dots between online engagements and offline purchases—or even ensure that they’re reaching real, in-market shoppers. This often results in duplicated impressions, ads served to the wrong audiences or spend allocated to channels that aren’t moving the needle.
Ineffective measurement
Traditional co-op ad models—especially those that favor offline or legacy digital channels—can’t track performance at the SKU or shopper level.
This lack of precision makes it nearly impossible for brands to understand what’s working and what’s not. Did a shopper see an ad online before buying the product in-store? Was it the video, the email or the sponsored product ad that drove the purchase?
Without visibility into individual-level behaviors across touchpoints, brands are left guessing.
The solution: How data-driven retail media transforms the co-op opportunity
The evolution from traditional co-op advertising to retail media networks—and the more advanced tech stacks that come with modern RMNs—allows brands to take better advantage of the retailer’s first-party data.
A retailer’s buyer files are an invaluable source of transactional data, in-market purchase intent and buying power insights. This data, enhanced with identity resolution, extends the benefits of co-op advertising to include:
Reaching more unique customers with precision
Improving personalization
Enhancing measurement and ROI
Reach more unique customers with precision
Traditional co-op programs often rely on rough audience segments or online approximations (like cohort modeling, demographic targeting or psychographic targeting). In contrast, modern retail media networks give brands access to real, verified shoppers, not just devices or modeled profiles.
Alexandria Garripoli, Vice President of Product Management for Epsilon Retail Media, explains, “[Brands] need partners that can help them find real shoppers. Not device IDs or accounts or modeled online approximations but real people with wallets.”
With retail media, co-op ad campaigns are no longer limited to the shoppers who self-identify online or are part of legacy audience segments. Instead, they can now extend across a retailer’s full ecosystem (including in-store traffic) and connect with all of a retailer’s individual shoppers. This means brands can confidently reach more relevant and previously unreachable audiences.
Improve personalization
Digital advertising gives brands the opportunity to leverage artificial intelligence and machine learning to scale real-time personalization at the individual level. With more relevant messages and products, advertisers can increase conversion and improve the overall shopper experience.
Mark Williamson, Assistant VP of Retail Media at Costco, explains that this level of personalization isn’t theoretical—it’s core to how modern retail media engages shoppers. “By the time an ad or a piece of content ends up in front of a member, it’s been pre-screened as this is an item that they would be most interested in,” he says.
Brands that try to engage customers on their own are left to combine limited first-party data with limited third-party buyer insights from publishers. Because retailers have more first-party data than any publisher, running co-op advertising through retailers is going to drive better performance.
Enhanced measurement and ROI
Today’s advertisers need proof that their media drives real outcomes with real shoppers. But one of the biggest limitations of traditional co-op advertising is the inability to clearly measure what worked. A sizable portion of co-op funds go toward offline channels, which can’t track and measure overall impact, let alone more specific performance metrics.
Today’s retail media networks solve this by connecting ad exposure directly to transactions, whether they happen online or in-store. Advanced solutions report outcomes at the brand, product, and even SKU level. This closed-loop measurement provides brands with confidence that their media spend is driving real results, including:
Incrementality
Unique reach
ROAS tied to verified transactions
Epsilon's role: Empowering brands in the retail media landscape
Epsilon’s Retail Media solution helps brands cash in on the co-op advertising opportunity by integrating persistent shopper identity into a cohesive technology solution, supported by extensive digital media expertise.
Identity drives unique reach
At the core of Epsilon’s retail media platform is COREid, the industry’s most accurate and persistent identity resolution solution. It allows brands to confidently reach real people across all devices and channels.
Clean rooms enable collaboration
Epsilon’s Clean Room enables secure, privacy-safe collaboration between retailers and brand partners. Preloaded with identity and behavioral data, it helps brands enrich first-party data and incorporate second- and third-party data into their campaign strategy to build high-performing audiences and uncover new growth opportunities.
Digital media expertise
Epsilon’s Digital Media solutions combine person-level identity with AI to reach high-value customers wherever they are (online, in-store or across connected TV, display, video and audio). Dynamic creative and real-time optimization ensure retail media dollars are spent efficiently and drive measurable business outcomes.
Seize your share of the co-op opportunity
Co-op advertising is evolving fast—don’t let your strategy stay stuck in the past. Partner with Epsilon’s dedicated Retail Media solutions to seize your share of the $42 billion pie. We’ll help you reach the right shoppers for your brand, minimize ad waste and achieve better retail media measurement.
It’s time to make every co-op dollar work harder. Connect with our experts today.
This article was originally published on January 8, 2021, and has since been updated.
---
## Retail messaging during COVID-19: What to embrace right now
Type: eps_post
URL: /retail-messaging-during-covid-19-what-to-embrace-right-now
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T22:09:52Z
# Retail messaging during COVID-19: What to embrace right now
My colleague and partner from our Digital CX group, Jill Redo, and I have been scanning the retail communications landscape the last few weeks. Our teams identify new weekly UpTrends, which we’ve been publishing in a newsletter to sales, client partners and account executives for client distribution. Her observations below, along with mine, hit on some of the challenges and opportunities facing retailers today.
No brand can realistically prepare for “customer messaging during a pandemic,” yet here we all are. Brand communications are of the upmost importance right now as retailers search for the best way to engage consumers during this difficult time. It’s no simple task, and people are looking for a variety of things: entertainment, guidance and information. Retail brands can provide additional value through communications everyone prepares for the “next normal,” and consumers will be searching for guidance on how they can readapt.
And the statistics are rolling in to support this. In March, we saw the following across Epsilon PeopleCloud Messaging for our retail clients worldwide:
Unique open rates increased throughout March to level out at 11%, as stay-at-home living with more inbox attention time began adjusting to more usual Easter and spring messaging cadence.
Despite early numbers of CEO messages with less clickable calls-to-action, unique click-through rates rose significantly with 20% increase by March week 4, indicating interest and desire to engage with brands.
Retail strategy needs to be updated during this unprecedented time, and because your customers are online now more than ever before, digital messaging is a crucial component of that strategy. But, brands need to be conscious of what, where and how content is distributed and positioned during this unprecedented time.
Here, we outline four messaging strategies (with examples) for retailers to effectively, and consciously, communicate during this COVID-19 retail disruption.
Read more: Celebrating Moms, Dads & Grads during COVID-19: How marketers can use email to connect with customers.
Acknowledge the current environment, rather than gloss over or pretend
When it comes to COVID-19 retail messaging, here are some statistics from MediaPost:
In March, COVID-themed emails received more opens (28%) compared to business-as-usual emails (25%), indicating that timely and highly relevant messages have stronger appeal.
At the same time, delete rates significantly jumped from 7% in March 2019 to 11% March this year, reinforcing the higher immediacy and shorter shelf life for communications in the current environment.
What does this mean? There’s an elephant in the room, and not acknowledging it does more to harm your communication than help. But—and this is a big one—your COVID-19 messaging strategy needs to be appealing for readers.
Talk about the situation—not the problem. Literally including the words “COVID-19” in your subject lines or copy is not strictly necessary, and may detract from the lighthearted tone you’re striving for. While appropriate for CEO messages regarding health and safety efforts, a more subtle approach for helpful tips and home-living category inspiration may resonate.
Instead, nod to the experience. Customers will know what you’re referring to—we’re all experiencing the same situation—and will be thankful you’re actually speaking directly to what they’re feeling. Plus, shoppers are looking for ways to turn this experience into a more positive one, and you can help them out there.
A great example of this in action is an email from Ross-Simmons, which has the subject line “Quality Time with Your Pet? Show Your Love! Save Up to 65%” and the header “Staying In? Us Too.”
In this communication, the situation is acknowledged subtly, all while offering customers a way to make their indoor lives more enjoyable. The emotional connection of bonding with pets honors a moment in time, which lines up with well with precious jewelry as it relates to emotional memory associations.
What to avoid: Don’t stick to overly somber messaging or cause undue stress. The last thing you want to be sending is urgency messaging during this sensitive time.
Consumers are looking for distractions—create content to engage
The COVID-19 retail communications you’re sharing right now should not just be tied to products and sales, but also engagement and relevancy with audience. On a statistical level, Mobile Marketer has seen mobile gaming jump 24% in just two weeks as people are growing more reliant on anything indoors for entertainment.
Shoppers are ready for some levity; we’ve seen an uptick already in more lighthearted, optimistic and entertaining content and communications. Retailers should mix in unique content types, such as infographics, articles, videos, recipes, how-to's and more. Business-as-usual promotional offers that speak to necessary savings are important, but may come across as off-tone during this time.
We’re continuing to see brands switch from a selling model to a content model. Education, inspiration, fun and games are the new promotions, effectively entertaining consumers and nurturing brand loyalty. And your communications should extend across customer preferred channels—email, social, digital media and push notifications—with the right cadence to deliver value while not seeming overwhelming. Some brands are enriching enjoyment and usability of their products by investing in rich content to support the product experience outside the merchandise itself:
Walgreens: A recent Walgreens seniors-focused email communicates empathy and concern while leading with a relevant offer (up to 30% off for those 55+), keeping messaging on theme throughout the creative and offering practical ways for to allow seniors to remain safe.
Michaels: The crafts retailer has done a two-a-day email marketer that seamlessly balances a re-evaluated tone, driving awareness of enhanced services, and regular seasonal messaging.
Nike: With sports canceled and gyms closed, Nike has customers covered. Via a long, extended email (yes, these can work well), the brand alerted shoppers that it has made paid Nike Training Club Premium (a $14.99/mo value) free to all Nike Members until further notice. Even better, Nike reflects this update within SEO and created a hashtag #playinside.
As well, Joann Fabrics created a template for making masks at home and promoted it via email. Crate & Barrel got creative with a five-step guide for better happy hours at home, offering something of value to shoppers to pair with the brand’s 20% off “Wine and Dine” deal, all within the same email.
Avoid: Staying the line with only product- or savings-based messaging. Consumers are looking for content that is helpful, entertaining or relevant for their current experience. They are giving brands permission to color outside the lines as we navigate new territory together.
Create communications that add to the conversation
It may be tempting to showcase all the amazing things your brand is doing to drum up enthusiasm, but caution is advised. It’s not the time to share platitudes about the situation or repeat what should be a given; consumers are looking for a balance of guidance, distraction and compassion. John Oliver’s recent rant against Amazon calling their employees “heroes” is one lens through which messaging can inadvertently be viewed as self-serving; actionable information that provides value to the reader is paramount.
Use communications to add something positive to the conversation, and offer customers something of unique value during this situation. Brands are getting creative with how they’re adapting to support the current crisis and be of genuine help to people during this time.
This communication offers people a chance to feel helpful and informed about an aspect of the situation they may otherwise have been in the dark about.
BP did something similar with an email from the BPme Rewards team. After acknowledging the situation, BP offered first responders, doctors, nurses and hospital works a one-time 50-cent-off per gallon discount to use on their next fill-up at BP or Amoco. To draw attention to the offer, the email encouraged readers to send a personal “thank-you” by sharing a post on social media and using the hashtag #BPLocalHeroes.
A different example is Restoration Hardware, which shared an email communication with the subject line “Turn Your Shelter Into a Sanctuary. Our Designers are Here to Help.” In this email, we can clearly see that Restoration Hardware is speaking to something they know—design—and steering clear of speaking to anything outside their expertise. They offer shoppers design advice via virtual consultations with RH Interior Designers, a savvy offering to market during this time.
Avoid: Talking out of your depth or putting the focus on yourself. It’s not about making a big announcement about what you’re doing, it’s about how you’re being genuinely helpful for others right now.
As well, make sure that if you’re creating COVID-19 content, it’s well thought through. We studied one email from a brand with an enticing COVID-themed “work from home” email subject line, but the email content wasn’t adapted: the four-piece woman’s power suit featured feelings of elegance and polish in the office (with product and place being far from timely). Make sure to think through all aspects of your communications to fit the current situation or run the risk of alienating customers. This includes shutting off any automated triggers, such as your 45-day at risk win-back, that may not meet the new tone of today’s #stayhome life.
Make your message count
Be clear about the purpose of your message as a marketer. There will be a “next normal” just around the corner when customers are permitted to step out of their indoor lifestyle and re-enter stores. Preparing consumers for a “March goods sale in May,” or setting expectations for the weeks needed to fully restock ahead of the next season, are critical. Even the effort to widen aisles for improved social distancing overall will take time.
Now is also a crucial time to build brand affinity and loyalty. This applies to both your longstanding customers, as well as any new customers purchasing from you for the first time. We’re seeing this heavily in ecommerce right now, where people are trying new retailers because their typical go-to brand was sold out of their favorite product, or they are trying a new retailer because of proximity to home vs. regular shopping habit. This creates retention challenges but also acquisition opportunities at the same time.
And, if you’re really looking to plan for the future, don’t segment or target based on last year’s numbers. Rather, focus on the past 60 to 90 days of engagement across channels and purchase behavior. Customers’ buying behaviors are changing, and that may be for a short period of time or for good. In either case, understanding new buying behaviors and leveraging those insights to speak to them is key. Show first-time buyers what you’re able to offer in the long term, and you’ll be in a better position for the future.
Avoid: Don’t just live in the now without a solid plan to match potential out of season inventory or delayed seasonal restock with shopper expectations. Plan for a broad array of customer and store experiences, and let customers know you’ll doing your best to ramp back up for them quickly, with safety still top of mind.
Taking queues from industry peers is a helpful way to refine your own COVID-19 strategy. Move forward with these recommendations, and you’ll set yourself up for success as we move into the next normal.
Tailor your COVID-themed communications to the time of year. Check out: Celebrating Moms, Dads & Grads during COVID-19: How marketers can use email to connect with customers.
---
## Develop customer trust with virtual engagement in a down cycle
Type: eps_post
URL: /meaningful-customer-virtual-engagement-in-a-down-cycle
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T22:17:52Z
# Develop customer trust with virtual engagement in a down cycle
Hard-hit retailers are considering the best ways to pivot during this turbulent time. Many traditional specialty and event-based marketing communications have been muted, redirected or downright cancelled. CMOs are erring on the side of caution with reduced promotional activity to avoid inadvertently appearing tone-deaf or insensitively lighthearted.
Until the next normal comes into clear focus, a dilemma facing brand marketers is deciding if—and how much—marketing presence is appropriate. Can you stay top of mind while maintaining relevance in a time of deep consumer unease?
The answer is yes. But it matters how. The north star is always, of course, brand authenticity.
Brand authenticity
Retailers offering home décor, small kitchen appliances, garden, electronics and fitness gear through ecommerce or curbside pickup have heightened relevance right now (in addition to grocery, pharmacy and essentials). Safe operations playbooks are maturing with Mother’s Day promotions in sight.
However, mall-based specialty retailers and closed stores with limited ecommerce operations have farther to go in preparing for the future. Seasonal stock alignment and physical in-store distancing measures are evolving challenges to consider as the dimmer switch for a national return to business lights up, with varying acceleration by region.
There are still opportunities to engage and have a dialogue with your customers and prospects—after all, we are in marketing and communications. It’s simply important to remember we need to give consumers a voice and always offer them something of value for their time.
Low- or no-financing plans, loyalty points protection and layaway term extensions are valuable service announcements for concerned customers. If you’re a brand trusted by parents, you may have the authority to provide advice or supply valuable tips on keeping kids engaged and happy at home. Offering up a distraction to the housebound with fun trivia or instructional videos can be a bridge until the next normal kicks in.
Some brands have natural potential to engage right now with “Ask The Expert” diversion or “How to” guides on earning more points at the pump, building a raised garden bed, getting the most from your new blender, etc. This can earn them trusted-advisor status at the same time.
Interactive engagement opportunities to offer your customers and prospects
Time saver: Just like you might in-store, encourage consumers to “Answer three simple questions,”, and help guide them to the right inspirational content or product information. This could be highlighted in a display ad that guides clickers to the right gallery pages on your website or triggers from an abandoned cart when an online shopper leaves in-stock items unpurchased. Leverage interactive look books and catalogs. Men’s or women’s? Beauty or fashion? Send them down virtual aisles based on what interests them the most.
Zoom challenge: Your customers are feeling overwhelmed, so one of the best things you can do right now is offer helpful pointers that don’t take up too much of their time and energy to consume. Break down your content into bite-sized chunks and share helpful tricks with headlines like “Personalized tips to help you dress for success—from the waist up.” Customers can access this content through different channels, including via social media through interactive swipe-up-into posts.
Live poll: Everyone wants to feel heard, including your customers. Through website companion widgets that prompt users with live polls, your customers can feel engaged with and offer you data regarding their preferences. Ask a question such as, “Which WFH trend are you most likely to retain in the future?” This is a great way to build brand loyalty and learn more about customer intent in the meantime. Offer your customer a fun quiz that puts them at the center—like JCPenney, a brand that recently invited customers to share sheets preferences and reveal themselves as more likely for "suite retreat" crisp all-white sheets or "comfort zone" family bedding solutions (as seen in the email below).
Tell us anything: Through personalized email, ask your customers how they want to be marketed to right now—yes, it’s okay. In fact, it’s more than okay; it will create a two-way relationship. You can include in the body of your email something along the lines of: “We are using this #StayHome pause to reinvent ourselves. Please help us renew, retool and reimagine so we can serve you better in the future.” When your customers feel heard and respected, they are more likely to engage with your brand. You can also send your customers knowledge tests, which are fun for them, and squeeze in one additional question about a preference that will help you re-market more relevantly.
Now, engage your customers
According to Steve Moynihan, Enterprise Sales Director at Jebbit (an Epsilon partner): “If you’re not sure about the right way to talk to your customers, now is the time to ask.” Moynihan recommends making surveys that don’t feel like surveys—it’s critical to make sure the customer controls their journey with your brand right now. This can be accomplished through immersive brand experiences that can be deployed within an hour—to social, via email, on the website or through loyalty API—with emotion, creativity and data-first precision. Epsilon and Jebbit support clients with our “Virtual Engagement Builder” solution daily to do just that.
The bottom line is that brands can play an important role during these uncertain times. The key is to speak in an authentic voice, get permission from the consumer and return their trust with an appropriate conversation that results in meaningful action.
---
## Build hyper-personalization and identity resolution with martech
Type: eps_post
URL: /hyperpersonalization-identity-resolution-martech
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Build hyper-personalization and identity resolution with martech
It’s no secret that consumers demand personalized experiences when interacting with brands. In fact, 80% of consumers are more likely to do business with a company that offers personalized experiences. To help meet this demand, CMOs are investing up to 29% of their marketing budgets in technology. But in a recent survey of 190 marketing influencers worldwide conducted by Ascend2, 63% of respondents said that data-driven personalization is a difficult tactic to execute.
So why is it so hard to deliver highly contextual and individualized consumer experiences in real time, at scale?
For most brands, the answer boils down to one thing: poor identity resolution. Identity is the foundation for knowing who your customers are, recognizing them across their devices and tailoring every message based on what they need and want. Yet a 2019 Forrester Consulting study commissioned by Epsilon shows that only half of brands at best are capable of fundamental identity resolution, like finding customers across devices, controlling messaging frequency and sequencing and building a unified customer profile.
In this article, we’ll discuss how to manage data with identity resolution best practices and how combining with real-time customer profiles unlocks the value of your tech stack to create the best, most connected customer experiences.
Marketers challenges
In the pursuit of delivering highly relevant customer experiences, you've likely already invested in many of the key elements to deliver personalized connections, but upstream data and identity issues continue to create execution challenges. Adding multiple execution platforms to solve for channel specific use cases further compounds the issue.
Many point solutions required to message or interact in a specific channel only need a fragment of a profile to execute. This is both good and bad: good because you can make things happen with little information; bad because this fragmented approach diminishes your ability to orchestrate and deliver the right experience in real-time, across channels.
Now add compliance and governance to the mix. Data usage across channels is limited by consent, regulations and contracts. Inability to accurately resolve consumer identities to their consent and preference choices across channels can have major implications for your brand and can’t be overlooked, especially with the advent of new privacy regulations. Compliance and governance implications aside, the inability to honor customer-declared preference won’t earn you accolades from a customer experience standpoint either.
A shaky foundation
Brands across industries who are struggling to unleash the full value of their marketing tech investments haven’t mastered some fundamental best practices. These include data management, data hygiene and persistent identification of offline or first party profile data. Why?
First party profiles are messy. They come from many sources, change over time and are frequently prone to input error. And in some verticals, they are sparsely populated. Inconsistencies and gaps are magnified when flawed data is uploaded into marketing applications, since the bulk of these tools lack the capabilities to inherently improve it. Highly inaccurate data is the unfortunate consequence, and ultimately results in persistent misalignment of profile data and poor customer experiences.
Risks to customer experience
Activating against profiles instead of communicating with a person, creates missed opportunities and waste. It could also negatively affect customer loyalty. For example, it’s not a good look when your loyal customer receives a new customer offer.
Even as the channels expand, your customer’s exacting expectations remain the same. Failure to deliver on those expectations will cause customers to avoid your brand. The ability to effectively manage data and coalesce multiple profiles accurately over time is, and will remain, crucial to establishing and maintaining the health of your marketing efforts.
While it’s difficult to quantify financial impact of poor customer experiences, there are a few benchmarks to consider. According to a 2018 Forrester Consulting study commissioned by Adobe, experience-driven businesses have grown revenue 1.4x faster and increased customer lifetime value by 1.6x more than other companies.
Read more: 5 building blocks of identity management guide
Shoring up your building blocks
It’s paramount to understand the data management and quality processes involved in creating the people-based profile that ultimately serves as the source of truth for marketing across channels.
Some questions to consider to help you determine the efficacy of these processes include:
Can you align the same individuals from your offline customer data to a persistent ID recognizable across online channels?
Your customer is still the same person, regardless of the channel in which they engage. You need the ability to identify your customers by linking their online and offline behaviors to maintain that valuable connection to them. Sole reliance on unstable cookies or device IDs is insufficient. The best way to maintain a privacy compliant connection between your online and offline customer data is to continually align and link them using offline transactions. Marrying up online identifiers to high quality offline transactional data leaves the guesswork out of the equation.
Are you able to learn more about your customers demographics, lifestyle, purchase behavior or provide additional contact points to reach your customers?
Understanding what motivates your customers outside of their interactions with your brand can be the driving factor in creating more value for your customers, ultimately leading to higher satisfaction with your brand and more sales. Filling in gaps in identity can also help improve your ability to reach your customers in the channels they care about and prefer to engage in.
Do you leverage advanced hygiene techniques that continuously improve name, postal, email and phone data quality for optimal recognition and reach?
Misaligned name and contact types and over-incorporation of invalid data types can quickly impede accurate identification. If your software provider is unable to recognize anomalies and fix outdated or completely incorrect data for your customer, a larger percentage of duplication in profile IDs will occur and continue to proliferate across your enterprise. Recognizing the nuances in name-based data is critical to optimizing recognition and delivery of marketing messages regardless of channel it’s activated on.
Learn more: Identity mythbusters quiz-Get the facts on common identifiers
Unlock and supercharge your martech investments
Adopting some of these core practices will involve internal transformation, and can be supported by Epsilon, with a payoff that has lasting effect which truly unlocks long term value. To achieve personalization goals and realize the full potential of your marketing technology investments, make sure your solutions can:
Provide integrated data onboarding and identity resolution best practices that recognize customer signals across all channels they interact with
Adapt to changes in a consumer’s identity but also recognize behaviors that reflect interests and key buying signals in order to provide a valuable experience
Seamlessly integrate every individual’s channel activities to maximize accurate measurement that will lead to better performing personalized dialogs
Identify and fill in gaps in your customer data to maximize channel reach and message relevance
Holistically honor individual preferences, consent and customer privacy across your marketing stack, while also maintaining compliance as new regulations go into effect
Employing these critical best practices around identity and data will ensure brands like yours are able to deliver on highly contextual, relevant and in the moment experiences your customers expect, while helping to bulletproof and fuel your marketing investments for the future. The ultimate payoff with identity resolution is realized through unique and highly personalized dialogs with your entire audience, one at time.
---
## In times of uncertainty, data helps us stay connected
Type: eps_post
URL: /in-times-of-uncertainty-data-helps-us-stay-connected
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T22:17:52Z
# In times of uncertainty, data helps us stay connected
Marketing to your customers during this time has changed. Being transparent and authentic in each and every communication is more important than ever. Data is the fuel that drives these communications and marketing campaigns. It connects consumers to brands and helps create an emotional relationship while establishing trust in their products and services. But when uncertainty continues, it’s easy to become distracted. Marketers need to stay focused on what’s in our control. Understanding the types of data sets that are available to enhance first-party data will help you provide the most value to your customers during this time, in turn creating loyalty for your brand into the future.
Learn more: How to assess data quality in an omnichannel world
Now is the time to review ‘the inventory’ of your data; the third-party data you have and the data you’ll need to improve your targeting and analytics. Keep in mind that transactional data can help improve the performance of your campaigns. It provides insights into buying behavior which helps to determine who consumers are, where they shop, what channel they prefer, and their likelihood to purchase again. It can also help identify those with the highest potential and purchasing power. The combination of transactional data and descriptive data (such as demographic and lifestyle data) helps marketers create more personalized, relevant messages. Having the right data that is actionable to help improve your targeting and messaging is more critical now than ever before. You need to maximize your marketing investment and reach the right customer, in the right channel with a message that resonates. Are you well-positioned to do this? If your answer isn’t a resounding yes, then it’s time to re-evaluate your data needs.
In this current moment, messages need to shift from transactional (promotional) to building relationships with your customers. As a marketer, you need to understand what’s important to your customer today.
For example, I recently received an email from a hotel that my family and I like to vacation at during the summertime, and the message was from the hotel’s chef in which he shared recipes of selected food options of their restaurant’s menu. This message was helpful and relevant to my family’s current needs as we’re cooking in every night and always looking for new recipes. Had this hotel decided to send me a message about summertime specials and offered a discount for ‘booking now’, this would not have been well received. With today’s uncertainty, we don’t know what the future holds and as marketers, we need to be nimble and adjust our plans accordingly.
But as we’re adjusting our plans, one thing remains constant. And that’s the importance of building trust with your customers. Now more than ever is a time to demonstrate your brand’s empathy and connect emotionally with your customers and to remind them that safety is your number one priority. Remember, during this crisis your customers are focused on individual safety, security and stability, having a feeling of trust in the brands they partner with, creating an emotional bond and convenience and ease of use. As a brand, you need to understand these needs and adjust your marketing plans accordingly. And as you’re making these marketing adjustments, remember, quality data that is actionable is key to driving successful campaigns.
To help you evaluate the quality of your data, consider what’s important to your brand. In our data quality e-book, we outline ten assessment criteria to consider when evaluating data quality, some of which include accuracy, transparency and consistency. The assessment will not only help you to evaluate the quality, but will ensure you have the right data to meet your needs.
So as you’re navigating this “business unusual landscape”, we are here for you. Our investment in our data assets, combined with our commitment to privacy and quality, can help you survive and thrive during this trying time. We are here for you as your trusted data adviser, today and always.
Want to learn more about how quality data can transform your marketing plan? Check out our data quality e-book.
---
## How the 2020 presidential election will impact consumer spending
Type: eps_post
URL: /how-the-upcoming-presidential-election-will-impact-consumer-spending
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T22:17:52Z
# How the 2020 presidential election will impact consumer spending
With election 2020 fast approaching, brands are starting to adjust their marketing plans to prepare for ‘the change in the consumer’s mindset’ to ensure their brand remains front and center. During the presidential election, consumers are distracted. The advertising marketplace is cluttered with campaign advertisements and consumers are constantly monitoring their mobile devices to check for the latest updates. With the election being top of mind and the closer we get to election day, spending decreases which poses a challenge for marketers. Epsilon’s Abacus Cooperative database offers proprietary insights into how presidential elections affect spending before, during and after the ‘big day’. We’ve reviewed the actual spending data from the past two elections that will help guide planning for election 2020. For example, during the 2015-2016 election season, sales dropped 9% weeks prior to the election, regardless of party affiliation - Democrat, Republican and Independent.
Learn more: How presidential elections impact consumer spending (infographic)
Think about what you can do as a marketer to ensure you’re prepared for this shift in spending. Start planning for the weeks leading up to the election. Consider having ‘election-based sales’ or ‘early holiday previews’. In your email to your customers, run a series of best-selling products and gifts to consider for buying now, before the post-election rush. And for digital advertising, highlight the ‘best sellers’, for gift giving or self-use. Consider the messaging and images that are going to best connect emotionally with your customers as they approach the holiday season. Show them that while they may be overwhelmed with the election cycle now, the joy of the holidays is just around the corner. For example, during last year’s election, a clothing design apparel retailer in which we partner with sent a memorable holiday focused campaign. Instead of featuring their fashionable clothing items and accessories, they promoted a campaign asking customers to share ‘what brings them joy’ to reflect on the ‘joy of the season’. The brand’s customers shared examples of how they’re finding joy in the current, holiday moment and customers starting socializing ‘#myholidayjoys'. It was memorable.
So for this holiday season, in addition to leveraging the usual best practices to drive sales, think outside the box and how you can share your brand’s values beyond your product and or service. And remember, timing is key for direct marketing during the election. Download our infographic to determine when your holiday related offers should reach consumers’ mailbox and inbox during the time of the election.
And, as you’re planning your campaign strategy as it relates to the messaging and timing, think quality. That is data quality. It’s reported that over a quarter of marketing campaigns fail due to poor quality data. Don’t fall in this trap. Understand how to best assess your data with the criteria we’ve outlined in our data quality e-book. Having the right data will help guide your program success. And even though your sales might decrease during the election week, rest assured that sales have historically rebounded post-election.
There’s no doubt that the presidential election 2020 is going to be different than previous elections. State and county officials are currently planning for a modified voting process to ensure consumers are able to vote in a safe manner. But marketers that are prepared for the shift in sales and are ready to infuse promotional best practices with new ways to build brand value will be the more successful in the end.
Download our infographic to learn more.
---
## Adapting your customer loyalty marketing in an economic disruption
Type: eps_post
URL: /adapting-loyalty-efforts-disruptive-economy
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T22:17:52Z
# Adapting your customer loyalty marketing in an economic disruption
In today’s global marketplace, there are constant disruptions and uncertainties. Whether it be the upcoming US election, BREXIT, swings in the economy or global health concerns, change is inevitable.
Staying connected to your clients and helping them stay connected to their customers is of utmost importance in a normal economic climate, but even more so today. With that said, Epsilon has years of experience in the customer loyalty platform space, and knows how to make sure there is a connection at an emotional level and not just on the surface.
Loyalty360 recently spoke to Rick Boubelik, Senior Director of Loyalty at Epsilon, about how customer loyalty marketers are reacting to disruption, some advice to maintain customer connections in challenging times, as well as how Epsilon is adapting. Read on to learn more, or watch our video to hear Rick discussing key topics from the Q&A.
What are you hearing from your loyalty clients as their concerns around some of these disruptions?
Well, obviously we’re seeing declining foot traffic and less travel. But the main questions we’re getting back from our clients are, “When will business come back? How will it be different? Is my program actually prepared to reconnect with our customers? How do we recreate the customer experience (quality, exception services, customization and overall customer satisfaction)?” With the COVID-19 virus out there, many clients need a fundamental change in their way of doing business. They need help finding, attracting and communicating the new (and evolving) customer offering. We’re trying to help them engage new customers and existing customers at a different level than they’ve had to in the past.
What can brands do to stay connected to customers during uncertain times?
The brands who will succeed are those who remain connected to their existing customers with relevant communication and by continuing to deliver positive customer experiences. Loyalty marketers have an advantage, in that they already have data-driven insights and close connections with their customers.
I think one of the great things we’re seeing right now, and it is tough times… At Epsilon, we’re trying to keep it positive—trying to deliver a positive experience for our own clients and have that translate to their customers. How are we communicating that? We encourage them to just be human, be real, be a partner to their customers. This is where loyalty to customers is getting exciting right now. Brands are putting people over products, and this really endears customers to be better customers to the brands. Our data-driven insights are helping to inform those conversations.
Do you have specific advice or recommendations for these brands to put these processes in place?
Recommendation #1: You cannot carry on business as usual anymore. Brands really have to be flexible and adapt to this business challenge. So, where we’re really seeing that is how brands are reevaluating and communicating with customers. It’s not the same old messaging we’re putting out there and saying the same old “thank you’s” anymore. We want to help them connect to customers on an emotional level. It’s not just transactional anymore. For example, you don’t want to target people who just lost their jobs with designer handbags. But maybe it’s more relevant to give helpful tips on how to dress for an interview if you lost your job, then offer specific options. Helping brands to communicate more on a 1:You, human level is where we can be most effective.
Recommendation #2: Now is the opportunity to create that goodwill. Make sure that you’re authentic. For example, the New York Times and other media outlets have taken down paywalls blocking COVID-19 stories. The Times and USA Today are offering free coronavirus newsletters. U-Haul offered 30 days of free storage to college students who needed to quickly vacate their dorms. They are touching on the emotional aspects. In the UK, Nandos restaurants provided food drops to National Health Service teams, an initiative apparently led by the restaurants themselves.
Recommendation #3: Focus on the customer experience, especially online. You know your loyal customers; they have opted-in to be part of your community. Use your data-driven insights to keep in touch with them and reassure them. Be service-focused, not sales-focused. And make customer experiences easy.
Double down on your digital experience. Provide those important updates up-front on your home page. This is where people will see the brand right off. Get it across very quickly. And facilitate ways to connect with your company, such highlighting ways to contact you on your homepage, increasing call center or customer care staff or proactively investing in chat bots
Recommendation #4: Waive or ease policy restrictions. For customer loyalty marketers, there are easy things you can do to ease restrictions on some of your policies, because people can’t transact with you. For example, airlines like Delta and British Airways are being proactive in their customer experience. They have waived flight change and cancellation fees, offering credit for future flights. Changing the time required to earn Elite status. Marriott has also added more flexible policies. Go through the terms and conditions and find the angst points.
Retailers, many of whose storefronts are now temporarily closed, have amended their return policies. Adidas temporarily increased free returns to 100 days. In the UK, John Lewis extended returns for up to 35 days from John Lewis shops reopening. Or if you’ve been unable to return an unwanted item due to self-isolation restrictions, they will honor late returns.
In the financial services arena, several banks are offering more flexibility (payment deferrals, waived fees). Bank of America created a Client Assistance program for consumer and small business waiving certain account fees. And UK banks are allowing fast tracking applications for three-month payment holidays from mortgages.
Recommendation #5: Adapt or fall behind. Whether we like it or not, our world can drastically change within a short period of time. Whether it be from health concerns, recession, financial uncertainty or a toxic political environment. When this happens, take the opportunity to evaluate and possibly evolve your program to better align with new consumer expectations, business environment, and customer sensitivities. Ask yourself, “Is it still the right value proposition for your consumers?”
Download our guide: From 1:1 to 1:You-Personalizing the loyalty experience
You mention “Adapt or fall behind.” What does that mean in terms of loyalty strategy?
Well, it’s really in trying to look at the purpose of your program. Typical customer loyalty programs are rewards-based, “Do this, get that.” But marketing loyalty has evolved. It is a strategy and an outcome of all the experiences customers have had with your brand. It’s trying to connect on a 1:You level with more human experiences.
So, we really want to address that customer value proposition as more than just the transaction. But are providing rewards enough? If a recession hits or a percent of your customers become unemployed or underemployed…is this enough of a value proposition to keep some share of the wallet? Customer loyalty programs have excellent data to provide insights on your customer base to help you adapt, however, in a situation like COVID-19, these are lagging indicators of a world that has changed. Look at some of the leading indicators and trends to help you adapt.
For example, with COVID-19, many in the restaurant industry suddenly shut down. It’s a new business model. How do I get my product out to the customers? How is that changing the experience? How do I keep part of that? I want longer lasting emotional engagement and loyalty…How am I going to adapt to that? When many were out of work, many efforts popped up to help. This “social sharing” phenomenon might have a place in a lot of programs as we look to create longer lasting “emotional” engagement & loyalty. Health, safety and confidence of wellbeing as a message has a role in customer based loyalty. Or consider doing business in isolation: shopping, dining, socializing in the comforts of our homes continues to grow. Have you made it easy for your customers to interact with your brand? Those are the types of the things to achieve your 1:You approach. You have to rethink your rewards program and be adaptable to many different types of customers. Some are price value driven, some are service driven, some need more attention and time to make decisions. So how does your rewards program adapt to all of these, not just one of these segments.
How is Epsilon adapting to keep up with the rapid pace of change and uncertainty?
We do this through both our Services and our Platform. We focus on a collaboration to help stay entrenched in helping our clients and their customers. Publicis recently launched our new AI-driven collaboration tool Marcel to enable us to tap into knowledge and experience from across Publicis’ group of agencies. We have great talent across the globe, and this helps us tap into expertise internally and redefine how we form teams. So, our clients benefit from the knowledge of not just our local Loyalty teams, but from cross-functional resources around the world. We’re going to be very collaborative, which is going to help our clients.
Also, on the technology side we’re heavily investing in AI and machine learning for our PeopleCloud Loyalty platform. This allows better understanding of how we’re going to act and act fast. It’s not just a product or service’s transactional focus anymore, but the emotional focus. I think that’s where machine learning is really taking off for us. We have the most talented people I’ve ever worked with in the industry, on the loyalty and data marketing side, and having those people in a collaborative environment, the investments we’re making in this technology, is happening at a speed pace being pushed by some great clients. They want to learn more and see how to maximize their investments. We stay on top of industry research and trends to help address their needs for today and tomorrow.
What technologies do you (Epsilon) offer to address clients’ needs in these disruptive times?
As I mentioned, AI and machine learning are very proactive on connections for us and that’s the big shift that’s coming for us in loyalty. It’s not about a single transaction. But investment, even reports that we’re turning into insights, that kind of asset becomes a very valuable tool to loyalty managers and analytic personnel. “Where do I start my day? How do I make better decisions?” That investment in those insights and better metrics on what’s working and what’s not working—not just the customer loyalty program, but the business impacts of the customer loyalty program. Some of the technology is actually getting better tools to make those metrics more understandable for loyalty clients.
We’re also including some proprietary products outside of our customer loyalty platform. Epsilon uses VAP (value attrition and potential) framework for customer segmentation where we can define and score new customers in a proprietary way. We have industry benchmarks that help our clients understand where they’re performing well within their competitive set, in retail, banking or in travel. We have a fraud detection tool that’s part of our machine learning enhancements to protect the programs.
Specifically, for customer loyalty, our best technology is our decision engine that makes eligibility decisions and calculations “in a moment”: our offer management tool which we call “connection management.”
It’s to drive the most effective outcome that can be enabled with any inbound or outbound marketing systems across all touch points (email, online, mobile, call centers, point of sale). Marketers can set-up any number of “moments” with point and click action, creating dynamic formulas with robust business rules using any data element within or received by the platform. And the cool thing that we just launched is the ability to simulate marketing outcomes. So you no longer have to wonder and guess about hey, how’s this promotion going to work, or connection or engagement promotion. We can simulate it and you can better define your budgets and add in more segments or clients’ memberships. We are able to do a better job of predicting for you.
Ultimately though, the technology cannot stand alone without the people. You need to have good loyalty marketing professionals helping you. Our loyalty technology team is tied at the hip with our strategy team and our client services team. We get great input in understanding where we go next. And we’ve got some great clients, who are also loyalty experts, pushing us to evolve not only our thinking, but our products and services and how we can engage better.
Watch the video interview.
---
## Destination management: How DMOs can evolve with COVID-19
Type: eps_post
URL: /covid-19-dmos-travel-destination-management
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T22:17:52Z
# Destination management: How DMOs can evolve with COVID-19
A few destinations are beginning to reopen—and just in time, as it’s currently National Travel & Tourism Week.
But for many destination marketing organizations (DMOs), doors are still shut. There’s no shortage of concern around going live at the wrong time and having to answer tough questions from local residents, elected officials and business owners. No one wants to jump the gun. And, of course, collections and budgets are declining and uncertain, so defending what remains feels crucial.
To discuss these concerns and more, we recently hosted a peer-to-peer roundtable with 45 DMOs from across the country over three sessions. Participants shared what they’re doing during this difficult time and how they’re using this standstill to reevaluate their operations. Although it may not seem like it for some, this COVID-induced halt presents an opportunity for DMOs to elevate their brand, assess their marketing channels and solidify a presence as part of the economic engine of their local communities.
Read on to learn how you can be proactively accountable both right now and into the next normal.
Learn more: How travel brands can adapt messaging in the current environment
Destination management – not just destination marketing
Now more than ever, destination marketers should think about ensuring that every facet of their destination—from hotels to restaurants to local retail—will meet visitor expectations when they start venturing outside the home. This means ensuring that local businesses are or will be fully ready to welcome visitors back.
This is a time for you to solidify a position as a true economic backbone of your local community. You can do this by working closely with local leadership and business to drive the path to economic recovery.
For instance, CMO of Visit Tampa Bay Patrick Harrison shared during one of our roundtable sessions that his organization has become more of a community liaison during this time. Visit Tampa Bay has partnered with around 800 partners for fundraising to ensure the continued success of the hotel owners in their location. Visit Tampa Bay even worked with local caterers to promote local Easter dinners for furloughed hotel employees.
Amelia Island has gone so far as to create an online marketplace to support local businesses: ameliaislandmarket.com. All proceeds from the online shop, which includes cotton face masks, tote bags, cooking oils and much more, will go directly to the individual local businesses. The header on their About page reads: “Shop Today, Travel Tomorrow!”
As well, when it comes time to get back to marketing as you know it, you’re going to want to highlight all the steps local businesses are taking to comply with new regulations—such as restaurants implementing a 20-25% capacity and keeping a certain distance between tables. Consider how you’re going to help potential visitors feel comfortable traveling to your location once again. To ensure the safety of all aspects of your destination, you’ll need to directly and consistently connect with your local businesses. Be a source of guidance for them right now, sharing what travelers will be looking for and how your local businesses can exceed expectations.
Consider too that there will be new customer preferences coming out of COVID-19—like touchless services—so understanding new technologies and methods of operation, and then helping your local partners implement them, could enable destinations to be put on the map in an innovative way. Consider how you can help your destination evolve and meet demand, and you’ll establish a valuable position of leadership in your community.
Hold your organization accountable
Until material demand is created and picks back up again, pure travel-intent data is an absent phenomenon right now. Therefore, it’s currently all about demand creation and measurability.
There’s never been a greater need for accountability. This is an excellent time to assess your marketing channels to see what’s giving you actual ROI—and what isn’t. Before this standstill, day-to-day operations weren’t often disrupted for fear of potential lost revenue. But now that transactions have more or less completely halted, it’s time to clean out the pantry, as it were. Now is the time to get the most out of smaller and strained budgets going forward.
Take a look at what’s working and where you may have some gaps to fill, particularly with regard to measurement. When investment in paid channels begins again, be proactive and invest in accountable media. Measuring ROI and community impact from direct marketing efforts are no longer luxuries; they’ll be necessities moving forward into the next normal.
Reach your most valuable visitors
When it’s time to conduct outreach, first and foremost, you’re going to want to reach past visitors to maintain share of vacation. One way to do so immediately, particularly if you’re hesitant to hard sell using the word “travel”, is to advertise via “moments of Zen, ”to coin a phrase from Elizabeth Fogarty, director of Visit Grand Junction. Fogarty helped to create a “Roam from Home” curated series of short, scenic videos on the Visit Grand Junction website. Instagram users share clips of flowers, horses, plateaus and the open road. The tagline? “Escape for a moment.”
Although it’s crucial to reach out to past visitors, keep in mind also through planning that some visitors following COVID-19 will likely be new to your destination. You're going to get people who have never visited before—it's going to be a different kind of customer. People are thinking of markets they’ve never before considered. There could even be potential expansion of your “core customer.”
For instance, people will be exploring domestic, local options more than ever; the prediction is that people will be driving more, flying less. Some even speculate 2021 will be the “year of the car.” Folks are probably going to be traveling to different towns in their region or in their state, and we may see a trend of urban dwellers leaving their crammed cities and heading to smaller destinations at rates not seen in quite some time. People are seeking space.
A recommendation? Look to data coming out of different organizations in the service world at this time. You might have some new audiences you're going to cultivate, but you’ll need to approach them in a different way. As well, this data allows you to personalize your communications, which will enable you to adjust the tone as needed, optimize the conversation for each individual and suppress messaging that isn’t relevant during this time. It will also allow you to identify the types of audiences that spend more when they visit, which will be crucial for the seasons ahead.
Be proactive – consider this a clean slate
Although things are currently at a standstill for many destinations, there is a significant hidden blessing in all of this: a clean slate.
Throughout the COVID-19 disruption, you can elevate your brand, invest in new or more accountable marketing channels, and solidify your organization’s place in your communities’ economic engines. If you use this time to be proactive, you’ll see your organization level up in a completely new way.
If you want to learn more about how travel and tourism brands are responding to COVID-19, check out our Epsilon From Home series.
---
## Tushy, Blue Apron, Peloton: How DTC brands adapt to at-home shopping
Type: eps_post
URL: /how-dtc-brands-adapt-covid19
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T22:17:52Z
# Tushy, Blue Apron, Peloton: How DTC brands adapt to at-home shopping
At the same time that many retail stores have closed their brick-and-mortar locations, many people are spending more time at home and online. The result is a deluge in online shopping and digital consumption. Retail Dive reports that from March 23 to March 30, e-commerce marketplaces saw a 14% increase in volume, and we saw a 350% increase in click-throughs from February to March with retail brands on our email platform.
Direct-to-consumer (DTC) brands are uniquely poised to take advantage of this increase, and traditional consumer brands are quickly following suit—blurring the lines between these two categories in this time of stay-at-home advisories.
Check out some of the brands succeeding in spite of a global pandemic and the tactics they’re using for success.
More on DTC brands: Direct to growth: What all brands can gain from the new DTC world
Tushy sales soar amidst TP shortage
Smart brands are currently prioritizing the categories consumers need at home. And with that in mind, Tushy, the DTC maker of bidets, is perhaps the brand most perfectly poised to grow their business right now. While Americans haven’t always been fans of the bidet, that seems to be changing in the midst of the coronavirus-induced toilet paper shortages. Tushy has not been shy on calling out the consumer’s concerns with messaging like “OH SH*T! The world is running out of toilet paper!”
This messaging aligns with Epsilon’s recommendation not to ignore the elephant in the room. It’s important to acknowledge the pandemic with messaging that’s appealing to the audience. Tushy’s messaging clearly worked because the world is also out of them at the moment—this DTC brand saw such a surge in demand that they are now sold out of many of their different color offerings, but the standard styles are still available.
Meal kits have a moment
While there may be novelty in trying out a meal kit like HelloFresh, Blue Apron or Purple Carrot, consumers haven’t historically been interested in retaining ongoing subscriptions. Retention rates have been fairly low:
Blue Apron: 15%
HelloFresh: 11%
Gobble: 22%
Sun Basket: 20%
But with the prospect of grocery shopping getting a bit scary, these meal kits are seeing a rush of new subscribers. Sun Basket ads emphasize the importance of “a healthy meal at home” and have been encouraging consumers to “skip the grocery store.” Freshly offers similar messaging, telling consumers to “skip the groceries, cooking, & cleaning.”
Many of these meal kits are also starting or continuing with a more content-centric approach, sharing recipes and ideas for the home that cater to a “new normal.” For example, Blue Apron’s blog offers “A Guide to Baking with Frozen Berries,” and Purple Carrot recently published “7 Tips for Spring Cleaning Your Kitchen.”
This pandemic may be boosting the popularity of meal-kits in the short term, but if they want to retain customers post-COVID, the brands will need to address ongoing issues with the long-term value of their offerings. eMarketer explains that meal-in-a-box brands ought to be looking to highly personalize their messaging and offerings through technology like AI, while also making sure their marketing is in lock-step with supply chains to avoid operational hiccups.
Peloton pivots messaging
It may seem obvious that brands selling essentials like groceries and bidets are doing well. But brands selling seemingly more expendable, or "splurge," items are finding ways to succeed.
For example, after a rocky end to 2019, Peloton is positioning their brand much more effectively in 2020. With most gyms and studios shuttered and people missing their running partners, Peloton’s homepage offers “classes that will keep you connected” and extended the free trial for its fitness app to 90 days for those who signed up by the end of April (the offer ended in May). This limited-time app offer created a bit of FOMO to encourage users to sign up immediately—or miss out.
With their digital offering already in place, Peloton was positioned to quickly adapt messaging and offers to attract new customers who may just want to stick around after the free trial. Consumers—and Peloton stock—are responding.
Beau Ties fills the need for masks
DTC agility goes beyond the ability to swap out messaging and retarget on the fly. Many of these brands are smaller and more nimble than traditional B2C and retail competitors.
DTC menswear brand Beau Ties of Vermont, for example, has pivoted from producing bowties and neckties to making face masks—in the same attractive patterns and high-quality materials the brand is known for. This agility during trying times allows Beau Ties to keep its business afloat while also providing a critical new product to consumers.
Beau Ties is also encouraging customers to buy with positive, bright spring colors and messaging, such as “Tie on some spring (before your next online chat).” This is a common approach we’re seeing in response to the COVID pandemic, as most people could use a little warmth and positivity.
Hear more from Greg Shugar, CEO and creative director of Beau Ties of Vermont: IAB Digital Brand Summit: How DTC brands remain relevant when the shine wears off
CPG brands blur the DTC lines
While DTC brands have quickly adjusted to—and some are even benefitting from—the stay-at-home advisories, traditional consumer brands are switching gears to mimic their models. One of these brands is L’Oréal. While hair care isn’t officially considered “essential,” many people would beg to differ. L’Oréal recently sent an email with subject line “Skipped a haircut? 💇♀️” that offers products that will help to seal split ends. This content is highly relevant to current consumer needs, and of course, consumers can buy the products directly from L’Oréal online.
Interested in learning more about DTC brand innovation? Download our report, in partnership with The CMO Club: Direct to growth: What all brands can gain from the new DTC world
---
## Engage customers during COVID-19 and beyond with interactive email
Type: eps_post
URL: /engage-customers-during-covid19-and-beyond-with-interactive-email
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T22:16:49Z
# Engage customers during COVID-19 and beyond with interactive email
According to Epsilon’s PeopleCloud Messaging statistics, during the COVID-19 crisis, more emails have been delivered and customer engagement has been up. For March and April, we saw 5% growth in send volume YoY. And the volume send-to-open ratio increased 22% from February to March and April (23% to 28%). While reaching out to customers during this time of crisis is important, it’s also key to follow best practices and make sure that your interactive and kinetic emails are relevant and meaningful. Some pioneering email marketers are adding value by using innovative and interactive content to break through the clutter and connect with customers, and it’s easy to see why. Interactive content drives email engagement and results:
Epsilon has seen live time-of-open content increase email engagement by as much as 40%.
According to DemandGen, 91% of B2B buyers prefer to consume interactive and visual content.
Martech Advisor reports that “interactive email content increases the click-to-open rate by 73% and adding videos to email can boost click rates up to 300%.”
Kapost says that interactive content generates 2X more conversions than passive content.
So, what exactly is interactive content? It’s any content that your customers can tap, click, swipe or interactive with. There are many powerful ways to feature an interactive experience in your email. You can include one interactive element or several interactive elements, but it’s key to use these tactics strategically. Keep in mind, the more interactivity you use in one email, the more you’ll impact the weight and deliverability of your message.
Here are some examples of interactive content:
Quizzes
Interactive product carousels
Video
Image/button rollovers
Hamburger menus — display when user taps icon
Carousels
Progressive disclosure
Click to call buttons
Live polls
Live local weather
Live Instagram feeds
Countdown timers
Store locators
Let’s take a look at some recent examples of how brands have been using interactive elements to drive engagement during the COVID-19 crisis via email.
AutoZone How To @ Home Series
Send Day: 5/7/20
Subject Line: Part 2: Maintaining your oil
Preheader: Learn how & why to change it regularly
Epsilon helped AutoZone modify their email calendar and take a whole new strategic direction. We changed their content to focus less on selling and more on helping. As a result, we created a 6-part educational email series called AutoZone HOW-TO@HOME. These emails helped customers stretch their dollars and leveraged step-by-step videos that taught them how to complete car projects themselves, without paying a mechanic. Using video in this trusted advice series drove engagement and resulted in a positive response from customers, with week-over-week increases in open and click rates.
TD Ameritrade Town Hall
Subject Line: Special event on 4/4: Navigating the Market in Times of Uncertainty
Preheader: Insights on the market from the TD Ameritrade Network | View online
This interactive email aligned with investor fears during this time of crisis and helped customers get clarity among the chaos of the volatile stock market. It invited them to an exclusive Townhall virtual event and included an add-to-calendar feature that populated the event on the customer’s calendar to remind them to attend.
Marriott Bonvoy Virtual Vacation
Send Day: 4/13/20
Subject Line: Level up your armchair travel, [First-Name]
When the crisis caused travel to come to a screeching halt, Marriott found a way to deliver a clever and engaging email that invited customers to enjoy a virtual vacation without leaving home. It offered much-needed escapes to beautiful and exotic destinations that were just a click away. Marriott designed the interactive email with attention-getting, interactive email hover buttons that changed color from white to black every time you hovered or rolled over them. The interactive email encouraged customers to get inspired and dream about their next vacation by experiencing virtual tours, movies, TV, podcasts, books and Marriott Bonvoy’s social channels. It also encouraged them to enjoy these destinations live and in person when the world opens up.
Learn more: Email 2020 trends guide: Interactive content
DSW THIS OR THAT
Send Day: 3/31/20
Subject Line: Time for another round of This or That (and 25% off sneakers)!
Pre Header: Plus 50% off our fave dress picks.
This highly engaging email design added an element of fun, as it asked subscribers to vote for the shoes they’d most like to wear for different COVID-19 “occasions”, like video chatting with friends, going for a walk or working from home. The interactive email featured a live poll, which displayed results in real time. The feedback from the poll could be used to personalize content in subsequent email campaigns by featuring the customer’s favorite shoes. Plus, to appeal to the many families who have been experiencing income challenges, it also offered savings on select styles.
DUNKIN’ PULL IN TO MORE POINTS
Send Day: 05/08/20
Subject Line: Our curbside pickup comes with 50 bonus points
Preheader: Starting tomorrow, get rewarded for curbside pickup
During the crisis, Dunkin’ wanted to encourage subscribers to order ahead and use their curbside pickup service. They rewarded customers with 50 bonus points every time they used this service on the Dunkin’ app. The interactive email design highlighted the four simple steps for ordering ahead and featured a live map that displayed each customer’s nearest Dunkin’ location and address at the time of open.
Now, more than ever, brands are using interactive email marketing to make sure they stay in touch with their subscribers. Leveraging interactive email content while customers are quarantining at home and looking for entertainment and education can make your emails more relevant, engaging and memorable. It is also a great way for you to build measurable results and lasting customer connections and provide a great customer experience.
Interested in learning more about interactive email marketing and how to get started? Check out our guide.
---
## Four elements that drive digital transformation in marketing
Type: eps_post
URL: /four-elements-that-drive-digital-transformation-in-marketing
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T22:16:49Z
# Four elements that drive digital transformation in marketing
All too often, companies rush to implement the latest solution in the name of digital transformation only to end up with technical debt. The consequences of implementing the wrong technologies become painfully evident in a disrupted marketplace like the one we’re facing today.
According to Sandy Shen, Senior Director Analyst at Gartner, “The value of digital channels, products and operations is immediately obvious to companies everywhere right now. [COVID-19] is a wake-up call for organizations that have placed too much focus on daily operational needs at the expense of investing in digital businesses and long-term resilience. Businesses that can shift technology capacity and investments to digital platforms will mitigate the impact of the outbreak and keep their companies running smoothly now, and over the long term.”
We’re being forced into a new age of digital. To successfully adapt, you need to focus on these four foundational elements that drive digital transformation.
1. Data
Data is the bedrock of any digital transformation strategy. This foundational element refers to processes and technologies related to data management, integration and identity resolution.
But for companies with high-touch, siloed data capabilities, making the most of data for digital transformation can be a challenge. Overcoming this challenge requires consideration of the two sides of data management—the technical side and the information side.
On the technical side, we have to ask ourselves if we have the right data infrastructure to achieve business goals. Enterprises that succeed in digital transformation create a tiered data environment. They have a data lake that is automatically populated by business systems without any human interaction, a conformed layer where data is cleansed and business rules are applied and a publish layer where data is made available through data stores and analytic marts.
This kind of tiered data environment creates an always-on data exchange that helps internal teams and external partners leverage actionable data. Think about it as a unified data strategy that can be democratized across your organization. Sales will still operate in CRM systems and marketers will still operate endpoint solutions—but all of those disparate systems will have more accurate and actionable data at their fingertips.
On the information side, focus on data quality as storage becomes centralized. You can enhance your data in multiple ways, including the purchase of third-party data to augment your existing insights and adoption of additional data sources to help you make more evidence-based decisions across channels.
But data is only as valuable as your ability to link it together through governance and integration.
Integration: Microservices and APIs allow systems to send data to and from platforms in your ecosystem. Connecting your systems seamlessly eliminates the inflexibility that comes with high-touch, highly manual data exchanges.
Governance: The formalization of definitions, production and usage of data to manage risk and improve quality and usability of selected data. Without putting these guardrails in place, you won’t be able to make the most of your data for digital transformation.
Data management has to be about more than just identifying customers. Knowing who your customers are without insight into their behaviors and interests won’t benefit your digital efforts. If you want to dig deeper, explains the necessity of building your foundation of data management, data hygiene and persistent identification of offline or first party profile data and the impact on customer experience when that foundation cracks.
Read more: In times of uncertainty, data helps us stay connected
2. Insights
Data on its own won’t drive your digital transformation forward. The second foundational element of your strategy is insights—the actionable information you draw from your data.
Capturing and analyzing interactions for individual channels limits your ability to derive prescriptive insights that apply to the broader customer journey. By moving away from siloed data infrastructure, you’re able to run more unified reports that uncover broader actionable insights that make customer experiences more relevant.
There are four key considerations when addressing insights as a foundational element of digital transformation:
You need a singular analytics environment to derive the most valuable insights. Most endpoint solutions have their own reporting capabilities, but that information is limited to the teams who are use that particular platform. Unifying analytics gives you broader insights.
Business and marketing measures across your organization need to be consistent and optimized for digital transformation success.
You should leverage automated capabilities with AI, machine learning and decision engines once you’ve built a mature data infrastructure and singular analytic environment.
In addition to enhancing analytics capabilities, you need to take a customer-centric approach to enable more proactive engagement and interactions. Having a cohesive data set makes this possible.
3. Orchestration
The orchestration aspect of your digital transformation foundation is where you focus on creating audience and content to build out a customer journey.
With a data infrastructure built for digital transformation, you get integrated consumer attribute and interaction data that you can segment globally and locally for audience management across channels, functions and tools. Establishing programmatic access to data will help your endpoint solutions pull information in near-real time and enable enhanced campaign activation.
There are two high-level considerations for orchestration success:
Organizational goals and approach: Define what your business is setting out to do with each segment of customers. For the best results, you need to reduce audience silos across all audience management processes.
Segmentation: Identify all meaningful areas of separation and clustering among your current customers. Create segments based on demographics, loyalty data, purchase history and other insights that can improve the targeting of marketing activities.
4. Activation
The final foundational element of digital transformation is where everything comes together. Activation is where we create and optimize the consumer experience across all touchpoints—email, web, social media, direct mail, in-stores, etc.
But this is where we see a lot of technical debt. For example, someone in the organization bought an email platform years ago, but it’s designed more for B2C than your B2B organization and rather than sunset it, you just buy a new platform.
To avoid technical debt as you execute a digital transformation strategy, you need to:
Deeply understand your channel goals and the technology capabilities you already have that can execute those goals.
Identify the right platforms and then strategically create/deliver omnichannel experiences optimized by your actionable insights.
Increase campaign velocity—not so that customers receive more, but to develop and execute faster while reducing marketing spending.
Learn more: How to maximize returns on your martech investment
Bringing the elements of digital transformation together
If we know who customers are (data) and can see trends in their buying habits (insights), we can segment them correctly to deliver the right messages (orchestration) and connect through their preferred channels (activation). But that may seem easier said than done.
Marketing is complex. We need to build an enduring foundation by thinking holistically about how we can leverage underlying technology rather than focusing on each foundational block independently.
When you create your foundation, you’re fundamentally changing the way you do business. You’re unlocking audiences, creating data-driven marketing plans, achieving higher performance with less waste and generating reliable results.
Finding the right technologies to increase marketing efficiency while also elevating customer experiences will drive digital transformation success—and ultimately lead to increased brand loyalty and sales.
---
## As mobile financial journeys increase, so do gaps in understanding
Type: eps_post
URL: /mobile-first-banking-digital-insights
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T22:17:52Z
# As mobile financial journeys increase, so do gaps in understanding
There’s never been a more urgent time for financial service providers to effectively connect with banking consumers—with bank branches closed and consumers at home, that means going digital. Research mobile banking has risen 50% since the end of 2019.
But digital connectivity proves challenging thanks to mobile-first consumers operating across devices and channels of communication; piecing together data across multiple touchpoints is a difficult task unto itself, and it has only become more challenging with that it’s deprecating third-party cookies in the next two years.
In an increasingly mobile-dominant industry disrupted by an event forcing consumers to stay at home, it stands to reason that banks who get the mobile experience right will increase conversions and lower acquisition costs. A KPMG study showed exactly that: Enhanced mobile messaging decreased media friction by up to 25% and reduced acquisition costs by 21% to 24% for new loans.
Read on for insight into what causes media friction for today’s mobile-first banking consumers, as well as tips to enhance your digital messaging in this new normal.
The lending path to purchase
Consumers are constantly bombarded with generic messaging on their TVs, radios and devices. Although they are more in control of their media experiences than ever before, the advertising blitz is never-ending. In the 1970s, the average consumer was exposed to roughly 500 ads a day; today, that number can range from 4,000 to 10,000. No surface or space is safe from branded messaging.
Lending customers are goal-oriented and high-intention. Once they are ready to shop for a loan, they have endless options at their fingertips to research and compare lenders—and they are accustomed to the seamless and convenient digital onboarding process they see in other industries. For example, consumers can choose from multiple custom cell phone plans, select a new phone and activate service with just a few clicks from the comfort of their homes. They expect the same frictionless experience from their financial providers.
During the awareness and consideration stages, consumers are highly receptive to targeted ads and personalized offers, yet the financial services industry has been slow to deliver. McKinsey & Co. discovered the majority of new banking customers enter the funnel through digital channels, but a suboptimal experience results, with a leakage rate of 90%.
The path to purchase is digitally dominant until the consumer is ready to close the loan. At this stage, even omni-digital consumers often seek personalized information from a bank representative. KPMG found that as many as 25% of these high-intent consumers drop out due to media friction—in many cases, the bank failed to respond to a request for information or offered no convenient way to connect with a representative.
Read more: Forrester Financial Services Spotlight: Approve efficiency and improved satisfaction with identity resolution
Sources of media friction
While these friction points occur at every stage and in every channel, they are particularly noticeable on the digital path to purchase, specifically:
Messages are not served to the decision-maker
Prospect doesn’t see the ad
The message is irrelevant to the consumer’s situation
The offer is not clear
The medium is ineffective at targeting the consumer
The message doesn’t make it easy for consumers to check eligibility or get additional information
The prospect finds it difficult to take the next step (request information, speak to an agent, complete the application.
According to the KPMG study, media friction at the awareness stage occurs when ads don’t correctly target the decision-maker or aren’t relevant to the prospect’s situation. At the consideration stage, friction is caused by unclear offers and a lack of trust in the medium.
Social media’s influence, in particular, is waning with consumers. The Edelman Trust Barometer survey showed that consumers’ trust in information on social media is at a new low, dropping to just 30% in 2018.
Financial services who still rely on social media marketing are hampered by Facebook’s recent privacy updates, which limit their ability to reach people for credit-related products. This adds considerably to media friction: Banks are unable to target decision-makers with relevant offers or even know with certainty that the ad was seen by the prospect.
As prospects move from consideration to intent, media friction occurs when consumers are unable to easily find additional information, check eligibility, complete an application or contact a representative. Many prospects at this stage attempt to contact the financial institution before purchasing a lending product.
Learn more: Business (Un)Usual: How financial services are responding to COVID-19
Identity reduces media friction
In the context of FinServ, mobile messaging applies to the entire mobile ecosystem: Surfacing ads and marketing content, the in-app experience, text messaging and notifications, and mobile-optimized email. Leveraging mobile to reduce media friction means harnessing the capabilities of the channel as a whole.
But connecting a customer’s many mobile touchpoints isn’t easy, particularly with Google just announcing its deprecation of third-party cookies in the next two years, making reaching and understanding the average consumer that much harder (unless you go through Google).
How can financial marketers solve for this? Through marketing that is based on customer understanding. Using a solution that is based in real people, not just their cookies or devices, ensures financial brands can deliver the customer-centric experience that overcomes media friction points.
Most organizations recognize that identity is essential to their marketing strategies; our Forrester research shows that 66% of brands have had an identity solution in place for at least a year. However, the majority of them still struggle with maintaining accurate IDs over time and understanding what percentage of their addressable audience is active and reachable.
Consumer-based targeting, lookalike modeling, and high-intent digital signals tied to PII-compliant identity mean banks can reach motivated consumers with clear, customized offers.
Comprehensive identity resolution recognizes individuals across multiple devices and browsers and ensures that targeted messages are served to decision-makers, slicing through the fog of generic ads. Targeted messaging powered by an identity program—one that can handle consistent identifying the right consumers across digital, physical, SMS/text, email, banking app, digital media, mobile and desktop—eliminates mobile friction points and also provides a connected experience for the consumer.
The right identity solution gives financial brands first-party data enriched with third-party data insights in an ECOA-compliant environment, unleashing the power of mobile messaging and reducing ad waste.
Mobile plugs the relevance gap so consumers don’t fall out of the funnel due to messaging that doesn’t apply to their situation. Leveraging mobile’s unique functionality enables on-demand access via click-to-call, click-to-text and chatbots connecting motivated prospects with the information they need to close the deal. This overcomes leakage due to slow response times and streamlines the process for accessing customer service.
The bottom line
The financial services marketplace is no longer at the branch, it’s in the digital channels. Even before COVID-19, banking consumers were already heavily considering the digital experience on the lending path to purchase. Now, it’s crucial.
To create frictionless digital journeys, brands must optimize the mobile experience. This means understanding who exactly each person is across their various devices and channels of communication—an understanding derived from comprehensive identity resolution.
Interested in learning more about how financial brands fare with identity? Download Forrester’s research.
---
## Six signs you are ready to invest in Direct Mail
Type: eps_post
URL: /six-signs-you-are-ready-to-invest-in-direct-mail
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Six signs you are ready to invest in Direct Mail
Increasingly e-commerce businesses are considering catalogue marketing to drive sales. However, a key consideration is to identify the right time to embrace Direct Mail and take advantage of the benefits it brings.
Here are six indicators that serve a testament that the time is right to invest in the medium:
You’ve been trading for at least two years
Your business idea is proven, you’ve survived your first year and are focused on growth. Crucially, you have a customer base size that allows effective targeting solutions to be built, typically at least 2,500 customers.
Your digital channels are performing well
You are confident you’re getting the best from your digital activities. Your SEO, PPC, and retargeting are optimised; you’re happy with your site’s user experience and you’ve used your learnings to fine-tune your marketing. However, you’re reliant on a single or limited array of channels to reach your audience.
Your online growth is plateauing
This is the number one reason digital businesses test Direct Mail. Channels that have been successfully driving sales are tailing off. Marketing spend online is optimised and investing more delivers a decreasing Return on Advertising Spend (ROAS). As it’s more difficult to attract new sales at the same Cost Per Acquisition (CPA), other channels you may not have considered that can help reach new audiences become viable.
You need to grow sales and profitability
Customers recruited online are price-driven, often looking for the best deals. As you develop, you’ll want to cultivate a higher quality of customer. Catalogues allow you to recruit customers with a higher Average Order Value (AOV) who are more likely to buy again. And it’s these repeat purchasers that deliver profitability. Catalogues also expose people to new products. While search directs you to what you want to find, a catalogue is a source of discovery. It introduces people to new things they did not know about which encourages sales.
You want to develop your brand
There’s nothing like a physical catalogue to create an emotional connection with your brand. Your choice of layout, size, imagery, and paper quality all convey what your brand stands for. Its tactile nature drives an engagement that’s not possible to deliver online. Developing a catalogue helps your customer buy into your brand from the word go so you can develop a more meaningful long-term relationship with them.
You can commit to developing a new channel
Let’s be honest, catalogue marketing is hard. It’s more time-consuming, costly, and resource-heavy than digital channels with different metrics. It’s not a short-term option. It requires you to invest in the medium-term, and commit to a minimum of three mailing campaigns over 6-12 months to see the commercial benefits to your business. However, the benefits from a branding and sales perspective can be substantial.
In short, the expanding practice of digital marketing has only amplified the return on investment you can get from a successful Direct Mail campaign sent to your customers. Direct mail campaigns give a high ROI, they can work effectively in a campaign by themselves, or alongside a digital-marketing campaign as part of your omni-channel strategy. You can use Direct Mail to target the right customers at the right time and most importantly it’s measurable, it’s easy to track the results of each campaign you run. There is less noise than through digital channels and you can capture the undivided attention of your customers with its romantic appeal.
If you still need convincing whether Direct Mail is the right channel for you and why it should take a place in your marketing tool belt, view our latest client success story.
---
## How Location Driver accelerates sales of reopening stores
Type: eps_post
URL: /covid-19-location-driver-store-recovery
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# How Location Driver accelerates sales of reopening stores
Restaurant owners and retail leaders don’t have the luxury of isolating and focusing solely on their personal health. During this COVID-19 pandemic, you’re also fighting for the survival of your business as the negative impact of store closures continues to weigh heavily.
Adjusting business models and finding alternative ways to engage customers while adhering to social distancing policies has become the norm. But despite efforts to rapidly adapt, we’re still seeing record breaking decreases in restaurant and retail sales. In April alone, U.S. restaurant sales dropped 50% while retail sales fell an unexpected 16.4%.
While the situation is difficult, there’s reason for hope. Cities are moving into new phases of COVID-19 recovery, allowing stores and restaurants to slowly reopen their doors to the public. This isn’t a guarantee that we’ll return to our pre-pandemic life, but it’s a step toward normalcy and gives you an avenue to provide consumers with better, more familiar, experiences.
COVID-19 recovery depends on the location
There’s no such thing as a one-size-fits-all approach to COVID-19 recovery in retail and restaurants. You can’t flip a switch and suddenly reopen all of your stores as if nothing ever happened. Each reopening will come with unique challenges and requirements for you to address.
As you begin to open your doors again and adjust to the new normal, you have to focus on effectively promoting the news of your reopening. This process comes with a few important caveats as you consider the impact that each location faces and will face moving forward.
Not all locations will reopen at once: The first step to restaurant and retail COVID-19 recovery is recognizing the many timelines you’re dealing with. The cities your stores are located in will have different requirements for reopening and the timelines have to be addressed in your marketing plan.
Each location requires unique planning: In addition to timelines for reopening, each location comes with a unique and diverse customer base. Consumer reactions and local policies will impact business operations, requiring careful planning to counteract the impact of this situation. During the planning process, set goals that are specific for the needs of each location and budget accordingly. Understanding which locations will be able to open, which are likely to perform best and which will require more marketing resources to succeed is critical.
Local consumer behavior has changed: Whether individuals were most affected by mandatory store closures or they made conscious decisions based on health concerns, the fact remains that consumer behavior has changed. When planning to reopen, focus on the ways local consumer behavior has changed, recognize that some consumers may be anxious about shopping or dining in-store, and cater to their needs in both promotion and experience.
COVID-19 recovery can’t succeed with a high level, generalized marketing plans. The marketing world has been trending toward personalization and localization for years now. But as you reopen stores, focusing on local context is more important than ever.
Learn more: Recovery mindset: A phased digital media approach for restaurants
Two ways digital marketers can support reopenings
With coordinated efforts from many different departments, you can successfully promote and execute a restaurant or retail reopening. But what exactly can digital marketers do to help support the process?
Effectively leveraging digital media can make all the difference in the success of a reopening. The specific tactics and channels you use may change for each location. However, there are two universal keys to success that you should keep in mind—adapting messaging and remaining flexible to optimize your campaigns.
1. Adapt messaging
COVID-19 recovery and effective store reopenings in general are about building trust with customers. Especially now as safety becomes the primary consumer concern, you can’t afford to rely on generic messaging and impersonal marketing campaigns. Adapting your messaging and creative to keep everything relevant to each location and its customers means:
Keeping consumers informed. Update customers and prospects on opening dates and policy changes for both the initial reopening and follow-up plans. Be sure to include a local phone number in all creative so consumers can contact you with questions and c
Embracing behavior changes. Give customers a variety of options for engaging with your store or restaurant. Personalizing messaging based on individual preferences can improve marketing effectiveness.
Offering promotions. Nearly half of consumers will require at least a 30% discount to convince them to make an offline purchase early in COVID-19 recovery. Offering promotions can be an important factor in the success of your reopening.
Making customers feel safe. All consumers have some level of anxiety about shopping or dining in a reopened location. Clearly communicate your policies for keeping customers safe like social distancing guidelines, self-checkout planning, contactless shopping, etc.
2. Stay flexible and optimize
Reopening your store or restaurant will be a learning process for each location. During the planning process, you’ll find that reopening dates will be moving targets. As policies come to fruition, you may end up with multiple locations reopening at the same time. If you take a proactive approach and prepare as much for your campaigns ahead of time as possible, reopening multiple stores simultaneously won’t seem so daunting.
Beyond the planning phase, you’ll need to remain flexible as you evaluate the success of your campaigns. What works on the first day may not be as effective moving forward. Optimizing based on real-world results will be crucial.
Monitor the sales of each location and the form in which purchases are being made (including online, in-store, through an app, and via any other channels you may offer). As you gather that data, adjust location-level budgets as necessary to find the right balance and ensure you’re spending as efficiently as possible.
Location Driver: A solution for accelerating sales when reopening stores
The COVID-19 situation creates unpredictability for store reopenings that simply can’t be avoided. However, that shouldn’t mean that you have to go through the process blindly hoping that you’re effectively identifying and messaging the right local people to drive results.
This is something we’ve helped restaurants and retailers with long before the pandemic hit. Our Location Driver solution can help your COVID-19 recovery plans for reopening stores and restaurants through its ability to promote sales by location and deliver personalized messaging to the right people based on their location-level preferences.
Location Driver is the best digital solution to help you accelerate sales when reopening stores and restaurants because it offers:
Flexibility. Easily adjust marketing campaigns as you deal with unpredictable reopening dates and ever-changing local policies.
Store-level budgeting. Launch campaigns based on when each location is ready to open from a financial perspective.
In-campaign measurement. Receive store-level measurement to understand the impact of messaging at each reopened location. Additionally, receive online and offline sales reporting for those who converted after receiving messages.
Scalability. Execute multiple location-specific campaigns, compensating for large state-wide reopenings that may occur simultaneously.
Location-specific creative. Communicate any location-specific hours of operations, parking or pickup guidelines, phone numbers, directions and other information with the right customers.
In-market consumer identification. Use CORE AI to identify local consumers, not cookies, who are ready to buy offline. Marketers can efficiently spend budget money by reaching local consumers who show intent to buy offline.
Targeting beyond the POS. Enable marketers to target individuals and measure sales performance that isn’t captured at the point of sale using CORE Transact.
These features and benefits make Location Driver an effective solution for promoting the reopening of specific stores and restaurants.
In 2019, we used Location Driver when working with a leading beauty retailer on its goal of launching over 100 new stores. They needed a scalable solution that could drive sales at individual stores and tie marketing efforts back to online and in-store sales. Location Driver did just that.
By matching the retailer’s enterprise-level data to our 200 million+ consumer profiles, we were able to understand who was purchasing at each store, identify those consumers most likely to convert, and send messaging based on transactional insights. The beauty retailer gained $100 million in messaged revenue by driving 1.8 million purchases across 106 stores.
These results can be replicated in your own reopenings. When you’re ready to start making a data-driven plan for COVID-19 recovery and store reopening, contact us to discuss your campaign ideas.
If you're a restaurant marketer looking for innovative ways to boost near- and long-term revenue and begin coronavirus recovery, check out our new interactive guide here.
---
## How loyalty programs combat customer identity management challenges
Type: eps_post
URL: /loyalty-programs-help-combat-the-marketers-customer-identity-challenge
Last Modified: 2026-03-23T21:09:47Z
# How loyalty programs combat customer identity management challenges
Customer identity management is a puzzle that many brands can't quite solve.
A study on identity resolution from Forrester Consulting commissioned by Epsilon found that brands aren't driving maximum value and are continuing to make the same mistakes. The study reports that, without strong identity management, brands can’t deliver relevant messages, reduce waste, and optimize their ROMI (return on marketing investment).
As marketers struggle to “connect the dots” between the ever-expanding number of devices customers use to connect with their brands, they often overlook an important ally in resolving customers’ identity across channels: a loyalty program.
For years, marketers have known that loyalty programs play an important role in tying customers’ transactional behavior back to a known individual in order to optimize marketing efforts. For instance, retailers can tie in-store purchases back to a customer simply by connecting to a loyalty account.
However, in today's age of hyperconnectivity, many loyalty marketers miss out on how their loyalty program can help fuel their customer identity efforts. A recent Epsilon research report found that over half (64%) of respondents indicated that companies don’t do a good job using personal information to create personalized experiences.
Customer identity management is foundational to modern marketing. It helps brands understand who an individual customer is across multiple channels (and devices) to better target and optimize marketing efforts, including digital advertising. When marketers attribute customer behavior and interactions accurately, they can build better customer relationships.
In order to manage the myriad of customer touch points that capture customer identities, many marketers have chosen to build or partner with companies to maintain an identity graph or CDP (customer data platform) in order to create a single view of the customer across channels and devices.
Unfortunately, what is often overlooked is how a loyalty program can help fuel such identity management platforms in order to help a brand better recognize a customer across all channels.
Loyalty engagement powers identity
Winning loyalty programs are all about member engagement. Receiving early access to promotional events, offering special discounts on products, and challenging them to reach the next level/tier are all examples of how a brand engages with a customer and provides better customer experiences through a loyalty program.
With each engagement, the marketer has the opportunity to capture important data that ties a known member profile with the device they are engaging with. Additionally, since your loyalty program data is opted in, you can leverage it using an anonymous customer ID that makes it easy to have back-and-forth conversations with your customers and deliver powerful, human experiences.
For instance, upon enrollment, a customer provides some level of identifying information (e.g. email address, phone number, and in some cases physical address), which can easily and immediately be tied to the device they are using to perform the enrollment. Most times, the customer must go through the process of a multi factor authentication to also prove they are a real customer.
Further, as a member interacts with the loyalty program communications (e.g. emails) and touchpoints (e.g. mobile app, website, and even the call center) they reinforce the connection between the customer and device. All of this loyalty engagement data is incredibly valuable to the marketer. It provides a high-volume source of customer-to-device connective identity data, empowering loyalty marketers to communicate with their customers seamlessly by offering personalized interactions.
Identity insights in action
Retailers, for example, will find numerous benefits by leveraging the customer identity data fueled by a loyalty program. The continual refresh of this data can be used for targeting “next best product” offers via digital media to program members, as identified audiences with purchase history can be used to target highly relevant digital advertisements.
Marketers can also expect a significant increase in identified web traffic on first-party sites, which can be used for better site personalization and browse-behavior-driven email retargeting.
Additionally, loyalty program profiles containing multiple identifiers, such as a physical address, email address, phone number, social media handles, etc., can serve as a “golden thread.” This thread stitches together data from other channels where a full profile is not captured, in many cases to make the interaction seamless (e.g. capturing a phone number at the POS instead of having to provide a loyalty card).
**This post first appeared on L360.
---
## 4 CPG COVID insights for consumer marketing and what to do with them
Type: eps_post
URL: /4-covid-consumer-insights-for-cpg-marketers-and-what-to-do-with-them
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T22:17:52Z
# 4 CPG COVID insights for consumer marketing and what to do with them
It’s safe to say that everything is unpredictable right now. But with knowledge comes understanding, and for CPG brands, it’s important to know how consumers are shopping right now.
To that end, Epsilon surveyed consumers on their shopping habits and behaviors during the COVID-19 pandemic to understand: How are they really responding during this unprecedented time? The findings, detailed in our recent report, “Consumer Sentiment During COVID-19,” are indicative of the current consumer mindset and sales patterns, but also trends that will likely continue into Q3 (and beyond).
Here, we share the key findings for CPG brands from the research, as well as some recommendations to use those consumer insights—illustrated through brand examples. Read on for how to adapt your CPG marketing strategy for the next normal.
Read more: Consumer sentiment during COVID-19
1: Ordering online is up for all ages, and younger generations will continue
Although most consumers are still purchasing in-store at grocers, curbside pick-up and home delivery have become increasingly leveraged channels, with over 50% of Gen Z and millennials indicating they plan to continue shopping via these channels. What’s more, over 40% of consumers across generations are planning to use online channels to re-order. They’ve experienced an “ease of use” in their recent experiences and are happy with the time from order to delivery.
However, there’s a generational distinction: Younger cohorts like Gen Z, millennials and Gen X are most likely to order online with an app for pick-up, and Gen Z and millennials are also more likely to order online with an app for delivery.
Recommendation: Now more than ever before, CPG brands need to engage the right audiences at the right time via the right channels. Spray-and-pray marketing isn’t the solution when every ad dollar is on the line. Instead. With people spending so much time online, the key is to build digital marketing programs that stand out and encourage the consumer to engage or purchase.
A great example is Camden Town Brewery, a London-based craft brewer owned by Anheuser-Busch InBev. The consumer goods company recently created a Twitter campaign in which consumers bid for a single pint of beer via tweet.
This auction concept acknowledged the current situation (not being able to visit a bar or pub for a true pint of beer), and the engagement led to valuable multichannel visibility. In a show of sensitivity from the company, the proceeds from the auction were donated to “Hospitality Action,” a fundraising program to help stabilize the industry.
2. Consumers are buying everything at grocery stores, and craving in-store safety
Eighty-four percent of consumers across generations are purchasing groceries at grocery stores. They view grocery stores as a one-stop shop where they can purchase the majority of their necessary items (both grocery and non-grocery items) and limit multiple trips to specialty stores.
However, consumers shared they continue to shop at the stores that “make them feel safe.” The survey findings show that people prefer stores that clean each cart and basket in between uses, implement “one-way traffic” through the aisles and section off areas within the store to limit customers (produce, meat and fish counters, etc.).
Recommendation: Shift your messaging to highlight food and non-food products at grocery stores and provide assurance your brands are available and in-stock. If your brand is not present at those stores, then focus on driving to e-commerce. Safety-focused customers today want a one-stop-shop experience, so the more you can accommodate that preference, the better.
Suave, for example, highlighted the simplicity of in-store or e-commerce purchasing in a recent email about a new hand sanitizer product:
This email not only offers highly relevant product information, but also helps customers find where the product is in stock online or in-store near them. What’s more, this allows consumers to see the many retail buying options for a single product, so even if they don’t convert through the email, they can pick up the product the next time they’re at Target.
3. Consumers are settling for what’s left, even now
This email not only offers highly relevant product information, but also helps customers find where the product is in stock online or in-store near them. What’s more, this allows consumers to see the many retail buying options for a single product, so even if they don’t convert through the email, they can pick up the product the next time they’re at Target.
Consumers aren’t brand loyal right now. Our data shows that 85% of consumers across generations are not able to always find the grocery item they’re looking for. Looking at that stat across age groups, older populations (the Silent Generation) are most likely to find what they need at stores; however, their choices appear to be more mainstream and flexible. According to our survey, paper products, fresh produce and canned and dry goods remain the top three categories that are most difficult to find.
Recommendation: Focus on aligning and activating retailer and first-party data so you can know what people are purchasing. That will help you understand purchase behavior for those that are already buying from you and whether they are straying to other more readily available brands; use that information as a model for new customers to message or to take necessary steps to retain existing buyers.
And since a lot of people are changing their behavior and buying from new consumer goods companies right now (i.e., buying whatever is available on the shelf), it’s never been more crucial to individually identify purchasers from the past 60 days through identity-based marketing. If someone bought something from your brand in a panic, that product could just be collecting dust in the back of their pantry. How do you make sure they use and experience it?
Distribute communications that highlight the value of your products and show people using them—don’t simply encourage people to purchase the item.
For instance, Idahoan has a highly shelf-stable product. They saw increased sales at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic and wanted to ensure people used and experienced their product. To do this, they created digital ads highlighting recipes that use instant mashed potatoes, shifting to a “use now” versus a “buy now” mentality in their advertising. These communications were sent to people who recently purchased from Idahoan, encouraging them to use the product they just bought (and hopefully buy more in the future):
And, these communications are that much more effective through a personalized lens. By fully aligning consumer data with retail and first- and third-party sources, you can offer recipes (or how-tos, DIY videos, etc.) that appeal to families, singles and everyone in between. A bachelor, for instance, may not derive value from a family-sized mashed potato casserole recipe—but a parent of five? A much more effective match.
4. Snack sales are up—way up
It may come as no surprise that the consumption of snacks and pasta has increased the most overall. Twenty-eight percent of consumers said they’re eating more salty and sweet snacks in quarantine, and 24% said they’re eating more pasta.
Next on the list is “better for you” snacks at 22%, canned soups at 20%, and soda as the least increased consumption at 17%. Though it’s important to note that millennials and Gen X have both increased consumption of soda by 10% more than the other generations.
The larger point is that shelf-stable products are up as consumers look for items that can last them a while as they make fewer trips to the store overall. How can your brand ensure they’re getting your product and not settling for a competitor?
Recommendation: Take a cue from PepsiCo’s Frito-Lay. Killing two birds with one stone (boosting digital + meeting customers’ preference for more snacking), the company just launched two direct-to-consumer websites where customers can purchase food and snack items. The websites are aptly named Snacks.com and PantryShop.com, and most orders are guaranteed a two-day shipping turnaround.
PepsiCo going DTC is a big shift. As much as customers were forgoing brand loyalty at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, if DTC options like these become more prevalent, the chances of customers making multiple online orders to get their favorite products go up, especially in expansion categories like snacks.
What’s more, DTC buying presents a new opportunity for CPG brands: owning direct relationships with consumers. If Snacks.com and PantryShop.com take off with its core audiences, PepsiCo could bolster its omnichannel strategy with new insights from e-commerce consumer behavior.
Consumers used to be able to get everything they love at their retail or grocery store, but based on the above consumer insights, that could become a thing of the past. Will other big brands follow in PepsiCo’s footsteps? Will this affect brick-and-mortar retailers? Time will certainly tell.
Get all the CPG data in the full report: Consumer sentiment during COVID-19. And see more CPG trends, recommendations and examples of recent communications in our recent episode of Business (Un)Usual, which chronicles ongoing brand shifts during the COVID-19 pandemic.
---
## The importance of virtual conversations in a contactless world
Type: eps_post
URL: /the-importance-of-virtual-conversations-in-a-contactless-world
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# The importance of virtual conversations in a contactless world
Artificial intelligence (AI) has woven its way into the fabric of our everyday lives, and many of us are completely unaware of it. Our morning commutes are quicker, depositing a check online is easier, frustrating daily spam emails are fewer. And businesses are buying into it. According to Gartner, thirty-seven percent of organizations have implemented AI in some form—that’s a 270% increase over the last four years.
On a broader level, artificial intelligence has become a catalyst for improved digital customer experiences and personalization. While there are many forms of AI, one popular and widely adopted application is Conversational AI.
Conversational AI is designed to engage with customers for different purposes and comes in varying degrees of sophistication.
The most basic, the chat bot, is typically text-based and is programmed to reply only to a specific set of questions or statements. Chat bots don’t support prolonged human interactions but do provide a FAQ-like structure.
Conversational AI provides more sophisticated interactions with visitors, either answering questions in a fluid manner or giving them recommendations for products and services. It works to establish extended conversations with customers by not only understanding the language, but also the meaning behind what the user is saying—allowing it to learn from inputs to provide answers for unpredictable questions and perform slightly complicated tasks.
Conversational AI can improve almost every aspect of virtual connections and enhance the vital two-way dialogue between brands and consumers. The desire for services, coupled with the demand for fast and simple customer assistance, has created an ideal climate for Conversational AI to thrive.
An increasingly ‘contactless’ world
The idea of contactless experiences for customers, while not necessarily new, has exploded in the wake of COVID-19. Seemingly every business is trying to go contactless; even Walmart and Apple have implemented new business practices to go contact-free.
And it’s not necessarily out of innovation, but necessity. Customers are concerned about in-store shopping experiences, and probably will be for some time—even with improved in-person safety measures. Uncertainty has driven herds of consumers to scratch their retail itch online: Forbes reports that even retailers selling non-essentials have seen double & triple digit increases in sales.
With more customers venturing online, it’s make or break for brands to craft an exceptional digital experience rivaling that of instore. While this may seem challenging, what is lost from in-person shopping (immediate help from store workers, straight-forward returns) can be simulated online with Conversational AI.
Even prior to the everyday disruption from COVID-19, consumers were looking for ways to bypass lengthy contact methods, like calling a customer service representative hotline or venturing instore to get product information. The reality is that humans are stretched thin, and we’re constantly looking for ways to save time and energy. Conversational AI offers a solution by affording on-demand, immediate services that will satisfy customer needs.
The idea of the contactless world, while somewhat strange and unfamiliar, is likely here to stay.
Read more: Four elements that drive digital transformation in marketing
We want it now
Think back to the last time you were on hold with a company, awaiting help from a representative. The elevator music is blaring and you’re growing increasingly frustrated by the second, debating on ending the call. It’s a tale as old as time. According to a study from Velaro, it takes waiting on hold for one minute for almost 60% of customers to hang up. People want immediate and attentive responses, and they want it now.
Enter Conversational AI.
Rather than waiting to speak with a representative over the phone, customers can chat with a virtual assistant to solve pain points ranging from the most basic questions to full blown product recommendations and decision making help.
Conversational AI can break down language barriers, find information more efficiently, and generally eliminate human error from the customer service experience—and consumers have noticed. 56% of people would rather message a customer service platform than call.
This indicates a massive paradigm shift in how customers interact with brands digitally, and what their expectations will be moving forward.
How conversational AI can serve marketers
Let's get into some specifics on how brands are using it to improve the customer experience and impact the bottom line.
1. Service
Automation of customer service: Conversational AI automates basic, time-consuming tasks for consumers. It can retrieve quick account details, answer basic questions and preform transactions in the blink of an eye.
Example: Captial One's Eno.
Eno, a virtual assistant, “looks out for you and your money around the clock, reaches out if it spots something unusual, and helps you fix it.” It monitors transaction confirmations and spending details.Customers can interact via any web device or even via text and quickly order new checks, browse accounts, and even ask, “what is my ABM routing number?” Eno is a solid example of a service-driven program that takes the grunt work out of consumers’ banking experience.
2. Experience
Painless customer experience: Customer experience is everything. When its good, it’s great. But when it's bad, customers will actively avoid your brand and look elsewhere for services. Conversational AI has the ability to engage in seamless live chats that are goals-driven and ultimately help customers achieve something. It also can anticipate customer needs and inquiries to quickly respond with proactive suggestions. And of course, Conversational AI can be programmed to engage with humor and pleasantries for a more comforting and positive interaction.
Example: H&M's Virtual Assistant.
H&M’s official virtual assistant wears many hats. It can help customers with general questions and operational functions, but goes a step further by recommending items to customers based on past purchases. The assistant leverages existing information to deduce your gender and style preference to suggest relevant outfits (with prices). If you dislike what is suggested, alternate options are offered. If you want to take the next step to purchase the item, you receive a direct link to add it to your cart. H&M’s virtual assistant gives customers an easy and interesting way to discover new products while skipping the endless online shopping scroll.
Read more: In times of uncertainty, data helps us stay connected
3. Commerce
Bottom line impact: While bots and virtual assistants can be a fun way to engage with customers, they’re also an investment, and should ultimately improve your bottom line. Customer service cost savings, improved customer experience and engagement plus increased sales through upsell or product recommendations are just a few of the ways Conversational AI can help.
Example: Kayak.com.
Kayak’s chat bot is a best-in-class solution that aids travelers with online bookings and helps them get where they need to go (and even if you don’t know where you want to go, Kayak’s bot can help). It will inform users of the cost estimate for flights to a destination during a specific time period, then provide a direct link to book through their website. It can also share recommendations of activities in your desired location. If you’re not quite sure where you want to go, the bot will ask you a series of questions and list off locations that may fit your needs. The ease and convenience Kayak serves up is unmatched, increasing bookings and truly putting a “travel agent in your pocket.”
Each example above illustrates the value Conversational AI can bring to your brand. While of course contactless interactions are especially helpful now, they’re likely to become the new normal for brands across industries.
Customers will still demand positive experiences, online or not. This means brands must invest in strategies and technology that will make people’s lives easier, afford them information quicker, and foster the two-way dialogue that enables stronger connections between consumer and brand. As a natural evolution of digital transformation, Conversational AI is a useful tool to seamlessly evolve the customer journey with contact-free interaction and attentive responses, providing an improved service, experience and bottom line.
Want to learn more about how Conversational AI can make an impact on your business? Download this informational guide.
---
## Print isn’t dead, It’s dead sexy
Type: eps_post
URL: /print-isnt-dead-its-dead-sexy
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Print isn’t dead, It’s dead sexy
Today’s modern marketer is focused on an omni-channel strategy. Several brands have reached a plateau with their online marketing channels and are embracing the ‘love for print’.
Our clients are using print for new customer acquisition, customer retention, customer reactivation, along with cross-selling amongst brands for those clients that have multi-brand portfolios. They have also used print to drive demand online or to drive in-store traffic.
Let’s explore some benefits of adding print to your marketing strategy:
Print creates visuals that stand out in a crowd
Print creates an experience that is visually appealing to the eye. Seeing (along with giving, receiving and handling) tangible objects remains a deep and intuitive part of the human experience. Our clients often share with us that print enables them to get more personal with their marketing programs helping to create a 1:You.
The catalogue browsing experience is a positive one. In fact, consumers spend 15.5 minutes looking at a catalogue and keep it on their coffee tables for several weeks. And, 72% of consumers shared that catalogues make them more interested in a retailer’s products while 84% make a purchase after seeing an item in a catalogue.
Why?
Because consumers view direct mail as a proactive component of their buyer journey encouraging them to either make a purchase or learn more about the product’s benefits in another channel.
Print Drives new demand
Print as a channel creates additional demand for your products and services. It’s a channel that educates the consumer on the benefits of these products and services and influences them to further explore your brand in online or mobile channels.
Think of print as an experience. With today’s advanced technologies, marketers have innovated the catalogue experience by integrating AR (augmented reality) with their catalogues by adding quick response (QR) codes that activate mobile phone cameras and trigger a ‘digital twin’ of the product. This digital replication is life-like and allows the consumer to preview features they’d see in-store.
For example, the home design brand Houzz leverages AR within their catalogue. Consumers who use Houzz’s AR technology are 11x more likely to purchase and 2.7x times more engaged, meaning they stayed on the site longer. So how did Houzz achieve success? By following a four-step process: They discovered the story they wanted to augment, identified the emotions they wanted to generate, created a storyboard of the ideal experience and integrated the AR technology to implement the vision.
Print Increases ROI
Print is an expensive marketing channel when compared to others currently available; however, clients continue to see the value and increase in ROI from leveraging the direct mail channel.
The average return on investment for Direct Mail is £3.22 from each £1 spent compared with online’s £3.12 for every £1 spent. When integrated with other advertising channels, direct mail becomes even more powerful. According to BrandScience research, the online component of campaigns pays back 62% more and the TV component pays back 37% more when there is direct mail in the mix. On average, direct mail pushes up return on investment from £2.81 to £3.40 for every £1 spent.
At the end of the day, any emerging marketing channel due to technology will disrupt print, however print will remain an important channel for many of our clients based on the value it brings to their brand and the uplift it can bring when integrated with digital channels.
So how can you get started?
Create a roadmap for building out the print channel and test each component including targeting, offer, sale, creative and growth potential. And always keep front and centre the three pillars of print success – offer, audience and creative.
And remember, PRINT ISN’T DEAD – IT’S DEAD SEXY!
---
## Modernizing digital marketing: Strategy as a Service
Type: eps_post
URL: /modernizing-digital-marketing-what-strategy-as-a-service-means-to-us
Last Modified: 2025-01-31T18:04:17Z
# Modernizing digital marketing: Strategy as a Service
Winning the hearts of clients in today’s ever-changing digital world isn’t just about being digitally savvy or talking the digital language. Rather, it’s about constantly pushing the boundaries of digital marketing services and coming up with ways to deliver on your promise to drive competitive advantages for clients.
For as long as I can remember, conventional engagement has focused on the product while strategy has been thought of as an add-on service. Now, we’re seeing a transition toward an “as a service” approach becoming an integral part of overall digital marketing services. The problem is that the “as a service” buzzword has been applied to just about everything in business.
What exactly does “as a service” mean when applied to strategy? That’s what we’re going to dive into here.
The impact of a strategy approach to digital marketing services
Cloud computing brought with it the “as a service” model, creating a rapidly changing business landscape and a boom in strategy consulting. Consultants made it easier for clients to overcome the challenges of new forms of engagement and explore transformative opportunities that align with the mechanics of business and technology.
Now, our clients are looking for long-term relationships with strategic partners that can talk about the big picture, cut through all the noise, steer clear of time-wasting jargon, stitch a story together and deliver in weeks instead of months. This is exactly where “Strategy as a Service” excels.
Over the years, I’ve been fortunate to take part in large-scale strategy consulting engagements where there are multiple tracks going on in parallel with different tasks ranging from employee experience strategy to supply chain optimization planning. Many times, this led to confusion within leadership as everyone had different schools of thought for their individual workstreams. But all it took was one whiteboarding session to synergize it all with the leadership team and get on a path to success.
To put this in perspective, one of India’s largest fashion companies had a vision of personalizing customer experience at their brick and mortar stores. To do this, they first had to figure out what kind of data they had available to enable personalization. This meant almost 30% of their time was spent digging out data and then another 30% was spent analyzing it, which led to a lot of overlap and confusion as each brand had a different perspective of the data.
To bring order to this chaos, a strategy approach was laid out where the objective was to be use case driven. The use cases were further divided into “earn a penny” and “save a penny” categories, making it easier to converge everyone’s time and energy.
The outcome was a prioritization of distinct use cases across brands like Market Basket Analysis for Cross Selling, Churn Modeling for Customer Win Back, and Next Best Offer for Personalization, all of which helped leaders “look for data that will help drive these use cases.” The strategy approach not only got all the leaders to a single school of thought but also ensured visibility into what each brand was trying to accomplish in terms of personalization.
Read more: In times of uncertainty, data helps us stay connected
Strategy supports a holistic view of digital marketing services
My biggest takeaway from those experiences was the need to draw the big picture top down at the very beginning, which has a bigger impact than approaching it bottom up through multiple tracks and then thinking about convergence later. It doesn’t matter whether it’s a conglomerate you’re dealing with or a specific industry client—all that matters is how (and at what touchpoints of the overall thought process) the different pieces of the puzzle fit together. Presenting that view in the very beginning is critical.
With that experience in mind, it’s essential that we approach any business problem or opportunity with the knowledge that strategy brings in a holistic view of things. From a “Strategy as a Service” perspective, we perform discovery sessions for clients, not because we have an objective to achieve after a few months, but because we have a big picture goal in mind that needs to be achieved over a few years.
Modern digital marketing services cover all foundational components of strong marketing programs like data, technology, products, approach, recommendations, and risks. Considering all of these components together leads to a strategy that spreads much wider than short term goals ever could.
If a "Strategy as a Service" approach is working, we’ll have early indications of responsiveness from clients from a broader perspective. That might mean they’re willing to accept change, stuck at the starting line and looking for guidance or ready to take on transformation initiatives that lead to increased awareness and more channelized decisions being taken. That will be the litmus test.
Tailor-made digital marketing services with Strategy as a Service
“Strategy as a Service” is tailor-made thinking that works for the unique requirements of each individual client. The incorporation of learnings from similar industry peers and in-depth subject matter expertise will lead to faster turnaround times, greater trust in our established methodologies, and recommendations and ever more collaborative relationships being nurtured.
"Strategy as a Service" starts with understanding the current state of the client based on fact-based needs and opportunities. Then, you supplement those needs with best in case examples, design the future state with workshops and prototypes and finally come up with a value/cost implementation roadmap. Of all these steps, we must put special emphasis on prototyping. It’s the single best means to validate an idea. And while there are plenty of tools for prototyping out there, it’s just as important to be creative in conveying the right message.
For example, the travel technology company, Sabre, uses the “Sprint Method” to validate business ideas with customers. This method is a five-day process for answering critical business questions through design, prototyping, and testing ideas with customers. It’s a “greatest hits” of business strategy, innovation, behavior science, design thinking, and more—packaged into a battle-tested process that any team can use. With the right team and mindset in place, this method won’t take up too much time.
Another great example, and one of my favorites, is how Rick Kazman of the Software Engineering Institute explains prototyping for developing big data systems. He not only identifies the six risks involved in developing big data systems, but also highlights how you manage the risk through prototyping. I’ve seen these recommendations live in action as we applied the minimum viable product (MVP) for a data ecosystem build for one of our CPG clients. They minimize time spent on iterations by focusing only on those features that allow product development and continuously aligning with stakeholders.
Roger L. Martin has another interesting perspective on how to approach this. In his view, strategy is iterative prototyping that addresses the 5 key questions of strategy: what is our winning aspiration, where will we play, how will we win, what capabilities we must have, and what management systems are required.
None of these methods are complete without the right skillsets and professionals within a digital marketing services provider. Clients make a judgment about service providers based on the quality of deliverables and the passion showcased through this journey. It’s essential we make transformative changes to the way we upskill ourselves to talk the language that clients understand and hold their hands throughout the entire journey. Most of all, I recommend you focus on soft skills like rapid prototyping and problem solving.
We’re facing disrupted times at a scale the world has never seen before. And as companies transition to “as a service” offerings, we need to bring in levels of transparency and knowledge that generate trust with our clients.
With "Strategy as a Service", we all sail these stormy waters together, which brings in more collaborative working principles that are backed by being trusted partners in the journey that drives long lasting relationships.
But this isn’t a fire-and-forget approach or a shock-and-awe move. It’s about remaining invested in constantly adjusting the services to the changing market dynamics and client needs.
Learn more about Epsilon’s strategy and insights services.
---
## Understanding impact: A practical guide to marketing attribution
Type: eps_post
URL: /understanding-impact-a-practical-guide-to-marketing-attribution
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T22:17:52Z
# Understanding impact: A practical guide to marketing attribution
For marketers today, understanding the customer journey to an actual sale is just as valuable as the sale itself. But it’s not an easy task. Between devices, consumer IDs, channel variation, walled garden platforms and much more, how does a marketer actually begin to understand an individuals unique journey to buying? That’s where attribution modeling comes in.
Marketing attribution models allow marketers to assign credit to different touchpoints along a customer’s path to purchase. They help marketers get a clearer picture of when and how different marketing channels contribute to conversion events.
In this guide, you’ll learn everything you need to know about marketing attribution modeling, including its structure, benefits and limitations.
What is attribution modeling?
Digital attribution modeling encompasses numerous methods marketers use to segment and assign conversion credits to the appropriate channels visitors take to get to the final conversion behavior.
Many advertising platforms, like Facebook and Google, provide you with several ways to evaluate the data attribution model within their platforms. For instance, Google Ads lets you know which particular keyword search added most to the particular user conversion if they visited many keywords within Google Ads. However, it's important to keep in mind that because it’s a walled garden platform, you won't know for certain how that information relates to the user journey outside of Google. The same goes for Facebook and Amazon, or any other walled garden platform you use.
Types of attribution models
The digital advertising ecosystem has a number of different ad attribution models based on the provider you’re working with and/or the channel you’ve chosen.
As a simple way to explain the how different attribution models assign value to certain marketing efforts, we’ll look at one user’s buying journey across a number of different interactions that ultimately resulted in a sale: an ad impression, ad click, email open, app impression and direct search.
Here are a few of the models you may encounter:
Last Interaction Attribution
It is the default conversion model of Google Analytics that gives full credit to the very last traffic source which resulted in the conversion of a user.
Example: If a person wants to book a cruise and searches for “Carnival Cruises in the Carribean,” and ultimately converts, the value would be given to the direct search, as it was the last customer interaction prior to conversion.
Although it’s a pretty straightforward model and easy to integrate, it doesn’t guarantee accurate attribution data. This is because Last Interaction Attribution doesn’t take any other user engagements with the company's marketing efforts into consideration. Per the example, the search is more to simplify navigation for the users and doesn’t account for what actually caused them to choose Carnival in the first place—as that was already included in their search query. We know that the customer journey is often nuanced and sporadic, and that many different online and offline interactions often guide a customer to convert—not just the last event. However, this model could be helpful to understand your best channels that customers often convert from.
Read more: 4 reasons your identity program isn't working, according to Forrester
First Click Attribution
Also called first interaction attribution, this model gives credit to the first user interaction with a brand.
Example: A person may initially click on an Instagram ad to a website. The person doesn’t buy from that initial engagement, but then they start seeing digital media ads for the product they were looking at on Instagram. A few weeks later, they buy the product after researching it more. In first-click attribution, all of the credit would go to that initial Instagram ad and none of it would go to the subsequent media buys, which clearly also had an influence on the individual.
Similar to the the last interaction model, first click attribution doesn’t provide conclusive data. This is because it ignores any subsequent engagements the customer may have had with other marketing efforts after the first interaction. While this model is also extremely straightforward and easy to integrate, it completely ignores important and valuable marketing interactions a customer may have had after the first one.
Last Indirect Click Attribution
This model assigns all credit to the last visit of the users that’s not from the “direct” channel.
Example: A customer is looking for a new refrigerator. They engage in a few marketing efforts and checking the brand's app before ultimately using direct search on Google to purchase the refrigerator. Last indirect click attribution would assign total value to the app impression, because the customer already knew about the brand from previous marketing efforts, guiding them to reach the website via direct search.
Using last indirect click attribution is a bit more helpful that last interaction attribution because when a company receives direct traffic, a customer is willingly searching and visiting your site—meaning they already know about your brand. But how did they know? Most likely, there were multiple different marketing events that informed the customer about your brand prior to that direct visit, so this model assigns value to the last marketing interaction prior to that direct visit. However, last indirect click attribution still gives the most value to only one event.
Read more: The evolution of measurement: How ad waste brought us to ROMI
Linear Attribution
This model attributes credit to all traffic sources that are involved in the conversion process evenly. Unlike the other models, it offers a vast improvement in terms of reporting accuracy.
Example: A person initially sees a display ad for a new pair of shoes. After engaging in different digital marketing efforts, they eventually search for the brand and convert. Linear attribution would assign equal weight to all the digital marketing interactions the customer had prior to buying the shoes, rather than assess which channels may have been the most influential to the purchase.
While this does provide a more balanced view of what influenced a customer to convert than the previous models discussed, it does assign equal value to every marketing interaction. In reality, some channels may have been far more effective in getting a customer to convert than others.
Time Decay Attribution
Time decay attribution is a more advanced variation of linear attribution that gives more credit to the traffic sources that are closer (in time) to the ultimate conversion.
While time decay attribution is similar to linear attribution in that it spreads credit out to multiple marketing events, it assigns greater value to those that occur directly before the customer converts. This model, while still helpful, overall ignores more top-of-the-funnel awareness efforts.
Read more: The evolution of measurement, part II: The value of online and offline
Position-Based Attribution, or U-Shaped Attribution
This model gives the most credit to the first and last engagement while the rest is assigned equally to the touchpoints that occurred in between. In Google Analytics, this model gives 40% credit to the first and last interaction of the entire conversion journey, while linearly distributing the remaining 20% to the rest of the visits.
Example: A customer purchases a new bathing suit. Prior to the purchase, their first point of contact with the brand was from an ad impression and the last was a direct search to the website. Time decay attribution allots the majority of credit to those two interaction and splits the rest evenly through the middle.
While model also assigns credit to all marketing events, the most value is given to the first and last interaction. This method is ultimately helpful for discerning which channel first engages your customers and the last prior to converting, but it still does not fully consider the influence of marketing efforts between.
Pros and cons of attribution models
Regardless of the type of attribution, digital marketing professionals face the continuing challenge of being able to tie all the various touchpoints available to their customers together for a bigger picture.
Below is a table that summarizes the pros and cons of each model so that you can understand how the different models for attribution stack up:
Attribution model
Pros
Cons
Last Interaction
Maximum extension, popular, standard
The other channels are not taken into consideration
Last Indirect Click
Favors the last channel that’s not related to direct traffic
Same as above, but the moment of conversion is moved to slightly up in the chain of events
First Click
Credits the interaction that initiates the buying process (or creates the need)
Channels that register participation later are not credited
Linear
All channels are equally credited
A banner click is given the same credit as a newsletter click. This means a new click is as valuable as one already in your CRM
Time Decay
The closer to the sale, the more value
The click that initiated the buying process is not credited
U-Shaped
Both the opening and closing clicks are credited
Blindly assigning more credit to the first and last interactions can result in giving too much credit to two potentially low-value touchpoints
The importance of attribution modeling
Attribution modeling helps marketers better understand which parts of their marketing are bringing in the most prospects, leads and opportunities into their sales funnel.
However, a valid advertising attribution model must include all channels your visitors might use to arrive at your website. Otherwise, your calculation will be inaccurate and mostly overestimated. While each model discussed above does have its own set of pros and cons for your business, often a customized solution with a combination of models provides the most accurate view of the customers journeys. Ultimately, working with a partner who can assess your unique business case will provide you with the most accurate results.
Are you seeing some gaps in how your brand measures your marketing programs? We can help.
At Epsilon, we can help you develop long-term brand strategies, spearhead your customer data integration, implement cross-device tracking and build one-of-a-kind media marketing programs.
Read more: 3 steps to mastering digital media measurement
---
## Building omnichannel loyalty in a contactless retail world
Type: eps_post
URL: /building-omnichannel-loyalty-in-an-increasingly-contactless-retail-world
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T22:16:49Z
# Building omnichannel loyalty in a contactless retail world
The unexpected hit of COVID-19 has jolted the retail world into a need for transformation. In March, when stores were suddenly shuttered, retailers had to quickly pivot their omnichannel approach, from evaluating brick and mortar to creating contactless customer experiences.
While the pandemic has accentuated the pain points of the entire retail industry, it has also accelerated conversations about how and when retailers will evolve. According to Epsilon's recent survey, Consumer Sentiment during COVID-19, 1 in 7 consumers across generations aren’t sure what will reassure them to return to retail storefronts.
As we look to emerge from the shutdown, retailers must move forward into a new era of creating a relationship with their customers across channels and experiences. There are three key themes emerging that we believe will help retailers succeed in building brand loyalty in an increasingly contactless world:
Optimization of the customer experience
Treating loyalty as an outcome, not just a program
Ability to quickly adapt and pivot
Optimization of the customer experience
CX expectations and delivery
Customer experience (CX) has become table stakes in retail, yet ever-increasing customer expectations continue to challenge brands. As more and more brick-and-mortar retailers emphasize digital channels, brands must constantly evaluate to ensure they are delivering the best possible CX seamlessly across online and offline interactions. So what do brands need in order to deliver the best CX?
Identity: a consistent and persistent single view of the customer across all channels.
Data: 360° view of your customer to reveal the person behind the ID. Behaviors, preferences, motivators, etc. Data needs to be democratized and mobilized across the organization – it’s not just for use in CRM or Loyalty marketing communications.
Technology: not point solutions but rather technology that enables activation of data and scales business results such as greater personalization and better experiences.
Orchestration: brand interactions are agnostic of channel. Arming store associates with the same customer data points as any digital channel ensures brands can create a frictionless experience.
Brand strategies should address improvements and reengineering of website, in-store technology, mobile apps and e-commerce platforms. These building blocks create a solid foundation upon which you can reimagine a well-planned and executed customer experience strategy.
Contactless CX
Elements of digital transformation that were in discussion, but plodding along in pilots and tests, are now gaining more attention and resources as we emerge from COVID-19 shutdowns. Most of these fall under the umbrella of creating a contactless experience. And consumers report they are more than ready for this change, with a recent survey from Shekel reporting that 87% of shoppers say they would now prefer to shop in stores with touchless options.
Self-checkout kiosks have been available for some time, but as we emerge from the pandemic, their adoption is increasingly rapidly as evidenced by Shekel’s finding that nearly 75% of shoppers now frequently using self-checkout to pay for groceries.
Kroger is one retailer who is combining checkout, payment, and loyalty in one succinct app-based product. Announced just last month, “Kroger Pay” came to market as a contact-free checkout option billed as part of Kroger’s ongoing efforts to protect and support store associates and customers from COVID-19. The app lets customers to scan a pin-protected QR code at checkout, and it can securely integrate with your Shopper’s Card, digital coupons, and preferred credit or debit card. Importantly, the app connects with the Kroger REWARDS programs, incentivizing use with 2% cash back on private label brands while awarding bonus fuel points.
Dick’s Sporting Goods amped up their contactless curbside pickup service with a video showcasing PPE-wearing staff safely opening the trunk, placing in items and then the customer is good to go. Their healthy, stay-in-vehicle messaging reinforces deeper trend towards touch free efficiency and cleanliness. In addition, Dick's promotes high-need products with call-outs that inventory is re-stocking daily.
Treating loyalty as an outcome, not just a program
Making an emotional connection
The opportunity for every retailer to leverage your unique brand voice has never been better, and recasting customer loyalty strategy to ensure these brand promises are effectively communicated can be the best path to success. Consumers are looking for a value proposition that reflects the holistic nature of each brand with elements such as brand authenticity, transparency and a connection to global and environmental causes that resonate with them.
Truly progressive brands have evolved to look at ALL of their customers through a loyalty lens; not only those who are enrolled in their loyalty program. These innovators practice Big "L” loyalty, using their loyalty strategies and tactics to create exceptional customer experiences, inspire passion and trust and engender long-term relationships. These emotional connections then serve as the steppingstone to matriculate customers into a permission-based loyalty program. From there the brand can glean the data and insights to deepen the relationship and deliver more personalized experiences. And the customer can feel confident that their privacy and preferences are being respected.
In times of crisis like COVID-19, brands need to ensure they are connecting with the needs of their customers with sensitivity and empathy. Here are two examples of retailers who have connected with their customers, which reinforces that their brand promise is central to how the next generation of customer loyalty programs will be created:
Autozone used a “helping over selling” approach where product-centric savings, rewards and offers are balanced with much more purpose-oriented messaging. This example shows how their DIY content, encouraging education and engagement, is balanced with a promo to join their rewards program and other deals.
Patagonia took a unique tact as they prepared for the rebound with a .com reopening announcement. This email linked to a COVID-19 update where, they restated values that align with pandemic social conscious, which synced with their overarching brand mission: buy local, repair over new and avoid consumerism.
Ability to quickly adapt and pivot
Now more than ever, if retail brands don’t adapt to new customer expectations in this digital world, they’ll fall behind. According to Profitero/Kantar’s The 2020 eCommerce Organizational Benchmark Report, just 17% of brand leaders believe their companies are ahead of the curve when it comes to organizing for eCommerce. The vast majority (71%) report they are merely keeping pace or catching up.
During COVID-19, retailers had to be instantly creative and they responded by adding functionality to mobile apps, introducing online order and delivery, and taking an increasingly omnichannel approach to customer communications. So as we emerge from the pandemic and reopen the economy, how should retailers navigate? Based on findings from our study, we recommend the following:
Consumers are missing the in-store shopping experience, but have adapted to digital channels. They prefer to purchase online and pick up in store so make this experience as seamless and pleasant as possible. Innovate with technology that makes it easier for customer to interact with your brand, such as curbside pickup or contactless delivery.
Keep your email messaging strategy top of mind. Consumers want to hear from you in this time of uncertainty as long as the message is relevant to their current needs.
Focus on how to incorporate a new reliance on digital as you’re planning for the re-open of stores. Be agile—different locations will have different needs. Create a fluid infrastructure at the program level, operations level, technical level, employee level that is nimble and expectant of on-going change.
Continue to readjust your messaging and respond to change and uncertainty.
Your customers are going to want choice with how they interact with your brand. Arm customers with the power to control the conversation through stated preferences in your website or app. Then be where they are to maintain the best relationship.
Loyalty is becoming more integrated into operations, which translates into stellar customer experience. It’s all about reflecting the brand and highlighting key messages and this provides a tremendous opportunity for loyalty strategies to evolve.
By giving thought to the ideas shared here and integrating them into our customer loyalty strategies, we have the potential to find breakthrough success and leapfrog to a new reality.
Learn more about Epsilon PeopleCloud Loyalty.
**This post originally appeared in the Wise Marketer.
---
## How retailers are adapting their back-to-school planning
Type: eps_post
URL: /how-retailers-are-adapting-their-back-to-school-planning
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T22:16:49Z
# How retailers are adapting their back-to-school planning
The back-to-school shopping season is going to be different for all this year – brands, students, teachers, parents and so on. Everything seems different as we continue to adapt to this ‘new norm’. In fact, from our recent research, we learned that over 67% of consumers across generations feel that things are never going to be the same again. With so many ‘unknowns’ and speculation about what the 2020-2021 school year ‘will look like’ across the different states and regions, how can you as a retailer best plan for the back-to-school shopping season? By focusing on the facts and what’s in your control.
Consumers are actively making purchases across the different channels. From our Epsilon research, we learned that consumers across the generations have now started to resume their usual spending. And 48% of them have increased their internet browsing time since the COVID pandemic and continue to be eager to learn about promotional offers. These are key indicators that consumers are ready to shop, and whether students will be participating in school in a virtual or in-classroom setting, creating the ‘ultimate student experience’ while making it special is top of mind for retailers.
Download our latest research to learn more: Consumer sentiment during COVID-19
Understanding what brands are focusing on and how they are adjusting their back-to-school strategies during this ‘new norm’ is important. Here are some considerations for marketers to apply to their back-to-school strategies:
Each school district, under local authorities, is going back in different ways
Many are going back to the physical school building, others are remaining online, and some are considering a hybrid between both. (While some students who are at a high health risk will decide to stay online no matter what the district may put into place.) Whatever the scenario is for students to go back-to-school, it’s important to communicate and be there for consumers when they are ready to shop. Focusing your marketing efforts on the areas that are going back in August versus September can help. And with our Epsilon Geo Spend data sets, we’re able to provide this detailed insight to marketers to help them effectively plan a results-driven back-to-school campaign.
Don’t dismiss the importance of the ‘first day of school’ outfit even if you’re virtual
School age children crave the latest fashion. It’s their opportunity to ‘reinvent’ their style, be authentic and ‘set their fashion tone’ for the school year. The National Retail Foundation reported that for the 2019 back-to-school shopping season, K-12 families spent close to $400 on apparel, shoes and accessories. While although this year will be different whether in-classroom or on-camera virtually, students still want that ‘first day of school’ outfit, in addition to the fact that children quickly outgrow their clothes from year to year. And we’ve learned from our Epsilon research that apparel sales are on the rise which is a positive indicator for retailers.
The need for supplies, regardless of the ‘type of learning’ remains constant
Staples, the ‘ultimate supplier’ of school supplies and beyond, began their back-to-school promotions on June 20th. Staples is communicating through their marketing efforts that students are going to want or need most school supplies regardless of whether the learning takes place at home or in-school. And, they’re modifying several of their marketing displays both in-store and online to adjust to the new back-to-school shopping experience in which students of all ages enjoy.
Technology is now more important than ever
While there continues to be so many unknowns with the ‘type of classroom’ in which students will return to, one thing remains constant – there will be a need for technology. For example, as college aged students shift from the technology devices they used during their high school tenure (laptop, Chrome book, iPad), to college, they now need to purchase their own computer. And brands realize this is an expensive back-to-school purchase and are incorporating promotions and discounts into their marketing programs to off-set some of these costs. For example, Apple announced they’re giving away a pair of AirPods with the purchase of a laptop. Consider how you can bring more savings to the consumer during the back-to-school shopping season.
Be mindful of how your messaging strategy needs to adapt
While the retail marketplace continues to be inundated with COVID-19 messaging, it’s time for marketers to include back-to-school messaging in their campaigns. And remember, consumers at this time – now more than ever – are receptive to promotional offers. In fact, over 50% of consumers across generations would like emails to include promotional offers. And, consumers are starting to shift their online search requests from ‘summer fun’ to the needed back-to-school items. As a brand, consider how you can best package your back-to-school offers. Your digital messaging strategy is now more important than ever.
As you’re continuing your back-to-school planning, think about how you can adjust your plans to meet the needs of consumers. For example, contactless options are something consumers appreciate. In fact, 52% of parents reported they plan to use curbside pick-up for their back-to-shopping needs this year. Even though the back-to-school shopping season will be different this year, it’s still happening and is right around the corner.
To learn more, download our latest research report: Consumer sentiment during COVID-19.
---
## Treating loyalty as an outcome, not just a program
Type: eps_post
URL: /treating-loyalty-as-an-outcome-not-just-a-program
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Treating loyalty as an outcome, not just a program
Making an Emotional Connection
Consumers are looking for a value proposition that reflects the holistic nature of each brand with elements such as brand authenticity, transparency and a connection to global and environmental causes that resonate with them.
Truly progressive brands have evolved to look at ALL of their customers through a loyalty lens; not only those who are enrolled in their loyalty program. These innovators use their loyalty strategies and tactics to create exceptional customer experiences, inspire passion and trust, and engender long-term relationships. These emotional connections then serve as the steppingstone to matriculate customers into a permission-based loyalty program. From there the brand can glean the data and insights to deepen the relationship and deliver more personalised experiences. And the customer can feel confident that their privacy and preferences are being respected.
In times of crisis like COVID-19, brands need to ensure they are connecting with the needs of their customers with sensitivity and empathy. Here is one example of a retailer who has connected with its customers, which reinforces that their brand promise is central to how the next generation of customer loyalty programs will be created:
Patagonia took a unique tact as they prepared for the rebound with a .com reopening announcement. This email linked to a COVID-19 update where, they restated values that align with pandemic social conscious, which synced with their overarching brand mission: buy local, repair over new and avoid consumerism.
Loyalty is becoming more integrated into operations, which translates into stellar customer experience. It’s all about reflecting the brand and highlighting key messages and this provides a tremendous opportunity for loyalty strategies to evolve.
Delivering on your Objective to grow your loyal base through more strategic targeting of new and existing customers
Abacus Campaign 360 is an audience selection and fully managed campaign deployment solution with dedicated resource synchronous with your brand. It is the smart way to deliver highly targeted direct mail to both existing and new customers in real-time to boost your website sales and acquire customers which are more likely to become loyal customers due to relevance (personalisation) and insight that the Alliance delivers on your 'perfect customers' buying behaviours.
By using Epsilon Abacus Campaign 360, you can gain access to:
the expertise and support of a dedicated, experienced Analytic Consultant to provide advice and recommendations with strategic and campaign planning and support business needs
a dedicated team of highly skilled and experienced analysts to run your campaigns and support your data needs
full use of the Abacus Alliance data in your campaign solutions to enhance campaign performance
‘ We have used the Campaign 360 management solution since 2014. Our data consultant continually stays abreast of our business objectives and the recommendations we receive are very appropriate and thorough. We are safe in the knowledge that our campaign strategy is driven by qualified insight and as a result, is making a significant difference to our results.' Rowena Allen, Marketing Manager, Brora.
{{cta('84168de2-4a52-4e4a-9091-45f443facfb7')}}
---
## With cookies crumbled and IDFA DOA, it’s time for a better identity strategy
Type: eps_post
URL: /with-cookies-crumbled-and-idfa-doa-its-time-for-a-better-identity-strategy
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T22:17:52Z
# With cookies crumbled and IDFA DOA, it’s time for a better identity strategy
Among many other disruptive changes, 2020 is proving to be the year of identifier deprecation.
In January, Google made waves in the ad tech ecosystem when it announced plans to end support for third-party cookies within two years.* And then last month, Apple announced that application developers in iOS 14, its mobile operating system, will need to seek end-user permission before gaining access to Apple’s mobile device ID, also known as Identifier for Advertisers (IDFA).
This update is expected to roll out in the fall, and we expect up to 80% of users to be on the new operating system by the end of the year.
While disruptive, we at Epsilon believe this announcement presents an opportunity for brands to rethink their identity systems and how-and who-they partner with for their digital media revenue.
What this means for user experience
On iOS 14, every app will display a pop-up notification at launch asking users whether they want to allow tracking or not. If someone wanted to opt-out of interest-based advertising before, they would have had to manually enable the Limit Ad Tracking (LAT) feature. Epsilon has seen user adoption of the setting at around 10%, though industry surveys claim adoption levels ofover 30% in the United States.
Although Apple made this switch in the name of privacy, another part of its goal is likely to shift its app ecosystem from an ad-supported model to a subscription model. This will not only affect the experience the customer has on the app, but also the way company and app management go about their organization and identity strategy.
While this news isn’t necessarily surprising, what’s unclear is how consumers will respond to the new way the applications are operating. There arevarying points of view on how many people will allow tracking, with predictions as low as 5%, all the way up to 70%. App developers will have some control over how the language is presented to their end-users which could help increase opt-in rates.
What this means for app developers and their identity strategies
Many iOS app publishers rely on the ad-supported model and removing accessibility to IDFA will significantly disrupt their revenue tactics and hamper their app download marketing strategies. They will need to shift to encouraging users to opt in to IDFA for personalized ads in exchange for free and valuable content.
What this means for advertisers and the advertising industry
This move will make effective advertising on iOS more difficult and leave those affected with a limited timeframe to prepare. Marketers and publishers will likely begin prioritizing strategies to maximize user consent to preserve the use of IDFA for targeting and measurement, and/or resort to previous methods or services like contextual-based advertising.
Of the three groups impacted, advertisers are bearing the brunt of the identity management pain in several ways:
Targeting impact: Advertisers will still be able to deliver messaging on iOS apps, but not distinguish between individuals. Obviously, this will be much less efficient.
Pacing impact: Advertisers will be unable to implement frequency caps by individual and waste budget by repeatedly messaging the same person.
Measurement impact: Advertisers will lose the ability to calculate return on ad spend in iOS because they won’t have the IDFA to connect messaging to conversion events like registrations and purchases.
Personalization/creative impact: Without IDFA, advertisers will lose the ability to personalize and continuously optimize the creative messaging to the individual they are targeting. They’ll also lose the ability to do A/B splits and to test and optimize creative.
Fewer choices for advertising on iOS: This will further increase advertiser dependence on walled gardens such as Facebook and Google, which have account-based logins and thus don’t require IDFA.
The degree of impact of IDFA is still a big unknown, as it hinges on how publishers and their users will respond. We will begin to understand the true impact of the identity system changes once iOS14 starts to roll out in mid-September.
In the meantime, we’ll continue building on the foundation of CORE ID to reduce dependency on tracking cookies and mobile device IDs. Epsilon also has direct relationships with a fast-growing network of over a thousand high-quality app publishers which provide a significant value to their consumers and end-users, and are therefore more likely to gain IDFA consent.
As with any industry shift, we’ll work closely with our clients and partners to learn, innovate and adapt so we can withstand any changes forced by the major browsers and mobile operating systems. And we’ll continue to provide the best experience for consumers and outcomes for our clients, all while keeping customer data privacy at the forefront.
*Editor's note: In May 2023, Google announced the deprecation has been pushed to 2024.
**This post is an update to an article originally posted onAdweek, July 2020.
---
## Ask the expert: How can retailers succeed this holiday season?
Type: eps_post
URL: /ask-the-expert-how-can-retailers-succeed-this-holiday-season
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Ask the expert: How can retailers succeed this holiday season?
When shelter-in-place orders were first instated in March, retailers had to close their doors in an effort to stop the spread of COVID-19, resulting in a steep drop in sales for everyone. While the decline was not totally out of the blue, retailers are still feeling the pressure: according to Epsilon data, consumers across generations still have mixed feelings around when they will return to stores.
Now, retailers are at a pivotal point to try and make up for lost revenue. With a presidential election fast approaching and the holiday season looming in the distance, it's imperative brands have a strong Q4. But this holiday season is not like any other we’ve seen; the strategies brands have used in the past don’t necessarily apply in the same way this year.
COVID-19 restrictions are wavering and it appears we are in this for the long haul, potentially even into the holidays. Customers are especially wary of returning to retail stores with all this unknown. Not to mention, each individual customer feels differently about shopping in-store right now. Because of this, brands must fully understand the wants and needs of their customers, and communicate clear, effective messaging at the individual level.
In order to better understand how retailers can use identity to connect with customers and stand out as a brand—all while hitting key KPIs—we consulted a few retail marketing experts to see what kind of advice they would give for this unusual holiday season.
Prompt: What piece of advice or tips would you give retail marketers on how they could use data and identity to succeed this holiday season, especially with the changes in shopping behavior due to COVID?
1. Holiday messages are more important this year than ever
Karen Schnelwar, Vice President, Global Brand Strategy and Marketing, OXO Brands
“Identity is core—both brand identity and consumer identity. At the right moment with the right message, the twain shall meet. In this new normal, signs of the familiar and the trusted are vitally important, especially when this connection is more virtual than ever.
“To this end, what a brand stands for—what they offer, what they believe, what difference they make in the lives of their consumer—must telegraph at all points of touch. More and more consumers are choosing brands based on shared values; the key is reaching these consumers with a genuine, resonant message.
“Holiday time is noisy, but in a year when families are not all going to be able to be together for the holidays—travel is difficult, social distancing is vital—holiday purchases will mean even more.”
2. Know your customers—and how their habits have changed
Pete Krainik, Founder, The CMO Club
“There are three key questions retailers need to have answers to for holiday season success:
Do you really know how your most loyal customers have changed their behavior these last few months?
How have customers’ new experiences where convenience matters most impacted their buying-decision processes going forward?
What new competitors have emerged during this pandemic that were not on your radar four months ago? Who has expanded their footprint into your place in the market?
“Your ability to leverage data and customer identity to answer these questions will have a direct impact on your holiday season success.”
3. Use what you know about the customer to drive lift and revenue
Jessica Hendrix, President and CEO, Saatchi & Saatchi X
“It’s critical to start with a specific retailer objective and defined audience to drive incremental behavior change. While COVID has changed where and how consumers are purchasing in the present, it’s critical to still leverage past data to target the right audience for an unknown holiday environment.
“This, combined with a clear link between insights and retailer media execution, will increase effectiveness and compliment the physical retail experience. By analyzing lift through these various data points, we can truly impact category and brand growth—even in an unknown holiday environment.”
Watch now: The election & holiday 2020: Consumer insights for a proactive marketing plan
4. Personalize where it matters most, and don’t wade into unnecessary data
Jason Goldberg, Chief Strategy Officer, Publicis NA & host of the Jason & Scot Show podcast.
“Before getting into advanced personalization, make sure you have the basics covered. Don’t ask for customer info you won’t use, and make sure you use the information you do collect for the benefit of the customer. For example, use exclusion lists to not retarget me for products I’ve already purchased from you. Be extra careful about retargeting ads, which could spoil a gift surprise on a shared computer.
“Because travel and many traditional holiday rituals will be disrupted this holiday season, it’s a great time to personalize digital amenities. For example, can you offer an online ‘Secret Santa’ drawing for friends and families that can’t get together to draw names? Can you offer gift wrapping for delivered gifts, for family members that can exchange gifts in person?”
5. Reward your most loyal customers with exclusive perks and ease
Kelly Nickerson, Vice President, Strategic Consulting, Epsilon
“This holiday, make your valued customers feel special during a time when new traditions are sure to be forged. Disruptions from quarantine, limited travel and the economy mean the pressure to find the perfect gift—and sending it well ahead—will be intensified for everyone. Reward VIP and loyal customers with the benefit of pre-order, early selection and free shipping with an in-stock guarantee that’s sure to please.
“Consumers now more than ever value service over lowest price, and providing insider access to popular toys, gifts and clothing while it’s still in size and on shelf nabs the sale early, too. Black Friday competitive madness creates disappointment for those slow to the trigger; with lessened physical store options, early-shop opportunities at higher margins is a perk in and of itself.”
6. Reaching and engaging lapsed customers is the key to success
Matt Feczko, Vice President of Product Management, Epsilon
“Holiday season is an opportune time to message lapsed customers, as that is when they’re most likely to reengage with your brand. We’ve seen that lapsed customers’ share of total sales doubles during holiday season compared to non-holiday time periods.
“In a recent conversation with multichannel retailer, we focused on two key factors: reach and optimization. First, ensure your data onboarder has superior match and reach to maximize the audience available for messaging, and make sure they have persistent identification to continuously build on the conversation—reminding lapsed customers why they should buy again. Second, when it comes to optimization and avoiding media waste, you need a solution that can identify which of the millions of lapsed customers are ready to buy right now.”
Download our latest research to learn more: Consumer sentiment during COVID-19
As you have heard from our experts, identity is the key to creating relevant, valuable and empathetic messages to share with customers. Ultimately, brands can better address customer needs while still reaching key business objectives. Investing in understanding customers on and offline should be at the forefront for brands in order to have a successful holiday season this year, no matter what changes are thrown their way.
If you’re looking for more resources on how the election and holiday season will impact consumer spending, check out or recent webinar with eMarketer: The election & holiday 2020: Consumer insights for a proactive marketing plan.
---
## Email’s growth potential
Type: eps_post
URL: /future-growth-potential-of-email-marketing-strategy
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T22:20:56Z
# Email’s growth potential
Email marketing is a victim of its own success.
Not only do overcrowded inboxes present a challenge for marketers, but email’s effectiveness at driving immediate results can also distract from its broader potential to build customer relationships through even the most complex customer journey.
To their detriment, brands often view email as a “free” tool and focus too heavily on sending high volumes of email to create short-term revenue gains through promotions. While email remains a great channel for regularly—and reliably—connecting with customers, there’s a missed opportunity to use email for much more: as a branding element; as a market research and data collection tool; and as a personalized, outcomes-based channel for developing conversations with individuals over time and cultivating consumer relationships. As marketers have turned to email to connect with and reassure their audiences amid the COVID-19 crisis, the medium has shown its versatility.
This unique moment comes as marketers already have begun to reexamine the channel’s possibilities. The objective? Experiment with data and analytics to drive more personal, interactive and contextually relevant email conversations. Email, in other words, can be a utility that actually isn’t even about the conversations it facilitates so well.
We asked two email experts—Oded Benyo, president of Epsilon’s PeopleCloud Messaging solution, and Shar VanBoskirk, vice president and principal analyst at Forrester—for their take on the future of email marketing and how marketers can accordingly evolve their email marketing strategy.
Given email’s somewhat utilitarian reputation among marketers, it was interesting to see how many brands turned to the channel for critical messaging during the COVID-19 crisis. It suggests that perhaps marketers are rediscovering something about this medium that they’ve always understood yet haven’t consistently acted on. Given that, what is the unique personality and potential of email—not as we’ve seen it most commonly used, but at its best?
ODED BENYO: Email is a very intimate, personal channel that allows a marketer to have a conversation with a consumer. It gives consumers very relevant, specific information about things that matter to them at a time when they want to read it. The intimacy factor is significant because consumers are happy to receive very personal, specific messaging in email.
But we’re still reliant on an old approach to marketing—of thinking of marketing by channel as opposed to thinking about marketing by consumer. If you think about an interactive campaign with a consumer with multiple touch points, email will be one of those, and you can be extremely creative. And now we have the technology and the ability to bring personalization and intimate communication into the channel. We’re going to see an increase in the reliance on email because it’s going to allow marketers to be more relevant and more specific.
SHAR VANBOSKIRK: Email is the first social medium. Email is in its nature interactive. But most of the time, marketers don’t leverage it that way. They don’t think about email as something that can drive interactivity and connection between a brand and a human being, or between human beings and other human beings. There’s a lot of potential there for marketers who can think about harnessing the uniqueness of the medium itself and not just use it as a dry method for delivering a coupon.
Marketers should understand that email is an extension of their brand promise and a place where they can demonstrate their brand promise. If right now you’re thinking about email as an ad hoc way to send out coupons, or even an ad hoc way to try to create a personal conversation with a customer, you are under-leveraging it.
"Email works so well that everyone wants to take advantage of it. It is the sweetest grass; it’s the place where everyone goes to graze their livestock."
—Shar VanBoskirk, Vice President and Principal Analyst, Forrester
The best email programs are ones that balance business goals with user needs. Most of the time, email marketers forget about the user need part of that equation. What do customers need from your brand? What do they need overall, as human beings who have fundamental needs for community and for safety and for entertainment? Once you’ve answered those questions, then you can ask, “What is my brand goal, and how do I balance what I need as a brand with what my customer needs?” A good email program will fit in that balance.
Epsilon PeopleCloud Messaging: saw a 50% increase in email opens throughout March. Additionally, engagement went up as the stay-at-home period set in: 9% and 28% increase in opens and clicks, respectively, for emails sent on the platform from April 5-12.
Why do so many marketers go astray? What are the email marketing challenges that can keep programs from fulfilling that potential?
VANBOSKIRK: Email works so well that everyone wants to take advantage of it. It is the sweetest grass; it’s the place where everyone goes to graze their livestock. When that happens, pretty soon there’s no grass left for the livestock. Gradually, consumers and business customers are seeing so many emails in their inbox that they start feeling like email is really hard and super crowded.
But that doesn’t mean email doesn’t work; it just means that the challenge of being a good emailer has gotten even harder. Now it’s not just about leveraging the medium well, it’s about making sure that your email stands out from everyone else who might be kind of average, and certainly from everyone who’s ugly and clunky and crowding up what is otherwise a really effective medium. Email is cheap enough that bad emailers are almost not penalized for doing things in a clunky way. It doesn’t cost them enough for them to stop sending bad emails. That means good emailers are having to stand above the cacophony—not just once you’ve opened an email, but even when you’re just looking at the myriad messages in your inbox so that you know which ones to trust and which ones to pay extra attention to.
BENYO: It’s the nature of today’s business world that when you have a channel that’s less expensive, it gets less attention from executives. So sometimes people misconstrue or misunderstand the importance of email marketing. I would argue that for those bad emailers who think it doesn’t cost them much, it is costing them in that clients are turning them off, not paying attention and disconnecting from the brand. There’s a residual impact over time. However, we as an industry have not done enough to measure and demonstrate the overall effectiveness of email.
Email campaigns are very easy to measure in one sense, but I don’t get the sense you’re referring to those traditional metrics. What needs to change in how we evaluate email if we want to better capture its true value?
BENYO: Everybody needs to start to look at email programs over time and how they affect the behavior of the consumer over time—it’s about nurturing client relationships. Too many marketers continue to measure email programs in a very episodic way: They send an email and right away they ask, “How many clicks did I get? How many conversions did I get off of those clicks?” Well, you may have a portion of consumers that respond that way, but a large portion of them are still gathering information, especially on a considered purchase. Increasing the aperture of time is critical.
"Data is the fuel for all your communication. The more you leverage and use the data to inform your decisions and content, the better off you are."
—Oded Benyo, President of Messaging and International Offerings, Epsilon
VANBOSKIRK: There are effectiveness metrics, which are how effective email is at accomplishing my immediate goal, such as driving sales. But email might also be effective in other ways: Am I looking at how much value my email customers are bringing to me over time? Is email effective at building and maintaining client relationships, even if it’s not driving an immediate sale? Are my email customers worth more to me than my non-email customers? Is email offering an assist to other channels, like shortening the time it takes for my sales to close or making it less expensive for me to buy media in another bucket? And then, are there efficiency metrics that you could put in place that are looking at the time to convert or the effort to convert? How is email shortening or improving the efficiency of those conversion efforts.
Learn howCoach delivered personalized inbox content that drove 18% more engagement and a 3.7% higher average order value using our unparalleled data resources, and EPC Messaging’s machine learning and decisioning engine
Advanced metrics aren’t the only way big data has affected email. It’s also opened up a lot of possibilities for marketers in terms of email personalization strategy and contextualization. When it comes to integrating data with email marketing, what’s the best-case marriage of data and design?
BENYO: Data is the fuel for all your communication. The more you leverage and use the data to inform your decisions and content, the better off you are. Creative becomes the outlet and the manifestation of that data. You have all that information, but then it becomes about how you express it, how you share it with the consumer, how you put it in front of them. The most important role that creative plays is to humanize the relationship—to take the content and make it personal, meaningful and relevant, so it feels like it’s more about you and less mechanical. That’s where the art comes in and leveraging all that data to make something that connects with people on a personal level. The marriage of the two is critical.
Email is the perfect channel for personalization and one that people expect to be very personal, very intimate, very meaningful. The importance of personalization in email marketing today is well known, but until now, it was very hard to do. We didn’t have big data; we didn’t have the processing power. We’re just starting to get there now in terms of the ability to really personalize messages for every individual at every time. Now that we do, email is going to stand out because of the ability to do that in a context where people are ready to receive it, whereas in other mediums—like digital media, push notifications, in-app environments and pre-roll video ads—they may not be.
VANBOSKIRK: Where data-driven email marketing gets overwhelming is when a marketer feels like they are supposed to be collecting everything. And many marketers do: They hoard data, and they become data-heavy but not necessarily insights-rich.
An email marketer might do well to collect all types of data, but they might find that one type is more useful in terms of the payout that they get from exploiting it. It might be easier for you to identify the particular data that will help you offer a message that can be really in line with what your customers need.
How does data-driven personalization of email marketing affect optimization and testing?
BENYO: Traditionally, optimization was about A/B testing, where you break everybody into two groups. But in the world of personalization, optimization takes on a completely different look, because now you’re almost optimizing for every consumer individually. Drawing too many conclusions from a group that’s too large is essentially a failure to leverage the technology that allows you to optimize at a much more granular level.
Instead, you want to try and manage the communication at an individual level or based on a very small group of individuals that have similar behavior patterns. People who make that leap find that they are able to get the overall impact of the email program to be a lot more effective. You have to rely on technology to do it, but it changes how you think about optimization because it’s no longer in big buckets, but rather, you’re optimizing for the individual.
VANBOSKIRK: Marketers should balance business goals with user need as they’re making optimization and trade-off decisions, so they’re not just trying to send out communications that will give in to customer whims. For example, you could look at what kind of communication gets the best customer response from the customers that you care the most about, based on margin and revenue expectations.
Adapted from an audio interview with Benyo and VanBoskirk. Listen to the full interview.
EpsilonMktg · Expanding on email: In conversation with Forrester and Epsilon
Core Insight: Taking the long view on email can produce lasting results. Look at email metrics over time to determine how messaging is influencing customer behavior. Understanding how email drives actions over a longer period ensures you’re focusing on relationship building rather than one-time, instant results.
Oded Benyo, president of messaging and international offerings at Epsilon, is responsible for driving growth across Epsilon’s industry-leading Epsilon PeopleCloud Messaging business, which is focused on creating personal email conversations between brands and their customers to drive performance. He also oversees Epsilon’s international growth, adapting the company’s offerings to local markets and ensuring support for customers in their home countries.
Shar VanBoskirk, vice president and principal analyst at Forrester, helps CMOs lead customer-obsessed strategies at their firms while also transforming their marketing functions to deliver brand experiences that are relevant to empowered customers. Her research focuses on marketing strategy, budgets, staffing, organization and creating an operating model for customer obsession.
Main image credit: Illustration by Caleb Fox; Source imagery: DamienArt/Shutterstock
Secondary image credit: Andis Rea/Shutterstock
---
## Entertaining at home: 5 tips for marketing your restaurant’s catering
Type: eps_post
URL: /entertaining-at-home-5-tips-for-marketing-your-restaurants-catering
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T22:16:49Z
# Entertaining at home: 5 tips for marketing your restaurant’s catering
Although we’re starting to see restaurants open their doors as stay-at-home restrictions lift, we are entering a new normal. And that new normal entails:
Fewer nights of eating out and more of staying in
Fewer business lunches out and more in the office (including home office)
Fewer celebrations at venues and more outdoor garden parties
All of that “fewer and more” is not only the current reality, but also predicted to continue well into 2021. COVID-19 is rapidly and drastically shifting behavior more to small-venue options, whether that be patios, backyards, neighborhoods—you name it.
It’s critical your restaurant is prepared to meet consumers’ needs via catering options now and into 2021, because many have already gotten started and are now only continuing to refine.
Certain restaurants, for instance, have begun to offer family “meal pack” options. In the communications promoting these packs, restaurants highlight their economical value for the family or group of friends looking to take a night off cooking but not break the bank (see email examples from Maggiano’s, Panera and Texas Roadhouse below). According to our recent consumer research “Consumer Sentiment During COVID-19,” while the majority of consumers are cooking at home, between 14-26% are opting for meal kits right now, with Gen X leading the trend.
It’s high time to boost your catering marketing efforts. But marketing to the everyday consumer party planner in 2020-2021 isn’t just about setting yourself apart from other restaurant brands offering similar options. You’re also competing against typical item-based take-out and home cooking (our data shows over 80% of consumers are cooking at home).
But when you leverage advanced data and put it to work effectively, you can sync up with customers looking for what your restaurant provides. The following five tips will help restaurant brands find and connect with the right individuals as they’re planning their next home-base gathering.
1. Adjust to each person’s journey
Effective year-round marketing for restaurant catering is all about crafting relevant messages unique to each person’s needs during the planning process. For these customers, restaurant catering options are just one aspect of the larger planning process. As you get closer to the upcoming event or holiday, planners may become increasingly busy and stressed, making it difficult to cut through the noise with marketing tactics.
Finding the right opportunity for inserting your restaurant catering message is all about understanding each individual’s journey. For instance, when you know that a certain consumer makes an uncharacteristically large grocery store purchase every year the weekend before Labor Day, you may have an opportunity to connect. That context tells you the person has an annual holiday party for that weekend—why not offer personal messages with the promise of making it easier to entertain by catering in?
Similarly, if you know they frequently order from your restaurant for everyday take-out, why not highlight your family-style catering options (perhaps in an in-email menu, as seen in Goddess and the Grocer’s communications below) as a holiday approaches? Knowing more about the individual, their relationship with your brand and historic spending behavior allows you to personalize across that person’s planning journey.
Most marketing teams struggle to achieve this level of personalization. However, gaining access to years of transactional data and consumer profiles makes it possible to identify these opportunities and capitalize on them throughout the year.
Learn more: 5 building blocks of identity management
2. Scale your marketing efforts
Access to advanced transaction-level data is only the first step toward effective marketing for at-home catering options. Once you have granular insights into thousands or even tens of thousands of ideal guests, what exactly do you do with them all?
Delivering personalized messages to each individual target customer is critical. While true 1:1 personalization hasn’t traditionally been seen as a scalable tactic for many marketers (oftentimes settling for extremely small cohorts—but even in a cohort of 50, you have 50 different individuals), artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning make it possible. Between the consumer profiles you have for your own loyal customers and the third-party insights you access, you get a strong foundation to run AI and machine learning algorithms that deliver the right messages to the right customers at precisely the right moments.
3. Create always-on digital media campaigns
You have the data and the automated systems to scale your personalization efforts. But how can you maximize the effectiveness of your engagement strategy? When it comes to digital media, putting all of your eggs in one basket with a single vendor, like Google or Facebook, could lead to missed opportunities to engage consumers that spend more time on other platforms and in other channels. You also can’t assume that everyone you want to reach is only available on a few specific platforms; again, personalizing to the journey means each individual’s journey, not just where you think your audience is.
Creating always-on digital campaigns means connecting with customers everywhere they go digitally. That includes your website, relevant news sites and publishers, in-app environments, at home on their TV, on streaming services, and any other touchpoint you can think of.
Effectively marketing your catering options isn’t about mastering a handful of channels. Rather, it’s about orienting your marketing around the customer and their preferred channels. That’s what will get your brand and services to cut through the noise of competing marketing messages around the holidays.
4. Take advantage of deeper loyalty data
Transactional data isn’t all that matters when crafting a digital marketing strategy for your catering services. If you’ve already built out a solid customer loyalty program, you have an additional layer of insight into the needs, preferences and behaviors of customers. When you take advantage of this data, you can start focusing your marketing messaging on the specific types of meals a customer might prefer around certain holidays.
For example, do you know that one of your best customers frequently hosts a Mother’s Day event? Leading up to the holiday, don’t just send messages with generic catering offerings. Connect on a deeper level and offer brunch services with some of the foods you know that customer frequently purchases.
This same principle applies to all kinds of aspects of the catering process. Do you already know about a customer’s dietary restrictions? Is there a specific type of food you know the customer always avoids? Tap into your loyalty data to take the personalization process a step further to best meet customers’ needs.
Get the whitepaper: Catering to customer cravings
5. Customize the message
It’s crucial to remember that all the messaging in the world won’t capture revenue opportunities if what you’re offering isn’t the right fit for someone’s needs. Why market catering options to guests that have never dined with you? Why market catering options to guests that don’t entertain? These are just two examples of how marketing dollars can be wasted when you’re simply looking at audiences and not the individual.
The reality is that many current and potential catering customers will have a variety of needs based on their individual preferences and buying habits. Consider the following scenarios:
If a customer is an avid at-home cook: they probably want to make all food items for entertaining themselves. But it doesn’t mean they can’t be swayed with the right message. Your marketing should reflect add-ons and sides to complement the main dish they’re likely making themselves and focus on easing their day-of cooking burden.
If a new-to-your-brand customer entertains often: they probably already have a few go-to catering options. This is an opportunity to entice them to try your brand instead, and your marketing message should highlight a discount for first-time catering orders (like the recent $100/$50 catering option from Pinstripes below).
If you’re talking to a loyal takeout customer that orders a lot of individual items on a regular basis: this is an opportunity to talk to them about catering instead. Your marketing message should focus on getting their favorite dishes in larger quantities for at-home entertaining or just for economy of scale for their regular orders.
Connect with guests looking for what your restaurant can offer during this unique time
As takeout and delivery become more of the norm for every restaurant brand, finding the right distinction for catering options is more complex. If your restaurant brand owns your online ordering system, you likely know more about your customers than ever before. However, if you use a third-party for this service (as many restaurants do), you likely have fewer insights on individuals’ ordering habits. But not all is lost.
Data should be the foundation of your marketing strategy, where you use your own first-party data coupled with third-party insights to truly understand each individual’s habits inside and outside of your brand.
As difficult as it is to adapt to this new normal, it also gives your restaurant new opportunities to deepen existing customer relationships and establish new ones. This is an important time to meet customers’ needs by boosting your catering marketing efforts, and it starts with understanding who they are.
Catering is just one side of a restaurant’s offerings. As you prepare to open up (or maybe you have already at limited capacity), learn what steps you can take now to build a revenue recovery plan for your restaurant brand’s future in our e-book Recovery mindset: A phased digital media approach for restaurants.
---
## Lessons from the DTC revolution
Type: eps_post
URL: /lessons-from-direct-to-consumer-marketing-strategy
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T22:20:56Z
# Lessons from the DTC revolution
Upstart direct-to-consumer brands weren’t supposed to be able to do this.
According to the traditional playbook, these brands, known as DTCs, should struggle to carve out anything more than a niche business with their limited budgets. A decade ago, the notion that there would soon be a tidal wave of DTCs grabbing meaningful marketshare, raising huge amounts of venture capital and even going public—well, it would have sounded not only unlikely, but absurd.
It happened, though. And it continues to happen, as more DTCs learn to translate their direct line to consumers into powerful, personal brand relationships. In a presentation titled “Fire your CMO: Marketing’s future will not resemble its past,” LUMA Partners’ Terry Kawaja notes how DTCs have taken an approach pioneered by software companies and applied it to more traditional goods and services: using first-party data to understand their customers with exceptional clarity and contextual specificity, then tailoring their messaging based on those insights.
It’s proven to be a potent strategy. DTC retail brand revenues, for example, are growing at four times the rate of traditional retail, according to The Winterberry Group. And it’s not just retail: DTC brands have disrupted nearly every category, from fitness to financial services. As choices multiply, many consumers no longer care if a brand is well established. Instead, they want products and services tailored to them and their lifestyle.
The investment app Robinhood, for example, doesn’t charge fees for individuals to trade stocks, funds and options—a departure from the commissions charged by traditional financial service providers. Robinhood, launched in 2015, has 10 million users. E*Trade, which has been around since 1982, has 5.2 million.
After a decade of watching consumers abandon traditional brands in favor of DTCs, traditional marketers have little choice but to acknowledge that DTC marketing has hit on something powerful. Many businesses are now pressed to learn how these brands have built (and kept) a passionate following. In particular, direct-to-consumer marketing has demonstrated an ability to translate an understanding of product and service needs into greater value for the price, which, in turn, forges trust and loyalty with their customers.
Download our DTC research to learn more: Direct to growth: What all brands can gain from the new DTC world
“One-to-one communication—that’s what has been fostered by DTC companies,” says Susan Hogan, senior vice president of research and analytics at the Interactive Advertising Bureau (IAB). “They have a model for storytelling that really puts the brand into an emotional, heart-and-mind place that positions the brand and resonates well.”
But it goes beyond personalization. Direct-to-consumer brands fundamentally understand that it’s a price versus value equation: How do you ensure the perceived value of the product is higher than the price you’re asking for?
“Traditional brands didn’t quite appreciate the value equation at first,” says Greg Shugar, CEO and creative director of Beau Ties of Vermont. “DTC brands created an opportunity in that complacency and new companies popped up—eliminating the retailer—and created new products that offered real value. Eventually, traditional brands got wise to it, but they were too late and the landscape was already crowded with DTC brands.”
But DTC brands also face serious challenges as they work to retain their appealing, personal touch: They’re dealing with the pressures of growth, scale and competition. Several high-profile, high-growth DTCs— including Casper, Outdoor Voices and Airbnb—have struggled to turn the corner to profitability. Casper, for example, loses $349 on every mattress it sells, according to Scott Galloway, a New York University marketing professor and author of The Four: The Hidden DNA of Amazon, Apple, Facebook and Google.
Nonetheless, top DTCs have figured out how to capture their audiences’ time and attention by bringing to their industries a new approach to developing relationships:
They’re digital natives who built their brands using owned and shared media, such as their websites and social channels.
They use the first-party data gleaned from those channels to understand and relate to customers with exceptional insight.
They employ storytelling strategies that harmonize well with the strengths of their channels and resonate with customers weary of traditional marketing techniques.
DTCs took a perceived weakness—a lack of access to traditional retail and distribution channels—and turned it into a strength by seizing on the potential of their direct, unmediated interactions with customers. In turn, they created a revolution for building consumer relationships—and how to translate it into business success.
Marketing from the (online) front porch
For many DTCs, creativity was born of necessity. These low-budget startups couldn’t afford to launch their brands with splashy TV campaigns and endcaps at big-box stores, so they turned to cheaper alternatives. They used social media, performance-based ads and their own websites to draw their first customers: Toothbrush-maker Quip, for example, launched in 2015 with only $300,000 in funding and used social media ads to sell 100,000 toothbrushes in its first year. By focusing on brand storytelling, user experience and customer service, DTCs drove loyalty and retention and created their first brand evangelists.
It’s not a strategy built for instant scale, but these marketing tactics worked in the early 2010s for DTC brands such as Warby Parker and Dollar Shave Club. Today brands such as the monthly wine club Bright Cellars continue to creatively use owned and shared media, such as their websites, newsletter and social channels, to relate to customers: Bright Cellars, for example, has an interactive tool on its website that it uses to educate customers about wine and also to discern their tastes. It uses that data not only to make smart suggestions but also to build its wine portfolio.
The DTC model has expanded to include services as well, including the investing automation offered by Acorns and Robinhood.
“There’s still plenty of opportunities for a digitally native brand to stay with owned channels and have a successful business,” says Nate Phillips, co-founder and CEO of Nom Nom, a DTC that sells premium pet food.
Take Dirty Lemon, for example, which makes lemonade-style health drinks infused with ingredients such as chromium and charcoal, and sells them in six-packs for $65. The company used Instagram to gain a following after its 2015 launch, but its real innovation is its use of text messages: Once customers are onboarded, they reorder, modify or cancel their orders via text message—a frictionless, closed-loop process that gives the company intimate, personal access to each of its customers.
“Imagine if Coca-Cola had a profile on every person that has purchased Diet Coke over the last 30 years. They would be able to create a new product to sell to the consumers that they’re now losing—the people that used to drink Diet Coke but aren’t drinking it anymore,” Zak Normandin, founder of Dirty Lemon’s parent company, Iris Nova, explained to the Financial Times.
Direct-to-consumer brands have also excelled at using social media to build community, both by engaging with customers and also by highlighting content from brand evangelists. Sometimes these evangelists are well-known influencers, but in other cases, such as the beauty and skincare company Glossier, DTCs have empowered everyday users to expand their audience.
These DTC digital marketing strategies prove that it’s still possible for DTC marketers to concentrate the majority of their energy on owned digital channels—especially for early-stage companies focused on establishing their business model and product before looking to scale up.
A focus on first-party data and personalization
DTCs quickly discovered that relying on owned channels comes with a major benefit: a wealth of first-party data within a marketing database that could be used to market with exceptional specificity. That data gave DTCs a unique, detailed window into the tastes, habits and buying patterns of their customers, and DTCs have used that information to personalize and contextualize their customer communications based on factors such as a consumer’s persona, purchase history and progress along the customer journey. Brands that already had managed to position themselves as relatable could double down on that promise by demonstrating how well they relate to their consumers.
DTCs were hardly the only companies looking to personalize their communications by collecting customer information, but they were able to access the necessary data, while entrenched, traditional brands often found that equivalent data was walled off by retail and distribution partners (or their own organizational silos), leaving them scrambling to catch up. DTCs found that their disconnection with traditional retail infrastructure was actually a strength because of the additional insights from interacting directly with customers.
“For incumbent brands in general, there’s been a rush to first-party data,” Hogan says, either as a continued strategy for DTC e-commerce or emulating ways in which they see disruptor brands succeeding.
Now, traditional brands are racing to get in the game, motivated both by the advantages of richer data and also the COVID-19-related limitations of brick-and-mortar retail. Frito-Lay, for example, is now selling brands such as Tostitos and Ruffles directly to consumers through its new snacks.com website.
Tushy, Blue Apron, Peloton: How DTC brands adapt as people shop from home
DTCs’ wealth of data also affords them better performance transparency than traditional brands. Following the example of high-growth tech startups, DTCs often rely on a combination of owned, shared and paid channels. But the key difference is that they can see all transactions with their brand without relying on retail partners—at least at the outset. They use the data from these efforts to create precise models showing customer acquisition costs (CAC) as well as projecting customers’ average lifetime value (LTV)—and use the resulting ratio to gauge the efficiency of their marketing.
Direct-to-consumer acquisitions come from a formulaic approach, Kawaja says. As founder and CEO of LUMA Partners, an investment bank focused on digital media and marketing, he has a specific interest in how DTC brands evolved to their current state. “If DTC brands know lifetime value, they can calculate an appropriate bounty for qualified new customers,” he says. “This is a double-edged sword: While this provides for rapid growth when the economics work, the converse is also true. Should customer acquisition costs exceed the bounty, the DTC brand has nowhere to go or grow.”
“One-to-one communication—that’s what has been fostered by DTC companies. They have a model for storytelling that really puts the brand into an emotional, heart-and-mind place that positions the brand and resonates well.”
—Susan Hogan, Senior Vice President of Research and Measurement, Interactive Advertising Bureau (IAB)
A problem with scaling up
In an investor’s perfect world, the lifetime value to customer acquisition cost, or LTV:CAC, ratio would be perfectly scalable. Companies could grow rapidly first by refining their marketing approach until the ratio was a profitable one, and then by increasing the marketing spend to add more customers. But DTCs have discovered that it doesn’t always work like that. For one thing, the ratios can fluctuate over time thanks to factors such as rising digital ad costs.
“Online marketing was the place where we all used to go to because traditional media was too expensive,” Shugar says. “Now the digital market is so saturated that the cost of getting a customer has skyrocketed.”
Achieving scale for DTCs often requires branching out beyond owned channels and social advertising. Some DTCs, such as Peloton, the home-fitness cycling brand, have turned to traditional TV spots, while others rely on emerging channels like podcasts and over-the-top (OTT) television streaming services such as Hulu. SimpliSafe, a security company, sponsors several podcasts including Malcolm Gladwell’s Revisionist History.
Another group of DTCs are finding new opportunities to connect with customers with brick-and-mortar stores (Iris Nova is one example, along with DTC trailblazer Bonobos), or exploring limited-scope partnerships with traditional retailers (Casper mattresses are now sold at Target, for example). Those strategies are helpful for building audience, but they complicate DTCs’ database marketing approach because they make attribution more challenging.
“They’re used to working within the confines of the social space, and working in their own world of seeing customer interaction on their own websites,” Hogan says. “There’s frustration once they do go into traditional media like linear TV. How do they create attribution modeling?”
But, as options for TV advertising expand beyond simple demo targeting, options like OTT actually bridge the gap from digital to TV. “OTT combines the best of digital and TV in that premium, well-lit environments are digitally addressable,” says Kawaja. “DTC brands can take advantage in this data-rich channel to reach targeted audiences and track performance.”
Storytelling vs. performance-based CTAs
Direct-to-consumer brands often have gravitated toward two different but complementary approaches to content. On one hand, there’s the disposition toward performance marketing, with its emphasis on calls to action and driving specific results. But, on the other hand, when DTCs are operating on owned and shared channels, they tend to take a different tack.
Should DTC companies invest in branding? 7 marketers weigh in
“DTC brands often market using content marketing based on the story of the company’s founding,” Kawaja says. “These ring authentic because they are, and that is having a positive effect on the ecosystem.”
That word “ecosystem” refers to the collection of DTCs working with similar models in a particular sector. Those DTCs compete with one another, but all benefit from marketing that builds awareness for the DTC model versus traditional alternatives—a halo effect that applies whether the category is meal kits, natural alternatives to traditional grocery brands, handmade fashion startups or video-assisted home exercise equipment. It’s similar to the way that both Uber and Lyft benefit from increased awareness of ridesharing as an alternative to taxis.
“We don’t think much about our marketshare within the DTC category,” says Nom Nom’s Phillips. “We think much more about the share of that category versus traditional products like kibble. We’re generally supportive of the marketing dollars that go into educating consumers about this new category from all players in the space. And I think that will probably be true for at least a number of years as we look at people shifting and upgrading the food choices they make.”
When DTCs grow and begin to experiment in traditional media, their two signature messaging strategies—content marketing and performance-based calls to action—can be at odds. So far, DTC content has tended to veer toward the call-to-action approach, rather than emphasizing lifestyle marketing and brand storytelling. But that may be changing.
“The pendulum is swinging,” Hogan says. “We see more brand-and mission-based storytelling now; sensitivities due to COVID-19 have, in large part, been a driver of messaging and creative changes. But DTCs storytell well. The way that they’ve been interacting with consumers on their own websites illustrates that.”
"Now the digital market is so saturated that the cost of getting a customer [through social sites] has skyrocketed."
—Greg Shugar, CEO and Creative Director, Beau Ties of Vermont
DTCs at a crossroads
As traditional brands look to borrow from the direct-to-consumer playbook, many DTCs are simply focused on survival. One reason is that there has been exponential growth of DTCs, which are relatively inexpensive to launch. In the wake of the coronavirus-induced economic pullback, a wave of consolidation seems inevitable.
“From the early days, we predicted a lot of carnage in the sector as the plethora of VC-funded startups vie for oxygen,” Kawaja says. “Such a winnowing is normal in any industry, but the difference with DTC is the extent of new company formation, which drove hyper fragmentation. Now we are seeing the reckoning.”
On top of the funding woes, the very marketing platforms that boosted DTC brands to success are now beyond their budgets. “The cost of marketing has gotten so high that brands burn through their money too quickly,” Shugar says. “If you’re able to stick around longer, you start to improve your products in terms of design or quality or shape or comfort. But that takes time.”
So it’s not that they haven’t raised enough capital, he explains. It’s that marketing is so expensive that no matter how much money DTC brands get, they’re destined to spend it too quickly.
Social media, which carried many of these brands on waves of engagement, is no longer a golden ticket. AdStage, a PPC software and reporting company, analyzed Facebook impressions data and found that the median cost per click (CPC) for Facebook News Feed ads increased 15.7% year over year since the fourth quarter of 2018. In addition, the median CPC rose from $0.57 in the third quarter of 2019 to $0.81 in the fourth quarter of 2019.
“Online advertising is saturated with so many direct-to-consumer brands and, of course, bigger players like the department stores and major brands,” Shugar says. “The cost of marketing and the acquisition costs of getting a customer [through social sites] have skyrocketed.”
The takeaway
After a decade spent pioneering a new way of connecting with customers and building strong brands, direct-to-consumer brands must now figure out how to scale and grow profitable while retaining the qualities that have helped them connect with consumers.
The first wave of DTCs made effective use of inexpensive marketing channels, but those strategies have become more difficult to pursue as costs have risen and competition has proliferated. There’s still room for DTCs to thrive, but to do so now requires a strong, differentiated brand and product that resonates with a substantial audience. In other words, DTCs are beginning to face more conventional hurdles to growth and profitability, rather than seeming to play their own game on their own field.
To be successful, they must rely on the same core skill that brought them this far: a knack for getting close to their customers and paying attention to what those customers have to say.
Illustrations by Caleb Fox; Source imagery courtesy of Acorns, Allbirds, Away, Beau Ties, Casper, Dirty Lemon, Nom Nom Now, Outdoor Voices, Purple, Supply, Unsplash
---
## The ultimate disruption
Type: eps_post
URL: /how-covid-19-affects-consumer-behavior-and-marketing-trends
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T22:20:56Z
# The ultimate disruption
The COVID-19 pandemic led to seismic shifts in consumer behavior.
As the virus swept the globe, brands changed how they interacted with customers due to social distancing and stay-at-home orders. Consumer buying patterns also shifted with fluctuations in the stock market, skyrocketing unemployment and supply chain issues. As many people lost their jobs and those still earning a paycheck worried about future layoffs, impulse purchasing became infrequent. Messages that resonated with consumers a few weeks prior suddenly fell flat and even seemed insensitive.
“Some brands want to use campaigns that they shot in Q1, thinking if they wait, they can play it,” says Aki Spicer, chief strategy officer at Leo Burnett. “But you aren’t going to want to release a commercial for your vodka brand with people at a rave anytime soon. Everything has changed in the world, and marketing needs to reflect the brand’s values, which hopefully are right for our current times.”
COVID-19 affected nearly every aspect of marketing because crises of this scale challenge the core of business basics, says Timothy Calkins, clinical professor of marketing at Northwestern University’s Kellogg School of Management. Some companies were left unable to do any sort of commerce, while others struggled with too much demand. “It’s a very rare company that can use the business model and marketing that they used pre-pandemic,” Calkins says.
In the early weeks of the pandemic response, many brands implemented a crisis marketing strategy, pivoting messaging and offers as quickly as possible. Hotels.com shifted ads with its mascot, Captain Obvious, from partying with friends to eating popcorn alone with a bottle of hand sanitizer. Panera launched Panera Grocery, enabling customers to buy high-demand grocery items it already stocks in its restaurants—such as bread, produce and milk—along with soups and sandwiches. In an effort to help parents with kids at home full time, Time for Kids magazine gave anyone access to its 2020 digital editions for free, and Amazon Prime provided kids with free video content.
While many brands made short-term changes during the initial crisis, companies must now look longer term and build the foundation to stay connected with customers. According to an article in the Journal of Advertising Research, brands that reduced advertising spend during recessions decreased sales revenue once the economy picked up. If history shows that brands that continue to market during down times will likely come out ahead, what are the rules of engaging in a world where the “next normal” is still to be defined?
Yes, it’s a different world, but “these are not unprecedented times,” Simon Sinek, author of Start With Why and The Infinite Game, said in a company video on YouTube. “The invention of the internet put many, many companies out of business—the ones who could not reinvent their companies for the internet age but rather doubled down on the old way they did business,” he explained.
The opportunity is to shift from survival mode to reinvention mode, to focus on what will be instead of trying to preserve what we had.
“Everything has changed in the world, and marketing needs to reflect the brand’s values, which hopefully are right for our current times." —Aki Spicer, Chief Strategy Officer, Leo Burnett
Adapt to new virtual behaviors
As stay-at-home and social distancing orders took hold in the spring, customers relied even more heavily on digital and mobile platforms as their smartphones became a lifeline to the outside world. New virtual behaviors emerged and expanded as consumers completed their daily tasks digitally, such as curbside pickup, telehealth appointments, online workouts and contact-free delivery. And as many people worked from home, went to school online, and connected with family and friends virtually, video chat use exploded. The video chat platform Zoom saw a staggering 418% growth in adoption rate in two just months.
In response to these new behaviors, brands proactively showed customers how they fit into new routines and expectations. Pizza Hut rolled out tamper-proof seals, making it apparent if anyone has opened a pizza box before it gets to the intended destination. Beauty brand MAC created a tool to let customers virtually try on lipstick and eye shadow since they could no longer sample colors at a makeup counter or MAC store.
Brands that got it right early on: Adidas.
Not only does its hashtag #HomeTeam perfectly align with the brand, it’s a fitting shoutout to our homebound times. Adidas’ Q1 pandemic social media campaign showed sports celebrities at home—almost all in casual clothes and settings, just like us! The brand reinforced the important educational message of staying home while also helping its customers connect with their heroes and feel less alone while quarantining.
Even as physical businesses open up, the influence of social distancing is likely to stay with consumers longer term. Many of these new behaviors may turn into long-term habits instead of short-term solutions executed in crisis mode. “You need to re-create the customer journey for these times, and then prioritize investments based on what you learn,” says Brian Solis, global innovation evangelist at Salesforce and author of X: The Experience When Business Meets Design.
Marketers need to take a fresh look at what people are searching for, where they’re going, what they value and what they’re finding, Solis says. In mid-May, for example, “golf push carts” became a top-growing query on Google as some states reopened golf courses but restricted use of gas-powered carts. At the time, Dick’s Sporting Goods ranked No 1. in Google search results with the title tag, “Golf Push Carts for Sale | Curbside Pickup Available at Dick’s.”
How coronavirus impacts consumer behavior
Consumer needs are changing as a result of the pandemic. The way people interact with brands—and how they view themselves as consumers—is fundamentally different than it was pre-quarantine. Spicer has seen three major shifts in consumer buying habits:
Home: People are spending more time in their homes, which has both practical and emotional effects. A conversation Spicer had with Samsung centered on how people are rethinking the role that products such as home appliances now play. Not only do appliances need to work, but people have other considerations as well, such as: Is my washing machine quiet enough to have a Zoom call in the next room? Does the vacuum clean deep enough to remove germs? Where are appliance materials sourced from?
Nostalgia: Change gives rise to anxiety, and anxiety triggers consumers’ nostalgia for happier times. “We’re looking for a bit of nostalgia in the shows and content we’re consuming, down to the kinds of food we’re bringing into our homes,” Spicer says. “That comfort and nostalgia become a new essential.” With a shift to more shelf-stable products, people are revisiting brands that haven’t been in their pantries or freezers for quite some time. Spicer says that if those brands focus on demonstrating their values, they’re more likely to stick around in those homes long term.
Self-reliance: The typical consumer is taking on more responsibility for tasks they would normally hire someone to do for them or outsource. People are being more creative with meals, as trips to the grocery store and restaurants became risky. Many men are cutting their hair at home. Will people continue to pay for these services (dining at restaurants, getting their hair cut at a barbershop) after discovering they can successfully do it themselves? As consumers realize everything they can accomplish themselves, brands will be pushed to actively show why their product or service is valuable—and ultimately why it’s worth paying for.
Brands that got it right early on: Guitar Center.
By quickly adding online lessons to its product offerings, Guitar Center took advantage of the national mindset of setting goals for self-improvement projects during stay-at-home orders. Through social media and email, the retailer stayed in contact while encouraging people to make music at home. And for those not quite yet ready to learn new chords, Guitar Center shared musical videos of popular, professional guitar players for inspiration.
Consumer shopping habits and behavior shift constantly, but in pre-COVID times, brands could normally pivot on smaller scales to make a difference—like offering gluten-free options or making content available on streaming platforms. Coming out of the pandemic, people are thinking about their role as consumers differently, which will force brands to make larger fundamental changes to anticipate new consumer needs.
“These are not unprecedented times. … The invention of the internet put many, many companies out of business—the ones who could not reinvent their companies for the internet age but rather doubled down on the old way they did business.” —Simon Sinek, “These Are Not Unprecedented Times”
Start from scratch
Brands now have an opportunity to revise and rebuild their relationships with consumers.
Physically, people are now on devices and networks that weren’t previously commingled—such as work computers on home IP addresses. Additionally, more individuals in the house are on those Wi-Fi networks across devices, making unique identification complicated. More existentially, people are craving relationships and connection. They’re likely not expecting brands to fill that need, but any brand that does will be rewarded for its efforts.
“COVID-19 is going to affect the platforms you use, the content you create, the offers you design and campaigns to support those offers,” Solis says. “Essentially, you have the opportunity to start from scratch and build those touchpoints, hopefully investing heavily in artificial intelligence and machine learning across the journey.”
Core insight: Historically, crises bring out creativity as both companies and consumers meet new needs. During the Great Recession of 2007–09, for instance, with many people out of work, money was tight. This gave rise to more direct-to-consumer brands, which cut out middlemen to make products easier to get and cheaper to buy. What will your transformative move be? To learn more about DTC brands, read the article here.
But the stakes are also much higher: The gap between hit and miss has gotten wider in this time of increased sensitivity and anxiety.
Rothy’s, a direct-to-consumer brand that sells sustainably made shoes, announced it would donate five disposable masks to frontline workers with every purchase in April and immediately received backlash from customers who viewed the policy as a self-serving ploy to drive sales. Rothy’s quickly responded with a “we’re listening” message that announced the end of the purchase-to-donate program and a commitment to simply donate 100,000 masks.
“If empathy was once a marketing strategy for messaging, it’s now a mandate for brands,” according to Spicer. However, empathy can’t come across as feigned. Most inboxes are stuffed with faux-caring emails from every brand consumers have ever ordered from, offering their condolences before they talk up their exciting new promotion.
Many brands turned to gamification as a way of providing something fun and valuable to consumers. Dior developed a card game for people to print out and play while in isolation; Chick-fil-A got kids involved by providing music and lyrics to the song “Rockin’ Robin” and sharing renditions on social media; and Canva, a graphic design platform, offered a free (and personalized) version of bingo.
What’s here to stay
Because COVID-19 impacts consumers differently across states and geographic areas, brand marketers should carefully think through how a range of consumers will react. How will your campaign play in big cities like Atlanta or New York and in smaller towns in rural areas? And how do you shift the messaging based on location?
Concern over health and safety, especially personal contact and large groups, will likely remain with us for months and possibly years. While some pre-COVID-19 behaviors will return at some point, many of the changes that occurred during the pandemic are likely to become permanent, especially new habits like video chats with family, telehealth visits with doctors and virtual workouts at home.
Brands that got it right early on: Oriental Trading.
In the early days of sheltering at home, orientaltrading.com offered frazzled consumers answers: how to keep kids busy (art kits), celebrate graduates while social distancing (yard signs) and home-school (science project materials). The brand gets bonus points for picking up on the trend of drive-by celebration parades by showcasing car-decorating kits for birthdays and graduations, as well as ways for kids to thank frontline workers, on its Facebook page header.
Moving forward, Solis advises marketers to look at the journey—not just the individual touchpoints they represent for a complete overview of the customer’s experience and where to add value. “This is an opportunity to be open-minded, think differently and allow yourself to not know all of the answers,” he says. “During these times, organizations need to most of all find more opportunities to be more human.”
Brands should look to build their infrastructure and future products to support this likely permanent shift to using virtual platforms and options when possible. Even without mandatory social distancing guidelines, many consumers will continue to favor online activities due to the convenience factor.
The cornerstone of marketing has always been creating connections with customers. The pandemic created a new world where relationships with both people and brands became more important than ever. By closely monitoring ever-shifting customer sentiment and priorities, and leveraging tools to ramp up personalization, businesses can leave the crisis with new long-term customers.
“Whatever you sold before has a new context,” Spicer says. “What does your bourbon look like when there is no bar? Every product, every brand has to do a bit of recontextualizing their product in this new environment. There’s work to be done."
Image credit: Illustrations by Erik Carter
---
## Banking on change
Type: eps_post
URL: /banking-on-change-innovation-tips-for-financial-marketers
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T22:20:56Z
# Banking on change
Implementing change and innovation at any organization are important tasks.
But they’re perhaps even more challenging in financial institutions, which are notoriously risk-averse.
For the past five years, that’s been David Howard’s biggest professional challenge as the president of digital strategy and innovation at 118-year-old OceanFirst Bank, headquartered in Toms River, New Jersey.
For the past 30 years, the bank’s marketing has been conducted via TV, radio and print. Now, as OceanFirst expands its geographic reach—moving into New York City and Philadelphia and acquiring seven banks since 2015—transitioning to digital, intent-based marketing has become a necessity, Howard says.
“Intent-based marketing is about marketing our products based on consumers’ intent to adopt, purchase or consume banking products. That intent may have been either explicitly or implicitly conveyed by the subscriber,” Howard says. “As the customer base is moving toward digital transactions and interactions, we felt that we had to keep up with our existing customers and find new customers—and that means ramping up our digital efforts.”
Howard discusses how the bank built its digital strategy to focus on what matters most: the customer.
What business forces have led OceanFirst to try to diversify its reach, both geographically and demographically?
David Howard (DH): We’ve been growing dramatically in the past few years on an organic basis as well as on an acquisition basis. We want to make sure that we’re providing bank services all the way across the demographic spectrum.
With the rise of fintech companies and online challenger banks, how does a regional or community bank stay competitive?
DH: There are some really dominant players in the digital banking space: the big national banks. Then there are a whole bunch of tech companies that are operating like banks, and they seem to be getting a lot of press and a lot of growth. It could be daunting to regional and smaller community banks to start this process if they have not already begun to focus on their own digital strategies.
When I look at us, a midsize regional bank, I say: The online channel is the most important channel that we have for bringing in new customers. That’s where every conservative, old-school bank should be. So I’m intrigued at how many banks seem to be missing the importance of digital marketing and taking care of their digital customers.
How have your internal teams changed as you made the transition to digital?
DH: We’ve been working on this for almost five years now. We started off with just three or four people. Now, we have almost 80 people working on digital marketing, digital strategy, artificial intelligence, data science and our digital customer service. So the investment is big. We’re taking the time to make sure our digital tools are up to speed, our staff knows how to train our customers to use them and the customers like them.
How important is digital marketing to a brick-and-mortar chain of banks?
DH: They will never land future digital customers without having great digital tools. We’re now opening up more accounts through our digital channels than in 25% of our brick-and-mortar branch locations.
We need to be really good at digital. Otherwise, we’re only getting people that drive by our buildings.
As you’ve supplemented your traditional marketing, what have you learned by moving into the digital space? What are some pieces of data that have been really illuminating to you?
DH: Having the ability to determine ROI on our marketing spend is something that, frankly, we have always wanted to be better at doing. We can now understand how many times we’re reaching individual prospects before we get them to take action. We can then follow that prospect’s journey all the way through coming to our website, applying for an account with us, opening up that account and then expanding that customer’s wallet share.
As you move into more urban markets, your potential customer base becomes younger. How are you appealing to them?
DH: We’ve worked on the style and image on our website and then on our marketing materials incorporating fresher, younger, more modern content.
In the world of banking, our customers generally like what’s solid, safe, steady, reliable and conservative. And so shifting too far down the road to what millennials and younger generations want may not necessarily work well for the banking space. If more old-school customers aren’t receptive to this approach, and it is not exciting new-school customers either, we will reevaluate.
You’ve shifted your strategy to focus more on intent-based signals. How has that benefited your marketing overall?
DH: It’s a much more productive use of our advertising budgets. Before we started doing trigger-based marketing, we were doing a lot of digital advertising that was just so broad: everybody at all times, similar to the old-fashioned style. The return on our marketing investment is significantly less with a broad approach than when we are targeting the right person at the right time with the right piece of content.
Image credit: Illustration by Denise Nestor
---
## The incongruous nature of walled gardens
Type: eps_post
URL: /pros-cons-walled-gardens-advertising
Last Modified: 2025-05-14T20:37:43Z
# The incongruous nature of walled gardens
As marketers spend more with walled gardens like Google, Facebook and Amazon, performance transparency continues to be an issue, raising the question: How much marketing impact do they have—and how do we know?
According to eMarketer, almost 70% of all U.S. digital ad spend goes to Google, Facebook and Amazon. If we take that literally, that means brands assume consumers spend 70% of their time exclusively on those three platforms. Is the remaining 30% really supposed to represent the rest of the internet?
The walled gardens conversation is an ongoing issue of more and less. Marketers are spending more on these closed-ecosystem “walled garden” platforms, whose prices keep rising. In an AdExchanger article, adtech consultancy Jounce Media says the non-walled garden share of real-time bidding has decreased by about $1 billion per year for each of the last three years. That advertising money has, instead, gone to the walled gardens.
At the same time, brands are getting less—compared to display outside of walled gardens advertising—on these platforms. Jounce expects that marketers will experience continued ROI declines in what it called “over-monetized walled gardens” throughout 2020.
With Google’s announcement that it will phase out third-party cookies by 2022, it’s clear that those walls, which keep so much of the data inside, are about to get even higher.
Advertising spend on the web overall is getting higher as well. According to the Interactive Advertising Bureau (IAB), internet advertising revenues in the U.S. surpassed $100 billion for the first time in 2018. That was 21.8% higher than the previous fiscal year. Growth continued in the first half of 2019, when internet ad revenues totaled $57.9 billion.
While the COVID-19 pandemic has had an unprecedented impact on ad revenues, the extent of which remains to be seen, it doesn’t change the fact that walled gardens continue to take an inordinately large percentage of the spend. That fact, coupled with a lack of transparency on how the campaign performs, is hard to stomach.
As marketers spend more on these platforms, they understand less about their customers because walled garden campaigns and interactions can’t be tied back to the brand’s CRM database. Brands typically receive an aggregate view of how their campaign performed rather than an individualized view that provides clarity into the campaign’s performance. This leaves a brand with an incomplete view of its own customers and how they have interacted with them across platforms. Marketers identified extracting audience insights from walled gardens as their greatest challenge when it comes to identity, according to an August 2018 study by Winterberry Group (see chart, page 28). Yet marketers continue to spend more and get less.
“Marketers don’t get a good understanding of what parts of their media worked,” says Loch Rose, chief analytics officer at Epsilon. “There’s no way to verify it. You simply have to take it on faith. As a marketer, you know the chief financial officer and the chief marketing officer are going to ask about it, and you’re just going to have to say, ‘Well, I trust walled gardens to do the right thing.’”
Trust is not enough. CMOs are under more pressure than ever to provide data-driven results. We’re seeing an evolution of the CMO role today—one that requires them to be the dot-connector across the organization. CMOs are having to change not just how they market, but also how they talk about marketing impact. In turn, this requires marketers to understand and assess their spend on walled gardens platforms—but is that even possible?
The give and take with walled gardens
In some ways, a walled garden provides an alternative to the cookie-less future that concerns advertisers and marketers. Walled gardens are built on a foundation of logged-in users, which allows them to track each person across devices. Third-party cookies aren’t needed when you’re in a first-party platform.
While the walled gardens know a lot about the users in their logged-in environment, they—by necessity— can’t share their data with advertisers without running into privacy concerns. Facebook, for instance, lets advertisers run targeted campaigns, but doesn’t share information about where the ads appear, as evidenced by the organized boycott of Facebook by some of the world’s largest advertisers in July this year. And unless a user clicks on the ad campaign, the advertiser doesn’t know who actually viewed the ad.
In a world where marketers have the potential to make every consumer interaction hyper-relevant, brands— and their respective marketing partners—have to assess consumer mindset, motivation and need state in milliseconds, and then tailor each message individually to reflect that in real time.
“Walled gardens want to do a lot of that work for you in a black box,” says Lou Paskalis, senior vice president of customer engagement and media investment at Bank of America. “The major problems with that are the inability to audit those decisions and those algorithms. At the end of the day, we have a fiduciary responsibility to understand how our customers are being treated and ensure that a protected class data isn’t being used in that orchestration.”
The lack of transparency within each platform is challenging enough for many marketers, and then there’s an added issue of how each platform operates—potentially causing brand safety and image issues.
“My first boss taught me, ‘Don’t expect what you don’t inspect,’ and that’s very hard to do today with walled gardens in general,” Paskalis says. “If I see a platform or platforms that consistently have accounting errors, governance outages and lawsuits from every quarter about how they do business, that is probably a platform I can’t invest in right now because it doesn’t reflect how we run our business.”
Paskalis’ views, though appropriately inquisitive of how these platforms operate, are unfortunately not often shared freely across brand marketers today. Marc Pritchard, chief brand officer at Procter & Gamble, has been a notable critic of walled gardens and ad transparency in recent years; but not all marketers command $6.75 billion in advertising each year. For many, “good” is also “good enough” on these platforms.
"My first boss taught me, 'Don’t expect what you don’t inspect,' and that’s very hard to do today with walled gardens in general."
—Lou Paskalis, senior vice president of community engagement and media investment, Bank of America
Rose equates the current spend with walled gardens to a herd mentality. “There’s a lot of truth in that everybody else is doing it, so you’ve got the herd going for you,” he says. “But, at the same time, that only works until something goes wrong. At that point, everybody looks bad, but there’s still safety in numbers.”
With so many marketers buying in to this concept, Rose says we, as an industry, naturally experience an imbalance of power with too much control centralized in one area. “To the extent the ecosystem can build out viable alternatives to walled gardens—alternatives that actually work for marketers—I see them being something marketers will actively support,” he says.
The way forward, Rose says, is for marketers to demand and also seek out approaches that offer more performance transparency and pinpointed data than they can get from walled gardens advertising alone. “Marketers spend a lot of their time trying to decide which parts of their programs are underperforming so they can move their investments into the higher investing parts,” Rose says. “The lack of insight from walled gardens makes that very hard to do.”
The Association of National Advertisers (ANA) has long been pressing for walled gardens marketing to be more transparent so that advertisers are better able to assess what is happening with their ads.
“We’ve had many of the walled gardens come in to speak to us at our board meetings specifically about these transparency issues,” says Dan Jaffe, group executive vice president of government relations at the ANA. “We believe we’re making progress in that area, which will assist companies in better knowing whether they’re getting what they hope to get and what they are paying for.”
Walled gardens vs. the open internet and programmatic advertising
A January 2020 survey from The Harris Poll, commissioned by OpenX, found a misalignment between where consumers spend their online time and where advertisers spend their digital dollars. It found that while American consumers spend about 66% of their time on the “open web” (which they define as any online property, website or app not owned by a major tech company such as Facebook, Amazon or Google), those sites only receive about 40% of digital ad budgets.
There is certainly a place for spending with the walled gardens, but they can’t be a brand’s only solution. “The challenge that we have to navigate for our clients is generally that consumers aren’t complacent,” says Sean Peters, chief strategy officer at Publicis Media. “Consumers are always looking for the next thing. So our ability to scale audiences with any single partner and expect that we’re connecting with them throughout their entire journey—or all the way from the top to the bottom of the funnel and purchase—would be shortsighted if we only looked at one particular partner.”
The larger problem Peters points to is essentially putting all of your eggs in one basket. An over-reliance on one walled garden, or a few of them, is ultimately a disservice to your brand. “If you disproportionately rely on walled gardens instead of a balanced and healthy mix, and those platforms don’t perform the way they have historically, then you’re leaving your business and your clients exposed,” Peters says. “If people are spending time in walled gardens, we’ll make sure we’re there. But there’s never going to be a time when the only way someone is consuming media is within a walled garden. So why would we put all of our investment and spend only into inventory that’s owned or controlled by a walled garden?”
So how do marketers balance their open-internet programmatic advertising and walled gardens spending? In the wake of Google’s announcement on deprecating third-party cookies, any real answer to that question becomes more problematic the closer we get to 2022 (the intended deprecation date for Chrome).
The key problem here is the vast majority of open internet advertising is based on the third-party cookie—and walled gardens don’t need third-party cookies for user tracking. On Google’s announcement, Forrester analyst Joanna O’Connell said, “The third-party cookie is— for all of its faults—the underlying mechanism by which really the whole digital advertising ecosystem transacts and communicates.”
With Google removing that mechanism, many brands will seemingly need to play more in Google’s Sandbox as the only option.
And many in the non-walled gardens sector of the digital media industry were already struggling. Criteo, a long-time leader in digital display and retargeting, already had a shaky financial outlook for 2020 prior to the COVID-19 crisis. According to a February 2020 Digiday article, “The company is still reeling from recent browser changes to throttle web tracking—and that’s before Google makes its planned move to kill off third-party cookies in Chrome in two years.”
The majority of the adtech industry is not equipped to handle a cookie-less world. In the same Digiday piece, O’Connell noted that Criteo has good investments in AI and machine learning and a strong data footprint with retailers, but still, the company’s considerable goals are “easier said than done.”
If a more equitable advertising ecosystem—one that matches where consumers spend their time and attention—is the goal, the question becomes: How must the industry pivot to meet it?
Moving toward a mutual value exchange —for everyone
Effective marketing starts with knowing your customer. That means knowing each customer and each prospect across their various digital and in-store contexts, devices and channels. This is no simple task, but it becomes even more complex when looking at advertising within and outside of walled gardens.
“Building, establishing and maintaining a relationship with customers—not just for a single conversion but throughout their lifetime with a brand—is increasing in importance for every contemporary marketer I’ve worked with,” Peters says. “When a brand understands the customer and every part of their journey and owns the data attached to that, walled gardens will not exist as they do now.”
Today, advertisers are spending a significant portion of their advertising budgets with walled gardens, but data isn’t portable outside of each platform. A marketer cannot take what they learn with a Google Display Network campaign, for example, and apply it to Facebook ads, publisher media buys or outbound email campaigns.
This forces brands to make cross-platform decisions blindly— never knowing the true customer journey. “It means I’ve got a different lens on ‘walled garden one’ about what this customer’s intention is. Then I see her again in ‘walled garden two’ or on ‘non-walled garden environment three.’ And, let’s not forget that 30% of the universe outside of walled gardens are actually transparent with regard to this,” Paskalis says.
For Paskalis, a more equitable value exchange has to do with standardizing taxonomy and identifiers across all of these platforms to see and understand the customer journey.
“We will need to agree on a common set of taxonomies,” Paskalis says. “Taxonomies need to be much more extensive than they are today around what this environment entails so I can deploy a machine-learning solution and start to understand what contexts are more important to a particular individual in a privacy-compliant, anonymized way.”
In the July 2019 Gartner report, How to Minimize Your Marketing Data Dependence on Amazon, Facebook and Google, Benjamin Bloom, an analyst at Gartner, writes, “As walled gardens remove or restrict the ability to extract impression-level data from their platforms, an agency’s ability to repackage first-party data into meaningful third-party insights can help marketers verify customer walled garden interactions, strengthen loyalty initiatives and bolster data-driven marketing programs. These more targeted insights drive more relevant interactions, where prospects and customers are more willing to opt in to branded engagements.”
Simplified, what Bloom describes boils down to a simple equation for modern marketing: identity plus context equals intention, which may be not just the future of walled gardens, but also the future of all programmatic advertising and marketing. In Paskalis’ view, if walled gardens understood that this equation is probably the best way forward for their customers, they would likely start to evolve organically.
"If people are spending time in walled gardens, we’ll make sure we’re there. But there’s never going to be a time when the only way someone is consuming media is within a walled garden."
—Sean Peters, Chief Strategy Officer, Publicis Media
“If I know who I’m talking to in a privacy policy-compliant, anonymized, GDPR-friendly way,” Paskalis says, “I can actually leverage some first-party context about that individual, I can append it to some third-party context, and I might be able to, through good segmentation and good predictive analytics, start to define intention.”
There is hope, Paskalis adds. “I think, for the most part, we’re heading in that direction.”
So what do you do with this information?
The question is not whether or not brands should spend on these platforms—they offer virtually unrivaled, unique solutions. Although Bing and Yahoo are technically competitors, Google search ads reign supreme because it’s the most-used search engine. Naturally, the ad dollars can (and should) flow in that direction.
But Rose brings this back to a price versus value concept that is grounded in measurement. “Let’s acknowledge that, first of all, they’re very capable platforms in terms of the ability to execute, and they do have unique capabilities,” he says. “But Google could make it possible to measure their performance perfectly. It’s impossible for anybody else to measure them because of the way they’ve set it up. So what they know is that it’s in their best interests that they not be measurable, and that tells me that they’re overpriced.”
Peters echoes these thoughts. As a marketer who has made decisions on behalf of clients to spend or not to spend on many of these platforms, he’s seen how the audiences and their associated costs have changed over time. “If these platforms themselves aren’t showing audience growth,” he says, “then they’re going to be in a position where the reliance on them will continue to get more expensive, but the outcome delivered by those partners will continue to get less effective.”
Which brings us back to the more and less issue with walled gardens.
“You want the advertising ecosystem to be efficient,” Rose says. “I’d rather that our clients spend their advertising money where it creates the most value and spend the rest of their money making their products better. When you lack transparency, marketing is less efficient, and that’s a net loss to the economy as a whole.”
Image credit: Illustrations by Mark Allen Miller
---
## Editor's letter: What’s worth your time and attention?
Type: eps_post
URL: /core-editors-letter-whats-worth-marketers-time-and-attention
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T22:16:49Z
# Editor's letter: What’s worth your time and attention?
When the COVID pandemic started, I received emails from every brand, business and blogger with whom I shared my email address. I got emails on everything from policy updates and store closings to random companies saying, “We’re here for you” or encouraging me to make my living room my favorite yoga studio. (Just kick the kids and dog out of the room before practicing.)
Now, I’m not saying these emails shouldn’t have been sent, but for me, the influx during this time highlighted a central question to our role as marketers: What is really worth your customers’ time and attention?
“How we get people to pay attention, to care and to act has shifted dramatically in 2020.”
—Jeff Fagel, CMO, Epsilon
We live in the attention economy—a concept that has only become exacerbated by COVID: 50% of consumers were online more and 42% were watching more TV because of the pandemic. Reed Hastings, CEO of Netflix, is famous for saying that sleep—not HBO, Hulu or Amazon—is the streaming giant’s biggest competitor.
How we get people to pay attention, to care and to act has shifted dramatically in 2020. Between Snapchat, Twitter, TikTok and Instagram, anyone with a phone passes as a content creator. In a single internet minute, people watch 764,000 hours of Netflix, create 2.5 million Snaps and send 59 million messages on WhatsApp and Facebook Messenger.
We’re charting new paths for creativity and creation that aren’t driven by the “creatives” of the past. And now, more than ever, we have to continuously prove our message is worth customers’ time and attention. The best marketers aren’t afraid to champion new ideas, often against a stiff headwind of opposition.
The reality is that our job is to drive measurable business results, all while staying ahead of the curve. But these days, understanding the curve is a daily endeavor. Amid a marketing landscape that is more unpredictable than ever, we decided to launch CORE. Our vision is this:
CORE is written for, by and about the most progressive marketing leaders.
CORE invites marketers to challenge what’s possible in your marketing—every day.
CORE sparks a dialogue across mediums—print, digital, audio and video—to challenge all of us on how we perceive marketing today and in the future.
In our inaugural issue, our cover story on walled gardens looks at the strengths and limitations of these platforms with regard to the customer journey from brand, agency and marketing technology perspectives. In “The Ultimate Disruption,” we highlight the consumer habits that will disappear and what’s here to stay post-pandemic. On the topic of email, we talk to Shar VanBoskirk from Forrester and Oded Benyo from Epsilon about how marketers can break free from email’s transactional roots.
We hope our coverage encourages you to lead conversations that carve the path forward and consider what is possible beyond what you’re doing today. And that CORE is worth your time and attention.
Times of constraints breed creativity. Stop waiting for a roadmap and start drawing one instead.
---
## The case for bringing balance back to the marketing ecosystem
Type: eps_post
URL: /the-case-for-bringing-balance-back-to-the-marketing-ecosystem
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T22:17:52Z
# The case for bringing balance back to the marketing ecosystem
Consumers want it free. They want it now. They want it to be relevant. They want it personalized.
What is “it”? It’s whatever you’re selling—toothbrushes, hotel rooms, movies—“it” is everything.
At Epsilon, we continue to see that consumers are discerning in all their interactions with brands. They understand that providing information on what they like or don’t like, what they have or have not purchased, and what they have or have not engaged with is a value exchange that builds a better experience for them.
But the ability to personalize every interaction is based on your ability to access and action data. With that, there’s been an evolution in privacy regulations and a lot of discussion about future regulations. But it’s the large consumer platforms, known to many marketers as walled gardens, that have unquestionably used data to shift marketing’s center of gravity in their favor. So, how badly is the system out of balance and what can be done to restore harmony?
Where is the most gravitational force in the system?
If you look at marketing today, brands have three main options to deliver on personalization and performance. First, solution providers such as systems integrators and consultancies. Second, software platforms, which include technology point solutions or cloud services. And third, large consumer platforms.
If you were to measure where the gravitational force lies in the advertising ecosystem based on who gets the most budget, the large consumer platforms pull the most weight. The more brands spend on advertising within those platforms, the more powerful they become, increasing their gravitational pull. In conversations with clients, many say they spend with these platforms because they’re a necessary channel for marketing—not because they see them as the best platform for performance.
And this plays out in the numbers. The internet has largely become advertising-funded, meaning that most advertisers (read: brands) are footing the bill for much of the mainstream internet today. But the growth in market cap of the world’s biggest advertisers isn’t commensurate with the growth in market cap of the biggest tech platforms, whose business models and viability are dependent on those advertisers. In fact, as of September 2019, the consumer platforms’ market cap was twice that of the top advertisers.
If advertisers are paying the bill, you’d have to draw the conclusion that they’re coming up short.
The advertiser has spent years (decades in some cases) building brands, developing products, building defensible R&D, merchandising and marketing. They’ve earned the right to have a relationship with the consumer based on a mutual value exchange—e.g. if you opt in, accept cookies, complete your profile, join a loyalty program, etc., you will receive more relevant communications from that brand.
But when it comes to the large consumer platforms, the data that’s interacting with the consumer accrues on the platform—not with the brands. In these situations, the brand doesn’t have visibility into the relationship with the consumer—the platform does.
The promise of one-to-one
That lack of visibility should raise concerns for many brands. If you miss a step along the road, you can’t personalize the full journey.
Without question, the industry has been marching towards the promise of one-to-one marketing. If someone takes an action, the marketer can study and understand that signal and optimize marketing to serve the next best message for that specific individual, resulting in a purchase, loyalty and increased value.
And as marketers deliver more relevance for the consumer, they stop delivering irrelevant experiences that result in wasted marketing spend and start increasing the efficiency of their budgets. This ability to draw a clear line from your marketing investments to tangible business results is of more importance than ever.
But that isn’t possible without three key areas. First, continuous identity and knowledge to anticipate what the consumer will do. Second, the ability to activate across the customer journey. And last but not least, performance transparency to actually prove outcomes.
By nature of the gravitational imbalance in the space, others are pulling the industry back to contextual advertising where measurement is a cohort-based ratio of people to message. Although it’s pretty granular, it’s not one-to-one marketing. In a cohort that’s limited to 50 people, you still have 50 different individuals.
More recent announcements in privacy controls—though seemingly well-intentioned—exacerbate the issue. For example, in January, Google announced they would deprecate third-party cookies by 2022. Forrester analyst Joanna O’Connell summed up the industry’s surprise saying, “I don’t think I anticipated that they would do something that feels so obviously beneficial to Google.” To add insult to injury, Apple announced in June it would require apps to ask users for permission before they can use IDFA identifiers for tracking.
As the industry moves toward data deprecation, it becomes clear that we’re moving in opposite directions.
Balancing the system
With personalization and privacy being so important, is that reflective of the marketing ecosystem available to us today? I don’t think so—not as long as the decisions of a few players shift everyone’s opportunity for balance.
And it’s not about getting rid of the big consumer platforms or not spending with them. They have unique products and offerings, and they deserve to be rewarded for that. It’s more about brands advocating for and delivering against a balanced investment that allows them to regain control of their customer relationships. The world of marketing is not one-sided, and I believe in the value exchange between brands, platforms and consumers. True success is shared.
Time is of the essence to reformulate the ecosystem to prioritize a brand’s relationship with the consumer above all else. Because without this balance, brands can’t build deeper relationships with their customers and we all ultimately lose.
**This article was originally published on Adweek, July 2020.
---
## Successfully navigating turbulent times
Type: eps_post
URL: /travel-marketing-navigating-covid-19
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T22:20:56Z
# Successfully navigating turbulent times
1. Focus on building relationships
2. Cater to new and evolving expectations
3. Contribute to a cause
4. Be ready to follow customer intent
5. Continue to sell the dream
Image credit: Juanjo Tugores Gaspar/Getty Images
---
## How CDPs do (and don’t) factor into a cookie-less world
Type: eps_post
URL: /how-cdps-factor-into-a-cookie-less-world
Last Modified: 2025-10-03T14:17:04Z
# How CDPs do (and don’t) factor into a cookie-less world
Third-party cookies have faced deprecation from all the major browsers, with Chrome being the most recent and notable shift. In January 2020, Google announced that it is phasing out third-party cookies in Chrome, which has roughly 63% of the U.S. market- share on desktop browsers, by 2022.
A cookie-less world forces a fundamental change in the online advertising industry as third-party cookies underlie many brands’ and adtech providers’ ability to track user behavior online, personalize digital ads and measure the impact of marketing campaigns.
Thinking of a future without third-party cookies at all, many marketers must question how they currently assess customer identity in an online environment and how cookie removal will impact user identification.
Some have posited that customer data platforms (CDPs) are the answer to a cookie-less world because they can aggregate, organize and align customer data, to then be used for marketing activation. But—as you dig into it—that answer isn’t so straightforward. We asked two industry experts what they predict and what they recommend for the new frontier.
Liane Nadeau
Senior vice president and head of precision media and investments, Digitas North America
"The industry is seeing the deprecation of third-party cookies as an opportunity for a new technology to emerge, and a lot of data management platforms (DMPs) are attempting to move into that space. Fundamentally, I think CDPs, as opposed to DMPs, are better positioned to solve for addressability in a cookie-less world, as they are rooted in people, not cookies or device IDs. And now that cookies are a disappearing phenomenon, we do need something that has a foundation of people.
Customer data platforms: Software that culls data from various sources and creates a persistent, unified database of customer profiles accessible to other systems.
If you think about CDP as broadly referring to a people-first technology platform, then absolutely that’s the only way forward. But I’d argue that CDPs are kind of a blank canvas. Without the right people who have the expertise to translate it into media and marketing strategies, it’s really just an empty shell.
There’s a reason walled gardens are winning in this world, and it’s because they can keep everything end-to-end within the same platform and on the same ID. That’s really the only way to do identity in its most perfect form. At the same time, what you don’t want is to have put your data and all of your protected assets behind someone else’s lock and key, like with Google, and not be able to use them in the open ecosystem.
CDPs are incredible for things like email, because you know exactly how to reach each person based on that email address. But right now, the world of adtech and ad buying is still largely based on cookies. So, until that changes, CDPs are a little bit unactionable unless you translate them to cookies.
I’d say CDPs are only one piece of the answer. If we hang our hats on CDPs alone being the way of the future, we’ll end up in a similar place to where we are now, where systems aren’t talking, and we’re reliant upon those who own the end-to-end stack, like the walled garden.
But if we see CDPs as a kind of base and a technology, not a strategy, then we’ll be able to build something stronger on top of that."
Carl Madaffari
Senior vice president of marketing technology platforms, Epsilon
"With third-party cookies being deprecated by Apple and Google, I can see why the appeal of CDPs is so strong. There are, however, several issues to consider when thinking about CDPs: This is still a nascent concept and 'CDP' means different things to different people; comprehensive and persistent identity is not usually part of a CDP toolset; and tools by themselves will not solve for this challenge.
Between venture capital pursuing the next big thing and everyone from tag-management systems to master data-management platforms rebranding themselves as CDPs, there are now over 100 options in a market that can only bear a handful of survivors, making picking the right one quite risky. The other reality is that most of the ability to centralize, collect, manage and activate customer data can be done with existing marketing technology architecture.
If I were an upstart company with a small team and a single brand to focus on—maybe something regional—I think a CDP might be a good fit. But expanding beyond that, coordinating business rules for record consolidation at an enterprise or global level will cause most solutions to fall apart.
CDPs give marketers hands-on controls to manage business rules, but they don’t provide a comprehensive identity capability, which is the connective tissue in customer-centric marketing. Brands get excited about CDPs and the ability to align data by the individual, but CDPs’ biggest gap is that they—on their own—don’t have the identity layer, and that’s what ties everything together. They struggle to capture, align and activate data at the individual level.
Core Insight: Google’s announcement follows similar restrictions on other browsers, like Firefox and Safari. Still, because Google has roughly 63% of all web traffic on its browser, its shift is a significant change that the larger adtech community will need to reconcile.
At Epsilon, we have several clients who bought a CDP and said, 'Hey, we’re kind of missing that identity layer. Can you help us bring that in?' CDPs are a good goal in theory, but they don’t do everything that a marketer expects them to do.
Expecting a tool alone to solve a problem is like expecting a brush, a palette and a piece of canvas to become a great piece of art on their own. The reality is that it takes specific know-how, the same way an effective CDP strategy takes expertise."
Image credit: INAMEL/Shutterstock
---
## How do you break down data silos across teams?
Type: eps_post
URL: /how-do-you-break-down-data-silos-across-teams
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T22:20:56Z
# How do you break down data silos across teams?
Experts in the inaugural issue of CORE Content weigh in on their digital strategies for sharing information across departments.
Marisa Tom
Marketing director, milk + honey
“Milk + honey, pre-pandemic and now during a pandemic, has always been very collaborative and transparent. While we do have separate departments—marketing, procurement, product and operations, spa operations and accounting—we have daily meetings where we’re sharing information so that we’re all in the loop about the status of the business. We’re sharing KPIs and are able to make informed decisions. We also utilize a platform that synthesizes a lot of data from sales to client acquisition to traffic numbers. It can pull anything that you want to look up into custom data cards. We’ve created different dashboards to serve those needs so that at any point, any of us can check those on a daily basis to see how things are faring. We can ask data-driven questions based on that. All of that information is readily available to all of us, no matter what department you work in.”
Kevin Mabley
Managing director of strategic services, Epsilon
“We assume that marketing is going to be on the front end of innovation. You need to translate that to business value, back to the products or divisions you support. Given all the innovation we have in data, tech and insights, we can now show people in dollars, market share or customer engagement how their marketing dollars are being spent in a much smarter way. It’s one thing to have insights. It’s another to have results. Marketers need to go to the groups they’re supporting and say: Look, this innovative thing we did with data or this interesting way we engaged consumers is driving bottomline results to the entire enterprise. It’s taking credit for the innovation but using language that the rest of the business will get excited about. When we have a multi-brand client and we pull together the best of what’s happening in one brand and share it with another, for example, the whole organization is a lot more powerful.”
Modernizing digital marketing: What “Strategy as a Service” means to us
Sean Peters
Chief strategy officer, Publicis Media
“We start by knocking down those silos in our own agency, because one of the biggest challenges and trappings of agency teams is that if you structure yourself exactly the way your client organization is structured, then you’re compounding silos. In our most progressive models, we’ve integrated and actually created a team where our strategy team, our audience team and our analytics team are all one group. They’re all led by the same person; they’re all integrated. And those people are responsible for a strategy that connects an audience through the outcomes that we can analyze. The second thing we do is we force it. We intentionally over-invest our time in sharing data and information. As the industry changes, as the landscape changes, we do not and cannot risk our client partners not moving fast enough in those areas.”
Hear more from Sean Peters in "The incongruous nature of walled gardens."
Susan Hogan
Senior vice president of research and measurement, Interactive Advertising Bureau (IAB)
“We have shifted to regularly scheduled, mandatory video chat meetings where leads across the relevant disciplines present plans, provide status and vet information. Each lead is fully transparent about the intent of their initiatives, customer base, reason for investment and project timing. As a result, we benefit from a full, cross-discipline perspective and can move in lockstep to create and evangelize each initiative across the organization. This also ensures time and ability to co-plan communications, events and other tactics with greater efficiencies. Is it time-consuming? Only on the front end! Ultimately it is effective and efficient.”
Hear more from Susan Hogan in "Lessons from the DTC revolution."
Image credit: Treter/Shutterstock
---
## Retail Data Monetization for your business
Type: eps_post
URL: /1-overlooked-monetization-opportunity-messaging-customers-on-the-open-web
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Retail Data Monetization for your business
Monetization is top of mind for retailers, grocery stores, pet stores and, frankly, any business at the moment. With budgets under greater scrutiny and pressure, monetization offers an ideal partnership opportunity in which brands get ROI and other critical insights through reaching retailer’s in-market customers, while retailers get a new revenue stream.
There's a $42 billion co-op advertising opportunity. Following conversations with multiple businesses across industries, we want to highlight an overlooked retailer monetization opportunity: Open-web advertising—i.e., offsite advertising—is a larger opportunity than onsite advertising.
What does advertising on the open web look like?
In this context, we define “open web” as the digital space including websites that are not retailers’ owned websites nor walled garden (Facebook, Amazon, etc.) platforms. Brands are able to use the open web to reach a much higher number of in-market customers than is available on retailers’ owned websites.
Let’s take a dog food brand as an example. The brand invests marketing dollars to promote their products on a pet store’s owned website, and they use co-branded creative promoting their product with a call to action to buy at that pet store. The brand then also messages customers of this pet store when they are browsing news, sport, entertainment and other sites on the open web. This allows for a much broader reach of in-market consumers and a far more exciting return on ad spend (ROAS) than just performing onsite monetization alone.
Many retailers start with onsite messaging on their owned assets, such as their website, which is understandable. Site and app visitors volunteer their intent to purchase, and retailers have existing e-commerce teams to implement monetization such as dedicated ad space on the homepage or sponsored search results. Conversely, extending their digital retail media strategy to the open web is very challenging. On of these challenges relates to effective retail data monetization.There’s a need for the best data onboarder to maximize reach, optimizing to know who is likely to buy the brand right now, reporting to prove SKU-level ROI across channels and, finally, conducting potentially significant hiring to execute this complex marketing technology operation.
But, if retailers overcome these big challenges, offsite advertising is one of the largest monetization opportunities they have. Allow us to share some by-the-numbers industry examples before getting to the how.
Examples of the open web’s effectiveness
Convenience Store: Open-web advertising opportunity 43x larger than onsite
One of the largest convenience stores has a robust e-commerce presence complementing offline sales at thousands of stores. During Q2 of this year, the convenience store wanted to expand from onsite to open-web advertising when they discovered just how much larger the audience is:
Onsite: 14.6 million consumers visiting site (8.5 million visitors only seen visiting site)
Open web: 68.6 million customers reachable on the open web (of which 62.5 million only reachable on open web)
What’s more, they discovered that the open web offered significantly more opportunities to message and monetize a customer:
Onsite: Consumers, on average visit website 7 days during a quarter
Open web: Customers on average are reachable 65 days during a quarter on the open web
Large Department Store: Open-web advertising opportunity 21x larger than onsite
One of America’s largest department stores has multi-channel sales with a robust e-commerce website and app, along with hundreds of in-store locations. The department store sought to expand to open-web advertising, also, when it saw how much larger the opportunity was:
Audience:
Onsite: 30.5 million consumers visiting site (of which 18.3 million only visiting site)
Open web: 80 million customers messagable on open web (of which 67.8 million only reachable on open web)
Opportunities for customer messaging:
Onsite: Consumers on average visit site 8 days during a quarter
Open web: Customers on average reachable 64 days during a quarter on the open web
These examples show just how powerful the open-web advertising opportunity is. But as discussed before, actually moving forward with the process can be a challenge. In order to see a worthwhile ROAS from the expansion to open web, there are three crucial needs.
3 steps to open-web advertising
1. An optimized identity solution
Especially in an era of ever-increasing identifier deprecation, the first consideration to maximize your reach to customers for open-web advertising opportunities is identity. Oftentimes, data onboarders’ reach is two to three times lower than what it could be.
What’s more, there’s the issue of potential cookie loss through fragmented execution with a data onboarder, a data management platform (DMP) and a demand-side platform (DSP). This limits monetization efforts, as you’re only able to reach a fraction of the total in-market audience. As well, third-party data providers are often segmented, modeled and stale.
Without a robust and resilient identity strategy, an open-web advertising opportunity is dead on arrival because of the need to reach and optimize limited in-market consumers without wasting media budgets.
2. Time and resources
In today’s environment, everyone is strapped for time and resources, but these are essential to scale open web co-op. Managing the brand relationship is the most critical, but then there are the tactical aspects as well that are essential to the success: sourcing budgets, creative execution for all rich media formats, identifying SKUs for each campaign, creating optimized audiences and important campaign measurement.
We have seen retailers unlock open-web opportunities, driving +$2M in top-line revenue without adding resources because they partnered with a fully managed service to handle all the implementation while the retailer focused on brand relationships.
3. SKU-level measurement and unique insights
Clicks and impressions are no longer considered campaign success metrics. Brands are now demanding better ROI, and it has become table stakes to provide unique in-flight SKU level performance (online and offline).
Brands cannot get enough insights on their customers with their retail partners. The co-op campaigns have to perform, but you also have to provide insights, including data and analytics, into those that are purchasing, such as demographics, along with timing for the last time they purchased the SKU or brand. These unique insights into customers keep brands re-investing in co-op programs.
We have seen a retailer secure +$1M brand budgets due to the success of their previous campaigns, driving 23x:1 brand ROAS.
Seize the opportunity
The numbers show that open-web advertising is a strong, under-leveraged way to maximize your overall monetization strategy. But without a reliable and robust identity solution, time and resources, the right retail data monetization approach, measurement at the SKU level and continuous optimization, charting the open web waters will not reap the maximum possible benefits.
Partnering with an expert in open-web advertising can help you achieve a strong return on ad spend to fuel business growth. And in a time when every budgeted dollar is under scrutiny, it may be time to branch out.
---
## Meet your customer: How to engage new loyalty members
Type: eps_post
URL: /meet-your-customer-engage-new-loyalty-members
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Meet your customer: How to engage new loyalty members
Building customer loyalty is not easy. Brands and loyalty professionals need to understand what’s truly important to their customers today and develop meaningful loyalty experiences that turn casual customers into lifetime fans. But how do you do this? It's important that brands take the time to outline a strategy of how they can build, maintain, and power lifetime connections over the course of their customer’s lifecycle. And, like any relationship, it starts with getting to know them.
meet your customer
During the first 90–120 days following programme enrollment, loyalty marketers need to get to know their customers and keep them engaged. Connections are no longer just based on behaviors. Emotions are an integral component to powering connections, helping to sustain lifetime loyalty. The first impression forms the foundation of the relationship between consumer and brand, so make it count.
To truly get to know your customer, consider implementing these tactics and strategies:
Identification
Make it personal – ensure you are able to identify individual members whenever and wherever they interact with your brand. Whether the interaction takes place online or offline, you need to be there, to identify your customers' needs and observe their behaviours in order to fulfil on and exceed their expectations.
Customer service
Train your associates and provide them with the tools, technology, and techniques to get to know your customers. Social chats, customer service calls, follow-up policies, and anniversary ‘thank you’ gifts to surprise and delight members will create new ways for you to glean insights. The data created from these interactions should then be integrated into your programme data. This observational data is key to building the emotional component of powering connections.
Content testing
Develop a communication plan, and put it to the test. Learn your customers’ preferred method of communication, whether it be email, mobile app or text message, and continue to make ongoing changes and improvements to ensure you’re meeting their needs.
Establish a data baseline
The availability of collectable customer data varies from industry to industry. For example, many quick-service restaurants capture diners’ email and phone number, while travel and hospitality brands are able to capture additional data points like addresses. Loyalty marketers need to establish a data baseline that is continually augmented with new data. (i.e., capture additional data from surveys, apply analytics, modelling).
Reach out and communicate with your customers during this initial period in ways that will engage them with your brand and loyalty programme. Simple examples are sending out a welcome email to new customers, taking the opportunity to reinforce membership benefits. Or encourage them to download your mobile app and offer a bonus if they fill out a survey and provide more information on their preferences. Offering bonus points on their next transaction is another great way to elicit that next purchase and remind them of membership benefits.
Keep them interested
Additionally, gamification techniques can be a fun, useful way to interact with customers during this initial period, and these techniques don’t have to involve financial incentives. Create challenges that reward members with badges for completing tasks, such as using the mobile app, completing a survey or visiting multiple stores. Encourage members to compete with each other by publishing their accomplishments on a leaderboard. Offer the winner an experiential opportunity beyond a traditional reward. For example, if you’re a retailer, offer the customer an hour with a personalised shopping assistant with lunch included. Experiences such as these will strengthen brand loyalty.
Remember, relationships change over time. Being able to identify when you need to reach out and engage with a consumer can make a difference between maintaining a loyal relationship or letting one wain.
So, now you know your customer. What's next? In our series, "Powering Lifetime Connections", we talk about this and two other stages of creating lifetime loyalty. Read Stage II: Creating a plan for ongoing dialogue to learn more.
---
## Why CMOs need to stop investing in marketing technology
Type: eps_post
URL: /cmos-stop-investing-marketing-technology
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Why CMOs need to stop investing in marketing technology
When was the last time you heard an incoming CMO say the business they are joining had a martech stack to die for; everything was optimal and there is no reason to change any of the existing technology favoured by their predecessor? Probably never.
CMOs come and go, on average, every 43 months. So, every three and a half years, marketing organisations re-start the journey of marketing technology transformation and go through significant upheaval in a new quest for a technological utopia.
But here’s the rub. The marketing doesn’t get that much better. Brands don’t start to do anything transformational. In fact, marketing teams often take a step backwards. Brands end contracts with good partners and lose good working relationships. Teams tread water, experiencing professional limbo, while pitches get undertaken and (often painful) transition happens. Teams have to re-learn much of what they knew already just to get to the same place they were six months ago.
And, in the rare cases where brands do actually take a step forward, does the incremental benefit outweigh the cost that the business has incurred? It’s doubtful and unlikely even measured effectively.
This is not to suggest that CMOs should stop seeking out and implementing new technology that solves new problems and provides new opportunity. There are some cases where you do need to change your platform, because your marketing needs have fundamentally changed.
But in order to drive a change in marketing effectiveness, could finding a partner to help you use your existing technology have a better outcome?
What could change instead?
A new CMO is expected to move things forward, so there is an immediate expectation that things should be changed and your tech stack is an obvious place to start. But what would happen if the CMO looked for ways to enhance and improve what they had, rather than to rip it all out and start again? If your issue is that you’re spamming everyone three times a week with a generic, poorly-designed campaign and it takes you six weeks to get anything out the door, you can spend as much as you like on best-of-breed technology, you’ll still be doing the same six months down the line. It’ll just be costing you more.
Successful change within a business depends on three things: people, process, and technology. Organisations rarely use their marketing technology to the best of its ability. In fact, in most cases, it’s not even close. So, perhaps CMOs should be looking to transform their people or processes instead?
People
Technology platforms are complicated. They evolve quickly. But how well are you ensuring your marketers are always up to speed? Especially when training is always under-invested in.
Do you also have enough staff and the right specialisms within your teams? If you’re not honest about this or fail to leverage the expertise that agency partners can provide then you’ll surely fail. It’s not good enough to buy a new platform for £2m and then expect graduates with no experience to be able to extract its full value.
Solid guidance suggests that for every £100 you spend on marketing technology, you should spend between £500 and £1,000 on people to support and service it.
Processes
There are plenty of reasons why marketing organisations fail when it comes to processes – from global vs. local, too many stakeholders, internal politics, to poor briefing and communication. But the one that has the biggest impact on underperforming technology is a misaligned organisational structure.
If your global marketing vision is to deliver a seamless customer experience across every channel and touchpoint then make sure you’re structured accordingly. Just buying new technology won’t deliver this. You can’t have a social team that doesn’t speak to the CRM team, or a media team that is at odds with the web team, and you can’t think what works in one market will automatically work everywhere else.
In order to put the customer at the heart of your business, remove the internal barriers to delivering that vision and incentivise both your internal and agency teams to work together to achieve that goal.
So, if you’re not the average CMO, think again before you call the next tech pitch. Invest in your team and your existing agency partners. Champion new ideas that can improve, evolve and optimise what you already do. Explore the untapped capabilities you’re already paying for and be open-minded about the experience of your partners.
Find the blockages internally and navigate around them – or change them if you can – to help your organisation serve the greater good – your customers.
Unless it’s unquestionably the right thing to do, think twice before changing your tech again. If new technology was always the answer, perhaps the average CMO would stick around for longer.
**This post first appeared on Marketing Tech
---
## How to manage liability in your loyalty programme
Type: eps_post
URL: /how-to-manage-liability-in-your-loyalty-programme
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# How to manage liability in your loyalty programme
The single greatest expense in a loyalty programme is managing the redemption liability - the eventual cost to your company of the redemption of all outstanding loyalty points. Due to the impact of Covid-19, many loyalty programme managers are facing increased pressure from stakeholders and their financial teams to manage the liability their programmes have created.
But this issue is not unique to the current climate. New programmes can sometimes have lower redemption rates and there are usually multiple factors that can cause this. Maybe the low redemption rates are due to members taking too long to earn enough points for a reward, or they’re are not really interested in the rewards that are on offer. In some cases, members might not be able to access a particular reward because they're not able to get it at that particular point in time.
On the other hand, we also see liability challenges with established programmes. As the programme matures and becomes more successful, you expect that members will be earning more points, therefore you'll issue more points. The same will happen for outstanding, unused points – the number will continue to grow. A successful loyalty programme, if not monitored properly, can see liability go through the roof. (Tweet this)
Loyalty programmes are designed to reward consumers and, in turn, the brand itself. So, what happens when points are not redeemed? How do you go about fixing the problem? While it’s not always something you can do quickly or easily, there are some actionable steps you can take in the shorter and longer term.
Short Term – Micro redemptions
There are some short, technical adjustments that you can make to your programme. For example, you could create auctions or sweepstakes. You could even introduce low cost rewards to try and encourage people to redeem a lot more often and reduce your overall liability.
Consider moving to micro-redemptions. We know that customers that engage quickly and see the value in the loyalty programme are much more likely to continue to spend - and spend at a greater velocity than others. Some of our initial research has shown that customers who redeem at least once are typically 28% more valuable in terms of incremental spend on the long-term.
Getting someone to realise the value in the short-term is key. Micro-redemptions allow customers to realise the value in the short-term and drives future profitability with those same customers.
While these tactics are helpful in the short-term, it’s imperative that you closely monitor the cost of issuing those rewards, and also the cost of fulfilling them.
Long term – Emotional Engagement
When we talk about longer term solutions to the issue of liability, we’re really talking about changing the structure of your programme. For example, changing the rewards catalogue by removing some unused, unwanted rewards. You might want to source more attractive rewards at cheaper rates. You might also want to look at perhaps changing some of the expiration rules around the points system. Or even deferring when you issue your rewards, because you want to make sure that you've achieved a certain level of healthy profit across the programme first.
But what will truly transform your programme is to move from transactional to emotional engagement. If you can engage with customers when they're not transacting with you, whether that's through gamification, emails, surveys or in-store visits, you’re bringing them in and involving them in the programme, which can be incrementally valuable to you without driving up your liability.
Epsilon has had a lot of success with gamification tactics in particular. Some of our brands who have less frequent transactions have employed games being sent out via email, available on the website or through the app. All of these tactics will give you some eyeball time in terms of customers engaging with your brand while not actually transacting and not driving liability for you; but you're getting that emotional engagement and that can be tremendously valuable.
Another initiative we’re seeing more often is companies giving their members the ability to convert their unused loyalty points in to a cash donation to charity. This kind of strategy benefits many people. For the brand, it provides the opportunity to retain and grow their customer relationships while enabling their members to support causes close to their hearts. Which, of course, benefits the charities receiving the donations. While this can be seen as a short-term step, adding this initiative to your loyalty programme really helps your brand to build emotional engagement with their members in the long-term.
An example of a company enabling customers to give back every time they shop is Allbirds. When customers make a purchase, they can help the company with their goal to become carbon neutral by choosing if they donate to land, energy or air initiatives.
Programme liability can be a delicate subject and we typically ask clients to partner up with their finance colleagues when looking for solutions to manage it and forecast for it. In the words of Peter Drucker, “What gets measured gets managed”. While managing costs is important, it’s also about respecting the opportunity and the customer relationship. Where before, it might just have been centred around sending out offers, promotions and discounts, now it is much more about building emotional connections. Working with your finance team you can find a solution that will work for your brand and for your members.
In Epsilon, we believe that to be truly successful in loyalty you need to consider everything from a customised strategy, a powerful platform and reliable day to day operation of the programme. Our PeopleCloud Loyalty solution is a market-leading end-to-end solution, and we’re the ONLY company that has been named a leader in the 2019 Forrester Waves for both Loyalty Technology Platforms and Loyalty Service Providers. This is a powerful validation for why the world’s leading brands trust our loyalty expertise. To learn more, please feel free to contact us.
---
## How to create a loyalty experience that’s brand-right and customer-centric
Type: eps_post
URL: /how-to-create-a-loyalty-experience-thats-brand-right-and-customer-centric
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# How to create a loyalty experience that’s brand-right and customer-centric
Our world is changing rapidly due to disruption and uncertainty, forcing brands and consumers to change how we live our lives, how we communicate, and how we connect, particularly in the moments that matter the most.
Just as our world is changing, the loyalty landscape is also evolving. Brands and loyalty professionals are seeing dramatic market shifts, constant disruption and uncertainty, the advancement of the “tech of tomorrow”, the rise in social engagement, the importance of privacy, the significance of data, and leveraging data to power up hyper-personalised experiences, and the increasing customer expectations are forcing brands to think differently about their customer loyalty strategies, and the technology and services to support them. This is compounded by the fact that consumers are concerned, and anxious about the current global situation. Their time has been disrupted, distraction is everywhere, and customers are being served hundreds of messages daily across a multitude of channels.
Communicating with your customers during times of disruption is more important than ever – but relevance, transparency, and being authentic is critical. For brands and loyalty professionals, you need to understand what’s important to your customers today and develop meaningful loyalty experiences, while recognising and rewarding customers in the moments that matter most. It’s not new news that, loyalty marketing is evolving from a transactional programme where members earn and redeem rewards to a more holistic customer experience, which is focused on personalising the entire experience while building relationships with your customer. Or as we say in Epsilon, evolving from a 1:1 to a 1:You experience. The opportunity to really understand your customers and put your customers at the heart of your loyalty programme, lie’s in getting your loyalty value proposition right.
This can be achieved by utilising a framework such as Epsilon’s Loyalty Evaluation and Design (LEAD) process, which helps brands create a loyalty experience that’s brand-right and customer-centric, and consists of four distinct phases: discovery, evaluation, design, and plan. What makes this process so unique is it infuses a blend of data, insights, analytics, experience and, creativity to help brands develop a unique loyalty experience that’s right for the customer…and the brand. (Get in touch if you’d like to learn more about our LEAD process).
As part of the LEAD process, we use the 5 C’s of loyalty strategy - competition, culture, company, cost-benefit, and customer – to assess critical components and inform the loyalty design recommendations to form an ideal loyalty experience for you and your customers.
The infographic below outlines the 5 C’s in brief. However, if you would like a more detailed insight into the framework take a look at our SlideShare deck.
In conclusion, when developing your loyalty strategies, focus on your customers and on creating meaningful emotional experiences, with a 1:You mindset. Create a value proposition that engages your customers and aligns with your goals and objectives, while taking care to balance “hard benefits” and “soft benefits”. When devising your strategy framework, think about the type of loyalty solution and partner you need. Is your primary goal to work with a loyalty technology partner to manage your loyalty campaigns? Is it a package solution? Are you more interested in a consultancy service? Or a hands-on, highly customised loyalty strategy, analytics, and marketing service? Epsilon’s PeopleCloud Loyalty solution is a market-leading end-to-end solution, and we’re the ONLY company that has been named a leader in the 2019 Forrester Waves for both Loyalty Technology Platforms and Loyalty Service Providers. This is a powerful validation for why the world’s leading brands trust our loyalty expertise. To learn more, please feel free to contact us.
---
## Adapting your loyalty efforts in the face of economic disruption: Exclusive Loyalty360 Q&A
Type: eps_post
URL: /adapting-your-loyalty-efforts-in-the-face-of-economic-disruption-exclusive-loyalty360-qa
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T22:17:52Z
# Adapting your loyalty efforts in the face of economic disruption: Exclusive Loyalty360 Q&A
In today’s global marketplace, there are constant disruptions and uncertainties. Whether it be the upcoming US election, BREXIT, swings in the economy or global health concerns, change is inevitable.
Staying connected to your clients and helping them stay connected to their customers is of utmost importance in a normal economic climate, but even more so today. With that said, Epsilon has years of experience in the loyalty platform space, and knows how to make sure there is a connection at an emotional level and not just on the surface.
Loyalty360 recently spoke to Rick Boubelik, Senior Director of Loyalty at Epsilon, about how loyalty marketers are reacting to disruption, some advice to maintain customer connections in challenging times, as well as how Epsilon is adapting. Read on to learn more, or watch our video to hear Rick discussing key topics from the Q&A.
What are you hearing from your loyalty clients as their concerns around some of these disruptions?
Well, obviously we’re seeing declining foot traffic and less travel. But the main questions we’re getting back from our clients are, “When will business come back? How will it be different? Is my programme actually prepared to reconnect with our customers? How do we recreate the customer experience (quality, exception services, customisation)?” With the COVID-19 virus out there, many clients need a fundamental change in their way of doing business. They need help finding, attracting and communicating the new (and evolving) customer offering. We’re trying to help them engage new and old customers at a different level than they’ve had to in the past.
What can brands do to stay connected to customers during uncertain times?
The brands who will succeed are those who remain connected to their customers with relevant communication and by continuing to deliver positive customer experiences. Loyalty marketers have an advantage, in that they already have data-driven insights and close connections with their customers.
I think one of the great things we’re seeing right now, and it is tough times… At Epsilon, we’re trying to keep it positive—trying to deliver a positive experience for our own clients and have that translate to their customers. How are we communicating that? We encourage them to just be human, be real, be a partner to their customers. This is where loyalty is getting exciting right now. Brands are putting people over products, and this really endears customers to be better customers to the brands. Our data-driven insights are helping to inform those conversations.
Do you have specific advice or recommendations for these brands to put these processes in place?
Recommendation #1: You cannot carry on business as usual anymore. Brands really have to be flexible and adapt to this business challenge. So, where we’re really seeing that is how brands are reevaluating and communicating with customers. It’s not the same old messaging we’re putting out there and saying the same old “thank you’s” anymore. We want to help them connect to customers on an emotional level. It’s not just transactional anymore. For example, you don’t want to target people who just lost their jobs with designer handbags. But maybe it’s more relevant to give helpful tips on how to dress for an interview if you lost your job, then offer specific options. Helping brands to communicate more on a 1:You, human level is where we can be most effective.
Recommendation #2: Now is the opportunity to create that goodwill. Make sure that you’re authentic. For example, the New York Times and other media outlets have taken down paywalls blocking COVID-19 stories. The Times and USA Today are offering free coronavirus newsletters. U-Haul offered 30 days of free storage to college students who needed to quickly vacate their dorms. They are touching on the emotional aspects. In the UK, Nandos restaurants provided food drops to National Health Service teams, an initiative apparently led by the restaurants themselves.
Recommendation #3: Focus on the customer experience, especially online. You know your loyal customers; they have opted-in to be part of your community. Use your data-driven insights to keep in touch with them and reassure them. Be service-focused, not sales-focused. And make customer experiences easy.
Double down on your digital experience. Provide those important updates up-front on your home page. This is where people will see the brand right off. Get it across very quickly. And facilitate ways to connect with your company, such as highlighting ways to contact you on your homepage, increasing call center or customer care staff or proactively investing in chat bots
Recommendation #4: Waive or ease policy restrictions. For loyalty marketers, there are easy things you can do to ease restrictions on some of your policies, because people can’t transact with you. For example, airlines like Delta and British Airways are being proactive in their customer experience. They have waived flight change and cancellation fees, offering credit for future flights. Changing the time required to earn Elite status. Marriott has also added more flexible policies. Go through the terms and conditions and find the angst points.
Retailers, many of whose storefronts are now temporarily closed, have amended their return policies. Adidas temporarily increased free returns to 100 days. In the UK, John Lewis extended returns for up to 35 days from John Lewis shops reopening. Or if you’ve been unable to return an unwanted item due to self-isolation restrictions, they will honor late returns.
In the financial services arena, several banks are offering more flexibility (payment deferrals, waived fees). Bank of America created a Client Assistance program for consumer and small business waiving certain account fees. And UK banks are allowing fast tracking applications for three-month payment holidays from mortgages.
Recommendation #5: Adapt or fall behind. Whether we like it or not, our world can drastically change within a short period of time. Whether it be from health concerns, recession, financial uncertainty or a toxic political environment. When this happens, take the opportunity to evaluate and possibly evolve your program to better align with new consumer expectations, business environment, and customer sensitivities. Ask yourself, “Is it still the right value proposition for your consumers?”
podcast: CREATING SUSTAINABLE LOYALTY PROGRAMMES
You mention “Adapt or fall behind.” What does that mean in terms of loyalty strategy?
Well, it’s really in trying to look at the purpose of your programme. The typical loyalty programmes are rewards-based, “Do this, get that.” But loyalty has evolved. It is s a strategy and an outcome of all the experiences customers have had with your brand. It’s trying to connect on a 1:You level with more human experiences.
So, we really want to address that customer value proposition as more than just the transaction. But are providing rewards enough? If a recession hits or a percent of your customers become unemployed or underemployed… is this enough of a value proposition to keep some share of wallet? Loyalty programmes have excellent data to provide customer insights to help you adapt, however, in a situation like COVID-19, these are lagging indicators of a world that has changed. Look at some of the leading indicators and trends to help you adapt.
For example, with COVID-19, many in the restaurant industry suddenly shut down. It’s a new business model. How do I get my product out to the customers? How is that changing the experience? How do I keep part of that? I want longer lasting emotional engagement and loyalty… How am I going to adapt to that? When many were out of work, many efforts popped up to help. This “social sharing” phenomenon might have a place in a lot of programmes as we look to create longer lasting “emotional” engagement & loyalty. Health, safety and confidence of wellbeing as a message has a role in loyalty. Or consider doing business in isolation: shopping, dining, socialising in the comforts of our homes continues to grow. Have you made it easy for your customers to interact with your brand? Those are the type of the things to achieve your 1:You approach. You have to rethink your programme and be adaptable to many different types of customers. Some are price value driven, some are service driven, some need more attention and time to make decisions. So how does your programme adapt to all of these, not just one of these segments.
How is Epsilon adapting to keep up with the rapid pace of change and uncertainty?
We do this through both our Services and our Platform. We focus on a collaboration to help stay entrenched in helping our clients and their customers. Publicis recently launched our new AI-driven collaboration tool, Marcel, to enable us to tap into knowledge and experience from across Publicis’ group of agencies. We have great talent across the globe, and this helps us tap into expertise internally and redefine how we form teams. So, our clients benefit from the knowledge of not just our local Loyalty teams, but from cross-functional resources around the world. We’re going to be very collaborative, which is going to help our clients.
Also, on the technology side we’re heavily investing in AI and machine learning for our PeopleCloud Loyalty platform. This allows better understanding in how we’re going to act and act fast. It’s not just a product or transition focus anymore, but the emotional focus. I think that’s where machine learning is really taking off for us. We have the most talented people I’ve ever worked with in the industry, in loyalty and data marketing side, and having those people in a collaborative environment, the investments we’re making in this technology, is happening on a speed pace being pushed by some great clients. They want to learn more and see how to maximise their investments. We stay on top of industry research and trends to help the address their needs for today and tomorrow.
What technologies do you (Epsilon) offer to address clients’ needs in these disruptive times?
As I mentioned, AI and machine learning are very proactive on connections for us and that’s the big shift that’s coming for us in loyalty. It’s not about a single transaction. But investment, turning even reports that we’re turning into insights, that kind of asset becomes a very valuable tool to loyalty managers and analytic personnel. “Where do I start my day? How do I make better decisions?” That investment in those insights and better metrics on what’s working and what’s not working—not just the loyalty programme, but the business impacts of the loyalty programme. Some of the technology is actually getting better tools to make those metrics more understandable for loyalty clients.
We’re also including some proprietary products outside of our loyalty platform. Epsilon uses VAP (value attrition and potential) framework for customer segmentation where we can define and score customers in a proprietary way. We have industry benchmarks that help our clients understand where they’re performing well within their competitive set, in retail, banking or in travel. We have a fraud detection tool that’s part of our machine learning enhancements to protect the programmes.
Specifically, for loyalty, our best technology is our decision engine that makes eligibility decisions and calculations “in a moment”: our offer management tool which we call “connection management.”
It’s to drive the most effective outcome that can be enabled with any inbound or outbound marketing systems across all touch points (email, online, mobile, call centers, point of sale). Marketers can set-up any number of “moments” with point and click action, creating dynamic formulas with robust business rules using any data element within or received by the platform. And the cool thing that we just launched is the ability to simulate marketing outcomes. So you no longer have to wonder and guess about hey, how’s this promotion going to work, or connection or engagement promotion. We can simulate it and you can better define your budgets and add in more segments or clients’ memberships. We are able to do a better job of predicting for you.
Ultimately though, the technology cannot stand alone without the people. You need to have good loyalty marketing professionals helping you. Our loyalty technology team is tied at the hip with our strategy team and our client services team. We get great input in understanding where do we go next. And we’ve got some great clients, who are also loyalty experts, pushing us to evolve not only our thinking, but our products and services and how we can engage better.
Watch the video interview.
**This post first appeared on L360.
---
## Epsilon Named a Leader for Email Marketing Services
Type: eps_post
URL: /epsilon-named-a-leader-for-email-marketing-services-0
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Epsilon Named a Leader for Email Marketing Services
Epsilon received the highest scores possible in the analytics, artificial intelligence, data integration & privacy and security criteria within the current offering category
London — May 12, 2020 — Epsilon®, a global leader in interaction management, today announced that it was named a Leader in the May 2020 report “The Forrester Wave™: Email Marketing Service Providers, Q2 2020” by Forrester Research, Inc., which evaluated the Epsilon PeopleCloud Messaging* platform.
The report states, “Epsilon stays strong as an email agency. A longtime powerhouse in this study, Epsilon continues a model that many email service providers have eschewed: It balances good email technology with the strongest professional services in the study.”
“Change across consumer industries has accelerated. As marketers search for ways to drive sales, email has regained its place as a primary and profitable channel to reach customers,” said Oded Benyo, President, Messaging and International Offerings at Epsilon. “We believe our longtime leadership in email proves the value of a partner that combines AI-led data activation, technology and services to help marketers adapt quickly to changing business needs. Now is the time for marketers to move beyond sending episodic email and instead focus on developing customer conversations over time that create sustainable brand growth.”
According to Forrester, data integration, artificial intelligence (AI) and professional services differentiate and “today’s marketers care about how immediately they can segment off of myriad data types; if AI helps optimize process, not just creative; and if the vendor provides a level of professional services that suits their needs.” In the report, Epsilon ranked highest in the current offering category and received the highest scores possible in the analytics, artificial intelligence, data integration and privacy and security criteria. Epsilon also received the top score in the services criterion.
For the full report “The Forrester Wave™: Email Marketing Service Providers, Q2 2020” click here.
Epsilon is also the only provider recognized as a Leader in both Loyalty Technology and Loyalty Services by Forrester Research, an integrated offering within the Epsilon PeopleCloud platform.
About Epsilon
Positioned at Publicis Groupe's core, Epsilon is a leader in interaction management, empowering brands to transform ordinary customer experiences into meaningful, human experiences. Through a connected suite of products and services, Epsilon combines leading-edge identity management, industrial strength data and technology expertise with big brand acumen gained over five decades working with the industry’s top brands. Our human-powered, data-led marketing delivers unmatched depth, breadth and scale to help brands turn meaningful human interactions into exceptional business outcomes. For more information, visit emea.epsilon.com. Follow us on Twitter at @EpsilonEMEA.
*Epsilon PeopleCloud Messaging was formerly known as Agility Harmony.
---
## Retail messaging during COVID-19: What to embrace right now
Type: eps_post
URL: /retail-messaging-during-covid-19-what-to-embrace-right-now
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Retail messaging during COVID-19: What to embrace right now
No brand can realistically prepare for “customer messaging during a pandemic,” yet here we all are. Brand communications are of the utmost importance right now as retailers search for the best way to engage consumers during this difficult time. It’s no simple task, and people are looking for a variety of things: entertainment, guidance and information. Retail brands can provide additional value through communications as everyone prepares for the “next normal”. Right now, consumers will be searching for guidance on how they can readapt.
And the statistics are rolling in to support this. In March, we saw the following across our Epsilon PeopleCloud Messaging platform for our retail clients worldwide:
Unique open rates increased throughout March to level out at 11%, as stay-at-home living with more inbox attention time began adjusting to more usual Easter and spring messaging cadence.
Despite early numbers of CEO messages with less clickable calls-to-action, unique click-through rates rose significantly with 20% increase by March week 4, indicating interest and desire to engage with brands.
Your retail strategy needs to be updated during this unprecedented time, and because your customers are online now more than ever before (In the UK, for example, we’ve found time spent online by individuals has increased by 20% per day), digital messaging is a crucial component of that strategy. But brands need to be conscious of what, where and how content is distributed and positioned during this unprecedented time.
Here, we outline four messaging strategies (with examples) for retailers to effectively, and consciously, communicate during this COVID-19 retail disruption.
Acknowledge the current environment, rather than gloss over or pretend
When it comes to COVID-19 retail messaging, here are some statistics from MediaPost:
In March, COVID-themed emails received more opens (28%) compared to business-as-usual emails (25%), indicating that timely and highly relevant messages have stronger appeal.
At the same time, delete rates significantly jumped from 7% in March 2019 to 11% March this year, reinforcing the higher immediacy and shorter shelf life for communications in the current environment.
What does this mean? There’s an elephant in the room, and not acknowledging it does more to harm your communication than help. But - and this is a big one - your COVID-19 messaging strategy needs to be appealing for readers.
Talk about the situation - not the problem. Literally including the words “COVID-19” in your subject lines or copy is not strictly necessary, and may detract from the lighthearted tone you’re striving for. While appropriate for CEO messages regarding health and safety efforts, a more subtle approach for helpful tips and home-living category inspiration may resonate more.
Instead, nod to the experience. Customers will know what you’re referring to - we’re all experiencing the same situation - and will be thankful you’re actually speaking directly to what they’re feeling. Plus, shoppers are looking for ways to turn this experience into a more positive one, and you can help them out there.
A great example of this in action is an email from Coach UK, which has the subject line “Because we all need a little joy right now” and the header “What brings you joy? Coach answers.”
In this communication, the situation is acknowledged subtly, all while putting their customer at the forefront, not Coach products. The human touch conveyed in the messaging promotes positive associations with the brand.
What to avoid: Don’t stick to overly somber messaging or cause undue stress. The last thing you want to be sending is urgency messaging during this sensitive time.
Consumers are looking for distractions - create content to engage
The COVID-19 retail communications you’re sharing right now should not just be tied to products and sales, but also engagement and relevancy with audience. On a statistical level, Mobile Marketer has seen mobile gaming jump 24% in just two weeks as people are growing more reliant on anything indoors for entertainment.
Shoppers are ready for some levity; we’ve seen an uptick already in more lighthearted, optimistic and entertaining content and communications. Retailers should mix in unique content types, such as infographics, articles, videos, recipes, how-to's and more. Business-as-usual promotional offers that speak to necessary savings are important, but may come across as off-tone during this time.
We’re continuing to see brands switch from a selling model to a content model. Education, inspiration, fun and games are the new promotions, effectively entertaining consumers and nurturing brand loyalty. And your communications should extend across customer preferred channels - email, social, digital media and push notifications - with the right cadence to deliver value while not seeming overwhelming. Some brands are enriching enjoyment and usability of their products by investing in rich content to support the product experience outside the merchandise itself:
The Body Shop: A recent Body Shop email focused on taking care of yourself and others and included a gift guide and gift basket inspiration for loved ones you cannot be with in person.
Nike: With sports canceled and gyms closed, Nike has customers covered. Via a long, extended email (yes, these can work well), the brand alerted shoppers that it has made paid Nike Training Club Premium (a $14.99/mo value) free to all Nike Members until further notice. Even better, Nike reflects this update within SEO and created a hashtag #playinside.
Walgreens: A recent Walgreens seniors-focused email communicates empathy and concern while leading with a relevant offer (up to 30% off for those 55+), keeping messaging on theme throughout the creative and offering practical ways for to allow seniors to remain safe.
Avoid: Staying the line with only product or savings-based messaging. Consumers are looking for content that is helpful, entertaining or relevant for their current experience. They are giving brands permission to color outside the lines as we navigate new territory together.
Create communications that add to the conversation
It may be tempting to showcase all the amazing things your brand is doing to drum up enthusiasm, but caution is advised. It’s not the time to share platitudes about the situation or repeat what should be a given; consumers are looking for a balance of guidance, distraction and compassion. John Oliver’s recent rant against Amazon calling their employees “heroes” is one lens through which messaging can inadvertently be viewed as self-serving; actionable information that provides value to the reader is paramount.
Use communications to add something positive to the conversation, and offer customers something of unique value during this situation. Brands are getting creative with how they’re adapting to support the current crisis and be of genuine help to people during this time.
BP for instance, after acknowledging the situation, offered first responders, doctors, nurses and hospital works a one-time 50-cent-off per gallon discount to use on their next fill-up at BP or Amoco. To draw attention to the offer, the email encouraged readers to send a personal “thank-you” by sharing a post on social media and using the hashtag #BPLocalHeroes.
Avoid: Talking out of your depth or putting the focus on yourself. It’s not about making a big announcement about what you’re doing, it’s about how you’re being genuinely helpful for others right now.
As well, make sure that if you’re creating COVID-19 content, it’s well thought through. We studied one email from a brand with an enticing COVID-themed “work from home” email subject line, but the email content wasn’t adapted: the four-piece woman’s power suit featured feelings of elegance and polish in the office (with product and place being far from timely). Make sure to think through all aspects of your communications to fit the current situation or run the risk of alienating customers. This includes shutting off any automated triggers, such as your 45-day at risk win-back, that may not meet the new tone of today’s #stayhome life.
Make your message count
Be clear about the purpose of your message as a marketer. There will be a “next normal” just around the corner when customers are permitted to step out of their indoor lifestyle and re-enter shops. Preparing consumers for a “March goods sale in May,” or setting expectations for the weeks needed to fully restock ahead of the next season, are critical. Even the effort to widen aisles for improved social distancing overall will take time.
Now is also a crucial time to build brand affinity and loyalty. This applies to both your longstanding customers, as well as any new customers purchasing from you for the first time. We’re seeing this heavily in ecommerce right now, where people are trying new retailers because their typical go-to brand was sold out of their favorite product, or they are trying a new retailer because of proximity to home vs. regular shopping habit. This creates retention challenges but also acquisition opportunities at the same time.
And, if you’re really looking to plan for the future, don’t segment or target based on last year’s numbers. Rather, focus on the past 60 to 90 days of engagement across channels and purchase behavior. Customers’ buying behaviors are changing, and that may be for a short period of time or for good. In either case, understanding new buying behaviors and leveraging those insights to speak to them is key. Show first-time buyers what you’re able to offer in the long term, and you’ll be in a better position for the future.
Avoid: Don’t just live in the now without a solid plan to match potential out of season inventory or delayed seasonal restock with shopper expectations. Plan for a broad array of customer and store experiences, and let customers know you’ll doing your best to ramp back up for them quickly, with safety still top of mind.
Taking queues from industry peers is a helpful way to refine your own COVID-19 strategy. Move forward with these recommendations, and you’ll set yourself up for success as we move into the next normal.
Continue reading: Effective digital messaging for restaurants during uncertain times.
If you'd like to find out more about how we can help you with your messaging strategy, get in touch.
---
## How to get - and keep - new loyalty programme members
Type: eps_post
URL: /how-to-get-and-keep-new-loyalty-programme-members
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# How to get - and keep - new loyalty programme members
Loyalty today is transforming. As millennials and other groups become more active consumers, and a primary target for brands, we are seeing the industry shift. Previously, transactional reward programmes were sufficient to get loyalty amongst customers. You gave them points, they could redeem them, and they'd be loyal to your brand. But not so much anymore.
Today, it's really about experiences. Creating an emotional engagement with your customers. And that's challenging because it's not just about earning points. That's a minimum requirement these days. Consumers today want to know what other value the brand will add for them.
Taking your loyalty to the next level is something we in Epsilon have been vocal about for a long time and we often talk about the concept of big L versus little L loyalty. Little L is the traditional loyalty programme – a points-based construct or some sort of exchange of value that customers sign up for. But the big L concept is much more. It requires a brand to know what it truly stands for and to determine how they can engender brand loyalty amongst the broadest set of customers they can.
LEARN MORE:
From 1:1 to 1: You - 5 key components to personalising the loyalty experience
The idea of big L loyalty goes far beyond the loyalty programme. It speaks to your brand identity. What does your brand stand for? How do you connect with your consumers? How do you get them to engage with your brand when they're not transacting? So, brands need to consider the entire customer experience, which of course includes those customers who are not yet members of your loyalty programme.
But how do you attract those that aren't actually enrolled into the programme so they can realise value and, in turn, unlock that additional value for you and your brand?
1. Customer Service
A potential customer’s first interaction with your brand is key to creating an ongoing relationship, which provides value to you both. Whether it’s an in-store experience, social media engagement, email open or mobile app visit, all of these interactions create emotional signals that you need to pick up on - both positive and negative.
Take the time to figure out how to track those, capture them, interpret them, and bring that into lifecycle communications in such a way that you can actually engender the kind of emotional engagement that goes beyond just the transactional.
Customers need to clearly see the value of enrolling in your loyalty programme, and they need to see it as soon as they begin to interact with your brand, regardless of the channel they connect with you on.
2. Personalisation
Once you successfully create a clear reason to enrol, your next focus should be on personalisation, and doing that at scale. Our own internal studies show that over 75% of customers, who provide their data to you as part of the exchange of value, expect you to use it. They expect brands to personalise their offers, personalise the communications, and do it every time they interact with the brand, regardless of device.
Many companies find personalisation at scale hugely challenging, but it is absolutely expected amongst customers. In our blog series, the building blocks of personalisation, we outline actionable steps you can take to get started.
3. Emotional engagement
If you're friends with someone, you expect them to know you. You also develop an emotional attachment with them and sometimes that's when things get tricky. It requires that you have a knowledge of how people are receiving your part of the value equation, and while transactions are one way to look at that, you also have to pull in the other indicators.
Emotional engagement is easier to achieve with a loyalty programme because it is permission-based marketing. Your members are actually raising their hand, telling you who they are and giving you an opportunity to engage with them. As long as you're paying attention and using that information to curate the conversations that you're having with them moving forward, you can get that kind of emotional engagement and drive the resulting benefits.
We work with brands all the time to help them understand what their true brand identity is, what their unique assets are, and how they can activate those with their customers in the broadest sense. When you think of it as a journey, if the customer has engaged with you initially, you need to develop a plan to get them to eventually sign up for your loyalty programme. As it’s permission-based marketing, that's when you really pull them in and have the tightest relationship with them. We encourage brands to really look at this big L loyalty concept and think about the customer journey before they become a part of your loyalty programme, and how you can entice them to enrol.
We know with loyalty programmes, if they're delivering value and they engage the customers, those customers are more valuable to you, and it has a direct impact on your bottom line. Based on our analysis, we see that loyalty members spend three times more than non-members. And I think if you boil down the reason that brands do loyalty programmes, it’s to keep their customers engaged, happy, and coming back for more, which, ultimately, drives revenue.
If you’d like to find out more about our loyalty offering, please get in touch.
LEARN MORE:
From 1:1 to 1: You - 5 key components to personalising the loyalty experience
---
## Loyalty’s secret ingredient: Email
Type: eps_post
URL: /loyaltys-secret-ingredient-email
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Loyalty’s secret ingredient: Email
The best loyalty programmes create a 1:You experience for their very best customers. From earning to redeeming and everything in between, a good loyalty programme listens to its customers. It creates the connections that deliver lifetime value to both the customer and the brand they love.
The best email programmes do exactly the same thing.
Infusing strong email best practices into a loyalty programme can produce powerful results. Why? Because email rounds out the customer experience. Leveraging robust data - including that collected through loyalty participation - creates a 1:You experience wherever your customers are, in the moments that matter most.
1:You is about creating a holistically individualised customer experience. A customer-focused loyalty programme can help you reach that level of personalisation. An email programme rooted in analytics and automation can also take your brand to personalisation at that level. In this blog, we consider the type of customer experiences you can create by bringing loyalty and email together.
Here's a 3-step plan to align your email programme with your loyalty programme.
1. Start with a template
As highlighted in 5 tips to fuse email creativity with data and technology, dynamic templates create efficiencies in the personalisation game to connect on a 1:You level. Think of the template as a flexible journey where you can change the creative and messaging based on the individual and their previous brand interactions.
This means your email template should be built on a modular framework ,designed to ingest and activate loyalty data, to streamline and automate 1:You personalisation.
Building this modular system takes time, but there are efficiencies that come into play by developing automation capabilities. Once your template is developed, your focus can shift to strategic content development, storytelling and visual design.
2. Set customer expectations
You’ve designed your loyalty programme to meet your customers’ needs; let them know! Use a real-time welcome email to acknowledge their opt-in. In Are you undervaluing trigger emails?, we explain that this is the first triggered email you should set up because the engagement rates are remarkably high.
The welcome sets the tone for the rest of your communications. It shows what kind of business your new customers have a relationship with and gives you a chance to highlight the many benefits of receiving email communications from your brand.
If your programme is more complex, or you have more to say than is appropriate for one welcome message, consider an onboarding series.
An onboarding series can help establish your desired tone and give the newcomer a chance to better understand your programme before diving right in. Put the same effort into evaluating the communication needs of your customers as you put into tailoring your loyalty programme to those customers and decide if your programme has enough information to demand an onboarding series.
Each touch in the welcome and onboarding series is an opportunity to educate your new member about the benefits of the programme, the ways they can earn and redeem rewards, member exclusives and more, before they move into the business-as-usual email stream. These communications give the customer the ability, over time or all at once, to convey their preferences either by sending them to a communications preference center or by collecting clicks through progressive profiling.
In the example below, clothing brand Madewell uses one email to introduce the programme, outline membership benefits and give the member an opportunity to learn more.
3. Show, don’t tell
Storytellers know that you should show as much as or more than you tell. Data visualisation helps your customers contextualise their personal journey, and it reinforces the value your loyalty programme brings to their real life.
Loyalty dashboard:
Even promotional, non-loyalty-specific emails can be personalised for your loyalty customers with a simple-but-effective loyalty dashboard that acknowledges data points like name, member number, points earned and status.
Every email you send to customers who are in your loyalty programme, regardless of whether that email is about the loyalty programme, should include this loyalty programme information. The dashboard on every email creates consistency, is an easy way to personalise, and reminds them of their ongoing relationship with your brand.
Reminders & banners:
Visualise important data like near-tier and earned rewards in banner modules to extend value in any send and remind your customers that they can make it to the next reward or level.
End-of-year or monthly summaries:
A highly visual “look back” recaps their year or month in loyalty and highlights what you’ve achieved together with personalised infographics powered by data. Don’t be afraid to make this email celebratory and highly specific to their spend, rewards, earnings, perks they didn’t use, etc.
A well known example; Spotify sends an end-of-year recap to show members what they listened to over the past year, top tracks and artists and more. They then offer even more value with a personalised and unique playlist based on the members' listening behavior.
Final thoughts
The right email strategy can boost the success – and experience – of your loyalty programme and extend the lifetime value of the relationship. By activating the right data at the right moment, the right or relevant message lands in their inbox.
These messages help customers better understand the programme they’ve opted in to, discover relevant ways to engage with the programme, glean more value and celebrate their success along the way.
1:You is meaningful and powerful, and best of all, it’s achievable for every loyalty programme through the right email programme. Email can help you achieve 1:You dialogue with your customers when paired with loyalty data and powerful technology that enables you to reach your customers in real-time.
Find out more about our Loyalty and Email solutions here.
---
## Acts of kindness encourage brand loyalty
Type: eps_post
URL: /acts-of-kindness-encourage-brand-loyalty
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Acts of kindness encourage brand loyalty
Consumers love positive experiences. And better yet, experiences that ‘surprise and delight’ create engagement that leaves the consumer wanting to interact with your brand for future experiences.
With the shift of loyalty programmes from transactional to relational, fulfilment has transformed from rewards to experiences. Further, loyalty has become part of a brand’s overall business strategy: a mindset versus a programme.
Recently, UniBank, a US financial institution, was in the Boston community performing random acts of kindness. They visited local businesses, schools, senior centres and more to ‘surprise and delight’ consumers with a variety of offerings, and we had the opportunity to experience their surprise and delight gesture.
When we were at a local coffee shop, they greeted us with a friendly “hello,” handed out the card below and treated customers to a cup of coffee, their choice. And, the conversations that took place about the services of UniBank while folks waited for their coffee were inspiring.
It’s important to remember that being ‘the leader’ is not always about who spends the most money on innovation or who has the best merchandise. It’s often the brands that invest in their people to think outside of the box.
Surprise activates curiosity, excitement and wonder, which are key elements to absorbing information. Marketers are capitalising on the excitement that surprise and delight perks and offers trigger to drive loyalty to their brand. These rewards are different from the published perks or discount offering that’s often promised by the loyalty program.
You might be asking, “How does this apply to my business, my brand?” Or, you might be thinking to yourself, “This is an easy tactic for smaller, local businesses to fulfil.”
What marketers need to realise is the strategy of ‘surprise and delight’ is transferable, regardless of the size or type of your company. Many brands have engaged these types of experiential rewards. Why? Because they drive loyalty.
So, start thinking about how you can incorporate ‘surprise & delight’ offerings into your business model:
It’s all in the data:
Leverage data intelligence to offer educated ‘surprise and delight’ for your consumers. If you’re a retail brand, review your customers’ recent purchase activity and provide them with an experiential offer of interest to them.
For example, if a customer just came in to purchase some of the new Autumn shades of make-up, offer them a personalised make-over with a skin analysis at no charge.
DOWNLOAD OUR GUIDE
FROM 1:1 TO 1:YOU - 5 KEY COMPONENTS TO PERSONALISING THE LOYALTY EXPERIENCE
Make it a role within your organisation:
No, you don’t need a specific job title of ‘surprise and delight manager’. Integrate this function within an existing role within your marketing department. Maybe it resides in customer service.
The Ritz-Carlton has done a great job of integrating this role into the onsite hotel staff. The employees are enabled to fulfil on surprise and delight experiences for guests at their decision, their discretion. These experiences are then recorded within their systems to enable the brand to gain a holistic profile view of their guests.
Mark a date on the calendar:
While the concept of surprise and delight is spontaneous, marketers need to plan the experiences for customers to engage in. Whether it’s quarterly or affiliated with holidays. With Christmas looming, it's the perfect example, but every month, there are multiple holidays for marketers to promote.
For example, earlier this year the quick service restaurant chain Dunkin’ celebrated National Donut Day and surprised customers with a free donut when they purchased a beverage of their choice. And my how they achieved social success.
Dunkin’ implemented a Snapchat campaign featuring National Donut Day, and as a result, they gained more followers on National Donut Day than their average monthly followers. It resulted in the highest Snapchat story for the brand viewed to date. The total reach across all platforms was 3MM and the total engagement across all platforms was 40K. Dunkin' also saw a high level of tagging from friends, family, and fans in comments across all platforms. Additionally, the campaign resulted in hundreds of thousands of uses of the National Donut Day geofilter, which led to millions of peer-to-peer views.
As you continue to further advance your 1:You communication strategy, think of how you can incorporate surprise and delight into your campaign. Remember to dream big, always hold on to your vision and stay the course. It will become the essence of your success.
FROM 1:1 TO 1:YOU - 5 KEY COMPONENTS TO PERSONALISING THE LOYALTY EXPERIENCE
---
## 3 tips for going global with your loyalty programme
Type: eps_post
URL: /3-tips-going-global-loyalty-programme
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# 3 tips for going global with your loyalty programme
In today’s loyalty landscape, brands continue to enhance their global marketing initiatives. Understanding the needs of each individual market is essential for success as there’s significant growth opportunity within the loyalty market.
In fact, the global loyalty management market was valued at USD 2617 million in 2018, and is expected to reach a value of USD 9280 million by 2024, at a CAGR of 23.3% over the forecast period (2019-2024).
So how can you as a marketer achieve your global loyalty marketing goals? Let’s further explore.
Tip #1: Develop an adoptable strategic framework
Often when we think of our loyalty marketing needs, technology is the first thing that comes to mind. And, it’s an essential component. But it’s important to take a step back and focus on your brand’s global customer engagement strategy.
Your customer engagement strategy is a living document, meaning it needs to be flexible so it can adapt to different markets and accommodate for the changes that are to come.
I like to think of the strategy development as a four-step process:
Define (and know) your customers
Create an engagement plan
Customise your engagement approach
Adapt to the local cultural nuances (language, etc.)
As you’re developing your strategy, always make engagement a top priority. For example, how can you best personalise your programme offerings and communicate 1:You. And, what reward offers can you provide that will create emotional connections to your brand and sustain lifetime loyalty.
Tip #2: Set-up your internal organisation for success
Success starts within your organisation. It’s important to align your people and processes as you’re creating your global loyalty marketing strategy.
If you’re a brand that has a successful single country-based loyalty programme, think about the learnings you can share with the international team as to the programme initiatives they can replicate, and the ones they need to customise for their specific market needs.
Consider forming a steering committee to help determine the best approach to take in setting up your global programme. Include associates (both domestic and international) from all areas of your organisation – IT, finance, leadership, marketing and operations – and put your task list together. And together, do your research, implement testing, mirror what other international brands have done well and always think with an innovative mindset. Put a plan in place for eliminating the barriers that might arise.
DOWNLOAD OUR GUIDE
FROM 1:1 TO 1:YOU - 5 KEY COMPONENTS TO PERSONALISING THE LOYALTY EXPERIENCE
Tip #3: Integrate a global platform with local programs
Having one global platform that’s customised for each market (adaptable to specific currency types, languages, etc.) is much more cost effective as opposed to creating unique, individual platforms for each market. It reduces the administration costs.
And consumer data and privacy requirements add additional complexities to global deployments. Having a clear and robust technology platform strategy and governance is important.
Global platforms must be flexible enough to support different consumer engagement strategies. For example, because mobile is the preferred channel in many countries, engaging with consumers with text messages, app notifications and mobile coupon offers is more important than other methods of engagement.
Brand in action
FedEx does an excellent job with their international marketing, programmes and overall focus on loyalty. FedEx’s corporate culture of focusing on their people, process and technology is felt and implemented across the entire organisation, both domestically and internationally.
With this alignment, FedEx has built the capabilities to expand their programmes globally. And, FedEx mirrors its successful U.S.-based strategy while expanding into other markets and shares learnings across regions.
So, as you’re evaluating your global loyalty marketing initiatives, think of it as a crawl, walk, run approach and don’t try to accomplish the world in one day.
And remember, when deciding on a platform, make sure it’s agile, or adaptable to your needs. It’s best to integrate a platform that can serve both your domestic and international needs.
Please contact us here to learn more about how Epsilon can help you go global with your loyalty programme. Start your journey to personalising the entire customer experience by downloading our guide.
FROM 1:1 TO 1:YOU - 5 KEY COMPONENTS TO PERSONALISING THE LOYALTY EXPERIENCE
---
## How to achieve stronger loyalty programme performance through effective management of privacy compliance
Type: eps_post
URL: /achieve-stronger-loyalty-programme-performance-through-privacy-compliance
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# How to achieve stronger loyalty programme performance through effective management of privacy compliance
Marketers are coming under constant pressure to balance delivering results whilst maintaining data protection and privacy compliance. We hear a lot about the importance of being data-driven and leveraging data to power up personalised experiences. But consumers expect more than just promotional offers in exchange for their personal information. Consumers want to know what information we hold about them and how it is being processed. They want to know how we protect them and keep their personal information secure. Epsilon sees privacy compliance as an opportunity for marketers to strengthen the effectiveness of their loyalty programme. The opportunity lies in the three key pillars of consumer privacy, namely respect, recognition and protection.
REspect
Respect is about clarity and transparency around the value exchange. It is an opportunity for brand marketers to define why consumers should be signing up and how consumers can receive greater value over the lifetime of the relationship with the brand. Epsilon encourages its clients to revisit their data collection practices and identify what is the minimum information required to deliver on their value promise. Technology such as Epsilon’s Agility Loyalty can certainly help in providing the tools to manage consumer opt-ins, consumer profiles and marketing preferences. Epsilon’s CRM and loyalty experts can share with you best practices of how to earn consumers respect from our experiences across the nine hundred and fifty programmes we manage globally for over five hundred and fifty brands.
Recognition
Recognition is about identifying what is relevant for each consumer no matter what device or channel. Consumers are already bombarded by numerous distractions across a multitude of channels. Successful loyalty programmes deliver useful interactions on the right channel and devices, at the right time. This means providing consumers with frictionless experiences even if they might have multiple identifiers. It also means showing consumers that you have recognised them through relevant information and rewards based on their context. Epsilon calls these experiences and interactions, engaging moments. Marketers can take advantage of Epsilon’s Agility Momentum to deliver these moments at scale, whilst respecting consumer’s privacy choices and preferences. As we have mentioned previously, we help brands shift their marketing communications from 1:1 (a messaging strategy that has ‘generically personalised’ with promotional offers) to 1:You (a holistic consumer experience strategy that delivers next-best personalised choices for individuals across touch points and interactions).
DOWNLOAD OUR GUIDE
FROM 1:1 TO 1:YOU - 5 KEY COMPONENTS TO PERSONALISING THE LOYALTY EXPERIENCE
Protection
Protection is about giving consumer’s the reassurance that their information is kept safe and secure. Consumers understand their rights and some brand marketers face additional costs to deal with data subject rights. Brand marketers using Epsilon products are benefiting from built-in privacy capabilities to manage compliance without the need for additional investments. Epsilon products provide brand marketers with multiple ways to manage data subject requests (DSRs). Privacy compliance can be approached programmatically using APIs (especially if integrated via digital experiences) and via GUIs (graphical user interfaces). The latter is dependent on the product and majority of our Agility Loyalty clients use the customer service portal to process their consumer’s DSRs.
Loyalty marketers should consider privacy regulations compliance as an opportunity, not a barrier. Regulations such as GDPR and CCPA are creating additional complexities for brands but they also present an opportunity to proactively reach out to consumers to ask them how they would like the brand to engage with them. Consumers that feel respected, recognised and protected will reward you with increased programme participation, brand engagement and ultimately increase in future purchases.
Please contact us here to learn more about how Epsilon can help you balance delivery results and maintaining privacy compliance. Start your journey to personalising the entire customer experience by downloading our guide.
FROM 1:1 TO 1:YOU - 5 KEY COMPONENTS TO PERSONALISING THE LOYALTY EXPERIENCE
---
## Avoid getting overwhelmed by machine learning in marketing
Type: eps_post
URL: /avoid-getting-overwhelmed-machine-learning-marketing
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Avoid getting overwhelmed by machine learning in marketing
Marketing applications are undergoing a dramatic boom, with the “Martech 5000” ballooning to 7,040 entries. Machine learning benefits from this rising tide in no small way, with almost 80% of marketers electing to use machine learning in 2018.
But, with any rapidly growing technology, many marketers are struggling to bring machine learning into their programmes. While some are achieving significant goals through machine learning, some haven't found success yet for various reason, and others don't know where to start. If you fall into the latter, read on for a foundational overview of machine learning.
What is machine learning?
Here’s a layman’s introduction to how machine learning works:
First, get historical data that describes that you want to accomplish.
Example: a list of prospects who have visited your website.
Pick a machine learning model and load your data. Ask the question you want.
Example: Of the prospects who have visited our website, who will convert?
The machine will make its predictions, and probably get them wrong.
Show the machine the correct answers – here are the customers who converted.
Iterate until the machine gets it right to within a decent confidence interval.
It's as simple as that. But in practice, it's not really all that simple.
Here’s the thing: What marketers consider machine learning often isn't. In fact, many marketing companies produce applications that they call machine learning but they don't learn and they contain no smart features.
According to Paul Roetzer, founder of the Marketing Artificial Intelligence Institute:
“There may be teams of 300 engineers, but they’ve only got 3 people who actually know what machine learning is, how to use it, and how to identify and solve machine learning problems. Hence, platforms are built by folks who don’t know what AI is and who continue to “improve” it with capabilities that they don’t know aren’t intelligent.”
In short, making machine learning into a successful part of your stack will require a great deal of careful preparation.
Where to start: Clean data
In order to start putting machine learning in marketing, you need to start with marketing data – clean data, specifically. rubbish in, rubbish out, as they say. If your data sets are out of date, full of errors or riddled with duplicates, then the resulting outputs will be less than optimal.
The bad news is that your starting point may also be less than ideal. Up to 25% of marketing data is incorrect, with errors in terms of demographics or their status within your pipeline.
Fortunately, there are shortcuts that don’t involve going through your database line by line. For example, if your database contains only a few entries that are missing values, you can delete them. You can also train your sales and marketing staff to create better records going forward. Since bad data leads to bad decisions, it’s worth putting the time in to solve this problem upfront.
Putting machine learning in marketing
Once you have a good foundation, it’s time to integrate machine learning into your marketing stack.
The good news is that there are a lot of pre-existing single-purpose AI/ML platforms for marketing that will snap into your existing platforms right away. Social listening tools will help you design ad campaigns or even write limited ad copy. CRM tools will generate personalised ad copy based on your buyer personas. CMS tools can automatically A/B test your landing pages. ESP tools can incorporate dynamic copy and images to improve relevancy, and thus clicks. And end-to-end partners can help you clean up data, solve identity issues in your database and implement machine learning in meaningful ways.
All of these solutions are polished and market-tested, but there are two problems you must look out for.
Is this something you need, or does it just look shiny? Marketers are known to waste about a quarter of their budgets. You may be tempted by a new digital marketing tool, only to find that it rusts in your toolbox – try it to narrow it down to something you really need.
Are you using it correctly? Machine learning algorithms respond to bias. In terms of social listening, for example, an exclamation mark can mean either elation or anger. If you don’t train your model correctly, you might focus inordinately on the needs of satisfied customers while failing to take input from those who are about to churn.
With all of the pitfalls along the way to making machine learning successful, it’s worth identifying partners with proven success and taking some direction from companies that have been able to do it right.
Machine learning success story
What does it look like when marketers make machine leaning a success?
The cosmetics company Glossier started from a blog called Into the Gloss. They thought that readers of the blog would naturally shop their cosmetics. It wasn’t that simple.
While blog commenters were extremely engaged and likely to purchase products, those who only read the blog were less so, and those who only visited the eCommerce site were least likely to purchase a product.
Using machine learning, the company was able to trace the most popular customer journey. Purchasers would click a link from the blog to the eCommerce site on mobile, add a product to their shopping cart and then complete the transaction on their browser. Glossier was able to use this information to smooth the customer journey, making it easier for customers to enjoy an omnichannel shopping experience.
Although your own journey to machine learning in marketing may look different, it will contain the same elements. If all goes as planned, you’ll use accurate data in order to pursue relevant goals and receive an unexpected yet actionable result.
In a recent webinar with Skift, Epsilon-Conversant and United Airlines, we uncovered how travel marketers in particular have overcome these technology challenges to make waves in the industry.
Watch it now
---
## What is B2B Digital Transformation, and Where Do I Start?
Type: eps_post
URL: /b2b-digital-transformation-and-where-to-start
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# What is B2B Digital Transformation, and Where Do I Start?
Digital transformation has been the word on the lips of many marketers over the past few years. Simply put, digital transformation is a restructure of how companies use technology to create a consistent customer experience, wherever and whenever they interact with them. Click to Tweet
Along with digital transformation, we have seen buzzwords such as Artificial intelligence (AI), machine learning, chatbots and voice optimisation take over the digital marketing space as B2B marketers shift towards customer-centricity.
These buzzwords are putting pressure on marketers to incorporate AI that will help them deliver personalised content experiences, regardless of their current digital status and maturity.
But implementing AI just to check the box is becoming an increasing issue within the B2B marketing space. In a previous blog post, we spoke about how even major brands, such as Coca-Cola, have struggled with implementing a digital transformation plan. But, to ensure success, there is a clear process to follow.
Here are the steps B2B companies need to take in order to launch a successful digital transformation strategy that will engage customers and build stronger relationships:
Conduct an internal audit. Ask questions and listen to everyone in your organisation. Ask yourself, does our current organisational structure work? Are we set up for digital success or are there gaps that are causing us to miss potential new business? These questions will be the starting point to setting yourself up for successful customer relationships in the long term. An internal audit will help you understand what is currently working and what needs to be changed before any transformation takes place.
Gain employee buy-in. Even if a company’s content marketing and technology systems are fully functioning, nothing will change if there is not buy-in across the organisation. Bring in outside experts to help move the organisation towards customer-centricity starting from the top. Roadblocks will inevitably pop up, but if the change starts from the top and includes the core team required to implement new customer-centric strategies, you will overcome challenges.
Integrate sales and marketing. Again, this needs to be an internal corporate change, from the top down. If both sales and marketing simply listen more to the other side, large strides will be made and gaps will start to fill. Without this integration, valuable and crucial new business opportunities are missed and compromised. You will only find success if sales and marketing are working towards the same customer-centric goals.
Select the proper technology and partners. Many organisations have separate technology and automation system that don’t speak to each other, causing huge gaps and unnecessary work. This disconnect hurts the lead nurturing process, causing missed prospect opportunities. Invest in the right technology and partners with the expertise to implement the technology. This investment will be worth it, in the long run, to ensure you are realising maximising value from your marketing technology investments.
Have a strong strategy to pull it all together. B2B marketers are looking more closely at the customer journey and learning that customer experience has to be a priority in order to make a seamless experience for prospects. Customer experience has not been addressed strategically in the B2B space before. Now is the time to take a systematic approach and get it right. Mapping out the customer journey is a critical step towards delivering a seamless experience that produces results.
Take a customer-first approach. Historically, customer-centricity has not been top of mind for B2B marketers. Companies need to come to terms with the fact that their content marketing approach needs to shift to be customer-centric. It’s not as much about a brand’s messaging, but what the customer really needs to improve their business. Personalisation should be at the forefront of a content marketing approach to address the needs of the customer. Ask yourself, “Are we making it easy for our customers to make a quick decision?” Regardless of the type of marketing programme, it needs to provide ease of use, allow for a quick decision and eliminate other noise in the space.
If you can confidently check off all the items on this list, only then is your company is ready to start evolving in the digital marketing space.
For more information on this topic, check out this Overcoming B2B Digital Marketing Challenges Best Practice Guide that Epsilon participated in with Econsultancy.
Want to talk more about getting started with your Digital Transformation plan, or need help auditing your current landscape? Get in touch at hello@epsilon.com today.
---
## 5 ways marketers underutilise social media
Type: eps_post
URL: /5-ways-marketers-underutilise-social-media
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# 5 ways marketers underutilise social media
Social media can play a key role in your marketing mix. Social sits at the intersection of great digital content and the interconnected networks of people interacting with (and influenced by) that content. This provides the powerful ability to interact with customers at all stages of their journey.
However, all too often social media is considered within its own silo.
Because of this, here are five ways many marketers underutilise social within marketing strategy:
Apply social listening insights to other channels
Social listening provides a unique opportunity to hear what is being said about a brand and its competitors. It allows you to understand key social media conversation themes, see trends and especially volume spikes, gauge customer satisfaction or sentiment and create a feedback loop to other channels. In our observations over the years, a frequently missed opportunity among brands is using these insights only to adjust social media strategy without also informing strategies within other channels.
When you see positive conversations in social media, this suggests a topic for which you can create content in other channels. Similarly, questions or negative reactions may indicate a communication gap that you can address through your integrated marketing efforts.
For example, do new users of your service have difficulty understanding how to use a particular feature? That’s a great topic to address via early engagement communications in email, SMS or your mobile app.
Is there a particular product feature that consumers love? That feature could be a great topic for your next short-form video.
How do the social media conversations about your brand compare to those of your competitors? Those points of differentiation mined from listening efforts could be strong messages in your acquisition marketing efforts.
The key to success here is understanding social listening insights as they apply to other marketing channels and ensuring that lines of communication are open around the marketing organisation to enable the team to take advantage of these opportunities.
Apply insights from other channels back to social media
Flipping the first idea on its head, many marketing teams also miss the opportunity to quickly use learnings from other channels to drive success within social media. Other digital marketing channels provide great insights into what content your customers choose to interact with.
What content do customers click on in emails? Which search keywords are driving the most traffic? Are there any long-tail keywords presenting interesting content opportunities? How do users navigate your website; are there particular pages or pieces of content that seem to be driving unexpected interest?
Trending keywords (especially long-tail ones) could indicate under-leveraged products or customer trends for which your customers are craving new information – and help improve your SEO in the process. Secondary pages on your site with long on-page times also indicate opportunities for new sharable content.
All of these data points provide great insights to drive social content strategy. Brands are successful when they create content that their followers want, not when they push out the same old marketing messaging.
Coordinating targeted content across channels
It’s easy to forget that social media is an “addressable” channel, meaning that you can target specific groups of known users.
Any audience segment you create for your email, SMS, direct mail or other channels can also be used for social media targeting. Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and YouTube can all match and target specific user lists. Some platforms, like Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, LinkedIn and Pinterest, also allow you to create audiences based on specific behaviors customers have taken on your website and/or mobile app.
This means that all of the hard work you’ve spent personalising your other channels (and I don’t just mean adding “Dear firstname!”) can be applied to your paid social advertising, too. Whether you segment your customers into denim vs. dress buyers or adventure vs. beach vs. urban travelers, this gives you the ability to put the right content in front of the right customers.
Even if you’re promoting the same summer sale across audiences, positioning it in a way that is uniquely relevant to each segment will drive response rates up – and by being more relevant, you’ll also drive advertising costs down.
Provide insider access
Do not underestimate the value you can create by providing followers with an inside scoop. Social media is at its best when you provide followers with engaging, unique and sharable content. What better way to do that than by giving them a peek under the hood, so to speak?
The next time you’re talking about a new product launch, use one of your social media channels to show how it was made or why your team is excited about it. New location opening? What a great opportunity for a pre-opening tour!
These exclusive looks provide great content which compliment your messages in other channels. More importantly, you’ll give your customers a sense of brand ownership and get them excited to spread the word.
Mine and amplify customer reviews
One area that typically doesn’t get the consideration it deserves is ratings and reviews. Many social listening tools today can mine customer reviews at scale, and again view trends and key themes. Of course, this creates a great feedback loop for your product team – quickly pointing out product strengths to expand on, and any potential issues that may need to be addressed.
Positive reviews are great credibility drivers for your business and deserve a thoughtful strategy on how to amplify this content in other channels. Can you leverage reviews to reinforce your next display ad message? “Products you love!” would make a great email. “We heard you - How we’re getting better” could be a strong blog topic.
Bringing it all together
When you build out your marketing strategy, social media should be an important part of the mix, not an afterthought. With the right tools, social media is the perfect way to not only speak to your audience and include them in your brand, but to learn from them. Social media is a two way street and the learnings you take from social listening should be used to optimise communications across all channels. Never underestimate its importance in your overall marketing strategy.
---
## 4 stages to navigating digital transformation in healthcare
Type: eps_post
URL: /navigating-digital-transformation-in-healthcare-4-stages
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# 4 stages to navigating digital transformation in healthcare
Marketing and customer expectations are changing fast. And the digital landscape is complex and constantly evolving.
As healthcare companies - pharmaceutical and medical device - focus on creating meaningful and actionable customer experiences, they’re embracing the digital transformation journey in a staged approach.
At the Digital Medical Device conference where I spoke at in May, we explored a four-stage “crawl, walk, run, fly” approach in detail:
Stage #1: Crawl
In this beginning (or roadmap) stage, an audit of assets, readiness and data is essential. The audit fuels the customer experience by shedding light on four key areas:
What information about the healthcare providers, data, models and analyses do you have to support and fuel transformation?
What are the gaps? Do you need healthcare provider (HCP) qualitative research, search insights and more?
What content, across channels, do you already have that addresses these providers’ needs?
And most important, what business goals does all this need to address?
With the combination of data profiling and segmentation, the audit/assessment phase informs healthcare marketers about what the ideal customer experience for each segment should look like.
Stage #2: Walk
Developing your content strategy and message maps is the next step in this journey.
Often our healthcare clients share the challenges of coming up with individual or unique content for each HCP. We recommend creating a digital content library (some marketers refer to them as content hubs) where you have multiple content modules to select from that can be combined and recombined in different ways for different scenarios or different audiences.
Also in this stage, you need to plan for the cadence of your communications and decide how you’re going to measure the success of your programme.
I like to think of measurement as an evolving journey with multiple levels. It begins with response and KPI definition and measurement at a tactical level and advances to cross-channel attribution, event streams and predictive modeling.
Stage #3: Run
Get customer experience design and personalisation ready.
Here is where the fun really begins as you start to integrate your learnings to truly understand your customers. Designing a customer experience map tracks the customer throughout the journey and across the lifecycle, reflecting activity at each stage.
Let’s put it into perspective. Draft several important customer-centric scenarios/use cases that are central to your strategy. Look at the gaps in data and technology that must be filled to enable execution on them.
First find the highest “bang for the buck” projects to tackle, to enable marketing automation with appropriate data support. For example, a healthcare company we work with needed to create a great customer experience for the doctors who might be candidates to prescribe a new innovative device, and for the patients in their practices who might be receptive to saying “yes” to the new approach. This included ensuring the hurdles in the specialty pharmacy processes were addressed digitally for HCPs and their office staff.
As a result, we mapped out the entire prescriber and customer experiences and all important touchpoints along those journeys, then layered in what communications would have to take place (such as around coverage or delivery timing), including payer and specialty pharmacy communications.
On that foundation, we layered in the data that was needed to enable personalisation at the touchpoints and the technology for housing the data to deliver the experience across channels.
Throughout the process, the key guiding principle was creating concierge service for doctors, office staff and patients by designing an experience model.
With this underway, we’re getting ready to cross the finish line to a whole new capability – fly.
Stage #4: Fly
When I talk about ‘fly’ as being stage four, it’s about soaring and reaching your highest marketing potential within the digital transformation. It’s finding the right combination of strategy and technology that allows marketers to connect with their customers on a 1:You level creating personalised experiences.
As some of our healthcare clients have shared with us, it’s ‘the next big thing’ that’s forthcoming for modern marketers, that is 1:You communications (and personalised experiences).
At Epsilon, we’re always thinking ahead and are prepared for the future of marketing. Marketers can take their programmes to the next level with our continuous development of new strategies such as using third-party data to round out profiles of HCPs interests and preferences to take segmentation far beyond deciles and inform communications.
Additionally, our Rx impact and engagement analyses products and predictive and promotion mix models, which are all supported by our analytic scientists help our clients to achieve 1:You. Further, our advanced technology applications, like machine learning and artificial intelligence, help to enable these strategies.
Embrace what lies ahead and don’t forget to prepare your internal organisation for the journey. The alignment of your marketing and sales organisation is essential for success. Don’t forget to involve med-legal early and often in innovative projects.
You are ready to transform. Continue to articulate the strategy and vision, put the customer experience at the center, don’t underestimate the need to actively manage change and remember, your work plan is forever changing.
---
## Loyalty, it’s not just about the programme
Type: eps_post
URL: /loyalty-not-just-about-the-programme
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Loyalty, it’s not just about the programme
Today’s marketer is focused on the entire customer experience
The days of loyalty being just a transactional programme where members earn and redeem rewards are long gone. Loyalty has shifted from a programme to a business mindset, and this mindset is focused on personalising the entire customer experience evolving from 1:1 to 1:You.
In the report, The Forrester Wave™: Loyalty Service Providers, Q3 2019*, Forrester says: "As brands embrace and increase their investments in loyalty – 62% of the companies we surveyed for this evaluation plan to increase their spending on loyalty by at least 5% in the next 12 months – consumer apathy isn’t good enough.”
Brands looking to create meaningful customer experiences should focus on the following:
Shifting to Big L Loyalty
Creating a strategy in which you can deliver personalised experiences at scale is key. To achieve this goal, we work with clients to help them develop their Big L Loyalty.
We define Big L Loyalty as the passion, dedication, feelings, emotional connection and trust consumers establish with your brand that motivates them to continue their purchases and move through the customer lifecycle towards lifetime brand loyalty.
But Big L Loyalty is not a destination, it’s a methodical journey that we phase out in three stages to help brands achieve the Big L. These stages are:
Stage I: operational/transactional
Stage II: customer-centricity (little L loyalty)
Stage III: enculturation (Big L Loyalty – it’s in the culture).
To get started, marketers need to evaluate and understand the stage they’re in and put a plan in place for getting to the next stage (and realise the level of loyalty increases with each stage) to develop relevant and meaningful customer experiences.
As Forrester puts it, “Marketers need strategic guidance to make the most of their programmes and, more importantly, to contextualise the role of the programme in a larger strategy for earning, recognising, and maintaining customer loyalty regardless of whether that customer is a loyalty programme member.”
Activating data
Assembling and activating customer insights is critical to deepening relationships with customers. Through loyalty programmes, brands are able to provide value to consumers, where they share information and preferences in exchange for relevant, clear and wanted experiences. Loyalty marketers must have a plan in place to activate data and align it with the appropriate channels.
It’s the analytics component that reveals customer’s likes, dislikes and their behaviours helping marketers to make emotional connections and engage with their customers. These analytic and measurement services consist of financial modelling, customer insights, analytic sciences, measurement framework, business intelligence, reporting design, customer research and VOC and media and interaction optimisation.
Remember, your loyalty programme is consent-based marketing, meaning members choose to opt into your programme and agree to share information and in return expect more personalised experiences.
In the report, Forrester cites that our experience in the loyalty space and well-rounded offering make it a good fit for enterprises looking for a reliable and data-driven partner.
Understanding the benefits of software with services
When you think of ‘the what’ behind a successful loyalty programme, technology often comes to mind. Technology is the science that stores and processes all the technical functionality within our programmes. And having an end-to-end integrated solution (or the total solution) that includes multiple marketing functions is essential.
But in addition to the technology components, you need to consider the items that fuel the functionality, such as your loyalty services, which are part of the art of loyalty.
There are multiple types of services that contribute to the success of your loyalty programme, some of which include programme operations management, programme management, promotional support, client and account management and change management.
In terms of the programme management, we work with brands on loyalty programme design and client and account management services including the day-to-day management of your loyalty programme.
Change management focuses on organisational design, business process optimisation and digital marketing transformation. These multi-disciplinary services work together to add value to your loyalty programme. Certainly, strategy and insights are supported by analysts and decision scientists, who provide some of our most in-demand services.
As you continue to enhance your customer’s experience, ask yourself, “Am I communicating to my customers 1:1 or 1:You?”
1:1 is a messaging strategy that’s generically personalised with promotional offers, while 1:You is a holistic customer experience strategy that’s personalised with the best choice for individuals across all points or interactions.
The evolution of 1:1 to 1:You is about the advancements in the marketing strategy with the culmination of data, technology, services and outcomes all focused on creating a better customer experience.
See the full report, The Forrester Wave™: Loyalty Service Providers, Q3 2019.
**Epsilon announced that it was named a Leader in the July 2019 report “The Forrester Wave™: Loyalty Service Providers, Q3 2019” by Forrester Research, Inc. This recognition is in addition to being named a Leader in The Forrester Wave™: Loyalty Technology Platforms, Q2 2019 for its Agility Loyalty® solution. Only Epsilon is a leader in both evaluations.
---
## Epsilon Named a Leader for Loyalty Services by Independent Research Firm
Type: eps_post
URL: /leader-for-loyalty-services-q3-19
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Epsilon Named a Leader for Loyalty Services by Independent Research Firm
LONDON — July 16, 2019 — Epsilon™, a global leader in interaction management, today announced that it was named a Leader in the July 2019 report “The Forrester Wave™: Loyalty Service Providers, Q3 2019” by Forrester Research, Inc. This recognition is in addition to being named a Leader in The Forrester Wave™: Loyalty Technology Platforms, Q2 2019 for its Agility Loyalty® solution. Only Epsilon is a leader in both evaluations.
The report found that nearly every US online adult belongs to a loyalty programme, yet only 44% agree that programmes make them feel more loyal to a brand. Further, 62% of the companies surveyed for the evaluation plan to increase their spending on loyalty at least 5% in the next 12 months. Authored by Emily Collins, Principal Analyst at Forrester, the report stated: “Marketers need strategic guidance to make the most of their programmes and, more importantly, to contextualise the role of the programme in a larger strategy for earning, recognising, and maintaining customer loyalty regardless of whether that customer is a loyalty programme member.”
According to Forrester, Epsilon delivers capabilities to build impactful interactions with loyal customers. “Its full-service offering brings together traditional loyalty services like strategy and programme design with omnichannel orchestration capabilities, analytics and data augmentation to make ‘every interaction count,’ regardless of whether or not a consumer is enrolled in the loyalty programme.”
“We are honoured Forrester named us a Leader in both loyalty services and technology. We believe these recognitions are a proof point of our unique ability to deliver business outcomes by helping brands know consumers better, anticipate their needs, and optimise personalised interactions across customer touch points,” shared Bryan Kennedy, CEO at Epsilon-Conversant. “Epsilon was built around the belief that tech for tech’s sake doesn’t work. We believe that every brand experience should be personal and purposeful, and every customer wants to be recognised, respected and protected.”
Forrester cited that Epsilon’s experience in the loyalty space and well-rounded offering make it a good fit for enterprises looking for a reliable data-driven partner. Epsilon was the biggest loyalty practice evaluated by Forrester, with “thousands of employees focused on delivering loyalty services for enterprise firms….” According to the report, “Reference clients comment on Epsilon’s deep and expansive knowledge of the loyalty space, excellent execution capabilities, and impact: ‘All of their work drives incremental business.’”
Forrester Research’s evaluation included a review of the 14 most significant loyalty service providers across 22-criterion. Epsilon received the highest scores possible in 13 criteria, including the loyalty strategy services, loyalty programme management services, data management services and privacy and security criteria within the current offering category.
For the full report “The Forrester Wave™: Loyalty Service Providers, Q3 2019” click here.
About Epsilon
Positioned at Publicis Groupe's core, Epsilon is a leader in interaction management, empowering brands to transform ordinary customer experiences into meaningful, human experiences. Our connected suite of products and services combine leading-edge identity management, industrial strength data and technology expertise with big brand acumen gained over five decades working with the industry’s top brands. Our human-powered, data-led marketing delivers unmatched depth, breadth and scale to help brands turn meaningful human interactions into exceptional business outcomes. For more information, visit emea.epsilon.com. Follow us on Twitter at @EpsilonEMEA.
---
## The weekly round-up: 12.07.19
Type: eps_post
URL: /weekly-round-up-12-07-19
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# The weekly round-up: 12.07.19
Tinder for ideas? Tricking your customers into eating their vegetables? We’ve heard Stranger Things, but this week’s Round-Up is definitely serving up some of the most out there concepts in marketing and advertising.
It’s a match
Unilever looks to break the golden rule of mixing work with pleasure by gamifying their brain share through an app they are dubbing a “Tinder for ideas.” Idea Swipe, an app developed in-house by the multinational FMCG giant is aimed at speeding up idea evaluation, creating an easier process for marketers to rule on good, bad, and ugly ideas. Earlier this week, Unilever’s executive vice-president of consumer marketing and insights, Stan Stanunathan asked, “How do you evaluate a mountain of ideas with a molehill of a budget?” Going on to explain that Idea Swipe is set to solve this issue, Stanunathan stated that, with the app, Unilever looks to “to create double the impact in half the time and cost.”
Not only an exercise in efficiency, the app sets to bring in a more seamless use of technology to the almost 90-year-old organisation. Stanunathan said, “Embracing technology is not a negotiable conversation; you either embrace it or you become a dinosaur.”
And embrace it they will, we look forward to seeing what love matches the Unilever makes over the following few months.
50/50
While, in 2019, a fast food restaurant expanding their vegetarian options is not exactly news, Burger King’s method of distribution definitely is. Earlier this week, the burger chain announced the introduction of their 50/50 menu, which features plant-based versions of two of BK’s most popular items, the Whopper and the Chicken King. The twist comes for customers as, when choosing from the menu, they won’t know whether they are receiving the original cut or a plant-based substitute. Burger King is rolling out the menu with the utmost confidence that customers will not be able to taste the difference between the two. In turn, they are hoping to encourage customers to increasingly choose the more environmentally-friendly, meat-free option for going forward. The campaign will be rolled out in Sweden first, with the rest of Europe planned to follow suit – let the taste-tests begin!
Are you sure?
Instagram has seen an abundance of changes over the last year. From the departure of its creators to the ever increasing use of ads, for better or for worse, the photo-sharing app has experienced a constant state of flux. This latest development though, announced earlier this week, looks as though it is very much a step in the right direction for the ‘Gram. Finally, taking measures to encourage the youth of today to think before they type, the social media app is adding in an automated warning pop-up, that will be triggered when users feel the need to leave offensive comments on others’ photos and videos. When typing thrash on another’s page, users will now be greeted with a prompt that asks them to reconsider their actions, before allowing them to post.
A spokesperson for Instagram said, "This intervention gives people a chance to reflect and undo their comment, and prevents the recipient from receiving the harmful comment notification. From early tests of this feature, we have found that it encourages some people to undo their comment and share something less hurtful once they have had a chance to reflect."
Added to this, Instagram is also testing out something called Restricted Mode, which will allow users to restrict their follower's reign on their comments, without having to block them.
Selective listening
A more traditional medium that has been given a serious revival, podcasting has emerged as an extremely influential media outlet in the last few years. As the age-old phrase goes, with great power comes great opportunities for targeting consumers, so naturally brands are excited to get involved and reach new captive audiences. The only issue is, as podcasting is still relatively new on the scene, the likes of targeting, measuring, and proving ROI are fairly tricky for agencies, brands, and broadcasters alike. Seeing this opportunity, data analytics firm, Nielsen, has launched a new tool, which is set to help provide insights into the buying habits of podcast listeners.
Nielsen Podcast Listener Buying Power Service (say that three times fast) looks to focus on specific podcast genres and their listenership, empowering brands to make informed decisions when targeting audiences. On the product launch the president of the iHeartPodcast Network, Conal Byrne, said, "We are looking forward to the ways that data from Nielsen’s Podcast Listener Buying Power service will allow us to communicate our podcasting value proposition to advertisers.”
Scoops Ahoy
The much-anticipated Stranger Things returned for a third season earlier this Summer. The jury is still out on the show’s endurance in terms of entertainment but when it comes to straight up commercialism, Netflix has, once more, proved itself to be guilty as charged. Mixing together a cool combination of confectionary and nostalgia, Netflix has partnered with ice-cream franchise, Baskin Robbins, to bring audiences Scoops Ahoy, the setting of some of the show’s most iconic scenes, in real life. To serve up this dramatised desert, Netflix and Baskin Robbins worked with Atlanta agency, 22squared, to build two yacht-shaped restaurants located in California and Toronto. Each establishment comes complete with employees kitted out in their very own Scoops Ahoy uniforms, ready to take customers to the upside-down of ice-cream heaven.
---
## the weekly round-up: 21.06.19
Type: eps_post
URL: /weekly-round-up-21-06-19
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# the weekly round-up: 21.06.19
New flavours, new flames, and the end of a trademark era – it’s all here and more in The Weekly Round-Up.
What’s your flavour?
That’s the question coming from Diet Coke as they offer audiences two brand new variants on the iconic low-cal soft drink. Earlier this week Diet Coke Twisted Strawberry and Diet Coke Exotic Mango entered the market with a bang, supported by a multi-million campaign featuring English actress, Tanya Reynolds. On the campaign, Diet Coke marketing manager, Tuuli Turunen, said that it “highlights the latest example of how Diet Coke is continuing to innovate and expand the brand.” Innovative as it may be, Diet Coke, thankfully are not taking the new flavour launch too seriously. Perhaps recognising the hackneyed nature of reskinning the same product, they have taken a lighter approach to the campaign’s creative using the young actress's comedy prowess to fully embody the new flavours using her best strawberry “voice” and “twisted” moves. The creative itself is good, the taste is anyone’s guess.
Representing?
With Pride month officially upon us, it is a time to celebrate love, acceptance, and, in the advertising world, a new angle to reach audiences. Is this a cynical view of big brands putting Pride front and centre in their latest campaigns? Perhaps, but discluding long-term supporters of LGBTQ+ communities like Smirnoff and MAC Cosmetics, is there not something about the plethora of recent ad releases that says We’re here, we’re queer, and we want you to buy our stuff!? While according to recent research conducted by publication Gay Times and ad agency Karmarama, 64% of survey respondents felt positive about the increase in LGBTQ+ representation in the media and advertising. A whopping 72% also felt that the way in which they were represented was “tokenistic.” This tokenism can be clearly seen in some of the very rainbow-heavy big brand campaigns of the last month so, while the media has moved forward in who they are representing, they are still missing the mark in how they are doing it.
Love the way you lie
Last year we fell in love. Not on the Love Island, but rather from the comfort of behind our own screens. In the summer of 2018, we not only got to see the passionate trysts of a group of twenty-somethings but, better still, we got to watch the beauty of Love Island’s marketing strategy unfold before us. From affiliate prowess to social media wizardry, our heads were so turned that we even featured it as a case study in Epsilon’s 2018 Year in Review. With our hearts so full of anticipation for 2019, you can only imagine our disappointment this week when it was revealed that our beloved Islanders and their social following are fakes. While it doesn’t seem totally out of the realm of possibility that contestants who participate in a televised competition to find true love could be disingenuous, it does make the outlook of the future marketing opportunities following the show a little merky. Central to the show’s success is its influencer marketing avenues and, with the lies coming out this early in the game, could that road be closed already? Only time - and Instagram - can tell. Watch this space for more.
Three stripes and you’re out
Most consumers are well acquainted with the two-stripe sportswear knock-offs that decorate the high street. And whether they choose to indulge or swiftly skip on, they know what they are getting. However, the recognising of these lines is about to get seriously blurred as German sports brand, Adidas, loses its three-stripe trademark in Europe. On Wednesday of this week, a court in the EU decided that the three stripes were simply not distinctive enough to be claimed by the brand. The court ruled that Adidas did not “prove that the mark has acquired, throughout the territory of the EU, distinctive character following the use which had been made of it.” While a spokesperson for the brand has said that they are “disappointed”, Adidas is not disheartened with the result. “This ruling is limited to this particular execution of the three-stripe mark and does not impact on the broad scope of protection that Adidas has on its well-known three-stripe mark in various forms in Europe.”
2016: The Redemption.
Between unexpected exits and elections, the general consensus of 2016 was somewhat negative. Still, as with every cloud, it looks as though 2016’s silver lining has finally been uncovered. No, there has not been an impeachment, nor have any borders been dissolved, but rather Kellogg’s have released white chocolate flavour Coco Pops. And while above, we did jeer the reskinning of an old product as a form of “innovation” we are impressed by Kellogg’s social strategy surrounding the campaign. To create interest and intrigue, the cereal giant decided to promote a user-generated Tweet from 2016 that requested the company make white chocolate Coco Pops. With spend behind it, the Tweet took flight and, much to the delight of Kellogg’s, consumers took notice. Amanjit Heer, digital moderator at Kellogg’s said, “We wanted to have consumers talking about ‘why is Kellogg’s promoting a tweet from 2016 calling out white-chocolate Coco Pops and promoting it? Does this mean they’re going to launch it?” They did indeed launch it earlier this week, and while reports have come back that the new cereal is “absolutely foul”, all press is good press, right?
---
## A 'Leader' in loyalty experience to build lifetime customer connections
Type: eps_post
URL: /leader-loyalty-experience-build-lifetime-customer-connection
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# A 'Leader' in loyalty experience to build lifetime customer connections
Loyalty is critical to customer engagement today as consumers exercise greater control over how they interact with brands.
Through loyalty programs, brands are able to create value for consumers, where in exchange for personal information and preferences, they receive more relevant offers, perks and personalized experiences.
As more brands embark on engaging customers through loyalty programs, we’re proud to be named a Leader by Forrester Research in the report: The Forrester Wave™: Loyalty Technology Platforms, Q2 2019.
Delivering global programs for decades across verticals
The report cites that Epsilon excels at executing complex loyalty programs with a wealth of experience in powering loyalty for retail, travel and hospitality, restaurant, and financial services. And for bringing “more than loyalty to the table in service of its mission to ‘make every interaction count.’”
We believe our decades of global experience innovating in the loyalty space sets us apart in being able to deliver the human experiences customers expect today.
Why? Because loyalty is predicated on human emotion and is always changing. Brands need partners that can help them better predict what customers want next through data and insights and then help them reach those customers through powerful technology platforms at the right moment in time and at scale.
Our expertise and ability to help brands optimize every customer interaction is why brands like Walgreens, Dunkin’, Dell, FedEx and GNC have all turned to Epsilon to power their loyalty programs. It’s also why, we think Forrester Research cited us with the highest score possible in the services, vision and customer retention and satisfaction criteria as part of this evaluation.
Bringing more than loyalty to the table
To deliver the experiences customers expect today, we believe it takes more than a reliable loyalty technology platform.
Over the last few years, we’ve worked hard to bring together an integrated suite of products and services to better serve our clients and help them tell a connected story at every customer interaction. Forrester took notice stating in the report, “Its Agility Loyalty solution integrates with the full suite of Epsilon’s marketing, data, and media products and even includes a license for its Agility Harmony email platform; this vendor was a Leader in The Forrester Wave™: Email Marketing Service Providers, Q2 2018.”
Clients are responding to Epsilon’s unique ability to integrate the customer experience. Dunkin’ and Dell both recently expanded their relationship with Epsilon to deepen personalization and scalability across loyalty, email and other marketing channels to drive brand engagement.
To ensure our clients get the most out of our technology platform, we’ve also focused on elevating Agility Loyalty’s user experience and self-serve options. In the report, Forrester states, “its interface is intuitive, the Ignite training portal is easy to navigate, and Epsilon is investing in making the UI more marketer-friendly. Customer feedback about Epsilon’s flexibility extends to the solution itself. One customer reference explained that “it’s very easy to build out new experiences [in Agility Loyalty] without having to do a coding exercise.”
We want our clients to feel empowered and prepared to convert the most casual customers into lifelong fans. In the report, Epsilon’s Agility Loyalty solution received the highest scores possible in the: artificial intelligence, currency, rewards, and fraud criteria. We believe these criteria are increasingly critical to loyalty programs given today’s changing customer engagement environment. For example, our configurable fraud-risk detection capability constantly monitors customer interactions for clients to identify and interdict potential fraudulent redemption activity in real time so they can take action to stop it before it happens.
An experienced hands-on partner
During a time when technology often over-promises and under-delivers, we know our clients need more than a reliable platform to meet their business objectives. In the report, Forrester cites: “Clients agree that Epsilon ‘knows loyalty and its customers really well.’” “For large enterprises with complex requirements, Epsilon is an experienced and hands-on tech partner.” We believe Forrester’s evaluation validates our ability to deliver leading technology and services where Epsilon received the highest scores possible in the privacy and security and onboarding and implementation services criteria.
We are proud of our ability to innovate and adapt to the changing needs of our clients and rising expectations of customers. In 1981 Epsilon helped launch Pan Am WorldPass, the world’s first global frequent traveler program, and one of the market’s earliest loyalty programs. Today, Epsilon’s Agility Loyalty platform manages 750 million loyalty memberships worldwide delivering 175 MM campaign messages and 600 MM transactions per month.
We believe Epsilon’s position as a Leader in this evaluation reinforces Agility Loyalty’s differentiation in the marketplace with the performance, solution depth, flexibility and expertise brands need today.
---
## The weekly round-Up: 05.04.19
Type: eps_post
URL: /weekly-round-up-05-04-19
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# The weekly round-Up: 05.04.19
New views of women and planets, this week’s Round-Up has us thinking about what else is out there.
Girlgaze
Stock imagery is getting a much-needed makeover thanks to a partnership between Dove, Getty Images, and Girlgaze. The personal care brand, image bank, and gender equality organisation have launched #ShowUs, a project which will expand the representation of women in everyday images. This has come about after the report that 70% of women around the world do not feel aptly represented in the images they see day-to-day, with archaic stereotypes in both aesthetic and action being readily accepted as the norm for stock imagery. #ShowUs will turn this on its head by commissioning 116 women and non-binary photographers to take 5,000 images of 179 woman, from 39 countries. Already a pioneer in pushing diversity standards of the portrayal of women in media, Dove's global vice president, Sophie Galvani says that this partnership with Getty and Girlgaze will help them propel their cause. “For over 60 years, we have believed in liberating women from narrow beauty ideals and have showcased beauty diversity in our advertising. However, this is not enough, and we cannot make the systemic change we need alone."
Love/Hate
Innovation comes in all shapes and sizes and moves at all different paces. Some brands move at a rapid one, rethinking their image as the time period dictates, going above and beyond to meet the ever-changing needs of their audience. Other brands, like Marmite, move at a slower and more steady speed. Early this week, in a Tweet that sent the lovers of the spread into a frenzy, Marmite announced that they have released a new product. The third (ever!) product variant in their 100-plus years, Marmite Peanut, is on its way to a shelf near you. But what has prompted the spread to spread its wings, so to speak? The answer is simple, and one which all other brands should take note off - the customer. Brand manager, Camilla Williamson, said that peanut butter is the Marmite accompaniment of choice for “a huge number” of brand fans and that they are simply answering a customer need. So it may have been a long time coming, but Marmite is determined to put out a product that their customers will love. And others will probably hate.
Sharing terror
Depending on how you are inclined, you may already think that the social media sphere is a frightening place. However, with the ever-increasing misuse of the platforms for promoting violence and terrorism, it is becoming more formidable than ever before. A prime example of this is the recent Facebook live stream of the mass shooting at two mosques in Christchurch, New Zealand. Despite urging from the New Zealand police to ignore and report it, a video, which saw the shooter address the camera before going on to brutally kill 50 people, circulated the platform. This tragedy cannot be blamed on social media, however, in a recent statement, the World Federation of Advertisers (WFA) is calling for platforms to take responsibility for the terror that they facilitate in being shared. Looking to the backing of brands who spend with the platforms, they are urging them to put pressure on their social media partners by being more selective of where they spend their money and focus on ones which have stricter regulations around safety. Stephan Loerke, the WFA chief executive said “Marketers must reflect on the extent and terms on which they fund these platforms.”
McData is here
They may clog our arteries, but McDonald’s reportedly has plans to streamline its service by means of big data. In a reported acquisition that is set to be announced in the coming days, McDonald’s will take hold of Dynamic Yield, a data company that “provides retailers with algorithmically driven decision logic technology.” The deal, which reportedly cost $300m, will take fast-food giant’s personalisation capabilities to a whole new level, with hot weather inciting suggestions of McFlurry ice-creams and regular drive-thru customers being offered their usual order through registration plate recognition. This move is the latest in a string of measurements McDonald’s has taken to update its model. Last year, they added a table service feature to their sit-in restaurants.
Hidden figures
Showing that it has bigger fish to fry than your menial searches, Google has, literally, gone above and beyond this week, announcing its discovery of two hidden planets. Working in conjunction with astronomers from the University of Texas at Austin, the planets, which are reportedly bigger than earth were found through a scan of NASA’s Kepler space telescope’s K2 mission archive. Despite their size, both of these planets were missed through previous scans, but now, using artificial intelligence, astronomers were able to create a new algorithm which worked through the data collected from the mission and quickly identified the uncharted lands. While this is an undeniable breakthrough for AI and data analytics, this amazing discovery does bore an important question – what else have we missed?
---
## Powering lifetime connections. Stage I: Getting to know your customer
Type: eps_post
URL: /powering-lifetime-connections-stage-i
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Powering lifetime connections. Stage I: Getting to know your customer
Creating and maintaining customer loyalty is a long journey. To succeed, loyalty marketers must outline a strategy of how they can build, maintain, and power lifetime connections over the course of their customer’s lifecycle. We have pinpointed three vital stages required in powering lifetime connections. Over the course of the next three articles we will explore these stages:
Stage I: Getting to know your customer
Stage II: Creating a plan for ongoing dialogue
Stage III: Adjusting your communications along the journey
Getting to know your customer
During the first 90–120 days following programme enrollment, loyalty marketers need to get to know their customers and keep them engaged. Connections are no longer just based on behaviors. Emotions are an integral component to powering connections, helping to sustain lifetime loyalty. The first impression forms the foundation of the relationship between consumer and brand, so make it count.
To truly get to know your customer, consider implementing these tactics and strategies:
Identification
Make it personal – ensure you are able to identify individual members whenever and wherever they interact with your brand. Whether the interaction takes place online or offline, you need to be there, to identify your customers' needs and observe their behaviours in order to fulfil on and exceed their expectations.
Customer service
Train your associates and provide them with the tools, technology, and techniques to get to know your customers. Social chats, customer service calls, follow-up policies, and anniversary ‘thank you’ gifts to surprise and delight members will create new ways for you to glean insights. The data created from these interactions should then be integrated into your programme data. This observational data is key to building the emotional component of powering connections.
Content testing
Develop a communication plan, and put it to the test. Learn your customers’ preferred method of communication, whether it be email, mobile app or text message, and continue to make ongoing changes and improvements to ensure you’re meeting their needs.
Establish a data baseline
The availability of collectable customer data varies from industry to industry. For example, many quick-service restaurants capture diners’ email and phone number, while travel and hospitality brands are able to capture additional data points like mailing addresses. Loyalty marketers need to establish a data baseline that is continually augmented with new data. (i.e., capture additional data from surveys, apply analytics, modelling).
Reach out and communicate with your customers during this initial period in ways that will engage them with your brand and loyalty programme. Simple examples are sending out a welcome email to new customers, taking the opportunity to reinforce membership benefits. Or encourage them to download your mobile app and offer a bonus if they fill out a survey and provide more information on their preferences. Offering bonus points on their next transaction is another great way to elicit that next purchase and remind them of membership benefits.
Keep them interested
Additionally, gamification techniques can be a fun, useful way to interact with customers during this initial period, and these techniques don’t have to involve financial incentives. Create challenges that reward members with badges for completing tasks, such as using the mobile app, completing a survey or visiting multiple stores. Encourage members to compete with each other by publishing their accomplishments on a leaderboard. Offer the winner an experiential opportunity beyond a traditional reward. For example, if you’re a retailer, offer the customer an hour with a personalised shopping assistant with lunch included. Experiences such as these will strengthen brand loyalty.
Remember, relationships change over time. Being able to identify when you need to reach out and engage with a consumer can make a difference between maintaining a loyal relationship or letting one wain.
Now that you know your customer it’s time to engage them with great conversation. Our next instalment, Stage II: Creating a plan for ongoing dialogue, will publish on the Epsilon blog soon.
---
## The Weekly Round-Up: 11.01.19
Type: eps_post
URL: /weekly-round-up-11-01-19
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# The Weekly Round-Up: 11.01.19
Do you need a marketing degree to survive in the industry? Can a logo survive without words? We ask these burning questions and more in this week’s Round-Up.
Skincare you wear, without the tear
Source - L'oreal
L'Oréal has taken yet another leap forward into the future (and another leap past their competitors) with their newest creation, wearable skincare. Their latest piece of innovation comes in the form of My Skin Track, a wearable skin sensor and accompanying app that indicates the pH of the wearer’s skin. This knowledge allows consumers to select and use products which have been scientifically developed to suit a variety of pH measurements and to be kind to the skin. Global vice-president of the L’Oréal Technology Incubator, Guive Balooch, said "Our goal is to use this advanced technology to empower consumers with meaningful information about their skin so that they can find the products that are right for their individual needs. At L'Oréal, we know that health is the future of beauty and we are committed to leveraging technology to bring powerful insights and solutions to our consumers.”
It’s Shutterstock
Source - Shutterstock
The words stock imagery are not ones that incite much excitement. A lot of the time they actually tend to do the opposite, making eyes roll and, when used in the context of the many, many memes they have spawned, make tears of laughter roll too. Shutterstock, one of the world’s highest grossing stock imagery companies, is well aware of this category perception. So much so that they incorporated it into their latest global campaign. With the campaign line “It’s not stock, it’s Shutterstock” the video and picture provider aims to assert how its image bank is unparalleled in quality and depth and acts as an aid to creativity around the world every day. The campaign is set to be launched across the US and Canada, the UK, and Australia in early this year, and rolled out to the rest of the world following that.
Experience VS Education
Source - Marketing Week
A marketing degree does not a marketer make. That’s according to the results of Marketing Week’s 2019 Career and Salary Survey. The study, which featured 4,415 marketers, revealed that “more than half of marketers (53.8%) say they have not studied a marketing-related academic or professional qualification of any kind.” While it is just over half that haven’t studied marketing, a more shocking result is the number of marketers (11%) who studied marketing yet did not find it useful for the careers.
Whether it was that specific discipline or not, something that most marketers do have in common is that the fact that they do have a third level education. “Marketing is an industry of the degree-educated” according to Marketing Week, with a mere 9.9% of those studied being without a degree. Though education tends to be favoured for many trades, some believe that this figure is causing the industry to be gentrified. Chris Chalmers, the marketing and digital director at Express Gifts, said: “the low level of marketers entering the profession without a degree is a missed opportunity from an apprenticeship perspective.”
What’s in a name?
Source - Comedy Central
Drastic changes to any logo are extremely inadvisable for brands. The general consensus with an identifying emblem or symbol is that if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it. However, every once in a while there is an exception to the rule. 2019’s exception (so far) comes in the form of Mastercard and their bold decision to remove their name from their logo. Mastercard chief marketing and communication officer, Raja Rajamannar, claimed the word ‘Mastercard’ was no longer necessary as the interlocking circles were already universally known. Their now wordless logo simply consists of those unambiguous red and yellow rounds. While many believe that this alteration not only proves the strength of the brand’s recall globally but also explores Mastercards innovative nature, others are a little less agreeable to the change. Upon its release, Twitter, naturally, was alight with negative commentary towards the change. Some of it was smart, à la Comedy Central. More of it wasn’t, with one Tweeter comparing the logo to a human behind. Charming. Either way, for better or for worse, Mastercard has done away with its words and caused quite the stir along the way – not too shabby for a public rebrand.
Nest egg
Source - Nest Bedding
It’s not exactly news when a company makes an announcement that they will be selling their products on the world’s second-biggest online retailer, Amazon. However, the luxury, direct-to-consumer mattress company, Nest Bedding, has made the cut in our Weekly Round-Up following their announcement. Why? Well because their foray with the eCommerce giant is not just about selling mattresses, no, Nest Bedding has much bigger ambitions than that. The bedding business has identified an audience segment that is currently out of their reach.
Nest Bedding’s catalogue of mattresses range from around $900 to $1,800, reasonable for some, but out of the league for many first time buyers. The Flip, the mattress which will retail on Amazon exclusively will be sold for the discounted price of $399. According to online publication, Digiday, “The idea is that those Amazon customers, perhaps a college graduate looking for a cheap, starter mattress or the buyer on the lookout for a guest mattress, will purchase The Flip and then eventually turn to Nest Bedding’s line of upper-end mattresses, the majority of which fall in the $899 to $1,799 range, for their future beds.” Genius? We think so too.
Like what you see? For more industry insights and updates subscribe to our blog.
---
## Driving Brand Loyalty: Why Adherence Programmes Are Essential
Type: eps_post
URL: /driving-brand-loyalty-focusing-on-an-adherence-programme
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Driving Brand Loyalty: Why Adherence Programmes Are Essential
When patients skip their medications and follow-up appointments, it can cost the healthcare industry billions, and result in an estimated 125,000 unnecessary deaths. The personal and economic costs are enormous, however, could be prevented with a modern approach to treatment adherence.
By focusing on providing patients with the support they need to comply with their treatment throughout the patient journey, the healthcare industry could make a significant impact on treatment adherence, improving patient outcomes all while increasing brand loyalty and market share. After all, the success of treatment and the patients’ well-being is closely linked to adherence.
But what can healthcare marketers do to support patients in moments of need and grow brand loyalty at the same time?
It starts with engaging your audience, sending them the right message, at the right time. To do that marketers must deviate from the traditional approaches to adherence and borrow efforts from other industries in order to assist healthcare professionals and patients alike, on their treatment journey.
What Can Contribute to Non-Adherence?
In healthcare, adherence often refers to how thoroughly the patient follows medical advice. It can be as simple as how often they fill out their prescriptions for drugs, or more complicated like attending therapy sessions, and to what degree they follow self-care recommendations.
A staggering 50% of patients stop taking their medications after the first year, and 30% of prescriptions are never filled. Non-adherence costs the healthcare industry an estimated $637 billion a year, not to mention the negative effect it has on the patients’ health outcomes and lives.
It doesn’t matter how effective the drug is, if the patient doesn’t follow the treatment plan and fill their prescription – they won’t get better, and the developers of the drug won’t be able to test its true effectiveness. Advising patients about the consequences of deviating from their treatment plans, or scheduling follow-up appointments, are no longer effective ways to ensure patients adhere to their treatment plans.
Why Do You Need an Adherence Programme?
In order to have a positive impact on patient adherence and ultimately health outcomes, pharmaceutical companies need to address the many barriers different patients face in their care with adherence-driven marketing. At Epsilon, we have identified thatthese barriersare multi-dimensional and vary by patient (personality, context, habits etc.), condition, and stage of therapy.
A robust adherence programme can help pharmaceutical companies provide the support patients need to comply with their treatments. Although many organisations provide some level of support, it’s rare that the programme is omnichannel and encompasses the social, emotional, and physical issues patients face when it comes to their care.
The World Health Organization found that “medication-adherence is the result of multiple interrelated factors, including social and economic issues, fears about side-effects, the quality of a patient’s healthcare team and support system, the characteristics of the disease, and their willingness to accept the diagnosis”.
To really improve adherence, healthcare marketers should craft an adherence programme that adapts to the changing needs of the patient, and when possible, should anticipate when those needs may change or arise.
By employing tools, such as CRM, healthcare marketers can uncover opportunities to reshape behaviours and deliver personalised interventions to individual patients, to help them overcome barriers they face with their treatment plans.
How Does Adherence Drive Brand Loyalty?
Unless pharmaceutical companies seek to truly understand and address the barriers patients face when it comes to adherence to their treatment, they are ignoring a large pool of customers that could, with a little extra support, become loyal customers.
Patients are not loyal to brands, they are loyal to experiences. Brands that are proactive in providing support, and focus on the individual needs of their patients, generate much higher engagement, brand loyalty, and thus higher return.
Studies have found that patients who received higher levels of personalised support, showed much higher levels of long-term-adherence. In a 12 month period, the levels of adherence jumped from 30% to 85%, thanks to access to a dedicated healthcare expert that helped patients address barriers they face with filling prescriptions, therapy, and dealing with their diagnosis.
In order to move forward, the industry must begin integrating adherence-driven marketing into their customer engagement plans. By focusing on delivering value aligned with individual patient and HCP needs, healthcare marketers can inspire brand loyalty, improve overall patients outcomes, and increase revenue.
To find out how to bring HCP’s and their patients one step closer to treatment adherence, read our instructional guide on how to map out your users’ journey here.
---
## The Weekly Round-Up: 07.12.18
Type: eps_post
URL: /the-weekly-round-up-07-12-18
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# The Weekly Round-Up: 07.12.18
Is Bing replacing Google? Is shellfish-themed meditation the latest 2019 mindfulness trend? Find out here in the Weekly Round-Up.
That’s a Wrapped
Source - Spotify
Spotify has released their annual marketing campaign, Wrapped, an initiative that outs platform listeners’ musical quirks in all their splendour. The yearly campaign which is sprawled across both traditional and digital channels aims to celebrate the intricacies of 83 million-plus subscribers, while simultaneously thanking them for another year of custom.
Though 2017 brought some real gems such as the user-generated playlist ‘I love Gingers’ that featured 48 Ed Sheeran songs, topping the charts this year is a playlist titled ‘It’s the royal wedding is tomorrow!!!’ which, despite the enthusiasm of three exclamation marks, was created 22 days after the royal wedding. Other notable contenders for the coveted top spot include the 20,141 playlists entitled ‘Baby Shark’, followed by a sole user who longs for a little barnacle-themed downtime with 'Clam Meditation'.
Here come the girls
Source - Visa
Visa has made a ‘groundbreaking’ play this week in signing on as the first-ever sponsor of UEFA women’s football. The deal is a multi-year partnership which will run until 2025, will spread across a multitude of leagues and divisions, and will also support their marketing platform, Together #WePlayStrong, aimed at getting more females into the beautiful game.
Good news all around so? Perhaps. However, we can’t help but grimace a little at the fact that this deal is considered ‘groundbreaking’ in 2018. Not just considered, but actually is groundbreaking. As mentioned above, before this week, UEFA women’s football never had a partnership, a slightly meager statement when put alongside the long-running partnerships of male football and Heineken, Pepsico, Playstation, Adidas and McDonald's...need we go on?
Past pretty
Source - Shutterstock
They say looks are only skin-deep and the same seems to be true of aesthetically pleasing content according to a recent article in The Drum by columnist and Wilderness content producer, Dennis Korycki. In the piece, Korycki suggests that content creators should not feel pressured by the digital displays of their competitors and rather focus first and foremost on the message or information that they are trying to communicate.
He states that “the whole point is not how it looks, but what the content contains.” And that while visuals can be imperative in telling a story, they do not need to be a work of art so to speak. For him, “the key for engaging content – finding situations that are relatable on a personal level but universally understood among a mass audience and translating it visually.”
Joy to the world...of advertising
Source - John Lewis
That’s after the release of a recent study by System1 Research, which revealed that Holiday ads are considered to have more effect on ROI than any others. The study, which evaluated 220 television commercials in the UK over the month of November, found that audiences were up to 33% happier watching festively themed slots as opposed to the average ad. This happiness stat lead to the ads being rated out of five. Holiday ads received an overall average score of 2.8 stars out of 5, an almost 50% improvement on the 2 stars awarded to non-seasonal campaigns.
But what does all of this mean to the advertiser? Well, according to System1 Research, this positive human emotion indicates how an audience regards the product or service advertised. In short, System1 reckons if we are happy watching then we will be happy buying too. With the festive season upon us all we can do is wait and see – perhaps there will be an influx of piano purchases from John Lewis over the next 12 months. Watch this space.
Back with a bing?
Source - Search Engine Journal
Before you retreat back to the other 95% of the market who use Google as the one-and-only search tool, hear us out! According to a recent article on digital publication, Entrepreneur.com, European brands and advertisers could genuinely be missing out by not utilising Bing as part of their SEM strategy.
Why? Well, first and foremost, “Bing has 3 billion monthly searches in Europe and 12 billion monthly searches worldwide.” Not too shabby for a brand looking to drive acquisition. Better still, Bing Ads is a lot lighter on the pockets than Adwords, 32.5% lighter to be exact. Moreover, Bing Ads allows highly segmented device targeting, allowing users to get closer to their audience members and optimise their communication with them. “Bidding can be controlled based on targeting the best performing devices and excluding the underperforming ones.”
Still not sold? Check out the article in full here on Entrepreneur.com.
Like what you see? For more industry insights and updates subscribe to our blog.
---
## The Weekly Round-Up: 30.11.18
Type: eps_post
URL: /the-weekly-round-up-30-11-18
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# The Weekly Round-Up: 30.11.18
From detoxing in Ireland to sharing dinner with your family in Sydney – it’s all happening in this week’s round-up.
Detox destination
Source: National Geographic
From the land of saints and scholars to, in more recent times, the land of hen and stag parties, the green isle of Ireland has been dubbed many things in its time, however, this latest development is one which may take you by surprise. WPP-owned strategy consultancy, Kantar Millward Brown, has released a recent report suggesting that the national tourism board should seriously consider marketing Ireland as ‘detox destination’ in a bid to lure affluent luxury travellers. At present, the report states, that Ireland’s offering is a little too twee for the higher echelons of society and needs to provide a more immersive, personalised experience.
“Most of the luxury travellers want a more authentic experience where they can be absorbed in the local culture, meet (the) local farmer, author, minister and politician,” the report found.
While this may be a big opportunity for soul searchers with deep pockets and an even bigger one for local politicians, publicans of Ireland can rest assured, with the current flux of incoming tourism from regular, non-luxury travellers, we can’t see the pubs running dry in favour of detox just yet.
Adulting ahoy
Source: The Drum Manulife
While other generations may have had words or phrases to describe what is essentially taking care of day to day responsibilities, our generation is most definitely fixed on just one, ‘adulting’. So much so that it has, in fact, made its way into Oxford Dictionary, spawned some terrible television shows, and now, has found itself as the champion line for an insurance campaign.
In a bid to reach out to what many have dubbed as ‘the lost generation’, insurer, Manulife, have taken a step down to their audience’s level and started speaking their lingo, so to speak. Laid out across a number of OOH slots are messages speaking directly to millennials and generation Z. Each comes with a cultural reference and follows with the #adulting.
Smart move or smarmy segmentation of a generation who are sick of being singled out? You decide.
Art deco
Source: The Drum
From chipped paint to faded murals to rusted walls, the deterioration of Saint Petersburg is now a piece of art and advertising this week. Russian bakery chain, Busche, has joined forces with the agency, Suprematika, for a total rebrand to reflect the company’s evolving values. Exploring the depths of the brand’s renewed identity, the agency used the city of Saint Petersburg as a multi-tonal palette of inspiration. Utilising the vibrant landscape, they cleverly placed cutouts of the most iconic items from the Bushe menu. A subtle mix of guerilla and OOH, the campaign engages passersby through both pleasing aesthetics and clever word plays.
Gone Girl
Source: North Jersey
Fearless Girl is on the move. Taking a well-deserved break from her iconic position facing down Wall Street's Charging Bull, the bronze statue will be situated in a new spot in the financial district in the new year. This change of space came about due to the vast number of tourists that had been flocking to see the statue and, in consequence, had been disturbing New York City traffic. On the move, New York’s mayor, Bill de Blasio, said: “This move to a new location will ensure that her message and impact will continue to be heard, as well as improve access for visitors.”
Fearless Girl is an award-winning campaign created by the agency, McCann New York. She symbolises the support of gender equality in the workplace. Though she is gone (for now), she is not forgotten, in place of her stance is a plaque depicting her footprints and a message instructing visitors to “stand with her.”
Christmas, connected
Source: Samsung
Dublin creative agency, Boys+Girls, has announced the brand new collaboration between mobile network, Three and tech giant, Samsung. With the aim of bringing far-flung relatives together during the festive season, they have created the world’s first connected restaurant.
The pop-up eateries, which will be situated in Dublin and Sydney, will give families and friends across the globe the opportunity to have the full festive dining experience side-by-side, using high-definition cameras, targeted microphones, and display screens to bridge the nearly 20,000km gap between them.
Boys+Girls executive creative director, Rory Hamilton, believes that the connected restaurant “highlights Three and Samsung’s brand positioning of connectivity. There have been obstacles involved in creating this experience regarding the technology, and tackling time differences, but we have decided to make a virtue of this and have even injected humour into the experience as well!”
Like what you see? For more industry insights and updates subscribe to our blog.
---
## Cracking the code: How strategy fuels creative campaigns
Type: eps_post
URL: /cracking-code-strategy-fuels-creative-campaigns
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Cracking the code: How strategy fuels creative campaigns
My university days were spent dreaming up killer campaigns. I’d mentally improve upon every ad I saw, full of creative ideas and misplaced confidence. Why couldn’t they see what I saw? How did a team of professional creatives, armed with a hefty budget and customer insights, come up with that?
I moved on to my first marketing job and, ready to reinvent the industry, took charge of my first campaign. And it absolutely kicked my ass. Between managing brand and product requirements, marketing and communications goals, budgets, media, and consumer info, I found myself falling into that familiar trap: focusing on the product instead of the consumer. Getting so bogged down in details and features the client wanted to promote that I ignored our customer research.
"It took a move from management to strategy, and from the corporate side to the agency side, to understand how much work goes into executing a creative idea."
The hours and frustrations it takes to bridge the gap between brand and consumer with a relevant, beautiful message. Because every touchpoint with your audience, be it through TV, email, or radio, needs to answer a relatable human problem. Click to tweet this
That’s where strategy comes in
My role as a strategist boils down to two essential tasks. First, to make sure the brief is rock-solid and answers the foundational questions: who are we targeting, what do they want to hear, what problem do they face, and how does our brand solve it. Then, once work has begun, it’s my role to be the irritating person in the corner of the room that repeatedly asks “how is that relevant?”
A creative will always be tempted to reverse-engineer strategy to match their great idea. That’s natural - because their main focus is on the appearance of the end product. But a great idea that doesn’t connect with its target audience is just pretty fluff. Strategists have to be present throughout the process, always ready and willing to untangle problems with insights. To take the ball when you’re headed towards a creative dead-end, then hand it back with a set direction to travel towards.
When you emphasise strategy, it gives you an omnipresent marketing voice in the room. Someone who’s considering how each touchpoint fits in with everything the customer has experienced before, what they’re going to experience afterwards, and the desired brand tone - all within the context of metrics, KPIs, leading indicators, and testing.
A pattern in a stream of decisions
At Epsilon, we’ve put together one of the largest Strategy & Insights teams in Ireland. We all come from diverse industry backgrounds and have our own unique skill-sets. S&I is the backbone of everything we do - fuelling our creative campaigns and accelerating performance for our clients.
Recently, our colleagues in the US helped a major client put together a CRM programme for a new product launch. It was a major national success that set new internal benchmarks for email success. But as the company started to roll out the strategy overseas, consumer engagement began to dip in different ways.
So, the Irish team got involved to shed some light on the poor performance. After some testing, we realised we didn’t need to reinvent the wheel. The lack of adoption was down to minor cultural differences in each market, the kind of nuances you can never assume, but that stand out like a sore thumb to a seasoned strategist. We didn’t have to change the nature of the experience, just tweak it to make it seem natural to each audience.
The refined campaign was an immediate success. The first market we rolled out to saw an uptick of 12% on email, and 25% on platform engagement. All from minor tweaks that made consumers in each market feel that the content was tailored specifically for them.
Henry Mintzberg once said that strategy is “a pattern in a stream of decisions”. No matter who your audience is, or what medium you’re using, this pattern is an invaluable asset. By drawing insights from behavioural clues, you give yourself a full view of both the customer experience and the business outcome, as they grow and change together.
This article originally featured in the August edition of IMJ.
---
## Press Release: Epsilon Expands Relationship with Dell
Type: eps_post
URL: /press-release-epsilon-expands-relationship-with-dell
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Press Release: Epsilon Expands Relationship with Dell
Alliance Data’s Epsilon Expands Relationship with Leading Technology Client: Launching Globally Loyalty Programme
Loyalty Programme Provides Consumers and Small Businesses with Rewards, Exclusive Offers, and Other Perks to Drive Sales, Brand Engagement
London — 12 October, 2018, — Epsilon™, an Alliance Data (NYSE: ADS) company, announced the output of their long-term partnership with global technology leader Dell for loyalty marketing services. Epsilon has been providing permission-based email marketing services to Dell since 2010. As part of the latest agreement, Epsilon is leveraging its Agility Loyalty® platform to launch the Dell Advantage Rewards loyalty programme globally.
Epsilon is responsible for building, launching and managing the new Dell Advantage Rewards loyalty programme across the United States, Brazil and Canada, with plans to expand to other countries. The loyalty programme will share personalised communications with potential and existing customers based on a variety of insights. Epsilon is fully managing the programme’s technology through its industry-leading Agility Loyalty platform and integrated third-party tools.
By introducing a robust global loyalty programme, Dell’s marketing communications across channels such as email, direct mail and online media will help Dell drive higher return on investment, deeper engagement and improved customer experiences. Customers who are part of the Dell Advantage Rewards programme will receive great benefits including money back, exclusive offers, expedited shipping and other perks.
“Dell Advantage Rewards exemplifies our vision for customer value, personalisation and engagement,” said Roel Canare, Director of Loyalty and CRM at Dell. “Epsilon has been a valuable partner to Dell for many years, and working with a single provider who can address both our consumer and business-to-business markets across loyalty, email and database marketing has been critical to our success.”
“The tenure and growth of our relationship with Dell is a testament to our ability to help them reach their customers in the right channels to create lasting and impactful connections,” said Bryan Kennedy, Chief Executive Officer at Epsilon and Conversant. “A global leader in their space, we’re proud to have contributed to Dell’s success and look forward to driving more customer loyalty across the world through the launch of Dell Advantage Rewards.”
---
## Make your Loyalty programme every day exceptional
Type: eps_post
URL: /make-loyalty-programme-every-day-exceptional
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Make your Loyalty programme every day exceptional
As consumers, we’ve come to expect offers, discounts and promotions from the loyalty programmes and brands we follow for pretty much every holiday. We also expect a discount or offer in celebration of our birthday. And yet another offer right after we’ve made a large purchase, to try and get us to shop again. There’s usually no lack of offers or promotions when it comes to loyalty programmes.
While some of these loyalty engagement tactics do work, they’re expected and anticipated, which means they don’t necessarily make customers feel valued, appreciated, respected or grateful - four of the six positive emotions that drive loyalty, according to Forrester Research.
Celebrate the unexpected
So, what about the unexpected, unanticipated moments of engagement? How can we make the “everyday” an unexpected celebration for our loyalty members? The brain finds unexpected pleasure more rewarding than ‘expected rewards’ and, subconsciously, we desire unpredictable experiences.
Starbucks is capitalising on this trend with Starbucks Happy Hour. While not just for rewards members, these invitation-only offers give customers reasons and ways to get what they love from Starbucks. The company’s promotional strategy was to strengthen digitally enabled customer engagement beyond its Starbucks Rewards™ loyalty programme.
Amazon found a way to celebrate the everyday with Amazon Prime Day. Introduced in 2015 to celebrate Amazon's 20th anniversary, Amazon Prime Day provides members-only access to special deals for Amazon Prime customers.
Ways to create everyday exceptional
As loyalty marketers, we know that loyalty members want and expect appreciation and recognition. In fact, according to surveyed customers who felt valued, 92% plan to stay with the brand, 88% will increase their spending and 91% will advocate for the brand, according to Forrester Research.
While brands certainly appreciate the monetary value of their rewards members – do brands actually do a good job of showing authentic appreciation to their members in return? Brands can capitalise on the everyday exceptional trend while also showing their members the appreciation they deserve. Here are a few tactics to consider- which range in type and complexity, but all have the same goal in mind – to enhance emotional engagement with your brand.
The good old fashioned thank you
Sure, we’ve all gotten a thank you message right after making a purchase. But, consider sending members a genuine, non-promotional “thank you” message simply for being a member of your programme. Genuine is the key word which can help to instill trust with your brand.
Raise them to the top
Why not upgrade some of your members to the next level or tier of your programme before meeting the upgrade criteria? For example, target some of your more valuable members by using Value-Potential segmentation and modelling.
Give a little gift
Many brands have designed their loyalty programmes to reward members with gifts. Sephora’s Beauty Insider rewards programme is a well-known example of this model, which works. But, members expect these gifts. While not a new concept, surprise and delight gifts are a tried and true appreciation tactic. True surprise and delight strategies are unanticipated by members at unexpected moments. The gift should not be in the form of a discount or offer, but rather a no-strings-attached token of appreciation, such as a monogrammed bracelet, branded merchandise, like a coffee mug, complimentary service, donation to a charity on your behalf and so on.
Employee empowered discounts and acts of kindness
Empower your employees to periodically offer members of their choice a special discount on purchases. How amazing would it be to be at the till and the member of staff says “because you’re such a valued customer I’m giving you an extra 15% off your purchase today”.
Ask for feedback, but differently
Ask members how they feel about your programme and your brand at an unanticipated moment, and in an authentic manner. Asking a customer to go online to take a “how did we do” survey after a purchase isn’t authentic or effective. Many times, it’s an open door to receive negative feedback or even decrease purchase behavior, according to the Mere-Measurement Effect. But, asking members for feedback in a way that solicits their expert opinion can create a sense of value, inclusion and trust. Consider asking members their thoughts related to product development or merchandising decision ideas (eg. “We know you have great taste and would love to get your opinion on our Winter Collection).
Strive to make your loyalty programme everyday exceptional and remember to think ‘out of the box’. It’s important to remember how appreciation and surprise and delight tactics can impact your loyalty programme and your brand by strengthening emotional connections with your customers. As we’re immersed in our 2019 marketing planning, take time to think about different strategies and tactics to show how much you appreciate your members, who in return will continue to appreciate your brand.
Need help taking your loyalty programme to the next level? At Epsilon, we have the technology and expertise to help you harness your data, segment your members and analyse and measure your performance. Contact usto talk with our loyalty experts today.
---
## The Weekly Round-Up: 28.09.18
Type: eps_post
URL: /the-weekly-round-up-28-09-18
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# The Weekly Round-Up: 28.09.18
From last days at Instagram to first dates on Youtube, Epsilon takes a look at the industry’s highs and lows in this week’s Round-Up.
Tesco reckons supermarket competition doesn’t mean Jack
Source: REUTERS - Jack's Tesco's Newest Market Chain
Not satisfied with holding the largest grocery market share in Britain – a whopping 27.4% (Kantar WorldPanel, 2018) – Tesco is rolling out plans for their next big venture, the launch of Jack’s, a no-frills supermarket chain, which will be put in place to rival German competitors, Lidl and Aldi. The new market brand, according to Tesco Chief Executive, Dave Lewis, will provide U.K consumers with “great-tasting food at the lowest possible prices, with eight out of 10 products grown, reared or made in Britain”. The first two outlets will open next week, with plans to open 13 more over the next six months. Competition from Germany aside, a spokesperson for Tesco said motivations for opening the chain also came from the “consumer demand for low prices, driven by food price inflation in the wake of the Brexit referendum, as well as real wage stagnation.”
Founders say later to the ‘Gram
Source: Instagram - Instagram Founders Kevin Systrom and Mike Krieger resign
In a shock twist this week, Instagram founders, Kevin Systrom and Mike Krieger, officially announced their departure from the photo sharing platform. The reason behind their leaving, both on the record and on the ‘Gram, is down to a desire to further explore their curiosity again. However, away from social platforms, other theories have emerged as to why the two tech moguls have chosen to go. The most popular of which is the intense micromanagement of Instagram by its parent-company, Facebook.
Facebook acquired Instagram two years after its conception for $715 million and took its two founders on board with the deal. Initially, Instagram was left to its own devices, however, once Facebook reached saturation point, it began to take a more invested look into the business it acquired. This began an almost four year battle of autonomy, creativity, and freedom, which apparently, eventually lead Systrom and Krieger to leave.
The platform will continue to run under the guidance of Zuckerberg and co. but with this departure of founders, changes are definitely afoot.
Me Too’s Next Move
Source: Cnet - #metoo movement
It’s been almost a year since Me Too, a movement working to speak out and fight against sexual harassment and sexual assault, came to fruition. In its wake, change has been triggered in society and, while the movement still has its work cut out, day by day progress is being made.
An example of such progress is JDoe, an app created to encourage victims to report sexual assault and misconduct. In the U.S, almost 70% of sexual assaults go unreported (Rainn), JDoe is hoping to help with this figure. The free app, which is available on Apple and Android, follows three foundational ideas
Identify – JDoe aims to identify repeat offenders through its anonymous reporting platform. They believe that cases with multiple complainants are more likely to be successful in court.
Provide – JDoe provides users with access to civil lawyers and prosecutors, and authoritative groups.
Ensure – JDoe works to ensure that users have complete control over their data. Their encryption algorithms guarantee privacy.
Back to basics
Source: The Outdoor Advertising Association of America - #getoutofhome
Get Out Of Home! That’s the message coming from The Outdoor Advertising Association of America (OAAA), who launched the campaign with Publicis New York. The campaign is aimed at getting advertisers excited about OOH again and to prove to them its unflinching value. Naturally, GOOH features a host of OOH ads, 50,000 to be exact, across 30 markets in the US, but it’s also digitally integrated. During Advertising Week NY, a real-time digital OOH campaign will run and will invite advertisers to engage in the conversation using the hashtag #GetOutOfHome.
With the millennial generation seeping into more and more planning jobs, OOH has taken a dip over the last few years. Stephen Freitas, OAAA’s chief marketing officer, wants to show these advertisers that, while digital is great, “some ideas are too big to stay trapped online. Bold ideas need a bold platform.”
Data disaster?
Source: Three Ireland - First Data
Mobile Network, Three Ireland, along with creative agency, Boys + Girls, took an innovative step into the unknown this week, launching the country’s first ever digital dating series – First Data. The premise, which involved two strangers having their first date via video, is both a nod to society’s move towards cyber-dating and a reminder to consumers of the network’s all-you-can-eat data bundle offers. While, on paper, this could seem like a match made in heaven for today’s mobile-obsessed audiences, the web series opened to less than flattering reviews.
In response to the episode, which bears the description ‘Will West Cork's Susan develop a real connection with cheeky Dubliner Barry?’, viewers took to social media to leave less than favourable reviews. Among them were profanities, negative comments about the network’s services, and accusations of misogyny against dater and cheeky Dubliner, Barry.
Despite the backlash however a teaser for the second episode has been released and is already racking up a sizeable viewership, so perhaps what they say is true, no press is bad press.
Like what you see? For more industry insights and updates subscribe to our blog.
---
## Four unique ways to turn your data into high performing customer experience
Type: eps_post
URL: /four-unique-ways-turn-data-into-high-performing-customer-experience
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Four unique ways to turn your data into high performing customer experience
Excellent customer experience is no longer a selling point – it’s a requirement. 86% of consumers are willing to pay more for a better customer service and, in an online world with more choice than ever before, the brands that don’t take notice are doomed to be forgotten.
The key to a great customer experience lies in our ability to utilise the data that is already available to us.Click to tweet
Today, most of our interactions online leave a digital print, that can be traced back and analysed to gather insights into consumer habits and preferences. Consumers understand the value of their data and are willing to give it up in exchange for an improved customer experience.
To deliver outstanding customer experience, you need to translate online and offline data into human insights. Here are four unique ways to use your customer data to create an unmatched customer experience.
1. First impressions matter
In an increasingly competitive marketplace, every piece of your web design needs to serve a purpose. Customer experience doesn’t start when they make a purchase, it begins as soon as they the consumer starts looking for your product or service.
Having a clean website, with intuitive navigation, and logically organised content is key to locking visitors in, and gently pushing them to convert to loyal customers.
Track interactions on your site using tools like Google Analytics to gather insights on your performance. Find out how visitors get to your site, and where they go once they've landed on your page. Use eye-tracking software to find out the ‘hot spots’ and areas that you can tweak to improve customer experience.
Industry leaders like Airbnb have been paving the way with their intuitive web design. The main attraction – destination search – is up front and center, guiding visitors to the next logical steps. They’ve also incorporated smart search allowing users to autocomplete their queries and speed up the process.
Key takeaway: Sweat the small stuff, like website speed. 75% of users will click off and run straight into your competitors' open arms if they encounter delays. 76% of customers place usability above anything else, so make it easy for your visitors to find what they are looking for. Test your site, and tweak it to ensure you’re bringing satisfaction with every click.
2. Social listening
Industry experts agree that the best time to ask for feedback about your customers’ experience is right after you deliver it. In fact, 70% of businesses that deliver exceptional customer experiences use customer feedback systems.
Employing post-interaction surveys is a great way to get feedback on your performance, however, customers are far more outspoken on social networks and forums. To gather true insights, show up in the comment sections on your social channels and practice your listening skills.
People are more likely to express concerns and ask for advice online, so use this as an opportunity to add a human touch, create an emotional connection, and deliver an unforgettable customer experience.
For example, Tommee Tippee, one of the largest baby products providers heard about a father on Twitter looking to replace one of their limited edition sippy cups for his severely autistic son. Turns out, his son refused to drink from any other cup, and as a result, the company announced they will release 500 of those discontinued cups especially for his son.
Key takeaway: Social media is the top choice when it comes to customer care, with 35% of customers turning to tried and trusted channels to reach out for support. Make sure you’re on top of things by investing time in patrolling your social channels and keeping your ears open for opportunities to accelerate performance and improve customer experience.
3. Customers are the heart of your operation
Deliver experiences that are relevant specifically to your customers. To accelerate performance, use the data that you already have on your customers’ buying habits and preferences to create personalised offers and suggestions. Not only will that promote brand-love and create an army of brand advocates, it’ll also help you improve customer experience.
Amazon, one of the industry leaders in personalisation, use customer data to suggest ‘bought together’ products in real-time. Not only do they boost revenue, they also get bonus points for reminding customers they might need a HDMI cable to go with their brand new flat screen TV.
Key takeaway: 66% of consumers admit they are more likely to switch brands if they feel they’re treated like “a number” rather than an individual. Avoid general newsletters and offers as much as possible, instead speak to your consumer directly using their name. Update customers with relevant new products that they may be interested in.
4. Seamless experience
The customer journey is becoming more fragmented as new technology innovations happen, so it’s important to ensure that all touch points are optimised and tied together. Create a seamless customer experience by ensuring you provide an equally satisfying service online and offline.
Give shoppers the option to purchase online or pick-up in store. If an item is out of stock in-store, then offer to order it for them, or notify customers when they become available again. For example, if customers click through ‘Shop Now’ on your Instagram post, they should easily find the items they are looking for on your e-commerce site.
Key takeaway:On average, companies that provide an ominous customer experience throughout their presence online and offline retain a whopping 89% of their consumers. Map out your customer journey to understand better the touch points and optimise accordingly to ensure customer success.
Today, we are rich in data but poor in delivery. Put your data to work, because a small tweak in your operations or strategy can transform your customer experience, and position your organisation as a top industry leader. Some of the best-laid customer experience plans fall short because they lack true insights. With a little time, effort, and these tips you can set yourself and your organisation up for success.
---
## The Weekly Round-Up: 07.09.18
Type: eps_post
URL: /weekly-round-up-07-09-18
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# The Weekly Round-Up: 07.09.18
The death of television and a clash of denim and politics, we take a look everything that matters in marketing this week.
Customer experience streamline
Source – TUI
The recently rebranded holiday host, TUI, is at it again, this time changing up their marketing strategy. Katie McAlister, the Chief Marketing Officer for TUI in the UK, is taking on the dual role and responsibility of looking after both marketing and sales. The decision comes as part of TUI’s aim to create a more seamless experience for their customers, with the belief that both departments should be working towards the same objective – the customer.
Customer experience (CX) is the word on the lips of any and all agile marketers these days, and TUI’s approach indicates a definite sign of progress in the area. TUI MD of UK and Ireland, Andrew Flintham, says that this move will “increase our focus on delivering for the customer, maximise sales opportunities, and improve the pace of delivery through streamlined governance”.
Want to improve your company’s customer experience strategy? Find some useful tips and more in our latest post on CX in the FMCG industry.
Ta Ra to TV
Source - Marks & Spencer
Marks & Spencer is saying “Th-th-that’s all folks” to television or, at least that’s the impression they are giving following the launch of their latest campaign. The advert, which, in full, plays out like a short fashion film to a Bowie soundtrack, features autumnal essentials across the legacy store’s clothing, home, and beauty departments. The ad can be found across a number of digital and social channels, as well as in print and OOH. Television, however, has been left off the roster, a bold move for a very traditional brand such as M&S. This decision to leave out the TVC slots, makes this advert M&S’s inaugural digital-first campaign.
Pants get political
Source - Levi Strauss & Co
Levi & Co. is the latest brand to get political by taking a stance on gun control or, rather, the lack of, in the USA. Speaking in a recent article, the denim megacorp president and chief, Chip Bergh, stated clearly the company’s dissatisfaction with the current situation. The article, published in Fortune, comes in quick succession to a letter Bergh wrote to his employees after a customer accidentally shot himself while trying on a pair of jeans.
More than just words on paper, Levi & Co. will take action in their stance by launching the Safe Tomorrow Fund, which will donate one million dollars to non-profit organisations working to end gun violence.
Levi isn’t the first brand to get political, of late, there has been a huge surge in brands flying the flag for what they believe.
The same but different
Source - The Mars Wrigley Confectionary Company
Are you a rightie? Or, are you a leftie? It may sound straightforward, and even simple, but in an event last week this was the question on everyone’s lips. When it comes to taking that first finger of your Twix bar, do you go for the right? Or for the left?
The Mars Wrigley Confectionery company had Twix fans partake in a survey questionnaire while also using facial feature analysis to really get to the bottom of what the differences are between a leftie and a rightie.
The results were...slightly redundant as it seems that there is no real psychology or science behind the choice, however, in terms of a gimmick, it’s pretty ingenious and only adds to Twix’s ongoing Left or Right campaign.
Here come the girls!
Source - Harvey Nichols
Or, rather, just one in particular – Miss Holly Nichols. If you think it sounds familiar, you’d be right, this month the retail giant, Harvey Nichols, will be renamed as the effeminate Holly Nichols. As part of a campaign devised by the store’s newly appointed creative director, Deb Bee, September will see Harvey Nichols not only get a new name, but host a number events and initiatives to highlight their commitment to gender equality and support in progressing women. The bold campaign is further notable as it is Harvey Nichols first since their very public firing of their long-term creative agency Adam&Eve/DBB.
Like what you see? For more industry insights and updates subscribe to our blog.
---
## Digital transformation: a necessary disruption to the FMCG industry
Type: eps_post
URL: /digital-transformation-disruption-fmcg-industry
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Digital transformation: a necessary disruption to the FMCG industry
Technology has transformed consumer habits. We shop online while browsing in-store, order taxis the same way we order pizza, and choose life partners with a single swipe to the right. As a result, today’s consumers expect relevant content when they want it, where they want it, and on the device of their choosing.
To keep up with the always-on consumer, fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG) companies need to embrace the new market reality and provide an unmatched customer experience.
The new, digitally-conscious consumers
Digital transformation has been the word on the lips of many marketers over the past few years. Simply put, it’s a restructure of how companies use technology to create a consistent customer experience, wherever and whenever they interact with them.
Major brands like Coca-Cola struggled to connect with a generation that doesn’t see the line between “the online and the offline, the reality and augmented reality”.
With their new digital transformation plan, Coca-Cola is planning to engage consumers on a more personal level by using data and technology to “beat the real thing, using augmented reality”. People understand the value of their data and, in exchange for improved experiences, they are willing to share it.
Case in point - the introduction of Uber. The taxi industry failed to identify the growing frustration for both users and drivers, but the tech company didn’t.
Uber identified all the pain-points of taxi takers – from hailing a taxi, to never finding a working cash machine – and answered it with a mobile app that provides an unmatched customer experience. By providing immediacy, accessibility and simplicity Uber transformed the way we travel.
To accommodate the new, digitally-conscious buyer your organisation needs to think digital first.
Here are 3 steps to a digitally savvy strategy that will win consumer’s hearts and minds.
1. Rethink how you interact with your consumers
Times may have changed, but the customer is still King. Perhaps even more so now, with bad reviews just a click away, and a tendency for them to spread like wildfire far and wide. A single bad interaction with your brand could drive a customer away or, worse, gain a troll.
To fireproof your brand from any damage, be proactive online and on the platforms customers most often reach out for support. Social media channels, forums, and online reviews are all part of the customer service ecosystem now.
2. Develop a data-driven strategy for more personalised ads
80% of consumers admit they are more likely to buy from a company that knows their purchase history and treats them as individuals.
As a result, consumers are happy to entrust brands with their data in order to receive offers that are tailored specifically to their needs. To take advantage of this opportunity companies need to invest and engage in CRM.
With the consent from their consumers, companies that use CRM can analyse customer-related data and then use those insights to create highly relevant messages, to reach the right people at the right time.
3. Create a seamless, multi-channel experience
Start your journey of transformation by identifying the channels your customers frequent the most and the devices they use. Once you find out where they hang out and how they shop, decide which touch-point are most valuable to you and make them shoppable.
If you have a presence offline, bridge the gap between the two worlds by ensuring there’s a smooth transition between transactions taking place on both channels. For example, allow online shoppers to collect items in store, and enhance their customer experience by saving precious time.
The modern consumer often rates the organisation based on their digital customer experience first. The companies that are ready to offer immediacy, personalisation, and accessibility will win their consumer’s loyalty, and the ones that don’t, risk becoming irrelevant.
So, how are you keeping up with digitally-conscious consumers and their ever-rising expectations?
Like what you see? For more industry insights and updates subscribe to our blog.
---
## The Weekly Round-Up: 17.08.18
Type: eps_post
URL: /the-weekly-round-up-17-08-18
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# The Weekly Round-Up: 17.08.18
Digital natives go offline
They may be called the iGen (Generation Z, GenZers and so on and so forth) but it looks like the Millennials’ successors are far more likely to spend time offline than their older counterparts. A recent survey carried out by technology company, Foursquare and agency Carat, showed that members of Generation Z – which includes teens and young adults born between 1997 and 2003 – are more regularly shopping in bricks-and-mortar outlets as opposed to online.
They are not severing ties totally with their digital roots, however, GenZ-store-favourites, such as Zara and Sephora, have all begun to integrate digital in-store through the likes of AR and self-service. This shows to play favour with the GenZers as the survey further revealed that 47% use their mobile to enhance their bricks-and-mortar shopping experience.
Digital natives go offline
Fast fashion meets fast food
It seems fast fashion is on the lips of most people these days, however, it is usually reserved for high street stores with low rent factories, not celebrated Italian designer brands such as Fendi. However, in their latest endeavour – a brand installation in Selfridges – the fashion house is turning the phrase on its head, donning their labels on products that will last a matter of minutes.
Fendi branded ice lollies will be sold throughout the month of August in department store giant, Selfridges. The pops, crafted through a collaboration with artisan gelato makers Steccolecco, will set consumers back £4 a pop (pun intended), may seem steep for a sweet, but for a designer brand is a downright bargain.
Source: Fendi
Segmentation breathes personalisation
At least that’s according to CEO and Marketing Tech News contributor, Meyar Sheik. Sheik whose company specialises in bringing personalised experiences to businesses and their consumers claims, that there is huge confusion in the industry as to what personalisation actually is and what the best practices around it are.
Sheik states that while the process of personalisation starts with segmentation – grouping shoppers based on demographic – this is only scratching the surface. In his article Sheik says that in order to successfully serve their customer base with personalisations retailers must “combine historical cross-session knowledge of each visitor to their website or app with real-time context, including location, time of day and weather. This will enable retailers to hone the way they target consumers by delivering more relevant content and recommendations that speak to each visitor’s interests and specific circumstances.”
Segmentation breathes personalisation
Lab coat couture
While it may not appeal to the arachnophobes among us, soon, thanks to Bolt Threads, consumers may find themselves wrapped in spider silk the next time they buy some new attire. Bolt Threads, a bio-fabric manufacturer, has made a huge breakthrough by refining the formula for synthetic spider silk in their lab in California. Though this recent crucial development will spark huge advancements in terms of both clothing and environmental causes, co-founder and CEO of Bolt Threads, Dan Widmaier, says that although this is a great success – 2019 will be the breakout year for spider silk and Bolt Threads.
Spider silk innovation
Get ready for the go-getters
Whether they are welcomed or not, for school-leavers, this month sees final exam results rear their ugly heads. While this may seem irrelevant to business owners now, the outcome of these academic assessments will have a big effect on the working world over the next few years.
A study, conducted by the U.K’s Chartered Institute of Marketing, has shown that 64% of the population aged 17-19 who have left school in the past six months and are interested in a career in marketing. This means your business may have a big bump in eager applicants in a few short years.
Additionally, the survey revealed that within the marketing space, the next generation is more interested in earning a high salary than working in a position that will help society.
Food for thought? We think so.
Get ready, these go-getters are coming to an office near you in the very near future.
NextGen go-getters
Like what you see? For more industry insights and updates subscribe to our blog.
---
## Is IGTV becoming the one-stop-shop for all your digital marketing needs?
Type: eps_post
URL: /igtv-digital-marketing-needs
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Is IGTV becoming the one-stop-shop for all your digital marketing needs?
The social media landscape has pretty much stayed untouched since Snapchat arrived in 2011. Nevertheless, some platforms are faring far better than others in the competition.
Case in point – Instagram. Unlike other platforms, who are struggling to keep up in this game of social media cat and mouse, Instagram seems to be having the year of its existence. Users are more engaged than ever before, thanks to features like stories, GIFS, filters and music stickers.
The most recent introduction is Instagram TV (IGTV), a standalone app that is interlinked with the favoured platform. The new feature allows users to set up their IGTV channel and post video content that’s up to one hour long; an exciting and promising opportunity, particularly for brands and content marketers.
If you’re thinking this might sound a little familiar, you wouldn’t be wrong. And if you’re thinking of YouTube, you’d be on the money. The theory is IGTV is taking a light jab at the video-sharing giant, and attempting to cash in on the rise of video content.
The update is an exciting new platform for brands to explore and use to form deeper connections with their audience. With the estimated Instagram ad revenue reaching over $10 billion by 2019, how are brands seizing this opportunity to shine?
You snooze – you lose
The new addition to the social media landscape is just as frightening as it is exciting. We’re used to knowing exactly how the platform works, and more importantly, the type of content that performs best.
So it’s not surprising that brands are wary of jumping on the platform while it’s still in its infancy.
However, early adopters of IGTV have everything to gain, and nothing to lose.
The benefit of getting on the platform now is that you have an audience made up of users that are actively searching for engaging content.
The platform is not yet flooded with content, which means you are not fending off competitors, and have a shot at higher engagement rates.
As we continue to move to video and crave for more content from brands, IGTV could be the place to get your branded content fix. It’s not yet clear what kind of content will work best on the new platform, so brands have more freedom to experiment with the type of content they put out.
Most importantly, IGTV is the only platform entirely designed for the mobile experience, and will natively support full-screen vertical video. This is important.
As we continue to depend more and more on mobile, optimising apps and websites for a pleasant mobile experience is essential.
Getting it right from the get-go
Some brands, like Gucci and Louis Vuitton, are easing their way onto the platform and have debuted their accounts with a recap of their recent fashion shows.
Other companies, like Netflix, seem to have an inside track to understanding what the users of the app are craving for; their debut on the platform came as a one-hour long video of Cole Sprouse eating a burger. The shocker? The engagement rates went through the roof – the video brought in a whopping 955,000 views and almost 7,000 comments.
Brands are going longer and becoming more creative on IGTV and it’s paying off. They are taking risks and experimenting to see what resonates with their audience. If you want to succeed on the platform you have to embrace the new format.
Although the future of IGTV is shrouded in fog, there are four key elements that brands are doing that puts them as the leaders of the pack.
Focus on creating content that feels native to the platform.
Take time to edit for vertical video.
Refrain from uploading horizontally shot videos.
Short and sweet doesn’t always seal the deal. Create content that passes the original 1-minute mark and upload longer video-content.
What the future holds
So, is IGTV a realistic competitor to YouTube? Not yet. Instagram hasn’t figured out yet how to monetise content, to attract creators to migrate to IGTV from YouTube. The company hopes to have a strategy by the end of the year, but until then, the video-sharing giant isn’t under threat.
IGTV is the first video sharing platform designed entirely for the mobile experience. So it’s not unrealistic to expect some form of ‘IGTV original’ shows, movies or even series to debut in the future.
Especially with the introduction of 5G. We have high hopes for 5G, and as more apps and games are weaving in Augmented Reality into their offerings, we can expect to see that creeping into IGTV too.
The new video platform also allows creators to include clickable links in their descriptions, however, this means users have to exit the app (and their experience) if they want to make a purchase. The natural next step is to implement shoppable video technology for brands, to make the shopping experience seamless for app users.
So, Instagram has served a curveball and caused chaos in the social media landscape. Now that they have added long-form video to their platform - they can do it all. Is Instagram becoming a one-stop-shop for brands to raise awareness and connect with consumers? Perhaps not just yet, but they are definitely staying ahead of the curve and their competitors. Watch this space.
Like what you see? For more industry insights and updates subscribe to our blog.
---
## The Weekly Round-Up: 20.07.18
Type: eps_post
URL: /weekly-round-up-20-07-18
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# The Weekly Round-Up: 20.07.18
Our homes may be getting smarter but research is showing that automotive brands are no closer to figuring out their female customers – everything you need to know about the industry in Epsilon’s Weekly Round-Up.
Hey big spender!
Source: Facebook
As the most Twitter-happy head of state to date, it comes as no real surprise that, earlier this week, it emerged that the current POTUS is social media’s biggest political spender, ever. Fortune reports that since early May of this year, Trump and his PAC (political action committee) have spent approx. $274,000 on Facebook ads, resulting in a reach of over 37 million in three short months. Ads were targeted predominantly at 25-34-year-olds – so millennials if you were wonder why you had so much Trump on your feed, wonder no more.
Facebook uncovered
Source: Channel 4
And while he may be making a pretty penny off the POTUS, this week was not a good one for Mark Zuckerberg and his multi-billion social media platform. In the latest episode of Dispatches, a popular British investigative series, a reporter went undercover as a contracted content moderator in Facebook’s European HQ. There, he was exposed to all manner of violent content from self-harm to violence against children.
Despite working as a so-called moderator, the reporter revealed that he had very little moderation control and that most of what can be described as violent content was left on the site. When questioning his seniors on this lack of moderation, the answer was monetary.
“If you start censoring too much then people lose interest in the platform – it’s all about making money at the end of the day.” (Wired)
Influencer insights
Source: Digiday
Keeping us up-to-date on all things insight, industry and, more often than not, injury – the latest post in Digiday’s Confession series sheds a light on the ever-controversial influencer marketing scene.
Unprofessionalism and insincerity are among the topics divulged by the social media marketing executive who naturally chose to remain anonymous. Check out the whole interview here.
Amazon vs Apple
Source: Smallville
It was smart doorbells at dawn this week as Amazon sold over 1 million of its smart home devices which, since February, includes Ring, smart video doorbell capability. Coincidently, on the same day, Apple decided to ditch their own innovative door service from its list of compatible devices.
In tech terms, this means that Amazon is sailing ahead of the iCreators in terms of category control. For consumers, doorbells or not, the spike in sales this week, indicates that more than ever before, consumers are ready to take on smart living.
Miss Understood
Source: Hanna Barbera
They hold 40% of the buying power and have a 79% wield in the final purchase decision – so why is it that three-quarters of female consumers still feel totally dismissed by automotive brands?
While it can’t be solely blamed on the likes of Jurgen Klopp, zooming around in the latest OPEL model, it might have a little to do with it. Traditionally, car adverts have been written by men for men, and with 55% of female consumers feeling that almost all ads are male-focused, it seems that this is a tradition that’s carrying on through to the present day. Archaic to say the least, in an age where your car can be connected to your smartphone, auto advertising needs to put its foot down and catch up with its product.
Like what you see? For more industry insights and updates subscribe to our blog.
---
## As the age of the emoji flourishes, are the days of the copywriter numbered?
Type: eps_post
URL: /copywriter-days-numbered
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# As the age of the emoji flourishes, are the days of the copywriter numbered?
As the world continues to pivot further and further towards video, rumours have arisen that copy will soon disappear and that the classic copywriter will dissipate with it. Why? Well, it’s no secret that since the arrival of the twentieth century our attention spans have been somewhat abbreviated. The increase in video and online conversation has left us ‘a lil short 4 words’ and longing for a more efficient form of communication.
As a result, there is a misconception that copy is dying, however as we will explain this simply is not true. Copy, like all other manners of communication, will simply learn to transform and adapt with the times, and its writer will do the same. Forever fighting for attention in an increasingly overcrowded world of information, entertainment, and marketing, the copywriter still remains an invaluable asset to your business.
So what is a copywriter?
Put simply, they are writers in advertising or marketing who mean business. It is their job to get people to act and pay attention to adverts and content that vies for their attention. Today, the emphasis is on quality, not quantity, and copywriters ensure that your business delivers just that.
They are an integral part of the marketing mix. Copywriters know how to craft headlines, emails, and infographics that add value for clients and help them to meet their customer objectives. Their ability to put words, sentences, stats, and research together in a creative way, is how a business can grab and hold an audience member’s attention.
Copy is everywhere
“The real matter of the fact is that nobody reads ads. People read what interests them and sometimes that happens to be an ad.” Howard Luck Gossage
Copywriting goes beyond writing marketing material. Copy is everywhere – and, expert wordsmiths are behind it. Every company white-paper, blog post, tweet, and email falls on the shoulders of the copywriter. So you may not realise it, but you are surrounded by examples of great copywriting, everywhere, every day.
In the business of selling, copywriting falls into the category of the art of persuasion. With a strong knowledge of a client’s brands, goods, or services, an eloquent copywriter will appeal to the audience’s reason to persuade them, their feelings to move them and to their aesthetic sensibility to delight them. They’ll do it in many varied formats too. From micro-copy on Twitter placards, buzzwords on banner ads, to lengthy print ads in our morning paper.
Case in point is KFC’s award-winning apology ad, published in British newspaper, The Sun, following an unexpected shortage in chicken.
Source: CampaignLive
The power of three
‘Concept, concise, and consult’, also known in copy terms as the power of three, is the key to creating stellar copy.
When it comes to solving a creative challenge there is no such thing as a one-size-fits-all fix. Each new project or campaign must begin with its own individual concept, an idea which has the ability to hold the entire creative solution together. Ideation sessions are vital to discovering the concept and though it can be, at times, a long and challenging process, it is one that leads to valuable work.
Whether you’re crafting an email from scratch or proofreading a company’s training manual – as a copywriter you must be able to break down the information and deliver it to the audience through a clear and concise piece of communication.
Finally, that brings us to consult. Once the first draft is finished the real work begins. In order to really hit the nail on the head, it is important to consult with clients and ask for directive feedback. It may not always be straightforward and it can be challenging, but having a clear understanding of what is expected is key in order to deliver great work.
Word up
Video has not killed the copywriter, instead, the practice continues to adapt and transform in the digital ad ecosystem, with an abundance of new skills and practices emerging ready to be shared. After all emojis, Insta Stories, and Snapchats may come and go, but the written word is eternal.
---
## Personalisation and the past: Why nostalgia marketing is key in reaching today's audience
Type: eps_post
URL: /personalisation-nostalgia-marketing
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Personalisation and the past: Why nostalgia marketing is key in reaching today's audience
Why does nostalgia marketing resonate so much with today’s audience?
To put it simply – because it feels really, really good. Nostalgia has that unique ability to take us back to our most cherished moments and allows us to relive them, one moment at a time.
Which is great news for brands too as it brings them one step closer to the holy grail of brand marketing by helping them reach audiences on a deeper, more emotional level.
As a data-driven agency, we know that there’s a story behind every statistic. A real human moment that lingers and lives in the memory and goes beyond the data point it creates.
With the aim of surprising and delighting our clients, we decided to send our clients a token of appreciation, a nod to our working relationship and, also, a showcase of how we use data to create meaningful connections. Combining personalised marketing and the most celebrated sporting event in the world, we presented some of our clients with a little something for them to hold on to.
Every four years, the World Cup triggers an avalanche of nostalgia. Fans and faultfinders alike find themselves caught up and swept back to summer’s gone. Our challenge was to capture that feeling in one 270 x 210 x 90mm box. We wanted to reach our clients on a highly personalised level while showing how feelings such as nostalgia can be harnessed to build meaningful connections.
To do this, we gave each of the clients a memento to keep at their desk to take them back to those moments. A high-quality frame with a personalised football jersey, accompanied with copy that triggers collective emotions.
Ready to reminisce?
You always remember your first time. If football means anything to you, then you’ll doubtlessly have a first World Cup, when the drama of the event was first imprinted on your memory - permanently. Even non-football fans remember their first World Cup, as they get taken in by national pride and the drama. We wanted to give the clients something that plays on that nostalgia, and also acknowledges who they are.
Our starting point was researching the clients’ nationalities. Then we considered their age and which World Cup might have been their formative one, with this in mind, we made sure each jersey was an exact reproduction of that era. The final customised touch was the client’s name printed on the back, in the typographic style from that generation.
The language of recollection
Sticking a jersey in a frame is not enough to stir our emotions. We also accompanied the shirts with copy in order to trigger collective memories. Football was the first protocol, however, to match the passion and drama that unfolds during the World Cup, we chose to weave in Freakonomics and insights that aligned with the time of each tournament.
We wanted to take the reader back to their first World Cup and feel pleasantly connected to their past, with smile-inducing data and insights. Poetry is often considered the language of recollection and reminiscence, so the copy for each shirt was researched and crafted in ‘stanza’ style.
Humans make data, we make data human
From the data-driven insights to the human touch of hand-delivery, we put thought into every piece of this DM. The first thing the client saw was the belly-band, which sported Lou Reed’s line “I don’t like nostalgia unless it’s mine”. It brought the whole package together and was the perfect icebreaker, showcasing how our understanding of our audience enabled us to deliver an authentic message.
Our ability to see past the statistics and to the moments of triumph, anguish, and longing is what allows us to create meaningful connections with audiences. At Epsilon, our work begins and ends with people: the ones we speak to, and the ones we speak for. As a data-driven creative agency, we translate data into a real sense of what moves and motivates us.
Our DM package was a tangible representation of this, a gift that stirred up fond memories for the clients and, we hope, created exciting new ones.
---
## ‘Solve and remove’ VS ‘hide and cover-up’ – Are the words we use in marketing causing gender bias?
Type: eps_post
URL: /words-marketing-gender-bias
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# ‘Solve and remove’ VS ‘hide and cover-up’ – Are the words we use in marketing causing gender bias?
We all know words are important. They have power and, when deployed effectively by marketers, they can create a significant impact and elevate a campaign to a higher plane. The flip side of this is that picking the wrong words can have a harmful effect on what we are trying to achieve.
This means we must be fully in control of our words - and we must be precise and deliberate in selecting the vocabulary that powers our campaigns.
Mastering the significance of the language we use is crucial for connecting with a target audience. There is a fine line for this art, lazily adopting linguistic patterns according to stereotypes will inhibit the delivery of our intended message - and turn people off.
For example, in marketing toys to boys, brands often choose words associated with adventure or conflict. However, in an attempt to target girls in the same age bracket, brands will lean towards vocabulary that has connotations of beauty, fantasy or love.
This type of stereotyping can send a damaging message to children and restrict them from developing in their own individual manner - and many parents will see right through it.
Another example is certain shampoo ads: those targeted at men talk about confidence, strength and dominance, and use assertive verbs such as 'solve', 'remove' and 'prevent'. Meanwhile, those aimed at women are passive - urging women to 'hide' or 'cover up' dandruff and grey hairs.
While these linguistic patterns may feel like natural fits for a marketer, they can be detrimental to a campaign and have impacts on a wider societal scale. People today are very sensitive to lazy stereotypes so marketers could unknowingly alienate a large section of a potential audience.
This means we must attempt to neutralise our language to consider the characteristics of the individuals we are targeting – and this can be very tricky and complicated for marketers.
"We must attempt to neutralise our language to consider the characteristics of the individuals we are targeting"
However, help is at hand. Developments in machine learning have made it possible for Artificially Intelligent (AI) machines to read content in the same way as a human does, with all the nuances of the language taken into account. Cognitive semantic technology tools such as Natural Language Processing (NLP) allow marketers to uncover the true meaning of their words in context, and the sentiments they express.
This allows marketers to leverage contextual targeting. This means that with a precise analysis of a web site’s language, concepts and sentiments, marketers can place their ads beside content that complements and enhances their intended message.
It also allows for greater brand safety. This in-depth targeting can make sure that ads appear beside content that reflects well on the brand and avoids any content that might be detrimental.
By taking control of the words we use, and acknowledging the problems with existing methods, marketers can stride forward into a new, more language-precise era for digital marketing.
---
## Why the “fun factor” is key to enhancing your customer experience
Type: eps_post
URL: /why-the-fun-factor-is-key-in-enhancing-your-customer-experience
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Why the “fun factor” is key to enhancing your customer experience
In today’s ever-changing loyalty landscape, how can a brand stand out from the crowd? How can they differentiate themselves from the competition and innovate their loyalty programme? For me, this is where transformation comes in. Brands must look beyond the traditional rewards points-based programme and focus more on providing an experiential customer experience, to build that strong emotional brand connection, with their customers. In Epsilon, we see this as evolving from a 1:1 to a 1:YOU experience. So, what steps can loyalty marketers take to enhance and transform the customer experience for their customers?
Primarily, it starts with collecting, understanding, and using the right data, at the right times, via the right channels. Couple this by harnessing the power of technologies such as machine learning, artificial intelligence, and data augmentation, enabling you to recognise, reward and delight your loyal members, in real-time, while going the extra mile to enhance the customer experience. At the end of the day, it’s about connecting with your loyalty members on a more “human” level and continuing to evolve the value exchange, to create lifetime loyalty experiences. Indeed, according to KPMG’s recent The truth about customer loyalty survey only “37% of respondents identified points and rewards as one of the most effective ways to secure their brand loyalty” - reinforcing our belief that loyalty marketing goes beyond rewards and offers and more should be about seamlessly enhancing the customer experience and that 1:YOU experience.
The experiential rewards approach is one way for loyalty marketers to advance their loyalty programme. Using the technologies mentioned above, companies can uncover insights and behaviours, transactional and non-transactional, to understand the drivers of member value, enabling loyalty marketers to enhance and take member experiences to new levels. For example, marketers are including bonus promotions within their programmes that give way to exclusive experiences and auctions. Add to this, marketers are launching exclusive tiered structures where, in addition to earning points, members are given elite access to special events and limited availability items. Consumers have come to expect these relevant experiences and look forward to them, especially when they involve an element of surprise and delight.
One brand that has caught my attention and is continuously evolving is Walgreens and its Balance Rewards loyalty programme - a points-based digital loyalty programme, where points are awarded based on spend as well as bonus points for specific categories and behaviours. But Walgreens also delighted members with their “Beauty Enthusiast” programme - a innovate “programme-within-a-programme" concept. Finally, they also launched a digital wellness programme called - “Balance Rewards for healthy choices® (BRhc)”, which has been enjoying much success.
So, how can you ensure that you’re creating and providing relevant experiences to your members, that will enhance the customer experience? Consider these three tips:
Prioritise personalisation
Consumers want a personalised experience across all points and interactions and indeed, in today’s “data-driven, technology-first” world, consumers look for the same level of personalisation from companies big and small. Indeed, so much so, they are willing to share their data with brands, to get that personalised experience. Epsilon’s research shows that 80% of consumers are more likely to do business with a company that offers a personalised experience. By investing in personalisation, brands will reap the benefits of building relationships and connect with members on a more “human” level. Not only that, as advancements in loyalty marketing continue, and marketers embrace the experiential component of loyalty, the role of personalisation becomes even more important. Let’s not forget, through powerful technology platforms we’re able to do it effectively – in real-time – to create meaningful experiences for consumers. As Katrina Lake, Founder & CEO of Stitch Fix, says, “I’m most passionate about personalisation. I firmly believe that personalised experiences with brands will most drive loyalty and relevance for customers in the future”.
Think Data-Driven
So how can marketers add more personalisation to its experiential loyalty programme, and drive more engagement with members on a more emotional level? As mentioned above, it all starts with the data and marketers need to leverage data in their decision-making process. By harnessing the power of your data and customer insights to understand your customer - their habits, desires, preferences, abilities, emotions and triggers – and, through the addition of technology and extensive analytics (predictive, modelling, etc.), you can proactively predict how best to engage, in real-time.
Focus on the fun factor
Let’s be honest, we’re more likely to engage with loyalty programmes that think differently in how it engages and connects with us. If the programme has a “fun” element to it, it makes it all the better, and indeed I'd be more likely to recommend that brand to a friend. For loyalty marketers, you must look beyond the “norm” and think of ways in which you can put the fun in fulfilling loyalty experiences for members. For example, gamification is a great way to engage consumers, as well as employees and franchise owners, across a variety of touchpoints. Gamification strategies can motivate consumers and provide higher and more meaningful levels of engagement. If like me, you have a competitive streak, I am more likely to interact more deeply in activities that are framed in a game environment. Starbucks, for instance, uses gamification tactics to enhance the experience of its members. Similarly, Dell leverages gamification to build customer loyalty and cultivate engagement by enabling its members to interact with the brand in a fun and enjoyable way. One key factor in Dell’s gamification tactics is that all of Dell’s gamification is informed by an understanding of human psychology. If you’d like to hear more about Dell’s loyalty programme and the role gamification plays, simply click here.
Be consistent
As you continue to advance your experiential marketing, remember to be consistent with your messaging, offers, and experiences across all channels and devices. We as marketers are often so laser-focused on ‘channel success’ around our marketing efforts, that we sometimes lose sight of the role of other channels. For example, and while COVID-19 has dramatically changed the way we live our lives and how we go about our day-to-day activities, I firmly believe consumers still value the opportunity of visiting their favourite store. Don’t get me wrong, I understand than online purchases have sky-rocketed for many brands, but there is something beautiful about having a great in-store experience. Look for ways, where you can offer experiential loyalty rewards that are integrated across channels. For example, clothing retailers could offer an online personal shopping assistant experience; then have the purchased items shipped to the store for free, where the shopper experiences in-store tailoring services – simply, seamless and personalised. Each channel is related to one another and consistency is key, across all channels, both offline and online.
To learn more about building customer loyalty and how to enhance your customer experience, why not read our powering lifetime connects series. If you’d like to discuss your loyalty programme, please feel free to contact us.
---
## Report: Customer data management: are you crawling, walking or running?
Type: eps_post
URL: /report-customer-data-management-are-you-crawling-walking-or-running
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T22:17:52Z
# Report: Customer data management: are you crawling, walking or running?
How should marketers re-evaluate the level of investment in customer data management and identity management?
How can marketers grow to the next stage of data management maturity? Using a research group of customer experience practitioners based in APAC, we commissioned a report by CX Network which explores the concept of data management maturity.
Download this report to:
Assess your brand’s maturity in customer data management programs and your ability to identify unified and individual customer data
Re-evaluate the level of investment you are making in customer data management and identity management
Obtain tailored insights on how to grow to the next stage of data management maturity
Benchmark your progress, data challenges and successes, against a group of your customer experience peers in APAC
---
## Connecting with your customers this Father’s Day
Type: eps_post
URL: /connecting-with-your-customers-this-fathers-day
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Connecting with your customers this Father’s Day
Our world has changed – COVID-19 has fundamentally changed the way we live our lives and how we go about our day-to-day activities. Whether it’s continuing to work from home, the weekly shop, home schooling our children, or planning for special events in our lives. With all these changes, it has meant brands are having to take a closer look at how they engage and connect with their customers.
Speaking of special events, one such event children and families are preparing to celebrate is Father’s Day, which takes place on Sunday 21st June. Like many other special events, Father’s Day holds a special place in so many of our hearts – it gives us the opportunity to celebrate, spend time and show our love to all the father figures in our lives – whether its our father, grandfather, uncle, brother or guardian.
While this year’s Father’s Day might be a slightly different experience to previous years, there are still many great ways hoteliers, retailers and restaurants can continue making personal connections during this, and other, special events. One such method is to deploy a personalised email campaign this Father’s Day. While lockdown restrictions are easing, and hoteliers, retailers and restaurants, are welcoming back customers in-person, albeit, in a more “social-distanced” new way, not everybody is ready for that in-person experience yet – meaning your personalised email campaign is now more important than ever.
In fact, Epsilon’s PeopleCloud Messaging solution has recorded recent shifts in email trends cementing the significance in this messaging channel. As you might expect, Retail email volumes spiked in mid-March due to the communication and announcements surrounding COVID-19, but then decreased during April. However, volume continues to rise week-on-week, with volumes nearing the volumes from mid-March at the end of May. The analysis also shows weekly opens rates were extremely steady during May, while engagement rates, during the same period, were higher than February and March.
By making you email campaign memorable, it will enable you build a deeper, long-lasting relationship with your customers, and ultimately boost your bottom line. So, as you craft your personalised email campaign, consider the following tips:
Emotional Connection
Life has changed and so has our thought process, feelings and emotions. Your customers are concerned, and anxious about COVID-19, next steps and the impact on family members. More than likely over the last few months, your email strategy has been the key vehicle in staying connected and engaged with your customers. This Father’s Day, your email campaign should tap into the emotional bond of this special day – what does it mean to your customers and how fathers and father figures want to celebrate. It’s about the experience and by striking the right emotional bond with your customers, it can help you connect on a more human level, enabling your email to rise above the inbox-clutter.
The Personal Touch
Personalisation has taken on a whole new meaning, but it’s even more important in today’s world. When developing your Father’s Day email campaign, you must start by understanding your data across all touchpoints and channels. Then I recommend infusing creative fun by using your data and customer insights to understand your customer - their habits, desires, preferences, abilities, emotions and triggers – and, through the addition of machine learning, proactively predict how best to engage. You can further compliment your data by adding in social interactions and behaviours, device continuum, hyper-location and time quality. This insight, coupled with the right technology, enables you to recognise, engage and build that deeper, long-lasting relationship with your customers. Or as we say in Epsilon, 1:You personalisation.
Think Omni-Channel
With everything happening around us, a connected omni-channel strategy is key – let’s be honest, omni-channel strategies are redefining the entire customer journey. What’s interesting is, your customers don’t see omni-channels when their engaging with your brand – they see experiences. However, with that said, it must be acknowledged, omni-channel marketing is not getting easier. The “always-on” world we find ourselves in, with numerous touchpoints and rising expectations. The explosion of data and the sheer quantity of information from different devices. Let’s not forget the share of wallet objectives. So, for this year’s Father’s Day campaign, look to integrate your email channel with other digital channels such as social, mobile and display to deliver a truly connected personal experience. Then take it a step further, by seamlessly incorporating your Father’s Day campaign instore. By using the omni-channel approach, you will be able to integrate your Father’s Day campaign across online and offline properties and provide a seamless experience to your customers, with the hope of getting more repeat business.
Have Fun
I think it is fair to say, we have all spent an unusual amount of time quarantining at home, and when we go out for exercise or essential items, social distancing is top-of-mind. All these changes, challenges and concerns have taken a toll on your customers, so when a special event comes around, it is a great opportunity for your brand to have some fun and, if done correctly, your customers will remember it. Your Father’s Day campaign is an opportunity to mix-it-up a bit – when creating your email campaign look to entertain, use dynamic content based on previous behaviours and triggers, add new elements like gamification. Engage them by adding innovation and interactivity to your emails, to make their messages personal, engaging and fun. Kinetic techniques, agile content and even AMP experiences can make an inbox feel more like a website. Add fun competitions that fathers and father figures alike can participate in with their family and friends, by continuing the fun and conversation to your social media channels.
Learn more: Email 2020 trends guide: Interactive content
Keep it Simple
I appreciate this last point might seem out of step with my previous points, but what I mean here is when developing your Father’s Day campaign, keep it simple for your customers to connect with you. Simple for them to connect the personalised email they received, with their preferences and previous behaviours. Simple for them to navigate from email to your website to check-out. By keeping it simple, your customers will have a more enjoyable and seamless experience, resulting in higher satisfaction rates and hopefully a more positive impact on your bottom line.
But this point is also critical for you, as you work through your email and cross-channel marketing campaigns. The technology and solutions you currently have, should empower you to simply deliver individualised campaigns and real-time messages to every customer—each one truly optimised for a more inspiring inbox experience. If the technology and solutions you’re currently using is not enabling you to leverage email to the best of its ability to deliver personalised experiences and create deeper relationships with consumers, then consider Epsilon’s PeopleCloud Messaging solution. With Epsilon’s PeopleCloud Messaging solution, you can engage customers when they are most likely to interact with your brand—with the right message at the right moment on the right device. Indeed, for the fourth time in a row, Epsilon has been named a Leader in Email Marketing by Forrester Research in the report: The Forrester WaveTM: Email Marketing Service Providers, Q2 2020. This is a powerful validation for why the world’s leading brands trust our email marketing expertise. To learn more, please feel free to contact us.
---
## Guide: messaging best practice during challenging times
Type: eps_post
URL: /guide-messaging-best-practice-during-challenging-times
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Guide: messaging best practice during challenging times
Covid-19 has drastically altered the lives of consumers in a very short time, changing their consumption behavior and buying patterns. While marketers shouldn't be afraid of this crisis, they should be cautious and prepared to adapt to this new market reality. Read our guide book and see how your brand can effectively communicate to your customers with the bestmessagingpractices and engagement trends tailored for the Covid-19 crisis.
Download it here.
---
## Effective digital messaging strategies for restaurants during uncertain times
Type: eps_post
URL: /effective-digital-messaging-strategies-for-restaurants-during-uncertain-times
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Effective digital messaging strategies for restaurants during uncertain times
In order to flatten the curve of COVID-19, restaurants have been ordered to close their doors to customers. While we hope businesses will reopen safely in due time, we’re left to navigate these unchartered waters.
Yes, some guests are choosing to stay home completely, but many can still order delivery and takeout. This is a great opportunity for restaurants to provide comfort to their customers and continue generating business—even if guests can’t dine-in.
During these times, restaurants need to make sure they clearly and effectively communicate to their guests. Of course, this is easier said than done. But the key is not to doubt or underestimate the importance of a strong digital messaging strategy. As consumers spend more and more time on digital right now (In the UK, for example, we’ve found time spent online by individuals has increased by 20% per day), restaurant marketers can leverage these channels to connect with guests and guide them to dine-out, all while strengthening relationships and trust.
And while it might not feel like it, there are steps restaurants can take immediately to take back some control.
Adjust your messaging
Messages should be informative and relevant
If your restaurant is new to the delivery/takeout game - as even many established restaurant brands are first-timers or underprepared for this to be the bulk of their business - brands need to adjust in-market promotions to consider the new context of their offerings.
Brands need to adapt creative quickly to use photos of menu items that travel well, remove photos from the rotation of dishes that you don’t offer for delivery and takeout, replace in-room dining creative with that of the takeout or delivery experience, etc. Additionally, use your limited messaging space to deliver the most pertinent information:
Inform customers that you are open right now for delivery and takeout options, and direct people to where they can order online or by phone. Major brands are making sure customers are aware of their new dine-out options; take Chipotle: the fast-casual giant has launched a campaign titled “Straight to Your Door” to inform guests of their new operations focus and options.
Highlight your food safety protocols as it continues to be top of mind for consumers across industries. (Notice how Chipotle was sure to feature their employees preparing food with gloves!)
Although it may seem fairly straightforward, include your hours of operation at each location. People may be less familiar with your typical hours, and we’ve seen some restaurants extend their hours as well to accommodate more mealtimes than they normally would or reduce their late-night hours.
Reflect the tone of the times
This is clearly not business as usual, so how you communicate with customers should reflect that. In research we conducted at the end of March, we found that 49% of all respondents felt they received marketing messaging over the preceding seven days that was poorly timed or didn’t match their interest. While restaurants need to be informative and promotional of their brands to drive revenue, it’s also important to remain empathetic with your customers.
Take Guinness’s St. Patrick’s Day ad, for example. While it’s a big-budget commercial many restaurants brands may not be able to support right now, their sentiment and tone is something all brands can emulate when they speak to customers. Right now, focus on being authentic in the moment in your creative messaging; we don’t know what is to come, but we can provide real connections to customers right now.
Prioritise flexibility in your messaging
We have all seen how quickly this situation can change—news from even a week ago is seemingly out of date. One third of advertisers have canceled at least one campaign before it started since the start of the pandemic.
During this time, work with a partner that prioritises flexibility of marketing messages. Brands need to be able to easily swap out messaging and creative to reflect the new normal and be in market with that new message as quickly as possible.
This also means having flexibility in where messages are being placed. For some, advertising next to or around coronavirus news might be fine, but for restaurants, it may be more sensitive. Consumers report that food and travel are categories they feel most resistance towards seeing next to COVID-19 imagery.
Think through your channel strategy
Email continues to be a key channel
During this unprecedented time, email has emerged as one of the most trusted channels for communicating with consumers with 38% of respondents to our survey citing email as their preferred communication channel. But it’s also highlighting 1) just how many emails people get and 2) how outdated many brands’ email lists are.
It’s likely you’ve already sent a few emails around your business updates, but make sure you look at how you’re speaking to customers across your database moving forward. You shouldn’t send the same message to a loyal, high-value customer as you do to someone you want to re-engage. The former likely wants all of the information on how you’re adapting right now, while the latter likely just needs a friendly “hello” message and a reminder that you’re open. Consider the level of engagement of each contact and the above recommendations for creative.
Extend your message across channels
Email is still an important channel, but people’s inboxes are getting flooded (and rightly so). You need to consider how to extend the same email messaging strategy across channels.
People have more free time than normal; in a March survey from Integral Ad Science (IAS), 88% of consumers surveyed said the COVID-19 situation is changing the types of content they typically consume, and 59% said they are actively consuming more news.
In addition to emails, extend the conversation to digital media on publisher sites and leverage SMS and push notifications to reach consumers. By diversifying the channels for your conversations, you’ll gain more traction.
Consider display to reach your best customers
To bypass crowded inboxes, digital display ads are a great option to ensure you are actually getting in front of your guests. Customers are online, but restaurant marketers need to be smart in order to reach them. Right now, every single ad dollar counts as many restaurants don’t have the short-term revenue projection needed to go all-in on massive media budgets. Make sure you message only those who are most likely to dine with you and show that you can prove performance on the backend.
Location-based advertising is critical right now, and it could be beneficial for restaurants to expand their typical geotargeting range (as long as it doesn’t impact other locations) as people may be more inclined to travel a bit farther for takeout during this time.
Focus on channels and tactics that drive real results
Restaurant brands need to prioritise marketing channels that focus on results right now. Restaurant brands don’t have the luxury of big budget buys that are great for awareness but lack tangible traction. It is noted that during times of hardship or recession, companies are pressured to justify their ad spend to executives. Now is the time to use lower-funnel tactics that are guaranteed to drive results.
True understanding is needed
Keep in mind that your customers are dealing with their own concerns right now. This is the time to reach them with content that makes them feel connected and understood during a crisis. The real challenge comes in how brands can share their most important messages - at scale - to consumers.
Of course, expanding your messaging strategy will not completely solve for the current business downturn. But it will help restaurant marketers forge better, longer lasting relationships with their customers while keeping them informed of new promotions or programmes.
It’s not a quick fix, but rather an overall strengthening of communication when customers need it most.
Want to learn more about how restaurants can adjust their operations to handle challenging times for their business? Check out our whitepaper with FastCasual to learn more.
If you'd like to find out more about digital marketing strategies and how we can help you, get in touch.
---
## 4 loyalty trends for the next decade
Type: eps_post
URL: /4-loyalty-trends-next-decade
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# 4 loyalty trends for the next decade
As we embark on a new decade, we’re reflecting on the big loyalty accomplishment we achieved throughout the past ten years in addition to the marketing advancements coming in the future.
Since 2010, there have been several advancements within loyalty programme marketing, but probably the most significant one is the shift from transactional to experiential and how we’re now able to communicate on an emotional level, or what we refer to as 1:You.
The days of rewarding on just points are gone. Today’s modern consumer expects brands to provide more. For example, Toms shoes appeal to their customers’ values and sense of worth. For every pair of shoes purchased, Tom’s invests in local partners around the world to create positive change. They dedicate at least a third of their profits to their giving fund. In the coming years, we’ll continue to see more brands participate in ‘give back’ programmes, as this is important to consumers.
While we’ll continue to see experiential marketing enhance, here’s four trends we’ll be tracking throughout the decade to come.
Marketers have the ability to manage the identity of their customers
It’s important to remember that loyalty is permission-based marketing and your customers want to be marketed to. Loyalty programmes provide better identity, which makes it easier to market to loyal customers. I think of it as a ‘safe harbor’ for marketers, where members offer their Personally Identifiable Information (PII data) and feel confident in knowing this is accurate data.
It’s these loyal customers that marketers should spend a lot of their time and budget on; marketers will spend more time and energy making sure that messages are relevant and consistent across customer touchpoints.
It’s important to understand the true value of loyalty programmes
Understanding what your customers (members) value about your loyalty programme helps marketers to customise their programme offerings to what’s relevant to each individual member.
For example, while points and miles are still very much in demand, today’s consumer is focused on how the brands in which they’re loyal to can save them time. Maybe it’s getting them through the airport security line at a speedier pace, or offering expedited shipping to meet their urgent need and so on.
It’s understanding that there are other benefits that can be more valuable than points and miles, such as rewarding consumers for time and providing them with a better experience.
Think with an ‘always on' marketing strategy
Let’s face it. Consumers are always connected. According to Nielsen, adults spend over 11 hours per day interacting with media. Whether they are at work, comparison shopping online, or watching TV, consumers are always on, therefore the need for ‘always on' marketing has amplified.
As a brand, you need to identify interactions within the channels consumers are interacting in and react in real time. The days of only communicating with programme members in the context of campaigns are long gone.
Consumers are craving a more tailored loyalty experience
Reward programmes in the future are going to be less standard for everyone and more tailored to the places that consumers live, both physically and online. Brands have begun creating communities of loyalty members, allowing them to provide offers and experiences that are local to where they live.
We’ve seen Dunkin’ create offerings that are centered around sports teams. For example, if you live in Boston, USA, and the Patriots win, you can get a free donut with the purchase of a coffee.
Additionally, communities are starting to provide a more tailored or personalised experience. For example, in Singapore,the local beer company (Tiger) actually localises their products according to the communities in which they are distributed.
So, as you continue to plan for this year and beyond, think about how these four trends fit within your goals. And keep tabs on partnerships. We’ll continue to see more brands partner together to enhance their loyalty programme offerings.
If you would like to find out more about our Loyalty offering, contact us.
---
## New year, new loyalty programme?
Type: eps_post
URL: /new-year-new-loyalty-programme
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# New year, new loyalty programme?
As we start a new year, and are preparing our loyalty programme initiatives for the coming months, it’s important to take time and evaluate the state of your existing programme. When was the last time it was refreshed? Is now the time to do it?
We’re continuously asked “how often should I change my programme?”, and our answer is always, “it depends”. While there’s no set timetable as to how often marketers should relaunch, on average, the brands we work with typically relaunch their programmes every three years.
To help evaluate if your programme needs to (or is ready to) evolve, consider the checklist below.
Evaluate
The first step is to assess your current loyalty initiative. Questions to consider for your programme’s evaluation are:
Is the value proposition still compelling and competitive?
Is the member experience memorable and seamless?
Is the programme performing well, operationally and financially?
If the answer to any of those questions is “no” then it’s probably time to consider a programme refresh/relaunch.
Budget
The next step is to ensure you have the funding. Relaunches often create a need for technology modifications, which can be a costly endeavor. In addition to the technology updates needed, you’ll have several other costs, and one that’s top of mind is reward fulfillment.
During the relaunch phase, marketers often ‘up the ante’ on their reward fulfillment and shift from transactional to more experiential rewards which can significantly add to the programme cost. So be financially ready.
DOWNLOAD OUR E-BOOK
FROM 1:1 TO 1:YOU
5 KEY COMPONENTS TO PERSONALISING THE LOYALTY EXPERIENCE
Executive buy-in
Make sure your key stakeholders believe in the relaunch and see the positive results that lie ahead. Share research or examples of other programmes that have relaunched with great success.
Also, involve them in your decision making of the key components of the programme so they feel engaged and part of the process. Once the programme is relaunched, consider having all employees join so they can experience first-hand the wonderful benefits of the programme.
Strategy
Once you’ve established your budget and have leadership’s buy-in, the next step is to ensure you have a strategy in place. And it’s important to make sure your strategy is built for continued evolution.
As you’re developing your brand’s strategy, think of ways you can add more emotional components. In a recent blog post, we shared some ideas to keep emotions front and center: Data is your best friend when it comes to understanding emotions, being brand empathetic wins customers over, and it’s important to understand ‘the biology’ of loyalty.
There are so many articles published today on personalisation but marketers need to strategise and think about what’s behind the scenes of personalisation. It’s the emotional components that fuel the success of personalisation, or what we refer to as 1:You.
Start thinking of ways in which you can update your loyalty programme. A relaunch for your brand might not be in the books for 2020, but consider a refresh.
For example, focus on a specific area of your programme that you’ve been wanting to improve. As part of Nordstrom’s loyalty programme relaunch, they added the rewards of exclusive insider access to style workshops, first-to-shop select brand shipments, roadside pick-up and more. These have been well received by members and they go beyond the transactional point earn/redemption to an experience – something members yearn for.
In our e-book, we challenge you to evaluate how your data sets and technology applications support your brand’s current and future loyalty programme goals and set you on the path to 1:You. Download it now.
FROM 1:1 TO 1:YOU
5 KEY COMPONENTS TO PERSONALISING THE LOYALTY EXPERIENCE
---
## Are you underutilising trigger emails?
Type: eps_post
URL: /underutilising-trigger-emails
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Are you underutilising trigger emails?
Trigger emails reliably perform well across industries, yet they continue to be completely underutilised.
Trigger email metrics consistently outperform business-as-usual (BAU) emails, yet these types of emails typically account for less than 5% of all delivered emails in any quarter. Your brand may be missing opportunities to use trigger emails.
Trigger emails support the buying journey
When people take an action, like purchasing an item on your website, trigger emails provide a response, like a confirmation email. But trigger emails should also happen earlier in the journey when people abandon their cart or browser.
Abandon cart and abandon browser emails, in particular, keep your brand top of mind with the customer, even if they’re jumping around on different websites, apps and emails during their day.
Trigger emails cut through the clutter
Getting your email subscribers’ attention is crucial in an era of insane inboxes. Of all emails deployed in Q4 of 2018, 82% of emails were categorised as “marketing messages,” which means there is a lot of competition within the channel.
Trigger emails are one way to get your subscribers to click.
People tend to open trigger emails because they’re delivered based on specific actions a person has taken with your brand, which means they are highly relevant.
And the numbers don’t lie: Triggered responses are increasing. Trigger email open rates were 76% higher than BAU in Q4 2018, and trigger click-through rates more than doubled BAU.
These high engagement rates highlight the fact that trigger emails are critical to your email strategy because today’s email content needs to be tailored to individuals. They deliver personalised campaigns and real-time messages to every customer— each one built for an inspiring inbox experience.
Tips to make the most of trigger emails
Whether you already have a trigger email strategy in place or you’re just getting started, keep some of these tips in mind.
1. Help people move through the buying journey
Email marketing consistently has a high ROI, making it an ideal channel to encourage customers to continue on their journey with you. An abandon browser email is one way to bring potential customers from consideration toward purchase.
One example is to send a trigger email a few hours after the browser is abandoned with the products that the individual viewed along with an enticing headline. You can also provide additional information, such as the option to pick up the items in store, which they may not have known was available, so it’s easier to hit “buy now.”
2. Don’t forget to say “Hi”
It’s a simple, but too easily overlooked part of your email strategy: Always welcome your newcomers.
In many ways, this should be the first trigger email you set up as it sets the tone for all other communications from your brand moving forward. It shows what kind of business your new customers have a relationship with and gives you a chance to highlight the many benefits of receiving email communications from your brand.
This is especially important for loyalty and rewards programs. Whole Foods, for example, has a series of welcome emails for newcomers to their My 365 Rewards programme.
The initial welcome email highlights the perks of membership, all shared in a light, conversational tone.
3. Use the profile information you already have
Trigger emails can give your email subscribers a better customer experience. While you may not always be moving people toward making a purchase, you can continue to retain and nurture them based on their preferences and provided profile information.
For example, an online pet shop can set up a trigger email based on the information they receive about the subscriber’s pet. Take it a step further by including the pet’s name and asking what other products and services could be relevant for them. This helps you to build out the customer profile while also showing that you care about their pet.
4. Showcase other related products and services
Your trigger email approach may be pretty standard, but what if you can give the recipient a little something extra? These emails are an opportunity to add on to their experience based on their interests.
For example, when Airbnb sends a confirmation email, they tend to include a section to book fun activities in the area, like local hiking or crafting classes. These offers are highly relevant since people are often looking for unique adventures at their destination.
This is a useful option for B2B marketers too. You can use an auto-responder email from a downloaded report to recommend other content people may be interested in reading.
5. Keep it conversational
Your customers are busy people, and nurturing their relationship with your brand is probably not at the top of their to-do list. By opening up a dialogue with your customers at an appropriate time, you can do the heavy lifting for them.
One way to make a conversation with your customers is to ask for their feedback on the products they recently ordered. People will still find this relevant since it relates to a purchase they made, and they’ll get a chance to give their opinion. This will also give you more information on the products they like (or don’t like).
As you can see, there are many ways to incorporate trigger emails into your contact strategy without feeling forced or random.
Let your customers’ actions open the door to their journey with you. You can be there, ready to respond to them with the appropriate next communication.
---
## Q&A: Bringing machine learning to your marketing programmes
Type: eps_post
URL: /qa-bringing-machine-learning-to-your-marketing-programmes
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Q&A: Bringing machine learning to your marketing programmes
Therron Hofsetz shares the greatest machine learning challenges for marketers, and his experiences in the travel industry
AI and machine learning seem to be everywhere these days, and marketing is no exception. In a recent webinar with Skift, Epsilon-Conversant and United Airlines, we uncovered how travel marketers in particular have overcome these technology challenges to make waves in the industry.
As a former director of digital technologies at Holland America, an international cruise line, Therron Hofsetz was a pioneer in bringing AI to the travel industry, testing and learning the then nascent technology over the past decade. Now a senior director of digital experience at Epsilon, Hofsetz sat down with us to discuss his interactions with AI technology and how machine learning is affecting today’s marketers.
Watch the webinar: Creating more human interactions for travel brands through machine learning
Let’s dig into your background a bit. How did you start working with machine learning technologies?
My introduction to machine learning actually started when I was planning a vacation back in 2010. My wife and I were in different cities at the time, and she was having a very different experience than me when trying to book the same flight through United Airlines.
Ten months later, I was at a quarterly business review with Oracle. They presented the United Airlines case study, and I finally understood what had been happening with our vacation planning experience. Their use of the machine-learning platform gave us different experiences because I was a frequent traveler and she was not.
Based on that meeting, I brought machine learning to Holland America. We started using machine learning toward the end of 2011, and our primary implementation was to personalise and upsell short-excursion sales on our web channel.
What are some ways that you’ve seen machine learning used in your career after that experience?
Taking machine learning to online and offline contexts has been powerful. It’s important to think beyond the channel you may want to pursue initially. At Holland America, for example, we decided to expand how we use machine learning when we started working with Epsilon.
The first use case was on the web, then email. After that we moved into a non-digital channel—the cabin. We did a personalised content drop by running passenger data through the machines to predict excursions each passenger was most likely to take. Then a PDF file would go to the ship, and the crew would deliver the printed version to each stateroom.
Clearly machine learning can shake up the old ways of doing things. What changes need to happen internally to support this shift?
Cultural change is really required to support this technology. There are so many different permutations based on individual profiles, so you can’t hold onto the “I need to proof this as final” mentality. You need to trust that the machines can produce the right thing based on the information you give them, or you won’t be able to scale fast enough.
We faced a lot of business-operations challenges with our email work. The marketing team was used to laying out the perfect design in a manual proofing process, and it was hard to let that go.
Building a culture that embraces machine learning is just as important as the technology. You have to move all of your upstream processing, such as content creation and curation, to a place where there is a high degree of confidence in the execution. To start, you can do a number of dry runs in batch sets to make sure it’s processing the way you expect.
What factors can make these processes challenging? What should marketers keep in mind as they develop processes around machine learning?
Content velocity becomes critical in order to service all of the micro-segments that are derived by the machines and algorithms. For example, a brand may need to build metadata that supports traditional rules around color palettes and image associations, so a machine can decide on the optimal combination.
It’s also a self-fulfilling cycle. As you learn what content people are clicking on and what they’re buying, you get a feedback loop. Then you can inform your content creation process earlier on, like picking certain types of images or words. By staying agile, you keep working in those iterations to enhance the process over time.
What advice can you give based on your own challenges with machine learning? How did you overcome them?
The first is that you need to be careful about measurement KPIs because you can easily over-count the decisions of the machine learning technology and over-inflate success.
In the first implementation we used three metrics to score how well the machine learning process was working—a click, an add-to-cart and a purchase. The way we did the original calculations triple-counted all of those things, so if a customer purchased an item, we also got credit for the click and the add-to-cart. That was clearly over-counting since the click and add-to-cart are implied if someone purchased.
The second is that it’s critical to tag content with metadata. The computers are getting better at cognitive learning, such as image recognition and sentiment analysis, but unless you provide that metadata in a way that a machine can really understand it, it’s difficult for them to know what is really happening.
We did a poor job of tagging our content when we first implemented the excursions in our recommendations at Holland. For example, if we had a rainy day or a sunny day image, the machine couldn’t give us insights on which one is better to use. Better tagging can help determine what attributes make an image successful, when to use that image and in what context.
When it came to measuring KPIs and tagging metadata, we had to go back to the business to update their recommendations based on what the algorithm needed to really learn.
What are marketers struggling with today related to bringing machine learning into their marketing programs?
There is a lot of buzz around AI and machine learning right now. It’s hard for marketers to cut through the noise and think about the true capabilities that apply to them when it comes to things like process optimisation and engagement.
Very few solutions out there focus purely on the marketer, which makes it even harder. The big industry players don’t seem to focus themselves too much. If you look at Amazon, Google or even Microsoft, their machine learning solutions could be used everywhere, not just for marketing purposes. Their cloud-based machine learning capabilities don’t directly translate to the way marketers think about their business.
Anyone exposed to this from the outside, however, really wants to understand tangible benefits. Say I’m a brand marketer focused on a certain discipline within marketing. How does machine learning benefit me?
And those pieces are not what Silicon Valley is really concentrating on. They’re looking to use it in more complex ways and have left behind those looking to use it more simply. They are certainly focusing computing power on bigger problems, like gene sequencing, which is far more complex than optimising subject lines for an email campaign.
What’s on the horizon? That is, where do you see AI and machine learning for marketers headed in the next five years?
The content creation and curation process will change significantly. To the chagrin of many creative types, insights derived from machine learning will become a bigger part of the creative process. There is concern that machines are taking the human side out of that process, but I don’t think that’s true. It actually moves that human side further up the funnel into that content creation process.
We’ll also see more embedded capabilities within platforms and products. When we met with United recently, they said that they are still relying on vendors for support, but that will change. Agility Harmony, for instance, shows subject line recommendations, next best offers and content optimisations built directly into the platform.
Most companies are pretty early in their stage of adoption right now. In that three-to-five-year window, we’re going to see a much higher rate of adoption.
What advice would you give to marketers looking to get started with machine learning in their marketing programs?
Start as soon as you can. Single channel, single data set, single decision, is probably the easiest place to start.
It can be overwhelming to think about the amount of information that is out there and the cultural change that it might take. You see this notion of always-on marketing and hyper-personalisation, but that’s a pretty mature set of use cases. Most companies are just starting to reach customers in a more personalised way.
To learn more about how machine learning is revolutionising the travel industry, watch the webinar.
---
## How to create a 1:You loyalty programme
Type: eps_post
URL: /how-to-create-1-you-loyalty-programme-strategy
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# How to create a 1:You loyalty programme
Recently, we’ve talked a lot about the shift from 1:1 to 1:You loyalty programmes. 1:1 is a messaging strategy that’s ‘generically personalised’ with promotional offers, while 1:You delivers truly personalised experiences to your customers across all your digital brand touchpoints.
The evolution from a 1:1 to 1:You loyalty programme is a challenge to brands to become customer obsessed. Click to tweet. It goes beyond using basic data to recognise the customer and drive content decisions, and incorporates machine learning, so that real-time decisions can be made on more relevant data 24/7, in the service of meeting customer needs. By bringing together data and technology, brands can create a customised experience for each and every member.
Let’s take a look at how a 1:You Loyalty Programme differs from 1:1.
DATA INPUTS
1:You is only possible by bringing together a much wider range of data inputs that enable a deeper understanding of each customer - their habits, desires, preferences, abilities, emotions and triggers - and through the addition of machine learning to proactively predict how best to engage. The data inputs and how they are used for 1:1 versus 1:You are very different.
Data-driven 1:1 initiatives were limited to personal identification, preferences, transaction details, contact details and maybe demographic overlays applied to campaigns. Today, 1:You can add in social interactions and behaviours, device continuum, hyper-location and time quality (how long and what you were doing).
TECHNOLOGY
Technology is the true enabler of 1:You execution. Gone are the days of delayed batch communications or broad segmentation models; 1:You is all about real-time, in the moment engagement.
The ability to see across a consumers’ devices (phone, tablet, PC, etc.) allows marketers to both learn and initiate actions desired by consumers to deliver a truly customised interaction in the moments that matter, at every stage of the customer lifecycle.
Future use of empathetic chatbots, facial recognition and augmented and virtual realities will play a larger role in creating even better personal moments for consumers.
OUTCOMES
So, how do the results differ?
1:1 is able to deliver personalised communications, while 1:You brings the customer personalised moments (content where you are, and when you need it). 1:1 shares the best promotional offers or thank you communications, while 1:You delivers truly customised and empathetic customer interactions, powered by machine learning and applied to every stage of a loyalty programme – acquiring the best customers, increasing engagement, reducing attrition.
Technology applications like chatbots are able to detect the customer’s emotions and communicate faster, and maybe even better, based on these customer emotions.
Brands are all at different stages with their personalisation marketing efforts. Challenge your current loyalty roadmap and consider whether there is a clear crawl, walk, run approach to delivering your 1:You goals.
Download our e-book
From 1:1 to 1:You
5 key components to personalising the loyalty experience
Here are a couple of examples of brands who are focused on 1:You personalisation efforts.
Fast food restaurants making drive-thru faster: QSR’s are experimenting with variable menu displays that read select data (license plate number and app geo-locator) to change menu items ordered by a customer’s previous visit during a particular time period. Machine learning also defines the best up-sell or items of interest and can even dynamically change prices based on supply and demand.
Entertainment venues creating an enhanced personalised experience: Guests at the Walt Disney World Resort are given a MagicBand wristband, integrated with the My Disney Experience app, which facilitates planning activities such as dining, rides, attending parades and more. Disney can use the information and send its guests personalised messages like what rides they might skip if they are running behind, or, if they are heading toward a congested area, it suggests a better route to take. Customers can also tap the MagicBand to pay for food and souvenirs (no cash needed) and scanners detect the bands for authorisation for rides, etc.
1:You loyalty may not feel attainable in your company right now. In our new e-book, we challenge you to evaluate how your data sets and technology applications support your brand’s current and future loyalty programme goals and set you on the path to 1:You. Download it now.
From 1:1 to 1:You
5 key components to personalising the loyalty experience
---
## The influence of preferences, curation and relevance on the Customer Journey
Type: eps_post
URL: /guiding-customer-journey-preferences-curation-relevance
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# The influence of preferences, curation and relevance on the Customer Journey
My husband and I are very different shoppers. Whether in a department store or looking at new cars, he wants his phone to be his digital assistant while I’m scanning for an available salesperson.
He avoids ‘the approach’ of a human, preferring to compare products or check prices on the brand’s mobile site or app. He studies up on what he needs in the physical location. He wants to be left alone, until he doesn’t want to be left alone … and then he wants help right away.
I’m the opposite. I prefer to be greeted upfront. I like it when someone is there at the store entrance asking what I need help with today and directing me to the right aisle. If a salesperson is not available, I’m the customer dialling the toll-free number before menu-hopping across the mobile website to look for store FAQs, which may or may not exist, because, for me, it’s the faster and friendlier way to go. Then I take my time making an informed decision in the store.
But whether it’s his digital-first, in-location shopping preference or my human-centric approach, we both have one thing in common: the desire for a simple and yet personalised purchase experience, with ourselves at master control.
1:You
Delivering a 1:You personalised communications strategy allows my husband and I to achieve our own shopping missions, our own ways. But how do you accomplish that in-store?
Location-based marketing technologies make it easier to identify opt-in mobile app users as they enter the drive-through, walk into a car dealership or depart a bank branch. Near field messaging can send contextual 1-way or 2-way greetings to customers asking what they need assistance with today while supplying relevant offers and preventing frustration in real-time.
Guest recognition systems are able to notify a store manager when VIP customers have entered a location, accurately detect movement dynamics and determine the length of visit. 1:You is what marketers strive to achieve.
The Great Divide
The Alliance Data Analytics & Insights Institute recently published a consumer study comparing what brands believe customer needs are with their actual beliefs on the brand experience.
This study, The Great Divide, found that the challenges consumers expect brands to solve are changing. For example, consumers rated simplicity as their most important need (out of thirty-one studied), and it was determined that brands significantly under-deliver on simplifying the shopping experience.
Personalisation was important to consumers, but recommendations based on past history were deemed less critical than customer desire to have power over the content, frequency and type of communications they receive.
To ensure you’re personalising communications to your customers and meeting their expectations, consider the role of preferences, curation and relevance.
Let’s further explore.
Preferences
Today’s preference centres’ data capture options quench the essential customer thirst for the power to reduce the noise. New technologies supporting sales, the call centre and mobile app provide customers with the ability to establish their preferences in overt, covert and ‘self-teaching’ ways that define experiences while filtering the unbidden.
Curation
At the nexus of personalisation and control is the concept of curation. For example, Macy’s new Story boutiques curate commerce to focus on tailoring selection and providing more customer sovereignty over the number of items they're able to view at one given time.
As customers, we want as much control over our buying experiences as we do adjusting our iPhone settings. My orthodontist offers thirteen different coloured elastics to select from while my colleague’s dentist sends a text the day before each appointment asking what flavour surgical gloves he wants (bubblegum, always bubblegum, he tells me).
According to The Great Divide, offering in-the-moment choice control is rated above the use of name greetings or referencing purchase history when it comes to getting personal.
Relevance
Where personalisation meets simplicity is the expectation of relevance.
Greeting a customer – whether digitally via in-app SMS or in person – when they approach or enter a shop is a key purchase journey moment.
According to iVend Retail’s Global Shopper Trends Report 2019, customers prefer to receive communications at these pivotal points of decision (with geolocation targeting being a key mechanism to deliver assistance in context).
Unique offers, ratings and reviews, and loyalty reminders are especially relevant when localised to a shop visit.
In summary, customers want brands to save them time and make shopping more convenient. New technologies that offer a fun and enjoyable experience while making life easier is what matters most. Click to Tweet
So while my husband and I may enter a shop together, our in-location journeys are very different; regardless, when we each achieve our missions, our preferred personalised way, our passion towards the brand is enhanced.
Want to talk more about personalised retail experiences for your customers? Get in touch at hello@epsilon.com today.
---
## Forget 1:1. 1:You is the new marketing reality
Type: eps_post
URL: /1-you-is-the-new-marketing-reality
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Forget 1:1. 1:You is the new marketing reality
Machine learning is transforming the loyalty industry, reshaping the way companies will utilise loyalty programmes in the near future and augmenting what can be achieved by humans alone to deliver truly personalised experiences. Today, machine learning is enhancing data-driven marketing strategies, creating a shift from 1:1 (a messaging strategy that’s ‘generically personalised’ with promotional offers) to 1:You (a holistic customer experience strategy that’s personalised with the best choice for individuals across all points on interactions).
So, how you can take your loyalty strategy from 1:1 to 1:You?
Data-driven marketing
Data-driven marketing is an advanced strategy that marketers have implemented to both enhance and personalise the customer experience. leveraging transactional and engagement data to achieve 1:1 communications. However, when you add machine learning to the equation, the personalisation opportunities far exceed transactional and engagement data because machine learning technology has the ability to make real time decisions on all relevant data.
Real-time decisioning
Further, marketing programmes can be enhanced through machine learning because unlike a campaign-based approach, machines operate in a 24/7 mindset, learning and adjusting in real time based on the data coming in. Typical campaign-based approaches use static content based on one specific segment; instead machine learning creates dynamic content using words, pictures, colors, a variation in tone, length and much more. Rather than focusing on a campaign based on discounts or double points, machines can help marketers present the best choice for every customer in regards to product, creative, channel, value proposition and more. Data-driven loyalty marketers can enhance their personalisation efforts through machine learning technology to shift from standard personalisation (name, point level, preferred channel, etc.) to a much more customised interaction that’s focused on an individual: 1:You.
For example, eBay is starting down the path of an enhanced customer experience by using machine learning to drive better results. Their holistic approach includes utilising larger data pools for decisioning for real-time interactions, product recommendations and channel preferences on a continual, around-the-clock basis to learn what is working and what is not. No two emails, product recommendations or curated purchasing paths are the same. Machine learning is even defining what colors and pictures are more successful; and it’s automating the process of improvement allowing the humans (marketers, product managers, etc.) to better focus on strategy versus managing a campaign. Success is leading to the expansion of machine learning into search analytics, the creation of citisen data scientists and voice-assisted interaction.
1:You loyalty programmes
Loyalty programmes are invaluable when it comes to getting to know your customers. The multiple components of a loyalty programme – acquisition, increased engagement, redemptions, attrition and re-engagement – are enhanced through machine learning to enable our goal of 1:You.
With this new approach, acquisition will now focus on more real-time efficiency to find the most profitable customers who are likely to engage with your brand. Increased engagement is inspired through the variety of content that’s available to share with members. Redemptions will provide marketers with insights into the members’ choices, like their preferred times of redemption and channel preference, to create a better balance of redemptions with liability management. And from analysing member data, ‘at-risk’ members are easily detected and can proactively be communicated and marketed to in more precise offers or solutions. For re-engagement, enhanced analytics will help guide decisions on what gets an inactive member to re-engage, whether it’s through value choices, dynamic content or other personalised tactics. Loyalty programme data fuels data-driven marketing strategies. When machine learning is applied, you’re able to communicate 1:You.
As you’re incorporating machine learning into your marketing programmes to create a 1:You, take a crawl, walk, run approach with your marketing roadmap. Begin with an audit and review of your loyalty roadmap. Consider bringing in an expert to do a one-day workshop with your marketing and analytics team to identify opportunities. It’s important to recognise that a 1:1 strategy is advanced; you’ve carved the path to continue with technology innovations to achieve 1:You. So don’t hesitate, get started today.
---
## The Building Blocks of Personalisation, Block 3
Type: eps_post
URL: /building-blocks-of-personalisation-block-3
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# The Building Blocks of Personalisation, Block 3
The Role of Content
Hello and welcome to the final article in the series, The building blocks of personalisation. Over the last few weeks, we’ve shared with you the best practices in personalisation covering the creation of the 360-degree customer view through data collection and the importance of data utilisation using machine learning. To complete our building blocks, here we will explore the role of content in personalisation and why keeping it consistent is essential to achieving your goals.
Right time, right place
Now that you’ve developed your personalised messaging strategy, it’s time to focus on what time you should be communicating with your audience and via what channels. Understanding your customers’ channel preferences is essential to success and often time consumers don’t have just one channel they use regularly. Do your research and don’t make assumptions regarding your customers’ channel preferences.
For example, 68% of Gen Xers use coupons they receive in the mail and are more likely to receive paper bills and send birthday cards through USPS instead of email. Clearly direct mail is an active channel for this segment. However, it’s important to understand that that insight only informs how Gen Xers interact with one communication channel and not all of them. Gen Xers also actively make purchases through social channels and have a preference for Facebook shopping. In addition to having insights into channel preferences, marketers need to have a consistent content strategy prepared to ensure that they’re sending their customers the same, cohesive message, regardless of channel.
Keep it relevant
Relevant and consistent content is essential to effectively communicate to customers and achieve that 1:You connection with them. When establishing your content strategy, consider creating a library of content so you’re prepared to deliver unique content to each customer.
For example, if you’re in the travel industry, curate a number of images that reflect different travel interests and life-stages of your customer base. This proactive approach to content planning, with technology ready to active content in real-time, will allow you to reach your personalisation goals in a planned and timely manner.
Getting technical
Enabling technologies like machine learning allow us to achieve personalisation at scale. Loyalty marketing efforts have advanced with the integration of recommendation engines and the ability to identify the next best offer along with content profile matching.
eBay is starting down the path of an enhanced personalised customer experience by using machine learning to drive better results. Their holistic approach includes utilising larger data pools for decisioning for real-time interactions, product recommendations, and channel preferences on a continual, around-the-clock basis to learn what is working and what is not. This means that customers will never see two emails, product recommendations, or curated purchasing paths that are the same. Machine learning is even defining what colors and pictures are more successful; and it’s automating the process of improvement allowing humans (marketers, product managers, etc.) to better focus on strategy versus managing a campaign. Success is leading to the expansion of machine learning into search analytics, the creation of citizen data scientists, and voice-assisted interaction to ensure the experience along with the content is relevant regardless of the channel it’s delivered in.
And so concludes Block III of The building blocks of personalisation, we hoped you enjoyed the series. With these insights on customer view, the utilisation of data, and content we hope that you feel ready and able to create a truly personalised experience for your audience.
---
## The Building Blocks Of Personalisation, Block 2
Type: eps_post
URL: /building-blocks-of-personalisation-block-2
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# The Building Blocks Of Personalisation, Block 2
MAKING DATA USEFUL
Moving at our current pace in the digital ether, the world creates 2.5 quintillion bytes of data each day. That is, irrefutably, a whole lot of data. The question is, however, what good is a whole lot of data if it is not being utilised correctly?
In our last article, we discussed the role of data in building the foundation for achieving a 360-degree customer view. This time around, we are going to explore how marketers can make data actionable and realise the benefits of the enhanced customer view.
In the past, marketers had to plough through hundreds of data points to try and get some sort of understanding of their customers. Today, we can churn data at a rapid speed and the insights gleaned allow marketers to not only get to know current customers but future ones as well. Over the course of this article, we will take a look at the evolving technology and the process of creating compelling content that this churn and its insights are dependent on.
Machine Learning
One such evolving technology is machine learning. Machine learning enables marketers to create more granular segments within audience sets. With this, marketers are also afforded the opportunity to deliver highly personalised, highly targeted messages to the individual segments.
At Epsilon, we created a machine-enabled segmentation strategy known as VAP (value, attrition, and potential). VAP provides a basis for defining your communication strategy at a customer level, optimising alignment of your marketing efforts. This means communications can be customised based on VAP-driven segments that are processed via ‘the machine’ – ignore, activate, retain, engage, upsell etc. – and are applicable to loyalty programs as well as individual marketing campaigns.
Once you understand these segments, the next step is to ensure you have the right content for each segment.
Content they care about
Understanding behaviour is essential in providing relevant and engaging content to your audience both online and offline. As marketers, we have the tools and techniques to “curate personalised messages at scale.”
Understanding behaviour is essential in providing relevant and engaging content to your audience both online and offline. As marketers, we have the tools and techniques to “curate personalised messages at scale.”
For example, I recently purchased a pair of glasses online at eyebobs.com. From my purchase, the retailer now has an understanding of my style and design preferences when it comes to frames. Since my purchase, eyebobs have been sending me personalised content detailing of the new season frames based on my past purchase behaviour.
In the context of a loyalty program, which is permission-based marketing, a brands’ understanding of its members’ behaviour greatens as they have access to hundreds of data points relevant to the consumer (the member). This helps brands to deliver 1:1 content that creates an emotional connection.
Putting it into practice
But how can you really connect with your customers through content? We often get asked by our clients how they can implement a sustainable content strategy that actually speaks to their audience. Here’s a couple of tips that our clients have found particularly helpful:
Establish a content marketing team
Now that we’ve overcome the technology restrictions and can actually do 1:1 marketing, having dedicated resources to help with content is essential in curating personalised messages. If you don’t have the funding to hire new resources, assign content tasks to existing team members and form a content committee. If you do have an existing content team, think about how you can advance your strategy. Many brands are hiring digital librarians who create, organise and store content that’s unique to each customer. These librarians also ensure that content is streamlined, regardless of the channel.
Be proactive, not reactive
Taking a proactive content approach is highly recommended. Have content prepared so you’re able to engage with your customers when they need it.
A meme recently circulated on social media mocking a retail brands’ never ending printed receipt (the receipt included multiple promotional offers, etc.). As a marketer, it’s important to have content prepared to address these types of reactions. If print is a thriving channel for the brand, the retailer could have communicated a message such as – “#printisalive – check out Multichannel Merchant’s recent article on how print is a thriving channel” – saving face and also, possibly, increasing their thought leadership status among their peers.
Proactive content is all about being prepared and anticipating content needs before they occur. Epsilon’s Momentum is an application that enables this real time content messaging, moving away from structured campaigns to always on interactions in the moment.
Keep content consistent, regardless of the channel
In our omnichannel environment, marketers can create channel-specific content and lose sight of the whole customer. Customers expect a consistent experience across channels. The purpose of content is to make an emotional connection while fulfilling a customer need (answering a question, responding to feedback, etc.). Content tells a story at a point in time, but the customer journey continues on – content is a conversation that needs to be consistent. Both content and consistency are key to a successful content strategy.
And just like that those 2.5 quintillion bytes of data have turned into something special – a step closer to a better relationship between you and your customers. So, when mapping out your next marketing move, ensure to take a step back and consider how you can make all that data really useful. In our next article, we’ll share tips and techniques on how to reach each and every customer in the omnichannel landscape and how marketers can bridge the gap between online and offline.
---
## the weekly round-up: 05.07.19
Type: eps_post
URL: /weekly-round-up-05-07-19
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# the weekly round-up: 05.07.19
The cost of inclusion. The weight of transfer week. The threshold of celebrity. This week we are discussing all things diversity, deception, and the depth of water in the Weekly Round-Up.
Not all G
That’s the message coming from the director of communications for Pride in London, Asad Dhunna, who is addressing brands only highlighting a small subset of the LGBTQ+ community in their adverts. More and more companies are pertaining to commit to diversity inclusion in advertising. However, with only the G of the acronym being used, they are leaving a lot more out than they are letting in. It should also be noted that as far as the gay men who are represented, the majority of them are also white – one small step for man, eh? Former brand director of Aviva, Jan Gooding, puts it best when asking brands, “Have you thought about the fact there are many other different forms of sexual orientation and gender identity?”
We looked into the issues surrounding LGBTQ+ tokenism and the gay for pay nature of brands during Pride in an earlier Weekly Round-Up. And once again we’ve arrived at the question, for brands, is diversity inclusion simply a ploy to push purchases? And, further to that, are gay, white men simply the most sellable of the community?
Have you seen this footballer?
With a reported 4 billion fans, football is widely regarded as the world’s most popular sport. This multitude of followers makes it a highly effective platform for promotion, one which is highly coveted by brands. And with transfer season currently in play, eyes aloo over the world can be found locked to their screens, in anticipation of Summer signings. This year, rather than simply submitting to the brand with the biggest budget, Italian team, AS Roma, are taking a different approach, by using their visibility to highlight missing children. Each signing video, which will be documented on the club’s own channels, among others, will not only feature the signing of a new player, but also details on children who have gone missing across the U.S, the U.K, Australia, and Europe.
On the campaign, head of strategy at AS Roma, Paul Rogers said, “We [though we] could try something updated for the social media generation. We have a massive social media following and our announcements generate incredible reach and awareness, all over the world, so we thought that at the exact moment when the world’s attention is on the club’s announcement, we could use our social media channels, not for self-promotion, but rather to help both the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children and Telefono Azzurro find missing children.”
Sleeping liars
In the latest case of ‘influencers under fire’, earlier this week, parenting blogger, Sarah Willox Knott, was forced to take down a sponsored post on her social channels after the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) received complaints of irresponsible advertising. In partnership with pharmaceutical brand, Sanofi, the This Mama Life blogger promoted Phenergan Night Time with the following post: “The worry of not sleeping then adds to it all and I end up a complete and utter zombie!! Last time this happened I tried out Phenergan Night Time, which really helped. It is a pharmacy only, short term solution to insomnia for adults which works by inducing a sleepy effect thanks to its active ingredient, promethazine hydrochloride, helping you to sleep through the night. Do you guys fall asleep easily or are you night time overthinkers like me? #AD #sleep”. The post was accompanied by a picture of the mother in the foreground and the sleeping pills in the background. Complaints quickly followed, citing that celebrities should not be allowed to endorse medication. The pharma company countered this by saying that because of Willox Knott’s reasonably small following of just 37.8K followers, she is not a celebrity. However, the ASA has listened to the people and rules against big pharma, stating that even small influencers of 30,000+ followers should be given celebrity status.
Water spoof?
From one misleading advertising case to...perhaps another one. While the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) is currently in the midst of creating a case against Samsung for misleading its consumers over the water-resistance nature of their phones, it could be said that the validity of the complaints are as murky as the water the phones can, supposedly, swim in. Chair of the commission, Rod Sims, is claiming that the types of water that Samsung depicted as being phone-friendly are actually not. “The ACCC alleges Samsung’s advertisements falsely and misleadingly represented Galaxy phones would be suitable for use in, or for exposure to all types of water, including in ocean water and swimming pools, and would not be affected by such exposure to water for the life of the phone, when this was not the case.” Unflinching, Samsung has reportedly said that they are sticking by their ads, leaving us on the fence. Or, more aptly, between two swimming lanes. While we fully respect the efforts of those working to upkeep the standards of transparent advertising, we are not sure we respect someone who goes swimming with their phone.
Just Do It
Barclay’s, Visa, Guinness, it has been a great year for the sponsorship of female sporting professionals. After years of being overlooked and underappreciated, it would seem as though the ladies are finally stepping into the spotlight with the backing of stellar brands. While this is undoubtedly a great step forward, the route to get here has not been without its road bumps.
Nike, the sponsor of the English Women’s football team, was exposed last year for driving their Just Do It slogan a little too far. The sports giant had previously been reducing their sponsorship payments of females athletes who couldn’t currently Do It as they were on maternity leave. While, following the exposure, Nike amended this practice, this case of discrimination does leave a wariness surrounding big brands’ loyalty to female athletes. Women’s Sport Trust board director, Laura Weston, expresses her worry that brands are using women as a “marketing trend”. She says, “they’ve all got these brand values and they love talking about them in PowerPoints, so it would be nice if they actually did something. Don’t say it, do it,”
---
## Loyalty marketing: 3 tips to keep emotions front and centre
Type: eps_post
URL: /loyalty-marketing-3-tips-to-keep-emotions-front-and-centre
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Loyalty marketing: 3 tips to keep emotions front and centre
We speak frequently about the impact that personalisation has on loyalty marketing and, in particular, 1:You loyalty. 1:You is a holistic customer experience strategy that focuses on personalisation, with the best choice for individuals across all touchpoints or interactions. With this at the heart of your loyalty strategy, understanding the role of emotions in your 1:You (or personalisation) marketing is essential for success.
There are multiple stages of emotions that customers progress through as they are becoming brand loyal. But, rather than focusing on specific stages within our model here, we’ll explore some tips and tactics on how you can keep emotions front and centre during your marketing planning and beyond.
Data is your best friend when it comes to understanding emotions
As marketers, we tend to think within our own data set. There are emerging data points that can be used as emotion indicators, and machine learning plays an integral role. For example, companies like Disney have developed emotional data capture methods of being able to detect when viewers display emotions, such as laughter, during their movies. The emotions displayed on the viewers’ face are detected through an algorithm which is then translated into actionable data. When these behavioral data points are integrated into a marketer’s data set, you’re on the path to fully understanding your customers’ emotions and gaining a 360-degree view.
Being brand empathetic wins customers over
Loyalty is not linear, and it has emotions. Your members (customers) react when they sense you’re empathetic to their wants and needs. When they see the human side of your brand, they can relate. Being true to yourself and your brand is critical in forming the trust bond with your customers. While there are many examples of brands who show brand empathy, one that stands out is Procter & Gamble’s ‘Thank you Mom’ campaign that was launched during the Olympics. The campaign reflects all the mothers who spent countless hours taking their children to practices and competitions and helped them ‘win’ during their setbacks and instills in them determination and to never give up. This instantly hits home for the Proctor & Gamble audience and connects them to the brand.
Understand ‘the biology’ of loyalty
From our research in developing the stages of emotions, we discovered there are loyalty-inducing chemicals that are released in the brain during each emotional stage. For example, we all know that dopamine is the ‘feel good hormone’. This chemical is produced in the ‘reward centre’ of our brain and alerts us that our needs are about to be met. Knowing the emotion that this chemical triggers is helpful while loyalty marketers are entrenched in their loyalty emotional marketing planning. If efforts are focused on inducing these chemical triggers, marketers win.
As you’re evaluating your emotional loyalty marketing capabilities, think about how your technology infrastructure can support these efforts. Platforms like Agility Loyalty help marketers to achieve their 1:You strategies and create ever-lasting loyalty relationships. Loyalty is filled with emotions. It’s people that create the emotional elements while the technology fulfills on them.
---
## The weekly round-up: 28.06.19
Type: eps_post
URL: /weekly-round-up-28-06-19
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# The weekly round-up: 28.06.19
Poor taste, cultural appropriation, and the world’s first commercial look at pubic hair – welcome to the Weekly Round-Up.
Lord of fashion influencers
As evidenced in last week’s Round-Up, we are partial to some reality TV around these parts. We enjoy the drama, we enjoy the whimsey, and, most of all, we enjoy the cross-pollination of reality stars and brands that is almost always guaranteed. But the latest addition to the thrash TV circuit has us wondering where the line is when it comes to fabricated fame, and the campaigns they bore. This week, Indian eCommerce site, Flipkart, and television channel, Zoom, announced their latest venture – the search for India’s next top influencer. Amar Nagaram, the head of Flipkart parent company, Myntra, has framed the show as "The hunt for India's fashion superstar through a unique, digital first, fashion reality show.” The show “offers fashion influencers a one of a kind opportunity to showcase their special talent and make it big in this industry."
Since their inception, influencers, and the brands they work with have come under scrutiny for being less than authentic in their promotion of products and services. So, while the output of the Flipkart show won’t be a surprise, there is something shamelessly overt about creating and promoting individuals who will, more than likely, indiscriminately promote any brand that slides into their DM. What does it say about the individuals? More than that, what does it say about the brands who are willing to work with them? Watch this space for more in the coming months.
Kimo-NO!
The latest in cultural appropriation comes in the form-fitting shape of the reality star, Kim Kardashian-West’s, shapewear collection, Kimono Intimates. The lingerie line, which is said to be an inclusive solution for women’s bodies of all shapes and sizes, has come under serious fire since it was announced via Ms Kardashian-West’s social channels. Though the collection is set to boast a broad range of shades and sizes (XXS to 4XL), it is its name that has gotten its creator in hot water. But what’s in a name? Well, when it comes to trademarking a traditional Japanese garment that represents a huge part of the country’s culture, actually, quite a lot. On the subject, native Japanese woman, Yuka Ohishi said, “We wear kimonos to celebrate health, growth of children, engagements, marriages, graduations, at funerals. It's celebratory wear and passed on in families through the generations." Showing her disdain for the line she added, "This shapewear doesn't even resemble a kimono - she just chose a word that has Kim in it - there's no respect to what the garment actually means in our culture."
Exploring advertising
With the departure of its founders, Kevin Systrom and Mike Krieger, last September, Instagram has seen quite a lot of changes over the last few months, and it looks as though another one is on the horizon. On Wednesday of this week, it was announced that the photo-sharing platform will be introducing ads to its Explore tab in the coming months. The Explore tab is a space for users to discover new content and accounts to engage with. So what does it all mean? Well reportedly, for advertisers, it means a serious captive audience. According to reports from Instagram, more than 50% of its billion users visit the Explore tab every month and 80% of its users follow a business account on the platform. That’s a lot of potential eyes on ads, but what about the end users? The company are saying that they will be integrating ads “slowly and thoughtfully” into the tab, taking care not to disrupt the user experience.
TAXI for Kapten
Upon their entry, driver-on-demand services disrupted the market, giving the power back to people for private transportation. This disruption was revived this week upon the release of French taxi brand, Kapten’s, latest ad campaign. However, this time around the same success was not achieved. Rather than giving the power to the people, Kapten provided them with OOH advertising which simply shocked and offended.
The creative in question centred around a blind date in which one of the participants was a sex offender and the other needed a speedy escape. Kapten to the rescue is not the tagline, but the overall message hails the company as a hero in this moment of distress. To say the ad is tasteless is an understatement and we are not alone in our opinion. Following a number of complaints, TFL, the media outlet for London transport, pulled and apologised for approving the ad.
You do you
"Red, White, And You Do You" is the line coming from US brand, Billie, as they launch their Summer campaign. And, in a world of Get Beach Body Ready white noise, we are all about it. The razor company, who sells products that are “built for womankind”, is being applauded this week for making an ad that actually depicts womankind as opposed to the aspirational she-bots that usually grace our screens. For the first time in the history of female razor blade advertising pubic hair has been placed centre stage and, better yet, has been framed as, wait for it, a natural thing. On the campaign and the matter of pubic hair in general, co-founder of Billie, Georgina Gooley said, "I think when we brush topics to the side and don't address it, it’s a form of body shaming.”
---
## The Building Blocks Of Personalisation, Block 1
Type: eps_post
URL: /the-building-blocks-of-personalisation-block-1
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# The Building Blocks Of Personalisation, Block 1
ACHIEVING A 360-DEGREE CUSTOMER VIEW THROUGH DATA COLLECTION.
Personalisation is the Holy Grail of marketing. So much so that 80% of consumers are more likely to do business with a company that offers a personalised experience. So how can you offer an experience like that? At Epsilon we know that success comes from small easy-to-implement changes, with that in mind we have created a three-stage plan that will help you to incorporate personalisation into your marketing program and ultimately build a stronger relationship with your customers.
Stage One: Leverage data collection techniques to achieve a 360-degree view of your customers.
Stage Two: Incorporate new technologies like artificial intelligence to engage with customised messages at scale.
Stage Three: Reach your audience at the right time, in the right place.
In the first part of this three-part series, we will explore how, by building a 360-degree customer view through data collection, you can lay the foundations for creating a truly personalised experience for your audience.
Getting to know you, getting to know all about you
To kick-off, create a data collection strategy that’s realistic, and fits in with your overall marketing goals. Integrate your online and offline data and incorporate the necessary technologies and systems to fulfil on your strategy. Collect and capture cross-channel data with data pools. Then perform identity mapping to understand the who’s who of your audience (in a GDPR compliant manner, of course). Finally, understand how you can activate the data at scale to leverage for marketing purposes.
Audiences interact with multiple digital touchpoints each day and, each time they do, they generate a new piece of data. This activity has lead to a flux of first-party data globally, some of which is readily available to marketers. This data allows marketers to know their customers better than ever before.
To put this data to good use, it should be augmented with third-party data assets to enable a true, 360-degree customer view. For example, audience demographics and third-party data, such as audience interests, can then be segmented, profiled, and analysed against first-party data to enhance the customer view.
Putting it into practice
Let’s put it into context. At Epsilon, we work with multiple brands to help them solve their identity challenge. For many of our clients, their loyalty platform is viewed as a base or a starting point. All data sources from both the online and offline channels are integrated into the platform. It is then enhanced with third-party data providing an expanded view of the audience, bringing together data from several different sources. Whether it's by device or by different physical addresses, we give our clients a holistic view of the customer so that they can get a better understanding of who is generating the most lifetime value, and who is generating the least. With this information in hand, our clients can effectively plan their marketing efforts.
Over to you
So, when it comes to getting to know your customers, ensure you think of all the ways they interact with your brand. This way you’ll have accounted for all of the available data sources and can start to really form a 360-degree customer view and build a stronger relationship with your audience.
Stay tuned, as in our next article we’ll discuss how marketers are using artificial intelligence to engage at scale with customised messages.
---
## The weekly round-up: 14.06.19
Type: eps_post
URL: /weekly-round-up-14-06-19
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# The weekly round-up: 14.06.19
We are back! After a short hiatus, the Weekly Round-Up is back in business and bringing you more industry insights than ever before. This week we take a look at an initiative fighting to end sexual harassment in the industry, a health food rivalry turned bitter, and the ridiculous amount of plastic we are digesting on a weekly basis. All that and more, in the Weekly Round-Up.
Drawing the Lion
Arguably the world’s biggest creative communications festival, Cannes Lions will be held in the French Riviera town next week. Over the five days, attendees will hear the industry’s best and brightest speak messages of creativity, innovation, and this year, inappropriate and harmful behaviour. timeTo, an initiative created by industry bodies NABS, WACL, and the Advertising Association, is working to end sexual harassment in the industry. This year, they’re taking their "Where Do You Draw The Line?" campaign to Cannes. Created by London agency, Lucky Generals, the campaign will be made visible to festival goers using a mix of OOH, online, and an impactful short film created by Steve Reeves. timeTo will be addressing the situations and scenarios in which this harassment can occur.
Founding partner at Lucky Generals, Helen Calcraft, believes that promoting their message at the festival will heighten the impact of the campaign, "Cannes is a unique industry moment where we see the best of creativity the industry has to offer alongside some of the most appalling behaviour.”
To date, the initiative has been endorsed by 204 companies.
Kind of catty
From the Pepsi Challenge to the Audi/BMW chess game, brand wars are nothing new in the advertising world. For a brand, these activities are supposed to be strategic marketing moves as opposed to senseless snide remarks and yet, something about their execution still makes them seem a little petty. This is particularly true if the aggressive brand is one which, in name and in nature, pertains to be kind.
As part of their latest campaign, "Be Kind to Yourself", Kind, a nutrition bar brand, looks to go after Clif, a rival in the health food space. In the creative, Kind calls out Clif for its products’ high sugar content and discourages consumers from indulging. The video is a response to an earlier campaign from Clif Bar who took out ads in The New York Times calling for Kind to start using organic ingredients. A bitter row over natural (or not so natural) sweetness, we look forward to Clif’s response.
Put your money where your mouth is
Or rather, don’t, according to WWF and Grey who, in their latest creative campaign, Your Plastic Diet, claim that we are unknowingly ingesting a credit card amount of plastic a week. Sprinkled on our food, swimming in our water, and living in our air are tens of thousands of tiny pieces of plastics, 2,000 of which we are consuming on a weekly basis. Warning us about this unsavoury snack we are consuming, the wildlife NGO will run a campaign across TV, digital, online, and OOH, nudging viewers to visit a website which allows users to quantify the amount of plastic they consume and how to reduce it. The campaign will run in several countries like Singapore, Australia, Japan, Columbia, Mexico, Germany, and the UK.
Pinner, Pinner, Chicken Dinner
Despite its almost 10 year existence and close to 300 million users, as social media platforms go, Pinterest still remains a little elusive as a tool for marketers. Some use it, some utilise it, and others ignore it completely, hoping that it will just be a decade long fad that won’t stick or pin. However, considering this big brand partnership, it would seem that the vision board facilitator won’t be going anywhere fast. Last August, IKEA made the bold move of moving its iconic catalogue online via Pinterest and, almost a year on, the Swedish outfit has seen a serious uptake in interested pinners with 25,000 boards created since the launch. Dubbing Pinterest the home of “DIYers and how-to-ers and customizers,” Ikea media project manager, Kerri Longarzo, said that this was a valuable audience that the furniture store wanted to reach. And, though she didn’t reveal the figures, Longarzo said that the conversion figures via Pinterest have been extremely successful to date. But who will really reap the benefits of this strategy? As a disruptive brand, IKEA has long been a trailblazer in the market, so no doubt if they see success with Pinterest, others will follow suit and perhaps the platform’s elusiveness will finally fade.
Why do your customers buy?
The age-old question of both brands and agencies, The Behaviours Agency believe they have uncovered a silver bullet, answering the question as to “Why consumers buy” and, better still, why they don’t. In a recent piece for online publication, Marketing Week, the Manchester-based agency who have built their brand on their knowledge of behavioural science, list the seven key reasons that make us go buy and go bye. Among the reasons are the obvious ones, ease – “People buy the simplest option” and social conformity “People buy what the crowd buy”. More interesting though is the point “People buy what will gratify them now” which pertains to the notion that we are only invested in looking after our current selves when buying. Our future selves are strangers and are not brought into consideration. To read on and find out how you can nudge your consumers towards a purchase, check out the full piece here.
---
## Powering lifetime connections. Stage III: Adjusting communications along the journey
Type: eps_post
URL: /powering-lifetime-connections-stage-iii
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Powering lifetime connections. Stage III: Adjusting communications along the journey
Welcome back to the final instalment in the series, Powering lifetime connections. In part two, we discussed the elements involved in creating a plan for ongoing customer dialogue. This time around we are focusing on how to adapt your communication style to suit the different stages of the customer journey.
We have found that a lot of brands can be somewhat extreme in their communication style. When it comes to conversing with customers, brands tend to do one of two things. Either they keep their distance and send just one or two messages to welcome their customers to their loyalty platform or, they are too close for comfort, and over-communicate, running the risk of customers classifying their communications as junk mail.
To ensure sustained customer loyalty, marketers must develop a plan that delivers the right type and volume of communication at the right time. As we’ll discuss in the final part of Powering lifetime connections, communication plans need to be flexible and accommodate for change along the journey. The needs and wants of your customer are ever-changing, and developing a plan that is adaptable to that is a must.
Understand the customer lifecycle
A customer’s loyalty lifecycle begins with their first purchase and enrollment in a brands’ loyalty programme. Once the customer is engaged, brands share communications highlighting additional products and services to educate and create awareness in the customer. Within the customer lifecycle, change is constant and marketers need to embrace this. Anticipating change allows for flexibility in building a communication plan around customer’s expectations and helps to ensure marketers can reach their customers in the moments that matter most.
Segmentation is a must
Not all customers are the same. Marketers cannot communicate with everyone in the same way. It’s important to know and understand high potential customers. Identifying and focusing on this audience segment allows brands to reduce wasting time and energy on less valuable audience sets. As it relates to segmentation, leveraging the VAP scores (Value, Attrition, Potential) of consumers helps marketers allocate communication spend and realise a better return on their marketing investment. Marketers are advised to re-run these scoring processes on a regular basis, so adjustments can be made accordingly.
Finding the balance of being proactive versus reactive
It’s important to recognise the difference between proactive and reactive communications. Proactive communications are more predictive and easier to plan for. Examples include ‘welcome’, ‘thank you’, and ‘birthday’ messages etc. Reactive communications happen in real-time where the consumer is live, sharing thoughts about an event they’re at, calling customer service to complain, or tweeting about a positive experience they just had with your brand and so on.
It’s important to be able to react to these moments in real time, when it matters the most. Marketers should consider setting up a communication infrastructure including both proactive and reactive communication types to leverage their interactions with consumers.
Let’s put powering customer connections into action through the example of purchasing a car.
Married couples who are interested in having a family, on average wait three to five years before having a baby. With this in mind, automobile manufacturers may consider a communication strategy for the newly married couple that showcases the latest and greatest sedan. Then, three years following their purchase, they will communicate to the same audience set on how trade-ins are in need for their particular sedan while sharing information about the latest mid-size SUV.
This is a good strategy as it’s about understanding where the consumer is at in the lifecycle and communicating to them with the appropriate messages. To ensure you pick up on the all-important lifecycle changes of your customers, consider adding third-party consumer data to augment your understanding of customers.
A final note
As you’re evaluating your communication strategy and making adjustments along the way, it’s important to also consider your internal resources – the people of your organisation. Your greatest key to success in any task, it’s important to ask yourself whether or not you have utilised this resource within your strategy.
Do you have dedicated resources to respond to customer service inquiries? Is your marketing team carrying out social listening? These efforts are an important part in achieving that all important 360-degree of your customers.
This completes our Powering lifetime connections series. Please stay tuned, as in our next series, we’ll discuss the building blocks of personalisation. We’ll explore creating a 360-degree view of your customer through data collection, using artificial intelligence to engage at scale with customised messages, and reaching customers at the right time, in the right place.
---
## Powering lifetime connections. Stage II: Creating a plan for ongoing dialogue
Type: eps_post
URL: /powering-lifetime-connections-stage-ii
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Powering lifetime connections. Stage II: Creating a plan for ongoing dialogue
In the first series Powering lifetime connections, we introduced the concept of powering lifetime connections and shared the first of three stages – getting to know the customer. Here, we’ll discuss the second stage – creating a plan for ongoing dialogue. Marketers are often laser-focused on acquiring and on boarding new customers. Unfortunately, a lot of the time, once the acquisition has occurred communication from the marketer can wain. The intention may be to communicate on a regular basis throughout their lifecycle, but oftentimes, marketers don’t follow-through on their comms plan or, worse still, don’t establish one in the first place.
Planning your communication strategy
Throughout the acquisition stage you invested resources into getting to know your customers, now is the time to utilise this information and use it to keep the relationship active and alive through personalised communications. Our research revealed that consumers who read a brand’s welcome message engage with over 40% of that brand’s messages during the following 180 days.
So, even if you had them at hello, don’t stop there. Consider these tactics when developing your communication plan:
Be consistent
Create a baseline communication plan for all customers and build in the flexibility to add communications along the way. The baseline is the set of typical lifecycle communications for a customer. Additional, flexible communications (think of them as additional layers of communications) include the unique messages you may generate throughout the lifecycle as opportunities present themselves. Typical lifecycle messages might include a welcome message, first purchase, or redemption communication. The goal is to schedule service communications based on anticipated events in the typical member’s lifecycle. The first 90 days is tremendously important as you’re focused on cementing customer engagement and reinforcing the value of your programme.
Create a variety of communications
Within your communication plan, it’s important to create a variety of communications that keep customers engaged across channels. These are the additional layers. When was the last time you received a handwritten thank you note? It’s important to bring simplicity into the complex world of loyalty and get back to the basics at times.
When developing your additional communication layers, segment them into categories. For example, when a member contacts your customer service centre, follow up and make sure the member is satisfied. When customers provide you with additional information about themselves, create a holiday or celebration segment and include birthdays, anniversaries, or other milestone events.
And add an element of fun – who doesn’t like a surprise and delight and hearing from you ‘out of the blue’ or a little gamification to ‘turn up the competitive dial?’ Call this your delight segment.
And what about all of the life stages? Getting married, having a baby, moving to a new home, and so on. Create communication segments that best meet your marketing objectives. After all, you know your customer the best.
Be Nimble
Remember, your customers’ needs change. When you’re developing your communication segments, you need to be flexible and adapt to the current needs of your customers. You need to be reactive to anticipated communications in real time. Capturing the moments in which your customer is coming to you is essential.
Be nimble within all channels in which you market to. The online aspect is very interesting and adds a layer of marketing intelligence. Understand that your customer is going to interact with multiple channels and that it’s your job as a marketer to follow them within each channel to truly get to know them and focus on engagement. Having the ability to respond in real time to online browsing behavior is critical with today’s always-on consumers.
In sum
It’s important for you to know your customers and equally as important to know that your customers will change throughout their lifecycle. As they adapt so must you. In our next piece and the final instalment of this series, we will demonstrate how to create a communication strategy that caters to the ever-changing needs of the customer.
---
## the weekly round-up: 22.03.19
Type: eps_post
URL: /weekly-round-up-22-03-19
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# the weekly round-up: 22.03.19
Instagram launches its check-out feature, while disgraced Ted Baker founder permanently checks out. All this and more in the Weekly Round-Up.
Check it out
Instagram took its shopping feature to the next level by launching its check-out feature in the U.S earlier this week. While Instagram shopping has been in the mix for the past few years, the social media platform is taking things a step further by allowing users to now scroll and purchase in the app. The e-commerce integration is starting small, with Instagram selecting just 23 top retail brands, including MAC, Zara, and Adidas, to beta test the feature.
But what does it all mean? Well, for the tech giant, Facebook, this update brings them a step closer to achieving their goal of synchronising their family of apps, while also strengthening their position as an e-commerce network. And for the consumer, it means a more simplified, seamless shopping experience – good news all around.
Whopper rivalry
Ever wanted to burn your competitors? Or better still have your customers burn them for you? Burger King has made that dream a reality in their latest creative campaign, ‘Burn That Ad’. To promote Brazil's launch of BK Express, a tool which allows customers to pre-order their burgers, the fast food chain is offering users a chance to grab a free Whopper in exchange for an attack on its main competitors' advertisements. Through the power of AR, the Burger King app user can simply point their smartphone at a rival ad, let it burn and turn it into a BK ad. After a job well done, the user will be left with an on-screen token for a free burger. With half a million Whoppers expected to be given away throughout the campaign, it looks as though revenge is a dish best served flame-grilled.
A bite of the apple
Never one to miss out on the action, Apple is apparently set to throw itself into the arena of television and film streaming. That’s according to digital publication, The Verge, who believe the announcement will come out on Monday the 25th of March. While the market is undoubtedly a crowded one, Apple apparently intends to combat that by investing in their own original content. Other streaming services such as Amazon and Netflix have already had monumental success with originals, so it’s no surprise that Apple will be heading down the same path. However, if you’re expecting any dark or gritty viewing you may want to hold off on your subscription. The Verge has said that “The company is reportedly sticking to a “family-friendly” approach when it comes to content — no nudity or swearing — and it has used a heavy hand when it comes to the development of said content.” So maybe you won’t watch this space.
Not-so-easy targets
Facebook has long been praised as one of the most powerful tools for reaching highly targeted audience sets and, while this is the basis of its appeal to numerous advertisers, the tech giant is taking something of a step back from this. Making History this week, Facebook agreed to a settlement which would prevent advertisers using their platform to discriminate against minorities. The settlement is one of several which are as a result of recent charges filed against Facebook by the American Civil Liberties Union, the Communications Workers of America, and a number of unemployed Facebook users who alleged discrimination via the Facebook ad targeting system. Facebook divvied out close to $5m in damages to the injured parties and promised to change its ways in how advertisers were allowed to communicate and target. COO, Sheryl Sandberg, said “one of our top priorities is protecting people from discrimination on Facebook. Today, we’re announcing changes in how we manage housing, employment and credit ads on our platform. These changes are the result of historic settlement agreements with leading civil rights organisations and ongoing input from civil rights experts.”
Forced hugs
Appropriate changes are what Ted Baker are aiming to make as the fallout of their founder and former Chief Executive, Ray Kelvin’s proclivities continues. This statement was made by a representative of the premium fashion brand, following the dip of their annual pre-tax profit of 26% in January and a drop of shares by 5% last week. Forced hugs and ear massages, were just some of the actions the former founder donned on generally young and low-paid female employees. These offences came to light late last year when an anonymous petition appeared online which asked Kelvin to please stop the unacceptable actions. Though the petition received less than half its desired signatures (2,220 out of 5,000), enough voices were heard that it incited Kelvin's resignation. Still, it’s not all doom and gloom for the harassment riddled-brand, despite the drop in shares and pre-tax profits and sexual misconduct, according to the company’s acting chief executive, Lindsay Page, Ted remains “resilient”, with e-commerce sales rising 20.4% this year. For every door that closes...
---
## The weekly round-up: 15.03.19
Type: eps_post
URL: /weekly-round-up-15-03-19
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# The weekly round-up: 15.03.19
The Golden Age of Advertising combined with extravagant egg sandwiches and the science behind a good ad. Welcome to the Weekly Round-Up.
Taking a look back
Advertising nerds rejoice – the History of Advertising Trust (HAT) has launched a podcast on the golden age of British advertising. The History of Advertising Podcast, which is on iTunes now, is hosted and produced by Jack Meggitt-Phillips and will feature renowned industry experts such as M&C Saatchi’s Jeremy Sinclair CBE, the so-called quiet man of advertising. At 10 minutes a pop the episodes are short and sweet but pack a serious punch, focusing on the defining moments of British advertising. These include the ‘Labour Isn’t Working’ campaign which helped Thatcher win her thorny crown and, on a more savoury note, Tesco’s infamous ‘Every Little Helps’, and After Eight’s delicious ‘Dinner Party’ campaigns. Three episodes have been posted so far, so what are you waiting for? Get your fill now!
Pinterest targets your pocket
Though it’s been around for quite a while in social media years, of the sector, Pinterest is still a little bit of an enigma to many. Yes, it provides inspiration and aids creativity for the individual, but the questions around its effectiveness for monetisation are often up for debate. Still, it looks like the site has found its in with media buyers and brands, and it’s through competitive pricing. According to Digiday, brands are reportedly flocking to spend on the site, and here’s why.
“Compared to other online media owners, Pinterest delivers competitively. A CPM on Facebook sits at between £2 and £3 depending on the vertical, whereas a CPM on Pinterest is around £1.50.” Further to this, the engagement rate of these slots is five to eight per cent, an attractive draw for advertisers. While it may not have the social media monopoly yet, it would be encouraged for competitors to watch this space.
The science of good
It is a question we have all asked and antagonised over during at least one point in our careers – what makes an ad good? Neil Davidson, MD of HeyHuman is claiming that the answer is simply down to, well, simplicity. Presenting at SXSW 2019, Davidson told of how his neuroscience team tested the effectiveness of some of the industry's most favoured ads, including Sony’s Balls and Apple’s 1984. What was found was that, in order to be effective, our brains need to see something with low cognitive recall, i.e. the less our brains have to do, the more effective the ad is. Davidson said this, “Our brains are incredibly lazy organs – they have to be, they are a massive energy drain on our bodies. But time and again we expect people to engage with incredibly complex content and ideas. The challenge is in creating work that is cognitively engaging but still manages to hero the creative idea.”
Bad ads
From good ads to bad, Google showed their diligence last year in cracking down on false advertising online. In 2018, the tech giant took down a whopping 2.3bn ads in a bid to tackle the issue of fraud. Though this is undoubtedly a stellar effort by Google, this figure of 2.3bn is almost a billion more than the year previous, which could suggest that false advertising is becoming increasingly common. To combat the issue and weed out the offenders Google has added 31 new ad policies. In terms of what we are dealing with and what consumers should be aware of, last year Google took action against around 207,000 ticket reseller ads, 59m phishing ads, and took down 1.2m fake news sites, and that’s only the beginning. Still, Google continues to work against the issue. According to The Drum, “Google launched 330 detection classifiers to determine an ad's "badness" directly on a website, around three times as many classifiers it introduced in 2017.”
Audience inconsistencies and lavish egg sandwiches
Between rocky sales figures and a multitude of store closures, it’s been a rough couple of months for M&S, so naturally, a sponsorship deal with one of the U.K. and Ireland’s most watched television shows would mean a change in fortune for the longstanding retailer, right? Well, it's still up for debate. Britain’s Got Talent will return to screens next month and with it will come an old presenter, Ant McPartlin, and a new sponsor, M&S Food. And while the show is expected to garner millions of viewers, some are questioning whether or not these are the eyes wanted on the M&S brand. Research carried out by YouGov, reckons that there is a bit of a disparity between the brand’s audience and the show’s. According to YouGov, fans of M&S Food think of the brand as “classy” and have further shared interests such as BBC News, John Lewis, and Isaac Newton. Fans of BGT, on the other hand, are into Snapchat, Miss Selfridge, and Robin Thicke. While this may come across as a rather haughty observation, it does not mean it is an untrue one, with egg sandwiches retailing at €4 and Robin Thicke's album going for around the same, you have to wonder if the BGT audience is really the one M&S needs right now.
---
## The Weekly Round-Up: 08.03.19
Type: eps_post
URL: /weekly-round-up-08-03-19
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# The Weekly Round-Up: 08.03.19
Red lips, MoMo, the power of the meat-free pastry. Welcome to the Weekly Round-Up!
Marketing Mix
In a time where university-level education is more available than ever, the marketing industry is going in a surprising new direction, bringing things back to basics and implementing an apprentice system.
Set up as an alternative means of entering into the industry, the Institute for Apprenticeships in the UK have created the first two government-approved marketing apprenticeships. The courses which, at present, can facilitate close to 150 apprentices, run from 15-38 months, vary between various levels from marketing executives to marketing managers. In order to get the programme off the ground the Chartered Institute of Marketing (CIM) have been working in conjunction with big brands such as Clarks, BT, and British Airways to decide upon an agreed set of standards that candidates must adhere to be successful in their apprenticeships. This collaboration between brands and the marketing body will help to qualify the importance of apprenticeships and ensure job prospects for successful participants. Overall, this renewed entry to the industry will hopefully see it diversify and add a little mix to marketing.
Barenaked ladies
In the spirit of International Women's Day, brands, companies, and employers everywhere are encouraged to step back and take a look at gender equality in their organisation. Some will aim to improve, making grand gestures à la Diageo’s short film, #BalanceForBetter | Gender Balance in Advertising. Some will miss the mark, like WPP’s failed attempts at closing their very wide pay gap. And some, like Virgin Atlantic, will grant their female staff the very basic right not to wear makeup in-air. While this is undoubtedly a good thing that the Virgin cabin crew no longer have to don a rouge lip at 35,000 feet, it does beg the question, how has this archaic cosmetic code continued to be instilled for this long? Cabin crew are notoriously low-paid, the idea that such a high-level of maintenance has been expected seems totally foreign in the world of the #MeToo movement. Still, Virgin Atlantic are dubbing the advancement a “significant change”, could it be that it is one small step for man, one giant leap brandkind?
Pastry perceptions
From the negative backlash of Piers Morgan, to providing another layer of commentary, to both Brexit and class turmoil in the UK, the humble Greggs' Vegan Sausage Roll has covered much ground in its short existence. Its latest effect, however, might be its best yet as sales for the meat-free snack have pushed the bakery chain past the 1 billion mark for the first time ever. Sales have increased by 9.6% in just seven weeks following the quorn-filled product’s introduction to public and, even though praise is flooding in for the pastry, naturally this part of a much bigger plan for Greggs. Roger Whiteside, Chief Executive of Greggs said that they have poured pounds into boosting the brand and changing customers’ perceptions. "We want people to reappraise us and understand we've moved on from being a pure bakery business to offering people food on the go."
BuzzPrint
Buzzfeed is taking two steps forward and one step back with their latest endeavour, the publication of the first ever print edition of the news site. The limited edition, technicolour newspaper that features the controversial cover star, MoMo, was distributed freely from allocated spots in New York earlier in the week. Joking about the stunt, a spokesperson for the company said, "BuzzFeed, a company that was born on the internet and social media, is testing a new technology called print and unveiling a one-time, special edition BuzzFeed Newspaper, showcasing the latest news stories and favourite BuzzFeed content in an easy to consume mobile format.” But any of those looking to get their hands on this newfangled news medium will be sorely disappointed, Buzzfeed itself has said that the paper was simply a marketing execution by newly appointed CMO, Ben Kaufman.
Cool with the cadets
The Ministry of Defence have teamed up with the Japanese watch brand, Casio, to launch the official watch of the Royal Navy, British Army, and Royal Air Force in March of next year. The collection launch comes as the second attempt MoD has made at reaching a younger audience. The first was the slightly tone deaf recruitment drive which resorted to calling their audience ‘snowflakes’ and ‘Me, Me, Me Millennials’ in a bid to engage them. While they defended the campaign, it was largely panned publicly, so we reckon MoD is hoping for a much better reception to this collaboration. On the collection Casio senior brand manager, Jennifer Kelly said, "G-Shock is an unbreakable timepiece built from a Never Give Up philosophy that makes us the perfectly equipped to support our servicemen both on and off-duty. We are already the watch of choice for many in the Armed Forces and look forward to strengthening our relationship further through this new partnership."
---
## The weekly round-up: 01.03.19
Type: eps_post
URL: /weekly-round-up-01-03-19
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# The weekly round-up: 01.03.19
Revivals, fines, and oppressive gender stereotyping, welcome to the Weekly Round-Up.
BritBox, the next big streaming service?
If you can’t beat ‘em, join together. That’s what rival U.K networks, ITV and BBC are considering in a bid to challenge market shareholder Netflix. While it is still only at the discussion stage, if put into play, BritBox, the so-called streaming service, will see two of the country’s biggest networks linking up to create a “one-stop shop for British box sets, brand new commissions and on-demand classics.” But, will this union work? Well if previous experience is anything to go by, Netflix could finally be given a run for their money. According to The Drum, BritBox is already a bonafide service stateside and has exceeded all expectations by accruing half a million subscribers to date.
Kelloggs, because your best days start with branding
After 113 years, Kellogg’s is finally serving up a little something different with a portfolio-wide redesign of their famous packaging across the European market. Though this could be seen as a rather bold move, Kellogg’s haven’t reinvented the wheel with this rebrand. Much of the focus of the exercise was centred around becoming even more recognisable to the brand's current audience base. Paul Humphries, Marketing VP of Kellogg’s Europe, said, “The Kellogg’s brand is one of the most recognisable brands in the world and our cereal boxes are present in over 90% of UK homes. We know people love, connect and engage with our brand and we wanted to make it easier for them to do that, which is why we’ve updated the entire portfolio at once.”
Kellogg’s other motivation for the facelift came as a reaction to today’s audiences’ increasing interest in transparency from brands across the FMCG industry. Kellogg’s believes that the new design “fulfils consumers’ demand for more transparency.”
Machines and misogyny
Chatbots have become an increasingly popular method of customer service over the last few years and, as AI continues to make vast developments in a minimal amount of time, no doubt it will become even more ingrained in other aspects of business in times to come. But despite their time-saving, cost-cutting, advantages to companies, the use of chatbots could be having negative implications on workforces and society as a whole.
This is not a robots-replacing-humans issue, though we have covered those threats extensively in previous Weekly Round-Ups, earlier this year and in October of last year. No, this surrounds the fact that chatbots are perpetuating gender stereotypes through the incessant use of female personas for these bots. A Forbes analysis performed on the top 10 European banks, showed that at least three of them have used exclusively female names for all for their bots, such as Debbie from Deutsche Bank and Inga from ING. The reason behind the use of female personas for these service level jobs is reportedly down to the empathy and helpfulness so often associated with women. While these attributes may be considered as positive ones, on the grand scale, what does say about how we view women in the workplace? Are they simply suitable for service jobs? Should men be exempt from them? It seems as though chatbots are posing as many questions as they are answering.
Time is ticking for social media app
Data protection, and those who are in breach of it, are topics that never stray too far from the headlines these days. This week the focus is on media company, Tik-Tok, the short-form video sharing app with a very large and very young following. So young in fact they have found themselves in extremely hot water. Making history in the US, Tik-Tok was served with the highest ever fine for a case involving underage data privacy. The $5.7m bill which comes with an order to implement improved measures to verify users who are under the age of 13, is in consequence of a report that found the app had a multitude of users and, in turn, data, of underage children. While Tik-Tok has agreed to pay the fine, whether the latter part of the order will be fulfilled, is uncertain as the measures put in place to verify a user’s age will simply be based on trust. While this is a system that most social media apps use, one has to ask, how much can you trust a pre-teen with a smartphone?
Revitalise your work life
Stuck in a work rut? Online publication, Silicon Republic knows how you feel. And, in an attempt to take you out of it, they have shared their top tips to get you through.
It starts with a self-assessment – why are you in this rut? We all go through varying levels of motivation, but if it is consistent, could it be an element external to work that is causing it? Think diet, sleep, fitness etc.
Secondly, does your brain need a change of scenery? Could something as simple as a new desk or a change of route to work make all the difference?
Then it focuses on facing tasks head-on. We all have things in work we would rather avoid and doing so, usually equates to a bigger issue than necessary.
Finally, why not try some old-fashioned fresh air – cheap, cheerful, and widely available it could be the key to a whole new lease on your work life.
---
## The weekly round-up: 22.02.19
Type: eps_post
URL: /weekly-round-up-22.02.19
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# The weekly round-up: 22.02.19
In this week’s Round-Up we listen to the sound of silence, beauty brands, and the new U.K. gambling guidelines.
It’s only words
With the likes of Buzzfeed ruling the roost in terms of online publications, we could be easily led to believe that, when it comes to written content, long form has officially lost its lustre. However, a recent study of the sharing habits of online users has told a slightly different story.
In their report, SEO institution, BuzzSumo, found that content which consisted of 1,000 words or more were 56% more likely to be shared than shorter pieces. In addition to that BuzzSumo found that, along with long reads online, audiences were also partial to a little intrigue stating that, “headlines containing a question mark generated 23% more shares than simple statements.” Great news for those looking to reach their audiences through hard-hitting content? Perhaps. However, the report also revealed that, of the content creators, there was “a disproportionate amount is attributable to a relatively small number of ‘power posts’, with a whopping 75% of all social shares attributed to a top performing tier of just 1.3% of published pieces.” Not the best news for the budding writers among us.
The Benefit of podcasting
In a world where anyone and everyone can be a content creator and brands are blindly informed of their power as publishers, beauty brand, Benefit, has made the surprising decision to take a step back from the world of content - sort of. Though podcasts, the medium which publisher, Forbes, has dubbed one of the fastest growing media platforms ever, has caught their attention it is in relatively traditional way. Head of marketing for Benefit UK and Ireland, Lou Bennett, sees podcasts as a great sponsorship opportunity for the brand and, rather than shoehorn their way onto the podcast scene, will use the medium in a less intrusive way. To simply add their mark to the audiences’ immersive experience, Bennett explains that Benefit will “have a so-called “live read” before the podcast starts where the producer explains to the listener that “this podcast was brought to you by...” While they’ve yet to choose a podcast that blends with their brand ethos, no doubt listeners will be treated to some beautiful sponsored sounds in no time.
What’s in a game?
It could be assumed that the gamification of content for gambling brands would be a given, right? Wrong, according to the Committees of Advertising Practice (CAP) in the U.K who have devised new guidelines that will come into play on the 1st of April this year. The guidelines, which have been put in place in a bid to protect minors from entering into the world of gambling have cracked down on a wide variety of content inclusions. According to Marketing Week, “Content deemed unacceptable includes animated characters, licensed characters from film or TV shows, sportspeople or celebrities who particularly appeal to children or references to ‘youth culture’. The standard also prohibits the use in gambling ads of sportspeople, celebrities or other characters who are, or appear to be, under 25.” On the guidelines, charity, GambleAware, voiced their support, with a spokesperson commending CAP on addressing such a “serious health problem” among youths.
The Amazon effect
As it hovers around the top spot for the world’s biggest retailer, Amazon unsurprising omits waves of influence to those further down the FMCG food chain. This time around it is focused on pricing, as traditional retailers, such as WalMart and Target, grapple to keep up with Jeff Bezos’ multi-billion e-commerce empire.
Dynamic pricing is the method of changing product prices based on algorithms that take into account factors such as time of day, location, demand, and buying patterns. It is a method almost invented by Amazon who, according to Digiday, change their prices a “million times per day depending on demand.” In order to compete with these fluctuating forrays traditional retailers are reportedly experimenting with the method, looking to stay competitive by “tweaking costs of products on a regular basis, mainly online and in mobile apps.”
Dynamic pricing isn’t the first obstacle the brick and mortar store has encountered, with the aversion to digital transformation being dubbed as what could be the downfall to the high street. Still, despite the doom and gloom, as Amazon grows, older retailers remain. There may be life in the old department store yet.
Can I get a side of silence with that?
Always ahead of the curve, the Finns have opened up the first silent drive-thru, turning a Helsinki Burger King into a closed-mouth eatery. The stunt, which naturally comes with a campaign illustrating the ease of the Burger King mobile order app, is based upon the audience stereotype that Finns are a shy nation. Appealing to the quiet bunch, Marketing Director of Burger King Finland, said: "We wanted to use that positive stereotype of our fellow Finns and create a totally new kind of drive-thru service.” To do this, the drive-thru service is set up so that customers can order and pay for their food using the app, with a Burger King employee then dropping their meal to their car, without making a sound. Does this sound like your kind of meal? It is doubly attractive to those in a rush too as the service gets even more points by cutting down the chat, and is considerably faster than the average drive-thru.
---
## Direct Mail Masterclass Delivers in London
Type: eps_post
URL: /direct-mail-masterclass-delivers-in-london
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Direct Mail Masterclass Delivers in London
A record number of retail digital marketers gathered at the The Charlotte Street Hotel, London on 30th January to see first-hand how direct mail can have a positive effect on sales, growth and lifetime value.
Ben Collier from Epsilon Abacus explains "direct mail catalogues can be highly targeted to prospects that share the same characteristics as a brand's best customer which means that when a catalogue is received, it is more likely to be read and used to make online purchases."
Richard Rands from Royal Mail MarketReach presented compelling stats from Royal Mail Catalogue Research 2017:
50% of catalogue recipients have purchased something from a catalogue, plus more from a website
57% look at the same product time and again
66% look through catalogues for offers
65% Enjoy reading catalogues
Jim Warren, VP of Marketing from Bloom & Wild who joined the retailer panel discussion and Q&A says "When you get to a certain scale you have to start looking at other channels. Digital marketing provides a limited audience and so performance will flatten out in time, becoming more costly...the quality of prospects is really encouraging - they buy more and spend more than customers recruited through our digital channels."
Ben Collier comments "As custodians of the Epsilon Abacus Alliance (premier GDPR compliant data co-operative), we continue to see member retail brands achieving higher average order values and increased lifetime values using the catalogue to complement their wider channel strategies."
Epsilon Abacus will be holding its next Direct Mail Masterclass on 10th July in London. If you are a digital marketer looking for new ways to attract valuable customers, email: ben.collier@epsilon.com.
---
## The Weekly Round-Up: 01.02.19
Type: eps_post
URL: /weekly-round-up-01-02-19
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# The Weekly Round-Up: 01.02.19
Gender stereotyping in APAC versus increased diversity on the London underground; we dissect the week that was in the Round-Up.
APAC marketers: Missing the mark
Source Shutterstock
There is nothing like the results of a consumer study to make a brand or, in this case, an industry, realise that they are not quite as ‘with it’ as they had thought. And the release of Kantar’s 2019 AdReaction report in the APAC region, which highlighted the differing opinions of advertisers and consumers when it came to representation of gender in media, has done just that. On one side, patting themselves on the shoulder for their self-perceived innovative approach, 83% of marketers believe that they avoid adverts that pertain to gender stereotypes. On the other hand, 63% of the audience, for which these forward-thinking ads are intended, stated that they were rife with gender stereotyping. The result is a serious gap in marketers’ knowledge of what their audience think or feel.
Head of creative for Kantar’s Insight Division in APAC, Irene Joshy, says that marketers don’t do much to effectively amend this use of unwanted stereotyping. “Busting gender stereotypes doesn’t need to mean a brand has to take a drastically different direction, or specifically cater to only men or women. Instead, ads need to be built out of consumer truths, with the right cultural nuances and tested carefully to ensure they connect with audiences. We shouldn’t assume anything.” However, whether they do it or not, is a totally different matter.
Me.No.Pause
Source Holland & Barrett
Earlier this week, healthcare retailer, Holland & Barrett, was crowned the winner of TfL’s The Women We See competition, with their entry Me.No.Pause. Its second year running, The Women We See aims to increase diversity in advertising by providing brands with a platform to share their message and promote further visibility of women in media. The platform in question includes £500,000 of digital and OOH around London’s transport services, a coveted position for any brand to be in.
Holland & Barrett’s scored the top prize by tackling what the brand has dubbed “the last taboo” – the open discussion of the menopause. Aiming to empower women facing the transition, the visuals feature an array of women from varying backgrounds in an assertive pose, ready to take on the challenges the menopause brings. The accompanying copy points them towards Holland & Barrett’s natural remedies, available to support them through.
Footloose and screen-free
Source Hotel Bellora
Fancy a free hotel stay in Gothenburg’s luxurious Hotel Bellora? The insurance company, Länsförsäkringar, are giving guests the opportunity to do just that. The Check Out Suite is now taking reservations and offering some pretty amazing deals to customers. The only catch (of course there has to be a catch) patrons of the suite must keep their screen time to the absolute bare minimum during their stay. Yes, you heard right, Hotel Bellora will be charging customers based on their screen time, or more aptly, their lack of screen time during their visit. The Check Out Suite comes equipped with a smart lamp that tracks as you surf your phone and the more you surf the more you pay. A novel idea? We think so, with unrelenting reports of humans choosing online over offline communications, why not put the phones away for one weekend?
Domino’s wants a piece of the pie!
Source Dominos
And they aren’t picky about where it comes from – at least that’s the message they are serving up in their campaign, which promotes their new app. The app, which is launching ahead of what is considered to be one of the biggest pizza parties of the year – The Super Bowl – is encouraging fans of the cuisine to celebrate their good taste by signing up to the Piece of the Pie Rewards loyalty scheme. Once they've signed up, Domino’s wants diners to upload pictures of their pies to the app, use the AI-powered pizza identification feature to scan their pizza and receive loyalty points on their account, which can then be traded in against future orders with fast food brand.
The pizza is question doesn’t even have to be from Domino’s. The pizza giant will swap points for anything from homemade authentic thin crusts to the mere modest pizza bagel. Putting category love in front of brand love, Domino's just wants The Super Bowl audience to enjoy their favourite game time snack, and hand over their data, of course.
Back to the...past
Source Shutterstock
The beat goes on, but the trend of nostalgia marketing is very much here to stay, according toEntrepreneur.com, and it’s all down to millennials. Our early-80’s to mid-90’s babies cannot get enough of the past and this comes down to the technological strides that have been made in front of their very eyes. From mixtapes to playlists, disposable cameras to the Huji App, millennials have experienced a faster rate of change than any generation before and, for that reason, cling to what once was. But they are just one segment, what about the next?
Generation Z is slowly gaining buying power in the market but, having been absent for the days of CD’s and stereos, they do not have the same connection to the past. Enter fauxstalgia, the new hook reeling in our younger audience set. Fauxstalgia is “the yearning for a time in the past, even though you may never have experienced that time directly yourself,” and is a necessary emotion to take advantage of if you’re attempting to reach an audience who are yet to experience much at all.
Epsilon’s creative team focused on both of these feelings when constructing a client DM last year for the Fifa World Cup. To find out how we evoked real emotion from our audience through nostalgia, check out our blog post here.
Like what you see? For more industry insights and updates subscribe to our blog.
---
## The Weekly Round-Up: 18.01.19
Type: eps_post
URL: /weekly-round-up-18-01-19
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# The Weekly Round-Up: 18.01.19
The luck of the Irish (burger) and the burn of a politically-centric ad, it’s all in this week’s Round-Up.
Attack of the Mac
Source - McDonalds
Everyone loves an underdog, particularly one that goes head-to-head against a multi-billion corporation, and wins. Earlier this week, the European Union's Intellectual Property Office sided with Irish hamburger chain, Supermac’s, in their appeal to cancel McDonald’s longtime trademark of the ‘Big Mac’ and ‘Mc’ in Europe. This decision not only allows Supermac’s to continue with their plans of expansion outside of Ireland but, more significantly, also highlights the opportunities for businesses of smaller market share to contest bigger corporations’ often unjust behaviour. On the matter, Pat McDonagh, founder and managing director of the fast-food franchise said, “The original objective of our application to cancel was to shine a light on the use of trademark bullying by this multinational to stifle competition.” And shine a light they did. The eatery, whose origins can be found in the West Galway town of Ballinasloe, population 7,226, has made headlines this week in global publications such as Forbes and The New York Times.
Radio Ga Ga
Source - Queen
Deloitte is the latest to release their 2019 trend predictions for the industry and, in a bid to look into the future, it seems the multinational professional services network is looking to the past. On radio, Deloitte reports that “the 99-year old traditional medium, will maintain its hold on UK media consumption.” Is this music to marketers’ ears? We think so. Following numbers of increased usage of on-demand, streaming, and podcasting services, fears had arisen that the humble radio ad was on its way out. But, alas, Deloitte has predicted that 2019 will bring a weekly audience of almost three billion for the wireless.
Global head of research for technology, media, and telecoms at Deloitte, Paul Lee commented, “Due to the rise of on-demand media and streaming services, many underestimate the influence radio still holds. The perception that video or indeed streaming has killed the radio star is simply not the case. Whether it’s in the car, over breakfast, or even at work, the vast majority of people in the UK still have at least one ear on the airwaves during the course of the day. Radio is alive, well, and enjoyed by all ages.”
To find out more about 2019’s upcoming marketing trends, check out Epsilon’s 2018 Year in Review, where we squash the previous year’s predictions and look ahead to what’s in store for the year ahead.
Bye bye birdie
Source - Joon
Is there such a thing as being too audience-focused? Well if you take Air France subsidiary, Joon, as your example then the answer is yes. Earlier this week, Joon, the budget brand created with millennials all too much in mind, announced its reintegration into its parent company following a tumultuous first and last year in business. On paper Joon’s initial brand strategy had potential, focusing on its target audience’s well-documented inclination for cheap seats and luxury beverages (Joon boasted an array of craft beers, signature cocktails, and organic coffee onboard), as well as their nomadic lust to travel and take a selfie in metropolitan cities like Berlin and Barcelona.
But off the page, much like the brand’s target audience, Joon proved to be all style and no substance. Their first big barrier was their inability to cut costs below Air France. Flying large, inefficient carriers on their long haul flights kept costs highs and offered passengers no real incentive to migrate to this relatively unknown brand. Secondly, and possibly in consequence of a rocky take-off, they botched their audience targeting in their adverts. Pictured below is a snapshot from one of Joon’s campaign. Far from a millennial haven, the ad shows how they can cater for almost every generation except the audience they wanted to attract. And with that the brand collapsed, it seems Joon’s time in the industry was merely a flying visit.
Home is where the high-speed broadband is
Source - DUIC
Working remotely is a concept that today’s workforce is coming increasing accustomed to. As our network connections get stronger and our face-to-face contact depletes, the necessity of having a fixed worked abode is becoming less and less. Many of us have become what CEO of EAK Digital, Erhan Korhaliller, calls digital nomads, those who can choose to work wherever the high-speed broadband is. As one himself, Korhaliller lists for Entrepreneur.com his picks of Europe’s most attractive cities to work, and play. Among them is the eastern charms of Istanbul, the sunny shores of Barcelona, and The Netherland’s medieval city of Utrecht. Digital nomad or not each, as the cold dull, January weather sets in the list makes for great holiday inspiration.
The worst a brand can do?
Source - P&G
Men’s personal care brand, Gillette, is testing these waters this week, with their stab at the prize for the year’s most hated ad. An admirable entry for just the third week of 2019, news sites, message boards, and Reddit threads have been set alight with discussion of the campaign We Believe: The Best Men Can Be. The short film which features men, both looking in mirrors and looking inwards, explores the idea that masculinity has taken a toxic turn of late and that it is up to the men of today to change the boys of tomorrow. Upon its release, the Procter & Gamble ad has been quickly compared to the infamous Pepsi ad, where a socialite model attempted to solve the world’s most gripping issues with a can of fizz. The ad is, at best, a commercialised attempt to move with the times and fly the flag for change within gender norms. And, at worst, it is...well, we suggest you read the YouTube comments for yourself. Whichever way you feel about it though, we suggest that before you publicly align yourself with a ‘side’, have a look at who is standing there with you (ahem, Piers Morgan is not a fan), after all, it is just an ad.
Like what you see? For more industry insights and updates subscribe to our blog.
---
## The Weekly Round-Up: 04.01.19
Type: eps_post
URL: /weekly-round-up-04-01-19
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# The Weekly Round-Up: 04.01.19
Happy New Year and welcome to the first Weekly Round-Up of 2019! Back with a bang, this week we are focusing on the January advertising and health industries, robotic predictions for the year ahead, and brushing up on our industry Ps and Qs.
Tooth sweet
Source – Change4Life
By now we are accustomed to the shift in advertising from the end of the year to the beginning. Messages of peace, joy, and indulgence are sharply replaced with ones that incite guilt and ultimately set about to shame audiences for the festive months previous. Though it can be a bitter pill to swallow, in moderation, these guilt-inducing messages can be extremely engaging. Case in point, Public Health England’s latest Change4Life campaign, which focuses on sugar consumption in children.
In an animated short, starring a small but mighty sugar cube army, Change4Life details some unsettling facts about the issue, from the average child consuming up to 2,800 cubes a year, to an average of one child having a tooth removed every 10 minutes in the UK. Frightening stuff, and that’s before they get to crippling diabetes and cancer risks. Though it is definitely not sweet, the ad is short and knows the parameters of its 46-second slot. Rather than trying to solve a mammoth health problem in under a minute (as many of our January ads tend to do) it ends with a CTA urging viewers to go online and find out how they can help their kids cut back on sugar and the tagline – “make a swap when you next shop.”
Content is (still) King
Source - Floret Media
That’s according to Social Media Today, who is telling marketers that they need to get serious with their content in 2019 as it is “at the core of our digital and social, always on, always connected and always learning, mobile world of communication.” To ensure that we are well equipped for this content-first world, Social Media Today have shared the top trends to take note of in the coming year.
Among them is the urge for marketers to create customer-centric content as opposed to ‘Click-Bait’. Citing Marketing Insider Group, the article states that “78% of consumers say that personally-relevant content increases their purchase intent.” This indicates two very important things to marketers. Firstly, the undeniable importance of content marketing to a business’s bottom line. And secondly, content marketing is not simply posting the odd, generic blog or social post. We made a similar prediction in our 2018 Year in Review, discussing the micro-moments that marketers need to focus on if they want to really reach audiences in the coming year.
To read more of what’s coming in 2019 and our dissection of 2018, check out our blog here.
It’s good to be good
Source - Charlotte Anabar
Life, a Birmingham based integrated agency, has vowed to do good throughout 2019 with their year-long campaign #365daysofgood. Life has maintained a successful reputation over the years, creating work for a mix of brands that not only have a positive effect commercially but also serve in a community sense too. In 2019, through carefully curated content via their social channels, Life will demonstrate how brands can be beneficial to the world outside the confinements of consumerism. The campaign comes off of the back of the results of recent studies from the likes of Gallup and Edelman, which demonstrated unrest in the global population.
In a sobering statement, the Gallup World Poll revealed that “global negative experiences are the worst they’ve been for a decade.” And, to add fuel to the fire, in a more industry-specific stat, the Edelman Trust Barometer study found that “20 of 28 global markets are currently dominated by distrust, up from last year.” This is not great news for brands and marketers alike, so naturally, we support Life in their pursuit over the next 365 days because, even though one campaign cannot cure a decade of global negativity, it is a good place to start.
They’re here...
Source - Hanna Barbera
The robots we mean, but you already knew that. Though things (thankfully) haven’t reached The Terminator territory, we are becoming more and more accustomed to the company of bots. So what’s next for these artificial acquaintances? Forbes looks ahead to the coming year and shares its predictions.
First on the list is the increase of soft robotics. For those not in the know, soft robotics are bots constructed to imitate living organisms. Their life-like features make soft robotics easier for us to interact with and will help us to more readily accept them into varying roles. “For example, soft robotic companions can be used in healthcare to assist with repetitive tasks such as medication intake, bathing, etc.”
Following that comes what has been dubbed as the Darwinism of Smart Homes, where home devices that are not equipped to adapt to the likes of Alexa or Google Home will slowly be replaced or become extinct.
Finally, it is time to rejoice as our lives are set to become a lot more efficient. As bots like Alexa and Google Home become more ‘thoughtful’ and ‘considerate’ of our needs, they are more capable of organising and facilitating everyday tasks.
A is for...
Source - Wikipedia
AI, don’t you know, and as mentioned in the piece above, you probably do know. B is for... – well we’ll let you go through The Drum’s A Bad Marketer’s Glossary 2019 in your own time. Not that we are calling you a bad marketer, nor is The Drum. Instead, they are simply pointing out, in a rather tongue-in-cheek way, the words and phrases you need to know to survive the industry in 2019 and beyond.
Some of them you will (hopefully) know, like KPI and ROI. Some of them you will definitely not know. Quixotic, anyone? And, though some of them will seem to have absolutely no business in being there, together they are all sure to give you a giggle and get you ready of another exciting year in the industry.
Like what you see? For more industry insights and updates subscribe to our blog.
---
## 2018 - What a year?
Type: eps_post
URL: /2018-year-review
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# 2018 - What a year?
The implementation of GDPR saw brands and businesses work double time to send push emails and pop-up notifications, to ensure that they could continue to mine our data.
Zuckerberg and co. proved to be an even bigger threat to competitors with the launch of IGTV, though suffered a hit themselves following the departure of their Insta-Founders, Systrom and Krieger.
Google sent us into a mixture of awe and alarm with the release of the recording of the Artificial Intelligence phone assistant, who reacted in a soberingly realistic way to the voice at the other end.
And, naturally, while Google gave us a glimpse of the future, unfortunate, tone-deaf adverts, à la Dove and Pepsi, ensured that we were kept firmly in the present.
2018, you sure were something, but as you draw to a close, it’s time to move on and focus on your soon-to-be successor and find out what’s in store for marketing next.
And we are live
Over the past few years, the likes of Video-On-Demand, traditional streaming, and replay brought us to an increasingly crowded place of stagnant engagement, where interaction with a brand or medium was completed in a solitary fashion, unrestricted from the borders of time and place. And while this trend will continue to have a rightful place in audiences' hearts for the next decade, like the prodigal son, live-engagement has returned to the forefront and is evolving to serve its audience once more.
Events, TV, and Streaming
And in what better way can the prodigal son return than in the form of the British Royal Wedding, the FIFA World Cup, and ITV’s Love Island. Three key events and television slots across the U.K and Ireland in 2018, that not only brought record-breaking numbers in viewership (4.1 million people tuned in to watch an actor’s daughter kiss a pen salesman), it also brought a new level of audience interaction with social conversation bringing viewers together during these live moments.
In their recently published report WPP owned, Mindshare, predicted that “We will move away from passive viewing as we are presented with more tools to involve us in the moment, from commenting on social media to taking part in Q&As with experts to additional 360-degree feeds giving us exclusive tours of sporting venues.”
This idea plays nicely into our own predictions, presented in our report, 18 for 2018 Report, that stated that the friction between augmented reality and the physical world is decreasing and that audiences in 2018 will “rely on these digital products, coming back day after day to access them.”
This is demonstrated through the huge success of the BBC Sport VR 2018 FIFA World Cup app which gave supporters a truly immersive experience, giving access to the stadiums in Russia from the comfort of their own home.
But it’s not just world events that are utilising ‘live’. Over the last two years, Instagram Live has wet audiences' appetites for up-close-and-personal transactions with their favourite online personas, this will be taken even further in 2019, as Augmented Reality becomes increasingly integrated into the live streaming experience.
Earlier this year, at Cannes Lions Festival of Creativity, L'Oréal owned brand, NYX, announced and showcased the release of their new digital beauty service. The service will use A.R and live stream to connect customers to their very own beauty assistant who will help test and advise them on products.
The next level of personalisation
With beauty assistants recommending the best shade of lipstick from across the screen and possibly, across the globe, it’s no surprise that increased customer-centric marketing will be a growing trend in 2019, one which we have covered in more detail in our white paper, The Impact of Personalisation. Personalisation is nothing new and, depending on how you chose to opt when the GDPR-induced communications arrived, you've already seen your inbox filled with messages, products, services, and great deals made just for you.
Voice Assistance
Two years ago, AdWeek predicted that by 2019, 67 million voice-assisted devices will be in use in the U.S. Numbers published in early 2018, showed that they were less than 20 million shy of that figure, so no doubt by 2019 this prophecy will have come to fruition. But what does that mean for marketers?
With increased usage of voice assistants, consumers are beginning to rely more heavily on the likes of Alexa for day-to-day searches and purchases. Whether it be the composition of a grocery list, the scoop on a new restaurant, or simply a song request, the mode of search has changed.
Verbal questions need verbal answers. Leading Tech Provider CMO, Allen Nance “When you do a visual search on a desktop or a mobile phone, you're presented with multiple choices or answers to your query.” “But when you do voice, you're pretty much getting whatever answer the device—or the company that owns the device—thinks is the right answer.”
Without the option of being top of the search page or even a scroll away, marketers need to think about new ways to become the answer to their audiences’ questions. It is a tricky time for marketers, however with the multitude of data audiences are willingly supplying to voice assistants, it won’t be long until a very familiar voice will be informing you about the latest special offer made just for you.
In our 18 for 2018 Report, we said that “the friction between discovery and purchase will decrease as consumers are empowered to make purchasing decisions based on relevant products or services they see in their daily media intake.” And with personalised offerings set to trickle through our eardrums in the near future, we can’t help but thinking we were quite right.
Content Saturation
It has been said before and will, undoubtedly, be said again, but still, the sentiment hasn’t lessened – we have reached peak content. An article by Sasha Viasasha published in LinkedIn in April gave tell of the “2 million blog posts are written each day”, the “31 million Facebook posts uploaded every minute”, and the “2.4 million emails are sent every second.”
These numbers alone are exhausting, the idea of actually consuming that much content is another story altogether. Naturally, with audiences’ ever-reported-upon, mystically short attention span, they will not be consuming all of this content. Still coming into the new year, with content on the up and attention on the down, how can marketers really connect with their customers?
Micro-moments and authenticity
Think With Google has identified micro-moments as the new consumer behaviour that will facilitate marketers in delivering brand messages to the right consumer at the right time. In today’s voice-assisted, virtual reality, we want it all and we want it now.
Google has identified that there are many decisions made by audiences are instant in the moment. These four moments are:
I-want-to-know moments
I-want-to-go moments
I-want-to-do moments
I-want-to buy moments
By identifying and building a content strategy around these moments, marketers can avoid inundating audiences with unwanted and unnecessary content. Further to that, they can time and utilise their content to be the answer to their audiences’ questions.
Authenticity and Transparency
Answering audiences’ questions is only valuable when the answer is truthful. Since the dawn of the influencer (another thing that has most definitely peaked), the call for authenticity in content has staggered. The overall consensus on how to deliver this is by creating content that is honest and transparent, but some brands are moving even further down the spectrum and empowering their audience to create their own content.
Executed previously already by brands like GoPro and Starbucks, 2019 will see audience content being hoisted into the limelight, particularly as VR and AR capabilities become more widely accessible.
This is something audiences, particularly younger audiences like our Gen Zers, have been calling out for since the beginning of their digital tenure. These mobile natives, as predicted in Epsilon’s 2018 trend report. 18 for 2018 Report, states that Gen Z are “not only adept at consuming content, but they are also avid creators”
Ready or Not
...2019 is (almost) here. And, with Gen Zers, augmented reality, and artificial intelligence acting as key players in the mix, we predict it will come in fast and hard – are you ready for it?
---
## The Weekly Round-Up: Holiday special
Type: eps_post
URL: /weekly-round-up-holiday-special
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# The Weekly Round-Up: Holiday special
For some, it’s sprouts, mistletoe, and mulled wine. But for us, when it comes to the holiday season, it is all about the Christmas ad. So, in celebration of the most wonderful time of the year, we have mapped out our top 5 favourite festive offerings of 2018.
The lift
Source - DDB
The best way to describe Ikea’s 2019 Christmas ad? It’s very...Ikea. While they are not celebrating the wonderful every day, it is still in the ilk of Ikea’s love for the obscure and the average. Two male shoppers enter a lift, which quickly dysfunctions, leaving them trapped. Initially there is an air of tension between our shoppers, (our trench coat wearing character is not a big ginger biscuit fan evidently) however, with a little time and a whole lot of Ikea merch, the two soon put their differences behind them, deck the halls, and celebrate Christmas from the comfort of their own confinements.
A title card reveals that “7 people out of 10 celebrate Christmas at home.” With this in mind, our protagonists toast their surroundings, enjoying a new and different type of festive celebration. The Ikea logo appears on screen with the campaign line, “We are meant to change.” And while this ad somewhat indicates that Ikea’s style of advertising is staying stagnant, that is not necessarily a bad thing. Watch here.
Say hello to Rang-tan. #NoPalmOilChristmas
Source - Kamamran
Even though it didn’t air on television, you are unlikely to have missed Iceland’s Christmas ad. Banned from broadcasting, the animated short was dubbed as being “in breach of rules banning political advertising as laid down by the 2003 Communications Act” due to its advocative message. Created by Karmarama, the ad, which features a young girl and rang-tan voiced by one of Britain's most critically acclaimed actresses, Emma Thompson, illustrates the damage the production of palm oil can do to our furry protagonist, and the environment at large.
The ad is a simple yet effective education piece on the dangers of our everyday products, such as shampoo and chocolate. It is beautifully written and expertly executed, with Thompson’s melodic tones inciting action in the audience. Watch here.
The Heathrow Bears return
Source - Havas
The Heathrow Bears are back in what is their third soiree on the silver screen and, once again, they are giving us those warm and grizzly feelings. Last year, Heathrow Airport treated us to a window into the life of the Heathrow Bears, their first meeting, their romance, and their growing family. Each moment of their life is illustrated in affection with a backdrop of airport arrivals, where emotion runs high on and off the screen.
The ad was a big hit and, akin to Ikea staying with what works, Heathrow Airport and Havas, have brought the bears back again. This time around they are lapping up the heat in their retirement village in Florida but, realising that tropical heat and microwave dinners are no match for quality time, the two make the journey home. After three years, this recycled treatment could be dubbed a little bit tired, but, as the door opens on our protagonists and their family rejoices in the surprise of their return, we’d be of the mind – if it’s not broken, don’t fix it. Watch here.
The one gift Santa can't deliver
Source - adam&eveDDB
It might not be the ad we want but this year’s offering from the International Committee of the Red Cross is the ad we need this Christmas. Created by London agency, adam&eveDDB, the short opens on St. Nick himself to the soundtrack Andy Williams’ iconic Happy Holidays. But rather than shaking his belly like a bowl full of jelly, this version of the titular character has a look of despair across his face as he bears witness to a land ravaged by war and violence. Making his way through open fire and fleeing victims, he is eventually brought to a young girl, who his overjoyed by the sight of him, hoping he will bring her the one gift she is looking for, her family.
In a final cruel twist, the old man despairs, leaving the girl alone and scared in the wreckage.
This ad does not bring Christmas cheer, nor is it meant to. Instead, it delivers the painful truth, that while many of us are overjoyed at this time of year, the problems of others do not take a holiday. The final moments of the ad give a nod to the help the Red Cross does for families each year and invites the viewer to help too. Watch here.
However you do Christmas
Source - BBH London
While not as blatantly emotive as the others on our lists, Tesco still brings the festive feelings with their 2018 advert, However you do Christmas. Aptly sporting the hashtag #EveryonesWelcome, Tesco takes a light look at the mish-mash of coming together at Christmas and shows all manner of families and friends coming together to celebrate the big day in a variety of circumstance.
The piece hits all the right notes in terms of humour, diversity, and product placement. But, best of all, it encaptures that indescribable feeling that occurs around Christmas when we’re forced to spend time with people that we may not like, but for better or for worse, love. Watch here.
Like what you see? For more industry insights and updates subscribe to our blog.
---
## How personalisation influences today’s retail shopper
Type: eps_post
URL: /how-personalisation-influences-todays-retail-shopper
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# How personalisation influences today’s retail shopper
Customer experience is the new driver for loyalty. In our recent report, The Power of me: the impact of personalisation on business outcomes, we found that 80% of consumers are more likely to purchase if their experience is personalised. Whether they are making a purchase online or in-store, they expect an experience that’s personalised, convenient, and meets their needs. And consistency across channels is key.
Retailers need to know and understand the preferences of their shoppers so they can deliver on these and influence the next sale. For example, a client recently shared that six out of ten shoppers use their mobile phones while in their retail store and that the mobile app is a preferred purchase channel. Having this insight allows marketers to tailor personalised messages to consumers on the app while shopping instore. Ulta Beauty’s GLAMlab feature of their mobile app offers personalised make-up application services where users can experiment with 1000+ products and shades that reflects accurate colour representation for the consumer’s specific skin tone. Ulta Beauty can leverage the data insights gleaned from the app to support the development of future marketing programmes/messages that are personalised to the shopper’s needs.
In addition to mobile app technology enhancement, the topic of concierge services is also popular at the moment. Some of our clients are integrating concierge-type services (a concierge model) within their stores to enhance the customer experience. A concierge model often includes designated space within a brand’s retail store that provides exceptional customer service and is fueled with data insights about an individual’s unique needs. Store associates who are a part of this service model are equipped with data about customers to help them make relevant product recommendations. For example, retailers are leveraging concierge services that provide in-store, online and mobile guidance to help consumers choose products and get tips on recommendations. Let’s take a look at an example.
From leveraging data, Designer Store Warehouse (DSW) learned that a large segment of their customers prefer customised insoles to fit the needs of their foot types. Informed by this data, DSW created Polaris Lab Store which includes a concierge area called the Sole Lounge where guests can create custom insoles, get their shoes and handbags repaired and even get their nails done while they wait.
Let the data decide
It’s important for marketers to leverage data for their decision-making. With the proliferation of first-party data available on consumers coupled with the power of third-party data across both offline and online channels, marketers can achieve a true 360-degree customer view. Having consumers’ shopping/retail preferences and understanding their retail services preferences (tailoring, etc.) further enables your ability to offer customised/personalised services.
So whether you’re a retailer of fashion apparel, furniture or pet supplies, evaluate your strategy to determine how personalisation will influence your brand’s the next sale and how you can best improve the customer experience by doing what’s right for your customers, and your brand.
The advances in data and technology together are unstoppable. Take time to evaluate your program to determine if the concierge model is a good fit for your brand.
For more insights and tips, download The Power of me: the impact of personalisation on business outcomes now.
---
## The Weekly Round-Up: 16.11.18
Type: eps_post
URL: /the-weekly-round-up-16-11-18
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# The Weekly Round-Up: 16.11.18
From the return of Vine to the ever constant Big Mac meal, this week’s Round-Up has taken a most nostalgic turn.
With cheese, please
Source - McDonalds France
From staggering highs (two all-beef patties and three sesame buns? Madness!) to all-time lows (who among us didn’t chastise the brand and the burger following a screening of Super Size Me?) it’s been a hell of a 50 years for the Big Mac. And love it or loathe it, or loathe yourself for “lovin’ it”, there’s no denying that the Big Mac is quite the global institution, one that deserves a little love on its birthday. To celebrate 50 years of the Big Mac, McDonald’s France has rolled out a new campaign featuring retro styled burger lovers from the past five decades. From mullets to mops to beehives, the crux of the campaign is that “sports, technology, culture, politics and fashion have all changed, but one thing has remained constant – the Big Mac.”
Facebook Bytes back
Source - Vine
Vine is back! If that doesn’t mean much to you worry not. Vine was a short-form video platform app, which allowed users to record up to six seconds and then loop it. Those who missed its initial tenure can be forgiven. Though extremely popular among certain generations, that favour lasted a short four years, and the video app ceased to be in 2016. However, all is soon to be resolved with the launch of Byte, Vine 2.0 in the new year. So what does this mean? Well for video-loop lovers it’s a time to refresh the skills and express themselves in a way that they have perhaps painfully missed. For Facebook, it’s a time to replicate and repeat their competitor’s work in an attempt to remain on top.
Last Friday, in what was described by Digiday as a “quiet release”, came the launch of Lasso, Facebook’s very own short-form film app. And though initially, Lasso piqued the interest of a few, video creators were quick to express their disinterest in it. One called it a “regurgitated version of Vine, Musical.ly and Instagram’s Explore” and continued to say the Zuckerberg's multi-billion corporation is “trying really hard to be relevant.” Evidently, it is not going so well.
Going off online
Source - Fancy Crave
Those who remember a time of having to squeeze, shuffle, and squat through the shops on the lead up to the holiday season will surely agree that the invention of online shopping is one which should receive a whole lot more credit. Right? Maybe not. ParcelLab, a shipping facilitation company, has recently released a study that reveals the trials and tribulations of shopping online, and how it ramps up considerably around the festive season.
Of the biggest consumer qualms, items being listed as available when actually being out-of-stock (31%) and poor post-purchase communication (14%) were among the worst offenders. Late delivery (28%) was another one which really ramped up around the festive season with “56% of Brits saying delivery takes at least one day longer at Christmas, and 28% reporting it takes at least three days longer.”
So, while wading through a sea of frantic shoppers does not a glamourous Friday night make, with reports like these, perhaps the grass really is always greener on the other side.
A fist full of dollars and data
Source - Christin Hume
While on this passed 11th November our broadcasts were mostly filled with centenary memorials, across the globe, somewhere in the land of retail another significant event was happening - Singles’ Day - an annual shopping event invented by Chinese retailer, Alibaba. Last year, on that day alone, the company made over 25 billion dollars. But it’s not just cash that’s filling Alibaba’s pockets, it’s information too.
Singles’ Day is one of the biggest data collecting days for the retailer. Through apps, such as Taobao, an extremely popular fashion retailer owned by Alibaba, the company takes stock of what you buy, what you browse, and what you bookmark and uses this to further tailor your shopping experience to your needs. This is nothing new for retailers but, as they own a large share of the market, the amount of data owned by Alibaba is colossal. So much so that they are farming it out to others. Last year, Alibaba sold a large sum of its data, or your data rather, to Pepsico. However, on the matter, a representative for Alibaba has reassured BBC of its utmost respect for customer data
“We view data protection as a top priority and any information shared with brands, merchants, or other third parties is provided on an aggregate and anonymous basis.”
Santa trades up
Source - Red Letter Days
While it may be nice to imagine a more magical side of the holidays, when a tradition is born out of commercialism, eventually it will come and claim it back for its own. Case in point, gifting retailer, Red Letter Days, has reimagined Santa’s sleigh to fit in with modern-day needs, and modern-day shopping habits. Whether he is still in Coca-Cola red or not is up for debate, but this year, the team at Red Letter Days, see the heavy set man riding in style à la Ikea’s Sladtür, Apple’s iSleigh, Carlsberg’s ‘Probably the Best Sleigh in the World’, Ferrari’s F1 SLGH18, and Redbull’s aptly-named ‘Because Reindeer Don’t Have Wings’. Naturally, each fits the festive season while simultaneously showing off its brand's most iconic features – Ferrari delivering 660 reindeer power at 8,000rpm and, according to a rep from Red Letter Days, the Sladtür boasts a “flat pack style allows Santa to easily pack his transport away during the less busy months.”
Like what you see? For more industry insights and updates subscribe to our blog.
---
## The Weekly Round-Up: 09.11.18
Type: eps_post
URL: /the-weekly-round-up-09-11-18
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# The Weekly Round-Up: 09.11.18
Condiment-filled decorations, gender diversity, and data for sale – it’s all here in this week’s Round-Up.
And a Merry Chipotle Southwest to you
Source - Subway
Deck the halls with...Chipotle Southwest sauce? It may sound strange, but that’s the message Subway are spreading in their gimmick-heavy Holiday campaign. To promote their new festive menu (Christmas Cracker Sub anyone?) the fast food chain has done their research and combined two audience favourites into one. The result? Condiment-filled baubles, of course. In a press release, UK Director, Colin Hughes said, “Fans on social rave about our sauces, and especially our signature, Chipotle Southwest. So we are working on ways to give them what we know they want – the chance to get their hands on the Subway range of condiments."
Subway fan or not, many will agree that the concept of condiment-filled baubles skirts the borders of both unhinged and unhygienic, so thankfully it is just that, a concept. Though the festive menu will be served up in your local restaurant, the baubles will not.
Return of the creatives
Source – Creative Equals
Creative Equals, a UK organisation set up to establish increased gender diversity in the creative workspace, is moving the industry forward once more by running a two-week programme focused on getting more creative females back into the workplace. The launch of the course, titled ‘Returners’, will coincide with next year’s International Women’s Week in March 2019.
The boot camp-style programmes will be held in London and Manchester and will include women in a variety of creative disciplines from copywriting, art direction, and production to strategy, data analysis, and design. These intensive courses will bring women, who have been out of the workplace, up to date with the latest industry developments, helping them return once more.
As an agency with a strong strategy lead creative department, we at Epsilon fully understand the intricacies of gender diversity within the workplace. Rather than shy away from the subject, we champion our colleagues to tackle the industry head on through expression and thought leadership – check out our Senior Design Lead, Vanessa Fay’s, take on the situation and how young women can put their best foot forward and succeed in a creative discipline.
Telecom takes on the ad business
Source - Three
Mobile network, Three, is taking a leap into the ad world and no, we are not referring to their latest TVC featuring bouncing castles and stagnant office space. No, Three Network is getting into the ad business by selling their anonymised customer data to media companies for more refined targeting. At present, Three has data on approximately 10 million customers across the U.K. and Ireland and are gearing up to sell it to the highest bidder. The data sold will be anonymous but will segment audience members on their age, gender, and location.
While this may sound a little shady, Three is totally above board in terms of GDPR compliance, having given customers an opt-in/out option on what happens to their information. However, with a 94 percent opt-in rate being reported over the last five months, it looks like we are less precious with our data than we once were.
The return of the flip phone
Source - Samsung
Longing for the days of simplicity? Samsung are taking you back there with their unveiling of the Infinity Flex Display. While this new gadget may be reminiscent of flip phones from time gone by, (who among us didn’t flip to flap our tongues?) Samsung sees the Flex as a step into the future. Described by representatives for the brand as "the foundation of the smartphone of tomorrow," unfolded, the phone is similar size to a tablet, with all of the capabilities to boot. Then, when closed, the Infinity Flex Display resembles the average smartphone. Although, having teased out the concept for over five years, we suspect there won’t be anything average about the phone.
Robot Recruiters
Source - Mya Systems
The latest in AI innovation comes in the form of L’Oréal’s robotic recruitment drive. The French personal care company has deployed Mya Systems, a conversational chatbot to sift through the constant flux of CVs that land in their inbox and, so far, it’s been something of a success. Reports are in and, of the first 10,000 recruiting conversations that Mya engaged with, a whopping 92% of the candidates were engaged in an efficient way and feedback from applicants has reflected this positively, with comments that the process was carefree and felt personal.
Still, HR managers need not worry over their employment status, according to Executive Vice-President of Human Relations at L’Oréal, Jean-Claude Le Grand, “This [sic] new very performing technology reinforces HR people’s counsellor role and enables them to really focus on the qualitative and human dimension of the recruitment process.”
Like what you see? For more industry insights and updates subscribe to our blog.
---
## The Weekly Round-Up: 2.11.18
Type: eps_post
URL: /the-weekly-round-up-2-11-18
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# The Weekly Round-Up: 2.11.18
In this week’s Round-Up, we’re putting GDPR compliance under the microscope and asking the question – why are all AI Assistants female?
The future is female
Source: Universal
Once, the notion of hoverboards and hi-tech eyewear were merely a plotline in the Back to the Future sequel. Now, these items are part of everyday life, existing alongside AI assistance and self-driving cars, indicating to fans of the franchise that there is no going back, we are now in the future.
But what kind of future is it? Yes, our homes are smarter and our cars are driverless, but how far have our perceptions of equality evolved? Today, over 2.5 billion of the world’s population use smartphones. This means that up to 2.5 billion of the population are now asking an AI assistant to help them in their daily menial tasks. While this is further proof of our advancement in technology, these assistants come in the form of Siri, Cortana, and/or Alexa – the new-aged servant is undoubtedly female.
The argument for the use of female personas is down to audience testing and preferences, however, in the wake of the Me Too movement and feminism’s Fourth Wave, the decision for all female roles seems quite dubious, and industry experts agree. On the topic, Jemma Elliot, said “Female virtual assistants are perpetuating stereotypes of subservience at a time when the shifting power dynamics of gender are being scrutinized and challenged. This gives ostensibly progressive umbrella companies some moral challenges.”
View before you chew
Source - Imgur
We’ve all been there, sat in an incredibly stylish restaurant, surrounded by an incredibly stylish crowd, and in front of us is an incredibly stylish menu – of which you understand very little, despite the eatery being branded as your own ‘local’ cuisine.
Jackfruit? Kalettes? Calçots? They may be exactly what you’re looking for, but heck if you know what they are, let alone what they look like. Enter Transplater, a new prototype app from Barclaycard that is offering diners the opportunity to “view before they chew”.
Currently being tested for the market, the app will enable its audience to take a picture of an unfamiliar ingredient on a menu and then be served up a description of its taste and a visual example.
The idea for the app comes off the back of a recent U.K research report that found that despite 33 per cent of the participants considering themselves to be foodies, 91 per cent regularly don’t recognise a large proportion of the items listed on menus.
Are you really GDPR compliant?
Source – MarTech Today
It may seem like a lifetime ago since you dotted your i’s, crossed your t’s, and ensured that your entire database were contacted and covered when you were readying your company for the implementation of the new data protection laws.
Laborious as the process was, it was the law so naturally you complied, right? Wrong...possibly. Though you may have had it all sewn up in that department, the burning question now is, do your partners?
No man is an island and the same goes for businesses, everyday we partner, trade, and collaborate with external organisations, some of which provide us with third party data, and some of which may not be GDPR compliant.
While we are yet to see the full repercussions of failing to comply with GDPR, it won’t be long. Get yourself up to date and avoid getting caught in the crossfire of third party problems by educating yourself on the issue now – we took a deep dive into the topic earlier this year.
All smiles for Colgate
Source - TerraCycle
Want to invest in health, humanitarianism, and the environment all in one? Then look no further than the toiletries aisle of your local supermarket. Oral hygiene brand, Colgate, have launched a brand initiative with recycling experts, TerraCycle, called Colgate Oral Care Recycling Programme, that allows customers to recycle any brand of ‘tooth paraphernalia’ from old brushes to empty tubes while subsequently donating cash to a charity of their choice.
A simple concept with some real star power, TerraCycle and Colgate have called to action for participants to sign up here and find their nearest designated recycling centre. Once customers start recycling, the rewards will roll in for a chosen charity. With every kilo of waste collected, £1 is donated to those in need.
Purrfect your spending
Source - Shutterstock
Already an incredible support to startups, finance management app, Anna Money, has come up with a brand new product feature to help SMEs regulate their cash flow. Now every time ANNA app users pay via contactless card, a miaow sound will chime, to reinforce to users that by tapping they are in fact spending money that could be needed elsewhere in the business. Based on the release of a recent study from Ashley Finance that reported that “90% of small business failures can be attributed to cash flow problems”, the miaow feature is the latest innovation of fusing together human insights and Artificial Intelligence. While it is a slightly obscure way to control your spending, we reckon that the ANNA app’s new system will be the cat’s pajamas for small business owners. Pun intended.
Like what you see? For more industry insights and updates subscribe to our blog.
---
## The Weekly Round-Up: 19.10.18
Type: eps_post
URL: /the-weekly-round-up-19-10-18
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# The Weekly Round-Up: 19.10.18
This week on the Round-Up we see the juxtaposition of old and new as we bid a tired branding trope adieu and become acquainted with the latest personification of the marketing industry.
Kleenex pan the man
Source - Amazon
After more than 50 years, Kleenex is finally disposing of their ‘man-sized’ tissues. But lovers of the product need not worry, Kleenex is not hanging up these hankies for good, but rather rebranding them in the name of equality. The Kimberly-Clark company are renaming the tissues as ‘extra large’, a change which is currently being rolled out. The shift comes as a counteraction to a building number of sexism allegations at the tired title. And seeing as the phrase ‘man-sized’ was originally coined as part of the company’s ‘Kleenex for Men’ campaign back in the 1950’s, we reckon this rebrand has been a long time coming.
Meet Grant
Source - Cummins & Partners
In 2017 the Transport Accident Commission (TAC) and Clemenger BBDO Melbourne introduced us to Graham as part of the Towards Zero Campaign. Graham, “the only person designed to survive on our roads,” was a prototype created to demonstrate the brutality road accidents can have on the human body. With an immersive campaign that featured the cover star, Graham, BBDO not only brought awareness to the cause but cleaned up at the Grand Prix at Cannes too. And it looks as though the praise for the campaign isn’t over yet.
If imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, BBDO and the TAC must be blushing red with the parody of their creation. Earlier this week, media and creative agency, Cummins & Partners asked the public to Meet Grant. Depicting a white man with extraordinarily thick skin, less than average genitals, and no spine, Cummins & Partners introduced “the only person designed to survive a career in advertising.” A poke of fun at both BBDO’s success and the industry as a whole, BBDO’s Creative Executives reportedly dubbed the mockery as brilliant.
What’s in a name?
Source - WW
It’s no secret that Weight Watchers has been undergoing a bit of a transformation, from deploying the Oprah Effect to broadening their offering from weight loss to include wellness support also. We covered the changes to the multinational on the Weekly Round-Up earlier this year, noting the success Oprah Winfrey’s involvement in the brand had brought on, however, a recent report is predicting a sting for the slimming support group. Digital publication, Entrepreneur.com believes that the shift of company name from Weight Watchers to WW is a big mistake. Dubbing the activity as “a classic psychological blunder”, Entrepreneur warns readers of the damage a name change can cause to an audience's recall. “Our minds are wired so that changing things in our long-term memory isn't easy. Altering a brand name, or any well-established memory, is more challenging, even when we want to change it.”
All style, no substance
Source - Amplify
While most will claim that all style and no substance is their worst nightmare, latest reports are that this is, in fact, a winning combination for a successful brand in today’s market. In a recent article, industry expert, Leonard Sherman, spoke to the rising trend of startups putting the cart before the horse when entering the marketplace. I.E – putting the main focus on brand strategy as opposed to prototype perfection. “Only a few years ago, product was King. Founders focused on getting a minimum viable product to market, fast.” However, the tides have changed according to Sherman. In a world of eCommerce and Instagram, brands are now concentrating on their essence and their desired audience. Sherman believes that, while products can be refined, the brand must make the first impression. Using the world’s most successful brands, such as Nike and Apple, as an example he states, “From the outset, each of these companies clearly identified their target customers’ unmet needs, committed to a core idea that speaks to that need, and made sure every single consumer touchpoint reinforced their brand promise.”
Radio Ga Ga
Source - Eric Nopanen
The latest in Netflix’s plans for world domination comes in a slightly retro form as the binge-series facilitator looks to take on radio. In January 2019, Netflix will launch a 24hr comedy station on the American satellite radio station, SiriusXM. The channel, which will be called Netflix is a Joke, will feature extracts from shows of stand-up comics such as Chris Rock and Jerry Seinfeld.
The move to the airwaves will be a new one for Netflix, however, according to a report in The Drum, the exercise is not one motivated by money but rather, marketing. Ted Sarandos, Netflix’s chief content officer told the publication that the move is one of “marketing synergy for a stand-up comedy initiative”. In a bid to create an immersive campaign for their audience, Netflix will target the public while they drive, the idea being that, according to Sarados, “when you're not on Netflix, you're more likely [to be] in your car.”
Like what you see? For more industry insights and updates subscribe to our blog.
---
## Weekly Round-Up: 12.10.18
Type: eps_post
URL: /weekly-round-up-12-10-18
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Weekly Round-Up: 12.10.18
In this Week’s Round-Up, we take a look at the brands using their power for good by highlighting important issues like malnutrition, the gender gap, and mental health awareness.
This time, it’s not personal?
Source: Unsplash
Though it could effectively be dubbed as the industry’s word of 2018, it seems as though brands and marketers cannot take their commitment to personalisation as seriously as they claim. The most common reason being down to resources. Great content breeds great personalisation and while content was effectively dubbed as the industry’s word for 2017 many are still struggling with it.
Why? Because content is time-consuming and, what’s more, it’s expensive. Adobe’s recent report, State of Creative and Marketing Collaborations, revealed that only 21% of marketers “believe their companies do enough to personalise digital advertising”, a small number in comparison to those you claim to be pros. This would indicate that, though personalisation is the word on everyone’s lips, brands, for the most part, still have a long way to go before they can claim that they really 'know' their customers.
As the world’ biggest data-driven marketing firm, it’s safe to say we know our way around personalisation, and we also appreciate how difficult it can be to tackle it alone. If you’re struggling to really engage your customers, why now get in touch here. Or to find out more check out one of our latest blogs on turning your data into a winning customer experience strategy.
Mind the gap
Source: Mattel
Yesterday, October 11th, marked the United Nations’ 2018 Day of the Girl. This worldwide event, which has been running since 2012 is a day which, according to the global organisation, “aims to highlight and address the needs and challenges girls face, while promoting girls' empowerment and the fulfilment of their human rights.” To mark the occasion and pay homage to this year’s theme, With Her: A Skilled GirlForce, the world’s biggest brands and organisations showed their support of the girl by creating awareness campaigns to highlight the issues she faces now, and will have to face in the future.
With two out of three girls in the US missing out on key nutrients in their diet every day, Kellogg's Special K and the UN organisation, Girl Up, have come together to create a campaign aimed at closing the nutrition gap.
From one gap to another, The Dream Gap Project is an initiative from Mattel’s Barbie, which seeks to raise awareness surrounding the different messages sent out to girls and boys and how it affects their aspirations in life.
Let the music play
Source: Vulture
Since its conception, Spotify has positioned itself firmly as a marketer’s best friend. Offering a “100% logged-on audience” combined with “billions of data points collected daily”, the platform positions itself as a Mecca of audience engagement and that’s before even mentioning its recent integration onto Instagram stories. However, despite pleasing marketers beyond belief and, of course, providing millions of listeners with 10 years of affordable, uninterrupted music, a recent article in The Guardian suggests that perhaps the streaming site has, in fact, ruined music.
Free listeners aside, 83 million consumers pay £9.99 for the premium service each month. However, it is said that very little of this gets passed on to the actual musicians. Worse still, “the top 10% of artists dominate 99% of streams” which means the likelihood of smaller artists getting bang for their buck on the platform is slim. The juxtaposition? Artists need Spotify to promote their music. The Guardian calls it a “KingMaker” because, with a paid audience of 83 million, it is where everyone listens to music. Furthermore, it’s where brands want to be and, for any artist who wants to collaborate, being on the platform will make it all the easier for star-studded promotions.
Free your mind
Source: Shutterstock
Though it still has a long way to go, mental health awareness has come on in leaps and bounds over the last few years, and continues to make more progress every day. The latest development comes in the form of Mindscape, a voice-activated app that helps to provide mental health support to those in need. According to Marcomm News, Mindscape, which was released earlier this week, a day before World Mental Health Day, “combines voice technology, AI, and neuroscience-based music therapy to support positive mental health.” Using rhythmic sounds to ease anxiety and lift low moods, the free app bases its therapy choices on a wealth of research undertaken by the agency, Massive Music. Mindscape is available now on Google Home and Amazon’s Alexa.
Bonafide complaint? Or is the ASA just a Nasty Gal?
Source: Nasty Gal
With the help of Instagram, Wordpress, and the rest of the blogosphere, the body positive movement has seen a serious surge in momentum in the last 10 years, with a greater light being cast on beauty and bodies of more diverse make-up than ever before. While negative waves stills threaten the waters, and predictively always will, attitudes have, on the whole, undergone a transformation. Still, as the pendulum begins to swing a new direction, ultimately someone must suffer.
This week three Nasty Gal TV ads were taken off air, over complaints from the UK ASA that the model portrayed appeared to be "unhealthily underweight" and, in consequence, the broadcast of these ads was irresponsible. Retail giant, Nasty Gal, quickly responded to complaints saying that the model featured was, in fact, a UK dress size 8 and has a body mass index (BMI) of 18.8, a healthy weight range for her height. However, following the complaints, Nasty Gal immediately took the ads off the air. Nasty Gal follows in footsteps of several other fashion brands that have been forced off air this year with similar complaints.
Like what you see? For more industry insights and updates subscribe to our blog.
---
## The Weekly Round-Up: 31.08.18
Type: eps_post
URL: /the-weekly-round-up-31-08-18
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# The Weekly Round-Up: 31.08.18
In this week’s Round-Up we are discussing various tech giants battling gender balance, melanoma and rush hour traffic.
Beware, the Lioness
Ogilvy, Google, and Unstereotype Alliance have come together to create an app that helps create awareness about the female perspective in the advertising industry and, in short, help break through gender bias and dynamic. Using their creative prowess, and a selection of Google’s unrivalled instruments, the app, Lioness, features intuitive functions that bring alive the reality women are facing in the workplace, through augmented reality. Though its initial launch date was set to coincide with the Cannes Lion Festival in June, it will now be released sometime later this Autumn.
Source: Adweek
No de naturale
That’s the message the UK’s Advertising Standard Authority (ASA) is sending after banning a Facebook advert for natural contraception app, Natural Cycles, earlier this week. The app, which was conceived and created by Swedish nuclear physicist, Dr. Elina Berglund Scherwitzl, and her husband, Raoul Scherwitzl, uses a basal thermometer and built-in algorithm to determine when a woman is and isn’t fertile throughout the month. Since its launch in 2014, Natural Cycles has been a massive success. However, a recent complaint to the UK Watchdog could change all of that. Three women have recently come forward, saying that they were misled by the product. An investigation by the UK ASA supported the claim with phrases used in the ad, such as “highly accurate”, considered to be misleading.
Source: Natural Cycle
Get checked. Period.
Full stops are giving the full picture thanks to online media outlet, PopSugar, and branding agency, Doner. The two have come together with organisation, Melanoma Know More, to disrupt PopSugar readers’ regular viewing with interactive sentence ends. From the 30th of September, readers who scroll over full stops (or periods, as they are called in the states) in health and beauty articles will be provided with vital education on detecting melanoma and other skin abnormalities. With the goal of detection and providing information on when to seek screening, testing, and treatment, Doner are opening up their hearts - and technology - offering it to any brand or media company that wants to add it their full stops in order to help spread the message.
Source: Doner
In brands we trust
Transparency breeds trust. That’s according to the recent Social Media and the Evolution of Transparency report, released in the US earlier this week. The study, which surveyed 1,000 consumers, revealed that when it came down to fostering loyalty in consumers, transparency was the key. Though brands are always encouraged to be as transparent as possible, the big reveal was the extent to which consumers expected it. While it is fair that 81% of consumers say that businesses have a responsibility to be transparent on social, the surprise was that they set these standards higher than for politicians (79% ), friends (66%), or even themselves (71%).
Source: Inc.
Taking the long way round
With the taxi game all sewn up, Uber is looking to take on another chunk of the mobility market by introducing e-bikes and electrical scooters to its service. The idea, born from the inefficiency of taking a taxi during rush hour traffic, involved Uber acquiring the Japanese bike-sharing startup, Jump, earlier this year. So far these electrified bikes have been rolled out in a number of metropolitan cities across the US. Closer to home, Berlin is the first European city to add these alternative modes of transport to its Uber menu – watch this space for more.
Source: Getty Images
Like what you see? For more industry insights and updates subscribe to our blog.
---
## 3 Factors Critical to Customer Loyalty
Type: eps_post
URL: /3-factors-critical-customer-loyalty
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# 3 Factors Critical to Customer Loyalty
Cheap. Fast. Good. Pick Two. These words are on a 1950’s era sign at my local barbers. Every time I see the sign it makes me smile. Partially because this sign essentially describes my barber to a T, but also because I don’t want to pick just two. I want it all. That’s the thing about consumers; consumers will choose a brand to work with based on essentially three factors:
Value
Convenience
Experience
Whether they know it or not, consumers put all of the known factors into their heads and do a simple calculation that results in a psychologically prompted impulse – to buy or not to buy with you.
Make your customer feel special
This brings us to why consumers come back, and even more importantly, why consumers advocate for our brands to their friends. Of course, they will do it based on the three factors above; but they will enjoy doing it if they FEEL special. People love to feel special. That’s where the secret sauce comes in:
Gamification: Consumers are special because they achieved something
Personalisation: Consumers are special because we recognise them
Amazing Customer Experience: Consumers who receive extra special experience will return that favour in kind. They feel gratitude. An emotional bond. This is the best ingredient by far.
Create consumer confidence
In the absence of feeling special, consumers will continue to use a product or service because they have confidence from past experience. It’s easy. It’s a known entity. Done and done.
And companies that can deliver on these ingredients well, over and over, generate stickiness, customer advocacy, brand advocates, and most importantly – brand loyalty.
Find your competitive differentiator
These three values explain any competitive differentiation in the market place. It explains why Costco does so well even though their ecommerce and in-store experience is disconnected – they over deliver on value and service. It explains why business travellers are loyal to companies like Epsilon’s client Marriott, because they are recognised and get increasingly richer value the more they frequent Marriott properties.
Create your tailored Loyalty programme
To drive competitive differentiation and consumer preference, brands have to move the needle on the above factors. In my job, I see clients who ask questions like “should I add gamification to my programme?” or “should my programme be points or punch card?”. These are good questions but ones like the latter are just the tip of the iceberg. Absolutely we need to come up with a loyalty programme structure. But more importantly, we need to come up with a value proposition for consumers that is going to drive top line sales growth and share movement. This is a nuanced but incredibly important distinction. Winning is not going to be guaranteed solely by new marketing technology. Yes, the technology is a critical enabler. But it’s not a panacea. Marketers must solve the business and marketing outcomes that will drive brand preference among consumers.
At Epsilon, we bring together multiple disciplines to help clients solve for the right objectives and outcomes, across:
Loyalty programme design
Marketing and business strategy & insights
Process and workflow optimisation
Technology strategy and, separately, technology integration
Analytics, data, and measurement strategy
This way, similar to solving for a Rubik’s Cube, we help our clients bring together the right strategies and resources to create an entire solution – not just an off the shelf tool or loyalty programme.
At the end of the day, your customers, who are people that make emotional and rational decisions, will be thinking about value, convenience, and service when choosing to trial or be loyal to your brand. And your brand can only win by being better than everyone else.
My barber gets this by the way. He knows that I keep going back because I like him. Regardless of his humorous sign, the reality is that I don’t just ‘pick two’, but instead I get a consistently great experience that is fast, good, and cheap (enough for me) all in one, along with some other things. Not every business is as simple as a barber shop. For those of you looking to figure out how to deliver it all to your customers, we at Epsilon are here to help you.
Get in touch
Like what you see? For more industry insights and updates subscribe to our blog.
---
## The Weekly Round-Up: 24.08.18
Type: eps_post
URL: /the-weekly-round-up-24-08-18
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# The Weekly Round-Up: 24.08.18
In this week’s Round-Up we are discussing ill-advised logos, digital transformation, and the very public fallout of Elon Musk’s tweets.
Taste the transformation
Source: Coca Cola
It may be the real thing, but it looks like Coca-Cola is incorporating augmented reality into their latest brand strategy. This came to light earlier this week as the soft drink company shared plans for its digital transformation.
Speaking to a full house at the Adobe Symposium held in Singapore, the Vice President of Digital Transformation for Greater China and Korea, Mariano Bosaz, detailed the four-point digital change being implementing to the brand.
The four focal points of the transformation are as follows:
Experience transformation – to enhance the overall experience for customers.
Operational transformation – to use data and technology to improve internal process and speed to market.
Business transformation – to combat against outside elements such as competitors.
Cultural transformation – to further touch consumers’ hearts and minds.
The Coca-Cola Company has long been a pioneer in terms of both business and advertising so, FMCG or not, we are sure that many brands will be waiting to see what will come of this exciting transformation.
Time to evolve your ads
Source: Kantar Media
The verdict is in and it looks like long advertisements are out. That’s according to The Drum, who are taking a lengthy look at the time it takes for advertisers to engage consumers. While the latest trends are showing an increased affiliation with shorter, more ‘snackable’ content pieces – the road to snappy storytelling is not always smooth.
Head of Planning at BBH Singapore, Thomas Wagner, is apprehensive of the shorter form. He believes focusing on such a short piece of content could be a “missed opportunity for marketers who are looking for the kind of fame we know longer format ads can deliver.”
On the other hand, Adam Singolda, founder of content firm, Taboola, believes that though snackable content is the way forward, how we measure the engagement of that content must evolve too.
“Right now the metric is completion rates, but obviously six-second videos get completed more compared to 30-seconds. It doesn’t mean it’s better all the time though. That should be a work in progress for the industry, brands, publishers, and platforms.”
Burberry goes bold
Source: Burberry
Change isn’t easy for anybody, and multi-billion dollar British fashion houses are no exception to the rule. Earlier this month, under the newly appointed Chief Creative Officer, Riccardo Tisci, Burberry unveiled its brand new logo. The collaborative effort born from Tisci and renowned graphic designer, Peter Saville, has lost the knight, added a country, and reworked the typeface to a bolded Sans Serif.
If you think that this revamp sounds a bit boring, you are not alone. The new logo has been met with extremely mixed reviews, with ‘basic’ being among the descriptive words of choice.
But, aside from actual aesthetic opinion, the logo is coming into more issues. While Tisci and Saville may have hit the nail on the head when it comes to simplicity, it could be at the brand’s expense. Concerns have been raised that, in its simplicity, the logo has become much easier for bootleggers to imitate.
Globally, the sale of counterfeit handbags is already a multi-billion dollar industry; will Burberry’s bold new logo add even more fuel to that fire?
Bee the change
Source: Bermondsey Street Bees
As we embark on what could be the beginning of the extinction of many species of bees, the world finally starts to take notice. And, better still, action. Case in point, the latest campaign collaboration from Bermondsey Street Bees and creative agency, Imagination.
The aptly named #BeeCause presents itself as an immersive public installation in a London green space, aiming “to raise awareness of the vital role bees play in human survival and provoke action among Londoners to help save bees via planting.” This hexagon-shaped haven is filled with flora from local London suppliers. It will be used to host talks discussing the current urban bee issue and make plans on how to help solve it.
Twitter happy
Source: CNBC
Talk is cheap, but tweets, at least for Elon Musk, can cost a whole lot. That’s after the business magnate and Tesla CEO recently posted on the social platform that he is not only considering taking Tesla private but that he already has “funding secured” for the operation.
This statement, naturally, sent stock values into overdrive, with a 10% jump followed closely by a 5% drop. To what end? None it would seem. Since this very public announcement, the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has launched an investigation into Musk’s funding claim and it has come to light that there may not be any truth behind the CEO’s statement
So what’s in a tweet? Quite a lot, at least according to Harvey Pitt, the former Chairman of SEC – if Musk does not, in fact, have funding secured, he could face civil and criminal penalties.
Like what you see? For more industry insights and updates subscribe to our blog.
---
## The Weekly Round-Up: 10.08.18
Type: eps_post
URL: /the-weekly-round-up-10-08-18
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# The Weekly Round-Up: 10.08.18
Fries, freelance photographers, and the death of the fad diet – here’s what’s been happening in the world of marketing this week.
Kids’ meals just got a whole lot happier
Source: Gizmodo
Fast food joint, McDonald’s, has gotten the go-ahead from the British Advertising Standards Authority to continue to run their ads during children’s broadcasting, despite complaints from the public. Under U.K law, children cannot be targeted with adverts featuring products high in fat, sugar, and salt during their primetime Peppa Pig viewing. Having realigned their meals and their ads to feature more fruitful snacks and fewer cheeseburgers, McDonald’s remains on our children’s screens.
However, for breakfast favourite, Kellogg’s, it’s a different story. Despite the product itself not falling into the fatty-bracket, the recent Coco Pops’ ad for granola has been pushed out of our children’s view, with its focus on making “the milk go chocolatey” being perceived as a promotion of junk food.
Sex still sells
Source: Chatime
Sometimes you just have to go back to basics. That is exactly what Australian bubble tea brand, ChaTime, have done in their latest Out Of Home ad campaign that promotes their latest line of hot beverages.
“Blow Me, I’m a hot-tea” is the message being received by Australians from billboards and methods of public transport across the country. An age-old tactic to say the least, this tame display of smut is no big step forward for the world of advertising. However, head of marketing, Tim Paton, hopes it will be effective nonetheless.
“This campaign supports our efforts to increase awareness of Chatime as a fun and cheeky brand that wants to be noticed, increase awareness of our hot drinks category for winter, while elevating and supporting our ambitious growth plan to reach 200 locations across Australia by 2020.”
The people’s platform
Source: Instagram @natgeotravel
The secret to the world’s most engaged non-celebrity Instagram account? Give the power to the people. Or so says National Geographic who, rather than run the account of almost 90 million followers themselves, uses the talents of 140 freelance photographers.
This is all part of a plan by senior vice president of digital content and audience development, Jonathan Hunt, who has kept the 130-year-old brand out of the dark ages and, also, out of the darkroom. Hunt believes that “What you don’t want is this over-filtered Instagram experience. The magic of the Instagram channel is the fact that you have raw access to a photographer while they are in the field – in a baby elephant orphanage, climbing Mount Everest, or 20,000 feet below the surface of the ocean. It must be real-time and tell the story of what is happening at that very moment.”
The Oprah Effect
Source: POPSUGAR Australia
After years of slimming profits, Weight Watchers’ (WW) margins are beginning to balloon once more, as the Oprah Effect takes over. The Oprah Effect refers to businesses gaining or, in this case, regaining success once the billionaire media mogul associates herself with it. For Weight Watchers this meant acquiring over one million new members, and an increase of 20% in revenue, since Oprah bought 10% of the company and, more importantly, become a spokesperson for the diet cult. Though Oprah has since sold some of her stake, WW continues to grow, having swapped its focus from fad-diets to a more holistic, healthy lifestyle approach.
And the winner is...Data
Source: America Retail
GroupM may have won the client, but it seems the winner on the day has to be data. That’s at least according to chief marketing and customer officer of Mars, Andrew Clarke, who stated that when it came to re-pitching for their global media planning, the agency, owned by WPP, came out on top by proposing a custom operating model, which would allow Mars to put data "at the heart of its decision making."
Better still for the marketing and advertising giant, Clarke also added that,“this partnership will be a crucial accelerator in our ambition to be quicker, bolder and even more innovative when it comes to meeting our consumer needs. It brings thought leadership and actionable use of data and insights to meet our media needs."
Mars previously had a three-pronged approach to its media, using agencies GroupM, Publicis and Omnicom for its media needs.
Like what you see? For more industry insights and updates subscribe to our blog.
---
## The Weekly Round-Up: 03.08.18
Type: eps_post
URL: /weekly-round-up-03-08-18
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# The Weekly Round-Up: 03.08.18
An office that has ditched the digital and a hotel that doesn’t want you to stay – it’s all here in the Epsilon Weekly Round-Up.
Holiday-Makers Assemble
Source: Assembly London
When it comes to checking off that holiday bucket list, what’s your top three? Finding an authentic eatery? Check. Beers in that off-the-beaten-track bar? Most definitely. Staying all day cooped up in your hotel room? We don’t think so! And neither does the new hotel brand from Criterion Capital. From the mind of London branding agency, Ragged Edge, comes Assembly - a bespoke hotel that wants its visitors to ‘check in’, ‘then check out the city’. Located in London’s West End, Assembly works hard to stand out from the crowd of bland millennial-targeted hotels. This update in accommodation style offers a choice in room size ranging from ‘Snug’ to ‘Den’, giving guests the opportunity to do their living outside of the room.
The Real Price of Real Estate
Source: Amnesty International
As city construction scales, so does homelessness, corruption, and citizen abuse in China. Over the last 20 years, urban development has been at an all time high, resulting in millions of Chinese people losing their homes to luxury real estate.
Amnesty International has come together with Serviceplan Belgium, to draw attention to the crisis. The NGO and the agency have created a 3D architectural model city, with a twist, in order to show the damage being done to China and its citizens. The model, and the short video, is working to promote a petition supporting Ni Yulan, a human rights activist who is living and fighting these traumatic circumstances.
The Old Ways are the Best Ways
Source: Zdnet
Government workers of the Matanuska-Susitna Borough in Alaska have been forced back into the days of old this week following the infection of a vicious malware into their computer systems. Though they are slowly rebuilding their systems and recovering data files, in the meantime, the staff have had to dust off their typewriters and take a step back into the previous millenia in order to move forward with their workload.
NASA, A Social Media Star
Source: Instagram @Nasa
Sitting on stars, NASA is taking its social presence to a whole other planet, with their expansive new media plan. In a bid to connect and engage their public with even more intergalactic goodies, they have reinvented how they create video - and where they are publishing it. What’s more, they are doing it all organically. As a government body, NASA cannot use taxpayers dollars to promote and push their content on social. This would seem like a fairly adverse challenge to any brand, but with some Instagram videos reaching up to one million views, the space station doesn’t have too much to worry about.
Print is Dead
Source: W Mag
Or, if it isn’t, there are definitely a lot of signs out there saying that it might be on its last legs. Sources have revealed to the New York Post that Condé Nast is selling what was once considered some of its most beloved publications. This includes fashion go-to – W Magazine and wedding bible – Brides, which has been owned by the publisher for almost 60 of its 80 years of existence. While Condé Nast still holds onto print giants like Vogue, Vanity Fair, The New Yorker and GQ, by putting these two legacy magazines out for shop, is the publisher forecasting even harder times ahead for print?
Like what you see? For more industry insights and updates subscribe to our blog.
---
## The future of video is nigh: Can shoppable video bring brands closer to their audiences?
Type: eps_post
URL: /shoppable-video-brands-audience
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# The future of video is nigh: Can shoppable video bring brands closer to their audiences?
The growth of video consumption is staggering. Digital video viewership worldwide has been increasing steadily since 2013, and it’s expected to constitute more than 80% of all internet traffic by 2020. While this means great things for lovers of cat videos it also means exciting things for brands and their customers.
Taking notice of the growing trend, brands see how video can help them tell stories and ultimately create deeper connections with their audience. As a result, more and more brands are incorporating the medium into their marketing strategy.
Which seems to be a pretty smart move as, after just a small taste of video content from brands, the stats are showing that 85% want to see more video from brands in 2018.
To keep up with this demand there is increased pressure on brands to produce engaging, innovative, and valuable content. Audiences now live in the age of assistance, where many things are just a voice command away. Customer expectations are on the rise and in order to get their buy-in, simple, static marketing messages will just not do.
Brands need to start thinking about how they can go the extra mile for their audience – enter shoppable video. The supposed next step in online shopping, this latest content trend is working to create a seamless progression from inspiration to purchase.
What is Shoppable video?
It pretty much does what it says on the tin, i.e. it’s video content featuring products or services with embedded links, that allows viewers to purchase those products instantly, without leaving the video.
It’s a huge opportunity for brands as it enables them to replicate, for the customer, the experience of visiting their website, without ever having to leave their social platform.
Ultimately, shoppable video reduces the friction between marketing and purchase. It creates a seamless path to purchase, by allowing viewers to interact with video while adding items to their cart. Shoppable video fully integrates products into the storytelling process, without taking away the consumer’s content experience.
Image source: WIREWAX
The future is now
Although shoppable video may sound like the future, forward-thinking brands are already adopting this form of content and weaving it into their marketing strategy.
A successful early adopter of shoppable video is the luxury high street label, Ted Baker. Before they launched their Christmas campaign in 2015, they turned to WIREWAX for help to drive sales from their website.
WIREWAX introduced them to shoppable video and the results were spectacular. Within the first week of the campaign, on average, users spent one minute interacting with the video, and, in consequence, sent $75,000 worth of sales directly to their site. Overall, this led to 4 times more interaction and engagement.
Content with benefits
The goal of any marketing material is to create desire and drive action. With shoppable video, brands can create the immediate desire to purchase, and then satisfy that desire with a "shop-as-you-watch" experience. Shoppable content also brings many other benefits for online retailers such as:
Simplifying buying funnel
When content becomes shoppable it removes the numerous steps to purchase, making the entire process carefree for the customer. Their requirement is to click on the item, add it to a shopping cart and continue engaging with your content.
Increasing consumer engagement
Shoppers constantly seek out informative and engaging video content, and those who watch it in pre-purchase stages are 1.81 times more likely to make a purchase than non-viewers. Also, 9% of marketers across the globe agree that videos have the best ROI.
Improved conversion rates
On average, shoppable content can increase the click-through rate by 16%. As mentioned above, early adopters have experienced increased sales from using the medium. Ted Baker reported that shoppers were 3 times more likely to buy with shoppable video integrated into their communications.
This is only the beginning
Shoppable video is not just for e-commerce either. Already it can be seen slowly creeping into other areas of video-marketing too. As the technology continues to evolve, new possibilities for marketers arise, and with the rise of personalisation and AI, there are hopes of bringing this "shop-as-you-watch" experience to TV shows and live coverage.
Content will continue to become increasingly personalised. From the delivery to the actual products included in the video, AI will help advertisers to deliver content that appeals directly to their viewer’s desires.
The future is bright for video, and the next step in video marketing is here. It has been quite a while since the e-commerce experience has had such a change, and it looks like shoppable video will be the first step towards something totally new.
So the only question now is – when will you add shoppable video to your marketing strategy?
Like what you see? For more industry insights and updates subscribe to our blog.
---
## Why machine learning is an innovative way to improve your customer loyalty
Type: eps_post
URL: /machine-learning-improve-customer-loyalty
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Why machine learning is an innovative way to improve your customer loyalty
Although it may sound like something out of a sci-fi novel, machine learning is very much a reality in the digital realm.
While its relevance to marketing is wide-ranging and evolving, one clear benefit of the technological development is as a powerful tool to help drive customer loyalty.
Machine learning is an application of artificial intelligence (AI) that gives systems the ability to automatically learn and improve from experience, without being specifically programmed to do so.
It allows marketers to collect and process massive amounts of data and act in real-time to create a personalised and engaging experience, and to provide relevant offers to customers. Machine learning can be a powerful and innovative tool to help you drive customer relationships and optimise your loyalty programmes.
Fight against fraud
The last thing anyone wants is to get scammed while in the process of going about their daily business. However, with intuitive systems in place, the chances of a fraudster getting through the virtual door can be drastically reduced.
At Epsilon, we have had more than our fair share of experience with handling fraudsters and finding the right protocols to keep them at bay. One of our solutions allows you to set-up configurable, action-based scoring rules to evaluate the risk of loyalty redemption fraud in real-time. And if a high-risk redemption order is identified, it will be suspended for review before it has a chance to do any nasty business.
Our fraud detection capability also provides you with the reporting you need to monitor and analyse orders by risk status and to make modifications to your scoring algorithms as patterns of fraud evolve.
Trust us, it’s easier than it sounds.
Let machines do the spadework
With our VAP (Value Attrition Potential) solution, we use an advanced statistical model to segment a customer base. It determines how valuable customers are, how likely they are to leave, and what kind of potential they have in the future.
With machine learning, marketers can automate the collection of data and get much more detailed segmentation. This means our data scientists spend time evaluating outcomes and creating strategies, not compiling data and processing it.
The implications of this are pretty massive. You can benefit from deeper insight,s delivered faster, with the machines doing the heavy lifting. Customer scores are created and delivered as profile attributes to the platform, before strategies are then created to determine how best to engage with customers.
Build your developments on a loyal foundation
Different brands are at different stages when it comes to implementing the latest technological developments. Each brand should develop a strategy about how to best deploy machine learning in a way that will work for their individual marketing objectives and to optimise their marketing performance and efficiency.
Evaluate your current technology infrastructure to see if it can support machine learning, and how. You can then use your loyalty programme as the foundation of your developing AI initiatives.
---
## More than half of high-income consumers are not brand loyal – can better CX get them back on side?
Type: eps_post
URL: /consumers-brand-loyalty-better-cx
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# More than half of high-income consumers are not brand loyal – can better CX get them back on side?
In recent years, customer loyalty has become increasingly elusive. A recent YouGov survey shows 56% of high-income consumers feel less loyal to brands now than they previously did. This means that businesses must work harder and smarter to make sure their efforts are effective at both retaining customers – and acquiring new ones.
Whether your brand has a formal programme or not, you can foster loyalty by nailing down the fundamentals of great customer experience (CX).
Here are six proven ways to step up your loyalty game:
1. Listen
It may sound glaringly obvious but the simple act of listening is the first step in optimising your customers’ experience. Using social listening platforms, and actively collecting customer feedback through surveys or contact forms, will provide you with invaluable insights to help you close gaps and remedy pain points in your CX offering.
2. Test and learn
For underperforming emails, pages, posts or banners, develop a test-and-learn plan to discover what customers respond positively to. When asked by a financial services client for help with a poorly performing rewards programme, Epsilon identified specific email campaign types that were under-performing. We then proposed a detailed test-and-learn strategy to create powerful, evidence-based data about what worked for the client’s rewards programme. When it comes to optimising your external communications, never underestimate the importance of test-and-learn. Using this straightforward strategy you can find a way to boost underperforming communications in no time.
3. Get personal
In the YouGov survey, 62% of high-income consumers said that feeling like they had a personal relationship with a brand was a factor in loyalty, while a recent Hello World study found that 77% of customers believe loyalty programmes should have personalised rewards. Become acquainted with your customers by using intuitive recommendations, relevant banners and native ads to help them feel more known, understood and appreciated.
4. Make them feel good
Share the love and thank your customers for their loyalty with feel-good messaging and promotions. Research shows millennials respond extremely well to surprise-and-delight promotions, so why not try out some special offers on those all important VIP customers. A thank-you note campaign is also a great way to strengthen affinity and increase personability.
5 Focus on full life-cycle
Nurture your relationships with customers by adding life-cycle messaging to your regular marketing campaign. Think about where your customers are in their life-cycle. What support do they need at any given moment? What are their pain points or issues? Develop key customer personas to get to the bottom of these questions and implement specific touches that will help to remedy them.
6 Celebrate good times
Help your customers feel appreciated by celebrating moments like birthdays, holidays and customer anniversaries. Aside from helping you stack up brownie points with your audience, communication like this also gives you more opportunities to engage in a meaningful way.
Stay up to date
Our business is full of future thinkers who see what others don't. To ensure your customers are getting the best possible online experience and keep coming back for more, subscribe to our blog today.
---
## Epsilon Named a Leader for Email Marketing Services
Type: eps_post
URL: /epsilon-named-a-leader-for-email-marketing-services
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Epsilon Named a Leader for Email Marketing Services
Epsilon™, a global leader in creating connections between people and brands, today announced that it was named a Leader in the June 2018 report “The Forrester Wave™: Email Marketing Service Providers, Q2 2018” by Forrester Research, Inc., which evaluated Epsilon’s Agility Harmony® digital messaging platform.
The report stated, “Epsilon demonstrates an unmatched balance of strong technology and professional services. Advanced marketers looking beyond purely promotional email will like its dedicated ‘agility keying’ module to identify users, enhance profiles using Epsilon’s data resources and then consolidate profiles across platforms.”
“Epsilon demonstrates an unmatched balance of strong technology and professional services."
“We are pleased to be recognized by Forrester as a leader in the evaluation,” said Oded Benyo, President, Email Practice at Epsilon. “CMOs require solutions that can simplify the complex, are flexible and can deliver real-time personal conversations through machine learning with customers in the moments that matter most. We believe the current offering and roadmap we have in place for Agility Harmony, backed by our rich services expertise, not only positions us as a leader today but enables us to continue to deliver on our vision for email as a personalized, performance-driven channel that eliminates marketing spend waste and drives return on marketing investment for our clients.”
Epsilon received the top score in the current offering category, which assessed product and services offerings, focusing on key differentiators within campaign management, dynamic content, analysis and reporting, collaboration, integration, corporate governance, security and artificial intelligence capabilities.
In the report, Forrester cited Epsilon as one of just two vendors that proactively represent a philosophy and exercises their capabilities to use email marketing for market research, branding, or profile-building purposes.
Epsilon received the highest scores possible in the corporate vision and development roadmap criteria within the strategy category, which evaluated the experience each management team has had working together, how articulate and plausible vendor visions were against demonstrated and planned capabilities, as well as employee and customer retention.
“The Forrester Wave™: Email Marketing Service Providers, Q2 2018”.
Forrester Research’s evaluation included a review of the eight most significant email marketing service providers across 26 criteria focused on email marketing fundamentals as well as capabilities that would help marketers advance their email marketing applications.
---
## GDPR and Epsilon: Data Protection Efforts Will Remain at the Forefront
Type: eps_post
URL: /gdpr-data-protection-efforts
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# GDPR and Epsilon: Data Protection Efforts Will Remain at the Forefront
The General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) will go into enforcement on May 25, 2018. At Epsilon, May 25th is not the end date of compliance efforts, it is simply one marker in our overall compliance work. Data protection in general remains at the forefront of Epsilon’s operations.
The five major pieces Epsilon is implementing to ensure privacy and security remain key areas of focus are:
1) Privacy Steward Role
Each of Epsilon’s customized solutions and major platforms, such as Agility Harmony and Agility Loyalty, will have a Privacy Steward. Each individual is tasked with highlighting changes to the platform or individual client accounts that could be impacted by GDPR. For instance, if a new contractor is hired to analyze or support a brand client’s personal data, the Privacy Steward would be involved not only in selection of the vendor but also ensuring privacy-related protocol is followed throughout the contractual obligation. They are also charged with ensuring that vendors go through our existing due diligence process.
Through specialized trainings for Privacy Stewards, these individuals can spot any potential compliance issues and flag it with the GDPR team for further review of privacy, legal or security issues.
2) Annual data inventory/data mapping review
Epsilon will conduct a review of data inventory and maps on a yearly basis with the technology, business, security and privacy teams to ensure GDPR compliance.
3) Privacy and Security by Design
The privacy and security teams will continue to be brought into initial discussions and reviews of new products and services (before their launch) to ensure GDPR compliance. The Chief Privacy Officer will continue to sit in on major discussions on service changes or updates.
4) Continuing to innovate and integrate
Epsilon will continue to review and enhance its compliance program, with a goal of having privacy and security considerations weaved into every part of the business. This may mean creating innovative ways to be more transparent with its data collection and use. Deep knowledge of GDPR requirements and processes in all parts the organization will provide a more seamless, simplified approach to client operations.
5) Global informational roadshow
The GDPR cross-functional team will also be rolling out an internal roadshow across the United States and Europe starting in late May 2018. This series will ensure associates in all functions – from client services to solution architects to project delivery – understand Epsilon’s responsibilities under GDPR and have the proper tools, contacts and information regarding privacy and security considerations going forward. While GDPR has understandably resulted in some disruption for current clients due to new requirements, Epsilon wants to be prepared and knowledgeable for future clients, ensuring as little inconsistency as possible. The roadshow will allow internal associates to ask questions, understand how to speak to consumers and clients about GDPR and ingrain the correct processes through every part of operations.
Data protection principles are one of the most important pieces of Epsilon’s business. Epsilon’s business teams, engineers and associates will all play a part in compliance, recognizing that data protection and security is a collective responsibility. By ensuring that GDPR requirements are operationalized, there will be a consistent approach and response for clients and consumers going forward.
---
## The Evolution of Loyalty: Why Your Brand Needs A Strategy, Not A Programme
Type: eps_post
URL: /loyalty-strategy-evolution
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# The Evolution of Loyalty: Why Your Brand Needs A Strategy, Not A Programme
Loyalty has evolved – and so should the manner in which brands think about it.
No longer is it just about a programme of stamps, or a one-off event; it's now about creating an ecosystem where customers actively feel a sense of loyalty to your brand.
This evolution comes from a sea-change in today's customers – they have completely transformed their expectations of the brands they do business with. As your customers continue to change, can you afford not to do the same?
Today’s consumers expect a relationship with the brands they frequent. This means that they want a brand to “know them”, and to personalise the experience. They want immediacy, with real-time offers and instant communication. They want to share good experiences on social media and feel empowered because they have numerous brand choices.
On top of this, they are “always-on”, with immediate access to information and brand shopping tools.
Why do you need a loyalty strategy?
The challenge in this environment is not only meeting all of those demands but making sure that loyalty is rewarding enough to justify the hurdles or time involved from the customers' point of view.
Many brands do this by simply offering people a reward when they shop a certain number of times – a free coffee, or a discount. While these are not, in and of themselves, bad or a waste of time, they cannot be the only strand of a strategy.
A loyalty strategy is important because, according to Harvard Business School professor Gerald Zaltman, 95% of all purchasing decisions take place unconsciously and emotions are leveraged to drive that decision.
On top of this, Epsilon's own research, carried out with the DMA in 2017, has found that 55% of customers tend to use the same brands, shops, and sites without looking for alternatives, and 66% tend to stick to what they know for convenience shopping. However, just 43% are not receiving any form of gift, and would like to see that change.
That shows that the proposition of loyalty has shifted and it is vital to keep up.
The new meaning of 'loyalty'
Loyalty is no longer just about the brand. It is not about the points, the discounts or rewards. It is not about a one-size-fits-all customer approach or just one campaign.
Loyalty is now about a strategy that connects consumers to brands, across every interaction and touch-point with the brand – all delivered with rapidity. It is about a holistic, 360-degree view of the customer. It is about the consumer’s inherent relationship with the brand.
To marry the programme and the strategy, it is crucial to mix the rational value (“I got my money’s worth”) with the emotional value (“This company values my custom”).
This can best be done by adding the hard benefits – economic and tangible rewards, such as discounts or competition entries – to the soft benefits such as status, appreciation, access, targeted rewards or experiences.
For example, our client Dell offers rewards customers discounts, exclusive offers or free shipping in exchange for a signup which further allows for communication. This combines the very tangible benefits - monetary or services - with a feeling of appreciation, of "being part of the club" that many consumers enjoy.
Likewise, another client Dunkin' Donuts runs its DD Perks program through a mobile app. This allows customers who sign up to order on the go, making the experience feel exclusive and rewarding. The app also includes free beverages upon signup and on the user's birthday, further adding a layer of soft benefit to the program.
The La Quinta hotel group also uses a mobile app to run its Returns program. The app allows customers login with their fingerprint and gives them access to features other customers don't have. These include notices when your room is ready, free nights using points and the ability to hold rooms instantly.
Bringing Walgreen's proposition to life
For example, as part of our work in the US, we delivered a 6.7% increase in sales for the pharmacy chain Walgreens by introducing the next-generation Agility Loyalty programme.
Tying into the brand’s wider positioning as a supporter of healthy living, we not only tied in online and offline purchases, but we also incorporated activity uploads from wearable fitness tech such as Fitbit. The result was an enrolment of more than 100 million customers, and a 6.7% increase in sales for the brand, along with a basket size increase of 4.7%.
More importantly, though, we see 100,000 reward redemptions per day; the sign of a scheme that has truly engaged its base.
The idea of brand loyalty as a concept has changed. It is now about a mixture of economic and mental rewards. It’s time for brands to recognise that – and to act.
---
## A Missed Opportunity: Why Brands Are Failing To Make The Most Of A Data Goldmine That's Right Under Their Noses
Type: eps_post
URL: /targeting-customers-loyalty
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# A Missed Opportunity: Why Brands Are Failing To Make The Most Of A Data Goldmine That's Right Under Their Noses
Overcoming the culture of "the way things are done"
How well is your business tracking and targeting customers?
The obvious answer is 'as well as we possibly can be', right? Well, it's what you'd say in front of your boss at the very least. But answering honestly, many would answer that they either aren't exploiting data to its ultimate potential – or that they don't know how.
Sure, even the most basic websites nowadays are using some form of analytics to get basic measurements about who is using their site and how – daily active users, session times, unique page visits – and the implementation of these analytics tools is simple.
And for more sophisticated setups – small to medium ecommerce sites, for example – there are more advanced metrics to watch, such as conversion rates, bounce rates and session value. So we can figure out that sales went from x to y last month, and based on this we can make decisions about what products we should promote, what areas we should serve and how to target current customers.
But we all know that, right? And if we all know it, then our competitors do as well – so what’s going to give us that killer edge? As these tools have increasingly become the norm, how people use them has become somewhat stagnant and in some cases even counterproductive.
A more advanced approach to analytics will query why sales went up, what if they continue to go up, how far can they go, what will happen next, and what should an organisation do?
What's holding us back?
With the technology available at our fingertips these days, it’s incredible that widespread, comprehensive adoption of these more advanced methods isn’t commonplace. Businesses have the potential to gain richer insights into what is really driving their customers, but they're simply not doing it. So that leads to a fairly obvious question: why?
We find that the barriers can be technological, psychological or cultural – both on an individual and organisational level.
In some companies, there may not be a sufficient level of expertise to delve beyond the first layer of stats. The obstacle of knowing what to look for and how to use the data that's mined is a pretty big one for many organisations to overcome.
Some businesses, infamously, have a culture of "that's just the way things are". In these cases, the current success or failure of the brand is considered to be outside the sphere of control of its own processes. And so they continue to do what has always been done regardless of whether it can work in the long-term, or whether it has even worked in the first place.
Other companies suffer from a more difficult problem to solve: they have the wrong mindset. Generally this can be summed up as short-termism, where the day-to-day operations become so overwhelming that implementing big, chunky change is too much to bear – but it can be down to any combination of other factors, often overlapping with the two mentioned above.
It goes without saying that businesses stuck in these ruts will struggle to go ahead. So what can be done to break the cycle?
The 'coiled spring' effect
To answer that, we need to look first at what forces a change.
Sometimes, the change comes from within – accessibility of the technology, more widespread comprehension, younger generations moving into positions of increasing power. Other times, its origins lie outside the organisation, such as economic shifts forcing a re-evaluation of working methods.
And more often than not, in companies that have suffered from some degree of stagnancy, both can trigger the ‘coiled spring’ effect – a large change in a short period, brought about by a sudden realisation that it's time to catch up.
Ask yourself: what triggers could see widespread change in my business? Do I need to recruit additional expertise to shake things up, or contract an agency with experience in transforming digital practices? Will demonstrating the early green shoots of success re-engage a team that's been stuck on a hamster wheel? Do these triggers need to be held back until some point in the future... or is it a matter of acting now, or being left behind?
Once this spark has been lit, huge benefits can be reaped in surprisingly quickly – to say nothing of the medium- and long-term effects, which could mean the difference between success and failure as a business.
Invest in more advanced layers of analytics – with greater targeting and understanding of your customers, a more refined knowledge of how and why people interact with your company and, most importantly, a greater insight into what you are doing wrong – will pay off.
In most industries, due to the widespread failure to adapt that we've witnessed and discussed, it's not too late to get ahead of the game and avoid playing catch-up. Acting now, and bringing in the expertise you need to demonstrate the potential effects of this advanced data-led approach, will help you retain that advantage.
As more and more companies hire people who are more knowledgeable about the full scope of analytics, their use will become the norm – and checking daily page views, email opens and conversion rates simply won't cut the mustard any more.
You can either act or react. The choice is yours.
---
## The Two Types Of Customer Loyalty – And Why Stamps On A Card Will Never Be Enough On Their Own
Type: eps_post
URL: /two-types-of-customer-loyalty
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# The Two Types Of Customer Loyalty – And Why Stamps On A Card Will Never Be Enough On Their Own
When we think of loyalty to brands, our minds can quickly turn to those little cards we get stamped when you buy a burrito or a latte.
But what Loyalty marketers do – that is, Loyalty with a Capital L – is different. And it’s important that marketers think beyond the card when it comes to creating this type of Loyalty.
This is quite different to rewarding customers who are regular users of your brand; that's important, but really it's no more than the low-hanging fruit. This is about creating an environment that fosters passion, trust and emotional connection between consumers and your brand. These are the factors that motivate consumers to continue their purchases once they've already converted, and move through the customer lifecycle with you.
Committed
While digital platforms change how we think about and address these concepts, one Irish brand is repeatedly top of customer service surveys. The Irish League of Credit Unions has been the top Irish brand for three years according to research carried out by The CX Company – and, according to its head of marketing Emmett Oliver, it is because of a “steadfast commitment to personalised customer care”.
According to the annual report, which is treated as something of a benchmark in the field, credit unions scored highly in “integrity, empathy and for their highly committed staff”.
As Oliver added, credit unions are able to commend Big-L Loyalty because they are able to tailor their customer experience.
“Credit unions offer a good deal of flexibility to provide services that are tailored to the individual needs of members," he said. "Our members have rewarded us with their loyalty and because of this, credit unions have grown and strengthened to become cornerstones of the communities that they serve.”
But experience will count for little if not accompanied by another key factor: trust.
The unique differentiator
Supermarket giant Lidl has gained huge trust in Ireland, growing to become RepTrak’s fifth-ranked brand in 2017. And the formula for developing this trust has been remarkably simple: a predictable and no-frills customer experience. In short, consumers trust that when they shop in the store, they will get products at the cheapest price that Lidl can offer.
Each and every brand needs to find what their niche is, and their unique differentiator to establish brand loyalty.
This means connecting loyalty programs (Little-L) to the overall brand experience (Big-L). When we think of both together, the pizza powerhouse Domino’s comes to mind. The Domino’s brand, as a whole, reflects trust, convenience: speedy service, late night hours, multiple options, affordability and so on.
This is then followed through upon with a Little-L rewards program that offers transactional rewards for its members – often in the form of free pizza, but also with experiential rewards (like stock options) to encourage Big-L Loyalty.
So, what are you driving at? Loyalty, loyalty or both? Do you want customers to just come back or do you want them to connect with your brand on a much deeper level?
What creates the stickiness between you and your customer? Do you have a brand value that people trust? That people react to?
Ask yourself these questions, and you might just find your customers becoming more and more Loyal.
---
## Why brand experience matters for QSRs
Type: eps_post
URL: /brand-experience-qsr
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Why brand experience matters for QSRs
There’s been a lot of recent press about quick service restaurants (QSRs) and the advancements in technology that are attributed to well performing loyalty programs. As we learned through an online study of 400 millennials conducted by Epsilon, QSR customers crave convenience. The ability to pre-order is the primary driver of increased visits in addition to the speed in which the food is prepared and available. Mobile ordering continues to gain traction along with the desire to be rewarded for patronage and loyalty.
But to truly engender loyalty in the always-aware environment, QSR marketers need to pause and think about what their brand means to their customers. It goes beyond providing convenience and a reasonably priced meal. QSR brands and their establishments offer an environment in which memories are shared, business obligations are fulfilled and opportunities to create deeper emotional connections with consumers are created.
These experiential aspects of a brand will help make emotional and relevant connections with customers. Take Dunkin’ Donuts for example. Dunkin’ cultivates connections. Some customers create father/son memories while getting donuts after church, while others leverage Dunkin’ establishments as a friendly place to ‘do business over coffee.’ Some Dunkin’ Donuts have even built glass enclosed ‘meeting rooms’ to provide a quiet environment for business professionals to meet, and offer a change of pace from home offices.’ It’s about understanding the needs of your customers and fulfilling on these needs. It’s also about understanding how to connect with them on an emotional level.
To connect emotionally your brand needs to tell a story. And the story needs to be relevant to your customers. For example, look at some of the marketing tactics Dominos has leveraged to engage their millennial target audience. Dominos’ ‘order with a text, a pizza emoji’ reflects the creative and fun aspect of the Dominos brand. By speaking the customer’s language, Dominio’s is not only connecting with their most loyal customers but they’re creating convenience and making it easier for customers to interact with their brand.
Captivated and engaged customers provide an opportunity to acquire new loyalty program members. Consumers spend 46% more with restaurants who have loyalty programs and mobile is an effective channel for increasing your members. 73% of consumers are more likely to join loyalty programs if points and rewards are automatically updated and visible on mobile loyalty cards.
So marketers need to think about their brand experience and the key elements that create this relevant, unique experience. Understanding how technology enables the experience is essential. Tabletop tablets are on the rise not just because of their potential to increase sales, they’ve resulted in an increased number of loyalty membership sign-ups and a higher percentage of completed satisfaction surveys. Additionally, 8 in 10 consumers agree that restaurant technology enhances convenience.
Incorporating technology into the brand experience helps to make connections with consumers. Growing an emotional connection with customers is driving 30-100% gains in customer value, and is the key input to accelerating revenue profitability. So, as a loyalty marketer, think about your platform and services in tandem. It’s the services, bundled with the sleek and innovative technology that will allow for you to rise above the competition.
---
## The case for slow(er) brand strategy
Type: eps_post
URL: /brand-strategy
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# The case for slow(er) brand strategy
It started with the news cycle. In the early 90s.
What was once a drip feed of information was radically altered by the arrival of TV. The era of the 24-hour news cycle arrived, and real-time coverage, opinion, and reportage fused instantaneously to deliver an intoxicating mix of infotainment.
Today, we live in always-on times, where the news hunts us down, rather than us finding it. The metabolism of media is set at the speed of culture and its velocity these days can be disorientating for brands and people alike.
Neuroscientists are seeing our brains light up when our device lights up as our biochemistry has been rewired to react to the slightest social stimulus.
Arguably, we’ve moved from being users of technology to being locked in symbiosis with it: we’re devoted to our devices, each one is a little dopamine dispenser.
ARE BRANDS MOVING TOO FAST?
But as P&G recently announced in scaling back its investment in paid-digital, the pace and range of digital don't always translate to growth. Indeed, a lot of snake oil has been sold over the last decade regarding the transformative power of digital. Brands find themselves at an interesting juncture – their customers’ lives are increasingly mediated by digital experiences, but digital advertising continues to under deliver and underwhelm.
Perhaps brand-owners are just as hooked on the same reactive dopamine hit that digitally gives – I mean, they’re people too, right.
This writer has said it already (see the August issue of IMJ), what many consider brand strategy is actually a combination of a continuous line of tactics, reacting to the culture rather than taking a stake in shaping a ‘long narrative’ for a brand or business.
Brand strategy has become reactive, it’s defined by ‘pop-up’ thinking, driven by social metric chasing approaches. This is important but we shouldn’t confuse it with brand strategy. The uncomfortable truth is that being ‘always-on’ doesn’t equate to being relevant. And that’s the trap for many strategists and planners, in the hunt for the immediate impact we sacrifice long-term growth.
SHIFTING GEARS AND CHANGING DIRECTION
What’s the solution to this short-termism loop that we seem to be stuck in?
It starts at the start, funnily enough. The fundamental question is not ‘Why are we here?’ but ‘Where are we headed’?
Brands and agencies have to separate the thinking from the doing. Too many insights aren’t really all that insightful, they are observations of behaviour that can be parlayed into short-term propositions rather than a deep emotional understanding of the motivation that shapes brand position and value exchange.
Too many strategies aren’t really all that strategic. They live and die against a content calendar or a campaign plan, and as I’ve said before, this isn’t the way forward for strategy.
And finally, too many ideas are big (in the sense that they are trumpeted and invested in at scale by brands), but they are not broad enough to carry the weight of expectation and experience beyond themselves.
Solutions are often counter-intuitive such as to create more meaningful creative we need more data, or to get more data conversely we need more creativity to unlock opt-ins and trigger behaviour. These paradoxes are only increasing.
For brands obsessed with the pace of change the solution to hacking growth is too slow down.
To think evolution rather than revolution.
To hit CRTL-ALT-DEL.
To take the time to ask the big existential questions.
To really understand where a brand wants to go to rather than how fast it should travel.
Pick up this month’s issue of IMJ to read more of James’ thoughts on the state of planning and brand strategy.
---
## Navigating the inbox – the value of a welcome series
Type: eps_post
URL: /navigating-the-inbox-welcome
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Navigating the inbox – the value of a welcome series
New relationships are exciting. It is a time when you get to know someone and they get to know you. You learn about each other and determine how symbiotic the relationship can be, which takes time. So why is it that more than 90% of brands are sending only one welcome message? Capitalising on the welcome messaging opportunities, at a time when the subscriber is highly engaged, is one of the continued, big misses by brands with their email programs today.
Here are some things to consider when evaluating the welcome experience for your customers:
Are you saying Thank You?
Subscribers to an email program are often times some of your best customers, but with the average consumer receiving 122 messages from brands on a daily basis, it is clear they have choices when sharing their email address. So when they do share it with you, it is important to show some gratitude and say thank you.
Is your first welcome message sent immediately?
We live in a world of “right now,” where we are all a little impatient and expect immediate gratification. But is that gratification met by sending welcome messages in batch at the end of the day (or even worse, the week)? Absolutely not. When a gesture is made an immediate show of gratitude is proper manners in any situation, and your email program is no different. If you are not triggering your email program at the point of subscription, you need to be.
Are you cramming all your content in one, complicated message?
Some programs and brands are more complicated than others, but everyone has the opportunity to set the customer relationship up for success, over time. Your email subscriber already knows your brand, but what can you share that they don’t know. Education is the key to a long-term, lucrative relationship, but don’t try to do it in one message. All that content can be overwhelming and, quite frankly, ignored. So don’t throw everything in a single email communication, leverage a series to educate (and engage) over time.
Are you applying what you know?
New subscribers are sometimes a blank canvas. You don’t know much about them at the point of the initial welcome message, but it is important that you apply what you are learning to your welcome series at each touch. Understanding the circumstance surrounding subscription can tell you a lot about your new subscriber and how they interact with each of your messages in the series can tell you even more. For example, did subscription occur via purchase, as a request for more information or through sweepstakes? Each of these scenarios tells you something about the likelihood of continued engagement with your brand and what value propositions you should consider sharing. Each touch allows you to learn something more about your subscriber; reflect that in your next conversation.
Have you set proper expectations?
Your welcome series is a great place to share with the customer your intentions. Each touch of the welcome series should include some element of what the customer can expect from you moving forward. This can mean a lot of things, but at a minimum, you should be establishing what the customer will be receiving from you, how often and when.
Are you really listening?
It is important to hear your customers, not just via surveys or customer service centres, but hearing their engagement with your brand via your email program is frequently an overlooked source of information. Every open (or not), every click (or not) and every purchase (or not) tell you something about your customer. Be sure to listen to those signals and apply what you heard to your next response in this dialogue. It tells customers you are invested in this relationship and you care about what they are implicitly saying (or not saying).
Did you just send another offer?
Not every relationship is discount driven, but by sending an offer in exchange for your email sets an expectation that a discount is your value proposition. Instead, consider leveraging offers to reward behaviour – not for every subscriber – but for those that engage with your email series, share information in progressive profiling over time or upgrade their relationship in some way as a result. The key is that not everyone should get rewarded and the reward shouldn’t be expected – sometimes it isn’t even necessary at all. Think about how you are using offers in your welcome series today – and then reconsider. Are you really driving the behaviour you desire?
There are a lot of moving pieces to a welcome series, requiring a lot of planning, consideration and preparation. All that effort is worth it, especially if it means getting your relationship off the ground the right way.
To learn more check out our infographic:
---
## Controlled explosions: How to get your marketing data back under control
Type: eps_post
URL: /marketing-data-under-control
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Controlled explosions: How to get your marketing data back under control
There are many misconceptions about what Big Data is and how it can be used. The intuitive definition of Big Data is the volume. It is more than that, it is volume, velocity and variety.
How can you manage such fast moving, high-demand and inconsistent data? You need a technology team working with the marketing team working with the analytics team. Together they will not only define the ‘how’ [to capture and store the data], but also the ‘what’ [define the reports, dashboard, business needs] and the ‘why’ [the analytics and insights].
In the end, having data, big or small, is of no use if you don’t leverage it in a way that is meaningful. Right now you have more information at your fingertips than ever before. But many brands remain data rich yet insight poor because they don’t put in the ground work to use their data effectively.
Here’s how:
Make a map.
The first step is to figure out where all your data is. A helpful first exercise to begin your transformation journey is to map out what your ecosystem looks like, using a diagram like this to show the relationships between the different platforms:
Only gather what you’ll use.
You need to start to prune back your data gathering efforts to include only what is essential to enhance your relationship with the customer.
Once you know all the data you have in your ecosystem, it’s time to have an honest evaluation of how much use it is to your brand. Stop collecting anything you’re not going to use (fax numbers?!). And that’s as in you don’t have a set plan to use, not “we might, some day”. It’s one less pool of data for you to manage, it makes your customer forms simpler and it’ll free up space/capacity for other new and exciting things in your tech stack.
Liberate your data. Break the silos.
Then you endeavour to bring it all together, either using new technology or connectors between legacy systems to form one master record for each individual who has a relationship with your organisation. The goal of the exercise is connecting information about interactions across different channels and different areas of the business into one complete user picture. We call this the Single Customer View. This opens up the potential for smarter, more effective data-driven marketing to roll out from.
When you break down data silos and barriers between legacy systems, you open up the potential to create a truly customer-centric approach to marketing, where all brand interactions with a particular customer can be aligned, synchronised and personalised to that individual, with marketing programs responding to customer data in real time and adjusting the customer experience accordingly.
Ready for action?
You might not be able to change the data direction of a massive organisation overnight, but you can make those first crucial steps. Get your free copy of the Epsilon Essential Guide to Marketing Data to see what you need to do and how to do it.
---
## Great Things Come in Pairs - Filming Two TV Ads in One Day
Type: eps_post
URL: /great-things-come-in-pairs-tv-ads
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Great Things Come in Pairs - Filming Two TV Ads in One Day
Some of the best things in life come in twos – fish & chips, gin & tonic, and great advertising ideas.
As an advertising agency there is a small handful of things that get people truly excited, and working on a TV ad is one of them (alongside pitches and free food of course). Naturally when our client PrePayPower approached us about creating a new TV ad we attacked the brief with gusto, which led to us creating not just the ad that was briefed, but a second concept which complemented it perfectly.
While filming a TV ad isn’t new to us, filming two in a day certainly was - but a patient client and military-like planning meant that on a sunny morning in March we filmed one which was set in a family kitchen in springtime, then a second in the afternoon/evening which was set in the autumn. This allowed us to create a mini campaign which gave our idea added longevity, and by shooting both ads on the same day we were able to offer better value for our client.
The main focus of the ads we created was to showcase the prepay Power's smartphone app. They had to show the app in action without it feeling like an outright tutorial, make it friendly without being patronising, and ensure it was funny without being twee. That’s when the idea of the everyday fail was born.
Everyone can relate to the experience of trying to recreate an internet tutorial and having it not go to plan. In the first ad this takes the form of a Mum and daughter trying to bake a complicated hedgehog cake. We used this notion of how so many things promise to be easy but really aren’t, and juxtaposed this with the app which is as easy as it claims – a theme that carries into our second ad which is set to hit screens later in the year.
Each ad posed unique challenges – with one on air in the spring, and the other set to go live in the autumn we needed to utilise one setting but create two very disparate ads. The first was shot in a bright and airy kitchen which worked perfectly with the tone of the ad. Natural lighting and a bright colour palette for wardrobe and set dressing were used to create the feeling of a warm spring day, while ambient spring time sounds added in post reinforced the idea. For our second ad we switched to a night time setting with autumnal colours on the set and in costumes to differentiate the two.
The result was two ads which look like they could have been filmed months apart, all made possible by very careful planning which meant that any potential pitfalls or setbacks were dealt with before we ever arrived on set. Take a look below at the first of these ads, and be sure to keep an eye out later in the year for part two.
---
## Claim your pocket in the digital wallet
Type: eps_post
URL: /digital-wallet
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Claim your pocket in the digital wallet
Digital wallet technology has been around for a while, with leaders Apple Wallet and Android Pay leading the adoption from a consumer perspective. So, why are brand suddenly starting to refocus on them now? The answer comes in the evolution of what a digital wallet is and does.
One thing that originally held this idea back was the one-dimensionality of the digital wallet, i.e. that first generation wallets focussed only on payment and not on what else was in the wallet.
Where the real win is for brands is the “other stuff” that can be found in a wallet, primarily loyalty cards and coupons. The latest versions of the digital wallet act more like a life PA, not only storing loyalty and coupon information but reminding you to use them when they detect your proximity to the store or your coupon’s upcoming expiration.
What does this mean for your brand?
You need to identify the real estate currently claimed by your brand in the physical wallet of your consumers, and then be able to replicate or improve that experience in the digital version.
You also need to look for new opportunities offered by the digital wallet, elements that you couldn’t exploit when your space in the real world wallet was limited to a static piece of plastic or paper.
Widespread adoption is still challenging because retailers have been relatively slow to bring their in-store technology in line with what’s on people’s phones. But this is changing and you need to get ahead of the curve if you don’t want your competitors to be already sitting pretty in your niche’s “pocket” by the time you get on terms with the technology.
Soon, all brands will be able to abandon plastic loyalty cards and paper coupons in favour of a more customer friendly and marketing effective delivery via the digital wallet. Indeed many already have and are seeing an increase in store visits and customers’ spend as a result.
Here’s how the adoption breaks down right now:
According to a June 2016 report (Urban Airship), 67 percent of millennials have used mobile wallets in the last three months, compared to 51 percent of respondents who are 35 to 54 years old.
Sixty-three percent of respondents with household incomes greater than $60,000 have used mobile wallets in the same period, compared to 39 percent with household incomes below $60,000.
While a slight majority of respondents are interested in using mobile payments (23 percent having already used them), nearly three-quarters of consumers will use mobile payments if loyalty rewards and offers are automatically applied.
This is definitely an idea that’s come of age, so if you haven’t yet figured out how your brand can best interact with the second generation digital wallets that are gaining ground right now, it’s time to table a meeting to discuss it.
Want to learn more? Get your free guide to Marketing Strategy & Insight here.
---
## 3 killer moves that’ll put you ahead in the Internet of Things
Type: eps_post
URL: /3-moves-internet-of-things
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# 3 killer moves that’ll put you ahead in the Internet of Things
The Internet of Things became a trending buzz word a couple of years back, with everyone very excited about the possibilities for a hyper-connected world. Exhibitions sprung up featuring futuristic looking gadgets that enabled the user to turn on their lights or heating from their phone, whilst still in their car park at work. But it’s only really in the last year or so that the scope and adoption of this smart technology has reached a level of maturity where it can actually be seriously useful to most marketers.
In this article, we reveal 3 killer moves that will allow your brand to catch the wave of the Internet of Things and continue to stay ahead of it.
1. Figure out your universe of interactions
So, before you can begin to take advantage of the marketing opportunities offered by The Internet of Things, you need first to be able to navigate it. And to do this you need a map. You may find it easier to start with a generic list of all the potential data and interaction points you can think of, starting with the conventional phone/tablet end of the spectrum and branching out to coffee machines and printers etc.
Once you have your list, you can assess which of those points might yield potentially useful information that you can use to help market your brand. This then builds into your map of your brand’s specific interaction and data ecosystem.
2. Develop a strategy to access, manage & use the data & interaction points you need
Once you know where your sources of potentially useful data and interaction are, you need a plan for how to deal with them. In some instances, it will be evolving yours or your partners’ products to have the connectivity in the first place. In others, it might be developing new partner relationships to access the data or interaction point your brand needs. Or it may be as simple as updating your permissions and privacy policy.
As well as having access to the information or interaction you wish to target, you need a physical means of handling the resulting data and a solid strategy for how this new facet of your relationship with your customer will work.
3. Design a process for keeping pace with rapid change
Entering The Internet of Things presents a two-edged sword that is the necessity to keep pace with the constantly evolving nature of this thing that is in its infancy. Before you even begin to think about tapping into it, you need to have evolved a process that will enable you to constantly adapt to the myriad changes and evolutions that will no doubt appear even within the first year of your involvement with it.
This doesn’t need to be anything complex, perhaps a small team of nominated subject matter experts who have their noses in all the right tech blogs anyway, who can meet monthly and assess the changes and possible opportunities presented by the latest version of your ecosystem. You just need to make sure this team has a leader and clout with the right stakeholders so their recommendations are actioned promptly.
There are loads more things you can do with this tech trend and others that we identify in our Epsilon Essentials Guide to Marketing Technology.
Get your free copy today and find out everything you really need to know to help your brand succeed.
---
## Epsilon named a leader in Forrester’s evaluation of email marketing providers
Type: eps_post
URL: /epsilon-leader-forresters-email-marketing
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Epsilon named a leader in Forrester’s evaluation of email marketing providers
Epsilon Agility Harmony – our full service digital email marketing platform – was recently given the highest score possible in Forrester’s WaveTM report on Email Marketing Service Providers. Forrester Research are one of the most respected independent research firms in the world, and we’re honoured that they ranked our solution so high in their evaluations.
Agility Harmony received the top score in a number of categories in their report, including technology, campaign operations, flexibility, strategy and creative services. These results show that Epsilon is indeed the right choice to make when it comes to choosing an email marketing service provider, for today, tomorrow and the years to come.
If you’re interested in improving your email marketing success, or aren’t satisfied with your current solution, then it’s time to consider Agility Harmony. Find out why Forrester consider us an industry leader today.
Read the full report here.
---
## Inbound marketing in 5 simple steps
Type: eps_post
URL: /inbound-marketing-simple-steps
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Inbound marketing in 5 simple steps
Traditional outbound marketing is starting to lose its appeal for many consumers. Still, many marketers strategise about finding new leads and prospects, scouring outside lists and third party data for a new audience. But in order to reach today’s consumers it takes something more, which has led to a rise in the popularity of inbound marketing.
Inbound marketing allows you to communicate with warm leads rather than relying on cold calling and mailing, allowing you to connect with prospective customers through the channels that most appeal to them, with Search Engine Optimisation (SEO) blogs, webinars, video, podcasts and social media adding new layers to an inbound marketing campaign.
To run an effective inbound marketing campaign, consider the following steps.
Create a plan. Make time to decide the goals and objectives of your inbound marketing campaign, and ensure they’re measurable. Remember, preparation is key.
Create engaging content. I would recommend setting up a Digital Asset Management or Content Management System to tag and better organise your content.
Optimise your SEO. Take time to choose the best and most effective keywords for your online campaign to ensure you are paying for the keywords that best drive traffic.
Place your campaign. As you launch your campaign you will need to decide where it should live online, whether it’s guest blogs, YouTube videos, social media etc.
Measure your campaign. An effective analytic measurement program will help you to tweak your inbound marketing campaign for the current campaign, while the learnings will help inform future ones.
Prevent inbound marketing missteps
With any effective inbound marketing campaign, it’s important to ensure that the customer experience is engaging when prospective customers view your owned media. Quality content is vital to this. Understand how someone has found your media will help you to customise the landing page and ensure the viewer sees a relevant call-to-action. After all, this may be the first experience they will have with your brand. Call out specific products or features that are relevant to the customer. Offer more information or ask them for more information to help you make their experience on your page more meaningful and relevant.
Done well, inbound marketing can deliver a more personalised experience, but you must deliver on people’s expectations for it to be effective. Testing will help you to measure your progress and your success. Test different creative and landing pages to see which is the most effective, and study your customer’s path to better understand their experience on your site. This will tell you what led them to purchase, or what led them to abandon altogether. It will also help you better understand what helped you acquire your most valuable customers.
Ask yourself what you hope to gain from testing. Does SEO lead to one-off customers? Does blogging create long-term customers? Do people respond better when we give them information or ask for information? Accurate testing will give you the answers to any questions you have and help to ensure future success, and uncover what works for your brand.
All this ensures that inbound marketing is the complete package. It has the power to engage new customers and drive them to your brand, once you’re ready to deliver on the experience they expect and they deserve.
---
## The rise of Big Data - Mad Men or Math Men?
Type: eps_post
URL: /the-rise-of-big-data
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# The rise of Big Data - Mad Men or Math Men?
While the focus was traditionally on creative, we are now witnessing a dramatic switch to a focus on the numbers. The Mad Men of agencies past have become ‘Math’s Men’. The term ‘Math’s Men’ is a term used frequently, and whoever first used the term has hit the nail on the head.
Having recently finished watching ‘Mad Men’ (a bit late I know), those simpler times in advertising very much appealed to me. As someone who works in a 21st century agency, there is a lot to be said for a technology free office. Give me a ‘Mad Men’ office everyday of the week.
No staring at computer screens all day, printers jamming, or reading hundreds of emails, more fresh air, more client contact, more communication with the creative teams. It might have take longer to get the creative work out, but you know when that work goes out, it was scrutinised, re-worked over and over till it was as close to perfection.
With the advent of computers, the internet, and smartphones, creativity has suffered. Creativity is the heartbeat, soul and lifeblood of the business. Unique, original ideas are hard to come by these days. A YouTube link for inspiration here, a funny tweet gone viral there. The creativity is undoubtedly still there, just maybe not as fluid, with more T&C’s attached.
We live in a saturated world, where technology is king within advertising. The creativity and storytelling that is often associated with advertising and marketing are no longer the only skills needed to succeed in the business—and ironically, there’s enough data to prove it. We are now in an age where big campaign ideas can start with either great data or a great idea.
As Epsilon’s Executive Creative Director Mark Fiddes mentioned, data is key for brand communication to be effective.
“The biggest challenge to our industry right now is relevance. For brand communication to be effective, you need big data insights. Only then does the synergy between content creation and traditional advertising become possible. This is where you’ll find today’s breakthrough thinking.
Those long whiskey client lunches are a thing of the past, replaced by a cocktail of data insights, digital marketing, focus groups and research. The problem for the Don Draper’s of this world, is that advertising and marketing is now measurable. The big idea now needs a significant return on investment for the client.
However, it’s is important to remember that advertising will always be a human activity, a blend of creativity and gut instinct. Creativity will always be the driving factor of this business, but big data is here stay, and creativity will have to live with it. If Don Draper was to walk into a 21st century ad agency, he might be surprised to find data calling the shots…
---
## Two heads are better than one in brand work
Type: eps_post
URL: /two-heads-are-better-than-one-in-brand-work
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Two heads are better than one in brand work
Getting the opportunity to work on a project from start to finish is one of the most satisfying aspects of my job working in the creative studio of a marketing agency, particularly when it involves working with a new brand or developing an existing one. However, due to the nature of the game, this isn't always possible. Picking up a project that has already been worked on by another Art Director creates unique challenges, but it can also be extremely rewarding.
I was recently asked to work on the Immrama project, which another of our Art Directors – Shane O’Driscoll - had already begun. In his spare time, Shane is an artist who frequently pops back to his hometown of Cork to screen print pure, exuberant planes, cut through with snippets of his own photography. He has an eye for colour, let’s just say.
By the time I took over the project he had already worked with Epsilon’s studio artist John Donohoe to create two Immrama posters, one featuring Lismore castle and the other featuring a drawing of speaker Fergal Keane. He’d created a distinctive style of montaged photography layered up with John’s elegant sketches, then went over it again with swashes of paint. There was a map of the area in the background, a whirl of sky, Lismore’s famous castle, a typewriter, and a compass.
Work by Shane O'Driscoll & John Donoghue
Work by Shane O'Driscoll & John Donoghue
Shane had created a place that made me want to pack my bags and run off to immediately, which is exactly what a travel writer’s festival should arouse. As for the colours: beige (Pantone ref: Very Expensive Paint Named After Protected Species’ Indeterminate Body Part beige), cerulean blue, muted greens and earth tones, and finally a few sweeps of orange and black. I sharpened a pencil, laid out Shane’s work on my desk, and sat brooding for a day (and a half).
My brief was to create a microsite for the Transition Year Student Competition that was in-keeping with the style and brand Shane had created. It seemed the best idea after several scrunched up ideas was to work with the map background and introduce the red pins students would be familiar with from Google Maps. Illustrated the right way the pins would look like the nib of a pen.
Once that kernel of an idea was there, I introduced a young girl’s face into the red of the pen nib and went a little further with the destinations than Lismore. Venice, Greece, Berlin, and Dublin of course, became a big collage sketched up again by John. That illustration was then coloured and layered and cropped into little abstract pictures to illustrate each student’s entry.
Work by Fiona Hanley
When picking up a project, it’s always a challenge to ensure that the original Art Director’s style is carried through the project while introducing just the right amount of your own and keeping it all on-brand. But as the Immrama posters and site show, some projects benefit from everyone’s different strengths and talents.
Work by John Donoghue
---
## Is sponsorship in sports marketing in need of a health check
Type: eps_post
URL: /sports-sponsorship
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Is sponsorship in sports marketing in need of a health check
In 2015 City A.M., a London based newspaper, featured a piece on sports sponsorships during the FIFA World Cup. The article delved into the prudency of brands agreeing to official sponsorship. It suggests that such was the level of saturation World Cup focused content that people were struggling to identify which brand was an official sponsor, and which wasn’t.
Social media in particular was highlighted as one of the potential causes. The ease in which social channels allow users and marketers to push out and share content means brands “piggybacking” on the FIFA World Cup hype could essentially circumvent official channels. But is this a deathblow for sponsorship marketing? According to the author of the article, while the pressure is palpable, it’s unlikely official sponsorship is about to disappear.
There’s no doubt that brands that are savvy in the online space have more opportunity now to associate themselves unofficially with events. But there is still a strong ROI to be had for brands willing to fork out for an official sponsorship. Over the last twenty years Heineken’s rugby sponsorship outlay sits on their balance sheet at a princely $138 million. That’s a lot, right? Sure, but the 2011 Rugby World Cup had a combined audience of over 4 billion viewers, and the 2015 event attracted 2.6 million fans to the live games. When you consider up to 50% of Heineken’s beer sales volumes are sold in the twenty participating countries – it’s starting to look like money well spent.
On the flipside, Pepsi had the greatest brand awareness of any sponsor among US consumers during the 2014 FIFA World Cup. Some achievement. One caveat – Pepsi weren’t a sponsor. Yet their football related marketing ensured they were highly visible throughout the event. Despite Pepsi’s high profile, official partners Coca-Cola didn’t see any negative impact. In fact 66% of UK and US consumers were able to identify Coke as the official partner in the GlobalWebIndex research. The take away being that both approaches can be effective depending on the desired outcome.
At this point it’s worth mentioning the misconception that opting out of official sponsorship in favour of other channels saves money. This is not always the case as the money is spent elsewhere and often takes the form of a huge investment in individual athlete sponsorship. And to generate huge exposure without a partnership agreement requires an intense level of marketing activity to take place. Take Nike, a brand that is renowned for nailing their marketing around large sporting events without actually partnering with them. Footballers with the appeal of Cristiano Ronaldo don’t come cheap. Similarly at $25 million per year over a 10 year contract, Rory McIlroy is a serious investment in golfing market for the brand. Brands also need to factor in an athlete’s performance and public profile. It’s worth noting that when McIllroy’s form slipped just after signing with Nike, some commentators cited his clubs as an issue.
That’s why becoming an official partner is a far less risky strategy. With that in mind, Nike’s partnership with the NFL guarantees their famous swoosh logo will be front and centre on the leagues standout teams and star players this year. Adidas reaped the benefits of a similar situation in the 2014 FIFA World Cup through sponsoring the tournament, winning team and captain. Suffice to say they saw a marked increased in revenues post-tournament from the diversification of their sponsorship.
But it’s not just traditional sports brands that can benefit. Land Rover can bank on a lot of attention from their association with last year’s Rugby World Cup. Lawrence Dallaglio, one of the game’s most decorated players and now a respected pundit is also one of their brand ambassadors. Their stature in the eyes of rugby fans is further cemented by the brands affiliation with British and Irish Lions, and their sponsorship of Wasps, one of England’s most successful rugby clubs.
However, it’s enough to simply sponsor an event or athlete and watch returns roll in. For brands to get the most of their sponsorships they need to be able to integrate them with their overall marketing strategy. The 2012 ad campaign from US insurance company State Farm featuring Chris Paul and his fictional brother Cliff is a great example. They set up a Cliff Paul Twitter account and gained 33,000 followers placing the band at the centre of the conversation amongst their target audience.
It’s worth remembering that in heat of the event, even the most meticulously planned, strategy savvy sponsorship campaigns can be usurped by sheer opportunism. When the lights went out at Super Bowl 47 Oreos tweeted a darkened image of a cookie with the line ‘You can still dunk in the dark’. It was retweeted over 15,000 times and got 20,000 likes when it was posted on Facebook. 300,000 results show up on Google when you search for “Super Bowl 47 Oreos”. From a cost to exposure ratio this has to be one of the greatest in history. It should, however, be viewed in the vein of a short-term impact akin to a one-off Super Bowl ad.
For long-term benefits, especially brand affinity, direct association is still the way to go. You only have to look at Heineken, who sponsored the European Rugby Champions Cup, which was called the Heineken Cup before regulation of alcohol and sports. This put Heineken’s name on a tournament that was broadcast into the millions of homes of one of its biggest markets for years.
So, what do brands pay for the privilege of being an official partner of a large event, and is the cost putting pressure on the practice of sports sponsorship? The short answer is not as much as you’d think relatively speaking, and not really.
FIFA charged 20 companies $1.4 billion to sponsor the 2014 World Cup. Compared to 2010, that’s only a 10% increase. 20 billion dollars is what brands forked out to be sponsor professional sporting leagues in the US in 2013. It’s not loose change but keep in mind that figure represents 30% of what brands spent on TV advertising and 50% of what they spent on digital.
Relatively speaking, sports marketing is still alive and kicking and delivering significant returns for brands.
---
## How to realise better outcomes from marketing technology investments
Type: eps_post
URL: /marketing-technology
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# How to realise better outcomes from marketing technology investments
The almost unlimited potential of today’s marketing technology sometimes leads to unpredictable behaviour between consumers and brands. Brands use this technology to deliver the best consumer experience possible, and to achieve better business results. However this experience can’t be delivered through technology alone.
In fact, a combination of data, creativity and content is required in order to make the most of modern marketing technology and the experiences it can offer customers. This theme will be at the centre of the upcoming Adobe Summit, where Epsilon will be Gold Sponsors. At the event marketing leaders will discuss how this combination can help create and deliver the best consumer experiences possible.
Modern marketing technology is capable of improving our marketing efforts in a variety of ways. However, it’s clear from today’s digital customer journey that these efforts require a solid foundation of data if they are to succeed. After all, data brings our digital channels to life and is behind the truly personalised experiences we want to give our customers.
The most successful marketing uses consumer engagement data to create new business opportunities. Businesses can use this data to access audience intelligence, better target their email communications, target media buys, and increase ad revenue.
If you peel back the curtain on the efforts behind some of the world’s leading brands in customer experience you will find data to be the core of marketing-decision making. For example, the NFL understands that highly engaged fans are at the center of their successful sports league. Driving and leveraging that engagement creates business opportunities for fantasy leagues, premium content and high-value ad targeting. To drive these opportunities the NFL leverages data that provides audience intelligence, activation to target email communications and target media buys and increase ad revenue.
Data provides us with a solid foundation, but you also need to consider the customer journey if you want to deliver results. In order to achieve this you can use a combination of customer insights and compelling content to build brand engagement and develop the personalised experiences you’ve been after.
By combining data and content we can deliver more engaging experiences than ever and realise the full potential of modern marketing technology. But you must also be able to generate revenue from your marketing strategy and digital content, deploy it across a range of devices and measure the results.
Learn how Epsilon can help you implement and integrate your Adobe investment by attending our session with GM Financial at the Adobe Summit EMEA, May 11-12. Attendees will learn how to make the most of the Adobe Marketing Cloud suite while aligning their internal organisation and prioritising business objectives. Hear first-hand how GM Financial journeyed down the path to transform its digital experience.
---
## How your brand can unlock a world of valuable consumer data.
Type: eps_post
URL: /valuable-consumer-data
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# How your brand can unlock a world of valuable consumer data.
Last Saturday was Nike Air Max Day (yeh I didn’t know that was a thing either but for fans of the brand this is a pretty big deal). Some of our cooler creative types decided to mark the occasion by showcasing their customised pairs of runners. They’re pretty cool, so I decided to give them a wider audience; and it got me thinking about customisation, personalisation and their impact on the marketing world.
As consumers, we place huge value on personalised communications and customised products.
According to the Future Foundation, 30% of us have customised a product after purchasing it. And this trend is growing. Millennials in particular expect to be able to tailor pretty much anything to their specific preferences. Born into a digital world where everything they touch has settings and options to adjust, customising and personalising their world is part of their DNA.
Even in older generations, there is a growing expectation that brands will provide the opportunity to impose a sense of individuality or self on what is essentially a group or tribe experience of product ownership and brand engagement. Where brands are able to accommodate this strange duality, they create huge value for the consumer.
And it is this value that opens up the potential for data generation and sharing.
Whether it's the value of truly personal, relevant communications or the opportunity to customise a product and have it bear a stamp representative of your unique self, it will usually provide a key with which to unlock a world of consumer data.
Consumers are often prepared to compromise their otherwise fiercely guarded privacy for the value of personalisation or customisation. Whereas any bald request for information would be met with resistance and oh so vocal online criticism of the brand, information shared in order to create valuable personalised or customised aspects to the brand experience are usually given willingly, voluntarily.
The caveat here is brand trust.
In order to engage with your brand in creating value through personalisation or customisation, the consumer must first have an adequate degree of trust in your brand. Some of this will obviously be garnered based on reputation and the individual’s personal brand experience, but there are ways that you can reassure and influence trust, as well as making sure you’re doing everything to maintain and build it in the long term:
Permission: The consumer must feel in control of how your brand uses the information they share with you. If they feel they are being taken advantage of or that you are overstepping the mark it will erode brand trust incredibly quickly. So, if I told you my hair colour because I wanted my free hair clip to complement it, that doesn’t mean I’ll automatically be open to an inbox full of “personalised” hair dye emails. Assuming and guessing (wrongly) based on people's preferences can often cause more damage that just blanket bombing your whole database.
Privacy: When a consumer enters a relationship with your brand and agrees to exchange data for value, they (should) have clear expectations as to how you will use the information they supply and they won’t take kindly to you sharing it with anyone, no matter what you put in the legal small print. Consumers expect your brand to be as fierce a protector of their privacy as they are and the value of them trusting your brand enough to share data with you will always far outweigh the value of sharing that information with others.
Management: Once you’ve begun the exchange of data for personalisation, you have to be able to deliver on it and maintain that level of impeccable relevance throughout the whole lifetime of your relationship with that consumer. And that means seriously smart CRM systems, a dedicated programme to maintain and enhance the data you hold and a responsible programme of governance for its use. Not too much then!
So, I’ve given you the keys, it's up to you to decide what custom paint job works for your brand. But tread cautiously and never ignore the “Stop” sign!
---
## 6 Direct Mail Stats That Can’t Be Ignored
Type: eps_post
URL: /6-direct-mail-stats
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# 6 Direct Mail Stats That Can’t Be Ignored
Direct mail marketers have spent the past few years defending the channel. While sceptics and media alike proclaim the marketing medium is dead, direct mail continues to be widely used and produces notable ROI.
Many naysayers don’t realise how direct mail has evolved. In a recent Target Marketing Magazine article I explained how offline technologies have advanced to engage target audiences through data-driven personalisation; very similar to how email and other online capabilities have progressed.
Variable data printing, for example, utilises triggers based on consumer data to determine messaging and creative assets, ensuring relevancy on an individualised level. Combine variable data printing with expedited delivery services and you have a viable and timely marketing channel.
If you’re still not convinced of direct mail’s sustainability, below are six stats that can’t be ignored.
73% of U.S. consumers and 67% of Canadian consumers said they prefer direct mail for brand communications because they can read the information at their convenience. Additionally, 62% of Americans and 63% of Canadians said they enjoy checking the mailbox for postal mail – Epsilon’s 2012 Channel Preference Study
In over 80% of homes the person in the household responsible for collecting and sorting mail will collect the mail at their first opportunity. And, once the mail is brought into the home, 80% will sort the mail immediately while 18% will sort it later that day – USPS 2012 Mail Moment Study
59% of U.S. respondents and 65% of Canadian respondents agreed with the following statement, “I enjoy getting postal mail from brands about new products” – Epsilon’s 2012 Channel Preference Study
48% of the UK population responded to a direct mail piece they received in the past year – Central Mailing Services 2013 Direct Mail Statistics
80% of marketers surveyed plan to invest in direct mail in 2013. 28% reported increases in their direct mail budgets – Target Marketing Magazine’s Media Usage Forecast 2013
U.S. advertisers spend $167 per person on direct mail to earn $2,095 worth of goods sold; a 1,300% return – Print Drives Commerce 2013
So, next time you read a headline claiming direct mail is dead, don’t be fooled. Direct mail is still a vital part of the marketing mix that helps brands produce brand and business equity.
Learn more about how we can help you with direct mail marketing or contact us
---
## 4 tips to infuse your catalogue with experience and innovation
Type: eps_post
URL: /catalogue-innovation
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# 4 tips to infuse your catalogue with experience and innovation
Print is the question: “To be or not to be?” Answer: To be
Within the world of marketing that we operate in it’s interesting how the fundamental concepts remain the same, regardless of the digital transformation that we’re experiencing. Yes, the digital aspect of marketing is fundamental to your programme strategy; however, it cannot be viewed as a replacement tactic. It should complement the traditional channels we’ve used since the onset of marketing.
Print is not outdated, it’s simply been updated. It’s been modernised to remain competitive with today’s trends. While the size and scope of the catalogue has changed with the shift from 700+ page “big books” to specialty catalogues by product line, the objective of catalogues remains constant: to provide a leisurely experience for consumers to enjoy while shopping in the comfort of their own home. And for marketers, it’s to increase sales. And it’s working. Within the catalogue landscape, consumers crave print.
When developing your catalogue marketing strategy consider these tips, to infuse your catalogue with experience and innovation:
Embrace the digital component: Like digital shouldn’t be a replacement tactic for print, don’t just think print either. Integrate the digital aspect of marketing within your catalogue strategy. Think about ways in which you can digitise your catalogue to take the in-home viewing experience online. Consider developing an online flip book. Whether a consumer is viewing your brand’s catalogue in print or online, you want them to deliver similar experiences and provide an opportunity for your customers to have that “a-ha” moment.
Develop creative features outside-of-the-box: Visuals tell a story. They create emotion. Develop creative elements that make your brand stand out and create memorable experiences. Think about 3-D images to include. Mirror the design of your catalogue to match the layout of the in-store experience. Pottery Barn does an excellent job executing this showrooming strategy. For example, when in Pottery Barn, you feel as if you’re viewing their catalogue. As you walk through the store, you see all of the front-page items towards the beginning of the store. Consistency is key.
Target to consumers’ preferences: The insights data provides are unstoppable. Leverage your data assets to understand your customers’ behaviours. Get to know their likes and dislikes. This knowledge enables targeted content to influence purchase decisions. Remember, content first, channel second. Additionally, conduct modelling to glean deeper insights about current and prospective customers. It takes your marketing up a notch.
It’s a conversation: Think of your catalogue as a conversation with your consumers. It’s not the “The End” of your story, but instead, it opens the dialogue for communication with your customers leaving them wanting to learn more. For example, insert an enticing offer into your catalogue for consumers to connect with you. “The first 100 consumers to text ‘I love this catalogue’ will receive a 20% coupon off your entire purchase valid until the end of the month.”
The opportunities are endless. Catalogue marketing has proven results. Download our ebook, Create an emotional bond with consumers, one catalogue at a time to learn more.
---
## Why knowing your luxury customers is a necessity
Type: eps_post
URL: /knowing-your-luxury-customers
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Why knowing your luxury customers is a necessity
Luxury brands lose half of their top customers every year, according to new research from Epsilon and The Luxury Institute: “The New Face of Luxury: Breaking Down the Myths and Stereotypes of the Luxury Shopper.” Why? Because they routinely misidentify the demographic and economic profile of their customers while also failing to create a personalised sales experience for them.
Luxury brands mistakenly believe their customers are typically female and on average 45-years old with a net-worth over $1 million, the study found. However, 57.5% of luxury spenders are, in fact, male. They are likely to be of Asian and Middle-Eastern descent with a net worth over $500,000. Additionally, nearly 13.8% of shoppers with a net worth over $1 million invest mostly in modern, contemporary décor and gifts as opposed to high-ticket apparel items. It is crucial for luxury brands to understand their customers to effectively market and advertise to them.
What is luxury?
Before effectively marketing and advertising to the luxe shopper, brands need to understand what these consumers are looking for in a luxe shopping experience. According to wealthy consumers, luxury is defined by three elements:
73% believe superior quality is the most important attribute
54% consider a brand’s design the most important quality
47% say it’s customer service
To the consumer, the brand is the luxury experience. According to American Express and The Harrison Group, luxury customers prefer stores that are elegant. They want to feel an experience of purchasing that is as pleasant as owning a luxury item. They tend to value close relationships with select sales associates. These customers believe it is worth it to pay more for items that are the very best quality and they value exclusivity.
The four faces of the luxury shopper
Still, not all luxury buyers are alike. The study found there are four shoppers who buy luxury retail goods:
Aspirational Shopper
The Aspirational Shopper desires to own pieces from a brand, but does not have the means to do so on a regular basis. This customer shops mostly from outlets or online members-only discount boutiques such as Rue La La, HauteLook, ideeli etc, or purchases low-ticket, designer brand items such as cosmetics.
Moments of Wealth
The Moments of Wealth shopper may save for a specific piece, like a handbag, from a particular luxury brand, but does not purchase from the brand frequently. This shopper tends to make one-off purchases over a long span of time.
Dressed for the Part
This shopper purchases luxury items to give off the appearance of being someone who lives a luxury lifestyle, however, the Dressed for the Part shopper does not have the financial resources to be a frequent luxury buyer. This fashionista shopper devotes most of their spend to fashion, accessories or a car rather than an expensive home.
True Luxe
The True Luxe shopper has the means to purchase luxury items at will without concern for finances. This shopper purchases from luxury retailers frequently throughout the year.
Luxury brands tend to be plagued by customers who only make one purchase. Therefore, it’s vital for you to arm your brand with valuable insights to understand which type of luxury shopper persona these one-time purchasers belong to. This is the only way for you to know what offer these shoppers are most likely to respond to, focusing on the best opportunities and the customers that are actively spending in the luxury realm.
For more information on how to identify your True Luxe shoppers and tactics you can use to reach these consumers download The New Face of Luxury report today.
---
## Customer-Centricity: Fast-Tracking Digital Transformation in Retail
Type: eps_post
URL: /customer-centricity-fast-tracking-digital-transformation-in-retail
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T22:17:52Z
# Customer-Centricity: Fast-Tracking Digital Transformation in Retail
Alongside everything else that’s happened in 2020, the demand for digital transformation in retail has been fast-tracked. Key to this digital transformation is the need for retailers to be customer-centric in everything they do.
Emerging from rapidly shifting consumer demands during 2020, retailers have long recognised the need to become more customer-centric. Digitally native competitors to long-standing retailers - unencumbered by the cost of a legacy portfolio of physical retail sites - have emerged and grown their business at the expense of the incumbents over the past decade.
Yet until now, it has been a gradual shift.
Events during 2020 - in particular national and local-level lockdowns right around the world, accompanied by what is emerging to be the hardest hitting recession for a century - has compounded the need for retail to digitally transform around their customers.
Following the lead of truly digital-first brands - the likes of Gymshark, Deliveroo, AO.com, and Ocado - retailers are now questioning how well they truly know their customers, outside of their physical, brick and mortar comfort zones.
These questions centre around four key areas.
This article and video are an adaptation from Ben Foulkes' on-demand video on customer-centric marketing. Watch the full on-demand video for insightful, actionable takeaways learnt from today's truly customer-centric businesses.
Watch the full on-demand video
Getting your data in order
A brand’s level of consumer-understanding is not only linked to the data they have access to, but how structured and available that data is to use. Ensuring data can be used by an entire business, in order to inform decisions and actions, is vital.
Revenue driving
What is the return for a brand investing to become more customer-centric? Being able to measure customer lifetime value, and the affect of different activities on it, is incredibly important.
Business impact
What is the business impact? For example, the role of discounting for a retailer may change when becoming more customer-centric, such as how that retailer approaches Black Friday. Business mindsets, and - importantly - how a business gauges success will need to evolve.
What is incrementality?
The big question for all businesses is: is what we’re doing working? Measuring all actions and activities a business carries out on their impact to the business’ bottom line is how truly customer-centric businesses ensure what they do contributes to their overall success.
In this on-demand video, Ben goes into further detail around how brands have seen success through customer-centric models. The first part of Epsilon-Conversant’s customer-centricity video series, it’s an important watch for anyone seeking to understand how they can help shift their company to a more customer-centric model.
Watch the full on-demand video
---
## The DTC pandemic boom: What can we learn?
Type: eps_post
URL: /the-dtc-pandemic-boom-what-can-we-learn
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# The DTC pandemic boom: What can we learn?
Casting our minds back to March feels like an eternity, with empty supermarket shelves and the rush to buy toilet paper.
It may seem like a distant memory, but above and beyond the panic buying, this month also denoted a broader shift in consumer behaviour, with a significant impact on brands, big and small.
March 2020 marked the first time that we experienced the very real possibility that large suppliers, such as supermarkets were unable to meet demand under pressure. With this came completely new opportunities for smaller players as consumers turned to alternative sources for their food, homewares and more. Although this may not have burst the door wide open for lesser-known brands, it did ensure that it was at least held ajar.
In particular, this had a significant impact on DTC brands.
Were DTC’s dividends destiny or just due diligence?
DTC brands have already been on the rise and growing in popularity for some time. Epsilon-Conversant’s research with the CMO Club showed that even before the coronavirus crisis, 80% of CMOs believed that DTCs were impacting their market. Furthermore, figures from Euromonitor revealed that the likes of Gillette even admitted that DTC competitors had caused a 20% decrease in its market share.
Although there’s no denying DTC’s existing popularity, the picture became murkier with the pandemic, which caused a nose-dive in consumer confidence and a general hesitation to purchase. However, there is also clear evidence that DTCs later witnessed a growth surge in the wake of the pandemic as lockdown continued.
Whilst many big brands froze their marketing and pressed pause on advertising efforts during lockdown – especially at the very beginning – many DTCs either continued their existing spend or ramped it up, looking to make the most of the potential new opportunities presented.
Consider the general brand exposure for a single consumer over the past few months: you weren’t seeing the same brands every day because you weren’t walking down a high street, while you were also seeing fewer adverts for them. Furthermore, if you did decide to shop with a high street brand, you’d often have issues ordering or receiving the goods. This ‘perfect storm’ all added up to a considerable opportunity for the DTCs that were advertising – and studies have revealed that consumers were willing to buy from alternative brands to get what they need.
Consequently, not only did DTCs benefit from a wider pool of new customers to reel-in, the negative impact on the cost of advertising was a positive for them.
Social is often the channel of choice for direct to consumer brands. Before the pandemic the costs of paid social were increasingly on the rise, holding DTC brands back when it came to acquiring new customers. Come the pandemic, the relative cost of social dropped because of the lower levels of competition, and many DTCs took advantage of being able to do more for less.
Simply put, many DTCs built brand equity during the pandemic by taking advantage of the lower cost of advertising.
Where are we now?
But will this all be short-lived? Clearly, the longer the high street remained shut, the better the situation for brands less reliant on physical stores – common among DTC brands. And with the reopening of all non-essential shops, many brands were holding out hope that customers who previously bought from them would come flooding back as we start to see a return to ‘normal’. After all, humans are creatures of habit.
However, consumers aren’t simply resuming their old habits. Published figures show that physical footfall numbers jumped 45% the week that shops opened in England, but this number is still 54% lower than the same week last year and it is looking unlikely that these numbers will be made up anytime soon. Some consumers are still cautious about shopping in person, whilst others have accustomed themselves to shopping online – both of which are good news for online DTC brands.
General consumer behaviours and expectations have changed, and some brands are better placed than others to respond. Consumers aren’t only looking to buy what they want, they also want to buy from a brand they trust and feel an affinity to. No-one wants to feel sold or marketed to, rather, they want real empathy and understanding from the brands that they interact with and for them to understand their needs as a customer.
To achieve this, brands need to be customer centric throughout their business, truly understanding and proceeding according to consumer preferences.
The DTC model is well-placed to collect insight to better understand consumers, with direct to consumer brands owning the entire consumer experience for their products. It’s a lesson many learned from direct mail, where older DTC brands often have their roots. At the risk of over-simplifying, understanding the consumer and acting on that understanding to optimise their products, processes, and communications increases a brand’s relevance to their consumer.
In terms of communications, similar tp direct mail, DTC brands are able to harness their knowledge of consumers to build real, one-to-one relationships.
Today, this ability to harness insight for personalisation of communications is where DTCs often excel compared to their B2C competitors, delivering the right communications at the right time and providing a better customer experience. Indeed, pre-pandemic, 81% of B2C brands already believed that DTCs had changed consumer expectations of their own brands, making consumers expect much higher, and more personal levels of service.
The very nature of DTC brands also means they are focused, nimble and agile, able to adjust to changing circumstances – a winning formula for any brand when no one quite knows what will come next.
Into the Future
Of course, this doesn’t mean it will all be plain sailing. Direct to consumer brands still continue to face the same challenges they had before, as well as new ones. At face value, social media advertising may be cost effective, but scaling up is still an issue. Ecommerce may now have more fish to catch, but DTCs can find it hard to cast a big enough net, especially when competing with more established brands.
Before the outbreak, we were also witnessing many a DTC, such as Casper and Made.com, looking to take a leaf out of their B2C rivals’ playbooks and opening up physical brick-and-mortar stores to help reach more of their audience through showrooming. Although existing DTC ‘showrooming’ stores have not been closed down, further openings have no doubt been put on hold.
Further adding to their challenges, DTC brands also tend to experience problems with holding onto their customers; even before the pandemic, consumers buying online were often fickle and price-driven, something that DTC brands have often combatted by building brand prestige. The coronavirus may have enabled DTCs to reach new audiences and draw in more new customers, but they still face the ongoing problem of keeping them coming back. And in that regard, they are not alone.
This experience has many lessons for all kinds of brands, highlighting that competition for customers is now fiercer, and retaining customers more difficult than ever before. To counter this as best possible, brands – whatever their business model – need to double-down on their customer-centricity, with real consumer focus throughout the business. By building genuine relationships with consumers, you’re building long-term demand.
Discover key insights gleaned from DTC brands, applicable to all retailer business models. Claim your copy of Epsilon-Conversant's reseach, carried out with The CMO Club.
Claim your copy
This article was originally published by Econsultancy.
---
## With cookies crumbled and IDFA DOA, it’s time for a better identity strategy
Type: eps_post
URL: /with-cookies-crumbled-and-idfa-doa-its-time-for-a-better-identity-strategy
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# With cookies crumbled and IDFA DOA, it’s time for a better identity strategy
Among many other disruptive changes, 2020 is proving to be the year of identifier deprecation.
In January, Google made waves in the ad tech ecosystem when it announced plans to end support for third-party cookies within two years. And then last month, Apple announced that application developers in iOS 14, its mobile operating system, will need to seek end-user permission before gaining access to Apple’s mobile device ID, also known as Identifier for Advertisers (IDFA).
This update is expected to roll out in the fall, and we expect up to 80% of users to be on the new operating system by the end of the year.
While disruptive, we at Epsilon-Conversant believe this announcement presents an opportunity for brands to rethink their identity programmes and how - and who - they partner with for their digital media spend.
What this means for consumers
On iOS 14, every app will display a pop-up notification at launch asking users whether they want to allow tracking or not. If someone wanted to opt-out of interest-based advertising before, they would have had to manually enable the Limit Ad Tracking (LAT) feature. Epsilon-Conversant has seen user adoption of the setting at around 10%, though industry surveys claim adoption levels of up to 28% in the United Kingdom, 22.5% in Germany, and 14.5% in France.
Although Apple made this switch in the name of privacy, another part of its goal is likely to shift its app ecosystem from an ad-supported model to a subscription model.
While this news isn’t necessarily surprising, what’s unclear is how consumers will respond. There are varying points of view on how many people will allow tracking, with predictions as low as 5%, all the way up to 70%. App developers will have some control over how the language is presented to their end-users which could help increase opt-in rates.
What this means for app developers
Many iOS app publishers rely on the ad-supported model and removing accessibility to IDFA will significantly disrupt their monetisation strategies and hamper their app download marketing strategies. They will probably shift to encouraging users to share data through other means, like requiring a login and obtaining consent to share it with advertisers. App developers without the resources to do this may not survive and launching new apps, without a free ad-supported option, will become harder and more expensive.
What this means for advertisers and the advertising industry
This move will make effective advertising on iOS more difficult and leave those affected with a limited timeframe to prepare. The industry should expect a significant decrease in the ability to use Apple’s IDFA for targeting and measurement. Anyone heavily relying on IDFA will be severely impacted and will need to find a new solution for targeting and measurement or resort to legacy methods like contextual-based advertising.
Of the three groups impacted, advertisers are bearing the brunt of the pain in several ways:
Targeting impact: Advertisers will still be able to deliver messaging on iOS apps, but not distinguish between individuals. Obviously, this will be much less efficient.
Pacing impact: Advertisers will be unable to implement frequency caps by individual and waste budget by repeatedly messaging the same person.
Measurement impact: Advertisers will lose the ability to calculate return on ad spend in iOS because they won’t have the IDFA to connect messaging to conversion events like registrations and purchases.
Personalisation/creative impact: Without IDFA, advertisers will lose the ability to personalise and continuously optimise the creative messaging to the individual they are targeting. They’ll also lose the ability to do A/B splits and to test and optimise creative.
Fewer choices for advertising on iOS: This will further increase advertiser dependence on walled gardens such as Facebook and Google, which have account-based logins and thus don’t require IDFA.
It’s time for a new identity strategy
No doubt, the IDFA phase-out will be disruptive. The good news is that better identity strategies exist for a more reliable and future-proof approach.
For example, Epsilon-Conversant’s IDFA strategy is very similar to how we approached Google’s announcement about the third-party cookie.
Also, we have direct relationships with advertisers and a fast-growing network of over a thousand high-quality app publishers to establish an alternative, authenticated and persistent identifier such as login-based ID with user consent. Those high-quality apps, which provide significant value to the end-user, are more likely to gain such consent. In turn, our unique access to these high-value brands minimises our dependency on device IDs like IDFA.
Given the success seen with this approach in the aftermath of Safari Intelligent Tracking Prevention (ITP), we’re confident it will help marketers weather yet another wave of data deprecation and allow for the steady growth of ad delivery on Safari.
This trend will likely continue with other platforms making similar moves. Within the next 18 months, we expect Google to take similar action on its Android platform in conjunction with its Chrome third-party cookie deprecation.
In the meantime, we’ll continue building on the foundation of CORE ID and direct publisher relationships and reducing dependency on tracking cookies or mobile device IDs so marketers can withstand changes by the browsers and mobile operating systems.
This article was originally published on Adweek, July 2020.
---
## Consumer research: Display adverts preferred during Covid-19 crisis
Type: eps_post
URL: /consumer-research-display-adverts-preferred-during-covid-19-crisis
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Consumer research: Display adverts preferred during Covid-19 crisis
Consumers are happy with the amount of display ads currently shown by brands but feel overwhelmed by excessive and irrelevant email and social media marketing - proving relevance is key - new research from Epsilon-Conversant and CJ Affiliate shows.
The study of 4,045 consumers across five regions reveals that the majority (87%) of consumers don’t think they are seeing too many display ads from brands, demonstrating that across every demographic group, display is considered the least obtrusive or overwhelming channel they’ve been exposed to.
Claim your copy of the report
In contrast, more than half (47%) of consumers feel they are receiving too many email marketing messages and another third (35%) are overwhelmed by the amount of social media marketing.
British consumers in particular are receiving too many social media marketing messages, with this figure rising to 44%.
An issue of relevance
“It’s not just what you say but also how you say it,” explains Elliott Clayton, SVP, Epsilon-Conversant.
“Many of us will have experienced an influx of email newsletters ‒ perhaps even some we didn’t know we signed up to. If not sent in a relevant and timely fashion, and in a way that is properly aligned to consumers’ needs this could be more of a turn off than showing customers you care.
"It can be done well, but it takes understanding, thought, and time.”
The research also unveils different demographic advertising preferences, with some groups feeling more overwhelmed by email marketing than others.
For example, almost two-thirds (61%) of Gen Z believe they are sent too many marketing emails, alongside those currently looking for work (55%). The opposite is true for those who are retired, with just over a third (34%) stating that they feel overwhelmed by emails.
However, the study does show that email and other channels have their place.
More than a third (38%) of consumers do want to receive email marketing from brands during coronavirus. For those living in urban areas, email is their favourite means for receiving brand communications (39%), contrasting with those in suburban or rural areas who favour TV ads (40%).
“This is an opportunity for brands to better reach and communicate with their customers – talking the language they want to hear and also finding and speaking with them when and where it suits them," continues Clayton.
"It’s important that marketers have the right tools to understand this nuance - those marketers who are able to understand and adapt to this will stand a much better chance of success during these difficult times.”
Claim your copy of the report
---
## Open for business: The trends that will define retail in 2020 and beyond
Type: eps_post
URL: /open-for-business-the-trends-that-will-define-retail-in-2020-and-beyond
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T22:16:49Z
# Open for business: The trends that will define retail in 2020 and beyond
Right now in the UK, everyone's pretty down on retail. IMRG, for example, predicts mid-single-digit growth year-on-year for 2020. That by itself isn't great, but frankly - it's better than 2019.
But clearly, the experience for individual retailers is going to differ widely. The year started with some big-name retailers closing long lists of stores, yet at the same time, we're seeing other retailers expand their presence - both offline and online.
Anecdotally, with a holistic view of our retail clients globally, those retailers with a genuine understanding of their customers - usually in the form of a functioning single customer view - are outperforming those without one.
Now, this could represent a focus on emerging technologies and the 'early adopter' bonus associated with being among the first to adopt high-performing technologies. Or, it could be a positive symptom of well-performing retailers focussing on their customers more generally, from customer service right through to their brand and business model.
Good examples of businesses who impress me with an understanding of their understanding of their customers are Hackett, Cotton Traders and Matalan. All three have either access to a functioning single customer view, or an advanced understanding of their customers as individuals.
Increasing focus on digital opportunities
Crucially, as our world evolves ever-more to one with digital at its heart, we need to grow our understanding of digital - challenging conceptions that no longer make sense, and harnessing new capabilities.
We're seeing many of our clients increase their focus on sourcing digital talent, bringing capabilities in-house to shape their teams' wider skillset. Top of the list is developing an understanding that the 'hand-to-mouth' metrics offered by Google Analytics and other platforms are just that - they show a narrow window of consumer activity. These methods of measuring marketing aren't working in favour of retailers, and thankfully we're seeing an increasing number of retailers looking at measuring the incremental performance of their marketing.
Measuring the incremental return that marketing activity creates is not a new method of measurement - incrementality has been used to measure direct mail for decades, for example. But broader adoption of incrementality by retail marketing functions and beyond is a hugely positive trend for 2020.
As with most years, politics will play a significant role in determining the success of retail in 2020. There's obviously Brexit - discussed extensively elsewhere - but a key issue to watch out for will be the digital tax that's proposed for April. Assuming it goes ahead, does this mean the start of a defence on digital monopolies or the passing on of further costs to the consumer?
Sustainability and purpose
In his Retail Week blog, IBM's Roberto Battistoni discusses the inclusion of sustainability in the purpose of businesses, particularly retail and FMCG. "This has unequivocally been the year when most businesses recognised that purpose today cannot exist in absence of a credible sustainability theme embedded into it," Battistoni explains, highlighting a 2015 Nielson report that found 66% of consumers globally are willing to spend more on a product if it comes from a sustainable brand. For millennials, that figure rises to 73%.
Businesses that genuinely incorporate sustainability into their models - and communicate that effectively - will outperform those that don't.
Whether this sustainability comes in the form of optimising the manufacturing of products, supporting relevant NGOs financially or otherwise, even developing rental or second-hand markets for products, or something entirely different will be an exciting development to watch this year.
Aside from the sustainable function itself, how businesses elevate new and existing sustainability-linked purpose will define their success.
Rise of credit
A recent emerging trend has been the rapid on-boarding of payment systems such as Klarna and Clearpay. With the additional potential purchasing power these services afford consumers, will this positively impact average order values and customer lifetime value over the short- and long-term?
Additionally, what does the rapid rise of these services say about the average consumer's purchasing power? Is the UK consumer a wealthy consumer?
Free returns
With the ease of comparison for consumers, pressure for retailers to include costly additions such as free delivery, and the low barrier of entry to market for competitors, eCommerce platforms are often not as profitable as physical retail locations. I suspect we'll see more of an ongoing discussion with the gradual evolution of the market, but 2020 will likely see questions on how much longer this can be maintained. Meanwhile, the technological, digital, sustainability and credit-related trends above will all be utilised - at varying levels - as saviours.
Finally, who pays for consumers returning their purchases has been a critical discussion point for some time now, and this will continue in 2020.
Ultimately, retailers need to find the balance between offering free returns for genuine consumers who need such insurance before committing to purchase a product online, and those who seek out free returns to take advantage. Going full-circle back to my original point, employing a greater understanding of your consumers - and whether they are keeping the items they order - with a single customer view that is linked to your marketing activity offers salvation here
Those brands with accurate and actionable insight into their consumers will see success in 2020. For those that don't, it could be a bumpy start to the new decade.
---
## Using Personalisation to Change Consumer Behaviour and Drive Return
Type: eps_post
URL: /using-personalisation-to-change-consumer-behaviour-and-drive-return
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Using Personalisation to Change Consumer Behaviour and Drive Return
Watch this on-demand talk to understand how talking to consumers individually - yet at tremendous scale - over time influences their purchase behaviour, driving proven incremental return for retail brands.
Filmed live at IMRG's Data Summit in London, Elliott Clayton - Conversant's SVP of Media - further discusses how retailers can activate their data without drowning in it, revealing one of the highest spending demographics that many marketers ignore.
{{ script_embed('wistia', 'jhr5kq8vdm', ', ', 'inline,responsive,align=center,marginRight=auto,marginLeft=auto') }}
Read how fashion retailer Cox & Cox attracted over 20,000 new customers, generating more than £2M in incremental revenue by personalising their display advertising with nearly 13,000 unique creatives.
Read the case study
---
## Scotch & Soda personalises ads, achieving 5x incremental ROI
Type: eps_post
URL: /scotch-soda-personalises-ads-achieving-five-fold-incremental-return-on-investment
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T22:14:41Z
# Scotch & Soda personalises ads, achieving 5x incremental ROI
Scotch & Soda’s transition from one-off ad campaigns to data-driven, personalised and always-on-media has generated revenue growth and increased customer lifetime value.
Scotch & Soda, a premium omni-channel fashion retailer, has boosted its incremental return on ad spend to £5.50 for every £1 invested (5.5:1), thanks to a major overhaul in its digital advertising strategy.
The retailer is stocked in 8,000 outlets globally and worn by famous actors and musicians such as Eddie Redmayne and Justin Timberlake, but the team knew that there was much more they could do to keep the brand top of mind amongst unpredictable fashion consumers. As part of a strategic review, the team adopted Conversant’s CRM Media solution, which enabled one-to-one communications through highly personalised messages.
“We try to build memory structures in everything we do - everything should be aligned. Conversant allowed us to create individual communication stories on a continuous basis efficiently - right person, right product and right look and feel for Scotch & Soda,” explains the fashion brand’s Media Manager, Leon Wharton.
“The trends that govern the fashion industry mean many advertising campaigns only penetrate consumers’ short-term memory, which means the brand may not be recalled at a later date. Scotch & Soda’s new strategy enables them to cement their place in customer’ long-term memory, as the go-to for premium, stylish clothing and accessories,” explains Elliott Clayton, Senior Vice President at Conversant.
“The results achieved so far clearly show the personalisation approach is working for Scotch & Soda, and many other companies across industry already benefit from a similar strategy.”
In its most recent review, the Scotch & Soda team examined incremental ROI – that is, returns compared to baseline brand performance without advertising. When compared to this group, Scotch & Soda generated sales 25 percent more often when using Conversant’s personalisation technology, while also increasing the lifetime value of customers that it messaged by 23 percent. The solution tracks over 120 million online and offline daily purchases, building profiles across more than 7,000 dimensions, enabling personalised conversations with Scotch & Soda’s customers across multiple devices.
“Conversant is driving new incremental demand from our mid-funnel, and I don’t think we serviced that properly before, or that the tools to do that existed previously,” continued Wharton.
A major boon for Wharton and his team is the added benefit of seeing how advertising efforts contribute to Scotch & Soda’s overall media mix, as well as learning more about its customers, their buying habits and advertising preferences.
"The audience insights we get are really helpful. Not only are we delivering measurable revenue into the business, but we’re able to better understand our audience and leverage that internally - for example, the data helps us build a case for creative strategies across other media."
Discover how eight European retailers are generating incremental return in the £GBP millions with personalised adverts. Claim your copy of this insightful report to see how.
Claim your copy of this report
---
## [Podcast] Solving the marketing proof gap: Proving ROI to the c-suite
Type: eps_post
URL: /podcast-solving-the-marketing-proof-gap-proving-roi-to-the-c-suite
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T22:14:19Z
# [Podcast] Solving the marketing proof gap: Proving ROI to the c-suite
How do you show the true return on investment of your marketing activity in order to secure both budget and respect for the marketing function?
It's a problem faced by most CMOs, so common that it has been coined the 'marketing proof gap'. In this podcast our panel of industry experts discuss how best to solve the issue. Play the four episodes below, or listen on SoundCloud.
The marketing proof gap refers to the marketing function’s inability to report to the c-suite how their activity impacts revenue. The c-suite needs revenue-impact data to justify investment in a function, and without that data the marketing function’s fate is continual under-investment and lack of credibility.
But with advances in marketing measurement - chiefly, incrementality - is it now becoming possible for marketing functions to rid themselves of this proof gap, securing justified investment decisions by proving the revenue that marketing generates; and moving marketing away from a position of securing ‘budget’ to planning ‘investment’ strategies?
Joining our expert panel for this podcast:
David Lockwood, Partner, Tapestry Agency
Aidan Mark, Head of Performance Planning, Havas
Elliott Clayton, SVP, Conversant
Liked this podcast? Listen to our other podcast series, covering ad fraud, attribution, personalisation and a great deal more.
Our podcasts
---
## [VIDEO] Integrated marketing: What's it worth, and is it worth it?
Type: eps_post
URL: /video-integrated-marketing-whats-it-worth-and-is-it-worth-it
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T22:17:52Z
# [VIDEO] Integrated marketing: What's it worth, and is it worth it?
How do you assess the value of integrated marketing before deciding whether to invest the time, effort, and cost of joining together all marketing activity?
One of the biggest issues marketers face is assessing the value of 'the next big thing' in marketing for their business. That's no different for integrated marketing - on the minds of many marketers, but few are able to articulate the potential return.
Filmed live at IMRG's Customer Connect conference in London, in this video Elliott Clayton, SVP at Conversant, uses real-life data from businesses that have been there and done it to gauge the value - and the potential return on investment - of integrated marketing.
{{ script_embed('wistia', '08u85shaze', ', ', 'inline,responsive') }}
Discover how homeware brand Cox & Cox generated over £2 million in incremental revenue by integrating their marketing, using data, reach and delivery to align their offsite, onsite and offline marketing.
See how Cox & Cox generated £2M+
---
## [Video] Driving incrementality: How fashion brands secure and prove iROAS
Type: eps_post
URL: /video-driving-incrementality-how-fashion-brands-have-secured-iroas
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T22:17:52Z
# [Video] Driving incrementality: How fashion brands secure and prove iROAS
Increasingly, trailblazing fashion brands are creating pseudonymous, persistent consumer identities from transaction files, allowing them to personalise and communicate with consumers over time, then measure the true incremental return via a test and control methodology.
But driving incrementality in such a way is not exclusive to fashion brands. Learn how they're doing this in this insightful on-demand video talk.
Speaking at the Etail Connect conference near London, UK, Elliott Clayton, senior vice president at Conversant discusses how fashion brands have driven incremental return by utilising Conversant's single customer view and personalised display solution - CRM Media.
{{ script_embed('wistia', 'ycsfovr7nl', ', ', 'inline,responsive') }}
Find out how home decor retailer Cox and Cox leveraged Conversant's CRM Media solution to generate GBP £2,088, 462 revenue.
Read the case study
---
## CJ Shortlisted for 17 Performance Marketing Awards (PMAs)
Type: eps_post
URL: /cj-shortlisted-for-17-pmas-2019
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# CJ Shortlisted for 17 Performance Marketing Awards (PMAs)
CJ Affiliate by Conversant has been shortlisted for 17 Performance Marketing Awards (PMAs) in 2019.
The UK based awards celebrate excellence within performance marketing. Alongside key advertising partners TUI, Debenhams, Domnino’s, Royal Caribbean, Qatar Airways and HomeAway, CJ’s partnership with Shopping Links and Mindshare have been commended in these shortlists.
Three of the awards that CJ have been shortlisted for are decided by the industry - please do take two-minutes to cast your vote for CJ by following the relevant hyperlinks below:
Publisher Choice of Network: CJ Affiliate by Conversant
Industry Rising Star: Emily Mennie, Account Manager, CJ Affiliate
Industry Rising Star: Holly Hathaway, Account Manager, CJ Affiliate
The voting period for the Rising Star award ends on Thursday 28th February, while voting for Publisher Choice of Network closes on Tuesday 5th March.
Vote CJ: Publisher Choice of Network
The remaining Performance Marketing Awards that CJ Affiliate has been shortlisted for are:
Best Affiliate Marketing Innovation: CJ Affiliate & TUI: The Power of Situational Commissioning
Best Influencer Marketing Campaign: CJ Affiliate, Debenhams & Shopping Links: The Launch of NARS
Best Managed Affiliate Programme: CJ Affiliate & Debenhams: Tackling the High Street Decline
Best Managed Affiliate Programme: CJ Affiliate & TUI: The Problem-Solving Technology
Best Managed Affiliate Programme: CJ Affiliate& Domino's: Making a recipe for success
Best Retail Campaign: CJ Affiliate & Debenhams: Bucking High Street Trends
Best Retail Campaign: CJ Affiliate & Domino's: Sharing the Wealth
Best Team in Performance Marketing: CJ Affiliate by Conversant
Best Travel and Leisure Campaign: CJ Affiliate, Mindshare & Royal Caribbean: Calculating Incrementality to Drive Growth
Best Travel and Leisure Campaign: CJ Affiliate & TUI: Situational Commissioning
Best Use of Data: CJ Affiliate & First Choice: Growing the First Choice Brand First Choice
Global Excellence: CJ Affiliate & Qatar: More Routes for More Revenue
Industry Disruptor Award: CJ Affiliate: Demonstrating Value & Making it Actionable
Most Creative Performance Marketing Campaign: CJ Affiliate & HomeAway: Running A Voucher Campaign Without a Voucher
While the Performance Marketing Awards are UK-based, at the global equivalent - the International Performance Marketing Awards - CJ Affiliate won three awards: Industry Choice of Network (for the second year running), plus Best Use of Data with NMPi and Fanatics, as well as Best Performance Marketing Campaign or Strategy (USA) with Hotels.com.
“CJ being shortlisted for 17 Performance Marketing Awards is a result of our focus on innovation and evolution within the performance marketing industry,” explains Jules Bazley, Regional Vice President at CJ Affiliate. “We have seen an enormous shift in the market over the last 12 months as more brands have realised the value of a network, increasing their reliance on the transparency and service levels networks can provide. Through network specific innovations such as Affiliate Customer Insights - which leverages the pseudonymous consumer profiles from Conversant’s single customer view - CJ has gained an incredible amount of unique, market-changing capabilities.
“Further, it’s about understanding the specific goals of our clients and possessing the knowledge and understanding to leverage our publisher-partners and in-house technology. We’ve got an incredible publisher network - one which we heavily invest in nurturing - and an envy inspiring suite of tools, so we make sure our team are enabled to harness them all in the most innovative ways.
“But let’s not forget the incredible collaboration and alliance between the CJ team and our partners - advertisers, publishers, agencies and other partners. The brand-side, publisher and agency teams we work with collaborate in harmony with the CJ team, and it's this that allows us to push the boundaries in terms of results - something these awards lay testament to."
Vote CJ: Publisher Choice of Network
---
## The evolution of showrooming for omni-channel retail
Type: eps_post
URL: /the-evolution-of-showrooming-for-omni-channel-retail
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T22:17:52Z
# The evolution of showrooming for omni-channel retail
Showrooming is a phrase that has been long-feared among many brick-and-mortar retailers. Yet today, more and more retailers are embracing it to the benefit of both themselves and their customers.
Used to refer to when consumers use physical stores as a showroom while they search and discover the same product for a lower price on their smartphones - likely purchasing from a digital-only competitor without the same overheads. It’s a trend Amazon has undoubtedly capitalised on - the barcode search that’s been a feature in their main app for many years is proof of that.
But while feared, showrooming is a trend that's only going to get more common as tech-savvy in-store consumers become the norm. Recent research from Conversant shows that younger generations are more likely to be showrooming. A whopping 78% of shoppers under 35-years-old shop both in-store and online simultaneously, and are 34% more likely than older customers to use a mobile device in a store.
However, that's not necessarily bad news. Depending on how retailers manage showrooming, it can either be a hindrance or a blessing.
The inner-city showroom
Take Ikea. With the long-held model of merging shop and warehouse in huge out-of-town buildings, over the last few years, the Swedish retailer has begun its march towards the city centre. In London, Aberdeen and Norwich, the flat-pack furniture retailer has opened up smaller order and collection points - customers can visit the store to view display products before ordering either on their mobiles or via the self-service digital terminals. There’s no restaurant to get a plate of meatballs, but shoppers can touch, feel and measure furniture before arranging for easy home delivery, while Ikea doesn’t need to pay the vast inner city costs for land that it otherwise would need to for its regular store format.
Ikea is perhaps a more extreme example, whereby the cost savings to the business of locating their often large-sized stock outside of a city centre are huge. However, other brands are embracing the showrooming phenomenon too, spurred in part by the nigh-on limitless inventory possibilities.
The store of the future
Zara’s new flagship store in London features "digital technology that integrates the online and offline shopping experiences,” according to Drapers. In practice, this means that shoppers can collect same-day orders, with a robotic arm fulfilling an order in mere seconds. Interactive mirrors detect which products customers are holding, displaying a model wearing those same clothes with complimentary styles and garments. Most noteworthy, customers have the option of paying within the Zara app for their purchases, or via an assistant armed with an iPad.
The point of purchase is a significant benefit here, with digital allowing brands like Zara, and its parent company Inditex, to tie offline and online consumer-brand interactions, building a single customer view for everyone who shops with them. And with almost every consumer in possession of their own digital point of purchase - no queueing needed - accompanied with access to a vast range of variants to the products they can see, touch and try-on in-store, it’s a benefit for consumers too.
The friction in getting hold of exactly the right product is minimised for the consumer, while Zara gets valuable insights into who its consumers are, and how they interact with the brand.
Of course, e-receipts, competitions, and loyalty schemes all offer similar insight for brands, albeit perhaps with lower consumer uptake than Zara’s approach. It’s entirely possible for brands to tie online and offline without investing in a shiny new, digital-first flagship store. However, Zara’s example is of a high street brand jumping head-first into the future of retail - a future that's omni-channel, data-first, and is approaching us all very, very fast.
Important to note is that it's not merely a case of high street stores embracing digital - it's retailers of all backgrounds evolving to better represent the omni-channel environment their customers exist in. Digital-first retail brands, for example, have also capitalised on the showrooming trend.
Digital-first stores with offline showrooms
Furniture retail brand Made.com has three physical showrooms in very carefully chosen locations; Soho London, Birmingham’s prestigious Mailbox and the boutique interiors area of Redbrick in Batley, West Yorkshire. All areas with high footfall, these locations offer Made.com’s customers the ability to 'try before you buy’, leveraging fabric samples and touch screens to explore the full product range, alongside display rooms made up from the brand’s furniture.
Just like Zara and Ikea, Made.com's customers are enabled to try in-store and buy online, but certainly not limited to that. All three retailers understand that the customer funnel can begin or end offsite and that each of their customers has unique wants and needs when spending with them.
What is important is being able to track consumer interactions with those brands, so that you know which activities are and aren't generating sales, and in the case of showrooming - that you understand how consumers are interacting with the brand during their path to purchase.
The same research from Conversant shows that 58% of consumers start researching products online and complete their purchase in-store, while 46% of consumers start in-store and purchase online. Consumer paths to purchase have never been linear, but with more and more potential touchpoints, they are a great deal more varied than ever before.
The showrooming phenomenon is yet one more avenue for some consumers on their larger path to purchase. To seize the opportunity around these brick-and-mobile engagements, brands need an online experience that enhances in-store device activity and a fully-measured marketing strategy that also complements it.
Fashion retailer Scotch & Soda - with strong offline and online presence - employed personalised, one-to-one display media in order to keep their brand top of mind for the consumer. This strategy achieved incremental return of 5.5:1 - £5.50 return for every £1 spent. Read how.
Read the case study
Written by Conversant's SVP of Media, Elliott Clayton, this article was first published on WARC.
---
## Madtech: Convergence of Adtech and Martech Creates Opportunities
Type: eps_post
URL: /madtech-convergence-adtech-martech
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T22:16:49Z
# Madtech: Convergence of Adtech and Martech Creates Opportunities
Generally, adtech is where budget is invested in acquiring customers – typically using third-party data and data management platforms to build efficiency. Meanwhile, martech is about talking to existing customers and leads that a brand has an existing relationship with, using first-party data and efficiencies from customer development platforms.
There are many parallels between martech and adtech, and there’s a point of convergence that is already happening – the result of this convergence is what some are coining ‘madtech,’ though I’d prefer a less cringe-worthy name for such an important industry evolution…
Importantly, the technology being defined as ‘madtech’ isn’t a trade-off. It’s not inferior to either martech or adtech; rather it’s an evolution of the two previously siloed technologies. This evolution is a result of necessity – for both marketing and advertising functions within businesses to have complete oversight of consumer interactions with a brand, and the further ability to act on that insight.
This can only be achieved by combining technologies, to afford brands with first-party data collection at every touchpoint of their relationship with individual consumers, the reach and technology to act on that insight, and the ability to report on the success of the activity.
Consider this: a consumer visits a brand’s website after seeing an advert for them online. It’s their first ever interaction with the brand, and they realise on the brand’s website that they live near one of the brand’s physical stores. Later that week, they visit the store and purchase a low-value item. Now, with disparate adtech and martech systems, the brand would not be able to link these online and offline interactions – they may even have trouble linking the off-site and on-site interactions, the advert and the website visit.
However, madtech keeps track of all of these interactions and can trace the value earned back to the activity that truly generated it – in this case, the online advert. Further yet, these interactions – when fully tracked within a madtech platform – can be used to spur further interactions, continuing and advancing the consumer-brand relationship.
Now, take this example one step further, and consider if the customer went on to make several higher value purchases throughout the following year and beyond, as a result of the brand continuing to interact with them based on that consumer’s unique circumstances. With madtech, the brand knows that it’s the same person receiving their communications and making the purchases. As such, the brand understands the consumer’s lifetime value and knows how much – and where – to invest their marketing spend to keep them loyal.
Finally, consider this happening at massive scale, to thousands, tens of thousands, even hundreds of thousands of consumers at the same time. This is madtech, and the ability to leverage consumer demand that would otherwise have been neglected or harnessed by rivals is why it’s happening.
THE BIG ADVANTAGE : OMNIPRESENCE
Madtech’s big advantage over martech or adtech is that it commands greater omnipresence. By definition, madtech can reach – and measure – consumer interactions across more channels and touchpoints than either. As such, there’s potential to build a greater understanding of consumers, how valuable they are to a brand, and how much they should invest in building a relationship with them. In short, there’s greater potential to understand a consumer’s lifetime value and react accordingly – whether that’s via a series of adverts, an email, even a person-to-person conversation in a traditional brick and mortar shop.
However, crucial to all of this is the capability to identify an individual.
Now, I’m not talking about the true identity of an individual – their name, for example. That would be incredibly invasive and – rightly so – would get everyone involved in deep trouble with regulators. Instead, I mean the capability for madtech to recognise who it is that’s interacting with the brand, then match that individual to a pseudonymous profile to both better understand that individual, and to deliver incredibly relevant messaging to them at that precise moment in their life.
However, despite persistent claims by some adtech, martech and now madtech vendors, very few vendors can achieve this. It’s incredibly hard to get this capability right – meeting legitimate privacy concerns while also providing marketers with the critical ability to identify consumers wherever they are – both online and offline. And without accurate identification, then there’s the obvious risk of delivering highly targeted messaging to the wrong people – at scale. Worse still, the pseudonymous profiles could be updated with information on incorrect individuals, meaning all future messaging and a brand’s understanding of their customers is at risk of being incorrect. This time, at tremendous scale.
Simply put, as is the case within both adtech and martech today, there are both superior and inferior platforms and services. Purely because there is this evolution towards madtech, it does not mean that the quality between competing services will equalise. Differentiating between effective and inadequate platforms is likely to be just as much of a minefield as it is today, yet it will be an even more critical consideration for brand-side marketers.
After all, thanks to madtech’s greater sphere of influence – a huge positive when capabilities are honed and implemented effectively – a lacking platform, or an incorrect implementation of madtech will negatively influence an even higher number of activities and budget. Here, factors such as identification, reach, persistence, decisioning, delivery, and measurement will be big differentiators between platforms, and critical points that are essential for marketers to question any potential madtech vendors on.
Written by Conversant's SVP of Media, Elliott Clayton, this post was first published on MoreAboutAdvertising.com.
---
## [Video] The principles of personalisation in digital advertising
Type: eps_post
URL: /video-the-principles-of-personalisation-in-digital-advertising
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# [Video] The principles of personalisation in digital advertising
What can brands use personalisation for? And how can they harness personalisation to generate new demand? Find out in this on-demand talk, filmed live at DMEXCO 2018.
In this talk, Elliott Clayton, SVP of Media UK at Conversant discusses what personalisation is actually for, and how delivering truly personalised experiences for consumers - not through segments, but actually personalised to the individual - benefits bottom-line.
{{ script_embed('wistia', 'kqq18kgxug', ', ', 'inline,responsive') }}
Find out how to make true, one-to-one personalisation at scale happen. Read Conversant's free guide on the four essential themes for marketing personalisation at scale.
Download the guide
---
## CJ Affiliate wins three International Performance Marketing Awards in 2018
Type: eps_post
URL: /cj-wins-3-international-performance-marketing-awards-2018
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# CJ Affiliate wins three International Performance Marketing Awards in 2018
CJ Affiliate has won three awards at the International Performance Marketing Awards (IPMAs) 2018.
The affiliate network won the Industry Choice of Network for the second year running, plus Best Use of Data with NMPi and Fanatics, as well as Best Performance Marketing Campaign or Strategy (USA) with Hotels.com.
Further, CJ was highly commended in a number of categories, highlighting the network's global reach and international performance.
At the inaugural IPMAs last year, CJ took home three of the prestigious performance marketing awards.
"I am incredibly proud of CJ's achievements at the 2018 International Performance Marketing Awards - once again, it's industry recognition of the value that CJ brings to the table," says Jules Bazley, Regional Vice President for CJ Affiliate. "Ultimately, this is thanks to our expert team located right around the world, and the highly professional advertiser, publisher and agency teams that they work so closely with.
“The teams at Hotels.com, NMPi, Fanatics and all the other great brands we work with at CJ collaborate with the network in harmony all around the world. It's this that allows us to push the boundaries in terms of results - something these awards lay testament to.
"CJ has long been known as the global affiliate network, specialising in harnessing local market knowledge, combined with the ability to reach billions internationally," continues Bazley. "With the recent launch of affiliate personalisation - a truly unique capability for CJ - the network's ability to form lasting relationships between consumers, advertisers and publishers all around the world is only set to enhance further still. It's an exciting future for the network!"
---
## Retailers see 3x sales on Black Friday and Cyber Monday when messaging begins in September
Type: eps_post
URL: /retailers-see-higher-peak-week-sales-when-marketing-begins-in-september
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T22:17:52Z
# Retailers see 3x sales on Black Friday and Cyber Monday when messaging begins in September
Delivering messaging over time results in more sales and site-visits
Christie Yaggy, Conversant's European VP of Analytics, talks through the report and the key takeaways for brand marketers in the video below.
{{ script_embed('wistia', '0kkyd3wpui', ', ', 'inline,responsive') }}
The report further highlights the increasing number of consumer paths-to-purchase occurring across two or more devices.
"It is intuitive that the more devices consumers own, the more ads are shown across those devices," explains Yaggy. "So, the likelihood that there will be sales that occur across devices is higher."
The ever-increasing cross-device path-to-purchase
In 2016, a minority (30%) of consumer paths-to-purchase occurred across two or more devices. But last year, the majority (56%) of consumer paths-to-purchase involved two or more devices.
"We expect this trend will continue to increase in 2018," concludes Yaggy.
Claim your courtesy copy of the Peak Week Consumer Purchasing Habits 2018 report to harness informative insight on consumer purchasing habits during the peak shopping period.
Claim your copy of the report
---
## [Video] How to gain and manage GDPR-compliant consent
Type: eps_post
URL: /gaining-and-managing-gdpr-compliant-consent
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# [Video] How to gain and manage GDPR-compliant consent
In this article and video, IAB Europe's Matthias Matthiesen discusses how brands and publishers can first gain, then manage GDPR-compliant consent for digital advertising.
Filmed live at Conversant's GDPR Summit, Privacy By Design, Matthias' succinctly breaks down the complexities of consent under the GDPR. Watch all eight on-demand live talks from Conversant's GDPR summit to
Click for sound
0:00
0:53
Firstly, let’s get something straight: consent is not king. There are six co-equal legal bases for processing personal data, of which consent is just one.
Sometimes, consent is not even needed – if you find a more appropriate legal ground for processing, then that is fine. If you are attempting to save the life of the legal subject, for instance, then that would be acceptable.
However, in many cases consent is required – it is not optional – and this particularly holds true when considering the ePrivacy Directive (ePD), popularly known as the ‘Cookie Law’.
Now, the ePD says that for the storing or accessing of information already stored on the terminal equipment of an end user, you require consent – unless it is strictly technically necessary to carry out a communication.
For examples of technically necessary communications, think of client server communications or where it’s strictly necessary for the service that you're providing to the user, and that the user has requested to function - a web shop for example, which requires a cookie to remember what you put in the shopping basket, so you can buy it later.
Consent is required for advertising
Unfortunate as it may be for us as an industry, advertising is very unlikely to be necessary for the service that the user is requesting to function.
You are physically able to use an app, or read the news without ads, for example. Therefore, cookies or other identifiers that fall under the scope of this will have to be used on the basis of consent.
It’s important to note that while the ePD exists today, it currently relies upon each country’s individual legal definition for collecting consent. While there has been some harmonisation so far, implementation has been quite different between countries – in some, a user can give consent by failing to say no, while in others you need a prior affirmative act.
In short, depending on which country you’re looking at, to apply the ePD you have very different qualities of consent. But, come May 25th, the GDPR replaces all of these different data protection laws and the definitions of consent embedded within them.
But the GDPR and the ePD are not one and the same – the ePD will point to the GDPR to define what type of consent is needed, but it has a somewhat different scope. Collection of data from a user device generally requires consent under the ePD, while the processing of personal data requires a legal basis – consent, or legitimate interest for example – under the GDPR.
To summarise, consent is not always necessary. But for advertising, it’s required.
The three key obligations to consent
Transparency: Name third parties relying on consent
Transparency is a key principle under the GDPR, and it’s very important in what it changes under consent. Instead of informing a user that we’re sharing data with vaguely defined categories of controllers, we’ll actually have to say who we’re sharing that data with, or who is relying on the consent to process that data so that the data subject can know where to exercise their rights.
In the advertising industry, that’s a pretty big challenge when often we don’t know who’s going to be transacting on some data. For example, who’s going to win the programmatic bid, and who do you disclose ahead of time?
Accountability: Proof of consent
Where I am not the entity requesting and obtaining consent, how could I prove that the user on whose consent I am relying to do something, has actually given that consent?
That’s a challenge where we need to create communication channels that haven’t existed before.
Firstly, where a publisher, advertiser or any other entity that obtains consent on behalf of a third party can tell their third-party partners that they have disclosed them – that the third party can be sure that the transparency has been provided.
Secondly, the consent-obtaining entity needs to be able to tell their third-party partners: “I have obtained consent, and I am letting you know of that fact.”
Control: Affirmative act signifying consent, and easy withdrawal of consent
The quality of consent can vary because of the action required. For example, currently the majority of ‘cookie banners’ assume consent if a user ignores them.
In the future, to prove consent will require an affirmative act. Moreover, you need to make it as easy to withdraw that consent as it was to originally give it.
The Transparency and Consent Framework
Putting all three of these obligations together creates a difficult cocktail to deal with.
Before we process anything on the basis of consent, we need to know the user is okay with it, rather than assume that the user is okay with it. You need a signal coming from whoever obtains consent going to the third-party, so that the third-party knows what to do.
We also need to be able to provide ways for the consent obtaining entity to make disclosures about the third-party partners. But that presents further complications – what happens when a privacy policy is updated, for instance? All disclosures for that third party would need updating.
Introducing the Transparency and Consent Framework.
Key within the Transparency and Consent Framework is the Global Vendor List – it’s really the cornerstone of the entire framework, and it directly solves the transparency requirement, while leading into the remaining two requirements, accountability and control.
It allows publishers or advertisers to look at the entire pool of third-parties that have signed up to the framework, find the most up-to-date disclosures, and display those to their users. If the privacy policy URL changes, the disclosure will update as well.
When an ad-tech vendor joins the Transparency and Consent Framework, they receive an ID. This ID is the key to understand the technical signals needed for the framework to operate.
When a publisher or advertisers obtains consent – or doesn’t obtain consent – they need to let their downstream third-party partners know. This is achieved through the ID, which maps to a technical signal that can be passed on through the entire ecosystem. That signal can then be unpacked and understood before a third-party partner makes a decision to process data.
What does this look like to the user?
So far, I’ve discussed how the framework collects and processes consent between the different parties that, come May 25th will need consent from end users. But how will this look and operate for the end user?
The Transparency and Consent Framework will operate behind the scenes, while IAB EU approved Consent Management Providers (CMPs) will handle displaying to a user the relevant disclosures and making use of the Global Vendor List to inform users about the purpose of the processing, based on standardised language and purposes.
Importantly, the CMPs will record the consent choices of the user, before sending that on via the framework.
---
## The upside of GDPR: Three benefits for marketers
Type: eps_post
URL: /the-upside-of-gdpr-three-benefits-for-marketers
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T22:14:19Z
# The upside of GDPR: Three benefits for marketers
Continuing a series of short articles on the positive aspects of GDPR, I’d like to explore the benefits I think marketers are going to see from the regulation. In March, P&G’s CMO Marc Pritchard continued his long-fought assault on bad practice in the adtech industry. His focus on quality over quantity was working, he said, plus:
“This new level of transparency is shining the light on what’s next—marketers taking back control of our own destiny to accelerate mass disruption—transforming our industry from the wasteful mass marketing we’ve been mired in for nearly a century to mass one-to-one brand building fuelled by data and digital technology.”
Pritchard’s message has helped focus advertisers on delivering quality over quantity. But it’s not easy to achieve his goal of “mass one-to-one brand building fuelled by data and digital technology.”
However, the new requirements under GDPR - for companies to keep a record of the data they hold on their customers, plus acquire consent to access their devices – will serve to encourage this focus on quality, bringing Pritchard’s final goal closer for marketers as an industry standard.
Transparency into marketing partners
One of the issues raised by GDPR for marketers is the need for businesses to gain unambiguous consent to access a consumer’s device – this not only means the advertiser will need consent, but also all of their marketing-partners, plus their partners’-partners’. All need to have collected consent for the same consumer, and all need to be individually disclosed to that consumer.
An important outcome of this is that marketers will have a much clearer understanding of who they are using in their technology stack – after all, they’ll have to disclose every one of them. The only real alternative is to simply work with full-service end-to-end platforms, increasing transparency of their adtech vendors.
The basis for true personalisation
To comply with some aspects of GDPR, many companies are beginning to look for ways to attach consumer data to a persistent ID that can be deleted. Persistent Identification is key to maintaining GDPR principles of consent and the right to erasure. Conveniently, creating a persistent ID is also the first step in communicating one-to-one over time – so, although it is only very early in the journey, I see GDPR as encouraging the market towards personalising communication over time.
Greater relevancy of content
Poor quality content will only serve to encourage consumers to withhold consent – why would a consumer opt-in to receive something that is of no value to them? As consent is a key factor for many in GDPR compliance, an increase in relevant, quality, branded content would be a natural outcome.
GDPR will, therefore, continue the process Marc Pritchard has started on the journey towards increasing transparency, relevancy and focusing on data-driven one-to-one marketing at scale.
Now, Pritchard’s goal is the same as Conversant’s – our fundamental belief is that brands should market one-to-one to individuals at scale, over time, to drive brand engagement that is measured against measurable incremental return - and our media technology was the first end-to-end solution to achieve this nearly a decade ago.
Finally, if you’re an advertiser or a publisher, then take a look at our free Consent Tool designed to gain GDPR compliant consent – it works with IAB Europe’s Transparency and Consent Framework.
The Consent Tool
---
## GDPR: Short-term pain, long-term gain
Type: eps_post
URL: /gdpr-short-term-pain-long-term-gain
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T22:09:52Z
# GDPR: Short-term pain, long-term gain
In the run-up to the implementation of GDPR, most headlines have focussed on the negative aspects of the regulation - specifically for marketers, that we can’t continue our marketing activities as we’ve become accustomed to.
Whilst GDPR will lead to large changes, not all changes are bad. There will be short-term pain, but longer-term it will be a change for the better - for both consumers and marketers (and the brands they represent).
GDPR means that consumers will have the power to request insight into what data a business holds on them, then request that data to be deleted. In addition, marketers and eCommerce teams now need clear permission (defined as unambiguous consent ) to use a consumers’ data or access their mobile phones and computers - to add a cookie, for example.
By preparing for this, as companies audit their data usage and build solutions to manage their databases and partners, businesses - both brands and solution providers - are putting the consumer at the very centre of their business.
With GDPR, businesses now have an ultimatum to do exactly what they have wanted to achieve for years: be genuinely customer-centric by May 25th, or face huge financial penalties.
This change can only have positive benefits for advertisers, ad-tech vendors and consumers alike.
In a recent report, 61% of senior marketers highlighted building customer relationships as their top digital marketing strategy, yet only 15% of those senior marketers were confident that they knew their customers well enough to do so. By May 25th, the businesses that those senior marketers represent will be legally obliged to understand their customers better - it’s no longer an option.
Putting the consumer at the centre of their business means that advertisers and solution providers will understand their relationship with customers far better, in turn driving relevancy and efficiency in communication, increasing return on marketing spend.
Given time, current headaches around consent will evolve into a massive boon for advertisers. After all, consumers that have consented to be communicated-with are hand-raising - they are going to be higher value customers.
Likewise, if an advertiser starts seeing specific solution providers continually have consent denied to them, it will give clear insight into the providers they partner with, helping them select better partners that both they and their consumers are happy with.
The era of poor quality creative and 'pile it high, sell it cheap' digital messaging - via email, display media, and all forms of retargeting - is coming to an end. This will be replaced by marketing that focusses on relevancy and outcomes that benefit everyone within the value exchange.
The result is fewer messages that are better personalised.
GDPR will help push the advertising and marketing industries to improve. It will increase efficiency for advertisers, and it will enhance relevancy for consumers.
That can only be a good thing.
Incidentally, if you're an advertiser or publisher that's seeking a free solution to gain GDPR and ePrivacy Directive compliant-consent, then take a look at Conversant's Consent Tool.
---
## CJ Wins 3 Performance Marketing Awards
Type: eps_post
URL: /cj-wins-3-performance-marketing-awards-2018
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# CJ Wins 3 Performance Marketing Awards
CJ Affiliate has won three awards at the Performance Marketing Awards (PMAs) 2018: Best Account Management Team, as well as Best Paid Search Campaign and Best Travel & Leisure Campaign, both with NMPi and East Midlands Trains.
Further, the affiliate network was highly commended in three categories: Best Use of Automation, as well as Best Brand Engagement Campaign and Best Travel & Leisure Campaign, both with TUI.
While the Performance Marketing Awards are UK-based, at the global equivalent - the International Performance Marketing Awards - CJ Affiliate won three awards: Industry Network of Choice, Best Managed Affiliate Programme in Western Europe with TUI, and Best Managed Affiliate Programme in Eastern Europe withnVIVNetworks.com and Zoot.cz.
“CJ winning three> Performance Marketing Awards is a result of our focus on innovation and evolution within the performance marketing industry,” explains Jules Bazley, Regional Vice President at CJ Affiliate. “By launching true market differentiators such as Affiliate Customer Insights - which leverages the pseudonymous consumer profiles from Conversant’s single customer view - CJ has gained an incredible amount of unique, market-changing capabilities.
“Further, it’s about understanding the specific goals of our clients and possessing the knowledge and understanding to leverage our publisher-partners and in-house technology. We’ve got an incredible publisher network - one which we heavily invest in nurturing - and an envy inspiring suite of tools, so we make sure our team are enabled to harness them all in the most innovative ways.
“But let’s not forget the incredible collaboration and alliance between the CJ team and our partners - advertisers, publishers, agencies and partners. The teams at NMPi and East Midlands Trains, and all the other great brands, publishers and agencies we work with at CJ collaborate in harmony with the CJ team, and it's this that allows us to push the boundaries in terms of results - something these awards lay testament to."
---
## How does the industry waste $20bn marketing budget a year?
Type: eps_post
URL: /how-does-the-industry-waste-20bn-marketing-budget-a-year
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T22:09:52Z
# How does the industry waste $20bn marketing budget a year?
“Just 25% of CMOs digital media investment reaches target audiences.
“This atrocity represents more than $20 billion of marketing waste, inefficiency and ineffectiveness”.
ANA CEO, Bob Liodice stated this during his opening talk at the ANA Masters of Marketing conference last year.
Now, arguably this has been a known issue and problem for publishers for a long time, and has taken a long time to get back to CMOs. But aside from the question of why this is, I think it is worth investigating why it happens.
Poor measurement
Quite simply, whatever we measure is what we get. If we measure the wrong things, then we'll get the wrong outcome.
Too often marketers are focussed on marketing proxies rather than true measurement. Fraudsters know which proxies brands focus on, they understand how to use these proxies to their advantage, and they have been doing exactly this for a long time.
Prime examples include 100% viewable impressions, or clicks - proxy metrics which are deliberately targeted by fraudsters.
All of this results in a continual arms race between the fraudsters and the businesses employed to stop them. The mobile CPI market is classic example of this – in a recent podcast we hosted on mobile ad fraud, two of the mobile agencies involved said they typically deal with fraud rates as high as 80% of all installs.
Instead of marketing proxies brands should focus on business objectives - like incremental revenue and incremental profit.
Too many people marking their own homework
There are obvious reasons why we hold suppliers accountable for the work they carry out. Yet when it comes to advertising, why is it that so many suppliers are trusted to report on their own activity?
Too many suppliers within the chain of delivering ads to consumers are guilty of finding ways to mark their own homework. And too many marketers are guilty of trusting them to do this.
And what do these suppliers do when they’re reporting on their ‘successes’? Usually find ways to suggest that budgets should continually increase, even going to the extent of inventing metrics that would justify their models, and finding ways to deliver ads that correlate with existing behaviour to claim an impact.
Media performance should be validated against a brand's own business metrics; and not mediated by attribution models or other third parties.
The programmatic marketplace
I assume best intent, but I think we’ve got an adtech market that is opaque, and in many cases commoditised.
It’s a market where no one owns the final result other than the marketer. And this definitely doesn’t benefit the marketer, nor the brand they represent.
A typical chain would involve a strategist, a measurement firm, DSP (or multiple DSPs), a dynamic creative optimisation business, a device matching firm, a data management platform, and a data on-boarder.
Each of these businesses has limited responsibility for the final outcome, and is in a highly competitive space, driven by commercial deals. Often, they’re motivated to reach an earn-out for a venture capital business that is interested in revenue rather than profit. This creates an inefficient market for brands.
The move to person-first media is a significant step in the right direction. It reduces fraud to negligible levels, and allows for actual measurement. However, until the issues above are addressed by marketers, it is not a solution in itself.
The first step to fixing the issue is awareness, so please do reach out to me directly on LinkedIn if you have any questions about the points I’ve raised. Otherwise, you might be interested in listening to the podcast I mentioned earlier on mobile ad fraud.
Listen to the podcast
---
## Black Friday period: European consumers spending more than ever
Type: eps_post
URL: /black-friday-period-european-consumers-spending-more-than-ever
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T22:17:52Z
# Black Friday period: European consumers spending more than ever
Across Europe, early data from CJ Affiliate shows that the 2017 Black Friday period has been stronger than ever, with revenue increasing by over 50%, orders by one-third, and average order value by 15%.
Comparing the 2016 and 2017 eight-day period from the Monday preceding Black Friday through to Cyber Monday, revenue throughout Europe on the CJ network increased 51%.
Order numbers during the Black Friday period in Europe increased by 32%, while the average order value increased by 15%.
Download the 2017 Holiday Intelligence Report for indepth insight on last year's peak period, and receive the upcoming 2018 Holiday Intelligence Report.
Download the 2017 Holiday Intelligence Report
Black Friday: Firmly established, yet still growing
"It seems that while the concept of Black Friday has been an established feature of the European retail calendar in recent years, this year has seen even greater adoption of the discount period,” explains Owen Hancock, Head of Strategy for Europe at CJ Affiliate. "Comparing European and US on-the-day Black Friday results, the rate of increase is more pronounced in Europe than in the US, where the concept of Black Friday discounts has been established for longer."
On Black Friday specifically, network-wide revenue in Europe increased by 59% in 2017, compared to 38% in the US. Number of orders increased by 42% in Europe and 24% in the US, while average order value increased by 12% in both Europe and the US.
"While Cyber Monday remains an important part of the discount period and continued to increase in terms of revenue and orders this year, it appears the continued trend of retailers commencing their Black Friday discounts earlier in the week is resulting in slower-paced increases on Cyber Monday,” continues Hancock.
Europe-wide, Cyber Monday revenue increased by 39%, while orders increased by 12% and average order value increased by 25%.
Black Friday 2017: Increasing order values translating to record publisher commissions
Throughout the eight-day Black Friday period, record average order values have understandably translated into record affiliate publisher commissions, which increased by 88% year-on-year for the eight-day Black Friday period.
“Consumers are spending more per order than in previous years, making the Black Friday period an even more highly profitable time for both advertisers and publishers on the CJ network throughout Europe,” says Hancock.
“The trend for retailers commencing their discount periods earlier and earlier each year has resulted in a more even spread of revenue throughout the Black Friday period. Unlike the US, the European Black Friday period isn’t anchored around a specific day - Thanksgiving in the US. As such, this is a trend I expect to see more of in the future, as retailers start their discount periods earlier in order to maximise potential and give themselves more time to respond to fluctuations in demand."
Download the 2017 Holiday Intelligence Report for indepth insight on last year's peak period, and receive the upcoming 2018 Holiday Intelligence Report.
Download the 2017 Holiday Intelligence Report
---
## [INFOGRAPHIC] The modern CMO: Dream versus reality
Type: eps_post
URL: /infographic-the-modern-cmo-dream-versus-reality
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# [INFOGRAPHIC] The modern CMO: Dream versus reality
Ambition is a trait shared by most senior marketers. In this infographic, we take a look at some of the results from Conversant's latest report into the ambitions and challenges of CMO's around the world.
From building greater relationships with consumers and better targetting them online, through to measuring true return on investment. These are some of the biggest challenges and ambitions shared by international CMOs.
The modern CMO: Dream versus reality
Click on the infographic to view the larger image, or download the full report for free for further insight on what marketers want to achieve, accompanied by actionable insight into how to achieve it.
Download the CMO report
Download the full report for free for further insight on what marketers want to achieve, accompanied by actionable insight into how to achieve it.
Download the CMO report
---
## CJ wins three International Performance Marketing Awards in 2017
Type: eps_post
URL: /cj-wins-three-international-performance-marketing-awards
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# CJ wins three International Performance Marketing Awards in 2017
CJ Affiliate has won three awards at the International Performance Marketing Awards (IPMAs) 2017.
The network won the Industry Network of Choice award, as voted for by affiliate advertisers and publishers around the world.
Further, CJ were awarded Best Managed Affiliate Programme in Western Europe with TUI, and Best Managed Affiliate Programme in Eastern Europe with VIVNetworks.com and Zoot.cz.
The network was also highly commended for numerous award categories.
Read how CJ Affiliate achieved success at the IPMAs in these case studies on the award-nominated campaigns.
View CJ's award-nominated case studies
Judging the awards were a panel performance marketing experts, including senior industry figures from Digiday, LinkedIn, Amazon Video and many more.
Testament to team spirit and collaboration with partners
“CJ being recognised at the inaugural International Performance Marketing Awards really is testimony to the globally strategic and creative abilities that our team possesses,” says Jules Bazley, Regional Vice President for Europe at CJ. “But what I am most proud of is the collaboration and alliance between the CJ team and our partners - both advertisers and publishers all around the world.”
“The teams at TUI, Zoot.cz, VIVNetworks.com and all the other great brands we work with at CJ collaborate with the network in harmony all around the world. It's this that allows us to push the boundaries in terms of results - something these awards lay testament to."
This is the first year that the International Performance Marketing Awards have taken place. At the 2017 UK Performance Marketing Awards, CJ were recognised four times, winning two prestigious awards: Best Managed Affiliate Programme alongside TUI, and Best Retail Campaign alongside Argos and VoucherCodes.co.uk. CJ was also highly commended for Best Travel and Leisure Campaign alongside IHG, as well as a high commendation for our very own rising star, Vicky Baeckstroem.
View CJ's award-nominated case studies
---
## Programmatic: Time to hit the reset button?
Type: eps_post
URL: /programmatic-time-to-hit-the-reset-button
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T22:16:49Z
# Programmatic: Time to hit the reset button?
“Automation applied to an efficient operation will magnify the efficiency… automation applied to an inefficient operation will magnify the inefficiency.” Bill Gates
If you’ve visited a marketing conference in the last five years, you’ll be familiar with the obligatory reference to the percentage of advertising bought via programmatic. This is the oft-overlooked problem with programmatic.
The programmatic industry has become incredibly introspective in its achievements. Vendors compete with vendors and exchanges compete with exchanges on the various aspects of what it takes to be programmatic, but not necessarily on what programmatic is meant to be for.
The means has been brought to the fore, while the solution has been largely forgotten.
"The means has been brought to the fore, while the solution has been largely forgotten."
So, back to basics, what is programmatic?
It’s fundamentally the automation of the purchasing process. Therefore, to assess the benefit of programmatic, instead of the common dialogue revolving around queries per second or how many exchanges can be plugged in simultaneously, we need to focus on what’s behind this automation.
Why is it being automated, and is it an efficiency or an inefficiency that’s being magnified by this automation?
Unfortunately, it’s not an easy question to answer. Programmatic is an industry built on complexity and murkiness. But if we look at programmatic within display media – the main channel run via programmatic – the overwhelming evidence points to an inefficiency being magnified.
Consumers are finding ways to turn off display advertising with tools such as adblockers – the common consensus is that around 30% of people now adopt such measures. This figure wouldn’t be too much of a concern for marketers if they were seeing increased value from programmatic. Yet many are instead growing distrustful of the return that is supposedly generated.
In fact, Marc Pritchard, P&G’s chief brand officer, recently called out the ad industry for what he sees as “a media supply chain that is murky at best and fraudulent at worst”. It’s this media supply chain that programmatic is magnifying.
Here, we have a situation where both marketers and their customers are beginning to move away from programmatic. So, what needs to be done to stop this movement before it becomes irreversible?
The first step is to re-think why we are automating.
"The first step is to re-think why we are automating."
At its core, most programmatic marketers will claim it helps to increase efficiency against KPIs – reach and engagement, or performance goals like attributed sales, for example. The problem is that this is not what marketers should be caring about.
These are proxy KPIs, originally designed to help guide investment towards the true business goals of revenue or profit.
Most programmatic products are built to find the most efficient way to achieve these KPIs. They don’t consider the ultimate company goal, only its own target for re-investment.
Take the case of a retailer’s sales target – to get more budget, the programmatic product will find the cheapest way to attribute a sale. As a product automates towards its target, it looks for the cheapest way to achieve this. Simply put, it gravitates towards those most likely to convert anyway, towards cheap non-viewable traffic, fraudulent content, or sites where users could be tricked into clicking.
Ultimately, it achieves the opposite of what it is meant to do.
We need to reset the antiquated framework of programmatic – this is the second step.
In display, the majority of products on the market identify users via cookies. But the cookie itself is an incredibly out-dated way to identify a user. Fragmentation of devices and the limited shelf life of cookies being 30-days, mean that automating based on cookies is, frankly, dangerous.
"We need to reset the antiquated framework of programmatic – this is the second step."
With cookie lifespans far shorter than the purchase cycles of most products, not being able to recognise someone properly and understand the volume of your advertising they are seeing can mean vast budgets are either wasted or that they annoy potential customers, directly reflecting on your brand. Identifying your customers has to be a primary concern before deciding to automate communication.
Brands cannot assume that programmatic is a net benefit. There needs to be clarity into what the true end goal is for both brand and programmatic vendor, and that this is aligned with business goals rather than KPIs. Further, if the so-called solution relies on cookies rather than true identification, then it cannot properly identify who your customers are, nor their value to you.
Instead of marketing to consumers, you’re likely annoying them with irrelevant adverts, damaging your brand. You could be doing more damage to your brand than you realise, far quicker than you would think.
---
## Report: 65% of consumers fed up with irrelevant brand communications
Type: eps_post
URL: /65-of-consumers-fed-up-with-irrelevant-brand-communications
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T22:17:52Z
# Report: 65% of consumers fed up with irrelevant brand communications
A new report reveals that 65% of consumers say companies, retailers, or brands send them too many irrelevant communications.
Further, the research shows that consumers are more likely to shop with a brand if it communicates to them on a more personal level: 87% of millennials aged 25-34 are very likely to shop at a retailer if they receive personalised offers.
Download the report
The 2017 Holiday Retail Outlook Report, released by Alliance Data’s card services business, Epsilon, Conversant and LoyaltyOne, looks upon trends during recent winter seasons in order to impart valuable insight on how retailers can maximise ROI during the upcoming 2017 winter holiday period.
For the upcoming winter holiday shopping period, the report highlights the value of personalisation in communication over heavy discounting. "Deep discounting has traditionally been the go-to strategy for retailers, but this doesn’t have to be the only solution to drive consumers to buy,” the report states. "Focusing on personalisation and technology in stores will cut through the crowded retail market.”
"Consumers have had enough of the irrelevant mass communications that retailers throw at them. It is time for retailers to start now with personalised promotions to convince consumers to shop their brand over another retailer that sells similar items."
Omni-channel shopping experiences
The report further confirms the ongoing trend of consumer purchasing behaviour being spread across channels: 80% of consumers now buy online and have gifts delivered, 51% buy online and pick up in store, 75% price compare products online, while 51% read product reviews while in store.
As a result, the report advises retail brands not to “underestimate continuity of voice.”
"Digital marketing allows you to keep up an ongoing conversation with your customers across their devices, rather than simply serving up the same ads over and over again."
For example, US retail brand "The Land Of Nod focused its digital advertising efforts on individual consumers, using data to serve up highly personalised messaging across multiple devices." In the UK, luxury fashion brand Dune London employs the same personalised approach to marketing, which earned the brand a 64% increase in ROI per customer.
Diverging generational consumer trends
The report further highlights the diverging shopping habits between generations.
Price and value are top influencers for millennials. But they also recognize the importance of both functional and emotional aspects of the shopping experience; both are represented in where and how they decide to shop.
Generation X wants to see clear value for the money they spend — and they expect innovation that will make their busy lives easier, according to the report. Meanwhile, baby boomers and the silent generation place a greater importance on the functional attributes offered when they’re deciding which brands to shop.
Finally, generation Z cares greatly about quality and value. And while they’ll only contribute a small amount of their own money to this year’s holiday spend, you can be sure they’re heavily influencing it.
Download the full report for free to gain access to this valuable data and insight in the run-up to the 2017 winter holiday period.
Download the report
---
## Global affiliate revenue growth up 16% during winter holiday period
Type: eps_post
URL: /global-affiliate-revenue-growth-up-16-during-winter-holiday-period
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Global affiliate revenue growth up 16% during winter holiday period
Affiliate revenue in CJ’s global network of publishers and advertisers is up 16% year-on-year, with an average 4% increase in the number of orders, according to CJ Affiliate's 2017 Holiday Intelligence Report.
Across the global CJ Affiliate network, the winter holiday period in 2016 followed many of the same rules we’ve come to expect: Black Friday and Cyber Monday dominated, and early to mid-December was the next most lucrative sales period.
Download the report
Benchmarking affiliate revenue
The CJ Affiliate 2017 Holiday Intelligence Report draws upon the 2016 holiday retail sales in CJ Affiliate’s global network to highlight the trends that will have the greatest impact on holiday 2017 sales in the US, UK, Germany, and France.
Advertisers saw their greatest growth in affiliate revenue driven by search and ad network publishers, followed by email and incentive publishers. Revenue from coupon sites increased by 7% and orders were down 13% year-on-year. Clicks from ad networks increased 53% year-on-year, followed by 31% growth in clicks from content publishers.
The US and German markets led in terms of revenue growth (partly due to overall strong growth in basket value in the US), while the UK and German markets together experienced the strongest year-on-year growth in orders—12% and 218%, respectively. CJ Affiliate’s revenue growth in the US was +5 points higher than the ecommerce growth released by Adobe Digital Insights.
Regional affiliate marketing trends
This year, the UK’s growing adoption of Black Friday and Cyber Monday brought shopping demand on these days near parity with the US. Cyber Monday growth in orders reached 76%. In addition, UK retailers jumped on the holiday season a bit earlier and stronger than other markets, resulting in a stronger start to sales.
Growth in the publisher network managed by CJ’s team in Germany resulted in strong holiday season sales in the department stores, malls, and women’s categories. Sales from shoppers in the Czech Republic, Poland, Romania, and Bulgaria increased 53% year-on-year. Black Friday promotions drove sales to their highest levels of the holiday season in this market.
In France, different to all other markets, Cyber Monday and the following week were the peak periods for holiday shopping, as shown in the graph below.
In the US, shoppers had their mind on other matters during the first week of November. Total orders during the days leading up to and directly after the election were down 9% year-on-year. Election Day (November 8th) saw the greatest decline with orders down 24% year-on-year. Sales began to rebound on the weekend following the election.
Download the report
---
## [Podcast] How to navigate the new digital landscape
Type: eps_post
URL: /podcast-how-to-navigate-the-new-digital-landscape-lisa-collings-conversant
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T22:16:49Z
# [Podcast] How to navigate the new digital landscape
How do you ascertain the value of a digital service? And once you understand the value, how do you gain buy-in from your business?
In this podcast, Lisa Collings, VP of Client Development at Conversant imparts her insight and advice on ascertaining the value of digital B2B services, and how to advocate that benefit to the C-Level of your organisation. With a career history in branding for some of the largest B2B and B2C organisations in the world, Lisa understands how to leverage new technology for brand benefit.
Speaking with Robin Davies, MD of Operations at Conversant, Lisa gives actionable advice on gauging the benefit of technology services, in particular harnessing the early adopter advantage.
After listening, be sure to download Lisa's personalisation checklist: a six-point guide to understanding if your business is ready to create truly personalised experiences for your customers at scale.
Further reading
Download Lisa's personalisation checklist: a six-point guide to understanding if your business is ready to create truly personalised experiences for your customers at scale.
Download the checklist
---
## [Video] The power of personalisation: Keep your customer coming back for more
Type: eps_post
URL: /video-the-power-of-personalisation-keep-your-customer-coming-back-for-more
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# [Video] The power of personalisation: Keep your customer coming back for more
Personalised marketing has been talked about for a long time. Yet for many businesses, it still hasn't fully materialised.
Watch this video to understand how to implement true one-to-one personalisation at scale, today.
Speaking at Internet Retailing Expo, Conversant's VP of media UK, Elliott Clayton discusses what true personalisation actually means, and how brands can benefit from true one-to-one personalisation at scale.
Click for sound 0:07
Further reading
Get further insight from the Econsultancy report that Elliott refers to in the video. Download the report for free.
Download the report
---
## CJ’s cross-device solution: Track affiliate conversions across devices
Type: eps_post
URL: /cjs-cross-device-solution-track-affiliate-conversions-across-devices
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# CJ’s cross-device solution: Track affiliate conversions across devices
Today, CJ Affiliate launches our cross-device solution, offering complete visibility and tracking of a consumer's path to purchase across all of their devices.
To achieve such visibility, CJ Affiliate harnesses anonymised proprietry data, allowing us to see and recognize more consumers than anyone else within the affiliate space. This is accomplished through deterministic, transaction-based matching that enables us to match and connect consumer profiles.
To give you an idea of the scale, we now:
Recognise 3.4 devices per person on average per day
Tap into 160+ million unique consumer profiles
See 75 million daily online and offline transactions
This data is exclusive to CJ Affiliate within the affiliate marketing space, thanks to our relationship with parent companies Conversant and Epsilon.
Discover CJ's cross-device solution
Why is cross-device tracking important?
For years, affiliate marketers have struggled to see the complete picture of a customer’s path to purchase. While awareness and research occurs on one device, frequently the actual conversion takes place on another. Yet analytics solutions are often incapable of identifying that same user across their devices.
For example, many publishers are known to drive influence within affiliate, but until now it has been difficult to quantify concrete value. With CJ’s Cross Device solution we are now able to uncover the impact of those influencers on multi-device customer journeys.
“Effective cross-device tracking opens up the mobile channel to pay-for-performance. To date, we've prioritized mobile support and exposure to campaigns supported by alternative monetization (ex. paid placement, CPM, CPC). Our mobile app is one of our most valuable assets available to the affiliate space. Cross-device tracking makes this inventory more accessible to a larger group of advertisers and budgets.”
Groupon
This new insight gives affiliate marketers the ability to understand shopping and purchasing behaviour across devices—behavior that has skyrocketed and will continue to do so with time. We have learned that being able to identify publishers, audiences, and products that drive multi-device behaviour culminates in better transparency and visibility within affiliate programmes.
"As the customer journey changes, it’s important for us to track and understand it in detail from discovery to conversion. With over 50% of transactions occurring on mobile, we are excited to capture more data and conversions with CJ’s Cross-Device tracking.”
Lyst
This, in turn, allows for more well-informed decisions and an increase in enriched partnerships between publishers and advertisers.
“Cross-device tracking is becoming a fundamental need in the affiliate space, and we’re excited to bring the capability to our network,” explains Waleed Al-Atraqchi, president of CJ Affiliate.
“With added visibility on key drivers of customer purchase behavior, our clients can leverage media partners to reach multi-device shoppers on a deeper level than was previously available in the industry. These insights are key to making each customer interaction meaningful, which creates growth in the affiliate channel and helps identify new or emerging partnerships.”
Discover CJ's cross-device solution
---
## Can a ‘framework’ of solutions be an alternative to the duopoly?
Type: eps_post
URL: /can-a-framework-of-solutions-be-an-alternative-to-the-duopoly
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T22:16:49Z
# Can a ‘framework’ of solutions be an alternative to the duopoly?
AppNexus leads adtech consortium to enable ‘people-based marketing’ rivaling Facebook and Google’s duopoly.
In a recent piece published by The Drum Ronan Shields discusses how AppNexus are leading a group to help enable “people-based marketing”.
AppNexus, LiveRamp and MediaMath, along with Index Exchange, LiveIntent, plus Rocket Fuel, have all agreed to to create a standard framework that will enable people-based media buying for advertisers looking to utilize programmatic technologies, similar to the deterministic targeting promised by the two-biggest digital media owners Facebook and Google.
On first impression, this looks like a whole host of moving parts are required to work in harmony for this to actually do its job. When the pie is this complicated, I am unsure how having this many different fingers can be beneficial, especially when it’s trying to be a real alternative to a) Google or b) Facebook.
Travis May, president and general manager of LiveRamp, added: “There’s huge demand for leveraging a deterministic, omnichannel identifier in the bidstream, as marketers want to improve their interactions with consumers by linking data from customer files and offline channels – such as in-store purchases – to media exposure in programmatic channels. The creation of this consortium will accelerate the delivery of this value to marketers and their partners in the digital media ecosystem.
On this Travis is spot on. Through better linking consumers to their online alter egos, the benefits to clients are endless – from mapping the effects of media on offline and online behaviour, to treating customers like people and personalising how brands communicate. However, he is incorrect in the assertion that the consortium will accelerate this value as there are products outside of Google and Facebook already – whether they can be purchased through agency desks could be the reason they are not as prevalent as they perhaps could be.
David Gosen, general manager, platform solutions and SVP, international at Rocket Fuel, said: “This collaboration of businesses operating in the digital advertising space will contribute to more transparency and efficiency, which is great news for the internet and our industry. Vitally, it also creates greater relevance for the end consumer. At Rocket Fuel, we believe the future is about people, not devices, so partnering with others in the digital ecosystem to deliver this more widely is a positive move for all involved.”
The common theme from all of those involved within the consortium is that person first media is vital to all marketers. Yet, there is no indicator of when this will be available from them. Surely if person first media is so vital, marketers should be reaching out to vendors who have the ability and experience of running person first media today? They need to speak to someone who can do it right now.
Conversant, the company I work for has spent decades perfecting their person-based marketing solution which hundreds of clients would testify to. I’ll be watching with keen interest to see how the consortium’s solution works when it is released, and how it measures-up compared to the mature solutions available today.
---
## True personalisation: Reigniting the value of digital advertising
Type: eps_post
URL: /true-personalisation-reigniting-the-value-of-digital-advertising
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T22:14:41Z
# True personalisation: Reigniting the value of digital advertising
Working in digital advertising, it’s instinct to keep an eye on the adverts that your family, friends and colleagues are being served. When a friend shows me an online video or article on their device, my first glance is to the adverts that surround that content. I actively look out for what many people seem intent on attempting to avoid - adverts.
Recently, while carrying out this informal ad-monitoring, I felt a strong sense of deja vu. Bizarrely, as I sat next to various colleagues, adverts for a popular children’s toy brand started to appear throughout the office like a virus moving from one computer to the next. From our senior leadership team down, almost everyone was being pestered by these ads.
This is just one, small example of assumptions being made and going seriously wrong. One person in the office had been looking at this popular children's toy as a gift for their daughter. But because every device in the building shares the same IP address, the algorithm responsible for serving those ads decided that all of the devices in the building were used by the same individual.
It destroyed the value of digital advertising for both consumer and brand.
Unfortunately for brands, this isn’t isolated or unique. To reach real people across the devices they use, you need to identify them accurately. Failure to do so doesn’t just cost businesses in misspent advertising dollars. It’s causing severe brand damage, as businesses pester and chase consumers around the internet with inappropriate, irrelevant messaging designed to elicit a click.
"To reach real people across the devices they use, you need to identify them accurately"
The vast majority of identification models are built on cookies and assumptions. They fail to identify the actual person that is looking at the advert. They can’t accurately identify a person across their devices, let alone what actions they have taken offline.
This is an issue on two fronts. Firstly, a lack of data and the insight that can be gleaned from that data. Advertisers need implementable data linked to their customers and prospects. Without it, it’s impossible to know what messaging to serve, when to serve it, and to whom.
Secondly, advertisers need the ability to personalise ad creative to actually deliver relevant messages based on this data.
True media personalisation
The solution is true media personalisation, and it doesn’t just solve the identification and quality problems I’ve touched upon above. I joined a panel at Advertising Week Europe last week to discuss the failure of attribution models to serve business interests. But by personalising media, attribution becomes irrelevant. Instead of extrapolated assumptions, true measurement of the impact advertising is having on business goals is possible, and it’s happening right now. Businesses are already increasing their bottom line, indisputably as a result of personalisation.
With a lack of data on consumers, advertisers previously had to rely on attributing the performance of adverts based on a single click - its sole purpose being to allow for an (unreliable) return on investment to be calculated. But with personalisation comes an accurate form of measurement - incrementality.
Incrementality, an advanced form of A/B testing the long-term business impact of advertising views on consumers, empowers advertising creative to do its job, whether that’s focussed on branding or transactional objectives.
"Incrementality empowers advertising creative to do its job."
Incrementality, an advanced form of A/B testing the long-term business impact of advertising views on consumers, empowers advertising creative to do its job, whether that’s focussed on branding or transactional objectives.
Consumers haven’t always been intent on avoiding adverts. There was a time not too long ago when consumers used to look out for adverts, just like I do now with my informal ad-monitoring.
But in the transition to online, advertising has become tied to eliciting a click. The desire to measure action, and find some tenuous method of attributing that action to profit has destroyed the value of advertising to both the consumer and the brand. Personalisation solves this. It brings value to digital advertising.
A version of this article was first published in the Huffington Post and Advertising Week to coincide with the author, Elliott Clayton's panel at Advertising Week Europe on attribution. You can watch the on-demand video of Elliott's panel, with experts on attribution from Google, AOL and Campaign Magazine.
Watch the panel on-demand
---
## Debenhams and CJ Affiliate launch exclusive affiliate programme
Type: eps_post
URL: /debenhams-and-cj-affiliate-launch-exclusive-affiliate-programme
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Debenhams and CJ Affiliate launch exclusive affiliate programme
British multi-national retailer Debenhams has today joined CJ Affiliate's network. The network will now serve Debenhams’ affiliate marketing activity in the UK and Ireland. This will be an exclusive partnership from April onwards.
With a history that dates back to 1778, Debenhams is a leading international, multi-channel brand with a proud British heritage. The brand trades out of over 240 physical stores across 27 countries. Online, Debenhams.com is one of the most visited global websites, delivering purchases to 66 countries around the world.
“Debenhams had four key objectives in securing a new affiliate partner network: reporting efficiencies and account management; being able to leverage a network’s expertise in long tail growth; innovative implementation of platform data; and an omni-channel presence,” explains Pia Sharma, E-Commerce Marketing Manager at Debenhams.
“This fantastic new partnership is testament to our proven track record and continued commitment to creating relevant and bespoke solutions to deliver against our clients’ strategic objectives,” says Anne Delhon, Regional VP at CJ Affiliate. “We look forward to promoting Debenhams’ while offering our hard-earned industry expertise, prowess in insight and data, and of course access to our high-quality publisher network."
CJ Affiliate was launched in 1998 and has been evolving the affiliate marketing industry ever since. Powered by Conversant, CJ’s global network offers advertisers and publishers an unparalleled level of insight into consumer data, utilising over 160 million unique customer profiles.
If you're a publisher, you can join the programme by following the relevant link below:
UK Programme
or
IE Programme
Alternatively, publishers can reach out to CJ UK's Debenhams account management team, or CJ IE's Debenhams' account management team with any questions.
About CJ Affiliate by Conversant
Formerly Commission Junction, CJ is the leading global affiliate marketing network, specialising in pay-per-performance programmes that drive results for businesses around the world. The CJ network helps to reach and connect with millions of online consumers every day by facilitating productive partnerships between advertisers and publishers. Drive more sales and expand your reach - experience the network effect with CJ.
About Conversant
Conversant is the leader in personalised digital marketing, transforming the industry through cutting-edge technology, bold creative and a staggering amount of data. Its roster of 4,000 clients includes 400+ blue chip brands and 65 of the Internet Retailer Top 100. Coupled with the world's largest affiliate marketing network, CJ Affiliate, they drive incremental sales better than anyone. Conversant is a division of Epsilon, the global leader in creating customer connections that build brand and business equity.
---
## This is what real personalisation looks like
Type: eps_post
URL: /this-is-what-real-personalisation-looks-like
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T22:13:13Z
# This is what real personalisation looks like
Increasingly, media personalisation is talked about as a silver bullet for many issues facing digital media today. It can deliver measurable rather than attributed performance and overcome issues with attribution models that preference high volume low-quality media buying - an issue that's also driving adblocking.
Many recent acquisitions show large global businesses reaching out to this new market. Verizon buying AOL, and Dentsu Aegis' acquisition of Merkle, for example. The former is an example of a company building its ability to target person-first media at scale, one of the prerequisites of personalisation; while the latter is a case of a media business obtaining a single customer view – essential to retain a personalised profile over time.
Both deals allow the companies involved to target individual consumers rather than the devices they own – a market trend started by businesses such as Conversant several years ago. The Merkle and AOL purchases are still recent, meaning these capabilities are some way off.
True one-to-one personalisation at scale
Few businesses can deliver true one-to-one personalisation at scale. This is why businesses talk about anything even remotely targeted or customised and claim it is personalisation.
To explain the difference, if you and I visited the same product page on a website, non-personalised but dynamic, segmented creative would show us the same product-led ads. There'd be no difference in creative or frequency, with that frequency being a rather high rate of ad delivery.
Using the same example, truly personalised media would show us a completely different set of creative, in a completely different order and frequency. Perhaps not even referencing the product, depending on our engagement on and offline with the brand, as well as our own individual media habits and consumption.
As personalisation is a key market that businesses are moving into, it’s important to be able to differentiate between aspiration and fact. True one-to-one marketing is impossible without the alignment of three key elements, but once these are present, it is possible to deliver measurable incremental growth to the top-line of global businesses. The three key elements are:
1. Brands must understand and speak to consumers as individuals. Not as cookies, devices or segments.
Recognition is the all-important first step in being able to deliver person-first media. This is the ability to identify an individual and all the devices assigned to that individual. It requires multiple inputs that may leverage, but are not limited to cookies.
"Recognition is the all-important first step in being able to deliver person-first media"
Accurate person-first media requires a vendor to have access to deterministic data. In order of relevance, deterministic joins include: second-party email, publisher login data, consumer login and data on commerce such as credit cards.
The closer to a real person, the better the join. An email address generated by a competition is not as accurate as a join matched from a customer’s credit card, where, for example, a user may have many low-use email addresses but only one credit card.
2. Brands need to have real ongoing conversations with consumers to run true personalisation – the dialogue should be proactive and persistent over time.
Data persistence is rarely raised by vendors of personalised marketing opportunities in discussions about the market, but it is absolutely vital to have an ongoing dialogue with a customer. Personalisation can’t occur if a brand can remember only the past 30 days of a conversation, or if a brand can recognise only the consumer on one of their devices. The alternative is a peculiar stop-start. Imagine you keep greeting old friends during the day and forget them completely 30 days later.
This is why brands need to leverage their own CRM data to have a chance of creating personalised experiences, but few have enough data to make personalisation worthwhile. Vendors must show what a customer is doing when they are not engaged with an advertiser’s website or can enrich their CRM-based insights with deterministic data of their own.
3. The success of a personalised media campaign should be measured against incremental return over time, because attributed conversions within a window are irrelevant to the lifetime brand engagement of a customer or prospect.
Up until now, digital media’s dependence on the cookie has led to prioritising direct response (DR) retargeted messaging, focusing on the last click or linear attribution models. But this results in high volumes of low quality, product-led DR creative being pushed out, delivered in short windows to maximise attributed return when a customer makes a purchase. There is widespread discussion as to whether this leads to a negative brand effect for the advertiser and the growth of adblocking.
In this instance, attribution is not equal to understanding the value being created, as it can be built up over many months. I am unaware of any attribution model that is capable of also deduping existing brand value.
"Truly personalised media needs to be tracked through AB testing and incremental measurement over time"
Truly personalised media needs to be tracked through AB testing and incremental measurement over time – which can only happen if profiles are persistent over time to keep control groups clean.
This model of measurement will give an exact figure for incremental return on investment over time. It will also offer a true measurement of the effect of personalisation that any marketer would feel comfortable putting in front of a senior leader.
Once measurement is focused on incremental return; frequency of advertising can be controlled at the level of the individual, and a creative mix, including brand, loyalty and DR can be delivered. This will improve the customer experience of engaging with a brand.
The net result of proper personalisation is better brand engagement, happier consumers and a greater return for advertisers over time.
---
## [Podcast] Mobile ad fraud: What, why and how?
Type: eps_post
URL: /podcast-mobile-ad-fraud-what-why-and-how
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T22:14:41Z
# [Podcast] Mobile ad fraud: What, why and how?
In our latest podcast series, we invite a panel of industry insiders to discuss the situation surrounding mobile advertising fraud.
Why has this become such a big problem? What are the fraudsters doing to game the system? And how can reputable individuals and organisations in the industry work to stop this illegal practice?
Listen to this podcast series on mobile ad fraud to understand why this illegal practice is damaging to the industry, what the fraudsters are doing, and how they are currently getting away with it.
Joining our panel for this podcast series:
Chris Mumford, Trading Director at M&C Saatchi Mobile
Luke Dansie, Account Director at Fetch
Mark Brill, Senior Lecturer in Future Media and Consultant in Digital, Mobile and IoT Innovation
Elliott Clayton, Commercial Director at Conversant
If you enjoy this podcast, then be sure to listen to our podcast series on attribution, Baffled by the belief systems: The role of media attribution in business.
---
## Bad digital marketing: The '50 First Dates' trap
Type: eps_post
URL: /50-first-dates-digital-marketing-doesnt-have-to-be-this-bad
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Bad digital marketing: The '50 First Dates' trap
We’ve all been victims of bad digital marketing. It happens every day, on every publisher site.
You know the drill: you visit a site to browse a product. Let’s say, running shoes. You look at several pairs, including a blue pair of New Balances. It’s a model you’ve purchased before in their store but aren’t ready to buy again just yet.
Moments later, you see a different model, a red pair, in an advertisement. It’s a model you browsed but weren’t interested in at all. For the next 2–4 weeks, you’re stalked by those red running shoes.
Marketers spend billions doing just this, stalking consumers. It’s incredibly inefficient, and it’s detrimental to the brand by annoying, creeping out and pushing consumers to the competition.
It reminds me of the movie 50 First Dates. The Drew Barrymore character has no short-term memory, and every time she sees the Adam Sandler character, she starts all over by introducing herself.
Successful digital marketing
When digital marketing is successful, it’s like having a meaningful conversation with a best friend. You know all about your friend, and your conversation picks up where you left off.
Three fundamentals must be in place to create these engagements:
Marketers must recognise and speak to people as individuals; not cookies, segments or devices.
Marketers must maintain persistent and proactive dialogues, instead of reacting to single actions that customers take.
Marketers must accurately measure and iterate in real-time, to assure the 'best next' is always presented to their customers, and so they’re not reintroducing themselves again and again.
So why does most marketing feel like 50 First Dates? Because of three fundamental mistakes that prevent marketers from delivering true one-to-one experiences.
1. Reliance on point solutions
Most brands rely on five or six point solutions, with separate vendors for data onboarding, audience building, cross-device recognition, dynamic creative, media buying, and measurement. This leads to lack of scale, lack of real-time person-level execution, media inefficiency and flawed measurement.
2. Fractured funnel
Marketers treat the prospect/customer funnel in a very broken way. Top-of-funnel (acquisition) campaigns aren’t coordinated with the bottom (typically retargeting). The reality is, prospects and customers move around the funnel fluidly, and marketers should base their conversations on people’s current funnel status.
3. Channel-centric, not consumer-centric
Marketers continue to budget for and treat mobile, social, video, display, email and search as separate line items. They think media channel first, rather than placing people at the centre and calibrating for personal preferences, device, publisher and time of day.
So how do you fix this, and have more meaningful conversations with everyone?
Focus on the following:
Matching: Does your current solution match people as real individuals, understanding all devices they use? Can you reach them across all publishers, at scale?
Profile: Do you know, in real time, what people browse and buy online—and offline? What videos they view? What emails they open? The places they’ve been (like your store)?
Creative and media buying: Are you dynamically personalising creative for each individual, and are you buying media at the person level (not as a big cookie pool)?
Measurement: Can you measure incrementality, across all buying channels (in-store, online, catalogue, dealership, bank branch, etc...)?
If your current ad-tech solutions don’t reach people as individuals and own the chain of custody throughout the process, you’re likely giving your customers that 50 First Dates experience. It's bad digital marketing.
There’s a better way to meaningful conversations. There’s a better way to relationship building, which ultimately translates into new customers and revenue growth.
---
## [Podcast] The role of attribution in digital media
Type: eps_post
URL: /new-podcast-series-baffled-by-the-belief-systems-the-role-of-media-attribution-in-business
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T22:14:41Z
# [Podcast] The role of attribution in digital media
We’re very happy to announce the launch of our first series of podcasts, focussed on the topic of media attribution.
Baffled by the belief systems: The role of media attribution in business is a podcast series with a panel of industry insiders, candidly discussing the true value of attribution in digital advertising.
“An attribution model is the rule, or set of rules, that determines how credit for sales and conversions is assigned to touchpoints in conversion paths,” according to Google.
But by definition, it isn’t the measurement of value created. Although attempts to understand media revenue through better attribution models are always improving, arguably we are still planning and buying media against next best marketing KPIs rather than planning to deliver business outcomes.
The panel for this podcast series:
Moderator: Robin Davies, MD Operations EMEA, Conversant
Neil Kettlebrough, COO, Chalk Global; Full Service Independent & Publisher
James Duffy, Head of Digital, Total Media; Full Service Independent Agency
Johannes Radig, Head of Growth Marketing, Truly Experiences / Ex-Paypal
Elliott Clayton, Commercial Director, Conversant
Our next series on mobile ad fraud will be released in mid-February.
---
## 75% of businesses say personalised communication is essential
Type: eps_post
URL: /11-communication-essential-to-75-of-businesses-just-12-equipped-for-it
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T22:14:41Z
# 75% of businesses say personalised communication is essential
Yet only 12% of businesses are equipped for it. In terms of personalised communication to prospects and customers, there’s a wide gap between current capability and the capability required at the many of the world’s largest organisations, according to a new report.
To generate future growth, three-quarters of businesses with revenues over US$250m are reliant on personalised communication with their prospects and customers. Yet just 12% of those same businesses are currently able to harness the data to do so, according to the research, conducted and released by Econsultancy, Epsilon and Conversant.
Download the report for free
Further, it appears that developing the capability for true personalised communication is an emerging battleground in the fight for competitive advantage.
Surveying 220 senior executives with responsibilities in brand and business marketing, the report highlights that 70% firmly believe that their competitors are focussing on acquiring the capability to communicate with their customers and prospects as individuals.
Of four key organisational capabilities needed for true personalisation, only between 10% and 14% of executives highlight existing strong capability. Yet at least 74% of the senior executives feel each one is paramount to future growth.
Figure: Digital priorities versus current capability
Source: Customer Recognition: How Marketing is Failing at its Top Priority
Worryingly, it appears that many are deluded to this lack of capability at their organisation.
“Over 40% of large organisations report having a system for data unification in place,” says the report. “But when that number is reverse-engineered based on the integration of specific sources such as CRM, channel data and behavioural data, the number with a true single customer view (SCV) drops to only 12%."
Dynamic content delivery is essential
But achieving an SCV is only part of the battle in delivering true 1:1 communication en masse. Marketers need the technology that enables them to use the data from the SCV to target their audience as individuals.
"Unfortunately, there’s little room for half measures in today’s digital markets,” continues the report "If we are to provide an individualised customer experience, then dynamic content delivery is essential. Regardless of channel or device, customers should get content that makes sense for them, that makes their experience more pleasant and efficient."
Download the full report for free to get the full picture of why, and how organisations are racing to build their capability in 1:1 personalisation.
Download the report for free
---
## A Marriage in Marketing: Content and Affiliate
Type: eps_post
URL: /a-marriage-in-marketing-content-and-affiliate
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# A Marriage in Marketing: Content and Affiliate
In the last few years there has been an influx of bloggers making their way into the affiliate arena. Why? Bloggers and influencers have more of an audience than ever before, thanks in part to social media. As the followers and visibility of bloggers grow, so does the attention they receive from brands. As a result, bloggers have become much smarter in the way that they write and market their blogs.
In Comes Affiliate Marketing
It was only a matter of time before even the smallest bloggers realised that they could be paid for their work. Once that lightbulb went off they found that affiliate marketing was the perfect channel to cultivate a brand-to-publisher relationship. As an advertiser you're probably still wondering how exactly content fits into the affiliate space?
The following is a list of common questions we hear from our advertisers. After carefully examining all the pieces, we’ve developed answers to help you form your own verdict on how the content puzzle piece truly fits into your larger marketing strategy.
Content is considered its own separate channel and we have a separate team to handle that strategy and budget. How can we also manage content within the affiliate space without duplicating efforts?
First, keep past relationships separate. If your content team already has strong relationships with specific bloggers and influencers, don’t try to move them into the affiliate channel. Instead, use affiliate as a gateway to find new relationships and opportunities. Second, don't reinvent the wheel: talk to your content team, if separate, and get their insight into what their current strategy is, and what past wins and losses they encountered. This can help inspire your next move with new content partners within affiliate. It will also ensure that your brand’s voice is consistent within content across all channels.
Is content more “top of the funnel” while affiliate is more “bottom of the funnel”?
In case you haven't heard, the funnel is no longer! The top-down model has morphed into more of a loop... a loyalty loop to be exact. Consumers are constantly in a consideration and evaluation phase, even after they’ve already purchased from you. Until a brand loyalty is deeply rooted within a consumer, they might continually compare your brand to competitors. Because of this, affiliate marketing is not truly at the bottom of the funnel, just like content may not be at the top. Content is needed more than ever to reach consumers in all stages of the loyalty loop and ultimately help sway the consumer to choose your brand over the rest.
We know that content might influence sales within affiliate, but they aren’t necessarily the last click in the consumer purchase journey. How can we account for the efforts of bloggers?
This leads us into the ever buzzworthy topic of attribution. Without going too far down the rabbit hole on that topic, just consider how you are currently paying your affiliates. One common option is to pay on a CPA, which supports a last-click model. However, when it comes to bloggers you may want to consider new payment models. Specifically, look to pay on impression or view through for these publishers only. Another option is to use CJ’s Coupon Code Parameter to limit commissions to one single, or one group, of publishers. While this may not be the most organic approach, it is worth offering them a code to see how they can approach that tactic.
Ok, I get it! Where do I start?
Start just as you would for other incoming publisher applications: evaluate each website for its quality, relevance to your brand, overall site traffic, and in this case, even size of its social following. This analysis will help you decide whether each publisher is not only a good fit for your brand, but also if they are worth the focus of your time and energy. Want to take it one step further? Get Content Certified!
Check out the following success stories on how both advertisers and publishers benefit from embracing the content-affiliate conundrum:
Advertiser: Connecting with Influencers to Drive Targeted Traffic
Publisher: Revenue Growth through Audience Expansion
If you’re still unsure on how this exactly applies to you, talk to your account teams about exactly how content can help to grow your affiliate business.
---
## MARKETERS NEED A VIEWABILITY CONFIDENCE BOOST. HERE’S HOW TO GET IT.
Type: eps_post
URL: /marketers-need-a-viewability-confidence-boost.-heres-how-to-get-it
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# MARKETERS NEED A VIEWABILITY CONFIDENCE BOOST. HERE’S HOW TO GET IT.
Things are looking dismal for ad viewability. According to a survey by the Association of National Advertisers in the US, only 10% of marketers are “very” confident that their ads are being viewed.
Think about that. Nearly $60 billion is spent on digital ads annually in the US. As the keepers of these brand messages send their babies out into the far reaches of the web, the vast majority of them aren’t even sure they’ll be seen.
They’re right to feel insecure. According to a recent comScore study, 54% of display ads are non-viewable. That represents tens of billions of dollars or pounds wasted each year.
Naturally, marketers are desperate to find a solution. Some are employing an age-old trick: incentivising ad views with trinkets like video game bonuses or reward points. This growing model may, in fact, drive actual views by actual humans. But what are they worth?
Incentivisation doesn’t guarantee relevance, interest or even acknowledgement. The environments where these ads run can damage consumer perception, especially for high-end brands. And the publishers are finite, hindering scale.
Viewability can’t be achieved with gimmicks. It takes serious investment in technical innovations for variable screens, browser load times and other backend issues.
More than that, it takes a deep understanding of, and insight into, the consumers on the receiving end of these ads. Targeting just to devices or domains drives bot impressions, accounting for significant annual losses (more than $7 billion in the US). Conversant never makes that mistake. Using a vast amount of first- and third-party data, we recognise and reach each consumer at the person level, with one view across all their devices, channels and media formats.
We’ve done this for years, but we don’t expect anyone to take our word for it—so we’ve partnered with leading in-app measurement companies, such as Integral Ad Science, to offer a 100% viewability guarantee backed by third-party verification.
It’s all part of our best-in-class solution to ensure that consumers not only view our clients’ ads, but that they also notice and act on them. If our results don’t instil confidence in marketers, we don’t know what will.
To learn more about Conversant’s holistic solution to all facets of ad quality, including viewability, download our guide.
---
## AD FRAUD DRIVES MORE CLICK FICTION
Type: eps_post
URL: /ad-fraud-drives-more-click-fiction
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# AD FRAUD DRIVES MORE CLICK FICTION
It’s been a few weeks since my last blog, Clicks, The False Positive. Since then, more musings have surfaced in the media about the fiction associated with the click. My favourite was a recent article in Business Insider by Shann Biglione of Zenith Optimedia. He went after the click with more vigour than I’ve seen before. Some of his words of wisdom: “We have produced a click-obsessed monster so ugly that even the people who work in advertising cannot stand its stench.”
To Shann’s point, many things stink about the click. Last time I briefly touched on how ad fraud degrades the click even more. It’s a serious topic with serious revenue tied to it. As marketers shift more budget to digital media and adopt programmatic solutions, and as channels of consumption continue to blur, fraud acts as an opportunist—computer-optimised to engage when the opportunity is ripe—and the losses can multiply quickly.
I’ve sifted through oodles of research on fraud. While the numbers vary, a recent study by the Internet Advertising Bureau (IAB) estimates the total annual cost of flaws in the internet supply chain to be $8.2 billion. Invalid traffic tops the list at 56%, or $4.6 billion in losses.
Fraud costs
Click fraud sits in the invalid traffic segment. And it’s not just the financial waste that’s the issue: It’s the downstream impact of having bots in the analysis pool of clickers, which is already small. Organisations that emphasise click performance for display engage in a variety of behaviours whose consequences erode understanding of the marketing mix. Here are a few I’ve either heard about or observed first hand:
BEHAVIOUR CONSEQUENCE Presenting display performace based on clicks to justify program spend > Misses the vast majority of display impact, over credits other marketing program, favours carpet bomb method to drive clicks regardless of relevance/value Including display program clicks versus site visits in click based attribution schemes > Fails to connect view through to conversions, undercuts the value of the display impression, drives flawed decision making on display budget allocation Modelling or optimising clicks > Using good science with bad inputs - not only a small sample but a flawed one because click data includes fraud —bots are more predictable than people Not requiring SLA's with agencies, publishers or vendors to vet click fraud > Wasted budget, revenue loss, and deviations in analysis related to clicks Overlooking the Unique count of people when evaluating based on clicks > Basing success on a narrow group of individuals and not evaluating or understanding consumers in the view through group.
You may be wondering how, with all the advancements in technology, companies work to mitigate fraud. Some of the more talked-about include viewability and other guarantees.
But the key strategy is understanding what you may be bidding on. And that’s done by learning from a strong, robust network that tracks people over time, like Conversant does. The network sends signals that help decide who may be the most viable to deliver an impression to. Some of the red flags we look for:
Dead cookies
People who never transact
People whose only activity is clicking
People who are only active between 10 and midnight every night
(indicating an artificial surfing pattern)
Any other patterned clicking activity that appears to be automated
These are just some of the signals of bot behaviour. A network that can recognise them can mitigate fraud and preserve advertiser budgets.
So, even more reason to get off the click bandwagon. And next time, instead of talking about the worst way to measure display, I’ll talk about the best way: accounting for the view-through and measuring incremental sales.
---
## Publishers: Are you ready for Q4?
Type: eps_post
URL: /publishers-are-you-ready-for-q4
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Publishers: Are you ready for Q4?
Here at CJ Affiliate, we are always preparing for Q4. One great way to do this is to run an activation campaign in Q3 to ensure that you are promoting your top partners in Q4.
What is an activation campaign?
An activation campaign is one of the easiest ways to increase your commissions. If you’ve been a publisher for a few years, you’re probably joined to a few hundred advertiser programs but only a portion of them are active on your site. Every publisher can benefit from a once-a-year review to find the top tier partners that they may have forgotten about.
To do this you just need to run two reports in your CJ account and compare them. Here are instructions for running the reports:
The first report: My Advertisers (Active)
This report is run from the Advertisers tab. Click on the Advertisers tab in the navigation bar at the top of the page. When you get to the Advertisers page, click on the My Advertisers (Active) radio button and click the Search button. After you hit Search, the total of joined advertisers will show in the top left of the page. Click on the box next to the button and it will choose all of your joined advertisers to be included in the report. Once you’ve done that, click on the Download icon on the top right of the page:
This report takes a few minutes to generate, so you may want to grab a snack or a cup of coffee while you’re waiting. When it downloads, it will be in CSV format and will contain all of the programme terms for all of your advertisers. It’s a big file. You may want to delete all columns except for Advertiser ID, Advertiser Name, and Network Ranking.
The second report: Performance by Advertiser
The next step is to run a performance report. Click on the Reports tab in the Navigation bar and choose Performance from the drop-down menu. From the Performance by drop-down menu, choose Advertiser. From the Trend drop-down menu, choose No Trend. Under Date Range, I recommend a Custom date range of at least three months. Click on Run Report. Download it and compare it to the list of joined advertisers
Interpreting the results
The performance report will always be shorter than the full list of advertisers. Any advertisers missing from the performance report are not active. Check your site to find out if they are being promoted. Do they have a store page? Are the links active? In my experience, publishers are surprised to find that there are many valuable partners on the list.
Use the Links tab to find their best offers and products. If any of the advertisers on the list are a good fit for upcoming promotions or Q4 placements that you have available, reach out to them.
This year plan to get ahead by reviewing your full list of partners. You and your advertisers will benefit in Q4 from an activation campaign in Q3. If you have any additional questions about how to prepare, let us know in the comment section below.
---
## 2015 Holiday EU Shopper Report
Type: eps_post
URL: /2015-holiday-eu-shopper-report
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# 2015 Holiday EU Shopper Report
The goal is to provide business and media insight that will enable our clients to increase their returns over the holiday period. In 2015 we identified that holiday shopping around Black Friday and Cyber Monday was set to become a clear trend that could be leveraged by brands and this was borne out by the numbers we saw when we reviewed the year.
Get Report
This year we expect the holiday shopping trend to both deepen and lengthen, and we have highlighted some ways for advertisers to make better use of their media budgets in that event. We have also highlighted some new trends we can see in the data that we expect to continue to grow.
Financial data shows 2015 was a good year for consumers and especially the home shopping market, with catalogue/online retailers seeing the largest growth by segment. Along with Mark Pragnell at Capital Economics, “we believe the british economy is on the right track, largely because of consumers, and brexit is unlikely to derail it.”
---
## Bringing influencers into your affiliate strategy (INFOGRAPHIC)
Type: eps_post
URL: /bringing-influencers-into-your-affiliate-strategy-infographic
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Bringing influencers into your affiliate strategy (INFOGRAPHIC)
At CJ, we’re passionate about bringing influencers into your affiliate marketing strategy. It’s something we really believe in but we’re realistic about the challenges, too. So how can we, as an industry, make it work? The answer lies in making influence performance-related.
The issue
Our key influencers — content publishers — traditionally sit at the top of the funnel. This makes it tricky to recruit and retain them to our affiliate marketing strategies.
In an industry where so few advertisers use metrics outside of last click (CPA) we need to find a way of making sure influencers are valued and rewarded correctly.
A quick temperature check at PMI Europe 2016 showed us we weren’t the only ones who recognised this. Our survey found that:
6 per cent of advertisers measure/reward on metrics outside of last click
76 per cent advertisers find it difficult to work with influencers on a CPA
65 per cent are tasked with recruiting more influencers to their affiliate programme
New metrics
To us, it’s clear that to effectively engage and secure influencers we need a new breed of KPIs: metrics to measure the quality of traffic, beyond cash targets, and to reward them better for the true value they add.
Working with advertisers to figure out what value they wanted to measure, the majority stressed the importance of capturing the incrementality that influencers can bring to your affiliate marketing strategy. That means metrics for measuring the type of sales that the influencer has generated that the advertiser wouldn’t ordinarily have seen.
Here are some example metrics we produced:
Engagement with a longer than average browse time
Journey ending with a high life time value user
Journey ending with new customer purchasing
Journey driving user to convert offline
User browsing a high number of pages on site
These aren’t prescriptive, they’re just our examples. Your values will be different depending on your strategy. Speaking to your advertisers will help you to identify what metrics their top-of-funnel publishers find valuable.
Industry response
We’ve had some really positive soundings from representatives to this approach from across the industry. Like us, advertisers, publishers, networks and agencies acknowledge that we need some new metrics if we’re to accurately capture the impact of influencers. This is borne out by another result from our survey, which shows that 84 per cent of those polled are likely to adopt new strategies that reward influencers on quality metrics.
Tomas Saulsbury-Hunter, Account Director at CJ Affiliate, said:
“The industry needs new metrics to measure the quality of traffic rather than just quantity. Using a click-based attribution model only incentivises publishers to drive clicks. What we need to focus on is whether influencers are driving valuable clicks. At CJ Affiliate we have crafted a unique way to do this. Ultimately, we’re measuring the performance of influence”
CLICK ON IMAGE TO DOWNLOAD
---
## Does your marketing technology encourage you to be innovative?
Type: eps_post
URL: /does-your-marketing-technology-encourage-you-to-be-innovative
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Does your marketing technology encourage you to be innovative?
In an increasingly crowded marketplace of technology designed to support better decision making and campaign optimisation for Marketeers, almost every provider has a reason why you should choose them. Whether it be a series of fancy features and reporting processes that can simplify a particular workflow, or API's to automate the entire process, there is a perfect platform out there for everyone... somewhere.
One thing I have noticed recently through discussion within the Ad-serving and cross channel measurement space, is that very few of my prospects are using their technology with much flexibility, as often other constraints get in the way such as predefined budgets and creative limitations.
To me it seems strange that in what we refer to as a creative industry, we so often find ourselves using templated services and following the well worn and safe groove left by the other major players in our industry. Human nature lends itself to taking a 'safe' option as for obvious reasons, there is less risk, but also less to differentiate the brand to the consumer on the other side of the campaign. We should not forget, they hear not just your message, but that of all of your peers and if you are one of the 'play it safe' crowd, how will you stand out to them?
There is no issue with lack of desire to be bold or creative within the industry, but time and money are a common hurdle which many of us trip over when busy with multiple actions at once.
Several technology providers have found a sweet middle spot, whereby their range of templates offer what appears to be a raft of possibilities, however largely these are superficial differences and the platforms are still fairly linear in their approach to process and delivery.
One of the things which we at Conversant believe is important, is to give the brand (or their agency) the ability to personalise the message they take to market, in the hope that they can speak to the consumer in a way that makes sense, on a device that makes sense at the right time of day so that the message ... (wait for it) makes sense.
Let's take Dynamic creative serving as an example. For any who are not familiar with this, it is when you take a base creative and include a series of variable fields, such as background image, title, font, text size, local store location, pricing feeds (where applicable), weather reporting (for travel brands) etc, that can be interchanged to suit the person who you are serving the creative to. The greater the list of variables, the more diverse and ultimately personalised the message will be to the recipient. As logic suggests we are likely to be more receptive to anything which is more relevant and less generic to us as an individual.
Very often when faced with serving a campaign dynamically to a consumer, there will be a sliding cost scale of varying CPM rates for serving and measuring that creative, including over different file sizes, making it challenging for a marketeer to allocate budgets. So many times I hear from Agencies that they are sticking with the basic functionality in their platform in order to make the budget go further and so they do not need to go back to the client, avoiding a potential step forward in customer experience at the same time.
At Conversant we feel that all marketeers should be able to select the best tool for the job without needing to renegotiate media budgets internally, which can slow the process down and can also become a frustration. We have made all of the tools accessible at a flat rate, to encourage our customers to be innovative, as after all your success is our success too right?
We are proud that the clients we have are of the mindset that they must cut through the noise within their given industry, so we encourage them to embrace the diversity of messages they can push out to market and to be bold or different to their peers. Above all we give them the confidence and capability to never settle for 'okay' when they can deliver something truly personal which resonates with the consumer much more greatly.
So when evaluating the costs of using an adserver/measurement platform for your business, always dive deeper than the top line CPM/CPC fees, as they will often not only be the tip of the iceberg in terms of user costs, but also that the provider may not have the capacity to support you as your needs and capabilities increase. Someone who knows how to play the long game with you and become a partner, not just a supplier.
As an enterprise solutions provider to some of the world's largest brands for 15 years+ we thrive through the complexity of our clients' businesses. If you would like to learn more about Conversant and how we can support your companies' growth please feel free to reach out.
---
## Solving for the challenges of programmatic advertising
Type: eps_post
URL: /solving-for-the-challenges-of-programmatic-advertising
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Solving for the challenges of programmatic advertising
Blog article in response toDigiday article on challenges of programmatic advertising
At the Digiday Programmatic Summit, top brands anonymously shared their biggest challenges with programmatic advertising. You can read the piece here. At Conversant, we discussed some of these issues with Elliott Clayton and Mayur Kshetramade who respectively lead our Agency and Direct to Brands businesses in the UK. Their responses to the questions and challenges can be found below.
IMAGE SOURCE: Digiday
CHALLENGE 1
We need to tie real-time spend to real-time insight, how do we do this?
[MK] The strategic concept here is the real-time optimisation of decisioning. In programmatic (or cross-device display) advertising, every customer makes themselves available to be spoken to 10/15 times a day, across thousands of advertisers and publishers out there. It is important to assess that and see who the person behind those cookies and devices is, what this person really means to the brand right now because of where they have been in the journey with that brand. This helps answer the question: should I advertise now or not? And if I advertise, what should I show them and why? What is the motivation for me to show something to them? That is real-time decision-making and the crux of what we do at Conversant.
[EC]To do this effectively, it is critical to activate the full CRM of that advertiser (full-site visits, customer transactions, email programme, direct mail programme, etc.). That is, it is critical that real-time programmatic advertising takes into account everything we know about that person as it relates to that brand.
[EC] One of the challenges in bringing this to life is that some advertisers’ databases are often not in one place, they are in several places, and often not joined up. Conversant solves for this challenge and creates a single customer view for the advertiser.
[MK] Finally, all advertisers should demand full accountability of their advertising investment. Conversant gives advertisers 24/7 access to an online portal. They can log in any time they want and see how many ads have been delivered against different groups of people and what kind of incremental sales we are generating for them.
CHALLENGE 2
If we understand the customer, have one view of them and one way to measure it, the last bit is the incrementality. How do we ascertain whether a conversion is truly incremental? Do algorithms need to change to bid for incrementality rather than just bid for the conversion or click?
[EC]Let’s address what incrementality based-bidding is. Whenever bid becomes available, you need to understand who the real person behind that bid is. How does that person index against all other audience for that brand at that time? Is the person potentially going to convert anyway?
[EC] To optimise for incremental sales, we need to understand how to measure the incrementality. And the most scientific way to do is not via attribution but by test vs. control measurement that measures the net impact of that specific advertising channel.
[MK] A lot of solutions claim to do a test vs. control. But there are varying levels of scientific integrity that’s used. And that causes a lot of bias and over-estimation of incrementality. In programmatic advertising, a few rules are a must to do this right:
Test and control need to be at an individual profile level, not cookies or devices. That means for any given individual, all their browsers, cookies, devices are either in test or control for that advertiser.
Assignment to test vs. control needs to be random, as you go, and persistent. What that means is anytime a user becomes available for the first time to be advertised to, they should be randomly assigned to test or control and that’s where they should stay forever. This allows for a true measurement of advertising at an individual level over lifetime – if advertising works, it should work over time and it should change behaviour. More people should engage with that brand more often.
The decision to show an ad, what to show, and what to pay – all should happen before the real-time bidder and server knows if that person is in control or test for that advertiser. That is why Conversant shows a charity ad for those in control and pays for those ads using our own money. This allows for true baseline measurement by looking at the conversion rate for the control group.
[EC] Incrementality is a great measurement because it puts the onus on the media supplier to deliver the right campaign – if the audience or media volume are wrong, it won’t work.
[EC] Measuring incrementality hasn’t properly caught up yet. For the past 15 years the entire industry has been peeling the onion finer and finer, trying to get closer to the conversion until you now have suppliers who are showing an ad on the client’s own site and claiming a conversion from that, which is clearly all wrong.
CHALLENGE 3
What if people want to bring programmatic advertising in-house? What are the challenges and risks?
[EC] You need to be involved with a DMP, matching partner, DSP, basically a lot of different systems. This means there are a lot of set-up costs, a lot of partners, and a lot of heavy-lifting. But even then, you lose scale as these tools are not joined up. The simple fact that one tool calls a customer 111 and the other refers to them as ABC can regularly lose audience. And without real-time incrementality based bidding; performance can be a problem too.
[MK] The underlying motivation to bring programmatic advertising in-house arises from two key factors – control and accountability. Given the overall low level of accountability in programmatic advertising, no doubt more advertisers want to have more control and visibility into their investments and programmes.
[MK] Conversant solves for control and accountability. 24/7 visibility into impressions delivered and against whom, on-going incrementality measurement, and match-back to real customer transactions as a feedback loop deliver control and accountability.
CHALLENGE 4
So that is one aspect of measuring: reaching out, identifying, but how about the issue of scaling it? There is sometimes the perception that even if we can scale it, it is a lot of work and we don't have the resources to do that – especially in the area of producing dynamic creative. How can we address this perception?
[EC] There’s a need to be able to build dynamic ads that cover brand, loyalty and direct response and which can be executed across operating systems. If you could create a process that could achieve that scale in real time and decide which of the strategies to employ, that would be fantastic. However, it should not be worth investing three thousand man-hours in, it should be done quickly with technology and in real time. This is true dynamic content.
[MK] Conversant has a vertically integrated tech stack that includes all functionalities of DMP, DSP, dynamic personalisation, incrementality-based real-time bidding and serving, and test vs. control measurement.
[EC] The Conversant personalisation engine builds creative iterations in real-time, at scale. It allows that creative to either appear as a direct response ad or a brand ad and it can build with the assets put together.
[MK] What you get is a personalised cadence of ads based on what we know about that person up until that time and what we want to achieve as the next business outcome. Every impression on purpose, with a purpose.
CHALLENGE 5
When we use Google’s bid manager platform, we’re able to see how the user converts. But once we set ads to devices, there’s no way of connecting these ads with acquisition. Even if we see conversion in the end, we cannot track that to a device. How do we get around this problem?
[MK] This is an issue that Google is addressing, but they are facing significant anti-trust issues that are making identifying an audience cross device; and then marketing to them problematic.
[EC] Yes - but the issue is already being addressed by the market through person-first media delivery. There are a number of suppliers looking at this – large siloed partners like Facebook, and then point solutions like Adbrain, Drawbridge and Tapad. We put ourselves in the deterministic-match pool but done in a privacy-consistent way and focused on keeping the internet open.
[MK]The best way to solve for this problem is to work with a partner that can activate a clients’ own first party data for tracking and delivery across devices– the output is that all numbers match clients’ own figures.
[EC] Conversant has the most robust model for matching a user and conversion across devices; we’ve solved for challenges and the gaps where conversion leaks occur and their cost to advertisers. Our work with a large fin-tech platform shows that Marketers are losing around 30% of the value they are generating by not resolving this issue.
CHALLENGE 6
Final observations on the programmatic advertising landscape?
[EC]An ongoing challenge is how we educate organisations on the power of programmatic advertising. What does programmatic advertising do? Right now it still has lots of untapped potential. It is mainly used as a cost-saving tool (buy as many impressions for as little cost as possible). If executed properly, it can become an incremental revenue-generating solution.
[MK] Yes, and it can do that by working across the entire funnel. It can account for loyalty marketing, promo, campaigns, retargeting. Programmatic advertising is more often used in acquisition but it’s in customer retention where it can be even more effective but is currently underutilised.
[EC] It is a game-changing tool if you use it properly.
---
## CJ Wins Best in Retail Award
Type: eps_post
URL: /epma16
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# CJ Wins Best in Retail Award
We are delighted to announce that we’ve won the Best in Retail Award for our affiliate campaign with Argos at the European Performance Marketing Awards 2016! The award ceremony took place in Amsterdam on July 4, and was the first of its kind.
In addition to the Best In Retail award CJ received two Highly Commended mentions for: Best Use of Data with CJ´s innovative data-driven product solution Affiliate Customer Insights; Best in Travel & Leisure with its client TUI.
CJ gave a very strong performance at the EPMA, having been shortlisted for a total of nine awards amongst some stiff competition.
The judges, in their own words, particularly liked that: “Argos and CJ created a more appealing customer proposition that resulted in the largest growth the programme has seen this decade, whilst setting an example for the industry to follow.”
Anne Delhon, Country Manager UK at CJ Affiliate, said: “Our outstanding performance at these awards cements our reputation as experts in the affiliate and performance marketing space and is testament to the hard work the team at CJ has undertaken for clients over the last year."
---
## Omni channel is the focus for 2016: Six essentials
Type: eps_post
URL: /six-consequences-for-online-marketing
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Omni channel is the focus for 2016: Six essentials
A study by the New York based Interactive Advertising Bureau (IAB) identified programmatic buying as the dominant trend of last year. The possibilities of the automated real-time trade of advertising were welcomed by many for the speed and innovation they brought to marketing while being mindful of issues like data control and transparency. But in 2016 the emphasis has shifted. This year’s number one key trend is cross-channel-tracking, while programmatic buying for new formats was rated second, with the cross-channel identification of target groups in third.
For me, this change in priority is significant. Programmatic buying is a self-contained, technology-driven process that takes milliseconds. It is fast and efficient but it doesn’t really help us to communicate more effectively with individuals in our target markets.
However, with the increase of cross-channel identification and cross-channel-tracking and attribution we’re seeing the rise of hyper-personalisation. Hyper-personalisation allows us to focus on the individual according to their interests and needs, across devices and in real-time. It is marketing returning to its core values, with the technology of the digital age. Here are the six significant consequences I believe the rise of hyper-personalisation will have:
Display overtakes search. If you want to reach the user at the right time on the right device, display advertising is the way to do it. eMarketer has predicted that investment in display advertising will overtake investment in search advertising in the US in 2016. Individualising advertising themes in real time will be an integral part of the renaissance of display advertising.
Retargeting is dead. The traditional approach to retargeting – with pre-set frequency capping, a 30-day cookie history and its focus on established, proactive contacts – is old news. If you want to approach customers intelligently in future, you’ll not only need to understand the exact customer journey, but you’ll need to draw on additional factors like the weather, time or location, as well as bringing in anonymised transaction data that reaches much further back than the 30-day cookie history. Only by considering all information and in real-time will you make meaningful connections with individuals. Showing the same message over and over again is no longer an option.
Agility will become more important than speed. The speed of implementing new business processes doesn’t necessarily indicate innovative leadership or economic success in marketing. The agility of a business in adapting to changing competitive conditions is much more important, and is fundamental to hyper-personalization. To contact your target customers successfully in the digital landscape, you need to know exactly who they are. And you can only get to know them by integrating and matching all the data available: on- and offline-data, and all their purchasing behaviour. It’s only by bringing all that data together that you will be able to create one coherent view of the customer – and for many companies that means a new way of working.
Co-working will replace data silos. Yes, customer data is an important and valuable business asset, so it is highly understandable that we get protective. But we’ve got to learn that cooperating with the right partners can give you an even better database, particularly in terms of the refinement of second and third-party data. It’s natural to be cautious about the eventual misuse of data but these fears are unnecessary, because the anonymisation of first party and transaction data is a mandatory requirement. Vetting and selecting the right partner is the shortest path to addressing data fears before they become marketing problems. While we tend to focus on technology, capabilities and cost, don’t overlook the service layer as a key value differentiator in data activation. You should expect your supplier to increase the value of your investment through expertise, proactive thinking and informed recommendations.
No success without measurement. Even the best customer insights will turn out to be meaningless if the success of a personalised marketing campaign can’t be measured. Many forward-looking and innovative businesses are already investing in comprehensive cross-channel-measurement – it’s a key topic for marketers in 2016. It’s about a realistic mapping of cross-channel and cross-device marketing measures aimed at ultimately converting the user into a customer. Only by tracking the real journey of the user and quantifying each of the distinct marketing measures will you be able to measure your ROI in the long run. It’s not about measuring clicks, it’s about measuring results which means criteria such as Incremental Revenue Analysis (ICA) or the Return on Advertiser Spending (ROAS) will become more significant in future.
The personalization of content will lead to a new relevance. The debate about ad blocking is currently discussed on a purely technical level. But questions like ‘How can publishers prevent ad blockers from stopping users reading their ad content?’ are missing the point. Online advertising – and especially display advertising – has to gain a new kind of relevance. Today it functions too much on the one-to-many principle, therefore aligning itself with newspaper ads, billboards and TV-commercials. For me, only the personalised approach – meaningful, one-to-one communication with the individual customer – can give new relevance to display advertising and end the ad-blocking debate.
Innovative and forward-looking marketers have realised: cross-channel user identification and one-to-one cross-channel communication with users – in short, hyper-personalization – will significantly shape our industry in the coming months and years. So, what are we waiting for?
---
## Introducing Affiliate customer insights
Type: eps_post
URL: /introducing-affiliate-customer-insights
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Introducing Affiliate customer insights
We’re pleased to announce the launch of our most advanced service offering yet: Affiliate Customer Insights. Originally unveiled in September of 2014, this latest release substantially evolves the reporting capabilities to include richer reporting sets, enhanced data visualization, and greater customization to suit individual customer needs.Affiliate Customer Insights allows advertisers to tie their affiliate transactions back to 160M+ unique consumer profiles, powered by our parent company, Conversant. This new data empowers affiliate managers to optimize their programs for growth and efficiency in new ways.Reports delivered through Affiliate Customer Insights include:
New-to-File and Repeat Purchasers: Compare the percentage of unique, new, and repeat customers acquired from each affiliate publisher and the associated revenue of those transactions.
Purchase Behavior: Compare buying habits of average customers driven by each publisher in an advertiser’s program.
Channel Benchmarking: Compare buying trends and residual value of affiliate channel customers to non-affiliate channel customers.
Offline Impact: Measure how affiliate campaign exposure affects the customer journey to in-store conversions using Conversant’s deterministic, transaction-based matching and 160 million persistent, anonymous consumer profiles.
Click here to learn more and to find out if your program is eligible to start growing with Affiliate Customer Insights today.
LEARN MORE + WATCH VIDEO
---
## CJ Affiliate by Conversant wins again at the Performance Marketing Awards (PMA)
Type: eps_post
URL: /cj-affiliate-by-conversant-wins-at-pma
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# CJ Affiliate by Conversant wins again at the Performance Marketing Awards (PMA)
We are delighted to announce that CJ, a leading global affiliate network and part of Conversant, won two awards at the Performance Marketing Awards 2016 (PMA) after being shortlisted for twelve awards at this year’s ceremony. These are the largest and most illustrious annual awards in the affiliate and performance marketing space, which are celebrating their tenth year in 2016.
The CJ team took home two of the most coveted awards for their campaigns with TUI in the Advertiser Innovation and Best Managed Affiliate Programme categories. Additionally TUI was lauded for its work with CJ and won the Industry Choice of Advertiser Award. The award presentation was held in London’s Grosvenor House Hotel on the evening of April 26.
The jury – consisting of renowned experts like Richard Hartigan (Industry Technology Manager, Google), Cedric Chambaz (Bing Ads Marketing Director, Microsoft) and Ben Tice (Sales Consultant, Oracle) – highlighted how “CJ worked with the travel company TUI to reimagine the way to interact with its top-tier publishers” with an “innovative approach which resulted in the best year the programme has ever seen.”
CJ Affiliate by Conversant was also Highly Commended for Best Use of Data (with TUI), twice for Best in Retail (with Homebase and Argos), and Global Excellence (with Avis Budget Group) awards. This year´s wins are on the back of previous success for CJ at the PMAs. In 2015 CJ was awarded the Advertiser Innovation Award for its affiliate campaign with Argos.
These outstanding achievements cement our reputation as the global leader in the affiliate and performance marketing space and are testament to the hard work the team at CJ has undertaken with their advertisers and partners over the last year.
At CJ we are planning and delivering more great work for clients in 2016 which we hope to put forward for the PMA awards in 2017.
---
## The 5 keys to connecting with real people - Part IV: the benefits of Conversant’s solution
Type: eps_post
URL: /the-5-keys-to-connecting-with-real-people-part-iv-the-benefits-of-conversants-solution
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# The 5 keys to connecting with real people - Part IV: the benefits of Conversant’s solution
In our final post on our white paper on ‘The 5 keys to connecting with real people’ we look at the advantages of the Conversant solution and the benefits for clients.
In a world of multiple devices and browsers, getting one coherent view of the individual consumer across all the channels and devices they own and engage with remains the greatest challenge. Many brands end up working with a number of partners and combine data from a range of sources to compile an approximate profile, but too often this fragmented approach leads to a fragmented view.
The benefits of the Conversant approach are that it offers a coherent solution to this problem. Over the past decade, Conversant has invested more than a billion dollars in research and development on a solution that excels in each of the five key areas for connecting with real people. Let’s see how it stacks up against the fragmented approach:
Recognition: where a fragmented solution offers only a segment-level view of consumers, the Conversant approach recognises consumers at the personal level.
Reach: the fragmented solution reaches consumers as they interact in one place but we reach them across the channels and media where they spend their time.
Accuracy: low accuracy rates because of problems matching with cookies are a feature of a fragmented approach, whereas our approach verifies accuracy with actual consumer purchases.
Persistence: our database of profiles is updated continually with online and offline consumer transactions versus cold, inactionable profiles that don’t update with less complete solutions.
Privacy: a fragmented approach offers no guarantee of long-term privacy, whereas Conversant is committed to industry privacy best-practice.
Benefits of coherent Conversant approach
The Conversant solution has demonstrated dramatically improved results for brands. For example, one major retailer was having issues with connecting to consumers. They were using a combined, fragmented approach to match 12 million customer records. This enabled them to match and reach only 25 per cent of them. By employing the Conversant solution, they were quickly able to match 73 per cent of their customers and the following year could still connect with 83 per cent of those verified customers, compared with their previous 32 per cent. Overall, they increased their year-on-year verified audience eight times over — reaching more than 3.8 million people who were out of their grasp before they partnered with Conversant.
With the endless amount of consumer data out there, the challenge is to grab it, sort it and match it to the right people, so you can message them on a one-to-one basis and in real time. The future will bring us only more data and more ways to reach people, with smart TVs, appliances, wearables and other touchpoints. Good relationships with consumers take more than good algorithms. They take the work of experts to combine large data sets, multiple devices, the right privacy infrastructure and a massive media network. When looking for a partner to help you speak one-to-one with millions, working with Conversant can transform these challenges into opportunities.
Whitepaper Download
---
## The 5 keys to connecting with real people - Part III: accuracy, persistence and privacy
Type: eps_post
URL: /the-5-keys-to-connecting-with-real-people-part-iii-accuracy-persistence-and-privacy
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# The 5 keys to connecting with real people - Part III: accuracy, persistence and privacy
Continuing with our theme on the five keys to connect with real people, this week we’re looking at accuracy, persistence and privacy. These are vital in helping marketers accurately recognise individuals and to continue to reach them with compelling messages over the long term.
Accuracy
Last week we looked at recognition and reach, but for your marketing solution to work they need to be twinned with an understanding of consumers accurate enough to deliver the right messages to the right people.
At Conversant, our recognition technology is based on verifiably accurate reporting of actual customer purchases. This means our network is built from consumers with disposable income to buy your products. We track lists of transactions from our 4,000 clients, totalling 75 million daily online and offline purchases. We match each time our individuals make a transaction, which is more than 3.5 million times per day, that’s 1.5-times the transactions per second of Amazon. As a result of this our matches are based on the highest quality names and addresses.
Our approach conquers the biggest accuracy challenges that marketers face and avoids the common mistakes:
Matching only with email addresses: most internet users have multiple email addresses and this can lead to duplication of IDs. It is also important to match using online and offline transactional material.
A match pool that is too small: this can limit the potential of your campaign. Marketers should use a quality match pool, filled with people who have high household incomes and a history of online transactions.
Matching third-party cookies: Apple browser, Safari, rejects third-party cookies, which means these matches exclude 35 per cent of educated, high-income individuals. The solution for marketers is to work with a partner that can reach users on all browsers, on display and mobile.
Persistence
Consumers’ activity is always changing, online and off. Data stays strong only if we maintain a persistent link with them over time. Each person is linked to an average of 19 cookies monthly and those disappear roughly every seven weeks.
At Conversant, we don’t rely on cookies alone – we connect other online activities, plus online and offline transactions, to our consumer IDs. This not only allows us to carry on conversations with the same customer for years, it also allows us to make year-on-year comparisons.
Privacy
Excelling at recognition, reach, accuracy and persistence is difficult but it can be even more of a challenge to achieve it within a privacy framework.
Data should always be scrubbed of Personally Identifiable Information (PII) before it’s used – a piece of industry best-practice to allow data to be used safely across networks.
Conversant complies fully with voluntary industry guidelines for Consumer Privacy Notice and Choice and employs a company-wide Chief Privacy Officer to ensure privacy remains an integral part of our approach. We use anonymous, non-PII data and our client data is always stored with logical separation. We are Certified Information Privacy Professionals and participants in the Digital Advertising Alliance’s AdChoices programme.
Having outlined the key essentials that marketers need to address to connect with real people, in our next post we will explore the benefits of combining all five.
Whitepaper Download
Next blog post, 13 April, 2016: ‘The 5 keys to connecting with real people: the benefits of Conversant’s solution’
---
## The 5 keys to connecting with real people - Part II: recognition and reach
Type: eps_post
URL: /the-5-keys-to-connecting-with-real-people-part-ii-recognition-and-reach
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# The 5 keys to connecting with real people - Part II: recognition and reach
In our first post in this series [read here] we noted that to be able to speak to consumers with accurate and compelling messages, marketers need one view of the individual across all the channels and devices they own and engage with.
Recognition
This may seem obvious but recognising who you are talking to is an essential first step to successful digital marketing. Messaging the wrong person sends a poor message to the consumer and is a complete waste of ad spend. But with the explosion of devices attached to each consumer in recent years, recognition has become harder than ever.
For example, consumers own an average of 3.4 devices each and to have real conversations you need to know who you’re talking to and on what. Each person is linked to multiple cookies every month so if you don’t recognise that they’re the same person across devices and browsers, you’ll end up repeating your message and wasting money.
Mobile ad spending is growing — and is set to surpass desktop by 2018 – but the majority of conversions still happen on a desktop. If you start your conversation on mobile, you’ll want to be able to close the deal on a desktop, which works only if you’re speaking to the same person.
The ideal approach should be able to respond to the biggest recognition challenges:
Multiple devices: if a consumer’s devices are not connected to each other, they will see the same ads repeated, or see ads after they have made a purchase. All devices should be connected to a known person (anonymously), who is also connected to a rich data profile.
Getting the right message to the right device: some people with multiple devices make purchases only on one of them. Marketers need to understand which device is the most important for each person.
Getting a consistent message across devices: pushing different products across devices dilutes impact so it’s important to keep the message consistent by matching at person level, not just device level.
Reach
Your marketing solution should have enough scale to reach a significant portion of your audience. For maximum impact, marketers need access to the right data sources that give them that scale.
Partnering with Conversant allows our clients to enjoy a reach that is on par with that of Google. It means that we cannot only recognise consumers across devices, but also ensure we can reach them with relevant messages. This way we can activate a much larger audience pool for our clients than anyone else in the market.
Our reach boasts 6,000 direct publisher integrations across video, mobile and display. It also includes 3.3 million websites and more than 170,000 mobile apps. All this fuels 80 billion online interactions every day (1 million every second), which results in clients being able to persistently recognise and understand consumers at an individual level.
Whitepaper Download
Next blog post, 6 April, 2016: ‘The 5 keys to connecting with real people: accuracy, persistence and privacy’
---
## The 5 keys to connecting with real people -Part I: connecting with consumers in a fragmented world
Type: eps_post
URL: /the-5-keys-to-connecting-with-real-people-part-1
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# The 5 keys to connecting with real people -Part I: connecting with consumers in a fragmented world
To be able to speak to consumers with accurate and compelling messages, marketers need one view of them across all the channels and devices they own and engage with. In our white paper this month, we look at the five key issues that marketers need to be aware of to help them to connect with real people.
Consumers generate data every time they make a transaction. For marketers, as each consumer is surrounded by more and more data, across a numberof devices, building an accurate picture of the individual becomes their biggest challenge. Getting one coherent view, without compromising privacy, is not straightforward. Many brands end up working with a number of partners and combine data from a range of sources to compile an approximate profile, but too often this fragmented approach leads to a fragmented view.
Working with a fragmented picture can present a number of obstacles. It means marketers don’t have one view of each individual consumer. It often doesn’t take online and offline CRM data into account, which weakens the accuracy of the consumer identity. There are further problems surrounding the data in that it can offer only transient, snapshot views of customers that do not last.
How should marketers respond to this challenge? What is the solution to this fragmented approach? Conversant believes that to truly market at the level of the individual consumer, any approach must focus on five key categories.
Recognition: it should recognise each consumer as a person, not as just part of a segment
Reach: it should have enough scale to reach a significant portion of your audience
Accuracy: its identification of consumers should be verifiably accurate
Persistence: it should retain persistent identification for consumers throughout their lifetimes
Privacy: the data should be anonymised and maintained within strict privacy guidelines
Conversant has invested more than a billion dollars in research and development on a solution that excels in each of these five key areas. Over the coming month we will be looking in more detail at each of these key categories and assessing the benefits of Conversant’s coherent and coordinated approach.
Whitepaper Download
Next blog post 30 March 2016: ‘The 5 keys to connecting with real people: recognition and reach’
---
## 'Never underestimate yourself' – key advice for women looking to succeed in design
Type: eps_post
URL: /key-advice-for-women-in-design
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# 'Never underestimate yourself' – key advice for women looking to succeed in design
As Design Lead with Epsilon, Vanessa Fay is an expert in brand creation, visual communications and brand activation. But despite her success, her path from leaving school to her first job in the design world was not straight-forward. In fact, she didn’t realise it was the career for her until she was already 26.
“I always knew I wanted to do something creative, that was the only thing that was clear,” she says. “I really liked Art in school and went on to do a degree in Photography in DIT Temple Bar. It wasn’t until I went to London to work in design communications for NHS Camden, where I was designing for health campaigns, that I realised it was actually a full-time job that I could get paid for. So, I did a graphic design course, I must have been 26 by that stage, and I really felt like I had a lot of catching up to do.”
Her own experiences of finding her career path inspired Vanessa to get involved with WhyDesign – an initiative set up by the Institute of Designers in Ireland (IDI) to improve gender balance in the industry, which is currently 75% men and 25% women. Now a member of its steering committee, Vanessa explains that part of WhyDesign’s aim is to create role models for girls and young women who are trying to pick a college course and considering a career in design.
“When I was coming out of school, if students were deciding on a creative course with the aim of advancing into a creative career, there wasn't much guidance. We only had the prospectus and advice from your CGC, which in my case was very limited. At most you would get a week's work placement if you were lucky.”
“It was hard to picture what your course would lead to and what a career might look like in five or 10 years’ time. So, the WhyDesign platform wants to have a good representation of the types of careers that are out there. It’s a true representation of the diversity of jobs – there’s fashion, graphic design, jewellery, architecture – and demonstrates that no one discipline is really out of reach for any student.”
Vanessa feels this type of initiative is vitally important to inspire young women to become designers, and she says the proof is in the progress that similar work has already helped to bring about.
“I’d like to think that through the actions of initiatives like WhyDesign and the work being done by many other organisations it’s a little bit easier now and young women are feeling more empowered these days compared to when I left school in 1999. There’s definitely a real feeling of empowerment that’s part of our national narrative right now.”
"...young women are feeling more empowered these days compared to when I left school"
“Students and young designers should be encouraged to feel more confident, to stand up for their creative choices while learning to take criticism on briefs in order to grow into stronger designers, for example. This will carry through to looking for jobs, asking for promotions and progressing in their chosen creative career.”
Vanessa’s main piece of advice to young female designers is to never underestimate yourself.
“My advice is to stay confident and to trust your skills,” she says. “As women, we tend to underestimate our abilities. It’s definitely one of my flaws, and I know a lot of female designers would agree.”
“You should embrace the qualities that make you stand out. Stay interested and curious to learn and work your ass off - because if you’re doing a good job and doing the best you can do, then nobody can question your ability to do the job based on your gender.”
---
## Truth And Relevance: How To Build A Data Strategy That Delivers For Your Brand
Type: eps_post
URL: /data-strategy-that-deliver
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Truth And Relevance: How To Build A Data Strategy That Delivers For Your Brand
Data is everywhere. As marketers, we use it to create new customer relationships and deepen existing ones.
With the abundance of data that's out there, it’s getting more difficult not only to acquire customers but to find the right data that can make a positive difference for your business. It should be the goal of all marketers to find better, not bigger, data that will fulfil your marketing needs and help you exceed your goals.
Determining what exactly is the right data for your goals is no easy task. But it's a critical component of being personal in customer relationships.
Offering that personal touch is central to building customer loyalty. According to research by our colleagues in the US, 80% of consumers are more likely to do business with a company that offers personalised experiences.
As you continue to evolve your data strategy to create personalised experiences, here's what you need to consider.
Be direct
You need to be clear and focused with your data strategy. There are thousands of consumer attributes available, so you need to determine which makes the most sense for your campaign. Remember to be consistent in all channels, both offline and online.
For example, if you’re a retailer and you know that shoppers' spending increases by 24% when they’re offered a coupon, be sure to provide a direct offer in the channel in which individual consumers interact with you most.
Take action
Once you’ve determined the right data, you have to do something with it. Put a plan in place for your campaigns and be consistent with your offers. Having a consistent data strategy helps to create a competitive advantage for your brand.
According to research carried out in the US, 66% of consumers say they’re more likely to switch brands if they feel they’re treated like ‘a number’ rather than an individual. This means being consistent as you market to each individual. Keep a holistic view of all the offers being presented to customers across your brand so you’re able to take the right action that’s personalised and relevant to their specific needs.
Find the truth
Data helps us determine the truth because numbers rarely lie. So use it in a way that allows you to be true to yourself and others. You need to earn your customers' trust, so always get a holistic view of your customers and use the same data in all channels to create relevance and consistency. If you have data with proven results, use it across your channels.
If you use different data in different channels, it could lead to competing offers that create confusion for your customers, which affects their trust in your brand.
Be accountable
Data is an investment. Remember to hold yourself and your team accountable for your data marketing initiatives and make sure you can prove your return on marketing investment and spend. Do your research, too. Don’t settle for data that you think will drive success for your marketing objectives.
Data can fuel your marketing success. It ensures that your messaging, content and campaigns are relevant. And, relevancy is essential. Data is truthful, too. So by performing analytics and modelling, it will help you establish trust.
Now, it's time to ask yourself, is your current data strategy meeting the needs of your brand? If the answer's no, get back to basics and try following some of the tips we've shared today.
---
## GDPR: Steps towards compliance
Type: eps_post
URL: /gdpr-steps-towards-compliance
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# GDPR: Steps towards compliance
Epsilon’s previous blog post on the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) covered preparation efforts to ensure compliance before May 25, 2018.
Compliance is a collective responsibility and Epsilon strongly urges clients, partners and vendors to review and understand their responsibilities and obligations under GDPR.
At Epsilon, work began on GDPR compliance program almost two years ago, starting with the following focuses:
Cross-functional Teams: Epsilon created cross functional teams to manage its GDPR compliance. With buy-in from the executive team, associates from the business, technology, legal, security and privacy groups, were tasked with bringing and keeping clients, business verticals and internal operations into compliance with GDPR.
Data Inventory: The main task the cross-functional team undertook in 2017 was updating and reviewing each vertical or client’s data inventory. The team then created a GDPR compliance roadmap for its platforms and its clients based on the data inventory. This enabled an understanding of the next steps needed to bring Epsilon into GDPR compliance.
Lawful Basis: As applicable, Epsilon reviewed lawful basis for processing the personal data collected and received.
Data Subject Rights: Epsilon has strengthened its data subject rights policies and procedures to ensure appropriate response to requests and rights individuals have, including the deletion of personal data. This includes the ability to respond to data subject rights through Epsilon’s various services and platforms.
Personal Data Breach: Epsilon has reviewed a security incident response plan to ensure the right procedures are in place to detect, report and investigate a personal data breach.
Training: Epsilon provides training to associates and clients, including:
Over fifty GDPR training sessions for internal teams in 2017
Client-personalized webinar trainings about Epsilon platforms to ensure GDPR adherence (starting April 2018)
Client summit event hosted by Abacus UK to review compliance steps (held October 2017 and March 2018
Maintaining Compliance:
Epsilon is retaining an external, third party data protection officer (DPO) to review its GDPR compliance program.
Each business unit has a “Privacy Champion,” an employee/associate tasked with ensuring continued compliance. If Epsilon starts providing new services or collecting additional personal information, it is this individual’s responsibility to alert the internal audit GDPR team. This will help Epsilon keep clients and its platform in continued compliance after May 25, 2018.
Epsilon will also be audited by Epsilon’s internal GDPR team to ensure compliance.
Privacy and Security by Default and Design: Epsilon is committed to protecting the privacy of individuals. The company has a privacy and security by design policy in place, reflecting the requirement that privacy and security must be part of every service, product, feature, and decision made around data.
Industry Leader: Epsilon is a leader and active participant in the following industry groups that are helping interpret and set standards around GDPR for the marketing ecosystem:
Data Protection Network: Epsilon is an active member of the Data Protection Network and helped craft guidance around legitimate interest being the lawful basis for processing data for direct marketing and internal operations.
Email Service Provider Coalition: Epsilon is an active member of the ESPC and helped draft guidance around interpreting how to comply with GDPR as an email service provider.
Epsilon is using GDPR preparation as an opportunity to further enhance its products, services, and processes, ensuring privacy and security are taken into consideration every step of the way. Epsilon will continue to lead industry efforts in understanding how GDPR impacts the marketing industry.
---
## From Boomers To Gen Z: How Different Generations Adapt And React To New Trends And Technologies
Type: eps_post
URL: /from-boomers-to-gen-z
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# From Boomers To Gen Z: How Different Generations Adapt And React To New Trends And Technologies
Demographics shine a light into how to reach different generations and when to invest in new emerging trends
Earlier this year, we conducted a study of 420 respondents to understand the interest, acceptance and impact of new technology trends amongst Gen Z, Millennials, Gen X and Boomers. We asked each generation for their positive, neutral or negative views on recent emerging trends, from impact of ambient experiences to the democratisation of AI.
It comes as no surprise that different generations exhibited varying levels of interest and acceptance. The study showed that whilst younger generations were very interested and accepting of all new technological trends, older generations were very specific about their interest in forms of technological interactions and consumption. The insights presented below should provide a useful guide when it comes to assessing the appropriate marketing mix to target markets that marketers are interested in serving. Furthermore, these insights will support the assessment of prioritisation of investment into new trends versus further optimisation into existing well-established communication channels and experiences.
"Consumers have needs, human motivations and intents which compliment their gender and age profile. It would be foolish to assume that Gen Z is the only generation that benefits or makes daily use of the latest technological innovations. Far from it, generations like Gen X are utilising new and emerging technologies to enhance their daily lives. Trends like visual discovery and personal assistants reflect utilitarian motivations, seeking product or service information, as well as community-driven opinions and personal advice," says Joseph Taylor, SVP of Technology and Operations, International at Epsilon.
Here, we've isolated the demographic insights to give you a top-level view at how these different generations responded to the trends listed below. Download the whitepaper for further details about these trends.
Camera as a platform
VR gets social
Evolution of social messaging
Immersive eSports
Contextual commerce
Democratisation of AI
Visual discovery
Voice and visual
Personalised audio
Augmented art
Mixing reality
Connected intelligence
Brain-computer interface
Gen Z
Gen Z were born from the mid-1990s to the early 2000. This generation is highly influenced by the connected digital environment, and are heavy users of mobile devices and social media. Overall, this cohort displayed three very interesting observations.
Firstly, their increasing appetite for media consumption reflects their regular need for inspiration, motivation and entertainment. They are the only generation to express positive sentiment towards social VR and immersive eSports.
Secondly, new technologies such as social messaging and social VR depicts the importance of social interaction and personal identity. This highly social group seeks belonging, looks for role models and uses digital technologies as an extension of their own personal identity.
Thirdly, Gen Zers were positive about 12 of the 13 trends surveyed and only neutral to contextual commerce – the integration of purchasing opportunities into their everyday interactions. Just like the Baby Boomers, they didn’t exhibit any interest in transactional enablers.
Millennials
Born between 1982 and the mid-1990s, millennial consumers grew up during an era of rapid technological development. This cohort was positive to 11 out of the 13 trends and neutral to social VR and immersive eSports. This generation prefers to enjoy sport and social entertainment as a live experience over an augmented or virtual experience.
The survey found that millennials expressed a positive sentiment towards contextual commerce, having grown up in an era of broad-target traditional advertising. They are more inclined to appreciate the benefits of more refined messaging due to the irrelevance it filters out.
Gen X
Gen X were born between the period of 1961 and 1981 and their survey results showed a significant difference from Millennials and Gen Z.
Gen X reacted positively to 5 of the 13 trends, with specific interest and preferences towards technologies that truly enhanced their daily lives. Visual product discovery and the use of personal digital assistants reflect Gen X’s utilitarian needs to discover better product and services information, community-driven opinions and personal advice.
Gen X provided a negative feedback to the democratisation of AI theme. These respondents disliked the notion of experiences driven by algorithms.
Boomers
Baby boomers provided a mixed set of responses, with 4 negative responses, 2 positive responses and the remaining 7 as neutral. Just like Gen X, these respondents did not show an interest in experiences influenced by AI and ML-based algorithms. Similarly, they provided a negative response to ambient experiences driven by augmented reality and virtual reality.
Nevertheless, Baby boomers are very selective in the use of new and emerging technologies. This generation is very interested in assistive technology such as personal assistants and connected intelligence that are aware of their needs and improves their daily lives. They are unsurprisingly more cautious in adopt new technologies, particularly those which have a profound impact upon traditional approaches to interaction.
Summary
In summary, this study highlighted the importance of understanding your target market before selecting the appropriate channels for communicating your value propositions. New digital trends do provide us with new contextual opportunities to drive brand engagement. “Understanding the level and type of response from generational cohorts to new and emerging technology trends, will improve a marketer’s chances of driving more effective consumer engagement and a more efficient marketing investments," says Joseph Taylor, SVP of Technology and Operations, International at Epsilon.
---
## Looking Beyond The Logo: How 'Feeling, Thinking And Creating' Are Key To Successful Brand Development
Type: eps_post
URL: /key-successful-brand-development
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Looking Beyond The Logo: How 'Feeling, Thinking And Creating' Are Key To Successful Brand Development
Branding is not just about how something looks, it’s about how it makes you feel. That’s why when we’re approaching a brand development brief we base all our work on three pillars: “Feeling, Thinking and Creating”. The first and most important thing we need to draw on is empathy and understanding, then we use this emotional information to guide our thinking and behavior. If we don’t get the feeling right, the pillars collapse, and all the hard work that goes into the thinking and creating phases of branding will come undone.
It’s simply a top-level checklist (loosely based on a theory that comes up often in talks and books on psychology and management) we keep in mind to make sure all three aspects are considered and working together at all times throughout a creative brief. The feeling pillar draws on qualities such as empathy, understanding, intuition, desire and awareness, (basically your EQ.) Thinking draws on your logic, knowledge of psychology, research skills, strategic thinking, (your IQ). And the creating is where you utilise the skills you have honed over the years in craft, colour, storytelling and experimentation, (your creativity). Unless you draw on all three pillars something will get lost.
In my role as design lead at Epsilon, I predominantly work in this space – linking up with our strategy team to help clients understand their customers, their brand story, and the values they want to convey, before transforming this into a reality. Brand development is about creating an emotional experience and building a strong community. What's crucial is that we never, ever treat this as a skin-deep exercise. We need to understand the character and personality of the brand, and figure out how this relates to the emotional needs of the customer. This will be the building block for a solid brand that people will connect with.
Feeling + Thinking
Our role in brand development is to convey the essence and story of the brand in one snapshot. So that it tells you everything you need to know before it says a word. To do this we need to understand the brand’s purpose so it resonates through all aspects of the identity. We work with big and small brands to uncover what their value proposition is and define what they want to do in the market. Some will know what they want and others will need a bit more help, but together we figure out their promise and then help them deliver that promise to their community.
So we need to understand the client’s needs. But we also need to look at it from the customers perspective. Step into their shoes, and tune in to their emotional needs. This is where feeling and thinking play a crucial part in figuring out how to frame the brand in a way that the customer will bond with it emotionally. Once we understand both the brand we are working with and their audience we have a solid foundation on which to build the brand. Often we will do market research, focus groups to make sure we have enough information to confidently send the project in a particular direction.
It is then important to ensure this message runs through the brand development and ultimately through all internal and external communications. This is where “creating” comes into play.
Creating
A strong strategy foundation leads to a more relevant logo, visual language, tone of voice, marketing and advertising. Once we have this, creating how the brand will look and perform will be a more productive process. Our creative talent is ignited and we get an opportunity to draw on the skills of our craft we have honed over the years. Yet we will always challenge ourselves to learn new things and to push the creative boundaries of the brief.
We start with creating moodboards, sketching and developing mark options, then explore typography choices and colour palette. We will explore styles and trends in illustration and then steer our choices in a direction which feels fresh and right for the brand. Other aspects of the identity like iconography and signage play a huge part in how a brand looks and functions and there’s a real opportunity to create something unique in the finer details.
Every visual element is explored with curiosity and experimentation and finished with impeccable attention to detail. These will all help to communicate the brand message.
This is backed up by a tone of voice developed by a Copywriter working alongside the client to decide on how we want the brand to speak to its intended audience. This element of a brand development brief could be a high level discussion about the words or key phrases that describe the brand, or as granular as deciding how a brand writes acronyms and uses grammar. It all helps to bring consistency and substance to a brand and make sure the words and phrasing used to discuss it marry up with the visual side.
Through this entire creating phase, we are constantly making sure that the feeling which we strived to capture from the start is always right.
How feeling, thinking and creating work for Lush.
Lush is a brand that I believed in from the moment I got to know their story. It wasn’t their visual identity that grabbed my attention, it was beyond this. I knew them as the makers of colourful and fun soaps and sweet smelling products, but over time they have strategically evolved the brand and communicated the values they stand for and their purpose more clearly. They believe in animal welfare and human rights, ethical buying, naked packaging, 100% vegetarian ingredients and a greener future.
These are the qualities that make their consumers want to be part of the Lush community. They empathised with their consumer and understood that they wanted more from their skincare; this understanding allowed them to build a more meaningful brand. Everything from their heart-shaped bath bombs and handwritten fonts to their ethical campaigns supports and strengthens their brand purpose. But first and foremost they focused on getting the feeling right, and this “feeling” would have been the foundation of their strategy, the “thinking” part of the process.
Here they would have looked at what differentiates them, what their story is, and why they do what they do. They looked at their company through the eyes of the consumer, and then figured out how to relate their story back to their consumer in a way that feels warm and friendly. They are a progressive brand that constantly evolves their products and looks for new ways to connect people to their brand.
Final thoughts on brand development
When feeling, thinking and creating work together we create a brand proposition that works not just for the client, but for their customers too. When a brand inspires a strong emotional response we feel compelled to return to it. A good brand can make us feel happy, or strong, sometimes it just feels like home. If you imagine yourself clutching a warm paper coffee cup on a cold day you will assign a brand to that moment. If you think of the gym outfit that pushes you to work harder, it’s likely that the brand will inspire feelings of determination and self belief. It’s our objective to create powerful brand experiences that are relevant and meaningful. Designing a brand is a privilege and needs to be treated with respect. It gives us an opportunity to shape how our community looks, feels and acts.
You create the moment, and the brand completes the picture.
---
## GDPR and Epsilon: Our Preparation Efforts
Type: eps_post
URL: /gdpr-epsilon-preparation
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# GDPR and Epsilon: Our Preparation Efforts
Epsilon supports the principle of GDPR – to strengthen and unify data protection for all individuals in the EU.
GDPR: What, when and why?
On May 25, 2018, the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) is going into enforcement. GDPR replaces the existing data protection law in the EU called the EU Data Protection Directive. GDPR is a regulation that intends to give control back to European Union citizens and residents over their personal data and to simplify the environment for international business.
GDPR will significantly affect organisations worldwide that collect and/or process personal data of individuals working, visiting or residing in the EU. Specifically, the regulation impacts how companies collect, process, retain and delete personal data. For instance, there are new, enumerated obligations around breach notification and “accountability.”
How Epsilon is continuing to prepare
Epsilon has been working hard to prepare for GDPR, and will continue to do so as additional guidance is released.
Epsilon has created teams of associates from cross-functional business lines to manage our GDPR preparation. These team members include technologists, engineers, security professionals and the legal team. These teams are working together to review our services and technology platforms to help safeguard both Epsilon and its clients.
In particular, Epsilon has:
Provided regular education and updates to senior executives about GDPR obligations;
Delivered and will continue to provide training to associates around the enumerated obligations of GDPR;
Brought its data inventory and mapping process up-to-date, including revising its data classification standards, per the refined definitions of Personal Data in the GDPR;
Continued to ensure it has a lawful basis to collect, use and store data, as enumerated by GDPR;
Created, and will continue to update, its GDPR remediation and implementation plans by solidifying its internal privacy network and appointing privacy “champions” in each business practice;
Been building tools and processes that meet GDPR's data subject right requirements, including data access requirements;
Continued to review and update security procedures and policies to determine what, if any, additional procedures or policies it will need to revise or implement to ensure its compliance;
Commenced revising agreements with clients and vendors to reflect contractual requirements set forth in GDPR.
Epsilon continues to monitor and study the additional guidance documents released by local Data Protection Authorities and the Article 29 Working Party to better understand its obligations. Epsilon is also leading industry efforts around comprehending how GDPR applies to its businesses. Working closely with industry groups, such as the Direct Marketing Association in the UK, Epsilon is helping to shape and create guidance materials to present to the local Data Protection Authorities and Industry as a whole that will help address existing open questions around certain GDPR requirements. Epsilon is also an active member of the Data Protection Network (DPN), an organisation that provides expert opinions on data protection.
DPN has provided the valuable Guidance on Legitimate Interests under GDPR.
Epsilon urges its clients, partners, and vendors to review and understand their responsibilities under GDPR, as compliance is a collective responsibility. This includes changes around obtaining data subjects’ consent and enhanced data subject access rights.
Further resources:
Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO UK Data Protection Authority)
Overview of the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR)
Preparing for the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) 12 steps to take now
Guidance: what to expect and when
Data Protection Network
Legitimately using Legitimate Interests – new guidance
---
## 280 characters in search of an author
Type: eps_post
URL: /280-characters-twitter
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# 280 characters in search of an author
We all knew and loved Twitter with its famous 140-character limit. For advertisers and marketing mavens, this meant the message had to be lean and tight. Your writers had to focus on the important bits first, foremost and for the whole message. Not anymore.
Rumours of a character-limit boost from Twitter HQ became a reality last week. Your tight 140 is now a baggy 280 chars. Is this a shot across the bows for all of us working in social, for our campaigns and attempts at viral supremacy?
Well, yes, it is. For as the great poet himself said in Hamlet, “Brevity is the soul of wit.” He went on to add, in a nice bit of Shakespearean trolling:
“I will be brief, your noble son is mad.”
How brief is the question. If you ask any copywriter worth her salt, she will tell you that limitations and formats are our lifeblood. They help make the advertising world go round.
Give us the template and we will tweak it, test it and do everything we can to breathe new life into it without breaking it. And so the art of getting a sales message, or an engaging little morsel into 140 characters has been developed and grown; like a little muscle we never thought we needed.
Some examples. Helping some of our clients at Google, we created a series of tweets that offer Life-hacks to agency workers. These are aimed at commuter time to set them up for the day:
As you can see, the actual tweet message is very concise. Just 117 characters. It gives you a taste of the message. And the beautifully designed placard finishes the meal. Another one:
Our copywriter here certainly didn’t need those 280 characters to get the job done. I would argue that the limitation we used to have, actively helped her focus on writing a mini-slogan. Each tweet working as a little ad of its own.
So, I do not like this new era of 280. It has already been memed to death and discussed by all who give their words to Twitter freely. We would prefer to have a shorter, snappier message then seal the deal with an Epsilon-designed placard par excellence.
And don’t worry, we can hear your objections already. Why can’t we just stick to 140 using our own willpower (like Sting, in reverse)? Yes, we can. And why don’t we come up with some new ways to make use of the extra space?
We’ll work on that and get back to you.
---
## 4 tips to develop the best loyalty programme for your restaurant
Type: eps_post
URL: /4-tips-best-loyalty-programme
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# 4 tips to develop the best loyalty programme for your restaurant
Diners of quick service restaurants (QSRs) and fast-casual restaurants want to have deeper, more unique relationships with brands in a highly competitive space. As marketers, we need to leverage data to identify the best diners and engage them with relevant messaging at the right time, in the right place and through the right media to sustain their loyalty and increase their visits.
Successful loyalty programmes today are much more than simply a mechanism for customers to earn monetary rewards, rather it’s an opportunity to create an ‘interactive dialogue’ between them and your brand. For example, millennials care about social justice issues and local sourcing of ingredients. Leveraging this knowledge to support your loyalty programme can result in true member ‘loyalty’ (a relationship outside points, rewards and certificates). With this in mind, marketers for QSR and fast-casual restaurants need to:
Know the customer
In a study Epsilon conducted in partnership with Econsultancy, we learned that only 12% of brands have a single view of their customer, necessary for brands to engage with their audience consistently. To obtain this single view, restaurant marketers need to first give customers a reason to identify themselves so that data can be captured, then leverage data insights to determine what customer experience their diners are looking for in loyalty programmes.
In a study Epsilon conducted in partnership with Econsultancy, we learned that only 12% of brands have a single view of their customer, necessary for brands to engage with their audience consistently. To obtain this single view, restaurant marketers need to first give customers a reason to identify themselves so that data can be captured, then leverage data insights to determine what customer experience their diners are looking for in loyalty programmes.
Let’s take Dunkin’ Donuts for example. Dunkin’ is a QSR who knows what their DD Perks® members want. – Convenience with preferential treatment. Dunkin’ launched its ‘on-the-go ordering, speed past the line’ mobile app feature allowing members to place a mobile order up to 24 hours in advance, select their desired location and confirm when and where they’d like to pick-up their order while paying for it within the app. This on-the-go DD Perks® feature available at over 8,000 restaurants has reached success. In 2016, Dunkin’ Donuts Perks members who had been in the programme for at least a year and made purchases in both Q4 2015 and Q4 2016 increased their average weekly spend by 9 percent year-over-year, according to Dunkin’ Brands Group Q4 2016 earnings
Once you can identify customers, you can begin to analyse the data and get a holistic view of your diners to increase the frequency and spend by targeting your messaging.
Increase visit frequency
Marketers need to obtain a 360-degree view of their diners and to do so, they need to make sure all channels are ‘turned on’ and ‘turned up.’ Diners behave differently across channels and marketers need to glean these insights to fully understand how they can increase the frequency of their diners. By knowing what menu items a member prefers, marketers can target offers that stimulate future visits based on what they like and crave. These insights help marketers determine what the ingredients are for the best loyalty programme recipe.
A new channel for fast-casual restaurants that helps in tracking frequency is the use of tablet point-of-sale systems at the dining tables. These tablets help to provide an enjoyable dining experience as it’s convenient, allows for them to pay their bill on their time, provides menu items the diner might like based on the current selections he/she has indicated, includes entertainment options (games) for the whole family to play, and more! Fast-casual restaurants need to leverage this channel and collect and use this data. But remember, you need to collect contact information on these devices.
Build your pipeline
Use your loyalty insights for the acquisition of new customers. Best guests started out as new guests, . Your loyalty programme is a critical feeder file to digital, email and SMS acquisition programmes that not just target new guests, but rather, new high potential loyalty programme members and diners. The insights gleaned from their startup engagement dynamics, interests, device usage and most importantly, dining behaviour is critical for cost-effective go-forward acquisition programmes.
Understand use
Knowing and understanding how your diners use your loyalty programme is essential. It’s more than just simply joining. How are they interacting with your brand through the programme? Are they redeeming their rewards? From research, we’ve learned that $16 billion+ in reward points go unclaimed by consumers each year.
Remember, your loyalty programme is more than just rewards. The enhancements to your customer experience that you incorporate into your programme will increase overall engagement. Evaluate your customer service. And ask yourself, “Are you consistent with your offerings through offline and online channels?” Additionally, think about how personalisation comes into play no matter the channel.
As marketers, we need to determine what your real loyalty is. It goes beyond identifying the consumer to deepening relationships. Read more about our loyalty solution here.
---
## Charting a new course for strategy
Type: eps_post
URL: /charting-new-course-strategy
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Charting a new course for strategy
“The problem with planning is planners”.
This was the outcome of a lunch conversation with a former boss of mine. Loathe as I am to admit it, we planners/strategists are a precious, sensitive bunch. He has a point.
And strategy as an abstract entity is having a bit of a cultural moment - which is turbo-charging many egos about town.
The cult of the ‘Strategist’ is bubbling up; in presidential politics, business, even sport, today few terms have more value than being hailed as ‘the strategist’.
Which is probably why I have a problem with it.
Don’t get me wrong, strategic minds have never been more in demand but in Adland we’re in peril of fetishising ‘strategy’, transforming it from being part of the process to being the product itself, divorced from doing.
This is really dangerous.
Because shaping a proposition around the selling of strategy as the product is killing the creativity that fuels our business.
Too often planning has become the substitute for creative and that 100 slide keynote deck, the ultimate comfort blanket for clients grappling with a market that morphs with startling velocity and consumers that seem to shape shift in the space of a tweet.
The term strategist itself has become weaponised, embodying both threat and opportunity depending on where you sit in the agency.
Strategists are quick to point out that their ideas aren’t only geared toward the executional. That our role is to unlock value, to chart growth.
On the other hand, creatives complain that strategy has become the new creative. That planning ‘lines’ or territories, thoughts and concepts are muddying the already clouded water of communications for clients.
Client services just want it to work. And work well.
For me, this is nothing short of the messy rebirth of the agency, where ideology, insight and ideas are going to have to collide – and at times conflict - to create the work that will mean something in an always-on, always-connected, highly-metabolised market.
When I teach on the subject, I often quote Drucker: ‘Culture eats strategy for breakfast’. Therein lies the challenge. Strategy is culture and the role of the agency strategist is to be the cultural agitator – to seek the themes and trends, to feel out the insight and pulse of the consumer – not to own the answer but to shape a better question.
Strategists need to storm the hill of a problem and bring creative – and the client - with them.
Practically, I believe this means killing the idea of the ‘planning team’ or planning department – it means understanding that agencies still trade in ideas and that strategists need to be less aligned to being clever in a stand-alone way and cleverer in the service of better creative.
When you kick the tires of agencies that consistently outperform their peers in creativity and innovation the way they create is less linear or static, brief in, an idea out, pass the hand grenade methodology.
These shops tend to have a more ‘flat’ and ‘fluid’ structure and iterative process, even the big ones. All have a ‘blended’ ideas department, where strategists, conceptualists, technologists and craft seamlessly sit and work together. Flat, fluid, but highly focused.
As an industry, we need more strategists. We need more smart people. But to be better at shaping and solving the strategic challenges facing our clients’ brands and businesses we need to shut down the strategic silo.
---
## Use it or lose it: How smart brands deal with marketing data
Type: eps_post
URL: /smart-brands-marketing-data
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Use it or lose it: How smart brands deal with marketing data
Most senior marketers know what they should be doing with their marketing data. Yet very few are actually doing it. In order for brands to understand and ultimately conquer the gulf between theory and practice, we have to have a little lesson in recent history.
The Big (Data) Bang
A good few years back now, the world went bonkers over data. Everyone was talking about Big Data, getting a handle on all this mass of new digital information that was being generated from every corner of everywhere. CEOs turned to their CMOs and demanded that they build an impenetrable fort of data to dominate the shores of profitability and in turn CMOs told their teams to grab a bucket and start collecting.
Evolution: It’s a slow process
We’re still seeing the fallout from this today with the majority of businesses placing a greater emphasis and value on gathering information than actually analysing it and putting it to work to achieve business objectives. But that tide is starting to turn. The brands that really know their stuff marketing wise have stopped this broad brush harvesting of any and all information available to them and turned their focus inward, towards breaking down silos, analysing what’s there and making use of it.
2020: A data odyssey
More and more brands will be investing in using and maintaining the useful information they have. The really smart ones will actually start to collect less information not more, having figured out which bits are useful to the brand and which just end up gathering metaphorical dust on a server somewhere. Customers are demanding that brands make ever better use of the information they share with them, that’s its price. And brands who fail to deliver on this promise will rapidly find themselves out in the cold.
Achieving the single customer view
There’s a movement in many major corporations (and other smaller, more agile ones too) to break down data silos and barriers between legacy systems in order to create a truly customer-centric approach to marketing, where all brand interactions with a particular customer can be aligned, synchronised and personalised to that individual, with marketing programs responding to customer data in real time and adjusting the customer experience accordingly.
We’re finding that we’re increasingly being asked to assist with this creation of a single customer view – either through increased connectivity between disparate legacy systems or omnichannel transformations from the ground up. Driven by increasing customer expectations, this is another trend that will only become more prevalent in the months and years to come.
Your tomorrow starts today
You might not be able to change the data direction of a massive organisation overnight, but you can make those first crucial steps. Get your free copy of the Epsilon Essential Guide To Marketing Data to see what you need to do and how to do it.
---
## Why your CIO should be your WBF
Type: eps_post
URL: /cio-wbf-strategy-insight
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Why your CIO should be your WBF
Is your best friend your CIO? Because it should be. In the good old days, IT’s time was taken up handling system set up and maintenance for traditional data producing functions in the business, such as finance or manufacturing.
But now one of the most important relationships tends to be with marketing. Because marketing has transformed to an almost entirely technology led discipline that has to handle data volumes and complexities that the IT Director of yesterday would go cold over. Not convinced?
Let’s review the evidence:
63% of European marketers say that understanding marketing technology is a critical skill for senior marketers to be successful with 73% already having a dedicated CMT in place. (DataXu)
Marketing technology represents a third of brands’ total marketing budgets (Gartner)
78% of IT people think they work collaboratively with marketing. Only 58% of marketers agree that’s the case. (eConsultancy)
With all this new and constantly evolving technology comes a huge increase in complexity for marketing, paired with divergent pressure from the consumer to increase simplicity in their brand experience. In short, you really, really need IT on side.
It’s a bit like when you see a water bird swimming along the surface, up top all appears still and tranquil as if it was the easiest thing in the world (consumer experience) whereas under the water the bird’s legs are paddling like mad against the current (marketing).
Here are a few figures that illustrate the contrast:
Nearly one in four respondents found marketing automation systems too complex to be used effectively. ( B2B Online)
More than half of 500 CMO respondents believe the accelerating pace of technological change, mobile lifestyles, and an explosion of potential marketing channels via IoT will change the field the most by 2020. This will be driven by billions of possible interactions between a company and its customers, forcing CMOs to manage staggering amounts of complexity. (Economist Intelligence Unit)
One CEB study used a “decision simplicity index”. The easier a brand makes the purchase decision-journey, the higher its decision-simplicity score. Brands that scored in the top quarter in the study were 86% more likely than those in the bottom quarter to be purchased by the consumers considering them. They were 9% more likely to be repurchased and 115% more likely to be recommended to others. (CEB/HBR)
The secret to managing this is to use the one to reduce the other. What we mean here is using “making it simple for consumers to spend with your brand” as a singular focus to cut some of the clutter behind the scenes. Viewing all your efforts through this singular lens will help you to easily see where unnecessary complexity has arisen, i.e. where you are doing something that doesn’t contribute to your goal of simplicity for the customer.
A real world instance of “doing it right” came to our attention recently, courtesy of a mobile phone provider. Pivoting from one simple data input point from the customer (their phone number), the company links this to account data to render an entirely custom web experience for every user. There’s information on your handset, plan, accessories and help topics that are likely to be of most use to you. The really important bit is it feels so natural that you almost don’t notice they’ve done it.
All this seamless customer experience and high tech marketing wizardry requires a huge commitment of time, will and other resources from IT.
So, how can you get these essential figures bought in to your projects?
We discussed earlier how close IT and Marketing are becoming as disciplines, but the reality is that this isn’t necessarily true for the teams on the grounds day to day. Here are a few top tips to ensure you play nicely with your IT colleagues:
Involve IT in your decision making from the outset – this means they don’t have to come in and rain on your parade later on
If you’re going to understand technology (and we hope you agree that you should) don’t leave out the important yet boring bits like security and integration, not just functionality
Make sure you understand the whole cost of your projects, not just how much the kit itself costs, but how much time it’ll take to implement and integrate.
Even if your current relationship with IT is more adversarial than comradely, there’s always scope to improve and the best place to start is by initiating some face time, switching off phones etc. and just listening to things from their perspective. You can’t keep pace with your consumers without IT support, so it’s essential that your whole team prioritises and invests time in this essential working relationship.
Want to learn more? Get your free guide to Marketing Strategy & Insight here.
---
## The top 4 marketing technology myths debunked
Type: eps_post
URL: /marketing-technology-myths
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# The top 4 marketing technology myths debunked
Working in marketing technology, we hear a lot of received wisdom and opinions. And to be brutally honest, a good proportion of them are just plain wrong and would hurt the organisations where they were being taken as gospel if we didn’t gently correct some fairly basic assumptions.
So it got us to thinking; shouldn’t we do a post about some of those basic assumptions and see if we can’t set a few more people on the right path before we get to having face to face conversations with them about how badly wrong they’ve got it? Well, here it is. Our top 4 most common marketing technology myths, debunked for all time and for all to read.
Myth 1: Choosing the right platform is the most important success factor
If there’s one question we get asked up front on any technology selection and implementation engagement, it’s “how are you going to help us make sure we pick the right tool/system?” There’s so much emphasis placed on this in the procurement process it’s just unreal. The right technology is just technology that’s fit for the purpose outlined in the accompanying strategy (hint, if you don’t have one, you need one). There may be one, two or even many different right answers when it comes to choosing which bit of kit you eventually go with.
What you buy isn’t half as important as what you do. And what you need to do are hard-core changes to process and often even trickier to people. This needs backing; which is why the most important factor in your succeeding in your next technology implementation has very little to do with technology and everything to do with securing the right executive sponsorship for the project.
Executive sponsorship, along with accurate measurement of your defined success metrics for the project, will give you the ammunition you need to drive deep, lasting change in your organisation. No piece of fancy tech kit in the world can help you with this because it’s all about people, not machines. So, you need to stop worrying about which tool you choose and start working on enlisting the people at the top as allies in your project. Only then will you ensure success.
Myth 2: The right tool will solve all your problems
Leading on from the last point, there’s a reason why we, a leader in marketing technology, always come to technology last in any project. That’s because in and of itself technology doesn’t fix anything. That might seem like a bit of a bold statement from people who spend every day organising it for major brands so they can function more effectively but there it is. Any bit of technology, no matter how clever, has the potential to be rendered utterly useless of not supported by the right people operating within robust, fit-for-purpose process to guide them in best use of it.
Until you’ve aligned your organisation with your proposed new technology, made sure you have people in place who will embrace and lead the change and protected them with processes designed to be guide rails for their well-meant efforts, you’ll not be in a position to succeed at using that technology, let alone fixing any of the related problems you have in the area that you hoped the technology would address.
Myth 3: Legacy systems will all have to be replaced for true transformation to be achieved
After the previous couple of myths, which may have left some of you feeling a touch deflated, we’re onto one that should bring a smile to your face. One of the things that tend to put people off attempting an end-to-end tech transformation of their business to bring it in line with best practice in digital and omnichannel marketing is the “all or nothing” approach a lot of vendors and consultants take to it. The idea that’s often put about, that you need to scrap all your legacy systems and replace them from the ground up simply isn’t true.
One of the most common things we do on projects is to establish stable, two-way bridges between different data silos and legacy platforms and then integrate that existing infrastructure with the new pieces of technology that are required for the transformation to happen. So if someone tells you there’s no way you can keep any of your old stuff before they’ve even taken a look at it, push back.
Myth 4 Automation will automatically improve your marketing
Wouldn’t it be great? But sadly no, not true either. Many brands have jumped too hastily onto the automation bandwagon and have been burned as a result. Why? Because they bought the kit without first having a solid strategy in place to guide its usage.
Any new bit of technology should be implemented as a fit for a strategy that has already been thought out, committed to a document and approved by anyone who might have an opinion that needs to be considered. Too often marketers do what we like to call “buzz chasing” and we’re not talking about substance abuse but rather following the crowd towards the latest and greatest tech trend with little or no idea how it will benefit their brand. Only that everyone else seems to be doing it and therefore they should too.
With automation, this leads to brands automating areas of communication that should actually be handled by a human being and seeming soulless, detached and irrelevant as a result. Marketing automation has a huge amount of hitherto mostly untapped benefits to offer a senior marketer, but as with anything that removes you from direct communication with your customer it must be treated with utmost care and watched more closely than ever to make sure your triggered communications resonate as well as those you craft individually.
There are loads more things you can do with this tech trend and others that we identify in our Epsilon Essentials Guide to Marketing Technology. Get your free copy today and find out everything you really need to know to help your brand succeed.
---
## The Power of Prediction with Data
Type: eps_post
URL: /prediction-with-data
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# The Power of Prediction with Data
Data is an incredibly powerful tool for helping brands and businesses to get a clearer picture of their customers. By understanding the numbers behind their audience, they can communicate with them in a more timely way. But while data gives you a broad view of your audience, it takes something more to ensure you’re speaking to them at the right time and in the right place.
At this year’s Tech Connect conference on May 25th, Epsilon MD for EMEA, Phil Cottier, spoke about the power of prediction. He mentioned that even though companies gather data, not all know how to analyse it effectively to determine trends or the journeys their customers take. Understanding this helps brands to make their message more meaningful. “The auto industry is getting better at this,” said Cottier. “Companies, like Jaguar, know how hard a driver presses on the accelerator or the brake over time. This tells them what kind of driver they are and what types or products or services they may be interested in”. And this is why Epsilon build complex lifecycles, which adapt to customers and identify key moments in their engagement.
Those who joined us at Tech Connect might have noticed our banners – striking images of colourful ink accompanied by the words “Look beyond what you thought was possible”. The images showed the beautiful and fascinating science of chromatography - a technique for separating mixtures into their individual components. Chromatography looks beyond the whole to see the individual within it which is a beautiful metaphor for what we do for our clients.
We look beyond the numbers at the people who make up the data and help brands to find a voice that will resonate. Because the right message delivered at exactly the right time, can be heard over the noise of the thousands of messages competing for a person’s attention.
We’d like to say a huge thank you to everyone who took the time to speak with us at Tech Connect on May 25th.
---
## 5 top tips to get more from your brand’s sports sponsorships
Type: eps_post
URL: /more-from-sport-sponsorship
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# 5 top tips to get more from your brand’s sports sponsorships
There’s no arguing about the fact that there’s huge value in sponsoring sports. Whether it’s the estimated $10 million average annual sales uplift endorsements contribute or the 4.7 billion sets of eyeballs glued to the television coverage of the Barclays Premier League*, the numbers are huge.
But throwing money at sports isn’t a universal panacea for all your marketing challenges, nor can a premium package form your tactical silver bullet if it’s not paired with sound strategy. For every success story, there are a sizeable handful of budget busting failures and missed opportunities.
To help make sure your brand sits firmly in the first group, we’ve prepared our top five tips to help you drive the most value from your sports sponsorships:
Create value for the rights holder
This may seem counterintuitive, after all you’re fronting the cash right? Surely it’s all about them creating value for you? Not so. Sponsorship should generate value for both parties. Why? Because if you as the sponsor can generate value for the rights holder, you’ll be in a stronger negotiating position and can drive down the overall cost of your sponsorship, making it more likely that your involvement will return a measure of success and value.
Looking at sponsorship as a partnership where you give as well as take opens up opportunities to do more interesting things than just have your logo everywhere. You can look at things like co-creating and promoting exclusive content, or promoting the event with a competition offer. These reflect far more favourably on your brand than a simple stickering exercise, as well as creating value for the rights holder and its accompanying benefit outlined above.
Take a fan-centric approach
Paying for placement is only a small part of the sports sponsorship battle. Fan engagement should be top of your list before the ink is even dry on your contact. You need to put the fans at the heart of your sponsorship, get them involved and give them a reason to care.
In 2013 MLS fans were given the opportunity to vote one player into that year’s All-Star game by scoring goals with him in sponsor EA Sports’ FIFA 2013 video game. Each goal scored with someone from a 26-player shortlist was counted as one vote in his favour. The campaign not only encouraged fans to engage with an EA Sports product directly, it also generated significant buzz online.
To do this successfully for your brand, you’ll need accurate and detailed insights and that means data. Collecting, measuring and analysing fan data using the smartest technology and strategy you can find.
Make your venue work harder
Look beyond your traditional branding placements and suggest innovative ways to incorporate your product or brand experience into the venue. A simple example of this is Heineken, who had pouring rights at the Rugby World Cup so everyone who wanted a pint of lager had to try their product.
That might seem like an easy example to apply, but every brand can evolve innovative ways of immersing fans in the experience at their venues. Don’t see how? Challenge us to come up with some ideas for you.
Use sponsorship as a chance to tell a story
Guinness are the absolute masters of this tactic, linking their brand values to rugby through the stories of individual players. They do more than just get a former player to appear in an ad, they tell a diverse range of stories from legends of the game, from Johnny Wilkinson going to France a stranger and returning a hero there to Gareth Thomas finding the courage to come out to his team mates.
Invest long term for incremental gains
The most creative and rewarding sponsorship partnerships are found in long term relationships for the majority of the time. Long term deals allow brands to build proper partnerships with the event or league, as well as relationships with the fans themselves. It takes time for fans to really learn your brand identity and for it to be so fully absorbed that it has longevity beyond the life of the sponsorship.
Sport is in its nature an area that values loyalty and allegiance over time. The positive feeling that engenders for sponsors who stick around (like Heineken and Guinness), though tricky to measure is undeniable.
Epsilon Sport is a division of Epsilon dedicated to helping brands like yours get more from sports sponsorship, through smart use of data, intelligent strategy and creative ideas. For a free consultation with our cross functional team of sports experts, get in touch.
*Elberse and Verleun, HBR and Brandwatch.com
---
## Epsilon Episodes #1 - Stephen Mooney
Type: eps_post
URL: /epsilon-episodes-1
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Epsilon Episodes #1 - Stephen Mooney
Take a look at our mini documentary with Stephen Mooney. Stephen is an illustrator for DC comics. He is also the writer and illustrator of Half Past Danger, a six-part comic mini series. Stephen spoke at the second Bread & Butter creative talk and he was so interesting we had to hear more!
[embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1iv-0wYkcyE[/embed]
---
## You Lost Me At Hello
Type: eps_post
URL: /data-and-creativity-in-advertising
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# You Lost Me At Hello
Data and creativity need to ally when it comes to great advertising.
When either is missing it usually amounts to a bad ad and a missed opportunity. Here’s a quick scenario to prove the point.
Target demographic: Engineering department who eat in the canteen on the second floor.
The challenge: To bring to life the reality of free cupcakes at reception in an already saturated lunchtime conversation vertical.
The insight: Cupcakes are the number one vice for engineers according to Engineers Weekly.
Desired outcome: A run on reception resulting in a full on cupcake party.
So, we know where our audience is and they love what we sell. Should be easy, right?
Yes, all you have to do is the nail the creative. Yet often the industry gets it wrong. Underestimating the importance of being succinct and single-minded with creative is one of the most common, yet easily avoidable mistakes people make.
Let’s look at how we can convey the message. Stroll purposefully into the canteen. At the top if your lungs scream “Hey”. Silence. They’re looking at you with those cupcake starved eyes. This is it. You’ve got their attention. You need to seal the deal by saying something good before you lose them. The chat with HR about your bizarre behavior is inevitable, but don’t let that stop you. This is your moment.
But what do you say?
One - “Free cupcakes at reception. Go!”
Two - “Due to a positive shift in the demeanour of our highest ranking staff member our reception area now contains a number of paper wrapped solids comprised of flour, butter and sugar.”
Option one is the right message to the right audience. It guarantees cupcake annihilation. With option two, most people will be lost before the end of the first sentence. There’s a reason advertising like option two exists. It usually comes from advertising by committee, but that’s a whole other blog post.
Conversely, let’s imagine that we don’t know that the engineering department eats on the second floor. You put together a clear and compelling message but you don’t know how to accurately reach your target audience. You can’t just broadcast the message to everyone. There are not enough cupcakes to go around. So now you have the opposite scenario, a great message but you don’t know your audience.
So while this is a rather crude and lighthearted analogy, it’s actually sums up what happens regularly in advertising. Broadcast to the wrong audience and a great ad or piece of creative essentially becomes redundant. Get the correct audience, yet incorrect messaging and you have the unfortunate case of you lost me at hello. Clearly, both data and creativity need to be given equal weight.
---
## 4 components to personalised customer experiences
Type: eps_post
URL: /personalised-customer-experiences
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# 4 components to personalised customer experiences
From working with marketers across multiple industries, I often hear, “Well, I know my customer’s preferences in the mobile channel.” But what does this mean for email, social, off-line, etc.? Marketers need to shift their mind-sets from treating customers as if they have ‘separate channel personalities,’ to offering personalised, individual experiences, no matter what the channel. But coordinating customer interactions across all channels to obtain a 360-degree view is a challenge for marketers. And when you add in the personalisation component within each channel, it is a desired strategy that has yet to be fully realised by marketers. Still, an integrated customer view across all touch points with a personalisation strategy is a key component to sustaining loyalty. Achieving this requires technology and services – they go hand in hand. But how do you get started? When planning your personalised marketing campaigns across channels, consider these four components:
Data Insights: Data drives personalisation. Learn about the likes and dislikes of your customers with the power of data. Behavioural attributes of consumers is key in driving the messaging of marketing campaigns. Once you have an understanding of your customer’s behaviour, you know what’s needed to sustain their loyalty. To further augment this, look beyond the data that’s currently in your platform and consider integrating third party data sources into your campaigns.
Consistency: Think about your communication objectives and keep it consistent across all channels. Remember, it’s one campaign, one message regardless of the channel. By focusing on content first, channel second you can ensure consistency across channels. Also, consider how you can integrate real-time messaging into your campaign. Keep communications simple, relevant and timely. The average attention span of a human is less than 4 seconds. Real-time messaging is essential to captivate your audience and it helps to yield loyalty to your brand.
Social Listening: The drivers of customer loyalty are shifting and consumers are now looking to build relationships with brands beyond the transaction. Having the opportunity to learn about your customer’s behaviour (likes and dislikes) in a social setting helps marketers create targeted relational and meaningful offers that go beyond the traditional brand interactions. Understanding your customers in this way takes campaign personalisation to the next level.
Strategy & Analytics: Strategy and analytics help to add a voice of reasoning behind your other marketing efforts. From modelling, scoring and reporting, marketers glean insights which allow them to further understand why consumers act the way they do. Answering the why further helps to drive personalisation.
All of these tips are centred on your technology being well equipped to manage the integration of this data. Ensuring you have one solution – a fused customer experience platform – to guide your loyalty marketing success is essential. Marketers need to transform from the siloed database mind-set to the integrated loyalty solution to obtain the full 360 holistic customer view. And to complement the technology, services are key to strategically implementing the machine-learning for personalisation.
---
## Are digital marketers really impacting the bottom line?
Type: eps_post
URL: /digital-impacting-bottom-line
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Are digital marketers really impacting the bottom line?
Do you have one burning question about marketing that has plagued you? The question that keeps you up at night? The question you know your boss will ask one day, but you don’t know the answer?
In our quest to help you connect with your customers on a deeper level, we want you to have all the resources you need. So go ahead, ask that one burning question.
Q: Are digital marketers really impacting their company’s bottom line?
That’s a really great question. Historically, putting a value on marketing efforts has included taking data such as website views and bounce rates, newsletter opens and click-throughs, leads from trade shows, etc. and identifying how many of those moved through the sales funnel. Now that much of marketing is focusing on the digital realm, many marketers are struggling to put numbers to their efforts. For instance, how does a brand’s number of Twitter followers translate to sales? We understand where you’re coming from. Digital tools are changing things—not only how you work, but how your customers are buying.
To learn more, we partnered with Econsultancy to look at how Global 1,000 companies are dealing with the modern shopper. We learned that digital marketers are, in fact, impacting the bottom line. And they’re doing it in significant ways.
In the dramatic shift toward digital, some companies are thriving while others lag behind. What we know for sure is that everyone is affected by changing consumer habits and expectations. Here’s how the leaders of these Global 1,000 companies view their current position:
Those companies at the top (the leaders) are adapting to the digital age and actually leading the charge in their sector. Other companies look to them for guidance. Employees are able to respond, experiment and implement solutions that keep them at the cutting edge. Here’s the important piece: Those companies that are in the forefront of change are outperforming the field financially.
“Leaders” are 43 percent more likely than “mainstream” companies and 77 percent more likely than “follower” companies to be growing faster than their sector averages. Successful digital marketers are making their companies money.
This is proof that companies, company executives and digital marketers who fit into this “leader” category are affecting their bottom line in significant and measurable ways.
But it’s not just about having a great digital marketing team. Success comes down to buy-in from the top, technology to support digital efforts and a culture of customer-focused innovation. Here’s how the Global 1,000 leaders view their social strategies:
Today’s consumers expect you to have a digital presence, targeted messaging, personalised points of contact and a multi-channel approach. Companies who are able to do this successfully are winning. They are winning loyal customers. They are winning in brand awareness. They are winning in revenues. Companies who can’t, won’t or don’t want to adapt are becoming invisible.
“It’s critical for digital marketing teams to have buy-in and investment up front from senior leaders, so that those leaders understand from the beginning what the team is trying to achieve,” says Dan McDermott, Director of Product Marketing with Epsilon. “Make it clear to your leaders how the digital marketing team’s objectives support business goals, particularly those that drive revenue. Most importantly, have a plan for demonstrating the impact digital marketing initiatives are having towards achieving those goals. Accountability will breed confidence on all fronts: for your team and your leadership.”
To see how your company stacks up and learn more valuable insights about leading a digital marketing evolution, read “Leading a digital marketing evolution: Lessons in transformation, culture and technology from the Global 1,000.”
Do you have a burning question to ask? Let us know and we’ll have one of our experts answer your question in an upcoming blog post.
---
## The Case for Bringing Balance Back to the Marketing Ecosystem
Type: eps_post
URL: /the-case-for-bringing-balance-back-to-the-marketing-ecosystem
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# The Case for Bringing Balance Back to the Marketing Ecosystem
Consumers want it free. They want it now. They want it to be relevant. They want it personalised.
What is “it”? It’s whatever you’re selling—toothbrushes, hotel rooms, movies—“it” is everything.
At Epsilon-Conversant, we continue to see that consumers are discerning in all their interactions with brands. They understand that providing information on what they like or don’t like, what they have or have not purchased, and what they have or have not engaged with is a value exchange that builds a better experience for them.
But the ability to personalise every interaction is based on your ability to access and action data. With that, there’s been an evolution in privacy regulations and a lot of discussion about future regulations. But it’s the large consumer platforms, known to many marketers as walled gardens, that have unquestionably used data to shift marketing’s centre of gravity in their favour. So, how badly is the system out of balance and what can be done to restore harmony?
Where is the most gravitational force in the system?
If you look at marketing today, brands have three main options to deliver on personalisation and performance. First, solution providers such as systems integrators and consultancies. Second, software platforms, which include technology point solutions or cloud services. And third, large consumer platforms.
If you were to measure where the gravitational force lies in the advertising ecosystem based on who gets the most budget, the large consumer platforms pull the most weight. The more brands spend on advertising within those platforms, the more powerful they become, increasing their gravitational pull. In conversations with clients, many say they spend with these platforms because they’re a necessary channel for marketing—not because they see them as the best platform for performance.
And this plays out in the numbers. The internet has largely become advertising-funded, meaning that most advertisers (read: brands) are footing the bill for much of the mainstream internet today. But the growth in market cap of the world’s biggest advertisers isn’t commensurate with the growth in market cap of the biggest tech platforms, whose business models and viability are dependent on those advertisers. In fact, as of September 2019, the consumer platforms’ market cap was twice that of the top advertisers.
If advertisers are paying the bill, you’d have to draw the conclusion that they’re coming up short.
The advertiser has spent years (decades in some cases) building brands, developing products, building defensible R&D, merchandising and marketing. They’ve earned the right to have a relationship with the consumer based on a mutual value exchange—e.g. if you opt in, accept cookies, complete your profile, join a loyalty program, etc., you will receive more relevant communications from that brand.
But when it comes to the large consumer platforms, the data that’s interacting with the consumer accrues on the platform—not with the brands. In these situations, the brand doesn’t have visibility into the relationship with the consumer—the platform does.
The promise of one-to-one
That lack of visibility should raise concerns for many brands. If you miss a step along the road, you can’t personalize the full journey.
Without question, the industry has been marching towards the promise of one-to-one marketing. If someone takes an action, the marketer can study and understand that signal and optimize marketing to serve the next best message for that specific individual, resulting in a purchase, loyalty and increased value.
And as marketers deliver more relevance for the consumer, they stop delivering irrelevant experiences that result in wasted marketing spend and start increasing the efficiency of their budgets. This ability to draw a clear line from your marketing investments to tangible business results is of more importance than ever.
But that isn’t possible without three key areas. First, continuous identity and knowledge to anticipate what the consumer will do. Second, the ability to activate across the customer journey. And last but not least, performance transparency to actually prove outcomes.
By nature of the gravitational imbalance in the space, others are pulling the industry back to contextual advertising where measurement is a cohort-based ratio of people to message. Although it’s pretty granular, it’s not one-to-one marketing. In a cohort that’s limited to 50 people, you still have 50 different individuals.
More recent announcements in privacy controls—though seemingly well-intentioned—exacerbate the issue. For example, in January, Google announced they would deprecate third-party cookies by 2022. Forrester analyst Joanna O’Connell summed up the industry’s surprise saying, “I don’t think I anticipated that they would do something that feels so obviously beneficial to Google.” To add insult to injury, Apple announced in June it would require apps to ask users for permission before they can use IDFA identifiers for tracking.
As the industry moves toward data deprecation, it becomes clear that we’re moving in opposite directions.
Balancing the system
With personalisation and privacy being so important, is that reflective of the marketing ecosystem available to us today? I don’t think so—not as long as the decisions of a few players shift everyone’s opportunity for balance.
And it’s not about getting rid of the big consumer platforms or not spending with them. They have unique products and offerings, and they deserve to be rewarded for that. It’s more about brands advocating for and delivering against a balanced investment that allows them to regain control of their customer relationships. The world of marketing is not one-sided, and I believe in the value exchange between brands, platforms and consumers. True success is shared.
Time is of the essence to reformulate the ecosystem to prioritise a brand’s relationship with the consumer above all else. Because without this balance, brands can’t build deeper relationships with their customers and we all ultimately lose.
This article was first published on Adweek.
---
## Consumer research: Brands should continue advertising during Covid-19
Type: eps_post
URL: /consumer-research-brands-should-continue-advertising-during-covid-19
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T22:17:52Z
# Consumer research: Brands should continue advertising during Covid-19
Right now, during this global pandemic, the majority of consumers do want to receive advertising, but many – including just over half of US and UK consumers – admit that they have received a message they felt was inappropriate in the current climate.
This is according to a study of 4,045 consumers in the UK, France, USA, Italy, and Spain, organised by Epsilon-Conversant and CJ Affiliate.
In total, half (48%) of global consumers have received a marketing message in the past two weeks that they felt was poorly timed or inappropriate.
Claim your copy of the report
However, the majority of consumers (62%) said that they did want to receive adverts at this time, with three-quarters of consumers in the US (72%) and Italy (76%) believing it is appropriate for brands to be sending ads.
These findings are corroborated by research from GlobalWebIndex, Kantar, and others, as reported by eMarketer.
“Turning off paid marketing channels could lead to a decreased share of voice and the research shows that this knee-jerk reaction would be unnecessary," explains Elliott Clayton, SVP, Epsilon-Conversant. "The majority of respondents do not think brands need to stop advertising during the COVID-19 outbreak.
"Instead, brands must align their products, services and promotions with the needs of consumers in this situation. This is a human problem that requires brands to find their human sides.”
The study reinforces the need for brands to show sensitivity. For example, many consumers preferred to receive messages of wellbeing and positivity (49%) from brands, although many were also still looking for discounts and offers (58%). Only 14% of consumers wanted to see product-focused content from brands at this time.
British respondents were keen for wellbeing to be at the forefront of advertising amidst an overwhelming call for messages of positive thinking (61%). In contrast, respondents from the US and Italy want to see adverts and marketing communications around deals and discounts.
“There is opportunity but not for opportunists," continues Clayton.
"Right now, brands must ask themselves, how might I be able to help or inform my customers, not just push through that sale? Even restaurants have used this time to offer their recipes for free over social channels to stay relevant, and as this situation continues to develop differently across the globe, brands need to be listening and responding to consumers’ varying concerns and needs.
"That means opening up communication channels and starting a real, honest dialogue one-to-one.”
Claim your copy of the report
---
## Outsmart rather than outspend: Domino’s generate £1M+ in personalised display trial
Type: eps_post
URL: /outsmart-rather-than-outspend-dominos-generate-1m-in-personalised-display-trial
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T22:13:13Z
# Outsmart rather than outspend: Domino’s generate £1M+ in personalised display trial
In the increasingly crowded delivery market, Domino’s, has driven a £1.13 million boost in incremental revenue in just three months by launching a new digital display advertising programme.
Domino’s partnered with Conversant to harness its data to identify and reach consumers, reaching 3.1 million people and achieving an impressive 10:1 incremental return on ad spend.
Read Domino's case study
In the below video, Elliott Clayton - SVP at Conversant - explains the strategy behind the trial, specifically how and why it succeeded, as well as how personalised display can be harnessed by other industries for similar success.
{{ script_embed('wistia', '89c7dss63u', ', ', 'inline,responsive,align=center,marginRight=auto,marginLeft=auto') }}
With over 1,000 stores across the UK, Domino’s has built up its leading status through both its pizzas and its use of technology for better customer experience. But in the past three years, the delivery market has exploded with quick-service restaurants (QSRs) moving into delivery and the emergence of delivery aggregators, such as Deliveroo and Uber Eats.
To maintain its market position, Domino’s knew it needed to harness its data and utilise the full breadth of its channels to not only win new customers but retain existing ones who may be tempted to switch to a delivery aggregator.
driving efficiency through data
“There are so many businesses fighting for that pizza or takeaway occasion, and they have deep pockets," explains Karl Boyce, head of digital and CRM at Domino’s.
"We need to be on the front foot when it comes to driving efficiency through data - using our data architecture and understanding of our customers to outsmart competitors. All the while, measuring effectively using a mix of econometrics, last click and revenue incrementality.
"That's our mantra - to outsmart rather than outspend.”
Whilst already a first mover with channels like social, Spotify or specific publishers thanks to its single customer view database, like other brands, Domino’s hadn’t seen healthy return on investment from standard digital display advertising, such as retargeting. With some channels too fragmented and others like TV becoming too expensive, Domino’s turned to Conversant to launch personalised display advertising into its media mix and demonstrate incremental return.
Automated, personalised messaging at scale
Conversant enabled Domino’s to further activate its first-party data, harnessing the solution’s transaction-driven ID map of real British consumers. In turn, this enabled Domino’s to effectively identify and reach the right consumers at scale, simultaneously optimising media buying for measurable return.
“We ensured to take the time to really get under the skin of the Domino’s business and truly understand its operational and business challenges before outlining the best strategy," explains Clayton. "This also meant being fully transparent and engaging with all stakeholders, particularly the likes of the data security and the legal team. We knew we’d then be able to deliver and prove the desired return for Domino’s.”
Now, Domino’s is able to match customers down to a single, pseudonymous customer contact ID, tracking that customer accurately from media delivery through to order. The solution allows delivery of automated, personalised messaging to increase new and existing customer lifetime value, driving purchases across its customer base.
Ten-fold incremental return
Beyond a ten-fold incremental return on an investment of £113,000 - more than double the targeted 4:1 return - it also reached 3.1 million customers. Importantly, the partnership with Conversant has entailed a greater business impact by highlighting the value of marketing data to the wider business.
“Many marketers are trying to drive value in their data, so they're having conversations with board members about getting that data architecture in place, managing compliance and creating audience segments. It is a costly, time-consuming part of anybody's role," concludes Boyce.
"For us to be able to create an audience sample and visibly show a return is music to the ears of any head of department trying to validate a business case to their board.”
Read Domino's case study
---
## After Google’s announcement, Epsilon is positioned to thrive
Type: eps_post
URL: /after-googles-announcement-epsilon-conversant-is-positioned-to-thrive
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T22:16:49Z
# After Google’s announcement, Epsilon is positioned to thrive
The need to know:
Google announced they will deprecate third-party cookies over the next two years.
As much of the adtech industry’s solutions are built on third-party cookies, many are uncertain about the implications for their digital media campaigns and partners.
Anticipating a world without third-party cookies years ago, Epsilon's solutions are well-positioned to thrive in the new advertising ecosystem.
Epsilon's philosophy of ‘Privacy by Design’ - a founding principle of the company, and key to our preparation and continued compliance with GDPR - means we’re prepared for such industry shifts.
What’s happening?
On January 14, Google announced that Chrome will phase out third-party cookies in the next two years. Reasonably, the adtech community is concerned about this shift as many providers rely heavily on third-party cookies to identify individuals and deliver them advertising messages. Although the announcement is causing a stir in the industry, this - in many ways - is not new news. Early in 2019, Google announced changes to Chrome regarding the treatment of third-party cookies, including mandates to declare the purpose of the cookie and comply with Chrome’s secure settings. Google’s initial shift in the treatment of third-party cookies was a bellwether to the industry: Google can and will deprecate third-party cookies on Chrome. Their announcement follows similar restrictions on other browsers, like Mozilla and Safari, in recent years. Still, with roughly 63% of all web traffic on its browser, Google’s shift is a significant change that the larger adtech community will need to reconcile.
Who benefits the most from this: Google or consumers?
This has huge implications for the adtech industry, which is largely built on third-party cookies. In a video discussion on Google’s announcement, Forrester analyst Joanna O’Connell said, “The third-party cookie is - for all of its faults - the underlying mechanism by which really the whole digital advertising ecosystem transacts and communicates.” This move also sets Google apart - and puts them in a powerful position - for the future of digital media as all targeted, personalised ads delivered on Chrome will have to go through Google’s Privacy Sandbox. Forrester’s Fatemeh Khatibloo noted this is designed to protect consumer privacy on the browser, but this also puts Google in control of an awful lot of personal information in its future state. For many adtech providers, this decision will alter their base solutions and their ability to connect and know individuals - with confidence - across devices and channels. But at Epsilon, we’re not concerned.
How Epsilon is (and has been) prepared
Epsilon's CORE ID technology and our private exchange, which includes thousands of publisher relationships, allows us to uniquely navigate anticipated changes:
With proactive preparation with top supply partners, we’ve built a privacy-centric, individual level, ad ecosystem that does not rely on third-party cookies. Our private exchange is built on a direct integration with publishers - constructed with and for our publisher partners - to improve matching and monetisation of a publisher’s ad space. We now have more than 2,000 sites leveraging our technology, which we anticipate expanding to meet the needs of Publicis Groupe.
This is not new news - we’ve already adapted to similar privacy enhancements from Apple and Mozilla and have come out unfazed. Our identity solution is built with a Privacy by Design approach, which leverages the persistence of our ID to maintain consumer choice over time and aligns to open web standards. Since Safari rolled out a similar initiative a few years back, we’ve seen far less competition in the marketplace for Safari inventory, indicating that our technology works well in a privacy-centric environment without third-party cookies.
As many start to grapple with the implications for their own products and solutions, we’ve been preparing - and building the appropriate technology - for years. During the lead-up to the implementation of the GDPR in Europe, for example, our Privacy by Design philosophy meant we were able to evolve while retaining our capabilities. We anticipated these changes all the way back in 2012, when we set the foundation for the private exchange to bring balance back to our publisher partners. With nearly a decade of experience working toward this inevitable industry change, we’re well-positioned to thrive in the new ecosystem, in partnership with publishers and other key industry players.
Although Google’s announcement is a significant change to how the adtech industry has traditionally operated, we see it as a step toward shifting the ecosystem to a more privacy-centric mindset, and we're ready for it.
---
## Black Friday: Data shows real opportunity in long-lasting customer acquisition
Type: eps_post
URL: /black-friday-data-shows-real-opportunity-in-long-lasting-customer-acquisition
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T22:14:19Z
# Black Friday: Data shows real opportunity in long-lasting customer acquisition
This year’s Black Friday will present an opportunity to build new, loyal customers, according to data from Conversant and reported on by in WARC, PerformanceIN and Internet Retailing.
While the average order value from last year’s Black Friday shoppers remained almost identical to the majority of ‘regular’ customers, the period has the potential to attract – and retain – new buyers.
Conversant’s analysis shows that the average order value from a new customer on Black Friday of 2018 sat at around £75, fluctuating between £70 and £85 across the week – almost identical to that of a ‘regular’ customer.
"’Peek Week’ has historically been seen as a time for bargain hunters, but over the past few years retailers have seen a gradual plateauing of sales in favour of higher orders throughout the surrounding month," explains Elliott Clayton, SVP at Conversant.
"While the sales peak in ‘Peak Week’ will be less pronounced, retailers will see an increase in sales over a longer period, plus gain new customers who will come back for more over the following 12 months. It’s a valuable, long-term opportunity, rather than the short, sharp sales rush it’s normally considered as."
Data from IMRG – a UK-based online retail association – indicates that 2019’s Black Friday will be the worst on record for some years, with only 2-3% growth in sales for some sectors. However, Conversant’s analysis shows that the week and weeks surrounding Peak Week still represent an opportunity for retailers to secure new, loyal customers – in fact, almost 20% (19.4%) of new customers during this period will return to buy again.
"We’re increasingly seeing Black Friday evolve into a mature, accepted shopping period, where retailers can secure returning shoppers who will deliver genuine value," continues Clayton.
"It has not historically been seen as a good time for long-term lead generation, but this has clearly shifted in recent years. Marketers who adjust their strategies, understand and adapt to consumer preferences can significantly boost their long-term pipeline and make a real, revenue-driving difference to their brands."
---
## How European retailers increase incremental return from personalisation
Type: eps_post
URL: /how-european-retailers-increase-incremental-return-from-personalisation
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T22:13:13Z
# How European retailers increase incremental return from personalisation
Retailers in Europe right now are using personalised digital media to communicate individually to consumers at scale. They're generating incremental return, and they're proving the GBP£ uplift that it creates to their C-Suite, securing both recognition for their work and continued investment in the marketing function.
Retailers and brand-side marketers should watch this on-demand talk to learn how to leverage the next phase of personalisation:
Communicating with potential and existing customers individually, at huge scale.
Delivering full lifecycle messaging by leveraging a single customer view.
Closing the marketing proof gap, showing true GBP£ uplift to the C-Suite.
{{ script_embed('wistia', 'n37ztf7bom', ', ', 'inline,responsive,align=center,marginRight=auto,marginLeft=auto') }}
During his talk, Elliott Clayton - Conversant's SVP of media - discusses how Dune London generated an additional £4.4 million in incremental return. Read how the Fashion Network covered Dune London's work with Conversant.
How Dune London generated an additional £4.4 million >
---
## [Video] How fashion brands can increase ROI by expanding the funnel off-site
Type: eps_post
URL: /video-how-fashion-brands-can-increase-roi-by-expanding-the-funnel-off-site
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T22:14:41Z
# [Video] How fashion brands can increase ROI by expanding the funnel off-site
Delivering the right message, with the right frequency, to the right people, at the right time. Basic marketing principles, yet surprisingly difficult to fully achieve on-site, let alone off-site. Watch this video interview to understand how Boden's ex-Director of Global Marketing increased the brand's ROI by upwards of 20:1 by doing exactly that.
Speaking at IMRG's Fashion Connect event, David Lockwood, now Head of Analytics at The Tapestry Agency, discusses how building demand over time off-site attracted a highly engaged and incrementally performing audience on-site for Boden.
Interviewed on-stage by Elliott Clayton, SVP, Conversant, David gives advice to fellow retailers on increasing incremental return, based on his experience at Boden and other retailers.
{{ script_embed('wistia', 'k5jinqbi5c', ', ', 'inline,responsive') }}
Like Boden, Scotch & Soda have seen proven incremental revenue growth after switching from one-off campaigns to personalised, always-on media. Read how Scotch & Soda's personalised CRM media works, and how the fashion brand's marketing team's experience has been.
Read the case study
---
## [Video] What we've learnt about one-to-one personalisation at scale
Type: eps_post
URL: /video-what-weve-learnt-about-one-to-one-personalisation-at-scale
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T22:17:52Z
# [Video] What we've learnt about one-to-one personalisation at scale
What does it mean to personalise communications at scale? How do you measure return? And how do the different types of marketing personalisation compare? Watch this on-demand talk to find out.
Filmed live at the Savage Marketing event in Amsterdam, in this on-demand video talk, Elliott Clayton - Conversant's senior vice president of media - imparts what he's learnt about true one-to-one personalisation at scale. After a decade of helping iterate and refine Conversant's personalisation capabilities, Elliott's advice comes backed by first-hand industry know-how.
{{ script_embed('wistia', 'smbdxlgsug', ', ', 'inline,responsive') }}
Find out how to make true, one-to-one personalisation at scale happen. Read Conversant's free guide on the four essential themes for marketing personalisation at scale.
Download the guide
---
## [Video] GDPR: Solutions to Gain Consent for Advertisers and Publishers
Type: eps_post
URL: /video-privacy-by-design-gdpr-and-digital-advertising
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# [Video] GDPR: Solutions to Gain Consent for Advertisers and Publishers
Watch this on-demand webinar for actionable solutions to gaining GDPR compliant consent for digital advertising.
With IAB Europe, IMRG, Conversant and CJ Affiliate on the expert panel, gain clarity into the obligations brought about by the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) on publishers and advertisers, before understanding how our free solution - the Consent Tool - can gain GDPR compliant consent for your digital advertising activity.
Click for sound
The Consent Tool is a lightweight mechanism to help advertisers and publishers gain compliant consent from consumers for their digital advertising activity in relation to the GDPR and the ePrivacy Directive (ePD).
Designed to blend compliance and business continuity, for both advertisers and publishers - it's available for free, whether you work with Conversant and/or CJ Affiliate or not. Claim access to the Consent Tool.
Access the Consent Tool
---
## [Podcast] How do the GDPR and ePD affect digital advertising?
Type: eps_post
URL: /podcast-gdpr-epd-digital-advertising
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# [Podcast] How do the GDPR and ePD affect digital advertising?
Join digital advertising experts for this podcast series, discussing the effects of the GDPR and ePD on the industry, with a special focus on business continuity and excelling under regulation.
This podcast series will help to clarify the obligations, and potential areas for advertisers and publishers to enhance their digital advertising activities under the new regulations brought about by the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and ePrivacy Directive (ePD).
Gain both GDPR and ePD compliant consent from consumers with our free Consent Tool, publicly available today for any advertiser and publisher. Find out more in this blog post.
The Consent Tool for GDPR and ePD
During the podcast, the expert panel discuss the background for the new regulations, how both the GDPR and ePD are related, why they should be tackled together, and importantly, how businesses can prepare now in order to continue their digital advertising activities after these new regulations are enforced.
The panel for this podcast series:
Moderator: Andrew McClelland, Director, Mirador Digital
Daniel Shore, Privacy Counsel, Conversant and CJ Affiliate
Robin Davies, Managing Director of Operations, EMEA, Conversant
Owen Hancock, Head of Strategy, Europe, CJ Affiliate
Together, Conversant and CJ Affiliate have released a free tool to aid advertisers and publisher to collect GDPR and ePD compliant consent for digital advertising. Find out more about the Consent Tool in this blog post.
The Consent Tool for GDPR and ePD
---
## The Consent Tool: Gain GDPR and ePD compliant consent for digital advertising
Type: eps_post
URL: /gdpr-epd-consent-tool
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T22:16:49Z
# The Consent Tool: Gain GDPR and ePD compliant consent for digital advertising
We've launched a free tool for advertisers and publishers to gather GDPR and ePD compliant consent from consumers for digital advertising - and it's publicly available today for any advertiser and publisher.
All advertisers and publishers can claim access to the Conversant and CJ Affiliate Consent Tool by filling in the form on this page.
Access the tool
Announcing the Conversant and CJ Affiliate Consent Tool: a lightweight mechanism to help advertisers and publishers gain compliant consent from consumers for their digital advertising activity in relation to the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and the ePrivacy Directive (ePD).
The Conversant and CJ Affiliate Consent Tool is designed to blend compliance and business continuity, for both advertisers and publishers - and we're making it available for free, whether you work with Conversant and/or CJ Affiliate or not.
Consumer-friendly data-privacy is a long-held principle throughout Conversant – our services have been built from the ground-up with ‘privacy by design’ as a fundamental approach – and we wholeheartedly support giving consumers greater transparency and choice around what happens with their data. This new consent tool is a real testament to this, as well as our commitment to continued innovation and the industry as a whole.
Here, I’d like to explain what the consent tool is, how it works, and how it gains GDPR and ePD compliant consent from consumers.
What is the consent tool, and why does it exist?
In the lead-up to the GDPR, much of the focus within the adtech community is on data processing bases such as legitimate interest and consent. However, there is an additional piece of regulation that is relevant for online data processing: the ePrivacy Directive (ePD).
The IAB EU echoes this sentiment, which is why they have created a framework - the Transparency and Consent Framework - in which online advertising companies can communicate with each other regarding whether they have obtained consent per user.
Under the ePD, consumers must consent before the processing of cookie IDs and other similar technologies (cookies). Importantly, after 25th May 2018 this consent must be “unambiguous”, as per the GDPR.
The Conversant and CJ Affiliate Consent Tool is designed to request GDPR and ePD compliant consent from visitors to advertiser and publisher websites, then store and share that consent within the IAB EU's Transparency and Consent Framework.
This lightweight application integrates onsite, only appearing when necessary in order to capture consent across all vendors integrated on your site and those included in your digital supply chain of advertising and measurement.
How does the consent tool work?
The consent tool makes essential checks before determining whether it should appear (including, but not limited to):
Is the user in the EU, based on IP?
Does the user have active consent for all vendors specified by the site?
Is the user in an active no-consent timeframe?
Once this logic is validated, the consent tool appears with a dynamic list of vendors who are eligible to gather consent from the site visitor. The list of vendors is compiled by the site, and may include indirect vendors whose services are essential in digital brand continuity (e.g. viewability and ad fraud, brand lift studies, etc…).
Vendors who already have consent will not appear, nor will those with an active no-consent flag; a configurable timeframe determined by the site to respect the no-consent user decision. Affirmative consent will last a maximum of 13 months.
How do you know this will be compliant?
Conversant has collaborated with the IAB EU and other adtech leaders to introduce a consent framework for the reading and storing of user consent decisions - the IAB EU's Transparency and Consent Framework.
Members of the IAB EU framework will access consent via the centralised storage, whilst non-members will be able to integrate with a Conversant endpoint to access user preferences.
This uniform approach to passing consent across the digital supply chain is designed to minimise the additional calls that would be necessary to check consent across multiple vendors. A standardised framework and common protocol reduces the load time of consent mechanisms on a site.
The tool is also part of Conversant and CJ Affiliate’s continued collaboration with IAB EU, with the tool acting as a Consent Management Provider (CMP). The relationship ensures our consent tool is built to the same compliance and technical standards as the framework itself.
How do you get started?
The Conversant and CJ Affiliate Consent Tool itself is intended to be a quick integration, helping you to become compliant with the new regulations under the GDPR and ePD.
While this free tool has been designed to aid Conversant and CJ Affiliate advertisers and publishers to gain consent for their digital advertising activities, we recognise the value of this tool for the wider industry. As such, we’ve made this tool publicly available, for any advertiser or publisher.
All advertisers and publishers can claim access to the Conversant and CJ Affiliate Consent Tool by filling in the form on this page.
Access the tool
For queries regarding the tool, please reach out to us via email, and to find out more about Conversant and CJ Affiliate’s approach to the GDPR and ePD, please read our statement here.
---
## Conversant’s Approach to the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR)
Type: eps_post
URL: /-conversants-approach-to-the-general-data-protection-regulation-gdpr
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Conversant’s Approach to the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR)
Understanding the GDPR
The General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) will become enforceable on 25th May, 2018, with a goal of harmonising data protection across the member states of the European Economic Area (EEA), including the 28 member states of the European Union (EU), plus Iceland, Norway, and Lichtenstein. This regulation is replacing the EU Data Protection Directive (Directive 95/46/EC).
The GDPR seeks to inform and empower consumers by providing transparency and control over their personal data. It will affect organisations worldwide that collect and/or process personal data of individuals working, visiting or residing in the EU, regardless of where an organisation is located. The new regulation impacts how companies collect, process, retain, and delete personal data, and creates additional accountability.
We are one of the industry leaders working closely with the Interactive Advertising Bureau Europe (IAB EU) to establish digital marketing best practices and advocating for a consistent consumer experience in accordance with the GDPR. The following key concepts are important to understand:
The GDPR Broadens the Definition of Personal Data
At Conversant and CJ Affiliate, we do not collect or retain any consumer personally identifiable information (PII). This means our data does not directly identify any individuals (i.e. name, email address, or billing information). That said, the GDPR broadens the definition of personal data to include the data that we collect.
The GDPR introduces the term “pseudonymous data”, which is a subset of “personal data”. Pseudonymous data is data that does not directly identify the individual without the use of additional data. This includes data that can be used to understand a consumer’s behaviour (including cookie IDs, device IDs, and other individual identifiers).
The GDPR recommends that companies pseudonymise personal data whenever possible as part of a Privacy by Design approach to ensure that companies are only collecting data that is needed, while still protecting the privacy of consumers.
Collecting and Processing Personal Data Under GDPR
The GDPR allows for six legal bases for processing personal data. The two most relevant bases to the digital marketing industry are “legitimate interest” and “consent”. For the services that we provide, legitimate interest is an acceptable legal basis in which to process personal data.
That being said, there is an additional law that also impacts online data processing: the ePrivacy Directive (Directive 2002/58/EC). Under this law (Article 5, Section 3), individuals must provide consent before a company can read or write any information to or from their devices, such as reading and/or writing cookies.
The ePrivacy Directive references the Data Protection Directive (Directive 95/46/EC) for the definition of consent. On 25th May, 2018, the Data Protection Directive will be replaced by the GDPR. This means the definition of consent under the ePrivacy Directive will reference the definition of consent under GDPR, which requires that consent be “unambiguous”.
The GDPR-defined “unambiguous” consent is required to read or write any information, such as cookies, to or from a consumer’s device. Legitimate interest, however, allows us to process and retain personal data collected via those cookies.
In alignment with this, and in light of these upcoming changes, the IAB EU has created a framework for digital advertising companies to inform each other when unambiguous consent has been granted. This shared knowledge allows all parties involved in a consumer interaction to know when a request for consent is needed, allowing for a more conscientious customer experience (including only requesting consent when one or more parties need it).
Understanding “Unambiguous” Consent
As mentioned above, unambiguous consent will be required in order to read or write information to or from a consumer’s device. Unambiguous consent requires clear and affirmative action be taken by the consumer. The GDPR (Recital 32) states that “silence, pre-ticked boxes or inactivity should not … constitute consent.” Later, the recital states that consent can be given through “conduct which clearly indicates in this context the data subject's acceptance of the proposed processing of his or her personal data.”
This means, that by taking an action, such as clicking a box or link to accept, or continuing to browse, the consumer is providing consent, as long as it is clearly and prominently disclosed that this consent allows us to drop cookies, process consumer information, and states the intended uses. Companies are required to provide consumers with the option to revoke consent at any time.
Explicit consent, on the other hand, is needed only for sensitive uses of personal data, such as for the processing of sensitive personal data listed in Article 9(1) of the GDPR, including race or ethnicity. An example of explicit consent is a tick box or an “I AGREE” button, where explicit consent is only considered to have been gathered when the individual takes that specific action. Earlier drafts of the GDPR required explicit consent across the board, however, this was changed in the final draft. Now, there are two variations of consent – unambiguous and explicit.
Only unambiguous consent is necessary for the services which we provide.
Data Controllers and Data Processors
Article 4 of the GDPR defines a Data “Controller” as an entity that, solely or jointly with others, determines the purpose and means of processing personal data. A Data “Processor” is an entity which processes personal data purely on behalf of the Data Controller and only according to the Data Controller’s instructions, as described in Article 28.
These definitions determine what data a company can process and the responsibilities the company is assuming to ensure it is providing consumers with appropriate control of their personal data. While there are additional responsibilities that a Data Controller takes on, one key requirement is providing consumers with the ability to request to access and delete their personal data.
We are a Data Controller and we will continue to offer our clients cutting-edge, data-driven solutions that deliver meaningful results.
Our GDPR Commitment
We believe in the data protection principles of the GDPR and are committed to providing more transparency to individuals over how their data is being processed.
Data protection has always been a cornerstone of our business, and we have been working diligently to ensure our compliance with the GDPR. Our future-focussed approach sets our clients up for long-term, data-driven success.
We will provide our clients with free options for gathering unambiguous consent for ourselves, themselves, and any additional vendors. We will consider consent valid for 13 months unless the consumer changes their preferences. We will continue providing GDPR compliant technologies and, as a Data Controller, we accept full responsibility for our compliance with the GDPR.
We urge our clients and partners to review and understand their responsibilities under GDPR, as compliance is a collective responsibility. We will continue to lead industry efforts by providing GDPR best practices and working closely the IAB EU, IAB UK, and other industry leaders. If you have any questions or feedback, please reach out to us through your account team.
Additional references:
Conversant and CJ Affiliate:
GDPR Preparation
ePrivacy Directive:
Directive 2002/58/EC
1995 Data Protection Directive:
Directive 95/46/EC
Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO UK Data Protection Authority):
Overview of the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR)
Preparing for the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) 12 steps to take now
Guidance: what to expect and when
Cookie Guidance: (Background)
Interactive Advertising Bureau (IAB)
IAB Content Information
IAB UK GDPR Checklist
IAB Europe GIG: Working Paper on the Definition of Personal Data
IAB GDPR Webinar Recording
Direct Marketing Association (DMA)
Legitimately using Legitimate Interests – new guidance
---
## Gauging true ROI: How to fix broken measurement models in 2018
Type: eps_post
URL: /gauging-true-roi-how-to-fix-broken-measurement-models-in-2018
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T22:14:19Z
# Gauging true ROI: How to fix broken measurement models in 2018
“Transform everything you’re doing to drive growth.” - Mark Pritchard, P&G’s Chief Brand Officer.
This was my key takeaway from Mark Pritchard’s talk at the ANA Masters of Marketing conference earlier this year. It’s an escalation of Mark’s ongoing rallying call for the digital industry to clean-up, and it’s one that we really need to take note of.
Let me explain why...
There's an underlying problem with the digital advertising market that, until it is fixed will always produce an undesirable marketing result. And it’s down to how we ‘measure’ so-called-return.
Incremental revenue and incremental profit are the only metrics that matter.
This is what we need to measure in order to gauge return. Yet most marketers are still using marketing proxies dreamt up in an attribution model designed to justify continually increasing (and unprofitable) media spend.
This isn’t right. It diverts huge portions of budget in the wrong direction. It wastes money that could otherwise be spent on profitable activities.
Measurement needs to be aligned to business goals. To do this, we need to measure media for incremental effect and optimise toward incremental returns.
These three steps are how we get there:
Clean test and control methodology
Test and control in digital media has largely been impossible because of the fragmentation of media consumption across multiple devices; meaning the margin of error has been higher than the performance claimed.
A persistent ID driven map will allow advertisers to keep their test and control clean, so results are accurate. The big agency groups are all moving towards this by building their own, but I’m happy to say that Conversant has been running and perfecting our own for nigh on a decade.
Continually measure for incrementality
A persistent ID allows for continual measurement of incrementality. Measuring once and assuming incremental return over a year doesn’t work – a clothes retailer will have totally different effects in the summer months compared to December, for example.
By continually measuring incrementality, brands are able to measure, and therefore drive something at the heart of all business – the incremental lifetime value of their customers.
Randomise test and control
Test and control groups need to be assigned randomly after a bid is won. Running two campaigns side by side, or using cohorts around geo or time is open to abuse and the results can’t be trusted or replicated within a client's business.
Running media this way will place the onus on the vendor for delivery of optimal frequency, in quality environments, to the right audience.
More importantly, it will allow marketers to get back to doing their job, rather than investigating opaque media systems and negotiating vested interests.
If you’re interested in finding out more, I joined experts from Google, AOL and Campaign Magazine on a panel to discuss attribution at Ad Week Europe earlier this year - watch the on-demand video here.
Watch the panel on-demand
---
## [INFOGRAPHIC] What do consumers want from retailers this Christmas?
Type: eps_post
URL: /infographic-what-do-consumers-want-from-retailers-this-christmas
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T22:17:52Z
# [INFOGRAPHIC] What do consumers want from retailers this Christmas?
With the majority (92%) of consumers’ shopping purchases expected to be influenced by offers and promotions this Christmas, it's essential for retailers to understand what drives consumers to purchase.
What do consumers want from retailers this Christmas?
This infographic covers some of the highlights from Conversant's 2017 Holiday Retail Outlook Report. Click on the infographic to view the larger image, or download the full report for free for further insight and actionable advice on what consumers want from retailers this Christmas.
Download the report
Download the full report for free for further insight and actionable advice on what consumers want from retailers this Christmas.
Download the report
---
## [Podcast] Solving identity, matching and reach
Type: eps_post
URL: /podcast-solving-identity-matching-and-reach
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T22:14:41Z
# [Podcast] Solving identity, matching and reach
Just 15% of marketers are confident that they know their customers well enough to build relationships, according to new research.
In this podcast, Ric Elert, President of Conversant, discusses how brands can better understand their customers and prospects through accurate identification, profile matching, and reach.
Listen to the podcast interview to hear how brands can attain a single customer view (SCV) by solving identification, matching and reach.
The modern CMO's five biggest challenges, and how to solve them
Read the research report detailed in the podcast to help benchmark your marketing function's ability to understand customers and prospects. Detailing fresh insight into the issues faced by senior marketers, then addressing how then solve such issues, the report offers valuable insight for those seeking actionable solutions. Claim your copy of the report for instant access.
Download the report
---
## Just 15% of CMOs know consumers well enough to build relationships
Type: eps_post
URL: /just-15-of-cmos-know-consumers-well-enough-to-build-relationships
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Just 15% of CMOs know consumers well enough to build relationships
...Yet 61% aspire to do exactly that.
A new report reveals that while 61% of senior marketers’ top digital marketing strategy is to build customer relationships, only 15% of those senior marketers are confident that they know their customers well enough to do so.
Download the CMO report
Further, the report finds that while 52% of marketers connect with more than half their customers online, just 16% of of those marketers are very confident that they can reach customers across multiple devices over time.
"Understanding customers goes beyond demographic data or the interactions they have with only your brand,” explains Elliott Clayton, Vice President of Media, UK at Conversant. "It requires unifying each customer’s lifestyle trends, purchasing habits and behavioural data over time.
Building relationships across devices, online and offline
"But as customers jump from device to device, it gets harder to deliver messages to them. Devices get lost, broken, replaced and shared, making it difficult to know who you’re really talking to. Pieced-together solutions that rely on cookies or segment targeting can’t accurately recognise your customers. You’ll have data leakage and an overlap of matched audiences."
Jointly conducted by the CMO Club - a “heads of marketing only” community - and Conversant, the report surveyed over 60 CMO Club members from around the world. The final report offers analysis of the findings, paired with actionable solutions to resolve the issues addressed.
The group of CMOs admitted that just a third (35%) of them track both online and offline sales, while fewer than a quarter (24%) use real-time customer activity to tailor their digital marketing, relying instead on serving one-off messages. A third (34%) of marketers are also still measuring channel impact solely based on click data.
Clayton concludes: “With 17% of all retail spend occurring online, it’s essential to understand what’s going on offline. Data is such a vital asset for this, but only if it is used correctly – it’s tempting to rely on lazy metrics like clicks, but these simply don’t gauge return. And if you can’t identify your customers, nor identify incremental improvement from your marketing activity, then you don’t actually know who you’re communicating with and how these communications are affecting your business.”
Download the CMO report
---
## GDPR and Conversant: How we have, and will continue to prepare
Type: eps_post
URL: /gdpr-and-conversant-how-we-have-and-will-continue-to-prepare
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# GDPR and Conversant: How we have, and will continue to prepare
Both Conversant and CJ Affiliate by Conversant support the principle of GDPR – to strengthen and unify data protection for all individuals in the EU – and are already well positioned to provide compliant services. While the implementation of GDPR by the EU evolves, this is how Conversant and CJ Affiliate by Conversant have, and are continuing to prepare for its launch.
GDPR: What, when and why ?
On May 25, 2018, the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) is going into enforcement. GDPR replaces the existing data protection law in the EU called the EU Data Protection Directive. It is a regulation that intends to strengthen and unify data protection for all individuals in the European Union.
GDPR will significantly affect organisations worldwide which collect and/or process personal data of individuals working, visiting or residing in the EU. Specifically, the regulation impacts how companies collect, process, retain and delete personal data. For instance, there are new, enumerated obligations around breach notification and “accountability.”
How Conversant is continuing to prepare ?
Conversant has been working hard to prepare for GDPR, and will continue to do so as its implementation by the EU evolves. In particular, Conversant has:
Educated senior executives about GDPR obligations, and will continue to do so;
Created a network of associates charged with ensuring compliance with GDPR for each business practice;
Been building tools and processes that meet GDPR's access and choice requirements;
Provided and will continue to provide training to associates around the enumerated obligations of GDPR, such as responding to data subject access requests;
Brought its data inventory and mapping process up-to-date, including revising its data classification standards, per the refined definitions of Personal Data in the GDPR;
Continued to ensure it has a lawful basis to collect, use and store data, as enumerated by GDPR;
Created, and will continue to update, its GDPR remediation and implementation plans by solidifying its internal privacy network and appointing privacy “champions” in each business practice;
Continued to review and update policies around data subjects’ rights as outlined under GDPR;
Continued to review and update security procedures and policies to determine what, if any, additional procedures or policies it will need to revise or implement to ensure its compliance;
Commenced revising agreements with clients and vendors to reflect contractual requirements set forth in GDPR.
Conversant has created teams of associates from cross functional business lines to manage our GDPR preparation. These include technologists, engineers, security professionals and the legal team. These teams work together to review our services and technology platforms to help safeguard both Conversant and its clients.
Conversant continues to monitor and study the additional guidance documents released by local Data Protection Authorities and the Article 29 Working Party to better understand its obligations. Conversant is also continuing to lead industry efforts around comprehending how GDPR applies to its businesses. Working closely with industry groups, such as the Interactive Advertising Bureau (IAB) in the EU and the UK, Conversant is helping to shape and create guidance materials to present to the local Data Protection Authorities and Industry as a whole that will help address existing open questions around certain GDPR requirements.
Conversant urges its clients, partners and vendors to review and understand their responsibilities under GDPR, as compliance is a collective responsibility. This includes changes around obtaining data subjects’ consent and enhanced data subject access rights.
Further resources
Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO UK Data Protection Authority)
Overview of the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR)
Preparing for the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) 12 steps to take now
Guidance: what to expect and when
Interactive Advertising Bureau (IAB)
IAB UK GDPR Checklist
IAB Europe GIG: Working Paper on the Definition of Personal Data
DMA
Legitimately using Legitimate Interests – new guidance
---
## [Podcast] In conversation: The making of personalisation
Type: eps_post
URL: /podcast-in-conversation-the-making-of-personalisation
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T22:16:49Z
# [Podcast] In conversation: The making of personalisation
Listen to this podcast to understand one-to-one personalisation at scale from one of the leading instigators of personalised marketing.
As the CEO of Conversant, John Giuliani has been a driving force in marketing personalisation for decades. Here, John shares his thoughts on how true one-to-one personalisation has developed, the future of the industry, and how it is that it will get there.
Interviewed by Elliott Clayton, VP of Media, UK, Conversant, John speaks openly about the evolution of marketing, and how Conversant has and will continue to be a key part in that story.
BACKGROUND READING:
What is personalisation?
This is what personalisation looks like
75% of businesses say personalised communication is essential
Further listening
Liked this? Listen to more podcasts from Conversant, including panel debates on the state of attribution and fraud in mobile advertising.
Listen to more podcasts
---
## CJ Affiliate wins two Performance Marketing Awards
Type: eps_post
URL: /cj-shortlisted-for-11-performance-marketing-awards
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# CJ Affiliate wins two Performance Marketing Awards
CJ Affiliate has won two awards at the Performance Marketing Awards (PMAs) 2017: Best Managed Affiliate Programme alongside TUI, and Best Retail Campaign alongside Argos and VoucherCodes.co.uk.
The network was further recognised for two more titles: highly commended for Best Travel and Leisure Campaign alongside IHG, as well as a high commendation for our very own rising star, Vicky Baeckstroem.
Read how CJ Affiliate achieved success at the PMAs in these case studies on the winning campaigns.
Read the case studies
Judging the awards were a panel performance marketing experts, including senior industry figures from the IAB, M&C Saatchi Mobile, Carlsberg, Huawei Technologies, Trinity Mirror Solutions, and many more.
Testament to team spirit and collaboration with partners
“CJ being recognised once again at the Performance Marketing Awards really is testimony to the strategic and creative abilities that our team possesses,” says Anne Delhon, Regional Vice President at CJ. “But what I am most proud of is the collaboration and alliance between the CJ team and our partners - both advertisers and publishers.”
“The teams at TUI, Argos, Vouchercodes.co.uk and all the other great brands we work with at CJ collaborate in harmony with the CJ team. It's this that allows us to push the boundaries in terms of results - something these awards lay testament to."
At the 2016 Performance Marketing Awards, CJ were recognised six times and won two prestigious awards: Advertiser Innovation and Best Managed Affiliate Programme categories. Both awards were for the network’s partnership with TUI. CJ was also highly commended for Best Use of Data (for CJ's partnership with TUI), Global Excellence (Avis Budget Group) and twice for Best in Retail (Homebase and Argos).
Read the case studies
---
## [Infographic] Affiliate marketing ROI: Affiliate customers spend 58% more
Type: eps_post
URL: /infographic-affiliate-marketing-roi-customers-referred-via-affiliate-marketing-spend-58-more
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# [Infographic] Affiliate marketing ROI: Affiliate customers spend 58% more
New data reveals that customers referred via affiliate marketing spend more per order and per year, plus make a greater number of orders.
Released by CJ Affiliate's Affiliate Customer Insights, the data shows that consumers introduced to a brand through affiliate during 2016 went on to place more orders, and at a higher price point, than those introduced through other aggregated marketing channels.
Specifically, affiliate shows a 21% higher average order value (AOV), 31% higher per customer order average, and 58% higher average customer revenue—including initial and subsequent purchases—across all of the advertiser's channels.
Click on the infographic below to see the affiliate marketing ROI data in greater detail.
CJ Affiliate's Affiliate Customer Insights allows advertisers to understand their customers better and make smarter marketing decisions by combining transactional data with the power of 160M+ unique consumer profiles. Benefit from powerful and proprietary reporting, giving you the visibility needed to drive affiliate strategies like never before, all with minimum effort.
Discover Affiliate Customer Insights
---
## Replicating The Consumer-Shopkeeper Relationship of The 1950s
Type: eps_post
URL: /replicating-the-consumer-shopkeeper-relationship-of-the-1950s
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T22:16:49Z
# Replicating The Consumer-Shopkeeper Relationship of The 1950s
In a recent opinion piece published on Marketing Week, the founder of Air Miles, Sir Keith Mills argues that brands should be using data-driven insights to be more like Amazon, replicating the consumer and shopkeeper relationship of the 1950s at mass scale.
“Retailers need to move towards a more Amazon-like relationship with customers, and to do that they need data,” according to loyalty expert Sir Keith Mills.
Mills says: “Creating customer propositions on a one-to-one basis works very effectively online with companies like Amazon. Offline retailers need to be able to do what Amazon do online with the normal shopping experience.”
Founder of the Air Miles and Nectar loyalty schemes, Sir Keith Mills is long accustomed to using data to get closer to consumers. In an era where personalisation is being pursued by brands across every sector, Mills believes the answer lies in using data-driven insights to replicate the one-to-one experience that shopkeepers offered their customers in the 1950s – except on a mass scale.
“If data and insight can help you tailor your proposition on a one-to-one basis with the consumer then you’ll see your best return. In the future, the one-size-fits-all model won’t provide companies with the same sorts of returns. You might as well do mass marketing,” says Mills.
It is not like retailers need any more people rubbing their faces in how much better Amazon have got it when it comes to a customer proposition. Sir Keith has however hit the nail on the head: as retail has moved from offline to online - retailers have struggled to replicate the one-to-one experience of old, with pure play e-commerce sites seemingly strides ahead.
Sir Keith does however seem to gloss over the difficulties of collecting vast amounts of data and how you would apply this data across the channels marketers currently have available. All too often for those applying this, it means running with the cleverest segments available to them. For those who attempt to personalise further, they’ll often find the amount of customers they target are a little too close to one.
He perhaps also misses out on the most important factor as to how to replicate 1950s shopkeeper experience. Real engagement does not happen on the first encounter, but instead is built over time.
---
## [Video] Advertising Week Europe: The elusive attribution model
Type: eps_post
URL: /video-advertising-week-europe-the-elusive-attribution-model
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T22:14:19Z
# [Video] Advertising Week Europe: The elusive attribution model
Watch this on-demand panel debate on attribution, filmed at Advertising Week Europe, to understand why attribution is failing businesses, and what needs to change for measurement to serve real commercial interests.
Speaking alongside experts on attribution from Google, AOL and Campaign Magazine, Conversant's VP of Media UK, Elliott Clayton found wide-agreement on the panel on the future of measurement being tied to A/B testing, rather than attribution.
{{ script_embed('wistia', 'rp9mnl8g3f', ', ', 'inline,responsive') }}
Joining the Advertising Week Europe panel:
Moderator: Gideon Spanier, Head of Media, Campaign & Media Week
Oliver Borm, Advanced Performance Lead, Northern & Central Europe, Google
Elliott Clayton, VP Media UK, Conversant
Alex Timbs, Head of Data and Attribution, AOL
Further listening
If this panel debate has piqued your interest in attribution, then be sure to listen to Conversant's podcast series on attribution. Experts from the industry speak candidly on the issues that attrbiution causes, and what can be done to solve them.
Listen to the podcast
---
## Six affiliate publisher types: Selecting the right content partner
Type: eps_post
URL: /affiliate-publisher-types-selecting-the-right-partner
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Six affiliate publisher types: Selecting the right content partner
Partnering with the right content publishers can ensure the success of an affiliate programme, so understanding these six affiliate publisher types is paramount.
Content publishers are often the sites that consumers look to for advice and guidance when making decisions on products. These sites influence their visitors, having earned their trust by publishing useful, high quality content. As such, understanding which affiliate publisher types to target for an affiliate programme, and how to partner with these influencers is very important for affiliate advertisers.
Filmed at CJU, CJ Affiliate's affiliate marketing event, in this video Publisher Development Manager Zoe Pedziwiatr discusses the how to recognise the six main affiliate content publisher types, and then approach them for partnerships.
{{ script_embed('wistia', '8k4y2vrbwy', '', 'inline,responsive,align=center,marginRight=auto,marginLeft=auto') }}
The six main affiliate content publisher types
Magazine editorial sites
Affiliate publisher type characteristics:
Strong brand recognition
Large editorial staff
Less focussed on custom photography and content
1M+ unique monthly visits
Magazine editorial sites are big sites with great brand recognition. They usually have a large editorial staff, covering a variety of topics, and produce a great deal of content that people love to read.
As affiliate publishers, these sites can be very successful thanks to their size and scale. Content goes up on their sites, on social media, and out via email newsletters, amongst other channels, gathering a large amount of views.
Commerce content
Affiliate publisher type characteristics:
Often a separate section on a content site
Focus on new and/or unique products
Best of web promotions
Sometimes a separate section of a magazine site, but can also be separate sites too. These publishers are really focussed on talking about products, unique products that fit their audience and ‘best of web’ deals and promotions.
These publishers talk about products as their main focus, so are open to discussion on commissions, and are often happy working on commission alone.
High level influencer
Affiliate publisher type characteristics:
Individual tastemaker
Small staff
High engagement
300K - 1M unique monthly visits
Individual bloggers who are really talking about their lives and what interests them. These bloggers take beautiful photos, they take your products and they integrate them into their lives, telling a story.
These are the bloggers that have seen a lot of success, and have now been able to start blogging full time - it’s their full-time job. Usually they also have contributors and other people who write for them.
Some high level influencers will have people who manage their partnerships, so if you’re reaching out to them you will need to keep this in mind. Also bear in mind that if you want guaranteed placement, often you will often have to ‘pay to play’ with sponsored posts.
Power middle
Affiliate publisher type characteristics:
Individual bloggers
Usually have great content and photos
Highly engaged readership
50K+ unique monthly visits
A little bit lower in traffic than the high level influencers, but they are also individual bloggers. The power middle are usually very passionate about what they cover and enjoy talking to an audience about what they love.
They are not necessarily thinking about monetisation, and blogging is not usually the primary focus in their life - maybe they’re a parent, or have a full time job and blog in their spare time.
Often, it’s hard to tell that these are smaller scale bloggers - the content is beautiful, engaging and enjoyable with great stories and photography.
Even though audiences are smaller than the high level influencers, their audience tend to be very engaged - posting comments and asking questions about products for example.
Emerging talent
Affiliate publisher type characteristics:
Individual bloggers
Growing their audience
Usually have great content and photos
Under 50K unique monthly visits
Emerging talent are the smaller, individual bloggers with smaller traffic numbers. While traffic is smaller, it’s prime-time for advertisers to make lasting connections with them before the become bigger. Emerging talent are usually very excited to start working with brands and form partnerships, which often results in them going above and beyond what is required, framing your story and bringing it to life.
Again, it’s hard to tell that these sites are emerging talent just by looking at them - the appearance is usually very good, and hard to differentiate between blogs with larger audiences.
Niche sites
Affiliate publisher type characteristics:
Focussed audience
Targeted partnerships
Higher conversion
As the name suggests, niche sites are sites that have a very specific subject matter, and as such boast very focussed audiences and partnerships. Because of this, they have higher conversion rates.
People usually visit these niche sites to specifically research one thing, and therefore are more likely to purchase. Visitors see these niches sites and their writers as experts.
How do you identify content models?
Often, unless you're a seasoned content marketing professional, distinguishing between the above affiliate publisher types can be tough. Use the below categories to help you identify which one is which, and then you can properly ascertain how best to approach and partner with new publishers.
Site traffic (third party tools such as SimilarWeb or Alexa can be useful for this, and both have free-to-access options)
Look at the site itself
Information in the header, footer and sidebar
An ‘about us’ page or team page
Advertise or ‘Work with Me’ page
Social media pages and their following
---
## Heightened European consumer adoption of Black Friday and Cyber Monday period
Type: eps_post
URL: /heightened-european-consumer-adoption-of-black-friday-and-cyber-monday-period
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T22:17:52Z
# Heightened European consumer adoption of Black Friday and Cyber Monday period
European adoption of the Black Friday and Cyber Monday shopping period is strong and expanding, according to new data gleaned from CJ Affiliate network's retailer performance.
Throughout the eight-day period, Europeans made more purchases and spent a greater amount in 2016 than they did in 2015. The total number of orders in Europe increased by 75% year-on-year, while total revenues increased by 28%.
European trends during Black Friday - Cyber Monday period
By using data from the same stores and comparing performance year-on-year, market trends during the period can be highlighted. As such, there's a striking difference between global growth and that witnessed in Europe.
Global TRENDS DURING BLACK FRIDAY - CYBER MONDAY PERIOD
While both data sets show unwavering growth across the board, in Europe there is a great deal more growth in the number of orders compared to global data. On average across the period, orders increased by a staggering 75% in Europe, while globally the increase was a more sober, standing at 9%.
Meanwhile, average revenue growth for retailers during the period was comparatively similar, standing at 28% in Europe and 26% globally.
US TRENDS DURING BLACK FRIDAY - CYBER MONDAY PERIOD
In the US, where the Black Friday and Cyber Monday shopping period originated, year-on-year order number and revenue growth is large. However, this increase is less pronounced than in Europe, where it can be argued that the shopping period is still developing, both from a consumer and a retailer perspective.
Sandrine Thompson, US-based Strategic Insights Director at CJ Affiliate, explains that: "For the November 21 – Cyber Monday time period, clicks in the EU increased 87% year on year. In comparison, clicks in the US increased 12% year-on-year for the same time period.”
UK TRENDS DURING BLACK FRIDAY - CYBER MONDAY PERIOD
Like the rest of Europe, UK shops saw particularly strong performance during the period, with peak growth in orders of 100% and 109% on 23rd and 28th November (Cyber Monday) respectively. Overall during the eight-day period, the UK witnessed a 66% growth in orders and a 31% increase in retailer revenues.
"Unlike in the US, where November sales started sluggish due to the distraction of the election season, UK November retailers were already averaging 20% year-on-year growth in number of orders heading into Black Friday,” Thompson says.
---
## DEMAND EVEN MORE THAN 100% VIEWABILITY
Type: eps_post
URL: /demand-even-more-than-100-viewability
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# DEMAND EVEN MORE THAN 100% VIEWABILITY
If our industry had a buzzword bingo card, “viewability” would be on it. It dominates our daily conversations, overshadowing other important factors that are required to ensure true ad quality.
Conversant has been at the forefront of mobile viewability since 2006, when we built an advanced platform to minimise network latency and deliver 100% viewable in-app ads. We’ve never counted in-app impressions unless those ads were actually viewable.
We were well ahead of the curve in this regard, and we’ve watched with interest as the industry’s conversation about viewability measurement has evolved over time. At first, it largely revolved around what viewability rates were realistic under the existing parameters. Recently the debate has shifted from being about what viewability rates advertisers should expect to who should actually measure those rates.
While we’ve provided 100% in-app viewability for years, we realise that some brands want third-party measurement. So we’ve partnered with in-app measurement companies like Integral Ad Science.
As proud as I am to say that we can now offer clients a 100% in-app viewability guarantee backed by third-party verification, I’m even prouder that we’re leading the conversation on a much larger topic: ad quality.
In his recent article published by MediaPost (“6 Predictions for 2016“), Conversant SVP of Products, Raju Malhotra, summed it up when he said, “We talk about viewability as if it exists separately from ad fraud and brand safety. They are important on their own, but it’s the sum of the parts—ad quality—that leads to greater results. Focusing on viewability in the absence of ad quality will lead you to unintended outcomes.”
Think about it. What good is a viewable impression that’s being viewed by a bot? What about a viewable impression that’s delivered next to questionable content that could negatively impact your brand?
Simply put, when advertisers buy media in a digital environment, they should demand that:
The impressions are viewable.
Real people are viewing the ads.
The media appears next to brand-appropriate content.
Ads should only be considered high-quality when all of these criteria are met, not just the first one.
I’m not suggesting that marketers stop talking about viewability—far from it. But don’t talk about it at the expense of focusing on the bigger picture.
---
## MEASURING DISPLAY PERFORMANCE: CLICKS, THE FALSE POSITIVE
Type: eps_post
URL: /measuring-display-performance-clicks-the-false-positive
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# MEASURING DISPLAY PERFORMANCE: CLICKS, THE FALSE POSITIVE
Marketers have an array of digital measurement tools at their disposal. All of them serve a valuable purpose, but few are able to provide a comprehensive view of the customer journey.
Web analytics tools, for example, are among the most highly used, and they deliver important insights. But a key challenge in web analytics is the heavy reliance on the click event for tracking. It’s become a false positive of effectiveness, and it’s not well-suited for certain elements of the interactive mix—particularly display ads.
Which gets me to what’s been on my mind for some time, and industry pundits have been chanting for years: barely anyone clicks on display ads, so why do we care so much about the click?
I don’t want to do too much injustice to the click-though. For some of the interactive mix, clicks are extremely valid. Paid search, affiliate marketing and natural search, to name a few, are heavily dependent on the click event. But as we keep hearing, few people click on display ads, leaving the vast majority of impact untraceable in most web analytics tools.
I get that historically, some marketers have relied on the click to measure effectiveness, and some publishers have depended on it for payment, but it’s time to move on. comScore said it way back in 2008 with their Whither the Click? whitepaper, and they hammered it home with their Natural Born Clickers study a year later: such a small group is not meaningful.
To prove a proven point again, I looked at a sample of more than 2,000 Conversant display campaigns. The following emerged clearly in the data: The click group was small—just 3%—and it wasn’t the mark of efficiency. 8% of the impressions went to a group of just 3%.
Some could argue that clickers are more active online, which industry data suggests is true, but they still absorb more impressions that could have been devoted to others. They have a slightly higher fair share of revenue as a result, but not enough to place a disproportionate focus on them.
If clickers produced an exceptional yield, I would care about them as a marketer—but this group is not superior in any way. Only three out of 100 site visits can be attributed to display exposure, and just £6 out of every £100 spent.
According to the Association of National Advertisers in the US, 11% of ad impressions industry-wide are fraudulent. Layer in accidental clicks on mobile ads—up to 50%, according to Google in June 2015—and there are even fewer valid clickers. Conversant can detect users that don’t seem viable and then weed them out, but fraud is still prevalent in the marketplace, often due to improper recognition of users.
Because of the instability in their user recognition, many companies looking to gauge performance need something to build their models on. The most common is the click. And as so many clicks are accidental or fraudulent, models built on this data are inherently flawed because the samples are not only small, they’re inaccurate.
Methods that gear to clickers lose the rhythmic approach required to engage with consumers persistently across their devices, channels and media formats. Conversant’s solution is engineered to weed out fraud or low-yield people. We won’t bomb consumers, because we won’t waste your money; we won’t try weird things to get credit in a tool, or focus on something we don’t believe drives true value. We talk to people at the right time on the right device, based on millions of data points we store in our network.
I know it’s complex. Marketers want credit for their own programs, there’s a lot of overlap and some are more easily measured than others, which is why we’ve seen a crop of attribution vendors rising in the market. I certainly hope they focus on the click where the click makes sense, and CMOs should demand dashboards that illustrate the click- and view-through returns for display programs.
I’m clicking off this topic now, and will click back on shortly to talk about ad fraud.
---
## HOW BRANDS CAN STEER CLEAR OF UNSAFE SITES
Type: eps_post
URL: /how-brands-can-steer-clear-of-unsafe-sites
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# HOW BRANDS CAN STEER CLEAR OF UNSAFE SITES
To achieve the highest level of ad quality, marketers have to crush all the obstacles in their way. As we’ve discussed already, the first step is to ensure viewability—and then making sure that those views are from real humans.
Once that’s done, marketers will start racking up real, validated impressions. But unless they’re on brand-safe, relevant sites, they may be doing more harm than good. This brings us to the third piece of the ad quality puzzle: brand safety.
When marketers hear “brand safety,” they may think about avoiding adult content. And that’s definitely part of it. But lots of content can negatively impact a brand, with different brands having different thresholds of what’s acceptable.
Consider the upcoming US presidential election. The candidates’ combined digital budget is expected to be nearly $1 billion, more than six times that of 2012’s race. But in the wilds of programmatic advertising, dangerous juxtapositions can occur—like ads from gun-safety advocates appearing on pro-gun sites, and pre-roll ads running before ISIS videos. These are not only harmful at impression time, but with a well-timed screen shot, they could be a PR disaster.
Programmatic platforms may be targeting the right consumer demographics, and even the right consumers. But if they’re not taking placement into account, they’re not doing enough to protect brands. Which is probably why, according to an Undertone study, brand safety is the number one concern of buyers of programmatic inventory.
As with the other ad quality issues, brand safety can be achieved with the right tools and knowledge. For instance, Conversant has direct relationships with publishers, and works with them to confirm the brand-safety needs of their advertisers. And we use proprietary classification tools that combine computer vision and text-based analysis to understand web content on a deep level. That way, we can identify brand-unsafe content and build an index of web pages to block at impression time.
With access to direct publisher relationships and a deep understanding of content that drills down to the page level, marketers can be sure that their ads will appear next to not only safe content, but the best content.
Learn more about ensuring brand safety, as well as the other issues impeding ad quality, when you download our ad quality guide.
---
## ALL DEVICES AND COOKIES MATTER. BUT CAN YOU MATCH THEM TO REAL PEOPLE?
Type: eps_post
URL: /all-devices-and-cookies-matter.-but-can-you-match-them-to-real-people
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# ALL DEVICES AND COOKIES MATTER. BUT CAN YOU MATCH THEM TO REAL PEOPLE?
Every consumer uses an average 3.4 devices. This year, will upgrade their phones. Add in an average 19 cookies per consumer, across devices and browsers. To accurately reach people across devices and cookies, marketers must find a smart way to match them. There are three different methodologies for doing this:
That’s a lot of opportunities to say the wrong thing to the wrong person.
Probabilistic: Relies on limited third-party data to make guesses about consumers.
Deterministic (walled gardens such as Facebook and Google): Generally reaches only logged-in users (and can’t message cross-device unless they log in across devices).
Deterministic (commerce-based): Starting with anonymised consumer IDs, this methodology links people to the purchases they make, plus their device IDs, cookies, demographic data and more. The highly accurate IDs last for years, even as devices update and cookies clear.
Based on these options, you can gather that commerce-based matching is the best approach to building long-lasting connections to the most consumers.
---
## Going global with affiliate
Type: eps_post
URL: /going-global-with-affiliate
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Going global with affiliate
There are many ways to go about international expansion within the affiliate channel. Which route to take is dependent on a number of variables based on the advertiser’s existing processes, infrastructure, and technical architecture.
I’ll explain the different scenarios and my recommendations for each on how to expand your affiliate programme globally.
Scenario 1: Definitely separate programmes
Let’s say an advertiser has multiple domains for each country/region they want to target. These sites may have different price points and inventory from their [U.S. / UK / European] site. They are displayed in the language of the country/region and pricing is in the relevant currency and they may also have separate shopping carts to their U.S. / UK / European] site. In addition, other online (and potentially offline) marketing channels are being effectively implemented for these countries/regions. In certain cases, there are also different business units in charge of the revenue from these different countries/regions (ie: domestic vs. international). In this scenario it typically makes very good sense to open separate affiliate programmes.
Scenario 2: Possibly separate programmes, it depends
Alternatively, an advertiser may run everything through their .com domain, but based on the IP address or manual selection by the visitor, the content is displayed in the language and/or currency of the country/region. Depending on how important things like separate reporting and tracking for sales through different countries/regions are to the advertiser, a new affiliate programme(s) may make sense. The potential revenue amount will also be a deciding factor.
Scenario 3: Stick with existing programme
Finally, let’s look at an advertiser who simply wants to grow the international exposure of their brand and increase international revenue. Everything comes through the .com domain and it may or may not have different language/currency capabilities, but international shipping is not only available, it is also competitively priced. Advertisers with this scenario are most often advised to work on growing international revenue through their existing affiliate program. The publisher recruitment tool is the best way to access and/or target particular publishers who are located in countries high on an advertiser’s priority list.
Lastly, consider the publisher distribution within CJ Affiliate’s network, for an advertiser’s target list of countries. This is another important component for whether or not separate programs would make sense. For example, e-commerce in Europe is very substantial. the same goes for the Asia-Pacific region, but only recent years have seen more of an increase in cross-border transactions, such as a consumer in China buying from a retailer in the US. Latin America only represents a low single-digit percentage of the global e-commerce market. The publisher distribution in the CJ Affiliate network to a large extent follows these trends.
If you are interested in going global, hopefully this has given you food for thought about when and when not to expand into separate affiliate programs. If you still have questions, please contact your account manager. If you don't have an account manager, please feel free to leave your questions in the comment section below.
---
## CJ’s Placements Marketplace: Making it easier to partner and earn with affiliate
Type: eps_post
URL: /cjs-placements-marketplace-making-it-easier-to-partner-and-earn-with-affiliate
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# CJ’s Placements Marketplace: Making it easier to partner and earn with affiliate
If you’re reading this, you’ve likely experienced the long and arduous process of either searching for paid placement opportunities or, as a publisher, trying to fill space by contacting advertisers one-by-one. And that’s just the beginning.
In an effort to streamline this process and make earning incremental revenue easier, CJ Affiliate launched an intuitive Placements Marketplace.
We sat down with a few members of the CJ team—starting with Product Manager Aruna Bhagtani—to learn about this new solution and why it’s been such a hit with customers.
Why did CJ create the Placements Marketplace?
AB: Offering paid placements for a flat fee or a commission increase is fairly common practice within the affiliate channel, yet managing media placements has been a time-consuming and complex process in the past. Our goal was to develop an easy, end-to-end solution that makes posting, finding, tracking, paying, and reporting on placements a simple and straightforward process.
CJ: So this tool benefits both publishers AND advertisers?
AB: Yes. Any publisher that offers multiple advertising options—such as home page or email placements, sponsored or social posts, either for a flat fee or a commission increase—will find this tool extremely beneficial. Likewise, it will benefit any advertiser who is in search of placement opportunities to display their banners, links, coupon codes, etc.
CJ: In addition to having a single place to search for placement opportunities, why else should people be excited about this new tool?
AB: Not only can publishers reach more advertisers quickly by broadcasting all their placements to the entire CJ Network or filtering to a smaller group of advertisers, but the online IO makes the process of contracting on placements, uploading assets, and processing payments extremely efficient—saving both parties time.
We’ve also added a new transaction type to track all flat fee payments, which makes for a seamless payment reconciliation process. And since we are tracking all placement links, we can deliver performance insights with benchmarking, helping advertisers identify which placements are working for them and which aren’t.
To hear how users have responded to this tool, we invited Strategic Operations Manager Josh Peterson, Publisher Development Director Kristen Levins, and Senior Publisher Development Manager Bindi Singh to join the conversation.
CJ: Josh, tell me about the advertiser experience before the Placements Marketplace.
JP: In the past, advertisers found and booked placements in a style similar to pushing a cart down every aisle of an unfamiliar supermarket. They had to communicate with each publisher separately, learning about their placement opportunities and executing the entire process through custom, one-off communications. It worked, but when you are trying to buy and manage many placements, the old approach does not provide the scale, accuracy, or the transparency needed for today’s marketers.
CJ: Kristen, was the process just as daunting for publishers?
KL: Yes, if not more! Previously, publishers endured an extensive manual process to secure placement inventory. This included reaching out to existing advertiser relationships with customised proposals one-by-one, mass communication regarding current rate cards, keeping track of responses, additional follow ups…and that was only the beginning of the process. Then publishers would create their own unique IOs, keep track of creative assets needed, and ensure payments were received and then reconciled. In addition to all the manual processes, prior to the release of CJ’s Placements Marketplace, publishers generally had limited accessibility to foster new relationships with managed and unmanaged advertisers through CJ.
CJ: So, Bindi, is it safe to assume that the Placements Marketplace has solved for these issues?
BS: Definitely. This tool provides the ultimate lens to discover missed opportunities. With this new solution that automates the workflow, publishers have the ability to establish and strengthen relationships with a complete end-to-end placement management solution.
CJ: What reaction have you seen from publishers to the Placements Marketplace?
BS: Publishers have been enthusiastic. The ability to reach numerous advertisers in one centralised location and the opportunity to utilize their performance to secure additional budget from advertisers are both huge attractions to the tool.
As mentioned, the paid placement payment process used to be a struggle for publishers, specifically in regards to receiving creative assets and reconciling payments that are due. Publishers were elated to hear that CJ built a solution to save them time and energy when performing their daily tasks. They agree that the Placements Marketplace streamlines the entire system.
CJ: And are you seeing a positive response from advertisers, Josh?
JP: Yes, the feedback has been great. Advertisers are pleased to get the visibility into the performance of these placements so they know where to place their bets. They definitely see this as a big step in the right direction for the industry.
CJ: It sounds like this solution has been extremely well-received. I imagine there are other, similar tools available in the affiliate space. Aruna, how does the Placements Marketplace compare?
AB: While there are other networks that offer publishers the ability to share information about the placement opportunities they are making available to advertisers, we are one of the few networks that provides an end-to-end solution; we’ve automated every single aspect of the workflow associated with posting, finding, tracking, paying, and reporting on placement opportunities.
CJ: It already does so much. Any plans for expanding the scope of this tool?
AB: Yes! We will definitely continue toimprove and expand the scope based on the feedback we get from our clients. In addition to that, as we start collecting more performance data on placements, we can provide more insights to our clients, such as the incremental lift coming from the placements. We also plan to incorporate audience metrics, which will make it easier for advertisers to get their brand in front of a targeted audience.
The Placements Marketplace is currently live in CJ’s Account Manager platform!
---
## Solving for Ad Fraud: there's a Way to Beat the Bots
Type: eps_post
URL: /solving-for-ad-fraud-theres-a-way-to-beat-the-bots
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Solving for Ad Fraud: there's a Way to Beat the Bots
You can spend a lot of time reading our industry’s buzz about ad fraud. When you do, you’ll find that two things are undeniable:
Ad fraud is everywhere. A recent study has found that 22% of mobile ad impressions are at risk of being fraudulent. That number shoots up to 33% when you evaluate just programmatic ads. In the US, the Association of National Advertisers (ANA) uncovered bots behind 52% of display impressions when traffic was sourced by third parties.
Ad fraud happens when marketers don’t know who they’re targeting. In order to drive big campaign numbers, marketers often enlist the help of third parties to publish their ads across the far reaches of the web. But by trusting in third parties who don’t use quality, people-centric data, or who model their audiences rather than use transaction-based data, marketers don’t have insight into how impressions are served and measured. This lack of transparency and quality data allows ad fraud to thrive.
And it ends up costing marketers big time. A further study by the ANA and White Ops, an ad fraud detection firm, estimates that marketers in the US alone will lose more than $7 billion globally to fraud this year.
Another statement that our industry treats as a truism: “Ad fraud is inevitable.” But that doesn’t have to be the case. With a partner like Conversant that offers more transparency into where traffic comes from—one that pulls in historical and real-time transactional data, CRM data, device IDs, cookies and more anonymised IDs of millions of consumers—bots can be beaten. When marketers are given a solid base of humans to serve ads to, they can feel confident that they’re avoiding bots, saving money and getting real results for their ad spend.
Ad fraud is just one of three issues that must be solved to ensure great ad quality. To find out more about our holistic solution to solving all of them, download our ad quality guide.
eBook Download
---
## Why Leakage is never a good thing in digital Media
Type: eps_post
URL: /tracking-desktop-mobile-conversions
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Why Leakage is never a good thing in digital Media
TRACKING DESKTOP AND MOBILE CONVERSIONS
Today's consumers work and play across multiple devices, which can make tracking difficult. But the problem is not as simple as someone seeing an ad on a mobile device and converting on a desktop. This month we help marketers understand how they can miss out on conversions in a number of different ways.
Understanding how consumers can slip through the net is vital to maximising spend. Fixing the problem can offer significant efficiencies — typically a 30 per cent return on ad spend. To make sure money is being spent in the right place it’s vital to be aware of the key challenges cross desktop and mobile.
As seasoned marketers, most of us are aware of the basics. We understand that cookies don’t join up across different browsers or in the same browser but over different devices. Similarly, it’s common knowledge that cookies don’t exist in-app, and there is no device ID for advertising on the web or mobile web.
The challenge is that we always need to be thinking about a way to link the conversion back to the ad, making sure that when a consumer converts we have a clear link back to the marketing event. There are issues across desktop and mobile but this week we’ll be looking at the key issues for desktop.
Desktop
Deleted and outdated cookies cause problems because conversion needs to be measured against the initial cookie. If the user deletes the cookie or its validity runs out, tracking becomes impossible.
Different browsers use different cookies. The conversion correlation can be made successfully only if it is to the initial cookie. If the consumer clicks on the ad in one browser but then converts and makes the purchase in another, they can’t be tracked.
Cross-device desktop conversion suffers from a similar issue. Each desktop browser will have a different cookie so if the user clicks on the ad at work but then converts on their desktop at home, the link is broken.
Mobile
Problems can arise when the same mobile device uses different browsers. When the user clicks and reads the advert in Browser A but chooses Browser B to convert, capacity to link back and correlate with the initial cookie is lost.
If users are on an Apple device the default settings for Safari blocks the initial creation of the cookie file. However, if an ad-server cookie is established for the user, full tracking is possible.
When users make the leap from device browser to app, leakage can also occur. Device browsers use cookies but the app uses device IDs for correlation, which creates another disconnect. When the user clicks on the ad in the device browser it opens the app where they make the purchase.
The above causes a similar problem if they move in the other direction – from the app to the device browser.
If the user doesn’t convert during the in-app browser session they will not be recorded as a conversion. Additionally, when the user jumps from a third-party app to a client app it doesn’t carry the IDFA or the GAID information, so tracking again breaks down.
Coupled with the issues surrounding desktop, the additional and particular problems around mobile can create significant challenges for marketers in tracking their marketing spend.
Failing to track as much as 30 per cent of the value being generated has huge consequences for marketers. The implications are clear: if the measurement is incorrect, then so is the way the budget is being spent. Knowledge and understanding is essential when tracking desktop and mobile, which is why choosing the right ad partner is essential.
---
## Yes, true 1:1 Marketing really is possible
Type: eps_post
URL: /localise-measurements-and-insights
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Yes, true 1:1 Marketing really is possible
The word “personalisation” has come to define anything even remotely targeted or customised. Marketers want to reach consumers at the person level, minimising the irrelevance and redundancy of their messages—but when they put their trust in so-called personalisation solutions, they end up disappointed.
One issue is that marketers often try to solve one-to-one marketing with point solutions, combining a DMP, DSP, media buyer and data onboarder. This hurts their campaigns on a number of different levels: It reduces their overall audience size, it drives matches only at the household or browser level (not the person level), and it makes it hard to persistently connect with their audience over time. The promise of personalisation ends with unactionable, inaccurate connections with too few consumers.
At Conversant we are more careful with our words. When we say “personalisation,” we don’t mean anything less than true, one-to-one marketing at scale. Which we define as:
Recognising, reaching and staying connected to a sizable number of individuals whom you know a lot about, through meaningful, ongoing conversations in real time, and being able to learn and optimise as you go.
Broken down from left to right, what we’re really talking about is mastering four distinct essentials: Recognition & Reach; Individualised Profiles; Decision & Delivery; and Measurement & Insights.
When a solution excels in all of these, marketers can confidently engage a large number of consumers with unique, compelling messages across all of their devices, channels and media formats.
For more on these four, and to see exactly how our solution stacks up next to point solutions and remarketers, download our latest guide: Making True 1:1 Marketing Happen, at Scale
Whitepaper Download
---
## Watch: How can Marketers match Consumers with their Data?
Type: eps_post
URL: /how-can-marketers-match-consumers-with-their-data
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Watch: How can Marketers match Consumers with their Data?
There are three different ways that vendors match consumers to their devices, cookies and other data. In the video above, Conversant’s SVP of Products Raju Malhotra breaks them down and shares which one drives the most precise, persistent anonymous connections.
In our white paper last month, we look at the five key issues that marketers need to be aware of to help them to connect with real people.
0:00
0:01
Whitepaper Download
---
## Marketing leaders weigh in on COVID email marketing trends
Type: eps_post
URL: /marketing-leaders-weigh-in-on-email-during-covid-19
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T22:17:52Z
# Marketing leaders weigh in on COVID email marketing trends
In response to the COVID-19 crisis, companies and consumers both felt a lot of uncertainty, panic and anxiety. Marketers had to swiftly provide facts, comfort, support and reassurance—all while working to evolve their businesses. Epsilon PeopleCloud Messaging statistics found that email marketing proved to be the most critical communication channel between brands and cunsomers because it’s personal, reliable, relevant and targeted.
To dive deeper into how the pandemic changed the way marketers view email, we decided to go straight to the source—our clients. From June 17 to June 30, we surveyed Epsilon client companies to ask them about how they used email in these turbulent times.* We heard from ten clients in retail, restaurant, financial services and CPG. Their responsibilities include functions such as:
Email marketing, strategy and operations
Retention and loyalty marketing
Channel marketing
Digital marketing
Marketing leadership
Download the full report: Email 2020 trends guide: Renaissance
5 takeaways from marketing leaders
1. Email has been a critical communication channel during the pandemic
Every respondent reported that they launched emails to reach consumers and prospects during our survey period. The great majority of respondents reported that they used email to reach their audience in several ways including:
COVID-specific messaging, such as safety information, policy changes, relief efforts and supply chain updates
To communicate changes in business operations, like curbside pickup
Business-as-usual communications, including marketing, or email campaigns not related to COVID
Many respondents also used email marketing messages for promotional offers—such as free shipping, 10% off and curbside pickup—and specific product offers. Some used it for updates to product mix and value-added offers.
Almost all respondents said they “strongly agree” that email was their most important marketing channel during COVID-19.
2. Email’s importance to marketers has been driven largely by three factors: online sales, overloaded call centers and the agile nature of the channel
One senior CRM manager at a retail company explained, “Ordinarily, many of our customers shop in stores. That wasn't feasible, and there was a shift to shopping online.” Given the shift from brick-and-mortar to online sales, channels like email drove the most traffic.
But email became more than just a way to drive traffic. Our respondents reported they also used email to divert phone calls from agents who weren’t able to answer them.
“With call centers closed, or inundated, email has become the main channel to communicate with customers about our operations, the programs we've put in place to help them, etc.”
—Survey respondent
Another Epsilon email client explained, “It was a way for us to quickly get a message out to our customers. We were able to shift some questions that would have caused call center volume spikes back to our website.” By providing the relevant information customers needed via email newsletters, brands were able to proactively answer questions that may otherwise have come into the call center.
Email also proved to be the agile channel needed to quickly and easily adjust communications on the fly, keeping in touch with consumers in the most personal way possible.
“With the reduction of marketing budgets across other teams, email was a crucial channel for us to be able to continue our conversations with customers in a 1:1 fashion.”
—Epsilon email client
According to a senior manager for the global email channel at a financial services company, “Email played a vital role for our brand to continue offering safe and secure digital payment options to our customers, in a responsive and personalized fashion through these uncertain times.”
3. COVID-19 improved perceptions of the email channel
Many respondents said that COVID-19 has positively changed the way the organization views email marketing. The most common theme was that the pandemic emphasized the value of the channel across the organization.
Some of our respondents’ comments on their new perceptions of email marketing:
“Re-enforcing the value of the channel.”
“We've proven that there are ways to make email fast to market (which hasn’t always been the case).”
“Put more value into programs to grow our emails.”
“The value of email marketing is more understood across the organization.”
“A valuable way to communicate to customers that while stores were closed, they could still shop online.”
“We realized how impactful it was during this time.
4. Email platform stability is key
When provided with a list of qualities that are most important in an email marketing partner during their COVID-19 experience, the common responses from our client responders were platform stability; analytics and reporting; and client service/account management. Platform stability was rated as the most important quality.
5. Make sure you have a crisis communications plan in place
According to some of our respondents, the old adage applies: communicate early and often. When asked what they would do differently facing a future crisis, verbatim comments included:
“Have a pandemic strategy with an outline of email communications ready to go.”
“We would have been more on target with initial contact regarding COVID, and earlier than we were. Paying better attention faster in terms of what worked vs. what didn't work in email, and what was selling well.”
The survey confirmed our hypothesis—during COVID-19, marketers turned to their most reliable method of staying in touch: email. In a contactless world, email reasserted itself as the most critical communication channel between brands and their consumers. Email also worked to keep up the customer experience with the company, in a time where consumers were staying home.
For a copy of these results, download our The guide will also help you learn more about the role email played during brands’ initial response phase and provides recommendations for how to use email through the phases of recovery, rebuilding, and renaissance—with the ultimate goal of helping your brand thrive again.
Want to learn more? Download our new Email 2020 trends guide: Renaissance.
*Please note that this research was qualitative in nature. While these responses provide interesting insights, they’re not projectible across the industries surveyed.
---
## [Video] Business (Un)Usual: Get interactive with email to engage
Type: eps_post
URL: /business-unusual-get-interactive-with-email-to-engage
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# [Video] Business (Un)Usual: Get interactive with email to engage
During the COVID-19 crisis, more emails have been delivered, according to Epsilon PeopleCloud Messaging statistics. And, we're seeing that the volume send-to-open ratio increased 22% from February to March and April (23% to 28%). With the influx of email communications, it's crucial to consider how yours can stand out from the crowd and drive customer engagement.
Epsilon has seen live time-of-open content increase email engagement by as much as 40%, and according to DemandGen, 91% of B2B buyers prefer to consume interactive and visual content. Martech Advisor reports that “interactive email content increases the click-to-open rate by 73% and adding videos to email can boost click rates up to 300%.”
Watch the video to hear from our Messaging experts on how brands are enhancing their email communications with interactive elements to best connect with customers during this unprecedented time.
Read more: Email 2020 trends guide: Interactive content
---
## How can Retailers succeed this holiday season and beyond
Type: eps_post
URL: /how-can-retailers-succeed-this-holiday-season-and-beyond
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# How can Retailers succeed this holiday season and beyond
Since the start of the pandemic in March, retailers had to close their doors in an effort to stop the spread of COVID-19, resulting in a steep drop in sales for everyone. While the decline was not totally out of the blue, retailers are still feeling the pressure: according to Epsilon data, consumers across generations still have mixed feelings around when they will return to stores.
Now, retailers are at a pivotal point to try and make up for lost revenue. With the holiday season in the air, it's imperative brands have a strong Q4. But this holiday season is not like any other we’ve seen; the strategies brands have used in the past don’t necessarily apply in the same way this year.
COVID-19 restrictions are wavering and it appears we are in this for the long haul, potentially even past the holidays. Customers are especially wary of returning to retail stores with all this unknown. Not to mention, each individual customer feels differently about shopping in-store right now. Because of this, brands must fully understand the wants and needs of their customers, and communicate clear, effective messaging at the individual level.
In order to better understand how retailers can use identity to connect with customers and stand out as a brand—all while hitting key KPIs—we consulted a few retail marketing experts to see what kind of advice they would give for this unusual holiday season.
What piece of advice or tips would you give retail marketers on how they could use data and identity to succeed this holiday season, especially with the changes in shopping behaviour due to COVID?
1. Holiday messages are more important this year than ever - Karen Schnelwar, Vice President, Global Brand Strategy and Marketing, OXO Brands
“Identity is core—both brand identity and consumer identity. At the right moment with the right message, the twain shall meet. In this new normal, signs of the familiar and the trusted are vitally important, especially when this connection is more virtual than ever.
“To this end, what a brand stands for—what they offer, what they believe, what difference they make in the lives of their consumer—must telegraph at all points of touch. More and more consumers are choosing brands based on shared values; the key is reaching these consumers with a genuine, resonant message.
Abacus: This is what makes Direct Mail so powerful, the ability to deliver your brand message directly to your target audience at home. With Abacus Alliance, direct mail campaigns allow for marketers to hyper-localise their offers based on factors such as location, nearby stories, past purchase behaviour and more.
“Holiday time is noisy, but in a year when families are not all going to be able to be together for the holidays—travel is difficult, social distancing is vital—holiday purchases will mean even more.”
2. Know your customers—and how their habits have changed - Pete Krainik, Founder, The CMO Club
“There are three key questions retailers need to have answers to for holiday season success:
Do you really know how your most loyal customers have changed their behaviour these last few months?
How have customers’ new experiences where convenience matters most impacted their buying-decision processes going forward?
What new competitors have emerged during this pandemic that were not on your radar four months ago? Who has expanded their footprint into your place in the market?
“Your ability to leverage data and customer identity to answer these questions will have a direct impact on your holiday season success.”
Abacus: Organisations that report the highest return on their data-related investments are more likely when first-party data gets enriched by third-party data. Abacus can help you leverage first and third-party data for higher returns by identifying which newly acquired customers you’re most likely to retain and also find more of the newly acquired demographic as a result of COVID.
3. Use what you know about the customer to drive lift and revenue - Jessica Hendrix, President and CEO, Saatchi & Saatchi X
“It’s critical to start with a specific retailer objective and defined audience to drive incremental behaviour change. While COVID has changed where and how consumers are purchasing in the present, it’s critical to still leverage past data to target the right audience for an unknown holiday environment.
Abacus: We can help you use 3rd party data to refine your existing customer audience and identify responsive lookalike audiences.
“This, combined with a clear link between insights and retailer media execution, will increase effectiveness and compliment the physical retail experience. By analysing lift through these various data points, we can truly impact category and brand growth—even in an unknown holiday environment.”
4. Personalise where it matters most, and don’t wade into unnecessary data - Jason Goldberg, Chief Strategy Officer, Publicis NA & host of RetailGeek podcast
“Before getting into advanced personalisation, make sure you have the basics covered. Don’t ask for customer info you won’t use, and make sure you use the information you do collect for the benefit of the customer. For example, use exclusion lists to not retarget me for products I’ve already purchased from you. Be extra careful about retargeting ads, which could spoil a gift surprise on a shared computer.
“Because travel and many traditional holiday rituals will be disrupted this holiday season, it’s a great time to personalise digital amenities. For example, can you offer an online ‘Secret Santa’ drawing for friends and families that can’t get together to draw names? Can you offer gift wrapping for delivered gifts, for family members that can exchange gifts in person?”
5. Reward your most loyal customers with exclusive perks and ease - Kelly Nickerson, Vice President, Strategic Consulting, Epsilon
“This holiday, make your valued customers feel special during a time when new traditions are sure to be forged. Disruptions from quarantine, limited travel and the economy mean the pressure to find the perfect gift—and sending it well ahead—will be intensified for everyone. Reward VIP and loyal customers with the benefit of pre-order, early selection and free shipping with an in-stock guarantee that’s sure to please.
“Consumers now more than ever value service over lowest price, and providing insider access to popular toys, gifts and clothing while it’s still in size and on shelf nabs the sale early, too. Black Friday competitive madness creates disappointment for those slow to the trigger; with lessened physical store options, early-shop opportunities at higher margins is a perk in and of itself.”
6. Reaching and engaging lapsed customers is the key to success - Matt Feczko, Vice President of Product Management, Epsilon
“Holiday season is an opportune time to message lapsed customers, as that is when they’re most likely to reengage with your brand. We’ve seen that lapsed customers’ share of total sales doubles during holiday season compared to non-holiday time periods.
“In a recent conversation with multichannel retailer, we focused on two key factors: reach and optimisation. First, ensure your data onboarder has superior match and reach to maximize the audience available for messaging, and make sure they have persistent identification to continuously build on the conversation—reminding lapsed customers why they should buy again. Second, when it comes to optimisation and avoiding media waste, you need a solution that can identify which of the millions of lapsed customers are ready to buy right now.”
Abacus: Many lapsed customers will share key attributes with your ideal customers. But what might differ is how they respond to your messages. This is where the Alliance and using 3rd party data pays off. Frequent, multi-buyers may respond to nearly all of your direct mail pieces because the messaging works for them. Lapsed customers may be motivated to purchase for different reasons, and without tailoring your message to their specific motivation, you are missing out on their loyalty, after all lapsed customers are about 60% more likely to become “loyal” then new recruits and using 3rd party data and DM will maximise reach and cut-through and minimise wastage!
The more you learn about your current, active and lapsed, customers, the better you’ll be able to market to all members of your audience, no matter how recently they’ve made a purchase.
As you have heard from our experts, identity is the key to creating relevant, valuable and empathetic messages to share with customers. Ultimately, brands can better address customer needs while still reaching key business objectives. Investing in understanding customers on and offline should be at the forefront for brands in order to have a successful holiday season and beyond this year, no matter what changes are thrown their way.
If you’re looking for more resources on how direct mail can help you this holiday season send us a message at enquiriesuk@epsilon.com
---
## 5 questions on data clean rooms, answered
Type: eps_post
URL: /5-questions-on-data-clean-rooms-answered
Last Modified: 2025-10-03T13:57:45Z
# 5 questions on data clean rooms, answered
Clean rooms are a new essential tool in marketing, driven by a need for privacy compliance and cross-media attribution. By definition, a data clean room is a secure, isolated platform that links anonymized marketing and advertising data from multiple parties. Data clean rooms are distinguished from other data-sharing methods by the inclusion of detailed advertising impression data, with privacy-safe restrictions on outputting user-level results.
How do marketers know if a clean room is right for their brand? Gartner’s May 2020 report, How to Plan for Data Clean Rooms, has answers, and we’ve included best practices from Epsilon related to clean rooms.
1. Why should marketers care about clean rooms?
By 2023, 80% of advertisers with media budgets of $1 billion or more will utilize data clean rooms, according to Gartner, which estimates there are 250 to 500 clean room deployments active or in development today.
2. Where do clean rooms come into play with marketing?
There are two main categories for data clean rooms:
Walled gardens. Walled garden platforms like Facebook, Amazon and Google use data clean rooms to safely provide brands with data about their ads on the platforms. Clients use this data to evaluate campaign performance and build better audiences. The payoff for brands is they can optimize their ad spend within a specific platform.
There’s a catch with this approach. Although walled garden clean rooms provide more unique data than ever before, they still aggregate performance details and prevent brands from using it in other channels. This is fine if a brand wants to increase spend within that platform, but this approach creates a challenge if they want to optimize and control the entire customer journey.
Agency data solutions (a multi-platform like those offered by Epsilon, Acxiom and Merkle). With channel-agnostic data clean rooms, brands still get access to highly unique ad data, but they don’t suffer from self-serving restrictions that impact activation, measurement or the willingness of other brands to enter data-sharing agreements. The tradeoff for this control, granularity and flexibility is less impression data from the walled gardens themselves. In some cases, brands use both types of clean rooms to circumvent this.
3. Why do marketers need data clean rooms?
They can deliver ad impression data at massive scale, but Gartner notes that within walled gardens, clean rooms are “programmed to receive data, but not to let it leave.” For multi- platform versions, clean rooms offer an ability to do multi-channel and multi-touch attribution at scale, across channels.
When it comes to walled garden clean rooms, an important consideration is whether or not you’re doing so much in one of those channels that it justifies only needing a clean room solution from that channel. If most of your marketing is funneled through just one platform, that would make sense to focus your efforts there, but most marketers need to splice together views from multiple platforms, meaning that a multi-channel clean room solution is best.
Learn 3 tips to achieve your omnichannel strategy
4. What’s really the benefit for marketers?
The simple answer: measurement. Gartner advises marketers to push for independent, cross-media measurement. “It’s no surprise that the Google, Facebook and Amazon data clean rooms are not interoperable,” the report states. “But in a highly consolidated media market with limited advertising options, independent, audited reach/frequency metrics are critical to ad buyers.”
5. What questions should marketers ask?
If you spend over $1 billion in advertising, Gartner advises making clean room investments now. But what solutions are right for you? Ask your partners if they can see individual customer journeys across all devices or offline touchpoints. Can they analyze, activate and measure any channel or media partner with full performance transparency at the individual level? These answers are key as you consider clean room benefits, such as improving media effectiveness, reducing media waste, obtaining cross-media attribution, gleaning deeper customer insights and activating across channels at the individual level.
Clean room best practices
If you already have a clean room solution (or an amalgamation of a few different solutions), be sure you’re following these best practices to get the most out of your investment:
Anticipate consumer needs. Create new triggers and models that predict consumer behaviors weeks or months in advance.
Automate audience activation. Use the new models to build more efficient audiences that can be activated in near-real-time in all channels supported by the platform.
Analyze consumer behavior. Identify new insights by combining first-party data with contextual signals from around the web.
Measure the true impact of marketing. Develop multi-touch attribution models that show the true impact of each channel and points of inefficiency, so brands can reinvest in the right channels and initiatives.
Always remember, the tool is not the solution. You need the right expertise to effectively build, manage and execute a clean room solution to the best of its ability.
Interested in learning more about how a clean room can integrate into your marketing? Learn more about Epsilon PeopleCloud Prospect.
Image credit: Pan Xiaozhen/Unsplash
---
## The Importance of Virtual Conversations in a Contactless World
Type: eps_post
URL: /importance-virtual-conversations-contactless-world
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# The Importance of Virtual Conversations in a Contactless World
Artificial intelligence (AI) has woven its way into the fabric of our everyday lives, and many of us are completely unaware of it. Our morning commutes are quicker, depositing a cheque online is easier, frustrating daily spam emails are fewer. And businesses are buying into it. According to Gartner, thirty-seven percent of organisations have implemented AI in some form—that’s a 270% increase over the last four years.
On a broader level, artificial intelligence has become a catalyst for improved digital customer experiences and personalisation. While there are many forms of AI, one popular and widely adopted application is Conversational AI.
Conversational AI is designed to engage with customers for different purposes and comes in varying degrees of sophistication.
The most basic, the chat bot, is typically text-based and is programmed to reply only to a specific set of questions or statements. Chat bots don’t support prolonged human interactions but do provide a FAQ-like structure.
Conversational AI provides more sophisticated interactions with visitors, either answering questions in a fluid manner or giving them recommendations for products and services. It works to establish extended conversations with customers by not only understanding the language, but also the meaning behind what the user is saying—allowing it to learn from inputs to provide answers for unpredictable questions and perform slightly complicated tasks.
Conversational AI can improve almost every aspect of virtual connections and enhance the vital two-way dialogue between brands and consumers. The desire for services, coupled with the demand for fast and simple customer assistance, has created an ideal climate for Conversational AI to thrive.
AN INCREASINGLY ‘CONTACTLESS’ WORLD
The idea of contactless experiences for customers, while not necessarily new, has exploded in the wake of COVID-19. Seemingly every business is trying to go contactless; even Walmart and Apple have implemented new business practices to go contact-free.
And it’s not necessarily out of innovation, but necessity. Customers are concerned about in-store shopping experiences, and probably will be for some time—even with improved in-person safety measures. Uncertainty has driven herds of consumers to scratch their retail itch online: Forbes reports that even retailers selling non-essentials have seen double & triple digit increases in sales.
With more customers venturing online, it’s make or break for brands to craft an exceptional digital experience rivaling that of instore. While this may seem challenging, what is lost from in-person shopping (immediate help from store workers, straight-forward returns) can be simulated online with Conversational AI.
Even prior to the everyday disruption from COVID-19, consumers were looking for ways to bypass lengthy contact methods, like calling a customer service representative hotline or venturing instore to get product information. The reality is that humans are stretched thin, and we’re constantly looking for ways to save time and energy. Conversational AI offers a solution by affording on-demand, immediate services that will satisfy customer needs.
The idea of the contactless world, while somewhat strange and unfamiliar, is likely here to stay.
WE WANT IT NOW
Think back to the last time you were on hold with a company, awaiting help from a representative. The elevator music is blaring and you’re growing increasingly frustrated by the second, debating on ending the call. It’s a tale as old as time. According to a study from Velaro, it takes waiting on hold for one minute for almost 60% of customers to hang up. People want immediate and attentive responses, and they want it now.
Enter Conversational AI.
Rather than waiting to speak with a representative over the phone, customers can chat with a virtual assistant to solve pain points ranging from the most basic questions to full blown product recommendations and decision making help.
Conversational AI can break down language barriers, find information more efficiently, and generally eliminate human error from the customer service experience—and consumers have noticed. 56% of people would rather message a customer service platform than call.
This indicates a massive paradigm shift in how customers interact with brands digitally, and what their expectations will be moving forward.
HOW CONVERSATIONAL AI CAN SERVE MARKETERS
Let's get into some specifics on how brands are using it to improve the customer experience and impact the bottom line.
1. SERVICE
Automation of customer service: Conversational AI automates basic, time-consuming tasks for consumers. It can retrieve quick account details, answer basic questions and preform transactions in the blink of an eye.
Example: Captial One's Eno.
Eno, a virtual assistant, “looks out for you and your money around the clock, reaches out if it spots something unusual, and helps you fix it.” It monitors transaction confirmations and spending details.Customers can interact via any web device or even via text and quickly order new checks, browse accounts, and even ask, “what is my ABM routing number?” Eno is a solid example of a service-driven programme that takes the grunt work out of consumers’ banking experience.
2. EXPERIENCE
Painless customer experience: Customer experience is everything. When its good, it’s great. But when it's bad, customers will actively avoid your brand and look elsewhere for services. Conversational AI has the ability to engage in seamless live chats that are goals-driven and ultimately help customers achieve something. It also can anticipate customer needs and inquiries to quickly respond with proactive suggestions. And of course, Conversational AI can be programmed to engage with humor and pleasantries for a more comforting and positive interaction.
Example: H&M's Virtual Assistant.
H&M’s official virtual assistant wears many hats. It can help customers with general questions and operational functions, but goes a step further by recommending items to customers based on past purchases. The assistant leverages existing information to deduce your gender and style preference to suggest relevant outfits (with prices). If you dislike what is suggested, alternate options are offered. If you want to take the next step to purchase the item, you receive a direct link to add it to your cart. H&M’s virtual assistant gives customers an easy and interesting way to discover new products while skipping the endless online shopping scroll.
3. COMMERCE
Bottom line impact: While bots and virtual assistants can be a fun way to engage with customers, they’re also an investment, and should ultimately improve your bottom line. Customer service cost savings, improved customer experience and engagement plus increased sales through upsell or product recommendations are just a few of the ways Conversational AI can help.
Example: Kayak.com.
Kayak’s chat bot is a best-in-class solution that aids travelers with online bookings and helps them get where they need to go (and even if you don’t know where you want to go, Kayak’s bot can help). It will inform users of the cost estimate for flights to a destination during a specific time period, then provide a direct link to book through their website. It can also share recommendations of activities in your desired location. If you’re not quite sure where you want to go, the bot will ask you a series of questions and list off locations that may fit your needs. The ease and convenience Kayak serves up is unmatched, increasing bookings and truly putting a “travel agent in your pocket.”
Each example above illustrates the value Conversational AI can bring to your brand. While of course contactless interactions are especially helpful now, they’re likely to become the new normal for brands across industries.
Customers will still demand positive experiences, online or not. This means brands must invest in strategies and technology that will make people’s lives easier, afford them information quicker, and foster the two-way dialogue that enables stronger connections between consumer and brand. As a natural evolution of digital transformation, Conversational AI is a useful tool to seamlessly evolve the customer journey with contact-free interaction and attentive responses, providing an improved service, experience and bottom line.
---
## Hungry for data acquisition
Type: eps_post
URL: /restaurants-innovative-loyalty-solutions
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T22:20:56Z
# Hungry for data acquisition
From tiers to subscriptions, restaurant and delivery apps provide insights into designing innovative strategies for loyalty programs.
Apps are only one facet of a loyalty program—but they’re rife with opportunities for engagement by rewarding a brand’s most loyal users.
For restaurants in particular, apps have become crucial to how they can execute their loyalty programs. While the typical consumer might have two or three apps total for their bank and credit cards, there are a seemingly endless amount of dining options that offer loyalty programs. People have to decide which restaurants they’re most loyal to and which of those deserve space on their phone.
A related industry, food delivery, isn’t as crowded a field, but a few major contenders, including Grubhub, DoorDash, Uber Eats and Postmates, have risen to the top and are battling it out for domination. This has forced them to get innovative with their loyalty programs, including the move to a subscription model that eliminates per-delivery fees in favor of a monthly or yearly flat rate.
All of this adds up to an interesting testing ground for loyalty apps overall.
If your brand is looking to launch a loyalty program app, make sure there’s ease of entry for the customer, advises Tim Thomas, vice president of technology, specializing in loyalty program design, at Epsilon. The signup mechanisms and benefits must be worthwhile to gain consumer adoption. “But you also have to ensure that you’re collecting enough data to get value out of the loyalty program for your brand,” he says. “It’s a fine balance.”
In the inaugural issue of CORE Content, we looked at three apps in the restaurant and food delivery industries and asked Thomas to weigh in on whether their features can help you design an effective loyalty program.
The food delivery service
Grubhub+
Many food delivery apps now offer subscriptions. For $9.99 a month, Grubhub+ gives customers unlimited free delivery at participating restaurants, designated by a yellow badge.
Thomas’ take: Waiving delivery fees is a benefit that’s rich enough that people will want to pay for it. With food delivery on the rise, especially because of COVID-19, it’s a prime opportunity to follow Amazon’s model of a delivery subscription. From a business perspective, it’s clear that these brands are looking for a more continuous revenue stream as opposed to simply episodic transactions.
Customers can donate their change to a community relief fund, and Grubhub will match the amount, cent for cent.
Thomas’ take: This is a great idea. People want to give to a good cause, and it builds confidence that the brand cares for the community. Community service and responsibility initiatives are so important for brands and consumers. People want to spend with brands that are giving back, and this opportunity with Grubhub is a simple, convenient way to do that.
Showing proof of a competing subscription service gets members one month free.
Thomas’ take: This is a way to fight for acquisition in the marketplace. I’m not sure how effective it will be. Many people join multiple programs, and this could be used to fraud the system and get a discount for a limited time.
Members get 10% cash back for every $100 spent and access to “elite care” customer service.
Thomas’ take: Customer service should be table stakes for a business. It’s not something people should be paying for. But customer service—and how it’s executed or needed in an app format—varies greatly from brand to brand. If we look at Chick-fil-A (the next example), customer service is all about the in-store experience when customers are actually picking up their food, not just the app experience. For Grubhub, the app is the interaction with the brand, so access to top-notch customer service is critical in that environment.
The fast food chain
Chick-fil-A One
Customers rise through three tiers of membership, earning more and more points per dollar. Those who spend $100 earn 1,000 points, moving them up from Member to the second tier, Silver. The third and most lucrative tier is Red.
Thomas’ take: Tiers work well to show how you can rank yourself against others and provide a gamification aspect. They’re a best practice in most cases, but tiers don’t always have to be tied to points. A trend we’re seeing is companies not wanting to carry points’ liabilities. As a simpler alternative, businesses can run tiered programs in which members reach a milestone more quickly.
By earning 5,000 points, members reach the top tier, Red, and receive a badge that can be shared on social.
Thomas’ take: Encouraging social sharing increases customer engagement, and it’s essentially free advertising for the brand from its most loyal customers.
Rewards, aside from free food items, include birthday awards.
Thomas' take: Birthday rewards are common and a best practice, especially in the case of a family-oriented and personable brand like Chick-fil-A. Bonus: They also allow you to gather some demographic data on age.
Rewards also include sneak peeks at new menu items.
Thomas' take: This tactic creates excitement around new menu items and awareness of upcoming release dates. And so many quick service restaurants focus on their limited-time offers—they build campaigns around specific menu pushes for a certain period of time to drive sales of that item—this is a great way for Chick-fil-A to get its most loyal customer excited about these opportunities.
Rewards also include the ability to gift rewards to others.
Thomas' take: This can help with new customer acquisition. But beware: It’s also a frequent fraud mechanism, with people opening another account, transferring the points and then draining them.
The restaurant group
Lettuce Entertain You Frequent Diner Club
This Chicago-headquartered, national restaurant group’s Frequent Diner Club has its own loyalty program mobile app. Members can view their account history and rewards, find nearby Lettuce-owned restaurants, see menus, make reservations and purchase e-gift cards.
Thomas’ take: The best practice is to integrate your loyalty program within your existing applications to avoid app overload. You don’t want to drive a user away from your website, either. Grouping all your restaurant brands into one app helps promote customer awareness and understanding that you offer other valued businesses as part of your group.
Taking a cue from social channels, Lettuce invites diners to check into its restaurants through the app.
Thomas’ take: It’s a good way in which a user can be identified as being in certain locations to learn where they frequent and what they’re purchasing. Ideally, the brand can tie that to purchases to really bring the data together. It’s a multistep process, so you need to make it less intrusive for the user—like a quick scan of a QR code.
The three-tier rewards program earns diners points for every dollar spent. The higher the tier, the more points received per dollar spent. Members also receive $10 in dining rewards for every 150 points that can be redeemed for future meals (just not on certain weekend nights and holidays or at some locations).
Thomas’ take: Setting limits may be a miss. If you take a well-known example of the travel industry—not being able to book certain flights or hotel dates in blackout periods—that really puts a bad taste in people’s mouths and makes the program not as valuable. Consumers think, why be as loyal if you can’t get the good days and the good seats?
In summer 2019, Lettuce offered a game where members could choose a coupon to “scratch off” to receive bonus rewards.
Thomas’ take: We see a lot of gamification going on across industries. It’s a quick way to not only give rewards but also acquire new users, gaining additional data points about the member along the way. The other aspect to consider is: Can you tie it to badging, awards or tier progression? And keep in mind: Contests don’t always have to award something that costs your company money. Some people will play just to earn respect within the loyalty community.
Epsilon was the only company named a leader in both the Forrester Loyalty Technology Platforms and Loyalty Service Providers Wave.
Image credit: VPanteon/Getty Images
---
## Transform brick-and-mortar experiences with a digital mindset
Type: eps_post
URL: /data-strategy-for-brick-and-mortar-stores
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T22:16:49Z
# Transform brick-and-mortar experiences with a digital mindset
Today, excellence in customer experience has become the chief determinant of a brand’s success.
Back in the day, customer experience was all about visiting a store in the neighborhood, being greeted by the shopkeeper, exchanging a few pleasantries, answering questions about friends and family, grabbing what you needed, paying and then heading out. After leaving, you were left satisfied that the conversation had a personalized touch to it, and the experience left a lasting impression on you.
What exactly does that experience look like when you apply today’s shopper engagement standards? The shopkeeper was trying to learn more about your buying patterns, your family’s needs, who else can they influence to come to the store, and so on. The principles and values of shopper engagement are still largely the same. But in the dynamically changing retail world, the whole brick-and-mortar store shopping experience has become uninteresting and impersonal.
Leveraging digital marketing services to unlock data-driven personalization can transform the modern brick-and-mortar retail experience, leading to competitive advantages and newfound financial success.
Bringing digital marketing services to brick-and-mortar retail
Finding ways to modernize brick-and-mortar retail experiences is critical to long-term retail strategies. However, we can’t talk about brick-and-mortar experiences in a vacuum as the COVID-19 pandemic continues to impact the industry. Even once there’s a vaccine, we won’t simply return to business as usual. There will be lasting changes to retail experiences for years to come.
As COVID-19 spread, consumers accelerated the shift to online shopping because so many brick-and-mortar retail locations were closed. Now that stores are reopening, there’s been a sharp rise in buy-online-pick-up-in-store options as retailers try to create safe shopping environments.
But those options have become the norm. Retailers have to do more to stand out in a positive way. How? Create a seamless and personalized customer experience by leveraging both online and offline data.
Recent studies show that during the pandemic, 87% of consumers prefer to shop in stores with touchless or robust self-checkout options. Many retailers are already using online and offline data to capitalize on this trend and transform brick-and-mortar experiences with contactless options. One example is Kroger, which announced its “Kroger Pay” program to combine checkout, payment, and loyalty into one app that promotes COVID-19 safety.
In order to transform brick-and-mortar experiences to adapt to the pandemic and meet new customer expectations, you need to ask yourself two questions:
“How do I best understand my customers’ needs, expectations and perceptions?”
“How do I meet my customer’s insatiable appetite for experiences?"
Read more: Modernizing digital marketing: What "Strategy as a Service" means to us
These questions tie into what Bobby Cameron, a Forrester expert on CIO-targeted business technology research, points out in the Future of Retail 2020 article. He says that “2020 is going to show early-stage differentiation for retailers that have invested in data strategies and data is becoming an essential part of the customer experience.”
Leveraging data-driven personalization through digital marketing services can achieve both aims. The more data you have about your customers, the more relevant the personalization becomes, which in turn helps create meaningful experiences. Without knowing the customer, you can’t create a positive, personalized brick-and-mortar experiences.
As a result, retailers are pushing to become more customer- and data-centric. However, while a significant amount of time and research has been devoted to digital/online personalization, offline experiences—especially in brick and mortar stores—leave a lot to be desired. Bringing the mindset of data-driven digital marketing services to the brick-and-mortar world can change that.
Transforming brick-and-mortar retail experiences
Imagine a situation where a retailer can leverage various data points about a walk-in customer to deliver relevant experiences, have meaningful conversations and make them feel welcome. That’s where the concept of Customer Experience (CX) as a service comes into play, taking offline personalization to the next level.
It could be as simple as an app in the hands of a store associate who greets the walk-in customer with a question: “Welcome to the store! Would you like to have a personalized shopping experience with us today?” If yes, then all it takes is a few quick follow-up questions to identify the customer, determine if they’re part of an existing loyalty program and serve up a relevant experience. It opens the door for the associate to educate customers on current offers and trending products. It’s also an opportunity to capture first-hand feedback, as well as data on the customer’s buying behavior. For customers new and old who aren’t part of the loyalty program, it’s a chance to increase enrollment so you can help them benefit from personalized offerings going forward.
There are many brands out there that are already leveraging the power of data to deliver personalized experiences to their shoppers. Saks Fifth Avenue rolled out a new tablet-enabled app to help their sales associates be seen as a customer’s “trusted adviser.” Early results showed that Saks generated $230,000 in sales from just one customer in five appointments set up by a sales associate.
Indigo, Canada’s largest book, gift and specialty toy retailer, has taken a similar approach and digitally transformed their in-store buying and checkout experience with a mobile app. Likewise, Bonobos uses its ‘Guides app’ as a key part of their customer engagement strategy. The app is armed with all the right customer information like purchase history and shopping preferences, enabling sales associates to make suggestions and help them find the right products to assist customers more effectively.
There’s no longer a distinct line between online and offline customer experiences. Taking principles from digital marketing services and continue to apply them to brick-and-mortar experiences can make all the difference to your bottom line.
5 keys to using CX as a Service to your retail advantage
Using CX as a Service to your advantage means finding unique ways to guide customers through the purchase process while in-store. This can be done in all areas of retail.
Take the educational sector, for example. Normally, parents would be rushing to the stores for back-to-school supply shopping this summer. But due to the pandemic, supplies and buying processes are changing.
Retailers have to adapt promotional offers to support shoppers regardless of whether learning takes place at home or in-school. Either way, 52% of parents plan to use curbside pick-up for their back-to-school shopping needs this year. And, according to an NRF back-to-school shopping update, 49% will make their final purchases one or two weeks before the start of the school year.
Learn more: Epsilon's strategy and insights services
The school year is coming up quickly and retailers have to adapt as soon as possible to provide seamless experiences both online and in-store. To do this, we have to rethink the ways we use CX as a Service concepts to guide the Gen Z students and parents alike through their purchase experience. If we think about applying CX as a Service through the Pareto Principle where 20% of customers generate 80% of revenue, there are a few strategic thoughts you can apply to make your efforts successful:
Focus on the top customers: In case of your top customers who visit the store frequently, tracking their purchases to look for patterns would be a good start as you can target back to school promotions more effectively and make curated in-store upselling and cross-selling recommendations.
Keep coaching your frontline: Coach your store sales associates as customer experience guides. Get them to focus on actively showing interest in customer needs, wants and the overall journey to satisfaction to increase the likelihood of returning.
Make it easy to consume data: Look for ways to ensure the personalization data points can be easily interpreted by the store sales associate. They only have a few seconds to grab the customer’s attention, so you have to empower them to make the biggest impact.
Bring in the right skills: Hire store sales associates who demonstrate good listening, interpersonal and customer engagement skills—especially for Gen Z. The more your sales associates can connect with individual customers, the easier it will be to find additional ways to guide them through their shopping experiences.
Have fun: Last but not the least, in-store experiences should be fun and have a lasting impression. We all like to have a personalized touch to everything, but no one wants customers to feel uncomfortable. You have to strike a balance between helping and privacy.
These same points can apply to the wider world of brick-and-mortar retail. Leveraging digital marketing services to implement a CX as a Service approach gives you an opportunity to make the most of marketing technologies and maximize personalization.
It’s never too late to transform the ways you engage customers. When you do, you can unlock a multitude of benefits, such as upselling and cross-selling at specific touchpoints during the customer lifecycle, enriching their customer data to improve conversion rates and building valuable long-term relationships—just to name a few. This strategy has cross-industry, cross-vertical applicability, and is highly modular to say the least.
The potential of personalization lies in thinking about how you would like to be treated, rather than looking at it only from the customer’s lens. It combines relevance, value-based interactions and a hassle-free experience. And in the end, isn’t that what we all strive for?
---
## How AI can put your brand on the right path
Type: eps_post
URL: /how-artificial-intelligence-can-put-your-brand-on-the-right-path
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T22:17:52Z
# How AI can put your brand on the right path
Artificial intelligence (AI) is growing in importance in the digital advertising world. According to Forbes, in 2019, the majority of marketers either planned to or used AI in their audience targeting (81%) and in their audience segmentation (80%). And for good reason: AI-supported media allows advertisers to more easily determine whom to talk to, when to talk to them and what to say. Not to mention its ability to help messaging rapidly adapt as consumers’ behavior changes—which has been a particularly important feature this year.
It’s no secret that COVID-19 has turned consumer behavior on its head. According to our recent report Consumer sentiment during COVID-19, consumers’ shopping priorities have changed; they’re buying more non-perishable groceries, household cleaning supplies and frozen foods. And preferences for methods of shopping have also shifted, with home delivery, take-out and curbside pickup taking off in popularity over recent months. Consumers have also been far less brand loyal, opting to snag whatever’s budget friendly and available for stocking up.
Read more: Enhancing the customer experience with Artificial Intelligence
The same research shows a clear trend toward digital. More than 40% of consumers who ordered groceries online plan to do so again, because it’s easier and they’re pleased with the timing of order processing (see graphic below).
Across Epsilon’s portfolio, we saw an increase in online sales of nearly 35%, but even that couldn’t combat overall revenue decreases. The retail industry as a whole was down 16% in April, and we’ve seen 95% drops in the airline travel industry. Restaurants have been forced to only seat consumers outside and relay more heavily on takeout/delivery options. Movie theaters have been closing, delaying release dates or forcing entertainment studios to release films on demand or through streaming services.
This sudden disruption also changed the way consumers interacted with their favorite brands, making it extremely difficult for brands to know whom to even talk to.
Enter AI
Combine unpredictable consumer behavior patterns with tightening, increasingly scrutinized advertising budgets and you’ll see a natural fit for AI. Backed by data-driven insights, brands can use optimized AI to deliver more relevant messages at the right place and the right time. This results in more valuable interactions with consumers and less waste of media budget.
While AI has always been able to help marketers adjust to behavior changes, it’s not as easy as it sounds when facing a pandemic. To see meaningful gains, it’s critical to work with a partner with a powerful platform who knows through experience how to adjust modeling parameters to account for recent COVID-driven consumer behavior changes. This results in optimized AI, the components of which we’ll examine below.
How optimized AI works
An optimized AI platform should power machine-learning models that are designed to react to real-time data and make decisions about the best time to deliver messages—and when to hold back. Models should be customized for each client at every stage, from audience selection to verifying ad quality. To see the most results, each client should have a model dedicated for them.
Campaign bidding becomes more intelligent and selective as models gather data, reducing wasted impressions and maximizing ROI. With optimized AI, hundreds of intelligent decisions can be made for each individual based on actions they take with your brand each day.
Read more: Email’s growth potential
Knowing just how unpredictable and rapid consumer behavior changes are these days, it’s more important than ever to be able to make quick, effective decisions based on real-time data. Relying on historical data is certainly a component in putting out successful messaging, but right now the majority of your focus should be on that real-time data interpretation.
A timely approach
As the impact of COVID-19 began to set in, the team behind Epsilon’s CORE AI platform was digesting data from the models. We were able to quickly identify a major challenge: The rapid changes in consumer behavior would make pre-COVID data less relevant, potentially resulting in diminishing targeting accuracy and a lower average of consumers converting.
With early recognition of what was happening, we were able to optimize our clients’ models to prioritize consumers’ recent behavior, increasing the importance of recent site visitation and purchases while the models were valuing consumers and learning more about them.
How machine learning fits in with your loyalty program: Epsilon's practical application of machine learning
To be clear, these models aren’t ignoring historical data (cutting up to 10 years of profile data would be a mistake); they’re simply prioritizing behavior of recently converting customers. This allows the models to adjust faster than ever and keeps our clients delivering the highest standard of personalized and relevant messaging.
Real results
Our updated models resulted in a 25% increase in client return on as spend (ROAS). Testing of the model updates began with a major retailer and was eventually deployed across all of Epsilon Digital Media portfolio once deemed successful. Needless to say, this was a win for brands during these trying times. We’re currently evaluating the models for post-COVID use (hoping that opportunity comes soon).
Are your models accounting for real-time behavior changes?
In this new normal, it’s all about quick decisions based on accurate, real-time data. To see if your AI is optimized, ask your partners how regularly they are reacting to change.
With the increased pressure to justify budgets and demonstrate performance, every second counts.
---
## How Jersey Mike's tripled a target ROAS
Type: eps_post
URL: /how-jersey-mikes-tripled-a-target-roas
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T22:20:56Z
# How Jersey Mike's tripled a target ROAS
With sophisticated customer identification, the sandwich chain used digital media to build intent among its current and prospective customer base.
With 1,745 locations across the U.S., Jersey Mike’s brings in a lot of customers. But not everyone who visits the sandwich chain is a part of the brand’s loyalty program, which is its primary source of customer data. When the brand saw an opportunity to reconnect with lapsed customers and acquire new ones through marketing, Jersey Mike’s realized it needed a partner with experience in digital marketing for restaurants to successfully accomplish this.
This challenge is not new for restaurant brands. Many struggle with uniting their point-of-sale data outside of loyalty programs to understand non-loyalty customers.
As Jersey Mike’s revamped its marketing efforts in fall 2019, it sought new strategies to connect with this previously unknown audience through digital media, which needed to start with properly identifying and reaching those individuals.
Editor’s note: This campaign took place prior to the COVID-19 pandemic and the resulting impacts on restaurant brands. Epsilon continues to work with Jersey Mike’s on its evolving digital media strategy.
Millions of previously missed opportunities
“Our goal was to test if digital could help us reactivate guests who hadn’t purchased in at least three months,” says Jeff Hemschoot, marketing director at Jersey Mike’s. “We also wanted to target customers who have dined at competitors.”
Jersey Mike’s turned to Epsilon Digital to first identify lapsed and net-new customers, reach them through personalized display advertising across relevant publishers and measure the results: For example, how did each message actually influence the individual?
Recovery mindset: A phased digital media approach for restaurants
Using Epsilon’s CORE Transact data set, which comprises third-party transactional data from 1.5 million merchants and multiple credit card types, Epsilon helped Jersey Mike’s identify customers who had made a purchase with the brand in the previous three to 24 months but had not returned to one of its locations. Additionally, the brand could use the same data set to identify and reach more than 20 million people who had purchased with competitors in the previous two years.
Because the solution was focused on lapsed and new customers, current customers were removed from any potential campaign activation, giving Jersey Mike’s a more accurate picture of its results. In contrast, many identity partners can’t accurately remove current customers from a brand’s marketing campaigns—even with seemingly considerable effort. While some partners exclude recent visitors or remove a person based on one of their devices, these actions do not accurately assess a single individual’s full digital activity—which gives brands running campaigns with these partners a falsely low customer-acquisition cost because they’re seeing existing customers as “new” customers.
Customer profiles lead to relevant messaging
Now that Jersey Mike’s knew who to talk to, the next step was identifying what to say to each person. Using Epsilon’s data, coupled with AI-data activation, Jersey Mike’s could reach each individual with a relevant message unique to that person based on demographics, online behavior and past purchases—all in a privacy-compliant way. Additionally, Jersey Mike’s leveraged the fact that 60% of these customers visited sandwich shops at lunchtime and 40% went there at dinnertime to influence when each person saw an ad from the brand.
Understanding consumer behavior in COVID-19: How AI can put your brand on the right path
Because each message wasn’t intended to gain an immediate sale—someone who saw a display ad while reading an article wasn’t likely to walk straight to Jersey Mike’s and buy a sandwich— the goal was to develop intent that resulted in actual sales over time. By sharing relevant messages with the identified audience throughout the digital day—always optimizing for publisher sites, apps and devices—the campaign helped keep Jersey Mike’s top of mind. So the next time someone craved a sandwich, Jersey Mike’s would be a likely choice.
Curbside appeal
Although the COVID-19 pandemic has been incredibly difficult for restaurants, the one silver lining is that many customers are now becoming known to restaurant brands in the digital environment as people purchase through digital channels for delivery or pick-up. The key will be aggregating that data on the front end, and then activating it to deliver personalized marketing across channels to each individual based on past purchases and behavior with the brand. For example, if a customer continues to order delivery or pick-up after the restaurant opens back up, make sure to send that person deals, offers and messaging relevant to delivery options instead of in-store offers.
“Epsilon’s solution helped us find the customer at the right time and on the right device,” says Kelly McGee, digital director at Jersey Mike’s. “Finding customers that have dined at competitors with the transactional database is something we haven’t been able to do before.”
Jersey Mike’s focused on two primary offers for this group: a $2 off “We Miss You” promotion to lapsed customers and a “Free Chip & Drink” promotion to new customers. Using CORE Transact, Epsilon could accurately measure the campaign through credit card data to track each sale and tie it back to the individual message—not extrapolated from a sample size of purchases.
“One of the unique things about working with Epsilon was the ability to track sales. Not only could we do it on our end with coupon redemptions, but also on their end with credit card data,” McGee says. “This was really useful.”
Remarkable ROAS
Results snapshot:
$35:1 ROAS—significantly higher than the goal of $10:1
78% of new customers made at least two purchases
72% of reactivated customers made at least two purchases
Throughout the campaign, Epsilon tracked and measured results—which resulted in a $35:1 ROAS, far exceeding the goal of $10:1. Additionally, 78% of the new customers made at least two purchases, while 72% of reactivated customers did so. The campaign demonstrated the often- untapped potential of reaching out to lapsed customers, who are already familiar with the brand, but simply may not have visited in a while.
The cornerstone of the campaign’s success was customer identification: Epsilon’s data and identification told Jersey Mike’s exactly who its customers are—and who they are not—and offered an activation channel to reach them. Because Epsilon provided concrete transactional data, Jersey Mike’s can show franchise owners, who pay for marketing efforts, the powerful results of their spend.
The collaboration and expertise led to impressive results. “We blew by our target ROAS, and we were overwhelmed by the success of this program,” Hemschoot says.
Image credit: Tim MacPherson/Getty Images
---
## Rethinking enterprise customer data
Type: eps_post
URL: /rethinking-enterprise-customer-data
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T22:20:56Z
# Rethinking enterprise customer data
A data-first strategy can transform the experiences you deliver—and perhaps your entire company.
Today, customer experience is a top priority for every brand. And for good reason. Research from Qualtrics says that companies earning about $1 billion in yearly revenue can expect to earn an additional $775 million within three years of investing in their customer experience (CX).
Building a great customer experience starts with unifying data as the foundation—which is no simple task for any brand. By way of example, when my team at Epsilon started working with a large jewelry umbrella brand, we realized it was sending the same customer messages and offers about engagement rings across brands—even after someone had purchased one. Call me crazy, but I don’t think most people need two engagement rings.
Creating a more personalized and relevant customer experience starts with having a unified view of your customer—and in today’s world that all starts with data. My team helps brands organize around the customer and their data quite often, and in our experience, we’ve found there are four key elements for getting it right:
1. Unite your data
The first aspect of creating exceptional experiences is uniting your data—not just dumping it in a “lake.” You need a 360-degree view of your customers (aka a golden record) that enables speed to delivery of algorithmically generated content, which meets a customer need at the time and on the device where transactions happen.
And data democratization is key to success. This single view of the customer must be readily available to everyone in the organization without gatekeepers (process or technology) standing in the way of serving that customer.
2. Federate data out to martech decision engines
Most marketers are used to having full control of the decisions made around campaign activation. But in the name of customer experience, you need to get comfortable delegating decisions to machine learning and artificial intelligence applications. Delivering experiences that truly align to each individual requires sophisticated decisioning that can happen in milliseconds, taking in information from live customer touchpoints, which is impossible to manage in a centralized silo.
Understanding consumer behavior in COVID-19: How AI can put your brand on the right path
This also means making use of the right lightweight data sets that enable content decisioning to happen out in the channels. For example, we worked with a financial services brand to create an enterprise analytics environment that can access pseudonymized data for insights, decision-making and activation—all within a privacy-safe context. This allows the brand to deliver the most relevant messaging on devices, in sales and services scripts, and in branches for a coordinated, purposeful experience. Before this effort, legacy systems made it impossible for branches, call centers and mobile apps to treat the customer as an individual.
3. Use data to align around audiences—not products or divisions
We’ve learned that you need to build cross-functional teams to deliver on CX—no single business unit can create customer centricity. To that end, we’ve helped brands use data to build pods or dotted-line teams around particular customer segments instead of products or divisions. A pod might bring together competencies to design products, produce creative assets, deliver campaigns and manage inventory for one specific customer segment, taking a step toward a wholesale reorganization.
Read more: How do you break down data silos across teams?
As an example, we’ve worked with a major hotel brand to completely rethink its CX with a customer-first strategy. Instead of each individual brand messaging the same customers to vie for business (like the engagement ring example), we pulled data together across silos to give the enterprise a clear view of which customers are most likely to respond to which sub-brand (and to what types of messages). Now, it can engage each person accordingly. Naturally, this process will create a different prioritization of what messages to push and when.
This type of enterprise-wide identity strategy allows you to onboard and activate all data across the organization, aligning profile attributes to demographic, transactional and behavioral information on each individual.
The result
This approach places CMOs—and the marketing organization—as the first to insight and the first to create the end-to-end customer experience. The power of the data lends power to marketers, better positioning them to bring customer-centric thinking to the entire business.
Image credit: Stuart Kinlough/Ikon Images
---
## Conversational AI and the customer journey
Type: eps_post
URL: /conversational-ai-and-the-customer-journey
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T22:16:49Z
# Conversational AI and the customer journey
When introducing the concept of artificial intelligence (AI) to clients, I often start with a few basic questions:
Do you feel like you could improve your customer experiences?
Would it be helpful to have an ear to the ground all the time, listening to your customers cues—what they like, what they're looking for—all the time? Can you imagine the decisions and personalization you could generate?
What if you were always available to your customers—no matter the time, the day, or the location?
As they nod their heads with interest and excitement, my next question is:
Have you heard of Conversational AI?
Conversational AI is quickly changing the way customers interact with brands: in a recent report, Gartner notes by 2020 40% of users will primarily interact with new applications that support Conversational AI. By 2022, it’s anticipated that 20% of all customer service will be handled by Conversational AI agents. In short, Conversational AI is exploding right now—and brands are buying into it. But why?
Conversational AI is a set of technologies (think bots or virtual assistants) that respond to text or voice inputs naturally. It moves past rigid bots programmed to respond only to a pre-determined set of questions, using Natural Language Processing (NLP) to understand and engage with wide variety of inputs instinctively.
While there are many reasons Conversational AI has thrived as of late, one in particular stands out: its ability to improve customer experiences. Brands that successfully reinvigorate their omnichannel mix and strategy through Conversational AI are able to enhance the real-time, two-way dialog between customer and brand. Ultimately, it enables the 1:1 engagement essential to creating an optimal customer journey, shaping the positive experiences consumers demand along the way.
Conversational AI, the customer journey, and connected experiences
For any marketer, the customer journey is key. Understanding the way in which individuals first engage with your brand, the steps they take to conversion, and the relationship forged afterward is arguably as important as the conversion itself. Conversational AI gives marketers new ways of providing customers with immediate connection points to real-time services and product inquires.
Interestingly, Conversational AI as a channel doesn’t have just one designated place in the customer journey. It’s omnipresent. Conversational AI enhances the customer journey and facilitates personalized experiences, while “always on” in the background—learning and understanding the actions of a customer, ready to engage by feeding data through your marketing technology. Consequently, Conversational AI crafts the ultimate connected experience, and successfully drives outcomes like loyalty reward programs, unique shopping experiences, and cross sell or up sell opportunities. See, for example, below: vvvvvvvvv
In this instance, the bot was able to leverage observations of the customer’s previous behavior to engage with her in a highly unique and relevant way—guiding her to a conversion (and beyond)—all while painting a clear picture of her journey from start to finish. Not to mention, the rich first- and third-party data collected can be used to make her experience even better the next time she visits the site.
Why does Conversational AI improve the customer experience?
Conversational AI offers up many ways to improve the customer experience, including fostering connected conversations and streamlining user experience.
Connected conversations
Brands are always looking for a direct line of communication to their customers; bots and virtual assistants embedded in websites or apps offer just that. The icing on the cake is customers are willingly engaging with them, offering up key insights to leverage in real time.
After all, 91% of consumers are more likely to shop with brands who recognize, remember and provide relevant offers and recommendations, and 83% are willing to share their data to allow for such personalized experiences. With a 1:1 communication channel, brands are able to provide a true connected conversation—one that is highly relevant and personalized to the individual. This ad-hoc communication will leave customers feeling satisfied and tended to by your brand. Marketers can also nurture those customers post-conversion.
And when a customer returns to your site, the insights gained from previous interactions will help brands immediately connect with relevant personalization. Conversational AI ultimately sits at the intersection of customer engagement and need. Fueled by past behavior, Conversational AI can:
Greet customer by their first name
Ask them if they need any quick problem solving.
Recommend relevant products based on current chat dialog, their last browsing session or purchase
User experience
User experience has the opportunity to make or break a customer journey. If a brand’s website or app is hard to navigate, generally confusing or overwhelming, customers will take note. Bots and virtual assistants are ready to assist customers at any moment, anticipating their needs, and answering any navigation or functionality questions they may have—it’s like having a 24/7 assistant at their fingertips.
In terms of the bot or virtual assistant itself, there is nothing more frustrating than trying to get help from a stuffy bot that can only understand and answer a few simple questions. Conversational AI is able to engage with a more sophisticated array of inputs, making it an asset that will genuinely provide value to the customer while offering a “human” touch.
In practice, Conversational AI can provide a best-in-class CX, creating connected conversations between the brand and customer through a seamless UX.
Brands that got it right
Your.MD
This healthcare brand offers up actionable health insights for users based on trusted data sources. In short, it is a symptom checker powered by artificial intelligence. Users interact with a chat bot, disclosing health concerns or symptoms. Then, the bot will suggest useful information and help users solve their health problems, such as: possible diagnoses, at-home remedies, or places to visit a physician in-person. The bot responds to customers concerns in real time, offering up natural dialogue and a seamless experience for users.
Progressive
The insurance company’s use of artificial intelligence nails the customer experience. Progressive’s mascot, Flo, has a unique and witty personality that shines through in the chat bot—always ready to respond with funny anecdotes while customers search for an insurance quote. The key to Progressive’s Conversational AI success is that it is truly conversational, and feels like you’re speaking to an actual agent.
Domino’s Pizza
The pizza giant recently unveiled their new virtual assistant, DOM, to customers. While many choose to place pizza orders online, millions still call in to a Domino’s location to order—says Dennis Maloney, Domino’s chief digital officer. Instead of having an associate answer the phone, DOM’s voice recognition software handles it. After taking the customer’s order, it is placed by DOM, and the pizza is out for delivery ASAP. DOM is a way to accommodate less tech-savvy customers that may not feel comfortable placing an order online.
As the nature of customer-brand interactions continue to evolve, brands need to evolve with it. When Conversational AI finds its way into the customer journey, brands can connect with customers 1:1, improve their experiences through past behavior and ultimately strengthen brand loyalty.
We understand the idea of bots or virtual assistants may seem confusing or overwhelming, but as discussed above, there are clear benefits for taking the leap into Conversational AI. Download this informational guide to learn more.
---
## 4 ingredients to move from mass communication to mass personalization
Type: eps_post
URL: /move-from-mass-communication-to-mass-personalization
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# 4 ingredients to move from mass communication to mass personalization
Brands want customer relationships that drive performance. It’s a simple statement, yet the pressure on the C-suite to drive growth is palpable, especially in times of disruption and uncertainty.
Consumers have high expectations. They understand the data-value exchange with brands, and they’re eager to enter into that exchange for a better customer experience. Marketers are being asked to drive growth for their brands while reducing costs and proving marketing ROI in a short amount of time. Underlying everything is the industry, which has undergone significant changes to the drumbeat of consumer privacy.
Marketers must move the levers that are going to drive brand performance without relying on any one platform or provider and shift from mass communication to mass personalization with four main ingredients:
1. Knowledge
No matter how much first-party data they have, most marketers still have a blurry view of their customers. Hotel chains, for example, know when someone stays at their hotel, which brand they stay with and how often they stay. The brand can know their guests’ personal preferences and how they interact with the brand across channels and devices.
Even with all this first-party data, the hotel can only see a fraction of the life of that guest. To provide deeper relevance, brands need a view of each individual that connects first- and third-party data, and allows them to see the individual’s activity outside of the brand. It’s important for brands to not only get a high-definition view of their customers and of everyone who matters to their brand, but it’s essential that the data is ethically sourced and protected.
2. Identity
We commissioned Forrester Consulting to conduct a study on identity resolution and found marketers whose brands have poor identity resolution face issues such as reaching the wrong customer (45%), wasting marketing spend (42%) and offering irrelevant products or services (38%).
A strong identity foundation can help brands avoid these issues. It also allows marketers to understand more about their best and potential customers at the individual level and maintain that knowledge over time to use it effectively for marketing purposes and comply with regulations. Strong identity resolution also allows you to predict, learn and anticipate consumer signals that lead to business outcomes.
3. Machine learning
Brands must be able to both ideate and execute at scale. They must take massive sets of data, operating in real-time, and constantly recalibrate and update their messages based on the patterns people are exhibiting. Dynamic creative at scale, powered by machine learning, eliminates waste and allows brands to take key learnings and bring them back into the creative process.
Understanding consumer behavior in COVID-19: How AI can put your brand on the right path
There’s nothing more irrelevant than receiving a promotional message about a hotel you just booked or a trip that just ended. In fact, there’s nothing more brand damaging than receiving an offer for a cheaper rate. That’s a broken customer experience. Without the ability to recalibrate messages in real-time at scale, the customer experience breaks down.
4. Activation
Brands need to be able to activate messages across all channels with performance transparency at the individual level to prove outcomes. Look for partners that deliver solutions grounded in outcomes, not actions. This also requires them to have a managed performance mindset, acting as more than just a managed service vendor.
Ultimately, brands’ ability to take back control of their customer relationships to drive performance comes down to a simple equation: data + identity + machine learning + activation. It’s how you move up from mass communication to mass personalization. Although it’s a simple formula, the volume of data necessary to do this in the right way at scale, and the complexity of the technology are quite complicated. When brands get the balance right, however, there are no walls between them and their customers.
**This post is an update to an article originally posted on Adweek, August 2020.
---
## Epsilon data reveals financial habits and preferences during COVID
Type: eps_post
URL: /epsilon-data-reveals-financial-habits-and-preferences-during-covid
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Epsilon data reveals financial habits and preferences during COVID
COVID-19 has upended numerous industries—travel is nowhere near previous levels of activity, restaurants had to completely rethink their business models and the same goes for retail stores.
Similarly, financial services brands found their normal processes turned upside down. The closing of locations and limiting of in-person interactions created a sudden and overwhelming demand for digital—an abrupt change few were sufficiently prepared for. Financial services brands needed to be sensitive and relevant to consumer needs, quickly, including proactively addressing consumers’ shifting financial behaviors.
One key trend during COVID is that consumers are spending less and saving more. According to new research from Epsilon, consumers are making shifts in how they manage their finances:
35% are saving more.
17% are putting fewer expenses on credit cards.
17% are focusing on paying down loans or credit card debt.
Only 31% of consumers are not making any changes; which means that 69% are shifting their finances in some capacity.
Saving is certainly up, and with so much economic uncertainty, it’s not surprising that people are holding on to their money a bit more. In fact, the US experienced similar behaviors during the 2008 recession, when we saw households cut spending, shed outstanding debt and increase their rate of personal savings in response to reductions in income.
What can financial marketers learn from understanding consumer attitudes right now? And more importantly, how can they use that information to influence marketing decisions during the pandemic and into recovery?
Here, we look at key insights from the report and provide actionable takeaways for financial marketers reevaluating their digital marketing strategies:
Be the partner your customers turn to for advice
Financial partners can play an important role in helping customers make smart financial decisions during this time. But to do that, they need to be seen as trusted advice-givers, which seems to be the bigger problem:
According to the survey:
34% of consumers turn to their spouse for financial advice.
Only 16% indicated they ask for financial advice from their stockbroker or investment representative. An even smaller percentage (11%) talk to their banking representatives for advice.
28% say they don’t have anyone to turn to for financial advice.
Based on these findings, financial institutions have opportunities to ensure they’re seen as a trusted partner during these uncertain times. With so many respondents saying they don’t have anyone to turn to for financial advice, financial institutions should fill that void as a trusted advisor. Firms can do this by delivering personalized, relevant messaging that includes informative content that guides smart decisions and reinforces the bank’s value to the community.
And, when we break out the data across generations, we see that Gen Z consumers are twice as likely to consult a bank representative for advice compared to other generations. This group is also saving more: Gen Z (45%) and millennials (49%) were the largest groups indicating they were spending more. This is a great opportunity to guide them through the process of saving and investing wisely, and set the groundwork toward building a lifetime of financial loyalty.
Build trust through customer-first messaging
The right message can mean continuous engagement with a client or prospect while the wrong message—or a poorly timed message—can limit interest from an individual.
So what are consumers looking for? With email having a renaissance as the primary source of communication during COVID, how can your messaging help and resonate?
What consumers are looking for from financial brands:
28% want information on smart ways to make more from your savings
21% want to see how financial institutions are helping the community (e.g. healthcare providers, seniors, etc.)
17% want to see how their financial partners are supporting employees during this time
39% of respondents don’t want to see any messages from their financial institutions.
From this, there are a few takeaways for financial brands to consider as they continue communicating with customers throughout the pandemic:
Align content to customer goals. Smart savings is generally a top priority for financial customers on an ongoing basis, but looking at the broader data on what consumers want in messaging, it’s clear that every message needs to be tailored to each individual’s unique situation. Simply sending a broad message on “saving smarter” isn’t nearly as effective as sending more tailored messaging to address unique situations such as decreasing their debt or ideas for what to do with extra money (e.g. higher yield savings, apply to your IRA, send to college fund). The individual’s unique situation can and should play a critical role in how you talk to them.
Show you care. Content aligned to the individual’s goal always comes first, but showing your financial institution cares about what is going on in the world comes second. There are numerous ways to do this—through highlighting efforts to support employees as many juggle kids in virtual schooling and working from home to simple acknowledgements of support your organization is providing to healthcare institutions, small businesses or nonprofits during this time. Don’t be afraid to show how you’re helping and make sure it’s an authentic representation of your brand’s values.
Acknowledge the elephant in the room. Not all customers want to hear from you right now—dig into understanding why that is. Have you had poor communications in the past? Are finances just not something a certain audience wants to discuss right now? Are you missing the client’s financial goal in some way? Take a moment to acknowledge what the problem actually is and determine the right follow-up strategy that will add value to your conversation again.
Knowing your audience is more important than ever
The one larger takeaway from seeing all of this data is that understanding your customers—both how they’re viewing finances right now and understanding their relationship to and needs from your business—is critical right now when they need support more than ever. It’s time to get to know your customers’ needs by connecting with them across their many devices, rather than in person. Even though customers won’t be relegated to the home forever, the financial shift to digital is one that isn’t likely to revert.
The problem is that many financial brands struggle with knowing their customers online; according to Forrester research, only 40% of financial brands are confident that their customer profiles are complete and accurate.
To position your brand as a valued partner, you need to have a holistic view of the customer. This helps you to identify emerging needs as they arise—whether it’s help with savings, navigating the home-buying process for the first time or making their retirement savings last longer.
With a more complete view, you can understand each individual’s behavior and goals, and then tailor messaging and offers to reflect their needs across marketing channels.
---
## How marketers and legal teams can navigate new privacy regulations
Type: eps_post
URL: /how-marketers-and-legal-teams-can-navigate-new-privacy-regulations
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T22:20:56Z
# How marketers and legal teams can navigate new privacy regulations
Marketers and legal teams must navigate an evolving patchwork of privacy regulations and complications.
As consumer privacy regulations have changed the way business is conducted, marketers must work closely with their legal teams to rethink how they track and communicate with consumers.
Europe’s General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA) expand protections for consumers with regard to the use of their personal information online. GDPR and CCPA have different requirements, but they both put the onus on businesses that fall under these laws to notify consumers of the information collected on them and to allow them to opt out of having that data tracked. Failure to do so can result in large fines and penalties.
Restricted use of consumer data is forcing B2C digital marketers to reevaluate loyalty programs, location-based data on apps and other personalization strategies, according to Chief Marketer. But it also means brands have the opportunity to build trust through transparency with their customers, and companies will become better stewards of personal data by building privacy protections into their marketing platforms.
As brands work with their legal teams to navigate these issues, striking the balance between customer experience and compliance is a delicate art that requires intentional effort on both sides of the table.
With 23 years in the business, Stu Ingis, chairman of Venable LLP and co-chair of the e-commerce, privacy and cybersecurity group at the firm, helps marketers navigate these challenges. Ingis also represents leading marketing and advertising trade associations in legal and policy matters, serving as counsel to the Association of National Advertisers (ANA), Interactive Advertising Bureau (IAB) and Digital Advertising Alliance (DAA).
Ingis shares recommendations about how marketers and legal teams can best work together to create campaigns, messaging and content that’s both compelling and compliant with privacy regulations.
When’s the ideal moment in the production process for the legal team to first review a brand’s marketing concept: far ahead in the planning phase or when the team is down to the final assets?
Stu Ingis (SI): It depends on the level of depth of the internal counsel. If they’re a sophisticated internal counsel, sometimes they can review not at all or at the end. But if it’s a one-off or if people are planning a big campaign, it’s better to seek guidance on the front end to set the parameters. Then, once the content is created, it’s always a good idea to get a second set of external eyes, even if it’s just a quick look at the content.
When marketers submit copy for legal review, it’s often returned with a lot of legalese, sometimes sparking disagreements between marketing and legal departments. How do you balance the need for building the best creative with the mission-critical imperative for a brand to comply with laws and regulations?
SI: We try to find solutions that make people happy with the content while complying with the law. That requires experience, sometimes creativity and also just being patient to find a workable approach. But I don’t think it’s an either/or. You can usually find a good common ground there.
A privacy partner you can trust: CCPA and beyond
On email solicitations, for example, we found ways where there’s a lot of specific compliance requirements to build in choices for consumers and appropriate disclosure while not interfering with the primary content of the message.
GDPR and CCPA have sparked a lot of debate about consumer privacy. How have those laws changed the way marketers operate?
SI: Well, the two laws take very different approaches to protecting information. I would argue that ultimately neither of them has been beneficial to consumers. While they may limit some types of data sharing, they’re also reducing all kinds of offerings and ways of paying for services that ultimately benefit the very consumers that they’re asserting they’re protecting. The CCPA is an abundance of ambiguity.
Other states are now considering their own data privacy and security laws. What challenge does that pose for marketers?
SI: Neither consumers nor businesses benefit by having a patchwork of unrelated laws. In law school, they teach a famous case: When the highway system was developed initially, states passed laws requiring different-sized mudflaps on trucks. And so when truckers arrived at a state border, they would have to pull over and change the mudflaps until the courts found that the state laws violated interstate commerce protections in the Constitution.
CORE insight
Many marketers work with a network of colleagues, vendors and partners on external messaging, and all of those parties need to be aware of legal and compliance requirements. To get everyone on the same page, “having processes and well-understood checklists in place is really useful,” says Stu Ingis of Venable LLP. This helps ensure that everyone knows the process, gets accustomed to doing it and doesn’t miss any details.
At Venable, we’ve been working on behalf of a lot of companies on an effort called Privacy for America to pass a federal privacy law that gives strong protections for consumers and is workable for businesses.
The marketers and companies I work with, like Epsilon, take their obligations very seriously and are responsible and good custodians of consumer data. I think they already spend significant resources and do a good job of meeting their privacy obligations. Part of it is just being able to explain that to consumers.
What repercussions do marketers face for not being fully compliant with consumer privacy laws—or for just being poor stewards of consumer data?
SI: They certainly face reputational impacts and bad press about mishandling of data, breaches or misusing data, and that can really hurt individual companies or their service providers. There are financial implications of enforcement, including a very active class-action bar trying to go after reputable companies relating to the premises that can extort millions of dollars from companies.
There have also been a lot of recent settlements of companies in the tens of millions of dollars by the Federal Trade Commission and state attorneys general. They’ve gone after a lot of the big internet companies.
Given how rapidly the laws are changing and developing, it’s an improvement for people to be involved in the policy deliberations, drawing information from Privacy for America or other efforts that can inform them of what’s going on so they can stay current.
Would that also mean weighing in on new laws during public comment periods and contacting legislators to voice their opinions?
SI: Yes. It’s as important as ever for policymakers to understand marketers’ good uses of data.
Image credit: Vladimir Godnik/Getty Images
---
## What brands can learn from DTC to weather the current storm
Type: eps_post
URL: /what-marketers-can-learn-from-direct-to-consumer-brands-during-covid
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# What brands can learn from DTC to weather the current storm
The “new normal” is a popular term in marketing right now, but the truth is, we’ve dealt with similar seismic shifts before and found our way through them.
Following the 2008 recession, direct-to-consumer brands sprung up out of hardships similar to those faced currently during the Covid-19 pandemic: an economic downturn, decreased consumer spending and a decline in job opportunities.
Savvy entrepreneurs found smarter, cheaper ways to bring quality products to niche audiences looking for a better exchange with brands. The ability of DTC brands to translate product and service needs into greater value for the price ensured their early adopters became loyal followers.
Now, after nearly a decade of watching consumers abandon traditional brands in favor of DTCs, the pandemic has accelerated how legacy marketers must adapt and acknowledge that DTCs have hit on something powerful. With more unpredictable months ahead, what can marketers learn from DTCs about gaining consumer trust, driving brand buy-in and maintaining relevance?
Pandemic or not, your product can’t suck
First and foremost, there are too many choices for products or services to fall short of expectations. Brand loyalty is fleeting. There’s no chance of surviving if you don’t get the product right, and perhaps more importantly, you need to be able to adapt and execute within days as opposed to years.
“It all starts with creating a great product. Because no matter how clever or visually pleasing your Instagram feed is; if your product sucks, you’ll be out of business within a year,” says Greg Shugar, CEO and creative director of Beau Ties of Vermont. “And now more than ever you have to be flexible to reinvent. When Covid-19 hit, we moved quickly and started making masks in March, which was far earlier than most other companies. We now offer the largest selection of face masks sold anywhere in the U.S. Innovation and flexibility are core to the DTC model, and both of those are needed in these times.”
In the end, product still rules. Always look for areas to innovate, and don’t miss an opportunity to give customers what they really need.
Prove growth through personalization at scale
The “growth at all costs, profitability as a nice-to-have” mindset—highlighted by NYU professor Scott Galloway’s finding that Casper loses $349 on every mattress it sells—isn’t sustainable for any brand, traditional or DTC. Not every DTC brand is perfect, but those that prioritized personalization to fuel their growth strategy have come out ahead.
Increased frequency, retention and acquisition are crucial as brands look toward recovery, but it requires a proven formula: Data + identity + machine learning + activation = personalization at scale = growth.
Download our DTC research to learn more: Direct to growth: What all brands can gain from the new DTC world
Take DTC brand Swanson Health, for example. The wellness and nutrition brand has long used first- and third-party data to better understand current and potential customers and deliver personalized messaging. While individualized creative is not new, the novelty was how the messages were tailored to each person’s unique preferences, brand interactions and life events. This focus on identity allowed Swanson to efficiently match tailored messages and products to drive 5:1 incremental ROAS.
But just having consumer data isn’t a strategy on its own. The measure of success lies in how you activate it to build personalized interactions and, ultimately, growth.
Convenience and choice are the top commodities
Consumers don’t care how big a brand is anymore; they want extreme convenience with products and offers tailored to them. Consumers expect tedious and complex activities—like recognizing their basket items across devices so they don’t have to re-add them—to be a seamless experience.
At the same time, consumers have more choice. Trust and loyalty are what is truly setting brands apart—and both are fleeting. Adapting and connecting at a more emotional level, beyond trying to sell your products, becomes much more important.
For example, L’Oréal took a page from the DTC playbook and redefined “essential” when stay-at-home orders went into effect earlier this year. L’Oréal sent an email with the subject line “Skipped a haircut?” with messaging about products that help with split ends, prioritizing what consumers need to survive and thrive at home.
Read more: Lessons from the DTC revolution
Consumers are all being trained to expect more from brands, whether by Uber, DoorDash or boutique hotel experiences. Convenience and speed are commodities, and moving fast and connecting at a deeper level sets a higher bar.
Measurable outcomes beat made-up metrics
The currency of marketing needs to evolve to be closer to what we are seeing in the DTC space. Persistent execution beats big budgets. Measurable outcomes beat made-up metrics.
DTCs are really a new generation of performance marketers with proven success driving measurable online and offline sales. In “Lessons from the DTC Revolution,” Terry Kawaja, CEO of LUMA Partners, shares that DTCs take a formulaic approach to customer acquisition. “If DTC brands know lifetime value, they can calculate an appropriate bounty for qualified new customers,” he says. “This is a double-edged sword: While this provides for rapid growth when the economics work, the converse is also true. Should customer acquisition costs exceed the bounty, the DTC brand has nowhere to go or grow.”
Marketers are at a key inflection point. Consumers are voting with their dollars. Performance transparency in marketing is becoming a must-have, and brands need to optimize and prove the impact of marketing spend across a growing list of complex channels.
The fundamentals of marketing have never changed; it’s always been about getting people to pay attention, care and make a purchase. Or, more succinctly: act. DTC companies don’t have all the answers, but they have gotten a lot of it right. You can learn more about how DTC brands are making their mark from this joint CMO Club/Epsilon report: Direct to growth: What all brands can gain from the new DTC world.
**This post is an update to an article originally posted on Adweek, August 2020.
---
## What is the difference between first- and third-party cookies?
Type: eps_post
URL: /1st-party-vs-3rd-party-cookies-whats-the-difference
Last Modified: 2025-12-08T16:16:13Z
# What is the difference between first- and third-party cookies?
Cookies identify online users and have become a mainstay of digital advertising. As web servers have no memory of their own, cookies are used to make websites remember a user’s action, so they aren’t asked to perform a task again and again. As a result, they help provide a better, more personalized user experience.
And while most marketers know this broad definition, getting into the weeds regarding the different types of cookies and how they differ from one another can be trickier. However, with the current trend of third-party cookie deprecation, it’s more important than ever for marketers to gain a nuanced understanding.
So, what are third-party cookies? And how are they different from the other types of cookies, namely first-party cookies? Read on to find out.
Types of cookies
Let’s run through definitions of first- and third-party cookies before taking a look at how they differ from one another.
What are first-party cookies?
What are first-party cookies? First-party cookies are created and stored by the website you are visiting directly. They are used to collect user data for analytics, remember language settings, and store login information.
What are third-party cookies?
As the name implies, third-party cookies are created and placed by third parties other than the website you are visiting directly. Some common uses include:
Cross-site tracking: the practice of collecting browsing data from numerous sources (websites) that details your activity
Retargeting: using search activity to retarget visitors with visual or text ads based on the products and services for which they’ve shown interest
Ad-serving: making decisions regarding the ads that appear on a website, deciding when to serve these ads, and collecting data (and reporting said data including impressions and clicks) in an effort to educate advertisers on consumer insights and ad performance.
The key differences between third-party cookies and first-party cookies
From the technical perspective, first- and third-party cookies are the same kind of files. The only difference lies in how they are created and used by websites.
First-party cookies are generated by the host domain. They are usually considered good because they help provide a better user experience. These cookies enable the browser to remember important user info, such as what items you add to shopping carts, your username and passwords, and language preferences.
On the other hand, third-party cookies are mostly used for tracking and online advertising purposes.
Here’s a table summarizing the key differences between first- and third-party cookies:
First-Party vs. Third-Party Cookies
The third-party cookie phase-out
Today, users are demanding greater privacy, which includes transparency, choice and control over how their data is used. This means that marketers will have to pivot their advertising strategies since the availability and accessibility of cookies will continue to evolve.
Here’s how the third-party cookie phase-out is expected to affect marketers:
Third-party cookies are crumbling: Now what?
Epsilon's research on this industry shift shows that despite the impact and significance, fewer than half of marketers (46%) feel "very prepared" to market without third-party cookies entirely. Although third-party cookies are still being used in marketing, their availability has greatly decreased in recent years. For example, third-party cookies are not used at all on Apple devices, so any activity on Safari on an iPhone or iPad can not be recognized for ad-serving with those cookies.
If your marketing strategies rely on third-party cookies, it’s time to start exploring alternatives. Look to partners who can provide a stable and scalable ID graph with limited reliance on third-party cookies. Explore tools that can better help you leverage first-party and transactional data. And if you have limited or no first-party data, seek out vendors and partners that do have access to consented first-party data to identify and reach customers across the web. Because publishers have a direct relationship to the visitors to their sites and apps, it’s important to work with them—or vendors who do—to continue personalizing messages with the help of their first-party data.
Still not sure how to pivot your advertising strategies during the third-party cookies phase-out?
How Epsilon can help
Because Epsilon identity resolution capabilities, also known as our COREid, is anchored in deterministic purchase data from individuals, it has limited dependence on third-party cookies. The integrity of this purchase data allows us to have 96% accuracy and industry-leading match and reach rates. As a result, we are able to identify and serve 98% of our ads to individuals, not orphaned cookies or device IDs.
Epsilon’s direct relationships with over 5000 publishers also help us continue to reach consumers without using third-party cookies, because through these relationships we are still able to:
Identify consumers from publisher audiences. Publishers generate IDs based on their first-party data, which is then synced with Epsilon’s COREid.
Connect clients’ advertising goals with publishers’ ad inventory. Our first-party solution in partnership with our publishers helps us better understand the behaviors of users as they interact with publisher sites.
Deliver personalized, relevant ads. Connecting our COREid with publishers’ IDs improves identification of publisher audiences and match rates.
Reach real individuals. Connecting with the publishers’ authenticated user data (logins, registrations) ensures we are serving ads and optimizing based on individuals, not cookies or device IDs, which may overlap.
Our years of preparation building people-based identity with first-party strategies and relationships will enable us to continue delivering results for our advertisers, while still providing performance transparency.
Cookies are pieces of data, and future-proofing your marketing strategy always comes back to your data strategy. If you want to build a data strategy that works for today and into the years to come, download our whitepaper for strategic recommendations on how to get your data in order for the marketing of tomorrow.
This article was published on September 22, 2023, and has since been updated.
---
## Survival of the savviest: How Milk + Honey adapted to ecommerce
Type: eps_post
URL: /survival-of-the-savviest
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T22:20:56Z
# Survival of the savviest: How Milk + Honey adapted to ecommerce
As spas closed in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, milk + honey pivoted to focus on its e-commerce business.
Milk + honey had to flex a different muscle when stay-at-home orders set in due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Milk + honey has six day spas in Texas and an e-commerce platform with a proprietary line of bath, body and skin care products that are sold in the U.S. and 28 other countries. When milk + honey’s spas were forced to close temporarily, the company had to rely on the e-commerce side of the business as its only source of revenue. Before the pandemic, about 90% of milk + honey’s revenue came from the spa side of the business.
The company started with one core question to determine its marketing strategy during the pandemic, says Marisa Tom, marketing director for milk + honey: How can we be a valuable resource for wellness and calm during a time of uncertainty?
In addition to its existing social media and email strategies focused on self-care, milk + honey launched free virtual master classes on at-home beauty care taught by its massage therapists, stylists and aestheticians. Its employees also joined the affiliate program for milkandhoney.com to provide staff with a source of income by earning commission on sales generated from their own networks.
“Our employees have become incredibly engaged,” Tom says. “We’ve seen a significant conversion and uptick in affiliates and in revenue generated based on affiliate links.”
While many businesses floundered, March and April were two of the most successful months for milk + honey’s product company—largely due to sales of its alcohol-based hand purifier, which became the focus of its paid media campaigns. In addition, milk + honey partnered with vendors that exclusively sold products in its spas to expand retail offerings online. Month over month, the company was up 272% in sales and 210% in new customer acquisition for its online store.
“If we’ve all learned one life skill, it’s how to just accept the change in our lives and adapt as quickly as possible to it,” Tom says.
Image credit: Photo by Josh Huskin
---
## How can Retailers Plan for Black Friday and beyond
Type: eps_post
URL: /how-can-retailers-succeed-this-holiday-season-and-beyond-0
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# How can Retailers Plan for Black Friday and beyond
On 18th June 2020, Andy Mulcahy, Strategy and Insight Director at IMRG, was joined by our Head of Analytics, Michele Masnaghetti to discuss Black Friday 2019, what Black Friday 2020 will look like, the consequences of the Coronavirus and how to plan for the good, the bad and the ugly. You can watch it again here.
Fast forward a couple of months and it’s safe to say that the only certainty is change. Those businesses that have adapted well to the dramatic changes in consumer behaviour we’ve all experienced are the ones that will set the precedent for the ‘new normal’. And with the latest announcement from Boris it seems like the ‘new normal’ is here to stay for quite some time.
This year, much like everything else, planning for black Friday is very different and very difficult ,however from what we’ve learned from Friday's IMRG webinar, the uplift for online sales during black Friday period is predicted to spike above 30%. While there is so much we don’t know, we need to focus on what we do know. To put it simply, even in the Covid world the air is going to get a bit fresher when October comes, and Christmas will still fall on December 25th. Black Friday is going to move a little, but that’s what it has always done!
In order to help you navigate through this ‘new world’, we believe it’s still worth examining what happened last year in the home shopping market during Black Friday to help guide your decision making going forward.
{{cta('293fbc26-d189-468a-a803-138b50003a03')}}
A few key points to consider:
It's no surprise that online shopping have skyrocketed. Lockdown has resulted for online shopping volumes to spike. Even now that shops have reopened, online has continued to grow and forecasted to maintain this trend into the autumn/ winter season. As a result of the rapid online adoption it has put pressure across the entire chain, for fulfilment and shipment as well as carriers and customers. In order to avoid lost sales and unhappy customers, retailers will have to make sure they have enough stock to carry them through.
We are entering a new era for Retailers as shopping habits have changed significantly. Over a quarter of UK adults (28%) say they’ve been spending more online, and a third (32%) say they intend to make more use of online shopping or delivery. It goes without saying that consumers spent less in physical stores during lockdown, yet this loss in spend was largely made up for online. While discounts during black Friday may provide a short- term boost, it is looking like the longer-term trend will see fewer stores and make online their primary focus. Retailers need to start introducing new buying options that work for shopper’s post-lockdown.
Demand for gifting services is increasing: In our report above Gift, Gadgets and Entertainment actually display the highest Black Friday peak of all categories, with the index in 2019 hitting 409% of average sales on that day. Cyber Monday is also very significant at 316% of average sales. With personal connections harder to foster online, make the effort to form those 1:1 relationships with gifting service it'll make a difference.
Last, but not least brands will need to innovate to stand out online and hedge their bets in an omnichannel approach else face the risk of losing to algorithms online. Direct mail is such a great way to get your brand directly in the hands of the consumer, especially when you don’t get to have the human touch through your traditional high street in-store experience.
If you’re looking for more resources on how direct mail can help you this holiday season send us a message at enquiriesuk@epsilon.com
---
## 4 tips to build customer connections in a contactless world
Type: eps_post
URL: /4-tips-to-build-customer-connections-in-a-contactless-world
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T22:17:52Z
# 4 tips to build customer connections in a contactless world
2020 jolted us into reevaluating in-person interactions—from shopping to socializing to completely restructuring the workplace. Connecting with customers and creating loyalty has always been a challenge for brands, even during face-to-face interactions. Absent of those interactions, what are brands left with?
Contactless interactions must move beyond the baseline
It will take a bit more than leaving takeout on the front steps or accepting payments via Apple Pay to create strong, lasting connections with your customers.
The good news is, we have some ideas on how to connect with customers during this new normal of social distancing and online interactions. And they start with a new concept called Contactless Loyalty.
What is contactless loyalty?
If you haven’t heard of contactless loyalty before, don’t worry. It’s a new concept we’re introducing to you.
Contactless loyalty is the act of creating long-lasting connections with your people and keeping them coming back to your brand—even when human contact is limited.
Creating contactless loyalty means finding ways to simulate the human touch in programs like contact-free delivery, curbside pickup, and contactless payments to improve customer experiences and build brand affinity. The key is to think beyond short-term changes and evolve your strategy into something that can enhance customer loyalty with or without contact.
4 tips for creating contactless loyalty
At Epsilon, we have decades of experience helping the world’s largest brands create loyalty experiences that power lifetime customer connections. Based on that knowledge, we’d like to share four practical steps you can take to create loyalty.
1. Reevaluate the value exchange you have with your customers
Because consumer behavior has changed due to COVID-19, marketers must reevaluate all touchpoints along the buyer’s journey, from email outreach to digital media consumption. Consumers are engaging with new channels and technology—brands must consider whether these engagements create a satisfying customer experience that truly addresses their needs.
Wait, what is the value exchange?
As a brand, you need to deliver quality products, services, or experiences. In exchange, consumers deliver value to you through purchases and word-of-mouth recommendations. Investing in the value exchange encourages consumers to increase the amount of time, money, and emotional engagement that they share with your brand.
By focusing on these connections, you’ll create longer-lasting customer relationships. In an increasingly contactless world, consider how consumer behavior has changed and how you can incentivize customers to continue their engagement with your product.
2. Promote an agile strategy with the appropriate tools
Real-time feedback is a must-have for marketing campaigns. One thing connecting with customers during COVID-19 has taught us was that you’ll never know when you need quick reflexes and the ability to adapt.
At Epsilon, we believe in having the right analytics to be able to forecast, pace, and pivot when needed.
Here are some tools your brand should be using:
Forecasting. Loyalty programs justify their existence with ROI. We built our ProFIT model to help clients understand how profitable these programs can be. ProFIT is a holistic modeling and financial optimization tool designed specifically for loyalty programs. It identifies the sweet spot for program funding and potential for reward liability, creating the best-case, worst-case, and most likely 5-year P&L scenario.
This helps brands understand and predict the profitability of their loyalty investment. We model ROI and NPV to increase sales and acquisition while reducing attrition.
Pacing. Our Epsilon PeopleCloud (EPC) Loyalty platform builds out analytics around client-set goals and monitors them to drive outcomes. Creating insights around campaign analysis—one of our top priorities—helps clients monitor their loyalty program tiers differently and reward their members accordingly with personalized offers.
We’ve also taken analytics to the next level by tracking offer performance and updating brands when they’re on (or off) track. This improves transparency in results, from spending to engagement. It tracks progress and reports out to leadership in realtime.
Overall, our solution takes the heavy lifting off brands, and provides data-driven recommendations for how they should start their day and reach their desired outcomes.
Pivoting. Your loyalty approach needs to be nimble to pivot when needed. This stems from planning and pacing, but you also need the right tools for pivoting as consumer behavior continues to change. No one could have predicted COVID-19 and its ramifications. Having the right data in hand will inform your organization on how to connect with customers—no matter the surprise.
It’s important to continually monitor your loyalty program data to understand what’s working and what isn’t. At Epsilon, we help clients understand how their loyalty program compares to other CRM initiatives and monitor the program’s true ROI.
Here are a few considerations for pivoting your program in an increasingly contactless world:
Increase engagement across contactless channels or virtual experiences.
Create goodwill.
Lead with empathy.
Download our guide: Contactless loyalty: Build connections in a contactless world
3. Use loyalty data as your secret weapon
Remember, loyalty programs are about a value exchange. Customers expect a valuable and personalized loyalty experience in return for their data. Since loyalty programs are opt-in, customers are sharing their data in exchange for unique experiences personalized to them. It’s important to look beyond transactions to fully understand customer behavior, as behavior is ultimately what shows who someone is and what’s important to them. That way, you can reward your very best customers—and find look alike customers (or non-customers) to also join your program.
Over time with every interaction, you capture data to create a fuller, more holistic view of the customer, which helps you understand their motivations and how to best personalize their brand experiences. From there, you can compare those shopping with you to those who aren’t. You’ll see who has the best potential to join your program and how you can engage with them.
At Epsilon, we’ve created a methodology to segment and personalize the data our clients get from loyalty programs. Our segmentation model is called VAP, which stands for value, attrition and potential.
The model is a three-dimensional approach to determine:
Value: how valuable your customers are
Attrition: how likely customers are to leave your program or brand
Potential: what kind of potential they have with your brand in the future
This statistical model uses machine learning to automate data collection and provide marketers with detailed segmentation—helping them optimize their marketing investments and personalize their interactions. VAP uses a lifecycle approach of activate, engage, upsell and retain for marketers to determine program design components.
Overall, using your loyalty program data will help you reach the right customers and optimize your marketing spend.
4. Don’t forget to create emotional connections
For years, we’ve seen shifts from transactional to experiential loyalty. But now it’s important to make emotional connections that inspire contactless loyalty. Your marketing team must keep a balanced value exchange and learn how to connect with customers in meaningful ways. They must show empathy during times of disruption, build trust, and meet customers where they are as their behavior and sentiments change.
To achieve this, brands should focus on building loyalty into their culture. According to Deloitte Digital, “emotions are the basis for 80% of the decisions a person makes in a single day. Yet, very few brands have a way to sufficiently act upon a person’s emotions to impact their connection and loyalty to their brand.”
Even though COVID-19 has robbed brands of face-to-face interactions, they can still pivot and learn how to connect with customers effectively (albeit from behind a mask). When a company focuses on the ways that it can elevate the new customer rituals of contactless payment, delivery and curbside pickup to engender loyalty, it will inevitably outcompete incumbents who take their customers for granted.
Ready to create a contactless loyalty experience that keeps your members engaged, happy and coming back for more? Download our guide.
***This article originally appeared in L360.
---
## Without 3rd-party cookies and IDFA, are consumers really better off?
Type: eps_post
URL: /without-3rd-party-cookies-and-idfa-are-consumers-really-better-off
Last Modified: 2025-01-31T18:47:50Z
# Without 3rd-party cookies and IDFA, are consumers really better off?
Apple’s recent iOS 14 IDFA announcement, which followed Google’s January third-party cookie deprecation announcement, has made industry waves. It is the latest change in the clear trend of identifier deprecation that started in 2017, and will likely accelerate in the coming months and 2021. As a refresher, let’s review the differences between the two announcements:
Third-party cookies are placed on desktop and mobile web browsers. These are being removed by all major browsers. (Safari and Firefox have removed them already, and Google Chrome plans to do so by 2022.)
IDFA, Apple’s Identifier for Advertisers, is used like third-party cookies, but for apps on iOS devices. Starting in early 2021, their next operating platform update (iOS 14) will require user consent to deploy IDFA within apps. Every app will send a pop-up notification asking for user permission.
We’ve already explored how these shifts will impact advertisers, but how about the end user?
Cookie deprecation and IDFA limitations driven by consumer privacy concerns
Browsers and mobile operating companies are positioning these updates as being driven by consumers’ growing demand for privacy. Apple’s recent iPhone video ad, for example, features people loudly sharing personal, often embarrassing and dangerous information with those around them, and then closes out with: “Some things shouldn’t be shared. iPhone helps keep it that way.”
Consumers do indeed seem to care more about their privacy with every passing day, with data showing that 85% of US internet users are concerned about their privacy, and 76% of consumers are concerned about how tech and social media companies use their online data.
But what’s gained in privacy with the ecosystem shift means a customer experience tradeoff: namely, a loss of free and open, ungated content and personalized advertising which we all know consumers value.
Let’s take a look at the ways cookie deprecation and IDFA limitations negatively impact the end user, as well as what advertisers can do to best meet consumer expectations on all fronts.
A hit to the wallet—Less free content
Advertising powers a free internet and allows consumers to access content easily and at no-cost (in most cases). This free content could be lost as third-party cookies and IDFA go away. If publishers can’t fill their ad space and monetize their websites and apps, their business models will need to adapt. Likely outcomes are more subscription models, paid content and reliance on contextual targeting.
1st-party vs 3rd-party cookies: What’s the difference?
Consumers will have to wrestle with the question, “Is it better to pay for the content I want with money or with data?” Right now, we’re seeing that only 7% of consumers who do not pay for content said they would consider paying.
Even without subscription models, consumers can expect more gated content behind the requirement to register for an account. This allows emails and other information provided by consumers when creating accounts on websites to be linked to publishers’ first-party cookies. As publishers seek to monetize their websites in a world without third-party cookies, they can leverage their first-party data to better identify users and serve them relevant ads.
“Are you talkin’ to me?”—Loss of relevant, interesting ads
Consumers value personalized brand experiences. Our research shows that 80% of consumers are more willing to do business with a company that provides personalized experiences, and 90% find personalization appealing. This study also shows that 68% of consumers think it’s worth sharing personal information in exchange for relevant offers, recommendations, and discounts.
With this ecosystem shift, advertisers who were reliant on third-party cookies and IDFA permissions will have greatly diminished access to consumer browsing data, which means many will not be able to continue to provide the level of personalization consumers expect. Consumers can expect to see ads that are irrelevant and of much less interest to them, which can put the relationship at risk. According to an Infogroup 2019 survey, 90% of consumers indicate that messages from companies that are not personally relevant to them are “annoying.” And 67% of millennials/Gen-Zers have said, “I expect offers from companies to always be personalized.”
Groundhog Day—Increase in repetitive ads
Third-party cookies and IDFA signal when a user receives an ad, and advertisers set frequency caps to avoid over-messaging consumers. Without caps, consumers are likely to receive more repetitive ads and experience over-messaging as they browse—which can lead to annoyance on the consumer’s part.
Read more: With cookies crumbled and IDFA DOA, it’s time for a better identity strategy
Advertisers also tie multiple cookies and device IDs, across devices, to one individual. Without cookies and/or IDFA, advertisers won’t know how to reconcile the identity of users across their multiple devices and browsers. This will also contribute to consumers receiving repetitive ads.
Advertisers previously reliant on third-party cookies and IDFA will now have difficulty tying conversions back to the person who converted. This means consumers are more likely to receive ads for products they already purchased.
How to deliver personalized content in the new landscape
It’s time to future-proof your digital media strategy to ensure you can deliver to customers what they want: privacy + personalization.
With proactive preparation since 2012, Epsilon has built a privacy-centric, people-based identity graph that is anchored in deterministic purchase data from individuals and has limited reliance on third party cookies. The integrity of this purchase data allows us to have 96% accuracy and industry-leading match and reach rates. As a result, we are able to identify and serve 98% of our ads to individuals—not orphaned cookies or device IDs.
Epsilon’s direct relationships and growing first party integrations with over 5000 publishers also help us defend against third-party cookie deprecation, because, while third party cookies are on their way out, first party cookies are alive and well.
Our years of preparation building people-based identity with first-party strategies and relationships will enable us to continue delivering results for our advertisers, while still providing privacy.
See what Apple’s IDFA shift means for advertisers and the advertising industry: “With cookies crumbled and IDFA DOA, it’s time for a better identity strategy.”
---
## Creating contactless loyalty: 4 tips for retailers
Type: eps_post
URL: /4-tips-for-retailers-to-create-contactless-loyalty
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Creating contactless loyalty: 4 tips for retailers
Curbside pickup and contactless handoff have surged around the world. Find out how retailers can evolve their contactless experiences to create contactless loyalty.
In the retail world, consumer behavior has drastically changed.
Brick-and-mortar stores have historically been an anchor for fostering strong customer relationships. Thanks to COVID-19 lockdowns and business closures, however, in-person interactions have been limited. People have been looking for new ways to shop and engage.
Digital technologies such as contactless payments, and techniques like using retail stores as fulfillment centers for deliveries, were once thought futuristic. The pandemic has made them commonplace, however. As these novelties become conventional, they also become rote. Brands need to find new solutions beyond email, media content, and Facebook to delight customers and helpmake these experiences stand out.
Changing consumer behavior
Curbside pickup is extremely popular around the world right now and the most popular method for receiving goods, with delivery and in-store pickup close behind.
According to Epsilon’s report, Consumer Sentiment during COVID-19, 61% of consumers are very likely to repurchase groceries online for pickup, while 56% are very likely to repurchase online for delivery and 53% would use Amazon for a repeat grocery purchase.
The report also shows that Amazon continues to top the retail industry, followed by mass merchandisers, dollar stores, gardening and outdoor retailers, and Costco.
Curbside pickup has proliferated even more amid safety concerns, extending from grocery pickups to curbside pet grooming at PetSmart.
Download our new guide: Contactless loyalty: Build connections in a contactless world
As the world becomes increasingly contactless, retailers must focus on new ways to building loyalty that complement their existing customer loyalty program. Competitive brands will optimize the proliferation of contactless experiences to build human connections and engender loyalty. Retail marketers should work to evolve from contactless experiences to contactless loyalty.
What is contactless loyalty?
Contactless loyalty is the act of creating long-lasting connections with your customers and keeping them coming back to your brand—even when human contact is limited.
Think beyond short-term changes. Other brands are already using contact-free delivery, curbside pickup and contactless payments. But how do you add a human element to create stronger connections within those programs? Evolving your strategy will improve customer experiences and build brand affinity.
Who is doing it well?
Walmart understands its consumers’ path to purchase and leverages contactless payments to streamline consumer experience and build loyalty. Instead of touching a screen on self-checkouts or payment processors, customers can scan a QR code using their mobile phone (smartphone) to sync the Walmart Pay app for contact-free in-store payments.
Contactless payments like this use one-time tokens for each transaction, which is the same type of protection you get when inserting your card into a chip reader. The process is faster than traditional payments, with the added activation security of PIN passwords, fingerprints, or facial recognition.
These initiatives address the customers’ emotional needs around choice, cleanliness, convenience, and safety.
4 tips for retailers: How to begin building contactless loyalty
On your journey toward creating contactless loyalty, here are some ideas to make strong, emotional connections with your retail customers:
Reduce contact as much as possible. Shopping is a very tactile process and safety still a top priority. Think of ways to showroom larger products to buy online and expedite the checkout experience in-store and ensure your loyalty communications are driving awareness of the extra steps the brand is taking.
Promote your other methods for ordering and pickup, especially since customers are already adopting these behaviors. Think about all touchpoints—from ordering online to delivery or pickup. The technology should be seamless and easy to use, and you should clearly communicate the steps of interaction with customers. For loyalty program members consider offering soft benefits like: early/extended pickup, expedited check-out, enhanced returns, or free/discounted shipping.
Make sure you’re managing inventory and resources. With customers making fewer trips to stores, having their items available is critical. Use your loyalty and POS data to ensure headcount and inventory are available throughout key shopping periods. Your employees should be trained and adequately staffed to ensure your loyal customers have the best contactless experience possible.
Bring in-store pickup to the forefront of your online shopping channels and provide flexible options and clear directions for pickup. Use updated signage, and consider heightening experiences with allocated parking spots, dedicated phone numbers to call or text, and delivery straight to your customers’ trunks. Since most retailers now offer pickup options, you need to make sure that your experience is streamlined, builds loyalty, and positions your brand as your loyal customers’ first choice.
Building contactless loyalty is an urgent priority for retailers, but it doesn’t have to be a huge dilemma. Using the steps above, retailers can easily go above and beyond their competitors, creating a contactless offering that promotes health and safety while retaining the all-important human touch.
Download our e-book on "Contactless loyalty: Building lasting connections in an increasingly contactless world" to learn more. We dive deeper into the concept of contactless loyalty, share more consumer trends, and explain more building blocks to create contactless loyalty.
***This article was originally posted on The Wise Marketer
---
## How COVID holiday plans can be a win for CPG brands
Type: eps_post
URL: /holidays-interrupted-how-covid-holiday-plans-can-be-a-win-for-cpg-brands
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T22:17:52Z
# How COVID holiday plans can be a win for CPG brands
As we (finally) barrel towards the end of 2020, marketers across industries are bracing for what’s to come of a pandemic-laden holiday season. In order to thrive, marketers need to get strategic and focused with their digital holiday campaigns.
While industries like retail and travel are attempting to nudge people back to their behaviors of years past, CPG brands are uniquely positioned to embrace new audience behaviors and actually increase revenue for the remainder for the year.
In this blog, we’ll uncover how consumer behavior during COVID-19 has shifted, creating an opportunity for CPG marketers this holiday season, and provide quick-turn recommendations to make the most out of their campaigns.
Traditions are off the table, but consumers are adapting
This year, we’re all going to have to alter our holiday plans in some way. For many, this means staying home, hosting get-togethers in limited groups and more people cooking at home. Here’s what we’re expecting to see:
More hosts, smaller gatherings
With the pandemic still in full swing, 51% of Americans said they are going to avoid large gatherings or events—especially when indoors. Large holiday gatherings are going to become fragmented, with more people hosting smaller events.
Less travel
This holiday season, there are an expected 31 million fewer travelers than last. That is a monumental shift towards staying home. 32% are not planning any travel at all for the remainder of 2020. One-third of Gen Z and Gen Y canceled travel plans for the year.
More cooks in the kitchen
According to Epsilon’s Shopper’s Voice data, almost 40% of consumers are cooking at home more often. Not to mention, 63% of consumers are looking for recipe or meal ideas (pumpkin pie, anyone?).
Less eating out
Consumers have been conscious about the safety of restaurant dining and takeout during the pandemic. 33% consumers will feel safe to go back to restaurants when there are no new cases for a few weeks—which is not likely until a vaccine is widely available.
According to Epsilon’s Shopper’s Voice data, almost 40% of consumers are cooking at home more often.
This shift in consumer behavior has created unique opportunity for CPG brands. More cooks, more gatherings and less eating out means more opportunity for CPG brands to help make the holidays special (even during a pandemic). This is because many of us have followed the same holiday traditions for years, if not decades. Think about where you’d normally be on each holiday this season and the dishes that each person usually brings. Also, Each spin-off dinner from a traditional gathering will require a new cook or host—someone to plan and prepare the meal. Those shoppers will need inspiration, and CPG brands should be on standby ready to give it to them.
Ultimately, CPG marketers have the opportunity to deliver an idea or product that makes a difficult holiday season something to look forward to. But part of getting that right is zeroing-in on the right audiences and activate to reach those valuable new cooks and hosts.
The new key audiences: How to reach the entertainers, cooks and those creating new traditions
To find the right in-market customers discussed above, we recommend focusing your messages on three key audience segments:
Entertainers. Consumers with browsing behaviors focused on food, decorating and entertaining during the holiday season. If a person is searching for Pinterest holiday party ideas or fun holiday punch, they’re looking for inspiration.
Cooks. Consumers with browsing behavior indicating meal preparation for a holiday dinner, great appetizers and sweet desserts.
Those with disrupted traditions. Consumers that have booked a hotel or dined out during Thanksgiving, Christmas, or New Years of last year. There’s a high probability they will celebrate at home based on COVID-19 restrictions and the current lack of travel.
But there’s a caveat—the success of this new addressable audience truly relies on good data.
CPG marketers need visibility into things like consumer browsing behavior and purchase history in order to best predict their roles this holiday season.
Make sure to prioritize a digital media strategy with strong identity resolution capabilities and a foundation of first- and third-party data in order to meet busy customers where they are, across all their devices.
Idahoan serves up the perfect message for the holiday season
Who doesn’t love a great side of mashed potatoes with their holiday meal? Idahoan recognized the potential to appeal to cooks—or really anyone looking for a creative way to use pantry staples—and focused their messaging on quality and convenience.
This thanksgiving, the CPG giant is ready to engage customers with eye-catching video display, aiming to ease people’s concerns about cooking pre-packaged potatoes for their big meals. Positioning Idahoan as an easy—and quality—option for the iconic side dish, the ads successfully engage the cooks and entertainers looking for inspiration.
{% video_player "embed_player" overrideable=False, type='scriptV4', hide_playlist=True, viral_sharing=False, embed_button=False, autoplay=False, hidden_controls=False, loop=False, muted=False, full_width=False, width='1920', height='1080', player_id='36022449678', style='' %}
These communications are that much more effective when they’re relevant to the audience. In addition to cooks and entertainers, Idahoan is leveraging purchase-based audiences to reach people who buy other pre-packaged side dishes but haven’t tried their potatoes yet.
Their holiday campaign is not the first time this year that Idahoan has pivoted their strategy to reach people in a post-COVID world. They have been quick to connect with people who are cooking at home and are on the hunt for simple recipes or suggestions, like pairing flavored potatoes with the right dish or combining with other ingredients to make a casserole.
Taking a page from Idahoan, by fully aligning consumer data with retail and first- and third-party sources, you can offer recipes (or how-tos, DIY videos, etc.) that appeal to your new audience segments like the entertainers, cooks, and those with disrupted traditions looking for inspiration this season.
The time is now for CPG brands
The holidays are fast approaching, and consumers will soon begin adapting their long-standing traditions to fit this new way of life. While many industries are scrambling, CPG brands find themselves in a unique position to make a real impact this holiday season. With more cooks and hosts staying home and eating out less, marketers should be prepared to take advantage of this reinvigorated audience.
Interested in learning more about how people are shopping during COVID-19? Check out our report,Consumer sentiment during COVID-19,for more insights into how the pandemic is impacting the CPG industry.
---
## Research: 5 insights into today’s recessionary consumer, and what retailers can learn
Type: eps_post
URL: /research-5-insights-into-todays-recessionary-consumer-and-what-retailers-can-learn
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T22:17:52Z
# Research: 5 insights into today’s recessionary consumer, and what retailers can learn
Since the start of 2020, global consumers have adapted to rapidly shifting circumstances. It won't be news to anyone that this has affected how, where and why consumers spend their - often harder to earn - cash.
But what's less clear is consumer sentiment right now, and how it's likely to adapt in the lead-up to the much-anticipated peak shopping period of 2020 and beyond.
To shed light on the evolving habits of consumers in the UK, Epsilon-Conversant ran a consumer survey with Retail Week, designed to give retail marketers greater insight on today’s consumers and how best to market to them.
Below, I’ve detailed a few of the key insights that jump out at me, but we've also created a series of one-page reports in collaboration with Retail Week, detailing the findings in more detail. Claim your copy of the first report here.
{{cta('95b7ed53-3553-4d4f-a43e-00e4d177d827','justifycenter')}}
Consumers want to hear about discounts and sales, not just products
Consumers are overwhelmingly looking for discounts and special offers right now.
While many are confident in their personal finances over the next year - 77% expect their level of discretionary spend to either stay the same or increase - consumers expect to be cautious in their spending. 86% of Christmas shoppers expect a low price to either influence them more or the same compared to Christmas 2019.
Of course, this is reflected in the content of messaging that consumers want to receive from brands. 46% of consumers want to receive messaging about discounts or special offers from retailers, while factual content - such as opening hours - is preferred by 17%. Messaging that contains wellbeing and positive thinking is preferred by 15% of consumers, while community focused updates was highlighted as a preference by just 10%.
Interestingly, product focused content, and messaging that looks ahead to upcoming stock is only preferred by 7% and 6% of consumers respectively. The takeaway is clear: you need a good reason - such as a sale - to contact consumers specifically about your products right now. To do otherwise will risk alienating them.
Not all marketing is equal: Measure both success and failure
Of course, there’ll be no surprises that perceived value is an important factor in consumer loyalty, with 52% admitting bad value discourages them from being loyal to retailers, and 55% saying they’re put off by poor quality products.
What may be surprising to some retail marketers is that repetitive or irrelevant adverts that follow consumers around the internet are almost as influential in discouraging purchases - 47% of consumers in our survey cite this as a factor that stops them from being loyal to a retailer.
Similarly, too frequent communications is blamed by 41% of consumers as a factor that stops them from shopping with a retailer.
It’s now more important than ever to ensure your marketing contributes to overall profit, and that means properly measuring the outcome of your marketing. Gauging success via last click attribution will never show the negative outcomes that some marketing activity can have on consumers, actively dissuading them from purchasing from you.
Measuring according to the incremental return each activity brings your business is key to unearthing the true value – positive or negative – that marketing activities create.
Understand the recipient of your marketing
Every consumer is different, and events so far in 2020 have certainly highlighted that. We asked consumers how frequently they were prepared to receive emails from retailers before it annoyed them: just 17% were prepared to receive emails daily. 44% were happy to receive retailer emails weekly, while 19% said that once a month was the right amount.
Perhaps the biggest takeaway here is the need to truly understand who it is that you’re messaging. One consumer might have an affinity with your brand and the capacity to read daily emails from you, but that same cadence of messaging risks annoying 83% of consumers. Adapting your messaging - whether it’s advertising, email, SMS, or more likely a combination of channels - to the person receiving them is vital to ensure your marketing has a net-positive impact on your business’ bottom line.
Relevance in loyalty is key to cut-through
Many retailers - Lidl and Marks & Spencer being great examples - are doubling-down on customer loyalty right now by either launching new, or re-thinking existing loyalty schemes. But consider the consumer - loyalty programmes require input from the consumer, whether that’s remembering to carry a membership card, collecting rewards, or an uptick in communications from a brand.
On average, the number of retailer loyalty programmes that our consumers reported being a member of was 3.4. Yet the average number that they participate in each month was just 2.8.
To cut-through and ensure your loyalty programme positively impacts consumer loyalty with your brand - to make sure your programme is one of the 2.8 loyalty programmes that consumers actually use - it’s essential that you use what you already know about your consumers to inform your programme. The relevancy of your loyalty activities is key to ensure uptake among your most loyal consumers.
Consumers definitely want their retail experiences personalised
There’s a clear understanding amongst two-thirds of consumers that in order to have a more relevant and beneficial experience with a retailer, they need to provide information about themselves. 68% of consumers report that they are happy to provide personal information in order to receive a more tailored shopping experience.
Digital personalised experiences can be both on-site and off-site - from email messaging and advertising, through to up-sells and product recommendations at checkout. Retailers that see the most success from personalisation lessen consumer friction by increasing relevancy for each individual consumer - that’s win-win for both consumers and retailers, especially during recessionary times.
As mentioned, we've also created a series of one-page reports in collaboration with Retail Week, detailing the findings in more detail. Claim your copy of the first report here.
{{cta('95b7ed53-3553-4d4f-a43e-00e4d177d827','justifycenter')}}
---
## Financial service brands can go contactless to build loyalty & trust
Type: eps_post
URL: /financial-service-brands-contactless-experiences
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Financial service brands can go contactless to build loyalty & trust
With 79% of the world using contactless payments, now’s the time for Financial Services brands to explore how to build contactless loyalty.
New fintech companies had been slowly eroding the necessity of in-person interactions at banks—but the coronavirus pandemic has put a stop to them almost altogether. Customers can interact with their banks over the phone or online, but it’s harder to delight customers with these interactions.
Instead of simply accepting a decline in customer loyalty, some banks are turning to a concept that we call contactless loyalty. It’s what it sounds like—a way to engender loyalty in customers without meeting them face to face. How are financial institutions adding the human element to their contactless experiences?
Contactless payments are on the rise
In a recent survey, Mastercard learned that 79% of the world is currently using contactless payments. This means people can purchase something without physically touching technology that doesn’t belong to you. Contactless payments completely remove touchscreens and card readers. This feature also creates paperless receipts, which is one less thing to touch. Some examples include:
Mobile wallets
App payments
Near Field Communication (NFC) with your credit card, a technology that allows devices such as phones and laptops to share data with each other when they’re in close proximity.
Mastercard has reported a 40% increase in contactless payments during the first quarter of 2020, as COVID-19 worsened and people began to think of cash and credit cards as “unclean.” In a poll of 17,000 consumers across 19 countries, the fintech giant learned that consumers perceive contactless payments as “the cleaner way to pay.”
In a recent survey, Mastercard learned that79% of the world is currently using contactless payments.
Cardless interactions at the ATM
COVID-19 shutdowns have also contributed to the need for contactless interactions. Closed bank branches made ATMs more important.Some ATMs use NFC to conduct cardless withdrawals and transactions. Similar to card readers, customers can use their digital wallet to conduct the transaction. Another contactless method is for banks to send customers a unique code from their banking app or mobile wallet to enter into the ATM—helpful for on-the-go customers who don’t have their card.
According to Business Insider, contactless ATMs can decrease transaction times from an average of 45 seconds to just 10 seconds. This saves customers time through a safer, simplified experience.
Who’s doing it well?
Chase and Bank of America use mobile wallets such as Apple Pay and Google Play, whereas Wells Fargo and Capital One have their own apps. Wells Fargo was the first major bank to roll out “cardless” technology across their entire network of 13,000 ATMs. In 2017, they saw digital transactions and ATMs as their top engagement drivers—and now all their ATMs offer cardless transactions.
In the UK, major financial institutions have also established contactless payment methods. Barclay’s “contactless cash” feature allows any customer with an account to make a withdrawal by tapping their card or smartphone on an ATM’s reader.
These brands address customers’ emotional needs around safety, cleanliness and convenience--ultimately developing trust and loyalty.
Build trust and emotional connection through personalization
FSI must make customers feel safe and cared for—and alleviate any doubt they may have around managing their financials.
Brands can achieve this through personalization. When customers open your app, greet them based on the time of day (e.g., “good morning,” “good evening”). A little warmth goes a long way. You can also notify customers of low balances to help them avoid overdrafts and remind them of upcoming credit card due dates to help them avoid late fees.
To take personalization even further, consider each customer’s financial lifecycle and offer them products and services relevant to their life stage. Searching for a new home? Offer them mortgage services. Child nearing driving age? Offer a used car loan. This shows customers you know them and are using their data to best serve them.=
Conversational AI and virtual assistants
Consider adding a virtual assistant to your website or app.More than half (56%) of people would rather message a customer service platform than call one, and conversational AI is an always-on service that makes sure these customers get what they need without delay.
While most people are aware that AI isn’t a real person, it still adds a human touch-- it demonstrates that your brand wants to provide speedy service. Chatbots and virtual assistants make customers feel less alone as they try to navigate complex and detail-oriented financial apps. Plus,in the future, this technology will be able to read individuals’ emotions to drive ever-more relevant responses.
More than half (56%) of people would rather message a customer service platform than call one
Who’s doing it well?
For example, Bank of America’s voice-activated virtual assistant Erica focuses on service and always-on banking capabilities. It monitors transactions and reaches out if it spots unusual activity. With more than ten million users, Erica gives clients greater visibility into their full financial picture.
What’s more, Erica helps provide contextual insights for financial services customers. The assistant can notify customers when they are eligible for BofA’s Preferred Rewards program, notify them when they’re close to the next rewards tiers, and then guides them towards qualification. Over six million clients are now rewards members—people who now have an enhanced relationship with the institution and are that much less likely to churn.
As the world becomes contactless, financial institutions must think beyond technology and identify what they can do to build a trusting and loyal relationship with their customers. Contactless experiences provide a unique opportunity to create emotional connections and address your clients’ concerns around convenience and safety.
Download our e-book on “Contactless Loyalty: Building lasting connections in an increasingly contactless world” to learn more. We define the concept of contactless loyalty, share current consumer trends, and four steps to creating contactless loyalty
***This article was originally published on The Wise Marketer
---
## The future of the experience economy
Type: eps_post
URL: /the-future-of-the-experience-economy
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T22:20:56Z
# The future of the experience economy
The modern consumer prefers experiences over stuff. Winterberry Group found a 6.3% growth in spend on experiences—such as travel, live entertainment and dining out—over material goods in 2019.
Modern marketers often refer to this shift as the “experience economy,” a term first introduced in a 1988 article by B. Joseph Pine II and James H. Gilmore. The authors suggest that the experience economy is the latest mode of the economy, following the agrarian economy, the industrial economy and the most recent service economy. The idea is that modern marketers need to create memorable events for consumers, wherefrom the memory itself becomes the product: the "experience.”
But, as we all know, in-person experiences came to a sudden halt as stay-at-home orders took effect due to COVID-19. Now, even as brick-and-mortar businesses reopen, many consumers are hesitant to resume their pre-pandemic activities. According to Epsilon research published September 2020, over 33% of consumers don’t feel safe going into physical retail stores until there have been no new cases in their state for a few weeks, and nearly 1 in 4 consumers won’t feel comfortable traveling again until a vaccine has been made available.
In the inaugural issue of CORE Content, we explored the impact that COVID-19 has already had on the experience economy, as well as what the longer-term impact may be.
What are brands doing?
Brands built around the experience economy are dramatically shifting gears. Airbnb, for example, moved in-person cultural experiences for its customers online, offering:
Tango concerts from Argentina
Wine classes from Portugal
Family baking classes from the U.S.
These virtual connections not only offer exposure to new cultures, but also intimate experiences that would be more expensive in person. Could these types of experiences continue?
In May, Apple purchased virtual reality company NextVR, a startup that broadcasts live and recorded events in virtual reality, such as sporting events and concerts.
But virtual experiences seem only to go so far. That same month, Disney’s theme park in Shanghai reopened and sold out of tickets within minutes. People are hungry for in-person experiences that feed our desire for human connection and connection to the physical world.
So even though some marketers are getting creative when it comes to virtual experiences, it’s tough to imagine people preferring virtual concerts, for example, to the real thing for very long after a COVID-19 vaccine comes onto the scene. Perhaps it’s safe to say that component of the economy will return to normal once we’re out of the pandemic woods.
Brands need to think differently about how they market their products and services to create an experience. Even if overall consumer spending is down, people still need stuff. And they’re more likely to buy stuff if their customer experience is as positive and memorable as a concert.
COVID-19 reminds brands that all customer experiences should be memorable
Traditionally we think of in-person events like concerts, pop-ups and cooking classes as the only components of the experience economy. In-person events are the easiest way to understand the shift from service economy to experience economy.
But as associate professor at the University of Queensland David Solnet points out: “Everything is an experience.” Solnet reminds marketers that every touchpoint between a customer and a brand is an experience—an experience capable of leaving positive memories for the customers, just like a concert.
Take unboxing. People are shopping more online than ever before, which means lots and lots of packages that need to be opened. These packages (and the packaging on the products themselves) can be enticing and memorable to open, or they can be lackluster and totally forgettable. The former option can develop strong brand loyalty and valuable user-generated content (unboxing videos are incredibly popular on YouTube), while the latter is a wasted opportunity. DTC brands like Glossier have already perfected the unboxing experience, to the point where there are more than 73,000 Glossier unboxing videos on YouTube.
A privacy partner you can trust: CCPA and beyond
Likewise, the online customer experience needs to be similarly positive and memorable. And if brands seriously dedicate themselves to developing stronger digital customer experiences, that starts with understanding customers themselves. Knowing what each individual consumer wants and needs allows a brand to create custom experiences that are positive for the consumer.
So what does 2021 and beyond look like?
As consumers continue to remain hesitant when it comes to their spending (Fitch Ratings estimates retail sales to remain in decline during the second-half of 2020 and for 2021 sales to be down as much as 10% from 2019 levels), there’s a good chance we’ll see brands continue to innovate in terms of developing improved experiences around their products and services.
We don’t know when travel, dining and entertainment will return to pre-pandemic levels, but we do know that the economy has been changed. And perhaps the future of the experience economy looks like a return to its roots: the customer experience.
Image credit: Natalie Jeffcott/Stocksy
---
## How to build loyalty in a contactless world
Type: eps_post
URL: /how-to-build-loyalty-in-a-contactless-world
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# How to build loyalty in a contactless world
Not every company has a loyalty program, and not every company has a loyalty team. But right now, every company is evaluating how to build loyalty in a contactless world.
Contactless experiences aren’t new—they’ve simply been accelerated due to COVID-19.
Data emerging from the past few months is telling. According to Mastercard, 79% of people around the world are currently using contactless payments, and 74% will continue to use mobile payments after the pandemic subsides. In early April, Adobe Analytics recorded a 208% YOY increase in online-to-in-store pickup. And an Epsilon survey found that two-thirds of consumers feel there will be permanent changes to daily life due to the pandemic.
How do brands adapt to these shifting behaviors and create contactless experiences that matter? There are four essential building blocks for a successful contactless loyalty program that will resonate with customers.
1. Reassess the value exchange you have with customers
The relationship between the brand and the customer is built on a two-way value exchange that meets customers’ rational and emotional needs. A customer that likes your brand might open your emails, but a customer that loves your brand will drive the extra seven miles to the next exit where your hotel is located.
Forrester’s Emily Collins echoed similar sentiments in a recent report. “It’s natural to want to jump in with a specific use case or channel, but laying out the existing loyal customer journey grounds you in the customer’s state, rather than your short-term business objectives,” she said.
In a world that is socially distanced, the question now becomes: What value is your brand actually creating in a contactless environment that will still elicit those feelings of love? Can you deliver real-time rewards and experiences that build long-term loyalty, and factor in the new expectations that consumers have?
Marriott is a great example of a brand that shifted to add real value this year through contactless engagements in their Marriott Bonvoy app.
For example, after 4 p.m., travelers receive a push notification to check-in and another notification when their room is ready. And they can then unlock their room from their phone, watch or Siri with Mobile Key Shortcuts. Plus, at the conclusion of their stay, guests can check out through their phone and have their receipt emailed, again allowing them to skip the front desk and keep a safe distance from other travelers.
These updates appeal to both the rational and emotional side of the loyalty equation because they provide easier access to entry and checkout and they ease anxiety for travelers. This provides a true value-add to customers while also encouraging loyalty app downloads and use.
2. Invest in the right tools to keep your strategy nimble
If 2020 has shown us anything, it’s that flexibility is key for all marketing initiatives. Ask yourself how flexible your programs and partners are. How quickly can you pivot to new tactics and strategies and what’s the uptime to actual implementation?
At Epsilon, we focus on three main tenets for staying flexible while planning ahead.
Predict: A good loyalty strategy requires investment, which means you need to prove that to your CFO and executive board. The business needs to recognize that loyalty is not about giving discounts, it’s about growing engagement and bottom-line results over time. With that in mind, Epsilon works with clients to build five-year ROI plans that show what investment produces what returns so they can track toward real, measurable outcomes with their stakeholders.
Pace: Planning and setting goals are an important first step, but gone are the days of executing a strategy and analyzing once it has finished. Epsilon works with clients to plan rational and emotional goals and plus track progress along the way. It’s critical to understand real-time results so you can pivot to achieve your goals.
Pivot: Being able to pivot—quickly—is key to making this work. There is no value in setting a three to five-year plan and never looking at it again. Things change, the business changes, the world changes. Your loyalty strategy needs to be flexible to meet those needs, and you need the right tools to act on it.
3. Use loyalty data as your secret weapon
Knowing your customers—across all of their interactions with your brand—is critical to building loyalty. Identity-based profiles can connect online and offline interactions to digital and physical experiences so that marketers can understand the breadth of a person’s engagement with their brand.
This holistic customer view helps shape investment in each individual immediately and over time. We help clients do value and attrition analyses to know who in their customer universe is extremely loyal versus those that are in their loyalty program but have less potential for ongoing engagement.
For example, if a customer is high-risk for attrition, it’s okay to not serve them new rewards or new exclusive offers. But if that person is at medium-risk for attrition, then you can include them in a win-back campaign to lower their potential for attrition and turn them back toward your brand.
4. Loyalty cannot be an island
Loyalty is not a standalone initiative—it’s the goal of every interaction a customer has with your brand. At Epsilon we often talk about building enculturated loyalty, meaning that loyalty is a part of every facet of the business, not just a marketing or customer retention initiative.
Since 2013, Epsilon has worked with Dunkin Brands to architect and build their DD Perks program, which now has more than 12 million members. DD Perks set the bar for many other brands exploring loyalty initiatives, and their cross-business loyalty focus has been crucial in our new contactless world. Dunkin shifted early on in the pandemic to offer safe, contactless ordering and pickup through their app. And their strategy goes beyond a quick fix for the pandemic to ensuring support for longer-term goals and revenue. Here’s a look at how that’s done:
Focus on app downloads: Dunkin’s external messaging promotes the app as the first step in the ordering process. Once customers have downloaded the app, they can choose to continue signing up for the rewards program or order as a guest.
Keep benefits front-and-center: Dunkin offers step-by-step guidelines for ordering digitally—from downloading the app to picking up an order—with articles and videos discussing how safe and easy the process is. This shows benefits up front, reinforcing why customers should use the app to place orders.
Connect digital and physical experiences: Dunkin added curbside pickup to 1,000 stores that didn’t have drive-thru options, and that now represents 2% of all transactions at those stores. They also expanded delivery from 2,000 to 4,000 locations across the country, and contactless delivery orders are 3x the average check size.
They also allow members to save their favorites for easy reordering—ensuring customers can have their favorite coffee and a meal in hand quickly.
Brands can build loyalty in a contactless world—and hopefully contactless won’t be a requirement due to a pandemic, but instead a continuing evolution of loyalty needs and technology.
**This post is an update to an article originally posted on Adweek, October 2020.
---
## Who thrives in the new world?
Type: eps_post
URL: /questions-to-help-marketers-thrive-in-the-new-world
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T22:20:56Z
# Who thrives in the new world?
“COVID-19 has upended our modern lives in ways we’re just starting to understand,” states an April 2020 report titled Our New World, released by the venture capital company Bond—of which Mary Meeker, best known for her annual Internet Trends report, is a partner.
Some companies have been swift to evolve how they operate and best serve their customers. Here, we recap signifiers of long-term success from the report, highlight what’s been happening since the report was published and share questions that can help your brand succeed in the altered business landscape.
Cloud-based tools allow employees to work and connect from anywhere.
The ability to virtually connect has certainly been a boon in 2020. With cloud-based tools, employees have been able to work from home with little to no disruption to normal productivity levels. In fact, a survey from U.S.-based Enterprise Technology Research (ETR) found that of the more than 1,000 CIOs interviewed, 48.6% reported that productivity has actually improved since workers began working remotely.
Of course, a team is only as productive as their tools and training allows them to be. In addition to vetting different cloud-based technologies, hosting virtual learning sessions on effective remote working can lead to better-functioning teams, as well.
Questions to ask yourself:
How well does your team engage in remote work?
Knowing you probably have physical locations, production facilities and products, how do you balance and provide guidance on working in the office versus remote?
Products related to food, water, shelter and entertainment tend always to be in demand—especially in uncertain times.
While some brands and products have been doing well lately, many have of course been hit hard and have been forced to innovate or suffer the consequences.
Spa brand milk + honey, for instance, had to close up their spas at the onset of COVID-19. When about 90% of their revenue stream was abruptly cut off, the company had to rely on the e-commerce side of the business as its only source of revenue. And while many businesses floundered, March and April were two of the most successful months for milk + honey’s product company—largely due to sales of its alcohol-based hand purifier, which became the focus of its paid media campaigns.
Questions to ask yourself:
If your products have less utility in a major disruption, how can you pivot to focus on other product lines, similar to alcohol brands shifting to hand sanitizer?
How can your product—or your marketing—adapt to be more relevant?
An easily discoverable online presence seamlessly helps consumers.
Consumers are spending more time online than ever, and they’re also shopping online at exceptionally high rates. According to Adobe Analytics, U.S. online sales for September 2020 increased 43% year over year—just above August’s online sales growth, which increased 42% year over year.
So it has never been more important to build your websites’ visibility. In addition to improving your SEO, consider the ways brands have been innovating with e-commerce. One example we’ve seen is PepsiCo launching two direct-to-consumer websites recently (Snacks.com and PantryShop.com), where customers can purchase food and snack items.
Questions to ask yourself:
What words, key phrases or products are you prioritizing for SEO and SEM?
As many brands quickly build e-commerce options, how are you balancing near-term priorities with long-term needs post-COVID?
Find efficient ways to distribute products to customers with limited contact.
Consumers are looking to stay indoors. And by now, we’ve seen brands get very creative: In our article “The future of the experience economy,” we highlight some ways traditionally in-person products like dance and cooking classes are going virtual.
And it looks like consumers are game. A new Music 360 Report by MRC Data shows that just under half of music listeners feel it’s important for the industry to offer virtual concerts or livestream performances. People are hungry for the same products and experiences they’ve always had access to—hungry enough to try them out in new settings.
Questions to ask yourself:
Can you rethink your product distribution chain?
Movies are now going straight to streaming versus being released in theaters. How could that thinking be applied to your product and industry?
Use products and tools that make work more digitally efficient.
In addition to cloud-based virtual connection tools, there are also tools that can lead to greater operational efficiency. Many are speculating that “work-from-home” is here to stay—at least in some capacity—for most businesses. That means that investing in products and tools designed to make remote working more efficient will reap dividends.
Slack and Microsoft Teams have unsurprisingly seen growth accelerate during the pandemic, but there are so many helpful, innovative remote working tools out there for marketing teams to take advantage of.
Questions to ask yourself:
How can you think differently about the types of technology your team uses or needs?
What tools would you invest in if budget wasn’t an issue and how can you prioritize those items?
A broad or emerging social media presence is a must.
And finally, there has never been a more important time to step up your social media presence. We found that consumers’ social media engagement has increased during the pandemic, and brands can do a lot to use this as an opportunity to hear from and engage their audience better.
A new report on from Business Insider Intelligence shows that marketers are using social listening right now to identify consumer needs, manage organic social, measure sentiment, handle crises and develop marketing creative. This is an important time to ensure you’re not underutilizing social media.
Questions to ask yourself:
How is your brand represented on social media?
How are you using social listening to anticipate trends and monitor brand favor?
We certainly are in a new world, and there’s something exciting about the rapid change taking place. What will the world look like a year from now, or five years from now? There’s much we can’t predict—but there is much that we can. One thing seems to be fairly evident: The need to prioritize all things digital won’t go away.
How have you and your team already adapted to the “new normal”? And how will you continue to evolve?
Image credit: French Anderson Ltd/Stocksy
---
## Holiday Email Marketing: Creative strategies to stand out in the inbox
Type: eps_post
URL: /email-creative-holiday-shopping-2020
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T22:17:52Z
# Holiday Email Marketing: Creative strategies to stand out in the inbox
With Epsilon client YTD email volume up 9% over 2019 and Forrester predicting a 40% lift in digital marketing messages in 2021, you may ask yourself: “How can I increase sales and grab more revenue share from my competitors this holiday season when inboxes are already flooding with messages?” It’s more critical than ever that you cut through the clutter this shopping season, using email creative to stand out in the inbox and wow your customers.
But this can feel daunting when there’s so much uncertainty, not to mention limited social gatherings, interrupted travel plans, shipping delays, and consumer hesitancy about shopping in-store. You may also be challenged by limited resources, wondering how you can possibly do more with less in such a competitive market.
I’m pleased to share that there are many fast, actionable ways you can pivot in time for the holidays and ultimately win with customers. All it takes is a bit of imagination, a sound creative strategy, and plenty of holiday email examples for inspiration.
But before we discuss creative strategy, let’s quickly talk about some holiday email marketing trends that will help even the odds with your competition.
What makes this year so different?
Ecommerce is soaring
According to eMarketer, this year’s US ecommerce sales are expected to be up 32.4% over last year. More consumers are shopping online than ever before, even during events like Black Firday. Many are also becoming online buyers for the first time — potentially expanding your share of the pie.
Brand loyalty is shifting
Consumers are increasingly open to trying new brands. This year’s Prime Day is a great example of shifting consumer preferences. Moved from July to October and (unofficially) kicking off the 2020 holiday shopping season, Amazon’s sales were down compared to last year’s. The bigger news was that non-Amazon online sales were significantly higher.
Free shipping is winning
Free shipping is fast becoming a key differentiator for consumers. Shoppers want assurance they will get their products on time without paying more.
Cost consciousness is rising
Consumers are tightening their belts. With many households experiencing layoffs, furloughs, or general uncertainty, saving is top of mind.
Convenience is evolving
Safety and comfort are integral components of the customer experience. For many consumers, the convenience of Buy Online, Pick Up in Store (BOPIS) and curbside pickup factors into their purchase decisions.
Epsilon’s own research shows similar trends toward new, contactless ways of engaging with brands: over 40% of consumers who ordered groceries online plan to do so again. Ease, combined with favorable order processing time and an extra layer of shopping safety, raises their comfort level.
JC Penney shares its contactless options.
Conversations we’re having with clients also indicate that consumers are fatigued by too many communications or excessive amounts of promotions and offers. Striking the right balance is key to creating successful holiday email marketing campaigns.
Clients are also seeing more clicks and conversions above the fold, as well as in shorter length emails. Not surprisingly, consumers are resonating with purpose-driven brands, too.
Develop your creative strategy
With these current insights in mind, take time to develop a holiday email marketing strategy that incorporates your audience, objectives, and brand story (values).
Know your audience
Because this holiday season is unlike any other, it’s important to reevaluate both your current and prospective customer base. Customer needs and habits have likely changed. Make sure you review customer personas and/profiles—this is a good time to look at what needs to be tweaked or added.
Also, Look for changes in your data that indicate new behaviors like shopping habits. For example, you may see a noticeable spike on Sunday evenings. New routines like homeschooling or working from home are also something to watch for.
Gilt uses lifestyle scenarios to personalize gift ideas.
Know your objectives
Before you can break through the clutter and stand out in the inbox, you must be crystal clear on the objectives of your holiday emails. Map out your destination before you start the drive. Objectives will inform your campaign's overall direction, messaging hierarchy, and calls to action.
Awareness: Consider whether you want to generate awareness of your brand, share information on a specific product, or announce a limited-time sale.
Traffic: Determine whether you want more traffic for your business, and where: an offer page, a product catalog, a link to customer testimonials, the nearest store location, or a social channel are good considerations.
Insight: Assess whether you need a better understanding of your subscribers and overall audience: hobbies and interests, demographics, habits (night owl, early riser, etc.)
Conversion: Think about desired results: opens, clicks, subscribes and sales.
Know your story
Consider what sets your holiday email marketing apart from your competition. This is your value proposition or “hook.”
It could be your exceptional customer service, low prices, or easy returns policy. Or it could be your convenient pickup options and fast delivery.
Mine your reviews for key differentiators. Go for specifics rather than vague generalizations.
Now more than ever, consumers are watching how companies treat their employees, give to the community, and treat essential workers. Be sure to include this in your considerations. Do any common themes or product stories pop up that resonate with current trends and insights?
Execute your creative strategy
Once you understand clear on your audience, objectives, and story, it’s time to execute a creative strategy that will make you stand out in the inbox. But before you hit the "send" button, use the tips below to guide you towards success.
Tell your story
As people are being bombarded with messages right now, crafting a highly relevant and personalized holiday email campaign will put your brand top of mind (and in the inbox). Effective storytelling enables you to build, grow, and nurture relationships with your customers—showing how you’re different and putting distance between you and your competitors.
Leveraging interactive content is key to success. Martech Advisor reports that “interactive email content increases the rate of click-to-open by 73%” and that adding video to your content “can boost click rates up to 300%." Interactive content performs well against static content, too—improving engagement and conversions, which help brands take their email experience to a new level.
Because consumers are being hit with message after message, the more specific and relatable you are to their felt needs, the better you will cut through the clutter. For example, be mindful of those who are budget-conscious due to increasing unemployment or who are unable to spend time with loved ones due to social distancing.
Subject line: Use this to grab immediate attention and get to the point: what’s in it for them? According to Campaign Monitor, personalized subject lines are more likely to experience a 26% lift in opens.
If you have a sale or special offer, make sure you mention it in your subject line. Feel free to explore holiday-themed emojis, attention-grabbing caps, or urgency-oriented phrases such as, “limited-time,” “ending soon,” or “today only.” Here are some great examples:
Old Navy: Yes, it’s officially GIFTOBER + you snagged FIFTY PERCENT off everything!
JC Penney: Jam(mie) sesh! 2-day Reward Member Exclusive
PRO TIP: Vary your Friendly From. 68% of consumers decide to open an email based on the displayed sender, such as your company name. The holidays are a great time to experiment with fun and creative variations of this. Examples: “Old Navy GIFTOBER” or “Gilt Holiday 2020
Old Navy capitalizes on its own version of Prime Day, using a 50% off theme.
Pre-header Text (PHT): Make this an actionable reinforcement of your subject line, but be careful not to repeat it. Clearly communicate and lead with a desired action/expectation: shop, buy, view, etc. Here's an example:
Columbia: get ready to unwrap the outdoors. Shop now.
PRO TIP: Don't forget the preview pane. The preview pane is a prime piece of email real estate. It sits above the fold and is seen prior to scrolling. Make sure your most important information is visible here. Design with it in mind.
Message Content: Keep your content concise, scannable, and engaging. Drive your customers toward a clear and specific call to action (CTA), using interactive content to keep them scrolling.
Countdown Clocks: Use countdown clocks to create a sense of urgency around upcoming events, such as flash sales, or to communicate real-time shipping status. They can also be used to drive urgency in post-sales messaging, pointing to the next big sale.
J. Crew Factory creates urgency around shipping and includes a promo code offer.
Weather Forecast: From cold snaps to winter storms, leverage weather data in your email for timely product recommendations.
PRO TIP: Plan for contingencies. Have set templates and modules ready in advance to build efficiencies, as well as address potential scenarios (store closures, inventory changes, severe weather events, etc.). Be sure the content is relevant and localized through personalization.
Store Locator & Map: Make BOPIS easy and convenient for your customers. Help them find your nearest store location.
Lilly Pulitzer incorporates BOPIS in its hero message, providing the nearest location.
QR Code: Leverage the popularity of QR codes with deals and coupons that can be scanned on the spot.
Product Cart: Move inventory with a sense of urgency. Let customers know they left something in their cart. Keep the tone playful. For example, “Santa left this in your cart.”
PRO TIP: Optimize for mobile. 60% of consumers open their emails on a mobile device. 69% will delete emails that are not optimized. Ensure your email is responsive and takes into account dynamic content and personalization, including dark mode settings.
Stuart Weitzman reminds shoppers they left something in their cart.
Ratings & Reviews: Consumer ratings and reviews are seen as a trusted source of information. Sprinkle them into your message to reinforce a sense of social proof regarding the value of your products or services, highlighted why they're the best.
Social Channels: Consumers are increasingly turning to social media for research and shopping options. Use social channels to create engagement, such as an Instagram feed with your hashtag, an invitation to join your Facebook community, or an opportunity to view a demo of your product on YouTube.
PRO TIP: The best holiday email campaigns all feature personalized content. Speak to each customer as a unique individual. For example, if you know they purchased gifts from you last year, spent in specific categories, or revealed their interests in a poll or quiz, personalize your message with that data in mind. Use it to drive product recommendations, offer loyalty incentives, even remind them what they left in their cart.
J. Crew incorporates a clever endorsement of wishlists.
Win this season
The holidays are approaching fast and furiously. In this ever-changing landscape we’re in, you need a strong game plan to engage your customers and win. Whether you’re juggling multiple hats, dealing with limited resources, or any number of marketing challenges, you’d be surprised how simple it is to surprise and delight your customers with a good creative strategy and just a few of the creative tactics I shared.
---
## Why your next campaign should go offline
Type: eps_post
URL: /why-your-next-campaign-should-go-offline
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Why your next campaign should go offline
I’m sure all of us can reflect on 2020 as being one of the most erratic we’ve experienced in a long time. So many unknown factors that brands had to deal with and overcome, we might have to make ‘into the unknown’ from Frozen our theme song for 2020. While some of us were in denial and only waking up to the debris that this virus has caused, other have chosen to innovate, adapt and follow the yellow brick road.
The acceleration of digital during the pandemic was and still is shaping the next normal. The COVID-19 pandemic became a launching pad for organisations to become digital savvy, and agile—and to do it all at lightning-fast speed. But one thing is missing, with all the craze of moving to digital due to lockdowns and other challenges it also caused consumers to be overly stimulated by brands trying to fight for their attention. It became an online battle of the brands and consumer disloyalty was starting to sweep the globe as there is just so many distractions with brands competing online.
The shift in perspective needs to become a battle of the brave. Those who want to dare to be brave and go against the mainstream, the ones that will follow the road perhaps less travelled, freeing themselves from the conformity of others and leaving a new trail. The companies that are willing to diversify themselves and set the tone and tempo for others. ‘The reality is that the accelerating speed of digital means that we are increasingly living in a winner-take-all world, but simply going faster isn’t the answer. Rather, winning companies are investing in the tech, data, processes, and people to enable speed through better decisions and faster course corrections based on what they learn.’- McKinsey & Company
Direct mail campaigns is delivering just that. The chance to provide a welcome break to consumers now being stuck indoors, craving for an escape from their screens and having to have an ‘always on’ mentality. A respite if you like.
The road to recovery is paved with data. Data is providing the fuel to power better and faster decisions. The more you know about your customers, the better decisions you can make about them – when to contact them; what offers are relevant for them, who can you mail profitably.
When Direct Mail is targeted, useful and engaging it represents one of the greatest communication forms.
The Epsilon Abacus database is essentially a single customer view of millions of UK households and the transactions they make across hundreds of UK retailers. The Epsilon Abacus Database provides you with a wealth of insight to support key marketing decisions, including:
Identifying opportunities for new product lines that will appeal to your buyers
Optimising your circulation plan, adjust timing of promotional offers and determine allocation of marketing resources
Identifying which periods offer the highest potential to increase market share by targeting promotions to your customers and prospects
Assessing and reacting to customer buying behaviour and loyalty
Understanding how recruitment channel, order value and seasonality influences your customers’ purchasing habits
Driving store traffic by identifying and targeting the best opportunities within a catchment or drive time area
Brands need to shift perspectives and hone in on what their customers want. It’s not about just running digital campaigns and relying on one source to acquire new customers. An effective marketer knows that it’s ultimately delivering the right message to the right person at the right time. Direct Mail speaks and appeal to a slightly older demographic than digital channels and can help in gaining access to those audiences.
Read howone retailer was able to double their total average spend through Direct Mail compared to other channels and scale their audience volumes up to 5X their original test volume.
Catalogues allow you to recruit customers with a higher Average Order Value (AOV) who are more likely to buy again. And it’s these repeat purchasers that deliver profitability. Catalogues also expose people to new products. While search directs you to what you want to find, a catalogue is a source of discovery. It introduces people to new things they did not know about which encourages sales.
Why not test your first offline campaign with Abacus. Come on. Dare to be different
Send us a message at enquiriesuk@epsilon.com
---
## For the travel industry, the new destination is contactless loyalty
Type: eps_post
URL: /for-the-travel-industry-the-new-destination-is-contactless-loyalty
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T22:17:52Z
# For the travel industry, the new destination is contactless loyalty
As recovery continues, guest preferences are clear via their rapid adoption of contactless technologies. Find out how travel brands can connect with their guests and move from contactless experiences to contactless loyalty in the new travel landscape.
The travel industry has been upended by COVID-19.
During the shutdown, non-essential business travel came to a halt, and recreational travel saw a steady decline. Travel brands have had to shift rapidly to survive. Guest communication is more important than ever. Whether its regarding safety measures, booking updates, or promotions for future travel, brands have begun to experiment with what we’re calling contactless loyalty—finding a way to delight and bond with customers in the absence of face-to-face interactions.
We’re seeing a massive shift in guest behaviors across generations as futuristic technologies move to the forefront of brand-guest interactions. Travel brands have pivoted their approach to engaging with travelers during this time, and have focused on reaching travelers with messages that resonate with them wherever they are in their journey.
Customers still have travel plans despite COVID-19
Over 30% of travelers (with the exception of the silent generation) have plans to travel within the US.
A third of travelers will start traveling again when the government says it is safe to do so, while a small subset of each generation will wait until over a year after having a vaccine to travel again.
Millennials and Gen Z are most likely to travel by plane to their next destination, while the older generations are more likely to travel by car (rented or owned) on their next trip
Source: Epsilon Consumer Sentiment Report, June 2020
To learn how email marketing can help your brand rebound during COVID-19, download our Email 2020 Trends Guide: Renaissance.
Contactless check-ins, buttons and screens—no knuckle necessary
From pumping gas to checking in at the airport, travel has typically involved contacting high-touch surfaces. Technologies such as touchless hover sensors have increased in popularity over the years—and guests especially prefer it now. Installing this technology can be relatively inexpensive and makes spaces like elevators and ATMs feel safer.
For travel…
62% of (hotel) guests say the ability to request service from a mobile phone or tablet is important to them.
Source:Hospitality Technology, 2017 Customer Engagement Technology Study: Targeting Experience.
70% of millennials are more likely to book a hotel with tech amenities like keyless entry, Smart TVs, or mobile payments.
Source: PWC, April 2019
Who’s doing it well?
Many hotels are rethinking their spaces, using contactless technology for access and payments across their properties.Both Hilton and Marriott have mobile check-in and payments, as well as keyless room entry via their apps
Marriott has created a Global Cleanliness Council to roll out new standards around hospital-grade sanitation. As a part of its Global Cleanliness Council, Marriott is testing ultraviolet light technology to sanitize room card keys across all properties, and they’ve rolled out mobile check-in and keyless entry across 3,300+ hotels.
Mobile check-in means guests don’t have to wait in line or have an employee handle their room key first. Instead, check-in and key retrieval are handled within the Marriott Bonvoy app. After 4pm, travelers receive a push notification to check in and another notification when their room is ready. Travelers can then unlock their room with their phone, smartwatch, or voice assistant.
At the conclusion of their stay, guests can check out through their phone and have their receipt emailed, again allowing them to skip the front desk and keep a safe distance from other travelers. These efforts engender trust and loyalty by addressing the human emotional needs around comfort and safety
Travel brands can’t wait out the pandemic
While people will begin to travel again at their own pace, it’s imperative for travel brands to demonstrate to guests they’re thinking of them and appreciate their business.
You’ll need to make your most valuable guests feel valued. Loyalty is achieved through emotional and rational interactions, so think of ways (beyond transactions) that guests can engage with you. Brands must then elevate those intangible experiences and services. Travel is an experience, and travel brands must work overtime to ensure guests have a positive one.
Status. Mark tier status with badges or recognition—especially in ways they can share socially online.
Appreciation. Give guests surprise-and-delight experiences, such as gifts, samples and free services.
Exclusive access. Offer them access to specific perks, such as a free in-flight food item or in-flight entertainment.
Special privileges. Offer waived fees, early access or discounts.
Timely updates. Send notifications ahead of time about new safety procedures and how customers can best come prepared to travel, so they experience fewer roadblocks along the way.
Learn more: How to build loyalty in a contactless world
As the world is moving increasingly contactless, it’s more important than ever for travel to build long-lasting loyalty with guests. Although travel brands have particular difficulties facing the post-COVID era, there are many ways for them to align themselves so that they can rebound once travel resumes in full. Lay the groundwork now and enjoy the fruits of a full recovery later on.
Download our e-book on “Contactless Loyalty: Building lasting connections in an increasingly contactless world” to learn more.We define the concept of contactless loyalty, share current consumer trends, and provide four steps to creating contactless loyalty.
**This article was originally posted on The Wise Marketer
---
## How to manage liability in your loyalty programme
Type: eps_post
URL: /how-to-manage-liability-in-your-loyalty-programme
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# How to manage liability in your loyalty programme
The single greatest expense in a loyalty programme is managing the redemption liability - the eventual cost to your company of the redemption of all outstanding loyalty points. Due to the impact of Covid-19, many loyalty programme managers are facing increased pressure from stakeholders and their financial teams to manage the liability their programmes have created.
But this issue is not unique to the current climate. New programmes can sometimes have lower redemption rates and there are usually multiple factors that can cause this. Maybe the low redemption rates are due to members taking too long to earn enough points for a reward, or they’re are not really interested in the rewards that are on offer. In some cases, members might not be able to access a particular reward because they're not able to get it at that particular point in time.
On the other hand, we also see liability challenges with established programmes. As the programme matures and becomes more successful, you expect that members will be earning more points, therefore you'll issue more points. The same will happen for outstanding, unused points – the number will continue to grow. A successful loyalty programme, if not monitored properly, can see liability go through the roof. (Tweet this)
Loyalty programmes are designed to reward consumers and, in turn, the brand itself. So, what happens when points are not redeemed? How do you go about fixing the problem? While it’s not always something you can do quickly or easily, there are some actionable steps you can take in the shorter and longer term.
Short Term – Micro redemptions
There are some short, technical adjustments that you can make to your programme. For example, you could create auctions or sweepstakes. You could even introduce low cost rewards to try and encourage people to redeem a lot more often and reduce your overall liability.
Consider moving to micro-redemptions. We know that customers that engage quickly and see the value in the loyalty programme are much more likely to continue to spend - and spend at a greater velocity than others. Some of our initial research has shown that customers who redeem at least once are typically 28% more valuable in terms of incremental spend on the long-term.
Getting someone to realise the value in the short-term is key. Micro-redemptions allow customers to realise the value in the short-term and drives future profitability with those same customers.
While these tactics are helpful in the short-term, it’s imperative that you closely monitor the cost of issuing those rewards, and also the cost of fulfilling them.
Long term – Emotional Engagement
When we talk about longer term solutions to the issue of liability, we’re really talking about changing the structure of your programme. For example, changing the rewards catalogue by removing some unused, unwanted rewards. You might want to source more attractive rewards at cheaper rates. You might also want to look at perhaps changing some of the expiration rules around the points system. Or even deferring when you issue your rewards, because you want to make sure that you've achieved a certain level of healthy profit across the programme first.
But what will truly transform your programme is to move from transactional to emotional engagement. If you can engage with customers when they're not transacting with you, whether that's through gamification, emails, surveys or in-store visits, you’re bringing them in and involving them in the programme, which can be incrementally valuable to you without driving up your liability.
Epsilon has had a lot of success with gamification tactics in particular. Some of our brands who have less frequent transactions have employed games being sent out via email, available on the website or through the app. All of these tactics will give you some eyeball time in terms of customers engaging with your brand while not actually transacting and not driving liability for you; but you're getting that emotional engagement and that can be tremendously valuable.
Another initiative we’re seeing more often is companies giving their members the ability to convert their unused loyalty points in to a cash donation to charity. This kind of strategy benefits many people. For the brand, it provides the opportunity to retain and grow their customer relationships while enabling their members to support causes close to their hearts. Which, of course, benefits the charities receiving the donations. While this can be seen as a short-term step, adding this initiative to your loyalty programme really helps your brand to build emotional engagement with their members in the long-term.
An example of a company enabling customers to give back every time they shop is Allbirds. When customers make a purchase, they can help the company with their goal to become carbon neutral by choosing if they donate to land, energy or air initiatives.
Programme liability can be a delicate subject and we typically ask clients to partner up with their finance colleagues when looking for solutions to manage it and forecast for it. In the words of Peter Drucker, “What gets measured gets managed”. While managing costs is important, it’s also about respecting the opportunity and the customer relationship. Where before, it might just have been centred around sending out offers, promotions and discounts, now it is much more about building emotional connections. Working with your finance team you can find a solution that will work for your brand and for your members.
In Epsilon, we believe that to be truly successful in loyalty you need to consider everything from a customised strategy, a powerful platform and reliable day to day operation of the programme. Our PeopleCloud Loyalty solution is a market-leading end-to-end solution, and we’re the ONLY company that has been named a leader in the 2019 Forrester Waves for both Loyalty Technology Platforms and Loyalty Service Providers. This is a powerful validation for why the world’s leading brands trust our loyalty expertise. To learn more, please feel free to contact us.
---
## Connecting with your customers this Father’s Day
Type: eps_post
URL: /connecting-with-your-customers-this-fathers-day
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Connecting with your customers this Father’s Day
Our world has changed – COVID-19 has fundamentally changed the way we live our lives and how we go about our day-to-day activities. Whether it’s continuing to work from home, the weekly shop, home schooling our children, or planning for special events in our lives. With all these changes, it has meant brands are having to take a closer look at how they engage and connect with their customers.
Speaking of special events, one such event children and families are preparing to celebrate is Father’s Day, which takes place on Sunday 21st June. Like many other special events, Father’s Day holds a special place in so many of our hearts – it gives us the opportunity to celebrate, spend time and show our love to all the father figures in our lives – whether its our father, grandfather, uncle, brother or guardian.
While this year’s Father’s Day might be a slightly different experience to previous years, there are still many great ways hoteliers, retailers and restaurants can continue making personal connections during this, and other, special events. One such method is to deploy a personalised email campaign this Father’s Day. While lockdown restrictions are easing, and hoteliers, retailers and restaurants, are welcoming back customers in-person, albeit, in a more “social-distanced” new way, not everybody is ready for that in-person experience yet – meaning your personalised email campaign is now more important than ever.
In fact, Epsilon’s PeopleCloud Messaging solution has recorded recent shifts in email trends cementing the significance in this messaging channel. As you might expect, Retail email volumes spiked in mid-March due to the communication and announcements surrounding COVID-19, but then decreased during April. However, volume continues to rise week-on-week, with volumes nearing the volumes from mid-March at the end of May. The analysis also shows weekly opens rates were extremely steady during May, while engagement rates, during the same period, were higher than February and March.
By making you email campaign memorable, it will enable you build a deeper, long-lasting relationship with your customers, and ultimately boost your bottom line. So, as you craft your personalised email campaign, consider the following tips:
Emotional Connection
Life has changed and so has our thought process, feelings and emotions. Your customers are concerned, and anxious about COVID-19, next steps and the impact on family members. More than likely over the last few months, your email strategy has been the key vehicle in staying connected and engaged with your customers. This Father’s Day, your email campaign should tap into the emotional bond of this special day – what does it mean to your customers and how fathers and father figures want to celebrate. It’s about the experience and by striking the right emotional bond with your customers, it can help you connect on a more human level, enabling your email to rise above the inbox-clutter.
The Personal Touch
Personalisation has taken on a whole new meaning, but it’s even more important in today’s world. When developing your Father’s Day email campaign, you must start by understanding your data across all touchpoints and channels. Then I recommend infusing creative fun by using your data and customer insights to understand your customer - their habits, desires, preferences, abilities, emotions and triggers – and, through the addition of machine learning, proactively predict how best to engage. You can further compliment your data by adding in social interactions and behaviours, device continuum, hyper-location and time quality. This insight, coupled with the right technology, enables you to recognise, engage and build that deeper, long-lasting relationship with your customers. Or as we say in Epsilon, 1:You personalisation.
Think Omni-Channel
With everything happening around us, a connected omni-channel strategy is key – let’s be honest, omni-channel strategies are redefining the entire customer journey. What’s interesting is, your customers don’t see omni-channels when their engaging with your brand – they see experiences. However, with that said, it must be acknowledged, omni-channel marketing is not getting easier. The “always-on” world we find ourselves in, with numerous touchpoints and rising expectations. The explosion of data and the sheer quantity of information from different devices. Let’s not forget the share of wallet objectives. So, for this year’s Father’s Day campaign, look to integrate your email channel with other digital channels such as social, mobile and display to deliver a truly connected personal experience. Then take it a step further, by seamlessly incorporating your Father’s Day campaign instore. By using the omni-channel approach, you will be able to integrate your Father’s Day campaign across online and offline properties and provide a seamless experience to your customers, with the hope of getting more repeat business.
Have Fun
I think it is fair to say, we have all spent an unusual amount of time quarantining at home, and when we go out for exercise or essential items, social distancing is top-of-mind. All these changes, challenges and concerns have taken a toll on your customers, so when a special event comes around, it is a great opportunity for your brand to have some fun and, if done correctly, your customers will remember it. Your Father’s Day campaign is an opportunity to mix-it-up a bit – when creating your email campaign look to entertain, use dynamic content based on previous behaviours and triggers, add new elements like gamification. Engage them by adding innovation and interactivity to your emails, to make their messages personal, engaging and fun. Kinetic techniques, agile content and even AMP experiences can make an inbox feel more like a website. Add fun competitions that fathers and father figures alike can participate in with their family and friends, by continuing the fun and conversation to your social media channels.
Learn more: Email 2020 trends guide: Interactive content
Keep it Simple
I appreciate this last point might seem out of step with my previous points, but what I mean here is when developing your Father’s Day campaign, keep it simple for your customers to connect with you. Simple for them to connect the personalised email they received, with their preferences and previous behaviours. Simple for them to navigate from email to your website to check-out. By keeping it simple, your customers will have a more enjoyable and seamless experience, resulting in higher satisfaction rates and hopefully a more positive impact on your bottom line.
But this point is also critical for you, as you work through your email and cross-channel marketing campaigns. The technology and solutions you currently have, should empower you to simply deliver individualised campaigns and real-time messages to every customer—each one truly optimised for a more inspiring inbox experience. If the technology and solutions you’re currently using is not enabling you to leverage email to the best of its ability to deliver personalised experiences and create deeper relationships with consumers, then consider Epsilon’s PeopleCloud Messaging solution. With Epsilon’s PeopleCloud Messaging solution, you can engage customers when they are most likely to interact with your brand—with the right message at the right moment on the right device. Indeed, for the fourth time in a row, Epsilon has been named a Leader in Email Marketing by Forrester Research in the report: The Forrester WaveTM: Email Marketing Service Providers, Q2 2020. This is a powerful validation for why the world’s leading brands trust our email marketing expertise. To learn more, please feel free to contact us.
---
## Epsilon Named a Leader for Email Marketing Services
Type: eps_post
URL: /epsilon-named-a-leader-for-email-marketing-services-0
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Epsilon Named a Leader for Email Marketing Services
Epsilon received the highest scores possible in the analytics, artificial intelligence, data integration & privacy and security criteria within the current offering category
London — May 12, 2020 — Epsilon®, a global leader in interaction management, today announced that it was named a Leader in the May 2020 report “The Forrester Wave™: Email Marketing Service Providers, Q2 2020” by Forrester Research, Inc., which evaluated the Epsilon PeopleCloud Messaging* platform.
The report states, “Epsilon stays strong as an email agency. A longtime powerhouse in this study, Epsilon continues a model that many email service providers have eschewed: It balances good email technology with the strongest professional services in the study.”
“Change across consumer industries has accelerated. As marketers search for ways to drive sales, email has regained its place as a primary and profitable channel to reach customers,” said Oded Benyo, President, Messaging and International Offerings at Epsilon. “We believe our longtime leadership in email proves the value of a partner that combines AI-led data activation, technology and services to help marketers adapt quickly to changing business needs. Now is the time for marketers to move beyond sending episodic email and instead focus on developing customer conversations over time that create sustainable brand growth.”
According to Forrester, data integration, artificial intelligence (AI) and professional services differentiate and “today’s marketers care about how immediately they can segment off of myriad data types; if AI helps optimize process, not just creative; and if the vendor provides a level of professional services that suits their needs.” In the report, Epsilon ranked highest in the current offering category and received the highest scores possible in the analytics, artificial intelligence, data integration and privacy and security criteria. Epsilon also received the top score in the services criterion.
For the full report “The Forrester Wave™: Email Marketing Service Providers, Q2 2020” click here.
Epsilon is also the only provider recognized as a Leader in both Loyalty Technology and Loyalty Services by Forrester Research, an integrated offering within the Epsilon PeopleCloud platform.
About Epsilon
Positioned at Publicis Groupe's core, Epsilon is a leader in interaction management, empowering brands to transform ordinary customer experiences into meaningful, human experiences. Through a connected suite of products and services, Epsilon combines leading-edge identity management, industrial strength data and technology expertise with big brand acumen gained over five decades working with the industry’s top brands. Our human-powered, data-led marketing delivers unmatched depth, breadth and scale to help brands turn meaningful human interactions into exceptional business outcomes. For more information, visit emea.epsilon.com. Follow us on Twitter at @EpsilonEMEA.
*Epsilon PeopleCloud Messaging was formerly known as Agility Harmony.
---
## How to get - and keep - new loyalty programme members
Type: eps_post
URL: /how-to-get-and-keep-new-loyalty-programme-members
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# How to get - and keep - new loyalty programme members
Loyalty today is transforming. As millennials and other groups become more active consumers, and a primary target for brands, we are seeing the industry shift. Previously, transactional reward programmes were sufficient to get loyalty amongst customers. You gave them points, they could redeem them, and they'd be loyal to your brand. But not so much anymore.
Today, it's really about experiences. Creating an emotional engagement with your customers. And that's challenging because it's not just about earning points. That's a minimum requirement these days. Consumers today want to know what other value the brand will add for them.
Taking your loyalty to the next level is something we in Epsilon have been vocal about for a long time and we often talk about the concept of big L versus little L loyalty. Little L is the traditional loyalty programme – a points-based construct or some sort of exchange of value that customers sign up for. But the big L concept is much more. It requires a brand to know what it truly stands for and to determine how they can engender brand loyalty amongst the broadest set of customers they can.
LEARN MORE:
From 1:1 to 1: You - 5 key components to personalising the loyalty experience
The idea of big L loyalty goes far beyond the loyalty programme. It speaks to your brand identity. What does your brand stand for? How do you connect with your consumers? How do you get them to engage with your brand when they're not transacting? So, brands need to consider the entire customer experience, which of course includes those customers who are not yet members of your loyalty programme.
But how do you attract those that aren't actually enrolled into the programme so they can realise value and, in turn, unlock that additional value for you and your brand?
1. Customer Service
A potential customer’s first interaction with your brand is key to creating an ongoing relationship, which provides value to you both. Whether it’s an in-store experience, social media engagement, email open or mobile app visit, all of these interactions create emotional signals that you need to pick up on - both positive and negative.
Take the time to figure out how to track those, capture them, interpret them, and bring that into lifecycle communications in such a way that you can actually engender the kind of emotional engagement that goes beyond just the transactional.
Customers need to clearly see the value of enrolling in your loyalty programme, and they need to see it as soon as they begin to interact with your brand, regardless of the channel they connect with you on.
2. Personalisation
Once you successfully create a clear reason to enrol, your next focus should be on personalisation, and doing that at scale. Our own internal studies show that over 75% of customers, who provide their data to you as part of the exchange of value, expect you to use it. They expect brands to personalise their offers, personalise the communications, and do it every time they interact with the brand, regardless of device.
Many companies find personalisation at scale hugely challenging, but it is absolutely expected amongst customers. In our blog series, the building blocks of personalisation, we outline actionable steps you can take to get started.
3. Emotional engagement
If you're friends with someone, you expect them to know you. You also develop an emotional attachment with them and sometimes that's when things get tricky. It requires that you have a knowledge of how people are receiving your part of the value equation, and while transactions are one way to look at that, you also have to pull in the other indicators.
Emotional engagement is easier to achieve with a loyalty programme because it is permission-based marketing. Your members are actually raising their hand, telling you who they are and giving you an opportunity to engage with them. As long as you're paying attention and using that information to curate the conversations that you're having with them moving forward, you can get that kind of emotional engagement and drive the resulting benefits.
We work with brands all the time to help them understand what their true brand identity is, what their unique assets are, and how they can activate those with their customers in the broadest sense. When you think of it as a journey, if the customer has engaged with you initially, you need to develop a plan to get them to eventually sign up for your loyalty programme. As it’s permission-based marketing, that's when you really pull them in and have the tightest relationship with them. We encourage brands to really look at this big L loyalty concept and think about the customer journey before they become a part of your loyalty programme, and how you can entice them to enrol.
We know with loyalty programmes, if they're delivering value and they engage the customers, those customers are more valuable to you, and it has a direct impact on your bottom line. Based on our analysis, we see that loyalty members spend three times more than non-members. And I think if you boil down the reason that brands do loyalty programmes, it’s to keep their customers engaged, happy, and coming back for more, which, ultimately, drives revenue.
If you’d like to find out more about our loyalty offering, please get in touch.
LEARN MORE:
From 1:1 to 1: You - 5 key components to personalising the loyalty experience
---
## Outsmart rather than outspend: Domino’s generate £1M+ in personalised display trial
Type: eps_post
URL: /outsmart-rather-than-outspend-dominos-generate-1m-in-personalised-display-trial
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T22:13:13Z
# Outsmart rather than outspend: Domino’s generate £1M+ in personalised display trial
In the increasingly crowded delivery market, Domino’s, has driven a £1.13 million boost in incremental revenue in just three months by launching a new digital display advertising programme.
Domino’s partnered with Conversant to harness its data to identify and reach consumers, reaching 3.1 million people and achieving an impressive 10:1 incremental return on ad spend.
Read Domino's case study
In the below video, Elliott Clayton - SVP at Conversant - explains the strategy behind the trial, specifically how and why it succeeded, as well as how personalised display can be harnessed by other industries for similar success.
{{ script_embed('wistia', '89c7dss63u', ', ', 'inline,responsive,align=center,marginRight=auto,marginLeft=auto') }}
With over 1,000 stores across the UK, Domino’s has built up its leading status through both its pizzas and its use of technology for better customer experience. But in the past three years, the delivery market has exploded with quick-service restaurants (QSRs) moving into delivery and the emergence of delivery aggregators, such as Deliveroo and Uber Eats.
To maintain its market position, Domino’s knew it needed to harness its data and utilise the full breadth of its channels to not only win new customers but retain existing ones who may be tempted to switch to a delivery aggregator.
driving efficiency through data
“There are so many businesses fighting for that pizza or takeaway occasion, and they have deep pockets," explains Karl Boyce, head of digital and CRM at Domino’s.
"We need to be on the front foot when it comes to driving efficiency through data - using our data architecture and understanding of our customers to outsmart competitors. All the while, measuring effectively using a mix of econometrics, last click and revenue incrementality.
"That's our mantra - to outsmart rather than outspend.”
Whilst already a first mover with channels like social, Spotify or specific publishers thanks to its single customer view database, like other brands, Domino’s hadn’t seen healthy return on investment from standard digital display advertising, such as retargeting. With some channels too fragmented and others like TV becoming too expensive, Domino’s turned to Conversant to launch personalised display advertising into its media mix and demonstrate incremental return.
Automated, personalised messaging at scale
Conversant enabled Domino’s to further activate its first-party data, harnessing the solution’s transaction-driven ID map of real British consumers. In turn, this enabled Domino’s to effectively identify and reach the right consumers at scale, simultaneously optimising media buying for measurable return.
“We ensured to take the time to really get under the skin of the Domino’s business and truly understand its operational and business challenges before outlining the best strategy," explains Clayton. "This also meant being fully transparent and engaging with all stakeholders, particularly the likes of the data security and the legal team. We knew we’d then be able to deliver and prove the desired return for Domino’s.”
Now, Domino’s is able to match customers down to a single, pseudonymous customer contact ID, tracking that customer accurately from media delivery through to order. The solution allows delivery of automated, personalised messaging to increase new and existing customer lifetime value, driving purchases across its customer base.
Ten-fold incremental return
Beyond a ten-fold incremental return on an investment of £113,000 - more than double the targeted 4:1 return - it also reached 3.1 million customers. Importantly, the partnership with Conversant has entailed a greater business impact by highlighting the value of marketing data to the wider business.
“Many marketers are trying to drive value in their data, so they're having conversations with board members about getting that data architecture in place, managing compliance and creating audience segments. It is a costly, time-consuming part of anybody's role," concludes Boyce.
"For us to be able to create an audience sample and visibly show a return is music to the ears of any head of department trying to validate a business case to their board.”
Read Domino's case study
---
## 4 loyalty trends for the next decade
Type: eps_post
URL: /4-loyalty-trends-next-decade
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# 4 loyalty trends for the next decade
As we embark on a new decade, we’re reflecting on the big loyalty accomplishment we achieved throughout the past ten years in addition to the marketing advancements coming in the future.
Since 2010, there have been several advancements within loyalty programme marketing, but probably the most significant one is the shift from transactional to experiential and how we’re now able to communicate on an emotional level, or what we refer to as 1:You.
The days of rewarding on just points are gone. Today’s modern consumer expects brands to provide more. For example, Toms shoes appeal to their customers’ values and sense of worth. For every pair of shoes purchased, Tom’s invests in local partners around the world to create positive change. They dedicate at least a third of their profits to their giving fund. In the coming years, we’ll continue to see more brands participate in ‘give back’ programmes, as this is important to consumers.
While we’ll continue to see experiential marketing enhance, here’s four trends we’ll be tracking throughout the decade to come.
Marketers have the ability to manage the identity of their customers
It’s important to remember that loyalty is permission-based marketing and your customers want to be marketed to. Loyalty programmes provide better identity, which makes it easier to market to loyal customers. I think of it as a ‘safe harbor’ for marketers, where members offer their Personally Identifiable Information (PII data) and feel confident in knowing this is accurate data.
It’s these loyal customers that marketers should spend a lot of their time and budget on; marketers will spend more time and energy making sure that messages are relevant and consistent across customer touchpoints.
It’s important to understand the true value of loyalty programmes
Understanding what your customers (members) value about your loyalty programme helps marketers to customise their programme offerings to what’s relevant to each individual member.
For example, while points and miles are still very much in demand, today’s consumer is focused on how the brands in which they’re loyal to can save them time. Maybe it’s getting them through the airport security line at a speedier pace, or offering expedited shipping to meet their urgent need and so on.
It’s understanding that there are other benefits that can be more valuable than points and miles, such as rewarding consumers for time and providing them with a better experience.
Think with an ‘always on' marketing strategy
Let’s face it. Consumers are always connected. According to Nielsen, adults spend over 11 hours per day interacting with media. Whether they are at work, comparison shopping online, or watching TV, consumers are always on, therefore the need for ‘always on' marketing has amplified.
As a brand, you need to identify interactions within the channels consumers are interacting in and react in real time. The days of only communicating with programme members in the context of campaigns are long gone.
Consumers are craving a more tailored loyalty experience
Reward programmes in the future are going to be less standard for everyone and more tailored to the places that consumers live, both physically and online. Brands have begun creating communities of loyalty members, allowing them to provide offers and experiences that are local to where they live.
We’ve seen Dunkin’ create offerings that are centered around sports teams. For example, if you live in Boston, USA, and the Patriots win, you can get a free donut with the purchase of a coffee.
Additionally, communities are starting to provide a more tailored or personalised experience. For example, in Singapore,the local beer company (Tiger) actually localises their products according to the communities in which they are distributed.
So, as you continue to plan for this year and beyond, think about how these four trends fit within your goals. And keep tabs on partnerships. We’ll continue to see more brands partner together to enhance their loyalty programme offerings.
If you would like to find out more about our Loyalty offering, contact us.
---
## After Google’s announcement, Epsilon-Conversant is positioned to thrive
Type: eps_post
URL: /after-googles-announcement-epsilon-conversant-is-positioned-to-thrive
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T22:16:49Z
# After Google’s announcement, Epsilon-Conversant is positioned to thrive
The need to know:
Google announced they will deprecate third-party cookies over the next two years.
As much of the adtech industry’s solutions are built on third-party cookies, many are uncertain about the implications for their digital media campaigns and partners.
Anticipating a world without third-party cookies years ago, Epsilon-Conversant’s solutions are well-positioned to thrive in the new advertising ecosystem.
Epsilon-Conversant’s philosophy of ‘Privacy by Design’ - a founding principle of the company, and key to our preparation and continued compliance with GDPR - means we’re prepared for such industry shifts.
What’s happening?
On January 14, Google announced that Chrome will phase out third-party cookies in the next two years. Reasonably, the adtech community is concerned about this shift as many providers rely heavily on third-party cookies to identify individuals and deliver them advertising messages. Although the announcement is causing a stir in the industry, this - in many ways - is not new news. Early in 2019, Google announced changes to Chrome regarding the treatment of third-party cookies, including mandates to declare the purpose of the cookie and comply with Chrome’s secure settings. Google’s initial shift in the treatment of third-party cookies was a bellwether to the industry: Google can and will deprecate third-party cookies on Chrome. Their announcement follows similar restrictions on other browsers, like Mozilla and Safari, in recent years. Still, with roughly 63% of all web traffic on its browser, Google’s shift is a significant change that the larger adtech community will need to reconcile.
Who benefits the most from this: Google or consumers?
This has huge implications for the adtech industry, which is largely built on third-party cookies. In a video discussion on Google’s announcement, Forrester analyst Joanna O’Connell said, “The third-party cookie is - for all of its faults - the underlying mechanism by which really the whole digital advertising ecosystem transacts and communicates.” This move also sets Google apart - and puts them in a powerful position - for the future of digital media as all targeted, personalised ads delivered on Chrome will have to go through Google’s Privacy Sandbox. Forrester’s Fatemeh Khatibloo noted this is designed to protect consumer privacy on the browser, but this also puts Google in control of an awful lot of personal information in its future state. For many adtech providers, this decision will alter their base solutions and their ability to connect and know individuals - with confidence - across devices and channels. But at Epsilon-Conversant, we’re not concerned.
How Epsilon-Conversant is (and has been) prepared
Epsilon-Conversant's CORE ID technology and our private exchange, which includes thousands of publisher relationships, allows us to uniquely navigate anticipated changes:
With proactive preparation with top supply partners, we’ve built a privacy-centric, individual level, ad ecosystem that does not rely on third-party cookies. Our private exchange is built on a direct integration with publishers - constructed with and for our publisher partners - to improve matching and monetisation of a publisher’s ad space. We now have more than 2,000 sites leveraging our technology, which we anticipate expanding to meet the needs of Publicis Groupe.
This is not new news - we’ve already adapted to similar privacy enhancements from Apple and Mozilla and have come out unfazed. Our identity solution is built with a Privacy by Design approach, which leverages the persistence of our ID to maintain consumer choice over time and aligns to open web standards. Since Safari rolled out a similar initiative a few years back, we’ve seen far less competition in the marketplace for Safari inventory, indicating that our technology works well in a privacy-centric environment without third-party cookies.
As many start to grapple with the implications for their own products and solutions, we’ve been preparing - and building the appropriate technology - for years. During the lead-up to the implementation of the GDPR in Europe, for example, our Privacy by Design philosophy meant we were able to evolve while retaining our capabilities. We anticipated these changes all the way back in 2012, when we set the foundation for the private exchange to bring balance back to our publisher partners. With nearly a decade of experience working toward this inevitable industry change, we’re well-positioned to thrive in the new ecosystem, in partnership with publishers and other key industry players.
Although Google’s announcement is a significant change to how the adtech industry has traditionally operated, we see it as a step toward shifting the ecosystem to a more privacy-centric mindset, and we're ready for it.
---
## Open for business: The trends that will define retail in 2020 and beyond
Type: eps_post
URL: /open-for-business-the-trends-that-will-define-retail-in-2020-and-beyond
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T22:16:49Z
# Open for business: The trends that will define retail in 2020 and beyond
Right now in the UK, everyone's pretty down on retail. IMRG, for example, predicts mid-single-digit growth year-on-year for 2020. That by itself isn't great, but frankly - it's better than 2019.
But clearly, the experience for individual retailers is going to differ widely. The year started with some big-name retailers closing long lists of stores, yet at the same time, we're seeing other retailers expand their presence - both offline and online.
Anecdotally, with a holistic view of our retail clients globally, those retailers with a genuine understanding of their customers - usually in the form of a functioning single customer view - are outperforming those without one.
Now, this could represent a focus on emerging technologies and the 'early adopter' bonus associated with being among the first to adopt high-performing technologies. Or, it could be a positive symptom of well-performing retailers focussing on their customers more generally, from customer service right through to their brand and business model.
Good examples of businesses who impress me with an understanding of their understanding of their customers are Hackett, Cotton Traders and Matalan. All three have either access to a functioning single customer view, or an advanced understanding of their customers as individuals.
Increasing focus on digital opportunities
Crucially, as our world evolves ever-more to one with digital at its heart, we need to grow our understanding of digital - challenging conceptions that no longer make sense, and harnessing new capabilities.
We're seeing many of our clients increase their focus on sourcing digital talent, bringing capabilities in-house to shape their teams' wider skillset. Top of the list is developing an understanding that the 'hand-to-mouth' metrics offered by Google Analytics and other platforms are just that - they show a narrow window of consumer activity. These methods of measuring marketing aren't working in favour of retailers, and thankfully we're seeing an increasing number of retailers looking at measuring the incremental performance of their marketing.
Measuring the incremental return that marketing activity creates is not a new method of measurement - incrementality has been used to measure direct mail for decades, for example. But broader adoption of incrementality by retail marketing functions and beyond is a hugely positive trend for 2020.
As with most years, politics will play a significant role in determining the success of retail in 2020. There's obviously Brexit - discussed extensively elsewhere - but a key issue to watch out for will be the digital tax that's proposed for April. Assuming it goes ahead, does this mean the start of a defence on digital monopolies or the passing on of further costs to the consumer?
Sustainability and purpose
In his Retail Week blog, IBM's Roberto Battistoni discusses the inclusion of sustainability in the purpose of businesses, particularly retail and FMCG. "This has unequivocally been the year when most businesses recognised that purpose today cannot exist in absence of a credible sustainability theme embedded into it," Battistoni explains, highlighting a 2015 Nielson report that found 66% of consumers globally are willing to spend more on a product if it comes from a sustainable brand. For millennials, that figure rises to 73%.
Businesses that genuinely incorporate sustainability into their models - and communicate that effectively - will outperform those that don't.
Whether this sustainability comes in the form of optimising the manufacturing of products, supporting relevant NGOs financially or otherwise, even developing rental or second-hand markets for products, or something entirely different will be an exciting development to watch this year.
Aside from the sustainable function itself, how businesses elevate new and existing sustainability-linked purpose will define their success.
Rise of credit
A recent emerging trend has been the rapid on-boarding of payment systems such as Klarna and Clearpay. With the additional potential purchasing power these services afford consumers, will this positively impact average order values and customer lifetime value over the short- and long-term?
Additionally, what does the rapid rise of these services say about the average consumer's purchasing power? Is the UK consumer a wealthy consumer?
Free returns
With the ease of comparison for consumers, pressure for retailers to include costly additions such as free delivery, and the low barrier of entry to market for competitors, eCommerce platforms are often not as profitable as physical retail locations. I suspect we'll see more of an ongoing discussion with the gradual evolution of the market, but 2020 will likely see questions on how much longer this can be maintained. Meanwhile, the technological, digital, sustainability and credit-related trends above will all be utilised - at varying levels - as saviours.
Finally, who pays for consumers returning their purchases has been a critical discussion point for some time now, and this will continue in 2020.
Ultimately, retailers need to find the balance between offering free returns for genuine consumers who need such insurance before committing to purchase a product online, and those who seek out free returns to take advantage. Going full-circle back to my original point, employing a greater understanding of your consumers - and whether they are keeping the items they order - with a single customer view that is linked to your marketing activity offers salvation here
Those brands with accurate and actionable insight into their consumers will see success in 2020. For those that don't, it could be a bumpy start to the new decade.
---
## New year, new loyalty programme?
Type: eps_post
URL: /new-year-new-loyalty-programme
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# New year, new loyalty programme?
As we start a new year, and are preparing our loyalty programme initiatives for the coming months, it’s important to take time and evaluate the state of your existing programme. When was the last time it was refreshed? Is now the time to do it?
We’re continuously asked “how often should I change my programme?”, and our answer is always, “it depends”. While there’s no set timetable as to how often marketers should relaunch, on average, the brands we work with typically relaunch their programmes every three years.
To help evaluate if your programme needs to (or is ready to) evolve, consider the checklist below.
Evaluate
The first step is to assess your current loyalty initiative. Questions to consider for your programme’s evaluation are:
Is the value proposition still compelling and competitive?
Is the member experience memorable and seamless?
Is the programme performing well, operationally and financially?
If the answer to any of those questions is “no” then it’s probably time to consider a programme refresh/relaunch.
Budget
The next step is to ensure you have the funding. Relaunches often create a need for technology modifications, which can be a costly endeavor. In addition to the technology updates needed, you’ll have several other costs, and one that’s top of mind is reward fulfillment.
During the relaunch phase, marketers often ‘up the ante’ on their reward fulfillment and shift from transactional to more experiential rewards which can significantly add to the programme cost. So be financially ready.
DOWNLOAD OUR E-BOOK
FROM 1:1 TO 1:YOU
5 KEY COMPONENTS TO PERSONALISING THE LOYALTY EXPERIENCE
Executive buy-in
Make sure your key stakeholders believe in the relaunch and see the positive results that lie ahead. Share research or examples of other programmes that have relaunched with great success.
Also, involve them in your decision making of the key components of the programme so they feel engaged and part of the process. Once the programme is relaunched, consider having all employees join so they can experience first-hand the wonderful benefits of the programme.
Strategy
Once you’ve established your budget and have leadership’s buy-in, the next step is to ensure you have a strategy in place. And it’s important to make sure your strategy is built for continued evolution.
As you’re developing your brand’s strategy, think of ways you can add more emotional components. In a recent blog post, we shared some ideas to keep emotions front and center: Data is your best friend when it comes to understanding emotions, being brand empathetic wins customers over, and it’s important to understand ‘the biology’ of loyalty.
There are so many articles published today on personalisation but marketers need to strategise and think about what’s behind the scenes of personalisation. It’s the emotional components that fuel the success of personalisation, or what we refer to as 1:You.
Start thinking of ways in which you can update your loyalty programme. A relaunch for your brand might not be in the books for 2020, but consider a refresh.
For example, focus on a specific area of your programme that you’ve been wanting to improve. As part of Nordstrom’s loyalty programme relaunch, they added the rewards of exclusive insider access to style workshops, first-to-shop select brand shipments, roadside pick-up and more. These have been well received by members and they go beyond the transactional point earn/redemption to an experience – something members yearn for.
In our e-book, we challenge you to evaluate how your data sets and technology applications support your brand’s current and future loyalty programme goals and set you on the path to 1:You. Download it now.
FROM 1:1 TO 1:YOU
5 KEY COMPONENTS TO PERSONALISING THE LOYALTY EXPERIENCE
---
## Are you underutilising trigger emails?
Type: eps_post
URL: /underutilising-trigger-emails
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Are you underutilising trigger emails?
Trigger emails reliably perform well across industries, yet they continue to be completely underutilised.
Trigger email metrics consistently outperform business-as-usual (BAU) emails, yet these types of emails typically account for less than 5% of all delivered emails in any quarter. Your brand may be missing opportunities to use trigger emails.
Trigger emails support the buying journey
When people take an action, like purchasing an item on your website, trigger emails provide a response, like a confirmation email. But trigger emails should also happen earlier in the journey when people abandon their cart or browser.
Abandon cart and abandon browser emails, in particular, keep your brand top of mind with the customer, even if they’re jumping around on different websites, apps and emails during their day.
Trigger emails cut through the clutter
Getting your email subscribers’ attention is crucial in an era of insane inboxes. Of all emails deployed in Q4 of 2018, 82% of emails were categorised as “marketing messages,” which means there is a lot of competition within the channel.
Trigger emails are one way to get your subscribers to click.
People tend to open trigger emails because they’re delivered based on specific actions a person has taken with your brand, which means they are highly relevant.
And the numbers don’t lie: Triggered responses are increasing. Trigger email open rates were 76% higher than BAU in Q4 2018, and trigger click-through rates more than doubled BAU.
These high engagement rates highlight the fact that trigger emails are critical to your email strategy because today’s email content needs to be tailored to individuals. They deliver personalised campaigns and real-time messages to every customer— each one built for an inspiring inbox experience.
Tips to make the most of trigger emails
Whether you already have a trigger email strategy in place or you’re just getting started, keep some of these tips in mind.
1. Help people move through the buying journey
Email marketing consistently has a high ROI, making it an ideal channel to encourage customers to continue on their journey with you. An abandon browser email is one way to bring potential customers from consideration toward purchase.
One example is to send a trigger email a few hours after the browser is abandoned with the products that the individual viewed along with an enticing headline. You can also provide additional information, such as the option to pick up the items in store, which they may not have known was available, so it’s easier to hit “buy now.”
2. Don’t forget to say “Hi”
It’s a simple, but too easily overlooked part of your email strategy: Always welcome your newcomers.
In many ways, this should be the first trigger email you set up as it sets the tone for all other communications from your brand moving forward. It shows what kind of business your new customers have a relationship with and gives you a chance to highlight the many benefits of receiving email communications from your brand.
This is especially important for loyalty and rewards programs. Whole Foods, for example, has a series of welcome emails for newcomers to their My 365 Rewards programme.
The initial welcome email highlights the perks of membership, all shared in a light, conversational tone.
3. Use the profile information you already have
Trigger emails can give your email subscribers a better customer experience. While you may not always be moving people toward making a purchase, you can continue to retain and nurture them based on their preferences and provided profile information.
For example, an online pet shop can set up a trigger email based on the information they receive about the subscriber’s pet. Take it a step further by including the pet’s name and asking what other products and services could be relevant for them. This helps you to build out the customer profile while also showing that you care about their pet.
4. Showcase other related products and services
Your trigger email approach may be pretty standard, but what if you can give the recipient a little something extra? These emails are an opportunity to add on to their experience based on their interests.
For example, when Airbnb sends a confirmation email, they tend to include a section to book fun activities in the area, like local hiking or crafting classes. These offers are highly relevant since people are often looking for unique adventures at their destination.
This is a useful option for B2B marketers too. You can use an auto-responder email from a downloaded report to recommend other content people may be interested in reading.
5. Keep it conversational
Your customers are busy people, and nurturing their relationship with your brand is probably not at the top of their to-do list. By opening up a dialogue with your customers at an appropriate time, you can do the heavy lifting for them.
One way to make a conversation with your customers is to ask for their feedback on the products they recently ordered. People will still find this relevant since it relates to a purchase they made, and they’ll get a chance to give their opinion. This will also give you more information on the products they like (or don’t like).
As you can see, there are many ways to incorporate trigger emails into your contact strategy without feeling forced or random.
Let your customers’ actions open the door to their journey with you. You can be there, ready to respond to them with the appropriate next communication.
---
## How to maintain a healthy deliverability rate
Type: eps_post
URL: /maintain-healthy-deliverability-rate
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# How to maintain a healthy deliverability rate
Deliverability is table stakes for email marketers: Everyone knows how important it is to get into the inbox. During the sales process, brands often cite deliverability as a pain point. It’s also one of the first topics we bring up when working with clients. So how can you take a better approach to your email programme when it comes to deliverability?
Be proactive about your deliverability
Deliverability is all about making sure that you get into the inbox and stay far away from spam folders or being blocked outright. A lot of this is driven by adhering to best practices and maintaining recipients’ interest.
Proactively monitor deliverability and keep track of upcoming ISP changes. By staying updated about what’s going on in the email industry with resources like ReturnPath and eDataSource, you can take the right steps ahead of time to maintain deliverability even when major changes occur.
For example, the 2018 updates to Gmail had an initial expectation to impact brands at varying levels. Smart Replies, a feature that suggests responses for users, had limited impact on deliverability for promotional emails; however, the feature that proactively suggests unsubscribes could have caused major problems for those unprepared. For brands that knew about these changes ahead of time and took steps to combat them, deliverability remained unphased.
Also, make sure you’re working with your email team to understand where you need to be proactive, where you need to adjust mailing practices and where they can support you. Technology plays a role in improving your performance as well. Platforms like Agility Harmony can evaluate the email volume that’s being sent and analyse what’s getting to the inbox. With the right deliverability team who stays proactive and constantly evaluates deliverability health and the right technology, you’ll be ahead of the curve and avoid potential roadblocks.
Diagnosing deliverability problems
Your email team may identify other signals indicating that your marketing emails aren’t reaching the inbox, such as an increase in complaints, high bounce rates or (worst of all) getting blacklisted. When that happens, dissect what’s changed in your email programme.
Ask yourself about changes you may have made:
Did we add new audiences?
Have we changed our data or any other processes?
Has there been a change to our programme strategy?
Deliverability is more of an art than a science. There are plenty of best practices to follow, but ISPs won’t provide direct answers such as “this specific email address is being used as a spam trap” or “the email campaign sent on this date was the key problem.” But you can take time to diagnose these issues and get back on track.
How to keep your email deliverability healthy: diet and exercise
Building a solid deliverability rate is like maintaining your health. You know diet and exercise are the ways to get in shape, but you’re tempted by shortcuts in hopes of getting quicker results. Those won’t last.
Similarly, when it comes to deliverability, the only way to succeed long-term is to follow best practices and consider the value your emails present to your customers. You need to send emails that they expect and want.
You can test out your likeability by monitoring how your customers respond each time you send them an email. For instance, if you see that 40% of all your clicks are people unsubscribing or marking messages as spam to remove themselves from your list, that’s not good. There could be a mismatch between the user’s expectations and what you are sending.
By continually checking that your emails are relevant and interesting, you can improve not just your deliverability health, but your overall email programme performance.
Deliverability impacts your campaigns and (more importantly) your bottom line
Consider how deliverability affects your reporting. Are your open rates lower because your messages aren’t reaching the inbox? Are you getting clicks that ultimately lead you to being marked as spam?
If your deliverability problems haunt your email programme, then you’ll have more than a reporting issue: You’ll have an impact on your bottom line. Driving revenue starts with building connections with your subscribers, and that starts with getting in their inbox.
Make sure that you’re taking the right steps to proactively monitor your deliverability and to quickly get back on track if deliverability issues arise. Your profit margins will thank you.
Please contact us here to learn more about how Epsilon can help you enhance your delivery results and increase customer engagement
---
## 5 tips to fuse email creativity with data and technology
Type: eps_post
URL: /5-tips-to-fuse-email-creativity-with-data-and-technology
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# 5 tips to fuse email creativity with data and technology
As digital marketers, we’re often focused on the technology platforms and applications that enable our programmes. And we should be, because technology is essential to its success. But understanding the other components that help us to communicate on a 1:You level is also important.
All modern marketers need to leverage data-driven insights to fuel creativity and connect emotionally with customers. It’s the insights on consumers’ behaviors, such as motivations, likes, dislikes and so on, that helps to drive these ideas and create meaningful experiences for consumers.
Consider these best practices as you consider how to add creativity to your email marketing efforts:
1. Design a dynamic email template
Dynamic email templates allow for personalisation of messaging across a variety of data points. Think of the template as a flexible journey where you can change the creative and messaging based on the individual and their previous brand interactions.
This means your email template should be built on a modular framework which in turn will create flexibility for your marketing needs. Building this modular system takes time but there are efficiencies that come into play for developing automation capabilities.
Once your template is developed, your focus can shift to strategic content development, storytelling and visual design.
2. Capitalise on the preview pane
Being able to capture the attention of the consumer without requiring them to scroll down through the email can boost engagement. Think about the preview pane of the email and make sure your branding and call-to-actions are visible within this space. You may also try some A/B testing with different types of content to see what your audience responds to.
3. Be strategic with member dashboards
If you have a member component to your brand, creating a dashboard is an effective way to display a variety of information and data points in an easy to read, visual format. The dashboard can be enhanced with brand iconography and visual elements showing progress towards the next tier.
Leverage the transactional and behavioral data available, including recent spend, recent purchases, point totals, reward redemptions and near tier messaging to publish real-time content within your flexible and dynamic template.
4. Acknowledge prior engagement
Understanding how your users are engaging and interacting with the email campaigns they’ve opened is critical to success.
We encourage brands to leverage their modular templates by including a banner that speaks to the subscribers’ engagement level. For example, feature gratitude messages with a reward component for your highly engaged customers and a ‘we miss you message’ for those you are trying to reengage on a path to purchase.
5. Make personalisation a reality
Lastly, never lose sight of the importance of personalisation within your template. 74% of marketers have stated that targeted personalisation within emails increases their overall customer engagement rates.
In addition, research shows that 80% of consumers are more likely to do business with a company that offers personalised experiences.
Putting it all together
To put it in a brand’s perspective, we recently worked with the NFL to develop a modular template with the ability to bring in dynamic content allowing the fan activity level to determine the badge.
The template includes a very personalised experience based on the fan’s profile, behavior and affinity. Leveraging data that the NFL had on engagement, they were able to seamlessly create a unique email, including subject line and all content, for each individual fan. As a result, they increased online store revenue by over 15%.
When data is used to fuel creative thinking, the results are unstoppable. In fact, MediaPost recognised the NFL’s work and awarded them the 2019 Member’s Choice Award for email marketing creativity.
So, as you’re fine tuning your digital marketing and planning for next year, remember that innovation and creativity are intersecting, which is sparking a new level of creative possibilities for digital marketers.
And remember, creative refreshes come in all sizes, both big and small. Test, learn, and refine with each email campaign you issue to continuously improve upon your marketing programmes.
---
## Acts of kindness encourage brand loyalty
Type: eps_post
URL: /acts-of-kindness-encourage-brand-loyalty
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Acts of kindness encourage brand loyalty
Consumers love positive experiences. And better yet, experiences that ‘surprise and delight’ create engagement that leaves the consumer wanting to interact with your brand for future experiences.
With the shift of loyalty programmes from transactional to relational, fulfilment has transformed from rewards to experiences. Further, loyalty has become part of a brand’s overall business strategy: a mindset versus a programme.
Recently, UniBank, a US financial institution, was in the Boston community performing random acts of kindness. They visited local businesses, schools, senior centres and more to ‘surprise and delight’ consumers with a variety of offerings, and we had the opportunity to experience their surprise and delight gesture.
When we were at a local coffee shop, they greeted us with a friendly “hello,” handed out the card below and treated customers to a cup of coffee, their choice. And, the conversations that took place about the services of UniBank while folks waited for their coffee were inspiring.
It’s important to remember that being ‘the leader’ is not always about who spends the most money on innovation or who has the best merchandise. It’s often the brands that invest in their people to think outside of the box.
Surprise activates curiosity, excitement and wonder, which are key elements to absorbing information. Marketers are capitalising on the excitement that surprise and delight perks and offers trigger to drive loyalty to their brand. These rewards are different from the published perks or discount offering that’s often promised by the loyalty program.
You might be asking, “How does this apply to my business, my brand?” Or, you might be thinking to yourself, “This is an easy tactic for smaller, local businesses to fulfil.”
What marketers need to realise is the strategy of ‘surprise and delight’ is transferable, regardless of the size or type of your company. Many brands have engaged these types of experiential rewards. Why? Because they drive loyalty.
So, start thinking about how you can incorporate ‘surprise & delight’ offerings into your business model:
It’s all in the data:
Leverage data intelligence to offer educated ‘surprise and delight’ for your consumers. If you’re a retail brand, review your customers’ recent purchase activity and provide them with an experiential offer of interest to them.
For example, if a customer just came in to purchase some of the new Autumn shades of make-up, offer them a personalised make-over with a skin analysis at no charge.
DOWNLOAD OUR GUIDE
FROM 1:1 TO 1:YOU - 5 KEY COMPONENTS TO PERSONALISING THE LOYALTY EXPERIENCE
Make it a role within your organisation:
No, you don’t need a specific job title of ‘surprise and delight manager’. Integrate this function within an existing role within your marketing department. Maybe it resides in customer service.
The Ritz-Carlton has done a great job of integrating this role into the onsite hotel staff. The employees are enabled to fulfil on surprise and delight experiences for guests at their decision, their discretion. These experiences are then recorded within their systems to enable the brand to gain a holistic profile view of their guests.
Mark a date on the calendar:
While the concept of surprise and delight is spontaneous, marketers need to plan the experiences for customers to engage in. Whether it’s quarterly or affiliated with holidays. With Christmas looming, it's the perfect example, but every month, there are multiple holidays for marketers to promote.
For example, earlier this year the quick service restaurant chain Dunkin’ celebrated National Donut Day and surprised customers with a free donut when they purchased a beverage of their choice. And my how they achieved social success.
Dunkin’ implemented a Snapchat campaign featuring National Donut Day, and as a result, they gained more followers on National Donut Day than their average monthly followers. It resulted in the highest Snapchat story for the brand viewed to date. The total reach across all platforms was 3MM and the total engagement across all platforms was 40K. Dunkin' also saw a high level of tagging from friends, family, and fans in comments across all platforms. Additionally, the campaign resulted in hundreds of thousands of uses of the National Donut Day geofilter, which led to millions of peer-to-peer views.
As you continue to further advance your 1:You communication strategy, think of how you can incorporate surprise and delight into your campaign. Remember to dream big, always hold on to your vision and stay the course. It will become the essence of your success.
FROM 1:1 TO 1:YOU - 5 KEY COMPONENTS TO PERSONALISING THE LOYALTY EXPERIENCE
---
## Make your emails personal this holiday season
Type: eps_post
URL: /emails-personal-holiday-season
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Make your emails personal this holiday season
Gifts, outfits, greeting cards and other goodies. The Christmas count down is in full swing. Consumers are filling the aisles of retailers and shopping online to get the best deals. They’re engaged, have their wallets open and are ready to spend money on the holiday essentials.
Marketers who apply smart marketing strategies will come out ahead and see an increase in sales from the holiday season.
So what’s the role of email in this Christmas frenzy?
The benefits of email on holiday shopping
Email increases engagement: Email provides an opportunity to engage with your customers. With access to multiple data insights on consumers (your customers), we as marketers can create communications that are relevant to each one. The time has come where we’re speaking to our customers on a 1:You level, which is a holistic customer experience strategy that’s personalised with the best choice for individuals across all interaction points.
It’s an influential channel that supports an omnichannel strategy: As an email marketer, it’s difficult to think of how we talk to customers outside of the email channel. Oftentimes, we’re focused on episodic communications. But if we take a step back and think about our view of data outside the email world, we can understand how consumers are engaging with brands holistically.
Recently we partnered with our client Coach to help them drive more personalisation in conversations. The emails that Coach’s customers received encouraged both online and in-store purchases.
As a result, there were lifts in website and in-store traffic, as well as overall order values. And, Coach was able to make a connection between the email subscriber to their in-store experience, creating higher consumer engagement.
Email creative enhances the shopping experience: Digital creative can enhance the customer’s shopping experience and create a 1:You relationship.
The first step retailers have to take when planning for their holiday email campaigns is designing a dynamic email template that allows for personalisation of messaging using a variety of data points. Think of the template as a flexible journey where you can change the creative and messaging based on the individual and their previous brand interactions. This means your email template should be built on a modular framework, which in turn will create flexibility for your marketing needs.
Building this modular system takes time, but the efficiencies that come into play, like automation capabilities, bring the Christmas shopping experience to life.
Going beyond the single-focus campaign
Most marketers begin their Christmas campaign planning in Q2, but it’s important to think beyond the holidays during the planning stage. Retailers that are engaging in multi-promotional campaigns during this season see positive results.
It’s important to keep in mind that the holiday shopping season is a very short marketing window. So don’t just think about ways to integrate your Christmas promotions and messages in your campaigns leading up to this shopping period. Think of how you will continue to create personalised, 1:You, campaigns for your customers in the new year too.
To sustain and increase brand loyalty, real-time technology is key
As part of these multi-promotional efforts, marketers are leveraging existing, targeted data segments (loyalty members, past purchasers, ancillary purchases, etc.) to connect with their engaged customers. They’re shifting away from customer acquisition strategies and focusing on how they can increase the value of their existing customers while enhancing brand loyalty. The right technology is critical.
Many marketers are applying real-time marketing (point of sale) as part of their digital marketing strategy. Once you have a consumer who’s interested in your product and ready to make a purchase, you need to capture their attention at this moment because it’s an opportunity for increased sales.
But if you snooze, you lose. It needs to happen in real-time, which you can do by applying the right technology and data.
The data-driven insights provide marketers with the knowledge of the offers they should deploy, while the technology drives the delivery of the data. When thinking about your real-time strategy during the holiday and beyond, plan your knowledge – the relevant content – and leverage your technology to deliver content that takes your marketing campaigns to the next level.
Capture your Christmas share-of-wallet
Additionally, think of wallet share opportunities to incorporate into your marketing strategy. For example, if you’re a retailer selling shoes and bags, target the promotional offer to 20% off a pair of shoes and a €10 voucher towards their next purchase with no minimum purchase required. It’s like getting €10 for free. Consumers love “freebies,” so it’s a great way to introduce new products and services that help to drive additional sales to your brand.
Further, when consumers perceive your brand to be a retailer of multiple offerings, it creates a “one-stop-shop” mindset saving them time – and time is money after all.
If you’d like to talk more about creating personalised email marketing campaigns for your customers, get in touch.
---
## Avoid getting overwhelmed by machine learning in marketing
Type: eps_post
URL: /avoid-getting-overwhelmed-machine-learning-marketing
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Avoid getting overwhelmed by machine learning in marketing
Marketing applications are undergoing a dramatic boom, with the “Martech 5000” ballooning to 7,040 entries. Machine learning benefits from this rising tide in no small way, with almost 80% of marketers electing to use machine learning in 2018.
But, with any rapidly growing technology, many marketers are struggling to bring machine learning into their programmes. While some are achieving significant goals through machine learning, some haven't found success yet for various reason, and others don't know where to start. If you fall into the latter, read on for a foundational overview of machine learning.
What is machine learning?
Here’s a layman’s introduction to how machine learning works:
First, get historical data that describes that you want to accomplish.
Example: a list of prospects who have visited your website.
Pick a machine learning model and load your data. Ask the question you want.
Example: Of the prospects who have visited our website, who will convert?
The machine will make its predictions, and probably get them wrong.
Show the machine the correct answers – here are the customers who converted.
Iterate until the machine gets it right to within a decent confidence interval.
It's as simple as that. But in practice, it's not really all that simple.
Here’s the thing: What marketers consider machine learning often isn't. In fact, many marketing companies produce applications that they call machine learning but they don't learn and they contain no smart features.
According to Paul Roetzer, founder of the Marketing Artificial Intelligence Institute:
“There may be teams of 300 engineers, but they’ve only got 3 people who actually know what machine learning is, how to use it, and how to identify and solve machine learning problems. Hence, platforms are built by folks who don’t know what AI is and who continue to “improve” it with capabilities that they don’t know aren’t intelligent.”
In short, making machine learning into a successful part of your stack will require a great deal of careful preparation.
Where to start: Clean data
In order to start putting machine learning in marketing, you need to start with marketing data – clean data, specifically. rubbish in, rubbish out, as they say. If your data sets are out of date, full of errors or riddled with duplicates, then the resulting outputs will be less than optimal.
The bad news is that your starting point may also be less than ideal. Up to 25% of marketing data is incorrect, with errors in terms of demographics or their status within your pipeline.
Fortunately, there are shortcuts that don’t involve going through your database line by line. For example, if your database contains only a few entries that are missing values, you can delete them. You can also train your sales and marketing staff to create better records going forward. Since bad data leads to bad decisions, it’s worth putting the time in to solve this problem upfront.
Putting machine learning in marketing
Once you have a good foundation, it’s time to integrate machine learning into your marketing stack.
The good news is that there are a lot of pre-existing single-purpose AI/ML platforms for marketing that will snap into your existing platforms right away. Social listening tools will help you design ad campaigns or even write limited ad copy. CRM tools will generate personalised ad copy based on your buyer personas. CMS tools can automatically A/B test your landing pages. ESP tools can incorporate dynamic copy and images to improve relevancy, and thus clicks. And end-to-end partners can help you clean up data, solve identity issues in your database and implement machine learning in meaningful ways.
All of these solutions are polished and market-tested, but there are two problems you must look out for.
Is this something you need, or does it just look shiny? Marketers are known to waste about a quarter of their budgets. You may be tempted by a new digital marketing tool, only to find that it rusts in your toolbox – try it to narrow it down to something you really need.
Are you using it correctly? Machine learning algorithms respond to bias. In terms of social listening, for example, an exclamation mark can mean either elation or anger. If you don’t train your model correctly, you might focus inordinately on the needs of satisfied customers while failing to take input from those who are about to churn.
With all of the pitfalls along the way to making machine learning successful, it’s worth identifying partners with proven success and taking some direction from companies that have been able to do it right.
Machine learning success story
What does it look like when marketers make machine leaning a success?
The cosmetics company Glossier started from a blog called Into the Gloss. They thought that readers of the blog would naturally shop their cosmetics. It wasn’t that simple.
While blog commenters were extremely engaged and likely to purchase products, those who only read the blog were less so, and those who only visited the eCommerce site were least likely to purchase a product.
Using machine learning, the company was able to trace the most popular customer journey. Purchasers would click a link from the blog to the eCommerce site on mobile, add a product to their shopping cart and then complete the transaction on their browser. Glossier was able to use this information to smooth the customer journey, making it easier for customers to enjoy an omnichannel shopping experience.
Although your own journey to machine learning in marketing may look different, it will contain the same elements. If all goes as planned, you’ll use accurate data in order to pursue relevant goals and receive an unexpected yet actionable result.
In a recent webinar with Skift, Epsilon-Conversant and United Airlines, we uncovered how travel marketers in particular have overcome these technology challenges to make waves in the industry.
Watch it now
---
## Using personalisation to change consumer behaviour and drive return
Type: eps_post
URL: /using-personalisation-to-change-consumer-behaviour-and-drive-return
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Using personalisation to change consumer behaviour and drive return
Watch this on-demand talk to understand how talking to consumers individually - yet at tremendous scale - over time influences their purchase behaviour, driving proven incremental return for retail brands.
Filmed live at IMRG's Data Summit in London, Elliott Clayton - Conversant's SVP of Media - further discusses how retailers can activate their data without drowning in it, revealing one of the highest spending demographics that many marketers ignore.
{{ script_embed('wistia', 'jhr5kq8vdm', ', ', 'inline,responsive,align=center,marginRight=auto,marginLeft=auto') }}
Read how fashion retailer Cox & Cox attracted over 20,000 new customers, generating more than £2M in incremental revenue by personalising their display advertising with nearly 13,000 unique creatives.
Read the case study
---
## How European retailers increase incremental return from personalisation
Type: eps_post
URL: /how-european-retailers-increase-incremental-return-from-personalisation
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T22:13:13Z
# How European retailers increase incremental return from personalisation
Retailers in Europe right now are using personalised digital media to communicate individually to consumers at scale. They're generating incremental return, and they're proving the GBP£ uplift that it creates to their C-Suite, securing both recognition for their work and continued investment in the marketing function.
Retailers and brand-side marketers should watch this on-demand talk to learn how to leverage the next phase of personalisation:
Communicating with potential and existing customers individually, at huge scale.
Delivering full lifecycle messaging by leveraging a single customer view.
Closing the marketing proof gap, showing true GBP£ uplift to the C-Suite.
{{ script_embed('wistia', 'n37ztf7bom', ', ', 'inline,responsive,align=center,marginRight=auto,marginLeft=auto') }}
During his talk, Elliott Clayton - Conversant's SVP of media - discusses how Dune London generated an additional £4.4 million in incremental return. Read how the Fashion Network covered Dune London's work with Conversant.
How Dune London generated an additional £4.4 million >
---
## What is B2B digital transformation, and where do I start?
Type: eps_post
URL: /b2b-digital-transformation-and-where-to-start
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# What is B2B digital transformation, and where do I start?
Digital transformation has been the word on the lips of many marketers over the past few years. Simply put, digital transformation is a restructure of how companies use technology to create a consistent customer experience, wherever and whenever they interact with them. Click to Tweet
Along with digital transformation, we have seen buzzwords such as Artificial intelligence (AI), machine learning, chatbots and voice optimisation take over the digital marketing space as B2B marketers shift towards customer-centricity.
These buzzwords are putting pressure on marketers to incorporate AI that will help them deliver personalised content experiences, regardless of their current digital status and maturity.
But implementing AI just to check the box is becoming an increasing issue within the B2B marketing space. In a previous blog post, we spoke about how even major brands, such as Coca-Cola, have struggled with implementing a digital transformation plan. But, to ensure success, there is a clear process to follow.
Here are the steps B2B companies need to take in order to launch a successful digital transformation strategy that will engage customers and build stronger relationships:
Conduct an internal audit. Ask questions and listen to everyone in your organisation. Ask yourself, does our current organisational structure work? Are we set up for digital success or are there gaps that are causing us to miss potential new business? These questions will be the starting point to setting yourself up for successful customer relationships in the long term. An internal audit will help you understand what is currently working and what needs to be changed before any transformation takes place.
Gain employee buy-in. Even if a company’s content marketing and technology systems are fully functioning, nothing will change if there is not buy-in across the organisation. Bring in outside experts to help move the organisation towards customer-centricity starting from the top. Roadblocks will inevitably pop up, but if the change starts from the top and includes the core team required to implement new customer-centric strategies, you will overcome challenges.
Integrate sales and marketing. Again, this needs to be an internal corporate change, from the top down. If both sales and marketing simply listen more to the other side, large strides will be made and gaps will start to fill. Without this integration, valuable and crucial new business opportunities are missed and compromised. You will only find success if sales and marketing are working towards the same customer-centric goals.
Select the proper technology and partners. Many organisations have separate technology and automation system that don’t speak to each other, causing huge gaps and unnecessary work. This disconnect hurts the lead nurturing process, causing missed prospect opportunities. Invest in the right technology and partners with the expertise to implement the technology. This investment will be worth it, in the long run, to ensure you are realising maximising value from your marketing technology investments.
Have a strong strategy to pull it all together. B2B marketers are looking more closely at the customer journey and learning that customer experience has to be a priority in order to make a seamless experience for prospects. Customer experience has not been addressed strategically in the B2B space before. Now is the time to take a systematic approach and get it right. Mapping out the customer journey is a critical step towards delivering a seamless experience that produces results.
Take a customer-first approach. Historically, customer-centricity has not been top of mind for B2B marketers. Companies need to come to terms with the fact that their content marketing approach needs to shift to be customer-centric. It’s not as much about a brand’s messaging, but what the customer really needs to improve their business. Personalisation should be at the forefront of a content marketing approach to address the needs of the customer. Ask yourself, “Are we making it easy for our customers to make a quick decision?” Regardless of the type of marketing programme, it needs to provide ease of use, allow for a quick decision and eliminate other noise in the space.
If you can confidently check off all the items on this list, only then is your company is ready to start evolving in the digital marketing space.
For more information on this topic, check out this Overcoming B2B Digital Marketing Challenges Best Practice Guide that Epsilon participated in with Econsultancy.
Want to talk more about getting started with your Digital Transformation plan, or need help auditing your current landscape? Get in touch at hello@epsilon.com today.
---
## Loyalty marketing: 3 tips to keep emotions front and centre
Type: eps_post
URL: /loyalty-marketing-3-tips-to-keep-emotions-front-and-centre
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Loyalty marketing: 3 tips to keep emotions front and centre
We speak frequently about the impact that personalisation has on loyalty marketing and, in particular, 1:You loyalty. 1:You is a holistic customer experience strategy that focuses on personalisation, with the best choice for individuals across all touchpoints or interactions. With this at the heart of your loyalty strategy, understanding the role of emotions in your 1:You (or personalisation) marketing is essential for success.
There are multiple stages of emotions that customers progress through as they are becoming brand loyal. But, rather than focusing on specific stages within our model here, we’ll explore some tips and tactics on how you can keep emotions front and centre during your marketing planning and beyond.
Data is your best friend when it comes to understanding emotions
As marketers, we tend to think within our own data set. There are emerging data points that can be used as emotion indicators, and machine learning plays an integral role. For example, companies like Disney have developed emotional data capture methods of being able to detect when viewers display emotions, such as laughter, during their movies. The emotions displayed on the viewers’ face are detected through an algorithm which is then translated into actionable data. When these behavioral data points are integrated into a marketer’s data set, you’re on the path to fully understanding your customers’ emotions and gaining a 360-degree view.
Being brand empathetic wins customers over
Loyalty is not linear, and it has emotions. Your members (customers) react when they sense you’re empathetic to their wants and needs. When they see the human side of your brand, they can relate. Being true to yourself and your brand is critical in forming the trust bond with your customers. While there are many examples of brands who show brand empathy, one that stands out is Procter & Gamble’s ‘Thank you Mom’ campaign that was launched during the Olympics. The campaign reflects all the mothers who spent countless hours taking their children to practices and competitions and helped them ‘win’ during their setbacks and instills in them determination and to never give up. This instantly hits home for the Proctor & Gamble audience and connects them to the brand.
Understand ‘the biology’ of loyalty
From our research in developing the stages of emotions, we discovered there are loyalty-inducing chemicals that are released in the brain during each emotional stage. For example, we all know that dopamine is the ‘feel good hormone’. This chemical is produced in the ‘reward centre’ of our brain and alerts us that our needs are about to be met. Knowing the emotion that this chemical triggers is helpful while loyalty marketers are entrenched in their loyalty emotional marketing planning. If efforts are focused on inducing these chemical triggers, marketers win.
As you’re evaluating your emotional loyalty marketing capabilities, think about how your technology infrastructure can support these efforts. Platforms like Agility Loyalty help marketers to achieve their 1:You strategies and create ever-lasting loyalty relationships. Loyalty is filled with emotions. It’s people that create the emotional elements while the technology fulfills on them.
---
## The weekly round-up: 28.06.19
Type: eps_post
URL: /weekly-round-up-28-06-19
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# The weekly round-up: 28.06.19
Poor taste, cultural appropriation, and the world’s first commercial look at pubic hair – welcome to the Weekly Round-Up.
Lord of fashion influencers
As evidenced in last week’s Round-Up, we are partial to some reality TV around these parts. We enjoy the drama, we enjoy the whimsey, and, most of all, we enjoy the cross-pollination of reality stars and brands that is almost always guaranteed. But the latest addition to the thrash TV circuit has us wondering where the line is when it comes to fabricated fame, and the campaigns they bore. This week, Indian eCommerce site, Flipkart, and television channel, Zoom, announced their latest venture – the search for India’s next top influencer. Amar Nagaram, the head of Flipkart parent company, Myntra, has framed the show as "The hunt for India's fashion superstar through a unique, digital first, fashion reality show.” The show “offers fashion influencers a one of a kind opportunity to showcase their special talent and make it big in this industry."
Since their inception, influencers, and the brands they work with have come under scrutiny for being less than authentic in their promotion of products and services. So, while the output of the Flipkart show won’t be a surprise, there is something shamelessly overt about creating and promoting individuals who will, more than likely, indiscriminately promote any brand that slides into their DM. What does it say about the individuals? More than that, what does it say about the brands who are willing to work with them? Watch this space for more in the coming months.
Kimo-NO!
The latest in cultural appropriation comes in the form-fitting shape of the reality star, Kim Kardashian-West’s, shapewear collection, Kimono Intimates. The lingerie line, which is said to be an inclusive solution for women’s bodies of all shapes and sizes, has come under serious fire since it was announced via Ms Kardashian-West’s social channels. Though the collection is set to boast a broad range of shades and sizes (XXS to 4XL), it is its name that has gotten its creator in hot water. But what’s in a name? Well, when it comes to trademarking a traditional Japanese garment that represents a huge part of the country’s culture, actually, quite a lot. On the subject, native Japanese woman, Yuka Ohishi said, “We wear kimonos to celebrate health, growth of children, engagements, marriages, graduations, at funerals. It's celebratory wear and passed on in families through the generations." Showing her disdain for the line she added, "This shapewear doesn't even resemble a kimono - she just chose a word that has Kim in it - there's no respect to what the garment actually means in our culture."
Exploring advertising
With the departure of its founders, Kevin Systrom and Mike Krieger, last September, Instagram has seen quite a lot of changes over the last few months, and it looks as though another one is on the horizon. On Wednesday of this week, it was announced that the photo-sharing platform will be introducing ads to its Explore tab in the coming months. The Explore tab is a space for users to discover new content and accounts to engage with. So what does it all mean? Well reportedly, for advertisers, it means a serious captive audience. According to reports from Instagram, more than 50% of its billion users visit the Explore tab every month and 80% of its users follow a business account on the platform. That’s a lot of potential eyes on ads, but what about the end users? The company are saying that they will be integrating ads “slowly and thoughtfully” into the tab, taking care not to disrupt the user experience.
TAXI for Kapten
Upon their entry, driver-on-demand services disrupted the market, giving the power back to people for private transportation. This disruption was revived this week upon the release of French taxi brand, Kapten’s, latest ad campaign. However, this time around the same success was not achieved. Rather than giving the power to the people, Kapten provided them with OOH advertising which simply shocked and offended.
The creative in question centred around a blind date in which one of the participants was a sex offender and the other needed a speedy escape. Kapten to the rescue is not the tagline, but the overall message hails the company as a hero in this moment of distress. To say the ad is tasteless is an understatement and we are not alone in our opinion. Following a number of complaints, TFL, the media outlet for London transport, pulled and apologised for approving the ad.
You do you
"Red, White, And You Do You" is the line coming from US brand, Billie, as they launch their Summer campaign. And, in a world of Get Beach Body Ready white noise, we are all about it. The razor company, who sells products that are “built for womankind”, is being applauded this week for making an ad that actually depicts womankind as opposed to the aspirational she-bots that usually grace our screens. For the first time in the history of female razor blade advertising pubic hair has been placed centre stage and, better yet, has been framed as, wait for it, a natural thing. On the campaign and the matter of pubic hair in general, co-founder of Billie, Georgina Gooley said, "I think when we brush topics to the side and don't address it, it’s a form of body shaming.”
---
## The Building Blocks Of Personalisation, Block 1
Type: eps_post
URL: /the-building-blocks-of-personalisation-block-1
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# The Building Blocks Of Personalisation, Block 1
ACHIEVING A 360-DEGREE CUSTOMER VIEW THROUGH DATA COLLECTION.
Personalisation is the Holy Grail of marketing. So much so that 80% of consumers are more likely to do business with a company that offers a personalised experience. So how can you offer an experience like that? At Epsilon we know that success comes from small easy-to-implement changes, with that in mind we have created a three-stage plan that will help you to incorporate personalisation into your marketing program and ultimately build a stronger relationship with your customers.
Stage One: Leverage data collection techniques to achieve a 360-degree view of your customers.
Stage Two: Incorporate new technologies like artificial intelligence to engage with customised messages at scale.
Stage Three: Reach your audience at the right time, in the right place.
In the first part of this three-part series, we will explore how, by building a 360-degree customer view through data collection, you can lay the foundations for creating a truly personalised experience for your audience.
Getting to know you, getting to know all about you
To kick-off, create a data collection strategy that’s realistic, and fits in with your overall marketing goals. Integrate your online and offline data and incorporate the necessary technologies and systems to fulfil on your strategy. Collect and capture cross-channel data with data pools. Then perform identity mapping to understand the who’s who of your audience (in a GDPR compliant manner, of course). Finally, understand how you can activate the data at scale to leverage for marketing purposes.
Audiences interact with multiple digital touchpoints each day and, each time they do, they generate a new piece of data. This activity has lead to a flux of first-party data globally, some of which is readily available to marketers. This data allows marketers to know their customers better than ever before.
To put this data to good use, it should be augmented with third-party data assets to enable a true, 360-degree customer view. For example, audience demographics and third-party data, such as audience interests, can then be segmented, profiled, and analysed against first-party data to enhance the customer view.
Putting it into practice
Let’s put it into context. At Epsilon, we work with multiple brands to help them solve their identity challenge. For many of our clients, their loyalty platform is viewed as a base or a starting point. All data sources from both the online and offline channels are integrated into the platform. It is then enhanced with third-party data providing an expanded view of the audience, bringing together data from several different sources. Whether it's by device or by different physical addresses, we give our clients a holistic view of the customer so that they can get a better understanding of who is generating the most lifetime value, and who is generating the least. With this information in hand, our clients can effectively plan their marketing efforts.
Over to you
So, when it comes to getting to know your customers, ensure you think of all the ways they interact with your brand. This way you’ll have accounted for all of the available data sources and can start to really form a 360-degree customer view and build a stronger relationship with your audience.
Stay tuned, as in our next article we’ll discuss how marketers are using artificial intelligence to engage at scale with customised messages.
---
## the weekly round-up: 21.06.19
Type: eps_post
URL: /weekly-round-up-21-06-19
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# the weekly round-up: 21.06.19
New flavours, new flames, and the end of a trademark era – it’s all here and more in The Weekly Round-Up.
What’s your flavour?
That’s the question coming from Diet Coke as they offer audiences two brand new variants on the iconic low-cal soft drink. Earlier this week Diet Coke Twisted Strawberry and Diet Coke Exotic Mango entered the market with a bang, supported by a multi-million campaign featuring English actress, Tanya Reynolds. On the campaign, Diet Coke marketing manager, Tuuli Turunen, said that it “highlights the latest example of how Diet Coke is continuing to innovate and expand the brand.” Innovative as it may be, Diet Coke, thankfully are not taking the new flavour launch too seriously. Perhaps recognising the hackneyed nature of reskinning the same product, they have taken a lighter approach to the campaign’s creative using the young actress's comedy prowess to fully embody the new flavours using her best strawberry “voice” and “twisted” moves. The creative itself is good, the taste is anyone’s guess.
Representing?
With Pride month officially upon us, it is a time to celebrate love, acceptance, and, in the advertising world, a new angle to reach audiences. Is this a cynical view of big brands putting Pride front and centre in their latest campaigns? Perhaps, but discluding long-term supporters of LGBTQ+ communities like Smirnoff and MAC Cosmetics, is there not something about the plethora of recent ad releases that says We’re here, we’re queer, and we want you to buy our stuff!? While according to recent research conducted by publication Gay Times and ad agency Karmarama, 64% of survey respondents felt positive about the increase in LGBTQ+ representation in the media and advertising. A whopping 72% also felt that the way in which they were represented was “tokenistic.” This tokenism can be clearly seen in some of the very rainbow-heavy big brand campaigns of the last month so, while the media has moved forward in who they are representing, they are still missing the mark in how they are doing it.
Love the way you lie
Last year we fell in love. Not on the Love Island, but rather from the comfort of behind our own screens. In the summer of 2018, we not only got to see the passionate trysts of a group of twenty-somethings but, better still, we got to watch the beauty of Love Island’s marketing strategy unfold before us. From affiliate prowess to social media wizardry, our heads were so turned that we even featured it as a case study in Epsilon’s 2018 Year in Review. With our hearts so full of anticipation for 2019, you can only imagine our disappointment this week when it was revealed that our beloved Islanders and their social following are fakes. While it doesn’t seem totally out of the realm of possibility that contestants who participate in a televised competition to find true love could be disingenuous, it does make the outlook of the future marketing opportunities following the show a little merky. Central to the show’s success is its influencer marketing avenues and, with the lies coming out this early in the game, could that road be closed already? Only time - and Instagram - can tell. Watch this space for more.
Three stripes and you’re out
Most consumers are well acquainted with the two-stripe sportswear knock-offs that decorate the high street. And whether they choose to indulge or swiftly skip on, they know what they are getting. However, the recognising of these lines is about to get seriously blurred as German sports brand, Adidas, loses its three-stripe trademark in Europe. On Wednesday of this week, a court in the EU decided that the three stripes were simply not distinctive enough to be claimed by the brand. The court ruled that Adidas did not “prove that the mark has acquired, throughout the territory of the EU, distinctive character following the use which had been made of it.” While a spokesperson for the brand has said that they are “disappointed”, Adidas is not disheartened with the result. “This ruling is limited to this particular execution of the three-stripe mark and does not impact on the broad scope of protection that Adidas has on its well-known three-stripe mark in various forms in Europe.”
2016: The Redemption.
Between unexpected exits and elections, the general consensus of 2016 was somewhat negative. Still, as with every cloud, it looks as though 2016’s silver lining has finally been uncovered. No, there has not been an impeachment, nor have any borders been dissolved, but rather Kellogg’s have released white chocolate flavour Coco Pops. And while above, we did jeer the reskinning of an old product as a form of “innovation” we are impressed by Kellogg’s social strategy surrounding the campaign. To create interest and intrigue, the cereal giant decided to promote a user-generated Tweet from 2016 that requested the company make white chocolate Coco Pops. With spend behind it, the Tweet took flight and, much to the delight of Kellogg’s, consumers took notice. Amanjit Heer, digital moderator at Kellogg’s said, “We wanted to have consumers talking about ‘why is Kellogg’s promoting a tweet from 2016 calling out white-chocolate Coco Pops and promoting it? Does this mean they’re going to launch it?” They did indeed launch it earlier this week, and while reports have come back that the new cereal is “absolutely foul”, all press is good press, right?
---
## A 'Leader' in loyalty experience to build lifetime customer connections
Type: eps_post
URL: /leader-loyalty-experience-build-lifetime-customer-connection
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# A 'Leader' in loyalty experience to build lifetime customer connections
Loyalty is critical to customer engagement today as consumers exercise greater control over how they interact with brands.
Through loyalty programs, brands are able to create value for consumers, where in exchange for personal information and preferences, they receive more relevant offers, perks and personalized experiences.
As more brands embark on engaging customers through loyalty programs, we’re proud to be named a Leader by Forrester Research in the report: The Forrester Wave™: Loyalty Technology Platforms, Q2 2019.
Delivering global programs for decades across verticals
The report cites that Epsilon excels at executing complex loyalty programs with a wealth of experience in powering loyalty for retail, travel and hospitality, restaurant, and financial services. And for bringing “more than loyalty to the table in service of its mission to ‘make every interaction count.’”
We believe our decades of global experience innovating in the loyalty space sets us apart in being able to deliver the human experiences customers expect today.
Why? Because loyalty is predicated on human emotion and is always changing. Brands need partners that can help them better predict what customers want next through data and insights and then help them reach those customers through powerful technology platforms at the right moment in time and at scale.
Our expertise and ability to help brands optimize every customer interaction is why brands like Walgreens, Dunkin’, Dell, FedEx and GNC have all turned to Epsilon to power their loyalty programs. It’s also why, we think Forrester Research cited us with the highest score possible in the services, vision and customer retention and satisfaction criteria as part of this evaluation.
Bringing more than loyalty to the table
To deliver the experiences customers expect today, we believe it takes more than a reliable loyalty technology platform.
Over the last few years, we’ve worked hard to bring together an integrated suite of products and services to better serve our clients and help them tell a connected story at every customer interaction. Forrester took notice stating in the report, “Its Agility Loyalty solution integrates with the full suite of Epsilon’s marketing, data, and media products and even includes a license for its Agility Harmony email platform; this vendor was a Leader in The Forrester Wave™: Email Marketing Service Providers, Q2 2018.”
Clients are responding to Epsilon’s unique ability to integrate the customer experience. Dunkin’ and Dell both recently expanded their relationship with Epsilon to deepen personalization and scalability across loyalty, email and other marketing channels to drive brand engagement.
To ensure our clients get the most out of our technology platform, we’ve also focused on elevating Agility Loyalty’s user experience and self-serve options. In the report, Forrester states, “its interface is intuitive, the Ignite training portal is easy to navigate, and Epsilon is investing in making the UI more marketer-friendly. Customer feedback about Epsilon’s flexibility extends to the solution itself. One customer reference explained that “it’s very easy to build out new experiences [in Agility Loyalty] without having to do a coding exercise.”
We want our clients to feel empowered and prepared to convert the most casual customers into lifelong fans. In the report, Epsilon’s Agility Loyalty solution received the highest scores possible in the: artificial intelligence, currency, rewards, and fraud criteria. We believe these criteria are increasingly critical to loyalty programs given today’s changing customer engagement environment. For example, our configurable fraud-risk detection capability constantly monitors customer interactions for clients to identify and interdict potential fraudulent redemption activity in real time so they can take action to stop it before it happens.
An experienced hands-on partner
During a time when technology often over-promises and under-delivers, we know our clients need more than a reliable platform to meet their business objectives. In the report, Forrester cites: “Clients agree that Epsilon ‘knows loyalty and its customers really well.’” “For large enterprises with complex requirements, Epsilon is an experienced and hands-on tech partner.” We believe Forrester’s evaluation validates our ability to deliver leading technology and services where Epsilon received the highest scores possible in the privacy and security and onboarding and implementation services criteria.
We are proud of our ability to innovate and adapt to the changing needs of our clients and rising expectations of customers. In 1981 Epsilon helped launch Pan Am WorldPass, the world’s first global frequent traveler program, and one of the market’s earliest loyalty programs. Today, Epsilon’s Agility Loyalty platform manages 750 million loyalty memberships worldwide delivering 175 MM campaign messages and 600 MM transactions per month.
We believe Epsilon’s position as a Leader in this evaluation reinforces Agility Loyalty’s differentiation in the marketplace with the performance, solution depth, flexibility and expertise brands need today.
---
## Powering lifetime connections. Stage III: Adjusting communications along the journey
Type: eps_post
URL: /powering-lifetime-connections-stage-iii
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Powering lifetime connections. Stage III: Adjusting communications along the journey
Welcome back to the final instalment in the series, Powering lifetime connections. In part two, we discussed the elements involved in creating a plan for ongoing customer dialogue. This time around we are focusing on how to adapt your communication style to suit the different stages of the customer journey.
We have found that a lot of brands can be somewhat extreme in their communication style. When it comes to conversing with customers, brands tend to do one of two things. Either they keep their distance and send just one or two messages to welcome their customers to their loyalty platform or, they are too close for comfort, and over-communicate, running the risk of customers classifying their communications as junk mail.
To ensure sustained customer loyalty, marketers must develop a plan that delivers the right type and volume of communication at the right time. As we’ll discuss in the final part of Powering lifetime connections, communication plans need to be flexible and accommodate for change along the journey. The needs and wants of your customer are ever-changing, and developing a plan that is adaptable to that is a must.
Understand the customer lifecycle
A customer’s loyalty lifecycle begins with their first purchase and enrollment in a brands’ loyalty programme. Once the customer is engaged, brands share communications highlighting additional products and services to educate and create awareness in the customer. Within the customer lifecycle, change is constant and marketers need to embrace this. Anticipating change allows for flexibility in building a communication plan around customer’s expectations and helps to ensure marketers can reach their customers in the moments that matter most.
Segmentation is a must
Not all customers are the same. Marketers cannot communicate with everyone in the same way. It’s important to know and understand high potential customers. Identifying and focusing on this audience segment allows brands to reduce wasting time and energy on less valuable audience sets. As it relates to segmentation, leveraging the VAP scores (Value, Attrition, Potential) of consumers helps marketers allocate communication spend and realise a better return on their marketing investment. Marketers are advised to re-run these scoring processes on a regular basis, so adjustments can be made accordingly.
Finding the balance of being proactive versus reactive
It’s important to recognise the difference between proactive and reactive communications. Proactive communications are more predictive and easier to plan for. Examples include ‘welcome’, ‘thank you’, and ‘birthday’ messages etc. Reactive communications happen in real-time where the consumer is live, sharing thoughts about an event they’re at, calling customer service to complain, or tweeting about a positive experience they just had with your brand and so on.
It’s important to be able to react to these moments in real time, when it matters the most. Marketers should consider setting up a communication infrastructure including both proactive and reactive communication types to leverage their interactions with consumers.
Let’s put powering customer connections into action through the example of purchasing a car.
Married couples who are interested in having a family, on average wait three to five years before having a baby. With this in mind, automobile manufacturers may consider a communication strategy for the newly married couple that showcases the latest and greatest sedan. Then, three years following their purchase, they will communicate to the same audience set on how trade-ins are in need for their particular sedan while sharing information about the latest mid-size SUV.
This is a good strategy as it’s about understanding where the consumer is at in the lifecycle and communicating to them with the appropriate messages. To ensure you pick up on the all-important lifecycle changes of your customers, consider adding third-party consumer data to augment your understanding of customers.
A final note
As you’re evaluating your communication strategy and making adjustments along the way, it’s important to also consider your internal resources – the people of your organisation. Your greatest key to success in any task, it’s important to ask yourself whether or not you have utilised this resource within your strategy.
Do you have dedicated resources to respond to customer service inquiries? Is your marketing team carrying out social listening? These efforts are an important part in achieving that all important 360-degree of your customers.
This completes our Powering lifetime connections series. Please stay tuned, as in our next series, we’ll discuss the building blocks of personalisation. We’ll explore creating a 360-degree view of your customer through data collection, using artificial intelligence to engage at scale with customised messages, and reaching customers at the right time, in the right place.
---
## The evolution of showrooming for omni-channel retail
Type: eps_post
URL: /the-evolution-of-showrooming-for-omni-channel-retail
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T22:17:52Z
# The evolution of showrooming for omni-channel retail
Showrooming is a phrase that has been long-feared among many brick-and-mortar retailers. Yet today, more and more retailers are embracing it to the benefit of both themselves and their customers.
Used to refer to when consumers use physical stores as a showroom while they search and discover the same product for a lower price on their smartphones - likely purchasing from a digital-only competitor without the same overheads. It’s a trend Amazon has undoubtedly capitalised on - the barcode search that’s been a feature in their main app for many years is proof of that.
But while feared, showrooming is a trend that's only going to get more common as tech-savvy in-store consumers become the norm. Recent research from Conversant shows that younger generations are more likely to be showrooming. A whopping 78% of shoppers under 35-years-old shop both in-store and online simultaneously, and are 34% more likely than older customers to use a mobile device in a store.
However, that's not necessarily bad news. Depending on how retailers manage showrooming, it can either be a hindrance or a blessing.
The inner-city showroom
Take Ikea. With the long-held model of merging shop and warehouse in huge out-of-town buildings, over the last few years, the Swedish retailer has begun its march towards the city centre. In London, Aberdeen and Norwich, the flat-pack furniture retailer has opened up smaller order and collection points - customers can visit the store to view display products before ordering either on their mobiles or via the self-service digital terminals. There’s no restaurant to get a plate of meatballs, but shoppers can touch, feel and measure furniture before arranging for easy home delivery, while Ikea doesn’t need to pay the vast inner city costs for land that it otherwise would need to for its regular store format.
Ikea is perhaps a more extreme example, whereby the cost savings to the business of locating their often large-sized stock outside of a city centre are huge. However, other brands are embracing the showrooming phenomenon too, spurred in part by the nigh-on limitless inventory possibilities.
The store of the future
Zara’s new flagship store in London features "digital technology that integrates the online and offline shopping experiences,” according to Drapers. In practice, this means that shoppers can collect same-day orders, with a robotic arm fulfilling an order in mere seconds. Interactive mirrors detect which products customers are holding, displaying a model wearing those same clothes with complimentary styles and garments. Most noteworthy, customers have the option of paying within the Zara app for their purchases, or via an assistant armed with an iPad.
The point of purchase is a significant benefit here, with digital allowing brands like Zara, and its parent company Inditex, to tie offline and online consumer-brand interactions, building a single customer view for everyone who shops with them. And with almost every consumer in possession of their own digital point of purchase - no queueing needed - accompanied with access to a vast range of variants to the products they can see, touch and try-on in-store, it’s a benefit for consumers too.
The friction in getting hold of exactly the right product is minimised for the consumer, while Zara gets valuable insights into who its consumers are, and how they interact with the brand.
Of course, e-receipts, competitions, and loyalty schemes all offer similar insight for brands, albeit perhaps with lower consumer uptake than Zara’s approach. It’s entirely possible for brands to tie online and offline without investing in a shiny new, digital-first flagship store. However, Zara’s example is of a high street brand jumping head-first into the future of retail - a future that's omni-channel, data-first, and is approaching us all very, very fast.
Important to note is that it's not merely a case of high street stores embracing digital - it's retailers of all backgrounds evolving to better represent the omni-channel environment their customers exist in. Digital-first retail brands, for example, have also capitalised on the showrooming trend.
Digital-first stores with offline showrooms
Furniture retail brand Made.com has three physical showrooms in very carefully chosen locations; Soho London, Birmingham’s prestigious Mailbox and the boutique interiors area of Redbrick in Batley, West Yorkshire. All areas with high footfall, these locations offer Made.com’s customers the ability to 'try before you buy’, leveraging fabric samples and touch screens to explore the full product range, alongside display rooms made up from the brand’s furniture.
Just like Zara and Ikea, Made.com's customers are enabled to try in-store and buy online, but certainly not limited to that. All three retailers understand that the customer funnel can begin or end offsite and that each of their customers has unique wants and needs when spending with them.
What is important is being able to track consumer interactions with those brands, so that you know which activities are and aren't generating sales, and in the case of showrooming - that you understand how consumers are interacting with the brand during their path to purchase.
The same research from Conversant shows that 58% of consumers start researching products online and complete their purchase in-store, while 46% of consumers start in-store and purchase online. Consumer paths to purchase have never been linear, but with more and more potential touchpoints, they are a great deal more varied than ever before.
The showrooming phenomenon is yet one more avenue for some consumers on their larger path to purchase. To seize the opportunity around these brick-and-mobile engagements, brands need an online experience that enhances in-store device activity and a fully-measured marketing strategy that also complements it.
Fashion retailer Scotch & Soda - with strong offline and online presence - employed personalised, one-to-one display media in order to keep their brand top of mind for the consumer. This strategy achieved incremental return of 5.5:1 - £5.50 return for every £1 spent. Read how.
Read the case study
Written by Conversant's SVP of Media, Elliott Clayton, this article was first published on WARC.
---
## Powering lifetime connections. Stage II: Creating a plan for ongoing dialogue
Type: eps_post
URL: /powering-lifetime-connections-stage-ii
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Powering lifetime connections. Stage II: Creating a plan for ongoing dialogue
In the first series Powering lifetime connections, we introduced the concept of powering lifetime connections and shared the first of three stages – getting to know the customer. Here, we’ll discuss the second stage – creating a plan for ongoing dialogue. Marketers are often laser-focused on acquiring and on boarding new customers. Unfortunately, a lot of the time, once the acquisition has occurred communication from the marketer can wain. The intention may be to communicate on a regular basis throughout their lifecycle, but oftentimes, marketers don’t follow-through on their comms plan or, worse still, don’t establish one in the first place.
Planning your communication strategy
Throughout the acquisition stage you invested resources into getting to know your customers, now is the time to utilise this information and use it to keep the relationship active and alive through personalised communications. Our research revealed that consumers who read a brand’s welcome message engage with over 40% of that brand’s messages during the following 180 days.
So, even if you had them at hello, don’t stop there. Consider these tactics when developing your communication plan:
Be consistent
Create a baseline communication plan for all customers and build in the flexibility to add communications along the way. The baseline is the set of typical lifecycle communications for a customer. Additional, flexible communications (think of them as additional layers of communications) include the unique messages you may generate throughout the lifecycle as opportunities present themselves. Typical lifecycle messages might include a welcome message, first purchase, or redemption communication. The goal is to schedule service communications based on anticipated events in the typical member’s lifecycle. The first 90 days is tremendously important as you’re focused on cementing customer engagement and reinforcing the value of your programme.
Create a variety of communications
Within your communication plan, it’s important to create a variety of communications that keep customers engaged across channels. These are the additional layers. When was the last time you received a handwritten thank you note? It’s important to bring simplicity into the complex world of loyalty and get back to the basics at times.
When developing your additional communication layers, segment them into categories. For example, when a member contacts your customer service centre, follow up and make sure the member is satisfied. When customers provide you with additional information about themselves, create a holiday or celebration segment and include birthdays, anniversaries, or other milestone events.
And add an element of fun – who doesn’t like a surprise and delight and hearing from you ‘out of the blue’ or a little gamification to ‘turn up the competitive dial?’ Call this your delight segment.
And what about all of the life stages? Getting married, having a baby, moving to a new home, and so on. Create communication segments that best meet your marketing objectives. After all, you know your customer the best.
Be Nimble
Remember, your customers’ needs change. When you’re developing your communication segments, you need to be flexible and adapt to the current needs of your customers. You need to be reactive to anticipated communications in real time. Capturing the moments in which your customer is coming to you is essential.
Be nimble within all channels in which you market to. The online aspect is very interesting and adds a layer of marketing intelligence. Understand that your customer is going to interact with multiple channels and that it’s your job as a marketer to follow them within each channel to truly get to know them and focus on engagement. Having the ability to respond in real time to online browsing behavior is critical with today’s always-on consumers.
In sum
It’s important for you to know your customers and equally as important to know that your customers will change throughout their lifecycle. As they adapt so must you. In our next piece and the final instalment of this series, we will demonstrate how to create a communication strategy that caters to the ever-changing needs of the customer.
---
## [Video] How fashion brands can increase ROI by expanding the funnel off-site
Type: eps_post
URL: /video-how-fashion-brands-can-increase-roi-by-expanding-the-funnel-off-site
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T22:14:41Z
# [Video] How fashion brands can increase ROI by expanding the funnel off-site
Delivering the right message, with the right frequency, to the right people, at the right time. Basic marketing principles, yet surprisingly difficult to fully achieve on-site, let alone off-site. Watch this video interview to understand how Boden's ex-Director of Global Marketing increased the brand's ROI by upwards of 20:1 by doing exactly that.
Speaking at IMRG's Fashion Connect event, David Lockwood, now Head of Analytics at The Tapestry Agency, discusses how building demand over time off-site attracted a highly engaged and incrementally performing audience on-site for Boden.
Interviewed on-stage by Elliott Clayton, SVP, Conversant, David gives advice to fellow retailers on increasing incremental return, based on his experience at Boden and other retailers.
{{ script_embed('wistia', 'k5jinqbi5c', ', ', 'inline,responsive') }}
Like Boden, Scotch & Soda have seen proven incremental revenue growth after switching from one-off campaigns to personalised, always-on media. Read how Scotch & Soda's personalised CRM media works, and how the fashion brand's marketing team's experience has been.
Read the case study
---
## the weekly round-up: 22.03.19
Type: eps_post
URL: /weekly-round-up-22-03-19
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# the weekly round-up: 22.03.19
Instagram launches its check-out feature, while disgraced Ted Baker founder permanently checks out. All this and more in the Weekly Round-Up.
Check it out
Instagram took its shopping feature to the next level by launching its check-out feature in the U.S earlier this week. While Instagram shopping has been in the mix for the past few years, the social media platform is taking things a step further by allowing users to now scroll and purchase in the app. The e-commerce integration is starting small, with Instagram selecting just 23 top retail brands, including MAC, Zara, and Adidas, to beta test the feature.
But what does it all mean? Well, for the tech giant, Facebook, this update brings them a step closer to achieving their goal of synchronising their family of apps, while also strengthening their position as an e-commerce network. And for the consumer, it means a more simplified, seamless shopping experience – good news all around.
Whopper rivalry
Ever wanted to burn your competitors? Or better still have your customers burn them for you? Burger King has made that dream a reality in their latest creative campaign, ‘Burn That Ad’. To promote Brazil's launch of BK Express, a tool which allows customers to pre-order their burgers, the fast food chain is offering users a chance to grab a free Whopper in exchange for an attack on its main competitors' advertisements. Through the power of AR, the Burger King app user can simply point their smartphone at a rival ad, let it burn and turn it into a BK ad. After a job well done, the user will be left with an on-screen token for a free burger. With half a million Whoppers expected to be given away throughout the campaign, it looks as though revenge is a dish best served flame-grilled.
A bite of the apple
Never one to miss out on the action, Apple is apparently set to throw itself into the arena of television and film streaming. That’s according to digital publication, The Verge, who believe the announcement will come out on Monday the 25th of March. While the market is undoubtedly a crowded one, Apple apparently intends to combat that by investing in their own original content. Other streaming services such as Amazon and Netflix have already had monumental success with originals, so it’s no surprise that Apple will be heading down the same path. However, if you’re expecting any dark or gritty viewing you may want to hold off on your subscription. The Verge has said that “The company is reportedly sticking to a “family-friendly” approach when it comes to content — no nudity or swearing — and it has used a heavy hand when it comes to the development of said content.” So maybe you won’t watch this space.
Not-so-easy targets
Facebook has long been praised as one of the most powerful tools for reaching highly targeted audience sets and, while this is the basis of its appeal to numerous advertisers, the tech giant is taking something of a step back from this. Making History this week, Facebook agreed to a settlement which would prevent advertisers using their platform to discriminate against minorities. The settlement is one of several which are as a result of recent charges filed against Facebook by the American Civil Liberties Union, the Communications Workers of America, and a number of unemployed Facebook users who alleged discrimination via the Facebook ad targeting system. Facebook divvied out close to $5m in damages to the injured parties and promised to change its ways in how advertisers were allowed to communicate and target. COO, Sheryl Sandberg, said “one of our top priorities is protecting people from discrimination on Facebook. Today, we’re announcing changes in how we manage housing, employment and credit ads on our platform. These changes are the result of historic settlement agreements with leading civil rights organisations and ongoing input from civil rights experts.”
Forced hugs
Appropriate changes are what Ted Baker are aiming to make as the fallout of their founder and former Chief Executive, Ray Kelvin’s proclivities continues. This statement was made by a representative of the premium fashion brand, following the dip of their annual pre-tax profit of 26% in January and a drop of shares by 5% last week. Forced hugs and ear massages, were just some of the actions the former founder donned on generally young and low-paid female employees. These offences came to light late last year when an anonymous petition appeared online which asked Kelvin to please stop the unacceptable actions. Though the petition received less than half its desired signatures (2,220 out of 5,000), enough voices were heard that it incited Kelvin's resignation. Still, it’s not all doom and gloom for the harassment riddled-brand, despite the drop in shares and pre-tax profits and sexual misconduct, according to the company’s acting chief executive, Lindsay Page, Ted remains “resilient”, with e-commerce sales rising 20.4% this year. For every door that closes...
---
## The Weekly Round-Up: 08.03.19
Type: eps_post
URL: /weekly-round-up-08-03-19
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# The Weekly Round-Up: 08.03.19
Red lips, MoMo, the power of the meat-free pastry. Welcome to the Weekly Round-Up!
Marketing Mix
In a time where university-level education is more available than ever, the marketing industry is going in a surprising new direction, bringing things back to basics and implementing an apprentice system.
Set up as an alternative means of entering into the industry, the Institute for Apprenticeships in the UK have created the first two government-approved marketing apprenticeships. The courses which, at present, can facilitate close to 150 apprentices, run from 15-38 months, vary between various levels from marketing executives to marketing managers. In order to get the programme off the ground the Chartered Institute of Marketing (CIM) have been working in conjunction with big brands such as Clarks, BT, and British Airways to decide upon an agreed set of standards that candidates must adhere to be successful in their apprenticeships. This collaboration between brands and the marketing body will help to qualify the importance of apprenticeships and ensure job prospects for successful participants. Overall, this renewed entry to the industry will hopefully see it diversify and add a little mix to marketing.
Barenaked ladies
In the spirit of International Women's Day, brands, companies, and employers everywhere are encouraged to step back and take a look at gender equality in their organisation. Some will aim to improve, making grand gestures à la Diageo’s short film, #BalanceForBetter | Gender Balance in Advertising. Some will miss the mark, like WPP’s failed attempts at closing their very wide pay gap. And some, like Virgin Atlantic, will grant their female staff the very basic right not to wear makeup in-air. While this is undoubtedly a good thing that the Virgin cabin crew no longer have to don a rouge lip at 35,000 feet, it does beg the question, how has this archaic cosmetic code continued to be instilled for this long? Cabin crew are notoriously low-paid, the idea that such a high-level of maintenance has been expected seems totally foreign in the world of the #MeToo movement. Still, Virgin Atlantic are dubbing the advancement a “significant change”, could it be that it is one small step for man, one giant leap brandkind?
Pastry perceptions
From the negative backlash of Piers Morgan, to providing another layer of commentary, to both Brexit and class turmoil in the UK, the humble Greggs' Vegan Sausage Roll has covered much ground in its short existence. Its latest effect, however, might be its best yet as sales for the meat-free snack have pushed the bakery chain past the 1 billion mark for the first time ever. Sales have increased by 9.6% in just seven weeks following the quorn-filled product’s introduction to public and, even though praise is flooding in for the pastry, naturally this part of a much bigger plan for Greggs. Roger Whiteside, Chief Executive of Greggs said that they have poured pounds into boosting the brand and changing customers’ perceptions. "We want people to reappraise us and understand we've moved on from being a pure bakery business to offering people food on the go."
BuzzPrint
Buzzfeed is taking two steps forward and one step back with their latest endeavour, the publication of the first ever print edition of the news site. The limited edition, technicolour newspaper that features the controversial cover star, MoMo, was distributed freely from allocated spots in New York earlier in the week. Joking about the stunt, a spokesperson for the company said, "BuzzFeed, a company that was born on the internet and social media, is testing a new technology called print and unveiling a one-time, special edition BuzzFeed Newspaper, showcasing the latest news stories and favourite BuzzFeed content in an easy to consume mobile format.” But any of those looking to get their hands on this newfangled news medium will be sorely disappointed, Buzzfeed itself has said that the paper was simply a marketing execution by newly appointed CMO, Ben Kaufman.
Cool with the cadets
The Ministry of Defence have teamed up with the Japanese watch brand, Casio, to launch the official watch of the Royal Navy, British Army, and Royal Air Force in March of next year. The collection launch comes as the second attempt MoD has made at reaching a younger audience. The first was the slightly tone deaf recruitment drive which resorted to calling their audience ‘snowflakes’ and ‘Me, Me, Me Millennials’ in a bid to engage them. While they defended the campaign, it was largely panned publicly, so we reckon MoD is hoping for a much better reception to this collaboration. On the collection Casio senior brand manager, Jennifer Kelly said, "G-Shock is an unbreakable timepiece built from a Never Give Up philosophy that makes us the perfectly equipped to support our servicemen both on and off-duty. We are already the watch of choice for many in the Armed Forces and look forward to strengthening our relationship further through this new partnership."
---
## The weekly round-up: 22.02.19
Type: eps_post
URL: /weekly-round-up-22.02.19
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# The weekly round-up: 22.02.19
In this week’s Round-Up we listen to the sound of silence, beauty brands, and the new U.K. gambling guidelines.
It’s only words
With the likes of Buzzfeed ruling the roost in terms of online publications, we could be easily led to believe that, when it comes to written content, long form has officially lost its lustre. However, a recent study of the sharing habits of online users has told a slightly different story.
In their report, SEO institution, BuzzSumo, found that content which consisted of 1,000 words or more were 56% more likely to be shared than shorter pieces. In addition to that BuzzSumo found that, along with long reads online, audiences were also partial to a little intrigue stating that, “headlines containing a question mark generated 23% more shares than simple statements.” Great news for those looking to reach their audiences through hard-hitting content? Perhaps. However, the report also revealed that, of the content creators, there was “a disproportionate amount is attributable to a relatively small number of ‘power posts’, with a whopping 75% of all social shares attributed to a top performing tier of just 1.3% of published pieces.” Not the best news for the budding writers among us.
The Benefit of podcasting
In a world where anyone and everyone can be a content creator and brands are blindly informed of their power as publishers, beauty brand, Benefit, has made the surprising decision to take a step back from the world of content - sort of. Though podcasts, the medium which publisher, Forbes, has dubbed one of the fastest growing media platforms ever, has caught their attention it is in relatively traditional way. Head of marketing for Benefit UK and Ireland, Lou Bennett, sees podcasts as a great sponsorship opportunity for the brand and, rather than shoehorn their way onto the podcast scene, will use the medium in a less intrusive way. To simply add their mark to the audiences’ immersive experience, Bennett explains that Benefit will “have a so-called “live read” before the podcast starts where the producer explains to the listener that “this podcast was brought to you by...” While they’ve yet to choose a podcast that blends with their brand ethos, no doubt listeners will be treated to some beautiful sponsored sounds in no time.
What’s in a game?
It could be assumed that the gamification of content for gambling brands would be a given, right? Wrong, according to the Committees of Advertising Practice (CAP) in the U.K who have devised new guidelines that will come into play on the 1st of April this year. The guidelines, which have been put in place in a bid to protect minors from entering into the world of gambling have cracked down on a wide variety of content inclusions. According to Marketing Week, “Content deemed unacceptable includes animated characters, licensed characters from film or TV shows, sportspeople or celebrities who particularly appeal to children or references to ‘youth culture’. The standard also prohibits the use in gambling ads of sportspeople, celebrities or other characters who are, or appear to be, under 25.” On the guidelines, charity, GambleAware, voiced their support, with a spokesperson commending CAP on addressing such a “serious health problem” among youths.
The Amazon effect
As it hovers around the top spot for the world’s biggest retailer, Amazon unsurprising omits waves of influence to those further down the FMCG food chain. This time around it is focused on pricing, as traditional retailers, such as WalMart and Target, grapple to keep up with Jeff Bezos’ multi-billion e-commerce empire.
Dynamic pricing is the method of changing product prices based on algorithms that take into account factors such as time of day, location, demand, and buying patterns. It is a method almost invented by Amazon who, according to Digiday, change their prices a “million times per day depending on demand.” In order to compete with these fluctuating forrays traditional retailers are reportedly experimenting with the method, looking to stay competitive by “tweaking costs of products on a regular basis, mainly online and in mobile apps.”
Dynamic pricing isn’t the first obstacle the brick and mortar store has encountered, with the aversion to digital transformation being dubbed as what could be the downfall to the high street. Still, despite the doom and gloom, as Amazon grows, older retailers remain. There may be life in the old department store yet.
Can I get a side of silence with that?
Always ahead of the curve, the Finns have opened up the first silent drive-thru, turning a Helsinki Burger King into a closed-mouth eatery. The stunt, which naturally comes with a campaign illustrating the ease of the Burger King mobile order app, is based upon the audience stereotype that Finns are a shy nation. Appealing to the quiet bunch, Marketing Director of Burger King Finland, said: "We wanted to use that positive stereotype of our fellow Finns and create a totally new kind of drive-thru service.” To do this, the drive-thru service is set up so that customers can order and pay for their food using the app, with a Burger King employee then dropping their meal to their car, without making a sound. Does this sound like your kind of meal? It is doubly attractive to those in a rush too as the service gets even more points by cutting down the chat, and is considerably faster than the average drive-thru.
---
## Direct Mail Masterclass Delivers in London
Type: eps_post
URL: /direct-mail-masterclass-delivers-in-london
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Direct Mail Masterclass Delivers in London
A record number of retail digital marketers gathered at the The Charlotte Street Hotel, London on 30th January to see first-hand how direct mail can have a positive effect on sales, growth and lifetime value.
Ben Collier from Epsilon Abacus explains "direct mail catalogues can be highly targeted to prospects that share the same characteristics as a brand's best customer which means that when a catalogue is received, it is more likely to be read and used to make online purchases."
Richard Rands from Royal Mail MarketReach presented compelling stats from Royal Mail Catalogue Research 2017:
50% of catalogue recipients have purchased something from a catalogue, plus more from a website
57% look at the same product time and again
66% look through catalogues for offers
65% Enjoy reading catalogues
Jim Warren, VP of Marketing from Bloom & Wild who joined the retailer panel discussion and Q&A says "When you get to a certain scale you have to start looking at other channels. Digital marketing provides a limited audience and so performance will flatten out in time, becoming more costly...the quality of prospects is really encouraging - they buy more and spend more than customers recruited through our digital channels."
Ben Collier comments "As custodians of the Epsilon Abacus Alliance (premier GDPR compliant data co-operative), we continue to see member retail brands achieving higher average order values and increased lifetime values using the catalogue to complement their wider channel strategies."
Epsilon Abacus will be holding its next Direct Mail Masterclass on 10th July in London. If you are a digital marketer looking for new ways to attract valuable customers, email: ben.collier@epsilon.com.
---
## The Weekly Round-Up: 18.01.19
Type: eps_post
URL: /weekly-round-up-18-01-19
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# The Weekly Round-Up: 18.01.19
The luck of the Irish (burger) and the burn of a politically-centric ad, it’s all in this week’s Round-Up.
Attack of the Mac
Source - McDonalds
Everyone loves an underdog, particularly one that goes head-to-head against a multi-billion corporation, and wins. Earlier this week, the European Union's Intellectual Property Office sided with Irish hamburger chain, Supermac’s, in their appeal to cancel McDonald’s longtime trademark of the ‘Big Mac’ and ‘Mc’ in Europe. This decision not only allows Supermac’s to continue with their plans of expansion outside of Ireland but, more significantly, also highlights the opportunities for businesses of smaller market share to contest bigger corporations’ often unjust behaviour. On the matter, Pat McDonagh, founder and managing director of the fast-food franchise said, “The original objective of our application to cancel was to shine a light on the use of trademark bullying by this multinational to stifle competition.” And shine a light they did. The eatery, whose origins can be found in the West Galway town of Ballinasloe, population 7,226, has made headlines this week in global publications such as Forbes and The New York Times.
Radio Ga Ga
Source - Queen
Deloitte is the latest to release their 2019 trend predictions for the industry and, in a bid to look into the future, it seems the multinational professional services network is looking to the past. On radio, Deloitte reports that “the 99-year old traditional medium, will maintain its hold on UK media consumption.” Is this music to marketers’ ears? We think so. Following numbers of increased usage of on-demand, streaming, and podcasting services, fears had arisen that the humble radio ad was on its way out. But, alas, Deloitte has predicted that 2019 will bring a weekly audience of almost three billion for the wireless.
Global head of research for technology, media, and telecoms at Deloitte, Paul Lee commented, “Due to the rise of on-demand media and streaming services, many underestimate the influence radio still holds. The perception that video or indeed streaming has killed the radio star is simply not the case. Whether it’s in the car, over breakfast, or even at work, the vast majority of people in the UK still have at least one ear on the airwaves during the course of the day. Radio is alive, well, and enjoyed by all ages.”
To find out more about 2019’s upcoming marketing trends, check out Epsilon’s 2018 Year in Review, where we squash the previous year’s predictions and look ahead to what’s in store for the year ahead.
Bye bye birdie
Source - Joon
Is there such a thing as being too audience-focused? Well if you take Air France subsidiary, Joon, as your example then the answer is yes. Earlier this week, Joon, the budget brand created with millennials all too much in mind, announced its reintegration into its parent company following a tumultuous first and last year in business. On paper Joon’s initial brand strategy had potential, focusing on its target audience’s well-documented inclination for cheap seats and luxury beverages (Joon boasted an array of craft beers, signature cocktails, and organic coffee onboard), as well as their nomadic lust to travel and take a selfie in metropolitan cities like Berlin and Barcelona.
But off the page, much like the brand’s target audience, Joon proved to be all style and no substance. Their first big barrier was their inability to cut costs below Air France. Flying large, inefficient carriers on their long haul flights kept costs highs and offered passengers no real incentive to migrate to this relatively unknown brand. Secondly, and possibly in consequence of a rocky take-off, they botched their audience targeting in their adverts. Pictured below is a snapshot from one of Joon’s campaign. Far from a millennial haven, the ad shows how they can cater for almost every generation except the audience they wanted to attract. And with that the brand collapsed, it seems Joon’s time in the industry was merely a flying visit.
Home is where the high-speed broadband is
Source - DUIC
Working remotely is a concept that today’s workforce is coming increasing accustomed to. As our network connections get stronger and our face-to-face contact depletes, the necessity of having a fixed worked abode is becoming less and less. Many of us have become what CEO of EAK Digital, Erhan Korhaliller, calls digital nomads, those who can choose to work wherever the high-speed broadband is. As one himself, Korhaliller lists for Entrepreneur.com his picks of Europe’s most attractive cities to work, and play. Among them is the eastern charms of Istanbul, the sunny shores of Barcelona, and The Netherland’s medieval city of Utrecht. Digital nomad or not each, as the cold dull, January weather sets in the list makes for great holiday inspiration.
The worst a brand can do?
Source - P&G
Men’s personal care brand, Gillette, is testing these waters this week, with their stab at the prize for the year’s most hated ad. An admirable entry for just the third week of 2019, news sites, message boards, and Reddit threads have been set alight with discussion of the campaign We Believe: The Best Men Can Be. The short film which features men, both looking in mirrors and looking inwards, explores the idea that masculinity has taken a toxic turn of late and that it is up to the men of today to change the boys of tomorrow. Upon its release, the Procter & Gamble ad has been quickly compared to the infamous Pepsi ad, where a socialite model attempted to solve the world’s most gripping issues with a can of fizz. The ad is, at best, a commercialised attempt to move with the times and fly the flag for change within gender norms. And, at worst, it is...well, we suggest you read the YouTube comments for yourself. Whichever way you feel about it though, we suggest that before you publicly align yourself with a ‘side’, have a look at who is standing there with you (ahem, Piers Morgan is not a fan), after all, it is just an ad.
Like what you see? For more industry insights and updates subscribe to our blog.
---
## The Weekly Round-Up: 11.01.19
Type: eps_post
URL: /weekly-round-up-11-01-19
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# The Weekly Round-Up: 11.01.19
Do you need a marketing degree to survive in the industry? Can a logo survive without words? We ask these burning questions and more in this week’s Round-Up.
Skincare you wear, without the tear
Source - L'oreal
L'Oréal has taken yet another leap forward into the future (and another leap past their competitors) with their newest creation, wearable skincare. Their latest piece of innovation comes in the form of My Skin Track, a wearable skin sensor and accompanying app that indicates the pH of the wearer’s skin. This knowledge allows consumers to select and use products which have been scientifically developed to suit a variety of pH measurements and to be kind to the skin. Global vice-president of the L’Oréal Technology Incubator, Guive Balooch, said "Our goal is to use this advanced technology to empower consumers with meaningful information about their skin so that they can find the products that are right for their individual needs. At L'Oréal, we know that health is the future of beauty and we are committed to leveraging technology to bring powerful insights and solutions to our consumers.”
It’s Shutterstock
Source - Shutterstock
The words stock imagery are not ones that incite much excitement. A lot of the time they actually tend to do the opposite, making eyes roll and, when used in the context of the many, many memes they have spawned, make tears of laughter roll too. Shutterstock, one of the world’s highest grossing stock imagery companies, is well aware of this category perception. So much so that they incorporated it into their latest global campaign. With the campaign line “It’s not stock, it’s Shutterstock” the video and picture provider aims to assert how its image bank is unparalleled in quality and depth and acts as an aid to creativity around the world every day. The campaign is set to be launched across the US and Canada, the UK, and Australia in early this year, and rolled out to the rest of the world following that.
Experience VS Education
Source - Marketing Week
A marketing degree does not a marketer make. That’s according to the results of Marketing Week’s 2019 Career and Salary Survey. The study, which featured 4,415 marketers, revealed that “more than half of marketers (53.8%) say they have not studied a marketing-related academic or professional qualification of any kind.” While it is just over half that haven’t studied marketing, a more shocking result is the number of marketers (11%) who studied marketing yet did not find it useful for the careers.
Whether it was that specific discipline or not, something that most marketers do have in common is that the fact that they do have a third level education. “Marketing is an industry of the degree-educated” according to Marketing Week, with a mere 9.9% of those studied being without a degree. Though education tends to be favoured for many trades, some believe that this figure is causing the industry to be gentrified. Chris Chalmers, the marketing and digital director at Express Gifts, said: “the low level of marketers entering the profession without a degree is a missed opportunity from an apprenticeship perspective.”
What’s in a name?
Source - Comedy Central
Drastic changes to any logo are extremely inadvisable for brands. The general consensus with an identifying emblem or symbol is that if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it. However, every once in a while there is an exception to the rule. 2019’s exception (so far) comes in the form of Mastercard and their bold decision to remove their name from their logo. Mastercard chief marketing and communication officer, Raja Rajamannar, claimed the word ‘Mastercard’ was no longer necessary as the interlocking circles were already universally known. Their now wordless logo simply consists of those unambiguous red and yellow rounds. While many believe that this alteration not only proves the strength of the brand’s recall globally but also explores Mastercards innovative nature, others are a little less agreeable to the change. Upon its release, Twitter, naturally, was alight with negative commentary towards the change. Some of it was smart, à la Comedy Central. More of it wasn’t, with one Tweeter comparing the logo to a human behind. Charming. Either way, for better or for worse, Mastercard has done away with its words and caused quite the stir along the way – not too shabby for a public rebrand.
Nest egg
Source - Nest Bedding
It’s not exactly news when a company makes an announcement that they will be selling their products on the world’s second-biggest online retailer, Amazon. However, the luxury, direct-to-consumer mattress company, Nest Bedding, has made the cut in our Weekly Round-Up following their announcement. Why? Well because their foray with the eCommerce giant is not just about selling mattresses, no, Nest Bedding has much bigger ambitions than that. The bedding business has identified an audience segment that is currently out of their reach.
Nest Bedding’s catalogue of mattresses range from around $900 to $1,800, reasonable for some, but out of the league for many first time buyers. The Flip, the mattress which will retail on Amazon exclusively will be sold for the discounted price of $399. According to online publication, Digiday, “The idea is that those Amazon customers, perhaps a college graduate looking for a cheap, starter mattress or the buyer on the lookout for a guest mattress, will purchase The Flip and then eventually turn to Nest Bedding’s line of upper-end mattresses, the majority of which fall in the $899 to $1,799 range, for their future beds.” Genius? We think so too.
Like what you see? For more industry insights and updates subscribe to our blog.
---
## The Weekly Round-Up: 04.01.19
Type: eps_post
URL: /weekly-round-up-04-01-19
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# The Weekly Round-Up: 04.01.19
Happy New Year and welcome to the first Weekly Round-Up of 2019! Back with a bang, this week we are focusing on the January advertising and health industries, robotic predictions for the year ahead, and brushing up on our industry Ps and Qs.
Tooth sweet
Source – Change4Life
By now we are accustomed to the shift in advertising from the end of the year to the beginning. Messages of peace, joy, and indulgence are sharply replaced with ones that incite guilt and ultimately set about to shame audiences for the festive months previous. Though it can be a bitter pill to swallow, in moderation, these guilt-inducing messages can be extremely engaging. Case in point, Public Health England’s latest Change4Life campaign, which focuses on sugar consumption in children.
In an animated short, starring a small but mighty sugar cube army, Change4Life details some unsettling facts about the issue, from the average child consuming up to 2,800 cubes a year, to an average of one child having a tooth removed every 10 minutes in the UK. Frightening stuff, and that’s before they get to crippling diabetes and cancer risks. Though it is definitely not sweet, the ad is short and knows the parameters of its 46-second slot. Rather than trying to solve a mammoth health problem in under a minute (as many of our January ads tend to do) it ends with a CTA urging viewers to go online and find out how they can help their kids cut back on sugar and the tagline – “make a swap when you next shop.”
Content is (still) King
Source - Floret Media
That’s according to Social Media Today, who is telling marketers that they need to get serious with their content in 2019 as it is “at the core of our digital and social, always on, always connected and always learning, mobile world of communication.” To ensure that we are well equipped for this content-first world, Social Media Today have shared the top trends to take note of in the coming year.
Among them is the urge for marketers to create customer-centric content as opposed to ‘Click-Bait’. Citing Marketing Insider Group, the article states that “78% of consumers say that personally-relevant content increases their purchase intent.” This indicates two very important things to marketers. Firstly, the undeniable importance of content marketing to a business’s bottom line. And secondly, content marketing is not simply posting the odd, generic blog or social post. We made a similar prediction in our 2018 Year in Review, discussing the micro-moments that marketers need to focus on if they want to really reach audiences in the coming year.
To read more of what’s coming in 2019 and our dissection of 2018, check out our blog here.
It’s good to be good
Source - Charlotte Anabar
Life, a Birmingham based integrated agency, has vowed to do good throughout 2019 with their year-long campaign #365daysofgood. Life has maintained a successful reputation over the years, creating work for a mix of brands that not only have a positive effect commercially but also serve in a community sense too. In 2019, through carefully curated content via their social channels, Life will demonstrate how brands can be beneficial to the world outside the confinements of consumerism. The campaign comes off of the back of the results of recent studies from the likes of Gallup and Edelman, which demonstrated unrest in the global population.
In a sobering statement, the Gallup World Poll revealed that “global negative experiences are the worst they’ve been for a decade.” And, to add fuel to the fire, in a more industry-specific stat, the Edelman Trust Barometer study found that “20 of 28 global markets are currently dominated by distrust, up from last year.” This is not great news for brands and marketers alike, so naturally, we support Life in their pursuit over the next 365 days because, even though one campaign cannot cure a decade of global negativity, it is a good place to start.
They’re here...
Source - Hanna Barbera
The robots we mean, but you already knew that. Though things (thankfully) haven’t reached The Terminator territory, we are becoming more and more accustomed to the company of bots. So what’s next for these artificial acquaintances? Forbes looks ahead to the coming year and shares its predictions.
First on the list is the increase of soft robotics. For those not in the know, soft robotics are bots constructed to imitate living organisms. Their life-like features make soft robotics easier for us to interact with and will help us to more readily accept them into varying roles. “For example, soft robotic companions can be used in healthcare to assist with repetitive tasks such as medication intake, bathing, etc.”
Following that comes what has been dubbed as the Darwinism of Smart Homes, where home devices that are not equipped to adapt to the likes of Alexa or Google Home will slowly be replaced or become extinct.
Finally, it is time to rejoice as our lives are set to become a lot more efficient. As bots like Alexa and Google Home become more ‘thoughtful’ and ‘considerate’ of our needs, they are more capable of organising and facilitating everyday tasks.
A is for...
Source - Wikipedia
AI, don’t you know, and as mentioned in the piece above, you probably do know. B is for... – well we’ll let you go through The Drum’s A Bad Marketer’s Glossary 2019 in your own time. Not that we are calling you a bad marketer, nor is The Drum. Instead, they are simply pointing out, in a rather tongue-in-cheek way, the words and phrases you need to know to survive the industry in 2019 and beyond.
Some of them you will (hopefully) know, like KPI and ROI. Some of them you will definitely not know. Quixotic, anyone? And, though some of them will seem to have absolutely no business in being there, together they are all sure to give you a giggle and get you ready of another exciting year in the industry.
Like what you see? For more industry insights and updates subscribe to our blog.
---
## 2018 - What a year?
Type: eps_post
URL: /2018-year-review
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# 2018 - What a year?
The implementation of GDPR saw brands and businesses work double time to send push emails and pop-up notifications, to ensure that they could continue to mine our data.
Zuckerberg and co. proved to be an even bigger threat to competitors with the launch of IGTV, though suffered a hit themselves following the departure of their Insta-Founders, Systrom and Krieger.
Google sent us into a mixture of awe and alarm with the release of the recording of the Artificial Intelligence phone assistant, who reacted in a soberingly realistic way to the voice at the other end.
And, naturally, while Google gave us a glimpse of the future, unfortunate, tone-deaf adverts, à la Dove and Pepsi, ensured that we were kept firmly in the present.
2018, you sure were something, but as you draw to a close, it’s time to move on and focus on your soon-to-be successor and find out what’s in store for marketing next.
And we are live
Over the past few years, the likes of Video-On-Demand, traditional streaming, and replay brought us to an increasingly crowded place of stagnant engagement, where interaction with a brand or medium was completed in a solitary fashion, unrestricted from the borders of time and place. And while this trend will continue to have a rightful place in audiences' hearts for the next decade, like the prodigal son, live-engagement has returned to the forefront and is evolving to serve its audience once more.
Events, TV, and Streaming
And in what better way can the prodigal son return than in the form of the British Royal Wedding, the FIFA World Cup, and ITV’s Love Island. Three key events and television slots across the U.K and Ireland in 2018, that not only brought record-breaking numbers in viewership (4.1 million people tuned in to watch an actor’s daughter kiss a pen salesman), it also brought a new level of audience interaction with social conversation bringing viewers together during these live moments.
In their recently published report WPP owned, Mindshare, predicted that “We will move away from passive viewing as we are presented with more tools to involve us in the moment, from commenting on social media to taking part in Q&As with experts to additional 360-degree feeds giving us exclusive tours of sporting venues.”
This idea plays nicely into our own predictions, presented in our report, 18 for 2018 Report, that stated that the friction between augmented reality and the physical world is decreasing and that audiences in 2018 will “rely on these digital products, coming back day after day to access them.”
This is demonstrated through the huge success of the BBC Sport VR 2018 FIFA World Cup app which gave supporters a truly immersive experience, giving access to the stadiums in Russia from the comfort of their own home.
But it’s not just world events that are utilising ‘live’. Over the last two years, Instagram Live has wet audiences' appetites for up-close-and-personal transactions with their favourite online personas, this will be taken even further in 2019, as Augmented Reality becomes increasingly integrated into the live streaming experience.
Earlier this year, at Cannes Lions Festival of Creativity, L'Oréal owned brand, NYX, announced and showcased the release of their new digital beauty service. The service will use A.R and live stream to connect customers to their very own beauty assistant who will help test and advise them on products.
The next level of personalisation
With beauty assistants recommending the best shade of lipstick from across the screen and possibly, across the globe, it’s no surprise that increased customer-centric marketing will be a growing trend in 2019, one which we have covered in more detail in our white paper, The Impact of Personalisation. Personalisation is nothing new and, depending on how you chose to opt when the GDPR-induced communications arrived, you've already seen your inbox filled with messages, products, services, and great deals made just for you.
Voice Assistance
Two years ago, AdWeek predicted that by 2019, 67 million voice-assisted devices will be in use in the U.S. Numbers published in early 2018, showed that they were less than 20 million shy of that figure, so no doubt by 2019 this prophecy will have come to fruition. But what does that mean for marketers?
With increased usage of voice assistants, consumers are beginning to rely more heavily on the likes of Alexa for day-to-day searches and purchases. Whether it be the composition of a grocery list, the scoop on a new restaurant, or simply a song request, the mode of search has changed.
Verbal questions need verbal answers. Leading Tech Provider CMO, Allen Nance “When you do a visual search on a desktop or a mobile phone, you're presented with multiple choices or answers to your query.” “But when you do voice, you're pretty much getting whatever answer the device—or the company that owns the device—thinks is the right answer.”
Without the option of being top of the search page or even a scroll away, marketers need to think about new ways to become the answer to their audiences’ questions. It is a tricky time for marketers, however with the multitude of data audiences are willingly supplying to voice assistants, it won’t be long until a very familiar voice will be informing you about the latest special offer made just for you.
In our 18 for 2018 Report, we said that “the friction between discovery and purchase will decrease as consumers are empowered to make purchasing decisions based on relevant products or services they see in their daily media intake.” And with personalised offerings set to trickle through our eardrums in the near future, we can’t help but thinking we were quite right.
Content Saturation
It has been said before and will, undoubtedly, be said again, but still, the sentiment hasn’t lessened – we have reached peak content. An article by Sasha Viasasha published in LinkedIn in April gave tell of the “2 million blog posts are written each day”, the “31 million Facebook posts uploaded every minute”, and the “2.4 million emails are sent every second.”
These numbers alone are exhausting, the idea of actually consuming that much content is another story altogether. Naturally, with audiences’ ever-reported-upon, mystically short attention span, they will not be consuming all of this content. Still coming into the new year, with content on the up and attention on the down, how can marketers really connect with their customers?
Micro-moments and authenticity
Think With Google has identified micro-moments as the new consumer behaviour that will facilitate marketers in delivering brand messages to the right consumer at the right time. In today’s voice-assisted, virtual reality, we want it all and we want it now.
Google has identified that there are many decisions made by audiences are instant in the moment. These four moments are:
I-want-to-know moments
I-want-to-go moments
I-want-to-do moments
I-want-to buy moments
By identifying and building a content strategy around these moments, marketers can avoid inundating audiences with unwanted and unnecessary content. Further to that, they can time and utilise their content to be the answer to their audiences’ questions.
Authenticity and Transparency
Answering audiences’ questions is only valuable when the answer is truthful. Since the dawn of the influencer (another thing that has most definitely peaked), the call for authenticity in content has staggered. The overall consensus on how to deliver this is by creating content that is honest and transparent, but some brands are moving even further down the spectrum and empowering their audience to create their own content.
Executed previously already by brands like GoPro and Starbucks, 2019 will see audience content being hoisted into the limelight, particularly as VR and AR capabilities become more widely accessible.
This is something audiences, particularly younger audiences like our Gen Zers, have been calling out for since the beginning of their digital tenure. These mobile natives, as predicted in Epsilon’s 2018 trend report. 18 for 2018 Report, states that Gen Z are “not only adept at consuming content, but they are also avid creators”
Ready or Not
...2019 is (almost) here. And, with Gen Zers, augmented reality, and artificial intelligence acting as key players in the mix, we predict it will come in fast and hard – are you ready for it?
---
## The Weekly Round-Up: Holiday special
Type: eps_post
URL: /weekly-round-up-holiday-special
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# The Weekly Round-Up: Holiday special
For some, it’s sprouts, mistletoe, and mulled wine. But for us, when it comes to the holiday season, it is all about the Christmas ad. So, in celebration of the most wonderful time of the year, we have mapped out our top 5 favourite festive offerings of 2018.
The lift
Source - DDB
The best way to describe Ikea’s 2019 Christmas ad? It’s very...Ikea. While they are not celebrating the wonderful every day, it is still in the ilk of Ikea’s love for the obscure and the average. Two male shoppers enter a lift, which quickly dysfunctions, leaving them trapped. Initially there is an air of tension between our shoppers, (our trench coat wearing character is not a big ginger biscuit fan evidently) however, with a little time and a whole lot of Ikea merch, the two soon put their differences behind them, deck the halls, and celebrate Christmas from the comfort of their own confinements.
A title card reveals that “7 people out of 10 celebrate Christmas at home.” With this in mind, our protagonists toast their surroundings, enjoying a new and different type of festive celebration. The Ikea logo appears on screen with the campaign line, “We are meant to change.” And while this ad somewhat indicates that Ikea’s style of advertising is staying stagnant, that is not necessarily a bad thing. Watch here.
Say hello to Rang-tan. #NoPalmOilChristmas
Source - Kamamran
Even though it didn’t air on television, you are unlikely to have missed Iceland’s Christmas ad. Banned from broadcasting, the animated short was dubbed as being “in breach of rules banning political advertising as laid down by the 2003 Communications Act” due to its advocative message. Created by Karmarama, the ad, which features a young girl and rang-tan voiced by one of Britain's most critically acclaimed actresses, Emma Thompson, illustrates the damage the production of palm oil can do to our furry protagonist, and the environment at large.
The ad is a simple yet effective education piece on the dangers of our everyday products, such as shampoo and chocolate. It is beautifully written and expertly executed, with Thompson’s melodic tones inciting action in the audience. Watch here.
The Heathrow Bears return
Source - Havas
The Heathrow Bears are back in what is their third soiree on the silver screen and, once again, they are giving us those warm and grizzly feelings. Last year, Heathrow Airport treated us to a window into the life of the Heathrow Bears, their first meeting, their romance, and their growing family. Each moment of their life is illustrated in affection with a backdrop of airport arrivals, where emotion runs high on and off the screen.
The ad was a big hit and, akin to Ikea staying with what works, Heathrow Airport and Havas, have brought the bears back again. This time around they are lapping up the heat in their retirement village in Florida but, realising that tropical heat and microwave dinners are no match for quality time, the two make the journey home. After three years, this recycled treatment could be dubbed a little bit tired, but, as the door opens on our protagonists and their family rejoices in the surprise of their return, we’d be of the mind – if it’s not broken, don’t fix it. Watch here.
The one gift Santa can't deliver
Source - adam&eveDDB
It might not be the ad we want but this year’s offering from the International Committee of the Red Cross is the ad we need this Christmas. Created by London agency, adam&eveDDB, the short opens on St. Nick himself to the soundtrack Andy Williams’ iconic Happy Holidays. But rather than shaking his belly like a bowl full of jelly, this version of the titular character has a look of despair across his face as he bears witness to a land ravaged by war and violence. Making his way through open fire and fleeing victims, he is eventually brought to a young girl, who his overjoyed by the sight of him, hoping he will bring her the one gift she is looking for, her family.
In a final cruel twist, the old man despairs, leaving the girl alone and scared in the wreckage.
This ad does not bring Christmas cheer, nor is it meant to. Instead, it delivers the painful truth, that while many of us are overjoyed at this time of year, the problems of others do not take a holiday. The final moments of the ad give a nod to the help the Red Cross does for families each year and invites the viewer to help too. Watch here.
However you do Christmas
Source - BBH London
While not as blatantly emotive as the others on our lists, Tesco still brings the festive feelings with their 2018 advert, However you do Christmas. Aptly sporting the hashtag #EveryonesWelcome, Tesco takes a light look at the mish-mash of coming together at Christmas and shows all manner of families and friends coming together to celebrate the big day in a variety of circumstance.
The piece hits all the right notes in terms of humour, diversity, and product placement. But, best of all, it encaptures that indescribable feeling that occurs around Christmas when we’re forced to spend time with people that we may not like, but for better or for worse, love. Watch here.
Like what you see? For more industry insights and updates subscribe to our blog.
---
## How personalisation influences today’s retail shopper
Type: eps_post
URL: /how-personalisation-influences-todays-retail-shopper
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# How personalisation influences today’s retail shopper
Customer experience is the new driver for loyalty. In our recent report, The Power of me: the impact of personalisation on business outcomes, we found that 80% of consumers are more likely to purchase if their experience is personalised. Whether they are making a purchase online or in-store, they expect an experience that’s personalised, convenient, and meets their needs. And consistency across channels is key.
Retailers need to know and understand the preferences of their shoppers so they can deliver on these and influence the next sale. For example, a client recently shared that six out of ten shoppers use their mobile phones while in their retail store and that the mobile app is a preferred purchase channel. Having this insight allows marketers to tailor personalised messages to consumers on the app while shopping instore. Ulta Beauty’s GLAMlab feature of their mobile app offers personalised make-up application services where users can experiment with 1000+ products and shades that reflects accurate colour representation for the consumer’s specific skin tone. Ulta Beauty can leverage the data insights gleaned from the app to support the development of future marketing programmes/messages that are personalised to the shopper’s needs.
In addition to mobile app technology enhancement, the topic of concierge services is also popular at the moment. Some of our clients are integrating concierge-type services (a concierge model) within their stores to enhance the customer experience. A concierge model often includes designated space within a brand’s retail store that provides exceptional customer service and is fueled with data insights about an individual’s unique needs. Store associates who are a part of this service model are equipped with data about customers to help them make relevant product recommendations. For example, retailers are leveraging concierge services that provide in-store, online and mobile guidance to help consumers choose products and get tips on recommendations. Let’s take a look at an example.
From leveraging data, Designer Store Warehouse (DSW) learned that a large segment of their customers prefer customised insoles to fit the needs of their foot types. Informed by this data, DSW created Polaris Lab Store which includes a concierge area called the Sole Lounge where guests can create custom insoles, get their shoes and handbags repaired and even get their nails done while they wait.
Let the data decide
It’s important for marketers to leverage data for their decision-making. With the proliferation of first-party data available on consumers coupled with the power of third-party data across both offline and online channels, marketers can achieve a true 360-degree customer view. Having consumers’ shopping/retail preferences and understanding their retail services preferences (tailoring, etc.) further enables your ability to offer customised/personalised services.
So whether you’re a retailer of fashion apparel, furniture or pet supplies, evaluate your strategy to determine how personalisation will influence your brand’s the next sale and how you can best improve the customer experience by doing what’s right for your customers, and your brand.
The advances in data and technology together are unstoppable. Take time to evaluate your program to determine if the concierge model is a good fit for your brand.
For more insights and tips, download The Power of me: the impact of personalisation on business outcomes now.
---
## The Weekly Round-Up: 30.11.18
Type: eps_post
URL: /the-weekly-round-up-30-11-18
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# The Weekly Round-Up: 30.11.18
From detoxing in Ireland to sharing dinner with your family in Sydney – it’s all happening in this week’s round-up.
Detox destination
Source: National Geographic
From the land of saints and scholars to, in more recent times, the land of hen and stag parties, the green isle of Ireland has been dubbed many things in its time, however, this latest development is one which may take you by surprise. WPP-owned strategy consultancy, Kantar Millward Brown, has released a recent report suggesting that the national tourism board should seriously consider marketing Ireland as ‘detox destination’ in a bid to lure affluent luxury travellers. At present, the report states, that Ireland’s offering is a little too twee for the higher echelons of society and needs to provide a more immersive, personalised experience.
“Most of the luxury travellers want a more authentic experience where they can be absorbed in the local culture, meet (the) local farmer, author, minister and politician,” the report found.
While this may be a big opportunity for soul searchers with deep pockets and an even bigger one for local politicians, publicans of Ireland can rest assured, with the current flux of incoming tourism from regular, non-luxury travellers, we can’t see the pubs running dry in favour of detox just yet.
Adulting ahoy
Source: The Drum Manulife
While other generations may have had words or phrases to describe what is essentially taking care of day to day responsibilities, our generation is most definitely fixed on just one, ‘adulting’. So much so that it has, in fact, made its way into Oxford Dictionary, spawned some terrible television shows, and now, has found itself as the champion line for an insurance campaign.
In a bid to reach out to what many have dubbed as ‘the lost generation’, insurer, Manulife, have taken a step down to their audience’s level and started speaking their lingo, so to speak. Laid out across a number of OOH slots are messages speaking directly to millennials and generation Z. Each comes with a cultural reference and follows with the #adulting.
Smart move or smarmy segmentation of a generation who are sick of being singled out? You decide.
Art deco
Source: The Drum
From chipped paint to faded murals to rusted walls, the deterioration of Saint Petersburg is now a piece of art and advertising this week. Russian bakery chain, Busche, has joined forces with the agency, Suprematika, for a total rebrand to reflect the company’s evolving values. Exploring the depths of the brand’s renewed identity, the agency used the city of Saint Petersburg as a multi-tonal palette of inspiration. Utilising the vibrant landscape, they cleverly placed cutouts of the most iconic items from the Bushe menu. A subtle mix of guerilla and OOH, the campaign engages passersby through both pleasing aesthetics and clever word plays.
Gone Girl
Source: North Jersey
Fearless Girl is on the move. Taking a well-deserved break from her iconic position facing down Wall Street's Charging Bull, the bronze statue will be situated in a new spot in the financial district in the new year. This change of space came about due to the vast number of tourists that had been flocking to see the statue and, in consequence, had been disturbing New York City traffic. On the move, New York’s mayor, Bill de Blasio, said: “This move to a new location will ensure that her message and impact will continue to be heard, as well as improve access for visitors.”
Fearless Girl is an award-winning campaign created by the agency, McCann New York. She symbolises the support of gender equality in the workplace. Though she is gone (for now), she is not forgotten, in place of her stance is a plaque depicting her footprints and a message instructing visitors to “stand with her.”
Christmas, connected
Source: Samsung
Dublin creative agency, Boys+Girls, has announced the brand new collaboration between mobile network, Three and tech giant, Samsung. With the aim of bringing far-flung relatives together during the festive season, they have created the world’s first connected restaurant.
The pop-up eateries, which will be situated in Dublin and Sydney, will give families and friends across the globe the opportunity to have the full festive dining experience side-by-side, using high-definition cameras, targeted microphones, and display screens to bridge the nearly 20,000km gap between them.
Boys+Girls executive creative director, Rory Hamilton, believes that the connected restaurant “highlights Three and Samsung’s brand positioning of connectivity. There have been obstacles involved in creating this experience regarding the technology, and tackling time differences, but we have decided to make a virtue of this and have even injected humour into the experience as well!”
Like what you see? For more industry insights and updates subscribe to our blog.
---
## The Weekly Round-Up: 16.11.18
Type: eps_post
URL: /the-weekly-round-up-16-11-18
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# The Weekly Round-Up: 16.11.18
From the return of Vine to the ever constant Big Mac meal, this week’s Round-Up has taken a most nostalgic turn.
With cheese, please
Source - McDonalds France
From staggering highs (two all-beef patties and three sesame buns? Madness!) to all-time lows (who among us didn’t chastise the brand and the burger following a screening of Super Size Me?) it’s been a hell of a 50 years for the Big Mac. And love it or loathe it, or loathe yourself for “lovin’ it”, there’s no denying that the Big Mac is quite the global institution, one that deserves a little love on its birthday. To celebrate 50 years of the Big Mac, McDonald’s France has rolled out a new campaign featuring retro styled burger lovers from the past five decades. From mullets to mops to beehives, the crux of the campaign is that “sports, technology, culture, politics and fashion have all changed, but one thing has remained constant – the Big Mac.”
Facebook Bytes back
Source - Vine
Vine is back! If that doesn’t mean much to you worry not. Vine was a short-form video platform app, which allowed users to record up to six seconds and then loop it. Those who missed its initial tenure can be forgiven. Though extremely popular among certain generations, that favour lasted a short four years, and the video app ceased to be in 2016. However, all is soon to be resolved with the launch of Byte, Vine 2.0 in the new year. So what does this mean? Well for video-loop lovers it’s a time to refresh the skills and express themselves in a way that they have perhaps painfully missed. For Facebook, it’s a time to replicate and repeat their competitor’s work in an attempt to remain on top.
Last Friday, in what was described by Digiday as a “quiet release”, came the launch of Lasso, Facebook’s very own short-form film app. And though initially, Lasso piqued the interest of a few, video creators were quick to express their disinterest in it. One called it a “regurgitated version of Vine, Musical.ly and Instagram’s Explore” and continued to say the Zuckerberg's multi-billion corporation is “trying really hard to be relevant.” Evidently, it is not going so well.
Going off online
Source - Fancy Crave
Those who remember a time of having to squeeze, shuffle, and squat through the shops on the lead up to the holiday season will surely agree that the invention of online shopping is one which should receive a whole lot more credit. Right? Maybe not. ParcelLab, a shipping facilitation company, has recently released a study that reveals the trials and tribulations of shopping online, and how it ramps up considerably around the festive season.
Of the biggest consumer qualms, items being listed as available when actually being out-of-stock (31%) and poor post-purchase communication (14%) were among the worst offenders. Late delivery (28%) was another one which really ramped up around the festive season with “56% of Brits saying delivery takes at least one day longer at Christmas, and 28% reporting it takes at least three days longer.”
So, while wading through a sea of frantic shoppers does not a glamourous Friday night make, with reports like these, perhaps the grass really is always greener on the other side.
A fist full of dollars and data
Source - Christin Hume
While on this passed 11th November our broadcasts were mostly filled with centenary memorials, across the globe, somewhere in the land of retail another significant event was happening - Singles’ Day - an annual shopping event invented by Chinese retailer, Alibaba. Last year, on that day alone, the company made over 25 billion dollars. But it’s not just cash that’s filling Alibaba’s pockets, it’s information too.
Singles’ Day is one of the biggest data collecting days for the retailer. Through apps, such as Taobao, an extremely popular fashion retailer owned by Alibaba, the company takes stock of what you buy, what you browse, and what you bookmark and uses this to further tailor your shopping experience to your needs. This is nothing new for retailers but, as they own a large share of the market, the amount of data owned by Alibaba is colossal. So much so that they are farming it out to others. Last year, Alibaba sold a large sum of its data, or your data rather, to Pepsico. However, on the matter, a representative for Alibaba has reassured BBC of its utmost respect for customer data
“We view data protection as a top priority and any information shared with brands, merchants, or other third parties is provided on an aggregate and anonymous basis.”
Santa trades up
Source - Red Letter Days
While it may be nice to imagine a more magical side of the holidays, when a tradition is born out of commercialism, eventually it will come and claim it back for its own. Case in point, gifting retailer, Red Letter Days, has reimagined Santa’s sleigh to fit in with modern-day needs, and modern-day shopping habits. Whether he is still in Coca-Cola red or not is up for debate, but this year, the team at Red Letter Days, see the heavy set man riding in style à la Ikea’s Sladtür, Apple’s iSleigh, Carlsberg’s ‘Probably the Best Sleigh in the World’, Ferrari’s F1 SLGH18, and Redbull’s aptly-named ‘Because Reindeer Don’t Have Wings’. Naturally, each fits the festive season while simultaneously showing off its brand's most iconic features – Ferrari delivering 660 reindeer power at 8,000rpm and, according to a rep from Red Letter Days, the Sladtür boasts a “flat pack style allows Santa to easily pack his transport away during the less busy months.”
Like what you see? For more industry insights and updates subscribe to our blog.
---
## 8 tips for personalising emails wisely
Type: eps_post
URL: /8-tips-personalising-emails
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# 8 tips for personalising emails wisely
From improving email click-through rates by an average of 14 per cent, to enhancing conversions by 10 per cent, and delivering six times higher transaction rates, these days, there’s no questioning the power of personalised emails.
Not only does it pay to personalise, but today’s consumers actually demand it. In fact, in our recent report: The power of me: The impact of personalisation on business performance, we found that 80% of customers prefer brands that deliver personalised experiences, while 33% of consumers abandoned a brand relationship last year because personalisation was lacking.
Data-driven email content filled with insights such as audiences’ geolocation, past purchases, and online behaviour are being sent out regularly, giving marketers the opportunity to distinguish themselves to their customers by offering a more personal touch.
Drive results by knowing where to draw the line
So, how much personalisation is too much? How do you deliver personalised emails without making customers uncomfortable and compromising their trust? Nurturing a customer relationship is much like nurturing a romantic one. Think about it: If you started seeing someone who came on too strong, knew too much about you, and contacted you all the time, you’d feel uncomfortable, lose interest, and probably even block them on social media. Same goes for a brand-to-customer relationship.
To develop meaningful communications with customers in the inbox follow these tips:
1. Get to know them
Take note of their online and purchase behaviour to get to know your audiences’ likes and dislikes. Keep in mind that different customers have different levels of receptivity to personalisation. One way to gauge their comfort level is to give them the option to define their preference settings when they subscribe. Show your customers that you know them and can give them exactly what they want, when they want it.
2. Build their trust
Securing your customers’ trust is critical. Be transparent and upfront when you ask for personal information by telling them how you will use it. Then make sure you stay true to your word and safeguard their privacy and security. Trust takes time. Once you earn it, you have to work hard to keep it.
3. Take things slow
If you’ve just started a new relationship with a customer, don’t get too intimate too fast. Gradually increase personalisation over time. If you have a long-standing relationship with a customer, they are more likely to be comfortable with you and expect you to know them and give them specialised treatment or rewards for being a good customer.
4. Be selective
Never personalise for personalisation’s sake. When you over-personalise, you risk making your customers uncomfortable. Think about what data points make the most sense given your campaign and objectives. What can you do to personalise your email to make your message more valuable and relevant to them?
5. Control your frequency
Sending too many emails can turn your customers off, cause burnout or, worst of all, force them to unsubscribe. Test your email frequency and even ask your customers how often they’d like to hear from you.
6. Keep them interested
Change parts of an email for each subscriber by using dynamic content. If you’re having a sale, you can use dynamic content to feature relevant products for different subscribers (For example, showing men’s items for men, women’s items for women, athletic items for athletes, etc.)
7. Create a dialogue with them
No one likes a one-sided conversation. Instead of touting the great features of your product or service, tell customers how your product can solve their problems or make their lives better. Engage them and allow them to interact with you, join the conversation and provide feedback. Test to see what type of content works and what type of content doesn’t work. Ask them what type of content they’d like to receive. Remember that it’s not all about you, it’s about them.
8. Leverage what you know about them
There are many ways to leverage data to create an email that’s tailored to individuals. Celebrate their birthday or anniversary. Offer localised weather-based recommendations, and products based on their past purchases, browsing history or interests. Follow up and ask for feedback on a recent purchase or send a reminder when they abandon their shopping cart.
Making a personal connection in the moments that matter most helps your brand stand out. It will also make your emails more memorable, help you build a deeper, long-lasting relationship with your customers, and ultimately boost your bottom line.
For more insights and tips, download the full report now.
---
## The Weekly Round-Up: 09.11.18
Type: eps_post
URL: /the-weekly-round-up-09-11-18
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# The Weekly Round-Up: 09.11.18
Condiment-filled decorations, gender diversity, and data for sale – it’s all here in this week’s Round-Up.
And a Merry Chipotle Southwest to you
Source - Subway
Deck the halls with...Chipotle Southwest sauce? It may sound strange, but that’s the message Subway are spreading in their gimmick-heavy Holiday campaign. To promote their new festive menu (Christmas Cracker Sub anyone?) the fast food chain has done their research and combined two audience favourites into one. The result? Condiment-filled baubles, of course. In a press release, UK Director, Colin Hughes said, “Fans on social rave about our sauces, and especially our signature, Chipotle Southwest. So we are working on ways to give them what we know they want – the chance to get their hands on the Subway range of condiments."
Subway fan or not, many will agree that the concept of condiment-filled baubles skirts the borders of both unhinged and unhygienic, so thankfully it is just that, a concept. Though the festive menu will be served up in your local restaurant, the baubles will not.
Return of the creatives
Source – Creative Equals
Creative Equals, a UK organisation set up to establish increased gender diversity in the creative workspace, is moving the industry forward once more by running a two-week programme focused on getting more creative females back into the workplace. The launch of the course, titled ‘Returners’, will coincide with next year’s International Women’s Week in March 2019.
The boot camp-style programmes will be held in London and Manchester and will include women in a variety of creative disciplines from copywriting, art direction, and production to strategy, data analysis, and design. These intensive courses will bring women, who have been out of the workplace, up to date with the latest industry developments, helping them return once more.
As an agency with a strong strategy lead creative department, we at Epsilon fully understand the intricacies of gender diversity within the workplace. Rather than shy away from the subject, we champion our colleagues to tackle the industry head on through expression and thought leadership – check out our Senior Design Lead, Vanessa Fay’s, take on the situation and how young women can put their best foot forward and succeed in a creative discipline.
Telecom takes on the ad business
Source - Three
Mobile network, Three, is taking a leap into the ad world and no, we are not referring to their latest TVC featuring bouncing castles and stagnant office space. No, Three Network is getting into the ad business by selling their anonymised customer data to media companies for more refined targeting. At present, Three has data on approximately 10 million customers across the U.K. and Ireland and are gearing up to sell it to the highest bidder. The data sold will be anonymous but will segment audience members on their age, gender, and location.
While this may sound a little shady, Three is totally above board in terms of GDPR compliance, having given customers an opt-in/out option on what happens to their information. However, with a 94 percent opt-in rate being reported over the last five months, it looks like we are less precious with our data than we once were.
The return of the flip phone
Source - Samsung
Longing for the days of simplicity? Samsung are taking you back there with their unveiling of the Infinity Flex Display. While this new gadget may be reminiscent of flip phones from time gone by, (who among us didn’t flip to flap our tongues?) Samsung sees the Flex as a step into the future. Described by representatives for the brand as "the foundation of the smartphone of tomorrow," unfolded, the phone is similar size to a tablet, with all of the capabilities to boot. Then, when closed, the Infinity Flex Display resembles the average smartphone. Although, having teased out the concept for over five years, we suspect there won’t be anything average about the phone.
Robot Recruiters
Source - Mya Systems
The latest in AI innovation comes in the form of L’Oréal’s robotic recruitment drive. The French personal care company has deployed Mya Systems, a conversational chatbot to sift through the constant flux of CVs that land in their inbox and, so far, it’s been something of a success. Reports are in and, of the first 10,000 recruiting conversations that Mya engaged with, a whopping 92% of the candidates were engaged in an efficient way and feedback from applicants has reflected this positively, with comments that the process was carefree and felt personal.
Still, HR managers need not worry over their employment status, according to Executive Vice-President of Human Relations at L’Oréal, Jean-Claude Le Grand, “This [sic] new very performing technology reinforces HR people’s counsellor role and enables them to really focus on the qualitative and human dimension of the recruitment process.”
Like what you see? For more industry insights and updates subscribe to our blog.
---
## The Weekly Round-Up: 19.10.18
Type: eps_post
URL: /the-weekly-round-up-19-10-18
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# The Weekly Round-Up: 19.10.18
This week on the Round-Up we see the juxtaposition of old and new as we bid a tired branding trope adieu and become acquainted with the latest personification of the marketing industry.
Kleenex pan the man
Source - Amazon
After more than 50 years, Kleenex is finally disposing of their ‘man-sized’ tissues. But lovers of the product need not worry, Kleenex is not hanging up these hankies for good, but rather rebranding them in the name of equality. The Kimberly-Clark company are renaming the tissues as ‘extra large’, a change which is currently being rolled out. The shift comes as a counteraction to a building number of sexism allegations at the tired title. And seeing as the phrase ‘man-sized’ was originally coined as part of the company’s ‘Kleenex for Men’ campaign back in the 1950’s, we reckon this rebrand has been a long time coming.
Meet Grant
Source - Cummins & Partners
In 2017 the Transport Accident Commission (TAC) and Clemenger BBDO Melbourne introduced us to Graham as part of the Towards Zero Campaign. Graham, “the only person designed to survive on our roads,” was a prototype created to demonstrate the brutality road accidents can have on the human body. With an immersive campaign that featured the cover star, Graham, BBDO not only brought awareness to the cause but cleaned up at the Grand Prix at Cannes too. And it looks as though the praise for the campaign isn’t over yet.
If imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, BBDO and the TAC must be blushing red with the parody of their creation. Earlier this week, media and creative agency, Cummins & Partners asked the public to Meet Grant. Depicting a white man with extraordinarily thick skin, less than average genitals, and no spine, Cummins & Partners introduced “the only person designed to survive a career in advertising.” A poke of fun at both BBDO’s success and the industry as a whole, BBDO’s Creative Executives reportedly dubbed the mockery as brilliant.
What’s in a name?
Source - WW
It’s no secret that Weight Watchers has been undergoing a bit of a transformation, from deploying the Oprah Effect to broadening their offering from weight loss to include wellness support also. We covered the changes to the multinational on the Weekly Round-Up earlier this year, noting the success Oprah Winfrey’s involvement in the brand had brought on, however, a recent report is predicting a sting for the slimming support group. Digital publication, Entrepreneur.com believes that the shift of company name from Weight Watchers to WW is a big mistake. Dubbing the activity as “a classic psychological blunder”, Entrepreneur warns readers of the damage a name change can cause to an audience's recall. “Our minds are wired so that changing things in our long-term memory isn't easy. Altering a brand name, or any well-established memory, is more challenging, even when we want to change it.”
All style, no substance
Source - Amplify
While most will claim that all style and no substance is their worst nightmare, latest reports are that this is, in fact, a winning combination for a successful brand in today’s market. In a recent article, industry expert, Leonard Sherman, spoke to the rising trend of startups putting the cart before the horse when entering the marketplace. I.E – putting the main focus on brand strategy as opposed to prototype perfection. “Only a few years ago, product was King. Founders focused on getting a minimum viable product to market, fast.” However, the tides have changed according to Sherman. In a world of eCommerce and Instagram, brands are now concentrating on their essence and their desired audience. Sherman believes that, while products can be refined, the brand must make the first impression. Using the world’s most successful brands, such as Nike and Apple, as an example he states, “From the outset, each of these companies clearly identified their target customers’ unmet needs, committed to a core idea that speaks to that need, and made sure every single consumer touchpoint reinforced their brand promise.”
Radio Ga Ga
Source - Eric Nopanen
The latest in Netflix’s plans for world domination comes in a slightly retro form as the binge-series facilitator looks to take on radio. In January 2019, Netflix will launch a 24hr comedy station on the American satellite radio station, SiriusXM. The channel, which will be called Netflix is a Joke, will feature extracts from shows of stand-up comics such as Chris Rock and Jerry Seinfeld.
The move to the airwaves will be a new one for Netflix, however, according to a report in The Drum, the exercise is not one motivated by money but rather, marketing. Ted Sarandos, Netflix’s chief content officer told the publication that the move is one of “marketing synergy for a stand-up comedy initiative”. In a bid to create an immersive campaign for their audience, Netflix will target the public while they drive, the idea being that, according to Sarados, “when you're not on Netflix, you're more likely [to be] in your car.”
Like what you see? For more industry insights and updates subscribe to our blog.
---
## Weekly Round-Up: 12.10.18
Type: eps_post
URL: /weekly-round-up-12-10-18
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Weekly Round-Up: 12.10.18
In this Week’s Round-Up, we take a look at the brands using their power for good by highlighting important issues like malnutrition, the gender gap, and mental health awareness.
This time, it’s not personal?
Source: Unsplash
Though it could effectively be dubbed as the industry’s word of 2018, it seems as though brands and marketers cannot take their commitment to personalisation as seriously as they claim. The most common reason being down to resources. Great content breeds great personalisation and while content was effectively dubbed as the industry’s word for 2017 many are still struggling with it.
Why? Because content is time-consuming and, what’s more, it’s expensive. Adobe’s recent report, State of Creative and Marketing Collaborations, revealed that only 21% of marketers “believe their companies do enough to personalise digital advertising”, a small number in comparison to those you claim to be pros. This would indicate that, though personalisation is the word on everyone’s lips, brands, for the most part, still have a long way to go before they can claim that they really 'know' their customers.
As the world’ biggest data-driven marketing firm, it’s safe to say we know our way around personalisation, and we also appreciate how difficult it can be to tackle it alone. If you’re struggling to really engage your customers, why now get in touch here. Or to find out more check out one of our latest blogs on turning your data into a winning customer experience strategy.
Mind the gap
Source: Mattel
Yesterday, October 11th, marked the United Nations’ 2018 Day of the Girl. This worldwide event, which has been running since 2012 is a day which, according to the global organisation, “aims to highlight and address the needs and challenges girls face, while promoting girls' empowerment and the fulfilment of their human rights.” To mark the occasion and pay homage to this year’s theme, With Her: A Skilled GirlForce, the world’s biggest brands and organisations showed their support of the girl by creating awareness campaigns to highlight the issues she faces now, and will have to face in the future.
With two out of three girls in the US missing out on key nutrients in their diet every day, Kellogg's Special K and the UN organisation, Girl Up, have come together to create a campaign aimed at closing the nutrition gap.
From one gap to another, The Dream Gap Project is an initiative from Mattel’s Barbie, which seeks to raise awareness surrounding the different messages sent out to girls and boys and how it affects their aspirations in life.
Let the music play
Source: Vulture
Since its conception, Spotify has positioned itself firmly as a marketer’s best friend. Offering a “100% logged-on audience” combined with “billions of data points collected daily”, the platform positions itself as a Mecca of audience engagement and that’s before even mentioning its recent integration onto Instagram stories. However, despite pleasing marketers beyond belief and, of course, providing millions of listeners with 10 years of affordable, uninterrupted music, a recent article in The Guardian suggests that perhaps the streaming site has, in fact, ruined music.
Free listeners aside, 83 million consumers pay £9.99 for the premium service each month. However, it is said that very little of this gets passed on to the actual musicians. Worse still, “the top 10% of artists dominate 99% of streams” which means the likelihood of smaller artists getting bang for their buck on the platform is slim. The juxtaposition? Artists need Spotify to promote their music. The Guardian calls it a “KingMaker” because, with a paid audience of 83 million, it is where everyone listens to music. Furthermore, it’s where brands want to be and, for any artist who wants to collaborate, being on the platform will make it all the easier for star-studded promotions.
Free your mind
Source: Shutterstock
Though it still has a long way to go, mental health awareness has come on in leaps and bounds over the last few years, and continues to make more progress every day. The latest development comes in the form of Mindscape, a voice-activated app that helps to provide mental health support to those in need. According to Marcomm News, Mindscape, which was released earlier this week, a day before World Mental Health Day, “combines voice technology, AI, and neuroscience-based music therapy to support positive mental health.” Using rhythmic sounds to ease anxiety and lift low moods, the free app bases its therapy choices on a wealth of research undertaken by the agency, Massive Music. Mindscape is available now on Google Home and Amazon’s Alexa.
Bonafide complaint? Or is the ASA just a Nasty Gal?
Source: Nasty Gal
With the help of Instagram, Wordpress, and the rest of the blogosphere, the body positive movement has seen a serious surge in momentum in the last 10 years, with a greater light being cast on beauty and bodies of more diverse make-up than ever before. While negative waves stills threaten the waters, and predictively always will, attitudes have, on the whole, undergone a transformation. Still, as the pendulum begins to swing a new direction, ultimately someone must suffer.
This week three Nasty Gal TV ads were taken off air, over complaints from the UK ASA that the model portrayed appeared to be "unhealthily underweight" and, in consequence, the broadcast of these ads was irresponsible. Retail giant, Nasty Gal, quickly responded to complaints saying that the model featured was, in fact, a UK dress size 8 and has a body mass index (BMI) of 18.8, a healthy weight range for her height. However, following the complaints, Nasty Gal immediately took the ads off the air. Nasty Gal follows in footsteps of several other fashion brands that have been forced off air this year with similar complaints.
Like what you see? For more industry insights and updates subscribe to our blog.
---
## The Weekly Round-Up: 28.09.18
Type: eps_post
URL: /the-weekly-round-up-28-09-18
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# The Weekly Round-Up: 28.09.18
From last days at Instagram to first dates on Youtube, Epsilon takes a look at the industry’s highs and lows in this week’s Round-Up.
Tesco reckons supermarket competition doesn’t mean Jack
Source: REUTERS - Jack's Tesco's Newest Market Chain
Not satisfied with holding the largest grocery market share in Britain – a whopping 27.4% (Kantar WorldPanel, 2018) – Tesco is rolling out plans for their next big venture, the launch of Jack’s, a no-frills supermarket chain, which will be put in place to rival German competitors, Lidl and Aldi. The new market brand, according to Tesco Chief Executive, Dave Lewis, will provide U.K consumers with “great-tasting food at the lowest possible prices, with eight out of 10 products grown, reared or made in Britain”. The first two outlets will open next week, with plans to open 13 more over the next six months. Competition from Germany aside, a spokesperson for Tesco said motivations for opening the chain also came from the “consumer demand for low prices, driven by food price inflation in the wake of the Brexit referendum, as well as real wage stagnation.”
Founders say later to the ‘Gram
Source: Instagram - Instagram Founders Kevin Systrom and Mike Krieger resign
In a shock twist this week, Instagram founders, Kevin Systrom and Mike Krieger, officially announced their departure from the photo sharing platform. The reason behind their leaving, both on the record and on the ‘Gram, is down to a desire to further explore their curiosity again. However, away from social platforms, other theories have emerged as to why the two tech moguls have chosen to go. The most popular of which is the intense micromanagement of Instagram by its parent-company, Facebook.
Facebook acquired Instagram two years after its conception for $715 million and took its two founders on board with the deal. Initially, Instagram was left to its own devices, however, once Facebook reached saturation point, it began to take a more invested look into the business it acquired. This began an almost four year battle of autonomy, creativity, and freedom, which apparently, eventually lead Systrom and Krieger to leave.
The platform will continue to run under the guidance of Zuckerberg and co. but with this departure of founders, changes are definitely afoot.
Me Too’s Next Move
Source: Cnet - #metoo movement
It’s been almost a year since Me Too, a movement working to speak out and fight against sexual harassment and sexual assault, came to fruition. In its wake, change has been triggered in society and, while the movement still has its work cut out, day by day progress is being made.
An example of such progress is JDoe, an app created to encourage victims to report sexual assault and misconduct. In the U.S, almost 70% of sexual assaults go unreported (Rainn), JDoe is hoping to help with this figure. The free app, which is available on Apple and Android, follows three foundational ideas
Identify – JDoe aims to identify repeat offenders through its anonymous reporting platform. They believe that cases with multiple complainants are more likely to be successful in court.
Provide – JDoe provides users with access to civil lawyers and prosecutors, and authoritative groups.
Ensure – JDoe works to ensure that users have complete control over their data. Their encryption algorithms guarantee privacy.
Back to basics
Source: The Outdoor Advertising Association of America - #getoutofhome
Get Out Of Home! That’s the message coming from The Outdoor Advertising Association of America (OAAA), who launched the campaign with Publicis New York. The campaign is aimed at getting advertisers excited about OOH again and to prove to them its unflinching value. Naturally, GOOH features a host of OOH ads, 50,000 to be exact, across 30 markets in the US, but it’s also digitally integrated. During Advertising Week NY, a real-time digital OOH campaign will run and will invite advertisers to engage in the conversation using the hashtag #GetOutOfHome.
With the millennial generation seeping into more and more planning jobs, OOH has taken a dip over the last few years. Stephen Freitas, OAAA’s chief marketing officer, wants to show these advertisers that, while digital is great, “some ideas are too big to stay trapped online. Bold ideas need a bold platform.”
Data disaster?
Source: Three Ireland - First Data
Mobile Network, Three Ireland, along with creative agency, Boys + Girls, took an innovative step into the unknown this week, launching the country’s first ever digital dating series – First Data. The premise, which involved two strangers having their first date via video, is both a nod to society’s move towards cyber-dating and a reminder to consumers of the network’s all-you-can-eat data bundle offers. While, on paper, this could seem like a match made in heaven for today’s mobile-obsessed audiences, the web series opened to less than flattering reviews.
In response to the episode, which bears the description ‘Will West Cork's Susan develop a real connection with cheeky Dubliner Barry?’, viewers took to social media to leave less than favourable reviews. Among them were profanities, negative comments about the network’s services, and accusations of misogyny against dater and cheeky Dubliner, Barry.
Despite the backlash however a teaser for the second episode has been released and is already racking up a sizeable viewership, so perhaps what they say is true, no press is bad press.
Like what you see? For more industry insights and updates subscribe to our blog.
---
## Retailers see 3x sales on Black Friday and Cyber Monday when messaging begins in September
Type: eps_post
URL: /retailers-see-higher-peak-week-sales-when-marketing-begins-in-september
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T22:17:52Z
# Retailers see 3x sales on Black Friday and Cyber Monday when messaging begins in September
Delivering messaging over time results in more sales and site-visits
Christie Yaggy, Conversant's European VP of Analytics, talks through the report and the key takeaways for brand marketers in the video below.
{{ script_embed('wistia', '0kkyd3wpui', ', ', 'inline,responsive') }}
The report further highlights the increasing number of consumer paths-to-purchase occurring across two or more devices.
"It is intuitive that the more devices consumers own, the more ads are shown across those devices," explains Yaggy. "So, the likelihood that there will be sales that occur across devices is higher."
The ever-increasing cross-device path-to-purchase
In 2016, a minority (30%) of consumer paths-to-purchase occurred across two or more devices. But last year, the majority (56%) of consumer paths-to-purchase involved two or more devices.
"We expect this trend will continue to increase in 2018," concludes Yaggy.
Claim your courtesy copy of the Peak Week Consumer Purchasing Habits 2018 report to harness informative insight on consumer purchasing habits during the peak shopping period.
Claim your copy of the report
---
## Digital transformation: a necessary disruption to the FMCG industry
Type: eps_post
URL: /digital-transformation-disruption-fmcg-industry
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Digital transformation: a necessary disruption to the FMCG industry
Technology has transformed consumer habits. We shop online while browsing in-store, order taxis the same way we order pizza, and choose life partners with a single swipe to the right. As a result, today’s consumers expect relevant content when they want it, where they want it, and on the device of their choosing.
To keep up with the always-on consumer, fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG) companies need to embrace the new market reality and provide an unmatched customer experience.
The new, digitally-conscious consumers
Digital transformation has been the word on the lips of many marketers over the past few years. Simply put, it’s a restructure of how companies use technology to create a consistent customer experience, wherever and whenever they interact with them.
Major brands like Coca-Cola struggled to connect with a generation that doesn’t see the line between “the online and the offline, the reality and augmented reality”.
With their new digital transformation plan, Coca-Cola is planning to engage consumers on a more personal level by using data and technology to “beat the real thing, using augmented reality”. People understand the value of their data and, in exchange for improved experiences, they are willing to share it.
Case in point - the introduction of Uber. The taxi industry failed to identify the growing frustration for both users and drivers, but the tech company didn’t.
Uber identified all the pain-points of taxi takers – from hailing a taxi, to never finding a working cash machine – and answered it with a mobile app that provides an unmatched customer experience. By providing immediacy, accessibility and simplicity Uber transformed the way we travel.
To accommodate the new, digitally-conscious buyer your organisation needs to think digital first.
Here are 3 steps to a digitally savvy strategy that will win consumer’s hearts and minds.
1. Rethink how you interact with your consumers
Times may have changed, but the customer is still King. Perhaps even more so now, with bad reviews just a click away, and a tendency for them to spread like wildfire far and wide. A single bad interaction with your brand could drive a customer away or, worse, gain a troll.
To fireproof your brand from any damage, be proactive online and on the platforms customers most often reach out for support. Social media channels, forums, and online reviews are all part of the customer service ecosystem now.
2. Develop a data-driven strategy for more personalised ads
80% of consumers admit they are more likely to buy from a company that knows their purchase history and treats them as individuals.
As a result, consumers are happy to entrust brands with their data in order to receive offers that are tailored specifically to their needs. To take advantage of this opportunity companies need to invest and engage in CRM.
With the consent from their consumers, companies that use CRM can analyse customer-related data and then use those insights to create highly relevant messages, to reach the right people at the right time.
3. Create a seamless, multi-channel experience
Start your journey of transformation by identifying the channels your customers frequent the most and the devices they use. Once you find out where they hang out and how they shop, decide which touch-point are most valuable to you and make them shoppable.
If you have a presence offline, bridge the gap between the two worlds by ensuring there’s a smooth transition between transactions taking place on both channels. For example, allow online shoppers to collect items in store, and enhance their customer experience by saving precious time.
The modern consumer often rates the organisation based on their digital customer experience first. The companies that are ready to offer immediacy, personalisation, and accessibility will win their consumer’s loyalty, and the ones that don’t, risk becoming irrelevant.
So, how are you keeping up with digitally-conscious consumers and their ever-rising expectations?
Like what you see? For more industry insights and updates subscribe to our blog.
---
## The Weekly Round-Up: 31.08.18
Type: eps_post
URL: /the-weekly-round-up-31-08-18
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# The Weekly Round-Up: 31.08.18
In this week’s Round-Up we are discussing various tech giants battling gender balance, melanoma and rush hour traffic.
Beware, the Lioness
Ogilvy, Google, and Unstereotype Alliance have come together to create an app that helps create awareness about the female perspective in the advertising industry and, in short, help break through gender bias and dynamic. Using their creative prowess, and a selection of Google’s unrivalled instruments, the app, Lioness, features intuitive functions that bring alive the reality women are facing in the workplace, through augmented reality. Though its initial launch date was set to coincide with the Cannes Lion Festival in June, it will now be released sometime later this Autumn.
Source: Adweek
No de naturale
That’s the message the UK’s Advertising Standard Authority (ASA) is sending after banning a Facebook advert for natural contraception app, Natural Cycles, earlier this week. The app, which was conceived and created by Swedish nuclear physicist, Dr. Elina Berglund Scherwitzl, and her husband, Raoul Scherwitzl, uses a basal thermometer and built-in algorithm to determine when a woman is and isn’t fertile throughout the month. Since its launch in 2014, Natural Cycles has been a massive success. However, a recent complaint to the UK Watchdog could change all of that. Three women have recently come forward, saying that they were misled by the product. An investigation by the UK ASA supported the claim with phrases used in the ad, such as “highly accurate”, considered to be misleading.
Source: Natural Cycle
Get checked. Period.
Full stops are giving the full picture thanks to online media outlet, PopSugar, and branding agency, Doner. The two have come together with organisation, Melanoma Know More, to disrupt PopSugar readers’ regular viewing with interactive sentence ends. From the 30th of September, readers who scroll over full stops (or periods, as they are called in the states) in health and beauty articles will be provided with vital education on detecting melanoma and other skin abnormalities. With the goal of detection and providing information on when to seek screening, testing, and treatment, Doner are opening up their hearts - and technology - offering it to any brand or media company that wants to add it their full stops in order to help spread the message.
Source: Doner
In brands we trust
Transparency breeds trust. That’s according to the recent Social Media and the Evolution of Transparency report, released in the US earlier this week. The study, which surveyed 1,000 consumers, revealed that when it came down to fostering loyalty in consumers, transparency was the key. Though brands are always encouraged to be as transparent as possible, the big reveal was the extent to which consumers expected it. While it is fair that 81% of consumers say that businesses have a responsibility to be transparent on social, the surprise was that they set these standards higher than for politicians (79% ), friends (66%), or even themselves (71%).
Source: Inc.
Taking the long way round
With the taxi game all sewn up, Uber is looking to take on another chunk of the mobility market by introducing e-bikes and electrical scooters to its service. The idea, born from the inefficiency of taking a taxi during rush hour traffic, involved Uber acquiring the Japanese bike-sharing startup, Jump, earlier this year. So far these electrified bikes have been rolled out in a number of metropolitan cities across the US. Closer to home, Berlin is the first European city to add these alternative modes of transport to its Uber menu – watch this space for more.
Source: Getty Images
Like what you see? For more industry insights and updates subscribe to our blog.
---
## 3 factors critical to customer loyalty
Type: eps_post
URL: /3-factors-critical-customer-loyalty
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# 3 factors critical to customer loyalty
Cheap. Fast. Good. Pick Two. These words are on a 1950’s era sign at my local barbers. Every time I see the sign it makes me smile. Partially because this sign essentially describes my barber to a T, but also because I don’t want to pick just two. I want it all. That’s the thing about consumers; consumers will choose a brand to work with based on essentially three factors:
Value
Convenience
Experience
Whether they know it or not, consumers put all of the known factors into their heads and do a simple calculation that results in a psychologically prompted impulse – to buy or not to buy with you.
Make your customer feel special
This brings us to why consumers come back, and even more importantly, why consumers advocate for our brands to their friends. Of course, they will do it based on the three factors above; but they will enjoy doing it if they FEEL special. People love to feel special. That’s where the secret sauce comes in:
Gamification: Consumers are special because they achieved something
Personalisation: Consumers are special because we recognise them
Amazing Customer Experience: Consumers who receive extra special experience will return that favour in kind. They feel gratitude. An emotional bond. This is the best ingredient by far.
Create consumer confidence
In the absence of feeling special, consumers will continue to use a product or service because they have confidence from past experience. It’s easy. It’s a known entity. Done and done.
And companies that can deliver on these ingredients well, over and over, generate stickiness, customer advocacy, brand advocates, and most importantly – brand loyalty.
Find your competitive differentiator
These three values explain any competitive differentiation in the market place. It explains why Costco does so well even though their ecommerce and in-store experience is disconnected – they over deliver on value and service. It explains why business travellers are loyal to companies like Epsilon’s client Marriott, because they are recognised and get increasingly richer value the more they frequent Marriott properties.
Create your tailored Loyalty programme
To drive competitive differentiation and consumer preference, brands have to move the needle on the above factors. In my job, I see clients who ask questions like “should I add gamification to my programme?” or “should my programme be points or punch card?”. These are good questions but ones like the latter are just the tip of the iceberg. Absolutely we need to come up with a loyalty programme structure. But more importantly, we need to come up with a value proposition for consumers that is going to drive top line sales growth and share movement. This is a nuanced but incredibly important distinction. Winning is not going to be guaranteed solely by new marketing technology. Yes, the technology is a critical enabler. But it’s not a panacea. Marketers must solve the business and marketing outcomes that will drive brand preference among consumers.
At Epsilon, we bring together multiple disciplines to help clients solve for the right objectives and outcomes, across:
Loyalty programme design
Marketing and business strategy & insights
Process and workflow optimisation
Technology strategy and, separately, technology integration
Analytics, data, and measurement strategy
This way, similar to solving for a Rubik’s Cube, we help our clients bring together the right strategies and resources to create an entire solution – not just an off the shelf tool or loyalty programme.
At the end of the day, your customers, who are people that make emotional and rational decisions, will be thinking about value, convenience, and service when choosing to trial or be loyal to your brand. And your brand can only win by being better than everyone else.
My barber gets this by the way. He knows that I keep going back because I like him. Regardless of his humorous sign, the reality is that I don’t just ‘pick two’, but instead I get a consistently great experience that is fast, good, and cheap (enough for me) all in one, along with some other things. Not every business is as simple as a barber shop. For those of you looking to figure out how to deliver it all to your customers, we at Epsilon are here to help you.
Get in touch
Like what you see? For more industry insights and updates subscribe to our blog.
---
## The Weekly Round-Up: 24.08.18
Type: eps_post
URL: /the-weekly-round-up-24-08-18
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# The Weekly Round-Up: 24.08.18
In this week’s Round-Up we are discussing ill-advised logos, digital transformation, and the very public fallout of Elon Musk’s tweets.
Taste the transformation
Source: Coca Cola
It may be the real thing, but it looks like Coca-Cola is incorporating augmented reality into their latest brand strategy. This came to light earlier this week as the soft drink company shared plans for its digital transformation.
Speaking to a full house at the Adobe Symposium held in Singapore, the Vice President of Digital Transformation for Greater China and Korea, Mariano Bosaz, detailed the four-point digital change being implementing to the brand.
The four focal points of the transformation are as follows:
Experience transformation – to enhance the overall experience for customers.
Operational transformation – to use data and technology to improve internal process and speed to market.
Business transformation – to combat against outside elements such as competitors.
Cultural transformation – to further touch consumers’ hearts and minds.
The Coca-Cola Company has long been a pioneer in terms of both business and advertising so, FMCG or not, we are sure that many brands will be waiting to see what will come of this exciting transformation.
Time to evolve your ads
Source: Kantar Media
The verdict is in and it looks like long advertisements are out. That’s according to The Drum, who are taking a lengthy look at the time it takes for advertisers to engage consumers. While the latest trends are showing an increased affiliation with shorter, more ‘snackable’ content pieces – the road to snappy storytelling is not always smooth.
Head of Planning at BBH Singapore, Thomas Wagner, is apprehensive of the shorter form. He believes focusing on such a short piece of content could be a “missed opportunity for marketers who are looking for the kind of fame we know longer format ads can deliver.”
On the other hand, Adam Singolda, founder of content firm, Taboola, believes that though snackable content is the way forward, how we measure the engagement of that content must evolve too.
“Right now the metric is completion rates, but obviously six-second videos get completed more compared to 30-seconds. It doesn’t mean it’s better all the time though. That should be a work in progress for the industry, brands, publishers, and platforms.”
Burberry goes bold
Source: Burberry
Change isn’t easy for anybody, and multi-billion dollar British fashion houses are no exception to the rule. Earlier this month, under the newly appointed Chief Creative Officer, Riccardo Tisci, Burberry unveiled its brand new logo. The collaborative effort born from Tisci and renowned graphic designer, Peter Saville, has lost the knight, added a country, and reworked the typeface to a bolded Sans Serif.
If you think that this revamp sounds a bit boring, you are not alone. The new logo has been met with extremely mixed reviews, with ‘basic’ being among the descriptive words of choice.
But, aside from actual aesthetic opinion, the logo is coming into more issues. While Tisci and Saville may have hit the nail on the head when it comes to simplicity, it could be at the brand’s expense. Concerns have been raised that, in its simplicity, the logo has become much easier for bootleggers to imitate.
Globally, the sale of counterfeit handbags is already a multi-billion dollar industry; will Burberry’s bold new logo add even more fuel to that fire?
Bee the change
Source: Bermondsey Street Bees
As we embark on what could be the beginning of the extinction of many species of bees, the world finally starts to take notice. And, better still, action. Case in point, the latest campaign collaboration from Bermondsey Street Bees and creative agency, Imagination.
The aptly named #BeeCause presents itself as an immersive public installation in a London green space, aiming “to raise awareness of the vital role bees play in human survival and provoke action among Londoners to help save bees via planting.” This hexagon-shaped haven is filled with flora from local London suppliers. It will be used to host talks discussing the current urban bee issue and make plans on how to help solve it.
Twitter happy
Source: CNBC
Talk is cheap, but tweets, at least for Elon Musk, can cost a whole lot. That’s after the business magnate and Tesla CEO recently posted on the social platform that he is not only considering taking Tesla private but that he already has “funding secured” for the operation.
This statement, naturally, sent stock values into overdrive, with a 10% jump followed closely by a 5% drop. To what end? None it would seem. Since this very public announcement, the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has launched an investigation into Musk’s funding claim and it has come to light that there may not be any truth behind the CEO’s statement
So what’s in a tweet? Quite a lot, at least according to Harvey Pitt, the former Chairman of SEC – if Musk does not, in fact, have funding secured, he could face civil and criminal penalties.
Like what you see? For more industry insights and updates subscribe to our blog.
---
## Leading with Vision: Email Reimagined
Type: eps_post
URL: /leading-vision-email-reimagined
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Leading with Vision: Email Reimagined
Innovation is defined as something new or different. I find when it comes to innovation, it is easy to lose sight of improving on the tried and true. Especially when, on the surface, the current solution appears to be effective. Forrester describes email as the “old salt” of a marketer’s digital toolkit and “still the most cost-effective promotional channel.” Savvy marketers should be asking themselves, “Am I leveraging email to the best of its ability to deliver personalised experiences and create deeper relationships with consumers?”
Epsilon was named a leader in Forrester’s recent report The Forrester Wave™: Email Marketing Services Providers, Q2 2018, where the analyst firm “wanted to see if email marketing vendors were pressing marketers to treat email as more than just another advertising vehicle.”
Reimagine Email
Many email marketers aren’t measuring the effectiveness of the email channel. Sure, they may benchmark engagement metrics from campaign to campaign but, in large part, email is perceived as free due to increasing pressure that is decreasing CPM rates.
This mindset is antiquated. It focuses too heavily on sending more email to create short-term revenue gains through promotions. It’s time to reimagine email and focus on the factors that make email a critical channel for developing and maintaining personalised customer relationships that can be measured over time.
We believe, for many brands, there needs to be a philosophical shift. Marketers have to step away from sending high-volumes of episodic email to drive short-term sales gains and move towards using email as a personalised, outcomes-based channel, developing conversations overtime and more meaningful customer connections in the moments that matter most as a result.
Personalise Email to Prove Performance
80% of consumers prefer brands that deliver personalised experiences. The decision on how to leverage email isn’t up to the marketer anymore: It’s up to the customer. Now is the time to reimagine email, from an inexpensive and efficient way to speak to the masses to a performance-driven channel that delivers the personal conversations consumers expect.
Traditionally, brands have leveraged segments and personas to fuel email marketing campaigns to groups of consumers, however, segmentation is no longer enough. Think about the Netflix experience or shopping at your corner grocer – this is the level of personalisation to strive for in the inbox. Personalisation in email isn’t simply first name and product recommendations; it must take into account the moments in which consumers are making decisions leveraging content, time of day, cadence, sequence of messages and more. Consumers have become accustomed to personalisation and brands must treat each individual as a segment of one.
Brands like Coach are actively working toward this reality. With a versatile email architecture, Coach is able to create highly dynamic and personalised emails that include interactive content to increase engagement, store locations that drive customers to their nearest Coach store and messages and imagery that are live and clickable.
A versatile email architecture and custom modules allow you to deliver on personalisation with a consistent structure, look and feel across communications. Leveraging modern automation enhances efficiencies and provides the flexibility to adapt to subscriber behavior and optimise communications that are not only personalised but in the spirit of your brand.
You can then generate greater value from your campaigns by enhancing the level of data behind your message and using it to deliver every message with a purpose. Consider what you already know about your customers through first-party data like transactional information, purchase history, name, address and email engagement. Augment that with third-party data to better understand the mindset, life stage, and interests of your consumers. Combined, this information will allow you to know your customers better and create persistent connections across channels and devices.
Identify with the Individual
It is time to have a real conversation with customers via email, recognizing every action or inaction, for every piece of content, across every touchpoint – reading customer signals to not just deliver what they want today, but anticipate what they are going to want – before they even know they want it.
Customer identity that comes together the right way can reveal intent within email. If an existing customer is browsing your website for a flight to Paris online, you can understand that they're in the market for a trip and leverage that information to send more relevant emails. Understanding what people are doing in moments, activating the insights through machine learning and bringing that to the email channel, allows you to message to them more effectively and efficiently at scale.
Forrester noted Epsilon for “an unmatched balance of strong technology and professional services.” Going further, the report stated, “Advanced email marketers looking beyond purely promotional email will like its dedicated ‘agility keying’ module to identify users, enhance profiles using Epsilon’s data resources and then consolidate profiles across platforms.”
We believe effectively leveraging machine learning to automate content and lifecycle personalisation requires the right data to educate the machine including logic that can determine content hierarchy, offer, sentiment, imagery and deliverability in real-time. Then, it requires a depth of experience, practical campaign management, and creative expertise to ensure content is aligned to the customer lifecycle.
Retain Consumer Trust
According to Forrester, “Large regulated industries will like Epsilon’s ISO 27001 certification, quarterly compliance audits, and one-click PII protection.”
This becomes even more important during a time where consumers are demanding greater transparency and demonstrating choice over how their data is used for marketing purposes. We’ve always taken great measures to provide consumers the transparency and choice they deserve. We recently prepared our business and our clients for GDPR and continue to keep security and privacy at the forefront of what we do.
Our commitment to regulation standards not only makes email marketers legally compliant, it also makes them better marketers. We enable our clients to make sure that subscribers’ data is handled securely, which builds greater trust with customers. Meeting compliance standards also allows consumers to specify their email and data preferences. This means our clients can reach their subscribers in a way that is more authentic and desired. Instead of emailing people who aren’t interested, our clients reach the most suitable customers to drive greater return on marketing investment.
Deliver Outcomes
The last shift required to take email from a high-volume channel to a personalised outcomes-based channel built on results is its cost structure. As Forrester states in the report, “most are still disappointingly focused on sending emails.” We believe this is because traditional CPM pricing relies solely on volume, incentivising marketers to send more email without regard for its impact on the customer experience.
Building and maintaining personalised customer relationships through email requires technology, data and service to all come together. Our effective CPM approach combines platform, data, analytics, machine learning and services as a commitment to brands that we can deliver successful outcomes while offering a predictable budget.
We understand this mindset isn’t for everyone. As Forrester states in the report, “the right partner will be the one that suits your culture, program maturity and tech systems.” That’s why we focus on building relationships and driving outcomes for advanced enterprise email marketers.
Our mindset is, we’re not everyone’s email partner, we’re yours.
To learn more download the full report: The Forrester Wave™: Email Marketing Services Providers, Q2 2018
---
## Is IGTV becoming the one-stop-shop for all your digital marketing needs?
Type: eps_post
URL: /igtv-digital-marketing-needs
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Is IGTV becoming the one-stop-shop for all your digital marketing needs?
The social media landscape has pretty much stayed untouched since Snapchat arrived in 2011. Nevertheless, some platforms are faring far better than others in the competition.
Case in point – Instagram. Unlike other platforms, who are struggling to keep up in this game of social media cat and mouse, Instagram seems to be having the year of its existence. Users are more engaged than ever before, thanks to features like stories, GIFS, filters and music stickers.
The most recent introduction is Instagram TV (IGTV), a standalone app that is interlinked with the favoured platform. The new feature allows users to set up their IGTV channel and post video content that’s up to one hour long; an exciting and promising opportunity, particularly for brands and content marketers.
If you’re thinking this might sound a little familiar, you wouldn’t be wrong. And if you’re thinking of YouTube, you’d be on the money. The theory is IGTV is taking a light jab at the video-sharing giant, and attempting to cash in on the rise of video content.
The update is an exciting new platform for brands to explore and use to form deeper connections with their audience. With the estimated Instagram ad revenue reaching over $10 billion by 2019, how are brands seizing this opportunity to shine?
You snooze – you lose
The new addition to the social media landscape is just as frightening as it is exciting. We’re used to knowing exactly how the platform works, and more importantly, the type of content that performs best.
So it’s not surprising that brands are wary of jumping on the platform while it’s still in its infancy.
However, early adopters of IGTV have everything to gain, and nothing to lose.
The benefit of getting on the platform now is that you have an audience made up of users that are actively searching for engaging content.
The platform is not yet flooded with content, which means you are not fending off competitors, and have a shot at higher engagement rates.
As we continue to move to video and crave for more content from brands, IGTV could be the place to get your branded content fix. It’s not yet clear what kind of content will work best on the new platform, so brands have more freedom to experiment with the type of content they put out.
Most importantly, IGTV is the only platform entirely designed for the mobile experience, and will natively support full-screen vertical video. This is important.
As we continue to depend more and more on mobile, optimising apps and websites for a pleasant mobile experience is essential.
Getting it right from the get-go
Some brands, like Gucci and Louis Vuitton, are easing their way onto the platform and have debuted their accounts with a recap of their recent fashion shows.
Other companies, like Netflix, seem to have an inside track to understanding what the users of the app are craving for; their debut on the platform came as a one-hour long video of Cole Sprouse eating a burger. The shocker? The engagement rates went through the roof – the video brought in a whopping 955,000 views and almost 7,000 comments.
Brands are going longer and becoming more creative on IGTV and it’s paying off. They are taking risks and experimenting to see what resonates with their audience. If you want to succeed on the platform you have to embrace the new format.
Although the future of IGTV is shrouded in fog, there are four key elements that brands are doing that puts them as the leaders of the pack.
Focus on creating content that feels native to the platform.
Take time to edit for vertical video.
Refrain from uploading horizontally shot videos.
Short and sweet doesn’t always seal the deal. Create content that passes the original 1-minute mark and upload longer video-content.
What the future holds
So, is IGTV a realistic competitor to YouTube? Not yet. Instagram hasn’t figured out yet how to monetise content, to attract creators to migrate to IGTV from YouTube. The company hopes to have a strategy by the end of the year, but until then, the video-sharing giant isn’t under threat.
IGTV is the first video sharing platform designed entirely for the mobile experience. So it’s not unrealistic to expect some form of ‘IGTV original’ shows, movies or even series to debut in the future.
Especially with the introduction of 5G. We have high hopes for 5G, and as more apps and games are weaving in Augmented Reality into their offerings, we can expect to see that creeping into IGTV too.
The new video platform also allows creators to include clickable links in their descriptions, however, this means users have to exit the app (and their experience) if they want to make a purchase. The natural next step is to implement shoppable video technology for brands, to make the shopping experience seamless for app users.
So, Instagram has served a curveball and caused chaos in the social media landscape. Now that they have added long-form video to their platform - they can do it all. Is Instagram becoming a one-stop-shop for brands to raise awareness and connect with consumers? Perhaps not just yet, but they are definitely staying ahead of the curve and their competitors. Watch this space.
Like what you see? For more industry insights and updates subscribe to our blog.
---
## The Weekly Round-Up: 03.08.18
Type: eps_post
URL: /weekly-round-up-03-08-18
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# The Weekly Round-Up: 03.08.18
An office that has ditched the digital and a hotel that doesn’t want you to stay – it’s all here in the Epsilon Weekly Round-Up.
Holiday-Makers Assemble
Source: Assembly London
When it comes to checking off that holiday bucket list, what’s your top three? Finding an authentic eatery? Check. Beers in that off-the-beaten-track bar? Most definitely. Staying all day cooped up in your hotel room? We don’t think so! And neither does the new hotel brand from Criterion Capital. From the mind of London branding agency, Ragged Edge, comes Assembly - a bespoke hotel that wants its visitors to ‘check in’, ‘then check out the city’. Located in London’s West End, Assembly works hard to stand out from the crowd of bland millennial-targeted hotels. This update in accommodation style offers a choice in room size ranging from ‘Snug’ to ‘Den’, giving guests the opportunity to do their living outside of the room.
The Real Price of Real Estate
Source: Amnesty International
As city construction scales, so does homelessness, corruption, and citizen abuse in China. Over the last 20 years, urban development has been at an all time high, resulting in millions of Chinese people losing their homes to luxury real estate.
Amnesty International has come together with Serviceplan Belgium, to draw attention to the crisis. The NGO and the agency have created a 3D architectural model city, with a twist, in order to show the damage being done to China and its citizens. The model, and the short video, is working to promote a petition supporting Ni Yulan, a human rights activist who is living and fighting these traumatic circumstances.
The Old Ways are the Best Ways
Source: Zdnet
Government workers of the Matanuska-Susitna Borough in Alaska have been forced back into the days of old this week following the infection of a vicious malware into their computer systems. Though they are slowly rebuilding their systems and recovering data files, in the meantime, the staff have had to dust off their typewriters and take a step back into the previous millenia in order to move forward with their workload.
NASA, A Social Media Star
Source: Instagram @Nasa
Sitting on stars, NASA is taking its social presence to a whole other planet, with their expansive new media plan. In a bid to connect and engage their public with even more intergalactic goodies, they have reinvented how they create video - and where they are publishing it. What’s more, they are doing it all organically. As a government body, NASA cannot use taxpayers dollars to promote and push their content on social. This would seem like a fairly adverse challenge to any brand, but with some Instagram videos reaching up to one million views, the space station doesn’t have too much to worry about.
Print is Dead
Source: W Mag
Or, if it isn’t, there are definitely a lot of signs out there saying that it might be on its last legs. Sources have revealed to the New York Post that Condé Nast is selling what was once considered some of its most beloved publications. This includes fashion go-to – W Magazine and wedding bible – Brides, which has been owned by the publisher for almost 60 of its 80 years of existence. While Condé Nast still holds onto print giants like Vogue, Vanity Fair, The New Yorker and GQ, by putting these two legacy magazines out for shop, is the publisher forecasting even harder times ahead for print?
Like what you see? For more industry insights and updates subscribe to our blog.
---
## Epsilon Expands International Leadership Team with the Appointment of Andrew Mitchell, SVP, International Sales
Type: eps_post
URL: /expands-international-team-andrew-mitchell
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Epsilon Expands International Leadership Team with the Appointment of Andrew Mitchell, SVP, International Sales
Accomplished Business Leader to Help Drive Client Engagement, Growth and Success in APAC and EMEA
London — 31st July, 2018, — Epsilon™, a global leader in creating connections between people and brands, today announced the appointment of Andrew Mitchell, SVP, International Sales with responsibility for leading the sales organisation across APAC and EMEA, including Epsilon’s new India sales team. Based in London, Mitchell will report directly to Nigel Howlett, Managing Director - International.
As SVP, International Sales, Mitchell will play a critical role in positioning the International sales organisations around the company’s go-to-market strategy and growth opportunities, while collaborating on a global basis to enable clients to gain the benefit of Epsilon solutions around the world. Prior to joining Epsilon, Mitchell held numerous leadership positions, notably at IRI where he led the International Technology sales team, successfully working with many of the world’s leading corporations to roll out global programmes.
Mitchell’s primary focus will be to help clients uncover the opportunities and value that can be realised through building strong and collaborative global partnerships with Epsilon, by combining the organisation’s unique suite of data-driven marketing solutions to drive Return on Marketing Investment.
“Andrew is an accomplished business leader who has driven growth, built world-class teams and delivered lasting business benefits to clients across multiple verticals and disciplines including Customer Insights, Marketing, Sales, Supply Chain & Customer Experience. He joins Epsilon with 25 years’ experience of selling enterprise scale technology solutions to client leadership teams.” said Howlett.
“I am thrilled to have recruited Andrew to this role and to lead our ever-expanding International Sales Team. Not only will he strengthen our sales capabilities, but more importantly, continue to help drive accelerated performance and success for our clients, all of which are core to Epsilon values,” he added.
Epsilon, as an organisation, is constantly evolving but central to everything we do is our ability to create lifetime connections between brands and customers. By helping businesses understand big data and interpreting patterns in order to anticipate how, when and where customers will engage with their brand, we deliver personalised positive customer experiences, across all channels and devices.
“I’m absolutely delighted to join a world-class organisation such as Epsilon. Epsilon has unparalleled global capabilities and I look forward to working with my international colleagues to help organisations accelerate growth by bringing them integrated solutions that combine Epsilon’s unrivalled data intelligence, digital creative services, analytic and strategic services, all underpinned by world-leading technology” said Mitchell.
About Epsilon
Epsilon™ is an all-encompassing global marketing innovator. We provide unrivalled data intelligence and customer insights, world-class technology including loyalty, email and CRM platforms and data-driven creative, activation and execution. Epsilon’s digital media arm, Conversant®, is a leader in personalized digital advertising and insights through its proprietary technology and trove of consumer marketing data, delivering digital marketing with unprecedented scale, accuracy and reach through personalized media programs and through CJ AffiliateTM, one of the world’s largest affiliate marketing networks. Together, we bring personalized marketing to consumers across offline and online channels, at moments of interest, that help drive business growth for brands. An Alliance Data® company, Epsilon employs over 8,000 associates in 70 offices worldwide. For more information, visit epsilon.com and follow us on Twitter @EpsilonUK.
---
## The Weekly Round-Up: 27.07.18
Type: eps_post
URL: /the-weekly-round-up-27-07-18
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# The Weekly Round-Up: 27.07.18
Bar Wars and a good reason for you to take that long overdue vacation – it’s all here in Epsilon’s industry update – The Weekly Round-Up.
I can’t believe it’s not KitKat
Source: BBC
Or so you might find yourself saying following Nestlé’s loss of its ongoing court case. Earlier this week, The European Court of Justice threw out an appeal, made by the chocolate giant, to protect the distinctive trademark shape of this classic piece of confectionary. This decision marks the end of a decade-long squabble which involved a number of confectioners, in particular, Mondelez. Mondelez are the makers of Kvikk Lunsj, a four-fingered sweet favoured by Norwegians. Finally, after 10 long years, the Scandis can have a break, have a Kvikk Lunsj.
The Summer of Liposuction
Source: Love Island
ITV are definitely not feeling the love following criticism and backlash from the NHS over the reported large number of cosmetic surgery, and diet advertisements, airing during the breaks of the reality tv show, Love Island.
The dating series, which features an array of the U.K’s most glamorous 20-somethings, has reportedly fueled a surge of queries to cosmetic clinics across Britain and Ireland. One Irish clinic is now even offering a ‘Love Island’ package which allows participants to get one step closer to their dream aesthetic.
In response to this trend, chief executive of NHS England, Simon Stevens has criticised ITV heavily on their decision to run explicit ads aimed at young women around breast cosmetic surgery.
In response, ITV’s chief executive, Carolyn McCall has said that, though the promotions do meet broadcast regulators’ standards, the channel will still review their decision to run these types of ads during the show.
It’s time to Dooonate
Source: Mindshare
Media giant, Mindshare, has launched a brand new tool, which could see your PTO turned into philanthropy. In a bid to reduce media spend by charitable organisations, Mindshare has created Dooonate, an easy-to-use tool that allows users to donate the space of their out-of-office (OOO) emails to a good cause.
The tool launched following the realisation that the British workforce can generate up to 51 million OOO emails every day, each of which contains a bulk of empty space. According to Marketing Communication News, Mindshare has estimated that the value of this empty space could be worth £1 for every thousand emails, giving workers the opportunity to donate up to £51,000 every day.
The Fall of Facebook
Source: Forbes
While $63.6 billion is not a sum to be sniffed at, for Facebook founder, Mark Zuckerberg, it means a fall from the fourth richest person in the world to the eighth. It may not mean a whole lot to mere mortals, but to the social media maverick it means a plunge of 16% in shares and marks the biggest fall his stock has ever taken, including the days following the Cambridge Analytica scandal. While the company is still sky high in terms of earnings, could these numbers indicate a change in fortune for the network? Watch this Face.
Dodge the deep sea
Source: Universal Pictures
And shallow waters alike – that’s the message coming from American automobile brand, Dodge, who have created this quirky campaign, which features vacationers doing their favourite by-the-sea activities on a paved area.
The message? Stick to the streets – with shark warnings posted across a number of U.S beaches, Dodge is inciting people to stay safe and avoid the sea this summer. The ads will run on online and TV channels throughout Shark Week.
Like what you see? For more industry insights and updates subscribe to our blog.
---
## The future of video is nigh: Can shoppable video bring brands closer to their audiences?
Type: eps_post
URL: /shoppable-video-brands-audience
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# The future of video is nigh: Can shoppable video bring brands closer to their audiences?
The growth of video consumption is staggering. Digital video viewership worldwide has been increasing steadily since 2013, and it’s expected to constitute more than 80% of all internet traffic by 2020. While this means great things for lovers of cat videos it also means exciting things for brands and their customers.
Taking notice of the growing trend, brands see how video can help them tell stories and ultimately create deeper connections with their audience. As a result, more and more brands are incorporating the medium into their marketing strategy.
Which seems to be a pretty smart move as, after just a small taste of video content from brands, the stats are showing that 85% want to see more video from brands in 2018.
To keep up with this demand there is increased pressure on brands to produce engaging, innovative, and valuable content. Audiences now live in the age of assistance, where many things are just a voice command away. Customer expectations are on the rise and in order to get their buy-in, simple, static marketing messages will just not do.
Brands need to start thinking about how they can go the extra mile for their audience – enter shoppable video. The supposed next step in online shopping, this latest content trend is working to create a seamless progression from inspiration to purchase.
What is Shoppable video?
It pretty much does what it says on the tin, i.e. it’s video content featuring products or services with embedded links, that allows viewers to purchase those products instantly, without leaving the video.
It’s a huge opportunity for brands as it enables them to replicate, for the customer, the experience of visiting their website, without ever having to leave their social platform.
Ultimately, shoppable video reduces the friction between marketing and purchase. It creates a seamless path to purchase, by allowing viewers to interact with video while adding items to their cart. Shoppable video fully integrates products into the storytelling process, without taking away the consumer’s content experience.
Image source: WIREWAX
The future is now
Although shoppable video may sound like the future, forward-thinking brands are already adopting this form of content and weaving it into their marketing strategy.
A successful early adopter of shoppable video is the luxury high street label, Ted Baker. Before they launched their Christmas campaign in 2015, they turned to WIREWAX for help to drive sales from their website.
WIREWAX introduced them to shoppable video and the results were spectacular. Within the first week of the campaign, on average, users spent one minute interacting with the video, and, in consequence, sent $75,000 worth of sales directly to their site. Overall, this led to 4 times more interaction and engagement.
Content with benefits
The goal of any marketing material is to create desire and drive action. With shoppable video, brands can create the immediate desire to purchase, and then satisfy that desire with a "shop-as-you-watch" experience. Shoppable content also brings many other benefits for online retailers such as:
Simplifying buying funnel
When content becomes shoppable it removes the numerous steps to purchase, making the entire process carefree for the customer. Their requirement is to click on the item, add it to a shopping cart and continue engaging with your content.
Increasing consumer engagement
Shoppers constantly seek out informative and engaging video content, and those who watch it in pre-purchase stages are 1.81 times more likely to make a purchase than non-viewers. Also, 9% of marketers across the globe agree that videos have the best ROI.
Improved conversion rates
On average, shoppable content can increase the click-through rate by 16%. As mentioned above, early adopters have experienced increased sales from using the medium. Ted Baker reported that shoppers were 3 times more likely to buy with shoppable video integrated into their communications.
This is only the beginning
Shoppable video is not just for e-commerce either. Already it can be seen slowly creeping into other areas of video-marketing too. As the technology continues to evolve, new possibilities for marketers arise, and with the rise of personalisation and AI, there are hopes of bringing this "shop-as-you-watch" experience to TV shows and live coverage.
Content will continue to become increasingly personalised. From the delivery to the actual products included in the video, AI will help advertisers to deliver content that appeals directly to their viewer’s desires.
The future is bright for video, and the next step in video marketing is here. It has been quite a while since the e-commerce experience has had such a change, and it looks like shoppable video will be the first step towards something totally new.
So the only question now is – when will you add shoppable video to your marketing strategy?
Like what you see? For more industry insights and updates subscribe to our blog.
---
## The Weekly Round-Up: 14.07.18
Type: eps_post
URL: /weekly-round-up-14-07-18
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# The Weekly Round-Up: 14.07.18
In its new series, The Weekly Round-Up, Epsilon will take a look at the most prolific moments in the industry over the past week.
Keep the customer satisfied
18 months ago, Pointy, was little more than a twinkle in our retailers’ eyes, now the small hardware boxes are fast becoming a fixture in outlets across UK, Ireland, Canada and the U.S.
The tech startup, whose funding has reached $19 million in the past year strives to bridge the gap between traditional retailers and online audiences, helping brick-and-mortar outfits to compete with e-commerce sites.
The boxes, which are now situated in over 5,000 shops worldwide, connect to a retailer’s barcode scanner, logging the store's product selection, making them easy to find online.
The secret to their success? Focusing on customer satisfaction, or so chief executive, Mark Cummins, told Fora.
Cummins told the Irish online publication
“Our main target at the moment is just about user growth and user happiness. Those are the main KPIs we track internally. Revenue I think will be a goal maybe next year or a little bit further down the line.”
Source: Pointy
Football’s staying put
Wednesday night, in the 109th minute, England kissed their World Cup dreams goodbye. A team, a nation in mourning. But amidst this despair who among us has spared a thought for the brands flying the ‘Coming Home’ flag in their summer campaigns.
Ogilvy and British Airways gave the idea wings with a social campaign featuring a very optimistic plane ticket.
Source: Twitter
Virgin Trains went one further, putting their money where their mouth is and lifted all restrictions on tickets to get fans home for what turned out to be extra-time tragedy.
Source: Twitter
But really, whether you love it or hate it, it’s Marmite’s overly expectant label that will remain ingrained in our heads.
[embed]https://twitter.com/marmite/status/1017068495979274240?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw[/embed]
Facebook Ads take on Augmented Reality
Earlier this week Facebook announced the launch of its Video Creation Kit an advertising tool created to help retailers engage with their customers on a more personal level through mobile.
According to the Boston Consulting Group, more than 80 million people in the US are engaging with AR on a monthly basis and the numbers are expected to grow to more than 120 million by 2021. Taking these stats into consideration, Facebook is putting its best foot forward and offering this medium to their clients as a way to further interact with its audiences.
Successful brands who have used AR ads so far include Michael Kors and Sephora.
Source: Facebook
Rare Stripes
A grrreat collaboration is coming our way from alcohol giant, Tiger Beer, fashion brand, Kenzo and nature advocacy group, WWF. The partnership will work with a variety of artists to create an exclusive clothing collection, Rare Stripes, proceeds of which will go to helping endangered species of tigers. The collection will be part of TX2, a six-year initiative with the global goal to double the world’s wild tiger population by 2022. It is reported that wild tigers are currently diminishing at an alarming rate, with the figure dropping from 100,00 to around 3,890 over the last century.
Source: Facebook
Big data means big results
That’s according to top marketers anyway. Representatives from Coca-Cola, Lazada, Zuji, Johnson & Johnson, Income, Fonterra, and Skyscanner met earlier this week to discuss the ever burning question of data usage and naturally, the topics of safety and transparency were examined.
The scope for more accurate measurement and metrics seems to be one of the most exciting possibilities for the increase of data. Still, according to Jason Huan, chief marketing officer Singapore at Lazada a certain fear of data remains among brands, audiences and agencies alike.
Source: The Drum
Like what you see? For more industry insights and updates subscribe to our blog.
---
## As the age of the emoji flourishes, are the days of the copywriter numbered?
Type: eps_post
URL: /copywriter-days-numbered
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# As the age of the emoji flourishes, are the days of the copywriter numbered?
As the world continues to pivot further and further towards video, rumours have arisen that copy will soon disappear and that the classic copywriter will dissipate with it. Why? Well, it’s no secret that since the arrival of the twentieth century our attention spans have been somewhat abbreviated. The increase in video and online conversation has left us ‘a lil short 4 words’ and longing for a more efficient form of communication.
As a result, there is a misconception that copy is dying, however as we will explain this simply is not true. Copy, like all other manners of communication, will simply learn to transform and adapt with the times, and its writer will do the same. Forever fighting for attention in an increasingly overcrowded world of information, entertainment, and marketing, the copywriter still remains an invaluable asset to your business.
So what is a copywriter?
Put simply, they are writers in advertising or marketing who mean business. It is their job to get people to act and pay attention to adverts and content that vies for their attention. Today, the emphasis is on quality, not quantity, and copywriters ensure that your business delivers just that.
They are an integral part of the marketing mix. Copywriters know how to craft headlines, emails, and infographics that add value for clients and help them to meet their customer objectives. Their ability to put words, sentences, stats, and research together in a creative way, is how a business can grab and hold an audience member’s attention.
Copy is everywhere
“The real matter of the fact is that nobody reads ads. People read what interests them and sometimes that happens to be an ad.” Howard Luck Gossage
Copywriting goes beyond writing marketing material. Copy is everywhere – and, expert wordsmiths are behind it. Every company white-paper, blog post, tweet, and email falls on the shoulders of the copywriter. So you may not realise it, but you are surrounded by examples of great copywriting, everywhere, every day.
In the business of selling, copywriting falls into the category of the art of persuasion. With a strong knowledge of a client’s brands, goods, or services, an eloquent copywriter will appeal to the audience’s reason to persuade them, their feelings to move them and to their aesthetic sensibility to delight them. They’ll do it in many varied formats too. From micro-copy on Twitter placards, buzzwords on banner ads, to lengthy print ads in our morning paper.
Case in point is KFC’s award-winning apology ad, published in British newspaper, The Sun, following an unexpected shortage in chicken.
Source: CampaignLive
The power of three
‘Concept, concise, and consult’, also known in copy terms as the power of three, is the key to creating stellar copy.
When it comes to solving a creative challenge there is no such thing as a one-size-fits-all fix. Each new project or campaign must begin with its own individual concept, an idea which has the ability to hold the entire creative solution together. Ideation sessions are vital to discovering the concept and though it can be, at times, a long and challenging process, it is one that leads to valuable work.
Whether you’re crafting an email from scratch or proofreading a company’s training manual – as a copywriter you must be able to break down the information and deliver it to the audience through a clear and concise piece of communication.
Finally, that brings us to consult. Once the first draft is finished the real work begins. In order to really hit the nail on the head, it is important to consult with clients and ask for directive feedback. It may not always be straightforward and it can be challenging, but having a clear understanding of what is expected is key in order to deliver great work.
Word up
Video has not killed the copywriter, instead, the practice continues to adapt and transform in the digital ad ecosystem, with an abundance of new skills and practices emerging ready to be shared. After all emojis, Insta Stories, and Snapchats may come and go, but the written word is eternal.
---
## 'Never underestimate yourself' – key advice for women looking to succeed in design
Type: eps_post
URL: /key-advice-for-women-in-design
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# 'Never underestimate yourself' – key advice for women looking to succeed in design
As Design Lead with Epsilon, Vanessa Fay is an expert in brand creation, visual communications and brand activation. But despite her success, her path from leaving school to her first job in the design world was not straight-forward. In fact, she didn’t realise it was the career for her until she was already 26.
“I always knew I wanted to do something creative, that was the only thing that was clear,” she says. “I really liked Art in school and went on to do a degree in Photography in DIT Temple Bar. It wasn’t until I went to London to work in design communications for NHS Camden, where I was designing for health campaigns, that I realised it was actually a full-time job that I could get paid for. So, I did a graphic design course, I must have been 26 by that stage, and I really felt like I had a lot of catching up to do.”
Her own experiences of finding her career path inspired Vanessa to get involved with WhyDesign – an initiative set up by the Institute of Designers in Ireland (IDI) to improve gender balance in the industry, which is currently 75% men and 25% women. Now a member of its steering committee, Vanessa explains that part of WhyDesign’s aim is to create role models for girls and young women who are trying to pick a college course and considering a career in design.
“When I was coming out of school, if students were deciding on a creative course with the aim of advancing into a creative career, there wasn't much guidance. We only had the prospectus and advice from your CGC, which in my case was very limited. At most you would get a week's work placement if you were lucky.”
“It was hard to picture what your course would lead to and what a career might look like in five or 10 years’ time. So, the WhyDesign platform wants to have a good representation of the types of careers that are out there. It’s a true representation of the diversity of jobs – there’s fashion, graphic design, jewellery, architecture – and demonstrates that no one discipline is really out of reach for any student.”
Vanessa feels this type of initiative is vitally important to inspire young women to become designers, and she says the proof is in the progress that similar work has already helped to bring about.
“I’d like to think that through the actions of initiatives like WhyDesign and the work being done by many other organisations it’s a little bit easier now and young women are feeling more empowered these days compared to when I left school in 1999. There’s definitely a real feeling of empowerment that’s part of our national narrative right now.”
"...young women are feeling more empowered these days compared to when I left school"
“Students and young designers should be encouraged to feel more confident, to stand up for their creative choices while learning to take criticism on briefs in order to grow into stronger designers, for example. This will carry through to looking for jobs, asking for promotions and progressing in their chosen creative career.”
Vanessa’s main piece of advice to young female designers is to never underestimate yourself.
“My advice is to stay confident and to trust your skills,” she says. “As women, we tend to underestimate our abilities. It’s definitely one of my flaws, and I know a lot of female designers would agree.”
“You should embrace the qualities that make you stand out. Stay interested and curious to learn and work your ass off - because if you’re doing a good job and doing the best you can do, then nobody can question your ability to do the job based on your gender.”
---
## Truth And Relevance: How To Build A Data Strategy That Delivers For Your Brand
Type: eps_post
URL: /data-strategy-that-deliver
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Truth And Relevance: How To Build A Data Strategy That Delivers For Your Brand
Data is everywhere. As marketers, we use it to create new customer relationships and deepen existing ones.
With the abundance of data that's out there, it’s getting more difficult not only to acquire customers but to find the right data that can make a positive difference for your business. It should be the goal of all marketers to find better, not bigger, data that will fulfil your marketing needs and help you exceed your goals.
Determining what exactly is the right data for your goals is no easy task. But it's a critical component of being personal in customer relationships.
Offering that personal touch is central to building customer loyalty. According to research by our colleagues in the US, 80% of consumers are more likely to do business with a company that offers personalised experiences.
As you continue to evolve your data strategy to create personalised experiences, here's what you need to consider.
Be direct
You need to be clear and focused with your data strategy. There are thousands of consumer attributes available, so you need to determine which makes the most sense for your campaign. Remember to be consistent in all channels, both offline and online.
For example, if you’re a retailer and you know that shoppers' spending increases by 24% when they’re offered a coupon, be sure to provide a direct offer in the channel in which individual consumers interact with you most.
Take action
Once you’ve determined the right data, you have to do something with it. Put a plan in place for your campaigns and be consistent with your offers. Having a consistent data strategy helps to create a competitive advantage for your brand.
According to research carried out in the US, 66% of consumers say they’re more likely to switch brands if they feel they’re treated like ‘a number’ rather than an individual. This means being consistent as you market to each individual. Keep a holistic view of all the offers being presented to customers across your brand so you’re able to take the right action that’s personalised and relevant to their specific needs.
Find the truth
Data helps us determine the truth because numbers rarely lie. So use it in a way that allows you to be true to yourself and others. You need to earn your customers' trust, so always get a holistic view of your customers and use the same data in all channels to create relevance and consistency. If you have data with proven results, use it across your channels.
If you use different data in different channels, it could lead to competing offers that create confusion for your customers, which affects their trust in your brand.
Be accountable
Data is an investment. Remember to hold yourself and your team accountable for your data marketing initiatives and make sure you can prove your return on marketing investment and spend. Do your research, too. Don’t settle for data that you think will drive success for your marketing objectives.
Data can fuel your marketing success. It ensures that your messaging, content and campaigns are relevant. And, relevancy is essential. Data is truthful, too. So by performing analytics and modelling, it will help you establish trust.
Now, it's time to ask yourself, is your current data strategy meeting the needs of your brand? If the answer's no, get back to basics and try following some of the tips we've shared today.
---
## The upside of GDPR: Three benefits for marketers
Type: eps_post
URL: /the-upside-of-gdpr-three-benefits-for-marketers
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T22:14:19Z
# The upside of GDPR: Three benefits for marketers
Continuing a series of short articles on the positive aspects of GDPR, I’d like to explore the benefits I think marketers are going to see from the regulation. In March, P&G’s CMO Marc Pritchard continued his long-fought assault on bad practice in the adtech industry. His focus on quality over quantity was working, he said, plus:
“This new level of transparency is shining the light on what’s next—marketers taking back control of our own destiny to accelerate mass disruption—transforming our industry from the wasteful mass marketing we’ve been mired in for nearly a century to mass one-to-one brand building fuelled by data and digital technology.”
Pritchard’s message has helped focus advertisers on delivering quality over quantity. But it’s not easy to achieve his goal of “mass one-to-one brand building fuelled by data and digital technology.”
However, the new requirements under GDPR - for companies to keep a record of the data they hold on their customers, plus acquire consent to access their devices – will serve to encourage this focus on quality, bringing Pritchard’s final goal closer for marketers as an industry standard.
Transparency into marketing partners
One of the issues raised by GDPR for marketers is the need for businesses to gain unambiguous consent to access a consumer’s device – this not only means the advertiser will need consent, but also all of their marketing-partners, plus their partners’-partners’. All need to have collected consent for the same consumer, and all need to be individually disclosed to that consumer.
An important outcome of this is that marketers will have a much clearer understanding of who they are using in their technology stack – after all, they’ll have to disclose every one of them. The only real alternative is to simply work with full-service end-to-end platforms, increasing transparency of their adtech vendors.
The basis for true personalisation
To comply with some aspects of GDPR, many companies are beginning to look for ways to attach consumer data to a persistent ID that can be deleted. Persistent Identification is key to maintaining GDPR principles of consent and the right to erasure. Conveniently, creating a persistent ID is also the first step in communicating one-to-one over time – so, although it is only very early in the journey, I see GDPR as encouraging the market towards personalising communication over time.
Greater relevancy of content
Poor quality content will only serve to encourage consumers to withhold consent – why would a consumer opt-in to receive something that is of no value to them? As consent is a key factor for many in GDPR compliance, an increase in relevant, quality, branded content would be a natural outcome.
GDPR will, therefore, continue the process Marc Pritchard has started on the journey towards increasing transparency, relevancy and focusing on data-driven one-to-one marketing at scale.
Now, Pritchard’s goal is the same as Conversant’s – our fundamental belief is that brands should market one-to-one to individuals at scale, over time, to drive brand engagement that is measured against measurable incremental return - and our media technology was the first end-to-end solution to achieve this nearly a decade ago.
Finally, if you’re an advertiser or a publisher, then take a look at our free Consent Tool designed to gain GDPR compliant consent – it works with IAB Europe’s Transparency and Consent Framework.
The Consent Tool
---
## [Video] GDPR: Solutions to Gain Consent for Advertisers and Publishers
Type: eps_post
URL: /video-privacy-by-design-gdpr-and-digital-advertising
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# [Video] GDPR: Solutions to Gain Consent for Advertisers and Publishers
Watch this on-demand webinar for actionable solutions to gaining GDPR compliant consent for digital advertising.
With IAB Europe, IMRG, Conversant and CJ Affiliate on the expert panel, gain clarity into the obligations brought about by the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) on publishers and advertisers, before understanding how our free solution - the Consent Tool - can gain GDPR compliant consent for your digital advertising activity.
Click for sound
The Consent Tool is a lightweight mechanism to help advertisers and publishers gain compliant consent from consumers for their digital advertising activity in relation to the GDPR and the ePrivacy Directive (ePD).
Designed to blend compliance and business continuity, for both advertisers and publishers - it's available for free, whether you work with Conversant and/or CJ Affiliate or not. Claim access to the Consent Tool.
Access the Consent Tool
---
## GDPR: Short-term pain, long-term gain
Type: eps_post
URL: /gdpr-short-term-pain-long-term-gain
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T22:09:52Z
# GDPR: Short-term pain, long-term gain
In the run-up to the implementation of GDPR, most headlines have focussed on the negative aspects of the regulation - specifically for marketers, that we can’t continue our marketing activities as we’ve become accustomed to.
Whilst GDPR will lead to large changes, not all changes are bad. There will be short-term pain, but longer-term it will be a change for the better - for both consumers and marketers (and the brands they represent).
GDPR means that consumers will have the power to request insight into what data a business holds on them, then request that data to be deleted. In addition, marketers and eCommerce teams now need clear permission (defined as unambiguous consent ) to use a consumers’ data or access their mobile phones and computers - to add a cookie, for example.
By preparing for this, as companies audit their data usage and build solutions to manage their databases and partners, businesses - both brands and solution providers - are putting the consumer at the very centre of their business.
With GDPR, businesses now have an ultimatum to do exactly what they have wanted to achieve for years: be genuinely customer-centric by May 25th, or face huge financial penalties.
This change can only have positive benefits for advertisers, ad-tech vendors and consumers alike.
In a recent report, 61% of senior marketers highlighted building customer relationships as their top digital marketing strategy, yet only 15% of those senior marketers were confident that they knew their customers well enough to do so. By May 25th, the businesses that those senior marketers represent will be legally obliged to understand their customers better - it’s no longer an option.
Putting the consumer at the centre of their business means that advertisers and solution providers will understand their relationship with customers far better, in turn driving relevancy and efficiency in communication, increasing return on marketing spend.
Given time, current headaches around consent will evolve into a massive boon for advertisers. After all, consumers that have consented to be communicated-with are hand-raising - they are going to be higher value customers.
Likewise, if an advertiser starts seeing specific solution providers continually have consent denied to them, it will give clear insight into the providers they partner with, helping them select better partners that both they and their consumers are happy with.
The era of poor quality creative and 'pile it high, sell it cheap' digital messaging - via email, display media, and all forms of retargeting - is coming to an end. This will be replaced by marketing that focusses on relevancy and outcomes that benefit everyone within the value exchange.
The result is fewer messages that are better personalised.
GDPR will help push the advertising and marketing industries to improve. It will increase efficiency for advertisers, and it will enhance relevancy for consumers.
That can only be a good thing.
Incidentally, if you're an advertiser or publisher that's seeking a free solution to gain GDPR and ePrivacy Directive compliant-consent, then take a look at Conversant's Consent Tool.
---
## CJ Wins 3 Performance Marketing Awards
Type: eps_post
URL: /cj-wins-3-performance-marketing-awards-2018
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# CJ Wins 3 Performance Marketing Awards
CJ Affiliate has won three awards at the Performance Marketing Awards (PMAs) 2018: Best Account Management Team, as well as Best Paid Search Campaign and Best Travel & Leisure Campaign, both with NMPi and East Midlands Trains.
Further, the affiliate network was highly commended in three categories: Best Use of Automation, as well as Best Brand Engagement Campaign and Best Travel & Leisure Campaign, both with TUI.
While the Performance Marketing Awards are UK-based, at the global equivalent - the International Performance Marketing Awards - CJ Affiliate won three awards: Industry Network of Choice, Best Managed Affiliate Programme in Western Europe with TUI, and Best Managed Affiliate Programme in Eastern Europe withnVIVNetworks.com and Zoot.cz.
“CJ winning three> Performance Marketing Awards is a result of our focus on innovation and evolution within the performance marketing industry,” explains Jules Bazley, Regional Vice President at CJ Affiliate. “By launching true market differentiators such as Affiliate Customer Insights - which leverages the pseudonymous consumer profiles from Conversant’s single customer view - CJ has gained an incredible amount of unique, market-changing capabilities.
“Further, it’s about understanding the specific goals of our clients and possessing the knowledge and understanding to leverage our publisher-partners and in-house technology. We’ve got an incredible publisher network - one which we heavily invest in nurturing - and an envy inspiring suite of tools, so we make sure our team are enabled to harness them all in the most innovative ways.
“But let’s not forget the incredible collaboration and alliance between the CJ team and our partners - advertisers, publishers, agencies and partners. The teams at NMPi and East Midlands Trains, and all the other great brands, publishers and agencies we work with at CJ collaborate in harmony with the CJ team, and it's this that allows us to push the boundaries in terms of results - something these awards lay testament to."
---
## Conversant’s Approach to the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR)
Type: eps_post
URL: /-conversants-approach-to-the-general-data-protection-regulation-gdpr
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Conversant’s Approach to the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR)
Understanding the GDPR
The General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) will become enforceable on 25th May, 2018, with a goal of harmonising data protection across the member states of the European Economic Area (EEA), including the 28 member states of the European Union (EU), plus Iceland, Norway, and Lichtenstein. This regulation is replacing the EU Data Protection Directive (Directive 95/46/EC).
The GDPR seeks to inform and empower consumers by providing transparency and control over their personal data. It will affect organisations worldwide that collect and/or process personal data of individuals working, visiting or residing in the EU, regardless of where an organisation is located. The new regulation impacts how companies collect, process, retain, and delete personal data, and creates additional accountability.
We are one of the industry leaders working closely with the Interactive Advertising Bureau Europe (IAB EU) to establish digital marketing best practices and advocating for a consistent consumer experience in accordance with the GDPR. The following key concepts are important to understand:
The GDPR Broadens the Definition of Personal Data
At Conversant and CJ Affiliate, we do not collect or retain any consumer personally identifiable information (PII). This means our data does not directly identify any individuals (i.e. name, email address, or billing information). That said, the GDPR broadens the definition of personal data to include the data that we collect.
The GDPR introduces the term “pseudonymous data”, which is a subset of “personal data”. Pseudonymous data is data that does not directly identify the individual without the use of additional data. This includes data that can be used to understand a consumer’s behaviour (including cookie IDs, device IDs, and other individual identifiers).
The GDPR recommends that companies pseudonymise personal data whenever possible as part of a Privacy by Design approach to ensure that companies are only collecting data that is needed, while still protecting the privacy of consumers.
Collecting and Processing Personal Data Under GDPR
The GDPR allows for six legal bases for processing personal data. The two most relevant bases to the digital marketing industry are “legitimate interest” and “consent”. For the services that we provide, legitimate interest is an acceptable legal basis in which to process personal data.
That being said, there is an additional law that also impacts online data processing: the ePrivacy Directive (Directive 2002/58/EC). Under this law (Article 5, Section 3), individuals must provide consent before a company can read or write any information to or from their devices, such as reading and/or writing cookies.
The ePrivacy Directive references the Data Protection Directive (Directive 95/46/EC) for the definition of consent. On 25th May, 2018, the Data Protection Directive will be replaced by the GDPR. This means the definition of consent under the ePrivacy Directive will reference the definition of consent under GDPR, which requires that consent be “unambiguous”.
The GDPR-defined “unambiguous” consent is required to read or write any information, such as cookies, to or from a consumer’s device. Legitimate interest, however, allows us to process and retain personal data collected via those cookies.
In alignment with this, and in light of these upcoming changes, the IAB EU has created a framework for digital advertising companies to inform each other when unambiguous consent has been granted. This shared knowledge allows all parties involved in a consumer interaction to know when a request for consent is needed, allowing for a more conscientious customer experience (including only requesting consent when one or more parties need it).
Understanding “Unambiguous” Consent
As mentioned above, unambiguous consent will be required in order to read or write information to or from a consumer’s device. Unambiguous consent requires clear and affirmative action be taken by the consumer. The GDPR (Recital 32) states that “silence, pre-ticked boxes or inactivity should not … constitute consent.” Later, the recital states that consent can be given through “conduct which clearly indicates in this context the data subject's acceptance of the proposed processing of his or her personal data.”
This means, that by taking an action, such as clicking a box or link to accept, or continuing to browse, the consumer is providing consent, as long as it is clearly and prominently disclosed that this consent allows us to drop cookies, process consumer information, and states the intended uses. Companies are required to provide consumers with the option to revoke consent at any time.
Explicit consent, on the other hand, is needed only for sensitive uses of personal data, such as for the processing of sensitive personal data listed in Article 9(1) of the GDPR, including race or ethnicity. An example of explicit consent is a tick box or an “I AGREE” button, where explicit consent is only considered to have been gathered when the individual takes that specific action. Earlier drafts of the GDPR required explicit consent across the board, however, this was changed in the final draft. Now, there are two variations of consent – unambiguous and explicit.
Only unambiguous consent is necessary for the services which we provide.
Data Controllers and Data Processors
Article 4 of the GDPR defines a Data “Controller” as an entity that, solely or jointly with others, determines the purpose and means of processing personal data. A Data “Processor” is an entity which processes personal data purely on behalf of the Data Controller and only according to the Data Controller’s instructions, as described in Article 28.
These definitions determine what data a company can process and the responsibilities the company is assuming to ensure it is providing consumers with appropriate control of their personal data. While there are additional responsibilities that a Data Controller takes on, one key requirement is providing consumers with the ability to request to access and delete their personal data.
We are a Data Controller and we will continue to offer our clients cutting-edge, data-driven solutions that deliver meaningful results.
Our GDPR Commitment
We believe in the data protection principles of the GDPR and are committed to providing more transparency to individuals over how their data is being processed.
Data protection has always been a cornerstone of our business, and we have been working diligently to ensure our compliance with the GDPR. Our future-focussed approach sets our clients up for long-term, data-driven success.
We will provide our clients with free options for gathering unambiguous consent for ourselves, themselves, and any additional vendors. We will consider consent valid for 13 months unless the consumer changes their preferences. We will continue providing GDPR compliant technologies and, as a Data Controller, we accept full responsibility for our compliance with the GDPR.
We urge our clients and partners to review and understand their responsibilities under GDPR, as compliance is a collective responsibility. We will continue to lead industry efforts by providing GDPR best practices and working closely the IAB EU, IAB UK, and other industry leaders. If you have any questions or feedback, please reach out to us through your account team.
Additional references:
Conversant and CJ Affiliate:
GDPR Preparation
ePrivacy Directive:
Directive 2002/58/EC
1995 Data Protection Directive:
Directive 95/46/EC
Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO UK Data Protection Authority):
Overview of the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR)
Preparing for the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) 12 steps to take now
Guidance: what to expect and when
Cookie Guidance: (Background)
Interactive Advertising Bureau (IAB)
IAB Content Information
IAB UK GDPR Checklist
IAB Europe GIG: Working Paper on the Definition of Personal Data
IAB GDPR Webinar Recording
Direct Marketing Association (DMA)
Legitimately using Legitimate Interests – new guidance
---
## Gauging true ROI: How to fix broken measurement models in 2018
Type: eps_post
URL: /gauging-true-roi-how-to-fix-broken-measurement-models-in-2018
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T22:14:19Z
# Gauging true ROI: How to fix broken measurement models in 2018
“Transform everything you’re doing to drive growth.” - Mark Pritchard, P&G’s Chief Brand Officer.
This was my key takeaway from Mark Pritchard’s talk at the ANA Masters of Marketing conference earlier this year. It’s an escalation of Mark’s ongoing rallying call for the digital industry to clean-up, and it’s one that we really need to take note of.
Let me explain why...
There's an underlying problem with the digital advertising market that, until it is fixed will always produce an undesirable marketing result. And it’s down to how we ‘measure’ so-called-return.
Incremental revenue and incremental profit are the only metrics that matter.
This is what we need to measure in order to gauge return. Yet most marketers are still using marketing proxies dreamt up in an attribution model designed to justify continually increasing (and unprofitable) media spend.
This isn’t right. It diverts huge portions of budget in the wrong direction. It wastes money that could otherwise be spent on profitable activities.
Measurement needs to be aligned to business goals. To do this, we need to measure media for incremental effect and optimise toward incremental returns.
These three steps are how we get there:
Clean test and control methodology
Test and control in digital media has largely been impossible because of the fragmentation of media consumption across multiple devices; meaning the margin of error has been higher than the performance claimed.
A persistent ID driven map will allow advertisers to keep their test and control clean, so results are accurate. The big agency groups are all moving towards this by building their own, but I’m happy to say that Conversant has been running and perfecting our own for nigh on a decade.
Continually measure for incrementality
A persistent ID allows for continual measurement of incrementality. Measuring once and assuming incremental return over a year doesn’t work – a clothes retailer will have totally different effects in the summer months compared to December, for example.
By continually measuring incrementality, brands are able to measure, and therefore drive something at the heart of all business – the incremental lifetime value of their customers.
Randomise test and control
Test and control groups need to be assigned randomly after a bid is won. Running two campaigns side by side, or using cohorts around geo or time is open to abuse and the results can’t be trusted or replicated within a client's business.
Running media this way will place the onus on the vendor for delivery of optimal frequency, in quality environments, to the right audience.
More importantly, it will allow marketers to get back to doing their job, rather than investigating opaque media systems and negotiating vested interests.
If you’re interested in finding out more, I joined experts from Google, AOL and Campaign Magazine on a panel to discuss attribution at Ad Week Europe earlier this year - watch the on-demand video here.
Watch the panel on-demand
---
## Black Friday period: European consumers spending more than ever
Type: eps_post
URL: /black-friday-period-european-consumers-spending-more-than-ever
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T22:17:52Z
# Black Friday period: European consumers spending more than ever
Across Europe, early data from CJ Affiliate shows that the 2017 Black Friday period has been stronger than ever, with revenue increasing by over 50%, orders by one-third, and average order value by 15%.
Comparing the 2016 and 2017 eight-day period from the Monday preceding Black Friday through to Cyber Monday, revenue throughout Europe on the CJ network increased 51%.
Order numbers during the Black Friday period in Europe increased by 32%, while the average order value increased by 15%.
Download the 2017 Holiday Intelligence Report for indepth insight on last year's peak period, and receive the upcoming 2018 Holiday Intelligence Report.
Download the 2017 Holiday Intelligence Report
Black Friday: Firmly established, yet still growing
"It seems that while the concept of Black Friday has been an established feature of the European retail calendar in recent years, this year has seen even greater adoption of the discount period,” explains Owen Hancock, Head of Strategy for Europe at CJ Affiliate. "Comparing European and US on-the-day Black Friday results, the rate of increase is more pronounced in Europe than in the US, where the concept of Black Friday discounts has been established for longer."
On Black Friday specifically, network-wide revenue in Europe increased by 59% in 2017, compared to 38% in the US. Number of orders increased by 42% in Europe and 24% in the US, while average order value increased by 12% in both Europe and the US.
"While Cyber Monday remains an important part of the discount period and continued to increase in terms of revenue and orders this year, it appears the continued trend of retailers commencing their Black Friday discounts earlier in the week is resulting in slower-paced increases on Cyber Monday,” continues Hancock.
Europe-wide, Cyber Monday revenue increased by 39%, while orders increased by 12% and average order value increased by 25%.
Black Friday 2017: Increasing order values translating to record publisher commissions
Throughout the eight-day Black Friday period, record average order values have understandably translated into record affiliate publisher commissions, which increased by 88% year-on-year for the eight-day Black Friday period.
“Consumers are spending more per order than in previous years, making the Black Friday period an even more highly profitable time for both advertisers and publishers on the CJ network throughout Europe,” says Hancock.
“The trend for retailers commencing their discount periods earlier and earlier each year has resulted in a more even spread of revenue throughout the Black Friday period. Unlike the US, the European Black Friday period isn’t anchored around a specific day - Thanksgiving in the US. As such, this is a trend I expect to see more of in the future, as retailers start their discount periods earlier in order to maximise potential and give themselves more time to respond to fluctuations in demand."
Download the 2017 Holiday Intelligence Report for indepth insight on last year's peak period, and receive the upcoming 2018 Holiday Intelligence Report.
Download the 2017 Holiday Intelligence Report
---
## 280 characters in search of an author
Type: eps_post
URL: /280-characters-twitter
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# 280 characters in search of an author
We all knew and loved Twitter with its famous 140-character limit. For advertisers and marketing mavens, this meant the message had to be lean and tight. Your writers had to focus on the important bits first, foremost and for the whole message. Not anymore.
Rumours of a character-limit boost from Twitter HQ became a reality last week. Your tight 140 is now a baggy 280 chars. Is this a shot across the bows for all of us working in social, for our campaigns and attempts at viral supremacy?
Well, yes, it is. For as the great poet himself said in Hamlet, “Brevity is the soul of wit.” He went on to add, in a nice bit of Shakespearean trolling:
“I will be brief, your noble son is mad.”
How brief is the question. If you ask any copywriter worth her salt, she will tell you that limitations and formats are our lifeblood. They help make the advertising world go round.
Give us the template and we will tweak it, test it and do everything we can to breathe new life into it without breaking it. And so the art of getting a sales message, or an engaging little morsel into 140 characters has been developed and grown; like a little muscle we never thought we needed.
Some examples. Helping some of our clients at Google, we created a series of tweets that offer Life-hacks to agency workers. These are aimed at commuter time to set them up for the day:
As you can see, the actual tweet message is very concise. Just 117 characters. It gives you a taste of the message. And the beautifully designed placard finishes the meal. Another one:
Our copywriter here certainly didn’t need those 280 characters to get the job done. I would argue that the limitation we used to have, actively helped her focus on writing a mini-slogan. Each tweet working as a little ad of its own.
So, I do not like this new era of 280. It has already been memed to death and discussed by all who give their words to Twitter freely. We would prefer to have a shorter, snappier message then seal the deal with an Epsilon-designed placard par excellence.
And don’t worry, we can hear your objections already. Why can’t we just stick to 140 using our own willpower (like Sting, in reverse)? Yes, we can. And why don’t we come up with some new ways to make use of the extra space?
We’ll work on that and get back to you.
---
## [INFOGRAPHIC] The modern CMO: Dream versus reality
Type: eps_post
URL: /infographic-the-modern-cmo-dream-versus-reality
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# [INFOGRAPHIC] The modern CMO: Dream versus reality
Ambition is a trait shared by most senior marketers. In this infographic, we take a look at some of the results from Conversant's latest report into the ambitions and challenges of CMO's around the world.
From building greater relationships with consumers and better targetting them online, through to measuring true return on investment. These are some of the biggest challenges and ambitions shared by international CMOs.
The modern CMO: Dream versus reality
Click on the infographic to view the larger image, or download the full report for free for further insight on what marketers want to achieve, accompanied by actionable insight into how to achieve it.
Download the CMO report
Download the full report for free for further insight on what marketers want to achieve, accompanied by actionable insight into how to achieve it.
Download the CMO report
---
## Just 15% of CMOs know consumers well enough to build relationships
Type: eps_post
URL: /just-15-of-cmos-know-consumers-well-enough-to-build-relationships
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Just 15% of CMOs know consumers well enough to build relationships
...Yet 61% aspire to do exactly that.
A new report reveals that while 61% of senior marketers’ top digital marketing strategy is to build customer relationships, only 15% of those senior marketers are confident that they know their customers well enough to do so.
Download the CMO report
Further, the report finds that while 52% of marketers connect with more than half their customers online, just 16% of of those marketers are very confident that they can reach customers across multiple devices over time.
"Understanding customers goes beyond demographic data or the interactions they have with only your brand,” explains Elliott Clayton, Vice President of Media, UK at Conversant. "It requires unifying each customer’s lifestyle trends, purchasing habits and behavioural data over time.
Building relationships across devices, online and offline
"But as customers jump from device to device, it gets harder to deliver messages to them. Devices get lost, broken, replaced and shared, making it difficult to know who you’re really talking to. Pieced-together solutions that rely on cookies or segment targeting can’t accurately recognise your customers. You’ll have data leakage and an overlap of matched audiences."
Jointly conducted by the CMO Club - a “heads of marketing only” community - and Conversant, the report surveyed over 60 CMO Club members from around the world. The final report offers analysis of the findings, paired with actionable solutions to resolve the issues addressed.
The group of CMOs admitted that just a third (35%) of them track both online and offline sales, while fewer than a quarter (24%) use real-time customer activity to tailor their digital marketing, relying instead on serving one-off messages. A third (34%) of marketers are also still measuring channel impact solely based on click data.
Clayton concludes: “With 17% of all retail spend occurring online, it’s essential to understand what’s going on offline. Data is such a vital asset for this, but only if it is used correctly – it’s tempting to rely on lazy metrics like clicks, but these simply don’t gauge return. And if you can’t identify your customers, nor identify incremental improvement from your marketing activity, then you don’t actually know who you’re communicating with and how these communications are affecting your business.”
Download the CMO report
---
## Global affiliate revenue growth up 16% during winter holiday period
Type: eps_post
URL: /global-affiliate-revenue-growth-up-16-during-winter-holiday-period
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Global affiliate revenue growth up 16% during winter holiday period
Affiliate revenue in CJ’s global network of publishers and advertisers is up 16% year-on-year, with an average 4% increase in the number of orders, according to CJ Affiliate's 2017 Holiday Intelligence Report.
Across the global CJ Affiliate network, the winter holiday period in 2016 followed many of the same rules we’ve come to expect: Black Friday and Cyber Monday dominated, and early to mid-December was the next most lucrative sales period.
Download the report
Benchmarking affiliate revenue
The CJ Affiliate 2017 Holiday Intelligence Report draws upon the 2016 holiday retail sales in CJ Affiliate’s global network to highlight the trends that will have the greatest impact on holiday 2017 sales in the US, UK, Germany, and France.
Advertisers saw their greatest growth in affiliate revenue driven by search and ad network publishers, followed by email and incentive publishers. Revenue from coupon sites increased by 7% and orders were down 13% year-on-year. Clicks from ad networks increased 53% year-on-year, followed by 31% growth in clicks from content publishers.
The US and German markets led in terms of revenue growth (partly due to overall strong growth in basket value in the US), while the UK and German markets together experienced the strongest year-on-year growth in orders—12% and 218%, respectively. CJ Affiliate’s revenue growth in the US was +5 points higher than the ecommerce growth released by Adobe Digital Insights.
Regional affiliate marketing trends
This year, the UK’s growing adoption of Black Friday and Cyber Monday brought shopping demand on these days near parity with the US. Cyber Monday growth in orders reached 76%. In addition, UK retailers jumped on the holiday season a bit earlier and stronger than other markets, resulting in a stronger start to sales.
Growth in the publisher network managed by CJ’s team in Germany resulted in strong holiday season sales in the department stores, malls, and women’s categories. Sales from shoppers in the Czech Republic, Poland, Romania, and Bulgaria increased 53% year-on-year. Black Friday promotions drove sales to their highest levels of the holiday season in this market.
In France, different to all other markets, Cyber Monday and the following week were the peak periods for holiday shopping, as shown in the graph below.
In the US, shoppers had their mind on other matters during the first week of November. Total orders during the days leading up to and directly after the election were down 9% year-on-year. Election Day (November 8th) saw the greatest decline with orders down 24% year-on-year. Sales began to rebound on the weekend following the election.
Download the report
---
## Navigating the inbox – the value of a welcome series
Type: eps_post
URL: /navigating-the-inbox-welcome
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Navigating the inbox – the value of a welcome series
New relationships are exciting. It is a time when you get to know someone and they get to know you. You learn about each other and determine how symbiotic the relationship can be, which takes time. So why is it that more than 90% of brands are sending only one welcome message? Capitalising on the welcome messaging opportunities, at a time when the subscriber is highly engaged, is one of the continued, big misses by brands with their email programs today.
Here are some things to consider when evaluating the welcome experience for your customers:
Are you saying Thank You?
Subscribers to an email program are often times some of your best customers, but with the average consumer receiving 122 messages from brands on a daily basis, it is clear they have choices when sharing their email address. So when they do share it with you, it is important to show some gratitude and say thank you.
Is your first welcome message sent immediately?
We live in a world of “right now,” where we are all a little impatient and expect immediate gratification. But is that gratification met by sending welcome messages in batch at the end of the day (or even worse, the week)? Absolutely not. When a gesture is made an immediate show of gratitude is proper manners in any situation, and your email program is no different. If you are not triggering your email program at the point of subscription, you need to be.
Are you cramming all your content in one, complicated message?
Some programs and brands are more complicated than others, but everyone has the opportunity to set the customer relationship up for success, over time. Your email subscriber already knows your brand, but what can you share that they don’t know. Education is the key to a long-term, lucrative relationship, but don’t try to do it in one message. All that content can be overwhelming and, quite frankly, ignored. So don’t throw everything in a single email communication, leverage a series to educate (and engage) over time.
Are you applying what you know?
New subscribers are sometimes a blank canvas. You don’t know much about them at the point of the initial welcome message, but it is important that you apply what you are learning to your welcome series at each touch. Understanding the circumstance surrounding subscription can tell you a lot about your new subscriber and how they interact with each of your messages in the series can tell you even more. For example, did subscription occur via purchase, as a request for more information or through sweepstakes? Each of these scenarios tells you something about the likelihood of continued engagement with your brand and what value propositions you should consider sharing. Each touch allows you to learn something more about your subscriber; reflect that in your next conversation.
Have you set proper expectations?
Your welcome series is a great place to share with the customer your intentions. Each touch of the welcome series should include some element of what the customer can expect from you moving forward. This can mean a lot of things, but at a minimum, you should be establishing what the customer will be receiving from you, how often and when.
Are you really listening?
It is important to hear your customers, not just via surveys or customer service centres, but hearing their engagement with your brand via your email program is frequently an overlooked source of information. Every open (or not), every click (or not) and every purchase (or not) tell you something about your customer. Be sure to listen to those signals and apply what you heard to your next response in this dialogue. It tells customers you are invested in this relationship and you care about what they are implicitly saying (or not saying).
Did you just send another offer?
Not every relationship is discount driven, but by sending an offer in exchange for your email sets an expectation that a discount is your value proposition. Instead, consider leveraging offers to reward behaviour – not for every subscriber – but for those that engage with your email series, share information in progressive profiling over time or upgrade their relationship in some way as a result. The key is that not everyone should get rewarded and the reward shouldn’t be expected – sometimes it isn’t even necessary at all. Think about how you are using offers in your welcome series today – and then reconsider. Are you really driving the behaviour you desire?
There are a lot of moving pieces to a welcome series, requiring a lot of planning, consideration and preparation. All that effort is worth it, especially if it means getting your relationship off the ground the right way.
To learn more check out our infographic:
---
## Charting a new course for strategy
Type: eps_post
URL: /charting-new-course-strategy
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Charting a new course for strategy
“The problem with planning is planners”.
This was the outcome of a lunch conversation with a former boss of mine. Loathe as I am to admit it, we planners/strategists are a precious, sensitive bunch. He has a point.
And strategy as an abstract entity is having a bit of a cultural moment - which is turbo-charging many egos about town.
The cult of the ‘Strategist’ is bubbling up; in presidential politics, business, even sport, today few terms have more value than being hailed as ‘the strategist’.
Which is probably why I have a problem with it.
Don’t get me wrong, strategic minds have never been more in demand but in Adland we’re in peril of fetishising ‘strategy’, transforming it from being part of the process to being the product itself, divorced from doing.
This is really dangerous.
Because shaping a proposition around the selling of strategy as the product is killing the creativity that fuels our business.
Too often planning has become the substitute for creative and that 100 slide keynote deck, the ultimate comfort blanket for clients grappling with a market that morphs with startling velocity and consumers that seem to shape shift in the space of a tweet.
The term strategist itself has become weaponised, embodying both threat and opportunity depending on where you sit in the agency.
Strategists are quick to point out that their ideas aren’t only geared toward the executional. That our role is to unlock value, to chart growth.
On the other hand, creatives complain that strategy has become the new creative. That planning ‘lines’ or territories, thoughts and concepts are muddying the already clouded water of communications for clients.
Client services just want it to work. And work well.
For me, this is nothing short of the messy rebirth of the agency, where ideology, insight and ideas are going to have to collide – and at times conflict - to create the work that will mean something in an always-on, always-connected, highly-metabolised market.
When I teach on the subject, I often quote Drucker: ‘Culture eats strategy for breakfast’. Therein lies the challenge. Strategy is culture and the role of the agency strategist is to be the cultural agitator – to seek the themes and trends, to feel out the insight and pulse of the consumer – not to own the answer but to shape a better question.
Strategists need to storm the hill of a problem and bring creative – and the client - with them.
Practically, I believe this means killing the idea of the ‘planning team’ or planning department – it means understanding that agencies still trade in ideas and that strategists need to be less aligned to being clever in a stand-alone way and cleverer in the service of better creative.
When you kick the tires of agencies that consistently outperform their peers in creativity and innovation the way they create is less linear or static, brief in, an idea out, pass the hand grenade methodology.
These shops tend to have a more ‘flat’ and ‘fluid’ structure and iterative process, even the big ones. All have a ‘blended’ ideas department, where strategists, conceptualists, technologists and craft seamlessly sit and work together. Flat, fluid, but highly focused.
As an industry, we need more strategists. We need more smart people. But to be better at shaping and solving the strategic challenges facing our clients’ brands and businesses we need to shut down the strategic silo.
---
## CJ Affiliate wins two Performance Marketing Awards
Type: eps_post
URL: /cj-shortlisted-for-11-performance-marketing-awards
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# CJ Affiliate wins two Performance Marketing Awards
CJ Affiliate has won two awards at the Performance Marketing Awards (PMAs) 2017: Best Managed Affiliate Programme alongside TUI, and Best Retail Campaign alongside Argos and VoucherCodes.co.uk.
The network was further recognised for two more titles: highly commended for Best Travel and Leisure Campaign alongside IHG, as well as a high commendation for our very own rising star, Vicky Baeckstroem.
Read how CJ Affiliate achieved success at the PMAs in these case studies on the winning campaigns.
Read the case studies
Judging the awards were a panel performance marketing experts, including senior industry figures from the IAB, M&C Saatchi Mobile, Carlsberg, Huawei Technologies, Trinity Mirror Solutions, and many more.
Testament to team spirit and collaboration with partners
“CJ being recognised once again at the Performance Marketing Awards really is testimony to the strategic and creative abilities that our team possesses,” says Anne Delhon, Regional Vice President at CJ. “But what I am most proud of is the collaboration and alliance between the CJ team and our partners - both advertisers and publishers.”
“The teams at TUI, Argos, Vouchercodes.co.uk and all the other great brands we work with at CJ collaborate in harmony with the CJ team. It's this that allows us to push the boundaries in terms of results - something these awards lay testament to."
At the 2016 Performance Marketing Awards, CJ were recognised six times and won two prestigious awards: Advertiser Innovation and Best Managed Affiliate Programme categories. Both awards were for the network’s partnership with TUI. CJ was also highly commended for Best Use of Data (for CJ's partnership with TUI), Global Excellence (Avis Budget Group) and twice for Best in Retail (Homebase and Argos).
Read the case studies
---
## Claim your pocket in the digital wallet
Type: eps_post
URL: /digital-wallet
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Claim your pocket in the digital wallet
Digital wallet technology has been around for a while, with leaders Apple Wallet and Android Pay leading the adoption from a consumer perspective. So, why are brand suddenly starting to refocus on them now? The answer comes in the evolution of what a digital wallet is and does.
One thing that originally held this idea back was the one-dimensionality of the digital wallet, i.e. that first generation wallets focussed only on payment and not on what else was in the wallet.
Where the real win is for brands is the “other stuff” that can be found in a wallet, primarily loyalty cards and coupons. The latest versions of the digital wallet act more like a life PA, not only storing loyalty and coupon information but reminding you to use them when they detect your proximity to the store or your coupon’s upcoming expiration.
What does this mean for your brand?
You need to identify the real estate currently claimed by your brand in the physical wallet of your consumers, and then be able to replicate or improve that experience in the digital version.
You also need to look for new opportunities offered by the digital wallet, elements that you couldn’t exploit when your space in the real world wallet was limited to a static piece of plastic or paper.
Widespread adoption is still challenging because retailers have been relatively slow to bring their in-store technology in line with what’s on people’s phones. But this is changing and you need to get ahead of the curve if you don’t want your competitors to be already sitting pretty in your niche’s “pocket” by the time you get on terms with the technology.
Soon, all brands will be able to abandon plastic loyalty cards and paper coupons in favour of a more customer friendly and marketing effective delivery via the digital wallet. Indeed many already have and are seeing an increase in store visits and customers’ spend as a result.
Here’s how the adoption breaks down right now:
According to a June 2016 report (Urban Airship), 67 percent of millennials have used mobile wallets in the last three months, compared to 51 percent of respondents who are 35 to 54 years old.
Sixty-three percent of respondents with household incomes greater than $60,000 have used mobile wallets in the same period, compared to 39 percent with household incomes below $60,000.
While a slight majority of respondents are interested in using mobile payments (23 percent having already used them), nearly three-quarters of consumers will use mobile payments if loyalty rewards and offers are automatically applied.
This is definitely an idea that’s come of age, so if you haven’t yet figured out how your brand can best interact with the second generation digital wallets that are gaining ground right now, it’s time to table a meeting to discuss it.
Want to learn more? Get your free guide to Marketing Strategy & Insight here.
---
## The top 4 marketing technology myths debunked
Type: eps_post
URL: /marketing-technology-myths
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# The top 4 marketing technology myths debunked
Working in marketing technology, we hear a lot of received wisdom and opinions. And to be brutally honest, a good proportion of them are just plain wrong and would hurt the organisations where they were being taken as gospel if we didn’t gently correct some fairly basic assumptions.
So it got us to thinking; shouldn’t we do a post about some of those basic assumptions and see if we can’t set a few more people on the right path before we get to having face to face conversations with them about how badly wrong they’ve got it? Well, here it is. Our top 4 most common marketing technology myths, debunked for all time and for all to read.
Myth 1: Choosing the right platform is the most important success factor
If there’s one question we get asked up front on any technology selection and implementation engagement, it’s “how are you going to help us make sure we pick the right tool/system?” There’s so much emphasis placed on this in the procurement process it’s just unreal. The right technology is just technology that’s fit for the purpose outlined in the accompanying strategy (hint, if you don’t have one, you need one). There may be one, two or even many different right answers when it comes to choosing which bit of kit you eventually go with.
What you buy isn’t half as important as what you do. And what you need to do are hard-core changes to process and often even trickier to people. This needs backing; which is why the most important factor in your succeeding in your next technology implementation has very little to do with technology and everything to do with securing the right executive sponsorship for the project.
Executive sponsorship, along with accurate measurement of your defined success metrics for the project, will give you the ammunition you need to drive deep, lasting change in your organisation. No piece of fancy tech kit in the world can help you with this because it’s all about people, not machines. So, you need to stop worrying about which tool you choose and start working on enlisting the people at the top as allies in your project. Only then will you ensure success.
Myth 2: The right tool will solve all your problems
Leading on from the last point, there’s a reason why we, a leader in marketing technology, always come to technology last in any project. That’s because in and of itself technology doesn’t fix anything. That might seem like a bit of a bold statement from people who spend every day organising it for major brands so they can function more effectively but there it is. Any bit of technology, no matter how clever, has the potential to be rendered utterly useless of not supported by the right people operating within robust, fit-for-purpose process to guide them in best use of it.
Until you’ve aligned your organisation with your proposed new technology, made sure you have people in place who will embrace and lead the change and protected them with processes designed to be guide rails for their well-meant efforts, you’ll not be in a position to succeed at using that technology, let alone fixing any of the related problems you have in the area that you hoped the technology would address.
Myth 3: Legacy systems will all have to be replaced for true transformation to be achieved
After the previous couple of myths, which may have left some of you feeling a touch deflated, we’re onto one that should bring a smile to your face. One of the things that tend to put people off attempting an end-to-end tech transformation of their business to bring it in line with best practice in digital and omnichannel marketing is the “all or nothing” approach a lot of vendors and consultants take to it. The idea that’s often put about, that you need to scrap all your legacy systems and replace them from the ground up simply isn’t true.
One of the most common things we do on projects is to establish stable, two-way bridges between different data silos and legacy platforms and then integrate that existing infrastructure with the new pieces of technology that are required for the transformation to happen. So if someone tells you there’s no way you can keep any of your old stuff before they’ve even taken a look at it, push back.
Myth 4 Automation will automatically improve your marketing
Wouldn’t it be great? But sadly no, not true either. Many brands have jumped too hastily onto the automation bandwagon and have been burned as a result. Why? Because they bought the kit without first having a solid strategy in place to guide its usage.
Any new bit of technology should be implemented as a fit for a strategy that has already been thought out, committed to a document and approved by anyone who might have an opinion that needs to be considered. Too often marketers do what we like to call “buzz chasing” and we’re not talking about substance abuse but rather following the crowd towards the latest and greatest tech trend with little or no idea how it will benefit their brand. Only that everyone else seems to be doing it and therefore they should too.
With automation, this leads to brands automating areas of communication that should actually be handled by a human being and seeming soulless, detached and irrelevant as a result. Marketing automation has a huge amount of hitherto mostly untapped benefits to offer a senior marketer, but as with anything that removes you from direct communication with your customer it must be treated with utmost care and watched more closely than ever to make sure your triggered communications resonate as well as those you craft individually.
There are loads more things you can do with this tech trend and others that we identify in our Epsilon Essentials Guide to Marketing Technology. Get your free copy today and find out everything you really need to know to help your brand succeed.
---
## [Video] Advertising Week Europe: The elusive attribution model
Type: eps_post
URL: /video-advertising-week-europe-the-elusive-attribution-model
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T22:14:19Z
# [Video] Advertising Week Europe: The elusive attribution model
Watch this on-demand panel debate on attribution, filmed at Advertising Week Europe, to understand why attribution is failing businesses, and what needs to change for measurement to serve real commercial interests.
Speaking alongside experts on attribution from Google, AOL and Campaign Magazine, Conversant's VP of Media UK, Elliott Clayton found wide-agreement on the panel on the future of measurement being tied to A/B testing, rather than attribution.
{{ script_embed('wistia', 'rp9mnl8g3f', ', ', 'inline,responsive') }}
Joining the Advertising Week Europe panel:
Moderator: Gideon Spanier, Head of Media, Campaign & Media Week
Oliver Borm, Advanced Performance Lead, Northern & Central Europe, Google
Elliott Clayton, VP Media UK, Conversant
Alex Timbs, Head of Data and Attribution, AOL
Further listening
If this panel debate has piqued your interest in attribution, then be sure to listen to Conversant's podcast series on attribution. Experts from the industry speak candidly on the issues that attrbiution causes, and what can be done to solve them.
Listen to the podcast
---
## Introducing: The Snackbook
Type: eps_post
URL: /creative-snackbook-dm
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Introducing: The Snackbook
Epsilon creative teams in London and the US joined forces to deliver a hand-made Holiday gift that tastes as good as it looks.
It’s the age-old agency question.
What do we send our clients at Christmas?
A few months ago, the Epsilon creative teams in London, Dublin, and the US were set the challenge of answering that question.
What followed was a flood of ideas. Some good. Some brilliant. Some for the ‘maybe’ pile.
But in the end, a winner was chosen.
Introducing The Snackbook. A custom-made gingerbread laptop that our clients could build and decorate themselves.
Because after a year of hard work, how better to take a break and get away from technology? Well, not too far away.
Armed with a detailed spreadsheet from the project manager, the teams set to work figuring out how to create custom-made gingerbread laptops on both sides of the Atlantic - and deliver them in one piece in time for Christmas.
After a tense start (are all the gingerbread bakers booked up already? Will we have to bake them ourselves? Will the laws of physics allow for the laptops to stand up properly?) it started to come together.
And two gingerbread bakers, a printer, a few trips to the supermarket and a couple of production lines later, over 400 Snackbooks were packed up and ready to go.
Each one had top-of-the-range specs like a 7-inch biscuit display, HD hunger sensors and 227 crumbs per inch, plus icing, instructions, and sweets.
It was all about helping our clients to have some fun and get creative – and get creative they did!
Now we better start working on next year’s…
---
## 75% of businesses say personalised communication is essential
Type: eps_post
URL: /11-communication-essential-to-75-of-businesses-just-12-equipped-for-it
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T22:14:41Z
# 75% of businesses say personalised communication is essential
Yet only 12% of businesses are equipped for it. In terms of personalised communication to prospects and customers, there’s a wide gap between current capability and the capability required at the many of the world’s largest organisations, according to a new report.
To generate future growth, three-quarters of businesses with revenues over US$250m are reliant on personalised communication with their prospects and customers. Yet just 12% of those same businesses are currently able to harness the data to do so, according to the research, conducted and released by Econsultancy, Epsilon and Conversant.
Download the report for free
Further, it appears that developing the capability for true personalised communication is an emerging battleground in the fight for competitive advantage.
Surveying 220 senior executives with responsibilities in brand and business marketing, the report highlights that 70% firmly believe that their competitors are focussing on acquiring the capability to communicate with their customers and prospects as individuals.
Of four key organisational capabilities needed for true personalisation, only between 10% and 14% of executives highlight existing strong capability. Yet at least 74% of the senior executives feel each one is paramount to future growth.
Figure: Digital priorities versus current capability
Source: Customer Recognition: How Marketing is Failing at its Top Priority
Worryingly, it appears that many are deluded to this lack of capability at their organisation.
“Over 40% of large organisations report having a system for data unification in place,” says the report. “But when that number is reverse-engineered based on the integration of specific sources such as CRM, channel data and behavioural data, the number with a true single customer view (SCV) drops to only 12%."
Dynamic content delivery is essential
But achieving an SCV is only part of the battle in delivering true 1:1 communication en masse. Marketers need the technology that enables them to use the data from the SCV to target their audience as individuals.
"Unfortunately, there’s little room for half measures in today’s digital markets,” continues the report "If we are to provide an individualised customer experience, then dynamic content delivery is essential. Regardless of channel or device, customers should get content that makes sense for them, that makes their experience more pleasant and efficient."
Download the full report for free to get the full picture of why, and how organisations are racing to build their capability in 1:1 personalisation.
Download the report for free
---
## SIX THINGS MARKETERS SHOULD KNOW ABOUT EVERY CONSUMER
Type: eps_post
URL: /six-things-marketers-should-know-about-every-consumer
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# SIX THINGS MARKETERS SHOULD KNOW ABOUT EVERY CONSUMER
53% of marketers say they can’t personalise their ads because they don’t have the right data. Many more of them may have only temporary data —maybe enough to deliver a retargeted ad based on recent site behaviour on one device, but not enough for truly personalised experiences across devices. When it comes to consumer profiles, bigger is better.
Marketers should start with persistent consumer IDs and then attach as much person-level data to them as possible — always stripped of personally identifiable information. For the strongest connections, each profile should have anonymised knowledge about: Who they are. Geo, demo, income and first-party data, deterministically mapped to an individual.
What they buy.
Product-level data for historical online and offline purchases — plus marketers’ site-visitation data.
What they watch.
Digital video content that’s understood using frame-by-frame analysis, not page-level categories.
What they browse.
Browsing behaviour on desktop websites, mobile websites and mobile apps.
Where they go.
Historical location points, including frequency and time of day.
How they connect.
Individual connectivity across desktop, mobile, tablet, email and websites.
Without this variety of person-level data that builds over time, marketers may be able to reach consumers — but they won’t be able to create true, personal connections with them, serving them the most relevant messages at the times they’re most likely to act, over time.
Without a single ID that persistently connects real people across all of their devices for years, marketers won’t be able to maintain relevant, ongoing conversations.
Don’t have the right consumer data? Conversant has your back. We maintain more than 160 million anonymised consumer IDs, and we track billions of actions every day (including 86 billion online actions and 75 million purchases) to build each profile across more than 7,000 dimensions. We do this without any personally identifiable information, keeping consumer privacy at the forefront.
All in all, they’re the most complex consumer profiles ever built and allow marketers to maintain relevant conversations with their customers.
Want to take advantage of our consumer data?
---
## A Marriage in Marketing: Content and Affiliate
Type: eps_post
URL: /a-marriage-in-marketing-content-and-affiliate
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# A Marriage in Marketing: Content and Affiliate
In the last few years there has been an influx of bloggers making their way into the affiliate arena. Why? Bloggers and influencers have more of an audience than ever before, thanks in part to social media. As the followers and visibility of bloggers grow, so does the attention they receive from brands. As a result, bloggers have become much smarter in the way that they write and market their blogs.
In Comes Affiliate Marketing
It was only a matter of time before even the smallest bloggers realised that they could be paid for their work. Once that lightbulb went off they found that affiliate marketing was the perfect channel to cultivate a brand-to-publisher relationship. As an advertiser you're probably still wondering how exactly content fits into the affiliate space?
The following is a list of common questions we hear from our advertisers. After carefully examining all the pieces, we’ve developed answers to help you form your own verdict on how the content puzzle piece truly fits into your larger marketing strategy.
Content is considered its own separate channel and we have a separate team to handle that strategy and budget. How can we also manage content within the affiliate space without duplicating efforts?
First, keep past relationships separate. If your content team already has strong relationships with specific bloggers and influencers, don’t try to move them into the affiliate channel. Instead, use affiliate as a gateway to find new relationships and opportunities. Second, don't reinvent the wheel: talk to your content team, if separate, and get their insight into what their current strategy is, and what past wins and losses they encountered. This can help inspire your next move with new content partners within affiliate. It will also ensure that your brand’s voice is consistent within content across all channels.
Is content more “top of the funnel” while affiliate is more “bottom of the funnel”?
In case you haven't heard, the funnel is no longer! The top-down model has morphed into more of a loop... a loyalty loop to be exact. Consumers are constantly in a consideration and evaluation phase, even after they’ve already purchased from you. Until a brand loyalty is deeply rooted within a consumer, they might continually compare your brand to competitors. Because of this, affiliate marketing is not truly at the bottom of the funnel, just like content may not be at the top. Content is needed more than ever to reach consumers in all stages of the loyalty loop and ultimately help sway the consumer to choose your brand over the rest.
We know that content might influence sales within affiliate, but they aren’t necessarily the last click in the consumer purchase journey. How can we account for the efforts of bloggers?
This leads us into the ever buzzworthy topic of attribution. Without going too far down the rabbit hole on that topic, just consider how you are currently paying your affiliates. One common option is to pay on a CPA, which supports a last-click model. However, when it comes to bloggers you may want to consider new payment models. Specifically, look to pay on impression or view through for these publishers only. Another option is to use CJ’s Coupon Code Parameter to limit commissions to one single, or one group, of publishers. While this may not be the most organic approach, it is worth offering them a code to see how they can approach that tactic.
Ok, I get it! Where do I start?
Start just as you would for other incoming publisher applications: evaluate each website for its quality, relevance to your brand, overall site traffic, and in this case, even size of its social following. This analysis will help you decide whether each publisher is not only a good fit for your brand, but also if they are worth the focus of your time and energy. Want to take it one step further? Get Content Certified!
Check out the following success stories on how both advertisers and publishers benefit from embracing the content-affiliate conundrum:
Advertiser: Connecting with Influencers to Drive Targeted Traffic
Publisher: Revenue Growth through Audience Expansion
If you’re still unsure on how this exactly applies to you, talk to your account teams about exactly how content can help to grow your affiliate business.
---
## AD FRAUD DRIVES MORE CLICK FICTION
Type: eps_post
URL: /ad-fraud-drives-more-click-fiction
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# AD FRAUD DRIVES MORE CLICK FICTION
It’s been a few weeks since my last blog, Clicks, The False Positive. Since then, more musings have surfaced in the media about the fiction associated with the click. My favourite was a recent article in Business Insider by Shann Biglione of Zenith Optimedia. He went after the click with more vigour than I’ve seen before. Some of his words of wisdom: “We have produced a click-obsessed monster so ugly that even the people who work in advertising cannot stand its stench.”
To Shann’s point, many things stink about the click. Last time I briefly touched on how ad fraud degrades the click even more. It’s a serious topic with serious revenue tied to it. As marketers shift more budget to digital media and adopt programmatic solutions, and as channels of consumption continue to blur, fraud acts as an opportunist—computer-optimised to engage when the opportunity is ripe—and the losses can multiply quickly.
I’ve sifted through oodles of research on fraud. While the numbers vary, a recent study by the Internet Advertising Bureau (IAB) estimates the total annual cost of flaws in the internet supply chain to be $8.2 billion. Invalid traffic tops the list at 56%, or $4.6 billion in losses.
Fraud costs
Click fraud sits in the invalid traffic segment. And it’s not just the financial waste that’s the issue: It’s the downstream impact of having bots in the analysis pool of clickers, which is already small. Organisations that emphasise click performance for display engage in a variety of behaviours whose consequences erode understanding of the marketing mix. Here are a few I’ve either heard about or observed first hand:
BEHAVIOUR CONSEQUENCE Presenting display performace based on clicks to justify program spend > Misses the vast majority of display impact, over credits other marketing program, favours carpet bomb method to drive clicks regardless of relevance/value Including display program clicks versus site visits in click based attribution schemes > Fails to connect view through to conversions, undercuts the value of the display impression, drives flawed decision making on display budget allocation Modelling or optimising clicks > Using good science with bad inputs - not only a small sample but a flawed one because click data includes fraud —bots are more predictable than people Not requiring SLA's with agencies, publishers or vendors to vet click fraud > Wasted budget, revenue loss, and deviations in analysis related to clicks Overlooking the Unique count of people when evaluating based on clicks > Basing success on a narrow group of individuals and not evaluating or understanding consumers in the view through group.
You may be wondering how, with all the advancements in technology, companies work to mitigate fraud. Some of the more talked-about include viewability and other guarantees.
But the key strategy is understanding what you may be bidding on. And that’s done by learning from a strong, robust network that tracks people over time, like Conversant does. The network sends signals that help decide who may be the most viable to deliver an impression to. Some of the red flags we look for:
Dead cookies
People who never transact
People whose only activity is clicking
People who are only active between 10 and midnight every night
(indicating an artificial surfing pattern)
Any other patterned clicking activity that appears to be automated
These are just some of the signals of bot behaviour. A network that can recognise them can mitigate fraud and preserve advertiser budgets.
So, even more reason to get off the click bandwagon. And next time, instead of talking about the worst way to measure display, I’ll talk about the best way: accounting for the view-through and measuring incremental sales.
---
## HOW BRANDS CAN STEER CLEAR OF UNSAFE SITES
Type: eps_post
URL: /how-brands-can-steer-clear-of-unsafe-sites
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# HOW BRANDS CAN STEER CLEAR OF UNSAFE SITES
To achieve the highest level of ad quality, marketers have to crush all the obstacles in their way. As we’ve discussed already, the first step is to ensure viewability—and then making sure that those views are from real humans.
Once that’s done, marketers will start racking up real, validated impressions. But unless they’re on brand-safe, relevant sites, they may be doing more harm than good. This brings us to the third piece of the ad quality puzzle: brand safety.
When marketers hear “brand safety,” they may think about avoiding adult content. And that’s definitely part of it. But lots of content can negatively impact a brand, with different brands having different thresholds of what’s acceptable.
Consider the upcoming US presidential election. The candidates’ combined digital budget is expected to be nearly $1 billion, more than six times that of 2012’s race. But in the wilds of programmatic advertising, dangerous juxtapositions can occur—like ads from gun-safety advocates appearing on pro-gun sites, and pre-roll ads running before ISIS videos. These are not only harmful at impression time, but with a well-timed screen shot, they could be a PR disaster.
Programmatic platforms may be targeting the right consumer demographics, and even the right consumers. But if they’re not taking placement into account, they’re not doing enough to protect brands. Which is probably why, according to an Undertone study, brand safety is the number one concern of buyers of programmatic inventory.
As with the other ad quality issues, brand safety can be achieved with the right tools and knowledge. For instance, Conversant has direct relationships with publishers, and works with them to confirm the brand-safety needs of their advertisers. And we use proprietary classification tools that combine computer vision and text-based analysis to understand web content on a deep level. That way, we can identify brand-unsafe content and build an index of web pages to block at impression time.
With access to direct publisher relationships and a deep understanding of content that drills down to the page level, marketers can be sure that their ads will appear next to not only safe content, but the best content.
Learn more about ensuring brand safety, as well as the other issues impeding ad quality, when you download our ad quality guide.
---
## ALL DEVICES AND COOKIES MATTER. BUT CAN YOU MATCH THEM TO REAL PEOPLE?
Type: eps_post
URL: /all-devices-and-cookies-matter.-but-can-you-match-them-to-real-people
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# ALL DEVICES AND COOKIES MATTER. BUT CAN YOU MATCH THEM TO REAL PEOPLE?
Every consumer uses an average 3.4 devices. This year, will upgrade their phones. Add in an average 19 cookies per consumer, across devices and browsers. To accurately reach people across devices and cookies, marketers must find a smart way to match them. There are three different methodologies for doing this:
That’s a lot of opportunities to say the wrong thing to the wrong person.
Probabilistic: Relies on limited third-party data to make guesses about consumers.
Deterministic (walled gardens such as Facebook and Google): Generally reaches only logged-in users (and can’t message cross-device unless they log in across devices).
Deterministic (commerce-based): Starting with anonymised consumer IDs, this methodology links people to the purchases they make, plus their device IDs, cookies, demographic data and more. The highly accurate IDs last for years, even as devices update and cookies clear.
Based on these options, you can gather that commerce-based matching is the best approach to building long-lasting connections to the most consumers.
---
## Publishers: Are you ready for Q4?
Type: eps_post
URL: /publishers-are-you-ready-for-q4
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Publishers: Are you ready for Q4?
Here at CJ Affiliate, we are always preparing for Q4. One great way to do this is to run an activation campaign in Q3 to ensure that you are promoting your top partners in Q4.
What is an activation campaign?
An activation campaign is one of the easiest ways to increase your commissions. If you’ve been a publisher for a few years, you’re probably joined to a few hundred advertiser programs but only a portion of them are active on your site. Every publisher can benefit from a once-a-year review to find the top tier partners that they may have forgotten about.
To do this you just need to run two reports in your CJ account and compare them. Here are instructions for running the reports:
The first report: My Advertisers (Active)
This report is run from the Advertisers tab. Click on the Advertisers tab in the navigation bar at the top of the page. When you get to the Advertisers page, click on the My Advertisers (Active) radio button and click the Search button. After you hit Search, the total of joined advertisers will show in the top left of the page. Click on the box next to the button and it will choose all of your joined advertisers to be included in the report. Once you’ve done that, click on the Download icon on the top right of the page:
This report takes a few minutes to generate, so you may want to grab a snack or a cup of coffee while you’re waiting. When it downloads, it will be in CSV format and will contain all of the programme terms for all of your advertisers. It’s a big file. You may want to delete all columns except for Advertiser ID, Advertiser Name, and Network Ranking.
The second report: Performance by Advertiser
The next step is to run a performance report. Click on the Reports tab in the Navigation bar and choose Performance from the drop-down menu. From the Performance by drop-down menu, choose Advertiser. From the Trend drop-down menu, choose No Trend. Under Date Range, I recommend a Custom date range of at least three months. Click on Run Report. Download it and compare it to the list of joined advertisers
Interpreting the results
The performance report will always be shorter than the full list of advertisers. Any advertisers missing from the performance report are not active. Check your site to find out if they are being promoted. Do they have a store page? Are the links active? In my experience, publishers are surprised to find that there are many valuable partners on the list.
Use the Links tab to find their best offers and products. If any of the advertisers on the list are a good fit for upcoming promotions or Q4 placements that you have available, reach out to them.
This year plan to get ahead by reviewing your full list of partners. You and your advertisers will benefit in Q4 from an activation campaign in Q3. If you have any additional questions about how to prepare, let us know in the comment section below.
---
## Why Leakage is never a good thing in digital Media
Type: eps_post
URL: /tracking-desktop-mobile-conversions
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Why Leakage is never a good thing in digital Media
TRACKING DESKTOP AND MOBILE CONVERSIONS
Today's consumers work and play across multiple devices, which can make tracking difficult. But the problem is not as simple as someone seeing an ad on a mobile device and converting on a desktop. This month we help marketers understand how they can miss out on conversions in a number of different ways.
Understanding how consumers can slip through the net is vital to maximising spend. Fixing the problem can offer significant efficiencies — typically a 30 per cent return on ad spend. To make sure money is being spent in the right place it’s vital to be aware of the key challenges cross desktop and mobile.
As seasoned marketers, most of us are aware of the basics. We understand that cookies don’t join up across different browsers or in the same browser but over different devices. Similarly, it’s common knowledge that cookies don’t exist in-app, and there is no device ID for advertising on the web or mobile web.
The challenge is that we always need to be thinking about a way to link the conversion back to the ad, making sure that when a consumer converts we have a clear link back to the marketing event. There are issues across desktop and mobile but this week we’ll be looking at the key issues for desktop.
Desktop
Deleted and outdated cookies cause problems because conversion needs to be measured against the initial cookie. If the user deletes the cookie or its validity runs out, tracking becomes impossible.
Different browsers use different cookies. The conversion correlation can be made successfully only if it is to the initial cookie. If the consumer clicks on the ad in one browser but then converts and makes the purchase in another, they can’t be tracked.
Cross-device desktop conversion suffers from a similar issue. Each desktop browser will have a different cookie so if the user clicks on the ad at work but then converts on their desktop at home, the link is broken.
Mobile
Problems can arise when the same mobile device uses different browsers. When the user clicks and reads the advert in Browser A but chooses Browser B to convert, capacity to link back and correlate with the initial cookie is lost.
If users are on an Apple device the default settings for Safari blocks the initial creation of the cookie file. However, if an ad-server cookie is established for the user, full tracking is possible.
When users make the leap from device browser to app, leakage can also occur. Device browsers use cookies but the app uses device IDs for correlation, which creates another disconnect. When the user clicks on the ad in the device browser it opens the app where they make the purchase.
The above causes a similar problem if they move in the other direction – from the app to the device browser.
If the user doesn’t convert during the in-app browser session they will not be recorded as a conversion. Additionally, when the user jumps from a third-party app to a client app it doesn’t carry the IDFA or the GAID information, so tracking again breaks down.
Coupled with the issues surrounding desktop, the additional and particular problems around mobile can create significant challenges for marketers in tracking their marketing spend.
Failing to track as much as 30 per cent of the value being generated has huge consequences for marketers. The implications are clear: if the measurement is incorrect, then so is the way the budget is being spent. Knowledge and understanding is essential when tracking desktop and mobile, which is why choosing the right ad partner is essential.
---
## Does your marketing technology encourage you to be innovative?
Type: eps_post
URL: /does-your-marketing-technology-encourage-you-to-be-innovative
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Does your marketing technology encourage you to be innovative?
In an increasingly crowded marketplace of technology designed to support better decision making and campaign optimisation for Marketeers, almost every provider has a reason why you should choose them. Whether it be a series of fancy features and reporting processes that can simplify a particular workflow, or API's to automate the entire process, there is a perfect platform out there for everyone... somewhere.
One thing I have noticed recently through discussion within the Ad-serving and cross channel measurement space, is that very few of my prospects are using their technology with much flexibility, as often other constraints get in the way such as predefined budgets and creative limitations.
To me it seems strange that in what we refer to as a creative industry, we so often find ourselves using templated services and following the well worn and safe groove left by the other major players in our industry. Human nature lends itself to taking a 'safe' option as for obvious reasons, there is less risk, but also less to differentiate the brand to the consumer on the other side of the campaign. We should not forget, they hear not just your message, but that of all of your peers and if you are one of the 'play it safe' crowd, how will you stand out to them?
There is no issue with lack of desire to be bold or creative within the industry, but time and money are a common hurdle which many of us trip over when busy with multiple actions at once.
Several technology providers have found a sweet middle spot, whereby their range of templates offer what appears to be a raft of possibilities, however largely these are superficial differences and the platforms are still fairly linear in their approach to process and delivery.
One of the things which we at Conversant believe is important, is to give the brand (or their agency) the ability to personalise the message they take to market, in the hope that they can speak to the consumer in a way that makes sense, on a device that makes sense at the right time of day so that the message ... (wait for it) makes sense.
Let's take Dynamic creative serving as an example. For any who are not familiar with this, it is when you take a base creative and include a series of variable fields, such as background image, title, font, text size, local store location, pricing feeds (where applicable), weather reporting (for travel brands) etc, that can be interchanged to suit the person who you are serving the creative to. The greater the list of variables, the more diverse and ultimately personalised the message will be to the recipient. As logic suggests we are likely to be more receptive to anything which is more relevant and less generic to us as an individual.
Very often when faced with serving a campaign dynamically to a consumer, there will be a sliding cost scale of varying CPM rates for serving and measuring that creative, including over different file sizes, making it challenging for a marketeer to allocate budgets. So many times I hear from Agencies that they are sticking with the basic functionality in their platform in order to make the budget go further and so they do not need to go back to the client, avoiding a potential step forward in customer experience at the same time.
At Conversant we feel that all marketeers should be able to select the best tool for the job without needing to renegotiate media budgets internally, which can slow the process down and can also become a frustration. We have made all of the tools accessible at a flat rate, to encourage our customers to be innovative, as after all your success is our success too right?
We are proud that the clients we have are of the mindset that they must cut through the noise within their given industry, so we encourage them to embrace the diversity of messages they can push out to market and to be bold or different to their peers. Above all we give them the confidence and capability to never settle for 'okay' when they can deliver something truly personal which resonates with the consumer much more greatly.
So when evaluating the costs of using an adserver/measurement platform for your business, always dive deeper than the top line CPM/CPC fees, as they will often not only be the tip of the iceberg in terms of user costs, but also that the provider may not have the capacity to support you as your needs and capabilities increase. Someone who knows how to play the long game with you and become a partner, not just a supplier.
As an enterprise solutions provider to some of the world's largest brands for 15 years+ we thrive through the complexity of our clients' businesses. If you would like to learn more about Conversant and how we can support your companies' growth please feel free to reach out.
---
## 5 ways to improve your email creative strategy
Type: eps_post
URL: /email-creative-strategy
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# 5 ways to improve your email creative strategy
Email has been around for a very long term, in terms of technology at least. The first email was sent in 1971 by computer engineer Ray Tomlinson and saw the first use of the @ symbol within an email address.
45 years on, email has become one of the most effective and most popular marketing channels. It has given marketers a way to share their story, and connect with customers on a direct and personal level, which helps bond customers to their brand.
In the time since that first email, marketers have developed ways to bring email campaigns to the next level. As you advance your email campaigns, consider these 5 tips:
Tip 1: Use subject lines to evoke emotion and personalise emails. Brand and business equity increases as the number of emotional connections between a consumer and a brand increases (Igniting Customer Connections, Frawley, 2014). Subject lines that evoke emotion and feeling in their readers naturally create a connection. Emotional content can also lead to an increase in click-through rates as people will base a purchase on an emotion and rationalise the decision later.
Tip 2: Optimise your pre-header text. A recent study by Litmus showed 56% of opened emails were opened on mobile devices; this illustrates how important pre-headers are for response rates. Good pre-header text supports a subject line and gives people a reason to open your email. To drive open rates, try leading with an offer, personalisation, or urgency, for example “offer ends at midnight”.
Tip 3: Optimise designs for the preview pane. When your emails are optimised for the preview pane, you can ensure your main message and call-to-action are visible no matter the device they’re opened on. To best use this space position the most important information and call-to-action within the first 300×300 pixels of the email.
Tip 4: Incorporate adaptive content (also known as time of open content). Create a personalised experience for your readers based on time, location, weather, device and the behavior when your email is opened. This can help to drive engagement and typically leads to a 15-35% increase in response rates.
Tip 5: Leverage animated GIFs. Animated GIFs and images are a great way to capture a reader’s attention. In fact, animation in emails can help to increase click-through rates by up to 40%.
Email is ever changing and growing as a marketing channel. And when used alongside other media, for example print, social, or web, is an incredibly powerful tool.
Read CIO.com’s recent article: 15 ways to improve your email marketing strategies for more information on improving your email marketing.
---
## Inbound marketing in 5 simple steps
Type: eps_post
URL: /inbound-marketing-simple-steps
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Inbound marketing in 5 simple steps
Traditional outbound marketing is starting to lose its appeal for many consumers. Still, many marketers strategise about finding new leads and prospects, scouring outside lists and third party data for a new audience. But in order to reach today’s consumers it takes something more, which has led to a rise in the popularity of inbound marketing.
Inbound marketing allows you to communicate with warm leads rather than relying on cold calling and mailing, allowing you to connect with prospective customers through the channels that most appeal to them, with Search Engine Optimisation (SEO) blogs, webinars, video, podcasts and social media adding new layers to an inbound marketing campaign.
To run an effective inbound marketing campaign, consider the following steps.
Create a plan. Make time to decide the goals and objectives of your inbound marketing campaign, and ensure they’re measurable. Remember, preparation is key.
Create engaging content. I would recommend setting up a Digital Asset Management or Content Management System to tag and better organise your content.
Optimise your SEO. Take time to choose the best and most effective keywords for your online campaign to ensure you are paying for the keywords that best drive traffic.
Place your campaign. As you launch your campaign you will need to decide where it should live online, whether it’s guest blogs, YouTube videos, social media etc.
Measure your campaign. An effective analytic measurement program will help you to tweak your inbound marketing campaign for the current campaign, while the learnings will help inform future ones.
Prevent inbound marketing missteps
With any effective inbound marketing campaign, it’s important to ensure that the customer experience is engaging when prospective customers view your owned media. Quality content is vital to this. Understand how someone has found your media will help you to customise the landing page and ensure the viewer sees a relevant call-to-action. After all, this may be the first experience they will have with your brand. Call out specific products or features that are relevant to the customer. Offer more information or ask them for more information to help you make their experience on your page more meaningful and relevant.
Done well, inbound marketing can deliver a more personalised experience, but you must deliver on people’s expectations for it to be effective. Testing will help you to measure your progress and your success. Test different creative and landing pages to see which is the most effective, and study your customer’s path to better understand their experience on your site. This will tell you what led them to purchase, or what led them to abandon altogether. It will also help you better understand what helped you acquire your most valuable customers.
Ask yourself what you hope to gain from testing. Does SEO lead to one-off customers? Does blogging create long-term customers? Do people respond better when we give them information or ask for information? Accurate testing will give you the answers to any questions you have and help to ensure future success, and uncover what works for your brand.
All this ensures that inbound marketing is the complete package. It has the power to engage new customers and drive them to your brand, once you’re ready to deliver on the experience they expect and they deserve.
---
## The rise of Big Data - Mad Men or Math Men?
Type: eps_post
URL: /the-rise-of-big-data
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# The rise of Big Data - Mad Men or Math Men?
While the focus was traditionally on creative, we are now witnessing a dramatic switch to a focus on the numbers. The Mad Men of agencies past have become ‘Math’s Men’. The term ‘Math’s Men’ is a term used frequently, and whoever first used the term has hit the nail on the head.
Having recently finished watching ‘Mad Men’ (a bit late I know), those simpler times in advertising very much appealed to me. As someone who works in a 21st century agency, there is a lot to be said for a technology free office. Give me a ‘Mad Men’ office everyday of the week.
No staring at computer screens all day, printers jamming, or reading hundreds of emails, more fresh air, more client contact, more communication with the creative teams. It might have take longer to get the creative work out, but you know when that work goes out, it was scrutinised, re-worked over and over till it was as close to perfection.
With the advent of computers, the internet, and smartphones, creativity has suffered. Creativity is the heartbeat, soul and lifeblood of the business. Unique, original ideas are hard to come by these days. A YouTube link for inspiration here, a funny tweet gone viral there. The creativity is undoubtedly still there, just maybe not as fluid, with more T&C’s attached.
We live in a saturated world, where technology is king within advertising. The creativity and storytelling that is often associated with advertising and marketing are no longer the only skills needed to succeed in the business—and ironically, there’s enough data to prove it. We are now in an age where big campaign ideas can start with either great data or a great idea.
As Epsilon’s Executive Creative Director Mark Fiddes mentioned, data is key for brand communication to be effective.
“The biggest challenge to our industry right now is relevance. For brand communication to be effective, you need big data insights. Only then does the synergy between content creation and traditional advertising become possible. This is where you’ll find today’s breakthrough thinking.
Those long whiskey client lunches are a thing of the past, replaced by a cocktail of data insights, digital marketing, focus groups and research. The problem for the Don Draper’s of this world, is that advertising and marketing is now measurable. The big idea now needs a significant return on investment for the client.
However, it’s is important to remember that advertising will always be a human activity, a blend of creativity and gut instinct. Creativity will always be the driving factor of this business, but big data is here stay, and creativity will have to live with it. If Don Draper was to walk into a 21st century ad agency, he might be surprised to find data calling the shots…
---
## Two heads are better than one in brand work
Type: eps_post
URL: /two-heads-are-better-than-one-in-brand-work
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Two heads are better than one in brand work
Getting the opportunity to work on a project from start to finish is one of the most satisfying aspects of my job working in the creative studio of a marketing agency, particularly when it involves working with a new brand or developing an existing one. However, due to the nature of the game, this isn't always possible. Picking up a project that has already been worked on by another Art Director creates unique challenges, but it can also be extremely rewarding.
I was recently asked to work on the Immrama project, which another of our Art Directors – Shane O’Driscoll - had already begun. In his spare time, Shane is an artist who frequently pops back to his hometown of Cork to screen print pure, exuberant planes, cut through with snippets of his own photography. He has an eye for colour, let’s just say.
By the time I took over the project he had already worked with Epsilon’s studio artist John Donohoe to create two Immrama posters, one featuring Lismore castle and the other featuring a drawing of speaker Fergal Keane. He’d created a distinctive style of montaged photography layered up with John’s elegant sketches, then went over it again with swashes of paint. There was a map of the area in the background, a whirl of sky, Lismore’s famous castle, a typewriter, and a compass.
Work by Shane O'Driscoll & John Donoghue
Work by Shane O'Driscoll & John Donoghue
Shane had created a place that made me want to pack my bags and run off to immediately, which is exactly what a travel writer’s festival should arouse. As for the colours: beige (Pantone ref: Very Expensive Paint Named After Protected Species’ Indeterminate Body Part beige), cerulean blue, muted greens and earth tones, and finally a few sweeps of orange and black. I sharpened a pencil, laid out Shane’s work on my desk, and sat brooding for a day (and a half).
My brief was to create a microsite for the Transition Year Student Competition that was in-keeping with the style and brand Shane had created. It seemed the best idea after several scrunched up ideas was to work with the map background and introduce the red pins students would be familiar with from Google Maps. Illustrated the right way the pins would look like the nib of a pen.
Once that kernel of an idea was there, I introduced a young girl’s face into the red of the pen nib and went a little further with the destinations than Lismore. Venice, Greece, Berlin, and Dublin of course, became a big collage sketched up again by John. That illustration was then coloured and layered and cropped into little abstract pictures to illustrate each student’s entry.
Work by Fiona Hanley
When picking up a project, it’s always a challenge to ensure that the original Art Director’s style is carried through the project while introducing just the right amount of your own and keeping it all on-brand. But as the Immrama posters and site show, some projects benefit from everyone’s different strengths and talents.
Work by John Donoghue
---
## The Power of Prediction with Data
Type: eps_post
URL: /prediction-with-data
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# The Power of Prediction with Data
Data is an incredibly powerful tool for helping brands and businesses to get a clearer picture of their customers. By understanding the numbers behind their audience, they can communicate with them in a more timely way. But while data gives you a broad view of your audience, it takes something more to ensure you’re speaking to them at the right time and in the right place.
At this year’s Tech Connect conference on May 25th, Epsilon MD for EMEA, Phil Cottier, spoke about the power of prediction. He mentioned that even though companies gather data, not all know how to analyse it effectively to determine trends or the journeys their customers take. Understanding this helps brands to make their message more meaningful. “The auto industry is getting better at this,” said Cottier. “Companies, like Jaguar, know how hard a driver presses on the accelerator or the brake over time. This tells them what kind of driver they are and what types or products or services they may be interested in”. And this is why Epsilon build complex lifecycles, which adapt to customers and identify key moments in their engagement.
Those who joined us at Tech Connect might have noticed our banners – striking images of colourful ink accompanied by the words “Look beyond what you thought was possible”. The images showed the beautiful and fascinating science of chromatography - a technique for separating mixtures into their individual components. Chromatography looks beyond the whole to see the individual within it which is a beautiful metaphor for what we do for our clients.
We look beyond the numbers at the people who make up the data and help brands to find a voice that will resonate. Because the right message delivered at exactly the right time, can be heard over the noise of the thousands of messages competing for a person’s attention.
We’d like to say a huge thank you to everyone who took the time to speak with us at Tech Connect on May 25th.
---
## 5 top tips to get more from your brand’s sports sponsorships
Type: eps_post
URL: /more-from-sport-sponsorship
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# 5 top tips to get more from your brand’s sports sponsorships
There’s no arguing about the fact that there’s huge value in sponsoring sports. Whether it’s the estimated $10 million average annual sales uplift endorsements contribute or the 4.7 billion sets of eyeballs glued to the television coverage of the Barclays Premier League*, the numbers are huge.
But throwing money at sports isn’t a universal panacea for all your marketing challenges, nor can a premium package form your tactical silver bullet if it’s not paired with sound strategy. For every success story, there are a sizeable handful of budget busting failures and missed opportunities.
To help make sure your brand sits firmly in the first group, we’ve prepared our top five tips to help you drive the most value from your sports sponsorships:
Create value for the rights holder
This may seem counterintuitive, after all you’re fronting the cash right? Surely it’s all about them creating value for you? Not so. Sponsorship should generate value for both parties. Why? Because if you as the sponsor can generate value for the rights holder, you’ll be in a stronger negotiating position and can drive down the overall cost of your sponsorship, making it more likely that your involvement will return a measure of success and value.
Looking at sponsorship as a partnership where you give as well as take opens up opportunities to do more interesting things than just have your logo everywhere. You can look at things like co-creating and promoting exclusive content, or promoting the event with a competition offer. These reflect far more favourably on your brand than a simple stickering exercise, as well as creating value for the rights holder and its accompanying benefit outlined above.
Take a fan-centric approach
Paying for placement is only a small part of the sports sponsorship battle. Fan engagement should be top of your list before the ink is even dry on your contact. You need to put the fans at the heart of your sponsorship, get them involved and give them a reason to care.
In 2013 MLS fans were given the opportunity to vote one player into that year’s All-Star game by scoring goals with him in sponsor EA Sports’ FIFA 2013 video game. Each goal scored with someone from a 26-player shortlist was counted as one vote in his favour. The campaign not only encouraged fans to engage with an EA Sports product directly, it also generated significant buzz online.
To do this successfully for your brand, you’ll need accurate and detailed insights and that means data. Collecting, measuring and analysing fan data using the smartest technology and strategy you can find.
Make your venue work harder
Look beyond your traditional branding placements and suggest innovative ways to incorporate your product or brand experience into the venue. A simple example of this is Heineken, who had pouring rights at the Rugby World Cup so everyone who wanted a pint of lager had to try their product.
That might seem like an easy example to apply, but every brand can evolve innovative ways of immersing fans in the experience at their venues. Don’t see how? Challenge us to come up with some ideas for you.
Use sponsorship as a chance to tell a story
Guinness are the absolute masters of this tactic, linking their brand values to rugby through the stories of individual players. They do more than just get a former player to appear in an ad, they tell a diverse range of stories from legends of the game, from Johnny Wilkinson going to France a stranger and returning a hero there to Gareth Thomas finding the courage to come out to his team mates.
Invest long term for incremental gains
The most creative and rewarding sponsorship partnerships are found in long term relationships for the majority of the time. Long term deals allow brands to build proper partnerships with the event or league, as well as relationships with the fans themselves. It takes time for fans to really learn your brand identity and for it to be so fully absorbed that it has longevity beyond the life of the sponsorship.
Sport is in its nature an area that values loyalty and allegiance over time. The positive feeling that engenders for sponsors who stick around (like Heineken and Guinness), though tricky to measure is undeniable.
Epsilon Sport is a division of Epsilon dedicated to helping brands like yours get more from sports sponsorship, through smart use of data, intelligent strategy and creative ideas. For a free consultation with our cross functional team of sports experts, get in touch.
*Elberse and Verleun, HBR and Brandwatch.com
---
## Introducing Affiliate customer insights
Type: eps_post
URL: /introducing-affiliate-customer-insights
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Introducing Affiliate customer insights
We’re pleased to announce the launch of our most advanced service offering yet: Affiliate Customer Insights. Originally unveiled in September of 2014, this latest release substantially evolves the reporting capabilities to include richer reporting sets, enhanced data visualization, and greater customization to suit individual customer needs.Affiliate Customer Insights allows advertisers to tie their affiliate transactions back to 160M+ unique consumer profiles, powered by our parent company, Conversant. This new data empowers affiliate managers to optimize their programs for growth and efficiency in new ways.Reports delivered through Affiliate Customer Insights include:
New-to-File and Repeat Purchasers: Compare the percentage of unique, new, and repeat customers acquired from each affiliate publisher and the associated revenue of those transactions.
Purchase Behavior: Compare buying habits of average customers driven by each publisher in an advertiser’s program.
Channel Benchmarking: Compare buying trends and residual value of affiliate channel customers to non-affiliate channel customers.
Offline Impact: Measure how affiliate campaign exposure affects the customer journey to in-store conversions using Conversant’s deterministic, transaction-based matching and 160 million persistent, anonymous consumer profiles.
Click here to learn more and to find out if your program is eligible to start growing with Affiliate Customer Insights today.
LEARN MORE + WATCH VIDEO
---
## Epsilon Episodes #1 - Stephen Mooney
Type: eps_post
URL: /epsilon-episodes-1
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Epsilon Episodes #1 - Stephen Mooney
Take a look at our mini documentary with Stephen Mooney. Stephen is an illustrator for DC comics. He is also the writer and illustrator of Half Past Danger, a six-part comic mini series. Stephen spoke at the second Bread & Butter creative talk and he was so interesting we had to hear more!
[embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1iv-0wYkcyE[/embed]
---
## CJ Affiliate by Conversant wins again at the Performance Marketing Awards (PMA)
Type: eps_post
URL: /cj-affiliate-by-conversant-wins-at-pma
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# CJ Affiliate by Conversant wins again at the Performance Marketing Awards (PMA)
We are delighted to announce that CJ, a leading global affiliate network and part of Conversant, won two awards at the Performance Marketing Awards 2016 (PMA) after being shortlisted for twelve awards at this year’s ceremony. These are the largest and most illustrious annual awards in the affiliate and performance marketing space, which are celebrating their tenth year in 2016.
The CJ team took home two of the most coveted awards for their campaigns with TUI in the Advertiser Innovation and Best Managed Affiliate Programme categories. Additionally TUI was lauded for its work with CJ and won the Industry Choice of Advertiser Award. The award presentation was held in London’s Grosvenor House Hotel on the evening of April 26.
The jury – consisting of renowned experts like Richard Hartigan (Industry Technology Manager, Google), Cedric Chambaz (Bing Ads Marketing Director, Microsoft) and Ben Tice (Sales Consultant, Oracle) – highlighted how “CJ worked with the travel company TUI to reimagine the way to interact with its top-tier publishers” with an “innovative approach which resulted in the best year the programme has ever seen.”
CJ Affiliate by Conversant was also Highly Commended for Best Use of Data (with TUI), twice for Best in Retail (with Homebase and Argos), and Global Excellence (with Avis Budget Group) awards. This year´s wins are on the back of previous success for CJ at the PMAs. In 2015 CJ was awarded the Advertiser Innovation Award for its affiliate campaign with Argos.
These outstanding achievements cement our reputation as the global leader in the affiliate and performance marketing space and are testament to the hard work the team at CJ has undertaken with their advertisers and partners over the last year.
At CJ we are planning and delivering more great work for clients in 2016 which we hope to put forward for the PMA awards in 2017.
---
## How to realise better outcomes from marketing technology investments
Type: eps_post
URL: /marketing-technology
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# How to realise better outcomes from marketing technology investments
The almost unlimited potential of today’s marketing technology sometimes leads to unpredictable behaviour between consumers and brands. Brands use this technology to deliver the best consumer experience possible, and to achieve better business results. However this experience can’t be delivered through technology alone.
In fact, a combination of data, creativity and content is required in order to make the most of modern marketing technology and the experiences it can offer customers. This theme will be at the centre of the upcoming Adobe Summit, where Epsilon will be Gold Sponsors. At the event marketing leaders will discuss how this combination can help create and deliver the best consumer experiences possible.
Modern marketing technology is capable of improving our marketing efforts in a variety of ways. However, it’s clear from today’s digital customer journey that these efforts require a solid foundation of data if they are to succeed. After all, data brings our digital channels to life and is behind the truly personalised experiences we want to give our customers.
The most successful marketing uses consumer engagement data to create new business opportunities. Businesses can use this data to access audience intelligence, better target their email communications, target media buys, and increase ad revenue.
If you peel back the curtain on the efforts behind some of the world’s leading brands in customer experience you will find data to be the core of marketing-decision making. For example, the NFL understands that highly engaged fans are at the center of their successful sports league. Driving and leveraging that engagement creates business opportunities for fantasy leagues, premium content and high-value ad targeting. To drive these opportunities the NFL leverages data that provides audience intelligence, activation to target email communications and target media buys and increase ad revenue.
Data provides us with a solid foundation, but you also need to consider the customer journey if you want to deliver results. In order to achieve this you can use a combination of customer insights and compelling content to build brand engagement and develop the personalised experiences you’ve been after.
By combining data and content we can deliver more engaging experiences than ever and realise the full potential of modern marketing technology. But you must also be able to generate revenue from your marketing strategy and digital content, deploy it across a range of devices and measure the results.
Learn how Epsilon can help you implement and integrate your Adobe investment by attending our session with GM Financial at the Adobe Summit EMEA, May 11-12. Attendees will learn how to make the most of the Adobe Marketing Cloud suite while aligning their internal organisation and prioritising business objectives. Hear first-hand how GM Financial journeyed down the path to transform its digital experience.
---
## How your brand can unlock a world of valuable consumer data.
Type: eps_post
URL: /valuable-consumer-data
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# How your brand can unlock a world of valuable consumer data.
Last Saturday was Nike Air Max Day (yeh I didn’t know that was a thing either but for fans of the brand this is a pretty big deal). Some of our cooler creative types decided to mark the occasion by showcasing their customised pairs of runners. They’re pretty cool, so I decided to give them a wider audience; and it got me thinking about customisation, personalisation and their impact on the marketing world.
As consumers, we place huge value on personalised communications and customised products.
According to the Future Foundation, 30% of us have customised a product after purchasing it. And this trend is growing. Millennials in particular expect to be able to tailor pretty much anything to their specific preferences. Born into a digital world where everything they touch has settings and options to adjust, customising and personalising their world is part of their DNA.
Even in older generations, there is a growing expectation that brands will provide the opportunity to impose a sense of individuality or self on what is essentially a group or tribe experience of product ownership and brand engagement. Where brands are able to accommodate this strange duality, they create huge value for the consumer.
And it is this value that opens up the potential for data generation and sharing.
Whether it's the value of truly personal, relevant communications or the opportunity to customise a product and have it bear a stamp representative of your unique self, it will usually provide a key with which to unlock a world of consumer data.
Consumers are often prepared to compromise their otherwise fiercely guarded privacy for the value of personalisation or customisation. Whereas any bald request for information would be met with resistance and oh so vocal online criticism of the brand, information shared in order to create valuable personalised or customised aspects to the brand experience are usually given willingly, voluntarily.
The caveat here is brand trust.
In order to engage with your brand in creating value through personalisation or customisation, the consumer must first have an adequate degree of trust in your brand. Some of this will obviously be garnered based on reputation and the individual’s personal brand experience, but there are ways that you can reassure and influence trust, as well as making sure you’re doing everything to maintain and build it in the long term:
Permission: The consumer must feel in control of how your brand uses the information they share with you. If they feel they are being taken advantage of or that you are overstepping the mark it will erode brand trust incredibly quickly. So, if I told you my hair colour because I wanted my free hair clip to complement it, that doesn’t mean I’ll automatically be open to an inbox full of “personalised” hair dye emails. Assuming and guessing (wrongly) based on people's preferences can often cause more damage that just blanket bombing your whole database.
Privacy: When a consumer enters a relationship with your brand and agrees to exchange data for value, they (should) have clear expectations as to how you will use the information they supply and they won’t take kindly to you sharing it with anyone, no matter what you put in the legal small print. Consumers expect your brand to be as fierce a protector of their privacy as they are and the value of them trusting your brand enough to share data with you will always far outweigh the value of sharing that information with others.
Management: Once you’ve begun the exchange of data for personalisation, you have to be able to deliver on it and maintain that level of impeccable relevance throughout the whole lifetime of your relationship with that consumer. And that means seriously smart CRM systems, a dedicated programme to maintain and enhance the data you hold and a responsible programme of governance for its use. Not too much then!
So, I’ve given you the keys, it's up to you to decide what custom paint job works for your brand. But tread cautiously and never ignore the “Stop” sign!
---
## 3 email marketing trends for an omnichannel world
Type: eps_post
URL: /email-marketing-trends
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# 3 email marketing trends for an omnichannel world
Working at a marketing agency, you notice a thing or two about email marketing. Working at an industry leader like Epsilon gives me access to more direct marketing information than most people can dream of. So, I’m going to share some edited highlights with you to help you with your email marketing programmes:
The future of email marketing is live
Sports fans want the latest updates of their team scores, news and player changes in real-time. Shoppers will respond to brands who leverage inventory data to let them know how many of those shoes are available in size 6, or how many vehicles of a particular make/model are left in the showroom.
Data shows that live content can increase email engagement by as much as 40%. According to the Epsilon Response Network, when you leverage information about a consumer’s preferred time of open, you can drive click rates by 11%. Live content allows email marketers to include real-time interactive elements, geo targeting, rich media and target content to the desktop or a specific mobile device.
> Smart marketers are using live content technology to create “time of open” content strategies for their email marketing programmes.
The new mobile email frontier is wearable tech
Mobile email opens have increased more than 180% in the past 3 years and with more than half of all emails opened on a mobile device. Many brands feel they’ve come to grips with delivering email marketing content suitable for mobile devices, but if that just means phones and tablets, then they couldn’t be more wrong.
The global wearables market is expected to reach a value of 19 billion U.S. dollars in 2018, more than ten times its value five years prior, with nearly 112 million new wearable tech products shipped. Mobile interactions will have to become even more personal and relevant as user adoption of connected wearable devices such as the Apple Watch become ever more widespread.
> Brands must again adjust their thinking when it comes to delivering digital communications to their customers, with yet another range of receiver devices in mind.
Evidence suggests successful direct marketing must target customer behaviour, not just demographics
One particular email type gives us a critical insight into email marketing. Triggered emails (sent based on a buyer’s behaviour, sign ups, purchases etc.) far outstrip “business as usual” email blasts when it comes to open rates and click through rates. According to Epsilon’s Q3 2015 email trends and benchmarks report, triggered open rates were 68.0% higher than BAU emails in Q3 2015. Triggered click rates were a massive 228.7% higher than BAU. So what does that tell us about our direct marketing? It’s simple.
> The more targeting we can build into our direct marketing campaigns that is dictated by the recipient’s behaviour, rather than their demographic profile, the better result we can expect.
Dave Fox
Director of Business Development
Learn more about how we can help you with email marketing or contact us.
Why should my company listen to Epsilon about email marketing?
Epsilon is listed in the top three companies across the three most influential analyst reports on email marketing service providers, Forrester Wave, Relevancy Ring and Red Pill email. In fact, only Epsilon appears in top three across all three reports. What’s more, in all three reports Epsilon is ranked highest among all participating vendors for services, overall strategy, and client satisfaction. With major European clients like Dell and Google, plus being recognised by Ad Age as the #1 Largest Global CRM/Direct Marketing Network, when we say we know email, you know we really do.
About Epsilon
Epsilon is a full-service marketing agency where creativity and data click. We create beautiful, effective work that turns heads, bringing the power and expertise of our global marketing company to your doorstep. Recognised by Ad Age as the #1 Largest Global CRM/Direct Marketing Network, #4 Largest Global Digital Agency #7 Largest Global Agency Company, Epsilon employs over 7,000 associates in 70 offices worldwide. Epsilon is an Alliance Data company.
---
## Why fast ideas win
Type: eps_post
URL: /fast-ideas-win
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Why fast ideas win
Ever drive a buggy up a sand dune?
To stop getting stuck, you don’t change gear; you just build momentum.
This is also true of great creative ideas and great advertising. The faster you go from inspiration to execution, the greater the chances of success. Sure, refine it afterwards and call it “beta” to give it a marketing tech twist. But don’t slip the organisational clutch.
The day Obama was elected into office, a simple strip ad appeared on the front page of the Sydney Daily Telegraph for Veet hair removal. It featured the Veet logo with a creative two-word headline: Goodbye Bush. Within hours the ad had been shared by all the worldwide news agencies and social networks. Its media value was hundreds of times the original cost.
So what went right?
The idea had news power. Hitching the advertising for this product on to a momentous event meant it had to move fast.
The number of decision-makers was small. It should have been shared with some key decision makers at some point, including with me as global creative director. It wasn’t. I got over it.
The creative execution was simple and didn’t require a heap of brand guardians, stylists and design panjandrums to justify their job titles.
The production cost was minimal so the risk was contained.
Most important of all, the team – including the local client – had the courage of their own convictions.
It would have been easier to pass the buck, ply some marketing focus groups with salted snacks and warm Chardonnay and ask them to decide.
No doubt we’d have ended up weeks later with a sanitised, not so creative, and certainly non-pubic headline like Hello Obama – leaving consumers perplexed about the connection between the President Elect and waxed bikini lines. (Not a problem with the previous Democrat in the White House.)
Slow works differently. Slow whispers in corridors about the idea. Slow’s colleagues shake their heads and suck their teeth. Slow comes back with the recommendation that the TV spot might be better as a mailer… next year… if budgets allow. Slow spends ever more time in the corridor collecting opinions until Slow finds there’s no desk to go back to. Napoleon wasn’t a corridor kind of guy. He turned speed into a weapon. The biggest complaint of the Grande Armée was that “the Emperor uses our legs instead of our bayonets.”
Brands that want creative ideas understand how quick creative thinkers are. They try to move at their pace rather than put the brakes on. They seek out the early flashes of brilliance. They become lightning conductors.
Back to Napoleon, arguably the 19th century’s best commander of artillery. Recognising the delays in lumbering around heavy field pieces, he observed: “It is a principle of war that when thunderbolts are available, they should be used in place of cannon.” So what if he ended up on St Helena? There are worse places to retire.
About Mark Fiddes:
Mark Fiddes, is the former executive creative director at DraftFCB (which later became FCB Inferno) London. He has recently been appointed as executive creative director for Epsilon’s EMEA market.
---
## 4 components to personalised customer experiences
Type: eps_post
URL: /personalised-customer-experiences
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# 4 components to personalised customer experiences
From working with marketers across multiple industries, I often hear, “Well, I know my customer’s preferences in the mobile channel.” But what does this mean for email, social, off-line, etc.? Marketers need to shift their mind-sets from treating customers as if they have ‘separate channel personalities,’ to offering personalised, individual experiences, no matter what the channel. But coordinating customer interactions across all channels to obtain a 360-degree view is a challenge for marketers. And when you add in the personalisation component within each channel, it is a desired strategy that has yet to be fully realised by marketers. Still, an integrated customer view across all touch points with a personalisation strategy is a key component to sustaining loyalty. Achieving this requires technology and services – they go hand in hand. But how do you get started? When planning your personalised marketing campaigns across channels, consider these four components:
Data Insights: Data drives personalisation. Learn about the likes and dislikes of your customers with the power of data. Behavioural attributes of consumers is key in driving the messaging of marketing campaigns. Once you have an understanding of your customer’s behaviour, you know what’s needed to sustain their loyalty. To further augment this, look beyond the data that’s currently in your platform and consider integrating third party data sources into your campaigns.
Consistency: Think about your communication objectives and keep it consistent across all channels. Remember, it’s one campaign, one message regardless of the channel. By focusing on content first, channel second you can ensure consistency across channels. Also, consider how you can integrate real-time messaging into your campaign. Keep communications simple, relevant and timely. The average attention span of a human is less than 4 seconds. Real-time messaging is essential to captivate your audience and it helps to yield loyalty to your brand.
Social Listening: The drivers of customer loyalty are shifting and consumers are now looking to build relationships with brands beyond the transaction. Having the opportunity to learn about your customer’s behaviour (likes and dislikes) in a social setting helps marketers create targeted relational and meaningful offers that go beyond the traditional brand interactions. Understanding your customers in this way takes campaign personalisation to the next level.
Strategy & Analytics: Strategy and analytics help to add a voice of reasoning behind your other marketing efforts. From modelling, scoring and reporting, marketers glean insights which allow them to further understand why consumers act the way they do. Answering the why further helps to drive personalisation.
All of these tips are centred on your technology being well equipped to manage the integration of this data. Ensuring you have one solution – a fused customer experience platform – to guide your loyalty marketing success is essential. Marketers need to transform from the siloed database mind-set to the integrated loyalty solution to obtain the full 360 holistic customer view. And to complement the technology, services are key to strategically implementing the machine-learning for personalisation.
---
## 4 tips to infuse your catalogue with experience and innovation
Type: eps_post
URL: /catalogue-innovation
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# 4 tips to infuse your catalogue with experience and innovation
Print is the question: “To be or not to be?” Answer: To be
Within the world of marketing that we operate in it’s interesting how the fundamental concepts remain the same, regardless of the digital transformation that we’re experiencing. Yes, the digital aspect of marketing is fundamental to your programme strategy; however, it cannot be viewed as a replacement tactic. It should complement the traditional channels we’ve used since the onset of marketing.
Print is not outdated, it’s simply been updated. It’s been modernised to remain competitive with today’s trends. While the size and scope of the catalogue has changed with the shift from 700+ page “big books” to specialty catalogues by product line, the objective of catalogues remains constant: to provide a leisurely experience for consumers to enjoy while shopping in the comfort of their own home. And for marketers, it’s to increase sales. And it’s working. Within the catalogue landscape, consumers crave print.
When developing your catalogue marketing strategy consider these tips, to infuse your catalogue with experience and innovation:
Embrace the digital component: Like digital shouldn’t be a replacement tactic for print, don’t just think print either. Integrate the digital aspect of marketing within your catalogue strategy. Think about ways in which you can digitise your catalogue to take the in-home viewing experience online. Consider developing an online flip book. Whether a consumer is viewing your brand’s catalogue in print or online, you want them to deliver similar experiences and provide an opportunity for your customers to have that “a-ha” moment.
Develop creative features outside-of-the-box: Visuals tell a story. They create emotion. Develop creative elements that make your brand stand out and create memorable experiences. Think about 3-D images to include. Mirror the design of your catalogue to match the layout of the in-store experience. Pottery Barn does an excellent job executing this showrooming strategy. For example, when in Pottery Barn, you feel as if you’re viewing their catalogue. As you walk through the store, you see all of the front-page items towards the beginning of the store. Consistency is key.
Target to consumers’ preferences: The insights data provides are unstoppable. Leverage your data assets to understand your customers’ behaviours. Get to know their likes and dislikes. This knowledge enables targeted content to influence purchase decisions. Remember, content first, channel second. Additionally, conduct modelling to glean deeper insights about current and prospective customers. It takes your marketing up a notch.
It’s a conversation: Think of your catalogue as a conversation with your consumers. It’s not the “The End” of your story, but instead, it opens the dialogue for communication with your customers leaving them wanting to learn more. For example, insert an enticing offer into your catalogue for consumers to connect with you. “The first 100 consumers to text ‘I love this catalogue’ will receive a 20% coupon off your entire purchase valid until the end of the month.”
The opportunities are endless. Catalogue marketing has proven results. Download our ebook, Create an emotional bond with consumers, one catalogue at a time to learn more.
---
## Research: 5 insights into today’s recessionary consumer, and what retailers can learn
Type: eps_post
URL: /research-5-insights-into-todays-recessionary-consumer-and-what-retailers-can-learn
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T22:17:52Z
# Research: 5 insights into today’s recessionary consumer, and what retailers can learn
Since the start of 2020, global consumers have adapted to rapidly shifting circumstances. It won't be news to anyone that this has affected how, where and why consumers spend their - often harder to earn - cash.
But what's less clear is consumer sentiment right now, and how it's likely to adapt in the lead-up to the much-anticipated peak shopping period of 2020 and beyond.
To shed light on the evolving habits of consumers in the UK, Epsilon-Conversant ran a consumer survey with Retail Week, designed to give retail marketers greater insight on today’s consumers and how best to market to them.
Below, I’ve detailed a few of the key insights that jump out at me, but we've also created a series of one-page reports in collaboration with Retail Week, detailing the findings in more detail. Claim your copy of the first report here.
{{cta('95b7ed53-3553-4d4f-a43e-00e4d177d827','justifycenter')}}
Consumers want to hear about discounts and sales, not just products
Consumers are overwhelmingly looking for discounts and special offers right now.
While many are confident in their personal finances over the next year - 77% expect their level of discretionary spend to either stay the same or increase - consumers expect to be cautious in their spending. 86% of Christmas shoppers expect a low price to either influence them more or the same compared to Christmas 2019.
Of course, this is reflected in the content of messaging that consumers want to receive from brands. 46% of consumers want to receive messaging about discounts or special offers from retailers, while factual content - such as opening hours - is preferred by 17%. Messaging that contains wellbeing and positive thinking is preferred by 15% of consumers, while community focused updates was highlighted as a preference by just 10%.
Interestingly, product focused content, and messaging that looks ahead to upcoming stock is only preferred by 7% and 6% of consumers respectively. The takeaway is clear: you need a good reason - such as a sale - to contact consumers specifically about your products right now. To do otherwise will risk alienating them.
Not all marketing is equal: Measure both success and failure
Of course, there’ll be no surprises that perceived value is an important factor in consumer loyalty, with 52% admitting bad value discourages them from being loyal to retailers, and 55% saying they’re put off by poor quality products.
What may be surprising to some retail marketers is that repetitive or irrelevant adverts that follow consumers around the internet are almost as influential in discouraging purchases - 47% of consumers in our survey cite this as a factor that stops them from being loyal to a retailer.
Similarly, too frequent communications is blamed by 41% of consumers as a factor that stops them from shopping with a retailer.
It’s now more important than ever to ensure your marketing contributes to overall profit, and that means properly measuring the outcome of your marketing. Gauging success via last click attribution will never show the negative outcomes that some marketing activity can have on consumers, actively dissuading them from purchasing from you.
Measuring according to the incremental return each activity brings your business is key to unearthing the true value – positive or negative – that marketing activities create.
Understand the recipient of your marketing
Every consumer is different, and events so far in 2020 have certainly highlighted that. We asked consumers how frequently they were prepared to receive emails from retailers before it annoyed them: just 17% were prepared to receive emails daily. 44% were happy to receive retailer emails weekly, while 19% said that once a month was the right amount.
Perhaps the biggest takeaway here is the need to truly understand who it is that you’re messaging. One consumer might have an affinity with your brand and the capacity to read daily emails from you, but that same cadence of messaging risks annoying 83% of consumers. Adapting your messaging - whether it’s advertising, email, SMS, or more likely a combination of channels - to the person receiving them is vital to ensure your marketing has a net-positive impact on your business’ bottom line.
Relevance in loyalty is key to cut-through
Many retailers - Lidl and Marks & Spencer being great examples - are doubling-down on customer loyalty right now by either launching new, or re-thinking existing loyalty schemes. But consider the consumer - loyalty programmes require input from the consumer, whether that’s remembering to carry a membership card, collecting rewards, or an uptick in communications from a brand.
On average, the number of retailer loyalty programmes that our consumers reported being a member of was 3.4. Yet the average number that they participate in each month was just 2.8.
To cut-through and ensure your loyalty programme positively impacts consumer loyalty with your brand - to make sure your programme is one of the 2.8 loyalty programmes that consumers actually use - it’s essential that you use what you already know about your consumers to inform your programme. The relevancy of your loyalty activities is key to ensure uptake among your most loyal consumers.
Consumers definitely want their retail experiences personalised
There’s a clear understanding amongst two-thirds of consumers that in order to have a more relevant and beneficial experience with a retailer, they need to provide information about themselves. 68% of consumers report that they are happy to provide personal information in order to receive a more tailored shopping experience.
Digital personalised experiences can be both on-site and off-site - from email messaging and advertising, through to up-sells and product recommendations at checkout. Retailers that see the most success from personalisation lessen consumer friction by increasing relevancy for each individual consumer - that’s win-win for both consumers and retailers, especially during recessionary times.
As mentioned, we've also created a series of one-page reports in collaboration with Retail Week, detailing the findings in more detail. Claim your copy of the first report here.
{{cta('95b7ed53-3553-4d4f-a43e-00e4d177d827','justifycenter')}}
---
## The importance of virtual conversations in a contactless world
Type: eps_post
URL: /importance-virtual-conversations-contactless-world
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# The importance of virtual conversations in a contactless world
Artificial intelligence (AI) has woven its way into the fabric of our everyday lives, and many of us are completely unaware of it. Our morning commutes are quicker, depositing a cheque online is easier, frustrating daily spam emails are fewer. And businesses are buying into it. According to Gartner, thirty-seven percent of organisations have implemented AI in some form—that’s a 270% increase over the last four years.
On a broader level, artificial intelligence has become a catalyst for improved digital customer experiences and personalisation. While there are many forms of AI, one popular and widely adopted application is Conversational AI.
Conversational AI is designed to engage with customers for different purposes and comes in varying degrees of sophistication.
The most basic, the chat bot, is typically text-based and is programmed to reply only to a specific set of questions or statements. Chat bots don’t support prolonged human interactions but do provide a FAQ-like structure.
Conversational AI provides more sophisticated interactions with visitors, either answering questions in a fluid manner or giving them recommendations for products and services. It works to establish extended conversations with customers by not only understanding the language, but also the meaning behind what the user is saying—allowing it to learn from inputs to provide answers for unpredictable questions and perform slightly complicated tasks.
Conversational AI can improve almost every aspect of virtual connections and enhance the vital two-way dialogue between brands and consumers. The desire for services, coupled with the demand for fast and simple customer assistance, has created an ideal climate for Conversational AI to thrive.
AN INCREASINGLY ‘CONTACTLESS’ WORLD
The idea of contactless experiences for customers, while not necessarily new, has exploded in the wake of COVID-19. Seemingly every business is trying to go contactless; even Walmart and Apple have implemented new business practices to go contact-free.
And it’s not necessarily out of innovation, but necessity. Customers are concerned about in-store shopping experiences, and probably will be for some time—even with improved in-person safety measures. Uncertainty has driven herds of consumers to scratch their retail itch online: Forbes reports that even retailers selling non-essentials have seen double & triple digit increases in sales.
With more customers venturing online, it’s make or break for brands to craft an exceptional digital experience rivaling that of instore. While this may seem challenging, what is lost from in-person shopping (immediate help from store workers, straight-forward returns) can be simulated online with Conversational AI.
Even prior to the everyday disruption from COVID-19, consumers were looking for ways to bypass lengthy contact methods, like calling a customer service representative hotline or venturing instore to get product information. The reality is that humans are stretched thin, and we’re constantly looking for ways to save time and energy. Conversational AI offers a solution by affording on-demand, immediate services that will satisfy customer needs.
The idea of the contactless world, while somewhat strange and unfamiliar, is likely here to stay.
WE WANT IT NOW
Think back to the last time you were on hold with a company, awaiting help from a representative. The elevator music is blaring and you’re growing increasingly frustrated by the second, debating on ending the call. It’s a tale as old as time. According to a study from Velaro, it takes waiting on hold for one minute for almost 60% of customers to hang up. People want immediate and attentive responses, and they want it now.
Enter Conversational AI.
Rather than waiting to speak with a representative over the phone, customers can chat with a virtual assistant to solve pain points ranging from the most basic questions to full blown product recommendations and decision making help.
Conversational AI can break down language barriers, find information more efficiently, and generally eliminate human error from the customer service experience—and consumers have noticed. 56% of people would rather message a customer service platform than call.
This indicates a massive paradigm shift in how customers interact with brands digitally, and what their expectations will be moving forward.
HOW CONVERSATIONAL AI CAN SERVE MARKETERS
Let's get into some specifics on how brands are using it to improve the customer experience and impact the bottom line.
1. SERVICE
Automation of customer service: Conversational AI automates basic, time-consuming tasks for consumers. It can retrieve quick account details, answer basic questions and preform transactions in the blink of an eye.
Example: Captial One's Eno.
Eno, a virtual assistant, “looks out for you and your money around the clock, reaches out if it spots something unusual, and helps you fix it.” It monitors transaction confirmations and spending details.Customers can interact via any web device or even via text and quickly order new checks, browse accounts, and even ask, “what is my ABM routing number?” Eno is a solid example of a service-driven programme that takes the grunt work out of consumers’ banking experience.
2. EXPERIENCE
Painless customer experience: Customer experience is everything. When its good, it’s great. But when it's bad, customers will actively avoid your brand and look elsewhere for services. Conversational AI has the ability to engage in seamless live chats that are goals-driven and ultimately help customers achieve something. It also can anticipate customer needs and inquiries to quickly respond with proactive suggestions. And of course, Conversational AI can be programmed to engage with humor and pleasantries for a more comforting and positive interaction.
Example: H&M's Virtual Assistant.
H&M’s official virtual assistant wears many hats. It can help customers with general questions and operational functions, but goes a step further by recommending items to customers based on past purchases. The assistant leverages existing information to deduce your gender and style preference to suggest relevant outfits (with prices). If you dislike what is suggested, alternate options are offered. If you want to take the next step to purchase the item, you receive a direct link to add it to your cart. H&M’s virtual assistant gives customers an easy and interesting way to discover new products while skipping the endless online shopping scroll.
3. COMMERCE
Bottom line impact: While bots and virtual assistants can be a fun way to engage with customers, they’re also an investment, and should ultimately improve your bottom line. Customer service cost savings, improved customer experience and engagement plus increased sales through upsell or product recommendations are just a few of the ways Conversational AI can help.
Example: Kayak.com.
Kayak’s chat bot is a best-in-class solution that aids travelers with online bookings and helps them get where they need to go (and even if you don’t know where you want to go, Kayak’s bot can help). It will inform users of the cost estimate for flights to a destination during a specific time period, then provide a direct link to book through their website. It can also share recommendations of activities in your desired location. If you’re not quite sure where you want to go, the bot will ask you a series of questions and list off locations that may fit your needs. The ease and convenience Kayak serves up is unmatched, increasing bookings and truly putting a “travel agent in your pocket.”
Each example above illustrates the value Conversational AI can bring to your brand. While of course contactless interactions are especially helpful now, they’re likely to become the new normal for brands across industries.
Customers will still demand positive experiences, online or not. This means brands must invest in strategies and technology that will make people’s lives easier, afford them information quicker, and foster the two-way dialogue that enables stronger connections between consumer and brand. As a natural evolution of digital transformation, Conversational AI is a useful tool to seamlessly evolve the customer journey with contact-free interaction and attentive responses, providing an improved service, experience and bottom line.
---
## [Video] Business (Un)Usual: Get interactive with email to engage
Type: eps_post
URL: /business-unusual-get-interactive-with-email-to-engage
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# [Video] Business (Un)Usual: Get interactive with email to engage
During the COVID-19 crisis, more emails have been delivered, according to Epsilon PeopleCloud Messaging statistics. And, we're seeing that the volume send-to-open ratio increased 22% from February to March and April (23% to 28%). With the influx of email communications, it's crucial to consider how yours can stand out from the crowd and drive customer engagement.
Epsilon has seen live time-of-open content increase email engagement by as much as 40%, and according to DemandGen, 91% of B2B buyers prefer to consume interactive and visual content. Martech Advisor reports that “interactive email content increases the click-to-open rate by 73% and adding videos to email can boost click rates up to 300%.”
Watch the video to hear from our Messaging experts on how brands are enhancing their email communications with interactive elements to best connect with customers during this unprecedented time.
Read more: Email 2020 trends guide: Interactive content
---
## The Case for Bringing Balance Back to the Marketing Ecosystem
Type: eps_post
URL: /the-case-for-bringing-balance-back-to-the-marketing-ecosystem
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# The Case for Bringing Balance Back to the Marketing Ecosystem
Consumers want it free. They want it now. They want it to be relevant. They want it personalised.
What is “it”? It’s whatever you’re selling—toothbrushes, hotel rooms, movies—“it” is everything.
At Epsilon-Conversant, we continue to see that consumers are discerning in all their interactions with brands. They understand that providing information on what they like or don’t like, what they have or have not purchased, and what they have or have not engaged with is a value exchange that builds a better experience for them.
But the ability to personalise every interaction is based on your ability to access and action data. With that, there’s been an evolution in privacy regulations and a lot of discussion about future regulations. But it’s the large consumer platforms, known to many marketers as walled gardens, that have unquestionably used data to shift marketing’s centre of gravity in their favour. So, how badly is the system out of balance and what can be done to restore harmony?
Where is the most gravitational force in the system?
If you look at marketing today, brands have three main options to deliver on personalisation and performance. First, solution providers such as systems integrators and consultancies. Second, software platforms, which include technology point solutions or cloud services. And third, large consumer platforms.
If you were to measure where the gravitational force lies in the advertising ecosystem based on who gets the most budget, the large consumer platforms pull the most weight. The more brands spend on advertising within those platforms, the more powerful they become, increasing their gravitational pull. In conversations with clients, many say they spend with these platforms because they’re a necessary channel for marketing—not because they see them as the best platform for performance.
And this plays out in the numbers. The internet has largely become advertising-funded, meaning that most advertisers (read: brands) are footing the bill for much of the mainstream internet today. But the growth in market cap of the world’s biggest advertisers isn’t commensurate with the growth in market cap of the biggest tech platforms, whose business models and viability are dependent on those advertisers. In fact, as of September 2019, the consumer platforms’ market cap was twice that of the top advertisers.
If advertisers are paying the bill, you’d have to draw the conclusion that they’re coming up short.
The advertiser has spent years (decades in some cases) building brands, developing products, building defensible R&D, merchandising and marketing. They’ve earned the right to have a relationship with the consumer based on a mutual value exchange—e.g. if you opt in, accept cookies, complete your profile, join a loyalty program, etc., you will receive more relevant communications from that brand.
But when it comes to the large consumer platforms, the data that’s interacting with the consumer accrues on the platform—not with the brands. In these situations, the brand doesn’t have visibility into the relationship with the consumer—the platform does.
The promise of one-to-one
That lack of visibility should raise concerns for many brands. If you miss a step along the road, you can’t personalize the full journey.
Without question, the industry has been marching towards the promise of one-to-one marketing. If someone takes an action, the marketer can study and understand that signal and optimize marketing to serve the next best message for that specific individual, resulting in a purchase, loyalty and increased value.
And as marketers deliver more relevance for the consumer, they stop delivering irrelevant experiences that result in wasted marketing spend and start increasing the efficiency of their budgets. This ability to draw a clear line from your marketing investments to tangible business results is of more importance than ever.
But that isn’t possible without three key areas. First, continuous identity and knowledge to anticipate what the consumer will do. Second, the ability to activate across the customer journey. And last but not least, performance transparency to actually prove outcomes.
By nature of the gravitational imbalance in the space, others are pulling the industry back to contextual advertising where measurement is a cohort-based ratio of people to message. Although it’s pretty granular, it’s not one-to-one marketing. In a cohort that’s limited to 50 people, you still have 50 different individuals.
More recent announcements in privacy controls—though seemingly well-intentioned—exacerbate the issue. For example, in January, Google announced they would deprecate third-party cookies by 2022. Forrester analyst Joanna O’Connell summed up the industry’s surprise saying, “I don’t think I anticipated that they would do something that feels so obviously beneficial to Google.” To add insult to injury, Apple announced in June it would require apps to ask users for permission before they can use IDFA identifiers for tracking.
As the industry moves toward data deprecation, it becomes clear that we’re moving in opposite directions.
Balancing the system
With personalisation and privacy being so important, is that reflective of the marketing ecosystem available to us today? I don’t think so—not as long as the decisions of a few players shift everyone’s opportunity for balance.
And it’s not about getting rid of the big consumer platforms or not spending with them. They have unique products and offerings, and they deserve to be rewarded for that. It’s more about brands advocating for and delivering against a balanced investment that allows them to regain control of their customer relationships. The world of marketing is not one-sided, and I believe in the value exchange between brands, platforms and consumers. True success is shared.
Time is of the essence to reformulate the ecosystem to prioritise a brand’s relationship with the consumer above all else. Because without this balance, brands can’t build deeper relationships with their customers and we all ultimately lose.
This article was first published on Adweek.
---
## Customer-centricity: Fast-tracking digital transformation in retail
Type: eps_post
URL: /customer-centricity-fast-tracking-digital-transformation-in-retail
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T22:17:52Z
# Customer-centricity: Fast-tracking digital transformation in retail
Alongside everything else that’s happened in 2020, the demand for digital transformation in retail has been fast-tracked. Key to this digital transformation is the need for retailers to be customer-centric in everything they do.
Emerging from rapidly shifting consumer demands during 2020, retailers have long recognised the need to become more customer-centric. Digitally native competitors to long-standing retailers - unencumbered by the cost of a legacy portfolio of physical retail sites - have emerged and grown their business at the expense of the incumbents over the past decade.
Yet until now, it has been a gradual shift.
Events during 2020 - in particular national and local-level lockdowns right around the world, accompanied by what is emerging to be the hardest hitting recession for a century - has compounded the need for retail to digitally transform around their customers.
Following the lead of truly digital-first brands - the likes of Gymshark, Deliveroo, AO.com, and Ocado - retailers are now questioning how well they truly know their customers, outside of their physical, brick and mortar comfort zones.
These questions centre around four key areas.
This article and video are an adaptation from Ben Foulkes' on-demand video on customer-centric marketing. Watch the full on-demand video for insightful, actionable takeaways learnt from today's truly customer-centric businesses.
Watch the full on-demand video
Getting your data in order
A brand’s level of consumer-understanding is not only linked to the data they have access to, but how structured and available that data is to use. Ensuring data can be used by an entire business, in order to inform decisions and actions, is vital.
Revenue driving
What is the return for a brand investing to become more customer-centric? Being able to measure customer lifetime value, and the affect of different activities on it, is incredibly important.
Business impact
What is the business impact? For example, the role of discounting for a retailer may change when becoming more customer-centric, such as how that retailer approaches Black Friday. Business mindsets, and - importantly - how a business gauges success will need to evolve.
What is incrementality?
The big question for all businesses is: is what we’re doing working? Measuring all actions and activities a business carries out on their impact to the business’ bottom line is how truly customer-centric businesses ensure what they do contributes to their overall success.
In this on-demand video, Ben goes into further detail around how brands have seen success through customer-centric models. The first part of Epsilon-Conversant’s customer-centricity video series, it’s an important watch for anyone seeking to understand how they can help shift their company to a more customer-centric model.
Watch the full on-demand video
---
## The DTC pandemic boom: What can we learn?
Type: eps_post
URL: /the-dtc-pandemic-boom-what-can-we-learn
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# The DTC pandemic boom: What can we learn?
Casting our minds back to March feels like an eternity, with empty supermarket shelves and the rush to buy toilet paper.
It may seem like a distant memory, but above and beyond the panic buying, this month also denoted a broader shift in consumer behaviour, with a significant impact on brands, big and small.
March 2020 marked the first time that we experienced the very real possibility that large suppliers, such as supermarkets were unable to meet demand under pressure. With this came completely new opportunities for smaller players as consumers turned to alternative sources for their food, homewares and more. Although this may not have burst the door wide open for lesser-known brands, it did ensure that it was at least held ajar.
In particular, this had a significant impact on DTC brands.
Were DTC’s dividends destiny or just due diligence?
DTC brands have already been on the rise and growing in popularity for some time. Epsilon-Conversant’s research with the CMO Club showed that even before the coronavirus crisis, 80% of CMOs believed that DTCs were impacting their market. Furthermore, figures from Euromonitor revealed that the likes of Gillette even admitted that DTC competitors had caused a 20% decrease in its market share.
Although there’s no denying DTC’s existing popularity, the picture became murkier with the pandemic, which caused a nose-dive in consumer confidence and a general hesitation to purchase. However, there is also clear evidence that DTCs later witnessed a growth surge in the wake of the pandemic as lockdown continued.
Whilst many big brands froze their marketing and pressed pause on advertising efforts during lockdown – especially at the very beginning – many DTCs either continued their existing spend or ramped it up, looking to make the most of the potential new opportunities presented.
Consider the general brand exposure for a single consumer over the past few months: you weren’t seeing the same brands every day because you weren’t walking down a high street, while you were also seeing fewer adverts for them. Furthermore, if you did decide to shop with a high street brand, you’d often have issues ordering or receiving the goods. This ‘perfect storm’ all added up to a considerable opportunity for the DTCs that were advertising – and studies have revealed that consumers were willing to buy from alternative brands to get what they need.
Consequently, not only did DTCs benefit from a wider pool of new customers to reel-in, the negative impact on the cost of advertising was a positive for them.
Social is often the channel of choice for direct to consumer brands. Before the pandemic the costs of paid social were increasingly on the rise, holding DTC brands back when it came to acquiring new customers. Come the pandemic, the relative cost of social dropped because of the lower levels of competition, and many DTCs took advantage of being able to do more for less.
Simply put, many DTCs built brand equity during the pandemic by taking advantage of the lower cost of advertising.
Where are we now?
But will this all be short-lived? Clearly, the longer the high street remained shut, the better the situation for brands less reliant on physical stores – common among DTC brands. And with the reopening of all non-essential shops, many brands were holding out hope that customers who previously bought from them would come flooding back as we start to see a return to ‘normal’. After all, humans are creatures of habit.
However, consumers aren’t simply resuming their old habits. Published figures show that physical footfall numbers jumped 45% the week that shops opened in England, but this number is still 54% lower than the same week last year and it is looking unlikely that these numbers will be made up anytime soon. Some consumers are still cautious about shopping in person, whilst others have accustomed themselves to shopping online – both of which are good news for online DTC brands.
General consumer behaviours and expectations have changed, and some brands are better placed than others to respond. Consumers aren’t only looking to buy what they want, they also want to buy from a brand they trust and feel an affinity to. No-one wants to feel sold or marketed to, rather, they want real empathy and understanding from the brands that they interact with and for them to understand their needs as a customer.
To achieve this, brands need to be customer centric throughout their business, truly understanding and proceeding according to consumer preferences.
The DTC model is well-placed to collect insight to better understand consumers, with direct to consumer brands owning the entire consumer experience for their products. It’s a lesson many learned from direct mail, where older DTC brands often have their roots. At the risk of over-simplifying, understanding the consumer and acting on that understanding to optimise their products, processes, and communications increases a brand’s relevance to their consumer.
In terms of communications, similar tp direct mail, DTC brands are able to harness their knowledge of consumers to build real, one-to-one relationships.
Today, this ability to harness insight for personalisation of communications is where DTCs often excel compared to their B2C competitors, delivering the right communications at the right time and providing a better customer experience. Indeed, pre-pandemic, 81% of B2C brands already believed that DTCs had changed consumer expectations of their own brands, making consumers expect much higher, and more personal levels of service.
The very nature of DTC brands also means they are focused, nimble and agile, able to adjust to changing circumstances – a winning formula for any brand when no one quite knows what will come next.
Into the Future
Of course, this doesn’t mean it will all be plain sailing. Direct to consumer brands still continue to face the same challenges they had before, as well as new ones. At face value, social media advertising may be cost effective, but scaling up is still an issue. Ecommerce may now have more fish to catch, but DTCs can find it hard to cast a big enough net, especially when competing with more established brands.
Before the outbreak, we were also witnessing many a DTC, such as Casper and Made.com, looking to take a leaf out of their B2C rivals’ playbooks and opening up physical brick-and-mortar stores to help reach more of their audience through showrooming. Although existing DTC ‘showrooming’ stores have not been closed down, further openings have no doubt been put on hold.
Further adding to their challenges, DTC brands also tend to experience problems with holding onto their customers; even before the pandemic, consumers buying online were often fickle and price-driven, something that DTC brands have often combatted by building brand prestige. The coronavirus may have enabled DTCs to reach new audiences and draw in more new customers, but they still face the ongoing problem of keeping them coming back. And in that regard, they are not alone.
This experience has many lessons for all kinds of brands, highlighting that competition for customers is now fiercer, and retaining customers more difficult than ever before. To counter this as best possible, brands – whatever their business model – need to double-down on their customer-centricity, with real consumer focus throughout the business. By building genuine relationships with consumers, you’re building long-term demand.
Discover key insights gleaned from DTC brands, applicable to all retailer business models. Claim your copy of Epsilon-Conversant's reseach, carried out with The CMO Club.
Claim your copy
This article was originally published by Econsultancy.
---
## Why the “fun factor” is key to enhancing your customer experience
Type: eps_post
URL: /why-the-fun-factor-is-key-in-enhancing-your-customer-experience
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Why the “fun factor” is key to enhancing your customer experience
In today’s ever-changing loyalty landscape, how can a brand stand out from the crowd? How can they differentiate themselves from the competition and innovate their loyalty programme? For me, this is where transformation comes in. Brands must look beyond the traditional rewards points-based programme and focus more on providing an experiential customer experience, to build that strong emotional brand connection, with their customers. In Epsilon, we see this as evolving from a 1:1 to a 1:YOU experience. So, what steps can loyalty marketers take to enhance and transform the customer experience for their customers?
Primarily, it starts with collecting, understanding, and using the right data, at the right times, via the right channels. Couple this by harnessing the power of technologies such as machine learning, artificial intelligence, and data augmentation, enabling you to recognise, reward and delight your loyal members, in real-time, while going the extra mile to enhance the customer experience. At the end of the day, it’s about connecting with your loyalty members on a more “human” level and continuing to evolve the value exchange, to create lifetime loyalty experiences. Indeed, according to KPMG’s recent The truth about customer loyalty survey only “37% of respondents identified points and rewards as one of the most effective ways to secure their brand loyalty” - reinforcing our belief that loyalty marketing goes beyond rewards and offers and more should be about seamlessly enhancing the customer experience and that 1:YOU experience.
The experiential rewards approach is one way for loyalty marketers to advance their loyalty programme. Using the technologies mentioned above, companies can uncover insights and behaviours, transactional and non-transactional, to understand the drivers of member value, enabling loyalty marketers to enhance and take member experiences to new levels. For example, marketers are including bonus promotions within their programmes that give way to exclusive experiences and auctions. Add to this, marketers are launching exclusive tiered structures where, in addition to earning points, members are given elite access to special events and limited availability items. Consumers have come to expect these relevant experiences and look forward to them, especially when they involve an element of surprise and delight.
One brand that has caught my attention and is continuously evolving is Walgreens and its Balance Rewards loyalty programme - a points-based digital loyalty programme, where points are awarded based on spend as well as bonus points for specific categories and behaviours. But Walgreens also delighted members with their “Beauty Enthusiast” programme - a innovate “programme-within-a-programme" concept. Finally, they also launched a digital wellness programme called - “Balance Rewards for healthy choices® (BRhc)”, which has been enjoying much success.
So, how can you ensure that you’re creating and providing relevant experiences to your members, that will enhance the customer experience? Consider these three tips:
Prioritise personalisation
Consumers want a personalised experience across all points and interactions and indeed, in today’s “data-driven, technology-first” world, consumers look for the same level of personalisation from companies big and small. Indeed, so much so, they are willing to share their data with brands, to get that personalised experience. Epsilon’s research shows that 80% of consumers are more likely to do business with a company that offers a personalised experience. By investing in personalisation, brands will reap the benefits of building relationships and connect with members on a more “human” level. Not only that, as advancements in loyalty marketing continue, and marketers embrace the experiential component of loyalty, the role of personalisation becomes even more important. Let’s not forget, through powerful technology platforms we’re able to do it effectively – in real-time – to create meaningful experiences for consumers. As Katrina Lake, Founder & CEO of Stitch Fix, says, “I’m most passionate about personalisation. I firmly believe that personalised experiences with brands will most drive loyalty and relevance for customers in the future”.
Think Data-Driven
So how can marketers add more personalisation to its experiential loyalty programme, and drive more engagement with members on a more emotional level? As mentioned above, it all starts with the data and marketers need to leverage data in their decision-making process. By harnessing the power of your data and customer insights to understand your customer - their habits, desires, preferences, abilities, emotions and triggers – and, through the addition of technology and extensive analytics (predictive, modelling, etc.), you can proactively predict how best to engage, in real-time.
Focus on the fun factor
Let’s be honest, we’re more likely to engage with loyalty programmes that think differently in how it engages and connects with us. If the programme has a “fun” element to it, it makes it all the better, and indeed I'd be more likely to recommend that brand to a friend. For loyalty marketers, you must look beyond the “norm” and think of ways in which you can put the fun in fulfilling loyalty experiences for members. For example, gamification is a great way to engage consumers, as well as employees and franchise owners, across a variety of touchpoints. Gamification strategies can motivate consumers and provide higher and more meaningful levels of engagement. If like me, you have a competitive streak, I am more likely to interact more deeply in activities that are framed in a game environment. Starbucks, for instance, uses gamification tactics to enhance the experience of its members. Similarly, Dell leverages gamification to build customer loyalty and cultivate engagement by enabling its members to interact with the brand in a fun and enjoyable way. One key factor in Dell’s gamification tactics is that all of Dell’s gamification is informed by an understanding of human psychology. If you’d like to hear more about Dell’s loyalty programme and the role gamification plays, simply click here.
Be consistent
As you continue to advance your experiential marketing, remember to be consistent with your messaging, offers, and experiences across all channels and devices. We as marketers are often so laser-focused on ‘channel success’ around our marketing efforts, that we sometimes lose sight of the role of other channels. For example, and while COVID-19 has dramatically changed the way we live our lives and how we go about our day-to-day activities, I firmly believe consumers still value the opportunity of visiting their favourite store. Don’t get me wrong, I understand than online purchases have sky-rocketed for many brands, but there is something beautiful about having a great in-store experience. Look for ways, where you can offer experiential loyalty rewards that are integrated across channels. For example, clothing retailers could offer an online personal shopping assistant experience; then have the purchased items shipped to the store for free, where the shopper experiences in-store tailoring services – simply, seamless and personalised. Each channel is related to one another and consistency is key, across all channels, both offline and online.
To learn more about building customer loyalty and how to enhance your customer experience, why not read our powering lifetime connects series. If you’d like to discuss your loyalty programme, please feel free to contact us.
---
## Meet your customer: How to engage new loyalty members
Type: eps_post
URL: /meet-your-customer-engage-new-loyalty-members
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Meet your customer: How to engage new loyalty members
Building customer loyalty is not easy. Brands and loyalty professionals need to understand what’s truly important to their customers today and develop meaningful loyalty experiences that turn casual customers into lifetime fans. But how do you do this? It's important that brands take the time to outline a strategy of how they can build, maintain, and power lifetime connections over the course of their customer’s lifecycle. And, like any relationship, it starts with getting to know them.
meet your customer
During the first 90–120 days following programme enrollment, loyalty marketers need to get to know their customers and keep them engaged. Connections are no longer just based on behaviors. Emotions are an integral component to powering connections, helping to sustain lifetime loyalty. The first impression forms the foundation of the relationship between consumer and brand, so make it count.
To truly get to know your customer, consider implementing these tactics and strategies:
Identification
Make it personal – ensure you are able to identify individual members whenever and wherever they interact with your brand. Whether the interaction takes place online or offline, you need to be there, to identify your customers' needs and observe their behaviours in order to fulfil on and exceed their expectations.
Customer service
Train your associates and provide them with the tools, technology, and techniques to get to know your customers. Social chats, customer service calls, follow-up policies, and anniversary ‘thank you’ gifts to surprise and delight members will create new ways for you to glean insights. The data created from these interactions should then be integrated into your programme data. This observational data is key to building the emotional component of powering connections.
Content testing
Develop a communication plan, and put it to the test. Learn your customers’ preferred method of communication, whether it be email, mobile app or text message, and continue to make ongoing changes and improvements to ensure you’re meeting their needs.
Establish a data baseline
The availability of collectable customer data varies from industry to industry. For example, many quick-service restaurants capture diners’ email and phone number, while travel and hospitality brands are able to capture additional data points like addresses. Loyalty marketers need to establish a data baseline that is continually augmented with new data. (i.e., capture additional data from surveys, apply analytics, modelling).
Reach out and communicate with your customers during this initial period in ways that will engage them with your brand and loyalty programme. Simple examples are sending out a welcome email to new customers, taking the opportunity to reinforce membership benefits. Or encourage them to download your mobile app and offer a bonus if they fill out a survey and provide more information on their preferences. Offering bonus points on their next transaction is another great way to elicit that next purchase and remind them of membership benefits.
Keep them interested
Additionally, gamification techniques can be a fun, useful way to interact with customers during this initial period, and these techniques don’t have to involve financial incentives. Create challenges that reward members with badges for completing tasks, such as using the mobile app, completing a survey or visiting multiple stores. Encourage members to compete with each other by publishing their accomplishments on a leaderboard. Offer the winner an experiential opportunity beyond a traditional reward. For example, if you’re a retailer, offer the customer an hour with a personalised shopping assistant with lunch included. Experiences such as these will strengthen brand loyalty.
Remember, relationships change over time. Being able to identify when you need to reach out and engage with a consumer can make a difference between maintaining a loyal relationship or letting one wain.
So, now you know your customer. What's next? In our series, "Powering Lifetime Connections", we talk about this and two other stages of creating lifetime loyalty. Read Stage II: Creating a plan for ongoing dialogue to learn more.
---
## With cookies crumbled and IDFA DOA, it’s time for a better identity strategy
Type: eps_post
URL: /with-cookies-crumbled-and-idfa-doa-its-time-for-a-better-identity-strategy
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# With cookies crumbled and IDFA DOA, it’s time for a better identity strategy
Among many other disruptive changes, 2020 is proving to be the year of identifier deprecation.
In January, Google made waves in the ad tech ecosystem when it announced plans to end support for third-party cookies within two years. And then last month, Apple announced that application developers in iOS 14, its mobile operating system, will need to seek end-user permission before gaining access to Apple’s mobile device ID, also known as Identifier for Advertisers (IDFA).
This update is expected to roll out in the fall, and we expect up to 80% of users to be on the new operating system by the end of the year.
While disruptive, we at Epsilon-Conversant believe this announcement presents an opportunity for brands to rethink their identity programmes and how - and who - they partner with for their digital media spend.
What this means for consumers
On iOS 14, every app will display a pop-up notification at launch asking users whether they want to allow tracking or not. If someone wanted to opt-out of interest-based advertising before, they would have had to manually enable the Limit Ad Tracking (LAT) feature. Epsilon-Conversant has seen user adoption of the setting at around 10%, though industry surveys claim adoption levels of up to 28% in the United Kingdom, 22.5% in Germany, and 14.5% in France.
Although Apple made this switch in the name of privacy, another part of its goal is likely to shift its app ecosystem from an ad-supported model to a subscription model.
While this news isn’t necessarily surprising, what’s unclear is how consumers will respond. There are varying points of view on how many people will allow tracking, with predictions as low as 5%, all the way up to 70%. App developers will have some control over how the language is presented to their end-users which could help increase opt-in rates.
What this means for app developers
Many iOS app publishers rely on the ad-supported model and removing accessibility to IDFA will significantly disrupt their monetisation strategies and hamper their app download marketing strategies. They will probably shift to encouraging users to share data through other means, like requiring a login and obtaining consent to share it with advertisers. App developers without the resources to do this may not survive and launching new apps, without a free ad-supported option, will become harder and more expensive.
What this means for advertisers and the advertising industry
This move will make effective advertising on iOS more difficult and leave those affected with a limited timeframe to prepare. The industry should expect a significant decrease in the ability to use Apple’s IDFA for targeting and measurement. Anyone heavily relying on IDFA will be severely impacted and will need to find a new solution for targeting and measurement or resort to legacy methods like contextual-based advertising.
Of the three groups impacted, advertisers are bearing the brunt of the pain in several ways:
Targeting impact: Advertisers will still be able to deliver messaging on iOS apps, but not distinguish between individuals. Obviously, this will be much less efficient.
Pacing impact: Advertisers will be unable to implement frequency caps by individual and waste budget by repeatedly messaging the same person.
Measurement impact: Advertisers will lose the ability to calculate return on ad spend in iOS because they won’t have the IDFA to connect messaging to conversion events like registrations and purchases.
Personalisation/creative impact: Without IDFA, advertisers will lose the ability to personalise and continuously optimise the creative messaging to the individual they are targeting. They’ll also lose the ability to do A/B splits and to test and optimise creative.
Fewer choices for advertising on iOS: This will further increase advertiser dependence on walled gardens such as Facebook and Google, which have account-based logins and thus don’t require IDFA.
It’s time for a new identity strategy
No doubt, the IDFA phase-out will be disruptive. The good news is that better identity strategies exist for a more reliable and future-proof approach.
For example, Epsilon-Conversant’s IDFA strategy is very similar to how we approached Google’s announcement about the third-party cookie.
Also, we have direct relationships with advertisers and a fast-growing network of over a thousand high-quality app publishers to establish an alternative, authenticated and persistent identifier such as login-based ID with user consent. Those high-quality apps, which provide significant value to the end-user, are more likely to gain such consent. In turn, our unique access to these high-value brands minimises our dependency on device IDs like IDFA.
Given the success seen with this approach in the aftermath of Safari Intelligent Tracking Prevention (ITP), we’re confident it will help marketers weather yet another wave of data deprecation and allow for the steady growth of ad delivery on Safari.
This trend will likely continue with other platforms making similar moves. Within the next 18 months, we expect Google to take similar action on its Android platform in conjunction with its Chrome third-party cookie deprecation.
In the meantime, we’ll continue building on the foundation of CORE ID and direct publisher relationships and reducing dependency on tracking cookies or mobile device IDs so marketers can withstand changes by the browsers and mobile operating systems.
This article was originally published on Adweek, July 2020.
---
## Why CMOs need to stop investing in marketing technology
Type: eps_post
URL: /cmos-stop-investing-marketing-technology
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Why CMOs need to stop investing in marketing technology
When was the last time you heard an incoming CMO say the business they are joining had a martech stack to die for; everything was optimal and there is no reason to change any of the existing technology favoured by their predecessor? Probably never.
CMOs come and go, on average, every 43 months. So, every three and a half years, marketing organisations re-start the journey of marketing technology transformation and go through significant upheaval in a new quest for a technological utopia.
But here’s the rub. The marketing doesn’t get that much better. Brands don’t start to do anything transformational. In fact, marketing teams often take a step backwards. Brands end contracts with good partners and lose good working relationships. Teams tread water, experiencing professional limbo, while pitches get undertaken and (often painful) transition happens. Teams have to re-learn much of what they knew already just to get to the same place they were six months ago.
And, in the rare cases where brands do actually take a step forward, does the incremental benefit outweigh the cost that the business has incurred? It’s doubtful and unlikely even measured effectively.
This is not to suggest that CMOs should stop seeking out and implementing new technology that solves new problems and provides new opportunity. There are some cases where you do need to change your platform, because your marketing needs have fundamentally changed.
But in order to drive a change in marketing effectiveness, could finding a partner to help you use your existing technology have a better outcome?
What could change instead?
A new CMO is expected to move things forward, so there is an immediate expectation that things should be changed and your tech stack is an obvious place to start. But what would happen if the CMO looked for ways to enhance and improve what they had, rather than to rip it all out and start again? If your issue is that you’re spamming everyone three times a week with a generic, poorly-designed campaign and it takes you six weeks to get anything out the door, you can spend as much as you like on best-of-breed technology, you’ll still be doing the same six months down the line. It’ll just be costing you more.
Successful change within a business depends on three things: people, process, and technology. Organisations rarely use their marketing technology to the best of its ability. In fact, in most cases, it’s not even close. So, perhaps CMOs should be looking to transform their people or processes instead?
People
Technology platforms are complicated. They evolve quickly. But how well are you ensuring your marketers are always up to speed? Especially when training is always under-invested in.
Do you also have enough staff and the right specialisms within your teams? If you’re not honest about this or fail to leverage the expertise that agency partners can provide then you’ll surely fail. It’s not good enough to buy a new platform for £2m and then expect graduates with no experience to be able to extract its full value.
Solid guidance suggests that for every £100 you spend on marketing technology, you should spend between £500 and £1,000 on people to support and service it.
Processes
There are plenty of reasons why marketing organisations fail when it comes to processes – from global vs. local, too many stakeholders, internal politics, to poor briefing and communication. But the one that has the biggest impact on underperforming technology is a misaligned organisational structure.
If your global marketing vision is to deliver a seamless customer experience across every channel and touchpoint then make sure you’re structured accordingly. Just buying new technology won’t deliver this. You can’t have a social team that doesn’t speak to the CRM team, or a media team that is at odds with the web team, and you can’t think what works in one market will automatically work everywhere else.
In order to put the customer at the heart of your business, remove the internal barriers to delivering that vision and incentivise both your internal and agency teams to work together to achieve that goal.
So, if you’re not the average CMO, think again before you call the next tech pitch. Invest in your team and your existing agency partners. Champion new ideas that can improve, evolve and optimise what you already do. Explore the untapped capabilities you’re already paying for and be open-minded about the experience of your partners.
Find the blockages internally and navigate around them – or change them if you can – to help your organisation serve the greater good – your customers.
Unless it’s unquestionably the right thing to do, think twice before changing your tech again. If new technology was always the answer, perhaps the average CMO would stick around for longer.
**This post first appeared on Marketing Tech
---
## Report: Customer data management: are you crawling, walking or running?
Type: eps_post
URL: /report-customer-data-management-are-you-crawling-walking-or-running
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T22:17:52Z
# Report: Customer data management: are you crawling, walking or running?
How should marketers re-evaluate the level of investment in customer data management and identity management?
How can marketers grow to the next stage of data management maturity? Using a research group of customer experience practitioners based in APAC, we commissioned a report by CX Network which explores the concept of data management maturity.
Download this report to:
Assess your brand’s maturity in customer data management programs and your ability to identify unified and individual customer data
Re-evaluate the level of investment you are making in customer data management and identity management
Obtain tailored insights on how to grow to the next stage of data management maturity
Benchmark your progress, data challenges and successes, against a group of your customer experience peers in APAC
---
## Guide: messaging best practice during challenging times
Type: eps_post
URL: /guide-messaging-best-practice-during-challenging-times
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Guide: messaging best practice during challenging times
Covid-19 has drastically altered the lives of consumers in a very short time, changing their consumption behavior and buying patterns. While marketers shouldn't be afraid of this crisis, they should be cautious and prepared to adapt to this new market reality. Read our guide book and see how your brand can effectively communicate to your customers with the bestmessagingpractices and engagement trends tailored for the Covid-19 crisis.
Download it here.
---
## How to create a loyalty experience that’s brand-right and customer-centric
Type: eps_post
URL: /how-to-create-a-loyalty-experience-thats-brand-right-and-customer-centric
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# How to create a loyalty experience that’s brand-right and customer-centric
Our world is changing rapidly due to disruption and uncertainty, forcing brands and consumers to change how we live our lives, how we communicate, and how we connect, particularly in the moments that matter the most.
Just as our world is changing, the loyalty landscape is also evolving. Brands and loyalty professionals are seeing dramatic market shifts, constant disruption and uncertainty, the advancement of the “tech of tomorrow”, the rise in social engagement, the importance of privacy, the significance of data, and leveraging data to power up hyper-personalised experiences, and the increasing customer expectations are forcing brands to think differently about their customer loyalty strategies, and the technology and services to support them. This is compounded by the fact that consumers are concerned, and anxious about the current global situation. Their time has been disrupted, distraction is everywhere, and customers are being served hundreds of messages daily across a multitude of channels.
Communicating with your customers during times of disruption is more important than ever – but relevance, transparency, and being authentic is critical. For brands and loyalty professionals, you need to understand what’s important to your customers today and develop meaningful loyalty experiences, while recognising and rewarding customers in the moments that matter most. It’s not new news that, loyalty marketing is evolving from a transactional programme where members earn and redeem rewards to a more holistic customer experience, which is focused on personalising the entire experience while building relationships with your customer. Or as we say in Epsilon, evolving from a 1:1 to a 1:You experience. The opportunity to really understand your customers and put your customers at the heart of your loyalty programme, lie’s in getting your loyalty value proposition right.
This can be achieved by utilising a framework such as Epsilon’s Loyalty Evaluation and Design (LEAD) process, which helps brands create a loyalty experience that’s brand-right and customer-centric, and consists of four distinct phases: discovery, evaluation, design, and plan. What makes this process so unique is it infuses a blend of data, insights, analytics, experience and, creativity to help brands develop a unique loyalty experience that’s right for the customer…and the brand. (Get in touch if you’d like to learn more about our LEAD process).
As part of the LEAD process, we use the 5 C’s of loyalty strategy - competition, culture, company, cost-benefit, and customer – to assess critical components and inform the loyalty design recommendations to form an ideal loyalty experience for you and your customers.
The infographic below outlines the 5 C’s in brief. However, if you would like a more detailed insight into the framework take a look at our SlideShare deck.
In conclusion, when developing your loyalty strategies, focus on your customers and on creating meaningful emotional experiences, with a 1:You mindset. Create a value proposition that engages your customers and aligns with your goals and objectives, while taking care to balance “hard benefits” and “soft benefits”. When devising your strategy framework, think about the type of loyalty solution and partner you need. Is your primary goal to work with a loyalty technology partner to manage your loyalty campaigns? Is it a package solution? Are you more interested in a consultancy service? Or a hands-on, highly customised loyalty strategy, analytics, and marketing service? Epsilon’s PeopleCloud Loyalty solution is a market-leading end-to-end solution, and we’re the ONLY company that has been named a leader in the 2019 Forrester Waves for both Loyalty Technology Platforms and Loyalty Service Providers. This is a powerful validation for why the world’s leading brands trust our loyalty expertise. To learn more, please feel free to contact us.
---
## Adapting your loyalty efforts in the face of economic disruption: Exclusive Loyalty360 Q&A
Type: eps_post
URL: /adapting-your-loyalty-efforts-in-the-face-of-economic-disruption-exclusive-loyalty360-qa
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T22:17:52Z
# Adapting your loyalty efforts in the face of economic disruption: Exclusive Loyalty360 Q&A
In today’s global marketplace, there are constant disruptions and uncertainties. Whether it be the upcoming US election, BREXIT, swings in the economy or global health concerns, change is inevitable.
Staying connected to your clients and helping them stay connected to their customers is of utmost importance in a normal economic climate, but even more so today. With that said, Epsilon has years of experience in the loyalty platform space, and knows how to make sure there is a connection at an emotional level and not just on the surface.
Loyalty360 recently spoke to Rick Boubelik, Senior Director of Loyalty at Epsilon, about how loyalty marketers are reacting to disruption, some advice to maintain customer connections in challenging times, as well as how Epsilon is adapting. Read on to learn more, or watch our video to hear Rick discussing key topics from the Q&A.
What are you hearing from your loyalty clients as their concerns around some of these disruptions?
Well, obviously we’re seeing declining foot traffic and less travel. But the main questions we’re getting back from our clients are, “When will business come back? How will it be different? Is my programme actually prepared to reconnect with our customers? How do we recreate the customer experience (quality, exception services, customisation)?” With the COVID-19 virus out there, many clients need a fundamental change in their way of doing business. They need help finding, attracting and communicating the new (and evolving) customer offering. We’re trying to help them engage new and old customers at a different level than they’ve had to in the past.
What can brands do to stay connected to customers during uncertain times?
The brands who will succeed are those who remain connected to their customers with relevant communication and by continuing to deliver positive customer experiences. Loyalty marketers have an advantage, in that they already have data-driven insights and close connections with their customers.
I think one of the great things we’re seeing right now, and it is tough times… At Epsilon, we’re trying to keep it positive—trying to deliver a positive experience for our own clients and have that translate to their customers. How are we communicating that? We encourage them to just be human, be real, be a partner to their customers. This is where loyalty is getting exciting right now. Brands are putting people over products, and this really endears customers to be better customers to the brands. Our data-driven insights are helping to inform those conversations.
Do you have specific advice or recommendations for these brands to put these processes in place?
Recommendation #1: You cannot carry on business as usual anymore. Brands really have to be flexible and adapt to this business challenge. So, where we’re really seeing that is how brands are reevaluating and communicating with customers. It’s not the same old messaging we’re putting out there and saying the same old “thank you’s” anymore. We want to help them connect to customers on an emotional level. It’s not just transactional anymore. For example, you don’t want to target people who just lost their jobs with designer handbags. But maybe it’s more relevant to give helpful tips on how to dress for an interview if you lost your job, then offer specific options. Helping brands to communicate more on a 1:You, human level is where we can be most effective.
Recommendation #2: Now is the opportunity to create that goodwill. Make sure that you’re authentic. For example, the New York Times and other media outlets have taken down paywalls blocking COVID-19 stories. The Times and USA Today are offering free coronavirus newsletters. U-Haul offered 30 days of free storage to college students who needed to quickly vacate their dorms. They are touching on the emotional aspects. In the UK, Nandos restaurants provided food drops to National Health Service teams, an initiative apparently led by the restaurants themselves.
Recommendation #3: Focus on the customer experience, especially online. You know your loyal customers; they have opted-in to be part of your community. Use your data-driven insights to keep in touch with them and reassure them. Be service-focused, not sales-focused. And make customer experiences easy.
Double down on your digital experience. Provide those important updates up-front on your home page. This is where people will see the brand right off. Get it across very quickly. And facilitate ways to connect with your company, such as highlighting ways to contact you on your homepage, increasing call center or customer care staff or proactively investing in chat bots
Recommendation #4: Waive or ease policy restrictions. For loyalty marketers, there are easy things you can do to ease restrictions on some of your policies, because people can’t transact with you. For example, airlines like Delta and British Airways are being proactive in their customer experience. They have waived flight change and cancellation fees, offering credit for future flights. Changing the time required to earn Elite status. Marriott has also added more flexible policies. Go through the terms and conditions and find the angst points.
Retailers, many of whose storefronts are now temporarily closed, have amended their return policies. Adidas temporarily increased free returns to 100 days. In the UK, John Lewis extended returns for up to 35 days from John Lewis shops reopening. Or if you’ve been unable to return an unwanted item due to self-isolation restrictions, they will honor late returns.
In the financial services arena, several banks are offering more flexibility (payment deferrals, waived fees). Bank of America created a Client Assistance program for consumer and small business waiving certain account fees. And UK banks are allowing fast tracking applications for three-month payment holidays from mortgages.
Recommendation #5: Adapt or fall behind. Whether we like it or not, our world can drastically change within a short period of time. Whether it be from health concerns, recession, financial uncertainty or a toxic political environment. When this happens, take the opportunity to evaluate and possibly evolve your program to better align with new consumer expectations, business environment, and customer sensitivities. Ask yourself, “Is it still the right value proposition for your consumers?”
podcast: CREATING SUSTAINABLE LOYALTY PROGRAMMES
You mention “Adapt or fall behind.” What does that mean in terms of loyalty strategy?
Well, it’s really in trying to look at the purpose of your programme. The typical loyalty programmes are rewards-based, “Do this, get that.” But loyalty has evolved. It is s a strategy and an outcome of all the experiences customers have had with your brand. It’s trying to connect on a 1:You level with more human experiences.
So, we really want to address that customer value proposition as more than just the transaction. But are providing rewards enough? If a recession hits or a percent of your customers become unemployed or underemployed… is this enough of a value proposition to keep some share of wallet? Loyalty programmes have excellent data to provide customer insights to help you adapt, however, in a situation like COVID-19, these are lagging indicators of a world that has changed. Look at some of the leading indicators and trends to help you adapt.
For example, with COVID-19, many in the restaurant industry suddenly shut down. It’s a new business model. How do I get my product out to the customers? How is that changing the experience? How do I keep part of that? I want longer lasting emotional engagement and loyalty… How am I going to adapt to that? When many were out of work, many efforts popped up to help. This “social sharing” phenomenon might have a place in a lot of programmes as we look to create longer lasting “emotional” engagement & loyalty. Health, safety and confidence of wellbeing as a message has a role in loyalty. Or consider doing business in isolation: shopping, dining, socialising in the comforts of our homes continues to grow. Have you made it easy for your customers to interact with your brand? Those are the type of the things to achieve your 1:You approach. You have to rethink your programme and be adaptable to many different types of customers. Some are price value driven, some are service driven, some need more attention and time to make decisions. So how does your programme adapt to all of these, not just one of these segments.
How is Epsilon adapting to keep up with the rapid pace of change and uncertainty?
We do this through both our Services and our Platform. We focus on a collaboration to help stay entrenched in helping our clients and their customers. Publicis recently launched our new AI-driven collaboration tool, Marcel, to enable us to tap into knowledge and experience from across Publicis’ group of agencies. We have great talent across the globe, and this helps us tap into expertise internally and redefine how we form teams. So, our clients benefit from the knowledge of not just our local Loyalty teams, but from cross-functional resources around the world. We’re going to be very collaborative, which is going to help our clients.
Also, on the technology side we’re heavily investing in AI and machine learning for our PeopleCloud Loyalty platform. This allows better understanding in how we’re going to act and act fast. It’s not just a product or transition focus anymore, but the emotional focus. I think that’s where machine learning is really taking off for us. We have the most talented people I’ve ever worked with in the industry, in loyalty and data marketing side, and having those people in a collaborative environment, the investments we’re making in this technology, is happening on a speed pace being pushed by some great clients. They want to learn more and see how to maximise their investments. We stay on top of industry research and trends to help the address their needs for today and tomorrow.
What technologies do you (Epsilon) offer to address clients’ needs in these disruptive times?
As I mentioned, AI and machine learning are very proactive on connections for us and that’s the big shift that’s coming for us in loyalty. It’s not about a single transaction. But investment, turning even reports that we’re turning into insights, that kind of asset becomes a very valuable tool to loyalty managers and analytic personnel. “Where do I start my day? How do I make better decisions?” That investment in those insights and better metrics on what’s working and what’s not working—not just the loyalty programme, but the business impacts of the loyalty programme. Some of the technology is actually getting better tools to make those metrics more understandable for loyalty clients.
We’re also including some proprietary products outside of our loyalty platform. Epsilon uses VAP (value attrition and potential) framework for customer segmentation where we can define and score customers in a proprietary way. We have industry benchmarks that help our clients understand where they’re performing well within their competitive set, in retail, banking or in travel. We have a fraud detection tool that’s part of our machine learning enhancements to protect the programmes.
Specifically, for loyalty, our best technology is our decision engine that makes eligibility decisions and calculations “in a moment”: our offer management tool which we call “connection management.”
It’s to drive the most effective outcome that can be enabled with any inbound or outbound marketing systems across all touch points (email, online, mobile, call centers, point of sale). Marketers can set-up any number of “moments” with point and click action, creating dynamic formulas with robust business rules using any data element within or received by the platform. And the cool thing that we just launched is the ability to simulate marketing outcomes. So you no longer have to wonder and guess about hey, how’s this promotion going to work, or connection or engagement promotion. We can simulate it and you can better define your budgets and add in more segments or clients’ memberships. We are able to do a better job of predicting for you.
Ultimately though, the technology cannot stand alone without the people. You need to have good loyalty marketing professionals helping you. Our loyalty technology team is tied at the hip with our strategy team and our client services team. We get great input in understanding where do we go next. And we’ve got some great clients, who are also loyalty experts, pushing us to evolve not only our thinking, but our products and services and how we can engage better.
Watch the video interview.
**This post first appeared on L360.
---
## Consumer research: Display adverts preferred during Covid-19 crisis
Type: eps_post
URL: /consumer-research-display-adverts-preferred-during-covid-19-crisis
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Consumer research: Display adverts preferred during Covid-19 crisis
Consumers are happy with the amount of display ads currently shown by brands but feel overwhelmed by excessive and irrelevant email and social media marketing - proving relevance is key - new research from Epsilon-Conversant and CJ Affiliate shows.
The study of 4,045 consumers across five regions reveals that the majority (87%) of consumers don’t think they are seeing too many display ads from brands, demonstrating that across every demographic group, display is considered the least obtrusive or overwhelming channel they’ve been exposed to.
Claim your copy of the report
In contrast, more than half (47%) of consumers feel they are receiving too many email marketing messages and another third (35%) are overwhelmed by the amount of social media marketing.
British consumers in particular are receiving too many social media marketing messages, with this figure rising to 44%.
An issue of relevance
“It’s not just what you say but also how you say it,” explains Elliott Clayton, SVP, Epsilon-Conversant.
“Many of us will have experienced an influx of email newsletters ‒ perhaps even some we didn’t know we signed up to. If not sent in a relevant and timely fashion, and in a way that is properly aligned to consumers’ needs this could be more of a turn off than showing customers you care.
"It can be done well, but it takes understanding, thought, and time.”
The research also unveils different demographic advertising preferences, with some groups feeling more overwhelmed by email marketing than others.
For example, almost two-thirds (61%) of Gen Z believe they are sent too many marketing emails, alongside those currently looking for work (55%). The opposite is true for those who are retired, with just over a third (34%) stating that they feel overwhelmed by emails.
However, the study does show that email and other channels have their place.
More than a third (38%) of consumers do want to receive email marketing from brands during coronavirus. For those living in urban areas, email is their favourite means for receiving brand communications (39%), contrasting with those in suburban or rural areas who favour TV ads (40%).
“This is an opportunity for brands to better reach and communicate with their customers – talking the language they want to hear and also finding and speaking with them when and where it suits them," continues Clayton.
"It’s important that marketers have the right tools to understand this nuance - those marketers who are able to understand and adapt to this will stand a much better chance of success during these difficult times.”
Claim your copy of the report
---
## Retail messaging during COVID-19: What to embrace right now
Type: eps_post
URL: /retail-messaging-during-covid-19-what-to-embrace-right-now
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Retail messaging during COVID-19: What to embrace right now
No brand can realistically prepare for “customer messaging during a pandemic,” yet here we all are. Brand communications are of the utmost importance right now as retailers search for the best way to engage consumers during this difficult time. It’s no simple task, and people are looking for a variety of things: entertainment, guidance and information. Retail brands can provide additional value through communications as everyone prepares for the “next normal”. Right now, consumers will be searching for guidance on how they can readapt.
And the statistics are rolling in to support this. In March, we saw the following across our Epsilon PeopleCloud Messaging platform for our retail clients worldwide:
Unique open rates increased throughout March to level out at 11%, as stay-at-home living with more inbox attention time began adjusting to more usual Easter and spring messaging cadence.
Despite early numbers of CEO messages with less clickable calls-to-action, unique click-through rates rose significantly with 20% increase by March week 4, indicating interest and desire to engage with brands.
Your retail strategy needs to be updated during this unprecedented time, and because your customers are online now more than ever before (In the UK, for example, we’ve found time spent online by individuals has increased by 20% per day), digital messaging is a crucial component of that strategy. But brands need to be conscious of what, where and how content is distributed and positioned during this unprecedented time.
Here, we outline four messaging strategies (with examples) for retailers to effectively, and consciously, communicate during this COVID-19 retail disruption.
Acknowledge the current environment, rather than gloss over or pretend
When it comes to COVID-19 retail messaging, here are some statistics from MediaPost:
In March, COVID-themed emails received more opens (28%) compared to business-as-usual emails (25%), indicating that timely and highly relevant messages have stronger appeal.
At the same time, delete rates significantly jumped from 7% in March 2019 to 11% March this year, reinforcing the higher immediacy and shorter shelf life for communications in the current environment.
What does this mean? There’s an elephant in the room, and not acknowledging it does more to harm your communication than help. But - and this is a big one - your COVID-19 messaging strategy needs to be appealing for readers.
Talk about the situation - not the problem. Literally including the words “COVID-19” in your subject lines or copy is not strictly necessary, and may detract from the lighthearted tone you’re striving for. While appropriate for CEO messages regarding health and safety efforts, a more subtle approach for helpful tips and home-living category inspiration may resonate more.
Instead, nod to the experience. Customers will know what you’re referring to - we’re all experiencing the same situation - and will be thankful you’re actually speaking directly to what they’re feeling. Plus, shoppers are looking for ways to turn this experience into a more positive one, and you can help them out there.
A great example of this in action is an email from Coach UK, which has the subject line “Because we all need a little joy right now” and the header “What brings you joy? Coach answers.”
In this communication, the situation is acknowledged subtly, all while putting their customer at the forefront, not Coach products. The human touch conveyed in the messaging promotes positive associations with the brand.
What to avoid: Don’t stick to overly somber messaging or cause undue stress. The last thing you want to be sending is urgency messaging during this sensitive time.
Consumers are looking for distractions - create content to engage
The COVID-19 retail communications you’re sharing right now should not just be tied to products and sales, but also engagement and relevancy with audience. On a statistical level, Mobile Marketer has seen mobile gaming jump 24% in just two weeks as people are growing more reliant on anything indoors for entertainment.
Shoppers are ready for some levity; we’ve seen an uptick already in more lighthearted, optimistic and entertaining content and communications. Retailers should mix in unique content types, such as infographics, articles, videos, recipes, how-to's and more. Business-as-usual promotional offers that speak to necessary savings are important, but may come across as off-tone during this time.
We’re continuing to see brands switch from a selling model to a content model. Education, inspiration, fun and games are the new promotions, effectively entertaining consumers and nurturing brand loyalty. And your communications should extend across customer preferred channels - email, social, digital media and push notifications - with the right cadence to deliver value while not seeming overwhelming. Some brands are enriching enjoyment and usability of their products by investing in rich content to support the product experience outside the merchandise itself:
The Body Shop: A recent Body Shop email focused on taking care of yourself and others and included a gift guide and gift basket inspiration for loved ones you cannot be with in person.
Nike: With sports canceled and gyms closed, Nike has customers covered. Via a long, extended email (yes, these can work well), the brand alerted shoppers that it has made paid Nike Training Club Premium (a $14.99/mo value) free to all Nike Members until further notice. Even better, Nike reflects this update within SEO and created a hashtag #playinside.
Walgreens: A recent Walgreens seniors-focused email communicates empathy and concern while leading with a relevant offer (up to 30% off for those 55+), keeping messaging on theme throughout the creative and offering practical ways for to allow seniors to remain safe.
Avoid: Staying the line with only product or savings-based messaging. Consumers are looking for content that is helpful, entertaining or relevant for their current experience. They are giving brands permission to color outside the lines as we navigate new territory together.
Create communications that add to the conversation
It may be tempting to showcase all the amazing things your brand is doing to drum up enthusiasm, but caution is advised. It’s not the time to share platitudes about the situation or repeat what should be a given; consumers are looking for a balance of guidance, distraction and compassion. John Oliver’s recent rant against Amazon calling their employees “heroes” is one lens through which messaging can inadvertently be viewed as self-serving; actionable information that provides value to the reader is paramount.
Use communications to add something positive to the conversation, and offer customers something of unique value during this situation. Brands are getting creative with how they’re adapting to support the current crisis and be of genuine help to people during this time.
BP for instance, after acknowledging the situation, offered first responders, doctors, nurses and hospital works a one-time 50-cent-off per gallon discount to use on their next fill-up at BP or Amoco. To draw attention to the offer, the email encouraged readers to send a personal “thank-you” by sharing a post on social media and using the hashtag #BPLocalHeroes.
Avoid: Talking out of your depth or putting the focus on yourself. It’s not about making a big announcement about what you’re doing, it’s about how you’re being genuinely helpful for others right now.
As well, make sure that if you’re creating COVID-19 content, it’s well thought through. We studied one email from a brand with an enticing COVID-themed “work from home” email subject line, but the email content wasn’t adapted: the four-piece woman’s power suit featured feelings of elegance and polish in the office (with product and place being far from timely). Make sure to think through all aspects of your communications to fit the current situation or run the risk of alienating customers. This includes shutting off any automated triggers, such as your 45-day at risk win-back, that may not meet the new tone of today’s #stayhome life.
Make your message count
Be clear about the purpose of your message as a marketer. There will be a “next normal” just around the corner when customers are permitted to step out of their indoor lifestyle and re-enter shops. Preparing consumers for a “March goods sale in May,” or setting expectations for the weeks needed to fully restock ahead of the next season, are critical. Even the effort to widen aisles for improved social distancing overall will take time.
Now is also a crucial time to build brand affinity and loyalty. This applies to both your longstanding customers, as well as any new customers purchasing from you for the first time. We’re seeing this heavily in ecommerce right now, where people are trying new retailers because their typical go-to brand was sold out of their favorite product, or they are trying a new retailer because of proximity to home vs. regular shopping habit. This creates retention challenges but also acquisition opportunities at the same time.
And, if you’re really looking to plan for the future, don’t segment or target based on last year’s numbers. Rather, focus on the past 60 to 90 days of engagement across channels and purchase behavior. Customers’ buying behaviors are changing, and that may be for a short period of time or for good. In either case, understanding new buying behaviors and leveraging those insights to speak to them is key. Show first-time buyers what you’re able to offer in the long term, and you’ll be in a better position for the future.
Avoid: Don’t just live in the now without a solid plan to match potential out of season inventory or delayed seasonal restock with shopper expectations. Plan for a broad array of customer and store experiences, and let customers know you’ll doing your best to ramp back up for them quickly, with safety still top of mind.
Taking queues from industry peers is a helpful way to refine your own COVID-19 strategy. Move forward with these recommendations, and you’ll set yourself up for success as we move into the next normal.
Continue reading: Effective digital messaging for restaurants during uncertain times.
If you'd like to find out more about how we can help you with your messaging strategy, get in touch.
---
## Effective digital messaging strategies for restaurants during uncertain times
Type: eps_post
URL: /effective-digital-messaging-strategies-for-restaurants-during-uncertain-times
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Effective digital messaging strategies for restaurants during uncertain times
In order to flatten the curve of COVID-19, restaurants have been ordered to close their doors to customers. While we hope businesses will reopen safely in due time, we’re left to navigate these unchartered waters.
Yes, some guests are choosing to stay home completely, but many can still order delivery and takeout. This is a great opportunity for restaurants to provide comfort to their customers and continue generating business—even if guests can’t dine-in.
During these times, restaurants need to make sure they clearly and effectively communicate to their guests. Of course, this is easier said than done. But the key is not to doubt or underestimate the importance of a strong digital messaging strategy. As consumers spend more and more time on digital right now (In the UK, for example, we’ve found time spent online by individuals has increased by 20% per day), restaurant marketers can leverage these channels to connect with guests and guide them to dine-out, all while strengthening relationships and trust.
And while it might not feel like it, there are steps restaurants can take immediately to take back some control.
Adjust your messaging
Messages should be informative and relevant
If your restaurant is new to the delivery/takeout game - as even many established restaurant brands are first-timers or underprepared for this to be the bulk of their business - brands need to adjust in-market promotions to consider the new context of their offerings.
Brands need to adapt creative quickly to use photos of menu items that travel well, remove photos from the rotation of dishes that you don’t offer for delivery and takeout, replace in-room dining creative with that of the takeout or delivery experience, etc. Additionally, use your limited messaging space to deliver the most pertinent information:
Inform customers that you are open right now for delivery and takeout options, and direct people to where they can order online or by phone. Major brands are making sure customers are aware of their new dine-out options; take Chipotle: the fast-casual giant has launched a campaign titled “Straight to Your Door” to inform guests of their new operations focus and options.
Highlight your food safety protocols as it continues to be top of mind for consumers across industries. (Notice how Chipotle was sure to feature their employees preparing food with gloves!)
Although it may seem fairly straightforward, include your hours of operation at each location. People may be less familiar with your typical hours, and we’ve seen some restaurants extend their hours as well to accommodate more mealtimes than they normally would or reduce their late-night hours.
Reflect the tone of the times
This is clearly not business as usual, so how you communicate with customers should reflect that. In research we conducted at the end of March, we found that 49% of all respondents felt they received marketing messaging over the preceding seven days that was poorly timed or didn’t match their interest. While restaurants need to be informative and promotional of their brands to drive revenue, it’s also important to remain empathetic with your customers.
Take Guinness’s St. Patrick’s Day ad, for example. While it’s a big-budget commercial many restaurants brands may not be able to support right now, their sentiment and tone is something all brands can emulate when they speak to customers. Right now, focus on being authentic in the moment in your creative messaging; we don’t know what is to come, but we can provide real connections to customers right now.
Prioritise flexibility in your messaging
We have all seen how quickly this situation can change—news from even a week ago is seemingly out of date. One third of advertisers have canceled at least one campaign before it started since the start of the pandemic.
During this time, work with a partner that prioritises flexibility of marketing messages. Brands need to be able to easily swap out messaging and creative to reflect the new normal and be in market with that new message as quickly as possible.
This also means having flexibility in where messages are being placed. For some, advertising next to or around coronavirus news might be fine, but for restaurants, it may be more sensitive. Consumers report that food and travel are categories they feel most resistance towards seeing next to COVID-19 imagery.
Think through your channel strategy
Email continues to be a key channel
During this unprecedented time, email has emerged as one of the most trusted channels for communicating with consumers with 38% of respondents to our survey citing email as their preferred communication channel. But it’s also highlighting 1) just how many emails people get and 2) how outdated many brands’ email lists are.
It’s likely you’ve already sent a few emails around your business updates, but make sure you look at how you’re speaking to customers across your database moving forward. You shouldn’t send the same message to a loyal, high-value customer as you do to someone you want to re-engage. The former likely wants all of the information on how you’re adapting right now, while the latter likely just needs a friendly “hello” message and a reminder that you’re open. Consider the level of engagement of each contact and the above recommendations for creative.
Extend your message across channels
Email is still an important channel, but people’s inboxes are getting flooded (and rightly so). You need to consider how to extend the same email messaging strategy across channels.
People have more free time than normal; in a March survey from Integral Ad Science (IAS), 88% of consumers surveyed said the COVID-19 situation is changing the types of content they typically consume, and 59% said they are actively consuming more news.
In addition to emails, extend the conversation to digital media on publisher sites and leverage SMS and push notifications to reach consumers. By diversifying the channels for your conversations, you’ll gain more traction.
Consider display to reach your best customers
To bypass crowded inboxes, digital display ads are a great option to ensure you are actually getting in front of your guests. Customers are online, but restaurant marketers need to be smart in order to reach them. Right now, every single ad dollar counts as many restaurants don’t have the short-term revenue projection needed to go all-in on massive media budgets. Make sure you message only those who are most likely to dine with you and show that you can prove performance on the backend.
Location-based advertising is critical right now, and it could be beneficial for restaurants to expand their typical geotargeting range (as long as it doesn’t impact other locations) as people may be more inclined to travel a bit farther for takeout during this time.
Focus on channels and tactics that drive real results
Restaurant brands need to prioritise marketing channels that focus on results right now. Restaurant brands don’t have the luxury of big budget buys that are great for awareness but lack tangible traction. It is noted that during times of hardship or recession, companies are pressured to justify their ad spend to executives. Now is the time to use lower-funnel tactics that are guaranteed to drive results.
True understanding is needed
Keep in mind that your customers are dealing with their own concerns right now. This is the time to reach them with content that makes them feel connected and understood during a crisis. The real challenge comes in how brands can share their most important messages - at scale - to consumers.
Of course, expanding your messaging strategy will not completely solve for the current business downturn. But it will help restaurant marketers forge better, longer lasting relationships with their customers while keeping them informed of new promotions or programmes.
It’s not a quick fix, but rather an overall strengthening of communication when customers need it most.
Want to learn more about how restaurants can adjust their operations to handle challenging times for their business? Check out our whitepaper with FastCasual to learn more.
If you'd like to find out more about digital marketing strategies and how we can help you, get in touch.
---
## Consumer research: Brands should continue advertising during Covid-19
Type: eps_post
URL: /consumer-research-brands-should-continue-advertising-during-covid-19
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T22:17:52Z
# Consumer research: Brands should continue advertising during Covid-19
Right now, during this global pandemic, the majority of consumers do want to receive advertising, but many – including just over half of US and UK consumers – admit that they have received a message they felt was inappropriate in the current climate.
This is according to a study of 4,045 consumers in the UK, France, USA, Italy, and Spain, organised by Epsilon-Conversant and CJ Affiliate.
In total, half (48%) of global consumers have received a marketing message in the past two weeks that they felt was poorly timed or inappropriate.
Claim your copy of the report
However, the majority of consumers (62%) said that they did want to receive adverts at this time, with three-quarters of consumers in the US (72%) and Italy (76%) believing it is appropriate for brands to be sending ads.
These findings are corroborated by research from GlobalWebIndex, Kantar, and others, as reported by eMarketer.
“Turning off paid marketing channels could lead to a decreased share of voice and the research shows that this knee-jerk reaction would be unnecessary," explains Elliott Clayton, SVP, Epsilon-Conversant. "The majority of respondents do not think brands need to stop advertising during the COVID-19 outbreak.
"Instead, brands must align their products, services and promotions with the needs of consumers in this situation. This is a human problem that requires brands to find their human sides.”
The study reinforces the need for brands to show sensitivity. For example, many consumers preferred to receive messages of wellbeing and positivity (49%) from brands, although many were also still looking for discounts and offers (58%). Only 14% of consumers wanted to see product-focused content from brands at this time.
British respondents were keen for wellbeing to be at the forefront of advertising amidst an overwhelming call for messages of positive thinking (61%). In contrast, respondents from the US and Italy want to see adverts and marketing communications around deals and discounts.
“There is opportunity but not for opportunists," continues Clayton.
"Right now, brands must ask themselves, how might I be able to help or inform my customers, not just push through that sale? Even restaurants have used this time to offer their recipes for free over social channels to stay relevant, and as this situation continues to develop differently across the globe, brands need to be listening and responding to consumers’ varying concerns and needs.
"That means opening up communication channels and starting a real, honest dialogue one-to-one.”
Claim your copy of the report
---
## Another exciting year for email: Logos in the inbox and a more trustworthy ecosystem
Type: eps_post
URL: /logos-in-inbox-and-more-trustworthy-ecosystem
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Another exciting year for email: Logos in the inbox and a more trustworthy ecosystem
There’s a newish industry protocol that’s going to be receiving a lot of attention this year. Whether you send mail, read mail, or manage inboxes for others, The ‘Brand Indicators for Message Identification’ (BIMI) protocol is something that should appeal to you.
Benefits for bulk email senders
When talking to many large brands who send bulk email, we continued to hear frustration and confusion about how to reliably influence which logo should accompany their email sends. This has been a pain point for many brands and marketers who have been unclear about how to get their logo to display in various mailbox providers, or how to change out a retired logo after a merger, acquisition, or rebranding (you know, the details that keep marketers up at night). BIMI hopes to be the standard across various mailbox providers.
Currently, Verizon Media (Yahoo! and AOL) is leveraging BIMI. Senders currently using the protocol will see their logos in Yahoo’s Mobile Mail app. Google has also publicly announced plans to roll forward with BIMI at some point this year.
Note: Both Verizon Media and Google have legacy systems, which will still display logos for senders who adhere to those rules, but just because you see your logo in these respective mail apps, does NOT mean that you are BIMI compliant. If and when the legacy programmes are sunsetted, that logo will be a no go!
Previously, each mailbox provider established their own methodology for identifying brand logos to display within email, but BIMI creates consistency and an industry standard. Most notably, Gmail was leveraging Google Plus Business profiles to associate a logo with a sender’s domain. With Google’s announcement to trial BIMI in 2020, the assumption is that it will become their new standard.
Empowering a brand owner to have full control of their logo helps provide a more immersive and consistent brand experience. Many email recipients tend to scan their inboxes quickly for their favorite brands, but because of the uniformity of text size and color in the inbox, nothing stands out. The stopping power of a recognizable logo makes finding their favorite brand easy. This beacon triggers user recognition and offers a significant advantage, particularly for companies with high brand affinity.
Benefits for mailbox providers
This breakthrough is also very exciting news for mailbox providers, who see amazing potential and are motivated to promote this functionality. For this group, the immediate benefits are two-fold:
To provide an improved, intuitive visual experience for their user base
To encourage broad adoption of the anti-spoofing protocol, DMARC
That last bullet point is going to be a big one for all large volume senders who are not currently using DMARC.
DMARC implementation is not a simple thing, and it’s even more complex for larger companies. When DMARC is used for BIMI, it requires the brand to set a mail policy, which tells mailbox providers to either block or quarantine emails from their domain, and all sub domains, when the email does not pass SPF or DKIM authentication checks. So, for a global company sending from @example.com, they may have mail servers around the world, and possibly even third parties which have been authorised to send from their corporate domain (or a subdomain). To enable BIMI, they need to ensure that each of those mail streams pass authentication or those messages will not be seen. The DMARC protocol does feedback reporting on the sending email server and whether mail is passing or failing authentication, but this data is delivered from each participating mailbox provider.
Making sense of all these reports can be a major headache. So much so, most major brands will use a DMARC provider to manage this reporting. To enable DMARC, you will likely need to coordinate with your corporation’s Security Team. Again, this is an anti-spoofing protocol and it must be enforced at the organisational domain.
Why this is big and where it could lead
For most B2C senders, Gmail, Yahoo and AOL email addresses will usually account for more than 50% of their recipients. That definitely qualifies as a critical mass, which will continue to push other mailbox providers, and most major email senders, into participation. As we continue to see wider adoption, those who are not using BIMI may find themselves in a diminishing percentage of bulk mail.
I would speculate that once there is wide enough adoption, mailbox providers like Google or Verizon Media (after finding that the ‘carrot’ approach works for the majority of bulk senders) may consider using the ‘stick’ to capture the remainder who have not adopted. The stick may be a shameful ‘?’ that displays instead of a brand’s logo, or the ‘!’, which can be found in the Gmail Spam folder. These indicate that, “We aren’t really sure who sent this because they have not secured mail from their domain.”
The work of separating good mail from bad mail is an increasingly complex challenge that is shared among mailbox providers. Other than major financial mailers and a few other key brands, many have been quite vocal about the adoption of DMARC not meeting their expectations. DMARC was designed to help the mail sender have a voice about how their mail should be treated in the event of a potential spoof. This benefits mailbox providers by taking the guesswork out of trying to distinguish between a spoof and a legitimate message that may have experienced a technical error.
What’s a sender to do?
If you want to see your beautiful logo in Verizon Media’s app (and coming soon, Google’s app):
Talk with your ESP about DMARC and BIMI. While your ESP won’t be in a position to implement the vast majority of required steps for you, they can confirm if you have all the appropriate pre-requisites in place for your bulk mail and they should be able to help provide additional context around the pros and cons specific to your business and your bulk programme.
Talk with key stakeholders within your company. Security and your IT group would need to be involved if you intend to roll out DMARC and BIMI. Depending upon scale and complexity, it can take several months to roll out DMARC, so these conversations should be taking place ASAP if you would like to have BIMI in place before Google starts to roll this out.
Talk with DMARC vendors. For DMARC to work as intended, you will want to have a system in place where DMARC reporting is being organised and monitored on a continuous basis. This is almost always fulfilled through a third party DMARC vendor.
Benefit from the expertise of a partner that consistently ranks as a leader for email and cross-channel marketing excellence, according to analyst reports and industry publications. Find out more about Epsilon PeopleCloud Messaging here.
---
## Loyalty’s secret ingredient: Email
Type: eps_post
URL: /loyaltys-secret-ingredient-email
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Loyalty’s secret ingredient: Email
The best loyalty programmes create a 1:You experience for their very best customers. From earning to redeeming and everything in between, a good loyalty programme listens to its customers. It creates the connections that deliver lifetime value to both the customer and the brand they love.
The best email programmes do exactly the same thing.
Infusing strong email best practices into a loyalty programme can produce powerful results. Why? Because email rounds out the customer experience. Leveraging robust data - including that collected through loyalty participation - creates a 1:You experience wherever your customers are, in the moments that matter most.
1:You is about creating a holistically individualised customer experience. A customer-focused loyalty programme can help you reach that level of personalisation. An email programme rooted in analytics and automation can also take your brand to personalisation at that level. In this blog, we consider the type of customer experiences you can create by bringing loyalty and email together.
Here's a 3-step plan to align your email programme with your loyalty programme.
1. Start with a template
As highlighted in 5 tips to fuse email creativity with data and technology, dynamic templates create efficiencies in the personalisation game to connect on a 1:You level. Think of the template as a flexible journey where you can change the creative and messaging based on the individual and their previous brand interactions.
This means your email template should be built on a modular framework ,designed to ingest and activate loyalty data, to streamline and automate 1:You personalisation.
Building this modular system takes time, but there are efficiencies that come into play by developing automation capabilities. Once your template is developed, your focus can shift to strategic content development, storytelling and visual design.
2. Set customer expectations
You’ve designed your loyalty programme to meet your customers’ needs; let them know! Use a real-time welcome email to acknowledge their opt-in. In Are you undervaluing trigger emails?, we explain that this is the first triggered email you should set up because the engagement rates are remarkably high.
The welcome sets the tone for the rest of your communications. It shows what kind of business your new customers have a relationship with and gives you a chance to highlight the many benefits of receiving email communications from your brand.
If your programme is more complex, or you have more to say than is appropriate for one welcome message, consider an onboarding series.
An onboarding series can help establish your desired tone and give the newcomer a chance to better understand your programme before diving right in. Put the same effort into evaluating the communication needs of your customers as you put into tailoring your loyalty programme to those customers and decide if your programme has enough information to demand an onboarding series.
Each touch in the welcome and onboarding series is an opportunity to educate your new member about the benefits of the programme, the ways they can earn and redeem rewards, member exclusives and more, before they move into the business-as-usual email stream. These communications give the customer the ability, over time or all at once, to convey their preferences either by sending them to a communications preference center or by collecting clicks through progressive profiling.
In the example below, clothing brand Madewell uses one email to introduce the programme, outline membership benefits and give the member an opportunity to learn more.
3. Show, don’t tell
Storytellers know that you should show as much as or more than you tell. Data visualisation helps your customers contextualise their personal journey, and it reinforces the value your loyalty programme brings to their real life.
Loyalty dashboard:
Even promotional, non-loyalty-specific emails can be personalised for your loyalty customers with a simple-but-effective loyalty dashboard that acknowledges data points like name, member number, points earned and status.
Every email you send to customers who are in your loyalty programme, regardless of whether that email is about the loyalty programme, should include this loyalty programme information. The dashboard on every email creates consistency, is an easy way to personalise, and reminds them of their ongoing relationship with your brand.
Reminders & banners:
Visualise important data like near-tier and earned rewards in banner modules to extend value in any send and remind your customers that they can make it to the next reward or level.
End-of-year or monthly summaries:
A highly visual “look back” recaps their year or month in loyalty and highlights what you’ve achieved together with personalised infographics powered by data. Don’t be afraid to make this email celebratory and highly specific to their spend, rewards, earnings, perks they didn’t use, etc.
A well known example; Spotify sends an end-of-year recap to show members what they listened to over the past year, top tracks and artists and more. They then offer even more value with a personalised and unique playlist based on the members' listening behavior.
Final thoughts
The right email strategy can boost the success – and experience – of your loyalty programme and extend the lifetime value of the relationship. By activating the right data at the right moment, the right or relevant message lands in their inbox.
These messages help customers better understand the programme they’ve opted in to, discover relevant ways to engage with the programme, glean more value and celebrate their success along the way.
1:You is meaningful and powerful, and best of all, it’s achievable for every loyalty programme through the right email programme. Email can help you achieve 1:You dialogue with your customers when paired with loyalty data and powerful technology that enables you to reach your customers in real-time.
Find out more about our Loyalty and Email solutions here.
---
## Black Friday: Data shows real opportunity in long-lasting customer acquisition
Type: eps_post
URL: /black-friday-data-shows-real-opportunity-in-long-lasting-customer-acquisition
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T22:14:19Z
# Black Friday: Data shows real opportunity in long-lasting customer acquisition
This year’s Black Friday will present an opportunity to build new, loyal customers, according to data from Conversant and reported on by in WARC, PerformanceIN and Internet Retailing.
While the average order value from last year’s Black Friday shoppers remained almost identical to the majority of ‘regular’ customers, the period has the potential to attract – and retain – new buyers.
Conversant’s analysis shows that the average order value from a new customer on Black Friday of 2018 sat at around £75, fluctuating between £70 and £85 across the week – almost identical to that of a ‘regular’ customer.
"’Peek Week’ has historically been seen as a time for bargain hunters, but over the past few years retailers have seen a gradual plateauing of sales in favour of higher orders throughout the surrounding month," explains Elliott Clayton, SVP at Conversant.
"While the sales peak in ‘Peak Week’ will be less pronounced, retailers will see an increase in sales over a longer period, plus gain new customers who will come back for more over the following 12 months. It’s a valuable, long-term opportunity, rather than the short, sharp sales rush it’s normally considered as."
Data from IMRG – a UK-based online retail association – indicates that 2019’s Black Friday will be the worst on record for some years, with only 2-3% growth in sales for some sectors. However, Conversant’s analysis shows that the week and weeks surrounding Peak Week still represent an opportunity for retailers to secure new, loyal customers – in fact, almost 20% (19.4%) of new customers during this period will return to buy again.
"We’re increasingly seeing Black Friday evolve into a mature, accepted shopping period, where retailers can secure returning shoppers who will deliver genuine value," continues Clayton.
"It has not historically been seen as a good time for long-term lead generation, but this has clearly shifted in recent years. Marketers who adjust their strategies, understand and adapt to consumer preferences can significantly boost their long-term pipeline and make a real, revenue-driving difference to their brands."
---
## 3 tips for going global with your loyalty programme
Type: eps_post
URL: /3-tips-going-global-loyalty-programme
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# 3 tips for going global with your loyalty programme
In today’s loyalty landscape, brands continue to enhance their global marketing initiatives. Understanding the needs of each individual market is essential for success as there’s significant growth opportunity within the loyalty market.
In fact, the global loyalty management market was valued at USD 2617 million in 2018, and is expected to reach a value of USD 9280 million by 2024, at a CAGR of 23.3% over the forecast period (2019-2024).
So how can you as a marketer achieve your global loyalty marketing goals? Let’s further explore.
Tip #1: Develop an adoptable strategic framework
Often when we think of our loyalty marketing needs, technology is the first thing that comes to mind. And, it’s an essential component. But it’s important to take a step back and focus on your brand’s global customer engagement strategy.
Your customer engagement strategy is a living document, meaning it needs to be flexible so it can adapt to different markets and accommodate for the changes that are to come.
I like to think of the strategy development as a four-step process:
Define (and know) your customers
Create an engagement plan
Customise your engagement approach
Adapt to the local cultural nuances (language, etc.)
As you’re developing your strategy, always make engagement a top priority. For example, how can you best personalise your programme offerings and communicate 1:You. And, what reward offers can you provide that will create emotional connections to your brand and sustain lifetime loyalty.
Tip #2: Set-up your internal organisation for success
Success starts within your organisation. It’s important to align your people and processes as you’re creating your global loyalty marketing strategy.
If you’re a brand that has a successful single country-based loyalty programme, think about the learnings you can share with the international team as to the programme initiatives they can replicate, and the ones they need to customise for their specific market needs.
Consider forming a steering committee to help determine the best approach to take in setting up your global programme. Include associates (both domestic and international) from all areas of your organisation – IT, finance, leadership, marketing and operations – and put your task list together. And together, do your research, implement testing, mirror what other international brands have done well and always think with an innovative mindset. Put a plan in place for eliminating the barriers that might arise.
DOWNLOAD OUR GUIDE
FROM 1:1 TO 1:YOU - 5 KEY COMPONENTS TO PERSONALISING THE LOYALTY EXPERIENCE
Tip #3: Integrate a global platform with local programs
Having one global platform that’s customised for each market (adaptable to specific currency types, languages, etc.) is much more cost effective as opposed to creating unique, individual platforms for each market. It reduces the administration costs.
And consumer data and privacy requirements add additional complexities to global deployments. Having a clear and robust technology platform strategy and governance is important.
Global platforms must be flexible enough to support different consumer engagement strategies. For example, because mobile is the preferred channel in many countries, engaging with consumers with text messages, app notifications and mobile coupon offers is more important than other methods of engagement.
Brand in action
FedEx does an excellent job with their international marketing, programmes and overall focus on loyalty. FedEx’s corporate culture of focusing on their people, process and technology is felt and implemented across the entire organisation, both domestically and internationally.
With this alignment, FedEx has built the capabilities to expand their programmes globally. And, FedEx mirrors its successful U.S.-based strategy while expanding into other markets and shares learnings across regions.
So, as you’re evaluating your global loyalty marketing initiatives, think of it as a crawl, walk, run approach and don’t try to accomplish the world in one day.
And remember, when deciding on a platform, make sure it’s agile, or adaptable to your needs. It’s best to integrate a platform that can serve both your domestic and international needs.
Please contact us here to learn more about how Epsilon can help you go global with your loyalty programme. Start your journey to personalising the entire customer experience by downloading our guide.
FROM 1:1 TO 1:YOU - 5 KEY COMPONENTS TO PERSONALISING THE LOYALTY EXPERIENCE
---
## How to achieve stronger loyalty programme performance through effective management of privacy compliance
Type: eps_post
URL: /achieve-stronger-loyalty-programme-performance-through-privacy-compliance
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# How to achieve stronger loyalty programme performance through effective management of privacy compliance
Marketers are coming under constant pressure to balance delivering results whilst maintaining data protection and privacy compliance. We hear a lot about the importance of being data-driven and leveraging data to power up personalised experiences. But consumers expect more than just promotional offers in exchange for their personal information. Consumers want to know what information we hold about them and how it is being processed. They want to know how we protect them and keep their personal information secure. Epsilon sees privacy compliance as an opportunity for marketers to strengthen the effectiveness of their loyalty programme. The opportunity lies in the three key pillars of consumer privacy, namely respect, recognition and protection.
REspect
Respect is about clarity and transparency around the value exchange. It is an opportunity for brand marketers to define why consumers should be signing up and how consumers can receive greater value over the lifetime of the relationship with the brand. Epsilon encourages its clients to revisit their data collection practices and identify what is the minimum information required to deliver on their value promise. Technology such as Epsilon’s Agility Loyalty can certainly help in providing the tools to manage consumer opt-ins, consumer profiles and marketing preferences. Epsilon’s CRM and loyalty experts can share with you best practices of how to earn consumers respect from our experiences across the nine hundred and fifty programmes we manage globally for over five hundred and fifty brands.
Recognition
Recognition is about identifying what is relevant for each consumer no matter what device or channel. Consumers are already bombarded by numerous distractions across a multitude of channels. Successful loyalty programmes deliver useful interactions on the right channel and devices, at the right time. This means providing consumers with frictionless experiences even if they might have multiple identifiers. It also means showing consumers that you have recognised them through relevant information and rewards based on their context. Epsilon calls these experiences and interactions, engaging moments. Marketers can take advantage of Epsilon’s Agility Momentum to deliver these moments at scale, whilst respecting consumer’s privacy choices and preferences. As we have mentioned previously, we help brands shift their marketing communications from 1:1 (a messaging strategy that has ‘generically personalised’ with promotional offers) to 1:You (a holistic consumer experience strategy that delivers next-best personalised choices for individuals across touch points and interactions).
DOWNLOAD OUR GUIDE
FROM 1:1 TO 1:YOU - 5 KEY COMPONENTS TO PERSONALISING THE LOYALTY EXPERIENCE
Protection
Protection is about giving consumer’s the reassurance that their information is kept safe and secure. Consumers understand their rights and some brand marketers face additional costs to deal with data subject rights. Brand marketers using Epsilon products are benefiting from built-in privacy capabilities to manage compliance without the need for additional investments. Epsilon products provide brand marketers with multiple ways to manage data subject requests (DSRs). Privacy compliance can be approached programmatically using APIs (especially if integrated via digital experiences) and via GUIs (graphical user interfaces). The latter is dependent on the product and majority of our Agility Loyalty clients use the customer service portal to process their consumer’s DSRs.
Loyalty marketers should consider privacy regulations compliance as an opportunity, not a barrier. Regulations such as GDPR and CCPA are creating additional complexities for brands but they also present an opportunity to proactively reach out to consumers to ask them how they would like the brand to engage with them. Consumers that feel respected, recognised and protected will reward you with increased programme participation, brand engagement and ultimately increase in future purchases.
Please contact us here to learn more about how Epsilon can help you balance delivery results and maintaining privacy compliance. Start your journey to personalising the entire customer experience by downloading our guide.
FROM 1:1 TO 1:YOU - 5 KEY COMPONENTS TO PERSONALISING THE LOYALTY EXPERIENCE
---
## The evolution of email: 3 tips for advancing your email marketing programme
Type: eps_post
URL: /the-evolution-of-email-3-tips-for-advancing-your-email-marketing-programme
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# The evolution of email: 3 tips for advancing your email marketing programme
The role of email has certainly changed through the years, and data has been instrumental in driving the evolution of email. We’ve shifted from the ‘insert first name’ functionality, to enhanced personalisation capabilities, to being able to talk to our customers as individuals.
As you continue to evolve your email marketing programme, consider these three tips.
1. Align and activate your data:
It all starts with data. Customer data is the fuel that powers any marketing engine, and email is no different.
The data you need is everywhere, but it’s messy—really messy—and not always easily captured. To get beyond basic customer attributes, you need to collect and harness the right data and use it to create more personalised interactions.
Here are a few things to keep in mind as you build your data capture strategy:
Ensure it’s realistic and fits in with your overall marketing goals
Integrate your online and offline data and incorporate the enabling technologies
Use preference centers to collect pertinent data at enrollment and keep it going over time
Check your activation plan. Without the right integrations, you may as well not even have the data
2. Think outside the email channel:
As an email marketer, it’s difficult to think of how we talk to the customer outside of the email channel. Oftentimes we’re focused on episodic communications. But if we take a step back and think about our view of data outside the email world, we can understand how consumers are engaging with brands holistically.
Let’s further explore with a real-life example.
Recently we partnered with our client Coach to help them drive more personalisation in conversations. We started with optimising the inbox copy (subject lines and pre-header text) and predicted we’d see a lift in open rates.
While a slight lift was noted, where Coach achieved their true success was the activity increase on their website. Instead of opening the email, customers went directly to the website or in-store.
As a result, the lifts in website and in-store traffic increased along with the overall order value. And, Coach was able to make a connection between the email subscriber to their in-store experience, creating higher consumer engagement.
Today, marketers need to understand how their business looks at the consumer. It’s about taking that viewpoint and determining how we can optimise the experience for them from a brand totality situation.
3. Continue to enhance your measurement strategy:
In our recent webinar with eMarketer, we asked attendees what metrics they are using beyond opens and clicks to measure. Here’s what marketers shared with us:
As Shar VanBoskirk, VP, Principal Analyst of Forrester shared in our webinar:
"Most of the time, people are measuring insignificantly. Marketers tend to pick the easiest things to measure, and we tend to gravitate towards volume. Think beyond measuring actions and pick three things to measure around customer engagement. While tracking behaviors (a site visit, click or open) makes a good foundation, it doesn’t track the response to a customer. Aim to track two other things. Maybe involvement and the level of interest and intent your customer has with a marketing message. How did they interact with the ad that was made available? Was there an emotional element? Signify a sentiment when viewing your marketing message and make sure you’re not measuring in a vacuum.”
It’s important to have the right technology in place to achieve success with measurement. For example, Epsilon’s Agility Harmony helps brands easily identify high-performing campaigns and segments based on benchmarks the user defines. As a result, these brands have more control over messages when customers are least likely to respond or convert, reducing waste and deliverability risks.
Remember, effective measurement requires a strategic process (and data is essential) that provides insights into persona reporting and digital activity and customer value scoring. Understanding your customer’s engagement levels (through tools like our VAP - Value, Attrition, Potential) increases marketing effectiveness, identifies opportunities in your customer base to inspire growth, deepens relationships with existing customers and helps to drive activation, upsell and retention.
So how can you get started right now?
Align measurements of success to email metrics
Define gaps in the migrating from email engagement to customer engagement
Partner across the organisation to identify value in measuring customer engagement
And think about how you can achieve your 1:You communication goals. 1:You is about recognising the customer, always. As 1:You relates to email marketing, it’s about being able to communicate with an individual with real-time triggers and transactional messages to the individual. This is even more effective because email is one of the few channels we have to embrace dialogue with the consumer and marketer.
Our goal is to get to the place where we’re having a dialogue with consumers with a message they’ll understand. Every interaction is an indicator of what we should say next. It’s not just about the moment in time—it’s about having a conversation over time.
To learn more about the evolution of email and how to advance your program, watch our on-demand webinar.
---
## Q&A: Bringing machine learning to your marketing programmes
Type: eps_post
URL: /qa-bringing-machine-learning-to-your-marketing-programmes
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Q&A: Bringing machine learning to your marketing programmes
Therron Hofsetz shares the greatest machine learning challenges for marketers, and his experiences in the travel industry
AI and machine learning seem to be everywhere these days, and marketing is no exception. In a recent webinar with Skift, Epsilon-Conversant and United Airlines, we uncovered how travel marketers in particular have overcome these technology challenges to make waves in the industry.
As a former director of digital technologies at Holland America, an international cruise line, Therron Hofsetz was a pioneer in bringing AI to the travel industry, testing and learning the then nascent technology over the past decade. Now a senior director of digital experience at Epsilon, Hofsetz sat down with us to discuss his interactions with AI technology and how machine learning is affecting today’s marketers.
Watch the webinar: Creating more human interactions for travel brands through machine learning
Let’s dig into your background a bit. How did you start working with machine learning technologies?
My introduction to machine learning actually started when I was planning a vacation back in 2010. My wife and I were in different cities at the time, and she was having a very different experience than me when trying to book the same flight through United Airlines.
Ten months later, I was at a quarterly business review with Oracle. They presented the United Airlines case study, and I finally understood what had been happening with our vacation planning experience. Their use of the machine-learning platform gave us different experiences because I was a frequent traveler and she was not.
Based on that meeting, I brought machine learning to Holland America. We started using machine learning toward the end of 2011, and our primary implementation was to personalise and upsell short-excursion sales on our web channel.
What are some ways that you’ve seen machine learning used in your career after that experience?
Taking machine learning to online and offline contexts has been powerful. It’s important to think beyond the channel you may want to pursue initially. At Holland America, for example, we decided to expand how we use machine learning when we started working with Epsilon.
The first use case was on the web, then email. After that we moved into a non-digital channel—the cabin. We did a personalised content drop by running passenger data through the machines to predict excursions each passenger was most likely to take. Then a PDF file would go to the ship, and the crew would deliver the printed version to each stateroom.
Clearly machine learning can shake up the old ways of doing things. What changes need to happen internally to support this shift?
Cultural change is really required to support this technology. There are so many different permutations based on individual profiles, so you can’t hold onto the “I need to proof this as final” mentality. You need to trust that the machines can produce the right thing based on the information you give them, or you won’t be able to scale fast enough.
We faced a lot of business-operations challenges with our email work. The marketing team was used to laying out the perfect design in a manual proofing process, and it was hard to let that go.
Building a culture that embraces machine learning is just as important as the technology. You have to move all of your upstream processing, such as content creation and curation, to a place where there is a high degree of confidence in the execution. To start, you can do a number of dry runs in batch sets to make sure it’s processing the way you expect.
What factors can make these processes challenging? What should marketers keep in mind as they develop processes around machine learning?
Content velocity becomes critical in order to service all of the micro-segments that are derived by the machines and algorithms. For example, a brand may need to build metadata that supports traditional rules around color palettes and image associations, so a machine can decide on the optimal combination.
It’s also a self-fulfilling cycle. As you learn what content people are clicking on and what they’re buying, you get a feedback loop. Then you can inform your content creation process earlier on, like picking certain types of images or words. By staying agile, you keep working in those iterations to enhance the process over time.
What advice can you give based on your own challenges with machine learning? How did you overcome them?
The first is that you need to be careful about measurement KPIs because you can easily over-count the decisions of the machine learning technology and over-inflate success.
In the first implementation we used three metrics to score how well the machine learning process was working—a click, an add-to-cart and a purchase. The way we did the original calculations triple-counted all of those things, so if a customer purchased an item, we also got credit for the click and the add-to-cart. That was clearly over-counting since the click and add-to-cart are implied if someone purchased.
The second is that it’s critical to tag content with metadata. The computers are getting better at cognitive learning, such as image recognition and sentiment analysis, but unless you provide that metadata in a way that a machine can really understand it, it’s difficult for them to know what is really happening.
We did a poor job of tagging our content when we first implemented the excursions in our recommendations at Holland. For example, if we had a rainy day or a sunny day image, the machine couldn’t give us insights on which one is better to use. Better tagging can help determine what attributes make an image successful, when to use that image and in what context.
When it came to measuring KPIs and tagging metadata, we had to go back to the business to update their recommendations based on what the algorithm needed to really learn.
What are marketers struggling with today related to bringing machine learning into their marketing programs?
There is a lot of buzz around AI and machine learning right now. It’s hard for marketers to cut through the noise and think about the true capabilities that apply to them when it comes to things like process optimisation and engagement.
Very few solutions out there focus purely on the marketer, which makes it even harder. The big industry players don’t seem to focus themselves too much. If you look at Amazon, Google or even Microsoft, their machine learning solutions could be used everywhere, not just for marketing purposes. Their cloud-based machine learning capabilities don’t directly translate to the way marketers think about their business.
Anyone exposed to this from the outside, however, really wants to understand tangible benefits. Say I’m a brand marketer focused on a certain discipline within marketing. How does machine learning benefit me?
And those pieces are not what Silicon Valley is really concentrating on. They’re looking to use it in more complex ways and have left behind those looking to use it more simply. They are certainly focusing computing power on bigger problems, like gene sequencing, which is far more complex than optimising subject lines for an email campaign.
What’s on the horizon? That is, where do you see AI and machine learning for marketers headed in the next five years?
The content creation and curation process will change significantly. To the chagrin of many creative types, insights derived from machine learning will become a bigger part of the creative process. There is concern that machines are taking the human side out of that process, but I don’t think that’s true. It actually moves that human side further up the funnel into that content creation process.
We’ll also see more embedded capabilities within platforms and products. When we met with United recently, they said that they are still relying on vendors for support, but that will change. Agility Harmony, for instance, shows subject line recommendations, next best offers and content optimisations built directly into the platform.
Most companies are pretty early in their stage of adoption right now. In that three-to-five-year window, we’re going to see a much higher rate of adoption.
What advice would you give to marketers looking to get started with machine learning in their marketing programs?
Start as soon as you can. Single channel, single data set, single decision, is probably the easiest place to start.
It can be overwhelming to think about the amount of information that is out there and the cultural change that it might take. You see this notion of always-on marketing and hyper-personalisation, but that’s a pretty mature set of use cases. Most companies are just starting to reach customers in a more personalised way.
To learn more about how machine learning is revolutionising the travel industry, watch the webinar.
---
## How to create a 1:You loyalty programme
Type: eps_post
URL: /how-to-create-1-you-loyalty-programme-strategy
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# How to create a 1:You loyalty programme
Recently, we’ve talked a lot about the shift from 1:1 to 1:You loyalty programmes. 1:1 is a messaging strategy that’s ‘generically personalised’ with promotional offers, while 1:You delivers truly personalised experiences to your customers across all your digital brand touchpoints.
The evolution from a 1:1 to 1:You loyalty programme is a challenge to brands to become customer obsessed. Click to tweet. It goes beyond using basic data to recognise the customer and drive content decisions, and incorporates machine learning, so that real-time decisions can be made on more relevant data 24/7, in the service of meeting customer needs. By bringing together data and technology, brands can create a customised experience for each and every member.
Let’s take a look at how a 1:You Loyalty Programme differs from 1:1.
DATA INPUTS
1:You is only possible by bringing together a much wider range of data inputs that enable a deeper understanding of each customer - their habits, desires, preferences, abilities, emotions and triggers - and through the addition of machine learning to proactively predict how best to engage. The data inputs and how they are used for 1:1 versus 1:You are very different.
Data-driven 1:1 initiatives were limited to personal identification, preferences, transaction details, contact details and maybe demographic overlays applied to campaigns. Today, 1:You can add in social interactions and behaviours, device continuum, hyper-location and time quality (how long and what you were doing).
TECHNOLOGY
Technology is the true enabler of 1:You execution. Gone are the days of delayed batch communications or broad segmentation models; 1:You is all about real-time, in the moment engagement.
The ability to see across a consumers’ devices (phone, tablet, PC, etc.) allows marketers to both learn and initiate actions desired by consumers to deliver a truly customised interaction in the moments that matter, at every stage of the customer lifecycle.
Future use of empathetic chatbots, facial recognition and augmented and virtual realities will play a larger role in creating even better personal moments for consumers.
OUTCOMES
So, how do the results differ?
1:1 is able to deliver personalised communications, while 1:You brings the customer personalised moments (content where you are, and when you need it). 1:1 shares the best promotional offers or thank you communications, while 1:You delivers truly customised and empathetic customer interactions, powered by machine learning and applied to every stage of a loyalty programme – acquiring the best customers, increasing engagement, reducing attrition.
Technology applications like chatbots are able to detect the customer’s emotions and communicate faster, and maybe even better, based on these customer emotions.
Brands are all at different stages with their personalisation marketing efforts. Challenge your current loyalty roadmap and consider whether there is a clear crawl, walk, run approach to delivering your 1:You goals.
Download our e-book
From 1:1 to 1:You
5 key components to personalising the loyalty experience
Here are a couple of examples of brands who are focused on 1:You personalisation efforts.
Fast food restaurants making drive-thru faster: QSR’s are experimenting with variable menu displays that read select data (license plate number and app geo-locator) to change menu items ordered by a customer’s previous visit during a particular time period. Machine learning also defines the best up-sell or items of interest and can even dynamically change prices based on supply and demand.
Entertainment venues creating an enhanced personalised experience: Guests at the Walt Disney World Resort are given a MagicBand wristband, integrated with the My Disney Experience app, which facilitates planning activities such as dining, rides, attending parades and more. Disney can use the information and send its guests personalised messages like what rides they might skip if they are running behind, or, if they are heading toward a congested area, it suggests a better route to take. Customers can also tap the MagicBand to pay for food and souvenirs (no cash needed) and scanners detect the bands for authorisation for rides, etc.
1:You loyalty may not feel attainable in your company right now. In our new e-book, we challenge you to evaluate how your data sets and technology applications support your brand’s current and future loyalty programme goals and set you on the path to 1:You. Download it now.
From 1:1 to 1:You
5 key components to personalising the loyalty experience
---
## Scotch & Soda personalises ads, achieving 5x incremental ROI
Type: eps_post
URL: /scotch-soda-personalises-ads-achieving-five-fold-incremental-return-on-investment
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T22:14:41Z
# Scotch & Soda personalises ads, achieving 5x incremental ROI
Scotch & Soda’s transition from one-off ad campaigns to data-driven, personalised and always-on-media has generated revenue growth and increased customer lifetime value.
Scotch & Soda, a premium omni-channel fashion retailer, has boosted its incremental return on ad spend to £5.50 for every £1 invested (5.5:1), thanks to a major overhaul in its digital advertising strategy.
The retailer is stocked in 8,000 outlets globally and worn by famous actors and musicians such as Eddie Redmayne and Justin Timberlake, but the team knew that there was much more they could do to keep the brand top of mind amongst unpredictable fashion consumers. As part of a strategic review, the team adopted Conversant’s CRM Media solution, which enabled one-to-one communications through highly personalised messages.
“We try to build memory structures in everything we do - everything should be aligned. Conversant allowed us to create individual communication stories on a continuous basis efficiently - right person, right product and right look and feel for Scotch & Soda,” explains the fashion brand’s Media Manager, Leon Wharton.
“The trends that govern the fashion industry mean many advertising campaigns only penetrate consumers’ short-term memory, which means the brand may not be recalled at a later date. Scotch & Soda’s new strategy enables them to cement their place in customer’ long-term memory, as the go-to for premium, stylish clothing and accessories,” explains Elliott Clayton, Senior Vice President at Conversant.
“The results achieved so far clearly show the personalisation approach is working for Scotch & Soda, and many other companies across industry already benefit from a similar strategy.”
In its most recent review, the Scotch & Soda team examined incremental ROI – that is, returns compared to baseline brand performance without advertising. When compared to this group, Scotch & Soda generated sales 25 percent more often when using Conversant’s personalisation technology, while also increasing the lifetime value of customers that it messaged by 23 percent. The solution tracks over 120 million online and offline daily purchases, building profiles across more than 7,000 dimensions, enabling personalised conversations with Scotch & Soda’s customers across multiple devices.
“Conversant is driving new incremental demand from our mid-funnel, and I don’t think we serviced that properly before, or that the tools to do that existed previously,” continued Wharton.
A major boon for Wharton and his team is the added benefit of seeing how advertising efforts contribute to Scotch & Soda’s overall media mix, as well as learning more about its customers, their buying habits and advertising preferences.
"The audience insights we get are really helpful. Not only are we delivering measurable revenue into the business, but we’re able to better understand our audience and leverage that internally - for example, the data helps us build a case for creative strategies across other media."
Discover how eight European retailers are generating incremental return in the £GBP millions with personalised adverts. Claim your copy of this insightful report to see how.
Claim your copy of this report
---
## Understanding the benefits of ‘the art’ component in the art and science of loyalty
Type: eps_post
URL: /art-and-science-of-loyalty
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Understanding the benefits of ‘the art’ component in the art and science of loyalty
When you think of ‘the what’ behind a successful loyalty programme, technology often comes to mind.
Technology is ‘the science’ that stores and processes all the technical functionality within our programmes. But what about the items that ‘fuel’ the functionality such as your loyalty strategy, services, and creative components—what we like to refer to as the art of loyalty. Blending this art and science together yields loyalty programme success.
Let’s take a closer look at the three key components of ‘the art’.
Strategy: Your loyalty programme initiatives begins with your strategy, and your strategy is created by human intelligence (your people), not machines (technology). With the proliferation of new technologies, often brands can get caught up on integrating the ‘new’ or ‘cool and hyped’ technologies into their marketing programmes before truly understanding the impact they’ll have. Keep your strategy front and center and understand both the value and role humans have in personalising the loyalty experience and connecting emotionally, on a 1:You level—across the right touchpoints, on the right devices and at the right moments. As you’re developing and continuing to enhance your strategy and staying focused on the customer experience, determine how you can achieve personalisation at the brand and programme level. To start, it’s important to understand your brand level loyalty, or what we define as Big L Loyalty. Big L Loyalty is the passion, dedication, feelings, emotional connection and trust consumers establish with your brand that motivates them to continue their purchases and move through the customer lifecycle towards lifetime brand loyalty.
Services: There are multiple areas of services that contribute to the success of your loyalty programme. For example, some of the services we provide to brands includes programme operations management, client and account management and change management. In terms of the programme management, we work with brands on loyalty programme design and redesign. Client and account management services includes the day-to-day management of your loyalty programme. Change management focuses on organisational design, business process optimisation and digital marketing transformation. These multi-disciplinary services work together to add value to your loyalty programme. In fact, several of our clients perceive these services and the team members that perform the work as an extension of their marketing team. Some of our team members actually work onsite, full-time at our client’s location. This enables our associates to be fully immersed in our client’s organisation ranging from the brand initiatives to the programme level details.
Creative: Creating a memorable, one-of-a-kind customer experience is something we all strive for as marketers. Understanding the role creative plays in helping to make this experience memorable is important. Creativity is the art of marketing. It helps to unveil our emotions, making connections to brands. We’ve all seen an advertisement which we’ve emotionally reacted to. As a marketer, you need to think of the creative ways as to how you can drive these emotional connections and understand the role (the benefits) of creative services. It’s the digital and creative services such as a creative assessment, brand strategy and visual design, content and campaign development, website, app and interactive design that drive creative execution.
So, as you’re continuing to enhance the art of your loyalty programme, keep your technology capabilities front and center but never forgot the human intelligence needed to bring your programme to life.
Want to talk more about the art and science of Loyalty programmes? Get in touch at hello@epsilon.com today.
---
## The influence of preferences, curation and relevance on the Customer Journey
Type: eps_post
URL: /guiding-customer-journey-preferences-curation-relevance
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# The influence of preferences, curation and relevance on the Customer Journey
My husband and I are very different shoppers. Whether in a department store or looking at new cars, he wants his phone to be his digital assistant while I’m scanning for an available salesperson.
He avoids ‘the approach’ of a human, preferring to compare products or check prices on the brand’s mobile site or app. He studies up on what he needs in the physical location. He wants to be left alone, until he doesn’t want to be left alone … and then he wants help right away.
I’m the opposite. I prefer to be greeted upfront. I like it when someone is there at the store entrance asking what I need help with today and directing me to the right aisle. If a salesperson is not available, I’m the customer dialling the toll-free number before menu-hopping across the mobile website to look for store FAQs, which may or may not exist, because, for me, it’s the faster and friendlier way to go. Then I take my time making an informed decision in the store.
But whether it’s his digital-first, in-location shopping preference or my human-centric approach, we both have one thing in common: the desire for a simple and yet personalised purchase experience, with ourselves at master control.
1:You
Delivering a 1:You personalised communications strategy allows my husband and I to achieve our own shopping missions, our own ways. But how do you accomplish that in-store?
Location-based marketing technologies make it easier to identify opt-in mobile app users as they enter the drive-through, walk into a car dealership or depart a bank branch. Near field messaging can send contextual 1-way or 2-way greetings to customers asking what they need assistance with today while supplying relevant offers and preventing frustration in real-time.
Guest recognition systems are able to notify a store manager when VIP customers have entered a location, accurately detect movement dynamics and determine the length of visit. 1:You is what marketers strive to achieve.
The Great Divide
The Alliance Data Analytics & Insights Institute recently published a consumer study comparing what brands believe customer needs are with their actual beliefs on the brand experience.
This study, The Great Divide, found that the challenges consumers expect brands to solve are changing. For example, consumers rated simplicity as their most important need (out of thirty-one studied), and it was determined that brands significantly under-deliver on simplifying the shopping experience.
Personalisation was important to consumers, but recommendations based on past history were deemed less critical than customer desire to have power over the content, frequency and type of communications they receive.
To ensure you’re personalising communications to your customers and meeting their expectations, consider the role of preferences, curation and relevance.
Let’s further explore.
Preferences
Today’s preference centres’ data capture options quench the essential customer thirst for the power to reduce the noise. New technologies supporting sales, the call centre and mobile app provide customers with the ability to establish their preferences in overt, covert and ‘self-teaching’ ways that define experiences while filtering the unbidden.
Curation
At the nexus of personalisation and control is the concept of curation. For example, Macy’s new Story boutiques curate commerce to focus on tailoring selection and providing more customer sovereignty over the number of items they're able to view at one given time.
As customers, we want as much control over our buying experiences as we do adjusting our iPhone settings. My orthodontist offers thirteen different coloured elastics to select from while my colleague’s dentist sends a text the day before each appointment asking what flavour surgical gloves he wants (bubblegum, always bubblegum, he tells me).
According to The Great Divide, offering in-the-moment choice control is rated above the use of name greetings or referencing purchase history when it comes to getting personal.
Relevance
Where personalisation meets simplicity is the expectation of relevance.
Greeting a customer – whether digitally via in-app SMS or in person – when they approach or enter a shop is a key purchase journey moment.
According to iVend Retail’s Global Shopper Trends Report 2019, customers prefer to receive communications at these pivotal points of decision (with geolocation targeting being a key mechanism to deliver assistance in context).
Unique offers, ratings and reviews, and loyalty reminders are especially relevant when localised to a shop visit.
In summary, customers want brands to save them time and make shopping more convenient. New technologies that offer a fun and enjoyable experience while making life easier is what matters most. Click to Tweet
So while my husband and I may enter a shop together, our in-location journeys are very different; regardless, when we each achieve our missions, our preferred personalised way, our passion towards the brand is enhanced.
Want to talk more about personalised retail experiences for your customers? Get in touch at hello@epsilon.com today.
---
## 5 ways marketers underutilise social media
Type: eps_post
URL: /5-ways-marketers-underutilise-social-media
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# 5 ways marketers underutilise social media
Social media can play a key role in your marketing mix. Social sits at the intersection of great digital content and the interconnected networks of people interacting with (and influenced by) that content. This provides the powerful ability to interact with customers at all stages of their journey.
However, all too often social media is considered within its own silo.
Because of this, here are five ways many marketers underutilise social within marketing strategy:
Apply social listening insights to other channels
Social listening provides a unique opportunity to hear what is being said about a brand and its competitors. It allows you to understand key social media conversation themes, see trends and especially volume spikes, gauge customer satisfaction or sentiment and create a feedback loop to other channels. In our observations over the years, a frequently missed opportunity among brands is using these insights only to adjust social media strategy without also informing strategies within other channels.
When you see positive conversations in social media, this suggests a topic for which you can create content in other channels. Similarly, questions or negative reactions may indicate a communication gap that you can address through your integrated marketing efforts.
For example, do new users of your service have difficulty understanding how to use a particular feature? That’s a great topic to address via early engagement communications in email, SMS or your mobile app.
Is there a particular product feature that consumers love? That feature could be a great topic for your next short-form video.
How do the social media conversations about your brand compare to those of your competitors? Those points of differentiation mined from listening efforts could be strong messages in your acquisition marketing efforts.
The key to success here is understanding social listening insights as they apply to other marketing channels and ensuring that lines of communication are open around the marketing organisation to enable the team to take advantage of these opportunities.
Apply insights from other channels back to social media
Flipping the first idea on its head, many marketing teams also miss the opportunity to quickly use learnings from other channels to drive success within social media. Other digital marketing channels provide great insights into what content your customers choose to interact with.
What content do customers click on in emails? Which search keywords are driving the most traffic? Are there any long-tail keywords presenting interesting content opportunities? How do users navigate your website; are there particular pages or pieces of content that seem to be driving unexpected interest?
Trending keywords (especially long-tail ones) could indicate under-leveraged products or customer trends for which your customers are craving new information – and help improve your SEO in the process. Secondary pages on your site with long on-page times also indicate opportunities for new sharable content.
All of these data points provide great insights to drive social content strategy. Brands are successful when they create content that their followers want, not when they push out the same old marketing messaging.
Coordinating targeted content across channels
It’s easy to forget that social media is an “addressable” channel, meaning that you can target specific groups of known users.
Any audience segment you create for your email, SMS, direct mail or other channels can also be used for social media targeting. Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and YouTube can all match and target specific user lists. Some platforms, like Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, LinkedIn and Pinterest, also allow you to create audiences based on specific behaviors customers have taken on your website and/or mobile app.
This means that all of the hard work you’ve spent personalising your other channels (and I don’t just mean adding “Dear firstname!”) can be applied to your paid social advertising, too. Whether you segment your customers into denim vs. dress buyers or adventure vs. beach vs. urban travelers, this gives you the ability to put the right content in front of the right customers.
Even if you’re promoting the same summer sale across audiences, positioning it in a way that is uniquely relevant to each segment will drive response rates up – and by being more relevant, you’ll also drive advertising costs down.
Provide insider access
Do not underestimate the value you can create by providing followers with an inside scoop. Social media is at its best when you provide followers with engaging, unique and sharable content. What better way to do that than by giving them a peek under the hood, so to speak?
The next time you’re talking about a new product launch, use one of your social media channels to show how it was made or why your team is excited about it. New location opening? What a great opportunity for a pre-opening tour!
These exclusive looks provide great content which compliment your messages in other channels. More importantly, you’ll give your customers a sense of brand ownership and get them excited to spread the word.
Mine and amplify customer reviews
One area that typically doesn’t get the consideration it deserves is ratings and reviews. Many social listening tools today can mine customer reviews at scale, and again view trends and key themes. Of course, this creates a great feedback loop for your product team – quickly pointing out product strengths to expand on, and any potential issues that may need to be addressed.
Positive reviews are great credibility drivers for your business and deserve a thoughtful strategy on how to amplify this content in other channels. Can you leverage reviews to reinforce your next display ad message? “Products you love!” would make a great email. “We heard you - How we’re getting better” could be a strong blog topic.
Bringing it all together
When you build out your marketing strategy, social media should be an important part of the mix, not an afterthought. With the right tools, social media is the perfect way to not only speak to your audience and include them in your brand, but to learn from them. Social media is a two way street and the learnings you take from social listening should be used to optimise communications across all channels. Never underestimate its importance in your overall marketing strategy.
---
## [Podcast] Solving the marketing proof gap: Proving ROI to the c-suite
Type: eps_post
URL: /podcast-solving-the-marketing-proof-gap-proving-roi-to-the-c-suite
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T22:14:19Z
# [Podcast] Solving the marketing proof gap: Proving ROI to the c-suite
How do you show the true return on investment of your marketing activity in order to secure both budget and respect for the marketing function?
It's a problem faced by most CMOs, so common that it has been coined the 'marketing proof gap'. In this podcast our panel of industry experts discuss how best to solve the issue. Play the four episodes below, or listen on SoundCloud.
The marketing proof gap refers to the marketing function’s inability to report to the c-suite how their activity impacts revenue. The c-suite needs revenue-impact data to justify investment in a function, and without that data the marketing function’s fate is continual under-investment and lack of credibility.
But with advances in marketing measurement - chiefly, incrementality - is it now becoming possible for marketing functions to rid themselves of this proof gap, securing justified investment decisions by proving the revenue that marketing generates; and moving marketing away from a position of securing ‘budget’ to planning ‘investment’ strategies?
Joining our expert panel for this podcast:
David Lockwood, Partner, Tapestry Agency
Aidan Mark, Head of Performance Planning, Havas
Elliott Clayton, SVP, Conversant
Liked this podcast? Listen to our other podcast series, covering ad fraud, attribution, personalisation and a great deal more.
Our podcasts
---
## Forget 1:1. 1:You is the new marketing reality
Type: eps_post
URL: /1-you-is-the-new-marketing-reality
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Forget 1:1. 1:You is the new marketing reality
Machine learning is transforming the loyalty industry, reshaping the way companies will utilise loyalty programmes in the near future and augmenting what can be achieved by humans alone to deliver truly personalised experiences. Today, machine learning is enhancing data-driven marketing strategies, creating a shift from 1:1 (a messaging strategy that’s ‘generically personalised’ with promotional offers) to 1:You (a holistic customer experience strategy that’s personalised with the best choice for individuals across all points on interactions).
So, how you can take your loyalty strategy from 1:1 to 1:You?
Data-driven marketing
Data-driven marketing is an advanced strategy that marketers have implemented to both enhance and personalise the customer experience. leveraging transactional and engagement data to achieve 1:1 communications. However, when you add machine learning to the equation, the personalisation opportunities far exceed transactional and engagement data because machine learning technology has the ability to make real time decisions on all relevant data.
Real-time decisioning
Further, marketing programmes can be enhanced through machine learning because unlike a campaign-based approach, machines operate in a 24/7 mindset, learning and adjusting in real time based on the data coming in. Typical campaign-based approaches use static content based on one specific segment; instead machine learning creates dynamic content using words, pictures, colors, a variation in tone, length and much more. Rather than focusing on a campaign based on discounts or double points, machines can help marketers present the best choice for every customer in regards to product, creative, channel, value proposition and more. Data-driven loyalty marketers can enhance their personalisation efforts through machine learning technology to shift from standard personalisation (name, point level, preferred channel, etc.) to a much more customised interaction that’s focused on an individual: 1:You.
For example, eBay is starting down the path of an enhanced customer experience by using machine learning to drive better results. Their holistic approach includes utilising larger data pools for decisioning for real-time interactions, product recommendations and channel preferences on a continual, around-the-clock basis to learn what is working and what is not. No two emails, product recommendations or curated purchasing paths are the same. Machine learning is even defining what colors and pictures are more successful; and it’s automating the process of improvement allowing the humans (marketers, product managers, etc.) to better focus on strategy versus managing a campaign. Success is leading to the expansion of machine learning into search analytics, the creation of citisen data scientists and voice-assisted interaction.
1:You loyalty programmes
Loyalty programmes are invaluable when it comes to getting to know your customers. The multiple components of a loyalty programme – acquisition, increased engagement, redemptions, attrition and re-engagement – are enhanced through machine learning to enable our goal of 1:You.
With this new approach, acquisition will now focus on more real-time efficiency to find the most profitable customers who are likely to engage with your brand. Increased engagement is inspired through the variety of content that’s available to share with members. Redemptions will provide marketers with insights into the members’ choices, like their preferred times of redemption and channel preference, to create a better balance of redemptions with liability management. And from analysing member data, ‘at-risk’ members are easily detected and can proactively be communicated and marketed to in more precise offers or solutions. For re-engagement, enhanced analytics will help guide decisions on what gets an inactive member to re-engage, whether it’s through value choices, dynamic content or other personalised tactics. Loyalty programme data fuels data-driven marketing strategies. When machine learning is applied, you’re able to communicate 1:You.
As you’re incorporating machine learning into your marketing programmes to create a 1:You, take a crawl, walk, run approach with your marketing roadmap. Begin with an audit and review of your loyalty roadmap. Consider bringing in an expert to do a one-day workshop with your marketing and analytics team to identify opportunities. It’s important to recognise that a 1:1 strategy is advanced; you’ve carved the path to continue with technology innovations to achieve 1:You. So don’t hesitate, get started today.
---
## The Building Blocks of Personalisation, Block 3
Type: eps_post
URL: /building-blocks-of-personalisation-block-3
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# The Building Blocks of Personalisation, Block 3
The Role of Content
Hello and welcome to the final article in the series, The building blocks of personalisation. Over the last few weeks, we’ve shared with you the best practices in personalisation covering the creation of the 360-degree customer view through data collection and the importance of data utilisation using machine learning. To complete our building blocks, here we will explore the role of content in personalisation and why keeping it consistent is essential to achieving your goals.
Right time, right place
Now that you’ve developed your personalised messaging strategy, it’s time to focus on what time you should be communicating with your audience and via what channels. Understanding your customers’ channel preferences is essential to success and often time consumers don’t have just one channel they use regularly. Do your research and don’t make assumptions regarding your customers’ channel preferences.
For example, 68% of Gen Xers use coupons they receive in the mail and are more likely to receive paper bills and send birthday cards through USPS instead of email. Clearly direct mail is an active channel for this segment. However, it’s important to understand that that insight only informs how Gen Xers interact with one communication channel and not all of them. Gen Xers also actively make purchases through social channels and have a preference for Facebook shopping. In addition to having insights into channel preferences, marketers need to have a consistent content strategy prepared to ensure that they’re sending their customers the same, cohesive message, regardless of channel.
Keep it relevant
Relevant and consistent content is essential to effectively communicate to customers and achieve that 1:You connection with them. When establishing your content strategy, consider creating a library of content so you’re prepared to deliver unique content to each customer.
For example, if you’re in the travel industry, curate a number of images that reflect different travel interests and life-stages of your customer base. This proactive approach to content planning, with technology ready to active content in real-time, will allow you to reach your personalisation goals in a planned and timely manner.
Getting technical
Enabling technologies like machine learning allow us to achieve personalisation at scale. Loyalty marketing efforts have advanced with the integration of recommendation engines and the ability to identify the next best offer along with content profile matching.
eBay is starting down the path of an enhanced personalised customer experience by using machine learning to drive better results. Their holistic approach includes utilising larger data pools for decisioning for real-time interactions, product recommendations, and channel preferences on a continual, around-the-clock basis to learn what is working and what is not. This means that customers will never see two emails, product recommendations, or curated purchasing paths that are the same. Machine learning is even defining what colors and pictures are more successful; and it’s automating the process of improvement allowing humans (marketers, product managers, etc.) to better focus on strategy versus managing a campaign. Success is leading to the expansion of machine learning into search analytics, the creation of citizen data scientists, and voice-assisted interaction to ensure the experience along with the content is relevant regardless of the channel it’s delivered in.
And so concludes Block III of The building blocks of personalisation, we hoped you enjoyed the series. With these insights on customer view, the utilisation of data, and content we hope that you feel ready and able to create a truly personalised experience for your audience.
---
## 4 stages to navigating digital transformation in healthcare
Type: eps_post
URL: /navigating-digital-transformation-in-healthcare-4-stages
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# 4 stages to navigating digital transformation in healthcare
Marketing and customer expectations are changing fast. And the digital landscape is complex and constantly evolving.
As healthcare companies - pharmaceutical and medical device - focus on creating meaningful and actionable customer experiences, they’re embracing the digital transformation journey in a staged approach.
At the Digital Medical Device conference where I spoke at in May, we explored a four-stage “crawl, walk, run, fly” approach in detail:
Stage #1: Crawl
In this beginning (or roadmap) stage, an audit of assets, readiness and data is essential. The audit fuels the customer experience by shedding light on four key areas:
What information about the healthcare providers, data, models and analyses do you have to support and fuel transformation?
What are the gaps? Do you need healthcare provider (HCP) qualitative research, search insights and more?
What content, across channels, do you already have that addresses these providers’ needs?
And most important, what business goals does all this need to address?
With the combination of data profiling and segmentation, the audit/assessment phase informs healthcare marketers about what the ideal customer experience for each segment should look like.
Stage #2: Walk
Developing your content strategy and message maps is the next step in this journey.
Often our healthcare clients share the challenges of coming up with individual or unique content for each HCP. We recommend creating a digital content library (some marketers refer to them as content hubs) where you have multiple content modules to select from that can be combined and recombined in different ways for different scenarios or different audiences.
Also in this stage, you need to plan for the cadence of your communications and decide how you’re going to measure the success of your programme.
I like to think of measurement as an evolving journey with multiple levels. It begins with response and KPI definition and measurement at a tactical level and advances to cross-channel attribution, event streams and predictive modeling.
Stage #3: Run
Get customer experience design and personalisation ready.
Here is where the fun really begins as you start to integrate your learnings to truly understand your customers. Designing a customer experience map tracks the customer throughout the journey and across the lifecycle, reflecting activity at each stage.
Let’s put it into perspective. Draft several important customer-centric scenarios/use cases that are central to your strategy. Look at the gaps in data and technology that must be filled to enable execution on them.
First find the highest “bang for the buck” projects to tackle, to enable marketing automation with appropriate data support. For example, a healthcare company we work with needed to create a great customer experience for the doctors who might be candidates to prescribe a new innovative device, and for the patients in their practices who might be receptive to saying “yes” to the new approach. This included ensuring the hurdles in the specialty pharmacy processes were addressed digitally for HCPs and their office staff.
As a result, we mapped out the entire prescriber and customer experiences and all important touchpoints along those journeys, then layered in what communications would have to take place (such as around coverage or delivery timing), including payer and specialty pharmacy communications.
On that foundation, we layered in the data that was needed to enable personalisation at the touchpoints and the technology for housing the data to deliver the experience across channels.
Throughout the process, the key guiding principle was creating concierge service for doctors, office staff and patients by designing an experience model.
With this underway, we’re getting ready to cross the finish line to a whole new capability – fly.
Stage #4: Fly
When I talk about ‘fly’ as being stage four, it’s about soaring and reaching your highest marketing potential within the digital transformation. It’s finding the right combination of strategy and technology that allows marketers to connect with their customers on a 1:You level creating personalised experiences.
As some of our healthcare clients have shared with us, it’s ‘the next big thing’ that’s forthcoming for modern marketers, that is 1:You communications (and personalised experiences).
At Epsilon, we’re always thinking ahead and are prepared for the future of marketing. Marketers can take their programmes to the next level with our continuous development of new strategies such as using third-party data to round out profiles of HCPs interests and preferences to take segmentation far beyond deciles and inform communications.
Additionally, our Rx impact and engagement analyses products and predictive and promotion mix models, which are all supported by our analytic scientists help our clients to achieve 1:You. Further, our advanced technology applications, like machine learning and artificial intelligence, help to enable these strategies.
Embrace what lies ahead and don’t forget to prepare your internal organisation for the journey. The alignment of your marketing and sales organisation is essential for success. Don’t forget to involve med-legal early and often in innovative projects.
You are ready to transform. Continue to articulate the strategy and vision, put the customer experience at the center, don’t underestimate the need to actively manage change and remember, your work plan is forever changing.
---
## Loyalty, it’s not just about the programme
Type: eps_post
URL: /loyalty-not-just-about-the-programme
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Loyalty, it’s not just about the programme
Today’s marketer is focused on the entire customer experience
The days of loyalty being just a transactional programme where members earn and redeem rewards are long gone. Loyalty has shifted from a programme to a business mindset, and this mindset is focused on personalising the entire customer experience evolving from 1:1 to 1:You.
In the report, The Forrester Wave™: Loyalty Service Providers, Q3 2019*, Forrester says: "As brands embrace and increase their investments in loyalty – 62% of the companies we surveyed for this evaluation plan to increase their spending on loyalty by at least 5% in the next 12 months – consumer apathy isn’t good enough.”
Brands looking to create meaningful customer experiences should focus on the following:
Shifting to Big L Loyalty
Creating a strategy in which you can deliver personalised experiences at scale is key. To achieve this goal, we work with clients to help them develop their Big L Loyalty.
We define Big L Loyalty as the passion, dedication, feelings, emotional connection and trust consumers establish with your brand that motivates them to continue their purchases and move through the customer lifecycle towards lifetime brand loyalty.
But Big L Loyalty is not a destination, it’s a methodical journey that we phase out in three stages to help brands achieve the Big L. These stages are:
Stage I: operational/transactional
Stage II: customer-centricity (little L loyalty)
Stage III: enculturation (Big L Loyalty – it’s in the culture).
To get started, marketers need to evaluate and understand the stage they’re in and put a plan in place for getting to the next stage (and realise the level of loyalty increases with each stage) to develop relevant and meaningful customer experiences.
As Forrester puts it, “Marketers need strategic guidance to make the most of their programmes and, more importantly, to contextualise the role of the programme in a larger strategy for earning, recognising, and maintaining customer loyalty regardless of whether that customer is a loyalty programme member.”
Activating data
Assembling and activating customer insights is critical to deepening relationships with customers. Through loyalty programmes, brands are able to provide value to consumers, where they share information and preferences in exchange for relevant, clear and wanted experiences. Loyalty marketers must have a plan in place to activate data and align it with the appropriate channels.
It’s the analytics component that reveals customer’s likes, dislikes and their behaviours helping marketers to make emotional connections and engage with their customers. These analytic and measurement services consist of financial modelling, customer insights, analytic sciences, measurement framework, business intelligence, reporting design, customer research and VOC and media and interaction optimisation.
Remember, your loyalty programme is consent-based marketing, meaning members choose to opt into your programme and agree to share information and in return expect more personalised experiences.
In the report, Forrester cites that our experience in the loyalty space and well-rounded offering make it a good fit for enterprises looking for a reliable and data-driven partner.
Understanding the benefits of software with services
When you think of ‘the what’ behind a successful loyalty programme, technology often comes to mind. Technology is the science that stores and processes all the technical functionality within our programmes. And having an end-to-end integrated solution (or the total solution) that includes multiple marketing functions is essential.
But in addition to the technology components, you need to consider the items that fuel the functionality, such as your loyalty services, which are part of the art of loyalty.
There are multiple types of services that contribute to the success of your loyalty programme, some of which include programme operations management, programme management, promotional support, client and account management and change management.
In terms of the programme management, we work with brands on loyalty programme design and client and account management services including the day-to-day management of your loyalty programme.
Change management focuses on organisational design, business process optimisation and digital marketing transformation. These multi-disciplinary services work together to add value to your loyalty programme. Certainly, strategy and insights are supported by analysts and decision scientists, who provide some of our most in-demand services.
As you continue to enhance your customer’s experience, ask yourself, “Am I communicating to my customers 1:1 or 1:You?”
1:1 is a messaging strategy that’s generically personalised with promotional offers, while 1:You is a holistic customer experience strategy that’s personalised with the best choice for individuals across all points or interactions.
The evolution of 1:1 to 1:You is about the advancements in the marketing strategy with the culmination of data, technology, services and outcomes all focused on creating a better customer experience.
See the full report, The Forrester Wave™: Loyalty Service Providers, Q3 2019.
**Epsilon announced that it was named a Leader in the July 2019 report “The Forrester Wave™: Loyalty Service Providers, Q3 2019” by Forrester Research, Inc. This recognition is in addition to being named a Leader in The Forrester Wave™: Loyalty Technology Platforms, Q2 2019 for its Agility Loyalty® solution. Only Epsilon is a leader in both evaluations.
---
## Epsilon Named a Leader for Loyalty Services by Independent Research Firm
Type: eps_post
URL: /leader-for-loyalty-services-q3-19
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Epsilon Named a Leader for Loyalty Services by Independent Research Firm
LONDON — July 16, 2019 — Epsilon™, a global leader in interaction management, today announced that it was named a Leader in the July 2019 report “The Forrester Wave™: Loyalty Service Providers, Q3 2019” by Forrester Research, Inc. This recognition is in addition to being named a Leader in The Forrester Wave™: Loyalty Technology Platforms, Q2 2019 for its Agility Loyalty® solution. Only Epsilon is a leader in both evaluations.
The report found that nearly every US online adult belongs to a loyalty programme, yet only 44% agree that programmes make them feel more loyal to a brand. Further, 62% of the companies surveyed for the evaluation plan to increase their spending on loyalty at least 5% in the next 12 months. Authored by Emily Collins, Principal Analyst at Forrester, the report stated: “Marketers need strategic guidance to make the most of their programmes and, more importantly, to contextualise the role of the programme in a larger strategy for earning, recognising, and maintaining customer loyalty regardless of whether that customer is a loyalty programme member.”
According to Forrester, Epsilon delivers capabilities to build impactful interactions with loyal customers. “Its full-service offering brings together traditional loyalty services like strategy and programme design with omnichannel orchestration capabilities, analytics and data augmentation to make ‘every interaction count,’ regardless of whether or not a consumer is enrolled in the loyalty programme.”
“We are honoured Forrester named us a Leader in both loyalty services and technology. We believe these recognitions are a proof point of our unique ability to deliver business outcomes by helping brands know consumers better, anticipate their needs, and optimise personalised interactions across customer touch points,” shared Bryan Kennedy, CEO at Epsilon-Conversant. “Epsilon was built around the belief that tech for tech’s sake doesn’t work. We believe that every brand experience should be personal and purposeful, and every customer wants to be recognised, respected and protected.”
Forrester cited that Epsilon’s experience in the loyalty space and well-rounded offering make it a good fit for enterprises looking for a reliable data-driven partner. Epsilon was the biggest loyalty practice evaluated by Forrester, with “thousands of employees focused on delivering loyalty services for enterprise firms….” According to the report, “Reference clients comment on Epsilon’s deep and expansive knowledge of the loyalty space, excellent execution capabilities, and impact: ‘All of their work drives incremental business.’”
Forrester Research’s evaluation included a review of the 14 most significant loyalty service providers across 22-criterion. Epsilon received the highest scores possible in 13 criteria, including the loyalty strategy services, loyalty programme management services, data management services and privacy and security criteria within the current offering category.
For the full report “The Forrester Wave™: Loyalty Service Providers, Q3 2019” click here.
About Epsilon
Positioned at Publicis Groupe's core, Epsilon is a leader in interaction management, empowering brands to transform ordinary customer experiences into meaningful, human experiences. Our connected suite of products and services combine leading-edge identity management, industrial strength data and technology expertise with big brand acumen gained over five decades working with the industry’s top brands. Our human-powered, data-led marketing delivers unmatched depth, breadth and scale to help brands turn meaningful human interactions into exceptional business outcomes. For more information, visit emea.epsilon.com. Follow us on Twitter at @EpsilonEMEA.
---
## The weekly round-up: 12.07.19
Type: eps_post
URL: /weekly-round-up-12-07-19
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# The weekly round-up: 12.07.19
Tinder for ideas? Tricking your customers into eating their vegetables? We’ve heard Stranger Things, but this week’s Round-Up is definitely serving up some of the most out there concepts in marketing and advertising.
It’s a match
Unilever looks to break the golden rule of mixing work with pleasure by gamifying their brain share through an app they are dubbing a “Tinder for ideas.” Idea Swipe, an app developed in-house by the multinational FMCG giant is aimed at speeding up idea evaluation, creating an easier process for marketers to rule on good, bad, and ugly ideas. Earlier this week, Unilever’s executive vice-president of consumer marketing and insights, Stan Stanunathan asked, “How do you evaluate a mountain of ideas with a molehill of a budget?” Going on to explain that Idea Swipe is set to solve this issue, Stanunathan stated that, with the app, Unilever looks to “to create double the impact in half the time and cost.”
Not only an exercise in efficiency, the app sets to bring in a more seamless use of technology to the almost 90-year-old organisation. Stanunathan said, “Embracing technology is not a negotiable conversation; you either embrace it or you become a dinosaur.”
And embrace it they will, we look forward to seeing what love matches the Unilever makes over the following few months.
50/50
While, in 2019, a fast food restaurant expanding their vegetarian options is not exactly news, Burger King’s method of distribution definitely is. Earlier this week, the burger chain announced the introduction of their 50/50 menu, which features plant-based versions of two of BK’s most popular items, the Whopper and the Chicken King. The twist comes for customers as, when choosing from the menu, they won’t know whether they are receiving the original cut or a plant-based substitute. Burger King is rolling out the menu with the utmost confidence that customers will not be able to taste the difference between the two. In turn, they are hoping to encourage customers to increasingly choose the more environmentally-friendly, meat-free option for going forward. The campaign will be rolled out in Sweden first, with the rest of Europe planned to follow suit – let the taste-tests begin!
Are you sure?
Instagram has seen an abundance of changes over the last year. From the departure of its creators to the ever increasing use of ads, for better or for worse, the photo-sharing app has experienced a constant state of flux. This latest development though, announced earlier this week, looks as though it is very much a step in the right direction for the ‘Gram. Finally, taking measures to encourage the youth of today to think before they type, the social media app is adding in an automated warning pop-up, that will be triggered when users feel the need to leave offensive comments on others’ photos and videos. When typing thrash on another’s page, users will now be greeted with a prompt that asks them to reconsider their actions, before allowing them to post.
A spokesperson for Instagram said, "This intervention gives people a chance to reflect and undo their comment, and prevents the recipient from receiving the harmful comment notification. From early tests of this feature, we have found that it encourages some people to undo their comment and share something less hurtful once they have had a chance to reflect."
Added to this, Instagram is also testing out something called Restricted Mode, which will allow users to restrict their follower's reign on their comments, without having to block them.
Selective listening
A more traditional medium that has been given a serious revival, podcasting has emerged as an extremely influential media outlet in the last few years. As the age-old phrase goes, with great power comes great opportunities for targeting consumers, so naturally brands are excited to get involved and reach new captive audiences. The only issue is, as podcasting is still relatively new on the scene, the likes of targeting, measuring, and proving ROI are fairly tricky for agencies, brands, and broadcasters alike. Seeing this opportunity, data analytics firm, Nielsen, has launched a new tool, which is set to help provide insights into the buying habits of podcast listeners.
Nielsen Podcast Listener Buying Power Service (say that three times fast) looks to focus on specific podcast genres and their listenership, empowering brands to make informed decisions when targeting audiences. On the product launch the president of the iHeartPodcast Network, Conal Byrne, said, "We are looking forward to the ways that data from Nielsen’s Podcast Listener Buying Power service will allow us to communicate our podcasting value proposition to advertisers.”
Scoops Ahoy
The much-anticipated Stranger Things returned for a third season earlier this Summer. The jury is still out on the show’s endurance in terms of entertainment but when it comes to straight up commercialism, Netflix has, once more, proved itself to be guilty as charged. Mixing together a cool combination of confectionary and nostalgia, Netflix has partnered with ice-cream franchise, Baskin Robbins, to bring audiences Scoops Ahoy, the setting of some of the show’s most iconic scenes, in real life. To serve up this dramatised desert, Netflix and Baskin Robbins worked with Atlanta agency, 22squared, to build two yacht-shaped restaurants located in California and Toronto. Each establishment comes complete with employees kitted out in their very own Scoops Ahoy uniforms, ready to take customers to the upside-down of ice-cream heaven.
---
## The Building Blocks Of Personalisation, Block 2
Type: eps_post
URL: /building-blocks-of-personalisation-block-2
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# The Building Blocks Of Personalisation, Block 2
MAKING DATA USEFUL
Moving at our current pace in the digital ether, the world creates 2.5 quintillion bytes of data each day. That is, irrefutably, a whole lot of data. The question is, however, what good is a whole lot of data if it is not being utilised correctly?
In our last article, we discussed the role of data in building the foundation for achieving a 360-degree customer view. This time around, we are going to explore how marketers can make data actionable and realise the benefits of the enhanced customer view.
In the past, marketers had to plough through hundreds of data points to try and get some sort of understanding of their customers. Today, we can churn data at a rapid speed and the insights gleaned allow marketers to not only get to know current customers but future ones as well. Over the course of this article, we will take a look at the evolving technology and the process of creating compelling content that this churn and its insights are dependent on.
Machine Learning
One such evolving technology is machine learning. Machine learning enables marketers to create more granular segments within audience sets. With this, marketers are also afforded the opportunity to deliver highly personalised, highly targeted messages to the individual segments.
At Epsilon, we created a machine-enabled segmentation strategy known as VAP (value, attrition, and potential). VAP provides a basis for defining your communication strategy at a customer level, optimising alignment of your marketing efforts. This means communications can be customised based on VAP-driven segments that are processed via ‘the machine’ – ignore, activate, retain, engage, upsell etc. – and are applicable to loyalty programs as well as individual marketing campaigns.
Once you understand these segments, the next step is to ensure you have the right content for each segment.
Content they care about
Understanding behaviour is essential in providing relevant and engaging content to your audience both online and offline. As marketers, we have the tools and techniques to “curate personalised messages at scale.”
Understanding behaviour is essential in providing relevant and engaging content to your audience both online and offline. As marketers, we have the tools and techniques to “curate personalised messages at scale.”
For example, I recently purchased a pair of glasses online at eyebobs.com. From my purchase, the retailer now has an understanding of my style and design preferences when it comes to frames. Since my purchase, eyebobs have been sending me personalised content detailing of the new season frames based on my past purchase behaviour.
In the context of a loyalty program, which is permission-based marketing, a brands’ understanding of its members’ behaviour greatens as they have access to hundreds of data points relevant to the consumer (the member). This helps brands to deliver 1:1 content that creates an emotional connection.
Putting it into practice
But how can you really connect with your customers through content? We often get asked by our clients how they can implement a sustainable content strategy that actually speaks to their audience. Here’s a couple of tips that our clients have found particularly helpful:
Establish a content marketing team
Now that we’ve overcome the technology restrictions and can actually do 1:1 marketing, having dedicated resources to help with content is essential in curating personalised messages. If you don’t have the funding to hire new resources, assign content tasks to existing team members and form a content committee. If you do have an existing content team, think about how you can advance your strategy. Many brands are hiring digital librarians who create, organise and store content that’s unique to each customer. These librarians also ensure that content is streamlined, regardless of the channel.
Be proactive, not reactive
Taking a proactive content approach is highly recommended. Have content prepared so you’re able to engage with your customers when they need it.
A meme recently circulated on social media mocking a retail brands’ never ending printed receipt (the receipt included multiple promotional offers, etc.). As a marketer, it’s important to have content prepared to address these types of reactions. If print is a thriving channel for the brand, the retailer could have communicated a message such as – “#printisalive – check out Multichannel Merchant’s recent article on how print is a thriving channel” – saving face and also, possibly, increasing their thought leadership status among their peers.
Proactive content is all about being prepared and anticipating content needs before they occur. Epsilon’s Momentum is an application that enables this real time content messaging, moving away from structured campaigns to always on interactions in the moment.
Keep content consistent, regardless of the channel
In our omnichannel environment, marketers can create channel-specific content and lose sight of the whole customer. Customers expect a consistent experience across channels. The purpose of content is to make an emotional connection while fulfilling a customer need (answering a question, responding to feedback, etc.). Content tells a story at a point in time, but the customer journey continues on – content is a conversation that needs to be consistent. Both content and consistency are key to a successful content strategy.
And just like that those 2.5 quintillion bytes of data have turned into something special – a step closer to a better relationship between you and your customers. So, when mapping out your next marketing move, ensure to take a step back and consider how you can make all that data really useful. In our next article, we’ll share tips and techniques on how to reach each and every customer in the omnichannel landscape and how marketers can bridge the gap between online and offline.
---
## [VIDEO] Integrated marketing: What's it worth, and is it worth it?
Type: eps_post
URL: /video-integrated-marketing-whats-it-worth-and-is-it-worth-it
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T22:17:52Z
# [VIDEO] Integrated marketing: What's it worth, and is it worth it?
How do you assess the value of integrated marketing before deciding whether to invest the time, effort, and cost of joining together all marketing activity?
One of the biggest issues marketers face is assessing the value of 'the next big thing' in marketing for their business. That's no different for integrated marketing - on the minds of many marketers, but few are able to articulate the potential return.
Filmed live at IMRG's Customer Connect conference in London, in this video Elliott Clayton, SVP at Conversant, uses real-life data from businesses that have been there and done it to gauge the value - and the potential return on investment - of integrated marketing.
{{ script_embed('wistia', '08u85shaze', ', ', 'inline,responsive') }}
Discover how homeware brand Cox & Cox generated over £2 million in incremental revenue by integrating their marketing, using data, reach and delivery to align their offsite, onsite and offline marketing.
See how Cox & Cox generated £2M+
---
## the weekly round-up: 05.07.19
Type: eps_post
URL: /weekly-round-up-05-07-19
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# the weekly round-up: 05.07.19
The cost of inclusion. The weight of transfer week. The threshold of celebrity. This week we are discussing all things diversity, deception, and the depth of water in the Weekly Round-Up.
Not all G
That’s the message coming from the director of communications for Pride in London, Asad Dhunna, who is addressing brands only highlighting a small subset of the LGBTQ+ community in their adverts. More and more companies are pertaining to commit to diversity inclusion in advertising. However, with only the G of the acronym being used, they are leaving a lot more out than they are letting in. It should also be noted that as far as the gay men who are represented, the majority of them are also white – one small step for man, eh? Former brand director of Aviva, Jan Gooding, puts it best when asking brands, “Have you thought about the fact there are many other different forms of sexual orientation and gender identity?”
We looked into the issues surrounding LGBTQ+ tokenism and the gay for pay nature of brands during Pride in an earlier Weekly Round-Up. And once again we’ve arrived at the question, for brands, is diversity inclusion simply a ploy to push purchases? And, further to that, are gay, white men simply the most sellable of the community?
Have you seen this footballer?
With a reported 4 billion fans, football is widely regarded as the world’s most popular sport. This multitude of followers makes it a highly effective platform for promotion, one which is highly coveted by brands. And with transfer season currently in play, eyes aloo over the world can be found locked to their screens, in anticipation of Summer signings. This year, rather than simply submitting to the brand with the biggest budget, Italian team, AS Roma, are taking a different approach, by using their visibility to highlight missing children. Each signing video, which will be documented on the club’s own channels, among others, will not only feature the signing of a new player, but also details on children who have gone missing across the U.S, the U.K, Australia, and Europe.
On the campaign, head of strategy at AS Roma, Paul Rogers said, “We [though we] could try something updated for the social media generation. We have a massive social media following and our announcements generate incredible reach and awareness, all over the world, so we thought that at the exact moment when the world’s attention is on the club’s announcement, we could use our social media channels, not for self-promotion, but rather to help both the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children and Telefono Azzurro find missing children.”
Sleeping liars
In the latest case of ‘influencers under fire’, earlier this week, parenting blogger, Sarah Willox Knott, was forced to take down a sponsored post on her social channels after the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) received complaints of irresponsible advertising. In partnership with pharmaceutical brand, Sanofi, the This Mama Life blogger promoted Phenergan Night Time with the following post: “The worry of not sleeping then adds to it all and I end up a complete and utter zombie!! Last time this happened I tried out Phenergan Night Time, which really helped. It is a pharmacy only, short term solution to insomnia for adults which works by inducing a sleepy effect thanks to its active ingredient, promethazine hydrochloride, helping you to sleep through the night. Do you guys fall asleep easily or are you night time overthinkers like me? #AD #sleep”. The post was accompanied by a picture of the mother in the foreground and the sleeping pills in the background. Complaints quickly followed, citing that celebrities should not be allowed to endorse medication. The pharma company countered this by saying that because of Willox Knott’s reasonably small following of just 37.8K followers, she is not a celebrity. However, the ASA has listened to the people and rules against big pharma, stating that even small influencers of 30,000+ followers should be given celebrity status.
Water spoof?
From one misleading advertising case to...perhaps another one. While the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) is currently in the midst of creating a case against Samsung for misleading its consumers over the water-resistance nature of their phones, it could be said that the validity of the complaints are as murky as the water the phones can, supposedly, swim in. Chair of the commission, Rod Sims, is claiming that the types of water that Samsung depicted as being phone-friendly are actually not. “The ACCC alleges Samsung’s advertisements falsely and misleadingly represented Galaxy phones would be suitable for use in, or for exposure to all types of water, including in ocean water and swimming pools, and would not be affected by such exposure to water for the life of the phone, when this was not the case.” Unflinching, Samsung has reportedly said that they are sticking by their ads, leaving us on the fence. Or, more aptly, between two swimming lanes. While we fully respect the efforts of those working to upkeep the standards of transparent advertising, we are not sure we respect someone who goes swimming with their phone.
Just Do It
Barclay’s, Visa, Guinness, it has been a great year for the sponsorship of female sporting professionals. After years of being overlooked and underappreciated, it would seem as though the ladies are finally stepping into the spotlight with the backing of stellar brands. While this is undoubtedly a great step forward, the route to get here has not been without its road bumps.
Nike, the sponsor of the English Women’s football team, was exposed last year for driving their Just Do It slogan a little too far. The sports giant had previously been reducing their sponsorship payments of females athletes who couldn’t currently Do It as they were on maternity leave. While, following the exposure, Nike amended this practice, this case of discrimination does leave a wariness surrounding big brands’ loyalty to female athletes. Women’s Sport Trust board director, Laura Weston, expresses her worry that brands are using women as a “marketing trend”. She says, “they’ve all got these brand values and they love talking about them in PowerPoints, so it would be nice if they actually did something. Don’t say it, do it,”
---
## The weekly round-up: 14.06.19
Type: eps_post
URL: /weekly-round-up-14-06-19
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# The weekly round-up: 14.06.19
We are back! After a short hiatus, the Weekly Round-Up is back in business and bringing you more industry insights than ever before. This week we take a look at an initiative fighting to end sexual harassment in the industry, a health food rivalry turned bitter, and the ridiculous amount of plastic we are digesting on a weekly basis. All that and more, in the Weekly Round-Up.
Drawing the Lion
Arguably the world’s biggest creative communications festival, Cannes Lions will be held in the French Riviera town next week. Over the five days, attendees will hear the industry’s best and brightest speak messages of creativity, innovation, and this year, inappropriate and harmful behaviour. timeTo, an initiative created by industry bodies NABS, WACL, and the Advertising Association, is working to end sexual harassment in the industry. This year, they’re taking their "Where Do You Draw The Line?" campaign to Cannes. Created by London agency, Lucky Generals, the campaign will be made visible to festival goers using a mix of OOH, online, and an impactful short film created by Steve Reeves. timeTo will be addressing the situations and scenarios in which this harassment can occur.
Founding partner at Lucky Generals, Helen Calcraft, believes that promoting their message at the festival will heighten the impact of the campaign, "Cannes is a unique industry moment where we see the best of creativity the industry has to offer alongside some of the most appalling behaviour.”
To date, the initiative has been endorsed by 204 companies.
Kind of catty
From the Pepsi Challenge to the Audi/BMW chess game, brand wars are nothing new in the advertising world. For a brand, these activities are supposed to be strategic marketing moves as opposed to senseless snide remarks and yet, something about their execution still makes them seem a little petty. This is particularly true if the aggressive brand is one which, in name and in nature, pertains to be kind.
As part of their latest campaign, "Be Kind to Yourself", Kind, a nutrition bar brand, looks to go after Clif, a rival in the health food space. In the creative, Kind calls out Clif for its products’ high sugar content and discourages consumers from indulging. The video is a response to an earlier campaign from Clif Bar who took out ads in The New York Times calling for Kind to start using organic ingredients. A bitter row over natural (or not so natural) sweetness, we look forward to Clif’s response.
Put your money where your mouth is
Or rather, don’t, according to WWF and Grey who, in their latest creative campaign, Your Plastic Diet, claim that we are unknowingly ingesting a credit card amount of plastic a week. Sprinkled on our food, swimming in our water, and living in our air are tens of thousands of tiny pieces of plastics, 2,000 of which we are consuming on a weekly basis. Warning us about this unsavoury snack we are consuming, the wildlife NGO will run a campaign across TV, digital, online, and OOH, nudging viewers to visit a website which allows users to quantify the amount of plastic they consume and how to reduce it. The campaign will run in several countries like Singapore, Australia, Japan, Columbia, Mexico, Germany, and the UK.
Pinner, Pinner, Chicken Dinner
Despite its almost 10 year existence and close to 300 million users, as social media platforms go, Pinterest still remains a little elusive as a tool for marketers. Some use it, some utilise it, and others ignore it completely, hoping that it will just be a decade long fad that won’t stick or pin. However, considering this big brand partnership, it would seem that the vision board facilitator won’t be going anywhere fast. Last August, IKEA made the bold move of moving its iconic catalogue online via Pinterest and, almost a year on, the Swedish outfit has seen a serious uptake in interested pinners with 25,000 boards created since the launch. Dubbing Pinterest the home of “DIYers and how-to-ers and customizers,” Ikea media project manager, Kerri Longarzo, said that this was a valuable audience that the furniture store wanted to reach. And, though she didn’t reveal the figures, Longarzo said that the conversion figures via Pinterest have been extremely successful to date. But who will really reap the benefits of this strategy? As a disruptive brand, IKEA has long been a trailblazer in the market, so no doubt if they see success with Pinterest, others will follow suit and perhaps the platform’s elusiveness will finally fade.
Why do your customers buy?
The age-old question of both brands and agencies, The Behaviours Agency believe they have uncovered a silver bullet, answering the question as to “Why consumers buy” and, better still, why they don’t. In a recent piece for online publication, Marketing Week, the Manchester-based agency who have built their brand on their knowledge of behavioural science, list the seven key reasons that make us go buy and go bye. Among the reasons are the obvious ones, ease – “People buy the simplest option” and social conformity “People buy what the crowd buy”. More interesting though is the point “People buy what will gratify them now” which pertains to the notion that we are only invested in looking after our current selves when buying. Our future selves are strangers and are not brought into consideration. To read on and find out how you can nudge your consumers towards a purchase, check out the full piece here.
---
## [Video] Driving incrementality: How fashion brands secure and prove iROAS
Type: eps_post
URL: /video-driving-incrementality-how-fashion-brands-have-secured-iroas
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T22:17:52Z
# [Video] Driving incrementality: How fashion brands secure and prove iROAS
Increasingly, trailblazing fashion brands are creating pseudonymous, persistent consumer identities from transaction files, allowing them to personalise and communicate with consumers over time, then measure the true incremental return via a test and control methodology.
But driving incrementality in such a way is not exclusive to fashion brands. Learn how they're doing this in this insightful on-demand video talk.
Speaking at the Etail Connect conference near London, UK, Elliott Clayton, senior vice president at Conversant discusses how fashion brands have driven incremental return by utilising Conversant's single customer view and personalised display solution - CRM Media.
{{ script_embed('wistia', 'ycsfovr7nl', ', ', 'inline,responsive') }}
Find out how home decor retailer Cox and Cox leveraged Conversant's CRM Media solution to generate GBP £2,088, 462 revenue.
Read the case study
---
## The weekly round-Up: 05.04.19
Type: eps_post
URL: /weekly-round-up-05-04-19
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# The weekly round-Up: 05.04.19
New views of women and planets, this week’s Round-Up has us thinking about what else is out there.
Girlgaze
Stock imagery is getting a much-needed makeover thanks to a partnership between Dove, Getty Images, and Girlgaze. The personal care brand, image bank, and gender equality organisation have launched #ShowUs, a project which will expand the representation of women in everyday images. This has come about after the report that 70% of women around the world do not feel aptly represented in the images they see day-to-day, with archaic stereotypes in both aesthetic and action being readily accepted as the norm for stock imagery. #ShowUs will turn this on its head by commissioning 116 women and non-binary photographers to take 5,000 images of 179 woman, from 39 countries. Already a pioneer in pushing diversity standards of the portrayal of women in media, Dove's global vice president, Sophie Galvani says that this partnership with Getty and Girlgaze will help them propel their cause. “For over 60 years, we have believed in liberating women from narrow beauty ideals and have showcased beauty diversity in our advertising. However, this is not enough, and we cannot make the systemic change we need alone."
Love/Hate
Innovation comes in all shapes and sizes and moves at all different paces. Some brands move at a rapid one, rethinking their image as the time period dictates, going above and beyond to meet the ever-changing needs of their audience. Other brands, like Marmite, move at a slower and more steady speed. Early this week, in a Tweet that sent the lovers of the spread into a frenzy, Marmite announced that they have released a new product. The third (ever!) product variant in their 100-plus years, Marmite Peanut, is on its way to a shelf near you. But what has prompted the spread to spread its wings, so to speak? The answer is simple, and one which all other brands should take note off - the customer. Brand manager, Camilla Williamson, said that peanut butter is the Marmite accompaniment of choice for “a huge number” of brand fans and that they are simply answering a customer need. So it may have been a long time coming, but Marmite is determined to put out a product that their customers will love. And others will probably hate.
Sharing terror
Depending on how you are inclined, you may already think that the social media sphere is a frightening place. However, with the ever-increasing misuse of the platforms for promoting violence and terrorism, it is becoming more formidable than ever before. A prime example of this is the recent Facebook live stream of the mass shooting at two mosques in Christchurch, New Zealand. Despite urging from the New Zealand police to ignore and report it, a video, which saw the shooter address the camera before going on to brutally kill 50 people, circulated the platform. This tragedy cannot be blamed on social media, however, in a recent statement, the World Federation of Advertisers (WFA) is calling for platforms to take responsibility for the terror that they facilitate in being shared. Looking to the backing of brands who spend with the platforms, they are urging them to put pressure on their social media partners by being more selective of where they spend their money and focus on ones which have stricter regulations around safety. Stephan Loerke, the WFA chief executive said “Marketers must reflect on the extent and terms on which they fund these platforms.”
McData is here
They may clog our arteries, but McDonald’s reportedly has plans to streamline its service by means of big data. In a reported acquisition that is set to be announced in the coming days, McDonald’s will take hold of Dynamic Yield, a data company that “provides retailers with algorithmically driven decision logic technology.” The deal, which reportedly cost $300m, will take fast-food giant’s personalisation capabilities to a whole new level, with hot weather inciting suggestions of McFlurry ice-creams and regular drive-thru customers being offered their usual order through registration plate recognition. This move is the latest in a string of measurements McDonald’s has taken to update its model. Last year, they added a table service feature to their sit-in restaurants.
Hidden figures
Showing that it has bigger fish to fry than your menial searches, Google has, literally, gone above and beyond this week, announcing its discovery of two hidden planets. Working in conjunction with astronomers from the University of Texas at Austin, the planets, which are reportedly bigger than earth were found through a scan of NASA’s Kepler space telescope’s K2 mission archive. Despite their size, both of these planets were missed through previous scans, but now, using artificial intelligence, astronomers were able to create a new algorithm which worked through the data collected from the mission and quickly identified the uncharted lands. While this is an undeniable breakthrough for AI and data analytics, this amazing discovery does bore an important question – what else have we missed?
---
## CJ Shortlisted for 17 Performance Marketing Awards (PMAs)
Type: eps_post
URL: /cj-shortlisted-for-17-pmas-2019
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# CJ Shortlisted for 17 Performance Marketing Awards (PMAs)
CJ Affiliate by Conversant has been shortlisted for 17 Performance Marketing Awards (PMAs) in 2019.
The UK based awards celebrate excellence within performance marketing. Alongside key advertising partners TUI, Debenhams, Domnino’s, Royal Caribbean, Qatar Airways and HomeAway, CJ’s partnership with Shopping Links and Mindshare have been commended in these shortlists.
Three of the awards that CJ have been shortlisted for are decided by the industry - please do take two-minutes to cast your vote for CJ by following the relevant hyperlinks below:
Publisher Choice of Network: CJ Affiliate by Conversant
Industry Rising Star: Emily Mennie, Account Manager, CJ Affiliate
Industry Rising Star: Holly Hathaway, Account Manager, CJ Affiliate
The voting period for the Rising Star award ends on Thursday 28th February, while voting for Publisher Choice of Network closes on Tuesday 5th March.
Vote CJ: Publisher Choice of Network
The remaining Performance Marketing Awards that CJ Affiliate has been shortlisted for are:
Best Affiliate Marketing Innovation: CJ Affiliate & TUI: The Power of Situational Commissioning
Best Influencer Marketing Campaign: CJ Affiliate, Debenhams & Shopping Links: The Launch of NARS
Best Managed Affiliate Programme: CJ Affiliate & Debenhams: Tackling the High Street Decline
Best Managed Affiliate Programme: CJ Affiliate & TUI: The Problem-Solving Technology
Best Managed Affiliate Programme: CJ Affiliate& Domino's: Making a recipe for success
Best Retail Campaign: CJ Affiliate & Debenhams: Bucking High Street Trends
Best Retail Campaign: CJ Affiliate & Domino's: Sharing the Wealth
Best Team in Performance Marketing: CJ Affiliate by Conversant
Best Travel and Leisure Campaign: CJ Affiliate, Mindshare & Royal Caribbean: Calculating Incrementality to Drive Growth
Best Travel and Leisure Campaign: CJ Affiliate & TUI: Situational Commissioning
Best Use of Data: CJ Affiliate & First Choice: Growing the First Choice Brand First Choice
Global Excellence: CJ Affiliate & Qatar: More Routes for More Revenue
Industry Disruptor Award: CJ Affiliate: Demonstrating Value & Making it Actionable
Most Creative Performance Marketing Campaign: CJ Affiliate & HomeAway: Running A Voucher Campaign Without a Voucher
While the Performance Marketing Awards are UK-based, at the global equivalent - the International Performance Marketing Awards - CJ Affiliate won three awards: Industry Choice of Network (for the second year running), plus Best Use of Data with NMPi and Fanatics, as well as Best Performance Marketing Campaign or Strategy (USA) with Hotels.com.
“CJ being shortlisted for 17 Performance Marketing Awards is a result of our focus on innovation and evolution within the performance marketing industry,” explains Jules Bazley, Regional Vice President at CJ Affiliate. “We have seen an enormous shift in the market over the last 12 months as more brands have realised the value of a network, increasing their reliance on the transparency and service levels networks can provide. Through network specific innovations such as Affiliate Customer Insights - which leverages the pseudonymous consumer profiles from Conversant’s single customer view - CJ has gained an incredible amount of unique, market-changing capabilities.
“Further, it’s about understanding the specific goals of our clients and possessing the knowledge and understanding to leverage our publisher-partners and in-house technology. We’ve got an incredible publisher network - one which we heavily invest in nurturing - and an envy inspiring suite of tools, so we make sure our team are enabled to harness them all in the most innovative ways.
“But let’s not forget the incredible collaboration and alliance between the CJ team and our partners - advertisers, publishers, agencies and other partners. The brand-side, publisher and agency teams we work with collaborate in harmony with the CJ team, and it's this that allows us to push the boundaries in terms of results - something these awards lay testament to."
Vote CJ: Publisher Choice of Network
---
## The weekly round-up: 15.03.19
Type: eps_post
URL: /weekly-round-up-15-03-19
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# The weekly round-up: 15.03.19
The Golden Age of Advertising combined with extravagant egg sandwiches and the science behind a good ad. Welcome to the Weekly Round-Up.
Taking a look back
Advertising nerds rejoice – the History of Advertising Trust (HAT) has launched a podcast on the golden age of British advertising. The History of Advertising Podcast, which is on iTunes now, is hosted and produced by Jack Meggitt-Phillips and will feature renowned industry experts such as M&C Saatchi’s Jeremy Sinclair CBE, the so-called quiet man of advertising. At 10 minutes a pop the episodes are short and sweet but pack a serious punch, focusing on the defining moments of British advertising. These include the ‘Labour Isn’t Working’ campaign which helped Thatcher win her thorny crown and, on a more savoury note, Tesco’s infamous ‘Every Little Helps’, and After Eight’s delicious ‘Dinner Party’ campaigns. Three episodes have been posted so far, so what are you waiting for? Get your fill now!
Pinterest targets your pocket
Though it’s been around for quite a while in social media years, of the sector, Pinterest is still a little bit of an enigma to many. Yes, it provides inspiration and aids creativity for the individual, but the questions around its effectiveness for monetisation are often up for debate. Still, it looks like the site has found its in with media buyers and brands, and it’s through competitive pricing. According to Digiday, brands are reportedly flocking to spend on the site, and here’s why.
“Compared to other online media owners, Pinterest delivers competitively. A CPM on Facebook sits at between £2 and £3 depending on the vertical, whereas a CPM on Pinterest is around £1.50.” Further to this, the engagement rate of these slots is five to eight per cent, an attractive draw for advertisers. While it may not have the social media monopoly yet, it would be encouraged for competitors to watch this space.
The science of good
It is a question we have all asked and antagonised over during at least one point in our careers – what makes an ad good? Neil Davidson, MD of HeyHuman is claiming that the answer is simply down to, well, simplicity. Presenting at SXSW 2019, Davidson told of how his neuroscience team tested the effectiveness of some of the industry's most favoured ads, including Sony’s Balls and Apple’s 1984. What was found was that, in order to be effective, our brains need to see something with low cognitive recall, i.e. the less our brains have to do, the more effective the ad is. Davidson said this, “Our brains are incredibly lazy organs – they have to be, they are a massive energy drain on our bodies. But time and again we expect people to engage with incredibly complex content and ideas. The challenge is in creating work that is cognitively engaging but still manages to hero the creative idea.”
Bad ads
From good ads to bad, Google showed their diligence last year in cracking down on false advertising online. In 2018, the tech giant took down a whopping 2.3bn ads in a bid to tackle the issue of fraud. Though this is undoubtedly a stellar effort by Google, this figure of 2.3bn is almost a billion more than the year previous, which could suggest that false advertising is becoming increasingly common. To combat the issue and weed out the offenders Google has added 31 new ad policies. In terms of what we are dealing with and what consumers should be aware of, last year Google took action against around 207,000 ticket reseller ads, 59m phishing ads, and took down 1.2m fake news sites, and that’s only the beginning. Still, Google continues to work against the issue. According to The Drum, “Google launched 330 detection classifiers to determine an ad's "badness" directly on a website, around three times as many classifiers it introduced in 2017.”
Audience inconsistencies and lavish egg sandwiches
Between rocky sales figures and a multitude of store closures, it’s been a rough couple of months for M&S, so naturally, a sponsorship deal with one of the U.K. and Ireland’s most watched television shows would mean a change in fortune for the longstanding retailer, right? Well, it's still up for debate. Britain’s Got Talent will return to screens next month and with it will come an old presenter, Ant McPartlin, and a new sponsor, M&S Food. And while the show is expected to garner millions of viewers, some are questioning whether or not these are the eyes wanted on the M&S brand. Research carried out by YouGov, reckons that there is a bit of a disparity between the brand’s audience and the show’s. According to YouGov, fans of M&S Food think of the brand as “classy” and have further shared interests such as BBC News, John Lewis, and Isaac Newton. Fans of BGT, on the other hand, are into Snapchat, Miss Selfridge, and Robin Thicke. While this may come across as a rather haughty observation, it does not mean it is an untrue one, with egg sandwiches retailing at €4 and Robin Thicke's album going for around the same, you have to wonder if the BGT audience is really the one M&S needs right now.
---
## Powering lifetime connections. Stage I: Getting to know your customer
Type: eps_post
URL: /powering-lifetime-connections-stage-i
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Powering lifetime connections. Stage I: Getting to know your customer
Creating and maintaining customer loyalty is a long journey. To succeed, loyalty marketers must outline a strategy of how they can build, maintain, and power lifetime connections over the course of their customer’s lifecycle. We have pinpointed three vital stages required in powering lifetime connections. Over the course of the next three articles we will explore these stages:
Stage I: Getting to know your customer
Stage II: Creating a plan for ongoing dialogue
Stage III: Adjusting your communications along the journey
Getting to know your customer
During the first 90–120 days following programme enrollment, loyalty marketers need to get to know their customers and keep them engaged. Connections are no longer just based on behaviors. Emotions are an integral component to powering connections, helping to sustain lifetime loyalty. The first impression forms the foundation of the relationship between consumer and brand, so make it count.
To truly get to know your customer, consider implementing these tactics and strategies:
Identification
Make it personal – ensure you are able to identify individual members whenever and wherever they interact with your brand. Whether the interaction takes place online or offline, you need to be there, to identify your customers' needs and observe their behaviours in order to fulfil on and exceed their expectations.
Customer service
Train your associates and provide them with the tools, technology, and techniques to get to know your customers. Social chats, customer service calls, follow-up policies, and anniversary ‘thank you’ gifts to surprise and delight members will create new ways for you to glean insights. The data created from these interactions should then be integrated into your programme data. This observational data is key to building the emotional component of powering connections.
Content testing
Develop a communication plan, and put it to the test. Learn your customers’ preferred method of communication, whether it be email, mobile app or text message, and continue to make ongoing changes and improvements to ensure you’re meeting their needs.
Establish a data baseline
The availability of collectable customer data varies from industry to industry. For example, many quick-service restaurants capture diners’ email and phone number, while travel and hospitality brands are able to capture additional data points like mailing addresses. Loyalty marketers need to establish a data baseline that is continually augmented with new data. (i.e., capture additional data from surveys, apply analytics, modelling).
Reach out and communicate with your customers during this initial period in ways that will engage them with your brand and loyalty programme. Simple examples are sending out a welcome email to new customers, taking the opportunity to reinforce membership benefits. Or encourage them to download your mobile app and offer a bonus if they fill out a survey and provide more information on their preferences. Offering bonus points on their next transaction is another great way to elicit that next purchase and remind them of membership benefits.
Keep them interested
Additionally, gamification techniques can be a fun, useful way to interact with customers during this initial period, and these techniques don’t have to involve financial incentives. Create challenges that reward members with badges for completing tasks, such as using the mobile app, completing a survey or visiting multiple stores. Encourage members to compete with each other by publishing their accomplishments on a leaderboard. Offer the winner an experiential opportunity beyond a traditional reward. For example, if you’re a retailer, offer the customer an hour with a personalised shopping assistant with lunch included. Experiences such as these will strengthen brand loyalty.
Remember, relationships change over time. Being able to identify when you need to reach out and engage with a consumer can make a difference between maintaining a loyal relationship or letting one wain.
Now that you know your customer it’s time to engage them with great conversation. Our next instalment, Stage II: Creating a plan for ongoing dialogue, will publish on the Epsilon blog soon.
---
## The weekly round-up: 01.03.19
Type: eps_post
URL: /weekly-round-up-01-03-19
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# The weekly round-up: 01.03.19
Revivals, fines, and oppressive gender stereotyping, welcome to the Weekly Round-Up.
BritBox, the next big streaming service?
If you can’t beat ‘em, join together. That’s what rival U.K networks, ITV and BBC are considering in a bid to challenge market shareholder Netflix. While it is still only at the discussion stage, if put into play, BritBox, the so-called streaming service, will see two of the country’s biggest networks linking up to create a “one-stop shop for British box sets, brand new commissions and on-demand classics.” But, will this union work? Well if previous experience is anything to go by, Netflix could finally be given a run for their money. According to The Drum, BritBox is already a bonafide service stateside and has exceeded all expectations by accruing half a million subscribers to date.
Kelloggs, because your best days start with branding
After 113 years, Kellogg’s is finally serving up a little something different with a portfolio-wide redesign of their famous packaging across the European market. Though this could be seen as a rather bold move, Kellogg’s haven’t reinvented the wheel with this rebrand. Much of the focus of the exercise was centred around becoming even more recognisable to the brand's current audience base. Paul Humphries, Marketing VP of Kellogg’s Europe, said, “The Kellogg’s brand is one of the most recognisable brands in the world and our cereal boxes are present in over 90% of UK homes. We know people love, connect and engage with our brand and we wanted to make it easier for them to do that, which is why we’ve updated the entire portfolio at once.”
Kellogg’s other motivation for the facelift came as a reaction to today’s audiences’ increasing interest in transparency from brands across the FMCG industry. Kellogg’s believes that the new design “fulfils consumers’ demand for more transparency.”
Machines and misogyny
Chatbots have become an increasingly popular method of customer service over the last few years and, as AI continues to make vast developments in a minimal amount of time, no doubt it will become even more ingrained in other aspects of business in times to come. But despite their time-saving, cost-cutting, advantages to companies, the use of chatbots could be having negative implications on workforces and society as a whole.
This is not a robots-replacing-humans issue, though we have covered those threats extensively in previous Weekly Round-Ups, earlier this year and in October of last year. No, this surrounds the fact that chatbots are perpetuating gender stereotypes through the incessant use of female personas for these bots. A Forbes analysis performed on the top 10 European banks, showed that at least three of them have used exclusively female names for all for their bots, such as Debbie from Deutsche Bank and Inga from ING. The reason behind the use of female personas for these service level jobs is reportedly down to the empathy and helpfulness so often associated with women. While these attributes may be considered as positive ones, on the grand scale, what does say about how we view women in the workplace? Are they simply suitable for service jobs? Should men be exempt from them? It seems as though chatbots are posing as many questions as they are answering.
Time is ticking for social media app
Data protection, and those who are in breach of it, are topics that never stray too far from the headlines these days. This week the focus is on media company, Tik-Tok, the short-form video sharing app with a very large and very young following. So young in fact they have found themselves in extremely hot water. Making history in the US, Tik-Tok was served with the highest ever fine for a case involving underage data privacy. The $5.7m bill which comes with an order to implement improved measures to verify users who are under the age of 13, is in consequence of a report that found the app had a multitude of users and, in turn, data, of underage children. While Tik-Tok has agreed to pay the fine, whether the latter part of the order will be fulfilled, is uncertain as the measures put in place to verify a user’s age will simply be based on trust. While this is a system that most social media apps use, one has to ask, how much can you trust a pre-teen with a smartphone?
Revitalise your work life
Stuck in a work rut? Online publication, Silicon Republic knows how you feel. And, in an attempt to take you out of it, they have shared their top tips to get you through.
It starts with a self-assessment – why are you in this rut? We all go through varying levels of motivation, but if it is consistent, could it be an element external to work that is causing it? Think diet, sleep, fitness etc.
Secondly, does your brain need a change of scenery? Could something as simple as a new desk or a change of route to work make all the difference?
Then it focuses on facing tasks head-on. We all have things in work we would rather avoid and doing so, usually equates to a bigger issue than necessary.
Finally, why not try some old-fashioned fresh air – cheap, cheerful, and widely available it could be the key to a whole new lease on your work life.
---
## The Weekly Round-Up: 01.02.19
Type: eps_post
URL: /weekly-round-up-01-02-19
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# The Weekly Round-Up: 01.02.19
Gender stereotyping in APAC versus increased diversity on the London underground; we dissect the week that was in the Round-Up.
APAC marketers: Missing the mark
Source Shutterstock
There is nothing like the results of a consumer study to make a brand or, in this case, an industry, realise that they are not quite as ‘with it’ as they had thought. And the release of Kantar’s 2019 AdReaction report in the APAC region, which highlighted the differing opinions of advertisers and consumers when it came to representation of gender in media, has done just that. On one side, patting themselves on the shoulder for their self-perceived innovative approach, 83% of marketers believe that they avoid adverts that pertain to gender stereotypes. On the other hand, 63% of the audience, for which these forward-thinking ads are intended, stated that they were rife with gender stereotyping. The result is a serious gap in marketers’ knowledge of what their audience think or feel.
Head of creative for Kantar’s Insight Division in APAC, Irene Joshy, says that marketers don’t do much to effectively amend this use of unwanted stereotyping. “Busting gender stereotypes doesn’t need to mean a brand has to take a drastically different direction, or specifically cater to only men or women. Instead, ads need to be built out of consumer truths, with the right cultural nuances and tested carefully to ensure they connect with audiences. We shouldn’t assume anything.” However, whether they do it or not, is a totally different matter.
Me.No.Pause
Source Holland & Barrett
Earlier this week, healthcare retailer, Holland & Barrett, was crowned the winner of TfL’s The Women We See competition, with their entry Me.No.Pause. Its second year running, The Women We See aims to increase diversity in advertising by providing brands with a platform to share their message and promote further visibility of women in media. The platform in question includes £500,000 of digital and OOH around London’s transport services, a coveted position for any brand to be in.
Holland & Barrett’s scored the top prize by tackling what the brand has dubbed “the last taboo” – the open discussion of the menopause. Aiming to empower women facing the transition, the visuals feature an array of women from varying backgrounds in an assertive pose, ready to take on the challenges the menopause brings. The accompanying copy points them towards Holland & Barrett’s natural remedies, available to support them through.
Footloose and screen-free
Source Hotel Bellora
Fancy a free hotel stay in Gothenburg’s luxurious Hotel Bellora? The insurance company, Länsförsäkringar, are giving guests the opportunity to do just that. The Check Out Suite is now taking reservations and offering some pretty amazing deals to customers. The only catch (of course there has to be a catch) patrons of the suite must keep their screen time to the absolute bare minimum during their stay. Yes, you heard right, Hotel Bellora will be charging customers based on their screen time, or more aptly, their lack of screen time during their visit. The Check Out Suite comes equipped with a smart lamp that tracks as you surf your phone and the more you surf the more you pay. A novel idea? We think so, with unrelenting reports of humans choosing online over offline communications, why not put the phones away for one weekend?
Domino’s wants a piece of the pie!
Source Dominos
And they aren’t picky about where it comes from – at least that’s the message they are serving up in their campaign, which promotes their new app. The app, which is launching ahead of what is considered to be one of the biggest pizza parties of the year – The Super Bowl – is encouraging fans of the cuisine to celebrate their good taste by signing up to the Piece of the Pie Rewards loyalty scheme. Once they've signed up, Domino’s wants diners to upload pictures of their pies to the app, use the AI-powered pizza identification feature to scan their pizza and receive loyalty points on their account, which can then be traded in against future orders with fast food brand.
The pizza is question doesn’t even have to be from Domino’s. The pizza giant will swap points for anything from homemade authentic thin crusts to the mere modest pizza bagel. Putting category love in front of brand love, Domino's just wants The Super Bowl audience to enjoy their favourite game time snack, and hand over their data, of course.
Back to the...past
Source Shutterstock
The beat goes on, but the trend of nostalgia marketing is very much here to stay, according toEntrepreneur.com, and it’s all down to millennials. Our early-80’s to mid-90’s babies cannot get enough of the past and this comes down to the technological strides that have been made in front of their very eyes. From mixtapes to playlists, disposable cameras to the Huji App, millennials have experienced a faster rate of change than any generation before and, for that reason, cling to what once was. But they are just one segment, what about the next?
Generation Z is slowly gaining buying power in the market but, having been absent for the days of CD’s and stereos, they do not have the same connection to the past. Enter fauxstalgia, the new hook reeling in our younger audience set. Fauxstalgia is “the yearning for a time in the past, even though you may never have experienced that time directly yourself,” and is a necessary emotion to take advantage of if you’re attempting to reach an audience who are yet to experience much at all.
Epsilon’s creative team focused on both of these feelings when constructing a client DM last year for the Fifa World Cup. To find out how we evoked real emotion from our audience through nostalgia, check out our blog post here.
Like what you see? For more industry insights and updates subscribe to our blog.
---
## Madtech: convergence of adtech and martech creates incredible opportunities – but buyer beware
Type: eps_post
URL: /madtech-convergence-adtech-martech
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T22:16:49Z
# Madtech: convergence of adtech and martech creates incredible opportunities – but buyer beware
Generally, adtech is where budget is invested in acquiring customers – typically using third-party data and data management platforms to build efficiency. Meanwhile, martech is about talking to existing customers and leads that a brand has an existing relationship with, using first-party data and efficiencies from customer development platforms.
There are many parallels between martech and adtech, and there’s a point of convergence that is already happening – the result of this convergence is what some are coining ‘madtech,’ though I’d prefer a less cringe-worthy name for such an important industry evolution…
Importantly, the technology being defined as ‘madtech’ isn’t a trade-off. It’s not inferior to either martech or adtech; rather it’s an evolution of the two previously siloed technologies. This evolution is a result of necessity – for both marketing and advertising functions within businesses to have complete oversight of consumer interactions with a brand, and the further ability to act on that insight.
This can only be achieved by combining technologies, to afford brands with first-party data collection at every touchpoint of their relationship with individual consumers, the reach and technology to act on that insight, and the ability to report on the success of the activity.
Consider this: a consumer visits a brand’s website after seeing an advert for them online. It’s their first ever interaction with the brand, and they realise on the brand’s website that they live near one of the brand’s physical stores. Later that week, they visit the store and purchase a low-value item. Now, with disparate adtech and martech systems, the brand would not be able to link these online and offline interactions – they may even have trouble linking the off-site and on-site interactions, the advert and the website visit.
However, madtech keeps track of all of these interactions and can trace the value earned back to the activity that truly generated it – in this case, the online advert. Further yet, these interactions – when fully tracked within a madtech platform – can be used to spur further interactions, continuing and advancing the consumer-brand relationship.
Now, take this example one step further, and consider if the customer went on to make several higher value purchases throughout the following year and beyond, as a result of the brand continuing to interact with them based on that consumer’s unique circumstances. With madtech, the brand knows that it’s the same person receiving their communications and making the purchases. As such, the brand understands the consumer’s lifetime value and knows how much – and where – to invest their marketing spend to keep them loyal.
Finally, consider this happening at massive scale, to thousands, tens of thousands, even hundreds of thousands of consumers at the same time. This is madtech, and the ability to leverage consumer demand that would otherwise have been neglected or harnessed by rivals is why it’s happening.
THE BIG ADVANTAGE : OMNIPRESENCE
Madtech’s big advantage over martech or adtech is that it commands greater omnipresence. By definition, madtech can reach – and measure – consumer interactions across more channels and touchpoints than either. As such, there’s potential to build a greater understanding of consumers, how valuable they are to a brand, and how much they should invest in building a relationship with them. In short, there’s greater potential to understand a consumer’s lifetime value and react accordingly – whether that’s via a series of adverts, an email, even a person-to-person conversation in a traditional brick and mortar shop.
However, crucial to all of this is the capability to identify an individual.
Now, I’m not talking about the true identity of an individual – their name, for example. That would be incredibly invasive and – rightly so – would get everyone involved in deep trouble with regulators. Instead, I mean the capability for madtech to recognise who it is that’s interacting with the brand, then match that individual to a pseudonymous profile to both better understand that individual, and to deliver incredibly relevant messaging to them at that precise moment in their life.
However, despite persistent claims by some adtech, martech and now madtech vendors, very few vendors can achieve this. It’s incredibly hard to get this capability right – meeting legitimate privacy concerns while also providing marketers with the critical ability to identify consumers wherever they are – both online and offline. And without accurate identification, then there’s the obvious risk of delivering highly targeted messaging to the wrong people – at scale. Worse still, the pseudonymous profiles could be updated with information on incorrect individuals, meaning all future messaging and a brand’s understanding of their customers is at risk of being incorrect. This time, at tremendous scale.
Simply put, as is the case within both adtech and martech today, there are both superior and inferior platforms and services. Purely because there is this evolution towards madtech, it does not mean that the quality between competing services will equalise. Differentiating between effective and inadequate platforms is likely to be just as much of a minefield as it is today, yet it will be an even more critical consideration for brand-side marketers.
After all, thanks to madtech’s greater sphere of influence – a huge positive when capabilities are honed and implemented effectively – a lacking platform, or an incorrect implementation of madtech will negatively influence an even higher number of activities and budget. Here, factors such as identification, reach, persistence, decisioning, delivery, and measurement will be big differentiators between platforms, and critical points that are essential for marketers to question any potential madtech vendors on.
Written by Conversant's SVP of Media, Elliott Clayton, this post was first published on MoreAboutAdvertising.com.
---
## Driving brand loyalty: Why focusing on an adherence programme is essential to your success
Type: eps_post
URL: /driving-brand-loyalty-focusing-on-an-adherence-programme
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Driving brand loyalty: Why focusing on an adherence programme is essential to your success
When patients skip their medications and follow-up appointments, it can cost the healthcare industry billions, and result in an estimated 125,000 unnecessary deaths. The personal and economic costs are enormous, however, could be prevented with a modern approach to treatment adherence.
By focusing on providing patients with the support they need to comply with their treatment throughout the patient journey, the healthcare industry could make a significant impact on treatment adherence, improving patient outcomes all while increasing brand loyalty and market share. After all, the success of treatment and the patients’ well-being is closely linked to adherence.
But what can healthcare marketers do to support patients in moments of need and grow brand loyalty at the same time?
It starts with engaging your audience, sending them the right message, at the right time. To do that marketers must deviate from the traditional approaches to adherence and borrow efforts from other industries in order to assist healthcare professionals and patients alike, on their treatment journey.
What can contribute non-adherence?
In healthcare, adherence often refers to how thoroughly the patient follows medical advice. It can be as simple as how often they fill out their prescriptions for drugs, or more complicated like attending therapy sessions, and to what degree they follow self-care recommendations.
A staggering 50% of patients stop taking their medications after the first year, and 30% of prescriptions are never filled. Non-adherence costs the healthcare industry an estimated $637 billion a year, not to mention the negative effect it has on the patients’ health outcomes and lives.
It doesn’t matter how effective the drug is, if the patient doesn’t follow the treatment plan and fill their prescription – they won’t get better, and the developers of the drug won’t be able to test its true effectiveness. Advising patients about the consequences of deviating from their treatment plans, or scheduling follow-up appointments, are no longer effective ways to ensure patients adhere to their treatment plans.
Why you need an adherence programme
In order to have a positive impact on patient adherence and ultimately health outcomes, pharmaceutical companies need to address the many barriers different patients face in their care with adherence-driven marketing. At Epsilon, we have identified thatthese barriersare multi-dimensional and vary by patient (personality, context, habits etc.), condition, and stage of therapy.
A robust adherence programme can help pharmaceutical companies provide the support patients need to comply with their treatments. Although many organisations provide some level of support, it’s rare that the programme is omnichannel and encompasses the social, emotional, and physical issues patients face when it comes to their care.
The World Health Organization found that “medication-adherence is the result of multiple interrelated factors, including social and economic issues, fears about side-effects, the quality of a patient’s healthcare team and support system, the characteristics of the disease, and their willingness to accept the diagnosis”.
To really improve adherence, healthcare marketers should craft an adherence programme that adapts to the changing needs of the patient, and when possible, should anticipate when those needs may change or arise.
By employing tools, such as CRM, healthcare marketers can uncover opportunities to reshape behaviours and deliver personalised interventions to individual patients, to help them overcome barriers they face with their treatment plans.
Importance of adherence to driving brand loyalty
Unless pharmaceutical companies seek to truly understand and address the barriers patients face when it comes to adherence to their treatment, they are ignoring a large pool of customers that could, with a little extra support, become loyal customers.
Patients are not loyal to brands, they are loyal to experiences. Brands that are proactive in providing support, and focus on the individual needs of their patients, generate much higher engagement, brand loyalty, and thus higher return.
Studies have found that patients who received higher levels of personalised support, showed much higher levels of long-term-adherence. In a 12 month period, the levels of adherence jumped from 30% to 85%, thanks to access to a dedicated healthcare expert that helped patients address barriers they face with filling prescriptions, therapy, and dealing with their diagnosis.
In order to move forward, the industry must begin integrating adherence-driven marketing into their customer engagement plans. By focusing on delivering value aligned with individual patient and HCP needs, healthcare marketers can inspire brand loyalty, improve overall patients outcomes, and increase revenue.
To find out how to bring HCP’s and their patients one step closer to treatment adherence, read our instructional guide on how to map out your users’ journey here.
---
## The Weekly Round-Up: 07.12.18
Type: eps_post
URL: /the-weekly-round-up-07-12-18
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# The Weekly Round-Up: 07.12.18
Is Bing replacing Google? Is shellfish-themed meditation the latest 2019 mindfulness trend? Find out here in the Weekly Round-Up.
That’s a Wrapped
Source - Spotify
Spotify has released their annual marketing campaign, Wrapped, an initiative that outs platform listeners’ musical quirks in all their splendour. The yearly campaign which is sprawled across both traditional and digital channels aims to celebrate the intricacies of 83 million-plus subscribers, while simultaneously thanking them for another year of custom.
Though 2017 brought some real gems such as the user-generated playlist ‘I love Gingers’ that featured 48 Ed Sheeran songs, topping the charts this year is a playlist titled ‘It’s the royal wedding is tomorrow!!!’ which, despite the enthusiasm of three exclamation marks, was created 22 days after the royal wedding. Other notable contenders for the coveted top spot include the 20,141 playlists entitled ‘Baby Shark’, followed by a sole user who longs for a little barnacle-themed downtime with 'Clam Meditation'.
Here come the girls
Source - Visa
Visa has made a ‘groundbreaking’ play this week in signing on as the first-ever sponsor of UEFA women’s football. The deal is a multi-year partnership which will run until 2025, will spread across a multitude of leagues and divisions, and will also support their marketing platform, Together #WePlayStrong, aimed at getting more females into the beautiful game.
Good news all around so? Perhaps. However, we can’t help but grimace a little at the fact that this deal is considered ‘groundbreaking’ in 2018. Not just considered, but actually is groundbreaking. As mentioned above, before this week, UEFA women’s football never had a partnership, a slightly meager statement when put alongside the long-running partnerships of male football and Heineken, Pepsico, Playstation, Adidas and McDonald's...need we go on?
Past pretty
Source - Shutterstock
They say looks are only skin-deep and the same seems to be true of aesthetically pleasing content according to a recent article in The Drum by columnist and Wilderness content producer, Dennis Korycki. In the piece, Korycki suggests that content creators should not feel pressured by the digital displays of their competitors and rather focus first and foremost on the message or information that they are trying to communicate.
He states that “the whole point is not how it looks, but what the content contains.” And that while visuals can be imperative in telling a story, they do not need to be a work of art so to speak. For him, “the key for engaging content – finding situations that are relatable on a personal level but universally understood among a mass audience and translating it visually.”
Joy to the world...of advertising
Source - John Lewis
That’s after the release of a recent study by System1 Research, which revealed that Holiday ads are considered to have more effect on ROI than any others. The study, which evaluated 220 television commercials in the UK over the month of November, found that audiences were up to 33% happier watching festively themed slots as opposed to the average ad. This happiness stat lead to the ads being rated out of five. Holiday ads received an overall average score of 2.8 stars out of 5, an almost 50% improvement on the 2 stars awarded to non-seasonal campaigns.
But what does all of this mean to the advertiser? Well, according to System1 Research, this positive human emotion indicates how an audience regards the product or service advertised. In short, System1 reckons if we are happy watching then we will be happy buying too. With the festive season upon us all we can do is wait and see – perhaps there will be an influx of piano purchases from John Lewis over the next 12 months. Watch this space.
Back with a bing?
Source - Search Engine Journal
Before you retreat back to the other 95% of the market who use Google as the one-and-only search tool, hear us out! According to a recent article on digital publication, Entrepreneur.com, European brands and advertisers could genuinely be missing out by not utilising Bing as part of their SEM strategy.
Why? Well, first and foremost, “Bing has 3 billion monthly searches in Europe and 12 billion monthly searches worldwide.” Not too shabby for a brand looking to drive acquisition. Better still, Bing Ads is a lot lighter on the pockets than Adwords, 32.5% lighter to be exact. Moreover, Bing Ads allows highly segmented device targeting, allowing users to get closer to their audience members and optimise their communication with them. “Bidding can be controlled based on targeting the best performing devices and excluding the underperforming ones.”
Still not sold? Check out the article in full here on Entrepreneur.com.
Like what you see? For more industry insights and updates subscribe to our blog.
---
## [Video] The principles of personalisation in digital advertising
Type: eps_post
URL: /video-the-principles-of-personalisation-in-digital-advertising
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# [Video] The principles of personalisation in digital advertising
What can brands use personalisation for? And how can they harness personalisation to generate new demand? Find out in this on-demand talk, filmed live at DMEXCO 2018.
In this talk, Elliott Clayton, SVP of Media UK at Conversant discusses what personalisation is actually for, and how delivering truly personalised experiences for consumers - not through segments, but actually personalised to the individual - benefits bottom-line.
{{ script_embed('wistia', 'kqq18kgxug', ', ', 'inline,responsive') }}
Find out how to make true, one-to-one personalisation at scale happen. Read Conversant's free guide on the four essential themes for marketing personalisation at scale.
Download the guide
---
## The Weekly Round-Up: 2.11.18
Type: eps_post
URL: /the-weekly-round-up-2-11-18
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# The Weekly Round-Up: 2.11.18
In this week’s Round-Up, we’re putting GDPR compliance under the microscope and asking the question – why are all AI Assistants female?
The future is female
Source: Universal
Once, the notion of hoverboards and hi-tech eyewear were merely a plotline in the Back to the Future sequel. Now, these items are part of everyday life, existing alongside AI assistance and self-driving cars, indicating to fans of the franchise that there is no going back, we are now in the future.
But what kind of future is it? Yes, our homes are smarter and our cars are driverless, but how far have our perceptions of equality evolved? Today, over 2.5 billion of the world’s population use smartphones. This means that up to 2.5 billion of the population are now asking an AI assistant to help them in their daily menial tasks. While this is further proof of our advancement in technology, these assistants come in the form of Siri, Cortana, and/or Alexa – the new-aged servant is undoubtedly female.
The argument for the use of female personas is down to audience testing and preferences, however, in the wake of the Me Too movement and feminism’s Fourth Wave, the decision for all female roles seems quite dubious, and industry experts agree. On the topic, Jemma Elliot, said “Female virtual assistants are perpetuating stereotypes of subservience at a time when the shifting power dynamics of gender are being scrutinized and challenged. This gives ostensibly progressive umbrella companies some moral challenges.”
View before you chew
Source - Imgur
We’ve all been there, sat in an incredibly stylish restaurant, surrounded by an incredibly stylish crowd, and in front of us is an incredibly stylish menu – of which you understand very little, despite the eatery being branded as your own ‘local’ cuisine.
Jackfruit? Kalettes? Calçots? They may be exactly what you’re looking for, but heck if you know what they are, let alone what they look like. Enter Transplater, a new prototype app from Barclaycard that is offering diners the opportunity to “view before they chew”.
Currently being tested for the market, the app will enable its audience to take a picture of an unfamiliar ingredient on a menu and then be served up a description of its taste and a visual example.
The idea for the app comes off the back of a recent U.K research report that found that despite 33 per cent of the participants considering themselves to be foodies, 91 per cent regularly don’t recognise a large proportion of the items listed on menus.
Are you really GDPR compliant?
Source – MarTech Today
It may seem like a lifetime ago since you dotted your i’s, crossed your t’s, and ensured that your entire database were contacted and covered when you were readying your company for the implementation of the new data protection laws.
Laborious as the process was, it was the law so naturally you complied, right? Wrong...possibly. Though you may have had it all sewn up in that department, the burning question now is, do your partners?
No man is an island and the same goes for businesses, everyday we partner, trade, and collaborate with external organisations, some of which provide us with third party data, and some of which may not be GDPR compliant.
While we are yet to see the full repercussions of failing to comply with GDPR, it won’t be long. Get yourself up to date and avoid getting caught in the crossfire of third party problems by educating yourself on the issue now – we took a deep dive into the topic earlier this year.
All smiles for Colgate
Source - TerraCycle
Want to invest in health, humanitarianism, and the environment all in one? Then look no further than the toiletries aisle of your local supermarket. Oral hygiene brand, Colgate, have launched a brand initiative with recycling experts, TerraCycle, called Colgate Oral Care Recycling Programme, that allows customers to recycle any brand of ‘tooth paraphernalia’ from old brushes to empty tubes while subsequently donating cash to a charity of their choice.
A simple concept with some real star power, TerraCycle and Colgate have called to action for participants to sign up here and find their nearest designated recycling centre. Once customers start recycling, the rewards will roll in for a chosen charity. With every kilo of waste collected, £1 is donated to those in need.
Purrfect your spending
Source - Shutterstock
Already an incredible support to startups, finance management app, Anna Money, has come up with a brand new product feature to help SMEs regulate their cash flow. Now every time ANNA app users pay via contactless card, a miaow sound will chime, to reinforce to users that by tapping they are in fact spending money that could be needed elsewhere in the business. Based on the release of a recent study from Ashley Finance that reported that “90% of small business failures can be attributed to cash flow problems”, the miaow feature is the latest innovation of fusing together human insights and Artificial Intelligence. While it is a slightly obscure way to control your spending, we reckon that the ANNA app’s new system will be the cat’s pajamas for small business owners. Pun intended.
Like what you see? For more industry insights and updates subscribe to our blog.
---
## Press Release: Nick Corkill joins Epsilon
Type: eps_post
URL: /press-release-nick-corkill-joins-epsilon
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Press Release: Nick Corkill joins Epsilon
Epsilon Strengthens EMEA Leadership Team with the Appointment of Nick Corkill, Vice President, Client Services.
Seasoned Client Services Leader to Drive Growth and Deliver Client Success for the EMEA Dell Technologies Relationship.
London - 30th October, 2018, - Epsilon, a global leader in creating connections between people and brands, today announced the continued expansion of its EMEA leadership team with the appointment of Nick Corkill as VP, Client Services leading the Dell account across EMEA. Corkill will also work hand-in-hand with Epsilon’s creative team to expand and grow its creative footprint internationally. Based in London, Corkill will be part of the EMEA leadership team and report directly to Matthew Simons, SVP, EMEA.
“Corkill is a seasoned client services leader with considerable industry experience, across business-to-business and business-to-consumer clients including L'Oréal, BT, Mothercare, Coty, Christie's and Best Western. He will be an important asset to our team and will enable us to further differentiate Epsilon from its competitors,” said Matthew Simons, SVP, EMEA. “I’m excited to see how Corkill and his team will help to further nurture and cement our relationship with the client while achieving even greater success for Dell Technologies.”
Simons “While Corkill’s primary focus will be on helping Dell Technologies deepen customer relationships and find new customers, he is also tasked with identifying and implementing a growth strategy for Epsilon’s creative offering.”
Epsilon has been providing experiential marketing solutions, advanced email marketing programmes and lifecycle communication strategies to Dell Technologies, a global technology leader, in EMEA for almost a decade. As part of the outputs from our global long-term partnership, Epsilon recently announced that it’s leveraging its Agility Loyalty™ platform to launch the Dell Advantage Rewards loyalty programme globally.
Corkill has significant technology, data, strategic and creative experience with the goal of ensuring that data, creative, insight, technology strategy are used together to client return on marketing investment. He joins Epsilon from RAPP, where he initially led the L’Oréal account and oversaw its rapid growth across 25 UK brands, before being appointed New Business Director. Prior to that, Corkill was the Business Director for the BT account at OgilvyOne.
"I am excited to join Epsilon at a time of growth for the company and its clients. A visionary company, Epsilon is keenly focused on accelerating performance and success for its clients leveraging data, technology and creative solutions. Its impressive client list, digital creative services, data strategic intelligence and world-class technology are unrivalled. I look forward to contributing to positive outcomes for clients through data-driven, highly personalised creative."
As Epsilon continues to invest and expand in its leadership team, this appointment comes on the heels of the recent appointment of Andrew Mitchell, SVP International Sales.
---
## Cracking the code: How strategy fuels creative campaigns
Type: eps_post
URL: /cracking-code-strategy-fuels-creative-campaigns
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Cracking the code: How strategy fuels creative campaigns
My university days were spent dreaming up killer campaigns. I’d mentally improve upon every ad I saw, full of creative ideas and misplaced confidence. Why couldn’t they see what I saw? How did a team of professional creatives, armed with a hefty budget and customer insights, come up with that?
I moved on to my first marketing job and, ready to reinvent the industry, took charge of my first campaign. And it absolutely kicked my ass. Between managing brand and product requirements, marketing and communications goals, budgets, media, and consumer info, I found myself falling into that familiar trap: focusing on the product instead of the consumer. Getting so bogged down in details and features the client wanted to promote that I ignored our customer research.
"It took a move from management to strategy, and from the corporate side to the agency side, to understand how much work goes into executing a creative idea."
The hours and frustrations it takes to bridge the gap between brand and consumer with a relevant, beautiful message. Because every touchpoint with your audience, be it through TV, email, or radio, needs to answer a relatable human problem. Click to tweet this
That’s where strategy comes in
My role as a strategist boils down to two essential tasks. First, to make sure the brief is rock-solid and answers the foundational questions: who are we targeting, what do they want to hear, what problem do they face, and how does our brand solve it. Then, once work has begun, it’s my role to be the irritating person in the corner of the room that repeatedly asks “how is that relevant?”
A creative will always be tempted to reverse-engineer strategy to match their great idea. That’s natural - because their main focus is on the appearance of the end product. But a great idea that doesn’t connect with its target audience is just pretty fluff. Strategists have to be present throughout the process, always ready and willing to untangle problems with insights. To take the ball when you’re headed towards a creative dead-end, then hand it back with a set direction to travel towards.
When you emphasise strategy, it gives you an omnipresent marketing voice in the room. Someone who’s considering how each touchpoint fits in with everything the customer has experienced before, what they’re going to experience afterwards, and the desired brand tone - all within the context of metrics, KPIs, leading indicators, and testing.
A pattern in a stream of decisions
At Epsilon, we’ve put together one of the largest Strategy & Insights teams in Ireland. We all come from diverse industry backgrounds and have our own unique skill-sets. S&I is the backbone of everything we do - fuelling our creative campaigns and accelerating performance for our clients.
Recently, our colleagues in the US helped a major client put together a CRM programme for a new product launch. It was a major national success that set new internal benchmarks for email success. But as the company started to roll out the strategy overseas, consumer engagement began to dip in different ways.
So, the Irish team got involved to shed some light on the poor performance. After some testing, we realised we didn’t need to reinvent the wheel. The lack of adoption was down to minor cultural differences in each market, the kind of nuances you can never assume, but that stand out like a sore thumb to a seasoned strategist. We didn’t have to change the nature of the experience, just tweak it to make it seem natural to each audience.
The refined campaign was an immediate success. The first market we rolled out to saw an uptick of 12% on email, and 25% on platform engagement. All from minor tweaks that made consumers in each market feel that the content was tailored specifically for them.
Henry Mintzberg once said that strategy is “a pattern in a stream of decisions”. No matter who your audience is, or what medium you’re using, this pattern is an invaluable asset. By drawing insights from behavioural clues, you give yourself a full view of both the customer experience and the business outcome, as they grow and change together.
This article originally featured in the August edition of IMJ.
---
## CJ Affiliate wins three International Performance Marketing Awards in 2018
Type: eps_post
URL: /cj-wins-3-international-performance-marketing-awards-2018
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# CJ Affiliate wins three International Performance Marketing Awards in 2018
CJ Affiliate has won three awards at the International Performance Marketing Awards (IPMAs) 2018.
The affiliate network won the Industry Choice of Network for the second year running, plus Best Use of Data with NMPi and Fanatics, as well as Best Performance Marketing Campaign or Strategy (USA) with Hotels.com.
Further, CJ was highly commended in a number of categories, highlighting the network's global reach and international performance.
At the inaugural IPMAs last year, CJ took home three of the prestigious performance marketing awards.
"I am incredibly proud of CJ's achievements at the 2018 International Performance Marketing Awards - once again, it's industry recognition of the value that CJ brings to the table," says Jules Bazley, Regional Vice President for CJ Affiliate. "Ultimately, this is thanks to our expert team located right around the world, and the highly professional advertiser, publisher and agency teams that they work so closely with.
“The teams at Hotels.com, NMPi, Fanatics and all the other great brands we work with at CJ collaborate with the network in harmony all around the world. It's this that allows us to push the boundaries in terms of results - something these awards lay testament to.
"CJ has long been known as the global affiliate network, specialising in harnessing local market knowledge, combined with the ability to reach billions internationally," continues Bazley. "With the recent launch of affiliate personalisation - a truly unique capability for CJ - the network's ability to form lasting relationships between consumers, advertisers and publishers all around the world is only set to enhance further still. It's an exciting future for the network!"
---
## Press Release: Epsilon Expands Relationship with Dell
Type: eps_post
URL: /press-release-epsilon-expands-relationship-with-dell
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Press Release: Epsilon Expands Relationship with Dell
Alliance Data’s Epsilon Expands Relationship with Leading Technology Client: Launching Globally Loyalty Programme
Loyalty Programme Provides Consumers and Small Businesses with Rewards, Exclusive Offers, and Other Perks to Drive Sales, Brand Engagement
London — 12 October, 2018, — Epsilon™, an Alliance Data (NYSE: ADS) company, announced the output of their long-term partnership with global technology leader Dell for loyalty marketing services. Epsilon has been providing permission-based email marketing services to Dell since 2010. As part of the latest agreement, Epsilon is leveraging its Agility Loyalty® platform to launch the Dell Advantage Rewards loyalty programme globally.
Epsilon is responsible for building, launching and managing the new Dell Advantage Rewards loyalty programme across the United States, Brazil and Canada, with plans to expand to other countries. The loyalty programme will share personalised communications with potential and existing customers based on a variety of insights. Epsilon is fully managing the programme’s technology through its industry-leading Agility Loyalty platform and integrated third-party tools.
By introducing a robust global loyalty programme, Dell’s marketing communications across channels such as email, direct mail and online media will help Dell drive higher return on investment, deeper engagement and improved customer experiences. Customers who are part of the Dell Advantage Rewards programme will receive great benefits including money back, exclusive offers, expedited shipping and other perks.
“Dell Advantage Rewards exemplifies our vision for customer value, personalisation and engagement,” said Roel Canare, Director of Loyalty and CRM at Dell. “Epsilon has been a valuable partner to Dell for many years, and working with a single provider who can address both our consumer and business-to-business markets across loyalty, email and database marketing has been critical to our success.”
“The tenure and growth of our relationship with Dell is a testament to our ability to help them reach their customers in the right channels to create lasting and impactful connections,” said Bryan Kennedy, Chief Executive Officer at Epsilon and Conversant. “A global leader in their space, we’re proud to have contributed to Dell’s success and look forward to driving more customer loyalty across the world through the launch of Dell Advantage Rewards.”
---
## The Weekly Round Up: 05.10.18
Type: eps_post
URL: /weekly-round-up-05-10-18
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# The Weekly Round Up: 05.10.18
Could robots be out to steal our jobs? Is 3D printing the solution to world hunger? We are answering these questions and more in this week’s Round-Up.
Anadin takes the pain out of the purchase
Source - Pfizer
“Communication is always a challenge in the pharma category.” That’s according to Gökçe Şahbaz, the Creative Director at Path, Pfizer’s creative partner who recently took on the task of rebranding the packaging for the over-the-counter pain relief brand, Anadin. Facing the challenge head on, Path placed the customer journey at the heart of the refresh, with Şahbaz and co. using the need for simplicity to drive the design. The result of this is clear, identifiable packaging that allows consumers to know at just a glance which product will solve which problem – after all, the last thing anyone wants when reaching for the painkillers is a bigger headache over confusion of which pack to pick.
RoboDoc
Source - DIgital Trends
The latest in technology development comes in the form of Moxi, the world’s first healthcare service robot. Currently picking up shifts in three hospitals in Texas, Moxi’s role is to act as a support to nursing staff, picking up and delivering medical supplies in the hospital, a task which can take up 30% of nurses’ time on a day to day basis. With the task delegated to Moxi, the next natural question is whether this time-saving cyborg could lead to all nursing jobs being replaced by robotics. The answer is, of course, no. Moxi is a non-client facing robot whose role is strictly kept to logistical labour, and, though it comes complete with reactive facial expressions, Moxi is not able to replicate the human touch of the hospitals living and breathing staff.
As the digital age continues into its prime, the healthcare industry continues to face new challenges, leading agencies, HCPs (Healthcare Professionals), and pharma companies to create solutions to counteract them. Tackling those challenges head on, on October 16th and 17th, Epsilon will be attending and hosting a workshop at Eye for Pharma, the industry’s biggest commercial conference. The Epsilon workshop, "Building Lasting HCP Connections with Omnichannel Journeys" will be held on October the 16th and will be hosted by Epsilon’s Head of Strategy & Insights EMEA, Valerie Popeck, and Director or Strategy & Insights EMEA, Pooja Ranganathan. For more information, head over to the Eye for Pharma website here.
Print is resurrected
Source - Pinterest
Marking a vast difference from the normal doom and gloom that is usually heard regarding print, in a recent report Marcomm News has stated that direct mail may be a far more efficient way to reach consumers as opposed to email marketing. Right now, our consumers’ inboxes are saturated, with 70% in the UK saying that they receive far too many emails, a fact proven by the statistic that 74 trillion emails are sent every year. With those figures to work against, perhaps it is time to go back to basics and put pen to paper next time you want to communicate with your audience. This traditional calling card could help you to stand out from your competitors and really engage with your consumers. Perhaps. However with email measurement more intuitive than ever, we don’t imagine marketers want to give up the opportunity to view open, bounce, and conversion rates just yet.
Let them eat waste
Source - 3D Food Company
Back to tech developments, but this time we’re casting our focus on the FMCG industry. Elzelinde van Doleweerd, a recent Dutch graduate who has been working with the Chinese technology company, 3D Food Company, has come up with a very novel way to decrease food waste. At present, one-third of the world’s food goes to waste, a shocking figure to read as world hunger continues to prevail. Van Doleweerd is taking that waste and making something beautiful (and edible) using a 3D printer. From unwanted sweet potato and rice, the graduate has created snacks like the lattice cracker (above) which, reports say, tastes as good as it looks. Though 3D printing has been around since the 1980’s, van Doleweerd’s project is still very much in the early stages, however, with prototypes like this and more to come, we are excited to see what’s next for the young graduate.
‘Avo bacon sandwich
Source - Huff Post
Costa Coffee have found themselves in a sticky situation this week as the UK’s Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) banned their latest radio ad from the airwaves. The slot, which promoted their delicious bacon roll and coffee combo deal, was not well received by listeners. During the ad in no uncertain terms the VO clearly pushes listeners towards the meal-deal and against the trials and tribulations of buying ripen-at-home avocados which will only be “hard as rock for the first 18 days, three hours and 20 minutes, then they'll be ready to eat, for about 10 minutes, then they'll go off.”
Though Costa and its ad agency, BBH London, were clearly going for a light laugh on the current millennial obsession with the fruit (or is it a vegetable?) the UK Code of Broadcast Advertising clearly states that brands must not discourage the selection of fresh fruit and vegetables, meaning the ad got axed.
Like what you see? For more industry insights and updates subscribe to our blog.
---
## Make your Loyalty programme every day exceptional
Type: eps_post
URL: /make-loyalty-programme-every-day-exceptional
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Make your Loyalty programme every day exceptional
As consumers, we’ve come to expect offers, discounts and promotions from the loyalty programmes and brands we follow for pretty much every holiday. We also expect a discount or offer in celebration of our birthday. And yet another offer right after we’ve made a large purchase, to try and get us to shop again. There’s usually no lack of offers or promotions when it comes to loyalty programmes.
While some of these loyalty engagement tactics do work, they’re expected and anticipated, which means they don’t necessarily make customers feel valued, appreciated, respected or grateful - four of the six positive emotions that drive loyalty, according to Forrester Research.
Celebrate the unexpected
So, what about the unexpected, unanticipated moments of engagement? How can we make the “everyday” an unexpected celebration for our loyalty members? The brain finds unexpected pleasure more rewarding than ‘expected rewards’ and, subconsciously, we desire unpredictable experiences.
Starbucks is capitalising on this trend with Starbucks Happy Hour. While not just for rewards members, these invitation-only offers give customers reasons and ways to get what they love from Starbucks. The company’s promotional strategy was to strengthen digitally enabled customer engagement beyond its Starbucks Rewards™ loyalty programme.
Amazon found a way to celebrate the everyday with Amazon Prime Day. Introduced in 2015 to celebrate Amazon's 20th anniversary, Amazon Prime Day provides members-only access to special deals for Amazon Prime customers.
Ways to create everyday exceptional
As loyalty marketers, we know that loyalty members want and expect appreciation and recognition. In fact, according to surveyed customers who felt valued, 92% plan to stay with the brand, 88% will increase their spending and 91% will advocate for the brand, according to Forrester Research.
While brands certainly appreciate the monetary value of their rewards members – do brands actually do a good job of showing authentic appreciation to their members in return? Brands can capitalise on the everyday exceptional trend while also showing their members the appreciation they deserve. Here are a few tactics to consider- which range in type and complexity, but all have the same goal in mind – to enhance emotional engagement with your brand.
The good old fashioned thank you
Sure, we’ve all gotten a thank you message right after making a purchase. But, consider sending members a genuine, non-promotional “thank you” message simply for being a member of your programme. Genuine is the key word which can help to instill trust with your brand.
Raise them to the top
Why not upgrade some of your members to the next level or tier of your programme before meeting the upgrade criteria? For example, target some of your more valuable members by using Value-Potential segmentation and modelling.
Give a little gift
Many brands have designed their loyalty programmes to reward members with gifts. Sephora’s Beauty Insider rewards programme is a well-known example of this model, which works. But, members expect these gifts. While not a new concept, surprise and delight gifts are a tried and true appreciation tactic. True surprise and delight strategies are unanticipated by members at unexpected moments. The gift should not be in the form of a discount or offer, but rather a no-strings-attached token of appreciation, such as a monogrammed bracelet, branded merchandise, like a coffee mug, complimentary service, donation to a charity on your behalf and so on.
Employee empowered discounts and acts of kindness
Empower your employees to periodically offer members of their choice a special discount on purchases. How amazing would it be to be at the till and the member of staff says “because you’re such a valued customer I’m giving you an extra 15% off your purchase today”.
Ask for feedback, but differently
Ask members how they feel about your programme and your brand at an unanticipated moment, and in an authentic manner. Asking a customer to go online to take a “how did we do” survey after a purchase isn’t authentic or effective. Many times, it’s an open door to receive negative feedback or even decrease purchase behavior, according to the Mere-Measurement Effect. But, asking members for feedback in a way that solicits their expert opinion can create a sense of value, inclusion and trust. Consider asking members their thoughts related to product development or merchandising decision ideas (eg. “We know you have great taste and would love to get your opinion on our Winter Collection).
Strive to make your loyalty programme everyday exceptional and remember to think ‘out of the box’. It’s important to remember how appreciation and surprise and delight tactics can impact your loyalty programme and your brand by strengthening emotional connections with your customers. As we’re immersed in our 2019 marketing planning, take time to think about different strategies and tactics to show how much you appreciate your members, who in return will continue to appreciate your brand.
Need help taking your loyalty programme to the next level? At Epsilon, we have the technology and expertise to help you harness your data, segment your members and analyse and measure your performance. Contact usto talk with our loyalty experts today.
---
## Four unique ways to turn your data into high performing customer experience
Type: eps_post
URL: /four-unique-ways-turn-data-into-high-performing-customer-experience
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Four unique ways to turn your data into high performing customer experience
Excellent customer experience is no longer a selling point – it’s a requirement. 86% of consumers are willing to pay more for a better customer service and, in an online world with more choice than ever before, the brands that don’t take notice are doomed to be forgotten.
The key to a great customer experience lies in our ability to utilise the data that is already available to us.Click to tweet
Today, most of our interactions online leave a digital print, that can be traced back and analysed to gather insights into consumer habits and preferences. Consumers understand the value of their data and are willing to give it up in exchange for an improved customer experience.
To deliver outstanding customer experience, you need to translate online and offline data into human insights. Here are four unique ways to use your customer data to create an unmatched customer experience.
1. First impressions matter
In an increasingly competitive marketplace, every piece of your web design needs to serve a purpose. Customer experience doesn’t start when they make a purchase, it begins as soon as they the consumer starts looking for your product or service.
Having a clean website, with intuitive navigation, and logically organised content is key to locking visitors in, and gently pushing them to convert to loyal customers.
Track interactions on your site using tools like Google Analytics to gather insights on your performance. Find out how visitors get to your site, and where they go once they've landed on your page. Use eye-tracking software to find out the ‘hot spots’ and areas that you can tweak to improve customer experience.
Industry leaders like Airbnb have been paving the way with their intuitive web design. The main attraction – destination search – is up front and center, guiding visitors to the next logical steps. They’ve also incorporated smart search allowing users to autocomplete their queries and speed up the process.
Key takeaway: Sweat the small stuff, like website speed. 75% of users will click off and run straight into your competitors' open arms if they encounter delays. 76% of customers place usability above anything else, so make it easy for your visitors to find what they are looking for. Test your site, and tweak it to ensure you’re bringing satisfaction with every click.
2. Social listening
Industry experts agree that the best time to ask for feedback about your customers’ experience is right after you deliver it. In fact, 70% of businesses that deliver exceptional customer experiences use customer feedback systems.
Employing post-interaction surveys is a great way to get feedback on your performance, however, customers are far more outspoken on social networks and forums. To gather true insights, show up in the comment sections on your social channels and practice your listening skills.
People are more likely to express concerns and ask for advice online, so use this as an opportunity to add a human touch, create an emotional connection, and deliver an unforgettable customer experience.
For example, Tommee Tippee, one of the largest baby products providers heard about a father on Twitter looking to replace one of their limited edition sippy cups for his severely autistic son. Turns out, his son refused to drink from any other cup, and as a result, the company announced they will release 500 of those discontinued cups especially for his son.
Key takeaway: Social media is the top choice when it comes to customer care, with 35% of customers turning to tried and trusted channels to reach out for support. Make sure you’re on top of things by investing time in patrolling your social channels and keeping your ears open for opportunities to accelerate performance and improve customer experience.
3. Customers are the heart of your operation
Deliver experiences that are relevant specifically to your customers. To accelerate performance, use the data that you already have on your customers’ buying habits and preferences to create personalised offers and suggestions. Not only will that promote brand-love and create an army of brand advocates, it’ll also help you improve customer experience.
Amazon, one of the industry leaders in personalisation, use customer data to suggest ‘bought together’ products in real-time. Not only do they boost revenue, they also get bonus points for reminding customers they might need a HDMI cable to go with their brand new flat screen TV.
Key takeaway: 66% of consumers admit they are more likely to switch brands if they feel they’re treated like “a number” rather than an individual. Avoid general newsletters and offers as much as possible, instead speak to your consumer directly using their name. Update customers with relevant new products that they may be interested in.
4. Seamless experience
The customer journey is becoming more fragmented as new technology innovations happen, so it’s important to ensure that all touch points are optimised and tied together. Create a seamless customer experience by ensuring you provide an equally satisfying service online and offline.
Give shoppers the option to purchase online or pick-up in store. If an item is out of stock in-store, then offer to order it for them, or notify customers when they become available again. For example, if customers click through ‘Shop Now’ on your Instagram post, they should easily find the items they are looking for on your e-commerce site.
Key takeaway:On average, companies that provide an ominous customer experience throughout their presence online and offline retain a whopping 89% of their consumers. Map out your customer journey to understand better the touch points and optimise accordingly to ensure customer success.
Today, we are rich in data but poor in delivery. Put your data to work, because a small tweak in your operations or strategy can transform your customer experience, and position your organisation as a top industry leader. Some of the best-laid customer experience plans fall short because they lack true insights. With a little time, effort, and these tips you can set yourself and your organisation up for success.
---
## The Weekly Round-Up: 14.09.18
Type: eps_post
URL: /the-weekly-round-up-14-09-18
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# The Weekly Round-Up: 14.09.18
In this week’s edition of the Epsilon weekly round-up, we take a look at three icon brands: Nike, Aero & Stella Artois, as they reach new heights with their latest campaigns. We also explore industry predictions & trends.
A year almost in review
Autumn 2018 has arrived and, as with this change of season, digital marketing software company, Choozle, are putting last year’s predictions to the test and seeing whether or not the 2018 industry forecast came to fruition. In a survey of over 500 American consumers, Choozle found that while the year was mostly in line with what was anticipated, some interesting facts were still found. Case in point, consumers’ aversion to video advertising.
Choozle’s study showed that despite Cisco stating that by 2020 “videos will make up more than 80% of all consumer internet traffic”, 72% of consumers do not prefer video advertisement over any other kind.
The survey results, available as an infographic here, also uncover consumer truths on personal data, behaviour, privacy.
Source: Choozle
How’d you like them apples?
Credit where credit is due, American brewing company, Anheuser-Busch, have undoubtedly knocked it out of the park this week with the release of their latest Stella Artois campaign video, Meet the Ultimate Connected Device.
The video, which boasts the features of the Stella Artois chalice, – a 100% wireless, touch-activated device, designed for human facetime to make every connection better – aims to speak to audience’s conflicting need to acquire new technology while, at the same time, wanting to regress from it.
The clincher on this juxtaposition? The 60-second spot, which will be distributed as part of a highly-targeted social campaign, will run simultaneously alongside Apple’s latest release of their ultimate devices, the iPhone XS Max and the Apple Watch.
Source: The Drum
Bubblephone
After a six-year break from the small screen, Aero has returned to form with their latest TVC. Aero owner and chocolate giant, Nestlé, worked together with agency, JWT London, to build the Bubblephone.
The Bubblephone is a gramophone hybrid that, when combined with a jacuzzi of chocolate, not only creates bubbling confectionary but also advertising magic. JWT took on the challenge to actually build the invention and film the video in real time – a refreshing step away from the computer-generated imagery world we’ve come accustomed to.
Magic, but no easy task, on the video JWT creative director, Jo Wallace said “capturing the bubbles for real, in camera, was as complex and challenging.” Still, Wallace says, the hard work paid off. “The team, like the best bubbles, all rose to the occasion and their incredible attention to detail has resulted in a stunning piece of bubbly magic.”
Source: Nestlé
Nike just do it again
Known for pushing boundaries in both design and aesthetic, Nike went one further this season with the release of their latest Just Do It ad campaign. The minute-long video, which features a host of sports stars, some you will know and some that you should get to know, is anchored by Colin Kaepernick – a former NFL player and activist, who famously knelt during the American national anthem in protest against racism in the US.
This choice was a bold one, even by Nike’s standards, however it has, in the end, paid off. After weeks of outrage, boycotting, and backlash Nike has come through the other side and stocks have officially recovered from the initial dip and the world, once more, is falling at the feet of the sports brand.
Source: Nike
Achtung Baby
“Our attention spans being shorter than a goldfish’s is a grossly inaccurate rumour.” Vice president of marketing at Prezi, Nadjya Ghausi, attempts to put an end to this widely-believed misconception after the presentation software reveals the results of their recent study, 2018 State of Attention Report. The UK study, which included 2,000 working professionals of varying demographics aimed to measure the effectiveness of content and presentation against perceived dwindling attention spans.
The three key takeaways are as follows:
Participants of the study, in fact, showed to have increased attention spans, however, they are much more selective of the content they consume.
Engaging an audience comes down to the use of two basic points – compelling storytelling and emotive visuals.
Attention spans aren’t dwindling, but multitasking – i.e. checking emails during meetings – does cause it to drop.
Source: Prezi
Want to know more? For more industry insights and updates subscribe to our blog.
---
## The Weekly Round-Up: 07.09.18
Type: eps_post
URL: /weekly-round-up-07-09-18
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# The Weekly Round-Up: 07.09.18
The death of television and a clash of denim and politics, we take a look everything that matters in marketing this week.
Customer experience streamline
Source – TUI
The recently rebranded holiday host, TUI, is at it again, this time changing up their marketing strategy. Katie McAlister, the Chief Marketing Officer for TUI in the UK, is taking on the dual role and responsibility of looking after both marketing and sales. The decision comes as part of TUI’s aim to create a more seamless experience for their customers, with the belief that both departments should be working towards the same objective – the customer.
Customer experience (CX) is the word on the lips of any and all agile marketers these days, and TUI’s approach indicates a definite sign of progress in the area. TUI MD of UK and Ireland, Andrew Flintham, says that this move will “increase our focus on delivering for the customer, maximise sales opportunities, and improve the pace of delivery through streamlined governance”.
Want to improve your company’s customer experience strategy? Find some useful tips and more in our latest post on CX in the FMCG industry.
Ta Ra to TV
Source - Marks & Spencer
Marks & Spencer is saying “Th-th-that’s all folks” to television or, at least that’s the impression they are giving following the launch of their latest campaign. The advert, which, in full, plays out like a short fashion film to a Bowie soundtrack, features autumnal essentials across the legacy store’s clothing, home, and beauty departments. The ad can be found across a number of digital and social channels, as well as in print and OOH. Television, however, has been left off the roster, a bold move for a very traditional brand such as M&S. This decision to leave out the TVC slots, makes this advert M&S’s inaugural digital-first campaign.
Pants get political
Source - Levi Strauss & Co
Levi & Co. is the latest brand to get political by taking a stance on gun control or, rather, the lack of, in the USA. Speaking in a recent article, the denim megacorp president and chief, Chip Bergh, stated clearly the company’s dissatisfaction with the current situation. The article, published in Fortune, comes in quick succession to a letter Bergh wrote to his employees after a customer accidentally shot himself while trying on a pair of jeans.
More than just words on paper, Levi & Co. will take action in their stance by launching the Safe Tomorrow Fund, which will donate one million dollars to non-profit organisations working to end gun violence.
Levi isn’t the first brand to get political, of late, there has been a huge surge in brands flying the flag for what they believe.
The same but different
Source - The Mars Wrigley Confectionary Company
Are you a rightie? Or, are you a leftie? It may sound straightforward, and even simple, but in an event last week this was the question on everyone’s lips. When it comes to taking that first finger of your Twix bar, do you go for the right? Or for the left?
The Mars Wrigley Confectionery company had Twix fans partake in a survey questionnaire while also using facial feature analysis to really get to the bottom of what the differences are between a leftie and a rightie.
The results were...slightly redundant as it seems that there is no real psychology or science behind the choice, however, in terms of a gimmick, it’s pretty ingenious and only adds to Twix’s ongoing Left or Right campaign.
Here come the girls!
Source - Harvey Nichols
Or, rather, just one in particular – Miss Holly Nichols. If you think it sounds familiar, you’d be right, this month the retail giant, Harvey Nichols, will be renamed as the effeminate Holly Nichols. As part of a campaign devised by the store’s newly appointed creative director, Deb Bee, September will see Harvey Nichols not only get a new name, but host a number events and initiatives to highlight their commitment to gender equality and support in progressing women. The bold campaign is further notable as it is Harvey Nichols first since their very public firing of their long-term creative agency Adam&Eve/DBB.
Like what you see? For more industry insights and updates subscribe to our blog.
---
## The Weekly Round-Up: 17.08.18
Type: eps_post
URL: /the-weekly-round-up-17-08-18
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# The Weekly Round-Up: 17.08.18
Digital natives go offline
They may be called the iGen (Generation Z, GenZers and so on and so forth) but it looks like the Millennials’ successors are far more likely to spend time offline than their older counterparts. A recent survey carried out by technology company, Foursquare and agency Carat, showed that members of Generation Z – which includes teens and young adults born between 1997 and 2003 – are more regularly shopping in bricks-and-mortar outlets as opposed to online.
They are not severing ties totally with their digital roots, however, GenZ-store-favourites, such as Zara and Sephora, have all begun to integrate digital in-store through the likes of AR and self-service. This shows to play favour with the GenZers as the survey further revealed that 47% use their mobile to enhance their bricks-and-mortar shopping experience.
Digital natives go offline
Fast fashion meets fast food
It seems fast fashion is on the lips of most people these days, however, it is usually reserved for high street stores with low rent factories, not celebrated Italian designer brands such as Fendi. However, in their latest endeavour – a brand installation in Selfridges – the fashion house is turning the phrase on its head, donning their labels on products that will last a matter of minutes.
Fendi branded ice lollies will be sold throughout the month of August in department store giant, Selfridges. The pops, crafted through a collaboration with artisan gelato makers Steccolecco, will set consumers back £4 a pop (pun intended), may seem steep for a sweet, but for a designer brand is a downright bargain.
Source: Fendi
Segmentation breathes personalisation
At least that’s according to CEO and Marketing Tech News contributor, Meyar Sheik. Sheik whose company specialises in bringing personalised experiences to businesses and their consumers claims, that there is huge confusion in the industry as to what personalisation actually is and what the best practices around it are.
Sheik states that while the process of personalisation starts with segmentation – grouping shoppers based on demographic – this is only scratching the surface. In his article Sheik says that in order to successfully serve their customer base with personalisations retailers must “combine historical cross-session knowledge of each visitor to their website or app with real-time context, including location, time of day and weather. This will enable retailers to hone the way they target consumers by delivering more relevant content and recommendations that speak to each visitor’s interests and specific circumstances.”
Segmentation breathes personalisation
Lab coat couture
While it may not appeal to the arachnophobes among us, soon, thanks to Bolt Threads, consumers may find themselves wrapped in spider silk the next time they buy some new attire. Bolt Threads, a bio-fabric manufacturer, has made a huge breakthrough by refining the formula for synthetic spider silk in their lab in California. Though this recent crucial development will spark huge advancements in terms of both clothing and environmental causes, co-founder and CEO of Bolt Threads, Dan Widmaier, says that although this is a great success – 2019 will be the breakout year for spider silk and Bolt Threads.
Spider silk innovation
Get ready for the go-getters
Whether they are welcomed or not, for school-leavers, this month sees final exam results rear their ugly heads. While this may seem irrelevant to business owners now, the outcome of these academic assessments will have a big effect on the working world over the next few years.
A study, conducted by the U.K’s Chartered Institute of Marketing, has shown that 64% of the population aged 17-19 who have left school in the past six months and are interested in a career in marketing. This means your business may have a big bump in eager applicants in a few short years.
Additionally, the survey revealed that within the marketing space, the next generation is more interested in earning a high salary than working in a position that will help society.
Food for thought? We think so.
Get ready, these go-getters are coming to an office near you in the very near future.
NextGen go-getters
Like what you see? For more industry insights and updates subscribe to our blog.
---
## The Weekly Round-Up: 10.08.18
Type: eps_post
URL: /the-weekly-round-up-10-08-18
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# The Weekly Round-Up: 10.08.18
Fries, freelance photographers, and the death of the fad diet – here’s what’s been happening in the world of marketing this week.
Kids’ meals just got a whole lot happier
Source: Gizmodo
Fast food joint, McDonald’s, has gotten the go-ahead from the British Advertising Standards Authority to continue to run their ads during children’s broadcasting, despite complaints from the public. Under U.K law, children cannot be targeted with adverts featuring products high in fat, sugar, and salt during their primetime Peppa Pig viewing. Having realigned their meals and their ads to feature more fruitful snacks and fewer cheeseburgers, McDonald’s remains on our children’s screens.
However, for breakfast favourite, Kellogg’s, it’s a different story. Despite the product itself not falling into the fatty-bracket, the recent Coco Pops’ ad for granola has been pushed out of our children’s view, with its focus on making “the milk go chocolatey” being perceived as a promotion of junk food.
Sex still sells
Source: Chatime
Sometimes you just have to go back to basics. That is exactly what Australian bubble tea brand, ChaTime, have done in their latest Out Of Home ad campaign that promotes their latest line of hot beverages.
“Blow Me, I’m a hot-tea” is the message being received by Australians from billboards and methods of public transport across the country. An age-old tactic to say the least, this tame display of smut is no big step forward for the world of advertising. However, head of marketing, Tim Paton, hopes it will be effective nonetheless.
“This campaign supports our efforts to increase awareness of Chatime as a fun and cheeky brand that wants to be noticed, increase awareness of our hot drinks category for winter, while elevating and supporting our ambitious growth plan to reach 200 locations across Australia by 2020.”
The people’s platform
Source: Instagram @natgeotravel
The secret to the world’s most engaged non-celebrity Instagram account? Give the power to the people. Or so says National Geographic who, rather than run the account of almost 90 million followers themselves, uses the talents of 140 freelance photographers.
This is all part of a plan by senior vice president of digital content and audience development, Jonathan Hunt, who has kept the 130-year-old brand out of the dark ages and, also, out of the darkroom. Hunt believes that “What you don’t want is this over-filtered Instagram experience. The magic of the Instagram channel is the fact that you have raw access to a photographer while they are in the field – in a baby elephant orphanage, climbing Mount Everest, or 20,000 feet below the surface of the ocean. It must be real-time and tell the story of what is happening at that very moment.”
The Oprah Effect
Source: POPSUGAR Australia
After years of slimming profits, Weight Watchers’ (WW) margins are beginning to balloon once more, as the Oprah Effect takes over. The Oprah Effect refers to businesses gaining or, in this case, regaining success once the billionaire media mogul associates herself with it. For Weight Watchers this meant acquiring over one million new members, and an increase of 20% in revenue, since Oprah bought 10% of the company and, more importantly, become a spokesperson for the diet cult. Though Oprah has since sold some of her stake, WW continues to grow, having swapped its focus from fad-diets to a more holistic, healthy lifestyle approach.
And the winner is...Data
Source: America Retail
GroupM may have won the client, but it seems the winner on the day has to be data. That’s at least according to chief marketing and customer officer of Mars, Andrew Clarke, who stated that when it came to re-pitching for their global media planning, the agency, owned by WPP, came out on top by proposing a custom operating model, which would allow Mars to put data "at the heart of its decision making."
Better still for the marketing and advertising giant, Clarke also added that,“this partnership will be a crucial accelerator in our ambition to be quicker, bolder and even more innovative when it comes to meeting our consumer needs. It brings thought leadership and actionable use of data and insights to meet our media needs."
Mars previously had a three-pronged approach to its media, using agencies GroupM, Publicis and Omnicom for its media needs.
Like what you see? For more industry insights and updates subscribe to our blog.
---
## The Weekly Round-Up: 20.07.18
Type: eps_post
URL: /weekly-round-up-20-07-18
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# The Weekly Round-Up: 20.07.18
Our homes may be getting smarter but research is showing that automotive brands are no closer to figuring out their female customers – everything you need to know about the industry in Epsilon’s Weekly Round-Up.
Hey big spender!
Source: Facebook
As the most Twitter-happy head of state to date, it comes as no real surprise that, earlier this week, it emerged that the current POTUS is social media’s biggest political spender, ever. Fortune reports that since early May of this year, Trump and his PAC (political action committee) have spent approx. $274,000 on Facebook ads, resulting in a reach of over 37 million in three short months. Ads were targeted predominantly at 25-34-year-olds – so millennials if you were wonder why you had so much Trump on your feed, wonder no more.
Facebook uncovered
Source: Channel 4
And while he may be making a pretty penny off the POTUS, this week was not a good one for Mark Zuckerberg and his multi-billion social media platform. In the latest episode of Dispatches, a popular British investigative series, a reporter went undercover as a contracted content moderator in Facebook’s European HQ. There, he was exposed to all manner of violent content from self-harm to violence against children.
Despite working as a so-called moderator, the reporter revealed that he had very little moderation control and that most of what can be described as violent content was left on the site. When questioning his seniors on this lack of moderation, the answer was monetary.
“If you start censoring too much then people lose interest in the platform – it’s all about making money at the end of the day.” (Wired)
Influencer insights
Source: Digiday
Keeping us up-to-date on all things insight, industry and, more often than not, injury – the latest post in Digiday’s Confession series sheds a light on the ever-controversial influencer marketing scene.
Unprofessionalism and insincerity are among the topics divulged by the social media marketing executive who naturally chose to remain anonymous. Check out the whole interview here.
Amazon vs Apple
Source: Smallville
It was smart doorbells at dawn this week as Amazon sold over 1 million of its smart home devices which, since February, includes Ring, smart video doorbell capability. Coincidently, on the same day, Apple decided to ditch their own innovative door service from its list of compatible devices.
In tech terms, this means that Amazon is sailing ahead of the iCreators in terms of category control. For consumers, doorbells or not, the spike in sales this week, indicates that more than ever before, consumers are ready to take on smart living.
Miss Understood
Source: Hanna Barbera
They hold 40% of the buying power and have a 79% wield in the final purchase decision – so why is it that three-quarters of female consumers still feel totally dismissed by automotive brands?
While it can’t be solely blamed on the likes of Jurgen Klopp, zooming around in the latest OPEL model, it might have a little to do with it. Traditionally, car adverts have been written by men for men, and with 55% of female consumers feeling that almost all ads are male-focused, it seems that this is a tradition that’s carrying on through to the present day. Archaic to say the least, in an age where your car can be connected to your smartphone, auto advertising needs to put its foot down and catch up with its product.
Like what you see? For more industry insights and updates subscribe to our blog.
---
## Personalisation and the past: Why nostalgia marketing is key in reaching today's audience
Type: eps_post
URL: /personalisation-nostalgia-marketing
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Personalisation and the past: Why nostalgia marketing is key in reaching today's audience
Why does nostalgia marketing resonate so much with today’s audience?
To put it simply – because it feels really, really good. Nostalgia has that unique ability to take us back to our most cherished moments and allows us to relive them, one moment at a time.
Which is great news for brands too as it brings them one step closer to the holy grail of brand marketing by helping them reach audiences on a deeper, more emotional level.
As a data-driven agency, we know that there’s a story behind every statistic. A real human moment that lingers and lives in the memory and goes beyond the data point it creates.
With the aim of surprising and delighting our clients, we decided to send our clients a token of appreciation, a nod to our working relationship and, also, a showcase of how we use data to create meaningful connections. Combining personalised marketing and the most celebrated sporting event in the world, we presented some of our clients with a little something for them to hold on to.
Every four years, the World Cup triggers an avalanche of nostalgia. Fans and faultfinders alike find themselves caught up and swept back to summer’s gone. Our challenge was to capture that feeling in one 270 x 210 x 90mm box. We wanted to reach our clients on a highly personalised level while showing how feelings such as nostalgia can be harnessed to build meaningful connections.
To do this, we gave each of the clients a memento to keep at their desk to take them back to those moments. A high-quality frame with a personalised football jersey, accompanied with copy that triggers collective emotions.
Ready to reminisce?
You always remember your first time. If football means anything to you, then you’ll doubtlessly have a first World Cup, when the drama of the event was first imprinted on your memory - permanently. Even non-football fans remember their first World Cup, as they get taken in by national pride and the drama. We wanted to give the clients something that plays on that nostalgia, and also acknowledges who they are.
Our starting point was researching the clients’ nationalities. Then we considered their age and which World Cup might have been their formative one, with this in mind, we made sure each jersey was an exact reproduction of that era. The final customised touch was the client’s name printed on the back, in the typographic style from that generation.
The language of recollection
Sticking a jersey in a frame is not enough to stir our emotions. We also accompanied the shirts with copy in order to trigger collective memories. Football was the first protocol, however, to match the passion and drama that unfolds during the World Cup, we chose to weave in Freakonomics and insights that aligned with the time of each tournament.
We wanted to take the reader back to their first World Cup and feel pleasantly connected to their past, with smile-inducing data and insights. Poetry is often considered the language of recollection and reminiscence, so the copy for each shirt was researched and crafted in ‘stanza’ style.
Humans make data, we make data human
From the data-driven insights to the human touch of hand-delivery, we put thought into every piece of this DM. The first thing the client saw was the belly-band, which sported Lou Reed’s line “I don’t like nostalgia unless it’s mine”. It brought the whole package together and was the perfect icebreaker, showcasing how our understanding of our audience enabled us to deliver an authentic message.
Our ability to see past the statistics and to the moments of triumph, anguish, and longing is what allows us to create meaningful connections with audiences. At Epsilon, our work begins and ends with people: the ones we speak to, and the ones we speak for. As a data-driven creative agency, we translate data into a real sense of what moves and motivates us.
Our DM package was a tangible representation of this, a gift that stirred up fond memories for the clients and, we hope, created exciting new ones.
---
## Why machine learning is an innovative way to improve your customer loyalty
Type: eps_post
URL: /machine-learning-improve-customer-loyalty
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Why machine learning is an innovative way to improve your customer loyalty
Although it may sound like something out of a sci-fi novel, machine learning is very much a reality in the digital realm.
While its relevance to marketing is wide-ranging and evolving, one clear benefit of the technological development is as a powerful tool to help drive customer loyalty.
Machine learning is an application of artificial intelligence (AI) that gives systems the ability to automatically learn and improve from experience, without being specifically programmed to do so.
It allows marketers to collect and process massive amounts of data and act in real-time to create a personalised and engaging experience, and to provide relevant offers to customers. Machine learning can be a powerful and innovative tool to help you drive customer relationships and optimise your loyalty programmes.
Fight against fraud
The last thing anyone wants is to get scammed while in the process of going about their daily business. However, with intuitive systems in place, the chances of a fraudster getting through the virtual door can be drastically reduced.
At Epsilon, we have had more than our fair share of experience with handling fraudsters and finding the right protocols to keep them at bay. One of our solutions allows you to set-up configurable, action-based scoring rules to evaluate the risk of loyalty redemption fraud in real-time. And if a high-risk redemption order is identified, it will be suspended for review before it has a chance to do any nasty business.
Our fraud detection capability also provides you with the reporting you need to monitor and analyse orders by risk status and to make modifications to your scoring algorithms as patterns of fraud evolve.
Trust us, it’s easier than it sounds.
Let machines do the spadework
With our VAP (Value Attrition Potential) solution, we use an advanced statistical model to segment a customer base. It determines how valuable customers are, how likely they are to leave, and what kind of potential they have in the future.
With machine learning, marketers can automate the collection of data and get much more detailed segmentation. This means our data scientists spend time evaluating outcomes and creating strategies, not compiling data and processing it.
The implications of this are pretty massive. You can benefit from deeper insight,s delivered faster, with the machines doing the heavy lifting. Customer scores are created and delivered as profile attributes to the platform, before strategies are then created to determine how best to engage with customers.
Build your developments on a loyal foundation
Different brands are at different stages when it comes to implementing the latest technological developments. Each brand should develop a strategy about how to best deploy machine learning in a way that will work for their individual marketing objectives and to optimise their marketing performance and efficiency.
Evaluate your current technology infrastructure to see if it can support machine learning, and how. You can then use your loyalty programme as the foundation of your developing AI initiatives.
---
## More than half of high-income consumers are not brand loyal – can better CX get them back on side?
Type: eps_post
URL: /consumers-brand-loyalty-better-cx
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# More than half of high-income consumers are not brand loyal – can better CX get them back on side?
In recent years, customer loyalty has become increasingly elusive. A recent YouGov survey shows 56% of high-income consumers feel less loyal to brands now than they previously did. This means that businesses must work harder and smarter to make sure their efforts are effective at both retaining customers – and acquiring new ones.
Whether your brand has a formal programme or not, you can foster loyalty by nailing down the fundamentals of great customer experience (CX).
Here are six proven ways to step up your loyalty game:
1. Listen
It may sound glaringly obvious but the simple act of listening is the first step in optimising your customers’ experience. Using social listening platforms, and actively collecting customer feedback through surveys or contact forms, will provide you with invaluable insights to help you close gaps and remedy pain points in your CX offering.
2. Test and learn
For underperforming emails, pages, posts or banners, develop a test-and-learn plan to discover what customers respond positively to. When asked by a financial services client for help with a poorly performing rewards programme, Epsilon identified specific email campaign types that were under-performing. We then proposed a detailed test-and-learn strategy to create powerful, evidence-based data about what worked for the client’s rewards programme. When it comes to optimising your external communications, never underestimate the importance of test-and-learn. Using this straightforward strategy you can find a way to boost underperforming communications in no time.
3. Get personal
In the YouGov survey, 62% of high-income consumers said that feeling like they had a personal relationship with a brand was a factor in loyalty, while a recent Hello World study found that 77% of customers believe loyalty programmes should have personalised rewards. Become acquainted with your customers by using intuitive recommendations, relevant banners and native ads to help them feel more known, understood and appreciated.
4. Make them feel good
Share the love and thank your customers for their loyalty with feel-good messaging and promotions. Research shows millennials respond extremely well to surprise-and-delight promotions, so why not try out some special offers on those all important VIP customers. A thank-you note campaign is also a great way to strengthen affinity and increase personability.
5 Focus on full life-cycle
Nurture your relationships with customers by adding life-cycle messaging to your regular marketing campaign. Think about where your customers are in their life-cycle. What support do they need at any given moment? What are their pain points or issues? Develop key customer personas to get to the bottom of these questions and implement specific touches that will help to remedy them.
6 Celebrate good times
Help your customers feel appreciated by celebrating moments like birthdays, holidays and customer anniversaries. Aside from helping you stack up brownie points with your audience, communication like this also gives you more opportunities to engage in a meaningful way.
Stay up to date
Our business is full of future thinkers who see what others don't. To ensure your customers are getting the best possible online experience and keep coming back for more, subscribe to our blog today.
---
## ‘Solve and remove’ VS ‘hide and cover-up’ – Are the words we use in marketing causing gender bias?
Type: eps_post
URL: /words-marketing-gender-bias
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# ‘Solve and remove’ VS ‘hide and cover-up’ – Are the words we use in marketing causing gender bias?
We all know words are important. They have power and, when deployed effectively by marketers, they can create a significant impact and elevate a campaign to a higher plane. The flip side of this is that picking the wrong words can have a harmful effect on what we are trying to achieve.
This means we must be fully in control of our words - and we must be precise and deliberate in selecting the vocabulary that powers our campaigns.
Mastering the significance of the language we use is crucial for connecting with a target audience. There is a fine line for this art, lazily adopting linguistic patterns according to stereotypes will inhibit the delivery of our intended message - and turn people off.
For example, in marketing toys to boys, brands often choose words associated with adventure or conflict. However, in an attempt to target girls in the same age bracket, brands will lean towards vocabulary that has connotations of beauty, fantasy or love.
This type of stereotyping can send a damaging message to children and restrict them from developing in their own individual manner - and many parents will see right through it.
Another example is certain shampoo ads: those targeted at men talk about confidence, strength and dominance, and use assertive verbs such as 'solve', 'remove' and 'prevent'. Meanwhile, those aimed at women are passive - urging women to 'hide' or 'cover up' dandruff and grey hairs.
While these linguistic patterns may feel like natural fits for a marketer, they can be detrimental to a campaign and have impacts on a wider societal scale. People today are very sensitive to lazy stereotypes so marketers could unknowingly alienate a large section of a potential audience.
This means we must attempt to neutralise our language to consider the characteristics of the individuals we are targeting – and this can be very tricky and complicated for marketers.
"We must attempt to neutralise our language to consider the characteristics of the individuals we are targeting"
However, help is at hand. Developments in machine learning have made it possible for Artificially Intelligent (AI) machines to read content in the same way as a human does, with all the nuances of the language taken into account. Cognitive semantic technology tools such as Natural Language Processing (NLP) allow marketers to uncover the true meaning of their words in context, and the sentiments they express.
This allows marketers to leverage contextual targeting. This means that with a precise analysis of a web site’s language, concepts and sentiments, marketers can place their ads beside content that complements and enhances their intended message.
It also allows for greater brand safety. This in-depth targeting can make sure that ads appear beside content that reflects well on the brand and avoids any content that might be detrimental.
By taking control of the words we use, and acknowledging the problems with existing methods, marketers can stride forward into a new, more language-precise era for digital marketing.
---
## [Video] What we've learnt about one-to-one personalisation at scale
Type: eps_post
URL: /video-what-weve-learnt-about-one-to-one-personalisation-at-scale
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T22:17:52Z
# [Video] What we've learnt about one-to-one personalisation at scale
What does it mean to personalise communications at scale? How do you measure return? And how do the different types of marketing personalisation compare? Watch this on-demand talk to find out.
Filmed live at the Savage Marketing event in Amsterdam, in this on-demand video talk, Elliott Clayton - Conversant's senior vice president of media - imparts what he's learnt about true one-to-one personalisation at scale. After a decade of helping iterate and refine Conversant's personalisation capabilities, Elliott's advice comes backed by first-hand industry know-how.
{{ script_embed('wistia', 'smbdxlgsug', ', ', 'inline,responsive') }}
Find out how to make true, one-to-one personalisation at scale happen. Read Conversant's free guide on the four essential themes for marketing personalisation at scale.
Download the guide
---
## [Video] How to gain and manage GDPR-compliant consent
Type: eps_post
URL: /gaining-and-managing-gdpr-compliant-consent
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# [Video] How to gain and manage GDPR-compliant consent
In this article and video, IAB Europe's Matthias Matthiesen discusses how brands and publishers can first gain, then manage GDPR-compliant consent for digital advertising.
Filmed live at Conversant's GDPR Summit, Privacy By Design, Matthias' succinctly breaks down the complexities of consent under the GDPR. Watch all eight on-demand live talks from Conversant's GDPR summit to
Click for sound
0:00
0:53
Firstly, let’s get something straight: consent is not king. There are six co-equal legal bases for processing personal data, of which consent is just one.
Sometimes, consent is not even needed – if you find a more appropriate legal ground for processing, then that is fine. If you are attempting to save the life of the legal subject, for instance, then that would be acceptable.
However, in many cases consent is required – it is not optional – and this particularly holds true when considering the ePrivacy Directive (ePD), popularly known as the ‘Cookie Law’.
Now, the ePD says that for the storing or accessing of information already stored on the terminal equipment of an end user, you require consent – unless it is strictly technically necessary to carry out a communication.
For examples of technically necessary communications, think of client server communications or where it’s strictly necessary for the service that you're providing to the user, and that the user has requested to function - a web shop for example, which requires a cookie to remember what you put in the shopping basket, so you can buy it later.
Consent is required for advertising
Unfortunate as it may be for us as an industry, advertising is very unlikely to be necessary for the service that the user is requesting to function.
You are physically able to use an app, or read the news without ads, for example. Therefore, cookies or other identifiers that fall under the scope of this will have to be used on the basis of consent.
It’s important to note that while the ePD exists today, it currently relies upon each country’s individual legal definition for collecting consent. While there has been some harmonisation so far, implementation has been quite different between countries – in some, a user can give consent by failing to say no, while in others you need a prior affirmative act.
In short, depending on which country you’re looking at, to apply the ePD you have very different qualities of consent. But, come May 25th, the GDPR replaces all of these different data protection laws and the definitions of consent embedded within them.
But the GDPR and the ePD are not one and the same – the ePD will point to the GDPR to define what type of consent is needed, but it has a somewhat different scope. Collection of data from a user device generally requires consent under the ePD, while the processing of personal data requires a legal basis – consent, or legitimate interest for example – under the GDPR.
To summarise, consent is not always necessary. But for advertising, it’s required.
The three key obligations to consent
Transparency: Name third parties relying on consent
Transparency is a key principle under the GDPR, and it’s very important in what it changes under consent. Instead of informing a user that we’re sharing data with vaguely defined categories of controllers, we’ll actually have to say who we’re sharing that data with, or who is relying on the consent to process that data so that the data subject can know where to exercise their rights.
In the advertising industry, that’s a pretty big challenge when often we don’t know who’s going to be transacting on some data. For example, who’s going to win the programmatic bid, and who do you disclose ahead of time?
Accountability: Proof of consent
Where I am not the entity requesting and obtaining consent, how could I prove that the user on whose consent I am relying to do something, has actually given that consent?
That’s a challenge where we need to create communication channels that haven’t existed before.
Firstly, where a publisher, advertiser or any other entity that obtains consent on behalf of a third party can tell their third-party partners that they have disclosed them – that the third party can be sure that the transparency has been provided.
Secondly, the consent-obtaining entity needs to be able to tell their third-party partners: “I have obtained consent, and I am letting you know of that fact.”
Control: Affirmative act signifying consent, and easy withdrawal of consent
The quality of consent can vary because of the action required. For example, currently the majority of ‘cookie banners’ assume consent if a user ignores them.
In the future, to prove consent will require an affirmative act. Moreover, you need to make it as easy to withdraw that consent as it was to originally give it.
The Transparency and Consent Framework
Putting all three of these obligations together creates a difficult cocktail to deal with.
Before we process anything on the basis of consent, we need to know the user is okay with it, rather than assume that the user is okay with it. You need a signal coming from whoever obtains consent going to the third-party, so that the third-party knows what to do.
We also need to be able to provide ways for the consent obtaining entity to make disclosures about the third-party partners. But that presents further complications – what happens when a privacy policy is updated, for instance? All disclosures for that third party would need updating.
Introducing the Transparency and Consent Framework.
Key within the Transparency and Consent Framework is the Global Vendor List – it’s really the cornerstone of the entire framework, and it directly solves the transparency requirement, while leading into the remaining two requirements, accountability and control.
It allows publishers or advertisers to look at the entire pool of third-parties that have signed up to the framework, find the most up-to-date disclosures, and display those to their users. If the privacy policy URL changes, the disclosure will update as well.
When an ad-tech vendor joins the Transparency and Consent Framework, they receive an ID. This ID is the key to understand the technical signals needed for the framework to operate.
When a publisher or advertisers obtains consent – or doesn’t obtain consent – they need to let their downstream third-party partners know. This is achieved through the ID, which maps to a technical signal that can be passed on through the entire ecosystem. That signal can then be unpacked and understood before a third-party partner makes a decision to process data.
What does this look like to the user?
So far, I’ve discussed how the framework collects and processes consent between the different parties that, come May 25th will need consent from end users. But how will this look and operate for the end user?
The Transparency and Consent Framework will operate behind the scenes, while IAB EU approved Consent Management Providers (CMPs) will handle displaying to a user the relevant disclosures and making use of the Global Vendor List to inform users about the purpose of the processing, based on standardised language and purposes.
Importantly, the CMPs will record the consent choices of the user, before sending that on via the framework.
---
## Epsilon Named a Leader for Email Marketing Services
Type: eps_post
URL: /epsilon-named-a-leader-for-email-marketing-services
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Epsilon Named a Leader for Email Marketing Services
Epsilon™, a global leader in creating connections between people and brands, today announced that it was named a Leader in the June 2018 report “The Forrester Wave™: Email Marketing Service Providers, Q2 2018” by Forrester Research, Inc., which evaluated Epsilon’s Agility Harmony® digital messaging platform.
The report stated, “Epsilon demonstrates an unmatched balance of strong technology and professional services. Advanced marketers looking beyond purely promotional email will like its dedicated ‘agility keying’ module to identify users, enhance profiles using Epsilon’s data resources and then consolidate profiles across platforms.”
“Epsilon demonstrates an unmatched balance of strong technology and professional services."
“We are pleased to be recognized by Forrester as a leader in the evaluation,” said Oded Benyo, President, Email Practice at Epsilon. “CMOs require solutions that can simplify the complex, are flexible and can deliver real-time personal conversations through machine learning with customers in the moments that matter most. We believe the current offering and roadmap we have in place for Agility Harmony, backed by our rich services expertise, not only positions us as a leader today but enables us to continue to deliver on our vision for email as a personalized, performance-driven channel that eliminates marketing spend waste and drives return on marketing investment for our clients.”
Epsilon received the top score in the current offering category, which assessed product and services offerings, focusing on key differentiators within campaign management, dynamic content, analysis and reporting, collaboration, integration, corporate governance, security and artificial intelligence capabilities.
In the report, Forrester cited Epsilon as one of just two vendors that proactively represent a philosophy and exercises their capabilities to use email marketing for market research, branding, or profile-building purposes.
Epsilon received the highest scores possible in the corporate vision and development roadmap criteria within the strategy category, which evaluated the experience each management team has had working together, how articulate and plausible vendor visions were against demonstrated and planned capabilities, as well as employee and customer retention.
“The Forrester Wave™: Email Marketing Service Providers, Q2 2018”.
Forrester Research’s evaluation included a review of the eight most significant email marketing service providers across 26 criteria focused on email marketing fundamentals as well as capabilities that would help marketers advance their email marketing applications.
---
## GDPR and Epsilon: Data Protection Efforts Will Remain at the Forefront
Type: eps_post
URL: /gdpr-data-protection-efforts
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# GDPR and Epsilon: Data Protection Efforts Will Remain at the Forefront
The General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) will go into enforcement on May 25, 2018. At Epsilon, May 25th is not the end date of compliance efforts, it is simply one marker in our overall compliance work. Data protection in general remains at the forefront of Epsilon’s operations.
The five major pieces Epsilon is implementing to ensure privacy and security remain key areas of focus are:
1) Privacy Steward Role
Each of Epsilon’s customized solutions and major platforms, such as Agility Harmony and Agility Loyalty, will have a Privacy Steward. Each individual is tasked with highlighting changes to the platform or individual client accounts that could be impacted by GDPR. For instance, if a new contractor is hired to analyze or support a brand client’s personal data, the Privacy Steward would be involved not only in selection of the vendor but also ensuring privacy-related protocol is followed throughout the contractual obligation. They are also charged with ensuring that vendors go through our existing due diligence process.
Through specialized trainings for Privacy Stewards, these individuals can spot any potential compliance issues and flag it with the GDPR team for further review of privacy, legal or security issues.
2) Annual data inventory/data mapping review
Epsilon will conduct a review of data inventory and maps on a yearly basis with the technology, business, security and privacy teams to ensure GDPR compliance.
3) Privacy and Security by Design
The privacy and security teams will continue to be brought into initial discussions and reviews of new products and services (before their launch) to ensure GDPR compliance. The Chief Privacy Officer will continue to sit in on major discussions on service changes or updates.
4) Continuing to innovate and integrate
Epsilon will continue to review and enhance its compliance program, with a goal of having privacy and security considerations weaved into every part of the business. This may mean creating innovative ways to be more transparent with its data collection and use. Deep knowledge of GDPR requirements and processes in all parts the organization will provide a more seamless, simplified approach to client operations.
5) Global informational roadshow
The GDPR cross-functional team will also be rolling out an internal roadshow across the United States and Europe starting in late May 2018. This series will ensure associates in all functions – from client services to solution architects to project delivery – understand Epsilon’s responsibilities under GDPR and have the proper tools, contacts and information regarding privacy and security considerations going forward. While GDPR has understandably resulted in some disruption for current clients due to new requirements, Epsilon wants to be prepared and knowledgeable for future clients, ensuring as little inconsistency as possible. The roadshow will allow internal associates to ask questions, understand how to speak to consumers and clients about GDPR and ingrain the correct processes through every part of operations.
Data protection principles are one of the most important pieces of Epsilon’s business. Epsilon’s business teams, engineers and associates will all play a part in compliance, recognizing that data protection and security is a collective responsibility. By ensuring that GDPR requirements are operationalized, there will be a consistent approach and response for clients and consumers going forward.
---
## The Evolution of Loyalty: Why Your Brand Needs A Strategy, Not A Programme
Type: eps_post
URL: /loyalty-strategy-evolution
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# The Evolution of Loyalty: Why Your Brand Needs A Strategy, Not A Programme
Loyalty has evolved – and so should the manner in which brands think about it.
No longer is it just about a programme of stamps, or a one-off event; it's now about creating an ecosystem where customers actively feel a sense of loyalty to your brand.
This evolution comes from a sea-change in today's customers – they have completely transformed their expectations of the brands they do business with. As your customers continue to change, can you afford not to do the same?
Today’s consumers expect a relationship with the brands they frequent. This means that they want a brand to “know them”, and to personalise the experience. They want immediacy, with real-time offers and instant communication. They want to share good experiences on social media and feel empowered because they have numerous brand choices.
On top of this, they are “always-on”, with immediate access to information and brand shopping tools.
Why do you need a loyalty strategy?
The challenge in this environment is not only meeting all of those demands but making sure that loyalty is rewarding enough to justify the hurdles or time involved from the customers' point of view.
Many brands do this by simply offering people a reward when they shop a certain number of times – a free coffee, or a discount. While these are not, in and of themselves, bad or a waste of time, they cannot be the only strand of a strategy.
A loyalty strategy is important because, according to Harvard Business School professor Gerald Zaltman, 95% of all purchasing decisions take place unconsciously and emotions are leveraged to drive that decision.
On top of this, Epsilon's own research, carried out with the DMA in 2017, has found that 55% of customers tend to use the same brands, shops, and sites without looking for alternatives, and 66% tend to stick to what they know for convenience shopping. However, just 43% are not receiving any form of gift, and would like to see that change.
That shows that the proposition of loyalty has shifted and it is vital to keep up.
The new meaning of 'loyalty'
Loyalty is no longer just about the brand. It is not about the points, the discounts or rewards. It is not about a one-size-fits-all customer approach or just one campaign.
Loyalty is now about a strategy that connects consumers to brands, across every interaction and touch-point with the brand – all delivered with rapidity. It is about a holistic, 360-degree view of the customer. It is about the consumer’s inherent relationship with the brand.
To marry the programme and the strategy, it is crucial to mix the rational value (“I got my money’s worth”) with the emotional value (“This company values my custom”).
This can best be done by adding the hard benefits – economic and tangible rewards, such as discounts or competition entries – to the soft benefits such as status, appreciation, access, targeted rewards or experiences.
For example, our client Dell offers rewards customers discounts, exclusive offers or free shipping in exchange for a signup which further allows for communication. This combines the very tangible benefits - monetary or services - with a feeling of appreciation, of "being part of the club" that many consumers enjoy.
Likewise, another client Dunkin' Donuts runs its DD Perks program through a mobile app. This allows customers who sign up to order on the go, making the experience feel exclusive and rewarding. The app also includes free beverages upon signup and on the user's birthday, further adding a layer of soft benefit to the program.
The La Quinta hotel group also uses a mobile app to run its Returns program. The app allows customers login with their fingerprint and gives them access to features other customers don't have. These include notices when your room is ready, free nights using points and the ability to hold rooms instantly.
Bringing Walgreen's proposition to life
For example, as part of our work in the US, we delivered a 6.7% increase in sales for the pharmacy chain Walgreens by introducing the next-generation Agility Loyalty programme.
Tying into the brand’s wider positioning as a supporter of healthy living, we not only tied in online and offline purchases, but we also incorporated activity uploads from wearable fitness tech such as Fitbit. The result was an enrolment of more than 100 million customers, and a 6.7% increase in sales for the brand, along with a basket size increase of 4.7%.
More importantly, though, we see 100,000 reward redemptions per day; the sign of a scheme that has truly engaged its base.
The idea of brand loyalty as a concept has changed. It is now about a mixture of economic and mental rewards. It’s time for brands to recognise that – and to act.
---
## A Missed Opportunity: Why Brands Are Failing To Make The Most Of A Data Goldmine That's Right Under Their Noses
Type: eps_post
URL: /targeting-customers-loyalty
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# A Missed Opportunity: Why Brands Are Failing To Make The Most Of A Data Goldmine That's Right Under Their Noses
Overcoming the culture of "the way things are done"
How well is your business tracking and targeting customers?
The obvious answer is 'as well as we possibly can be', right? Well, it's what you'd say in front of your boss at the very least. But answering honestly, many would answer that they either aren't exploiting data to its ultimate potential – or that they don't know how.
Sure, even the most basic websites nowadays are using some form of analytics to get basic measurements about who is using their site and how – daily active users, session times, unique page visits – and the implementation of these analytics tools is simple.
And for more sophisticated setups – small to medium ecommerce sites, for example – there are more advanced metrics to watch, such as conversion rates, bounce rates and session value. So we can figure out that sales went from x to y last month, and based on this we can make decisions about what products we should promote, what areas we should serve and how to target current customers.
But we all know that, right? And if we all know it, then our competitors do as well – so what’s going to give us that killer edge? As these tools have increasingly become the norm, how people use them has become somewhat stagnant and in some cases even counterproductive.
A more advanced approach to analytics will query why sales went up, what if they continue to go up, how far can they go, what will happen next, and what should an organisation do?
What's holding us back?
With the technology available at our fingertips these days, it’s incredible that widespread, comprehensive adoption of these more advanced methods isn’t commonplace. Businesses have the potential to gain richer insights into what is really driving their customers, but they're simply not doing it. So that leads to a fairly obvious question: why?
We find that the barriers can be technological, psychological or cultural – both on an individual and organisational level.
In some companies, there may not be a sufficient level of expertise to delve beyond the first layer of stats. The obstacle of knowing what to look for and how to use the data that's mined is a pretty big one for many organisations to overcome.
Some businesses, infamously, have a culture of "that's just the way things are". In these cases, the current success or failure of the brand is considered to be outside the sphere of control of its own processes. And so they continue to do what has always been done regardless of whether it can work in the long-term, or whether it has even worked in the first place.
Other companies suffer from a more difficult problem to solve: they have the wrong mindset. Generally this can be summed up as short-termism, where the day-to-day operations become so overwhelming that implementing big, chunky change is too much to bear – but it can be down to any combination of other factors, often overlapping with the two mentioned above.
It goes without saying that businesses stuck in these ruts will struggle to go ahead. So what can be done to break the cycle?
The 'coiled spring' effect
To answer that, we need to look first at what forces a change.
Sometimes, the change comes from within – accessibility of the technology, more widespread comprehension, younger generations moving into positions of increasing power. Other times, its origins lie outside the organisation, such as economic shifts forcing a re-evaluation of working methods.
And more often than not, in companies that have suffered from some degree of stagnancy, both can trigger the ‘coiled spring’ effect – a large change in a short period, brought about by a sudden realisation that it's time to catch up.
Ask yourself: what triggers could see widespread change in my business? Do I need to recruit additional expertise to shake things up, or contract an agency with experience in transforming digital practices? Will demonstrating the early green shoots of success re-engage a team that's been stuck on a hamster wheel? Do these triggers need to be held back until some point in the future... or is it a matter of acting now, or being left behind?
Once this spark has been lit, huge benefits can be reaped in surprisingly quickly – to say nothing of the medium- and long-term effects, which could mean the difference between success and failure as a business.
Invest in more advanced layers of analytics – with greater targeting and understanding of your customers, a more refined knowledge of how and why people interact with your company and, most importantly, a greater insight into what you are doing wrong – will pay off.
In most industries, due to the widespread failure to adapt that we've witnessed and discussed, it's not too late to get ahead of the game and avoid playing catch-up. Acting now, and bringing in the expertise you need to demonstrate the potential effects of this advanced data-led approach, will help you retain that advantage.
As more and more companies hire people who are more knowledgeable about the full scope of analytics, their use will become the norm – and checking daily page views, email opens and conversion rates simply won't cut the mustard any more.
You can either act or react. The choice is yours.
---
## GDPR: Steps towards compliance
Type: eps_post
URL: /gdpr-steps-towards-compliance
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# GDPR: Steps towards compliance
Epsilon’s previous blog post on the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) covered preparation efforts to ensure compliance before May 25, 2018.
Compliance is a collective responsibility and Epsilon strongly urges clients, partners and vendors to review and understand their responsibilities and obligations under GDPR.
At Epsilon, work began on GDPR compliance program almost two years ago, starting with the following focuses:
Cross-functional Teams: Epsilon created cross functional teams to manage its GDPR compliance. With buy-in from the executive team, associates from the business, technology, legal, security and privacy groups, were tasked with bringing and keeping clients, business verticals and internal operations into compliance with GDPR.
Data Inventory: The main task the cross-functional team undertook in 2017 was updating and reviewing each vertical or client’s data inventory. The team then created a GDPR compliance roadmap for its platforms and its clients based on the data inventory. This enabled an understanding of the next steps needed to bring Epsilon into GDPR compliance.
Lawful Basis: As applicable, Epsilon reviewed lawful basis for processing the personal data collected and received.
Data Subject Rights: Epsilon has strengthened its data subject rights policies and procedures to ensure appropriate response to requests and rights individuals have, including the deletion of personal data. This includes the ability to respond to data subject rights through Epsilon’s various services and platforms.
Personal Data Breach: Epsilon has reviewed a security incident response plan to ensure the right procedures are in place to detect, report and investigate a personal data breach.
Training: Epsilon provides training to associates and clients, including:
Over fifty GDPR training sessions for internal teams in 2017
Client-personalized webinar trainings about Epsilon platforms to ensure GDPR adherence (starting April 2018)
Client summit event hosted by Abacus UK to review compliance steps (held October 2017 and March 2018
Maintaining Compliance:
Epsilon is retaining an external, third party data protection officer (DPO) to review its GDPR compliance program.
Each business unit has a “Privacy Champion,” an employee/associate tasked with ensuring continued compliance. If Epsilon starts providing new services or collecting additional personal information, it is this individual’s responsibility to alert the internal audit GDPR team. This will help Epsilon keep clients and its platform in continued compliance after May 25, 2018.
Epsilon will also be audited by Epsilon’s internal GDPR team to ensure compliance.
Privacy and Security by Default and Design: Epsilon is committed to protecting the privacy of individuals. The company has a privacy and security by design policy in place, reflecting the requirement that privacy and security must be part of every service, product, feature, and decision made around data.
Industry Leader: Epsilon is a leader and active participant in the following industry groups that are helping interpret and set standards around GDPR for the marketing ecosystem:
Data Protection Network: Epsilon is an active member of the Data Protection Network and helped craft guidance around legitimate interest being the lawful basis for processing data for direct marketing and internal operations.
Email Service Provider Coalition: Epsilon is an active member of the ESPC and helped draft guidance around interpreting how to comply with GDPR as an email service provider.
Epsilon is using GDPR preparation as an opportunity to further enhance its products, services, and processes, ensuring privacy and security are taken into consideration every step of the way. Epsilon will continue to lead industry efforts in understanding how GDPR impacts the marketing industry.
---
## [Podcast] How do the GDPR and ePD affect digital advertising?
Type: eps_post
URL: /podcast-gdpr-epd-digital-advertising
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# [Podcast] How do the GDPR and ePD affect digital advertising?
Join digital advertising experts for this podcast series, discussing the effects of the GDPR and ePD on the industry, with a special focus on business continuity and excelling under regulation.
This podcast series will help to clarify the obligations, and potential areas for advertisers and publishers to enhance their digital advertising activities under the new regulations brought about by the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and ePrivacy Directive (ePD).
Gain both GDPR and ePD compliant consent from consumers with our free Consent Tool, publicly available today for any advertiser and publisher. Find out more in this blog post.
The Consent Tool for GDPR and ePD
During the podcast, the expert panel discuss the background for the new regulations, how both the GDPR and ePD are related, why they should be tackled together, and importantly, how businesses can prepare now in order to continue their digital advertising activities after these new regulations are enforced.
The panel for this podcast series:
Moderator: Andrew McClelland, Director, Mirador Digital
Daniel Shore, Privacy Counsel, Conversant and CJ Affiliate
Robin Davies, Managing Director of Operations, EMEA, Conversant
Owen Hancock, Head of Strategy, Europe, CJ Affiliate
Together, Conversant and CJ Affiliate have released a free tool to aid advertisers and publisher to collect GDPR and ePD compliant consent for digital advertising. Find out more about the Consent Tool in this blog post.
The Consent Tool for GDPR and ePD
---
## The Consent Tool: Gain GDPR and ePD compliant consent for digital advertising
Type: eps_post
URL: /gdpr-epd-consent-tool
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T22:16:49Z
# The Consent Tool: Gain GDPR and ePD compliant consent for digital advertising
We've launched a free tool for advertisers and publishers to gather GDPR and ePD compliant consent from consumers for digital advertising - and it's publicly available today for any advertiser and publisher.
All advertisers and publishers can claim access to the Conversant and CJ Affiliate Consent Tool by filling in the form on this page.
Access the tool
Announcing the Conversant and CJ Affiliate Consent Tool: a lightweight mechanism to help advertisers and publishers gain compliant consent from consumers for their digital advertising activity in relation to the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and the ePrivacy Directive (ePD).
The Conversant and CJ Affiliate Consent Tool is designed to blend compliance and business continuity, for both advertisers and publishers - and we're making it available for free, whether you work with Conversant and/or CJ Affiliate or not.
Consumer-friendly data-privacy is a long-held principle throughout Conversant – our services have been built from the ground-up with ‘privacy by design’ as a fundamental approach – and we wholeheartedly support giving consumers greater transparency and choice around what happens with their data. This new consent tool is a real testament to this, as well as our commitment to continued innovation and the industry as a whole.
Here, I’d like to explain what the consent tool is, how it works, and how it gains GDPR and ePD compliant consent from consumers.
What is the consent tool, and why does it exist?
In the lead-up to the GDPR, much of the focus within the adtech community is on data processing bases such as legitimate interest and consent. However, there is an additional piece of regulation that is relevant for online data processing: the ePrivacy Directive (ePD).
The IAB EU echoes this sentiment, which is why they have created a framework - the Transparency and Consent Framework - in which online advertising companies can communicate with each other regarding whether they have obtained consent per user.
Under the ePD, consumers must consent before the processing of cookie IDs and other similar technologies (cookies). Importantly, after 25th May 2018 this consent must be “unambiguous”, as per the GDPR.
The Conversant and CJ Affiliate Consent Tool is designed to request GDPR and ePD compliant consent from visitors to advertiser and publisher websites, then store and share that consent within the IAB EU's Transparency and Consent Framework.
This lightweight application integrates onsite, only appearing when necessary in order to capture consent across all vendors integrated on your site and those included in your digital supply chain of advertising and measurement.
How does the consent tool work?
The consent tool makes essential checks before determining whether it should appear (including, but not limited to):
Is the user in the EU, based on IP?
Does the user have active consent for all vendors specified by the site?
Is the user in an active no-consent timeframe?
Once this logic is validated, the consent tool appears with a dynamic list of vendors who are eligible to gather consent from the site visitor. The list of vendors is compiled by the site, and may include indirect vendors whose services are essential in digital brand continuity (e.g. viewability and ad fraud, brand lift studies, etc…).
Vendors who already have consent will not appear, nor will those with an active no-consent flag; a configurable timeframe determined by the site to respect the no-consent user decision. Affirmative consent will last a maximum of 13 months.
How do you know this will be compliant?
Conversant has collaborated with the IAB EU and other adtech leaders to introduce a consent framework for the reading and storing of user consent decisions - the IAB EU's Transparency and Consent Framework.
Members of the IAB EU framework will access consent via the centralised storage, whilst non-members will be able to integrate with a Conversant endpoint to access user preferences.
This uniform approach to passing consent across the digital supply chain is designed to minimise the additional calls that would be necessary to check consent across multiple vendors. A standardised framework and common protocol reduces the load time of consent mechanisms on a site.
The tool is also part of Conversant and CJ Affiliate’s continued collaboration with IAB EU, with the tool acting as a Consent Management Provider (CMP). The relationship ensures our consent tool is built to the same compliance and technical standards as the framework itself.
How do you get started?
The Conversant and CJ Affiliate Consent Tool itself is intended to be a quick integration, helping you to become compliant with the new regulations under the GDPR and ePD.
While this free tool has been designed to aid Conversant and CJ Affiliate advertisers and publishers to gain consent for their digital advertising activities, we recognise the value of this tool for the wider industry. As such, we’ve made this tool publicly available, for any advertiser or publisher.
All advertisers and publishers can claim access to the Conversant and CJ Affiliate Consent Tool by filling in the form on this page.
Access the tool
For queries regarding the tool, please reach out to us via email, and to find out more about Conversant and CJ Affiliate’s approach to the GDPR and ePD, please read our statement here.
---
## From Boomers To Gen Z: How Different Generations Adapt And React To New Trends And Technologies
Type: eps_post
URL: /from-boomers-to-gen-z
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# From Boomers To Gen Z: How Different Generations Adapt And React To New Trends And Technologies
Demographics shine a light into how to reach different generations and when to invest in new emerging trends
Earlier this year, we conducted a study of 420 respondents to understand the interest, acceptance and impact of new technology trends amongst Gen Z, Millennials, Gen X and Boomers. We asked each generation for their positive, neutral or negative views on recent emerging trends, from impact of ambient experiences to the democratisation of AI.
It comes as no surprise that different generations exhibited varying levels of interest and acceptance. The study showed that whilst younger generations were very interested and accepting of all new technological trends, older generations were very specific about their interest in forms of technological interactions and consumption. The insights presented below should provide a useful guide when it comes to assessing the appropriate marketing mix to target markets that marketers are interested in serving. Furthermore, these insights will support the assessment of prioritisation of investment into new trends versus further optimisation into existing well-established communication channels and experiences.
"Consumers have needs, human motivations and intents which compliment their gender and age profile. It would be foolish to assume that Gen Z is the only generation that benefits or makes daily use of the latest technological innovations. Far from it, generations like Gen X are utilising new and emerging technologies to enhance their daily lives. Trends like visual discovery and personal assistants reflect utilitarian motivations, seeking product or service information, as well as community-driven opinions and personal advice," says Joseph Taylor, SVP of Technology and Operations, International at Epsilon.
Here, we've isolated the demographic insights to give you a top-level view at how these different generations responded to the trends listed below. Download the whitepaper for further details about these trends.
Camera as a platform
VR gets social
Evolution of social messaging
Immersive eSports
Contextual commerce
Democratisation of AI
Visual discovery
Voice and visual
Personalised audio
Augmented art
Mixing reality
Connected intelligence
Brain-computer interface
Gen Z
Gen Z were born from the mid-1990s to the early 2000. This generation is highly influenced by the connected digital environment, and are heavy users of mobile devices and social media. Overall, this cohort displayed three very interesting observations.
Firstly, their increasing appetite for media consumption reflects their regular need for inspiration, motivation and entertainment. They are the only generation to express positive sentiment towards social VR and immersive eSports.
Secondly, new technologies such as social messaging and social VR depicts the importance of social interaction and personal identity. This highly social group seeks belonging, looks for role models and uses digital technologies as an extension of their own personal identity.
Thirdly, Gen Zers were positive about 12 of the 13 trends surveyed and only neutral to contextual commerce – the integration of purchasing opportunities into their everyday interactions. Just like the Baby Boomers, they didn’t exhibit any interest in transactional enablers.
Millennials
Born between 1982 and the mid-1990s, millennial consumers grew up during an era of rapid technological development. This cohort was positive to 11 out of the 13 trends and neutral to social VR and immersive eSports. This generation prefers to enjoy sport and social entertainment as a live experience over an augmented or virtual experience.
The survey found that millennials expressed a positive sentiment towards contextual commerce, having grown up in an era of broad-target traditional advertising. They are more inclined to appreciate the benefits of more refined messaging due to the irrelevance it filters out.
Gen X
Gen X were born between the period of 1961 and 1981 and their survey results showed a significant difference from Millennials and Gen Z.
Gen X reacted positively to 5 of the 13 trends, with specific interest and preferences towards technologies that truly enhanced their daily lives. Visual product discovery and the use of personal digital assistants reflect Gen X’s utilitarian needs to discover better product and services information, community-driven opinions and personal advice.
Gen X provided a negative feedback to the democratisation of AI theme. These respondents disliked the notion of experiences driven by algorithms.
Boomers
Baby boomers provided a mixed set of responses, with 4 negative responses, 2 positive responses and the remaining 7 as neutral. Just like Gen X, these respondents did not show an interest in experiences influenced by AI and ML-based algorithms. Similarly, they provided a negative response to ambient experiences driven by augmented reality and virtual reality.
Nevertheless, Baby boomers are very selective in the use of new and emerging technologies. This generation is very interested in assistive technology such as personal assistants and connected intelligence that are aware of their needs and improves their daily lives. They are unsurprisingly more cautious in adopt new technologies, particularly those which have a profound impact upon traditional approaches to interaction.
Summary
In summary, this study highlighted the importance of understanding your target market before selecting the appropriate channels for communicating your value propositions. New digital trends do provide us with new contextual opportunities to drive brand engagement. “Understanding the level and type of response from generational cohorts to new and emerging technology trends, will improve a marketer’s chances of driving more effective consumer engagement and a more efficient marketing investments," says Joseph Taylor, SVP of Technology and Operations, International at Epsilon.
---
## Looking Beyond The Logo: How 'Feeling, Thinking And Creating' Are Key To Successful Brand Development
Type: eps_post
URL: /key-successful-brand-development
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Looking Beyond The Logo: How 'Feeling, Thinking And Creating' Are Key To Successful Brand Development
Branding is not just about how something looks, it’s about how it makes you feel. That’s why when we’re approaching a brand development brief we base all our work on three pillars: “Feeling, Thinking and Creating”. The first and most important thing we need to draw on is empathy and understanding, then we use this emotional information to guide our thinking and behavior. If we don’t get the feeling right, the pillars collapse, and all the hard work that goes into the thinking and creating phases of branding will come undone.
It’s simply a top-level checklist (loosely based on a theory that comes up often in talks and books on psychology and management) we keep in mind to make sure all three aspects are considered and working together at all times throughout a creative brief. The feeling pillar draws on qualities such as empathy, understanding, intuition, desire and awareness, (basically your EQ.) Thinking draws on your logic, knowledge of psychology, research skills, strategic thinking, (your IQ). And the creating is where you utilise the skills you have honed over the years in craft, colour, storytelling and experimentation, (your creativity). Unless you draw on all three pillars something will get lost.
In my role as design lead at Epsilon, I predominantly work in this space – linking up with our strategy team to help clients understand their customers, their brand story, and the values they want to convey, before transforming this into a reality. Brand development is about creating an emotional experience and building a strong community. What's crucial is that we never, ever treat this as a skin-deep exercise. We need to understand the character and personality of the brand, and figure out how this relates to the emotional needs of the customer. This will be the building block for a solid brand that people will connect with.
Feeling + Thinking
Our role in brand development is to convey the essence and story of the brand in one snapshot. So that it tells you everything you need to know before it says a word. To do this we need to understand the brand’s purpose so it resonates through all aspects of the identity. We work with big and small brands to uncover what their value proposition is and define what they want to do in the market. Some will know what they want and others will need a bit more help, but together we figure out their promise and then help them deliver that promise to their community.
So we need to understand the client’s needs. But we also need to look at it from the customers perspective. Step into their shoes, and tune in to their emotional needs. This is where feeling and thinking play a crucial part in figuring out how to frame the brand in a way that the customer will bond with it emotionally. Once we understand both the brand we are working with and their audience we have a solid foundation on which to build the brand. Often we will do market research, focus groups to make sure we have enough information to confidently send the project in a particular direction.
It is then important to ensure this message runs through the brand development and ultimately through all internal and external communications. This is where “creating” comes into play.
Creating
A strong strategy foundation leads to a more relevant logo, visual language, tone of voice, marketing and advertising. Once we have this, creating how the brand will look and perform will be a more productive process. Our creative talent is ignited and we get an opportunity to draw on the skills of our craft we have honed over the years. Yet we will always challenge ourselves to learn new things and to push the creative boundaries of the brief.
We start with creating moodboards, sketching and developing mark options, then explore typography choices and colour palette. We will explore styles and trends in illustration and then steer our choices in a direction which feels fresh and right for the brand. Other aspects of the identity like iconography and signage play a huge part in how a brand looks and functions and there’s a real opportunity to create something unique in the finer details.
Every visual element is explored with curiosity and experimentation and finished with impeccable attention to detail. These will all help to communicate the brand message.
This is backed up by a tone of voice developed by a Copywriter working alongside the client to decide on how we want the brand to speak to its intended audience. This element of a brand development brief could be a high level discussion about the words or key phrases that describe the brand, or as granular as deciding how a brand writes acronyms and uses grammar. It all helps to bring consistency and substance to a brand and make sure the words and phrasing used to discuss it marry up with the visual side.
Through this entire creating phase, we are constantly making sure that the feeling which we strived to capture from the start is always right.
How feeling, thinking and creating work for Lush.
Lush is a brand that I believed in from the moment I got to know their story. It wasn’t their visual identity that grabbed my attention, it was beyond this. I knew them as the makers of colourful and fun soaps and sweet smelling products, but over time they have strategically evolved the brand and communicated the values they stand for and their purpose more clearly. They believe in animal welfare and human rights, ethical buying, naked packaging, 100% vegetarian ingredients and a greener future.
These are the qualities that make their consumers want to be part of the Lush community. They empathised with their consumer and understood that they wanted more from their skincare; this understanding allowed them to build a more meaningful brand. Everything from their heart-shaped bath bombs and handwritten fonts to their ethical campaigns supports and strengthens their brand purpose. But first and foremost they focused on getting the feeling right, and this “feeling” would have been the foundation of their strategy, the “thinking” part of the process.
Here they would have looked at what differentiates them, what their story is, and why they do what they do. They looked at their company through the eyes of the consumer, and then figured out how to relate their story back to their consumer in a way that feels warm and friendly. They are a progressive brand that constantly evolves their products and looks for new ways to connect people to their brand.
Final thoughts on brand development
When feeling, thinking and creating work together we create a brand proposition that works not just for the client, but for their customers too. When a brand inspires a strong emotional response we feel compelled to return to it. A good brand can make us feel happy, or strong, sometimes it just feels like home. If you imagine yourself clutching a warm paper coffee cup on a cold day you will assign a brand to that moment. If you think of the gym outfit that pushes you to work harder, it’s likely that the brand will inspire feelings of determination and self belief. It’s our objective to create powerful brand experiences that are relevant and meaningful. Designing a brand is a privilege and needs to be treated with respect. It gives us an opportunity to shape how our community looks, feels and acts.
You create the moment, and the brand completes the picture.
---
## The Two Types Of Customer Loyalty – And Why Stamps On A Card Will Never Be Enough On Their Own
Type: eps_post
URL: /two-types-of-customer-loyalty
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# The Two Types Of Customer Loyalty – And Why Stamps On A Card Will Never Be Enough On Their Own
When we think of loyalty to brands, our minds can quickly turn to those little cards we get stamped when you buy a burrito or a latte.
But what Loyalty marketers do – that is, Loyalty with a Capital L – is different. And it’s important that marketers think beyond the card when it comes to creating this type of Loyalty.
This is quite different to rewarding customers who are regular users of your brand; that's important, but really it's no more than the low-hanging fruit. This is about creating an environment that fosters passion, trust and emotional connection between consumers and your brand. These are the factors that motivate consumers to continue their purchases once they've already converted, and move through the customer lifecycle with you.
Committed
While digital platforms change how we think about and address these concepts, one Irish brand is repeatedly top of customer service surveys. The Irish League of Credit Unions has been the top Irish brand for three years according to research carried out by The CX Company – and, according to its head of marketing Emmett Oliver, it is because of a “steadfast commitment to personalised customer care”.
According to the annual report, which is treated as something of a benchmark in the field, credit unions scored highly in “integrity, empathy and for their highly committed staff”.
As Oliver added, credit unions are able to commend Big-L Loyalty because they are able to tailor their customer experience.
“Credit unions offer a good deal of flexibility to provide services that are tailored to the individual needs of members," he said. "Our members have rewarded us with their loyalty and because of this, credit unions have grown and strengthened to become cornerstones of the communities that they serve.”
But experience will count for little if not accompanied by another key factor: trust.
The unique differentiator
Supermarket giant Lidl has gained huge trust in Ireland, growing to become RepTrak’s fifth-ranked brand in 2017. And the formula for developing this trust has been remarkably simple: a predictable and no-frills customer experience. In short, consumers trust that when they shop in the store, they will get products at the cheapest price that Lidl can offer.
Each and every brand needs to find what their niche is, and their unique differentiator to establish brand loyalty.
This means connecting loyalty programs (Little-L) to the overall brand experience (Big-L). When we think of both together, the pizza powerhouse Domino’s comes to mind. The Domino’s brand, as a whole, reflects trust, convenience: speedy service, late night hours, multiple options, affordability and so on.
This is then followed through upon with a Little-L rewards program that offers transactional rewards for its members – often in the form of free pizza, but also with experiential rewards (like stock options) to encourage Big-L Loyalty.
So, what are you driving at? Loyalty, loyalty or both? Do you want customers to just come back or do you want them to connect with your brand on a much deeper level?
What creates the stickiness between you and your customer? Do you have a brand value that people trust? That people react to?
Ask yourself these questions, and you might just find your customers becoming more and more Loyal.
---
## How does the industry waste $20bn marketing budget a year?
Type: eps_post
URL: /how-does-the-industry-waste-20bn-marketing-budget-a-year
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T22:09:52Z
# How does the industry waste $20bn marketing budget a year?
“Just 25% of CMOs digital media investment reaches target audiences.
“This atrocity represents more than $20 billion of marketing waste, inefficiency and ineffectiveness”.
ANA CEO, Bob Liodice stated this during his opening talk at the ANA Masters of Marketing conference last year.
Now, arguably this has been a known issue and problem for publishers for a long time, and has taken a long time to get back to CMOs. But aside from the question of why this is, I think it is worth investigating why it happens.
Poor measurement
Quite simply, whatever we measure is what we get. If we measure the wrong things, then we'll get the wrong outcome.
Too often marketers are focussed on marketing proxies rather than true measurement. Fraudsters know which proxies brands focus on, they understand how to use these proxies to their advantage, and they have been doing exactly this for a long time.
Prime examples include 100% viewable impressions, or clicks - proxy metrics which are deliberately targeted by fraudsters.
All of this results in a continual arms race between the fraudsters and the businesses employed to stop them. The mobile CPI market is classic example of this – in a recent podcast we hosted on mobile ad fraud, two of the mobile agencies involved said they typically deal with fraud rates as high as 80% of all installs.
Instead of marketing proxies brands should focus on business objectives - like incremental revenue and incremental profit.
Too many people marking their own homework
There are obvious reasons why we hold suppliers accountable for the work they carry out. Yet when it comes to advertising, why is it that so many suppliers are trusted to report on their own activity?
Too many suppliers within the chain of delivering ads to consumers are guilty of finding ways to mark their own homework. And too many marketers are guilty of trusting them to do this.
And what do these suppliers do when they’re reporting on their ‘successes’? Usually find ways to suggest that budgets should continually increase, even going to the extent of inventing metrics that would justify their models, and finding ways to deliver ads that correlate with existing behaviour to claim an impact.
Media performance should be validated against a brand's own business metrics; and not mediated by attribution models or other third parties.
The programmatic marketplace
I assume best intent, but I think we’ve got an adtech market that is opaque, and in many cases commoditised.
It’s a market where no one owns the final result other than the marketer. And this definitely doesn’t benefit the marketer, nor the brand they represent.
A typical chain would involve a strategist, a measurement firm, DSP (or multiple DSPs), a dynamic creative optimisation business, a device matching firm, a data management platform, and a data on-boarder.
Each of these businesses has limited responsibility for the final outcome, and is in a highly competitive space, driven by commercial deals. Often, they’re motivated to reach an earn-out for a venture capital business that is interested in revenue rather than profit. This creates an inefficient market for brands.
The move to person-first media is a significant step in the right direction. It reduces fraud to negligible levels, and allows for actual measurement. However, until the issues above are addressed by marketers, it is not a solution in itself.
The first step to fixing the issue is awareness, so please do reach out to me directly on LinkedIn if you have any questions about the points I’ve raised. Otherwise, you might be interested in listening to the podcast I mentioned earlier on mobile ad fraud.
Listen to the podcast
---
## Why brand experience matters for QSRs
Type: eps_post
URL: /brand-experience-qsr
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Why brand experience matters for QSRs
There’s been a lot of recent press about quick service restaurants (QSRs) and the advancements in technology that are attributed to well performing loyalty programs. As we learned through an online study of 400 millennials conducted by Epsilon, QSR customers crave convenience. The ability to pre-order is the primary driver of increased visits in addition to the speed in which the food is prepared and available. Mobile ordering continues to gain traction along with the desire to be rewarded for patronage and loyalty.
But to truly engender loyalty in the always-aware environment, QSR marketers need to pause and think about what their brand means to their customers. It goes beyond providing convenience and a reasonably priced meal. QSR brands and their establishments offer an environment in which memories are shared, business obligations are fulfilled and opportunities to create deeper emotional connections with consumers are created.
These experiential aspects of a brand will help make emotional and relevant connections with customers. Take Dunkin’ Donuts for example. Dunkin’ cultivates connections. Some customers create father/son memories while getting donuts after church, while others leverage Dunkin’ establishments as a friendly place to ‘do business over coffee.’ Some Dunkin’ Donuts have even built glass enclosed ‘meeting rooms’ to provide a quiet environment for business professionals to meet, and offer a change of pace from home offices.’ It’s about understanding the needs of your customers and fulfilling on these needs. It’s also about understanding how to connect with them on an emotional level.
To connect emotionally your brand needs to tell a story. And the story needs to be relevant to your customers. For example, look at some of the marketing tactics Dominos has leveraged to engage their millennial target audience. Dominos’ ‘order with a text, a pizza emoji’ reflects the creative and fun aspect of the Dominos brand. By speaking the customer’s language, Dominio’s is not only connecting with their most loyal customers but they’re creating convenience and making it easier for customers to interact with their brand.
Captivated and engaged customers provide an opportunity to acquire new loyalty program members. Consumers spend 46% more with restaurants who have loyalty programs and mobile is an effective channel for increasing your members. 73% of consumers are more likely to join loyalty programs if points and rewards are automatically updated and visible on mobile loyalty cards.
So marketers need to think about their brand experience and the key elements that create this relevant, unique experience. Understanding how technology enables the experience is essential. Tabletop tablets are on the rise not just because of their potential to increase sales, they’ve resulted in an increased number of loyalty membership sign-ups and a higher percentage of completed satisfaction surveys. Additionally, 8 in 10 consumers agree that restaurant technology enhances convenience.
Incorporating technology into the brand experience helps to make connections with consumers. Growing an emotional connection with customers is driving 30-100% gains in customer value, and is the key input to accelerating revenue profitability. So, as a loyalty marketer, think about your platform and services in tandem. It’s the services, bundled with the sleek and innovative technology that will allow for you to rise above the competition.
---
## GDPR and Epsilon: Our Preparation Efforts
Type: eps_post
URL: /gdpr-epsilon-preparation
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# GDPR and Epsilon: Our Preparation Efforts
Epsilon supports the principle of GDPR – to strengthen and unify data protection for all individuals in the EU.
GDPR: What, when and why?
On May 25, 2018, the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) is going into enforcement. GDPR replaces the existing data protection law in the EU called the EU Data Protection Directive. GDPR is a regulation that intends to give control back to European Union citizens and residents over their personal data and to simplify the environment for international business.
GDPR will significantly affect organisations worldwide that collect and/or process personal data of individuals working, visiting or residing in the EU. Specifically, the regulation impacts how companies collect, process, retain and delete personal data. For instance, there are new, enumerated obligations around breach notification and “accountability.”
How Epsilon is continuing to prepare
Epsilon has been working hard to prepare for GDPR, and will continue to do so as additional guidance is released.
Epsilon has created teams of associates from cross-functional business lines to manage our GDPR preparation. These team members include technologists, engineers, security professionals and the legal team. These teams are working together to review our services and technology platforms to help safeguard both Epsilon and its clients.
In particular, Epsilon has:
Provided regular education and updates to senior executives about GDPR obligations;
Delivered and will continue to provide training to associates around the enumerated obligations of GDPR;
Brought its data inventory and mapping process up-to-date, including revising its data classification standards, per the refined definitions of Personal Data in the GDPR;
Continued to ensure it has a lawful basis to collect, use and store data, as enumerated by GDPR;
Created, and will continue to update, its GDPR remediation and implementation plans by solidifying its internal privacy network and appointing privacy “champions” in each business practice;
Been building tools and processes that meet GDPR's data subject right requirements, including data access requirements;
Continued to review and update security procedures and policies to determine what, if any, additional procedures or policies it will need to revise or implement to ensure its compliance;
Commenced revising agreements with clients and vendors to reflect contractual requirements set forth in GDPR.
Epsilon continues to monitor and study the additional guidance documents released by local Data Protection Authorities and the Article 29 Working Party to better understand its obligations. Epsilon is also leading industry efforts around comprehending how GDPR applies to its businesses. Working closely with industry groups, such as the Direct Marketing Association in the UK, Epsilon is helping to shape and create guidance materials to present to the local Data Protection Authorities and Industry as a whole that will help address existing open questions around certain GDPR requirements. Epsilon is also an active member of the Data Protection Network (DPN), an organisation that provides expert opinions on data protection.
DPN has provided the valuable Guidance on Legitimate Interests under GDPR.
Epsilon urges its clients, partners, and vendors to review and understand their responsibilities under GDPR, as compliance is a collective responsibility. This includes changes around obtaining data subjects’ consent and enhanced data subject access rights.
Further resources:
Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO UK Data Protection Authority)
Overview of the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR)
Preparing for the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) 12 steps to take now
Guidance: what to expect and when
Data Protection Network
Legitimately using Legitimate Interests – new guidance
---
## [INFOGRAPHIC] What do consumers want from retailers this Christmas?
Type: eps_post
URL: /infographic-what-do-consumers-want-from-retailers-this-christmas
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T22:17:52Z
# [INFOGRAPHIC] What do consumers want from retailers this Christmas?
With the majority (92%) of consumers’ shopping purchases expected to be influenced by offers and promotions this Christmas, it's essential for retailers to understand what drives consumers to purchase.
What do consumers want from retailers this Christmas?
This infographic covers some of the highlights from Conversant's 2017 Holiday Retail Outlook Report. Click on the infographic to view the larger image, or download the full report for free for further insight and actionable advice on what consumers want from retailers this Christmas.
Download the report
Download the full report for free for further insight and actionable advice on what consumers want from retailers this Christmas.
Download the report
---
## [Podcast] Solving identity, matching and reach
Type: eps_post
URL: /podcast-solving-identity-matching-and-reach
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T22:14:41Z
# [Podcast] Solving identity, matching and reach
Just 15% of marketers are confident that they know their customers well enough to build relationships, according to new research.
In this podcast, Ric Elert, President of Conversant, discusses how brands can better understand their customers and prospects through accurate identification, profile matching, and reach.
Listen to the podcast interview to hear how brands can attain a single customer view (SCV) by solving identification, matching and reach.
The modern CMO's five biggest challenges, and how to solve them
Read the research report detailed in the podcast to help benchmark your marketing function's ability to understand customers and prospects. Detailing fresh insight into the issues faced by senior marketers, then addressing how then solve such issues, the report offers valuable insight for those seeking actionable solutions. Claim your copy of the report for instant access.
Download the report
---
## CJ wins three International Performance Marketing Awards in 2017
Type: eps_post
URL: /cj-wins-three-international-performance-marketing-awards
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# CJ wins three International Performance Marketing Awards in 2017
CJ Affiliate has won three awards at the International Performance Marketing Awards (IPMAs) 2017.
The network won the Industry Network of Choice award, as voted for by affiliate advertisers and publishers around the world.
Further, CJ were awarded Best Managed Affiliate Programme in Western Europe with TUI, and Best Managed Affiliate Programme in Eastern Europe with VIVNetworks.com and Zoot.cz.
The network was also highly commended for numerous award categories.
Read how CJ Affiliate achieved success at the IPMAs in these case studies on the award-nominated campaigns.
View CJ's award-nominated case studies
Judging the awards were a panel performance marketing experts, including senior industry figures from Digiday, LinkedIn, Amazon Video and many more.
Testament to team spirit and collaboration with partners
“CJ being recognised at the inaugural International Performance Marketing Awards really is testimony to the globally strategic and creative abilities that our team possesses,” says Jules Bazley, Regional Vice President for Europe at CJ. “But what I am most proud of is the collaboration and alliance between the CJ team and our partners - both advertisers and publishers all around the world.”
“The teams at TUI, Zoot.cz, VIVNetworks.com and all the other great brands we work with at CJ collaborate with the network in harmony all around the world. It's this that allows us to push the boundaries in terms of results - something these awards lay testament to."
This is the first year that the International Performance Marketing Awards have taken place. At the 2017 UK Performance Marketing Awards, CJ were recognised four times, winning two prestigious awards: Best Managed Affiliate Programme alongside TUI, and Best Retail Campaign alongside Argos and VoucherCodes.co.uk. CJ was also highly commended for Best Travel and Leisure Campaign alongside IHG, as well as a high commendation for our very own rising star, Vicky Baeckstroem.
View CJ's award-nominated case studies
---
## 4 tips to develop the best loyalty programme for your restaurant
Type: eps_post
URL: /4-tips-best-loyalty-programme
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# 4 tips to develop the best loyalty programme for your restaurant
Diners of quick service restaurants (QSRs) and fast-casual restaurants want to have deeper, more unique relationships with brands in a highly competitive space. As marketers, we need to leverage data to identify the best diners and engage them with relevant messaging at the right time, in the right place and through the right media to sustain their loyalty and increase their visits.
Successful loyalty programmes today are much more than simply a mechanism for customers to earn monetary rewards, rather it’s an opportunity to create an ‘interactive dialogue’ between them and your brand. For example, millennials care about social justice issues and local sourcing of ingredients. Leveraging this knowledge to support your loyalty programme can result in true member ‘loyalty’ (a relationship outside points, rewards and certificates). With this in mind, marketers for QSR and fast-casual restaurants need to:
Know the customer
In a study Epsilon conducted in partnership with Econsultancy, we learned that only 12% of brands have a single view of their customer, necessary for brands to engage with their audience consistently. To obtain this single view, restaurant marketers need to first give customers a reason to identify themselves so that data can be captured, then leverage data insights to determine what customer experience their diners are looking for in loyalty programmes.
In a study Epsilon conducted in partnership with Econsultancy, we learned that only 12% of brands have a single view of their customer, necessary for brands to engage with their audience consistently. To obtain this single view, restaurant marketers need to first give customers a reason to identify themselves so that data can be captured, then leverage data insights to determine what customer experience their diners are looking for in loyalty programmes.
Let’s take Dunkin’ Donuts for example. Dunkin’ is a QSR who knows what their DD Perks® members want. – Convenience with preferential treatment. Dunkin’ launched its ‘on-the-go ordering, speed past the line’ mobile app feature allowing members to place a mobile order up to 24 hours in advance, select their desired location and confirm when and where they’d like to pick-up their order while paying for it within the app. This on-the-go DD Perks® feature available at over 8,000 restaurants has reached success. In 2016, Dunkin’ Donuts Perks members who had been in the programme for at least a year and made purchases in both Q4 2015 and Q4 2016 increased their average weekly spend by 9 percent year-over-year, according to Dunkin’ Brands Group Q4 2016 earnings
Once you can identify customers, you can begin to analyse the data and get a holistic view of your diners to increase the frequency and spend by targeting your messaging.
Increase visit frequency
Marketers need to obtain a 360-degree view of their diners and to do so, they need to make sure all channels are ‘turned on’ and ‘turned up.’ Diners behave differently across channels and marketers need to glean these insights to fully understand how they can increase the frequency of their diners. By knowing what menu items a member prefers, marketers can target offers that stimulate future visits based on what they like and crave. These insights help marketers determine what the ingredients are for the best loyalty programme recipe.
A new channel for fast-casual restaurants that helps in tracking frequency is the use of tablet point-of-sale systems at the dining tables. These tablets help to provide an enjoyable dining experience as it’s convenient, allows for them to pay their bill on their time, provides menu items the diner might like based on the current selections he/she has indicated, includes entertainment options (games) for the whole family to play, and more! Fast-casual restaurants need to leverage this channel and collect and use this data. But remember, you need to collect contact information on these devices.
Build your pipeline
Use your loyalty insights for the acquisition of new customers. Best guests started out as new guests, . Your loyalty programme is a critical feeder file to digital, email and SMS acquisition programmes that not just target new guests, but rather, new high potential loyalty programme members and diners. The insights gleaned from their startup engagement dynamics, interests, device usage and most importantly, dining behaviour is critical for cost-effective go-forward acquisition programmes.
Understand use
Knowing and understanding how your diners use your loyalty programme is essential. It’s more than just simply joining. How are they interacting with your brand through the programme? Are they redeeming their rewards? From research, we’ve learned that $16 billion+ in reward points go unclaimed by consumers each year.
Remember, your loyalty programme is more than just rewards. The enhancements to your customer experience that you incorporate into your programme will increase overall engagement. Evaluate your customer service. And ask yourself, “Are you consistent with your offerings through offline and online channels?” Additionally, think about how personalisation comes into play no matter the channel.
As marketers, we need to determine what your real loyalty is. It goes beyond identifying the consumer to deepening relationships. Read more about our loyalty solution here.
---
## GDPR and Conversant: How we have, and will continue to prepare
Type: eps_post
URL: /gdpr-and-conversant-how-we-have-and-will-continue-to-prepare
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# GDPR and Conversant: How we have, and will continue to prepare
Both Conversant and CJ Affiliate by Conversant support the principle of GDPR – to strengthen and unify data protection for all individuals in the EU – and are already well positioned to provide compliant services. While the implementation of GDPR by the EU evolves, this is how Conversant and CJ Affiliate by Conversant have, and are continuing to prepare for its launch.
GDPR: What, when and why ?
On May 25, 2018, the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) is going into enforcement. GDPR replaces the existing data protection law in the EU called the EU Data Protection Directive. It is a regulation that intends to strengthen and unify data protection for all individuals in the European Union.
GDPR will significantly affect organisations worldwide which collect and/or process personal data of individuals working, visiting or residing in the EU. Specifically, the regulation impacts how companies collect, process, retain and delete personal data. For instance, there are new, enumerated obligations around breach notification and “accountability.”
How Conversant is continuing to prepare ?
Conversant has been working hard to prepare for GDPR, and will continue to do so as its implementation by the EU evolves. In particular, Conversant has:
Educated senior executives about GDPR obligations, and will continue to do so;
Created a network of associates charged with ensuring compliance with GDPR for each business practice;
Been building tools and processes that meet GDPR's access and choice requirements;
Provided and will continue to provide training to associates around the enumerated obligations of GDPR, such as responding to data subject access requests;
Brought its data inventory and mapping process up-to-date, including revising its data classification standards, per the refined definitions of Personal Data in the GDPR;
Continued to ensure it has a lawful basis to collect, use and store data, as enumerated by GDPR;
Created, and will continue to update, its GDPR remediation and implementation plans by solidifying its internal privacy network and appointing privacy “champions” in each business practice;
Continued to review and update policies around data subjects’ rights as outlined under GDPR;
Continued to review and update security procedures and policies to determine what, if any, additional procedures or policies it will need to revise or implement to ensure its compliance;
Commenced revising agreements with clients and vendors to reflect contractual requirements set forth in GDPR.
Conversant has created teams of associates from cross functional business lines to manage our GDPR preparation. These include technologists, engineers, security professionals and the legal team. These teams work together to review our services and technology platforms to help safeguard both Conversant and its clients.
Conversant continues to monitor and study the additional guidance documents released by local Data Protection Authorities and the Article 29 Working Party to better understand its obligations. Conversant is also continuing to lead industry efforts around comprehending how GDPR applies to its businesses. Working closely with industry groups, such as the Interactive Advertising Bureau (IAB) in the EU and the UK, Conversant is helping to shape and create guidance materials to present to the local Data Protection Authorities and Industry as a whole that will help address existing open questions around certain GDPR requirements.
Conversant urges its clients, partners and vendors to review and understand their responsibilities under GDPR, as compliance is a collective responsibility. This includes changes around obtaining data subjects’ consent and enhanced data subject access rights.
Further resources
Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO UK Data Protection Authority)
Overview of the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR)
Preparing for the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) 12 steps to take now
Guidance: what to expect and when
Interactive Advertising Bureau (IAB)
IAB UK GDPR Checklist
IAB Europe GIG: Working Paper on the Definition of Personal Data
DMA
Legitimately using Legitimate Interests – new guidance
---
## Navigating the inbox: Knowing when to say goodbye
Type: eps_post
URL: /navigating-the-inbox-goodbye
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Navigating the inbox: Knowing when to say goodbye
Saying goodbye is never easy. It can be difficult and complicated, but when it comes to your email program it may be a necessary task. What makes it so difficult for marketers to say farewell? Largely it is tied to the fact that they still want to try to engage and the customer hasn’t specifically said goodbye – they’ve just gone silent. But determining how much silence is equivalent to “so long” varies by customer.
There is a lot of advice out there about suppressing recipients if they haven’t engaged in “x” days – I’m not here to give that advice. You should definitely be mindful of waning engagement from your subscribers and look at ways you can augment or alter how or what is being communicated. But simply suppressing these audiences is only something that should be applied when deliverability issues are on the horizon (and definitely if you are in the middle of issues).
What are some things to consider as you work your way through the emotional gauntlet to goodbye?
Sometimes customers just need a break
Provide options or mechanisms for customers to opt-down via a preference centre, instead of opting out completely.
Don’t keep them prisoner – If you love someone set them free
Keep your unsubscribe language clear and the link visible. If someone really wants out (and they can’t find or understand your unsubscribe language) they will simply report your message as SPAM or Junk. Allowing them a simple way to unsubscribe is the better alternative.
Some just like to admire from afar
Don’t forget that no matter what engagement metrics indicate your email makes an impression on a subscriber, even if they don’t open it. Pay attention to activity or purchases outside of email to determine channel activity elsewhere. Even if they aren’t engaging with email in the way you’d like it could still be keeping the brand top of mind.
To learn more check out our infographic:
---
## Navigating the inbox - Apology
Type: eps_post
URL: /navigating-the-inbox-apology
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Navigating the inbox - Apology
We are all human – and that means a lot of things, but mostly it means that we aren’t perfect. As an imperfect species that means that sometimes…mistakes happen. Depending on one’s disposition determines how mistakes are responded to. Some will analyse the mistake to understand why it happened, others will chalk it up to fate and still, others will try to fix it or excuse it. The fact is, how one handles a mistake is frequently more important than the mistake itself.
So when mistakes happen with your email program what do you do? You may choose to respond like Adidas did recently when they realised that their subject line “Congrats, you survived the Boston Marathon!” was not appropriate and quickly followed up with a simple, but a thoughtfully written apology. In some situations, it may be best to do nothing at all. Here are a few tips and considerations to get out of the doghouse.
Recognise the mistake
The first step in reconciling is to know you made a mistake. It may be second nature for some to want to cover up a mistake, but it is critical that it is recognised as quickly as possible and addressed with key stakeholders internally to determine the severity of the error and the proper course of action.
Address the mistake – or don’t
Not every mistake will require an oops message – sometimes the best action is no action, other times you may want to consider suppressing a customer from upcoming messages or it may even be worth it to follow-up with an “oops” or “we’re sorry” message – depending on the severity of the mistake and the impact to the customer.
Know you aren’t the first and won’t be the last
Everyone makes mistakes, it is how we deal with the mistakes that people tend to remember. No one is perfect so don’t be too hard on yourself – but do file that moment away as a reminder of things to avoid – better yet, add it to a checklist (if it makes sense).
Find some humour in the error
Don’t take yourself too seriously – you have an opportunity to turn a potentially negative situation into a moment that people will remember with a smile. Bring a human element to your response, be humble and own it.
Have a plan
Be prepared with decision criteria for appropriate-level response to mistakes – not if they happen, but when they happen. This will provide a framework for determining the best course of action and keep the situation calm.
As marketers, it’s important for us to have an action plan in place to react to our marketing mistakes in a timely manner.
To learn more check out our infographic:
---
## The case for slow(er) brand strategy
Type: eps_post
URL: /brand-strategy
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# The case for slow(er) brand strategy
It started with the news cycle. In the early 90s.
What was once a drip feed of information was radically altered by the arrival of TV. The era of the 24-hour news cycle arrived, and real-time coverage, opinion, and reportage fused instantaneously to deliver an intoxicating mix of infotainment.
Today, we live in always-on times, where the news hunts us down, rather than us finding it. The metabolism of media is set at the speed of culture and its velocity these days can be disorientating for brands and people alike.
Neuroscientists are seeing our brains light up when our device lights up as our biochemistry has been rewired to react to the slightest social stimulus.
Arguably, we’ve moved from being users of technology to being locked in symbiosis with it: we’re devoted to our devices, each one is a little dopamine dispenser.
ARE BRANDS MOVING TOO FAST?
But as P&G recently announced in scaling back its investment in paid-digital, the pace and range of digital don't always translate to growth. Indeed, a lot of snake oil has been sold over the last decade regarding the transformative power of digital. Brands find themselves at an interesting juncture – their customers’ lives are increasingly mediated by digital experiences, but digital advertising continues to under deliver and underwhelm.
Perhaps brand-owners are just as hooked on the same reactive dopamine hit that digitally gives – I mean, they’re people too, right.
This writer has said it already (see the August issue of IMJ), what many consider brand strategy is actually a combination of a continuous line of tactics, reacting to the culture rather than taking a stake in shaping a ‘long narrative’ for a brand or business.
Brand strategy has become reactive, it’s defined by ‘pop-up’ thinking, driven by social metric chasing approaches. This is important but we shouldn’t confuse it with brand strategy. The uncomfortable truth is that being ‘always-on’ doesn’t equate to being relevant. And that’s the trap for many strategists and planners, in the hunt for the immediate impact we sacrifice long-term growth.
SHIFTING GEARS AND CHANGING DIRECTION
What’s the solution to this short-termism loop that we seem to be stuck in?
It starts at the start, funnily enough. The fundamental question is not ‘Why are we here?’ but ‘Where are we headed’?
Brands and agencies have to separate the thinking from the doing. Too many insights aren’t really all that insightful, they are observations of behaviour that can be parlayed into short-term propositions rather than a deep emotional understanding of the motivation that shapes brand position and value exchange.
Too many strategies aren’t really all that strategic. They live and die against a content calendar or a campaign plan, and as I’ve said before, this isn’t the way forward for strategy.
And finally, too many ideas are big (in the sense that they are trumpeted and invested in at scale by brands), but they are not broad enough to carry the weight of expectation and experience beyond themselves.
Solutions are often counter-intuitive such as to create more meaningful creative we need more data, or to get more data conversely we need more creativity to unlock opt-ins and trigger behaviour. These paradoxes are only increasing.
For brands obsessed with the pace of change the solution to hacking growth is too slow down.
To think evolution rather than revolution.
To hit CRTL-ALT-DEL.
To take the time to ask the big existential questions.
To really understand where a brand wants to go to rather than how fast it should travel.
Pick up this month’s issue of IMJ to read more of James’ thoughts on the state of planning and brand strategy.
---
## Navigating the inbox - Loyalty
Type: eps_post
URL: /navigating-the-inbox-loyalty
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Navigating the inbox - Loyalty
In our first post in the Navigating the inbox series, we looked at the value of a welcome series for your email marketing efforts. Once you’ve welcomed a consumer to your brand, it’s time to both earn and sustain their loyalty leveraging email.
Loyalty goes beyond points, it is an entire experience between a brand and a customer and email is a big driver of that relationship. The ability to recognise the customer and their needs and wants from the brand at any moment in time is an expectation that consumers have today. Brands see all activity, across channels and over time and bringing that knowledge into the conversation with any customer is critical but even truer for your loyal customers.
So how can you leverage email to drive and support customer loyalty? Following are some tips, tricks and considerations:
Recognise loyalty
These are your best, most loyal and most engaged customers – loyalty doesn’t have to start and stop with a loyalty program so be sure to recognise them through your email efforts. Also look at email engagement and purchase behaviour as a way to identify other loyal customers to woo.
Hyper-personalisation
Loyal customers have a deep expectation that you know them, sometimes even better than they know themselves. Content cannot be generic. Messaging needs to be hyper-personalised and relevant to the individual.
Know what they want
Get predictive. Based on what you know about the customer you may be able to determine what (or when) their next logical purchase or engagement may occur. Help lead them there.
Provide surprises
Everyone loves a surprise – periodically show your gratitude for loyal customers with special treats or offers – just for them – and not just on their birthday.
Be timely and current
Loyalty information needs to be accurate – points are like currency and no one wants to see their balance wrong. Leverage live content to serve both a timely and accurate experience through email.
Don’t forget the special days
Every relationship has its special days to celebrate – anniversaries, birthdays the first time you met – acknowledge them and celebrate together.
Continue the dialogue
Hearing the customer doesn’t end with the welcome series, you need to continue and learn about the customer over time, hearing their feedback and incorporating it at every stage of the relationship. But the most loyal customers don’t feel talked at – they feel heard.
To learn more check out our infographic:
---
## 10 email tips to help you rule back to school
Type: eps_post
URL: /email-tips-back-to-school
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# 10 email tips to help you rule back to school
At home you may feel like the summer just started –kids are out of school and the sun is shining – but in reality, the back-to-school (BTS) season is already underway. According to the National Retail Federation (NRF), 73% of shoppers plan to begin their BTS needs up to two months early, which means now is the time to start planning.
So what can you do to kick start a successful BTS campaign this year? Check out these tips and tricks:
Start with defining your goals and objectives.
For any campaign to be deemed a success or a failure, it is imperative to have your goals and objectives clearly defined. Are you trying to drive foot traffic or site traffic? Is this an awareness effort or do you want to get engagement on your app? Defining the goal will help to shape the offer and the call-to-action so make sure you get it right.
Address the right audience.
As you look at your BTS strategy don’t forget to define who your audience is and how you can best appeal to the role she plays in the purchasing decision. Is mom or dad the buyer, with a child influencer? Is it a recent high school grad on the way to a college dorm? Look at the purchasing path and decision from the perspective of the customer first, through your marketing lens second.
Provide a mechanism for savings.
BTS is a time for stocking up on all things school related, and that can get pricey…quick. Not every email you send needs to have an offer but to really see success in the BTS time frame, include a coupon, discount or deal. According to the NRF 92% of BTS shoppers are looking to save money – so find a way to stand out with memorable offers and deals as to not get lost in the shuffle.
Find these and other tips and tricks in this infographic.
---
## Programmatic: Time to hit the reset button?
Type: eps_post
URL: /programmatic-time-to-hit-the-reset-button
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T22:16:49Z
# Programmatic: Time to hit the reset button?
“Automation applied to an efficient operation will magnify the efficiency… automation applied to an inefficient operation will magnify the inefficiency.” Bill Gates
If you’ve visited a marketing conference in the last five years, you’ll be familiar with the obligatory reference to the percentage of advertising bought via programmatic. This is the oft-overlooked problem with programmatic.
The programmatic industry has become incredibly introspective in its achievements. Vendors compete with vendors and exchanges compete with exchanges on the various aspects of what it takes to be programmatic, but not necessarily on what programmatic is meant to be for.
The means has been brought to the fore, while the solution has been largely forgotten.
"The means has been brought to the fore, while the solution has been largely forgotten."
So, back to basics, what is programmatic?
It’s fundamentally the automation of the purchasing process. Therefore, to assess the benefit of programmatic, instead of the common dialogue revolving around queries per second or how many exchanges can be plugged in simultaneously, we need to focus on what’s behind this automation.
Why is it being automated, and is it an efficiency or an inefficiency that’s being magnified by this automation?
Unfortunately, it’s not an easy question to answer. Programmatic is an industry built on complexity and murkiness. But if we look at programmatic within display media – the main channel run via programmatic – the overwhelming evidence points to an inefficiency being magnified.
Consumers are finding ways to turn off display advertising with tools such as adblockers – the common consensus is that around 30% of people now adopt such measures. This figure wouldn’t be too much of a concern for marketers if they were seeing increased value from programmatic. Yet many are instead growing distrustful of the return that is supposedly generated.
In fact, Marc Pritchard, P&G’s chief brand officer, recently called out the ad industry for what he sees as “a media supply chain that is murky at best and fraudulent at worst”. It’s this media supply chain that programmatic is magnifying.
Here, we have a situation where both marketers and their customers are beginning to move away from programmatic. So, what needs to be done to stop this movement before it becomes irreversible?
The first step is to re-think why we are automating.
"The first step is to re-think why we are automating."
At its core, most programmatic marketers will claim it helps to increase efficiency against KPIs – reach and engagement, or performance goals like attributed sales, for example. The problem is that this is not what marketers should be caring about.
These are proxy KPIs, originally designed to help guide investment towards the true business goals of revenue or profit.
Most programmatic products are built to find the most efficient way to achieve these KPIs. They don’t consider the ultimate company goal, only its own target for re-investment.
Take the case of a retailer’s sales target – to get more budget, the programmatic product will find the cheapest way to attribute a sale. As a product automates towards its target, it looks for the cheapest way to achieve this. Simply put, it gravitates towards those most likely to convert anyway, towards cheap non-viewable traffic, fraudulent content, or sites where users could be tricked into clicking.
Ultimately, it achieves the opposite of what it is meant to do.
We need to reset the antiquated framework of programmatic – this is the second step.
In display, the majority of products on the market identify users via cookies. But the cookie itself is an incredibly out-dated way to identify a user. Fragmentation of devices and the limited shelf life of cookies being 30-days, mean that automating based on cookies is, frankly, dangerous.
"We need to reset the antiquated framework of programmatic – this is the second step."
With cookie lifespans far shorter than the purchase cycles of most products, not being able to recognise someone properly and understand the volume of your advertising they are seeing can mean vast budgets are either wasted or that they annoy potential customers, directly reflecting on your brand. Identifying your customers has to be a primary concern before deciding to automate communication.
Brands cannot assume that programmatic is a net benefit. There needs to be clarity into what the true end goal is for both brand and programmatic vendor, and that this is aligned with business goals rather than KPIs. Further, if the so-called solution relies on cookies rather than true identification, then it cannot properly identify who your customers are, nor their value to you.
Instead of marketing to consumers, you’re likely annoying them with irrelevant adverts, damaging your brand. You could be doing more damage to your brand than you realise, far quicker than you would think.
---
## Report: 65% of consumers fed up with irrelevant brand communications
Type: eps_post
URL: /65-of-consumers-fed-up-with-irrelevant-brand-communications
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T22:17:52Z
# Report: 65% of consumers fed up with irrelevant brand communications
A new report reveals that 65% of consumers say companies, retailers, or brands send them too many irrelevant communications.
Further, the research shows that consumers are more likely to shop with a brand if it communicates to them on a more personal level: 87% of millennials aged 25-34 are very likely to shop at a retailer if they receive personalised offers.
Download the report
The 2017 Holiday Retail Outlook Report, released by Alliance Data’s card services business, Epsilon, Conversant and LoyaltyOne, looks upon trends during recent winter seasons in order to impart valuable insight on how retailers can maximise ROI during the upcoming 2017 winter holiday period.
For the upcoming winter holiday shopping period, the report highlights the value of personalisation in communication over heavy discounting. "Deep discounting has traditionally been the go-to strategy for retailers, but this doesn’t have to be the only solution to drive consumers to buy,” the report states. "Focusing on personalisation and technology in stores will cut through the crowded retail market.”
"Consumers have had enough of the irrelevant mass communications that retailers throw at them. It is time for retailers to start now with personalised promotions to convince consumers to shop their brand over another retailer that sells similar items."
Omni-channel shopping experiences
The report further confirms the ongoing trend of consumer purchasing behaviour being spread across channels: 80% of consumers now buy online and have gifts delivered, 51% buy online and pick up in store, 75% price compare products online, while 51% read product reviews while in store.
As a result, the report advises retail brands not to “underestimate continuity of voice.”
"Digital marketing allows you to keep up an ongoing conversation with your customers across their devices, rather than simply serving up the same ads over and over again."
For example, US retail brand "The Land Of Nod focused its digital advertising efforts on individual consumers, using data to serve up highly personalised messaging across multiple devices." In the UK, luxury fashion brand Dune London employs the same personalised approach to marketing, which earned the brand a 64% increase in ROI per customer.
Diverging generational consumer trends
The report further highlights the diverging shopping habits between generations.
Price and value are top influencers for millennials. But they also recognize the importance of both functional and emotional aspects of the shopping experience; both are represented in where and how they decide to shop.
Generation X wants to see clear value for the money they spend — and they expect innovation that will make their busy lives easier, according to the report. Meanwhile, baby boomers and the silent generation place a greater importance on the functional attributes offered when they’re deciding which brands to shop.
Finally, generation Z cares greatly about quality and value. And while they’ll only contribute a small amount of their own money to this year’s holiday spend, you can be sure they’re heavily influencing it.
Download the full report for free to gain access to this valuable data and insight in the run-up to the 2017 winter holiday period.
Download the report
---
## Controlled explosions: How to get your marketing data back under control
Type: eps_post
URL: /marketing-data-under-control
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Controlled explosions: How to get your marketing data back under control
There are many misconceptions about what Big Data is and how it can be used. The intuitive definition of Big Data is the volume. It is more than that, it is volume, velocity and variety.
How can you manage such fast moving, high-demand and inconsistent data? You need a technology team working with the marketing team working with the analytics team. Together they will not only define the ‘how’ [to capture and store the data], but also the ‘what’ [define the reports, dashboard, business needs] and the ‘why’ [the analytics and insights].
In the end, having data, big or small, is of no use if you don’t leverage it in a way that is meaningful. Right now you have more information at your fingertips than ever before. But many brands remain data rich yet insight poor because they don’t put in the ground work to use their data effectively.
Here’s how:
Make a map.
The first step is to figure out where all your data is. A helpful first exercise to begin your transformation journey is to map out what your ecosystem looks like, using a diagram like this to show the relationships between the different platforms:
Only gather what you’ll use.
You need to start to prune back your data gathering efforts to include only what is essential to enhance your relationship with the customer.
Once you know all the data you have in your ecosystem, it’s time to have an honest evaluation of how much use it is to your brand. Stop collecting anything you’re not going to use (fax numbers?!). And that’s as in you don’t have a set plan to use, not “we might, some day”. It’s one less pool of data for you to manage, it makes your customer forms simpler and it’ll free up space/capacity for other new and exciting things in your tech stack.
Liberate your data. Break the silos.
Then you endeavour to bring it all together, either using new technology or connectors between legacy systems to form one master record for each individual who has a relationship with your organisation. The goal of the exercise is connecting information about interactions across different channels and different areas of the business into one complete user picture. We call this the Single Customer View. This opens up the potential for smarter, more effective data-driven marketing to roll out from.
When you break down data silos and barriers between legacy systems, you open up the potential to create a truly customer-centric approach to marketing, where all brand interactions with a particular customer can be aligned, synchronised and personalised to that individual, with marketing programs responding to customer data in real time and adjusting the customer experience accordingly.
Ready for action?
You might not be able to change the data direction of a massive organisation overnight, but you can make those first crucial steps. Get your free copy of the Epsilon Essential Guide to Marketing Data to see what you need to do and how to do it.
---
## [Podcast] How to navigate the new digital landscape
Type: eps_post
URL: /podcast-how-to-navigate-the-new-digital-landscape-lisa-collings-conversant
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T22:16:49Z
# [Podcast] How to navigate the new digital landscape
How do you ascertain the value of a digital service? And once you understand the value, how do you gain buy-in from your business?
In this podcast, Lisa Collings, VP of Client Development at Conversant imparts her insight and advice on ascertaining the value of digital B2B services, and how to advocate that benefit to the C-Level of your organisation. With a career history in branding for some of the largest B2B and B2C organisations in the world, Lisa understands how to leverage new technology for brand benefit.
Speaking with Robin Davies, MD of Operations at Conversant, Lisa gives actionable advice on gauging the benefit of technology services, in particular harnessing the early adopter advantage.
After listening, be sure to download Lisa's personalisation checklist: a six-point guide to understanding if your business is ready to create truly personalised experiences for your customers at scale.
Further reading
Download Lisa's personalisation checklist: a six-point guide to understanding if your business is ready to create truly personalised experiences for your customers at scale.
Download the checklist
---
## Use it or lose it: How smart brands deal with marketing data
Type: eps_post
URL: /smart-brands-marketing-data
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Use it or lose it: How smart brands deal with marketing data
Most senior marketers know what they should be doing with their marketing data. Yet very few are actually doing it. In order for brands to understand and ultimately conquer the gulf between theory and practice, we have to have a little lesson in recent history.
The Big (Data) Bang
A good few years back now, the world went bonkers over data. Everyone was talking about Big Data, getting a handle on all this mass of new digital information that was being generated from every corner of everywhere. CEOs turned to their CMOs and demanded that they build an impenetrable fort of data to dominate the shores of profitability and in turn CMOs told their teams to grab a bucket and start collecting.
Evolution: It’s a slow process
We’re still seeing the fallout from this today with the majority of businesses placing a greater emphasis and value on gathering information than actually analysing it and putting it to work to achieve business objectives. But that tide is starting to turn. The brands that really know their stuff marketing wise have stopped this broad brush harvesting of any and all information available to them and turned their focus inward, towards breaking down silos, analysing what’s there and making use of it.
2020: A data odyssey
More and more brands will be investing in using and maintaining the useful information they have. The really smart ones will actually start to collect less information not more, having figured out which bits are useful to the brand and which just end up gathering metaphorical dust on a server somewhere. Customers are demanding that brands make ever better use of the information they share with them, that’s its price. And brands who fail to deliver on this promise will rapidly find themselves out in the cold.
Achieving the single customer view
There’s a movement in many major corporations (and other smaller, more agile ones too) to break down data silos and barriers between legacy systems in order to create a truly customer-centric approach to marketing, where all brand interactions with a particular customer can be aligned, synchronised and personalised to that individual, with marketing programs responding to customer data in real time and adjusting the customer experience accordingly.
We’re finding that we’re increasingly being asked to assist with this creation of a single customer view – either through increased connectivity between disparate legacy systems or omnichannel transformations from the ground up. Driven by increasing customer expectations, this is another trend that will only become more prevalent in the months and years to come.
Your tomorrow starts today
You might not be able to change the data direction of a massive organisation overnight, but you can make those first crucial steps. Get your free copy of the Epsilon Essential Guide To Marketing Data to see what you need to do and how to do it.
---
## [Video] The power of personalisation: Keep your customer coming back for more
Type: eps_post
URL: /video-the-power-of-personalisation-keep-your-customer-coming-back-for-more
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# [Video] The power of personalisation: Keep your customer coming back for more
Personalised marketing has been talked about for a long time. Yet for many businesses, it still hasn't fully materialised.
Watch this video to understand how to implement true one-to-one personalisation at scale, today.
Speaking at Internet Retailing Expo, Conversant's VP of media UK, Elliott Clayton discusses what true personalisation actually means, and how brands can benefit from true one-to-one personalisation at scale.
Click for sound 0:07
Further reading
Get further insight from the Econsultancy report that Elliott refers to in the video. Download the report for free.
Download the report
---
## CJ’s cross-device solution: Track affiliate conversions across devices
Type: eps_post
URL: /cjs-cross-device-solution-track-affiliate-conversions-across-devices
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# CJ’s cross-device solution: Track affiliate conversions across devices
Today, CJ Affiliate launches our cross-device solution, offering complete visibility and tracking of a consumer's path to purchase across all of their devices.
To achieve such visibility, CJ Affiliate harnesses anonymised proprietry data, allowing us to see and recognize more consumers than anyone else within the affiliate space. This is accomplished through deterministic, transaction-based matching that enables us to match and connect consumer profiles.
To give you an idea of the scale, we now:
Recognise 3.4 devices per person on average per day
Tap into 160+ million unique consumer profiles
See 75 million daily online and offline transactions
This data is exclusive to CJ Affiliate within the affiliate marketing space, thanks to our relationship with parent companies Conversant and Epsilon.
Discover CJ's cross-device solution
Why is cross-device tracking important?
For years, affiliate marketers have struggled to see the complete picture of a customer’s path to purchase. While awareness and research occurs on one device, frequently the actual conversion takes place on another. Yet analytics solutions are often incapable of identifying that same user across their devices.
For example, many publishers are known to drive influence within affiliate, but until now it has been difficult to quantify concrete value. With CJ’s Cross Device solution we are now able to uncover the impact of those influencers on multi-device customer journeys.
“Effective cross-device tracking opens up the mobile channel to pay-for-performance. To date, we've prioritized mobile support and exposure to campaigns supported by alternative monetization (ex. paid placement, CPM, CPC). Our mobile app is one of our most valuable assets available to the affiliate space. Cross-device tracking makes this inventory more accessible to a larger group of advertisers and budgets.”
Groupon
This new insight gives affiliate marketers the ability to understand shopping and purchasing behaviour across devices—behavior that has skyrocketed and will continue to do so with time. We have learned that being able to identify publishers, audiences, and products that drive multi-device behaviour culminates in better transparency and visibility within affiliate programmes.
"As the customer journey changes, it’s important for us to track and understand it in detail from discovery to conversion. With over 50% of transactions occurring on mobile, we are excited to capture more data and conversions with CJ’s Cross-Device tracking.”
Lyst
This, in turn, allows for more well-informed decisions and an increase in enriched partnerships between publishers and advertisers.
“Cross-device tracking is becoming a fundamental need in the affiliate space, and we’re excited to bring the capability to our network,” explains Waleed Al-Atraqchi, president of CJ Affiliate.
“With added visibility on key drivers of customer purchase behavior, our clients can leverage media partners to reach multi-device shoppers on a deeper level than was previously available in the industry. These insights are key to making each customer interaction meaningful, which creates growth in the affiliate channel and helps identify new or emerging partnerships.”
Discover CJ's cross-device solution
---
## [Podcast] In conversation: The making of personalisation
Type: eps_post
URL: /podcast-in-conversation-the-making-of-personalisation
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T22:16:49Z
# [Podcast] In conversation: The making of personalisation
Listen to this podcast to understand one-to-one personalisation at scale from one of the leading instigators of personalised marketing.
As the CEO of Conversant, John Giuliani has been a driving force in marketing personalisation for decades. Here, John shares his thoughts on how true one-to-one personalisation has developed, the future of the industry, and how it is that it will get there.
Interviewed by Elliott Clayton, VP of Media, UK, Conversant, John speaks openly about the evolution of marketing, and how Conversant has and will continue to be a key part in that story.
BACKGROUND READING:
What is personalisation?
This is what personalisation looks like
75% of businesses say personalised communication is essential
Further listening
Liked this? Listen to more podcasts from Conversant, including panel debates on the state of attribution and fraud in mobile advertising.
Listen to more podcasts
---
## Can a ‘framework’ of solutions be an alternative to the duopoly?
Type: eps_post
URL: /can-a-framework-of-solutions-be-an-alternative-to-the-duopoly
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T22:16:49Z
# Can a ‘framework’ of solutions be an alternative to the duopoly?
AppNexus leads adtech consortium to enable ‘people-based marketing’ rivaling Facebook and Google’s duopoly.
In a recent piece published by The Drum Ronan Shields discusses how AppNexus are leading a group to help enable “people-based marketing”.
AppNexus, LiveRamp and MediaMath, along with Index Exchange, LiveIntent, plus Rocket Fuel, have all agreed to to create a standard framework that will enable people-based media buying for advertisers looking to utilize programmatic technologies, similar to the deterministic targeting promised by the two-biggest digital media owners Facebook and Google.
On first impression, this looks like a whole host of moving parts are required to work in harmony for this to actually do its job. When the pie is this complicated, I am unsure how having this many different fingers can be beneficial, especially when it’s trying to be a real alternative to a) Google or b) Facebook.
Travis May, president and general manager of LiveRamp, added: “There’s huge demand for leveraging a deterministic, omnichannel identifier in the bidstream, as marketers want to improve their interactions with consumers by linking data from customer files and offline channels – such as in-store purchases – to media exposure in programmatic channels. The creation of this consortium will accelerate the delivery of this value to marketers and their partners in the digital media ecosystem.
On this Travis is spot on. Through better linking consumers to their online alter egos, the benefits to clients are endless – from mapping the effects of media on offline and online behaviour, to treating customers like people and personalising how brands communicate. However, he is incorrect in the assertion that the consortium will accelerate this value as there are products outside of Google and Facebook already – whether they can be purchased through agency desks could be the reason they are not as prevalent as they perhaps could be.
David Gosen, general manager, platform solutions and SVP, international at Rocket Fuel, said: “This collaboration of businesses operating in the digital advertising space will contribute to more transparency and efficiency, which is great news for the internet and our industry. Vitally, it also creates greater relevance for the end consumer. At Rocket Fuel, we believe the future is about people, not devices, so partnering with others in the digital ecosystem to deliver this more widely is a positive move for all involved.”
The common theme from all of those involved within the consortium is that person first media is vital to all marketers. Yet, there is no indicator of when this will be available from them. Surely if person first media is so vital, marketers should be reaching out to vendors who have the ability and experience of running person first media today? They need to speak to someone who can do it right now.
Conversant, the company I work for has spent decades perfecting their person-based marketing solution which hundreds of clients would testify to. I’ll be watching with keen interest to see how the consortium’s solution works when it is released, and how it measures-up compared to the mature solutions available today.
---
## Why your CIO should be your WBF
Type: eps_post
URL: /cio-wbf-strategy-insight
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Why your CIO should be your WBF
Is your best friend your CIO? Because it should be. In the good old days, IT’s time was taken up handling system set up and maintenance for traditional data producing functions in the business, such as finance or manufacturing.
But now one of the most important relationships tends to be with marketing. Because marketing has transformed to an almost entirely technology led discipline that has to handle data volumes and complexities that the IT Director of yesterday would go cold over. Not convinced?
Let’s review the evidence:
63% of European marketers say that understanding marketing technology is a critical skill for senior marketers to be successful with 73% already having a dedicated CMT in place. (DataXu)
Marketing technology represents a third of brands’ total marketing budgets (Gartner)
78% of IT people think they work collaboratively with marketing. Only 58% of marketers agree that’s the case. (eConsultancy)
With all this new and constantly evolving technology comes a huge increase in complexity for marketing, paired with divergent pressure from the consumer to increase simplicity in their brand experience. In short, you really, really need IT on side.
It’s a bit like when you see a water bird swimming along the surface, up top all appears still and tranquil as if it was the easiest thing in the world (consumer experience) whereas under the water the bird’s legs are paddling like mad against the current (marketing).
Here are a few figures that illustrate the contrast:
Nearly one in four respondents found marketing automation systems too complex to be used effectively. ( B2B Online)
More than half of 500 CMO respondents believe the accelerating pace of technological change, mobile lifestyles, and an explosion of potential marketing channels via IoT will change the field the most by 2020. This will be driven by billions of possible interactions between a company and its customers, forcing CMOs to manage staggering amounts of complexity. (Economist Intelligence Unit)
One CEB study used a “decision simplicity index”. The easier a brand makes the purchase decision-journey, the higher its decision-simplicity score. Brands that scored in the top quarter in the study were 86% more likely than those in the bottom quarter to be purchased by the consumers considering them. They were 9% more likely to be repurchased and 115% more likely to be recommended to others. (CEB/HBR)
The secret to managing this is to use the one to reduce the other. What we mean here is using “making it simple for consumers to spend with your brand” as a singular focus to cut some of the clutter behind the scenes. Viewing all your efforts through this singular lens will help you to easily see where unnecessary complexity has arisen, i.e. where you are doing something that doesn’t contribute to your goal of simplicity for the customer.
A real world instance of “doing it right” came to our attention recently, courtesy of a mobile phone provider. Pivoting from one simple data input point from the customer (their phone number), the company links this to account data to render an entirely custom web experience for every user. There’s information on your handset, plan, accessories and help topics that are likely to be of most use to you. The really important bit is it feels so natural that you almost don’t notice they’ve done it.
All this seamless customer experience and high tech marketing wizardry requires a huge commitment of time, will and other resources from IT.
So, how can you get these essential figures bought in to your projects?
We discussed earlier how close IT and Marketing are becoming as disciplines, but the reality is that this isn’t necessarily true for the teams on the grounds day to day. Here are a few top tips to ensure you play nicely with your IT colleagues:
Involve IT in your decision making from the outset – this means they don’t have to come in and rain on your parade later on
If you’re going to understand technology (and we hope you agree that you should) don’t leave out the important yet boring bits like security and integration, not just functionality
Make sure you understand the whole cost of your projects, not just how much the kit itself costs, but how much time it’ll take to implement and integrate.
Even if your current relationship with IT is more adversarial than comradely, there’s always scope to improve and the best place to start is by initiating some face time, switching off phones etc. and just listening to things from their perspective. You can’t keep pace with your consumers without IT support, so it’s essential that your whole team prioritises and invests time in this essential working relationship.
Want to learn more? Get your free guide to Marketing Strategy & Insight here.
---
## Great things come in pairs - Filming two TV ads in one day
Type: eps_post
URL: /great-things-come-in-pairs-tv-ads
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Great things come in pairs - Filming two TV ads in one day
Some of the best things in life come in twos – fish & chips, gin & tonic, and great advertising ideas.
As an advertising agency there is a small handful of things that get people truly excited, and working on a TV ad is one of them (alongside pitches and free food of course). Naturally when our client PrePayPower approached us about creating a new TV ad we attacked the brief with gusto, which led to us creating not just the ad that was briefed, but a second concept which complemented it perfectly.
While filming a TV ad isn’t new to us, filming two in a day certainly was - but a patient client and military-like planning meant that on a sunny morning in March we filmed one which was set in a family kitchen in springtime, then a second in the afternoon/evening which was set in the autumn. This allowed us to create a mini campaign which gave our idea added longevity, and by shooting both ads on the same day we were able to offer better value for our client.
The main focus of the ads we created was to showcase the prepay Power's smartphone app. They had to show the app in action without it feeling like an outright tutorial, make it friendly without being patronising, and ensure it was funny without being twee. That’s when the idea of the everyday fail was born.
Everyone can relate to the experience of trying to recreate an internet tutorial and having it not go to plan. In the first ad this takes the form of a Mum and daughter trying to bake a complicated hedgehog cake. We used this notion of how so many things promise to be easy but really aren’t, and juxtaposed this with the app which is as easy as it claims – a theme that carries into our second ad which is set to hit screens later in the year.
Each ad posed unique challenges – with one on air in the spring, and the other set to go live in the autumn we needed to utilise one setting but create two very disparate ads. The first was shot in a bright and airy kitchen which worked perfectly with the tone of the ad. Natural lighting and a bright colour palette for wardrobe and set dressing were used to create the feeling of a warm spring day, while ambient spring time sounds added in post reinforced the idea. For our second ad we switched to a night time setting with autumnal colours on the set and in costumes to differentiate the two.
The result was two ads which look like they could have been filmed months apart, all made possible by very careful planning which meant that any potential pitfalls or setbacks were dealt with before we ever arrived on set. Take a look below at the first of these ads, and be sure to keep an eye out later in the year for part two.
[embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0zpKwhcPtYg[/embed]
---
## [Infographic] Affiliate marketing ROI: Affiliate customers spend 58% more
Type: eps_post
URL: /infographic-affiliate-marketing-roi-customers-referred-via-affiliate-marketing-spend-58-more
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# [Infographic] Affiliate marketing ROI: Affiliate customers spend 58% more
New data reveals that customers referred via affiliate marketing spend more per order and per year, plus make a greater number of orders.
Released by CJ Affiliate's Affiliate Customer Insights, the data shows that consumers introduced to a brand through affiliate during 2016 went on to place more orders, and at a higher price point, than those introduced through other aggregated marketing channels.
Specifically, affiliate shows a 21% higher average order value (AOV), 31% higher per customer order average, and 58% higher average customer revenue—including initial and subsequent purchases—across all of the advertiser's channels.
Click on the infographic below to see the affiliate marketing ROI data in greater detail.
CJ Affiliate's Affiliate Customer Insights allows advertisers to understand their customers better and make smarter marketing decisions by combining transactional data with the power of 160M+ unique consumer profiles. Benefit from powerful and proprietary reporting, giving you the visibility needed to drive affiliate strategies like never before, all with minimum effort.
Discover Affiliate Customer Insights
---
## Replicating the consumer-shopkeeper relationship of the 1950s
Type: eps_post
URL: /replicating-the-consumer-shopkeeper-relationship-of-the-1950s
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T22:16:49Z
# Replicating the consumer-shopkeeper relationship of the 1950s
In a recent opinion piece published on Marketing Week, the founder of Air Miles, Sir Keith Mills argues that brands should be using data-driven insights to be more like Amazon, replicating the consumer and shopkeeper relationship of the 1950s at mass scale.
“Retailers need to move towards a more Amazon-like relationship with customers, and to do that they need data,” according to loyalty expert Sir Keith Mills.
Mills says: “Creating customer propositions on a one-to-one basis works very effectively online with companies like Amazon. Offline retailers need to be able to do what Amazon do online with the normal shopping experience.”
Founder of the Air Miles and Nectar loyalty schemes, Sir Keith Mills is long accustomed to using data to get closer to consumers. In an era where personalisation is being pursued by brands across every sector, Mills believes the answer lies in using data-driven insights to replicate the one-to-one experience that shopkeepers offered their customers in the 1950s – except on a mass scale.
“If data and insight can help you tailor your proposition on a one-to-one basis with the consumer then you’ll see your best return. In the future, the one-size-fits-all model won’t provide companies with the same sorts of returns. You might as well do mass marketing,” says Mills.
It is not like retailers need any more people rubbing their faces in how much better Amazon have got it when it comes to a customer proposition. Sir Keith has however hit the nail on the head: as retail has moved from offline to online - retailers have struggled to replicate the one-to-one experience of old, with pure play e-commerce sites seemingly strides ahead.
Sir Keith does however seem to gloss over the difficulties of collecting vast amounts of data and how you would apply this data across the channels marketers currently have available. All too often for those applying this, it means running with the cleverest segments available to them. For those who attempt to personalise further, they’ll often find the amount of customers they target are a little too close to one.
He perhaps also misses out on the most important factor as to how to replicate 1950s shopkeeper experience. Real engagement does not happen on the first encounter, but instead is built over time.
---
## True personalisation: Reigniting the value of digital advertising
Type: eps_post
URL: /true-personalisation-reigniting-the-value-of-digital-advertising
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T22:14:41Z
# True personalisation: Reigniting the value of digital advertising
Working in digital advertising, it’s instinct to keep an eye on the adverts that your family, friends and colleagues are being served. When a friend shows me an online video or article on their device, my first glance is to the adverts that surround that content. I actively look out for what many people seem intent on attempting to avoid - adverts.
Recently, while carrying out this informal ad-monitoring, I felt a strong sense of deja vu. Bizarrely, as I sat next to various colleagues, adverts for a popular children’s toy brand started to appear throughout the office like a virus moving from one computer to the next. From our senior leadership team down, almost everyone was being pestered by these ads.
This is just one, small example of assumptions being made and going seriously wrong. One person in the office had been looking at this popular children's toy as a gift for their daughter. But because every device in the building shares the same IP address, the algorithm responsible for serving those ads decided that all of the devices in the building were used by the same individual.
It destroyed the value of digital advertising for both consumer and brand.
Unfortunately for brands, this isn’t isolated or unique. To reach real people across the devices they use, you need to identify them accurately. Failure to do so doesn’t just cost businesses in misspent advertising dollars. It’s causing severe brand damage, as businesses pester and chase consumers around the internet with inappropriate, irrelevant messaging designed to elicit a click.
"To reach real people across the devices they use, you need to identify them accurately"
The vast majority of identification models are built on cookies and assumptions. They fail to identify the actual person that is looking at the advert. They can’t accurately identify a person across their devices, let alone what actions they have taken offline.
This is an issue on two fronts. Firstly, a lack of data and the insight that can be gleaned from that data. Advertisers need implementable data linked to their customers and prospects. Without it, it’s impossible to know what messaging to serve, when to serve it, and to whom.
Secondly, advertisers need the ability to personalise ad creative to actually deliver relevant messages based on this data.
True media personalisation
The solution is true media personalisation, and it doesn’t just solve the identification and quality problems I’ve touched upon above. I joined a panel at Advertising Week Europe last week to discuss the failure of attribution models to serve business interests. But by personalising media, attribution becomes irrelevant. Instead of extrapolated assumptions, true measurement of the impact advertising is having on business goals is possible, and it’s happening right now. Businesses are already increasing their bottom line, indisputably as a result of personalisation.
With a lack of data on consumers, advertisers previously had to rely on attributing the performance of adverts based on a single click - its sole purpose being to allow for an (unreliable) return on investment to be calculated. But with personalisation comes an accurate form of measurement - incrementality.
Incrementality, an advanced form of A/B testing the long-term business impact of advertising views on consumers, empowers advertising creative to do its job, whether that’s focussed on branding or transactional objectives.
"Incrementality empowers advertising creative to do its job."
Incrementality, an advanced form of A/B testing the long-term business impact of advertising views on consumers, empowers advertising creative to do its job, whether that’s focussed on branding or transactional objectives.
Consumers haven’t always been intent on avoiding adverts. There was a time not too long ago when consumers used to look out for adverts, just like I do now with my informal ad-monitoring.
But in the transition to online, advertising has become tied to eliciting a click. The desire to measure action, and find some tenuous method of attributing that action to profit has destroyed the value of advertising to both the consumer and the brand. Personalisation solves this. It brings value to digital advertising.
A version of this article was first published in the Huffington Post and Advertising Week to coincide with the author, Elliott Clayton's panel at Advertising Week Europe on attribution. You can watch the on-demand video of Elliott's panel, with experts on attribution from Google, AOL and Campaign Magazine.
Watch the panel on-demand
---
## 3 killer moves that’ll put you ahead in the Internet of Things
Type: eps_post
URL: /3-moves-internet-of-things
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# 3 killer moves that’ll put you ahead in the Internet of Things
The Internet of Things became a trending buzz word a couple of years back, with everyone very excited about the possibilities for a hyper-connected world. Exhibitions sprung up featuring futuristic looking gadgets that enabled the user to turn on their lights or heating from their phone, whilst still in their car park at work. But it’s only really in the last year or so that the scope and adoption of this smart technology has reached a level of maturity where it can actually be seriously useful to most marketers.
In this article, we reveal 3 killer moves that will allow your brand to catch the wave of the Internet of Things and continue to stay ahead of it.
1. Figure out your universe of interactions
So, before you can begin to take advantage of the marketing opportunities offered by The Internet of Things, you need first to be able to navigate it. And to do this you need a map. You may find it easier to start with a generic list of all the potential data and interaction points you can think of, starting with the conventional phone/tablet end of the spectrum and branching out to coffee machines and printers etc.
Once you have your list, you can assess which of those points might yield potentially useful information that you can use to help market your brand. This then builds into your map of your brand’s specific interaction and data ecosystem.
2. Develop a strategy to access, manage & use the data & interaction points you need
Once you know where your sources of potentially useful data and interaction are, you need a plan for how to deal with them. In some instances, it will be evolving yours or your partners’ products to have the connectivity in the first place. In others, it might be developing new partner relationships to access the data or interaction point your brand needs. Or it may be as simple as updating your permissions and privacy policy.
As well as having access to the information or interaction you wish to target, you need a physical means of handling the resulting data and a solid strategy for how this new facet of your relationship with your customer will work.
3. Design a process for keeping pace with rapid change
Entering The Internet of Things presents a two-edged sword that is the necessity to keep pace with the constantly evolving nature of this thing that is in its infancy. Before you even begin to think about tapping into it, you need to have evolved a process that will enable you to constantly adapt to the myriad changes and evolutions that will no doubt appear even within the first year of your involvement with it.
This doesn’t need to be anything complex, perhaps a small team of nominated subject matter experts who have their noses in all the right tech blogs anyway, who can meet monthly and assess the changes and possible opportunities presented by the latest version of your ecosystem. You just need to make sure this team has a leader and clout with the right stakeholders so their recommendations are actioned promptly.
There are loads more things you can do with this tech trend and others that we identify in our Epsilon Essentials Guide to Marketing Technology.
Get your free copy today and find out everything you really need to know to help your brand succeed.
---
## Debenhams and CJ Affiliate launch exclusive affiliate programme
Type: eps_post
URL: /debenhams-and-cj-affiliate-launch-exclusive-affiliate-programme
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Debenhams and CJ Affiliate launch exclusive affiliate programme
British multi-national retailer Debenhams has today joined CJ Affiliate's network. The network will now serve Debenhams’ affiliate marketing activity in the UK and Ireland. This will be an exclusive partnership from April onwards.
With a history that dates back to 1778, Debenhams is a leading international, multi-channel brand with a proud British heritage. The brand trades out of over 240 physical stores across 27 countries. Online, Debenhams.com is one of the most visited global websites, delivering purchases to 66 countries around the world.
“Debenhams had four key objectives in securing a new affiliate partner network: reporting efficiencies and account management; being able to leverage a network’s expertise in long tail growth; innovative implementation of platform data; and an omni-channel presence,” explains Pia Sharma, E-Commerce Marketing Manager at Debenhams.
“This fantastic new partnership is testament to our proven track record and continued commitment to creating relevant and bespoke solutions to deliver against our clients’ strategic objectives,” says Anne Delhon, Regional VP at CJ Affiliate. “We look forward to promoting Debenhams’ while offering our hard-earned industry expertise, prowess in insight and data, and of course access to our high-quality publisher network."
CJ Affiliate was launched in 1998 and has been evolving the affiliate marketing industry ever since. Powered by Conversant, CJ’s global network offers advertisers and publishers an unparalleled level of insight into consumer data, utilising over 160 million unique customer profiles.
If you're a publisher, you can join the programme by following the relevant link below:
UK Programme
or
IE Programme
Alternatively, publishers can reach out to CJ UK's Debenhams account management team, or CJ IE's Debenhams' account management team with any questions.
About CJ Affiliate by Conversant
Formerly Commission Junction, CJ is the leading global affiliate marketing network, specialising in pay-per-performance programmes that drive results for businesses around the world. The CJ network helps to reach and connect with millions of online consumers every day by facilitating productive partnerships between advertisers and publishers. Drive more sales and expand your reach - experience the network effect with CJ.
About Conversant
Conversant is the leader in personalised digital marketing, transforming the industry through cutting-edge technology, bold creative and a staggering amount of data. Its roster of 4,000 clients includes 400+ blue chip brands and 65 of the Internet Retailer Top 100. Coupled with the world's largest affiliate marketing network, CJ Affiliate, they drive incremental sales better than anyone. Conversant is a division of Epsilon, the global leader in creating customer connections that build brand and business equity.
---
## This is what real personalisation looks like
Type: eps_post
URL: /this-is-what-real-personalisation-looks-like
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T22:13:13Z
# This is what real personalisation looks like
Increasingly, media personalisation is talked about as a silver bullet for many issues facing digital media today. It can deliver measurable rather than attributed performance and overcome issues with attribution models that preference high volume low-quality media buying - an issue that's also driving adblocking.
Many recent acquisitions show large global businesses reaching out to this new market. Verizon buying AOL, and Dentsu Aegis' acquisition of Merkle, for example. The former is an example of a company building its ability to target person-first media at scale, one of the prerequisites of personalisation; while the latter is a case of a media business obtaining a single customer view – essential to retain a personalised profile over time.
Both deals allow the companies involved to target individual consumers rather than the devices they own – a market trend started by businesses such as Conversant several years ago. The Merkle and AOL purchases are still recent, meaning these capabilities are some way off.
True one-to-one personalisation at scale
Few businesses can deliver true one-to-one personalisation at scale. This is why businesses talk about anything even remotely targeted or customised and claim it is personalisation.
To explain the difference, if you and I visited the same product page on a website, non-personalised but dynamic, segmented creative would show us the same product-led ads. There'd be no difference in creative or frequency, with that frequency being a rather high rate of ad delivery.
Using the same example, truly personalised media would show us a completely different set of creative, in a completely different order and frequency. Perhaps not even referencing the product, depending on our engagement on and offline with the brand, as well as our own individual media habits and consumption.
As personalisation is a key market that businesses are moving into, it’s important to be able to differentiate between aspiration and fact. True one-to-one marketing is impossible without the alignment of three key elements, but once these are present, it is possible to deliver measurable incremental growth to the top-line of global businesses. The three key elements are:
1. Brands must understand and speak to consumers as individuals. Not as cookies, devices or segments.
Recognition is the all-important first step in being able to deliver person-first media. This is the ability to identify an individual and all the devices assigned to that individual. It requires multiple inputs that may leverage, but are not limited to cookies.
"Recognition is the all-important first step in being able to deliver person-first media"
Accurate person-first media requires a vendor to have access to deterministic data. In order of relevance, deterministic joins include: second-party email, publisher login data, consumer login and data on commerce such as credit cards.
The closer to a real person, the better the join. An email address generated by a competition is not as accurate as a join matched from a customer’s credit card, where, for example, a user may have many low-use email addresses but only one credit card.
2. Brands need to have real ongoing conversations with consumers to run true personalisation – the dialogue should be proactive and persistent over time.
Data persistence is rarely raised by vendors of personalised marketing opportunities in discussions about the market, but it is absolutely vital to have an ongoing dialogue with a customer. Personalisation can’t occur if a brand can remember only the past 30 days of a conversation, or if a brand can recognise only the consumer on one of their devices. The alternative is a peculiar stop-start. Imagine you keep greeting old friends during the day and forget them completely 30 days later.
This is why brands need to leverage their own CRM data to have a chance of creating personalised experiences, but few have enough data to make personalisation worthwhile. Vendors must show what a customer is doing when they are not engaged with an advertiser’s website or can enrich their CRM-based insights with deterministic data of their own.
3. The success of a personalised media campaign should be measured against incremental return over time, because attributed conversions within a window are irrelevant to the lifetime brand engagement of a customer or prospect.
Up until now, digital media’s dependence on the cookie has led to prioritising direct response (DR) retargeted messaging, focusing on the last click or linear attribution models. But this results in high volumes of low quality, product-led DR creative being pushed out, delivered in short windows to maximise attributed return when a customer makes a purchase. There is widespread discussion as to whether this leads to a negative brand effect for the advertiser and the growth of adblocking.
In this instance, attribution is not equal to understanding the value being created, as it can be built up over many months. I am unaware of any attribution model that is capable of also deduping existing brand value.
"Truly personalised media needs to be tracked through AB testing and incremental measurement over time"
Truly personalised media needs to be tracked through AB testing and incremental measurement over time – which can only happen if profiles are persistent over time to keep control groups clean.
This model of measurement will give an exact figure for incremental return on investment over time. It will also offer a true measurement of the effect of personalisation that any marketer would feel comfortable putting in front of a senior leader.
Once measurement is focused on incremental return; frequency of advertising can be controlled at the level of the individual, and a creative mix, including brand, loyalty and DR can be delivered. This will improve the customer experience of engaging with a brand.
The net result of proper personalisation is better brand engagement, happier consumers and a greater return for advertisers over time.
---
## [Podcast] Mobile ad fraud: What, why and how?
Type: eps_post
URL: /podcast-mobile-ad-fraud-what-why-and-how
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T22:14:41Z
# [Podcast] Mobile ad fraud: What, why and how?
In our latest podcast series, we invite a panel of industry insiders to discuss the situation surrounding mobile advertising fraud.
Why has this become such a big problem? What are the fraudsters doing to game the system? And how can reputable individuals and organisations in the industry work to stop this illegal practice?
Listen to this podcast series on mobile ad fraud to understand why this illegal practice is damaging to the industry, what the fraudsters are doing, and how they are currently getting away with it.
Joining our panel for this podcast series:
Chris Mumford, Trading Director at M&C Saatchi Mobile
Luke Dansie, Account Director at Fetch
Mark Brill, Senior Lecturer in Future Media and Consultant in Digital, Mobile and IoT Innovation
Elliott Clayton, Commercial Director at Conversant
If you enjoy this podcast, then be sure to listen to our podcast series on attribution, Baffled by the belief systems: The role of media attribution in business.
---
## Six affiliate publisher types: Selecting the right content partner
Type: eps_post
URL: /affiliate-publisher-types-selecting-the-right-partner
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Six affiliate publisher types: Selecting the right content partner
Partnering with the right content publishers can ensure the success of an affiliate programme, so understanding these six affiliate publisher types is paramount.
Content publishers are often the sites that consumers look to for advice and guidance when making decisions on products. These sites influence their visitors, having earned their trust by publishing useful, high quality content. As such, understanding which affiliate publisher types to target for an affiliate programme, and how to partner with these influencers is very important for affiliate advertisers.
Filmed at CJU, CJ Affiliate's affiliate marketing event, in this video Publisher Development Manager Zoe Pedziwiatr discusses the how to recognise the six main affiliate content publisher types, and then approach them for partnerships.
{{ script_embed('wistia', '8k4y2vrbwy', '', 'inline,responsive,align=center,marginRight=auto,marginLeft=auto') }}
The six main affiliate content publisher types
Magazine editorial sites
Affiliate publisher type characteristics:
Strong brand recognition
Large editorial staff
Less focussed on custom photography and content
1M+ unique monthly visits
Magazine editorial sites are big sites with great brand recognition. They usually have a large editorial staff, covering a variety of topics, and produce a great deal of content that people love to read.
As affiliate publishers, these sites can be very successful thanks to their size and scale. Content goes up on their sites, on social media, and out via email newsletters, amongst other channels, gathering a large amount of views.
Commerce content
Affiliate publisher type characteristics:
Often a separate section on a content site
Focus on new and/or unique products
Best of web promotions
Sometimes a separate section of a magazine site, but can also be separate sites too. These publishers are really focussed on talking about products, unique products that fit their audience and ‘best of web’ deals and promotions.
These publishers talk about products as their main focus, so are open to discussion on commissions, and are often happy working on commission alone.
High level influencer
Affiliate publisher type characteristics:
Individual tastemaker
Small staff
High engagement
300K - 1M unique monthly visits
Individual bloggers who are really talking about their lives and what interests them. These bloggers take beautiful photos, they take your products and they integrate them into their lives, telling a story.
These are the bloggers that have seen a lot of success, and have now been able to start blogging full time - it’s their full-time job. Usually they also have contributors and other people who write for them.
Some high level influencers will have people who manage their partnerships, so if you’re reaching out to them you will need to keep this in mind. Also bear in mind that if you want guaranteed placement, often you will often have to ‘pay to play’ with sponsored posts.
Power middle
Affiliate publisher type characteristics:
Individual bloggers
Usually have great content and photos
Highly engaged readership
50K+ unique monthly visits
A little bit lower in traffic than the high level influencers, but they are also individual bloggers. The power middle are usually very passionate about what they cover and enjoy talking to an audience about what they love.
They are not necessarily thinking about monetisation, and blogging is not usually the primary focus in their life - maybe they’re a parent, or have a full time job and blog in their spare time.
Often, it’s hard to tell that these are smaller scale bloggers - the content is beautiful, engaging and enjoyable with great stories and photography.
Even though audiences are smaller than the high level influencers, their audience tend to be very engaged - posting comments and asking questions about products for example.
Emerging talent
Affiliate publisher type characteristics:
Individual bloggers
Growing their audience
Usually have great content and photos
Under 50K unique monthly visits
Emerging talent are the smaller, individual bloggers with smaller traffic numbers. While traffic is smaller, it’s prime-time for advertisers to make lasting connections with them before the become bigger. Emerging talent are usually very excited to start working with brands and form partnerships, which often results in them going above and beyond what is required, framing your story and bringing it to life.
Again, it’s hard to tell that these sites are emerging talent just by looking at them - the appearance is usually very good, and hard to differentiate between blogs with larger audiences.
Niche sites
Affiliate publisher type characteristics:
Focussed audience
Targeted partnerships
Higher conversion
As the name suggests, niche sites are sites that have a very specific subject matter, and as such boast very focussed audiences and partnerships. Because of this, they have higher conversion rates.
People usually visit these niche sites to specifically research one thing, and therefore are more likely to purchase. Visitors see these niches sites and their writers as experts.
How do you identify content models?
Often, unless you're a seasoned content marketing professional, distinguishing between the above affiliate publisher types can be tough. Use the below categories to help you identify which one is which, and then you can properly ascertain how best to approach and partner with new publishers.
Site traffic (third party tools such as SimilarWeb or Alexa can be useful for this, and both have free-to-access options)
Look at the site itself
Information in the header, footer and sidebar
An ‘about us’ page or team page
Advertise or ‘Work with Me’ page
Social media pages and their following
---
## Bad digital marketing: The '50 First Dates' trap
Type: eps_post
URL: /50-first-dates-digital-marketing-doesnt-have-to-be-this-bad
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Bad digital marketing: The '50 First Dates' trap
We’ve all been victims of bad digital marketing. It happens every day, on every publisher site.
You know the drill: you visit a site to browse a product. Let’s say, running shoes. You look at several pairs, including a blue pair of New Balances. It’s a model you’ve purchased before in their store but aren’t ready to buy again just yet.
Moments later, you see a different model, a red pair, in an advertisement. It’s a model you browsed but weren’t interested in at all. For the next 2–4 weeks, you’re stalked by those red running shoes.
Marketers spend billions doing just this, stalking consumers. It’s incredibly inefficient, and it’s detrimental to the brand by annoying, creeping out and pushing consumers to the competition.
It reminds me of the movie 50 First Dates. The Drew Barrymore character has no short-term memory, and every time she sees the Adam Sandler character, she starts all over by introducing herself.
Successful digital marketing
When digital marketing is successful, it’s like having a meaningful conversation with a best friend. You know all about your friend, and your conversation picks up where you left off.
Three fundamentals must be in place to create these engagements:
Marketers must recognise and speak to people as individuals; not cookies, segments or devices.
Marketers must maintain persistent and proactive dialogues, instead of reacting to single actions that customers take.
Marketers must accurately measure and iterate in real-time, to assure the 'best next' is always presented to their customers, and so they’re not reintroducing themselves again and again.
So why does most marketing feel like 50 First Dates? Because of three fundamental mistakes that prevent marketers from delivering true one-to-one experiences.
1. Reliance on point solutions
Most brands rely on five or six point solutions, with separate vendors for data onboarding, audience building, cross-device recognition, dynamic creative, media buying, and measurement. This leads to lack of scale, lack of real-time person-level execution, media inefficiency and flawed measurement.
2. Fractured funnel
Marketers treat the prospect/customer funnel in a very broken way. Top-of-funnel (acquisition) campaigns aren’t coordinated with the bottom (typically retargeting). The reality is, prospects and customers move around the funnel fluidly, and marketers should base their conversations on people’s current funnel status.
3. Channel-centric, not consumer-centric
Marketers continue to budget for and treat mobile, social, video, display, email and search as separate line items. They think media channel first, rather than placing people at the centre and calibrating for personal preferences, device, publisher and time of day.
So how do you fix this, and have more meaningful conversations with everyone?
Focus on the following:
Matching: Does your current solution match people as real individuals, understanding all devices they use? Can you reach them across all publishers, at scale?
Profile: Do you know, in real time, what people browse and buy online—and offline? What videos they view? What emails they open? The places they’ve been (like your store)?
Creative and media buying: Are you dynamically personalising creative for each individual, and are you buying media at the person level (not as a big cookie pool)?
Measurement: Can you measure incrementality, across all buying channels (in-store, online, catalogue, dealership, bank branch, etc...)?
If your current ad-tech solutions don’t reach people as individuals and own the chain of custody throughout the process, you’re likely giving your customers that 50 First Dates experience. It's bad digital marketing.
There’s a better way to meaningful conversations. There’s a better way to relationship building, which ultimately translates into new customers and revenue growth.
---
## [Podcast] The role of attribution in digital media
Type: eps_post
URL: /new-podcast-series-baffled-by-the-belief-systems-the-role-of-media-attribution-in-business
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T22:14:41Z
# [Podcast] The role of attribution in digital media
We’re very happy to announce the launch of our first series of podcasts, focussed on the topic of media attribution.
Baffled by the belief systems: The role of media attribution in business is a podcast series with a panel of industry insiders, candidly discussing the true value of attribution in digital advertising.
“An attribution model is the rule, or set of rules, that determines how credit for sales and conversions is assigned to touchpoints in conversion paths,” according to Google.
But by definition, it isn’t the measurement of value created. Although attempts to understand media revenue through better attribution models are always improving, arguably we are still planning and buying media against next best marketing KPIs rather than planning to deliver business outcomes.
The panel for this podcast series:
Moderator: Robin Davies, MD Operations EMEA, Conversant
Neil Kettlebrough, COO, Chalk Global; Full Service Independent & Publisher
James Duffy, Head of Digital, Total Media; Full Service Independent Agency
Johannes Radig, Head of Growth Marketing, Truly Experiences / Ex-Paypal
Elliott Clayton, Commercial Director, Conversant
Our next series on mobile ad fraud will be released in mid-February.
---
## Heightened European consumer adoption of Black Friday and Cyber Monday period
Type: eps_post
URL: /heightened-european-consumer-adoption-of-black-friday-and-cyber-monday-period
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T22:17:52Z
# Heightened European consumer adoption of Black Friday and Cyber Monday period
European adoption of the Black Friday and Cyber Monday shopping period is strong and expanding, according to new data gleaned from CJ Affiliate network's retailer performance.
Throughout the eight-day period, Europeans made more purchases and spent a greater amount in 2016 than they did in 2015. The total number of orders in Europe increased by 75% year-on-year, while total revenues increased by 28%.
European trends during Black Friday - Cyber Monday period
By using data from the same stores and comparing performance year-on-year, market trends during the period can be highlighted. As such, there's a striking difference between global growth and that witnessed in Europe.
Global TRENDS DURING BLACK FRIDAY - CYBER MONDAY PERIOD
While both data sets show unwavering growth across the board, in Europe there is a great deal more growth in the number of orders compared to global data. On average across the period, orders increased by a staggering 75% in Europe, while globally the increase was a more sober, standing at 9%.
Meanwhile, average revenue growth for retailers during the period was comparatively similar, standing at 28% in Europe and 26% globally.
US TRENDS DURING BLACK FRIDAY - CYBER MONDAY PERIOD
In the US, where the Black Friday and Cyber Monday shopping period originated, year-on-year order number and revenue growth is large. However, this increase is less pronounced than in Europe, where it can be argued that the shopping period is still developing, both from a consumer and a retailer perspective.
Sandrine Thompson, US-based Strategic Insights Director at CJ Affiliate, explains that: "For the November 21 – Cyber Monday time period, clicks in the EU increased 87% year on year. In comparison, clicks in the US increased 12% year-on-year for the same time period.”
UK TRENDS DURING BLACK FRIDAY - CYBER MONDAY PERIOD
Like the rest of Europe, UK shops saw particularly strong performance during the period, with peak growth in orders of 100% and 109% on 23rd and 28th November (Cyber Monday) respectively. Overall during the eight-day period, the UK witnessed a 66% growth in orders and a 31% increase in retailer revenues.
"Unlike in the US, where November sales started sluggish due to the distraction of the election season, UK November retailers were already averaging 20% year-on-year growth in number of orders heading into Black Friday,” Thompson says.
---
## MARKETERS NEED A VIEWABILITY CONFIDENCE BOOST. HERE’S HOW TO GET IT.
Type: eps_post
URL: /marketers-need-a-viewability-confidence-boost.-heres-how-to-get-it
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# MARKETERS NEED A VIEWABILITY CONFIDENCE BOOST. HERE’S HOW TO GET IT.
Things are looking dismal for ad viewability. According to a survey by the Association of National Advertisers in the US, only 10% of marketers are “very” confident that their ads are being viewed.
Think about that. Nearly $60 billion is spent on digital ads annually in the US. As the keepers of these brand messages send their babies out into the far reaches of the web, the vast majority of them aren’t even sure they’ll be seen.
They’re right to feel insecure. According to a recent comScore study, 54% of display ads are non-viewable. That represents tens of billions of dollars or pounds wasted each year.
Naturally, marketers are desperate to find a solution. Some are employing an age-old trick: incentivising ad views with trinkets like video game bonuses or reward points. This growing model may, in fact, drive actual views by actual humans. But what are they worth?
Incentivisation doesn’t guarantee relevance, interest or even acknowledgement. The environments where these ads run can damage consumer perception, especially for high-end brands. And the publishers are finite, hindering scale.
Viewability can’t be achieved with gimmicks. It takes serious investment in technical innovations for variable screens, browser load times and other backend issues.
More than that, it takes a deep understanding of, and insight into, the consumers on the receiving end of these ads. Targeting just to devices or domains drives bot impressions, accounting for significant annual losses (more than $7 billion in the US). Conversant never makes that mistake. Using a vast amount of first- and third-party data, we recognise and reach each consumer at the person level, with one view across all their devices, channels and media formats.
We’ve done this for years, but we don’t expect anyone to take our word for it—so we’ve partnered with leading in-app measurement companies, such as Integral Ad Science, to offer a 100% viewability guarantee backed by third-party verification.
It’s all part of our best-in-class solution to ensure that consumers not only view our clients’ ads, but that they also notice and act on them. If our results don’t instil confidence in marketers, we don’t know what will.
To learn more about Conversant’s holistic solution to all facets of ad quality, including viewability, download our guide.
---
## DEMAND EVEN MORE THAN 100% VIEWABILITY
Type: eps_post
URL: /demand-even-more-than-100-viewability
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# DEMAND EVEN MORE THAN 100% VIEWABILITY
If our industry had a buzzword bingo card, “viewability” would be on it. It dominates our daily conversations, overshadowing other important factors that are required to ensure true ad quality.
Conversant has been at the forefront of mobile viewability since 2006, when we built an advanced platform to minimise network latency and deliver 100% viewable in-app ads. We’ve never counted in-app impressions unless those ads were actually viewable.
We were well ahead of the curve in this regard, and we’ve watched with interest as the industry’s conversation about viewability measurement has evolved over time. At first, it largely revolved around what viewability rates were realistic under the existing parameters. Recently the debate has shifted from being about what viewability rates advertisers should expect to who should actually measure those rates.
While we’ve provided 100% in-app viewability for years, we realise that some brands want third-party measurement. So we’ve partnered with in-app measurement companies like Integral Ad Science.
As proud as I am to say that we can now offer clients a 100% in-app viewability guarantee backed by third-party verification, I’m even prouder that we’re leading the conversation on a much larger topic: ad quality.
In his recent article published by MediaPost (“6 Predictions for 2016“), Conversant SVP of Products, Raju Malhotra, summed it up when he said, “We talk about viewability as if it exists separately from ad fraud and brand safety. They are important on their own, but it’s the sum of the parts—ad quality—that leads to greater results. Focusing on viewability in the absence of ad quality will lead you to unintended outcomes.”
Think about it. What good is a viewable impression that’s being viewed by a bot? What about a viewable impression that’s delivered next to questionable content that could negatively impact your brand?
Simply put, when advertisers buy media in a digital environment, they should demand that:
The impressions are viewable.
Real people are viewing the ads.
The media appears next to brand-appropriate content.
Ads should only be considered high-quality when all of these criteria are met, not just the first one.
I’m not suggesting that marketers stop talking about viewability—far from it. But don’t talk about it at the expense of focusing on the bigger picture.
---
## MEASURING DISPLAY PERFORMANCE: CLICKS, THE FALSE POSITIVE
Type: eps_post
URL: /measuring-display-performance-clicks-the-false-positive
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# MEASURING DISPLAY PERFORMANCE: CLICKS, THE FALSE POSITIVE
Marketers have an array of digital measurement tools at their disposal. All of them serve a valuable purpose, but few are able to provide a comprehensive view of the customer journey.
Web analytics tools, for example, are among the most highly used, and they deliver important insights. But a key challenge in web analytics is the heavy reliance on the click event for tracking. It’s become a false positive of effectiveness, and it’s not well-suited for certain elements of the interactive mix—particularly display ads.
Which gets me to what’s been on my mind for some time, and industry pundits have been chanting for years: barely anyone clicks on display ads, so why do we care so much about the click?
I don’t want to do too much injustice to the click-though. For some of the interactive mix, clicks are extremely valid. Paid search, affiliate marketing and natural search, to name a few, are heavily dependent on the click event. But as we keep hearing, few people click on display ads, leaving the vast majority of impact untraceable in most web analytics tools.
I get that historically, some marketers have relied on the click to measure effectiveness, and some publishers have depended on it for payment, but it’s time to move on. comScore said it way back in 2008 with their Whither the Click? whitepaper, and they hammered it home with their Natural Born Clickers study a year later: such a small group is not meaningful.
To prove a proven point again, I looked at a sample of more than 2,000 Conversant display campaigns. The following emerged clearly in the data: The click group was small—just 3%—and it wasn’t the mark of efficiency. 8% of the impressions went to a group of just 3%.
Some could argue that clickers are more active online, which industry data suggests is true, but they still absorb more impressions that could have been devoted to others. They have a slightly higher fair share of revenue as a result, but not enough to place a disproportionate focus on them.
If clickers produced an exceptional yield, I would care about them as a marketer—but this group is not superior in any way. Only three out of 100 site visits can be attributed to display exposure, and just £6 out of every £100 spent.
According to the Association of National Advertisers in the US, 11% of ad impressions industry-wide are fraudulent. Layer in accidental clicks on mobile ads—up to 50%, according to Google in June 2015—and there are even fewer valid clickers. Conversant can detect users that don’t seem viable and then weed them out, but fraud is still prevalent in the marketplace, often due to improper recognition of users.
Because of the instability in their user recognition, many companies looking to gauge performance need something to build their models on. The most common is the click. And as so many clicks are accidental or fraudulent, models built on this data are inherently flawed because the samples are not only small, they’re inaccurate.
Methods that gear to clickers lose the rhythmic approach required to engage with consumers persistently across their devices, channels and media formats. Conversant’s solution is engineered to weed out fraud or low-yield people. We won’t bomb consumers, because we won’t waste your money; we won’t try weird things to get credit in a tool, or focus on something we don’t believe drives true value. We talk to people at the right time on the right device, based on millions of data points we store in our network.
I know it’s complex. Marketers want credit for their own programs, there’s a lot of overlap and some are more easily measured than others, which is why we’ve seen a crop of attribution vendors rising in the market. I certainly hope they focus on the click where the click makes sense, and CMOs should demand dashboards that illustrate the click- and view-through returns for display programs.
I’m clicking off this topic now, and will click back on shortly to talk about ad fraud.
---
## Going global with affiliate
Type: eps_post
URL: /going-global-with-affiliate
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Going global with affiliate
There are many ways to go about international expansion within the affiliate channel. Which route to take is dependent on a number of variables based on the advertiser’s existing processes, infrastructure, and technical architecture.
I’ll explain the different scenarios and my recommendations for each on how to expand your affiliate programme globally.
Scenario 1: Definitely separate programmes
Let’s say an advertiser has multiple domains for each country/region they want to target. These sites may have different price points and inventory from their [U.S. / UK / European] site. They are displayed in the language of the country/region and pricing is in the relevant currency and they may also have separate shopping carts to their U.S. / UK / European] site. In addition, other online (and potentially offline) marketing channels are being effectively implemented for these countries/regions. In certain cases, there are also different business units in charge of the revenue from these different countries/regions (ie: domestic vs. international). In this scenario it typically makes very good sense to open separate affiliate programmes.
Scenario 2: Possibly separate programmes, it depends
Alternatively, an advertiser may run everything through their .com domain, but based on the IP address or manual selection by the visitor, the content is displayed in the language and/or currency of the country/region. Depending on how important things like separate reporting and tracking for sales through different countries/regions are to the advertiser, a new affiliate programme(s) may make sense. The potential revenue amount will also be a deciding factor.
Scenario 3: Stick with existing programme
Finally, let’s look at an advertiser who simply wants to grow the international exposure of their brand and increase international revenue. Everything comes through the .com domain and it may or may not have different language/currency capabilities, but international shipping is not only available, it is also competitively priced. Advertisers with this scenario are most often advised to work on growing international revenue through their existing affiliate program. The publisher recruitment tool is the best way to access and/or target particular publishers who are located in countries high on an advertiser’s priority list.
Lastly, consider the publisher distribution within CJ Affiliate’s network, for an advertiser’s target list of countries. This is another important component for whether or not separate programs would make sense. For example, e-commerce in Europe is very substantial. the same goes for the Asia-Pacific region, but only recent years have seen more of an increase in cross-border transactions, such as a consumer in China buying from a retailer in the US. Latin America only represents a low single-digit percentage of the global e-commerce market. The publisher distribution in the CJ Affiliate network to a large extent follows these trends.
If you are interested in going global, hopefully this has given you food for thought about when and when not to expand into separate affiliate programs. If you still have questions, please contact your account manager. If you don't have an account manager, please feel free to leave your questions in the comment section below.
---
## CJ’s Placements Marketplace: Making it easier to partner and earn with affiliate
Type: eps_post
URL: /cjs-placements-marketplace-making-it-easier-to-partner-and-earn-with-affiliate
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# CJ’s Placements Marketplace: Making it easier to partner and earn with affiliate
If you’re reading this, you’ve likely experienced the long and arduous process of either searching for paid placement opportunities or, as a publisher, trying to fill space by contacting advertisers one-by-one. And that’s just the beginning.
In an effort to streamline this process and make earning incremental revenue easier, CJ Affiliate launched an intuitive Placements Marketplace.
We sat down with a few members of the CJ team—starting with Product Manager Aruna Bhagtani—to learn about this new solution and why it’s been such a hit with customers.
Why did CJ create the Placements Marketplace?
AB: Offering paid placements for a flat fee or a commission increase is fairly common practice within the affiliate channel, yet managing media placements has been a time-consuming and complex process in the past. Our goal was to develop an easy, end-to-end solution that makes posting, finding, tracking, paying, and reporting on placements a simple and straightforward process.
CJ: So this tool benefits both publishers AND advertisers?
AB: Yes. Any publisher that offers multiple advertising options—such as home page or email placements, sponsored or social posts, either for a flat fee or a commission increase—will find this tool extremely beneficial. Likewise, it will benefit any advertiser who is in search of placement opportunities to display their banners, links, coupon codes, etc.
CJ: In addition to having a single place to search for placement opportunities, why else should people be excited about this new tool?
AB: Not only can publishers reach more advertisers quickly by broadcasting all their placements to the entire CJ Network or filtering to a smaller group of advertisers, but the online IO makes the process of contracting on placements, uploading assets, and processing payments extremely efficient—saving both parties time.
We’ve also added a new transaction type to track all flat fee payments, which makes for a seamless payment reconciliation process. And since we are tracking all placement links, we can deliver performance insights with benchmarking, helping advertisers identify which placements are working for them and which aren’t.
To hear how users have responded to this tool, we invited Strategic Operations Manager Josh Peterson, Publisher Development Director Kristen Levins, and Senior Publisher Development Manager Bindi Singh to join the conversation.
CJ: Josh, tell me about the advertiser experience before the Placements Marketplace.
JP: In the past, advertisers found and booked placements in a style similar to pushing a cart down every aisle of an unfamiliar supermarket. They had to communicate with each publisher separately, learning about their placement opportunities and executing the entire process through custom, one-off communications. It worked, but when you are trying to buy and manage many placements, the old approach does not provide the scale, accuracy, or the transparency needed for today’s marketers.
CJ: Kristen, was the process just as daunting for publishers?
KL: Yes, if not more! Previously, publishers endured an extensive manual process to secure placement inventory. This included reaching out to existing advertiser relationships with customised proposals one-by-one, mass communication regarding current rate cards, keeping track of responses, additional follow ups…and that was only the beginning of the process. Then publishers would create their own unique IOs, keep track of creative assets needed, and ensure payments were received and then reconciled. In addition to all the manual processes, prior to the release of CJ’s Placements Marketplace, publishers generally had limited accessibility to foster new relationships with managed and unmanaged advertisers through CJ.
CJ: So, Bindi, is it safe to assume that the Placements Marketplace has solved for these issues?
BS: Definitely. This tool provides the ultimate lens to discover missed opportunities. With this new solution that automates the workflow, publishers have the ability to establish and strengthen relationships with a complete end-to-end placement management solution.
CJ: What reaction have you seen from publishers to the Placements Marketplace?
BS: Publishers have been enthusiastic. The ability to reach numerous advertisers in one centralised location and the opportunity to utilize their performance to secure additional budget from advertisers are both huge attractions to the tool.
As mentioned, the paid placement payment process used to be a struggle for publishers, specifically in regards to receiving creative assets and reconciling payments that are due. Publishers were elated to hear that CJ built a solution to save them time and energy when performing their daily tasks. They agree that the Placements Marketplace streamlines the entire system.
CJ: And are you seeing a positive response from advertisers, Josh?
JP: Yes, the feedback has been great. Advertisers are pleased to get the visibility into the performance of these placements so they know where to place their bets. They definitely see this as a big step in the right direction for the industry.
CJ: It sounds like this solution has been extremely well-received. I imagine there are other, similar tools available in the affiliate space. Aruna, how does the Placements Marketplace compare?
AB: While there are other networks that offer publishers the ability to share information about the placement opportunities they are making available to advertisers, we are one of the few networks that provides an end-to-end solution; we’ve automated every single aspect of the workflow associated with posting, finding, tracking, paying, and reporting on placement opportunities.
CJ: It already does so much. Any plans for expanding the scope of this tool?
AB: Yes! We will definitely continue toimprove and expand the scope based on the feedback we get from our clients. In addition to that, as we start collecting more performance data on placements, we can provide more insights to our clients, such as the incremental lift coming from the placements. We also plan to incorporate audience metrics, which will make it easier for advertisers to get their brand in front of a targeted audience.
The Placements Marketplace is currently live in CJ’s Account Manager platform!
---
## 2015 Holiday EU Shopper Report
Type: eps_post
URL: /2015-holiday-eu-shopper-report
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# 2015 Holiday EU Shopper Report
The goal is to provide business and media insight that will enable our clients to increase their returns over the holiday period. In 2015 we identified that holiday shopping around Black Friday and Cyber Monday was set to become a clear trend that could be leveraged by brands and this was borne out by the numbers we saw when we reviewed the year.
Get Report
This year we expect the holiday shopping trend to both deepen and lengthen, and we have highlighted some ways for advertisers to make better use of their media budgets in that event. We have also highlighted some new trends we can see in the data that we expect to continue to grow.
Financial data shows 2015 was a good year for consumers and especially the home shopping market, with catalogue/online retailers seeing the largest growth by segment. Along with Mark Pragnell at Capital Economics, “we believe the british economy is on the right track, largely because of consumers, and brexit is unlikely to derail it.”
---
## Solving for Ad Fraud: there's a Way to Beat the Bots
Type: eps_post
URL: /solving-for-ad-fraud-theres-a-way-to-beat-the-bots
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Solving for Ad Fraud: there's a Way to Beat the Bots
You can spend a lot of time reading our industry’s buzz about ad fraud. When you do, you’ll find that two things are undeniable:
Ad fraud is everywhere. A recent study has found that 22% of mobile ad impressions are at risk of being fraudulent. That number shoots up to 33% when you evaluate just programmatic ads. In the US, the Association of National Advertisers (ANA) uncovered bots behind 52% of display impressions when traffic was sourced by third parties.
Ad fraud happens when marketers don’t know who they’re targeting. In order to drive big campaign numbers, marketers often enlist the help of third parties to publish their ads across the far reaches of the web. But by trusting in third parties who don’t use quality, people-centric data, or who model their audiences rather than use transaction-based data, marketers don’t have insight into how impressions are served and measured. This lack of transparency and quality data allows ad fraud to thrive.
And it ends up costing marketers big time. A further study by the ANA and White Ops, an ad fraud detection firm, estimates that marketers in the US alone will lose more than $7 billion globally to fraud this year.
Another statement that our industry treats as a truism: “Ad fraud is inevitable.” But that doesn’t have to be the case. With a partner like Conversant that offers more transparency into where traffic comes from—one that pulls in historical and real-time transactional data, CRM data, device IDs, cookies and more anonymised IDs of millions of consumers—bots can be beaten. When marketers are given a solid base of humans to serve ads to, they can feel confident that they’re avoiding bots, saving money and getting real results for their ad spend.
Ad fraud is just one of three issues that must be solved to ensure great ad quality. To find out more about our holistic solution to solving all of them, download our ad quality guide.
eBook Download
---
## What I get out of giving to charity
Type: eps_post
URL: /eco-charity-giving
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# What I get out of giving to charity
The ECO Project that Epsilon is currently championing is something very close to my heart… a Project to do something for those less fortunate. In this instance raising funds for poor kids who live far from any worthwhile resources that can assist them in achieving their goals and ambitions. How amazing is that? That we work for a company that believes in the power of giving what, to us, may seem like a little, but to the people that will benefit may be a life changing, massive amount.
Living in first world countries with all the resources that we could ever need close to hand makes it impossible really to understand what it might be like for someone who doesn’t have those things. We can be judgemental and ask “why are people who have very little bringing new lives into this world for which they cannot provide?” An age-old question which may have multiple answers but the fact remains that there are those in this world a lot less fortunate than we are. For us to give to them is an act of humanity and, after all, we are all human. The giving may be a small amount of money that goes towards a larger sum. It may be time on a regular basis. Or just time as and when you can.
I believe that life is about choices. For the most part we cannot control what happens to us. What we can control is how we choose to respond to the things that happen to us. We can let bad things define us into becoming better versions of ourselves. Or we can let those things defeat us and make us into less than what we were destined to be.
I am South African born. You have probably heard the saying “once Africa is in your blood there is no way of getting rid of it”. I think it’s true. South African people are a crazy, colourful, creative, resourceful bunch. They are very patriotic. Very generous. And easy to inspire. Like most countries in the world there are still too many people that don’t have. South Africa is no exception. The kids that will benefit from gaining access to the tech hub that the ECO Project will support may never know your name or what you gave but they will be forever grateful that someone out there gave a little to give them a lot. And knowing that you gave a little should make you feel really good – it’s a way of paying it forward because you are blessed to have more than enough of most of the things that you need.
I have been doing voluntary work in one form or another for many years now. My grandmother was the person that I was closest to growing up and I lived with her for most of my childhood. There was never a time that she was not doing something for someone else with no expectation of anything in return. Most famous was she for the number of baby’s blankets, booties and cardigans that she knitted for the home for abandoned babies who lived there whilst waiting to be adopted. The clickety-clack of her knitting needles was a comforting sound to me.
I started volunteering as an Ambulance Attendant when I was still in high school. I got to know quite a lot about first aid. I made some amazing friendships in that time and was there for some people that were going through maybe one of the worst moments of their lives. I got a sense of satisfaction from that that could not be bought.
Fast forward several years and I found myself with some time on my hands whilst raising a young child of my own. A local radio station, 702, was advertising for volunteers to be trained as lay Counsellors for a telephonic counselling service that they wanted to offer to their listeners. A tough few rounds of interviewing followed and I was accepted. We were trained and started in our role. I continued to do this voluntary work for 7 years. I learned so much about myself - what I was capable of. What I could endure. How amazing people are. How blessed I was for so many reasons. And once again I was there for people, total strangers, in some of the darkest moments of their lives. I got out of that so much more than I gave.
I moved on from there to join a Victim Support group that was affiliated to my local police station. There we offered trauma counselling to victims of crime. Here I got to see people coming back from really tough experiences to being better and stronger than ever before. I made amazing friendships that endure to this day. I got to do training and learned about things that I would otherwise never have learned. Everything that I gained from doing this for 7 years was absolutely priceless. And it was all for free.
Since living in the UK I have volunteered as a Samaritan for 3 years, as a fund raiser for Cancer Research and as a food collector / sorter for a foodbank. I also mentor a young girl in Africa who has dreams, like you and me, but no idea of how to make them a reality. What did I get out of doing any, or all of that? I had fun. I got to learn about things I didn’t know before. I got to help some people I never met. But most of all I got to realise how truly blessed I am. And that’s a whole to get out of giving.
Five Questions for Mandy
---
## Bringing influencers into your affiliate strategy (INFOGRAPHIC)
Type: eps_post
URL: /bringing-influencers-into-your-affiliate-strategy-infographic
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Bringing influencers into your affiliate strategy (INFOGRAPHIC)
At CJ, we’re passionate about bringing influencers into your affiliate marketing strategy. It’s something we really believe in but we’re realistic about the challenges, too. So how can we, as an industry, make it work? The answer lies in making influence performance-related.
The issue
Our key influencers — content publishers — traditionally sit at the top of the funnel. This makes it tricky to recruit and retain them to our affiliate marketing strategies.
In an industry where so few advertisers use metrics outside of last click (CPA) we need to find a way of making sure influencers are valued and rewarded correctly.
A quick temperature check at PMI Europe 2016 showed us we weren’t the only ones who recognised this. Our survey found that:
6 per cent of advertisers measure/reward on metrics outside of last click
76 per cent advertisers find it difficult to work with influencers on a CPA
65 per cent are tasked with recruiting more influencers to their affiliate programme
New metrics
To us, it’s clear that to effectively engage and secure influencers we need a new breed of KPIs: metrics to measure the quality of traffic, beyond cash targets, and to reward them better for the true value they add.
Working with advertisers to figure out what value they wanted to measure, the majority stressed the importance of capturing the incrementality that influencers can bring to your affiliate marketing strategy. That means metrics for measuring the type of sales that the influencer has generated that the advertiser wouldn’t ordinarily have seen.
Here are some example metrics we produced:
Engagement with a longer than average browse time
Journey ending with a high life time value user
Journey ending with new customer purchasing
Journey driving user to convert offline
User browsing a high number of pages on site
These aren’t prescriptive, they’re just our examples. Your values will be different depending on your strategy. Speaking to your advertisers will help you to identify what metrics their top-of-funnel publishers find valuable.
Industry response
We’ve had some really positive soundings from representatives to this approach from across the industry. Like us, advertisers, publishers, networks and agencies acknowledge that we need some new metrics if we’re to accurately capture the impact of influencers. This is borne out by another result from our survey, which shows that 84 per cent of those polled are likely to adopt new strategies that reward influencers on quality metrics.
Tomas Saulsbury-Hunter, Account Director at CJ Affiliate, said:
“The industry needs new metrics to measure the quality of traffic rather than just quantity. Using a click-based attribution model only incentivises publishers to drive clicks. What we need to focus on is whether influencers are driving valuable clicks. At CJ Affiliate we have crafted a unique way to do this. Ultimately, we’re measuring the performance of influence”
CLICK ON IMAGE TO DOWNLOAD
---
## Solving for the challenges of programmatic advertising
Type: eps_post
URL: /solving-for-the-challenges-of-programmatic-advertising
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Solving for the challenges of programmatic advertising
Blog article in response toDigiday article on challenges of programmatic advertising
At the Digiday Programmatic Summit, top brands anonymously shared their biggest challenges with programmatic advertising. You can read the piece here. At Conversant, we discussed some of these issues with Elliott Clayton and Mayur Kshetramade who respectively lead our Agency and Direct to Brands businesses in the UK. Their responses to the questions and challenges can be found below.
IMAGE SOURCE: Digiday
CHALLENGE 1
We need to tie real-time spend to real-time insight, how do we do this?
[MK] The strategic concept here is the real-time optimisation of decisioning. In programmatic (or cross-device display) advertising, every customer makes themselves available to be spoken to 10/15 times a day, across thousands of advertisers and publishers out there. It is important to assess that and see who the person behind those cookies and devices is, what this person really means to the brand right now because of where they have been in the journey with that brand. This helps answer the question: should I advertise now or not? And if I advertise, what should I show them and why? What is the motivation for me to show something to them? That is real-time decision-making and the crux of what we do at Conversant.
[EC]To do this effectively, it is critical to activate the full CRM of that advertiser (full-site visits, customer transactions, email programme, direct mail programme, etc.). That is, it is critical that real-time programmatic advertising takes into account everything we know about that person as it relates to that brand.
[EC] One of the challenges in bringing this to life is that some advertisers’ databases are often not in one place, they are in several places, and often not joined up. Conversant solves for this challenge and creates a single customer view for the advertiser.
[MK] Finally, all advertisers should demand full accountability of their advertising investment. Conversant gives advertisers 24/7 access to an online portal. They can log in any time they want and see how many ads have been delivered against different groups of people and what kind of incremental sales we are generating for them.
CHALLENGE 2
If we understand the customer, have one view of them and one way to measure it, the last bit is the incrementality. How do we ascertain whether a conversion is truly incremental? Do algorithms need to change to bid for incrementality rather than just bid for the conversion or click?
[EC]Let’s address what incrementality based-bidding is. Whenever bid becomes available, you need to understand who the real person behind that bid is. How does that person index against all other audience for that brand at that time? Is the person potentially going to convert anyway?
[EC] To optimise for incremental sales, we need to understand how to measure the incrementality. And the most scientific way to do is not via attribution but by test vs. control measurement that measures the net impact of that specific advertising channel.
[MK] A lot of solutions claim to do a test vs. control. But there are varying levels of scientific integrity that’s used. And that causes a lot of bias and over-estimation of incrementality. In programmatic advertising, a few rules are a must to do this right:
Test and control need to be at an individual profile level, not cookies or devices. That means for any given individual, all their browsers, cookies, devices are either in test or control for that advertiser.
Assignment to test vs. control needs to be random, as you go, and persistent. What that means is anytime a user becomes available for the first time to be advertised to, they should be randomly assigned to test or control and that’s where they should stay forever. This allows for a true measurement of advertising at an individual level over lifetime – if advertising works, it should work over time and it should change behaviour. More people should engage with that brand more often.
The decision to show an ad, what to show, and what to pay – all should happen before the real-time bidder and server knows if that person is in control or test for that advertiser. That is why Conversant shows a charity ad for those in control and pays for those ads using our own money. This allows for true baseline measurement by looking at the conversion rate for the control group.
[EC] Incrementality is a great measurement because it puts the onus on the media supplier to deliver the right campaign – if the audience or media volume are wrong, it won’t work.
[EC] Measuring incrementality hasn’t properly caught up yet. For the past 15 years the entire industry has been peeling the onion finer and finer, trying to get closer to the conversion until you now have suppliers who are showing an ad on the client’s own site and claiming a conversion from that, which is clearly all wrong.
CHALLENGE 3
What if people want to bring programmatic advertising in-house? What are the challenges and risks?
[EC] You need to be involved with a DMP, matching partner, DSP, basically a lot of different systems. This means there are a lot of set-up costs, a lot of partners, and a lot of heavy-lifting. But even then, you lose scale as these tools are not joined up. The simple fact that one tool calls a customer 111 and the other refers to them as ABC can regularly lose audience. And without real-time incrementality based bidding; performance can be a problem too.
[MK] The underlying motivation to bring programmatic advertising in-house arises from two key factors – control and accountability. Given the overall low level of accountability in programmatic advertising, no doubt more advertisers want to have more control and visibility into their investments and programmes.
[MK] Conversant solves for control and accountability. 24/7 visibility into impressions delivered and against whom, on-going incrementality measurement, and match-back to real customer transactions as a feedback loop deliver control and accountability.
CHALLENGE 4
So that is one aspect of measuring: reaching out, identifying, but how about the issue of scaling it? There is sometimes the perception that even if we can scale it, it is a lot of work and we don't have the resources to do that – especially in the area of producing dynamic creative. How can we address this perception?
[EC] There’s a need to be able to build dynamic ads that cover brand, loyalty and direct response and which can be executed across operating systems. If you could create a process that could achieve that scale in real time and decide which of the strategies to employ, that would be fantastic. However, it should not be worth investing three thousand man-hours in, it should be done quickly with technology and in real time. This is true dynamic content.
[MK] Conversant has a vertically integrated tech stack that includes all functionalities of DMP, DSP, dynamic personalisation, incrementality-based real-time bidding and serving, and test vs. control measurement.
[EC] The Conversant personalisation engine builds creative iterations in real-time, at scale. It allows that creative to either appear as a direct response ad or a brand ad and it can build with the assets put together.
[MK] What you get is a personalised cadence of ads based on what we know about that person up until that time and what we want to achieve as the next business outcome. Every impression on purpose, with a purpose.
CHALLENGE 5
When we use Google’s bid manager platform, we’re able to see how the user converts. But once we set ads to devices, there’s no way of connecting these ads with acquisition. Even if we see conversion in the end, we cannot track that to a device. How do we get around this problem?
[MK] This is an issue that Google is addressing, but they are facing significant anti-trust issues that are making identifying an audience cross device; and then marketing to them problematic.
[EC] Yes - but the issue is already being addressed by the market through person-first media delivery. There are a number of suppliers looking at this – large siloed partners like Facebook, and then point solutions like Adbrain, Drawbridge and Tapad. We put ourselves in the deterministic-match pool but done in a privacy-consistent way and focused on keeping the internet open.
[MK]The best way to solve for this problem is to work with a partner that can activate a clients’ own first party data for tracking and delivery across devices– the output is that all numbers match clients’ own figures.
[EC] Conversant has the most robust model for matching a user and conversion across devices; we’ve solved for challenges and the gaps where conversion leaks occur and their cost to advertisers. Our work with a large fin-tech platform shows that Marketers are losing around 30% of the value they are generating by not resolving this issue.
CHALLENGE 6
Final observations on the programmatic advertising landscape?
[EC]An ongoing challenge is how we educate organisations on the power of programmatic advertising. What does programmatic advertising do? Right now it still has lots of untapped potential. It is mainly used as a cost-saving tool (buy as many impressions for as little cost as possible). If executed properly, it can become an incremental revenue-generating solution.
[MK] Yes, and it can do that by working across the entire funnel. It can account for loyalty marketing, promo, campaigns, retargeting. Programmatic advertising is more often used in acquisition but it’s in customer retention where it can be even more effective but is currently underutilised.
[EC] It is a game-changing tool if you use it properly.
---
## Epsilon named a leader in Forrester’s evaluation of email marketing providers
Type: eps_post
URL: /epsilon-leader-forresters-email-marketing
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Epsilon named a leader in Forrester’s evaluation of email marketing providers
Epsilon Agility Harmony – our full service digital email marketing platform – was recently given the highest score possible in Forrester’s WaveTM report on Email Marketing Service Providers. Forrester Research are one of the most respected independent research firms in the world, and we’re honoured that they ranked our solution so high in their evaluations.
Agility Harmony received the top score in a number of categories in their report, including technology, campaign operations, flexibility, strategy and creative services. These results show that Epsilon is indeed the right choice to make when it comes to choosing an email marketing service provider, for today, tomorrow and the years to come.
If you’re interested in improving your email marketing success, or aren’t satisfied with your current solution, then it’s time to consider Agility Harmony. Find out why Forrester consider us an industry leader today.
Read the full report here.
---
## Yes, true 1:1 Marketing really is possible
Type: eps_post
URL: /localise-measurements-and-insights
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Yes, true 1:1 Marketing really is possible
The word “personalisation” has come to define anything even remotely targeted or customised. Marketers want to reach consumers at the person level, minimising the irrelevance and redundancy of their messages—but when they put their trust in so-called personalisation solutions, they end up disappointed.
One issue is that marketers often try to solve one-to-one marketing with point solutions, combining a DMP, DSP, media buyer and data onboarder. This hurts their campaigns on a number of different levels: It reduces their overall audience size, it drives matches only at the household or browser level (not the person level), and it makes it hard to persistently connect with their audience over time. The promise of personalisation ends with unactionable, inaccurate connections with too few consumers.
At Conversant we are more careful with our words. When we say “personalisation,” we don’t mean anything less than true, one-to-one marketing at scale. Which we define as:
Recognising, reaching and staying connected to a sizable number of individuals whom you know a lot about, through meaningful, ongoing conversations in real time, and being able to learn and optimise as you go.
Broken down from left to right, what we’re really talking about is mastering four distinct essentials: Recognition & Reach; Individualised Profiles; Decision & Delivery; and Measurement & Insights.
When a solution excels in all of these, marketers can confidently engage a large number of consumers with unique, compelling messages across all of their devices, channels and media formats.
For more on these four, and to see exactly how our solution stacks up next to point solutions and remarketers, download our latest guide: Making True 1:1 Marketing Happen, at Scale
Whitepaper Download
---
## CJ Wins Best in Retail Award
Type: eps_post
URL: /epma16
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# CJ Wins Best in Retail Award
We are delighted to announce that we’ve won the Best in Retail Award for our affiliate campaign with Argos at the European Performance Marketing Awards 2016! The award ceremony took place in Amsterdam on July 4, and was the first of its kind.
In addition to the Best In Retail award CJ received two Highly Commended mentions for: Best Use of Data with CJ´s innovative data-driven product solution Affiliate Customer Insights; Best in Travel & Leisure with its client TUI.
CJ gave a very strong performance at the EPMA, having been shortlisted for a total of nine awards amongst some stiff competition.
The judges, in their own words, particularly liked that: “Argos and CJ created a more appealing customer proposition that resulted in the largest growth the programme has seen this decade, whilst setting an example for the industry to follow.”
Anne Delhon, Country Manager UK at CJ Affiliate, said: “Our outstanding performance at these awards cements our reputation as experts in the affiliate and performance marketing space and is testament to the hard work the team at CJ has undertaken for clients over the last year."
---
## Omni channel is the focus for 2016: Six essentials
Type: eps_post
URL: /six-consequences-for-online-marketing
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Omni channel is the focus for 2016: Six essentials
A study by the New York based Interactive Advertising Bureau (IAB) identified programmatic buying as the dominant trend of last year. The possibilities of the automated real-time trade of advertising were welcomed by many for the speed and innovation they brought to marketing while being mindful of issues like data control and transparency. But in 2016 the emphasis has shifted. This year’s number one key trend is cross-channel-tracking, while programmatic buying for new formats was rated second, with the cross-channel identification of target groups in third.
For me, this change in priority is significant. Programmatic buying is a self-contained, technology-driven process that takes milliseconds. It is fast and efficient but it doesn’t really help us to communicate more effectively with individuals in our target markets.
However, with the increase of cross-channel identification and cross-channel-tracking and attribution we’re seeing the rise of hyper-personalisation. Hyper-personalisation allows us to focus on the individual according to their interests and needs, across devices and in real-time. It is marketing returning to its core values, with the technology of the digital age. Here are the six significant consequences I believe the rise of hyper-personalisation will have:
Display overtakes search. If you want to reach the user at the right time on the right device, display advertising is the way to do it. eMarketer has predicted that investment in display advertising will overtake investment in search advertising in the US in 2016. Individualising advertising themes in real time will be an integral part of the renaissance of display advertising.
Retargeting is dead. The traditional approach to retargeting – with pre-set frequency capping, a 30-day cookie history and its focus on established, proactive contacts – is old news. If you want to approach customers intelligently in future, you’ll not only need to understand the exact customer journey, but you’ll need to draw on additional factors like the weather, time or location, as well as bringing in anonymised transaction data that reaches much further back than the 30-day cookie history. Only by considering all information and in real-time will you make meaningful connections with individuals. Showing the same message over and over again is no longer an option.
Agility will become more important than speed. The speed of implementing new business processes doesn’t necessarily indicate innovative leadership or economic success in marketing. The agility of a business in adapting to changing competitive conditions is much more important, and is fundamental to hyper-personalization. To contact your target customers successfully in the digital landscape, you need to know exactly who they are. And you can only get to know them by integrating and matching all the data available: on- and offline-data, and all their purchasing behaviour. It’s only by bringing all that data together that you will be able to create one coherent view of the customer – and for many companies that means a new way of working.
Co-working will replace data silos. Yes, customer data is an important and valuable business asset, so it is highly understandable that we get protective. But we’ve got to learn that cooperating with the right partners can give you an even better database, particularly in terms of the refinement of second and third-party data. It’s natural to be cautious about the eventual misuse of data but these fears are unnecessary, because the anonymisation of first party and transaction data is a mandatory requirement. Vetting and selecting the right partner is the shortest path to addressing data fears before they become marketing problems. While we tend to focus on technology, capabilities and cost, don’t overlook the service layer as a key value differentiator in data activation. You should expect your supplier to increase the value of your investment through expertise, proactive thinking and informed recommendations.
No success without measurement. Even the best customer insights will turn out to be meaningless if the success of a personalised marketing campaign can’t be measured. Many forward-looking and innovative businesses are already investing in comprehensive cross-channel-measurement – it’s a key topic for marketers in 2016. It’s about a realistic mapping of cross-channel and cross-device marketing measures aimed at ultimately converting the user into a customer. Only by tracking the real journey of the user and quantifying each of the distinct marketing measures will you be able to measure your ROI in the long run. It’s not about measuring clicks, it’s about measuring results which means criteria such as Incremental Revenue Analysis (ICA) or the Return on Advertiser Spending (ROAS) will become more significant in future.
The personalization of content will lead to a new relevance. The debate about ad blocking is currently discussed on a purely technical level. But questions like ‘How can publishers prevent ad blockers from stopping users reading their ad content?’ are missing the point. Online advertising – and especially display advertising – has to gain a new kind of relevance. Today it functions too much on the one-to-many principle, therefore aligning itself with newspaper ads, billboards and TV-commercials. For me, only the personalised approach – meaningful, one-to-one communication with the individual customer – can give new relevance to display advertising and end the ad-blocking debate.
Innovative and forward-looking marketers have realised: cross-channel user identification and one-to-one cross-channel communication with users – in short, hyper-personalization – will significantly shape our industry in the coming months and years. So, what are we waiting for?
---
## You Lost Me At Hello
Type: eps_post
URL: /data-and-creativity-in-advertising
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# You Lost Me At Hello
Data and creativity need to ally when it comes to great advertising.
When either is missing it usually amounts to a bad ad and a missed opportunity. Here’s a quick scenario to prove the point.
Target demographic: Engineering department who eat in the canteen on the second floor.
The challenge: To bring to life the reality of free cupcakes at reception in an already saturated lunchtime conversation vertical.
The insight: Cupcakes are the number one vice for engineers according to Engineers Weekly.
Desired outcome: A run on reception resulting in a full on cupcake party.
So, we know where our audience is and they love what we sell. Should be easy, right?
Yes, all you have to do is the nail the creative. Yet often the industry gets it wrong. Underestimating the importance of being succinct and single-minded with creative is one of the most common, yet easily avoidable mistakes people make.
Let’s look at how we can convey the message. Stroll purposefully into the canteen. At the top if your lungs scream “Hey”. Silence. They’re looking at you with those cupcake starved eyes. This is it. You’ve got their attention. You need to seal the deal by saying something good before you lose them. The chat with HR about your bizarre behavior is inevitable, but don’t let that stop you. This is your moment.
But what do you say?
One - “Free cupcakes at reception. Go!”
Two - “Due to a positive shift in the demeanour of our highest ranking staff member our reception area now contains a number of paper wrapped solids comprised of flour, butter and sugar.”
Option one is the right message to the right audience. It guarantees cupcake annihilation. With option two, most people will be lost before the end of the first sentence. There’s a reason advertising like option two exists. It usually comes from advertising by committee, but that’s a whole other blog post.
Conversely, let’s imagine that we don’t know that the engineering department eats on the second floor. You put together a clear and compelling message but you don’t know how to accurately reach your target audience. You can’t just broadcast the message to everyone. There are not enough cupcakes to go around. So now you have the opposite scenario, a great message but you don’t know your audience.
So while this is a rather crude and lighthearted analogy, it’s actually sums up what happens regularly in advertising. Broadcast to the wrong audience and a great ad or piece of creative essentially becomes redundant. Get the correct audience, yet incorrect messaging and you have the unfortunate case of you lost me at hello. Clearly, both data and creativity need to be given equal weight.
---
## Is sponsorship in sports marketing in need of a health check
Type: eps_post
URL: /sports-sponsorship
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Is sponsorship in sports marketing in need of a health check
In 2015 City A.M., a London based newspaper, featured a piece on sports sponsorships during the FIFA World Cup. The article delved into the prudency of brands agreeing to official sponsorship. It suggests that such was the level of saturation World Cup focused content that people were struggling to identify which brand was an official sponsor, and which wasn’t.
Social media in particular was highlighted as one of the potential causes. The ease in which social channels allow users and marketers to push out and share content means brands “piggybacking” on the FIFA World Cup hype could essentially circumvent official channels. But is this a deathblow for sponsorship marketing? According to the author of the article, while the pressure is palpable, it’s unlikely official sponsorship is about to disappear.
There’s no doubt that brands that are savvy in the online space have more opportunity now to associate themselves unofficially with events. But there is still a strong ROI to be had for brands willing to fork out for an official sponsorship. Over the last twenty years Heineken’s rugby sponsorship outlay sits on their balance sheet at a princely $138 million. That’s a lot, right? Sure, but the 2011 Rugby World Cup had a combined audience of over 4 billion viewers, and the 2015 event attracted 2.6 million fans to the live games. When you consider up to 50% of Heineken’s beer sales volumes are sold in the twenty participating countries – it’s starting to look like money well spent.
On the flipside, Pepsi had the greatest brand awareness of any sponsor among US consumers during the 2014 FIFA World Cup. Some achievement. One caveat – Pepsi weren’t a sponsor. Yet their football related marketing ensured they were highly visible throughout the event. Despite Pepsi’s high profile, official partners Coca-Cola didn’t see any negative impact. In fact 66% of UK and US consumers were able to identify Coke as the official partner in the GlobalWebIndex research. The take away being that both approaches can be effective depending on the desired outcome.
At this point it’s worth mentioning the misconception that opting out of official sponsorship in favour of other channels saves money. This is not always the case as the money is spent elsewhere and often takes the form of a huge investment in individual athlete sponsorship. And to generate huge exposure without a partnership agreement requires an intense level of marketing activity to take place. Take Nike, a brand that is renowned for nailing their marketing around large sporting events without actually partnering with them. Footballers with the appeal of Cristiano Ronaldo don’t come cheap. Similarly at $25 million per year over a 10 year contract, Rory McIlroy is a serious investment in golfing market for the brand. Brands also need to factor in an athlete’s performance and public profile. It’s worth noting that when McIllroy’s form slipped just after signing with Nike, some commentators cited his clubs as an issue.
That’s why becoming an official partner is a far less risky strategy. With that in mind, Nike’s partnership with the NFL guarantees their famous swoosh logo will be front and centre on the leagues standout teams and star players this year. Adidas reaped the benefits of a similar situation in the 2014 FIFA World Cup through sponsoring the tournament, winning team and captain. Suffice to say they saw a marked increased in revenues post-tournament from the diversification of their sponsorship.
But it’s not just traditional sports brands that can benefit. Land Rover can bank on a lot of attention from their association with last year’s Rugby World Cup. Lawrence Dallaglio, one of the game’s most decorated players and now a respected pundit is also one of their brand ambassadors. Their stature in the eyes of rugby fans is further cemented by the brands affiliation with British and Irish Lions, and their sponsorship of Wasps, one of England’s most successful rugby clubs.
However, it’s enough to simply sponsor an event or athlete and watch returns roll in. For brands to get the most of their sponsorships they need to be able to integrate them with their overall marketing strategy. The 2012 ad campaign from US insurance company State Farm featuring Chris Paul and his fictional brother Cliff is a great example. They set up a Cliff Paul Twitter account and gained 33,000 followers placing the band at the centre of the conversation amongst their target audience.
It’s worth remembering that in heat of the event, even the most meticulously planned, strategy savvy sponsorship campaigns can be usurped by sheer opportunism. When the lights went out at Super Bowl 47 Oreos tweeted a darkened image of a cookie with the line ‘You can still dunk in the dark’. It was retweeted over 15,000 times and got 20,000 likes when it was posted on Facebook. 300,000 results show up on Google when you search for “Super Bowl 47 Oreos”. From a cost to exposure ratio this has to be one of the greatest in history. It should, however, be viewed in the vein of a short-term impact akin to a one-off Super Bowl ad.
For long-term benefits, especially brand affinity, direct association is still the way to go. You only have to look at Heineken, who sponsored the European Rugby Champions Cup, which was called the Heineken Cup before regulation of alcohol and sports. This put Heineken’s name on a tournament that was broadcast into the millions of homes of one of its biggest markets for years.
So, what do brands pay for the privilege of being an official partner of a large event, and is the cost putting pressure on the practice of sports sponsorship? The short answer is not as much as you’d think relatively speaking, and not really.
FIFA charged 20 companies $1.4 billion to sponsor the 2014 World Cup. Compared to 2010, that’s only a 10% increase. 20 billion dollars is what brands forked out to be sponsor professional sporting leagues in the US in 2013. It’s not loose change but keep in mind that figure represents 30% of what brands spent on TV advertising and 50% of what they spent on digital.
Relatively speaking, sports marketing is still alive and kicking and delivering significant returns for brands.
---
## Watch: How can Marketers match Consumers with their Data?
Type: eps_post
URL: /how-can-marketers-match-consumers-with-their-data
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Watch: How can Marketers match Consumers with their Data?
There are three different ways that vendors match consumers to their devices, cookies and other data. In the video above, Conversant’s SVP of Products Raju Malhotra breaks them down and shares which one drives the most precise, persistent anonymous connections.
In our white paper last month, we look at the five key issues that marketers need to be aware of to help them to connect with real people.
0:00
0:01
Whitepaper Download
---
## The 5 keys to connecting with real people - Part IV: the benefits of Conversant’s solution
Type: eps_post
URL: /the-5-keys-to-connecting-with-real-people-part-iv-the-benefits-of-conversants-solution
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# The 5 keys to connecting with real people - Part IV: the benefits of Conversant’s solution
In our final post on our white paper on ‘The 5 keys to connecting with real people’ we look at the advantages of the Conversant solution and the benefits for clients.
In a world of multiple devices and browsers, getting one coherent view of the individual consumer across all the channels and devices they own and engage with remains the greatest challenge. Many brands end up working with a number of partners and combine data from a range of sources to compile an approximate profile, but too often this fragmented approach leads to a fragmented view.
The benefits of the Conversant approach are that it offers a coherent solution to this problem. Over the past decade, Conversant has invested more than a billion dollars in research and development on a solution that excels in each of the five key areas for connecting with real people. Let’s see how it stacks up against the fragmented approach:
Recognition: where a fragmented solution offers only a segment-level view of consumers, the Conversant approach recognises consumers at the personal level.
Reach: the fragmented solution reaches consumers as they interact in one place but we reach them across the channels and media where they spend their time.
Accuracy: low accuracy rates because of problems matching with cookies are a feature of a fragmented approach, whereas our approach verifies accuracy with actual consumer purchases.
Persistence: our database of profiles is updated continually with online and offline consumer transactions versus cold, inactionable profiles that don’t update with less complete solutions.
Privacy: a fragmented approach offers no guarantee of long-term privacy, whereas Conversant is committed to industry privacy best-practice.
Benefits of coherent Conversant approach
The Conversant solution has demonstrated dramatically improved results for brands. For example, one major retailer was having issues with connecting to consumers. They were using a combined, fragmented approach to match 12 million customer records. This enabled them to match and reach only 25 per cent of them. By employing the Conversant solution, they were quickly able to match 73 per cent of their customers and the following year could still connect with 83 per cent of those verified customers, compared with their previous 32 per cent. Overall, they increased their year-on-year verified audience eight times over — reaching more than 3.8 million people who were out of their grasp before they partnered with Conversant.
With the endless amount of consumer data out there, the challenge is to grab it, sort it and match it to the right people, so you can message them on a one-to-one basis and in real time. The future will bring us only more data and more ways to reach people, with smart TVs, appliances, wearables and other touchpoints. Good relationships with consumers take more than good algorithms. They take the work of experts to combine large data sets, multiple devices, the right privacy infrastructure and a massive media network. When looking for a partner to help you speak one-to-one with millions, working with Conversant can transform these challenges into opportunities.
Whitepaper Download
---
## New client personas at Dell FRS
Type: eps_post
URL: /client-personas-at-dell-frs
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# New client personas at Dell FRS
We were in Copenhagen, Denmark for this year’s Dell Field Readiness Seminar (FRS). With over 3000 in attendance, it was a great place for Client Solutions to unveil the new “client personas".
These personas (desk centric, corridor warrior, on-the-go professional, remote worker, specialised user) are relevant to different types of Dell clients depending on their working environment, which would have a different set of needs. Our task was to present the five personas in a fun way so that those in attendance would get the insights they need, while learning and being entertained.
We had previously created a graphic illustrated identity for the different personas, so we were fortunate enough to have experiential knowledge of the task at hand. All we needed was a way to physically display the graphics in a manner that would allow us to bring the attendee on a journey from persona to persona.
So, we decided we’d build a big Perspex tunnel!
That’s right. We created a sequence of 3m x 2m walls on which we mounted the graphics, which contained the different systems required for each persona. By using Perspex and vinyl graphics we were able to play with the transparency/translucency of the materials combined with solid areas of colour to create an immersive journey for the individual.
To bring more life to the area, we added domestic furniture in the "remote worker" zone and, with the same Perspex we’d used to build the walls, we made train-style seats and tables for the “on-the-go professional” zone.
We also included a life-size wooden cut-out of all the personas as an attraction for people to take photos. Plus, we came up with the “Beat it” motif for the competitive comparison area and generated all the graphics (so we may have been responsible for the odd glittery glove in attendance!)
And the event proved to be a great success. The 3000+ in attendance were fully engaged and eager to learn. It resulted in the training and educating of generalists, and specialised sales and marketing people across Dell offices. They’re now up-to-date with various products and Dell services, and can be fully confident in their roles and in what Dell has to offer. Plus, we (and most importantly, they) had loads of fun.
Hope to see you again, Copenhagen.
Tusind tak! (a thousand thanks!)
---
## The 5 keys to connecting with real people - Part III: accuracy, persistence and privacy
Type: eps_post
URL: /the-5-keys-to-connecting-with-real-people-part-iii-accuracy-persistence-and-privacy
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# The 5 keys to connecting with real people - Part III: accuracy, persistence and privacy
Continuing with our theme on the five keys to connect with real people, this week we’re looking at accuracy, persistence and privacy. These are vital in helping marketers accurately recognise individuals and to continue to reach them with compelling messages over the long term.
Accuracy
Last week we looked at recognition and reach, but for your marketing solution to work they need to be twinned with an understanding of consumers accurate enough to deliver the right messages to the right people.
At Conversant, our recognition technology is based on verifiably accurate reporting of actual customer purchases. This means our network is built from consumers with disposable income to buy your products. We track lists of transactions from our 4,000 clients, totalling 75 million daily online and offline purchases. We match each time our individuals make a transaction, which is more than 3.5 million times per day, that’s 1.5-times the transactions per second of Amazon. As a result of this our matches are based on the highest quality names and addresses.
Our approach conquers the biggest accuracy challenges that marketers face and avoids the common mistakes:
Matching only with email addresses: most internet users have multiple email addresses and this can lead to duplication of IDs. It is also important to match using online and offline transactional material.
A match pool that is too small: this can limit the potential of your campaign. Marketers should use a quality match pool, filled with people who have high household incomes and a history of online transactions.
Matching third-party cookies: Apple browser, Safari, rejects third-party cookies, which means these matches exclude 35 per cent of educated, high-income individuals. The solution for marketers is to work with a partner that can reach users on all browsers, on display and mobile.
Persistence
Consumers’ activity is always changing, online and off. Data stays strong only if we maintain a persistent link with them over time. Each person is linked to an average of 19 cookies monthly and those disappear roughly every seven weeks.
At Conversant, we don’t rely on cookies alone – we connect other online activities, plus online and offline transactions, to our consumer IDs. This not only allows us to carry on conversations with the same customer for years, it also allows us to make year-on-year comparisons.
Privacy
Excelling at recognition, reach, accuracy and persistence is difficult but it can be even more of a challenge to achieve it within a privacy framework.
Data should always be scrubbed of Personally Identifiable Information (PII) before it’s used – a piece of industry best-practice to allow data to be used safely across networks.
Conversant complies fully with voluntary industry guidelines for Consumer Privacy Notice and Choice and employs a company-wide Chief Privacy Officer to ensure privacy remains an integral part of our approach. We use anonymous, non-PII data and our client data is always stored with logical separation. We are Certified Information Privacy Professionals and participants in the Digital Advertising Alliance’s AdChoices programme.
Having outlined the key essentials that marketers need to address to connect with real people, in our next post we will explore the benefits of combining all five.
Whitepaper Download
Next blog post, 13 April, 2016: ‘The 5 keys to connecting with real people: the benefits of Conversant’s solution’
---
## The 5 keys to connecting with real people - Part II: recognition and reach
Type: eps_post
URL: /the-5-keys-to-connecting-with-real-people-part-ii-recognition-and-reach
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# The 5 keys to connecting with real people - Part II: recognition and reach
In our first post in this series [read here] we noted that to be able to speak to consumers with accurate and compelling messages, marketers need one view of the individual across all the channels and devices they own and engage with.
Recognition
This may seem obvious but recognising who you are talking to is an essential first step to successful digital marketing. Messaging the wrong person sends a poor message to the consumer and is a complete waste of ad spend. But with the explosion of devices attached to each consumer in recent years, recognition has become harder than ever.
For example, consumers own an average of 3.4 devices each and to have real conversations you need to know who you’re talking to and on what. Each person is linked to multiple cookies every month so if you don’t recognise that they’re the same person across devices and browsers, you’ll end up repeating your message and wasting money.
Mobile ad spending is growing — and is set to surpass desktop by 2018 – but the majority of conversions still happen on a desktop. If you start your conversation on mobile, you’ll want to be able to close the deal on a desktop, which works only if you’re speaking to the same person.
The ideal approach should be able to respond to the biggest recognition challenges:
Multiple devices: if a consumer’s devices are not connected to each other, they will see the same ads repeated, or see ads after they have made a purchase. All devices should be connected to a known person (anonymously), who is also connected to a rich data profile.
Getting the right message to the right device: some people with multiple devices make purchases only on one of them. Marketers need to understand which device is the most important for each person.
Getting a consistent message across devices: pushing different products across devices dilutes impact so it’s important to keep the message consistent by matching at person level, not just device level.
Reach
Your marketing solution should have enough scale to reach a significant portion of your audience. For maximum impact, marketers need access to the right data sources that give them that scale.
Partnering with Conversant allows our clients to enjoy a reach that is on par with that of Google. It means that we cannot only recognise consumers across devices, but also ensure we can reach them with relevant messages. This way we can activate a much larger audience pool for our clients than anyone else in the market.
Our reach boasts 6,000 direct publisher integrations across video, mobile and display. It also includes 3.3 million websites and more than 170,000 mobile apps. All this fuels 80 billion online interactions every day (1 million every second), which results in clients being able to persistently recognise and understand consumers at an individual level.
Whitepaper Download
Next blog post, 6 April, 2016: ‘The 5 keys to connecting with real people: accuracy, persistence and privacy’
---
## The 5 keys to connecting with real people -Part I: connecting with consumers in a fragmented world
Type: eps_post
URL: /the-5-keys-to-connecting-with-real-people-part-1
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# The 5 keys to connecting with real people -Part I: connecting with consumers in a fragmented world
To be able to speak to consumers with accurate and compelling messages, marketers need one view of them across all the channels and devices they own and engage with. In our white paper this month, we look at the five key issues that marketers need to be aware of to help them to connect with real people.
Consumers generate data every time they make a transaction. For marketers, as each consumer is surrounded by more and more data, across a numberof devices, building an accurate picture of the individual becomes their biggest challenge. Getting one coherent view, without compromising privacy, is not straightforward. Many brands end up working with a number of partners and combine data from a range of sources to compile an approximate profile, but too often this fragmented approach leads to a fragmented view.
Working with a fragmented picture can present a number of obstacles. It means marketers don’t have one view of each individual consumer. It often doesn’t take online and offline CRM data into account, which weakens the accuracy of the consumer identity. There are further problems surrounding the data in that it can offer only transient, snapshot views of customers that do not last.
How should marketers respond to this challenge? What is the solution to this fragmented approach? Conversant believes that to truly market at the level of the individual consumer, any approach must focus on five key categories.
Recognition: it should recognise each consumer as a person, not as just part of a segment
Reach: it should have enough scale to reach a significant portion of your audience
Accuracy: its identification of consumers should be verifiably accurate
Persistence: it should retain persistent identification for consumers throughout their lifetimes
Privacy: the data should be anonymised and maintained within strict privacy guidelines
Conversant has invested more than a billion dollars in research and development on a solution that excels in each of these five key areas. Over the coming month we will be looking in more detail at each of these key categories and assessing the benefits of Conversant’s coherent and coordinated approach.
Whitepaper Download
Next blog post 30 March 2016: ‘The 5 keys to connecting with real people: recognition and reach’
---
## 6 direct mail stats that can’t be ignored
Type: eps_post
URL: /6-direct-mail-stats
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# 6 direct mail stats that can’t be ignored
Direct mail marketers have spent the past few years defending the channel. While sceptics and media alike proclaim the marketing medium is dead, direct mail continues to be widely used and produces notable ROI.
Many naysayers don’t realise how direct mail has evolved. In a recent Target Marketing Magazine article I explained how offline technologies have advanced to engage target audiences through data-driven personalisation; very similar to how email and other online capabilities have progressed.
Variable data printing, for example, utilises triggers based on consumer data to determine messaging and creative assets, ensuring relevancy on an individualised level. Combine variable data printing with expedited delivery services and you have a viable and timely marketing channel.
If you’re still not convinced of direct mail’s sustainability, below are six stats that can’t be ignored.
73% of U.S. consumers and 67% of Canadian consumers said they prefer direct mail for brand communications because they can read the information at their convenience. Additionally, 62% of Americans and 63% of Canadians said they enjoy checking the mailbox for postal mail – Epsilon’s 2012 Channel Preference Study
In over 80% of homes the person in the household responsible for collecting and sorting mail will collect the mail at their first opportunity. And, once the mail is brought into the home, 80% will sort the mail immediately while 18% will sort it later that day – USPS 2012 Mail Moment Study
59% of U.S. respondents and 65% of Canadian respondents agreed with the following statement, “I enjoy getting postal mail from brands about new products” – Epsilon’s 2012 Channel Preference Study
48% of the UK population responded to a direct mail piece they received in the past year – Central Mailing Services 2013 Direct Mail Statistics
80% of marketers surveyed plan to invest in direct mail in 2013. 28% reported increases in their direct mail budgets – Target Marketing Magazine’s Media Usage Forecast 2013
U.S. advertisers spend $167 per person on direct mail to earn $2,095 worth of goods sold; a 1,300% return – Print Drives Commerce 2013
So, next time you read a headline claiming direct mail is dead, don’t be fooled. Direct mail is still a vital part of the marketing mix that helps brands produce brand and business equity.
Learn more about how we can help you with direct mail marketing or contact us
---
## Are digital marketers really impacting the bottom line?
Type: eps_post
URL: /digital-impacting-bottom-line
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Are digital marketers really impacting the bottom line?
Do you have one burning question about marketing that has plagued you? The question that keeps you up at night? The question you know your boss will ask one day, but you don’t know the answer?
In our quest to help you connect with your customers on a deeper level, we want you to have all the resources you need. So go ahead, ask that one burning question.
Q: Are digital marketers really impacting their company’s bottom line?
That’s a really great question. Historically, putting a value on marketing efforts has included taking data such as website views and bounce rates, newsletter opens and click-throughs, leads from trade shows, etc. and identifying how many of those moved through the sales funnel. Now that much of marketing is focusing on the digital realm, many marketers are struggling to put numbers to their efforts. For instance, how does a brand’s number of Twitter followers translate to sales? We understand where you’re coming from. Digital tools are changing things—not only how you work, but how your customers are buying.
To learn more, we partnered with Econsultancy to look at how Global 1,000 companies are dealing with the modern shopper. We learned that digital marketers are, in fact, impacting the bottom line. And they’re doing it in significant ways.
In the dramatic shift toward digital, some companies are thriving while others lag behind. What we know for sure is that everyone is affected by changing consumer habits and expectations. Here’s how the leaders of these Global 1,000 companies view their current position:
Those companies at the top (the leaders) are adapting to the digital age and actually leading the charge in their sector. Other companies look to them for guidance. Employees are able to respond, experiment and implement solutions that keep them at the cutting edge. Here’s the important piece: Those companies that are in the forefront of change are outperforming the field financially.
“Leaders” are 43 percent more likely than “mainstream” companies and 77 percent more likely than “follower” companies to be growing faster than their sector averages. Successful digital marketers are making their companies money.
This is proof that companies, company executives and digital marketers who fit into this “leader” category are affecting their bottom line in significant and measurable ways.
But it’s not just about having a great digital marketing team. Success comes down to buy-in from the top, technology to support digital efforts and a culture of customer-focused innovation. Here’s how the Global 1,000 leaders view their social strategies:
Today’s consumers expect you to have a digital presence, targeted messaging, personalised points of contact and a multi-channel approach. Companies who are able to do this successfully are winning. They are winning loyal customers. They are winning in brand awareness. They are winning in revenues. Companies who can’t, won’t or don’t want to adapt are becoming invisible.
“It’s critical for digital marketing teams to have buy-in and investment up front from senior leaders, so that those leaders understand from the beginning what the team is trying to achieve,” says Dan McDermott, Director of Product Marketing with Epsilon. “Make it clear to your leaders how the digital marketing team’s objectives support business goals, particularly those that drive revenue. Most importantly, have a plan for demonstrating the impact digital marketing initiatives are having towards achieving those goals. Accountability will breed confidence on all fronts: for your team and your leadership.”
To see how your company stacks up and learn more valuable insights about leading a digital marketing evolution, read “Leading a digital marketing evolution: Lessons in transformation, culture and technology from the Global 1,000.”
Do you have a burning question to ask? Let us know and we’ll have one of our experts answer your question in an upcoming blog post.
---
## Email is about to get even more relevant with the Apple Watch
Type: eps_post
URL: /email-apple-watch
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Email is about to get even more relevant with the Apple Watch
Mobile email opens have increased more than 180% in the past 3 years and with more than half of all emails opened on a mobile device, it is clear that email serves as a great communication channel for both brands and consumers. These interactions will become even more personal and relevant as Apple is about to ship the Apple Watch. This will certainly be a catalyst for inspiring brands to adjust their thinking when it comes to delivering digital communications to their customers.
One of the key goals of the Apple Watch is to deliver communication convenience for the consumer. Even though we’ve seen the delivery of innovative touch watches as far back as 2004 with the Microsoft SPOT watch by Tissot, it is near certain that the Apple Watch will reach the wrists of consumers anxious to give any new Apple device a shot as well as those looking to embrace this new communication convenience. The range of initial adoption by consumers is estimated to be between 8 million to 41 million according to market analysts. That is a huge swing but no matter the adoption, early adopters will be expecting their first communications on their wrist once it is activated.
The Apple Watch presents a unique opportunity for brands as consumers anticipate their first interactions with this wearable. This is the time brands need to anticipate that interaction and deliver a terrific experience. The guidance from Apple on the experience of the watch is to not surface lots of textual info but more color, graphics and animation. Depending on the interaction for example an email, a glance or a notification marketers need to think about the experience being delivered:
The glance is intended to quickly provide relevant information and cannot be interacted with. An example might be an app that conveys quick information like flight delay or new sale or shipping update.
When it comes to notifications, one has several options for displaying a richer amount of information for the user including both short-look and long-look interfaces. Key differences between the two include a non-scrolling screen for short-look and a scrolling screen for long-look. This gives brands plenty of options for displaying richer amounts of information to the consumer.
When it comes to reading emails, the emphasis is on reading and not writing. Because users are unable to browse the web on the Apple Watch, marketers will have to devise an email strategy with that in mind. For example, links in emails won’t bring up a browser page for the user. Marketers can provide a relevant experience for the consumer by using a combination of email tuned for the Apple Watch and creative notifications. One will have to get creative to clearly communicate value to the user. For example, a consumer might be able to use Siri to reply to an email or to request information from your Apple Watch apps.
With the coming of the Apple Watch, it is strongly recommended that digital marketers think through their strategies on how to best take advantage of its capabilities. Those that jump ahead and develop a relevant and rewarding solution for their consumers will end up winning. We already see that happening as you read this post. So the time is now.
---
## Enhancing the customer experience leveraging the email channel
Type: eps_post
URL: /leveraging-the-email-channel
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Enhancing the customer experience leveraging the email channel
As marketers, we strive to continuously provide a positive experience for our customers. Email is a channel, in which every company is engaged in today. But email offers so much more – it creates an experience for consumers and it provides marketers with an opportunity to have a conversation with their customers. For more than 15 years, I have worked in the email marketing profession providing brands in the industries of retail, financial services, travel & hospitality and high tech services strategic input on how to advance their digital, email marketing programmes. At the onset of my career, email was leveraged as a tactic with brands deploying emails without a planned campaign strategy. As a result, emails were siloed, very text heavy and were sent as ‘one-off’ communications.
Today, email has transformed to a dynamic and personalised marketing strategy.
Marketers have the tools and technologies to leverage data to truly get to know their customers. And, no two customers are the same. Being a frequent traveller, I often stay at Marriott properties. The Marriott team does a great job making email part of the overall guest experience. For example, once I check into a Marriott property, I instantly receive an email welcoming me to the hotel. The email provides an outline of the key items that are relevant to me during my stay. From personalised greetings at the front desk, to push messaging highlighting restaurant suggestions, etc., Marriott’s email communications enhance my guest experience – in real-time – throughout my stay.
Marriott understands my needs, helps me to organise my stay while onsite and creates a positive experience for me all at the click of an open. In addition to fulfilling my business needs, the emails provide me with information that is relevant to my personal life. For example, I receive an update of my Marriott Rewards® loyalty account which informs me of my points, upcoming bonus opportunities based on my tier and how many nights I have stayed, how to earn a free night’s stay, etc. So, as I switch gears and start to think about my next family vacation, this data is extremely helpful as I search the tropical properties that are on my list. And what appears in my personal inbox the next day? An email with a handful of tropical suggested properties. Now that’s email marketing at its finest.
As you’re planning your next email campaign, think about the experience you want it to provide to your customers, and remember, today’s digital customer expects a dialogue between them and the brands they interact with. Send information that’s relevant to their needs. Make it personal. Keep it dynamic. Use email not only to help hit your weekly revenue target, but to create long lasting bonds with your customers.
---
## Why knowing your luxury customers is a necessity
Type: eps_post
URL: /knowing-your-luxury-customers
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Why knowing your luxury customers is a necessity
Luxury brands lose half of their top customers every year, according to new research from Epsilon and The Luxury Institute: “The New Face of Luxury: Breaking Down the Myths and Stereotypes of the Luxury Shopper.” Why? Because they routinely misidentify the demographic and economic profile of their customers while also failing to create a personalised sales experience for them.
Luxury brands mistakenly believe their customers are typically female and on average 45-years old with a net-worth over $1 million, the study found. However, 57.5% of luxury spenders are, in fact, male. They are likely to be of Asian and Middle-Eastern descent with a net worth over $500,000. Additionally, nearly 13.8% of shoppers with a net worth over $1 million invest mostly in modern, contemporary décor and gifts as opposed to high-ticket apparel items. It is crucial for luxury brands to understand their customers to effectively market and advertise to them.
What is luxury?
Before effectively marketing and advertising to the luxe shopper, brands need to understand what these consumers are looking for in a luxe shopping experience. According to wealthy consumers, luxury is defined by three elements:
73% believe superior quality is the most important attribute
54% consider a brand’s design the most important quality
47% say it’s customer service
To the consumer, the brand is the luxury experience. According to American Express and The Harrison Group, luxury customers prefer stores that are elegant. They want to feel an experience of purchasing that is as pleasant as owning a luxury item. They tend to value close relationships with select sales associates. These customers believe it is worth it to pay more for items that are the very best quality and they value exclusivity.
The four faces of the luxury shopper
Still, not all luxury buyers are alike. The study found there are four shoppers who buy luxury retail goods:
Aspirational Shopper
The Aspirational Shopper desires to own pieces from a brand, but does not have the means to do so on a regular basis. This customer shops mostly from outlets or online members-only discount boutiques such as Rue La La, HauteLook, ideeli etc, or purchases low-ticket, designer brand items such as cosmetics.
Moments of Wealth
The Moments of Wealth shopper may save for a specific piece, like a handbag, from a particular luxury brand, but does not purchase from the brand frequently. This shopper tends to make one-off purchases over a long span of time.
Dressed for the Part
This shopper purchases luxury items to give off the appearance of being someone who lives a luxury lifestyle, however, the Dressed for the Part shopper does not have the financial resources to be a frequent luxury buyer. This fashionista shopper devotes most of their spend to fashion, accessories or a car rather than an expensive home.
True Luxe
The True Luxe shopper has the means to purchase luxury items at will without concern for finances. This shopper purchases from luxury retailers frequently throughout the year.
Luxury brands tend to be plagued by customers who only make one purchase. Therefore, it’s vital for you to arm your brand with valuable insights to understand which type of luxury shopper persona these one-time purchasers belong to. This is the only way for you to know what offer these shoppers are most likely to respond to, focusing on the best opportunities and the customers that are actively spending in the luxury realm.
For more information on how to identify your True Luxe shoppers and tactics you can use to reach these consumers download The New Face of Luxury report today.
---
## How 8 European retailers upped revenue with personalised ads
Type: eps_post
URL: /how-8-european-retailers-upped-revenue-with-personalised-ads
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T22:13:13Z
# How 8 European retailers upped revenue with personalised ads
Right now, European retailers are increasing revenue by personalising their advertising, harnessing their first-party data and enhanced identification for heightened relevancy - and increased return - from their advertising.In this free report, we take a detailed look at how eight Europe-based retailers implemented personalised advertising, the benefits and challenges they sought to solve, and the proven results that they generated.{{cta('8003d84a-c31b-41b0-b9a1-1af90e8f339b','justifycenter')}}This includes how:
Dune London generated £4.4M incremental return
Scotch & Soda increased messaged CLV by 23%
Cox & Cox secured over £2M extra through personalised ads
Examining the goals, strategy, process and outcomes of each of these eight European retailers, the report details what CMOs, the C-Suite, and the wider marketing teams’ experience of personalised advertising was - from integration with their existing set-up, through to generating increased revenue - and respect - for the marketing function.Understand how your business can leverage personalised advertising to generate huge return. Claim your copy of this free report today.{{cta('8003d84a-c31b-41b0-b9a1-1af90e8f339b','justifycenter')}}
---
## Using contactless experiences to gain restaurant guest affinity
Type: eps_post
URL: /restaurant-contactless-engagement-2020
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Using contactless experiences to gain restaurant guest affinity
Curbside pickup and contactless delivery have surged around the world. Find out how restaurants can evolve from contactless experiences to increased loyalty.
It’s an understatement to say the restaurant industry has been rocked by COVID-19.
Typically relying on dine-in as a primary source of revenue, the pandemic has forced most eateries to quickly shift to alternative revenue streams. From online or mobile ordering to the use of third-party delivery apps, to new menu categories like at-home cocktail kits and family-style meals, restaurants have had to pivot and think creatively about how to engage their guests in a contactless environment.
But while it’s important for restaurants to quickly adjust to this new reality, they also need to consider the fact that their competitors are doing all the same things. Adding a more human element to help build long-lasting connections through these contactless experiences can help restaurants set themselves apart from the pack.
Interested in learning more? Download the full guide: Contactless loyalty: Build connections in a contactless world
Contactless ordering, pick-up and delivery
With government-mandated closures, capacity limitations on indoor dining and consumer hesitancy, restaurants are evolving their engagement approach. Placing tables on sidewalks and in parking lots is one solution, but takeout and delivery are the most popular.
The majority of consumers prefer to order online/through a mobile app and pick up curbside over using a delivery service.*
Close to 50% of customers across generations are receptive to messages about getting more value for their restaurant spending.*
80% of consumers are cooking at home. Between working from home, in-home schooling and other household activities, many are looking for more convenient meal options such as meal kits.
Source:Epsilon Consumer Sentiment Report, June 2020
Who’s doing it well?
Dunkin’ is a great example of a retailer that has built contactless loyalty by establishing a safe process for ordering. They promote contactless ordering in their ads, with a CTA to download their app and join their loyalty program. Once customers have downloaded the app, they can choose to continue signing up for the rewards program or order as a guest.
Here's how Dunkin’ encourages ongoing contactless engagement:
Clear steps.The brand provides step-by-step guidelines for ordering digitally. This includes articles and videos showing how simple and safe the process is. The brand has made these resources readily available and promoted them across their website and ads.
User interface. The app showcases ordering and benefits up front, reinforcing why customers should use the app to place orders.
Pickup convenience. Dunkin’ added curbside pickup to 1,000 stores that didn’t have drive-thru options. Curbside pickup now represents 2% of all transactions at those stores.
Delivery expansion. Dunkin’ expanded delivery from 2,000 to 4,000 stores across the country. Customers benefit from contactless convenience, and the brand benefits, too: Delivery orders are showing 3x the average check size.
Easy reorders. The app allows loyalty members to save their favorites and easily reorder, reducing the time and effort it takes for customers to get their favorite coffee and meal in hand.
“On the safety side we don't look at these as costs. We look at these as investments,” Dunkin’ CEO Dave Hoffmann said during the company’s Q1 earnings call. “Those are investments that we made that we think are going to be critical. ‘Do I feel safe as an employee?’ ‘Do I feel safe as a customer?’ And [the customers are] going to be looking for trusted brands to deliver against that.”
Cooking contactless loyalty into every order
Customers are concerned. They want to enjoy takeout but also want their safety to be accounted for. What can you do?
Address their concerns head on. Automate customer experience pain points, whether that’s through timeline updates or implementing safety precautions for contactless handoff or delivery.
Make the handoff as easy as possible. At restaurants with pickup, make sure signage is updated, your employees are educated, and you have the proper resources. If you’re delivering, keep your customers informed with order tracking and real-time delivery updates.
Show up where your customers need you. Consider the technologies and partnerships you can quickly implement to improve the experience. Bring new ordering methods to the forefront of your site or app. Think about partnering with food delivery apps that have robust services and capabilities that are quick to activate.
Taking these additional steps will ease customers’ minds and show how your brand truly values their time and safety.
As the world is moving increasingly contactless, it’s more important than ever for restaurants to build long-lasting loyalty with their guests. Fortunately, there are a host of existing services that can help restaurants offer safe and convenient ways for customers to enjoy delicious food safely. Adding just a few of these services can help your business compete in a changing world.
Download our e-book on “Contactless Loyalty: Building lasting connections in an increasingly contactless world” to learn more. We define the concept of contactless loyalty, share current consumer trends, and provide four steps to creating contactless loyalty.
***This article was originally published on The Wise Marketer
---
## Don't be fooled: Most CDPs are not enterprise-ready
Type: eps_post
URL: /dont-be-fooled-most-cdps-are-not-enterprise-ready
Last Modified: 2025-10-03T14:19:57Z
# Don't be fooled: Most CDPs are not enterprise-ready
2020 has been the year of the customer data platform (CDP), and it’s easy to see why.
The CDP market is projected to grow to over $10 billion by 2025, and according to Gartner, CDP technology companies have received more than $1.8 billion in VC funding. Why does this category have such big money behind it? CDPs are attempting to tackle a big and growing problem in marketing: unifying customer data to power personalized experiences.
Marketers for mid-size brands have turned to CDPs as the primary tool for driving personalization. The idea has naturally trickled up to enterprise brands looking to solve similar, but more complex, challenges. In fact, Epsilon’s new research indicates that Fortune 1,000 marketers ranked CDPs as the No. 1 way they plan to mitigate the uncertainty from third-party cookie deprecation.
Clearly, there is a lot of buzz around CDPs. But can they solve the needs of the enterprise marketer?
While mid-size brands have seen some early successes with CDPs, the experience has been different for large enterprise brands, who are quickly realizing that CDPs alone cannot solve their unique needs. Some are exploring the more difficult path of building custom internal solutions to address identity resolution and personalization. In general, this path will be a much slower trek towards the goal, whereas looking at enterprise CDP packages could accelerate progress.
To understand if a CDP could be an enterprise-ready solution, you must know the history of the category. CDP vendors had decisions to make early on. They could target the mid-market, where technology can solve less complex matching, segmentation and orchestration needs. Or they could solve more complex enterprise needs, like managing online and offline data across business units and making that data available in real-time without sacrificing scale and security (which inherently requires a mix of technology and know-how).
Not surprisingly, Forrester Research wrote in a 2018 report and again in a 2020 report that CDPs were not built to solve enterprise problems. The CDPs that started as mid-market solutions and moved upmarket were not designed with a fundamental capability that enterprise marketers need: the ability to unify online and offline data across multiple business units and brands to drive personalized marketing at scale. A traditional CDP is a foundational part of the solution. But a CDP is not—by itself—the solution. Let’s explore why.
The 2 missing links to the enterprise-ready CDP
There are two major gaps in a traditional CDP offering that will make or break an enterprise marketer’s success:
1. Identity management and resolution
Identity management, in and of itself, is hard. It’s not been made easier by the ongoing deprecation of third-party cookies and disruption to mobile ad IDs like IDFA.
It’s not uncommon for a brand to have four or more profiles for the same customer. For multi-brand companies, errors from multiple profiles are compounded and create a foundation of fragmented identities. In this scenario, accurately linking digital engagements and in-person transactions to the same individual can seem impossible.
Most CDPs and marketing clouds are not built to manage person-level identity. They can combine and link the profiles you tell them to, but the ability to link online and offline profiles back to a single individual will be superficial at best. This disconnect disrupts the customer experience and makes true 1:1 personalization attempts futile.
2. Quality data to enable advanced personalization
Determining which data supports your use cases, curating it and making it accessible in the exact moments you need is required to drive meaningful customer experiences. Augmenting your consumer profiles with unique insights around browsing history, demographics, lifestyles and propensity to purchase, for example, can help you further differentiate that experience. Distinctive third-party data—that is not rooted in third-party cookies or device IDs—is required to create an enriched profile. That, combined with a robust intelligence layer for personalized activation across channels at-scale, are the necessary components of an enterprise-ready CDP.
For example, when you identify customers who visit your website, you can leverage their browsing history combined with prior transactions and information about their lifestyle and preferences to optimize their website experience in real time. Instead of prompting them to register, you can show them products and offers that enhance their loyal customer experience.
Technology must be combined with relevant insights about the consumer to activate personalization at-scale across complex enterprise businesses. Without unique data that’s aligned to a bulletproof customer profile, you will have another point solution, unable to deliver the differentiated and personalized experiences customers have come to expect.
It’s not too late for an enterprise-ready CDP
The right enterprise-ready CDP partner will decrease time to value from years to a few months. In business, that’s a lifetime.
If your company has not yet solved the CDP challenge, rest assured you are not alone. On a scale of 1 to 10, most companies rate themselves a 6 out of 10 in terms of their ability to successfully deliver a consistent omnichannel customer experience. Many organizations have a long way to go and plenty of room for improvement.
CDPs are a foundational component of a mar-tech stack. But it’s the know-how and technology supporting customer identity, data enhancement, real-time decisioning, and omnichannel activation that makes them enterprise-ready and able to power more valuable experiences. Filling these gaps will ensure that the data platform you invest in is a bedrock solution, rather than a passing fad.
**This article was originally published on Adweek, November 2020.
---
## Is COVID shining a light on the challenges of Omnichannel marketing?
Type: eps_post
URL: /covid-shining-light-on-challenges-omnichannel-marketing
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Is COVID shining a light on the challenges of Omnichannel marketing?
2020 has changed many things. One of the changes that is likely to stay is the way consumers shop and the role of physical retail. This acceleration of eCommerce has moved forward a decade with no warning.
With the key trading period of the year coming up, the survival of many brands will be hanging in the balance knowing that the success of their marketing and eCommerce has never been more important.
In order for brands to succeed this season, they need to have effective marketing activity – and in this is increasingly online world, one that is driven by data and executed through effective omnichannel delivery. But as time goes on, it’s increasingly clear that not all brands have a handle on their data or can effectively communicate as they now need to.
Where the problem starts
Clive Humby is a pioneer of data driven marketing. He is often quoted as having said that “Data is the new oil…”. What people often miss out is the rest of what he said, “…it’s valuable, but if unrefined it cannot really be used”.
And this is the issue. Businesses may have data, but it’s typically siloed, poorly understood and unorganised. And they can only hope now that it’s GDPR compliant.
For other brands, they are realising that they haven’t ever been delivering Omnichannel marketing. What has been happening is multi-channel messaging. At best, these are messages as part of a consumer’s journey – often duplicated across channels or sometimes not connected at all.
Omnichannel marketing is defined as a strategy where channels work in cooperation to deliver a seamless content experience across multiple points of contact. And in order to achieve that, you not only need to have a proper handle on your data, but also link all your data to an individual, define the right strategy and have the content and capability to execute it.
What can brands do
Most brands know that they need to up their data game. Many are aligning their content assets across channels too - parts of the jigsaw are coming together. But the other three areas are typically still a challenge.
Orchestration Strategy
Brands need to have one customer-focused strategy across all channels. It sounds simple, but organisational complexity means that even knowing who is responsible for this is nearly impossible.
And with increasingly complex customer engagement ecosystems, not just traditional and digital channels, but the emergence of new social channels, this is a mammoth task.
Everyone has to start somewhere. So, I’d suggest brands do what they can to prove the value of this approach with the channels they can control most easily. Strategies can be adaptive – something is better than nothing.
For impactful omnichannel marketing you also need to understand the best channel and message for each touchpoint. Many marketing teams however rely on a single lens for this, including; customer transactions; channel engagement; audience Personas; and perhaps predictive modelling too. Brands need to be looking at all of these – all together. The data is typically available, it’s the co-ordination and content availability that often limits the execution.
I also wouldn’t underplay the importance of proper Personas here. Not a generic pen-portrait of an audience type, but a collection of actionable and differentiated Personas that you can apply to each individual to understand their motivations, behaviours, needs and wants.
Creating a single identity
Brands winning now are ones that have evolved their customer identity. 30 years ago, good looked like a SCV matched on name and address. The introduction of the cookie, over 25 years ago now, started a larger and, until recently, disparate data source, collecting customer transactions and interactions.
Fast forward to today and we are capturing more data than ever before across multiple devices, multiple identifiers and often multiple device users.
Whilst name and address matching are still fundamental to leading identify solutions, brands now need to be able to create single identities from all of this data. The ability, not just to onboard data, but to accurately hold, access, understand and activate against a consumer’s engagement, behaviour, channel preference, transactional history, real-time location and much more is now a reality. And increasingly a must.
Omnichannel Execution
Whilst many brands have moved to integrated campaign management platforms, they’re now facing the challenge that direct channels, such as programmatic media and social aren’t effectively catered for in their current stack. It raises the question of do you wait for your tech partner to catch up or do you create a hybrid stack?
In my mind, the challenge now for Omnichannel marketers is to focus on what is important – the identity, strategy and messaging. If you have a central strategic vision, a good understanding of each and every customer and can tie your data together then each technology component can play its part to achieve your goal.
We’ll see who wins and who loses through Black Friday and Christmas. But I won’t be surprised if we’ll see some more big names fall early in 2021 and I’d wager that, at least in part, their inability to get a handle on proper omnichannel marketing will be a factor in their demise.
---
## A monumental shift in food service
Type: eps_post
URL: /how-restaurants-adapted-to-covid-19-4-takeaways
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T22:20:56Z
# A monumental shift in food service
COVID-19 disrupted all types of industries—but foodservice was one of the fastest to adapt because of necessity. Most establishments were forced to build new operational models to prioritize delivery and takeout.
In May 2019, only 23% of American consumers had used an app to order from a restaurant. But as restaurants closed for dining this year, behavior had shifted by March and April 2020. Of consumers who ordered from a restaurant online or with an app, 36.4% chose pickup and 23.4% chose delivery.
Although restaurants are starting to re-open, many are being forced to close indoor dining due to increases in COVID-19 across the country.
Epsilon research published in September shows that only about 18% of consumers look to the government for assurance that it’s safe to dine in again—down from 40% in an earlier iteration of this report that was published in June. Today, immunity from either a past infection or vaccination is increasingly important for consumers to feel safe returning to restaurants.
All signs point to a continued reliance on delivery and takeout. This article highlights four key takeaways for restaurants to consider as we take a step back to examine initial and ongoing COVID-19 changes in consumer behavior.
1. Have a delivery and takeout program.
If restaurants choose to partner with a delivery service, focus on the best option for their market. Take a look at the most popular delivery services by city:
Restaurants should focus on reaching and acquiring customers predisposed to delivery and takeout across two primary audiences:
Net-new customers that are prone to delivery and carryout
Loyal guests who haven’t ordered delivery or pickup before
As brands bring in new customers and digitally engage with existing ones, they need to start building and activating that new customer data. Organizing the data based on who they are, what they like and what they order will enable restaurant brands to personalize each message based on customers’ past preferences and order history.
2. Try contactless ordering and prepayment.
These technologies can streamline kitchen operations, minimize interactions with staff, turn tables faster and reduce no-shows. Our research has shown that the majority of consumers actually prefer ordering online/through a mobile app and picking up curbside over using a delivery service.
Dunkin’ is a great example of a retailer that has built contactless loyalty by establishing a safe process for ordering. Check out how the coffee company encourages ongoing contactless engagement with clear steps, pickup convenience, user interface and more.
When it comes to contactless ordering, taking additional steps will ease customers’ minds and show the brand truly values customers' time and safety:
Automate customer experience pain points.
Make sure signage is updated, employees are educated and have the proper resources.
Consider the technologies and partnerships that can be implemented quickly improve the experience.
Read more: Contactless loyalty: Build connections in a contactless world
Epsilon research indicates that there's been a slight decrease in ordering takeout, likely due to consumers adjusting to cooking at home. With that in mind, it’s now more important than ever for restaurant brands to continue offering family-style or value-based takeout options, as seen in our third takeaway.
3. Expand offerings.
Consumers want new offerings from their favorite local places, including meal kits, pantry items, cocktail kits and curated wine packages. Grub Street reports that Russ & Daughters, a New York-based shop and restaurant that has 50 years of experience mailing brunch packages, has seen a whopping 400% increase in shipping sales since COVID-19 hit.
But knowing which people want what offerings is crucial. A young couple without kids, say, won't likely benefit from a family-size meal kit advertisement, but perhaps they would appreciate a fun cocktail kit to welcome in the weekend.
Knowing customers on a 1:1 level allows restaurants to most effectively connect with customers and meet their unique needs, thus ultimately leading to more orders. And all of the rich data gleaned from delivery and takeout orders will give restaurant brands a deeper understanding of their guests and form the foundation for future marketing efforts.
Read more: The power of identity—what restaurants can learn from Forrester’s research
4. Stay connected.
Get the word out about new offerings across channels—and repeat messaging with ongoing promotions.
Our research indicates that consumers want to learn about the updated dining experience from their favorite restaurants. Communicating how the brand is keeping consumers safe is essential.
And while email is still critically important, the pandemic has caused an influx of it and expanding beyond the channel is crucial. Display advertising is an efficient option to bypass crowded inboxes and extend your messaging across channels, while still maintaining the attention of your guests. Display advertising is also helpful for:
Allowing on-the-fly updates: Digital ad formats can adapt to the changing needs of consumers. The dynamic structure of these ads brings your message to life, supports ongoing LTO offers and gives you the ability to quickly adapt your messaging—all while remaining practical.
Creating accountability with 1:1 measurement: Budgets are tight, and marketing is under a lot of pressure to prove results right now. Customer-based digital media with closed-loop individual-level measurement enables you to confidently report back to your stakeholders.
Image credit: gerenme/Getty Images
Sources: Consumer Sentiment During COVID-19, Epsilon, June 2020; Diner Survey, Tock, May 2020; Which Company Is Winning the Food Delivery War?, Second Measure, June 2020
---
## New Epsilon research: What marketers can learn from holiday 2020
Type: eps_post
URL: /epsilon-consumer-sentiment-research-holidays-2020
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# New Epsilon research: What marketers can learn from holiday 2020
With the holidays right around the corner, marketers are putting the final touches on their holiday campaigns. During Halloween, we learned that consumer spending in home décor greatly increased, as consumers were looking for ways to create holiday excitement with the modified celebrations and trick-or-treat policies due to COVID. According to the National Retail Federation, consumer household spending on décor increased close to 7% from $86.27 in 2019 to $92.12 in 2020.
So what does this mean for holiday 2020? We anticipate a similar pattern of increased spend on home décor as many households have already began decorating and several popular decorations (such as the outdoor inflatables) are now out of stock at major retailers. As consumers are missing ‘the norm’ of the anticipated holiday celebrations with family and friends, they’re seeking ways to create experiences for their families to compensate for the lack of tradition. Consequently, decorating and home décor has become a primary focus.
So what can marketers learn from holiday 2020 that will help them to plan for future holidays as we continue to navigate the COVID pandemic? We conducted a research study and asked consumers across the generations to learn how they’re navigating the strange holiday shopping landscape this year. As marketers continue to plan for holidays next year, it’s important to understand consumer behavior like where they are shopping, their expectations for packaging and how connecting with a brands’ values influences purchase behavior. Below we share our research findings.
Top 5 learnings of holiday 2020
Timing of shopping
Understanding when consumers are planning to shop is important for retailers so they can best prepare for inventory demands and ensure their brick and mortar stores are safely equipped to handle an influx of people. For holiday 2020, we’ve learned from our research that one in four consumers have already started their holiday shopping. And prior to the Thanksgiving holiday, 50% of consumers across the generations will have started their holiday shopping. Gen Z is the least likely to have already started their holiday shopping and are more likely to start at Thanksgiving.
To accommodate for the ‘anticipated rush' of Black Friday shopping, many retailers began promoting their Black Friday offers in early November and plan to continue the promotions through to the December holidays. This proactive approach will help to control the anticipated crowds of Black Friday. While consumers appreciate the extended promotional time to holiday shop and save, many are concerned that the ‘best deals’ will not be released until November 27 (Black Friday). To mitigate this worry, many retailers are extending their price matching program through December 25 to assure consumers ‘the best deal has been announced’.
Preferred shopping methods
US eCommerce sales will reach $794.50 billion this year, up 32.4% year-over-year. The good news is that this increase is predicted to offset the decline of brick-and-mortar sales. During the pandemic, more consumers have adapted the eCommerce channel and have shared their positive experiences like the ability to see the inventory that’s available, returns are made easy and reliable forecasted shipping dates. The adaption of the eCommerce channel will continue as we head into the new year.
For holiday 2020, online shopping with home delivery is the preferred shopping method. 60% of consumers across the generations said they plan to do their holiday shopping online with home delivery. However, in-store is still an active channel as 54% of consumers plan to shop in-store so they can take their purchases home same day. During the COVID pandemic, ordering online and picking-up via curbside has been a popular order method, however, only 22% of consumers across the generations plan to holiday shop this method. The forecasted long lines of curb side pick-up along with the anticipation as to the inventory availability is making this shopping method less attractive for consumers this holiday season.
Packaging of presents
So many holiday traditions are different this year. From virtual visits with Santa Claus to Zoom holiday gatherings, consumers are are hoping some holiday experiences will remain the same. One activity that will never change is gift giving. And consumers are looking for ways to personalize these gifts. In fact, Esty reported they’ve seen a 156% increase in searches for custom and personalized gifts within the past three months. And once these gifts are purchased, the gift wrapping is going to be important. In fact, from our Epsilon research, we learned that close to 50% of consumers across the generations say that packaging is important for their holiday gifts that are being shipped directly to family and friends. And, 57% of Gen Z and Gen Y consumers state packaging is a top priority.
Several retailers are offering complimentary gift wrapping with no minimum purchase required. And this is being offered in all channels. Or, if the retailer does not do the actual wrapping, they are supplying gift wrapping materials. For example, the beauty retailer Origins is providing complimentary gift bags with an easy to tie festive bow.
Connecting with brands beyond the promotion (the price)
While price, value and quality remain top on the list regarding the important brand attributes to consumers while connecting and transacting with brands this holiday season, customer service is now more important than ever. 43% of consumers across the generations shared customer service is key when deciding to transact with a brand.
As you’re thinking about the role of customer service and your brand, think about the entire connected experience whether purchases are made online or in-store. The goal is to provide a seamless experience so the consumer has a positive holistic brand view. Also, it’s important to understand all reasons as to why your customers form brand affinity. Is it because they align with your corporate social responsibilities, or how you’re giving back to the local community? Ask them – their input is so valuable to ensure your brand is fulfilling their anticipated customer experience.
Safety will remain top of mind
Safety remains a priority for all brands. And during the holiday season with the anticipated increase in shoppers, and the rise in cases across the nation, retailers are taking extra precautions to keep everyone safe. For example, Bath & Body Works is providing all shoppers with hand sanitizer and disposable shopping bags prior to consumers entering the store. Additionally, they’ve created ‘walking patterns’ for shoppers to follow, have installed markers to keep shoppers distanced while browsing, continuously are wiping down the products with a disinfectant and are not operating at the full store capacity allowed to avoid an over-crowded in-store experience. And when possible, retailers have created a separate area for returns and exchanges (if the store layout allows for it). This also helps to minimize crowding with long lines.
In regards to the digital channels, brands are also focusing on safety and are reinforcing the measures they’re taking to keep shoppers safe in-store. In the email below from LUSH Cosmetics, they remind consumers of ‘the easy to follow steps’ to take when shopping in-store to keep everyone safe. And the ‘sixth bonus step’ is very much appreciated, especially during the holidays. “Be nice” is a simple statement, but it’s one that means so much and goes a long way.
As you’re wrapping-up your marketing plans for holiday 2020 and being planning for future holidays such as Valentine’s Day and Easter, think of the learnings shared here to ensure you’re offering the best shopping experience for your customers. And remember, being flexible and adjusting your plans based on market needs is key.
Methodology:
Epsilon’s Shopper’s Voice is the largest self-reported database on the market including 20M households, 3M new respondents per year, 1.5M opted-in active email addresses and 1,000 data points. For this Epsilon research, Shopper’s Voice member households and third-party panel members were segmented by generation. A random selection by region within each generation was invited to participate in the survey. Targets were set to achieve close to a balance of male and female responders.
Epsilon Shopper’s Voice survey research on consumer sentiment was deployed from the timeframe of April 9 to October 22, 2020 in multiple waves. Throughout this time period, interviews were scheduled to check in with consumers as the situation rapidly evolved through recent weeks. A fluid cadence was applied to maximize agility. Question sets were adapted in each wave to build on the most recent learnings, to minimize survey length and therefore maximize survey experience for respondents, and to be more agile in addressing topics of interest to Epsilon’s clients. In addition to our direct client input on consumer sentiment, our strategy and insights team continues to track the weekly trends within the key industries shared in this report to ensure Epsilon is providing the most up-to-date insight on the COVID-19 pandemic.
---
## How to use email creative to cut through holiday clutter and stand out in the inbox
Type: eps_post
URL: /how-to-use-email-creative-to-cut-through-holiday-clutter-and-stand-out-in-the-inbox
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T22:17:52Z
# How to use email creative to cut through holiday clutter and stand out in the inbox
With Epsilon client YTD email volume up 9% over 2019 and Forrester predicting a 40% lift in digital marketing messages in 2021, you may ask yourself: “How can I increase sales and grab more revenue share from my competitors this holiday season when inboxes are already flooding with messages?” It’s more critical than ever that you cut through the clutter this shopping season, using email creative to stand out in the inbox and wow your customers.
But this can feel daunting when there’s so much uncertainty, not to mention limited social gatherings, interrupted travel plans, shipping delays and consumer hesitancy about shopping in-store. You may also be challenged by limited resources, wondering how you can possibly do more with less in such a competitive market.
I’m pleased to share that there are many fast, actionable ways you can pivot in time for the holidays and ultimately win with customers. All it takes is a bit of imagination and a sound creative strategy.
But before we discuss creative, let’s quickly talk about some trends that will help even the odds with your competition.
What makes this year so different?
Ecommerce is soaring
According to eMarketer, this year’s US ecommerce sales are expected to be up 32.4% over last year. More consumers are shopping online than ever before, and many for the first time — potentially expanding your share of the pie.
Brand loyalty is shifting
Consumers are increasingly open to trying new brands. This year’s Prime Day is a great example of shifting consumer preferences. Moved from July to October and (unofficially) kicking off the 2020 holiday shopping season, Amazon’s sales were down compared to last year’s. The bigger news was that non-Amazon online sales were significantly higher.
Free shipping is winning
Free shipping is fast becoming a key differentiator for consumers. Shoppers want assurance they will get their products on time without paying more.
Cost consciousness is rising
Consumers are tightening their belts. With many households experiencing layoffs, furloughs or general uncertainty, saving is top of mind.
Convenience is evolving
Safety and comfort are integral components of the customer experience. For many consumers, the convenience of Buy Online, Pick Up in Store (BOPIS) and curbside pickup factors into their purchase decisions.
Epsilon’s own research shows similar trends toward new, contactless ways of engaging with brands: over 40% of consumers who ordered groceries online plan to do so again. Ease, combined with favorable order processing time and an extra layer of shopping safety, raises their comfort level.
Conversations we’re having with clients also indicate that consumers are fatigued by too many communications or excessive amounts of promotions. Striking the right balance is key.
Clients are also seeing more clicks and conversions above the fold, as well as in shorter length emails. Not surprisingly, consumers are resonating with purpose-driven brands, too.
Develop your creative strategy
With these current insights in mind, take time to develop a strategy that incorporates your audience, objectives and brand story (values).
Know your audience
Because this holiday season is unlike any other, it’s important to reevaluate both your current and prospective customer base. It’s likely that customer needs and habits changed. Make sure you review customer personas and/profiles—this is a good time to look at what needs to be tweaked or added.
Also, Look for changes in your data that indicate new behaviors like shopping habits. For example, you may see a noticeable spike on Sunday evenings. New routines like home schooling or working from home are also something to watch for.
Know your objectives
Before you can break through the clutter and stand out in the inbox, you must be crystal clear on your objectives. Map out your destination before you start the drive. Objectives will inform your overall direction, messaging hierarchy and calls to action.
Awareness: Consider whether you want to generate awareness of your brand, share information on a specific product or announce a limited-time sale.
Traffic: Determine whether you want more traffic, and where: an offer page, a product catalog, a link to customer testimonials, the nearest store location or a social channel are good considerations.
Insight: Assess whether you need a better understanding of your audience: hobbies and interests, demographics, habits (night owl, early riser, etc.)
Conversion: Think about desired end results: opens, clicks, subscribes and sales.
Know your story
Consider what sets you apart from your competition. This is your value proposition or “hook.”
It could be your exceptional customer service, low prices, or easy returns policy. Or it could be your convenient pickup options and fast delivery.
Mine your reviews for key differentiators. Go for specifics rather than vague generalizations.
Now more than ever, consumers are watching how companies treat their employees, give to the community, and treat essential workers. Be sure to include this in your considerations. Do any common themes or product stories pop up that resonate with current trends and insights?
Execute your creative strategy
Once you’re clear on your audience, objectives and story, it’s time to execute a creative strategy that will make you stand out in the inbox.
Tell your story
As consumers are being bombarded with messages right now, crafting a highly relevant and personalized experience will put your brand top of mind (and in the inbox). Effective storytelling enables you to build, grow and nurture relationships with your customers—showing how you’re different and putting distance between you and your competitors.
Leveraging interactive content is key to success. Martech Advisor reports that “interactive email content increases the rate of click-to-open by 73%” and that adding video to your content “can boost click rates up to 300%." Interactive content performs well against static content, too—improving engagement and conversions, which help brands take their email experience to a new level.
Because consumers are being hit with message after message, the more specific and relatable you are to their felt needs, the better you will cut through the clutter. For example, be mindful of those who are budget-conscious due to increasing unemployment or who are unable to spend time with loved ones due to social distancing.
Subject line: Use this to grab immediate attention and get to the point: what’s in it for them? According to Campaign Monitor, . Personalized subject lines are more likely to experience a 26% lift in opens.
If you have a sale or special offer, make sure you mention it in your subject line. Feel free to explore holiday-themed emojis, attention-grabbing caps, or urgency-oriented phrases such as, “limited-time,” “ending soon,” or “today only.” Here are some great examples:
Old Navy: Yes, it’s officially GIFTOBER + you snagged FIFTY PERCENT off everything!
JC Penney: Jam(mie) sesh! 2-day Reward Member Exclusive
PRO TIP: Vary your Friendly From. 68% of consumers decide to open an email based on the displayed sender, such as your company name. The holidays are great time to experiment with fun and creative variations of this. Examples: “Old Navy GIFTOBER” or “Gilt Holiday 2020
Pre-header Text (PHT): Make this an actionable reinforcement of your subject line, but be careful not to repeat it. Clearly communicate and lead with a desired action/expectation: shop, buy, view, etc. Here's an example:
Columbia: get ready to unwrap the outdoors. Shop now.
PRO TIP: Don't forget the preview pane. The preview pane is a prime piece of email real estate. It sits above the fold and is seen prior to scrolling. Make sure your most important information is visible here. Design with it in mind.
Message Content: Keep your content concise, scannable, and engaging. Drive your customers toward a clear and specific call to action (CTA), using interactive content to keep them scrolling.
Countdown Clocks: Use countdown clocks to create a sense of urgency around upcoming events, such as flash sales, or to communicate real-time shipping status. They can also be used to drive urgency in post-sales messaging, pointing to the next big sale.
Weather Forecast: From cold snaps to winter storms, leverage weather data in your email for timely product recommendations.
PRO TIP: Plan for contingencies. Have set templates and modules ready in advance to build efficiencies, as well as address potential scenarios (store closures, inventory changes, severe weather events, etc.). Be sure the content is relevant and localized through personalization.
Store Locator & Map: Make BOPIS easy and convenient for your customers. Help them find your nearest store location.
QR Code: Leverage the popularity of QR codes with deals and coupons that can be scanned on the spot.
Product Cart: Move inventory with a sense of urgency. Let customers know they left something in their cart. Keep the tone playful. For example, “Santa left this in your cart.”
PRO TIP: Optimize for mobile. 60% of consumers open their emails on a mobile device. 69% will delete emails that are not optimized. Ensure your email is responsive and takes into account dynamic content and personalization, including dark mode settings.
Ratings & Reviews: Consumer ratings and reviews are seen as a trusted source of information. Sprinkle them into your message to reinforce a sense of social proof regarding the value of your products or services.
Social Channels: Consumers are increasingly turning to social media for research and shopping options. Use social channels to create engagement, such as an Instagram feed with your hashtag, an invitation to join your Facebook community, or an opportunity to view a demo of your product on YouTube.
PRO TIP: Personalize your content. Speak to each customer as a unique individual. For example, if you know they purchased gifts from you last year, spent in specific categories, or revealed their interests in a poll or quiz, personalize your message with that data in mind. Use it to drive product recommendations, offer loyalty incentives, even remind them what they left in their cart.
Win this season
The holidays are approaching fast and furiously. In this ever-changing landscape we’re in, you need a strong game plan to engage your customers and win. Whether you’re juggling multiple hats, dealing with limited resources, or any number of marketing challenges, you’d be surprised how simple it is to surprise and delight your customers with a good creative strategy and just a few of the creative tactics I shared.
---
## 5 2021 trends that affect email marketers: Global experts weigh in
Type: eps_post
URL: /five-2021-trends-that-will-affect-email-marketers-global-experts-weigh-in
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# 5 2021 trends that affect email marketers: Global experts weigh in
We’ve nearly made it to the end of 2020 (exhales). It’s been a long year; the endless hurdles have us crawling past the finish line. We’ve all had to adapt to a strange reality—whether it be personal or professional.
Professionally, email marketers have been through the ringer. With business closures, divergent customer behavior and unsteady business priorities, many email programs were upended in Q1, and marketers have had to play catchup since.
Now, the days are getting shorter and colder as we enter into a strange holiday season and uncharted territory in the pandemic; but one thing is certain: COVID-driven changes in consumer behavior will persist well into 2021. Everything from work to entertainment, travel to life at home, will continue to look different. With this in mind, how can marketers use what we’ve seen from 2020 to inform their email strategy moving into the new year?
I’m quite sure no one wants an instant replay of the last eight months. But the challenges we faced this year can ultimately help us think smarter for the next. To that end, we’ve aggregated the top macro trends we believe will influence email marketing in 2021. And with that direction in mind, we asked our email experts in the US, EMEA and APAC regions for their advice on strategy, tactics and best practices for email marketers heading into Q1 and beyond.
Trends that will influence 2021
Contactless interactions are now the norm
Consumers will continue to embrace a touch-free, digital lifestyle to alleviate health and safety concerns that come with tactile retail experiences. To accommodate shift in consumer preferences, many brands have doubled down on e-commerce and contactless experiences. For example, major brands like Target and Kroger have ramped-up their “drive up” and curbside pickup offerings. Others have prioritized e-commerce and focused on creating virtual experiences for customers rather than in-person ones.
Pivoting to contactless experiences has helped brands build loyalty and trust during the pandemic, as it shows they care about the health, safety and comfort of their customers. Of course, health considerations are still front and center for most consumers—but the ease and convenience of contactless experiences will keep people coming back long after the pandemic is over.
E-commerce is king
E-commerce will continue to grow and outperform the growth rate of offline sales. Under the stay-at-home orders, US consumers shopped heavily online: in Q2 of 2020, US retail e-commerce sales grew by 44.5% compared to 2019. Not to mention, eMarketer predicts that e-commerce will make up 14.5% of total retail sales this year, which is the largest year-over-year increase since they began measuring in 2018.
To take advantage of this upward trajectory that doesn’t seem to be slowing down any time soon, many retailers are rethinking ways to use their stores. Some are shifting towards pop-up models, using stores as showrooms to support e-commerce or treating stores as fulfillment centers to accelerate deliveries. Storefront, a platform that help major brands find the ideal retail space, now offers custom virtual storefronts people can navigate through and purchase items all from the comfort of their couch. Even popular digital-savvy brands like Supergoop took a stab at brick-and-mortar, opening up their first pop-up shop in Brooklyn earlier this year, where customers could try on and browse their wide array of skincare products.
Download our report: Email 2020 trends guide: Renaissance
Discretionary spending remains low
While e-commerce sales look promising, consumers will continue to temper their spending on discretionary goods and services.
This will likely force many brands into aggressive discounting. However, that strategy holds long-term risks in deteriorating consumers’ perceptions of brand quality. Some brands are mitigating these challenges is by using digital gamification and virtual experiences to make bargain hunting fun and interactive—a strategy that strengthens brand value rather than takes away from it.
For example, Bare Minerals packages its 20% off discount offer with a live virtual event, a prize giveaway and a specially priced bundle.
Cultural, political and environmental movements endure
On top of a global pandemic, people have also had to navigate widespread cultural movements, protests focused on race and equality, and the climate crisis. Oh, and a US presidential election.
But what does that have to do with email marketing? Surprisingly, a lot. It’s no longer sufficient for brands to stay neutral on social justice issues. According to a survey done by Sprout Social, seventy percent of consumers say it’s important for brands to take a stand on social and political issues. They also found that nine in 10 consumers are more likely to give brands who are highly transparent second chances after bad experiences, and 85% are more likely to stick with them during crises.
Consumers are looking for transparent communication from brands, to know they are doing their best to make a difference in the world. This will not change any time soon.
Ben & Jerry's is a brand that is not afraid to make a statement, consistently communicating with customers about their brand values and beliefs.
Personal connections are more important than ever
As consumers continue to be inundated with communication, they will choose to give their attention to brands that craft unique and personalized experiences. They’re looking for personal connection, a human touch in the sea of bulk messages. A Mintel study found that 64% of consumers shop where brands treat them like a good friend.
For example, Sephora is recommending top beauty picks based on their customers favorite products.
The level of personalization and investment in technology adoption will continue to be the primary driver for consumers when choosing where shop moving forward. Additional factors include price point, convenience, cleanliness, sustainability, inclusivity and community support. Keep an eye out for these categories in 2021.
Advice for your 2021 email marketing plans
Re-think KPIs
Think through your new KPIs and benchmarks for the coming year. Be sure to focus on the growing role of e-commerce and benchmarks that are realistic, and factor in the current landscape. That being said, don’t fall into the trap of using current events as an excuse to lower expectations. Rather, challenge your brand to continue to innovate, experiment and reimagine your email strategy for the times we are in.
From the expert:
“During the pandemic, consumer behaviors have changed in a myriad of ways. The most notable shifts we’ve observed are ones towards digital and virtual experiences. So, as a marketer, if you haven’t previously paid a lot of attention to digital engagement metrics it’s time to do so. For example, it’s more important for a restaurant to be tracking online to-go orders and subsequent conversions than ever before.
“Additionally, your existing benchmarks may need to be adjusted to the new realities. For example, it may not be realistic for a travel company to achieve the same conversion rates next year compared to last year. Or an online gaming company may want to elevate their benchmarks up in a way that’s more commensurate with the increased popularity of online entertainment.”
-Kara Trivunovic, managing director, Epsilon U.S.
Read on: Marketing leaders weigh in on email during COVID-19
Content innovation based on insight
Building a contextual email marketing calendar with the latest trends and insights is key to ensure success in 2021. Here are some questions to ask yourself when prepping your calendar:
How are consumers behaving? Your calendar should account for many different consumer segments and their unique behaviors. For example, consider spending levels, top purchase categories and purchase location to inform your strategy.
Can you create goodwill? We’ve already discussed the need for brands to raise awareness for social issues. Crafting stories of community involvement, customer care, and action plans will be highly effective in the coming year—just make sure they’re genuine.
What are ways we can innovate? See if there are areas to expand digital innovation in your calendar. Gamification is catching fire in the industry, along with virtual events and celebrations. Push some boundaries and try something new if it makes sense for your brand.
Are there valuable incentives to encourage loyalty? Long-term customer loyalty is always the goal. But people need a reason to stay loyal to your brand. Think of new ways to incentivize customers in the new year.
From the expert:
“Brands have often been in unchartered territory, where a typical calendar of email campaigns is focused on sales, discounts and events or times of the year—think summer, back-to-school—but this no longer makes sense. Those events are not happening. The most agile and innovative brands are taking a different approach to email, quickly changing as the global and local context changes with them. They are using new types of content to keep consumers engaged and are ultimately coming out on top.”
-Valerie Popeck, senior director, strategic consulting, Epsilon EMEA
Evolve personalization
We’ve seen customer preferences change on a whim. Do you have a personalization infrastructure in place to ‘listen’ for changing consumer behavior and enable a quick response? Think about someone browsing your site, adding items to their cart or maybe taking some away; how are you using content, images, hierarchy, and more to fit that experience? AI and machine learning can allow brands to get granular with their personalization, and ultimately win with consumers.
From the experts:
“COVID has caused a dramatic increase of people going online. Consequently, digital interactions across brands have skyrocketed. This means consumers have greater autonomy in choosing which brands they interact with—an Accenture Pulse survey found that 91% of consumers are most likely to shop with brands who recognize them and provide relevant offers and recommendations. The positive thing is, brands have access to more data than ever. But how can they make it actionable? This is where AI comes in. It’s a magic bullet for personalization and optimization of content, subject lines, send time and discount offerings.”
-Matthew Simons, SVP, client services, Epsilon EMEA
“COVID-19 is further accelerating the digital transformation has enabled brands to collect better behavioral data and analyze it. Brands leveraging AI and machine learning to activate that data to create a personalized experience that caters to an individual rather than a segment, will earn consumer loyalty.
“In Asia, loyalty is built ‘moment-by-moment’ because consumers may not have a particular brand in mind when they start their search. Therefore, brands will need to develop a strategy that anticipates consumers’ needs by identifying their key micro-moments along their consumer journey. As consumer expectations increase, the brands that can give them what they’re looking for right at the moment they need it will win the day.”
-Waseem Khan, director - solution consultant, Epsilon APAC
Build scalable processes
The concepts we’ve discussed in this piece must be scalable in order to truly provide impact. Do you have assets (e.g. templates, creative) and processes in place to enable quick responses to breaking news like store closures, inventory changes, or COVID outbreaks? Take it a step further and infuse those templates with personalization and localization to provide real value to customers.
From the expert:
“As we look back at the year, the brands that performed the best were those that created customer-centric emails and aligned their organization with what was most important to their customers. In order to deliver great experiences, brands need to have flexible, prebuilt templates that can call on for rapid response to any type of event. Marketers that focus on prebuilt and automated templates can definitely expect to see an increase in conversions in 2021.
"In addition, brands need to ensure they have a trigger-based automation program in place and up to date. These email campaigns converted 335% better than “standard promotional” campaigns in Q2 of 2020 (eMarketer). It’s evident this approach to building scale in email marketing program will improve business outcomes, but I’d venture to guess it will also help marketers sleep better at night, too.”
-Lauren Gannon, VP, executive creative director, Epsilon U.S.
Think Mobile
People buy an experience rather than a product. This holds true in the digital world, but more specifically with mobile experiences. Studies show that consumers are more likely to buy from brands whose mobile sites, apps or communication help them easily find answers to their questions. Consumers are making decisions all along the path to purchase, so your brand can’t miss a beat. Mobile is going to be front and center in 2021. Make sure all programs planned for the coming year are optimized for these mobile experiences, but also think about how it fits into your omnichannel experience. Start small, like following up to email openers with SMS updates.
From the expert:
“With mobile internet usage in APAC projected to grow from $2 billion in 2019 to $2.7 billion by 2025, e-commerce to reach $2.3 trillion in 2022, the rollout of 5G to reach a quarter of total mobile connections by 2025 and contactless payments rising exponentially, it’s imperative for brands to create a frictionless experience for their consumers of various ages and demographics.”
-Waseem Khan, director - solution consultant, Epsilon APAC
Lots can be learned from this year. As we move into 2021, be sure to think holistically about your email strategy: what’s working, what’s not, and how it can evolve. The macro-trends we’ve identified in this blog will set marketers on the right path to start the new year successfully.
---
## Five 2021 trends that will affect email marketers: Global experts weigh in
Type: eps_post
URL: /five-2021-trends-that-will-affect-email-marketers-global-experts-weigh-in
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Five 2021 trends that will affect email marketers: Global experts weigh in
We’ve nearly made it to the end of 2020 (exhales). It’s been a long year; the endless hurdles have us crawling past the finish line. We’ve all had to adapt to a strange reality—whether it be personal or professional.
Professionally, email marketers have been through the ringer. With business closures, divergent customer behavior and unsteady business priorities, many email programmes were upended in Q1 and marketers have had to play catchup since.
Now, the days are getting shorter and colder as we enter into a strange holiday season and uncharted territory in the pandemic; but one thing is certain: COVID-driven changes in consumer behavior will persist well into 2021. Everything from work to entertainment, travel to life at home, will continue to look different. With this in mind, how can marketers use what we’ve seen from 2020 to inform their strategic email strategy moving into the new year?
I’m quite sure no one wants an instant replay of the last eight months. But the challenges we faced this year can ultimately help us think smarter for the next. To that end, we’ve aggregated the top macro trends we believe will influence email marketing in 2021. And with that direction in mind, we asked our email experts in the US, EMEA and APAC regions for their advice on strategy, tactics and best practices for email marketers heading into Q1 and beyond.
Trends that will influence 2021
Contactless interactions are now the norm
Consumers will continue to embrace a touch-free, digital lifestyle to alleviate health and safety concerns that come with tactile retail experiences. To accommodate this shift in consumer preferences, many brands have doubled down on eCommerce and contactless experiences. For example, major brands like Target and Kroger have ramped-up their “drive up” and roadside pickup offerings. Others have prioritised eCommerce and focused on creating virtual experiences for customers rather than in-person ones.
Pivoting to contactless experiences has helped brands build loyalty and trust during the pandemic, as it shows they care about the health, safety and comfort of their customers. Of course, health considerations are still front and center for most consumers—but the ease and convenience of contactless experiences will keep people coming back long after the pandemic is over.
ECommerce is king
ECommerce will continue to grow and outperform the growth rate of offline sales. Under the stay-at-home orders, US consumers shopped heavily online: in Q2 of 2020, US retail eCommerce sales grew by 44.5% compared to 2019 . Not to mention, eMarketer predicts that eCommerce will make up 14.5% of total retail sales this year, which is the largest year-over-year increase since they began measuring in 2018.
To take advantage of this upward trajectory that doesn’t seem to be slowing down any time soon, many retailers are rethinking ways to use their stores. Some are shifting towards pop-up models, using stores as showrooms to support eCommerce or treating stores as fulfillment centers to accelerate deliveries. Storefront, a platform that helps major brands find the ideal retail space, now offers custom virtual storefronts people can navigate through and purchase items all from the comfort of their couch. Even popular digital-savvy brands like Supergoop took a stab at brick-and-mortar, opening up their first pop-up shop in Brooklyn earlier this year, where customers could try on and browse their wide array of skincare products.
Download our report: Email 2020 trends guide: Renaissance
Discretionary spending remains low
While eCommerce sales look promising, consumers will continue to temper their spending on discretionary goods and services.
This will likely force many brands into aggressive discounting. However, that strategy holds long-term risks in deteriorating consumers’ perceptions of brand quality. Some brands are mitigating these challenges by using digital gamification and virtual experiences to make bargain hunting fun and interactive—a strategy that strengthens brand value rather than takes away from it.
For example, Bare Minerals packages its 20% off discount offer with a live virtual event, a prize giveaway and a specially priced bundle.
Cultural, political and environmental movements endure
On top of a global pandemic, people have also had to navigate widespread cultural movements, protests focused on race and equality, and the climate crisis. Oh, and a US presidential election.
But what does that have to do with email marketing? Surprisingly, a lot. It’s no longer sufficient for brands to stay neutral on social justice issues. According to a survey done by Sprout Social, seventy percent of consumers say it’s important for brands to take a stand on social and political issues. They also found that nine in 10 consumers are more likely to give brands who are highly transparent second chances after bad experiences, and 85% are more likely to stick with them during crises.
Consumers are looking for transparent communication from brands, to know they are doing their best to make a difference in the world. This will not change any time soon.
Ben & Jerry's is a brand that is not afraid to make a statement, consistently communicating with customers about their brand values and beliefs.
Personal connections are more important than ever
As consumers continue to be inundated with communication, they will choose to give their attention to brands that craft unique and personalised experiences. They’re looking for personal connection, a human touch in the sea of bulk messages. A Mintel study found that 64% of consumers shop where brands treat them like a good friend.
For example, Sephora is recommending top beauty picks based on their customers favorite products.
The level of personalisation and investment in technology adoption will continue to be the primary driver for consumers when choosing where to shop moving forward. Additional factors include price point, convenience, cleanliness, sustainability, inclusivity and community support. Keep an eye out for these categories in 2021.
Advice for your 2021 email marketing plans
Re-think KPIs
Think through your new KPIs and benchmarks for the coming year. Be sure to focus on the growing role of eCommerce and benchmarks that are realistic, and factor in the current landscape. That being said, don’t fall into the trap of using current events as an excuse to lower expectations. Rather, challenge your brand to continue to innovate, experiment and reimagine your email strategy for the times we are in.
From the expert:
“During the pandemic, consumer behaviors have changed in a myriad of ways. The most notable shifts we’ve observed are ones towards digital and virtual experiences. So, as a marketer, if you haven’t previously paid a lot of attention to digital engagement metrics it’s time to do so. For example, it’s more important for a restaurant to be tracking online to-go orders and subsequent conversions than ever before.
“Additionally, your existing metric benchmarks may need to be adjusted to the new realities. For example, it may not be realistic for a travel company to achieve the same conversion rates next year compared to last year. Or an online gaming company may want to elevate their benchmarks up in a way that’s more commensurate with the increased popularity of online entertainment.”
-Kara Trivunovic, managing director, Epsilon U.S.
Content innovation based on insight
Building a contextual email marketing calendar with the latest trends and insights is key to ensure success in 2021. Here are some questions to ask yourself when prepping your calendar:
How are consumers behaving? Your calendar should account for many different consumer segments and their unique behaviors. For example, consider spending levels, top purchase categories and purchase location to inform your strategy.
Can you create goodwill? We’ve already discussed the need for brands to raise awareness for social issues. Crafting stories of community involvement, customer care, and action plans will be highly effective in the coming year—just make sure they’re genuine.
What are ways we can innovate? See if there are areas to expand digital innovation in your calendar. Gamification is catching fire in the industry, along with virtual events and celebrations. Push some boundaries and try something new if it makes sense for your brand.
Are there valuable incentives to encourage loyalty? Long-term customer loyalty is always the goal. But people need a reason to stay loyal to your brand. Think of new ways to incentivise customers in the new year.
From the expert:
“Brands have often been in unchartered territory, where a typical calendar of email campaigns is focused on sales, discounts and events or times of the year—think summer, back-to-school—but this no longer makes sense. Those events are not happening. The most agile and innovative brands are taking a different approach to email, quickly changing as the global and local context changes with them. They are using new types of content to keep consumers engaged and are ultimately coming out on top.”
-Valerie Popeck, senior director, strategic consulting, Epsilon EMEA
Evolve personalisation
We’ve seen customer preferences change on a whim. Do you have a personalisation infrastructure in place to ‘listen’ for changing consumer behavior and enable a quick response? Think about someone browsing your site, adding items to their cart or maybe taking some away; how are you using content, images, hierarchy, and more to fit that experience? AI and machine learning can allow brands to get granular with their personalisation, and ultimately win with consumers.
From the experts:
“COVID has caused a dramatic increase of people going online. Consequently, digital interactions across brands have skyrocketed. This means consumers have greater autonomy in choosing which brands they interact with—an Accenture Pulse survey found that 91% of consumers are most likely to shop with brands who recognise them and provide relevant offers and recommendations. The positive thing is, brands have access to more data than ever. But how can they make it actionable? This is where AI comes in. It’s a magic bullet for personalisation and optimisation of content, subject lines, send time and discount offerings.”
-Matthew Simons, SVP, client services, Epsilon EMEA
“COVID-19 is further accelerating the digital transformation, enabling brands to collect better behavioral data and analyze it. Brands leveraging AI and machine learning to activate that data to create a personalised experience that caters to an individual rather than a segment, will earn consumer loyalty.
“In Asia, loyalty is built ‘moment-by-moment’ because consumers may not have a particular brand in mind when they start their search. Therefore, brands will need to develop a strategy that anticipates consumers’ needs by identifying their key micro-moments along their consumer journey. As consumer expectations increase, the brands that can give them what they’re looking for right at the moment they need it will win the day.”
-Waseem Khan, director - solution consultant, Epsilon APAC
Build scalable processes
The concepts we’ve discussed in this piece must be scalable in order to truly provide impact. Do you have assets (e.g. templates, creative) and processes in place to enable quick responses to breaking news like store closures, inventory changes, or COVID outbreaks? Take it a step further and infuse those templates with personalisation and localisation to provide real value to customers.
From the expert:
“As we look back at the year, the brands that performed the best were those that created customer-centric emails and aligned their organisation with what was most important to their customers. In order to deliver great experiences, brands need to have flexible, prebuilt templates that can call on for rapid response to any type of event. Marketers that focus on prebuilt and automated templates can definitely expect to see an increase in conversions in 2021.
"In addition, brands need to ensure they have a trigger-based automation programme in place and up to date. These email campaigns converted 335% better than “standard promotional” campaigns in Q2 of 2020 (eMarketer). It’s evident this approach to building scale in email marketing programmes will improve business outcomes, but I’d venture to guess it will also help marketers sleep better at night, too.”
-Lauren Gannon, VP, executive creative director, Epsilon U.S.
Think Mobile
People buy an experience rather than a product. This holds true in the digital world, but more specifically with mobile experiences. Studies show that consumers are more likely to buy from brands whose mobile sites, apps or communication help them easily find answers to their questions. Consumers are making decisions all along the path to purchase, so your brand can’t miss a beat. Mobile is going to be front and center in 2021. Make sure all programmes planned for the coming year are optimised for these mobile experiences, but also think about how it fits into your omnichannel experience. Start small, like following up to email openers with SMS updates.
From the expert:
“With mobile internet usage in APAC projected to grow from $2 billion in 2019 to $2.7 billion by 2025, eCommerce to reach $2.3 trillion in 2022, the rollout of 5G to reach a quarter of total mobile connections by 2025 and contactless payments rising exponentially, it’s imperative for brands to create a frictionless experience for their consumers of various ages and demographics.”
-Waseem Khan, director - solution consultant, Epsilon APAC
Lots can be learned from this year. As we move into 2021, be sure to think holistically about your email strategy: what’s working, what’s not, and how it can evolve. The macro-trends we’ve identified in this blog will set marketers on the right path to start the new year successfully.
---
## The value of machine learning for non-profits
Type: eps_post
URL: /the-value-of-machine-learning-for-non-profits
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T22:16:49Z
# The value of machine learning for non-profits
For years ‘big data’ has been talked about and utilized in a variety of ways. The most common methods in which non-profits leverage big data is to identify prospects for new donor acquisition and to model housefile donors to determine seasonality, ask and offer. It’s important to note that all these predictions are made possible through the power of machine learning algorithms.
While we have always viewed mid-level and recurring donors as valuable, prospecting these high-value donors (whether on or offline), still poses a challenge to direct response fundraisers. With today’s machine learning capabilities, data is available—at our fingertips—to enable us to make behavioral predictions. For marketers who leverage database cooperatives, machine learning algorithms expose a vast amount of data that can now be utilized in ways that have never been possible. For example, if you’re trying to grow your sustainer or mid-level program, in a standard regression model, there may be thirty to fifty elements that weigh heavily to make the prediction. With machine learning, there are thousands. Finding the difference between one potential donor to another, across thirty variables is good, but across thousands of variables, there’s likely to be an even greater distinction introducing new levels of success. As one of our data scientists frequently says,“Where regression model is algebra, machine learning is calculus.”
Why machine learning
While almost any model can help re-activate a previous donor or identify a new donor prospect, machine learning enhances that capability by using more data elements to make the requested prediction. Another benefit of machine learning is predictive analytics. Machine learning helps to break down the complexity of data-sets within seconds. And with the incorporation of seasonality, machine learning models help to Identify the timing and amount of a donor’s contribution based on a contributor’s transaction history leveraging seasonality, donor demographics, and so much more.
The benefits of machine learning for non-profits
Every cause has an opportunity to grow, especially when you know more about your donors. With machine learning, marketers gain insight into thousands of donor characteristics. This unique knowledge can be used to drive donor acquisition, conversion, retention and upgrades to help grow donor engagement and value. In addition to gaining insight into these thousands of characteristics, machine learning helps non-profits to:
Identify new, unique audiences. In the non-profit community there’s a lot of concern about over-communicating to prospects and donors. For example, the age segment of 65+ receives one-hundred different non-profit packages in their mailbox each week. Identifying new unique audiences enables non-profits to find new constituencies and to ensure proper cadence of communications.
Improve performance. Over the past several years, many non-profits have witnessed increasing costs to acquire a donor and have reported a perception of a shrinking prospect universe. With machine learning models, we can identify highly responsive, unique pockets of prospect audiences. Additionally, machine learning models can be leveraged to identify unique pockets of high-value prospects resulting in the same decreased net cost per donor yielded through increased merge retention and higher revenue generation. Regarding the housefile, machine learning models can drive variance in the identification and subsequent cadence of lapsed reinstatement initiatives driving a larger number of lapsed donors to reinstate their giving, ultimately driving an increase in overall reinstatement long-term donor value.
Utilize every element of data. As marketers are integrating machine learning models into their programs, it’s reassuring to know there’s so much available data to leverage. For example, as you’re receiving repeat donations, take a look at the month or season of the donation, what spend looks like outside of the philanthropic cause that’s being supported, the types of apparel the donors purchase for attending events, if they have children, grandchildren—the list goes on. Before you know it, you’ll have ten-thousand pieces of information that you can model and identify to see if ‘Joe Smith’ should be in segment number one or ten for direct mail; and in digital activation it can more effectively refine those large audiences that are necessary to hit your reach metrics. This vast amount of data is going to help to identify unique audiences.
At Epsilon, we continue to innovate our data offerings and have incorporated machine learning techniques to take our modeling solutions to the next level. We work with our non-profit partners to help:
Activate the donors in any channel for integrated omnichannel campaigns
Reach new, unique donors to grow brand-awareness and engage new constituencies
Access more high-value names to replace underperforming universes
Drive stronger performance while improving return on marketing spend
To learn more about how non-profits are securing the second donation, listen to our webinar with our client of the ASPCA titled Speed to second gift: the metric that will make your retention soar.
---
## How publisher identity combines consumer experience with privacy
Type: eps_post
URL: /how-publisher-identity-combines-optimal-consumer-experience-with-privacy
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# How publisher identity combines consumer experience with privacy
In this time of third-party cookie deprecation, future-proof publisher identity solutions are crucial.
Knowing this, we made the exciting decision to transfer ownership of our PubCommon ID’s technology to Prebid.org—an open-source community that helps publishers implement header bidding and other products on their websites and apps—to establish the industry’s first universal ID, SharedID: a common ID that publishers, exchanges and buyers can all use to increase identity consistency.
In a landscape with many identity solutions, we are honored that Prebid.org selected PubCommon ID to bring the industry’s first community-driven approach to identity, and are proud to be a part of a solution mutually beneficial to publishers, buyers and users alike in a privacy centric way.
As the industry debates what the world will look like post third-party cookies, universal IDs like SharedID address both the first-party identifier and third-party cookie hurdles that face digital advertising. This article outlines the key benefits of using a publisher identity solution in today’s changing landscape.
Consumers retain the personalization they want…
Modern consumers value personalized brand experiences. Our research shows that 80% of consumers are more willing to do business with a company that provides personalized experiences, and 90% find personalization appealing.
If advertisers who have historically heavily relied on third-party cookies don’t adjust their identity strategies now, consumers will be met with repetitive, irrelevant advertisements. And these aren’t just minor annoyances: Our study indicates that 68% of consumers think it’s worth sharing personal information in exchange for relevant offers, recommendations and discounts.
When we built PubCommon ID in 2018, our aim was to give publishers more control over their data, creating better experiences for publishers and consumers alike. We wanted to offer publishers an open-source, identity solution that improves matching and increases revenue, while not impacting latency. Apple ITP was being released at the time of
PubCommon ID’s creation, which started the browser restrictions trends that impact publishers’ monetization with partners like Epsilon. It is designed to be compliant with Apple ITP guidelines, and as a result to be compliant with other browser restrictions in the future. PubCommon ID has already achieved widespread adoption and driven positive results since its inception. Those who have implemented have seen a 23% increase in revenue and a 30% increase in filled impressions, and sometimes higher.
And, when more publishers can individually ID consumers, more consumers can experience the personalized content they prefer. For SharedID, Prebid sought to create a consistent, widespread solution within the marketplace to help with scalability. Open-source identity solutions, like PubCommon ID and now SharedID, help expand the scope of publishers who can implement ID solutions and free publishers from relying on hundreds of cookies, greatly reducing the overall identifier footprint.
…while retaining the privacy and transparency they want.
In addition to preferring personalized experiences, consumers want privacy. Consumers are increasingly aware of how their data is collected, and want full transparency into how it’s used. There’s even a new group of consumers emerging: one willing to act on their vocalized concern related to the management (or mismanagement) of their data. According to Cisco, 32% of consumers have gone so far as to switch companies or providers over data or data-sharing policies.
What we see with publisher identity solutions like SharedID and PubCommon ID is a distinct respect for privacy. SharedID has a single-point opt-out to give consumers full control over their privacy and advertising preferences. SharedID shares the vision of Epsilon and our PubCommon ID to monetize, fill ad space and improve user experience in a privacy-centric way. We decided to help power SharedID, as it has the ability to scale PubCommon ID’s vision based on Prebid’s marketeshare and trusted presence.
SharedID includes both first- and third-party components. This supports both today’s marketplace, which relies on third-party cookies, and the future marketplace, which will rely on first-party cookies. Having both first- and third-party cookie support within one solution provides a more complete identity solution and makes the transition into the third-party-cookieless world easier for all parties. SharedID also puts control back in the hands of publishers, allowing publishers to drive a truly transparent solution for identity. The solution embraces the open-source and community-driven approach that allows the open internet and ad tech at large to embrace a common, transparent namespace.
A new way to connect with consumers
We’re excited to be on the ground floor of industry change. SharedID builds on the vision of PubCommon ID to introduce an industry-wide improvement of publishers’ ability to identify their audience and monetize their websites, while keeping user privacy and experience at the forefront. Since SharedID is a community-owned solution, there is input from multiple companies in the ecosystem and therefore will offer more broad-based benefits and wider adoption than a solution built by one company looking to benefit themselves first.
This transfer gives us an opportunity to provide input into future changes with PubCommon ID and other Prebid product solutions, and is a validation of Epsilon as a leader in identity solutions. We look forward to being a part of the new digital advertising landscape.
To learn more, read the announcement here.
---
## Identity 101: Respecting consumer privacy while maintaining optimal CX
Type: eps_post
URL: /respecting-consumer-privacy-while-maintaining-the-optimal-customer-experience
Last Modified: 2025-05-07T19:46:07Z
# Identity 101: Respecting consumer privacy while maintaining optimal CX
Consumer privacy in digital advertising remains a hot topic that seems to evolve every day. Consumers increasingly care more and more about how their data is collected by brands, publishers, and social media sites to create personalized ad experiences. They want to be sure they have full transparency into how it’s used. What’s changing, a new group of consumers is emerging: one willing to act on their vocalized concern related to the management (or mismanagement) of their data. According to Cisco, 32% of consumers have gone so far as to switch companies or providers over data or data-sharing policies.
Browsers and mobile operating companies are starting to take notice of this growing demand:
Google announced that it will phase out third-party cookies by 2024*. Their post on Chromium Blog on the matter was titled "Building a more private web: A path towards making third party cookies obsolete."
In June, Apple shared that application developers in iOS 14, its mobile operating system, will need to seek end-user permission before gaining access to the brand’s mobile device ID, also known as Identifier for Advertisers (IDFA). Apple says: "Privacy is a fundamental human right and at the core of everything we do. That’s why with iOS 14, we’re giving you more control over the data you share and more transparency into how it’s used."
Not to mention Apple’s recent iOS 14 video ad is wholly privacy-centric, with an end line of: “Some things shouldn’t be shared. iPhone helps keep it that way.”
Amidst the growing consumer demand to understand how their data is used and an increasing amount of proposed privacy laws following the CCPA (which went into effect January 2020), marketers today need to know their business partner’s privacy practices and policies more than ever before. Although our research shows that while most consumers want personalized, data-driven ad experiences (68% of consumers think it’s worth sharing personal information in exchange for relevant offers, recommendations, and discounts), they also want their privacy rights maintained in the process.
Read on to learn why you should become familiar with your partners’ privacy practices and some criteria to help you select a trusted digital media partner to manage your customer data while meeting consumer expectations.
Privacy and identity
There’s a mind-boggling amount of data being generated online, and it’s growing daily. Identifying current and potential consumers in the ever-growing digital landscape is becoming more challenging with the impending death of the third-party cookie—an identifier many advertisers have heavily relied on—and the growing popularity of state privacy regulation.
When it comes to identity, walled gardens, like Facebook, Google, and Amazon, seem to have an advantage because of their login environments and access to ample first-party data. As the world transitions away from third-party cookies, maximizing the use of, or combining data from, the remaining identifiers into profiles has become that much more important. Brands need to focus on their first-party data strategies and work with partners that have future-proof solutions.
Questions to ask your partner
When deciding what partner to work with for digital media advertising, it’s important to keep privacy and transparency at the center. Here are some questions to ask when evaluating a potential partner and their ability to identify their consumers in a privacy-protected setting:
What is your approach to delivering solutions positioned for success in the evolving privacy landscape?
Epsilon practices the principle of Privacy by Design, meaning that Epsilon has embedded privacy protections into its business model, products, and services from the start. One of the effects is to minimize the unnecessary collection and use of personal information and give consumers the power to exercise greater choice over their personal information.
How do you protect the privacy of people whom brands can message on their network or platform? What safeguards are in place to keep my customer data safe?
At Epsilon, we use physical, electronic and administrative safeguards to protect personal information against loss, misuse and alteration. To minimize potential misuse of data, we do not allow any data that directly identifies a consumer in systems associated with our digital media solutions. Our technology is configured to keep directly identifying data elements such as name, address and email address out of those systems. We also partner with an external audit firm on an annual basis to verify that our safeguards effectively continue to keep this information out of our systems and meet industry standards.
Do you participate in AdChoices?
Yes, by participating in the Digital Advertising Alliance’s AdChoices program, we provide consumers with a variety of options to opt-out of tailored digital advertising, including through our websites and our marketing partners’ websites, and by displaying the AdChoices Icon with each digital display, video and mobile advertisement.
Do you opt people out at the cookie level or the individual level?
We have observed that a person has five touchpoints on average across channels and devices. As our digital identity solution is people-based, not cookie-based, we developed our opt-out capabilities to persist over time at the individual level, versus just over the short-lived life of a cookie.
The digital media partner you choose to work with should have a company culture where consumer privacy is an integral part of their business model. Your identity solution should empower individuals to exercise greater control over their information by enabling a persistent opt-out solution at the individual level.
Consumer data is a privilege. Without it, you wouldn’t be able to fuel your marketing campaigns and serve highly personalized content to your consumers. It’s essential to put your consumers at the forefront and have their privacy be of utmost importance to your brand.
Want to learn more about how you can have a privacy-centered approach to identifying your customers? Download our guide 5 building blocks of identity management.
---
## What consumers want for loyalty in 2021 and how marketers can deliver
Type: eps_post
URL: /consumer-loyalty-trends-2021
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T22:17:52Z
# What consumers want for loyalty in 2021 and how marketers can deliver
Even in the best of times, customers are capricious. Then throw in a pandemic to the mix…
As restrictions waver and realities change, what an individual felt comfortable doing in the summer may not be an option now. Consequently, marketers have had to pivot on a moment’s notice and reinvent how they communicate with customers. Successful brands are those who remain connected to their customers with relevant messaging and continued delivery of positive customer experiences. Loyalty marketers have an advantage here—they already have data-driven insights and close customer relationships.
But even the strongest loyalty strategies are not immune to the need for agility and evolution. In fact, we are seeing that the pandemic has been an impetus for some brands to reimagine loyalty—what it means, how to build it and how to maintain it. We believe in the chaos that was 2020, also comes the opportunity to innovate. To help you get started, I’ve identified the top trends in consumer values and behavior that will impact your loyalty strategy, and some tips on how to bolster your efforts as you move into the new year.
What will consumers value most in 2021?
Privacy and trust
What’s happening?
The headlines around data privacy are beginning to compound. Most notably, walled gardens like Facebook and Google have come under fire for privacy concerns: In an Illinois class-action lawsuit, Facebook has been ordered to pay up to $650 million to specific residents for misuse of facial recognition technology, while Google’s acquisition of Fitbit has raised international concerns for the collection and use of health-centric data.
But the conversation doesn’t end there. The Social Dilemma, a documentary warning consumers of the potentially harmful impact of persuasive design techniques and algorithms fueled by consumer data, has reached a global audience on Netflix with viewership topping 38 million (and counting).
How customer data is being used—and sometimes abused—is creeping towards the forefront of people’s minds, and they’re starting to take it seriously. A major impact of this reckoning is a craving for trust and transparency from brands and tech giants alike.
What does it mean for your loyalty strategy?
For loyalty marketers, things look a bit different. Because loyalty programs are opt-in, consumers are voluntarily offering up their data in return for personalized content and special access to offers and promotions. But as we move into 2021 and concerns around consumer data privacy become heightened, it’s imperative the value exchange between customers and brands is actually valuable to the customer and that you instill trust—because they’ll be expecting it.
Walgreens is a recent example of a brand that reinvented their current loyalty program to improve the value exchange for customers. The new myWalgreens rewards program offers an even more robust, personalized solution than their previous Balanced Rewards program. myWalgreens makes saving and shopping easier, while focusing on the holistic health and wellbeing of customers at the center of their strategy. Customers get more from the myWalgreens program, as it moves beyond just point-based rewards to “personalized deals, product recommendations, well-being benefits and more ways to get time back. From prescription refills to curbside pickup.” Equalizing the value exchange ultimately makes the customer feel like their contributions (i.e., sharing personal information and opting into communications) are worth it.
Escapism
What’s happening?
The craziness that was 2020—from the pandemic to the general election and more—has everyone looking for a break (I know I need one). According to Epsilon’s Shopper’s Voice data, 60% of consumers have negative feelings about recent changes in their lives due to COVID-19. People are gravitating towards experiences that allow them to evade this reality for a bit.
We’ve seen escapism pop-up across industries. Recently, a wave of 2000s television shows like Survivor and America’s Next Top Model have been added to Netflix’s lineup. The shows have consistently found themselves in the top 10 for the week—the streaming giant even announced America’s Next Top Model has over 1.5 million views an episode.
Outside of television, the New York Times identified isolationist travel as the new form of escapism during the pandemic. Remote camping, road trips and hiking are the new go-to as people reimagine their vacations because air travel or group trips to resorts may pose hygiene and safety risks.
What does it mean for your loyalty strategy?
Loyalty marketers should take this as a cue that people are looking for something more than offers and promotions. They’re looking for experiences and emotional connections. Something to distract them from their everyday. Experiential loyalty will be big in 2021, but maybe not in the traditional sense of splashy rewards like in-person getaways, meet & greets and VIP galas. As more people are poised to stay at home during Q1, loyalty will be built by ensuring you engage on the right channels with appropriate emotional experiences. And of course, by creating contactless loyalty with customers. This means focusing on top-notch experiences that don’t require in-person interactions, like curbside pickup and app ordering.
Dunkin is a prime example of a brand that quickly shifted to create positive customer experiences early on in the pandemic, by offering safe, contactless ordering and pickup through their app. Their external messaging promotes the app as the first step in the ordering process. Once customers have downloaded the app, they can choose to continue signing up for the rewards program or order as a guest.
Dunkin also added curbside pickup to 1,000 stores that didn’t have drive-thru options (which now represents 2% of all transactions at those stores). They also expanded delivery from 2,000 to 4,000 locations across the country. Crafting an experience that easily allows customers to place orders through their app, and having the option for delivery or curbside pickup, is a huge win—contactless delivery orders are 3x the average check size.
Spotify has also nailed experiential loyalty for a few years in a row. Their Spotify Wrapped year-in-review analyzes robust behavioral data to detail a user’s top songs, artists and genres. A user can watch a kitschy video of their listening history and then share it across social media platforms. The buzz around Spotify Wrapped is unparalleled with any other music streaming platform—some users actually choose Spotify over, say, Apple Music just so they can see their Wrapped results every year (just ask Twitter). The rather simple but extremely effective experience allows people to reflect on the music they escaped to for the year—plus, it’s super fun.
Hope
What’s happening?
With news of a vaccine, people are hopeful we can return to “normal life” at some point in in 2021. This Washington Post article sums it up perfectly; 2020 is cancelled. While the pandemic isn’t going away any time soon, the new year will be about growth, rebuilding and fresh starts.
While people are trying to cope with reconnecting to some sense of normalcy, we’re noticing a rising wave of nostalgia that reminds people of the good ol’ days. Ford is releasing a new version of the iconic Bronco. Even high fashion brands are resurrecting 2000s fashion trends.
What does this mean for your loyalty strategy?
This should excite loyalty marketers. The future of loyalty is bright if brands work to understand their customers—what they’re feeling and thinking about the world. But in order to do this, loyalty marketers should set their sights beyond transactional data. They need focus on contextual data as well such as behaviors, interests and changes in browsing behavior. While transactional data is extremely important, think beyond purchases and consider the bigger picture of a person’s every day (and how your brand can fit into it).
One way Marriott has picked up on consumers’ craving for hope and anything to look forward to is by encouraging travelers to use their loyalty points now for their vacations next year. People can “travel with a peace of mind” with flexible cancelations and contactless services. That way, travelers can feel comfortable booking a trip in the future without the worry of a difficult cancelation.
This year, we’ve learned that customers are expecting more from brands—and this will only intensify as we move into 2021. They’re expecting trust, an escape and a glimmer of hope. Using the trends we’ve highlighted above, loyalty marketers can evolve their strategy for the new year. It’s time for brands to take a step back and reimagine loyalty.
---
## 5 ways marketers are preparing for third-party cookie deprecation
Type: eps_post
URL: /5-ways-marketers-are-preparing-for-for-third-party-cookie-deprecation
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# 5 ways marketers are preparing for third-party cookie deprecation
As we approach 2021, it’s inevitable that third-party cookie deprecation and IDFA will fundamentally change the marketing ecosystem—for better or worse.
But what do marketers think of these changes? And, more importantly, how are they preparing?
Epsilon’s new research study—“Preparing for a world without third-party cookies”—finds significant apprehension among marketers as many search for marketing solutions built for the new world. Brands seem to be saying their customer acquisition strategies won’t be as efficient, so they need to do what they can to minimize drop-off, while also maximizing the value of the customers they do have.
It’s an important problem to solve for. But not all solutions are created equal. What marketers choose now could make or break their campaigns in the years to come.
Marketers are wisely focusing on anchoring their new strategies on their first-party data and investing in ways to enhance the value of those data assets. But some solutions will have near-term benefits that fizzle out over time. Others are well-intentioned but may be the wrong direction for the long term. Decisions and investments made now are critical to get right.
Based on the research findings, here are five ways marketers are dealing with cookie deprecation and the outlooks associated with these actions.
Building a customer data platform (CDP) (67%)
Outlook: Right direction, but the CDP needs to be enterprise-ready
CDPs are appealing because they promise to help marketers see a single view of their customers that can power omnichannel personalization. Unfortunately, few CDPs were designed for enterprise marketers, who need to manage and access data and intelligence at a massive scale, relative to their mid-market peers. And this has been an ongoing issue—Forrester wrote in a 2018 report and again in a 2020 report that CDPs weren’t built to solve enterprise problems.
Early on, many CDP vendors collectively chose not to develop robust identity strategies, data management services and rich intelligence layers for their platforms. Each of these areas is critical for CDPs at enterprise-level businesses, but they’re just not widely available in the CDP market today.
Strategizing around first-party data (62%)
Outlook: The clearest near-term path for long-term growth
If a brand has strong first-party data, it can activate that data much more effectively with partners and publishers. It is also the foundation of acquisition strategies—understanding your best customers is the starting point for finding more like them.
One form of first-party data online is first-party cookies, which will remain even after third-party cookies go away. First-party cookies are a key part of the ecosystem that marketers need to master if they want to be successful.
With third-party data harder both to acquire and to utilize effectively, brands need to maximize their first-party interactions and the first-party data they collect from customers. Though as always, data privacy should be at the forefront of that conversation, and any exchange should be rooted in creating value for the consumer. Be clear about what data is collected, how it will be used and only collect what’s necessary.
Building out a private ID graph (60%)
Outlook: Good intentions, but very few brands are in a position to do this right
There are virtually no brands that have the online scale and reach to build a private ID graph by themselves, so this is necessarily a partner strategy. With that in mind, it’s more than a little troubling that almost two-thirds of marketers said they were pursuing this kind of initiative. Large- to mid-sized brands should focus on CDPs and first-party data strategies (No. 1 and No. 2 here), and on selecting the right partner to combine that with a cookie-proofed ID graph (like Epsilon’s) or to leverage their data to create a scalable media network without needing to be Amazon or Walmart.
Moving to contextual targeting strategies (54%)
Outlook: Easy near-term solve, but highly inefficient
Contextual ensures your content is at least somewhat relevant to the site’s audience, but it’s highly inefficient from a customer journey and ad waste perspective. It amounts to taking a step backward in advertising, moving away from optimizing for the individual and largely giving up on effective performance measurement.
So how do you keep the capabilities of people-based advertising without third-party cookies?
Work with the publishers. In this scenario, the publisher becomes the gateway to the consumer, and marketers should rely more heavily on them. First-party data with publishers needs to be scaled and linked to the brand’s own data on that individual. Brands and publishers are actively working on this in partnership as publisher relationships become even more central to the future of digital media. In order to generate useful scale through this approach, brands will (once again) need to work with partners who have built the necessary linkages at the publisher level.
Getting a data clean room (25%)
Outlook: Not enough marketers are moving in this direction
It’s surprising that only 25% of marketers are looking at data clean rooms as an option here. Third-party cookie deprecation will fundamentally change how brands reach individuals and, at least initially, reduce their understanding of consumer behavior. The brands that figure out how to overcome this in a privacy-safe way will be better poised for success in the new world of advertising, which is where clean rooms come in.
Offering second-party data partnerships that help facilitate better journeys and measurement, clean rooms from Facebook, Google—even Spotify—have been a new, exciting option for marketers. But it’s the cross-vendor clean room solutions that offer a vendor-agnostic alternative, where all advertising data from first-party environments can come together in a clean, friendly way.
Brands still get access to highly unique ad data, but they don’t suffer from self-serving vendor restrictions that impact activation and measurement. Clean rooms are a recent, but very promising, bright spot amidst third-party cookie deprecation.
**This article was originally published on Adweek, December 2020.
---
## The essential guide to customer acquisition
Type: eps_post
URL: /the-essential-guide-to-customer-acquisition
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T22:17:52Z
# The essential guide to customer acquisition
Customer acquisition is all about getting as many high-value, in-market consumers in the door as possible and is arguably one of the most important initiatives for any business. It allows brands to build a client base, enable customer loyalty programs and minimize costs to increase return on investment (ROI). It can also be one of the most difficult initiatives. In order to succeed, brands need to devote resources towards understanding the prospect and providing a personalized and relevant experience.
What is customer acquisition?
Customer acquisition is the process of gaining new customers. It sounds simple enough, right? However, it requires a lot of know-how and a team of experts to optimize the process.
Customer acquisition, or client acquisition, is a crucial initiative because, let’s face it, without new customers there is no business! Brands use customer acquisition to understand the value of each paying customer by measuring the money a company spends to bring in a new client. The lower the marketing spend needed to acquire a new customer, the higher the profit. Companies look at this metric to inform their marketing strategies and improve margins.
Brands ultimately implement customer acquisition marketing to gain new customers, which can include crafting strategies and monitoring outcomes to increase their client base while reducing costs.
Although each company can design its own customer acquisition strategy, the best way to start is to consider the three phases of the customer journey where customer acquisition happens:
Discovery: When customers are looking to address a need, they evaluate different options to satisfy said need. This may be the first few visits to your website, often with the goal of consuming content and learning more about your product or services.
Consideration: Actions taken by a customer indicates interest, such as research, browsing, or signing up for alerts and promotions. They are evaluating whether or not your product or service can meet their needs in comparison to other brands.
Conversion: The experience of making a purchase and therefore becoming a customer.
This three-stage process is also known as a sales funnel or sales acquisition process. It’s important to understand how your customers move through this funnel, and tailor your customer acquisition strategy to complement each stage. Keep this in mind as we continue.
What is the customer acquisition process?
The customer acquisition process is just that—the act of acquiring new customers. Your brand should pre-define and design each step of the process. By doing so, you can create a road map to streamline the process. At any given point, a company can monitor certain parts of the road map, identify weak points and optimize for better results.
Step 1: Identify the audience
First, you need to identify your target audience. If you’re targeting multiple audiences, it might be best to design a different sales acquisition strategy for each group.
Moreover, the most successful customer acquisition campaigns have personalized elements catered to the individuals interest, needs or behavior. To identify and understand your audience, your brand can employ various methods including:
Creating a target prospect profile, otherwise known as the customer persona
Conducting market research through online platforms and focus groups
Analyzing new customer profiles
Leveraging third-party data from competitors
Understanding social and search trends for understanding needs of customers using digital conversations
Step 2: Define your strategy & design a plan
Once you identify and understand your targeted audience, you need to leverage data findings and industry best practices to develop program launch and communication plan. Also, don’t forget to consider which stage of the customer journey your audience may find themselves in. How you message people in the discovery stage should be different than the consideration stage.
To optimize new customer acquisition, your plan should include:
A cross-channel activation strategy with connected communications across email, display, search, social, mobile and direct mail
A messaging matrix that considers digital voice and addresses your prospects needs and attitudes
A testing and measurement plan that defines KPIs such as: impressions, click through rate, new customer acquisition, cost per acquisition (CPA), return on investment (ROI) and return on ad spend (ROAS)
Step 3: Launch
Once the audience has been identified, the channels have been chosen, and the KPIs are all set, it is time to launch your campaigns. During this part of the process, your company needs to monitor all pre-set KPIs and begin collecting data.
Step 4: Measurement & optimization
The entire reason to have KPIs in place is to have a clear picture of what is working and what’s not. Optimization should be an ongoing process. The end goal is to eliminate campaigns that do not bring in the best results, boost those campaigns that work well, and eliminate any issues identified through the monitoring process.
For example, if a you find website traffic is high but conversion is low, focus on the landing page and experiment with the content or CTAs.
Customer acquisition strategies
New customer acquisition campaigns can run both wide and deep with lots to research and test in order to find the best methods for a brand’s target audience. Before getting to this point, brands have to complete a series of self-assessments. This includes identifying their particular acquisition challenges, ideal customers and which channels will work best for both brand and consumer alike.
Once this self-assessment is complete, there are various evergreen acquisition strategies that companies can implement to increase their customer acquisition:
Using video content to increase engagement.
Do giveaways to increase organic awareness.
Leverage content marketing to improve SEO and keep prospects engaged.
Use consistent branding and clear communication to increase trust and authority.
Run referral programs.
Implement a reward program to increase client retention.
Create an affiliate program.
Build partnerships and utilize their leads to promote your product/service.
Use landing pages when launching new products to highlight them and help customers focus on the new solutions the company is bringing to the market.
Implement newsletters to collect leads and subscribers to minimize marketing costs.
Publish content on external websites.
Leverage influencers that reach your target audience and align to your brand voice.
Ensure paid search campaigns are optimized based on product, audience and geographic location
It’s important not rush into any one acquisition tactic. Rather, take a step back and do the research, build out your acquisition channel matrix and growth model, and then put into play some minimum viable experiments to see what starts to gain traction.
Customer acquisition cost
The cost of customer acquisition, also known as CAC, is calculated by taking the amount spent on acquiring customers and dividing it by the number of clients earned. For example, if a social media campaign has a budget of $1,000, and it resulted in 100 conversions, then the CAC is measured at $10 per conversion.
There is no set CAC that is considered ideal across all industries. However, a good baseline can be measured by calculating the CAC compared to the customer lifetime value (LTV). The general idea is that LTV to CAC ratio at 3:1. For example, if the lifetime value of a customer is $30, then a good CAC is $10. The lower the CAC, the higher the profit margins.
Benefits of customer acquisition
Customer acquisition is the backbone of all companies. Besides supporting a healthy pipeline of new customers to balance out natural attrition, one of the most beneficial pieces of new customer acquisition is the fact that customers are highly engaged when they are new to a brand (something we see trail off over time, depending on the business).
Understanding the customer acquisition process can help companies build healthy financial projections and prepare accordingly for market needs. For example, when a company understands the CAC, it can project that if $100,000 is injected into their advertising costs, an X amount of new clients will be acquired. This helps secure funding, allot inventory, and run healthy operations with minimal waste.
Case study: A restaurant brand prioritizes acquisition
We recently helped a restaurant company quantify their acquisition strategy with transaction data. Their family of brands had a general understanding of how important email marketing was for driving in-restaurant traffic, and knew acquisition should be a major focus for the program. However, they were unsure about how to prioritize acquisition efforts based on existing resources and budget.
To help them we:
Analyzed subscriber revenue and developed life time value (LTV) model to help quantify impact of acquisition efforts and justify cost per acquisition
Completed a web and in-restaurant assessment and identified and prioritized areas of opportunity
Established acquisition roadmap that included prioritized acquisition efforts across email, web, social, display, partnership, mobile, in-restaurant and search
Launched a newly designed web interface for subscriber acquisition including cross-brand integration
The result was double-digit growth in existing channels for most brands. New channels explored drove promising impact to overall program. Further, our cross-brand acquisition efforts drove almost 2x the program growth in less than a year with minimal impact to unsubscribe rates and positive revenue impact.
Epsilon can help with your customer acquisition needs
A strong customer acquisition strategy does not consist of magic and guesswork. Rather, it is a calculated approach, saving a company money and time. At Epsilon, we focus on evolving and embracing the new ways customers interact and engage with brands. As a digital marketing agency, our experts can provide strategic consulting services, data for activation plans and digital media personalization.
Contact us for more information.
---
## New year, new approach to loyalty: What consumers want and how marketers can deliver
Type: eps_post
URL: /new-year-new-approach-to-loyalty-what-consumers-want-and-how-marketers-can-deliver
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T22:17:52Z
# New year, new approach to loyalty: What consumers want and how marketers can deliver
Even in the best of times, customers can be unpredictable. Then throw in a pandemic to the mix…
As restrictions waver and realities change, what an individual felt comfortable doing at the beginning of last year may not be an option now. Consequently, marketers have had to pivot on a moment’s notice and reinvent how they communicate with customers. Successful brands are those who remain connected to their customers with relevant messaging and continued delivery of positive customer experiences. Loyalty marketers have an advantage here - they already have data-driven insights and close customer relationships.
But even the strongest loyalty strategies are not immune to the need for agility and evolution. In fact, we are seeing that the pandemic has been a catalyst for some brands to reimagine loyalty - what it means, how to build it and how to maintain it. We believe in the chaos that was 2020, also comes the opportunity to innovate. To help you get started, I’ve identified the top trends in consumer values and behavior that will impact your loyalty strategy, and some tips on how to bolster your efforts as you move into the new year.
What will consumers value most in 2021?
Privacy and trust
What’s happening?
The headlines around data privacy are beginning to compound. Most notably, walled gardens like Facebook and Google have come under fire for privacy concerns: In an Illinois class-action lawsuit, Facebook has been ordered to pay up to $650 million to specific residents for misuse of facial recognition technology, while Google’s acquisition of Fitbit has raised international concerns for the collection and use of health-centric data.
But the conversation doesn’t end there. The Social Dilemma, a documentary warning consumers of the potentially harmful impact of persuasive design techniques and algorithms fueled by consumer data, has reached a global audience on Netflix with viewership topping 38 million (and counting).
How customer data is being used - and sometimes abused - is creeping towards the forefront of people’s minds, and they’re starting to take it seriously. A major impact of this reckoning is a craving for trust and transparency from brands and tech giants alike.
What does it mean for your loyalty strategy?
For loyalty marketers, things look a bit different. Because loyalty programmes are opt-in, consumers are voluntarily offering up their data in return for personalised content and special access to offers and promotions. But in 2021, with concerns around consumer data privacy becoming heightened, it’s imperative the value exchange between customers and brands is actually valuable to the customer and that you instill trust - because they’ll be expecting it.
Walgreens is a recent example of a brand that reinvented their current loyalty programme to improve the value exchange for customers. The new myWalgreens rewards program offers an even more robust, personalised solution than their previous Balanced Rewards programme. myWalgreens makes saving and shopping easier, while focusing on the holistic health and wellbeing of customers at the center of their strategy. Customers get more from the myWalgreens programme, as it moves beyond just point-based rewards to “personalised deals, product recommendations, well-being benefits and more ways to get time back. From prescription refills to curbside pickup.” Equalising the value exchange ultimately makes the customer feel like their contributions (i.e., sharing personal information and opting into communications) are worth it.
Escapism
What’s happening?
The craziness that was 2020 - from the pandemic to Brexit and more—has everyone looking for a break (I know I need one). In research we conducted with Retail Week last year, nearly 33% of respondents predicted that they would be even more unhappy in 2021. People are gravitating towards experiences that allow them to evade this reality for a bit.
We’ve seen escapism pop-up across industries. Recently, a wave of 2000s television shows like Survivor and America’s Next Top Model have been added to Netflix’s lineup. The shows have consistently found themselves in the top 10 for the week—the streaming giant even announced America’s Next Top Model has over 1.5 million views an episode.
Outside of television, the New York Times identified isolationist travel as the new form of escapism during the pandemic. Remote camping, road trips and hiking are the new go-to as people reimagine their holidays because air travel or group trips to resorts may pose hygiene and safety risks.
What does it mean for your loyalty strategy?
Loyalty marketers should take this as a cue that people are looking for something more than offers and promotions. They’re looking for experiences and emotional connections. Something to distract them from their everyday. Experiential loyalty will be big in 2021, but maybe not in the traditional sense of splashy rewards like in-person getaways, meet & greets and VIP galas. As more people are poised to stay at home during Q1, loyalty will be built by ensuring you engage on the right channels with appropriate emotional experiences. And of course, by creating contactless loyalty with customers. This means focusing on top-notch experiences that don’t require in-person interactions, like curbside pickup and app ordering.
Dunkin is a prime example of a brand that quickly shifted to create positive customer experiences early on in the pandemic, by offering safe, contactless ordering and pickup through their app. Their external messaging promotes the app as the first step in the ordering process. Once customers have downloaded the app, they can choose to continue signing up for the rewards programme or order as a guest.
Dunkin also added curbside pickup to 1,000 stores that didn’t have drive-thru options (which now represents 2% of all transactions at those stores). They also expanded delivery from 2,000 to 4,000 locations across the US. Crafting an experience that easily allows customers to place orders through their app, and having the option for delivery or curbside pickup, is a huge win—contactless delivery orders are 3x the average check size.
Spotify has also nailed experiential loyalty for a few years in a row. Their Spotify Wrapped year-in-review analyses robust behavioral data to detail a user’s top songs, artists and genres. A user can watch a kitschy video of their listening history and then share it across social media platforms. The buzz around Spotify Wrapped is unparalleled with any other music streaming platform - some users actually choose Spotify over, say, Apple Music just so they can see their Wrapped results every year (just ask Twitter). The rather simple but extremely effective experience allows people to reflect on the music they escaped to for the year - plus, it’s fun!
Hope
What’s happening?
With news of a vaccine, people are hopeful we can return to “normal life” at some point in in 2021. This Washington Post article sums it up perfectly; 2020 is cancelled. While the pandemic isn’t going away any time soon, the new year will be about growth, rebuilding and fresh starts.
While people are trying to cope with reconnecting to some sense of normalcy, we’re noticing a rising wave of nostalgia that reminds people of the good ol’ days. Ford is releasing a new version of the iconic Bronco. Even high fashion brands are resurrecting 2000s fashion trends.
What does this mean for your loyalty strategy?
This should excite loyalty marketers. The future of loyalty is bright if brands work to understand their customers - what they’re feeling and thinking about the world. But in order to do this, loyalty marketers should set their sights beyond transactional data. They need to focus on contextual data as well such as behaviors, interests and changes in browsing behavior. While transactional data is extremely important, think beyond purchases and consider the bigger picture of a person’s every day (and how your brand can fit into it).
One way Marriott has picked up on consumers’ craving for hope and anything to look forward to is by encouraging travelers to use their loyalty points now for their vacations next year. People can “travel with a peace of mind” with flexible cancelations and contactless services. That way, travelers can feel comfortable booking a trip in the future without the worry of a difficult cancelation.
In 2020, we learned that customers are expecting more from brands - and this will only intensify in 2021. They’re expecting trust, an escape and a glimmer of hope. Using the trends we’ve highlighted above, loyalty marketers can evolve their strategy for the new year. It’s time for brands to take a step back and reimagine loyalty.
---
## How identity resolution can help solve healthcare's marketing challenge
Type: eps_post
URL: /how-identity-resolution-can-help-solve-healthcares-marketing-challenge
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T22:17:52Z
# How identity resolution can help solve healthcare's marketing challenge
In marketing circles, it’s long been true that when it comes to customers “the more you know, the more you grow.” Having a thorough understanding of existing customers not only ensures that marketers can best communicate in ways that resonate and compel customers to action, but can also help them find new ones. How? By drilling down into their characteristics and then looking for other people in the market area who share these same traits.
For instance, if you’re the CMO for an integrated healthcare system with a goal of building a broader customer base for dermatology services, you might decide to target female patients within a certain age range and geography. You might also profile your existing dermatology services patients and then reach out to the community at large within a certain geographic area and target people with those same characteristics. The odds are good that you’ll capture some new customers in the process.
This all presumes, of course, that you have actionable customer data that provides you with the opportunity to thoroughly understand who they are and how best to message them.
Healthcare marketing faces unique challenges
This same principle can apply in healthcare circles as insurance providers seek new customers or patients. There’s a yin/yang to the healthcare industry, though, in terms of data:
On the one hand, you likely have a lot of very detailed data about patients.
On the other hand, that data is highly subject to privacy and security restrictions that may limit how you’re able to use it.
That conundrum has kept many healthcare insurance providers from leveraging the value of their data as extensively as marketers in other industries can.
Ultimately, this is more because they don’t have the necessary tools than it is about not having enough data. Healthcare marketers need to accurately join disparate data from non-integrated systems to create a holistic view of consumers. In fact, tools like identity management are underutilized in the healthcare space. As a result, healthcare providers struggle to send accurate and appropriate messages to their consumers about their accounts, the management of their own healthcare, or the management of the healthcare of the loved ones they’re responsible for. Most healthcare marketers often try but fail because this is not their core competency.
How to overcome these healthcare marketing obstacles
Yes, healthcare marketers must understand how they can, and can’t, use patient healthcare information (PHI) in their marketing efforts. But just because they have to be careful doesn’t mean they can’t!
For instance: healthcare marketers can’t target your messaging specifically to diabetes patients, but you can target patients using lifestyle psychographics that correlate strongly with diabetes.
Because PHI and non-PHI data is often not stored in the same place, and because healthcare organizations must stay HIPAA compliant, many just feel it’s too complicated, and too risky, to use customer-centric messaging and marketing. Identity management solutions can help.
Building lookalike models off your patients is a great example of this.
Using identity management solutions to retain customers
Different patients, depending on age, healthcare concerns and other attributes, have different needs and interests. Understanding patient needs and taking steps to reach out to them at key times in their patient journey can help keep them on board, ensure they seek services when they need them, and help develop patients as powerful brand advocates.
If you make wellbeing content and capabilities central to patient engagement, your healthcare organization is positioned as an advocate, and partner, in their healthcare journey. Promoting your digital tools can deepen these trusted relationships while also helping patients more actively manage their health.
There are many touchpoints where you can effectively reach out to patients:
During initial sign-up
With appointment reminders
Self-care tips
Patients, depending on their care concerns, also benefit from helpful reminders that may correlate to time of year or current issues—like effectively staying safe during the pandemic.
Healthcare marketers can effectively facilitate loyalty through contextual marketing outreach and a strategy that directly relates to patients needs and concerns. At the same time, they can drive consumer advocacy through a focus on generating meaningful patient reviews.
Other industries have seen the benefits of strong identity resolution. The financial services industry is a good example of this—they strategically leverage the power of their data to grow market share and maintain customer satisfaction. They too have privacy considerations to work around, but they’re been able to find and retain new customers with the right identity resolution provider to help them succeed.
Learn more: The five building blocks of identity resolution
How one healthcare organization captured new customers through lookalike models with Epsilon’s Help
A large pharmacy benefit manager and care services group enlisted Epsilon to help with their identity management solution during open enrollment for Medicare. Because the healthcare brand invested in an identity management solution, they now know (with certainty) who their patients are, so they can run lookalike models to acquire new customers based on specific patient attributes and geography. To reduce repeat messaging and ad waste, current patients are stripped out of the acquisition efforts.
Marketing efforts can then be used to create buzz and educate consumers—the right consumers—about Medicare advantages. Influencers like brokers and physicians can also be leveraged to help spread the word.
This is just one example of how Epsilon can strategically help healthcare marketers use their patient data to help attract new patients—in a privacy complaint way, of course. Once on board, data can also be leveraged to help retain patients by reaching out to them at key times.
Don’t go at it alone
Effectively engaging patients on an ongoing basis requires a sound strategy, an understanding of how to best leverage data, the ability to analyze and respond to results. Acquisition, retention and engagement all hinge on your ability to identify customers in a private, HIPAA-compliant way. This really isn’t something you should take a DIY approach to.
Investing in a strong identity management partnership can help healthcare brands effectively utilize their customer database within privacy and HIPAA parameters. A partner like Epsilon.
Contact Epsilon to start an educational and accessible conversation on how you can leverage identity management to reach your marketing KPIs and goals.
---
## 2021 is email's time to shine as an outcomes-based channel
Type: eps_post
URL: /emails-time-to-shine-as-an-outcomes-based-channel
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# 2021 is email's time to shine as an outcomes-based channel
You heard it here first: 2021 will be the year email marketing steps back into the spotlight.
In a report released in November 2020, eMarketer shared that “there is ample evidence that the pandemic actually grew email’s prominence as a touchpoint between brands and their consumers.” It goes on to note that even with email’s enormous penetration rate, it still has not peaked.
Email may seem like a counterintuitive channel as a high performer in the modern age of marketing. It’s the nature of today’s business that when you have a less expensive channel (like email), it gets less attention from leadership. This can often misconstrue the true value of email marketing. While sending a “bad” email doesn’t appear to cost much, what it is actually costing is quite significant. Bad email turns clients off, loses attention and disconnects them from your brand.
Email is now front-and-center due to the pandemic, and the influx makes it more important for brands to refine their strategy. As a leader in email marketing (per Forrester), we are well versed in creating and executing email campaigns that build strong, enduring brand-customer relationships. Here are four pieces of advice to help you make email a truly personalized, outcomes-based channel in 2021.
1. Let insights drive email content innovation
Your email strategy should always start with the individual, but you also need to account for the larger societal context as much as you can. Building a contextual email marketing calendar—one that is informed by the latest trends and insights—is key to success in 2021.
To ensure you’re developing the right kind of calendar, here are some questions to consider:
How are consumers behaving? Your calendar should account for many different consumer segments and their unique behaviors. For example, consider spending levels, top purchase categories and purchase location to inform your strategy. With the pandemic still ongoing and the future uncertain, it’s important for marketers to stay on top of current consumer behavior and sentiment trends.
Can you create goodwill? Stories of community involvement, customer care and action plans will resonate with consumers in the coming year—just make sure they’re genuine. A lot of brands shared how they’re doing good during the pandemic, but consumers started to care more about purpose-driven brands before the pandemic and will continue to do so afterward. When it comes to email, make sure you’re sharing what your brand is doing: Gap, for instance, sent an email in August sharing that the company donated $25,000 to two nonpartisan non-profits dedicated to promoting voter registration during the election year. In that same email, Gap also linked to a voter registration page and more information on voting.
Are there untapped areas for innovation? Explore if there are areas to expand digital innovation in your calendar. Gamification is catching fire in the industry, along with virtual events and celebrations. Push some boundaries and try something new if it makes sense for your brand. The pandemic brought forth creativity from many brands: Fine dining restaurants like Comedor, for instance, introduced “guided dining experiences” where they ship four-course menu options to participants who meet on Zoom for a cooking tutorial.
Are there valuable incentives or solutions to encourage loyalty? Long-term customer loyalty is always the goal, but people need a reason to stay loyal to your brand. Think of new ways to not only incentivize customers in the new year, but also become a trusted advisor to them in finding solutions to their daily challenges.
2. Build personalization to meet an individual’s needs first, not those of the business
It’s important that your email marketing strategy is not created in a vacuum of your brand’s own objectives. “The best email programs are ones that balance business goals with user needs,” said Shar VanBoskirk, VP and principal analyst at Forrester, in a recent article. “Most of the time, email marketers forget about the ‘user need’ part of that equation.”
This can be a struggle. In many ways, we’re still reliant on an old approach to marketing, where it is viewed by channel as opposed to by consumer. Using data to drive your email marketing is more critical than ever. Think about someone browsing your site, adding items to their cart or maybe taking some away—how are you using content, images and hierarchy to inform the next message or email that consumer receives?
Data should be the fuel for all your communication. The more you leverage and use the data to inform your decisions and content, the better off you are. AI and machine learning allow you to get granular with personalization to optimize content, subject lines, send time and discount offerings at the individual level. But it’s more than just technology. AI and machine learning must exist alongside real-time activation, and the experience must be seamless.
For example: When luxury fashion brand Coach used AI-based IQ informed recommendations for individual email subscribers in an eight-week pilot program, the company saw 18% more engagement, a 3.1% lift in revenue per recipient and a 3.7% higher average order value. Coach set out to cultivate more personal relationships with its customers to meet their unique needs, and the brand’s program showed that personal resonance can drive significant results.
3. Understand scale is critical to success
Email is the perfect channel for personalization because people expect it to be personal, intimate and meaningful. But naturally, you need scale to get any kind of impact.
Traditionally, brands have leveraged segments and personas to fuel personalized email marketing at scale, but segmentation is no longer enough. Email personalization isn’t simply first name and product recommendations; it must account for the moments in which consumers are making decisions leveraging content, time of day, cadence, sequence of messages and more. We’re now in a place to personalize every message for every individual—every time.
With email’s resurgence, brands should embrace the technology available to them. To develop strong, long-lasting relationships through email, brands must treat each individual as a segment of one—and they can.
Looking back at the year, the brands that performed best were those that created customer-centric emails and aligned their organizations with what was most important to their customers.
For example, when the pandemic hit, McDonald’s wanted to bring their business to consumers’ front doors. The quick service restaurant began offering McDelivery, encouraging customers to safely and easily get their favorite McDonald’s items delivered. The brand developed different email messages that would resonate with both work-from-home and home-school audiences, optimizing each one to the individual based on past behavior and preferences. In doing so, McDonald’s achieved personalization and scale at the same time.
4. Measure email performance over time vs. in siloed episodes
Lastly, if you haven’t done so already, it’s time to radically shift the way you assess email performance.
In the past, marketers have viewed email measurement as being episodic: They send an email and immediately ask “How many clicks did I get? How many conversions from those clicks?” Instead, marketers need to look at email programs over time and how they affect consumer behavior over time—it’s far more about nurturing client relationships than “did I get a click?”
This concept of increasing the aperture of time is critical to understanding the true value of email. You may have a portion of consumers who respond to emails and click through immediately, but a much larger portion are still gathering information, particularly for considered purchases. It’s time to start asking some new questions: Are you looking at how much value your email customers are bringing over time? Is email effective at building and maintaining client relationships, even if it’s not driving an immediate sale?
In 2021 and beyond, marketers should begin to think about a single email as part of a larger customer journey, and email marketing itself as the gateway to the consumer, not the business.
**This article was originally published on Adweek, January 2021.
---
## 2021 – The Year of Retention
Type: eps_post
URL: /2021-the-year-of-retention
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T22:09:52Z
# 2021 – The Year of Retention
When the pandemic hit in 2020 it was hugely disruptive to retailers. However, as the year drew to a close, it became clear that there were significant winners and losers.
As consumers moved away from the high street, some big brands (most notably Next) moved out of the market or were unable to fulfill a backlog of orders. Naturally, these consumers moved online and even created new audiences, such as the older demographic, who are likely to be major drivers of eCommerce growth in the short to medium-term. In a matter of months, consumer and business adoption of digital vaulted 5 years forward.
As lockdowns were introduced, Direct to Consumer (DTC), online only, and more nimble brands found they unexpectedly acquired a great deal of new customers that had a high lifetime value (LTV). Certain categories, such as home furnishing, gardening, electronics and luxury, saw huge year on year increases - up to 100%, according to IMRG.
While all this unfolded, auction based digital channels became more cost effective as many brands left bidding wars. The net effect is that a lot of businesses have gone into the new year with a much bigger customer base, unsure if they will be able to retain these new customers, or whether their LTV will be similar, worse, or better than their existing customer base.
Epsilon recommends 4 solutions to help brands be successful through 2021.
Concentrate on building a first party data asset
Work to join digital to name-based data assets so you can build a 360 view and stay connected to your customer. With the right data, you’ll notice triggers and signals in the moment your customers’ needs are changing so that you can deliver relevant messages about the next product they’re ready for. Then be able to deliver that message seamlessly across channels.
Increase marketing personalisation
It has been repeatedly proven that consumers want and expect personalisation and that it drives deeper engagement from a customer base. This should be considered through both audience segmentation and creative execution. Even a small segment of 50 is still 50 different people in one messaging group. Knowing and understanding each customer as an individual allows brands to deliver relevant messages during key decision-making moments.
Measure performance against incremental return
Continuously measure and optimise your results, based on your specific business goals and KPIs (such as return on ad spend and cost per acquisition) - not misleading metrics like clicks. Find a partner that allows for this level of insight so that you can make the best use of your budget and create new conversion events above your expected baseline.
Focus on customer loyalty and Loyalty programmes
Successful brands are those who remain connected to their customers with relevant messaging and continued delivery of positive customer experiences. Loyalty marketers have an advantage here – their member have actively given them permission to speak to them. By integrating your loyalty platform with other channels, you can create a persistent view of your customer and create additional incremental return and perhaps even a self-funding data set.
It’s been proven time and time again that it is less expensive to retain a customer than it is to acquire one. With this in mind, it’s important to make sure that newly acquired customer bases continue to engage with the brand over time by providing personalised value to each customer as their needs evolve. For those that disengage, focus specifically on value that would encourage reactivation. This requires building trust and transforming their customer experience to be tailored to each individual by using the right mix of channels, technologies and real-time data.
For more insights about loyalty, read our report about the The 3 pillars of customer loyalty, in partnership with IMRG.
---
## Bank marketing reimagined: Leaning into digital marketing for banks
Type: eps_post
URL: /bank-marketing-reimagined-leaning-into-digital
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Bank marketing reimagined: Leaning into digital marketing for banks
Digital bank marketing is quickly becoming a primary focus for financial institutions around the world. With the added impact of the pandemic, consumers today are looking to manage everything digitally if they can, including their finances. Bank marketers need to rapidly transition to a digital-first mindset to grow deposits and take advantage of online-only opportunities—both with existing and net-new customers.
Bank marketers are starting to adopt that digital-first mindset, but the transition isn’t necessarily a simple one. For example, it's not uncommon to see a larger financial business target the wrong demographics. While for a smaller bank, digital marketing trends might feel like they're outside of allotted budgets. Forrester research indicates that a whopping 52% of financial brands can’t reach the right audience digitally, and 68% struggle to message the right person across devices (which is +10% higher than other industries).
As digital media experts for bank marketing, we’ve outlined the basics for driving new accounts digitally without accidentally wasting ad dollars. Learn how to connect with customers who are truly in the market for new accounts through better customer understanding, targeting and measurement, all with the goal of maximum efficiency so banks get more out of their marketing investments. Read on to learn more about digital marketing for banks.
Learn more: 3 ways digital media can grow deposits for regional banks right now
Step 1: Find customers who are actually in market
Digital bank marketing focuses on leveraging technology to build compelling and actionable campaigns—and that means finding people who are looking to take action. If you’re not connecting with customers who are looking to open a new account, your bank marketing strategy isn’t as efficient as it could be, which means you’re wasting valuable ad dollars.
Most bank marketers don’t see the full scope of customer interactions. Without incorporating data that happens online and across devices, banks are missing real-time signals that show intent to adopt, purchase or consume different banking products based on:
Browsing habits
Recent purchase data (online and offline)
Digital and video content consumption
Locations visited
When it comes to digital banking, marketing strategies must be based on in-depth data and metrics. A robust, complete identity solution will enable you to find in-market consumers in real-time. To accomplish this, a marketing partner needs to take contextual data about an individual, merge it with life triggers that signal intent to open a new account, and use AI and machine learning optimization to find customers with a high likelihood of conversion. This is what a comprehensive identity solution should look like.
Example: A regional bank in New England is looking for new customers. The bank has engaged in the past with Thomas, who is 35 and has an income of roughly $90k and lives in New York, but he’s not a current customer. Working with a partner that has advanced identity resolution, the bank is also able to understand that Thomas is moving to Boston based on recent online search behavior. With all of this information, the bank can then reconnect with Thomas through digital ads that highlight the benefits of banking locally in Boston before other local banks see his intent to move. That bank is already a step ahead of Thomas’ journey and helping as he’s making a major life move.
Step 2: Target in-market customers at scale with people-based IDs fueled by AI technology
When it comes to reaching customers, there are some common mistakes within digital bank marketing:
Repeatedly sending a user the same notification or offer
Promoting a financial product when the customer isn’t ready
Featuring a financial promotion the customer already took advantage of
What these errors, of course, amount to is significant wasted ad spend. But this waste is not an inevitable byproduct of a digital bank marketing strategy.
Many times, repeated ads are sent to customers by marketers who rely too heavily on third-party cookies and other third-party identifiers. Particularly with these types of identifiers going away, a future-proof way to connect with the right customers should focus on delivering ads to individuals, not to cookies or devices. Building true people-based identities prevents repeated and/or irrelevant ads from being served to customers.
And knowing what, when and how to deliver a message to an individual requires those people-based IDs to be fueled by AI technology that’s constantly ingesting data and optimizing. Machine learning can update more than 2 billion times every minute as customers take actions, like browsing online, making a purchase and researching financial options.
This allows bank marketers to build a data-driven, personalized experience for every person, accounting for a preferred channel, device, time of day, real-time interests and more. When you can target customers individually at scale, you can make the most effective use of your media budget.
Example: Let’s say you have two women, both who are in their mid-30s, live in the same city and have roughly the same income. Should you message both similarly? To know, take a look at their intent data.
Taking a look at their recent browsing history, it’s evident that one of the women is signaling intent to move (like Thomas in the previous example). So, she should receive a message to open an account in her new location. On the other hand, the second woman shows browsing history that indicates she is a bargain hunter who has searched for “savings account status.” The best ad to serve to this second woman would be a savings message: “Deposit $500 and get $200 back!”
Now, imagine those decisions happening at scale, hundreds of thousands of times a day. That’s the power of strong identity management paired with AI-driven digital media.
Step 3: Measure the full impact of your bank marketing strategy
In the world of banking, digital marketing offers access to insights that traditional advertising channels couldn't possibly achieve. However, while metrics like views, clicks and impressions are great—but they aren’t the end goal. Engagement metrics are important only insofar as they can be tied to conversions.
Your bank marketing partners should be able to drive campaign performance around your specific goals and desired outcomes—all while showing clear impact, not just activity. Most vendors use complex attribution models or provide a limited, black-box view. It’s intentionally difficult to understand—and certainly not delivering the full picture down to contact-level engagement and acquisition. Especially if the digital media is served based on cookies, your reporting will be skewed and inaccurate.
Example: Through partnering with Epsilon, a regional bank was able to drive new deposit accounts and increase online engagement by achieving accurate and holistic views of their customers online and offline and delivering relevant messages via preferred channels. Unlike previous vendors, Epsilon’s solution offered transparent, closed-looped reporting that could attribute performance and prove efficiencies in the bank’s budgets. Their results were:
16% growth in new deposit accounts
33% increase in online engagements
17% below initial CPA goal
According to the regional bank’s president of digital strategy & innovation, “Having the ability to determine ROI on our marketing spend is something that, frankly, we have never really been able to do before. We can now understand how many times we’re reaching individual prospects before we get them to take action.”
Improve your marketing to improve customer experience
When it comes to bank marketing, it’s time to transition to digital—and that means improving how you identify customers, connect with them and measure the true impact of your efforts.
At the end of the day, minimizing ad spend waste and maximizing efficiency is crucial in today’s effective bank marketing strategy, and this focus will necessitate better customer understanding. And when you can reach the right customers with the right messaging, their experience is all the better.
Ready to create successful marketing campaigns for your bank? Find out how to use digital media to drive deposit growth and learn what questions to ask your partners to increase accounts in our Regional bank marketer's guide to growing deposits.
---
## Direct Mail Masterclass- 26th January 2021
Type: eps_post
URL: /directmailmasterclassjanuary26th
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Direct Mail Masterclass- 26th January 2021
On 26th January 2021, Ben Collier, New Business Director at Epsilon was joined by Paul Newton, Director at PSE Offline Marketing and Chloe Pepper from Monica Vinader, to discuss Direct Mail as both an acquisition and retention channel, and how you can deliver a value proposition built on trust and a relationship that trumps the individual transaction.
Here’s a quick roundup of the day:
Direct Mail is undoubtedly delivering in the Digital age. With email fatigue and digital noise, brands are relying more and more on Direct Mail to build trust and loyalty of their brands.
Mail delivers on experience: Direct Mail has better cut through. 100% of recipients, whether prospects or your own customers, will receive the mail piece - compare that to your email open rates!
New customers through direct mail show a better lifetime value – engagement with print coupled with transactionally-targeted audiences mean customers spend more per order and buy more frequently
Don’t forget your own customers. By mailing your own customers, Direct Mail increases engagement and spend from active customers and can help reactivate your lapsed customers
It’s Measurable: Justify investment in the channel through accurate, contribution level reporting
In conclusion: Direct mail can bridge the consumer trust gap, create a tactile link to both your products and brand values, and drive more new and existing customers to buy online, across your product range. A solidly planned and designed direct mail piece cuts through digital clutter meeting your audience at home, while they are making purchase decisions.
Please find a copy of the webinar recording here: Webinar Recording
And the slides here
Contact us at enquiriesuk@epsilon.com
---
## Retail media networks: Co-op advertising gets smarter
Type: eps_post
URL: /retail-media-networks-co-op-advertising-gets-smarter
Last Modified: 2026-05-26T14:46:20Z
# Retail media networks: Co-op advertising gets smarter
While retail media is the natural evolution of co-op advertising, it's crucial for retailers to recognize they are not the same.
Here's why.
Traditionally, retailers relied on disconnected tech stacks and identity systems to power their enterprise-level co-op advertising programs. This looked like retailers building tech stacks by selecting partners across various specializations: utilizing one partner for onboarding, another for activation, yet another for measurement, and so on.
The problem with this, today, is that each tech partner has their own understanding of a customer that may not properly resolve across the whole tech stack. This can create gaps that erode retailers' ability to see shoppers across the full shopper journey, as well as deliver accurate reporting and actionable insights to their advertising partners.
The success of retail media for retailers in an ever-increasingly crowded and competitive market relies on seamless collaboration and transparency across every piece of the puzzle—especially the ability to maintain shopper visibility throughout the entire customer journey.
In this blog, we'll explore why connected identity should be at the core of your retail media strategy.
The risk of disconnected identity in retail media
When your tech stack lacks a unified identity system—that is, a system for understanding a single individual across every stage in their journey and the tech steps you need to take to reach them in those moments—you risk losing visibility into the shopper journey at all touchpoints. It’s not just about data loss between phases; it’s about the inability to track individual shoppers as they move through different channels and stages.
Here are some examples of what this looks like:
If a shopper interacts with an onsite ad, adds an item to their cart but doesn't check out, and later completes the purchase in store, can you confidently report on the impact of your brand partners' media?
Without connected identity, measurement partners may fail to identify that these actions belong to the same person, resulting in no credit for the tactic that contributed to the sale.
The implications are significant. Inaccurate measurement undermines your value to advertisers and your position as a retail media network. Fragmented identity systems lead to inefficiencies, including over-serving shoppers with redundant ads and misallocating budgets, ultimately hurting the performance of your brands' media programs.
The promise of retail media lies in the shopper
Retail media's power comes from its focus not on the aggregate audience, like typical media, but instead on the granularity of data available for each individual shopper.
But delivering on this promise requires more than repackaging traditional co-op or partner marketing programs. It means innovating how retailers and brands collaborate.
Advertising partners are seeking:
Transparent, accurate reporting that tracks the shopper’s journey from first touch to final purchase, whether online or offline.
Feedback loops that integrate data from purchases back into audience strategies in real time, enabling continuous improvement in flight, not 8-12 weeks after the campaign ends.
Insights that show the effectiveness of different media touchpoints, guiding brands to refine their strategies.
Without these capabilities, your retail media programs risk failing to meet advertiser expectations. The ability to map out the shopper’s full journey—onsite and offsite—is critical to ensuring campaigns perform as intended.
Retailers who prioritize a connected identity strategy will be best positioned to:
Offer the most honest and complete solutions to their brand partners.
Gain a deeper understanding of shopper behavior, enabling more precise targeting and measurement.
Lead the charge in redefining how retailers and brands interact through retail media.
Retailers must also consider the broader implications of their approach. Disconnected tech stacks and siloed data don’t just impact reporting—they limit your ability to innovate and adapt to changing shopper behaviors. By integrating all elements of your retail media tech stack, you’ll provide advertisers with the insights they need to succeed while building a stronger foundation for your own growth.
Building a purpose-built retail media solution
To truly unlock the potential of retail media, your technology and partners must be able to:
Connect the dots: Ensure identity resolution across all platforms to follow the shopper’s journey seamlessly. This connection allows for better tracking of ad exposure, conversions and other key interactions.
Maximize media efficiency: Use insights to guide budget allocation across onsite and offsite channels, optimizing for the most impactful outcomes. For example, knowing that a shopper typically requires an average of, say, seven ad exposures (including one display ad before adding an item to their cart) enables more targeted campaigns.
Drive innovation: Go beyond traditional advertising models by leveraging the unique aspects of retail media. Retailers can provide brands with granular insights, such as how audiences respond to specific campaigns and where to allocate budgets for the best ROI.
The feedback loop advantage
An ideal retail media tech stack doesn’t just support reporting; it actively creates a feedback loop that enhances performance over time. For example:
Purchase data feeds back into audience platforms, ensuring that shopper purchases automatically update within the targeting profiles to maximize delivery to in-market audiences, not shoppers who just purchased the featured item.
Measurement partners integrate seamlessly with activation platforms, so you can identify when a shopper’s journey includes multiple touchpoints.
Advertisers can see a complete picture of how media dollars drive sales across channels, allowing them to refine their strategies for future campaigns.
Consider the importance of tying together all shopper touchpoints. If your systems can’t confirm that the same shopper who was served an onsite ad later converted in-store, you’re left with incomplete data. A unified identity system ensures you’re delivering complete, actionable insights.
Delivering on the promise of retail media
At its heart, retail media is about the shopper. It’s about understanding who they are, what motivates their behavior and how to engage them effectively.
By focusing on connected identity across all journey touchpoints, retailers can:
Build more cohesive campaigns that resonate with shoppers.
Provide advertisers with a clear view of the shopper journey, enhancing trust and collaboration.
Unlock the full potential of their media programs, driving better results for everyone involved.
In short, your tech stack should be purpose-built for retail media, not merely adapted from legacy co-op or enterprise advertising models. By prioritizing connected identity across a unified retail marketing platform, you’ll deliver the value that shoppers and advertisers expect while positioning your retail media programs as industry leaders in a rapidly evolving landscape.
---
## The $42 billion co-op advertising opportunity: a win-win for retailers and brands
Type: eps_post
URL: /42-billion-co-op-advertising-opportunity-win-win-for-retailers-and-brands
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T22:17:52Z
# The $42 billion co-op advertising opportunity: a win-win for retailers and brands
Now, more than ever, it’s important to connect with your customers with timely, personalized content. And to think about how your marketing strategy will support the objectives of your company in the months ahead. So if someone told you that you were ignoring a $42 billion opportunity wouldn’t you want to make a change? Of course you would.
And yet, so many marketers are failing to take these hyper-personalized opportunities and leaving money on the table by missing out on the digital side of co-op advertising.
While more than $70 billion is spent on co-op advertising annually, just 20% of it is used on digital channels. As the co-op advertising model shifts to digital channels to match other areas of marketing investments, it opens up a $42 billion opportunity—one in which retailers can grow personalized display budgets, brands can reach their target audiences by leveraging the retailers’ first-party data and both can increase sales. A true win-win.
What is co-op advertising and how does it work?
Cooperative (co-op) advertising is when a manufacturer of a brand product pays for a portion or all of an advertisement (be it digital or otherwise) from a brand or business.
These partnerships can look like many things. A manufacturer may just pay for their product to be featured in a small section of the ad, or they may pay for their product to be the only one featured in the ad.
Why retailers should care about digital co-op advertising
You may wonder if that $42 billion opportunity is realistically available to you. Is it really worth changing your strategy to pursue it?
There are three primary benefits of participating in digital co-op advertising: increased awareness and relevancy through personalized content to in-market consumers, maximized advertising dollars with measurable reporting down to the item-level, and the ability to leverage a more transparent resource than the walled gardens.
1. Increased awareness and relevancy through personalized content
Digital advertising gives brands the opportunity to leverage artificial intelligence and machine learning to scale real-time personalization at the individual level. With more relevant messages and products, you can drive better conversion. Brands that try to engage customers on their own, are left to combine limited first-party data with limited third-party buyer insights from publishers. Because retailers have more first-party data than any publisher, running co-op advertising through retailers is going to drive better performance.
As a retailer, you’re already using your own budget money to create marketing materials that sell specific brands. Partnering with those brands will optimize your spending and help you deliver more relevant, personalized content to customers. And ultimately, this will drive revenue growth for you and your brand partners.
2. Ability to measure impact down to the SKU level
A retailer’s buyer files are an invaluable source of transactional data, in-market purchase intent and buying power insights. This data gives both retailers and brands everything you need to have more robust conversations with customers. Better yet, leveraging the retailer’s first-party insights and secondary transaction insights enables you to measure performance at the most granular level.
A sizable portion of retail or co-op funds go toward offline channels which lack the ability to track and measure impact overall, let alone at the brand, product or SKU-level. Digital measurement capabilities can better ensure your ad dollars are directly driving outcomes for your brand. Epsilon’s co-op solution can even track impact to the item-level.
3. A more transparent alternative to the walled gardens
For retailers, the reality is that if you don’t capitalize on the opportunity, someone else will. In the last year, Google and Facebook have launched co-op advertising targeted products.
Even though they offer massive reach and make digital advertising easy, the walled gardens often leave a lot to be desired when it comes to transparency and reporting. Brands are told they need to “trust” that their ads are working, but aren’t given transparency into results at a granular level.
To offer brands a compelling alternative to the likes of Amazon, Google and Facebook, you need to showcase your differentiators. Your value compared to these walled gardens lies in:
Customer relationships: Retailers have spent time building up more personal relationships with your customers. These personal relationships are more likely to drive conversions than mass advertising in a walled garden, giving brands greater returns on co-op spending.
Performance transparency: When brands spend co-op advertising dollars with retailers, you’ll have visibility into performance down to the SKU level, across both online and offline channels, into messaged distinct audiences and more.
There are many co-op advertising opportunities to go around. You just need a practical plan to get started.
Best practices for co-op advertising
If you’re early in your life stage curve, trying to capitalize on this spending opportunity can seem overwhelming. You may feel more comfortable working with traditional channels, lack visibility into performance or have a limited understanding of digital marketing in general.
But you don’t have to go from zero to 60 mph with co-op advertising. You can create a practical plan to ramp up your capabilities and take advantage of this opportunity regardless of your current digital maturity.
The following five simple steps will help you get started:
Set a goal: The first step is to set clear goals for ramping up digital co-op advertising spending. It doesn’t have to be complicated. Simply saying that you want to grow from x% in co-op ad spending to y% over a certain time period can be enough.
Identify a strategy and a process to execute: There’s no one-size-fits-all approach to marketing co-op and advertising. In order to minimize ad waste and move into a growing medium that helps you reach a more addressable audience that is most likely to convert, you need to outline your strategy then find a process that you can execute well. But it will essentially follow a few key principles: harness your first-party data, build profile-based audiences and campaigns, reach the target audiences with ads and report accurately with performance metrics for brand, product and SKU both online and offline.
Find brand partners: Approach vendor brands that you feel are most willing to try new tactics. You don’t have to replace print spending with digital. You can use digital co-op advertising in addition to more traditional channels. In an ever-changing landscape it’s important to be innovative and do more than the status quo. Partnering more closely with your vendors will give you access to untapped monetization opportunities for you and the brand.
Create win/win goals: Sell your competitive advantages based on a specific vendor’s goals, such as increasing awareness or share of mind. Explain how you can add value in pursuing those goals.
Test and learn: Retailers should always be open about what works and what doesn’t. Your co-op advertising transparency is a major differentiator. Brands need to be willing to try new things, while optimizing performance based on these clear metrics.
Winning examples of the co-op advertising opportunity
The $42 billion opportunity isn’t just theoretical. Many retailers and brands are already getting out ahead of the trend and seeing results.
Epsilon partnered with a leading beauty retailer to help support their brands with more turnkey offerings. Through our longstanding relationship with this retailer and our rich profile and optimization capabilities, we were able to launch full funnel approaches at the brand level—modeling an audience most likely to purchase specific SKUs.
As an added bonus, due to our unique relationship with this retailer, we were able to provide omnichannel results down to individual SKU sales, averaging a $5:1-$15:1 brand return on ad spend (ROAS) across campaigns within various categories. Due to the success of the campaigns, we’ve helped strengthen the retailer's relationship with brands, and solidify them as leaders in providing measurable results that directly impact brands’ businesses.
Another example is a leading pharmacy retail chain that wanted to monetize data with their smaller suppliers. We created a turnkey supplier program that helped the retailer deliver co-branded programmatic media with their suppliers to relevant customers. The suppliers gained insight into the retailer’s first-party audience data and were able to build awareness of their products. The flexibility and quick to market nature of turnkey campaigns benefitted the retailer by opening new doors that allow for more strategic relationships with their smaller suppliers.
Co-op advertising works when you have the right strategy. And that’s where Epsilon can help. If you want to see these kinds of results for your own company and brand partners, check out the detailed information about our Partner-funded solution.
---
## How Unilever improved customer identity recognition five-fold
Type: eps_post
URL: /how-unilever-improved-customer-identity-recognition-five-fold-in-six-weeks
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# How Unilever improved customer identity recognition five-fold
The Unilever U.S. team had identity challenges: For years customers received emails and visited the website, but not always by clicking through Unilever’s emails. Those website visits were being read as net-new interactions with the brand, even though many were from loyal customers across the Unilever portfolio.
For many brands, it’s not easy to solve for that disconnect—especially in an organization like Unilever, with 64 brands in its portfolio. Unilever had a lot of information on each customer, but they lacked a single, actionable customer view. And they had two primary challenges to solve in trying to achieve it: 1) confidence that data from disparate sources could come together to show that the data belonged to the same person and 2) a lack of ongoing website recognition because asking customers to sign in didn’t make sense from a value exchange perspective.
Resolving this disconnect is challenging, but not impossible. In the course of six weeks, Unilever closed the gap by working with Epsilon to integrate real-time identity recognition into the brand’s customer data platform (CDP) strategy, enabling Unilever to see its customers much more clearly. From a metrics perspective, Unilever saw a five-fold increase in customer recognition, which allowed the brand to then better personalize its customers’ journeys.
Rosa Pantoja, data-driven marketing lead at Unilever (U.S.), led the effort to build the organization’s new identity solution: an enterprise CDP based on first-party data across the company’s full portfolio. Read on to learn about Unilever’s “before-and-after” approach to identity, its road to success and what advice Pantoja has for marketers looking to tackle similar identity projects.
Dana Moroze: Let’s start with the past vs. present, both in terms of Unilever’s starting point for customer data storage and any shifts you’ve seen in terms of how that information is broadly viewed by the organization.
Rosa Pantoja: In the early 2000s, email became the channel of choice so we shifted to email address capture. That was the first database for profile storing. Now, we have more than 40 brands contributing data across every single touchpoint, where they’re collecting customer data. We have over 25 different data providers who are integrated and sending data in—all in compliance with privacy policies and consumer opt-ins.
The model of the past was having a center of excellence, or a core group of people, whose focus was data. One of the bigger shifts I’ve seen is that the “core group of people” of the past has become part of our business and embedded across our organization. That brings data more to the forefront in every conversation—it isn’t an afterthought at all. It’s integral to every conversation.
What was the impetus for the shift to a different way to understand and connect customer data across brands and touchpoints, and what were the initial steps?
Well, we noticed gaps. Until we launched our new identity solution (powered by Epsilon PeopleCloud Customer), we really didn’t have line of sight to be able to attribute a website visit back to an individual.
We certainly started by doing a lot to build out our internal data science and analytics, to actually work with the data. When I think about the journey for our first-party data in the past three to five years, we’ve been focused on bringing more and more of that data in-house and really having that ownership sit with Unilever. It makes internal conversations much easier when there’s a sense of ownership.
But of course, sometimes it sounds like I’m talking out of both sides of my mouth. I’m saying, “We need to have a commitment to building our first-party data asset, to have a laser focus on our internal capability and to make sure we have the flexibility to integrate with any partner.” But at the same time, we also don’t want to necessarily build a capability that’s already existing in the market.
Even if you wanted to build something that could handle those customer alignment capabilities, or work with a number of partners to build something like that, it wouldn’t be at that level. We don’t want to be in the business of building those solutions, especially when it’s not our core competency.
As you partnered with Epsilon, what were you looking to build, what was the buy-in process like across the business and what did you accomplish?
We knew we had gaps to fill. Interestingly, getting buy-in from our business and marketing stakeholders to build a solution that fills those gaps has been less of a push than I anticipated. I think it’s because data is so top of mind across our organization. And because we’re already doing so much around unlocking additional channels, finding consumers where they are, and having those conversations with our retailers and customers. This idea just clicked in a way that I didn’t anticipate.
We partnered with Epsilon to build a different identity solution capable of bringing together our known and anonymous data and extend how much we know about our consumers in a privacy-protected environment. From a metrics perspective, we’ve seen a five-fold increase in our ability to recognize the consumer—and we’re able to personalize that interaction. That’s huge for us.
The response internally has been an overwhelming demand to really nail down these customer journeys, which we weren’t able to unlock before. We’re connecting interaction data to actual individuals and consumers in a way that we couldn’t before. So now we’re having conversations around “What are the other use cases? How do we bring this to life? How do we change how we’re engaging consumers?”
It’s also given us an opportunity to educate around data transparency and consumer privacy across the organization. Everyone is aware of the behind-the-scenes work and vigor behind managing all of our data securely, making sure that we’re being good stewards of that data.
What would you say to someone else if they were pursuing a project similar to what you’ve just accomplished?
I would definitely suggest a “crawl, walk, run” approach. It’s important to have a clear vision for where you want to end up. For us, it was being very clear that we were building an enterprise-level asset. We were going to have a single view of the customer across all of our brands and stop having siloed information across brands. From there, it was putting all of our energy into nurturing our identity graph, which meant making sure we had robust data management at the core of everything we do.
I also would say choose your partners carefully. Establish a practice for vetting. And, especially when you’re bringing in data, vet the data quality; not every provider or source is created equal. If you’re putting a lot of energy into building your first-party data, you want to make sure you protect it. And then, challenge your partners. Just keep challenging them whenever possible. Be creative and take advantage of any opportunity you get to test and learn. Make enough time for that—it’s a good practice.
**This article was originally published on Adweek, January 2021.
---
## 3 insurance marketing strategies to boost policy acquisition
Type: eps_post
URL: /3-insurance-marketing-strategies-to-boost-policy-acquisition
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# 3 insurance marketing strategies to boost policy acquisition
The pandemic has caused significant P&C losses estimated at $100 billion, so for insurance marketing, the need to acquire new policy holders is a top priority.
With customer lives changing daily, insurance marketers need to proactively see life event triggers that indicate future policy needs before it’s too late—both with existing and net-new customers.
This article outlines some ways marketers can improve their insurance marketing strategies to maximize return on ad spend investment and minimize wasted budget dollars.
1. Use early life event triggers to know who’s in market
One important way to boost policy acquisition is to be in front of in-market customers before your competitors even know those customers are in market. How?
Better insurance marketing comes down to better tracking. By creating individual-level customer profiles by matching all browsing and purchase behavior to one person, rather than a series of cookies and device IDs, you are able to tie early life event triggers to prospective customers that would be a good fit for your policies.
Here’s an example: With better identity tracking in insurance marketing, it’s possible to learn that Martin, who has an income of $120K and lives in Chicago, is also the same person who is browsing for school districts in Dallas. It looks like Martin is moving—so the sooner you can get in front of him with digital media advertising a home insurance policy, the better chance you will have of working with Martin.
Some vendors calculate how many people they can reach by totaling their known cookies and devices and using them as a proxy for real people. But this is an incomplete strategy that can lead to significant ad spend waste. According to our data, across digital channels the average person has:
4 devices
3+ email addresses
6 points of contact
So, although a third-party cookie-reliant strategy was incomplete before, with third-party identifiers on the way out, it’s all the more important to ensure your identity solution is based on real individuals—not third-party cookies.
If your insurance marketing customer identity strategy right now is reliant on third-party identifiers and device IDs, it’s time to reevaluate. Because without being able to identify the right people early in their customer journeys, you won’t be able to connect with the right people when you need to.
2. Spend your insurance marketing budget on reaching the right people
It’s one thing to know who you should reach, but actually connecting with those in-market customers at scale is another. This has often been a challenge for financial service marketers: Forrester research indicates that 68% of financial brands struggle to message the correct person across devices, browsers and touchpoints.
This is where AI needs to come into the picture. Machine learning can update more than 2 billion times every minute as customers take actions—like browsing online (taking note of early, more obscure behavior that, combined, signal a life event), making a purchase and researching their financial options. This allows marketers to build an insurance marketing strategy that ensures data-driven, personalized experiences for every person, accounting for preferred channel, device, time of day, real-time interests and more.
By way of example, when a Fortune 500 insurance company wanted to generate home insurance policies, Epsilon combined our rich profiles spanning across 7K+ attributes with the company’s current home policy holder’s file and site information. This allowed us to fuel AI models from existing home policy holders to find their ideal leads. Then, using our real-time comprehensive contextual and behavior data they could identify actively in-market, and truly net-new policy holders to engage through digital media.
Ultimately, Epsilon’s real-time intent data allowed the insurance company to use life event triggers to proactively reach active customers that improved efficiency and response.
3. Measure the true impact of your insurance marketing budget
Quality measurement starts and ends with individual-level identification. Metrics like views, clicks and impressions are great—but not the end goal. And without a full view of your impact, there’s no way to accurately improve your insurance marketing efforts. It’s crucial to see if and how the digital media advertisement you served to a prospective policy holder actually led to a conversion.
The purpose of measuring engagement metrics should be to tie the transaction and the data to the outcome. It’s a challenge, though: Forrester research reveals that over half (52%) of financial marketers say they face challenges with proving performance and measurement of marketing.
Your partners should be able to drive campaign performance around your specific desired outcomes and goals—all while showing clear impact, not just activity. Not all insurance marketing partners deliver results based on real outcomes—and many put too much emphasis on engagement metrics as the barometer of success. Marketers want to see real conversions tied to marketing spend, but even when ROI is measured, most vendors use complex attribution models or provide a limited, black-box view. It’s intentionally difficult to understand so you don’t question it—what are they hiding?
Especially if your advertising is served based on cookies, your reporting will be skewed and inaccurate. The good news is if you’ve developed individual-level customer IDs and reaches customers on with personalized messaging using AI, the measurement is easy. Starting with identity-driven insurance marketing means that you’ll then measure at the individual level when proving marketing impact. It’s as simple as high-quality inputs produce high-quality outputs. Following an individual throughout their journey ensures a transparent path from message to conversion.
Improving your insurance marketing today is easy
COVID-19 has only accelerated the need for a digital-first marketing approach. Insurance marketing strategies need to harness “off-us” data from this increase in digital signals to proactively address evolving consumers’ needs for policies.
Taking the three strategies from this article into consideration ensures you’re connecting with the right individuals, reaching them through digital and measuring your true marketing impact.
Download “The insurance marketer’s guide to acquiring new policies” to learn more.
---
## Epsilon Named a “Data and Tech Powerhouse” and Positioned as a Leader in Report by Independent Research Firm
Type: eps_post
URL: /epsilon-named-a-data-and-tech-powerhouse-and-positioned-as-a-leader-in-report-by-independent-research-firm
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Epsilon Named a “Data and Tech Powerhouse” and Positioned as a Leader in Report by Independent Research Firm
Epsilon Ranked Highest in Current Offering Category and Earned Highest Score Possible in 20 of the Evaluation’s 29 Criteria
DALLAS – February 8, 2021 – Epsilon® today announced it was named a Leader in the February 2021 report, “The Forrester Wave™: Customer Database and Engagement Agencies, Q1 2021” by Forrester Research, Inc. Epsilon was the highest ranked company in the Current Offering category, which evaluated each company’s identity resolution, data enrichment capabilities, data practices (including privacy and security), and approach to first-party data management. Companies were also assessed on their customer engagement strategy through a mock pitch.
“Epsilon is a data and tech powerhouse for brands that are heavily invested in media,” the report states. “Now part of Publicis Groupe, Epsilon’s considerable data assets and tech strategy & integration chops form the backbone of the holding company’s ‘Power of One’ strategy. Its discipline evolving the Epsilon PeopleCloud offering shows: it’s modular, scalable, and better integrated with CORE ID, Epsilon’s ID resolution product. That means better reach and scale across the digital media ecosystem. Epsilon’s vision for the future of marketing is ambitious, but the agency has a deliberate and attainable roadmap to reach its goals.”
Epsilon PeopleCloud, the marketing platform for personalizing consumer journeys with performance transparency, is currently embedded in more than half of Publicis Groupe’s top 30 accounts. The integrated product suite features six distinct platforms, with capabilities including digital media services, data platforms, messaging and loyalty, and is powered by Epsilon’s CORE Onboarding, ID, Data and AI.
“With the deprecation of third-party cookies, digital marketers know they have to tap into their first-party data to continue their quest for one-to-one personalization at-scale. The problem is, marketers have been left to figure out which of the many ad tech or martech partners can help them reach their goals,” said Ric Elert, president and chief operating officer at Epsilon. “We have always been confident in our ability to help marketers connect the dots—from data management and activation through measurement. We feel our position as a Leader is strong and is validation of our ability to do just that.”
Forrester Research’s evaluation included eight of the top customer database and engagement agencies across 29 criteria. Epsilon received the highest score possible in 20 of the 29 criteria, including customer engagement strategy, identity resolution, governance and security, GDPR and CCPA compliance, and privacy expertise & thought leadership.
“Epsilon is one of the most globally well-represented agencies in this year’s study; multinational firms will likely find a local office in every region,” the report continues. “[Epsilon] is particularly well-known for its financial, retail, and automotive footprint, and in a world that’s increasingly direct-to-consumer (DTC), a multitude of industries will benefit from that depth as well as from its expertise in loyalty marketing and the insights it drives out of its vast consumer data assets.”
Last year, Epsilon was named a Leader with the top score in the Current Offering category in “The Forrester Wave™: Email Marketing Service Providers, Q2 2020” in May 2020. In addition, Epsilon was the only company to appear in all four functionality segments in Forrester Research’s “Now Tech: Identity Resolution, Q3 2020.”
Click here to read the full report, “The Forrester Wave™: Customer Database And Engagement Agencies, Q1 2021.”
###
About Epsilon
Epsilon is the leader in outcome-based marketing. We enable marketing that’s built on proof, not promisesTM. Through Epsilon PeopleCloud, the marketing platform for personalizing consumer journeys with performance transparency, Epsilon helps marketers anticipate, activate and prove measurable business outcomes. Powered by CORE ID®, the most accurate and stable identity management platform representing 200+ million people, Epsilon’s award-winning data and technology is rooted in privacy by design and underpinned by powerful AI. With more than 50 years of experience in personalization and performance working with the world’s top brands, agencies and publishers, Epsilon is a trusted partner leading CRM, digital media, loyalty and email programs. Positioned at the core of Publicis Groupe, Epsilon is a global company with over 8,000 employees in over 40 offices around the world. For more information, visit epsilon.com. Follow us on Twitter at @EpsilonMktg.
---
## Tourism marketing strategies to connect with the right customers
Type: eps_post
URL: /tourism-marketing-strategies-to-connect-with-the-right-customers
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Tourism marketing strategies to connect with the right customers
Although COVID-19 undeniably disrupted the tourism industry, many U.S.-based destinations brought in a good number of visitors last year. Even in the midst of a pandemic—and likely at least in part due to the pandemic—we saw that people craved a change of scenery in 2020.
As the industry gets back to its pre-pandemic levels of visitors, it’s crucial to ensure you have a solid tourism marketing strategy in place that maximizes ROI and minimizes ad spend waste. Chances are you can improve your strategy to ensure you’re reaching the right people. There are people looking to travel, and if your destination is a good fit for them, you need to ensure they have an opportunity to check it out. The demand your tourism marketing generates can benefit not only your local destination, but also your state as a whole.
This blog post provides an overview of a successful modern tourism marketing strategy in three steps: improved identity, personalization at scale and the ability to measure the true value you bring to your local economy and community.
Get the guide: From destination marketing to destination management
Step 1: Identify the right people
Many identity resolution methods strongly rely on third-party cookies and device IDs—this means few are able to see individual-level consumer views.
With only cookies and device IDs for measurement (which is what many vendors use—whether you know it or not), there’s no way to get a full view of whom you’re reaching, much less who actually visits your location and what they spend where. This offers a limited view into the net economic impact of your marketing efforts, and with the recent trend of identifier deprecation, it’s only getting more difficult to determine true value.
Thankfully, there’s an alternative. Instead of leaning on soft metrics and bookings, or siloing media from measurement, the best way to structure your tourism marketing is to focus on achieving a holistic understanding of your visitors—across channels, devices and spending habits. A complete view of every customer helps you understand how each person spends across stores, tours, restaurants, entertainment, attractions and more while they’re in your destination—even if they don’t book a hotel room or plane ticket. Knowing all of this, you can understand the true net economic impact of each individual’s trip based on the totality of their spending at your destination. You’ll connect individual online behavior with offline spend, giving you the full picture of your marketing attribution.
Example: To drive the right high-yielding tourists to St. Pete/Clearwater, Epsilon leveraged our 200M+ customer profiles built on first-party data to create lookalike models of high-spending past visitors. Then, we assessed current traveler sentiment and targeted people the most likely to visit the area through mobile-rich display messages.
Step 2: Personalize your tourism marketing communications – at scale
Once you know what each person is looking for, and you’ve flagged past and potential high-impact visitors, you can start to highlight aspects of your destination that will likely appeal to them on an individual level—which differs from person to person.
If we take step 1 first (reaching the right people) and pair that understanding with machine learning, we can understand an individual’s past actions to serve up the next best interaction, to further incentivize them to visit your destination.
For example, through machine learning, you could find that one person responds well to seeing a video ad and then a few display ads as follow-ups before making a decision on booking. That media pattern could be completely different for someone with similar attributes; it all depends on the individual, their past behavior and decisioning to influence their next actions and create demand for your destination.
You don’t need to have these capabilities in-house, nor are you expected to. This is an outsourcing situation, but your marketing partner needs the skills, expertise, tools and proven history to identify individuals and optimize their journey. This is all part of identity resolution in marketing and advertising—it's about not just knowing who you can talk to, but consistently reaffirming who you’re currently talking to. Unfortunately, if you look under the hood, too many partners don’t have quality methods for identity resolution, which leads to over- or under-messaging individuals, inflated ROI that’s not real and wasted ad spend. You need to put impressions in front of people, which is not easily understood in an online context for tourism marketing.
Example: Epsilon was able to leverage our consumer profiles and rich reservoir of transaction-based data to enable Visit Omaha to reach the right visitors online. We modelled high-yielding past visitors and current traveler sentiment, serving potential tourists eye-catching creative display, mobile rich media, and personalized pre-roll video ads.
Step 3: Measure the true impact of your tourism marketing efforts
Many tourism marketers have generally measured soft metrics like views and clicks, and hotel and airline bookings. But if you’re relying on online or booking metrics alone, the bottom line is you’re not measuring the full value of your marketing investment—and therefore not proving the value of every dollar spent.
You should be able to show all of your stakeholders how your tourism marketing program:
Boosted your local economy
Drove additional tax revenue
Positively impacted community/state (generated CARES Act dollars or additional funds)
This approach to better understanding your customers shows the impact each visitor had on your community—as opposed to just the overall number of visitors—and should influence your tourism marketing strategy moving forward.
Example: Epsilon’s Net Economic Impact (NEI) Solution was helpful for Visit Franklin once tourists arrived in their destination. NEI went beyond analyzing hotel bookings alone, and provided a full understanding of how many visitors digital tourism marketing influences, the top feeder markets, and how much they spend across key categories like restaurants, retail, attractions and more, which they were then able to report back to their board of directors.
Take the first step toward a stronger tourism marketing strategy
The road to a stronger tourism marketing strategy begins with assessing where you currently are. Is your identity strategy built around third-party identifiers? Are you able to reach the right past and prospective visitors who will be most engaged in your destination? What are you currently measuring—could you be measuring more to show the full impact of the advertising dollars you’re spending?
Wherever you are, there’s room for growth, just as the tourism industry continues to grow back to pre-pandemic numbers.
Learn more in From destination marketing to destination management, our guide for tourism marketers looking to assume a more impactful role in their destinations.
---
## 6 ingredients to create a fully baked identity strategy
Type: eps_post
URL: /6-ingredients-to-create-a-fully-baked-identity-strategy
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# 6 ingredients to create a fully baked identity strategy
Identity. It’s the holy grail sitting at the core of digital advertising and powering personalization, measurement and efficiency. With third-party cookie deprecation looming and Apple’s pending IDFA changes this spring, marketers are preparing for a future where identity resolution can be achieved without heavily relying on such ingredients. While some brands have been preparing for years, others are still collecting ingredients and figuring out how they can personalize for consumers, long-term.
Regardless of where you are on this spectrum, there is one truth you can count on: There is no single identifier that will give you a recipe for success. The advertiser and ad-tech companies that leaned too heavily on one ingredient or another are now scrambling to reconfigure an identity recipe that will still yield personalization.
What we know for certain is that a combination of deterministic and probabilistic identifiers is the only way to scale your identity resolution while maintaining accuracy and stability. As an added benefit, a diverse identity resolution strategy mitigates against the increasing deprecation of third-party identifiers.
If you’re overwhelmed or confused by what exactly you should be changing and modifying in your marketing strategy to account for these much-hyped changes—you’re not alone. You must first understand the key ingredients that go into this recipe called “identity.”
1. IP addresses
IP addresses allow marketers to target consumers by device, geography and household. This targeting approach is commonly used but comes coupled with limiting factors marketers should carefully consider. Epsilon has found that mobile devices can be traced to at least three IP addresses monthly, creating a moving target. In addition, IP addresses for household devices, like the family computer or connected TVs (CTV) have a very short shelf life. Together, this makes IP addresses a rather unreliable identifier on their own, prone to constant degradation, duplicate records and potentially misleading data. Just like flour, it’s an important ingredient, but it doesn’t make the cake on its own.
2. Cookies
Leveraging third-party cookies to track a user and their behavior across multiple websites has been a popular tool for personalizing and measuring campaigns. In fact, many marketers have relied almost entirely on this identifier, neglecting to embrace a multi-pronged approach to identity. The fundamental truth is that third-party cookies have been flawed from the start due to a lack of standardization, transparency and resilience, as well as the fact that they are assigned to a device, rather than a real person. And like salt, third party cookies might have been an ingredient for identity, but over-reliance negatively impacts the entire recipe.
That said, first-party cookies (specific to the website domain a consumer is actively visiting) will remain a valuable ingredient in identity. When coupled with a stable identity graph rooted in deterministic data, first-party data becomes even more powerful. Due to our first-party data integrations with 5,000-plus high quality publishers, Epsilon’s media delivery in Safari actually increased by 25% after Apple started blocking third-party cookies.
3. Mobile advertising IDs (MAIDs)
Mobile advertising IDs, such as Apple’s IDFA, are device-level identifiers accessed by mobile applications to personalize and measure campaigns. This ingredient is approaching an expiration date with the rollout of Apple’s App Tracking Transparency (ATT) framework slated for this spring. After Apple’s change takes effect, mobile users must expressly opt in to being tracked by each installed application. Though many consumers will opt in to tracking by trusted apps, some will not, impacting overall reach. Seeing the instability and flaws of identifiers like cookies and MAIDs early on, Epsilon adapted its identity recipe in 2007 to focus on real people, rooting our CORE ID in name and address data associated with purchases.
4. Email addresses
Email addresses are a stable and largely reliable identifier, especially given the increasing prevalence of single sign-on website authentication options for consumers. However, marketers need to be aware that a single person is known to have up to four different email addresses, on average. This makes it harder to avoid duplicate profiles for the same person and achieve a unified single view of customers. Email addresses are a foundational ingredient for identity, just ensure you prioritize quality control and can collapse multiple emails down to an individual to avoid unappetizing experiences and media inefficiency.
5. Authenticated first-party identifiers
Creating an authenticated online experience for website visitors isn’t just for ecommerce and online communities anymore. From content publishers to brands, there is an increasing desire to prioritize deterministic first-party data strategies across digital experiences in order to create more personalized connections with each audience member. When a user authenticates by logging into a site, associated first-party identifiers can be valuable tools for both site owners and advertisers, if designed with privacy in mind. This ingredient becomes exceedingly more powerful when matched with a more broadly available deterministic identifier that’s interoperable, giving marketers a comprehensive view of the conversion path and ensuring impressions aren’t wasted on irrelevant or repetitive ads.
6. Name, postal address and purchase transactions
Names and postal addresses play a critical role in identity resolution as a reliable signal for linking a person’s offline and online personas. This becomes even stronger when associated with purchase transactions. Purchase data tied to name and address is inherently accurate because consumers naturally provide the most current shipping and billing addresses to ensure successful delivery of products and services. Marketers should aspire to this level of data quality when building a strong identity foundation. When this approach is adopted at scale, linked to the right mix of supporting identifiers and resolved at an individual level, Epsilon has seen unrivaled reach and accuracy.
A recipe you can trust
The right recipe for identity is subjective to each marketer’s needs but should always build a strong foundation atop objectively high quality, deterministic, resilient ingredients. With solid core ingredients and a focus on data hygiene, the recipe for identity can be easily adapted by peppering in additional identifiers to suit changing business needs without sacrificing personalization and performance. Ingredients will come and go, but marketers can still deliver winning campaigns by prioritizing diverse identity strategies built on a solid core.
**This article was originally published on Adweek, February 2021.
---
## How a Customer Data Platform can enhance your marketing
Type: eps_post
URL: /how-a-customer-data-platform-can-enhance-your-marketing
Last Modified: 2025-10-03T14:18:50Z
# How a Customer Data Platform can enhance your marketing
The core of optimized marketing relies on attracting high-value, targeted demographics. The key tothis strategy is reliable customer data, which allows a business to vet qualified customers as well as enhance its products and services.
This has led to an increase in Customer Data Platform development, outpacing the growth of other marketing tools in the sector. Able to intuitively increase a brand’s engagement with its client base, a CDP (Customer Data Platform) is quickly becoming a go-to marketing technology. So, “what is CDP?”
What is a Customer Data Platform?
While vendors’ definition of the term can vary, according to the CDP institute, "A Customer Data Platform is packaged software that creates a persistent, unified customer database that is accessible to other systems." Sometimes called a Consumer Data Platform, this technology unifies first- and third-party customer data from a wide range of sources into a single, comprehensive view of the customer across devices and channels. These customer profiles can power insights, intelligence and orchestrate engagements across all customer interactions in a marketer-friendly way.
CDP software shares similar functionalities with other current marketing systems, such as a CRM or DMP. However, a CDP marketing system acquires data from multiple sources and stores the data of identified customers.
CDP vs. CRM vs. DMP
Collecting customer data to deliver targeted marketing campaigns isn’t a new concept. However, there are key differences between Customer Relationship Management, Data Management Platform and a Customer Data Platform.
CRM
Customer Relationship Management (CRM) systems rely heavily on a manual input of customer data and support a limited number of sources and end points. The main drawback between this platform and a Customer Data Platform is that it lacks the scalability and personalization provided by a CDP.
CRMs are not designed to gather data from multiple channels and lack the versatility to parse through data it hasn’t been implicitly instructed to sort. This single-minded functionality also limits its output capabilities. When a CRM is instructed to export data, it is limited to traditional methods.
These shortcomings are overcome by how CDP data is gathered, categorized and utilized. A CDP’s functionality allows it to connect and structure varied customer data from multiple channels. Through this process, a marketer can formulate a complete compendium of their customers on an individual level, all in real time.
DMP
The data collection process from a customer data platform might seem in line with a Data Management Platform (DMP), but only at a cursory glance. A DMP is built on the principles of collecting anonymous consumer data relying almost entirely on third-party cookies. This means that information is shrouded through anonymity and was gathered with the intention of advertising and retargeting. Unfortunately, this design leaves a DMP unable to create a persistent identifier as much of the data will expire when the cookie does. Therefore, it can never function as the system of record for customer interactions and its reliance on third-party cookies leaves the category’s future in doubt if a foundational change is not implemented.
A CDP relies upon 1st-party data geared towards building a complete customer profile to address these issues. This allows a Customer Data Platform to send data that doesn’t expire, of a known persistent customer profile, to other marketing systems, providing a tailored user experience for clients outside the singular use of advertising.
Enriching customer profiles and the types of data available
Creating a golden record (or silver record) is the first step—and it’s a huge step—but marketers also need to expand their knowledge about each customer. There are several categories categories of data: demographic data, transaction data, interaction data, interest data and location data. Knowing where to acquire this kind of data in a privacy safe way is critical.
First-party data: This is the most value data you have. It’s your history of your consumer interactions and the hints they've left you along the way. It tells you what someone has bought, what causes them to engage (or ignore) your brand, overall satisfaction. Improving this isn’t just an exercise in data management and linking multiple profiles together. Adding the ability to recognize customers when they aren’t logged in on your website or when they visit your stores can unlock huge insights and help make your marketing more efficient.
Second-party data: This is someone else’s first-party data and is the next best thing to having your own consumer data. It’s shared via strategic partnerships or in environments where permissions and the level of identifiable information can be carefully controlled. Think of an airline sharing data with a hotel to target known travelers or adjust room rates. Or a retailer and their credit card company sharing loyalty program data.
Third-party data: This is aggregated data collected across many sources. The accuracy of the data can very. Typically demographic and transaction data are the most valued types of third-party data. Interest data which is often inferred based can be less valuable due to accuracy concerns. The same goes for declared data because it isn’t as accurate as observing someone engage repeatedly and how that changes over time.
Zero-party data: This is a newer category, but it is things that consumers tell us they are or are not interested in. It’s basically a special category of first-party data that is at the intersection of progressive profiling and consumer privacy and consent. The ability to collect and apply this type of data to the customer journey can help brands add a layer of personalization and relevance.
Benefits of using a Customer Data Platform
Incorporating a CDP into your organization’s marketing workflow can forge better customer relationships while integrating seamlessly with your current system. A CDP offers a range of benefits that a simple CRM or DMP can’t replicate, including:
Gaining a single view of the customer
CDPs mitigate data isolation issues, or data silos, found with other software by creating a collaborative working environment to increase productivity. The platform unifies customer profiles across multiple systems to give a company a single, comprehensive customer overview. Its ability to build the profile from various sources at an unprecedented scale can structure the information in a usable format for the different departments within an organization.
Uncovering new insights and segmentations
Accuracy is key to delivering an effective marketing campaign, and with the sheer volume of data, it can be challenging to decipher if the data collected is credible. Knowing that CDP data comes from the source can give a company the confidence necessary to construct an actionable marketing strategy.
CDP data pulls its information directly from customers through their interactions with sites, social media and subscriber base. It does this by gleaning data from pixels and other similar tracking software.
Orchestrating personalized, real-time customer engagements
A CDP platform provides clients with enhanced personalization, which leads to an increase in a customer's lifetime value. The platform can leverage unified customer profiles to deliver personalized recommendations, like next best offer, and help guide the customer journey. CDPs also capture more accurate measurement for repeat purchases.
Unified profiles help with more than just customer engagements, it can also tell you what marketing activities and types of engagements have the greatest impact on sales. The more visits you can recognize across both paid and direct channels, the better you’ll be able to tell what works. However, to truly understand what is driving first time purchases, you will likely need other solutions like a clean room, especially in the face of data and privacy challenges.
However, most CDPs are not enterprise-ready
While there are many benefits to a CDP, large enterprise brands beware: not every CDP is enterprise ready.
Most CDPs were built by technologists that saw an opportunity to link customer marketing profiles together with basic data management—and while there are some market segments that can get value from this—they are not enterprises. Enterprises tend to have existing internal talent or investments, which means they need a partner that can deliver on their unique needs (and this rarely be done with out-of-the-box technology). This is something many CDPs have not yet figured out: how to deliver actionable customer intelligence that can solve specific needs at scale.
Some enterprises are on the difficult path of building custom internal solutions to address identity resolution and personalization. But this path will be a much slower trek towards the goal, whereas looking at enterprise CDP packages can accelerate progress. But brands don’t have to go at it alone.
How Epsilon can help
For any marketing strategy to be effective, it needs to be backed with accurate data. As it stands, it isn't easy to find a Customer Data Platform built with enterprise-level companies in mind. At Epsilon, we've developed Epsilon PeopleCloud Customer, an enterprise-ready customer data platform that can handle any task, regardless of scale. Powered by first-party consumer analytics and data, your marketing department can deliver personalized targeting across the right channels at the right time and measure performance.
---
## 1st-Party vs 3rd-Party Cookies: What’s the Difference?
Type: eps_post
URL: /1st-party-vs-3rd-party-cookies-whats-the-difference
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# 1st-Party vs 3rd-Party Cookies: What’s the Difference?
Cookies identify online users and have become a mainstay of digital advertising. As web servers have no memory of their own, cookies are used to make websites remember the user’s action, so they aren’t asked to perform a task again and again. As a result, they help provide a better, more personalized user experience.
And while most marketers know this broad definition, getting into the weeds regarding the different types of cookies and how they differ from one another can be trickier. However, with the current trend of third-party cookie deprecation, it’s never been more important for marketers to gain a more nuanced understanding.
In the name of building a “more private web,” Google recently announced that it plans to eliminate third-party cookies from its Chrome browser by 2022. This announcement follows other cookie deprecation shifts by other major browsers from as far back as 2017—all of which mean a big shift for advertisers reliant on third-party cookies.
So, what are third-party cookies? And how are they different from the other types of cookies, namely first-party cookies? Read on to find out.
Types of cookies
Let’s run through definitions of first- and third-party cookies before taking a look at how they differ from one another.
First-party cookies
What are first-party cookies? A first-party cookie is created and stored by the website you are visiting directly. It allows site owners to collect customer analytics data, remember language settings, and carry out other useful functions that help provide a good user experience.
Third-party cookies
What is a third-party cookie? As the name implies, third-party cookies are created and placed by third parties other than the website you are visiting directly. Some common uses include:
Cross-site tracking: the practice of collecting browsing data from numerous sources (websites) that details your activity
Retargeting: using search activity to retarget visitors with visual or text ads based on the products and services for which they’ve shown interest
Ad-serving: making decisions regarding the ads that appear on a website, deciding when to serve these ads, and collecting data (and reporting said data including impressions and clicks) in an effort to educate advertisers on consumer insights and ad performance.
Key differences between 3rd-party cookies and 1st-party cookies
From the technical perspective, first- and third-party cookies are the same kind of files. The only difference lies in how they are created and used by websites.
First-party cookies are generated by the host domain. They are usually considered good because they help provide a better user experience. These cookies enable the browser to remember important user info, such as what items you add to shopping carts, your username and passwords, and language preferences.
On the other hand, third-party cookies are mostly used for tracking and online advertising purposes.
Here’s a table summarizing the key differences between first- and third-party cookies:
1st-party cookies 3rd-party cookies Creation Originate from the main domain opened on users’ web browsers. Publishers set the cookies to their website using JavaScript code. Do not belong to the main domain opened on users’ browsers. They are loaded by third-party servers (such as ad servers) on publishers’ websites. Accessibility Work on the main domain (publisher’s website) only. Accessible on any website that loads third-party server’s code. Browser support Supported by all browsers. However, users are always free to block cookies from their browser settings. Historically supported by all browsers but many are now blocking them due to increasing privacy concerns. Also, in the case of incognito mode, browsers do not load third-party cookies.
The third-party cookie phase-out
Today, users are demanding greater privacy, which includes transparency, choice and control over how their data is used. That’s why Google has announced that it will phase out third-party cookies on Chrome browsers by 2022. Although their announcement follows similar restrictions on other browsers—like Mozilla and Safari—in recent years, it is arguably the most significant, as they have the largest browser share. This means that marketers will have to pivot their advertising strategies; the way we use cookies today is going to change drastically.
Here’s how the third-party cookie phase-out is expected to affect marketers:
Third-party cookies are crumbling: Now what?
At the moment, the best thing a marketer can do is not panic and continue to stay informed with news related to third-party cookies that could influence your business.
If your marketing strategies rely on third-party cookies, it’s time to start exploring alternatives. Look to partners who can provide a stable and scalable ID graph with limited reliance on third-party cookies. Explore tools that can better help you leverage first-party and transactional data. And if you have limited or no first-party data, seek out vendors and partners that do have access to consented first-party data to identify and reach customers across the web. Because publishers have a direct relationship to the visitors to their sites and apps, it’s important to work with them—or vendors who do—to continue personalizing messages with the help of their first-party data.
Still not sure how to pivot your advertising strategies during the third-party cookies phase-out?
Let us help
Because Epsilon’s identity graph is anchored in deterministic purchase data from individuals, it has limited dependence on third-party cookies. The integrity of this purchase data allows us to have 96% accuracy and industry-leading match and reach rates. As a result, we are able to identify and serve 98% of our ads to individuals, not orphaned cookies or device IDs.
Epsilon’s direct relationships with over 5000 publishers also help us defend against third-party cookie deprecation, because through these relationships we are still able to:
Identify consumers from publisher audiences. Publishers generate IDs based on their first-party data, which is then synced with Epsilon’s CORE ID.
Connect clients’ advertising goals with publishers’ ad inventory. Our first-party solution in partnership with our publishers helps us better understand the behaviors of users as they interact with publisher sites.
Deliver personalized, relevant ads. Connecting our ID with publishers’ IDs improves identification of publisher audiences and match rates.
Reach real individuals. Connecting with the publishers’ authenticated user data (logins, registrations) ensures we are serving ads and optimizing based on individuals, not cookies or device IDs, which may overlap.
Our years of preparation building people-based identity with first-party strategies and relationships will enable us to continue delivering results for our advertisers, while still providing performance transparency.
Contact us now to learn more about our services.
---
## Without 3rd-party cookies and IDFA, are consumers really better off?
Type: eps_post
URL: /without-3rd-party-cookies-and-idfa-are-consumers-really-better-off
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Without 3rd-party cookies and IDFA, are consumers really better off?
Apple’s recent iOS 14 IDFA announcement, which followed Google’s January third-party cookie deprecation announcement, has made industry waves. It is the latest change in the clear trend of identifier deprecation that started in 2017, and will likely accelerate in the coming months and 2021. As a refresher, let’s review the differences between the two announcements:
Third-party cookies are placed on desktop and mobile web browsers. These are being removed by all major browsers. (Safari and Firefox have removed them already, and Google Chrome plans to do so by 2022.)
IDFA, Apple’s Identifier for Advertisers, is used like third-party cookies, but for apps on iOS devices. Starting in early 2021, their next operating platform update (iOS 14) will require user consent to deploy IDFA within apps. Every app will send a pop-up notification asking for user permission.
We’ve already explored how these shifts will impact advertisers, but how about the end user?
Cookie deprecation and IDFA limitations driven by consumer privacy concerns
Browsers and mobile operating companies are positioning these updates as being driven by consumers’ growing demand for privacy. Apple’s recent iPhone video ad, for example, features people loudly sharing personal, often embarrassing and dangerous information with those around them, and then closes out with: “Some things shouldn’t be shared. iPhone helps keep it that way.”
Consumers do indeed seem to care more about their privacy with every passing day, with data showing that 85% of US internet users are concerned about their privacy, and 76% of consumers are concerned about how tech and social media companies use their online data.
But what’s gained in privacy with the ecosystem shift means a customer experience tradeoff: namely, a loss of free and open, ungated content and personalized advertising which we all know consumers value.
Let’s take a look at the ways cookie deprecation and IDFA limitations negatively impact the end user, as well as what advertisers can do to best meet consumer expectations on all fronts.
A hit to the wallet—Less free content
Advertising powers a free internet and allows consumers to access content easily and at no-cost (in most cases). This free content could be lost as third-party cookies and IDFA go away. If publishers can’t fill their ad space and monetize their websites and apps, their business models will need to adapt. Likely outcomes are more subscription models, paid content and reliance on contextual targeting.
1st-party vs 3rd-party cookies: What’s the difference?
Consumers will have to wrestle with the question, “Is it better to pay for the content I want with money or with data?” Right now, we’re seeing that only 7% of consumers who do not pay for content said they would consider paying.
Even without subscription models, consumers can expect more gated content behind the requirement to register for an account. This allows emails and other information provided by consumers when creating accounts on websites to be linked to publishers’ first-party cookies. As publishers seek to monetize their websites in a world without third-party cookies, they can leverage their first-party data to better identify users and serve them relevant ads.
“Are you talkin’ to me?”—Loss of relevant, interesting ads
Consumers value personalized brand experiences. Our research shows that 80% of consumers are more willing to do business with a company that provides personalized experiences, and 90% find personalization appealing. This study also shows that 68% of consumers think it’s worth sharing personal information in exchange for relevant offers, recommendations, and discounts.
With this ecosystem shift, advertisers who were reliant on third-party cookies and IDFA permissions will have greatly diminished access to consumer browsing data, which means many will not be able to continue to provide the level of personalization consumers expect. Consumers can expect to see ads that are irrelevant and of much less interest to them, which can put the relationship at risk. According to an Infogroup 2019 survey, 90% of consumers indicate that messages from companies that are not personally relevant to them are “annoying.” And 67% of millennials/Gen-Zers have said, “I expect offers from companies to always be personalized.”
Groundhog Day—Increase in repetitive ads
Third-party cookies and IDFA signal when a user receives an ad, and advertisers set frequency caps to avoid over-messaging consumers. Without caps, consumers are likely to receive more repetitive ads and experience over-messaging as they browse—which can lead to annoyance on the consumer’s part.
Read more: With cookies crumbled and IDFA DOA, it’s time for a better identity strategy
Advertisers also tie multiple cookies and device IDs, across devices, to one individual. Without cookies and/or IDFA, advertisers won’t know how to reconcile the identity of users across their multiple devices and browsers. This will also contribute to consumers receiving repetitive ads.
Advertisers previously reliant on third-party cookies and IDFA will now have difficulty tying conversions back to the person who converted. This means consumers are more likely to receive ads for products they already purchased.
How to deliver personalized content in the new landscape
It’s time to future-proof your digital media strategy to ensure you can deliver to customers what they want: privacy + personalization.
With proactive preparation since 2012, Epsilon has built a privacy-centric, people-based identity graph that is anchored in deterministic purchase data from individuals and has limited reliance on third party cookies. The integrity of this purchase data allows us to have 96% accuracy and industry-leading match and reach rates. As a result, we are able to identify and serve 98% of our ads to individuals—not orphaned cookies or device IDs.
Epsilon’s direct relationships and growing first party integrations with over 5000 publishers also help us defend against third-party cookie deprecation, because, while third party cookies are on their way out, first party cookies are alive and well.
Our years of preparation building people-based identity with first-party strategies and relationships will enable us to continue delivering results for our advertisers, while still providing privacy.
See what Apple’s IDFA shift means for advertisers and the advertising industry: “With cookies crumbled and IDFA DOA, it’s time for a better identity strategy.”
---
## The date is set: Third party cookies are gone for good
Type: eps_post
URL: /date-set-third-party-cookies-gone-for-good
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T22:13:13Z
# The date is set: Third party cookies are gone for good
Google has today announced how they will move away from third party cookie (3PC) tracking. Cookies have been used by the market for a long time to identify consumers. They allow for frequency control of media, personalisation of site visits, and measurement.
Why should I care?
Safari and Firefox have already done away with third party cookies. They make up 26% of browser market share in Europe. Now Google Chrome, which makes up 60% of browser market share in Europe, is saying goodbye to the third party cookie. That’s 86% of browsers that will be unreachable through the technology. This will arguably be the biggest change since the introduction of GDPR in 2018. In fact, our research shows that 68% of marketers think that this change will have a bigger impact than GDPR or CCPA.
Third party identifiers have always had flaws. Largely, consumers were unaware of how their activities online were being tracked and, as changes to global privacy law began to take effect, it was only a matter of time before 3PCs came under the microscope. And rightly so.
Who benefits from third party cookie deprecation?
Many observers have questioned who is really benefitting from 3PC deprecation. This change, coupled with Apples new privacy controls related to IDFA, would suggest no-one benefits more than the big platforms. It’s the large consumer platforms, known to many marketers as walled gardens, that have unquestionably used data to shift marketing’s centre of gravity in their favour. Advertisers have been paying these platforms and feeding them with their own data for many years. But they have not gotten any of that data, or the insights it generated, back.
The fear is that changes to third party identifiers will only serve to increase advertisers spend with walled gardens, worsening an already imbalanced relationship. Intentional or not, this change will mean large consumer platforms will interpose themselves even further in the customer relationship, and take the customer away from the brands.
So what’s the solution?
The solution for brands is to build up their first party data assets. An excellent way to do this is through a loyalty programme. We are seeing a lot of movement into Loyalty programmes from big brands who you may have assumed didn’t need one. For example, McDonalds and Burger King both announced new loyalty rewards programmes as a way to encourage repeat customers. Brands of all sizes are now seeking to protect their relationship with the consumer, and create a fair and transparent value exchange for their data.
There is a proliferation of companies offering ID based technologies that offer a work around but very often seem to have real problems with scale and return on investment. Epsilon has delivered ID Driven marketing since 2007, which is an enormous heritage to bring to bear. Our years of preparation building people-based identity with first-party strategies and relationships will enable us to continue delivering results for our advertisers, while still providing privacy.
Learn more about our cookieless solution here.
---
## FUNDRAISING ONLINE WITH EMAIL MARKETING: THE GOOD CONNECT
Type: eps_post
URL: /fundraising-online-with-email-marketing-the-good-connect
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# FUNDRAISING ONLINE WITH EMAIL MARKETING: THE GOOD CONNECT
2020 was a difficult year for non-profits (NPOs) around the world. With cities under lock down, fundraising became a massive challenge for many organizations. In these tough times, Epsilon stepped up. Together with the National Council of Social Service (NCSS) in Singapore, we launched The Good Connect – a webinar series focused on sharing our marketing know-how with NPOs and charities, empowering them to fundraise more effectively while staying socially distanced.
In this webinar, we shared about how non-profits can transition their fundraising online and reach the right people at the right time with email marketing.
More than 200 people from over 100 local social services agencies joined us to learn about how to optimize their email marketing efforts from Candy Foo (Epsilon), Joel Nicholson (LemonTree APAC) and Stephen Kendon (Greenpeace APAC).
Check out our recording to learn how you can still successfully reach people in these times of restriction.
{{cta('1bb54981-f569-445b-a23f-65a7ea0cc0b7')}}
---
## THE EMAIL DEPLOYMENT HANDBOOK FOR NON-PROFITS: THE GOOD CONNECT
Type: eps_post
URL: /the-email-deployment-handbook-for-non-profits-the-good-connect
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# THE EMAIL DEPLOYMENT HANDBOOK FOR NON-PROFITS: THE GOOD CONNECT
While email has become an important fund-raising channel for charities, many struggle to deploy targeted email marketing campaigns at scale. In the second part of The Good Connect series, Epsilon’s marketing and deliverability experts shed light on how an insightful strategy and robust operational foundation can help launch a successful email campaign.
In this webinar, we covered:
The importance of proper email account set up for maximum deliverability
How to set up your email service account
An overview of the campaign deployment process
{{cta('b46fd19e-4226-457f-959c-7061a13cb73e')}}
---
## No more alternative identifiers says Google, first-party data is king
Type: eps_post
URL: /google-says-no-more-alternative-identifiers
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T22:17:52Z
# No more alternative identifiers says Google, first-party data is king
Last week, Google published a blog post detailing their position on leveraging alternative user-level identifiers once third-party cookies are deprecated, noting their consumer privacy concerns and how such an identifier would be used in their proprietary advertising technology platforms. The biggest takeaway from the announcement is that Google does not intend to directly use alternative user-level identifiers that track individuals across sites within the company’s product portfolio.
As Google gears up for the exodus of third-party cookies from its Chrome platform, this announcement further underscores the need for brands to build first-party relationships with consumers.
At Epsilon, first-party data is at the heart of the work we do. We, along with our partners, believe in the spirit of the open web and have equally effective solutions that leverage authenticated traffic to serve personalized media just like Google does on its owned properties. If anything, our approach to respecting consumer privacy while addressing the needs of clients who want to reach their target audiences with personalized media and expect performance transparency is only strengthened by Google’s announcement.
Higher walls, and a renewed focus on cohort-based targeting, in the garden
Google’s announcement comes on the heels of recent privacy updates and announcements from the company and its competitors. Although well-intended, these changes shut the larger marketing ecosystem out from actionable data while allowing the large consumer platforms to continue building walled gardens, shifting marketing strategies in their favor in the name of greater privacy for consumers. For many brands, this further underscores their need to find a balance across their dependence on the walled gardens, other partners and their owned brand interactions—noting the relatively outsized importance a few players have had in their marketing strategies in the past decade.
So what’s Google doing instead of an alternative to third-party cookies? As part of their Privacy Sandbox (currently in development), Google plans to rely on aggregated cohort segments based on a user’s browsing behavior, or Federated Learning of Cohorts (FLoC). They also expressed that they believe emerging identity graphs under consideration by others in the adtech ecosystem that rely on PII identifiers, like email, will not meet the longer-term privacy expectations of consumers and regulators.
This change has little effect for Epsilon:
Epsilon Digital Media Solutions clients will continue to reach and engage people-based audiences with personalized messaging and performance transparency.
Any DSP, including DV360, will still be able to buy against private marketplace (PMP) deals that are established between clients and SSPs (e.g. Pubmatic, Magnite etc.). So Epsilon will continue to activate PeopleCloud audiences on behalf of our clients via publisher authentication and PMP deals.
For clients buying media on Google properties (e.g. YouTube) Epsilon can push consented first-party data for activation.
Epsilon publisher partners also can expect zero impact on Epsilon’s publisher identity solutions that leverage trusted first-party relationships.
What’s next
As privacy continues to be the driver for announcements like Google’s, Epsilon remains at the forefront. We started building our CORE ID solution in 2007, and for the past 10 years we’ve worked to develop publisher relationships and solutions like Epsilon Publisher Link. Together, these solutions support our strategy to continue driving outcomes for our brand and publisher partners in a cookieless world. Our cookieless strategy and solutions are designed with privacy in mind to evolve with the ever-changing regulatory environment and adhere to opt-out and consent best practices—something we’ve long invested in.
Because of this head start, today, our CORE ID accounts for 200+ million individuals, reachable through our network of 5,000+ high-quality publishers, including The New York Times, eBay, TripAdvisor and Time, to name a few.
As we built solutions for the future of the industry, we knew it would be critical to not focus on any single identifier if we were going to succeed. Instead, our people-based CORE ID anchors to deterministic names and postal addresses associated with transaction data, making it highly reliable. This data is stripped of any personally identifiable information before it comes into our walls and gets activated in the digital ecosystem, keeping consumers’ information properly safeguarded and aligning with evolving regulations.
We share Google’s perspective on the vital importance of consumer privacy and building first-party relationships, which is why we have developed a suite of Epsilon PeopleCloud products and services, empowering marketers and publishers to build and activate their first-party data strategies.
One thing is clear in the marketing ecosystem: Always expect changes. We’ve been in this business for more than 50 years, and we’ve seen and weathered similar seismic shifts across the industry. We’re always anticipating and building for the future.
---
## Retail media networks: Co-op advertising gets smarter
Type: eps_post
URL: /retail-media-networks-co-op-advertising-gets-smarter
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Retail media networks: Co-op advertising gets smarter
Headline after headline in 2020 read “rise of the retail media network.” And for good reason.
In December, Walgreens launched Walgreens Advertising Group (WAG), a media network that allows the convenience retailer to sell advertising on its owned online properties and other websites. As Walgreens’ VP of integrated media and head of WAG Luke Kigel puts it, the company is transitioning from “traditionally minded” to “digital first and audience first.”
Walgreens isn’t the only one. Ever since Amazon launched its media network in 2012, retailers have been following suit—from CVS to Target to Walmart to Kroger to Home Depot to Instacart to eBay to Wayfair to Best Buy.
It’s understandable of course why larger retailers would want to get in the media network game, but what’s in it for these smaller and midsize retailers?
Simply put, over the years, the big retail players have shown the smaller retailers what’s possible in terms of revenue. Amazon reaped approx. $10B in retail media network revenue, and Walmart, Target and Kroger have seen similar gains. There’s a tremendous opportunity here for retailers to get onboard—but in a different way than their larger counterparts—and unlock their first-party data and generate profit.
And the list of reasons to prioritize a media network is getting longer by the minute. Two major industry shifts from 2020 make the opportunity all the more attractive:
The here-to-stay shift to ecommerce brought on by COVID-19 putting more consumers online, in more places and more often
The impending death of third-party identifiers increasing the value of retailers’ first-party data
Many retailers already have some form of a media network in place (whether it’s a more classic co-op advertising or shopper marketing framework), but those are outdated models in the new digital-first context—a “traditionally minded” retail media network, as Walgreens’ Kigel might put it. Advertisers are currently faced with a growing list of media networks from which to choose to spend their shopper marketing, trade and even brand advertising dollars; an outdated model just won’t cut it in today’s competitive digital frontier.
In this article, we’ll take a look at the basics of retail media networks, how they’re evolving to meet the modern consumer’s and brand partner’s expectations, and what retailers need to consider before kicking off development. Let’s dive in.
What is a retail media network?
Let’s start with the basics so we’re all speaking the same language. A retail media network allows a retailer to provide brands access to their customers. This leverages a retailer's key assets—their first-party customer data and their owned channels, including website. A retailer’s first-party data allows brands to reach in-market buyers across formats and owned channels at the point of purchase.
And with the deprecation of third-party cookies, retailers’ first-party data is becoming even more attractive to brand partners looking to glean new insights on their customers.
It has long been recognized that retailers can generate more revenue by managing a retail media network than by just selling their products through traditional channels. And with the effects of the pandemic, more commerce is moving online and creating even more of an opportunity for digital media.
Retail media networks are the next evolution of co-op advertising
Traditionally, retailers have focused on monetizing their owned channels through co-op advertising for in-store and online promotions, like:
In-store signage and placements
In-store catalogs/circulars
In-store radio
Owned website
So, for instance, a beauty retailer may work with a brand partner to create a point-of-purchase in-store display promoting that partner’s product, and then perhaps offer them a digital ad space to display their product on their website’s homepage.
The concept started with retailers wanting to monetize in-store real estate (like end caps, visual display, audio, etc.), but the issue is that the value is inherently dependent on how many shoppers are in the store. In our current environment, in-store traffic is at an all-time low as consumers turn to digital experiences to meet their needs. This necessitates a shift in the co-op framework to a digital-based retail media network mindset.
What does the modern retail media network include?
The modern media network goes beyond the traditional co-op mindset, and instead really leans on the value of scale in a digital setting. This helps to create new opportunities to connect with consumers. Of course, focusing on in-store promotions and owned channels is not incorrect—it’s just incomplete by consumers’ new standards. There are so many customers who spend time online—rarely visiting retail websites—but still want and need to buy certain products.
The technology available to retailers today allows them to reach consumers across their many digital interactions—creating a complete network across on-site and off-site opportunities to connect with consumers and drive more site traffic.
Off-site advertising is a crucial media network component
It’s natural to think about just monetizing ad space on your owned website when transitioning from traditional in-store co-op advertising to the digital realm, but there’s a world of customers you can only reach by advertising off-site. Off-site advertising is a critical component of a successful modern media network.
The opportunity for customer reach is far greater on the open web than it is on retailers’ owned properties alone. In fact, according to a January 2020 survey from The Harris Poll commissioned by OpenX, American consumers spend about 66% of their time on the “open web” (which they define as any online property, website or app not owned by a major tech company such as Facebook, Amazon or Google).
Here’s how a media network that includes both on-site and off-site solutions drives more value for your brand and your partners:
Reconnect with current digital customers: Off-site advertising drives site traffic from existing customers that have purchased online (i.e., known digital customers in your CRM file). More traffic = More on-site monetization.
Reach offline buyers in a digital context: Off-site advertising drives new site traffic from existing customers that haven’t purchased online before (i.e., activating your offline customers in your CRM file for online connections). More new traffic from loyal customers = More on-site monetization.
Find and connect with new customers: Off-site advertising helps to identify and reach new online buyers (i.e., driving new-to-file customers). More conversions of new customers = More on-site monetization.
It’s a symbiotic relationship. And the numbers show how well the relationship works:
For a leading convenience store, 11% of all Q220 site traffic was messaged by off-site advertising before visiting the main website.
For CDW, 42% of messaged visitors from off-site advertising had not visited the main website for the first time.
For a leading beauty retailer in Q220, off-site advertising campaigns resulted in 270,000 offline customers buying online for first time. These are now multi-channel buyers with highest lifetime value.
The modern retail media network—one that will appeal most to brand partners—needs to reach all customers where they are. Having a fair amount of first-party data is one thing, but also having the scale required to reach enough customers to make a true impact is another entirely.
However, implementing the off-site advertising component is not necessarily a cake walk—should you choose to do it alone.
Should you build a retail media network in-house?
To be blunt, staying in-house to build and manage your retail media network is not advised. Managing the brand relationship is the most critical task for any retail brand. But there are additional factors with an off-site strategy for which retailers need to account:
Piecing together an offsite solution with a fragmented tech stack
Either hiring or building (data onboarding, DMP, DSP, DCO, measurement)
Implementing a managed service piece and measurement layer
All these aspects are complex and require extensive expertise, time and resources. Plus, when working with multiple different fragmented solutions, as would be necessary when trying to build a media network in-house, you end up losing data as you transfer between systems. Ultimately, this leads to you not recognizing and reaching everyone you could. This is solved by working with a partner who offers an integrated solution.
The conversation needs to come back to: What is your core competency as a marketer? Is it in building your own programmatic adtech stack? What’s more, many partners already do this—really well. We recommend working with a partner that has on-site and off-site capabilities to ensure connectivity across your whole network—whether someone is on your site or browsing CNN.
And with the present urgency of building a media network, time is of the essence. An experienced partner will be able to help you get up and running—without potentially hiring a single net-new resource—in days instead of the months (potentially years) you would need to build an entire media network on your own.
How to build a modern retail media network
First things first: If you don’t have any form of a media network in place, it’s high time to prioritize the lift. And if you only have traditional co-op advertising, you’re not leveraging the full value and scale that a true retail media network can offer.
Embracing a “digital-first” mindset is crucial for the modern retailer. How will your strategy evolve to meet the needs of today’s customers and brand partners?
See how we’ve consistently delivered lifts in revenue and average order values for CDW: Powering win-win outcomes with digital co-op advertising
---
## With Google's announcement on alternative identifiers, first-party data remains king
Type: eps_post
URL: /with-googles-announcement-on-alternative-identifiers-first-party-data-remains-king
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# With Google's announcement on alternative identifiers, first-party data remains king
Last week, Google published a blog post detailing their position on leveraging alternative user-level identifiers once third-party cookies are deprecated, noting their consumer privacy concerns and how such an identifier would be used in their proprietary advertising technology platforms. The biggest takeaway from the announcement is that Google does not intend to directly use alternative user-level identifiers that track individuals across sites within the company’s product portfolio.
As Google gears up for the exodus of third-party cookies from its Chrome platform, this announcement further underscores the need for brands to build first-party relationships with consumers.
At Epsilon, first-party data is at the heart of the work we do. We, along with our partners, believe in the spirit of the open web and have equally effective solutions that leverage authenticated traffic to serve personalized media just like Google does on its owned properties. If anything, our approach to respecting consumer privacy while addressing the needs of clients who want to reach their target audiences with personalized media and expect performance transparency is only strengthened by Google’s announcement.
Higher walls, and a renewed focus on cohort-based targeting, in the garden
Google’s announcement comes on the heels of recent privacy updates and announcements from the company and its competitors. Although well-intended, these changes shut the larger marketing ecosystem out from actionable data while allowing the large consumer platforms to continue building walled gardens, shifting marketing strategies in their favor in the name of greater privacy for consumers. For many brands, this further underscores their need to find a balance across their dependence on the walled gardens, other partners and their owned brand interactions—noting the relatively outsized importance a few players have had in their marketing strategies in the past decade.
So what’s Google doing instead of an alternative to third-party cookies? As part of their Privacy Sandbox (currently in development), Google plans to rely on aggregated cohort segments based on a user’s browsing behavior, or Federated Learning of Cohorts (FLoC). They also expressed that they believe emerging identity graphs under consideration by others in the adtech ecosystem that rely on PII identifiers, like email, will not meet the longer-term privacy expectations of consumers and regulators.
This change has little effect for Epsilon:
Epsilon Digital Media Solutions clients will continue to reach and engage people-based audiences with personalized messaging and performance transparency.
Clients buying media on Google DV360—one of the products we suspect will be impacted by Google’s announcement—can continue to activate these audiences when private marketplace deals are established with SSPs (e.g. Pubmatic, Magnite, etc.) via our clean room solutions, PeopleCloud Prospect and PeopleCloud Discovery. Clients can then continue to activate these audiences on DV360 via private marketplace deals within the variety of connected SSPs.
For clients buying media on Google properties (e.g. YouTube) Epsilon can push consented first-party data for activation.
Epsilon publisher partners also can expect zero impact on Epsilon’s publisher identity solutions that leverage trusted first-party relationships.
What’s next
As privacy continues to be the driver for announcements like Google’s, Epsilon remains at the forefront. We started building our CORE ID solution in 2007, and for the past 10 years we’ve worked to develop publisher relationships and solutions like Epsilon Publisher Link. Together, these solutions support our strategy to continue driving outcomes for our brand and publisher partners in a cookieless world. Our cookieless strategy and solutions are designed with privacy in mind to evolve with the ever-changing regulatory environment and adhere to opt-out and consent best practices—something we’ve long invested in.
Because of this head start, today, our CORE ID accounts for 200+ million individuals, reachable through our network of 5,000+ high-quality publishers, including The New York Times, eBay, TripAdvisor and Time, to name a few.
As we built solutions for the future of the industry, we knew it would be critical to not focus on any single identifier if we were going to succeed. Instead, our people-based CORE ID anchors to deterministic names and postal addresses associated with transaction data, making it highly reliable. This data is stripped of any personally identifiable information before it comes into our walls and gets activated in the digital ecosystem, keeping consumers’ information properly safeguarded and aligning with evolving regulations.
We share Google’s perspective on the vital importance of consumer privacy and building first-party relationships, which is why we have developed a suite of Epsilon PeopleCloud products and services, empowering marketers and publishers to build and activate their first-party data strategies.
One thing is clear in the marketing ecosystem: Always expect changes. We’ve been in this business for more than 50 years, and we’ve seen and weathered similar seismic shifts across the industry. We’re always anticipating and building for the future.
---
## The road ahead for bleisure marketing: Engaging remote workers
Type: eps_post
URL: /the-road-ahead-for-bleisure-marketing
Last Modified: 2025-05-14T20:45:36Z
# The road ahead for bleisure marketing: Engaging remote workers
Not so long ago, "bleisure"—a term coined about a decade ago to describe the combining of business and leisure travel—was hot. Travel marketers everywhere were talking about the trend, and for good reason: Cheaper airfare, increasingly distributed workforces and an era of strong economic performance led to steady growth in business travel spending.
Bleisure used to be an easy way to "add on" to a trip, whether that was a hotel, flight, destination excursions, car rental or other elements involved in an extended stay.
An Expedia study found that more than 60% of business trips were extended for leisure purposes. But the concept of any travel largely ground to a halt in 2020 due to the pandemic, uncertainty of how the virus spreads and stay-at-home orders in the US and beyond.
Fast-forward to 2021 when the world is just starting to right itself. We’re beginning to see more and more planes take off, and across the globe people are getting vaccinated against COVID-19. Does this mean that bleisure will return, as well?
The answer is both yes and no. The appetite for mixing business and leisure travel is alive and well, but due to lingering changes caused by the pandemic, it’s starting to look a bit different. This article explores what travel marketers need to know about the changing trend and how they can best engage the new audience.
'Flexcations': Inverting the concept of 'bleisure'
"Bleisure" has traditionally referred to the extension of business travel into leisure travel. An example would be someone flying to Boston for a corporate retreat on a Thursday, and then spending the following week in the city with her partner for a vacation.
What industry leaders are predicting for the future of bleisure is an inverse of that traditional definition: Some call it "flexcation." With "flexcations," instead of travelers extending their stays in locations that are pre-determined by business needs, travelers now get to choose where they go to work remotely while vacationing. This might look like a young couple booking a trip to Seattle and choosing to spend one week working remotely there from a hotel or Airbnb, and one week entirely off.
Understanding today's traveler: Closing the industry's gap in customer knowledge
It’s the combination of an increase in flexible-working options and a decrease in in-person business trips that could lead to this new concept of business/leisure travel.
Company after company (Spotify, Twitter, Shopify and more) have recently announced they’re loosening the "work-in-office" approach of pre-pandemic professional life, likely due to the fact that remote work hasn’t seemed to hinder productivity levels. This is happening at the same time that CEOs have started to question the need for in-person business travel. Business Insider shared that business trips may largely become a thing of the past as company leaders continue to question what really necessitates a flight.
Not only is this new definition of bleisure plausible, but we’re already beginning to see it in action:
Through Marriott’s "Work Anywhere" promotion, the hotel chain offers a reprieve for travelers looking to work in a clean, quiet environment. It also speaks to working families, offering on-site children’s activities. The Fairmont El San Juan Hotel is offering something similar with its "Bleisure in Style" package, which offers travelers an extended stay option.
Bermuda introduced "Work from Bermuda," a certificate program that invites travelers to work remotely from a scenic destination.
In November, CNN reported on eight vacation destinations that are "vying for remote workers"—one of which offers travelers the chance to transfer their home office to the "beautiful island" of Barbados for up to a year.
But it’s not just big getaways: Many are extending short-distance weekend trips into flexcation stays because it’s now become easier to work remotely.
Three tips to engage the new business/leisure traveler
Regardless of what we end up calling the new business/leisure travel model, your marketing strategy must appeal to the needs and behaviors of each individual traveler.
Following these three tips will help you engage all kinds of travelers more effectively.
1. Unify your messaging
Don’t let your messages become scattered across touchpoints. It’s crucial to unify your messaging across platforms and maintain a contextual understanding of the guest; otherwise, you run the risk of missing valuable opportunities to connect.
If you know someone is trying to get out of a cold Chicago winter and is browsing warmer destinations for a vacation, for example, use digital media to message them about extending their trip for a longer stay in which they can work and play. This digital media can promote things like quality access to in-room WiFi, which is of course the most important thing for the remote work traveler. Tourism boards as well should consider how they can promote their destinations as perfect "flexcation" options.
Continue that conversation by following up via email, and then send reminders of the travel offer within your loyalty app to extend the window of opportunity.
2. Prepare for in-trip marketing
In many cases with old and new bleisure models alike, there’s no upfront planning at all. For travelers who decide last minute to extend their stays (perhaps to soak in the sun a bit longer while cracking open their work laptop), their planning often occurs in real time and within the trip.
Communications can be served to travelers along the lines of: "Why not stay a little longer?" Sharing deals and opportunities that make the idea of an extended stay attractive can incentivize the traveler to stick around for another few days.
As well, keeping lines of communication open with your travelers will ensure you can pick up a conversation in the event that their trips are extended. Being able to return to those conversations gives you an opportunity to upsell travelers while they’re on their trips. All kinds of travel brands can benefit from effective in-trip marketing. But it’s especially valuable for DMOs that are looking to capitalize on business/leisure opportunities
3. Get personal
The final tip for engaging business/leisure travelers is to get personal with your marketing messages. Being able to personalize offers before, during and after a trip is key to getting travelers to trust your brand. And the more relevant your offers are, the more likely a traveler will be to book with you.
A national hotel chain that is able to identify someone who booked a two-week stay (part business, part leisure) is then able to market to them with messages like: "Wasn’t getting away great? It’s easy to do it again at one of our other locations." Clearly this individual is open to travel, so it’s likely they would be interested in heading somewhere else.
Personalization hinges on your ability to leverage the information you have today and properly aggregate information from ongoing touchpoints, like your loyalty program, to effectively communicate to those people in the future.
Engaging the modern traveler
It likely won’t be too long before we start to see some stable patterns emerge for travel in the new, post-pandemic world. And just like you, we’re curious to see what happens in the world of "bleisure" or "flexcation."
Whatever it’s called, your ability to engage business/leisure travelers comes down to your ability to connect consumer information across disparate data sources (digital media, paid advertising, email, loyalty and more) and how you can activate it for your marketing. Customer data is the fuel that will drive your success in today’s travel market, and the deeper your insights are, the more accurate you can make real-time marketing messages to engage these guests.
But, being able to understand those customer interactions will be much harder in a world without third-party identifiers (3PIDs). Our recent research found that 69% of travel marketers are concerned about their ability to target and personalize in a world without 3PIDs.
At Epsilon, our CORE ID was built on persistent, user-level identifiers that doesn’t rely on third-party cookies, so we’re prepared for the transition. As many others in the adtech industry are scrambling to build something not based on third-party cookies, we don’t expect to see a significant loss in reach once the changes are implemented in 2022.
Learn more about how marketers are preparing for the loss of identifiers in our recent research: Preparing for a world without third-party identifiers.
---
## Mixing up the perfect digital formula for beauty brand L'Occitane
Type: eps_post
URL: /mixing-up-the-perfect-digital-formula-for-beauty-brand-loccitane
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T22:17:52Z
# Mixing up the perfect digital formula for beauty brand L'Occitane
“It all began in the markets of Provence. With nothing but an alembic, a small truck and a solid knowledge of plants…” is L’Occitane’s humble origin story. Since then, the brand has grown to sell luxurious skincare and beauty products in stores across the globe.
But as digital channels became more important for consumers, it was harder for L’Occitane to reach and identify their best customers online—and more importantly, to allocate their marketing spend in the right places. A trusted partner for 10 years, L’Occitane knew Epsilon Digital and our Retail Media Network could help them better reach customers digitally.
Nailing down the formula
The beauty brand’s focus centered around customer acquisition, retention and reactivation—something top of mind for all marketers, especially coming out of a pandemic. “To meet these goals, we needed the right partner to help us better understand customer behavior across the web and to deliver the right message to our audience,” Anahita Besson, Director of Online Marketing at L’Occitane explains. “Not to mention, with COVID-19 forcing store closures in early 2020, it became even more important for us to establish a strong cadence of 1:1 digital communication with our best customers.”
Here's how Epsilon helped the beauty brand achieve a robust, actionable view of their customers and prospects, while providing end-to-end campaign execution (during COVID, and beyond):
Reactivating lapsed customers with irresistible offers
The first move was to reactivate lapsed customers who had not purchased L’Occitane products in the past 13 months. Using Epsilon’s industry-leading identity solution with 200 million+ people-based profiles, we were able to accurately identify lapsed customers online.
We then went a step further by leveraging AI models to determine which lapsed customers looked most like L’Occitane’s best customers and were likely to purchase again. After defining an audience, the team developed a unique 1:1 messaging strategy anchored in fresh lifestyle messaging that focused on best-selling skincare products and a “welcome back” offer for $20 off their next purchase.
L’Occitane valued our ability to deploy unique messaging when targeting these lapsed customers in a personalized, strategic and intentional way. Anahita explains, “Epsilon’s targeting capabilities allow us to model off the right audience, which improves our chances for conversion. It was innovative on our side from a communication standpoint—we can push the right messages to the right people.”
Driving customers to the right stores
Next, we set our sights on retaining current customers, which was especially top of mind due to COVID-19. It was important for them to remain in constant communication with customers— whether it be to inform them of store closures, reopenings, or updates on safety measures—which was hard to do, as retailers had limited face-to-face contact with their customers. Since in-store purchases made up about 70% of their overall sales, it’s no surprise L’Occitane’s strategy had previously centered around the brick-and-mortar experience.
But with retail stores closed, the new reality was ECommerce. “The goal was to figure out how to move from a retail experience to an ECommerce one, and nail down a communication strategy for that,” Anahita says. “How do we shift behavior, and reassure customers that we’ve created a safe environment for them?”
In order to update customers and urge them to continue supporting L’Occitane once stores began to reopen, we used our Location Driver digital media product to identify valuable individuals who lived near selected storefronts.
Then, we delivered personalized messages that promoted nearby stores and informed customers on safety measures and new services like contactless pick-up. “We did capitalize on retail customers that were in the vicinity of the retail location, but we successfully increased awareness for in-store while also driving multichannel behaviors,” Anahita explains.
With Epsilon PeopleCloud’s sophisticated measurement, L’Occitane was able to see store-level return on ad spend (ROAS), and understand which stores were driving the most sales. They could directly tie online activity to in-store purchases, which was a huge win for the brand.
Attracting new customers with holiday-themed SKUs
And while reactivating lapsed customers was important, the brand wanted to acquire new customers as well. L’Occitane’s holiday-themed offerings are always a hit, so we leveraged our Retail Media Network offsite ads to personalize messaging at the SKU-level to reach buyers and prospects with a likely propensity to purchase holiday-themed products.
In order to target the right people, we created a look-alike audience from a batch of customers who purchased select L'Occitane holiday SKUs (like Father’s Day and Mother’s Daythemed products). The campaign came to fruition through lifestyle and product-based creative, focused on the upcoming holiday, attracting new customers to the brand while driving repeat purchases.
“Epsilon’s targeting capabilities allow us to model off the right audience, which improves our chances for conversion. It was innovative on our side from a communication standpoint—we can push the right messages to the right people.”
-Anahita Besson, Director of Online Marketing, L'Occitane
Pretty impressive results
Epsilon was able to provide significant results for each of L’Occitane’s business objectives.
Our reactivation campaign reached 5.6 million unique customers that had not made a purchase over the past 13 months, which resulted in over $3 million in messaged revenue. We reactivated 46,000 customers, and by tailoring our message specifically to past buyers, the Cost Per Re-Activation was $4.50 ($10 lower than the average Cost Per Acquisition, exceeding benchmarks).
Retaining existing customers certainly had its set of challenges because of COVID-19. However, our strategy of focusing messages around those who live near L’Occitane retail stores paid off: across 22 targeted stores, we delivered 94 million impressions, nearly 9,000 conversions and $760,000 in revenue.
The holiday campaigns, using our Retail Media Network offsite ads to attract new customers, found a similar level of success, reaching 1.9 million unique individuals by using 92 holiday-themed SKUs. At the individual level, each SKU had a Return on Ad Spend (ROAS) of $21:1.
In summary Anahita says, “The integrated approach we have with Epsilon—the attention to detail—helps us truly understand performance…that is not something we had before.”
If you're interested in learning more about our Retail Media Network offering, download our new guide: Three strategies for a successful retail media network strategy.
---
## What does the next wave of retail media look like?
Type: eps_post
URL: /what-does-the-next-wave-of-retail-media-look-like
Last Modified: 2025-05-14T20:50:16Z
# What does the next wave of retail media look like?
Retail media has really grown up. An eMarketer report showed that ecommerce site advertising grew 38% YOY in 2020—totaling more than $17 billion. Retail media is a true win-win opportunity for smart retailers looking for a high-growth revenue stream and a path for brands to access their first-party audiences.
But retailers need new strategies if they want their fair share of this market. A 2020 Forrester report predicted that U.S. retailers with more than 50 million monthly site visitors would launch their own retail media networks. In contrast, Amazon has an estimated 200 million monthly site visitors. In contrast, a typical ecommerce site only sees about a third of its actual brick-and-mortar customer base. With significantly less website traffic, sites like these can’t just use the same strategies as Amazon and expect the same outcome.
Guide: 3 strategies for a successful retail media network
Tomorrow’s retail media networks are being launched by fundamentally different retailers than the ones that built the category. They have to consider new ways of building a retail media network that works for them, not copy what worked for others.
The real value of retail media extends beyond owned properties
Today’s concept of a retail media network often focuses on on-site search and display as the primary advertising opportunity. This makes sense for early retail media network players because the most valuable information lives within their site—i.e., users searching for products.
But for brick-and-mortar retailers, their customers aren’t necessarily regular visitors to their ecommerce sites. Epsilon did an analysis for a retail media client and found that of the 53 million consumers in its file, 88% were only reachable off-site because those people simply didn’t visit the retailer’s site. That’s 46 million people the retailer can’t reach by only using on-site advertising.
The average non-Amazon retailer doesn’t have the reach to maximize its revenue potential, unless the retailer wants to turn its website into Times Square with ads all over the place. And even if the retailer does, it’s still limited to only reaching site visitors (which, even for bigger retail brands, is a quarter of Amazon’s monthly site traffic).
Retailers need off-site advertising to deliver the reach and scale with current and prospective customers. However, building a solution that connects the reach and efficiency of off-site ads to the on-site experience is easier said than done.
3 key capabilities to look for in a retail media partner
When it comes to building an effective retail media network—one that connects retailers’ first-party data to individuals across on-site and off-site advertising—not all partners are created equal. Here are the KPIs to look for when searching for the right retail media partner:
1. Recognize consumers on-site, off-site and offline: Recognition is the name of the game in digital media, and retailers need to screen for true reach in their conversations with partners. And, with third-party identifiers going away, reach is plummeting across the ad-tech ecosystem as many don’t have a true, scalable cookieless solution. At Epsilon, we have two- to three-times more reach than other media networks, allowing retailers’ brand partners to connect with more in-market shoppers wherever they are in the digital space.
The reach conversation also extends to solution measurement. Because Epsilon’s measurement is based on transactions, we’ll know exactly who was messaged and who purchased—so brand partners know their budget was spent wisely. We’re also the only partner that measures online and offline transactions at scale for retail media campaigns.
2. Proactively drive transactions on your site at the individual level: When done right, an off-site plus on-site solution acts as a transaction generation strategy, bringing customers to your site to buy a specific product. For example, if someone is health-conscious, they’re probably reading health-related articles on their favorite news sites, following relevant blogs about holistic nutrition and purchasing organic, natural products when shopping. A retailer like Walgreens, with its new Walgreens Advertising Network, could reach this person with messages about vitamins and supplements that complement their diet, encouraging them to purchase on Walgreens.com. Holistically connected identity pinpoints those unique reach opportunities, building demand for the product before the person visits the site.
And this strategy works really well: For one Epsilon retail media network client, 42% of messaged visitors from off-site programmatic had never visited the site before. And for another client, we saw that 11% of all Q2 2020 site traffic was messaged by off-site programmatic first, and 30% of messaged visitors from off-site programmatic had never visited the site before.
3. Optimize brand partners’ spend for real outcomes: Retailers are excited about building a new revenue stream, but they also have a fiduciary responsibility to the brands trusting them with their ad dollars. Yes, brands want access to a retailer’s brand experience and audience data, but they also need a measured outcome. It’s key to trust a partner that can deliver measured transactions at the product level—at scale.
The opportunity is now. Retailers are sitting on a huge asset with their first-party data. And they need the right partner—that knows first-party data, brands, retailers and measurement—to build the next generation of retail media.
**This article was originally published on Adweek, March 2021.
---
## Insights 2021: Retail's Hard Reset
Type: eps_post
URL: /retails-hard-reset-insights-2021
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Insights 2021: Retail's Hard Reset
On Thursday 25th of March, Abacus employees, Michele Masnaghetti, VP of Analytics and Ben Collier, Business Development Director took to the virtual stage at Epsilon Abacus Insights Day to review the Home Shopping Trends in 2020 which includes unique insights into the 2020 multi-channel retail market compiled from transactional data provided by the Epsilon Abacus Database.
We were also joined by futurist and Retail Analyst Kate Ancketill from GDR Creative Intelligence to discuss Retail’s hard reset: How cataclysmic events accelerate trends, transformation and innovation.
Kate outlined how retail can bounce back stronger from the cataclysmic events of 2020. She argues that the combination of the pandemic experience, the climate emergency and significant geopolitical events has given us the impetus to make the fundamental changes needed to future-proof our businesses.
Kate highlighted the pure players and physical retailers who have pivoted very successfully during the pandemic, and posits that the “hard reset” innovations that make sense for the three Ps – People, Profit and Planet – will be the ones that are here to stay. Kate goes on to state the five key ways that physical retailers should be approaching their own hard reset, before revealing five essential changes they can implement right now.
Kate closed her keynote by looking a bit further into the future to discuss the implications of the smart city and the opportunities that technologies like 5G and automation will create for retail.
The session ended with a panel discussion, speaking to brands like Beer52, Moshulu and Charles Tyrwhitt and we received some great Insight into customer engagement, strategies to focus on in 2021 and how they had the courage to build on challenges faced during the past year that will reshape their businesses going forward.
{{cta('f54bfa4b-8ce6-40ed-837a-f73bcd7dda6e')}}
Find out how Abacus can help your business
If you’d like to find out more about any of these themes or need some help in benchmarking your business, send us a message at enquiriesuk@epsilon.com
---
## [VIDEO] Is your marketing team prepared for the death of third-party cookies?
Type: eps_post
URL: /is-your-marketing-team-prepared-for-the-death-of-third-party-cookies
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# [VIDEO] Is your marketing team prepared for the death of third-party cookies?
For more than two decades marketers have relied on third-party cookies to help track and shape consumers’ buying habits.
Now however, with major browsers and large platforms phasing out third-party cookies, marketers face a worrying gap in their customer identification capabilities.
Speaking at eTail Connect Spring 2021 virtual conference, Elliott Clayton, SVP Media at Epsilon, explains how brands can deal with 3rd party cookies depreciation by leveraging and activating their 1rst party data.
Why have third-party cookies fallen from favour?
Some of the web’s biggest browsers – including Google Chrome, Firefox and Safari – are phasing out third-party cookies due to consumer privacy concerns. This will significantly undermine brands’ ability to target their reachable audience.
Fast fact: 67% of Epsilon’s marketing clients say the demise of third-party cookies will have a bigger impact than GDPR.
Let’s be honest, cookies weren’t a perfect solution anyway.
On average, cookies allow brands to reach only around 14% of their target audience. That’s because cookies identify devices rather than people – they are regularly deleted by consumers, they’re web-centric and it’s difficult to link cookies to first-party data.
Deeper dive: How will the death of third-party cookies’ impact marketing?
There are three main areas of marketing that will become significantly more challenging in the post-cookie era:
Display and social advertising. Businesses that use third-party cookies (in their retargeting campaigns, buy third-party data sets or use other platforms to run digital media or social) will find audience control, frequency control, and reach increasingly difficult.
Google Analytics and attribution tools will be less effective. If you can't track who you're talking to over time, measurement and customer targeting will be significantly more difficult.
Data management technologies will also suffer. This includes test to control modules, conversion rate optimisation, and other cookie-reliant systems.
What other identifiers are available?
Email is a strong contender to replace third-party cookies. This first-party identifier will allow marketers to communicate directly with customers across devices. Some other benefits of email:
Email is persistent compared to cookies, which can be easily deleted by customers.
Consumers may have several email addresses, but email is still more effective than the alternatives.
Email can be used across channels.
You can anchor email to your own business, and rescale.
In a nutshell
Here are three ways brands can continue to identify, track, measure and influence customer behaviour in a post-cookie world.
Maximise your collection of first-party data…but in a privacy-compliant way. Loyalty programmes are a textbook way to do this. They create self-funding first-party data, which optimises incremental return. Loyalty programmes also come with built-in marketing consent.
Improve omnichannel effectiveness and customer lifetime value with a customer data platform (CDP), which will consolidate all your customer data into one database. You can then use this single customer view to shift your focus from continuous customer acquisition to increasing lifetime value. CDP isn’t a replacement for a data management platform, however, and you won’t be able to speak to your customers without one.
Work with partners that can help increase your audience reach in a privacy-compliant way.
The bottom line
Marketers are right to feel concerned about the phasing-out of third-party cookies, as this will introduce short-term challenges. In the medium term, however this is the perfect opportunity to adopt first-party data, which if handled correctly, will prove to be a significantly more effective customer identifier.
---
## Is Your Digital Marketing as Customer-Centric as You Think?
Type: eps_post
URL: /is-your-digital-marketing-as-customer-centric-as-you-think
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T22:17:52Z
# Is Your Digital Marketing as Customer-Centric as You Think?
Take a look at leading digital-native businesses such as Gymshark, Deliveroo and AO.COM, and you’ll notice they all have one thing in common – deep-rooted customer-centricity.
They put their customers’ needs at the very centre of everything they do and that filters through every aspects of their business, from the technology they use to the way they market their goods and services.
Epsilon has created a series of video and blog ‘explainers’ to guide you through key aspects of customer-centricity. Topics range from calculating customer lifetime value and boosting loyalty to customer acquisition and incremental growth.
What is customer-centricity in digital marketing?
Digital-native understand that to have customer centric digital marketing one of the most important aspects is business need to have as basic requisite the ability to recognise a customer or prospect, accurately and across multiple devices
Why it matters?
Customer centricity forms a virtuous circle. When you can identify your customers and understand their behaviour. Armed with this information you can proactively share messages that will resonate with them and ultimately sell them what they need and want, when they want Can we not use track as often?
Why is this such a big challenge?
The problem is structural. Most organisations are primarily channel-centric rather than customer-centric. Business functions, and the teams that service them, operate in isolation and there are gaps and barriers where they meet. Every team is working on their own piece of the jigsaw, so it’s almost impossible to have a single, fluid and friction-free customer journey.
Businesses often invest in a single customer view, but if their internal silos aren't broken down, each team will continue to look at a solution that applies to their own goals rather than the ultimate customer goal.
Deeper dive: three steps to becoming a customer-centric company
Here are three challenges organisations must overcome if they are to be truly customer-centric:
Identify customers and prospects: 65% of shoppers will visit a website using multiple devices over a period of a year and many may change their cookie multiple times. If you can't connect offline data with an online ID, you will never know what percentage of your web visitors are current customers and your messaging will be disconnected.
Achieve true customer-centric personalisation: Customer-centric personalisation looks and feels like an on-brand, real-world relationship – a sensitive and evolving dialogue extending across all your channels. This is only possible with successful cross-channel identification. The alternative is channel-centric personalisation – spam emails and being chased around the internet by a product that you’ve viewed once.
Effectively measure incremental revenue growth. Incremental growth is the key measure of customer-centricity because it shows how well a brand nurtures customer lifetime value. Epsilon measures incrementality using a tested control to understand changes in the sales baseline. This data-driven approach to incrementality enables organisations to create marketing campaigns that are super-targeted and provide a compelling ROI.
Questions to ask yourself…
Do you understand your customers’ lifetime value?
How does this data affect the way you acquire customers?
If you are in charge of acquisition, can you influence the SSCV, CDP or ID solution your CRM team use?
If you are in charge of customer experience, how often do you speak to the performance teams when performance ads get a bit too performance-driven?
Introducing Epsilon’s solution
Epsilon’s solution is different because it is end-to-end – harnessing data to provide customer-centricity for the lifetime of the customer.
Onboarding customers and making sense of their data,
creating algorithms to decide if and when to serve a customer
Deciding what to talk about as well as being responsible for getting the end result
The bottom line
This end-to-end approach means that Epsilon’s solution connects disparate functions right across the organisation and attributes engagement levels according to customer value.
You can find out more about customer-centricity by watching our on-demand video series
---
## We're all invited to the sandbox if we play by Google's rules
Type: eps_post
URL: /were-all-invited-to-the-sandbox-if-we-play-by-googles-rules
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# We're all invited to the sandbox if we play by Google's rules
On March 3, Google published its position on user-level identifiers, and some likened it to dropping a bomb on the ad-tech community. Google shared that it does not intend to directly use alternative authenticated user-level identifiers after deprecating third-party cookies. And it considers such identifiers non-viable from a privacy perspective.
At first glance, this is good news for consumer privacy. Due to privacy considerations, Google will limit its products to cohort models that group similar individuals together based on browsing behavior within its Privacy Sandbox. (Though some privacy experts feel that Google’s solution is as bad for privacy as the status quo.)
On the flip side, Google seems to be saying that it’s okay for the company to leverage Google-owned user-level identifiers, such as an email-based YouTube login or a Google first-party cookie. But alternative user-level identifiers owned by others, such as an email-based login on a publisher site, are persona non grata on Google’s product stack. This position undercuts the revenue streams of independent publishers and competing ad-tech companies that make up the open web in favor of the walled gardens, including Google.
Most marketers aren’t happy about this industry shift. Research shows that 70% of marketers say digital advertising is headed in the wrong direction, and 63% say they’re disappointed and frustrated by Google and Apple’s moves. At the time of the original announcement back in January 2020, Forrester analyst Joanna O’Connell summed up the industry’s overall reaction by saying, “I don’t think I anticipated that they would do something that feels so obviously beneficial to Google.”
These changes are coming in the name of privacy for consumers, but they also strategically support Google’s ad business, providing Google with all the data insight that the rest of the industry will lack. Are the privacy standards different when an individual logs into YouTube vs. The New York Times? Google is creating a new and smaller “sandbox” for the rest of the internet and setting the rules for anyone who wants to play in it.
A sandbox controlled by one
When an organization like Google has control of so many interdependent steps in the supply chain, there are inherent risks. Not only did Google build its own sandbox, but the company also monitors the whole playground: Google builds the infrastructure, performs the upkeep and determines who is allowed in and out.
For independent publishers and ad-tech companies, this means they’re allowed into the sandbox—but only on the periphery. In the end, it’s the consumer who will suffer. If independent publishers can only sell in the sandbox, many will go out of business and online innovation will slow to a crawl. The overall online experience and marketing impact will deteriorate in the name of improved privacy—which is unlikely to improve.
This also consolidates more power within the walled gardens—Google particularly—where performance transparency continues to be an issue. Marketers need the ability to draw a clear line from their marketing investments to tangible business results. And it is unlikely that Google’s Federated Learning of Cohorts (FLoCs) will deliver the kind of justification that a marketing professional wants to present to their CFO. It amounts to picking audiences based on recent browsing behavior, but where you surf does not typically suggest how interested you are in buying toothpaste.
The marketing industry has allowed a few players to have an outsized importance in the larger ecosystem, and Google’s latest update further exacerbates the resulting problems. Brands need to take back control by rebalancing their messaging strategies across walled gardens, open-web partners and owned brand interactions.
A reliable cookieless strategy
Google’s announcement only reinforces the need for brands to build first-party relationships with consumers. As Forrester noted in its blog post responding to the news, Google “wants to burnish its reputation as privacy-friendly in the face of much competition from other browsers …” and “… also ‘owns’ millions of direct consumer relationships (read: first-party data, much of it authenticated), which it can continue to benefit from within its own massive ecosystem, à la a classic walled garden.”
While Google’s announcement has left many reeling, its update has little impact for the brands Epsilon works with:
Brands buying media outside the Google stack will continue to reach and engage people-based audiences with personalized messaging and performance transparency.
Brands buying media on Google DV360, or any DSP, will still be able to buy against private marketplace (PMP) deals that are established between clients and SSPs (e.g., Pubmatic, Magnite etc.). So, we’ll continue to activate Epsilon PeopleCloud audiences on behalf of our clients via publisher authentication and PMP deals.
When Google is in the role of publisher (e.g., YouTube), Epsilon or its clients can push first-party data for activation on these properties.
At Epsilon, we always knew that it would be critical not to focus on any single online identifier, such as third-party cookies or email addresses, to deliver for our clients both now and in the future. Instead, our people-based CORE ID is anchored on deterministic data elements, making it highly reliable and stable. The data is pseudonymized before it enters the digital ecosystem, keeping consumers’ information properly safeguarded and aligned with evolving regulations. It also allows our identity solution to connect with any online identifiers that currently exist or may evolve in the future.
First-party data and privacy are two principles that have always been at the heart of the work we do. But we, along with our partners, also believe in the spirit of the open web. Our cookieless strategy is designed with privacy in mind to evolve with ever-changing regulations and adheres to opt-out and consent best practices as applicable. When an individual opts out of personalized messaging, we don’t just opt out the email or cookie they are using at that moment, we opt out the individual on every identifier within CORE ID. This is an improvement over most solutions that force consumers to opt out one identifier at a time.
Ultimately, Epsilon shares Google’s perspective on the vital importance of consumer privacy and building first-party relationships. But we are committed to achieving those goals through transparent, large-scale, open-web solutions that meet our clients’ needs—unlike limited sandboxes and walled gardens.
This article was originally published on Adweek, March 2021.
---
## How to succeed without third-party cookies
Type: eps_post
URL: /marketer-playbook-how-to-succeed-without-third-party-cookies
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# How to succeed without third-party cookies
What will happen to digital advertising once third-party cookies (3PCs) are eliminated from the major web browsers?
More importantly: Is your brand ready for it?
Our new playbook will help you:
Understand the effects of 3PC phase-out on the digital advertising ecosystem.
Explore options to invest your resources in preparation for the change.
Build an action plan to succeed in a world without 3PCs.
---
## How are marketers solving for identity in a cookieless world?
Type: eps_post
URL: /how-are-marketers-solving-for-identity-in-a-cookieless-world
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# How are marketers solving for identity in a cookieless world?
Identity resolution was a major challenge for marketers even before they were confronted with the phase-out of third-party cookies and mobile ad IDs. It’s increasingly important to construct a single, coherent, actionable view of customers across online and offline touchpoints, while understanding the barriers to bringing that vision to life. Take away third-party cookies, and it can make an already-difficult situation seem impossible.
But brands are discovering a way forward. The deprecation transition forces many marketers to reexamine their first-party data strategies, discovering they already own much of the data they need to gain the end-to-end view of the customer journey. Marketers are on a new quest for identity; it’s just a matter of unlocking their first-party data’s potential.
Rebalancing the three-legged stool of identity resolution
When it works, the effects of first-party data can be stunning. For example, when Unilever launched a data unification project across its 64 portfolio brands last year, customer identity resolution improved five-fold in just six weeks. And when Walgreens used first-party data to power a revamp of its loyalty program, it gained the ability to offer compelling real-time offers, such as reminding customers to stop in for a flu shot as they pass their neighborhood branch.
Successful identity resolution has long been a three-legged stool, depending on a combination of first-, second- and third-party data to achieve the highest-resolution view of the customer. Over time, one leg of that stool—third-party data—took on outsized importance, making the identifier deprecation transition especially daunting. When Epsilon surveyed marketers last fall, two-thirds expected digital advertising to take a step back as a result.
Read our full research report: Preparing for a world without third-party identifiers
But to the extent that deprecation causes a rebalancing of the stool, shifting additional weight toward first-party data, brands could ultimately emerge from this transition with a stronger view of their customers than they’ve ever had before. Brands that are able to build out and better utilize their first-party data asset are realizing there’s more potential than they understood.
“We’re connecting data to consumers in a way that we weren’t able to before,” says Rosa Pantoja, data-driven marketing lead for North America at Unilever. “That’s sparked conversations: What are the other use cases? How do we bring this to life? How do we change how we’re engaging customers and extend that customer journey? I didn’t anticipate that would happen, and it’s been really nice.”
Championing first-party data
Building a foundational layer of first-party data can be a lift for organizations accustomed to relying on third-party data and audience segments, and whose direct interactions with customers often take place within walled-garden platforms. Even when there is sufficient first-party data on hand, it can be difficult to fuse it into something actionable and coherent, due to siloed systems and disconnected mar-tech solutions.
Bridging those divides can be difficult, but the payoff of a unified customer view is worthwhile. And it’s spurred the emergence and ongoing maturity of the customer data platform (CDP) market.
CDPs, which first emerged as solutions for mid-market businesses, are evolving to better support enterprise clients. The CDP market is projected to grow to over $10 billion by 2025, and Epsilon’s third-party identifier deprecation research shows that two-thirds of marketers are looking at building a CDP to solve for the impending loss of identifiers.
But, like any technology, CDPs can be misunderstood. These data platforms can struggle to unify profiles across multiple brands and touchpoints in a way that is actionable and useful to the marketer. CDPs ultimately need an identity management and resolution component if they’re going to work for enterprise-level brands. And that identity needs to be anchored by purchases, registration, online consent, preferences and much more. You need that strong reference data and data hygiene to build each profile from the most accurate data set. If marketers or CDP technology providers don’t have that in their arsenal today, they should be figuring out how to get it.
Internal alignment for cross-channel activation
If first-party data alignment is the initial step, what can it be used for? Identity resolution will continue to rely on inputs from various sources that add on to and complement a brand’s first-party data. This allows marketers to connect with consumers in ways that are similar to today’s marketing ecosystem but in a post-third-party cookie world.
Learn how to succeed without third-party cookies: Read our marketer playbook
Those strategies involve leveraging strong first-party data that is aligned to second-party and even zero-party data (which can lead to the strongest consumer relationships when properly honored). With strategies where various data inputs can inform one another—in a privacy-safe context, compliant with regulatory environments and adhering to opt-out and consent best-practices—brands can activate in new ways without third-party cookies, like cookie-proof digital media integrations with publishers and retail media networks. Both are rising in popularity as brands and retailers learn to leverage their relative abundance of first-party data with advertisers that have traditionally been a layer or two removed from direct customer interaction.
Coming amid the transition away from third-party cookies and device identifiers, many see this as a season of uncertainty. But it’s actually an opportunity to build a better marketing ecosystem. The goal for each brand should be to have the right setup to enable relationships, so they can interact with consumers on their own terms. And naturally, more data-driven brands are going to have a competitive advantage for insights and reach vs. those that rely more heavily on walled gardens.
**This article was originally published on Adweek, March 2021.
---
## How to create a successful fintech marketing strategy
Type: eps_post
URL: /how-to-create-a-successful-fintech-marketing-strategy
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# How to create a successful fintech marketing strategy
As the number of financial technology companies grow, so do the needs of fintech marketers. Strong fintech marketing can exponentially grow financial institutions in the field and help customers along in their own financial journeys. So what can a fintech marketing agency do to put them on the map?
Fintech marketing strategies focus specifically on the unique needs of the financial customer. As this multibillion dollar industry continues to grow, understanding the needs of individual consumers will become increasingly important. Getting a piece of that market share is key—and thoughtful fintech marketing plans can help acquire new customers and continue evolving their current ones.
Before developing a successful fintech marketing strategy, it’s important to understand what factors are causing you to stagnate. Being able to simply react to customers is not enough: Proactively anticipating a person’s financial journey based on early signals and indicators gets you in the door for new accounts and expands your scope for existing ones.
Set a data strategy
Big data is far more accessible for fintech marketers than it once was. Using prognostic analytics helps evaluate consumers and their buying patterns, allowing marketers to predict what products they may be interested in.
Understanding your customers from an analytical perspective helps set a roadmap for building and maintaining a unified and continually refreshed consumer profile. Traditionally, marketers have relied on third-party cookie data to develop those insights. In an Epsilon survey, 79% of finance marketers depend on third-party cookies to build customer profiles.
But as those deprecate, it will disrupt a key component of the entire digital ecosystem. And marketers are preparing for third-party cookie deprecation by building out their own data strategies.
Marketers should ask themselves: What data solutions do we currently have? And is our solution based on third-party cookies or a first-party solution that is accessible, secure and anonymized? Identity management enables the alignment of data assets across name-based (PII) and ID-based (pseudonymous) sources to build and maintain an accurate and customer profile.
They also should consider whether they’re serving multiple channels. Having the ability to seamlessly exchange data between an analytics platform and the customer-facing interaction channel will shorten the time between the analytic generation and activation. Meaning you are sending better information about your customers—and sending out better messages to them—in real-time.
Having multiple channels of interaction (direct messaging, in-store, video, display and mobile, to name a few) will help the feedback loop grow and give better insights on the customer. This is only growing more important—especially for video. By 2023, there will be 29.3 billion networked devices.
A strong omnichannel approach, as well a strong analytics platform, will work to create scalable channels with relevant interactions that move away from silos.
There are several types of analytics platforms:
Customer data platform (CDP): CDPs help marketers see a single view of their customers, which powers omnichannel personalization. These platforms unify first- and third-party customer data from a wide range of sources into a single, comprehensive view across devices and channels. However, not all CDPs are made equal. To market at scale, you need an enterprise-ready CDP—such as Epsilon’s PeopleCloud Customer.
Customer relationship management (CRM): CRMs are platforms that manually collect customer data to connect and structure it across various channels. With this method, marketers can develop complete customer profiles on an individual level in real time. The downside? While they succeed in understanding customers one-on-one, they don’t have the scalability and personalization provided by a CDP.
Data management platform (DMP): A DMP collects anonymous consumer data almost exclusively from third-party cookies. Using this method, marketers can use anonymized information to build advertising and targeting campaigns—albeit not for individual users. It’s inability to create a persistent identified, coupled with third-party cookie deprecation, make DMPs somewhat obsolete.
You want a solution that not only builds a set of analytics-driven insights, but one that also creates scalable channels with relevant interactions for consumers.
Build strong relationships
Once your data solution is in place, it’s time to start understanding the customer. Fully developed profiles give a 360-degree view of where a customer is at in their financial journey, as well as see which upcoming life events might trigger future financial needs. Instead of focusing on selling a product, you can focus on developing relevant messaging around solutions for each customer.
This also helps you cross-sell additional products. The financial lifecycle spans across several different needs, and customers who have just one relationship at a financial institution are less profitable than those with multiple ones. Having in-depth data solutions give you the ability to clearly see what a customer already uses, and what they’re most likely to use based on their current portfolio.
Personalization
Part of building strong relationships is creating strong, personalized messages that speak to your customers. Simply understanding your customer isn’t enough. There is a direct correlation between delivering relevant messaging and the likelihood a brand will retain a customer.
According to an Epsilon report:
80% of people are more likely to do business with a company that offers personalized experiences.
89% of people are more likely to do business with a financial institution that offers personalized experiences.
64% define personalization as customization and service.
Marketers can bridge online and offline identities to deliver messages the customer wants—putting real people at the center of the messaging. This is especially important in the fintech space. Messaging customers at the right time with the right messaging encourages them to use the product right away.
The sooner customers start using the service, the sooner brands can see a positive financial impact.
Create valuable content
Effectively targeting specific audiences, down to an individual level, creates better content overall. Part of a strong data strategy includes understanding the pain points of your customers. Giving them the tools to understand what they need—or what they don’t need—helps them make more informed decisions about the products they’re interested in.
It also is useful in generating leads. Content can help consumers walkthrough the challenges they’re facing, and then draw them in with a call-to-action for a specific solution. Having a robust library full of high-quality, consistent content will educate people and establish your authority as a brand.
Consumers are moving away from buying products and services solely on name recognition—or clever advertising—alone. This underscores the importance of a comprehensive marketing strategy that includes content.
So what makes good content?
Originality: Quality content is original. Marketers should strive to understand how their unique perspective adds to a solution and differentiates themselves from their competition.
Search engine optimization (SEO): SEO is a way to make your content stand out in search engines like Google. These sites search available content on the internet—everything from web pages and blogs to PDFs and images—and rank them based on how well it matches a specific query. By using some basic SEO principals, like including keywords and phrases, it’s more likely search engines will prioritize your content above others. Be warned, though. Over-optimization can negatively impact your site. Make sure you’re strategically using your SEO keywords, that you’re developing content that is relevant to those keywords and that you’re organizing your content effectively.
Call to action: Good content will have some sort of “call to action.” In short, a consumer should walk away with something after accessing your content. That might be an answer to a question or a solution to a problem (i.e. “How does my credit score affect my ability to purchase a home?” or “Where can I get a good rewards credit card?”) It can also include content that makes someone wiser about a situation in which they can relate (i.e. “Here’s why you should start saving for retirement now.”) Content shouldn’t be created just so it exists. There needs to be a reason why someone should interact with it, and most importantly, why it isn’t a waste of their time.
Fintech marketers—and marketers in general—should always be thinking about how their marketing strategies are not only getting people in the door, but helping their customers access and understand the products and services they provide. By understanding the individual and helping them along their journey you can create lifelong relationships that build a better business overall.
---
## Conscious consumerism will continue to influence retail but how does that effect your direct mail campaigns?
Type: eps_post
URL: /conscious-consumerism-will-continue-to-influence-retail-but-how-does-that-effect-your-direct-mail-campaigns
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Conscious consumerism will continue to influence retail but how does that effect your direct mail campaigns?
McKinsey data from July 2020 says more than 60% of shoppers go out of their way to buy sustainable products — many customers only know or like a few sustainable brands and then default to big box retailers for other needs.
How willconsumer views influence purchasing and where does that leave your Direct Mail strategies?
Many marketers have the misconception that print is ‘less green’ than other media. Email and social media are perceived to be more environmentally-friendly than all those door drops, inserts and catalogues.
The good news is that direct mail can be just as green as digital marketing.
In fact, this personal, tangible and measurable medium can even be climate neutral in the hands of the right printer. With the print industry making serious improvements to reduce environmental impact, print is staying a best-in-use marketing channel for even the most passionate eco-business.
So, if you’re looking to increase your DM activities, but want to stay at your greenest, what do you need from a printer?
We have asked one of our print partners to comment on how you can deliver a ‘green campaign’.
PSE Offline Marketing:
“When managing customer campaigns, we always consider the environment and ensure some key steps are taken so the print is managed in an eco-friendly and sustainable way. We’d always advise using veg based inks and recycled and recyclable material whilst avoiding non-recyclable finishes such as certain UV’s, laminates and foils wherever possible."
Over and above that, there are additional accreditations that presses are committed to for sustainable printing that they would be able to provide you with for your campaign. For example the FSC accreditation is globally recognised for the work they do in not just the material used but also how the presses are run. We also strongly recommend offsetting the carbon used for each campaign through our partnership with the World Land Trust which enables you to attribute an exact amount of Carbon you have balanced, along with the land you have protected.
In 2020 alone we offset 99,356 kgs of Carbon and 69,549 m2 of forest was saved. It’s a fantastic initiative with a very low cost involved and can be applied to any print project produced so we’d strongly recommend using it.
“Although looking after the planet is incentive enough, through using eco-friendly materials and clean data processes, it also allows you to tap into additional postage savings, so not only is it good for the environment, but it’s also good for your marketing budget!
A Global Corporate Sustainability Report published by Nielsen shows that, “globally, 66 percent of consumers are willing to spend more on a product if it comes from a sustainable brand. Millennials gave an even more impressive showing, with 73 percent indicating a similar preference.”
This data indicates that customers want the companies they buy from to practice sustainability, have strong ethical behaviour and provide transparency. As part of the trade off, consumers are willing to pay more for products that use sustainable processes.
Consumers are already operating from a sustainability mindset, even if they struggle to make it a lifestyle. They are increasing the pressure on brands to make it easier for them to do so, calling for greater transparency and pushing for more sustainable options.
Look at the Nielson graph below to get an idea of those purchasing drivers
How brands like Patagonia is Leading the Way
Patagonia does not encourage it’s customers to buy new clothing if their existing garments work. Rather, they communicate to them not to do so, provide a service to repair their product if need be for the customer to continue using it, and they now provide a service where used merchandise can be returned for new merchandise credits. The used clothing is then cleaned and repaired and sold on their “Worn Wear” website.
This is part of Patagonia’s commitment to and standing for sustainability in it’s business ethos.
We’ve asked Baukjen where their individual brand stand on sustainability?
All of our catalogues are PEFC certified and we print this on the back cover each time. In the catalogue we also include a sustainable and ethical guide. This talks about everything from upcycling, to low CO2 emissions to digital printing.“Our Mission is to put people and the planet at the heart of everything that we do. Driving lasting positive change in the fashion industry with sustainable practises and an ethical supply chain. We create timeless, carefully crafted clothes that empower woman. Last week we got the news that we have achieved full B Corp status and have been scored top in the UK for fashion.” - Anna Wilson, Marketing Consultant, Baukjen
We're proud to...
have plastic free and 100% biodegradable packaging
be carbon net-neutral, and on a journey to be carbon-positive
use at least 90% responsibly sourced fabrics and fibres, and to increase this all the time
source ethically produced animal products and be actively researching vegan alternatives
be a zero-waste company, we never send clothes to landfill or incineration
House of Baukjen proudly works with the key global organisations to deliver a better world. Amongst others The Fashion Pact, the UN Fashion Charter, the Sustainable Apparel Coalition and Science-Based Targets for Nature.
For their impact report they have adopted the United Nation’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) framework which consist of 17 goals which form a universal call to action to end poverty, protect the planet, and ensure that all people enjoy peace and prosperity by 2030.
As part of Abacus commitment to upholding green practices, here are three things you can implement when planning your next campaign.
CHOOSE AN ENVIRONMENTALLY-FRIENDLY PRINT PARTNER
DATA DATA DATA
Clean data is important in saving your resources. It has a direct result on the response rates and success of your campaign. Sending direct mail to customers who neither need your products nor take any interest will waste your time, energy, and resources, which you could have directed to other customers who could’ve purchased.
This principle stands in sustainability. By cleaning up your database, you reduce the physical volume of mail. This means fewer people will throw out your marketing materials, and less waste is headed for the landfills.
CREATIVE DESIGN
How you design your mail pieces not only affects the response rates; but it also influences how you maximise your materials.
Content is king as they say, but make sure you utilise the space on the pages to get the message across and get rid of unnecessary and redundant information.
As mentioned above, you can also opt for recyclable materials and make sure to indicate that it’s recyclable. This way, you influence your clients to dispose of your mail properly.
There is so many ways in which you can deliver green campaigns and all it comes down to is turning your good intentions into good habits. Start today and direct your efforts into being 1% better every day.
We’ve also outlined a few strategies that could earn you trust in greenery conservation.
BE TRANSPARENT
This entails being radical and exposing any bad news. Brands need to find a competitive edge by exposing as much information as possible about their sourcing and production processes. For instance, sustainability pathfinders like Patagonia have reported with transparency through its “Footprint Chronicles.” Access to the corporate practices and details of products and services should be provided to the consumers as part of a green marketing strategy.
WALK THE TALK
Companies are well graced by consumers when they gain a perception of sustainability and commitment. Companies holding advocacy for greening the environment should employ a clear vision of pro-green product and service solutions.
FOCUS ON PRO-ENVIRONMENTAL SOLUTIONS AND BENEFITS
Since buyers want information about the personal benefits of products provided, brands ought to focus on incorporating more pro-environmental benefits of products. For instance, organisations should question whether their products save the consumers’ money or if the products are appealing to the style-conscious of the consumers.
For example, Baukjen is one brand that has profited from marketing itself as an enterprise that ensures good working conditions for its employees ie advocate being a living wage employer, only work with factories that meet the highest ethical standards and they are also proud to be champions of slow fashion.
PRODUCE DURABLE PRODUCTS THAT ENSURE EXTENDED UTILITY OVER THEIR LIFE CYCLE
Brands that have taken the responsibility of minimising the life cycle impacts of their products have attained noticeable benefits as green consumers always want a product that not only provides value for their money but also lasts longer in their lifetime use.
CAUSE MARKETING, ECO-LABELS, AND ENVIRONMENTAL PRODUCT DECLARATIONS
Promotional efforts or cause marketing in which a brand channels part of the product’s profits into an essential non-profit, cause-related marketing can bring about differentiation of brands within a marketplace.
References:
Advameg, Inc. (2019). Green marketing. Retrieved from https://www.referenceforbusiness.com/small/Eq-Inc/Green-Marketing.html. The Global Development Research Center. (2019). Some examples of green consumerism. Retrieved from https://www.gdrc.org/sustbiz/green/doc-cons_examples.html. “The benefits and values of green lifestyle consumers.” International Journal of Marketing Studies; 7, no. 1 (2015).
Send us a message at enquiriesuk@epsilon.com
---
## Monetizing web traffic on cookieless browsers with PoolHost
Type: eps_post
URL: /monetizing-web-traffic-on-cookieless-browsers-with-poolhost
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Monetizing web traffic on cookieless browsers with PoolHost
PoolHost, an online office pool and sports site, was looking to monetize their traffic on cookieless browsers like Safari. Ready for a new and exciting opportunity, they partnered with Epsilon to pilot our publisher identity solution, Publisher Link. But the initiative had to start somewhere. Here's how Epsilon and PoolHost worked together to create a dynamic solution that increased overall ad fill rate, impression count and earnings.
Identifying pain points
PoolHost is a publisher offering sports games and content. And while other providers in this space are pay-to-play, PoolHost is free, which means that much of their ability to earn revenue comes through their own website ad revenue. So, a key goal for them was to find advertising units that would monetize well in their content and render with a user-friendly experience, particularly on mobile, amongst the site’s many tables and statistics. And to do it in a world of third-party identifier deprecation (cookies, MAIDs and more)—making it more difficult to find the intended audience.
Larry Lubman, CEO of PoolHost, explains, “We were trying for a balance between offering a clean user interface to retain users, and increasing ad revenue through a better fill rate and higher CPMs.” What’s more, they were scrambling to implement a new monetization strategy to meet seasonal NFL traffic (a period of high traffic). With only two weeks left in the season, they were worried they’d miss out on one of their biggest annual monetization opportunities.
“With a solution like this, you can find a balance between maintaining privacy and being able to monetize your audience through anonymous identification.”
- Larry Lubman, Chief Executive Officer, PoolHost
A custom-built solution
Epsilon partnered with PoolHost and implemented our new publisher identity solution, Publisher Link, to help address their monetization challenges. We assisted in the integration of publisher identity suite tags directly on PoolHost’s site getting up and running in less than a week.
Publisher Link is Epsilon’s second level of publisher identity designed for websites with authenticated traffic—meaning it is only suitable for publishers who have authentication/registration in place for users. When implemented, it ties user authenticated traffic from a site and links it to Epsilon’s people-based ID, CORE ID, using hashed email addresses or other login identifiers, along with the unique user ID assigned from Publisher Common ID (the preferred open-source ID foundation of Epsilon’s publisher identity).
Using Core ID “typically involves complete tagging of their properties and a live data feed of transactions, both online and offline. When you have that level of identity tied back to real-time transactions, that creates instant demand,” Epsilon Chief Media Officer Chad Peplinkski said. “That’s why day one has such lift.”
With this connection to CORE ID, we connect publishers' inventory with advertisers who want to reach certain site visitors, even without third-party cookies. More filled ad space translates into more revenue opportunities for publishers. The authenticated aspect of Publisher Link results in even more accurate identity, and therefore a greater increase in publisher performance. When describing Publisher Link, Larry says, “With a solution like this, you can find a balance between maintaining privacy and being able to monetize your audience through anonymous identification.”
Game-winning results
Once integrated and activated, the solutions begin working immediately. In just a couple days, Publisher Link picked up nearly three of four impressions across the entire site. Fill rate increased 460% on PoolHost, and Epsilon purchased previously unfilled impressions at a competitive rate. It bought 73% of the impressions on the site, comprising 66% of total earnings. And the majority of the incremental lift came from impressions served on the Safari browser, where the lack of cookies makes audience targeting tough. The identity-based nature of our solution allowed PoolHost make its advertising more valuable—without increasing ad load.
“In partnering with Epsilon, everything was verified very quickly,” Lubman said of the experience. “We were able to see a boost within our first two weeks and the numbers exceeded our expectations.”
---
## Why calculating customer lifetime value (LTV) is key to your business’s success?
Type: eps_post
URL: /why-calculating-customer-lifetime-value-ltv-is-key-to-your-businesss-success
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T22:17:52Z
# Why calculating customer lifetime value (LTV) is key to your business’s success?
Customer lifetime value (LTV) is the single most important metric to understand the long-term health and profitability of your business. It enables you to look beyond short-term KPIs that are easily affected by macro events, such as seasonality, political-economic factors, and global pandemics.
In a nutshell
Focusing on your LTV enables accurate long-term planning and during critical moments, strategic business change.
Epsilon has created a series of video and blog ‘explainers’ to guide you through key aspects of customer-centricity. Topics range from calculating customer lifetime value and boosting loyalty to customer acquisition and incremental growth.
An example of long-term planning
If customer LTV is £4,000 pounds and customer acquisition costs £400 pounds, you are exchanging 10% of your LTV margin to acquire your customer. This figure can be factored into your costs.
However, accurately understanding LTV and the cost of customer acquisition is a significant challenge for many businesses, making it harder to leverage the relationship between LTV and marketing channels that generate incremental lifetime value in an efficient way.
How to calculate LTV:
Multiply AOV by the frequency of purchases made by your customer over their lifespan. AOV is revenue divided by the number of sales you made. This may sound easy but, there is a key factor many brands are missing.
Can you overcome the customer identification challenge?
Frequency of purchases is difficult to calculate and becomes an even bigger challenge when customer touchpoints are not joined up over time. For example can you:
Track and reconcile individual customers’ purchases across all channels?
Account for guest transactions online and anonymous transactions in store?
Calculate how much leakage there is?
Identify lapsed customers, rather than treat them as a new acquisition?
These customer identification challenges, and others like them, can hugely skew LTV measurement undermining your growth and profitability forecasting – not to mention making it difficult to optimise marketing channels activity. This is why creating a single view of customer purchases over time is so critical.
Five ways to improve your LTV
Loyalty programs. Is your loyalty programme discounting designed to grow LTV or are you cannibalising your margins? It’s important to think carefully about how you reward customers.
Avoid proxy KPIs. It’s time to move away from using clicks and views as a metric. They are an inaccurate measure of incremental growth. Focus instead on customer experience at each stage of the journey.
Customer-centric messaging. Ensure your messaging is focused on customer needs, rather than a short-term business goals. A product chasing a customer around the internet is a prime example of this.
Customer identification. Develop the capability to identify and track customers across different devices and browsers. This will enable you to have a coherent dialogue. Fundamentally, this is about being able to remember the last thing that you said to a customer/prospect.
Accurate measurement. Not just of what your LTV is at a fixed moment in time, but the impact your marketing is having on incremental growth, so it can be adjusted and improved.
The bottom line
In a highly competitive world, marketing is vital to protecting or growing marketshare. So understanding how your marketing interacts with your customers becomes extremely important. If you have a single view of purchases over time, it really pays to start building out a single view of your customer marketing over time to fully understand your LTV and provide context.
You can find out more about LTV and other key aspects of customer-centricity by watching our on-demand video series.
---
## A roadmap for the future: Using AI & new age analytics to drive fintech growth
Type: eps_post
URL: /a-roadmap-for-the-future-using-ai-new-age-analytics-to-drive-fintech-growth-0
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# A roadmap for the future: Using AI & new age analytics to drive fintech growth
Identifying customers online is already hard—especially for fintech marketers. With the impending deprecation of third-party cookies and rising privacy restrictions, it’s only going to get harder for brands to anticipate customer needs, activate personalized messages and prove marketing performance. But it doesn’t have to be.
Fintech marketers can still successfully find and reach their customers and prospects across devices: the key lies in a strong analytics and AI-driven marketing strategy that connects you with consumers you can (and want to) reach.
In this webinar, experts from Epsilon and LendIt will:
Lay out a roadmap for marketing success through analytics and AI-driven decisions in the modern age
Explain essential building blocks to build your own roadmap
Highlight real-world use cases from clients
---
## Mastering the intimacy of the inbox has paid off for Marriott
Type: eps_post
URL: /mastering-the-intimacy-of-the-inbox-has-paid-off-for-marriott
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Mastering the intimacy of the inbox has paid off for Marriott
When the pandemic hit, Marriott had to rethink how it approached customers. For many, leaving their homes and traveling in general gave consumers pause. Sure, people’s day-to-day changed, but their mindsets changed as well. This was uncharted territory.
No matter what industry you’re in, pre-pandemic communication is unfit and outdated to meet the changing psychology of consumers. Business-as-usual updates are no longer what people want or need to know about. Customers expect timely updates on issues they care about most, with an intimate, human touch. Turns out, email is the right—and often the only—channel for the job.
Email has emerged as the No. 1 channel for brands to personally communicate with their customers. Marc Sheinkin, senior director, member and guest communications at Marriott, used email to create a connected customer experience during a time when in-person interactions were almost nonexistent. Focusing on customer service and safety updates, Marriott mastered the intimacy of the inbox during the pandemic—and it paid off.
Creating close connections (while socially distant)
Travel brands took a massive setback to business during Covid-19. Epsilon research from September 2020 showed that only 20% of consumers had plans to travel in the near future. Marriott’s marketing team quickly pivoted to meet the new reality.
Nevertheless, people’s demand for brand-related content actually strengthened. A survey from Mitto noted that 73% of consumers found an increase in messaging to be important during the pandemic. People wanted to know how brands were responding to Covid-19. Were health and safety measures being implemented? What were their favorite brands doing to ease the concerns of their workers?
"Email is not dead—far from it. It’s alive and well because consumers’ email behavior has changed."
- Marc Sheinkin, Marriott
Marriott understood the need to connect with customers on these topics, but the key was to shift messaging to reflect people’s new mindset. It had to be timely, and it had to be personal—which made email the right channel for the job. “One of the beauties of email marketing, if it’s done right, is it’s a one-to-one communication,” Sheinkin says. “We’re a long way from the batch-and-blast of the early 2000s … email communication should be no different than a conversation you might have with an associate at a Marriott property.”
With Epsilon’s help, Marriott leaned more heavily into email to meet the demands of customers. Instead of cross-border, business or air travel messages, Marriott shifted its focus to:
Attracting the leisure traveler, particularly those often not Marriott loyalists
Building confidence among travelers by highlighting new safety and cleanliness protocols in its hotels
Awareness for the availability of homes and villas, which Marriott offers for those looking at private options
Highlighting in-country or drive-market destinations
Inspiring people when they are ready to travel again
Engaging guests beyond the stay, for example, with credit cards, gift cards and retail products through Marriott Bonvoy Boutiques
“We focus on being timely and sharing relevant information,” Sheinkin notes. “We’re seeing a renaissance for email because it’s very effective. At Marriott, the email inbox is an extension of our customer experience.”
And the strategy is working: open rates have increased and engagement is up. “Over time, we’ve become more sophisticated with Epsilon, moving from batch-and-blast to segment marketing,” Sheinkin says. “Our priority today is one-to-one messaging based on our customers’ previous stays, preferences and the content they’re most interested in receiving.” But this success didn’t happen in a vacuum.
Malleability enables familiarity
There are several reasons email continually rises to the occasion for delivering intimate messages to customers:
It’s flexible. We’ve all seen how quickly the news changes. It’s essential for brands, especially travel ones, to pivot communication on a dime depending on the situation. Email is intuitive, easy to use and responsive. With a customer-centric approach, brands can quickly adjust or create new messaging to accommodate changing customer priorities. And there may come a time when people don’t want to hear from your brand. Email allows brands to quickly pause their messaging and give people a second to breathe.
It’s relevant. Email acts as a connective tissue between brand and consumer. It keeps people informed in a way that is easily accessible for most (i.e., at the top of the inbox), and helps brands maintain that one-to-one connection with consumers while not feelinglike mass communication.
It’s for the person, not the brand. For this kind of communication, you’re messaging those who opt-in to receive your information. However, brands still have to work to break through the clutter and earn lasting relationships with their customers. Brands lose that level of intimacy and connection when opting for channels like display or social. Rather than the whole internet seeing a display ad, an email is in the consumer’s inbox, for their eyes only.
These affordances made email indispensable in the current climate, and Sheinkin agrees: “Email doesn’t seem that sexy compared to other digital marketing channels. Five to 10 years ago, there were articles written about ‘The Death of Email.’ Email is not dead—far from it. It’s alive and well because consumers’ email behavior has changed.”
The woes of 2020 are still fairly close (and we’re cautiously seeing signs of hope in the U.S.), but this change in behavior is here to stay. Lasting effects of the pandemic show that people want more direct, authentic messaging from brands. Those that lean into email for relevant, intimate communication will ultimately come out on top with customers as we shift to a post-pandemic world.
**This article was originally published on Adweek, April 2021
---
## Building unwavering customer loyalty: Your blueprint for maximizing value & driving ROI
Type: eps_post
URL: /creating-customer-value-building-loyalty-at-any-budget
Last Modified: 2026-03-31T15:44:27Z
# Building unwavering customer loyalty: Your blueprint for maximizing value & driving ROI
Creating customer value and cultivating customer relationships has never been more important—or complex. With rising consumer expectations and constantly evolving business models, it’s essential for brands to demonstrate their value across every touchpoint.
This is especially important for loyalty marketers. In our recent research on consumer loyalty, 81% of survey respondents stated that they participate in loyalty programs because they offer products and services that suit their needs.
As a brand, you need to deliver quality products, services and experiences that your customers value. And in exchange, consumers deliver value to you through purchases and word-of-mouth recommendations.
But how can loyalty program managers elevate their programs beyond traditional tactics and form strategies that nurture real, emotional connections? In this blog, we’ll examine the fundamentals of customer loyalty—from understanding your customers to using AI-enabled technologies to drive better outcomes.
The undeniable link between customer value and enduring loyalty
Customer value isn’t just a metric—it’s the foundation of long-term loyalty. Savvy loyalty marketers recognize it as being more than how much a customer spends—it’s a two-way value exchange. You want customers to engage with you, and you also need to give them a reason to keep coming back for more. This often means you need to take ongoing steps to nurture loyalty—kicking it up a notch from your typical transactional loyalty program.
Value is what turns interest into action. When brands can deliver value, they turn satisfied customers into life-long advocates.
It may sound challenging and expensive—but it doesn’t have to be.
Laying the foundation: Deep customer understanding
What’s at the heart of every strong loyalty program is the ability to create touching experiences that offer relevant connections. Loyalty programs are a direct expression of how much a brand values its customers.
They can be leveraged to truly deliver what customers want. Before that happens, marketers need to know them in a deep, meaningful way.
Brands that get this right aren’t just increasing revenue growth; they’re growing something deeper:
Share of wallet: When customers spend their money with your brand.
Share of life: When customers invest their time in your brand.
Share of love: When customers invest their feelings in your brand.
These three types of connections lie at the heart of great brand experiences. Leveraging them will enable you to create long-lasting customer relationships by becoming a natural part of what people buy, how they live and what they love.
This is where data comes in.
The power of data
Every customer interaction—whether online, in-app or in-store—generates valuable data. Data is the powerful key that unlocks customer behavior and provides a holistic view—enabling seamless, tailored communication that puts you one step ahead of your customers’ rising expectations—and leads to smarter loyalty and increased growth.
An advanced loyalty technology, powered by data and identity resolution, collects fragmented data points from different channels. It cleanses and unifies them, enhancing your customer data—resulting in effective, targeted end-to-end customer experiences that foster loyal advocates—brand fans who feel seen, understood and genuinely connected.
Centralizing customer insights with the right tools
Smarter customer insight tools enable you to listen to feedback, analyze behavioral patterns and tailor your responses to shifting customer needs and expectations, based on real-time insights. This feedback loop helps you move from guessing what people want, to knowing what they care about and offering it.
If someone always buys skincare products every few months, quality loyalty data will show it. You can send them a timely notification or send early access emails to build anticipation—turning intent into action.
Crafting value-driven experiences to build loyalty
Having insight alone isn’t the goal—it’s the tool you use to build what really matters—experiences that resonate.
Our research also revealed more than half of survey respondents sign up for a loyalty program when presented the opportunity. Sign-ups provide insight into customer intent. But, too often, that’s where the journey ends.
Real loyalty is created through ongoing experiences that offer value at every touchpoint throughout the buyer’s lifecycle.
Personalized engagement across channels
The most comprehensive approach to loyalty considers how to add value throughout the entire customer journey—using personalization, and other customer retention strategies—to make the experience as relevant and engaging as possible. Whether through email, SMS, app or in-store, personalized communications and tailored rewards boost engagement and deepen loyalty.
Strategic loyalty programs
Dunkin’ is a great example of a quick-service restaurant that has built loyalty by establishing a seamless process. Once customers have downloaded the app, they can choose to continue signing up for the rewards program or order as a guest.
Dunkin’ encourages ongoing engagement throughout the customer journey with:
Clear steps. The brand provides step-by-step guidelines for ordering digitally—from downloading the app to picking up an order.
Easy user interface. The Dunkin’ app showcases benefits up front, reinforcing why customers should use the app to place orders.
Pickup convenience. Dunkin’ added curbside pickup to 1,000 stores that didn’t have drive-thru options. Now, curbside pickup represents 2% of all transactions at those stores. The brand has also expanded delivery from 2,000 to 4,000 stores across the country. Dunkin’ customers benefit from the contactless convenience the brand built into their experience. But the brand benefits, too—delivery orders are showing three times the average check size.
Easy reorders. The app allows loyalty members to save their favorites and easily reorder, reducing the time and effort it takes for customers to get their favorite coffee and meal in hand.
Strategic loyalty programs do more than offer rewards and perks to their customers—they give them a reason to come back, engage and advocate for the brand.
Maximizing impact with limited budgets: Efficiency and focus
Loyalty marketers are often required to do more with less—building programs with limited budgets and strained resources. This can make it challenging to achieve real results. Brands that focus on efficiency and strategic allocation can still make an impact.
Strategic ad spending and measurement
Smart spending starts with knowing what works. Investing in the right loyalty technology can deliver proven results—offering audience segmentation and real-time performance measurement that can reduce waste in ad spend. By reallocating budget dollars to the channels that your customers prefer, you can increase conversions and improve ROI.
Leveraging thought leadership and content
Sharing content with your customers—whether intended as valuable, educational or inspirational—positions your brand as a trusted authority that people can look to for what matters to them, which is essential to building customer loyalty. Well-distributed content—via owned, shared and earned channels—exhibiting how your product or service solves a problem, can drive lasting engagement without breaking the bank.
Future-proofing loyalty: The role of advanced technologies
Momentum around AI is building. Our recent report, The state of AI in marketing, revealed that 94% of marketers across industries are using AI to prepare or execute marketing. In that same report, 82% said they are working with a marketing vendor or partner that claims to leverage AI.
Loyalty program managers can no longer afford to ignore the power of AI. As consumer preferences, habits and expectations grow more sophisticated, leveraging AI-enabled technology will amplify your marketing by providing valuable insights that forecast behavior, churn risk and lifetime value.
AI-powered insights
Consumer expectations shift and evolve rapidly. Fueling your loyalty strategy with AI-powered insights, enables:
Efficiency: By streamlining and automating repetitive tasks—like audience segmentation, campaign deployment and offer optimization—AI frees up time for you to focus on strategy.
Insights: With AI, you gain real-time insights that paint a clear picture of customer behavior and preferences, fueling more relevant communications and offers.
Growth: By offering personalization at scale, AI allows you to tailor customer experiences seamlessly, so you can deliver the right message at the right time, without straining your resources.
More than just a tool, AI is a strategic partner—helping brands deepen relationships, drive sustainable growth and turn every interaction into an opportunity for lasting customer retention.
Generative engine optimization (GEO)
According to an IDC Retail Insights’ Global Retail Survey, 2024: Findings and Implications, published November 2024, despite the fact that AI and generative AI (GenAI) could be leveraged for better customer experience and efficiency, objectives that top retailers prioritize, identifying AI and GenAI opportunities is not one of the top priorities for retailers¹.
However, if brands want to enhance speed to market without sacrificing personalization, GenAI should not be discounted. It is a powerful tool brands can leverage to produce tailored content at scale faster, more efficiently—and in real time.
Measuring success and iterating for continuous improvement
Now, more than ever, it’s important for loyalty marketers to include ongoing evaluation tactics to test and refine their efforts, reinforcing the long-term effectiveness of their strategies and boosting ROI.
Key performance indicators (KPIs)
The best way to increase the performance of your loyalty program is to set clear KPI’s that align with your business goals. By paying attention to what contributes to consumer’s emotional connection to your brand and measuring those emotional ties against metrics, like Net Promoter Score (NPS) and Customer Satisfaction Score (CSAT), can guide your loyalty strategies.
An advanced customer interaction management software can provide a full view of your loyalty program, leveraging KPIs that reveal the health of your efforts and form the foundation of your performance benchmarks.
Conversion rate optimization (CRO)
Improving loyalty starts with understanding the path the conversion. Optimizing CX, relevant, person-level communications and tailored incentives can remove friction and increase meaningful consumer-brand interactions.
Advanced analytics for deeper insights
Beyond basic metrics, advanced analytics can help you uncover deeper trends and predictive behaviors. These insights allow you to refine customer segments, personalizing content and offers in real time, with greater precision.
Building unwavering loyalty for long-term success
Building lasting customer relationships require a shift in mindset that moves beyond the transactional interactions to engaging experiences. Every interaction is an opportunity to generate goodwill, and all marketers can create customer value through moments that touch on the emotional and rational sides of loyalty.
Feel out what is best for you, your brand, and the situational context around how you normally engage with your customers. Investing in the right technology, like Epsilon PeopleCloud Loyalty, can help loyalty marketers listen better, respond faster, and personalize at scale. Now is the time to be intentional in establishing a solid foundation for deeper trust, stronger engagement and ultimately, customers who frequently return and rave about your brand.
This article was originally published on September 22, 2023, and has since been updated.
¹Source: IDC Retail Insights’ Global Retail Survey, 2024: Findings and Implications, Doc # US51558623, published November 2024
---
## Take These Six Steps to Revitalise Your Customer Acquisition
Type: eps_post
URL: /take-these-six-steps-to-revitalise-your-customer-acquisition
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T22:17:52Z
# Take These Six Steps to Revitalise Your Customer Acquisition
Customer acquisition is as old as ecommerce itself, but because it's been around for so long, companies often struggle to differentiate themselves.
Businesses looking gain a competitive advantage, however, should focus on mid-funnel acquisition – an area that will be increasingly important for customer-centric businesses going forward.
Epsilon has created a series of video and blog ‘explainers’ to guide you through key aspects of customer-centricity. Topics range from calculating customer lifetime value and boosting loyalty to customer acquisition and incremental growth.
What is mid-funnel customer acquisition?
It involves reaching out to customers that have already engaged with your brand but, not for a while and without converting.
Why it matters?
It’s no longer good enough to simply acquire customers for the sake of it. Consumers are becoming increasingly fickle, discount-driven and influenced by the free-returns culture. Businesses need to identify customers with a high lifetime value, which will offset the cost of acquisition.
Why acquisition is hot right now?
Multi-channel retailers have experienced a 44% surge in online revenue during the pandemic, as consumers switch from physical to online retail. The new normal means there is a massive new mid-funnel audience for online marketers to acquire.
But acquiring new consumers isn’t necessarily easy
There are a number of key trends that suggest there are still significant challenges to overcome:
Google recently reported a 100% increase in the use of the phrase “should I buy” before a product or brand name. For example: “Should I buy an iPhone?” or “Should I buy a Dyson?”.
McKinsey research suggests that 53% of consumers are reducing their spend.
These findings suggest that while consumers are engaging more with new brands, they are also much more apprehensive about spending their money.
In a nutshell
In a world where more and more consumers are buying online –but each purchase is significantly more considered – the mid-funnel shopper who has already shown interest in your brand previously, presents acquisition marketers with a highly attractive sweet spot.
Take these six steps to effectively target your mid-funnel customers:
Work on customer identification so that you can analyse the increased traffic coming to your website and identify which visitors are previous customers and which are not.
Group together existing (mid-funnel) customers and decide which are the most valuable, so you can build customer share with this segment.
Identify your customer’s purchase cycle. Rather than talking to that person immediately, reinvest and talk to them during their next purchase cycle using what you already know.
Understand your customers’ multi-device journey. Without this insight, one shopper browsing for a product using three devices will look like three separate people. Targeting individual customers multiple times is a sure-fire way to alienate your customers and exhaust your marketing budget.
Adopt a persistent form of identification. Cookies need to be reloaded and replaced as they decay and fragment over time.
Develop an on-going conversation. It’s no longer effective to simply show shoppers the same product they looked at on your website. Build your brand around that product, establish a connection with your customer and show them associated items with high relevance they may be interested in.
The bottom line
Acquisition has changed. There are huge new audiences to acquire, but a spray-and-pray approach to marketing isn’t cost-effective. Businesses need to identify the most valuable customers (those in the mid funnel) and develop an on-going conversation about the things that resonate with those shoppers.
You can find out more about acquisition and other key aspects of customer-centricity by watching our on-demand video series.
---
## Customer Connections: Not All Are Created Equal
Type: eps_post
URL: /customer-connections-not-created-equal
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Customer Connections: Not All Are Created Equal
According to the British anthropologist, Robin Dunbar, the “magic number” when it comes to social connections - the maximum number of meaningful relationships we can maintain - is 150. As humans, 150 social connections are all we have the mental and emotional fortitude to deal with. And not all relationships are created equal. Dunbar goes on to suggest that there are many layers to social connections. You can maintain 5 loved ones, 15 good friends, 50 friends and so on.
At this point you’re probably working out how to bucket your friends and family into these different groups, but the truth is the grouping of connections comes down to frequency of contact or, more bluntly, how much time we can afford to give each person.
Let’s apply this theory to our customers and how they connect to retailers and brands
Typically, in retail and ecommerce we bucket customers into one, brand exclusive, sales funnel rather than appreciating that we are simultaneously competing in an ever-changing ranking. Over the past two years factors such as Covid and Brexit have created a significant shift in audiences and shopper preferences to the online marketplace. This created a huge opportunity for digital first brands and savvy digital marketers to acquire new customers and grow market share while brand relationships were still nascent and forming online, and the more traditional retailers were still playing catch up.
But that was then, and this is now. The dust has settled on 2020 but it is likely that the online playground is going to continue to develop and become more congested. While brands like Next finally get their ducks in a row digitally, consumer behaviours have started to settle into more of a fixed pattern and, if Mr Dunbar is to be considered, they will have started creating their very own brand buckets.
The rules are beginning to change for ecommerce marketers
Growing market share purely relying on acquisition will become more difficult and expensive to do (and this is before we even get started on the implications of Google’s 3rd party cookie deprecation). This is further evidenced by digital giants like ASOS and Boohoo acquiring Arcadia brands and Debenhams for large sums to swell their databases rather than gradually growing them via more traditional means.
In 2021, brands who focus on understanding their customers’ relationship with them and finding effective ways to increase the frequency of interactions will drive more growth in market-share than those brands more focused on trying to increase the connections they have.
Three groups the businesses we work with are focussing on
Loved ones and Good friends
1-15 - Maintaining loyalty is more important than ever.
Ring-fencing your top 15 connections loyalty will be vital and, according to Mr Dunbar, should be designed to increase frequency of connection. Our research with Retail Week aligns with his theory, as we found that most people only actively participate in 2.8 loyalty schemes. Brands should use the data they have on their members to inform their programmes and ensure relevancy. Loyalty has moved on significantly from the days of “discount clubs”, and getting it right not only creates revenue but can also create self-funding first party data assets and drives down fulfilment costs.
Friends
15-500 – Better understand if your customers have less time for you.
Brands typically struggle to connect their digital web data accurately to their SCVs and owned channels. For ecommerce businesses this connection is a must. Rather than looking purely at transactional data or logged in users (typically 20% or less), websites and emails can give brands a better understanding of subtle changes in customer engagements and frequencies to help establish if or how a customers’ relationship is evolving (or diminishing). It is vital that digital marketers are involved in any CDP discussions as the importance of digital identity and signals are quite often forgotten when evaluating SCV technology.
Acquaintances
500+ - The open web represents the best place to maintain a frequency in connection.
To maintain a frequency with our acquaintances it makes sense to use channels where they are the most. YouGov states that 66% of a user's time online is spent on the open web, yet only 32% of advertisers spend goes there. Many of the brands we work with have seen significant sales uplift by using more ID led solutions to enable them to shift some of their traditional site re-targeting budgets from recent to more historical web traffic looking to maintain and increase frequency of contact with these acquaintances rather than investing more budget in creating brand new ones.
So, what's the take-away?
As humans we bucket our relationships and prioritse accordingly. Online growth has enabled many brands to create new relationships but, as this starts to settle, they'll see decreasing acquisition opportunities and increased competition. I encourage you to delve into the data you have and flip your thinking from what you think about a customer to what a customer thinks about you. This can help you create more personalised and relevant programmes depending on your current relationship status. Making new friends is great, but there’s nothing quite like meeting an old friend, picking up where you left off, and building an even better relationship.
---
## [PODCAST] The evolution of e-retail media: why retailers must think and act like publishers
Type: eps_post
URL: /podcast-the-evolution-of-e-retail-media-why-retailers-must-think-and-act-like-publishers
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# [PODCAST] The evolution of e-retail media: why retailers must think and act like publishers
What is e-retail media?
Essentially e-retail media allows brand advertisers to target their audiences across a retailer's digital properties by tapping into its deep behavioural data. Developing an e-retail media approach requires retailers to begin thinking of their web properties as media properties.
Why it matters
Increasingly brand experiences and sales are happening online, and retail websites are critical in helping consumers research, discover and buy brands. Brands want to invest in channels that reach actively buying consumers at the point of purchase. By leveraging their data, enabling it at scale, and proving the commercial value they deliver, retailers can help brands achieve a range of business objectives and attract a more significant share of brand budgets.
Epsilon has created Among partner podcast to find out more about the evolution of e-retail media.
Deeper dive: three areas to focus on to deliver a compelling e-retail media offering
Use first-party data to create attractive offerings:
To take advantage of e-retail media opportunities, retailers must operate as a media business.
Retailers with unique information on how people buy - now and historically - need to be thinking about how best they can leverage this critical information. Joining the dots across all their data – online, in-store and loyalty programme data – and making this actionable across their web properties puts them in a powerful position to help brands build effective go-to-market strategies.
Become a valued partner to brands:
Adopting a data-led media mentality allows retailers to move conversations from a tactical to a strategic level. This elevates discussions away from individual marketing channels and focuses on delivering marketing objectives that impact the bottom line.
Shifting a brand's attention to the bigger picture enables retailers to help advertisers understand the customer journey. By recognising the importance of channel interaction and not looking at activities in silos, brands can avoid myopic thinking, which can lead them to make incorrect – and costly – marketing investment decisions.
Retailers can use their rich insights to solve key marketing problems for advertisers, be that helping them merchandise or stock better to differentiating their promotional activity. From digesting the data, actioning it and feeding back the bottom-line impact to the advertiser, retailers can become a critical marketing channel for brands.
Package your offering to encourage brands to spend money with you:
A successful e-retail media offering calls for retailers to develop a packaged offering that delivers in five areas. It must:
Demonstrate how their media achieves an objective. Additionally, retailers must have an element of forecasting to indicate what they'll deliver for the brand if they run a campaign with them.
Deliver audience insights. Retailers have audiences primed with purchase behaviours and must create audience profiles to showcase their data and make it attractive to brands.
Provide strong creative options. Much spend will come from the brand teams. They want to showcase the integrity of their brand most effectively. Offer creative options that deliver what advertisers want while balancing the retailers branding requirements.
Offer inventory options. Have a range of different solutions and package inventory to give brands a choice and make it attractive to them.
Ensure insightful reporting. Help brands understand the performance and value you deliver, preferably in real-time.
The bottom line
In a post third party tracking world, first-party data is critical, putting retailers in a powerful position. By activating their first-party transactional data, retailers can help brands targeted their audiences and create personalised experiences for them. In embracing a media mindset and developing their business offering, retailers can form unique partnerships with advertisers and grow their digital ad revenues.
Find out more about the evolution of e-retail media by listening to our latest Among Partners podcast.
---
## Editor's letter: Trust in marketing
Type: eps_post
URL: /core-editors-letter-trust-in-marketing
Last Modified: 2025-05-14T20:04:33Z
# Editor's letter: Trust in marketing
2020 changed everything. We all had to trust in different and new ways, and, in many cases, allow that trust to bring us closer together. We introduced colleagues to husbands, wives and kids through daily Zoom calls; helped a whole generation of students physically distanced from teachers and friends feel a sense of community; and projected a level of certainty (as “the adults”) that this year of hardship will bring a new beginning—even in the midst of so much uncertainty.
We had to trust in brands to deliver—and trust we did. The past year changed shopping forever; U.S. e-commerce sales grew more than 30% in 2020, and there’s no going back. The rules we’ve created around our physical buying spaces are blurring more than ever as everything goes online—some suggest the pandemic spurred a five-year acceleration in digital adoption. Why does one brand win versus others in this scenario? It’s all about trust.
There are now more Amazon Prime members than pet households in the U.S. We have put our trust in Amazon because it delivers on multiple fronts: convenience (through one-click buying and same-day delivery) and assortment (by having the widest variety of merchandise).
"Why does one brand win versus others? It’s all about trust."
-Jeff Fagel, chief marketing officer, Epsilon
But it’s not just the big brands that can produce the level of trust needed to succeed. YouTuber Jimmy Donaldson (aka “MrBeast”) tapped into excess restaurant capacity in the pandemic and launched 300 burger joints practically overnight. MrBeast sold 1 million burgers across those 300 locations in three months. His brand is fueled by his following—tapping into a direct connection and activating it.
Why does this matter? We’re seeing disruption across all categories. As marketers, we have to beat disruption to its destination. Trust is the currency of marketing today—without it you’ll be left behind. In the latest issue of CORE, we explore the concept of trust from a number of angles:
Trusting in leadership. With tighter budgets in 2020, marketers had to go beyond “just trust me” and start to develop deeper organizational relationships with provable marketing returns. In “Proving results” on page 20 of the issue, we talk to four CMOs about how they market internally, advocate for their teams and prove the value of marketing. “A lot of leaders fail when they think the same team can achieve the same outcomes on totally new ideas,” says Vineet Mehra, chief growth and CX officer at Good Eggs.
Trusting in technology. In "Teach the machines marketing" on page 28, we talk to Steve Nowlan, senior vice president of decision sciences at Epsilon, about the proliferation of machine learning in marketing and what it really can (and can’t) do, circling back to the age-old adage that your outputs are only as good as your inputs. Nowlan puts it best, saying: “AI is more of an enabling technology that’s solving some other business problem.”
Trusting in brands. There’s ongoing debate about a company’s role in speaking out on social, economic and racial justice—all topics that have greatly expanded and evolved in the past year. In "The power of purpose" on page 36, we talk to marketing leaders and brands about building purpose into their fabric—because if it’s not authentic, “Consumers will instantly sniff that bulls**t out,” says Eric Levin, chief content officer at Publicis Groupe U.S. and global chief content officer of Spark Foundry.
I encourage you to dive into this issue with an open mind and willingness to learn. I trust you’ll find it worthwhile.
For all content, download the full second issue of CORE.
---
## CPGs after the pandemic: 4 critical marketing opportunities
Type: eps_post
URL: /cpgs-after-the-pandemic
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T22:20:56Z
# CPGs after the pandemic: 4 critical marketing opportunities
Many consumer brands thrived during lockdowns. Here are four ways they can build off this momentum.
While many industries struggled during stay-at-home orders, panic buying and pantry stocking has been a boon for consumer packaged goods (CPG) brands. Some even struggled to keep up with skyrocketing demand.
Idahoan Foods, for example, didn’t anticipate the spike in demand for its shelf-stable mashed potatoes, soups and other products. “We didn’t expect that behavior in purchasing patterns to shift so dramatically,” says Wes Myer, director of retail marketing at Idahoan. “Our teams were required to pivot and to do so efficiently and as quickly as possible.”
The landscape in which CPG marketers attract and retain customers has changed dramatically in a short time. COVID19 has been a catalyst for better understanding customers and building a more integrated marketing strategy across various partners and channels. This isn’t a novel idea in CPG, but the question today is: Who can get there fastest?
There are four critical opportunities CPG brands should pursue to maintain momentum—and build data-driven customer relationships that last beyond the pandemic.
1. Use data to drive retention
Toilet paper. Flour. Pasta sauce. During the early stages of the pandemic, half of all consumers tried other brands, according to PwC. All of this new trialing was a huge win for many companies. Millions of new households, for example, purchased Idahoan’s products during this time.
“Here’s what we knew: It was a panic buy,” Myer explains. So the question became: How could Idahoan convert this panic buy into a healthy, ongoing purchasing pattern in the future?
Myer’s team strategized ways to encourage people to use Idahoan products and ultimately become repeat customers. First, Idahoan identified a variety of buyer segments online—including new customers and lapsed buyers—and served them recipe ideas for using the brand’s most popular products, shifting to very deliberate callouts like, “From pantry to plate in minutes: Here are some recipe ideas for using our products.”
Then the marketing team combined consumer data with retail and first- and third-party data to communicate helpful messages to these new customers.
This approach is most effective through a personalized lens. A person living by themselves, for instance, may not derive value from a family-sized mashed potato casserole recipe—but a parent of five? A much more effective match.
2. Anticipate and meet evolving customer needs
Knowing what customers want requires anticipating their needs based on what the brand knows about each individual and household—and offering highly relevant solutions.
“We try to understand what’s actually happening in the lives of our consumers and how we can be problem solvers for them,” says Maureen Sticco, senior director of marketing at Bimbo Bakeries USA, which owns brands including Entenmann’s, Sara Lee and Thomas’. “Early on in the pandemic, we responded at warp speed, bringing one of our bakeries back online in about three weeks in order to keep up with consumer demand.”
It’s also about being able to easily adapt messaging to meet each consumer’s new and shifting needs. “With our breakfast brands, our business has grown exponentially during this time, because more and more consumers are making breakfast at home and not as many on the go,” Sticco says. “So it becomes about serving up information to our consumers that’s going to make their lives a little bit easier. It’s being the solution for them.
3. Get e-commerce (and DTC) right
The pandemic accelerated the trend toward digital, sending more shoppers online. Before COVID, e-commerce accounted for about 3% of food and beverage sales, but this number spiked to 15% during lockdown periods, according to BCG. And the trend toward online shopping may be here to stay. More than one-third (35%) of U.S. shoppers new to e-commerce plan to continue making grocery purchases online after the pandemic is over. In fact, BCG predicts that by 2022, the e-commerce share of grocery categories could be up to three times higher than pre-COVID.
Taking a page from the direct-to-consumer (DTC) playbook, traditional CPG brands like Frito-Lay, PepsiCo and Oral-B have built their own e-commerce platforms during the pandemic, allowing for direct purchase of their products online.
Idahoan had just launched its own DTC website and bolstered its presence on Amazon at the end of February 2020 in an effort to grow e-commerce sales.
“By the time pandemic hit, we were well positioned from an omnichannel approach,” Myer says. “A lot of folks went into brick-and-mortar stores to stock up and fill their pantry, but there were others that were worried about leaving their homes. Having our product available direct to consumer has really helped solidify and ultimately validate our approach as an omnichannel manufacturer.”
Idahoan has subsequently seen a huge increase in online purchasing, Myer says.
The model also provides Idahoan with access to first-party data, which will allow the brand to build increased personalization, establish a more direct line of communication and help develop a deeper relationship over time.
4. Partner with smarter retailers
While digital presence is growing in importance for consumer brands, retail partners are still a critical part of the omnichannel equation. But digitally savvy, data-driven retailers can provide the most mutually beneficial partnerships. With the deprecation of third-party cookies, retailers' first-party data is more valuable than ever. There’s an opportunity to monetize their data by building their own media networks, which have become an alternative platform for CPG brand advertising.
Walgreens, for example, recently launched Walgreens Advertising Group in partnership with Epsilon, combining data from more than 9,000 stores and more than 100 million loyalty members with advanced data modeling to deliver custom-built audiences tailored to brand objectives.
“First-party data—and the ability to use it—is a big part of the value we bring to the table in the conversations we’re having with brands and media agencies,” said Luke Kigel, head of Walgreens Advertising Group, in a December AdExchanger article. “And from a targeting, measurement and performance standpoint, we know that it performs better than third-party targeting.”
These kinds of programs are important for brands like Bimbo, as are other benefits afforded by close retail partnerships: “Mass media marketing programs serve a purpose,” Sticco says. “But it is also about starting with the retailer and working together on programs that work best for them, and what’s going on in their store and with our brands.”
Retail and CPG brands have an opportunity to leverage data and tools to deeply understand their consumers—and optimize messaging and experiences for them.
For more content like this, download the full second issue of CORE here.
Image credits: C.J. Burton / The Image Bank / Getty Images
---
## The power of purpose-driven marketing
Type: eps_post
URL: /the-power-of-purpose
Last Modified: 2025-05-14T20:42:47Z
# The power of purpose-driven marketing
As consumers become more socially and politically engaged and the focus on sustainability and company ethics grows, brands have an opportunity to build loyalty with their customers.
As the United States deals with the aftermath of a contentious election, civil unrest, protests and a pandemic, more brands have pivoted toward purpose-driven marketing.
Sixty-four percent of consumers say they’ll buy or boycott a brand depending on its stance on a social or political issue, according to the 2020 Edelman Trust Barometer. And the 2020 Strength of Purpose study from communications agency Zeno Group found that when a brand has a strong purpose, consumers are four times more likely to purchase from the brand. Not to mention that brands with an active purpose outperformed the stock market by 134% and saw their share of wallet multiply by nine, according to Meaningful Brands 2019 by Havas Media Group.
“Done well, purpose-driven marketing will deliver profitability. If you’re able to attract a new audience by doing the right things, then they’ll reward you by purchasing and engaging with you, as a brand or a product,” says Eric Levin, chief content officer of Spark Foundry and chief content officer of Publicis Groupe U.S.
Purpose-driven marketing strengthens your brand authority and credibility, and it can open doors to new opportunities with companies, customers, collaborators, influencers and investors who share your values. Having a clearly defined mission, investing in that purpose and living it every day can strengthen an entire organization and build a strong connection to your target market.
“Marketing communications are expressions of actions we’re taking as a brand. It’s not just saying it, but doing it.” —Stephanie Sotelo Perdue, Vice President of Brand Marketing, Chipotle
“One of the benefits of purpose-driven marketing is that it allows a brand to express its values. And when it becomes really relevant to consumers is when you find that intersection of shared values,” says Stephanie Sotelo Perdue, vice president of brand marketing for Chipotle. “When a customer cares about what you stand for—wow, what a much deeper, longer-lasting relationship than just buying something.”
What is purpose-driven marketing?
Generally speaking, purpose comes in two forms in marketing. While some companies are founded with a specific purpose or mission in mind, other brands align themselves to a purpose when the opportunity arises. One purpose-led marketing approach is not inherently better than the other; it’s simply a matter of commitment.
Holistic: The holistic purpose-driven brand has become more prevalent through the rise of direct-to-consumer (DTC) brands, whose missions are often critical to attracting customers willing to pay more for a premium or niche product. Nom Nom, for instance, is a DTC subscription-based brand for fresh pet food that establishes itself as a rival to dry kibble. The brand’s ethos is driven by its founder’s story of not finding high-quality pet food for her dog with special dietary needs. And Patagonia is another classic example of a brand with holistic purpose. Although it has always been environmentally conscious, the company revised its mission statement in 2018 to better define its purpose: “Patagonia is in business to save our home planet.”
Timely: A timely purpose-driven campaign joins a conversation about a social or political issue— whether or not the brand has purpose baked into its DNA. In the wake of the riot at the U.S. Capitol in January, for example, dozens of brands announced they were suspending political donations, including Microsoft, Walmart and Visa.
A timely response to social and political events often comes with risk. While there’s often public pressure for brands to make a statement, it can backfire if consumers perceive the messaging as insincere or hypocritical.
Not all brands fall neatly into one of the above categories. Dove, for example, started with a timely purpose-driven marketing campaign based on current trends in the beauty market but ended with holistic purpose-driven branding that lasted far beyond the initial scope. Its Real Beauty body-positive campaign launched in 2004, focusing on the celebration of body types not traditionally represented in advertising, inclusive of all shapes, colors and sizes. The campaign message resonated with consumers: Sales for the brand jumped from $2.5 billion to $4 billion in the campaign’s first 10 years. But Dove didn’t stop there. In 2019, it partnered with TV producer Shonda Rhimes, Getty Images and Girlgaze to launch the #ShowUs stock image library, which features photographs of women taken by women and nonbinary photographers. According to Dove, 60% of women say they’re more likely to purchase products from brands that use images from the #ShowUs library. To this day, the messaging of acceptance and self-love is still front and center on Dove’s homepage.
Authenticity matters
A brand’s purpose must come across as genuine—which is why timely campaigns can be a risky strategy. If brands don’t practice what they preach, consumers view it as a cynical attempt to leverage a politicized issue for commercial benefit.
“Last summer, we saw brands do purpose-driven marketing well and brands do it very poorly,” Levin says. “You don’t get to dip your toe in and say, ‘Hey, I’m here for you!’ and then run away again. Consumers will instantly sniff that bulls**t out.”
Ben & Jerry's: While other brands scrambled to address the racial justice movement of 2020, the ice cream brand, which has taken a stance on issues related to race and criminal justice for years, condemned George Floyd’s killing and even helped develop a podcast series examining historical aspects of American racism. In an interview with Harvard Business Review in January, CEO Matthew McCarthy said Ben & Jerry’s is seeing strong growth and has “good data showing that our fans are aware of our social mission activities, which makes them more supportive of our business and vocal about it.”
With the rise of social media, holding brands accountable has never been easier or had such reach. Dozens of companies, from Nordstrom to Netflix, released statements against racial injustice in support of the Black Lives Matter (BLM) movement, and consumers were quick to rebuke brands they felt were being opportunistic. For instance, sports teams like the Chicago Blackhawks and the Washington Redskins (which has since changed its name) were criticized for having racist names and logos despite claiming to show unity with the larger cause.
If brands have a purpose—or want to show purposeful intent when they connect with consumers—they need to align marketing to authentic values and operations. “You have to dedicate yourself to your purpose,” Levin says. “You have to show consumers that you’re willing to take risks and support them, and then repeat this over and over and over again.
Starting at the top
Creating and fulfilling a brand’s purpose or taking a timely stance on social issues most often falls on marketing and executive leadership. According to Gartner’s CMO Strategic Priorities Survey, 95% of CMOs believe companies should take the lead on finding solutions to key societal and cultural issues. And according to the 2021 Edelman Trust Barometer, 86% of customers expect CEOs to speak out on the impact of the pandemic, job automation, societal issues or local community issues.
The first step toward building successful purpose-driven marketing strategies is to examine company practices to ensure they align with the values your brand wants to convey to the public. This requires a willingness to commit to organizational changes; a brand’s purpose can’t pay lip service to a cause. The vast majority of Gen Zers (93%) say that if a company makes a commitment, it needs to follow through, according to the 2019 Porter Novelli/ Cone Gen Z Purpose Study.
Leadership should be thinking about things that the company will be dedicated to championing five years or more down the road, Perdue advises. “This is a journey, and you have to continue to make those small steps every year to continue to make an impact,” she says.
Determining a brand purpose also involves taking a close look at employee values. What are they passionate about? What truths do they hold dear? Will they support the cause in question? Can your company uphold its promises to make a difference? “A lot of people don’t realize that an organization’s biggest asset is its people,” says Jennifer Mahone Rightler, vice president of diversity and inclusion at Epsilon. “If you can’t tap into what drives them and what motivates them, then you’re not going to have a purpose-driven culture; you’re not going to have a culture that’s aligned or attached to anything.”
Brands that authentically align their messaging with their values can stand out from the competition while leading by example in their industry.
“A purpose can lead to not only relevance but also differentiation,” Perdue says. “And for Chipotle, it’s about letting people know that we are concerned about the future of food and really taking responsibility for the impact on the environment. We know that our customers are choosing us for this reason.”
"If you’re trying to create a brand for everyone, you are essentially creating a brand for no one.” —Alex Jarrell, Co-Founder, Nom Nom
Because the average age of a farmer is 59, Chipotle focuses on supporting the industry’s next generation to allow farms to thrive for years to come. The fast-casual chain’s seed grant program gives young farmers a start of $5,000 to help them get a farm of their own, with 80% of awards going to minorities. Chipotle also helps its farmers secure long-term contracts.
“The marketing communications are expressions of actions we’re taking as a brand,” Perdue says. “It’s not just saying it, but also doing it.”
Budweiser: With its “One Team” ad released in March 2020, the brewer saluted front-line workers. But Budweiser did more than just pay lip service: It donated $5 million to the Red Cross and announced that two of its breweries would produce hand sanitizer for blood donation centers and other critical facilities.
While efforts to align marketing with organizational values may require extra time, resources and effort on the part of leadership, the payoff is well worth it: A strong sense of purpose leads not only to employee satisfaction and brand advocacy, but also customer loyalty.
“We try to figure out what is going to be the best experience for our customers,” says Alex Jarrell, co-founder of Nom Nom. “What’s going to drive us towards our mission? And of course, what’s going to end in the best business results? We evaluate all of those factors when we consider a new product or experience.”
Even with the best intentions, brands face the very real possibility of not hitting the bull’s-eye when it comes to purpose-driven marketing. “Taking any action comes with risk in an increasingly polarized society,” according to the Gartner report.
Facing the fear of a misstep
Brands might have the best intentions, but their efforts can miss the mark. As mentioned, Dove has made a consistent effort to change how beauty products are marketed to women. But in 2017, the brand ran a Facebook ad with the intent to celebrate diversity and convey the message that Dove body wash is for everyone. In the ad, women of various races wearing skin-toned T-shirts transformed into each other. One segment showed a Black woman turning into a white woman, which many people felt was racially insensitive. Swift consumer backlash followed.
Dove took down the ad and released an apologetic statement saying it “missed the mark in representing women of color thoughtfully.” By focusing on authenticity in future ads, the brand was able to rebuild trust with consumers.
Although missteps are possible, marketing leaders believe that braving the possibility of failure is worth the effort. According to Gartner, risks “are typically offset by having furthered or fulfilled the organization’s or brand’s purpose. On the commercial end, the risks are outweighed by the demonstrable benefits of increased trust, willingness to purchase and recommend brands, and employee engagement with companies that lead in effecting change.”
Patagonia: The outdoor retailer closed its doors for one day so its employees could march in the Global Climate Strike. The brand simultaneously released an ad featuring young climate activists from around the world, telling Congress and other leaders that there was no room for climate change denial in government. Patagonia used the strike to spark a conversation about how it could reduce its waste and its carbon and chemical footprint.
For example, Nike’s advertisements featuring former NFL quarterback Colin Kaepernick for the 30th anniversary of the “Just Do It” campaign in 2018 sparked both praise and controversy. Some consumers saw the ads and encouraged people to destroy Nike goods.
But instead of cowing to a small-but-vocal audience, Nike forged ahead. And the brand had good reason to: Sticking to its values led to a boost in sales, and Kaepernick’s True to 7 Nike sneakers sold out within minutes. If Nike’s earlier actions weren’t clear enough, the brand also took a stance against racism with a socially conscious BLM ad campaign in 2020 that featured a new take on its tagline: “For Once, Don’t Do It.”
For Nom Nom’s Jarrell, the biggest risk in taking a stand is alienating customers. “We’re still a small business, so any time you put your heart out there and it doesn’t get accepted, that’s purpose-driven marketing’s biggest risk,” she says.
To overcome that, Jarrell reminds herself that she knows her company won’t appeal to every pet owner. “If you’re trying to create a brand for everyone, you are essentially creating a brand for no one,” she says. “You’re not going to be successful when you don’t really resonate with anyone because you’re trying to please everybody.”
The necessity of taking a stand
If one thing is certain, it’s that consumers are demanding more from brands. They want them to speak up on social and cultural issues, and they want to know what they stand for. “2020 has forced many people’s hands to lean into their truth and to lean into what it truly means to be transparent in your communication,” Mahone Rightler says. “It’s almost like 2020 has commanded it—we don’t even have a choice anymore to not do that. The questions we have to ask ourselves are, ‘What have we learned from 2020? What have we learned from being transparent? What have we learned from leaning into vulnerability? And now, what are we going to do with that?’”
With the right internal-external alignment and a true commitment to progress and transparency, any organization can meet consumer demands for purpose from the brands they choose to engage with. It may take extra effort and perhaps a new kind of organizational vulnerability. But at the end of the day, it’s the marketer’s job to anticipate consumer wants and act accordingly—in advance or on the fly. 2020 was an unequivocal shift for many. Is your brand prepared to handle what the next year may bring?
For specific brand examples on effective use of AI marketing, as well as more content like this, download the full second issue of CORE.
Cover image credit: Photo by Ben Moon
Additional images courtesy of Ben &Jerry, Unsplash, Budweiser
---
## Teach the machines marketing
Type: eps_post
URL: /teach-the-machines-marketing
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T22:20:56Z
# Teach the machines marketing
How can organizations harness the power of artificial intelligence? Learn where it’s practical and how it can fall short.
Artificial intelligence was initially met with skepticism by the average consumer. While naysayers doubted practical application of the technology, it was continuously improving in the background.
The business payoff has been greatest in marketing and sales. In fact, AI adoption has led to revenue increases for 79% of those departments, according to a November 2020 survey by McKinsey & Company.
Early AI had rigid rules that made it good enough to do something like play a game of chess but was too inflexible to do much practical good for a business, says Steve Nowlan, senior vice president of decision sciences at Epsilon.
“People realized that it really doesn’t work to write out all the rules that make a person smart and then try to stuff them into a computer,” he explains. “You really have to do it the way humans do it—you have to learn. And you need to learn from a constant flow of data.”
Nowadays, a machine-learning system could, for example, examine behavior patterns for a large customer base and offer purchase predictions. But those predictions are not a one-and-done affair. After a certain amount of time, they will be out of date, so the system should never stop consuming new information and offering fresh insights.
“For all practical systems, AI is more of an enabling technology that’s solving some other business problem.” –Steve Nowlan, Senior Vice President of Decision Sciences, Epsilon
For marketers, a properly integrated machine-learning system can optimize everything from purchase patterns to human-driven creative material. But even as more businesses adopt AI, there remains confusion about its potential to improve revenue and decrease costs. Nowlan offers a look at the ideal uses of AI marketing, as well as some myths and misconceptions.
What perceptions do marketers have about what AI can and can’t do?
Steve Nowlan: I commonly run into two sets of what I’ll call misconceptions. One—which I don’t run into as often anymore—is that AI in digital marketing is magic. It’s going to tell you the best possible marketing plan and also guarantee a great ROI.
The other is AI as a product: We’re going to sell you an AI system, and it’s going to make your marketing better on its own. Neither of those are really accurate.
AI is at the center of everything we do. We use machine learning to constantly update identity. We use machine learning to build profiles and create models that predict what people are going to do, what they’re going to buy, even in some cases what kinds of images they’re going to respond to most strongly.
We use AI in marketing to manage and optimize the delivery of impressions—to actually make a campaign as efficient and the return on that campaign as great as possible. I think for all practical systems, AI is more of an enabling technology that’s solving some other business problem.
How does that play into the difference between static and dynamic AI?
Nowlan: I strongly believe people need to prioritize their use of AI in digital marketing in terms of dynamic, or always-on, systems.
I’ll give a simple example. With a machine-learning system, you can try to predict what a person is likely to purchase and when they’re likely to purchase based on prior history.
A static way of doing that is to look at a person, take two years’ worth of their purchase history and browsing history and all those kinds of things, and apply a model to all that data. Then you get a prediction of what that person is going to buy. And that prediction might be reasonably accurate for two or three weeks. But by the time six months have rolled by, it’s going to be extremely inaccurate. You are going to have to be constantly updating that model.
For looking at what a person is likely to buy and when they’re likely to purchase, our dynamic models are usually updated at least weekly—but some of the data they operate on is updated almost instantaneously.
A prediction will change based on what somebody is currently browsing on a website. The system can make a decision based on that realtime signal, and that’s when AI in marketing gets powerful. If we look at the first half of 2020, we had a perfect time to see this effect. The predictions our models were making in January were completely changed by the time March or April rolled around. The models just followed consumer behavior and immediately picked up on that.
Not surprisingly, you saw a huge shift to more use of online channels. You also saw a shift to, in many cases, more periodic purchases that were repetitive—almost like a restocking behavior.
In terms of marketing, where is machine learning a natural fit?
Nowlan: We can actually use it to better align creative options with different customers. By showing them alternatives and tracking how they respond, you can get a sense of which kinds of advertisements a consumer is more likely to respond to. So if there are people who are more likely to respond to promotions, there are other people who are far more likely to respond to a thematic or emotional appeal.
“If you have a signal that you’re trying to optimize, and you get feedback about it, you can almost always get a stronger response over time.” –Steve Nowlan, Senior Vice President of Decision Sciences, Epsilon
You also can optimize spend across multiple channels. We dynamically reallocate budgets to get a greater overall return by adjusting the amount spent in channel A versus channel B.
Generally, any task where you’re trying to either make a prediction or optimize a clear KPI, all of those fit well. If you have a signal that you’re trying to optimize, and you get feedback about it, you can almost always get a stronger response over time.
When using machine learning in marketing, how do marketers ensure the results they get still feel human?
Nowlan: In my mind, it’s actually a pretty clean separation. The human part of marketing and advertising is, at the end of the day, the actual message. It’s what the person sees or hears. And that is still a creative-driven, human process.
What machine learning is good at is making decisions like, “If you have five or six different creative options, which of those fit this particular individual?” And trying to decide that for several million people is not a task that a human can do easily.
It seems like a separation between creation and optimization.
Nowlan: Absolutely. That’s maybe a good way to understand how to put these two together. Coming up with the different messages and how they should be targeted, that’s very creative. But once that creative is created, looking at how people respond to it very systematically in real time, that’s a perfect example of how machine learning helps.
How should marketers assess vendors in this space?
Nowlan: That’s a pretty easy answer because the marketer should look for exactly what they think they should look for.
They should look for ROI. They should measure it directly. They should look at things like, what is the return on ad spend? How many conversions do I get? What is the cost of each of those conversions? What is the cost per new customer? How many new customers are buying in this new category that I want to dive into?
Everything for us is outcome-oriented at the individual level. You shouldn’t just be buying AI as a marketing tool. You should be using AI in marketing to improve your real KPIs.
Image credits: Mr.Cole_Photographer / Moment / Getty Images
Jesse Records / Eyeem / Getty Images
Berya113 / Istock / Getty Images Plus
---
## Proving results: 4 CMOs on how they build buy-in and prove outcomes
Type: eps_post
URL: /4-cmos-on-how-they-drive-outcomes-for-their-brands
Last Modified: 2025-05-07T20:01:03Z
# Proving results: 4 CMOs on how they build buy-in and prove outcomes
The role of the CMO has transformed. With increased importance on customer experience and demonstrating value, leaders must change how they market and how they talk about marketing impact.
Today’s CMOs are strategic orchestrators for their organizations. They must connect the dots among people, technology, processes and products in new and bold ways. They also have to change how they talk about marketing impact to keep the C-suite and cross-functional partners informed and communicate with the entire organization in language that resonates. And they must constantly advocate for their teams. On top of that, they need to experiment, take risks and push the boundaries amid a flurry of new technologies, channels and customer changes.
“It’s about business leadership first and marketing leadership second,” says longtime marketing executive turned leadership development consultant Alan Gellman. “The primary focus has to be on your peer team and your colleagues, not your functional team. You have to manage marketing functions across the enterprise, whether it’s 500 people or 500,000 people. The emphasis must be on the product, the customer experience and revenue.”
The pandemic lit a match to the concept of adapting and changing to meet consumer interests and demands. It accelerated tech adoption and forced brands to rethink business models. And at a time when marketing budgets have become even more strained, every customer interaction must be meaningful—and every effort should have a clear line of sight to ROI.
"Marketing doesn’t have a monopoly on innovation; it should be occurring in other areas and coming from other places." —Sara Bittorf, Chief Experience Officer, TGI Friday's
CORE spoke with four marketing executives about the evolving role of the CMO. Here are their perspectives on how to achieve success during these extraordinary times.
Denise A. Campbell
Head of consumer marketing, AbbVie Immunology
How has the role of the CMO changed in the past decade?
It has rapidly changed from being a “function” to being considered an integral part of the business, driving both top- and bottom-line growth, but also the capability to further sustain that growth.
Companies that make the shift from “function” to “growth engine” are setting themselves up for success. It’s more than advertising. It’s more than communication. Yes, it’s about talking to specific segments and inspiring them to take action, but it’s always connected to a strategy that should be unlocking growth and value for the organization.
What strategies have helped prove the value of marketing across your organization?
As much as things change in the digital space today, some fundamentals remain the same. If you’re able to identify a strong consumer insight and activate against it, it’s a win for the consumer and it’s a win for the business. And when that magic happens, you see results fairly immediately, and momentum begets momentum. It becomes easier to prove the case for marketing and investment.
What role do KPIs play?
Whatever vertical you work in, you’re looking for some impact on revenue. Is that in the form of a cash register ring? Is it the amount in a shopping cart as people move through a retail environment?
It’s critical to fully understand leading indicators that lead to the ultimate metric of revenue growth. This translates into the specific factors that matter to consumers. For example, when people come to our websites to look for a physician, it’s a very strong signal that they’re really serious about engaging more deeply in their care. That’s something we can act on and support. You can then define how to better personalize and contextualize marketing messages to that individual.
How do you balance relevance for consumers versus feeling like marketing is potentially invasive?
You have to frequently remember your life as a consumer, not just as a marketer. All of us have had these experiences where you look at one thing online, and suddenly the banner ads are everywhere. It’s taking those lessons that you’re learning as a consumer and applying them to your own category where you’re a marketing leader, and we’re very careful and responsible in healthcare.
We’re extremely disciplined about establishing good business rules upfront, and we’re very similar to financial services in that way. No one wants their financial health exposed, just like no one likes their health exposed, whether you’re perfectly healthy or you have something you’re treating. Both industries have found a good balance of protecting customers’ privacy and giving them personalized experiences. Since people come to our websites for information when they have health concerns, it’s important to make things secure and seamless for them instead of frustrating them when they don’t feel well. Protecting our customers is first and foremost a priority for us.
Can you share an example where you brought a big idea to the table and had to get buy-in?
Our digital transformation initiative began with external benchmarking. It showed that we were behind our peers, and some of our web and digital assets weren’t competitive.
"If you’re able to identify a strong consumer insight and activate against it, it’s a win for the consumer and it’s a win for the business." —Denise A. Campbell, Head of Consumer Marketing, AbbVie Immunology
We started to shine a light on that internally and said we really have to be better. There were a lot of conversations up and down the organization, socializing the idea of what it meant to get everyone on the same page with respect to vocabulary and terminology, as well as what was the value, not only to the company, but to our marketing community.
Once we acted on the digital transformation and began to see measurable results, we gained momentum in terms of our rankings in the industry. That created a hunger to do more, and we saw a measurable impact on our business.
How do you balance short-term and long-term initiatives?
We know which marketing capabilities we need to excel in based on our roadmap and how we’re making our investments.
We’re also constantly looking at the landscape and seeing what’s emerging: What are the hot topics? What do our patients need? What are the new capabilities that are coming into the marketing landscape? It’s especially important in our industry, because technology is transforming healthcare and marketing at the same time.
We don’t have time to chase each new squirrel as it scampers across the landscape, but we quickly make an evaluation of which ones we think will have lasting impact on our business. Once we’ve identified them, we can start to get some initial learning so we can scale it as needed across the business.
Vineet Mehra
Chief growth and CX officer, Good Eggs
Former global CMO and chief customer officer, Walgreens Boots Alliance
What’s one of the biggest misconceptions about the role of the CMO?
People overestimate the value of consensus. The truth is you need people to believe in your idea, but they don’t all necessarily need to agree with every part of it—that’s almost an impossible feat. For example, people can conceptually agree that personalized experiences are going to be more effective than experiences that are not. The first step is to gain buy-in to the concept, but not try to get everyone to believe in every element.
How do you put this concept into motion?
When you set up proof experiments, it can’t be a black box where you show up six months later and say, “Ta-da!” I try to manage that by breaking every project into weekly and biweekly chunks—we get to that level of granularity on my team. Through that granularity comes momentum, so by the time you get to six months on an experiment that’s going well, people don’t feel like it just showed up and question how you got there.
Engage the business stakeholders on the journey and on the proof points along the way. In the short-term, people are like, “OK, I’m seeing some wins and value to the business,” so by the end of the experiment, you’ve got a whole body of proof that’s going to be massive, measurable impact to the business because of an experiment that you can now scale.
What do you consider critical for business transformation?
CMOs have to figure out what their modern marketing organization looks like and what skill sets are needed—and those skills are very different from five years ago. A lot of leaders fail when they think the same team can achieve the same outcomes on totally new ideas.
"A lot of leaders fail when they think the same team can achieve the same outcomes on totally new ideas." —Vineet Mehra, Chief Growth and CX Officer, Good Eggs
I’ve learned to be very honest about where you have the capabilities to fulfill your vision and where you don’t, and supplement your team as required. Most of us inherit pretty good teams; we just may not have all the skill sets and expertise required to go there.
It’s a balancing act. You’re not going to completely upend your organization and bring in new talent, because then you get a bull’s-eye on your back. What I try to do is be pragmatic: break the outcomes into steps along the way, leverage the great capabilities in the org already, and then augment with external resources in an outcomes-based model.
How do you discuss marketing impact with others in the organization?
You really have to use plain English. About 90% of my stakeholders are not marketers. I don’t use terms like “brand affinity.” Not that it isn’t important, but you have to use terms that are relevant to your stakeholder.
I’m looking at things that a CFO, a general manager, a shareholder or a board member can understand. If I say ARPU, or average revenue per unit, people get lost. But when I frame things in the context of “How many people in my loyalty program can I actually contact?” they get it. The less buzzword bingo you play, the better.
What metrics are the most important?
I only like very clear pre/post type metrics. If we’re going to run personalization, I’m looking at a few metrics, like open rates of emails or average revenue per contactable customer. Those are nondebatable things: You’ll have either X or Y, and it either moved or it didn’t. That can’t be debated.
But they are also balanced with experience metrics, like NPS scores, which is how a customer is feeling about these things. Combining that with true financial value—those are the wins.
And we use a balanced scorecard because, without one, it’s entirely possible to get out of sync. You can deliver a great customer experience but produce no financial value, or you can drive financial value but fail on the customer experience front.
Sara Bittorf
Chief experience officer, TGI Fridays
How did you adapt to changing demands and regulations during the COVID-19 crisis?
We are already in a fast-moving category, and the pandemic just accelerated that to the nth degree. We have had to lean into approaches that have a very close attribution loop and where we can definitively demonstrate ROI. When you’re faced with limited dollars, it means you have to make sure every dollar is working hard for you.
Almost overnight, we introduced curbside pickup and enabled contactless purchases. We revamped our online ordering system and updated our loyalty program. Then there was a meat shortage, and we said, “Hey, we have meat,” because our sales contracted, so maybe we create packages for consumers to cook it themselves. The product, The Butcher Shop, turned out to be nearly labor free and profitable.
How do you achieve the speed and agility that’s now essential?
One of the really interesting things coming out of the restaurant industry is the virtual restaurants and the virtual concepts that live only on delivery platforms. If we start to think about how we can create brands that live only in a virtual world, then we can speed up the time to market pretty substantially. You could have a concept and create it in a matter of weeks.
The other part is the idea of driving revenue out of existing assets. If you have a brick-and-mortar location and it’s suffering or challenged by the pandemic, what else can you do with that asset?
What has helped you manage your team and resources?
I’ve always lived by the “three F’s of focus.” First, figure out what matters—what’s going to move the business? And just do that to the exclusion of everything else. Second, do fewer things, better—focus on improving the quality of your outcomes.
And third, do first things first. That was really important in the pandemic because suddenly you had a million things on fire, and you had to stage them, pace and sequence.
From there, it’s figuring out what builds on what. What can you do first to create revenue that will fund your second phase? What can you do to create learnings that will fund your third phase?
How do you foster collaboration across departments?
Everybody thinks they’re a marketer. It would be ludicrous for me to call up the CFO and tell her that I thought that her accounts receivables is being managed incorrectly, right? But nobody has a problem telling marketers how to do marketing. I’m fortunate to work in an organization that does recognize that subject matter experts should have the final decision.
That being said, we recognize that marketing doesn’t have a monopoly on innovation; it should be occurring in other areas and coming from other places.
The more people you enroll in the process, the more likely they are to buy into the outcomes, even if the outcomes aren’t what they had suggested. I find that the fastest way to get somebody to knee-jerk oppose something is to introduce it to them at the very last minute and give them absolutely no choice in it and not allow any kind of feedback.
How do you look at longer-term planning for strategy and resources?
I don’t think marketing should be safe. We embrace the philosophy that if you’re not failing, you’re not trying hard enough.
We also have to balance what we need in the long term versus what’s good in the short term— we have a rule to not make long-term problems out of short-term issues. For example, we have a contract for part of our online ordering system that won’t expire until 2022. We said, “Well, it’s kind of like buying a stock, right? Would we buy it again today?” The answer was no, so we scrapped it and moved on.
Alan Gellman
Executive coach, Convivo Leadership and CMO Coaches
Former CMO, Credible and Esurance
How has the pandemic changed the role of the CMO?
COVID accelerated existing trends, but the underlying goal is the same: top-line and bottom-line growth. CMOs must have what I call a general manager mindset. They’re responsible for both the consumer and for growth.
Being a CMO is an art and a science. But you also have to have heart. Heart relates to what’s intentional about the customer. CMOs must understand the dynamic of what it means to be a customer and engage and influence them accordingly. Depending on the organization, this may involve customer experience, the product, communications and PR. The key to results is a metrics-driven approach and tight relationships with other business leaders.
It’s also about being intentional with how you influence and engage internally to accomplish your organization’s agenda. Although CMOs are marketers, they have to hold business leadership first. How are you managing across your enterprise, and how are you focusing business leadership around growth?
How can a CMO maximize interactions across teams that don’t have a deep understanding of marketing?
Be clear about decision rights versus influence rights: What is yours to own and drive, and where do you still want to hear people out?
It’s important to communicate that input is welcome. Today, great ideas come from anywhere. The IT guy, say, might have the perfect twist on an idea. If there’s too much input, then you have to find a way to sort through everything. But you don’t want to slam doors shut.
"Being a CMO is an art and a science. But you also have to have heart." —Alan Gellman, Executive Coach, Convivo Leadership and CMO Coaches
You also need to let people know your team will ultimately decide what to do. It’s often better to take longer and get things right, even if it means taking a few hits along the way. Play the long game.
How does a CMO achieve buy-in?
It starts with a recognition that relationships and consensus are different things. We all work with difficult personalities; people often come from a place of fear and worry. It’s important to recognize this and ask a few questions: How can I support them, and how can they support me? What outcome am I seeking? What’s the best path to this outcome? The objective is to build consensus at the top and alleviate fear surrounding people losing their control.
How do you build that alignment among your organization and partners?
Recognize your end goal and be patient. During my time as senior vice president of digital marketing at Wells Fargo, for example, each division worked with a different agency and was essentially competing against each other in the marketplace. Rather than firing all seven agencies and choosing one—which was the end goal—we worked to build alignment and alleviate fear of people losing control: Is this working? How is it serving us? How is it hurting us? I made clear I was simply a facilitator. It was a heavy lift over a couple of years, but in the end, we streamlined to one agency.
How does a CMO balance short-term and longterm objectives?
I recommend identifying the top three programs for long-term growth and staying focused on them by aligning your metrics. If you do this, you can’t lose in the short term because important issues are in your face every day. In addition, it’s important to communicate this information to the C-suite in language they understand.
What other advice do you offer CMOs?
You’re the leader that’s right for this role. So, trust that and own that. Confidence allows you to be courageous. Take risks, because not taking risks is the biggest risk. Demonstrate resilience for yourself and for your team. Optimism, confidence and being comfortable with ambiguity are powerful qualities that lead to success.
For more content like this, download the full second issue of CORE here.
Image credits: Artwork by Klawe Rzeczy
---
## It’s good to talk – why ''on-going'', not…''always on'' personalised conversations are the key to next-level customer loyalty
Type: eps_post
URL: /its-good-to-talk-why-on-going-not-always-on-personalised-conversations-are-the-key-to-next-level-customer-loyalty
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T22:17:52Z
# It’s good to talk – why ''on-going'', not…''always on'' personalised conversations are the key to next-level customer loyalty
High customer loyalty is a trait that all truly customer-centric businesses can boast, with loyalty programmes proven to increase customer lifetime value by 30%.
Epsilon has created a series of video and blog ‘explainers’ to guide you through key aspects of customer-centricity. Topics range from calculating customer lifetime value and boosting loyalty to customer acquisition and incremental growth.
In a nutshell
The key to driving brand loyalty is to engage customers in an ongoing, data-driven personalised conversation, but this comes with significant challenges.
Take these steps to overcome the barriers and increase customer loyalty:
Identify your customer: Customers and prospects are incredibly difficult to identify and track persistently across the web. But once you invest in an identification solution, it’s easier to communicate with them on a one-to-one level. This isn't just talking to customers/prospects when they arrive on site, with routine messages, it's building brand equity by showing you know them.
Go where your customer is: Customers spend very little time on your brand, whether that's on site or across other channels, and most will only visit when they have a definitive need. So loyalty has to happen predominantly outside of your eco-system. Customers believe you can earn their businesses with messages that are helpful and personalised. So, you must go where the customer is, and build brand equity with them over time, across your channels.
Talk to customers on a one-to-one basis: Personalising messages at the individual level, is a great way to drive overall brand loyalty and increase your cross-selling opportunities. Display advertising is an ideal channel to do this.
Why is display advertising such a good channel for building customer loyalty?
According to Yougov users spend 66% of their time on the open web which is twice as much as social and google. Email is a great channel, but the nature of the channel means you naturally already speak to customers that are already loyal. When you activate display to enhance loyalty, you increase the customer connection. Display is persistent, and this makes it easier to create a conversation that lasts a lifetime and works alongside and enhances your other marketing efforts.
The benefits of leveraging 1st party data
Using data and learnings from display will help you scale across other channels. Display doesn’t only enable you to create ongoing conversations, it also enables you to collect data on customer journeys and apply this to loyal customers and new customers across brand, CRM, and performance channels. This data feedback helps you scale efforts in other channels to find new customers that fit those same patterns.
Resist the urge to sell first and serve second
This is a trap that many brands fall into and causes them to always be one step behind their customer. The ideal way to create brand affinity is to communicate the benefits of why a customer should buy, and buy more often.
Case study: how to build brand equity using the persistent ID?
An Epsilon client with one of the world’s largest loyalty programmes approached us because many of the members weren't aware of the reward savings and point redemption offerings available to them.
Our solution: Use data to target active reward members at scale on an individual level, whether they were on or offline customers, and share messages relevant to their awareness level and point threshold. This is evolved into an always-on strategy using serum data which drove loyalty and an incremental uplift of between 5% and 8%.
The bottom line
To increase loyalty and trigger incremental growth businesses need to look for partners that can help you identify customers on an individual level and find where they are in your sales funnel? Gather enough data so you can maintain a one-to-one conversation, and over time to increase brand equity.
You can find out more about loyalty and other key aspects of customer-centricity by watching our on-demand video series.
---
## Map your customer journey for stronger email marketing
Type: eps_post
URL: /map-your-customer-journey-for-stronger-email-marketing
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T22:17:52Z
# Map your customer journey for stronger email marketing
If there’s one thing this last year has taught us, it’s that consumer behavior has changed drastically. And brands who have pivoted to meet changing expectations are those who will build even stronger relationships with their customers.
While no one could have predicted the drastic changes coming from COVID-19, it’s important for brands to get in the mindset of their customers and adapt to their needs. Customer journey mapping is a way that brands can understand and improve each unique customer experience.
What is a customer journey map?
Simply put, a customer journey map is an outline of the experiences that a customer has while interacting with a brand. Sometimes these are a single experience, such as one path to purchase, and sometimes they are longer term, such as the lifecycle of a customer with a brand from acquisition to decline. Overall, these maps are a visual tool that help brands think about an interaction, usually tied to a business goal, from the customer’s point of view.
How do I use a customer journey map?
By mapping out the customer journey, brands can understand the factors that play into an action of a consumer. You may wonder what brings someone to make a decision to buy your product via your website, and mapping out that experience can help you understand the research, considerations, and decision-making process of selecting the products, and the experience they have with the ease—or pain—of purchasing on this channel.
You may feel confident in knowing the profile of your customer and what motivates them to interact with your brand. However, going through the exercise of customer journey mapping helped you go even deeper in your understanding of your customer. By breaking down each touchpoint, you can evaluate how to restructure each interaction to minimize friction and maximize the customer experience. Customer journey mapping may help you realize there are too many steps in a process, which you can easily reduce to simplify the process. Or it can help identify which touch point isn’t contributing to goals, or which touchpoint you can improve to solve customer problems.
"By breaking down each touchpoint, you can evaluate how to restructure each interaction to minimize friction and maximize the customer experience."
I’m in. How do I create one?
Start by creating an outline of all the touch points across the consumer experience. Once the map is outlined, filling it in is fairly straightforward. And after customer journeys are mapped, brands should use the map to ensure that the right message is reaching the customer at every point along the journey.
The right message is the real challenge, as it can take a simple concept into a complex territory. Identifying touchpoints is the ultimate objective of customer journey mapping. Taking a peek behind the curtain, we showcase how the overall approach aligns to reveal high-opportunity journeys for brand communications.
How do I get started?
Here’s how Epsilon solves the complexity challenge of customer journey mapping in email:
1. Identify phases
From awareness through to conversion, customer journey mapping requires considering what the customer experiences along their path to purchase as well as each key phase of their relationship with your brand.
The pushpins in the customer journey map above identify all the potential phases of a start-stop brand relationship. Onboarding and Win-Back have been highlighted to identify the portions of the relationship that often provide the most significant value to map out.
While the Growing and Stable pushpins are less sensitive phases well served by Business As Usual (BAU) promotional messaging, it is important to mix up the cadence with standout relationship recognition communications and the occasional “surprise and delight” messages. For instance, identify, acknowledge, and even reward relationship milestones.
Epsilon uses these journey maps to improve personalization in every phase—particularly in pursuit of continuous retention, those deep and rich “maintain and retain” efforts in the Stable category where “simplifying the complex” is so important.
2. Break it down
When breaking down the phases, you can identify all necessary touchpoints on the customer journey map. For instance, Welcome and Onboarding acknowledges that there are potential touchpoints between opt-in and ideal behavior (usually first purchase).
The customer journey map should telegraph all the necessary pieces involved in bringing that journey to life. Account for:
Timing
Communication Objective
Channel
Offer (if applicable)
Call to Action
Pro Tip: Communication Objective should very clearly state…the objective. It should not have placeholder language. If the Objective is to “acknowledge opt-in,” then the Communication Objective square should read “Acknowledge Opt-In”—not “Welcome to [Program Name].” Your creatives will appreciate you setting them up for success.
This is a good time to do something very important: name the touchpoint. This will help everyone to use the correct nomenclature; a shared language is a positive side-effect of customer journey mapping.
Once all the boxes are filled in, consider the business rationale for each touchpoint you’ve outlined. Ensure that every touchpoint on the customer journey map aligns with a specific business objective, and identify any objectives that might be missing. If you find any holes, you can plug them before sharing with your team.
3. Customer mindset
Now that you have your base customer journey map, there’s one more layer to add to ensure you’re not missing a touchpoint or misinterpreting a customer behavior: customer mindset.
By exploring possible customer mindsets, you’ll ensure that your customer journey maps align with your customer’s needs.
Obviously, this is the step that brings empathy to the table. But there’s another important aspect that the customer mindset phase of customer journey mapping uncovers: compassion. This is where we “get human” and accept that customer journey maps require that we be compassionate for both the customer and ourselves.
There are a lot of reasons your customer might not do what you hoped they would. Don’t ignore the fact that their real, lived lives can interrupt achieving your brand goals—through no fault of your communication plan as dictated by the customer journey map.
Maybe a customer was going to act, but had to run to a meeting, or get the baby up from a nap, or answered an important phone call. There are a lot of real reasons your customer might have been interrupted.
By accounting for real life, and showing compassion for both your customer and your brand, you can incorporate a couple more relevant touchpoints without scrapping and restarting from scratch.
And, If a customer breaks away, using your Win-Back will help them return to the journey. This is where pen-and-paper comes in handy. Because your customer journey map is the answer, and now you have to show your work (even if only to yourself).
4. Behavioral indicators
Look at your map. It’s glorious. You know when you’re going to reach out, what you’re going to say when you reach out, what channel you’re going to use, and why this will work.
This is a chance to validate communication interactions to the customer journey we’ve just mapped. Have you accounted for all touchpoints that address each action? Some examples are “clicked” and “did not click,” but extend to browsing behaviors or abandonment behaviors—the list goes on. Add any in that may be missed.
Identifying as many behaviors your customers could take with your brand ensures everything is accounted for, and no messaging opportunity stone is left unturned. The customer interacts digitally or in real life with your brand, and that's a big deal. That deep feeling of being recognized, valued, and fully understood at the right times goes a long way, and can be furthered by meeting customers where they are, across all touchpoints.
5. Realizing the value of customer journey maps
Customer journey maps provide real value to brands, helping them identify key touchpoints and reconciling their approach with reality.
But the greatest value is realized by the customers served by those maps. A thorough customer journey map ensures that customers are supported every step of the way. Which circles back to value for the brand. 86% of buyers are willing to pay more for a great customer experience, but also, 1 in 3 customers will leave a brand they love after just one bad or disjointed experience.
Tight customer journey mapping puts your brand in a better position to increase customer spend and reduce brand abandonment—all by unifying the customer experience.
"A thorough customer journey map ensures that customers are supported every step of the way. Which circles back to value for the brand."
6. Collaborative mapping
Epsilon takes a collaborative approach to customer journey mapping, to ensure every perspective is accounted for. From identity and data to real-time triggers and creative strategy, a lot goes into creating—and then bringing to life—a customer journey map. As detailed above, the simple story of the map hides the many factors that get distilled.
Epsilon’s journey mapping strategy
Epsilon understands that personalization drives the relationships that brands have with their customers. We make it easy to insert the most relevant personalization techniques at every touchpoint on the journey map. Our journey maps help us execute the strategy by understanding that customer relevance doesn’t have to compete with brand objectives. We build cross-channel journey maps to ensure the customer experience is consistent and reliable. Then we infuse the right personalization through data, identity, and AI/Machine Learning.
From first purchase to next purchase, from loyalty to lapse prevention, Epsilon’s focus is on delivering outcomes to convert on time and over time, thereby building valuable relationships between brands and their customers.
Find out how Epsilon is positioned to help your brand achieve real business outcomes with our experts, services, tools and tech.
---
## Apple's privacy fortress means an end to ad-tech patchwork solutions
Type: eps_post
URL: /apples-privacy-fortress-signals-the-end-for-ad-tech-patchwork-solutions
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Apple's privacy fortress means an end to ad-tech patchwork solutions
Apple plans to start rolling out its long-awaited App Tracking Transparency (ATT) framework on April 26. This new development requires active and explicit consent for access to a device’s identifier for advertisers (IDFA), meaning publishers need permission before using a device ID or any other identifier for personalization and tracking on iPhones, iPads and even Apple TVs.
Apple has said that this move is designed to enhance transparency, even equating it to the FDA required “nutrition labels” you see on most food and drinks. But for marketers, this signals a significant decrease in the ability to use Apple’s IDFA for targeting, activation and measurement of their campaigns. It’s another move in the ongoing trend toward reducing marketers’ access to the data required for personalized media.
Similar to other moves by Google, these changes are made in the name of consumer privacy, but they also strategically bolster Apple’s ability to own the consumer relationship and the content consumers receive. Not only does Apple dominate the hardware space, but it appears the company is now staking its claim to be a gatekeeper to consumer data, much like Google and Facebook.
"Not only does Apple dominate the hardware space, but it appears the company is now staking its claim to be a gatekeeper to consumer data, much like Google and Facebook." – Loch Rose, Chief Analytics Officer, Epsilon
The impact won’t be small: 69% of marketers across industries say the elimination of IDFA and third-party cookies will have a bigger impact than the GDPR and CCPA. These shifts improve consumer privacy but will significantly reduce web and app publisher revenue and have already altered the way ad-tech companies do business. It’s not that the changes shouldn’t be happening—we support consumer education, transparency and data control—we just don’t think these changes materially improve consumer privacy. Instead these changes only put more power with the walled gardens, further shifting the balance of the marketing ecosystem.
At the end of the day, Apple’s announcement is another example of a platform inserting itself into the relationship between the consumer and the publisher, while building another higher wall to strengthen its own fortress. And within Apple’s fortress, it’s defining what privacy is for users, publishers, advertisers and ad-tech companies, without limiting Apple’s own access to its users’ devices.
The writing on Apple’s (rising) wall
Estimates vary on what levels of opt-in to IDFA to expect post-ATT rollout. Some experts are predicting a global opt-in rate of less than 20%. These low opt-in rates will significantly reduce marketers’ ability to reach Apple device users.
This move is no accident, and it will create a void in the market to access Apple consumers. So, who will fill that void? Apple is certainly well-positioned to do that.
Not only does Apple dominate the hardware space, but it appears the company is now staking its claim to be a gatekeeper to consumer data, much like Google and Facebook. As Apple’s device sales stagnate, it’s looking for the next conquest. Controlling the app store and forcing developers to move to subscription-based models (including its own, like Apple TV+, Apple Music, as well as the Apple One bundle) gives Apple the opportunity to favor apps most likely to provide lucrative revenue sharing, while keeping open the option to enable advertising through an Apple-controlled platform in the future.
Meanwhile, consumers are unbothered because they believe Apple has shielded them from errant companies looking to exploit their data. Little do they know that Apple is simply confining them to its own fortress.
While Apple announced this change in 2020, it’s been increasing privacy controls for a long time, beginning in 2017 with Intelligent Tracking Protocol (ITP) and the deprecation of third-party cookies in Safari. The common theme is one of Apple making it harder for publishers to monetize and marketers to personalize—except in ways controlled by Apple.
Overall, these shifts are going to shape a very different connected experience.
A patchwork solution won’t work forever
While this change is disruptive and a competitive advantage for Apple, it’s not the end of the story. No one should be crying for ad-tech companies; it’s our job to meet and exceed the requirements of our market. But companies that are continually putting patches on their technologies to weather the changes are going to fail. As access to data diminishes, we’re past the point of being able to solve problems reactively as they arise.
It is clear that any ad-tech partner that heavily relies on mobile ad IDs will be severely impacted. This will also create fewer choices for reaching users on Apple devices, meaning advertisers may feel forced to spend more with walled gardens, such as Facebook and Google, which have first-party account-based logins and thus don’t require access to IDFA. Fewer options for advertisers affect the economy of the market, decreasing the ability for smaller publishers and newer brands that are struggling to gain traction in the marketplace.
Not all ad-tech partners are hindered by this change, and brands should take notice. As privacy continues to evolve—and as big players like Apple and Google set the tone of how that privacy is implemented—brands need an identity partner that isn’t (and has never been) dependent on third-party cookies or device IDs.
At Epsilon, we are confident that we can ride this next wave of data deprecation. For more than 50 years, we’ve been supporting brands’ first-party data. In a recent Forrester report, analysts said “Epsilon’s PeopleCloud offering shows: It’s modular, scalable, and better integrated with CORE ID, Epsilon’s resolution product. That means better reach and scale across the digital media ecosystem.” Epsilon also received the highest score in the current offering category in the evaluation.
Epsilon’s CORE ID can identify and serve 98% of ads to real people. Less than 5% of our IDs rely on IDFA as their only digital touchpoint, and on average, each CORE ID is attached to five digital touchpoints. Because of this, we have already proven our ability to succeed within Apple’s environment; we saw a 25% increase in ad delivery for our clients on Safari after Apple deprecated third-party cookies in 2017. And we’re leaders in consumer privacy, ensuring persistent opt-out across devices and cookies (vs. just opting out of a single identifier but still receiving ads on others).
Those in the ad-tech space who don’t already have future-proofed solutions are a day late and a dollar short. We’ve all known for years that this is coming. As we built our digital solutions, we prioritized privacy, security and strong partnerships that helped us anchor our identity to a durable name and address foundation. This has created solutions that enable brands to have long-lasting connections with consumers in a trusted, consent-based relationship.
**This article was originally published on Adweek, April 2021.
---
## Don’t let your attempts to measure channel effectiveness strangle your profitability.
Type: eps_post
URL: /dont-let-your-attempts-to-measure-channel-effectiveness-strangle-your-profitability
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T22:17:52Z
# Don’t let your attempts to measure channel effectiveness strangle your profitability.
The pandemic has made it more important than ever for brands to tighten their purse strings and prove the profitability of their digital marketing channels.
During tough times there is a tendency to double down on post-click marketing, but there are real difficulties with using attribution as a measurement of channel profitability. A more-accurate approach is needed.
Epsilon has created a series of video and blog ‘explainers’ to guide you through key aspects of customer-centricity. Topics range from calculating customer lifetime value and boosting loyalty to customer acquisition and incremental growth.
Why do finance teams measure attribution?
Attribution programs measure and compare the effectiveness of each customer interaction across channels. For example, if a consumer is exposed to a display ad and an email campaign, but they only convert after seeing a special promotion in the email, marketers assume this piece of collateral played a bigger role in driving the sale than the display ad. Marketers can then increase investment in targeted email campaigns.
Deeper dive. So, what’s the problem with attribution?
Attribution can lead marketers to focus on short-term goals. By trying assign credit to all channels, they can both overvalue and undervalue certain channels that may have played a role in driving a sale. What can be tracked best is then given most credit which causes businesses to focus on activity closer to point of sale.
If you can't see what marketing activity is profitable, how can you determine which channels to invest in to increase growth?
Why test-and-control trumps attribution:
The best way to measure success is to use test-and-control methods, deliberately targeting customers at different stages of your sales funnel. This will accurately reveal the differences in conversion rates over time between a test group and a control group. The control group is your baseline marketing, and the test group shows the uplift of that channel above your baseline.
So how do you make sure test-and -control is accurate?
Select individual customers completely at random for your test-and-control groups.
Ensure they remain in either test or control for the duration of the program, across all of their devices.
Choose a mixture of your best customers, new, lapsed and lost customers to ensure there is no bias towards a specific group.
Adhering to these steps will enable you to identify which of your channels is the highest performing and worthy of further investment.
Epsilon uses two calculations to demonstrate the effectiveness of test-and-control.
By using one of the following calculations marketeers can clearly and simply convey the profitability of their channels to their finance team.
Incremental return on marketing spend. This is the incremental revenue driven by a channel, divided by spend. In this instance ‘spend’ includes all costs, including creative builds, media delivery and set-up to name but a few.
Gross profit margin. This is the revenue that would not have existed without that channel, minus the percentage of goods sold and minus media costs.
The bottom line
Measurements, such as post-click attribution, do not necessarily show profit. Test-and-control, however, enables you to accurately measure the impact of your investment in marketing at different points along your sales funnel. This gives you a clearer picture of what each channel is worth.
You can find out more about profitability and other key aspects of customer-centricity by watching our on-demand video series.
---
## In the shift to outcome-based marketing, do engagement metrics matter?
Type: eps_post
URL: /meaningful-metrics
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T22:20:56Z
# In the shift to outcome-based marketing, do engagement metrics matter?
Picture today’s marketing as the fable of the six blind men and the elephant. One touches the animal’s trunk and suggests it is a snake. Another, who touches the side, guesses the beast is a wall. None of them sees the full picture.
Marketers today have sharpened their metrics over time, but the problem remains: How can we see the whole elephant, or, as the case may be, the whole customer?
The increasingly vocal concern in the industry is that engagement metrics, like the siloed blind men, don’t paint the whole picture of a customer. In fact, CMOs say their most valuable metric is ROI, according to The Annual CMO Spend Survey Research, published by Gartner in June 2020.
Marketing leaders are under pressure to tie their initiatives to outcomes, as CFOs demand stronger value for scarce marketing dollars.
In the latest issue of CORE, David Hess, senior vice president of account analytics at Epsilon, and Helen Katz, executive vice president of research at Publicis Media, discuss the roles of outcome-based metrics versus engagement metrics in the new landscape.
How do you define outcome-based marketing, and why is it gaining traction?
Hess: Outcome-based marketing is when we’re really focusing on optimizing the program toward a business outcome of interest. That could be purchasing a product, signing up for a service or downloading an app.
Engagement metrics: Engagement metrics are the measures of interactions with a brand, including ad click-throughs, bounce rate, pageviews, time on page, and social likes, comments and shares.
Outcome-based metrics: These metrics reveal the effectiveness of an organization’s marketing strategy on business objectives and can be used to demonstrate ROI.
Katz: The focus on outcome-based marketing has been enhanced because we’re able to capture more real-time data and also analyze it faster to know if we achieved the outcome, rather than having to wait six months or a year to see if the marketing actually made a difference.
Hess: There’s also an increased push towards financial justification. You have CFOs asking for demonstration that what the marketer is doing is actually driving business results. So in some respects, it’s a combination of having better-quality data, but it’s also being forced down the path of really justifying the activity that’s taking place.
As identity becomes essential, how does outcome-based marketing address this?
Hess: We typically think of data as telling us who to talk to, but there’s another piece of the data angle, which is knowing who I’m talking to. And that’s really more about identity. Outcome-based marketing is more focused on the consumer than about the context or channel that they’re in. If someone is displaying behavior that is reflective of an intent to make a purchase, I’m going to talk to them regardless of where they are. If I’m selling athletic wear, for example, I don’t care if you’re on espn.com or nytimes.com. I’m going to talk to you because of who you are and what I know about you.
How about engagement metrics? What’s your take?
Katz: I think of engagement metrics as indicators of consumer attitudes toward a brand. From a traditional research perspective, we want to understand the identity of a person, but we also want to know what they think and how they feel about a brand—what we traditionally think of as upper-funnel measures.
Many describe engagement metrics as “vanity metrics.” Do you agree or disagree with that thinking?
Katz: I don’t think they are. Engagement metrics should be used as indicators to help drive desired outcomes. They complement outcome-based marketing. I don’t see it as an either-or situation.
Hess: The advantage of engagement metrics is that they’re easy to measure. It’s also easier to look at multiple vendors using the same set of metrics—whether that’s good or bad is a separate issue.
One of the dangers of engagement metrics is if you focus solely on the metric without tying it to the business outcome. If you haven’t firmly established the link between the two, then engagement metrics probably are vanity metrics.
“Engagement metrics should be used as indicators to help drive desired outcomes. They complement outcome-based marketing. I don’t see it as an either-or situation.” – Helen Katz, Executive Vice President of Research, Publicis Media
Katz: I don’t want to lose sight of the importance of understanding engagement outside of clicks. You’ve got to have the whole picture of the consumer. Understanding that mindset is an important component of how engagement can best work.
Hess: I would draw a distinction between engagement as a brand health metric and engagement as a performance metric.
Katz: The buyer’s journey doesn’t always follow the linear path that we grew up with in our Marketing 101 classes. It’s a complete mischaracterization to think that consumers always start at the top and work their way diligently through every stage of the journey.
Why is outcome-based marketing hard to do well?
Hess: Probably the thing that’s most difficult is building a robust consumer identity. Being able to recognize this person that I’m seeing either on a website or an app, to be able to continue a conversation, you need to have an identity that’s persistent. And a lot of companies find that’s the most difficult piece.
Katz: The other thing that makes it hard is making sure that you know what outcomes you’re actually trying to measure. What outcome do you want? Is it visits to the store? Buying the car? Measuring outcomes without any specifics in mind is a recipe for disaster.
Hess: I completely agree. We often say that you can only optimize to one KPI. You have to know the one thing you’re interested in optimizing.
For more content like this, download the full second issue of CORE.
Image credits: Bob Elsdale / Stockbyte / Getty Images
---
## Matching media for Jersey Mike's
Type: eps_post
URL: /matching-media-for-jersey-mikes
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Matching media for Jersey Mike's
Jersey Mike’s, the nation’s leading fast casual sub sandwich franchise, wanted to reconnect with their lapsed customers and acquire new ones. Jeff Hemschoot, Marketing Director at Jersey Mike’s, explains, “Our goal was to test if digital could help us reactivate guests who hadn’t purchased in at least three months. We also wanted to target customers who have dined at competitors.”
To do this, Jersey Mike’s knew they had to learn more about their existing customers. But needed a partner to help them unify digital behavior to all transactions. They decided to conduct a pilot program with Epsilon.
We used CORE Transact℠ to find both Jersey Mike’s and their competitors’ customers and create the ultimate view of their spending patterns and digital behavior. CORE Transact℠ is our exclusive data asset comprised of non-modeled, third-party transactional data from over 1.5 million merchants. It spans across multiple card types and includes one of the largest participants in the card payment system. We see over $2.8 trillion dollars in spend per year across 200 million profiles—more than half of all card spend in the U.S.
“Epsilon’s solution helped us find the customer at the right time and on the right device,” says Kelly McGee, Digital Director at Jersey Mike’s. CORE Transact℠ identified millions of people that either converted at Jersey Mike’s or a competitor in the last 12 months. Each group was exposed to different offers and with our 1:1 decisioning engine, each message was delivered to the right person at the right time and on the right device. Kelly continues, “Finding customers that have dined at competitors with the transactional database is something we haven’t been able to do before.”
{% video_player "embed_player" overrideable=False, type='scriptV4', hide_playlist=True, viral_sharing=False, embed_button=False, autoplay=False, hidden_controls=False, loop=False, muted=False, full_width=False, width='1920', height='1080', player_id='37168360644', style='' %}
Throughout the pilot, collaboration and client education were a priority. When describing the relationship, Jeff says, “We were very impressed with the follow-up and follow-through from Epsilon. This approach was new to us, and every team member has been informative and happy to help.”
The pilot program enabled Jersey Mike’s to deliver meaningful messages to and convert both lapsed and new guests, without having to build a full CRM database. And the measurement was real-time and precise. Kelly says, “One of the unique things about working with Epsilon was the ability to track sales. Not only could we do it on our end with coupon redemptions, but also on their end with credit card data. This was really useful.”
The performance data showed that digital is an effective channel to win over new guests acquired from competitors, reactivate lapsed guests and deliver results reported with actual revenue that far exceeded their goals. Jeff’s concludes, “We were overwhelmed by the success of this program. We blew by our target ROAS.”
For more information or to see the full case study, click here.
---
## How to use identity, data and AI to achieve a lifetime of financial loyalty - APAC
Type: eps_post
URL: /how-to-use-identity-data-and-ai-to-achieve-a-lifetime-of-financial-loyalty-0
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# How to use identity, data and AI to achieve a lifetime of financial loyalty - APAC
Anticipate consumers’ needs across all five stages of the financial lifecycle.
If financial brands want to succeed in a consumer-first world, they must move away from channel- and product-first interactions and start addressing customers’ current and future financial needs.
Download this guide to learn how to engage with current and new customers at each stage of the lifecycle with a single, integrated approach that anticipates each person’s unique next action. Focusing on the customer—not the brand—builds lasting, trusting relationships.
---
## Turning the page: Expanding an audience beyond the catalog
Type: eps_post
URL: /up-close-turning-the-page
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T22:20:56Z
# Turning the page: Expanding an audience beyond the catalog
Jerry Westendorf, director of database marketing at Frontgate, moves the brand to a holistic, connected contact strategy.
With a 30-year history in the home decor and furniture industry, Frontgate, one of the brands under the Cornerstone Brands umbrella, has depended heavily on driving purchases through its catalog. Over the past few years, though, e-commerce has, unsurprisingly, grown in importance.
But Frontgate has a level of comfort with catalog business that it hasn’t achieved quite yet with its digital channels, says Jerry Westendorf, director of database marketing at Frontgate. He outlines the brand’s ongoing test-and-learn efforts to expand its audience beyond the catalog—and to meet people where they are.
Building a connected customer experience can be difficult for a brand of any size. What have been some of the challenges you’ve faced with understanding and aligning your customer data?
Jerry Westendorf (JW): We’ve been doing digital marketing for a long time, but as of a few years ago, it was still small in comparison to what we did with our print marketing.
It’s been a big challenge for us to make sure that our marketing mix is aligned to the current customer behavior—and to understand how to measure it, how to plan for it and how to optimize it. The challenge is that measurement of digital marketing is very different than catalog. In a lot of cases, there are multiple touchpoints involved. Then you get into attribution, which can be very complex, and there are different points of view on how to do it correctly.
You only have a few retail stores. How did the pandemic impact your marketing plans?
JW: We were very fortunate that we had put in hard work in 2018 and 2019, so we were in a good place. We had some information to make good decisions as things were unfolding. One of the biggest things was the contact testing that we did for the catalog. It really showed us where it was worthwhile to continue spending and where we were possibly overspending.
So, we had already started that process. We had taken some investment out of our customer file and reallocated it to digital acquisition, which proved to be a very good strategy as the year went on. Initially, we had some suppression of demand when the pandemic hit in March and April. Then as the temperature started going up, people realized, “Hey, I’m going to be spending more time at home. I’m going to escape to my back deck or patio or my outside living area—and Frontgate is the best place to go for that stuff.”
"We made sure that detailed plans were available and presented all the way up to the president of the company. We showed them exactly what we were going to do and explained how we were going to measure it.” –Jerry Westendorf, director of database marketing, Frontgate
We had already had those plans to dive deeper into our prospecting during that key outdoor season.
As part of a large, multi-brand business, how did you secure the appropriate buy-in from stakeholders for this project, inside and outside of marketing?
JW: From the beginning, we knew that we needed to be very transparent. We made sure that detailed plans were available and presented all the way up to the president of the company. We showed them exactly what we were going to do and explained how we were going to measure it. And we had plans in place to evaluate our program in two-month increments. If there were any major issues that were unforeseen or any significant drop in performance, we would tweak things along the way.
We also held regular meetings as soon as we had results to review. It was a very good dialogue, and people actually got very excited about it because we started to save marketing dollars during the middle of the test by applying the learnings to the season immediately following.
This was not a quick-turn project. How have you shown success and value along the way while also keeping an eye on a larger end goal?
JW: It was important to design our tests in a way that gave us lots of answers quickly. So, for example, rather than just doing an A/B test, we would test up to five different messaging and creative treatments with each customer segment at a time. This allowed us to more quickly find the most successful options and roll them out rapidly because we weren’t just testing one against another.
What has been your biggest takeaway from your testing strategy?
JW: One of our key findings might be easy for people to overlook without testing. You may have a contact cadence, in any channel, that is very frequent. And there’s probably a segment of the customer file that needs that frequency. When you start pulling things away, you lose so much in demand and engagement that you’re actually hurting your overall profitability. And it may be a very small percentage—it could be 10% or 20% of the current customer file. But those are the people who pay the bills. This was the case for Frontgate.
"We should be talking about layering on more personalized and direct communications to keep our best customers at their level of engagement." –Jerry Westendorf, director of database marketing, Frontgate
A key learning for us was that instead of pulling things back, we should be talking about layering on more personalized and direct communications to keep our best customers at their level of engagement.
This testing and learning to improve your holistic contact strategy is not just in one area. Can you share some of the progress you’ve made in other programs across marketing?
JW: We’ve worked to build out our triggered email program. Over the course of the last two years, we have greatly expanded it from a few very basic programs to eight or 10 different types of triggers that are based on customer shopping behaviors. Although these triggers are sent to a much smaller population than our broad, daily email sends to over a million subscribers, they have the same amount of sales as those large daily campaigns. That’s because they are based on where the customer is showing interest and offering them relevant content. It’s at the right time when they’re actually shopping.
Over the last year, we also introduced personalization to our daily campaigns, which again is a much broader audience. We’ve seen really good results from personalizing the content—like the product or category—and the time that we send the email out based on where the customer is.
For more content like this, download the full second issue of CORE.
Article photography by Aaron M. Conway
---
## Eyes on the prize: How fitness brands develop loyalty
Type: eps_post
URL: /eyes-on-the-prize
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T22:20:56Z
# Eyes on the prize: How fitness brands develop loyalty
By fostering a sense of community, fitness brands face off on how to best develop loyalty.
Fitness brands have an enormous, inherent advantage when it comes to loyalty: People are often passionate about their exercise routines. How many other categories are there where customers feel guilty—or even lonely—if they fail to interact with a brand on a regular basis?
Competitiveness, community and a drive toward achievement are built into exercise routines, so it’s natural for fitness brands to use gamification, such as the earning of badges, to direct and accentuate those elements. Likewise, many consumers love to share their workouts and accomplishments through online communities and social media, from the highly monitored Facebook to the Wild West of Reddit. What does that mean for fitness brands? They have a natural edge in building loyalty on an emotional level.
“Some of the top fitness brands, like Peloton, are using digital as a first approach, and others, including Equinox, SoulCycle and Orangetheory, are being forced into it. Regardless, all of them have a great opportunity to really become ingrained in the lifestyles of their customers,” says Tim Thomas, vice president of technology, specializing in loyalty program design, at Epsilon.
Although none of the following fitness brands have formal loyalty programs, all have fiercely loyal customers. Their loyalty strategies highlight personalization and gamification to encourage engagement and to collect valuable first-party data. And they’re meeting their customers where they play, across various platforms to create strong connections.
The Digital Native: Peloton
At-home cycling is the core experience for Peloton, which uses a real-time data dashboard to spur competition among exercisers, even if they can’t see one another. The company shipped its first bikes in 2014 and added a treadmill in 2018. The Peloton app also offers virtual classes for yoga, outdoor running, meditation, stretching and strength training.
Peloton intentionally does not have a formal loyalty program, though it leverages personalization and gamification to build emotional loyalty through shoutouts, badges and status. The brand also fosters competition and community with its at-home product by collecting and sharing live workout data from its users. How does that contribute to the platform’s stickiness?
Thomas’ take: Gamification is built into the model here, whether it’s competition among community members or personal achievements and badges for users. There’s a lot of opportunity around that, both because of the type of data they’re tracking and because of the competitive nature of sports-based activities like cycling. People have that mindset already, and Peloton is smart to build on that.
While Peloton has a limited app subscription available, an elite membership (which includes full access to classes and user metrics) means having to purchase one of the company’s bikes or treadmills. Is that high barrier to entry a threat to the health of the platform?
Thomas’ take: Peloton does offer monthly pricing models for its hardware—customers can split the cost of their bike across many months. In fact, Peloton spends a lot of time and energy on its website helping users justify the cost of the hardware, letting them calculate the cost of an annual gym membership compared to a Peloton bike or treadmill. This is smart—using tools to help customers see the value of the investment and how it’s comparable to other similar fitness investments they’re already making. It’s a key move to encourage more people to buy the product, which ultimately makes the community more compelling when there are more people on the platform.
While some Peloton instructors have robust followers on social media, the primary community forum for Peloton riders is a Facebook group that includes more than 400,000 members. Peloton embraced this group early rather than trying to build community on an owned channel. What are the advantages and risks of that strategy?
Thomas’ take: This is a form of emotional loyalty—literally being part of the club. The conversation is largely up to the community. You have people talking among themselves. This can lead to great user-generated content, word of mouth and free market research. Companies dream of having this many people weigh in on ideas. On the other hand, there’s a lack of control. People can compare and complain if the brand is personalizing rewards or experiences.
The Digital Newcomer: Equinox+
Before Peloton’s launch, SoulCycle was the premium cycling brand, known for high-energy studio classes with an exclusive dance-club vibe—similar to the ethos of the big-city gyms operated by its parent company, Equinox. A new app, Equinox+, combines Equinox’s various brands, including SoulCycle, Pure Yoga and Precision Run, in an attempt to gain a share of the home-fitness market. It initially launched under the name Variis in 2020, but the company rebranded to Equinox+ in early 2021—likely to harness the fitness club’s brand recognition.
Equinox+’s marketing emphasizes the individual instructors, which aligns with the SoulCycle ethos of building up its trainers as influencers and celebrities. In fact, its most famous instructor, Angela Manuel-Davis, left SoulCycle in 2019 and co-founded a new fitness brand, Aarmy. Is a focus on instructors a good strategy from a loyalty perspective?
Thomas’ take: In some cases, you’re more loyal to the instructor than to the brand, so as long as they can keep that tie-in—“we’re the brand that has brought you these great trainers”—then emphasizing them is a great thing. Of course, it’s also a risk because if a given instructor leaves your brand, as Manuel-Davis did, people may be interested in following them. But generally, it’s worth it, because you’re building a stickier relationship. That human connection is a benefit.
Equinox+ offers virtual classes (some of which are live) for its brands on its app. How can a shift to digital be successful?
Thomas’ take: It really boils down to whether the feel and excitement of the classroom experience comes through in the app. It’s a worthy endeavor to try to re-create the vibe and sense of exclusivity that SoulCycle has created in its studios and Equinox has in its gyms. It can work—excitement can still come across very well in a digital environment, as eSports has proven. And the live classes help create a sense of urgency. On the other hand, a digital model could also appeal to users who prefer a less social or competitive experience.
The Digital Minimalist: Orangetheory Fitness
The workouts at Orangetheory studios—there are more than 1,300 worldwide—put a data-driven spin on traditional exercise classes by emphasizing a particular heart-rate range (the “orange” zone) that the company says is especially beneficial for burning calories. Orangetheory’s free app enables both members and nonmembers to take part in workouts at home or on the road, but the company’s digital experience isn’t its main objective.
Orangetheory’s digital experience is intended to supplement, rather than replace, the studio experience. What do you think of that strategy—and how much control of marketing should they have over their franchises?
Thomas’ take: Pre-COVID, that was a great idea. But now this feels like a feeble attempt at entering the digital space because the brand still has that brick-and-mortar emphasis. While people are going back to gyms slowly, more people have started to enjoy working out at home.
Loyalty in general is much more problematic with a franchise-based business: You don’t have that centralized group that can decide to pursue a strategy to offer richer promotions to customers because the question of who has the closest relationship with the end user is complicated. So that’s a huge challenge, and when you add that to going digital, you’re facing two substantial headwinds.
Orangetheory aficionados have congregated on Reddit. A large part of the appeal of that platform is that early-morning gym-goers can share the details of the day’s workout routine with other members. How does Reddit affect community and the brand’s ability to influence the conversation and promote loyalty?
Thomas’ take: Reddit is the polar opposite of Facebook in terms of a brand’s ability to monitor or control the activity. It’s the Wild West. You have to be very careful, because there’s potential for things to go badly, fast. If there’s a negative perception of your brand shared on Reddit that gets upvoted and starts trending, it’s likely to filter out to the broader social universe—Twitter, Facebook—before you even realize it’s happened.
The other thing here in terms of loyalty is the potential for offer-sharing. If you’re trying to bring exclusive loyalty offers or promotional-type items, there’s a risk that people share that information quickly on these channels, and everyone in the network takes advantage. That can mess with your economics pretty substantially.
For more content like this, download the full second issue of CORE here.
Image credits: Max-Kegfire / Ostill / Istock / Getty Images Plus
---
## The future of B2B marketing: 2020 strategies that will stick
Type: eps_post
URL: /the-future-of-b2b-marketing-2020-strategies-that-will-stick
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T22:17:52Z
# The future of B2B marketing: 2020 strategies that will stick
The B2B industry saw a bit of a reckoning in 2020. The industry that historically focused on product attributes and lead attribution was forced to reset during a year full of crises. The COVID-19 pandemic accelerated new marketing trends, and traditional means of engaging, selling to, retaining customers became further outdated.
Kara Trivunovic, Managing Director of Messaging at Epsilon, recently spoke on a Litmus panel where she discussed how the marketing industry evolved in 2020, and which changes are here to stay.
Here are some of her key insights about customer experience and digital transformation.
Q: What’s the biggest takeaway for marketers that came out of 2020?
While many brands have long talked about customer-centricity and customer obsession, it really came into focus last year. Organizations realized that they have to actually be customer-centric—and they have to be able to recognize, respond and react to their interpretation of what customers are saying to them.
One of the most important strategies moving forward will be leveraging analytics to interpret behavior and listening to the signals that we're hearing from the consumer across multiple channels.
Q: How can marketers support an increasingly complex customer journey?
It isn't about a single channel anymore. It's about creating the ideal consumer experience across channels—and that might be different for every consumer that you're talking to, at any given moment you’re talking to them.
I love working with our data scientists and machine learning teams because they help us to find and understand the signals about what’s happening in that moment for our consumer, which adds context to the conversation.
For example, we can document the best time to send an e-mail for a certain person, and while historically, as we look their day, it might be true. But you never really know what's going on with somebody on a given day. That's where the ability to understand their signals becomes critical in the decisioning process around the next best message, content and channel.
{% video_player "embed_player" overrideable=False, type='scriptV4', hide_playlist=True, viral_sharing=False, embed_button=False, autoplay=False, hidden_controls=False, loop=False, muted=False, full_width=False, width='1138', height='640', player_id='49989684103', style='' %}
Q: How can marketers continue to create more personalized engagements?
There's a huge opportunity with what we can do with machine learning to select audiences, to understand what channels to communicate in, and to drive personalized conversations.
That all starts with the information you have about individuals, and identity resolution becomes really important. People can have multiple e-mail addresses, for example. They can have multiple people using their browsers at home if they share a computer. You need quality data and you need to be able to align it to an individual in a holistic profile.
But once you have a solid identity solution, you can use all different kinds of data plus machine learning to generate new insights to inform your personalization efforts. For example, an airline leveraged purchase data from big and tall stores to determine who might be most interested in buying extra leg room on a plane.
Even with all of this great data, however, you have to have the content to support your personalized conversations. There’s still a big area of opportunity when it comes to assembling content in real time as decisions are being made and messaging is going out the door.
Q: Is the marketing world as we know it over with the deprecation of third-party cookies?
We've always seen the need to be able to understand and recognize an individual—and first-party data was always the most reliable data to do this. Historically, cookies were just another data point.
The ability to leverage opt in is the purest form of consent and recognition and identity.
An opted in email address is a consistent identifier that offers the ability to recognize somebody online and across other identity fields.
But email is still not a foolproof identifier on its own—we all have different e-mail addresses for different purposes. This is good evidence as to why your identity strategy should never rely too heavily on a single identifier. You must be able to resolve that identity across multiple email addresses.
Q: How can marketers understand their performance with these strategies?
We have doubled down over the past year on partnering with our analytics organizations, so we can prove the juice is worth the squeeze. And enable marketing for our clients built on proof, not promises.
When I started my career in direct mail, incrementality was a really critical area of focus. We didn't want to spend the money on printing that postcard if it wasn't going to drive incremental behavior. But as some areas of digital have become so extremely cost effective, we've lost sight of incrementality.
Partnering with our analytics and machine learning teams has been crucial to prove that our efforts are truly benefiting the customer and benefitting the organization—and to define what is and isn’t generating incremental behavior.
Learn more about Epsilon PeopleCloud Messaging and how your brand can talk to customers in an authentic way—reaching them in the channels they prefer in the moments that matter most.
---
## How digital marketing boosted Idahoan's Foods' ability to meet demand
Type: eps_post
URL: /digital-marketing-boosted-idahoans-foods-ability-to-meet-demand
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# How digital marketing boosted Idahoan's Foods' ability to meet demand
Some CPG brands found themselves with the long end of the stick in 2020 (if there was a long end to be had). Makers of canned tomatoes and toilet paper, for example, were dealing with stock-outs rather than disappearing demand. And shelf-stable packaged potatoes were one of these hot-ticket items.
Business boomed for Idahoan Foods, manufacturer of a variety of dehydrated potato products. And the brand was uniquely positioned to address a spike in demand, thanks to prioritizing investments in a digital go-to-market.
Wes Myer, Idahoan’s director of retail marketing, explains how the brand adjusted during the circus that was 2020—and why it’s a thrilling time to be a marketer today.
Lisa Henderson: How did digital help Idahoan to weather the volatility of the Covid pandemic?
Wes Myer: In the last part of March 2020, we saw tremendous spikes, not only in our brick-and-mortar business, but also in ecommerce. Fortuitously, we had actually launched our direct-to-consumer (DTC) website and bolstered our presence on Amazon around late February in an effort to grow our ecommerce sales. So, by the time the pandemic hit, we were in a really good position to cater to changing customer needs.
As a manufacturer, it does not necessarily matter if we sell our product online or in store. It needs to be available across all outlets our customers want to buy in. That’s the key.
What challenges has Idahoan faced as a result of all the growth?
Like other manufacturers, we didn’t expect the pandemic. We didn’t expect the spike in demand. We didn’t expect that behavior in purchasing patterns to shift so dramatically.
But we are a nimble company, which I believe helped us to excel. From a supply chain standpoint, from a sales standpoint, we’re able to adjust quite well to fit the needs of our retail partners and customers, as well as our consumers—the end-users.
Marketing had to react a little differently, as well. Fortunately, we had Epsilon as a resource at our fingertips. We essentially built an entire program from scratch starting in early March to address the spike in demand through the next few months. We hit the ground running, figuring out ways to adjust, adapt and completely change our marketing message to make it relevant for that time and that customer.
How did you adjust your messaging for the pandemic?
Based on buying behavior and the information that we monitored weekly, we saw that we had an influx of new buyers—in fact, millions of new households. We knew that some of this was a panic buy. The question became how to convert this panic buy into a healthy ongoing purchasing pattern.
"The digital marketing path has become so relevant for us in being able to tailor to specific audiences based on buying behavior." –Wes Myer, director of retail marketing, Idahoan Foods
Leading up to the pandemic, a lot of our messaging was around acquiring new households. It sounded like, “Hey, have you tried our mashed potatoes?” But during the first six months of the pandemic, we shifted messaging to focus on increasing and extending the usage of our products, including sharing recipe ideas.
How did you adjust the messaging for different audiences?
The beauty of Epsilon, and digital marketing in general, is you can tailor messaging to very specific audiences. We adjusted variations of our message for a few different audiences, including: Those who purchased for the first time during the pandemic, as well as lapsed users (who hadn’t bought our product in the last 12 weeks, but had purchased at some point in the past).
What have you learned during the pandemic that you’ll use going forward?
As a manufacturer, we have looked at this as a portfolio approach, and we’ve learned a lot. The digital marketing path has become so relevant for us in being able to tailor to specific audiences based on buying behavior.
We reached out to a variety of audiences that fit our profile. For example, we might have targeted those who buy packaged side dishes, including rice and pasta—but they weren’t buying us. We’d give them an introduction to our brand and to our products and invite them to see our website. We found it to be very effective.
We also tested out some new social media channels and ran our very first TikTok campaign. We were able to spend a small amount and drive a ton of impressions across the new, younger audience in TikTok users, which was very eye-opening for us.
Do you think new data availability will change the way CPG brands market to consumers?
Overall, as a food manufacturer today, especially in center store, CPG brands have so many data points at their fingertips. In fact, there are so many data points out there, manufacturers need to ask themselves if they are armed with adequate resources to leverage those data sets.
And it’s not just being able to read the data or interpret the data—but act on it. Those are very different things. We’re a small team, and we do the best that we can at interpreting and acting on our data. But ultimately, like many other CPGs, we rely heavily on our partners like Epsilon. It’s a great time to be a marketer. There are so many tools, resources and data at our fingertips.
It’s a glorious time to be a marketer, and I’m having a lot of fun doing it. But I’ve got to tell you, there’s no way we could be effective at our jobs without having great partners on board.
**This article was originally published on Adweek, May 2021.
---
## The intimacy of email channels
Type: eps_post
URL: /the-intimacy-of-email
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T22:20:56Z
# The intimacy of email channels
It’s direct. It’s authentic. And in a time of upheaval, it’s often the only channel to quickly connect with customers.
SUBJECT: A message from our CEO
There’s a good chance you received an email in your inbox with that subject line or something like it in 2020.
Brands faced a sort of reckoning last year: Multiple events (when it rains, it pours) took place that just couldn’t go ignored. Not only was there a global pandemic, but there were also historic social justice protests. The days of remaining insentient from social issues faded from view: As we learn in our feature on purpose-driven marketing, the consumer of today expects to hear from brands on important topics. According to the 2021 Edelman Trust Barometer, 86% of customers expect CEOs to speak out on the impact of the pandemic, job automation, societal issues or local community issues.
In 2020, brands needed a way to deliver timely updates to customers with a human touch. Email proved to be the right—and often only—channel for the job. On the Epsilon PeopleCloud Messaging platform, we saw the volume send-to-open ratio increase 22% from February to March and April. This timing was right in the thick of pandemic confusion and anxiety. It stands to reason that consumers appreciate timely messaging during times like these. Quick but thoughtful responses to major events create trust between consumer and brand. There are many reasons email consistently delivers intimate messages to customers:
It’s flexible.
As opposed to content like e-books and videos that can take weeks or months to develop, email is a channel marketers can use to very quickly respond to anything.
Being quick to respond shows consumers you care, and helps to create a relationship of trust between brand and consumer.
It’s relevant.
Email acts as a connective tissue between brand and consumer. It keeps people easily informed (i.e., at the top of the inbox), helps brands maintain that one-to-one connection and doesn’t feel like mass communication.
This is especially true for brands that invest in personalization. Brands that can personalize their messaging at scale are able to connect with consumers on an even more intimate level, offering timely notices that align with consumers on a one-to-one level. Consumers appreciate the more intimate approach: Our research shows that 80% of consumers are more willing to do business with a company that provides personalized experiences, and 90% find personalization appealing.
It’s for the person, not the brand.
Email allows brands to message those who actively engage and opt in to receive information. Brands lose that level of intimacy and connection when relying on channels like display or social—rather than the whole internet seeing a display ad, an email is in your inbox, for your eyes only. And consumers can choose to engage on their time.
These benefits made email indispensable, and other marketers agree. In an Epsilon survey, we found clients strongly agree that email was their most important marketing channel during COVID-19.
With honest communication comes brand loyalty
Email is intimate, but there’s something a lot of marketers forget to factor into the equation: customer loyalty.
More than ever, customers are consciously choosing who they give their business to, and a lot of it hinges on how brands responded to situations like the pandemic or social justice movements, and how they treated their customers. As eMarketer notes, “Consumers increasingly expect email marketing to take the lead on communicating brands’ stances on important issues. A strong email marketing program conveys what a brand is and isn’t, as opposed to being just a vehicle for offering deals and discounts.”
I tell my clients this all the time: Effective email communication—the kind that leverages the channel’s capacity for intimacy between brand and consumer—is central to your loyalty strategy. When customers feel like they’re being spoken to as real people with thoughts, concerns and feelings—not just credit card owners—loyalty will blossom.
For more content like this, download the full second issue of CORE here.
Image credits: Jacoblund / Istock / Getty Images Plus
---
## Move over Marcoms, here come Loycoms
Type: eps_post
URL: /move-over-marcoms-here-come-loycoms
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T22:13:13Z
# Move over Marcoms, here come Loycoms
Retailers with a transactional view of their loyalty programmes often risk overlooking the opportunities for one-to-one engagement. This can be fixed, by revisiting the art of personalisation. Here at Epsilon, we recognise that loyalty communications have the power to build real conversations with real people.
Why is this important right now?
As third-party cookies continue to be phased out, behavioural and browsing data will be limited, making it harder for advertisers who depend on third-party cookies to personalise ads. Retail marketers will need to find new ways to identify shoppers online so they can continue to personalise messages, optimise campaigns and measure performance.
Deeper dive
Epsilon’s Senior Vice President for Media, Elliott Clayton, explained in a recent Let’s Talk Loyalty podcast: “Loyalty programmes are very, very able to solve that problem. With the new generation of loyalty programmes, one-to-one messaging becomes possible across the whole spectrum of digital, driving deeper lifetime value. You can use your first party data to communicate in really sophisticated ways, for prospects, for acquisitions, as well as for retention. You can start conversations that will convert.”
Elliott’s recommendation is to operate a model that looks like loyalty but has “additional reaches” via the vast array of digital channels available, and the ability to add an automated layer that pushes out messaging to people you know will be interested. “You could drive your personalised messaging through social media, you could drive it through video, you could drive it through connected TV,” he suggests.
“Marcoms, which was a big push to segments in digital, is moving much more towards what I would consider ‘loycoms’. I view this as personalised one-to-one communication based on consent. It’s a concept the retail loyalty sector started decades ago.”
– Elliott Clayton, Senior Vice President for Media for Epsilon
It’s time for personalisation to shine.
Way back in 2006, Clive Humby coined the phrase ‘Data is the new oil’, and marketers everywhere spoke of personalisation as being the Holy Grail of marketing.
Elliott jokes in the podcast that progress since then has been glacially slow, but he feels brands are now discovering an exciting way forward, spurred on by changes in the digital ad market. The deprecation transition is forcing many marketers to re-examine their first-party data strategies, discovering they already own much of the data they need to gain the end-to-end view of the customer journey.
First-party data combined with brilliant loycoms will get amazing results
For example, US drugstore giant Walgreens used first-party data to power a revamp of its loyalty programme with a focus on health and wellbeing. Thanks to one-to-one communications and compelling real-time offers, take-up and participation has been impressive. Adding an obliging, personal touch, such as reminding customers to stop in for a flu shot as they pass their neighbourhood branch, has proved highly effective.
Loycoms can drive true brand engagement
Loyalty programmes usually involve the customer’s permission to communicate. This provides a unique opportunity to reinforce key messages, or to interact with customers along with a feedback mechanism.
Customers often have a higher level of receptivity when reviewing a points statement or considering a redemption.
Consider also the opportunity to communicate when online orders are delivered or click-and-collect services used.
Creativity is the key: Personalised video can be used in apps and email, for example.
The bottom line
Retailers are mastering how to be relevant in their personalised communication with loyalty members. They are becoming media players in their own right, building valuable first-party data, and this spells an exciting new chapter in retail marketing.
You can find out more about digital loyalty communications by:
Listening to Elliot Clayton on the Let’s Talk Loyalty podcast
Or reading how to Create Emotional Connections that Last
---
## Breathing new life into TV advertising
Type: eps_post
URL: /breathing-new-life-into-tv-advertising
Last Modified: 2026-07-07T17:49:05Z
# Breathing new life into TV advertising
Advanced TV platforms provide opportunities to deliver targeted ads amid a rapidly changing landscape.
TV viewers have increasingly cut the cord on cable in favor of advanced TV services that are delivered over the internet, such as over-the-top (OTT) and connected TV. During the COVID-19 pandemic, people turned to streaming services for original content in even greater numbers while staying at home—up 9.5% year over year in April 2020, when it reached a plateau that has remained since then, according to Comscore’s 2020 State of OTT report.
While the pandemic temporarily boosted OTT consumption, the transition away from live TV appears to be a long-term trend. Streaming accounts for one-quarter of consumers’ collective time spent with television, according to a Nielsen study. “Streaming has also taken hold among consumers 55 and older, often a technological sign of ubiquity and resolve,” the research firm reports.
Advanced TV: This is an umbrella term for all types of technology beyond traditional, linear TV delivery models. It includes OTT, connected TV and addressable TV.
OTT: Standing for “over the top,” this refers to streaming content delivered via an internet connection rather than a traditional cable or broadcast provider.
Connected TV: This refers specifically to devices that deliver TV via the internet, either as a smart TV or by using devices such as Roku, Amazon Fire and Apple TV.
With the shifts toward OTT and connected TV, data has become central in a traditionally demographic-driven advertising environment. Brian Katz, senior vice president and head of sales at 605, a television and cross-platform measurement firm, shares his insights on the data-driven future of TV advertising.
What challenges do advertisers face in reaching consumers across devices, channels and platforms? How do more advanced TV solutions solve some of these issues?
Brian Katz (BK): TV is still in its platinum days. There’s more content now than ever. But the fragmentation of that content has made it more difficult to measure across all screens. What advanced TV has done for advertisers across all ad-supportive channels is to bring data to the equation for better insights and performance. The idea of leveraging scalable data was only available in the digital video space for some time, but now TV has caught up and taken on these capabilities. With advanced TV, there are much more robust ways to find the right consumers in a TV advertising environment and target them to drive marketing performance.
There is a certain level of give and take across advanced TV solutions. Between linear, addressable and OTT, what are the pros and cons of each approach?
BK: Linear TV may not be specifically household-targeted, but the data makes it more important—we call this data-driven linear. Addressable and OTT are more household or person enabled, so it’s easier to get to those specific audiences to drive performance. A big advantage is driving return on ad spend and understanding how to be more efficient with media buys across screens.
A disadvantage, which may not exist as much in linear television, is fraud. There have been a lot of fraud and brand safety issues in the digital space, but they are improving.
Linear TV: The “classic” system of television, when a viewer watches a scheduled program when it airs or on a DVR recording.
Addressable TV: A method to deliver targeted ads on digital TVs to different viewers while they’re watching the same program.
Many people are still watching linear TV, or supplementing linear TV with OTT. How can advertisers better understand their linear versus OTT advertising mix to get the most value out of each investment?
BK: Measurement solutions have greatly evolved beyond what legacy providers in the market have historically offered. These legacy providers are now playing catch-up. Some companies, like 605, have filled the gaps created by flawed TV measurement and attribution. They’re able to map data sets together in scale across TV and digital channels, etc., to really understand campaign delivery measurement and attribution—really what is working and not working in advertising.
How has the industry shifted to meet a growing demand to reach consumers at home through TV viewing?
BK: It used to be very hard to scale these solutions across providers. You’d have to go to Comcast or to Charter individually to get media on an addressable basis. These multichannel video programming distributors are now working directly with the programmers to light up more addressable inventory that benefits the marketers in scale. Now there’s an initiative, for example, that spans Charter, Comcast and Cox addressable media on behalf of the programmers to activate for marketers. A lot of these players in the marketplace that may once have been considered competitors are coming together to make things easier for marketers and agencies to activate addressable across screens.
Now that TV advertising data is more accessible and connected, how does that comingle with other digital marketing efforts?
BK: TV is still the biggest opportunity as a reach vehicle, whether it’s data-driven linear or addressable. But digital really helps to reinforce messaging, so if people are exposed to certain ads or storylines on TV, you can then tailor the story more to the individual on digital screens.
In a digital environment, there could be additional digital retargeting that speaks to specific creative that can help drive that consumer to action. It can be more tailored to that need state versus the broader emotional pull of TV. But because these mediums are coming together now and we have data to connect them, you can think about it as storytelling across screens and delivering messaging and frequency across that mix. It’s definitely a journey, and the good news is that the different channels are coming together so the story can be better told synergistically.
How has the swift adoption of OTT by consumers during the pandemic affected advertisers?
BK: The pandemic certainly helped streaming companies with adoption. As far as advertising goes, several verticals were hurt during the pandemic—travel, for example. The addressable medium became more effective for many of the verticals that were still in play. The pandemic expedited our ability to be efficient in understanding consumer behavior. Data is very helpful in understanding the likelihood of behavior shifts over time, how campaigns or advertising can help drive that behavior and how those behavior shifts may have occurred.
We’re able to see through data on the connection of advertising exposures to actual behavior, whether it’s transactional behavior like foot traffic or sales, or whether it’s self-reported behavior like surveys. The pandemic has shown us that data is playing a more important role than ever before in guiding the best and most effective media plans.
What do you see as the future of data-driven TV advertising?
BK: There’ll be a time in the future when all advertising is addressable. We know that there’s a demand for this. Advertising will always be important, but more relevant targeted advertising that consumers will opt into and enjoy will really be in the forefront. In the digital space, we see a lot of things like ad blockers coming into play and time-shifting ads in TV. What we know for certain, however, is that when ads are relevant and targeted, and the creative maps to the need state, then ads become a very important informational vehicle.
For more content like this, download the full second issue of CORE.
Image credit: Getty Images
---
## How to assess data quality in an omnichannel world
Type: eps_post
URL: /data-quality-ebook
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# How to assess data quality in an omnichannel world
High-performance marketing is rooted in strong data, but not all data is equal. Having quality data is critical to maximizing your marketing’s effectiveness,making every customer and prospect interaction count.
This guide will help you navigate and assess data quality in today’s complex marketing landscape. It outlines:
Converging market trends and the need for high quality data
Key criteria to consider when evaluating data quality
Examples of data quality in action
---
## Marketing leaders share their best lessons from the pandemic
Type: eps_post
URL: /marketing-leaders-share-their-best-pandemic-lessons
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Marketing leaders share their best lessons from the pandemic
Experts in the latest issue of CORE share how last year’s disruption got them to rethink marketing.
We connected with many marketing leaders for the latest issue of CORE magazine, and six of them shared their biggest learning from the pandemic.
Maureen SticcoSenior director of marketing, Bimbo Bakeries USA
Feat. in "CPGs after the pandemic: 4 critical marketing opportunities."
"We had two goals: keeping our people safe and feeding America. If you were doing anything other than this, you shouldn’t be doing it. This laser focus really helped set the direction for how we were going to navigate the waters of this pandemic."
Stephanie Sotelo PerdueVice president of brand marketing, Chipotle
Feat. in "The power of purpose-driven marketing"
"Throw away your playbook. Understand changing customer needs and be able to adjust your marketing—and sometimes even your business model."
Eric LevinGlobal chief content officer, Spark Foundry, and chief content officer, Publicis Groupe U.S.
Feat. in "The power of purpose-driven marketing"
"Don’t let fear overcome you. Define—and follow— your brand purpose. More often than not, you’ll be rewarded in the long term."
Alex JarrellCo-founder, Nom Nom
Feat. in "The power of purpose-driven marketing"
"Learn something from everything you do. If it’s a failure or if it’s a win, we learn something."
Sara BittorfChief experience officer, TGI Fridays
Feat. in "Proving results: 4 CMOs on how they build buy-in and prove outcomes
"We’re leaning into tactics that have a very close attribution loop and where we can definitively prove a return on the investment. It actually put us in a position where we have much more confidence in what we’re getting for every dollar we’re spending."
Brian KatzSenior vice president and head of sales, 605
Feat. in "In the shift to outcome-based marketing, do engagement metrics still matter?" and "Breathing new life into TV advertising"
"Trust the data."
For more content like this, download the full second issue of CORE here.
Image credits: Jelenamiljkovic / Istock / Getty Images Plus
---
## Bringing guests back to Bar Louie's table with relevant messaging
Type: eps_post
URL: /bringing-guests-back-to-bar-louies-table-with-relevant-messaging
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Bringing guests back to Bar Louie's table with relevant messaging
Bar Louie came into 2020 knowing it needed a change. The gastrobar staple, known for its great drinks and community feel, was facing a bankruptcy, and was using the reorganization as a chance to realign its overall company goals with smarter, data-driven marketing strategies focused on targeted messaging for lapsed customers.
Just as that shift occurred, the global pandemic hit, forcing Bar Louie to shutdown locations across the U.S.—some permanently. With a tight budget and increased financial scrutiny, they needed to be able to prove that their marketing efforts had strong returns. Historically reliant on traditional media, they knew digital was the way to go. And they needed a partner that could help them reach specific customers in specific locations in a world where regulations were changing on a daily basis.
“We understood that we needed to follow our guests and react in real time to their changing needs—we had to speak to our guests where they were, and this was the only way to be able to do that,” says Stephanie Davidson, Chief Administrative and Marketing Officer for Bar Louie. “Epsilon was one of the major partnerships we made very quickly. We were tasked with proving the value of our marketing spend, and that’s one of the reasons Epsilon appealed to us.”
Increasing retention with location-specific messaging
Bar Louie wanted to focus on two things: guest retention and driving messaging based on specific location. Using Epsilon’s Retention and Location Driver solutions, they launched strategies focused on loyalty and agility in a disrupted landscape.
Our Retention solution was able to identify and reach lapsed guests who had not visited the gastrobar in the past 7 to 24 months. They wanted to welcome Bar Louie guests to come back—and to keep coming back. Working with Bar Louie’s creative partner agency, DNA Hospitality, we focused on developing different creative iterations that spoke to the Bar Louie customer, meeting them where they were, and encouraging them to come back. And doing it in a privacy-centric way.
Stephanie explains, “Customer data safety and security matters to us. Epsilon does a great job of understanding the balance between leveraging data in a personalized way, without encroaching into a ‘Big Brother’ area.”
With Epsilon Location Driver, Bar Louie localized dollars and impact, allowing them to allocate specific budgets to specific locations and measure on a regionalized basis. For a brand focused on community, this tailored approach not only spoke to individual guests, it helped create continuity with local restrictions due to COVID-19. Epsilon and Bar Louie worked hand-in-hand to ensure messaging was relevant and most importantly, accurate.
“We updated our targets and forecasts weekly,” Stephanie said. “I can’t talk about patios and brunch in locations that are completely shuttered. It was a constant need to stay connected with accurate information so that we could get the value and the return that we needed to get. It built a competency and foundation for future growth that we’re proud of.”
Delicious results
Since launching our program with Bar Louie, we’ve driven nearly 53,000 conversions, resulting in $2.6 million of messaged revenue and a $6:1 ROAS overall (2x their benchmark) for Retention and Location Driver.
Breaking that down further, in just 2.5 months, Bar Louie was able to reactivate almost 7,000 guests that hadn’t purchased in 7-24 months—even during shutdowns, generating $349,000 in messaged revenue, also with a strong return. As COVID restrictions began to loosen the following spring, we adjusted our strategy to target both recent and lapsed guests resulting in 10,000 conversions and $474,000 in messaged revenue.
Not only did we reactivate lapsed guests, but we also helped Bar Louie fill the funnel with new guests. Through localized marketing strategies, we brought in 16,000 new customers to the brand, 36,000+ conversions and $1.7 million of revenue. According to Stephanie, “The Epsilon team works hard to understand who Bar Louie is and what our goals are for our long-term strategic plan and short-term initiatives. Because they listen so well and aligned on what our goals were, we were able to develop campaigns that target the guests that matter the most for us and drive predictable sales.”
Epsilon helped Bar Louie navigate through a make-it-or-break-it moment for many businesses. Dealing with a bankruptcy is one thing but doing that during a global pandemic that put an abrupt stop to restaurants and bars nationwide is a true feat. Having a partner to work with them through the process—and help them understand how to drive dollars to where it mattered most—proved successful.
Stephanie concludes, “Our decision to partner with a powerhouse like Epsilon was based on not only wanting a partner who will serve us well today, but needing to choose a partner with synergy who is ready to scale for who we know we will become as we begin aggressive growth once again.”
Want to read the full case study? Click here for more on how Epsilon and Bar Louie worked together in a powerful partnership.
---
## Your new favorite recipe—4 steps to real-time personalization
Type: eps_post
URL: /your-new-favorite-recipe-4-steps-to-real-time-personalization
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T22:17:52Z
# Your new favorite recipe—4 steps to real-time personalization
Have you ever baked something by following a recipe—maybe a layered blondie cheesecake jar from renowned DTC bakery, Blondery, or even Grandma’s chocolate chip cookies? What happens when you don’t have all of the ingredients and their measurements? Or a bowl and mixer to transform those ingredients into the finished goodies?
It gets a lot more complicated—like trying to bake a cake without eggs. You might have to do a lot of improvising, and who knows if the final product will be edible.
Now, think of personalization like a recipe. Just like that cake jar or chocolate chip cookie, your personalization recipe hinges on key ingredients coming together just so. Thankfully, that recipe is actually quite simple:
Firm up your identity strategy.
Layer with the right data assets.
Design your content & custom bake (in milliseconds).
Taste test for continuous improvement.
Let’s take a look at how to work through the personalization recipe so you can get your own programs cooking.
1. Firm up your identity strategy.
Strong customer identity is critical to accurately reach existing customers and prospects in real time, to deliver personalized messaging and drive measurable business outcomes. It connects each individual's online and offline activity to a stable person-level ID. All marketing decisions and measurement tie back to these IDs, for clear, comprehensive views of your customers.
In this case, your identity resolution approach (which has its own more detailed recipe!) is the foundation—the core element you will need before you layer on any other ingredients to that sweet-smelling personalization success. Take away that clear view of your customers (thanks, third-party identifier deprecation!), and you’re back to baking cake without eggs. Or maybe even an oven.
2. Layer with the right data assets.
The culinary field calls this mise en place—bringing everything together and preparing it for use. We call it data alignment and activation planning.
The goal is to use data to understand your customers on a 1:1 level so that you can anticipate their needs—then tailor your messaging and offers to their specific, personal situations. When you let consumer intent guide your conversations, you’re able to build more authentic relationships and increase brand loyalty.
Thankfully, the data you need is everywhere, but it’s messy—really messy—and not always easily captured.
To get beyond basic customer attributes, you need to collect and harness the right data and use it to create highly personalized interactions. These data assets can enrich clients’ first-party data with demographics, behavioral insights or online and offline transactions and can help to predict purchases driven by machine learning and AI.
Here’s a few things to keep in mind as you build your data capture strategy:
Ensure it’s realistic and fits in with your overall marketing goals.
Connect your online and offline data and incorporate the enabling technologies.
Use preference centers to collect pertinent data at enrollment and keep it going over time.
3. Design your content & assemble (in milliseconds).
It’s easy to have a highly personal, real-time conversation with one person at a time. But you’re not talking to one person at a time. Real personalization happens when you create and optimize the consumer experience across all touchpoints—email, web, social media, direct mail, in-stores—for everyone, all the time.
This ingredient is harder to come by. You’ll need to build out the following capabilities to activate personalized marketing in all channels.
Real-time decisioning
Personalization is more than just presenting the best content or offer. You need to provide each customer with the best offer and deliver the message to their preferred device, at the right time, to influence their purchase journey. This is not easy, but with a strategic vision and plan—enabled by technology—it’s certainly achievable.
Creating and managing content
Content is essential to supporting personalized conversations—and you need to be able to assemble it and send it out the door in near real time. Creating unique content at the individual level can be challenging, time-consuming and expensive. You should regularly evaluate your content strategy—and be prepared to invest time and resources to update accordingly.
Channel alignment and optimization
All marketers aspire to remove channel silos in order to integrate teams, programs and messaging in the customer’s best interest. Simultaneously, they are pulled in another direction by attribution requirements, with each channel team hungry to carve out their piece of the revenue pie. To avoid this conflict, many organizations are removing silos and unifying their teams to focus on the customer journey regardless of the channel. This allows for a more centralized, omnichannel approach to marketing strategy.
4. Taste test for continuous improvement.
With all of these personalized conversations happening, it’s important to check in on how your recipe is coming together—and course correct as needed. This means creating an always-on cycle of continuous learning and optimization.
To understand the impact of and evolve your personalization strategy, you need to be able to analyze engagement—do your lifecycle communications resonate with customers? What content inspires customers to act?
You can make it happen by first defining your business objectives and mapping hem to KPIs and metrics. Next, establish robust test designs, monitor performance, analyze and adapt.
Unlike Blondery's delicious blondie cheesecake jars, your personalization recipe won’t come together in an afternoon. We recommend a crawl-walk-run approach, with frequent testing, measurement, and feedback:
Continue to advance your data strategy and insights to make your interactions more relevant.
Optimize your marketing across channels.
Tell people a connected story everywhere they go, anywhere you want to reach them.
Make the most of technological advances to provide personal, cohesive interactions that make people feel recognized.
While it might take some time to perfect your version of personalization, you’ll be thankful you did—it will quickly become the staple of your marketing pantry.
If you're interested in a deeper dive into the importance of personalization in your marketing strategy, check out our new guide: Personalizing the loyalty experience: 6 key ways to build stronger customer connections. And you can always contact us if you'd like to get a taste of how Epsilon can help amp up your marketing personalization.
---
## Revealed: What great contactless retail looks like in 2021
Type: eps_post
URL: /great-contactless-retail-in-2021
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T22:16:49Z
# Revealed: What great contactless retail looks like in 2021
Brick-and-mortar stores have historically been the home of strong customer relationships. But COVID-19 has changed this, transforming customer experience and making it tougher to build customer loyalty. Our research shows in-store and in-person interactions have been dramatically curtailed, with consumers searching for new, safer and more convenient ways to shop and engage.
Here’s how market-leading brands are adjusting to this new reality, pivoting their approaches to customer engagement, resulting in an explosion of contact-free interactions designed to reassure customers and build valuable loyalty.
Retail trend: Contactless payments
Selling point: Clean, fast, and touch-free – contactless payments cut risk and speed up checkout waiting times.
Contactless payments have come of age during the pandemic with a 40% increase in touch-free transactions during the first quarter of 2020. Mobile wallets, app payments, and NFC cards are among the most popular forms of touch-free retail transactions.
Who’s doing this well? In the UK, major financial institutions have also established contactless payment methods. Barclays’ “contactless cash” feature allows any customer with an account to simply tap their card on an ATM’s reader to withdraw cash. Smartphones are also compatible. Walmart is among those leading the way in the US, where customers simply scan a QR code to complete their purchase using the Walmart Pay app.
Final word: Business Insider says contactless payments speed up transaction times from 45 seconds to 10 seconds while delivering a safer and simplified experience for consumers.
Retail trend: Contactless ordering, pick-up, and delivery
Selling point: The demand for contactless ordering, pick-up, and delivery has exploded during the pandemic as risk-averse consumers switch to web-supported services.
Whenever brick-and-mortar stores closed during lockdown a surge in online shopping followed, and Forrester predicts eCommerce growth will continue. For example, curbside orders increased by 208% during the first three weeks of April 2020, while 32% of UK shoppers also increased their online grocery orders during lockdown.
Who is doing this well? Retailers can look to the hospitality sector for contactless ordering/delivery innovation. Customers of UK delivery service Deliveroo can now order a meal through the firm’s app and opt for their food to be dropped at their doorstep, rather than handed off. In the US, Dunkin' delivers a first-rate contactless loyalty offering. The brand promotes contactless ordering in its ads, with a CTA to download their app and join their loyalty programme. Once customers have downloaded the app, they can choose to continue signing up for the rewards programme or order as a guest.
Final word: Brands like Deliveroo and Dunkin’ that are focused on creating safe and easy ordering and pick-up processes are seeing increased short-term orders and long-term trust.
Retail trend: Contactless communications
Selling point: Conversational AI helps beat the service-centre backlog, giving consumers immediate responses even when human customer service agents are swamped.
Call centres and websites have become primary communications channels as shoppers routinely avoid stores. This has increased both service centre traffic and waiting times as retailers struggle to meet customer demand and protect brand loyalty. Faced with this challenge retailers are turning to conversational AI to transform their chatbots and virtual assistants. This technology helps to answer common questions and provide complex product details, without errors or a time lag.
Who is doing this well? Travel website Kayak offers retailers a masterclass in conversational AI. The Kayak chatbot can help travelers find flight prices in specific time frames, provide direct links to finalise booking and payment, and offer recommendations based on the customer’s preferences and budget. Final word: More than half (56%) of consumers would rather message a customer service platform than call one. The time is right for retailers to invest in conversational AI, a solution that is always-on and delivers what customers want without delay.
Retail Trend: Location-based accessibility
Selling point: Location adds increased relevance to your marketing messages providing an opportunity to reach consumers where they are.
Google recently rolled out the capability to directly message brands through Google Maps and Search when shoppers research specific locations. This opens up new a channel for brands with Business Messages, a mobile conversational channel that combines entry points on Google Maps, Search and brand websites.
Who is doing this well? A growing number of retailers in the US have already adopted this communication method, including Woolworths and Walmart. Woolworths lets customers search for products and see their availability at local stores. The brand also uses Business Messages to share COVID-19 updates.
Final word: Google says: “Messaging has become such a valuable way to connect with customers that twice as many businesses are messaging via Google now, compared to last year.”
Contactless excellence in a nutshell
Innovation is key to contactless loyalty. Retailers should consider new ways to showroom larger products online and fast-track the in-store checkout experience. They should also develop and promote contactless ordering and pickup channels, especially since customers are already adopting these behaviours. With contactless handoff, all touchpoints should be considered—from ordering online to delivery or pickup. All technology should be seamless, easy to use, and clearly communicated with customers. Retailers who can integrate these new techniques, and meet their customers where they shop, will be best placed to grow loyalty in this new contactless environment.
Find out more in Epsilon Europe’s report, Contactless Loyalty, which gives more tips and advice on build lasting customer affinity in an increasingly contactless world.
---
## Growing with Direct Mail- a conversation with allplants
Type: eps_post
URL: /growingwithdirectmail
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Growing with Direct Mail- a conversation with allplants
We met up with allplants at our recent Masterclass to get behind their marketing strategy and the impact direct mail has had on their growth since they started testing last year.
allplants delivers 5* plant-based meals nationwide; making eating more plants easy, exciting and delicious, to help both people and the planet thrive. Their early growth had been driven by Facebook and Google and they didn't have much of a marketing team at all, especially on the acquisition side. As part of their growth strategy, they really wanted to focus on acquisition and channel diversification, a big part of that being direct mail.
Our Head of New Business, Ben Collier spoke with Emma Aitken, Head of Performance Marketing at allplants.
Ben Collier: How long have you been using direct mail as a business and why was it something that you've pursued?
Emma Aitken: When I joined, we were very much reliant on Facebook and Google and they were great for new brands like us. Google obviously grows at the rate that the interest in that topic grows and with Facebook we came up against issues such as algorithm changes affecting the CPM or costs increasing YoY and it just wasn’t sustainable to purely focus on that side so one of my big tasks, when I joined, was to find some other channels that could work for the business and that’s how we came to testing direct mail with Epsilon.
Since September last year, we've done three campaigns and we are still learning, its kind of early days but we're definitely much less reliant on Facebook and Google and much more solid in terms of our channel mix.
Ben Collier: How does performance compare with your other acquisition channels in terms of CPA and conversion of those newly recruited customers to ongoing subscriptions?
Emma Aitken: There’s a couple of different ways of measuring it. It is a little bit more expensive than some of the other channels and slightly more expensive than inserts, for example, but, given some of the recent difficulties with iOS 14, it's actually not that far off Facebook which has been a little bit tricky.
And when we do the address match, it comes back in line with search, which is pretty strong. The early signs on lifetime value are quite promising as well. We like to work towards an overall CPA as a business and direct mail has been a part of the overall mix in some of our most successful months.
We definitely want to improve and get that CPA down further but we know as we branch out into more channels, that code redemption is a bit trickier because if you are used to doing just Facebook and direct mail, people would see you in two places and have two code options, whereas if we've got influencers talking about us and all these other things running by its side, it reduces the chance of them using that one code which does make things a little bit tricky. However, having the address match, particularly for someone that likes to do things as data-driven as possible, is extremely helpful. It gives us a good snapshot and enables us to monitor the ongoing value of those customers
Ben Collier: Following on from that point, it's great to hear that the CPA is in line with some of the other digital channels. We always emphasise the role that direct mail plays in conjunction with other channels. Can you share a bit about when you tend to run direct mail campaigns, how it impacts other channels, what other channels you'd like to have running at the same time?
Emma Aitken: We have a really strong seasonality with our brand, for example, in January people want to eat healthy after Christmas and that time is absolutely crazy for us and kind of our equivalent to Christmas for retail brands.
We have a couple of other brand peaks that aren’t as big as ‘Veganuary’ but in which we know our customers are in more of the right mindset, For example, we wouldn't test in summer because it's hot food, people are on holiday they care slightly less, they've already done their work to get fit for the summer and they just want to enjoy themselves so we kind of work around that and we have tested it alongside our TV campaigns. Having a direct response objective on this is really helpful to be doing direct mail alongside some branding activity so you're telling that story and then they get the mail and it complements each other perfectly. On that, we noticed something in one of the first tests. We ran an A/B test of a letter vs a roll fold format and the roll fold had a bit more branding present. However, from a CPA perspective, it just didn't perform in the same way.
So in conclusion, timing our direct mail campaigns with other marketing activity and making sure you really know when your customers are more likely to convert and jumping on the opportunity, even down to picking the right date, are really important. For example, if I know that my customer would want to start eating vegan in two days' time, what will they be doing if their house is full of leftover Turkey, so kind of getting in at that right moment, is really, really important.
Ben Collier: It’s such an important point to keep seasonality front of mind, because as obvious as it might sound to test the new channel in a time where you typically have a good level of demand, particularly with a channel like direct mail, which as we've talked about is going to be a bit more expensive, you want to give direct mail the best chance of working and making sure that not just yourself, but all decision-makers sees the early results and return on investment.
It’s also a very important point you make that for you it's not really about a catalogue, as it is with fashion brands, for example, but the letter and envelope format that works well for allplants. That is pretty much the case for the majority of subscription brands and it really seems to be the tried and tested method that works best and produces the best ROI.
Ben Collier: From a content perspective, your focus groups have shown that it's the food and the imagery that get them most excited but equally there's so much more to why you would become an allplants customer, whether it's from a sustainability angle or the healthier eating angle. What have you found in terms of content, has been most effective to include in the mailing piece itself?
Emma Aitken: We have a hierarchy of messaging and the hook for most people is the food and the convenience.
For certain groups it's health and you can be really, really specific with that, for example, Facebook targeting people who do yoga.
Targeting the broader audience, we know with the convenience angle, we lead with a nice food picture on the envelope.
And on the inside, we have a few key USPs we want to get across to get rid of some stigmas or preconceptions people might have about frozen, ready-made food which is part of what makes us unique. For example, making it really clear that it's a team of chefs,not machines that are making it, that it is plant-based as some of our customers aren't vegan but they’re people that are just trying to get more plants in their diet. Getting that communicated in the right way, is something that we're still learning.
Our January campaign was a much bigger step in that direction and just being really clear with our messaging that this is plant-based food to help them get on the way. Another point to get across is that it's delivered. We need to make it crystal clear as even though most people assume that it is these days, there's so much coming into the supermarkets and particularly in 2020 there was such a big step up from the previous years in terms of what's available there so just making it really clear that you order online.
So, when planning, we think of a catchy headline, then detail we want to get across as mentioned above, and then ticking the boxes that won’t necessarily hook people in but instead convert them to make the purchase, like Trustpilot.
There are two things we know our customers really care about, sustainability and health, but actually, it's not the thing that drives them to purchase. That’s the food and the convenience and the fact that it’s chef-made and sustainability is not the leading marketing message. However, having it in there in a subtle way, the fact that the delivery is carbon neutral and things like that is really important and kind of the last tick box. So with any direct response pieces, we almost have a checklist of things we want to include.
Depending on the space you have to sacrifice some of those but the letter format is really a nice format which helps us avoid going off on too much of a tangent down the brand route, which I think we did a little bit with the roll fold test, and ensure we're still introducing ourselves and getting all of the key points across.
Ben Collier: You've given fantastic insight into the messaging hierarchy that you have and it’s interesting that even a shorter format direct mail piece like the letter still gives you more scope to get more of those key points across in a succinct way compared to certain other channels.
Emma Aitken: With digital, you're very much relying on people clicking through to the landing page or finding the way to the homepage to get that complete picture of who we are and particularly with social media, where we're a bit more playful with our marketing, we need to sometimes step back and see whether we are losing our core messaging. With direct mail, it gives us much more space to communicate that brand message.
Ben Collier: There is a view out there that using paper is not sustainable and for allplants and for so many other sustainable brands that could be conflicting. How do you reconcile that?
There are a few different sides to it, I think. Carbon offsetting with our printer, making sure it's recycled paper, and making sure your messaging is really clear all mean we're doing the best we possibly can.
And also using Epsilon Abacus is key because we're cherry-picking the people that we think are likely to convert so we're being as efficient as possible with that paper usage. On the other side, it’s just weighing up the impact of paper versus other things, not least food! It is a tricky subject and there are a lot of misconceptions out there about the environmental impact of different things.
What has a higher impact on the environment? Your transport, your home energy usage and your diet are the three biggest things you have control over.
And for us sending an email versus sending a letter might seem to have less of an impact but people don't tend to think about the environmental impact of digital marketing and it does have an impact.
Being brave and mindful in our messaging and getting it out in an efficient way means ultimately getting more people with more plants in their diet and that is our positive impact on being more sustainable.
Also, we should remember the carbon footprint of a cheeseburger is at least 20 times greater than that of a letter! Thus if we can for every 20 letters we send convert one person down the line, whether it's in this campaign or the next, and they have one meal, we are reducing the overall carbon footprint. It's weighing those things up. Food has a much bigger impact than people think, and paper is definitely not as bad as people think.
It's such an important thing for marketers to sit up and take more notice of and understand the impact everything in life has on the environment.
Ben Collier: What has been your biggest challenge in the first year of using direct mail for allplants and, to follow that, what advice would you have given yourself, or someone starting out on the journey, given what you know now.
Because you have more space in direct mail, getting the balance right of the direct response elements and the brand and branding elements is a must. We've definitely not got that quite right in some of the previous ones and being super clear what it's about, particularly in January when there weres lots of other things going on, we allowed the kind of general brand campaign message to seep in a bit too much and we left out some of the direct response elements which I think wasn't quite the right thing. That's part of learning though and it is tricky when you've suddenly gone from using Facebook ads with a certain amount of text to having all of this space and figuring out how to fill it.
I think that the other thing is relying on code redemptions, as we do with most of our other channels, which meant we weren’t convinced of performance until we did the address match and then realised many more people had bought and they just didn't use the code or they spotted another ad and used that code instead.
So they're two of the biggest challenges. I would also say the impression internally about sharing our data with 3rd parties delayed us starting out a bit. I think people often push back on that and that marketers often shy away from it and decide not to take the risk but getting to work with the Epsilon team to fully understand the requirements and understand it's completely GDPR compliant was worth the effort.
The other big piece of advice is testing - making sure you test with whatever volume you've got, monitoring all the elements and measuring campaign performance.
That’s the one thing that we have done well, guided by the team at Epsilon and PSE.
Whether they be different data models, different formats, different offers or different content you've included in the format, whatever it might be, testing is crucial!
We've been able to test both different algorithms for identifying the prospect audience and different formats at the same time in our early campaigns, and that's accelerated the learnings we’ve taken.
Whilst allplants and I’m sure other businesses are happy to invest in testing, it's only up to a certain point so you’ve got to try and get as much as possible but still allow for a result that you can trust.
Watch the full recording
{% video_player "embed_player" overrideable=False, type='scriptV4', hide_playlist=True, viral_sharing=False, embed_button=False, autoplay=False, hidden_controls=False, loop=False, muted=False, full_width=False, width='1472', height='720', player_id='48683777831', style='' %}
Send us a message at enquiriesuk@epsilon.com
---
## Mastering the intimacy of the inbox has paid off for Marriott
Type: eps_post
URL: /mastering-the-intimacy-of-the-inbox-has-paid-off-for-marriott
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Mastering the intimacy of the inbox has paid off for Marriott
When the pandemic hit, Marriott had to rethink how it approached customers. For many, leaving their homes and traveling in general gave consumers pause. Sure, people’s day-to-day changed, but their mindsets changed as well. This was uncharted territory.
No matter what industry you’re in, pre-pandemic communication is unfit and outdated to meet the changing psychology of consumers. Business-as-usual updates are no longer what people want or need to know about. Customers expect timely updates on issues they care about most, with an intimate, human touch. Turns out, email is the right—and often the only—channel for the job.
Email has emerged as the No. 1 channel for brands to personally communicate with their customers. Marc Sheinkin, senior director, member and guest communications at Marriott, used email to create a connected customer experience during a time when in-person interactions were almost nonexistent. Focusing on customer service and safety updates, Marriott mastered the intimacy of the inbox during the pandemic—and it paid off.
Creating close connections (while socially distant)
Travel brands took a massive setback to business during Covid-19. Epsilon research from September 2020 showed that only 20% of consumers had plans to travel in the near future. Marriott’s marketing team quickly pivoted to meet the new reality.
Nevertheless, people’s demand for brand-related content actually strengthened. A survey from Mitto noted that 73% of consumers found an increase in messaging to be important during the pandemic. People wanted to know how brands were responding to Covid-19. Were health and safety measures being implemented? What were their favorite brands doing to ease the concerns of their workers?
"Email is not dead—far from it. It’s alive and well because consumers’ email behavior has changed."
- Marc Sheinkin, Marriott
Marriott understood the need to connect with customers on these topics, but the key was to shift messaging to reflect people’s new mindset. It had to be timely, and it had to be personal—which made email the right channel for the job. “One of the beauties of email marketing, if it’s done right, is it’s a one-to-one communication,” Sheinkin says. “We’re a long way from the batch-and-blast of the early 2000s … email communication should be no different than a conversation you might have with an associate at a Marriott property.”
With Epsilon’s help, Marriott leaned more heavily into email to meet the demands of customers. Instead of cross-border, business or air travel messages, Marriott shifted its focus to:
Attracting the leisure traveler, particularly those often not Marriott loyalists
Building confidence among travelers by highlighting new safety and cleanliness protocols in its hotels
Awareness for the availability of homes and villas, which Marriott offers for those looking at private options
Highlighting in-country or drive-market destinations
Inspiring people when they are ready to travel again
Engaging guests beyond the stay, for example, with credit cards, gift cards and retail products through Marriott Bonvoy Boutiques
“We focus on being timely and sharing relevant information,” Sheinkin notes. “We’re seeing a renaissance for email because it’s very effective. At Marriott, the email inbox is an extension of our customer experience.”
And the strategy is working: open rates have increased and engagement is up. “Over time, we’ve become more sophisticated with Epsilon, moving from batch-and-blast to segment marketing,” Sheinkin says. “Our priority today is one-to-one messaging based on our customers’ previous stays, preferences and the content they’re most interested in receiving.” But this success didn’t happen in a vacuum.
Malleability enables familiarity
There are several reasons email continually rises to the occasion for delivering intimate messages to customers:
It’s flexible. We’ve all seen how quickly the news changes. It’s essential for brands, especially travel ones, to pivot communication on a dime depending on the situation. Email is intuitive, easy to use and responsive. With a customer-centric approach, brands can quickly adjust or create new messaging to accommodate changing customer priorities. And there may come a time when people don’t want to hear from your brand. Email allows brands to quickly pause their messaging and give people a second to breathe.
It’s relevant. Email acts as a connective tissue between brand and consumer. It keeps people informed in a way that is easily accessible for most (i.e., at the top of the inbox), and helps brands maintain that one-to-one connection with consumers while not feelinglike mass communication.
It’s for the person, not the brand. For this kind of communication, you’re messaging those who opt-in to receive your information. However, brands still have to work to break through the clutter and earn lasting relationships with their customers. Brands lose that level of intimacy and connection when opting for channels like display or social. Rather than the whole internet seeing a display ad, an email is in the consumer’s inbox, for their eyes only.
These affordances made email indispensable in the current climate, and Sheinkin agrees: “Email doesn’t seem that sexy compared to other digital marketing channels. Five to 10 years ago, there were articles written about ‘The Death of Email.’ Email is not dead—far from it. It’s alive and well because consumers’ email behavior has changed.”
The woes of 2020 are still fairly close (and we’re cautiously seeing signs of hope in the U.S.), but this change in behavior is here to stay. Lasting effects of the pandemic show that people want more direct, authentic messaging from brands. Those that lean into email for relevant, intimate communication will ultimately come out on top with customers as we shift to a post-pandemic world.
**This article was originally published on Adweek, April 2021
---
## How CPG marketers can optimize strategies this back-to-school season
Type: eps_post
URL: /how-cpg-marketers-can-optimize-strategies-this-back-to-school-season
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T22:17:52Z
# How CPG marketers can optimize strategies this back-to-school season
At the end of the last school year, 60% of kids were going to school at least part of the week, and it’s likely that number rises heading into next year. As in-person schooling crawls back towards normalcy, so too does in-store grocery shopping – 85% of shoppers are back in the aisles. Does your digital marketing distinguish between parents of in-person and remote learning students? What about in-person vs online shoppers? This school season, your students AND your digital marketing can get a little smarter.
Back-to-school season is a critical time for many CPG brands looking to reach relevant customers. From backpacks and pens to after-school snacks, those buying school supplies are part of a niche group that—when reached—have huge buying power.
During these busy times, it’s even more challenging for digital marketers to drive high sales lift and prove performance with campaigns. Getting your message to break through and resonate requires understanding and reaching granular audiences at scale, having more relevance with customers who are most likely to buy, and improving the efficiency of your media activation. All of that will drive more sales lift, give you considerable brand consideration and most importantly deliver an A+ marketing strategy in a highly competitive season.
As in-person schooling crawls back towards normalcy, so too does in-store grocery shopping – 85% of shoppers are back in the aisles.
Reach the most relevant audiences at scale
CPG brands know the struggle when it comes to marketing campaigns—especially during busy times. Everyone is targeting the same people at the same time, resulting in increased media costs and reduced campaign performance. Limited access to first-party consumer data makes it difficult to speak to shoppers as individuals, meaning you’re not reaching the right people with the right messages at the point they’re most likely to buy.
Back-to-school shoppers—like all consumers—are incentivized to purchase a product when it speaks to them on a personal level. So how do brands stand out amidst the noise?
Any good marketing strategy needs to have a strong solution that gives them a view into their holistic customer. These identity solutions allow brands to see granular audiences with a person-level understanding and reach, meaning you can deliver creative and promotions that resonate with your audience directly. The challenge for most CPGs, however, is that narrowing your audience enough for personalized messaging can cripple the ability to launch a program at scale. Target too granularly and you can’t reach enough people.
The strongest identity solutions will help you reach more unique customers within niche audiences with the same—or sometimes smaller—media budgets, driving higher ROAS.
Epsilon’s CORE ID is the industry’s most accurate, stable and scalable identity solution. With 200 million transaction-verified profiles founded on people-based IDs (not devices or cookies) you can connect with 2-3x more verified consumers online and offline – including those from 3rd-party data sets.
With a deeper understanding, you can speak each consumer’s language
The next step in this process is understanding the individuals you’re trying to reach, and those you’ve reached in the past. Epsilon CORE ID uses Real Time Profile Management that looks at privacy-protected profiles made from 7,000 demographic and lifestyle data points like purchase data, browsing data and digital consumption. This data helps us develop 360-degree profiles that can power personalization.
When you overlay that data with other partners, such as IRI’s purchase-based verified audiences, you can connect each individual’s brand and category purchases to their broader on and offline behaviors, and stay connected for years. This allows brands to deliver impactful marketing to their customers year-round—not just during the back-to-school sprint.
But having that data isn’t enough. The key differentiator is having a partner who knows how to take that information, activate it at scale and use it to drive performance.
Let’s say, for example, you have three potential customers in your target demographic: all female, age 35 with two kids between the ages of 6 and 10. Their household incomes are about $120,000 and they all live in Shaker Heights, Ohio. It may be tempting to broadly target this group with a single piece of creative, but your program will drive more sales lift if you can identify exactly which individuals are most likely to buy your product, and send them a more personalized message.
When you have a best-in-class ID, you can build more robust profiles to segment more granularly, yet still have the scale to serve enough media for successful and measurable campaigns.
In our example, it might play out like this:
Woman One: She increased spend in school supplies and lunch items in Q1 ’21, indicating that her family was ramping up to get back in-person. Knowing that she’s more likely than the average family to need new in-person supplies, we serve her an ad for a product bundle that includes staples like a backpack.
Woman Two: She is a frequent Walmart shopper (based on our Marketview data set), and she’s in the IRI Proscores audience of vaccinated individuals. We know to target her with ads promoting sales at Walmart, and because vaccinated individuals are more likely to shop in-person than unvaccinated individuals, the creative should drive in-store sales. A Walmart audience of unvaccinated individuals may perform better leveraging creative with an “add to cart” or “shop online” CTA.
Woman Three: She recently watched a video on her iPhone about healthy school lunches, which puts her in our Epsilon audience for “interest in back-to-school content”. Plus, she’s in IRI’s verified Returning to Brands audience because she’s been decreasing her spend on private label products, which spiked during out-of-stock panic buying. Now is the right time to remind her about your values and drive brand consideration with inspiring craft ideas on your site.
By finding higher-value, more granular audiences and delivering them more relevant messages, you’ll focus your dollars on individuals most likely to drive sales lift.
Continually learning to drive results and avoid waste
Back-to-school shopping means customers are stocking up on the necessary tools for scholarly success—and marketing strategies are no different.
Understanding your customer is just a piece of the puzzle when it comes to data-driven marketing strategies. Having the tools to take that data and optimize it creates a constant feedback loop that is continuously learning from itself.
At Epsilon, our CORE AI optimizes media delivery to determine who we need to reach, when we need to reach them and what message to send. This continuously-learning model considers inputs such as brand intel, consumer intel, and contextual awareness in order to adjust campaign performance and pacing—then evaluates the individuals engagement after receiving a message to update both the model and the person’s profile. The model is updated more than two billion times every minute from consumer actions across millions of profiles.
Each time we see an ID and the AI considers all these inputs, it either serves and ad or it doesn’t, all within 7 milliseconds. We see each CORE ID online an average of 178 times a day, and 99.9% of the time we hold back from delivering media to avoid the waste you would incur from partners with cookie or device-based IDs, and without CORE AI.
So as consumers gear up for a school year they’re hoping will be ordinary, make sure your digital marketing is anything but. By maximizing your reach and relevance with granular audiences and minimizing waste, your campaign will drive higher sales lift and A+ results.
---
## Lessons from DTCs: How Blondery perfected personalized customer experience
Type: eps_post
URL: /what-big-brands-can-learn-from-dtcs-how-blondery-perfected-the-recipe-for-a-personalized-customer-experience
Last Modified: 2025-05-14T20:48:14Z
# Lessons from DTCs: How Blondery perfected personalized customer experience
Refining and perfecting a recipe is a baker’s Everest. Working through two, three, four iterations of a recipe take time and dedication—a passion (and ability) shared by few. Auzerais Bellamy, owner of Blondery, is one of the few.
For the past 10 years, Bellamy has worked on refining her pecan and salted caramel blondies. Yes, 10 years. Inspired by a flavor from her childhood, she sought to capture the feeling and memory in a recipe of her own—a recipe for the perfect blondie. Out of this quest came Blondery, a 100% minority and woman-owned virtual direct-to-consumer (DTC) bakery that has boomed in popularity and profits over the last year.
According to the traditional playbook, DTC brands like Blondery should struggle to hang on anything more than a niche business. A decade ago, the idea that there would soon be a tidal wave of DTCs grabbing meaningful marketshare would have been scoffed at. But DTCs took a perceived weakness—a lack of access to traditional retail and distribution channels—and transformed it into a strength by turning their direct line to consumers into strong, personal relationships that even withstand a global pandemic. Traditional retailers are scratching their heads, looking to replicate that special sauce for connecting with customers.
So, what is the secret recipe that makes some DTCs so popular with customers? And what lessons can enterprise brands learn from them? It all comes down to capturing their audiences’ attention with a fresh and new approach to developing relationships by:
Building brands digitally using owned and shared media (web and social channels).
Using first-party data gathered from those channels to better understand customers.
Applying storytelling strategies and personalized messaging that resonate with customers.
Here's how Blondery is doing it.
Building brands digitally
Blondery’s breakout success (clients include Bloomingdales, Netflix, Salesforce and more) is the product of Bellamy’s dedication to her craft and customers, but also an unlikely circumstance: COVID-19. As the desire for mail-order goods skyrocketed during the pandemic, Blondery’s already virtual direct-to-consumer model was there to meet demand. “We received hundreds of direct messages about baking and shipping products. In the middle of the pandemic, no one could see their family. I quickly noticed the need, assembled a small task force, and product,” Bellamy recalls. The bakery’s website noted that in June of 2020 alone, Blondery sold three times more blondies than in all of 2019.
Bellamy has excelled at using social media tell her story and build community, connecting with customers on a 1:1 level. “I don't take my customers for granted. Win the sense that whenever they messaged me, I replied back to them. I engage with them in my comment section. I know a lot about my customers, just from the conversations we have in my DMs.”
Using first-party data
DTCs like Blondery have a leg up in leveraging owned channels like social media, newsletters, and websites in ways traditional brick-and-mortars do not: first-party data. With a direct window into their customers wants and needs, previous purchasing history and more, DTCs have invaluable information they can then use to personalize and contextualize their customer communications.
While Blondery is in the early stages of building their database, Bellamy is keen on using this tactic to bond with customers, and it has contributed to the approachability and overall draw to the bakery. “If I see that someone's been interacting with me, I make a note in their Shopify account, so when I ship out their order, I can write a handwritten note that says, ‘Hey, thank you so much. I appreciate it.’ I do it for the customers who have been very loyal and interactive."
Applying storytelling strategies & personalization
Blondery’s story is Bellamy's’ story: a California native, she grew up baking with her family and experimenting with recipes. After earning a degree in pastry arts, she interned at a prestigious pastry school in France and went on to work at Michelin-star restaurants (all the while, continuing her quest to create that perfect blondie). Becoming frustrated with the lack of representation in fine dining, she set out to transform the industry.
“I'm the one advocating for myself, as I have been all these years, but now I get to teach my team to advocate for themselves. My team are mostly women, people of color or indigenous people, and we're working all together to reshape the fine dining industry. I want to create this safe space where everyone can come and learn and create,” Bellamy notes.
It’s an authentic, relatable story for customers across the country. Bellamy has used this understanding to create a unique storytelling model that positions her brand into an emotional, heart-and-mind place, resonating with each individual consumer. “There was a time for two or three years I didn't bake at all. I think vulnerability, as Brené Brown says, is courage. So, it took a lot of times for me to get to the point where I was like, okay, I can share a recipe because I know that the secret sauce is me.”
Bellamy is also keen on adding those personal touches wherever possible. She says, "I think that that goes a long way when someone can open a package and not only get a beautiful product that tastes good, but also a handwritten note that feels very personal because it is very personal.” She continues,“Personalization is a form of luxury, right? So, whenever we get something in the mail that has a handwritten note, we know it's been packaged very carefully and not just thrown in the box.”
While scaling this model may take some time—but these marketing tactics ultimately drive loyalty and retention with valuable customers. Larger brands can take a cue from Bellamy: invest in crafting an authentic story, genuinely connect with customers via owned channels to tell that story, and personalize to their customers’ wants and needs with the wealth of valuable information you have access to.
In Bellamy’s 10-year-quest for the perfect blondie recipe, she’s found something much greater: the recipe for a successful business with loyal, enthusiastic customers.
Want to try one of Auzerais' mouth-watering recipes for yourself? Check out this tutorial on how to make a famous cheesecake jar by Blondery.
---
## Get to grips with truly personalised loyalty
Type: eps_post
URL: /truly-personalised-loyalty
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T22:09:52Z
# Get to grips with truly personalised loyalty
Google, Apple and Mozilla have all introduced sweeping privacy changes recently that will collectively phase out third-party cookies, used for decades to track users' web browsing history. Finding a replacement for cookies is a massive challenge, given that the entire digital ad ecosystem, worth $330 billion USD globally, has been mostly built around them.
Why it matters
The changes mean the conventional modes of remarketing and digital advertising are under threat. It’s becoming harder for brands to have meaningful 1-2-1 relationships with customers as they become further removed (pushing their investment and control to the likes of Google and Facebook). For customer acquisition online, advertisers need to focus more on generating their own first-party data. Retailers and brands are therefore seeking new ways to gather data from their own multi-channel content and use it to influence consumers and win sales in a post-cookie world.
At Epsilon, we’re excited because so much can be achieved with smart digital loyalty programmes to mitigate the loss of cookie-based ad targeting and to re-establish that direct relationship and value exchange directly. We want to share our insights about what’s possible.
Listen to Epsilon’s loyalty expert Elliott Clayton shedding light on the future of digital loyalty in the recent Let’s Talk Loyalty podcast. He discusses the changes unfolding in digital media advertising and privacy issues around customer acquisition. Don’t miss his tips on how loyalty can help brands drive stronger business outcomes.
So, how can loyalty programmes help?
Many retailers and consumer brands are revisiting loyalty programmes as a means of gathering and encouraging first-party data sharing while simultaneously reaffirming value to their customers, both on and offline.
Brands including Pret a Manger and McDonalds in the fast-food vertical, and Sephora, Maybelline and Kiehl’s in health and beauty have all recently invested in fresh, engaging digital loyalty programmes. They aim to build their customer base, and forge lasting relationships with customers by offering meaningful, personalised content and relevant rewards. Often, they partner with other organisations to bring content to life, and innovations such as personalised video messages are beginning to bear fruit.
The big picture
Life after cookies could be amazing, says Elliott Clayton in the Let’s Talk Loyalty podcast. Retailers should view the fall of the third-party cookie as an opportunity.
Here's why:
A retailer’s first-party data is potentially far more valuable than third-party cookies
Cookie-syncing caused latency and degraded quickly, reducing reach for advertisers
The cookie's virtual invisibility hindered consumer awareness of the value exchange
First-party data explained
By analysing first-party data gathered from loyalty programmes and customer browsing behaviour on their own website, retail marketers are able to pull together an overall profile of their typical client base. Remarketing efforts can be planned more cost-efficiently, based on this owned insight.
Communication can flourish
An additional automated layer of one-to-one communication is possible with a digital loyalty programme, which has other touchpoints beyond SMS and emails. “Additional touch points drive additional value and incremental return,” says Elliott in the Let’s Talk Loyalty podcast. “You’re talking about 20% to 30% more return form an existing asset, which is a massive game changer.”
Case study: Walgreens builds healthy relationships with truly engaging loyalty
US pharmacy giant Walgreens wanted a loyalty programme that would power up relationships with customers while promoting a healthy lifestyle. They opted for an incentive-based digital programme, offering easy ways for customers to save money and be rewarded for purchases, services, and healthy behaviours.
Our solution: To encourage healthy outcomes, the Balance Rewards programme made goals achievable for Walgreens’ tens of millions of loyalty members. For instance, participating in a four-week health challenge meant they could earn Walgreens Cash rewards for every week completed. The loyalty platform supports and routes data for each customer interaction, so members see every day wins.
The bottom line
Digital loyalty is the best way to acquire customers, personalise your communications and establish a direct relationship while driving long-term sales growth. It’s a self-funding first-party data asset, that is privacy-friendly, and offers a powerful value proposition to your audience. When digital loyalty is executed really well, life beyond cookies can still taste sweet.
---
## How retailers can succeed without cookies this holiday season
Type: eps_post
URL: /no-cookies-this-holiday-season-how-retailers-can-succeed-without-them
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# How retailers can succeed without cookies this holiday season
Retail marketers have contended with numerous roadblocks in recent months. Just as eCommerce skyrocketed in the wake of COVID-19, third-party identifiers (3PIDs) like cookies and Apple’s IDFA began deprecating. The effect made it more difficult for marketers to reach targeted consumers, as well as to confirm when—or if—an engagement was achieved for subsequent measurement and insights.
With the holidays fast approaching, marketers are looking to quickly prove their value within a competitive and overly saturated landscape of “guru’s, ninja’s and rock stars.” To achieve such recognition, marketers will need to be able to reach customers and prospects with the right messaging, in the right channels, at the right time—just like L’Occitane did.
Read on to learn more:
Retailers face several compounding challenges
In January 2020, Google announced it would phase out third-party cookies (3PCs) in Chrome. To further complicate matters, Apple announced they would begin requiring opt-in consent to access their IDFA in April 2021.
These changes limited retail brands’ options for recognizing consumers online, largely because they had relied too heavily on single identifiers (such as third-party cookies) to run their entire identity programs. As a result, many retailers had no choice but to enact “one-size-fits-all” marketing methodologies that were void of personalization at the individual or demographic level.
Concern over identity limitations was further heightened as E-commerce—which has been increasingly gaining popularity over the past decade- was exponentially accelerated by the pandemic. According to the NRF, online sales were up 23.9% year over year for the 2020 holiday season.
eMarketer predicts this digital shift will continue, forecasting that total US holiday retail sales in 2021 will rise 2.7%, while the season's e-commerce sales will rise a whopping 11.3%. This growth will account for 18.9% of the total anticipated holiday retail sales.
As online shopping progresses with an ever-diversified audience, it’s essential for retail brands to perform well in the digital sphere by reaching shoppers across devices, via different platforms, in a privacy-compliant way.
What’s a retail marketer to do as holidays approach?
A robust identity solution, that is built on more than mere cookies and email addresses, has the potential to identify in-market shoppers while delivering substantial business benefits inclusive of improved customer data management and enhanced targeting and personalization.
Likewise, it can provide more accurate measurement by identifying consumers across each brand interaction to help us understand holistic shopping indicators and behaviors.
Reach the right people
The first step marketers must take to achieve this communication nirvana is to organize their internal data. Marketers must be able to isolate a comprehensive view of each customer by matching their identity across channels through the integration of online and offline data.
When retail brands rely too heavily on email address as a sole identifier (81%, according to Forrester Research), marketers are left scrambling to sort through data that is muddied with house-holded accounts (multiple users sharing a single email address), or users with multiple email addresses on file.
Likewise, disproportionate dependency on Device IDs (computers, mobile, tablets, etc.) as the primary identifier can prevent marketers from distinguishing an individual user from all device users, or from viewing the complete consumer journey. Without reconciling these data points to a single person, retailers end up offering irrelevant messaging that is impersonal and redundant for their customers.
Augmenting customer profiles with unique insights around browsing history, demographics, lifestyle, and propensity to purchase create more relevant experiences that are specific to the individual shopper. Distinctive third-party data—that is not rooted in third-party cookies or device IDs—is required to create this enriched profile.
Create relevant experiences
When Unilever launched a data unification project across its 64 portfolio brands last year, customer identity resolution improved five times in just six weeks. When Walgreens used first-party data to power a revamp of its loyalty program, they gained the ability to disburse compelling, geo-targeted, real-time offers that were personalized and highly-relevant.
The key to marketing success is not singularly based on a brand’s ability to collect data, but in their ability to harness it to create continually optimized experiences. Data must be nurtured as a living, breathing life-source to all things communicated.
Helen Lin, chief digital officer at Publicis Groupe, explains:
“There’s a carryover of old ways of planning with ‘buying audiences.’ But now, with identity resolution solutions, you can actually understand mindset, motivation and need-state, and you can continuously super-serve customers with the right information at every stage. This shift is actually going to help brands focus on what’s most important: building the best customer experience regardless of the channel.”
To meet customers where they are, you need to know their point in the customer journey.
Identity helps illuminate all intersecting retail touchpoints as shoppers move from “consideration” to “purchase” phases of disjointed—or even invisible—customer journeys. This data provides distinctive signals as to what brands should deliver next online and, in their stores, to drive repeat business and upsell opportunities.
For example, say a consumer completes an in-store purchase after receiving several ads for smart TVs. The identity program would pull in this offline transaction data to inform the retailer of their next move–which should be to serve up product recommendations complimentary to the TV, such as a sound bar.
Measure and prove success
The holiday season is instrumental to the year-round success of many retailers. As such, a marketer’s ability to drive conversions and engagements (beyond message opens), and to measure and analyze the performance of their campaigns across the consumer lifecycle is essential to the success of the business.
Epsilon’s vice president of product management, Matt Feczko, explains:
“Many marketers focus on reach as the fundamental pain point with third-party cookie deprecation, but ultimately that’s not what the marketer wants—they want better outcomes.”
Identity can help marketers achieve those better outcomes by connecting all points of the customer journey to a single ID. This allows retailers to establish a 360 view of their consumers on a hyper-targeted level.
With better attribution for each touchpoint, marketers can optimize their campaigns by reallocating budget to those that are more successful. Additionally, they avoid inundating their consumers with irrelevant ads that waste resources and irritate shoppers.
L’Occitane nails holiday 2020 with identity resolution
Epsilon client L’Occitane was looking to acquire new, reactivate lapsed and retain existing customers during the 2020 holiday season which they achieve by implementing a robust identity program.
First, they identified online customers that hadn’t completed a purchase in the past 13 months. Then, they used AI models to determine purchase propensities among their customers that they targeted with a personalized message urging them to come back.
Next, the retail brand set their sights on acquiring new customers. L’Occitane’s holiday-themed offerings are always well received, so they identified buyers and prospects with a propensity to purchase holiday-themed products and delivered personalized, offsite ads at the SKU level.
Finally, they focused on customer retention- a topic especially top of mind due to the 2020 pandemic. To send updates on safety improvements and store openings, the brand identified and messaged valuable individuals who lived near selected storefronts.
And thanks to a robust identity program, L’Occitane was able to clearly measure their results:
Reached 5.6 million unique lapsed customers, resulting in over $3 million in revenue.
Reached 1.9 million individuals with 92 holiday themed SKUs—each SKU saw a return on ad spend (ROAS) of $21:1.
Retention efforts across 22 targeted stores delivered 94 million impressions and $760,000 in revenue.
Drive your own 2021 holiday success
Kick your holiday season off right by sending relevant messaging to the right people at the right time. Check out how Epsilon can help your retail brand connect with your customers on a deeper level.
---
## A guide to creating customer value & building loyalty at any budget
Type: eps_post
URL: /a-guide-to-creating-customer-value-building-loyalty-at-any-budget
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# A guide to creating customer value & building loyalty at any budget
Creating customer value and cultivating customer relationships has never been more important—or complicated. Consumer expectations are high, business models have changed, and it’s essential for brands to communicate value in everything they do.
This is especially important for loyalty marketers, whose customer loyalty program members spend 3x as much as non-members and are essential to overall growth and profits.
But savvy loyalty marketers recognize that loyalty is more than how much a customer spends—it’s a two-way value exchange. You want customers to engage with you, and you also need to give them a reason to keep coming back for more. This often means you need to kick it up a notch from your typical transactional loyalty program.
It may sound challenging and expensive—but it doesn’t have to be.
This guide will cover everything you need to know about using the customer value concept to generate loyalty across strategies and price ranges:
The customer value definition
How to measure customer value
How to elevate your value exchange to generate loyalty
How to build customer loyalty, no matter your budget
Let’s start with the basics.
What is customer value?
At its simplest, marketers define customer value as how much customers perceive your products or services to be worth. It’s imperative that your customers think your products or services hold greater value than their price—or no one will buy (or use your service).
Believe it or not, people do not buy things because they like or need them. They buy because they need a solution to something. If your product does not provide a good enough solution for its cost, customers will go elsewhere. And we don’t want that.
How do you measure customer value?
Keep in mind, however, that that value does not refer simply to price—it’s the total benefit a consumer will receive from your product or service by spending x amount of money. This extends past the product itself to how the product makes customers feel, the status it may provide them, and the time and energy they are willing to put into your brand.
To keep it simple, this well-known formula is a standard way to measure customer value:
CV=(perceived customer benefits – total customer cost)
It’s not always that simple, but it’s a good place to start. We’ve covered what customer value is and how we measure it. Now, let’s dig into how we turn customer value into customer loyalty.
Translating customer value into customer loyalty
The perfect loyalty program value proposition is a blend of hard and soft benefits that provide both tangible and emotional value to customers with a purchase.
Hard benefits provide customers with economic value. They are tangible and consist of a promotional currency (such as earning points or miles or receiving special offers and discounts).
Soft benefits provide customers with emotional value. These are usually intangible in nature (like offering a special status, privileges, or exclusive access to products, services and experiences).
The right combination of hard and soft benefits will result in a loyalty program value proposition that keeps customers engaged for the long-term.
How to build loyalty—no matter your budget
As a brand, you need to deliver quality products, services or experiences that your customers value. And in exchange, consumers deliver value to you through purchases and word-of-mouth recommendations.
Investing in this value exchange helps your brand to increase:
Share of wallet: when customers spend their money with your brand
Share of life: when customers invest their time in your brand
Share of love: when customers invest their feelings in your brand
By targeting these three types of connections, you’ll naturally create longer-lasting customer relationships. But investing in your value exchange does require financial investment. Thankfully, it’s possible to accomplish in a variety of budget ranges—from free improvements all the way up to significant advancements.
Improving your side of the value equation can also come to life in a variety of forms, such as internal investments (like technology platforms) and external customer experiences (like a loyalty surprise and delight reward).
Low-cost ways to improve value and grow loyalty
You don’t have to have a huge budget to engender loyalty with your customers. There are many free or low-cost strategies to create lasting goodwill.
1. Generate intimacy on owned channels
Using your owned channels more effectively is a low-cost way to create a more loyal relationship with your customers. In our current world of digital and distance, it’s more important than ever to understand the power of human connections when it comes to facilitating intimacy, and eventually loyalty, with your customers.
How much you invest in these different tactics ties back to ROI and achieving your goals. Most business goals around loyalty tie to increasing spend, increasing engagement, or increasing consideration. When we think about trying to win over share of wallet, share of love, or share of life, it’s important to create a strategy and pursue an investment level that helps you achieve your desired outcomes.
If you are looking to establish your relationship with customers, free tactics such as building an online social community or sending a handwritten note may help you achieve more emotional connection.
For instance, when I was traveling recently, I received a handwritten note from my flight attendant on my Delta trip. While this was a small gesture, it was a delightful experience. Now Delta is top of mind for me, and this could impact me considering Delta over another brand in the future.
Example of free tactic for loyalty: This was a hand-written note I received from a Delta flight attendant last week when I flew to Cabo.
But if your goals are tied more to incremental purchasing, incremental ROI may be worth a higher investment. In this case, make sure to evaluate both internal and external innovations to personalize the customer experience.
2. Get to know customers with a good survey
A well-designed survey is a great way to better understand your customers. It gives customers the opportunity to let you know their preferences and allows you to more effectively personalize their experience—from product recommendations to when and how you communicate with them.
Add this information to their customer profile for a more holistic look at each customer’s wants and needs. You could even use it to surprise them with a no-cost birthday greeting, for example.
4. Grow a valuable forum or community
Establish a community of user-generated content and feedback gives customers a forum to add value for each other. It could take the form of a Facebook community where customers share tips, tricks and deals, or an Instagram account where the brand highlights and appreciates customer photos.
Some brands even go a step further to feature customer content on their product pages. Old Navy, for example, has a #sayhi Instagram feed on the home page of its website. This was a light lift for Old Navy, but it offers customers a powerful soft benefit of visibility front and center on the brand’s website—showing appreciation and creating a stronger relationship with its customers.
Medium-cost programs to move the loyalty needle
If you have a little more budget, there are a variety of mid-level investments that will help you to better connect with your customers—and add to your even of the customer value exchange.
1. Personalize more with more customer insights
The more you know about each individual in the form of data, the more you can personalize their experiences with your brand to keep them coming back. Consider incentivizing customers to share more information with you. For example, amp up that low-cost survey by offering customers a reward in exchange.
2. Offer exclusivity
Another medium-cost option to increase perceived value and loyalty is exclusivity. Give top customers special access to products, offers or rewards. Early access and limited quantities also add to the exclusivity and uniqueness of your offers.
For example, Chipotle and e.l.f cosmetics partnered on unexpected and wildly popular burrito- inspired makeup. While the entire collection was limited, elf offered the collection one day early for those who signed up for their loyalty program.
Not only was this a clever way to acquire more loyalty members, but the exclusivity resulted in half of the items being sold out before they were even available to the public. Chipotle sweetened the deal with a voucher for free chips and guacamole, which likely resulted in incremental engagement and spend with both brands.
4. Create agile offers
To really personalize your brand experience and loyalty offerings, consider more than just customer data—pull timely events and market trends into the mix, too. It’s important to pivot beyond the day-to-day when large scale happenings are affecting your audience—this shows customers you’re truly considering their needs.
For example, U-Haul offered 30 days of free storage to college students who needed to quickly vacate their dorms during the initial COVID lockdown. The brand also typically offers this compassionate perk to communities dealing with natural disasters. All these timely offers cost the brand is vacant space.
Sizable loyalty investments tie to customer spend
If your brand is ready to double down on customer value and loyalty, it’s important to evaluate the ways in which you can innovate around experience both internally and externally. Investing in technology like a chatbot or machine learning may help you to improving your internal operational excellence and improve personalization. Technology investment has been particularly important? in the aftermath of COVID. Without as much brick-and-mortar shopping, many brands had to re-evaluate and pivot their approach to loyalty.
Externally, it may be worth spending more to reward your most valuable customers and deepening your relationship.
1. Offer flexible and differentiated experiences
One way to make a sizable investment in loyalty is to offer new and differentiated ways to shop with your brand that account for varied consumer preferences. While many brands have increased their same-day delivery services, you can get even more creative with home shopping options—like in-home appointments with personal stylists or personal chefs—to your most valuable customers.
Investing in technology like augmented reality can also create customer value during the shopping phase, allowing people to see their hotel room ahead of time or visualize what that new sofa would look like in their living room.
Beyond shopping, you can also create customer value with other exclusive experiences—such as VIP events and care packages (many people are especially excited about mail these days!).
2. Add value throughout the customer journey
The most comprehensive approach to loyalty considers how to add value throughout the entire customer journey, using wholesale innovations and personalization to make the experience as convenient as possible.
Dunkin’ is a great example of a restaurant that has built contactless loyalty by establishing a safe process for ordering. The brand promotes contactless ordering in their ads, with a CTA to download their app and join their loyalty program. Once customers have downloaded the app, they can choose to continue signing up for the rewards program or order as a guest.Dunkin’ encourages ongoing contactless engagement throughout customer journey with:
Clear steps. The brand provides step-by-step guidelines for ordering digitally—from downloading the app to picking up an order. This includes articles and videos showing how simple and safe the process is. The brand made these resources readily available and promotes them across their website and ads.
User interface. The app showcases benefits up front, reinforcing why customers should use the app to place orders.
Pickup convenience. Dunkin’ added curbside pickup to 1,000 stores that didn’t have drive-thru options. Now, curbside pickup represents 2% of all transactions at those stores. The brand has also expanded delivery from 2,000 to 4,000 stores across the country. Dunkin/ customers benefit from the contactless convenience the brand built into their experience. But the brand benefits, too—delivery orders are showing 3x the average check size.
Easy reorders. The app allows loyalty members to save their favorites and easily reorder, reducing the time and effort it takes for customers to get their favorite coffee and meal in hand.
Check out more strategies and tactics to build share of wallet, share of life and share of love at any budget in this chart.
Free/Low Cost
Medium Cost
High Cost
Wallet
Rethink your customer service policy to prioritize a smooth user experience across channels and flexible returns.
Offer rewards for reordering
Offer rewards for ordering or booking trips in advance
Offer discounts or rewards for using delivery partners
Offer giveaways/contests (in-store, online, social media, etc.)
Reward customers for in-app or online shopping
Leverage technology such as Augmented Reality (AR) for more expensive experiences
Gamify purchases with ways to buy such as auctions
Life
Offer free lessons/tutorials (cooking, using tech, putting together outfits, repurposing)
Surveys to capture more of your customer preferences
Create a blog that customers can follow to learn more about your industry or products
Refresh your web content with UX and content marketing best practices
QR codes are back—use them to help consumers quickly find your content
Offer free lessons/tutorials (cooking, using tech, putting together outfits, repurposing)
Offer rewards for ordering or booking trips in advance
Update your website with seasonal activities such as games or contests
Create a style quiz to recommend products
Reward customers for sharing experiences on social
Offer rewards for reordering or ordering ahead of time through the app
Reward customers for setting up in-app payment
Invest in machine learning personalization at the individual level (with products, personalized creative)
Use Conversational AI
Love
Feature real reviews from real humans
Show “normal” consumers using your product on social and in promotions
Repost content
Create online/in-person communities for your consumers
Rethink whether your marketing is aspirational or relatable. Aspirations will lead to transactions, but creating content your consumers can connect with creates relationships
Reward goals tailored to the individual
Reward referring-a-friend
Give special/early access to offers and rewards
Reward customers for sharing experiences on social media
Engage in brand Partnerships
Lead with consistent tone & messaging
Make sure status updates are timely for order processing, or assuring safety (especially during COVID!)
Create affiliate, campus/college, or requirement-driven ambassador programs that offer free products in exchange for promotion/actions
Craft VIP experiences/large-scale community events
Send care packages
Promote sponsored content
Overall, there are many ways to increase customer value and create loyalty—no matter how much or how little budget you have. Every interaction is an opportunity to generate goodwill, and all marketers can create customer value via soft and hard benefits that touch on the emotional and rational sides of loyalty. Feel out what is best for you, your brand, and the situational context around how you normally engage with your customers—but keep the tactics discussed here in mind as you explore new ways to build relationships.
If you’re interested in learning more in-depth about topics we’ve discussed in this guide, here are a few recommended resources:
Creating loyalty in a contactless world
Conversational AI and the customer journey
Big “L” Loyalty
---
## What are spam traps and how do you avoid hitting them?
Type: eps_post
URL: /what-are-spam-traps-and-how-do-you-avoid-hitting-them
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T22:09:52Z
# What are spam traps and how do you avoid hitting them?
Spam traps remain a top concern of senders fielded by our team. Yet while there is general agreement that spam traps should be avoided, there is not necessarily universal understanding as to what spam traps are or how they function for receiving networks and block list moderators.
What are spam traps? How do spam traps work?
In short, a spam trap is a record designed to look and feel like a legitimate address to senders. They have valid MX records and they are set up to successfully receive mail, but they do not belong to a “real” person nor are they used for any kind of communication.
There are many types of spam traps
There are many kinds of spam trap addresses, and it is important for senders to understand all of them to reduce their risk of exposure:
Pristine spam traps
Email addresses that are generated by block list moderators or receiving networks for the sole purpose of catching malicious senders are referred to as pristine spam traps.
This type of address has never been utilized for legitimate email purposes, and most commonly enters a mailing list through a list purchase from a third party. The only way for a sender to obtain this type of trap address is through poor acquisition practices, and so reputation impact can be particularly severe.
Networks will ultimately block or bulk deliver mail to spam in order to protect their users from spammers.
Typo traps
How frequently have you mistyped “Google” or “Hotmail” while entering your own email address on an online form? It’s a frequent occurrence, and one that can lead to a high rate of typo spam traps for senders without proper list hygiene.
Many receiving networks setup typo domains to receive mail and actively monitor who is sending to them.
Those who mail these type of records indiscriminately from valid addresses may experience bulk delivery to spam, or blocking as a result.
Recycled traps
Some traps are converted from previously active email addresses that have since lapsed. These are referred to as “recycled” spam traps.
If a receiving network monitors and observes that a user has not leveraged their email address for 6-12months, that address may be converted to a trap by that network. So while a sender may have had a legitimate relationship with that address several years ago, the network may now be watching to see who is continuing to attempt to mail them with no activity.
Senders who do not target based on user activity will likely find over time they will have increasing spam trap hits in their deployments.
Domain traps
Domains are not forever. Many wind up defunct, or dormant, but not before pointing their MX record to a block list provider. This creates domain spam traps, and allows addresses affiliated with formerly valid domains to remain capable of receiving mail - even if they are currently inactive.
And as block list providers tend to do, hitting significant volumes of these types of traps can result in the blocking of a sender’s legitimate mail.
Like recycled spam traps, it is important for senders to make user engagement a key targeting fixture to avoid lapsed domains from persisting in mailing lists.
So, how should senders best avoid hitting spam traps?
There is no “one size fits all,” but a good place to start is with the following:
Never purchase lists from outside parties. Even if purchased lists are cleansed, no solution can guarantee removal of all spam traps—remember that these are messages set up to receive mail.
Leverage engagement-based targeting. Open/click criteria—preferably users who have opened or clicked in the last 0-12months—should be a part of all marketing deployments to reduce the likelihood of hitting older/converted spam traps.
Monitor acquisition practices and user activity closely. Spam traps are set up to receive mail, but they cannot interact with it. A double opt-in message at point of collection ensures only valid records enter a list. And if a record stops opening/clicked for several months, the sender may want to consider retiring that record from further mailings.
Use some sort of email verification either on webforms where data is collected, or before importing the data in PCM, to remove malformed / typo addresses.
Don’t force users to enter an email address to get access to content, games etc. This will often lead to users entering in fake data, which can end up being pristine traps!
If emails captured at PoS, don’t force/incentivize shop assistants to enter customers email addresses as they could end up entering fake addresses themselves.
Stay out of spam traps with Epsilon PeopleCloud Messaging. Reach out to our Deliverability team at ic-edm@epsilon.com to learn more about our approach to Inbox Optimization.
---
## [VIDEO] Marketing Can Elevate its Standing in the Business By Changing the Way it Measures Value
Type: eps_post
URL: /marketing-can-elevate-its-standing-in-the-business-by-changing-the-way-it-measures-value
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# [VIDEO] Marketing Can Elevate its Standing in the Business By Changing the Way it Measures Value
The common question directed at marketing is "is it working?". But current measurement approaches fail to show how marketing activity delivers business value, so it is seen as a cost, not an investment.
Watch this video recorded at eTail EU Flagship in May 2021. Elliott Clayton, SVP Media at Epsilon and his partner Andy Foote, Performance & Analytics Practice at Zebra, hosted a keynote and demonstrated how eCommerce and Marketing leaders can drive meaningful business outcomes without increasing spend.
Why it matters?
While marketers believe it's their activities that cause a sale, often it's the process a buyer goes through: the sale generates the media, the media does not generate the sale.
Yet all the touchpoints a buyer interacts with – be it search, display, social, etc. – claim credit for the final sale. As many companies use last-touch attribution to measure marketing effectiveness, the entire credit for a sale goes to the last touchpoint. But this leads to a misalignment of marketing budget, to the benefit of a few channels and platforms.
Research shows that people spend 34% of their time online in the walled gardens such as Facebook and Google. However, 60% of advertising spend goes to these big platforms. This disconnect shows that how marketing is currently measured is broken, and a new way is needed to demonstrate the value marketing delivers.
Deeper dive: three approaches to increasing marketing returns
By better measuring value, marketers can drive value. Three ways to do this are to:
Measure real value - not vanity metrics. Measure bottom-line contribution, not revenue. There is a significant revenue dilution from top to bottom-line, so focus on net revenue. Fashion retailers, for example, can incorporate margins and return rates – which both impact the bottom-line - into their bidding algorithms. Do this and they improve marketing's contribution.
Put customers first. Don't fixate on what's happening at a channel level: fixate on the outcomes you're driving for customers – this is much more valuable.
Obsess over incrementality. It's not return on investment (ROI) that's important – it's incremental ROI. Focus on identifying which of your sales happened due to your marketing activity and ignore those that would have naturally occurred – measure incrementality.
Steps to incremental measurement success
To establish incremental measurement and prove the value marketing is delivering, first, you must adopt incrementality testing. For a robust test, you need to ensure:
You have a clean test and control. You must know who is in the test group and who is in the control so you can measure the impact and lift.
You do it continually. Building your future budget allocation around a one-off incrementality test on a small budget in a single channel has no value. As many factors influence sales, for example, seasonality, testing requires a long-term commitment to gain real insight.
You can replicate the test. Any test must be able to be repeated with the same results. You can then confidently assign the lift to your marketing, and other parties can independently validate your findings.
By measuring incremental business outcomes, marketing can optimise their activity to these outcomes, allowing them to demonstrate their real value.
Proof point: Using incremental testing around delivering messages earlier in a user's buyer journey, Domino's Pizza achieved an incremental return of 10:1 on its ad spend.
The bottom line
Marketing's current measurement approach distorts its understanding of channel value and prevents it from proving the business outcomes it delivers. By ditching the old models and embracing incremental measurement, marketers can elevate their standing in the business, gain recognition for the value they create and shift perceptions of marketing from being a cost to being an investment.
---
## 3 insurance marketing strategies to boost policy acquisition
Type: eps_post
URL: /3-insurance-marketing-strategies-to-boost-policy-acquisition
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# 3 insurance marketing strategies to boost policy acquisition
The pandemic has caused significant P&C losses estimated at $100 billion, so for insurance marketing, the need to acquire new policy holders is a top priority.
With customer lives changing daily, insurance marketers need to proactively see life event triggers that indicate future policy needs before it’s too late—both with existing and net-new customers.
This article outlines some ways marketers can improve their insurance marketing strategies to maximize return on ad spend investment and minimize wasted budget dollars.
1. Use early life event triggers to know who’s in market
One important way to boost policy acquisition is to be in front of in-market customers before your competitors even know those customers are in market. How?
Better insurance marketing comes down to better tracking. By creating individual-level customer profiles by matching all browsing and purchase behavior to one person, rather than a series of cookies and device IDs, you are able to tie early life event triggers to prospective customers that would be a good fit for your policies.
Here’s an example: With better identity tracking in insurance marketing, it’s possible to learn that Martin, who has an income of $120K and lives in Chicago, is also the same person who is browsing for school districts in Dallas. It looks like Martin is moving—so the sooner you can get in front of him with digital media advertising a home insurance policy, the better chance you will have of working with Martin.
Some vendors calculate how many people they can reach by totaling their known cookies and devices and using them as a proxy for real people. But this is an incomplete strategy that can lead to significant ad spend waste. According to our data, across digital channels the average person has:
4 devices
3+ email addresses
6 points of contact
So, although a third-party cookie-reliant strategy was incomplete before, with third-party identifiers on the way out, it’s all the more important to ensure your identity solution is based on real individuals—not third-party cookies.
If your insurance marketing customer identity strategy right now is reliant on third-party identifiers and device IDs, it’s time to reevaluate. Because without being able to identify the right people early in their customer journeys, you won’t be able to connect with the right people when you need to.
2. Spend your insurance marketing budget on reaching the right people
It’s one thing to know who you should reach, but actually connecting with those in-market customers at scale is another. This has often been a challenge for financial service marketers: Forrester research indicates that 68% of financial brands struggle to message the correct person across devices, browsers and touchpoints.
This is where AI needs to come into the picture. Machine learning can update more than 2 billion times every minute as customers take actions—like browsing online (taking note of early, more obscure behavior that, combined, signal a life event), making a purchase and researching their financial options. This allows marketers to build an insurance marketing strategy that ensures data-driven, personalized experiences for every person, accounting for preferred channel, device, time of day, real-time interests and more.
By way of example, when a Fortune 500 insurance company wanted to generate home insurance policies, Epsilon combined our rich profiles spanning across 7K+ attributes with the company’s current home policy holder’s file and site information. This allowed us to fuel AI models from existing home policy holders to find their ideal leads. Then, using our real-time comprehensive contextual and behavior data they could identify actively in-market, and truly net-new policy holders to engage through digital media.
Ultimately, Epsilon’s real-time intent data allowed the insurance company to use life event triggers to proactively reach active customers that improved efficiency and response.
3. Measure the true impact of your insurance marketing budget
Quality measurement starts and ends with individual-level identification. Metrics like views, clicks and impressions are great—but not the end goal. And without a full view of your impact, there’s no way to accurately improve your insurance marketing efforts. It’s crucial to see if and how the digital media advertisement you served to a prospective policy holder actually led to a conversion.
The purpose of measuring engagement metrics should be to tie the transaction and the data to the outcome. It’s a challenge, though: Forrester research reveals that over half (52%) of financial marketers say they face challenges with proving performance and measurement of marketing.
Your partners should be able to drive campaign performance around your specific desired outcomes and goals—all while showing clear impact, not just activity. Not all insurance marketing partners deliver results based on real outcomes—and many put too much emphasis on engagement metrics as the barometer of success. Marketers want to see real conversions tied to marketing spend, but even when ROI is measured, most vendors use complex attribution models or provide a limited, black-box view. It’s intentionally difficult to understand so you don’t question it—what are they hiding?
Especially if your advertising is served based on cookies, your reporting will be skewed and inaccurate. The good news is if you’ve developed individual-level customer IDs and reaches customers on with personalized messaging using AI, the measurement is easy. Starting with identity-driven insurance marketing means that you’ll then measure at the individual level when proving marketing impact. It’s as simple as high-quality inputs produce high-quality outputs. Following an individual throughout their journey ensures a transparent path from message to conversion.
Improving your insurance marketing today is easy
COVID-19 has only accelerated the need for a digital-first marketing approach. Insurance marketing strategies need to harness “off-us” data from this increase in digital signals to proactively address evolving consumers’ needs for policies.
Taking the three strategies from this article into consideration ensures you’re connecting with the right individuals, reaching them through digital and measuring your true marketing impact.
Download “The insurance marketer’s guide to acquiring new policies” to learn more.
---
## Perks of Magical Targeting using Dynamic Email Content
Type: eps_post
URL: /perks-of-magical-targeting-using-dynamic-email-content
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Perks of Magical Targeting using Dynamic Email Content
How Dynamic Email Content gives you Magical Targeting Powers
With the advancement in technology, marketing strategies have evolved a lot in the past few years. Email marketing is one such field that got immense popularity due to its high conversion rate, and features like personalization make it even more reliable.
However, the competition here is cut-throat, as plenty of brands are trying to grab consumer’s attention. When most of the consumers can cut off trades with brands for poor customer experience, brands need a more solid weapon to dwell in their customer’s hearts.
And the only way to do this is by creating a dynamic email content campaign and also make sure that it is specially tailored to suit your business requirements. In this piece, you will see how to create personalized email campaigns with dynamic content.
What is Dynamic Content?
Dynamic content entitles businesses to communicate effectively with the segmented audience. They can target the specific audience that directly leads to conversion. In dynamic emails, the entire content of the email is personalized from the subject line to the body to images.
The email should be based on the information you have about them and who is receiving it.
Instead of sending out broadcast messages offering generalized information, try changing the course with a Call to Action that promotes them through the buyer’s journey.
A personalized email contains the name of the receiver, and the body can address their preferences or products from their buying history.
A valid example of this is our email inbox; whenever you open the inbox, you will find dozens of emails from the brands you love regarding all the discounts you have been waiting for. The idea of giving what the consumer wants works here.
The content is called dynamic because it targets a specific audience. The message is sent to the group that you have selected, and to other people, the same email containing the same subject line and body won’t carry out the same message.
For example, a business wants to send a newsletter to all its email subscribers. However, there is an additional promotional message, especially for Londoners. Instead of creating a different group for sending out the promotional message, edit the general email and send it to all. Only Londoners will understand the message and pay heed to it.
Examples of Dynamic email Content
A company has an ongoing free trial segment and wants to issue a newsletter. The goal of the newsletter was to endorse their premium services and features. The campaign was for all their subscribers, but a small group of users was already towards the end of the two-week free trial.
The subscribers have very little time to access, so they wanted to notify that the time is running out and they need to make a choice soon. The business included dynamic content that was only visible to people undertaking free trials.
The newsletter carried out a different message for other subscribers; it consists of all the highlighted premium features to notify consumers about the offered services.
Prominent Brands using Dynamic Content
Spotify- This online music platform creates a newsletter based on the person’s listening preferences. Have you noticed you always get a recommended list of the songs that you have listened to once? Yes, this is the practical usage of dynamic content to create a loyal consumer base.
Netflix- The OTT platform rose to fame because of its handpicked collection of series and movies. However, they too use dynamic content to stay afloat in the market. Netflix sends out an email to notify you about the series that you have left in the middle and let consumers pick up from where they left.
4 Tips to promote dynamic email engagement
Plan your campaign- To start with, decide on the number of emails starring in this campaign, how long will it last, and how often are you interacting with the lead. You will also need to reckon on the content of each email that will target B2B and B2C leads.
Regulate the automation- No business will ever want to fix up a marketing email automation and trickle away. You need to monitor it to check everything is going smoothly. Take an A/B test in the first week to record the improvement.
Human touch is important- Email automation doesn’t mean you cannot give a human touch to an email. Every single person receives more than 100 emails per day; a human touch will be the only way to stand out.
Examine analytics- To see the analytics, do not wait till the end of the email campaign. It’s better to check the engagement rate daily to optimize campaigns according to the requirements.
Benefits of Dynamic email Content
Share exclusive content- Sharing the same information seems boring. So, why not shareexclusive content and handpick people who can see the secret message you want to convey. For instance, you can share discount email coupons for loyal consumers.
2. Boosts sales- By noting down the preferences of the subscribers, you can create a more personalized email that can convert immediately, leading to high sales.
3. Improved CTR- Consumers are looking into content that they find relevant. Things that are related to their interests and past buying history will more likely get clicked. For example, offering a product that consumers use daily with a discounted price tag will accumulate more clicks than others.
4. Saves time- Instead of creating different groups for the different consumer base, you can include all the information in one. And control which message is for which group. This saves up time and makes the process more efficient.
Statistics around Dynamic email Content
The conversion rate for businesses using email automation has risen to 50%.
Personalized emails increase the click-through rate by 14% and conversion rate by 10%
The average Return On Investment for email marketing has reached 3800%.
Conclusion
Every subscriber has different preferences, interests, and buying habits; one kind cannot satisfy all. Businesses can use handy targeting options like personalization, group, and email segregation. These tools enable businesses to send a specific email to a targeted audience.
---
## Effective Ways to Foster Customer Brand Loyalty among your Customers
Type: eps_post
URL: /effective-ways-to-foster-customer-brand-loyalty-among-your-customers
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Effective Ways to Foster Customer Brand Loyalty among your Customers
How to Build Brand Loyalty that Lasts
Getting the right level of brand loyalty from the customers’ end is one of the primary necessities of running modern businesses. When a random person becomes a customer of a company for the first time, he/she can be considered as a lead.
With the successful sales process and satisfactory service from the company’s end, this person becomes a satisfied customer. If the same customer develops a mental bonding with the company, he/she is considered a brand loyal customer.
Any business enterprise needs to execute brand loyalty programs to ensure the majority of pre-existing customers turn loyal.
Here, we present you with some best tactics to build long-lasting customer loyalty. As a business owner, you can consider following them as a part of your marketing strategy.
Building Trust is Primary
No matter if you manage your business traditionally or digitally, winning customers’ trust is vital. No doubt, it is tricky and a time-consuming process. Consider your business to be a brand itself and try developing a friendly relationship with your customers. This can lead them to develop a sense of brand loyalty.
Instruct your employees to handle every lead with optimum hospitality and always remain compassionate to them. In case you run the business through a website, try maintaining the best level of upkeep and address every viewer with immediate effect.
Also, to set up outstanding communication with all the leads and pre-existing customers, you can create an opinion platform (a testimonial page). Expect most leads to becoming loyal if they can present their opinion regarding the services of a company.
2. Respect is the key
Customer brand loyalty largely depends on the company’s respectable approach to the customer. Even if any business mishaps occur, you should never treat a lead with disrespect. This can boost the chances for a customer to develop loyalty and the company’s market credibility.
On the other hand, a disrespectful attitude can result in a sharply diminished customer base, and no new customers might develop loyalty.
3. Provide extra conveniences to loyal customers
Consumer brand loyalty can improve in the best way for a business if it lets a consumer consume more. As a business owner, you need to be precisely careful about all brand loyal customers like that for your employees.
There are various ways in which you can provide extra conveniences to loyal customers. Here are some strategies:
Allow all loyal customers to publish digital content on the company’s behalf
Organize give away programs or provide services with discounts
Provide them with early access to the products in case of a sales
Address them directly on the testimonial page or the web community related to your business
4. Provide services consistently
Consistency is something with which a business should never compromise. Lack of consistency in a business can lead to the breakdown of the customer base. Moreover, the leads might not ever turn into brand-loyal customers.
There are some ways how you can ensure brand consistency. Here is a brief note:
Providing quality service: Your business should always deliver the best quality commodity or service to the customers. In case the quality degrades, a quick recovery is expected. Unsatisfactory service for a prolonged period can take a toll on the brand consistency level.
Maintaining the website: The website acts as a business platform in totality. The quality and response of the website are directly proportional to the visual consistency of the business. You should always check for the presence of bugs or broken links on your business website. In case they are present, you should delete them with immediate effect.
Change your visual branding elements often: In the case of a modern business that is website-centric, you can change the logo (precisely update it) in regular intervals. However, you should avoid making any update of the logo or a trademark if your customer base is still under development.
5. Be transparent about pricing
Brand loyalty among the customers develops easily if they find price transparency in a brand. As a business owner, you should maintain a single rate chart with no hidden charges.
At times, keeping a fixed rate can be tough as very few customers get attracted to a commodity or service in such a case. You need to manipulate the customers and show them the level of value for the money you are providing on your stuff.
You can also boost pricing transparency by showing the exact amount that is cut when a discount is placed on a commodity.
A good way to maintain transparency in price is by mentioning the total price of a commodity, including all payable taxes. When a customer sees a single rate chart for a product or service, he might develop a thought for the business to be credible.
6. Carry out Social media marketing properly
Social media marketing is one of the vital executions for a modern-day business. Generally, the random leads consider setting a deal with a business after checking out the position of the business profile on the social network platforms.
In an instance where a lead turns into a brand loyal customer, you can make him/her the admin of some profile and let the person attract more leads on the company’s behalf.
Final Words
If you own a business, it might be very tough for you to indulge in the marketing processes that directly relate to brand loyalty customer loyalty development.
However, the points gave here now, you can instruct your marketing team to work according to these terms. Moreover, you can make certain business decisions to ensure the proper sustainability of your company.
---
## Takeaway Tips to Convert your E-mail Subscribers to Regular Customers
Type: eps_post
URL: /takeaway-tips-to-convert-your-e-mail-subscribers-to-regular-customers
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Takeaway Tips to Convert your E-mail Subscribers to Regular Customers
How to Turn Email Subscriber into Customers
Email subscription is a great way for you to figure out a list of interested people in your product. The people that sign up on your email are potential customers that can be turned into actual paying customers with some work from your end.
People on your email list are interested in your product, but not enough to have bought it already. This is where your goal becomes to convince these leads into becoming customers.
The problem in email marketing comes from uncertainty. There is no guarantee that when a customer subscribes to your list, they will open your email and go to your website. So, if you are wondering how to engage email subscribers, there are proper steps that you need to follow to ensure the leads are converted into customers.
No matter how cumbersome, email marketing is one of the most prospective ways to bring in new customers to your business. So, make sure to keep your patience strong when you are engaging in email marketing. You might see the results late, but when you see them, they will be in plenty.
Tips on Converting Email Subscribers into Customers
Entice Your Prospective Buyers
The first step is to give your prospective customers something valuable to lure them into buying your products. Buyers these days do not easily buy anything by having just a single look at the product.
You need to convince your customers about your products' benefits, which can be done by giving them a short overview or a sample of your product.
So, what you can do is to offer your buyers a freebie at first. This will give them a chance to test your product and have a better understanding before purchasing it. It will help them know your brand better and create a positive association with your products.
Once you have successfully convinced the customers, they will get hooked on to your newsletters, incentivizing your customers to check your emails when they get a new one.
Here, your subscribers will not only stay hooked on, but they will also spread word of mouth. This will help you get more and more subscribers to get added to your list, and you might successfully be able to convert your email subscribers into potential buyers.
Overcome The Marketing Funnel
The concept of marketing funnels suggests that your customers start at the top of the funnel and are slowly poured down into the bottom, where they turn into customers. In this age of digitization, the concept of a marketing funnel can be considered a little outdated.
Your list of prospective buyers should start at the bottom of the funnel. Your purpose should be to turn these prospective buyers into buying your product finally and reach the top of the funnel.
To turn prospective customers into actual buyers, you need to put all your work and effort into the email and content marketing team. You need to constantly update and qualify your brand for getting the attention of your customers once your newsletter reaches them.
It is necessary to build a strong relationship with your email subscribers, and you can only do so by putting effort into the content and email marketing.
The key to overcoming the marketing funnel is to be consistent with the quality and upgrading of the nature of your newsletters.
Also, first impressions are the most important so make sure to make a significant impact with your first email itself so that customers keep coming back and ultimately buy your product.
Make sure your website is perfect
The purpose of email marketing is to send your customers to your website for completing their purchases. If your website is not correctly optimized, it might ruin all the hard work that you have done on the email and content marketing side.
A well-optimized website will have features that can help the customers clear their own queries and get straight to purchasing your product.
A well-optimized website will also feature options like a FAQ section to help guide your customers about the product or any other query that they might have.
Having a customer support system on your website is also very helpful. There are various online services that track the user’s behaviour on your website and display them with appropriate messages to improve sales.
All these features, when put together with the hard work in the email and content marketing campaigns, can result in smooth and plentiful sales that will help your business grow bigger and better.
Begin slow and then pick up the speed
It is not a wise move to label the first product you are pitching to your client at a very high price. That turns the customer off immediately, and in due time they forget your brand and lose any interest that they might have had in your products.
The intelligent thing to do is to start small with products that do not cost a lot and then work your way up to the premium products that cost premium prices. This way, you ensure you are not losing the customer’s interest in the first go.
Personalise their journey
Now, isn’t it obvious? Won’t you like to add up that last piece of the puzzle in your road to conversion? Personalization is just that! When you learn to treat your customers with a one-on-on approach, you just increase the chances of a successful conversion by 26%.
Now, personalization has nothing to do with you sending over presents to your subscribers. You can begin with a step, as simple as putting their names on the mail. Or, you could also try to send them tailored offers, as per their tastes and preferences.
Segment your list
So, you have a user base of thousands of subscribers? But the question is, how many of your subscribers are really active? Or, are all your subscribers of similar gender, age, or, share common tastes?
This is where you need to segment your subscriber's list efficiently. Break it down into smaller categories and then personalize your emails accordingly.
Conclusion
Turning prospective customers into customers is not rocket science. Having good patience, being polite, and following up can help the conversions to come in no time. The key is to build a relationship between the brand and the customers, and that helps in creating the conducive environment required for sales.
---
## Develop an Unending Business Process: Turn Satisfied Customers to Loyal One’s
Type: eps_post
URL: /develop-an-unending-business-process-turn-your-satisfied-customers-to-loyal-ones
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Develop an Unending Business Process: Turn Satisfied Customers to Loyal One’s
How To Turn Satisfied Customers Into Loyal Customers?
The key to success for any business organization is a proper customer relationship. Customers are the essence of any business; your customer strength determines your brand value and sales. In such a scenario, all business entities try to turn the satisfied ones into loyal ones.
However, it does not happen instantly! The loyalty between a brand and its customers results from years of hard work as a brand.
If you are a businessperson thinking about how to get loyal customers, there are specific facts to keep in mind and a few things to execute.
Before going to the details, you would like to make you go through vital statistical data published by PwC that states nearly 32% of customers discontinue business proceedings with a company due to unsatisfactory service.
Now, you can go through the details about how you can boost the number of loyal customers for the company.
Ways to Boost Customer Retention for a company
Proper treatment of the employees
If you aim to increase the number of loyal returning customers in your organization, proper employee treatment is a must. As the authority, your behaviour towards the employees can directly impact their relations with the customer.
Consider empathy as the key, and always be compassionate towards the people who are the building blocks for your entity. Happy employees can attract prospects successfully and manipulate them in the right way as the sales occur quickly and top-class service is ensured from the company’s side.
Business entities treating employees in an ill manner might often fail to develop a loyal customer base as the service quality degrades drastically.
Adopt the right mindset
How to keep customers happy and loyal? Well, the simple answer to this question is, developing the right mindset. Make some ground rules that everyone in your business entity would behave in an empathic way with one another.
The mindset of loyalty improves transparency and genuinity in the company, and every employee and customer develops an emotional bonding. Beyond business deals and services, this bond turns a satisfied customer loyal to the company.
Employee empowerment
Employee empowerment is one of the indirect customer loyalty programs you can build in your business entity. Empowered employees always develop a bond with the company and consider it more than a workplace.
Real empowerment helps the employees apply their ideas to deal with the customers and ensure successful sales with outstanding after-sales services. However, you should remember to provide all your employees with proper marketing and sales training.
Being a business owner, you should check that the management is aware of the percentage of every employee. Moreover, the way they deal with the customers on phone calls, non-voice chats.
Regular meetings with the employees are a must as you can present your views in front of them while the entire management board is present. You can also organize customer meetups periodically. Try inviting every loyal customer and listen to their views regarding the sales and services of your company.
Execute the customer loyalty programs
Customer loyalty programs are among the best ways to manipulate satisfied customers and turn them into loyal customers. There are different types of customer loyalty program ideas that you can implement to boost customer loyalty. Here are the details:
Stage 1: Set up a campaign for bonus points
Providing the customers with bonus points can not only satisfy them but turn them into loyal customers. The bonus points can help the customers enjoy discounts on repeat purchases. No matter the type of commodity or service you deal with, you can allow your customers to get bonus points.
There are a couple of techniques that you can follow while executing the bonus point campaign. They are as follows:
Putting bonus points on specific goods: You can put bonus points on some specific goods in this case. If you are into a commodity-based business, it can be a bold way to clear your inventories as most customers would be attracted to such commodities.
Putting bonus points on multiple purchases: This can be done in the case of both commodity-based and service-based businesses. Ensure all customers get several bonus points for every purchase. Allow them a cashback or discount once they reach a specific amount.
This customer loyalty program is considered effective by many, leading the business to success in much less time.
Stage 2: Bring in referral rewards
If you are sure that your organization has a good base of satisfied customers, you can manipulate them to become referrals and bring in new customers. In turn, you can give them unique reward points that they can redeem for getting cash back or a discount. This can instantly turn satisfied customers into loyal ones.
Stage 3: Periodic giveaways can work
You can give away several gifts to satisfied customers who purchase many things from your company. This is one of the most happening customer loyalty campaigns in the modern market.
If you deal with commodities, it can be easier for you to give away stuff to satisfied customers who often purchase items. You can also give away goodies to selected customers who take your service regularly when in need.
To make your satisfied customers feel better, you can call them up with a request of working for your website. This way, they can create a bond with your company and turn brand loyal.
Final Words
A random customer always approaches a company either by going through the website or getting a reference. It always depends on the hospitality and customer service level that a customer gets satisfied and turns loyal. Once a customer turns loyal, he/she might keep the loyalty intact for a lifetime.
On the other hand, the company should also make sure that the service remains excellent. In many cases, loyal customers discontinue purchasing commodities or services due to degradation of the services.
This is certainly not expected from a company. It can drastically minimize the sales and put a question on sustainability.
---
## How DMO Visit Omaha attracted visitors during the off-season
Type: eps_post
URL: /how-dmo-visit-omaha-attracted-visitors-during-off-season
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T22:17:52Z
# How DMO Visit Omaha attracted visitors during the off-season
Visit Omaha wanted to reach visitors during the city’s offseason and attract them to the area. Epsilon helped to evaluate their traditional audience markets and serve eye-catching creative to boost visitation during winter months, resulting in a strong revenue and community impact from over 14,500 new tourists. Let's see how they did it.
Proving the effectiveness of DMO advertising
Visit Omaha is the official destination marketing organization of Omaha, Nebraska. Situated on the Missouri River, the state’s largest city is home to beloved events such as the NCAA Men’s College World Series and U.S. Olympic Swim Trials.
Demonstrating measurable results to share with community stakeholders is a key to success for destination marketing organizations (DMOs) like Visit Omaha. But it’s not easy because DMOs market to an experience, and often don’t have access to transactional data. Deborah Ward, Vice President of Marketing & Communications for Visit Omaha explains, “One of our biggest challenges is determining how effective our advertising is in bringing people into our destination.”
Visit Omaha also wanted to understand if they were targeting the right people in the right markets, and if there were untapped markets they should consider. And once visitors arrived, to accurately measure their impact on the community’s revenue streams.
{% video_player "embed_player" overrideable=False, type='scriptV4', hide_playlist=True, viral_sharing=False, embed_button=False, autoplay=False, hidden_controls=False, loop=False, muted=False, full_width=False, width='1138', height='640', player_id='50707224998', style='' %}
Visit Omaha selected Epsilon as its digital media partner. We decided on a year-round campaign that started in January, allowing the winter months to serve as a test and learn period. We worked together to determine the best strategy for reaching individuals with the highest probability of choosing Omaha as their next winter getaway. This included assessing and analyzing the best “drive markets” (locations from which Omaha is within reasonable driving distance) like Kansas City, Des Moines and Sioux Falls.
Epsilon visited the team in Omaha in order to better understand the city and its attractions. This resulted in meaningful, eye-catching in-house creative that truly showcased Omaha’s best assets. “We really appreciate that the team came and visited. It was extremely helpful for the creative process and relationship building,” Deb noted.
Top-notch display showcases the vibrant city
When it came time for campaign activation, we modelled high-yielding past visitors and current traveler sentiment, serving them top-notch creative display, mobile rich media, and personalized pre-roll video ads. We then measured the amount of money spent in market by users targeted by the Visit Omaha messaging.
Epsilon’s Net Economic Impact (NEI) Solution was especially helpful for Visit Omaha once those tourists arrived in town. Deb says, “We liked the Net Economic Impact solution because it tracked who saw our ads, and if they visited our city and spent money.” NEI goes beyond analyzing hotel and airline bookings alone, and provides a full understanding of which digital marketing works best in each market, and how much visitors spend across key categories like restaurants, shops, gas stations and more, which they could then report back to city officials.
"We liked the Net Economic Impact solution because it tracked who saw our ads, and if they visited our city and spent money.” —Deborah Ward, Vice President of Marketing & Communications for Visit Omaha
Real results and measurable outcomes
Working with Epsilon, Visit Omaha was able to drive ~14,500 visitors to the area during the “slow” season of January through March. Not only did the campaign attract new visitors, Visit Omaha was able to influence and measure $5.4 million in spend, culminating in a $84:1 total return on ad spend (ROAS). When asked about how these results met her expectation, Deb replied, “We honestly were not expecting much at all. We have a Midwest winter, and it’s not our peak season. The results really surpassed our hopes for that reason.”
Epsilon’s 200M+ consumer profiles and rich reservoir of transaction-based data enabled Visit Omaha to reach the right customers most likely to visit the area. And they can pivot as needed, which has been especially important in the COVID-19 environment. According to Deb, “With Epsilon we can be nimble and very flexible in our messaging.” Because Visit Omaha was able to accurately identify customers across online and offline channels, we could break down tourist spend by category. “The NEI solution was great because we could talk to our city stakeholder folks a bit easier, and give them an ROI. They understand impact more when it is tied to revenue.”
While attracting new visitors to an area during the “slow” season presents its own set of unique challenges, Epsilon and Visit Omaha were able to forge a unique strategy that better identified and tracked customers, while proving real-world revenue impact on their beloved city. And the learnings they gained allowed Visit Omaha to understand return by feeder market, category spend, and visitor spend by zip code, providing them the ability to plan media that will drive specific outcomes in the future.
---
## The future of B2B marketing: 2020 strategies that will stick
Type: eps_post
URL: /the-future-of-b2b-marketing-2020-strategies-that-will-stick-0
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T22:17:52Z
# The future of B2B marketing: 2020 strategies that will stick
The B2B industry saw a bit of a reckoning in 2020. The industry that historically focused on product attributes and lead attribution was forced to reset during a year full of crises. The COVID-19 pandemic accelerated new marketing trends, and traditional means of engaging, selling to, retaining customers became further outdated.
Kara Trivunovic, Managing Director of Messaging at Epsilon, recently spoke on a Litmus panel where she discussed how the marketing industry evolved in 2020, and which changes are here to stay.
Here are some of her key insights about customer experience and digital transformation.
Q: What’s the biggest takeaway for marketers that came out of 2020?
While many brands have long talked about customer-centricity and customer obsession, it really came into focus last year. Organizations realized that they have to actually be customer-centric—and they have to be able to recognize, respond and react to their interpretation of what customers are saying to them.
One of the most important strategies moving forward will be leveraging analytics to interpret behavior and listening to the signals that we're hearing from the consumer across multiple channels.
Q: How can marketers support an increasingly complex customer journey?
It isn't about a single channel anymore. It's about creating the ideal consumer experience across channels—and that might be different for every consumer that you're talking to, at any given moment you’re talking to them.
I love working with our data scientists and machine learning teams because they help us to find and understand the signals about what’s happening in that moment for our consumer, which adds context to the conversation.
For example, we can document the best time to send an e-mail for a certain person, and while historically, as we look their day, it might be true. But you never really know what's going on with somebody on a given day. That's where the ability to understand their signals becomes critical in the decisioning process around the next best message, content and channel.
{% video_player "embed_player" overrideable=False, type='scriptV4', hide_playlist=True, viral_sharing=False, embed_button=False, autoplay=False, hidden_controls=False, loop=False, muted=False, full_width=False, width='1138', height='640', player_id='49989684103', style='' %}
Q: How can marketers continue to create more personalized engagements?
There's a huge opportunity with what we can do with machine learning to select audiences, to understand what channels to communicate in, and to drive personalized conversations.
That all starts with the information you have about individuals, and identity resolution becomes really important. People can have multiple e-mail addresses, for example. They can have multiple people using their browsers at home if they share a computer. You need quality data and you need to be able to align it to an individual in a holistic profile.
But once you have a solid identity solution, you can use all different kinds of data plus machine learning to generate new insights to inform your personalization efforts. For example, an airline leveraged purchase data from big and tall stores to determine who might be most interested in buying extra leg room on a plane.
Even with all of this great data, however, you have to have the content to support your personalized conversations. There’s still a big area of opportunity when it comes to assembling content in real time as decisions are being made and messaging is going out the door.
Q: Is the marketing world as we know it over with the deprecation of third-party cookies?
We've always seen the need to be able to understand and recognize an individual—and first-party data was always the most reliable data to do this. Historically, cookies were just another data point.
The ability to leverage opt in is the purest form of consent and recognition and identity.
An opted in email address is a consistent identifier that offers the ability to recognize somebody online and across other identity fields.
But email is still not a foolproof identifier on its own—we all have different e-mail addresses for different purposes. This is good evidence as to why your identity strategy should never rely too heavily on a single identifier. You must be able to resolve that identity across multiple email addresses.
Q: How can marketers understand their performance with these strategies?
We have doubled down over the past year on partnering with our analytics organizations, so we can prove the juice is worth the squeeze. And enable marketing for our clients built on proof, not promises.
When I started my career in direct mail, incrementality was a really critical area of focus. We didn't want to spend the money on printing that postcard if it wasn't going to drive incremental behavior. But as some areas of digital have become so extremely cost effective, we've lost sight of incrementality.
Partnering with our analytics and machine learning teams has been crucial to prove that our efforts are truly benefiting the customer and benefitting the organization—and to define what is and isn’t generating incremental behavior.
Learn more about Epsilon PeopleCloud Messaging and how your brand can talk to customers in an authentic way—reaching them in the channels they prefer in the moments that matter most.
---
## Your new favorite recipe—4 steps to real-time personalization
Type: eps_post
URL: /your-new-favorite-recipe-4-steps-to-real-time-personalization
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Your new favorite recipe—4 steps to real-time personalization
Have you ever baked something by following a recipe—maybe a layered blondie cheesecake jar from renowned DTC bakery, Blondery, or even Grandma’s chocolate chip cookies? What happens when you don’t have all of the ingredients and their measurements? Or a bowl and mixer to transform those ingredients into the finished goodies?
It gets a lot more complicated—like trying to bake a cake without eggs. You might have to do a lot of improvising, and who knows if the final product will be edible.
Now, think of personalization like a recipe. Just like that cake jar or chocolate chip cookie, your personalization recipe hinges on key ingredients coming together just so. Thankfully, that recipe is actually quite simple:
Firm up your identity strategy.
Layer with the right data assets.
Design your content & custom bake (in milliseconds).
Taste test for continuous improvement.
Let’s take a look at how to work through the personalization recipe so you can get your own programs cooking.
1. Firm up your identity strategy.
Strong customer identity is critical to accurately reach existing customers and prospects in real time, to deliver personalized messaging and drive measurable business outcomes. It connects each individual's online and offline activity to a stable person-level ID. All marketing decisions and measurement tie back to these IDs, for clear, comprehensive views of your customers.
In this case, your identity resolution approach (which has its own more detailed recipe!) is the foundation—the core element you will need before you layer on any other ingredients to that sweet-smelling personalization success. Take away that clear view of your customers (thanks, third-party identifier deprecation!), and you’re back to baking cake without eggs. Or maybe even an oven.
2. Layer with the right data assets.
The culinary field calls this mise en place—bringing everything together and preparing it for use. We call it data alignment and activation planning.
The goal is to use data to understand your customers on a 1:1 level so that you can anticipate their needs—then tailor your messaging and offers to their specific, personal situations. When you let consumer intent guide your conversations, you’re able to build more authentic relationships and increase brand loyalty.
Thankfully, the data you need is everywhere, but it’s messy—really messy—and not always easily captured.
To get beyond basic customer attributes, you need to collect and harness the right data and use it to create highly personalized interactions. These data assets can enrich clients’ first-party data with demographics, behavioral insights or online and offline transactions and can help to predict purchases driven by machine learning and AI.
Here’s a few things to keep in mind as you build your data capture strategy:
Ensure it’s realistic and fits in with your overall marketing goals.
Connect your online and offline data and incorporate the enabling technologies.
Use preference centers to collect pertinent data at enrollment and keep it going over time.
3. Design your content & assemble (in milliseconds).
It’s easy to have a highly personal, real-time conversation with one person at a time. But you’re not talking to one person at a time. Real personalization happens when you create and optimize the consumer experience across all touchpoints—email, web, social media, direct mail, in-stores—for everyone, all the time.
This ingredient is harder to come by. You’ll need to build out the following capabilities to activate personalized marketing in all channels.
Real-time decisioning
Personalization is more than just presenting the best content or offer. You need to provide each customer with the best offer and deliver the message to their preferred device, at the right time, to influence their purchase journey. This is not easy, but with a strategic vision and plan—enabled by technology—it’s certainly achievable.
Creating and managing content
Content is essential to supporting personalized conversations—and you need to be able to assemble it and send it out the door in near real time. Creating unique content at the individual level can be challenging, time-consuming and expensive. You should regularly evaluate your content strategy—and be prepared to invest time and resources to update accordingly.
Channel alignment and optimization
All marketers aspire to remove channel silos in order to integrate teams, programs and messaging in the customer’s best interest. Simultaneously, they are pulled in another direction by attribution requirements, with each channel team hungry to carve out their piece of the revenue pie. To avoid this conflict, many organizations are removing silos and unifying their teams to focus on the customer journey regardless of the channel. This allows for a more centralized, omnichannel approach to marketing strategy.
4. Taste test for continuous improvement.
With all of these personalized conversations happening, it’s important to check in on how your recipe is coming together—and course correct as needed. This means creating an always-on cycle of continuous learning and optimization.
To understand the impact of and evolve your personalization strategy, you need to be able to analyze engagement—do your lifecycle communications resonate with customers? What content inspires customers to act?
You can make it happen by first defining your business objectives and mapping hem to KPIs and metrics. Next, establish robust test designs, monitor performance, analyze and adapt.
Unlike Blondery's delicious blondie cheesecake jars, your personalization recipe won’t come together in an afternoon. We recommend a crawl-walk-run approach, with frequent testing, measurement, and feedback:
Continue to advance your data strategy and insights to make your interactions more relevant.
Optimize your marketing across channels.
Tell people a connected story everywhere they go, anywhere you want to reach them.
Make the most of technological advances to provide personal, cohesive interactions that make people feel recognized.
While it might take some time to perfect your version of personalization, you’ll be thankful you did—it will quickly become the staple of your marketing pantry.
If you're interested in a deeper dive into the importance of personalization in your marketing strategy, check out our new guide: Personalizing the loyalty experience: 6 key ways to build stronger customer connections. And you can always contact us if you'd like to get a taste of how Epsilon can help amp up your marketing personalization.
---
## Five steps to enhance your customer loyalty strategy
Type: eps_post
URL: /five-steps-to-enhance-your-customer-loyalty-strategy
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Five steps to enhance your customer loyalty strategy
Online retailers have experienced unprecedented levels of customer acquisition during the pandemic. ASOS, for example, grew active customers by 3.1 million. This story was repeated across growth retail segments including home and garden, electricals and grocery.
In a nutshell
Customer loyalty is a key battleground as retailers fight to retain their new customers. But market-leading loyalty is more than just discounts; it’s about creating experiences that keep customers engaged, happy and coming back for more.
Take action
Here we outline five ways that retailers can create experiences designed to grow customer loyalty.
Download the Three Pillars of Loyalty report for more
Work hard to be simple: Streamlined customer experiences are a major plus point for modern consumers. Research from the brand agency Siegel+Gale found that 55% of shoppers will pay more for simpler experiences.
Simplicity isn’t easy to achieve, however. It takes serious attention to detail, and a thoroughly modern approach to customer engagement.
Online fashion store Sosander, for example, maps out detailed metrics every quarter. This meticulous approach has helped the company grow active customers by 111% in the last year.
Adopt modern methods: Next-generation subscription services are a perfect way to keep customer relationships simple and loyalty high. Lush, Hotel Chocolat and Majestic Wine have all ramped up their subscription channels in recent months.
Mintel retail research, released in October 2020, shows 39% of UK consumers signed up for a subscription or delivery service in the past 12 months.
Win customers’ hearts and minds: Customer data and personalised experiences lie at the heart of successful customer loyalty. To access customer data, retailers must respectfully use it to deliver benefits, such as exclusive products, enhanced discounts or personalised messaging.
According to a 2020 Retail Week-Epsilon survey more than two-thirds of customers are happy to exchange personal information for a more tailored service or special offers.
Dedicated loyalty schemes are a self-funding first-party data asset. In an increasingly regulated environment these programmes create the consent needed to conduct powerful conversations with shoppers.
Embrace first-party data: In a post-GDPR and post-third-party cookie world, retailers need to stay on top of the regulatory environment and expand their first-party data sets.
First-party data gives retailers an improved customer view and makes performance measurement easier. Loyalty programmes are perfect for collecting this data and creating powerful actionable insights.
Beware the personalisation gap: recent IMRG research suggests retailers are failing to hit the mark when it comes to creating personalised customer experiences. Just 7% of respondents believe retailers do an excellent job in this area, while 29% said they felt retailers didn’t know them at all. When the bar is set this low it’s easy to differentiate your brand.
{{cta('cde1d7ff-5e8a-4ed2-99aa-2f3c7af90121','justifycenter')}}
The bottom line
Post-pandemic, online retail brands will need to pivot from customer acquisition to retention to capitalise on the increase in online shopping and drive customer lifetime value. Enhanced customer loyalty is a highly effective way to achieve this.
---
## A marketer's guide to Apple's latest plans to reshape the open web
Type: eps_post
URL: /apple-latest-plans-to-reshape-the-open-web
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T22:17:52Z
# A marketer's guide to Apple's latest plans to reshape the open web
Table of contents:
Introduction
Apple's 3 new features: what do they do?
What the changes mean for marketers
8 ways marketers can prepare—right now
Introduction
Apple is once again making headlines for its latest announcement.
On June 7 at the annual Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC), Apple previewed a slew of new updates that include changes to its Intelligent Tracking Protocol (ITP) and Mail Privacy Protections, which are expected to rollout in September 2021.
The biggest change is happening in the company’s Mail app, which will soon allow users to hide their IP addresses, location and whether they have read an email or not: a move bound to impact email marketers and publishers in likely significant ways.
This is just another move in the tech giant’s increasing interest in consumer privacy. As Apple has declared their stance that privacy is a fundamental human right, they have made a number of bold actions which have created significant complications for the advertising ecosystem.
While past changes have been primarily focused on tracking web and physical location of users, Apple’s shift to focus on email, particularly metrics driven by pixel-driven opens is a significant expansion of the type of activity that Apple seeks to hide. Email marketers have relied heavily on this metric to track user interest, adhere to best practices—and ESPs have used this as a metric to help monitor and enforce network-level compliance standards.
These subsequent restrictions follow in the footsteps of other seismic shifts happening across the digital marketing ecosystem, including at Apple. They have already made changes limiting first-party data collection by outside parties, including a recent move that requires users to opt into Apple's data tracking using their App Tracking Transparency framework. Google announced it will no longer use third-party cookies in Chrome beginning in 2023, and additionally will not be using user-level identifiers in their place.
These changes are the new normal for marketers trying to reach customers in an increasingly walled-off digital ecosystem. Bottom line: companies like Apple will continue to lock down consumer information at the expense of marketers.
While marketers might feel as if they’re swimming upstream against an ever-changing current, there are future-proof solutions you can embrace. At Epsilon, we’ve spent the last 10 years focusing on creating future-proof solutions for clients—so when they see this headline in the future, they don’t need to panic. We’ve been preparing, and want to help you prepare, too.
What new features did Apple just preview?
The new features build on the April 2021 rollout of Apple’s App Tracking Transparency (ATT) with a focus now shifting from the apps and IDFA to email and IP addresses. Adjustments mainly focus on user-level functionality and privacy, but raise questions on what lasting impact marketers will have to endure.
Mail Privacy Protection
Arguably, the biggest change is going to come to Apple’s Mail app. According to the company, Mail Privacy Protection helps users prevent senders from gathering a variety of information, including when an email is opened and what IP address they’re using to read the email.
While there have been concerns over email tracking, it's the backbone for many marketers to understand their audiences. According to a report from Litmus, Apple iPhone Mail app opens make up 47.1% of of total email opens across all email clients.
So what do these changes actually mean?
How Does Mail Privacy Work?
The first time a user loads or opens Apple Mail on any device after the Mail Privacy Protection is rolled out, they will be prompted to select either “Protect Mail Activity” or “Don’t Protect Mail Activity.”
The feature is not set to default, and users must opt-in.
If a user selects “Protect Mail Activity,” Apple anonymizes the user’s IP address and automatically fetches email tracking pixels, which hides the user’s location and device type from the email sender (typically the marketer).
Apple will trigger opens from the Mail App of users who have selected protection. There are concerns that this will drive up the number of opens significantly and completely mask which of these opens were triggered by a user rather than an Apple automation.
This is applicable to any email account provider which is connected to Apple’s Mail App (Gmail, Yahoo, Comcast, etc.), not just iCloud accounts.
As noted above, there have been real concerns that Mail Privacy Protection will make it impossible to derive true open rates. In fact, it’s totally possible, and Epsilon can show you how.
Epsilon is in alignment with other providers and thought leaders in the industry that open rates can be extrapolated across the entire population to DERIVE a true open rate. Read Epsilon PCM’s ‘How To Derive Your Adjusted Open Rate’ instruction guide for explanation, with the math behind it and the instructions to calculate this from PCM on a campaign-by-campaign basis.
Hide My Email
Apple is also allowing users to hide their email address through its Apple iCloud+ paid subscription. Users can now create and delete an unlimited number of unique email aliases that forward to their real email account.
Apple will provide users the option to hide their true email address from any sites or apps where they are creating a new account or signing up with an email address. The service is designed to limit companies' ability to collect personal data via email and may help mitigate the rates at which users receive junk mail.
Hiding IP via Intelligent Tracking Protocol (ITP) & Private Relay
Apple is also enabling users to hide their IP addresses while using Safari, which will disrupt some methods of tracking user activity. This means advertisers and marketers may experience greater challenges in tracking online activity, browsing habits, or location. Users will also be able to see who is tracking them through a new Safari Privacy Report.
In addition to hiding IP addresses, Private Relay, a VPN-like service also exclusive to paid iCloud+ subscribers will also mask the sites a user visits. This feature has the potential to be a wrench in the gears for marketer’s online first-party data collection and identity resolution capabilities.
How much of my email list will be affected by Apple Mail Privacy Protection?
In 2021, an average of 52% of emails were opened using the Apple email client. And the iOS 14.5 update saw a whopping 96% of users opting in for additional privacy protection overall.
The adoption rate is fairly unpredictable. On one hand, Apple is forcing its Mail users to make a choice; on the other hand, the choice isn’t particularly clear.
Let’s look at the promise in the premise:
Hiding your IP address
Loading remote content privately in the background
Even when you don’t open the message
Harder to follow your activity
For non-savvy users, most of this doesn’t mean anything. The part they will cling to is making user activity harder to follow.
For mid-savvy users, automatically loading something you haven’t even opened might be a red flag despite the promise of obfuscation. But Apple has used some subtle tricks to get users to opt-in.
There are only two options, and the first one is opt-in. This priority can make it seem the obvious choice. Also, the opt-out wording of “Don’t protect Mail activity” might be a turn-off.
It’s like when you’re navigating a website that pops up an opportunity to subscribe to the newsletter, and in order to decline, you have to respond “No, I’m not a good person” or something catty like that. Playing on users fears – especially about something they don’t understand – can lead to higher opt-in rates simply because it feels safer.
If this is true, it’s best to assume that 100% of your Apple Mail users will select Mail Privacy Protection upon completing the update.
So at the point that all Apple Mail users have updated, approximately half of your list will be affected. However, at the close of 2021, only 60% had updated. In October, only 30% had updated.
This means that the effects of Apple Mail Privacy Protection have been gradual, so we are able to observe the effects in a slow roll.
What do these changes mean for email marketers?
On the surface, it’s easy to see why these changes are concerning for marketers. These shifts threaten to upend email programs reliant on IP addresses or other non-consent based identifiers.
It’s easy to say “you’re going to need better indicators” when someone expresses concerns around success metrics, and for a lot of measurements, that’s always been true. But there are other aspects of email marketing that are affected by opens.
Subject line testing will be affected, so it’s important to learn as much as you can as soon as you can, or you will have to wait until your platform has solved for “unknown opens” related to Mail Privacy Protection.
Similarly, send time optimization and real-time personalization can be affected by questionable open data. It’s important to update algorithms and rules to account for unknown opens, and, as always, have fall-back experiences where possible. Now more than ever, growing first- and zero-party data is going to be the key to delivering the best customer experiences.
There will be a big shift in how brands think about open rates
So let’s get “better metrics” out of the way first: through the Mail Privacy Protection feature, Apple plans to always render an email send as opened, regardless of whether the user actually viewed the content.
This will result in inflated (or deflated) open rates for mail hosted by the Apple Mail app. Some ESPs, including Epsilon, are making the decision not to count automated opens as they are NOT representative of true user interactions and ingesting insincere data is problematic on its face. The percentage of emails opened in the Apple Mail app will vary, but Epsilon found iPhone opens typically account for up to 40% of all opens within a campaign. Epsilon plans to manage these opens within the platform, as marketers will have access to this data now. In the future there will be feature and client level configurations to ascertain these Apple opens with percent confidence.
However, clicks – which can be measured even for users who opt-in into Apple Mail Privacy Protection, will remain a strong metric for performance evaluation.
The bottom line: Marketers should no longer rely heavily on open rates and send times as a gut-check for whether their campaigns are working or not—they have to dig deeper into holistic audience and campaign measurement by looking at metrics such as clicks, conversions, site activity, and revenue.
Identifying users and appropriate content by IP will be a challenge
Once Apple’s new features are rolled out, MarTech that relies heavily on IP addresses or other non-consent based identifiers can only expect to see their problems worsen. This particularly affects email marketers, as many ESPs rely on IP addresses to deliver live content based on time-of-open, geolocation, and devices.
Apple’s latest moves also highlight the over-reliance on email for identification—which is prone to consumer profile duplication (hint: the average person having more than four distinct email addresses), leading to less accurate targeting, measurement and a poor customer experience.
The bottom line: These changes will impact those who rely heavily on IP addresses for identification. For marketers that do, they will need to adopt new means by which to track user behavior and serve targeted ads and emails—one that relies on first-party data and is privacy complaint.
What can marketers do to absorb the shock of these changes?
Here are 8 concrete tips email marketers can take to be prepared for the iOS 15 rollout in September:
1. Estimate the potential impact of Mail Privacy Protection
A good place to start is to identify all addresses which are likely opening from Apple's native app in IOS 15. The best way to uncover the potentially impacted audience would be to determine all addresses which have recently opened an email with an iPhone.
It’s important to note that your device reporting could includes opens from other mail apps which use the Apple WebKit, like the ‘Outlook’ app. The vast majority of recent iPhone openers will be native app users. Thankfully, the two largest third-party apps—Gmail and Yahoo—initiate their opens in a manner which will not be associated with an iPhone device.
2. Identify reliable opens using non-Apple mail clients
Device reporting can help you understand which audiences are opening on non-Apple email clients. This audience should become your beacon of truth in terms of reliable opens you can measure and calculate accurate open rates against.
Pro tip: This advice isn’t just limited to opens. This audience can also be used for A/B testing, helping to provide accurate and reliable engagement.
3. Establish benchmarks beyond open rates
While opens have consistently been a “staple” for email marketers, the meaning of an email open has continued to shift over the years—and with Apple’s new rollout, it’s even more important that brands consider multiple metrics to gain a holistic view of user engagement.
Metrics like clicks and unsubscribe rates won't be affected by this update. However, if you have been relying on opens as your primary email success metrics, start to think about some other ways to measure success. The savviest email marketers are tying their email performance to tangible business outcomes, like increased web traffic, average purchase value, and in-store revenue. Think about the goals of your campaigns, and make sure you have a strategy to measure what matters.
Pro tip: Come up with 2 to 3 metrics to evaluate your performance outside of open rates, and consider what data you would need to calculate those metrics.
4. Rethink your fallback content
More users than ever will have their IP addresses hidden, which means dynamic content (that is dependent on things like location, weather, etc.) could be less accurate, or may not be available at all. Of course, marketers have always had fallback content available for these situations. But make sure you're providing fallback content that is engaging even without the agile elements. Now is a time to revisit your creative strategy and make sure it's grabbing your audience's attention in the inbox and delivering results.
Pro tip: Great creative strategy is rooted in personalization. If you’re not using AI and machine learning to personalize your emails with offers and content tailored to each audience members’ preferences, now is the time to start.
5. Clean up your email list
This is a great time to clean up your email file and remove any inactive subscribers from your file while you can still rely on opens as one metric of engagement. Removing inactive subscribers will help you improve your overall program and ensure that you are mailing to active audiences after opens are unclear.
Additionally, you can consider re-engagement or re-permission pass emails to those dormant audiences to drive to your preference center to ensure your audience does want to stay in touch, but maybe less frequently than you have been mailing.
6. Enhance and highlight your preference center
Brands with active, highly engaged subscribers will most likely see less impact from Hide My Email. Having a great preference center puts your audience in the driver's seat and allows them to decide what content and how often they want to hear from you. Gathering these preferences will help you enhance your customer profile and leverage this data to further personalize communications, cadence and offers.
Pro tip: The most sophisticated email programs have invested in building authentic customer relationships. Not sure how to get here? Start with your profile density. Look at the average number of attributes you’ve collected for each email subscriber, as well as the type of information you’re gathering. Your preference center can be a great way to bulk up your profile density with data that will help you deepen your subscriber relationships.
7. Review your coupon and promotion strategy
Hide My Email has many marketers concerned about coupon harvesting. If users can create multiple email addresses, will they take advantage of special offers and promotions multiple times? This concept has been around for years, with dedicated services generating single-use emails for consumers.
While the risk of coupon harvesting is always there, many companies continue to successfully offer coupons and promotions via email without suffering significant detrimental effects of coupon harvesters. If you're worried about specific campaigns with high value offers, talk to your ESP about strategies to mitigate coupon harvesting.
8. Focus on first-party connections—not a patchwork solution
Companies that are continually putting patches on their technologies to weather these changes are going to fail. As access to data diminishes, we’re past the point of being able to solve problems reactively as they arise.
In this case, the easiest way to combat IP restrictions is to focus on a solution that doesn’t rely on IP addresses to reach your customers. A strong identity resolution solution built on a foundation of concrete first-party data and resilient identifiers such as name and postal address —not IP addresses or cookies—will be a future requirement for marketers.
But making this shift is not all bad news. As digital trends ebb and flow, first-party and zero-party data is a constant that can weather storms large or small.
It’s business as usual for Epsilon
More features like Mail Privacy Protection and Hide My Email are expected to roll out across the industry—and not just necessarily from the Apple’s and Google’s of the world. This signifies a broader need across the industry to move away from patchwork solutions to creating something more malleable. The privacy landscape is constantly evolving, and marketers need to be looking ahead to prepare for disruptions. Partner with an ESP that is at the forefront of consumer privacy, and future-proof your email strategy.
At Epsilon, we are confident that we can ride this next wave of data deprecation and help marketers and publishers do the same. For more than 50 years, we’ve been supporting first-party data-driven marketing strategies. Those in the ad-tech space who don’t already have future-proofed solutions are a day late and a dollar short.
As we built our digital solutions, we prioritized privacy, security and strong partnerships that helped us anchor our identity to a durable name and address foundation. This has created solutions that enable brands to have long-lasting connections with consumers in a trusted, consent-based relationship.
---
## 3 questions to ask to improve your automotive customer experience
Type: eps_post
URL: /3-questions-to-ask-to-improve-your-automotive-customer-experience
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T22:17:52Z
# 3 questions to ask to improve your automotive customer experience
Over the last year, the auto industry has had to practically overhaul strategy and accelerate retail innovation to meet fast-paced changes in consumer expectations. How OEMs and dealers craft and model the customer experience is transforming—from the moment when a customer starts looking for a new vehicle, shopping, test-driving, sale and every digital and in-person interaction in between.
Pickup, delivery and curbside service are all aspects we’ve become accustomed to these days for groceries or take-out, but now, these are the same things customers are wanting when purchasing their next vehicle too.
Epsilon’s business is centered on understanding consumers and these preferences through data. Behaviors and buying habits have changed a lot over the last 18 months, but to be completely fair, we’ve seen disruption in nearly every aspect of the automotive industry in the past few years:
How people buy cars (there are 900+ digital interactions for every car purchased)
Expectations of the dealership experience
The sweeping transition to electric vehicles (EVs)—impacting not only what car someone chooses to purchase but also how that impacts our infrastructure
An increasingly digital consumer; 72% of research around car purchases are done on a mobile device (Source: Google).
Thankfully, there is a tremendous amount of consumer data available today that can inform innovation and customer experience strategy. However, understanding these changes through data is only half the battle; making that data actionable in order to drive growth, revenue and loyalty is the other half.
{% video_player "embed_player" overrideable=False, type='scriptV4', hide_playlist=True, viral_sharing=False, embed_button=False, autoplay=False, hidden_controls=False, loop=False, muted=False, full_width=False, width='1138', height='640', player_id='51188030226', style='' %}
Consider these recommendations when thinking about how to best improve customer experience across automotive marketing:
Keep up with the shifting pace of digital marketing
U.S. adults spent 13:38 hours per day online with media in 2020. Nearly 8 hours of that was spent with digital media. 63% of folks discover their dealership online as car shopping research heavily. And, by 2022, digital media will account for 60% of total US media time.
That’s a lot of time with digital media, especially knowing that 95% of vehicle buyers use online channels as a primary source of information.
If you’re not on the road to true digital transformation—especially with many currently available advertising identifiers going away—then you’re likely going to be at a major disadvantage. You can’t win at the dealership if you’re not first winning online.
Make EVERY consumer interaction personal
We need to treat customers as individuals and help them on whichever journey they want to take, but can you do that without first knowing who they really are?
Think about this: If you knew that a customer walking into your dealership for service has been searching for competing cars online, that would change the entire dialogue. And that’s just one example of how you can optimize the customer experience—and make better business decisions—with the right data.
That information is available, and there are solutions today that can support connected identity. This view of the consumer journey is not only possible; it’s automated and necessary in today’s landscape. Consumers hold all the cards, and they are telling us that they want an informed two-way dialogue—one where their favorite brands actually remember their past conversations and can anticipate what that person may need next.
Ensure personalization is at the center of the customer experience
Loyalty and repeat business are the rewards of knowing your customers well and treating them like royalty. 80% of people in the market for a new car are more likely to buy one when the experience at the dealership is highly personalized—so make the changes to make sure you’re doing just that.
It’s time to take best practices from the showroom floor and apply them to the ENTIRE customer experience. Epsilon can help auto brands – from the OEMS to the dealers – deliver their best customer experience. Learn more about how we work with the automotive sector here.
**Content from this blog is from CX AUTO 2021
---
## Personalizing the loyalty experience: 6 key ways to build stronger customer connections
Type: eps_post
URL: /from-11-to-1you-loyalty-personalization-ebook-0
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T22:16:49Z
# Personalizing the loyalty experience: 6 key ways to build stronger customer connections
Personalization is marketing's holy grail.
Customers expect nothing less than personal, purposeful brand experiences with every interaction. In fact, 80% of people are more likely to do business with a company that offers personalized experiences. Why? It builds trust and shows customers that you value them.
Personalization should be integrated into the entire customer experience—including your loyalty program. Loyalty marketing isn’t just about rewards and offers. It should be about 1:You—the ability to have conversations and deliver powerful, human experiences.
This guide will challenge you to do some housekeeping and reconsider how you think about your current and future loyalty personalization efforts. It covers six key components to put you on the path to personalizing the entire customer experience. It’s time to shift from 1:1 to 1:You.
---
## 3 ways to reinvent the email experience
Type: eps_post
URL: /3-ways-to-reinvent-the-email-experience
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# 3 ways to reinvent the email experience
Sending a flood of promotional emails to drive short-term sales is an outdated strategy. The true power of email lies in using the tool as an outcomes-based channel that drives conversations over time. Here are a few ways to rethink email.
1. The email renaissance is far from over.
The pandemic increased the importance of email as online shopping expanded. Email’s agile nature gives brands the ability to meet customers where they are.
To learn how 2020 was a reckoning for email, read The intimacy of email.
2. Brands should invest in updating email infrastructure.
By doing so, brands also invest in personalization and dynamic creative optimization. This goes beyond personalizing subject lines to creating unique emails for each individual.
To learn how mastering the intimacy of email paid off for Marriott, read our blog.
3. Interactive content is critical to standing out.
Elements that customers tap, swipe or click on can improve click-to-open rates by 300% and double conversions.
To learn all about interactive email, download our guide.
For more content like this, download the full second issue of CORE here.
Image credits: Michael Blann / Digitalvision / Getty Images
---
## The CMO’s new job description
Type: eps_post
URL: /the-cmos-new-job-description
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# The CMO’s new job description
Marketing isn’t what it used to be—and being a CMO requires new skill sets, from forming partnerships across departments to understanding how data can maximize the customer journey. Here’s a look at the CMO’s new roles and responsibilities:
CFO skills required
New marketing leaders are “good at chasing a dollar throughout an organization, because that’s what you need to do as a marketing technology person, follow the flow of the dollar,” says Erica Seidel, founder and executive recruiter at The Connective Good, a marketing executive recruiting firm. “You’re looking for someone who is forensically oriented like that.”
"Today’s CMO … has to be really a general manager who understands the business clearly, who understands how to connect the dots between the actions of marketing and the outcomes for the business very clearly."
—Raja Rajamannar, chief marketing and communications officer and president of the healthcare business, Mastercard
"We need less talk about the change we need, and [more] talk about the change you did for real which had an impact out there."
—Fernando Machado, global CMO, Burger King
Broad expertise is a must
In the past, CMOs have often risen to their role after succeeding as a specialist. But the interdisciplinary familiarity needed to formulate a comprehensive data strategy requires broad-based expertise. “Companies have realized that they need somebody who can be the architect of the whole customer experience,” Seidel says. “Technologists don’t always have that high-altitude view.”
"Yes, CMOs will have a lot more responsibility. Their visibility, their profile, the profile of the marketing organization—all are going to increase. … It’s going to be critical for marketing to collaborate and be explicit about how to make big decisions across boundaries." —Aditya Joshi, customer strategy and marketing partner, Bain & Co.
"Customers want to relate with brands and organizations differently. There is a definite expectation that you should do more than just tick the boxes of what it means to be a responsible corporate citizen; they expect more authenticity and greater accessibility—it is much more personal." —Gerhard Fourie, director of marketing and brand strategy, Aston Martin
A nontraditional background is a plus
The catch, Seidel says, is that such hybrid skill sets are difficult to find. The best candidates often have an atypical, diverse set of professional experiences that has trained them to reach across departmental barriers and see value in initially nonintuitive partnerships. “Sometimes companies don’t recognize the value of those dispersed experiences, but those zigs and zags can actually come together to form quite a potent cocktail,” she says.
For more content like this, download the full second issue of CORE here.
Image credits: Akinbostanci / E+ / Getty Images
---
## From the experts: criteria for choosing the right loyalty partner
Type: eps_post
URL: /from-the-experts-criteria-for-choosing-the-right-loyalty-partner
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T22:17:52Z
# From the experts: criteria for choosing the right loyalty partner
Hear from our experts on the specific criteria and Epsilon's ratings in the 2021 Forrester Wave™ on Loyalty Solutions—and why they matter to your loyalty marketing outcomes.
Loyalty marketing has evolved a lot over the last few years. Many brands have bought into the importance of transforming cut-and-dry offers and programmatic rewards into personalized, engaging experiences that connect with customers on a human level. This shift was driven in part out of necessity—the COVID-19 pandemic exposed an even greater need for brands to build genuine loyalty with customers. But marketers can’t go at it alone.
The Forrester Wave™: Loyalty Solutions, Q2 2021 helps marketers evaluate vendors on relevant criteria to ensure they can find the right partner to fit their needs. Epsilon is excited to be the top ranked company in the Current Offering category with top score possible in 17 of the evaluation’s 28 criteria, including:
Personalization and Emotional Loyalty
Predictive Analytics and Machine Learning
Client Retention
What do these all mean? And how can Epsilon help marketers struggling in these areas? Our loyalty experts dig into the scores below.
Personalization and Emotion Measurement
This score focuses on whether or not a Loyalty solution has the capability to measure emotional loyalty, and can be incorporated into optimization efforts. While measuring the emotional aspect of a loyalty program is tricky, it's key to understanding customers across their journey with your brand. What tools or partnerships are available to help marketers capture emotion feedback? What are the use cases for those tools and partnerships?
Epsilon has developed a solution that looks past clicks, email opens and conversions to get to the bottom of what customers are truly thinking and feeling.
{% video_player "embed_player" overrideable=False, type='scriptV4', hide_playlist=True, viral_sharing=False, embed_button=False, autoplay=False, hidden_controls=False, loop=False, muted=False, full_width=False, width='1138', height='640', player_id='45553867594', style='' %}
"As a loyalty strategist, the one thing I always tell my clients is that loyalty is all about emotional connections. People want to feel connected to your brand…like you’re speaking to them on a one-to-one level. That’s not always easy, but it’s incredibly important. Emotional insights can be leveraged for even deeper personalization–designing experiences to increase share of heart, share of time and share of wallet. And we’ve worked hard to make Epsilon PeopleCloud do just that." -Tamara Oliverio, Senior Director of Strategy at Epsilon.
Predictive Analytics and Machine Learning
This score focuses on the types of predictive modeling and data mining algorithms a particular solution supports: How are its capabilities for model development, management, testing, and tuning incorporated into the UX? Does the solution support importing models via predictive model markup language (PMML) or other specification languages?
A solution with a top score offers recommendations to marketers based on the results of its predictive analysis, and supports real-time data segmentation. Epsilon has built a solution backed by intelligent AI and analytics that can help marketers inform their decision making processes.
{% video_player "embed_player" overrideable=False, type='scriptV4', hide_playlist=True, viral_sharing=False, embed_button=False, autoplay=False, hidden_controls=False, loop=False, muted=False, full_width=False, width='1138', height='640', player_id='45555180457', style='' %}
"I’m proud that Epsilon has been recognized as a Leader in the 2021 Forrester WaveTM on Loyalty Solutions with the highest score possible in the Predictive Analytics and Machine Learning criterion. With nearly 20 years of experience on Epsilon’s technology team, I can tell you one thing: machine learning is no longer science fiction. It’s here. Along with AI, predictive models and advanced, real-time data segmentation. My roadmap focuses on driving the next generation of analytics and machine learning throughout the customer journey, so loyalty marketers who will succeed, are those who are embracing this technology to achieve better personalization and stronger customer connections." -Julie Smith, Vice President of Engineering at Epsilon
Client Retention
This score assesses our loyalty solution through the lens of client retention as determined by retention rates and client interviews. Without our clients, Epsilon would not exist, and we are honored to have received the top score in this category.
{% video_player "embed_player" overrideable=False, type='scriptV4', hide_playlist=True, viral_sharing=False, embed_button=False, autoplay=False, hidden_controls=False, loop=False, muted=False, full_width=False, width='1138', height='640', player_id='52155351363', style='' %}
"I’m delighted that Epsilon was recognized as a Leader in the 2021 Forrester WaveTM on Loyalty Solutions, especially with the highest possible score in the Client Retention criterion. At Epsilon, our vision is to empower our clients to create lasting connections with their customers with strategy and technology. According to Forrester, “One customer reference described Epsilon as “an extension of my team that’s helping me execute.” We believe this recognition is tied to our approach of continuous innovation and helping our clients future-proof their approach to loyalty." -Lisa Henderson, Head of Client Services at Epsilon
Current Offering
It all comes together in the current offering. The current offering score assesses a partner across all 28 categories, giving marketers a comprehensive look into a partner's total offerings. Epsilon is proud to have received the top score possible in 17 of the 28 criteria.
{% video_player "embed_player" overrideable=False, type='scriptV4', hide_playlist=True, viral_sharing=False, embed_button=False, autoplay=False, hidden_controls=False, loop=False, muted=False, full_width=False, width='1138', height='640', player_id='45284701053', style='' %}
"Epsilon’s recognition as a Leader in the 2021 Forrester WaveTM on Loyalty Solutions comes at a pivotal time. Now, more than ever, loyalty marketers need a holistic, data-driven approach to create lasting customer relationships. According to the Forrester report, “[Epsilon’s] key strengths are in member data management, loyalty marketing, measurement, and services, supported by an aligned solution vision and execution roadmap.” Our clients know we are partner to grow with them. They can trust Epsilon PeopleCloud to future-proof their loyalty programs by creating powerful, lasting connections." -Prahbu Kannan, Senior Vice President of Loyalty at Epsilon
If you'd like to learn more about the scoring process and other categories, download the full Forrester Wave™: Loyalty Solutions, Q2 2020
---
## Forrester keynote: Find your path to customer obsession
Type: eps_post
URL: /forrester-keynote-find-your-path-to-customer-obsession
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Forrester keynote: Find your path to customer obsession
Shar VanBoskirk, VP & Principal Analyst at Forrester Research, has long been analyzing and advising brands on how to create meaningful connections with today’s empowered consumers. In her recent research, she found that just 15% of enterprise firms are customer obsessed today, largely because brands don’t really know how to operationalize the concept of customer obsession.
In this session, Shar will cover the framework for being a customer obsessed brand and the questions marketers should be asking themselves when putting it into practice. Great personalization is a competitive advantage. It must be individualized, scalable and centered entirely on delighting your customers at every turn.
Epsilon's Chief Strategic Growth Officer, Wayne Townsend, kicks off the session while Shar tackles topics like:
Can you be customer obsessed if you don’t know who your customers are? What role does identity & 1st party data play?
How can brands use email as a power channel for personalization and customer connections?
Can innovative loyalty campaigns hit the right note with customers and drive business at the same time?
How are brands creating a consistent, individualized experience across digital channels, both paid and owned?
---
## Forrester keynote: Find your path to customer obsession
Type: eps_post
URL: /forrester-keynote-find-your-path-to-customer-obsession-1
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Forrester keynote: Find your path to customer obsession
{{cta('1a00fcbd-68f4-4306-8ccc-ab231c13a9f8')}}
Shar VanBoskirk, VP & Principal Analyst at Forrester Research, has long been analyzing and advising brands on how to create meaningful connections with today’s empowered consumers. In her recent research, she found that just 15% of enterprise firms are customer obsessed today, largely because brands don’t really know how to operationalize the concept of customer obsession.
In this session, Shar will cover the framework for being a customer obsessed brand and the questions marketers should be asking themselves when putting it into practice. Great personalization is a competitive advantage. It must be individualized, scalable and centered entirely on delighting your customers at every turn.
Epsilon's Chief Strategic Growth Officer, Wayne Townsend, kicks off the session while Shar tackles topics like:
Can you be customer obsessed if you don’t know who your customers are? What role does identity & 1st party data play?
How can brands use email as a power channel for personalization and customer connections?
Can innovative loyalty campaigns hit the right note with customers and drive business at the same time?
How are brands creating a consistent, individualized experience across digital channels, both paid and owned?
---
## As demographics become key, AB InBev partners with Epsilon
Type: eps_post
URL: /as-demographics-becomes-key-ab-inbev-partners-with-epsilon
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T22:20:56Z
# As demographics become key, AB InBev partners with Epsilon
For Anheuser-Busch InBev, the role of the consumer has never been more important.
The brewing juggernaut has long played an iconic role in the marketing space, creating memorable ads for its brands Budweiser and Stella Artois, to name a few. But as marketers move to deliver personalized content at scale, many realize having strong creative campaigns just isn’t enough.
And AB InBev is trying to do just that. Earlier this year, the brewer announced its global partnership with Epsilon in a bid to gain deeper understanding of their customers. This move will shift the company’s focus on marketing by platform and place an emphasis on marketing by the consumer's preferences, wants and needs, informed by first- and third-party data sources.
By using Epsilon Digital, the brewer can connect data gathered from consumers to create more meaningful connections that drive better outcomes – all with privacy at the forefront. Sitting at the helm of customer relationships, as opposed to blanket marketing, will drive insights between data and media, ultimately unlocking growth opportunities at a global scale.
Luiz Barros, AB InBev’s global VP of data and media, told Ad Age this new partnership will help push better segmentation, resulting in customized messaging to the right customers at the right time.
“It’s about who we want to talk to and where they are instead of what is the channel and who is available there,” he told the magazine.
This announcement comes amidst a bigger shift in the marketing space as major platforms like Google and Apple deprecate identifiers, forcing marketers to focus more on their first-party data. Part of AB InBev’s strategy is introducing new loyalty programs for customers to drive opted-in first-party data collection.
Data deprecation is a broader issue that has many marketers scrambling for a solution. For years, marketers and advertisers relied on third-party cookies to drive strategy. While this data was beneficial, it’s always been inherently flawed. Third-party cookie data only represents browsing sessions on devices—not the specific person using the device. They’re also domain-specific and can be deleted, meaning they can’t accurately identify people over time.
Despite their flaws, they proved popular. According to a 2020 survey from Epsilon, 80% of marketers said they relied on third-party cookies. Moreover, the same percentage of respondents said they were not confident they would have a viable data solution once third-party cookies went away.
The message is clear: Identity-based, first-party solutions are essential for brands to survive.
Historically, first-party data has been out of reach for CPG brands—especially those in beer, wine and spirits, like AB InBev. Under the U.S. three-tier alcohol distribution system, alcohol brands cannot directly sell to consumers. Barros said at a recent AdExchanger panel these restrictions have pushed companies to operate their media buying the same way they did two decades ago.
To be innovative, AB InBev needed to find better data that allowed them to understand buying patterns on an individual level versus a net approach. Barros used the example of knowing what types of beer a person drinks: Inferred demographics might push certain beers toward certain people, but imagine if data could tell a clearer story. A person who is a frequent Bud Light drinker occasionally buys Michelob Ultra. Should the brand continually send them Bud Light ads, or can they correlate behaviors with their Michelob buying habits and create richer, more meaningful messages?
“How can I find ways to understand my customers more deeply to offer the right brand at the right time?” he said at the panel. “When I can use sizable purchase data to understand shoppers, for example, I can understand how that person bought that brand.”
Innovative data solutions solve for two problems:
Brands can create pathways to obtain data ethically—where it's based on consumer opt-in and consent
And brands can use it to bolster the customer experience overall.
Barros told Ad Age this new partnership will create a stronger foundation between AB InBev’s various brands and the people who drink them.
“It’s going to give a single view and an end-to-end unique audience that we can leverage, measure [and] understand consumers, from insights to creative content,” he said.
With Epsilon as its partner, AB InBev will also create a new “global data center of excellence” which will be headquartered in the US and drive the brewer’s data and audience strategy, which Barros has been tapped to lead.
At Epsilon we remain committed to providing first-party data solutions to our partners. Epsilon PeopleCloud is built on our robust CORE ID, which uses stable customer identity and AI to deliver personalized messaging to customers at the moment they’re ready to purchase.
As the world changes to one driven by technology but inclusive of privacy, brand positioning has never been more essential. For CPG brands like AB InBev, that means developing rich customer relationships in ways they never have before.
“We need to be able to leverage better data to do consumer segmentation,” Barros said in the panel discussion. “We want to make sure we have more valuable data from providers like Epsilon, so we can target the right people with the right message at the right time—and with the right brand—to ensure that we can acquire new consumers and reacquire consumers we already have.”
---
## Idahoan director of retail marketing on continued post-COVID strategies
Type: eps_post
URL: /idahoan-director-of-retail-marketing-on-continued-post-covid-strategies
Last Modified: 2025-05-14T20:27:29Z
# Idahoan director of retail marketing on continued post-COVID strategies
In the latest issue of CORE, we connected with Wes Myer, director of retail marketing for Idahoan Foods, for our article "CPGs after the pandemic: 4 critical marketing opportunities." Here, we share Myer's thoughts on the three marketing strategies he tested during COVID that he'd like to continue.
1. Act on data
A CPG brand has so many data points at its fingertips. Are brands armed with adequate resources to leverage data sets—and not just interpret the data but act on it? Because those are very different things.
2. Adapt on the fly
We essentially built an entire program from scratch in early March to address the spike in demand of our shelf-stable mashed potato products. We hit the ground running, figuring out ways to adjust, adapt and completely change our marketing message to make it relevant for that time and that customer. Based on buying behavior and the data we monitored weekly, we were able to see that we had an influx of new buyers—millions of new households that came in over the course of six months.
3. Reach new audiences
To reach some of our new, younger customers, we ran a TikTok campaign for the first time. The #mashoutchallenge featured a custom dance and song. Some TikTok influencers who have a ton of followers featured our products. We also highlighted recipes. That was all paid media, but it was very eye-opening for us. It drove a ton of impressions across a new audience.
For more content like this, download the full second issue of CORE.
Image credit: Portrait By Braxton Wilhelmsen
---
## Kimberly-Clark doubles down on consumer-centric experiences
Type: eps_post
URL: /kimberly-clark-doubles-down-on-consumer-centric-experiences
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Kimberly-Clark doubles down on consumer-centric experiences
The biggest topic in marketing in the past year has been data deprecation and its impact on knowing your consumers in a digital context. But there have been other forces at play for some time—changing privacy regulations, walled gardens restrictions and consumer-driven privacy control—culminating in one conclusion for nearly every marketer: They need to double-down on first-party data.
Like many brands, Kimberly-Clark recognized it didn’t yet have the tools to cross the data divide ahead. The global CPG company has leveraged first-party data for years, but they needed to build a capability to align first-party data internally, and—most importantly—build the best version of their consumer experience across brands. But this is no small task when you’re talking about a company that’s been in business for nearly 150 years and has brands sold in 175 countries globally.
“There were a number of factors driving this need from consumer behavior changes to an outgrown mar-tech ecosystem and the upcoming third-party cookie deprecation,” says Wendy Rosploch, VP of digital technology at Kimberly-Clark North America. “We realized we had two problems at hand, first we could not create relevant consumer experiences using the data and tech we had, and second, we would not be able to achieve the scale required to meet our brand and business objectives.”
So, the Kimberly-Clark team set out to find a solution that allowed them to connect online and offline interactions, link disparate data sources and—most importantly—double-down on their first-party data strategy as a means to build meaningful consumer engagements across brands.
Starting with a vision
When Rosploch joined Kimberly-Clark in 2018, her work started with reviewing a number of upcoming annual plans across the organization’s mar-tech stack. “In those conversations, we recognized our ability to personalize or target consumers with relevant content would be nearly impossible in future scenarios with our current capabilities,” Rosploch says. “The amount of third-party data we were leveraging for media and what few activations we had planned for first-party data made us realize we needed to change the way we think about the ‘how’ of marketing activations.”
Kimberly-Clark needed a marketing-optimized view of their consumers that was trustworthy and actionable. To help solve this, Epsilon PeopleCloud Customer (an enterprise-ready CDP) helped Kimberly-Clark put greater emphasis on first-party data aggregation, organization and alignment—building a single view of their customers—for marketing activation and use across its brand portfolio.
But what does an enterprise CDP do? Epsilon PeopleCloud Customer consolidates a brand’s data across all systems, channels and external sources, bringing records together and matching them across the platform. With this simplified view, brands can create a trusted customer file, anchored by offline and online consumer identity, that links disparate data sources and federates those profiles throughout a brand’s (or multiple brands’) ecosystem. Epsilon’s Customer solution also leverages our proprietary data assets to cleanse and enrich a brand’s first-party data and store it in the client’s secure platform ensuring the data is secure.
That repository is then actionable to support marketing activities across a huge organization like Kimberly-Clark.
Going ‘all in’ across the organization
Determining which platform was best for Kimberly-Clark was just the first step. Anyone that’s embarked on a large, cross-functional project like this knows it’s a long road ahead. But the team took the time to view it for what it really was: marketing transformation.
“This was a real opportunity for marketing to drive digital disruption for Kimberly-Clark as a business,” says Rajeev Kapur, VP of global commercial transformation at Kimberly-Clark. “We had to invest in this—both with time and education—to develop a ‘product mindset’ and get engagement and buy-in with partners to support that framework.”
A project of this scale requires a cross-functional team, and an “all in” mentality across marketing, agencies and IT, with three pillars as the priority. First, incorporating a privacy-first approach. Second, expanding practical experience with more “hands on keyboards” to learn and use the new capability. And lastly, enabling a new way of working across technology, marketing, agency and solution partners.
“The diversity of thought showed up almost instantly from the questions being asked to the stories and learnings from different projects being shared,” Rosploch says. “That openness is what’s been most exciting to work on this project and has made it really special.”
Scaling growth by focusing on the consumer experience
Kimberly-Clark’s CDP platform now houses our consumer profiles. Epsilon helped complete profiles using Epsilon Data and the Contact Complete process, which helps Kimberly-Clark manage data from several partners both internally and externally, orchestrating dozens of inbound and outbound feeds for Kimberly-Clark. As a result of this process, Kimberly-Clark can deliver on a number of fronts that were previously unattainable or siloed across their organization:
Optimized consumer experience: With privacy and data control baked into their CDP platform, Kimberly-Clark can confidently deliver relevant and personalized communications across channels, creating a unified experience for every consumer.
Cookieless awareness and acquisition: Their team can leverage first-party data and AI to better define targeted audiences for acquisition using a scalable approach that doesn’t rely on third-party cookies for targeting or measurement.
Engage consumers: With personalized journeys across channels with known consumers or lookalike audiences, their teams can measure each person’s lifetime value incremental lift, ROI and engagement.
Next-level shopper marketing: When working with retail partners, Kimberly-Clark can ensure secure, privacy-safe sharing of consumer data while also measuring the effectiveness of retail programs—all while enriching their knowledge of the consumers who actually buy (i.e., continuing to build their own first-party data).
“We now have a clear line of sight into the platform products and an understanding of the right technologies,” Kapur says. “Having a clear focus enabled prioritization and connection across the products that are then right-sized for each market.”
Already seeing success in North America markets with its first-party data alignment, Kimberly-Clark’s next goal is to expand and scale the use of the platform to global markets over time.
“Navigating the importance, and fully respecting the magnitude, of how and where to leverage consumer data is a core principle of our ‘privacy by design’approach,” Kapur says. “We start with building for a lead market and then assess how and where the solution can scale. And we always have tight alignment with our compliance and cyber teams to ensure we’re current on that region’s requirements and regulations.”
Kimberly-Clark is still early in its use of Epsilon’s Customer platform; as the CDP continues to aggregate and build more data over time, it will only get smarter and work better to extend Kimberly-Clark’s relationship and interactions with consumers and minimize the tech costs required to power these experiences.
**This article was originally published on Adweek, July 2021.
---
## Vertical Reality: Travel | How Marriott is focusing on measurable ROI (Ep. 3)
Type: eps_post
URL: /vertical-reality-travel-how-marriott-is-focusing-on-measurable-roi-ep.-3
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Vertical Reality: Travel | How Marriott is focusing on measurable ROI (Ep. 3)
Most travel and hospitality brands have always had the challenge of continually working to be more data-driven; the pandemic didn't change that. What it did change, however, is tighter requirements around marketing efficiencies and more improved ROIs.
In this episode of Vertical Reality: Travel, we hear from Devin Sung vice president of marketing platforms, audience distribution and privacy at Marriott International. Devin has deep experience in strategizing and executing on personalized marketing activities across Marriott’s full portfolio.
Devin joins Epsilon’s Jason Simon and Rob Cosentino to discuss how the pandemic has increased the need for clear, measurable ROI, which requires more data-driven insights across the board. They also cover the decline in business travel and how that’s impacted marketing strategy, as well as how personalization is evolving across on-site experiences.
Transcript:
JASON SIMON: Welcome to another edition of Vertical Reality travel. My name is Jason Simon, I'm a senior leader in Epsilon's travel group. Joining us today for this conversation is Devin Sung. Devin is a VP of marketing platforms, audience distribution, and privacy at Marriott International. And Rob Cosentino, who is a senior VP of strategy and insights for travel also at Epsilon. So Devin, tell us a little bit about yourself and the very lengthy title that you have at Marriott.
DEVIN SUNG: Thanks, Jason. I've been at Marriott for the past seven years or so leading our personalization and have a broader audience-led approach across all of our marketing efforts. Prior to that, I was at Choice Hotels on the loyalty team running our relationship marketing and some of the emerging personalization efforts there. But my background: I spent about 15 years on the financial services side, focused primarily on insurance, grew up really on the data and technology side and system development enterprise data warehousing back in the days when big data was just big—before they ever actually came up with that phrase. And over the years, I moved my way over to the DTC and marketing side—watched and jumped into digital marketing and e-commerce as it evolved. I've had kind of a split background; I grew up on the data and technology side and found my way over the dark side on the marketing. And I've been here ever since.
SIMON: What I love about it, too, is as you've taken on responsibility, rather than reconstructing a title, we just added it on.
SUNG: (Laughs.) Yeah, exactly. It's kind of been the evolution, right?
SIMON: And Rob, why don't you tell everybody a little bit about what you do for us at Epsilon and your role with strategy and insights?
ROB COSENTINO: Yeah, absolutely. So we sort of get the great pleasure to work with clients, just like Devin, actually. All marketing departments or organizations are in some sort of period of rapid change. It seems like every six months there's something else substantial that senior marketing executives have to tackle. Here at Epsilon we get to work with clients and really help them focus on those big-ticket items, whether it be data technology, personalization or identity and help our clients achieve those next big hurdles as they come up.
SIMON: Thanks for helping us out today, Rob. It's great to work with you on this podcast. Based on your background, a good place to start is the travel industry certainly hasn't seen anything happening to it or against it over the last year and a half. Right? (Laughs.) But in all seriousness, obviously very impacted by the pandemic. Probably the single most impacted vertical in the marketplace was travel and hospitality. Devin, I'll go to you first. At the beginning of the summer and starting the concept of re-emergence, where do you see the travel industry going over the next three to six months?
SUNG: Certainly the recovery has even been interesting as much as the pandemic has really ground our industry to an unfortunate halt. I think certain players and subset of the industry have that more catered to, or who had more of a focus on essential work, really captured on the minimal travel that managed to persist throughout the multitude of shutdowns—or just travel blocks globally—have fared better than others.
And those of us who've kind of indexed historically on corporate business travel, resort, international global travel, certainly have had many doors shut for obvious reasons. I think it goes without saying leisure has definitely led the recovery. That pent-up, built-up demand is emerging quicker than business and corporate travel.
And certainly there's a geographic effect because of the way the pandemic has kind of circulated the globe and continues to, unfortunately. The recovery also is following some geographic patterns where we've had to be more nimble at a localized level to say that globally all seas won't rise at the same time—certainly not at the same pace. For any global organization, we've definitely had to appreciate that and really push the boundaries of how we can move in lockstep, but also while allowing certain regions to move faster than others in that process.
SIMON: Yeah. It'll be interesting to see how this plays out. We're excited to see that journey. Rob, from your vantage point, where do you see the industry going over the next three to six months, half a year, maybe a little longer?
COSENTINO: For a lot of our clients, it's been a game of precision, right? It hasn't necessarily been about pushing out big messages on the front-end awareness, brand, hoping conversion on the backend. We've seen everyone get a lot more precise about, okay, who's actually about to travel for what reason and to where at this moment in time? What we're seeing is a lot of our clients have built those building blocks that would last 12 months. I think to Devin's point, you know, travel's not going to open up universally. So the ability to just pinpoint and get to those very precise customers we're boarding on a plane for example, for the next six months, it's going to be a game of precision.
SIMON: Which talks about data, right? Which is always at the base of everything. And Devin, I know you have a tremendous impact in thought around the use of data and organizations and its importance. Where does it fit in, in your mind with the changing landscape and the idea of predicting guest behaviors, things of that nature, because I think we can all agree that certain aspects of travel, at least on some short-term period are going to be very different. So some of those traditional behaviors that were probably easily predicted are going to be a little bit different, you know. So when you think about it, how do you think about it?
SUNG: It's an interesting challenge that's evolved even more quickly than I think the industry could have imagined. So I think most brands have always had the challenge, the ongoing evolution of trying to be more data-driven right? So trying to truly understand what our traveler needs are and match that up and make sure that we present ourselves in the right way at the right time—just that classic personalization relevancy, right place, right time—to capture that demand and make sure we're top of mind and steer that demand to us.
I think what has challenged that certainly with the pandemic and with the current conditions is that base of business that always floated has certainly shrunk. And with that comes tighter requirements around efficiencies, marketing efficiencies and more improved return on investments. Obviously our marketing allowables are tied to our business performance, and so if ever there was a need to demonstrate the measurability and clear impacts on our marketing activities it's now.
That obviously delves into the world of how do you become more surgically targeted? How do you find those pockets of travel that either continued to persist and stay alive throughout the pandemic or who are emerging sooner than other segments? And that is not a broad-based awareness-level play that is truly trying to target a subset of the global traveler base. Those signals even in good travel conditions are typically difficult to identify just because some of them move very quickly in terms of the cycle time of a planning for a business trip.
And some of them persist for a long period of time, which actually ironically makes the targeting a little bit harder. If you spend several months planning for that trip of a lifetime resort stay for a honeymoon or annual family gathering in a remote destination, sometimes those signals can be difficult to identify because the time boundaries are expanded from days to weeks to months.
The data-driven marketer is being challenged on both ends of that, and certainly signals and behaviors are pulling the stock market analogy of past performance doesn't necessarily predict future performance. And I think what's really hard is my travel in the last 12 months is not indicative of what I used to do and vice versa. It certainly would be difficult to model to say what my travel will look like in the next three to six months.
SIMON: Right. Because there's no guarantee that some of those long-term travel patterns are going to replicate anytime soon anyway?
SUNG: Exactly. A lot of that is just the speed to market with which we actually recognize signals in the marketplace. While we have a wealth of CRM data on our historical traveler base, we find ourselves looking at external signals because again, what an elite traveler has done in the past two, three years, doesn't really tell us when they're going to be ready to travel. Because it could be their business, their personal considerations, the markets that they tend to travel to are not yet open. There's just so many factors that are not in our data.
COSENTINO: Devin you said something about, data-driven. I wonder, you know, historically data-driven marketing was something that just sort of happened in a box, right? “Oh, that's the data-driven marketing team.” And given the need, because people's old travel habits do not necessarily apply going forward, because there's such an emphasis on precision marketing over the next three to six months, what's your take on data-driven marketing activities? Should they live in a pristine box? Or should they sort of be decentralized a little, so more parts of the organization, to your point, can leverage them for greater speed of insights and action?
SUNG: That's a good question. I think it's one of those age-old debates that most organizations have. And my perspective on that is it's a cooperation, right? So the particular skill sets that are required to actually act on or enable data-driven marketing are varied and it is highly unlikely you're going to find individuals that possess the full spectrum. It's really working with the data mining skill sets that you typically find in analytics or insights organizations and partnering those with the marketing experts who really understand how to identify consumer behavior, consumer mindset, craft messages and build engaging experiences that will actually drive a traveler down the funnel and to their destination.
I've seen some of the challenges and organizations is that if it's one or the other, or if one comes in after the fact, you run into problems. I really do see a cooperation where even in the absence of data to model on, it does require some test and learn in the marketplace that the marketers typically would handle. And it requires the data organization to try and abstract learnings and findings from that to then quickly get into a more surgical approach. It's really hard to do one without the other.
Organizationally, I think your question is that multi-million dollar question, which is how do you structure it properly? And honestly, I think the cooperation is probably more important than the organizational divides. I know that's easier said than done, but where we've had pockets of success is where you really just have smaller pods of teams working together align on a common goal. And this is typical for any project, in a successful project, but really try and not let the organizational structures or confines dictate how you actually go to market. Because I think the working teams really do know what they need to do. And it's sometimes it's just getting out of the way of that.
SIMON: Which has been a lifelong organizational challenge for sizable organizations anyway. Right?
SUNG: Absolutely.
SIMON: Which is how do all of these things fit together? We see it all the time. Like sometimes from our perspective, Devin, when we're talking to a client or an organization, we can see the silos and then oftentimes they can't for whatever reason.
SUNG: Right.
SIMON: Just things begin to normalize. Do you see that there's a potential for some of the old habits to reemerge pretty quickly?
SUNG: Absolutely. It's a bit of the chicken and egg conversation of, do you identify who you should be speaking to from a marketing perspective, or do you craft messages and programs from the brand's perspective on what you need to get in market? And the answer is I think there's a little bit of both. So I will say like in times like this, where there is a much smaller base of travelers, for example, targets, if you will, to go after, I think targeting is a data-driven effort to understand who is currently traveling today and narrow down our scope because otherwise you're really just throwing unavailable dollars at a marketplace that doesn't exist necessarily until recovery really kicks in.
So I think it's a little bit easier right now, but as we do get through the swings of recovery and as travel picks back up, you'll start to see that blurring of lines where it's a combination of, we're trying to develop segmentation and understand who should we be targeting. And simultaneously we will have programs and brands and loyalty communications that from our perspective need to get out in front of customers. So it's a matter of trying to mash those up as efficiently as possible without slowing either side down.
SIMON: I'd be interested to hear from both of you from your perspectives about how we use time in the travel and hospitality space while we were in the midst of COVID and now what's happening is we're starting to reemerge almost organizationally. What have you guys seen in the world of marketing or operations that have, in one way, we took advantage of time that maybe we normally wouldn't have had, and now that we're kind of getting into some form of ongoing business, what's happening?
COSENTINO: Yeah, I can start. I think the clients that took advantage of the time off so to speak are best positioned. So when the pandemic hit, obviously there was an initial sort of like it's the global pandemic, we've got to get lean, we've got to do a little bit of restructuring. Once we got into sort of mid to late summertime, some of our best clients basically ask themselves, okay what are the initiatives we're going to advance really quickly over the next six months so that when we come out of the pandemic, we can capitalize on not just our regular customers, but the customers of our competing brands.
And so I think what's interesting is we saw a lot of big either digital or slightly digital transformation initiatives that clients had probably been pushing around the desk for a couple of years, and all of a sudden there was renewed interest to get it done and get it done now so that they would be prepared from a marketing standpoint. I think from an organizational standpoint, some of our best clients got really focused on making sure their marketing teams were doing things that mattered or drove an impact.
So there was almost, there was a better look at, are we pointing at the right initiatives? So it was an acceleration of initiatives and making sure the marketer boots-on-the-ground were pointed at the right initiatives that were to prepare them for essentially the period now when everything's opening up.
SIMON: How many times do you get to put your foot on the proverbial break to take a look at things when in a normal course of business, there's always the next room that needs to be booked or the next event that needs to be scheduled? Devin, I think it was a unique time for you guys.
SUNG: Absolutely. I think to Rob's point when things first hit out of necessity and I think most of the industry pivoted very quickly towards messaging around cleanliness and health measures to make sure that those who were still able to travel still felt comfortable doing it. A lot of attention was focused on just getting speed to market, on inserting honestly more operational messaging, and turning that into marketing messages around like Marriott’s commitment to clean measures that we were putting in place globally to ensure that travel where it was possible met our customer needs and concerns.
But once we got a lot of those, those messages in market, we did start delving into where can we find pockets of opportunity? And it wasn't in our general broad-based marketing. It was really looking at where do we have hidden pockets of value? So clearly even our elite travelers tapered off. It was not as easy as just looking at our frequent travelers and past performance. And actually, we worked on an effort with Epsilon and with our media partners to look at share-of-wallet analysis, looking at where there may be hidden value in our existing member and non-member base.
Places where perhaps we were losing share of wallet, or we did not have visibility to somebody who might've been a basic member at Marriot Bonvoy but actually had more travel in their wallet, but we unfortunately were not getting it and they were being sent to potentially a competitor.
SIMON: That's interesting Devin, I don't mean to interrupt, but like from a experiential standpoint, since the majority of people weren't necessarily experiencing the brand, which is part of the value, right?
SUNG: Correct.
SIMON: Of the brand itself, not just your brand, but any brand, the disconnect in that touching and feeling, if you will, probably has created some opportunity to bring some folks over who may not have previously been members of Bonvoy or whatever the particular program might've been.
SUNG: Certainly you see this discussed at many venues around just the future of travel and the impacts of COVID on travel, where I think there is a question of, as we reboot the industry and people start coming back and feeling comfortable traveling where do loyalties lie, right? I've always felt like there may be a resetting of a lot of free agent travelers who will want to potentially experience things that are now open to them. And it really just depends on how travel patterns come back up. So I think there's an opportunity for all players to get smarter about how we target and not necessarily focus on what we have done only in the past.
SIMON: And were you also sort of making the—I don't want to put words in your mouth—but like that somebody who may not necessarily been a high-tier Bonvoy member, but may actually have value at a lower tier or lower frequency as we re-emerged.
SUNG: Absolutely. Yep.
SIMON: Yeah. That's fascinating because loyalty isn't just measured by frequency, right? There's some level of loyalty that's measured just by brand affinity or brand engagement.
SUNG: Yep.
SIMON: I talk a lot about my sister-in-law who flies only on one airline, she doesn't fly nearly as much as I do and is probably more loyal to that airline than I am and is very frustrated that they haven't been able to recognize that loyalty. And that might be shifting a little bit, because she actually may be more valuable to them right now than I am.
COSENTINO: To that point it's interesting because, you know, listen, everyone in loyalty says loyal customers are those that are highly engaged. But I mean, think about it: for years and years of loyal customers were just the ones that were high frequency. And so the pandemic hit, the loyalty programs that did it the best, they finally got serious about, okay, we can only engage with our customers at this time and we can only engage with them in a meaningful way.
It is interesting because I think the loyalty programs that doubled down on engagement and not necessarily just frequency are probably the ones that are going to have an actual, more loyal base coming out of this because they engage with customers the right way.
SIMON: Yeah and there were some other things that happened that I noticed in certain industries and travel. There were packages or benefits or perceived advantages that those brands had over other brands because of the way they priced or the way that they provided, services that got evened out as well. So some of the competitive advantages shifted as well, which will be interesting to see how brands react to that in our space.
SUNG: I think we know that our best foot forward is through our brand experience. Right?
SIMON: Right.
SUNG: And so this is where the conversation starts with our travelers. This is likely a time where as people reengage and travel, their first foray back into the relationship with Marriott will be through our brand experiences and on-property. And so I probably can't emphasize enough how much we're focused on that experience. The first time back you're on property nailing that experience is the best marketing we can do to drive continued loyalty or a new set of loyalty with new segments.
SIMON: Which could mean—right, Devin?—shifting a high frequency business traveler to a leisure traveler and then killing it with that leisure experience for that guest.
SUNG: Absolutely. I think the industry focus on leisure because it is the segment that is emerging sooner than later. That's a great opportunity because again, I think with the multitude of experiences and the dynamics within a leisure stay, there's a lot more room for the brands to play and build differentiation from competitors.
SIMON: Hey Rob, I would call it the Cheez-It experience, right?
COSENTINO: Yeah. It's, it's funny you were going to go there. Infamously, I checked into a Marriott in Dallas and we just had like a three or four course dinner, but I traveled that day. And so when I checked in, I simply said to Jason, who I was traveling with, “I wish I had a bag of Cheez-Its.” And the guy behind the front desk, like he literally raced across the lobby to grab me Cheez-Its from like the sundry bar or whatnot.
And quite honestly it's still to this day the single most incredible front desk experience I had. I mean, talk about super-serving your customer. I think, Devin, to your point about winning at the operational level, I was just in my first hotel for the first time in 15 months in the AC Marriott property in Asheville. And it felt like a welcoming party walking up to the front desk. That AC hotel staff, they were well-trained, because I walked up and they said, “Welcome back! This looks like your first trip—titanium elite. We're so happy to see you.”
COSENTINO: I mean, it felt like a coming home party, and that just resolidified my affinity for the brand and I think to your point, Devin, that operational aspect is where I think a lot of wins and a lot of gains are going to be made with respect to loyalty.
SUNG: And from a marketing perspective, I think we've had this vision and it's really coming to a head right now with this need to nail that first experience—which is really the messaging that we put in front of a customer—isn't relegated just to marketing or top of funnel. The best marketing sometimes comes from that in-person experience on property, and just the messaging channels that we have available, where we've been trying to extend everything that we know about our guests and that we've learned through the acquisition process and funnel. As you shop and book, can we relay some of those data points to help personalize your experience when you do show up on property? And we can enable our associates to deliver a more personalized, satisfying experience that's really trying to connect and break some of the divide, probably the organizational divide that there's a sales and marketing side, and there's an operations, an experience side. Clearly from a data and from a strategy perspective, there's opportunities to link the two sides and just leverage what we already have in terms of knowledge.
SIMON: But the data's there. Right? So once you start like understanding who Rob is and all of the information that you gather on him is the challenge then figuring out well what we were talking about a little bit earlier, how to get that personalization on property or against the various marketing or multi-faceted marketing touchpoints that you have?
SUNG: Certainly. In past years, we've been focused on creating digital proxies with the shift towards mobile and the mobile device being really kind of your remote control when you're on property, in a stay, not to replace the in-person experience, but really augment.
SIMON: Right.
SUNG: And I think with the pandemic and with the shift to contactless or low-contact experiences, it actually just doubles down on the need to ensure that we can deliver that level of personalization and actually choice for the guest to engage with us on property either via digital or associate. But traditionally it's that challenge of trying to make sure that we enable our associates and give them the processes in place to actually deliver on experience. That activation is not a digital activation, that is an in-person translation to offering Cheez-Its to a weary traveler.
COSENTINO: Devin, will you just talk a little bit about connecting the digital marketing to the operations? Talk to me a little bit about where you see brands being successful, bridging the upfront advertising, which is usually brand or awareness focused, actually bridging it to what happens mid-funnel, which is more direct marketing oriented. This has been a halo goal for a lot of clients for a lot of years now.
SUNG: There's limiting factors on either end of that spectrum, I think where it is easier to win on bridging that, that connection is for example, within our portfolio brands—and we have 30 plus brands—that there's a place in more high touch experiences where we can actually support and enable that personalization. If we do pass those insights, we're able to connect those insights from more top-of-funnel shopping behaviors to the on-property experience. Like we were just saying it, it takes that level of enablement on property. Sometimes it just comes down to resourcing and having staff and measures in place to be able to take that insight and turn it into an activation.
That's probably where we've had the most success in activating. And I think that tends to fall in more leisure experiences, such as resort stays or our luxury segment where obviously clearly the staffing ratio and the ability to deliver on more personalized experiences is going to be higher. Connecting the data is the first piece, but I think there is a “gotcha” in there where there's an assumption that if you just pass the data along through systems and you somehow pipe it into the property, that magic will happen on property.
You do need to take it that last mile and work with operations and the properties and the brands to build out very specific experiences and how to turn an insight into an activation. It's not obvious and it needs to be repeatable and scalable too, unless you're planning on only doing it on one property as a pilot, which that's not challenging. I think what's challenging is to try to do it on a global scale and turn it into a brand standard or translate it and localize it across multiple continents and regions.
SIMON: Just a simple task, right Devin? Nothing really…
SUNG: Just a simple task.
SIMON: ... too challenging. So I'm curious, you know, we've been talking for a while now. I'm curious, any lessons learned over the last 18 months that are applicable long-term?
COSENTINO: I think the lessons learned are again where I saw our clients succeed is they got very specific about their focus and the initiatives. That we're going to move the needle, doing more with less, right? And focusing on the things that were going to help them. I think that's a little bit more from a transactional standpoint. From an emotional connection or an engagement standpoint, it's definitely the brands that sort of recognize that their customers may not be spending at a particular point in time, but they found meaningful ways to engage them.
And I think the lessons learned over the last 12 months are just as applicable over the next six months. People start traveling again, marketing organizations are going to get extremely busy again, there's going to be hyper-competitiveness because brand loyalty has gone down across the board. The cost to switch loyalty programs right now is pretty low.
COSENTINO: And so I think the tools and the good behaviors they learned the last 12 months are going to help them essentially get out of the gate faster over the next six months if they can maintain that focus.
SUNG: I think I personally am planning to use a lot of the events that have taken place from a marketing perspective over the last six to 12 months as reminders in the future of why we need to be nimble. Perhaps based on my background, just coming out of technology and data-driven processing, you really get tired of doing the same thing over and over again on an ad hoc basis. And you start to build routines and make things more repeatable, more efficient and I would love to see that happen and continue to persist in the brand of marketing organization where we probably tend to in the past have gone to market on an ad hoc basis.
Meaning there are campaigns, there are portfolio campaigns, there are brand campaigns. There are efforts that we have year over year, but I try and get the organization and our teams to think about them as a set of capabilities that we're just repurposing with the business challenge that we're currently facing.
Even just getting “what-to-expect” messaging for our properties in market very quickly when COVID first hit is just a need to be able to deliver more near real-time messaging through our channels in a consistent manner. And so that may be a new need based on COVID, but it was not a new capability. And I'm sure we've had many other times where we've had to do it. I think about my days in insurance where we had from an underwriting perspective, anytime a hurricane decided to creep up and decided to slam into our Southern states, it was something we needed to react very quickly to—basically shut down and make sure that our contact centers would pause all quoting and underwriting in certain zip codes and markets.
And that is an extremely time-sensitive effort, but it's something that was repeatable every year we would have a slew of events like that. And so we turned it into a process. And I just think whether it's hurricanes or a pandemic or a launch of a new program or a suppression or a specific targeting, these are repeatable capabilities I'm trying to educate the organization on, trying to invest in the capability so that we don't have to treat these as red flag one-off projects year over year.
SIMON: For me looking at lessons learned and opportunity moving forward, it's a little bit more simple. It is going back to my thought about pausing once in a while to think about what you're doing in business. Like I said, we had a chance to put our foot on the brake. Maybe once in a while doing that even in the thrust of normal business operations would allow organizations to have a little bit more forward-thinking in their arsenal, because we find a lot of times that companies just get into their rhythm and that rhythm prevents sometimes them from thinking strategically. So I'm generalizing, but I think that's an opportunity for folks to think about things learned and things that could apply moving forward.
So as we get towards the end of this conversation, give me a bold prediction, guys, on the hospitality business for the next 12 months. Something that you think is going to just be a big thing that comes out of the re-emergence.
COSENTINO: I think one of the big predictions I have is for each customer out there, the first handful of travel experiences they have, even if it's a singular trip, which is airplane to rental car, to hotel or rental property for that matter, those first one or two trips out for the gate are going to redefine who they work with for the next couple of years. We talked about the fact that business travel isn't necessarily coming back full on until 2022, possibly 2023.
So all the market share has to be gobbled up by leisure travelers who are historically less frequent. And I think nailing those first experiences are huge because as people start traveling again, I think we're going to see big swings in terms of their share of wallet basically across brands within each travel sector.
SIMON: And Mr. Sung.
SUNG: I will probably caveat your comment about business travel and I know there's been a lot of discussion around how quickly will business travel come back, will it come back? Marriott, we are still bullish on business travel, and personally, I think just watching all the conversations across the companies and brands, there's a lot of brands out there, corporations who are talking about no need for travel, no need to come into the office.
I still believe in the human instinct that we are a gregarious animal and we will get back to traveling. I think that human interaction is needed. I think it will take time for us to get past what has hit us globally. But I think at worst business travel will shift to probably more of a maybe even evolve into more of a hybrid scenario. We've talked for years about the bleisure trip, which is really just tacking on some leisure to business. But I think the notion of even just the frequency, we talked a little bit about frequency being an elite traveler element.
I think we might even see frequency drop, but the average stay life increase. Because I know just speaking with others who are planning upcoming business trips, they're starting to link business trips together and it's really this mindset of clustering smaller trips to minimize that stop/start and minimize health exposure. So if I'm going to get on a plane and travel and meet with clients or do some sales meetings, I'm probably going to try and bundle a bunch of them together versus do three separate trips and increase my exposure.
And then there's that emphasis on smaller group, hybrid group, and what does it mean to have conferences and meetings where some of it's virtual, some of it's in person? So I think we have to be bullish on business just because I believe in the human effect of—we need to see each other. And we still need that element in our planning. I think the trip planning and route planning is going to be an interesting dynamic that's going to hit our industry, the complexities of just understanding trip purpose. I think a lot of the data signals are going to blur, and I think that'll be a fun challenge the next couple of months, to figure out how we help the traveler in their planning because some of the unique conditions have changed the way they shop and plan.
SIMON: That's interesting Devin. I think, you know, in conversations we've had a little bit skeptical about the return to business travel, but there were 40,000 people at the Phillies Yankees game yesterday. And the NBA arenas have been sold out for the playoffs for those teams. And for what it's worth, that's an indicator, right?
SUNG: Exactly.
SIMON: People are snapping back pretty quickly to more of a normalized environment. So it may be a precursor for, for what's to come.
I want to thank you for a really enlightening conversation, we're living in unique times and we all have a front row seat to whatever's next. And based on the bold predictions we just spoke about and the content we had today, I think it'll be an interesting journey we're on.
For more information on Epsilon's work in the Travel sphere, check out our website.
---
## Using identity resolution to understand your customers and optimize omnichannel marketing
Type: eps_post
URL: /using-identity-resolution-to-understand-your-customers-and-optimize-omnichannel-marketing
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Using identity resolution to understand your customers and optimize omnichannel marketing
Due to the current pandemic scenario and the rapid digitization of businesses, business owners are focussing a lot on providing a seamless experience to their customers across different channels.
They want to provide an effortless shopping experience to the customers, be it either from a mobile, a tablet, a brick-and-mortar store, or even from a social media platform.
The one thing that allows the brands and companies to stand out in this competitive market space is omnichannel marketing. It is a form of marketing where the business doesn’t have to be everywhere, but it needs to be only in places where their target customers are.
If a company can understand and find out their customers, then targeting them and reaching out to them when they want to buy something is a straightforward task.
What is Identity Resolution? How does it help in Understanding Customers?
Different platforms can be seamlessly integrated if each individual is identified and their movement and activities across different platforms are studied. To identify each individual, we use a technique called identity resolution.
It depends on different data collected from the customers and linking those data to distinguish one individual from another. This identity resolution service helps in tracking individuals across different platforms like apps, websites, or even physical shops and creating marketing plans that are personalized and efficiently targeted.
Here’s how Identity Resolution helps to understand customers:
With a singular enterprise Customer ID, Identity Resolution provides the database with the ability to segregate, collect, and connect points between multiple platforms, devices, and channels along the customer’s path to purchase.
Further, with the help of a private identity graph that functions in conjunction with a similar device graph, it strengthens an organization's ability to bind different device signals and disparate ID, making different customer profiles out of them, later pairing it with the person (Customer ID), allowing marketers to understand customers.
Why is Identity Resolution so important for Omnichannel Marketing?
76% of customers want brands to understand them and their purchasing pattern so that they can deliver appropriately as per their needs. The customers do not want to waste time searching for things they might need instead of expecting the seller to suggest things according to their taste.
For this, it is essential to identify every customer separately. This will also help in saving a lot of resources as there will be no need to target customers who will not buy the product, and the marketing can be done only for those who are potential buyers.
Identity resolution gathers data about a person from different touchpoints where the customer has been, and then the software integrates and filters the data to understand which individual is a customer or which individual is close to getting converted into a customer.
Once the customers are identified, they are targeted with tailored messages and offers that help win the trust of the customer. Without identity resolution, tracking will not be possible and will result in chaos, especially if the business is present both as a digital and a physical store.
For example, if a person visits an online store of a brand, chooses a product but doesn’t buy it, goes to the same brand’s offline store, gets a better deal, and buys the product from the shop.
The owner will then be confused as they will find a person liking products in the online store and not buying it every time, but they won’t realize that the same person is buying that exact product from their offline retail store.
How to Create Identities in the First Place?
The steps and procedures that one should follow to create identities are:
Determine the various platforms through which customers can come; it can be through different devices or channels.
Using the previously acquired data, a link between the platforms is made, and his life journey with the company is integrated with his purchasing patterns.
Particular identifiers and attributes are attached to each individual, which helps in matching their multiple presences through every different platform.
The customers are then validated to be sure if the same user is present on different platforms.
The data is then activated to synchronize them with personalized, targeted content that helps in customer retention and acquisition.
What are the basic approaches in which Identity Resolution software works?
The identity resolution services work using two generic approaches. They are,
Probabilistic approach: In this approach, the user data is matched with identifiers like IP address, operating system, location, browser, or other data. After taking these into account, there is a probability that the persons grouped are the same individual. This is used for segmenting and targeting different groups of customers.
Deterministic approach: In this approach, more personal and identifiable data is used, including email address, mobile number, credit card number, or login credentials. Using this approach, the software can confidently distinguish one person from another.
Future of Identity Resolution in Omnichannel Marketing:
In recent times due to increased privacy concerns of the consumers, a lot of second and third-party data are now made unavailable to the general public. This makes individual businesses and brands gather data from their target audiences on their own.
Continuous engagement with the customers is maintained using the tools powered by identity resolution. Identity resolution also prevents the company from spending resources behind marketing their product for every person instead of just targeting potential customers and showing interest in the products.
Knowing the primary characters of a customer helps in grouping similar customers and targeting them based on their group characteristics. Companies like Informatica and Liveramp, who specialize in identity resolution services, will depend more on the buyer's intent than other factors like location and demography.
Conclusion:
Identity resolution is a potent tool used to track individuals across different platforms and target them with offers and products. They can monitor the buying pattern of all the customers and foresee trends and patterns in a particular industry. This provides businesses with the power to invest only in those willing to use their products.
Now that you know all the tips and tricks around identity resolution, we hope that you’ll be able to make the most of the current business opportunity. Remember, staying updated with the trend is one of the most important things to do!
---
## 3 lessons from tourism brands that innovated in turbulent times
Type: eps_post
URL: /3-lessons-from-tourism-brands-that-innovated-in-turbulent-times
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# 3 lessons from tourism brands that innovated in turbulent times
For most marketers, last year was all about hunkering down, trimming marketing spend, putting a pause on innovation and focusing on staying afloat. Few industries were hit harder than travel, with airlines nearly halting service, hotels left without guests, and only one in three tourism destinations open to international travelers. Even Disneyland had to close its doors for a bit—only the third time in history that the franchise has closed.
While marketers in all sectors continue to deal with the uncertainties of returning to normal life, some brands took a more counterintuitive approach during this time of pause over the past year. With car travel and closer destinations top-of-mind for consumers, many destination marketers leaned into advertising, but with a focus on better efficiency, effectiveness and personalization. Necessity is the mother of invention, and nothing has been more necessary in tourism than ensuring every marketing dollar counts for local economies.
Whether you’re a CPG, retail, financial services or any other brand, when it comes to marketing innovation, there is something to be learned from how three destination marketing organizations—Visit Tampa Bay, Visit Omaha and Visit Franklin Tennessee—responded to the pandemic early on.
These brands had a critical need to identify potential visitors accurately and quickly, reach them with relevant digital ads, ensure their messaging was sensitive to changing regulations, and ultimately, drive more visitors that spend money at their destinations. Here are three lessons all marketers can take away from how these marketing organizations approached their pandemic strategies.
Keep marketing spend strong during a downturn
Visit Tampa Bay had been working with Epsilon prior to the pandemic to encourage city visits through digital video, display and personalized customer creative messaging, all while measuring the direct economic impact those people were having on the local community. Implementing these personalized experiences had helped create lasting relationships with Visit Tampa customers, as well as increase visit numbers and keep up spending to drive revenue. The work drove millions more impressions, increased sales and drove 100,000-plus new visitors over the campaigns in 2019.
Fast forward a few months, and these efforts became incredibly important as the last year progressed and tourism halted for many. Instead of letting it take a back seat, the destination marketing organization continued to invite high-value visitors to Tampa by identifying those willing to travel (and travel safely), as well as messaging past visitors who were already familiar with the destination. By staying top of mind, Visit Tampa Bay was able to continue to generate millions of dollars in direct, unmodeled economic impact. The tourism brand leaned in during challenging times, and this investment continues to pay dividends to their residents and businesses.
Set measurable goals that impact business
Similarly, Visit Franklin Tennessee was challenged with attracting visitors, as one would expect with the decrease in overall travel demand. Knowing the importance of supporting its local economy, the destination marketing organization’s goal was—and still is—to attract the best travelers to stay longer and spend more, even during the headwinds of 2020.
Partnering with Epsilon, Visit Franklin Tennessee sought to clearly identify potential visitors in its surrounding markets who were willing to travel and to capitalize on emerging regional demand for smaller town experiences. Once identified, the brand engaged potential visitors through relevant digital media. Visit Franklin Tennessee was then able to measure the influence of its media investment by identifying direct visitor spend across different categories, like restaurants, retail, lodging and more.
The organization was also able to see which feeder markets residents over-indexed in terms of net economic impact (aka proof) to make better decisions on which markets to serve media in for future initiatives. This provided a holistic view of the city’s travelers and measured the impact, with Epsilon’s industry-leading measurement approach. Thus, Visit Franklin Tennessee has been able to report back to its community with millions in direct messaged revenue over the past year and increased average purchases per visitor, alongside an impressive $197:1 total ROI.
Reach more consumers that are just like your current customers
In Nebraska, Visit Omaha sought to better understand and measure how digital advertising was drawing people to its city, and ultimately, how it was positively impacting the economy. Pre-pandemic, Visit Omaha was a strong example of how Epsilon’s campaigns increased spending during the winter, a historically slow tourism season. As the shutdown last year disrupted every aspect of the travel industry, the destination needed to push forward with marketing investment to attract visitors and prepare for brighter days ahead.
Epsilon leveraged transaction-based data across 200 million individuals to enable Visit Omaha to digitally reach potential visitors in the surrounding areas who were willing to travel, would stay longer and spend more, and did so through custom rich media and cross-device display advertising. By implementing this unique and focused strategy, the tourism organization has been able to identify and attract tourists for a real-world revenue impact during the economic crisis.
By better understanding its visitor identity beyond just demographics but also net worth, spending patterns and offline behaviors, Visit Omaha has been able to clearly identify its highest yielding target audiences, leading to a $5.4 million increase in measured spend for the destination and tens of thousands more visitors to Omaha through campaigns.
By keeping marketing spend strong during a downturn, setting impactful goals for the business and targeting more customers, marketers can reach the right individuals for their product/destination/service—whatever it may be—like these destination marketing organizations have done for their cities.
Visit Tampa Bay, Visit Franklin Tennessee and Visit Omaha are models for marketing innovation as they’ve doubled down on marketing efforts during challenging times—no destination is the same, and targeted strategies and personalized, focused service helps reach the right individuals and create demand. By staying close to their past guests and potential new visitors, brands can learn from them as they’ve truly seen ROI and value just when they need it most.
**This article was originally published on Adweek, August 2021.
---
## 3 reasons why third-party data is good for casino marketing
Type: eps_post
URL: /3-reasons-third-party-data-is-good-for-casino-marketing
Last Modified: 2026-07-21T18:21:10Z
# 3 reasons why third-party data is good for casino marketing
For the past 20-plus years, casinos have been at the forefront of using first-party behavioral data to drive intelligent segmentation and targeting. Now, it’s time to apply that same innovation to leverage third-party data, as well.
Casino marketers have been trained to believe that “External appended data doesn’t predict gaming behavior.” But when it comes down to it, that's not entirely true anymore.
Yes, it's true that traditional demographics like household income or net worth typically don’t have a strong relationship with gaming spend. That said, the casino industry has changed significantly in the past 5, even 10, years that we need to revisit how third-party data can supplement traditional first-party gaming metrics. This is driven by three key factors:
Growing importance of non-gaming spend
Rapid growth of digital (accelerated by the pandemic)
Rising consumer expectations around marketing personalization
We'll explore these three areas to show why casino marketers should challenge the "first-party data-only" mindset.
1. More non-gaming spend
MGM Resorts reported at the end of 2020: “Over half of the net revenue from our domestic resorts is typically derived from non-gaming operations.” And Caesars Entertainment reported that non-gaming revenue in 2020 was about one third of their net revenue.
Gaming companies have shifted their marketing strategies to create demand for other revenue sources off the casino floor. Sure, direct mail free play is still a highly relevant customer motivator and expectation. But we’re seeing an increasing push to connect with prospective visitors through amenity offers, too, like lodging discounts, dining upgrades, activities and entertainment. This is especially true for destination markets such as Las Vegas, where casinos fight hard not just for share of gaming wallet but for share of the full entertainment and travel budget.
This focus on amenities aligns perfectly with the growing sophistication available from third-party data providers (see Figure 1 as an example depicting other category spend from casino visitors). Third-party transactional data can show where customer are spending not only with you, but also with your competitors and within other relevant categories. Getting these insights into customer preferences and spend patterns outside your casino bring more information to what content and offers each person actually wants—which goes far beyond what your first-party data strategy alone can inform.
Figure 1: Category spend from casino visitors
2. Pandemic-accelerated shift to digital
Driven by the COVID quarantines and a dramatic shift to remote work, consumers are spending more time online. In fact, the pandemic accelerated the shift to e-commerce by five years. And while this shift has impacted all demographics, SAP reports the largest shift to e-commerce came from boomers, one of the biggest target segments for casinos (their online share of their overall spend grew from 25% to 37%).
This tendency for consumers to now research, socialize, shop and transact online more frequently raises the expectations for a connected and personalized consumer experience. Again, this is a case where your traditional first-party gaming data won’t help inform you on consumers’ wants and needs for an online experience. But with third-party insights and contextual browsing and intent data, casino marketers can understand what their guests and prospects are consuming online and what intent signals they’re showing. This view into other sites visited, common online transactions, interests and hobbies, and countless other individual variables can help create an experience and message that matches actual consumer needs.
3. Mounting expectations for personalized marketing
Across travel industries, we can have a tendency to look myopically at our competition as just other businesses within our own category (casinos, cruise lines, hotels, airlines, resorts, etc.). But the reality of the consumer perspective is that travelers blur the lines across all of their experiences with brands.
When your VIP guest—let’s call her Jennifer—checks in to her room at Caesars Palace or the Bellagio, she’s not just thinking about her previous casino stays. She’s also comparing her experience to her last business trip to New York, where she stayed at the Four Seasons, or her family vacation to Orlando in May, where they stayed at the Hyatt Regency Grand Cypress.
This multiplies travel marketing messages, as well: Jennifer is getting more than just emails from casinos—she is getting a barrage of communication from travel brands across the industry. Her expectation of each brand’s ability to know her and understand what she needs now and wants next increases exponentially with each brand interaction.
Time to combine first- and third-party data
Hotels, cruise lines and other travel brands heavily leverage third-party data. Casinos aren't just in the "gaming" industry anymore; they're competing with travel brands across a consumer's share of travel, and their marketing should reflect that change. With the integration of third-party data, casino marketers are able to see what other brands their customers are engaging with and use that knowledge to help them understand their broader competitive set. (See Figure 2 as an example depicting hotel brand spend from casino visitors.)
Figure 2: Hotel brand spend from casino visitors
We are seeing—not just in gaming, but across all of travel—a reset of customer loyalty triggered by the extended period of no travel. Not all travelers are simply reverting back to their past destinations and loyalty behavior.
With a reduction in travel and an increase in marketing messages, the conversion of travel customers is significantly less than it was 18-plus months ago. How do you set yourself apart, not just from other casinos, but also from all of the travel and entertainment options available?
When marketers leverage all data available to them, they’re able to understand who's willing and able to travel based on past behavior, profile attributes that indicate interest and so much more. The key is that neither first-party nor third-party data stands alone in understanding or driving customer engagement. This approach can help casino marketers move from transactional messaging into conversational or experiential messaging across promotions, food offerings, re-openings, re-engaging past travelers and much more.
Ben Koff, owner of Hidden Upside (a casino marketing consultancy) and head of marketing for Scarlet Pearl Casino Resort in Biloxi, MS, was a contributor to this article. To hear more from Ben on expanding into third-party data and the impacts of the pandemic on casino’s, check out Epsilon’s Vertical Reality: Travel podcast.
Epsilon manages the industry’s no. 1-ranked consumer database, with coverage of every marketable U.S. household. And we continue to optimize our customer analytics offerings through ongoing curation and development. Learn more about Epsilon Data here.
---
## Happy 1/2 hour: The recipe for personalization
Type: eps_post
URL: /2-hour-the-recipe-for-personalization
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Happy 1/2 hour: The recipe for personalization
Dip your toe into the world of fine dining with this two-part session from #EpsilonPersonalive featuring Auzerais Bellamy, professional pastry chef and founder of Blondery. Joined by experts from Epsilon, the group explores the recipe for stellar marketing personalization: what it really means to double-down on personalization, and how brands can achieve it—big or small.
The group explores:
The 4 ingredients to the perfect personalization recipe
The importance of robust data in crafting those personalized experiences
What big brands can learn about building loyalty from Blondery, a completely virtual DTC bakery
How personalized touches, no matter how small, make an impact on a customer's perception of your brand
Take a bite out of this sweet session today.
---
## How to build customer trust with inclusive marketing
Type: eps_post
URL: /how-to-build-customer-trust-with-inclusive-marketing
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# How to build customer trust with inclusive marketing
{{cta('ab968362-ae9a-45d9-add8-f6eb4b2e2c2e')}}
Diversity & Inclusion has become a business imperative—in fact, organizations with inclusive cultures have 39% higher customer satisfaction. This creates a tremendous opportunity for marketers to focus on their marketing ethics—not only to foster inclusion and empathy in their workplace, but to connect with an increasingly diverse customer base to build direct, trusted customer relationships.
Led by Jen Mahone Rightler, VP of Diversity and Inclusion at Epsilon, Fatemeh Khatibloo, VP, Principal Analyst at Forrester, Alyssa Raine, Group Vice President, Customer Marketing Platforms at Walgreens, and reporter Sabrina Sanchez, this panel explores challenging topics that will help you translate D&I best practices to your marketing efforts.
Key topics include:
Why belonging and inclusion must start on the inside
The importance of shared value systems between brands and their agency partners
D&I in marketing vs. marketing ethics
What to do when you face moral opposition from a team member
Why all ships rise when D&I and marketing ethics converge
---
## The future of shopper marketing is here: Know your shoppers
Type: eps_post
URL: /the-future-of-shopper-marketing-is-here
Last Modified: 2026-05-12T15:14:58Z
# The future of shopper marketing is here: Know your shoppers
Although digital has been a significant part of shopper marketing for a few years now, connecting with customers digitally on an individual, one-to-one level has been a challenge for the industry. Why? Because most of the data comes in the form of "audiences" and "segments," not individual journeys.
And this has worked well for CPG marketers. Brands often work with third-party data providers like IRI or NCS, which have operated by aggregating purchase data from various sources (retailer loyalty cards, surveys, etc.) and then offering solutions using that data. With third-party data providers, shopper marketers can target brand and category buyers, but they aren't able to also see real-time behavioral and transaction data on each individual shopper. While still valuable, the macro view by itself is not as actionable for real-time personalization in a time of person-level connections.
While the majority of CPG purchases are still made in-store, each shopper’s path from consideration to purchase takes place everywhere. The modern shopper marketer can outperform their more traditional competition by taking advantage of opportunities to reach their shoppers online one-to-one. Not to mention the important fact that the pandemic did cause an uptick in online grocery/convenience buying, specifically: McKinsey & Company estimates that post-COVID, the number of shoppers buying groceries online at least some of the time will have increased 41%.
So, what exactly is shopper marketing and what does it look like today? And more importantly, how can brand marketers leverage better technology to build digital demand for in-store or online conversion? Let’s explore how to create a strong shopper marketing strategy for your business and the benefits of doing so.
3 components of modern shopper marketing
To arrive at a modern digital shopper marketing, it’s crucial to look at three different components.
1. Understanding shoppers individually
There has been an evolution for shopper marketing from small-sample surveys intended to represent all customers to getting regular snapshot-views of households that have bought your product in a certain period.
Now, though, there’s an even further evolution to understanding each individual's shopping behavior, including data from their online and offline shopping and all their other digital behaviors, all in a privacy-safe environment. This can be facilitated through identity solutions that combine data across various devices, accounts and channels to get a holistic view of each individual's shopping preferences, habits and propensities.
2. Using the data to develop marketing mix
Shopper marketing historically was relegated largely to in-store point-of-purchase advertising. While shopper marketing trends have evolved to include digital channels, there’s still hesitance to move too aggressively to an online-centric or online-first approach. And for good reason: Research from Momentum Worldwide shows that supermarkets and grocery stores were the public spaces to which consumers felt most comfortable returning after the pandemic.
But truly modern shopper marketing focuses first on connecting with people, and understanding which channel is best based on their past habits and behaviors. This requires an interconnected mix of online and in-store touchpoints to reach customers where they are at all points along their journeys, making an impact that feels personal and thoughtful. Research from eMarketer shows that in 2020, US adults spent 7 hours, 50 minutes (7:50) per day consuming digital media, which was up 15.0% from 6:49 in 2019, the biggest increase since 2012. Digital time accounted for 57.5% of adults’ daily media time in 2020, and that figure is slated to reach 60.2% by 2022.
Ultimately, the shopper doesn't see themselves as an "online" or "offline" shopper or care if they're getting online or offline ads; they're just a person living in the world, and modern shopper marketing should mimic that experience.
3. Driving measurable conversions
Measurement for shopper marketing has evolved from large samples and long analysis periods toward real-time, one-to-one customer connections with the ability to continuously reach that same person over time. And more importantly, each next marketing message is informed by that person's last marketing engagement, as well as their broader purchase history.
With a more traditional shopper marketing approach, like a point-of-purchase display (in-store signage), a shopper marketer could add the display to a store, then see if sales went up at that location, and compare against a store without that signage. With digital, it’s a bit different. In a digital context, there's infinitely more information that can be tied back to an individual directly along their path to purchase. For instance, shopper marketers can know that a person saw a display ad and an in-app ad for razors with the option of picking them up next time they're at a certain convenience store chain, and then measure that at the point of sale with the retailer (online or offline).
Leveraging retail media networks partnerships
Over the past year, there has been a proliferation of retail media networks cropping up from brands like Walgreens, Target, Home Depot and so many more. All have followed in Amazon’s footsteps (the original media network), and while some will be more effective than others, many are trending toward identity solutions based on individual customer connections.
Download: The brand marketer's guide to retail media spend
Retailers have a wealth of detailed, privacy-compliant first-party data that can be activated within retail media networks and shared with their brand partners. Combining this data with real-time digital activation, shopper marketers who work with retailers that base their media networks in identity can understand their current and prospective target shoppers on an individual, one-to-one level, and then serve them messaging that actually matters to them at the right time. This opposes old targeting methods that were reliant on fragments of a customer’s online presence, including device IDs and third-party cookies.
Getting a better grasp on identity for shopper marketing
Knowing your shoppers more intimately, more thoroughly, is the true path forward for shopper marketers post-pandemic. In an era where there’s more CPG shopping happening online with better identity solutions, getting a stronger omnichannel marketing mix in place will bring your shopper marketing into the future.
Shopper marketers don’t need to wait for customers to be in store or clipping coupons; data can not only help them leverage all available channels but also ensure they're being used effectively.
Want to learn more about how shopper marketers can step into the future of CPG marketing? Check out our brand marketer's guide to retail media spend.
---
## What big brands can learn from DTCs: How Blondery perfected the recipe for a personalized customer experience
Type: eps_post
URL: /what-big-brands-can-learn-from-dtcs-how-blondery-perfected-the-recipe-for-a-personalized-customer-experience
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# What big brands can learn from DTCs: How Blondery perfected the recipe for a personalized customer experience
Refining and perfecting a recipe is a baker’s Everest. Working through two, three, four iterations of a recipe take time and dedication—a passion (and ability) shared by few. Auzerais Bellamy, owner of Blondery, is one of the few.
For the past 10 years, Bellamy has worked on refining her pecan and salted caramel blondies. Yes, 10 years. Inspired by a flavor from her childhood, she sought to capture the feeling and memory in a recipe of her own—a recipe for the perfect blondie. Out of this quest came Blondery, a 100% minority and woman-owned virtual direct-to-consumer (DTC) bakery that has boomed in popularity and profits over the last year.
According to the traditional playbook, DTC brands like Blondery should struggle to hang on anything more than a niche business. A decade ago, the idea that there would soon be a tidal wave of DTCs grabbing meaningful marketshare would have been scoffed at. But DTCs took a perceived weakness—a lack of access to traditional retail and distribution channels—and transformed it into a strength by turning their direct line to consumers into strong, personal relationships that even withstand a global pandemic. Traditional retailers are scratching their heads, looking to replicate that special sauce for connecting with customers.
So, what is the secret recipe that makes some DTCs so popular with customers? And what lessons can enterprise brands learn from them? It all comes down to capturing their audiences’ attention with a fresh and new approach to developing relationships by:
Building brands digitally using owned and shared media (web and social channels).
Using first-party data gathered from those channels to better understand customers.
Applying storytelling strategies and personalized messaging that resonate with customers.
Here's how Blondery is doing it.
Building brands digitally
Blondery’s breakout success (clients include Bloomingdales, Netflix, Salesforce and more) is the product of Bellamy’s dedication to her craft and customers, but also an unlikely circumstance: COVID-19. As the desire for mail-order goods skyrocketed during the pandemic, Blondery’s already virtual direct-to-consumer model was there to meet demand. “We received hundreds of direct messages about baking and shipping products. In the middle of the pandemic, no one could see their family. I quickly noticed the need, assembled a small task force, and product,” Bellamy recalls. The bakery’s website noted that in June of 2020 alone, Blondery sold three times more blondies than in all of 2019.
Bellamy has excelled at using social media tell her story and build community, connecting with customers on a 1:1 level. “I don't take my customers for granted. Win the sense that whenever they messaged me, I replied back to them. I engage with them in my comment section. I know a lot about my customers, just from the conversations we have in my DMs.”
Using first-party data
DTCs like Blondery have a leg up in leveraging owned channels like social media, newsletters, and websites in ways traditional brick-and-mortars do not: first-party data. With a direct window into their customers wants and needs, previous purchasing history and more, DTCs have invaluable information they can then use to personalize and contextualize their customer communications.
While Blondery is in the early stages of building their database, Bellamy is keen on using this tactic to bond with customers, and it has contributed to the approachability and overall draw to the bakery. “If I see that someone's been interacting with me, I make a note in their Shopify account, so when I ship out their order, I can write a handwritten note that says, ‘Hey, thank you so much. I appreciate it.’ I do it for the customers who have been very loyal and interactive."
Applying storytelling strategies & personalization
Blondery’s story is Bellamy's’ story: a California native, she grew up baking with her family and experimenting with recipes. After earning a degree in pastry arts, she interned at a prestigious pastry school in France and went on to work at Michelin-star restaurants (all the while, continuing her quest to create that perfect blondie). Becoming frustrated with the lack of representation in fine dining, she set out to transform the industry.
“I'm the one advocating for myself, as I have been all these years, but now I get to teach my team to advocate for themselves. My team are mostly women, people of color or indigenous people, and we're working all together to reshape the fine dining industry. I want to create this safe space where everyone can come and learn and create,” Bellamy notes.
It’s an authentic, relatable story for customers across the country. Bellamy has used this understanding to create a unique storytelling model that positions her brand into an emotional, heart-and-mind place, resonating with each individual consumer. “There was a time for two or three years I didn't bake at all. I think vulnerability, as Brené Brown says, is courage. So, it took a lot of times for me to get to the point where I was like, okay, I can share a recipe because I know that the secret sauce is me.”
Bellamy is also keen on adding those personal touches wherever possible. She says, "I think that that goes a long way when someone can open a package and not only get a beautiful product that tastes good, but also a handwritten note that feels very personal because it is very personal.” She continues,“Personalization is a form of luxury, right? So, whenever we get something in the mail that has a handwritten note, we know it's been packaged very carefully and not just thrown in the box.”
While scaling this model may take some time—but these marketing tactics ultimately drive loyalty and retention with valuable customers. Larger brands can take a cue from Bellamy: invest in crafting an authentic story, genuinely connect with customers via owned channels to tell that story, and personalize to their customers’ wants and needs with the wealth of valuable information you have access to.
In Bellamy’s 10-year-quest for the perfect blondie recipe, she’s found something much greater: the recipe for a successful business with loyal, enthusiastic customers.
Want to try one of Auzerais' mouth-watering recipes for yourself? Check out this tutorial on how to make a famous cheesecake jar by Blondery.
---
## Mastering the intimacy of the inbox has paid off for Marriott
Type: eps_post
URL: /mastering-the-intimacy-of-the-inbox-has-paid-off-for-marriott
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Mastering the intimacy of the inbox has paid off for Marriott
When the pandemic hit, Marriott had to rethink how it approached customers. For many, leaving their homes and traveling in general gave consumers pause. Sure, people’s day-to-day changed, but their mindsets changed as well. This was uncharted territory.
No matter what industry you’re in, pre-pandemic communication is unfit and outdated to meet the changing psychology of consumers. Business-as-usual updates are no longer what people want or need to know about. Customers expect timely updates on issues they care about most, with an intimate, human touch. Turns out, email is the right—and often the only—channel for the job.
Email has emerged as the No. 1 channel for brands to personally communicate with their customers. Marc Sheinkin, senior director, member and guest communications at Marriott, used email to create a connected customer experience during a time when in-person interactions were almost nonexistent. Focusing on customer service and safety updates, Marriott mastered the intimacy of the inbox during the pandemic—and it paid off.
Creating close connections (while socially distant)
Travel brands took a massive setback to business during Covid-19. Epsilon research from September 2020 showed that only 20% of consumers had plans to travel in the near future. Marriott’s marketing team quickly pivoted to meet the new reality.
Nevertheless, people’s demand for brand-related content actually strengthened. A survey from Mitto noted that 73% of consumers found an increase in messaging to be important during the pandemic. People wanted to know how brands were responding to Covid-19. Were health and safety measures being implemented? What were their favorite brands doing to ease the concerns of their workers?
"Email is not dead—far from it. It’s alive and well because consumers’ email behavior has changed."
- Marc Sheinkin, Marriott
Marriott understood the need to connect with customers on these topics, but the key was to shift messaging to reflect people’s new mindset. It had to be timely, and it had to be personal—which made email the right channel for the job. “One of the beauties of email marketing, if it’s done right, is it’s a one-to-one communication,” Sheinkin says. “We’re a long way from the batch-and-blast of the early 2000s … email communication should be no different than a conversation you might have with an associate at a Marriott property.”
With Epsilon’s help, Marriott leaned more heavily into email to meet the demands of customers. Instead of cross-border, business or air travel messages, Marriott shifted its focus to:
Attracting the leisure traveler, particularly those often not Marriott loyalists
Building confidence among travelers by highlighting new safety and cleanliness protocols in its hotels
Awareness for the availability of homes and villas, which Marriott offers for those looking at private options
Highlighting in-country or drive-market destinations
Inspiring people when they are ready to travel again
Engaging guests beyond the stay, for example, with credit cards, gift cards and retail products through Marriott Bonvoy Boutiques
“We focus on being timely and sharing relevant information,” Sheinkin notes. “We’re seeing a renaissance for email because it’s very effective. At Marriott, the email inbox is an extension of our customer experience.”
And the strategy is working: open rates have increased and engagement is up. “Over time, we’ve become more sophisticated with Epsilon, moving from batch-and-blast to segment marketing,” Sheinkin says. “Our priority today is one-to-one messaging based on our customers’ previous stays, preferences and the content they’re most interested in receiving.” But this success didn’t happen in a vacuum.
Malleability enables familiarity
There are several reasons email continually rises to the occasion for delivering intimate messages to customers:
It’s flexible. We’ve all seen how quickly the news changes. It’s essential for brands, especially travel ones, to pivot communication on a dime depending on the situation. Email is intuitive, easy to use and responsive. With a customer-centric approach, brands can quickly adjust or create new messaging to accommodate changing customer priorities. And there may come a time when people don’t want to hear from your brand. Email allows brands to quickly pause their messaging and give people a second to breathe.
It’s relevant. Email acts as a connective tissue between brand and consumer. It keeps people informed in a way that is easily accessible for most (i.e., at the top of the inbox), and helps brands maintain that one-to-one connection with consumers while not feelinglike mass communication.
It’s for the person, not the brand. For this kind of communication, you’re messaging those who opt-in to receive your information. However, brands still have to work to break through the clutter and earn lasting relationships with their customers. Brands lose that level of intimacy and connection when opting for channels like display or social. Rather than the whole internet seeing a display ad, an email is in the consumer’s inbox, for their eyes only.
These affordances made email indispensable in the current climate, and Sheinkin agrees: “Email doesn’t seem that sexy compared to other digital marketing channels. Five to 10 years ago, there were articles written about ‘The Death of Email.’ Email is not dead—far from it. It’s alive and well because consumers’ email behavior has changed.”
The woes of 2020 are still fairly close (and we’re cautiously seeing signs of hope in the U.S.), but this change in behavior is here to stay. Lasting effects of the pandemic show that people want more direct, authentic messaging from brands. Those that lean into email for relevant, intimate communication will ultimately come out on top with customers as we shift to a post-pandemic world.
**This article was originally published on Adweek, April 2021
---
## Marketing attribution in a post-cookie world
Type: eps_post
URL: /marketing-attribution-in-a-post-cookie-world
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T22:15:49Z
# Marketing attribution in a post-cookie world
{{cta('ab968362-ae9a-45d9-add8-f6eb4b2e2c2e')}}
Google has only delayed the inevitable: the end of third-party cookies is still coming. Despite Google announcing that it would stop tracking third-party cookies back in January 2020, many marketing and enterprise analytics teams are still working on ways to manage this immense change.
We have more time, but we need to use it wisely. Epsilon's Sara Stevens joins Drew Smith of IIA to share proven approaches on reaching people in a post-cookie world, how to leverage first-party data to do that and what it means to focus on identity over identifiers. They answer questions such as:
What options provide the best accuracy, scale and return for targeted marketing and attribution?
How can marketing analytics continue to sustain effective measurement?
How should we respond to other changes like Apple’s App Tracking Transparency which impacts access to IFDA?
Are there any emerging solutions gaining enough traction to merit evaluation?
What does the global regulatory climate look like, and the potential implications for analytics teams?
Click through to watch the webinar.
---
## The CMO’s new job description
Type: eps_post
URL: /the-cmos-new-job-description
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# The CMO’s new job description
Marketing isn’t what it used to be—and being a CMO requires new skill sets, from forming partnerships across departments to understanding how data can maximize the customer journey. Here’s a look at the CMO’s new roles and responsibilities:
CFO skills required
New marketing leaders are “good at chasing a dollar throughout an organization, because that’s what you need to do as a marketing technology person, follow the flow of the dollar,” says Erica Seidel, founder and executive recruiter at The Connective Good, a marketing executive recruiting firm. “You’re looking for someone who is forensically oriented like that.”
"Today’s CMO … has to be really a general manager who understands the business clearly, who understands how to connect the dots between the actions of marketing and the outcomes for the business very clearly."
—Raja Rajamannar, chief marketing and communications officer and president of the healthcare business, Mastercard
"We need less talk about the change we need, and [more] talk about the change you did for real which had an impact out there."
—Fernando Machado, global CMO, Burger King
Broad expertise is a must
In the past, CMOs have often risen to their role after succeeding as a specialist. But the interdisciplinary familiarity needed to formulate a comprehensive data strategy requires broad-based expertise. “Companies have realized that they need somebody who can be the architect of the whole customer experience,” Seidel says. “Technologists don’t always have that high-altitude view.”
"Yes, CMOs will have a lot more responsibility. Their visibility, their profile, the profile of the marketing organization—all are going to increase. … It’s going to be critical for marketing to collaborate and be explicit about how to make big decisions across boundaries." —Aditya Joshi, customer strategy and marketing partner, Bain & Co.
"Customers want to relate with brands and organizations differently. There is a definite expectation that you should do more than just tick the boxes of what it means to be a responsible corporate citizen; they expect more authenticity and greater accessibility—it is much more personal." —Gerhard Fourie, director of marketing and brand strategy, Aston Martin
A nontraditional background is a plus
The catch, Seidel says, is that such hybrid skill sets are difficult to find. The best candidates often have an atypical, diverse set of professional experiences that has trained them to reach across departmental barriers and see value in initially nonintuitive partnerships. “Sometimes companies don’t recognize the value of those dispersed experiences, but those zigs and zags can actually come together to form quite a potent cocktail,” she says.
For more content like this, download the full second issue of CORE here.
Image credits: Akinbostanci / E+ / Getty Images
---
## Third-Party Audiences in Social Advertising
Type: eps_post
URL: /third-party-audiences-in-social-advertising
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Third-Party Audiences in Social Advertising
An average person in the world today spends about 2 hours each day on social media platforms, according to a report by Hootsuite.
Moreover, as many as 44.8% of global internet users used social media to search for brand information in 2020, and the social platforms gained 1.3 million users every day, or 15.5 new users every second.
All these people, scrolling through their feeds, interacting with each other and with different brands, generate zettabytes of data that marketers can use to derive useful insights. Broadly, this data can be classified into three types.
First party data is mostly in the form of the content that users post on the platform, second party data which customers share with the platform, and third party data which comes from the online behavior of the customers outside of the platform.
Until recently, this third party data was made available to advertisers and marketers by platforms like Facebook, but in the wake of growing privacy concerns and corresponding regulations (GDPR, for example), Facebook removed its Partner Categories feature for advertisers. This means that marketers have to depend on third party data sharing platforms.
Why are third party audiences important in social advertising?
Brands can understand a lot about their customers by using first person data from social media platforms.
For example, if you run a chain of sporting goods and you observe someone posting pictures of them regularly attending badminton matches, you would find it advisable to show them ads for badminton gear, or deals that offer the chance to attend some high profile badminton events. But, to gain a 360-degree view of the customer it is important to look beyond social media activity.
For example, as the Covid-19 lockdowns are lifted all over the world, it would be beneficial for the sporting goods company of our previous example to know which audiences are planning a camping trip soon.
Similarly, home-decor or furniture brands may want to know the audiences who have recently bought new apartments, and car manufactures would like to identify potential customers who are looking at the market to buy a new car.
Third party audience data can help businesses do all this by bringing in signals from outside the social sphere and building engagement through social media.
Let’s look at some of the other major ways in which using third party audiences in social advertising can help businesses.
Better segmentation for showing ads to relevant audience
Brands often segment their social media target audience based on what they like on different platforms, but it is much more insightful to gather and analyze the data about what exactly the customers are doing on the social media platforms.
By working with data field experts like Epsilon, brands can recognize their target audience based on insights from different data streams like purchase history.
By enabling brands to recognize potential customers, third-party data saves the time needed to define the audience. Businesses can also buy refined and good-quality data sets from respected vendors to directly target the desired segments.
So, for example, a business can show its ads to families, living in a specific postal code, who have been remodeling their kitchen, instead of wasting its resources on a broader audience.
Increased personalization for better customer experience
According to Outgrow, lack of personalized content generates 83% lower response rates in an average marketing campaign. This proves that customers are expecting a better, more personalized experience from brands, and the brands are falling short on delivering that.
Using third party audiences in social advertising can help you gain the insights you need to tailor the customer experience in ways that feel unique to each customer.
It can allow you to learn about customer preferences, based on demographic metrics like location, age, or the devices used by them to interact with your brand.
By leveraging this data you can deliver personalized content to well-segmented audiences.
Look for non-generic insights
For most brands, it is easy enough to look at broad third-party data and derive readily available insights. For example, as a fitness retail brand, it is fairly common to expect more business near New Year’s day because people are more liable to make resolutions regarding their health and witness.
But, the problem with such insights lies in the fact that all your competitors are also acting on the same insights, thereby taking away any edge that you could have hoped for. Moreover, you cannot promote specific services and products with such broad insights.
Using third-party data through audiences in social advertising, on the other hand, lets you drill down into your insights. So, if you want to sell a fitness video subscription service, you can target audiences in particular age groups and income brackets, who live in cities with fast Internet connectivity.
You can also set your goals based on data from previous years, like how many days does it usually take for people to start acting on their new year resolutions?
Making use of third party audiences is obviously not a magic-bullet solution that will transform your marketing results overnight. To craft a successful strategy, you need to take the best of all available data and utilize it together to make sure that your marketing resonates with the people it is aimed at.
As a business owner or a marketer, you would need to smartly invest in acquiring good-quality audience data, testing it, refining it, and building a holistic view of the customer. You will also need to pair the insights thus gained with social and demographic traits, consumer attitudes, and transactional spending.
However, there is no denying the fact that third party data, when used in tandem with your experience with your business and brand, can truly achieve some spectacular results for your business goals.
---
## Improving First-party Data Strategy in the Cookieless Future
Type: eps_post
URL: /improving-first-party-data-strategy-in-the-cookieless-future
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Improving First-party Data Strategy in the Cookieless Future
Google and Apple, the two companies that act as the major players in all things data, have made it clear that they are not going to allow the use of third-party cookies (by discouraging cross-site tracking) in the future.
As a marketer, or as a business owner, that’s a good enough sign to start thinking about how you can go about improving (or building, in case you don’t already have one) a first-party data strategy.
The numbers are stacked to favor you if you begin right now—according to an Econsultancy report, only 36% of marketers said they have a good understanding of how the disappearance of third-party data will impact their business.
Why is first-party data important?
Well, for one thing, it is much superior in quality when compared to third or second party data.
First-party data offers the opportunity to derive deep, precise behavioral and demographic insights about the customers which can help create 360-degree views, assist in making audience segmentation narrower, and play a significant role in building a relevant and effective communication strategy.
Also, first-party data has the great advantage of being available in your own backyard. You don’t have to buy it from another organization, you don’t need to worry about legal issues related to data privacy, and you can choose the data streams depending on how you need to use the data.
So, how to improve your first-party data strategy? Let’s look at a few ways you can do that and get ready for a cookieless future.
Be transparent with your customers
When you collect first-party data from your customers, it is important that you make clear to them the end goal you are planning to achieve with that data. You must also assure them that you are not going to sell their data to anyone else, that its security will be your responsibility.
By doing this you can build a relationship of mutual trust with your customers and put in place a smooth data collection process.
Think of it like this, when you download a music player on your phone, and it asks you for permission to access your contacts, are you able to trust that app?
On the other hand, when your customers understand that the data they are sharing with you is going to be used for making their experience better, they will be more than willing to share it.
For example, if your aim is to gain insights into the average age of your customers, you can ask them about their birthdays and tell them that you are going to use the data for giving them a special birthday discount. The touch of personalization will surprise you with the results it achieves.
Treat data collection like a marathon, not a sprint
When you decide the touchpoints you will use to gather customer data, and what data you will be gathering, always try and put yourself in the shoes of your customer.
So, for instance, if you ask for a customer’s income bracket within 10 seconds of them landing on your website, you will obviously scare them away.
That may be an exaggerated example meant to make a point, but you do need to be patient with a first-party data strategy. You may not end up with a mountain of data the way you did with third-party data, but you will be able to trust what you get, and you will save up a lot on the time and effort required to analyze it.
It is a good idea to begin small, by asking your customers to register their emails (most businesses are able to do this now by asking people to sign in with their Google accounts), and then using progressive profiling to get the right information at the right time.
Also, progressive profiling doesn’t have to be associated only with form-filling—there’s a lot of useful data that can be gathered by using click engagements creatively. That also brings us to event tracking.
Use event-based tracking
Event-based tracking is a useful alternative to collecting data with forms and clicks and it is especially significant when you are trying to understand the customer behavior in-depth.
Also, directly asking customers for information regarding their satisfaction with the business may not always work because they are not always able to articulate the issues they face.
For example, you might be facing a high churn rate because your check-out page takes too long to load properly, but your customers may be too frustrated to fill up a form telling you this.
By using event-based tracking you can monitor all the touchpoints in your customers’ journey, gather the data from them, and pass it on to various systems like CRM, Analytics, Ad Tech Platforms, Raw Data storage, and more.
After analyzing this data you can also identify the problematic silos in the customer journey and work on resolving them.
Read up more on what is customer journey mapping and how you can get going with it.
Set targets and keep a track
Adopting a first-party strategy is a relatively new decision for most businesses and the transition can feel a bit bumpy in the beginning.
A good way to ensure that your plans don’t fizzle out after the initial excitement of doing something new, you should set clear internal targets regarding first-party data acquisition.
This will serve as a necessary motivation and incentive in today’s time when the customers are getting more and more sensitive about sharing any additional information with brands.
The challenge for marketers is to focus on finding the right tactics for accelerating first-party data acquisition while also building a stronger connection with the customers. Once you have set the goals, you should get ready to track the progress you are making towards meeting them, and encourage a culture of iterative improvement.
To improve your first-party data strategy, you can also invest in the right expertise and technology you will need to sustain it.
A good Customer Data Platform, for example, is incredibly helpful since it is a one-stop software solution that can collect the data from all customer touchpoints and then sanitize that data to make it usable for various teams in the organization.
---
## 5 Keys to Creating Value with First-Party Data
Type: eps_post
URL: /5-keys-to-creating-value-with-first-party-data
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# 5 Keys to Creating Value with First-Party Data
In March this year, Google announced that it will start deprecating the use of third-party cookies in its ad network and the Chrome browser.
Apple too has put in place similar policies with regards to third-party data, and it is only a matter of time until other players in the field follow the lead of these data giants. Why is this happening?
Well, the increasing awareness among customers regarding the ownership and privacy of their data, especially in a post-Cambridge Analytica and GDPR world, is certainly a factor.
On the other side of the desk, businesses are also realizing that the inaccurate and imprecise nature of the data collected from third-party sources is not worth the time and effort that goes into using it.
Now, as the industry moves away from its dependence on third-party data, the importance of first party data is becoming quite apparent.
Why is first party data important?
First-party data is the data about a business’s customers owned by the business itself. It is collected from various touchpoints in the customer journey (like website, mobile apps, emails, SMS, PoS, and CRM, etc.), then compiled and analyzed by the business to create ads, content, and experiences personalized for individual customers.
The most obvious advantage of first-party data is that it’s free, which is not to say that its compilation and analysis will not cost you anything, but at least you don’t have to pay extra for raw data offered by third-party vendors.
Also, most businesses collect first-party data with express permission from the customers after guaranteeing its safety, and the customers give this permission willingly because they trust the brand and its intention of providing them with a better experience. This, in effect, leads to an atmosphere of mutual trust between the business and its customers.
The customer-first approach that is becoming the norm for all brands is also naturally aligned to favor first-party data over second or third-party because businesses want to know as much as possible about their customers. By leveraging freely shared data they can get closer to their customers without incurring a high cost of acquisition (CPA).
But, how do you go about creating value with first-party data? Let’s look at some of the best ways businesses can do this.
Align the data with your objectives
The main hurdle faced by businesses in deriving value from first-party data is not its shortage but the lack of a coordinated strategy to choose which data is to be collected, how it is to be analyzed, and what can be done to make the insights gained from this process actionable.
When brands clearly articulate their business objectives and KPIs, and the teams responsible for achieving them, they can utilize the data in a much better way. Setting up well-defined goals is also a good way to differentiate between useful and useless data.
So, for example, you can make your loyalty program the primary source of first-party data for your business if your main objective is to retain customers and build a loyal base.
When you can recognize your ideal target audience, you can offer them special discounts, communicate with them directly to let them know about your loyalty program, and increase engagement with brands and products by offering personalized interactions.
Show your customers the value of data sharing
While implementing a first-party data strategy, it is important to make consent management an integral part of your brand identity. This helps in building trust among the customers when they agree to share their data with your brand, and the benefits of that are made evident by statistics and market research.
Gartner, for instance, predicts that through 2023, organizations that can instill digital trust will be able to participate in 50% more ecosystems, expanding revenue-generation opportunities.
So, it should be a priority to incorporate consent forms into the customer experience when people interact with your brand. It will show your customers that you are responsible for their data and when you demonstrate how you are using that data to deliver a better, more value-adding experience, they will feel that data sharing is truly worth its benefits.
To make it easy for the customers to see the value of sharing their data with you, you should also continuously work on improving data accuracy, timeliness, and usability to prevent unsavory data breaches.
Recognize the resources you need and invest in them
For utilizing first-party data to its utmost extent, you must have the right technology, expertise, and smooth processes at your disposal.
In order to achieve this, you must first decide how mature your digital marketing is at the moment, and then you can work towards finding the opportunities to increase this maturity. An effective way to do this assessment is through Google’s Digital Maturity Benchmark.
The ideal approach for a business that’s beginning to adopt first-party data is to take data ownership, work on developing the capability to analyze this data and act on the insights, while also being open to fill up the gaps in technical expertise by working with an experienced partner.
Instead of investing in each new, shiny piece of technology, clearly determine where the gaps are in your capability to meet your critical business goals, and then weigh different alternatives to decide what works best for you.
Also, you should keep in mind that if you have not been able to bring together your data platforms and existing technology then adding new technology will not make much difference to the overall performance until you address current operational issues.
Partnering up with data and technology experts can help you uncover all the advantages of first-party data while allowing you to focus on your core business issues.
Learn with each iteration of the process
When you are done with finding the right sources of first-party data that’s meaningful for your goals, and you have optimized its collection and management, you can move on to focus on the way you are going to utilize it for improving customer experience.
The test-and-learn approach is a good way to do this because you can offer your customers one-to-one personalization without diverting all your resources towards this single objective.
By leveraging first-party data you can assess what level of personalization you want to deliver to different audience segments and the activation type that will help you reach your marketing objectives.
The idea, therefore, is to pick up narrow use cases in each iteration and prove value quickly to the customers.
Keep a track of your performance
As with all marketing efforts, it is important to keep a track of your performance with regards to using first-party data with suitable metrics and parameters. The data coming in through different platforms also provide a good idea of where you are making the most impact on your customers and helps you manage resource allocation.
For example, you may be getting a lot of leads from one channel, but the quality of leads with respect to conversion ratio may be better for another channel, and by leveraging first-party data you can decide which of these two is better for you as a business.
However, first-party data is only as good as the gains it brings your way, and marketers must exercise responsibility while handling it. To form a balanced opinion regarding your data strategy, you should read this detailed take on what you need to ask yourself in the sprint to scale first-party data.
---
## What are the Benefits of a Customer Data Platform?
Type: eps_post
URL: /what-are-the-benefits-of-a-customer-data-platform
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# What are the Benefits of a Customer Data Platform?
According to a report by Markets and Markets, the customer data platform market size is expected to grow from USD 3.5 billion in 2021 to USD 15.3 billion by 2026, at a Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of 34.6% during the forecast period.
The report cites various factors for this expected growth, including increased spending on marketing and advertising activities by enterprises, changing landscape of customer intelligence to drive market, and proliferation of customer channels.
Therefore, as an emerging business tool, and a popular one at that, customer data platforms do deserve a close examination of their purported benefits.
What is a Customer Data Platform?
A Customer Data Platform (CDP) is a software solution that can collect the data from all customer touchpoints and then sanitize that data to make it usable for various teams in the organization.
The touchpoints may include, among others, transaction history, social channels, sales and service interactions, and smart device usage data.
This may sound like a simple function, in theory, but any reasonably large organization with independent departments generally faces a lot of problems in collating the data from different streams and then making it actionable.
Needless to say, being able to compile, analyze, and act on all your customer data from a single platform can provide you incredible insights into your business and help you manage it so much better.
Now, with this in mind, let’s look at the main benefits of customer data platform.
Access all your data at one place
Most organizations today get data from multiple sources, including first, second, and third-party data, while struggling to decide what part of this data is relevant for them.
The situation is made more complex because it is impossible to get the full picture regarding a specific business operation when the data streams are coming from different sources, making the information decentralized.
A CDP solves this problem by allowing you, as a marketeer, to get all your data in one place, combine it to make sense of the bigger picture, and allow you to form a fuller picture of your customers.
That brings us to the next benefit.
Understand your customers better than ever
A CDP provides you with a 360-degree view of the customer and enables you to recognize and understand each part of the customer journey, including the different transactions between the customer and your business.
It helps the organization truly comprehend customer behavior and take decisions that can make the customer experience as good as possible. The marketing and customer support teams can also make use of this more detailed perspective to target the right people at the right time.
Being able to tailor the experience for each individual customer is becoming increasingly important, and it can have a serious impact on your revenue since as many as 72% of consumers say they’ll only engage with marketing that’s personalized.
Offering customers quality service results in a higher level of customer satisfaction and increased loyalty with more chances of customers returning to your brand again.
Discover new audience segments
Segmenting your prospective customers is an essential part of any marketing strategy because it allows you to target each segment in a way that’s best suited for it. When implemented the right way, a CDP allows you to discover new segments because it lets you apply analytics to all your customer data at the same time, at the same place.
The analytics software will still need you to set up the conditions and parameters (gender, age, location, frequency of transactions, for example) of audience segmentation depending on the nature of your business, but CDP makes the process a whole lot more optimized.
Making the segments smaller by dividing them further makes it possible for your business to implement a more specific marketing strategy and communicate with the customers in a personalized, humane way.
Optimize your campaigns and gain long-term learnings
Most of the CDPs allow businesses to gain insights into how a specific marketing campaign is performing, and which platforms are giving the most favorable returns on investment.
By implementing a customer data platform, business owners can easily analyze the efficiency and results of their marketing efforts and decide where they should put in their resources to get maximum impact.
They can also get into a cycle of constantly improving future promotions by leveraging the in-depth understanding gained from analyzing the last ones.
This means that not only does a CDP offer insights to solve immediate problems like high marketings costs and mismatched content for the target audience, it also proves its merit as a long-term resource because each campaign can be improved upon for the next iteration. This results in saving up precious resources and achieves high conversion rates.
Enjoy reduced data management costs
Applications like SalesForce often charge organizations for the data stored in them. CDPs can reduce this cost because the data is present in the platform managed by the organization itself, and not a third-party application.
Also, compared to the cost of handling data on the cloud, especially with an app, it is much cheaper to collect and sanitize data with a central view.
Other than these benefits, having all your data at one place also makes it easy for you to become compliant with the necessary guidelines. You can easily make your contacts anonymous and also offer your customers a better level of data protection and privacy.
In today’s world where the customers want personalized interaction with brands without compromising on their digital privacy, the ability to prevent data leaks by monitoring all the data from the same platform can give you an edge over your competitors.
In the end, whether the cost of getting a customer data platform outweighs its benefits for you depends on what exactly your business goals are and at what pace you want to achieve them.
Also, getting software solutions without the expertise necessary to use them efficiently can often lead to new problems and a burden on available resources.
Read this in-detail analysis of everything you need to think about before investing in this marketing technology.
---
## Choosing the right Loyalty Platform for your brand
Type: eps_post
URL: /choosing-the-right-loyalty-platform-for-your-brand
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T22:16:49Z
# Choosing the right Loyalty Platform for your brand
The Loyalty landscape has changed significantly in recent years, shifting focus from pure transactional loyalty to brands providing a mix of hard and soft benefits to their loyalty program members. The combination of tangible and intangible benefits provides economic value along with personalised and emotional experiences leading to improved customer retention and lifetime value (LTV).
Strategy first
Key to any loyalty initiative is a robust loyalty strategy, which when executed correctly can show significant results.
Your loyalty strategy should align with your company and your brand(s) goals, benefits and growth objectives. It should also focus on how your loyalty program will benefit members, increase engagement and LTV. Once your strategy is defined, it’s time to choose a robust yet flexible loyalty platform for your program.
Choosing the right technology platform
With any investment, it can be tempting to compare technologies/solutions based primarily on price and not whether they can fully support the company’s loyalty strategy. Equally as important is whether the technology supports the ability for the program to grow and adapt to meet the changing needs of a successful loyalty program and the changing situation, needs, and expectations of program members.
At Epsilon we have had discussions with clients who have unfortunately gone down this road only to find that the technology selected does not offer the required ability to nurture, grow and engage with loyalty members.
This has resulted in these clients having to start again and kick off yet another lengthy RFP process, swallowing up precious more time, resources, and significant expense, not to mention the extreme pain to migrate to a new platform and vendor. There’s also the potential damage to your brand's reputation when a loyalty program has been unsuccessful, the negative impact on the relationship with existing and future loyal customers, and the expense and challenges around re-engaging with these customers.
Key considerations when selecting your technology platform include:
Platform scalability and stability
Can your loyalty platform manage the volume of interactions with your members and scale up as memberships grow?
360° customer view
Can your technology provide a view of your members’ entire journey, including transactional and behavioural data, and provide the most comprehensive customer view?
Ease of use
Is the platform intuitive to multiple users? For example, can you enable your program manager to easily and quickly create new offers and campaigns or enable support staff to provide excellent service via an intuitive support portal?
Reporting
Does the solution provide real-time/near-real-time access to dashboards, reports, and insights key to monitoring the ongoing performance of your program and campaigns?
Comprehensive capabilities
Does the program have rich functionality to support your current strategies such as enrolment, multiple tiers, segmentation, and personalisation? Is there capacity to evolve to more advanced capabilities including AI & Machine learning and gamification for increased engagement?
Easy integration with wider ecosystem
How easily can the platform connect to other technologies? An extensible platform (API driven) is key to connect with your entire ecosystem (Martech, POS, eCommerce, CDP, mobile app, Social Media...)
Security
Does the platform provide the required levels of privacy and security to protect against fraud and meet regulatory requirements such as GDPR and CCPA?
Future proof
Does the provider offer an extensive solution roadmap to ensure a constantly evolving and future-proofed platform?
Find the right partner
The key to ensuring success with your loyalty program is to partner with a Loyalty vendor who can guide you through each stage of your loyalty journey following best practices. Setting up and managing a loyalty program is complex and there are many aspects to address and consider from program management to campaign support and security, analytics, and reporting expertise. Keep your strategy, and your customer, at the heart of your decision to choose the right partner for you.
What our clients say
Walgreens
"We were able to launch a [loyalty] program in a few short months ... we wouldn’t have been able to do it without Epsilon and the partnership we’ve built."
- Kelly Smolinski, Director, Customer Systems, Walgreens
Read more
Dunkin' Donuts
"Epsilon's platform and marketing expertise enable us to effectively scale across new communications formats, modernizing the Dunkin' experience and further growing our business."
Stephanie Meltzer-Paul, Vice President, Digital and Loyalty, Dunkin'
Read more
---
## Black Friday: it’s the early bird that catches the worm
Type: eps_post
URL: /black-friday-its-the-early-bird-that-catches-the-worm
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Black Friday: it’s the early bird that catches the worm
Black Friday promotions are getting earlier as the Black Friday event has expanded as a sales period. This is forcing retailers to bring forward their promotional plans, with some starting as early as October.
Why it matters
By promoting early, retailers can benefit financially, influence purchasing decisions and reduce operational stresses.
Deeper dive – the four factors driving a ‘go early approach.
Going early helps retailers benefit in four ways over this critical trading season.
It allows them to:
Minimise operational issues: By spreading promotions over an extended sales window, retailers can better manage demand over a longer period. This reduces the pressure on operations, especially fulfilment, helping minimise operational efficiencies.
Avoid being lost in the promotional noise: Going early means your marketing is more effective, and your messages get across to consumers. Leaving promotions until close to Black Friday and you’re competing with so much promotional noise your message can be drowned out.
Reach customers when they’re making their buying decisions. Consumers are making purchasing decisions earlier, so brands must be reaching them in time to influence their thinking. And with supply chain issues bringing potential shortages this year, people will be bringing forward their actual purchasing earlier, meaning brands must act soon.
Promoting earlier means more money. Promoting early has a financial benefit. Epsilon research shows that consumers that are messaged earlier have a conversion rate two times higher during Black Friday than those who only started receiving messages in November. And these new customers generate more orders and revenue than existing ones over Black Friday.
The bottom line
Promoting earlier makes commercial sense – it’s not just jumping on the promotional bandwagon. In this challenging year, where supply and stock issues will influence purchasing behaviours, brands must reach consumers early. But leaving it too late reduces your chances of driving purchases. By waiting until near Black Friday, retailers risk losing revenue, the opportunity to be considered when consumers make their buying decisions and getting lost in the promotional noise.
Communicating early is over Black Friday is critical, but how should you be marketing over this crucial period? Download our report to find out the six Black Friday retailer types and the strategies each type should adopt to have a successful Black Friday.
---
## Why Black Friday 2021 is so challenging to forecast?
Type: eps_post
URL: /why-black-friday-2021-is-so-challenging-to-forecast
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Why Black Friday 2021 is so challenging to forecast?
While forecasting helps businesses make better business decisions, for Black Friday 2021, this is challenging with a host of factors impacting planning that are different from last year.
Why it matters
Traditionally retailers would base this year’s Black Friday forecast on what happened in 2020. But the unique circumstances last year, ongoing economic uncertainties, and the seismic shift that have taken place over the previous 18 months make accurate forecasting difficult. For brands, making key decisions around products and marketing is harder.
Deeper dive – what’s impacting forecasting?
This year four factors are making forecasting challenging. These are:
The changing retail landscape: While Black Friday 2021 is an online and offline experience, the volume of store closures – 11,000 in 2020 alone – means many stores that would have supported a multi-channel Black Friday push aren’t there anymore. At the same time, shopping behaviours have permanently changed. The shift to online shopping is accelerating, with some commentators predicting online sales will make up almost a third of overall retail spending by the end of the year.
Supply chain challenges: Raw material shortages and global supply bottlenecks are pushing up prices and leading to concerns around product availability. The increased demand and competition for workers and a lack of drivers could mean warehouse and delivery staff issues, putting a strain on retailers at a crucial time.
The state of household finances: While some have saved over the lockdowns, others have been hit hard by job losses and reduced incomes, impacting the willingness to spend. Uncertainty is making savers be more cautious: they are preferring to build up their savings rather than spend in case the economic situation changes again.
The importance of Christmas 2021. Last year Christmas was a non-event. This year people’s focus and spending maybe around the Christmas period itself, rather than Black Friday, with 55% of consumers planning to make Christmas the biggest celebration.
The bottom line
Today’s challenges are not only making forecasting more difficult but transforming the nature of Black Friday itself this year. But while forecasting is difficult, we have learned from 2020 that planning is essential, even in times of uncertainty. Focusing on the wider peak season, building promotions linked to stock levels, avoiding blanket wide discounts, using targeted promotions, and setting customer expectations can help alleviate some of the forecasting pressures linked to these factors.
How should retailers be approaching Black Friday? Download our report to understand the different Black Friday retailer types and the strategies each should adopt for a successful Black Friday.
---
## The different shades of Black Friday retailers
Type: eps_post
URL: /the-different-shades-of-black-friday-retailers
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# The different shades of Black Friday retailers
Traditionally Black Friday was an opportunity for retailers to shift unsold stock. Today, retailers are reappraising Black Friday and adopting more nuanced approaches to this critical sales period based on their business objectives.
Why it matters
The changing nature of Black Friday is resulting in the emergence of distinct, broad retailer types based on their strategy over this period. Epsilon has identified six retailer types. Each group must adopt different marketing approaches aligned to their strategy to be successful over Black Friday.
Deeper dive –understanding the different Black Friday retailer personas
Black Friday Behemoths. These go big on Black Friday, focusing on discounting across a wide range of products in every site category. By investing in technology, they’ve established sophisticated omnichannel capabilities. Optimising platforms and processes, clearly signposting site visitors, and making it easy to buy are essential for a successful Black Friday
for them.
Green Fridayers. For these, it’s not just about profit. They want to build awareness around their more principled approach to Black Friday by focusing on their eco-friendly credentials.
This group must focus on getting their message heard. Supporting good causes, emphasising community, and building emotional attachment with customers are essential over this period.
Loyalty-conscious. With a ‘customer-first’ approach, they use Black Friday to reward loyalty.
Prioritising deals, targeting relevant offers based on customers’ buying habits and refreshing their rewards perks ahead of Black Friday will help deliver success.
Black Friday and Beyond. This group takes a broader view of the selling period. To maximise opportunities, they must shift customer focus not just on Black Friday but also Christmas.
Using transactional and timing data to target their activity around when and what people buy while adapting their pre-and post-Black Friday messaging to ensure relevant and timely
campaigns will help deliver to their objective.
Stock Shifters. This group adopt the traditional approach, using Black Friday to sell off unwanted lines. Using behavioural and purchasing data to target customers most likely to buy specific stock lines is key, as is using stock level information to adjust messaging quickly
based on what is available.
Business Builders. Black Friday is central to this group’s customer acquisition strategy. They use Black Friday to build their customer base, then focus on converting new buyers into repeat purchasers over the next 12 months. Removing account creation friction, ensuring new customers are genuinely new and having a solid retention strategy in place are important
elements for success.
In a nutshell
One size no longer fits all when it comes to Black Fridays. Retailers need to evolve their approach. They must have a clear strategy around this sales period and then ensure their marketing supports their goal. For some retailers, their ethos and values may even lead to them not participating in Black Friday.
Find out more about these different retailer personas, the challenges around Black Friday and seven steps to a successful trading period by downloading our report here.
---
## Improve email personalization and performance with the right creative strategy
Type: eps_post
URL: /improve-email-personalization-and-performance-with-the-right-creative-strategy
Last Modified: 2025-06-06T19:56:26Z
# Improve email personalization and performance with the right creative strategy
Marketers have heard it a million times: Customers want personalization. They want offers, promotions and recommendations tailored specifically to them, straight to their inbox. In our own research, Epsilon found consumers are 80% more likely to make a purchase when a brand offers personalized experiences.
This has been particularly true over the last year—while email has been a top channel for brands to communicate with their customers during COVID, we predict consumer behavior will shift yet again (and soon). As people become open to exploring other channels, marketers should consider doubling-down on personalizing emails to pave the way for a continued, loyal relationship with their customers throughout their journey.
And COVID isn't the only disruption marketers need to consider. As privacy concerns amongst consumers continue to mount and industry regulations become more prevalent (think: Apple's recent Mail Privacy Protection update), marketers can keep customers within their brand ecosystem by, for example, using personalized emails to drive clickability in campaigns to then recognize and respond to customer behavior online and in nearby brick and mortar stores.
This is all great in theory—but talking about personalizing emails is a lot different than putting it into practice. How can marketers actually succeed in making 1:1 connections in their everyday email marketing campaigns?
We've talked before about some of the keys to success in personalized email marketing. Now we'll review some of the basics on how to personalize emails, then take a deeper dive into one of the foundational elements: creative strategy. Read on for tips from our email creative experts on how you can use email design and creative to get personal, and deliver the most impactful messaging and results.
What is email personalization?
Personalization in email marketing means using subscriber data to craft an email communication that is tailored to a specific person. By using information you already know about your customers, like name, product preferences and purchase history, marketers can step away from the impersonal batch-and-blast sales messages into sending something that feels relevant and important to the person on the other side of the inbox.
Why is email personalization important?
Personalized email marketing creates demand for your brand. When customers find value in your marketing, they want to hear from you on information related to new products, offers, editorial and branded content, rather than feeling burdened by your communications. This helps build relationships and drives trust amongst your customers.
It also has a stark business impact as well—we’ve found that personalized emails have a 122% ROI. Marketers that can leverage the art of personalizing emails can increase their overall marketing impact.
Creative is a key to creating buzz-worthy personalized emails
So, you’re sold on the importance of personalizing emails. But how can you make your emails unique and interesting for your customers? Creating and refining the right creative strategy is key. Stylized elements like copy, imagery, colors, and fonts are all elements that can be personalized to the individual. On average, people spend 5.4 hours on their email every day, and check it every 12 minutes. These people also receive hundreds of emails from other companies vying for their attention. Your brand must push past the clutter in their already full inboxes and stand out with personalized creative that better connects with the customer on an individual level—making them more likely to choose your service.
Honing your creative strategy: 3 Pro tips for stronger email personalization
Pro tip #1: The right email architecture system will take your creativity—and efficiency—to new heights.
Great creative strategy starts with an email architecture that sets your team up for success. It’s easy to create a hyper-personalized email campaign for just a handful of customers—but many brands struggle with how to scale personalized creative assets—especially with limited internal resources.
The most successful brands invest in an email architecture that has responsive, custom modules that they can implement dynamic and data driven content depending on the campaign strategy. This gives marketers the flexibility to maximize their creativity without sacrificing speed to market.
Tools like Epsilon PeopleCloud Messaging’s Visual Editor allow users to build professional, brand-compliant emails with personalized data driven content without requiring new HTML code. This puts creative power in the hands of more team members and maximizes efficiency. “The great thing about the Visual Editor is that it allows our clients to create messages faster than ever, with the confidence that what they create will be brand compliant. I’ve seen clients gain up to 50% efficiency in terms of the time it takes to create messages,” notes Epsilon’s Creative Director, Brian Tavares.
Case study: Marriott
Marriott’s HVMI (Homes & Villas by Marriott International) line of business wanted to customize their messages based on a person’s membership status. They also knew their audience was mainly mobile-focused. Epsilon worked with the hotel chain to create a flexible email architecture that had unique paths for members and non-members while supporting the different touchpoints along the two journeys—all in a mobile-first environment, which drove engagement amongst their subscribers.
Pro tip #2 Design to capture your audience’s attention
As you know by now, audience members are flooded with hundreds of emails a day. When the inbox is so congested, how can your company stand out and make an impression? Design is a great place to start to capture your subject’s attention and convince them to click on your email.
When it comes to design, we actually recommend thinking inside the box. Yep, you heard that right. Email is a unique channel because you’re limited by the space constraints of desktop and mobile inboxes. Think about how to design content for a long vertical scroll in a way that resonates with your subscribers. Scott Multer, VP of Creative at Epsilon recommends, "To grab attention, brands should experiment with using the vertical space in new and unexpected ways. For example, Epsilon saw great results when working for a leading quick serve restaurant by simply turning a sandwich on its side."
Machine learning is also a huge opportunity for marketers to unlock 1:1 personalization. Thanks to advances in tech, companies can now ensure they are telling a story that is relevant to the person at the right place and time, for a specific reason. When marketers leverage the power of automation and machine learning, consumers will get an email that shows deals, offers and promotions the customer is interested in, based on real-time behavioral cues.
Case study: BJ's
BJ’s Wholesale Club was looking to boost engagement as well as drive maximum revenue for their most popular merchandise categories. Using AI, they were able to automate two customer journeys, which allowed the retailer to save time and provide personalized content to their members. The conversion rate for machine-learning-fueled emails was about 2.3x the rate of emails that did not use machine learning.
Pro Tip #3: To build loyal customer relationships, the journey is just as important as the destination.
Your email creative strategy should account for the different stages of your customer journey.
Think about how the look and feel of each message fits into the ongoing campaign—and don’t lose sight of the fact that email is one of many brand touchpoints a customer may interact with throughout their day. There are other channels you can use, such as social media platforms or your website. Your email creative strategy should be cohesive without feeling repetitive or duplicative in content.
For example, including dynamic content into your emails—which will update based on location or time of day even after the email has been sent—ensures messages are always relevant as the customer moves through the buying process. (But be aware that Apple's latest Privacy update may make your dynamic content less accurate, so be sure to have fallback content available.)
Case study: AutoZone
Weather conditions are an important factor in safe driving, so AutoZone decided to provide customers with email content relevant to their location and weather upon opening. Experiencing extreme cold or heat? You might get advice and product information about batteries. Withstanding a storm? AutoZone may offer you content on wipers. Dead of winter in your area? You might need some headlights—and AutoZone would serve them up in your email. This agile content was possible thanks to modular creative that could be easily turned on or off if a customer was in an area where the weather event occurred. The weather-based content added an unexpected level of personalization, reinforced AutoZone’s commitment to delivering helpful advice and was easily scalable across their email marketing roadmap. Best of all, these personalized email campaigns far outperformed AutoZone’s static email content.
Another tip is to continuously pay attention to customers as they move through your email program. Each encounter is a chance to capture data to further personalize the experience and adapt according to their preferences.
According to Andrea Marvel, Lead Creative Strategist at Epsilon, “When thinking about your email strategy, it’s important to take into account the holistic customer journey. Start by understanding all the different entry points into your email program; identify where and why each customer signed up. That will give you some insight into why they’re there and how you can start personalizing their emails.”
While email is only one aspect of your relationship with your customers, it is one of the channels marketers have the most control over. Your customers made a purpose-driven decision to engage with your brand, and it’s your job to fulfill that purpose.
Wrapping it up
Personalizing emails is an essential way to deliver customers the relevant content they’ve been craving. While “personalization” can seem like a daunting concept to execute, starting with a strong email architecture that allows for flexibility is key. Then, move into creating a scalable creative strategy that tells a compelling visual story at each stage of the customer journey.
Not to mention, COVID has jolted us forward into contactless interactions, increased digital commerce, and a consumer base that demands more direct, authentic messaging from brands. Email is now front-and-center due to the pandemic, and the influx makes it more important for brands to continue to refine their strategy to best serve their customers with direct communication even as we continue past the pandemic. Brands leaning into email for relevant, intimate communication are coming out on top.
---
## [VIDEO] The time for Retail Media is now – Don't get left behind
Type: eps_post
URL: /the-time-for-retail-media-is-now-dont-get-left-behind
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T22:17:52Z
# [VIDEO] The time for Retail Media is now – Don't get left behind
Learn more about the value of first-party data, the importance of digital identity and how this is fundamental to the growth of retail media by watching Maria Giacobbe's presentation at eTail Connect Autumn.
The big retail media picture
According to Boston Consulting Group (BCG), retail media is exploding and is expected to become a $100 billion opportunity by 2025. This has been accelerated by the pandemic with more consumers shopping online than ever before. But time is short for the retailers who want a seat at the table. Experts predict that the market will subdivide into one broad and then several specialty media markets, where the earliest of adopters with the most scalable, advanced offerings will dominate the market both early on and in the long-term future, squeezing out those who do not have a solid go-to-market plan, or vision to become the best in their sector.
But what is retail media?
Retailers sit on a wealth of rich inventory and sought-after data and if they can navigate the complexities of needing to acquire brand new tools and skillsets to sell and activate data and technology effectively, they can enable their suppliers and marketing partners to reach more of the right consumers right across the entire span of the consumer journey, whilst equally helping them truly understand how their marketing efforts and pounds are impacting actual sales at a SKU and omni-channel level.
There are 2 key ways in which retailers can leverage their assets to build out a scalable, flexible and compelling retail media offering:
On-site
Monetising on-site traffic and search behaviours through sponsored product listings, display images/banners and branded landing pages enables brands to connect with in-market consumers and influence them right at the point of purchase. Whilst this is limited to the scale of consumers who come to the site and provides a small window of opportunity to drive awareness and change customer behaviour, it creates opportunities for brands to capitalise on existing demand and is ‘relatively’ simple to execute for the retailer, whilst producing the highest possible margins.
Off-site
Monetising 1P data to provide reach against customers off-site offers unparalleled scale that can crucially help brands drive net new demand overtime. It also provides access to customers who predominantly shop in-store rather than online and lends itself to more engaging formats like video, as well as extended reach into additional channels like CTV, social, email and direct mail to drive maximum ROI for brands and return for the retailers. However, as most digital marketers know, the ability to accurately activate 1P data at scale is challenging and can often require heavy lifting and investment, particularly in the wake of changes in online user identification being led by the tech giants.
Ultimately, it will be retailers who can quickly solve the systemic challenges of connecting the right data and technology partners together to offer a holistic and scalable on and offsite retail media solution that will succeed in this space.
Why it matters
With squeezed marketing budgets, tighter profit margins, significant push backs from the supplier and trade category and dramatic shifts in consumer behaviour, retail marketers are under increasing pressure to find new revenue streams.
Retail media represents a new business opportunity that can not only benefit the brand, consumer and retailer, but crucially it can also be highly profitable if retailers can execute quickly and effectively, because simply put… the money is where the customer is. According to Goldman Sachs, 82% of consumer brands are already investing in at least one retail media platform and whilst the large supermarkets have been doing it for some time, there is new growth in the sector from brands such as ASOS and Boots, who in 2021, both announced they were investing in building out a programmatic ad business.
The bottom line
Huge opportunities exist for bold retailers who fully realise the power of their assets and their audience. But ultimately, it is those who can navigate the complexities of data and technology to offer brands the most scalable and advanced solutions in terms of reach, creative execution and analytics that will win in their sectors.
---
## Creating a digital retail marketing strategy that dominates
Type: eps_post
URL: /creating-a-digital-retail-marketing-strategy-that-dominates
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Creating a digital retail marketing strategy that dominates
{{cta('9e044157-efc4-41a6-b14d-dd4af9bbefcb')}}
As the world becomes more connected, are you reaching the right customers?
While the COVID-19 pandemic has propelled e-commerce five years into the future, consumer-centric privacy measures such as the deprecation of third-party cookies and IDFA is making it harder for marketers to know they’re reaching the right people.
Well, it doesn’t end here, consumers are moving toward multichannel brand experiences — TV, mobile, web and more, while retailers are starting to feel overwhelmed by the myriad of channels, devices and accounts customers flit between.
Now, that’s a challenge an organization could decide to prepare for and win or consider it a frustrating problem and die in vain, trying. Marketers need to reach every person when and where they’re most receptive to buy, both online and offline, by capturing, storing, labeling, and using data.
In this guide you’ll learn:
How to make your data actionable so you understand your customers better than you do today.
Questions to ask your current partners and find out actionable next steps.
---
## What an actual zombie has to say about better digital marketing
Type: eps_post
URL: /what-an-actual-zombie-has-to-say-about-better-digital-marketing
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# What an actual zombie has to say about better digital marketing
I recently had a pretty big life change. I was turned into a zombie.
Now before you pity me, I gotta say, it’s not so bad. Turns out brains are pretty great, and I really don’t mind the nomadic lifestyle. I mean, did you see Nomadland? Frances McDormand getsit.
What I do mind is the fact that most brands have been really annoying me lately; they just don't seem to understand how to talk to me anymore. Let me explain.
Some brands missed the memo I was zombified
In my former life, I loved a good salad—those leafy greens really did it for me. Nothing overly complicated—think baby kale, cranberries and juicy pears, with candied walnuts and gorgonzola, drizzled to perfection with balsamic vinaigrette. Salads helped me maintain a trim figure and avoid the brain fog of a carb-heavy lunch.
Nowadays, as red meat has become more dominant in my food pyramid, many brands seem out of touch with my dietary preferences and restrictions. I frequent zombie subreddits and read articles like “The health benefits of a keto diet.” I mean, I think my recent click history and offline behaviors would scream for themselves.
What kills me is that I keep getting ads, emails, texts and more from grocery stores and restaurants telling me to "Grab a healthy, easy lunch option," or “Try our new vegetarian friendlier menu!” Over my dead body!
I also used to wear suits all the time. I dressed to impress. Now, my day-to-day is a little … messier than it used to be. Not to mention suits can be pretty stiff—I’m looking for clothes with a bit more stretch and movement. And, let’s be honest, designer brands are no longer a viable option for me. It’s hard to admit: I feel a little sad every time I see an ad that reminds me of my old life, digging up the past.
By this point, brands should have realized that I'm not the same customer I used to be. Sure, I might not be breathing, but I’m living my best life by embracing who I am in the moment. I wish brands would do the same: I’m more in the market for tracksuits than business suits these days.
Other brands only see me as a zombie—and nothing else
While some brands seem completely oblivious to my huge life change, others are only focused on it.
They advertise to me using stereotypes; like I’m just part of a horde or segment of “look-a-likes,” and don’t see me as an individual. My name is Jonathan, not “zombie.”
For example, one streaming service just keeps recommending zombie-centric horror movies to me: Dawn of the Dead, Night of the Living Dead, anything with Gary Busey, etc.
But, I’m more complex than that. Even though I’m now a member of the undead, my love for Dancing With the Starsnever died. At the end of a long day, all I want to do is kick up what’s left of my feet and unwind with some sequin gowns and foxtrot. And I may be on the run, but I don’t live under a rock: I can’t get enough of Squid Game—it’s rather appetizing.
Brands could know all of this if they just connected my viewing behaviors between my old smart TV and my new devices - I've embraced mobile-first, out of necessity, but my streaming accounts are still registered with the same email.
And, another thing: Lots of brands just advertise to me around Halloween. They think I only rise from the dead when the veil thins, but the truth is that’s just my busy season. I’m a year-round kind of creature.
Is it too much to ask for information about popular winter tourist destinations, spring cleaning products or score premium seats for Grateful Dead’s summer tour?
Brands that can’t keep up? They’re dead to me
Listen, I know it’s not easy to identify people correctly. For a long time, I would wait around for my next meal, expecting someone to show up. Let's just say that I was pretty hangry, pretty often; perhaps like a lot of brand marketers might feel today.
But I think we’d both be happier if you (and your trusted partner) used your first-party data, real-time technology and expertise to personalize my experiences and respect who I am today; not who I was or what I did before. In a privacy-centric way, of course: I can’t have that information leaked. Angry mobs, obviously. I’m no expert, but it seems like these guys are pretty good at it.
Get to know zombies and the living for who we are. And by that, I mean who we are now.People change, things happen. My buddy just got engaged; I got turned into a zombie—we all go through shifts.
But it’s time to bury dead segments and cookies; the wasteful, brain-dead advertisements for suits, salads and Halloween gear and embrace the world of living, breathing data and connected identity to turn this cranky zombie into a happy customer.
---
## Three customer loyalty and retention strategies that build long-term loyalty
Type: eps_post
URL: /three-customer-retention-strategies-that-build-long-term-loyalty
Last Modified: 2026-07-01T19:14:03Z
# Three customer loyalty and retention strategies that build long-term loyalty
Building meaningful customer connections and lasting loyalty has never been more complex—driven by AI, rapidly increasing consumer expectations and what seems like a million digital channels (you get the picture)—but our main priority never changes: to improve customer satisfaction.
So, let’s get back to basics and talk about customer loyalty and retention strategies. These tactics can save marketers a lot of time and money but can sometimes be overlooked. When brands get customer retention right, they create stronger customer loyalty that is personable and profitable.
What is customer retention?
Customer retention is how you keep your customer base loyal to your brand, influencing repeat purchases and maximizing customer lifetime value. Companies with high customer retention rates offer enough value to customers for the price that they don’t feel the need to stray.
According to a Gartner survey, “How Service Leaders Can Increase Customer Loyalty,” if customers receive value during a service interaction, there is an 82% probability of repurchase or renewal when presented the chance to switch and 86% probability of increasing wallet share.
This is a huge opportunity for marketers. It's extremely lucrative to nurture relationships with existing customers who know your brand, are already interested in your products or services and will repeat purchases at a lower cost. It also can significantly boost customer satisfaction.
Three customer retention strategies that work
1. Know your customers
The best method when it comes to retaining customers is knowing your audience, and it all starts with data. Data is one of the most valuable resources in your arsenal. Having the right data simplifies processes and reduces friction in the customer journey and can significantly improve satisfaction and retention.
The proliferation of access to first-party data (from website visits, emails, mobile apps and social interactions) allows marketers to really understand their customers, helping to assess customer satisfaction—guiding customer retention marketing while complementing customer acquisition efforts.
Marketers can enrich this information with third-party data (like people’s interests, preferred travel locations, hobbies or basic demographics) for a holistic customer profile they can use to engage existing customers online and offline, driving emotional connections that boost brand affinity.
Investing in a loyalty provider with a solid data foundation allows you to easily maintain ongoing, person-first communication in many ways. It helps quickly resolve customer issues in ways that can significantly enhance customer satisfaction and retention for your brand.
The right data helps you understand your customers on a deeper level and respond to real-time signals and changing preferences with care. Regularly asking for feedback and creating customer feedback loops demonstrates that you value your customer's opinions, while identifying warning signs of churn in high-risk accounts. This allows brands to take preventive measures to retain customers.
When marketers use data and insights to lead their customer retention marketing, they’re taking steps to ensure authentic, value-based interactions seamlessly unfold across all touchpoints.
Case study: Tractor Supply Company
When leading U.S. rural lifestyle retailer Tractor Supply Company sought to better understand the customer journey, it took a data-driven approach. By making key enhancements to tiers and rewards thresholds, Tractor Supply effectively personalized offers and created stronger brand affinity.
“Listening to the customer and our team members makes a tremendous impact on the business, and now when you go in the stores, you hear customers tell us every single day how much they appreciate and like the program,” Tenzer said. “Look at the data and find ways to make [the program] easier and more rewarding for the customers first, then the insights flow and the profits follow.”
Neighbor’s Club, its loyalty program powered by Epsilon, reached $11B+ in sales and a 75%+ retention rate, representing more than three-quarters of sales for the company.
2. Personalization across channels is key
People do not exist in one place. We shop in-store, we browse on our phones, we watch TV, and we consume marketing and advertising across multiple spaces. According to McKinsey, getting omnichannel personalization right can increase revenue by 5% to 15% across a brand’s customer base.
This can be as simple as creating messaging and campaigns that speak to the right people with products and services that they actually need and want. According to Epsilon research, “The push and pull of personalization,” 91% of consumers surveyed said they see at least one irrelevant ad every single day, and 76% of respondents said they view brands negatively when they include inaccurate information about them in their advertising and marketing.
Brands that successfully deliver consistent, personalized experiences to retain customers and build brand loyalty, start with a retention marketing strategy that maps the customer journey, then connects with existing customers across all channels seamlessly (apps, mobile wallets, web, online and offline). Segmenting customers by lifecycle stage, tier and usage patterns helps tailor retention and engagement efforts, reducing churn and increasing long-term brand loyalty.
That way, you’re meeting the customer where they are and reaching them with content and incentives that actually engage them. This is because an omnichannel strategy goes beyond transactional, one-dimensional discounts to instead offer personal customer experiences.
A place to start? Understanding the power of identity resolution and a connected tech stack. Mastering omnichannel marketing requires interconnectivity.
Case study: Dunkin'
Since 2013, Dunkin’ entrusted Epsilon with its most loyal customers. Dunkin' Rewards®, its loyalty program, now has 24 million members that drive 20 million+ real-time transactions per day. This program uses an omnichannel approach to create personalized experiences, including agile mail and in-app content, 1:1 messages in loyalty statements, push notifications, mobile ordering and more.
3. Making your loyalty program valuable for retention
Customers who feel an emotional connection to a brand are far more valuable. Research shows that emotional decisions are often stickier than rational ones, and according to Gallup, 70% of consumer decisions—including brand preference—are driven by emotions.
One of the key ways to improve customer engagement and boost customer retention is relationship building. And you can take it one step further by creating emotional, trustworthy connections. This means balancing the right value exchange between your brand and your customers.
Customers need a mix of emotional incentives (soft benefits that provide emotional value, like exclusive access, privileges, etc.) and rational incentives (hard benefits that provide tangible value, like discounts) to maintain their relationship with you and ultimately, spend their money.
Great customer retention, like a loyalty program, can develop those deeper connections both emotionally and rationally. Strong customer retention programs can increase customer lifetime value while reducing customer acquisition costs using tactics like:
Surprise and delight rewards (free gift or exclusive VIP promotion)
Improved customer service through real-time, relevant 1:1 communications
Boosted satisfaction by anticipating customer needs
Engaging customers on social media channels
Using data and technology to measure real-time sentiment and customer happiness
Essentially, making retention programs valuable means thinking about the full customer journey. Creating a strong onboarding experience sets the tone for the entire consumer-brand relationship. Tracking the right customer metrics, beyond retention rate, helps measure satisfaction, loyalty and customer lifetime value. Lastly, creating community advocacy and referral loops turns satisfied customers into promoters, strengthening brand loyalty and lowering acquisition costs.
Case study: Leading CPG brand
A leading CPG brand wanted to transform its loyalty program to enhance the value exchange for its customers and attract new ones. By adopting a data-first approach, the brand overhauled its loyalty program, deepened customer relationships and enhanced its rewards. That resulted in a 200% increase in daily registrations and achieved its 100% base registration goal in four months.
Loyalty is an outcome, not a program
Truly progressive brands have evolved to look at existing and new customers through a loyalty lens—not only those who are enrolled in their loyalty program. These innovators create true brand loyalty by using customer retention strategies and tactics rather than relying solely on discrete programs. Because these programs are rooted in solid customer retention marketing efforts, they create meaningful customer experiences, inspire passion and trust and build long-term relationships.
Emotional connections then serve as the stepping stone to matriculate customers into a permission-based customer loyalty program. From there, the brand can glean the data and insights to deepen the relationship and deliver more personalized experiences that inspire a share of life, share of wallet, time and heart from your customers. Plus, people can feel confident that their privacy and preferences are being respected, which will keep them coming back. Customer retention, check!
Get started with the right partner
No matter the size of your program, Epsilon Loyalty will help you retain customers by delivering a unique, memorable marketing experience. With data at the core, Epsilon Loyalty goes beyond point-based programs to deepen customer relationships and seamlessly boost customer acquisition through relevant experiences.
Don’t take our word for it. Epsilon was named a Leader in The Forrester Wave™: Loyalty Platforms, Q4 2025.
This article was originally published on August 12, 2024, and has since been updated.
---
## The challenge of customer identity management
Type: eps_post
URL: /the-challenge-of-customer-identity-management
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# The challenge of customer identity management
Why data fragmentation can frustrate, annoy and ultimately drive away your loyal customers?
Poorly organized customer identity data is a major reason why brands fail to deliver the personalised experiences their customers crave. Instead of getting closer to their customers, many organisations actually frustrate, annoy and upset them, for example by sharing messages about products they may have already purchased. Companies that fail to take action over fragmented identity data ultimately risk ruining their customer relationships and undermining lifetime value.
Why is customer identity management so important right now?
Google Chrome’s self-imposed deadline to phase out third-party cookies by 2023 is fast approaching. It is therefore critical that brands address their own identity data infrastructure weaknesses to ensure their first-party data is well organized, unified across company divisions and can be relied upon to help deliver market-leading personalisation in a post-cookie world.
In a nutshell:
Without an effective post-cookie customer ID management strategy, companies will be unable to generate detailed customer-behaviour analytics. There is a real risk they won’t be able to:
Track and understand customer behaviours and preferences.
Gather insights from webpages, social media and self-service portals.
Analyse past customer journeys so that future journeys can be anticipated and optimised.
Companies’ long-term reliance on third-party data is no longer sustainable. Without a strategy to guide customer identity data capture, brands risk intensifying the issue of fragmented customer profiles.
Deeper dive. So, how big is the data challenge facing marketing teams?
Research by Gartner shows that brands risk losing 38% of their customers if their personalization efforts fail to hit the target. Despite these risks, however, a recent Epsilon/CX Network survey across APAC, Middle East and Africa, reveals that 68% of companies continue to struggle with incomplete customer profiles and disorganised data sets. Meanwhile, 24% still have customer data siloed by channel or business function.
So, how can organisations overcome the challenge of fragmented customer identity data?
Marketing teams are well advised to:
Resist the urge to jump ahead and focus on optimising campaigns and increasing targeted engagement.
Concentrate on laying a firm foundation for ID programmes first by, for example, correcting incomplete customer profiles.
Prioritise investment in owned platforms and software for customer engagement.
Gain an understanding of their data footprint and enhance data strategy.
Ensure they capture and leverage first-party data to drive optimal customer experiences.
How can marketing departments plug the hole left by third-party cookies?
In order to optimise identity management in the post-cookie era, marketing teams should consider using a broader mix of identifiers. Suitable customer identifiers include:
Email address
Phone number
Authentication details
IP address
Cookies
Internal identifier
Social media ID or handle
Device ID
Online transaction data
Postal address
Login data from your site
Offline transactions data
Third-party persistent identifier
If using a wider range of identifiers is too difficult, systems such as Epsilon’s proprietary technology need only two trackable data points to create a customer ID.
Other benefits of improved customer identity programmes include better adherence to privacy controls and opt-outs. This is a significant advantage as businesses are legally bound to ensure customers are protected. In 2019 a Ping Identity report found that 81% of customers would stop engaging with a brand if they suffered a data breach.
Improved visibility of post-purchase behaviour can also have a direct impact on a company’s bottom line through enhanced cross-selling and up-selling. This information can reveal which customer segments are most likely to convert on a particular up-sell or which product bundling suggestions are best for a cross-sell with existing customers.
The bottom line
Organising and prioritising customer identity data management consumes time and resources, but the results can empower brands to deliver loyalty-winning experiences. With Google Chrome’s cookie deadline fast approaching, organisations must take control of their first-party data now, or risk losing sight of their customers, losing their ability to personalise and losing their ability to optimise marketing ROI.
---
## Customer Identity Management: Knowing Your customers in a Post-Cookie World
Type: eps_post
URL: /customer-identity-management-why-it-pays-to-know-your-customers-in-a-post-cookie-world
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Customer Identity Management: Knowing Your customers in a Post-Cookie World
Enterprises are rethinking their identity management strategies to avoid degraded customer experience and increased marketing waste.
Google’s recent announcement that it will soon prohibit the use of third-party cookies on its Chrome web browser has highlighted the growing importance of brands optimising their own first-party customer data.
What does this mean for marketing teams?
In the fast-approaching post-cookie world, marketing teams from all sectors face two broad challenges if they fail to manage customer identity:
Difficulty personalising their marketing.
Serious complications with optimising campaign performance and ROI.
Without identifiers, brands will lose the ability to understand their customers, which will result in a degraded customer experience and increased marketing waste.
In a nutshell, what’s the solution?
Using a combination of third-party cookies and first-party data capture strategies, marketeers can start building customer data platforms that are designed for enterprise success, fit with a single view of customers, refined segments, real-time decision making and better campaign measurement, all while exceeding regulatory requirements on security and privacy.
Deeper dive. So, how exactly are marketing teams preparing to face the growing challenge of customer identity management?
A recent Epsilon survey of organisations across APAC, Middle East, and Africa, is indicative of global marketing spend. It reveals that:
Marketing teams with decreasing budgets are prioritising functional necessities such as improving privacy safeguards.
Teams with increasing budgets are investing in marketing research and third-party services to prepare themselves for a post-cookie future.
The hiring and training of marketing personnel is another key area of investment, with organisations adopting this approach to overcome the identity management skills gap.
Companies are also attempting to develop their own tech capabilities, rather than buying off the shelf, despite the extensive resources, training and testing required. The benefits of market-leading white label solutions include thorough real-world testing, faster time-to-value and the technical expertise and support of the tech vendor.
Artificial intelligence is one of the few tech solutions that companies are generally prepared to buy off the shelf.
The increasing popularity of customer data platforms (CDPs).
Enterprises are increasing turning to CDPs to combat the prevalence of data silos, unify their data sources and complete customer profiles. Companies are increasingly realising the importance of thinking about data holistically and prioritising investments that help build a strong data structure that will reveal 360-degree customer views and provide end-to-end visibility of customer journeys and experiences.
What are the most important features of a customer data platform?
According to the Epsilon's research, unified customer profiles are named by marketing teams as one of the most important features of CDPs, preceded only by audience segmentation:
40% Audience segmentation
36% Unified customer profile
34% Enterprise scale, security, and privacy
26% Identity resolution
What key characteristics are marketing teams looking for when choosing an identity resolution partner?
Epsilon’s research reveals that accuracy and compliance are the most desired traits of an identity resolution partner, beating cost.
77% Accuracy
68% Privacy and compliance
57% Personalisation
2% Cost
An ideal identity resolution partner will, therefore, fulfil the need to balance customer privacy compliance, while delivering intuitive, personalised, and data-informed customer experiences.
What steps should CX practitioners and marketers take now?
They are well advised to conduct frequent assessments of their data management and customer engagement strategies to ensure customer segmentation is accurate. Where necessary they should seek the support of identity enrichment experts to construct smooth customer journeys with interactions that will boost customer lifetime values.
The bottom line
Our research shows that most marketing teams are committed to rethinking their ID management strategy in the light of Google’s cookie announcement. However, there is still much work to be done to generate and operationalise first-party customer identity data. Brands who neglect to act risk losing visibility of their customers, experiencing difficulty when personalising marketing, complications with optimising ROI and a significant increase in marketing waste.
---
## 6 Stand-Out Benefits of Optimised Customer Identity Management
Type: eps_post
URL: /six-stand-out-benefits-of-optimised-customer-identity-management
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# 6 Stand-Out Benefits of Optimised Customer Identity Management
Customer identity management is the bedrock of modern data-driven marketing. Here are six reasons to invest in optimising your customer profiles.
New Epsilon research reveals that only 35% of companies are prioritising customer profile development, before they prepare their marketing campaigns. Instead, the majority of marketing teams are making the mistake of jumping ahead and focusing on optimising campaigns and increasing targeted engagement.
Why is customer identity so important?
To successfully optimise marketing campaigns and engagement, marketeers and CX practitioners should first focus on laying a firm foundation by optimising customer identity management. This will help them to understand customer behaviour better and enable them to capitalise on future opportunities.
Take action
Here we outline six stand-out benefits of investing in fully formed, data-driven customer identity profiles:
1. Deliver seamless, personalised customer experiences
More than 60% of respondents in a recent Epsilon survey say they suffer from gaps in their first-party customer data. These gaps, caused by incomplete customer profiles, heighten the risk of:
• Incorrect messaging frequency, with intervals between messages either too long or too short.
• Interactions that fail to reflect the customer’s personal preferences.
• Disjointed and inappropriate marketing messages.
With the help of a robust customer identity management strategy, brands can double-down on data capture and overcome the issue of fragmented customer profiles. Programmes dedicated to the accurate identification of customers will help brands to effectively personalise and increase the relevance of engagement campaigns.
2. Increase the effectiveness of marketing campaign management
Just 8% of marketing experts believe their customer identity programs increase customer lifetime value. Also, a mere 17% of marketeers believe they are skilled at reducing marketing waste within their own business. This wasted marketing spend can be directly linked to the perception of marketing as a cost centre. In fact, internal tech and operational data silos often block marketeers and CX practitioners from accurately calculating how their efforts contribute to revenue attribution. The solution is for organisations to make joined-up marketing and tech decisions. This cross-department collaboration can yield dramatic results – proving marketing efficiency and freeing the marketing function from short-term campaign performance judgements.
3. Improve analytics capabilities
Companies that want to build strong engagement strategies must first find and analyse relevant buying patterns in past customer journeys. This approach enables marketeers to:
• Predict and reveal future customer buying behaviour.
• Develop and implement marketing messaging aimed at satisfying customer demand.
CX practitioners and marketeers can use data-driven insights on channels such as webpages, social media, and self-service portals to determine what content buyers prefer engaging with and adapt their strategy accordingly.
4. Better adherence to privacy controls and opt-outs
With 81% of customers saying they would stop engaging with a brand if it was involved in a data breach, it’s clear that the ability to adhere to privacy controls and opt-outs has a major impact on customer lifetime value. Companies that leverage customer identity management to protect private data and fulfil their legal obligations enjoy a distinct competitive advantage.
5. Identify lucrative up-selling and cross-selling opportunities
It’s a simple fact that when companies are aware of their customers’ buying habits, they find it easier to up-sell and cross-sell to them. Data-driven customer insights can reveal:
• Which customer segments are most likely to convert on a particular up-sell/cross-sell proposition.
• Which product-bundling suggestions are best for a cross-sell with existing customers.
• The best point during the customer journey to attempt an up-sell/cross-sell.
The ability to identify and optimise up-selling/cross-selling opportunities can be incredibly valuable, especially when you consider it is between five to 25 times more expensive to acquire a new customer than it is to retain and resell to an existing one.
6. Navigating the post-cookie future
Google Chrome’s self-imposed deadline to phase out third-party cookies by 2023 is fast approaching. It is therefore critical that brands optimise customer identity management to ensure their first-party data is well organized, unified across company divisions and can be relied upon to help deliver market-leading personalisation in a post-cookie world.
Companies’ long-term reliance on third-party data is no longer sustainable. Without a strategy to guide customer identity data capture brands will lose the ability to:
• Track and understand customer behaviour and preferences.
• Gather insights from webpages, social media, and self-service portals.
• Analyse past customer journeys so that future journeys can be anticipated and optimised.
Find out more
For more expert insight and advice on optimising customer profile development read Epsilon’s latest report, Key Drivers for Identity Management.
---
## When brands are looking for a digital retail media partner, they must ensure they can deliver in these 5 areas.
Type: eps_post
URL: /when-brands-are-looking-for-a-digital-retail-media-partner-they-must-ensure-they-can-deliver-in-these-5-areas
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# When brands are looking for a digital retail media partner, they must ensure they can deliver in these 5 areas.
Today, retailers are leveraging their rich, consented transaction-based first-party data and websites to create media networks that give brands access to their customers. Engaging with the right digital retail media partner can produce huge returns for brands, allowing them to target and engage with in-market buyers at the point of purchase.
Download the guide here.
---
## 5 ways AI enhances the customer journey
Type: eps_post
URL: /5-ways-ai-enhances-the-customer-journey
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T22:16:49Z
# 5 ways AI enhances the customer journey
Artificial Intelligence is no longer science fiction. What was once confined to the silver screen à la 2001: A Space Odyssey or Star Wars is now fueling business decisions around the globe. Gartner reports that 59% of organizations worldwide have already deployed AI, and they expect to double the number of projects in place within the next year.
I’ve seen marketers adopt a sort of cautious optimism towards AI—the benefits are clear; but the sheer feat of implementing AI is enough to steer some away, as it often requires sifting through mountains of unorganized data. However, the improvements clients have seen in their marketing strategies, executions and results are worth the effort.
I know it’s not the easiest concept to grasp—and if you’re still not sold, that’s alright. Let’s walk through some of the key benefits AI can bring to the table to holistically improve the customer experience throughout their journey with your brand.
1. Customers feel like you understand them
Machines can crunch enormous amounts of data and do the heavy lifting on data aggregation and cleansing, which enables marketers to spend their time analyzing customers’ behavioral patterns. “[Epsilon] uses machine learning to build profiles and create models that predict what people are going to do, what they’re going to buy, even in some cases what kinds of images they’re going to respond to most strongly,” Epsilon’s SVP of decision sciences Steve Nowlan notes in our recent edition of CORE Content.
This information is invaluable to personalize communications at the individual level. Implementing machine learning can unlock huge untapped potential to personalize across a brand’s marketing channels, connecting marketers with high-value consumers in the process. Plus, with the machines doing the heavy lifting, marketers have time to really dig into those insights to inform their strategy.
2. Customers receive thoughtful recommendations
We’ve all seen an ad for a product that you’d simply never buy or need—and it’s frustrating. You feel like that brand doesn’t know you at all.
Yes, machine learning algorithms can predict consumer behavior to deliver personalized products, offers, messaging, content and rewards for loyalty members. But the impact is what’s important: when customers receive a brand communication built by one of these algorithms, it’s something they need, rather than a compilation of products with little significance that they easily dismiss.
3. Personalized content creates a “human” connection
Audience development and segmentation take on a new life by adding AI as an
element in the decision-making process. Each profile becomes a segment of one, so you’re treating customers like the unique individual they are, rather than part of a batch-and-blast scheme.
Creative plays a big part in this process as well. Think about colors, campaigns and timing dynamics—they all create an atmosphere for customers to connect to brands. Aligning dynamic creative fueled by AI with different customers is a worthwhile addition to any marketing campaign and can strengthen affinity towards your brand.
4. Customer service is fast and friendly
AI allows marketers to enhance the customer experience with around-the-clock attention. Bots and virtual assistants embedded in websites or apps offer a 1:1 communication channel for brands—one that’s highly relevant and personalized to the individual.
Conversational AI ultimately sits at the intersection of customer engagement and need. Fueled by past behavior, conversational AI can:
Greet customers by their first names
Ask them if they need any quick problem solving
Recommend relevant products based on current chat dialog or their last browsing session or purchase
Marketers can also nurture these customers post-conversion. When someone returns to your site, the insights gained from previous interactions will help brands immediately connect with relevant content.
5. Customers feel supported through each buying stage
Machine learning and AI support natural language processing (NLP), which allows for
organization, optimization and generation of content quickly. From a marketer’s perspective, this saves time and money by processing large volumes of content that can be searchable and intelligently tagged for easy use. From a consumer’s perspective, this helps successfully guide them through the customer journey with ease.
A fractured experience often deters people from continuing to engage with your brand. That’s where AI comes in. AI patterns allow marketers to make decisions on what a customer’s next best action is, so they're constantly building on past interactions to inform what should come next.
You don’t have to go it alone
Don’t be surprised if you see more and more brands leveraging AI. This shift has come out of necessity; people simply expect more from brands these days. Marketers are pressured to deliver unique and personalized experiences on a dime, and AI can help facilitate those conversations.
Again, marketers who implement machine learning see:
Better personalization capabilities at scale
Overall improved customer journey
It’s understandable to feel overwhelmed or still have questions. But you don’t have to go it alone. The right partner can help you with the right crawl, walk, run approach to AI. Ultimately, AI is something you should take at your own pace—but staying ahead of the curve will set marketers up for long-term success with customers.
---
## How to discover consumer insights using media monitoring?
Type: eps_post
URL: /how-to-discover-consumer-insights-using-media-monitoring
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# How to discover consumer insights using media monitoring?
Since acquiring a new customer can cost five times more than retaining an existing customer, most businesses today understand the importance of delivering the best possible customer experience.
By doing so, they want to ensure that their customers are satisfied with the brand and the churn rate (the rate at which customers stop doing business with an entity) remains at its minimum.
Moreover, it helps to keep your customers satisfied because customer retention helps not just in maintaining a steady revenue stream but also in driving profits. Statistics reveal, for instance, that the success rate of selling to an existing customer is 60-70%, while the success rate of selling to a new customer is 5-20%.
This brings us to the question of what can businesses do to improve their customer experience. In order to deliver a good, personalized customer experience businesses need to understand their customers in as much detail as possible. So, how should businesses do that? This is where customer insights come into the picture.
What are customer insights?
Customer insights are essentially the interpretations that businesses use to understand how their customers behave, how they perceive the brand, and what do they feel about their interactions with the brand.
These insights are arrived at by analyzing customer behavior in conjunction with different types of data, and they ultimately help the businesses understand what their customers want (or need) and what would motivate them to engage in a mutually profitable relationship with the business.
Apart from improving customer experience, it is also common for brands to leverage these customer insights for driving successful marketing campaigns. For example, Hinge analyzed their own user data to derive an insight that 81% of Hinge users have never found a long-term relationship on any swiping app.
Then, they used this insight along with others to create a page called “The Dating Apocalypse” and created a campaign with the tagline, “Let’s be real”, to challenge the existing perception of online dating.
The insight-driven campaign was used to execute Hinge’s vision of presenting an honest view of its users, far from the polished, idealized images portrayed by most dating apps.
How to collect customer insights?
The idea of collecting customer insights is not new among marketers and business owners. Traditionally, businesses collected insights through sources like surveys, focus groups, and questionnaires, however, there are some intrinsic challenges associated with these methods.
For example, all of these techniques require active customer participation, something that is difficult to achieve that in today’s fast-paced world, and observer bias is common when straightforward questions are posed to the customers.
Moreover, due to the logistics involved in traditional ways of collecting insights, they focus on the customer’s past experience and run the risk of using outdated data that does not reflect updates/changes to the product or customer experience.
As data collection and analysis technologies have become more and more sophisticated over the years, these traditional sources of customer insights have been augmented with digital sources.
A few common examples of these digital sources are website behavior, web search patterns, CRMs and databases, social media conversations, forums, blogs, and online reviews. Compared to traditional sources, these are quicker, cheaper, and less biased.
How to do media monitoring for gathering insights?
Media monitoring refers to the act of monitoring digital media platforms (for example, product forums, chatrooms, social media sites, etc.) to keep an eye on what is being said about your brand, your customer experience, your industry, and your competitors.
It is also, of course, an indispensable part of the strategy you will need to gather useful consumer insights.
Let’s look at some steps you can take to perform effective media monitoring for gathering relevant insights:
Get the right media listening and analytics tool
If you are going to handle the media monitoring and the ensuing consumer insights analysis with an in-house team, you will need to invest in a sophisticated listening and analytics tool. This tool must fulfill the following conditions:
It should fit the unique requirements of your business.
It should cover all the platforms that are relevant to your brand.
It should allow you a good degree of flexibility with filters that allow you to narrow down specific reports.
The cost of getting your team trained and onboarded for using the tool should be financially viable for the business.
Businesses that do not want to get sidetracked from their primary goals often take the help of industry leaders like Epsilon to make sure that the customer insights they gather are precise and actionable.
Take out the time to do primary audience analysis
Your primary audiences are the people who directly receive your brand communications. In most cases, therefore, primary audience analysis is aimed at your existing customers and it provides you with a clear idea of how your brand identity is currently perceived by them.
Combing through relevant media channels with search queries focussed on your brand name and specific products will give you a large sample set of people who do business with you.
Once you have collected a large enough sample set of these mentions, you can begin to analyze the people who are talking about your brand and what is it that they are saying. Investing some resources in primary audience analysis at the beginning itself will surely go a long way towards getting accurate consumer insights for your business.
Try to discover the context in which your brand is often mentioned
It is no longer enough to do basic sentiment analysis for evaluating brand perception because the ways in which people interact on the Internet have become increasingly complex.
Sentiment analysis with anything less than state-of-the-art AI capabilities is also not able to take into account the constantly evolving Internet slang that is often specific to each media platform, and it struggles with human expressions like sarcasm.
Therefore, to gather truly useful customer insights with media monitoring, you will need to understand the main topics around which your brand is often mentioned. When you have a large enough data set, you can analyze it to detect patterns of repetition, and this way you will soon enough understand the context in which people are mentioning your brand.
Sometimes, this method of gathering insights may reveal surprising results, for example, according to Linkfluence, a significant number of users bring up the brand “Nike” while discussing Asia Pacific politics. Moreover, the bulk of these users are between ages 18-24, live in the USA, and mostly talk about the brand on Instagram.
Such unique and unexpected insights can be the fuel of some truly creative and original marketing campaigns that will set your business apart from the competition. That brings us to our next point of discussion.
Derive customer insights from your competitors
When you find out which media platforms are the most relevant for you and your industry, you can also analyze your major competitors to get customer insights.
This will inform you about the brands that have the highest engagement, find the maximum number of mentions from customers, and score high on positive sentiments. Then, you can look at what they are doing right and you can modify your marketing strategy accordingly.
Also, by looking at the bigger picture of your industry as a whole, you can understand an average customer in greater detail. It will give you more context and will help you understand if the behavior of your customers is in line with the customers of other brands.
Since the whole point of these exercises is to gain actionable insights, it is always good news to find something surprising because then you can use it to improve your branding and products.
While you invest precious resources in discovering consumer insights with media monitoring, it is important that you keep a track of your progress with relevant metrics and KPIs.
It will help you understand the exact difference that customer insights are making to your business and you will be able to make future decisions while taking the ROI into consideration.
However, by leveraging your business experience with these suggestions, you will surely end up with some exciting, actionable customer insights that prove transformative for your brand.
---
## A Customer Insight Strategy—Why You Need it and How Can You Develop It
Type: eps_post
URL: /a-customer-insight-strategy-why-you-need-it-and-how-can-you-develop-it
Last Modified: 2026-05-28T15:54:37Z
# A Customer Insight Strategy—Why You Need it and How Can You Develop It
“You never really understand a person until you consider things from his point of view”, said Harper Lee, the Pulitzer-winning author of To Kill a Mockingbird.
For businesses to deliver a good customer experience, they need to understand the customers, and for that, as Harper Lee tells us, they need to consider things from the customers’ point of view. It is this consideration, this listening to the customers, that forms the fundamental part of an effective customer insight strategy.
What are customer insights?
Customer insights are data-driven and observational interpretations of people’s behavior that are used by businesses to understand how their customers (existing as well as potential) think, react, feel, and interact with the brand.
These interpretations or insights are then used while taking business decisions regarding brand positioning, audience or market targeting, product pricing, etc.
Why do you need a customer insight strategy?
Businesses often look at metrics like customer satisfaction (CSAT) scores and net promoter score (NPS) surveys to gauge how the customers feel about their brand. If these metrics are satisfactory, you may wonder why you need a customer insight strategy when you are already doing good as far as customer satisfaction is concerned.
But, effective customer insight strategies go well beyond simplistic quantitative markers in providing you with a complete view of your customers.
By leveraging the relevant customer insights you can enable the different teams at your organization to make customer-focused decisions and these decisions then funnel up over time to positively affect important metrics like customer retention and net customer value.
Following are some of the things that you can hope to achieve with a well-designed customer insights program.
Better product development and updation
By understanding your customers you can also understand what new products they need from your brand and what would they like to be improved in the existing products.
Constantly integrating the results of customer insights & analytics into your product development process will also help you stay informed about the new features that you should be bringing to your products to stay ahead of the competition.
Addressing customer concerns more effectively
It becomes a matter of course in many organizations to look past the customer support team personnel bringing up customer concerns from their day-to-day tickets.
But when customer insights help you figure out the underlying patterns of infrequent customer concerns, you can spot systemic problems and move towards solving them.
With the customer insight strategy putting relevant data at the fingertips of all team members, customer experience can be tailored to address the majority of common customer concerns.
At times, with techniques like beta releases, customer insights may also help you predict how specific changes in your products or services may be perceived by your target audience before you actually implement these changes.
Increasing the efficiency of marketing efforts
As a brand, it may often be more profitable for you to target the customers who are already looking for the kind of product that you offer, instead of spending resources in convincing people from scratch to do business with you.
For example, if you are a leather shoe manufacturer then instead of showing your Facebook Ad to 1000 random people you may achieve better ROI by showing it to the 100 people who have searched Google for formal and leather shoes in the last week.
Customer insight strategies can help you target potential and existing customers more precisely by helping you understand what they want from you, and when. It can also be of great assistance in a better segmentation of your customer base.
Armed with research-based insights, you can maximize the output of your marketing efforts and deliver relevant communication to customers at the right time.
Now, let’s look at the essential steps you need to take for developing a customer insight strategy.
Ask yourself the 5 five fundamental questions
When you start developing a customer insight strategy, it is best to get clarity regarding these important questions at the beginning itself:
What business goals are the most important to you and how are these goals related to your customer insights?
What is the timeline for meeting the goals in which customer insights are going to be utilized?
What are the constraints you will have to work with? These can be budgetary constraints or related to the technical know-how of the available human resource.
What are the customer segments that you want to learn more about with the insights strategy?
What are the main data sources that you will be analyzing to derive the insights?
Map out the customer journey
The process of visually depicting the various touchpoints at which a customer interacts with your brand is known as customer journey mapping.
By mapping the entire journey, right from making the first impression on a customer to the final conversion and churn rates, it is possible to make predictions about other customers in the same segment.
The easy-to-understand visual representation ensures that different teams like customer experience and customer support are able to get a clear view of the customer journey, which improves the quality of collaboration between them.
The question of how to act on insight is just as important, after all, as the question of how to gather customer insight.
Read about the 5 fundamental design considerations for a customer insights program.
Refine your data sources
The quality of your customer insights will depend a great deal upon the quality of the data you are analyzing to arrive at these insights.
Unreliable, inaccurate data will produce insights that do not reflect the real behavior of your customers and that may have an adverse effect on your business goals. Also, you will need to make sure that you are all the relevant data sources, like the customer feedback platform, are given due importance in the customer insight strategy.
Keep iterating and improving
Developing a customer insight strategy is an ever-evolving process and you will need to regularly improve it after each iteration, based on the performance metrics you use to gauge its effectiveness.
In order to remain impactful, the strategy will also need regular changes to fit the changing customer journey maps. You will need to take constant feedback from the team members who are involved in implementing the strategy and the ones who are in charge of acting on the customer insights.
This will help you make sure that there are no organizational silos regarding the strategy, and its execution will be seamless.
By integrating all these customer insight techniques in your strategy, and by collaborating with customer insight leaders like Epsilon, you will definitely be able to optimize your business operations while providing a great customer experience.
---
## Why Your Business Needs a People-Based Approach to Cross-Device Tracking
Type: eps_post
URL: /why-your-business-needs-a-people-based-approach-to-cross-device-tracking
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Why Your Business Needs a People-Based Approach to Cross-Device Tracking
Imagine this scenario: a person first comes across a brand through a TV advertisement, then looks at a related Facebook Ad while browsing the Internet on his laptop, opens up Amazon on his smartphone the next day to put one of the brand’s products into his cart, and finally makes the transaction from his personal laptop at home.
This is a quite common scenario for us today—in 2015, Gartner estimated that 20.8 billion connected things would be in use worldwide by 2020, and current market research shows that this estimate may have been exceeded in 2021.
As the level of synchronization between different devices keeps getting better every day, people are increasingly losing a sense of distinction between their behavior on these devices. For example, by signing in to Chrome with the same Google account you can easily access the same bookmarks, saved passwords, etc. on your phone as well as your laptop.
Brands have also taken note of this growing confluence between devices in recent years and this is reflected in the increased focus on delivering a seamless omnichannel experience. Now, new devices like smartwatches, smart TVs, and smart home assistants like Amazon’s Alexa or Apple’s HomePod have also started figuring as a part of the customer journey.
For brands trying to communicate with their customers in a consistent manner and deliver an experience that does not become erratic when the customers switch devices, the landscape is more complicated than ever.
Failing to adapt to the customers’ cross-device activity can result in reduced customer loyalty, disconnected experiences, and a loss of ability to evaluate and improve the quality of a brand’s marketing efforts.
The way out of all this chaos lies in cross device tracking that enables brands to unify their view of customer activity across all devices and adopt an individual-based view of their customers.
What is cross-device tracking and why do businesses need it?
Cross-device tracking is an alternative to the cookie-based tracking that brands have traditionally used to track their customers’ online behavior. It refers to the technology that businesses can use to track their customers across different devices to obtain a unified view of the customer and avoid redundancies.
Third-party cookies used to be the primary tool at the disposal of businesses to keep a track of their customers. In addition to a few other functions, these cookies could capture customer data on a particular device and then use it the next time that customer interacted with the brand.
However, their use is seeing a steep decline ever since data giants like Google and Apple (along with popular browsers like Firefox and Safari) made announcements regarding their intention to stop the use of third-party cookies. Moreover, while cookies found ample use on desktops, they have generally proven to be ineffective within smartphone and tablet browsers because their functionality is restricted in specific apps.
Cross-device tracking with a people-based approach can perform better than cookies because it combines identifiers (hashed email addresses, IP addresses, loyalty membership numbers, account usernames, mobile ad IDs, etc.) across all devices and channels.
By mapping all these identifiers and the engagement data contained in them to individual customers, marketers can better understand their customers and target them with the right communication at the right time.
Following are the major benefits that a people-based approach to cross-device tracking can bring to your business.
A better understanding of the customer journey
According to statistics cited by Oberlo, smartphone usage is expected to continue to increase in the coming years, breaching seven billion in 2024 before rising further to 7.5 billion by 2026.
This will mean that even more customer-brand interactions will take place on mobile phones in the near future and marketers who continue to depend on cookies will miss out on a whole lot of customer insights.
By leveraging cross-device tracking, however, marketers can discover an individual customer’s behavior and needs across screens, which enables them to respond appropriately.
A more precise way of targeting the customers
Suppose that you want to show an ad to a customer at an interval of 2 days for 3 weeks because that specific frequency has proved beneficial for you in the past. But, without being able to recognize this customer as the same person across all his devices, how will you control the number of times your ad is shown to him?
Brands often run the risk of bombarding their customers with the same ads over and over again on different devices, which has an overall negative impact on brand identity. Moreover, since you treat the customer’s interaction through different devices as distinct customers, your data will be erroneous and you will not be able to measure the performance of your campaign accurately.
All these problems can be solved by adopting a people-centered cross-device tracking strategy that will allow you to target your customers precisely with messages that actually add value to their experience with the brand. By reducing the amount of resources wasted on refining redundant data you will also be able to focus more on improving your brand’s presence in the market.
A seamless customer experience across devices
Customers today have high expectations from brands and are quick to explore alternatives if these expectations are not met. As a business, you cannot afford to frustrate your customers and your aim should be to deliver a customer experience that does not merely satisfy, but delights them.
For instance, a customer who is browsing shoes on Amazon’s mobile app will continue to see relevant recommendations for shoes when he accesses Amazon’s website from his laptop. Such seamless integration between different devices feels natural to the customers and brands can only deliver it by using cross-device tracking in a way that focuses on the individuals using these devices.
The road to the future
With wearable tech becoming quite common and most of the devices around us turning “smart”, it must be quite clear to business owners and marketers that the road to the future will be traversed by focusing on people, rather than types of devices or screen sizes.
By employing deterministic matching to associate personal identifiers such as email addresses, physical addresses, IP addresses, phone numbers, etc. to an individual, brands can create ID graphs to identify customers across devices.
Doing so shifts the focus to a people-based approach and also allows businesses to use capabilities like cross device conversion tracking that go a long way towards saving resources and optimizing performance evaluations.
---
## What is a Customer Data Platform, and Why You Need It?
Type: eps_post
URL: /what-is-a-customer-data-platform-and-why-you-need-it
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# What is a Customer Data Platform, and Why You Need It?
As our collective dependence on digital solutions increased manifold in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic, the Customer Data Platforms (CDPs) industry grew exponentially.
Since most of the businesses (even the most tech-resistant ones like gyms, or local grocery stores) were forced by the pandemic to interact digitally with their customers, there has been a great influx of customer data, and brands have turned to CDPs for collating, sanitizing, and using this data.
According to a report by Twilio Segment, with the increased adoption of digital channels, 73% of companies report that a CDP will be critical to their customer experience efforts. Furthermore, the increasing use and popularity of Customer Data Platforms is shown by a CDP Institute report which estimates CDP Industry revenue for 2021 at $1.6 billion.
What is a Customer Data Platform?
The founder of Customer Data Platform Institute, David Raab, defines a CDP as "a packaged software that creates a persistent, unified customer database that is accessible to sales, customer service, online advertising, point of sale, and any other customer-facing system."
In other words, a CDP is essentially a software solution that can collect the data from all the customer touchpoints and then sanitize that data to make it usable for various teams in the organization. The touchpoints may include, among others, transaction history, social channels, sales and service interactions, and smart device usage data.
Why do businesses need a Customer Data Platform?
It is quite common today for customers to switch between multiple devices while interacting with a brand. For example, a person interested in buying shoes may browse Amazon on his smartphone, then put a few shoes into his cart from his work computer, and finally buy one of the shoes on his laptop after returning home.
The data generated from these touchpoints across devices and channels needs to be collated and synchronized if brands want to get a 360-degree view of the customer, and for this purpose, a CDP is required. Since CDPs collect first-party data, they are going to be incredibly useful for brands in the near future as third-party data collection is gradually being phased out by major players like Google and Apple.
Moreover, any reasonably large organization has multiple independent departments which deal directly or indirectly with the customer. These departments often find it very difficult to collate the data they collect from various data streams, which renders the data unactionable for relevant teams like the customer experience team or customer support team.
By presenting a unified picture of the data, CDPs remove the data silos that exist within the organization and provide the ability to compile, analyze, and act on all your customer data from a single platform. This ability can equip marketers and other stakeholders with some incredible insight into the business and help them manage the it so much better.
What are the benefits of a CDP?
The following are some of the major benefits of a Customer Data Platform:
A better understanding of your customers
According to a report by SmarterHQ, 72% of consumers say they’ll only engage with marketing that’s personalized for them. But, for delivering a personalized experience, brands need to truly understand their customers on an individual basis.
A CDP provides a 360-degree view of the customer and enables brands to recognize and understand each part of the customer journey, including the different transactions between the customer and the business.
Based on the insights from the CDP, brands can understand customer behavior and tailor the experience of each customer to be completely satisfactory. By doing so, businesses are able to build long-term customer loyalty and create a good brand identity.
Discovering new audience segments
In order to put across the right communication to the right people at the right time, brands need to divide their target audience into segments. This segmentation can be done based on various parameters like age, income, number of interactions with the brand, etc.
By implementing a CDP, businesses can discover new segments because it lets them apply analytics to all the customer data at the same time, at the same place. The analytics software will still need the segmentation parameters that are relevant to a particular business, but a centralized data strategy makes the process much more efficient and effective.
Campaign optimization
To understand the relative success of different marketing campaigns running on different platforms and channels, businesses need to analyze each of their efficiency and return on investment.
CDPs allow businesses to gain these insights by putting the relevant data from different campaigns (or different instances of the same campaign) at the same place for comparative analysis.
Doing this exercise regularly can help businesses get into a cycle of constantly improving future promotions by leveraging the in-depth understanding gained from analyzing the last ones.
Businesses that already have a CRM are sometimes confused about its distinction with a CDP. While a CRM (Customer Relationship Management) system also collects customer data, unlike a CDP it only collects customer-facing interactions via manual entry.
A Customer Data Platform, on the other hand, automates data collection at each step of the customer journey and gives due importance to each interaction between the brand and the customers. Having a CDP does not undermine the importance of customer relationship management , rather it augments this importance with additional capabilities.
How to decide if your business needs a CDP?
Before investing in any marketing technology, like a Customer Data Platform, you must have clearly defined needs, use cases, and the expertise required to use the technology effectively for meeting your business goals. Simply getting on the bandwagon of businesses getting a CDP will not yield desired results if the different teams in your organization are not trained to utilize it.
Moreover, many of the CDP solutions available in the market today are not enterprise-ready. Though CDPs have shown some early successes with mid-size brands, large enterprise brands have had different experiences and are quickly realizing that CDPs alone cannot solve their unique needs.
These large brands often require the experience and know-how of industry leaders like Epsilon whose enterprise-level CDP can help set apart the brand. The right CDP for your business is meant to optimize your operations, not to tie you up in endless hassles and training sessions.
Epsilon’s PeopleCloud Customer, for instance, can ingest and unify data for a single view of each customer, offers advanced predictive modeling tools, segments and orchestrates campaigns, and helps businesses enhance their products with premium data and decisions.
Therefore, while making a business decision regarding CDPs, or while trying to figure out how to build a Customer Data Platform their many benefits should be weighed in the context of how well it would fit in with the unique nature of your business. When due prudence is exercised, it can surely make a huge impact on your marketing efforts.
---
## Q&A with Amanda Norman, CEO of the Leprosy Mission Trading
Type: eps_post
URL: /qa-with-amanda-norman-ceo-of-the-leprosy-mission-trading
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Q&A with Amanda Norman, CEO of the Leprosy Mission Trading
A key part of the role of TLM Trading is to raise awareness that leprosy exists and to recruit new supporters of the Mission.
That’s where Epsilon Abacus comes in. We send our main Autumn/Winter catalogue to some 150,000 potential new customers that we source from the Abacus Alliance.
A new customer might buy just a few Christmas cards in their first year but later go on to be a major donor to the charity. We know that many legacy givers first started their journey with the charity by buying a single pack of cards from The Leprosy Mission Shop.
Read the full interview here
Send us a message at enquiriesuk@epsilon.com
---
## Predicting your insurance customers' journey with data
Type: eps_post
URL: /predicting-insurance-customers-journey-with-data
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T22:16:49Z
# Predicting your insurance customers' journey with data
What would you do if you could see the whole lifecycle of a customer before it happens?
Financial decisions aren’t made impulsively. Everything from getting a new pet to buying a house are decisions consumers don’t take lightly, ones that require months or years of thought. So why don’t more insurance companies walk alongside customers on their individual journeys and help them navigate changes in advance of significant milestones?
Connecting with customers before they need a new product or service is more crucial than ever. The key is finding a vendor that helps you reach these customers when they’re most likely to engage, and gives you real proof that the strategy is working.
Signals technology moves your strategy from reactive to proactive. This product recognizes near real-time consumer buying signals with back-end data science and modeling included, allowing marketers to focus on optimizing audiences and personalization across channels. This can help insurance marketers determine customers who are most likely to be in market.
Signals gives marketers direct access to optimized audiences, meaning customers are getting a personalized marketing experience that speaks to them directly.
In a world of marketing noise, finding meaningful ways to reach customers doesn’t have to be rocket science. Having the right tools to guide your customers along as their lives evolve can be—and should be—the key to your success.
What is third-party cookie deprecation?
Third-party cookies (3PCs) are a common identifier for marketers to identify and reach consumers across websites, but they’re not permanent. In fact, they’ve been deprecating for years, and in 2023, they’re poised to go away completely.
2017: Safari removes 3PCs (30% of browser marketshare)
2019: Firefox removes 3PCs (4% of browser marketshare)
April 2021: Apple limits use of identifiers on its devices
2023: Chrome to remove 3PCs (48% of browser marketshare)
Finding customers in real life
We’re going to take you through the life of one person to show you how signals can help you speak to your customers where they are—and when they need you most.
Meet Jessica
Jessica Woods is a nursing student who’s about to graduate. Insurance isn’t really on her mind as she navigates her busy life, but as things start to get more “real,” she’s beginning to think bigger. She currently has a renters insurance policy with Insurance Co., but as she prepares for her new chapter, she’s thinking about everything from a new apartment to possibly buying a car—depending on where she’s placed.
Jessica is early on in her journey, meaning Insurance Co. has a unique opportunity create a meaningful connection with her now and gain her trust throughout her financial life.
Before we dive into Jessica’s journey, we have to ask: how is Insurance Co. going to know how they can help her along her way?
Graduation | Home Ownership | Marriage | Children
What Insurance Co. knows about Jessica
With a marketing strategy that centers around a clear view of its customers’ identities, Insurance Co. has a unique look on who Jessica is. Broken down, this is how they see her:
Customer data integration: Basic information Insurance Co. has (Jessica Woods, woods@ymail.com, 21 years old)
Digital activity: Information about Jessica’s online activity (searched for: nursing jobs in Philadelphia, used cars near me)
Customer information account management: Social profile data that rounds out who she is (likes cooking, Netflix and travel)
Insurance Co. is using Signals, which is highly predictive and shows them consumers’ real-time intent, optimized through first-party data.
This allows Insurance Co. to make the most of their messaging throughout Jessica’s customer journey and to continually use predictive data to differentiate what someone might need over someone else.
Predictability and anticipation should be the biggest driver of your marketing efforts. The key: Building data-driven, personalized experiences for every individual on their preferred channels and devices.
How are signals bolstered on your owned channels?
How are those activating across different touchpoints? (connected TV, mobile, display, etc.)
The day has come. Jessica is graduating college. Luckily for her, she’s already secured a few interviews. The best fit comes down to a team that supports her and a hospital with a good company culture. That’s why she’s accepted a job with Sacred Mother Hospital just outside the city.
So, what’s she going to do now? She needs a new apartment. With her new adult job should come new adult digs. And she can’t get to Sacred Mother Hospital without a car.
Her new browsing history
Used cars near me
Zillow.com: 1 bedroom apartments in Fishtown
Insurance Co. has two opportunities. She already has renters insurance, and when she goes to cancel her policy, they’re able to reengage her right away. For her, renters insurance makes sense—and thanks to Insurance Co.’s use of Signals, she’s also getting ads for car insurance.
The bundle looks good, and when she finally pulls the trigger on a 2019 Hyundai Tucson, it’s a no-brainer to go with Insurance Co. She looked at other rates, but time and time again, she was served ads from her insurance company and didn’t feel the need to switch.
A few years pass and life is good. Not only did she get promoted at work, she got a new boyfriend, too. What does a young couple in love do? Get a dog, of course. Jessica and her boyfriend Brian want to rescue a smaller dog, and they do extensive research on shelters in their area before finding a chihuahua mix named Pancakes.
Her new browsing and transaction history:
Animal shelters near Fishtown
Chewy.com: Dog beds, dog toys, dog leash
Pancakes is her baby, and Jessica is sparing no expense when it comes to the new love of her life. Insurance Co. sees another opportunity to give Jessica exactly what she and Pancakes need: Pet insurance.
The ad speaks to her, and just like that, she’s now added another policy with Insurance Co.. Simple and affordable with a brand she already knows and trusts.
There’s nothing better than owning your own home. As Jessica nears her 30s—and as she and Brian are inching closer to marital bliss, she’s got one thing on the mind: Real estate.
What can she afford? She has no idea. So she meets with a mortgage lender, looks at some listings online and starts getting serious about saving for a down payment. All the while, Insurance Co. is noticing her changes in activity and seizes the opportunity.
Her new browsing history:
What mortgage can I afford?
Mortgage calculator
Mortgage lenders near me
Zillow.com: Home listings near me
With a little ingenuity—and some great guidance from her realtor—she, Brian and Pancakes relocate to a beautiful three-bedroom house in western Philly that has a charming backyard and a finished basement.
But before they even toured the home, Insurance Co. let her know she could pay less on home insurance than with other competitors. Not one to ruin a good thing, she added another policy and packed up her apartment for good.
After four blissful years together, they’ve decided to make their love legally binding. And with that comes a whole new set of considerations. Planning a wedding is crazy enough, and Jessica—always the calm and responsible one—wants her special day to be absolutely perfect.
New browsing history:
Wedding venues in Philadelphia
Wedding boutiques near me
United.com: Two first-class tickets to Bora Bora
Insurance Co. doesn’t waste any time helping Jessica secure the next chapter of her life. When she’s served an ad about travel insurance, she immediately gets it. One less thing to worry about. When she’s served an ad for jewelry insurance on her stunning 2-carat princess cut diamond with a sterling silver band, she is stunned. She didn’t even think about that!
First comes love, then comes marriage, then comes two children in a home that is just a tiny bit too small. Having kids is great, but what’s even better is having a home where everyone isn’t on top of one another.
Jessica and Brian are in a good position to sell their home and upgrade. They’re also considering ditching Brian’s 2014 Honda Civic two-door for something a little more suited for hauling around children. Big changes are happening, and their browsing and purchase history reflect that.
New browsing and purchase history:
Best SUVs for families
Target.com: Car seats, baby wipes, closet organizer
Zillow. com: 4+ bedroom houses in West Philly
Insurance Co. has her back. Babies bring a whole new perspective to a person’s life, and suddenly Jessica is thinking about things beyond today. She’s already checked out car insurance rates for their new SUV—and has already spoken to an insurance agent about new homeowner’s insurance—but when she’s served an ad for life insurance, she knows it’s the smart thing to do.
So, why does this matter to you as a marketer?
Jessica is just one person, but her commitment to Insurance Co. was seeded by them being there for her as her life evolved. Because of that, they were able to take a single renters insurance policy and grow it into a multitude of ongoing and in-the-moment policies. All of that was possible for Insurance Co. because they used their first-party data to reach her at the right times.
If you're looking to reach your customers exactly when they need you most, Epsilon can help.
{{cta('242eedd7-a030-4e9a-a95f-895b2b1cfab7')}}
---
## Identity management: Five ways to reach the right customers at the right time
Type: eps_post
URL: /identity-management-five-ways-to-reach-the-right-customers-at-the-right-time
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Identity management: Five ways to reach the right customers at the right time
When it comes to modern marketing, relevant and timely messaging is all that matters. In other words, saying the right thing to your customer at the right time sells. But to achieve this feat, brands must get to know their customers very, very well. Get it wrong – for example, by spamming customers with offers for products they have already purchased – and brands can instead frustrate, annoy and upset them.
Deeper dive:
Research by Gartner shows that brands risk losing 38% of their customers if their personalisation efforts miss the target. Despite these risks, however, a recent Epsilon/CX Network survey across APAC, Middle East and Africa, reveals that 68% of companies continue to struggle with incomplete customer profiles and disorganised data sets. Meanwhile, 24% still have customer data siloed by channel or business function.
Take action
Here we outline four ways brands can get closer to their customers:
1. Improve analytics capabilities
Companies are increasingly realising the importance of taking a holistic approach and prioritising investments that help build a strong data structure that will reveal 360-degree customer views and provide end-to-end visibility of customer journeys and experiences. Companies that want to build strong engagement strategies must first find and analyse relevant buying patterns in past customer journeys.
This approach enables marketeers to:
Predict and reveal future customer buying behaviour.
Develop and implement marketing messaging aimed at satisfying customer demand.
CX practitioners and marketeers can use data-driven insights on channels such as webpages, social media, and self-service portals to determine what content buyers prefer engaging with and adapt their strategy accordingly.
2. Review and develop your first-party data strategy
Marketing teams should resist the urge to jump ahead and focus on optimising campaigns and increasing targeted engagement. Instead they are advised to concentrate on laying a firm foundation for customer ID programmes first by correcting incomplete customer profiles. Once marketing teams have built up a clear picture of their customers and their buying habits they will be able to start creating personalised customer experiences that resonate.
3. Plan for the post-cookie era
Google Chrome’s self-imposed deadline to phase out third-party cookies by 2023 is fast approaching. So it is imperative that brands start to develop an alternative, post-cookie customer identification strategy now. Brands should address their own identity data infrastructure weaknesses to ensure their first-party data is well organized, unified across company divisions and can be relied upon to help deliver market-leading personalisation in a post-cookie world. In order to optimise identity management in the post-cookie era, marketing teams should consider using a broader mix of identifiers.
Suitable customer identifiers include:
Email address
Phone number
Authentication details
IP address
Cookies
Internal identifier
Social media ID or handle
Device ID
Online transaction data
Postal address
Login data from your site
Offline transactions data
Third-party persistent identifier
If using a wider range of identifiers is too difficult, systems such as Epsilon’s proprietary technology need only two trackable data points to create a customer ID.
4. Track and pre-empt customer behaviour to increase lifetime value
Improved visibility of post-purchase behaviour can have a direct impact on a company’s bottom line through enhanced cross-selling and up-selling. This information can reveal which customer segments are most likely to convert on a particular up-sell or which product-bundling suggestions are best for a cross-sell with existing customers. With an effective customer identity management strategy brands are better placed to:
Track and understand customer behaviours and preferences.
Gather insights from webpages, social media and self-service portals.
Analyse past customer journeys, so that future journeys can be anticipated and optimised.
What steps should CX practitioners and marketeers take now?
Without a coherent strategy to guide data capture, brands risk intensifying the issue of fragmented customer profiles. Despite this, more than 60% of brands suffer from incomplete customer profiles, relating to gaps in first-party data held on customers. These incomplete customer profiles place a company’s customer engagement tactics at risk of being disjointed, leading to long gaps between touchpoints or frustrating interactions that fail to reflect the customer’s preferences. Where necessary brands should seek the support of identity enrichment experts to construct smooth customer journeys with interactions that will boost customer lifetime values.
Find out more
For more expert insight and advice on optimising customer profile development read Epsilon’s latest report, Key Drivers for Identity Management.
---
## 10 click-worthy email personalization trends for 2022
Type: eps_post
URL: /10-click-worthy-email-personalization-trends-for-2022
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# 10 click-worthy email personalization trends for 2022
The new year is right around the corner, and we know the questions on email marketers’ minds: What trends are heating up for next year and how can I integrate them into my 2022 planning? We’ve got you covered. 2022 is going to be a year of growth and innovation in the email space—so get comfortable and let’s dig into the hottest email marketing trends of the new year.
Table of Contents
BIMI (Brand Indicators for Message Identification)
Zero-party data
Connected customer experiences
Customer journey mapping
Machine Learning & Artificial Intelligence
Simple design processes
Interactive content
Behavioral messaging
AMP (Accelerated Mobile Pages)
Tapability
1. Build trust using BIMI
Successful email marketing is built on trust. BIMI, or Brand Indicators for Message Identification, enables marketers to display brand-controlled logos within supporting email clients. BIMI increases the confidence email recipients have in the source of the email and creates instant brand recognition in the inbox. By displaying clearly who is sending the email and why, BIMI is the most transparent way to let users know about the authenticity and value of your email.
Example: HBO
[See image] On the left is an email from HBO. While the inbox shows the 'friendly from', it’s still not instantly recognizable in a crowded inbox who is in fact sending the email. After applying BIMI on the right, HBO’s logo is clearly displayed, which creates a recognizable brand experience and makes the content even easier to scan and digest from the inbox.
Why it will be relevant in 2022:
Brands that introduce BIMI help support good domain and IP reputation and in turn, excellent subscriber engagement as they know this sender is validated and trusted
BIMI strengthens brand recall for customers, prevents fraudulent activities and cultivates trust in your customers crowded inbox
It’s a relatively low level of effort considering it’s impact, and once implemented, it can easily be applied across all of your marketing programs
2. Capture zero-party data
Zero-party data—sometimes referred to as self-declared data—is data that a customer voluntarily provides. This is data that marketers can’t infer, buy or collect elsewhere. It’s exclusively provided by the consumer and can be used to help build out future marketing experiences.
Example: Valvoline Gamified Quiz
In this example, Valvoline created an interactive and gamified experience to capture more zero-party data. Throughout this quiz, the customer learns about Valvoline’s product—but Valvoline in turn learns about the customer and their driving habits, which they can use for future personalization and product positioning. There is also a clear value exchange: the customer receives a $7 off oil change coupon at the end as a thank you for their participation.
Why it will be relevant in 2022:
Capturing zero-party data is a great opportunity for brands to build more first-party data and can be executed easily through templated experiences
Voluntary experiences see high customer engagement: Up to 85% of people are considerably more willing to provide personal information in exchange for something that benefits them
This valuable data can extend beyond email and inform business decisions across the marketing landscape
3. Connected customer experiences
As email marketers, it can be difficult to broaden our scope and think of how we talk to the customer outside of the email channel. We’re often focused on episodic communications—but if we take a step back and consider data outside the email world, we can better understand how consumers are engaging with our brand holistically. For example, in a recent survey, retailers reported 30-50% of web traffic came from mobile, and this percentage continues to increase. How does that play into your entire customer experience?
Example: Dunkin'
Dunkin’ wanted to use email to drive more in-store visits. The solution? Realtime activation of an offer customers select in their email for immediate use via the mobile app. This approach worked—and drove a significant increase in members who redeemed the offer. Dunkin' seamlessly integrate the email, mobile and in-store experience on behalf of their customers.
Why it will be relevant in 2022:
Omnichannel experiences help connect online and offline data to understand who, how, when and where brands should target
Delivering relevant offers across channels drives higher conversions
Driving engagement with the consumers on the right channel at the right time leads to higher brand loyalty and a more positive customer experience
4. Map your customer journey
Journey mapping is a way that brands can understand every stage of the customer experience and accelerate the customer journey. Journey mapping quite literally starts by mapping the unique customer journeys for each program. Sometimes, it’s easier to do this with pen and paper first—identify the gaps, opportunities, redundancies and then map out your new ideal journey for all stages of the customer lifecycle.
Example:
This is a comprehensive customer journey map backed by data. Here, you can see all the touchpoints this brand has with a person, what the net out of the experience was, and how that informed their next move throughout the funnel. If you need more help to get started, check out our blog on customer journey mapping.
Why it will be relevant in 2022:
Journey mapping leads to tailored and seamless customer experiences that elevate your brand
Understanding your customers and how they behave, what channels they prefer, when they interact with your brand the most (or fall out of the funnel) is often more important than what content you send
Drives loyalty and retention
5. Enhance customer experience with machine learning
Artificial intelligence (AI) provides the foundation to learn from every single interaction and adjust your response in near real-time, while machine learning (ML) is a real time decision management framework and middleware software solution that easily connects to various platforms, providing an omni channel structure and removes the need for many point applications. A modern machine learning and AI component optimizes personalized experiences to improve business results. The same way self-driving cars learn and predict about the environment around them, ML for marketing learns about customer behaviors and predicts future events.
Example: Marriott
Marriott came to Epsilon wanting to increase engagement for a rebranding campaign, but they didn’t have the bandwidth or resources to deliver unique content for each guest. Epsilon’s solution was to leverage Machine Learning to generate unique SL's for guests based on their proclivity to engage with the content. And it worked: this drew a significant lift in engagement in a nearly inactive audience.
Why it will be relevant in 2022:
AI/ML helps teach marketers what content customers like to see and engage with, or what resonates the most with everyone
Machine learning will help marketers process volume of data a human just simply can’t, and can quickly lead to improving opens, clicks, conversions across your brand programs and solutions
Better personalization capabilities at scale
Real-time personalization as a customer moves through the lifecycle
6. Simplify your design process
We know getting an email out the door from concept to code—and then deployment—can be a laborious process requiring multiple hand-offs and numerous people and teams. In 2022, it’s all about efficiency. Streamline your email content creation processes and introduce dynamic elements into your campaigns at scale with email builders. The introduction of an email builder simplifies the process to allow marketers to drastically reduce their production processes so they can focus on driving business outcomes.
Example: Visual Editors
For example, Epsilon’s Visual Editor, native to the Epsilon PeopleCloud Messaging platform, enables marketers to create content and emails in an easy to use drag and drop environment. The robust capabilities of this solution then enable dynamic content and logic to be included, eliminating many manual processes that often slow down the campaign creation process and prohibit personalization.
Why it will be relevant in 2022:
Email builders like the Visual Editor takes what might have taken a brand days to create down to a matter of hours to design and build an email from scratch with personalized, interactive content, consistent branding and accessible compliant code
Marketers can simplify their email production process and personalize at scale by eliminating the need for HTML coding
The standardization creates a consistent brand experience
7. Energize experiences with interactive content
What do we mean by interactive content? Interactive content is content that the customer can engage with and interact with (carousels, add to calendar modules, videos, polls, or quizzes). It’s also content that can be delivered in real-time; at the time of open. We predict interactive content is going to be a major opportunity in 2022—people are exhausted, and want to be transported from reality when engaging with brand-level content. Content your consumers can have fun with will put your brand top of mind.
Example: This or That poll
Consider a “This or That” poll feature that asks subscribers to vote for the shoes they’d most like to wear if they are working from home (but it doesn’t have to be clothes—it could be anything!). This fun and engaging piece of content gives insight to understanding what kind of products the customer would purchase and reveals to the customer what others are voting on too.
Why it will be relevant in 2022:
Increased engagement with real-time personalization strengthens brand affinity
Creates a sense of urgency with customers
It’s a huge opportunity: despite its outstanding performance in the inbox, surprisingly few marketers are using interactive emails in their own marketing
A full 77% of marketers have not tried interactive email yet and nearly half (45%) of respondents haven’t tried interactive email—and they don’t plan to any time soon
Only 23% of marketers say they’ve used interactive elements in their emails
Having fun with your customers has become more important than ever as people continue to come out of the pandemic
8. Boost behavioral messaging
Here’s a tip for 2022: Let the customer lead the way. Make it easy on yourself and harness the power of consumer behavior to drive your marketing communications. This takes the guess work out of it all. Real-time and personalized communications enhance your knowledge of your customer and enables meaningful dialogue with every touch.
Example: The Children's Place
These examples show how the same template can populate different messages based on the consumers behavior. For example:
Did you forget this dress in your cart?
Did you make this purchase and this dress would really compliment your look?
Did you browse this dress, but didn’t purchase…
All these behaviors can be very powerful in enabling brands to connect with customers in relevant and meaningful ways, in the moments that matter most.
Why it will be relevant in 2022:
Behavioral-based messages increase brand loyalty and drive conversions
Deliver more automated experiences and meaningful engagements with every touch
Allow brands send more automated and programmatic email rather than adhoc, resulting in efficiencies for the brand and value for the customer
9. AMP-lify your email
Standing for Accelerated Mobile Pages, AMP is a technology introduced by Google that makes it possible to embed dynamic and interactive elements such as carousels, accordions, and purchase buttons directly in emails. Marketers can even use AMP components to allow recipients to RSVP to an event, browse a catalog or respond to a comment within the email.
Think of AMP as technology that enables interactive content, rather than content itself.
Example: Enticing customers with interactive elements
There are a few things going on in this example: the hamburger menu in the upper right corner enables the user to tap to interact, mirroring the experience in app to search menu. Another great AMP experience is enabling the user to add more content to your email with a ‘see more’ button in this example which reveals even more products. The fallback experience for email clients that don’t support AMP is seamless: a static version of the message is displayed with a traditional menu or navigation bar. Customers that don’t receive the AMP experience will be none the wiser that they are missing out of a richer more dynamic email.
Why it will be relevant in 2022:
Increased in-mail capabilities: Senders can include AMP components inside rich, engaging emails, making them dynamic and interactive. AMP emails are always up to date and can function like digests, with fewer clicks necessary to achieve efficient results
Increased personalization: AMP for email allows exciting smarter and efficient user engagement, as customers can act directly within their email
Interactive customer experience: AMP Email’s expanding capabilities allows you to act right inside your Inbox
10. Increase tapability
Don’t leave clicks on the Table! Maximize click opportunities in 2022 within campaigns to increase engagement and drive conversions. This is especially relevant considering open reporting from Apple will become less reliable with new privacy regulations.
Example: Clickability scoring
What do we mean by increasing tapability? For example: Let’s look at this Vehicle Maintenance Reminder. It’s a great illustration of all the ways you can increase the opportunity for clicks within a campaign:
Make clicks near impossible to miss
Ensure clicks drive to site conversions
Include tap or click incentive
Consider agile or interactive content
How editorial based is your message vs clickable
At Epsilon we are introducing a tapability score to compare engagement across campaigns and audiences.
Why it will be relevant in 2022:
Drive strong engagement and conversion opportunities
”Clicks” or ”Taps” to become new engagement metric independent of opens
Wrapping it up
If there’s one thing we must stress heading into next year, it’s to never lose sight of the importance of personalization within your email programs. 90% of consumers experience personalization and find it appealing. In addition, Epsilon research shows that 80% of consumers are more likely to do business with a company that offers personalized experiences. So, while we head into a new era of privacy regulation, use the trends we’ve discussed in this piece to nail personalization and propel it to the top of your brand’s strategy in 2022.
---
## Q&A with Nick Holdsworth, Owner at Independence
Type: eps_post
URL: /qa-with-nick-holdsworth-owner-at-independence
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Q&A with Nick Holdsworth, Owner at Independence
We spoke to the owner of Independence, Nick Holdsworth on how they've built their business on family values and strategies that helped them achieve growth.
Abacus: Can you give a brief description of your company?
Nick Holdsworth: Started in 1985, Independence is a caring family firm, run by myself Nick and my wife Judy Holdsworth.
It was whilst working as an Occupational Therapist, in hospitals and in the community, that my wife Judy became aware of the many helpful products and gadgets that were simply not being made available through local authorities or the NHS.
Starting around the kitchen table and with my business experience, the idea of a catalogue of helpful living aids was born. Advertisements were placed in the People’s Friend and Yours magazine, and a local printer produced the catalogues.
Over time, the business grew and moved from the family home to new facilities at Lancaster Way (an old World War II runway). This enabled us to offer a wider range of products than previously, as well as a much-improved level of service.
Abacus: What challenges or needs did you face in your industry that led you to look for a solution like ours?
Nick Holdsworth: Independence Ltd used to have a warehouse and supply equipment to health authorities, but over time with greater centralising of purchasing, and buying directly from manufacturers, this business model wasn’t sustainable.
As an occupational therapist working in the community, Judy Holdsworth had identified that more people were living longer but were struggling to find the equipment to help them stay independent. A retail catalogue of the existing stock and a few additional lines offered by existing suppliers was put together with a view to supplying mobility equipment directly to the end-user.
We used to only acquire new audiences through off the page advertising, mainly through half page adverts in ‘Yours’ and ‘Peoples Friend’. Initially, this was very effective and even profitable, and together with mailing our own housefile with a small A5 catalogue gave growth of around 15% per annum. Off the page gradually became less effective, so much so that the adverts yielded few names and cost per acquisition was becoming higher and higher, reducing the growth rate and profitability at the same time.
Abacus: Describe your selection process and what criteria you were looking for. How did you go about searching for a solution?
Nick Holdsworth: Our housefile reflected the demographic of the media in which we advertised, namely ‘Yours’ and ‘Peoples Friend’, so we sought new names that fitted that profile, although reaching out to a different, more upmarket buyer was an ambition.
Abacus: Why did you choose Abacus over the competition?
We had tried lists swaps with other mail order companies with very mixed results. As soon as we tested Abacus we saw far superior responses and consistent results. Other list bureaus have never achieved the same degree of consistency.
Abacus: How has our solution helped since implementation?
When we were introduced to Abacus in 2007, we tested 40K names. The response was 3.5% with a very healthy ROI, so this was rolled out to 50K then 60K, all with responses over 3%. This had the benefit not only of securing a new source of acquisition, but also greater print volumes for the catalogue, and hence improved economies of scale for our housefile mailings.
Growth in 2007 shot up by 43% and we almost instantly realised we had created a sustainable business model. Previously we didn’t really have much more than a small husband and wife business that was destined to trade from our annexe unless or until something better turned up!
Abacus: Can you share any metrics/KPIs that show the success you have enjoyed with our service?
Nick Holdsworth: We have now grown to the stage where we can justify the Abacus 360 solution. This effectively pays for itself as the housefile now performs better.
We are sending out 20% more catalogues to existing customers with overall contribution up by 50% (aided by the inclusion of inserts) as is contribution per customer.
Abacus: What would you tell others who might be considering Direct Mail? Would you recommend our solution to your peers?
We have found that direct mail, although initially expensive, is the most effective method to gain loyal customers with a higher AOV than alternative channels. We would certainly recommend DM and defiantly recommend Epsilon Abacus as partners.
---
## Customer identity management – why it pays to know your customers in a post-cookie world?
Type: eps_post
URL: /customer-identity-management
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Customer identity management – why it pays to know your customers in a post-cookie world?
Enterprises are rethinking their identity management strategies to avoid degraded customer experience and increased marketing waste.
Google’s recent announcement that it will soon prohibit the use of third-party cookies on its Chrome web browser has highlighted the growing importance of brands optimising their own first-party customer data.
Often, businesses overlook offline channels. But, these channels — like direct mail — are the key to tapping into high-value customers when powered by first-party data.
What does this mean for marketing teams?
In the fast-approaching post-cookie world, marketing teams from all sectors face two broad challenges if they fail to manage customer identity:
Difficulty personalising their marketing.
Serious complications with optimising campaign performance and ROI.
Without identifiers, brands will lose the ability to understand their customers, which will result in a degraded customer experience and increased marketing waste.
In a nutshell, what’s the solution?
Using a combination of third-party cookies and first-party data capture strategies, marketeers can start building customer data platforms that are designed for enterprise success, fit with a single view of customers, refined segments and better campaign measurement, all while exceeding regulatory requirements on security and privacy.
Deeper dive. So, how exactly are marketing teams preparing to face the growing challenge of customer identity management?
A recent Epsilon survey of organisations across APAC, Middle East, and Africa, is indicative of global marketing spend. It reveals that:
Marketing teams with decreasing budgets are prioritising functional necessities such as improving privacy safeguards.
Teams with increasing budgets are investing in marketing research and third-party services to prepare themselves for a post-cookie future.
The hiring and training of marketing personnel is another key area of investment, with organisations adopting this approach to overcome the identity management skills gap.
Companies are also attempting to develop their own tech capabilities, rather than buying off the shelf, despite the extensive resources, training and testing required. The benefits of market-leading white label solutions include thorough real-world testing, faster time-to-value and the technical expertise and support of the tech vendor.
Artificial intelligence is one of the few tech solutions that companies are generally prepared to buy off the shelf.
The increasing popularity of customer data platforms (CDPs).
On average, customers use 3 or more channels to make a purchase decision, so having disparate views of a customer (depending on the channel) makes any cross-channel efforts inaccurate or nearly impossible. To combat this growing problem, companies are increasingly realising the importance of thinking about data holistically and prioritising investments that help build a strong data structure that will reveal 360-degree customer views and provide end-to-end visibility of customer journeys and experiences. Enter the Customer Data Platform (CDP).
In simple terms, a CDP ingests all available first-party data and unifies it into profiles that marketers can then use to inform decisions. Data can be completely raw or come from other systems like CRM or customer service databases. CDPs have proved extremely valuable in getting businesses ahead to the next phase of customer experiences — competing with the likes of Amazon and Netflix for incredible customer journeys.
What are the most important features of a customer data platform?
According to the Epsilon's research, unified customer profiles are named by marketing teams as one of the most important features of CDPs, preceded only by audience segmentation:
40% Audience segmentation
36% Unified customer profile
34% Enterprise scale, security, and privacy
26% Identity resolution
What key characteristics are marketing teams looking for when choosing an identity resolution partner?
Epsilon’s research reveals that accuracy and compliance are the most desired traits of an identity resolution partner, beating cost.
77% Accuracy
68% Privacy and compliance
57% Personalisation
2% Cost
An ideal identity resolution partner will, therefore, fulfil the need to balance customer privacy compliance, while delivering intuitive, personalised, and data-informed customer experiences.
What steps should CX practitioners and marketers take now?
The bottom line
Our research shows that most marketing teams are committed to rethinking their ID management strategy in the light of Google’s cookie announcement. However, there is still much work to be done to generate and operationalise first-party customer identity data. Brands who neglect to act risk losing visibility of their customers, experiencing difficulty when personalising marketing, complications with optimising ROI and a significant increase in marketing waste.
Direct mail is your #1 tool for capturing quality customers
In our ever-increasing digital lives, the impact that direct mail can have on your marketing program is invaluable.
Especially for those who are not digital natives, and maybe yearn for more physical marketing, prioritising direct mail can drive growth for your business. *MarketReach data suggests that 41 % searched online for more information about a brand as a result of receiving mail in the last 12 months. Many of our clients believe that personalised direct mail is effective at reaching key customer segments.
Direct mail strategies
With your foundation of data in place and triggered suited to fit your business needs, it’s a breeze to set up personalised direct mail to customers at ideal times in their customer journey.
Direct mail should be a vital step in your nurture campaigns and ultimately your marketing strategy.
If you’d like to learn more about how the Alliance Databse can help your direct mail campaigns reach out to us at enquiriesuk@epsilon.com
---
## 5 insights on the future of retail media
Type: eps_post
URL: /5-insights-on-the-future-of-retail-media
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T22:16:49Z
# 5 insights on the future of retail media
Retail media networks are on the rise—and they aren’t just for the giants like Amazon anymore. Retailers of all sizes can use their first-party data to drive sales and bring in ad spend from their brand partners. But where do you start??
Hear from Forrester’s Collin Colburn, Epsilon’s Joe Doran, and CitrusAd’s Sean Cheyney recently discussed the future of retail media networks in a webinar. Here are five things they say you should look for:
1. Retail media is a huge opportunity.
Forrester says that on average, most retailers tell them that their retail media margins range from 50-70%. And those margins are even higher with on-site advertising, at 70-80%. A quarter of retailers are generating more than $100 million in revenue from their retail media networks.
2. Most retailers start their retail media business with off-site media.
Forrester’s Collin Colburn says: “Most do start with off-site media – being able to place media display, social ads, etc. on other publisher sites – using the retailer’s first party data that then gets traffic back to the retailer. This is a nice way to begin for most retailers that don’t have significant volumes of traffic… that’s a great place to start. And then once they start getting more of that traffic on the site, then they can start doing things like on-site search, on-site display, and being able to build offerings and capabilities around on-site and off-site media management.”
3. Retail media strategy typically falls in one of three buckets.
Ordered by popularity:
Retail media network as profit center: Stands alone as its own business unit or a division within e-comm; most similar to Amazon Advertising setup; more integration between online and in-store; goal is to grow the media business and gain greater share of brand/national media dollars while supporting online/offline sales.
Retail media network as e-comm revenue generator: Attract more e-comm traffic; Grow e-comm revenue.
Retail media network as cost neutralizer: Sits almost exclusively within the marketing organization; looks and feels more like a co-op program; less integration between online and in-store; goal is to get more traffic to the site, thus increasing sales online and offline.
4. Retail media’s future is going to be much different than its past.
CitrusAd’s Sean Cheyney says: “Retail media of the past was the big conglomerates. Today, we’re seeing a shift and we’re seeing retailers of all sizes getting into retail media and doing so successfully.” And that future hinges on your customer data strategy.
Epsilon’s Joe Doran says: “You can’t capture the full retail media opportunity unless you’re putting the shopper’s identity at the core of your monetization strategy. You have to be honest that you only have (as a retailer) a single look at that shopper, and you need a more holistic view of that person.”
5. The perfect retail media network doesn’t yet exist.
But most retailers say there are four things to consider when thinking about partners in the space:
All-in-one platform: Not only easier to manage but easier for brands to buy into.
Customization & flexibility: What works for one retailer isn’t going to work for another.
Real-time reporting & trusted measurement: Know, with confidence, who is in market vs. who just purchased.
Personalization: First-party retailer data, coupled with external data, delivers mass personalization at scale.
For more info on how to get started with retail media, download our guide: 3 strategies for a successful retail media network.
---
## PrettyLittleThing boosted personalized media; revenue jumped 38%
Type: eps_post
URL: /prettylittlething-boosted-personalized-media
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# PrettyLittleThing boosted personalized media; revenue jumped 38%
Marketing always needs to change alongside consumer behaviors and preferences. But, quite frankly, that level of personalization is hard to achieve, and many brands fall short because it’s often easier to not do it.
In February 2020, U.K.-based fashion retailer PrettyLittleThing (PLT) doubled-down on its customer-centric marketing by working with Epsilon to serve highly personalized digital media as it scaled to new markets. The work was so successful that the brand even managed to buck pandemic trends and reported an annual revenue increase of 38% in 2020.
Kristy Hynes, PLT’s paid media manager, says that the brand’s success is due to a greater focus on the human side of marketing.
“A lot of marketers forget the human influence behind the figures and consequently base performance decisions on uncontextualized data sets,” says Hynes. “This encourages media models that are focused on big segments of customers, and high-volume, low-quality communication, instead of building independent customer interactions.”
PLT’s marketing has always been built on rigorous customer-centricity and stand-out personalized experiences (not to mention collaborations with celebrities such as Kourtney Kardashian, Hayley Bieber and Ashley Graham). It’s a forward-thinking fashion brand aimed at bringing killer, affordable style to female fashion breakers and makers—PLT is, and has always been, customer-first.
“If we only worked to antiquated models like last-touch attribution, it would mean we actually optimize away from a large portion of our customer base—younger demographics who generally don’t click on ads,” Hynes says.
How did PLT achieve truly personalized marketing in 2020, and why did it work so well? Let’s discuss.
From last-touch to PrettyLittleThing’s approach
What makes PLT’s approach to digital media stand out? Actual personalization.
We’re not talking about tiny segments or cohorts—we’re talking actual one-to-one personalization to the individual segment of 50 that still has 50 different people in it.
Instead of antiquated models, “What we are looking for is to understand individual consumers’ needs, using data insights, technology and creativity to then share bespoke content that’s uniquely adapted to the viewer, at a time when they are in market,” Hynes explains. “We are continually measuring for incremental growth and optimizing to what we are seeing in real time. It’s a two-way, dialogue-driven model, instead of a one-way push model.”
Working with Epsilon, this new approach to personalized digital media helped PLT expand to new markets in 2020 and contribute to its 38% annual revenue increase:
10,000 unique messages served during peak advertising weeks in 2020
20x the initial scale, having initially launched in the U.S. before expanding to four markets
30% of the new U.S. customers PLT gained in 2020 were influenced by Epsilon’s program
“We are now able to tie marketing back to an individual,” Hynes says. “This means a reduction in wasted budget, because we are able to serve to a person rather than a device. Some of our customers can use up to seven devices, so the efficiency of speaking to individuals, not segments, is significant.”
Hynes goes on to mention that this approach ultimately serves the customer by reducing unnecessary communications while conserving the brand’s budget.
“We are also able to track movement from a completely cold prospect all the way through their journey until they are transformed into an extremely loyal PLT advocate, enabling us make smarter cross-channel marketing decisions because of it,” Hynes explains.
Are you measuring the right way or the wrong way?
“A lot of people talk about incremental measurement, but there’s a right and wrong way of doing it,” Hynes says. “The choice is between an assumptive method with a high margin of error or a scientific model that gives an exact, verifiable figure that can drive effective marketing investment.”
Accurate measurement can get complicated very quickly, and it honestly takes a lot of time to do it right. Some companies can take hours, even days, to build and rebuild audiences for digital messaging; whereas Epsilon’s consumer profiles are updated in real-time to help inform the next best message for the consumer, which leads to the best outcome for each brand.
“We don’t just know what our customers are doing within the measurement of a single platform,” Hynes says. “We can map their movement cross-channel and adapt our communication to where they are in their journey and show them products reflective of their personal styles.”
As for how Epsilon factors into PLT’s success, Hynes referenced an old marketing adage.
“There’s an industry joke that says the person who can solve the challenge of multi-touch attribution and keep every channel owner happy will be very rich indeed,” Hynes shares. “Well, Epsilon gets it very close, if not hits it on the head. At the heart of their solution is transparency and collaboration.”
**This article was originally published on Adweek, November 2021.
---
## 4 powerful alternatives to third-party cookie personalization
Type: eps_post
URL: /four-powerful-alternatives-to-third-party-cookie-personalization
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# 4 powerful alternatives to third-party cookie personalization
The majority of marketers are worried about the impact on ROI and the inability to personalize their marketing efforts when 3PC go away.
With leading web browsers transitioning away from third-party cookies, marketers are searching for an alternative, and exploring whether effective personalisation will still be possible in an age when privacy comes first.
In a nutshell
An Epsilon survey conducted in 2021 revealed the majority of marketers are worried about the impact on ROI and the inability to personalize their marketing efforts, when third-party cookies are finally phased out across major web browsers in 2023.
Deeper dive
Despite concerns, however, marketers will still have powerful personalisation tools at their disposal if they are able to generate and leverage their own first-party customer data.
Here are just four of the options open to marketers, discussed by David Simms, Business Development Director at Epsilon, in a recent podcast.
Much of the discussion focused on consumer demands for privacy, as well opposing demands for personalized experiences, tailored marketing messages and the convenience of being shown online content relevant to their needs.
First party cookies to develop targeted campaigns
Even though the use of third-party cookie data won’t be possible for much longer, it doesn’t mean digital marketers can’t use first-party data to help develop personalized advertising campaigns. “For many advertisers, first party data will be a very important element of their marketing and CRM. With education, customers can be willing to exchange their information in order to improve their experience,” said podcast participant Istvan Kozari, Global Head of Digital Media at home cybersecurity firm Kaspersky
With first-party cookies it is possible to collect information such as a user’s login information, language preferences, location, and device type. From this vantage point, brands can make informed marketing and advertising decisions. In addition, loyalty schemes and the CMS will also provide valuable insights, informing campaigns and opening up a world of personalization possibilities.
Email marketing to circulate content and ads
Using email marketing as a third-party cookie alternative is recommended. This is because brands send personalized content to an engaged audience who have given their permission. With the right email marketing software and quality content in front of the email audience, brands will gain valuable insights and make even more informed decisions based on this real-time data. It is possible to segment your email audience for a more targeted approach.
For brands that don’t yet have a strong email presence, now is the time to start building an email list and creating more personalised campaigns. Google’s cookie extension to the end of 2023 provides a window of opportunity to scale up the number of known users. But brands must remember to keep lists bang up-to-date and stick closely to GDPR rules.
New solutions designed to replace third-party cookies
New tools and programs are already in development to replace third-party cookies. “They are all very interesting,” said Istvan Kozari. “Whether you are looking at the solutions seen at the end of 2020 from Google, or those coming out from Microsoft, these are worth exploring.”
One of the latest solutions, currently available to test, is Google’s solution through Privacy Sandbox called FLoC. It collects user information in groups without identifying any specific individual. Digital marketers can expect many more third-party cookie alternatives to become available in the coming year.
Contextual advertising that connects at a content level
One industry estimate is that contextual advertising spend will quadruple in the next five years, said Istvan Kozari. He noted: “Customers also like it because they find it a more natural connection.”
With ‘extra time’ having been granted by Google, advertisers have some leeway to test publisher data and contextual targeting before their full switch away from third-party data use takes place, noted podcast participant Jon Beebe, Senior VP of Marketing & Customer Experience at Epsilon US. “Although not all brands are in categories that have a lot of relevant content written about them,” he added.
Advertisers can work with online publishers to put context to the test and explore how specific segments, custom-built for each campaign, can drive performance. Advertisers who can create a user journey, including content, which allows customers to reveal more information about themselves through the actions they take, will generate their own valuable reservoir of first-party data.
Bottom line
Brands are advised to start researching cookie alternatives in earnest right now. There are a host of solutions already available to marketers to meet targeting and personalization needs, beyond the much-maligned third-party cookie.
Explore further
You can find out more about alternatives to third-party cookies in digital marketing by listening to the full podcast.
---
## Plugging the data gaps to ensure travel brands flourish in today's environment
Type: eps_post
URL: /plugging-the-data-gaps-to-ensure-travel-brands-flourish-in-todays-environment
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Plugging the data gaps to ensure travel brands flourish in today's environment
The big picture
Travel brands face an uncertain and rapidly evolving environment as travel returns. But there are positive signs, with UK digital ad spend in the sector growing 33% in 2021 – and anticipated to be the same in 2022. The winners will be those able to increase their sales by taking opportunities to win new customers while engaging with past ones seeking to travel again. And accessing and activating rich data to identify, target and engage the most valuable individuals is critical to achieving this.
Why it matters
Effective marketing needs relevant, up to date, actionable data. But for the travel industry, it's ground zero when it comes to data. The fractured nature of travel over the last two years has led to an absence of fresh, reliable data. Now, anticipating future travel activity based on past behaviours is impossible, and traditional assumptions, customer segmentation models and marketing approaches no longer hold true. To reset their marketing, travel brands must reset their data.
Deeper dive – 5 steps to help travel brands evolve their marketing
Rebuild your first-party data: First-party data is critical – and access to it is essential to ensure brands are in a strong position when third-party cookies die. Focus on replenishing your customer data through your loyalty programmes and email CRM. Then maximise its value. Startleveraging it beyond the environment it's been collected in to activate your media and support your acquisition activities.
Target the person, not the traveller: Building communications based on travel data alone limits marketing effectiveness. But building them around an enhanced understanding of individual consumers using demographic, lifestyle, preference, purchasing behaviour, and intention data enriches your messaging, delivers more relevant, impactful creatives, and provides new insights to improve your future marketing. Seek out new data sources that will give you a more rounded view of your customers.
Keep insights current: In a dynamic, uncertain travel environment, consumer confidence is ever-changing. Ensure your data is fresh and continually analyse your customers –more so than in pre-pandemic times. You can then identify emerging trends and proactively address the opportunities and challenges.
Realise that customer journeys are fluid, not linear: Today's customer journey is not a static funnel with a defined end – it's a continual loop. Consumers enter this loop at many stages, depending on their needs, so marketing and messaging must be dynamic. Use data intelligently to ensure individuals receive relevant, targeted communications wherever they are in the loop. Ultimately, the more individual data points you have about consumers, the more impactful this will be.
Ensure everything drives an outcome: In challenging times, you must justify all marketing spend. Focus on demonstrating how your marketing activity is contributing to the bottom line. Move away from marketing metrics like Cost per Booking. Instead, report on those that matter to the business and demonstrate marketing's impact.
In a nutshell
Evolving to the new travel reality comes down to understanding consumers, which requires a data-driven approach. Accessing data that plugs the holes in their current customer information – while uncovering new insights to better understand and market to them as individuals – is essential. This will ensure travel brands are in a stronger position to develop their business in these challenging times.
Looking for more ideas around evolving your business to compete in today's market? Then check out our new Customer-Centric Video Series for insights, advice, and best practices on developing critical areas of your marketing.
For more information, please contact our travel expert Toby Morris.
---
## Marketing trends to adopt (and drop) in 2022
Type: eps_post
URL: /marketing-trends-2022
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Marketing trends to adopt (and drop) in 2022
The dawn of another year brings reflections both big and small. Everyone seems to make their own resolutions as they look toward a clean slate: Eat better, give more to charity, dust off the Peloton that’s currently doubling as a coat rack. But resolutions don’t just have to be about bettering ourselves in our personal lives—they can (and should) pour over into our professional ones as well.
As marketers, we’re constantly being challenged to innovate and get the biggest bang for our buck. When crafting our resolutions this year, we should look critically at what we want to adopt next year and drop from 2021.
But where to start? I asked four marketing experts (and offered some advice of my own) to discuss what they’d like to see evolve in 2022 and what they’re hoping to leave behind. From shifting focus to more luxury clientele to continuing cultural growth amid remote work, take these marketing resolutions with you as you ring in 2022.
Trends to adopt
For 2022, here are some trends to work into your marketing strategy.
Building company culture: We’ve never had attrition rates as high as we’ve had this year, and we’ve never had as many remote employees either. In 2021, we focused on retention and put a hyper-focus on recognition. Without in-person interactivity, you have to be so deliberate about your culture, especially during remote work. We put a lot of focus on how we create a culture of recognition.
It’s a ton of work, but it’s something we want to continue post-pandemic: More one-to-one meetings with me, showing recognition and putting a spotlight on good work. Zoom has really flattened our organization. We’re all on one screen together during these meetings, and people have the same access to me to ask a question or send a chat. In a lot of ways, it’s really good, and we’ve gotten a lot of good feedback. —Will Stacy, chief marketing and digital officer, GM Financial
Entering the “commerceverse”: This year, we saw continued acceleration of social and ecommerce and the genesis of a new “community commerce” culture that brings together community, creators, shopping and entertainment like never before. In 2022, we’ll see social commerce give way to the “commerceverse” as people move from entertainment to purchase. And as consumers look to build out their environment with virtual goods and experiences, brands will have the opportunity to connect with consumers in a surround-sound way. —Amy Lanzi, commerce practice lead, North America, Publicis Groupe
Strong first-party data: One trend that is accelerating in all verticals is marketers focusing on acquiring first-party data, how to optimize the value exchange with customers and how to activate at scale. This activation through ID solutions like Epsilon’s CORE ID is usefully being applied to the fastest growing sectors of the market, like CTV and digital retail media, both of which will benefit from the improvements in audience selection and measurement that scaled identity solutions will offer. —Elliott Clayton, managing director, International Sales, Epsilon
Personalization on a local level: We’re setting up a new way of working between HQ and the marketing teams in our overseas offices. This will allow the continent teams to manage and deploy some of their own emails, with HQ providing the technology infrastructure, data, compliance policies and frequency guardrails. Not sure how applicable this is to other companies, but for a U.S.-based global company like us, a “federated” model is critical so that certain communications can be managed locally—and most importantly, feel local to the recipient. —Marc Sheinkin, senior director, member and guest communications, Marriott
Artificial Intelligence: AI, underpinned by the right data and modularized content, enables marketers to create highly personalized and relevant consumer experiences, which in turn optimize sales. These tools/platforms free up marketing teams from repetitive and tactical activities and allow them to focus on strategy and optimization. —Lisa Henderson, managing director, client services, Epsilon
Trends to drop
Now that you’ve picked up some trends to focus on in 2022, let’s look at the trends to leave behind in 2021.
Separation of product and brand marketing: I think in marketing, in our day and age, the product itself is now becoming the brand. A good product with good features is marketing at this point. Part of my goal is to have the best tools for customers to interact with and that’s the best way I can market the brand. We have to get away from this idea that marketing is just logos, slogans and ads versus the reality that marketing now involves a lot of product marketing. We have to think as product marketers just as much as we think of ourselves as marketers selling a brand. —Will Stacy
Lose the funnel: We need to stop referencing marketing along the purchase funnel. While that model has proven useful over the past decades, it has collapsed and changed over time and discovery and purchase can happen anytime, anywhere, with the click of a button. This expedited purchase funnel means we have to make every part of the consumer journey shoppable and ensure our organizations are set up to deliver and that commerce is a core part of every strategy. —Amy Lanzi
Contextual marketing: The trend that I’d like to see less of is the sudden rediscovery of contextual marketing now that third-party cookie deprecation is getting closer. I’ve been in digital since contextual marketing was the only targeting solution. It didn’t work very well, which is why we moved away from it. It is a solution and has a place in the armory, but it’s not the solution to audience targeting. The best way forward is for us to continue to produce market-leading technology solutions that establish a value exchange between brands and consumers—who, let’s face it, want personalized experiences. —Elliott Clayton
Bombarding the right clients with the wrong message: We’re creating ways for our luxury brands to stand out, and customizing the email marketing experience for guests we think are likely to prefer luxury. This starts with data that helps us identify luxury preferers, which is more challenging when travel (particularly international travel) is limited.
And it means not only sending luxury guests more personalized, bespoke communications, but also not sending them certain kinds of emails that could clutter and devalue the experience. This is tricky to manage internally—of course every line of business wants to target these highly profitable guests—but sometimes less is more. —Marc Sheinkin
Overstuffed keywords: Keyword-stuffed content and paid advertisements have taken over search. Increasingly, consumers are having to sift through content and brands that are not what they are searching for. —Lisa Henderson
New year, new you
As we move into a New Year, let’s take with us all the possibilities and hit the ground running. Great marketing can have a huge impact on your brand, your message and your overall business. If you think your marketing isn’t reaching its full potential, start your new year off on the right foot with Epsilon as your partner.
---
## Focus on the facts and stop guessing who your future customers are
Type: eps_post
URL: /focus-on-the-facts-and-stop-guessing-who-your-future-customers-are
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Focus on the facts and stop guessing who your future customers are
“Truth,” said Mark Twain, “is stranger than fiction, but it is because fiction is obliged to stick to possibilities; truth isn’t.”
Mark Twain could be a fabulous modern CMO. Why? Because he’d be focused on the facts.
As an industry, marketers frequently rely on audience segments to define who to target with digital media. This is a performance-limiting approach because it’s based on who you think your customer is—not who they actually are.
Moving beyond segments is a paradigm shift for many marketers, but it ultimately comes down to rooting your prospecting campaigns in a deep, as opposed to superficial, understanding of your best customers—and finding more people who are truly like them.
Why is this shift so important? And how did Mark Twain get it? Let’s take a look.
Even really good segmentation misses the mark
As digital marketing matured over the past two decades, marketers have been able to reach people they may not know at all, through third-party data and media activation across multiple channels. They can use third-party data to create lists of customers who match broad behavioral or demographic attributes important to their “ideal” customer profile. That might be: health enthusiasts, value shoppers, women ages 25-35, pet owners and everything in between.
The amount of digital data has only grown over the years, and so the natural evolution of marketing has been to make each segment smaller and more granular with that new information.
This is how many marketers operate today, and it remains the industry standard. Sure, you can reach a segment as small as 50 people, which (admittedly) is pretty specific. But even in a segment of 50 people, you still have 50 unique individuals that are probably a lot more different in person than they are on paper.
It’s not a completely wrong way to activate media, but it’s missing the fundamental goal of marketing: to deliver your message to the right people. Segments, however small, contain a lot of people who aren’t like your best customers. Marketing to those people is pretty much a waste of time and money.
Segments of one
As much as people—especially marketers—like to say they have good instincts, those instincts take you only so far when stacked against the insights that come from first-party data.
When you use third-party data to create segmented lists based off behavioral or demographic attributes, you’re essentially making a guess that all people who are, say, health enthusiasts will like your organic brownies.
But if you actually look at your current best customers and model a list of prospective customers off of them, you will find much better matches than your instincts alone, in addition to quite a few prospective customers who you may have never considered. For example, my father-in-law loves military marches; at the age of 80, he bought an MP3 player to hold his collection, but I doubt that anyone marketing MP3 players would have thought of him as a prospective customer. Mark Twain would love him—stranger than fiction.
Segments of one let you replace inefficient shotgun approaches to marketing with laser targeting, and you can use the money saved to focus on reaching the best prospects. In a nutshell: Instead of hitting a broad audience and relying on them to self-select to your brand, you’re starting with the right people and guiding them efficiently through the full buyer journey.
The results speak for themselves
Today’s marketing technology has developed AI to a point where we can build optimized modeled audiences for every campaign to reach the right people and cut out the waste—every time.
To illustrate how effective this can be, we had one client who tested the performance of two campaigns:
Audience A: Modeled an audience off of its best current customers using first-party data-based individual customer IDs.
Audience B: Used third-party data to segment an audience by behavioral attributes.
Although the two campaigns spent the same amount, audience A had double the reach and performance, and the cost per correlated outcome was 45% less.
Another client compared the performance of:
Audience A: a first-party data modeled audience
Audience B: a third-party behavioral segmented audience
Audience C: a third-party demographic segmented audience
The cost per correlated outcome for audience A was $1, which is only 10-15% the cost of the other audience campaigns at $10 and $7.
Truth is stranger than fiction, so rely on the truth
We’re in a time of transition: Shifting from an old way of digital marketing, anchored to traditional mass media targeting that relies on segments, to a new one that is personalized. Rather than starting broad with a “guess” at the top of the funnel, you’re using your knowledge of your best current customers to target new ones.
Rather than guess, just know. That’s what marketing technology is capable of today, and, as you saw with the numbers here, it makes a very big difference. In a time when there’s ever greater scrutiny on marketing budgets and leaner teams, every ROI improvement matters. Take a page from Mark Twain and focus on the facts—they’ll never lie, and your marketing will be all the better for it.
This article was originally published on Adweek, January 2022.
---
## Why Data and Loyalty belong together
Type: eps_post
URL: /why-data-and-loyalty-belong-together
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Why Data and Loyalty belong together
One of the inherent benefits of loyalty programs is the data and insights marketers can glean about their best customers. Yet, as we talk with clients we often find marketers have the perception that their data strategy and loyalty programs do not belong together, and they are treated as separate marketing entities with unique teams, goals and plans. But data is an integral part of loyalty programs. Data fuels customer identity so loyalty marketers can better understand the behaviour of their members, predict future behaviours and as a result drive more loyalty to their brand.
The value of the data-driven catalogue is a central part of the marketing strategy, especially around how the catalogue can help drive brand loyalty.
Let’s explore further how a brand’s data strategy and loyalty program are related.
Catalogues fueled by data insights help to create brand loyalty.
Catalogues build the connection with the customer and should be leveraged to reinforce your messaging while creating loyalty to your brand. For example, one of the big home furnishings retailers does a great job of connecting its data catalogue strategy with its family loyalty program. Members of the program are sent a monthly catalogue that features products available for a discount to members. The catalogue is the ‘first stop’ of the member shopping journey.
Then, to help the consumer decide if he/she should make the purchase, The company's family members are able to ‘try out’ furniture in the App where the experience is enhanced with augmented reality to make it feel real. Following this experience, the consumer is encouraged to either make his/her purchase online or in-store and receives the perks of the loyalty program post-purchase, such as an extended price adjustment period, invites to special events etc.
Data informs the emotion and loyalty programs personalise it.
A marketer’s ultimate goal is to know their customers, and data is essential to achieving this goal. Data insights help loyalty marketers better understand their members and create personalised experiences to foster emotional connections. According to an Epsilon survey, 80% of consumers are more likely to do business with a company that offers personalised experiences. And, consumers expect an experience that’s going to be valuable and personal. When your data and loyalty teams work together your ability to deliver these experiences grow exponentially.
Data informs our next customer while loyalty creates retention.
Analytics is a fundamental component of a marketers’ data strategy. Data modeling and profiling assist marketers in finding ‘look alike’ customers so they can determine who and where their future customers are. And once this new customer is identified, loyalty programs help with customer retention. Timing of your message is essential which makes it important for the data and loyalty teams to be in-sync.
When your data strategy and loyalty programs are aligned, the focus remains consistent across all marketing constituents to keep the customer front and centre in all that you do. Start thinking about the role of data in your loyalty program.
---
## A marketer's guide to Apple's latest plans to reshape the open web
Type: eps_post
URL: /a-marketers-guide-to-apples-latest-plans-to-reshape-the-open-web
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T22:17:52Z
# A marketer's guide to Apple's latest plans to reshape the open web
Table of contents:
Introduction
Apple's 3 new features: what do they do?
What the changes mean for marketers
8 ways marketers can prepare—right now
Introduction
Apple is once again making headlines for its latest announcement.
On June 7 at the annual Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC), Apple previewed a slew of new updates that include changes to its Intelligent Tracking Protocol (ITP) and Mail Privacy Protections, which are expected to rollout in September 2021.
The biggest change is happening in the company’s Mail app, which will soon allow users to hide their IP addresses, location and whether they have read an email or not: a move bound to impact email marketers and publishers in likely significant ways.
This is just another move in the tech giant’s increasing interest in consumer privacy. As Apple has declared their stance that privacy is a fundamental human right, they have made a number of bold actions which have created significant complications for the advertising ecosystem.
While past changes have been primarily focused on tracking web and physical location of users, Apple’s shift to focus on email, particularly metrics driven by pixel-driven opens is a significant expansion of the type of activity that Apple seeks to hide. Email marketers have relied heavily on this metric to track user interest, adhere to best practices—and ESPs have used this as a metric to help monitor and enforce network-level compliance standards.
These subsequent restrictions follow in the footsteps of other seismic shifts happening across the digital marketing ecosystem, including at Apple. They have already made changes limiting first-party data collection by outside parties, including a recent move that requires users to opt into Apple's data tracking using their App Tracking Transparency framework. Google announced it will no longer use third-party cookies in Chrome beginning in 2023, and additionally will not be using user-level identifiers in their place.
These changes are the new normal for marketers trying to reach customers in an increasingly walled-off digital ecosystem. Bottom line: companies like Apple will continue to lock down consumer information at the expense of marketers.
While marketers might feel as if they’re swimming upstream against an ever-changing current, there are future-proof solutions you can embrace. At Epsilon, we’ve spent the last 10 years focusing on creating future-proof solutions for clients—so when they see this headline in the future, they don’t need to panic. We’ve been preparing, and want to help you prepare, too.
What new features did Apple just preview?
The new features build on the April 2021 rollout of Apple’s App Tracking Transparency (ATT) with a focus now shifting from the apps and IDFA to email and IP addresses. Adjustments mainly focus on user-level functionality and privacy, but raise questions on what lasting impact marketers will have to endure.
Mail Privacy Protection
Arguably, the biggest change is going to come to Apple’s Mail app. According to the company, Mail Privacy Protection helps users prevent senders from gathering a variety of information, including when an email is opened and what IP address they’re using to read the email.
While there have been concerns over email tracking, it's the backbone for many marketers to understand their audiences. According to a report from Litmus, Apple iPhone Mail app opens make up 47.1% of of total email opens across all email clients.
So what do these changes actually mean?
How Does Mail Privacy Work?
The first time a user loads or opens Apple Mail on any device after the Mail Privacy Protection is rolled out, they will be prompted to select either “Protect Mail Activity” or “Don’t Protect Mail Activity.”
The feature is not set to default, and users must opt-in.
If a user selects “Protect Mail Activity,” Apple anonymizes the user’s IP address and automatically fetches email tracking pixels, which hides the user’s location and device type from the email sender (typically the marketer).
Apple will trigger opens from the Mail App of users who have selected protection. There are concerns that this will drive up the number of opens significantly and completely mask which of these opens were triggered by a user rather than an Apple automation.
This is applicable to any email account provider which is connected to Apple’s Mail App (Gmail, Yahoo, Comcast, etc.), not just iCloud accounts.
As noted above, there have been real concerns that Mail Privacy Protection will make it impossible to derive true open rates. In fact, it’s totally possible, and Epsilon can show you how.
Epsilon is in alignment with other providers and thought leaders in the industry that open rates can be extrapolated across the entire population to DERIVE a true open rate. Read Epsilon PCM’s ‘How To Derive Your Adjusted Open Rate’ instruction guide for explanation, with the math behind it and the instructions to calculate this from PCM on a campaign-by-campaign basis.
Hide My Email
Apple is also allowing users to hide their email address through its Apple iCloud+ paid subscription. Users can now create and delete an unlimited number of unique email aliases that forward to their real email account.
Apple will provide users the option to hide their true email address from any sites or apps where they are creating a new account or signing up with an email address. The service is designed to limit companies' ability to collect personal data via email and may help mitigate the rates at which users receive junk mail.
Hiding IP via Intelligent Tracking Protocol (ITP) & Private Relay
Apple is also enabling users to hide their IP addresses while using Safari, which will disrupt some methods of tracking user activity. This means advertisers and marketers may experience greater challenges in tracking online activity, browsing habits, or location. Users will also be able to see who is tracking them through a new Safari Privacy Report.
In addition to hiding IP addresses, Private Relay, a VPN-like service also exclusive to paid iCloud+ subscribers will also mask the sites a user visits. This feature has the potential to be a wrench in the gears for marketer’s online first-party data collection and identity resolution capabilities.
How much of my email list will be affected by Apple Mail Privacy Protection?
In 2021, an average of 52% of emails were opened using the Apple email client. And the iOS 14.5 update saw a whopping 96% of users opting in for additional privacy protection overall.
The adoption rate is fairly unpredictable. On one hand, Apple is forcing its Mail users to make a choice; on the other hand, the choice isn’t particularly clear.
Let’s look at the promise in the premise:
Hiding your IP address
Loading remote content privately in the background
Even when you don’t open the message
Harder to follow your activity
For non-savvy users, most of this doesn’t mean anything. The part they will cling to is making user activity harder to follow.
For mid-savvy users, automatically loading something you haven’t even opened might be a red flag despite the promise of obfuscation. But Apple has used some subtle tricks to get users to opt-in.
There are only two options, and the first one is opt-in. This priority can make it seem the obvious choice. Also, the opt-out wording of “Don’t protect Mail activity” might be a turn-off.
It’s like when you’re navigating a website that pops up an opportunity to subscribe to the newsletter, and in order to decline, you have to respond “No, I’m not a good person” or something catty like that. Playing on users fears – especially about something they don’t understand – can lead to higher opt-in rates simply because it feels safer.
If this is true, it’s best to assume that 100% of your Apple Mail users will select Mail Privacy Protection upon completing the update.
So at the point that all Apple Mail users have updated, approximately half of your list will be affected. However, at the close of 2021, only 60% had updated. In October, only 30% had updated.
This means that the effects of Apple Mail Privacy Protection have been gradual, so we are able to observe the effects in a slow roll.
What do these changes mean for email marketers?
On the surface, it’s easy to see why these changes are concerning for marketers. These shifts threaten to upend email programs reliant on IP addresses or other non-consent based identifiers.
It’s easy to say “you’re going to need better indicators” when someone expresses concerns around success metrics, and for a lot of measurements, that’s always been true. But there are other aspects of email marketing that are affected by opens.
Subject line testing will be affected, so it’s important to learn as much as you can as soon as you can, or you will have to wait until your platform has solved for “unknown opens” related to Mail Privacy Protection.
Similarly, send time optimization and real-time personalization can be affected by questionable open data. It’s important to update algorithms and rules to account for unknown opens, and, as always, have fall-back experiences where possible. Now more than ever, growing first- and zero-party data is going to be the key to delivering the best customer experiences.
There will be a big shift in how brands think about open rates
So let’s get “better metrics” out of the way first: through the Mail Privacy Protection feature, Apple plans to always render an email send as opened, regardless of whether the user actually viewed the content.
This will result in inflated (or deflated) open rates for mail hosted by the Apple Mail app. Some ESPs, including Epsilon, are making the decision not to count automated opens as they are NOT representative of true user interactions and ingesting insincere data is problematic on its face. The percentage of emails opened in the Apple Mail app will vary, but Epsilon found iPhone opens typically account for up to 40% of all opens within a campaign. Epsilon plans to manage these opens within the platform, as marketers will have access to this data now. In the future there will be feature and client level configurations to ascertain these Apple opens with percent confidence.
However, clicks – which can be measured even for users who opt-in into Apple Mail Privacy Protection, will remain a strong metric for performance evaluation.
The bottom line: Marketers should no longer rely heavily on open rates and send times as a gut-check for whether their campaigns are working or not—they have to dig deeper into holistic audience and campaign measurement by looking at metrics such as clicks, conversions, site activity, and revenue.
Identifying users and appropriate content by IP will be a challenge
Once Apple’s new features are rolled out, MarTech that relies heavily on IP addresses or other non-consent based identifiers can only expect to see their problems worsen. This particularly affects email marketers, as many ESPs rely on IP addresses to deliver live content based on time-of-open, geolocation, and devices.
Apple’s latest moves also highlight the over-reliance on email for identification—which is prone to consumer profile duplication (hint: the average person having more than four distinct email addresses), leading to less accurate targeting, measurement and a poor customer experience.
The bottom line: These changes will impact those who rely heavily on IP addresses for identification. For marketers that do, they will need to adopt new means by which to track user behavior and serve targeted ads and emails—one that relies on first-party data and is privacy complaint.
What can marketers do to absorb the shock of these changes?
Here are 8 concrete tips email marketers can take to be prepared for the iOS 15 rollout in September:
1. Estimate the potential impact of Mail Privacy Protection
A good place to start is to identify all addresses which are likely opening from Apple's native app in IOS 15. The best way to uncover the potentially impacted audience would be to determine all addresses which have recently opened an email with an iPhone.
It’s important to note that your device reporting could includes opens from other mail apps which use the Apple WebKit, like the ‘Outlook’ app. The vast majority of recent iPhone openers will be native app users. Thankfully, the two largest third-party apps—Gmail and Yahoo—initiate their opens in a manner which will not be associated with an iPhone device.
2. Identify reliable opens using non-Apple mail clients
Device reporting can help you understand which audiences are opening on non-Apple email clients. This audience should become your beacon of truth in terms of reliable opens you can measure and calculate accurate open rates against.
Pro tip: This advice isn’t just limited to opens. This audience can also be used for A/B testing, helping to provide accurate and reliable engagement.
3. Establish benchmarks beyond open rates
While opens have consistently been a “staple” for email marketers, the meaning of an email open has continued to shift over the years—and with Apple’s new rollout, it’s even more important that brands consider multiple metrics to gain a holistic view of user engagement.
Metrics like clicks and unsubscribe rates won't be affected by this update. However, if you have been relying on opens as your primary email success metrics, start to think about some other ways to measure success. The savviest email marketers are tying their email performance to tangible business outcomes, like increased web traffic, average purchase value, and in-store revenue. Think about the goals of your campaigns, and make sure you have a strategy to measure what matters.
Pro tip: Come up with 2 to 3 metrics to evaluate your performance outside of open rates, and consider what data you would need to calculate those metrics.
4. Rethink your fallback content
More users than ever will have their IP addresses hidden, which means dynamic content (that is dependent on things like location, weather, etc.) could be less accurate, or may not be available at all. Of course, marketers have always had fallback content available for these situations. But make sure you're providing fallback content that is engaging even without the agile elements. Now is a time to revisit your creative strategy and make sure it's grabbing your audience's attention in the inbox and delivering results.
Pro tip: Great creative strategy is rooted in personalization. If you’re not using AI and machine learning to personalize your emails with offers and content tailored to each audience members’ preferences, now is the time to start.
5. Clean up your email list
This is a great time to clean up your email file and remove any inactive subscribers from your file while you can still rely on opens as one metric of engagement. Removing inactive subscribers will help you improve your overall program and ensure that you are mailing to active audiences after opens are unclear.
Additionally, you can consider re-engagement or re-permission pass emails to those dormant audiences to drive to your preference center to ensure your audience does want to stay in touch, but maybe less frequently than you have been mailing.
6. Enhance and highlight your preference center
Brands with active, highly engaged subscribers will most likely see less impact from Hide My Email. Having a great preference center puts your audience in the driver's seat and allows them to decide what content and how often they want to hear from you. Gathering these preferences will help you enhance your customer profile and leverage this data to further personalize communications, cadence and offers.
Pro tip: The most sophisticated email programs have invested in building authentic customer relationships. Not sure how to get here? Start with your profile density. Look at the average number of attributes you’ve collected for each email subscriber, as well as the type of information you’re gathering. Your preference center can be a great way to bulk up your profile density with data that will help you deepen your subscriber relationships.
7. Review your coupon and promotion strategy
Hide My Email has many marketers concerned about coupon harvesting. If users can create multiple email addresses, will they take advantage of special offers and promotions multiple times? This concept has been around for years, with dedicated services generating single-use emails for consumers.
While the risk of coupon harvesting is always there, many companies continue to successfully offer coupons and promotions via email without suffering significant detrimental effects of coupon harvesters. If you're worried about specific campaigns with high value offers, talk to your ESP about strategies to mitigate coupon harvesting.
8. Focus on first-party connections—not a patchwork solution
Companies that are continually putting patches on their technologies to weather these changes are going to fail. As access to data diminishes, we’re past the point of being able to solve problems reactively as they arise.
In this case, the easiest way to combat IP restrictions is to focus on a solution that doesn’t rely on IP addresses to reach your customers. A strong identity resolution solution built on a foundation of concrete first-party data and resilient identifiers such as name and postal address —not IP addresses or cookies—will be a future requirement for marketers.
But making this shift is not all bad news. As digital trends ebb and flow, first-party and zero-party data is a constant that can weather storms large or small.
THIRD PARTY COOKIES PHASE OUT
>> Download the research <<
It’s business as usual for Epsilon
More features like Mail Privacy Protection and Hide My Email are expected to roll out across the industry—and not just necessarily from the Apple’s and Google’s of the world. This signifies a broader need across the industry to move away from patchwork solutions to creating something more malleable. The privacy landscape is constantly evolving, and marketers need to be looking ahead to prepare for disruptions. Partner with an ESP that is at the forefront of consumer privacy, and future-proof your email strategy.
At Epsilon, we are confident that we can ride this next wave of data deprecation and help marketers and publishers do the same. For more than 50 years, we’ve been supporting first-party data-driven marketing strategies. Those in the ad-tech space who don’t already have future-proofed solutions are a day late and a dollar short.
As we built our digital solutions, we prioritized privacy, security and strong partnerships that helped us anchor our identity to a durable name and address foundation. This has created solutions that enable brands to have long-lasting connections with consumers in a trusted, consent-based relationship.
---
## [VIDEO] How Retailers & Brands are Capitalising on Connected Customer Data?
Type: eps_post
URL: /how-retailers-and-brands-are-capitalising-on-connected-customer-data
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# [VIDEO] How Retailers & Brands are Capitalising on Connected Customer Data?
Learn more about how fashion brands capitalize on new digital consumer behaviour - post lock down and beyond, by watching Amiee Stroud's presentation at IMRG Fashion Connect 2022.
Customer behaviour has evolved dramatically in the past two years as a direct result of Covid-19. The pandemic has forced more and more shoppers online and both retailers and brandshave reacted by closing branches, reducing in-store inventory to protect profitability and building out their omnichannel sales channels. These seismic changes have created both challenges and opportunities for retailers and brands.
Why is this important right now?
Omnichannel retail generates a wealth of customer data, enabling retailers and brands to build close on-going relationships with their customers – understanding what they want and how best to market to them. The challenge however is identifying individuals online – especially as third-party cookies are being phased out – and connecting up the disparate online data points shoppers generate during their path to purchase.
Deeper dive
Amiee Stroud, Business Development Director, recently explained at IMRG Fashion Connect that physical brick-and-mortar retailers have traditionally struggled with identifying customers and delivering personalised experiences to them.
Amiee said: “With offline retail you know where your stores are located and what sells well in specific areas and at what times. Retailers who have optimized e-receipts or loyalty programmes will receive additional information, but generally data is very limited, and it can be really difficult to identify trends that can be used to plan out the next 12 months to five years of marketing.”
Ecommerce, however, provides constant customer data streams from two sources; the shoppers who have logged in to a retailer’s website to carry out an activity, such as making a purchase or returning an item, and non-logged-in shoppers who may be browsing products.
Logged-in shoppers are very much in the minority. They provide a rich stream of actionable data, for example their identity, information about their family, their purchasing history, the devices they use, purchase frequency and the products they buy. This information can be used to create ID-based marketing strategies that drive planning, marketing and business growth. But with a non-logged-in shopper, there is a whole wealth of information that is inaccessible and cannot be connected together.
Solving the online identity challenge
Amiee explained that the best way to solve this online identity challenge is to develop a strategy that starts with the customer and helps explain everything that happens between and leads to purchases, increases in purchases, increases in AOV, increases in margins and even new customer acquisition.
Amiee said: “This can strategy be achieved by building a unique omnichannel identity for every customer and connecting together all their different devices, emails and other touchpoints that will help identify them and then connecting this identity to the available customer data. This data can be fed into a decisioning platform to leverage data and increase sales across all channels.” This approach can revolutionise the way retailers and brands work with each customer.
The bottom line
Amiee explained that Epsilon already has an ID-based marketing solution that can connect and leverage customers’ online data – and it does not rely on third-party cookies. Epsilon’s solution achieves an average of 3.5 touch points per customer and 4.5 emails per customer ID. This enables Epsilon to link personal email addresses, work email addresses and specific publisher sites that customers use. This customer-specific data can then help retailers and brands build on-going relationships with individuals, serving them the right content in the right place and at the time to nurture them to purchase.
---
## Loyalty gamification: What marketers can learn from the Wordle craze
Type: eps_post
URL: /what-marketers-can-learn-from-the-wordle-craze
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Loyalty gamification: What marketers can learn from the Wordle craze
Wordle is the rare viral game that doesn't encourage bingeing. Its millions of players worldwide are limited to a once-a-day shot at victory, and the whole process—six attempts to guess a mysterious five-letter word—requires only a few minutes. There are no prizes except for pride and bragging rights.
Yet Wordle inspires the sort of loyalty, habitual engagement, social media and word-of-mouth sharing momentum that makes marketers drool. Why? What is it about this gray, yellow and green squares game that compels people to return day after day and broadcast their results online? What makes it equally as appealing to my Gen X self, my Gen Z teens and my Boomer mom?
The answer has powerful implications for brands because Wordle's winning formula provides a blueprint for loyalty program gamification.
Wordle's runaway popularity owes largely to three distinctive elements: its optimal degree of difficulty, its once-a-day nature, and its unique social-sharing element.
The first element powering Wordle's popularity is that it hits a sweet spot that researchers call "degree of desirable difficulty." The game is tough enough to present a meaningful challenge to a broad range of players and give a sense of accomplishment when they succeed.
It's also easy enough that many players win, and a large share of "Wordlers" also experience that winning feeling. It takes refinement to get this balance just right. For example, the game would become substantially more difficult if players only had five chances to guess the correct word, rather than six, or if the game featured eight-letter words.
The second aspect of Wordle's success is the once-a-day cadence. Sure, it discourages binging, but the limited time commitment makes Wordle feel like a manageable part of a daily routine. More importantly, Wordle only produces one puzzle per day—all those millions of players are doing the same puzzle at approximately the same time. That shared experience is perfect fodder for social media conversation.
And that's the third key to Wordle's success: social shareability. As important to Wordle's popularity as the game itself is the brilliant graphic automatically generated after each game, enabling Wordlers to share their results and progress during gameplay—all without giving away the answer to the daily puzzle. Wordle is a word game, but this graphic is a masterclass in how to tell a meaningful story without words.
With Wordle's acquisition by the New York Times, it has yet to be seen whether this viral game will be used to further the newspaper's own marketing strategy. But what is clear is that Wordle's popularity and social media ubiquity are the envy of marketers everywhere. The game also provides those marketers with a case study in how gamification can power a rewards program and inspire customer loyalty.
Gamification and customer loyalty programs
Gamification involves using game mechanics and game-inspired experience design to drive customer engagement and behavior. From points and badges to levels and leaderboards, gamification elements aim to influence customers using innate human motivators like competitiveness, reward-seeking behavior and the fear of missing out.
Gamification in loyalty programs provides customers with additional incentives that work alongside a brand's core value proposition to inspire desired actions such as more frequent purchases or increased overall spend. The gamification of loyalty concept has gained rapid traction in recent years and is poised for explosive growth: According to Markets and Markets, the global gamification market is projected to grow from $9.1 billion in 2020 to $30.7 billion by 2025.
There's a good reason for that investment. For one thing, customers enjoy gamification: 27% of millennials say they would stay in a loyalty program that included a competitive game or social aspect, according to a Colloquoy survey. More important, gamification produces results. Brands that turned to gamification to drive customer engagement report a 22% rise in brand loyalty and a 47% spike in engagement, according to Snipp. And according to a Tech Validate report, companies that added gamification elements specifically within their loyalty programs increased registration conversion rates by 50%.
Gamification can also help brands accelerate their collection of first-party data—the record of a customer's interactions with a brand, including the hints they've left about preferences and other indicators of what sort of offers, messages, and experiences might drive increased engagement and satisfaction. Similarly, gamification can also spur the collection of zero-party data, an emerging category that refers to a combination of progressive profiling and customer-indicated preferences around privacy and consent.
The impact of gamification within loyalty programs makes sense: People like to feel successful, acquire new skills and specialized knowledge, and receive recognition for their achievements. People also like to feel influential and be valued members of communities of people who share their interests.
Loyalty-program gamification works by tapping into those universal "likes" to encourage behaviors, such as conferring elite status within a member community to someone who hits an engagement target or offering a reward to customers who share their love for a product on social media.
Wordle's success demonstrates that if the challenges and community incentives are dialed in, a gamified loyalty program can work even without a robust set of traditional rewards such as discounts or freebies. Generally, though, successful loyalty program gamification means offering a compelling mix of traditional rewards alongside badges and points. It's essential to keep in mind that gamification is just one component of a larger customer engagement strategy to spark greater interest and more memorable interactions with your brand.
Designing a loyalty program that smartly incorporates gamification in a way that customers find fun and engaging and succeeds in driving your preferred actions and behaviors—well, it's much more challenging than, say, solving a five-letter word puzzle in six or fewer tries. The psychological underpinnings of gamification may be constant, but unlike Wordle, there's no one-size-fits-all solution.
What works best for your brand and program will depend on your content, community and product. Brands have found success using several different types of gamification, from badges to prize wheels and daily discount reveals. Here are a few of the leading categories:
Social interactions
The idea here is to deepen customer engagement by encouraging them to interact with one another about their experience with your brand and its products and services. The Nike Run Club app, for example, includes "Community Challenges," where runners work together to reach a collective mileage goal, often in support of a cause.
Brand engagement
These gamification elements aim to encourage customers to rate and review your products, consume your brand content, and encourage others to follow suit. One example is Amazon's Influencer Program, which enables customers to set up custom pages where they post photos and videos recommending favorite products. The influencers then earn money when followers buy the recommended products.
Gamified user experience
Adding a gamification element to a more traditional rewards-program offer can increase engagement. For example, Southeastern Grocers introduced a "Rewards Boosters" feature to its loyalty discount program that offers bonus savings to customers—but only after they have successfully completed a challenge.
Community building
This strategy involves using points, badges, and leaderboards to encourage customers to engage with your brand to gain higher levels of community status and rewards. For example, 7-Eleven's 7Rewards programs use a point system to encourage frequent purchases, including bonus-points promotions tied to specific items.
Community engagement
This tactic is a way for brands that derive value from customer communities to encourage participation in those communities. For example, Dell uses gamification loyalty programs like its Alienware Arena Rewards Program which offers incentives to gamers to share original content and vote on the quality of other members' content.
Putting gamification to work for your brand
To better understand how brands can activate loyalty program gamification, I talked to Brad MacDonald, Vice President of Loyalty Strategy Consulting at Epsilon. According to MacDonald, “The process of gamifying your brand's rewards program starts with identifying the type of engagement you want to encourage and then developing a gamification approach that will serve as a strong incentive—coupled, of course, with a solid value proposition that will generate a meaningful benefit for members.”
He explains that this process doesn't need to be one-size-fits-all—you can identify target segments and create specific objectives for each of them. MacDonald says, “Just take care to craft an experience and a challenge that each segment will find compelling and honors their time and data investment.” In addition to using the program to drive sales and engagement goals, you may also benefit from investigating how the insight you gain could be used to enhance the personalization of your interactions with that customer in the future, perhaps creating even more loyalty.
You likely won't nail the total concept in your initial brainstorming. MacDonald emphasizes that testing and refining your concept is important here. Wordle's creator discovered that the game was too difficult when it included every five-letter word in the dictionary. Based on that observation, he ensured that the game's vocabulary wasn't too esoteric and that it featured words common enough so that most players know them. The same process and willingness to iterate will also likely benefit your loyalty program.
Wordle's runaway success is a testament to the power of a genuinely compelling game and a powerfully engaged community. Those forces can be just as impactful when put to work on behalf of your brand. Hitting on the right concept and execution is critical. You may benefit from working with a partner such as Epsilon, whose technology and strategic approach are designed to generate additional value for your brand by influencing member behavior, using tools such as gamification and loyalty programs.
Getting it right will require more time and effort than solving the latest Wordle puzzle. Then again, you'll have far more than bragging rights to show for your work.
---
## Walgreens Advertising Group looks to the future of retail media
Type: eps_post
URL: /walgreens-advertising-group-looks-to-the-future-of-retail-media
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Walgreens Advertising Group looks to the future of retail media
Everyone is talking about retail media. Brands seem ready and willing to spend retail media dollars with their partners, but as the category proliferates and accelerates, it’s creating a totally new industry within the digital media ecosystem.
And with that brings more scrutiny on the technology that powers these networks—and (surprise) not all are created equal. As brands decide where and how to spend their budgets, they’re looking for retail media networks that have put their customer at the center, surrounded by technology that offers the reach, data access and ease of use they need.
To explore how tech is changing retail media, we sat down with Luke Kigel, VP of Walgreens Media and head of Walgreens Advertising Group (WAG), to tease upcoming innovations for WAG, all intended to help brands achieve better media reach and activation in a safe, secure, privacy-compliant environment.
Through the conversation, learn how the industry can better orient around the needs of the consumer—not budget dollars—and how retail media will be a change agent in shifting the shopper marketer/retailer dynamic.
Joe Doran: WAG is gearing up for its latest big technology rollout. What benefits will these bring and how are they unique?
Luke Kigel: One of the principal tenets of Walgreens Advertising Group is that we aspire to make it easy to work with us. I respect that it’s easier said than done, and with that comes the issue that many brands see retail media today as just another walled garden. We don’t want (or need) more walled gardens.
We’re trying to build solutions that make it easier for our brand and agency partners to work and engage with us, so the focus can be on enabling brands to deliver personalization and drive performance. We’re partnering with Epsilon and other key players in the space to give brands access to use our audiences in the regular flow of their media operations, with their hands on the keyboards.
These shifts take into account that brands are doubling down on first-party data themselves. Our goal is to take the strength and power of our customer relationships and marry it to the information brands now have, allowing them to accelerate their strength and capability. WAG has access to insights from more than 95 million customers—people who are myWalgreens members, all updated at scale in November 2020—which presents a tremendous opportunity for brands to tap into.
We’re seeing a lot of retailers making more investments on the technology side of their media networks. What do you think is the reason for this shift?
The industry is hungry for diversification, and with the changing privacy landscape, the industry is ripe for disruption. Retail media has a strong role to play in that disruption. In some ways, you have to look no further than the most recent iteration of LUMA Partners’ Digital Display LUMAscape to visualize the industry at scale and put this dynamic into perspective.
We believe that competition is good, and that diversification ultimately serves the industry and our customers. This is an industry where the “frenemy” dynamic is very real and fairly ubiquitous. When thinking about what disruption retail media can be a part of, it changes the role of the retailer in that dynamic. The retailer starts to become a strategic media partner, an agency partner, a publisher partner, and a driver of personalization and media ROI. That’s a pretty massive difference from the industry view of retail just a few years ago.
Where do you see retail media headed? It’s a huge growth category for many retailers; a lot has shifted in a short amount of time, and we only expect to see more change.
Retail media is very well-positioned to be a core disruptor in how we market to any customer, anywhere. Today, people think about retail media as an extension of shopper marketing, so it’s shopper budgets, ecommerce budgets, etc., and doesn’t include your national media budget or dollars. These constructs are borne out of job functions and where buckets of dollars live, not out of a strategic need or even a desire to meet consumer needs—it’s just a function of the industry.
So, what retail media actually represents is the opportunity to transcend this narrative and better connect with consumers. When it comes down to it, the consumer is a person, a person is a shopper, and when that shopper sees an ad, they don’t think “Oh, this is shopper marketing,” or “This is national marketing.” These are meaningless terms to the consumer.
Retail media has the opportunity to completely change the model and go from being a tool of shopper marketing to a core part of the flywheel for more personalized and more effective marketing. If marketing delivers a better experience to your consumer, it ultimately delivers a better return on your investment—and that has nothing to do with your shopper or national dollars.
Where do you see the industry, holistically, setting its sights?
There’s a growing attention being placed on offsite capabilities from legacy retail media businesses that have been around for more than a decade. You’ve got the consultants and industry experts saying that the category can be a hundred billion dollars. Many of them started with onsite capabilities, and now as they look to expand and grow, offsite is the next frontier.
What’s interesting is that we came about entering the category a little bit differently, by starting with offsite media, which is the exact opposite place of where those legacy retail media players started, but it’s now the primary target on their roadmaps.
We really started with a strength in executing offsite media and built our network from that as the foundation, allowing brands to have the same end-to-end audience insights all the way through activation. It’s funny because as an industry, we all have the same goal: We’re all building towards that holistic experience for our brand partners and the customer—we’re just coming at it from slightly different starting points.
Any final thoughts to leave us with?
As we move forward into our second year with WAG, we’ve built a media group focused on innovative thinking, delivering engaging and relevant experiences while ultimately striving to make things easier for the brands—and consumers—we serve.
This article was originally published on Adweek, February 2022.
---
## How to Build a Loyalty Program That Truly Works
Type: eps_post
URL: /how-to-build-a-loyalty-program-that-truly-works-1
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# How to Build a Loyalty Program That Truly Works
Customers today expect that brands not only provide products and services but also superior differentiated experiences.
They are also willing to hand over personal data and information if it means they get special treatment. Of course, trust in the brand is important.
On their part, marketers are on a quest for customers who will love and trust them and be their advocates. An effective loyalty programme can therefore create a win-win situation for both parties.
While companies often invest in technology platforms that help them get the initial traction on building customer loyalty, they often find the benefits plateauing over time if they are not augmented by the right services that can help them get the most from the solution in terms of using the platform optimally and leveraging the data to get powerful customer insights.
When well understood, data helps unravels stories that can then translate into greater returns for customers. Therefore, an effective loyalty solution is one that gathers the data trail of what customers share and allow marketers to give back what they seek. In turn, this helps brands deliver on the high bar that customers set when it comes to expectations from brands.
Ensuring that your loyalty program is truly equipped to deliver adequate insights and engagement in exchange for data is crucial.
{{cta('50fe76f9-d840-45de-8c12-5247148e7c0e')}}
---
## What the new Spider-Man movie shows us about the power of identity resolution
Type: eps_post
URL: /spider-man-marketing-identity-resolution-0
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# What the new Spider-Man movie shows us about the power of identity resolution
When you think Spider-Man, do you think marketing?
Marvel’s marketing prowess is just as bombastic as the characters they bring to life on screen. But in their latest hit, Spider-Man: No Way Home, the plot itself is an interesting commentary on one of the most important topics in marketing today: identity.
Spoilers ahead: In the new movie, Tom Holland’s Peter Parker enlists the help of Dr. Strange (played by the always awesome Benedict Cumberbatch) to make his identity secret again. When Strange’s magic solution goes terribly wrong, Peter is thrown into the world of the multiverse, which allows visitors from alternate realities to come together into one. This includes Spider-Man alums Tobey Maguire and Andrew Garfield.
The film itself is a fun ride that incorporates iconic characters from earlier iterations (um, hello Willem Defoe!) and explores the concept of identity.
As the world becomes more digitized, this sci-fi concept is becoming somewhat of a reality—at least for marketers. With the proliferation of channels, devices and email addresses, brands often mistake the same individual as multiple customers. This real-life multiverse is essentially creating new “identities” that are actually one.
Let's break it down
If we look at Spider-Man, arguably all three versions of the hero are, at their core, just Peter Parker. Their flair gives them those slight differences—The Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man (Tobey), The Amazing Spider-Man (Andrew) and, my personal favorite, The Avengers Spider-Man (Tom).
These three Peters all have very similar profiles, but because of their splintered lives in their respective multiverses, they can appear as three entirely different people. Like so:
You may see the Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man, portrayed by Tobey McGuire, as one person because he has an online channel preference, and you know he lives in New York City, and that he recently purchased athletic shoes.
Illustration by Epsilon, photo courtesy of Sony Pictures
Meanwhile, the Amazing Spider-Man, played by Andrew Garfield, also has an online channel preference, but looks different because he made an in-store purchase. Each profile may look slightly different depending on their channel preference, browsing behavior and purchase history—but when you look closely, it's just a variation of the same person.
Illustration by Epsilon, photo courtesy of Sony Pictures
And last, but certainly not least, is the Avengers Spider-Man, our beloved Tom Holland, who looks like a completely different customer because you've only seen him on mobile, and you know he lives in Queens and is a reading enthusiast.
Illustration by Epsilon, photo courtesy of Sony Pictures
Using this analogy, marketers, too, often see the same person with slight variations and assume they're actually different people because they're not properly resolving the different views of that single person. Unlike these fictional heroes, though, these profiles exist in one singular dimension.
With connected identity, you'd just have one holistic profile of Spider-Man, and know when to reach him on any of his devices.
Similarly, consumers often have similar qualities. A shopper might be browsing and purchasing in-store and online and access several channels on different devices. An increasingly complex path to purchase can often steer brands into believing one consumer is three different people entirely, meaning they’re missing out on opportunities to understand and connect.
So you might market to each version differently, not understanding these similar versions are actually one. While one Spider-Man appears to be shopping for travel backpacks and the other for a gaming console, arguably all three versions of the hero, at their core, are just Peter Parker.
Forrester found that, at best, only half of brands are capable of fundamental identity resolution capabilities, like finding consumers across devices, controlling message frequency and building a unified customer profile.
For brands and retailers, this can mean millions of dollars are being left on the table in marketing waste, which is precisely why marketers are heavily invested in knowing their customers. Identity resolution spend is projected to reach $2.6 billion in 2022. Changes in cookie availability, location data and privacy regulations make identity resolution solutions more important than ever.
Will the real Peter Parker please stand up?
Marketers don't need to rely on their "Spidey senses" to create effective marketing. Identity resolution means brands can find Peter Parker in any part of the multiverse, no matter if his habits change over time. In the movie, Tom Holland’s Peter is forced to combine all the parts of the multiverse back together again so that mankind can escape chaos, which is precisely what marketers are striving to do with their own customers.
As Uncle Ben (or if you're Tom Holland, Aunt May) once said, “With great power comes great responsibility.” Go forth and use your identity resolution for good and streamline our own marketing efforts.
Header illustration by Epsilon, photo courtesy of Marvel Enterprises
---
## How luxury brands are cashing in on renewed consumer demand
Type: eps_post
URL: /luxury-trends-cashing-in-on-consumer-demand
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# How luxury brands are cashing in on renewed consumer demand
It’s no surprise, but 2020 wasn’t kind to the luxury industry. After months of declining in sales due to the pandemic, luxury brands are seeing a resurgence.
A recent report from Bain & Company shows that after contracting due to the pandemic, the market grew by about 14% in 2021 to 1.28 billion. While this total is still about 10% below 2019 levels, some categories have grown enough to exceed 2019 performance.
What’s driving the surge?
Stabilization of the global economy, for one, but more interestingly, the growth of e-commerce and digital marketing, and brands with luxury offerings are taking notice. From luxury retailers to automotive giants, brands are reinvesting in their luxury strategies.
Marriott and GM Financial are a few of these brands shifting their approach to marketing their luxury offerings. It’s a shift that could mean millions in revenue—if done right.
While the luxury market is booming, not all luxury is created equal. Nearly all segments of the market have seen growth in 2021 (luxury cruises are still lagging), but Bain reports only the following four have grown enough to exceed 2019 levels:
Luxury cars
Personal luxury goods
Fine wines and spirits
High-end design furniture
It makes sense that these segments have done well as consumers have weathered varying levels of quarantines and safer-at-home guidelines. Many shoppers reallocated discretionary spending from services to goods—especially those that make life at home more pleasant.
Personal luxury goods have done particularly well. As Bain explains, “The market for personal luxury goods—the ‘core of the core’ of luxury segments and the focus of this analysis—has come roaring back, experiencing a V-shaped recovery in 2021.” Sales are set to beat their pre-Covid record with a 1% year-over-year rise.
Categories like luxury hospitality, on the other hand, haven’t fared as well. Bain reports that the category made a comeback from the second quarter of 2021, but overall spending stayed well below pre-pandemic levels.
After all, we’re still facing restrictions on international travel.
Brands do their own distribution
The global health crisis has shaken up luxury distribution channels, as well. Bain reports that brands continued to increase control over their distribution in 2021, with a rise of directly operated channels. In particular, online luxury sales are booming compared to in-store shopping.
“Online and monobrand stores were the key channels for 2021’s recovery,” Bain’s report explains. “After a 50% jump from 2019 to 2020, online continued to power on, growing by 27% from 2020 to 2021.”
Websites devoted to a single brand now make up about 40% of this online segment (up from 30% in 2019).
Luxury expands digital experiences to include digital goods
While a big chunk of luxury shopping now happens online, the digital world offers more than simply a space for transactions to take place.
Spearheaded by Balenciaga, a number of luxury brands are now creating digital products to be used in the so-called metaverse. For example, Balenciaga has collaborated with Fortnite to sell virtual clothing and accessories for players’ avatars.
And other luxury brands are experimenting with gaming collaborations, too, like LVMH Moet Hennessy Louis Vuitton SE, Burberry Group Plc, and Ralph Lauren Corp.
Bloomberg reports that, “According to Morgan Stanley, luxury groups could generate sales of about 10 billion euros ($11.3 billion) from gaming by 2030, although this could be as high as 25 billion euros in its most optimistic scenario.”
What this all means for luxury brand marketers
How can luxury brands snag their own pie of the growth pie as the market continues to expand? Bain states that the Covid crisis marked a turning point for luxury as we knew it, and that “The expanding universe of luxury customers expects more from brands than before.”
Luxury brands must understand these expectations—and the macro and individual level—then go above and beyond when delivering on them.
One of the biggest consumer expectations is 1:You personalization. This level of personalization requires both the data to truly understand your customers—and the technology to turn that insight into highly-personalized action.
Marc Sheinkin, Senior Director of Member and Guest Communications at Marriott, explains that personalization might translate to less communication.
“[In 2022], we’re creating ways for our luxury brands to stand out and customizing the email marketing experience for guests we think are likely to prefer luxury. This starts with data that helps us identify luxury preferers, which is more challenging when travel (particularly international travel) is limited.
“And it means not only sending luxury guests more personalized, bespoke communications, but also not sending them certain kinds of emails that could clutter and devalue the experience.”
But personalization doesn’t stop at outbound communications. Brand-controlled, online distribution is on the rise, and consumers expect personalized content everywhere products are sold—from the website to display advertising and even to the metaverse.
This requires reevaluating all touchpoints throughout the customer’s journey and path to purchase, including new channels and technology they are engaging with, as well as how they are interacting with your brand.
Will Stacy, Chief Marketing and Digital Officer at GM Financial, says that luxury customers expect every interaction to be tight and on point, which they’re addressing with a new luxury concierge:
“We’re launching Cadillac Financial, a luxury, branded, concierge experience for customers. [Luxury customers] are just a different kind of customer that has different expectations. Often it comes to Escalade—it’s a very expensive product, and the Escalade customer expects a different level of service. The concept we’ve used is the idea of ‘it’s handled’. A celebrity or a person of power, they have a person who handles things.”
It’s going to take tech—and the right partners
How can you bring it all together? We can take a hint from Bain’s conclusion:
“New keywords and phrases—such as metaverse, personalization at scale, and tech stack—will come to the fore as the industry grows and evolves.”
Luxury brands that want to follow the market’s impressive growth trajectory must shore up their ability to identify, understand, and engage their luxury shoppers, overdelivering at each and every touchpoint.
---
## 5 Ways AI Enhances the Customer Journey: From Conversation to Conversion
Type: eps_post
URL: /5-ways-ai-enhances-the-customer-journey-from-conversation-to-conversion
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T22:16:49Z
# 5 Ways AI Enhances the Customer Journey: From Conversation to Conversion
Artificial Intelligence is no longer science fiction. What was once confined to the silver screen à la 2001: A Space Odyssey or Star Wars is now fueling business decisions around the globe. Gartner reports that 59% of organizations worldwide have already deployed AI, and they expect to double the number of projects in place within the next year.
I’ve seen marketers adopt a sort of cautious optimism towards AI—the benefits are clear; but the sheer feat of implementing AI is enough to steer some away, as it often requires sifting through mountains of unorganized data. However, the improvements clients have seen in their marketing strategies, executions and results are worth the effort.
I know it’s not the easiest concept to grasp—and if you’re still not sold, that’s alright. Let’s walk through some of the key benefits AI can bring to the table to holistically improve the customer experience throughout their journey with your brand.
1. Customers feel like you understand them
Machines can crunch enormous amounts of data and do the heavy lifting on data aggregation and cleansing, which enables marketers to spend their time analyzing customers’ behavioral patterns. “[Epsilon] uses machine learning to build profiles and create models that predict what people are going to do, what they’re going to buy, even in some cases what kinds of images they’re going to respond to most strongly,” Epsilon’s SVP of decision sciences Steve Nowlan notes in our recent edition of CORE Content.
This information is invaluable to personalize communications at the individual level. Implementing machine learning can unlock huge untapped potential to personalize across a brand’s marketing channels, connecting marketers with high-value consumers in the process. Plus, with the machines doing the heavy lifting, marketers have time to really dig into those insights to inform their strategy.
2. Customers receive thoughtful recommendations
We’ve all seen an ad for a product that you’d simply never buy or need—and it’s frustrating. You feel like that brand doesn’t know you at all.
Yes, machine learning algorithms can predict consumer behavior to deliver personalized products, offers, messaging, content and rewards for loyalty members. But the impact is what’s important: when customers receive a brand communication built by one of these algorithms, it’s something they need, rather than a compilation of products with little significance that they easily dismiss.
3. Personalized content creates a “human” connection
Audience development and segmentation take on a new life by adding AI as an element in the decision-making process. Each profile becomes a segment of one, so you’re treating customers like the unique individual they are, rather than part of a batch-and-blast scheme.
Creative plays a big part in this process as well. Think about colors, campaigns and timing dynamics—they all create an atmosphere for customers to connect to brands. Aligning dynamic creative fueled by AI with different customers is a worthwhile addition to any marketing campaign and can strengthen affinity towards your brand.
4. Customer service is fast and friendly
AI allows marketers to enhance the customer experience with around-the-clock attention. Bots and virtual assistants embedded in websites or apps offer a 1:1 communication channel for brands—one that’s highly relevant and personalized to the individual.
Conversational AI ultimately sits at the intersection of customer engagement and need. Fueled by past behavior, conversational AI can:
Greet customers by their first names
Ask them if they need any quick problem solving
Recommend relevant products based on current chat dialog or their last browsing session or purchase
Marketers can also nurture these customers post-conversion. When someone returns to your site, the insights gained from previous interactions will help brands immediately connect with relevant content.
5. Customers feel supported through each buying stage
Machine learning and AI support natural language processing (NLP), which allows for organization, optimization and generation of content quickly. From a marketer’s perspective, this saves time and money by processing large volumes of content that can be searchable and intelligently tagged for easy use. From a consumer’s perspective, this helps successfully guide them through the customer journey with ease.
A fractured experience often deters people from continuing to engage with your brand. That’s where AI comes in. AI patterns allow marketers to make decisions on what a customer’s next best action is, so they're constantly building on past interactions to inform what should come next.
You don’t have to go it alone
Don’t be surprised if you see more and more brands leveraging AI. This shift has come out of necessity; people simply expect more from brands these days. Marketers are pressured to deliver unique and personalized experiences on a dime, and AI can help facilitate those conversations.
Again, marketers who implement machine learning see:
Better personalization capabilities at scale
Overall improved customer journey
It’s understandable to feel overwhelmed or still have questions. But you don’t have to go it alone. The right partner can help you with the right crawl, walk, run approach to AI. Ultimately, AI is something you should take at your own pace—but staying ahead of the curve will set marketers up for long-term success with customers.
---
## Google's Topics won't save marketers, here's why
Type: eps_post
URL: /googles-topics-wont-save-marketers
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Google's Topics won't save marketers, here's why
Marketing is about influencing people. Not cookies, not audience segments, not visitors to publisher sites—but people.
Real people and households will make the individual decisions that are right for them. As marketers, we hope to influence those decisions in our favor, but in the end, it’s always their decision.
The way to influence people is to understand them: having rich data that helps with targeting and personalization—that’s what drives performance. There is no point in talking to an uninterested audience or saying the wrong thing to an interested audience.
Epsilon is fortunate to have access to some of the best assets for improving the performance of digital messaging, thanks to our clients who empower us to apply both their first-party data and our own extensive data assets to execute their marketing initiatives. We use these diverse assets to scale the peaks of performance and deliver real, transparently measurable results for our clients—so we are keenly aware of which assets make a difference to performance, and which don’t.
It’s true that having more data points is always better, but some data points are much more effective than others. We know that the best data, by far, is relevant intent data (recent search for a product or service) and relevant behavioral data (having previously taken a relevant action such as purchase of a product or service).
So, with all the talk about Google’s third-party cookie deprecation and the broader impacts on the industry, the key question becomes: Will Google’s new Topics offering be effective in improving performance?
No, it won’t—and here’s why.
Google’s Topics isn’t enough
Topics is a particularly limited form of contextual data, based on classifying the sites rather than the pages that the user visits, and will just give a little insight into where the user goes online.
We can expect essentially the same approach applied to app usage instead of web site visitation when Google extends Topics to Android. Topics doesn’t push performance to the top of the mountain—it leads (at most) to a hillock and often to no more than a bump in the road.
In fact, the entire discussion about browser-based replacements for third-party cookies leaves me cold because it’s talking about the wrong things. Performance requires prediction: Who is likely to buy? Who can be influenced to buy?
Contextual data, and especially site-level contextual data, is not very predictive because where a user browses tells you little about them and even less about what they buy. For example, visiting sports sites does not predict your likelihood of buying toothpaste or even a jogging suit, and reading about politics does not predict your likelihood of traveling to Washington DC. Your past purchases—in the form of first-party data—are far more relevant.
Contextual data is not very predictive because where a user browses tells you little about them and even less about what they buy.
So, how do third-party cookies help performance, if not through tracking users across the internet? They’re valuable to marketers because it’s possible to attach a rich, anonymized profile to them and then use that information to reach that individual online. Third-party cookies are valuable for reach, not tracking. The same is true for Android’s mobile Ad ID (MAID), which Google also intends to deprecate.
But if online browsing data has limited value for performance, what about the performance that Google touted for the now-retired FLoCs? The search giant said it would be “at least 95% of the conversions per dollar spent when compared to cookie-based advertising,” but Google never released its methodology, and independent testing showed much lower performance. Our best understanding now is that Google’s results were based on a scenario that is not quite the same as the one that marketers will face after third-party cookies are deprecated.
There is a better future for marketers
Even Google isn’t betting on Topics as a key component of their own ad technology, as they did not bet on FLoCs. Eric Schmitt, research director at Gartner, noted that third-party cookie deprecation will have little impact on Google’s most important capabilities in DV360. Today, Google relies primarily on its own first-party identity and other solutions and will continue to do so after deprecating third-party cookies in Chrome and Android’s MAID.
At Epsilon, our extensive experience has taught us that the foundation for delivering performance is rich profiles that are anchored in first-party data. Our recommendations to marketers are based on that deep understanding:
Implement or enhance a CRM solution that creates your foundational first-party data asset in a consented, privacy-safe way.
Build a deep understanding of your customers by analyzing and developing insights from your first-party data.
Partner with publishers to reach your customers and prospects wherever they spend their time (in a consented and privacy-respectful way) in exchange for helping the publishers receive fair pay for their content quality.
Deliver messaging to hold on to your customers—and to find new customers like them.
Work with technology partners that feed all the insights gained through messaging back to you, so you keep learning about your customers and prospects.
Use the insights to improve your products and personalize your messaging.
Most importantly, you want to keep a keen eye on your marketing performance and use these recommendations to make it a little stronger every day. It can feel like a daunting task, but don’t ever stop striving for that peak—you’ll reach it.
This article was originally published on Adweek, March 2022.
---
## Three customer retention strategies that build long-term loyalty
Type: eps_post
URL: /three-customer-retention-strategies-that-build-long-term-loyalty
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T22:17:52Z
# Three customer retention strategies that build long-term loyalty
It’s easy to get bogged down with all the changes happening in the marketing world (think: deprecation of third-party identifiers, changing consumer behavior, a pandemic...you get the picture) and forget priority number one, which is keeping our customers happy and coming back to our brand. So, let’s get back to basics and talk about a topic that can save marketers a lot of time and money, but can sometimes be overlooked: customer retention strategies.
In this article, we’ll:
Explain customer retention
Understand why it’s so important for marketers to get right
Explore different customer retention strategies & how they can build loyalty
Evaluate some criteria to consider when choosing the right loyalty partner to help achieve customer retention goals
What is customer retention?
Customer retention is the act of keeping customers loyal to your brand, influencing repeat purchases and preventing them from going to a competitor. Companies with high customer retention offer a product or service that provides enough value to customers for the price that they don’t feel the need to stray.
Marketers can (and should) employ customer retention strategies to strengthen customer loyalty and keep customers satisfied.Why is customer retention important?
According to Marketing Metrics, the probability of selling to an existing customer is up to 14 times higher than the probability of selling to a new customer. Not to mention, customer acquisition costs have increased by almost 50% in the past five years.
This is a huge opportunity for marketers. Of course, new customer acquisition is equally important to sustaining business—but focusing on nurturing relationships with existing customers that know your brand, are already interested in your products or services and are more easily persuaded to repeat purchases at a lower cost is extremely lucrative. Plus, retained customers are ripe to become loyal customers, not only buying your brand again and again, but also making an emotional connection and influencing those around them (like friends and family) to purchase.
How do you calculate customer retention?
You can calculate your success at retaining customers by solving for your company’s customer retention rate (CRR). This is the percentage of existing customers that stayed loyal to your brand and made repeat purchases over a set period of time.
To calculate your customer retention rate, you’ll need:
A fixed period of time you want to measure
The number of customers you had at the start of said time period (S)
The number of customers at the end of said time period (E)
The number of new customers acquired during said time period (N)
CRR = [(E-N)/S] x 100
Three customer retention strategies that work
1. Know your customers
The best method when it comes to how to retain customers is knowing your audience, and it all starts with data. Data is one of the most valuable resources in your arsenal when it comes to retaining customers.
The proliferation of access to first-party data (from website visits, emails, mobile apps and social interactions) allows marketers to really understand their customers. But it shouldn’t stop there. Marketers can augment this information with third-party data (like people’s interests, preferred travel locations, hobbies, basic demographics) for a holistic customer profile they can use to engage existing customers online and offline, to drive emotional connections.
We’re not the only ones that think a strong data strategy is key to retaining customers. In the recent Forrester Wave: Loyalty Service Providers, Q3 2021, Forrester notes “understanding the behaviors, needs, and motivations of loyal customers is a requirement for any successful loyalty strategy.”
When marketers use data and insights to lead their customer retention marketing, they’re also setting themselves up for long-term loyalty success with their customers.
Case study: Bar Louie
A powerful example of this is a recent win-back campaign by Bar Louie. Re-emerging from a corporate reorg and global pandemic, Bar Louie wanted to invite guests back to the table. Using Epsilon PeopleCloud's Retention solution, we identified customers who had not been to the gastrobar in 7 to 24 months, allowing us to welcome them back with relevant messaging.
Then, we focused on developing different creative iterations that spoke to the Bar Louie customer—meeting them where they were, and encouraging them to return. And doing it in a privacy-centric way that resulted reactivating thousands of lapsed guests with a positive ROI.
{% video_player "embed_player" overrideable=False, type='scriptV4', hide_playlist=True, viral_sharing=False, embed_button=False, autoplay=False, hidden_controls=False, loop=False, muted=False, full_width=False, width='1920', height='1080', player_id='58497701163', style='' %}
2. Go omnichannel
According to the 2020 Omnichannel Statistics Report, omnichannel strategies see 287% higher purchase rates and 13% more AOV compared to single-channel marketing strategies.
A successful retention marketing strategy begins by mapping your customer journey, then connecting with existing customers across all channels seamlessly (apps, mobile wallets, web, online and offline). That way, you’re meeting the customer where they are, and reward them in the currency of their choice—and judging by the 287% higher purchase rates, keeps them engaged and satisfied with your brand.
This is because an omnichannel strategy goes beyond transactional, one-dimensional discounts to instead offer personal customer experiences.
Case study: Dunkin'
Dunkin' is a brand that has successfully embraced an omnichannel strategy to drive retention and loyalty. Along with marketing across social, sponsorships, events, TV and more, a critical part of Dunkin's omnichannel approach is their mobile app. The app not only gives customers a more seamless, convenient experience by enabling online pre-ordering and multiple payment options for DD Perks® members, but it also gives the brand the opportunity to market drinks, deals and discounts to their customers.
During the pandemic, it gave them the flexibility to offer contactless checkout and curbside pickup which seemed to increase demand. On Dunkin's Q2 2020 earnings call, Scott Murphy, President Dunkin' Americas, said, "Perks active enrollment increased by nearly 110%," compared to last year. And for the 15th year in a row, Brand Keys named Dunkin’ the #1 brand for customer loyalty in the out-of-home coffee category.
{% video_player "embed_player" overrideable=False, type='scriptV4', hide_playlist=True, viral_sharing=False, embed_button=False, autoplay=False, hidden_controls=False, loop=False, muted=False, full_width=False, width='1920', height='1080', player_id='58497413188', style='' %}
3. Make emotional connections
It is well known that customers who feel an emotional connection to a brand are far more valuable. According to PR Newswire, in some cases, those customers can spend up to twice as much than customers who just feel satisfied with a brand. Plus, they can have a 306% higher lifetime value (LTV).
While we saw people looking for more than surface-level connections with brands during the pandemic, this is sure to continue into a post-COVID world. Consumers still crave that trust and authenticity brands brought to the table in 2020. The Drum notes that when deciding to make a purchase, 81% of customers say that trust is an important factor in their decision.
In the 2021 Forrester WaveTM on Loyalty Service Providers, Forrester also discusses their Customer Experience Index (CX Index™), noting, “Data shows that three emotions bind customers to brands: feeling appreciated, happy, and valued. And emotions drive behavior, so how customers feel about the brand is as important as how they act toward it.” They recommend brands look for providers that incorporate emotional loyalty into their strategic frameworks and demonstrate use cases and strategies for growing emotional loyalty.
So, don’t think you can slack off when it comes to your existing customers. One of the keys to better customer retention is relationship building that you can further by creating emotional, trustworthy connections.
Strong customer retention programs can do this with:
Surprise & delight withrewards (free gift or exclusive VIP promotion)
Improve customer service through real-time, relevant 1:1 communications
Boost satisfaction by anticipating customer needs
Engage customers on social media channels
Case study: Preferred Hotels & Resorts
Preferred Hotel Group's I Prefer is a prime example of a loyalty program that makes these emotional connections with guests across their 750 diverse luxury properties. To put their members’ travel concerns first during the pandemic, Preferred implemented an extension to their points expiration rules. As the travel situation changed, they regularly emailed guests who had to postpone bookings with updates on which hotels were open, ultimately helping them to select an alternate destination when the time was right.
Epsilon PeopleCloud Loyalty & Messaging solutions help Preferred Hotels & Resorts keep up with their ever-expanding I Prefer program, and quickly react to the changing impact of COVID-19. Not only do they provide flexibility and speed to market to facilitate program change, but also work cohesively with a robust CRM to elevate their campaigns, and provide their customers with a top-notch digital experience that gives consumers a peace of mind about program benefits and upcoming travel plans.
{% video_player "embed_player" overrideable=False, type='scriptV4', hide_playlist=True, viral_sharing=False, embed_button=False, autoplay=False, hidden_controls=False, loop=False, muted=False, full_width=False, width='1920', height='1080', player_id='58870748806', style='' %}
Remember: loyalty is an outcome, not a program
Truly progressive brands have evolved to look at ALL of their existing customers and new customers through a loyalty lens; not only those who are enrolled in their customer loyalty program. These innovators practice brand-level loyalty, using their customer retention strategies and tactics to create exceptional customer experiences, inspire passion and trust and engender long-term relationships to keep repeat customers.
Emotional connections then serve as the steppingstone to matriculate customers into a permission-based customer loyalty program. From there, the brand can glean the data and insights to deepen the relationship and deliver more personalized experiences that inspire a share of life, share of wallet, time and heart from your customers. Plus, people can feel confident that their privacy and preferences are being respected, which will keep them coming back. Customer retention, check!
Get started with the right partner
In The Forrester Wave™: Loyalty Service Providers, Q3 2021, Forrester recommends that brands look for providers that hinge their loyalty strategies on emotional connections with consumers as well as provide qualitative and quantitative customer insights. The 12 providers in the report were evaluated based on current offering, strategy, and market presence.
Publicis Groupe (Epsilon is a part of Publicis Groupe) was named a Leader with the top score in the Current Offering category and received the highest scores possible in 15 criteria, including omnichannel loyalty strategy, data services and more.
---
## [VIDEO] The lessons brands can learn from high-growth businesses that measure incrementality
Type: eps_post
URL: /the-lessons-brands-can-learn-from-high-growth-businesses-that-measure-incrementality
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# [VIDEO] The lessons brands can learn from high-growth businesses that measure incrementality
Learn more about what brands can learn from how high growth businesses measure incremental outcomes, by watching Ben Foulkes' keynote at eTail Connect Spring 2022.
Ecommerce has been transformed dramatically in the past five years, but the methods for measuring marketing effectiveness have remained the same. Continued use of outdated attribution techniques are giving marketing teams an inaccurate view of their progress and encouraging them to waste money by chasing customers already intent on purchase.
Why is this important right now?
Marketers face real budgetary challenges in the year ahead, with significant headwinds in terms of costs. Rather than seeing an uptick in post-pandemic marketing spend in the past 12 months, there was actually a drop, and this is likely to get worse.
Epsilon recently conducted a survey with Campaign magazine, however, which reveals that 78% of companies are spending more money on digital marketing – but that means even more pressure on digital to get results.
Deeper dive
Ben Foulkes, Commercial Director of Epsilon, recently explained at the Etail Connect conference in Twickenham, UK, that it is time brands move on from measuring attribution. Instead they should follow the example of high-growth businesses that rely on measuring incremental outcomes.
Ben said: “Attribution is a great method for measuring marketing success if you are a start-up. No one knows your brand and all your target customers are low propensity, so it works well. If a marketing team can prove their campaign has touched a customer, then they can claim credit if that individual progresses along the sales funnel. However, as brands grow, evolve, attract new customers and operate across offline and online channels, accurate measurement becomes much more difficult.”
Rather than incentivising real marketing success, Ben says attribution merely incentivises teams to prove they were in the path of the customer journey at a point as close to conversion as possible. These kinds of last-touch metrics may look good on Google Analytics, and they may win kudos with finance teams, but they ultimately encourage marketing teams to invest in their current cashflow, rather than investing in new customers.
Why incrementality is the answer
Instead of focusing on attribution, high-growth brands such as UK-based fashion retailer Pretty Little Thing, are now switching their attention to measuring marketing effectiveness and growth using incrementality. This metric is ideal for revealing which marketing measures achieve the biggest impact on the customer journey, rather than simply proving a customer touchpoint.
Having measured and identified which actions are the most effective at moving customers towards a purchase, marketing teams then have the confidence to invest more of their budget in the same area.
Incrementality may involve analysis of a larger audience cross section and the technique may be more complex, but the return on investment is greater and the results are significantly more powerful.
Pretty Little Thing, for example, initially approached Epsilon in 2019 because the brand wanted to leverage its CRM data and pivot away from retargeting because they did not consider it effective.
By harnessing customer recognition technology and always-on test-and-control techniques, however, Epsilon was able to transform retargeting into a channel that talked more effectively across the brand’s sales funnel and drove powerful incremental sales. This gave Pretty Little Thing the confidence to invest 20 times more in retargeting and achieve a significant return on their investment.
Bottom line
When marketing teams achieve a fully validatable and transparent view of incremental growth they are able to understand their exact return on ad spend. In Pretty Little Thing’s case this was backed up by rigorous test-and-control checks. This level of incrementality enables sales teams to work high up in the sale funnel, identifying and targeting key customers using personalised, one-to-one conversations.
---
## CTV advertising bypassing digital media's awkward teenage years
Type: eps_post
URL: /how-ctv-advertising-can-bypass-digital-medias-awkward-teenage-years
Last Modified: 2026-07-07T17:44:46Z
# CTV advertising bypassing digital media's awkward teenage years
Who remembers the awkward stages of moving print ads to digital?
Not too long ago, advertisers were tasked with moving ads from the pages of print newspapers and magazines to digital publisher pages. The initial instinct was to do a one-to-one translation, assuming that the internet functioned just like the real world.
Advertisers bought digital ad spaces and bundles with individual online publishers, just like they used to do with individual print publishers. But that was 1994—almost three decades ago—and the in-between space is where digital advertising really “grew up” and continues to grow.
Over time, brands moved away from inefficient content adjacencies, adopting third-party cookies and rudimentary targeting as a mainstay. But as things became even more sophisticated over time, accurate, stable identity solutions came into the picture. Brands can now serve personalized ads across digital channels to real individual consumers—not through just cookies, devices IDs or individual publishers.
This has not only improved the advertiser experience—because marketers have more control and transparency around targeting and measurement—but it also improved the consumer experience because ads are served to the consumer based on what they want, not just overserving a generic ad over and over.
What does all of this have to do with connected TV (CTV) advertising? Well, everything.
TV is the latest medium to go digital
Smart, connected TVs are making their way into homes around the world at an exponentially growing rate, and streaming platform apps are increasingly taking the place of linear TV. You likely know at least a few people in your life who are part of the 84.3 million “cord cutters” in the U.S. (yourself possibly included). This digital transformation mirrors that of media.
But many advertisers aren’t learning from the “awkward years” of digital advertising. Put differently, advertisers moving from linear TV to CTV aren’t listening to their digital advertising experts and using those hard-earned lessons.
Since the beginning, TV advertising dollars have been traditionally parceled out among networks based mostly on viewer demographics of shows from panel data.
Today, advertisers are trying to replicate this way of working with TV networks with streaming services like Hulu, Peacock and others. The streaming services offer demographic insights and even targeting capabilities to advertisers, who then parcel out certain amounts of their campaign budgets to each platform—either through run-of-network buys (e.g., investing $100 million in Hulu broadly, targeting a specific demographic) or specific show buys (e.g., investing $50,000 for advertising during one show and $50,000 for another one).
These methods are still fairly contextual or based on that streaming platform’s view of the individual, which can’t be reconciled with the same view on a different streaming platform.
This way of conducting CTV advertising doesn’t take advantage of all the new benefits CTV can bring to advertising when bought programmatically, such as recognizing the same household members or individuals across devices and content platforms. This is critical if you want to maximize your reach or just ensure you are controlling the frequency of your ads. Not to mention the ability to look at your CTV media buys in context to your display, online video and audio buys.
The savviest advertisers will learn from the aforementioned awkward teenage years of digital advertising and use the connected nature of CTV devices to better understand and reach their best audiences. Advertisers who simply conduct a one-to-one translation between traditional linear TV advertising and CTV advertising will fall behind.
Programmatic is necessary to get it right
Here are a few reasons why truly connected programmatic advertising is crucial to CTV advertising success.
Recognizing the same household members across devices: A single CTV platform (e.g., Hulu, Peacock, YouTube TV, Amazon Prime Video) only sees their own subscriber base. What happens if someone subscribes to all those platforms, and hops between them every day across multiple devices (a Roku, several different Apple TVs, a Samsung Smart TV, a Nintendo Switch)?
This means if the same advertiser buys from each of those platforms individually, they could be wasting buckets of ad spend by oversaturating a family with the same ads over and over, past the point of diminishing returns because the advertiser doesn’t recognize them when they’re on different content platforms and devices. With a better understanding of each individual through connected identity, the risk of oversaturation becomes a thing of the past.
Inventory fragmentation: About 47% of advertisers agree that inventory fragmentation is a huge issue with CTV—the second largest problem marketers have after accurate measurement.
With CTV, the problem of inventory fragmentation is uniquely challenging: There are publishers, platforms and then devices in between. If an advertiser has direct buys with each, they run the risk of showing up multiple times in the same program.
For example, say you’re watching “This Is Us” on Hulu on your Roku TV. NBC will control some advertising slots, Hulu will control some and Roku will control some. Because all these platforms and providers are siloed from one another, marketers can’t know how many times they serve an ad to a single person.
By the numbers, this is a very sizable problem: On average, publisher campaigns will have a 32% duplication rate in CTV due to the inventory fragmentation.
But if you buy each of these inventory sources programmatically, you have a holistic view of your buy and can set frequency controls.
CTV media buys in context to your full media plan: You shouldn’t conduct a CTV media buy without putting it in context with your media plan across CTV providers andyour full digital media spend. This includes not only your reach goals, but also your ROAS goals. Without connecting to your broader media efforts, it simply won’t be properly optimized and will create ad waste and disconnected consumer experiences.
Skip the awkward years, and start with connected identity
Just like how today’s digital advertising—grounded in accurate privacy-safe identity—connects individuals to all their non-TV devices, the same principles can be applied for both individuals and households with CTV devices. TV advertisers can—and should—benefit from the awkward in-between years of digital media, moving straight from having direct ad buys with each platform to a strategy that optimizes each ad buy to the individual or household.
And the benefits are manifold; this approach enables maximum reach, precise frequency management, accurate measurement and better experiences for viewers of CTV ads. A connected ID strategy allows advertisers to start with the consumers—not separate streaming services and platforms.
It’s time for TV advertisers to embrace the nature of connected TV. Can your advertising be as connected as CTV?
This article was originally published on Adweek, March 2022.
---
## CODA shines a light on the importance of email accessibility
Type: eps_post
URL: /coda-shines-a-light-on-the-importance-of-email-accessibility
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T22:17:52Z
# CODA shines a light on the importance of email accessibility
Last night’s Academy Awards made history. And I’m not talking about the “slap heard ‘round the world.” I’m talking about CODA, a coming-of-age story about a high school senior and child of deaf adults, which capped off its successful award season with an historic win of the evening’s most coveted prize—Oscar for Best Picture. CODA is the first movie starring a predominantly deaf ensemble in leading roles to win Best Picture, Troy Kotsur is the first deaf male actor to win Best Supporting Actor and writer-director Siân Heder took home her first Oscar for Best Adapted Screenplay. “This is dedicated to the deaf community, the CODA community and the disabled community,” Kotsur said through an American Sign Language interpreter. "This is our moment."
CODA is raising awareness of deaf culture and has sparked some overdue conversations on the importance of representation and inclusivity. When accepting the SAG award for Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture in February, CODA actress Marlee Matlin said, "We—deaf actors—have come a long way… This validates the fact that we, deaf actors, can work just like anybody else. We look forward to more opportunities for deaf actors, deaf culture."
With about 15% of the global population—more than 1 billion people worldwide—currently experiencing a disability (ranging from visual or hearing deficiencies to neurological impairments like ADHD and dyslexia), awareness and accessibility are critical. To learn more about Epsilon's approach to email accessibility and inclusivity, I spoke with creative expert and SVP of Epsilon PeopleCloud Messaging, Lauren Gannon, and QA Manager, Mike Dugo.
Why are email accessibility standards so important?
"As digital marketers, we have an obligation to serve these consumers with positive experiences," said Gannon. "It's the right thing to do, and it makes sense from legal and business standpoints."
First of all, email accessibility is the law. In the U.S., the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) requires that everyone access and read your emails, including people with disabilities who use assistive technology, such as screen readers, magnifiers, joysticks and eye-tracking devices. Another way to think about this is that you must build in an alternate, accessible route that leads different end-users to the right information.
Email accessibility standards also make good business sense. Gannon explains, "If you're not currently making your emails accessible, you could be excluding a sizable percentage of your audience. "You could be missing out on a tremendous opportunity to tap into $6 trillion in spending power, including people with permanent and temporary disabilities (like concussion, limited mobility, and so on). And by making your emails accessible, you're demonstrating that you care enough to consider all your potential customers and their specific needs—and that you're not excluding anyone, which, she emphasizes, "…can create a positive halo effect for your business."
What does this mean for email marketers?
According to Forrester, about $10-16 billion in design spending between the U.S. and Canada alone will shift towards tech companies prioritizing accessibility. And although roughly 84% of companies are implementing accessibility efforts, only 36% "have a top-down commitment to developing accessible digital products."
From creative to coding to QA, email accessibility is a team effort. "Incorporating accessibility into email from the start is imperative in assuring the largest number of customers possible can absorb the content," says Mike Dugo. "Ideally, considerations need to be made throughout the entire process and by all teams."
Although not optimal, existing emails can be improved during a production cycle. Can't do an entire overhaul? Dugo explains, "The best practices we've outlined can help both new and existing email programs provide a better experience for this audience."
Follow these 10 simple tips for making your emails accessible:
1. Keep it clean and simple.
Everyone benefits from simplicity, but overly complicated emails (verbose copy, run-on sentences, large walls of text and a busy design) can be prohibitive for many disabilities. Keep copy and design brief and clean so that the neurodivergent know exactly how to do what they need to do and so that screen readers can follow the line directly to the point.
2. Incorporate responsive design.
Responsive design is important for all users as it ensures that emails render according to the device, but it also helps ensure that content will scale, be displayed optimally and read properly on multiple devices, including screen readers.
3. Mind the font size.
You want people to be able to read your email, and with almost 350 million people living with some degree of visual impairment, font size is vital. Fourteen pixels is a minimum for fonts, but light fonts should be at least 16 pixels. Be sure to zoom in to 200% without losing readability or clarity. Further, line heights must be four pixels greater than your font size to keep paragraphs readably spaced.
4. Contrast colors.
Approximately 300 million people worldwide are color blind. Make sure your background and type contrasts and use patterns and textures. The recommended color contrast for normal text is 4.5:1, and for larger text (18px bold, or 23px non-bold), 3:1. Links should be created as buttons, underlined, bolded or identified in ways other than simply by color.
5. Bulletproof buttons.
Build CTAs with code instead of an image to ensure they don't get lost. Make text links meaningful and specific and give subscribers a reason to click (like "get more holiday entertaining tips" vs. "click here" or "read more"). Also, don't link subheads as this can confuse assistive technologies.
6. Add captions to videos.
More than 430 million people globally suffer from hearing loss. So, if you're embedding video or linking to it in your emails, add captions, so the hearing impaired can receive your message. Avoid flickering and strobe animations and large images with bright flashes in GIFs or videos, as these could trigger seizures. GIFs should be limited to flashing or blinking within a 3x per second threshold. It can also be helpful to add descriptive transcripts, which describe the actual content (including images and actions) of the video. The transcript provides all-important visual information that can be read using a screen reader instead of the person with the disability needing to watch or listen to the video.
7. Use live text & alt text.
Screen readers read what you tell them to, so take a purposeful approach. Live text ensures that screen readers read the text separately from the image. Without live text, any attributes in the image need to be accounted for in alt text. Some screen readers will truncate alt text at 150 characters. By separating text from the image, you're ensuring that assistive tech will read the text AND accurately describe the image. As a bonus, the live text is readable to all when images are turned off.
8. Set the HTML language attribute.
Set eReaders up for success by adding lang= "" with the appropriate language after the opening head tag to ensure screen readers pronounce words correctly. For example, lang=" en" for English or lang=" fr" for French. Similarly, the content type (i.e., UTF-8) should also be declared to interpret characters correctly.
9. Emphasize content importance to screen readers.
Use role= "presentation" on all tables where content needs to be read to tell screen readers it's a presentation table vs. a data table. This command makes it easier for these devices to go through the content, skip unimportant content and read only the alt text.
For images that graphically represent concepts and information, the alt text should be at least a short description conveying the essential information presented by the image. When an image's only purpose is to add visual decoration to the page, provide a null (alt="") text alternative. This command informs a screen reader to bypass reading the text altogether. Finally, the alt text for an image used as a link or as a button should describe the functionality of the link or button rather than the visual image itself.
10. Use Semantic code.
Using tags like and
is basic practice, yet it’s also often overlooked. These tags help screen readers differentiate between sections of content and better navigate your email, allowing for an improved reading experience. However, these tags may sometimes cause rendering issues or inconsistencies if not done correctly and may not look pixel-perfect to the design.
Email accessibility encompasses best-practice tactics that benefit all subscribers, not just those with accessibility issues. It makes emails easier for everyone to read and digest—including those with accessibility issues—and enables you to extend your reach to a larger percentage of people who would otherwise not be able to access or interact with your emails.
To learn more about incorporating accessibility practices into your email strategy, download our guide, "Achieving accessibility in email marketing."
---
## 6 focus areas to secure more travel business
Type: eps_post
URL: /6-focus-areas-to-secure-more-travel-business
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# 6 focus areas to secure more travel business
The big picture
Travel’s back. The world is opening up, the UK’s Covid travel requirements have ended, and with 57% of people having already booked a holiday abroad this year, confidence is slowly returning to the sector. But with rising living costs impacting disposable incomes and the crisis in Ukraine, marketers must work hard to win business.
Why it’s important
So much has changed in the last two years, and as consumers’ willingness to travel emerges at different rates, it’s a more fragmented market. To be effective, marketers must first identify those in a travel mindset, find them in the relevant channels and connect with them through relevant, personalised messages. And success hinges on applying the right data and technology to achieve this. So what steps can you take?
Deeper dive – 6 areas for success
Adopting these approaches will help you take advantage of the sales opportunities as the travel sector readjusts to today’s environment.
Find those who want to travel. Build your audience by using technology to tap into consumer browsing behaviours and interest areas to identify travel-positive people actively researching trips and signalling they’re in the market to book one. Then segment them for success. But make sure as behaviours change, your segments adjust. Static segments mean ineffective marketing. Use technology that builds dynamic segments and ensure they – and your marketing – remain relevant.
Encourage your loyal customers to consider travelling. Interrogate your loyalty programme data to find those customers holding loyalty points and credits. Proactively target them, reminding them what they have, what they’re worth and suggesting what they can be used for. As these loyal customers trust your brand, give them a nudge and help them feel comfortable about travelling again.
And don’t ignore your other customers. Match your first-party data to those destinations customers may feel safer visiting, then reconnect with them using relevant messages to build their confidence. For example, with Europe opening up, provide offers and destination suggestions to those who previously had preferred taking European holidays.
Work closer with your destination partners. Tap into your partner network and support each other by identifying potential travellers that may need a wealth of different services. Use clean rooms (in essence, data safe houses) to foster collaboration between partners and allow data to be activated, targeted, reported on and measured in a safe and privacy-compliant manner. As travel supports a comprehensive ecosystem of related products and services, clean rooms offer many opportunities for smart collaborations.
Use the power of personalisation. Once you’ve identified your audience, focus on providing them with relevant, tailored messages that resonate. Your data allows you to enhance the customer journey and deliver a better experience. Use your first-party data to speak to past customers and prospects as individuals, showing you recognise and value them. If they’re a returning customer, acknowledge this. If they’re past enquirers, use this knowledge to improve how you communicate with them. And take advantage of individual-level IDs. Having a single source for recognising consumers across the environments they interact in allows you to deliver consistent messages to them wherever they are.
Re-learn what works. Travel has changed, consumer behaviours have changed, so marketing must change. But what worked before may not be appropriate today. It’s ground zero for your marketing channels, and they must prove their value again.. Re-discover what your critical marketing activities are by using incrementality to measure effectiveness. You can then uncover which have the most impact and focus more budget and resources on these success drivers.
Use technology towork smarter.Everyone’s working with leaner marketing teams. Ensure your technology supports you by taking on the heavy lifting to reduce time-consuming manual work and drive efficiencies. From targeting, personalising, reporting, and measuring, choose technology that provides an end-to-end solution that helps alleviate these resource issues by delivering effective marketing in an automated way.
The bottom line
The business opportunities are there, but you must work harder to secure them. So make sure you’re set up to take full advantage. Having the right data and the ability to activate it is essential. Equally critical is that technology works for you by supporting, not hindering, your efforts. Having these twin success drivers in place allows you to take full advantage of these six focus areas.
Struggling in one or more of these areas? Then get in touch with our expert Toby Morris and we can discuss how we can help support and grow your business.
---
## 4 retail learnings from holiday 2018
Type: eps_post
URL: /4-retail-learnings-from-holiday-2018
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# 4 retail learnings from holiday 2018
The holidays might be over, but retail planning never ends.
The outcomes of the holiday season were positive, with holiday retail sales growing 5.1% to more than $850 billion, the highest in six years. Many brands are encouraged as they embrace ‘retail 2019’ and will continue to leverage learnings from holiday 2018 to improve planning and programs to create more engagement throughout the year.
The holiday calendar has become a year-long journey for some, but if retailers offer what consumers are looking for year-round, they won’t need to rely on Q4 as their most profitable quarter. And transactional data is key. Insights based on transactional elements gathered all year long can identify consumers who buy the most during the holiday season, how much they spend, what categories they purchase and beyond.
Consider applying these learnings from holiday 2018 throughout the year:
Make every customer interaction count, across every touchpoint
Consumers want all channel options because they realize and reap the benefits of each one. And they need a seamless experience across channels because they don’t think about your brand in terms of channels: They think about the holistic experience your brand demonstrates.
When planning your channel strategy, think of channel purchase versus channel fulfillment and how each one influences the other. Nordstrom does an excellent job with their buy online and pick-up in store (or curbside). Additionally, some Nordstrom stores offer pick up outside of regular store hours. Other retailers offer order in store and have items shipped directly a customer’s home, which is convenient, especially if it’s a size or color that is only available in certain stores.
And don’t dismiss the role of the catalog. The catalog is a proven channel that gives your customer an ‘in-home’ glimpse of what you have to offer. This often prompts an online purchase or drives them into the store for that instant gratification purchase. So do your data homework, learn your customers’ preferred channels and make it easy on them.
Brands strive to sustain loyalty with multiple product offerings
Retailers are constantly looking to create more value for their customers by offering anticipated or relevant products based on their purchase history and behavior. This holiday season, several brands created this value by promoting items outside of typical gift-giving and driving self-use purchases. Retailers offered deals of the day to encourage consumers to purchase and this created a feeling of ‘this is too good of a deal to pass up’. The share of wallet increased as consumers made purchases based on the deal while also purchasing the gift giving item they needed.
In addition to the deal of the day campaigns, several retailers created gift-giving promotions. LL Bean’s “50 gifts under $50” promotion is one example. While shopping for an item for a friend, customers may uncover other useful items for themselves. For instance, they could find some fire-starter wood for their home, an item that many people don’t know that LL Bean carries. Promoting practical use items during holiday is a great strategy as it creates a reminder of ‘the needed’ items of the shopper herself. This type of thinking doesn’t need to be limited to just the holiday’s but can be leveraged throughout the year. Promotions like “Value Friday’s”, “New Product Thursdays” or “First Monday Mania” build anticipation with your customers to be on the lookout for gifts for others (or themselves).
Every day is Black Friday (or Cyber Monday)
Consumers no longer see the exclusivity of Black Friday or Cyber Monday, as the day is acknowledged almost every day during the holiday season. Marketers need to modify the ‘celebratory’ days and think with a campaign mindset. Plan a holiday promotional strategy that will work best for your brand and don’t get distracted by what others are doing. You know your customer, so have some fun with them.
One example is Ebates’ 12 days til Christmas promotion where they offer 12% cash back on over 200 stores. Their creative marketing messaging and fun visual content amplified the impact of the significant cost savings. The campaign was a great way to engage and build relationships with their loyal customers.
Retailers gain a competitive advantage with ‘brick and mortar’
There’s no question that Amazon remains a retail powerhouse. For holiday 2018, they achieved a new record by shipping more than one billion items during the holidays for Prime members. But this holiday season we saw brands challenge Amazon by leveraging their storefronts as a competitive advantage.
For example, Walmart added an in-store ‘check out with me’ feature that equipped store employees with portable payment systems to easily check out customers in the heavily-trafficked store departments such as toys and electronics. And Target offered same day in-store pickup along with some stores extending their service to include curb side pick-up and home delivery. Positioning these retailers’ in-store presence as a convenient, customer-service oriented channel strengthens their positioning within the marketing landscape.
Final thoughts
Retail marketers need a holiday-planning mindset all year long. With relevant product offerings, creative channel experiences, fun deals of the week and theme-based promotions, you can engage consumers all 365 days of the year. But the first step is to ensure your data is up to the task.
---
## With Gens Z and Alpha, shopping’s future is seamless omnichannel
Type: eps_post
URL: /hybrid-shopping
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T22:17:52Z
# With Gens Z and Alpha, shopping’s future is seamless omnichannel
It’s been a couple years of e-commerce takeover. As we all know.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, e-commerce soared to new heights as consumers shopped from home more than ever before. It was what many have (somewhat pessimistically) pictured the future of shopping to be ever since the dawn of e-commerce: Browse online, buy online, have all purchases delivered to one’s home. As a character lamented in one of this year’s Academy Award nominations for Best International Feature: “I grew up in a time of vinyl stores and tangible shopping. That’s not where we are anymore.”
But, perhaps surprisingly for many, it may be where we are tomorrow.
Generations Z and Alpha don’t want the mall to die—they like shopping in-store
It may seem counterintuitive, but according to a new survey by CM Group, Generation Z (those who were born, roughly, between 1995 and 2012) constitutes the generation most likely to enjoy shopping in-store. According to recent data, 73% of Gen Z shoppers said they like to shop in-store to discover new products, and 58% of them say browsing in-store allows them to disconnect from the digital world.
And they’re not just a blip. The generation younger than Gen Z, Generation Alpha (those born, roughly, between 2012 and 2024), also appreciate the in-store experience—far more than older generations would expect them to. More than 75% of Gen Alpha have reported that they enjoy the experience of physical retail shopping (Wunderman Thompson Insights, 2019). Surprisingly, more than 60% of them prefer buying products at a physical store rather than online.
What does this mean for marketers? It means the true online-offline omnichannel experience should not be a secondary focus to e-commerce optimization. Instead, building a seamless hybrid customer experience across all channels is the most effective way to connect with the shoppers of today and tomorrow.
Augmented reality retail
With augmented reality in retail, customers no longer need to try clothes on to see how they fit. They can use a virtual fitting room to choose the look that fits best.
Timberland, for example, has installed displays where visitors can see a mirror-like view of themselves and try on different clothes.
Browse online, reserve and try on in-store
Innovative brands have implemented new ways of shopping that truly combine the online shopping environment with that of in-store.
For instance, Nordstrom created a system in which customers can browse clothing online, reserve their favorite choices and try them on in-store. This allows people to leverage the best parts of the online and offline shopping experiences.
Lisa Collings, Senior Vice President of Client Development, Epsilon Digital Media Solutions at Epsilon, wrote in an article that shoppers (including herself) enjoy these changes—as long as they’re seamless.
“Retailers everywhere are being tasked with upgrading their marketing to prioritize the customer experience, customizing how they interact with every customer to offer a seamless experience that matches that customer’s preferences,” she said.
What this ‘hybridization’ of shopping means for marketers
While it may have seemed as though shopping’s future was weighting on the e-commerce side, there’s a clear indication that the future of retail looks like a more truly equitable balance between online and offline shopping.
This indicates that connected identity will be the most critical tool for marketers moving forward. Tying back all consumer touchpoints—browsing behavior, purchases—across all channels to a single, stable customer ID will ensure that brands are being as fluid with their marketing as consumers are with their shopping. And brands that best understand consumers make the most enduring connections.
It's clear the lines between online and in-store shopping will blur, and perhaps rapidly. With third-party cookies already fading away, the best thing marketers can do is prioritize the stability of connected identity to ensure they’re putting the customer at the center, no matter where they are across devices and channels.
Is your marketing connected enough for the future of shopping?
---
## Loyalty Programme Gamification: What Marketers Can Learn From the Wordle Craze
Type: eps_post
URL: /loyalty-program-gamification-what-marketers-can-learn-from-the-wordle-craze
Last Modified: 2025-10-28T21:04:44Z
# Loyalty Programme Gamification: What Marketers Can Learn From the Wordle Craze
Wordle is the rare viral game that doesn't encourage bingeing. Its millions of players worldwide are limited to a once-a-day shot at victory, and the whole process—six attempts to guess a mysterious five-letter word—requires only a few minutes. There are no prizes except for pride and bragging rights.
Yet Wordle inspires the sort of loyalty, habitual engagement, social media and word-of-mouth sharing momentum that makes marketers drool. Why? What is it about this gray, yellow and green squares game that compels people to return day after day and broadcast their results online? What makes it equally as appealing to my Gen X self, my Gen Z teens and my Boomer mom?
The answer has powerful implications for brands because Wordle's winning formula provides a blueprint for loyalty program gamification.
Wordle's runaway popularity owes largely to three distinctive elements: its optimal degree of difficulty, its once-a-day nature, and its unique social-sharing element.
The first element powering Wordle's popularity is that it hits a sweet spot that researchers call "degree of desirable difficulty." The game is tough enough to present a meaningful challenge to a broad range of players and give a sense of accomplishment when they succeed.
It's also easy enough that many players win, and a large share of "Wordlers" also experience that winning feeling. It takes refinement to get this balance just right. For example, the game would become substantially more difficult if players only had five chances to guess the correct word, rather than six, or if the game featured eight-letter words.
The second aspect of Wordle's success is the once-a-day cadence. Sure, it discourages binging, but the limited time commitment makes Wordle feel like a manageable part of a daily routine. More importantly, Wordle only produces one puzzle per day—all those millions of players are doing the same puzzle at approximately the same time. That shared experience is perfect fodder for social media conversation.
And that's the third key to Wordle's success: social shareability. As important to Wordle's popularity as the game itself is the brilliant graphic automatically generated after each game, enabling Wordlers to share their results and progress during gameplay—all without giving away the answer to the daily puzzle. Wordle is a word game, but this graphic is a masterclass in how to tell a meaningful story without words.
With Wordle's acquisition by the New York Times, it has yet to be seen whether this viral game will be used to further the newspaper's own marketing strategy. But what is clear is that Wordle's popularity and social media ubiquity are the envy of marketers everywhere. The game also provides those marketers with a case study in how gamification can power a rewards program and inspire customer loyalty.
Gamification and customer loyalty programs
Gamification involves using game mechanics and game-inspired experience design to drive customer engagement and behavior. From points and badges to levels and leaderboards, gamification elements aim to influence customers using innate human motivators like competitiveness, reward-seeking behavior and the fear of missing out.
Gamification in loyalty programs provides customers with additional incentives that work alongside a brand's core value proposition to inspire desired actions such as more frequent purchases or increased overall spend. The gamification of loyalty concept has gained rapid traction in recent years and is poised for explosive growth: According to Markets and Markets, the global gamification market is projected to grow from $9.1 billion in 2020 to $30.7 billion by 2025.
There's a good reason for that investment. For one thing, customers enjoy gamification: 27% of millennials say they would stay in a loyalty program that included a competitive game or social aspect, according to a Colloquoy survey. More important, gamification produces results. Brands that turned to gamification to drive customer engagement report a 22% rise in brand loyalty and a 47% spike in engagement, according to Snipp. And according to a Tech Validate report, companies that added gamification elements specifically within their loyalty programs increased registration conversion rates by 50%.
Gamification can also help brands accelerate their collection of first-party data—the record of a customer's interactions with a brand, including the hints they've left about preferences and other indicators of what sort of offers, messages, and experiences might drive increased engagement and satisfaction. Similarly, gamification can also spur the collection of zero-party data, an emerging category that refers to a combination of progressive profiling and customer-indicated preferences around privacy and consent.
The impact of gamification within loyalty programs makes sense: People like to feel successful, acquire new skills and specialized knowledge, and receive recognition for their achievements. People also like to feel influential and be valued members of communities of people who share their interests.
Loyalty-program gamification works by tapping into those universal "likes" to encourage behaviors, such as conferring elite status within a member community to someone who hits an engagement target or offering a reward to customers who share their love for a product on social media.
Wordle's success demonstrates that if the challenges and community incentives are dialed in, a gamified loyalty program can work even without a robust set of traditional rewards such as discounts or freebies. Generally, though, successful loyalty program gamification means offering a compelling mix of traditional rewards alongside badges and points. It's essential to keep in mind that gamification is just one component of a larger customer engagement strategy to spark greater interest and more memorable interactions with your brand.
The many guises of gamification
Designing a loyalty program that smartly incorporates gamification in a way that customers find fun and engaging and succeeds in driving your preferred actions and behaviors—well, it's much more challenging than, say, solving a five-letter word puzzle in six or fewer tries. The psychological underpinnings of gamification may be constant, but unlike Wordle, there's no one-size-fits-all solution.
What works best for your brand and program will depend on your content, community and product. Brands have found success using several different types of gamification, from badges to prize wheels and daily discount reveals. Here are a few of the leading categories:
Social interactions
The idea here is to deepen customer engagement by encouraging them to interact with one another about their experience with your brand and its products and services. The Nike Run Club app, for example, includes "Community Challenges," where runners work together to reach a collective mileage goal, often in support of a cause.
Brand engagement
These gamification elements aim to encourage customers to rate and review your products, consume your brand content, and encourage others to follow suit. One example is Amazon's Influencer Program, which enables customers to set up custom pages where they post photos and videos recommending favorite products. The influencers then earn money when followers buy the recommended products.
Gamified user experience
Adding a gamification element to a more traditional rewards-program offer can increase engagement. For example, Southeastern Grocers introduced a "Rewards Boosters" feature to its loyalty discount program that offers bonus savings to customers—but only after they have successfully completed a challenge.
Community building
This strategy involves using points, badges, and leaderboards to encourage customers to engage with your brand to gain higher levels of community status and rewards. For example, 7-Eleven's 7Rewards programs use a point system to encourage frequent purchases, including bonus-points promotions tied to specific items.
Community engagement
This tactic is a way for brands that derive value from customer communities to encourage participation in those communities. For example, Dell uses gamification loyalty programs like its Alienware Arena Rewards Program which offers incentives to gamers to share original content and vote on the quality of other members' content.
Putting gamification to work for your brand
To better understand how brands can activate loyalty program gamification, I talked to Brad MacDonald, Vice President of Loyalty Strategy Consulting at Epsilon. According to MacDonald, “The process of gamifying your brand's rewards program starts with identifying the type of engagement you want to encourage and then developing a gamification approach that will serve as a strong incentive—coupled, of course, with a solid value proposition that will generate a meaningful benefit for members.”
He explains that this process doesn't need to be one-size-fits-all—you can identify target segments and create specific objectives for each of them. MacDonald says, “Just take care to craft an experience and a challenge that each segment will find compelling and honors their time and data investment.” In addition to using the program to drive sales and engagement goals, you may also benefit from investigating how the insight you gain could be used to enhance the personalization of your interactions with that customer in the future, perhaps creating even more loyalty.
You likely won't nail the total concept in your initial brainstorming. MacDonald emphasizes that testing and refining your concept is important here. Wordle's creator discovered that the game was too difficult when it included every five-letter word in the dictionary. Based on that observation, he ensured that the game's vocabulary wasn't too esoteric and that it featured words common enough so that most players know them. The same process and willingness to iterate will also likely benefit your loyalty program.
Wordle's runaway success is a testament to the power of a genuinely compelling game and a powerfully engaged community. Those forces can be just as impactful when put to work on behalf of your brand. Hitting on the right concept and execution is critical. You may benefit from working with a partner such as Epsilon, whose technology and strategic approach are designed to generate additional value for your brand by influencing member behavior, using tools such as gamification and loyalty programs.
Getting it right will require more time and effort than solving the latest Wordle puzzle. Then again, you'll have far more than bragging rights to show for your work.
---
## Brastop Q&A: The power of personalised storytelling in ecommerce
Type: eps_post
URL: /brastop-qa-the-power-of-personalised-storytelling-in-ecommerce
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Brastop Q&A: The power of personalised storytelling in ecommerce
Epsilon Client Confidential
Client Confidential is a series of thought leadership interviews in which Epsilon provides a forum for its diverse ecommerce clients, partners and marketers. The aim is to discuss the marketing challenges they face and showcase the innovative solutions these industry pioneers create in response.
Since 2019 Epsilon have supported Brastop by developing their customer retention and new customer acquisition programs across the UK and the US. With messaging focused on body acceptance, great fit and excellent value, Epsilon have built a suite of creatives showcasing both products and brand, as well as delving in more specialist programs with bespoke messaging for key seasonal moments such as Swimwear.
Brastop Q&A: The power of personalised storytelling in ecommerce
Brastop is a multi-brand lingerie, bra and swimwear retailer specializing in the D to K-cup size range. The firm, which was launched in 2003, offers customers a wide range of third-party products as well as own-brand lines. Value and quality are central to the Brastop brand, with most of its stock sold at clearance prices. Amanda Clifford, digital brand marketing manager at Brastop, and its sister website Curvy Kate, explains how the company has developed a laser-like focus on customer-centricity, using carefully personalised storytelling to support customers throughout their buying journey.
Q. What ecommerce marketing challenges does Brastop face?
A. With such a broad stock position our biggest challenge is reaching tothe right customer with the right message at the right time. Although this challenge must resonate with all retail marketers, lingerie ecommerce adds another layer of complexity because the product is so incredibly size-sensitive. This is especially the case in the D to K size range we target. Lingerie shopping can also be an intensely emotional experience,so it needs to be negotiated with care and sensitivity to the customers’ needs.
Q. How do you overcome these challenges?
A. We need to factor in a support message in every story, interaction, and buying journey we design. Every story also has to be tailored to the individual customer – who she is, what she wants and how she found us. Has she found us through social media, web research or a friend? The answer is to personalise our stories so that they resonate with our customers and ensure they feel comfortable.
Q. Explain the Brastop storytelling process and how it is tailored.
A. This process starts with a meeting we call a ‘rack-up’, when key members of the Brastop team view new Brastop products, learn about their key features and the value they provide. These key team members include designers, bio-merchandising, marketing, and others. Based on key product features we’ll take into account the time of year, key calendar dates and customer insights to create product stories. So, is it a plunge bra for wearing out or feeling sexy in, or is it a bralette for traveling, or is it a great supportive item of swimwear for holiday? We take all of this into account and start to segment our stories and understand how each channel will play a role telling those messages back to our customers. We generate different creative treatments for all of our channels, markets, categories, and customer cohorts. The core of our messaging always comes back to our USP, however, which is our value-led approach.
Q. How has Brastop’s marketing approach evolved in recent years?
A. Social media has become an increasingly important channel for us since the start of the pandemic. In particular we have become TikTok experts, which is great fun and a massive learning channel for us. Social also helps us to champion all of the people who shop with us, our lovely lingerie community of influencers and customers and they get involved in our storytelling. We can ask them what they do and don’t like, listen to what they’re telling us, and use that in our messaging in a cyclical way. It all comes back to bringing our customer into every conversation we have.
Q. What would you say to marketeers who are unsure about a customer-focused storytelling approach?
A. Product-focused marketing doesn’t necessarily address human needs. We’ve really realized the power of storytelling. Every time we have a customer conversation, every decision we make, the customer has to be at the heart of it. Storytelling is a way to connect on an emotional level with your customers and it makes interactions infinitely more memorable. If a customer has a great experience with your brand you are going to be top of mind when the customer starts the buying journey again.
---
## Emerging player in gaming adtech wins with Epsilon publisher solutions
Type: eps_post
URL: /pubfinity-case-study-blog
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Emerging player in gaming adtech wins with Epsilon publisher solutions
Pubfinity, a burgeoning advertising network that serves premium ads on top-rated Windows PC games and apps, was looking to grow its business and needed the right partner to do it. In just over a year, Epsilon's publisher solutions were able to significantly boost this scrappy start-up's advertising revenue.
"Epsilon believed in us enough to do one of our first direct integrations, which we both ultimately benefitted from," said Sam Kaufmann, CEO & Founder of Pubfinity. "The partnership gave us access to great unique advertiser demand and helped us establish credibility in the market."
Rising to the challenge
Sam Kaufmann has been involved with game development for more than a decade. As the co-founder of the publisher Random Salad Games, he’s designed and launched new games as well as versions of classic games like Solitaire for the Windows desktop app platform.
Microsoft announced in 2020 that they would shutter the Windows Ad Monetization Platform. Thousands of publishers (including Sam) relied on this to monetize their Windows games and apps. Sam saw an opportunity to build a new monetization platform to help developers like him maximize advertising revenue, which became Pubfinity.
Only problem? This niche inventory wasn’t drawing enough demand and they needed partners who could help bolster monetization on their platform and build a future-proof strategy that didn’t rely on third-party cookies.
“The biggest thing we were looking for was unique demand that we had control over,” Sam said. “The nature of our initial advertising partner integrations led to duplicate supply paths resulting in the big ad tech black boxes doing crazy things like inadvertently optimizing around our inventory. The biggest thing we were looking for was unique demand that we had control over. Epsilon provided just that — unique demand and direct advertiser engagement.”
A winning solution
Sam initially reached out to several demand side platforms (DSP’s) but most turned him away. With niche inventory, it was hard for most DSP’s to understand the Windows desktop app environment and the value of this audience. These DSP’s missed a large opportunity as the games on the Pubfinity platform attract a diverse audience and are played by millions of highly engaged users.
Pubfinity joined Epsilon's Core Private Exchange and leveraged SharedID (formerly known as Publisher CommonID). Epsilon was able to compete for their display ad inventory across various Windows desktop applications, even when third party cookies were not present.
With Epsilon as a demand partner, several high-quality and internationally-recognized advertisers began accessing Pubfinity’s ad inventory. With a highly engaged audience, Pubfinity found that having recognized brands that speak to the consumer increased the overall user experience.
“If you engage with a partner whose ads are clickbait-y, our users are not shy, and we’re going to get a lot of feedback,” Andre Sevigny (Pubfinity’s Chief Revenue Officer) said. “We need to make sure there are good, clean, quality ads coming into these games and so far, we’ve been extremely pleased with the ads from Epsilon. We haven’t had a single complaint.”
A victorious strategy
By launching demand from Epsilon’s Core Private Exchange along with the SharedID first-party identifier, Epsilon was able to help Pubfinity monetize millions of ad impressions. This success strengthened Pubfinity’s bottom line and has attracted some of the world’s largest game publishers to utilize their monetization service.
In six months with Epsilon, they saw a 25% increase in CPE spend through SharedID (formerly Publisher CommonID),
180 Epsilon and Publicis Groupe ran in 30 days,
And 80+ Pubfinity applications are using Epsilon demand.
And this is just the beginning: Going forward, Epsilon and Pubfinity plan to monetize additional gaming titles produced and supported by Pubfinity and adopt other advertising solutions such as Epsilon’s authenticated traffic identity solution, Publisher Link.
What’s most important, though, is knowing a small start-up with big dreams was able to fill a gap in a niche market with a partner who was there for them when others said no.
“When we first started approaching other DSPs [demand side platforms], they acted a bit too cool for school because our inventory is unique,” Sam said. “Our inventory is unique, but that doesn’t always mean it’s not worth the effort. Epsilon believed in us enough to do one of our first direct integrations, which we both ultimately benefitted from. The partnership gave us access to great unique advertiser demand and helped us establish credibility in the market.”
---
## Who buys green? New data and insights on cause-related marketing
Type: eps_post
URL: /cause-marketing-green-buyer-insights
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T22:17:52Z
# Who buys green? New data and insights on cause-related marketing
Earth Day is coming up, and with it a slew of brands coming through with cause-related marketing, hoping to appeal to green product buyers. And cause marketing has a real impact on a brand’s bottom line:
64% of consumers say they’ll buy or boycott a brand depending on its stance on a social or political issue.
Consumers are four times more likely to purchase from a brand that has a strong purpose
The 2019 iteration of Havas’ Meaningful Brands survey found that brands with an active purpose outperformed the stock market by 134% and saw a 9x increase in their share of wallet
But consumers are getting more particular and savvy about the brands they choose to buy from—they won't stand for anything that feels inauthentic or "greenwashed." Understanding this audience is more important than ever, but how do you actually quantify the “green market”?
Using Epsilon’s media planning and clean room platform, which aggregates Epsilon’s CORE ID data at scale for granular consumer insight for media planning purposes (without any consumer-level information), we took a peek at natural market shoppers (in partnership with Publicis Commerce) to better understand their larger demographics and identify prevalent attributes to help cause marketers better connect with this group.
A look at the “green” market across the US:
In our data, we use a propensity model to score shoppers based on who has/hasn’t purchased “green” products; this group of “green shoppers” is the top 10% of all CORE IDs that are likely to buy green, essentially the people who buy green the most.
When looking at buyers’ potential to be green shoppers across the US, we see very few states that actually over-index for this group. The usual suspects show up, like California, Oregon, Washington and New York, but we also see states like Arizona, Nevada and Florida as areas with more than average green-product buyers.
When analyzing this audience segment, we see a few key themes emerging:
They are 48% more likely to be women, 27% more likely to be single, and 35% more likely to be within the 25-34 age bracket.
They are 155% more likely to use public transit, and 17% more likely to have some college education.
They are 67% more likely to be gig economy employees and 44% and 54% more likely to be Hispanic or African American, respectively.
Other correlative lifestyle attributes: Highly likely to be public transportation users, experimental cooks, Postmates enthusiasts, Latin music enthusiasts, auto warranty purchasers, organic food purchasers, socially active on Facebook or Senior caregivers.
But there are many and different ways that someone could be a “green” buyer, so it’s also important to look into specific product categories that have clear options for consumers to select a “natural” product, and from there, further investigate who is more likely to buy a regular natural product versus a more premium option.
Regular vs. premium natural product buyers
If we dig a little bit deeper, we can look into how people buy across regular natural products versus “premium” natural products (think of the difference between buying Mrs. Meyers versus its premium sister brand, Caldrea). Those classified as premium buyers are defined as people who are “willing to pay a premium price for a natural product.”
Here’s a look at how regular natural home cleaner buyers compare to premium home cleaner buyers:
Premium natural home cleaners
Regular natural home cleaners
As you can see from the maps overlaid with the natural home cleaner data, some states are great markets for both premium and regular natural home cleaning products while others are better for just one or the other:
Over-index for regular and premium natural home cleaning: Arizona, Colorado, Illinois, Massachusetts, Nevada, New York, Washington and Wyoming
Over-index for premium natural home cleaning: Alaska, California, Florida, Hawaii, Idaho, Montana, New Mexico and Texas
Over-index for regular natural home cleaning: Connecticut, Delaware, Iowa, Maine, Michigan, Minnesota, New Hampshire, New Jersey, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont and Virginia
The same is true when we look at regular natural personal care versus premium natural personal care:
Premium natural personal care
It’s worth noting that premium personal care buyers are also highly likely to be premium natural home cleaner and premium natural laundry product buyers (top 10% for each). Other high percentile traits for this group are that they’re avid book readers, Target enthusiasts, restaurant loyalty card customers, home gym owners and live concert attendees.
Regular natural personal care
Again, we see some states that over-index for both categories. but others that over-index for one or the other:
Over-index for regular and premium natural personal care: Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Idaho, Massachusetts, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Oregon, Washington, Washington DC
Over-index for premium natural personal care: Delaware, Illinois, Kansas, Maryland, Minnesota, Montana, Nebraska, Pennsylvania, Texas, Utah, Virginia, Wyoming
Over-index for regular natural personal care: Florida, Hawaii, Maine, Rhode Island, Vermont
Both groups over-index as female, which isn’t surprising, but there are a few other demographic differences worth highlighting:
Regular Natural Personal Care Buyers Regular Natural Personal Care Buyers Age? 25-44 or 65-74 25-44 Children? Yes, ages 1-2 Yes, ages 1-6 Education? College education Graduated college and graduate school Other attributes: Purchased health & wellness vitamins and supplements in the past 6 months, heavy label reader, not a DIY-er Browsed private schools, luxury & upscale shoppers, browsed grilling, electronics, fashion, politics and home cooking topics
Building cause marketing into your strategy
This information helps to connect the dots across who is actually buying natural, green products today and what they care about. But just about any brand today can’t ignore how cause-related marketing impacts their brand and community.
People are paying attention to corporate CSR efforts: Consumers are paying more attention to brands’ corporate social responsibility (CSR) effort, but 76% of consumers agree that there is a difference between social awareness and social activism. Simply being aware of an issue and talking about it is not enough to convince the customer that your brand is supportive of a cause.
And they’re not easily sold: 68% of consumers believe that most brands only get involved in social causes to win over consumers, making the importance of authenticity and honesty paramount in any CSR initiatives.
Younger generations expect brands to participate in causes they care about: 71% of GenZ shoppers (ages 18-24) expect their favorite brands to participate and support in awareness holidays, like Earth Day, Black History Month, World Autism Day, etc. What’s more, 44% of this group also believes that “cancel culture” is an effective way to hold brands accountable.
Participating in awareness holidays, like Earth Day, does have an impact. Old Navy is a great cause marketing example: For World Water Day in March and then Earth Day in April last year, the clothing brand launched a multi-pronged initiative to showcase their green future and commitment to young changemakers. As part of their #ImagineABetterFuture campaign, they showcased how they’re investing in the next generation and their commitment to climate change.
First, they pledged to have 85% of the fibers used in their clothing to come from sustainable sources by 2025, a fairly aggressive and nearer-term goal for such a large brand. Then they named Ryan Hickman, an 11-year-old, as the brand’s new head of “fun-cycling” and invested in Hickman’s nonprofit organization dedicated to recycling awareness. They also selected 51 (in honor of the 51st Earth Day) environmentally focused GoFundMe fundraisers, which were all led by youth activists. And to top it off, they eliminated all plastic shopping bags at its stores in the U.S. and Canada.
Keeping cause-related marketing authentic
We know that consumers can see through inauthentic, greenwashing initiatives, so how do you ensure your brand doesn’t fall into that category?
Provide tangible proof through ongoing actions: Show your commitment over time, not just a one-and-done stunt. Old Navy’s cause-related marketing example is a good model to follow; they have a landing page that discusses the many prongs of their CSR initiatives and track progress toward those goals over time. Showing true commitment to the cause builds long-term loyalty and confidence with your customers that you’re not just pulling a PR stunt.
Support your local economy: Yes, supporting national and international causes is very important, but there are often local initiatives where your brand can be physically involved and make a real impact. Wherever your brand is located, there are likely nonprofit organizations you can get involved in that align to your brand values, and if you somehow can’t find any, maybe it’s a good opportunity to start your own.
Empower and educate: Don’t just educate on what your brand is doing, educate on the topics your brand cares about. It shows a deeper understanding of the issue and gives your loyal customers—as well as new ones—a reason to believe in the initiative. This also helps with engendering loyalty with those in your audience that don’t yet care about some of these initiatives. And as we saw in the data above, not everyone is yet a “green” shopper—if sustainability and climate change are key CSR initiatives for your brand, you can play a role in educating your audience and the larger public on that topic and how it applies to your products and investments.
Cause-related marketing is important for all brands, whether they’re simply looking to connect with a cause-specific buying group or building their holistic cause-related marketing strategy.
Interested in learning more about how Epsilon can with your loyalty strategy and consumer insights? Check out our loyalty marketing solutions and data platforms.
---
## Gens Z and Alpha still appreciates brick-and-mortar, shopping’s future is seamless omnichannel
Type: eps_post
URL: /omnichannel
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T22:17:52Z
# Gens Z and Alpha still appreciates brick-and-mortar, shopping’s future is seamless omnichannel
It’s been a couple years of e-commerce takeover. As we all know.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, e-commerce soared to new heights as consumers shopped from home more than ever before. It was what many have (somewhat pessimistically) pictured the future of shopping to be ever since the dawn of e-commerce: Browse online, buy online, have all purchases delivered to one’s home. As a character lamented in one of this year’s Academy Award nominations for Best International Feature: “I grew up in a time of vinyl stores and tangible shopping. That’s not where we are anymore.”
But, perhaps surprisingly for many, it may be where we are tomorrow.
Generations Z and Alpha don’t want the mall to die—they like shopping in-store
It may seem counterintuitive, but according to a new survey by CM Group, Generation Z (those who were born, roughly, between 1995 and 2012) constitutes the generation most likely to enjoy shopping in-store. According to recent data, 73% of Gen Z shoppers said they like to shop in-store to discover new products, and 58% of them say browsing in-store allows them to disconnect from the digital world.
And they’re not just a blip. The generation younger than Gen Z, Generation Alpha (those born, roughly, between 2012 and 2024), also appreciate the in-store experience—far more than older generations would expect them to. More than 75% of Gen Alpha have reported that they enjoy the experience of physical retail shopping (Wunderman Thompson Insights, 2019). Surprisingly, more than 60% of them prefer buying products at a physical store rather than online.
What does this mean for marketers? It means the true online-offline omnichannel experience should not be a secondary focus to e-commerce optimization. Instead, building a seamless hybrid customer experience across all channels is the most effective way to connect with the shoppers of today and tomorrow.
Augmented reality retail
With augmented reality in retail, customers no longer need to try clothes on to see how they fit. They can use a virtual fitting room to choose the look that fits best.
Timberland, for example, has installed displays where visitors can see a mirror-like view of themselves and try on different clothes.
Browse online, reserve and try on in-store
Innovative brands have implemented new ways of shopping that truly combine the online shopping environment with that of in-store.
For instance, Nordstrom created a system in which customers can browse clothing online, reserve their favorite choices and try them on in-store. This allows people to leverage the best parts of the online and offline shopping experiences.
Lisa Collings, Senior Vice President of Client Development, Epsilon Digital Media Solutions at Epsilon, wrote in an article that shoppers (including herself) enjoy these changes—as long as they’re seamless.
“Retailers everywhere are being tasked with upgrading their marketing to prioritize the customer experience, customizing how they interact with every customer to offer a seamless experience that matches that customer’s preferences,” she said.
What this ‘hybridization’ of shopping means for marketers
While it may have seemed as though shopping’s future was weighting on the e-commerce side, there’s a clear indication that the future of retail looks like a more truly equitable balance between online and offline shopping.
It's clear the lines between online and in-store shopping will blur, and perhaps rapidly. With third-party cookies already fading away, the best thing marketers can do is prioritise the individual to ensure they’re putting the customer at the center, no matter where they are across devices and channels.
Is your marketing connected enough for the future of shopping?
---
## First-, second-, third- and zero-party data: A complete guide
Type: eps_post
URL: /what-is-first-second-third-and-zero-party-data
Last Modified: 2026-07-29T17:07:35Z
# First-, second-, third- and zero-party data: A complete guide
Understanding the differences between first-party data, second-party data, third-party data and zero-party data can get confusing fast, but it's essential to reaching customers in a privacy-first era.
First-party data is information you collect directly from your own customers, like their name or email.
Second-party data is a partner's first-party data, which can include elements like name and email but can also look like subscription information and social media data.
Third-party data is purchased from external partners and providers to enrich what you know, including demographic and transactional data.
Zero-party data is what customers proactively choose to share (like their shopping category preferences or their birthday)
This guide breaks down each data type, including what it is, why it matters and how to combine them into a single, privacy-safe view of your customer. Let’s dig in.
Table of contents
First-party data: Your foundational asset
Second-party data: Collaborative power
Third-party data: Enrich customer data
Zero-party data: The voice of intent
The shifting tides: From cookies to owned data strategy
Navigating the future of data-driven marketing
Deconstructing data: In-depth definitions and strategic importance
First-party data: Your foundational asset
First-party data is information that a company collects directly from its customers and audiences through their own channels. It is very valuable data because it’s gathered straight from your audience, so it is relatively easy to manage and store, cost-effective and considered highly accurate.
First-party data can consist of:
Website and mobile app interactions and behaviors
Purchase history
Contact information, including email, phone or address
SMS
Point-of-sale and CRM data
Call centers
Subscription information
Social media data
This data is collected directly from consumers, transactions and by placing a pixel on your website, mobile app, product or social channels. Typically, the information is recorded in a customer relationship manager (CRM) or digital management platform (DMP).
Why is first-party data important?
As we’ve discussed, first-party data is invaluable to many marketers. It gives you a clear picture of how customers interact with your brand, so you can make informed decisions on how to best communicate with them in the future.
It enhances personalization.
Having a clear understanding of your customers’ behaviors, interactions and marketing activity across devices via data collection is the key to understanding what they’re interested in, which can get tricky when customers tend to use multiple email addresses, devices and credit cards. You can use this data to tailor your messages to their needs and wants, like which categories they recently purchased from.
It futureproofs your marketing.
Because first-party data is collected by you from your website, it has staying power a cookie does not. You maintain a one-to-one connection with your customer, as long as they continue interacting.
It drives cross-sell and upsell opportunities.
Knowing customer purchase history and brand interactions enables customer segmentation and targeting. This information is used to personalize offers and messaging to entice them to buy more of products they've already purchased (and try new ones they might like).
It's privacy protected.
As data privacy becomes more of a concern to consumers and brands alike, it’s important to invest in a strategy that puts privacy first. As we’ve discussed, this kind of data is collected first-hand, right from the source.
Second-party data: Collaborative power
As you expand your data strategy beyond first-party data, the more time and energy you need to spend to reconcile your new data with your existing data. Second-party data is first-party data that comes from an organization outside of your own. This can mean that you obtained second-party data from a trusted partner in which you share a mutually beneficial relationship with or that you purchased, like grocery shopper data for a CPG brand.
Second-party data can consist of:
Customer surveys and feedback
Website and mobile app interactions and behaviors
Purchase history
Contact information, including email, phone or address
SMS
Point-of-sale and CRM data
Call centers
Subscription information
Social media data
Why is second-party data important?
Second-party data is a great way to expand the scope of your data. Typically, you would gather this kind of data from a trusted partner that you know, which ensures accuracy and relevancy. Plus, once you have second-party data, you can manage it in essentially the same way as your first-party data.
It increases the depth and breadth of your data.
Data fielded directly from your customers is, of course, valuable, but there’s only so much you can learn. If you’re wanting to expand your dataset beyond what’s in your purview, second-party data is a great way to do it.
It helps you reach audiences you might not have in the past.
With an increased reach, you can start to target other potential prospects that you may not have had access to in the past.
It (also) future-proofs your marketing.
As with first-party data, second-party data is collected directly by your trusted partner from their website, mobile app or social profiles.
It measures performance.
For certain verticals, such as CPG, partnering with retailers allow them to measure the performance of campaigns and what consumers actually purchase in-store.
Third-party data: Enrich customer data
Third-party data is data you buy from an outside source that is not the original collector of said data. It can come from a wide variety of sources both offline and across the digital ecosystem. It is then aggregated, segmented and sold to marketers for their own advertising campaigns.
Third-party data can be purchased as audience segments for individual campaigns, meaning you can choose exactly which kind of customer you want to target. For example, you might be looking for fitness enthusiasts to buy your organic brownies. So you could purchase an audience segment of females ages 25 to 45 that are outdoor enthusiasts and have shopped at health food stores in the past month.
In addition, third-party data can be purchased to enrich your own customer data with information you don't collect directly or cannot access. Most brands will purchase third-party data to add critical demographic information such as age, income, gender and interests, which enhances your customer profiles to help improve personalization.
Third-party data consists of:
Demographics
Financials such as income or net worth
Purchases
Categorical interests
Online behaviors
Propensities and attitudes
Health information
Why is third-party data important?
The primary benefit of third-party data is to beef up the data you already have and widen your scope of people to target. When choosing a data partner, it’s important to carefully vet them to ensure they follow data and privacy best practices.
It enriches the data you already have.
Third-party data can help you fill in the gaps first-party data can’t—not just from your site or direct interactions. Brands will usually start with demographic and lifestyle data and expand to purchase and behavioral data. By filling in the gaps, third-party data lets you effectively reach out to customers in their preferred channels.
It helps you discover best prospects.
Through modeling and advanced analytics, third-party data can be used to identify your current best customers and find more potential customers who look just like them. These prospects can be reached across all channels, including digital, advanced TV, email, direct mail, digital out of home, audio and gaming.
It helps you target better.
With additional demographic details, behavioral context and transaction insights, you can improve your understanding of customers and add multidimensional insights that can go beyond first-party data’s scope to deliver highly relevant content and offers to customers and prospects in the channels they’re most engaged in.
Zero-party data: The voice of intent
Zero-party data is data that customers voluntarily and proactively share with your brand. It often includes preferences, purchase intentions, personal contexts and data on how the individual wants to be treated by the brand.
The key word with zero-party data is "voluntary." While customers understand that you might be tracking their interactions and behaviors on their site to build your first-party data assets, they’re not explicitly telling you every move they make—you’re making observations and predicting behaviors based on those observations. Zero-party data leaves no room for inference.
Zero-party data consists of:
Loyalty program memberships
Interactive quiz or game responses
Preference data
Purchase intentions
Why is zero-party data important?
Zero-party data is gold to marketers, and it helps us develop an even deeper understanding of our customers and their preferences.
It’s definitive and trustworthy.
While self-reporting can sometimes be an issue, for the most part, you have to trust what your customers are telling you. Zero-party data gives you direct access to your customers’ intentions.
It's (even more) privacy protected.
Customers are encouraged to willingly provide information about themselves on their own terms—it’s not being collected in the background without their understanding. With GDPR and CCPA regulations, marketers should prioritize collecting data their audiences are consciously giving them.
It makes personalization that much better.
Using zero-party data capture techniques like interactive quizzes and games gives you the opportunity to dynamically enhance and personalize content in real-time.
Comparison chart of first-party data, second-party data, third-party data and zero-party data
The shifting tides: From cookies to owned data strategy
The tides of marketing are changing. Consumers expect personalization and for brands to understand them, but brands are working against many factors that make reaching their customers exponentially harder: Disjointed channels, the loss of third-party cookies, increased privacy expectations, new regulations at the state and local level, reduced media budgets and rising walled gardens.
Consumer data has emerged as a titan against these headwinds. According to new Epsilon research, 60% of brands surveyed said they are looking to first-party data strategies to combat third-party identifier deprecation. But it is not a silver bullet.
Brands need a comprehensive, thoughtful data strategy that goes beyond merely collecting data. To understand their best and next best customers, marketers need a holistic understanding of who each person is, not just how they engage with you. A complete data strategy, powered by the right technology, uses first-party data, enhanced by zero-, second- and third-party data to drive better customer experiences and higher performing campaigns.
The cookieless reality
We’ve all been operating with limits on third-party cookies for a while—Safari, Firefox and Edge all opted to get rid of 3PCs in the past five years, meaning a large portion of web activity in the U.S. has actually been on browsers that don’t accept them. Google’s Chrome is just the last holdout among top browsers (and have been doing a “will they, won’t they” dance over the past few years, so it’s hard to know what to expect from them).
For now, Chrome has chosen not to deprecate 3PCs, but it's discussed doing an opt-in for users, which (if implemented), we would expect rates to be well under 10%. Signal loss is still going to occur, and the industry needs to continue preparing for a world beyond third-party cookies.
Cohesive, connected digital marketing across channels
When data is used effectively, brands open the door to more cohesive, connected digital marketing across channels. Customer data enhanced with identity resolution can take disparate data points and unify them into one holistic view and use various data points to build more complex customer profiles.
From there, brands link the customer journey, develop more targeted campaigns to real, in-market customers (regardless of channel or device) and create a closed-loop system of measurement that uses machine learning and AI to continually improve.
A fully realized data strategy that drives stronger performance and increases revenue needs to draw from all types of marketing data. This is because data gives you an empirical understanding of your customers, and the ability to tie data points together creates a harmonized picture of each person.
Epsilon's expertise: Empowering your data strategy
Epsilon's core offering
Looking for the right partner to help your brand take the next step? Epsilon's industry-leading technology and services are ready to get your brand where you want it to go. From Epsilon Digital to COREid and from Retail Media to Data, our suite of products and services are backed by decades of industry expertise and are designed to help your business reach its marketing goals.
Epsilon's data solutions
Epsilon has spent decades building our data solution and making strategic acquisitions to strengthen our offerings. We manage the industry’s top-ranked consumer database, with coverage of every marketable U.S. household, and we continue to optimize our customer analytics offerings through ongoing curation and development.
Epsilon's customer data platform (CDP)
Epsilon's customer data platform (CDP) combines all your different data piles into one. Demographic info, offline purchases, website visits, email opens—whatever you have—they'll all connect to a representation of that person. Epsilon's CDP adds to what you know, using data that we see across our partner network, so you'll see each person fully, clearly and securely, across all your marketing.
Epsilon's clean room solutions
Epsilon’s data clean room gives brands access to a universe of potential customers. Our clean room comes with data and identity built-in from day one, giving you insights on 255M+ unique U.S. individuals to create audiences of those most likely to buy.
Digital media expertise and omnichannel identity
Your best customers are out there—you just need to find them. Working with Epsilon's Digital solution means reaching more of your most valuable and unique customers that were previously unreachable. And because Epsilon Digital is the only programmatic ad solution with full visibility into all consumer interactions and purchases across the open web, you can learn and optimize on the fly.
Navigating the future of data-driven marketing
There will always be some nuance when it comes to explaining and discussing the different kinds of data. But as we’ve discussed, data is the lifeline and the connection point between you and your customers (and new ones). Understanding those nuances is essential to choosing the right type of data or data mix to prioritize in your marketing mix.
Learn more about how to build a data strategy that leads to real results.
This article was originally published on September 22, 2023, and has been updated.
---
## Fragmented identity: Why the 2022 upfronts have TV advertisers anxious
Type: eps_post
URL: /upfronts-2022-fragmented-identity
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Fragmented identity: Why the 2022 upfronts have TV advertisers anxious
The TV upfronts are here, and for many, this year’s go-around is a bit nerve-wracking.
In the past, there’s been a relatively routine process of buying advertising packages up front with television networks, and then supplementing throughout the rest of the advertising season. While it’s always been somewhat a game of strategy and risk, this year the latter side of the equation feels even larger. Marc Pritchard, chief brand officer at Procter & Gamble, even made a direct comparison in a recent ANA speech between the upfront buying process and toilet paper hoarding.
Connected TV (CTV) and streaming are disrupting the normal upfronts process in a big way. We saw the supplanting of linear TV by CTV coming a long time ago, but the pandemic accelerated the shift. eMarketer data predicts that by 2023, CTV ad spend will surpass linear.
No TV advertiser could have planned for this extremely sudden exponential growth of CTV and streaming, but now the industry is faced with adapting to very new consumer preferences and patterns for which there is more data, but less experience and proven track record on the marketers’ side. How are advertisers meeting this challenge?
Staying in the comfort zone of the old upfront process
Many advertisers are, understandably, planning to navigate the upfronts the same as always: allocating certain portions of their campaign budgets at the start of the advertising season. But this time around, instead of signing those deals with just linear TV networks based on their programming, they’re doing so also with streaming platforms like Hulu, Roku and the brand-new ad-supported Disney+ and Netflix tiers. These high-profile platforms offer up demographic data on their audiences, as well as opportunities for incremental reach measurement to assess impact of cross-platform advertising (think NBCUniversal/Peacock package deals).
This was perhaps the best approach when there were only one or two streaming players offering ad-supported content. But with the massive increase in streaming platform options as well as the shorter length of TV shows (Business Insider points out that “Original streaming shows have an average lifespan of two seasons, compared to four seasons on cable and six-and-a-half seasons on broadcast networks”), consumer viewing patterns are much less predictable than many marketers are used to. Not to mention the fact that it can be difficult for these platforms to track incremental reach for their subscribers across their many devices and users.
All of this is compounded by the fact that YouTube, which just announced it will feature in this year’s upfronts, accounts for more than 50% of ad-supported streaming watch time on connected TVs among those 18 and up.
The fragmented viewing patterns (the average US household now uses 4.7 streaming services) mean that advertisers run the risk of ad redundancy and poor frequency management, which could lead to wasted ad dollars that could be spent reaching new prospects. With customers fragmenting their viewing across so many different platforms and devices, it’s extremely difficult to accurately measure impact, as well. It’s no wonder advertisers don’t know how to handle the upfronts this year with all these risks top of mind.
But, there is a future-focused approach to working with CTV advertising and it’s the inherent reality of fragmented viewing.
Keeping in mind connected identity during the upfronts season
Consumers live a connected life across many devices and platforms, and that’s not going to change anytime soon.
The good news is that there are technology solutions and data experts today that can align all activity for consumers—between their many device IDs, streaming platforms, browsers and accounts—to one stable ID. This connected identity capability enables marketers to make real-time omnichannel decisions based on their true target consumers, and then accurately measure campaign performance across all touchpoints.
And these solutions not only can function between various OTT streaming and video on demand platforms but also factor programmatic cross-channel advertising into the campaign equation, making sure that the “connected” portion of CTV is fully leveraged as one element of a broader, cross-medium customer existence. For instance, how often are you on your mobile device, perhaps skimming a news article, while watching a TV show? Based on the data, I’d wager quite a bit.
Fear of change is understandable, but that doesn’t have to stand in the way of optimization
Advertisers used to buy digital ad spaces and bundles with individual online publishers, just like they used to do with individual print publishers. But that was 1994—almost three decades ago. As advertising capabilities became more sophisticated over time, accurate, stable identity solutions came into the picture. Brands can now serve personalized ads across digital channels to real individual consumers—not through just cookies, devices IDs or individual publishers.
Connected identity is the next level of advertising (particularly in the era of third-party identifier deprecation), and now TV is a new, and very large, piece of that puzzle. In many ways, the rise of CTV allows us to see even fuller pictures of consumers, and serve them the most relevant ads without redundancy.
Wanting to stick to traditional buys when it comes to this year’s upfronts is entirely understandable, just as it was in 1994 during the shift toward digital media. But savvy advertisers can learn from that shift and avoid the tumult of CTV’s awkward years we’re in right now. This doesn’t mean turning entirely away from the upfronts – but rather running a targeted approach across channels, reaching an exact audience when they are actually watching the premium inventory sources with whom upfront deals are made.
Keeping one eye on what’s worked in the past and one on the future can help with upfronts anxiety. The future is connected, omnichannel identity—and that includes CTV.
---
## Marketing Law in 2022: The need to know trends & insights
Type: eps_post
URL: /fc7abdb0caed11ec92ec762194f79020
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Marketing Law in 2022: The need to know trends & insights
With new trends in the consumer protection space and new interpretations of existing ones, the net of compliance liability is expanding for marketers. Understanding how to future-proof your business in this complicated ecosystem is essential.
In this webinar presented by Epsilon and featuring BakerHostetler, experts discuss the key questions and next steps leaders should consider regarding their organization’s regulatory approach, how to move safely and strategically through the evolving regulatory environment and how to future-proof your business in this complex federal and state landscape.
Watch Epsilon’s Kyle Antoian and Linda Iger and special guests Linda Goldstein and Daniel Kaufman of BakerHostetler as they provide their expertise on the data compliance landscape.
---
## Love is blind—but your marketing doesn’t have to be
Type: eps_post
URL: /love-is-blind-identity
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Love is blind—but your marketing doesn’t have to be
Do you know how to make your customers fall in love?
Well, maybe not love. Marketers are constantly figuring out the best way to get their products in the hands of consumers, whether they're new or regular customers. And while falling in love can be a lot more complicated than driving the right engagement for conversion, the principle is very similar.
In recent weeks, we saw the finales for two shows all about love: Netflix's hit Love is Blind, which brings together strangers who get to know one another without ever meeting face-to-face, and ABC's staple The Bachelor, where several contestants vie for the love of one lucky man or woman. Reality shows like these are founded on the premise that human connection is partly based on looks, but more based on a series of compatible personality traits.
Using key characteristics, experts (see: producers) help couples find love with one another, and viewers predict who will make it to the bitter end. But as we all know, these relationships are not always built to last (I was rooting for you and Hannah Brown, Pilot Pete).
Similarly, marketers struggle with this too. Finding prospective customers can feel a little bit like finding the perfect love match. Not only does a product need to be good, the messages around that product and the ability to reach people who might prefer that product are integral to its success. Marketers need to have strong indicators for potential customers before they try to woo them. And if they do it incorrectly—or inconsistently—they set themselves to be in Shaina, Shayne and Natalie territory.
Here for the right reasons
Right now, most marketers rely on some form of audience segmentation to define who their potential customers are. This isn't necessarily a bad form: You're looking at customers based on who you think they are, and, more than likely, some of those assumptions are correct.
But what if you knew with certainty who your customer was, and, conversely, what if you could look for similar people like them to target as prospects?
Picture this: I match with a guy on Tinder. He has a golden retriever, an athletic build, likes long walks on the beach (aww) and works in finance. Based on other men I've met with similar interests, I assume he likes baseball. Except he hates baseball. He hates all sports, actually. So much so that my first message to him ("Let's go to a Cubs game!") is greeted with an immediate rejection.
For marketers, these types of assumptions happen with audience segmentation. Sure, some guys that match my ideal dating profile might like sports, but what if some don't? Then my opening line doesn't work at all, and I've wasted my time and theirs.
But marketing isn't like Tinder, thank goodness. With data activation, we don't have to rely on vague segmentation. We can activate digital media campaigns on a 1:1 level. You can know and market to people not by segments, but by knowing they don't like baseball and maybe actually prefer ballet. It's marketing without assumptions; you can stop guessing who your customers are and simply know what will resonate with them most.
One in a million
How does all this work?
Privacy-compliant consumer profiles--bolstered by first-party data--demystify the prospecting process. Recognizing existing customer behavior on a granular level, both online and offline, makes it easier to uncover new trends and reach other consumers like them. Coupled with AI, modeling and audience activation becomes even more effective as it reads signals across all customers and prospects. And even as their preferences change, data that continuously learns from new signals and inputs tell you what each person needs today and what they might need tomorrow--at scale.
Epsilon PeopleCloud lets marketers anticipate those signals and activate on them--meaning you can reach millions of people at the moment they're most likely to act across all channels and devices.
Matchmaking can be hard—especially for the people competing on The Bachelor and The Bachelorette—but marketing doesn't have to be. Don't let customers slip out of your hands because you don't know enough to entice them.
---
## McDonald's star-studded, multichannel campaign ignites engagement
Type: eps_post
URL: /mcdonalds-star-studded-multichannel-campaign
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T22:16:49Z
# McDonald's star-studded, multichannel campaign ignites engagement
For decades, McDonald’s has been at the forefront of culture. Yet in 2020, many young Americans had never tried a Quarter Pounder. McDonald’s wanted to reach youth and cultivate a new generation of brand fans by showing up for them in a way that was culturally relevant across channels and would drive digital adoption and guest counts. The resulting concept was the Famous Orders campaign.
The campaign started with a universal “fan truth” that served as the anchor, “No matter how big or famous you are, everyone has a McDonald’s order.” This digital, cross-channel campaign used the buzz of celebrity fandom and favorite meals of stars like J Balvin, Travis Scott and Saweetie, as well as beloved holiday characters like the Abominable Snowman and the Griswolds, to engage a younger target audience, encourage them to download and register for the McDonald’s app, place an order and continue engaging, even after the order ended.
To successfully execute, McDonald’s needed a partner that could effectively own the customer relationship management (CRM) portion of this effort: a partner with a solid track record for email marketing and push notification impact that could seamlessly integrate with other the digital channels. Enter: Epsilon.
{% video_player "embed_player" overrideable=False, type='scriptV4', hide_playlist=True, viral_sharing=False, embed_button=False, autoplay=False, hidden_controls=False, loop=False, muted=False, full_width=False, width='1920', height='1080', player_id='73211383187', style='' %}
The recipe to success
Epsilon managed McDonald’s email and push notification channels for Famous Orders. To sync with the personal, authentic theme of the program, we created personalized experiences for each phase of the campaign:
Generating pre-buzz with engaging email and push campaigns to create excitement and anticipation around Famous Orders menu items.
Supporting launch with interactive email campaigns and rich push notifications promoting the app download and celebrity meals.
Sustaining digital engagement during and after the promotional period was over with clever animated email campaigns featuring limited time collab meals.
The team was able to accommodate a longer legal review cycle in a fast-paced environment balancing multiple stakeholder needs including: celebrities, business, creative and more.
Tasty engagement results from email and push
Overall, the campaign surpassed goals and benchmarks. At a program level, the 2020 Famous Orders campaign more than exceeded targeted goals, showing a 49% increase in new customers (more registrations and faster adoption), a 44% increase in existing customers (higher level of retention) and an overall shrinking of the base of lapsed customers, for an optimized marketing funnel. And McDonald's hit their app registration goal in a record three days. Guest counts skyrocketed with a 39% increase in guest counts per restaurant per day for the J Balvin meal and an all-time high for overall digital guest counts for the Holiday Deals.
For email specifically, the launch campaign had the second highest impact on incremental revenue attributed to email in 2020. We surpassed benchmarks with a 20% average open rate and a 10% average click-to-open rate. The campaign was so successful overall that it was awarded the Email Experience Council’s Best CrossChannel Campaign Award.
According to Catherine Thacker, Director of CRM at McDonalds, “Epsilon’s award-winning work on Famous Orders helped us to exceed our campaign goals. The team played a crucial role in the orchestration and success of our omnichannel customer experience.”
To learn more about McDonald's work with Epsilon, check out the full case study.
---
## Omnichannel marketing guide: elevate your brand experience and drive customer value
Type: eps_post
URL: /omnichannel-marketing-guide-how-to-boost-your-brand-experience
Last Modified: 2026-08-05T15:28:11Z
# Omnichannel marketing guide: elevate your brand experience and drive customer value
Brands today lose millions in revenue due to poor cross-channel execution and a lack of real-time customer insight.
As the customer journey grows more complex, many teams without connected systems and data are plagued by fragmented customer experiences that erode trust and loyalty over time. For this reason, omnichannel marketing strategies have become the modern marketer’s biggest asset—offering actionable insights, hyper-personalization and cross-channel orchestration.
According to our research on personalization, 91% of survey respondents stated that they see at least one irrelevant ad every single day. For brands looking to create truly connected experiences, an omnichannel marketing strategy—fueled by quality data and identity resolution—can help you deliver the right message at the right time, seamlessly.
This article offers an introduction to the key elements of omnichannel marketing and provides an overview of what goes into establishing effective omnichannel campaigns that will benefit your business.
Understanding omnichannel marketing: More than just multiple channels
People move from touchpoint to touchpoint—and they do it fast. What makes omnichannel different from multichannel strategies is its power to unify your brand’s messaging—making it possible to truly connect with your customers with consistency and continuity—anywhere they prefer to engage.
Whether a customer starts on TikTok, finds a YouTube influencer and then reads a review on Amazon about your brand, every action should feel fluid. Your messaging should consistently encourage them to purchase your products or services and continue interacting with your brand throughout their buying journey.
Omnichannel customer journeys ensure they can:
Buy a product in a brick-and-mortar, then receive an email with related items or accessories.
Abandon a cart on their mobile device and later see an ad for the same item on YouTube.
Redeem loyalty points they earned in-app at their local store at checkout.
Make an international purchase that triggers a real-time notification confirming fees and protections.
Scan a boarding pass and receive SMS updates on gate and board time.
The path to purchase isn’t linear—it’s dispersed and shaped by micro-moments that require brands to be present, relevant and responsive—everywhere.
The core difference: customer-centricity in a connected world
The truth of the matter is that it's not enough to simply be on every channel—you must connect meaningfully at every given opportunity. This means switching from multichannel—which serves your brand message on various platforms—to omnichannel, which unifies across channels to serve your customers’ needs.
Omnichannel marketing strategies are built for ongoing consumer-brand interactions to happen without friction. With the right technology, you can recognize customer intent and deliver relevant messages—regardless of whether someone chooses to browse anonymously or land on a site from an SMS notification they received a month ago.
Essential pillars for a seamless omnichannel strategy
Successful omnichannel execution takes more than great strategic thinking. It requires a solid foundation—the right data and technology, with cross-channel orchestration mapping abilities, and AI-driven insights to deliver what customers expect: speed, relevance and consistency.
Centralizing data for a unified customer view
The root cause of fragmented experiences is data that’s scattered across touch points—like digital customer experience platforms, in-store interactions, social media channels and analytics dashboards. Gaps in the experience, missed opportunities and inconsistent messages lead to growing frustration—on both sides of the consumer-brand exchange.
Data is the important piece that connects it all—and unifying data so that it can elevate first-party data strategies is at the core of everything we do. Investing in a solution that’s recognized as an industry-leader for helping brands bridge the gap between adtech and martech, will help you build digital customer experience strategies that truly reflect your customer.
Turning moments—when someone switches from browsing on their phone during a commute to searching on their laptop at home—into a synced cohesive journey is where advanced technology can step in and boost the brand experience.
Delivering consistent and personalized customer experiences
Customer data platforms (CDPs) and data clean rooms work together for optimized, personalized omnichannel customer experiences. Let’s break it down:
CDPs centralize data from many different channels—website, apps, CRMs, offline—unifying and augmenting your existing customer profiles to shape a holistic view of each customer. Having customer profiles come together in this way, enables personalized experiences and more effective targeting across touch points.
A clean room offers secure, privacy-compliant collaboration without exposing raw data. It’s essential for gaining audience enrichment and deeper customer insights that lead to better brand experiences for your customers.
The result is messages with consistent tone across channels, being able to provide offers that are tailored based on past customer interactions and smooth transitions across channels.
Business outcomes through omnichannel brand experience
With integrated unified platforms, brands can activate their data on high-value audiences across channels with precision—bringing customer behavior into sharp focus to deliver better outcomes.
When a customer gets an email featuring a product they browsed earlier—and clicks through to a landing page—it picks up exactly where they left off. Later, that same customer will see an ad on a different site that speaks to their interests and aligns directly with where they sit on the buying journey.
Cleansed and unified data can ensure effective campaign execution—where your customers feel seen, understood and valued—every step of the way. Which inherently makes it a powerful driver of increased ROI and customer retention.
Fostering customer loyalty and retention
If you want to build loyalty for your brand, you need to recognize your audience—and customize responses in ways that resonate. In our recent research on customer loyalty, 80% of consumers surveyed stated that they like it when brands personalize their communications based on their interactions and status with their loyalty programs.
Brands like Walgreens have taken this approach by building their loyalty programs into a strong data foundation, allowing for more personalized cross-channel customer engagement. By leveraging insights from their loyalty program, they can better understand customer behaviors and preferences, creating a more unified customer view of their audience.
When brands move away from fragmented communications, they can deliver personalized experiences—designed specifically for the customer, not the channel—driving repeat purchases, increasing customer lifetime value and creating lifelong brand advocates.
Optimizing customer acquisition and engagement
An effective strategy connects acquisition, reactivation and retention through a true omnichannel experience. It’s not about one moment—it helps you deliver campaigns based on behavioral segmentation, provide AI-driven insights that recommend similar products based on customer interest and intent—ultimately, boosting conversions and driving better ROI.
The idea is that consumers have the ultimate freedom of choice on how, where and when they will embrace your message—and, hopefully, buy what you are selling.
Overcoming omnichannel challenges for sustainable growth
Building a connected customer journey doesn’t happen overnight—but a successful transition to an omnichannel strategy is vital to delivering truly unified experiences—and experiencing measurable growth.
Some steps to consider:
Investing in solutions that provide easy integration
Advanced technologies that support real-time personalization
Cross-functional collaboration that aligns with shared goals
With a customer-centric mindset, the right solutions and a shared commitment to cross-functional collaboration, you can set your brand up for long-term scalable growth.
Integrating marketing and advertising technology
Achieving successful outcomes requires more than just technology—it takes a shift in mindset. It requires cross-functional alignment between your adtech and martech. That means not only breaking down silos in data, but also strategy. With shared goals, you can integrate workflows for fluid campaign execution across teams, resulting in better business outcomes.
Measuring the true impact of your omnichannel initiatives
Implementing a strong omnichannel marketing strategy is just the start. The key to sustaining momentum and growth lies in your ability to prove ROI and showcase customer experience successes—ultimately, encouraging leadership buy-in. The right tools are also equipped with data storytelling capabilities, like dashboards, that illustrate how your omnichannel marketing initiatives are driving brand equity and business growth.
The future of omnichannel: AI and advanced insights
What if your data could think for you? Maybe it would adjust future messages for customers that completed a purchase online to suit their style and buying preferences. It might detect patterns and segment them into "seasonal shopper" audience categories.
That’s what AI-enhanced insights do—it activates in real time.
Leveraging artificial intelligence for enhanced personalization
With strong foundation of data and identity resolution, AI enables personalization at scale—paving the way to dynamic content optimization and smarter segmentation, turning your data into actionable insights. It unlocks patterns, predicting behavior and identifying the next best action for your customers across touchpoints.
The state of omnichannel marketing isn’t just connected—it’s adaptive, predictive and insight-driven.
Partnering with Epsilon for your omnichannel success
At Epsilon, data and identity resolution are at the core of all our solutions. They work together to unify data, creative and delivery across every touchpoint and ensure consistent messaging and smarter optimization. The right technology provider also has advanced AI capabilities built-in—ensuring your omnichannel marketing campaigns align with customer intent for stronger customer engagement and measurable impact across the full funnel.
Ready to transform your brand experience?
Delivering a true omnichannel brand experience means more than showing up in every channel—it requires showing up with relevance. With the right tools, you can create seamless journeys that resonate and keep people coming back.
Investing in the right technology partner won’t just improve your marketing operations—they elevate how your brand is experienced. When every interaction is personalized, relevant and consistent, you don’t just meet customers' expectation—you deliver on them. The future of marketing is omnichannel: It’s connected, smarter and person-first.
Learn more about how Epsilon's all-in-one marketing platform can help you reach new customers and engage existing ones.
This article was originally published on March 1, 2023, and has since been updated.
---
## Q&A with Forrester's Mary Pilecki: How loyalty marketers can unlock their zero- and first-party data
Type: eps_post
URL: /qa-with-forresters-mary-pilecki-how-loyalty-marketers-can-unlock-their-zero-and-first-party-data
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Q&A with Forrester's Mary Pilecki: How loyalty marketers can unlock their zero- and first-party data
Recently, Forrester's VP Principal Analyst, Mary Pilecki, joined Epsilon's VP Strategic Consulting, Tamara Oliverio to talk about how marketers can leverage their customer loyalty programs to unlock invaluable zero- and first-party data. As a follow up to their conversation, we asked Mary a few key questions that can help marketers start to use their loyalty program data in unique, strategic and actionable ways to connect with customers.
Q: How can loyalty programs accelerate zero- and first-party data collection? Can you share some examples?
Pilecki: Many customers want value in exchange for sharing their personal information. Loyalty programs support this by offering some sort of currency, such as points, miles, or experiential rewards like personalized offers or early access to new products. The Forrester Analytics Consumer Technographics® Benchmark Survey, 2021, shows that after cash rewards, loyalty program points were the second highest motivation for consumers to share personal information across the US, UK, and Australia. Sparkling Ice, a US beverage product, offers its members points in exchange for completing a short personality quiz and identifies a flavor based on the results.
Q: Once the zero- or first-party data is collected, what do you see as brands’ biggest challenges for using it?
Pilecki: A key component of leveraging zero-party data is delivering relevance. In other words, the data collected should only be data used to build personalized experiences for the end customer. Brands need to ensure that the data collected does not go into the void. Rather, it should enhance the customer experience with better product recommendations or personalized offers.
Q: How does gamification play into this strategy? Can you share some examples?
Pilecki: Marketers use gamification to learn more about consumer behaviors, product affinities, and purchase intent and it’s popular. Seventy-six percent of US online adults state they are “a gamer” according to Forrester Analytics Consumer Technographics Technology, Media, And Telecom Topic Insights Survey, 2021. Kellogg’s launched an updated loyalty program in 2022 that gives tokens for performing activities like taking quizzes, uploading receipts, and watching videos. This is a mutual value exchange for both Kellogg’s, which learns more about its customers’ preferences as well as drives purchase behaviors, and the consumer, who gets a relevant gamified experience.
Q: In addition to data collection, what other strategies should loyalty marketers keep in mind to improve personalization
Pilecki: Customers shouldn’t have to tell you the same thing about themselves twice. Brands need to leverage the zero- or first-party data collected from their loyalty programs across the enterprise, but data silos often prevent other teams from tapping into those insights. Align your marketing, product, customer service, and sales teams to maximize your collected data’s impact and infuse insights across your organization.
Q: How should brands measure the success of their loyalty programs and prove ROI to stakeholders?
Pilecki:Loyalty is an outcome that has traditionally yielded customer retention, enrichment, and advocacy. The business case for loyalty involves estimating revenue and calculating any savings or efficiencies gained from the initiative. Brands are saving by reducing the amount of third-party data they buy and substituting first- and zero-party data. They should then subtract the costs — typically for technology, rewards, implementation, and ongoing operations — and multiply the result by their risk factors, such as cost overruns and missed goals. The end result will show the ROI of the loyalty initiative, which is typically less than one year.
If you're interested in learning more, watch the full webinar. Or, check out how Epsilon PeopleCloud Loyalty can help you maximize your customer loyalty program here.
---
## Rising inflation signals doubling down on digital strategies
Type: eps_post
URL: /inflation-rate-fsi
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T22:17:52Z
# Rising inflation signals doubling down on digital strategies
Consumer prices in the U.S. have posted their biggest annual gain since 1981, primarily driven by spikes in the cost of gasoline and other goods. Earlier this month, the Federal Reserve raised short-term interest rates by 0.50% in an effort to slow inflationary pressures currently gripping the U.S.
And while it appears the Fed will continue to raise the interest rate to combat rising inflation through the end of the year, it’s more important than ever for financial marketers to keep their foot on the gas. But how do you stay relevant and connect to customers amid this economic influx?
As the economy shifts, financial services feel the squeeze
It’s no surprise that the major areas of financial services are seeing a decline given the state of the economy. Consumers are being hyper selective about which institutions they use for their financial needs and seeking out the best opportunities to stretch their dollars as costs rise.
Credit card impact: In short, in-market customers are harder to find right now. Not only is competition increasing, but newly available options like Afterpay, Klarna, and other “buy now, pay later” services create yet another layer of challenges - preventing financial services institutions from gaining a comprehensive view of a consumer’s total debt level before extending credit.
Deposit impact: Acquiring new deposit customers will remain a key focus area for banks as interest rates rise but will prove challenging, especially for players in the mid-market. In the current economic state, consumers might be more likely to shop around for the most beneficial rates of return.
Mortgage impact: It’s a seller’s market. Housing inventory is at an all-time low and home values have sky-rocketed, though some experts predict select cities might see some relief in the next 12 months. Mortgage rates continue to rise, pricing out millions of Americans but also creating an opportunity for alternative solutions like ARMs and balloon mortgages. Concurrently, rent is also rising, creating a crunch on an already spread-thin sector.
Loan impact: Like everything else, loans are also getting more expensive. A customer interested in taking out a new personal loan will likely find themselves paying more for the same money or being qualified to borrow less. Many anticipate the market moving toward lowering credit requirements in an attempt to broaden the funnel for potential loan applicants.
In times of turbulence, what’s a marketer to do?
For financial services marketers, these economic times affect how (and why) you speak to consumers. The ability to generate business across different product lines intensifies, as customers are more selective about which financial services they are willing to invest in.
Historically, financial institutions have held onto traditional forms of marketing, often putting digital on the backburner. As a result, many are behind on strategies that aim to reach the right people most likely to convert.
Data, data, data
The best digital strategy for financial service marketers is rooted in first-party data. Building a 360-degree view of your customer—both those you already have and those you hope to attract—creates stronger affinity and develops the right messaging. How is this accomplished? Effective identity management, founded on a privacy-first framework.
And while acquisition is particularly challenging in tough economic times, retention should be top of mind. Data rich insights enable marketers to activate with their customers before they need a new service.
Engaging new tech, like AI and CTV
Financial institutions need to prioritize using technology to enhance the overall customer experience. One of those ways is through artificial intelligence.
Start by replacing stale, static data and harnessing the power of artificial intelligence to identify ideal prospects and customers in real-time. Industry-leading AI-based models offer privacy-protected views of millions of people, allowing you to create lookalike audiences of high-quality prospects using real-time intent data that is constantly optimizing.
With AI-powered models, you’ll be able to identify early behavior — including upcoming life events — allowing you to attract higher propensity candidates and stay relevant with existing customers by delivering messages that truly resonate with their evolving priorities. This technology will also keep in mind which channels they prefer to engage in. For example, as connected TV usage increases, ensure you can reach these customers where they’re spending more time and know which channel they’ll most likely respond on.
Meaningful messages matter
The world isn’t going to go back to “normal” anytime soon. Between the oscillating rise and fall of COVID-19 infections, the war in Ukraine and the ever-changing economic landscape of the U.S., there is no quick fix for getting customers through the door. This is precisely why it’s the perfect time to start investing in strategies that do more than slap a band aid on a growing problem.
Customers demand data privacy but also want personalization and ease of use—from all the brands they interact with. By using verified transactional data and powerful AI technology, you’ll deliver timely, relevant interactions that accelerate and deepen customer relationships with your offerings. So don’t miss out on knowing the right moment to introduce new products that existing or new customers are in-market for. Be empowered to predict customers’ current and future needs to build a lifetime of loyalty, regardless of what global disruption is next.
Ready to find out more about how Epsilon can help your financial services company reach customers at every step in their journey, using AI to help acquire new customers and ensure they keep coming back for more? Get in touch with us today for a complimentary consultation.
---
## CODA shines a light on the importance of email accessibility
Type: eps_post
URL: /email-accessibility-guidelines-what-email-marketers-can-learn-from-the-movie-coda
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T22:17:52Z
# CODA shines a light on the importance of email accessibility
Last night’s Academy Awards made history. And I’m not talking about the “slap heard ‘round the world.” I’m talking about CODA, a coming-of-age story about a high school senior and child of deaf adults, which capped off its successful award season with an historic win of the evening’s most coveted prize—Oscar for Best Picture. CODA is the first movie starring a predominantly deaf ensemble in leading roles to win Best Picture, Troy Kotsur is the first deaf male actor to win Best Supporting Actor and writer-director Siân Heder took home her first Oscar for Best Adapted Screenplay. “This is dedicated to the deaf community, the CODA community and the disabled community,” Kotsur said through an American Sign Language interpreter. "This is our moment."
CODA is raising awareness of deaf culture and has sparked some overdue conversations on the importance of representation and inclusivity. When accepting the SAG award for Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture in February, CODA actress Marlee Matlin said, "We—deaf actors—have come a long way… This validates the fact that we, deaf actors, can work just like anybody else. We look forward to more opportunities for deaf actors, deaf culture."
With about 15% of the global population—more than 1 billion people worldwide—currently experiencing a disability (ranging from visual or hearing deficiencies to neurological impairments like ADHD and dyslexia), awareness and accessibility are critical. To learn more about Epsilon's approach to email accessibility and inclusivity, I spoke with creative expert and SVP of Epsilon PeopleCloud Messaging, Lauren Gannon, and QA Manager, Mike Dugo.
Why are email accessibility standards so important?
"As digital marketers, we have an obligation to serve these consumers with positive experiences," said Gannon. "It's the right thing to do, and it makes sense from legal and business standpoints."
First of all, email accessibility is the law. In the U.S., the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) requires that everyone access and read your emails, including people with disabilities who use assistive technology, such as screen readers, magnifiers, joysticks and eye-tracking devices. Another way to think about this is that you must build in an alternate, accessible route that leads different end-users to the right information.
Email accessibility standards also make good business sense. Gannon explains, "If you're not currently making your emails accessible, you could be excluding a sizable percentage of your audience. "You could be missing out on a tremendous opportunity to tap into $6 trillion in spending power, including people with permanent and temporary disabilities (like concussion, limited mobility, and so on). And by making your emails accessible, you're demonstrating that you care enough to consider all your potential customers and their specific needs—and that you're not excluding anyone, which, she emphasizes, "…can create a positive halo effect for your business."
What does this mean for email marketers?
According to Forrester, about $10-16 billion in design spending between the U.S. and Canada alone will shift towards tech companies prioritizing accessibility. And although roughly 84% of companies are implementing accessibility efforts, only 36% "have a top-down commitment to developing accessible digital products."
From creative to coding to QA, email accessibility is a team effort. "Incorporating accessibility into email from the start is imperative in assuring the largest number of customers possible can absorb the content," says Mike Dugo. "Ideally, considerations need to be made throughout the entire process and by all teams."
Although not optimal, existing emails can be improved during a production cycle. Can't do an entire overhaul? Dugo explains, "The best practices we've outlined can help both new and existing email programs provide a better experience for this audience."
Follow these 10 simple tips for making your emails accessible:
1. Keep it clean and simple.
Everyone benefits from simplicity, but overly complicated emails (verbose copy, run-on sentences, large walls of text and a busy design) can be prohibitive for many disabilities. Keep copy and design brief and clean so that the neurodivergent know exactly how to do what they need to do and so that screen readers can follow the line directly to the point.
2. Incorporate responsive design.
Responsive design is important for all users as it ensures that emails render according to the device, but it also helps ensure that content will scale, be displayed optimally and read properly on multiple devices, including screen readers.
3. Mind the font size.
You want people to be able to read your email, and with almost 350 million people living with some degree of visual impairment, font size is vital. Fourteen pixels is a minimum for fonts, but light fonts should be at least 16 pixels. Be sure to zoom in to 200% without losing readability or clarity. Further, line heights must be four pixels greater than your font size to keep paragraphs readably spaced.
4. Contrast colors.
Approximately 300 million people worldwide are color blind. Make sure your background and type contrasts and use patterns and textures. The recommended color contrast for normal text is 4.5:1, and for larger text (18px bold, or 23px non-bold), 3:1. Links should be created as buttons, underlined, bolded or identified in ways other than simply by color.
5. Bulletproof buttons.
Build CTAs with code instead of an image to ensure they don't get lost. Make text links meaningful and specific and give subscribers a reason to click (like "get more holiday entertaining tips" vs. "click here" or "read more"). Also, don't link subheads as this can confuse assistive technologies.
6. Add captions to videos.
More than 430 million people globally suffer from hearing loss. So, if you're embedding video or linking to it in your emails, add captions, so the hearing impaired can receive your message. Avoid flickering and strobe animations and large images with bright flashes in GIFs or videos, as these could trigger seizures. GIFs should be limited to flashing or blinking within a 3x per second threshold. It can also be helpful to add descriptive transcripts, which describe the actual content (including images and actions) of the video. The transcript provides all-important visual information that can be read using a screen reader instead of the person with the disability needing to watch or listen to the video.
7. Use live text & alt text.
Screen readers read what you tell them to, so take a purposeful approach. Live text ensures that screen readers read the text separately from the image. Without live text, any attributes in the image need to be accounted for in alt text. Some screen readers will truncate alt text at 150 characters. By separating text from the image, you're ensuring that assistive tech will read the text AND accurately describe the image. As a bonus, the live text is readable to all when images are turned off.
8. Set the HTML language attribute.
Set eReaders up for success by adding lang= "" with the appropriate language after the opening head tag to ensure screen readers pronounce words correctly. For example, lang=" en" for English or lang=" fr" for French. Similarly, the content type (i.e., UTF-8) should also be declared to interpret characters correctly.
9. Emphasize content importance to screen readers.
Use role= "presentation" on all tables where content needs to be read to tell screen readers it's a presentation table vs. a data table. This command makes it easier for these devices to go through the content, skip unimportant content and read only the alt text.
For images that graphically represent concepts and information, the alt text should be at least a short description conveying the essential information presented by the image. When an image's only purpose is to add visual decoration to the page, provide a null (alt="") text alternative. This command informs a screen reader to bypass reading the text altogether. Finally, the alt text for an image used as a link or as a button should describe the functionality of the link or button rather than the visual image itself.
10. Use Semantic code.
Using tags like
and
is basic practice, yet it’s also often overlooked. These tags help screen readers differentiate between sections of content and better navigate your email, allowing for an improved reading experience. However, these tags may sometimes cause rendering issues or inconsistencies if not done correctly and may not look pixel-perfect to the design.
Email accessibility encompasses best-practice tactics that benefit all subscribers, not just those with accessibility issues. It makes emails easier for everyone to read and digest—including those with accessibility issues—and enables you to extend your reach to a larger percentage of people who would otherwise not be able to access or interact with your emails.
To learn more about incorporating accessibility practices into your email strategy, download our guide, "Achieving accessibility in email marketing."
---
## How loyalty marketers can unlock their zero- and first-party data
Type: eps_post
URL: /how-loyalty-marketers-can-unlock-their-zero-and-first-party-data
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# How loyalty marketers can unlock their zero- and first-party data
Recently, Forrester's VP Principal Analyst, Mary Pilecki, joined Epsilon's VP Strategic Consulting, Tamara Oliverio to talk about how marketers can leverage their customer loyalty programs to unlock invaluable zero- and first-party data. As a follow up to their conversation, we asked Mary a few key questions that can help marketers start to use their loyalty program data in unique, strategic and actionable ways to connect with customers.
Q: How can loyalty programs accelerate zero- and first-party data collection? Can you share some examples?
Pilecki: Many customers want value in exchange for sharing their personal information. Loyalty programs support this by offering some sort of currency, such as points, miles, or experiential rewards like personalized offers or early access to new products. The Forrester Analytics Consumer Technographics® Benchmark Survey, 2021, shows that after cash rewards, loyalty program points were the second highest motivation for consumers to share personal information across the US, UK, and Australia. Sparkling Ice, a US beverage product, offers its members points in exchange for completing a short personality quiz and identifies a flavor based on the results.
Q: Once the zero- or first-party data is collected, what do you see as brands’ biggest challenges for using it?
Pilecki: A key component of leveraging zero-party data is delivering relevance. In other words, the data collected should only be data used to build personalized experiences for the end customer. Brands need to ensure that the data collected does not go into the void. Rather, it should enhance the customer experience with better product recommendations or personalized offers.
Q: How does gamification play into this strategy? Can you share some examples?
Pilecki: Marketers use gamification to learn more about consumer behaviors, product affinities, and purchase intent and it’s popular. Seventy-six percent of US online adults state they are “a gamer” according to Forrester Analytics Consumer Technographics Technology, Media, And Telecom Topic Insights Survey, 2021. Kellogg’s launched an updated loyalty program in 2022 that gives tokens for performing activities like taking quizzes, uploading receipts, and watching videos. This is a mutual value exchange for both Kellogg’s, which learns more about its customers’ preferences as well as drives purchase behaviors, and the consumer, who gets a relevant gamified experience.
Q: In addition to data collection, what other strategies should loyalty marketers keep in mind to improve personalization
Pilecki: Customers shouldn’t have to tell you the same thing about themselves twice. Brands need to leverage the zero- or first-party data collected from their loyalty programs across the enterprise, but data silos often prevent other teams from tapping into those insights. Align your marketing, product, customer service, and sales teams to maximize your collected data’s impact and infuse insights across your organization.
Q: How should brands measure the success of their loyalty programs and prove ROI to stakeholders?
Pilecki: Loyalty is an outcome that has traditionally yielded customer retention, enrichment, and advocacy. The business case for loyalty involves estimating revenue and calculating any savings or efficiencies gained from the initiative. Brands are saving by reducing the amount of third-party data they buy and substituting first- and zero-party data. They should then subtract the costs — typically for technology, rewards, implementation, and ongoing operations — and multiply the result by their risk factors, such as cost overruns and missed goals. The end result will show the ROI of the loyalty initiative, which is typically less than one year.
If you're interested in learning more, watch the full webinar. Or, check out how Epsilon PeopleCloud Loyalty can help you maximize your customer loyalty program here.
---
## It's time to spring clean your CDP, and portable identity can help
Type: eps_post
URL: /its-time-to-spring-clean-your-cdp-and-portable-identity-can-help
Last Modified: 2025-10-03T14:51:40Z
# It's time to spring clean your CDP, and portable identity can help
It’s time for spring cleaning. What kind of spring cleaner are you?
Are you the kind that likes to overhaul your entire closet? Maybe rearranging the entire structure and scrapping everything that doesn’t “spark joy” in favor of moving toward total renewal? Maybe even inviting a whole team of tidying specialists to do the work?
Maybe you’re the other kind. For many, a total overhaul is just not possible—nor even desirable. Perhaps, there’s no time, money or interest to do a full metamorphosis.
Just like there are different cleaning strokes for different folks, there are likewise different customer data platform (CDP) needs: Some brands are looking for a partner who can offer an all-in-one platform, while others just need some parts replaced or added to their existing tech stack.
But there’s one component that’s needed for any CDP to function effectively: identity management and resolution. Creating the single view of the customer is the superpower of the CDP. And even if your current CDP solution doesn’t have best-in-class identity management, leveraging a partner to inject the value of its identity into your existing CDP allows you to have the best of both worlds.
Let’s discuss how improved identity is crucial for driving successful outcomes for any brand’s CDP.
The importance of identity in a CDP
Cleaning out a closet allows people to scrap old clothes that just don’t work with anything else in their wardrobe, and put together full, cohesive outfits much more easily and quickly.
Likewise, an identity strategy anchored in solid basics, like quality first-party data and consumer preference and choice, gives marketers the best foundation for supporting people-based marketing in owned and paid channels.
With better identity in your CDP, you can combine all your data, make it accessible at scale and power real-time recommendations that can be activated across customer experiences. These are the staples in a marketer’s wardrobe.
Having strong identity capabilities has always been important for brands looking to make the best use of their advertising dollars. But in a world in which third-party identifiers are increasingly deprecating, it is now a true imperative. It’s always been risky to rely on unreliable third-party identifiers, but now that they’re getting scrapped—like last season’s skirts—it’s all the more important.
And, with a strong CDP asset, you can effectively overcome data deprecation issues with your digital media campaigns: data management platforms (DMPs) as we’ve known them are effectively going away with third-party cookie deprecation, and your CDP can enable you to work in the new cookieless world to identify the correct audience and then export it to activate across digital media channels.
Stable, consistent identity solutions ensure customers can be seen and reached reliably across all their disparate devices, accounts, moves and more. Being able to recognize your customers within your CDP is a need—not a “nice-to-have”—for the modern marketing team.
Plugging portable identity into existing CDPs
While brands like Unilever significantly benefited from an all-in-one platform solution, brands looking for a plug-and-play option to power identity resolution and profile enrichment in their existing CDP can leverage portable identity solutions, like Epsilon’s CDP Identity Essentials.
It’s 2022, and many brands have CDPs and existing technology partnerships. They’re not always looking for a total overhaul. Oftentimes, it’s simply not a viable option—but they still want to get to know their customers better and optimize their identity capabilities across their existing customer data stores. Think of it as finally decluttering the years of identical Father’s Day ties in your closet.
At Epsilon we have made our CORE ID solution available to fit any sized closet. For brands needing a new CDP, Epsilon PeopleCloud Customer provides identity resolution, data management and activation across owned and digital channels. Epsilon also has a portable identity option with CDP Identity Essentials to enable brands to add stable, consistent identity to their CDP.
No excuses—it’s time to clean up your CDP
Sometimes, cleaning can feel like an all-or-nothing endeavor. But it’s important to have options based on what best fits your need. Why buy a totally new wardrobe when you can update the foundational pieces? That said, some people do need the complete overhaul or an entirely new closet, which is where a CDP platform like Epsilon PeopleCloud Customer comes in handy.
No matter what kind of CDP spring cleaner you are, there’s a way to clear out the clutter and organize your data to better understand your customers—with zero disruption.
And that’s the best spring-cleaning scenario, if I do say so myself.
This article was originally published on Adweek, May 2022.
---
## What is a Customer Loyalty Programme?
Type: eps_post
URL: /what-is-customer-loyalty-programme
Last Modified: 2026-06-05T16:38:20Z
# What is a Customer Loyalty Programme?
Customer loyalty is one of the most valuable assets a brand can build, and a customer loyalty programme is the most direct way to grow it. According to PwC's 2025 Customer Experience Survey, almost half of executives now believe their current loyalty programme will be irrelevant within three years, and 70% say customer expectations are evolving faster than their organisation can adapt. The brands pulling ahead are the ones treating loyalty not as a points scheme, but as a structured relationship that lives across every interaction a customer has with them.
This guide explains what a customer loyalty programme is, how the best ones work, and what to think about if you are building or refreshing one.
What is Customer Loyalty?
Customer loyalty is the act of repeatedly choosing a company over its competitors, recommending that company, and engaging with it over time. Loyal customers are typically more profitable too — they spend more per visit, refer more new customers, and are often more forgiving when something occasionally goes wrong.
Rewarding those engaged customers reinforces that relationship and creates the conditions for it to last. A brand-aligned customer loyalty programme is the framework for doing that consistently and at scale.
By definition, loyalty programmes recognise and reward customers who buy or engage regularly. Typically, signed-up customers collect points on a card or app, which over time leads to a reward – a discount, a free gift, exclusive access, or some kind of special treatment. The mechanics are familiar. What has changed in recent years is the quality of the data and personalisation behind them, which means a well-designed programme today can feel tailored to the individual rather than one-size-fits-all.
A good customer loyalty programme does three things at once. It identifies a brand's best customers. It captures the data needed to understand what those customers want. And it uses that understanding to deliver experiences and offers that keep them coming back.
Customer Loyalty Programmes Power Personalisation
The best schemes will use the customer’s purchase history and customer-provided data to present participants with timely and relevant offers.
For example, if a grocery customer repeatedly buys gluten-free products, discounts on a new range of gluten-free ready meals are very likely to be appreciated.
Offering free shipping or a special gift on a customer’s birthday adds a strong personal touch to the relationship for an online fashion brand.
Often, companies can grow their customer base and deliver even more compelling rewards by forming innovative partnerships with related businesses.
Loyalty programmes are also becoming more interactive. Gamification — the use of game-inspired mechanics like missions, streaks, challenges, and surprise rewards — is now a core part of how leading programmes engage members between purchases. A health and beauty brand might offer bonus points for completing a profile, leaving a review, or referring a friend, with the reward unlocking once enough points have been collected. Done well, gamification keeps the programme active in customers' minds without the brand having to rely on a constant stream of discounts.
Loyalty Leads to Better Customer Retention
For most companies, the main objective of a customer loyalty programme is to keep hold of customers. The economics matter. According to Bain & Company research, increasing customer retention rates by 5% can increase profits by 25% to 95%, depending on the industry.
Why? It’s more cost-effective for your business to retain happy customers than it is to consistently lose and acquire new ones. A survey by More than Accountants found that 4 out of 5 companies agreed that retaining loyal customers is cheaper than acquiring new prospects. Moreover, repeat customers consistently spend more per visit than new customers.
It is worth remembering that consumers are making purchasing decisions not just on price, but on shared values, on the experiences a brand offers, and on whether the brand recognises them as something more than a transaction.
Strong loyalty programmes can also generate customer referrals. In other words, if your customers enjoy the benefits of your customer loyalty programme, they’ll tell their work connections, friends and family about it. Programmes that encourage satisfied customers to publish reviews and ratings on websites and social media create authentic ambassadors for your brand too.
Email Campaigns with Muscle
In B2B, food, fashion, health and beauty, travel, hospitality and many more sectors, targeted email campaigns can supercharge sales at key times during the year.
Email campaigns work far better when they are personalised, and loyalty programmes are uniquely well placed to do that because they generate the data needed to send the right message to the right person at the right time.
It is also worth remembering that loyalty members rarely check a brand's website daily to see what offers are available. Well-timed loyalty emails are how members find out what is on, what is changing, and how much they have to gain from staying engaged.
The best campaigns tie into seasonal events — money off summer clothing in May, exclusive offers around major shopping moments, early access to new product launches — and they feel like a benefit of membership rather than another marketing message.
And no loyalty programme is complete without the birthday rewards email. It remains one of the most reliable ways to connect personally with high-value members and offer them something just for them.
Digital Tools Enhancing Loyalty Programmes
Where customer loyalty programmes once relied on physical cards, today's brands are increasingly mobile-first and contactless. Loyalty apps make it easy for members to see their points, rewards, and offers in one place, and to redeem them seamlessly across channels. Many brands still retain plastic cards alongside their apps, but the centre of gravity has clearly shifted to digital.
Technology has also lowered the barrier to entry. Brands of any size can now bring enterprise-grade loyalty programmes to market quickly, thanks to modern loyalty platforms and cloud-based software. The harder challenge is no longer the technology itself — it is connecting the loyalty data into the rest of the marketing stack so the programme can deliver on its full potential. That is where identity, integration, and measurement become as important as the programme mechanics themselves.
Which Brands Are Getting Customer Loyalty Right?
Microsoft offers a slightly different take on loyalty, less centred on points or rewards mechanics, and more on participation and experience. Through Microsoft PlayFab, the backend platform behind live-service games, brands are exploring how game-like structures can shape ongoing engagement. Rather than asking customers to collect and redeem, the focus shifts towards challenges, progression and small moments of recognition that encourage people to come back and take part again.
What makes this interesting is the origin of the tooling. PlayFab was built to retain players over weeks and months, where sustained engagement is the core design problem, not an afterthought. By designing interactions that feel more like play than marketing, brands can build a rhythm where participation becomes habit rather than a response to occasional offers. It suggests a model of loyalty that feels less transactional and more embedded in how people choose to spend their time.
Considering Your Own Loyalty Programme?
A customer loyalty programme works hardest when it sits inside a wider loyalty strategy, with identity, data, gamification, and measurement designed to work together.
Epsilon's loyalty programme ultimate guide walks through how leading brands design, run, and measure modern loyalty programmes, with practical detail on the building blocks and the trade-offs that come with them.
Read the Ultimate Guide to Customer Loyalty.
---
## Understanding the impact of the pandemic on ecommerce
Type: eps_post
URL: /understanding-the-impact-of-the-pandemic-on-ecommerce
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Understanding the impact of the pandemic on ecommerce
The pandemic has had a seismic impact on consumer behaviour across a wide range of sectors. With two years of shuttered premises and strict social distancing measures, even the most hard-to-reach demographics, such as the baby boomer generation, have been forced to pivot to ecommerce.
New research by Epsilon, in conjunction with Campaign, reveals that 78% of businesses believe this switch to online is permanent, with many respondents saying they expect ecommerce’s share of the retail market to grow even further.
So, what exactly are businesses saying? Charlotte Langley, VP of brand and communication at Bloom & Wild, told a recent Campaign-and-Epsilon-hosted debate that the online florist doubled growth expectations in 2020 as consumers tried digital for the first time.
“Shopping habits are now going back to being more mixed, but it was extraordinary,” says Langley. “There are only a few moments when you can make habits stick and we have been through one of these.”
Deeper dive. What steps have businesses taken to assist this pivot to ecommerce?
79% invested in their online offering in 2020
28.6% said they had invested “massively” in ecommerce
70% invested in digital marketing
60% say they have improved website functionality
33% have invested in staffing
“Frictionless commerce makes loyalty a burning issue online”
Epsilon Commercial Director, Ben Foulkes
What does the rise of ecommerce mean for brand loyalty?
The pandemic has introduced a new breed of online shopper to the ease of flipping between brands.
In practice this means that offline shoppers browse and engage with brands a great deal more. Online, however, consumer behaviour is completely different. The buying journey can be faster and more targeted. A prime example of this is ‘spearfishing’ shoppers who know what they want and exclude all other options.
This phenomenon is further exacerbated by websites designed to drive consumers from homepage to checkout as fast as possible, with little time to engage with brands.
63.7% of businesses told Epsilon they are confident in their ability to attract second-time customers.
The bottom line
To thrive in this new ecommerce landscape, brands must combine their performance-based mindset with a renewed focus on storytelling. This will help them to reconnect with customers in a way that builds a longer-lasting relationship.
Bloom & Wild, for example, has invested heavily in communications that connect to the emotional drivers that consumers associate with flowers, which the company describes as “a hug in the post”.
Working with a partner that can activate first-party customer data and deliver a cross-device digital ID solution will enable brands to share the right stories at the right points during individual customers’ path to purchase – no matter how complex their buying journey may be.
Armed with this information brands are able to build strong, long-term customer retention strategies and swiftly identify and leverage new customer behaviour and industry trends.
Find out more
For more insights, download Epsilon’s new report How to Sustain the New Digital Momentum.
---
## 7 reasons to start a customer loyalty programme
Type: eps_post
URL: /7-reasons-to-start-a-customer-loyalty-programme
Last Modified: 2026-07-02T14:39:09Z
# 7 reasons to start a customer loyalty programme
Customer acquisition is getting more expensive, third-party signals are disappearing, and shoppers have more choice than ever. Against that backdrop, a well-run loyalty programme has become one of the most reliable ways for consumer brands to retain their best customers and build a first-party data foundation they actually own.
TL;DR
Customer loyalty programmes give consumer brands a structured way to retain their best customers, lower the cost of repeat revenue, and build the first-party data asset that increasingly underpins effective marketing. As third-party signals decline and acquisition costs rise, a well-run loyalty programme has shifted from a nice-to-have to a strategic foundation. This post covers the seven core reasons brands invest in loyalty, and where to start once you've decided to launch.
1. Reward your best customers
A good loyalty scheme recognises the people who already choose to spend with you. Acknowledging that loyalty, whether through points, perks, tiered status, or early access, formalises the relationship and gives customers a reason to return. It also signals that the brand values them beyond a single transaction, which is often the difference between a one-off buyer and a long-term advocate.
How to think about this: identify your top 10% of customers by spend or frequency. What recognition do they currently get from your brand beyond a generic thank-you email? If the answer is "nothing different from a first-time buyer," that's your starting point.
2. Lower the cost of acquiring revenue
Retaining an existing customer is significantly cheaper than acquiring a new one, with most marketing literature citing a five-to-one ratio. A loyalty programme is one of the most direct ways to act on that economics: it gives brands a channel to talk to existing customers and trigger repeat purchases, which lifts customer lifetime value without adding to acquisition spend.
How to think about this: look at the split of your marketing budget between acquisition and retention. If acquisition is consuming 80% or more, a loyalty programme is one of the few levers that can rebalance the ratio without cutting growth.
3. Improve the customer experience
Loyalty programmes, used well, make the experience of buying from a brand feel more tailored. Sending the right message at the right time, recognising a member's status, or offering a relevant reward all build positive association with the brand.
Forrester's 2024 Customer Experience Index found that customer-obsessed organisations, those that put customer needs at the centre of leadership, strategy, and operations, report 41% faster revenue growth, 49% faster profit growth, and 51% better customer retention than their peers. A loyalty programme is one of the clearest ways to put that orientation into practice.
How to think about this: map the three to five moments where a member's experience could feel meaningfully different from a non-member's, post-purchase follow-up, replenishment timing, birthday recognition, early access. Those are the moments your programme has to earn.
4. Capture first-party data, the asset that matters most
This is the reason loyalty has moved up the agenda for many consumer brands. A programme is one of the few mechanisms that produces a rich, consented, continuously updated view of who your customers actually are and how they behave.
Members opt in, share their preferences, and give you permission to keep the relationship going. Over time, that produces a data asset the brand owns outright, covering purchase history, category affinity, channel mix, response to different offers, and the softer signals of engagement between transactions. That depth is very hard to replicate through advertising or web analytics alone.
How to think about this: audit what you currently know about your customers beyond email address and last order. If you cannot answer basic questions like average time between purchases, category preference, or channel mix for your top customers, your data foundation needs work before, or alongside, programme design.
5. Future-proof your marketing against the decline of third-party data
Because a programme creates a direct, addressable relationship with members, the brand can reach, understand, and measure a meaningful share of its customer base without relying on intermediaries whose rules can shift overnight.
That resilience shows up in several practical places. Owned channels like email, app, and SMS carry more of the workload when paid targeting weakens. Measurement holds up better because outcomes can be tied to known members rather than inferred audiences. Modelled and lookalike audiences built from a loyalty base tend to outperform those built from thinner signals, which means paid media works harder as well.
How to think about this: imagine your paid media targeting capability is cut by half tomorrow. How much of your customer base could you still reach directly through owned channels? The honest answer usually makes the case for loyalty on its own.
6. Gamification turns membership into active engagement
Points and tiers still have their place, but on their own they tend to produce passive members who collect and cash out rather than genuinely engage. Gamification is how brands move a programme from a transactional mechanic to something members actually want to spend time with, which is where the deeper behavioural data and habit formation come from.
The mechanics themselves are familiar: challenges, missions, streaks, progression, leaderboards, and shared milestones. Applied well, they reward the behaviours a brand actually cares about, not just purchases, but profile completion, reviews, referrals, repeat visits, or trying a new category. That widens what "loyalty" means and gives members more ways to feel recognised between transactions.
How to think about this: look at your current programme, or the one you're planning, and ask how a member earns recognition without spending more money. If the only lever available is transaction value, you're leaving most of the engagement, and most of the behavioural data, on the table.
7. Customer loyalty schemes provide a competitive edge
Customer loyalty schemes can provide you with a distinct advantage over your rivals.
The early success of the Clubcard scheme, for example, helped UK grocer Tesco increase its market share and develop an understanding of customers that – at the time – was unparalleled in the UK supermarket industry.
In his 2012 book, Management in 10 words, the former CEO of Tesco, Sir Terry Leahy, explained how “sales surged ahead” in the months following Clubcard’s launch in 1995.
Comparing weekly sales growth against the industry average at the time, Leahy – who was marketing director at the time – said one or two per cent on either side of the average was the norm for a mature industry like retailing, and anything more was unusual.
He added: “That morning, we were 11 per cent ahead. I knew at that moment something had changed in the industry forever, and my life along with it.”
Ready to Start Your Customer Loyalty Programme?
A loyalty programme is a substantial commitment, but the starting point is smaller than most brands assume. The first job is understanding what you already have and what a good programme would need to change.
A useful sequence looks something like this:
Audit your customer data. Establish what you know today about your best customers, and where the gaps are, before you design any mechanics.
Define the behaviours you want to reward. Purchase frequency, category expansion, advocacy, and profile completion are all valid, but they should map to your growth priorities rather than industry defaults.
Choose mechanics that fit your brand and your members. Points, tiers, partner rewards, and gamification each solve different problems. Most mature programmes combine several.
Plan for the data as much as the rewards. The programme's long-term value sits in the first-party asset it builds, so design consent, capture, and activation from day one.
Pick a platform that can evolve. Lightweight tools launch quickly but often cap out; enterprise platforms can be over-scoped. Match the platform to where you'll be in three years, not just at launch.
None of this needs to happen in a single quarter, and most brands do it in stages. What matters is committing to a direction and building the foundation properly rather than bolting a points scheme onto an existing setup and hoping it earns its keep.
Read next: Our Ultimate Guide to Customer Loyalty for a full walkthrough of programme design, mechanics, measurement, and the technology choices that sit behind a modern loyalty programme.
---
## How to sustain ecommerce growth and build loyalty post pandemic ?
Type: eps_post
URL: /how-to-sustain-ecommerce-growth-and-build-loyalty-post-pandemic
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# How to sustain ecommerce growth and build loyalty post pandemic ?
During the pandemic, brands and consumers alike have been on a complex journey of transformation, eventually emerging into markets that have been radically altered. Key to brand success in this rapidly evolving environment will be the ability to understand how customer behaviour has changed, and leveraging this information to develop new strategies to sustain digital momentum.
In a nutshell
Online channels experienced an unprecedented boost in sales as a direct result of pandemic. Ryan Thomas, Director of Client Development at Epsilon, says this change will be long lasting, although its impact is likely to be tempered by the inevitable return to a mixed model of business. “Consumer behaviour has changed as people have learned that things are done more easily online,” says Thomas. “It won’t go back to where it was, but it will slow down,” he added.
Change is the new normal for consumer behaviour
According to marketing leaders at a recent Campaign-and-Epsilon-hosted roundtable, consumer behaviour is in flux due to new megatrends such as hybrid working and the sharing economy. Digital advertising and consumer acquisition has to catch up and adapt to these rapidly evolving consumer needs.
Sustaining the digital momentum
Brands that invested heavily in digital during the pandemic significantly accelerated their transformation journey. Research by Epsilon, in conjunction with Campaign, shows how keen they now are to protect those gains.
54.7% of respondents feel under pressure to earn enough online revenue to justify the investment in their ecommerce channels.
66.6% feel under pressure to exceed or equal revenues generated during the height of the pandemic, when nearly half (48.7%) had exceeded forecast customer figures.
Deep dive – How Dunelm is sustaining growth
Home furnishings retailer, Dunelm, switched to online swiftly during the pandemic, benefiting from consumers’ new home-centred buying habits. The firm’s strategy was to focus on community rather than commerce across the business, especially in its customer messaging.
Post pandemic the retailer is attempting to replicate its friendly in-store customer service across its ecommerce channels. One example is Dunelm’s evergreen content, such as click-and-collect emails and notifications, which is empathetic to customer-led journeys.
“We were in the home sector when home was the most important place to be. We went from bricks-and-clicks to pure play for large parts of the time because stores were closed.” – Jemma Williams, Dunelm’s director of brands and marketing.
The bottom line
Here are four strategies brands can use to maintain online growth:
Leverage first-party data – The ecommerce boom has elevated the importance of first-party customer data. To be successful in this area, brands must ensure they offer a value exchange that goes beyond functional benefit and this must be clearly communicated to customers.
Build customer loyalty – Growing real loyalty-driven incremental value is more profitable than only focusing on customer acquisition. In world of frictionless ecommerce this can be achieved best through brand storytelling.
Replace cookies – First-party data is a great alternative to cookies, but brands must not overlook other sources of data. Every brand’s website is a data mine of signals but most are using about two percent of it.
Deliver content of real value – Customer data should be used to create content that resonates with the individual and is delivered at the perfect points along the customer journey.
Find out more
For more insights download Epsilon’s new report How to Sustain the New Digital Momentum.
---
## 10 Ways to Get Customers to Sign Up for Your Loyalty Programme
Type: eps_post
URL: /10-ways-to-get-customers-to-sign-up-for-your-loyalty-programme
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# 10 Ways to Get Customers to Sign Up for Your Loyalty Programme
A customer loyalty programme is a tried and tested way to keep your customers and reward their commitment to your brand.
Once you have people signed up, your slick personalized marketing can start to work its magic. But first, you need to attract and win subscribers to your customer loyalty programme. You also need a simple, yet robust sign-up process to make sure new members aren’t deterred from taking part.
This needn’t be a challenge. There are plenty of techniques and tools that will help your loyalty programme get noticed and begin delivering value.
Starbucks arguably has the most successful customer loyalty programme on the planet. Its slick sign-up procedure means that as of October 2021 it boasted nearly 25 million members and represents 53% of customers’ in-store spending.
10 Ways to Encourage Customers to Join Your Loyalty Programme
Start with brilliant branding
Promote your customer loyalty programme online and offline
Harness social media to extend your reach
Present a seamless customer experience
Motivate with up-front incentives
Be playful and creative
Use QR codes with care
Make your rewards appealing
Incentivize with a bonus point event
Improve with customer feedback
1. Start with Brilliant Branding
Brand your customer loyalty programme with consistency, confidence and flair. Make sure the design elements are a natural extension of the rest of your brand.
If customers love the branding style and ethos of your business, the loyalty programme must match that brand personality.
Make sure the loyalty section on your website, landing page or loyalty app, reflects the essence of the brand.
Marketing leaflets, loyalty points cards, and emails must carry the same branding, and messaging tone and style too.
To be on-brand, choose colours, images, and icons that speak directly to the over-arching brand experience.
2. Promote Your Customer Loyalty Programme Online and Offline
How will your customers hear about the fantastic loyalty programme you offer? Promotion is extremely important if you want to enjoy more loyalty programme sign-ups.
Businesses with a physical presence, for example, a store, restaurant or beauty salon chain, can make use of point-of-sale materials. On-site employees can interact with customers and encourage sign-up.
But there are also creative ways to promote a contactless loyalty programme, via the corporate website and email. Contactless sign-up online can be quick and easy.
Offering a customer loyalty programme across several sales channels can pose problems. However, for those that succeed, the benefits go way beyond simply enabling the customer to use points or vouchers across every channel.
A channel-agnostic loyalty scheme helps retailers and brands pursue a data-driven marketing strategy. They can collect and use the information to make better marketing decisions and personalize experiences. Ultimately this will deliver greater revenue across all channels.
3. Present a Seamless Customer Experience
Technology is taking customer loyalty programmes to higher levels today. Apps allow points to be updated automatically for example, and rewards alerts can be sent straight to members’ smartphones or email inboxes.
But before users can see these benefits, the sign-up process needs to be easy and streamlined.
A complicated or long-winded sign-up process will drive away customers in a flash. Create a simple-to-use and engaging loyalty programme that will keep them returning to you.
The best way to do this is through regular prompts to sign up, and simplified formats such as autofill for setting up personal details and preferences.
4. Harness Social Media to Extend Your Reach
The Covid-19 pandemic forced a major shift towards digital, and many businesses are re-evaluating how to use social media to grow customer loyalty.
Today social channels are an important touchpoint that brands can use to engage with customers and create an omnichannel experience that drives loyalty.
Promoting a digital loyalty app via Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, TikTok or YouTube has proved successful for many brands targeting Gen Z and Millennials.
Marketers are learning that inviting people to create and share on social channels is an effective way to build engagement and spread news of loyalty programme perks and opportunities.
5. Motivate with Up-Front Incentives
A great way to kick-start your rewards programme is by offering customers welcome points or an immediate discount at the point of signing up. A loyalty programme launch is very likely to succeed with an upfront incentive that’s simply too tempting for customers to say no to.
For example, it could be 250 loyalty points for joining a menswear loyalty programme, a half-price pizza deal in an Italian restaurant, or free shipping for an online lingerie order with a loyalty sign-up.
Rewarding customers for completing a simple task like signing up is an ideal way to provide them with an instant value that boosts the overall appeal of the programme.
Offering welcome loyalty points helps customers towards earning their first reward. When customers see themselves earning rewards after just one purchase, they’re far more likely to sign up for the programme.
6. Be Playful and Creative with Your Customer Loyalty Programme
Bland or generic customer loyalty programmes aren’t likely to generate excitement and interest. The most eye-catching examples tend to be those designed to be playful, clever, and memorable.
Customers are more likely to sign up if they are inspired by the originality and creativity of the points and rewards scheme. With the right tools, you can customize a programme so that every interactive element is on-brand and looks incredible.
There are ample opportunities for marketers to dream up loyalty programme ideas that reflect the products or services in question. Designs for points. Points names might be hearts, stars, or flowers, depending on the nature of the company.
Even the smallest details can make a huge difference in making your rewards programme an enticing and inviting community worth joining.
7. Use QR Codes with Care
While QR codes provide a valuable bridge between physical and digital environments, they do need to be used carefully.
They are widely deployed in stores, restaurants and on printed receipts to be scanned with a smartphone for easy access to a customer loyalty programme. QR codes are popular with marketers as they’re relatively easy and cost-effective to implement.
Consumers are increasingly comfortable scanning QR codes to enhance their experience of a brand. However, experts warn there can be issues with some customers not fully understanding how they work, or QR codes failing to deliver what is promised.
To remedy this, brands should first consider their target audience’s comfort with scanning QR codes. They should also clearly instruct consumers on how to scan the codes and communicate the value of scanning.
Designers, the marketing team, sales, and merchandisers must work collaboratively to ensure the QR code works in the desired way.
8. Make Your Customer Loyalty Rewards Appealing
This might sound obvious but understanding what your customers want and expect from your programme is a vital element of building the rewards experience and achieving high sign-up rates.
Research and data analysis will reveal what kind of rewards and incentives are most likely to attract loyalty programme members and keep them active on the scheme.
Some brands find that their customers are simply interested in discounts on future purchases, while others are hoping for experiential benefits, such as invitations to events or access to exclusive merchandise.
The important thing is understanding what your customers are looking for.
9. Incentivise with a Bonus-Point Event
In so many cases, loyalty programmes are loved by customers because they offer real value. Few of us want to miss out on a great deal, so running bonus-point events can be a smart marketing move.
One option might be to offer ‘happy hour’ shopping events where you award double the points to loyalty programme members. ‘FOMO’ – fear of missing out on a good deal – will encourage new members to join.
Bonus points give customers the necessary motivation to complete purchases they might have been considering and join your loyalty programme to reap the rewards.
And bonus points events also reward current members for their ongoing brand loyalty.
10. Improve Your Customer Loyalty Programme with Feedback
What if your loyalty programme sign-up process has flaws? It might take too long to register, or there could be technical glitches with saving loyalty points, which customers will find disappointing. It’s important to spot these issues early, and remedy problems before valued customers get frustrated and abandon sign-up or quit the programme.
Gathering feedback will help you nip problems in the bud. You can provide channels for feedback using social media, via a loyalty app, or with an email communication.
Opinions and reviews can be helpful in different ways. Some opinions can be potential reasons for customers leaving in the future, or they could be feedback from experienced users on how to improve the customer loyalty programme.
Brands such as Nike and Levi’s respond quickly via Twitter, for example, as soon as customer feedback is received.
Ready to Start Your Customer Loyalty Programme?
Successful customer loyalty programmes are a win-win for brands and consumers. They stimulate recurring revenue while delighting customers with perks and rewards.
According to data from Forrest Research, it costs five times as much to acquire new customers than it does to keep current ones. If you get loyalty programme sign-up right, your bottom line, as well as your biggest fans, are sure to benefit.
Now that you have a better understanding of what goes into getting customers to sign up for a Loyalty Programme, what should you do next?
Check out our comprehensive "Loyalty Programme Guide" by clicking the link below. With this comprehensive guide, you'll learn everything you need to know to start, grow, and measure your customer loyalty scheme.
Continue Learning About Loyalty Programmes
How Much Does A Loyalty Programme Cost?
How to Choose Loyalty Programme Software
Mistakes to Avoid When Building a Loyalty Programme
{{cta('50fe76f9-d840-45de-8c12-5247148e7c0e')}}
---
## How Gen Z influences older generations
Type: eps_post
URL: /how-gen-z-influences-older-generations
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T22:17:52Z
# How Gen Z influences older generations
Generation Z – those born between the mid-90s and the early 2000s – have been a hot topic for marketers over the past few years. They are the first generation to be complete digital natives. They are judged for always having their faces in their phones. And just like every generation seems to be, they are lumped together, often with less than positive labels assigned to them.
Is it fair? Maybe. Maybe not. Is there more to the story? Always.
The challenge with generational assumptions
The challenge with making generational claims is that nothing ever happens in isolation. You can learn a lot about a singular generation on its own, exploring what happens within that group and across that group to identify trends and outliers.
But you can’t see influence, or what happens as groups interact and learn from each other. So this year, we set out to look across generations. Using Epsilon’s proprietary transactional data and Shopper’s Voice® survey, we examined the 12-month spend of 85 million U.S. consumers across generations and then asked 3,000+ people about their preferences.
The findings became our cross-generational report, Age matters: A guide to cross-generational marketing. The research aims to help marketers understand similarities and differences across generations, including actual spend behaviors. But one of the key things we saw was just how influential Gen Z is on older generations. Let’s explore.
How Generation Z influences older generations
Generation Z has the power to influence other generations. Put another way, younger generations’ thinking and adoption of technology filters through to their parents, and maybe even to their grandparents.
Influence relates to education and exposure. If a Gen Zer is in the household, they both educate and expose their parents and grandparents to their way of life. This exposure is generally not happening without the Gen Z in the home.
Here are two findings from the research to outline the influence Gen Z has around technology behaviors and channel preferences. Check out the full report for more on how Gen Z influences social media use and loyalty.
Technology preferences and behaviors:
Channel preferences:
How to put this into action
We now know that Gen Z has the power to influence older generations, including acceleration of technology adoption, strengthened brand loyalty and increased purchase activity. The not-so-easy part is figuring out how to turn that insight into action. Rather than thinking about generations in isolation, we need to think cross-generationally.
Here are three tips to bring cross-generational insights to your marketing efforts:
Use complete data to understand households. Look at attributes like family composition, presence of children and number of generations in the household to understand generational influence among your audience. While the bulk of spending power resides with Gen X and boomers, having kids in the household can greatly influence how that money is spent.
Adopt a tech-forward approach with every generation. Don’t assume that tech adoption is limited to younger generations. When Gen Z are in the household, Gen X and boomers can handle tech-based promotions and campaigns. This also applies across channels: older adults with young kids use channels outside their generational norm.
Don’t market to a single generation. Focus on who’s in the household. Don’t just tailor your messages to just the kids or the parents, instead use multichannel techniques to reach each group with the messages that matter to them.
To learn more about how generations spend and behave and how to start thinking more cross-generationally in your marketing efforts, check out the full research report.
---
## Love is blind—but your marketing doesn’t have to be
Type: eps_post
URL: /love-is-blind-identity
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Love is blind—but your marketing doesn’t have to be
Do you know how to make your customers fall in love?
Well, maybe not love. Marketers are constantly figuring out the best way to get their products in the hands of consumers, whether they're new or regular customers. And while falling in love can be a lot more complicated than driving the right engagement for conversion, the principle is very similar.
In recent weeks, we saw the finales for two shows all about love: Netflix's hit Love is Blind, which brings together strangers who get to know one another without ever meeting face-to-face, and ABC's staple The Bachelor, where several contestants vie for the love of one lucky man or woman. Reality shows like these are founded on the premise that human connection is partly based on looks, but more based on a series of compatible personality traits.
Using key characteristics, experts (see: producers) help couples find love with one another, and viewers predict who will make it to the bitter end. But as we all know, these relationships are not always built to last (I was rooting for you and Hannah Brown, Pilot Pete).
Similarly, marketers struggle with this too. Finding prospective customers can feel a little bit like finding the perfect love match. Not only does a product need to be good, the messages around that product and the ability to reach people who might prefer that product are integral to its success. Marketers need to have strong indicators for potential customers before they try to woo them. And if they do it incorrectly—or inconsistently—they set themselves to be in Shaina, Shayne and Natalie territory.
Here for the right reasons
Right now, most marketers rely on some form of audience segmentation to define who their potential customers are. This isn't necessarily a bad form: You're looking at customers based on who you think they are, and, more than likely, some of those assumptions are correct.
But what if you knew with certainty who your customer was, and, conversely, what if you could look for similar people like them to target as prospects?
Picture this: I match with a guy on Tinder. He has a golden retriever, an athletic build, likes long walks on the beach (aww) and works in finance. Based on other men I've met with similar interests, I assume he likes baseball. Except he hates baseball. He hates all sports, actually. So much so that my first message to him ("Let's go to a Cubs game!") is greeted with an immediate rejection.
For marketers, these types of assumptions happen with audience segmentation. Sure, some guys that match my ideal dating profile might like sports, but what if some don't? Then my opening line doesn't work at all, and I've wasted my time and theirs.
But marketing isn't like Tinder, thank goodness. With data activation, we don't have to rely on vague segmentation. We can activate digital media campaigns on a 1:1 level. You can know and market to people not by segments, but by knowing they don't like baseball and maybe actually prefer ballet. It's marketing without assumptions; you can stop guessing who your customers are and simply know what will resonate with them most.
One in a million
How does all this work?
Privacy-compliant consumer profiles--bolstered by first-party data--demystify the prospecting process. Recognizing existing customer behavior on a granular level, both online and offline, makes it easier to uncover new trends and reach other consumers like them. Coupled with AI, modeling and audience activation becomes even more effective as it reads signals across all customers and prospects. And even as their preferences change, data that continuously learns from new signals and inputs tell you what each person needs today and what they might need tomorrow--at scale.
Epsilon PeopleCloud lets marketers anticipate those signals and activate on them--meaning you can reach millions of people at the moment they're most likely to act across all channels and devices.
Matchmaking can be hard—especially for the people competing on The Bachelor and The Bachelorette—but marketing doesn't have to be. Don't let customers slip out of your hands because you don't know enough to entice them.
---
## Q&A with Forrester's Mary Pilecki: How loyalty marketers can unlock their zero- and first-party data
Type: eps_post
URL: /qa-with-forresters-mary-pilecki-how-loyalty-marketers-can-unlock-their-zero-and-first-party-data
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Q&A with Forrester's Mary Pilecki: How loyalty marketers can unlock their zero- and first-party data
Recently, Forrester's VP Principal Analyst, Mary Pilecki, joined Epsilon's VP Strategic Consulting, Tamara Oliverio to talk about how marketers can leverage their customer loyalty programs to unlock invaluable zero- and first-party data. As a follow up to their conversation, we asked Mary a few key questions that can help marketers start to use their loyalty program data in unique, strategic and actionable ways to connect with customers.
Q: How can loyalty programs accelerate zero- and first-party data collection? Can you share some examples?
Pilecki: Many customers want value in exchange for sharing their personal information. Loyalty programs support this by offering some sort of currency, such as points, miles, or experiential rewards like personalized offers or early access to new products. The Forrester Analytics Consumer Technographics® Benchmark Survey, 2021, shows that after cash rewards, loyalty program points were the second highest motivation for consumers to share personal information across the US, UK, and Australia. Sparkling Ice, a US beverage product, offers its members points in exchange for completing a short personality quiz and identifies a flavor based on the results.
Q: Once the zero- or first-party data is collected, what do you see as brands’ biggest challenges for using it?
Pilecki: A key component of leveraging zero-party data is delivering relevance. In other words, the data collected should only be data used to build personalized experiences for the end customer. Brands need to ensure that the data collected does not go into the void. Rather, it should enhance the customer experience with better product recommendations or personalized offers.
Q: How does gamification play into this strategy? Can you share some examples?
Pilecki: Marketers use gamification to learn more about consumer behaviors, product affinities, and purchase intent and it’s popular. Seventy-six percent of US online adults state they are “a gamer” according to Forrester Analytics Consumer Technographics Technology, Media, And Telecom Topic Insights Survey, 2021. Kellogg’s launched an updated loyalty program in 2022 that gives tokens for performing activities like taking quizzes, uploading receipts, and watching videos. This is a mutual value exchange for both Kellogg’s, which learns more about its customers’ preferences as well as drives purchase behaviors, and the consumer, who gets a relevant gamified experience.
Q: In addition to data collection, what other strategies should loyalty marketers keep in mind to improve personalization
Pilecki: Customers shouldn’t have to tell you the same thing about themselves twice. Brands need to leverage the zero- or first-party data collected from their loyalty programs across the enterprise, but data silos often prevent other teams from tapping into those insights. Align your marketing, product, customer service, and sales teams to maximize your collected data’s impact and infuse insights across your organization.
Q: How should brands measure the success of their loyalty programs and prove ROI to stakeholders?
Pilecki:Loyalty is an outcome that has traditionally yielded customer retention, enrichment, and advocacy. The business case for loyalty involves estimating revenue and calculating any savings or efficiencies gained from the initiative. Brands are saving by reducing the amount of third-party data they buy and substituting first- and zero-party data. They should then subtract the costs — typically for technology, rewards, implementation, and ongoing operations — and multiply the result by their risk factors, such as cost overruns and missed goals. The end result will show the ROI of the loyalty initiative, which is typically less than one year.
If you're interested in learning more, watch the full webinar. Or, check out how Epsilon PeopleCloud Loyalty can help you maximize your customer loyalty program here.
---
## Digiday assesses the top 10 ID alternatives
Type: eps_post
URL: /digiday-top-id-alternatives
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T22:16:49Z
# Digiday assesses the top 10 ID alternatives
Without third-party identifiers (like cookies), we've all come to recognize that connected identity is the current and future backbone of digital marketing. But in a landscape with many players (some old, some new) and technology (also some old, some new), how do you know who has the best identity solution?
Digiday stepped in to help. In a new Digiday+ research piece, “A guide to the top ID alternatives for publishers,” Digiday looks at the major identity solutions in the market and “breaks down the key characteristics of each of the leading IDs and maps out their ideal use cases.”
Epsilon’s CORE ID was the only one to use all nine identifiers in Digiday’s criteria. While the assessment is not a stack ranking of identity solutions, Digiday assessed them across all potential identifiers used, and for reference, the next-highest solution only uses five of the nine.
This shows just how comprehensive Epsilon’s CORE ID is, and how much more you get by working with us.
Who is in the Digiday report?
The guide focuses on identity solutions for publishers, but “publishers” are what make up the entire internet—they’re everything you read online and every app you download. Which means Digiday’s assessment can be applied to any brand or publisher that needs a reliable way to reach people in a world without prevalent third-party identifiers.
In the full report, Digiday assesses the following identity solutions (in alphabetical order):
Connect ID (Yahoo)
CORE ID (Epsilon)
Fabrick ID (Neustar)
ID5 ID (ID5)
nonID (LiveIntent)
Panorama ID (Lotame)
Ramp ID (LiveRamp)
SharedID (Prebid)
SWID (51Degrees)
Unified ID 2.0 (The Trade Desk)
And they show what identifiers each solution incorporates across the nine most common ways to identify consumers, which is where Epsilon stands out as the only identity solution that incorporates and connects all of them:
Email
Phone number
Name
Postal address
IP address
Browser activity
Device data
First-party cookies
Third-party cookies
Why are all of these identifiers important?
Why does Epsilon go through all the work to use nine identifiers when the next-best option only usesfive? Well, each of these identifiers help to ensure persistent, not duplicated, privacy-safe connections with real people over time. Without all of them, you’re simply not getting the best of the best in identity resolution, and here’s why:
Email, phone number, name and postal address allow you to know the offline person.
Truly knowing a person requires having a name and address connected to that individual, which is how we anchor CORE ID.
In the Digiday report, you can see that competitors make an email address the foundation of their identity solution, and then append data to that profile. This is problematic because many people have multiple email addresses.
With CORE ID, we typically see an average of 5 email addresses associated with a single individual. We use email addresses to strengthen matches during onboarding, but it’s just one of many data points used to inform each CORE ID.
IP address, browser activity, device data, first-party cookies and third-party cookies all connect the person to digital signals.
Once we have the offline identity established, we can appropriately connect digital signals to that foundation.
In a post-cookie world, you’re going to need all digital signals to identify real, relevant consumer activity online.
Our first-party integrations with publishers are critical to connecting online activity to our CORE IDs.
What’s more, each brand client can connect their own first-party data to their instance of CORE ID, allowing them to benefit from all our identifiers plus their own data without ever sharing or comingling their data with other client data that uses CORE ID.
With all of these factors, we’ve already been delivering people-based marketing in the cookieless world on Apple and will be able to in Google’s future state.
Digiday also called out what makes CORE ID unique, which has a special nod to our persistent opt-out policy to ensure we always respect consumer preferences: “An offline name and address is the basis of CORE ID. And once a user opts out on one device, they are opted out on all devices, making user consent a dominant factor.”
What do you get by working with Epsilon?
A dynamic (not static) view of each person:People aren’t static—they’re dynamic, and your marketing should be too. Those first-party publisher integrations we just mentioned? They leverage real-time data about the individual that connects to the CORE ID. Yes, some of the other solutions in Digiday’s assessment use similar digital signals, but many reference historic (a nice way of saying “outdated”) information versus real-time, which not only creates annoying experiences for the consumer because it’s referencing information that is no longer relevant to them, but it’s also wasting your brand’s ad dollars.
More opportunities to reach consumers:One of Digiday’s callouts was CORE ID’s full-service activation through our digital media solutions and how that enables us to consistently reach consumers.With this approach, the brands we work with get 2-3x more reach when activating their customer files than they get from other identity solutions—that’s a lot more people and a lot more matches.
Persistent and built to last:Identity solutions need to build today for the future, but far too many partners just started building for today about 2.5 years ago when Google said they were getting rid of third-party cookies (yikes…). At Epsilon, we’ve been building this solution since 2012. And because we anchor across multiple data sources, we can recognize and reach consumers both online and offline, and we won’t lose them even as third-party identifiers go away.
Want to learn more?
We talk about this topic a lot (it’s a pretty big deal). Check out these other resources to learn more about Epsilon’s approach to identity and what others have to say:
Forrester’s Q1 2021 Wave on Customer Database and Engagement Agencies, where Epsilon was named a leader with the top score in the “current offering” category and the highest scores possible in 20 of the evaluation’s 29 criteria.
Our SVP of product sharing the 6 ingredients to create a fully baked identity strategy with Adweek.
Forrester’s 2020 Now Tech report on Identity Resolution providers, where Epsilon was the only partner to be categorized in all four primary functionality segments of identity resolution (first-person PII identity, onboarding, embedded digital identity and digital identity).
We also get that this topic can be super technical. For some fun, easy-to-understand ways to think about identity solutions, see what the new Spider-Man movie can teach us about identity resolution, or get a zombie’s take on how brands “just don’t seem to understand” how to talk to him since he was zombified (becausethey’re only using historical information).
And check out our website for more information on Epsilon's CORE ID.
---
## Direct Mail for Online Retailers
Type: eps_post
URL: /directmailforonlineretailers
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Direct Mail for Online Retailers
When print dominated, the catalogue was king. Visually stimulating, personalised, targeted and response-orientated, it was a real sales-generating channel. With the rise of digital, online is now dominant. A targeted medium, where success can be gauged instantly, personalised offers dynamically created, campaigns optimised easily and buying made simple.
Today there’s an interesting dynamic – pure play retailers adopting a mailed catalogue to expand their routes to market. While it’s impossible for retailers to ignore online, pure-play businesses are realising they can’t ignore the catalogue.
Any marketing strategy starts with the audience, then the message. Then a plan is built around which channels are needed to reach it. Audiences may be ‘digital-first’ but true omni-channel marketing means you can’t be ‘digital-only’. Online is critical but pure plays are recognising that by ignoring other channels, they are limiting their potential opportunities.
An omnichannel strategy is different from a multichannel strategy because while multichannel means that a brand is present on different channels, each of these channels are operated in silos, leading to an inconsistent customer experience.
Having an omnichannel strategy in place has multiple benefits. For customers, a brand that provides a seamless experience across channels will always be preferred to one that doesn’t.
Customers will keep going back to brands which offer convenience, ease of use, consistent communication and efficient and personalised service. This boosts brand loyalty and helps a brand turn customers into brand ambassadors and advocates who will promote the brand publicly.
Delivering true engagement
Today, catalogues are sophisticated vehicles. They balance creativity with insight and targeting and actually bring a brand to life.
While attention and engagement are key online metrics, a physical catalogue delivers these effectively. It offers a tangible brand experience, drawing people in and telling a story. Layout, size, imagery, paper quality all reflect a brand’s positioning. A catalogue can create an emotional connection, delivering a level of engagement that can’t be replicated by an app or website.
Catalogues also expose people to new things. While online search directs you to what you want to find, a catalogue can be a true source of discovery, introducing you to things you didn’t know about.
In an omnichannel environment, a catalogue impacts both online and offline. It unifies multiple channels, driving sales by putting the customer at the centre. Its overall value in supporting sales and branding is increasingly recognised. This is leading to a renaissance of the printed catalogue, as more online retailers integrate it into their overall strategy.
If you’re looking to explore the value a catalogue can bring to your business, please get in touch enquiriesuk@epsilon.com
---
## How Much Does a Customer Loyalty Programme Cost to Implement?
Type: eps_post
URL: /how-much-does-a-customer-loyalty-programme-cost-to-implement
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# How Much Does a Customer Loyalty Programme Cost to Implement?
There is no set fee to put in place for a customer loyalty programme. The price you pay will depend on the scale of the scheme and your specific requirements. Also, how you choose to operate it for your audience will also affect cost. However, there are always common cost centres to consider.
In this article, we will discuss the five key investment areas to consider when setting up your customer loyalty scheme. Balancing the economics with what the customer wants is "the holy grail" with loyalty scheme development. That is according to Jess Huang, a former director in Google’s small to medium-sized business advertising division.
She said: “It’s tough because you have to spend to offer something compelling that creates value for consumers. But if you spend too much on the business-economics side, you can quickly lose a ton of money.”
Huang, a partner at McKinsey & Co at the time of her comments, said do not waste money on factors that do not enhance your specific objectives.
She advised that a good loyalty programme will identify features and benefits valued by consumers that come at a small business cost. If you can find this balance, it presents a good starting point in the development of your loyalty scheme.
Epsilon, for example, has unparalleled experience and expertise when it come to providing loyalty programmes with a compelling return on investment. We share more than 4 billion campaign messages every month with more than 600 million loyalty customers, on behalf of companies of all sizes building incremental value.
Through our Epsilon PeopleCloud Loyalty Platform, we ensure brands stay in touch with their customers’ unique preferences and purchases, so brands know what messages to share, when to share them, and what to offer to earn customers’ purchases to retain their loyalty.
Initial Set-Up Costs of a Customer Loyalty Programme
McKinsey has previously estimated the first-year costs for large organisations to establish a programme at circa $30 million. But things are different today, and the costs differ depending on what you want it to achieve.
Loyalty scheme providers offer a range of price points and payment structures. This enables you to develop a programme that meets your specific budget and requirements.
The set-up cost will reflect the sophistication of the software you choose to build a loyalty scheme on. The capability of a third-party loyalty company’s technology and the additional services they provide also have an impact.
Ongoing Maintenance and People Costs
There will be ongoing operational costs to running a customer loyalty programme.
For example, the success of a scheme can lead to further expenditure. That includes investment in people to manage the data and opportunities it generates.
Clive Humby, Terry Hunt, and Tim Phillips addressed much of this in their book 'Scoring Points: How Tesco is Winning Customer Loyalty'. The publication looks at how Tesco’s Clubcard grew into one of the most successful loyalty programmes. The authors wrote that “new knowledge means new skills, new ways of planning and working.”
Marketing teams often split roles by brand, product and channel. But a loyalty programme will mean they become inundated with new customer information. If they are good at their jobs, they change the way they work. With new data, a fresh marketing approach may entail targeting consumers and sub-groups based on the previous behaviour. Data from loyalty schemes allows for more personalised communications.
To act on this requires investment in customer relationship management personnel and systems. More recruitment activity to find data analysts, heads of insight, and other specialist job roles may also be necessary. Indeed, a fast-growing loyalty programme will need a whole team of people. This will ensure an organisation optimises all the benefits arising from the scheme.
In this scenario, you will need to include salaries, recruitment fees, and related operational costs when costing up a scheme.
For big businesses, where the loyalty schemes become a central cog in how the organisation runs, training will need to improve. All staff will require training on the different features of the programme. The learning will include the benefits it brings to the organisation, and how to promote it to customers at every opportunity.
In addition to the costs associated with building a loyalty programme, there are fees required to store and protect the data of members.
On 25 May 2018, the EU General Data Protection Regulation (GPDR) came into effect. It contains rules on processing people’s personal information. Any customer loyalty scheme will involve holding personal data, meaning you must make the relevant investments to protect that information. Members will also need to access their own data when they request it.
Marketing the Scheme
Word of mouth and customer-facing staff will help market a loyalty programme. But to truly grow a loyalty programme, significant investment is required to market these schemes to the general public.
Multichannel marketing is the modern way of spreading a message to the masses. That means the cost of implementing a customer loyalty scheme will likely include fees for one or more of the following:
out-of-home advertising
television and radio advertising
printed material in newspapers, magazines, on leaflets, and through direct mail
email marketing and web banner ads
pay per click activity
social media marketing, including paid social and in-house campaigns
In February 2022, restaurant chain Pizza Express launched its first customer loyalty programme. The Pizza Express Club promises to reward consumers with points for every meal bought.
Pizza Express launched the new programme via a television advertising campaign. The adverts featured the voice of comedian and Peep Show actor, David Mitchell. Your business plan must build in the costs associated with celebrities and influencers in the promotion of a loyalty scheme.
The Customer Rebate
Loyalty programmes offer various deals and promotions.
The Tesco Clubcard Plus scheme provides discounts to members. Sainsbury’s Nectar or Boots Advantage Card allow members to exchange points for goods offered. But all schemes generate a customer rebate cost.
If you are looking to run a loyalty programme, you must ensure the value of the loyalty achieved covers the cost of the ongoing customer rebate.
Often schemes will be tweaked over time as the benefits they offer become a challenge for the business to afford. Waitrose’s loyalty scheme began with free coffee and free newspapers for members. But various revamps of the programme have removed these benefits for customers.
The supermarket chain offered a free newspaper when MyWaitrose members spent £10 but that deal ended on 22 February 2022. The decision to remove the deal coincided with a period of cost-cutting by the retailer’s parent organisation, The John Lewis Partnership.
Huang said it is important to have “a good internal understanding of what value you’re willing to give away and to whom.” The value proposition will differ for each type of consumer, she explained. She advised designing tiers within the scheme and not giving away everything to everyone.
Addressing these factors will help balance the customer proposition with business economics.
Consider the Cost of Not Implementing a Customer Loyalty Programme
If you are still uncertain if a customer loyalty programme is for you, a key question to consider is what will be the cost of not implementing a loyalty scheme?
That is when the true value of an investment becomes clear.
Tried and trusted digital advertising techniques are becoming more difficult to put in place. That is because the big ecosystem players have tightened up their strategies in the name of greater privacy on the web.
In the future, it will be more challenging if you rely on targeted marketing via third-party platforms to communicate your message. To grow, businesses will need more first-party data because it gives them greater power when choosing how to communicate with customers.
Mechanisms such as loyalty programmes enable this collection and optimisation of first-party data.
And what is more, loyalty members spend three times more than non-members. Think of the additional revenue you are missing by not having a customer loyalty programme. Think about the speed you could recoup loyalty scheme costs by increasing the average spending of your customers.
In a competitive world of commerce, the cost of inaction is a crucial metric to contemplate. That is true of retail, e-commerce, travel, quick-service restaurants, and finance.
Is a Customer Loyalty Programme Right for You?
Businesses cannot rush budgeting, researching, and scoping out a customer loyalty programme. You should make sure the investment you plan to make is suitable for your individual organisation’s needs. The partners you are working with also need to be a good match for your organisation.
But as you undertake your cost analysis, you should remember the following:
Plan for upfront and ongoing costs. A good customer loyalty programme will need continual investment
Prepare to invest more money – and in new areas – as the loyalty scheme gains traction
Always balance the customer proposition with business economics
The cost of not investing must be a consideration.
Customer loyalty programmes bring many benefits, but there are several layers of costs involved in designing a scheme.
The most successful loyalty schemes will continue to evolve and bring new costs. Organisations considering the common cost centres from the outset are best placed to build the best schemes.
Now that you have a better understanding of how much a loyalty programme costs to implement, what should you do next?
Check out our comprehensive "Loyalty Programme Guide" by clicking the link below. With this comprehensive guide, you'll learn everything you need to know to start, grow, and measure your customer loyalty scheme.
Learn More About Loyalty Programmes
Definition of a Loyalty Programme
How to Measure a Loyalty Programme's Success
Tips for Implementing a Successful Loyalty Programme
{{cta('50fe76f9-d840-45de-8c12-5247148e7c0e')}}
---
## How Loyalty Programmes Can Plug the Cookie Data Gap ?
Type: eps_post
URL: /how-loyalty-programmes-can-plug-the-cookie-data-gap
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T22:17:52Z
# How Loyalty Programmes Can Plug the Cookie Data Gap ?
The customer’s path to purchase has evolved faster than ever in recent years, as a direct result of the pandemic. Consumers are increasingly browsing, researching and buying products online and blending this activity with their in-store actions.
As pointed out by Joseph Taylor, Epsilon’s Senior Vice President of Strategic Operations, in the latest Let’s Talk Loyalty podcast, brands are increasingly relying on digital identifiers, such as cookies, to join up the dots between online customer touchpoints. This involves attempting to identify and track customers who use multiple browsers and devices during their buying journey.
Listen to the latest episode of Epsilon’s podcast Let’s Talk Loyalty for more innovative ways to leverage loyalty programme data.
The challenge in a nutshell
Cookies have always been flawed because they identify devices rather than individual consumers. Very soon, however, even this second-best solution will no longer be available, because major browsers such as Google Chrome and tech giants such as Apple are phasing out digital identifiers from their platforms.
Deeper dive
Marketers that are still reliant on cookies need to change their approach fast, or risk losing sight of customer behaviour online. It is critical that brands:
Address their own identity data infrastructure weaknesses
Ensure their first-party data is well organised and unified across company divisions
Ensure first-party data can be relied upon to help deliver market-leading customer insight and personalisation in a post-cookie world.
How can loyalty programmes help?
If you are starting from scratch, the process of plugging the cookie data gap can pose a massive and potentially expensive challenge for any company. However, many organisations may already have an existing store of high-quality GDPR-compliant customer data, generated by their loyalty programme.
“Smart organisations will recognise that loyalty programs are a source of rich customer insight.” Joseph Taylor, Epsilon’s Senior Vice President of Strategic Operations
>> Let’s Talk Loyalty podcast <<
The traditional approach to loyalty programmes is to leverage them to boost retention and incentivise return custom. However, they can also be used to accumulate significant amounts of high-quality customer data, which can be used to fulfil a range of purposes including customer acquisition.
Being creative with customer loyalty programme data in this way can deliver a compelling return on investment. It can also help build a business case for capital investment in a loyalty programme if a brand does not have one already. Loyalty programme data can be used to:
Build customers’ online identity profiles
Determine what profitable customers look like
Help brands target similar high-value individuals.
The bottom line
At a time when retail budgets are under increasing pressure, customer journeys are becoming ever-more complex and digital identifiers are being made obsolete, brands need to rethink their approach to accumulating the data required to achieve rich customer insights.
For too long loyalty programmes have been viewed as an end-point solution, designed specifically to boost customer retention. Marketing teams should now consider such programmes with fresh eyes – as a rich source of first-party data in a post-cookie world, which can power their performance and marketing campaigns and help them to activate not only existing customers but high-value prospects as well.
Find out more about the power of loyalty programme data by listening to Epsilon’s Let’s Talk Loyalty podcast now.
{{cta('50fe76f9-d840-45de-8c12-5247148e7c0e')}}
---
## How to Measure a Customer Loyalty Programme's Success
Type: eps_post
URL: /how-to-measure-a-customer-loyalty-programmes-success
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# How to Measure a Customer Loyalty Programme's Success
Successful customer loyalty programmes are a win-win for brands and consumers. They stimulate recurring revenue, while delighting customers with perks and rewards. But how do you measure success? And how do you keep improving customer loyalty programmes over time?
Social historians claim the first loyalty programmes involved beer tokens in ancient Egypt. But we’ve come a long way since then. In today’s competitive landscape, brands see sophisticated customer loyalty programmes as a key way to grow their business.
In fact, US companies spend a staggering $2 billion on loyalty programs every year, according to Cap Gemini.
To measure the impact of their customer loyalty programs, brands turn to a host of reliable metrics. Tracking data over time helps inform decision-making and shape customer loyalty strategic planning. The latest loyalty program platforms make this easy.
Here are 8 KPIs (key performance indicators), for measuring loyalty program success:
Customer Loyalty Programme Enrolment Rate
Participation Rate
Repeat Purchase Rate
Average Spend Per Member
The Lifetime Value of the Programme
Percentage of Sales From Loyalty Members
Customer Retention Rate
Incremental Margin
1. Customer Loyalty Programme Enrolment Rate
If you have designed, launched, and marketed your customer loyalty programme efficiently, it will be discovered and enjoyed. This is how brands begin to build up a loyal following, and from the off-set, it becomes possible to collect first-party data. Most enrolment requires name, address, date of birth, and, of course, email address.
The first measure of success is therefore the programme’s enrolment rate. How many people have signed up for this exclusive loyalty club? Even if they can enjoy free membership, the act of filling in their personal details brings people into your ecosystem.
From that point, you can begin to engage with customers who have shared their personal details and agreed to be contacted. Measuring your programme’s enrolment rate and tracking how quickly it is growing over time is an obvious but nevertheless powerful KPI.
2. Participation Rate
Loyalty programme enrolment is a great start, but the real commercial value is generated when loyalty members begin to actively participate in campaigns.
By looking at the engagement rate metric, it becomes clear how many people are participating in a loyalty programme once they sign up.
If a programme has high enrolment but low participation, more investment is needed in customer touchpoints and marketing communication to incentivize members.
Brands should ask whether rewards are too difficult to earn. Is the scheme lacking personalization? Is the customer loyalty programme being marketed effectively? Are programme members being reminded about their points? All of these factors can impact participation rates.
Marketers can use participation rates to measure the effectiveness of their initial rewards strategy. Participation rate data can also be segmented by demographic group, or geographic audience. This will give marketing teams valuable insights into which parties are most likely to participate.
3. Customer Loyalty Programme Repeat Purchase Rate
Some loyalty programme members may only participate once. For example to take advantage of an attractive sign-up discount or deal.
This is why it is important to track the repeat purchase rate. This enables you to track the repeat purchase rate and measure ‘churn’ – otherwise known as user drop-off.
This metric helps marketers understand how much investment is needed to ensure members remain incentivized for the long term. Marketers can use data to find the sweet spot.
For instance, a balance must be struck between regular email communication and spamming. The repeat purchase rate metric helps identify regular users of the programme.
This sub-group of loyal customers can be targeted with tailored messaging and exclusive deals, to ensure they continue to participate regularly.
Marketing experts say any repeat purchase rate in the 20-40% range should be considered successful. As more customers sign up for a rewards programme and make repeat purchases, there will be an increase in customer retention and loyalty.
4. Average Spend Per Member
The next metric to consider is the average spend per member. Whatever segment or sector your brand operates within, it’s not uncommon for consumers to alter their spending habits in order to claim loyalty programme rewards.
One study found that 66% of consumers modify the amount they spend to maximize points. It also revealed that loyalty members buy more often, and spend more than non-loyalty members, resulting in a 5-10% revenue increase.
Consumers may be making more purchases with a retailer to get the best loyalty rewards, discounts, and experiences. Customer loyalty programme members are also aware that rewards are reliant upon the amount they spend. A higher spend equals a higher accumulation of points.
If seasonal points campaigns are part of a conversion-based programme, it should be easy to measure how much the average spend per member is boosted on the back of each campaign.
5. Lifetime Value of the Loyalty Programme
Lifetime value is a widely used metric for tracking the success of a customer loyalty programme. This metric takes into account how much people are spending and how often they're buying. It also shows how long customers stay active within the programme.
Lifetime value is a crucial metric for improving what that loyalty programme is delivering. It can also be used to make key business decisions. For example, you can use customer lifetime value data to identify and target the most valuable customer segments.
6. Percentage of Sales From Customer Loyalty Members
Businesses may want to know the percentage of sales that can be attributed to their loyalty membership base. For example, a large retailer may find that 60% of their sales come from existing loyalty customers.
If they want to grow that figure this metric can be used as a benchmark, giving the marketing department a clear view of whether loyalty sales as a proportion of total sales, are increasing or decreasing over time.
7. Customer Retention Rate
The ultimate aim of any customer loyalty programme is an increased customer retention rate (CRR). It measures what percentage of customers stay with you over time. The higher your retention rate, the better you are at keeping customers loyal.
This KPI is also useful for measuring the customer attrition rate. In other words, it measures the number of customers lost as a percentage of the total customer base, over a given time period. Typically, a brand will base its calculations on the number of customers it had when the loyalty programme was launched.
Remember, offering a loyalty programme doesn’t mean immediate results. Building customer loyalty takes time. However, when you do have a good customer retention rate, the results will be positive.
Studies show that the probability of selling to an existing customer is 60 to 70%. This compares to the probability of selling to a new prospect, which is 5 to 20%.
Carefully measuring retention rates will help brands make better decisions about boosting loyalty programme engagement.
8. Incremental Margin From Customers
It almost goes without saying that it is worth tracking the profitability of a customer loyalty programme. If a programme doesn’t increase profits, it’s not sustainable as a long-term marketing strategy. Programmes need to driving top-line revenue.
The cost of running the programme also needs to be taken into consideration. This KPI will help marketers understand profitability and help them decide whether a programme needs to be modified, revamped, powered up, or scaled back.
For a programme to be profitable and sustainable, members must contribute more revenue than the company invests in funding the programme. Often this will depend on the rewards on offer, but it is also critical to treat loyal customers with the customized experiences they deserve.
By offering personalized experiences as part of rich, high-quality content, you can engage more effectively with loyal brand fans.
Find the Right Loyalty Programme Partner
Most marketers today would agree that one-size-fits-all promotions in a generic loyalty rewards programme won’t cut it. With the right loyalty platform and partner, however it’s possible to get in touch with your customers’ unique preferences and purchases, and tailor offers to their needs.
Epsilon, for example, has unparalleled experience and expertise when it comes to providing loyalty programmes with a compelling return on investment. We share more than 4 billion campaign messages every month with more than 600 million loyalty customers, on behalf of companies of all sizes building incremental value.
The right loyalty platform and partner will ensure your brand says the right thing at the right customer touchpoints to maximize customer loyalty. And by attaching strong incentives and a seamless, relevant experience, you can create emotional connections that last.
If you want to convert casual customers into lifelong ones, Epsilon PeopleCloud Loyalty is designed to help you succeed.
Learn More About Loyalty Programmes
Cost to Implement a Loyalty Programme
How to Get Customers to Sign up for Your Loyalty Programme
Tips for Running Successful Loyalty Programmes
{{cta('50fe76f9-d840-45de-8c12-5247148e7c0e')}}
---
## How to Transform a Loyalty Programme into a Customer Acquisition Tool
Type: eps_post
URL: /how-to-transform-your-loyalty-programme-into-a-powerful-customer-acquisition-tool-in-three-steps
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# How to Transform a Loyalty Programme into a Customer Acquisition Tool
For decades brands have been leveraging their loyalty programmes to increase customer retention and boost lifetime value. Loyalty programme data can be used for so much more, however. For instance, it is used to acquire highly profitable new customers.
In the latest episode of Epsilon’s Let’s Talk Loyalty podcast, Joseph Taylor, Epsilon’s Senior Vice President of Strategic Operations explains how to transform your loyalty programme into an engine for high-value customer acquisition in three steps.
Unleashing additional value in this way – and delivering that value to other departments such as acquisition and marketing – can contribute toward the business case for a loyalty program of scale and quality.
Step one – build a solid data foundation
Consumers are increasingly wary of sharing personal information, which is understandable. This means that brands looking to establish a strong foundation of first-party data must do two things:
Reassure customers by collecting data in a transparent and compliant manner and stressing that all shared data will be held securely and used only for specified reasons.
Offer customers a compelling value exchange in return for their data. This value exchange, for example, can include exclusive offers and personalised experiences.
Marketing teams often form partnerships with specialist providers, such as Epsilon, who have experience and expertise in designing, implementing and optimising CRM and loyalty capabilities in a privacy-compliant manner.
Which brands offer a winning value exchange?
Joseph Taylor, Epsilon’s Senior Vice President of Strategic Operations, highlighted Marks and Spencer’s Sparks loyalty programme in the latest Let’s Talk Loyalty podcast. He said the current, refreshed, Sparks programme stands out because it offers such an engaging experience. “It’s app-based, has personalized offers, and it features weekly competitions and prize draws,” he said.
Step two – Use data to understand your customers
Once a brand has started to recruit loyalty programme members and has begun gathering its data, it can build high-value customer profiles. This often involves selecting an experienced and reliable partner who can match first-party loyalty data to a cookie-proof customer identity graph.
This approach enables brands to identify high-value customers, as well as high-value prospective customers who could be recruited profitably. Taylor says that this approach, driven by loyalty data, enables brands to prioritise quality over quantity when customer acquisition campaigns are being planned.
What is a customer identity graph?
An identity graph provides a single unified view of customers and prospects based on their interactions with a product or website across a set of devices and identifiers. An identity graph can be used for real-time personalization and advertising targeting millions of users.
Step three – Finding look-alike high-value prospects
“The last step is to use these enhanced customer profiles to find new audiences which are similar to your best loyalty customers,” says Taylor.
This strategy is known in the marketing industry as look-alike modelling. By identifying and understanding your most profitable loyalty customers a brand is then able to actively look for and convert similar customers.
Taylor said: “The right identity partner, with a strong market reach, can analyse the size of a brand’s market opportunity online. You can see how many customers are out there that look like your best loyalty customers.”
Armed with this information, it is then possible to start devising new strategies to recruit high-value prospects.
>> Listen to the latest episode of Epsilon’s Let’s Talk Loyalty podcast for more insights into leveraging loyalty programme data. <<
{{cta('50fe76f9-d840-45de-8c12-5247148e7c0e')}}
---
## Apple announces BIMI support
Type: eps_post
URL: /apple-announces-bimi-support
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Apple announces BIMI support
A new iOS update brings Apple in line with other mail applications and puts extra pressure on brands to get their BIMI in order.
Just as email marketers are starting to get the hang of the Apple's iOS15 update that dared users to opt-out of Mail Privacy Protection (MPP), they announce iOS16, which creates another new challenge for marketers to respond to: Brand Indicators for Message Identification (BIMI).
On its face, BIMI is simply displaying a brands logo next to the 'from' line in the inbox. It presents as simple branding—but really, BIMI is an industry standard that ensures brands are verified. Where MPP was a privacy update, BIMI is more of a security update.
BIMI also incentivizes adoption of the Domain-Based Message Authentication, Reporting & Conformance (DMARC) protocol. This is an anti-spoofing protocol which allows senders to monitor mail sent using their domain, identify if that mail is passing or failing authentication and enables them to broadcast instructions to receiving networks on what to do if said mail fails. This standard is extremely appealing to inbox providers as they no longer have to guess what the domain owner wants in the event of failing authentication; DMARC gives the power to the domain owner to decide. BIMI empowers domain owners to monitor and declare their policy for their mail stream.
But to marketers, the branding value of a logo in the inbox is the endgame. BIMI allows companies to identify their preferred logo, which will be displayed within email apps that support BIMI. With Yahoo and Gmail already supporting, and Apple planning to go live sometime this fall, the majority of US consumers will be reading email on BIMI-supported platforms—the critical mass that proves that BIMI is here to stay.
What Does BIMI Do?
Emails delivered to accounts/mail applications that support BIMI will display the senders’ verified logo. Yahoo and Gmail will only show the logo in the 'list view', or inbox view, within their proprietary mail apps—but not in their webmail. Logos will be shown in their webmail view, but only after opening the email. It's expected, but not confirmed, that Apple will display their logos in the 'list view' of their devices, which is where the vast majority of their mail is read.
As BIMI requires that senders adopt DMARC with policy set to 'reject' for all mail from a sending domain, more BIMI adoption means that phishing becomes much more difficult and less profitable for malicious actors.
BIMI allows the domain owner to update their logo (with consideration to VMC partner as noted below) as needed, which was a challenge with previous logo solutions at various networks.
BIMI FAQ
Q: Does BIMI improve deliverability?
In short, no. BIMI is not designed to fix deliverability problems, and most senders—especially those already using SPF and DKIM—should not expect any shift in inbox placement. That said, as the logo will help reinforce recognition for recipients, and as DMARC will help to thwart any spoofing against your domain, BIMI will be a net positive for reputation/deliverability.
Q: How much will BIMI increase my open rate?
This question is a ripe for debate. Some have suggested a 10% lift (e.g. a 20% open rate turns into a 22% open rate), while others have suggested much lower. But as we continue to see more inbox providers continue to display this on new platforms in placements, and considering that logo helps drive recognition and trust, we expect that the lift in opens will be more apparent as will the other non-open benefits.
Q: How quickly can I implement BIMI?
Because implementing BIMI requires coordination across multiple internal teams (e.g., IT and legal) as well as outside vendors, it’s unlikely to be swift. Timing must also account for the number of brands/logos, the number of platforms used to deploy, and whether any changes need to be made across those platforms.
Q: How much does BIMI cost?
BIMI is neither quick nor cheap. At its root, certification costs about $2,000 per year for each logo and domain. As BIMI is more than a branding exercise, we are talking about certification because it’s a security protocol, brands will need to monitor reporting. DMARC reports are fairly complex and usually require an outside vendor to read out results. This can be a significant cost, well beyond the $2,000 per year per logo/domain starting point.
To learn more about BIMI, don't hesitate to contact us at insidesales@epsilon.com—we'd be happy to answer any of your BIMI questions.
---
## The data-powered success of Netflix’s ‘Stranger Things’
Type: eps_post
URL: /the-data-powered-success-of-netflixs-stranger-things
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# The data-powered success of Netflix’s ‘Stranger Things’
The second volume of the fourth season of Netflix’s hit series “Stranger Things” touched down on July 1, and it was a smash hit. According to Netflix's internal metrics, the show just became only the second Netflix series ever to cross 1 billion hours viewed within its first 28 days of availability, and the premiere of Season 4 (Volume One) set the record for Netflix’s biggest-ever premiere weekend for an English-language series.
It’s safe to say it’s a popular show. The question is: Did Netflix know that it would be the mega success that it did when it first came out?
Despite the fact that the cast was made up of mostly unknown actors and the marketing for Season 1 was largely grassroots, the show was awarded a $6 million per episode budget in its first season. Netflix had more than just faith the show would be a success.
Viewer data helped drive the look and feel of "Stranger Things," something that catapulted the sleeper show to Netflix's crown jewel. And it's not science fiction: Brands can also use consumer data to develop their own marketing magic.
First-party data is a superpower of its own
Netflix connects with its 200 million-plus subscribers directly every day, filing away hordes of extremely valuable first-party data. They use this data expertly—using viewership data to drive everything from production and marketing to content creation. . Since the very beginning of the streaming service, it has been using predictive-analysis algorithms to recommend personalized content to its subscribers.
So, in many ways, Netflix was very sure “Stranger Things” would be a hit. They based their decision to produce the series with the budget it received on data analysis of what previous Netflix content was performing well. The series was a hit because Netflix listened to data when creating it.
On top of that, Netflix used its data to best position the show to its subscribers on an individual-level basis. Knowing who they serve allowed them to show one promotional image of the show to one subscriber on their homepage, while a completely different image to another subscriber on their homepage—all based on the data Netflix has on those two separate individuals.
In a world where third-party identifiers are going away, first-party data is becoming even more important for marketers looking to successfully engage their customer base. And thankfully, according to our research, most marketers are putting greater emphasis on their first-party data strategy.
But it’s not enough just to collect the data; marketers need to know how to wield it. As needs to be said for all superpowers, “With great power comes great responsibility.”
How to use first-party data like a superhero
Ultimately, focusing on and scaling first-party data is an opportunity for brands to free themselves from their reliance on external identifiers and restore balance in the marketing ecosystem. But there are a few things marketers need to consider.
First is organization. Unorganized first-party data isn’t an asset; it’s a nightmare. That’s why data platform technologies, like customer data platforms (CDPs), are having a moment. CDPs support the creation of a unified, optimized profile for each consumer. CDPs are essential to gain accurate insights into your consumers’ behaviors, and power intelligent, real-time decisioning and personalization across all your channels.
Once your first-party data is optimized for activation, data clean rooms then offer brands secure, privacy-by-design platforms to connect their anonymized data from multiple parties. By onboarding first-party data into a clean room, a brand has a comprehensive set of anonymized consumer profiles for audience identification, activation and measurement across media channels.
In terms of activation, first-party data allows brands, like Netflix, to connect with their customers on a one-on-one level. This is crucial; not only do you want to understand your customers in order to create your overall strategy, but you also want to be able to speak to them with your messaging on an individual basis.
Don’t stay in the upside down – activate your first-party data
You may not be able to save the world with a robust first-party data strategy, but you sure can enhance your marketing. At Epsilon, our solutions allow marketers to recognize customers wherever they are with a unified profile. These consumer insights drive personalized marketing through powerful AI and ultimately results in better outcomes for both the customer and the brand.
Epsilon PeopleCloud lets brands connect billions of online and offline intent signals to understand what each person wants, and then reach those people across devices and channels using an interconnected product suite and persistent IDs.
Big brands like Netflix are taking big bets on delivering experiences they know are going to resonate with their audiences. You don't need to be a major Hollywood studio to have the same kind of impact: First-party data gives all types of brands the chance to do something impactful.
---
## D2C companies and traditional retailers look to each other to drive sales
Type: eps_post
URL: /d2c-companies-and-traditional-retailers-look-to-each-other-to-drive-sales
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T22:16:49Z
# D2C companies and traditional retailers look to each other to drive sales
Are there any true D2Cs left? And does it really matter if there aren’t?
As the digital landscape changes, direct to consumer retail looks more like a launch strategy than a permanent business model. Popular D2Cs—Harry's, Native, Allbirds, to name a few—have found a home at traditional retailers like Walmart and Nordstrom while also opening their own storefronts.
While OG D2Cs need the traditional retailers to grow their customer base and churn a profit at scale, the traditional retailers are now relying on D2Cs to freshen up their product base and bring in new innovation.
Instead of setting fire to traditional retail, the new class of digital brands is behaving more like fuel for conglomerates and retailers they partner with. Vice President of Strategic Consulting Ashley Lockridge says there are a slew of reasons D2Cs are moving in this direction, particularly as "they want to expand their brand visibility." But what does this change mean for marketing models of both, specifically how brands use and apply consumer first-party data?
D2C: Businesses that started online
When D2Cs first came onto the scene, many thought these brands turned the traditional business model on its head. At its peak, some believed these brands were ushering in a new era of shopping, calling it "the direct brand economy."
Digitally native all stars like Glossier and Allbirds built names for themselves by betting big on the web and avoiding wholesale stores to establish stronger customer relationships with very few or no brick-and-mortar locations.
These brands touted themselves on direct accessibility for consumers, but they also created the ability for many brands—CPG brands in particular—to collect and use once elusive first-party data. This marketing model changed the way most retail marketers started approaching their larger strategy. In bypassing traditional retail integration, D2Cs took advantage of their ability to capture first-party data, revealing new avenues for customer acquisition and engagement.
And it worked in some ways: Brands like the sleep product seller Casper and skincare and beauty brand Glossier reached unicorn status with billion-dollar evaluations.
But despite these high evaluations, they didn't have equally as high of revenue. Allbirds, for instance, has yet to be profitable and same goes for other D2Cs such as Warby Parker.
Hitting a plateau
What was once an online-only strategy for D2Cs is increasingly becoming an online-only sales model as a starting point. Instead of writing off the traditional business model completely, D2Cs have instead just flipped it on its head: the initial driver is building an online presence then, in a move of symbiosis, moving to brick-and-mortar and retailer locations once the need for scalability comes into play.
With profitability being a struggle for traditional D2C brands, these businesses need to meet the customers where the customers are, and they happen to be in a lot of different places which includes in stores. As Chief Commerce Strategy Officer at Publicis Jason Goldberg puts it, “no digitally native brand has achieved a billion dollars in annual revenue without a store. You need those stores as a cost-effective customer acquisition channel at some point.”
Lockridge agrees. "Scalability is a major challenge for a lot of D2Cs – cost of acquisition is extremely high in the world of ecommerce. The migration to retailers is vital for many D2Cs to expand their digital and physical footprint and take advantage of the retailers’ established relationship with their customers."
Providing a high touch experience is also a key component of this shift into retailers, Lockridge points out. “With segments like Gen Z having a propensity to shop in store and D2Cs struggling with how to create these in person experiences, retailers provide an avenue for crafting experiential shopping opportunities.”
Traditional D2C brands have seemingly found success in the retail avenue for growth. Warby Parker, for instance, stated 40% of its net-revenue was made up of in-store purchases and plans to expand at a rate of roughly 30 stores annually.
Relationship status? Going smoothly
The relationships between retailers and D2C brands seems to be a mutually beneficial one. D2Cs came to the realization that it would be critical to provide value for customers beyond the purchase transaction and their need to earn long-term brand affinity, while legacy retailers like Target are looking for ways to spice up their inventory and drive foot traffic.
Physical retailers need new, interesting product selection in stores as much as digital brands need new outlets to acquire customers more efficiently and affordably. Retailers need to ensure they have the breadth and depth of products that are fresh and new in the market to make sure they are competitive. Otherwise, "they run the risk of losing share of wallet if they don't have specific D2C brands in their stores" says Ashley. For retailers, it's a key revenue stream.
That being said, D2C brands should be wary of being drawn into the traditional retailing business model, whereby their products fight for scarce space on store shelves. There, the supplier with the deepest pockets usually wins. Such arrangements may give the brand an initial boost powered by the retailer’s reach, but the long-term advantages are yet to be fully known. Channel extensions that address gaps in the customer’s journey should be the real purpose of retail partnerships and extensions must be thought out as part of a deliberate growth strategy.
In the future, Lockridge foresees D2Cs getting more creative about how they embrace their retailer relationships. One of her clients, a children’s’ apparel retailer, is working with her team to establish a loyalty program rewarding wholesale purchases of their products. This strategy provides the best of both worlds – gaining the first party data of your retail shoppers while also extending the brand’s reach.
As D2Cs look to retailers for growth, one thing remains clear-–embracing their direct connection to customers in everything they do is vital for long term success. Keeping this in mind, partnerships between retailers and D2Cs just might be each party’s missing piece for now.
---
## The emerging use and function of second-party data
Type: eps_post
URL: /the-emerging-use-and-function-of-second-party-data
Last Modified: 2025-10-03T13:51:29Z
# The emerging use and function of second-party data
For marketers, creating the best omnichannel experience can feel a bit like putting together furniture.
Even with an instruction manual, the do-it-yourself approach can feel a bit scattered. As brands try to create the best omnichannel experience, they often find disjoined performance data and lack the ability to bring it all together.
This is where clean rooms and second-party data step in: With the deprecation of third-party cookies, data clean rooms are leveraging privacy-compliant consumer data and sharing it with partners, creating second-party data ripe with opportunity.
Second-party data: The new "it girl"
Historically, many brands have viewed first-party data as the best alternative to third-party cookie depreciation. While collecting first-party data from consumers is vital, reach can be limited. Second-party data, which is first-party data another publisher, retailer or brand collects, helps solve for this. Purchasing second-party data from another entity enhances a brand’s own first-party data while also enabling marketers to future-proof their strategies.
If second-party data is the new “it girl”, the rise of data clean rooms is her hottest accessory. Data clean rooms have enabled brands and publishers to access a privacy-centric environment to use first-party data from partners without relying on third-party cookies. Essentially, these entities can partner to share anonymized second-party data, resolving identities without exposing them. Clean rooms provide a vital space for flexibility around data access permissioning.
Kelley Maves, senior vice president of Product and Data at Epsilon, says the clean room category is a natural evolution when it comes to second-party data. “It’s become a conversation about how do brands gain access to other companies data but in a controlled, privacy safe manner. And beyond access controls — how often the data is refreshed, is it segmented audiences or transaction level data, what use cases are allowed, are just some of the nuanced considerations,” he said.
These second-party partnerships come to life in the form of mutual exchanges of information. Each party combines known and anonymous data–which can include user-level, historical and transactional data–into customer profiles for activation and enters their first-party data into the clean room. This data then has various security and privacy measured applied to it, such as pseudonymization and restricted access. Once this is complete, anonymized matching takes place in the clean room.
Major brands are turning to this model. Dick’s Sporting Goods announced late last year their new integrated loyalty program with Nike in a move to drive better personalization and online sales. Dunkin’ and navigation app Waze partnered together to develop an in-app promotion when travelers are near a Dunkin’ Donuts—which also allows customers to order ahead.
Putting together the pieces
Activating second-party data has a slew of useful applications, spanning measurement, attribution, and audience insights.
By resolving identities without exposing them, not only do marketers have access to better audience targeting, but with increased demand for greater privacy protection these strategies help cement privacy at the center of first-party data strategies. Companies can now deliver personalized experiences without customers feeling that their privacy has been compromised—creating loyalty and trust with consumers.
In augmenting first-party data, marketers have a better understanding of their customers. This aids marketers in sending the right message to the right people at the right time. Maves emphasizes that second-party data helps fill a void that’s not just about media and addressability.
“There’s a lot to learn about your customer: attributes, strategies, behavioral components,” he said. “What are they doing in the wild? You can use that info to define durable marketing and overarching campaign strategies.”
The other side of the coin is understanding customers for those brands that don’t have a lot of signals on customers in which case they can work with a retailer, which is where the rise of retail media networks becomes so integral to this story. Not all data owners are retailers per se, but when they are brands can typically get access to value their investment and understand outcomes that they’re actually driving.
“In the cases where brands are getting access to retailer transaction data and especially where they’re able to do that in a self-service clean room environment, they’re able to interrogate and ask questions about the data that they’re never going to get out of a basic study,” Maves said. “You can do really advanced and novel measurement with that data.”
Bolstering your customer understanding in this way and forming second-party partnerships also allows brands to divert more of their ad-spend away from walled gardens. This is in line with the overarching trend of brands moving their spend choices in favor of open ecosystems over closed ones. Brands that want to use second-party data in context of media are demanding more transparency.
Effective marketing starts with knowing your customer and with the security data clean rooms provide, second-party partnerships are increasingly attractive in the race to understand your audiences.
At Epsilon, our clean room solution powered by CORE ID allows for an identity solution that is privacy safe and resolves back to pseudonymzed person-based identity.
"The richness of Epsilon's data footprint allows you to get a deeper view of your customers and our open ecosystem in terms of activation allows that data to be used across your marketing vehicles to drive meaningful outputs," Maves said.
---
## With a recession looming, the approach to marketing changes.
Type: eps_post
URL: /recession-marketing-strategies
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# With a recession looming, the approach to marketing changes.
For the past several weeks, U.S. consumers have faced an onslaught of financial woes: Inflation is on the rise, interest rates are sky high and the stock market continues to decline. This tumultuous economic climate has many fearing the U.S. is facing another recession. And it has caused many CPG brands to reconsider their marketing strategy on the heels of huge pandemic gains.
CPG inflation accelerated rapidly in the first half of the year. A recent IRI report showed that total store inflation in April 2022 was three times higher than it was in the first half of 2021, and the June 2022 Consumer Price Index report from the Bureau of Labor and Statistics (BLS) showed food at home increased over 12% vs year ago.
That same BLS report demonstrated that consumers are feeling the squeeze on all sides, with the all-items index up 9.1% vs a year ago, the largest 12-month increase in over 40 years. According to the report, gasoline is up 60%, eating out is up 7% and housing is up 5.6%. IRI predicts inflation will continue well into 2023.
Adding to the crunch are the ongoing supply chain issues that have impacted brands since the pandemic. In a recent earnings report from Walmart, the company said their supply chain problems will continue for the next 12 to 18 months.
So what does this mean for consumer behavior? IRI reported that based on historical data from the Great Recession, which began in 2008, consumers bought smaller amounts and stuck primarily to essential items. They valued lower cost goods, opting for discount retailers and goods, and using more coupons.
We’re seeing all the same behavior changes right now. The NDP group put out a recent report showing more than 8 in 10 consumers are planning changes to mitigate their product spending in the next three to six months. Dollar General reported that their core customers are buying more food items, and their next tier of customers are visiting more often. Both Dollar Tree and Dollar General reported a more than 13% increase in share prices. And brands like Clorox, General Mills and Mondelez are optimizing their promotional strategy to keep customers.
“There is a tug-of-war between the consumer’s desire to buy what they want and the need to make concessions based on the higher prices hitting their wallets,” said Marshal Cohen, chief retail industry advisor for NPD. “And consumers aren’t just buying less stuff, they are shopping less, which means a loss of the impulse-shopping moments that are critical to retail growth.”
With costs rising, margins thinning, and price-sensitive shoppers trading down to private label, CPGs may be tempted to cut back or eliminate marketing budgets. Before you head for hills, consider these lessons from recessions and downturns through history: In 1981, companies that advertised heavily during the recession had 256% higher sales than those that stopped advertising.
In 1991, McDonalds cut budget while Pizza Hut and Taco Bell increased theirs. Pizza Hut and Taco Bell grew sales 61% and 40%, respectively, while McDonalds declined 28%. In 2008, Reckit Benckiser increased advertising while competitors reduced theirs. RB grew profits 14% while rivals declined 10+%. And after those losses, it takes 3-5 years of brand building to recover from going dark. So don’t cut costs just because your consumers are cutting theirs. Identify your strategic growth areas and get smarter with your marketing instead.
Brands look to data to trim marketing waste
Because this looming recession seems to mirror the Great Recession of ’08 in many ways, it's not surprising that many brands are turning to similar tactics from that time. Many are looking to highlight the value of their product or brand—like Cascade promoting small dishwasher loads to save water—or creating entirely new value products that fit better into certain shopper segments.
But unlike the late aughts, brands now have more powerful data optimized for reaching customers at their fingertips. Data that can help them customize promotions to retain price-sensitive shoppers, as well as promote products that stand out against private label items.
Ultimately, brands are looking at three main areas of focus:
Protecting their base: Retaining your most valuable customers is critical. As acquisition strategies can be a race to the pricing bottom.
Sending the right messages: Delivering 1:1 personalization means messages are more relevant, and are reaching consumers who are actually ready to purchase.
Optimized strategies with high returns: As marketing budgets shrink, ROI is more important than ever.
Epsilon can help brands get more bang for their buck
Epsilon solutions are designed with consumers in mind. With Epsilon Digital Media Solutions, we can reach 2-3 times more customers than our competitors—and we can ensure the customers we reach are the ones most likely to convert.
In times when budgets are tight, brands need to lean into delivering the right messages to the right people. Private labels might win on price, but if brands can communicate the value proposition that most resonates with each person, they’ll be more likely to keep their valued customers at a time where it means the most.
And Epsilon Digital is a leader in optimization. We help drive better results with the same or smaller budgets thanks to our CORE ID solution. CORE ID is the industry’s most accurate, stable and scalable identity resolution, and can recognize and reach 200 million+ U.S. consumers in a privacy-safe way. Better yet—this solution is future-proofed, meaning when third-party cookies deprecate in 2023, we will still have an industry-leading identity graph designed with privacy in mind.
With Epsilon's Verified Purchase Optimization, powered by IRI, brands can spend less while reaching more more of their most valuable customers.
It eliminates the marketing waste you’d typically see delivering ads to people who already purchased. With in-flight access to IRI’s household-level purchases, we can see who in your campaign made a purchase, so you stop delivering media to them and save those impressions for people who haven’t bought yet. When their purchase cycle comes around again, we add them back into the campaign audience to make sure you’re messaging them when their shopping list is top-of-mind.
While brands are not out of the woods yet, economic turbulence doesn’t need to wipe out years of valuable gains with consumers. Surviving the financial downturn starts with understanding the people who use your products, and identity resolution and activation is essential in doing so.
Want to learn more about how Epsilon can help you? Visit epsilon.com for more information.
---
## The Value of Data to Marketers with a recession looming
Type: eps_post
URL: /the-value-of-data-to-marketers-with-a-recession-looming
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# The Value of Data to Marketers with a recession looming
For the past several weeks, U.K. consumers have faced an onslaught of financial woes: Inflation is on the rise, interest rates are sky high and the stock market continues to decline. This tumultuous economic climate has many fearing the U.K. is facing another recession. And it has caused many CPG brands to reconsider their marketing strategy on the heels of huge pandemic gains.
Consumers are feeling the squeeze on all sides. A recent ONS report showed consumer prices rose 9/1% in May, reaching a new 40-year high. While natural gas and electricity prices continued to dominate the increases over the past year, food, motor fuel, clothing and furniture also gained.
The chart below shows how much each of those categories contributed to the headline rate of inflation.
Some goods and services are already rising at a double-digit pace. The gains reflect inflationary pressures building at the wholesale level, where the cost of goods leaving factories rose at the strongest rate since 1977.
Adding to the crunch are the ongoing supply chain issues that have impacted brands by global supply chain issues, material shortages, the EU exit and the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.
ONS reports changing consumer shopping habits has contributed towards this decline in levels of stock, with the increasing use of online shopping replacing traditional purchases at high street stores. The COVID-19 pandemic contributed towards this decline as non-specialised store were deemed to be "non-essential retail".
IRI reported that based on historical data from the Great Recession, which began in 2008, consumers bought smaller amounts and stuck primarily to essential items. They valued lower cost goods, opting for discount retailers and goods, and using more coupons.
We’re seeing all the same behaviour changes right now.
Consumers are looking to tighten spending habits everywhere, buying less or trading down in almost every category. In a recent PwC consumer sentiment survey, holidays appear to be more protected than perhaps expected this year, as relatively few people look to postpone. With many missing out over the last two years, it may be one sacrifice consumers are unwilling to make.
Eating out less is one area where the more affluent have looked to cut back, likewise, younger generations have opted for fewer takeaways or deliveries. There is a tug-of-war between the consumer’s desire to buy what they want and the need to make concessions based on the higher prices hitting their wallets. And consumers aren’t just buying less stuff, they are shopping less, which means a loss of the impulse-shopping moments that are critical to retail growth.
With most consumers undertaking some form of cutting back and over a third looking to trade down to cheaper items, eat out less and make fewer purchases in general, retailers and operators must ensure product lines can be adapted to suit varying levels of available income.
Lisa Hooker, Industry Leader for Consumer Markets at PwC UK
With all of this doom and gloom CPGs may be tempted to cut back or eliminate marketing budgets.
Before you head for hills, consider these lessons from recessions and downturns through history:
In 1981, companies that advertised heavily during the recession had 256% higher sales than those that stopped advertising.
For example In the US in 1991, McDonalds cut budget while Pizza Hut and Taco Bell increased theirs. Pizza Hut and Taco Bell grew sales 61% and 40%, respectively, while McDonalds declined 28%. In 2008, Reckit Benckiser increased advertising while competitors reduced theirs. RB grew profits 14% while rivals declined 10+%. And after those losses, it takes 3-5 years of brand building to recover from going dark. So don’t cut costs just because your consumers are cutting theirs. Identify your strategic growth areas and get smarter with your marketing instead.
Brands look to data to trim marketing waste
Because this looming recession seems to mirror the Great Recession of ’08 in many ways, it's not surprising that many brands are turning to similar tactics from that time. Many are looking to highlight the value of their product or brand or creating entirely new value products that fit better into certain shopper segments. But unlike the late aughts, brands now have more powerful data optimised for reaching customers at their fingertips. Data that can help them customise promotions to retain price-sensitive shoppers, as well as promote products that stand out against private label items.
Ultimately, brands are looking at three main areas of focus:
Protecting their base: Retaining your most valuable customers is critical. As acquisition strategies can be a race to the pricing bottom.
Sending the right messages: Delivering 1:1 personalisation means messages are more relevant, and are reaching consumers who are actually ready to purchase.
Optimised strategies with high returns: As marketing budgets shrink, ROI is more important than ever.
Abacus can help brands get more bang for their buck
Epsilon Abacus solutions are designed with consumers in mind. With the Epsilon Alliance, we can reach lookalike customers and we can ensure the customers we reach are the ones most likely to convert.
In times when budgets are tight, brands need to lean into delivering the right messages to the right people. Private labels might win on price, but if brands can communicate the value proposition that most resonates with each person, they’ll be more likely to keep their valued customers at a time where it means the most.
The Value of Data to Marketers
Marketers rely on data. Data helps to validate and/or inform our assumptions and our projections. It is used to build new business cases, to support increases in spend, decreases in spend, changes in merchandise, creative, pricing, staffing, etc. Data is critical across every aspect of a marketer’s business.
At Epsilon, our belief is that the value of data increases when data is used for a variety of applications across an organisation’s marketing and business programs. That is why understanding the many applications of Abacus Alliance data can help you to extract more value from your participation to the co-operative.
As well as leveraging Abacus Alliance data to identify responsive prospecting audiences, many Alliance members access the co-operative’s transactional data to answer questions about their existing customers and other consumers they have interacted with. Below is a quick snapshot of questions that members can answer by leveraging Abacus Alliance data:
Are they loyal to me or are they also transacting with other brands in my category?
Are there other categories of products they might be interested in?
These customers have not purchased from me for a while: Are they still in the market for my product?
These individuals were gifted one of our products. Are they also actively purchasing in this category?
These customers have just purchased from us for the first time. How much should I invest in developing them? What is their potential LTV?
While brands are not out of the woods yet, economic turbulence doesn’t need to wipe out years of valuable gains with consumers. Surviving the financial downturn starts with understanding the people who use your products. Answering the questions above will help you to improve your activation, reactivation, and cross-sell efforts and add great value to your organisation.
Send us a message at enquiriesuk@epsilon.com
References: ONS Data, IRI Report, PwC
---
## Revealed – the companies optimising loyalty data and leveraging it to convert new customers
Type: eps_post
URL: /revealed-the-companies-optimising-loyalty-data-and-leveraging-it-to-convert-new-customers
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T22:17:52Z
# Revealed – the companies optimising loyalty data and leveraging it to convert new customers
Gone are the days when loyalty programmeswere just about boosting customer retention and lifetime value. Brands are increasingly waking up to the power of loyalty programme data, andnow smart retailers can leverage that data to not only identify their existing most profitable customers, but to identify and target the customers they should be looking to acquire.
In the latest episode of Epsilon’s Let’s Talk Loyalty, Joseph Taylor, Epsilon’s Senior Vice President of Strategic Operations explained how two brands are putting this innovative use of loyalty data into practice.
Case study - Preferred Hotels & Resorts
Preferred Hotels & Resorts is the world’s largest independent hotel brand. Based in California, it represents more than 650 independent hotels, resorts, and residences, across 85 countries.
What was the challenge in a nutshell?
Taylor said: "Preferred Hotels already had demographic data and reservation data from their existing loyalty programme, but although they were creating personalized email marketing campaigns, they were not happy with the level of engagement they were getting from prospects."
"They tried different digital channels to entice customers, but they were focusing too much on converting existing site traffic, without drilling down to figure out what was happening, especially with high-value lapsed members."
What was Epsilon’s solution?
Epsilon’s solution was to work with Preferred to build a customer identity graph. This was used to create highly personalized digital promotions focusing on specific locations, residences and experiences.
What is a customer identity graph?
An identity graph provides a single unified view of customers and prospects based on their interactions with a product or website across a set of devices and identifiers. An identity graph is used for real-time personalization and advertising targeting for millions of users.
What was the result?
During the Let’s Talk Loyalty podcast,Taylor said: "This solution delivered a combined 50% increase in both online and email engagement. And what’s even better than that – it eventually led to a 15% lift in new reservations. This was delivering value far beyond what Preferred Hotels & Resorts expected."
Case study - Rue21
Rue21 is an American speciality retailer of women’s and men’s casual clothing and accessories. The company has around 500 stores across the US, stocking fashionwear designed to primarily appeal to 11 to 17-year-olds.
What was the challenge in a nutshell?
During the Let’s Talk Loyalty podcast, Taylor said: "Rue21 had transactional data and email data the company had collected from both its point-of-sale systems and its eCommerce site, but they didn’t quite know who their customers were and also what and where they liked to shop."
What was Epsilon’s solution?
Epsilon helped Rue21 design and implement a bespoke loyalty program, which enabled them to identify who their customers were, both online and offline. Epsilon also helped Rue21 incentivise its members to complete their profiles. Through this exercise, Rue21 benefited from some powerful insights that it could leverage in its personalisation and marketing campaigns. For example, Epsilon revealed that:
30% of Rue21’s customers were parents buying for their children.
40% of shoppers came from a multicultural background.
What was the result?
Taylor said: "Rue21’s marketing team were really responsive, acting upon the findings really quickly. First of all, they looked at how to improve their branding and photography to reflect their multicultural customer base."
"They also started to improve their promotions and offers as well, with a focus on parents during seasonal events such as ‘back to school’. It was amazing how, with a better focus on data and generating customer insights, Rue21 was able to optimise its customer offering."
Rue21 is now using loyalty programme data and insights to build prospective customer lists – especially for online targeting. The retailer has also used its identity graph to scale up prospective opportunities around its larger stores.
Listen to the latest episode of Epsilon’s Let’s Talk Loyalty podcast for more hints, tips and insights into leveraging loyalty programme data to increase high-value customer acquisition.
---
## Omnichannel marketing guide: How to boost your brand experience?
Type: eps_post
URL: /omnichannel-marketing-guide-how-to-boost-your-brand-experience
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T22:16:49Z
# Omnichannel marketing guide: How to boost your brand experience?
If you’re investigating ways to get the biggest return on investment for your marketing dollars, you’ve likely run across the concept of omnichannel marketing. Once considered a cost-prohibitive marketing strategy—one that only high-end luxury brands and large multinational companies with mammoth marketing budgets could pursue—omnichannel marketing has become accessible to companies of all sizes with the advent of new technologies like all-in-one marketing.
Because today’s average consumer uses six touch points per purchase (and 90% of consumers expect all interactions to be consistent regardless of channel) developing an omnichannel marketing strategy has become necessary to meet the expectations of today’s consumers. Without omnichannel marketing, your company is at high risk of disappointing customers with inconsistent messaging and branding confusion.
This article offers an introduction to the key elements of omnichannel marketing, distinguishing it from multichannel marketing, and provides an overview of what goes into establishing an effective omnichannel marketing strategy that will benefit your business.
You’ll see how omnichannel marketing benefited a fast-food industry giant like when McDonald’s adopted omnichannel advertising and marketing strategies to great advantage, and how you can apply many of the same strategies to grow your own small- or medium-size enterprise.
Finally, this article provides three tips to help you create and implement an omnichannel marketing strategy structured for your unique business type and your current and prospective customer base.
What is omnichannel marketing?
Omnichannel marketing, also commonly spelled omni-channel marketing, begins and ends with the consumer experience. When you create an omnichannel marketing strategy, you focus on how you can meet your customers where they are to make the buying experience as easy, seamless, and user-friendly as possible. That means promoting your brand across all the channels, devices and platforms used by your target market.
Omnichannel marketing is especially relevant today, with over 46 billion connected devices currently in use worldwide. One report found that the average number of devices per household more than doubled in just one year, increasing from 11 devices in 2019 to a whopping average of 25 devices per household in 2021. An even more recent report found that the average consumer owns 6.8 personal devices, while those considered “high tech” individuals own a total of 12 personal devices.
Instead of offering your customers one or two opportunities to convert, you recognize that their interest could reach its peak level during any part of the customer journey, so you make sure that all the locations you set up to interact with your customers and clients harken back to each other. Whether a customer is engaging with your products and services in your brick and mortar store or offices, downloading your app for more information on your products or services, or learning about your business on social media or through other outlets, they will encounter the same overarching message.
Your messaging should consistently encourage them to purchase your products or services and continue interacting with your brand on their buyer’s journey. The idea is that the consumer has the ultimate freedom of choice on how, where, and when they will embrace your message and, hopefully, buy what you are selling.
Omnichannel marketing vs. multichannel marketing
Often, business owners and marketers use the terms multichannel marketing and omnichannel marketing interchangeably. While the two approaches have some similarities, their focus and structure is quite different. To fully take advantage of omnichannel marketing, it’s important to understand the differences and similarities between the two.
With both multichannel and omnichannel marketing, customers are provided opportunities to connect with a business using more than one channel. Today, many businesses promote their brand through their website, app and by maintaining a social media presence both on their own and through the engagement of influencers. Many also place digital ads on various search engines and other venues, operate a storefront or office and provide customer service support via telephone or live chat.
Some engage in print advertising in general circulation and trade papers and journals, while others leverage the airwaves to reach out to customers via radio, podcast, television, and on-demand internet channels like YouTube. With a multichannel marketing strategy, the consumer has a multitude of potential touchpoints that allow them to receive a one-directional message from the company. This messaging may or may not complement or mirror the message emanating from a different channel.
So what is omnichannel marketing and how is it different? Instead of separate, siloed messaging, the approach is much more holistic. With omnichannel marketing, the goal is to provide a seamless multi platform user experience. The omnichannel approach embraces the reality that the consumer is more likely than not to engage with the brand over several platforms.
Therefore, the omnichannel strategy plays to this phenomenon by meeting the customer where they are, regardless of which channel they are interacting with at the time. Nearly all Americans (98%) switch between devices at least once in the same day, and an effective omnichannel marketing strategy helps you keep up. A user who interfaces with the brand on its website, on its app, or via one of its social media platforms can expect to embrace the same experience, the same message, and the same outcome across each of these channels.
Benefits of omnichannel marketing strategies
An integrated omnichannel marketing strategy offers a number of benefits to both your company and the consumer.
You elevate your brand identity. When you communicate consistently across multiple channels and platforms, you create a cohesive and recognizable branding message. This consistency in branding through targeted messaging obviates any potential brand confusion, opening the door for easy brand recognition and loyalty. In fact, companies that adopt a strong omnichannel marketing strategy achieve 89% greater customer retention rates compared to businesses that don’t.
You elevate the customer experience (CX). As a customer-focused strategy that takes into account every interaction between brand and consumer, omnichannel marketing can’t help but produce a better CX on every front. The more satisfied a member of your target market is with your brand, the more they will seek out future interactions with your company and its products. By providing consistency across all stages in the customer journey, you’re creating a positive customer experience.
You increase revenue-generating opportunities. Because the customer has several opportunities to engage and re-engage with your business over multiple channels, chances to convert increase exponentially as brand awareness and brand loyalty climb. Statistics show that the frequency of completed purchases is 250% higher for businesses that employ omnichannel marketing strategies vs. single channel. Additionally, the average value of completed purchases is 13% higher per order on omnichannel vs. single channel.
It provides valuable insights into consumer behavior. The more you know about how your customers behave across channels, the better insights you will have to inform your future marketing and sales strategies. Since omnichannel marketing is closely aligned to the buyer’s journey, you can use analytics regarding points of contact and where and when conversions occur to inform decisions like advertising spend and where to focus your efforts on future campaigns.
McDonald’s Famous Orders: An omnichannel marketing case study
An omnichannel marketing example of a campaign done right is the McDonald’s Famous Orders campaign, where the fast food giant leveraged the intelligence and expertise of Epsilon’s outcomes-driven marketing systems to drive app downloads and expand membership in its mobile-based loyalty program.
McDonald’s goal was to reach youth and cultivate a new generation of fans while driving digital adoption and guest counts. They launched the Famous Orders campaign, encouraging guests to follow in their favorite celebrities’ footsteps by ordering the special meal combinations their idols regularly order. Celebrity participants chosen for their appeal to Gen Z and millennials included rapper Travis Scott and K-Pop sensation BTS, among others.
Leveraging Epsilon’s integrated marketing platform, McDonalds sent emails and pushed notifications through channels like SnapChat and Instagram for Famous Orders, using personalized experiences for each phase of the campaign. They were careful to choose the channel based on fan-based demographics and other insights.
McDonald’s was able to build pre-campaign buzz by setting up email and push notifications around the featured celebrity’s menu items. The omnichannel campaign supported the launch of a new McDonald’s app with interactive messages that promoted app downloads and discounts on celebrity meals. The company captured the data from the downloads to successfully sustain these engagements with animated emails touting celebrities and their unique meal choices. Combined with strategically placed ads on YouTube and desktop ads on websites, the campaign surpassed all of the company’s stated goals and benchmarks, and even garnered industry awards.
As one of our most successful omnichannel marketing examples, the ROI for the campaign was impressive. McDonald’s reported a 49% increase in new customers, a 44% increase in engagement from existing customers, and a 20% average email open rate. By all accounts, the omnichannel multi-faceted and interrelated campaign was able to successfully connect the McDonald’s brand with established and next generation customers to drive outstanding outcomes.
{% video_player "embed_player" overrideable=False, type='scriptV4', hide_playlist=True, viral_sharing=False, embed_button=False, autoplay=False, hidden_controls=False, loop=False, muted=False, full_width=False, width='1920', height='1080', player_id='73211383187', style='' %}
3 Tips to improve Your omnichannel strategy
While the McDonald’s omnichannel example is impressive, such a robust strategy doesn’t have to be out of reach for smaller enterprises. You can get excellent results without breaking the bank if you follow a few simple tips:
1. Align your technology with your goals
2. Get to know your customers
3. Align your omnichannel campaign with the customer journey
1. Align your technology with your goals
The right technology is a fundamental component to achieving omnichannel marketing goals. It is, therefore, extremely important that you find the most effective technology for your purposes.
As you survey the landscape of available solutions, keep these questions top of mind:
Does the technology align with my company’s omnichannel strategy?
Is the technology solution adaptable to our existing infrastructure and will it be scalable as our infrastructure matures and grows?
What kind of schedule will we be provided for updates and enhancements? How can my company feel sure that the technology we are adapting will be around for the long haul?
How much support can I count on during onboarding and what level of customer service is offered to support the technology offerings?
What are the short- and long-term costs and do they fit within our budget?
Does the purchase match our plans for growth and will this technology serve us throughout our journey?
How much can I trust that this technology partner will fulfill its promises? Does its value proposition align with my company goals and vision?
2. Get to know your customers
For any omnichannel strategy to be successful you need to know your customers — who they are, where they're from, the devices they use most, the content they love, and on which channels they spend most of their time. First-party data—web or mobile app behavior, in-store or call center interactions, purchase history, loyalty status, etc.—has never been more accessible, thanks to the analytics available in multi-channel environments. But that data only tells you part of the story. When first-party data is coupled with third-party data—consumers’ interests (sports teams, preferred travel locations, etc.), and basic demographics—and then segmented, profiled and analyzed with first-party data, you get a true 360-degree view of your customer.
To achieve this level of insight into your customers’ personas, it’s important to incorporate the right third party data asset—like TotalSource Plus—into your data capture and analytics strategy. TotalSource Plus allows you to get a full picture of your customer by collecting and capturing cross-channel data and then performing identity mapping to understand as much as you can about your current customers and target market.
3. Align your omnichannel program with the customer journey
It’s important to never lose sight of the customer journey across all channels. Pay special attention to customer pace so you can plan your omnichannel campaign strategy according to how your customers interact with your brand. Remember, you want to give each customer a relevant experience at every touchpoint.
Keep in mind that you have to constantly strive to hold your customer’s attention—and you will have mere seconds to capture and hold this attention at each touchpoint. This is why it’s crucial that you not only know your customers inside and out, but that you have the right tools to leverage those insights in order to align each element of your omnichannel program with their journey.
Epsilon can help you make true omnichannel marketing a reality
You don’t have to be a large multinational brand like McDonald’s to take advantage of revenue-producing omnichannel marketing strategies. Regardless of the type of business you run—whether it’s a small-to-mid-sized service business, a brick-and-mortar retail operation with an e-commerce component, or a wholly online enterprise—your operation stands to profit from a well-designed omnichannel strategy that takes your unique customer base into account. Learn more about how Epsilon's all-in-one marketing platform can help you reach new customers and engage existing ones.
---
## [VIDEO] Why do some loyalty programmes fail?
Type: eps_post
URL: /why-do-some-loyalty-programmes-fail
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# [VIDEO] Why do some loyalty programmes fail?
Learn more about why many loyalty programmes fail, what the secrets of successful brands are and how to emulate them, by watching Ralph Browning's presentation at IMRG Customer Connect 2022.
Loyalty schemes present a great opportunity to gather personal details about customers such as email address, telephone number, and birthdays. If used strategically by organisations, loyalty programmes can be the route to more personalised communication with customers, as well as longer-term, higher-value relationships.
Why is this important right now?
Retailers, brands, and other consumer-facing organisations should always be looking at ways to strengthen relationships with their audience. Engaged and happy customers result in more opportunities to grow revenue. And due to the phasing out of online third-party cookies, it is increasingly important to have access to first-party data for marketing purposes.
Deeper dive
Ralph Browning, Business Development Director at Epsilon, recently explained at IMRG Customer Connect some organisations fail to achieve the desired results from their loyalty programmes. He said there are a plethora of examples where brands lack creativity, and fail to build on the initial success of signing up customers to a scheme.
Ralph said: “If people are joining a programme and not really understanding what it's all about or are thinking it’s very same-y, then it's probably because it is. It's just an off-the-shelf kind of solution, which is a sort of me-too programme – there's no innovation, there's no unique, exciting features about it.”
Customers like signing up to loyalty schemes and are willing to provide data to brands in return for rewards, but can regularly find themselves underwhelmed and confused by these programmes due to lack of proactivity.
Solving the loyalty programme challenge
Ralph explained that any brand should be able to make a success of a loyalty programme given the right strategy. It starts with being highly creative in the development stage, and making sure the concept is innovative and interesting, rather than repeating what has been done before.
Brands – particularly those not expecting regular spending cycles from their customers – should use engagement tactics such as auctions, sweepstakes and surveys. They should use the information they know about customers to trigger additional spending, and ensure loyalty programme points issued are turned into incremental sales opportunities.
Personalisation and making rewards obtainable are vital ingredients of loyalty programmes, according to Ralph, who advised continual programme development.
Commenting on how brands failing with loyalty schemes could turn their fortunes around, Ralph said: “They really should have a 100-day strategy to find out a little bit more about [members], with data creep, in terms of trying to find out more and be able to personalise.”
The bottom line
Ralph explained that brands and retailers such as The North Face, Kellogg’s, Walgreens, Estee Lauder, Sephora, and P&G each have successful loyalty programmes. A common thread running through each of these companies’ strategies is making loyalty programme decisions to enhance the brand and customer experience.
Ralph also highlighted a future direction of loyalty schemes which use “intelligent marketing communications from behavioural economics”. Yet to launch, the idea behind one brand’s loyalty programme following this model is to prompt FOMO. One concept related to the scheme is to ask members what reward they'd like to receive and – based on their spending pattern – predictions can be made when that reward will be secured.
Ralph said it is an example of responding to members saying "I'm just collecting points, so what?" by owning the conversation with: "This is yours, you will have this, as long as you carry on this behaviour”. It represents a creative way of encouraging repeat spend.
---
## What is first, second, third and zero-party data?
Type: eps_post
URL: /what-is-first-second-third-and-zero-party-data
Last Modified: 2026-04-16T11:34:39Z
# What is first, second, third and zero-party data?
As third-party identifiers fade across Europe and measurement grows harder, the difference between brands that grow and those that stall increasingly comes down to how well they understand, connect and activate their customer data.
This guide explains the four core data types — first-, second-, third- and zero-party data — and, more importantly, how they work together in a modern, privacy-first data strategy.
Why customer data looks different now
For years, marketers relied on third-party cookies and probabilistic identifiers to fill the gaps in their understanding of customers. That model is no longer viable, if it ever truly was.
The result is not a shift away from data but a shift towards owned, consented and connected data. Understanding the role each data type plays is the foundation of that shift.
If you’re in need of a refresher, find out more about what third-party cookies are and how they work.
The four types of customer data — and what they’re really for
First-party data: Your foundation
First-party data is information a brand collects directly from customers through its own channels. It is the most reliable and strategically valuable data asset because it is gathered with consent, owned outright, and rooted in real interactions and transactions.
Typical sources include:
Website and mobile app interactions
Transaction and purchase history
CRM and point-of-sale data
Email, SMS and contact information
Call centre interactions
Subscription and account data
This data is collected directly from consumers, transactions and by placing a pixel on your website, mobile app, product or social channels. Typically, the information is recorded in a customer relationship manager (CRM) or digital management platform (DMP).
Why is first-party data important?
What makes first-party data powerful is not volume, but continuity. It allows brands to recognise customers across sessions, devices and moments, rather than treating each interaction in isolation. In an environment where customers routinely use multiple devices, email addresses or payment methods, first-party data provides the strongest anchor for identity.
It drives cross-sell and upsell opportunities.
You can use this data to tailor your messages to their needs and wants, like which categories they recently purchased from. information is used to personalise offers and messaging to entice them to buy again, explore accessory items and try alternatives they might like.
It can futureproof your marketing.
Because first-party data is collected by you from your website, it has staying power a cookie does not. However, collecting this data is rarely the limiting factor. The challenge is resolving it into a single customer view that can be activated consistently across channels and used to measure real outcomes, not just engagement.
Second-party data: Collaborative power
Second-party data is another organisation’s first-party data, shared or activated through a direct partnership. In practice, it often looks identical to first-party data in structure and quality, but differs in ownership.
Second-party data commonly comes from:
Retailers sharing transaction signals with brand partners
Publishers or platforms enabling audience activation
Loyalty or ecosystem partnerships
Why is second-party data important?
Second-party data is a great way to expand the scope of your data while ensuring accuracy and relevancy. With an increased reach, you can start to engage other potential prospects that you may not have had access to in the past.
For certain verticals, such as CPG, partnering with retailers allows brands who don’t hold a direct relationship with the customer to measure the performance of campaigns and what consumers go on to buy.
It (also) future-proofs your marketing.
In European markets, retail media has become one of the most important second-party data channels, enabling brands to connect media exposure to in-store and online purchases while remaining within clear consent and governance frameworks.
Third-party data: Enrich customer data
Third-party data is data you buy from an outside source that is not the original collector of said data. It can come from a wide variety of sources both offline and across the digital ecosystem. Historically, it played a central role in prospecting and audience expansion, particularly through cookie-based targeting.
It typically includes:
Demographic attributes
Interest and lifestyle segments
Modelled purchase behaviours
Propensity and intent scores
Why is third-party data important?
The primary benefit of third-party data is to beef up the data you already have and widen your scope of people to target. Most brands will purchase third-party data to add critical demographic information to customer profiles to help improve personalisation.
It helps you discover best prospects.
Through modelling and advanced analytics, third-party data can be used to identify your current best customers and find more potential customers who look just like them. These prospects can be reached across all channels, including digital, advanced TV, email, direct mail, digital out of home, audio and gaming.
It is NOT necessarily futureproof
In 2026, the role of third-party data has narrowed. Used sparingly and strategically, it can add dimensionality but the brands that struggle most with third-party data will be those using it to compensate for weak first-party foundations.
When choosing a data partner, it’s important to carefully vet them to ensure they follow data and privacy best practices. Third-party data can then be purchased as audience segments for individual campaigns, meaning you can choose exactly which kind of customer you want to reach.
Zero-party data: The voice of intent
Zero-party data is voluntarily and proactively shared by the customer with a brand. It often includes preferences, purchase intentions, personal contexts and data on how the individual wants to be treated by the brand.
Zero-party data consists of:
Preference centres and profile updates
Loyalty programme enrolments
Interactive quizzes, tools or surveys
Declared interests and purchase intent
Why is zero-party data important?
What distinguishes zero-party data is intent. Customers are not being observed; they are speaking. This makes it particularly valuable for personalisation and experience design. While self-reporting can sometimes be an issue, for the most part, you have to trust what your customers are telling you.
It's (even more) privacy protected.
With GDPR and CCPA regulations, marketers should prioritise collecting data their audiences are consciously giving them.
It makes personalisation that much better.
Using zero-party data capture techniques like interactive quizzes and games gives you the opportunity to dynamically enhance and personalise content in real-time.
From data types to data strategy
Understanding these four categories is necessary, but insufficient. Competitive advantage does not come from collecting more types of data; it comes from connecting them meaningfully.
Modern data strategies focus on resolving identity across touchpoints, unifying online and offline interactions, and enabling transaction-level measurement. When first-party data is connected at the person level and selectively enhanced with zero-, second- and third-party inputs, brands gain a more accurate picture of who their customers are and how value is created over time.
Beyond cookies: identity as infrastructure
The loss of third-party cookies did not create a data problem. It exposed one.
With a weaker connective layer such as third-party cookies, brands tend to overexpose the same individuals, misread incremental performance, and rely on last-click attribution that overvalues bottom-funnel activity. Measurement becomes distorted, and costs rise as reach stagnates.
Brands that adapt successfully treat identity as infrastructure rather than a media tactic. They link web, app, CRM and transaction data into a governed, consented customer view that supports both activation and measurement.
What effective data activation looks like now
When customer data is properly connected, marketing becomes more coherent. Messaging is more consistent, frequency is controlled, reach is extended incrementally, and performance is measured against outcomes rather than proxies.
This enables closed-loop marketing, where insights from one campaign directly inform the next, and where acquisition, retention and lifetime value are measured on the same foundation.
How Epsilon helps
Epsilon works with European brands to build privacy-first data strategies grounded in first-party data, identity resolution and transaction-level measurement. Our platforms and services help brands move from fragmented signals to connected customer understanding, enabling more effective activation and more credible measurement across the customer lifecycle.
From Epsilon Digital to Epsilon Retail Media, our suite of products and services are backed by decades of industry expertise and are designed to help your business reach its marketing goals.
---
## Hurry up and wait: Google pushes back third-party cookie deprecation to 2024
Type: eps_post
URL: /hurry-up-and-wait-google-pushes-back-third-party-cookie-deprecation-to-2024
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Hurry up and wait: Google pushes back third-party cookie deprecation to 2024
On Wednesday, Google announced it will further delay getting rid of third-party cookies from Chrome to 2024. Originally slated to take effect in 2022, Google first delayed third-party cookie deprecation to 2023 after failing to deliver on its promise to provide an alternative solution for marketers seeking to deliver and measure effective digital campaigns without using third-party cookies. Now it’s happening again.
In a blog, Google Privacy Sandbox Vice President Anthony Chavez wrote that the internet giant is doing so in part because of input that there is a “need for more time to evaluate and test” the new Google Privacy Sandbox platform. Chavez wrote that the company plans on rolling out the Privacy Sandbox “by Q3 2023” and will then “begin phasing out third-party cookies in Chrome in the second half of 2024.”
Let’s review…
Google’s Chrome is the last major browser to hang onto third-party cookies in the wake of regulatory changes and consumer concerns. Safari, Firefox, and Edge all opted to get rid of third-party cookies in the past five years. Google followed them by announcing in 2020 that it planned on phasing out third-party cookies, but had no successful alternatives for publishers and marketers to reach consumers.
The loss of third-party cookies isn’t insignificant. Google’s own estimates show a median loss of publisher revenue of a staggering 64%. Epsilon research shows that 70% of marketers say digital advertising is headed in the wrong direction, and 80% aren’t confident their vendors can provide a solution. They worry that without third-party cookies, marketers won’t be able to reach the right people, leading to ad waste and the degradation of consumer-centric marketing in general.
The Sandbox was Google’s response to marketer needs in the wake of cookie deprecation. By design, Google’s Privacy Sandbox aims to create a consumer-centric, privacy-forward environment that enables targeting via Topics, a limited set of attributes based on recent browsing history, and measurement based on cohorts.
The catch? The company continues to allow itself to leverage Google-owned user-level identification while undercutting independent publishers and competing ad-tech companies’ ability to target consumers. In contrast, Google’s Privacy Sandbox offers limited contextual data that gives only limited insight into consumers.
Google’s approach has received plenty of criticism from the martech community, and evidently they still haven’t found their groove. While they continue to enhance the Sandbox to make it more acceptable for marketers, the cookie lives on.
Succeed without cookies using strong, persistent identity graphs
For Epsilon, this latest twist doesn’t change anything. That’s because we saw the flaws of third-party cookies long ago, and have developed ways to connect with consumers that don’t rely on them, by working with publishers who have developed trusted first-party relationships with their audiences.
Epsilon’s people-based CORE ID is anchored to deterministic data elements, making it not only reliable in finding the right consumers, but stable against regulatory shifts. Our data is privacy-centric, pseudonymized before it enters the digital ecosystem, keeping consumer information safe.
We know that identity resolution using first-party data is the best way to establish clear and consistent relationships between brand and consumers. And at Epsilon, our solutions enable this with clear and transparent measurement at scale and across devices. Our approach respects consumer privacy while addressing the need for brands to reach their customers with meaningful messages.
While Google’s announcement leaves some wiggle room for brands still figuring out what to do in the wake of data deprecation, that doesn’t mean you should take your foot off the gas. Consider working with a partner like Epsilon, who the industry agrees is leading the way in helping marketers reach consumers and drive performance without third-party cookies, and is rated a top ID alternative for publishers by Digiday.
---
## Gen Z consumers crave connection
Type: eps_post
URL: /gen-z-consumers-crave-connection
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Gen Z consumers crave connection
Generation Z consumers were the first generation born with the Internet. As a result, they’re often referred to as digital natives, and they are reshaping how companies engage with their target demographics.
A survey published by Vogue Business illustrates how Gen Z shoppers are not as brand loyal as their Millennial predecessors. Gen Z consumers crave a deeper connection to their brands and will often opt for independent and micro-brands that are aligned with their personal ethos.
Gen Z is a large and influential generation that aims to stay on top of and push cultural change, but brands have to earn their way into their wallets. As a result of the pandemic, 70% of Gen Z said they are monitoring their spending more closely than before. This shift in Gen Z shopping habits underscores the importance of brands needing to speak to individualization and identify niche narratives to help their product stand out among the rest and be able to engage today’s consumers.
Conscientious consumers
When targeting Gen Z, branding must go beyond catchy marketing on social media. Young people are placing a greater emphasis not just on high-quality items, but on larger societal and environmental issues. Gen Zers expect a company to ethically source products and use its platform and influence to address inequalities, environmental issues, and make real change in the world.
The newest addition to the workforce, Gen Z is equipped with purchasing power and an appetite for higher quality items, shifting consumption behavior. Although purchasing from a variety of brands, one aspect remains consistent: brands that understand their consumers and focus on sustainability and community come out on top.
Gen Z is redefining what newness means with the expansion of the secondhand market — a market that 27% of Gen Z are more likely to shop. With more resources and tools at their hands, this new wave of shoppers is keenly aware of a brand's level of transparency and their environmental, social, and governance (ESG) practices, which are now deciding factors in generating new business. Resale platforms like Depop are slowing down the cycle of new purchases, but still allowing consumers to enjoy many different trends.
A study conducted by Forbes from a panel of Gen Z shoppers put together by Berns Communications Group found that quality and fit were the most common words mentioned when it came to shopping for fashion. Younger consumers are demanding a stronger price and value proposition where they don’t need to compromise quality for price.
This balancing act of desiring higher quality items but wanting reasonable prices is echoed in the increasing usage of buy-now, pay-later (BNPL). Since the start of the pandemic, 123% more Gen Zs have used BNPL than before, the strongest uptake of any generation, and one-third of Gen Z said they are likely to use BNPL solutions in the future. This is significant because BNPL has enabled more consumers to be able to purchase more expensive, higher quality products by paying for these goods in stages.
A fragmented market
While Gen Z shoppers have similar underlying motivations and overarching values when it comes to their shopping habits — quality and fit, for instance — it doesn’t mean the choices they make are the same. This latest generation avoids big name brands and luxury labels, throwing a wedge into many traditional marketing strategies. In fact, consumer products have seen a massive amount of market fragmentation as niche brands are able to cater to micro-markets that provide a medium for consumers to feel more connected to their purchases.
While prior brand strategy focused on being the leading brand as a selling point, Gen Z consumers don’t necessarily want brands that say “mass.” Instead, niche brands are making their way into consumers’ wallets, which is tricky because the reasons consumers like one niche brand could be applicable to other brands as well.
Looking to personalized messaging
Faced with increased market fragmentation, it is more important than ever before for brands to know their customers across generational divides. With Gen Z consumers leaning to niche brands, delivering 1:1 messaging across channels based on their shopping preferences is vital.
Gen Z consumer insights shows that this is an omnichannel generation — shopping wherever suits them best in the moment without preference as to where they find what they want. Gen Z is 56% more likely to have shopped for fashion in-store over the last three months and 38% more likely to have shopped online.
With Epsilon, delivering personalized cross-channel messaging at the right time is made possible. With Gen Z consumers having niche preferences, it means that personalized messaging is key to building conversations and loyalty. Named a leader in the Forrester Wave ™ Email Marketing Service Providers, Q1 2022, Epsilon has helped countless clients talk to their customers. No matter what generation your consumers fall into, real people deserve real conversations.
---
## How to Choose the Best Loyalty Programme Software
Type: eps_post
URL: /how-to-choose-the-best-loyalty-programme-software
Last Modified: 2025-06-30T19:52:50Z
# How to Choose the Best Loyalty Programme Software
Today, loyalty programmes are highly sophisticated. They’re powered by software that makes it possible to design and run captivating marketing campaigns that work across multiple touch-points and resonate with highly valued customers.
To choose the best loyalty programme software for your business, you should consider the needs of the wider organisation as well as the wants and expectations of your customers.
There must be a strong commitment from the C-suite and confidence from all board members that investments will deliver a return. Equally, there must be reliable data showing how customers are responding and whether revenues are being boosted as planned.
7 Steps for Choosing the Best Loyalty Programme Software
Talk to internal stakeholders
Consider your customers’ requirements
Consider your brand’s business requirements
Consider what technical capabilities you need from loyalty software
Find a software provider who will support and collaborate
Consider offering customisable rewards
Master reporting and analytics from day one
1. Talk to Your Internal Stakeholders
Marketing teams often overlook internal stakeholders buy-in when starting the loyalty software procurement process.
For instance, a loyalty programme might be championed by the marketing director and the head of customer service. But do the CFO (chief finance officer) and COO (chief operations officer) understand the business case fully enough to commit to the investment?
To maximise support for your loyalty programme, it’s important to consider the entire board’s ambitions and concerns. These need to be addressed comprehensively at the planning stage.
Internal stakeholders should also be involved in the trial and testing phase so that issues are ironed out collaboratively rather than managed in silos.
2. Consider Your Customers’ Requirements
Brands need software that will allow them to build and manage immersive loyalty programmes. Customers who sign up for a loyalty programme should feel rewarded and treated to unique experiences.
Far too often though, they are confronted with irrelevant rewards or rewards that take far too long or too much effort to obtain.
Relevance and achievability are, therefore, significant considerations when choosing loyalty programme software.
Today, consumers expect a personalised customer experience (CX). So, it’s important to select software capable of delivering personalised communications across multiple touchpoints.
To achieve this, your platform will need to collect zero and first-party data and analyse customer behaviour over time. Also, think about how you want members to participate. In the past few years, brands have been investing in user-friendly and engaging loyalty smartphone apps for their programmes, as well as website access and a physical card.
Remember, customers will also want a simple way to view their loyalty accounts. How will they view points as they are collected? How will they know when they are on the verge of collecting rewards? The chosen software must do all this and deliver a first-class user-friendly experience.
3. Consider Your Brand’s Business Requirements
Your loyalty programme software must deliver all the loyalty benefits promised to customers and boost revenue.
When launching a programme, most brands hope for:
High enrolment rates
High participation rates
Evidence of higher repeat purchase rates
Increasing average spend per member
Improved customer retention rates.
All of this must be achieved using a programme that does not eat away at profit margins. Therefore, financial modeling and forecasting will be essential before any investment in software is made.
Early on in the selection and planning process, your loyalty programme project team needs to consider the likely data volumes they’ll be dealing with once the scheme is up and running.
They will also need to consider how this data will integrate with other commercial data sources. What exactly are the reporting and analytics requirements of the business? And will the software package fulfil all of these demands?
4. Consider Your Technical Needs
Customer satisfaction may be important, but it’s also essential to consider what technical capabilities you require from new loyalty software. You may need to track several loyalty programme elements, such as campaign participation and buyer behaviour, on a single platform.
You may also need to automate certain tasks to avoid swamping your customer service team. For instance, the loyalty programme sign-up process, email outreach, and other routine tasks can be programmed to run on their own.
You can also carry out detailed behaviour tracking with the right software in place. This will allow you to compile aggregated client and customer data and use that information to sharpen up your programme.
And, of course, loyalty software will power a digital-first interface. This is important if you want all of your user information and reward campaign details to be accessed by both your customers and employees online.
Integrated online discount redemption is increasingly popular. This makes it easy for customers to collect and re-redeem their rewards.
Remember, people will opt out of your programme if it’s too complex and difficult to navigate. Members will continue to take part in a programme if it is easy to understand. Most brands need a platform that can deliver an easy-to-use interface via mobile and the internet, as well as real-time data updates for business staff.
The loyalty software provider should have the ability to integrate seamlessly with existing IT systems, including CRM systems, email capability, social media, point of sale systems, and customer service elements, such as call centre systems.
5. Find a Software Provider Who Will Support and Collaborate
Market-leading loyalty software providers offer a single point of contact capable of ongoing support for daily operations.
Ideally, your loyalty software provider will become your strategic consultant. They will work alongside your team to build the best possible platform to drive incremental shopping behaviours.
They will also be able to manage the programme effectively, supporting several programme aspects, including marketing strategy, points and rewards management, and performance analytics.
6. Consider Offering Customisable Rewards
You will want to surprise and delight your customers, so make sure the rewards you offer are better than those offered by competitors. Ideally, your software choice will allow flexible and customisable rewards. Thanks to online innovators, such as Amazon, customers today expect and seek out personalised experiences. A recent survey of 1,000 US adults by Epsilon and GBH Insights found that 80% of customers want personalisation from retailers.
Experiential or transactional rewards are therefore a big attraction for loyalty programme members. The range of rewards should be wide, such as products, exclusive events, coupons, and gift cards, but always customisable.
The latest loyalty software and cloud-based systems are designed to optimise customer relationships with smart, intuitive, personalised messages.
Machine learning models are also being deployed to help retailers and brands understand customer sentiment in real-time.
From here, you can optimise marketing to drive higher emotional scores and deeper brand connections. It’s also possible to identify new prospects who are behaving like your best loyalty members.
This will enable you to grow your loyalty programme to include a higher proportion of profitable customers.
7. Master Reporting and Analytics From Day One
To ensure that your loyalty programme is going in the right direction, it’s necessary to quantify and measure progress over time.
Analytics and reporting features are must-haves when it comes to selecting loyalty software. A detailed activity dashboard gives you access to the data you need to improve your offerings.
This may include classic loyalty programme metrics, such as:
membership totals
programme sign-up rates
consumer behaviour insights such as purchase frequency and reward redemptions, campaign performance analytics, such as social media mentions and individual engagements.
The best loyalty software providers in the market today take time to help brands uncover key insights. Support is often provided so that marketing teams can see the return on investment in the months following a loyalty programme launch.
Tracking the collected data helps inform decision-making and shape customer loyalty strategic planning. For instance, the ultimate aim of any customer loyalty programme is to increase the customer retention rate (CRR). This shows what percentage of customers stay with you over time. The higher your retention rate, the better you’re doing at keeping customers loyal.
Thankfully, the latest loyalty programme platforms are designed to help you put the customer first, while meeting the commercial needs of your business.
Looking for Loyalty Programme Software?
If you want to convert casual customers into lifelong evangelists, Epsilon PeopleCloud Loyalty is designed to help you do it.
Here at Epsilon, we've worked with some of the most recognised brands in the world to develop their customer loyalty programmes, and we'd love to help your brand too.
More of Your Loyalty Programmes Questions Answered:
How Much Does a Loyalty Programme Cost to Implement?
How Do You Get Customers to Sign Up for Your Loyalty Programme?
Can I See Some Loyalty Programme Examples for Inspiration?
{{cta('50fe76f9-d840-45de-8c12-5247148e7c0e')}}
---
## Hurry up and wait: Google pushes back third-party cookie deprecation to 2024
Type: eps_post
URL: /hurry-up-and-wait-google-pushes-back-third-party-cookie-deprecation-to-2024
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Hurry up and wait: Google pushes back third-party cookie deprecation to 2024
On Wednesday, Google announced it will further delay getting rid of third-party cookies from Chrome to 2024. Originally slated to take effect in 2022, Google first delayed third-party cookie deprecation to 2023 after failing to deliver on its promise to provide an alternative solution for marketers seeking to deliver and measure effective digital campaigns without using third-party cookies. Now it’s happening again.
In a blog, Google Privacy Sandbox Vice President Anthony Chavez wrote that the internet giant is doing so in part because of input that there is a “need for more time to evaluate and test” the new Google Privacy Sandbox platform. Chavez wrote that the company plans on rolling out the Privacy Sandbox “by Q3 2023” and will then “begin phasing out third-party cookies in Chrome in the second half of 2024.”
Let’s review…
Google’s Chrome is the last major browser to hang onto third-party cookies in the wake of regulatory changes and consumer concerns. Safari, Firefox, and Edge all opted to get rid of third-party cookies in the past five years. Google followed them by announcing in 2020 that it planned on phasing out third-party cookies, but had no successful alternatives for publishers and marketers to reach consumers.
The loss of third-party cookies isn’t insignificant. Google’s own estimates show a median loss of publisher revenue of a staggering 64%. Epsilon research shows that 70% of marketers say digital advertising is headed in the wrong direction, and 80% aren’t confident their vendors can provide a solution. They worry that without third-party cookies, marketers won’t be able to reach the right people, leading to ad waste and the degradation of consumer-centric marketing in general.
The Sandbox was Google’s response to marketer needs in the wake of cookie deprecation. By design, Google’s Privacy Sandbox aims to create a consumer-centric, privacy-forward environment that enables targeting via Topics, a limited set of attributes based on recent browsing history, and measurement based on cohorts.
The catch? The company continues to allow itself to leverage Google-owned user-level identification while undercutting independent publishers and competing ad-tech companies’ ability to target consumers. In contrast, Google’s Privacy Sandbox offers limited contextual data that gives only limited insight into consumers.
Google’s approach has received plenty of criticism from the martech community, and evidently they still haven’t found their groove. While they continue to enhance the Sandbox to make it more acceptable for marketers, the cookie lives on.
Succeed without cookies using strong, persistent identity graphs
For Epsilon, this latest twist doesn’t change anything. That’s because we saw the flaws of third-party cookies long ago, and have developed ways to connect with consumers that don’t rely on them, by working with publishers who have developed trusted first-party relationships with their audiences.
Epsilon’s people-based CORE ID is anchored to deterministic data elements, making it not only reliable in finding the right consumers, but stable against regulatory shifts. Our data is privacy-centric, pseudonymized before it enters the digital ecosystem, keeping consumer information safe.
We know that identity resolution using first-party data is the best way to establish clear and consistent relationships between brand and consumers. And at Epsilon, our solutions enable this with clear and transparent measurement at scale and across devices. Our approach respects consumer privacy while addressing the need for brands to reach their customers with meaningful messages.
While Google’s announcement leaves some wiggle room for brands still figuring out what to do in the wake of data deprecation, that doesn’t mean you should take your foot off the gas. Consider working with a partner like Epsilon, who the industry agrees is leading the way in helping marketers reach consumers and drive performance without third-party cookies, and is rated a top ID alternative for publishers by Digiday.
---
## Cannes winners showcase how consumer data drives campaigns
Type: eps_post
URL: /cannes-winners-showcase-how-consumer-data-drives-campaigns
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Cannes winners showcase how consumer data drives campaigns
Earlier this summer, I had the chance to gather with fellow industry experts from around the world for The Cannes Lions Awards. The International Festival of Creativity has been championing creative excellence since 1954 with the goal of providing the definitive benchmark for creativity that drives progress in the marketing and advertisement industry and beyond.
As a jury member for the competition, I came away with several themes including the role of data, celebrating industry pride and changing the way people think of "traditional" marketing.
Data driving purposeful campaigns
A key driver of this year’s Cannes awards was data. Many discussions centered around using data for the betterment of society and as a vehicle for solving longstanding consumer problems.
Marketers have long tried to move away from the perception that "data is creepy." A key strategy in doing so is using data for good. Many brands competing at Cannes did just that in both the specific creative data category and many other categories, whether they produced a new product that provided a direct remedy for a specific problem or were meaningfully tied to a challenge.
Vodacom, a mobile operator out of South Africa, teamed up with agency VMLY&R, on a campaign with navigation app Waze and real time and historical police crime data to connect and utilize data on recent hijackings on roadways in their country. Drivers were alerted of dangerous roadways and navigated away from them inside the Waze app. This earned them a bronze in the creative data field at Cannes Lions.
Marketers also used data to drive relatively simple solutions that can have a huge impact.
Elevating "invisible data" — data that is typically overlooked due to its medium— can enable organizations to create significant change for a range of societal issues. It’s of note that no cookies are involved in these forms of data collection.
A powerful example of elevating "invisible data" was brought to the competition by investment firm WeCapital in partnership with DDB México and centered around raising awareness about the challenges women in Mexico face when trying to take out loans that require a credit score. The campaign, "Data Tienda," earned the Grand Prix award and populated legacy pen-and-paper bookkeeping data from local bodegas into a database that then created a credit score, something 86% of Mexican women don't have. This credit score then allowed the bank to give them small business loans.
There were several notable campaigns using data to help identify and decrease bullying in gaming communities. For example, Samsung in China identified bullies using the in app chat data and then increased the price of in game purchases for the bullies, who were also notified, as part of the campaign titled “The Cost of Bullying.” Leo Burnett Bogota, in collaboration with AB InBev, created a campaign that incorporated real-time data to prevent cyberbullying in video game chats. The campaign, “Billy, The Bully Watcher,” highlights a machine learning algorithm that is able to identify harmful slang and notifies parents when their children were bullied in a game or were participants of bullying via WhatsApp.
Data, large or small, powers a myriad of helpful tools that can be shared by several jurisdictions. Flight trackers, for instance, were integral to the really fun campaign from Garena and AKQA São Paulo’s gaming entry “The Real Airdrop,” a shortlisted contender, where gamers could catch gifts in their game by pointing their devices to the sky when specific planes flew over.
In another important entry submitted by Croatia Insurance, Bruketa&Zinic&Grey and Go2Digital, facial recognition and AI-based mood recognition algorithms were used to measure anxiety of those who interacted with the ad, earning the campaign a spot on the shortlist. The AI Anxiety Meter campaign highlights the consequences of not taking care of mental health and directed sufferers to local mental health support.
Finding partnerships that matter
The value of real partnerships to ideate, innovate, and deliver new opportunities is colossal, not only for brands looking to sell their products, but for companies who find solutions through their synergies.
Several of the winning campaigns at Cannes Lions came from collaborative projects with a wide range of interests. Receiving the Silver Lion award, travel brand Black and Abroad, for instance, worked with creative-data advertising agency Performance Art to launch a data-driven domestic travel platform titled “The Black Elevation Map.” Using cultural data such as historical markers as well as black-owned businesses and social media activity, users are able to view both the volume and type of some of the amazing historical and current black cultural places, businesses and communities - helping to drive awareness and visitation.
Brands aren't just using data and partnerships to make impactful messages, they're also using these aspects to elevate communities, as illustrated above.
Colenso BBDO Auckland teamed up with MARS subsidiary Pedigree to promote dog adoptions, earning the team a place on the shortlist. Creating a shelter management system, termed MyHooman, the brands put compassion and fun at the center of their data-driven digital experience and created an experience similar to Tinder UI to match adopters to pets. Within the first few weeks, 590 animal profiles were viewed 33,922 times. The platform successfully helped match rescue dogs to new families and significantly cut down returns.
All of these groups brought something different to the table, and by using their strengths collectively, they used data to drive real change.
Many of the Cannes creative data entries showcased a reframing of data-driven marketing campaigns to solve consumers needs with an altruistic lens. The industry is moving from one that pushes meaningless consumption to one that champions collaboration and creative uses of data to solve pressing issues.
---
## India’s Loyalty Landscape: A Deep Dive Into Epsilon Research
Type: eps_post
URL: /indias-loyalty-landscape-a-deep-dive-into-epsilon-research
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# India’s Loyalty Landscape: A Deep Dive Into Epsilon Research
The customer loyalty market in India is expanding at a dramatic pace. Epsilon recently released a research report covering the dynamics of this market and insights into the reasons for this growth. We published an article recently summarizing the highlights of that report and wanted to follow up that work with a conversation with Epsilon to understand more about how customer loyalty is evolving in the country.
This video interview features Ashish Sinha, Managing Director, Epsilon APAC and MEA, and Ganga Ganapathi, VP Marketing, APAC, MEA, and EU. Bill Hanifin hosts this interesting conversation, and as you listen, you will enjoy plenty of take-aways to understand more about this explosive marketplace.
A global leader in data-driven marketing and loyalty solutions, Epsilon, a Publicis Groupe company, has been a leader in the digital marketing revolution for many years, supporting leading brands in multiple markets and vertical categories with a variety of customer centric solutions. They strongly support loyalty education initiatives for their associates and clients and currently have CLMPs from their consulting and business development teams in the UK, UAE, Singapore, India, and the US.
Epsilon has been a long-time supporter of the Loyalty Academy and was a sponsor of the very successful inaugural CLMP Workshop in Mumbai, held on June 28-30, 2022. The Wise Marketer partnered with Brian Almeida and Mala Raj of Strategic Caravan to host and deliver the workshop.
---
## Igniting appetites and engagement with McDonald's star-studded, multichannel campaign
Type: eps_post
URL: /igniting-appetites-and-engagement-with-mcdonalds-star-studded-multichannel-campaign
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T22:16:49Z
# Igniting appetites and engagement with McDonald's star-studded, multichannel campaign
For decades, McDonald’s has been at the forefront of culture. Yet in 2020, many young Americans had never tried a Quarter Pounder. McDonald’s wanted to reach youth and cultivate a new generation of brand fans by showing up for them in a way that was culturally relevant across channels and would drive digital adoption and guest counts. The resulting concept was the Famous Orders campaign.
The campaign started with a universal “fan truth” that served as the anchor, “No matter how big or famous you are, everyone has a McDonald’s order.” This digital, cross-channel campaign used the buzz of celebrity fandom and favorite meals of stars like J Balvin, Travis Scott and Saweetie, as well as beloved holiday characters like the Abominable Snowman and the Griswolds, to engage a younger target audience, encourage them to download and register for the McDonald’s app, place an order and continue engaging, even after the order ended.
To successfully execute, McDonald’s needed a partner that could effectively own the customer relationship management (CRM) portion of this effort: a partner with a solid track record for email marketing and push notification impact that could seamlessly integrate with other the digital channels. Enter: Epsilon.
{% video_player "embed_player" overrideable=False, type='scriptV4', hide_playlist=True, viral_sharing=False, embed_button=False, autoplay=False, hidden_controls=False, loop=False, muted=False, full_width=False, width='1920', height='1080', player_id='73211383187', style='' %}
The recipe to success
Epsilon managed McDonald’s email and push notification channels for Famous Orders. To sync with the personal, authentic theme of the program, we created personalized experiences for each phase of the campaign:
Generating pre-buzz with engaging email and push campaigns to create excitement and anticipation around Famous Orders menu items.
Supporting launch with interactive email campaigns and rich push notifications promoting the app download and celebrity meals.
Sustaining digital engagement during and after the promotional period was over with clever animated email campaigns featuring limited time collab meals.
The team was able to accommodate a longer legal review cycle in a fast-paced environment balancing multiple stakeholder needs including: celebrities, business, creative and more.
Tasty engagement results from email and push
Overall, the campaign surpassed goals and benchmarks. At a program level, the 2020 Famous Orders campaign more than exceeded targeted goals, showing a 49% increase in new customers (more registrations and faster adoption), a 44% increase in existing customers (higher level of retention) and an overall shrinking of the base of lapsed customers, for an optimized marketing funnel. And McDonald's hit their app registration goal in a record three days. Guest counts skyrocketed with a 39% increase in guest counts per restaurant per day for the J Balvin meal and an all-time high for overall digital guest counts for the Holiday Deals.
For email specifically, the launch campaign had the second highest impact on incremental revenue attributed to email in 2020. We surpassed benchmarks with a 20% average open rate and a 10% average click-to-open rate. The campaign was so successful overall that it was awarded the Email Experience Council’s Best CrossChannel Campaign Award.
According to Catherine Thacker, Director of CRM at McDonalds, “Epsilon’s award-winning work on Famous Orders helped us to exceed our campaign goals. The team played a crucial role in the orchestration and success of our omnichannel customer experience.”
To learn more about McDonald's work with Epsilon, check out the full case study.
---
## 5 ways consumer shopping behavior has transformed in the past 2 years
Type: eps_post
URL: /5-ways-consumer-shopping-behavior-has-transformed-in-the-past-2-years
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T22:17:52Z
# 5 ways consumer shopping behavior has transformed in the past 2 years
“The Great Reshuffling” is a term that’s become associated with the mass moving of employees over the past two years. But did you know it’s also applicable to the behavior of consumers?
Many consumers—whether new, lapsed or re-engaged—over the past couple of years have tried new brands during the pandemic or shifted away from brands they were previously loyal to as their lifestyles changed. This “great reshuffling” has shaken up previously understood patterns of consumer behavior.
To get the clearest picture of the new consumer shifts, Epsilon went right to the source with its recent 2022 research, “The Great Reshuffling of Shoppers.” We surveyed more than 1,400 U.S. consumers on how their shopping habits have changed in the past two years—and where they’ve changed for good.
Here are five key findings from the research, along with recommendations for how to account for the changing consumer behavior in your marketing.
1. Consumers are still buying non-essential items
Epsilon found that 95% of consumers reported having purchased non-essential items in the three months prior to taking the survey. Specifically, the clothing, shoes and accessories category sits at the top of non-essential purchases (83%), with health and beauty products at a close second (77%).
Even more surprising, the “felt like treating myself” sentiment seemingly hasn’t died down despite economic concerns. The youngest age group surveyed (ages 18-34) were most likely to respond that they tried a new brand or website to treat themselves, and this sentiment declined with higher age groups as well as the highest income bracket. This could be due to differing mindsets about what sorts of purchases constitute “treats” as younger shoppers were also more likely to prefer casual, non-luxury apparel.
Recommendation: While the lingering effects of the pandemic remain, don’t hesitate to reintroduce “back to normal” messaging into your mix, as consumer shopping habits are no longer Covid-centric. People want to see a combination of attire categories that sync up with their everyday lives. Ensure you’re offering a top-notch experience: advertised items are available, in stock and can be delivered on time.
2. Shoppers are trying new brands, for a good deal
That said, shoppers aren’t just dishing out their dollars left and right to treat themselves. While about one-third of shoppers have recently purchased from a new brand, 51% of consumers state they have been enticed to buy from a new brand due to better prices and sales.This is followed closely by ease of online ordering (48%) and great selection (43%).
While the youngest age group was more likely to have a “treat themselves” sentiment, as mentioned above, they were also the most open to buying from new brands—where the driving force was good deals.
Recommendation: Set your customer acquisition sights on millennials and Gen Z who are already more open to trying new brands. But it’s not as simple as just “reaching younger audiences.” You should assess if this audience is right for your brand by analyzing current shoppers in that age range, determine common attributes for those consumers and quantify the size of that market first.
3. Shoppers are making purchases from new websites, too
According to survey respondents, 53% purchased from a new website because the price was better. So, while shoppers are willing to try new brands, they are more likely to be incentivized with a good deal that gives them more bang for their buck.
Deals will never go out of style when it comes to acquiring new customers, but don’t forget to share those same benefits with your loyal customers that want to feel like they got a deal too.
Recommendation: If shoppers are open to trying new websites, there’s an opportunity to capitalize on brand dollars with a retail media network. You can create a new revenue stream that leverages brand partner dollars to engage existing and potential customers on-site, off-site and in-store. Not interested in retail media? You can always do good, old-fashioned acquisition campaigns with digital media, too, which are just as effective at reaching the right customers.
4. Online experiences aren’t going anywhere
To no surprise, the contactless world has shifted consumer behaviors even more toward digital channels:
Shopping online for delivery is the only channel with in-pandemic growth.
Of those who made purchases online recently, 90% of people anticipate making more online purchases in the next few months.
Consumers are satisfied with their online experiences, which is why these new online shopping habits are sticking around. Ease and convenience are top of mind, and they aren’t going anywhere anytime soon.
Recommendation: Physical stores will always have their space, but treat your website like your primary storefront. With the top reason for trying a new website being ease of use, invest in user experience (UX) to improve the overall customer experience and keep those purchases rolling in.
5. In-store shopping is making a comeback
While online channels remain popular—and will continue to be in the future—you don’t have to put all your eggs in one online shopping basket. In fact, online and in-store shopping can and should coexist in your messaging mix.
Consumers are headed back in-store, with categories such as gardening supplies and outdoor furniture having a sizeable percentage of purchases—62% and 45% respectively—occurring in-store. While categories like clothing still have a high majority of shoppers making purchases online, over half of respondents expect to shop this category in-store in the coming months, citing factors such as fit, quality and immediacy.
Recommendation: Keep your online and offline experiences seamlessly connected and have them play off each other in your omnichannel messaging mix.
If you’re a category that finds people more likely to shop in-store, consider using geotargeted messaging to drive consumers to the store nearest to them and provide updates on topics such as loyalty offerings. That said, it’s important to consider that any brand has a mix of primarily in-store vs. online shoppers. Your customer data platform should consistently analyze where purchases are made so they can serve “shop online” or “shop in-store” messages to the right people across your portfolio.
Adjust your marketing based on current consumer behavior
We’ve seen how “The Great Reshuffling” of shoppers is not just a pandemic-era trend, but also has shifted consumer behavior for the foreseeable future. Consumers continue to spend on non-essential items with an eagerness to try new brands and websites, while some are returning to in-store shopping.
As a marketer, it’s important to be prepared to best serve each consumer based on their past interactions with your brand—and even reach new customers—across your marketing mix. We hope the findings from our research and recommendations can help you get there.
This article was originally published on Adweek, June 2022.
---
## How Target and J&J prioritize their retail media tech investments
Type: eps_post
URL: /how-target-and-jj-prioritize-their-retail-media-tech-investments
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# How Target and J&J prioritize their retail media tech investments
Retailers and their brand partners have had some time to experiment with retail media networks—particularly following the digital boom precipitated by the Covid-19 pandemic.
Target, for instance, first launched its retail media group Roundel in 2016. And during last month’s Path to Purchase (P2P) Retail Media Summit, the brand, along with its retail media tech partner CitrusAd and brand partner Johnson & Johnson, was able to share more than five years’ worth of experience in a panel discussion.
Let’s dive into some insights from the panel session from Renee Doerre of Roundel (Target), Sean Cheyney of CitrusAd and Jordan Witmer of Johnson & Johnson on how brands can successfully navigate the complicated world of retail media technology.
Self-service equals speed
Since the introduction of retail media networks, brand partners have been interested in self-service options—and Roundel took that to heart. In 2021, the retail media network partnered with ad-tech companies, such as CitrusAd, to provide that ability to its brand partners.
In the P2P panel session, Witmer shared why Roundel’s self-service option, facilitated by CitrusAd, matters so much to Johnson & Johnson.
“In a self-service model, you can eliminate some of back-and-forth,” Witmer said. “It used to be the sending of, ‘Hey, I noticed something,’ emails to the retail media partner, and then the partner would check to make sure they see the same thing. And then they would come back and say, ‘Yes, we think we should do it.’ And then three weeks later, they say they’ve made a change on something you told them about 20 days ago. A self-service capability really unlocks speed for us, and thus optimization.”
In an increasingly competitive retail landscape, speed is crucial, Witmer believes.
“Agility for advertisers is becoming the new upfront,” Witmer said. “We get more value out of being able to move faster than we get moving big slugs of money to get some discounts that become really, really structured. We’re able to extract more value the faster we can go.”
A unified user interface helps avoid the ‘NASCAR jumpsuit’ syndrome
Every internet user has faced “horrendous stalker ad scenario,” as Cheyney put it during the panel.
“We’ve all experienced bad ad experiences as consumers. You go on one site one time and then you’re going to get targeted everywhere; you’re going to see 30 ads a day, perhaps. That’s a bad guest experience,” Cheyney said. “The in-store experience would never operate like that. If somebody walks into a Target store, you’re not going to show them something and then follow them around the store and show them that same product or hand them a coupon at every aisle. … It’s not about turning your website into a NASCAR jumpsuit. It’s about really using that space in a smart way.”
So, how does a marketer avoid a bad customer experience? Having channels talk to each other enables frequency control, Witmer said.
“All these walled gardens, some self-serve, then retailers like to keep the onsite inventory so themselves so nobody knows how much margin they’re making … it’s all valuable but we need to be able to play between the two,” Witmer said during the panel discussion. “We need a solution that allows us to look at apples to apples across the open web, social platforms, onsite, in-store. A unified user experience for us allows us to create a better customer experience so that we’re not creating the NASCAR jumpsuit that’s always J&J.”
With retail media, it’s absolutely crucial to know who your shopper is and provide them a unified experience across all touchpoints: onsite, offsite and in-store.
Transparent measurement keeps your goals the focus
Pre-pandemic, black boxes used to be the norm. Now, black boxes are slowly starting to melt away, said Cheyney. Nowadays, transparency has become king.
“For myself, having spent the first half of my career on the brand side, a lack of transparency was a major frustration and a battle I was always fighting,” Cheyney said. “And so, to see now that transparency has become more of the norm, allowing brands to make the quick, data-driven decisions they want, that’s really exciting.”
Doerre discussed the importance of real-time, transparent measurement to ensure all parties—retailer, brand partner and, most importantly, customer—are having the best possible experience.
“How do we make sure that we don’t impede the experience—the ease and the use of the buying journey for the customer—while also helping Johnson & Johnson succeed?” Doerre asked. “It’s important to consider how the investment they have when they invest … is actually accretive to their business, as well.”
This is where transparent measurement comes into play: to ensure a customer is getting the best cross-channel experience, as well as showing brand partners that their retail media investment is well spent.
This article was originally published on Adweek, July 2022.
---
## Building hurdles into loyalty programs
Type: eps_post
URL: /building-hurdles-into-loyalty-programs
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Building hurdles into loyalty programs
By now it’s no secret that properly designed and managed loyalty programs can unlock significant value. Top-performing loyalty programs can boost revenue from customers who redeem points by 15 to 25 percent annually, by increasing either their purchase frequency or basket size or both. So, if loyalty programs play a critical component in increasing company-wide sales, why would you want to insert hurdles into them?
In reality, most loyalty programs have some redemption hurdles in place that limit a customer’s ability to reap their benefits.
According to our Senior Director of Loyalty Consulting Andrew Herta, redemption hurdles enable companies to effectively price segment and control the cost of their loyalty program. With this approach, companies can design rewards programs that ultimately create more value by right sizing their offerings.
A closer match between needs and offerings
Redemption hurdles are limitations brands put on members' loyalty points, like redemption expiration dates, spending minimums or redemption windows. About 1/3 of all loyalty points are never cashed in due to redemption hurdles, and can be a major frustration point for consumers.
As Herta points out, "while companies must use hurdles as guard rails to control costs within their loyalty programs, they must be implemented in a balanced way to avoid creating negative member experiences. A successful program balances the value provided to the member with the cost of the program because at the end of the day, a loyalty program must generate incremental revenue."
Redemption hurdles enable businesses to better price segment their members, which allows for a closer match between company offerings and member needs. To do this, firms can use past purchase histories, survey results, or other market research data to determine their members’ willingness to pay and purchase frequency. Once these two metrics are established, businesses can create redemption hurdles that split members according to their frequency and amount of spending.
The optimal threshold does vary by industry. The higher the purchase frequency, in cases such as restaurants, the shorter the expiration term for rewards points should be as compared to specialty stores or airlines, for instance. If members have similar purchase frequencies, a longer expiration term for reward points may be more advantageous because it enables brands to effectively segment members into meaningful tiers based upon their spend.
That said, a well-designed program is ineffective if the program is poorly communicated. It’s imperative that companies clearly outline the reward program structure, clearly communicate any expiration terms and avoid jargon or fine print that can lead to alienating loyalty program members.
Who says hurdles are boring?
Redemption hurdles don’t have to remain at set levels; in fact, adjusting them based on redemption elasticity can create a significant sales boost. As opposed to devaluing the loyalty program, lowering the price of redemption can activate dormant customer loyalty without any long-term impact. Overtime, reengaging customers can earn a brand deeper engagement.
Not only can hurdles move, but they don’t have to be a snoozefest either. Gamification in loyalty programs is projected to grow to $30.7 billion by 2025 and is a clever way for brands to build up their first-party data. Gamifying redemption hurdles as part of the user experience can also increase engagement.
Companies such as Nectar, the largest coalition loyalty program in the UK, saw a significant increase in user engagement in introducing a “scratch and win” feature on top of collecting points for every purchase. Alternatively, the Starbucks Rewards app has a “menu challenge” feature where members are issued a list of purchases to complete to win bonus stars. Bonus stars can then be redeemed against food and drink orders, or even merchandise. Such experiences create a psychological relationship between the loyalty program user and the brand, leading to higher retention rates.
Gamification can also soften the sting of redemption hurdles, Herta points out. For instance, gamified elements such as sending a fun message that the reward is about to expire with the element of an extra perk if they redeem it in a certain amount of days helps encourage a member to redeem an award before said expiration date.
Overall, “gamification should be integrated seamlessly into the larger member experience strategy, rather than on an ad-hoc basis," Herta underscores.
Optimize and re-optimize
Redemption hurdles are only one part of the larger loyalty program design which includes currency, thresholds, and ways to earn among many other factors. One goal of redemption hurdles is to shorten the time between member visits to increase overall frequency and spend. The key is to not make the redemption window too short as members are never going to want stricter redemption windows. However, while too much breakage is bad— meaning a reward that goes unredeemed— having an expiration date that is too long discourages members from making incremental visits.
"While it's important to include hurdles you must continue to optimize them along the way.” Herta emphasizes. Brands should always be looking for ways to optimize factors such as expiration windows and breakage points to encourage members to increment their behaviors.
"Finding the right restrictions is key to driving the most incremental revenue. It’s a continuous optimization process that continues long after initial program design."
It all comes down to the data
The key to unlocking a loyalty programs success is having the right data to measure it. These beneficial programs create the data foundation for other valuable initiatives such as data-driven marketing and improving the customer experience. As with any customer segmentation strategy, your ability to design effective redemption hurdles depends on access to data regarding individual customers’ prior behavior.
If you’re looking for help with your loyalty program, Epsilon’s digital strategy consulting expertise and technology enabling highly flexible solutions can help foster long-lasting connections. We’ve even garnered the top score in the Current Offering category. With an intentional, data-driven approach, firms can build redemption hurdles that create substantial value.
---
## There’s nothing strange about your data...
Type: eps_post
URL: /theres-nothing-strange-about-your-data
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# There’s nothing strange about your data...
The second volume of the fourth season of Netflix’s hit series “Stranger Things” touched down on July 1, and it was a smash hit. According to Netflix's internal metrics, the show just became only the second Netflix series ever to cross 1 billion hours viewed within its first 28 days of availability, and the premiere of Season 4 (Volume One) set the record for Netflix’s biggest-ever premiere weekend for an English-language series.
It’s safe to say it’s a popular show. The question is: Did Netflix know that it would be the mega success that it did when it first came out?
Despite the fact that the cast was made up of mostly unknown actors and the marketing for Season 1 was largely grassroots, the show was awarded a $6 million per episode budget in its first season. Netflix had more than just faith the show would be a success.
Viewer data helped drive the look and feel of "Stranger Things," something that catapulted the sleeper show to Netflix's crown jewel. And it's not science fiction: Brands can also use consumer data to develop their own marketing magic.
First-party data is a superpower of its own
Netflix connects with its 200 million-plus subscribers directly every day, filing away hordes of extremely valuable first-party data. They use this data expertly—using viewership data to drive everything from production and marketing to content creation. Since the very beginning of the streaming service, it has been using predictive-analysis algorithms to recommend personalised content to its subscribers.
So, in many ways, Netflix was very sure “Stranger Things” would be a hit. They based their decision to produce the series with the budget it received on data analysis of what previous Netflix content was performing well. The series was a hit because Netflix listened to data when creating it.
On top of that, Netflix used its data to best position the show to its subscribers on an individual-level basis. Knowing who they serve allowed them to show one promotional image of the show to one subscriber on their homepage, while a completely different image to another subscriber on their homepage—all based on the data Netflix has on those two separate individuals.
In a world where third-party identifiers are going away, first-party data is becoming even more important for marketers looking to successfully engage their customer base. And thankfully, according to our research, most marketers are putting greater emphasis on their first-party data strategy.
But it’s not enough just to collect the data; marketers need to know how to wield it. As needs to be said for all superpowers, “With great power comes great responsibility.”
How to use first-party data like a superhero
First-party data is critical to developing custom audiences defined to marketing objectives like customer acquisition, cross-sell, up-sell and brand awareness. Understanding the best audience for a given objective allows marketers to build custom audiences based on the profile of their ideal customer and similar customers in-market.
Audience development starts with customer identity. What’s new, and a major roadblock for many marketers, is the complexity of integrating data from multiple sources to build one universal profile of an individual.
If your campaign analysis & planning is currently managed in-house you could be missing some critical insight to enhance ROI and create greater long-term value for your business.
Epsilons Campaign 360 is a fully managed data analytics solution with dedicated resource in sync with your brand.
Here’s an example of what may be possible to know about your customers’ purchasing behaviour using Epsilon Abacus data analytics:
Here’s what Campaign 360 can deliver for your business:
Higher quality customer acquisition -Make sure you are acquiring the customers that will spend more, purchase more regularly and stay loyal for longer to grow your customer base.
Reconnection with inactive customers - Help your high value customers find their way back to you with offers that match their purchasing behaviour from other brands similar to yours.
Better retention and spend from loyal customers -Learn what your customers really want and retain them. They will thank you for tempting them with offers and products that increase their average spend.
Increased lifetime value -Happy customers who become brand advocates spend more, recommend more and add more long-term value to your business.
By combining the 500M+ transactions held on the Abacus Alliance with your customer RFM, the Campaign 360 segmentation will allow you to identify dormant or lapsed customers that are still active in your market space and well as “one-off”, single buyers that are unlikely to repeat purchase. This in turn will improve your targeting, reducing marketing wastage and improve campaign ROI.
Don’t stay in the upside down – activate your first-party data
You may not be able to save the world with a robust first-party data strategy, but you sure can enhance your marketing. At Epsilon Abacus our solutions allow marketers to recognise customers wherever they are with a unified profile. These consumer insights drive personalised marketing through powerful AI and ultimately results in better outcomes for both the customer and the brand.
Epsilon Abacus lets brands connect to millions of active consumers on the Abacus Alliance to understand what each person wants, and then reach those people using highly targeted offline campaigns.
Big brands like Netflix are taking big bets on delivering experiences they know are going to resonate with their audiences. You don't need to be a major Hollywood studio to have the same kind of impact: First-party data gives all types of brands the chance to do something impactful.
To dive even deeper into the ways first-party data prioritisation can boost your marketing,
Send us a message at enquiriesuk@epsilon.com
---
## 7 Tips for a Highly-Successful Loyalty Programme
Type: eps_post
URL: /loyalty-programme-success-tips
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T22:17:52Z
# 7 Tips for a Highly-Successful Loyalty Programme
Customer loyalty is one of the most important resources a business can invest in. Per our research, loyal customers spend up to three times more than ones who aren’t loyal—or aren’t loyal yet.
If you don’t have one already, you should consider building a loyalty programme to reward your best customers while also reaping the benefits of their loyalty to your business.
And if you do have a loyalty programme in place, you should be looking for ways to optimise it.
At Epsilon, we know what makes the most effective loyalty programmes work. Our PeopleCloud platform is data-driven, flexible, and reliable, with >99% uptime and support for all members.
Below, we’ll take a close look at seven tips for making the most of your loyalty programme.
7 Tips for a Successful Loyalty Programme
1. Understand Your Users’ Interests
The most loyal customers are the ones that know your business best. In return, you should get to know them on a personal level; your loyalty programme should appeal to them personally.
Basing your programme around buyers’ identities drives greater engagement—and loyalty.
That begins with learning who your loyal customers are. This requires integrating user profiles across any apps and websites customers use to engage with your company. And it means opening up channels for users to post to social media or generate content and find community directly within your app.
Then, you should use any information you can glean about your members to tailor everything about the programme to their interests. You can offer promotions based on their purchase history or create special experience-based rewards catering to their favourite activities.
2. Make Sure Your Rewards are Unique
Your customers aren’t the only ones whose unique identity matters. To capture their attention and encourage loyalty, you should present them with rewards they won’t find anywhere else.
The biggest consideration here is offering options. Some members are going to value direct cash back or discounts the most. But others will be looking for experience-based rewards, like opportunities to attend special events or activities tailored to their interests—think yoga or pottery classes.
Another way to showcase your company’s uniqueness is by offering special gated content to customers as a sign of gratitude for their loyalty. Educational or tutorial content can help them feel more productive and stimulated, whereas special access to a curated collection of videos, music, or photos might appeal to the more artistic-minded among your loyal customers.
Yet another possibility is giving members the opportunity to channel their loyalty into charities they believe in. Matching a donation can show them you share their values—and value them.
3. Leverage Industry-Wide Trends
In addition to understanding your customers on a micro-level, you should also have a handle on more macro-level trends impacting buyer pools across the industry you could be pulling from.
For example, consider these trends in shopping behaviour that have emerged since 2020:
Despite economic concerns, buyers are “treating themselves” to non-essential goods.
The upshot: Loyalty programmes should encourage “self-care” with confidence!
The biggest factor in buyers deciding to try new brands is being offered a great deal.
The upshot: Bigger savings for first-time buyers can drive loyalty down the road.
Shoppers are eager to return to stores, especially in certain categories (e.g., gardening).
The upshot: Consider incentivising in-store shopping, depending on your niche!
Knowing how buyers at large are behaving helps you meet a broader audience’s demands. That will help you reach more people and turn them from potential customers into loyal customers.
4. Use Tiered Rewards or Special Categories
The more loyal your customers are, the more benefits they bring to your business. In return, you can reward greater degrees or longevity of loyalty with VIP tiers that grant better and more frequent rewards, opportunities to save, or other special benefits to your very best customers.
For example, consider a loyalty programme that rewards points for each purchase, beginning at a rate of 10 points per £100 spent. Once members spend up to a certain threshold, such as £1000 in a given month, they may become eligible for increased earnings—like 15 or 20 points per £100 they spend. Even higher levels might unlock other rewards categories, like new ways to redeem their points or special super-earner events in which points are doubled or tripled.
On another level, you may consider offering bonus points on special categories, which can rotate according to seasonal demands. If potential customers can get a good deal on a parka in August, and there are bonus points for buying it then, they might be more inclined to purchase.
5. Gamify Everything About the Experience
Whether or not they’re keen on admitting it, shoppers of all ages love playing games.
The most effective loyalty programmes make use of gamification, or incorporating video game elements like level progression, point scoring, and competition into the user experience.
For example, users can visualise their progress toward a higher rewards tier as a bar filling up, similar to how experience works in role-playing games. Or they might be prompted with an odds-based challenge (i.e., roulette or slots) to win bonus rewards at certain thresholds.
There are three main considerations for successfully gamifying a loyalty programme:
Difficulty – The “game” customers play should be easy enough for anyone to start but challenging enough that it takes time to master—to keep users coming back for more.
Commitment – Consider whether a binge model would appeal more to your customer base or if they would more likely prefer a “game” they play once per day (or week).
Community – Make sure customers have opportunities to (and are encouraged to) interact with other people, both in the app and more broadly across social media.
These elements make your members want to engage with your loyalty programme more; they’re also more likely to tell friends about the programme to “play” along with them.
The net result is a wider range of happier—and more loyal—customers.
6. Simplify Access and Use of the Programme
There are two important ways in which your loyalty programme should be easy: 1) the experience of using any app or website connected to it, and 2) the logistic of earning and redeeming rewards.
Loyal customers come from all backgrounds, with varying degrees of technological literacy.
Ease of Use, per the Interaction Design Foundation, requires asking key questions about how your customers will likely use your app or website.
For example, what level of preparation are they likely to have? In what contexts or environments will they be using it? You need to make sure there are affordances in place that make using your interface natural—and enjoyable.
Then, there is the matter of proving loyalty and being rewarded for it. Gone are the days of punch cards customers would shove into their wallet or purse, only to lose days or weeks later. Today’s shoppers expect better points tracking systems and reminders about redemption.
The right platform easily facilitates this via automated emails or SMS messages when a customer reaches a certain point threshold.
However, ease of access and use only goes so far. Counter-intuitively, you also may want to…
7. Build in Some Hurdles to Reward Redemption
No matter how easy a loyalty programme is to use, some customers will forget to use their points. As recently as 2019, Gartner estimated that $140 billion in loyalty rewards went unused. All that unaccounted-for value is hardly helping anyone—neither businesses nor customers.
Building in hurdles to earning and/or redeeming rewards can encourage engagement—and purchases—from your customers and close windows of uncertainty for your business.
Two basic kinds of loyalty programme hurdles to consider implementing include:
Expiration dates or windows, which clearly establish how long a member has to use any points they’ve earned. For example, points may be usable for 24 months, then expire.
Minimum spending, such as thresholds rather than rates (e.g., spend £1000 for 100 points rather than earn 10 points per £100 spent). This can also be paired with a maximum rewards limit (e.g., earn up to 1000 points per calendar month/year).
Importantly, these hurdles should never cross over into the realm of unfairness. Users should never be made to feel like redeeming their rewards is impossible; that would run the risk of disincentivizing loyalty. But small challenges make cashing in on their points more rewarding.
Craft the Perfect Loyalty Programme
Using any or all of the tips above is one surefire way to supercharge your loyalty programme, attracting more users to your brand and encouraging greater loyalty from existing members.
But the best way to boost your programme to the maximum is working with a global leader in data-driven marketing like Epsilon. Our PeopleCloud platform empowers your customers with identity-based profiles, real-time rewards for their engagement, and round-the-clock support.
Contact us today to start creating the perfect loyalty programme for your business!
Keep Learning About Loyalty Programmes
Mistakes to Avoid When Building a Loyalty Programme
How to Get Customers to Enroll in Your Loyalty Programme
How to Measure Success with a Loyalty Programme
{{cta('50fe76f9-d840-45de-8c12-5247148e7c0e')}}
---
## The emerging use and function of second-party data
Type: eps_post
URL: /the-emerging-use-and-function-of-second-party-data
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T22:16:49Z
# The emerging use and function of second-party data
For marketers, creating the best omnichannel experience can feel a bit like putting together furniture.
Even with an instruction manual, the do-it-yourself approach can feel a bit scattered. As brands try to create the best omnichannel experience, they often find disjoined performance data and lack the ability to bring it all together.
This is where clean rooms and second-party data step in: With the deprecation of third-party cookies, data clean rooms are leveraging privacy-compliant consumer data and sharing it with partners, creating second-party data ripe with opportunity.
Second-party data: The new "it girl"
Historically, many brands have viewed first-party data as the best alternative to third-party cookie depreciation. While collecting first-party data from consumers is vital, reach can be limited. Second-party data, which is first-party data another publisher, retailer or brand collects, helps solve for this. Purchasing second-party data from another entity enhances a brand’s own first-party data while also enabling marketers to future-proof their strategies.
If second-party data is the new “it girl”, the rise of data clean rooms is her hottest accessory. Data clean rooms have enabled brands and publishers to access a privacy-centric environment to use first-party data from partners without relying on third-party cookies. Essentially, these entities can partner to share anonymized second-party data, resolving identities without exposing them. Clean rooms provide a vital space for flexibility around data access permissioning.
Kelley Maves, senior vice president of Product and Data at Epsilon, says the clean room category is a natural evolution when it comes to second-party data. “It’s become a conversation about how do brands gain access to other companies data but in a controlled, privacy safe manner. And beyond access controls — how often the data is refreshed, is it segmented audiences or transaction level data, what use cases are allowed, are just some of the nuanced considerations,” he said.
These second-party partnerships come to life in the form of mutual exchanges of information. Each party combines known and anonymous data–which can include user-level, historical and transactional data–into customer profiles for activation and enters their first-party data into the clean room. This data then has various security and privacy measured applied to it, such as pseudonymization and restricted access. Once this is complete, anonymized matching takes place in the clean room.
Major brands are turning to this model. Dick’s Sporting Goods announced late last year their new integrated loyalty program with Nike in a move to drive better personalization and online sales. Dunkin’ and navigation app Waze partnered together to develop an in-app promotion when travelers are near a Dunkin’ Donuts—which also allows customers to order ahead.
Putting together the pieces
Activating second-party data has a slew of useful applications, spanning measurement, attribution, and audience insights.
By resolving identities without exposing them, not only do marketers have access to better audience targeting, but with increased demand for greater privacy protection these strategies help cement privacy at the center of first-party data strategies. Companies can now deliver personalized experiences without customers feeling that their privacy has been compromised—creating loyalty and trust with consumers.
In augmenting first-party data, marketers have a better understanding of their customers. This aids marketers in sending the right message to the right people at the right time. Maves emphasizes that second-party data helps fill a void that’s not just about media and addressability.
“There’s a lot to learn about your customer: attributes, strategies, behavioral components,” he said. “What are they doing in the wild? You can use that info to define durable marketing and overarching campaign strategies.”
The other side of the coin is understanding customers for those brands that don’t have a lot of signals on customers in which case they can work with a retailer, which is where the rise of retail media networks becomes so integral to this story. Not all data owners are retailers per se, but when they are brands can typically get access to value their investment and understand outcomes that they’re actually driving.
“In the cases where brands are getting access to retailer transaction data and especially where they’re able to do that in a self-service clean room environment, they’re able to interrogate and ask questions about the data that they’re never going to get out of a basic study,” Maves said. “You can do really advanced and novel measurement with that data.”
Bolstering your customer understanding in this way and forming second-party partnerships also allows brands to divert more of their ad-spend away from walled gardens. This is in line with the overarching trend of brands moving their spend choices in favor of open ecosystems over closed ones. Brands that want to use second-party data in context of media are demanding more transparency.
Effective marketing starts with knowing your customer and with the security data clean rooms provide, second-party partnerships are increasingly attractive in the race to understand your audiences.
At Epsilon, our clean room solution powered by CORE ID allows for an identity solution that is privacy safe and resolves back to pseudonymzed person-based identity.
"The richness of Epsilon's data footprint allows you to get a deeper view of your customers and our open ecosystem in terms of activation allows that data to be used across your marketing vehicles to drive meaningful outputs," Maves said.
---
## Data quality: The foundation of high-performance marketing
Type: eps_post
URL: /data-quality-the-foundation-of-high-performance-marketing
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Data quality: The foundation of high-performance marketing
High-performance marketing is rooted in strong data, but not all data is equal. Having quality data is critical to ensure you’re maximizing your marketing’s effectiveness, making every customer and prospect interaction count.
But what does having quality data mean? Let’s review key factors to consider when evaluating data:
Coverage: Overall coverage looks at file size and element coverage is the percent of records on the file with that specific element. In today’s environment, coverage must go beyond name and address to also include multichannel coverage. This translates to higher and consistent identification rates across all consumer touch-points for more effective omnichannel marketing.
Accuracy: Use a truth set file you have confidence in to compare and evaluate accuracy of data elements. Data accuracy ensures you’re reaching the right consumers with the optimal message and offer to maximize your marketing dollars. Tradeoffs between coverage and accuracy can happen, so the key to success is balancing and achieving high marks in both.
Performance: Performance measures how well data elements are able to predict specific actions. Well-balanced models with data elements reflecting depth, breadth, variety and uniqueness drive the best performance.
Privacy: Performance should never come at the cost of privacy. To succeed, you need data that’s transparent, verifiable and trustworthy. A privacy-first approach is fundamental to data-driven marketing.
The consequences of not using quality data
If data is not accurate or high quality, it doesn’t matter what statistical methods or advanced analytics are applied, nor how much experience is brought to the table.
Basing decisions on conclusions derived from flawed data can have costly implications for you and you business. Poor data costs the U.S. economy over $3 trillion each year and can cost businesses at least 30% of revenues. These costs go beyond the monetary impact of wasted marketing spend to include consequences like loss of reputation and higher-risk decision making.
Therefore, it’s imperative that brands seek data partners who are transparent about their sources and the steps they take to maintain data quality and respect consumer privacy.
The value of having the right partner
Let’s look at a real example of how improvements in data quality translate to improved business outcomes. Faraday faced two major challenges with their data: simplicity and quality. Their data supply chain was complicated and they were working with a large number of vendors. After piecing together data sources for many years, Faraday partnered with us on a solution.
We jointly selected several data sources, including a dynamic and robust install of our multi-sourced consumer marketing file TotalSource Plus®. Comparing our data to prior sources, Faraday found our data to have better quality, higher coverage and more attributes that suited their business.
The result? Faraday has seen a 50% increase in model validation accuracy, resulting in happier clients, better retention and an overall lift to their business.
Ongoing evaluation and commitment to quality
When was the last time you looked at the quality of your marketing data? Do you know if there are gaps? How often is the data refreshed? The time and effort you invest to ask the right questions, test (and retest!) data and find the right data partner will pay off many times over in smarter decision-making and better results.
Because of our commitment to high-quality data, we authorized a third-party audit of our consumer marketing file, TotalSource Plus, to evaluate its strength and ensure we continue to offer performance-driven data per marketing industry standards.
To see the full audit results and learn why our file is ranked #1, download the report.
---
## 5 Loyalty Programme Examples You’ll Want to See for Yourself
Type: eps_post
URL: /loyalty-programme-examples-youll-want-to-see-for-yourself
Last Modified: 2025-06-30T20:43:14Z
# 5 Loyalty Programme Examples You’ll Want to See for Yourself
Consumers today have more choices available to them than ever before. So, brands need to be proactive in seeking out and retaining loyal customers.
That’s why loyalty programmes are critical to businesses’ success.
But not every programme is equally effective in this environment.
To effectively court and keep loyal buyers, you must tailor your programme to their needs.
Epsilon has built loyalty programmes for organisations in every industry, with a platform that reaches over 600 million members annually. We know what makes the best ones work.
Below, we’ll take a look at five of the best loyalty programmes in effect right now as models for what you can do with yours—especially with the help of a quality platform like Epsilon’s.
Top 5 Loyalty Programme Examples
1. Tesco's Clubcard Programme
Tesco first debuted the Clubcard in 1995, and it has been rewarding customers’ loyalty (and driving immense value for Tesco) ever since. The free base membership provides shoppers with cash-back in the form of points that they can redeem for vouchers to be used in-store or online.
Point accrual starts at a rate of one point per £1 spent on items purchased from Tesco. There are also special, rotating events (Clubcard Boosts) that offer greater earning or redemption rates. The best-known example is the annual Christmas Boost, which debuted in 2013.
In 2019, Tesco also launched a paid tier for the programme, Clubcard Plus. For a monthly fee of £7.99, the most loyal of Tesco’s customers gain access to four unique benefits each month:
A flat 10% off participating Tesco brands in-store
Two 10% discounts on “big shops” (min. £40 spent)
Double data for participating Tesco Mobile customers
A Tesco Bank credit card with zero foreign exchange fees
Both the free and paid tiers have been incredibly successful. Reuters reports that Clubcard purchases account for over 95% of Tesco’s promotional sales, driving increased profit outlooks in 2021 and 2022 after the brand captured nearly 28% of the grocery market share in 2020.
Tesco’s Clubcard is proof that rewarding customers’ loyalty also rewards businesses in turn.
2. Dunkin Donuts' DDPerks Programme
The restaurant industry is notoriously fast-paced and volatile. The constant flux of consumer trends and new competitors means companies need to make customers’ decisions easier. This is equally true for small, family-owned restaurants and larger, internationally-recognised chains.
Dunkin’s DDPerks sees over 20 million transactions per day from its 24 million active users. By making its users’ lives easier when out and about or navigating their hectic mornings, it pays dividends for loyal customers—and for Dunkin’.
Like other examples on this list, Dunkin’ leverages a loyalty platform for its loyalty programme, which helps it tap into an unprecedented network of customers—fans—and their interests. It connects with millions of enrolled customers every day, making it easier for them to save money on daily coffees and other treats while earning points toward greater savings down the road.
Importantly, they order, save, and learn about increased savings and other rewards in one place.
What makes these customer-facing features extra beneficial on the business side is seamless POS integration across every Dunkin’ location, along with its mobile app. Customers and corporate alike value frictionless UX, which has led to a 50% increase in spending YoY.
America runs on Dunkin’—and Dunkin’s success runs on customer loyalty.
3. The Body Shop's Love Your Body Club
The old saying goes, it is better to give than to receive. And sometimes, the best rewards are ones that customers can use for someone else’s benefit rather than directly for themselves.
Loyal Customers of The Body Shop have the ability to channel their rewards toward causes that matter to them, making the world a better place. The Love Your Body Club offers the customary benefits, like 1 point per dollar spent, access to exclusive events, and gifts for their birthdays.
The kicker is that the Body Shop also empowers loyal customers to cash in their vouchers for charitable donations to select causes. LYBC Charities currently supported include:
Black Lives Matter
NO MORE
World Land Trust
Born Free USA
Wires
Points to be redeemed for donations or other rewards are earned for qualifying purchases, including all products and services The Body Shop offers, online or in-store. LYBC Eligibility for these and other benefits is open to any shopper over the age of 18 with a valid email address.
Before launching LYBC, The Body Shop’s legacy programme boasted 900,000 users. Its growth in loyalty is tied in part to dropping the £5 startup fee but also to empowering its users ethically.
4.O2's Priority and Rewards Programme
UK telecommunications giant O2 uses its loyalty programme to thank its customers. There are two ways in which it rewards loyalty and consistent top-ups—Priority Offers and O2 Rewards.
Priority offers include exclusive access to deals and savings from rotating partners. For example, customers might enjoy complimentary beverages or free meals courtesy of O2. Loyal customers also have first or pre-sale access to tickets for exclusive events (Priority Moments), and these are often offered at steep discounts from what non-O2 buyers would pay for the same seating.
These benefits are available to all O2 customers, but they’ll need to use the app (and have their O2-connected phone nearby) to access their tickets, discounts, and other loyalty rewards.
O2 also provides Rewards to its Pay As You Go customers, applying 5-10% in cash back rewards for their monthly top-ups—5% for the first six months, then 10% every month afterward. Loyal customers can earn a maximum of £150 in redeemable rewards every three months. Earned rewards can be used toward Tickets and other Priority Offers or redeemed for gift cards.
But O2’s loyal customers aren’t the only ones reaping the benefits.
According to market research, O2’s programme saw:
Over 2.6 million registrations in its first year
A 2.5% customer turnover rate
Generated ROI of £9.60 per £1 spent.
5. British Airways Executive Club
British Airways is the premier airline in the United Kingdom, and its services fly all across the world. It rewards its most frequent flyers with the Executive Club benefits, which empower loyal customers to earn miles—Avios—that they can spend on flights and a host of other rewards.
Customers earn Avios and Tier Points (see below) when they book flights through British Airways or their oneworld alliance partners. Rates start at 25% of miles flown for the lowest fare classes (with a minimum of 125 per flight) and range up to 300% of miles flown (with 1500 minimum) for the highest classes. Other partnered airlines’ Avios rates and minimums may vary.
Customers earn greater benefits at higher Executive tiers when they accumulate more Avios:
Blue – The free tier customers begin at, with exclusive member-only benefits like access to discounted flights, priority on reservation lists, and preferential seating and meals.
Bronze – At 300 Tier Points (min, 2 flights per year), customers get access to priority check-in and boarding, and complimentary seat selection a week before departure.
Silver – At 600 Tier Points (min. 4 flights per year), customers earn Avios at a higher rate (1.5x), extra baggage, access to business lounges, and free seat selection at booking.
Gold – At 1500 Tier Points (min. 4 flights), customers earn first-class check-in and booking, access to First lounges, and other benefits—locked in for life at 35,000 Points.
All levels above blue also correspond to oneworld alliance rewards, so frequent flyers who also use other participating airlines can enjoy benefits such as priority boarding across all of them.
It’s no wonder more than 13 million flyers worldwide are British Airways Executive Club members, being rewarded handsomely for their loyalty—and helping BA’s profits soar.
Optimise Your Loyalty Programme Today
The five examples above all work because they tap into the specific needs and wants of the customer bases they serve. When crafting your own loyalty programme, you’ll need to identify what those are for your customers; that’s the best way to incentivise more (and higher) spend.
Whatever kind of programme you choose, the best way to launch it is on a robust platform.
Epsilon’s loyalty programmes are highly customisable to any customer or business needs. We help you identify the highest-value members and reach them with personalised offers they’re most likely to appreciate. Then, seamless maintenance and support keep them loyal long-term.
Get in touch today to learn about how an Epsilon loyalty programme will benefit you!
Have More Loyalty Programme Questions? We've Got Answers
Is Starting a Loyalty Programme Worth It?
Are There Different Types of Loyalty Programmes?
How Much Do Loyalty Programmes Cost to Start?
{{cta('50fe76f9-d840-45de-8c12-5247148e7c0e')}}
---
## The 4 forecasting challenges facing retailers this Black Friday
Type: eps_post
URL: /the-forecasting-challenges-facing-retailers-this-black-friday
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T22:17:52Z
# The 4 forecasting challenges facing retailers this Black Friday
As we approach another Black Friday, retailers face a new set of challenges around this critical trading period. And like recent Black Fridays, this means forecasting customer behaviour remains as unpredictable as ever.
Why it matters
This period is central to retailers’ annual plans. Last year the UK registered its best ever Black Friday, with shoppers spending £9.2 billion. But it also acts as a bellwether for consumer confidence, making Black Friday’s performance an indicator of the state of the economy.
Deeper dive – 4 challenges making Black Friday forecasting difficult
The cost-of-living crisis: Spiralling inflation and unprecedented energy cost rises have seen UK household incomes on their longest downward trend on record. And with the Bank of England predicting the UK economy will enter recession, this is sapping the ability and willingness of consumers to spend.
Retailers are thinking the unthinkable: This year we’ve seen long-term ecommerce resistors launch online services and brands refunding returns while letting customers keep the products. Rocketing logistics costs and inventory gluts are forcing retailers to take unprecedented steps to protect their margins, which could have implications for Black Friday.
Inventory levels remain volatile: Sky-high demand following the pandemic has led to retailers amassing too much of the wrong stock and in the wrong locations. As consumer demand normalises, this may impact how retailers approach Black Friday and consumers’ appetite for what they are offering.
A winter World Cup: For the first time ever, the World Cup takes place in November, with England playing on Black Friday itself. Traditionally held in the summer, the tournament often has a positive effect on retail sales, but the timing of this year’s event introduces a big unknown for retailers.
The bottom line
Once again, retailers are having to forecast Black Friday at a time of uncertainty and a rapidly changing environment. While this is a scenario they have become used to, this year, falling confidence is seeing consumers trade down and adopt new shopping behaviours making Black Friday even more challenging.
To learn more about these challenges and the strategies retailers can adopt to help deliver a successful Black Friday, download your copy of our Black Friday report here.
---
## Mistakes to Avoid When Building Your Loyalty Programme
Type: eps_post
URL: /mistakes-to-avoid-when-building-loyalty-programme
Last Modified: 2025-06-30T19:57:54Z
# Mistakes to Avoid When Building Your Loyalty Programme
There are several common mistakes brands must avoid when building their loyalty programme. It is crucial to steer clear of mistakes if a scheme is to attract members and help your organisation grow.
Epsilon is uniquely positioned to offer advice in this area as it shares more than four billion campaign messages every month to more than 600 million loyalty members. Epsilon works with companies of all sizes, from the largest multinationals to smaller boutiques, continually innovating to ensure market-leading performance.
Common errors when running a loyalty programme can occur at any time. They can arise during the build, in the early stages after launch, and once a scheme has reached maturity.
Cutting out mistakes can help boost an organisation's chances of commercial success. In this article we’ll walk you through the timeline involved in launching a loyalty programme, flagging up the pitfalls at each step along the way.
Mistakes to Avoid During the Build
Lack of Vision
The first mistake a brand might make when building a loyalty programme is a lack of vision. Big organisations such as Boots, British Airways, and Tesco each have a vision. They each want to reward loyalty and generate valuable business data.
To copy a competitor or because you want to add to your email database are not strong enough reasons to proceed. Following that path will more than likely result in an unsuccessful scheme.
You need to have a clear idea of how you want the loyalty programme to benefit both you and your customers. You must spend time mapping out a strong business plan.
Working with the Wrong Partners
Another frequent error in the planning stages is to work with the wrong partners. Do not choose the first loyalty programme company you find.
You need to find a company that will tailor the loyalty programme to your needs, and bring in-depth industry expertise to the process.
Choosing a Provider Rather Than a Partner
A common mistake organisations make is to choose a loyalty scheme solutions provider, as opposed to a partner. There is a risk of getting an off-the-shelf kind of solution, and one that simply looks like everything else on the market.
A lack of innovation or uniqueness will fail to wow consumers, and the scheme won’t work.
Forrester, an analyst firm, calls on brands to choose a loyalty service provider based on three things. They should understand emotional connections, customer insights, and have strong project orchestration capabilities.
It is now more crucial than ever for businesses running loyalty schemes to have clear terms and conditions for consumers. Data privacy laws continue to tighten. It is imperative for organisations to safeguard consumer data and be transparent about its usage and storage.
The creative process of launching a new customer loyalty programme is compelling. But don’t make the mistake of forgetting important matters of compliance.
Mistakes to Avoid in the Days Immediately After Launch
Even organisations that have built stand-out loyalty programmes can still fail to best utilise them. The early stages post-launch are crucial if you want to gain momentum.
It is a time to take advantage of marketing the newness and unique opportunities related to your loyalty programme.
Lack of Activity
The early days of a loyalty scheme are crucial to building a rapport with members because this is a time of high consumer engagement. But organisations often fall into the trap of inactivity.
The best loyalty programmes adopt a 100-day strategy, where the aim is to find out as much about their members as possible.
The more you can find out about loyalty programme members, the more you can personalise your communication with them.
Consumers who receive a personalised service are more likely to make a purchase than those who feel a disconnect with a brand’s messaging.
Not Personalizing the Experience for Customers
Loyalty schemes become irrelevant to consumers when they lack personalisation.
And 80% of customers are more likely to make a purchase if their experience with a brand is personalised.
Not Making The Purpose of the Loyalty Programme Clear
It is also an error not to make it clear upfront what your loyalty programme stands for. By failing to tell consumers what they stand to benefit from, you are failing to motivate them to use it in the first place.
Providing a clear pathway towards earning rewards and payback in exchange for sharing their data with you is important. This represents an ideal way to begin a relationship with your new loyalty scheme member.
Not Easy to Redeem Points
A study published by Virgin Red in April 2022 listed the biggest bugbears of loyalty scheme members.
Consumers don't like lengthy processes to redeem points, according to the survey. They are also frustrated when points expire before they have been converted to a saving or treat.
Too Difficult to Achieve Rewards
The time it takes to earn enough points to make a significant saving was the main reason shoppers avoid loyalty schemes altogether.
This finding highlights the importance of avoiding unachievable reward schemes.
The research indicated that consumers look elsewhere quickly if there is no realistic reward to set their sights on.
Mistakes to Avoid After Your Loyalty Programme Has Reached Maturity
Not Continuing to Evolve and Enhance Customer Experience
While the early stages of a loyalty scheme’s life are vital, it would be a mistake to think that the programme can stand still thereafter. Members will expect the scheme to evolve, and for you to communicate new features and different ways for them to gain rewards.
Throughout their life, successful loyalty programmes continually enhance the brand and customer experience. And they have to change with the times.
It’s important to remember that loyalty members spend three times more than non-members – so it's critical that you treat them to the powerful customized experiences that they deserve. That's how to convert casual customers into lifelong ones – and Epsilon PeopleCloud Loyalty is designed to help you do exactly that.
Ready to Launch Your Own Loyalty Programme?
With Epsilon, you can get in touch with your customers’ unique preferences and purchases – so you know exactly what to say, how to say it, and what to offer to earn your customers' purchases and keep their loyalty.
Epsilon’s exclusive emotional loyalty measurement model displays real-time sentiment, so you’ll see the impact of your programs on each customer. Then you can optimise your marketing to drive even higher emotional scores and deeper brand connections.
By understanding your brand's best loyalty members, Epsilon’s CORE AI continuously identifies new prospects who look like your best member – growing your loyalty program faster than other solutions.
There are mistakes to avoid before during and after the launch of any customer loyalty program. Not only is it important to avoid these pitfalls, but it's also critical that your program continues to evolve and the customer relationship remains fresh. If you want to convert casual customers into lifelong ones, Epsilon PeopleCloud Loyalty is designed to help you do it.
Learn More About Building a Loyalty Programme
Cost to Implement Loyalty Programme
Examples of Loyalty Programmes
Choosing The Best Software for a Loyalty Programme
{{cta('50fe76f9-d840-45de-8c12-5247148e7c0e')}}
---
## As third-party cookies crumble, CPGs look to smarter clean rooms
Type: eps_post
URL: /cpg-clean-rooms-iri
Last Modified: 2025-10-03T13:51:21Z
# As third-party cookies crumble, CPGs look to smarter clean rooms
With third-party identifiers all but gone, CPG marketers are starting to get anxious.
Safari, Edge and Firefox have all gotten rid of third-party cookies, and Chrome is slated to drop the identifiers all together starting in 2024. The problem? For many marketers—especially those with CPG brands—these identifiers are the bread and butter of their digital strategies. In fact, according to an Epsilon survey, 85% of CPG marketers say they’re either very or moderately reliant on third-party cookies.
First-party data is emerging as the strongest solution. In the Epsilon survey, 89% of CPG marketers reported they were focused on developing their first-party data strategy, the highest of all other industries surveyed.
And it’s clear to see why: First-party data strategies offer marketers the chance to activate high-value audiences with personalized marketing that can be more accurately measured for success. But as many CPG marketers know, collecting and organizing actionable first-party data is not always so easy.
Many are turning to solutions that bolster their first-party data. Gathering data is a great first step, but to maximize its value, marketers need a platform to enhance that data and connect it to campaigns, as well as a team technical and strategic experts to bring it to life.
One solution is the use of clean rooms: Privacy-forward technology that allow brands to align their first-party data with their partners’ datasets. But not all clean rooms are created equal. Many are empty shells that brands need to populate with data and require technical expertise for most analysts to use properly.
The quest for data
CPG brands face a unique issue when it comes to data collection. The most glaring is that most CPG products are sold in retail stores, so CPGs can’t identify the individual customer who bought their product. The data they do have is often fragmented—especially for enterprise CPGs with a large portfolio of brands— and supplemented with a collection of second- and third-party data from a variety of sources.
Many CPG brands have captured their own data through a variety of measures, including gamification plays, sweepstakes, loyalty programs and more, and often turn to data partners like Epsilon to augment those profiles for a more complete customer view. But having the data isn’t nearly enough. Collecting data is a good first step—to maximize it, brands need top-tier tech, analytics and activation, plus a way to close the loop at scale.
Building a smarter clean room
At Epsilon, we believe in a smarter clean room. We’ve partnered with IRI to offer CPG marketers a clean room that includes IRI’s transactional data—the world’s largest and most granular CPG transactional data set—enabling CPG marketers to create their own closed-loop data ecosystems for insights, audience development, activation and measurement.
How does it work? Brands align their first-party data to Epsilon’s CORE ID’s, including IRI’s transactional data and Epsilon’s demographic, economic, behavioral and interest-based attributes. That means a complete understanding of their consumers as individuals, allowing brands to infuse insights into media planning and consumer experiences.
Person-level transactions also unlock the ability to identify and reach growth audiences, so brands can focus ad dollars on their highest-value prospect audiences to improve media efficiency and performance.
These strategies help CPG marketers capture what once was considered a white whale: omnichannel personalization at scale. With a complete view of consumers, marketers will know when every person buys each brand and UPC in their portfolio, then analyze contextual signals to gain insights into why they bought. Those insights help marketers recognize intent in the broader universe of both customers and prospects and deliver personalized messages for the right brand at the right moment on the channel where a consumer is most likely to act.
Finally, by using 100% deterministic IDs that are tracked over time, we maintain persistent connections to each CORE ID – closing the loop with transparent and unmodeled cross-channel measurement.
The Epsilon & IRI difference
Choosing a clean room solution is a big decision with long-term strategic value, and brands should feel confident that their partners will help drive business growth for years. Our software with services model means you’ll have our dedicated team of experts -including audience specialists and data scientists- available to ensure success. And Epsilon’s CORE ID is future-proofed, so you’re ready no matter where the industry goes next.
Our software with service model means you’ll have our dedicated team of experts--including audience specialists and data scientists- available to ensure success
Our 250M+ CORE IDs connect each person’s online and offline identity and are not reliant on third-party cookies, so they aren’t prone to the duplication and inaccuracies found in other solutions built on cookies or email addresses. The strength of CORE ID is just one of the many reasons Epsilon was named a leader in The Forrester Wave™: Customer Data Strategy & Activation Services, Q2 2022.
IRI’s transactional data set includes more retailers than other data provider in the industry – the world’s largest CPG data set and the most granular data representation in the marketplace. With a 95% match rate between IRI’s transaction data and Epsilon’s CORE ID, marketers can understand and reach more of their best customers efficiently.
The combination of our best-in-class tech, data, and services generates huge returns for CPG brands looking to drive growth and customer lifetime value using first-party data.
Let us prove to you that we can maximize the value of your first party data – better understanding your most valuable customers so you can find more prospects just like them. Contact us to schedule a requirements assessment to discuss where you’re at, where you’re headed, and the possibilities that could be unlocked with a smarter clean room.
---
## Lets do something about majority of retail media belonging to Amazon
Type: eps_post
URL: /most-retail-media-spend-still-belongs-to-amazon-what-can-we-do-about-it
Last Modified: 2025-05-14T20:29:26Z
# Lets do something about majority of retail media belonging to Amazon
Amazon's on-site ads business, in which brands pay the online shopping behemoth to have their products spotlighted, was a masterstroke when it debuted a decade ago. Amazon's website already excelled at sales, and now the ads business folded in an entirely new revenue stream as brands paid for access to coveted audiences—just like they had long bought ads on TV, radio, and media websites.
It was the first retail media network, and its success inspired a wave of other large retailers such as Target, Walmart, Costco, and Kroger to follow suit by launching their own similar networks. Such networks can potentially deliver big-time value for both the big retailers and the featured brands. That's mainly because they leverage not only the retailers' on-site traffic to drive on-site conversions, but also target ads to highly specific audiences comprised of that retailer’s first-party shopper data across the open web.
What does the data say?
So Amazon proved the efficacy of the retail media network, and now everyone benefits. Right?
Not so fast. There's one big problem with the broad rise of retail media networks: in the minds of agency and brand executives who control marketing spend, Amazon remains king.
About one in ten of said executives reports making a "large" or "very large" investment in Walmart's retail media network, for example. In contrast, more than half are spending either a "very small" amount or "none."
And Walmart is the success story. Target finished a few points behind Walmart, and investments in networks owned by the likes of Kroger, eBay, and Best Buy are vanishingly small.
Worse, those executives are even growing skeptical of Amazon's media network. Brand execs reported much lower confidence levels in Amazon as a marketing channel than alternatives such as Facebook, Instagram, and online display ads. Agencies weren't quite as pessimistic but likewise voiced less confidence in Amazon than in display ads and established social-media channels.
The value proposition behind retail media networks hasn't changed. These networks retain their potential to connect brands with high-value customers at ideal moments. Yet it's also clear that not enough of that potential is being realized for brands.
So what can the operators of retail media networks do to turn the tide? The key is lean into the things that have the potential to deliver unique and powerful value to the brands and agencies they need to woo. Success in the next phase of retail media means maxing out the value in seven key categories:
Maximize the website's earning potential
Choosing how and where to display retail media ads should be approached thoughtfully, with great care given to how retail-media products differentiate from other recommended products. However, creative marketers can find ways to preserve balance and differentiation while still maximizing retail-media opportunities.
Maximize off-site monetization
The first-party data that large retailers collect from shoppers on their own sites is enormously valuable in delivering a targeted on-site experience and can enable them to be similarly effective in reaching (and converting) similar audiences off-site. Of course, off-site targeting is not just limited to on-site visitors – not by a long shot. Off-site advertising allows a retailer to expand the monetizable pool of shoppers brands can reach to include every retail shopper, including in-store purchasers, email-list members and loyalty account-holders.
Pulling this off may require collaboration with data-focused partners on both the supply and demand side of the ad-tech ecosystem. Still, it has the potential to emerge as a powerful—and profitable—strategy.
Maximizing brands' spend
It's an adage of business that it's easier to increase spend from an existing customer than to win a new one, and it holds true in retail media. While trying to win over those skeptical brand execs, retail-media networks should also aim to expand the presence—and spend—of the brands who already are on their networks.
An example of maximizing a brand’s spend might be introducing new audiences or channels; it could also be increasing spend by providing the return on ad spend of a brand’s investment so they feel secure investing more if the numbers are promising.
Maximizing the value of each shopper
This means dialing in the last mile of the customer journey from the perspective of a retailer's other customer—the brad advertising on their retail media network. In turn, that means doing everything possible to facilitate a purchase, and perhaps even a long-term relationship, between shoppers and the brands they're encountering via the retail media network.
Maximizing the value of each shopper starts with understanding the shopper. This means knowing what they browse for and buy when they’re not at the retailer, what their lifestyle is like and what they truly need as a consumer. Then, using that information, it’s possible to provide relevant and interesting advertising that makes the shopper feel understood and not intruded upon. This enables the creating of a relationship with a shopper based on respect and understanding that will last longer than a single point of sale interaction.
Maximizing the power of first-party data
Large retailers have big online audiences, which makes it easy to confuse the value proposition of a retail media network with that of a traditional media network. But there's a big difference, and it lies in the potential of first-party data. Retail media network operators shouldn't miss out on the chance to use that to its greatest possible effect, which will lead to retail-media customers reaching their ideal shoppers, creating the sort of high-value connections that will lead to greater loyalty and spend.
Maximizing the shopper base
Expanding your on-site shopper base is good for core business because it drives sales. It also benefits retail media networks because it increases their overall audience and makes them more attractive to marketers. Acquiring new customers who act and spend like your best customers by reaching them with personalized messaging is key.
Retail media networks—other than Amazon, anyway—haven't yet fully convinced brands and agencies of their value. Yet their potential remains vast, and it's up to retailers to dial in their offering so that they can win over the skeptics.
If you're looking to get more out of your retail media than ever before, Epsilon may be the right partner for you. With a solution that adds up to maximum performance, retailer and brand partners alike will quickly see gains in shopper reach and incremental revenue.
---
## How to Improve the Effectiveness of Your Retargeting Ads
Type: eps_post
URL: /how-to-improve-effectiveness-of-retargeting-ads
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T22:17:52Z
# How to Improve the Effectiveness of Your Retargeting Ads
Is your retargeting advertising still working as more channels and increasing numbers of advertisements are vying for consumers' attention?
We're already seeing advertising effectiveness decline as ad blocker usage grows and creativity is replaced with standard formats in cluttered environments. And with third-party cookies being phased out, will this mean the end of retargeting?
Yet despite these challenges, retargeting continues to be important. Today nearly 98% of website visitors leave without buying anything – a wealth of potential lost sales lost. This makes retargeting a critical strategy that, if you get it right, can increase your online sales by 20%.
At Epsilon, we understand these challenges. We’ve been helping advertisers overcome these so they can continue to deliver relevant and impactful retargeting.
In this article, we’ll discuss the different types of retargeting available, seven actions you can take to improve your retargeting effectiveness, and how to approach your retargeting when third-party cookies die.
So What is Retargeting?
Retargeting is advertising served to people after they have visited and then left your website. It's about building a relationship with them when they are off-site, reminding them of the product they were interested in, and encouraging them to return to your site and buy.
But when talking about 'retargeting', we must be clear. Retargeting is a catch-all term referring to a multitude of different approaches. The key ones are:
Site retargeting: This is the classic definition and what's been discussed above: identifying and targeting users who have visited your website. It's a mid/bottom-of-the-funnel activity where you are reaching users who know what they are looking for and have shown an interest in what you offer.
Search retargeting: This targets users with display advertising based on the keywords they have put into a search engine. In this case, they may never have heard of your brand, but you can influence their thinking at the start of their buying journey. It's a top-of-the-funnel activity to build awareness and drive qualified users to your site.
Email retargeting: Also called remarketing, uses email to target existing customers who have added products to their basket but then left your site. The targeted email acts as a reminder, encouraging them to buy what they were viewing. This approach helps drive sales and customer retention.
Mobile app retargeting: While retargeting is often for acquisition, this is about re-engaging users through in-app advertising. While 230 bn apps were downloaded in 2021 – highlighting it's a mobile-first world – churn is very high. Ecommerce shopping apps, for example, have a 24.5% day-one user retention rate, but after 30 days, this falls to 5.6%. Retargeting is a critical approach to improving retention and use.
While there are many types, Epsilon focuses on site and email retargeting.
So, what can you do in these competitive times to improve the effectiveness of your retargeting? Well, these tips can help.
7 Steps to Improve the Quality of Your Retargeting Ads
1. Understand Your Audience
Think quality, not quantity. Each visitor to your site is not the same, so don't target everyone. Focus on people who offer the best opportunities. These could be people who have visited key product pages, viewed a product page many times, your existing customers and users who have placed items in their basket.
What's critical is that you can differentiate between the individuals. This is particularly important for recognising a brand new prospect versus a customer who has bought from you before.
2. Use your insights to make better decisions
Segmenting your visitors allows you to give each group a value based on their relationship with your brand. From this, you can decide whether to send them an ad or not.
And for those you do, does it need to be for the same product they viewed? Basic retargeting focuses on promoting to a user what they've shown an interest in. But can you be more sophisticated?
Use your customer data. Are there insights you have that can inform you what to show them? For example, if you know people who look at red shoes are often interested in red handbags, consider promoting this product to them. Make your data and retargeting work harder.
3. Don't annoy your customers and prospects
Capping how often your audience sees your advertising is essential. Seeing ads for products they've viewed too many times when online makes consumers feel they're being followed. It's annoying, and they may react negatively to your brand. This could have an impact on your future potential sales.
And it's the same with your remarketing emails. Be aware of how many you send. Too many, and you'll come across as pushy (or desperate). This can drive people to unsubscribe from future emails, cutting off a key communication channel.
So make sure there's a limit on how many ads people see. Or send them different creatives, which may help you extend the frequency of your messaging.
Better still, use technology that can decide what's right for each individual at the time. Remember, every message you send must deliver incremental value and have an impact. If it doesn't, there's no point in sending it.
If you are frequency capping, ensure your technology allows this to be done at the individual level. Traditional cookie-based targeting focuses on a user's device, be that a computer, mobile or tablet, not the person using them. This means people with many devices can be exposed to more ads than if you cap around the user.
4. Get your timings right
For any retargeting campaign, especially email, timing is critical. For example, if someone has visited your site and then leaves to check the news, immediately showing them a retargeting ad mightn't be the best move.
But don't wait too long; otherwise, you risk losing them to a competitor.
Interrogate your data to understand how long it takes, on average, for someone to convert and buy. Is it a few days? Could it be two weeks? From this, you can develop a relevant retargeting timeframe and build your campaign timings and frequency around this.
5. And get your measurement right
Make sure your retargeting is helping grow your business. Don't rely on a last-click model to measure success. Instead, start measuring incrementality.
You don't want to leave conversions on the table. Equally, you don't want to serve ads to prospects who would convert anyway. Adopting an incremental approach allows you to deliver the same advertising efficiency but reduce your retargeting spend.
6. Make it personal
Use data insights to guide and enhance your communications to strengthen their relevancy. Customise your advertising based on consumer interactions with your site. Adopt Dynamic creative optimisation to allow the best message and best creative combination, based on the user and device they are on, to deliver more impactful and personalised ads.
And apply this information to personalise your emails. Use their first name and always remind them what product they have in their basket. And give them a compelling reason to buy. As 45% of abandonment emails are opened, this is an excellent opportunity to drive sales.
7. Don't let your channels exist in isolation
Retargeting isn't a single-channel strategy. Siloed approaches result in a disconnect, so promote a seamless cross-channel experience. Make sure email campaigns complement your display advertising and deliver a consistent message.
And don't just think digital. Skincare and beauty retailer Sephora is a good example of how combining online and offline can support a business. It uses its mobile app to identify in-store customers and provide them with relevant information. And when they leave the store, it can retarget them with offers, videos, and product announcements to keep them engaged, ensuring the brand remains front of mind.
So What's the Future of Retargeting in a Cookie-less World?
Most retargeting is cookie-driven. It relies on these tiny pieces of data stored on a user's browser to track behaviour as people navigate the web. But these will die when Google ends third-party cooking tracking during the second half of 2024.
The good news is retargeting will still be possible. But instead of cookies, it will rely on identity solutions.
These offer a privacy-compliant approach to identifying an individual. They use various signals and elements to identify an actual individual, such as email addresses and physical ones.
What's critical is ensuring the data connecting the identifier to an individual is long-term and consistent so you can continue to market to them in the future.
To navigate this new identity world, you'll need to work with a solution provider like Epsilon. But not all identity solutions are the same so take a look at Digiday's recently published report that can help you assess what nine leading providers offer.
Today, success in retargeting is not around how much you spend on advertising but by being clever. It's the approach Domino's adopted when we worked with them to help drive incremental growth. Here the focus was to 'outsmart rather than outspend.'
And always use your data and targeting to create brand affinity when developing your retargeting strategy. Good retargeting benefits your brand, but bad retargeting extracts value. So while short-term sales are important, don't let this be at the expense of longer-term profitability.
Looking for Help with Your Retargeting?
Using the tips above will help make a positive difference in your retargeting. But to take full advantage of retargeting by applying better personalisation, insights and measurement, you must work with an expert.
Through our PeopleCloud platform, we're allowing brands globally to have meaningful conversations with their prospects and consumers to deliver results that matter.
To find out more, get in touch and we’ll be happy to schedule a call to discuss your current challenges and how Epsilon can support you going forward.{{cta('927e4aa7-a82c-431d-8aac-9725fb5b45c0','justifycenter')}}
---
## College endorsement deals creates a shift in spots marketing
Type: eps_post
URL: /college-endorsement-deals-creates-a-shift-in-spots-marketing
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# College endorsement deals creates a shift in spots marketing
It's been a year since the NCAA ruled college athletes can accept endorsement deals via the change to the name, image and likeness (NIL) ruling and it’s not just the players cashing in. Athletes and universities are using NIL rules to build even bigger brands through corporate partnerships.
While it's unclear which universities are using their first-party data to drive sponsorship engagement, sports teams are rich with valuable first and second-party data that improves programmatic campaigns and thus brands stand to gain a lot of value from partnering with college athletes and athletic programs—on and off the field.
Monetizing college sports
In 2021, the NCAA announced that student athletes will be allowed to make money off their name, image and likeness (NIL). Prior to this, college athletes were compensated for the cost of certain parts of their education, such as tuition and room and board, but were not allowed to participate in sponsorships or make endorsement deals because it went against the NCAA's mission of promoting amateur athletics.
Universities, athletes, and corporate brands are all jumping on this new opportunity to build up their own brand image and awareness. According to INFLCR, a company which tries to connect college students with NIL deals, roughly half of the deals last year were worth less than $53. This may not sound like a lot, but when all the deals that happened last year are added together, it is estimated that college athletes collectively made over $900 million and that is certainly no pocket change.
Athletes have been afforded some pretty incredible opportunities in this new NIL era, spanning everything from HVAC to Kool-Aid sponsorships. Texas running back Bijan Robinson, one of the best running back options in the nation, even recently announced a partnership with luxury car manufacturer Lamborghini.
Evolving first-party data
Although most athletes won’t receive a Lamborghini sponsorship, there are a slew of benefits for the stakeholders involved. Athletic programs and universities are scrambling to create new opportunities that level up this new era of college athletics.
The University of Alabama is partnering with Fanatics to open the first-ever retail team store within their stadium called The Authentic for NIL merchandise. The University has perennially been Fanatic’s top-selling collegiate partner and this transformative partnership not only elevates the fan experience and delivers comprehensive service offerings across multiple product categories, but it enhances the focus on first-party data ownership strategies.
For venues, brands and rights holders the goal is to create more impactful partnerships and tangible access to fan bases. As a result, building up and having ownership over first-party data is key for these stakeholders to drive fans and consumers from awareness to conversion and towards personalized relationships.
As more and more of these partnerships are forming, it’s of critical essence for teams to have first-party data. Take the partnership between Spotify and FC Barcelona. Bringing music and football fans together may not seem intuitive at first, but bridging the two bases creates a global community with opportunities for both parties to connect with fans in a new, unique way.
The 280 million euro deal would have likely had a much larger price tag had it been for FC Barcelona having more first-party data on their fanbase. However, because the global club could only communicate with about 1% of their fanbase the price was driven down significantly. Nonetheless, this partnership brings a whole new level of scale and global reach, powered by first and second-party data initiatives.
As is evident by the ongoing transformation in the sports world, promoting first-party data strategies is imperative and creates an ecosystem of clear value exchange between brands and fans.
With a top-ranked U.S consumer database and experience in building a lifetime of loyalty, in the sprint to scale your first-party data Epsilon is here to drive better outcomes and get your brand to the finish line.
---
## The rise of CTV and streaming shifts the movie marketing paradigm
Type: eps_post
URL: /how-the-rise-of-ctv-and-streaming-shifts-the-movie-marketing-paradigm
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# The rise of CTV and streaming shifts the movie marketing paradigm
Curious to know what an “innovative” movie marketing campaign looked like in 2015?
Promotion of the film “Southpaw,” released that year, used purchase data from movie theaters, revealing the 85% of active moviegoers purchased their tickets on site. Using this data in conjunction with their known online sales data, they targeted frequent moviegoers with advertising for their movie. Francois Martin, then executive vice president of marketing & TV sales for The Weinstein Company, the company that produced the film, called this newfound ability a "real game-changer.”
It's been seven years since that campaign, and data-driven marketing has exploded—just as Martin keenly predicted back in 2015: “I think the amount of data that movie marketers have at their disposal is only going to get better, more detailed. We'll be able pinpoint ticket buyers in a more granular way, on a title-by-title basis.”
Right Martin was. The amount of data the movie marketing industry is working with today goes far beyond just knowing who purchases tickets on site. This data comes from not just better digital customer identity resolution across publisher websites, but even more so from the rise of streaming services and connected TV (CTV), a measureable channel that is part of a cross-channel, digital campaign with path-to-purchase capabilities.
“Just as streaming lowers the friction for audiences, it can also make it easier for studios and distributors to get more relevant content and advertising in front of the right audiences,” writes Deloitte. “Typically, digital services can generate much more data about engagement than theaters can provide, such as data based on content interests, demographics, and location.”
New data strategies allows movie marketers to target their audience better than ever before, shifting the movie marketing paradigm to a much more personalized approach.
Targeting moviegoers
Of course, movies are no longer just coming out in theaters. During the COVID-19 pandemic, people were treated to just-released films in the comfort of their own homes. And according to a recent Morning Consult survey conducted earlier this year, three in five consumers say they prefer to watch movies at home via streaming services—which is twice the share that said they would rather go to the theater.
One way movie marketers can work with this is to understand the data across streaming services and on-site purchases and determine who, on an individual level, is most likely to want to go to a theater and who is most likely to stay in.
This individual-level targeting is crucial for the future of movie marketing, says Andy Aylesworth, professor of marketing at Bentley University.
“Maybe there’s a group of consumers out there who really values the communal aspect of being in a theater,” Aylesworth said. “If they like that, then movie marketers can find that group of people and advertise to them. Using data, they can find those people.”
This type of individual-level message serving allows movie marketers to speak to various preferences across their audience base.
You can see the granularity Epsilon prioritizes in its data segments:
Online Movie Goers
These are individuals who have purchased movie tickets online
Movie Enthusiasts
Historical browsing behavior based on individuals who have viewed movie related content over the last 30 days
Frequent Online Movie Viewers
Individuals who are likely to stream movies online on a frequent basis
Seeing customers an on individual level
It’s paramount that movie marketers see their customers on an individual level instead of the old segmented approach; we have much more device and account fragmentation, which can lead to poor targeting without the right identity resolution capabilities.
If you’re only doing batch-and-blast movie marketing, as in the old movie marketing paradigm, you’re not taking advantage of our new data capabilities, and therefore wasting precious ad dollars in an era in which every moviegoers’ preferences are vastly unique. And with the 2022 Academy Award Best Picture winner, "Coda," being a streaming movie (from Apple TV+), we'll only see this trend continue to grow.
For more information on this individual-level identity resolution, check out Epsilon’s digital media solutions.
---
## 5 factors to building an effective Black Friday strategy
Type: eps_post
URL: /5-factors-to-building-an-effective-black-friday-strategy
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T22:17:52Z
# 5 factors to building an effective Black Friday strategy
Why it matters
With staggering sales figures, Black Friday and the adjacent period around it make this one of the busiest – and chaotic – periods for retailers. Faced with changing shopping habits and an evolving digital marketing environment, how can retailers gear up for success this year and beyond?
Here are 5 factors they should be taking into account.
5 consideration areas for Black Friday success
Leverage the loyalty factor: Use data from your most valuable customers to identify and target similar prospects during your Black Friday campaigns. While loyalty programmes are designed to retain customers, tapping into this data to inform your Black Friday acquisition campaigns ensures your activities focus on "profitable" new customers.
Ramp up your website traffic: Mobilise every tool available to drive traffic to your ecommerce platforms. From email and social marketing to increasing ad spend and sharing content like Black Friday gift guides, focus on getting cut-through during this period. And make sure you speak directly to individual customers by using data-driven customer insights to share personalised stories at key moments during their path to purchase.
Focus on incrementality, not attribution:Switch your marketing focus from last-touch attribution to measuring marketing effectiveness and incremental growth. This metric allows you to uncover which marketing channels have the most impact on your customer journey. Then invest in what's delivering results.
Prepare for a cookie-free future: Even though the depreciation of third-party cookies has been delayed, take this opportunity to audit your first-party data and develop a business case for enhancing and building it up. Developing your own loyalty programme is a perfect way to achieve this.
Refine your first-party customer data: As you build up your first-party data, ensure you can refine and distil this information into powerful, actionable insights. Investing in a Customer Data Platform will add serious value to your data-driven marketing approach this Black Friday – and in the future.
The bottom line
A changing economic climate means retailers must adjust their strategies to reflect the current and future environment to remain competitive. Failing to act soon can mean losing out in the short and long term.
Want to find out more? Our latest Black Friday report examines the challenges retailers face this year and offers suggested approaches to adopt that can help you deliver success based on six Black Friday strategies. Download your copy here.
---
## Mastering OLV advertising: Your definitive guide to maximizing online video campaign ROI
Type: eps_post
URL: /how-to-make-olv-advertising-work-for-you
Last Modified: 2025-10-01T16:33:02Z
# Mastering OLV advertising: Your definitive guide to maximizing online video campaign ROI
Online video (OLV) advertising is no longer a “nice to have” digital advertising tactic—it’s a powerful channel that drives real impact for your brand. In fact, 92% say video gives them a good return on their investment. And with over 244.4 million digital video viewers in the U.S. alone, marketers can’t afford to overlook OLV as part of their strategy.
In this guide, we’ll cover what OLV advertising is, why it matters and how to build and optimize a strategy that maximizes ROI.
Setting the stage for OLV success
The way people consume content has clearly transformed over the past decade. With streaming, mobile and on-demand formats reshaping viewing behavior, OLV has emerged as a key channel for both brand awareness and performance marketing.
Consumers now spend an average of 2 hours and 36 minutes per day watching digital video—and that number continues to climb. By 2026, 79% of the U.S. population will watch digital video and video ad spending will reach $125 billion. This means for brands, OLV is not just a popular way to reach people—it’s essential.
But success with OLV isn't just about creating video content and capturing attention. It’s about converting those viewers into customers through sophisticated targeting, compelling creative and data-driven ad placements and optimizations.
The landscape of online video (OLV) advertising
So, what exactly is OLV advertising? At its core, OLV advertising refers to short- or long-form video ads (6, 15, 30, or 60 seconds) placed before, during or after video content on websites and apps. Ads can also run in-feed, in-article or as standalone outstream placements.
OLV works best when aligned to clear marketing goals, like:
Brand awareness: Build broad visibility with engaging, memorable video ads
Performance campaigns: Drive measurable actions by targeting high-value audiences across devices
OLV marketing strategies are effective because they allow marketers to continue a brand's awareness story while simultaneously pushing customers down the funnel toward conversion. Online video advertising campaigns help marketers by:
Connecting large format video, like CTV, to display campaigns
Achieving unique reach and frequency goals across digital channels by targeting a large audience wherever they are watching video across the open web
Measuring the full path to purchase and understanding each how many touches lead to a purchase
Clearly, OLV media isn’t going anywhere anytime soon, and savvy marketers would do well to develop their own OLV strategy to avoid falling behind their competitors.
Fundamental pillars of effective OLV campaigns
Building an impactful OLV strategy requires attention to three core pillars:
1. Precision audience targeting
Reaching real people, not just devices is critical. Utilizing deterministic data, like physical address, emails and purchases, makes your OLV strategy scalable across all channels and creates persistent, non cookie-dependent connections for a long-term and continually refreshed view of consumers.
2. Crafting compelling creative
Creative is the heartbeat of every OLV campaign. As consumers are bombarded with more and more content on a daily basis, your ads need to capture attention and maintain meaningful interest throughout the experience. Here are a few things to consider when it comes to crafting impactful OLV ads:
Format optimization: Ensure your creative works across different video lengths (6-, 15-, 30-, and 60-second formats) and aspect ratios.
Mobile-first design: With mobile video consumption projected to reach 68% by 2026, your creative must be optimized for mobile viewing.
Clear value proposition: Communicate your key message quickly and memorably.
Strong call-to-action: Drive viewers to take the next step.
Brand consistency: Maintain visual and messaging alignment across all touchpoints.
3. Strategic placement and distribution
Optimizing media delivery to in-stream (in-feed, in-article, and interstitial) and outstream inventory in real-time achieves campaign goals by reaching the right audience across the open web when and where they are most receptive.
Optimizing your OLV for maximum ROI with Epsilon
Maximizing OLV performance comes down to a few key best practices. With Epsilon as your partner, your brand can stretch ad dollars further and drive stronger results.
Data-driven decisions
Epsilon's programatic advertising solution gives you limitless opportunities to reach your customers. Our privacy-protected data gives you access to over 1,500 granular audiences that account for demographics, interests and life stages and behaviors and transactions, in addition to vertical-specific information. The result? Accurate and reliable data that is invaluable to your brand.
Leveraging identity solutions
Epsilon’s COREid—the only identity solution that uses all available online and offline identifiers—helps brands reach the right person across any device and channel. That means you’re not just reaching a household, but also each device and the people using them.
Measuring success and proving ROI
Having strong identity resolution helps marketers understand their customers better—and the activities that drive repeat conversions. With Epsilon, you can measure the true impact of your OLV advertising investment, allowing you to optimize and measure KPIs like:
Impression delivery and viewability
Video completion rate and engagement metrics
Unique reach and frequency (best for managing campaigns across all digital channels)
Household reach and frequency (best for comparing household penetration from OLV against your brand's CTV or linear buy)
Exclusive reach and overlap (best for comparing channel-specific impact in reaching unique customers)
Advanced strategies and future-proofing your OLV
As OLV continues to evolve, forward-thinking marketers are already testing advanced strategies, like:
Generative engine optimization (GEO)
As search shifts toward AI-driven engines, GEO, or generative engine optimization, is becoming a new frontier. Optimizing video metadata and creative for AI-powered discovery tools ensures your OLV content surfaces when and where audiences are actively exploring.
AI and machine learning in OLV
AI enhances targeting, creative optimization and measurement. From Dynamic creative optimization (DCO), whichautomatically tests and optimizes creative elements in real-time based on performance data, to predictive audience modeling and fraud protection and prevention, machine learning is shaping the next wave of OLV efficiency.
Emerging trends
Other emerging trends to keep on your brand's radar include:
Shoppable video ads that shorten the path from discovery to purchase
Connected TV (CTV) integration thatbridges the gap between traditional TV advertising and digital video through advanced targeting and measurement
Interactive formats that engage audiences with polls, quizzes, or clickable CTAs
Multimedia
The future of OLV will integrate seamlessly with other formats—CTV, display, social and audio, to name a few—creating a multimedia ecosystem and cross-format storytelling where video isn’t siloed, but part of a holistic customer journey.
Conclusion: The Epsilon advantage in OLV
Effective OLV advertising starts with knowing your customer—and having the right partner to connect the dots. Epsilon’s privacy-protected data, identity solutions and managed services help brands reach real people, optimize campaigns and prove ROI.
With OLV only set to grow, now is the time to refine your strategy and invest in future-proof solutions. Partner with Epsilon to drive your OLV advertising efforts forward—and unlock measurable growth from video.
As OLV continues to shape the digital landscape, it's important to have the right strategy and connect with the right partner. Known as experts in data-driven strategy, our OLV solutions leverage advanced data and identity resolution to help brands reach, engage and convert high-value audiences.
This article was originally published on September 22, 2023, and has since been updated.
---
## The rise of emotion-driven loyalty programmes
Type: eps_post
URL: /the-rise-of-emotion-driven-loyalty-programme
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# The rise of emotion-driven loyalty programmes
Loyalty programmes were once all about buying products and collecting points, but not anymore. Cutting-edge loyalty is now about emotional engagement – tapping into, encouraging and sharing a consumer’s love of a product, destination or lifestyle.
This approach can powerfully reinforce brand values and demonstrate there is a vibrant community of like-minded consumers out there ready to validate and encourage particular purchasing behaviours.
Why is this important right now?
Consumers are generally suffering from loyalty points fatigue.There are so many loyalty programmes out there that promise the world at the point of sign-up, but they do not reward customers soon enough and lose customer engagement. Points keep adding up for consumers, but they may have forgotten what they wereactually collecting them for in the first place.
>> Listen to the latest episode of Epsilon’s Let’s Talk Loyalty podcast for more insights into leveraging loyalty programme data. <<
That kind of apathy marks the death knell of a loyalty scheme, and this disconnection is exactly the opposite of what successful brands are aiming to achieve in today’s competitive market. Consumers have more choice than ever before – be it who they shop with, which company they use to travel or where they choose to eat. It is the brands that can give something extra, such as a compelling experience, a personal touch and feeling of belonging, or relevant customer service, which win out.
Deeper dive:
The new emotion-driven loyalty is generally driven by the following ‘three Cs’
Community – When a brand builds a group of like-minded customers who can share their own real-world stories, tips, experiences and reasons why they love a brand.
Content – When a brand shares information and actionable insights that resonate with their customers and enrich their lives in some way.
Charity – When a brand donates a proportion of each sale to a good cause which aligns with both its corporate values and the values of its customers.
The need for a community connection:
Ralph Browning, Business Development DirectorEMEA at Epsilon, explained on the latest Let’s Talk Loyalty podcast that the rewards dished out by loyalty schemes need to be much more connected with a customer’s lifestyle.
Browning said: “With many loyalty programmes, it's a bit of a tick-box thing, so you'll spend a buck or a euro or a pound, and you get points. Brands throw it out there and expect it to really work, but it's not really that connected.”
Brands need to consider what it is they stand for and why customers are shopping with them in the first place. North Face allows its members to earn points for doing what they love – for example, sharing a picture of themselves on top of Yosemite Valley or proving they have climbed some massive cliff facein The North Face gear canhelp accrue loyalty points.
“It reinforces the brand as being adventurous and it's a really cool little idea,” Browning explained. It is the type of thing members will share on social media too, and that word of mouth brand exposure can help stimulate interest in brands and grow their audience.
The power of loyalty content: There are also organisations in the health and wellness sector rewarding healthy consumer behaviours, or sharing content about positive lifestyles. On top of that they are creating communities where customers can share experiences.
Public acts of charity: The third ‘c’, charity, can be a powerful factor in any loyalty scheme too. We live in an age when consumers want to support a cause and are not afraid of telling people about it. Placing a charity partner or social initiative at the heart of a loyalty programme taps into that line of thinking and can really make a brand-consumer relationship fly.
Fostering the digital village hall: If brands can make consumers feel like they are part of a community, they’ll keep coming back. Putting like-minded people together online so they can connect and discuss experiences and products truly validates a brand.
Some brands also have chat groups which include brand advocates. It is all part of brands going beyond rewarding a transaction to creating emotional attachments and, instead rewarding a lifestyle.
The bottom line:
A focus on emotion-led loyaltyis part of wider changes in how organisations are engaging with customers. In a world of online third-party cookie depreciation, brands know they must think differently and build first-party data to ensure they can connect with consumers. In terms of loyalty, Browning said: “Rather than the idea of, ‘I give them points, they'll spend more’, it's more about ‘if I give them points, they'll tell me more about themselves’.”And that represents furtherplus points of emotion-led loyalty. Brands doing it well will continue to engage, continue to boost relevant customer data, and continue to grow.
>> Listen to the latest episode of Epsilon’s Let’s Talk Loyalty podcast for more insights into leveraging loyalty programme data. <<
---
## While data deprecation looms, digital healthcare marketing booms
Type: eps_post
URL: /while-data-deprecation-looms-digital-healthcare-marketing-booms
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T22:17:52Z
# While data deprecation looms, digital healthcare marketing booms
According to a report from MM+M, healthcare marketing budgets continue to rise, but marketers aren’t interested in the same old tactics. The Healthcare Marketers Trend Report 2022 revealed that many companies are attempting to futurize their brands, expanding digital investments and flexible media plans in the place of more blanket, traditional marketing strategies.
Nearly 40% of respondents said they’re funneling more money into non-personal promotion using consultants, in turn boosting digital tactics. Those who are increasing their budgets said they’re primarily looking to increase content development and invest in video and non-linear TV.
And this trend isn’t limited to healthcare. Brands across all verticals are turning to stronger digital campaigns to combat data deprecation and to increase connections with consumers. Programmatic digital ad spend has more than doubled since 2019, largely thanks to the proliferation of connected TV (CTV). The need for better data, coupled with increased regulatory concerns, are shining a light on a long-looming problem: If healthcare companies want to continue to stay relevant, they need to change their marketing tactics.
The pain points
Healthcare marketers face an onslaught of regulatory obstacles that make their jobs a bit more complicated than, say, a retail marketer. Data can be transformative for healthcare marketers when used correctly. But many are unable to use first-party data for their marketing due to increased legal concerns surrounding Protected Health Information (PHI) and HIPPA compliance.
So, it should be no surprise most healthcare marketers (65%) don’t use custom audiences for marketing efforts. In the MM+M report, the top reason cited is that it is cost prohibitive. Of the 35% that do use custom audiences, site personalization is the top channel cited for targeting and planning (71%), followed by connected TV (50%).
Marketers want to reach the right people but need highly sanitized data to do so. As data deprecates—and as entities like Google and Facebook build even higher walled gardens—personalization gets harder without the right partner.
A cure for data deprecation
Healthcare marketers that rely on third-party cookies as their main digital touchpoint with patients won’t only lose out on new individuals, they’re going to struggle to reach existing prescription holders and patients. Creating relevant marketing is an extremely effective way to keep and retain customers, but brands that struggle with strong data strategies simply can’t do it.
That’s where data partners can step in. Identity resolution is an integral part in finding and keeping customers. There are affordable, privacy-safe options that allow brands to see intent signals data, or in layman’s terms, anonymized and sanitized data that offers a snapshot into consumer behavior before it happens.
"As third-party cookies near deprecation, it's a prime opportunity for pharma brands to develop a strong strategy that finds potential patients at the right moment in their health journey," said Tony Seaman, Senior Director of Product Management at Epsilon.
Don’t let bad marketing strike a nerve
Programmatic advertising is a way for marketers to reach customers. The problem? Establishing expansive digital strategies that include custom audiences can be costly. And, for industries that have been traditionally left out of the data conversation due to increased regulation, it’s not a jump most want to make.
But data is becoming more than just a tool in the toolbox. It’s the tools, the toolbox and, in some, ways, the whole dang shed.
A good data strategy can help marketers optimize and target the right audiences in real-time, increase ad efficiencies, reduce overall ad costs and build effective cross-device campaigns. Identifying real people that are showing signals for certain conditions means brands can more quickly and effectively reach them with the right messages that inform and advise them at every step in their health journey.
“The Epsilon intent signals are a game changer," Seaman said. "The ability to properly target within a privacy first framework outside of cookie concerns is a much needed evolution in programmatic."
At Epsilon, our healthcare digital media solution is a cost-effective product that helps engage patients through a privacy-first framework. Our comprehensive understanding of 200M+ consumers allows for stronger connections and more personalized messaging using advanced data and machine learning capabilities.
And, our transparent measurement gives marketers the ability to point to strategies that work, meaning your reducing marketing waste. This means instead of a spray-and-pray method where vanity metrics reign supreme, we can say with certainty we’re driving true results based on the KPIs that matter to you.
To learn more about Epsilon’s healthcare digital media solutions, visit our whitespace content hub.
---
## How Do I Use Data in Digital Marketing?
Type: eps_post
URL: /how-to-use-data-in-digital-marketing
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T22:17:52Z
# How Do I Use Data in Digital Marketing?
When you base marketing decisions on proof rather than promises, you will always achieve superior results. What’s more, when your digital campaigns are data-driven, they can be executed more quickly and cost-effectively. Research backs this up.
One survey found that 78% of organisations say data-driven marketing increases lead conversion and customer acquisition. Meanwhile, a study from Forbes reveals that for 66% of marketing leaders, data leads to an increase in customer acquisition.
So how can your marketing teams access and use data in their digital marketing strategies to take full advantage of this goldmine of insight?
Customer data can be gathered from numerous sources, including website or app tracking, customer surveys, transactional data, subscription data, email marketing data, CRM loyalty data, and more.
It is also possible to tap into wider second-party data about potential consumer audiences. You can do this by using consumer data platforms that provide a full view of customers and prospects. These platforms allow brands to predict buying behaviours, reach new audiences, and build lifelong loyalty.
For instance, the Epsilon Data platform gives brands access to unique lifestyle and transactional data. You can use this to help drive better outcomes in your marketing campaigns. This is based on proprietary data on every US consumer – who they are, what they care about, and what they buy.
Once cookies are switched off, such platforms will give marketers the ability to develop the best audiences for their marketing campaigns - all while respecting and protecting individuals’ data.
What is Data-Driven Marketing?
Data-driven marketing is the ability to:
Harvest your existing data,
Supplement it with proprietary data to fill in the gaps
Segment it
Apply your insights to your marketing campaigns.
The process of analysing marketing data can be complex. That's why it's important you understand how to collect and maintain your data.
The goal is to identify important trends within your campaigns and customer base. Once you've done this, you can fulfil your customers' needs in a more sophisticated way.
For example, after analysing your database, you might realise that 15% of your menswear customers are students. You can then segment your email list and design a highly targeted email and social media campaign using messaging that resonates specifically with male students.
Remember that the data will keep on giving as the market, and your business, evolve. It will inform decisions over time and keep you ahead of the game.
How Do I Use Data Effectively in Digital Marketing?
Data can be used in digital marketing to:
Reach and interact with the right audiences
Design relevant customer experiences
Fine-tune campaigns to drive better results
Perform cost-effectively
Forecast and plan for the future
Reach and Interact with the Right Audiences
The beauty of data is that it helps you gain clarity about your target audience. You can do this from an age and gender viewpoint, as well as interests, life stage, and personal tastes. Insights from a CRM system, for example, can increase your ability to identify high-spending customer groups and predict seasonal customer behaviour far more accurately.
With a customer data platform, you can also understand gender, age, interests, finances, purchase intent, and more. How can you use this information? You can build the perfect audience to reach through omnichannel campaigns – email, social, direct mail, digital, and in stores.
Smart use of data uncovers the best channels for promotions, depending on the campaign and desired outcomes. Data could reveal not only a target audience’s preferences. It could also suggest what channels a brand should use to engage its audience now and in the future.
Such insight, in turn, can help your brand position the message where its target audience is or is going to be soon. The result is digital marketing campaigns that deliver the right customer messages to the right people at the right time
Design Relevant Customer Experiences
Today’s customers are tired of the generic digital marketing messages they receive. One study found that 74% of customers feel frustrated by seeing irrelevant content from brands. And 79% of them won’t consider an offer unless a brand personalises it, in line with their previous interactions.
To engage customers, you must focus on using data to personalise their experience. By analysing and anticipating customers’ behaviour, digital marketers are also able to send the right messages at the right time, using the customers’ preferred channel.
Often the sheer amount of data gathered from media, devices, platforms, and channels allows marketers to deliver tailored customer experiences on a wide scale. If you can harness this data properly you can deliver tailored customer experiences to millions of customers.
Customer analytics enable you to speed up sales without compromising on personalised service. Data also helps enhance the customer experience by making it consistent, rather than contradictory.
Fine-Tune Campaigns to Drive Better Results
Real-time campaign data helps marketers adjust activities to boost customers’ engagement levels. This delivers a campaign that matches the audience’s expectations, and drives improved outcomes.
This kind of data analytics can help particularly when a campaign is being executed across multiple digital marketing channels.
For example, leads generated through Facebook or Instagram respond differently to leads generated from the Google Display Network (GDN).
This is why you need to create your strategies according to which channel mix leads are coming from.
With data-driven marketing, you can spot which channel performs the best, and which messages get the best results. This can be an email click-through, a sales conversion, or a subscription inquiry.
It’s also possible to then identify which content format works the best at any given time in any marketing channel. That be email, social media, or blog posts. This increases the chance of making a connection with the audience and inspiring positive engagement.
Perform Cost-Effectively
A common goal of digital marketing is to increase web traffic. But without ‘good traffic’ conversions are unlikely, and therefore a return on investment won’t be forthcoming.
Digital campaigns are only cost-effective if they’re attracting people who actually want to buy what you’re selling, and data insight has the power to achieve this, making campaigns far more cost-effective. Relevance and timeliness, driven by data analytics, will power up conversions.
According to InvestP, businesses that use personalisation deliver five to eight times higher ROI from their marketing spend.
Metrics and trackers such as email open rates, returning website visitors, incremental sales, and loyalty scheme sign-ups are used to evaluate marketing efficacy. These can help you formulate brand strategy, observe the issues that need to be addressed and create ever-more targeted digital marketing campaigns.
Conversion rate and other metrics highlight weak spots within marketing strategies. If an email campaign goes out to 10,000 customers, but only a handful convert, analysis can reveal which touchpoints turned the customer off. It’s then a case of adjusting that landing page or email communication to be more appealing.
Forecast and Plan for The Future
Harnessing cost-effective digital marketing strategies and interacting with customers consistently, allows brands to connect with their audiences in truly meaningful ways. This will set them up for success, long into the future.
After all, creating a better foundation with top-quality leads means it'll be much easier to move your customers through the sales funnel over time.
With marketing forecasts now vital in predicting future performance, data once again can work its magic.
For example, sales data and CRM data, can help brands prepare for key calendar events such as Black Friday, back to school, and Valentine’s Day.
This information, along with market research, can shape important business decisions. These include buying and merchandising, as well as marketing activity.
Data is invaluable for predicting sales, long-term growth targets, and other business-critical KPIs.
Data-driven strategies for digital marketing should be a commercial priority today. Your budgets are under increasing pressure and management expects every penny spent with precision. The marketing team must condemn their reliance on gut instinct and guesswork to the past.
Is Epsilon a Good Fit for Your Business?
Use Epsilon’s unique lifestyle and transactional data to work for you, to drive better outcomes for your digital marketing campaigns.
{{cta('927e4aa7-a82c-431d-8aac-9725fb5b45c0','justifycenter')}}
---
## [VIDEO] Five steps brands can take to win in a platform world
Type: eps_post
URL: /steps-brands-can-take-to-win-in-a-platform-world
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# [VIDEO] Five steps brands can take to win in a platform world
Learn more about key ingredients that are needed to remain competitive in an increasingly platformed world, by watching Maria Giacobbe's keynote at eTail Connect Autumn 2022.
Why data is key to brands regaining control of the customer relationship?
Brands increasingly find themselves in a world dominated by ecommerce platforms. It’s a world where tech platforms command the attention of consumers and therefore also command the attention of brands’ marketing budgets. Despite this dominance – or perhaps because of it –platforms share minimal customer insights and marketing performance data. And if brands aren’t spending big bucks they probably receive very little in terms of service either. To say brands receive a raw deal in this platform-dominated world is an understatement, so there’s a real need to restore the relationship between brand and consumer.
Why is this important right now?
The pandemic accelerated the shift to ecommerce, but walled gardens owned and run by tech platforms are increasingly undermining the position of brands. Maria Giacobbe, Senior VP, Business Development Director at Epsilon, summed up this challenge recently at the eTail Connect conference in London. She said: “These huge consumer tech platforms are making it harder to get a look in as they continue to insert themselves between the brand and the consumer, while increasing the restrictions around that relationship. Brands are often left with the feeling that they have no other option than to rely on them.”
Here are five ecommerce platform strategies brands can adopt in a bid to regain control of the customer relationship:
Data-at-scale is key to generating long-term customer value: The big ecommerce platforms’ success is the result of blending data and technology. Huge amounts of customer data is collected by these organisations and ‘weaponised’ using artificial intelligence and machine learning to create personalised experiences that generate the kind of relevance and engagement that keeps customers coming back for more. Ownership of this customer data also ensures ownership of the customer relationship. If brands want to replicate the success enjoyed by ecomm platforms they must double-down by collecting data at scale.
Connecting customer identity: According to Giacobbe: “The ability to identify and understand the consumer at every single touchpoint – purchasing in store, on your app, engaging with an email or coming to a website – and then using that data to personalise the next experience, is key.” The goal of all brands should be to create scalable, accurate, and persistent identity across all paid and owned channels in a way that's going to drive change in customer behaviour and drive cohesion between the brand’s marketing channels.
Leverage data on three strategic levels: Cookie-generated third-party data may on the ways out, but brands still have powerful options open to them.
Zero-party data: This refers to data given voluntarily by customers, which informs a brand about their preferences and how they feel when they interact with a brand.
First-party data: Loyalty programmes are by far the most effective form of first-party data collection, according to Giacobbe. Loyalty data comes with a clear value exchange with the customer, which drives up engagement and lifetime value. It also has clear consumer marketing consent.
“First-party data should be the root of every brand’s connected identity strategy, the lifeline and connection point between brand and customer,” says Giacobbe.
Second-party data: Data from other brands can be a great way to compete with the scale achieved by tech platforms. Data clean rooms – multiple entities sharing anonymised first-party data – give brands and publishers access to a privacy-safe environment so they can share first-party data without reliance on third-party cookies.
4. Connect technologies to identify customers: Customer data platforms (CDPs) are reasonably proficient at recognising customers within authenticated CRM channels, but they’re not so good at stitching it into the digital space in an authenticated digital environment. Ecommerce websites are a good example of this. How many visitors do brands recognise? Don’t forget, for every unrecognised visitor, precious intent data is lost, which could otherwise be used to enrich that customer experience. When it comes to customers who did not convert, how many can the brand recognise and reach out to three, four months later through their paid channels in a way that will change customer behaviour and encourage them to convert to a purchase for the first time? By connecting technologies together this is all possible.
5. Brands must regain ownership of the customer relationship: Smart brands have the confidence to pull back from ecommerce walled gardens in favour of test-and-learn strategies. This involves testing new partnerships – not just new technology – in order to understand customers better, optimise interactions and predict behaviour. A test-and-learn approach also enables brands to measure in a more transparent way because it is possible to access much richer analytics, cleaner predictive and attribution modelling as well as measuring the incremental impact marketing is having on sales, rather than simply believing a third-parties’ data.
The bottom line
Brands don’t need to become consumer tech platforms to compete in this environment. They can leverage these five strategic imperatives to give themselves more control over their marketing strategies, more options, more flexibility, more data and insight and more transparency into marketing performance.
---
## What is Dynamic Creative Optimisation & How Can I Use It?
Type: eps_post
URL: /what-is-dynamic-creative-optimisation
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T22:17:52Z
# What is Dynamic Creative Optimisation & How Can I Use It?
How relevant is your advertising to your customers’ individual needs? New technology is finally making the hyper-personalisation of live display ads possible. This is radically ramping up relevancy to undreamt-of levels.
But what exactly do all these fancy words mean? In simple terms, a 33-year-old female teacher, who’s just bought a car, will see ads designed to appeal to her. DCO does this by using rich customer data to select the perfect images and words for each customer.
The more data-led your approach the greater the functionality and success of ads. For instance, Epsilon’s Dynamic Creative software can create 4.6 million different ads from just one ad template.
Toby Morris, Senior Business Development Director at Epsilon, says marketers today fully accept that personalisation of emails, websites, and mobile apps is one of the critical strategies contributing to business profitability. The next vital step in driving up online purchasing, and increasing the lifetime value of customers, is personalising digital display ads at scale.
So, how can you do this, and what’s our advice to those considering DCO to boost digital advertising performance?
How Dynamic Creative Optimisation of Ads Works ?
According to Morris, dynamic creative optimisation can be defined in many ways, and there’s confusion in the market about what makes up true DCO.
DCO is the art of using real-time feeds to populate a personalised ad in real-time. When a customer is about to view an online ad, various calculations are carried out by the DCO to understand the user’s intent and behaviour. These behaviour patterns include recency, purchase frequency, and previous interactions on that particular website.
The DCO platform then creates relevant ad visuals, calls to action, and messaging. The result is a tailored ad displayed to the user.
It’s important to stress that DCO is not about making lots of different ads and just sending versions out to suit different uses. That’s not dynamic. That’s a creative management platform.
The best DCO works by having an ad framework and then automatically populating it in real-time. This personalisation is based on each customer’s unique core ID, which has been created using online and offline data.
The chosen system powering this will ideally be dynamic, automated, high-performing, personalised, and capable of tailoring ads across a brand’s omnichannel spectrum.
A best-in-class DCO system will be supported by a powerful AI platform. This will analyse billions of daily ‘interactions’ and make decisions in milliseconds about when and where to show the next best creative iteration to each person.
Messaging is adjusted for each person, and performance is optimised based on specific marketing goals. This optimises both planned and unplanned changes in real-time.
Demographics Plus Live Consumer Behaviour Data
Personalisation technology is only as good as your data, says Morris. Epsilon’s CORE ID helps advertisers make sense of complex data with a single view of each consumer’s online and offline activity. Unlike other systems, CORE ID does not depend on cookies or devices, but it still achieves powerful one-to-one personalisation.
Once you have deep consumer insights, you can improve your brand experience and increase the lifetime value of your audience.
Limitless Iterations and Automated Ad Creation
DCO-generated ads are hyper-relevant to the audience, so they have a far greater impact on their viewers compared to ‘static’ ads. Calculations are made in milliseconds about whether to serve ads, and what the most relevant iteration should look like. The best systems simply don’t spam customers with unnecessary ads if the DCO thinks they are unlikely to buy.
If there is a sales opportunity, however, the system will create a personalised ad. For instance, if a customer has booked a flight to Mexico, the DCO may serve them with an ad for a hotel in Cancún. This ad would be accompanied by appropriate messaging.
It’s the scale of the analytics which is so vital in these processes and with a system like Epsilon’s, with 16 display and video ad sizes across desktop, tablet, mobile and connected TV, you’ll reach people with the right format, no matter where they are.
With the right kind of DCO platform, advertisers can automate asset creation like this at scale. They also enjoy dynamic delivery using a range of different banner ad sizes. Thanks to rapid, ongoing testing of iterations, the system will cut down on wasted ads, and fine-tune iterations according to what’s been successful. This will lead to performance constantly improving over time.
This feedback loop will ensure the creative is fully optimised. It will work out the changes needed to make the ad more enticing for the customer.
Advertisers can then track clicks and measure performance against their KPIs. Goals that can be set might be the number of clicks on the ad, or website interactions, right through to conversions or revenue generated within the business.
Beware the “one size fits all” approach
Companies keen to embark on DCO adoption should be wary, however, as it can be hard to understand exactly what vendors deliver.
Don’t settle for empty promises of personalisation. Today’s providers have a tendency to dress up their ad management solution as dynamic creative optimisation, but in reality, all they are offering is a poor imitation.
The key is to check whether solutions providers use a dynamic real-time feed to populate your ads. This will enable them to adapt the creative in milliseconds, aligning it with the needs of individual customers.
A great DCO solution will even be able to understand where in the purchase cycle an individual is. For example, are they researching at an early stage, or are they ready to make a purchase decision?
With an all-singing, all-dancing DCO system, it’s possible to deliver truly human-centred, personalised adverts. Any best-in-class provider should be able to set up a campaign to achieve that one-to-one level of communication.
Thanks to personalisation and true contextual relevancy, the outcome is more ad-driven revenue and increased customer lifetime value.
Why DCO is Needed in a Post-Cookie Era
Most brands have relied on third-party cookies for their re-targeted advertising, but the effectiveness of cookies has been strongly criticised in recent years.
For instance, cookie data is often obsolete by the time your ads are following customers around the internet. They may have already bought the CCTV camera they were researching a week ago.
And now the web giants are walking away from cookies anyway. This means brands need to find new ways to understand and reach the right audiences, beyond third-party data.
With third-party cookies over, DCO is of growing interest to brands and media agencies. Now is the time to team up with the smartest DCO AdTech providers. With their help, you can test and learn how to improve your digital advertising performance.
Being able to ad-serve different dynamic variants to suit your best customers, and people like your best customers, is a game-changer in advertising. The competition is only getting tougher, so it’s a game worth playing.
Is Your Supplier Offering True DCO?
Many dynamic creative solutions promise to ‘personalise’ ads, but how can you be sure your supplier can offer true DCO? Here are four things to look for in a DCO supplier:
If it’s not real-time, it’s not really dynamic – make sure you have the ability to pass real-time, responsive feeds into an ad wireframe, not just have a supplier make lots of static ads.
Make sure your tech can talk to suppliers’ tech - if you have an existing technology stack for services such as DMP (Data Management Platform) or DSP (Demand Side Platform), then make sure your supplier fits within your existing framework.
Check personalisation levels – can your supplier target at an individual, one-to-one level?
Does the solution really optimise? – there is an “o” in DCO for a reason. If a supplier can’t adapt and change an unsuccessful ad creative, then your ad is not being optimised.
Where does Epsilon fit in?
Epsilon is committed to delivering optimised marketing solutions with provable outcomes, rather than just campaigns. For more than 50 years we’ve led the market thanks to CORE ID, the most accurate and stable identity management platform representing more than 200 million people. Our award-winning data and technology are rooted in privacy-by-design and underpinned by powerful AI.
Find out more about how Epsilon can help you by visiting our Dynamic Creative page.
{{cta('927e4aa7-a82c-431d-8aac-9725fb5b45c0','justifycenter')}}
---
## 5 strategies to drive one more visit, purchase & dollar per order
Type: eps_post
URL: /5-strategies-for-driving-one-more-visit-purchase-and-dollar-on-each-order
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# 5 strategies to drive one more visit, purchase & dollar per order
Let’s face it. Diners have a lot of options when it comes to selecting the restaurant they’d like to have their next meal at. In order to get this market share, restaurant marketers are continuously focused on driving one more visit, purchase and dollar on each order.
At the Restaurant Leadership Conference this week, we connected with over 100 leading restaurant brands to discuss and strategize how they can meet and exceed their goals. And it all starts with knowing who your customers (diners) are.
From our research, we learned that only 18% of restaurant marketers are extremely confident in understanding who their diners are after leaving their restaurants.
Get the research: Driving one more visit: How restaurant marketers fare in the digital age
With the constant ‘revolving door’ of customers interacting across channels, it’s hard to keep track of who’s who. You need to focus on speaking to customers on a 1:You personalized level. 1:You is a holistic customer experience strategy that focuses on personalizing communications with the best choice for individuals across all touchpoints or interactions.
Here are five strategies to consider as you embrace the 1:You messaging journey leading to one more visit, purchase and dollar:
1. Determine who your best customers are, and find lookalikes.
Oftentimes we focus our planning around customer acquisition. While acquiring new customers should be a goal for all, it’s important to identify your best customers and then find lookalikes. And to accomplish this, intelligence must be derived from the data.
Our transactional data solution, MarketView™, includes 167 restaurants totaling $308 billion in spend by brand, all tied to individuals by name and address.
When accurate matching is coupled with proprietary hygiene methods, we’re able to find and correct up to 50% more customer addresses. And when online and offline data connections are made, duplicate customer ID’s decrease by up to 12%.
As a result, you have a better understanding of your customers, and they have a better experience.
2. Better understand customer behavior inside and outside your location, including competitors and other lifestyle brands.
Understanding how your customers interact with other brands is telling because it provides insights on additional interests and behaviors. The intelligence derived from quality data can inform restaurant marketers of six key findings:
how much your customers are spending with you versus competitive brands
who your highest potential customers are
whether a loyal customer has stopped buying in a particular category versus stopped transacting (entirely) with your brand
your most valuable customers’ brand preferences in other categories
how much and how frequently customers spend in your category
deep insights into your customers to enable more relevant messaging
Additionally, looking outside of the restaurant vertical can teach you a lot about customers within your industry.
We often discuss with clients how there are commonalities in marketing goals amongst specific industries (or vertical markets). For example, there are similarities between the restaurant and retail verticals. Both industries learn from each other as to how to improve their programs, service and so on. Within these industries, customers expect superior customer service.
Restaurants are known for marketing an experience while retailers have been slower to adapt this approach. Several retail brands appraise the vision and success of restaurant marketers and have seen first-hand how restaurant marketers have improved personalization when communicating with diners.
3. Create an engagement strategy for customer retention and beyond.
Once a customer is engaged with your brand, they are more apt to be loyal. We recommend using a customer experience playbook.
The playbook is a comprehensive go-to-market blueprint for a particular customer segment and contains recommendations on how to engage with these customers strategically and tactically across value and occasion segments. Additionally, loyalty programs have long been a great way for businesses to get to know their customers, and to engage with them as part of a personalized experience.
From our research, we learned that 70% of restaurants have a loyalty program, and 79% indicate that members receive special offers, discounts or promotions. Restaurant operators determine the success of their programs by increased visits and sales, but only 30% say their loyalty programs are extremely or very effective.
When done right, and by leveraging the right data to drive relevant messaging, loyalty programs are extremely effective. According to a global study from Accenture, loyalty members generate between 12% and 18% more incremental revenue yearly than non-members. Also, 66% of U.S. consumers spend more on brands to which they are loyal.
For instance, Dunkin’, a leader in loyalty programs, uses its DD Perks program to engage with 10 million customers. And, the average year-over-year spend for new program members has increased 40% since its inception in 2014.
4. Drive revenue through data-driven marketing techniques.
Implementing data-driven marketing techniques truly does drive revenue. As my colleague recently shared in his recent blog, it’s important to:
Embrace CRM data to reach the right customers. Understanding which data to focus on and capturing the most useful data is essential. From a recent research study we conducted, only 9% of restaurants stated they work with external partners to match CRM data with online IDs. Integrating all data sources to truly get to know diners is a must.
Prioritize existing customers before focusing on acquiring new customers. Remember the 80/20 rule? About 20% of customers produce 80% of sales. You need to understand the needs and wants of the 20% of these customers to sustain their loyalty. From our research, we learned that 53% of restaurants stated that acquiring new customers is a top priority. Restaurant marketers should consider focusing on your existing customers and the members of your loyalty program.
Tailor advertising, promotions and experiences to frequent diners and prospective customers. Creative 1:1 messaging and content is essential in achieving 1:You communications. And remember, there’s no need to reinvent the wheel for each communication. Consider creating a library of content so you’re prepared to deliver unique content that is most relevant to the individual and their life stage (millennial, parents with young children, baby boomer, etc.). Having ‘filed images’ (or multiple creative options to select from) in the library enables real-time reaction to behavioral situations.
Analyze purchase data to identify trends and optimize future marketing campaigns. Applying analytics (modeling) to understand buying behavior is important to further improve program outcomes. Purchase data can be further analyzed to predict future desired outcomes including how frequently diners can be motivated to visit, where to spend marketing dollars, which menu items should be promoted, what type of creative will resonate and what channels should be used.
5. Use machine learning to offer personalization for re-purchase and menu recommendations.
As you're able to make menu recommendations for diners, engagement increases and they experience first-hand the value of personalization.
Machine learning efforts continue to be integrated into marketing programs and brands are at different levels of machine learning maturity ranging from basic to ultimate. By building machine learning algorithms, you're able to identify the top menu items that a customer is most likely to order with a 2x higher success rate versus using the most popularity driven approach of frequently purchased items.
The use of machine learning to improve offer personalization has resulted in 12+% improved conversion rates and 62% higher click through email rates for our clients.
As you continue to embark on your marketing journey of earning one more diner’s visit, purchase and dollar on each order, remember the fundamental differentiator is your data. Having the right data truly enables 1:You communications where no two emails, product recommendations or curated purchasing paths are the same.
---
## Brands leveraging ‘emotional’ loyalty programmes in a post-points world
Type: eps_post
URL: /brands-leveraging-emotional-loyalty-programmes-in-a-post-points-world
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Brands leveraging ‘emotional’ loyalty programmes in a post-points world
A new breed of loyaltyprogrammes focused on consumer emotion are helping brands extend beyond transactional engagement with their customers. Emotional loyalty can bedriven bynurturinga group of like-minded customers who become advocates of the brand or by using highly relevant content to enrich people’s lives. It also comes when loyalty programmes are entwined with good causes that meet the values of their members.
Why is this important right now?
A lot of loyalty programmes are recruiting members, but then failing to build on that initial point of contact. They are a straightforward point collecting exercise rather than a community-building, content rich, or charity-supporting platform with the potential to truly connect with the way people are living their lives.
>> Listen to the Let’s Talk Loyalty podcast featuring Ralph Browning, Business Development Director EMEA at Epsilon <<
In a world full of choice, people want to align themselves with brands that bring additional value. The value exchange between consumer and brand has evolved, with many people now happy to provide their personal information or sign up to an organisation’s loyalty programme as long as they get something tangible in return.
Ralph Browning, Business Development Director EMEA at Epsilon, explained on the latest Let’s Talk Loyalty podcast that consumers who get a reward or something that resonates from a scheme are more likely to return to that brand.
Browning said: “The sooner you can get somebody to get something out of a programme, even if it’s money off a pizza or two for one, if you get that in there in the first 100 days, you’ve got them for life. [If not], eventually, people forget they’re a member of a programme or what the points are for and what [they’re] trying to get.”
Deeper dive
These four brands do emotion-driven loyalty well:
The North Face – the outdoor equipment and clothing retailer calls its ‘XPLR pass’ the “community that never stops exploring”, playing to its target audience of adventure seekers. It offers money off first purchases over £100, free delivery and early access to products, but really connects with members on an emotional level through its birthday discounts and enabling members to participate in exclusive contests and events.
Points can be earned by registering at national parks and monuments, and selected events and locations, showing the brand will reward members for doing what they love to do. It places the brand in its customers’ everyday lives. Browning said: “It reinforces the brand as being adventurous and it’s a really cool idea. So I think clever gamification, and the community side, is where programmes are definitely moving.”
Walgreens – The health and beauty retailer continues to reinvent its myWalgreens loyalty programme, and now give access to speedy same-day in-store pickup for online orders and money-off on a range of own-brand goods.
The emotional tie to the scheme comes in the form of “Only for you” exclusive deals based on consumer preferences, as well as personalised health and wellness advice accessible via the mobile app. It has also created communities covering topics such as beauty and wellness, enabling likeminded people to engage with each other online. In addition, Walgreens rewards members for healthy behaviours such as eating certain products and achieving a target number of steps in one day.
Procter & Gamble (P&G) – the consumer goods company has embedded charity and good causes into its loyalty programme. By joining, consumers can collect points on the P&G items they purchase, and redeem those points on charitable donations such as its global ‘Children’s Safe Drinking Water Program’.
Members can also redeem points to enter prize draws, restaurant trips, and family online entertainment subscription services, showing both a clever use of rewards and the company’s close connection to the wider community.
Etihad Airways – the airline’s Etihad Guest loyalty programme was one of the first to refer to passengers as “guests” which was intended to build on the idea of premium Arabic hospitality, according to Browning.
The idea of ‘community’ was embedded from the outset, with cabin crew made aware of member status to help foster a feeling of belonging in passengers using the company’s services. In 2020, Etihad Guest brought an additional perk to the programme, ensuring members’ miles now only expire after 18 months of inactivity, rather than after 24-36 months regardless of activity.
Consider the ‘three Cs’
Community, content, and charity. These three Cs are the foundation of emotional loyalty schemes, with the above examples showing how considering one or more of these Cs when developing a programme can create a compelling proposition for the modern consumer.
The bottom line
Both brands and retailers are thinking differently about how they navigate a changing world. In challenging economic times, consumers will be more discerning about their purchasing behaviour and they will want more from brands, but equally brands know they need to continue to improve in such a competitive landscape.
The way brands communicate with consumers online needs to change in light of the ongoing depreciation of third-party cookies. Brands are increasingly looking at loyalty schemes to swell their data reserves, but as Browning said consumers are wise to what is going on. They are asking “why should I tell you anything about me?”, and “what’s in it for me?”. This creates a fertile environment for emotion-driven loyalty programmes.
Listen to the full Let’s Talk Loyalty podcast featuring Ralph Browning, Business Development Director EMEA at Epsilon.
---
## For fast casual restaurants, a customer-centric approach is key
Type: eps_post
URL: /for-fast-casual-restaurants-a-customer-centric-approach-is-key
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T22:17:52Z
# For fast casual restaurants, a customer-centric approach is key
Millions of people enjoy fast casual restaurants around the world daily. From regionalized favorites to giant global brands, fast casual dining is an ever-growing industry that relies on delivering consistent experiences their customers love.
At the 2022 Fast Casual Executive Summit, which took place in Indianapolis from October 9-11, several restaurant brands highlighted the importance of customer data, personalization and the role of loyalty programs.
As customization becomes integral for consumers, fast casual restaurants are looking for ways to drive better customer experiences. For brands looking to make a bigger impact, data activation is becoming an important tool in the toolbox.
For a successful modern loyalty program, go beyond discounts
Top-tier loyalty programs that strategically feature program benefits that highlight exclusivity and convenience, alongside discounts, help keep incremental costs low while better engaging customers.
Benefits like exclusive limited-time offers and experiential items like tastings and product testing are benefits that offer limited cost and further drive customer engagement. Marketers need to develop a cohesive strategy that blends rational benefits, which focus on highlighting the value of products and providing compelling offers to drive trial and repeat visits, as well as emotional benefits, which help facilitate a deeper, one-to-one connection and nurture customer relationships in an authentic, experiential way.
Brands are already starting to seek loyalty tactics outside of discounts. In an August NRN piece, Kevin Hochman, CEO and president of Brinker International Inc. (parent to the Chili’s Grill & Bar brand), shared that as much as 37% of Chili’s checks feature some type of discount, typically through the My Chili’s Reward loyalty program. “It's just simply too high for our brand, and we just need to we need to figure out ways to get that lower,” he said.
But there is a solution for brands like Chili's. They can leverage data to determine the offer the consumer will be most receptive to receiving at the optimal time to target the customer with it. By optimizing their offers, discounts can be lowered. Take Dunkin' (which has been ranked as the no. 1 brand for customer loyalty in Brand Keys' out-of-home coffee category for 16 years) for example. Their loyalty program merges the rational and emotional benefits—going far beyond just discounting.
Using the power of Epsilon's CORE ID solution, Dunkin' is able to offer real-time personalized rewards due to identity-based customer profiles that enable seamless activation online and offline. Dunkin' crafts a connected customer experience with agile mail and in-app content, one-to-one messages in loyalty statements, push notifications, contactless offerings, mobile ordering and more.
Build a channel strategy with the customer in mind
Restaurant marketers now have more channels than ever—in both physical locations and their digital channels. Ensuring their brand is communicating with the correct level of both urgency while understanding the correct degree of channel intrusiveness for the content is paramount in a post-COVID world.
Marketers hoping to get the most impact from their message should define the role each channel plays in the customer’s journey and align a communication strategy that is customer led. In addition, marketers should test and learn various communication frequencies across channels to help define how often to speak to customers. All of this can be done by building individual-level customer identity profiles that allow marketers to see who their customers actually are and what will truly resonate with them.
Epsilon has years of experience with enterprise brands, including McDonald's, helping define parameters across channels and messages to help drive customer behavior.
Prioritize CDPs—the next evolution of CRM
Restaurant brands have long been faced with the challenge of streamlining multiple data sources into a cohesive roadmap for customer engagement. With effective CDP solution, this is possible.
Customer data platforms, or CDPs, pull, clean and combine data from multiple sources, to create a single customer profile. From first-party and delivery service provider (DSP) data, to additional third-party data sources, CDPs have the ability to capture multiple data streams, help brands better understand customer behaviors and assist marketers in more efficiently connecting with their audience.
Check out our website to see how Epsilon’s CDP solution provides enriched understanding of evolving customers to drive conversion and support performance measurement.
The customer comes first
For fast casual brands, it's time to focus and invest in technologies that are customer focused and identity based and offer experiences other than discounts. It's a surefire way to engage retain and expand your customer base.
---
## Leading Attribution Solutions for Digital Marketing
Type: eps_post
URL: /leading-attribution-solutions-for-digital-marketing
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T22:14:41Z
# Leading Attribution Solutions for Digital Marketing
In an ideal world, a customer will spot your ad, click on it, and convert immediately to a sale. But it’s rarely that simple.
In fact, there are likely to be many stages before a customer spends on your website, or signs up for a subscription. This customer journey can be complicated for you to follow and frustrating to understand.
At Epsilon, however, we have spent decades developing the tools and skills needed to track customer behaviour so we can help you identify which touchpoints trigger a sale.
In this blog we will take you through the six most popular attribution modelling techniques and explain why a hybrid approach gets the best results.
What is Attribution Modelling?
Attribution modelling helps marketers understand an individual’s unique journey to a purchase.
It is a way of figuring out which touchpoints should get the credit for a sale. Each attribution model distributes the value of a conversion across each touchpoint differently.
For example, the 'last interaction' model assigns 100% credit to the final touchpoints immediately before a sale.
You can use a model comparison solution, which analyses how each model distributes the value of a conversion. It takes into account the customer touchpoints between devices, channels, walled-garden platforms.
This will give you a clearer picture of how different marketing channels contribute to a sale. And of course, this will help you shape your future digital advertising strategy.
When attribution modelling is well executed, it can save you money. Less advertising budget will be wasted. It can also boost sales conversions over time.
The beauty of modelling is that it allows you to focus on the buyer's journey, understand what's working well and what needs improvement. Attribution modelling solutions also show whether your marketing channels are working well together.
The Pros & Cons of Leading Attribution Models
Expert opinion is divided across the marketing industry over the best form of attribution model. Here we critique the six most popular models and offer our industry-leading advice.
1. Last Interaction Attribution
Last interaction attribution is the simplest to put in place and test. Called 'last-click' or 'last-touch' attribution, it gives 100% of the credit to the last customer interaction before the sale. This is the default attribution model in most platforms. Google Analytics, for example, uses last-touch attribution in its standard conversion reports.
With this attribution model, a visitor may find your website through organic search. A week later they see an Instagram Ad and click on it. The next day, they go to your website directly and make a purchase. The direct traffic gets all the credit for that sale.
It’s very easy to implement, but the downside is that 'last-touch' ignores everything before the final interaction. Many of the interactions before that last-click will be just as important.
But for many online brands, this model can be useful if you have a short buying cycle. If there are few touchpoints before the sale, 'last-touch' will give a good idea of your strongest channels.
2. First Interaction Attribution
As the name suggests, this model gives credit to the first user interaction with a brand.
A person may initially click on a Facebook ad for a sportswear brand’s website. They may not buy from that initial engagement, but they start seeing digital ads for the swimsuit on Instagram. A few weeks later, they buy the product after researching it more.
In first interaction attribution, the credit goes to that initial Facebook ad. None of it would go to the subsequent media buys, even though they had influenced the individual’s decision to buy.
This model is easy to integrate. However, it completely ignores valuable interactions a customer may have had after the first one. This model is also helpful if your particular product category has a short buying cycle. If customers tend to be converted immediately, then their first touchpoint is critical.
3. Last Indirect Click Attribution
Sometimes referred to as ‘last non-direct click’ attribution, this model assigns all credit to the last indirect interaction.
If a customer is looking for a new e-bike, they may engage in a few marketing efforts. For example, they may check the brand's app before using a direct search on Google to buy their bike.
Last indirect click attribution would assign total value to the app impression. That's because the customer already knew about the brand from previous marketing efforts. This would guide them to reach the website via direct search.
Eliminating direct clicks makes this a more insightful model than the last interaction. But it still assigns 100% of the value to one interaction. However, all the interactions before the last indirect direct click are ignored.
4. Linear Attribution
This model splits credit for a sale equally between all the interactions the customer had with your business.
If a customer finds you on TikTok, signs up for your email newsletter and later clicks an email link. The following week they go to your site directly and make a £240 purchase of a garden bench.
There have been three touchpoints in this situation. Each touchpoint gets equal credit of £80 attributed to the channel when the sale was made.
Unlike the other models, linear attribution offers a vast improvement in reporting accuracy. The problem with this approach, however, is that it assigns equal value to every marketing interaction. This is true even though some channels may be better at converting customers than others.
5. Time Decay Attribution
The 'time decay' model shares attribution across lots of touchpoints, but it also factors in when the interactions take place.
Interactions that happen closer to the time of sale have more value attributed to them. The first interaction gets less (or no) credit, while the last interaction will get the most.
One consideration is that this model minimises the effect of top-of-the-funnel marketing techniques.
It’s probably best to use 'time decay' when you're dealing with a particularly long sales cycle.
6. Position-based Attribution
This model gives the most credit to the first and last engagements. The touchpoints in between are given equal credit. It is also known as 'U-shaped attribution'.
For example, Google Analytics gives 40% credit to the first and last interactions and 20% for all the other touchpoints.
To illustrate this, imagine someone purchasing a handbag. Their first interaction with the brand may be an ad, while the last was a direct search to the brand's website.
Position-based attribution assigns most of the credit to the first and last interactions and splits the rest evenly.
This method reveals which channel first engages your customers and the last before the sale. It still does not accurately measure the influence of marketing efforts in between.
The benefits of a hybrid approach
Figuring out which interactions drive sales is difficult, but it’s a critical part of digital marketing. If you want to increase revenue it’s worth investing in marketing attribution software.
Each of the six attribution models has its own set of pros and cons. A combination of these models, however, often provides the most accurate view of your customer’s journey. This can be achieved by working with an expert partner.
By employing an attribution solution, you can work with ad media to make sure you use the right model, or a mix of models, according to a number of factors. One important consideration is where in the sales funnel your typical buyer is likely to be. If they are mid-funnel, and in that case ‘unsure buyers’, it’s worth investing in ad media to engage them. Whereas people who are 90% decided on buying your product are not worth spending on multiple interactions to convert. Segmenting your audience and optimising activity for each, in line with the most suitable attribution model, will pay dividends.
By using the Google Ads analytics tool, you will be restricted to ‘marking the homework’ of the Google channel in isolation. More sophisticated attribution reporting tools focus on enterprise cross-platform, and cross-channel advertising attribution. Such tools offer tailored attribution solutions for businesses across a range of industries.
It can be helpful if your chosen solution considers external factors, such as competition or changing industry trends, when pulling attribution data.
And, of course, it’s vital you can scale and flex around the product type and the value of the purchase in question. Attribution modelling for a low-ticket item like a pair of slippers will be very different from modelling for £5k luxury holidays. Your chosen solution must accommodate this.
Start by establishing clear business objectives
So, there you have it. At Epsilon, we believe a mix-and-match approach to marketing attribution will beat a cookie-cutter solution every time.
We start our approach by asking what your business goals are. You may want to increase your market share by 10%, or need to increase customer lifetime value by 20%. Armed with this information we can then set up an optimised attribution strategy tailored to your needs.
If you want to take digital attribution to the next level and boost your marketing campaigns, Epsilon can help.
{{cta('d35bafe0-708c-488c-92f4-765af708c73f','justifycenter')}}
---
## Gaining an edge from supply chain challenges
Type: eps_post
URL: /gaining-an-edge-from-supply-chain-challenges
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T22:16:49Z
# Gaining an edge from supply chain challenges
Marketers are no strangers to difficult circumstances. Rising prices and persuading people to buy stuff in the midst of a recession are just some of the challenges facing marketers right now.
But inflation isn't the only headwind: massive, sustained supply chain disruption is still very much a thing. That means there's genuine uncertainty regarding whether consumers can buy the things that retailers convince them to want—because the goods themselves are simply not available.
That's a big deal because it not only affects the bottom line but also has the potential to turn customers against brands. Fifty-eight percent of consumers told EY last fall that product availability ranked as a top purchasing criterion, up sharply from 47% in the spring. In fact, product availability is tied to price as consumers' top buying concern. It's becoming increasingly clear that customers really don't like discovering that the things they want aren't available.
The intensity of that consumer sentiment, coupled with the dawning realization that global supply chain issues aren't likely to be resolved anytime soon, means companies and marketers must adjust to accommodate a new reality where inventory fluctuation is the norm—and find a way to win anyhow.
Don't worry, there IS good news buried underneath the supply chain disruption. The EY survey clarifies that consumers are beginning to place the same premium on "in stock" items they once reserved for "on sale" items. That means availability is emerging as a high-value selling point, creating opportunities for marketers who can leverage its power.
Tying together the first and last mile of the sales process
The first step in building a marketing strategy around availability is gaining up-to-date visibility into the state of your brand's inventory and supply chain pipeline. If marketers lack a clear picture of what you have in stock, what you'll have soon, and what you just ran out of, there's no way to adjust their plans accordingly.
That means it's imperative to build a technological bridge between the side of your operation that focuses on inventory and supply chain intelligence and connect it with the company's sales and marketing teams. Technology isn't the problem here, but culturally this can be quite the jump, and fostering an ongoing link between logistics and marketing can be a mind-bending notion at companies where those departments have traditionally had little to do with one another.
Yet it should also be apparent to both teams that such a partnership can deliver huge value. For example, it enables marketers to gain visibility into variables such as shipping delays from overseas manufacturers and unpredictable production timelines. That sort of predictive insight enables marketers to pull promotions related to goods that won't arrive on time or will sell out quickly and focus instead on the inventory that's ready to go. Logistics teams can also estimate the cost of, say, a free-shipping promotion and how it would affect a campaign's profitability.
A stronger partnership between the marketing and supply chain teams can also work in reverse, with the logistics teams adjusting their orders based on the timing of different promotions or observations about shifts in consumer demand. IKEA, for example, uses artificial intelligence to predict when (and at which locations) its customers will buy certain items and adjusts its manufacturing plans accordingly.
Automation is a critical component here. Much availability-related marketing fails to happen when inventory data is too slow to reach the marketing team. The same can happen with a lag in purchase data. Serving ads and sending emails for a product the consumer already purchased is not only detrimental to the brand-consumer relationship, those ads and emails are a waste of marketing spend. Verified Purchase Optimization, Epsilon's innovative partnership with IRI, is one way brands can combat ad waste by delivering digital media aligned to an individual's purchase cycle. This means consumers won't be haunted by ads of purchase pasts and brands will save money.
The same rule applies—even more so—to circumstances where customers are not only being served ads for unavailable products but are able to place orders before learning what they purchased is out of stock. Those missteps can be avoided when automated marketing messages and website displays are tied to inventory levels, enabling retailers to refocus their outreach and approach based on available items.
Harnessing the power of availability
Supply chain disruption has spurred an increase among several different approaches to availability-based marketing. Some retailers are responding to out-of-stock issues stemming from supply chain disruptions with transparency, sometimes by noting the logistics issues and sometimes also by offering discounts to consumers who are willing to wait weeks or months for an item to arrive.
Others whose inventory isn't as reliant on the vagaries of global shipping and manufacturing can trumpet that their products are readily available. Supply chain delays also have raised the stakes for a classic marketing hook: you'd better buy soon because there are only a few more items in stock.
Other companies, meanwhile, are dealing with the opposite problem – too much merchandise, owing either to over-orders placed as insurance against delays or because merchandise arrived too late for the intended season or promotion.
Retailers who made big manufacturing bets as a hedge against supply chain uncertainty are learning that the perils of overstock can be nearly as dangerous to their margins as running out of inventory. One option for brands and retailers is to save those excess goods for a future season; another is to push excess merchandise on to discount resellers. But other retailers such as Everlane are choosing to incorporate their supply chain struggles into their marketing by making surplus inventory the hook for an email marketing campaign.
There are inherent risks in too much supply chain transparency, such as customers may abandon a sale so they can purchase the same item from a different seller who promises to supply the item faster. But given the consumer frustration and relational damage that can stem from an unfulfilled brand promise, many marketers are deciding that it's in their long-term interest to be up-front with their customers. Focusing on what is in stock might be a better move, however. By highlighting what's available now, brands can show supply strength even amidst uncertainty.
Supply chain disruptions are here to stay, at least for the foreseeable future. That uncertainty poses challenges for marketers but also gives them access to a powerful incentive: availability.
---
## 5 design considerations for your customer insights program
Type: eps_post
URL: /5-design-considerations-for-your-enterprise-customer-insights-program
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# 5 design considerations for your customer insights program
Personalizing communications and speaking to customers in a 1:You manner is something marketers strive to achieve.
1:You is a holistic customer experience strategy that focuses on personalizing communications with the best choice for individuals across all touchpoints or interactions. Whether you’re just beginning to harness the power of customer information for cross-organizational insight, or you’re deep in the throes of syncing golden customer data records in real-time across all customer touchpoints, there are five design considerations that can help propel you towards informed decisioning and greater customer personalization at a faster rate.
1. Recognize there are many legs of the customer journey you don’t see
Retailers today must sell across multiple channels — online, offline, and anywhere in between — to effectively compete in today’s buy anywhere, fulfill everywhere world.
In-store shopping generally means a sales associate is there to assist customers, though Big Box shopping trips still tend to feature more of a self-directed DIY adventure. Regardless, customers are pulling out their phones to compare features, check nearby store inventory and retrieve discount coupons no matter the retail format.
As the number of channels available for customers to interact with your brand grows, so do the number of touchpoints at which an informed customer dialog – based on an accurate 360 view – can splinter. And the more non-digital, non-conversion oriented an interaction is, the less insight can be gleaned about the specific shopping mission or purchase intent.
For example, a bride-to-be may have several pre-purchase appointments to browse, size rings or apply for financing, none of which informs the parallel-universe digital journey a retailer is diligently measuring to better tailor her experience. Retailers are now able to recognize in-store behavior (like that of the bride-to-be) by matching offline behavioral data to make the experience more relevant as she accesses the website’s ring-builder feature with complementary product and digital video impressions served.
2. Strike a balance between physical, digital and human experience
Sales associates increasingly leverage mobile digital commerce technologies in-store to help them get closer to the customer. Specialty clienteling solutions such as Mad Mobile and Salesfloor incorporate customer preferences, purchase history and wish lists that empower staff to tailor recommendations based on known tastes and predicted interests.
When a desired product isn’t available in-location, it’s becoming easier to quickly fulfill via alternate inventory. For example, Coach applies their in-store customer service policy to save the sale and retain the customer via easy, human-assisted, online order fulfillment. A colleague of mine went to Coach in search of leather gloves for a last minute holiday gift but didn’t find her desired style in stock; an associate picked up on her frustration and immediately took out her tablet and cued up a basket with the right color and size – and free overnight shipping – in seconds.
The only thing my colleague needed to do was enter her credit card, and off she went. You can read more about navigating the human-digital sales divide in our new e-book, The human experience: Optimizing the human channel in the customer journey.
3. Connect and feed your customer data supply chain
Whether human-assisted or self-directed, a unified customer journey has to be informed by a robust record of customer interactions. At the call center, interactions are tracked with a digital trail of complaints placed, order assistance provided, personalized offers issued and specific products available in stock at nearby stores.
But when the customer heads to their local mall, insight to that history is generally unavailable to inform the subsequent human-assisted interaction. The data supply chain breaks; the result is a disconnected experience and a potentially disappointed customer.
At Epsilon, we make developing a strong data supply chain a core component of a customer insights program. Tracking where and when information is acquired, how, with what permission level, summarized to a useful human consumption level – to cross silos and connect efficiently – is the goal. This helps to synthesize and makes the insights output more actionable, and provides original sourcing for later identity resolution refinement.
4. The reciprocity rule
Modern enterprise customer insights programs are designed around more agile and automated data gathering methods than ever before. Explicit ‘share-and-get’ agreements between customers and brands offer personalization and preferred treatment in return for opt-in, customer preference updates and survey responses.
Brands are meant to deliver something back in return for a customer’s valuable opinion and intent feedback. I see brands most often fall down when it’s time to action on the insights. Something as a simple as the occasional “We listened and we’re making a change” email highlighting the product enhancement your developing based on findings from the enterprise customer insights program can move the needle on customer satisfaction. It further reinforces corporate transparency which is so important to developing customer trust and ultimately success.
5. Transform customer visits into conversations
From applying in-store customer messaging and survey polling solutions that’s integrated into a retailer’s shopping app, it helps them transform customer visits into a conversation. After creating a digital ‘hologram’ of the physical store perimeter, it’s possible to identify opt-in app users in-store to measure how long they stay, if they make a purchase, and more.
This creates a robust online-offline view into appointments, consultation trips and store browse visits that can be aligned to already captured digital activity and impressions. Understanding these additional insights helps to better personalize the customer experience yielding 1:You communications.
By designing your customer insights program with a mix of both research and communications combined, retailers can engage customers in a valuable dialog. Customers benefit from a personalized journey while helping the brand ‘see the invisible’ to assist them even better in the future; truly a win-win.
For more information on how to create a personalized journey for your customers, download our e-book.
*This post first appeared on Loyalty360.
---
## D2C and traditional retailers look to each other to drive sales
Type: eps_post
URL: /d2c-companies-and-traditional-retailers-look-to-each-other-to-drive-sales
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T22:16:49Z
# D2C and traditional retailers look to each other to drive sales
Are there any true D2Cs left? And does it really matter if there aren’t?
As the digital landscape changes, direct to consumer retail looks more like a launch strategy than a permanent business model. Popular D2Cs—Harry's, Native, Allbirds, to name a few—have found a home at traditional retailers like Walmart and Nordstrom while also opening their own storefronts.
While OG D2Cs need the traditional retailers to grow their customer base and churn a profit at scale, the traditional retailers are now relying on D2Cs to freshen up their product base and bring in new innovation.
Instead of setting fire to traditional retail, the new class of digital brands is behaving more like fuel for conglomerates and retailers they partner with. Vice President of Strategic Consulting Ashley Lockridge says there are a slew of reasons D2Cs are moving in this direction, particularly as "they want to expand their brand visibility." But what does this change mean for marketing models of both, specifically how brands use and apply consumer first-party data?
D2C: Businesses that started online
When D2Cs first came onto the scene, many thought these brands turned the traditional business model on its head. At its peak, some believed these brands were ushering in a new era of shopping, calling it "the direct brand economy."
Digitally native all stars like Glossier and Allbirds built names for themselves by betting big on the web and avoiding wholesale stores to establish stronger customer relationships with very few or no brick-and-mortar locations.
These brands touted themselves on direct accessibility for consumers, but they also created the ability for many brands—CPG brands in particular—to collect and use once elusive first-party data. This marketing model changed the way most retail marketers started approaching their larger strategy. In bypassing traditional retail integration, D2Cs took advantage of their ability to capture first-party data, revealing new avenues for customer acquisition and engagement.
And it worked in some ways: Brands like the sleep product seller Casper and skincare and beauty brand Glossier reached unicorn status with billion-dollar evaluations.
But despite these high evaluations, they didn't have equally as high of revenue. Allbirds, for instance, has yet to be profitable and same goes for other D2Cs such as Warby Parker.
Hitting a plateau
What was once an online-only strategy for D2Cs is increasingly becoming an online-only sales model as a starting point. Instead of writing off the traditional business model completely, D2Cs have instead just flipped it on its head: the initial driver is building an online presence then, in a move of symbiosis, moving to brick-and-mortar and retailer locations once the need for scalability comes into play.
With profitability being a struggle for traditional D2C brands, these businesses need to meet the customers where the customers are, and they happen to be in a lot of different places which includes in stores. As Chief Commerce Strategy Officer at Publicis Jason Goldberg puts it, “no digitally native brand has achieved a billion dollars in annual revenue without a store. You need those stores as a cost-effective customer acquisition channel at some point.”
Lockridge agrees. "Scalability is a major challenge for a lot of D2Cs – cost of acquisition is extremely high in the world of ecommerce. The migration to retailers is vital for many D2Cs to expand their digital and physical footprint and take advantage of the retailers’ established relationship with their customers."
Providing a high touch experience is also a key component of this shift into retailers, Lockridge points out. “With segments like Gen Z having a propensity to shop in store and D2Cs struggling with how to create these in person experiences, retailers provide an avenue for crafting experiential shopping opportunities.”
Traditional D2C brands have seemingly found success in the retail avenue for growth. Warby Parker, for instance, stated 40% of its net-revenue was made up of in-store purchases and plans to expand at a rate of roughly 30 stores annually.
Relationship status? Going smoothly
The relationships between retailers and D2C brands seems to be a mutually beneficial one. D2Cs came to the realization that it would be critical to provide value for customers beyond the purchase transaction and their need to earn long-term brand affinity, while legacy retailers like Target are looking for ways to spice up their inventory and drive foot traffic.
Physical retailers need new, interesting product selection in stores as much as digital brands need new outlets to acquire customers more efficiently and affordably. Retailers need to ensure they have the breadth and depth of products that are fresh and new in the market to make sure they are competitive. Otherwise, "they run the risk of losing share of wallet if they don't have specific D2C brands in their stores" says Ashley. For retailers, it's a key revenue stream.
That being said, D2C brands should be wary of being drawn into the traditional retailing business model, whereby their products fight for scarce space on store shelves. There, the supplier with the deepest pockets usually wins. Such arrangements may give the brand an initial boost powered by the retailer’s reach, but the long-term advantages are yet to be fully known. Channel extensions that address gaps in the customer’s journey should be the real purpose of retail partnerships and extensions must be thought out as part of a deliberate growth strategy.
In the future, Lockridge foresees D2Cs getting more creative about how they embrace their retailer relationships. One of her clients, a children’s’ apparel retailer, is working with her team to establish a loyalty program rewarding wholesale purchases of their products. This strategy provides the best of both worlds – gaining the first party data of your retail shoppers while also extending the brand’s reach.
As D2Cs look to retailers for growth, one thing remains clear-–embracing their direct connection to customers in everything they do is vital for long term success. Keeping this in mind, partnerships between retailers and D2Cs just might be each party’s missing piece for now.
---
## TikTok surpasses Google as a search engine for Gen Z, and brands want their day in the spotlight
Type: eps_post
URL: /tiktok-surpasses-google-as-a-search-engine-for-gen-z-and-brands-want-their-day-in-the-spotlight
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# TikTok surpasses Google as a search engine for Gen Z, and brands want their day in the spotlight
Everything at TikTok seems to happen fast: the platform’s top-performing videos last about 30 seconds and its content trends are notoriously transient. The platform itself is growing with exceptional speed, reaching the billion-user mark years faster than other social-content giants such as Facebook and YouTube.
Perhaps even more shocking is TikTok has overtaken Google's dominance as the world's most popular web domain, ending a 15-year streak. As Google processes an astounding two trillion searches yearly, the roughly 5.7 million searches per minute are only enough to slide into the second most popular spot.
But is the rise of the TikTok search engine a flash in the pan, or is it a sign that searching the internet has changed forever?
More than just a social strategy
For many, it may seem impossible that tech giant Google could possible lose so many users to the TikTok search engine. However, the momentous shift has been spurred on by a shift in Gen Z’s online user behavior, which bucks the search trends we've seen in prior years. For specific subjects, 40% of Gen Z searchers turn to TikTok or Instagram before performing a traditional Google Search.
TikTok is moving from just a social media platform to a refined search engine — a consolidation of social media and search behaviors that is becoming more evolved in the digital and consumer behavior landscape. To accommodate user behavior, TikTok has made improvements to their search engine with predictive text and an AI recommendation engine that considers CTR, watch times, and reports among other factors.
"Brands should make sure their social media profiles are properly optimized and maintained – especially if you are part of industries such as travel, dining and CPG," said Greg Walker, Manager of Strategic Consulting and Search Expert at Epsilon. "Make engaging content that potential consumers are already looking for on TikTok: provide financial tips, share experiences from your customers, or make fun of your own brands and products. Amongst that, ensure that your posts are following both social media and SEO best practices so you give yourself the best opportunity to show up within searches and the For You Feed."
Because TikTok surpasses Google as the preffered search engine for younger people, more brands are considering joining this upstart platform that can seem at first glance like a frenetic Gen-Z playground. However, jumping onto the Gen Z TikTok search engine requires more than creating content according to the latest trends. To do so successfully requires finding points of alignment between your brand’s personality, your marketing goals, and TikTok’s unique character.
As Digital Strategy Director Ginevra Adamoli emphasizes, "brands need to start working alongside search teams to create content on TikTok. You need to take a close look at what societal events are happening daily and hourly and within digital channels that could convert into viral content. A TikTok strategy that works requires to shift to an agile digital approach, all driven by real-time consumer data."
Driving real results
@crocs Back by popular ka-chow! Get ready for Disney and Pixar Cars' Lightning McQueen adult clogs on 9.8.22 at crocs.com #crocs #croctok #sportmode #lightningmcqueen ♬ original sound - Crocs
No one was expecting the power of the TikTok algorithm to uproot the conventional ways marketers have used their ad spend in the past. However, those who capitalized on the TikTok search engine early have seen great results. For example, let’s look at the revival of a shoe most of us forgot about: Crocs.
What’s behind the resurgence of Crocs? Is it the pandemic-era embrace of casual wear? Celebrity collaborations with Justin Bieber and Post Malone? Or the fact that Crocs is deeply embedded within the TikTok-verse?
The recent, high-fashion rebirth of Crocs obscures the fact that a few years ago, this brand was the antithesis of Gen-Z cool. Indeed, Crocs didn’t even join TikTok until 2019.
But when it did, it did so with a flourish, attracting 100,000 followers in its first week on the platform. Now, Crocs has more than half a million followers. Thanks to a combination of influencer collaborations and user-generated content prompted by campaigns such as the brand’s annual #Croctober event, Crocs is using TikTok not only to reach its fans and customers, but also to reinforce the brand’s position as a fun, playful, versatile footwear option.
That content, and the positive vibes it engenders, also sets the table for more strategic announcements. For example, Crocs released a series of slick promo videos to tease a collaboration with designer Salehe Bermury, the first of which garnered over 600,000 views.
@scrubdaddy Scrub Decor. #scrubdaddy #smile #cleantok #cleaningtiktok #americasfavoritesponge ♬ WE CANNOT ESCAPE WE CANNOT COME OUT - Emile Morgan
So goes the story of Scrub Daddy, an unlikely brand using the social platform to its advantage, which is a simple dish scrubber. And there’s not much about any dish scrubber, regardless of its quality, that would seem to make it a candidate for breakout TikTok fame.
But Scrub Daddy made it happen. A combination of the willingness of CEO Aaron Krause to star in absurdist videos that capitalize on TikTok trends and the decision to produce an enormous version of the Pennsylvania company’s signature, smiley-faced product have helped the brand achieve success in the space.
Now the company has 1.8 million followers, and many of its videos have racked up millions of views. A sub-series that features the Scrub Daddy mascot interacting with Duolingo’s plush green owl is even more popular.
@kitchenaidusa Taste bud teaser! Check out some of the delectable recipes chosen to be in the #MadeWithKitchenAid ♬ Makin It - KitchenAid
KitchenAid is new to TikTok, posting its first video to the platform in summer 2021. By then, however, the brand’s signature appliance already was a TikTok star. This is an example of a business that took advantage of people using TikTok as a search engine to find new recipes or learn how to cook.
Cooking instruction is a thriving TikTok subgenre; while Instagram may have cornered the market on photos of elaborately plated meals, TikTok is a haven for young chef-influencers crafting their creations and sharing their secrets. KitchenAid launched its channel with sponsored posts from well-known chef-influencers such as Eitan Bernath, Hajar Larbah and Jenny Martinez, using the hashtag #makeittogether, racking up more than three million views.
@canva *insert evil laugh here* #Canva #CanvaDesign #GraphicDesign #SmallBusiness #SmallBusinessTip ♬ original sound - Charlie Mosey
Canva, an Australian company that makes cloud-based, DIY graphic-design software, focuses on quick tips and tutorials, presented in a funky, TikTok-native style. Canva’s channel—like its brand—is focused more on utility than flash. That approach is working, as the brand has more than 83,000 TikTok followers, and its most popular videos have surpassed a million views.
To master Tiktok, brands need a strong strategy
The TikTok video search engine reigns supreme today, but is it enough to create a comprehensive marketing strategy? While TikTok is a key social channel, it alone cannot feed a strong, robust strategy. Brands looking to dip their toes in these social waters have an advantage if they already understand their customers. Content that aligns with the brand, is well made and uses strong tactics like proper tagging and SEO, can drive better engagement. It’s complimentary to a strong digital strategy overall, which includes good website management optimized for Google search.
Brands also need to maintain their regular channels. While Google was dethroned (for now) there are still billions of searches a day. Other channels, like CTV, display, mobile and more can also drive huge returns if fueled by a strong identity graph, like Epsilon CORE ID.
Interested in learning more about how your business can leverage the TikTok search engine? With our digital strategy tech and expertise, Epsilon is happy to help your brand navigate the shifting social and search landscape and define your digital ambitions.
---
## How to navigate Black Friday uncertainty 2022 – Australia
Type: eps_post
URL: /how-to-navigate-black-friday-uncertainty-2022-australia
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# How to navigate Black Friday uncertainty 2022 – Australia
As another Black Friday approaches, once again, it takes place during another challenging economic climate for retailers. As a result, they will need to adjust their strategies to reflect these trading conditions.
Epsilon has identified six distinct retailer personas, each with specific traits and objectives linked to this critical promotional period. And for each one, we’ve suggested actions they could take to help them deliver a successful Black Friday.
You will learn:
-The challenges of crystal ball gazing
-Get set for Black Friday!
-The importance of going early
-Setting yourself up for Black Friday success and beyond with a customer data platform
-What kind of Black Friday retailer are you? The six Black Friday retailer personas
-5 Key takeaways
{{cta('8ed0089a-48a2-4fa5-bc0b-666bc3639804')}}
---
## Reimagining Customer Retention with First Party Data
Type: eps_post
URL: /state-of-customer-retention-in-uae
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Reimagining Customer Retention with First Party Data
Marketers and advertisers in the UAE are at a crossroads today
They appreciate the enhancements to customer privacy
They are aware that third party cookie deprecation takes away the only source of data and insights that was easily available for advertising decisions
They are aware of the immense opportunity that first party data holds for them.
If any of the challenges reported by fellow marketers resonates, join the future forward leaders who are exploring how the industry leading Epsilon Digital platform can activate your first party data to create a persistent identity and drive personalized advertising that is contextual and relevant to each person who is important to your business. May your journey to winning millions of markets of one begin today.
Download a copy of the report below:
{{cta('03d1cee1-b4f5-4a1d-a532-c62fa0605864')}}
---
## [VIDEO] Why focusing on bounces can unbalance your marketing over the peak period
Type: eps_post
URL: /why-focusing-on-bounces-can-unbalance-your-marketing-over-the-peak-period
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T22:17:52Z
# [VIDEO] Why focusing on bounces can unbalance your marketing over the peak period
Learn more about what do bounce rates look like ahead of peak trading, by watching Chris Cairns' webinar at IMRG Weekly Data Show [12:00min - 22:25min].
As retailers prepare for Black Friday, many will look to optimise their websites byanalysing bounces to understand how visitors interact with specific pages on theirsites.After all, bounces – that single page session where a user begins and ends their site journey on the same site page– must be minimised.If marketing activityis driving site traffic that is going nowhere, action is needed at a site or campaign level to address this.
Why is this important?
With estimates that up to 40% of online traffic is from bots, this distorts the real situation around bounce rates and visitors. Most concerning is the implication for audience insight. If brands are modelling audiences from customers who have simply visited the site, but not purchased, for new customer acquisition, this could drive more irrelevant people to site.
Would you rather pay for 10,000 site visits or 100 new customers?
That’s why ecommerce retailers must develop their models around real buyers rather than site traffic to create more accurate and valuable audience insights to base their marketing around.
A deeper dive
By doing so, it means more relevant people – those most likely to buy – will be driven to your site. But that’s not enough. What’s also essential is using Incremental site optimisation to drive engagement and encourage purchases. This means you need to think dynamic, not static, when it comes to your website. Adopting Machine Learning and AI can play a critical role in personalising onsite recommendations and delivering tailored experiences, so no user’s experience is the same.
Equally important is maintaining these visitor connections when they leave your site. To achieve this, it’s critical you understand and recognise them as individuals across all devices they use to access the web. And this requires an identity solution that can connect your data points, so you have this visibility.
By investing in a persistent identifier, an ongoing dialogue can be developed with customers and prospects over time. And taking advantage of smart algorithms allows you to determine the optimal approach to communicating with them as they move across the web.
Rather than constantly serving them the same ads for a product they may have shown past interest in, you must be more sophisticated. These algorithms can determine the best approach, which could mean more value is delivered by introducing them to other products across the range they mightn’t have been aware of. All this helps build long-term relationships and profitability rather than focusing on short-term sales.
But this approach requires a commitment to marketing, which is especially important over peak season. After all, marketing’s not a nice-to-have but a necessity. but as market dynamics change, this isn’t the time to cut budgets.
As market dynamics change, beyond the peak period, some brands will be considering reining in their marketing spend. But this isn’t the time to cut your budget. Instead, it’s an opportunity to increase your share of voice in a less crowded ad market as others pull back on marketing investment. And with consumer purchasing decisions being more considered and taking longer, retaining brand visibility means new customers will have a better chance of discovering you.
Yes, as the cost-of-living crisis bites, people are shifting toward necessities rather than luxuries, so marketing spend and campaign focus must be realigned to reflect this. But this doesn’t mean cutting it, which simply leads to a reduced market share.
The bottom line
In challenging times, your marketing must centre around a clear understanding of your actual buyers. It’s then a case of using this insight to connect and engage with relevant consumers at an individual level to encourage them to buy. This is particularly important around the peak trading period. And despite the economic climate, the winners that will come out of these challenging times quicker and stronger will be those that maintain a focus on marketing.
---
## What Should I Look for in a Google Tech Partner?
Type: eps_post
URL: /what-should-i-look-for-in-a-google-tech-partner
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T22:16:49Z
# What Should I Look for in a Google Tech Partner?
It’s tough finding a Google tech partner that understands your business needs. Here are some key considerations to help you in your quest.
You’ve got your Google Marketing Platform, Google Ads, and Google Ad Manager all up and running, but how can you be sure you're making the most of your campaigns? Are your marketing activities – beyond PPC – integrated and working hard for you?
Brands often build out their tech stack to include Google platform partners for data management (DMP), dynamic creative optimisation (DCO) of ads, and performance measurement. Once these are in place, the possibilities to reach new audiences and build incremental sales are tantalising. But how do you make all these elements work harmoniously and get great results?
If you’re struggling to do this in-house, a Google tech partner will help you optimise all your opportunities.
Here at Epsilon, we talk to brand managers with a treasure trove of technology at their fingertips. Often, they’re unsure how to use it holistically, and to its full capacity.
With our managed service solution, we can help brands maximise the ROI of their Google tech stack.
As a tech-solution vendor and consultancy, we have all the functionality and expertise associated with a range of agencies: data onboarding, DMP, DSP, DCO and measurement. We offer all these solutions, so the insights we provide are joined-up. That makes them a lot more powerful
We can elevate your digital marketing ecosystem by making sure all your marketing and data applications gel seamlessly, delivering the results you're looking for.
But first, let's look at the main problems brands routinely face with their Google tech stacks.
Problems Brands Encounter With Their Google Tech Stacks
Resource Challenges
Lack of talent is probably the biggest issue. Brands don’t always have the team resources to get the best out of the data onboarding, optimisation and analytics elements of their tech stack.
Marketing team members may not have the right skills, training, and expertise to deliver what’s needed. Or there may not be enough people available to get the necessary systems set up and running.
Product Challenges
Not knowing how to get different aspects of the stack talking to each other is another recurring problem.
For instance, how can your demand-side platform (DSP) and search data integrate with Google Analytics? What's the best way to measure attribution when running ad campaigns?
If you want more than ‘last click’ attribution analytics, can your product handle alternative systems, such as linear attribution and time decay attribution? How effectively are your business intelligence tools talking to each other?
There is also increased reliance place on so-called ‘black box’ solutions, such as Google’s Performance Max, which enable you to feed in assets, audience signals, and conversion data in order to measure conversion results on the campaign level
Six different solution providers might be held in the stack independently. That’s six different strategies that aren’t joined up.
Short-Termism
Many brands fail to use their Google tech stack to plan and build a long-term strategy for growth.
You can map out a robust digital marketing strategy if you get help integrating all your media propositions. This provides a framework for building future sales growth.
Improvements can be made over time once you can holistically manage your loyalty programme data, your email database, and ad creative functionality using an integrated approach.
Long-term performance planning and optimisation become business-as-usual.
Review Available Services to Optimise Your Google Stack
More and more brands are turning to third parties for help. What services are available to optimise the Google stack?
Agencies and Self-Serve Solutions
While digital marketing agencies can assist to some degree, they tend not to have the tools to optimise across the entire Google tech stack. They may be experts in PPC but have limited expertise in other key digital marketing activities and technologies.
Self-serve software solutions are another option. These still require you to go it alone at some point, which means building your campaigns and carrying out analytics yourself.
The downside is that important questions can remain unanswered. There can also be gaps in integration across the tech framework. You will miss sales opportunities.
Full Media Solutions
In contrast, managed service solutions offer a one-stop shop for everything. For instance, Epsilon can help brands manage their entire stack and optimise all strands of their performance marketing ecosystem according to specific goals.
We take control and run that technology stack, and its different media activities, for clients who are too stretched to do it on their own. We operate what is called a full media solution.
In practice, this means we can manage audience-targeting activities. We then build responsive, personalised, creative ad campaigns. And then we measure the performance and outcomes.
Measurement is highly-tailored and dynamic, so we can report on incremental differences over an agreed time. Revenue goals are factored in, and achievement metrics are plotted out.
Questions You Need to Ask Your Google Tech Partner
Here are three questions Epsilon suggests you ask a Google tech partner to be sure they’re offering an effective service:
1. Can They Offer Service Levels Above and Beyond What Your In-House Team Can Achieve?
A full media service is an investment in knowledge, not just a product. The software solutions should be complemented by great people.
The consultancy team will have real-world expertise. The team might include highly-trained campaign managers, a creative team for designing ads, data analysts, engineers, and marketing strategy advisers. That’s a huge talent pool for brands to benefit from – providing a fully integrated approach.
A full media solutions provider can offer economies of scale, which is hugely valuable. They will be looking at data optimisation all the time, not now and then.
In-house teams with low resources might only have time to carry out ad performance analytics quarterly or every six months. The optimisation opportunities slip away when this is the case.
At Epsilon, we operate as an extension of our client's in-house performance marketing teams. Our people might work alongside theirs for part of the working week, either on-site or remotely. We’re constantly active on their behalf, bridging the skills and resourcing gaps.
2. Will They Ensure Your Google Tech Stack is Impacting Your Business Correctly?
With media activity, always ask: what difference is this making to my business? A campaign you ran drove 500 clicks. All is well and good. But did those clicks turn into sales? How many? Which clicks led to conversions?
You want to be sure your technology stack allows you to understand the real impact on your business.
Your chosen Google tech stack partner should focus on your unique business objectives. They should commit to solving problems that are affecting company growth.
Together you will ask: What is the top business goal at the moment? Which tools can help me meet that objective faster and more effectively? Are these optimised in line with long-term goals?
3. Does Their Expertise Span All Solutions Providers?
PPC and the Google Ad proposition are just one element of your digital marketing ecosystem. It will help enormously to work with a partner who can also help with your email marketing, building a loyalty programme, and managing your data platform.
There are countless different tasks and tools that a marketing team needs to achieve a broad range of commercial objectives.
At Epsilon, our full media solution makes this possible by taking a fully-integrated approach.
Ready to Partner with Epsilon?
At Epsilon, we only work with brands committed to a joined-up view of their digital marketing. We are all about pursuing measureable opportunities, and we like to become part of the family to achieve this.
We aim to take brands beyond short-term quick fixes and quick wins. We want to build enduring strategic relationships with brands, achieving the best results possible.
If you’re looking for a Google tech stack partner, Epsilon can help.
{{cta('927e4aa7-a82c-431d-8aac-9725fb5b45c0')}}
---
## The CTV buyer's guide to identity resolution
Type: eps_post
URL: /the-ctv-buyers-guide-to-identity-resolution
Last Modified: 2026-07-07T17:39:18Z
# The CTV buyer's guide to identity resolution
The connected TV (CTV) market is maturing right before our eyes. Two major networks, NBCUniversal and Fox, recently launched new reach and targeting (read: identity resolution) solutions for their platforms, ensuring the best ability to reach a brand's audience across their CTV inventory.
But what's interesting about this is that this isn't new: The digital media ecosystem has been doing this for years. Now, the CTV market is maturing to match it, using a lot of the same ideas to fuel how they're reaching and targeting consumers.
With that, how are brand advertisers supposed to navigate this new world of "identity" in CTV? Here, we'll walk through everything a TV buyer needs to know about "identity resolution" so they can build their best CTV plan.
Solving the CTV identity crisis
Identity resolution has become an essential part of the digital media ecosystem. The process of identity resolution has allowed brands to make connections across siloed data. For example, it enables brands to understand that two seemingly unrelated pieces of data actually represent the same consumer just on different email addresses.
In making these connections across siloed data, brands can augment the view of their consumers with their own first-party data, leading to new insights and high-performance custom audiences among a slew of other benefits.
TV content consumption has become even more fragmented, and audience fragmentation is among the top concerns for TV execs. As consumption fragments across screens and platforms, the need to figure out a way to define and unify measurable units—households, individuals and devices—has become critical for advertisers and publishers.
As Edina Kalamperovic, Vice President of Partner Strategy and Planning at Publicis, points out, "The evolution of CTV makes options abundant yet also more fragmented, which can put a strain on the best way to plan and buy that maximizes a marketer’s true reach against the right people, dollars invested and tangible measurable outcomes." Identity plays a crucial factor, and deduplicating audiences in order to control frequency and reach to get the most out of advertising dollars and enhance the end user’s experience is a key obstacle to unification.
Thus far, the CTV ecosystem has pieced together solutions with varying identity providers, which can be challenging due to the fact that there is not always transparency with the data they provide. Hoping to ameliorate this fragmentation, networks are aiming to reach their audiences across their CTV inventory and are creating their own identity resolution solutions.
A key piece in solving the CTV identity crisis is first-party data. To create unified views of individual TV consumption across devices and channels, publishers need first-party data. Acknowledging this, networks like NBCU—whose portfolio includes CNBC, NBC Sports and USA Network— recently announced a partnership with Dentsu for their new consumer-identity matching platforms coined NBCUnified Audiences and NBCUnified Consumer Match. The first-party identity platform includes 150 million individual consumers and 50 million households to bolster cross-platform targeting.
FoxCorp has also jumped on the first-party platform train. They announced Atlas, a video intelligence technology that can identify, segment and suggest contextual advertising opportunities for digital video marketers. As cookie-based media buying continues to be phased out by digital media platforms with the decline of third-party cookies, contextual advertising continues to grow.
"The fact that roughly 50% of the internet is already cookieless, the default solution shouldn’t just be contextual advertising," Kalamperovic says. "The focus should be about understanding, assessing and working with the best identity solution that will empower and future proof a marketers objectives and dollars."
Sustainable solutions
It's become critical for companies to have a stable and persistent view of the household/individual (HH/IND) rather than unstable IP addresses or looking at investment by service.
"If the average HH uses 4.7 streaming services, looking at investment by service doesn’t capture or reflect the user experience because it is the same person and/or HH," Kalamperovic points out. "So having a view of one profile that can connect a user to their many end points is what should be the continued effort and focus."
Buyers and marketers should lean into this and push for the best possible set-up that gives them this view and ability to execute. While people are more connected than ever digitally, fragmentation has increased. Brands should be looking to sustainable solutions that can evolve in the face of change versus short-term bandages, an ethos that Epsilon champions with CORE ID.
---
## Expand your horizons: now’s the time for destination marketing organisations to evolve their marketing approach
Type: eps_post
URL: /expand-your-horizons-nows-the-time-for-destination-marketing-organisations-to-evolve-their-marketing-approach
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T22:17:52Z
# Expand your horizons: now’s the time for destination marketing organisations to evolve their marketing approach
The big picture
While travel bounces back, changes in market dynamics, as well as consumer expectations and behaviours, means destination marketing organisations (DMOs) current marketing approaches must also change. To succeed in the future, they need to embrace new marketing thinking.
Why it’s important
The travel market remains very competitive, and DMOs can’t purely rely on existing visitor demand for their area. Instead, they must actively build it. With consumers spending more time researching and selecting their preferred holiday destinations, they must upgrade their marketing approach to remain relevant.
Deeper Dive
A key area of change concerns metrics and adjusting how you previously measured success to reflect what you must measure in the future.
While traditional metrics based around airline or hotel spend are still important, they fail to deliver an accurate measurement of actual value. When people stay in a destination, they do so much more than what is reflected in these limited metrics. They also fail to take into account those destination visitors staying with friends or family but are still actively spending in the area.
Instead, a more comprehensive measurement of spend across the many businesses these visitors engage with – from restaurants and retail to tourist attractions – is needed. Rather than relying on survey-based data that reflects a snapshot from only a fraction of visitors, it’s critical to understand the direct visitor yield and experience in your area. This then needs to be tied back to your marketing activities to reveal their net impact.
Today, DMOs must become active drivers of revenue for their local communities. Far from simply seeing themselves as a destination marketing organisation, they must update their approach and see themselves as a destination management organisation. This entails driving demand for their area, focusing measurement around the economic impact on the community and driving visitor value, not just volume.
The bottom line
For DMOs, visitor opportunities are there, but you must work harder to attract them. This means ditching your old ways and replacing them with new approach.
To help you navigate today’s travel environment, download our Future of Tourism ebook which provides information, insights, and ideas on how to shift your marketing thinking to embrace the new travel reality.
---
## Why data must be the currency for destination marketing organisations ?
Type: eps_post
URL: /why-data-must-be-the-currency-for-destination-marketing-organisations
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T22:17:52Z
# Why data must be the currency for destination marketing organisations ?
The big picture
Today’s changing travel market calls for new, flexible approaches to this dynamic environment, and central to this is data. Only by having the deep insights and information necessary to guide their marketing decisions can destination marketing organisations (DMOs) develop their future strategy to remain relevant.
Why it’s important
Data drives effective marketing. Whether it’s revealing customer traits, recognising changing visitor profiles, guiding your spend decisions, personalising communication or treating people as individuals, all rely on quality data and having a single customer view. And DMOs must have this holistic view of their customers across channels, devices, and spending habits. They can then connect these on and offline behaviours to gain a complete understanding of every individual’s trip and spending and gain a full picture of their marketing attribution.
Deeper dive
Here are 5 ideas DMOs should be considering to activate their marketing strategy by using their data to its full potential:
Gain a holistic understanding of your visitors: Connect all their activities across multiple devices to understand who they are. This will include what destinations they’ve searching for, what’s important for their visit, where they’ve been previously, what travel blogs they’re reading and much more. From this, you can target them with cross-device personalised messages to encourage them to visit your destination.
Focus on high-value visitors: Use your audience insights to target individuals who will impact your destination the most. Look at past visitors and focus on those that engaged the most in your area. Reconnect with them and give them reasons to return. And find prospective visitors whose behaviours, lifestyles and interests can all be met by visiting your area. Then encourage them to consider travelling to your location.
Personalise your communications: Use your rich insights to message individuals with personalised information that will resonate with them. For example, if they’re foodies, highlight the wealth of culinary experiences and cuisines on offer. Or, if it’s culture, focus on theatres, galleries, and exhibitions available to them. Show them how your destination is right for them and offers them what they’re most interested in.
Optimise your digital activity: Take advantage of technologies like machine learning to understand which messaging sequencing and combination of ad formats resonate with an individual. Whether display advertising, video, mobile, or desktop, make sure you’re optimising the individual journeys to have the most chance of success.
Invest in a Customer Data Platform: Centralise and leverage all your data in one platform. Gain insights into your past, current and prospective customers as individuals, then use this to activate your marketing strategy.
The bottom line
By better understanding your visitors and prospects and their motivations across a wealth of data dimensions, you can start to match these with what your destination offers. Using your data intelligently, you can design marketing activities that are more likely to appeal to them and spark an interest in visiting you.
And to help you navigate today’s travel environment, download our Future of Tourism ebook, which provides information, insights, and ideas on how to shift your marketing thinking and elevate your marketing approach.
---
## 4 ways to upgrade your destination marketing strategy for 2023
Type: eps_post
URL: /ways-to-upgrade-your-destination-marketing-strategy-for-2023
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T22:17:52Z
# 4 ways to upgrade your destination marketing strategy for 2023
The big picture
By better understanding their location, visitors, and marketing impact, destination marketing organisations (DMOs) can change how they operate to reflect today's travel reality.
Why it's important
The difficulties the travel industry has faced over the recent years have impacted local economies. For DMOs and their marketing strategy, doing the same thing is no longer an option. Now they must take advantage of this opportunity to reassess their current approach and enact change to drive greater value for their destination, which will benefit the whole community.
Deeper dive
Here are 4 ways DMOs can drive and demonstrate value across the communities they support:
Adapt a new mindset: Travel and travellers have changed, so your marketing approach must also. Proactivity is essential. Move from thinking 'destination marketing' to 'destination management'. Embrace everything this entails and move beyond the traditional travel-related areas to understand how your activities impact the broader community.
Put data at the centre of all your activity: Focus on building up your first-party data and connecting all your information – online and offline. Understand your visitors as individuals, then communicate with them in this way. From garnering insights to delivering timely, impactful communications, ensure data is the foundation of your marketing.
Take advantage of technology: Marketing's complex enough without going it alone. Embrace technologies to simplify and speed up your activities. So invest in Customer Data Platforms and Data Clean Rooms to gain control and activate your data. Use machine learning to understand and optimise your audience interactions and measure success across all your channels.
Expand your measurement: Surveys and traditional digital metrics don't provide the insights you need today. Measure across all channels, devices, and behaviours by connecting online and offline spend to understand and show the difference your marketing is making.
The bottom line
Only by taking action now can DMOs ensure their marketing will be relevant to the needs of their area now and in the future.
Download our Future of Tourism ebook to help you navigate today's travel environment. It's full of information, insights, and ideas on how to shift your thinking and elevate your marketing approach.
---
## The down and dirty about clean rooms
Type: eps_post
URL: /the-down-and-dirty-about-clean-rooms
Last Modified: 2025-10-03T13:51:11Z
# The down and dirty about clean rooms
Want the dirt on clean rooms?
It's a term du jour for many marketers. As data deprecation comes front and center for brands, many companies are trying to find new ways to obtain and use consumer data in ethical and privacy-compliant ways. But to do that, they need to "clean" it first.
Data clean rooms are privacy-safe environments that use anonymized data to facilitate data sharing. This includes advanced audience identification, activation and measurement—all which improve cross-channel performance. In layman’s terms, data clean rooms host anonymized data in a way that is secure and isolated to give brands insights across activation partners and channels in one, cohesive view.
And it’s clear to see this strategy is working. According to a Gartner report, 80% of advertisers with media budgets of $1 billion or more will use data clean rooms by 2023.
Wiping away third-party cookies
Starting next year, Google's Chrome is getting rid of third-party cookies. This isn’t a big surprise: Safari and Firefox have already said bye-bye to cookies more than five years ago, but because Chrome is so widely used, this update is really shifting the open web landscape.
How big of an issue is this, really? According to Epsilon research, 69% of marketers surveyed said they believe the elimination of third-party cookies will have a greater impact than CCPA and GDPR, and 83% anticipate moderate to significant impact on their digital advertising efforts.
This data deprecation is going to force brands to find new ways to identify and reach consumers with their own data sources. This is going to be especially important for brands in industries that historically struggle with data collection and sharing, like CPG brands and financial services institutions.
That’s where data clean rooms come in: To mitigate these dwindling connections, marketers can now take back the power of their data while also ensuring they’re privacy compliant. Clean rooms essentially replace the need for third-party cookies because it instead aggregates all channel strategies into one cohesive place. This gives a brand a clear view into their marketing on a customer-level across channels instead of a channel-level view across consumers.
Squeaky clean data sparkles for all
A data clean room performs as an enterprise-wide solution that democratizes anonymized data for brands and their partners. This enables the right people to look at and analyze the data quickly and more granularly than ever before, and as that data set increases over time, this opens the door to new insights and even higher performance.
There’s two ways this can work. Walled garden platforms, like Facebook, Google and Amazon, provide brands with great insights and data about how advertising performed on their platform. The catch? Brands can only use that insight within each respective platform, meaning optimization only happens in one space.
The other way is through agency data solutions, like the one offered by Epsilon. These operate across channels and offer more flexibility in how the data is shared. The downside: Data collected in walled gardens typically has more impression-level insights because they serve a majority of the marketshare. But if a marketer needs to see how they're reaching people across Facebook, Google and publisher media buys, impression-level information is a mild trade-off for the increased cross-channel insights they'll get.
Ideally, this type of data sharing creates symbiotic relationships between brands to better understand the consumer. And that fuels things like personalization, identity resolution and media planning, which is essential to not only reaching the right customers but also knowing who you've reached, how often and with what messages across channels.
Grab a bucket and a mop
If you’re a marketer looking to spruce up your data, there are plenty of things to consider. First, where are you activating your ad spend? If it’s primarily on one of the walled garden platforms—and you’re not looking to increase your spend elsewhere—it might make sense to stay amongst the flowers.
But, if you already are or want to activate on other channels—and if you’re trying to analyze the entire customer journey—a data clean room solution might be the best option for you.
This was the case for Anheuser-Busch InBev. In 2021, the international brewer partnered with Epsilon to shift their focus on marketing by consumer preferences using Epsilon PeopleCloud. Focusing on individual customers--across channels and activations--allowed the brand to move away from blanketed marketing campaigns to ones where customers sat at the forefront, unlocking growth opportunities on the global level.
At Epsilon, our privacy-safe clean rooms span first-, second- and third-party data. This allows us to give brands a 360-degree view of customers and prospects aligned with our person-based CORE ID. All of which is housed in a secure data bunker, so both consumers and brands can feel good about delivering relevant messages in the right way.
Don’t let the dust settle on your consumer data. Brands should be empowered to understand their customers and to use connections with other brands to drive better marketing.
---
## What is the difference between reporting and analytics?
Type: eps_post
URL: /what-is-the-difference-between-reporting-and-analytics
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# What is the difference between reporting and analytics?
The field of big data analytics has been in its infancy for decades, but it's already deeply integrated into the business world. From A/B testing to email marketing, data-driven decision-making drives the success or failure of businesses and consumers. What's more, companies like Google are expanding to keep up with all the changes and opportunities presented by this burgeoning industry. But, questions remain.
What aspects of data report analysis are the most valuable? And how can the field grow to meet the needs of businesses?
Perhaps the biggest question of all is, what is the difference between reporting and analytics?
Answering this question is easy enough, but it begs some questions. Who needs both? And who doesn't need either? To answer these questions, let's look at the purpose of each.
What is reporting
Reporting is the general organization and summary of your data.
It refers to any time you pull data from a service you use to track your marketing efforts. For example, if you are using Google Analytics to track the performance of your website, setting up a custom report is a form of reporting. Doing so requires no or very little analysis on your part because the data has already been processed for you, and the tool has put it into an easy-to-read format for you.
If you need to dive deep into the data, the process would be considered analytics. If, on the other hand, you just want to see the numbers broken down in a specific way or compared to other numbers, reporting is what you're looking for.
What is analytics
Analytics is the actual analysis of that reporting.
If you're using Google Analytics or another service that gives you a lot of detailed data but doesn't provide reports, this is when you start to dig into the data and find patterns or correlations. Doing so takes some time and effort on your part. You need to sit down with the data and search for meaning. No tool will do this for you.
Simply put, reporting is how to get the data you need to make decisions. Analytics is how you decide what the data means.
Who needs both?
This question has a pretty easy answer: everybody. Every marketer needs data analysis and reporting to succeed online, no matter their specific focus.
You need reporting to see what you're doing right and what you're doing wrong. If you have a social media manager, for example, they need data as well. How much are people engaging with your postings? Are they commenting on your Facebook page? Are they sharing your content on Twitter? You need reporting to find out. The same applies to SEO. How much search traffic are you getting? What keywords are people using to find you? Analytics can answer all of those questions in detail for you.
On the other hand, reporting also needs analytics. If you're measuring all those things, then you need to interpret their meaning. For example, you might see a lot of Facebook activity on your page. Is that good or bad? How does it compare to other pages in your industry? You can find the answers to these questions with analytics.
If reporting is the way to get data, then analytics is how you decide what it means.
What is the difference between reporting and analytics
Both reporting and analysis using company data paint a picture of the current state, the key difference is added value.
Reporting is meant to be an accurate snapshot in time, whereas analytics add value by creating new data to inform a decision.
Enabling good analytics requires good foundational data and establishing which metrics matter to you.
Questions brands should ask themselves when comparing reporting vs analysis:
What type of data is fueling your reporting: Before you even set your benchmark of success, you need to understand what you’re collecting. What types of data do you have currently, and which types of data are you missing from the equation?
What am I measuring and why: Setting key metrics is essential to driving better reporting and analytics. Understanding which metrics matter and tying those back to your overall business goals bolster reporting.
What are my goals: For reporting to fuel good analytics, you need to understand where you want to go. What is the desired outcome not only for a specific campaign but for your business in general?
Moving from evaluation to activation
Reporting provides an accurate snapshot of a certain outcome through a dashboard or an ad hoc report. Analysis looks at data and gives context as to why they’re important. Brands must consider their desired outcome and combine reporting data with analysis to see what is possible.
Rear-view vs. future-focused analytics
When marketers analyze reports, there are two basic schools of thought used. The first is what you might call “rear-view” — the analysis of past data to find trends and learn more about your customers. The other is what you might call “future-focused” — the analysis of current data in order to predict where you will be going in the future.
The “future-focused” analytics approach is a more elegant one because it shows how analytics can be a tool that is both powerful and proactive in helping the business — instead of just collecting and storing data like some kind of filing cabinet. Instead of looking for yesterday’s trends, it looks for tomorrow’s opportunities.
The point is that you need both a standard set of tools and methodologies to start the analytics process. To achieve the first, you need tools that are immediately useful to everyone in at least some small way — no one will thank you for making their job harder. To achieve the second, you need methodologies that allow different people to use and develop these tools differently. .
Mastering digital media measurement
Marketers have a two-fold challenge: Collecting the right data and using it to drive their reporting analysis. They need to know their customers, activate digital strategies to reach them, and measure the impact of that effort.
Why does it matter? Mastering digital media measurement can:
Lead to better customer experience
Help attract more customers to engage at the right time and continually form better relationships with existing customers
Increase ROI
Improve the reporting experience
To market effectively, you need to avoid marketing waste. One primary way to do so is using identity resolution, a process whereby identifiers are matched across devices and customer journey points to create a complete, privacy-compliant picture of your customers.
The first-party data you glean provides maximum reach and match for optimization and personalization. As a result, you can tailor every message based on what they need and want from your during that specific interaction.
Effective connectivity is identifying individuals across channels—online and offline—with a unique, privacy-compliant ID. Epsilon CORE ID is the industry’s most accurate, stable, scalable identity resolution to recognize and reach 200M+ U.S. consumers in a privacy-safe way.
PeopleCloud personalizes each person’s journey, using identity to drive better outcomes for individual consumers.
Effective connectivity is identifying individuals who can be reached across channels—online and offline—with a unique, privacy-compliant ID.
PeopleCloud fills in data gaps for clients to see all the data that customers are generating on a partner network securely and clearly.
Do more with Epsilon
With powerful data analysis reporting, you can drive more powerful measurements.
Epsilon PeopleCloud connects billions of online and offline intent signals with predictive AI to know what each person really wants. Then, organizations can deliver personalized messaging to potential customers when they’re ready to act.
Deliver a complete, reliable, real-time picture of campaign performance with data you can report to your executive reporting team. Start using our all-in-one marketing platform today!
---
## FedEx AMEA: Revamped loyalty program to skyrocket membership
Type: eps_post
URL: /fedex-amea-revamped-loyalty-program
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# FedEx AMEA: Revamped loyalty program to skyrocket membership
With customers moving toward a digital-first experience across the globe, FedEx Asia Pacific and Middle East, India, South Africa (AMEA) saw a need to modernize its loyalty program, My FedEx Rewards. FedEx AMEA knew it also wanted to connect better with its small- and medium-sized businesses (SMBs). Many big, global clients receive discounts, but SMBs don’t have enough volume.
With all this in mind, the brand sought to evolve three areas of the program to better connect with these customers: increased personalization, improved user experience and an added focus on rewards.
For this initiative, the FedEx AMEA team sought a partnership that was aligned on the same strategic direction and goals. The brand decided to work with Epsilon, already a partner at a global level for several years, to conduct its loyalty program revamp. Lynn Tan, strategic marketing and demand generation lead for FedEx AMEA, says, “With Epsilon’s technical expertise as well as experience working on My FedEx Rewards globally, it was really a natural choice to work with Epsilon on this venture.”
Let’s look at FedEx’s process for the program revamp, the results and what other brands can learn from FedEx AMEA’s success.
The revamp process
The FedEx global rewards program based in the U.S. set a baseline for the FedEx AMEA team, and tested best practices were ready for adoption in the form of Epsilon’s PeopleCloud Loyalty solution and the program’s core reporting and metrics.
Taking into consideration market nuances in the region, Epsilon’s platform enabled customization to fit the revamped program mechanics, and localization of data attributes were needed to enable future data analytics. The platform also allowed seamless sign-on integration so that FedEx customers could easily enroll as members and engage with the program without the hassle of using yet another login credential.
FedEx AMEA also wanted to understand its customers beyond just their shipping profiles. The brand wanted to ensure it could customize the rewards that not only help small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) ship better with FedEx, but also find rewards for themselves or their teams beyond the standard shipping assistance.
The program results
The integration of FedEx’s CRM and marketing communications systems with Epsilon PeopleCloud Loyalty also made it possible to locate eligible members based on different revenue and behavior-based criteria. With the backend powered up, FedEx and Epsilon continued the program update by streamlining the front-end customer experience.
In keeping with the FedEx member acquisition strategy, the rewards catalog was more directly managed, and the points accrual structure made more aggressive.
In total, FedEx AMEA used the integrated data systems to identify 220,000-plus additional customers eligible for My FedEx Rewards, and to coordinate and track invitations. Within months, FedEx turned a slowdown into a revival. Says Tan, “New members have joined My FedEx Rewards at a rate unseen in many years.”
Tan shared that in 2021 alone, FedEx AMEA gained more than triple-digit percentage growth for their new membership base. And in terms of revenue, the brand observed double-digit percentage growth for members within the program itself.
Personalization and user experience matter most
In this digital-first environment, customers expect nothing less than personal, purposeful brand experiences with every interaction. So, it’s not surprising that when FedEx AMEA responded to the changing needs of its customer base, it began to see levels of engagement beyond any in the brand’s recent history.
“My FedEx Rewards aims to make every delivery rewarding,” Tan says. “We are committed to deliver seamless and highly personalized experiences that are fundamental to ensuring customer loyalty well into the future.”
To create long-lasting relationships with customers, marketers need to understand the importance of the value exchange in loyalty. When done right, it reinforces brand loyalty and deepens consumer trust.
This article was originally published on Adweek, November 2022.
---
## 6 Lessons Digital Marketers Can Take From the Last Financial Downturn
Type: eps_post
URL: /lessons-digital-marketers-learn-from-last-financial-downturn
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T22:17:52Z
# 6 Lessons Digital Marketers Can Take From the Last Financial Downturn
Sticking to the same marketing strategy during a recession is a bad move. Taking drastic action like budget-cutting can be damaging too. So, what’s the best way to proceed?
Times are tough. But hey, we’ve all been here before. That’s why it’s wise for digital marketing teams to look back at the last financial downturn and see what lessons we can learn.
Evidence shows that knee-jerk reactions, such as cutting your ad budgets, can undermine your ability to recover quickly. This is not the way to grow future market share and profits.
Countless brands found this to be true during the ‘Credit Crunch’ of 2007-2008. This was also the case when the global pandemic first took hold in 2020.
Now, as 2022 draws to a close, we face a volatile stock market, inflation worries, and cooling consumer spending. Marketers know from experience that when the economy turns, their budgets are a tempting target for the finance director.
Digital marketing needs to be protected, however. Targeted digital campaigns can play their part in survival and recovery. No matter what, customer engagement should not be consigned to the back burner. That’s a route to brand stagnation.
How can we ensure we don’t make the same mistakes as last time? What are the guiding principles for making digital marketing work during a downturn?
Here are 6 lessons digital marketers can take from the last financial downturn:
1. Retain Your Existing Customers
This is simple but often forgotten. It's more cost-effective to retain your customers than it is to convert new ones. In fact, in digital marketing, acquiring a new customer can cost five times more than retaining an existing one.
Retention is commercially astute when your marketing budgets are stretched. The success rate of selling to existing customers is 60-70%, while the success rate of selling to a new customer is just 5-20%. And it’s well known that high customer retention rates drive up profitability.
Epsilon’s retention solution helps brands deliver one-to-one personalised digital media, at the moments when existing customers are most likely to make a purchase. This is a great way to grow a lifetime of loyalty. Data platforms like this can even help brands identify their most profitable customers.
Top tip: Don't Forget the Lapsed Customers!
The beauty of digital marketing is that you have customer data that can be used to spark fresh interest in people who have been inactive for a while. If you can reactivate them (using personalised digital content and attractive, relevant offers), you will retain market share and achieve growth through the downturn.
2. Plan for the Full Economic Cycle
Do not slash digital marketing budgets without planning for the inevitable upturn. Some brands, notably British Airways, pruned budgets so severely during the pandemic that they couldn't satisfy customer demand when the turnaround came. Interestingly, BA has now vowed to keep on marketing and innovating through this coming recession. It can’t afford to see customer engagement dwindle.
Remember that if you had a marketing approach that worked well before a recession, it will work after. Too often, brands assume that basic consumer behaviour will change permanently. In reality, people won’t be cost-conscious forever.
The drive to spend money on products and services outside of basic needs will return, often to a greater degree. High-end luxury brands tend to suffer during recessions but recover just as quickly, and perform even better, once prosperity returns.
Top tip: Never Shelve a High-Performing Campaign
From your data, you’ll know which campaigns have smashed the most KPIs. Cherish these top performers. Do not ditch them. Instead, pause, rework, and restart your best digital marketing campaigns as soon as conditions improve.
3. Attune to the Customer's Recessionary Mindset
If your brand is struggling to navigate the economic uncertainty, why not soak up consumer sentiment for guidance? When economic change impacts customer behaviour, it makes sense to align with these needs and emotions.
Rather than pivot the budget, pivot the way you interact with people who buy your stuff. Perhaps they want marketing communications with an empathetic edge? They probably want discounts. They almost certainly want loyalty rewards. They might even appreciate content marketing emails that make them smile.
Use your social channels and your consumer database to gather consumer sentiment insights.
In a recession, marketers taking a different line from the usual sell, sell, sell, do well. So be conscious of the fact that disposable income and discretionary spending are pretty tight, and tailor your campaigns and messaging accordingly. Poignant personalised marketing can be powerful when the going is tough for your fanbase.
Top tip: Tap into the Lipstick Effect
Customers are super price-sensitive in an economic downturn, but they still have aspirations and need treats.
US lipstick sales famously rose in the 2008 recession. Work on promoting a range of less costly luxury goods that will hit that sweet spot for targeted, cash-strapped customers.
4. Deliver Personalised Experiences
In past recessions, brands have made the mistake of assuming their customers are all in the same boat. They are not. Some will be financially cushioned from the downturn. Others will be struggling.
Segmentation and personalisation are very important as you reach out to these disparate sub-groups. Use your data to work out which customers will be able to pay full price and which ones need to be tempted with a money off incentive.
Cut-price hotel deals, money off gym subscriptions, two-for-one meal vouchers – these promotions can be tailored to a micro-level. If you can deliver one-to-one personalised experiences based on data knowledge, not guesswork, you will catch the mood and win sales. You will garner long-term loyalty. You can also save money by not resorting to blanket discounting.
Top tip: React in Real-Time with an AI Marketing Platform
To stretch your digital marketing budget as far as you can, it will help to harness industry-leading AI.
With the right platform, you can make intelligent decisions in milliseconds about who to reach, what to say to them, and how and when to deliver your marketing.
5. Measurement is Key to Maximising the Impact of Marketing Spend
Measuring the performance of campaigns is a good idea all the time. When budgets are super-tight, it's a no-brainer. If you can master digital media measurement, you’ll get more bang for your buck, which is so important in a downturn.
By analysing your data reports from email and PPC campaigns, you’ll be able to fine-tune activities based on insights gleaned.
Many companies will have a user-friendly data analytics dashboard in play. They will have the people skills and systems in place to measure the impact of the brand’s marketing efforts. The outcome? Better customer experiences, less marketing ‘waste’ and a higher ROI. Just when it matters most.
Top tip: Use Identity Resolution
A great way to avoid marketing waste is by using ‘identity resolution’, a process where identifiers are matched across devices and customer journey points to create a complete, privacy-compliant picture of your customers.
The first-party data you glean provides maximum reach and match for optimisation and personalisation. As a result, you can tailor every message based on what they need and want during that specific interaction.
6. Outsourcing versus insourcing
Not every company has the internal resources to adapt sophisticated digital marketing successfully and survive a recession. As tough times loom, each brand will be coping with its own unique set of challenges.
Average spend per visit may have crashed. Restaurant bookings might be down. Email click-throughs could be way too low. Cautious marketing directors might think insourcing is the most cost-effective way to address these pain points.
Others see the bigger picture and seek out specialist help. For advanced digital marketing support, such as AI modelling, it’s best to call in the experts. Often outsourcing can be the key to achieving the best results in the digital space.
Here at Epsilon, we’ve helped brands with particular issues find powerful solutions and win back customers and sales. Outsourcing is a great way to drive measurable results by harnessing external know-how and the very latest analytics systems, tech, and creative.
Top tip: Ask for the Perfect Digital Formula
The beauty of outsourcing your digital marketing is that you can start by asking: What would work best for us? Performance-oriented digital agencies will focus on key business objectives. If you want to acquire new customers, reactivate lapsed ones, retain existing customers – or all three – the experts will come up with the right digital formula for success.
Customer Insights Matter More Than Ever in an Economic Downturn
At Epsilon, we have hundreds of analysts, statisticians and consultants ready to enhance your data with ours, and pull insights across a complete range of methodologies, creating profiles, models, segments, strategies, and any other support you need.
As a marketing expert, you know that not acting, not adapting to recessionary influences, will lead to brand inertia. Think of this as an opportunity.
As some competitors dial back their spending during the turndown, advertisers who stay the course, and seek expert help, are likely to realise big benefits. This is your chance to stand out across digital channels, simply by staying in the game.
Is your brand struggling to navigate the economic uncertainty? Epsilon can help you develop an online marketing strategy to stabilise your business, and prepare for the future.
{{cta('927e4aa7-a82c-431d-8aac-9725fb5b45c0')}}
---
## Bring your customers into the light with a digital CDP
Type: eps_post
URL: /bring-your-customers-into-the-light-with-digital-cdp
Last Modified: 2025-10-03T14:52:09Z
# Bring your customers into the light with a digital CDP
For marketers, understanding your customers in meaningful ways is getting harder to do.
With third-party cookies sunsetting on Chrome in 2024, increased privacy regulation and the proliferation of digital channels, consumers are fragmenting. At most, brands have some owned data that give them a limited view of who their shoppers are.
But what if some of those blank spots could be filled?
A customer data platform (CDP) is designed to unify customer data to power personalized experience. The CDP industry stands at about $2 billion in 2022, and as brands try to build out stronger marketing models, this number will continue to grow. The most successful CDPs not only collect and match first-party data, but they do so with a strong identity solution.
Epsilon’s customer, a CDP solution, is the first of its kind to include exclusive digital data on browsing behavior across brand websites and the open web, meaning marketers can get more value in a privacy-safe environment for unique audience creation and insights.
Shining a light in the dark
CDPs are great tools for filling in first-party data gaps. Brands often have an incomplete and inaccurate view of individuals, which is exacerbated by their inability to connect a customer’s journey online and offline. This fractured view creates more opportunities for ad waste.
These dark spots are fueled by many things: Inaccurate identity of customers, limited view of attributes and interests, disconnected experiences, outdated privacy preferences and more. With a strong CDP solution, brands can actually get to know their customers.
And, with identity, they only deepen that connection.
Take our friend Capt. Walker Plank.
His preferred boat retailer—Ships Rrrrr Us—already knows a lot about him thanks to his brand loyalty over the years. This includes things like this email address, his mobile app and website behaviors, and some of his device behaviors. But this view is fragmented.
Now, imagine if Ships Rrrr Us were able to supplement some of this data. Segmentation scores help round out Capt. Walker Plank, some of which might change the way Ships Rrrr Us markets to Walker.
At Epsilon, through CORE ID, we create pseudonymized matches that build a bigger view of Walker, including what he buys, what he browses, what he watches and on what devices. This pseudonymized data enhances the rich first-party data a brand collects with other valuable and predictive signals.
CDPs that rely solely on first-party data are missing a key element. Identity solutions—like Epsilon CORE ID—provide a persistent, unified view of individual people. Brands can decipher what consumers want and need at the moment they’re ready to convert, even on a 1:1 level.
This not only helps brands reach consumers in moments where they need one another, but it fuels stronger, more persistent knowledge in the future. The customer lifecycle is not linear and consumer interests change on a day-to-day basis. Understanding them more deeply creates better pathways for continued learning.
The digital difference
CDPs worth their salt do more than just collect data, and Epsilon's Customer is the only offering that does so. For a strong CDP solution, brands need to have connected identity with enriched customer profiles.
Customer is powered by CORE ID which matches against 255 million unique IDs. From there, we partner with more than 14,000 publishers, including websites and apps hundreds of millions of people engage with every day. Because of this integrated system, brands can see real-time, person-level signals and attributes.
We can activate first-party data everywhere, harnessing the value of a client’s data to deliver the highest performing personalized audiences and measurement across owned and paid channels. All using one platform.
When working in tandem, these tools greatly reduce ad waste and improve overall marketing strategies. Customers are no longer in the dark and brands can speak to them with meaningful, personalized messages.
---
## Open web advertising is getting more costly: Who is winning?
Type: eps_post
URL: /open-web-advertising-is-getting-more-costly
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T22:16:49Z
# Open web advertising is getting more costly: Who is winning?
Perhaps it’s good thatGoogle delayed third-party cookie (3PC) deprecation again this summer because it’s clear the adtech industry needs all the time it can get to prepare for the implications of the eventual phaseout.
Impacts of cookie deprecation fallout
The effects of this transition run deeper than past disruptions sparked by emerging technologies or media trends. For brands and marketers that have approached digital marketing with sheer scale as their guiding principle, the fallout from cookie deprecation may be akin to an existential crisis. The days of aiming for maximum reach with minimum spend over murky, 3PC-reliant programmatic networks are coming to an end—or, at least, the days of doing so effectively.
Of course, Google’s latest delay means some reach-obsessed programmatic players can put off their day of reckoning. Yet more proactive teams are already working to redefine their strategic priorities as the contours of a new adtech landscape take shape. The new high ground belongs to publishers with a wealth of first-party data gathered by consent. The prices they charge to access those audiences are likely to continue to rise as marketers realize how difficult it is to track and segment audiences across the open web. What’s left of the old frontier will be increasingly prone to fraud, abuse and manipulation.
The rising costs of premium inventory
As brands survey that new world, many are determining they need access to first-class inventory to continue effectively reaching their customers, even if there’s a bit of sticker shock involved. Reputable publishers still have what marketers want: quality reach rooted in consent-based, first-party cookies located outside the walled gardens.
Such premium inventory is readily available and easy to find. The only catch is, in the next era, it’ll cost a premium. Already,costs for premium inventory are rising across the board, causing a gut-check moment for brands preparing to do business in the new era of adtech. Digiday's Seb Joseph discusses the shift and what will ultimately create two sides to ad inventory: "...On one side there will be a larger portion of high-quality ad inventory powered by first-party data and consent; on the other side, there’s a long tail of poorly targeted impressions far more susceptible to fraud and manipulation."
Yet that seems to be the cost of doing business. Trusted publishers and others occupying the sell-side high ground are protective of first-party data with identifying information, increasingly limiting access to private marketplaces and programmatic guaranteed deals. The marketplaces that manage to accumulate trusted-publisher inventory are poised to emerge as next-generation power brokers.
What this means for marketers
Meanwhile, publishers are unlikely to take it easy on marketers during the transition. Sites that aggregate news content like Google, Facebook, Twitter, etc. have largely undermined the media industry's revenue model (whether intending to or not), and now that the tide is turning somewhat back in publishers' favor, they want to get paid. In Australia, for example, a group of about 30 independent publishers collaborated on a “news freeze” in February to protest the unpaid use of their content by Facebook and other Big Tech outlets.
It adds up to a growing understanding that taking the high road during the coming era of targeted, programmatic marketing will likely be more expensive than marketers are used to. But there are plenty of perks, as well, ranging from the reputational control that comes from working with atrusted network of publishers to the improved transparency that’s likely to result from streamlined programmatic networks compared to the famously opaque marketplaces that currently dominate.
Indeed, as Publicis Media's launch of their Diverse and Inclusive Media Exchange (DIME) indicates, companies near the center of the programmatic marketplace are taking steps to gain greater clarity and control over a process that hasn’t traditionally been known for either.
Bewildered or uncertain marketers can also take heart in knowing not every player is brand new to a world where first-party data is paramount, quality reach is more valuable than scattershot targeting, and premium inventory is, well, premium. That’s been Epsilon’s perspective for more than 20 years with our CORE Private Exchange and continues to guide our approach to future-proof solutions without the reliance on third-party cookies.
Embracing the next era of digital advertising
The next era of digital advertising will look different. Quality reach will be more expensive, yes, but internet advertising will also become more transparent, more respectful of consumer privacy, and less like the algorithmic equivalent of the Wild West. The adjustment will come with challenges, but brands and marketers will discover they can still profitably connect with their customers on the open web by embracing a new model based on a high-definition understanding of consumers that aligns with reputable publishers.
---
## Can store-within-a-store partnerships save big-box retailers?
Type: eps_post
URL: /can-store-within-a-store-partnerships-save-big-box-retailers
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Can store-within-a-store partnerships save big-box retailers?
Last weekend, holiday shoppers entering Macy's at Chicago's North Shore location stopped just inside the door, contemplating an odd promotional display. For one thing, the branding was different—a giraffe was involved, and one of the letters was backward.
On closer inspection—these weren't even Macy's products! The display directed shoppers to patronize a different icon of 20th-century retail: Toys "R" Us®. Once a staple of the big-box retail landscape, the toy chain vanished a couple of years ago amidst corporate financial troubles. Now, thanks to a partnership with Toys"R Us' new parent company, Macy's is bringing the toy retailer back, placing Toys "R" Us micro-stores inside Macy's locations across the country. At the location in the Chicago suburbs, Toys "R" Us transformed an otherwise-forgettable section into kid catnip, featuring toys by the likes of Lego, Nerf, and Disney.
The early returns of the partnership are so promising Macy's projects the micro-stores will eventually earn $1 billion in annual sales. That's not only due to people buying from the Toys "R" Us-branded areas—87 % of Macy's Toys "R" Us customers are also shopping for other items within Macy's. The department store reports its children's apparel business has benefited from a sales surge since the Toys "R" Us partnership was unveiled.
Macy's is far from the only big-box retailer experimenting with cross-promotion in the form of store-within-a-store partnerships. As more shopping has moved online, brick-and-mortar retailers with huge footprints are getting creative to draw customers and make better use of their sometimes-cavernous spaces.
For example, earlier this year, home improvement retailer Lowe's announced it was piloting a program to include Petco mini-stores across more than a dozen locations in the South and Southeast. The strategy appears similar to that of Macy's: partner with a brand that appeals to a similar customer but sells products that only minimally compete with your own, and then, once customers are in the store, hope they spend more on both brands. Lowe's states the partnership makes sense because of Lowe's pre-existing pet-friendly atmosphere and also touts Lowe's products, such as dog beds, cleaning supplies and stain-resistant carpets which will attract pet owners.
Two other department stores, Kohl's and Target, have also forged high-profile partnerships with complementary retailers. Both brands teamed up with beauty brands: Kohl's with Sephora and Target with Ulta Beauty. Kohl's and Sephora began their partnership on a limited basis in 2020, and based on the results from the first 200 store-within-a-store locations gave both brands the confidence to push forward with a full rollout. In August, Kohl's announced plans to open Sephora shops throughout Kohl's network of 1,165 stores, a move it estimates will produce $2 billion in annual revenue by 2025. Target is also dialing up its partnership with Ulta Beauty, opening 250 new Target-embedded Ulta Beauty locations as part of a larger plan to reach 800 total combined locations.
For companies like Petco, Ulta Beauty and Sephora choosing to establish a network of physical locations within larger stores, these partnerships promise an opportunity to reach new customers and expand the number and convenience of touchpoints with existing customers, all without the overhead that goes along with operating a standalone store. They're taking a formula that's worked for banks and snackeries that have established outposts within large grocery stores—Starbucks, for example, has more than 1,300 cafes located within Target locations—and building on it.
For big-box retailers whose footprint became an unwelcome drag on their profits as more shopping moved online, the partnerships can drive more traffic into stores and spur more purchases while repurposing existing space.
Store-next-to-a-store: the original retail synergy
Stores-within-stores may be a new idea. But the notion of retail synergy is a core tenet of commercial real estate: businesses with complementary appeal can benefit from being located near one another. For example, global real estate firm CBRE has made such a science out of this approach that it uses machine learning to recommend retail locations to its clients based on consumer shopping data and the mix of co-tenant brands. And on the low-commitment end of the spectrum, brands that join forces for multi-brand pop-up shops report benefiting from shared costs and the added traffic sparked by bringing different brands' audiences together.
CBRE's data-centric approach is interesting because colocation insights traditionally relied heavily on intuition and experience. For example, if an apparel retailer had one thriving location next to a fast-casual restaurant and a coffee shop, it might try to replicate that formula elsewhere.
But there's a reason why partnerships such as Kohl's-Sephora, Target-Ulta and Lowe's-Petco are taking it slow: Before you commit to hundreds or thousands of partnerships not only near but inside your own stores, you want to be confident in the value and scalability of the relationship. Track record matters here, which is why piloting the projects is useful.
Store-within-a-store, digitally.
The logic behind these store-within-a-store partnerships has parallels in the digital world, where flagship brands like Target and Walmart increasingly turn to retail media networks to drive additional revenue. At the same time, sellers are drawn by the opportunity to showcase their products in front of a broader audience within a trusted setting.
Retail media networks grounded in person-first intelligence enable retailers to grow revenue and relationships. For retailers who want to retain, enhance and acquire new shoppers while maximizing on-site and off-site monetization, a retail media network might be an option. Here are three strategies for a successful one.
It's too early to say definitively whether retail cross-promotional partnerships will be a profitability engine for brick-and-mortar retailers. But the early returns and investments in such partnerships suggest a promising path forward for brands willing to get creative.
---
## It’s never too early to plan ahead: Q4 email marketing tips
Type: eps_post
URL: /its-never-too-early-to-plan-ahead-q4-email-marketing-tips
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# It’s never too early to plan ahead: Q4 email marketing tips
Re-activating previous holiday shoppers for the upcoming season
The holiday season is the most important time of year for many industries, especially retail. We work for months to prepare our clients for Q4, and we use a personalized, omnichannel approach to get there.
Our recent Coach email case study, for example, illustrates how we used machine learning to deliver unique subject lines and pre-header text, which drove traffic both online and in store. In our latest Q4 2018 email trends and benchmark report, we share insights about you can prepare for year-end campaigns based on what happened at the end of last year.
Notable trends from Q4 18
Because Q4 email volume is so high, open rates tend to dip in this quarter. It’s also the quarter that the most marketing emails are sent: 82% of emails were classified as “marketing” emails in Q4 18 compared to 74% in Q3 18. That means that all marketers are competing for attention in the inbox and need a better approach to get noticed.
Renewed focus: Re-activating holiday shoppers
You may have multiple goals throughout the year, including driving in-store traffic or increasing AOV (average order value). But when it comes to the spring planning season, you need to specifically outline your goals for Q4. One goal that is often overlooked is re-engaging last year’s holiday shoppers.
Re-activation tends to be the least sent type of message, usually accounting for less than 0.1% of all emails sent in any given quarter. While sending too many re-engagement emails may just end up annoying people, there is often a missed opportunity to re-activate holiday shoppers.
These individuals may only interact with your brand once per year, but their reliability as a gift-giver can be valuable. If you know how to reach them, that is.
So how do you re-activate these holiday shoppers?
Figuring out how to talk to your holiday shoppers doesn't have to be daunting. Here are a few thought-starters to kick off your planning:
Develop a strong re-activation program specifically for holiday shoppers
The way your brand interacts with these individuals should be different than how you interact with your frequent and loyal customers. Have campaigns in place that are specific to purchasing in Q4 and are only going to those types of shoppers.
Tip: Get those shoppers into your audience earlier in the year so they aren’t surprised to hear from you when it comes time to start preparing for the holidays.
Personalize content and cadence
Developing a personalized approach is the best way to get through to your subscribers. When it comes to holiday shoppers, you have to understand their motivations and habits. Take a look at their purchasing patterns from last year. Are these shoppers more likely to shop with you if you send them a coupon? Are they going to come back to you no matter what because you have a specialty item that they purchase every year?
Tip: Send them a reminder to stock up ahead of time based on when they purchased last year, and you could even incentivize them to order a few extra items along the way.
Reach the right people, in the right way
They might be on a phone or laptop, checking Facebook or reading the newspaper. No matter where people are, you have to talk to a person like you know them.
Tip: Make sure that your emails can render well in both mobile and desktop versions, and deliver the offers that your subscribers want, when they want them.
Be purposeful
Take a look at your marketing calendar: Is what you’re sending worthwhile? Customers won’t return if you send emails for the sake of sending emails. This advice is relevant for all of your subscribers, but it is especially important when you consider how fickle holiday shoppers could be. When communicating with this type of shopper, your brand needs to deliver important and relevant messages. For example, it often gets more expensive to ship items as it gets closer to Christmas. To prepare the holiday folks, you could remind them about your holiday shipping rates and schedules.
Tip: Keep holiday shoppers informed about how you can make their holiday shopping process as smooth as possible.
Understand the data that you have, and use it to make better decisions
This is super easy when it comes to triggered messages because subscribers are expecting to hear from you based on an action they have taken, like signing up for your newsletter or including their birthday in their account with you. Data-driven decisions are especially important during the holiday season because people are getting an influx of information in their inbox.
Tip: Use your triggered emails to offer even more than your subscriber was expecting, like an extra discount when they sign up for your newsletter.
When it comes to Q4 marketing strategy, it’s always a good time to get ahead. And with a personalized, data-driven approach, you can be certain that the best gifts you receive this year are strong email performance and customer retention.
---
## What is a data clean room and how does it work?
Type: eps_post
URL: /what-is-a-data-clean-room-and-how-do-they-work
Last Modified: 2026-09-14T16:02:52Z
# What is a data clean room and how does it work?
As the world's digital transformation changes consumer expectations—and as third-party cookies are increasingly becoming a thing of the past—marketers are looking for a new way to make sense of customer behaviour.
Many brands are looking to data clean rooms, but what are they, and are they right for you?
Well, let us explain.
What is a data clean room?
A data clean room is a safe, pseudonymised space for known and prospective customer data. This allows marketers to analyse marketing and advertising data from many different sources in one singular view while protecting the privacy of the data from each individual source.
This is most helpful in marketing and advertising contexts, where brands often have their own first-party data, data from partners and platforms (like Meta, Google, etc.) and permissioned or purchased data from third parties that they're trying to resolve across each data source. Data clean rooms allow brands to sync all these data streams into one view of each person across these different contexts, increasing the value of the information they already own.
Data clean rooms are not new, but they are becoming increasingly popular as data privacy becomes more complex to navigate across geographies and platforms.
Many brands use data clean room providers for data collaboration. This is possible because of the stringent privacy controls built into the tech designed to protect all parties collaborating inside a data clean room. This tech allows brands to work with various data sets, including those from trusted partners, to augment and enrich data. This fills in data gaps on known and prospective customers, creating a richer understanding and analysis of each person.
These deeper insights allow marketers to engage customers based on their behaviour across channels and use first-party and third-party data to build audiences, activate media and provide measurement.
For example, a retailer who sells a CPG brand in its store may want to share data with that brand. Both companies serve the same customer, and sharing insights could improve how they market to specific individuals, creating a mutually beneficial reason to operate within a data clean room.
What are the different types of data clean rooms?
Walled gardens
Walled gardens give brands the chance to reach a lot of prospects in the face of data deprecation. Platforms such as Facebook, Amazon and Google offer data clean rooms to safely provide brands with ad performance data. These networks also tap into their huge consumer bases for audience targeting, using their own data—and that of the brand and its partners—to reach desired customers.
But with a greater focus on audience segments rather than individual behaviours, the insights gleaned from these platforms can be vague.
Measurement is difficult because of the disparate nature of reporting and identity resolution across environments. Each walled garden differs in what measurement it offers, meaning metrics can vary across each platform and can be hard to compare. And it's extremely hard to track and understand users across these platforms.
Independent and/or third-party data clean rooms
Independent or third-party data clean rooms are provided by technology vendors and are not tied to any single platform, making them channel-agnostic. In independent clean rooms, brands still get access to unique marketing data and don’t suffer from some of the platform restrictions encountered in walled gardens' clean room offerings. This is the most common choice for brands to adopt when deploying a data clean room.
These types of data clean rooms come in a wide variety of shapes and sizes. Some are point solutions—simple data clean rooms meant to provide straightforward service—whereas some are extensions of existing cloud data warehouses. Other data clean rooms have been acquired by larger companies or agencies and offer a wide range of use cases depending on the user.
But there's one thing that remains critical for any data clean room's success: access to data and identity. Most independent clean rooms come as an empty box that a brand is expected to fill. For brands without a lot of first-party data, it can be hard to find value in the clean room because they have limited data to analyse and glean insights from. They would need to rely heavily on partners and purchased third-party data to make the clean room investment valuable, thus tacking on costs to an already-expensive technology investment (not to mention the additional procurement involved).
And then there's the issue of data quality. Quality data is foundational for quality results. Brands often have disparate data that live in various systems and platforms, and a lot of that data is often inaccurate, duplicative or incomplete. Data clean rooms can deploy identity resolution solutions designed to unify, clean and organise data, but that often comes at an additional cost.
A data clean room equipped with pre-loaded data and identity enables brands to start activating their data on day one.
In-house/custom clean rooms
These data clean rooms are less common and are usually designed for large organisations and enterprises with customised data collaboration and collection needs. Typically, these clean rooms serve as a means for the organisation to analyse its own data.
These types of data clean rooms offer maximum control for the owner and operator of the technology, but as a result, they require a lot of time, energy and upkeep. These are often highly complex, require sophisticated expertise and incur significant costs.
Why use data clean rooms?
Beyond data collaboration, a data clean room can help marketers do a number of things.
Increase quality and scope of known customer data
Today, brands typically work with limited information to deploy their marketing messages—even Amazon doesn't have every data point on an individual consumer to market to them effectively.
Any brand is often limited by its own depth and breadth of data because it's specific to how the consumer has only interacted with them and they don't have a broader concept of how the consumer engages with other brands and on the open web.
Without a broader picture of who they could potentially reach, there is only so much a brand can do with its own data.
Not all brands have a lot of data at their disposal. Let’s look at a real-world example using CPG brands.
Most consumer packaged goods are sold through retailers, such as supermarkets or pharmacies. This severely decreases the first-party data they can collect, even on their most loyal customers.
And, the data they do have is often incomplete, outdated or inefficient (like only relying on email addresses to develop cross-channel messaging: one person's email activity with a brand hardly paints a picture of who they are).
They often have a handful of buyers who shop with them regularly, but they have no way to authenticate those customers and therefore can't meaningfully connect with them.
These brands need help, often in the form of second-party data gathered by retailers where the CPG products are purchased.
A clean room facilitates those partner-collected insights, such as retailer transaction data, to create actionable profiles while allowing the partner to maintain a high standard of data privacy and security.
Using a data clean room, brands can take their data and glean deeper insights using partner or third-party data. Once brands incorporate first-party, second-party and premium third-party data, like Epsilon’s proprietary data, they know who their customers are beyond their limited scope: what they buy (and why), where to find them and when to engage with them, driving retention and growth.
Build stronger prospective audiences
Increasing the quality and scope of existing data not only allows brands to talk to their known customers, but it also opens the door to all in-market customers.
Clean rooms help bridge that gap. A clean room that is equipped with identity and data enables brands to understand their current customers more deeply, build lookalike audiences based on their best customers and transform those unauthenticated customers into known ones.
At Epsilon, our proprietary data gives marketers insights into 46M unique UK individuals anchored in name and address to create audiences of those most likely to buy. It also helps identify who isn't in market, helping marketers spend media budgets more effectively.
Achieve granular, person-based measurement
Identity resolution and unified data in a data clean room not only provide insights before engaging a customer, but they also measure campaign performance at the individual and aggregate levels.
Person-based marketing also enables person-based measurement. Brands can continually learn about their current customers and adjust acquisition strategies to find the best in-market people. Each time they deploy a campaign, measurement affirms strong audience strategies and identifies those that need adjustment.
Data clean rooms and AI
For most people, the word “AI” is associated with generative AI, which creates new content based on patterns learned from existing data. Most AI applications for martech/adtech require predictive AI. This type of AI looks for patterns across datasets to inform marketing strategies, autonomously deciding the best way to reach an outcome: who to talk to, where and when.
AI needs tonnes of data to learn and make the right predictions at scale. Brands typically have limited data on their own. Without a wide breadth and depth of data, AI won't deliver meaningful insights. If they don't deploy a data clean room equipped with data, they will need to augment their data by purchasing third-party datasets to achieve optimal AI results.
At Epsilon, we have 400TB of data that feeds our COREai. This allows our solutions to make 2+ billion model updates every minute and make 1,000+ trillion real-time decisions daily.
Scale alone isn't enough. AI can only learn from observation, meaning it's only as good as the data it's trained on. A data clean room equipped with identity resolution can help prime a brand's data for AI engagement. Harmonised, cleansed, enhanced and connected data points provide a quality, accurate data foundation. A single identity spine creates stronger models for who their prospective customers might be.
Finding the right clean room partner
Epsilon Clean Room comes preloaded with data and identity, giving brands a foundational identity spine to bring first-party data together. We also offer proprietary audience data, giving brands a deeper view of their current customers and potential future customers.
But we go beyond simply having powerful tech. We offer pre-built predictive models and audiences for marketers to use, and access to audience strategists who can help with audience-first approaches and data strategies.
Learn more about Epsilon's Clean Room solution, how it works and what it can do for your business.
---
## 4 steps to achieve innovation in digital messaging
Type: eps_post
URL: /4-steps-to-begin-achieving-innovation-in-digital-messaging
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# 4 steps to achieve innovation in digital messaging
84% of executives say that innovation is important to their growth strategy. Yet, innovation often lacks when it comes to tried and true approaches that have continued to perform well through digital transformation.
Innovation must play an active role in your customer experience and digital messaging strategy to effectively engage today’s consumers and enable 1:1 communications. For a tried and true channel like email, we view innovation as a journey.
Consider these four steps to ensure your digital messaging strategy continues to evolve:
Know:
In order to be innovative, you need to know your customers. The right data is a must.
Our clients gain the most comprehensive view of their customers using first-party data sources from across their organization and marketing channels. As a next step, customer profiles can be enhanced with seamless access to our proprietary insights, including profile and transactional data for 200+ million consumers spanning 7,000+ person-level attributes and millions of cross-device IDs.
Combining multiple datasets forms deeper, real-time customer profiles, and this true understanding of your customers will allow you to communicate with them on a 1:1 level.
Personalize:
Developing and incorporating a personalization strategy into your marketing campaigns is no easy task.
Through our digital messaging platform, Agility Harmony, brands can personalize every component of their message, including audience, content, offer, timing, location, device, recommendations, subject line, sequencing and more.
For example, Coach partnered with us to test the impact that deeper email personalization would have on improving customer connections. Each customer profile was matched to modeled attributes and data-driven insights, and categories were identified for the selected audiences.
From there, Agility Harmony’s machine learning and decisioning engine informed recommendations for individual subscribers and delivered 1:1 inbox content to test audiences. The more personalized approach drove real results for Coach, including a 3.7% lift in overall average order value.
Learn:
When it comes to innovation, machine learning is at the forefront.
Agility Harmony’s adaptive machine-learning environment is built to process our depth of customer insight by learning how each individual responds – with more than 1 trillion real-time updates daily – and factoring those decisions into the subscriber experience.
The technological advancements of machine learning continue to develop, but the need for humans remains essential. Because machine learning is automating the process, humans (marketers, product managers, etc.) can better focus on their marketing strategy instead of managing campaigns.
There’s a dynamic shift with what people are doing in marketing. As marketers, we need to let the machines take over the mundane processes, and remember the importance of the human component in more strategic endeavors.
Measure:
Oftentimes marketers think with an innovative mindset but don’t follow through on it, so they struggle with measuring their innovative programs and tying them back to revenue.
Agility Harmony helps clients easily identify high-performing campaigns and segments based on benchmarks the user defines. Clients have more control over messages when customers are least likely to respond or convert, reducing waste and deliverability risks.
But innovative measurement must go beyond clicks and opens. To effectively measure, it requires a strategic process (and data is essential) that provides insights into persona reporting and digital activity and customer value scoring.
Understanding your customer’s engagement levels through the VAP (Value, Attrition, Potential) strategy increases marketing effectiveness, identifies opportunities in your customer base to inspire growth, deepens relationships with existing customers, and helps to drive activation, upsell and retention.
With today’s technology, brands can use customer insights and machine learning to automate content and lifecycle personalization through email. So as you’re evaluating your digital messaging platform (and strategy), understand the value of innovation through automation.
Epsilon’s Agility Harmony consistently receives high ranks for service and client satisfaction by delivering powerful and engaging experiences for clients. In the July 2018 report, “The Forrester Wave™: Email Marketing Service Providers, Q2 2018, Forrester cited, “Epsilon demonstrates an unmatched balance of strong technology and professional services.” For the full report “The Forrester Wave™: Email Marketing Service Providers, Q2 2018” click here.
Epsilon was recently named the best email marketing services provider by ClickZ and best email marketing company by DMN.
---
## Where to start with clean rooms? Digiday says Epsilon
Type: eps_post
URL: /where-to-start-with-clean-rooms-digiday-says-epsilon
Last Modified: 2025-10-03T13:51:39Z
# Where to start with clean rooms? Digiday says Epsilon
If your brand is on the lookout for a clean room solution, look no further than Epsilon, according to Digiday that is. Epsilon's PeopleCloud Prospect was recently named the Best Partner Clean Room as part of Digiday's 2022 Technology awards which recognizes companies that are exploring new technologies and adapting to meet the needs of the digital media industry.
Data clean rooms are privacy-safe environments that use anonymized data to facilitate data sharing. This includes advanced audience identification, activation and measurement—all of which improve cross-channel performance. At Epsilon, our privacy-safe clean room spans first-, second- and third-party data. This allows us to give brands a 360-degree view of customers and prospects aligned with our person-based CORE ID. All of which is housed in a secure data bunker, so both consumers and brands can feel good about delivering relevant messages in the right way.
The complete Digiday list of winners can be found here.
Why Epsilon stands out
The win underscores how Epsilon uses its clean room technology and data graphs to help brands, agencies and publishers reach their prospects and customers across all online channels. With Epsilon’s clean room solution, brands are able to analyze the entire customer journey—especially important in the face of third-party cookie depreciation.
A complete solution: Our consumer profiles are pre-loaded and linked to opt-in customer data. You can easily control who has access to that data and how it’s used.
Unique person-level data: Effectively respond to intent signals across all customers and prospects with a granular data environment for person-level insights, modeling and audience activation.
Complete cross-channel activation: Aligning data to our future-proofed people-based identity across all brand touchpoints, devices and groups gives brands a privacy-safe, comprehensive view of its prospect universe.
Looking to learn more?
Understanding how your brand can benefit from a clean room solution can be complicated, but it doesn’t have to be.
Breakdown the answers to some of the most common questions with the down and dirty about clean rooms.
Get more insight as to why clean rooms have emerged as an answer to data depreciation and consumer privacy.
Take a better look at how Epsilon and IRI work together to aid privacy-compliant targeting for CPG brands.
And check out our website for more information on Epsilon’s clean room solution.
---
## Apple’s Mail Privacy Protection update: One year in the books
Type: eps_post
URL: /apples-mail-privacy-protection-update-one-year-in-the-books
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Apple’s Mail Privacy Protection update: One year in the books
Here’s what we’ve seen, what we’ve learned, and how we’ve responded.
On June 7, 2021, at the annual Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC), Apple previewed a slew of new updates that included changes to its Intelligent Tracking Protocol (ITP) and Mail Privacy Protections (MPP), which began to rollout in September 2021.
While past changes had been primarily focused on tracking web and physical location of users, Apple’s shift to focus on email—particularly metrics driven by pixel-driven opens—was a significant expansion of the type of activity that Apple seeks to hide. Email marketers have relied heavily on open rates to track user interest, adhere to best practices. ESPs have also used OR's as a metric to help monitor and enforce network-level compliance standards.
At the time, we made several predictions as to what this change would mean for email marketers. Let's see how we did.
Prediction: Your email list will be affected, so don't only rely on open rates
The prediction for this rested on two factors:
The percentage of your list that is opened in the Apple Mail app
The percentage of those users who would choose to opt-in to Mail Privacy Protection
Because of the subtle tactics Apple took in the opt-in process, we predicted that “it’s best to assume that 100% of your Apple Mail users will select Mail Privacy Protection upon completing the update.”
Reality
As of August 2022, MPP has experienced about a 90% adoption rate.
What that means for you
Adoption has peaked, indicating nearly all Apple users have made their decision.Recent open rates can now act as the new stabilized benchmark.
In the graph below, the teal line represents iOS15. Right around Black Friday, iOS15 surpassed iOS14 in terms of adoption and has continued to rise after the holidays as new devices were either purchased or updated.
Prediction: Subject Line testing will be affected
“Unknown opens” will skew results for Subject Line (SL) tests, so it’s best to learn as much as you can before it takes effect.
Reality
SL testing is still a valid approach to optimization.
What that means for you
As long as audiences are chosen at random, MPP impact should be consistent across test groups
Subject line testing results are still valid based on observed datapoints from Epsilon’s native reporting
Prediction: Click rates will be a “better metric”
Unlike MPP making it appear that Apple Mail app users opened emails they really have not, the click rate is not the same—meaning MPP won’t make it appear that users clicked something they have not. Clicks won’t be falsely recorded, so they will remain a strong metric for performance evaluation.
Reality
Clicks have remained unaffected throughout the Apple MPP rollout.
What that means for you
As an industry, we need a new approach to measurement so we can look beyond opens and dig into more holistic forms of engagement measurement across the communication touchpoints, such as conversions, site or app visits and, of course, clicks.
Recommendation: Shift measurement to leverage click data as main source of true engagement indicators as it becomes the main trusted user action.
Prediction: Personalization by IP will be a challenge
Live content based on time-of-open, geolocation, IP and devices already a required a fall-back experience when support is limited. Apple’s MPP update would only exacerbate those challenges, leading to less accurate targeting, measurement and a poor customer experience.
Brands will need to adopt new means by which to track user behavior and serve targeted ads and emails—one that relies on first-party data and is privacy complaint.
Reality
We nailed the prediction.
What that means for you
Email marketing has long been a consent-based channel, and yet, marketers could use other non-consensual (or loosely consensual) signals to personalize email communications.
Although Apple has forced their hands, MPP encourages email marketers to get back to their consent-based roots and gather first-party data to activate personalized experiences. A strong identity resolution solution built on a foundation of concrete first-party data and resilient identifiers such as name and postal address—not IP addresses or cookies—will be a future requirement for marketers.
This has made AI and Machine Learning are more valuable than ever. If you’re not leveraging intelligent personalization in your emails by delivering offers and content tailored to audience preferences, now is the time to start.
Prediction: Opens will be inflated
Saved the most obvious for last. Yes, MPP means any delivered email to a user who has enabled MPP will always render an email send as opened, regardless of whether the user actually viewed the content.
Reality
ESP's handled this issue differently. Some ESP's continued to count the MPP “opens,” resulting in inflated open rates. In these cases, new benchmarks were set.
Epsilon made the decision not to count automated opens in standard reporting, as they are not representative of true user interactions—ingesting insincere data is problematic on its face.
What that means for you
With Epsilon’s approach, new means of measurement were created, like identifying false MPP opens and removing them from valid events. While MPP opens are suppressed, they are still accessible, giving our clients the ability to identify and target the impacted audience for greater accuracy in reporting and audience selection purposes.
Epsilon leverages in-market signals to estimate true open rates, which can help marketers monitor how their opens are trending. This is extremely helpful for our clients who prefer to keep reporting consistently to executives.
A bit about future-proofing measurement...
Epsilon continues to identify insights by evolving our strategic approach to measurement. Even before MPP was announced, we removed bot opens from measurement. With MPP’s rollout, we augmented this process to estimate ‘true’ open rates by leveraging customer signals.
But email, as a consent-based marketing channel, is more valuable than an open: Email drives loyalty and conversion. It builds stronger relationships by meeting subscribers where they are with the content they want. From the billboard effect to the “package delivered,” asking if a subscriber opened an email was always a superficial measurement of the value of an email.
Epsilon has been refining measurement weighting to account for true channel success: Engagement. But engagement insights certainly don’t jump off the—unless you know how and where to look!
Epsilon’s Performance Insights tool, which includes Privacy Insights, equips users with the data they need to make better informed email marketing decisions in a post MPP world.
So, how’d we do?
Long story short: we got it right and the sky didn’t fall. Phew.
Long story long: Our prediction was an OR drop of about 40%. July 2021 vs. July 2022 showed a drop of nearly 37%. Pretty darn close.
There are a number of factors that likely caused us to be off by 3% in our prediction, including some verticals augmenting the trends. However, the click rate has not changed at all, so we can count on the accuracy-at-scale of our reported open rate impact.
Here's how you can responding effectively to Apple's MPP update
We’ve already covered derived opens, but there are other strategic pivots that brands can implement in order to turn this challenge into an opportunity.
Here are some best practices to consider:
Ensure creative is highly engaging and encourages users to click
Develop a direct re-engagement campaign for the inactive MPP audience to click to confirm their subscription before falling off the list
Consider extending the “active” window for MPP users only
Update non-opener segmentation to suppress any users who have clicked
Consider adjusting subject lines and creative for redeployments for MPP users
Adjust rules & strategies to avoid MPP users inadvertently entering inactive streams
Now that you’re ready to tackle Mail Privacy Protection’s impact on your marketing program, here’s what Apple has announced is coming next >
---
## Selecting the metrics that matter means adopting a full-funnel approach
Type: eps_post
URL: /selecting-the-metrics-that-matter-means-adopting-a-full-funnel-approach
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Selecting the metrics that matter means adopting a full-funnel approach
The big picture
“If you can’t measure it, you can’t improve it,” management thinker Peter Drucker said, and when it comes to marketing, your strategy is only as good as the metrics you use. That’s why choosing the right measurement approach is critical to proving marketing’s value to a business.
Why it matters
There’s a wealth of metrics available for marketers to measure the success of their activity. But your choice can inflate or deflate marketing’s impact; make you feel good or make you look good; inform or distort your marketing.
Deeper dive – the importance of taking a balanced approach
Deciding which metric to use can be difficult but limiting it to a single one isn’t the answer. Neither is opting to focus on just measuring brand or performance. Both are needed today, so savvy marketers should adopt a full-funnel approach.
As buyers have different intentions at every stage of their journey, each step must be measured differently. Just as your strategy changes as you move down the funnel, so should your choice of metrics. And by understanding every stage of the purchase journey, you can adopt the relevant ones.
But online’s supremacy has led to digital native businesses focusing their marketing attention, investment, and metrics on bottom-of-the-funnel activities. In doing so, they are missing out on the awareness stage that is critical to feeding sales and success in the short and long term.
However, digital-first businesses are increasingly starting to address this imbalance by adopting a full-funnel approach. Airbnb highlighted on its recent earnings call that brand marketing spend had increased 163% more than performance between Q1-Q3 this year. This was in recognition that brand marketing activity ultimately translates into improved performance metrics further down the line.
Meanwhile, for Direct-to-Consumer online flower business Bloom & Wild, Net Promoter Score (NPS) is a crucial measure. While many flower companies focus on driving sales and measuring performance across the annual key meaningful dates, NPS is a critical measure of customer happiness, trust, and loyalty for Bloom & Wild. It provides a snapshot into the health of its customer base, and by focusing on this rather than short-term sales metrics, Bloom & Wild can deliver long-term success.
In a nutshell
While measuring is easy, measuring what’s important is often more difficult. That’s why the metrics you choose must add value to your marketing. Instead of limiting yourself to one or two metrics, you must use multiple ones by taking a full-funnel marketing approach. And in doing so, you need to ensure you have the technology, ability, and support to report on these.
Want to find out more about adopting the right metrics to bolster your marketing efforts? Then download our Guide to Bulls**t Metrics to help you choose those that support your business correctly.
---
## iROAS is becoming the metric that rules the roost
Type: eps_post
URL: /iroas-is-becoming-the-metric-that-rules-the-roost
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# iROAS is becoming the metric that rules the roost
Big picture
Today, marketing budgets must prove that they have driven outcomes which support the main business goals and deliver recognisable value across the organisation. The metrics and methodology available to help marketers prove this value and gain deeper insight into consumers are ever-evolving, with a focus in recent years towards proven incremental revenue.
Why it matters
With the threat of a challenging economic climate, leading to greater scrutiny of budgets,a focus on efficiencies is now essential to prove how each marketing effort positively impacts the business. This requires marketers to demonstrate actual commercial outcomes, rather than reporting on traditional marketing metrics. As a result, savvy marketers are driving their businesses away from traditional Return on Ad Spend (ROAS) and towards incremental Return on Ad Spend (iROAS).
Deeper dive
Finding a single metric to give you a complete picture of your performance is a struggle, but some get you much closer than others.
While having information about campaign deliverability or the chance your ads had of being seen is useful, knowing how your advertising generates revenue for your business is much more powerful and valuable. That’s why proving Return on Ad Spend (ROAS) has become an important metric across all marketing not just direct response although difficult to do well across all channels. Econometric studies and additional analysis have helped brands to better understand the ROAS value of each channel or campaign, influencing where best to spend in future.
But while ROAS has proven to be a useful success metric for years, there is a better way. Marketers can take things one step further by adopting iROAS. Moving beyond ROAS by taking incrementality into account and giving deeper insights into the performance of each channel. The higher a campaign’s iROAS, the more effective it is in driving growth. But a lower iROAS could indicate that other factors are responsible for growth, such as customer loyalty, requiring the campaign to be reassessed or money moved into more an effective strategy. By directly measuring how any given marketing effort impacts revenue and giving insight into other factor at play iROAS allows for more informed marketing decisions to be made across the board. Not only is it becoming the key metric, it’s the metric your CFO will love.
In a nutshell
When measuring performance, you need actionable metrics that prove outcomes, not vanity metrics that look good but lack commercial impact. ROAS is great, but iROAS is increasingly essential as accountability and profitability become more important. It is complex to measure, so having the right technology and partner to deliver this is critical.
Want to ensure you’re adopting the right metrics that bolster your marketing efforts? Then download our Guide to Bulls**t Metrics to help you choose those that support your business in the right way.
---
## Personalizing healthcare on an enormous scale
Type: eps_post
URL: /fastcompany-personalizing-healthcare-on-an-enormous-scale
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T22:16:49Z
# Personalizing healthcare on an enormous scale
Caring for people’s health has been a foundational pillar for Walgreens since the company opened its first drugstore in Chicago in 1901. Today, the chain operates nearly 9,000 stores in the U.S. For many Americans, Walgreens is indeed their neighborhood drugstore—the company estimates that 78% of the U.S. population lives within five miles of one of its stores.
So why is Walgreens taking such bold steps to reinvent itself? In 2021, Roz Brewer, CEO of parent company Walgreens Boots Alliance, unveiled an ambitious plan to transform the role Walgreens plays in supporting its customers’ health. The company’s new vision is to be “a leading partner in reimagining local healthcare and wellbeing for all.” To achieve that vision, Walgreens is rolling out an integrated primary care and pharmacy model that aims to drive better health outcomes, reduce costs, and provide a differentiated patient experience.
At the center of Brewer’s plan is the company’s U.S. healthcare segment, which offers a technology-enabled care model powered by a nationally scaled and locally delivered healthcare platform, organically developed clinical programs, and strategic collaboration with its majority-owned businesses, including VillageMD, Shields, and CareCentrix. For a company that fills 1.2 billion prescriptions a year and serves an estimated 8 million customers in its stores and online each day, that’s a tall order. “We have to really understand at a deep level who people are as individuals,” says Tracey D. Brown, president of Walgreens retail and chief customer officer. “Without the advancement of data, tools, and technology, we wouldn’t be able to do this at scale.”
To accomplish this goal, Walgreens turned to Epsilon, a global advertising and marketing technology company that has been a Walgreens partner for more than a decade. Epsilon provides solutions that enable Walgreens to harness customer data, with the aim of providing more personal interactions and forging deeper relationships that lead to better health outcomes. “As we expand to cover the whole healthcare continuum, the partnership has become that much more important,” Brown says.
Community-driven healthcare
For decades, Walgreens has filled prescriptions and offered customers safe and easy in-store vaccinations—including COVID shots and boosters in recent years. Today, Walgreens provides a much more robust slate of healthcare offerings. For instance, Walgreens’ Health Corners allow people with chronic diseases or acute needs to interact with a nurse health advisor. Plus, Walgreens pharmacists conduct point-of-care testing for common illnesses, and recovering patients have access to the company’s post-acute-care services.
The sheer scale of Walgreens’s business gives the company an advantage when it comes to customer familiarity and trust, but it also presents certain challenges. How does a company create a highly personalized experience in a program designed to serve millions? For Walgreens, providing an individualized experience starts with the company’s loyalty program, myWalgreens, which counts more than 100 million active members. myWalgreens is the connection point for customers making purchases as well as for patients accessing healthcare services. The platform processes 5 million transactions per day and 11 billion calls per year.
Epsilon plays a central role in compiling and optimizing all the data that comes from those transactions. “Epsilon’s loyalty technology powers the myWalgreens experience and provides privacy-centric data that allows Walgreens to better understand and engage with patients and customers on an individual level,” says Sean McCarthy, senior vice president at Epsilon.
For patients and customers, this customized experience comes to life in several ways. It could be as simple as someone who got a flu shot the previous year getting a reminder that they’re due for this year’s shot. Or it could be someone with the flu receiving a coupon for over-the-counter flu medicine. “Our ability to take the data and connect at an individual level and then serve up the things that are most important to meet the customer’s needs—that is golden,” Brown says.
Better data, stronger connections
The Epsilon partnership has allowed Walgreens to connect with customers on many different levels. In 2020, Walgreens formally launched Walgreens Advertising Group, which runs on Epsilon’s Retail Media Network solution for programmatic media. The initiative helps Walgreens and its brand partners use data to connect customers with the brands and products that most resonate with them—a critical step toward helping them improve their overall healthcare journeys.
“We’re able to attach Walgreens’s first-party data to Epsilon’s CORE ID and serve a brand partner’s ads to the individual most likely to buy, at the right time, in the right channel,” McCarthy says. “That allows Walgreens to build a stronger partnership with its brands, driving traffic into its stores and providing better customer experiences.”
As Walgreens continues on its path toward becoming a holistic health partner for its millions of customers, Epsilon will continue helping to create a more personalized consumer experience and bridging the gap between Walgreens’ retail and healthcare arms. “Our aim is to continue to refine our data, our technology, and our messaging to help Walgreens achieve its goals and have an even greater impact on customers’ lives,” McCarthy says.
As for Walgreens, Brown says the goal is simple: “To help everyone in this country live their best life. More joyful lives through better health.”
***This article was originally published on fastcompany.com
---
## Loyalty managers must not forget physical tangible rewards in the rush for emotional engagement
Type: eps_post
URL: /loyalty-managers-must-not-forget-physical-tangible-rewards-in-the-rush-for-emotional-engagement
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Loyalty managers must not forget physical tangible rewards in the rush for emotional engagement
“The most successful reward programmes adopt a hybrid physical/emotional model to build winning customer loyalty.” Ralph Browning, Business Development Director at Epsilon.
When it comes to modern loyalty programmes, brands are increasingly turning to soft benefits and engagement as their primary tool to maximise customer value. Brands and retailers are focusing on delivering soft benefits, such as service upgrades, exclusive access to experiences and high-value content to members.
This is great news, especially considering that soft benefits often generate a deeper and longer-lasting sense of brand affiliation, compared to customer relationships built on a purely transactional basis.
In this industry-wide rush for engagement, however, brands and retailers will do well to remember two golden rules: the vast majority of loyalty programme members are still very much interested in receiving physical rewards and these physical rewards provide brands with excellent opportunities to engage with their customers and enhance their brand promise/positioning beyond simply sharing discount vouchers.
It should not be a case of choosing between reward or engagement, but rather a dual approach with the focus on both emotional and transactional loyalty programme elements. Here are four golden rules every brand and retailer should follow when designing or updating their loyalty programme.
1. Make sure everyone wants your rewards
The highest-performing rewards programmes are carefully designed to appeal to all customer segments. This involves identifying aspirational top-end rewards that are guaranteed to create an impact with high-value customers as well as easily attainable deals and discounts for new customers and those with a lower lifetime value. In between there should be a carefully selected range of treats and savings of various values. By covering this full spectrum your loyalty programme will have the broadest range of rewards possible, satisfying all of your loyalty customer wants, needs and spend levels.
2. Use rewards to encourage incremental spend
Promoting incremental spend is one of the most effective ways of reducing reward costs and therefore increasing return on investment. In simple terms the aim is to encourage customers to make additional purchases and/or spend more, rather than simply encouraging them to redeem points on purchases they have already decided to make. For instance, asking a customer if they would like to spend their redeemable points on a product that compliments the items they have already purchased. A great example of this would be a restaurant server reminding a customer that they have points available and asking them if they would like to redeem those points on an aperitif such as a coffee or brandy.
3. Harness the power of behavioural economics
Every loyalty member will have mental list of goals when they sign to your loyalty programme. Being aware of this and using principles from behavioural economic such as ‘the fear of missing out’ and ‘loss aversion’ can drive both engagement and sales. This approach can involve asking loyalty members what reward they are saving for and then giving them an easy way to track their progress towards the date at which they can redeem their points. This tracking functionality builds the customer’s sense of anticipation and gives them a powerful sense of ownership. If the customer deviates from their spending pattern the reward either moves closer or further way. This is a relatively simply and yet highly effective way of keeping the customer engaged.
4. Surprise and delight your loyalty members
Retailers and brands are now looking to surprise and delight their loyalty brands in a range of new and innovative ways. For example, some companies are reserving select products to use as exclusive rewards available only to loyalty members. Cosmetics giant Estée Lauder, skateboarding brand The Zumiez, and beauty product retailer Sephora are among leading companies adopting the exclusive product approach to loyalty. Lifestyle brand The North Face is leveraging experiential curated rewards to reinforce the brand’s adventure and wild-frontier positioning. All of its members get access to the year-end North Face VIPeak Rewards catalogue which is filled with unique adventures and gear. Meanwhile brands such as Clinique are turning to technology and NFTs to connect with their loyalty base. Customers are encouraged to share stories on social media, with the best entries winning products and the chance to own highly collectable digital art in NFT form.
Final thought – choose rewards with longevity
With all this talk of behavioural science, innovation and NFTs it’s often easy to over-think loyalty. Sometimes the rewards with the greatest longevity are often the simplest. One of the best examples of a reward is sitting in the corner of my study as I write – a huge yucca plant which I used my points to purchase 10 years ago as a small potted plant. It’s a lasting reminder of a brand I engaged with a decade ago. If I had been offered a sales discount, that would have been long forgotten!
Leading companies worldwide benefit from Epsilon’s customer loyalty and rewards programme software. The scale of our platform is unrivalled — we send more than four billion campaign messages each month to more than 600 million loyalty members. We work with companies of all sizes, from the largest global enterprise brands to smaller boutiques, and continuously innovate so our clients are prepared for the future.
To find out how you can supercharge your loyalty programme, please contact Ralph Browning.
***This article was originally published on the-gift-club.com
---
## Connecting paid, owned and earned media across your marketing strategy
Type: eps_post
URL: /why-is-integrating-paid-and-owned-channels-still-so-hard
Last Modified: 2026-07-06T17:03:20Z
# Connecting paid, owned and earned media across your marketing strategy
It's easy for marketers to get caught up in the contours of their different channels. After all, each channel has a distinct personality, its own objectives, governance considerations and content requirements. And part of marketing professionals' specialization is the ability to understand what will play well on social platforms such as TikTok and Instagram, compared to search, display and CTV among others as well as their own digital assets.
But placing too much attention on the channels themselves often distracts marketers from their true focus: the customer. When marketers' orientation is rooted in customer knowledge and understanding, they are better equipped to reach those customers across all touchpoints and multiply their efforts across channels.
Paid, owned and earned media: What's the difference?
While there are a plethora of channels a brand can use to deploy their marketing, when it come to media, there are three primary buckets: paid, owned and earned.
Balancing those types ensures a brand is using a balanced media strategy.
Paid media
Paid media is marketing that requires payment to display content. This can happen across many channels, including social, search engines, websites, connected TV and more. Brands typically use paid media to reach consumers who are actively searching their products and/or services or those who show signals of being interested in a product and/or service.
Owned media
Owned media is content a brand's company makes. This includes a brand website, blog, social media channels, newsletters, emails, SMS/texting or in-app messaging from a brand's owned and operated smartphone app. This type of content is primarily focused on organic traffic from search, social or direct messaging (like email or SMS). Unliked paid media, owned media is largely dependent on consumers who already know and/or interact with a brand.
Earned media
Earned media is content that results from public exposure, be it through publicity, social virality, customer reviews or simply word of mouth. This is another organic channel, though the brand cannot always control or amplify the content itself. Even still, earned media can be an incredibly effective channel for marketers. According to Nielsen, 88% of respondents in a global consumer survey said that they trust product and service recommendations from people they know more than any other channel.
Bringing together paid, owned and earned marketing
Many brands run these mediums as separate entities—having teams organized separately from paid media activation, to the website as another team, to the loyalty program strategy owned by another team. That's because many often don't recognize that synchronizing all of these channels together has enormous benefit.
Owned media is entirely controllable in creation, whereas paid media is entirely controllable in targeting. Earned media often feels like the luck of the draw. Understanding how these three things amplify and compliment one another can be a game changer for true omnichannel marketing.
Paid, owned and earned channel integration is a worthy goal because of how it highlights a unified customer view. A customer-centric perspective is also the key to pulling it off. Integrated campaigns become more straightforward to execute when placing the customer at the center of a unified effort.
The benefits of integrating paid, owned and earned media
Unified customer experience that includes consistent offers and content: Arguably the biggest benefit of integrating paid, owned and earned media is creating a unified customer experience. Consumers live across all channels and consume all types of media. Understanding how, where and when to connect with a person creates a cohesive, relevant customer journey.
An expansion of personalization opportunities across the contact strategy: Similarly, when brands understand how consumers move across channels and media, they can tailor content to what works (and for whom).
A good vantage point for cross-channel governance, ensuring coordination to track and manage customer fatigue: When brands approach their media strategies with intentional integration, they can start to track performance across channels. And when they are doing so at the person-level, they have greater insights into how specific mixes resonate for real, unique customers, meaning they're not over (or under) saturated with content.
More accurate measurement with insights into cross-channel behavior and better understanding of what is influencing customer behavior: Similarly, person-level insights help marketers measure and analyze what's working on macro- and micro-levels. They can then use those insights to develop customer-specific and larger marketing strategies in real-time.
Developing a centralized, unified data strategy to fuel your omnichannel marketing strategy
Many marketing teams are designed to focus on channels rather than customers, with each team having different and sometimes conflicting goals. There is an omnichannel strategy talent gap where most teams have knowledge around either paid or owned channels, not both.
To do this, there needs to be a significant process change, sometimes across multiple stakeholder groups and across agencies.
A data strategy as a single source of truth
Customer data for addressable versus direct targeting often doesn’t live in the same place and therefore may have conflicting sources of truth.
Brands need a comprehensive, thoughtful data strategy that goes beyond merely collecting data. A complete data strategy, powered by the right technology, uses first-party data, enhanced by zero-, second- and third-party data to drive better customer experiences and higher performing campaigns
It also establishes a centralized data source for all teams to work from, which is critical for a unified approach.
Align paid, owned and earned KPIs
The surest way to wreck an integration initiative is to have marketing teams row in different directions. This can happen due to poor communication, but within many organizations, there's an even bigger problem: team success is measured according to channel-specific performance benchmarks.
At best, these differ across teams, and at worst, they result in outright conflicts that will undermine your integration efforts and impede collaboration across teams. For instance, if a campaign has a strong CPA (a paid KPI), but brings in poor quality customers that lead to lower activation rates (owned KPI), the paid team is seen as successful, the owned team as unsuccessful and the KPIs conflict.
Getting past this obstacle requires a wholesale reevaluation of the primary business success metrics across marketing teams and adopting organization-wide metrics that promote collaboration and emphasize system-wide success.
One such metric is Customer Lifetime Value (CLV), which measures the total revenue expected from an average customer relationship over the full lifetime of that relationship. It can break out by different customer segments. Other cross-channel measurement possibilities include Average Order Value and Net Promoter Score.
This strategy doesn't necessarily mean the end of traditional paid-media measuring sticks such as impressions, reach, click-throughs and conversion rate, or owned-media engagement metrics. Those stats still have value, just as there's still value in measuring channel-specific performance. These metrics are enablers of CLV and are vital to understanding how certain campaigns are performing, but not necessarily the primary business KPI with a customer-first approach. In an integrated context, these metrics become diagnostic KPIs rather than top-level targets.
Integrate processes for omnichannel alignment
Redefining business success metrics means different marketing teams will share the same goals, but it doesn't ensure they'll choose complementary strategies to get there. Meaningful strategic alignment also requires frequent communication in the form of consolidated briefings and shared data. That way, different teams are in sync regarding overall direction and can operate based on the same updated insights and contextual notes.
Yes, this adds an extra administrative layer. But done right, the result will be a substantial increase in coordination, cohesion, and overall effectiveness.
Another key consideration applies here: this higher-level collaboration likely won't take hold unless it's someone's job to ensure it does. Consider tasking one senior marketer with ownership of omnichannel coordination efforts and assigning a member of each channel-specific marketing team to work with that person to ensure that their team works in concert with others across the marketing function.
Address data gaps and adopt the right technology
Once you have a more cohesive strategy to bring your teams together (and working toward the same goals), you need to also bring together your tech stack, too.
Address your current data status: Understand how much data you have, where it comes from and how to centralize it with a data strategy.
Unify and cleanse your first-party data: Customer data is inherently scattered and fragmented. Having technology like a Customer Data Platform (CDP) creates a single source of truth for known customer data, and when equipped with things like identity resolution, can fill in data gaps for the best view of your customers.
Identify your unknown customers: Your universe of buyers doesn't just include the people you know. Use integrated tools to reach them with personalized messages across channels, including a data clean room.
Harmonize messages across paid, owned and earned channels: Using that harmonized, unified data as a foundation, you can use the right tech to coordinate messages across channels tailored to unique individuals.
Having a single source of truth for customer insights that informs and scales across all channels and business goals such as acquisition and engagement is critical. A unified data-first strategy also enables the basis of marketing innovation with artificial intelligence and machine learning.
The most important aspects to note are shared understanding of customer insights across all groups and that all stakeholders are represented in what insights are used based on what is most relevant for the program.
READ MORE: Read our guide to help start your data strategy process.
Coordinated paid, owned and earned marketing doesn't happen overnight
An organization's first integrated campaign isn't likely to launch flawlessly, no matter how well or long its leaders and teams prepare. Instead of aiming for perfection, pick a date that's far enough out to allow for a thoughtful, careful pilot effort but soon enough to force some urgency.
Commit to that first campaign while embracing the fact it will likely lead to some learning opportunities. Agile methodology and scrum like processes will also be able to facilitate the transition to integrated owned and paid strategies. Once that initial effort is finished, take time for a careful recap that documents the wins, losses, and opportunities for improvement—and then try again!
Let Epsilon help with your omnichannel marketing capabilities
It's not easy to shift from a channel-focused marketing organization to one that takes a holistic, customer-focused approach, which is why Epsilon's strategic consulting services are here to help with industry experts that specialize in everything from digital customer experience to organization governance and acceleration of brand growth.
In the end, the effort is worthwhile and will pay off in the form of coordinated, coherent, and effective campaigns across both owned and paid channels that lead to stronger business results, a more empowered marketing team and delighted customers.
---
## How Long Does it Take to Implement a Retail Media Network Strategy?
Type: eps_post
URL: /retail-media-network-strategy-timeline
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# How Long Does it Take to Implement a Retail Media Network Strategy?
Retail media networks are a relatively new and rapidly evolving advertising territory for retailers and marketers alike—and top retail media network providers are already generating billions in revenue. With an average of 3 to 5 times ROA for advertisers, retail media network advertising will be a key factor for many businesses’ continued growth into 2023 and well beyond.
But that doesn’t mean getting one started is easy, nor as quick as you might expect.
Here at Epsilon, we know how important retail media networks are and what it takes to get the most out of them. We’ve helped countless businesses optimise their reach and leverage customer data with tailored turnkey solutions. Below, we’ll briefly cover what a retail media network is before touching on how long it takes to set up and how to do so effectively.
What is a Retail Media Network?
A retail media network is an advertising platform provided by a retailer that can also grant first-party data to advertisers. That data can prove valuable for targeting specific audiences, placing ads at specific points across the customer’s online shopping journey, and learning more insights about customer behaviours so that marketing strategies can be adjusted.
Amazon has made use of its own retail media network for the better part of the last decade, but more retailers have since adopted them with increasing fervour in recent years.
The following retailers have since become major players in the retail media network scene:
Asda
Boots
Sainsbury's
Tesco
So far, success for these retailers appears to be relatively unanimous. In 2021, Walmart reported $2.1 billion in retail media network advertising sales. During the same year, Nordstrom brought in $40 million in ad sales to other brands during an experimental three-month period.
It’s not just retailers, either—the practice is expanding to other industries that can also stand to benefit. For example, Marriott introduced its own media network earlier this year. On a broader scale, McKinsey survey data from Q2 2022 debunks the myth that retail media networks are solely for consumer packaged goods. Luxury goods, electronics, and beauty retailers (among others) all figure to see an increase in retail media network growth in 2023 and beyond.
What’s Driving Retail Media Network Growth?
The rapid expansion of retail media networks has laid the groundwork for what’s quickly becoming a multi-billion dollar industry—and that growth is far from over.
This year, McKinsey & Company projected that retail media networks have the potential to generate $1.3 trillion in enterprise value by 2026 in the United States alone.
Why that is can be traced to a combination of timing and its built-in advantages:
Pandemic-driven changes to e-commerce – The onset of the pandemic had a considerable impact on consumers’ shopping behaviours and drove a significant amount of purchases online, and those trends continue. According to the United States’s International Trade Administration, online shopping is more popular in the UK than anywhere else in the world, with 30% of retail sales taking place on eCommerce platforms in 2021 and generating over $120 billion in revenue. That was more than 20% in 2020. As you can see, retail media networks are an opportunity to reach consumers where they are when they’re typically most ready to make a purchase.
Phasing out of third-party cookies – New privacy regulations being implemented by governments and Google’s plans to phase out third-party cookies means retailers and advertisers alike are desiring new information access opportunities, and retail media networks offer just that.
High returns – As mentioned above, retail media network campaigns commonly earn 3 to 5 times ROA, if not more, for consumer packaged goods companies (CPG). Those kinds of returns make it hard to turn a retail media network advertising opportunity down.
New revenue source – In this day and age, it’s increasingly difficult for established businesses to find new revenue sources, making retail media networks a welcome tool for those seeking new areas for growth.
How Long Does It Take to Implement a Retail Media Network Strategy?
Convenient as it would be, there’s no across-the-board answer for how long it takes to implement a retail media network strategy. That said, it does tend to be fairly time-intensive.
And this is particularly true if you were to build a retail media network platform from scratch.
A fairly simple retail media network with a narrow scope might take several months to fully implement, while more complicated frameworks may need to be built out over several years.
Another consideration is that retail media networks are a relatively new opportunity with plenty more room for development. As such, it’s likely for most retailers that curating a retail media network strategy will be an ongoing process rather than a finite one.
Let’s take a look at how you can get yours off the ground as swiftly and effectively as possible.
6 Best Retail Media Network Strategies
There’s rarely been a better time to implement a retail media network strategy. If you’re preparing to set up your own, here are six best practices to keep in mind:
#1 Start small
Multi-billion retail media network strategies aren’t built overnight. They require significant amounts of planning and are often gradually built out over time—especially if you’re expecting its infrastructure to be a long-term source of revenue, as it should. You’ll want to:
Establish a goal – Identify what you want your organisation to achieve by implementing a retail media network, then use this goal to build your strategic roadmap.
Know your strengths and limitations – For many retailers, retail media network strategies will require making use of a whole new set of skills. Determine whether you have the talent in-house to create the platform you want or whether you’ll need to work with a third party.
Focus on one area at a time – Be strategic about the channel(s) or target area(s) you start with. When you’re feeling comfortable about its performance, you can move on to the next.
#2 Build relationships with advertisers
Successful retail media networks don’t exist in a vacuum.
Building a retail media network can offer the opportunity to grow your relationship with existing advertisers and earn a greater share of their marketing budget.
It also gives you all the more reason to initiate relationships with new brands that may benefit from advertising with your retail media platform.
#3 Monitor campaign performances
Retail media networks have a growing reputation for offering high ROAS, so many of your advertisers are likely going to come in with high expectations. As you implement a new retail media network, advertisers will be eager to know how their campaigns are performing with your customers—and they’ll want to see the data that backs it up.
Critically, retail media networks enable effective, easy performance monitoring.
With the right analytics tools in place, your retail media network platform should allow for a straightforward assessment of things like reach, engagement, spend, and revenue earned (i.e., 2x or 3x earnings from their initial investment) in terms stakeholders can easily recognise as pure profit.
So, make sure you’re prepared with the infrastructure you need to track users’ engagements, interactions, and purchases made in connection to ads. Additionally, you may want to share additional insights or behaviours that could inform how they plan future campaigns.
#4 Prioritise customer experience
While implementing a new retail media network comes with its excitement, don’t lose sight of giving your customers the best possible online shopping experience. They’re the ones driving your revenue, and it’s their relationship with you that ensures your business’s overall success.
#5 Build an advertiser support network
To build on the point of developing advertiser relationships above: in addition to your consumers, your advertising partners will soon become another type of customer for you.
As such, they may expect certain resources and services.
For this reason, it may be beneficial to create a department or bring in additional partners that work directly with your retail media network advertisers in key areas, such as:
Campaign planning
Campaign reporting
Content strategy
Sales
General account management
Billing
#6 Prioritise consumer privacy protections, too
With great information comes great responsibility.
Before building your network and handing over consumer data to advertisers, you’ll want to perform a data audit to understand what information you’re handling and how it should be protected. Additionally, any third parties you work with should be able to demonstrate they have adequate data protections of their own in place.
Retailers are subject to various legal and industry compliance requirements to protect consumers’ personally identifiable information (PII). Before collecting data, consider whether it’s necessary, whether it should be kept confidential, and how information that is disclosed to advertisers can be shared anonymously without the ability to trace specific data points back to certain individuals.
Organisations that decide to build their own media networks should be transparent with consumers about what kinds of data they will collect and share—and how they will protect it.
Opt-in messages for apps, rewards programs, and other platforms should be clear and concise so users can understand what they’re signing up for. After all, the reason retailers have the opportunities that retail media networks present is because of their consumer audiences.
If a retailer can’t establish trust with its customers, they won’t have much luck building a retail media network strategy, no matter how much time they spend.
Let’s Build Your Strategy to Reach More Advertisers
If you’re hoping to connect with customers and advertising partners to build a successful retail media network strategy, you’ll want to make sure your own marketing strategies are engaging the right audiences at the right times.
Epsilon can help you with that.
Our retail media network platform, CitrusAd, helps organisations maximise their performance by reaching more customers, converting more sales, and generating a stronger identity.
Contact us today to create a powerful retail media network.
{{cta('b736ffd9-cc40-4f4d-8f48-37aa3ac96324')}}
---
## [VIDEO] Maximising the potential of your loyalty programme to acquire first-party data
Type: eps_post
URL: /maximising-the-potential-of-your-loyalty-programme-to-acquire-first-party-data
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# [VIDEO] Maximising the potential of your loyalty programme to acquire first-party data
Learn more about loyalty programs and first-party data, by watching Ralph Browning's presentation at The Advanced Customer Loyalty & Retention Conference.
Why it matters?
As cookies and third-party identifiers disappear, brands recognise the critical role loyalty programmes play in collecting first-party data. That's why they're putting greater emphasis on this strategy. 92% of marketers consider first-party data vital to understanding their audience, and Deloitte forecasts that brands will increase their first-party data usage by 61%.
But how should brands structure their programmes to gain the data needed to drive insights, engagement, and influence?
Deeper dive – 8 best practices for a successful loyalty programme
Based on our experiences working with brands, here are the lessons we have learnt when seeking to develop a loyalty programme.
Measurement is vital: Unless something's measured, it's not treated seriously. This makes having a first-party data KPI essential to any loyalty programme. For example, ensuring 80% of customer data deemed crucial is collected and put on file within six months of them signing up. Put measurement at the beginning of your planning, track it, and report it.
Start with the end in mind: Collecting data for the sake of it is wasteful, unnecessary and can have privacy implications. Know the two to three critical pieces of customer information you need from the start. Then work backwards to identify your route to obtaining this.
Remove the barriers to entry : Make it simple and quick to sign up. Lengthy forms and too many questions deter people from joining. Make the process short and ask for just the minimum information you need to maximise sign-ups.
Adopt a data creep approach: Take the long view when looking to gain customer data by collecting information over time. Identify key moments when people will be receptive to providing it – e.g., when redeeming points – and focus on these to enhance your insights. And when you ask, keep it friendly and conversational.
Know your customer journey: Understand how you will move customers along a path and the necessary incentives to offer to encourage them to provide the data you need.
Implement the carrot and stick: One option for moving customers along their journey is the carrot and stick approach. After all, there needs to be a value exchange in all good loyalty programmes. This means raising the spectre of a customer being unable to benefit from the scheme if they don't keep their end of the bargain is a logical step. It can work. But it's not for every brand, so only use it sparingly.
Introduce gamification: Use games, polls, and surveys as a fun, engaging and subtle way to gain additional customer insights so you can better communicate and sell to them. For example, beauty brands successfully use polls around which make-up types look best to gauge a customer's potential product preferences from the answers given.
Understand what customers want: Get critical programme data by finding out what members feel about the programme and which rewards interest them. Understanding what they're aiming for allows you to encourage them to take the necessary actions to move them closer to achieving this. They gain, and you gain.
Evolving a loyalty programme
A prime example of an evolving loyalty programme is Kellogg's Family Rewards.
Traditionally based on collecting coupons, changing consumer interests and a desire to acquire more first-party data have led to it being revamped.
Incorporating an easy sign-up process, the focus was to maximise the number of programme participants. And a changed reward structure offered monthly rewards based on collecting tokens. However, these are not solely spend-based but could be gained by completing surveys, joining in games, watching videos, or providing likes. All these vehicles offered up more ways for Kellogg's to gain additional consumer insights.
Additionally, allowing receipt scanning on mobiles also revealed insights into individual consumer spending patterns and timings. Sharing these insights with supermarkets to enable them to offer incentives to relevant audiences meant the programme became more impactful and valuable.
The bottom line
While consumers are sensitive to sharing their information, they are comfortable exchanging their data via a loyalty programme. Indeed, 76% of consumers say they are reluctant to do this, unless it's tied to a loyalty programme. This makes these schemes a method not only for customer insights, reducing churn and cross-selling but also for acquiring critical first-party data that is valuable for driving future marketing.
---
## How to market in a multi-brand organization
Type: eps_post
URL: /how-to-market-in-a-multi-brand-organization
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# How to market in a multi-brand organization
A Q&A with Bob Brown, founder of Brown Analytics Advisory Group
Operating in a multi-brand environment has major benefits—but it also has challenges.
As many travel brands consolidate under a single enterprise, the individual brand marketers are left to make sense of how to engage with their parent company and partner brands. On the flip side, the parent companies are looking for efficiencies and growth opportunities across the individual brands.
To understand how to operate and optimize in a multi-brand environment, we connected with Bob Brown, founder of Brown Analytics Advisory Group and formerly of Vail Resorts and Caesars Entertainment, to discuss these unique marketing situations for travel brands.
Here, he shares the pros and cons of different multi-brand structures, how to connect your brands in ways that matter to your customer, and how to make cross-brand integration a priority at your company by understanding both external and internal customers.
MF: What are the inherent challenges of the different multi-brand structures—from decentralized to centralized and then distributed approaches?
BB: If you have a pure decentralized structure—where each brand has its own marketing team—you can create a disconnected customer experience and unnecessarily narrow your audience.
In addition, your brands tend to compete with each other. For example, with media spend, you may have two brands spending in the same market and going after the same customer, but if that person converts, they ultimately go toward the same bottom line. It’s just inefficient.
The positives for a decentralized structure are that independence drives more brand ownership and belief that each brand knows its customers best. They can get in tune with those customers and have a deeper understanding of the individual customer base which ultimately can lead to greater brand differentiation.
With a centralized structure, the challenges and benefits are reversed. Knowing the brands individually becomes more of a struggle, and you often have someone trying to make marketing decisions from one location across multiple, but they don’t have the depth of understanding about the local market or the consumer who identifies with that brand. There is a risk of making things too generic—you can almost understand too much.
The pros are that you can drive efficiency and minimize internal competition while creating a consistent experience for your customers. You can more easily leverage the data and dollars across all brands for more efficient marketing spend and greater personalization that drives customer engagement and revenue.
You get the best of both worlds with a distributed approach. Keeping some decentralized abilities will help you understand the uniqueness of each brand and location better while sustaining ownership over the brand identity and the customer experience across locations.
MF: Knowing that not every marketer has control over the kind of model they work in, what advice would you give to any marketer living in a multi-brand environment?
BB: The key is to understand who your internal customer is—who are they and what are their motivations? If you’re in a centralized role trying to push a new initiative for more cross-brand coordination, you have to put yourself in the shoes of the brand managers—how would they respond to this? They’re motivated by driving performance for their brand, so how does this initiative appeal to them?
Don’t look for people to just get on board with what’s best for the enterprise. You have to figure out what the upside is for each person you’re partnering with on different initiatives. How will their brand grow by having access to new cross-brand capabilities and data?
"Your customers aren’t in a fixed state forever. We all have different personas over time or within a given time."
MF: Does, or should, a customer care that multiple brands are owned by the same company?
BB: You can’t expect that the customer knows or cares about a connection across brands if they engage with just one, but it’s your job to give them a reason to care. There are a few areas where multi-brand coordination can positively impact the customer:
Consistency in service expectations. If you have standard service practices in place across your brands, then you can leverage that as a connection point and an expectation of service excellence across brands.
Profile and preference management. Connecting customer preferences and other information across brands creates the impression that you know the person, even if they haven’t done business with a specific brand in the past.
Loyalty benefits for consolidation of spend. When your loyalty program connects multiple brands, there is a financial incentive for a customer to spend within your footprint.
Serving all customer needs. Your customers aren’t in a fixed state forever. We all have different personas over time or within a given time. A customer can be both a business and leisure traveler, seek a modest or luxury experience or desire different locations at different times. With connected brands, you can leverage a broader footprint to meet a person’s varying needs at different times.
Each company will have different strengths that they can leverage with the customer across one or more of these areas. This should be the first thing you focus on with multi-brand coordination—start by identifying your company strengths and what will matter most to your customers.
MF: What can travel marketers gain from multi-brand coordination?
BB: You definitely get improved marketing efficiency. Technology can also be much cheaper if you’re not managing multiple platforms that provide the same service, like email service providers.
At the same time, variable costs go down based on the volume of consolidated efforts, which could affect email, direct mail and media purchasing. When you centralize efforts, you can remove overlapping responsibilities across brands or locations and ultimately reduce headcount. Lastly, communication costs go down through because you eliminate unintentional overlapping and competing messaging.
Although efficiencies can provide cost savings, the bigger upside is increased revenue due to improved customer engagement. There are three areas to improve targeted marketing across brands:
Broadening the database. When you consolidate data across brands, customers of one brand can be “known prospects” of another brand. Although we all hate to admit it, your customers sample competitors. A multi-brand approach allows you to offer other brand options within your umbrella to known customers. In this way, you insert a potential shift to other owned brands rather than customer attrition.
Deepening the database. You can use the data from your brands to form a more complete view of each customer, including their behaviors and preferences, to deliver more personalized experiences. By leveraging data across brands, you can know how likely a customer is to purchase ancillary products, which you wouldn’t get in a single-brand view.
Multi-brand marketing opportunities. You can identify customers that would benefit from consolidated messaging across brands to present multi-brand options within your portfolio.
MF: Without the support of senior leadership, how can you make progress in cross-brand integration?
BB: It’s similar to the individual brands—understanding what the motivation of the person is you’re trying to convince. With senior leadership, it tends to be about the benefits to the company—cost savings and revenue growth—and how can you increase both at the enterprise level?
Start with analytics and the depth of customer understanding. You can make your case by understanding the overlap between brands.
There is a common assumption that there is no overlap between brands within a brand umbrella, and then that drives a lot of decision-making. But there is always some customer overlap (often a lot), and you can find it by digging into the data more—and this can be done even before your data is centralized.
To make progress, you don’t need to tackle everything at once. Start with the areas that you can control and establish a few quick wins to help you make the case for further investment and exploration.
Once you’ve provided some cross-brand insight, you can test a simple multi-brand campaign or expand an individual brand’s audience with known prospecting opportunities. With the right testing structure in place, you can establish clear ROI from these efforts that can begin to snowball into more comprehensive coordination across brands.
Want to learn more about how we’ve worked with travel brands in the past? See our case study with Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings.
---
## Are subscription-based loyalty programs recession-proof?
Type: eps_post
URL: /are-subscription-based-loyalty-programs-recession-proof
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T22:16:49Z
# Are subscription-based loyalty programs recession-proof?
Paid loyalty programs have come of age throughout the last few years.
But the equation may now be changing. Inflation continues to rise, and businesses and consumers alike are grappling with the threat of recession. The pressure is on brands to ensure paid loyalty programs provide enough value to shoppers to be viewed a worthwhile investment even during tough economic times.
We believe compelling, well-structured paid loyalty programs will remain viable and popular amidst a downturn.
Why paid loyalty programs appeal to brands
They provide an opportunity to create an elite customer tier
Providing exclusive access to content and a personalized experience are two of the top reasons subscribers like paid loyalty programs, according to a survey by BarclayCard. Subscribers who join are choosing to invest in your brand, creating an emotional connection and signaling a willingness to join a community of like-minded people. For lifestyle brands, especially, this creates a real opportunity to nurture a sense of belonging that will, in turn, foster even greater loyalty.
Paid loyalty programs add a new revenue stream
Annual fee payments are a source of recurring revenue—the sort of subscription-based model that has risen in popularity over the last decade and provides a cushion against seasonal variance and other causes of economic fluctuation. In 2021, financial services firm UBS estimated the digital subscription economy at $650 billion per year and projected it would reach $1.5 trillion by 2025, partly because its analysts expect companies to gravitate toward business models that provide stable cash flows.
However, the subscription economy is already showing signs of strain as the economic climate shifts. Subscription spending fell 5.7 percent in May 2022 compared to the previous year, according to British financial services Barclaycard Payments.
Paid loyalty programs enhance customer engagement
After customers decide to pay an annual fee in exchange for special benefits, they become incentivized to spend even more with your brand. They want to ensure their decision pays off through savings due to features and perks like discounts or free shipping. A 2020 McKinsey survey found that members of paid loyalty programs are 43% more likely to buy weekly after joining, 59% more likely to choose the brand instead of a competitor, and 62% more likely to increase their spending with the brand.
Dialing in the value proposition
For all that to work, a paid loyalty program's value matrix has to make sense both for brands and consumers, who expect a return of at least 150 percent on their annual membership charge, according to McKinsey.
Getting that value proposition dialed in has proven challenging for businesses. This year, several high-profile brands shook up their approach to paid loyalty by adding value to their offering, along with the potential for greater engagement.
In March, for example, outdoor retailer REI relaunched its lifetime membership program, raising the price from $20 to $30 and broadening its focus. Rewards and coupons are still included, but now REI's program is based on components such as member-only exclusive products and used-gear shop, plus free shipping.
There's also a new incentive for social good: REI is donating $5 from each membership fee to a nonprofit dedicated to supporting green spaces and outdoor culture. Those changes track with the results of a 2021 Lightspeed/Mintel survey that shows exclusive offerings and shipping benefits are among consumers' most desired features in a paid loyalty program.
Bed Bath & Beyond is another retailer that burnished its paid loyalty program this year, replacing its Beyond+ program with a new offering called Welcome Rewards+. The annual fee is the same—$29—but on top of existing perks such as a 20% discount, the new program also includes free same-day delivery on four orders per year, along with an option to use mobile checkout when shopping at a brick-and-mortar location.
Even Amazon is adding benefits to its Prime program, offering free delivery on some GrubHub orders and expanding the music library available to Prime users. The cost of Prime increased to $139 from $119 per year.
Finding the optimal rewards formula
All of these changes suggest companies are searching for a rewards formula that will enable them to continue attracting customers to paid loyalty programs even during an economic downturn. There's reason to believe they can be successful if they find the right mix. A Barclaycard Payments survey found 38 percent of consumers believe subscriptions offer good value, and more than a third said subscriptions help them manage finances amidst rising costs. Forty-two percent cited reassurance key products would be delivered as another benefit. That last point bodes especially well for paid loyalty programs because one possible perk of an elite-status loyalty program is to offer first dibs on restocked items.
Finding the right loyalty formula for your brand can be a challenge in this uncertain economic climate. Knowing the real value of your program's value exchange is paramount, especially as brands and consumers alike look to maximize their marketing dollars. Harnessing the power from Epsilon PeopleCloud and our emotional loyalty technology allows brands to drive deeper connections. Even free loyalty programs, such as Dunkin', use flexible program offers and incentives to adjust to changing customer needs. With Epsilon as a partner since 2013, they've been able to increase loyalty member spending year-over-year by 50%.
Whether free or paid, loyalty programs need to offer a mutually beneficial value exchange. This is an interesting moment for brands investing in loyalty programs. The paid loyalty concept has grown in popularity over the last few years, showing such programs can provide value for brands and consumers alike.
---
## How a global hospitality brand is making it personal
Type: eps_post
URL: /how-a-global-hospitality-brand-is-making-it-personal
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# How a global hospitality brand is making it personal
Marriott bounces back from a global travel lull with a renewed focus on leisure travel and home rentals. But it took the right partner to help it succeed.
When travel began picking up again several months into the pandemic, the hospitality industry breathed a collective sigh of relief. Not every brand in the industry went back to business as usual, though. Marriott, for one, saw an opportunity. Leisure travel was on the rise, and many customers who once traveled mostly for work were now taking longer trips that combined business with leisure. To meet the shifting needs of its customers, the company had to embrace new tactics.
“Coming out of the pandemic, we had formulated a lot of strong ideas about how to capture the increasingly fluid nature of business and leisure travel,” says Chris Norton, senior vice president, marketing channels and optimization, at Marriott. “But we needed a partner with a mix of the right assets, tools, customer intelligence, and boots on the ground to help us bring our ideas to life.”
That partner was Epsilon, a global advertising and marketing technology company that has been helping Marriott manage its outbound marketing communications for more than a decade. “We feel like we are an extension of the Marriott team,” says Lisa Henderson, managing director of client services at Epsilon. “It’s very much a partnership.”
Finding a consistent voice
In the early days of the collaboration, which began in 2008, Epsilon’s sole focus was on providing Marriott with an email technology solution and helping with the company’s messaging strategy. “It was an important relationship, but somewhat tactical,” Henderson says. “Today, we are working together in a much more collaborative way to support the entire customer experience.”
The evolution of the companies’ relationship coincided with a shift in the ways travelers were interacting with hospitality companies. The rise of social media and personal devices created a need for a coordinated omnichannel marketing strategy that enabled communication with guests at the right time, on the right channel, with a message that was relevant to their demonstrated preferences.
“At first, we didn’t always successfully coordinate what we were saying in one channel with what we were saying in another, and that created a somewhat fragmented customer experience,” Norton says. “Now, we’re speaking with a consistent voice across our channels.”
Epsilon’s PeopleCloud solution plays a significant role in Marriott’s omnichannel strategy. The AI-powered technology allows clients to better recognize their customers when they interact at different touchpoints and channels. This allows clients to extend their knowledge of their customers by better using what they know about them while maintaining privacy throughout a wide set of interactions. For Marriott, that means if a guest has shared certain preferences—for example, the times when they prefer to be contacted, or information about specific interests—they’ll now receive communications reflecting those preferences, no matter which channel they’re using.
Marriott is now able to stay in touch with guests throughout their customer journeys. If a guest has looked at rooms without booking, they might receive an email message gently rekindling their interest. Meanwhile, guests who have completed a booking might receive information about restaurants and activities near where they’ll be staying.
Getting the message out
In 2019, Marriott launched Homes & Villas by Marriott Bonvoy, a platform offering short-term premium home rentals to members of the Marriott Bonvoy loyalty program. As travelers started venturing back out into the world after the initial pandemic pause, Epsilon focused on helping Marriott spread awareness about Homes & Villas to Marriott Bonvoy members, scaling the program from a beta offering to a fully supported product in the Marriott Bonvoy portfolio. Many members were interested in exploring home rentals, and Marriott was able to provide them with the unique experiences they were seeking.
Through the Homes & Villas offering, Marriott Bonvoy members have access to more than 80,000 curated, premium home-rental properties that offer a safe and clean environment. At these homes, guests can combine business with pleasure and even bring their families, while still benefitting from earning Marriott points for their bookings.
The messaging worked. In the first 18 months of the campaign, about 90% of Home and Villas guests were Marriott Bonvoy members. Of those, nearly a quarter had not stayed in a Marriott hotel in more than a year, and a majority booked other homes or hotel rooms shortly after their first Homes & Villa experience. With the help of Epsilon, Marriott increased customer engagement threefold and saw a similar increase in actual home bookings compared to the previous year. The marketing efforts around Homes & Villas, particularly paid search, also drove significant “halo” benefits to its hotel portfolio in the form of increased core hotel bookings.
“As a marketing team, it often feels as if you’re alone in the wilderness,” Norton says. “And it can feel overwhelming and daunting. Epsilon has been a great collaborator, helping guide us on the best way to go.”
*This article was originally published on fastcompany.com
---
## 4 stages to navigating digital transformation in healthcare
Type: eps_post
URL: /4-stages-to-navigating-digital-transformation-in-healthcare
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# 4 stages to navigating digital transformation in healthcare
Marketing and customer expectations are changing fast. And the digital landscape is complex and constantly evolving.
As healthcare companies—pharmaceutical and medical device—focus on creating meaningful and actionable customer experiences, they’re embracing the digital transformation journey in a staged approach.
At the Digital Medical Device conference where I spoke at last month, we explored a four-stage “crawl, walk, run, fly” approach in detail:
Stage #1: Crawl
In this beginning (or roadmap) stage, an audit of assets, readiness and data is essential. The audit fuels the customer experience by shedding light on four key areas:
What information about the healthcare providers, data, models and analyses do you have to support and fuel transformation?
What are the gaps? Do you need healthcare provider (HCP) qualitative research, search insights and more?
What content, across channels, do you already have that addresses these providers’ needs?
And most important, what business goals does all this need to address?
With the combination of data profiling and segmentation, the audit/assessment phase informs healthcare marketers about what the ideal customer experience for each segment should look like.
Stage #2: Walk
Developing your content strategy and message maps is the next step in this journey.
Often our healthcare clients share the challenges of coming up with individual or unique content for each HCP. We recommend creating a digital content library (some marketers refer to them as content hubs) where you have multiple content modules to select from that can be combined and recombined in different ways for different scenarios or different audiences.
Also in this stage, you need to plan for the cadence of your communications and decide how you’re going to measure the success of your program.
I like to think of measurement as an evolving journey with multiple levels. It begins with response and KPI definition and measurement at a tactical level and advances to cross-channel attribution, event streams and predictive modeling.
The pace has now picked up …. get ready to run.
Stage #3: Run
On your mark, get set, go (run!). Get customer experience design and personalization ready.
Here is where the fun really begins as you start to integrate your learnings to truly understand your customers. Designing a customer experience map tracks the customer throughout the journey and across the lifecycle, reflecting activity at each stage.
Let’s put it into perspective. Draft several important customer-centric scenarios/use cases that are central to your strategy. Look at the gaps in data and technology that must be filled to enable execution on them.
First find the highest “bang for the buck” projects to tackle, to enable marketing automation with appropriate data support. For example, a healthcare company we work with needed to create a great customer experience for the doctors who might be candidates to prescribe a new innovative device, and for the patients in their practices who might be receptive to saying “yes” to the new approach. This included ensuring the hurdles in the specialty pharmacy processes were addressed digitally for HCPs and their office staff.
As a result, we mapped out the entire prescriber and customer experiences and all important touchpoints along those journeys, then layered in what communications would have to take place (such as around coverage or delivery timing), including payer and specialty pharmacy communications.
On that foundation, we layered in the data that was needed to enable personalization at the touchpoints and the technology for housing the data to deliver the experience across channels.
Throughout the process, the key guiding principle was creating concierge service for doctors, office staff and patients by designing an experience model.
With this underway, we’re getting ready to cross the finish line to a whole new capability – fly.
Stage #4: Fly
Okay, don’t take “flying” literally. When I talk about ‘fly’ as being stage four, it’s about soaring and reaching your highest marketing potential within the digital transformation. It’s finding the right combination of strategy and technology that allows marketers to connect with their customers on a 1:You level creating personalized experiences.
As some of our healthcare clients have shared with us, it’s ‘the next big thing’ that’s forthcoming for modern marketers, that is 1:You communications (and personalized experiences).
At Epsilon, we’re always thinking ahead and are prepared for the future of marketing. Marketers can take their programs to the next level with our continuous development of new strategies such as using third-party data to round out profiles of HCPs interests and preferences to take segmentation far beyond deciles and inform communications.
Additionally, our Rx impact and engagement analyses products and predictive and promotion mix models, which are all supported by our analytic scientists help our clients to achieve 1:You. Further, our advanced technology applications, like machine learning and artificial intelligence, help to enable these strategies.
Embrace what lies ahead and don’t forget to prepare your internal organization for the journey. The alignment of your marketing and sales organization is essential for success. Don’t forget to involve med-legal early and often in innovative projects.
You are ready to transform. Continue to articulate the strategy and vision, put the customer experience at the center, don’t underestimate the need to actively manage change and remember, your work plan is forever changing.
---
## Travel brands look to navigate strong head- and tailwinds in 2023
Type: eps_post
URL: /travel-brands-look-to-navigate-strong-head-tailwinds-in-2023
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Travel brands look to navigate strong head- and tailwinds in 2023
The leisure travelers that powered a strong, global post-pandemic rebound in 2022 maintain their desire to hit the road: Forty-six percent of people globally report that travel is even more important now than pre-pandemic, according to Expedia’s Traveler Value Index 2023 study. And nearly the same number of travelers are planning to spend more on travel next year.
Business travel also is beginning to rebound, according to Expedia research, with 32% of consumers indicating plans to take a business trip over the next year—and that’s despite a lag due in part to the lead times required to plan meetings.
Industry leaders like Delta Airlines CEO Ed Bastian and Hyatt CEO Chris Nassetta each recently voiced confidence that their rebounds would continue well into 2023, and companies such as British Airways are adding new routes worldwide.
“While that pent-up demand can’t last forever, it does feel like we have momentum to take us through the next several quarters,” Nassetta told CNBC in late October.
So, what does 2023 travel marketing look like?
Consumer preference to spend on experiences, mainly travel experiences, over tangible goods is a trend that’s here to stay. Travel brands have a great opportunity to carry momentum out of the last two years focusing on creating strong visitor experiences to generate visitor loyalty bringing them back year after year.
Although the winds of change look favorable, brands are continuing to pay attention to micro-challenges as we kick off the new year.
Inflation is certainly an important piece of the travel puzzle; prices continue to rise worldwide, and central banks raise interest rates in response. According to that same Expedia report, more than half of consumers said inflation was likely to affect their travel plans in the next year.
International travel could be especially affected because of the higher price tags associated with those trips and because unpredictable fluctuations in currency valuations across different national economies add cost uncertainty to those trips. As a result, people who do decide to travel may choose to stay closer to home.
For example, the number of Americans who said they were likely to travel internationally in the next 12 months fell by four points in a single month from October to November, amidst ongoing interest-rate hikes by the U.S. Federal Reserve, according to a December report from Destination Analysts. In the November version of the report, over two-thirds of American travelers said they were being more careful with money out of fears of a looming recession—and for the vast majority of those concerned consumers, travel spending was one of the items on the chopping block.
Additionally, many consumers who returned to airports in 2022 didn’t love their experiences there. Customer satisfaction at U.S. airports fell sharply compared to 2021, according to the J.D. Power 2022 North America Airport Satisfaction Study, driven by frustrations related to rising costs, congested terminals, and canceled flights. That combination of high prices and poor experience could be especially troublesome in a more challenging economic climate when consumers focus more on value.
Finally, destinations worldwide that scaled back operations during the pandemic continue to reopen, creating a more global environment.
What can we expect?
Both the head- and tailwinds are real and powerful, and both are likely to exert considerable influence on consumer behavior and travel expenditures in the coming year. They also are likely to intersect in unpredictable ways, creating complex conditions for travel companies and their marketers, just as swirling winds make it more difficult for pilots to fly.
That said, there remains ample opportunity for smart travel and hospitality companies to thrive in 2023. To capitalize, travel brands must be hyper-focused on consumer engagement, along with developing and deploying long-term messaging and strategies aimed at building loyalty.
One crucial step in that effort is for travel brands to engage with the travelers who powered their strong re-openings in 2021 and 2022. Those customers have already re-established their connection with travel brands and signaled their willingness to resume traveling. Hanging onto them is key.
It’s equally critical to continue to try to capture pent-up leisure demand, knowing that some travelers are still only beginning to get back in the game, and others are gradually expanding their post-pandemic travel. The Expedia report indicates that many consumers continue to factor pandemic concerns into their travel choices and still favor car trips over other modes of transportation.
Also, while plenty of consumers are still hungry for travel, the uncertain economic outlook means that brands may need to be more sensitive to pricing concerns and demand as they tailor their messaging and offerings.
Finally, industry execs such as Nassetta point to business travel as a potential growth driver in 2023 because that segment hasn’t burned through as much of its perceived pent-up demand as the leisure category. But to succeed here, travel brands will again need to focus on communicating value as businesses tighten their belts in anticipation of an economic downturn.
Navigate forward and plan for an evolving trajectory
As travel brands look to navigate forward amidst the swirling winds ahead, it makes sense to focus on reaching the right customers with the right messages, along with carefully studying market conditions to make quick course corrections when the conditions dictate.
To do so, it helps to have a marketing partner who understands a brand’s travelers well and helps its brand partners respond to the unexpected challenges of 2023. Epsilon, for instance, creates the conditions where brands need to be to stay close to the traveler. Epsilon boasts strong contextual capabilities, and allows brands to stay very close to their travelers by seeing them when they’re not only purchasing, but dreaming about their travels.
Being close to the traveler is vital as we look to 2023, engaging with visitors in the spaces they’re looking to engage with travel brands and being timely in the messaging and engagement brands have with them.
---
## A year of innovating: 7 shopping strategies that shaped 2022
Type: eps_post
URL: /a-year-of-innovating
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T22:17:52Z
# A year of innovating: 7 shopping strategies that shaped 2022
This past year saw 9.04% year over year growth, 214.7 million digital buyers and e-retail saw $1.05 trillion in sales. Motivated by deals and gift-giving, a record 196.7 million consumers shopped the Cyber Five this year according to the National Retail Federation, which is the highest number of shoppers since the organization began tracking this data in 2017. In fact, the record breaking cyber week brought in $281 billion in global online sales.
Now more than ever brands have a deeper understanding of who their shoppers are, why they shop with them, and what they value in their experience with their brand. Let’s take a deeper look at the seven major trends in shopping from the past year, and the strategies that worked best to keep consumers engaged.
1. Community commerce built through social
According to Ali Amarsy, SVP of Global Product Lead at Publicis Commerce, more brands are working closely with TikTok to mature the Community Commerce proposition. It’s about starting with creators – how they want to develop their narrative, acting as enablers to how they curate the world and make that an engaging "shoppertainment" experience. It’s a whole new paradigm and experimenting is at the forefront. Yes, it does make brands and buying tertiary to the creator and the content – but that’s the most authentic way brands can elevate the TikTok experience, and brands are keen to see how they can push culture and invent even more fun ways to shop.
2. Inventory data works harder
Nothing is more frustrating than getting an ad for something that you fall in love with, only to click on it to learn that the item is out of stock — this is an easy fix in the physical and digital world, according to VP of Retail Media Strategy at Publicis Commerce Allysun Lundy. Inventory data must be integrated with media buys to ensure that what is advertised is available in the shopper's size or customization. In a physical location, associates can curate a selection of in-stock items based on the customer's size, removing the potential for disappointment.
Data only works when you put it to work, but once you do, it can unlock many opportunities to enhance a shopping experience, whether in-store or online. When shoppers see the positive effects of what sharing more of their personal attributes can do, they're likely to continue to share and be lifetime loyal customers of a brand that caters to them.
3. Connected, frictionless commerce
Consumers of tomorrow want seamless and predictive experiences that make them feel good, save time and confirm that they have made the right decision. Brands need to focus on the obstacles that exist today to deliver this, emphasized COO of Publicis Commerce Amy Lanzi. That includes preparing for the cookieless world, designing systems for real time engagements and focusing on what is right creatively for long-term brand health.
Making every moment matter is dependent on not just having the right content, but also the tools to know where consumers are in their relationship with you. This means a first party data strategy as well as marketing technology infrastructure that can navigate where consumers are engaging with you – whether on a retail media network, through a social platform or directly. When these two capabilities work together, you can move someone from a transaction to a relationship with the brand over time.
4. Mobile first gets an upgrade
Mobile first has been a topic of conversation since the early 2000’s, but it's no longer about your website being optimized for smaller screens. Now it’s about building an immersive, connected experience to create a 1:1 relationship, as Senior Associate of Commerce Strategy Emily Staples emphasizes. Think of using chat features to build a community around brand moments or integrating AR/VR tech through lenses for gamification and loyalty.
While e-commerce will continue to see consistent growth, with a projected increase of 15.5% from last year, m-commerce (mobile commerce) is expected to see even larger growth with a projected $112B in sales, a nearly 20% increase from last year.
5. Connected Commerce – Creating Consumer Touchpoints
A brand sells directly through its own e-commerce site as well as through retailers like Macy’s and Kohls and outside e-commerce sites like Amazon. Being channel-agnostic, a brand can reach far more customers than they did as a pure DTC, Chief Commerce Strategy Officer at Publicis Groupe Jason Goldberg points out. As a result, customer acquisition costs from outside channel customers are favorable, even with wholesale unit economics.
6. Offline meets online
In years past, brands focused more on retail media networks’ online ad products and digital media opportunities, and less on the retailer’s in-store experiences and how they work together. This year, according to EVP of Media at Publicis Commerce Jill Cruz, various retailers and vendors showcased how to utilize the power of omnichannel retailing and personalization to win with customers— from digital shopping carts and Just Walkout technology to electronic shelf labels and in-store navigation delivered via in app.
7. Building loyalty through commerce experiences
Consumers who shop online aren’t necessarily expecting anything more than a transactional experience, emphasizes SVP of Omnichannel and Emerging Marketplaces at Publicis Commerce Margaux Logan. Owning your audience, understanding their loyalty drivers and, most importantly, taking action on those drivers is key to relationship building. Creating and investing in technology that assists with this and shows how you understand your shopper is the next expenditure of resources many leaders expect and want to make.
Entering the New Year
As the holidays come to a close, New Years is the last hurrah before revealing new opportunities for both brands and consumers as the season ends. The average person is willing to spend up to $186 on New Year’s, with 65% of people spending at least $50 on food and drinks. However, consumers aren’t just spending for themselves, with 31% of charitable giving taking place in December, with 12% occurring in the last three days.
Many brands will face the challenge of post-holiday fatigue, but combatting the decrease in post-holiday sales is doable. Around 48% of consumers are interested in pursuing post-holiday sales and the top three reasons for post-holiday shopping include discounts, redeeming gift cards, and shopping for themselves.
As a result, brands can beat the fatigue by:
Not slowing down their marketing
Planning for next season
Handling post-holiday sales strategically
Launching new or limited-edition products
Overall, despite inflation, holiday spending is expected to increase with consumers spending on more than just gift-giving. With the pandemic seemingly getting further behind us, excitement around holidays is at an all-time high. Brands that meet customers in the moment will have more success than those that only focus on products.
---
## Digital transformation is restaurants' new secret ingredient
Type: eps_post
URL: /digital-transformation-is-restaurants-new-secret-ingredient
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T22:16:49Z
# Digital transformation is restaurants' new secret ingredient
If 2021 was the year restaurants could rejoice because hungry patrons were finally returning to dining rooms after a long pandemic pause, a more complicated picture emerged in 2022.
Overall sales numbers are fine, if uninspiring—and inflation isn't helping. Guest counts continue to lag. And consumer habits and expectations are changing in ways that suggest that the formula for success in the next era of restaurant dining isn't going to look like the last one.
The continual march of digital transformation and pandemic-era behavioral changes are forcing restaurants to continue to adapt. Restauranteurs know it, too: eight in 10 said technology in the restaurant provides a competitive edge, and many indicated they planned to step up their tech investments, according to the National Restaurant Association's State of the Restaurant Industry 2022 report.
What does restaurant innovation currently look like
One popular area for tech investment is online ordering, whether for takeout or delivery. The growth in off-premises dining is among the major pandemic trends that appear to have staying power. A Deloitte survey conducted in September 2021 found that 61% of consumers continued to order either a takeout or delivery meal at least once a week. Perhaps unsurprisingly, that's more than three times higher than before the pandemic—but it's also more than two times higher than the number from Fall 2020 when dining rooms were largely closed. That points to a meaningful, long-term change in consumer behavior, and industry leaders and observers are taking notice.
Indeed, the online food delivery market is expected to grow at a compound annual growth rate of 9.8% annually over the next decade, according to Future Market Insights. Brands like Buffalo Wild Wings, Chili's and TGI Fridays are investing in spinoff, takeout-focused concepts to better serve off-premises consumers.
Even QSR restaurants that already catered to a drive-thru audience have seized on the opportunity to do more, from Taco Bell's small-footprint "Go Mobile" concept that emphasizes app-based ordering to a partnership between McDonald's and food-delivery giant DoorDash.
The changing of customer expectations
The reimagining of the restaurant-customer relationship isn't limited to the explosion in popularity of off-premises dining. Customers also expect a more seamless experience in the restaurant. That could be kiosks that support ordering and payment or mobile device-based solutions ranging from dedicated apps to third-party integrations that use tabletop QR codes to display menus and even integrate with POS systems. (In fact, the impact of digital transformation on back-of-house operations is likely to be as profound as the customer-facing changes, as more connected devices monitor food freshness and safety, and more supplier orders are placed automatically based on inventory levels or order volume.)
It's also increasingly important to offer options to consumers on their preferred channel—and the number of those channels seems to be proliferating weekly. A survey conducted by PYMNTS and Paytronix found that consumers regularly use four different channels to place food orders. Mobile ordering—either through dedicated apps or aggregators such as DoorDash, Uber Eats and GrubHub—ranks ahead of orders placed via restaurant websites or phone calls to the restaurant.
Nor is ordering the only emerging digital touchpoint for restaurants to be concerned about. Younger consumers expect to interact with their favorite brands via social media—and even in emerging forums like the metaverse, where Wendy's (in the Horizon Worlds metaverse) and Chipotle (the Roblox virtual world) already have piloted virtual locations. Many other restaurants have indicated plans to test the waters, as well.
Restaurants that have operated at the forefront of digital transformation are now benefiting from years of experimentation, refinement and growing maturity. Those who have thus far stayed on the sidelines can benefit from the industry-wide learnings and best practices that have emerged over the last few years. But now is the time to get in the game before the restaurant industry's digital makeover takes hold to such an extent that it poses an existential threat to businesses that fail to adapt.
That pressure applies to loyalty programs, too. Now that customers are handling more data and dialing up the frequency and sophistication of their digital interactions with their favorite restaurants, they're also looking for more out of the loyalty and rewards programs at those businesses. That means eliminating friction and using loyalty programs to offer rewards and the associated data-generated insights to stitch together rich customer profiles that facilitate custom offers and recommendations. (The ability to serve up compelling offers takes on special importance in difficult economic circumstances, which means digitally savvy restaurants are poised to have a leg up on their competitors as inflation rises and recession looms.)
How restaurants can thrive in the new era
The first-party data expertise needed to glean those insights and convert them into actionable intelligence is an Epsilon specialty. Our PeopleCloud solution helps brands solve for customer identity across various touchpoints and to supply personalization at scale using multi-dimensional segmentation. It also enables marketers to identify the contexts and offers needed to facilitate the "right message, right time" communications with their customers. Likewise, Epsilon's loyalty and CRM expertise enables clients to drive deeper engagement with their best customers.
The good news for restaurants is that many kitchens are humming at full speed once again. Consumers are rediscovering the fun and convenience that a great restaurant experience can provide—whether the food is consumed on- or off-premise. The challenge is that the contours of that experience are changing as consumers adopt new habits and expectations in response to emerging technologies and the behavioral rewiring sparked by the pandemic.
To thrive in the next era, restaurants must embrace technology and digital transformation to an unprecedented extent. That may sound intimidating, but there's a bright side: technology promises to enable restaurants to connect with their customers more seamlessly than ever before while providing added value and convenience along the way.
---
## The Drum: How ChatGPT and Lensa AI are transforming creative work
Type: eps_post
URL: /the-drum-how-chatgpt-and-lensa-ai-are-transforming-creative-work
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# The Drum: How ChatGPT and Lensa AI are transforming creative work
AI applications have become widespread and now have the potential to fill in business efficiency gaps, spanning industries from finance, to healthcare to more creative spaces. According to the Forbes Technology Council, jobs within the sales, manufacturing, grocery and business writing sectors will also experience some degree of AI integration within the next decade.
In a recent article published in The Drum, Epsilon Senior Vice President of Creative Stacy Ward writes about how this new technology is continually evolving, and its impact could be huge.
AI has brought a changing tide of creative work.
"For marketers, creative work is what forms the emotional connection between data and customers," Ward writes. "It’s no surprise, then, that most marketing departments have a slew of in-house automation tools that support creative development. This is propelled, in part, by the increasing expectation of personalization from today’s consumers, which has required brands to rethink how they meet the scale of creative assets required."
Read more on Ward's analysis of marketing applications for generative AI in The Drum's article here.
---
## Extending loyalty through subscriptions and ecosystems
Type: eps_post
URL: /extending-loyalty-through-subscriptions-and-ecosystems
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Extending loyalty through subscriptions and ecosystems
“Economy” and “booming” aren’t two words you would expect to see scrawled next to each other in recent headlines. But when it comes to the loyalty subscription economy, it is in fact booming. There is a subscription service for every consumer need and want—from Netflix and HelloFresh to Ipsy and Coursera Plus. Fueled by rapid adoption from younger generations, subscription models have found 6x growth in the last nine years. As Epsilon Senior Director of Strategic Consulting Lauren Wawrzyniak puts it, "subscriptions come back to convenience and predictability. Younger generations and consumers alike highly value their personal time and actively seek out ways to protect and maintain it by taking advantage of these services."
Subscriptions have found great success because they’ve pinpointed benefits from both sides of the aisle. For brands it means furthering a consistent recurring revenue stream, locking in their best customers with built-in loyalty, differentiating from the competition and increasing their digital engagement. On the other hand, consumers are offered special perks and discounts, exclusive products or services, and convenience.
Building a subscription model – key considerations
When it comes to building out a subscription model, there are four key stages.
Ideation: In this stage, thinking about how to “wow” your consumers and creating a program that is engaging and sharable is vital. The use of customer research and analytical learnings to find unique opportunities comes into play as brands look for opportunities to differentiate from their competition. Digital channel trial and adoption should be encouraged.
Planning: This stage of forethought has a customer experience focus. Clearly defining objective, desired outcomes, hypotheses and KPIs is key to creating a top tier loyalty program. This also seems to be the phase where clients tends to run into the most challenges, according to Wawrzyniak:
"Coming up with a great idea goes a long way, but bringing it to fruition proves to be much more difficult especially in very service-heavy subscription programs that require new supply chain logistics and staffing models," she says. "Well-established businesses are often reluctant to embrace the changes needed to create these new revenue streams."
Validation: In the validation stage of creating a subscription, detailed financial modeling should be used to understand the cost and benefits of the program as well as pricing. Offerings should be right-sized for different segments and small in-market tests are carried out before launching at scale.
Evolution: Keeping a subscription model fresh, with for instance the addition of soft benefits, ensures consumer loyalty doesn’t stagnate. Prices and offerings should be continuously tested and optimized. Look to partners to help enhance and even fund the program.
From siloed approaches to connected ecosystems
Loyalty is changing. While consumers used to expect value and relevancy and crave personalized experiences, they now also expect seamless digital experiences, crave trust, and look for human connections. Value exchange, too has shifted from transactional to emotional connections and immediate value-add, resulting in the need for brand loyalty initiatives to be fully orchestrated with an enterprise-wide loyalty culture. Limited and siloed experiences just won’t cut it.
In order to win, programs therefore must shift from siloed approaches to connected offerings, which is where loyalty ecosystems come into play. Labeled as the new frontier of loyalty, loyalty ecosystems enable brands to extend their rewards offerings across multiple corresponding partners or businesses.
Unlike traditional coalition programs which are fragmented, only directly communicate with third-party coalition management systems and focus on "earn and burn" transactions, loyalty ecosystems connect brands directly through a central web. A partner ecosystem layout creates the ability for brands to offer both financial and experiential benefits across various mediums, increased access to member data and acquisition, incremental engagements, and a host of other IT benefits.
Wawrzyniak emphasizes that, “Partnerships are a great way to deliver additional value to your member base beyond your own offerings and capabilities. The key to identifying the right partners is rooted in not just data analysis, but customer empathy—understanding the needs, wants, and desires of your customer base can identify relevant pain points outside of your traditional relationship.”
Dunkin’ recently announced the extension of their partnership with Shell’s Fuel Rewards Network, allowing Dunkin' Rewards members to earn fuel rewards on top of their Dunkin' Rewards' points. Wawrzyniak adds that, “Dunkin’ recognized that fuel prices are a major pain point for their customer base and worked with Shell to add greater value to the loyalty program beyond their core competencies.”
Loyalty ecosystems increase member touchpoints and engage members outside the traditional buying cycle. The ability to connect co-branded card partners with airline, ride-sharing or even shopping partners creates a world where the customer journey is seamlessly connected along every digital touchpoint.
That being said, subscription fatigue is becoming more common and services to manage unwanted subscriptions or centralize them are popping up. Verizon recently launched +Play, a service that is designed to manage multiple media subscriptions from a single app. Subscription models "cannot rely on customers’ forgetfulness as a long-term strategy. Rather, they must be very focused on what they seek to deliver and who they are targeting to maintain a successful and sustainable program," Wawrzyniak points out.
If you’re looking to learn more about how your brand can look to integrate into a loyalty ecosystem, Epsilon’s strategy team can help. As Wawrzyniak highlights, "the most effective programs offer a robust portfolio of benefits to their members, with an emphasis on rational and emotional value." Epsilon helps our clients focus on their customers’ needs and wants to help them create an offering with benefits that appeal to the head, heart, and wallet of their customer base all through a platform that can measure and track different types of behaviors in one place.
And if you are looking to create a customer loyalty program from the ground up, Epsilon’s PeopleCloud Loyalty can help your brand create a 1:1 journey for each customer too.
---
## AI-powered data clean rooms are the next big strategic advantage in marketing
Type: eps_post
URL: /data-clean-rooms-ai
Last Modified: 2026-07-06T17:01:22Z
# AI-powered data clean rooms are the next big strategic advantage in marketing
More than ever before, it's become mission critical for marketers to break through the noise and reach their best customers. But can they actually reach them?
Data clean rooms offer a way forward for marketers to understand who they want to reach now, who they want to reach next and also who to avoid. When powered by AI, clean rooms can achieve this at scale. But not all clean rooms are ready for the AI revolution.
For sophisticated AI to achieve maximum results, brands need a data clean room equipped with pre-loaded data and identity.
Data clean rooms and AI
A data clean room is a safe, pseudonymized space known for prospective customer data. This allows marketers to analyze marketing and advertising data from many different sources in one singular view, all in a way that protects the privacy of the data from each individual source.
Data clean rooms are not new, but they are becoming increasingly popular as data becomes more complex to consolidate across platforms and manage across geographies.
There are two general ways a data clean room can engage with AI—both of which are integral to the other.
Creating a foundation of data through a data clean room
Many brands use data clean room providers for data collaboration. This is possible because of the stringent privacy controls built into the tech designed to protect all parties collaborating inside a data clean room. This tech allows brands to work with various data sets, including those from trusted partners, to augment and enrich data. This fills in data gaps on known and prospective customers, creating a richer understanding and analysis of each person.
Most data clean rooms come as an empty container that brands must fill. Brands without a lot of first-party data may find it hard to draw value from clean room because they only have so much data to input for analysis. And, without an identity resolution solution, the data a brand does have may be incomplete, inaccurate and duplicative.
For AI to work effectively (and accurately) it requires quality data. And it needs a lot of it. Without a wide breadth and depth of accurate data, AI can't deliver meaningful insights.
The impact of data quality and AI: AI can only learn from observation, meaning its only as good as the data its trained on.
The impact of data scale and AI: When it comes to AI, the larger the data set, the deeper the insights. Data clean rooms offer a privacy-safe space for brands to increase that scope.
A data clean room equipped with identity resolution can help prime a brand's data for AI engagement. Harmonized, cleansed, enhanced and connected data points provide a quality, accurate data foundation. A single identity spine creates stronger models for who their prospective customers might be.
AI functionality inside a data clean room
Data clean rooms are far more than just a data repository, though. Next-gen data clean rooms do something with all the data and insights it produces.
This tech allows brands to work with various data sets, including those from trusted partners, to augment and enrich data. This fills in data gaps on known and prospective customers, creating a richer understanding and analysis of each person.
Using those insights, marketers can make smarter decisions: Who can I reach? Who should I reach? And who should I ignore all together?
Data clean rooms equipped with identity resolution enable a closed-loop, person-based marketing system. In short, they can:
Create customer insights based on harmonized, cleansed and enhanced data
Develop audience strategies tailored to real, unique individuals
Activate campaigns based on those strategies
Measure the outcomes
Use those outcomes from media conversion data to inform future audience strategies
Now imagine that process powered by AI.
Predictive AI powers a data clean room to use solid data to develop, activate, measure and learn in real-time and at scale.
What's next on the AI horizon
AI and AI implementation is only going to accelerate. According to Epsilon research, 94% of marketers surveyed said they have already adopted AI for marketing, with 23% saying they're allocating 21-30% of their marketing budgets for AI. A 2025 Gallup poll shows that the percentage of U.S. employees who say they have used AI in their role as few times a year or more doubled in the past two years (from 21% to 40%.)
AI itself is also getting increasingly more complex. AI capabilities and accessibility are an ever-expanding landscape. Technology like agentic AI that anticipates and makes decisions autonomously across data, systems and people, will require data refinement. Custom models that require proprietary data will become essential.
Companies will need to invest in data quality assurance with incredibly high standards of reliability, accuracy and scalability. But even as the AI revolution ramps up, nearly half of marketers say they're worried about data quality. A recent Epsilon survey shows 49% of respondents said they’re concerned that model accuracy is affecting efficacy.
Investing in the right data clean room now will ensure brands are ready to take on new forms of AI as they arrive instead of chase after the bandwagon in the moment.
In a recent Digiday webinar sponsored by Epsilon, guest speaker Stephanie Liu, Senior Analyst, Forrester said data preparation is a critical step for brands looking to harness the power of AI. Without quality, accurate data, AI can't produce meaningful results. And as AI becomes more complex, quality control will become even more critical.
"AI is going to exacerbate those data issues," Liu said. "Just because the data is there doesn't mean it’s good data or the right data."
Finding the right clean room partner
Epsilon Clean Room comes preloaded with data and identity, giving brands a foundational identity spine to bring first-party data together. We also offer proprietary audience data, giving brands a deeper view of their current customers.
But we go beyond simply having powerful tech. We offer pre-built predictive models and audiences for marketers to use and access to audience strategists who can help with audience-first approaches and data strategies.
Learn more about Epsilon's Clean Room solution, how it works and what it can do for your business.
---
## 6 generational insights to shape your marketing strategy
Type: eps_post
URL: /generational-marketing-strategy-insights-adweek
Last Modified: 2025-10-29T18:03:44Z
# 6 generational insights to shape your marketing strategy
Why does cross-generational marketing matter in 2025? It’s simple: It’s a great way to easily gain a deeper understanding of your audience.
Most brands know what customers buy from them and how often—which is great for tracking retention, consumer value, and driving upsells. Looking at customers based on their generation, however, is a way to get a deeper understanding of their preferences and actions.
Truly knowing your audience—and what their preferences are—on a deeper level impacts which marketing channels you use, your branding, and maybe even your product design. If you know your audience is primarily made up of millennials and Gen Xers, your marketing strategy is going to differ significantly from a company that’s trying to reach Gen Zs or boomers.
Epsilon uses certified market-leading data to help clients better identify and engage with their best and next-best potential customers. Its latest cross-generational marketing report breaks down differences across the following categories:
Consumer spending behavior
Media consumption preferences
How consumers feel about loyalty programs and brand loyalty overall
How consumers use AI
The continued impact of inflation on consumer buying behavior
To help you get ahead of the curve, let’s take a look at six key takeaways from the report and how they can help shape your marketing strategy.
Consumers nearly equally favor both in-store and online shopping
Five years ago, it seemed as though online shopping would have surely overtaken in-store shopping by now, but in 2025, consumers across all generations still see value in shopping in-store—it just depends on what they’re buying.
Epsilon also found that the motivation to shop in-store or online varies by generation. For Gen Z, shopping in-store is a social activity, while boomers particularly appreciate being able to touch and test physical products in real life.
Smartphones are the most common device for online shopping
When it comes to shopping online, 73% of consumers use their smartphones to add to cart (only 50% use their laptops, and the numbers drop sharply for desktop computers and tablets).
For a breakdown across generations, Gen Z, millennials, and Gen Xers are most likely to use a smartphone when shopping online, but boomers are divided between their smartphone, laptop, and desktop computer. In fact, nearly 40% of boomers report using a desktop for online shopping—the highest of all generations surveyed.
Earning rewards influences where consumers choose to shop
In 2025, loyalty to cellphone companies, credit cards, and casual restaurants like Chili’s has increased across generations—and loyalty programs are one of the main drivers.
The report found that 58% of consumers say earning rewards influences where they shop, while 20% will avoid stores that don’t offer loyalty points.
Influencers are a top source of inspiration for Gen Zs and millennials
As expected, influencers continue to have a greater impact on younger generations. Over a third of Gen Z and millennials name social media influencers as a go-to source for inspiration, but very few boomers refer to this source.
Across generations, consumers still see a lot of value in product reviews and input from friends and family when it comes to the products they buy.
Of AI users, millennials are the likeliest to say they use AI daily
In many of Epsilon’s recent research reports, marketers and consumers have been asked to share their sentiments about AI and how they’re using it. Overall, there’s an increase in daily usage and comfortability with using AI for basic tasks to save time, but users are still concerned about privacy, data security, and job security.
One surprising data point is how generational AI preferences differ based on whether consumers have children or grandchildren. Among AI users, boomers without children or grandchildren enjoy using AI more than those with children and grandchildren. They cite generating new ideas and perspectives (23% vs. 14%) and trying out new and different technologies (22% vs. 13%) as their top motivators.
And the data flips for younger generations: Millennial parents are likelier than those without children to enjoy using AI because it’s entertaining and interactive (28% vs. 20%) and offers reliable and accurate results (25% vs. 15%).
Using Google vs. Amazon for search
As Bob Dylan says, when it comes to media consumption, “Times they are a-changin.” According to the report, two in three respondents use Google every day, but one in five use Amazon as a search engine, a trend primarily driven by millennials and Gen X. Despite Google’s fervent popularity, search engines like Bing are still used across generations, and more consumers are turning to voice-activated assistants, Amazon, Yahoo, and AI to find the answers they’re looking for.
There are similar diversification trends when it comes to how consumers across generations are streaming music and watching TV.
How to leverage these insights in your data-driven marketing strategy
At the end of the day, generational data helps you understand your customers and prospects on a deeper level. From there, you can personalize your marketing messages so you not only reach the right person, but you also reach them with an impactful message that resonates, in the channels they use.
This article was originally published on April 23, 2025, on AdWeek.com.
---
## Why testing for user friction can dramatically improve website experiences
Type: eps_post
URL: /test-and-remove-website-friction-for-growth
Last Modified: 2025-12-08T21:09:05Z
# Why testing for user friction can dramatically improve website experiences
People visit your website for a reason—to compare items, buy products or just explore what your brand has to offer. If anything gets in their way—they bounce.
A single hiccup, momentary delay or complicated navigation, could result in losing conversions, brand credibility and ultimately revenue. According to Forbes, 57% of users are less likely to recommend a business if they have an unsatisfactory experience with their website.
Given these numbers, when it comes to your website’s ability to perform, engage and offer value—every click counts. Here’s the caveat: you might not always know what’s diverting your website traffic.
High-performing websites adapt to customer behavior, instantly personalizing the experience without friction. But seamless online experiences don’t happen by chance—they are a result of continuous testing and optimization.
The right personalization platform has powerful testing capabilities built in—revealing customer behavior in real time—allowing you to learn from what people do and create customized experiences that match their interests. Website testing can easily be integrated into your marketing strategy to maximize sales and drive revenue.
What website testing makes possible
Think of your website as the doorway into your brand. It’s often where people form their first impression, so it should do more than list products—the tone, design and even the navigation—should attract.
What’s more, the journey should all unfold seamlessly, ensuring your customers feel seen and guided along the way—as they connect with relevant messages that encourage engagement and interaction. However, if people can’t make sense of the content and are confused by the layout, they’ll go elsewhere to find what they want.
This is where advanced website testing comes in.
If you run a campaign and only 20% of the people that visited your website actually bought something, testing will reveal why the remaining 80% did not. The insight you gain from testing, will empower you to make modifications that help you connect with your customers more meaningfully, resulting in improved campaign performance.
Through testing, you can segment your customers by behavior and tailor experiences in real time—executing changes that reflect behavioral intent—and create engaging experiences that convert.
Understand how users truly engage
By analyzing how customers interact with your website, you can connect the dots from homepage to product page to checkout, to better understand how people truly navigate your site. More than understanding website traffic metrics, testing lets you see what your user sees, indicating where to remove friction points, surface offers or provide relevant messages—like social proof—at key moments. Ultimately, testing unlocks the why and allows you to tailor your website to deliver better experiences that keep customers engaged and coming back to your brand.
Turn consumer behavior into actionable insight
Website testing should be leveraged like a strategic enabler—not another technical responsibility. With the right tools, you can create campaigns that generate actionable data and spot missed opportunities—like complicated checkout or lack of inventory—and turn them into timely exchanges that transform casual visits into meaningful customer experiences.
Advanced technology, like Epsilon Accelerate, has built-in testing capabilities that allow you to impact on-page personalization tactics in real time. With the behavioral insight, you can trigger the right flow—using traffic shaping, customized product recommendations or social proof notifications—surfacing the right message at the right time—even at peak traffic times.
Personalize experiences to learn, adapt—and drive growth
Consumer behavior and expectations are always shifting—and so should your website personalization strategy. According to our research on consumers' perceptions about personalization, 82% of respondents stated that they view brands positively when that brand advertises a product that person needs.
Onsite testing makes surfacing offers seamless. It shows behavioral patterns and lets you adapt content at key decision-making moments, ensuring your website is evolving with your customers’ expectations. The right platform offers dynamic onsite experiences across key pages, ensuring you can refine the end-to-end experience—from overlays to form-fills to checkout—adapting interactions to suit consumer behavior where it occurs.
How one retailer built better customer journeys for plant shoppers
While many houseplant retailers struggled to bridge the gap between online engagement and in-store sales, one brand was able to learn more about their customers’ needs—and deliver value—by testing behavioral patterns on their website.
Dedicated to encouraging plant ownership and building strong brand affinity, they personalized their website flow and ran advanced tests. By aligning granular data segmentation and analytic measurement, the D2C houseplant retailer used real-time insights to significantly improve the customer journey.
They increased cross-selling and average order value by recommending complementary products to high-basket value customers and maximized revenue by guiding shoppers to products tailored to product affinity.
Testing proved to be effective in significantly impacting their ROI. The brand saw a noticeable increase in engagement on pages that were served customized experiences—resulting in a 21% lift in website conversions.
Brands that create customized web experiences that people value, turn their website traffic into revenue growth. This is why testing matters—it helps you smooth the customer journey so that visitors take an action—like buying a product, signing up to receive emails or creating an account.
Better outcomes start with quality data
You can’t tailor experiences—or optimize the customer journey—without data.
A powerful website personalization platform does more than ensure onsite tagging is in place—it provides a reliable first-party data strategy that’s foundational for accurate testing and customized experiences. Ensuring your first-party data is cleansed and enhanced is essential to establishing a consistent feedback loop with your customers.
With first-party data fueling the experience, you can ensure every touchpoint is customized and seamlessly moves users to the next best action. Data-driven insights don’t just improve personalization—they lead to increased engagement and lead generation.
Smarter, data-driven website testing
Managing a website can be hectic. Having to tackle everything from ad spend to new product promotions to managing customer feedback, can make testing sound overwhelming—and impossible, especially for teams with tight budgets and limited resources.
But testing doesn’t need to be complex to be effective. You just need the right approach—backed by the right technology.
Advanced website testing—made easy
Advanced platforms are designed to eliminate complicated steps and added workflows, making advanced testing techniques simple to execute. With a no-code, drag-and-drop editor, you can test, evaluate and validate your campaigns natively in the platform—all without the need for a development team.
The right tool analyzes variant experiences—testing A/B/n, spilt and multivariate campaigns—easily comparing the performance results to see what worked best. It allows you to control everything from overlays to background images to where content appears on-page and which segment should see it.
Real-time insights are a valuable way to see how people respond to on-page communications and optimize the experience, ultimately building smarter customer journeys over time.
Drive traffic by testing and learning
In order to increase brand awareness, build credibility and ultimately boost brand affinity, you need to establish ongoing consumer-brand conversations that validates their patronage with every interaction. Every test brings to light new insights—new opportunities to respond to your customers and engage in new ways—informing future personalization or campaign strategies.
A website strategy that includes continuous testing and optimization, allows you to stay tuned into who your customers are, deliver what they want, and offer the next best action they should take on your website.
Analyze the right metrics
Are you wondering which pages on your website have the most conversions? Why people drop off at checkout? If the overlay on your homepage works?
Beyond clicks and scrolls, the right tool provides visualization charts of the entire journey in one dashboard. It displays both a high-level overview as well as detailed, granular data—making it easy to see how people navigate your site.
The right platform helps validate page updates and runs onsite tests that best match your business needs—unlocking rich behavioral insights that fuel scalable growth. It has full testing capability that can increase conversion rate optimization by helping you:
See and understand the full customer journey
Identify functionality that needs to be optimized—high cart abandonment or drop-off areas
Track revenue, sales and average order value
Fuel your website testing with the right partner
Testing with real-time behavioral allows you to remove points of confusion or frustration for the user and improve customer satisfaction, while building trust and credibility in your brand. When done right, it turns static experiences into smooth journeys that engage visitors across touchpoints—resulting in increased engagement, improved sales and reduced bounce rates.
Investing in the right technology provider is key. Epsilon Accelerate is a powerful, no-code website personalization platform that has advanced testing and measurement capabilities, data-driven analytics and real-time behavioral insights—giving you the power to fuel data-driven website strategies that lead to increased ROI.
---
## Data clean rooms and direct integrations: How to connect with high-value customers everywhere
Type: eps_post
URL: /data-clean-room-direct-integration
Last Modified: 2026-01-23T14:55:01Z
# Data clean rooms and direct integrations: How to connect with high-value customers everywhere
Data clean rooms are a powerful tool for marketers. These safe, pseudonymized spaces allow brands to access known and prospective customer data for analysis and activation. Brands can take marketing and advertising data from many different sources into one, singular view while protecting the privacy of data from each individual source.
These deeper insights allow marketers to engage customers based on their behavior across channels, and use first-party and third-party data to build audiences, activate media and provide measurement.
But not all data clean rooms are the same. The right data clean room will help marketers securely activate their first-party data with direct integration partners across many platforms. This means they can connect with their highest value customers and prospective customers at just the right moment, making every interaction feel more personal and more impactful.
Inspire Brands, one of the largest restaurant companies in the U.S., is among the first brands to use this integration with Epsilon's clean room and Snapchat. Travis Freeman, Chief Media Officer and SVP, Demand Generations at Inspire Brands, said utilizing this type of direct integration has been a game changer.
“At Inspire, we’re focused on turning data into action, and this integration helps us do that with more speed and confidence while better connecting with our highly engaged Gen Z and Millennial audiences,” said Travis Freeman, Chief Media Officer and SVP, Demand Generation at Inspire Brands. “With Snap and Epsilon, we can reach the right guests on one of their most-engaging platforms and understand how our campaigns are driving actual results across our portfolio of brands.”
How direct partner integration works
All brands use some digital platform to advertise their products and services. Platforms like Meta and Google alone boast millions of advertisers, and as digital channels continue to dominate the marketing and advertising space, that number will continue to grow.
Effectively reaching customers on those platforms has become table stakes, which is why direct partner integration is critical. Direct integration gives marketers the power to push audiences developed inside a data clean room out to activation platforms. Because these integrations are direct, brands can securely move audiences from insights to execution with precision and speed.
Brands can immediately activate audiences on platforms like Meta, Google, Snapchat and more and measure the efficacy of campaigns on those platforms in real-time, too.
The benefit of using a clean room with direct partner activation
Many brands activate their campaigns directly on these platforms. So what's the benefit of using a clean room as a starting point?
Custom audiences
Data clean rooms bring together a brand's first-party data and third-party and partner data to create unique, custom audiences regardless of what audience/attribute types are available on each individual platform. This creates more granular reach that uses the attributes designed by the intended audience, not what is merely classifiable or available on the platform.
For example: one platform might classify Jane Doe as a nature lover, while another calls her an outdoors enthusiast. Developing solid audience attributes in a clean room before deploying a campaign ensures that Jane Doe gets relevant, nature-related ads on both platforms.
Deduplication
Similarly, a brand may determine that their nature-loving consumers shouldn't receive the same ad across different platforms, just on one. Custom audiences help identify all interested people based on the demographic and determine which platforms and channels to use and which to suppress on an individual basis.
A centralized audience strategy
Both custom and deduped audiences are possible because brands can determine a strategy across platforms versus making bespoke strategies on each platform one at a time. Because unique audiences are consistent across platforms, brands can design thoughtful, multi-touch campaigns that incorporates all platforms.
For example, Jane Doe gets her first touch via Meta, her second via Snapchat, and so on.
Preparing audiences for direct partner activation
Having direct integration isn't enough. Without solid audiences, integration and activation doesn't guarantee campaign success.
The right data clean room can build solid audiences based off clean, harmonized and unified data. Data clean rooms pre-equipped with data and identity resolution can help brands build better audiences on day one, regardless of how much (or how little) first-party data a brand has.
Most independent clean rooms come as an empty box that a brand is expected to fill. For brands without a lot of first-party data, it can be hard to find value in the clean room because they have limited data to analyze and glean insights from. They would need to rely heavily on partners and purchased third-party data to make the clean room investment valuable, thus tacking on costs to an already-expensive technology investment (not to mention the additional procurement involved).
A clean room that is equipped with identity and data enables brands to understand their current customers more deeply, build lookalike audiences based on their best customers and transform those unauthenticated customers into known ones.
At Epsilon, our proprietary data gives marketers insights into 250M+ unique U.S. individuals anchored in name and address to create audiences of those most likely to buy. It also helps identify who isn't in market, helping marketers spend media budgets more effectively.
READ MORE: Acquire new customers
Deliver personalized marketing
With a complete, dynamic and persistent understanding of user behavior, preferences and demographics, you can personalize marketing campaigns, improving ad engagement and overall campaign performance.
And this matters: A survey from Epsilon on how consumers view personalized marketing and advertising shows that 76% of respondents said they view a brand negatively when they include inaccurate information about them in their marketing message. Even more interesting is that 91% said they see at least one irrelevant ad or marketing message a day.
The right data clean room enables brands to not only unify and expand their first-party data, but to gain a single, comprehensive view of their universe of potential buyers. And then use that view to craft a relevant message on the right channel at the right time. With person-first marketing, you’re able to understand, engage and learn from conversations with consumers on a 1:1 basis, across channels.
Direct integration increases marketing efficacy and speed
Clean rooms built with direct integration and built-in data and identity give brands the power to activate their campaigns with confidence. At Epsilon, we partner with several platforms for immediate activation including Meta, Google, Snapchat, Amazon, Pinterest, The Trade Desk and Yahoo.
Key benefits include:
Easy audience creation. Epsilon’s self-service builder gives access to 7,000+ person-level attributes to create relevant audiences using your first-party data and Epsilon’s proprietary data.
Seamless delivery. Automate deployment to these partners with scheduled audience refreshes and end dates—no manual uploads required.
Fast activation. Audiences are available on Meta, Google, Snapchat, Amazon, Pinterest, The Trade Desk, or Yahoo within 24–48 hours.
For example: Epsilon's direct integration with Snapchat saw match rates improve up to 50% for audience activation, enabling more precise targeting for campaigns.
Learn more about Epsilon Clean Room.
---
## For loyalty that lasts—tailor member journeys by generation
Type: eps_post
URL: /build-lasting-loyalty-across-generations
Last Modified: 2026-03-31T15:57:02Z
# For loyalty that lasts—tailor member journeys by generation
Our recent Epsilon Pulse generations report revealed that sixty one percent of boomers remain loyal to brands that offer good value, while nearly half of Gen Z adults are willing to spend more to reach higher loyalty point tiers or better rewards. This highlights a key strategic question: Can your loyalty program deliver value across generations?
It’s very common for loyalty programs to provide an incentive at sign-up and follow-up with offers meant to encourage ongoing participation. While these tactics are essential to building viable first-party data, they sometimes lack the personal touch that’s needed to foster the type of customer loyalty that will grow with your brand over time.
Generational loyalty can help brands be more effective in orchestrating personalized member journeys that increase engagement, boost affinity and build lifetime value.
Understanding generational loyalty
When it comes down to it, different factors—like community, family values and societal trends—define each generation. They shape perspectives in unique ways, impacting who people are and what they find important.
Cross-generational factors work in the same way, they run deep—influencing behavior.
Generational loyalty refers to loyalty that’s based on different age groups—Gen Z minors, Gen Z adults, millennials, Gen X and boomers. Essentially, brand loyalty—like product value, shopping convenience or brand authenticity—varies by generation.
Let’s take a closer look at how each generation is defined—from Gen Z to boomers.
Gen Z minors (13 to 17 yrs old)
Digital natives: View shopping as a social activity central to their lifestyle.
Gen Z adults (18 to 26 yrs old)
Digital-first: Approach shopping as social experience, with a focus on value.
Millennials (27 to 42 yrs old)
Adapt to tech: Socially engaged shoppers that are loyalty-oriented.
Gen X (43 to 58 yrs old)
Traditional: Balanced shoppers that prefer value-driven, practical benefits.
Boomers (59 to 77 yrs old)
Conservative: Shopping behaviors are practical and cost-conscious.
Each of these groups has specific expectations—making it a powerful tool to leverage for increased precision in your loyalty marketing strategies.
Why generational loyalty matters
Brand loyalty isn’t the same for all generations. What each defines as value—emotionally and functionally—is very different. Our cross-generational research also revealed 42% of millennials have switched away from a brand they were loyal to because their prices changed, while 34% of Gen Z adults switched away from one brand because they found a better brand.
Building brand loyalty that responds to cross-generational preferences allows you to see who your customers truly are and engage with them in ways that resonate. Knowing that millennials are more tech-savvy and expect seamless interactions and that boomers engage with brands they can trust, gives you the ability to offer what matters to them, which creates meaningful moments that give shape to shared experiences of your brand over time.
For this reason, brands that have figured out how to resonate with people of different ages aren’t just recognized—they’re experienced and loved.
Building cross-generation loyalty starts with the right technology
Another Epsilon Pulse research report on consumer loyalty found that 80% of consumers like it when brands personalize their communications based on their loyalty program interactions and status.
This sheds light on a widespread truth about loyal consumers: Personalization is a key driver of engagement. But, why does it feel so hard to get right? Because most customer data sits in silos.
Advanced loyalty technologies, built on a solid foundation of data and identity resolution, can clean and enrich your first-party data, unifying fragmented customer records and enhancing them with robust data attributes that offer a full view of each of your customers—allowing you to seamlessly communicate with your loyalty program members, across generations.
How consumer loyalty impacts engagement
Rewards alone aren’t enough to create sustained engagement—customers respond to relevance.
In our consumer loyalty report, half of the respondents stated they were motivated to actually open communications from their loyalty brands when the product, service or perk being offered to them was a good deal, while 65% said they disliked or left a loyalty program when the rewards weren't worth it or were too limited.
Full data summary: Communication preferences
Fostering affinity through smarter loyalty programs (Epsilon Pulse Research, 2025)
Leveraging first-party data to customize experiences across generations provides additional insight into behaviors and preferences—ensuring you’re able to deliver what people want authentically, with interactions that match their interests.
The power of emotional consumer-brand connections
People are more likely to seek out and buy from brands they feel "know them." Customers that make an emotional connection to your products and services stay with your brand—and recommend it to others.
Whether you're sending a direct offer via text to Gen Zs or launching an email campaign with clear loyalty-based rewards to boomers—the right solution can deliver personalization at scale across all touch points and help you consistently provide experiences that resonate on an emotional level.
With the right technology, you can tap into measurement capabilities that assess a consumer's emotional connection to your brand. Metrics like Net Promoter Score (NPS), Customer Satisfaction (CSAT) and Emotional loyalty can help you go deeper with your customers by revealing patterns in brand perception and emotional connection that go beyond surface-level feedback.
In our consumer loyalty report, sixty-two percent of consumer respondents said customized products and offerings are what make them feel good about continuing to participate in a loyalty program.
Full data summary: Consumer motivation
Fostering affinity through smarter loyalty programs (Epsilon Pulse Research, 2025)
Cross-generational segmentation can help you better understand your customers' expectations and deliver what they want. For example, you can see shifts in attitudes and dips in satisfaction for different segments, like: Gen Z consumers that are quick to disengage if they aren't in alignment with a brands values, or boomers with dwindling trust in your brand.
Ultimately, brands that have mastered the art of emotional connection have figured out how to offer shared meaning, memorable moments and values passed down through hyper-personalized loyalty marketing campaigns.
Data-driven strategies increase engagement—and loyalty
When you know what each generation wants from your brand, you can build relevant member journeys that drive meaningful engagement by appealing to their values, interests and beliefs. The right technology partner can bring your loyalty marketing efforts to life—empowering your brand communications with one unified message—delivered across touchpoints and generations.
If you’re looking to build a strategy that will dynamically engage cross-generational loyalty members, here are a few things to keep in mind:
By tailoring experiences to millennials, that are social, and value driven—while at the same time offering Gen X members practical offers, served up through traditional tactics—you are speaking directly to each segment simultaneously, and delivering exactly what each group wants.
Partnering with the right technology can provide valuable insights into how each group experiences your loyalty program, ensuring you can create data-driven strategies that change the way people interact with your brand—optimizing your loyalty marketing initiatives.
Leverage one solution for every generation
Every generation has distinct expectations that are unique drivers of brand loyalty. Generational loyalty brings you closer to who your customers are—offering direct insight into what motivates their decision-making—and ultimately, helping you orchestrate journeys that are suited to their unique needs.
Epsilon’s loyalty solution is equipped with advanced capabilities that share real-time customer sentiment—and can speak to all audiences—no matter the channel, or the generation. Investing in a platform that can seamlessly engage customers and appeal to them on a generational and emotional level can generate deep relevance—enhancing customer engagement, retention and lifetime value—ensuring your customers keep coming back.
These insights offer a condensed view of consumer loyalty pulled from broader trends revealed in our generational research and consumer loyalty report.
---
## Consumers can tell when AI is used in marketing. But is it a problem?
Type: eps_post
URL: /consumers-can-tell-when-i-is-used-marketing-but-is-it-problem-
Last Modified: 2025-07-07T17:49:53Z
# Consumers can tell when AI is used in marketing. But is it a problem?
It’s clear AI is having a moment. It’s been more than a moment, really—especially for marketers. The explosive rise of generative AI and content generation tools has cemented AI as a must-use for any brand looking to boost efficiencies and (ideally) improve the customer experience.
But as more and more marketers look to these tools to craft communications, the question becomes: How can we effectively use AI in our marketing strategies with the most benefit to the consumer? At the end of the day, marketers are tapping into AI to make things better for their customers—whether that be through better personalization, efficiency improvements, more relevant promotions, etc.
We hear a lot about how marketers are using AI. But what about the people on the receiving end of the content? Is the juice really worth the squeeze? Epsilon Pulse conducted a survey of +500 consumers to find out.
Marketers are fully bought into AI
According to the Epsilon Pulse report, The state of AI in marketing:
94% of marketers have adopted AI for marketing initiatives.
Of those who have adopted the tech, 83% say they are currently using AI for content generation and 76% for creative ad generation.
57% think automated content creation will be the most transformative AI capability for marketing over the next five years.
There’s no denying that AI is going to be a fixture in marketers’ toolkits moving forward. While it promises speed and time savings, AI can also help enable personalization at scale—we found over half of marketers believe ad personalization will significantly improve because of AI.
Now that we know how marketers are using the tech, let’s explore how consumers feel about being at the receiving end of it.
Consumers are noticing—and opening up to—AI in marketing
As AI becomes more integrated into everyday experiences, people are becoming increasingly aware of its presence—especially when it comes to interactions with brands: According to our latest survey, nearly 60% of consumers say they’ve noticed brands using AI in marketing over the past month.
Awareness is especially high among younger audiences, with two-thirds (66%) of 18-29-year-olds recognizing AI use in recent brand messaging, compared to only 40% of those aged 60+. This digitally native group also shows the highest confidence in identifying AI-generated content compared to other age groups.
When it comes to how AI impacts brand perception, the majority of consumers (53%) say it doesn’t change how they feel about a brand. It seems AI is becoming a more "neutral" part of the marketing landscape—something people have familiarized themselves with and come to expect. And while some consumers express concerns, others are already seeing clear benefits. Among those who support AI in marketing, top advantages include:
Faster customer service (28%)
Personalized recommendations (27%)
More relevant content (27%)
One thing is increasingly clear across consumers, though: Transparency is key. 73% of consumers believe brands should disclose when AI is used in marketing. Brands that are open and ethical in their use of AI can build trust while delivering smarter, more tailored experiences.
What does this mean for brands executing marketing strategies with AI?
Consumers want the brands they invest in to be transparent and thoughtful when it comes to AI. Like everything, there should be a balance, and understanding this nuance is important for marketers looking to build trust. Here are some things to consider:
While gen AI creates, predictive AI curates
Generative AI is getting most of the flowers right now—but predictive AI is the real unsung hero. Marketers need predictive AI to ensure the message is hyper-relevant, reaching the right person at the right moment. The combination of the two maximizes campaign efficiency and ROI. And while the potential of generative AI is immense, marketers need a solid data foundation to truly harness its capabilities.
Remember: Quality data is non-negotiable; without it, even the most sophisticated models will yield only mediocre results.
AI alone isn't going to cut it—you need data + identity, too
When done right, AI can help deliver more seamless brand experiences that ultimately help people—but first, you need to fundamentally understand who you're trying to talk to. If you can't, how can you be sure you're saying the right thing even if you're using AI?
That's where having a strong foundation of data and insights rooted in deterministic identity comes into play. It ensures that your AI solution(s) have the best and most up-to-date information about your customers—where they browse, what they buy, their likes and dislikes—so you can serve the right message at a time when they're most receptive. At the end of the day, AI is only as good as the data it's trained on. If you have garbage in, you will get garbage out—and that's what consumers are going to notice.
Moving forward, brands that balance AI’s innovation while maintaining consumer trust will come out on top. By prioritizing transparency, maintaining a human connection rooted in data and identity and prioritizing not just generative AI but predictive AI, too, can turn AI into a key tool for growth rather than a hinderance.
Keep learning with Epsilon
Staying informed about the latest developments in AI is critical for marketers aiming to maximize their effectiveness. For further insights, we recommend exploring our resources, including the full report, The state of AI in marketing, where we uncover how marketers across industries are really using AI.
To learn more about how Epsilon’s CORE AI enables real-time marketing decisions at an individual level, visit our website.
Epsilon Pulse is the beating heart of Epsilon’s proprietary research. Designed to produce relevant and up-to-date insights about consumers, marketers and their preferences, Epsilon Pulse helps brands better understand the adtech and martech industry so they can make informed, data-driven marketing decisions.
---
## Leverage AI for loyalty insights—and drive better outcomes
Type: eps_post
URL: /leverage-ai-for-better-loyalty-insights
Last Modified: 2025-10-14T16:17:48Z
# Leverage AI for loyalty insights—and drive better outcomes
What do you when you’ve built a robust loyalty strategy, but your campaigns miss the mark?
Picture it: You put together an email, followed by an SMS and a bonus mobile push. You get it tested and approved. But the end results indicate that only some people opened it, while even fewer clicked. And your offer? It barely moved the needle.
What happened? There were things you didn’t see. Your customers shifted their behavior, started browsing less and even looking at different brands.
Unfortunately, this scenario is all too common. Loyalty programs struggle to resonate because they’re using old data, static tiers and assumptions about the customer that haven’t kept up with their interests and intent.
And that’s the shift loyalty marketers are now facing: It’s not just about optimizing the message—it’s about keeping up with who your customer is becoming in real time.
Enter AI—your personal strategy agent. It uses data and identity resolution to fill in the gaps, enabling enhanced campaign management capabilities that power your loyalty marketing efforts with actionable intelligence.
Why AI matters in loyalty marketing
Despite their popularity, loyalty programs often struggle to keep customers engaged. Though most people sign up when offered the chance—they walk away just as quickly when their needs aren’t met.
Others quietly disengage without an obvious indication as to why. They tune out the brand’s communications—leaving marketers to wonder why their programs fell short, despite their best efforts.
The key is to be one step ahead—spotting opportunities, validating customer participation and building real connections—essentially, acting on patterns and behaviors that would otherwise go unnoticed. AI-powered marketing unlocks the right insights: providing new ways to engage and making sure those interactions are relevant, timely and effective.
AI-enabled loyalty technologies are designed to connect the dots, align capabilities and build deeper relationships. It enables scalable personalization—turning data into action.
Together with the right data and identity resolution, AI allows you to activate personalization at scale— which is critical to establishing emotional connections, increasing retention and driving better business outcomes.
Building the right foundation: Clean, connected data
The powerful potential inherent in AI, can’t happen without a strong foundation.
In a new Epsilon sponsored whitepaper on AI and data readiness, IDC analyst Lynne Schneider explains it this way, “The success of AI-driven initiatives is directly tied to the quality of the data that powers them. When marketers rely on clean, current and well-organized data, predictive and generative AI tools can effectively segment audiences, personalize messaging and optimize campaign performance.”
Many brands today have data that’s incomplete, outdated or scattered across various channels, like point-of-sale, email and in-app usage. And trying to create relevant customer experiences with fragmented data is like looking at your customers through a cracked lens—it’s hard to clearly see who they actually are.
The right technology, like Epsilon’s PeopleCloud Loyalty, is built with the top-ranked US consumer database and seamlessly integrates third-party data to enrich your customer profiles—offering a holistic view that enhances your decision-making and leads to more informed strategy.
Loyalty strategies rooted in clean, connected data support and fuel AI-driven insights. The whitepaper goes on to say, “It is imperative to have a strategy that refines the data your enterprise gathers into a clean and consolidated foundation for enrichment, analysis, and action.”
Deeper understanding through AI insights
Every moving brand experience starts with seeing what others miss: the customer. Brands that continually transform clicks, transactions and behaviors into meaningful, relevant moments, see the whole person—their preferences, behaviors and intent.
This insight can help drive meaningful interactions—not just flashy ads or generic discounts. AI reveals patterns and context that allows you to create customized experiences that truly connect your customers with what they want—to be seen, valued and understood.
This is where your loyalty programs become powerful.
When you see your customers, on a person-level, you can build strategies that are relevant and meaningful. Knowing what members are doing helps you adapt—responding with the right message, at the right time—before the moment passes.
A clear view makes it easier to:
See how the program is resonating with customers
Find more customers like your best ones
Stay connected to what your members care about
AI-enabled loyalty solutions unlock deep customer insights that would otherwise go unnoticed, enabling you to see each member in plain view—and respond to who they are, what they want and even where they are headed next in the buying journey.
Clarity is the first step. What comes next? Acting on it with precision, personalization and purpose.
Smarter decisions drive loyalty forward
Purpose-driven loyalty strategies don’t stop at understanding—they continually move and evolve. While it’s true that marketers can benefit from using AI for efficiency and speed—getting emails out faster, generating copy at scale and tailoring ad creative—it can also be used as a tool to guide better decision-making.
AI-enabled loyalty solutions not only identify subtle changes in consumer behavior, they highlight opportunities to act—predicting behavior, personalizing touchpoints and making decisions in real time.
This is where the role of the loyalty marketer is vital. It helps you respond to each loyalty member—not just react—with genuine, personalized conversations, no matter where they sit on the customer journey.
AI-enabled solutions ensure loyalty teams can turn their data into relevant, engaging moments, by:
Using real-time results to stay ahead
Translating projections into practical recommendations
Staying ahead of fraud and tightening controls
Looking across segments as you build strategy
Ultimately, AI is not only efficient at generating content, but it’s equally efficient at surfacing insights that enable you to act fast—so you can build relationships that last and drive better outcomes.
What happens when it all works together
Loyalty program managers that incorporate AI-driven insights, enhance their marketing strategy and experience more than operational efficiency—they create strategic growth opportunities. They can stay ahead of shifting behaviors and trends, focus on creating more customer value and ultimately, build programs that show:
Higher engagement and retention: When loyalty messages are personalized, customers are more likely to stay engaged.
Increased lifetime value: Seeing potential high-value customers enables you to nurture them.
More efficient marketing spend: Sending more targeted communications that improve ROI.
Stronger emotional loyalty: Connect with relevance, so your customers feel seen and understood.
AI spots the trends and automates the tasks and lets you take over. AI assists, making it possible for you to takes those insights and build a winning strategy. Over time, you can focus less on being tactical and become a driver of initiatives that inspire long-lasting brand affinity and business growth.
Smarter loyalty needs the right partner
If ever there was a time for loyalty marketers to adapt—it’s now. But not in the ways you might think.
Being AI-ready means you're prepared, not replaced—giving you the ability to effortlessly respond to your customers with the right message at the right time, with content that's guided by one consistent view of the customer, one strategic vision and delivered through one brand voice.
Having the right plan, powered by the right loyalty data management provider—is what brings your program to life, turning your data into practical strategies you can use to integrate AI effectively.
At Epsilon, our solutions are AI by design, constantly iterating and improving over time, offering refined capabilities—from personalization at scale to fraud detection—ensuring measurable value. Our solutions will help you thoughtfully integrate AI and continuously optimize to deliver what matters most—long-lasting loyalty.
If you’re looking to drive stronger connections and better outcomes with AI, invest in a advanced loyalty technology, recognized for building smarter loyalty programs that drive better outcomes.
---
## Are your customers getting the right messages?
Type: eps_post
URL: /omnichannel-customer-journey-orchestration
Last Modified: 2025-06-13T18:23:25Z
# Are your customers getting the right messages?
For today’s marketer trying to create meaningful, relevant experiences for each customer across touchpoints, the struggle is real.
Whether they’re browsing a website, scrolling social media or shopping in-person, consumers expect each interaction to be personalized and flow effortlessly. This puts pressure on marketers to create flawless experiences that truly reflect a genuine understanding of their customers and demonstrate appreciation for their loyalty.
According to Harvard Business Review, 73% of consumers use multiple channels during their shopping journey. With shrinking budgets and limited resources, achieving this level of personalization is no small task. Having ongoing brand-consumer conversations with authenticity requires marketers to have insight that only data-fueled orchestration can provide.
The power of omnichannel customer journey orchestration
Great marketing puts the customer first and, in today’s interconnected world, this can’t be done without the right technology. Recent research shows that 40% of consumers purchase more from retailers that provide a personalized shopping experience across channels.
Meaningful customer experiences that speak directly to your customers cannot be created without the ability to drive personalized communications across touchpoints. This is where omnichannel customer journey orchestration comes in.
It lets you react to every action a customer takes—opening an email, clicking a link or adding a product to a cart—and offers deeper awareness into their interests and intent. Without it, marketers operate with a disconnected view of their customers’ behavior.
Ineffective orchestration can disrupt the customer journey by sending messages at the wrong time or through an unsuitable channel, leading to confusion and disengagement. Omnichannel journey orchestration addresses this by ensuring customers are guided through relevant touchpoints based on their behaviors and interactions. By routing them to the appropriate next step, marketers can align engagement with customer intent, creating a more seamless and impactful experience.
It also breaks down the walls between applications and cross-functional teams, which makes setting KPIs and assessing performance easier. Without a centralized place to track multi-channel campaigns, marketers struggle to effectively evaluate performance and optimize for better results.
Mapping personalized experiences
An advanced cross-channel engagement solution, designed to create a relevant brand-customer exchange, is equipped with an orchestration canvas where you can plan and collaborate your marketing strategy all in one place.
You can use an omnichannel customer journey orchestration canvas to outline your brand's owned-channel (email, text/SMS, mobile push) messaging strategies and create and automate the experience your customers will have on a whiteboard.
Essentially, you can see the story your customers will experience step-by-step, whether it’s through a single email or a series of brand communications. The canvas shows you what communications a consumer engages with and provides a closer look at behavior patterns so you can build seamless experiences.
With this powerful technology, you can personalize customer journeys, automate email campaigns and provide real-time product recommendations by connecting data from various platforms.
Having everything in one place helps you create more meaningful customer interactions and builds stronger customer loyalty.
From owned to paid: Diversify your omnichannel approach
Research shows that brands with extremely strong omnichannel customer engagement see a 9.5% year-over-year increase in annual revenue, compared to 3.4% for weak omnichannel engagements. Effectively delivering a cohesive brand experience requires extending the reach of your communications to bridge both owned and paid channels.
A strong technology with next-generation capabilities (like Epsilon’s Messaging), is built to support the entire customer lifecycle—from acquisition and nurturing to conversion and retention—enabling the seamless orchestration of each stage through an intuitive canvas.
In addition, Epsilon has real-time engagement features that allow you to design personalized journeys without relying on the traditional custom "event" structures that are built into most platforms. You can quickly hone messaging, optimize engagement and improve the customer journey based on brand site activity.
By building your customer journey in this way, you not only create a relevant, personalized customer journey across touchpoints, but you also enhance the ability to drive conversions from acquisition to retention.
Good data enables better customer experiences
Without a strong data foundation, marketers risk undermining the effectiveness of their omnichannel campaigns. Data is the backbone of successful owned-channel strategies, serving as the raw material from which insights are drawn, decisions are made, and campaigns are crafted.In today’s landscape, where personalization and accuracy are key, marketer’s need an advanced solution powered with data-fueled orchestration to optimize their customer journeys. A platform with next-generation capabilities leverages third-party data to broaden the reach a brand's first-party data provides, creating one, unified view of each individual customer.Epsilon’s cross-channel engagement solution helps marketers segment and personalize customer journeys, routing them based on key demographic and lifestyle data. It uses data to let brands know what their customers want, allowing them to adapt customer journeys in real-time, creating seamless back-and-forth experiences across channels and time. Most importantly, it gives consumers the ability to engage with brands in one-to-one conversations, which builds brand affinity and fosters better relationships. When brands have access to the right data, they get a clear picture of their consumers, and from there, they can create more meaningful interactions using their orchestration canvas.
Design relevant customer journeys
Epsilon Messaging is a powerful platform that’s designed to seamlessly integrate with your entire tech stack to build data-driven customer journeys. With the right technology you can deliver a unified customer experience that is relevant to your customers across every touchpoint.
If you're looking to upgrade your email marketing technology, take a look at our comprehensive cross-channel engagement solution buyer's guide.
---
## Amid economic woes, brands look to data-driven marketing
Type: eps_post
URL: /data-driven-marketing-economic-challenges
Last Modified: 2025-09-25T16:23:32Z
# Amid economic woes, brands look to data-driven marketing
The past five years have undeniably changed the landscape of the global economy. From the COVID-19 pandemic to the oscillating pressure of inflation, trade and weakening labor markets, the 2020s have largely been defined by uncertainty.
Marketers and advertisers sit at a precarious spot amidst these concerns. How do brands still maintain meaningful conversations with their customers while also shielding themselves from economic turbulence? And what buoys can they hold onto when weathering a potential storm?
Epsilon experts say the best way forward is to double down on basics: investing in data strategies that enable fundamental insights on who their customers are and how to reach them.
“It’s easy for brands to want to chase after the shiny new thing,” said Greg Gage, Sr. Director of Strategic Consulting at Epsilon. “Brands want to be agile and adjust their plans in the heat of the moment—tactical strategies that are reactionary. But are they focusing on those fundamental strategies? Are they using data and technology to strengthen strategies with lasting impact?”
The analysis paralysis of advertising
A turbulent economy makes for tough decision-making by CMOs. According to eMarketer, US total ad spending growth is still in the black, though projected growth is down from last year by 1.2% (down to 6.3% from 7.5%). The Interactive Advertising Bureau (IAB) found that 94% of US advertisers are concerned about the impact of tariffs introduced by President Donald Trump, and as a result, 60% of advertisers expect a 6-10% decline in budgets.
Moreover, consumer sentiment in general is low. According to the University of Michigan, consumer sentiment has fallen 14.3% compared to a year ago. Joanne Hsu, director of consumer surveys at the university, said consumers are concerned about high prices and personal finances.
Marketers and advertisers are now faced with two compacting problems: as they tighten their own budgets, they need effective, authentic ways to reach consumers who are more selective about what they’re buying.
“In today’s environment, personalization isn’t a luxury—it’s a necessity ,” said Luke Flatla, vice president of strategic consulting at Epsilon. “CMOs need every dollar to drive measurable outcomes. That means aligning media spend with the moments, mindsets and messages that matter most to individual customers.”
But many brands are putting advertising band aids on deeper-rooted issues. For example, Flatla said he’s seen CPG brands lean in on pricing reductions and promotional tweaks as their main strategy shifts. And while consumers respond to that, there’s only so much a brand can do in those areas alone. Brands need effective messaging that clearly communicates things like price reductions and need to build conversations with their current and prospective customers that highlight a brand’s value amid turbulence.
“Promotions and pricing can boost short-term volume, but they’re not a substitute for long-term brand equity,” he said. “When brands pull back on personalized engagement or fail to reinforce their core value proposition, they risk eroding penetration and weakening the very consumer behaviors that drive sustainable growth.”
Smarter investments today bolster the strategies of tomorrow
Losing sight of future-forward strategies during economic turbulence often makes or breaks brands. In a 2019 McKinsey Quarterly article, authors said—notably even before the 2020 pandemic—that higher volatility in the business environment was “the new normal.”
But the desire to pivot quickly in reactive ways is not a winning strategy. They looked at more than 1,000 publicly traded companies during the Great Recession in the late-aughts and early 2010s, and found that companies that drove growth during tough economic times achieved above-market total shareholder returns for the following 10 years.
Additionally, 70% of these companies became and remained top-quintile performers in their sector.
“In other words, in moments of uncertainty, growth is the key to establishing strategic distance from competitors,” wrote McKinsey.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, McKinsey cited United Airlines as a good example of growth-oriented thinking. They doubled down on branding, launching its biggest ad campaign in a decade.
The “Good leads the way,” campaign began production during a record-low for commercial airline travel. It was an emotional and optimistic call to the airline’s loyal customers, one designed to garner brand affinity even among those not traveling. Maggie Schmerin, head of global advertising and social media at United Airlines, told The Drumthat the campaign eventually rolled out as traveling picked up, and put the brand top of mind as travel swiftly recovered—and exceeded—pre-pandemic levels.
“Putting our employees in the spotlight helps us underscore that ‘Good leads the way’ is more than a tagline,” Schmerin said.
And it worked: McKinsey analysis showed the airline experienced growth in passengers and miles flown in the two years post campaign.
“We know that people choose an airline based on things like price and schedule and ‘is it non-stop?’” United Airlines Chief Communications Office Josh Earnest told Inc. in 2022. “This is another reason for people to choose an airline. And we think it is a really good reason.”
Data’s role in effective marketing
So what is a brand to do when they’re being asked to cut budgets while maintaining growth strategies? Gage said it’s all about recognizing foundational strategies that propel long-term ROI. That starts with developing an intentional data strategy and investing in technology that gives brands a deeper understanding of who their customers are, what they want and how to reach them.
“We’ve seen a scramble to purchase tech and data, but they have no clear strategy for what they want to do with it,” Gage said. “You have to understand the path you want to take to achieve specific outcomes, and you start with the data you have and determine how it can have a meaningful impact in achieving those outcomes.”
He said brands often have ill-defined data strategies or have several data silos within their organization. Fragmented and incomplete data can cause brands to deploy strategies that aren’t getting to the root of their problems.
For example, if a brand is trying to bolster a retention strategy but doesn’t have the data to inform granular channel activation allocations, they may waste a lot of money doing big media buys on channels that aren’t reaching their real customers.
Even on a more targeted level, there are many examples of where advertising waste goes wrong because of bad data: marketing to customers who already purchased a product, sending diaper ads to people who recently purchased them for a friend but don't have kids of their own, etc. In an economic downturn, every dollar matters, which is where efficient marketing becomes that much more important--you can't be wasting impressions on people that aren't going to buy from you.
“Data allows you to function in a test and learn environment,” Gage said. “And it allows marketers to make purchase and activation decisions based on quick wins to learn the right way to do it versus throwing all your eggs in a basket and waiting to see the outcomes after the campaigns have already passed.”
Flatla agreed, adding that during times where the economy is strained, brands may look at a shiny new solution to alleviate pain for the sake of effectiveness. He said AI is a prime example of this: Brands believe it can fix their problems quickly and deploy AI-based solutions without stringent due diligence.
“Too many brands are rushing into AI or new tools without a strategic foundation,” he says. “The real opportunity is to revisit core business objectives and reverse-engineer from there: Which use cases matter most? Which audiences drive future value? Do we have the data and activation muscle to go after those opportunities in a targeted, scalable way?”
He likened it to a workout regimen. Fad workouts may tone specific muscles, but a holistic wellness strategy requires consistency, defined goals and fundamentals beyond mere exercise.
“Strategy can’t live in a deck—it needs to show up in the day-to-day execution," Flatla said. “Every campaign should ladder up to clear goals and consumer experiences, tie into defined objectives and use cases and use data to create feedback loops. That’s how brands build both relevance and resilience."
Coming out the other side
The biggest tool in a marketer’s toolbox is the depth of actionable, insightful data at their fingertips, and making that data usable is a strategy that succeeds in good and bad economic periods. This includes determining how (and why) data is collected, how it’s being cleaned and organized, and how all systems inside an organization are accessing it for insights.
Investing in those strategies now can help marketers run more effective campaigns during this economic crisis and whatever economic headwinds will surely come after it.
“The more siloed a company is in how they execute data strategies, the less nimble they are, the more difficult it will be to measure, and the more fragmented the customer experience will be,” Gage said. “In the face of a changing economy, you can’t afford to not be sure of what data fuels your campaigns—and you want to be equipped for whatever change happens.”
---
## Epsilon Experts: Marketing doesn't need more platforms, it needs connected thinking
Type: eps_post
URL: /epsilon-experts-marketing-doesn-t-need-more-platforms-it-needs-connected-thinking
Last Modified: 2025-07-24T17:18:02Z
# Epsilon Experts: Marketing doesn't need more platforms, it needs connected thinking
In today’s marketing landscape, the real transformation isn’t just digital—it’s dimensional.
We’re moving from a world where creative, data and tech operated in silos to one where they now converge into a single, orchestrated system, one that doesn’t just talk to consumers but listens, learns and evolves with them in real time. And as expectations rise, brands are discovering that delivering a great product is no longer enough. They must deliver great experiences—consistently, personally and at scale.
That’s where the convergence of tech, data and creative becomes mission critical.
Brands need to embrace their first-party data and use tools that make it actionable through identity resolution. That foundation of data provides the space for brands to drive connectivity: to know a customer more deeply is to understand what drives them to act, and harnessing those insights in the customer experience—from the products they’re being offered to the colors used in an ad—make that personalization possible.
The new blueprint: connected, contextual, creative
At the center of this convergence is a new kind of brand experience—one that’s identity-led, data-informed and emotionally relevant.
It’s not enough to be creative. You have to be intelligent about it. It’s not enough to have data. You need to activate it with precision. It’s not enough to build technology. You must make it user-first and experience-driven.
That’s the shift. And it’s reshaping the industry.
At most organizations, these disciplines are still fragmented—creative in one corner, data in another and tech somewhere downstream. But when they come together with purpose, something powerful happens: brands stop shouting and start connecting.
The power of creativity and storytelling: The visual layer of experience
Creativity isn’t just about making something look good, it’s about crafting a visual and emotional language that brings a brand’s story to life. It builds the visual layer that helps consumers see and feel what an experience could be before they even engage.
Storytelling acts as the bridge between data insights and consumer imagination. By using narrative and design, brands can paint a vivid picture of how their products or services fit into a consumer’s life—not just as a transaction but as part of a larger, meaningful story.
This kind of visual storytelling invites consumers to step inside the experience to imagine the feeling of being truly recognized, rewarded or inspired. Whether it’s through a loyalty program that makes every interaction feel personal and meaningful, or another touchpoint that connects emotionally, the creative layer helps shape a world where consumers don’t just engage — they belong. It’s about crafting moments that resonate, spark desire and build lasting relationships.
When creativity is informed by data and supported by technology, it becomes dynamic and adaptive. Visual content can shift in real time to reflect a consumer’s preferences, past behaviors and context delivering not just a static message but a personalized, evolving experience.
From tech stack to experience
The industry doesn’t need more platforms. It needs more connected thinking. Brands want a partner that can help them understand who their customers are, what they care about and where they are in their journey. They also need to reach them in a way that feels personal across channels and devices.
That’s what Epsilon delivers—a fully integrated system where technology, data and creativity work together from day one. Not in silos. Not in sequence. But in sync.
Unmatched identity and data foundation: COREid is one of the industry’s most accurate and persistent identity graphs giving us the ability to recognize, reach and respect real people across their entire journey.
Real-time interactions (RTI): Our RTI engine enables adaptive, data-driven personalization in the moment, turning customer signals into actionable engagement with speed and relevance.
Content intelligence with GenCanvas: Our Intelligent Content Studio, powered by GenCanvas, brings together the best of AI and automation to enable faster, smarter creative development all rooted in brand strategy, audience insight and contextual delivery.
Creative that’s built to scale: Our creative capability isn’t a bolt-on—it’s embedded. Conceptual, "big idea" thinkers and content designers work alongside data scientists, engineers and strategists. The result? Ideas that are as grounded in performance as they are in craft.
We don’t just design content. We build systems that can adapt and evolve — driven by real-time inputs, consistent logic and brand truth.
---
## Fuel your AI with loyalty—not just data
Type: eps_post
URL: /fuel-your-i-loyalty-not-just-data
Last Modified: 2025-05-20T16:30:12Z
# Fuel your AI with loyalty—not just data
Loyalty programs hold the promise of turning transactions into meaningful connections that lead to enduring loyalty over time. By and large, loyalty programs should be a win-win, adding value to the customer-brand relationship.
But, despite its high potential, the reality of creating unique experiences that stir excitement and spark affinity through sustained mutual participation can be difficult for loyalty marketers to achieve. In our latest Epsilon Pulse research report, we took a look at consumer motivations, expectations and experiences with loyalty programs. What we found was that more than half of survey respondents sign up for a loyalty program when presented with the opportunity, but 65% said they would leave a loyalty program if the rewards weren’t worth it.
Brands that can deliver a better experience through their loyalty marketing can achieve better outcomes. But how do you deliver a better loyalty experience? With most things these days, AI is the key. AI can help marketers create seamless loyalty journeys that deepen customer relationships.
Loyalty is all about knowing your customers
Eighty percent of consumer respondents in our survey said they like it when brands personalize their communications based on their interactions and status with their loyalty programs. Another 70% said they are actively using a loyalty program because of products they’re offered.
With AI, loyalty program managers can easily engage with their customers in real-time and create more personalized offers and experiences.
But AI is only as good as the data that fuels it. Where loyalty programs come into play is that they're designed to build and grow your knowledge about your customers.
Loyalty data feeds AI decisioning, allowing you to deliver personalization at scale seamlessly across owned, earned and paid channels.
And it can be a powerful tool for loyalty programs. One brand that really brings this to life is Dunkin’. To bolster their engagement with customers, the global coffee and quick-service brand focused on transforming their loyalty marketing efforts. DD Perks, powered by Epsilon loyalty technology solutions, used first-party data to take the customer experience a step further than the traditional point-based approach. Connected to more than 9,000 locations, every order, reward, and customer exchange is synced in real-time—enabling consistent experiences that are relevant and unique to each customer. Having updated loyalty data in this way provides actionable insights that drive more personalized experiences.
Better AI is loyalty-driven
According to our research, 89% of survey respondents said they’re motivated to participate in a loyalty program because it offers the best product for them. In addition, 81% of respondents said that they prioritize their loyalty program brands when they’re looking and are ready to purchase.
As customers engage more with their loyalty programs, these accumulated experiences provide a rich customer view. Repeat purchases, reward redemptions and mobile app usage are just a few examples of loyalty data that can fuel AI to drive interactions beyond the surface-level to deeper, more meaningful engagement.
When AI is powered by loyalty, it can play a pivotal role in providing:
Enhanced personalized customer experiences
Improved data insights and real-time decision making for loyalty marketers
Smarter customer offerings, based on customer lifetime value
Brands that know how to leverage AI in their loyalty marketing will not only be able to stay ahead of market trends effectively, but will also meet customer expectations, increase performance and boost customer loyalty.
Through deeper analytic insights that can predict what your customers need and what they are interested in, AI ensures that your loyalty strategy is in sync with individual customer behaviors and purchase history. AI empowers marketers with streamlined interactions that can address the challenges our consumer research uncovered, creating more impactful loyalty marketing opportunities.
How AI is shaping the future of customer satisfaction
According to "IDC FutureScape: Worldwide Retail 2025 Predictions", 70% of retailers will implement AI-driven loyalty apps, by 2026, improving contextualized offers by 40% and boosting customer engagement to drive up to a 25% increase in customer retention rates.
Loyalty program managers that implement AI in their marketing strategies can transform the way they engage customers, inspiring higher levels of customer satisfaction and loyalty. With 74% of consumer respondents in our research stating they feel more loyal to brands when they have positive loyalty experiences, it’s clear that focusing on great experiences can make your brand stand out.
Simply put, AI empowers brands to make satisfied customers, loyal ones. When customers feel valued, they are more likely to stay engaged with your brand and recommend your products and services. They become long-lasting fans.
Build a path to smarter loyalty
Make no mistake, loyalty programs are a powerful tool. Coupled with the right data and technology, AI can enhance your loyalty marketing and enable you to understand your customers and engage with them in revolutionary ways.
With AI technology continuing to be enhanced, brands that apply an AI-focused lens to their marketing efforts will be able to grow and effectively rise to the demands of an ever-changing digital landscape.
From generative AI for dynamic offer creation to machine learning powered journey mapping and audience segmentation, advanced technologies like Epsilon PeopleCloud Loyalty enable loyalty marketing teams to tap into deeper customer insights.
To learn what it takes to build smarter loyalty programs, our consumer research report offers key findings and highlights takeaways you can use to evolve with your business and your customers, now and in the future.
This article originally appeared in Adweek.
---
## Unlock high-quality data through personalized website journeys
Type: eps_post
URL: /unlock-data-driven-journeys-website-personalization
Last Modified: 2026-02-02T19:54:52Z
# Unlock high-quality data through personalized website journeys
For e-commerce marketers, traditional tools like analytics dashboards, customer relationship management (CRM) systems and surveys have long been the primary ways that teams try to understand user behavior and gather feedback. Consequently, 65% of consumers recently stated that brands have gotten better at personalizing advertising and marketing in the past few years, which suggests marketers are headed in the right direction.
While these tools can be valuable for monitoring trends and gaining direct customer input, they’re often restricted by timing and scale when it comes to understanding what drives user behavior. With a staggering 91% of consumers indicating they see at least one irrelevant ad every single day, there’s still a significant gap between improvement and actually delivering experiences that resonate.
This is where website personalization technology can reshape current practices. By responding to real-time behaviors and intent signals as they happen, advanced website personalization technology fuels customized website experiences in real time, surfacing meaningful insights that your brand can put to work across different systems, powering recommendation and marketing automation systems, A/B testing and dynamic content creation.
Together, the right data and technology will help you deliver experiences that feel extremely relevant and timely to anyone that visits your website.
How customizing website experiences reveals what visitors need
In 2024, a global survey revealed that nine out of ten business leaders saw personalization as an invaluable factor in their business success. That said, personalization can only be effective when it’s based on meaningful, data-driven insights.
With a tailored website solution, you can turn everyday, on-page activities—like browsing history, cart abandons and email signups—into clear signals that can help you understand exactly what users care about and how to engage them better. In practice, these signals tend to fall into a few core categories:
Behavioral patterns
Behavioral patterns track how users engage with your site or app, including clicks, scroll depth and dwell time. These insights can help you build a more in-depth picture of how segments engage with your content.
Intent signals
Intent signals reveal users’ interest in your products or offerings by helping you understand which categories they browse and which promotions they respond to. You can use this data to increase conversions by surfacing messages in real time that present the most relevant options.
Preference data
Preference data captures user choices such as styles, sizes, categories or prioritized features. You can better understand users’ individual preferences through interactions such as interactive quizzes or guided customer journeys designed to capture quality leads and deliver highly customized digital experiences that anticipate their needs.
Interaction data
Interaction data tracks engagement with specific elements, including CTA variations, navigation paths and signals of abandonment or friction points. Understanding this type of behavioral data supports A/B testing by showing which elements drive conversions.
Aggregating the actions that your customers naturally share through their interactions with your website is a powerful way to increase loyalty and drive engagement. What matters next is how you leverage these insights to effectively shape customer experiences that adapt in real time and resonate with site visitors.
Why tailored website experiences unlock deeper insight and greater impact
When your website can adapt to user behavior, it’s not just more meaningful to your customers, it also reveals user intent and what actually matters to them.
Customizing website experiences puts you in control of the consumer-brand conversation by allowing you to actively shape onsite experiences and quickly understand how users respond, rather than waiting for outdated reporting. This means you can optimize your website in real time while gaining valuable insights into your customer’s needs.
Website personalization platforms, like Epsilon Accelerate, allow you to run A/B tests, deploy dynamic content and deliver personalized website experiences that resonate. These capabilities remove development bottlenecks and allow your teams to launch and iterate on website experiences quickly.
Faster experimentation with website customization and customer interactions means your marketing teams can see what works as it happens and apply these insights right away. This makes it easier to see short-term improvements, while also building a solid foundation for longer-term personalization.
Furniture retailer boosted lead quality and revenue through personalized product discovery
A home design furniture retailer was looking to maximize lead generation and find ways to convert interest into sales. They used Epsilon Accelerate’s advanced analytics to identify when customers wanted deeper guidance versus design inspiration, boosting product discovery and conversion rates. The strategy also resulted in a 55% increase in email lead generation, a 27% increase in revenue per lead, and a 23:1 ROI.
Choosing the right website personalization platform
Reaping the full long-term benefits of real-time personalization begins by partnering with the right website personalization platform. Here are some of the key features that allow you to act on insights quickly and deliver the right message at the right time:
No coding required: Choosing a platform that lets your team create personalized user experiences with low- or no-coding enables you to experiment more effectively and launch quickly without relying on developers.
Behavior-based segmentation: This automatically groups users based on their on-page behaviors and preferences. It gives you a deeper understanding of what they value, and allows you to tailor dynamic content appropriately to increase the likelihood of conversions.
Privacy-first, compliant personalization: Ensuring your organization manages user data in alignment with regulations such as GDPR and CCPA.
Real-time publishing and iteration cycles: This feature enables your teams to immediately launch tests and adjust or update them as needed, without waiting in long development queues.
All-in-one platform for personalization and results: A single platform consolidates data, insights and performance metrics in one place, eliminating the need to switch between multiple dashboards or platforms. This unified view makes it easier to visualize customer journeys to assess what’s working and make appropriate changes.
Partnering with an industry-leading data and technology provider can help you avoid headaches further down the line by reducing technical bottlenecks and supporting your teams to make proactive adjustments. In turn, you can deliver more effective, customized website experiences that increase engagement and improve performance.
Why data quality matters over quantity
When trying to understand your customer better, it can be tempting to gather as much data as possible. However, simply stockpiling more data—pageviews, product preferences, purchase history—doesn’t add value on its own. In fact, collecting metrics without knowing what you’ll do with them often wastes time and adds confusion later in the process.
What really matters is the quality of your data, which impacts your ability to interpret it effectively. Bringing together fragmented customer data will transform sets of disconnected touchpoints into a meaningful narrative that helps you identify each customer and easily pinpoint where friction occurs, eliminate drop-offs and surface relevant messages that motivate visitors to convert.
A data-driven personalization platform is built on a solid foundation that gives you complete control—enabling you to manage the end-to-end customer journey and accelerate your speed-to-impact—without relying on scattered tools or bloated engineering teams. This enhanced control strengthens your website's personalization efforts and enables more relevant, meaningful customer interactions.
Personalized experiences help fashion brand capture insights, not just data
A fashion brand was looking for ways to strengthen customer engagement with its product range. Epsilon Accelerate helped the brand obtain rich first-party data using interactive quizzes and a guided selling flow to gain insight into customer preferences. Consolidating these first-party data interactions helped the brand engage customers better in the moment, generating 93% more leads, with a 19:1 ROI.
Turn personalized website experiences into customer insights
Today’s leading e-commerce brands use data-driven insights to understand their audiences' needs and adapt quickly. Those who rely on static pages are quickly falling behind.
By leveraging rich customer insights in real time—preferences, intent, behavior—you can make interactions with your customers more relevant, timely and meaningful. A robust website personalization solution gives marketers more opportunities than ever to build adaptive website journeys that continuously improves based on how your users actually behave.
Epsilon Accelerate gives e-commerce marketers a straightforward way to own the website experience, giving you access to a solid data strategy that lays the foundation for future growth.
---
## In 2025, skip the trends and focus on the fundamentals
Type: eps_post
URL: /-2025-skip-trends-focus-fundamentals
Last Modified: 2025-03-03T16:56:32Z
# In 2025, skip the trends and focus on the fundamentals
If you want to transform your marketing in 2025, look past what’s in vogue. Start focusing on creating a foundational understanding of your customer that you can leverage to build real relationships, and translate that into a solid first-party data strategy powered by the right technology, data, and services.
As Michael Jordan said, “Get the fundamentals down and the level of everything you do will rise.”
Back to basics is easier said than done
But how exactly do you build real relationships with consumers? It’s no different than how people build relationships with each other—by engaging in meaningful conversations that flow naturally over time.
Unlike people speaking to each other, marketers need to engage consumers at scale—through channels. Unfortunately, channels come with limitations. The challenge begins when marketers try to unify data collected from disparate places as there could be rampant redundancy, inaccuracy, and conflicting information across data from each channel. Marketers usually only have a few data points to inform a conversation with any given customer, making it difficult to create a conversation starter. And they struggle even more to develop a relevant message for consumers they’ve never encountered.
Even when marketers do have enough understanding of an individual to craft a message, the opaque nature of channels (particularly digital channels) gets in the way of engaging in a relevant conversation. If you can’t recognize that person when you encounter them in a specific channel, you can’t deliver your message, much less coordinate your messages across channels. It is also difficult to tie insights from each interaction back to the individual, particularly in a consumer-friendly and privacy-compliant manner.
The result? Marketers often end up talking at people vs. with them. And that’s not what consumers are looking for when choosing to engage with a brand. According to Epsilon research, 76% of consumer respondents view a brand negatively when marketing includes inaccurate information about them. And they see a lot of it—91% percent of respondents said they see at least one irrelevant ad a day.
New technology, new opportunities
Identity resolution alone is not sufficient for brands to achieve their desired objective—specifically to harmonize engagement with consumers across paid, owned, and earned channels and create the seamless conversations needed to build strong relationships. To do so, marketers need more than just identity resolution—they also require marketing and media solutions that come pre-loaded with identity, data, creative capabilities, services, and (everyone’s favorite buzzword) artificial intelligence.
To deliver against these objectives, brands need to seek out a small number of partners that can provide them with “1 View, 1 Vision, and 1 Voice”:
1 View of the universe of their current and potential customers;
1 Vision for engaging each individual—what to say, when, where, how often, and how much to spend; and
1 Voice to engage each individual that flows naturally across channels and time.
Let’s start with view. There’s no question that unifying and cleaning up your first-party data can be a daunting task. And a lot of vendors—CDP, clean room, identity resolution providers, and consultants—can help you address parts of this. But the complexity of managing so many disparate vendors is a substantial challenge. And it gets harder from there.
Given marketers have a limited understanding of any given customer, they also require partners that can augment their existing data to develop a more comprehensive understanding of each individual. This could be information about what your customers buy from other brands, why they buy, where to find them, and when to engage them. That partner should also be able to help you expand beyond your customer base, providing the data needed to identify the universe of potential buyers for your products or services.
With a limited view of their customers and prospects, marketers’ vision for engaging each individual is often limited to “delivering the right message to the right person at the right time.” In practice, that usually equates to “delivering a somewhat relevant message to an audience of some of the right people at a moment in time.”
Your partner should help expand beyond your customer base, providing the data needed to identify the universe of potential buyers for your products, driving the acquisition and growth of new customers by crafting relevant messages for any given individual at any point in time.
Leveraging a comprehensive view of the universe of your potential buyers allows you to craft a relevant message for any given individual at any point in time.
However, brands should not stop there and instead should look for partners who enable them to understand where to engage buyers (and where not to), how often to engage them—in total, and in any given place—and how much to spend to engage them based on the likely near-term performance and long-term potential of each consumer. Most importantly, your partners should help evolve your vision as each person does, adjusting in real-time and across time to ensure the conversation is always relevant, outcomes are maximized and waste is minimized.
Even armed with a comprehensive view of their potential buyers and a robust vision for engaging each individual, marketers still can’t achieve their objectives unless they are also working with partners who enable them to engage consumers with a singular voice that is harmonized across their paid, owned, and earned channels.
Achieving that full vision requires everything working from the same understanding of each consumer you’re speaking to. How that translates in tech terms is a strong identity resolution capability that’s embedded in data-enriched analytic, marketing, and media solutions and services. However, this can be a tall order that not many partners can actually fulfill by themselves.
Step up to the challenge
Legacy technologies, mix-and-match tech stacks, and the divide between adtech and martech all present challenges here. It’s critical that brands find the right partner whose marketing and media technology can recognize consumers in any channel and capture insights from each interaction.
The bottom line is that you don’t have to overcomplicate your 2025 marketing resolutions. Mastering the fundamentals is both more challenging than it may sound but also more feasible than it has ever been.
Know your customers. Engage them in relevant conversations. Build trusted relationships. And the sales will come.
This article originally appeared on Adweek.
---
## Double-screening: Just another tech trend or the new normal?
Type: eps_post
URL: /double-screening-marketing-strategy
Last Modified: 2025-12-10T21:04:48Z
# Double-screening: Just another tech trend or the new normal?
Checking phone notifications while you're watching TV? Maybe you forgot to respond to an email or want to search for the perfect dress for an upcoming wedding. Maybe you just want to decompress and scroll on social media for a bit while your favorite sitcom plays in the background.
Using multiple devices at the same time (or switching between them), which we call "double-screening," is becoming more common—92% of consumers across generations say they use another device while watching content—and this behavior change has a direct impact on how ads reach consumers and how they engage with them.
“At its core, double-screening is someone who is on multiple devices or screens at once. Whether that’s their TV and phone, TV and tablet, computer and phone, there are so many different ways people navigate all these different devices today,” says Shannon Fazendin, Epsilon's Director of Client Engagement.
So how can marketers adapt? Epsilon conducted a survey to better understand how consumers are engaging with TVs and additional devices, like phones, tablets or laptops, to help you make smarter advertising decisions.
By the numbers: The consumer journey across devices
To take a closer look at the survey results, let's break down how seeing an ad on TV impacts the likelihood of clicking "add to cart."
3 in 10 respondents have made a purchase after seeing an ad while watching TV in the past three months.
55% of consumers who didn't make a purchase indicated they would have if it were something they needed.
86% of those who made a purchase did so within a week, with 52% purchasing the same day.
Nearly 100% of purchases influenced by ads happened online, and 50% of those purchases were completed on mobile devices.
Epsilon's research found that while TV ads drive conversions across age groups, data-driven targeting is critical to reaching consumers at the right moment.
To move the needle on how many consumers make a purchase after seeing an ad, brands need to leverage complete foundational data to understand their audiences on a deeper level and ensure ads are resonating enough to drive action. Brands trying to reach Gen X and Boomers will have a significantly different strategy than brands trying to reach Gen Z and millennials (and vice versa).
3 ways to adapt your marketing strategy for a double-screening world
1. Assume everyone you're talking to is double-screening
Epsilon's research found that while Gen Z is certainly leading the charge when it comes to double-screening, the practice is ubiquitous across across generations. Switching between devices isn't just a trend—it's the new normal.
To capture fragmented attention, brands will need to identify consumer touch points across devices (via leveraging first- and third-party data) truly personalize their messaging, and activate it on the right channels at the right time.
2. Targeting the right people at the right time and place is essential.
When it comes to viewing an ad and taking action, consumers across generations are the most ready to buy when the product meets their needs.
It's not enough to just craft the right message—advertisers need to truly understand what their audience needs and is looking for so they can deliver timely, relevant messaging.
Enhancing first-party data with third-party data is key to understanding your audience on a deeper level.
"Using a blend of first-party data and third-party data will drive engagement and increase purchase rates if you're able to consistently message the right person at the right time," Fazendin says.
3. Tailor omnichannel campaigns to match your audience’s digital habits.
Today, most ad-influenced purchases happen online, but 73% of consumers shop on their phones as opposed to their laptops, desktop computers or tablets.
To maximize conversions and drive brand loyalty, marketers need to optimize messaging for smartphones while also making sure they work for other devices and ad experiences too.
Source: Epsilon, 2025, Your guide to cross-generational marketing in 2025
Additionally, even though Google halted their plans to get rid of third-party cookies, Apple devices and their Safari browser have been third-party-cookie-free for years, making those users notoriously difficult to reach via digital media. This means most advertisers are not effectively reaching iPhone users today, which is a significant amount of double-screeners.
So how do you overcome this issue? Make sure your programmatic partners can reach Apple device users. At Epsilon, we built our programmatic media offering the harder way, so that we can reach users across platforms and devices—including Apple products and browsers–and across cookie-free environments.
To learn more about double-screening and how to adapt your marketing strategy, watch Epsilon's on-demand webinar, featuring experts from Epsilon and Samsung Ads.
Survey methodology and timing: This Epsilon survey ran from January 2 to January 7, 2025, and included 2,296 respondents across generations. To qualify respondents needed to be between 18 to 77 years old and indicate they watch shows, movies, sports or the news. The sample was weighted by age and gender to align with the census.
---
## Chuck E. Cheese and the modern family: How a classic brand is winning over the next generation
Type: eps_post
URL: /chuck-e-cheese-modern-marketing
Last Modified: 2025-11-21T17:32:28Z
# Chuck E. Cheese and the modern family: How a classic brand is winning over the next generation
When Blake Johnson first started working at CEC Entertainment—the parent company of the iconic Chuck E. Cheese—he often heard the same thing.
“That’s still around?”
Johnson, the Sr. Director of Brand Strategy at CEC, himself had loved the brand as a kid. But as the world shifted into more digital-first experiences, awareness and engagement had changed. The CEC team knew they needed a refresh.
To transform their image and to cater to the modern family, Chuck E. Cheese turned to data.
“We’re leading with a data-first mentality and grounding all of our decision-making in that versus just taking an emotional or story-like approach,” Johnson said. “Better insights start with smarter data.”
Making a legacy brand modern
At its core, Chuck E. Cheese is a restaurant and entertainment space designed for kids. Since it first opened in 1977, the brand’s marketing strategy was to tell a story: Chuck E. Cheese is the epicenter of fun.
As times changed—and as marketing spread across various channels—the Chuck E. Cheese team knew they needed to bring their restaurants into the 21st century. Part of their plan included appealing more to parents. They invested millions in renovating their dining rooms for a more modern feel, refreshed their branding and doubled down on ad campaigns.
The result?
“When we dug into the data, we learned really quickly that a remodel is nice-to-have, but it’s not a true driver,” Johnson said.
So what would appeal to families? Johnson and his team looked to their data to find out.
“We needed to understand what made our families tick: Do we have an affordability problem? A visit frequency problem? Where should we put the bulk of our efforts into?” he said. “Getting to know our core audience has had a transformational effect on the business.”
The power of customer insights
With Epsilon as a partner, CEC Entertainment deployed a data strategy to centralize and enhance all their data points, including transactional and site tag data. This built clearer profiles of who their adult guests were. Then, they qualified those data points with focus groups centered around their main customers: Kids.
They discovered that parents fell into two general audiences: Guests who valued affordability and guests who valued their kids’ experience. When they dug deeper, they realized the things that drove value for either group ranged from regional preferences to unique consumer nuances.
Take, for example, birthday parties—a Chuck E. Cheese staple. Using data, they analyzed what competitors their guests were choosing over them. One of the most surprising insights was that people would come to Chuck E. Cheese for the games but would eat somewhere cheaper, like a fast food restaurant.
“Our guests wanted the experience of coming to Chuck E. Cheese, but we were pricing our guests out,” he said.
In response, they created a birthday party package that included unlimited games, a live birthday show, upgraded prizes and more—all for $99.
“It makes Chuck E. Cheese not only top of mind, but affordable,” he said. “And it’s a good hook for us to get interest. We sell a lot of $99 birthday parties, and it’s the entry point for a lot of guests to book us again.”
Why a data strategy matters
To really understand the complexities of a consumer, brands need a customer-centric data strategy. Matt Stewart, Sr. Director of Strategic Consulting at Epsilon, said brands often have a lot of data at their fingertips, but don’t know how—or why—to engage with it.
“Being able to have that 100% fulfillment in knowing who your customer really is and being able to tell that whole story is so important because it touches every piece of the organization,” he said. “It guides how you’re connecting with your audience and determines what’s relevant to them. It’s allowing brands to be proactive versus reactive.”
For CEC Entertainment, this has manifested in a variety of ways, including in their loyalty program. Their points-based program relied on guest visits and participation to offer maximum value, but most guests only visited once or twice a year. Leaning on their data-driven insights, they saw a unique opportunity that broke the mold: The Chuck E. Cheese Fun Pass.
This subscription-based program allows unlimited visits, daily gameplay, exclusive discounts and surprise offers, blending standard points and discount-based rewards with affordable access. The tiered system starts at $8 a month.
In just one year, they gained 500,000 new members.
“Our Fun Pass program has been a hit,” Johnson said. “For us, even just one extra visit a year from families is transformational.”
Where the head and the heart meet
At the end of the day, Johnson said the data makes Chuck E. Cheese more intentional.
Investing in a data strategy has complimented the classic emotional storytelling that Chuck E. Cheese is known for, and it’s allowed them to respond to customer needs and wants that to inform all facets of their business.
“It makes you think about what makes you unique, not just from a brand perspective but from an operational perspective as well,” Johnson said. “Your core products have to be highly attuned to your unique experiences and how those resonate with guests.”
Johnson said CEC Entertainment is excited for this new chapter. As they open up their doors to the next generation of kids, they feel empowered knowing their strategy centers around the people who mean the most: their guests.
“Our families are unique,” he said. “And that’s where everything starts—with them.”
---
## CTV measurement & attribution: How to measure what actually matters
Type: eps_post
URL: /ctv-measurement-attribution
Last Modified: 2026-09-14T15:14:04Z
# CTV measurement & attribution: How to measure what actually matters
Why CTV measurement is genuinely hard
CTV has solidified itself as a core advertising channel, but throughout its consistent growth one issue has remained: measurement. There are many aspects that make connected TV ad measurement more difficult than other digital channels.
For one, it is a fragmented ecosystem. Today’s audiences don’t just watch content in one place; they move across multiple streaming services, frequently subscribe and unsubscribe, and watch on different screens throughout their homes. This makes it difficult to get a single, consistent view of who’s watching what, where or when.
Also, many of the leading streaming platforms such as Netflix, Disney+ and Amazon Prime Video operate as walled gardens, which means that reporting is limited
There is also technically no “click” on a TV screen like there would be on other channels. While new solutions like QR codes and pause ads are being tested, it is still more of a challenge to trace actions back to specific moments with connected TV. Measuring delivery is easy, but measuring real impact requires a more thoughtful approach.
The good news is that while these challenges are real, they are not unsolvable. But building one streamlined CTV measurement strategy can be quite complex. Continue reading to learn more about the CTV attribution framework that is helping marketers better understand their CTV performance to make the most out of their ad spend.
The metrics that actually matter on CTV
CTV ad measurement starts with understanding the difference between what was delivered and what actually drove results for your brand.
Delivery metrics show whether an ad ran as expected. These include impressions, completion rate, viewability, in-target reach and frequency. They help confirm that a campaign was executed properly.
Outcome metrics go a step further. They focus on what changed as a result of exposure, such as site visits, app installs, conversions, in-store visits and brand lift.
The right CTV metrics depend on the campaign objective:
For awareness, reach and frequency paired with brand lift are more relevant.
For consideration, engagement signals like site visits or search activity are more relevant.
For conversion, the primary metrics would have to do more with actions taken after exposure.
When marketers use both delivery and outcome-based metrics, they provide a more complete view of performance. Delivery metrics validate that your ads were seen, while outcome metrics help determine their effectiveness.
The 4 CTV attribution models—and when to use each
There is no single CTV measurement model that fully captures performance. Most marketers rely on a combination of approaches:
These models are rarely used in isolation. Oftentimes, brands combine methods to balance speed, accuracy and strategic insight. For example, one model may help with in-flight optimization, while another supports longer-term planning.
Cross-screen attribution: The hard problem no one solves alone
Another reality to face with CTV is that audiences do not experience media in silos. A single household may move between linear TV, streaming platforms and digital channels throughout the day. From a measurement perspective, this means that the same audience may be counted multiple times or not connected at all.
Without a way to unify these touchpoints, it becomes difficult to answer some fundamental measurement questions:
Is your brand reaching new audiences, or the same ones repeatedly?
Which channels are actually driving results?
How much incremental value is CTV delivering within the broader mix?
The answer to this unification doesn’t lie in one solution, but in many. Effective cross-screen measurement depends on:
A consistent way to recognize audiences across environments
Deduplicated exposure data to avoid overcounting
Privacy-safe ways to collaborate with platforms that restrict data access
When these elements come together, marketers can get closer to a complete picture of performance.
How identity powers every measurement method
No matter which attribution model your brand decides to use, one thing remains the same: a strong identity solution is key.
VTA needs to know the same household was exposed and later converted
MTA needs persistent IDs across every touchpoint
MMM benefits from cleaner channel-level exposure data
Brand lift requires identity-resolved survey panels for control vs. exposed
So, while it is important to choose a strong measurement partner, it is arguably even more important to find a solid identity partner.
Building a CTV ad measurement stack
Given the complexity of CTV, building a measurement strategy is less about choosing a single solution and more about aligning multiple components.
Here is a five-step framework for assembling a CTV ad measurement program:
Define the objective and the corresponding success metric. Not every campaign should be measured the same way. Awareness campaigns should prioritize reach and brand outcomes, while performance campaigns should focus more on actions.
Anchor on identity. Measurement depends on the ability to recognize audiences across touchpoints. Establishing an identity framework early on helps connect exposure to outcomes and supports more consistent attribution.
Layer methods. No single attribution model tells the full story. Using a combination of approaches allows marketers to be more confident in their measurements.
Negotiate walled-garden access. Many CTV environments limit data access, making it necessary to incorporate other technologies. Clean room environments and privacy-safe data sharing approaches help marketers work within these constraints.
Set the cadence. Delivery metrics are often reviewed more frequently, while outcome-based insights can take longer. Establishing a consistent reporting cadence helps teams balance tracking their short-term performance with analyzing the longer-term impact.
Bringing these elements together requires the right combination of technology, data and expertise. Epsilon's CTV advertising platform does this by taking a more unified and effective approach to measurement. Recognized in the IDC MarketScape, Epsilon combines in-flight visibility through our partnership with iSpot.tv with our industry-leading identity solution, COREid. This enables more accurate cross-screen deduplication and audience understanding. Clean-room integrations help advertisers extend measurement into difficult environments such as walled gardens.
Together, these capabilities make it easier to move beyond fragmented reporting and toward a more complete view of CTV performance.
FAQ
What's the most accurate way to measure CTV advertising?
Incrementality testing is the gold standard for causal measurement, but it's expensive and slower than other methods. Most advertisers combine identity-resolved MTA for in-flight optimization with periodic incrementality tests for strategic validation.
What's the difference between MTA and MMM for CTV?
MTA assigns credit at the touchpoint level using log-level data (needs identity resolution); MMM is a top-down statistical model that estimates channel contribution from aggregate data (privacy-safe but less granular). They're complementary, not substitutes.
How do you measure CTV inside walled gardens like Netflix or Amazon?
Through the streamer's clean room (Amazon Marketing Cloud, Disney Real-Time Ad Exchange, NBCU One Platform Total Audience) — where you can match your first-party data against their viewership data in a privacy-safe environment to attribute outcomes.
Can you measure ROI on CTV the same way as digital?
Not exactly. There's no click. But identity-resolved view-through attribution, incrementality lift, and sales-lift studies all produce ROI-comparable measures when set up correctly.
What is incrementality testing in CTV?
A measurement method that compares exposed and unexposed (control) groups to isolate the causal effect of the CTV campaign on outcomes. Considered the most rigorous form of CTV measurement.
What's the typical completion rate on CTV ads?
Typically 95%+ — CTV ads are generally non-skippable and run in lean-back environments, so completion rates are much higher than display or social video.
---
## Higher performing marketing campaigns require more than data and identity—they need activation and measurement as well
Type: eps_post
URL: /higher-performing-campaigns-data-identity-activation
Last Modified: 2025-10-03T14:17:30Z
# Higher performing marketing campaigns require more than data and identity—they need activation and measurement as well
Identity and data create a solid framework for marketers to build winning strategies, but the actual execution requires more than those two components. Data bolstered by identity is best used with technology that can activate and measure campaigns with it.
In a new article from Digiday, Rob Webster, a former senior executive with GroupM who now leads an AI consultancy called TAU Marketing Solutions, highlighted the importance of bridging those gaps for better outcomes.
“It’s all about match rates [between advertisers’ desired audience and a media owners’ registered users],” he said, adding that Epsilon is seen as a “pace-setter” when it comes to advertising offerings.
He goes on to question how Epsilon is so far ahead of the pack, but the reality is that our activation layer is what sets our data and identity apart—and it makes our measurement even better. We’re able to optimize every step of the process because we can build, launch and measure campaigns.
A first-party data foundation
First-party data is a powerful tool. Brands understand the importance of it, especially in lieu of third-party identifier deprecation and privacy regulatory changes. But many brands know they can do more with the data they already have.
A solid data strategy starts with a basic question: what is the current state of my data collection today? Some brands will have a lot of data at their fingertips, while others may need a way to collect more data or augment the data available to them.
Build: Things like loyalty programs and owned channels (email, app, SMS, for example) are great ways to begin building that rich first-party data.
Collect: Find the right solution to collect your data in a privacy-safe environment, like a customer data platform (CDP).
Augment: For brands without a lot of first-party data, a clean room solution serves as a great tool for augmenting your data by enhancing it with partner data in a privacy-safe, secure space.
But this is just the foundation. Once you have data, you want to make sure you can actually use it.
Identity resolution creates a clear picture
First-party data can tell you a lot about your customers, but alone, it won’t tell you everything. Consumers live in and outside of your owned channels. A holistic understanding of their preferences, behaviors and attributes create a clearer picture of who they are and what they want, including what channels most resonate with them and which devices they use.
Connecting these behaviors allows marketers to tailor their experiences and messages based on what consumers actually like and respond to. Identity resolution can help by cleaning, aligning and enriching first-party data to fill in data gaps, including connecting an individual person to multiple devices and emails.
This helps brands do more with their data by often doing less. It reduces over-frequencing and identifies the best opportunities for media spend. It can also reveal customers who love you that aren’t in your file and identify messages and formats to engage consumers on an individual level, meaning they’re more likely to act.
Knowing what makes a customer tick creates a deeper relationship with them. But how are you using that knowledge?
Activating your first-party data
Strong data – that connects directly to activation channels - allows marketing to perform more effectively. It gives marketers concrete building blocks on an individual and aggregate level, tailoring tactics to actually deploy strategies and campaigns.
What often happens, though, is brands are using disparate tech solutions that may have data and identity with one (or multiple) partners, and then use other partners for the activation step. Although this is common practice in the industry today, it can degrade the quality of the campaign because the activation platform can’t reach the identified people, or maybe it can reach them, but it can’t connect the success of a campaign back to those individuals. This makes the connection between a brand’s data collection and management strategy and their media activation partner critical.
To solve for this, more brands are adopting a connected tech stack. They are choosing martech and adtech solutions designed to work together, wherein martech builds the foundation for campaigns and adtech deploys them.
Interconnected tech creates a centralized system for all of your marketing and advertising to feed off. All activations come from the same dynamic data—which reduces fragmentation and maintains data fidelity—and ultimately offers holistic collection that can be unified on a person-level through identity resolution.
You’re creating a closed-loop system that continually learns and evolves as your customers and brand do, too. And with things like AI and machine learning, you’re simultaneously building strong predictive models that anticipate your customers' needs. This not only helps you engage your customers in more meaningful ways, but it also elicits stronger customer affinity for your brand.
Measurement matters
Measurement is the bread and butter of a marketing campaign. When fueled by strong data and identity, and activated through a single source of truth, brands can rest assured that their measurement is accurate and granular. When using martech and adtech in conjunction with things like AI and machine learning, you're enabling your data to continue to get better.
You can measure true campaign performance and adjust your strategy to meet your goals. And, with closed-loop reporting, those insights go back into your first-party data. That means as your customers change, you change with them. You can see a person's preferences and needs as they evolve, and because of that, you can reach them in the right way every time.
Holistic solutions are built for this type of feedback loop. As campaigns progress, marketers get feedback on success and can apply insights back to their data and adjust the strategy in the future.
Questions to ask your vendor:
Can my martech/adtech solutions enhance my existing first-party data to build more robust insights?
Is there a solution I can use if I want/need to collaborate with trusted partners on data?
Do my martech solutions plug directly into my media activation solution? Is there an option to provide both as part of the same tech stack?
For media activation tools, what channels can I currently use for ad campaigns? And how well does my current first-party data match to people that can be reached on those channels?
Is my attribution and measurement connected back to my original data and identity?
Finding solutions that are designed specifically to work together can be a game-changer. Higher performing ad campaigns require not only a strong adtech solution for deployment, but martech solutions that can set a brand in the right direction on day one.
With Epsilon, you can build a real connected tech stack across data, identity, activation and measurement. Our industry-leading identity resolution solution, CORE ID, powers our martech and ad tech tools, helping our clients reach more in-market customers and activate high-performing media campaigns. And you can have confidence in your data security and fidelity.
---
## 7 proven ecommerce strategies to maximize sales and growth
Type: eps_post
URL: /7-ecommerce-strategies-for-sales-and-growth
Last Modified: 2025-12-08T21:05:50Z
# 7 proven ecommerce strategies to maximize sales and growth
If you're feeling the pressure to accelerate growth and drive results, you're not alone. Ecommerce can be a challenging landscape to navigate, especially for teams with limited time, resources and tools.
As consumer expectations evolve, so does the pressure to increase revenue and consistently offer a first-class shopping experience. While these challenges are real, they don’t have to be roadblocks; instead, they can be opportunities to sharpen strategy and strengthen customer relationships.
In fact, a solid strategy aligned with the right technology solution, can be a powerful way to build personalized onsite experiences that capture leads and increase conversions.
Let’s dive into 7 proven strategies that’ll help you grow your ecommerce business:
1. Streamline onsite navigation
First impressions count. According to research, half of internet users say that they use website design as a factor to formulate their opinion on a business. In other words, an optimized onsite experience is one of the most powerful ways to increase engagement and build trust.
A solution with a strong foundation of data and identity adds relevant products to onsite experiences, adjusting homepage content and customizing page overlays to match corresponding behavioral segments, ensuring content resonates based on broader customer patterns.
Well-designed websites with intuitive navigation create seamless shopping experiences—from the first touchpoint through to checkout—turning casual browsers into loyal customers.
Technology that can instantly personalize onsite experience, will help you:
Build a UX-optimized navigation bar
Make your website device-responsive
Accurately categorize your products
Maintain consistent design throughout your website
Make it easier for your customers to find products
An optimized website experience enables people to easily explore your products and services, leading to better business outcomes.
2. Leverage social proof and testimonials
Most people have an innate desire to belong. They instinctively look to what others are doing to validate their decisions.
92% of customers trust non-paid advice over paid ads, according to Nielsen. That tells us something important: Showing shoppers that your products are in high demand and loved by your current ecommerce customers—using social proof and testimonials—can play a significant role in building advocacy for your brand and increasing conversions.
Sharing customer feedback and experiences on product pages, for example, reinforces the value of your products and services. Investing in technology with social proofing capabilities can increase conversions on your site by:
Spotlighting customer testimonials
Driving urgency with stock scarcity messaging
Highlighting product popularity
Leveraging case studies and success stories
Embedding trust badges
Once trust has been established with social proof messages, it can help guide visitors throughout their entire on-site experience, especially at the decision-making stage.
3. Save abandoned carts
Cart abandonment rates have been climbing steadily, hitting 80% globally in the fourth quarter of 2024, according to Statista. Essentially, cart abandonment is a consistent and complex problem for ecommerce marketers—and creating onsite personalization experiences is a critical component to reducing it.
Saving abandoned carts requires a solid first-party data strategy. A first-party data strategy can fuel better personalization across the customer journey. By surfacing relevant products to reminding visitors of abandoned carts, the right technology solution can help you activate your first-party data and drive more meaningful engagement.
It also provides analytics that can help you understand which customers abandon their carts. The right data and technology can provide insights that will help reduce drop-offs and improve retention by:
Sending basket reminders
Spotlighting "buy now, pay later" options
Sending discount reminders
Using delivery incentives
Dynamically scraping images from cart
4. A/B test everything
A/B testing can be critical to improving onsite optimization, especially when it comes to enhancing customer experiences, increasing conversions and shortening the path to purchase.
Despite its game-changing value, 23% of companies still aren’t using A/B testing to compare how website changes impact conversion rates. What’s more, 41% of email marketers aren’t using A/B testing to measure the performance of their email content.
If you’re in either of these boats, a robust technology can help you truly understand your customers preferences and needs by providing multivariant and control group testing. Having a data-driven approach at the heart of your ecommerce strategy, provides a holistic view of your shoppers and leads to better business outcomes.
5. Segment your customers
Once you understand their shopping behavior, you can start segmenting your site visitors to drive results more effectively.
Customer segmentation provides relevant onsite experiences that are engaging and increase the likelihood of conversion. In fact, according to eMarketer, 77% of marketing ROI comes from segmented, targeted and triggered campaigns.
Segmenting based on factors like customer behavior, their demographics, psychographics and geographic information provides a holistic view of shopper preferences and needs, allowing you to tailor messages in real time.
Once your shoppers are segmented, you can meet them exactly where they are in their journey.
6. Build an email marketing strategy
Email is a staple of any successful marketing strategy. It’s an excellent channel for attracting and nurturing customers because it reinforces marketing messages that are delivered through other channels, and creates a more consistent and effective customer experienced.
According to our research, 74% of consumer respondents said they typically like to see updates, product offers or new brand messages via email. Essentially, email marketing is an important extension of the consumer-brand relationship and goes hand-in-hand with onsite experiences.
Intent Messaging, part of Epsilon's Messaging solution, allows you to engage shoppers when they abandon a site at any point in their purchase journey. By optimizing your email campaigns, this powerful capability lets you to focus on planning 1:1 communication with a strategic approach that’s in line with your business needs.
Epsilon Accelerate provides seamless integration that manages the entire email marketing process from start to finish. It uses a layered lead generation strategy to acquire leads throughout the entire customer journey. It’s seamless, highly targeted, and drives results.
7. Build an SMS marketing strategy
SMS marketing is on the rise. In our research, 65% of consumer respondents said that they check their text/SMS messages four or more times per day.
For brands, this creates a key opportunity to stand out. Integrating SMS into your marketing strategy can help you deliver messages that are personalized, relevant and perfectly time.
When combined with email and onsite personalization, SMS marketing adds another high-impact, real-time channel to keep users engaged—creating a cohesive, omnichannel experience that drives results and strengthens customer relationships.
Investing in the right solution will enable you to build a strong base of SMS leads, ensuring that you can:
Segment your subscribers
Personalize content
Communicate with your customers regularly
Incentivize purchases
A/B test your messaging
Next-generation messaging technology, with advanced SMS/MMS, mobile and email capabilities as core components, seamlessly extend onsite interactions into real-time experiences that resonate. A strong tech stack integrates SMS messaging directly—ensuring consistency across channels and enabling scalable, personalized brand-consumer communications that feel seamless.
Conclusion
To execute a winning personalization strategy, start by prioritizing what’s important to your ecommerce business goals, then assess your internal capabilities. From there, identify a solution, and make the case for a dedicated budget. Finally, test new approaches, measure your results and adjust accordingly.
Epsilon Accelerate, our all-in-one site personalization solution for brands, makes implementing these techniques easy. You’ll be able to instantly create tailored experiences that boost customer engagement and drive revenue growth. Partnering with Epsilon can help you keep shoppers coming back by leveraging technology that’s built to align with your resources and understand your customers better.
---
## A conversation on retail media’s measurement revolution with Ace Hardware
Type: eps_post
URL: /a-conversation-on-retail-media-measurement-revolution-ace-hardware
Last Modified: 2025-11-18T19:42:35Z
# A conversation on retail media’s measurement revolution with Ace Hardware
At Marketecture Live, retail media took center stage—and behind every successful retail media network is a successful partnership. Ace Hardware’s Corporate Vice President of Retail Media Networks, Molly Hjelm, and Epsilon’s SVP of Retail Growth, Edina Kalamperovic, sat down for a conversation on how retail media is moving the industry beyond proxy metrics, the role of deterministic data and how partnerships like Ace and Epsilon’s are setting a new standard for trustworthy measurement.
Dig into their conversation below.
Panel highlights at a glance
The industry is shifting from proxies to people: Clicks and impressions aren’t enough—real outcomes tied to real people should be the baseline for brands.
Retail media is changing the rules: With first-party data, loyalty programs and closed-loop attribution, retailers like Ace can connect media directly to sales both online and in-store.
Partnership is the differentiator: Ace built RedVest Media, the brand's retail media network, with intention by combining Ace’s loyalty data with Epsilon’s iROAS methodology to create better measurement from day one.
Measurement is about triangulation, not perfection: Incrementality, ROAS and media mix modeling (MMM) all have a place, but deterministic outcomes should sit at the center.
Accountability is a retail advantage—and a challenge: Retailers are closer to the transaction, but that also puts a spotlight on proving value internally and externally.
The Q&A
Marketecture Live spotlighted the importance of outcomes and the people at the heart of advertising. Why is that message so timely right now?
Edina Kalamperovic, Epsilon: If you look back at the last decade of digital advertising, measurement was late to mature. We relied on third-party and platform-reported metrics—impressions, clicks, viewability. It was “good enough” because it was all we had. But retail media changed the rules. It’s growing nearly twice as fast as digital overall, and it’s forcing us to ask: What really counts as performance?
Molly Hjelm, Ace Hardware: I’ve spent my career in retail data—from consulting to activation and measurement. I’ve led sales teams within mature retail media networks in the dollar channel and in grocery, and now I’ve had the opportunity to launch RedVest Media for Ace Hardware. What’s exciting is that we’re finally speaking the same language across the industry. Deterministic precision, closed-loop outcomes—these aren’t niche ideas anymore. They’re becoming the standard.
And yet, there’s still debate within RMN communities on what measurement should be. For advertisers, when it comes to partnering with media networks, not all data and measurement is created equal; the customer data at the heart of it all really matters. At Ace, we have scale—nearly 5200 stores across the US, we have reach: 50MM monthly site visits to our site and app, and we have a value-exchange connection to our customer in our 70MM+ member loyalty program.
Let’s talk about measurement. Why is “good enough” no longer enough?
Kalamperovic: Most measurement today is projected—MMM, ROAS, platform-reported numbers. But a Meta/IAB study showed that non-experimental methods missed true lift by up to 80%. Retail media offers deterministic, closed-loop sales data. Yet even with that advantage, we’re still debating what counts as “good enough,” why there’s no standardization, and whether incrementality or ROAS matters more.
Hjelm: As a marketer, I’ve felt the pain of opaque models. While every retail media network has a right to customize their measurement for their unique dataset, purchase cycle and approach to identity resolution, it can lead to massive distrust—a perception that they are grading their own homework.
When we stood up RedVest, we did so with intention and focused on what matters: Real time, comprehensive measurement that spans ecommerce and in-store. We’re using Epsilon’s standardized iROAS methodology. It’s real-time, cross-channel and rooted in our loyalty data. That gives us credibility and objectivity from day one.
We’d be remiss if we didn’t point out that the “retail” in retail media really adds a deeper layer to accountability in a multi-layered vendor/retailer relationship.
Kalamperovic: Retailers want to prove their value within their walls, but, as Molly said, that can look like grading your own homework. With over 200 retail media networks in the U.S., each with their own KPIs, advertisers are left trying to compare apples to oranges.
Molly, what do you think: How do you see that balance, of building an ad network sitting within a broader retail context? What does it mean for how you are looking at outcomes and the conversations you are having?
Hjelm: At Ace, our merchants are deeply attuned to the advertising investments. There’s an expectation that we’re not wasting time or money. It’s a microscope on what we’re doing in the best kind of way. The beauty of retail media really shines when we focus media tools on addressing business pain points and engaging specific retail customer cohorts to drive results. Retail media lets you target lapsed customers, retain loyals, and launch innovation with precision.
When advertisers compare across retailers or national media, there are certainly challenges. The key is to focus on the business pain point. If you’re accountable for growth at Ace, RedVest Media is a toolkit that can help you reach your goals.
What are the debates marketers are actually having?
Kalamperovic: Standardization, incrementality vs. ROAS, deterministic vs. modeled—these are the hot topics. Off-site retail media is growing 1.5× faster than on-site, which means more fragmentation and more risk of double counting. The brands that win will triangulate across methodologies and weight deterministic data higher.
Hjelm: I’ve seen advertisers swing wildly based on MMM results—pulling back from ecommerce, then pouring investment back in. You have to build your gut. Your retail media investment probably isn’t driving $40 for every dollar spent, but it’s not $0.50 either. Benchmark within each retailer’s ecosystem, optimize over time, trust deterministic results over modeled/projected, and make the tools work harder for you.
What’s your advice for teams navigating this complexity?
Kalamperovic: Anchor in people, not proxies. If it’s not tied to a person and a purchase, it’s not the truth. And triangulate—align with finance on a simple plan: incrementality = impact, ROAS = efficiency, MMM/MTA = planning check.
Hjelm: I’d add: Don’t over-index on comparisons across retailers. Focus on what works within each ecosystem. At RedVest, we’ve built a setup that integrates the best of Ace’s data with the best of Epsilon’s tech. That’s how we learn, optimize, and grow.
Final thoughts?
Kalamperovic: Retail media is growing fast because it promises accountability. Let’s make sure it delivers—and push the rest of digital to follow.
Hjelm: Well said. Let’s keep the focus on outcomes and the people who drive them.
What’s next for retail media
This conversation made one thing clear: “good enough” measurement isn’t good enough anymore. As Edina explained, retail media’s promise is accountability—but it’s up to the industry to deliver on it, and Molly agreed: the brands that will win are the ones focused on outcomes and the people behind them.
Partnerships like Epsilon and Ace are proving what’s possible when technology, trust and first-party data align. To learn more about what you can do with Epsilon Retail Media, click here.
---
## Customer loyalty isn't given—it's earned. Here's how to nurture it.
Type: eps_post
URL: /how-to-nurture-customer-loyalty
Last Modified: 2026-07-01T19:14:54Z
# Customer loyalty isn't given—it's earned. Here's how to nurture it.
It’s a long-held belief that when it comes to loyalty, what people give is what people expect to receive. This is especially relevant for the consumer-brand relationship.
Consumers are extremely savvy, and not easily swayed. They carefully decide when to buy, and when not to. Consumer loyalty cannot be negotiated; it must be nurtured. But how can brands effectively do so?
“Top-performing brands are relentlessly customer-focused — they don’t assume what customers want; they listen, observe, and adapt,” says Shamba Schmidt, VP of Sales Consulting at Epsilon. “By aligning actions with customer sentiment, they build deeper satisfaction and lasting loyalty.”
Recently released Epsilon research, Fostering affinity through smarter loyalty programs, sheds light on consumer habits, behaviors and attitudes toward loyalty programs. The research shows that consumers take notice when loyalty programs know them more holistically, and that when a brand gets loyalty right, customers feel far more affinity and loyalty than brands that don't.
The disconnect: Brand assumptions vs. customer behavior
For the average consumer, joining loyalty programs is a no-brainer. We found that 40% of respondents belong to 4-7 loyalty programs, and 59% use their loyalty programs 1-3 times in a typical week.
And why wouldn’t they? Loyalty programs promise exclusive rewards, unique discounts and personalized offers. But many brands often overlook the critical role of active engagement in ensuring long-term success.
Baseline rewards and discounts aren't enough to keep customers satiated. In fact, customers are four times more likely to leave a service interaction disloyal than loyal. While the reasons for this may vary, the consequences often hold long-term ramifications.
“The data from our study showed that 45% of the people who had something positive to say about a company told fewer than three other people,” says Rick DeLisi, principle executive advisor at Gartner. “However, 48% of people who had a negative experience told more than ten people.”
This disconnect often happens because consumers and brands have different definitions of "loyalty." When consumers have a negative experience, it’s perceived as a sign that the brand doesn’t care. This isn’t necessarily the case. According to PwC's Customer Loyalty Executive Survey, companies measure loyalty more broadly than consumers do. Their study revealed that executives underestimate how much the quality of their offerings foster customer loyalty—estimating it at just 23%.
Brands think the existence of a loyalty program fosters loyalty all on its own, when in reality, programs that effectively reach and satisfy customers require a deeper understanding of who the customers are and what, exactly, they want.
Data-fueled technology can help brands bridge the gap. Deloitte reports that 51% of high-growth brands are deploying first-party data in delivering personalized content via dynamic creative optimization.
Brands that take a data-driven approach to their loyalty marketing can have more meaningful interactions that reflect demonstrated appreciation for their customers' patronage.
Leveraging consumer data can reveal trends, preferences and opportunities that can turn missed opportunities into rewarding experiences that enhance customer engagement and increase retention.
"Brands need to have a firm strategy that appeals to their customers on a personal level," Schmidt says. "Brands unknowingly undermine the very loyalty they want to nurture if their interactions don't demonstrate their customer understanding."
Tailored experiences drive stronger loyalty
An article on brand loyalty by Growave, a company that helps e-commerce brands build lasting customer relationships, put it simply: "Brand loyalty occurs when a customer consistently chooses the same brand over others, even in the presence of more affordable options. This is because brand loyalty is fundamentally rooted in perception.”
Customers often perceive personalized experiences as a sign that the brand understands them and values their business. Eighty percent of consumer respondents in our report said they like it when brands personalize communications with them based on their loyalty program interactions and status.
Personalization can turn simple interactions into meaningful recognition. This increases customer retention, improves higher lifetime value and builds stronger emotional connections.
Adidas, the multinational athletic sportswear and footwear retailer, recognizes that personalized experiences cultivate deeper customer loyalty. By tapping into real-time behaviors and preferences—both online and in-person—they can offer exclusive one-of-a-kind benefits that feel unique and tailored to each individual.
“Whenever they land on their touchpoint of choice, we’re outputting relevance to them. That relevance can be variable in terms of what rewards we’re offering, what kind of access we’re giving, and what kind of content we’re displaying to them,” says Thomas Kirk, global loyalty strategy director of Adidas, in a Total Retail Talks episode. He goes on to explain the critical role personalization plays in creating memorable experiences. “It’s really how we recognize behavior in the correct manner and serve up the best type of message at that moment in time.”
Providing customized experiences in this way is what turns loyal customers into vocal fans of the brand. Seventy-four percent of consumer respondents from our survey said that as a loyalty program participant, they recommend the brand to others.
Brand affinity starts with solid data
To deliver personalized, relevant experiences and rewards that cultivate deeper customer engagement, brands need to reframe their perceptions around loyalty programs. These data-rich environments provide direct feedback to the brand about what their customers actually want.
“Too often, loyalty programs fall into a ‘set it and forget it’ mindset, missing the opportunity to tap into the rich data at their fingertips,” says Schmidt. “Success isn’t just about collecting information—it’s about using it to strengthen the customer experience and deliver what customers truly want.”
This approach fuels a wide range of tactics: personalized rewards, tiered programs, price-based benefits, experiential incentives and gamification, to name a few.
It also gives brands a direct feedback loop. Stronger data provides stronger measurement and key metrics. This can happen by partnering with smarter technology that offers various levers to gauge emotional loyalty, identify repeat behaviors, sentiment of customer feedback and brand engagement patterns.
Tractor Supply Company set out to drive stronger customer engagement and affinity by digging into their customer loyalty data. As one of the largest rural lifestyle retailers in the US, Tractor Supply Company partnered with Epsilon to gain a clear view of their customers and redesign their loyalty program to speak to their customers’ needs.
Their aim was to grow a stronger relationship with their customer by optimizing their data to ensure a more balanced and rewarding value exchange for each individual patron. By looking at their customer data, they started analyzing what was truly effective: Were they offering the right rewards at the right thresholds? Where were areas that needed improvement?
Harnessing data and insights produced better outcomes and led to an increase in their loyalty program retention rate of more than 75% and $11B+ in supported sales.
“It’s really important to understand ‘the why,’” says Neil Tenzer, VP of Customer Loyalty, Insights & Engagement at Tractor Supply Company. “That’s actually the fun part—to spend time rolling around in the data, spend time in stores, and say, okay if this is the way these numbers are moving, why is that happening? What does that customer journey look like? Why are people joining? What motivates them to join and, in those rare instances where they do leave, why?”
Loyalty built on smart technology
To build loyalty, brands need to provide genuine value with each interaction—and that begins with knowing what customers care about most. Epsilon Loyalty turns rich insights into full-view loyalty, helping you scale your strategy as your customer relationships grow.
“It’s important for brands to listen to their customers, acknowledge their loyalty and create ongoing conversations. This is not only foundational to advocacy, but it’s how authentic experiences are created,” Schmidt says. “But brand affinity isn’t created overnight. It takes consistent marketing effort that’s focused on aligning with what your customers value, which is what we work with brands to deliver.”
Nurturing loyalty requires real insight into what drives behavior and creates emotional connection. To strengthen your approach to customer loyalty, you can start with our latest consumer research report.
---
## Loyalty technology: A guide to building an omnichannel loyalty stack
Type: eps_post
URL: /loyalty-technology-stack
Last Modified: 2026-09-15T20:06:18Z
# Loyalty technology: A guide to building an omnichannel loyalty stack
For loyalty technology to be effective, it needs to adapt alongside the people it serves.
When someone walks into a store and opens the app, it should recognize their location, offer available rewards, as well as personalize the content they see. If they write a positive review or refer a friend, it should acknowledge their advocacy appropriately and curate select experiences based on their engagement.
A layered loyalty tech stack is what makes this possible. It's the place where customer data, loyalty logic, personalization and engagement work together for seamless customer journey orchestration.
An industry-recognized customer loyalty platform can help you create an architecture that works for your brand. Moreover, it can give your brand the flexibility to meet changing customer expectations, scale across channels and markets, and continuously improve your loyalty program.
In this blog, we explain why the right loyalty technology matters, detail the different components that work together, outline the different loyalty tech stack approaches, share a checklist you can use to assess your current technology and how your brand can achieve better outcomes.
What "loyalty technology" means in 2026 (and why it's bigger than a points engine)
For years, brands approached customer loyalty as a rewards structure where people joined their program to earn points. But in 2026, nurturing loyalty means thinking beyond managing rewards to activating customer relationships.
Epsilon Pulse loyalty research indicates that 80% of consumers like it when brands personalize their communications based on their interactions and loyalty status with the brand. But personalized experiences are only as seamless as the technology that supports it.
In today’s environment, brands have to contend with AI reshaping product discovery and impacting purchasing decisions, customer expectations shifting toward personalized, real-time experiences and new engagement channels continuing to emerge. Yet many brands are still relying on their current platforms—designed to track points, tiers and transactions—to keep up.
As markets continue to evolve, brands need omnichannel loyalty technology that can activate their first-party data to improve targeting, identify lookalike audiences and personalize media across channels.
That’s where loyalty technology enters the picture. Rather than being something customers join for rewards, it turns loyalty into something brands actively reinforce.
Whether a brand’s goal is to increase purchase frequency, deepen engagement, encourage advocacy or strengthen long-term relationships, a strong loyalty tech stack shapes behavior—influencing the decisions customers make over time.
The seven components of a modern omnichannel loyalty stack
When someone abandons their cart, you can now see if they’re a high-value customer, predict the chances that they’ll convert, decide if they need a nudge to complete the action and trigger the most appropriate follow-up journey. An omnichannel loyalty stack validates customer behavior.
It organizes loyalty capabilities, so they happen with seamless ease. Data, decisioning, personalization and activation all work together in real time to deliver value, boost satisfaction and create hyper-personalized customer experiences.
It's important to understand the distinct role of each layer, how they work together and how first-party data flows through each component to make your loyalty experiences come to life.
Modern omnichannel loyalty tech stack
Figure 1. Modern omnichannel loyalty tech stack connecting the experience layer, loyalty platform, identity, orchestration, promotions, connectivity, API integrations, native connectors and intelligence capabilities such as data and analytics to deliver connected customer experiences.
Loyalty platform with native identity
A loyalty platform already knows who your customers are. If they shop online, buy in-store and click an email, the platform knows these interactions all belong to the same person. Because identity is built-in, every action maps back to the right customer profile. The biggest benefit of this layer is that it provides a holistic customer view, ensuring loyalty experiences are consistent wherever they engage.
Rules and rewards engine
With a complete view, the rules and rewards engine decides what should happen because of the action they’ve just taken. It’s the decision-making layer, applying the brand’s loyalty program logic and evaluates what members earn, unlock and experience. For example, if someone spends $125, they get free shipping. Points, tiers, missions, gamification and redemption logic are calculated automatically at this level.
Offers and promotions management
If the first two layers are about recognition and fulfillment, offers and promotions management is responsible for how to influence and engage loyalty members. It motivates future behavior by creating, targeting and delivering offers and promotional campaigns. Because this layer is designed to guide customers to the next-best action, marketers can use personalized offers, discounts and limited-time promotions. Messages like, “Spend $75 this week for double points," have been executed at this layer.
Channel orchestration
Channel orchestration coordinates cross-channel engagement so customers can feel like they’re experiencing one connected journey. At this layer, the right message is sent at the right time, to the right customer. If offers determines what the customer receives, the channel orchestration layer decides to send the offer by email or push notification; knows the offer was redeemed online and stops the reminder; and asks what the next best action is. Channel orchestration coordinates the member journey.
Member experience layer
This layer is the only one the customer actually interacts with. It’s where members directly interact with the loyalty program and includes the loyalty dashboard, rewards wallet, member portals and mobile loyalty program apps. Unlike the other layers, it doesn’t make decisions about the loyalty experience, it displays them. Essentially, it’s where the decision-making from other layers is made visible and interactive to the customer.
Data and analytics layer
While the other layers take action, the data and analytics layer touches everything across the tech stack and leverages that loyalty data as insight—so program managers can adjust their strategy. Loyalty program performance metrics, member engagement analysis and campaign performance all live in this layer. Marketers can spot trends, identify opportunities and get a better understanding of what’s working and why. It ensures you can improve ROI and make data-driven decisions.
Integration & APIs
The integration and API is the layer where everything else your brand uses communicates with the rest of the environment. Simply put: it shares information, including APIs, data connectors and partner integrations. This layer allows your first-party data and loyalty actions to run across channels and systems without interruption. In the loyalty engine, integrations and APIs run across the entire tech stack, making the whole thing operate in real-time with each business function. The layer provides flexible connectivity that brands can use to adapt to emerging technologies as their needs evolve.
An advanced loyalty tech stack recognizes customers, determines rewards, tailors offers, orchestrates member journeys and measures loyalty program performance—leveraging unified first-party data as the connective tissue that powers each layer.
Why omnichannel changes the technology requirements
Years ago, loyalty programs consisted of straightforward, transaction-based interactions that happened all in one place. Today’s customer journey is less linear and even less predictable.
Before a customer makes a purchase, they might browse in-store, add an item to their cart on a website, redeem points in the app and then open an email. While the customer views this as one brand experience, these moments occur across different systems, teams and channels within your brand.
Ever-emerging digital channels have shifted customer behavior and increased the expectation that brands provide a connected experience that moves with fluidity across touchpoints.
But loyalty hasn’t fundamentally changed—what it takes to build it has. Brands must recognize members consistently across channels, maintain a real-time customer profile and synchronize loyalty status, rewards and offers regardless of where interactions occur.
Without a solid data strategy and identity resolution, the customer view is fragmented. With unified data, identity resolution continuously reconciles disparate interactions across channels, devices and systems into a single trusted customer profile.
Nurturing loyalty in the moments that matter requires a technology stack with a strong data foundation, identity resolution, channel-agnostic rewards management and powerful decision-making capabilities that fuel engagement across touchpoints. A layered loyalty tech stack is designed to integrate, scale and evolve independently while delivering a unified customer experience.
Build, buy or assemble: Three paths to the loyalty stack
One size doesn’t fit all—for loyalty programs or the tech that powers them. It’s important that your unique vision for building loyalty is enabled by a system that supports your strategy.
Brands have three options: build a tech stack in-house with custom capabilities, implement an integrated platform or assemble a best-in-class system from advanced technologies. The right structure will depend on your size, brand strategy and the complexity of the markets you serve.
Build: Building a loyalty solution from scratch will give your brand complete control over its capabilities, integrations and member journeys. Building a tech stack requires in-house developers to create everything, including customer accounts, campaign promotions and various integrations—making it a significant long-term investment. This system is best for brands that want to maintain a competitive advantage over other brands.
Buy: When you buy a ready-made loyalty platform, you configure the components rather than create them from the ground up. This option comes with built-in loyalty capabilities, vendor management, service updates and ongoing expertise that enable faster deployment. Buying works well for brands that don’t have big IT teams, want to launch quickly and have fairly straightforward loyalty requirements.
Assemble: Brands that assemble, don’t build everything, nor do they buy a unified platform. Instead, they combine several advanced systems, like a customer data platform (CDP), customer relationship management (CRM) system and a loyalty platform function as one unit. Assembling works best for brands that prefer having their fully functioning system connected to different best-in-class technologies for optimal performance.
Choosing the right loyalty tech stack: Build, buy or assemble
Figure 1: Choosing the right loyalty technology approach—build, buy or assemble—based on your loyalty strategy, business resources and goals.
After choosing the right loyalty tech stack structure for your brand, it may be helpful to ask the following questions before investing in technology.
8 evaluation criteria for loyalty technology vendors
The right customer loyalty platform is the foundation for nurturing loyalty and building life-long brand advocates. Invest in technology that aligns with your brand strategy, can meet customer expectations and has capabilities that can deliver personalized experiences at scale.
1. Identity resolution ensures that the same person doesn’t have three different member profiles. When your customers shop online, use mobile apps and make an in-store purchase, it recognizes each individual across all channels.
What good looks like:
Complete customer profiles across online and offline channels
Customer profiles are reconciled in real-time across devices and touchpoints
Promotional offers work everywhere
2. Real-time time processing allows your brand to instantly recognize members and offer them value in the moments that matter. Batch processing takes more time—updating interactions intermittently (every hour, overnight, daily), leaving customers waiting a designated period of time for their actions be acknowledged.
What good looks like:
Immediate customer recognition
Real-time decisioning provides timely value exchange
Tier qualification, benefit updates and redemption activity across channels
3. Rules engine flexibility adapts to customer behavior ensuring marketers can adjust campaigns and manage loyalty logic within an easy, no-code environment.
What good looks like:
Refine based on earning, redemption, tier level and promotions
Visual campaign builder with dynamic segmentation
Personalized experiences based on customer behaviors, channels, or lifecycle stage
4. Channel coverage and orchestration depth ensures customers receive a seamless experience wherever they engage with your brand. It ensures your loyalty program connects and supports engagement on every channel.
What good looks like:
Broad channel support
Consistent experiences across touchpoints
Real-time journey coordination
5. Data portability and ownership will ensure you can easily access or transfer your customer data throughout the ecosystem and retain ownership rights if you switch vendors.
What good looks like:
Marketers control their own customer data
Seamless connection across the loyalty ecosystem
Open APIs and data that is easy to access
6. Privacy and consent infrastructure is critical for maintaining consumer trust. With it, brands can responsibly collect, manage and activate customer data while meeting regulatory and customer expectations.
What good looks like:
Customer-controlled preferences in a trusted environment
Industry-standard data security controls and compliance
Transparent data governance
7. Scalability ensures that as the digital landscape evolves, you can adapt. The right loyalty platform supports shifts in customer behavior, transaction activity, market shifts, emerging channels and program complexity without compromising the experience.
What good looks like:
Expands without major integrations to other platforms
Maintain high-performance during peak transaction
Ensures operational efficiency without additional resources
8. Reporting and analytics provide actionable insights that help brands optimize campaign performance and improve real-time decision-making.
What good looks like:
Real-time reporting
Advanced dashboards with actionable insights
Holistic view of customer behavior and patterns
The AI layer — where it actually adds value in loyalty tech today
While the loyalty layers, system requirements and evaluation criteria impact how your platform is designed and how it operates, AI shapes how those features deliver. But before AI can produce the type of output that brands expect, you need to understand what’s required first.
Instead of evaluating AI as a feature, invest in a loyalty platform that’s built on a solid data foundation. When high-quality data sits at the core, each layer of an omnichannel tech stack can leverage AI to deliver its capabilities at scale—with greater precision.
With the clear view of customer behaviors, preferences and interactions, AI can personalize experiences, increase operational efficiency and improve decision-making. Because AI augments every layer of the loyalty engine, it identifies when members disengage, makes relevant recommendations, detects fraud in real time and allows marketers to optimize member journeys based on meaningful data.
To be effective, AI needs a loyalty platform with the right data to ensure members engage meaningfully with your brand.
A 90-day plan to assess your current loyalty stack
Advanced loyalty program software evolves with your brand. Assessing your loyalty capabilities will help you identify capability gaps and prioritize the improvements that will help you build smarter loyalty experiences that resonate with your customers.
Assess what your current loyalty technology supports and what it does not, identifying strengths, weaknesses and areas of opportunity that impact the customer journey.
Evaluate what capabilities will help you deliver valuable loyalty experiences and develop a roadmap that aligns your technology with your business goals.
Determine whether your current tech stack should be enhanced, replaced or integrated into a broader ecosystem and implement a phased approach to modernize your loyalty strategy.
The right solution can make, or break, your loyalty strategy. Investing in a loyalty partner that combines quality data, identity resolution and advanced technology with hands-on expertise will help you drive measurable outcomes from setup to optimization—ensuring you get the most from your investment in any market.
Frequently asked questions about loyalty technology
What is loyalty technology?
Loyalty technology is a layered software ecosystem that powers modern customer loyalty programs. It typically includes identity resolution, a rules engine, offer management capabilities, channel orchestration, data integration and analytics to deliver personalized experiences across digital and in-person customer interactions.
What is the difference between a loyalty and a CDP?
A customer data platform (CDP) is a martech solution for known customer data that creates unified customer profiles by bringing together data from across the business. A loyalty platform builds on that foundation by managing loyalty-specific capabilities such as rewards, points, tiers, promotions and member experiences. A CDP knows who the customer is, while the loyalty platform determines how to engage and reward that person.
What's the best loyalty technology for enterprise brands?
The best loyalty technology depends on a brand’s goals, existing technology stack and loyalty program strategy. Enterprise brands should consider platforms that have identity resolution, real-time processing, channel coverage, analytics, scalability, integrations and AI capabilities to ensure the solution can support long-term business growth.
How long does it take to implement a new loyalty platform?
Implementing a new loyalty platform takes 6 to 12 months, depending on the complexity of the program and existing systems. Most brands use phased rollouts by channel or region to reduce risk. One of the most underestimated parts of implementation is customer identity migration, which involves accurately matching and transferring existing member data into new platforms.
What's the role of AI in loyalty technology?
AI helps loyalty programs become more personalized, efficient and predictive. Common use cases include recommending the next best offers, predicting customer churn, personalizing rewards, detecting fraud, optimizing promotions and helping marketers deliver relevant experiences at the right time and through the right channel.
---
## Data clean rooms measurement: How clean rooms solve attribution after the cookie
Type: eps_post
URL: /data-clean-room-measurement
Last Modified: 2026-07-28T18:30:27Z
# Data clean rooms measurement: How clean rooms solve attribution after the cookie
Many marketers struggle with cross-media measurement, especially in light of changes around third-party cookies. As digital channels grow increasingly more complicated in incrementality measurement, brands are searching for identity-based attribution solutions like data clean rooms.
Why measurement broke (and why clean rooms are the rebuild)
Over the past decade, marketing measurement has changed dramatically. Not only do consumers have more devices than ever (according to Epsilon research, consumers now have 6.9 devices on average), but changes in the digital structure of the internet make it harder to anchor true measurement and attribution.
Third-party cookies, once widely used as a measurement indicator on the open web, have virtually gone away. Several browsers, including Safari, Internet Explorer and Firefox, deprecated third-party cookies years ago. Chrome remains the only hold out. In 2025, Google reversed its decision to phase out third-party cookies after struggling to find a strong identification alternative. Currently, Chrome holds more than 67% of the global browser market.
Without third-party cookies, marketers feared that digital advertising would be adversely affected by these changes. In a 2020 study from Epsilon that came out shortly after the announcement of Google's phase-out plan, 67% of marketers said they had negative feelings about the changes.
At the same time, the rise of walled garden data clean rooms run by Amazon, Meta and Google, means the data needed for measurement now lives behind privacy-preserving query interfaces controlled by the publishers, not in a brand's own analysis stack. These three tech giants make up over half of all revenue generated from digital advertising.
Data clean rooms powered by identity resolution promise to help overcome these key issues and avoid wasted spend. They can enable multi-channel, multi-touch attribution at scale across channels and platforms, including across platforms like Amazon, Meta and Google. These attribution models show the true impact of each channel and identify inefficiencies.
What clean room measurement actually is
A data clean room is a safe, pseudonymized space for known and prospective customer data. This allows marketers to analyze marketing and advertising data from many different sources in one, singular view while protecting the data privacy of each individual source.
This is most helpful in marketing and advertising contexts, where brands often have their own first-party data, data from partners and platforms (like Meta, Google, etc.) and permissioned or purchased data from third parties that they're trying to resolve across each data source. Data clean rooms allow brands to sync all of these data streams into one view of each person across these different contexts, increasing the value of the information they already own.
But the right clean room doesn't merely become a warehouse for this data. It utilizes multi-party data, an identity layer and output controls that enable deeper analysis and aggregated insights to create a closed-loop system.
The four measurement use cases inside a clean room
There are four key measurement use cases inside a data clean room.
Use Case #1: Closed-loop attribution—how the math actually works
Closed-loop attribution inside a clean room happens when brands can match exposure data with publisher/retailer conversion data, sometimes provided by direct integrations with publishers.
Exposure data is data a brand has: which audiences saw which ads, on which DSP, what time, etc.
Conversion data lives within publishers and/or retailers: who bought what, when, etc.
Clean rooms offer a privacy-safe space to join hashed identifiers via an identity layer. This produces metrics like aggregated conversion rate, ROAS or attribution tables.
An example: A CPG brand running a CTV campaign on a streaming publisher wants to know how many viewers exposed to its ad subsequently purchased. The clean room joins exposure and purchase data; the brand sees a conversion rate and ROAS, the publisher sees nothing about the brand's customer file, and neither party sees the other's individuals.
Use Case #2: Incrementality measurement—the gold standard
Incrementality distinguishes the true causal impact of an ad, revealing conversions that would have happened anyway and the ones the campaign actually caused (i.e., the added impact on the consumer from the advertising or marketing they received). This matters because it solves for inflated performance metrics caused by traditional attribution, and it better shows the how marketing specifically contributed to business impact, effectively boosting measured marketing ROI.
Clean rooms offer brands the ability to compare a test group (exposed) with a control group (unexposed), then match it to conversion data in a privacy-safe space. This environment allows partners to share data essential to this process and prove past simple correlation to verify conversion because of exposure.
It is important to note: Not all clean room platforms have this capability. It's important for brands to ask potential clean room vendors how they provide incrementality measurement.
Use Case #3: Powering your MMM with clean room data feeds
Marketing mix modeling (MMM) has reentered the marketing mainstream as cookies have receded. Modern MMMs are hungry for granular, multi-channel data, and clean rooms are increasingly the pipe that delivers data without violating partner privacy contracts.
When aggregated, time-segmented exposure and conversion data flow into a clean room and through the MMM input layer, brands can quantify the relative contribution to sales of the various offline and online media impact at the market level. And this is the highest-volume, lowest-touch use case once it's set up because clean room queries run on a schedule and feed the MMM continuously.
Use Case #4: Cross-publisher reach and frequency in a fragmented world
Clean rooms can also solve the problem of measuring cross-publisher reach and frequency, typically a fragmented metric that's challenging to measure across various vendors.
How does this happen? Imagine a campaign runs across 10+ publishers. Each one self-reports reach, none of them deduplicate against each other and the frequency caps don't coordinate across vendors. Clean rooms can join exposure data from multiple publishers against a common identity spine to produce true unduplicated reach and frequency.
This is particular important for CTV activation and retail media programs.
Walled-garden data clean rooms vs neutral clean rooms for measurement
While walled garden data clean rooms (DCRs) offer measurement, they often don't offer the level of granularity and use cases outlined above.
Walled-garden DCRs (Amazon Marketing Cloud, Meta Advertiser Cloud, Google Ads Data Hub) deliver deep measurement inside their respective ecosystems but the outputs are constrained and don't easily port across platforms. Neutral clean rooms (e.g., Epsilon, InfoSum) operate across publishers/retailers and produce measurement that's portable, but require partnership infrastructure that walled-garden DCRs include by default.
Most enterprise programs use both—walled-garden DCRs for in-platform measurement, neutral clean rooms for cross-platform measurement.
The identity question every measurement program runs into
Measurement quality is fundamentally bounded by identity match rate. A clean room with 60% match rate and a clean room with 90% match rate produce measurably different ROAS numbers from the same underlying data—and the difference can change the media-mix decision the brand makes.
This is the single most important thing measurement leaders should evaluate when choosing a clean room platform: They shouldn't be most focused on the query language or the UI, but the identity layer underneath.
Identity resolution is key for marketers looking to bolster their campaigns. It allows brands to know their customers more deeply because they can see beyond their limited view of them.
The secret to success is using a clean room with data and identity pre-loaded.
Clean rooms pre-equipped with these features give brands a richer view of customers and prospects. They take a brand's customer data and augment it with the data already built in, making existing customer profiles more comprehensive and identifying potential buyers based on those insights.
That identity layer also lays the foundation for better measurement. When fueled by strong data and identity, and activated through a single source of truth, brands can rest assured that their measurement is accurate and granular.
Building a clean room measurement program (the practical sequence)
When implementing sequencing for a measurement leader standing up a clean room measurement program, consider these five steps:
Start with one channel, one publisher and one measurement question (usually closed-loop attribution on CTV or retail media).
Validate the identity match rate and the directional conclusions against any existing measurement (MMM, last-click, panel-based).
Layer on a second use case (incrementality is the natural next step after closed-loop is reliable).
Connect the clean room outputs to the MMM to industrialize the data flow.
Add additional publishers/retailers and migrate cross-publisher reach/frequency analysis into the clean room.
Where Epsilon fits in clean room measurement
Epsilon Clean Room allows you to make the most of your data to drive better campaigns. Our solution is built with pre-loaded data that enhances your first-party data with identity resolution, giving you the best view of consumers on a platform for marketers and data scientists, all built on a privacy-first framework. Our person-based campaign activation enabled person-based reporting, meaning you can see how your campaigns perform on a micro and macro level. And our closed-loop measurement enables you to use insights gleaned today for tomorrow's campaigns.
FAQ/People also ask
What is data clean room measurement?
Measurement that joins multi-party data (typically a brand's exposure data with a publisher's or retailer's conversion data) inside a privacy-preserving environment to produce aggregated metrics—conversion rates, ROAS, incremental lift—without either party seeing the other's row-level records.
How is clean room measurement different from regular attribution?
Traditional attribution depends on third-party cookies or platform-provided pixels—both of which have eroded. Clean room measurement uses privacy-safe identity joins to connect first-party data across parties, which works in cookieless and walled-garden environments. The trade-off: clean room measurement requires data partnerships, contracts, and identity infrastructure that traditional attribution didn't.
Can a data clean room replace my MMM?
No—it powers it. Clean rooms produce the privacy-safe, multi-party data feeds that modern MMMs need to model channel performance accurately. The MMM is still the modeling engine; the clean room is the data pipe.
Is Amazon Marketing Cloud measurement the same as clean room measurement?
Yes—Amazon Marketing Cloud is a clean room. The same is true for Meta Advertiser Cloud and Google Ads Data Hub. These are walled-garden clean rooms that deliver measurement inside their respective ecosystems. They're typically used alongside neutral clean rooms that handle cross-platform measurement.
How accurate is clean room measurement?
Accuracy depends primarily on identity match rate—the percentage of records the clean room can confidently join across parties. Higher match rates produce more reliable conversion rates, ROAS, and incrementality estimates. The platform's identity layer is therefore the most important architectural choice for a measurement program.
---
## Why hasn’t AI solved my marketing problems yet?
Type: eps_post
URL: /why-hasnt-ai-solved-marketing
Last Modified: 2026-08-05T15:29:16Z
# Why hasn’t AI solved my marketing problems yet?
The AI hype is hard to miss.
From AI-generated ad creative to AI-optimized ad targeting, this new frontier of technology promises to make ads better and marketing easier. But as brands look at their tech stacks with AI, they are starting to scratch their heads and ask, “Why hasn’t AI solved my marketing problems yet?”
In an Epsilon survey, 93% of marketers said they’re planning to allocate at least 5% of their budget to AI initiatives. But, according to a new report from IBM that surveyed 2,000 CEOs around the world earlier this year, only 25% of AI initiatives have delivered expected return on investment (ROI).
So, what will push ROI for marketers? Data clean rooms. Why? Because harmonized, enriched data at scale gives AI the best chance to work effectively and accurately. This means that brands need to look beyond the limits of their own data. This will inevitably require a data clean room strategy.
Thinking beyond generative AI
For most people, the word “AI” is associated with generative AI that creates new content, such as images or videos based on patterns learned from existing data. It works because the Internet provides the Large Language Models (LLMs) with enough content to understand what the user wants. Creating an image of a flying dog is a rather simple task because the Internet is full of images of dogs and flying birds.
Marketing is not so simple. Most AI applications for martech/adtech requires predictive AI. This type of AI works somewhat differently: it’s looking for patterns across datasets to inform marketing strategies. The result is a prediction of future performance. When applied correctly, the AI can autonomously decide the best way to reach an outcome: who to talk to, where, and when.
AI needs tons of data to learn and make the right predictions at scale. However, artificial intelligence can only learn from observation. An AI agent can’t create a media plan optimized for efficiency if it can’t see the sources of performance. A recent Epsilon survey shows 49% of respondents said they’re concerned that model accuracy is affecting efficacy. Human intelligence is observing that artificial intelligence isn’t training on the right volume or quality of data. This is why the industry is looking at cloud-based data clean rooms to get the models what they need.
Smart houses are filled with clean rooms
Data scientists, working on marketing problems, were early adopters of storage-based, access-controlled data clean rooms. These data environments took their name from the particle-free clean rooms that scientists in the physical world used for experiments. The name is a disservice to the present-day technology. Clean rooms are not a tool to isolate data for experiments. They are the control plane for secure data collaboration. This is what marketers need for AI to finally deliver the ROI, a way for the LLMs to learn from larger datasets.
Advancements in cloud data warehouse infrastructure open the opportunity for AI’s marketing future. Clean rooms are now logical not physical, limiting data movement and enabling ephemeral federated queries. The leaders in clean room technology for advertising are building on top of the cloud infrastructure to deliver solutions by bundling data, identity, and AI powered user experiences. These solutions manage complex data use policies and enforce rigorous privacy requirements unique to advertising. Once the data is permissioned appropriately, these tools enable marketers to ask the kinds of questions they have always wanted answered. Who are my best customers? Where do I reach them? How do I optimize the ways I am reaching them?
Data and identity sit at the apex of AI for marketers
There’s an old adage that applies to AI: garbage in, garbage out. AI is only as good as the data it’s trained on.
A brand’s owned first-party data (like names, addresses or emails) is incredibly useful when it comes to building marketing strategies, but it’s not very wide in scope, nor is it always accurate and complete. Even the largest online retailers, flush with emails, still need a way to understand their growth opportunity—their prospects—by working with partners. A solid data foundation needs enhancement from data inside and outside of an organization.
A clean room employing identity resolution can harmonize, cleanse, enhance and connect all these disparate data points to an individual, pseudonymized profile. The importance of identity resolution as a native function in the clean room application cannot be overlooked. A single identity spine gives brands the best view of their customers—what they’re doing outside of the brand’s limited scope—and create stronger models for who their prospective customers might be. A marketer with a clean room is empowered to look for data that can fill in the blind spots.
According to the IDC MarketScape: Worldwide Data Clean Room Technology for Advertising and Marketing Use Cases 2025 Vendor Assessment, clean rooms have evolved from a “nice to have” technology to a “must have,” largely because of their ability to work with data and their ability to navigate the next frontier of data collaboration for use cases like AI modeling.
Get your data house in order
The answers to the most valuable questions in adverting are still trapped in a myriad of data silos. Technology can’t solve the data fragmentation problem alone. Brands, publishers, retailers, and data aggregators need to look at their own data assets and ask themselves if they are ready to participate in this evolution.
Gartner reported earlier this year that, “despite an average spend of $1.9 million on GenAI initiatives in 2024, less than 30% of AI leaders report their CEOs are happy with AI investment return.” The unfortunate reality is that most companies simply don’t have the scale of quality data necessary for AI to help them. The companies that are flush with data are struggling with data consolidation and managing usage rights.
The good news for marketing leaders is that AI is not changing strategic imperatives. In fact, it is reinforcing them. Investing in a strong data foundation is still the most productive way to build towards marketing efficiency. With the regulatory landscape constantly in flux, building a trusted identity relationship with your current customers has never been more important. The next step is finding the right way to extract insights and opportunities from paid, earned, shared and owned data assets. That is why every company needs a data clean room strategy.
The data that AI requires to answer the most pressing marketing questions about prospective customers will never be shared freely. Data partnerships, programmatically managed by data clean rooms, are a hard requirement. These tools enable data on unknown prospects to be analyzed alongside data from loyal customers with proper usage and privacy controls. Companies that recognize this and put clean rooms at the center of their marketing technology investment will benefit most from the next wave of AI capabilities.
AI alone cannot solve your marketing problems, but with the right data-centered strategy supported by data clean room technology, AI will deliver a return on investment by answering questions that drive efficiency and new customer acquisition.
---
## 88% of consumers notice repetitive ads, and it's not always a good thing
Type: eps_post
URL: /88-percent-of-consumers-notice-repetitive-ads-it-is-not-always-a-good-thing
Last Modified: 2025-07-14T16:25:22Z
# 88% of consumers notice repetitive ads, and it's not always a good thing
When it comes to ads, there’s a fine line between brands being memorable (great ad, so helpful!) and being memorable in the wrong way. And for many, that line gets crossed the moment they see the same ad from a brand show up for the third—or tenth—time in a single day. Ad repetition is bound to happen in some form or another, and it's not always a bad thing, either. But at what point does it become frustrating for the people you're trying to win over?
To better understand how ad frequency affects consumer perception, we conducted a survey of 500+ US consumers and asked how often they notice repeated ads, how they feel about it and whether it actually impacts their likelihood to buy. The verdict? Yes, frequency matters—and more marketers need to be aware of its impact. Here’s what we learned:
Consumers are noticing when ads show up too often (or a lot)
In today’s ad-saturated environment, repeated exposure isn’t just likely—it’s expected. Over half (53%) of respondents said they saw or heard the same ad multiple times in a short period. Altogether, a whopping 88% reported noticing ad repetition at least occasionally.
Interestingly, younger consumers seem slightly more immune to repetition (or at least less likely to notice it). Only 44% of 18–29-year-olds reported frequent ad repeat exposure, compared to 55% of those 30–44, 53% of those 45–60, and 60% of those 60+.
When asked where they most frequently notice repeat advertisements, 68% of respondents report frequently noticing repeated ads on streaming TV services (Hulu, YouTube TV, etc.), followed by:
Social media feeds (53%)
Mobile apps (38%)
Website banners (32%)
Cable/broadcast TV (31%)
Radio: (21%)
Podcasts (19%)
It's unsurprising to see that most consumers are noticing repeat advertisements on streaming services—low inventory and a bulk ad buys with a guaranteed amount of impressions are a recipe for repetition. Social feeds, however, often want the consumer to see the same ad over and over for frequency and recall. Ultimately, different platforms have their own distinct challenges (and motivations) when it comes to overfrequency.
The more people see the same ad, the less they pay attention
So, people are noticing a frequency problem across channels—but is it impacting them? Turns out, when we asked people how they feel about repetitive ad experiences across channels, respondents said they are most frustrated with in-app ads—with 71% being annoyed or extremely annoyed by repeated ads in mobile apps. Mobile apps were followed close by social media (69%), streaming TV (68%) and cable/broadcast TV (67%). Audio channels like podcasts and radio fared slightly better—but even then, nearly 6 in 10 respondents reported being annoyed by repeated messaging.
The ad frequency problem is more than just an annoyance for people, though. It actually makes them pay less attention to ads in general and lowers the likelihood they will engage with your brand:
88% say it makes them pay less attention to the ad.
84% say it makes them less likely to respond to the ad.
76% say it makes them like the brand less.
70% say it makes them think less of the platform where the ad appeared.
Irrelevant ads makes the problem even worse
Unsurprisingly, consumers are particularly put off when ads repeat and miss the mark. We asked respondents how they feel when they see or hear the same ad repeatedly that clearly isn’t meant for them—say, wrong language, wrong location, or a message that just doesn’t apply. Half feel negatively toward the brand that served the ad, while 26% said they feel misunderstood.
Repetition is often thought of as a way to nudge a decision, but it can also push people in the opposite direction. Fifty-eight percent of respondents said they have chosen not to purchase a product because they were annoyed by seeing or hearing the ad too frequently. Only 31% said they have purchased something because they saw or heard the ad multiple times.
Here's what brands can do about it
Focus on unique reach, not just frequency
Pushing more impressions does not automatically mean you’re reaching new people. More often than not, it just leads to wasted budget and disappointing results.
Instead of simply maximizing impressions in the hopes of reaching the right people, prioritize unique reach, which means getting your message in front of as many different unique and relevant individuals as possible. Marketers should be measuring how many distinct users their campaign is reaching, and optimizing to grow that number—not just driving up total exposures. Reaching 1,000 people once is more valuable than reaching 100 people ten times—especially if those 100 people are already tuned out.
The key is connecting with high-value customers, not just easy-to-reach ones. But where are they? And how do you find them? They’re often actually in your own databases as lapsed or super-lapsed customers, on Apple devices (which haven’t used cookies in years) and on retail websites.
Start by reaching Apple users: Apple users are some of the most valuable consumers but are often neglected by providers that can’t actually find them on Apple devices and platforms.
Continue to run episodic campaigns: From there, every dollar you spend should go towards your best customers—and if your brand has a retail media network, make sure your retail media and enterprise dollars are working together to expand reach.
Finally, reacquire lapsed customers: Focus on reacquiring lapsed and ultra-lapsed customers instead of constantly chasing new ones. It’s more cost-effective and drives better business results.
Rotate your creative executions and focus on personalization
If your creative doesn’t refresh and the same ad keeps following them around, frustration will build quickly for consumers. This is where a dynamic creative optimization solution (DCO) can make all the difference. Updated and engaging visuals, alternate copy and/or a fresh CTA—optimized to the individual and updated in real time—can help keep your brand from feeling stale or aggressive.
Epsilon’s DCO uses real-time data to tailor content within an ad to the individual. When coupled with rich customer insights and the ability to find and reach unique people across channels, brands can reduce ad waste and over frequency, which leads to a happier consumer and a happier budget.
Final thoughts
Consumers aren’t asking for fewer ads—they’re asking for better ones. Ads that respect their time, their interests and attention spans. By managing frequency intentionally and prioritizing quality over quantity, brands can stay in the good graces of their audience—and avoid becoming the reason someone hits “mute.” To learn more about how you can achieve unique reach and better performing campaigns, keep learning.
Epsilon Pulse is the beating heart of Epsilon’s proprietary research. Designed to produce relevant and up-to-date insights about consumers, marketers and their preferences, Epsilon Pulse helps brands better understand the adtech and martech industry so they can make informed, data-driven marketing decisions.
---
## What is CTV advertising? A plain-English guide for enterprise marketers
Type: eps_post
URL: /what-is-ctv-advertising
Last Modified: 2026-09-10T18:03:40Z
# What is CTV advertising? A plain-English guide for enterprise marketers
Have you noticed the term "CTV" gets thrown around like everyone inherently agrees on what it means? Truth is, they probably don't. Some marketers use it interchangeably with streaming, some think it’s the same thing as OTT—and some just hope they don’t have to define it out loud. Let's fix that.
In the blog, we explore CTV advertising basics and all its components in plain English, so everyone can get on the same page about what Connected TV really is and how it really works—and why it’s so important for enterprise marketers to nail down.
CTV advertising in one paragraph
Connected TV (CTV) advertising is video advertising delivered to viewers watching streaming content on internet-connected television devices (think smart TVs, Roku, Fire TV, Apple TV, gaming consoles, etc.). It's different from linear TV, which delivers ads on a fixed broadcast or cable schedule regardless of who's actually watching. And it's different from OTT advertising on phones and laptops, because CTV specifically means the ad is landing on the biggest screen in the house—the television. Same internet-delivered video, different destination.
CTV vs. OTT vs. linear TV vs. streaming TV: Sorting the alphabet soup
These four terms get used almost interchangeably in conversation, and that's exactly the problem. They're related, but they're not the same thing, and the distinctions matter when you're trying to plan or buy media.
Linear TV: Traditional scheduled broadcast or cable. The ad runs at 8:42pm whether you're watching or not.
OTT (over-the-top): Any video delivered over the internet, on any device. This is the broadest category—CTV is a subset of OTT.
CTV (connected TV): OTT content viewed specifically on a TV screen, via a smart TV or a connected device like Roku or Fire TV. The defining factor is the screen, not the platform.
Streaming TV: A colloquial term that usually means the same thing as CTV, but you'll sometimes see it used interchangeably with OTT. Context matters more than precision here.
The easiest way to keep these straight: All CTV is OTT, but not all OTT is CTV. If your ad is showing up on a TV screen through an internet connection, you're in CTV territory. If it's showing up on someone's phone during their commute, that's OTT, but it's not CTV.
Here’s a quick explainer you can reference:
Hold up: Is YouTube considered CTV? Only when it's watched on a connected TV through the TV's YouTube app. The same content watched on a phone is OTT, not CTV. Again—it's the device that decides, not the platform.
How a CTV ad actually gets to a viewer
CTV looks like a simple linear process from the outside, but there's a real supply chain underneath it. Here’s how a CTV ad actually reaches your screen:
1. Inventory supply: Streaming services and FAST (free ad-supported streaming TV) channels make ad inventory available. Think Hulu, Peacock and Max on the ad-supported-tier (AVOD) side, and Tubi, Pluto and Roku Channel on the FAST side.
2. Buying: Advertisers buy that inventory either directly from the streamer (a negotiated deal, like the ones brands have used for decades) or programmatically through a demand-side platform (DSP) like Epsilon Digital, targeting specific audiences in real time.
3. Targeting & identity resolution: This is the step that makes CTV fundamentally different from linear. The audience gets matched to a household or device using some combination of streaming-service login data, device IDs, IP-based household graphs and the advertiser's own first-party data—often run through a clean room or identity provider to keep it privacy-safe.
4. Delivery & measurement. The ad gets served into the stream, and exposure is measured at the household or device level, then reconciled back to outcomes—a site visit, a store visit, a purchase—through that same identity resolution layer.
It’s important to call out step 3 (targeting and identity resolution) because it's the one linear TV never had to deal with and the one that determines whether everything downstream (frequency capping, measurement, attribution) actually works.
Where CTV inventory lives (the publisher landscape)
You don't need to memorize every streaming app to plan a CTV campaign, but it helps to know the three buckets inventory typically falls into:
Premium streamers with ad tiers: Netflix, Disney+, Max, Peacock, Hulu, Paramount+, Amazon Prime Video, etc.
FAST channels: Tubi, Pluto TV, Roku Channel, Samsung TV Plus, Freevee, etc.
OEM and operator inventory: Smart TV home screens (Samsung, LG, Vizio) and device platforms like Roku and Amazon Fire TV.
Here's the catch: Access varies a lot by partner. Some streamers sell exclusively direct, some open programmatic access and some restrict what targeting you're allowed to layer on top of their inventory. This is the fragmentation problem—and it's a big part of why CTV planning feels harder than linear ever did, even though the ads themselves look almost identical to the viewer.
What CTV does that linear TV can't
There are five real advantages, and they're the reason CTV ad spend keeps climbing even as the buying process gets more complicated:
Audience targeting beyond demographics: Linear TV buys against broad age/gender demos. CTV lets you layer in first-party data, third-party segments and behavioral signals at the household or device level—a meaningfully different level of precision.
Cross-screen frequency control: But there’s a caveat: This only works as well as your identity layer does (more on that in the next section).
Closed-loop measurement: Exposure can be connected to digital and offline outcomes through identity resolution.
Speed and flexibility: Campaigns can launch, pause and optimize within hours instead of waiting on upfront commitments negotiated months in advance.
Reach into cord-cutter and cord-never households: These are audiences linear simply doesn't touch at scale anymore. Streaming captured roughly 47% of total TV viewing time in early 2026, regularly outpacing broadcast and cable combined—a share that's only grown as more households shift their primary viewing to connected devices.
The hard parts (where most CTV plans run into trouble)
While it would be great if your CTV planning and buying was seamless, these are the four problems you'll most likely run into:
Fragmentation. No single platform reaches the whole CTV audience. Advertisers have to assemble coverage across multiple supply paths—direct deals, programmatic, FAST channels—to get to scale.
Identity. Frequency capping and measurement are only as good as the identity spine tying exposures together across streamers and devices. Without unified identity, the same household can see the same ad 30-plus times across different platforms, with absolutely no way to know it's happening.
Measurement. Every streamer reports independently, in its own format, on its own timeline. Reconciling impressions and outcomes into a single source of truth typically requires a clean room, a measurement partner or both.
Pricing and transparency. CPMs vary widely. Some inventory sells direct at a premium, while others move programmatically with real ad-tech fees baked into the supply path that aren't always obvious from the buy side.
So, what’s the solve? The differentiator that smooths over these four problems is the identity foundation and measurement layer sitting underneath the technology—not necessarily the technology itself. We dug into exactly this tension in The CTV paradox: more streaming choices, less customer connection, if you want the fuller argument for why more streaming options haven't translated into better customer connection for most advertisers.
What "good" looks like in a first CTV campaign—5 steps to success
If you're running your first or second CTV campaign, here's a practical five-step starting point:
Define the outcome metric upfront: Visits, sales, lift—not just CPM and reach. CTV gets measured differently than linear and deciding what "working" means before you launch saves a lot of debate.
Decide the audience strategy. First-party seed list, third-party segment, household-level demo, or geo-based—pick the approach that matches what you're actually trying to learn or sell.
Choose the supply path. Direct with one or two streamers, or programmatic across many.
Set up identity and measurement before launch. Frequency caps, household-level tracking, and your attribution model all need to be configured before the campaign goes live. Not retrofitted afterward.
Plan in-flight optimization. Decide in advance what gets adjusted, on what cadence and against what metric. CTV moves fast enough that "wait and see" usually means wasted spend.
If you're already past this stage and evaluating how to structure an ongoing CTV strategy, Your CTV playbook is the natural next read.
Where to go next
CTV advertising isn't complicated in concept—it's video ads on a connected TV screen. What's complicated is everything underneath: the fragmented supply, the identity problem, the measurement reconciliation. Understanding those mechanics is what separates a CTV plan that performs from one that just looks good in the deck.
If you’re interested in continuing to explore the Connected TV topic, we have a few pieces to go deeper:
Read The CTV paradox for our take on why more streaming choice has made customer connection harder, not easier.
Read the CTV buyer's guide for a framework on evaluating CTV partners.
Explore Epsilon Digital's CTV advertising offering.
FAQ
What is the difference between CTV and OTT?
OTT is the broader category—any video delivered over the internet, on any device. CTV is the subset of OTT delivered specifically to a TV screen via a smart TV or connected device. All CTV is OTT, but not all OTT is CTV.
Is YouTube considered CTV?
YouTube viewed on a connected TV, via the TV's YouTube app, counts as CTV. YouTube viewed on a phone or laptop is OTT but not CTV. The distinction is the device, not the platform.
How much does CTV advertising cost?
CPMs typically range from the high $20s to $50+, depending on supply path, audience targeting and inventory premium. Direct deals with major streamers tend to price higher than programmatic buys.
How is CTV advertising bought?
Two paths. Direct: buying inventory straight from a streaming publisher, like a negotiated Hulu deal. Programmatic: buying across multiple supply sources via a DSP like Epsilon Digital, The Trade Desk or Amazon DSP. Most enterprise advertisers use both.
Can you measure CTV ads the way you measure digital?
Yes, but it's harder. CTV measurement requires identity resolution (matching the exposed household or device to a known customer or prospect) and most streamers report independently. Closed-loop measurement is achievable, but it typically requires a clean room or a dedicated measurement partner.
Is CTV replacing linear TV?
Streaming has overtaken linear in share of total TV time—Nielsen's The Gauge has shown streaming consistently capturing around 47% of TV viewing through early 2026, ahead of broadcast and cable individually. Linear still holds scale for live sports and news, but the long-term direction is clear.
---
## Here's why you're losing loyalty when you should be building it
Type: eps_post
URL: /experience-debt-and-customer-loyalty
Last Modified: 2026-07-10T18:02:37Z
# Here's why you're losing loyalty when you should be building it
On paper, your loyalty program should be working. Sign-ups are climbing. Offers are going out. It’s doing exactly what it was designed to do.
But your customers tell a different story: quiet breaks in engagement that add up over time.
Let’s look at an everyday example: A customer gets an email offer for a product they’ve never shown interest in. They read the subject line without opening it.
Later, they’re scrolling an app and see an offer for an item they don’t want, again. Before long, they receive a steady stream of communications they ignore.
So what are loyalty programs actually building when relevance and engagement start to slip?
When customers repeatedly receive emails they ignore, skip past social posts and get unwanted offers, it adds up—undermining the very loyalty you’re trying to build. That’s experience debt in action.
What is experience debt?
Experience debt is the result of irrelevant, disparate or ill-timed interactions that accumulate over time and erode consumer trust in your brand. When siloed messaging, slow fulfillment and inconsistent journeys become the norm, it gradually undermines customer experiences and turns intended personalization into repetition.
Experience debt leaves brands wondering why customers disengage despite high membership. Here’s a simple view of how experience debt forms, builds and ultimately fragments the customer journey.
Loyalty programs are solving the wrong problem
Loyalty programs are designed to build and strengthen customer relationships—delivering personalized experiences, boosting customer lifetime value and bolstering brand advocacy. Yet, all too often, they do the opposite.
Nearly 90% of people notice repeated ads, according to our research. But awareness isn't the problem, impact is. 84% say repetition makes them less likely to respond, and 76% say it makes them like the brand less.
It even spills over, with 65% saying it damages their perception of the platform—and by extension the brand itself. This is what experience debt does: breaks trust and weakens perception of the brand behind it.
Loyalty programs often step in as a way to patch over poor experiences, compensate for lack of recognition and force engagement instead of earning it. Because experience debt doesn’t happen in a single broken interaction, but through a series of irrelevant consumer-brand exchanges, loyalty programs tend to mask the problem instead of fixing it.
A missed interaction becomes an offer. A disconnected experience turns into a discount. Rather than analyzing customer journey stage, engagement and customer satisfaction, brands focus on what else they can offer.
You can send 100 emails promoting red shirts, if the customer isn’t interested, they’re still not going to buy one. Without a deeper customer understanding, brands default to the same unsuccessful tactics, making their loyalty programs feel transactional—more messages, restated, re-offered—even when customer behavior suggests it’s not working.
This repeated cycle is how experience debt grows.
How experience debt starts
At its core, experience debt comes from an incomplete view of the customer.
For many brands, different teams shape the customer experience, each with different goals—email, social, retail media—disparately optimizing for their own performance metrics. Each touchpoint tells its own story, and when teams operate in isolation, none of them connect or recognize they're talking to the same person.
That fragmentation shows up quickly.
When data and decision-making are split across teams, a customer’s data signals—what they engage with versus what they don’t—remains fragmented. This fragmented approach creates journeys where customers receive overlapping offers, conflicting messages and repetitive promotions.
That said, customer expectations are quantifiable, as our loyalty research shows: 89% of consumers want their loyalty brands to recognize them across channels, and 82% expect to be treated as returning customers.
Ultimately, what gets treated as separate—data, systems and teams—customers experience as one continuous brand experience. These disjointed moments turn loyalty into lowered expectations that lead to disenchantment, disengagement and lost customers.
How to fix experience debt
Brands actively work to understand their customers better, repair lapses in engagement and personalize across channels. They invest heavily in advanced data and technology to better meet rising customer expectations.
According to IDC's 2025 Industry Insights Retail Survey, brand loyalty and customer retention emerged as the primary drivers of retailers' investments in personalized customer experience as a strategic business priority. In the same survey, 45% of retailer organizations found customer loyalty programs and rewards as key initiatives supporting these strategies. For retail loyalty software vendors, this confirms that loyalty platforms are now considered a strategic CX infrastructure. (Source: IDC Market Glance: Loyalty in Retail, 2Q26, #US54421326, published March 2026)
But investment, by itself, isn’t enough to resolve the underlying challenges.
Why data and technology alone can’t fix experience debt
Better outcomes are held back by fragmented customer data and identity across different teams and platforms.
While advanced customer data platforms (CDPs), clean rooms and loyalty platforms can see and predict customer behavior with unprecedented accuracy, different teams often own different parts of the same customer journey. When that happens, it reinforces the very gaps and fragmentation advanced tools are designed to eliminate.
When customer data is program-specific, for example, it becomes difficult to recognize a high-value customer that exists in a brand’s broader ecosystem as a top customer in its loyalty program. Essentially, even a world-class platform will struggle to create seamless experiences if processes and teams aren’t aligned.
How experience debt decreases with strong loyalty strategy
People don’t connect to campaigns. They value brands that speak to them authentically at each touchpoint, recognize them on an individual level and actually understand their needs.
Brands that get this right aren’t the ones with the most technology, they’re the ones that effectively unify, activate and apply customer insights across the buying journey. Not in theory, but in practice.
Adopting a person-first approach means understanding customer behavior, creating an ongoing feedback loop and using those insights to create better experiences. Moving from isolated campaign execution towards a unified customer view requires orchestrated, experience-driven action and a dedication to continuous refinement.
That’s the shift. Placing the customer at the center rather than the product.
This allows brands to create a series on interactions that build on each other, recognize valued customers across touchpoints and foster loyalty through continuous, intentional experiences. Brands that put customers at the center outperform those that don’t.
A person-first approach builds brand affinity, increases engagement and boosts retention.
Building on a foundation of loyalty to overcome experience debt
Customer-centric loyalty programs are essential to eliminating experience debt.
When someone joins a loyalty program, they actively choose to share their data. This creates valuable data signals, sharing what people value, how they feel and where they want to engage with your brand.
Establishing a continuous feedback loop is critical to creating better experiences because it provides a rich view of customer behavior and sentiment in real-time. This healthy cycle is how loyalty transforms from a program into a foundation that fuels meaningful experiences.
Working with an industry-recognized loyalty provider can help brands drive coordinated loyalty initiatives that seamlessly integrate across platforms. Data-driven loyalty—built on a solid data foundation—gives brands a connected approach, a solid data strategy and expert-level program support.
Epsilon’s loyalty closes the gaps that prevent brands from delivering the right message at the right time, across channels. It ensures your first-party data unlocks rich insights and offers advanced, AI-driven capabilities that align with your brand strategy.
A strong loyalty partner ensures your consumer-brand interactions minimize experience debt and build lasting relationships, not transactions.
Authentic connections eliminate experience debt
The path forward is not collecting more data and relying on the latest technology. It’s having the right playbook, the right tools and the right loyalty provider.
With a holistic view, experience debt can’t take root: brand notifications stop repeating, messages stop colliding, and experience debt diminishes. When customer data and decisions are connected, your interactions are consistent, relevant and valuable.
Epsilon Loyalty brings disparate data and teams together—linking identity, insight and execution for a unified view that serves as the connective tissue across the entire customer journey.
---
## Beyond foot traffic: How multi-tenant retailers can finally prove marketing ROI
Type: eps_post
URL: /how-multi-tenant-retailers-can-prove-marketing-roi
Last Modified: 2026-01-15T19:08:06Z
# Beyond foot traffic: How multi-tenant retailers can finally prove marketing ROI
For years, multi-tenant destinations—malls, airports, mixed-use centers, etc.—have all been trying to answer the same question: How do we prove that our marketing efforts drive revenue for tenants?
Even with sophisticated tools and large-scale foot traffic studies, the numbers don’t tell the full story. A busy corridor doesn’t mean visitors are converting. High dwell-time could mean engaged shoppers—or it could mean people are killing time between flights. In short, “People walked by your storefront!” doesn’t satisfy tenants who expect measurable performance.
As customer journeys evolve and tenant expectations rise, the traditional toolkit of metrics is showing its limits. The good news? Multi-tenant retail properties don’t have to settle for incomplete insights anymore. Epsilon’s multi-tenant solution was built for this shift, designed to help operators move past traditional metrics and toward buyer-level intelligence that finally connects marketing investments to real outcomes.
Keep reading to learn how you can take your multi-tenant retail strategy into 2026 and beyond.
A changing multi-tenant landscape
Multi-tenant retail centers generated $12.1 billion in sales volume in Q2 2025 alone, and investment in the sector surged 23% year-over-year to $28.5 billion. It’s clear they represent a huge economic engine in the United States, and retail centers, mixed-use portfolios, airports and casinos all play a role in a broader ecosystem of shopping, dining, entertainment and services.
Unsurprisingly, changes to the landscape are accelerating the need for smarter marketing investments:
Spend is flowing through multi-tenant properties. Retail and service-based concepts such as fitness, dining and medical continue to grow.
There’s a shift toward experiential strategies. Retailers are increasingly investing in engagement-driven tactics—activations designed not just to attract foot traffic but deepen loyalty.
Customer behavior is always changing. Visitors move fluidly across tenants, channels and trip purposes. Take a casino quest, for example—they could dine, browse and play all in one visit.
This makes multi-tenant properties rich with opportunity but uniquely complex to measure.
The challenges with ‘traditional’ retail marketing metrics
Many property operators still rely on metrics that have limitations when used on their own. Let’s dive into a few examples.
1. Foot traffic doesn’t equal revenue
Foot traffic studies can tell you whether people entered the building or walked past a storefront. What they can’t tell you is:
Who those visitors actually are
Whether they bought anything
If marketing influenced their behavior
When tenants ask for proof of ROI, saying “These people walked past your store!” doesn’t hold much weight anymore. Many of these brands are used more measurable insights from their marketing investments, and they expect more from their partners.
2. Fragmented consumer behavior = a lack of actionable insights
Modern shoppers rarely act in a linear path. They browse in one location, buy in another, redeem loyalty offers days later and engage across multiple channels. Without a way to connect these behaviors, property owners and tenants end up with siloed insights that don’t reflect the real customer journey.
3. Precision targeting is difficult without complete data
When data is siloed—tenants own some, property owners own some and media partners hold the rest—precision targeting becomes nearly impossible. As a result, budgets stretch thinner, campaigns underperform and proving ROI becomes more of an uphill battle.
The result of these traditional ways to measure retail impact? Incomplete insights, duplicative spend and missed opportunities.
A new approach: Epsilon’s multi-tenant marketing intelligence
To help properties and tenants work from the same playbook, Epsilon crafted a digital solution built specifically for multi-tenant environments. Its goal is simple: help properties prove marketing ROI—accurately, transparently and without heavy technical lift.
Here’s how it works at a high level:
Create pseudonymized buyer files based on past property visitors
Segment audiences by actual spend behavior, not assumptions
Model net-new lookalike prospects who resemble high-value customers
Activate digital campaigns to bring those audiences back on-property
Measure real, unmodeled ROAS tied directly to in-store or on-property transactions
This shift—from “How many people walked by?” to “Who bought, when and what drove them to convert?”—unlocks a new level of transparency across the entire tenant ecosystem.
Shared value for both owners and tenants
A major advantage of this approach is that it creates a mutually beneficial environment for both tenants and property owners:
Tenants gain access to high-intent audiences, not broad demographic lookalikes. That means more efficient marketing spend, better customer acquisition and clearer visibility into the impact of on-property media placements.
Owners can demonstrate measurable marketing ROI, which is crucial for leasing teams that need to demonstrate that the property is more than a destination—it’s a revenue-generating partner.
Case study: Large mall boosts ROAS with Epsilon’s multi-tenant solution
A well-loved indoor mall wanted to drive spend and visitation but struggled to reach high-value customers. To get more customers in the door, the retailer tapped into Epsilon’s transactional data to reach past spenders and likely spenders at stores within nearby malls, serving them eye-catching cross-device display and video to generate buzz. The result?
$17.1 measured ROAS
$6.45 million measured visitor spend
4.2 million unique individuals reached
56,000 total transactions
Wrapping it up
The retail sector is in a period of reinvention. Investment volumes are rising, tenant mixes are evolving and guest expectations are high. As the lines between retail, entertainment, travel and service blur, properties need better ways to understand and influence behavior.
Digital transformation is no longer a “nice to have.” It’s foundational and extending to every sector. And buyer intelligence gives multi-tenant destinations the clarity and confidence they’ve been missing and a way to connect the dots.
If you’d like to explore how this approach can help your property prove ROI with more confidence, let’s talk. In the meantime, learn more about Epsilon’s multi-tenant solution here.
---
## What is a data clean room and how does it work?
Type: eps_post
URL: /what-is-a-data-clean-room
Last Modified: 2026-07-06T16:55:44Z
# What is a data clean room and how does it work?
As the world's digital transformation changes consumer expectations—and as third-party cookies are increasingly becoming a thing of the past—marketers are looking for a new way to make sense of customer behavior.
Many brands are looking to data clean rooms, but what are they, and are they right for you?
Well, let us explain.
What is a data clean room?
A data clean room is a safe, pseudonymized space for known and prospective customer data. This allows marketers to analyze marketing and advertising data from many different sources in one singular view while protecting the privacy of the data from each individual source.
This is most helpful in marketing and advertising contexts, where brands often have their own first-party data, data from partners and platforms (like Meta, Google, etc.) and permissioned or purchased data from third parties that they're trying to resolve across each data source. Data clean rooms allow brands to sync all these data streams into one view of each person across these different contexts, increasing the value of the information they already own.
Data clean rooms are not new, but they are becoming increasingly popular as data privacy becomes more complex to navigate across geographies and platforms.
Many brands use data clean room providers for data collaboration. This is possible because of the stringent privacy controls built into the tech designed to protect all parties collaborating inside a data clean room. This tech allows brands to work with various data sets, including those from trusted partners, to augment and enrich data. This fills in data gaps on known and prospective customers, creating a richer understanding and analysis of each person.
These deeper insights allow marketers to engage customers based on their behavior across channels and use first-party and third-party data to build audiences, activate media and provide measurement.
For example, a retailer who sells a CPG brand in its store may want to share data with that brand. Both companies serve the same customer, and sharing insights could improve how they market to specific individuals, creating a mutually beneficial reason to operate within a data clean room.
What are the different types of data clean rooms?
Walled gardens
Walled gardens give brands the chance to reach a lot of prospects in the face of data deprecation. Platforms such as Facebook, Amazon and Google offer data clean rooms to safely provide brands with ad performance data. These networks also tap into their huge consumer bases for audience targeting, using their own data—and that of the brand and its partners—to reach desired customers.
But with a greater focus on audience segments rather than individual behaviors, the insights gleaned from these platforms can be vague.
Inside a walled garden, it's hard to know whether a customer who falls into an ideal prospect category is actually in-market. If a walled garden only relies on weak identifiers—like a single email address—it can't see more holistic signals that indicate a person will be receptive to an ad.
This dovetails into a walled garden's measurement limitations.
Measurement is difficult within walled gardens because of the disparate nature of reporting and identity resolution across environments. Each walled garden differs in what measurement it offers, meaning metrics can vary across each platform and can be hard to compare. And it's extremely hard to track and understand users across these platforms.
Within a walled garden, a brand is limited to a per-platform snapshot and campaign-by-campaign performance. Without comparable results and clear identity, it's hard for marketers to assess the data needed to make critical decisions. Omnichannel visibility and collaboration require the full view of a customer's interactions.
Independent and/or third-party data clean rooms
Independent or third-party data clean rooms are provided by technology vendors and are not tied to any single platform, making them channel-agnostic. In independent clean rooms, brands still get access to unique marketing data and don’t suffer from some of the platform restrictions encountered in walled gardens' clean room offerings. This is the most common choice for brands to adopt when deploying a data clean room.
These types of data clean rooms come in a wide variety of shapes and sizes. Some are point solutions—simple data clean rooms meant to provide straightforward service—whereas some are extensions of existing cloud data warehouses. Other data clean rooms have been acquired by larger companies or agencies and offer a wide range of use cases depending on the user.
But there's one thing that remains critical for any data clean room's success: access to data and identity. Most independent clean rooms come as an empty box that a brand is expected to fill. For brands without a lot of first-party data, it can be hard to find value in the clean room because they have limited data to analyze and glean insights from. They would need to rely heavily on partners and purchased third-party data to make the clean room investment valuable, thus tacking on costs to an already-expensive technology investment (not to mention the additional procurement involved).
And then there's the issue of data quality. Quality data is foundational for quality results. Brands often have disparate data that live in various systems and platforms, and a lot of that data is often inaccurate, duplicative or incomplete. Data clean rooms can deploy identity resolution solutions designed to unify, clean and organize data, but that often comes at an additional cost.
A data clean room equipped with pre-loaded data and identity enables brands to start activating their data on day one.
In-house/custom clean rooms
These data clean rooms are less common and are usually designed for large organizations and enterprises with customized data collaboration and collection needs. Typically, these clean rooms serve as a means for the organization to analyze its own data.
These types of data clean rooms offer maximum control for the owner and operator of the technology, but as a result, they require a lot of time, energy and upkeep. These are often highly complex, require sophisticated expertise and incur significant costs.
Why use data clean rooms?
Beyond data collaboration, a data clean room can help marketers do a number of things.
Increase quality and scope of known customer data
Today, brands typically work with limited information to deploy their marketing messages—even Amazon doesn't have every data point on an individual consumer to market to them effectively.
Any brand is often limited by its own depth and breadth of data because it's specific to how the consumer has only interacted with them and they don't have a broader concept of how the consumer engages with other brands and on the open web.
Without a broader picture of who they could potentially reach, there is only so much a brand can do with its own data.
Not all brands have a lot of data at their disposal. Let’s look at a real-world example using CPG brands.
Most consumer packaged goods are sold through retailers, such as supermarkets or pharmacies. This severely decreases the first-party data they can collect, even on their most loyal customers.
And, the data they do have is often incomplete, outdated or inefficient (like only relying on email addresses to develop cross-channel messaging: one person's email activity with a brand hardly paints a picture of who they are).
They often have a handful of buyers who shop with them regularly, but they have no way to authenticate those customers and therefore can't meaningfully connect with them.
These brands need help, often in the form of second-party data gathered by retailers where the CPG products are purchased.
A clean room facilitates those partner-collected insights, such as retailer transaction data, to create actionable profiles while allowing the partner to maintain a high standard of data privacy and security.
Using a data clean room, brands can take their data and glean deeper insights using partner or third-party data. Once brands incorporate first-party, second-party and premium third-party data, like Epsilon’s proprietary data, they know who their customers are beyond their limited scope: what they buy (and why), where to find them and when to engage with them, driving retention and growth.
READ MORE: Understand your customer insights.
Build stronger prospective audiences
Increasing the quality and scope of existing data not only allows brands to talk to their known customers, but it also opens the door to all in-market customers.
Clean rooms help bridge that gap. A clean room that is equipped with identity and data enables brands to understand their current customers more deeply, build lookalike audiences based on their best customers and transform those unauthenticated customers into known ones.
At Epsilon, our proprietary data gives marketers insights into 250M+ unique U.S. individuals anchored in name and address to create audiences of those most likely to buy. It also helps identify who isn't in market, helping marketers spend media budgets more effectively.
READ MORE: Acquire new customers.
Deliver personalized marketing
With a complete, dynamic and persistent understanding of user behavior, preferences and demographics, you can personalize marketing campaigns across owned and paid channels, improving ad engagement and overall campaign performance.
And this matters: An EpsilonPulse survey about how consumers view personalized marketing and advertising shows that 76% of respondents said they view a brand negatively when they include inaccurate information about them in their marketing message. Even more interesting is that 91% said they see at least one irrelevant ad or marketing message a day.
The right data clean room enables brands to not only unify and expand their first-party data, but it also helps them gain a single comprehensive view of their universe of potential buyers. And then use that view to craft a relevant message on the right channel at the right time. With person-first marketing, you’re able to understand, engage and learn from conversations with consumers on a 1:1 basis, across channels.
READ MORE: Personalize media across channels.
Achieve granular, person-based measurement
Identity resolution and unified data in a data clean room not only provide insights before engaging a customer, but they also measure campaign performance at the individual and aggregate levels.
Person-based marketing also enables person-based measurement. Brands can continually learn about their current customers and adjust acquisition strategies to find the best in-market people. Each time they deploy a campaign, measurement affirms strong audience strategies and identifies those that need adjustment.
READ MORE: Unify your brand and performance media.
Data clean rooms and AI
For most people, the word “AI” is associated with generative AI, which creates new content based on patterns learned from existing data. Most AI applications for martech/adtech require predictive AI. This type of AI looks for patterns across datasets to inform marketing strategies, autonomously deciding the best way to reach an outcome: who to talk to, where and when.
AI needs tons of data to learn and make the right predictions at scale. Brands typically have limited data on their own. Without a wide breadth and depth of data, AI won't deliver meaningful insights. If they don't deploy a data clean room equipped with data, they will need to augment their data by purchasing third-party datasets to achieve optimal AI results.
At Epsilon, we have 400TB of data that feeds our COREai. This allows our solutions to make 2+ billion model updates every minute and make 1,000+ trillion real-time decisions daily.
Scale alone isn't enough. AI can only learn from observation, meaning it's only as good as the data it's trained on. A recent Epsilon survey found that 49% of respondents are concerned that model accuracy is affecting efficacy.
A data clean room equipped with identity resolution can help prime a brand's data for AI engagement. Harmonized, cleansed, enhanced and connected data points provide a quality, accurate data foundation. A single identity spine creates stronger models for who their prospective customers might be.
Forrester Senior Analyst Stephanie Liu said data preparation is a critical step for brands looking to harness the power of AI. Without quality, accurate data, AI can't produce meaningful results. And as AI becomes more complex, quality control will become even more critical.
"AI is going to exacerbate those data issues," Liu said. "Just because the data is there doesn't mean its good data or the right data."
How a data clean room works
One quick-service restaurant client wanted to see a more persistent and connected view of its current guests and potential customers to drive more visits.
Using an Epsilon clean room that housed multiple data sources—including its own—the company gained a deeper understanding of its customers, including:
How frequently they ate at the restaurant and at which locations
What time of day they typically visited the restaurant
What they were buying
This, coupled with owned and competitive store visitation data, gave them insights into how to increase visits among existing guests and entice new guests to choose them over competitors, all through better advertising.
The results? The restaurant saw a 35% increase in in-store visits among the people it messaged and identified four areas of growth for future messaging opportunities with newly acquired customers.
Finding the right clean room partner
Epsilon Clean Room comes preloaded with data and identity, giving brands a foundational identity spine to bring first-party data together. We also offer proprietary audience data, giving brands a deeper view of their current customers and potential future customers.
But we go beyond simply having powerful tech. We offer pre-built predictive models and audiences for marketers to use, and access to audience strategists who can help with audience-first approaches and data strategies.
Learn more about Epsilon's Clean Room solution, how it works and what it can do for your business.
---
## Have you lost the plot on your CTV budget and ad spend?
Type: eps_post
URL: /have-you-lost-the-plot-on-ctv-advertising
Last Modified: 2026-07-07T17:34:22Z
# Have you lost the plot on your CTV budget and ad spend?
Connected TV (CTV) budgets are under more pressure than ever—and most advertisers don't realize it yet.
CTV has become one of the fastest-growing channels for video ad spend, and has recently outpaced other digital ads, social media and retail media. As advertisers continue shifting budgets from linear TV into connected TV advertising, the mechanics behind CTV ad spend have fundamentally changed. Unlike linear TV, where reach and frequency were relatively centralized and predictable, today’s CTV budgets are dispersed across a growing number of streaming platforms.
This cosmic rise of subscription-based and ad-supported streaming has created a “platform war” for both advertisers and consumers: There’s more opportunity than ever for brands to get in front of people, but those same people are constantly switching between platforms, subscribing and unsubscribing to manage costs—especially as tariff and recessionary fears grow. Reaching a stable and valuable audience isn’t as simple as it once was.
The result? Your CTV ad spend is working harder for less, chasing viewers who switch platforms faster than any single buy can follow.
CTV ad spend is rising, but delivering less value for advertisers
It’s clear that the desire for streaming content is not slowing down. eMarketer forecasted that by 2030, there will be 128.4 million CTV households in the US, which will represent 93.8% of the population. The issue for advertisers, however, isn’t eyeballs on the screen—it’s the audience fragmentation that comes with an almost overwhelming amount of choice.
According to Deloitte, the average number of SVOD services (subscription video on demand) per household in 2026 is four, and it would not be shocking if this number continued to increase. “That freedom to access content everywhere is another painful experience of finding where it is or figuring out the many services you have to subscribe to get the content you want,” Jennifer Kent, Vice President of Research at market intelligence firm Park Associates said in Adweek.
This dynamic has pushed consumers to be more selective, frequently subscribing and unsubscribing from services depending on content offerings and price points. “While the fragmentation of the streaming ecosystem may have led 39% of streaming subscribers to cancel a service in the last six months, 55% have also joined new ones,” said Frankie Karr at MNTN research.
The volatility doesn't end there, though: According to new research from Epsilon, 73% of people cancel their streaming subscriptions when the price increases too much, so it's unsurprising that almost 40% of viewers have canceled a subscription in the last six months. Add on the fact that 59% of consumers are willing to cancel a subscription after watching their desired content, and advertisers face quite a predicament when trying to get the most out of their CTV ad spend.
It doesn’t have to be all prime-time drama, though. Advertisers best poised to outsmart and “win” the platform war have the tech to support meaningful, personalized campaigns and can reach their consumers whenever, and on whichever, platform they choose.
When it comes to CTV budgets, spend wisely, not more
Brands might be tempted to ramp up connected TV budgets and impressions across platforms in hopes of reaching the right people, but experts caution that approach. Advertisers and consumers alike know CTV has a frequency problem—seeing that same ad multiple times during one show is not only frustrating to consumers but wasteful for brands.
Instead, they suggest shifting to a more holistic approach that focuses on the efficacy of your data and identity resolution. Effective CTV budget planning for advertisers depends on the ability to:
Identify individuals accurately across platforms and devices
Control reach and frequency across fragmented inventory
Suppress existing buyers and over‑exposed audiences
Lindsay Woods, Director of Product Management, Media at Epsilon, believes a worth-while identity solution should give brands the ability to connect online and offline identifiers to see a person's full digital footprint across channels, ultimately removing blind spots across inventory, channels and devices. Woods explains Epsilon's COREid, an industry-leading solution, "can help advertisers understand exactly how their audience is behaving and see their entire path to conversion. This includes creative messaging across channels, website visits, newsletter signups, online and offline purchases…you name it.”
At the end of the day, Woods said it’s not about spending more and hoping something sticks—it’s about knowing the customer and getting precise and prescriptive with your CTV audience targeting.
Think differently when it comes to CPMs
When assessing media buys, efficiency should be prioritized over straightforward cost metrics. While a metric like CPM (cost per mille) remains a common go-to for advertisers, it doesn’t tell the full story. Advertisers may compare CPMs to find the best value, but they need to start questioning what they’re really getting from that perceived value. Consumers are constantly switching between platforms and subscriptions. Paying a low CPM and buying direct on an array of platforms might seem like a sure-fire way to reach your customer, but there’s a strong chance you're reaching the same people over and over (or they’re already gone). The result? The desirable CPM likely isn’t reaching unique and in-market people.
“We’re seeing advertisers get a lot more sophisticated with their audience strategies for CTV in addition to focusing on efficiency,” says Woods.
Audience-based strategies can be more expensive and have a higher CPM, but when serving CTV ads on a platform that has strong identity, but it’s far more efficient and worthwhile in the long run.
“The key is ensuring your budget is being used to reach unique individuals, not someone you’ve already messaged before—maybe even multiple times before,” says Karissa VanHooser, Senior Director of Product Marketing at Epsilon. “Try thinking of it as cost per unique individual reached within your target audience instead. That will help you avoid wasting budget on over frequency.”
Try thinking even beyond CTV
It goes without saying that CTV is a vital part of the advertising mix, but a broader, more omnichannel approach can enhance brand impact. Integrating other forms of video like online video (OLV) can complement CTV efforts instead of competing against it. Experts say expanding an omnichannel digital strategy will help amplify a brand's message at the right time and place to an interested consumer—and measure collective impact.
New research from Epsilon found that while the majority of people still use the TV as their primary way of watching content, the younger the respondent, the more likely they are to regularly use devices other than a TV. Half of Gen Z indicated they regularly use their cell phone to watch shows, movie, sports or news. It's as important as ever to think across channels and devices to reach people where they're at.
A fragmented approach ultimately leads to fragmented measurement and performance. Woods said having a connected, comprehensive cross-channel strategy is a sure-fire way to reach customers and understand the actions they take—even if it’s not when they’re watching TV. Or maybe they are watching TV, but it's just not on their TV.
“At the end of the day, precise targeting, suppressing existing buyers and being smart about incorporating additional channels into the mix are what really reinforces that CTV messaging,” Woods says.
Make your connected TV ad spend work harder
Leveraging the new opportunities CTV provides requires innovation and adaptability—qualities that will ultimately determine success of brands and advertisers as the industry continues to change. Experts say the only way to keep up with people as they shift between streaming platforms and subscription tiers is to have persistent and accurate identity resolution. When brands nail down a better understanding of their audience, they can spend more strategically, prioritize efficiency and embrace a multi-channel approach.
Epsilon CTV is here to help you identify and reach in-market viewers at scale—no matter where they’re watching. Learn more about how you can achieve the vast reach of linear TV with the impact, precision and control of a digital channel.
---
## 2025 holiday planning: 3 strategies for gourmet food brands
Type: eps_post
URL: /gourmet-food-brands-key-holiday-marketing-strategies
Last Modified: 2025-05-01T16:15:25Z
# 2025 holiday planning: 3 strategies for gourmet food brands
For gourmet food brands, it’s easy to focus the bulk of your marketing budget on holidays like Christmas and New Year’s Eve.
But as a new year begins, there is an opportunity to leverage incremental revenue in the first half of the year around key holidays—including Valentine’s Day, Easter, Mother’s Day, Memorial Day and Father’s Day—so it’s essential for gourmet food brands to market to consumers during these time periods.
We reviewed the 2024 transactional data of over 2,000,000+ contributors who shopped for gourmet foods in Epsilon's cooperative database to understand the opportunity and why it's critical for brands to leverage complete foundational data to identify and engage with their next-best customers.
We break gourmet food spending into four key categories:
Meats and seafood
Sweets and baked goods
Specialty foods and spices
Fruits and nuts
3 key marketing strategies for gourmet food brands
1. Kick off the year strong
To make sure you’re able to align your holiday marketing efforts with these key events, leverage consumer shopping data to identify trends so you can time marketing promotions with key buying periods.
For each of the key events in the first half of the year, shopping picked up four weeks before the event, peaking in the last two weeks.
2. Build year-round awareness
Instead of only focusing on the end-of-year rush, focus on campaigns that build year-round awareness so your gourmet food brand can capitalize on key events throughout the year.
This way, as consumers are shopping, your product or brand is more likely to be top of mind as they’re shopping.
3. Focus on capturing new audiences
To see the strongest results, target campaigns during quieter times to bring in new customers and reduce competition.
Gourmet food category breakdown
Meats and seafood
This category includes fresh and frozen cuts of beef, pork, poultry, fish, shellfish and other seafood. It also includes barbecue, smoked meats and sausages along with smokers, grinders and other home meat processing equipment.
The key consumer shopping periods for this gourmet food category align with Father’s Day, Easter and Memorial Day, so brands can expect an increase of sales in the weeks leading up to each of these events.
Top opportunities for meat and seafood
Easter
This holiday generated the second highest percentage of gross revenue in the weeks leading up to it.
22% of 6-month buyers purchased during these four weeks, with one of the highest spend per household.
More households start preparing for this holiday earlier, with buying activity reaching its peak in the third week.
Memorial Day
This holiday is commonly celebrated with large gatherings and barbecues.
The third-highest percent of first half gross revenue occurred in the weeks leading up to Memorial Day.
The order curve shows that households accelerated their purchases as the holiday approaches.
Father’s Day
The largest percentage of first-half purchase activity and spend occurs in the 4 weeks leading up to Father’s Day.
This occasion often sneaks up, with many households starting to buy early, pausing, and then surging in the final week before.
Sweets and baked goods
We include items like decorated cakes, cookies, pastries, breads, flours, bread machines, baking supplies and other confections and gift assortments in this gourmet food category.
For sweet and baked good brands, Valentine’s Day is the biggest opportunity for consumer spending, with purchase activity peaking in the two weeks leading up to the holiday. Easter and Mother’s Day are the second and third largest consumer spending opportunities this category can plan for and leverage.
Top opportunities for sweets and baked goods
Valentine’s Day
This market was most popular around Valentine’s Day with the strongest spend and purchase rates.
Purchase activity peaked two weeks before the holiday (week 3), with strong purchase rates in the week before the holiday as well (week 4).
Easter
25% of the first-half buyers were active in the weeks leading up to the Easter holiday, with the second highest spend.
The AOV was the highest around this holiday.
Purchase rates by week followed a similar pattern as Valentine’s Day’s – with the peak occurring two weeks before the holiday (week 3).
Mother’s Day
Nearly 16% of the first half revenue was in the four weeks leading up to Mother’s Day.
20% of buyers were active and had the second highest average order value among the holidays in the first half of the year.
Purchase rates gradually increased and peak in the week before the holiday (week 4).
Specialty foods and spices
Our last category encompasses items like crackers, canned meats, snacks, popcorn, spices and seasonings, pasta, cheeses, freeze-dried and dehydrated foods, other types of gourmet food, assorted gift food baskets, coffee and tea.
For specialty food and spice brands, Valentine’s Day and Easter are the biggest consumer spending opportunities. For Valentine’s Day, the most spending in this category occurred in the two weeks leading up to the event, while for Easter, 23% of buyers were active in the weeks leading up to the event.
Top opportunities for specialty foods and spices
Valentine’s Day
Even though this holiday had the lowest AOV at $69, the most spend occurred in the weeks leading up to it compared to other occasions.
Purchase rates were also the highest—with 27% active in just 4 weeks.
Purchase rates climb steadily until they peak in the week before the holiday (week 4).
Easter
This holiday was a close second in the percent of first half gross revenue.
23% of buyers were active in the weeks leading up to Easter.
Purchase rates peak in week 3 and were fairly consistent for the other three weeks.
Mother’s Day
This holiday came in third since it had the third highest spend and purchase rates.
The AOV was higher than Valentine’s Day but was the second lowest at $74.
Purchase rates steadily rise until the fourth week, just before the holiday, when they surge.
Fruit and nut brands
We include items like fruits, vegetables and nuts in this gourmet food category.
For this gourmet food category, Valentine’s Day is the biggest opportunity outside of Christmas, with consumers spending the most in the two weeks leading up to the holiday. Fruit and nut brands can also expect success for Mother’s Day and Memorial Day.
Top opportunities for fruit and nut brands
Valentine’s Day
The spend and purchase rates leading up to this holiday were the highest among the five holidays.
As Valentine’s Day approached, purchase activity ramped up, with the strongest purchase rates in the two weeks prior to February 14.
Mother’s Day
The second highest purchase activity was around Mother’s Day.
Spend per transaction (AOV) was one of the highest.
Purchase rates remained steady in the first three weeks before the holiday, followed by a sharp increase in the final week.
Memorial Day
With the third-highest purchase activity in this market, it also had one of the highest AOV.
Since the marketing period for Memorial Day overlaps with Mother’s day, there were higher purchase rates earlier in the month than in the weeks right before this holiday.
With over 50 years of experience and coverage of nearly every marketable U.S. household, Epsilon Data is a trusted partner in helping marketers understand their consumers, personalize communication and activate across all channels.
Learn more about how to leverage insights like these to optimize your gourmet food strategy for 2025 and beyond.
---
## AI may promise smarter loyalty, but quality data delivers it
Type: eps_post
URL: /ai-promises-data-delivers-loyalty
Last Modified: 2026-04-08T17:29:53Z
# AI may promise smarter loyalty, but quality data delivers it
When I talk to people in loyalty marketing these days, the discussion inevitably turns to AI. Whether people love it, hate it or are skeptical, most believe AI’s capabilities are infinite and is the very thing that can take their program to the next level.
In theory, it can. AI is precise and highly predictive, giving it the ability to personalize at scale. AI has the potential to be a powerful tool that transforms your loyalty program into meaningful customer experiences that provide value. Personalized loyalty programs are a big part of that—high-performing loyalty programs can lift revenue from points-based customers by 15–25% annually by increasing purchase frequency and basket size.
But the truth is, AI can only act on the input it receives. If your customer information is flawed, or it relies solely on their transactions, your loyalty messages become irrelevant, customers feel your brand doesn’t understand their needs and distrust grows.
So, while the conversation often focuses on what AI promises, equal attention should be given to how it delivers on those promises—leveraging high-quality data and identity resolution. This means having unified and cleansed first-party data is not just helpful for optimal AI performance—it’s essential.
How deep customer insights drive AI
When it comes to building long-lasting loyalty, it all starts with knowing your customer. But when data quality is lacking, the model atrophies and personalization no longer aligns with the customer experience.
Transaction data only shows you what customers have purchased, without telling you why. To create a genuine connection with your customers and appeal to their needs, you have to look beyond their purchase history, frequency of visits and shopping cart-level information.
Loyalty management platforms that layer in contextual data—intent, life context and engagement with your brand—can access these enriched insights to communicate in a way that speaks to the very heart of what matters to their members. Leveraging contextual data is how popular brands understand the person behind the transaction, not just their purchases.
A while back, one of my friends received a notification from one of her loyalty brands urging her to stock up on diapers. The problem wasn’t the marketing. It was the timing. Her kids were now teenagers.
Somewhere in their marketing database, she was still that same person she’d been years earlier—a new parent. The customer database hadn’t noticed that her life—including her habits and interests—had changed.
Many brands still miss the mark. About 61% of consumers say they feel misunderstood or treated impersonally—often the result of personalization built on incomplete or bad data.
If AI only automates transactions, it personalizes to buying patterns and misses important pieces of your customer’s evolving connection to your brand.
Why powering AI with high-quality data matters
Most customers don’t know anything about your data quality—but they notice when it feels off. Seventy-six percent of consumers said they view brands negatively when inaccurate information about them is included in advertising messages they receive.
When this happens, people are increasingly willing to act on it. More than a third of consumers say they would withdraw their loyalty if a brand mishandles other personal data, up from 30% the previous year.
Without a solid data strategy powering your AI, false precision and data volume can create the illusion of personalization—delivering communications that are precise but superficial. When this happens, messages feel automated and offers feel irrelevant—creating friction.
Data quality issues—like duplicate IDs and incomplete profiles—often hold personalization efforts back. Simply improving data hygiene can unlock 10-25% in incremental gains.
Essentially, without advanced data and technology, your loyalty marketing initiatives can’t benefit from the true power of AI, and your campaigns run the risk of:
Ignoring signals from across the entire customer journey with the brand
Missing critical behavioral shifts or potential life stage changes
Unable to recognize habitual shopping patterns
And when these gaps exist, the impact goes beyond missed insights—AI can end up driving inefficient ad spend, generating low-value outputs and ultimately eroding the very trust that loyalty programs thrive on. When done right, however, AI reveals insights across the entire member journey—enabling more relevant interactions that foster genuine connections and build lasting brand affinity.
Trusted experiences start with data and identity
Customers expect personalization from their loyalty brands. In fact, 80% of consumers said they liked it when brands personalize their communications based on their interactions and status with their loyalty programs. In fact, 91% of consumers say they prefer brands that offer personalized content—making relevant, data-driven engagement table stakes rather than a differentiator.
However, creating seamless customer experiences that resonate, depends less on AI, and more on the data and identity resolution behind your loyalty marketing.
Even if loyalty programs are designed to capture more data points about their members, there may still be gaps that prevent a holistic customer view. Only 60% of consumers are satisfied with the personalization they receive, revealing a disconnect between expectations and execution, often due to data quality issues.
Advanced solutions fill in those gaps—adding contextual details, like household characteristics, interests and life-stage indicators that enrich the loyalty member's profile, making it complete.
With a clear view of your customer, AI can thrive—recognizing your customers and offering valuable experiences that matter to them. From there, AI can respond in real time—analyzing patterns, predicting behaviors and forecasting offers—creating experiences that actually feel aligned to the customer.
What AI-powered loyalty looks like
AI promises extraordinary possibilities. Instead of leveraging it as a solution that solves everything, treat it like an accelerator that amplifies the inputs it's built on.
Having a foundation of quality data and identity in place allows AI-powered loyalty programs to deliver true customer value—offering the next-best action or recommendation, anticipating needs and personalizing offers in ways that shape engaging customer experiences and drive real growth for your brand. When powered by clean, complete data, personalized loyalty messaging can increase repeat purchases and boost engagement by 20-40%.
With the right data and technology, brands can turn these insights into action, enriching the member journey across channels. Brands that get subscription programs right show how AI can anticipate needs and guide customers to the next-best offer.
Drive purchase growth: Increase basket size and expand successful programs.
Influence customers behavior: Move customers an aisle over with intelligent modeling.
Enhance customer experiences: Enable personalized experience design that meets customers’ real needs.
Fueled by data and identity resolution, AI creates seamless continuation of the conversation, subtly shaping behavior, expanding share of wallet, building trust and creating relevant experiences that foster lifelong loyalty and long-term brand advocacy.
Making AI work for your brand
If data is the foundation of effective AI, what’s the final piece that turns that foundation into real loyalty impact? For many brands, it’s the right technology partner.
Investing in an advanced loyalty provider gives you much more than software that just runs—it helps you get results and continuously improve. Industry-leading loyalty platforms help you take your loyalty initiatives further, providing practical services that include program design and strategy, advanced analytics and reporting that includes measuring the emotional loyalty of your customers to better optimize engagement. The payoff is clear: customers with a strong emotional connection to a brand have a 306% higher lifetime value than those who are merely satisfied.
Our solutions combine tools with expertise, ensuring strategies are executed effectively and insights are activated, bringing AI-powered loyalty to life. Bridging technology with practical know-how expands AI-readiness and influences customer experiences across channels—moving your brand beyond transactions to relationships.
The real promise of AI in loyalty
According to our research, 93% of marketers say they plan to allocate at least 5% of their budget to AI initiatives. But brands that see the biggest ROI will be those that invest just as intentionally in the data foundation that powers AI-driven insights. Currently, 96% of retailers say they struggle with personalization execution—not because of AI capabilities, but due to underlying data, technology and resource challenges.
With advanced loyalty technology, AI can help loyalty program managers better understand their members, truly offer value and achieve better outcomes. It frees time and allows you to create cohesive, innovative experiences—assisting with real-time strategy adoption, dynamic member insights and customer journey orchestrated campaign creation—supercharging your program performance.
The right loyalty platform unifies customer data and enriches it, allowing you to make smarter person-first decisions, create loyalty campaigns that drive deeper engagement and provide memorable customer experiences.
---
## How personalization drives customer loyalty (and where most brands fall short)
Type: eps_post
URL: /how-personalization-drives-customer-loyalty
Last Modified: 2026-09-15T17:59:52Z
# How personalization drives customer loyalty (and where most brands fall short)
No matter who you are—or what you want to purchase—personalization is a baseline expectation of the customer experience.
Streaming devices recommend the best shows, audio platforms suggest the latest music and grocery apps surface relevant coupons based on what you've previously shown interest in. Every day, consumers encounter personalization as a routine part of daily life.
According to Epsilon Pulse research, 80% of loyalty program participants like it when brands personalize their communications with them based on their program status and interactions. Yet most brands still struggle to offer their customers tailored experiences that matter to them.
Though they invest heavily—adopting advanced technologies, collecting more customer data and launching sophisticated campaigns—personalization in marketing comes across as excessively targeted and general.
Rather than delivering what people want, loyalty programs often fall short, stopping at surface-level tactics: a product recommendation or reminder email. This type of outreach might temporarily improve engagement, but they are no longer enough to create lasting loyalty.
Customer loyalty personalization starts with a deeper understanding of your customers preferences, insight into their behavior and additional customer context from online and offline activity. Brands that use this information to fuel their loyalty marketing initiatives can create interactions that feel timely, valuable and consistent—strengthening trust and encouraging customers to return.
In this blog, we’ll explore why many personalization strategies fall short, the layers that make personalization meaningful and practical steps for getting started with a solid data and technology foundation.
The link between personalization and loyalty
Personalization in marketing strengthens customer relationships.
Our customer loyalty research also revealed that 74% of respondents stated they were more loyal to a brand when they have a positive experience with the loyalty program, while 76% of consumers surveyed in our personalization report said they view brands negatively when inaccurate information about them is reflected in the brand’s marketing.
These insights reinforce the idea that personalization isn’t just a preference—it actually encourages loyal behavior. When customers receive relevant recommendations, offers and communications, they are more likely to have a positive experience, trust the brand and continue buying.
Brands that personalize digital experiences, strike a meaningful chord by showing customers that their unique needs and preferences matter. In this way, personalization creates a continuous feedback loop that shapes loyal behavior.
Essentially, as each experience resonates more deeply with the customer's preferences and expectations, their real-time responses inform the next interaction—creating a continuous cycle of increasingly effective personalization. This cycle helps marketers respond to what their customers like and dislike, increasing customer satisfaction, engagement and retention.
Ultimately, each personalized interaction strengthens customer loyalty while generating insights that make future experiences even more relevant.
The customer loyalty personalization cycle
Figure 1. Personalized experiences and loyalty create a continuous feedback loop that strengthens customer relationships over time.
Why most brands' personalization stalls at the surface
Your dashboard might give the impression that personalization is working for you. However, engagement metrics can look effective while failing to offer real value or personalizing customer experiences in a meaningful way.
While increased clicks, conversions and engagement rates reflect visible brand outcomes, they don’t show the deeper disconnect between measurable activity and authentic consumer-brand connection. Without a customer-centric approach to personalization, the benefits of personalization are lost.
According to Deloitte, only 60% of consumers are satisfied with current personalization in loyalty programs. When customer-centricity is placed in the background of the customer journey, personalization is reduced to statically triggered recommendations, promotional offers and automated responses.
This results in irrelevant messages, poorly timed communications and interactions that force customers to feel as though they need to restart their journey with your brand with each exchange. Without personalized experiences, experience debt builds over time, eroding trust in your brand.
When done right, omnichannel loyalty programs leverage personalization toreflect the customer’s current interests, buying stage and intent and allows brands to connect insights in real-time across touchpoints.Ultimately, personalization goes beyond surface-level customization, building on each interaction—bridging the gap between transactional interactions and how to truly nurture customer loyalty.
The four layers of personalization in a loyalty program
Imagine having dinner at your favorite restaurant, and before you look at a menu, they suggest your usual. They also let you know that, as a top-tier member, you’ll receive a free dessert. Then, they offer you a new menu item that’s based on something you’ve enjoyed before.
That's the power of personalization in omnichannel loyalty programs. Personalizing customer journeys allows marketers to recognize your customers, respond with real-time context and deliver value at every interaction.
At the foundation, brands “see who customers are” across channels through identification. By adding relevance, they can tailor content, offers and recommendations to match customer interests. The next layer—recognition—builds on relevancy by remembering customer preferences and past interactions, while anticipation uses insights to recommend next-best offers and suggest complementary products before customer needs are expressed.
Without the right foundation, brands remain transactional, with identification and relevance driving their marketing efforts. To truly be effective, personalization also needs to build understanding through the value exchange created by recognizing customer preferences and anticipating their future needs.
The four layers of personalization
Figure 2. Personalization evolves from identifying customers to anticipating their needs.
What does good personalization look like?
When brands move beyond surface-level personalization tactics, they can attract loyalty across generations—transforming disconnected customer interactions into experiences that keep customers coming back.
How Dunkin’ unified customer interactions across channels
Epsilon works with Dunkin’ to create seamless customer journeys, stronger trust, and higher engagement for customers known for frequently switching between digital and in-person touchpoints. With a complete view of each customer, they leverage data to maintain a POS integration that connects 9,000+ locations to Dunkin’s loyalty engine for real-time access to rewards with flexible creative—sending 1:1 messages in loyalty statements, customized push notifications and agile mail and in-app content that resonates.
Learn how Dunkin’ unifies consumer-brand communications across channels.
Tractor Supply Company shifts from static to dynamic engagement
Tractor Supply Company, a leading U.S. rural lifestyle retailer, leveraged quantitative customer data with qualitative feedback to identify potential gaps in the customer experience. As a result, they adjusted their tier and rewards thresholds to improve customer satisfaction by offering top-tier status to military service members, while increasing repeat purchases and long-term loyalty. By using customer behavior and preference data to anticipate future needs, they’ve ensured that their Neighbor's Club loyalty program continuously meets evolving customer expectations—delivering curated experiences in the moments that matter.
To see this approach in practice, explore the Tractor Supply Company case study.
Walgreens leverages real-time intent to personalize customer experiences
Instead of targeting their communications based on transactions, Walgreens harnessed customer data, with the aim of providing more personal interactions and forging deeper relationships that lead to better outcomes. Patients and customers received 1:1 level notifications, reminders and content, based on real-time data. myWalgreens leveraged Epsilon’s loyalty technology to provide valuable, meaningful experiences that felt more connected, improving engagement and strengthening each customers relationship to the brand.
See how Walgreens used personalization to improve customer experiences.
Each of these brands have one thing in common: they put customer understanding at the focal point of personalized experiences to achieve better outcomes. Having rich customer insights allowed each organization to strengthen their relationships with their customers by delivering meaningful personalization.
This type of deeper customer understanding starts with a strong foundation of data and identity.
The data and identity foundation that makes loyalty personalization work
Every authentic connection a brand makes with someone begins with knowing who the customer is. This can only happen when disparate interactions are connected to the same customer.
Brands that maintain a clear view of the customer, as they evolve over time, are better equipped to personalize media across channels and create customized experiences that people value. With a strong data foundation, first-party data gets cleansed and consolidated, providing accurate, accessible and precise insights that make every consumer-brand interaction an opportunity to learn more about the customer.
When customer data is enhanced with identity resolution, it fills in the gaps and removes the friction that weakens customer relationships. Identity resolution connects disparate data sources and devices, allowing brands to see each individual customer on a 1:1 level, enabling experiences that feel continuous rather than fragmented.
Quality data and identity are the foundation of effective personalization. An industry-recognized loyalty marketing platform—with data and identity management built-in—can help you personalize communications based on recognition, relevance and trust.
How to measure whether personalization is actually driving loyalty
An advanced dashboard can tell you what customers are doing, and effective measurement capabilities reveal why they are doing it. The right customer loyalty platform brings both tools together—enabling brands to understand the broader story beyond engagement:
Engagement lift measures immediate response. Rather than simply tracking clicks, conversion rates and purchases, this metric reveals whether your personalized marketing is creating measurable improvement in how customers engage.
Behavior lift reflects changes in customer actions over time. By tracking repeat purchase rate, frequency and average order value, marketers can see whether personalization is actually changing customer actions over time.
Status and program metrics include tier progression rate, point redemption rate and tier-retention rate. These metrics provide insight into operational health and reveal whether personalization efforts are scaling effectively.
Relationship metrics, like assessing Net Promoter Score (NPS), member-reported recognition (survey-based) and churn rates, will help you go deeper by revealing the long-term impact of your personalized loyalty marketing campaigns. Tracking these metrics helps build stronger, more valuable customer relationships.
Measurement is critical to personalization in marketing. Data-driven measurement will help your brand refine personalized customer experiences, improve relevance and deepen customer understanding.
A 90-day roadmap to advance personalization
To create meaningful, personalized experiences that lead to long-lasting loyalty, program managers need a focused approach. By partnering with a loyalty provider that offers ongoing strategic support, brands can implement a 90-day roadmap that builds on their capabilities, proves impact and creates momentum for long-term growth.
Days 1–30: Audit the recognition layer
Assess the loyalty status of loyalty program members by analyzing your first-party data, connecting identities and removing knowledge gaps—ensuring you have a data strategy that’s actionable across channels.
Days 31–60: Launch one anticipation use case
Identify a key moment in the customer journey—replenishment, anniversary, tier-progress milestone—then test a personalized intervention with a control group and refine the approach.
Days 61–90: Wire the measurement foundation
Before launching personalization campaigns, agree on loyalty performance KPIs to understand the impact and continuously improve.
This roadmap creates a practical path that brands need for personalization that learns, adapts and scales.
Resources to help you build a more personalized customer experiences
To effectively personalize the customer journey across touchpoints, our personalization guide can help you understand key strategies and capabilities that drive meaningful customer experiences. Along with our latest consumer loyalty research, Epsilon Loyalty provides the support you need to take the next step and bring these strategies to life.
Frequently asked questions about personalization
How does personalization drive customer loyalty?
Personalization drives customer loyalty by making customers feel recognized rather than targeted. Relevant experiences reduce friction while meaningful recognition builds emotional connections that strengthen trust over time. When brands consistently anticipate customer needs and deliver value in the moments that matter most, they create positive experiences that keep customers coming back and deepen long-term loyalty.
What is the difference between personalization and a loyalty program?
A loyalty program provides the structure through memberships, points, rewards or tiered benefits, while personalization makes those experiences feel relevant and earned. Without personalization, loyalty programs often compete primarily on discounts or incentives. Personalization can also exist without a formal loyalty program as a broader marketing strategy. Together, however, personalization and loyalty programs reinforce one another to create stronger customer relationships and lasting engagement.
What kind of data is needed to personalize a loyalty program?
Effective loyalty personalization relies on first-party data connected to a unified customer profile across every channel. Purchase history, browsing behavior, stated preferences and consent records all help create consistent, relevant experiences. Without a unified view of the customer, personalization becomes fragmented, making it difficult to maintain recognition as customers move between digital and physical touchpoints.
Are consumers willing to share data for better personalization?
Yes. Research from Deloitte shows that many consumers are willing to share personal data when they receive more relevant, personalized experiences in return. This creates an implicit value exchange: customers provide information, and brands deliver recognition, convenience and meaningful recommendations. To maintain trust, brands must make that value clear while handling customer data transparently and responsibly.
How do you measure whether personalization is improving loyalty?
Measuring personalization goes beyond engagement metrics. Brands should also track behavioral outcomes like repeat purchase rate, purchase frequency, customer lifetime value and average order value. Comparing personalized experiences against control groups remains the most reliable way to determine whether personalization is driving meaningful improvements in customer loyalty.
What is the most common mistake brands make with personalization and loyalty?
One of the biggest mistakes is treating personalization as a messaging tactic instead of a recognition strategy. Customers become loyal when they feel known and valued throughout every interaction, across touchpoints. Consistent recognition across the entire customer journey is what creates lasting loyalty.
---
## Preparing your digital media strategy for a video-dominant landscape
Type: eps_post
URL: /preparing-your-2026-digital-media-strategy-video-dominant-landscape
Last Modified: 2026-07-07T17:59:15Z
# Preparing your digital media strategy for a video-dominant landscape
From immediately after the morning alarm to during the daily commute.
Sharing a meal to lounging on the sofa.
Regardless of the scenario, you’d be hard pressed to find a person that doesn’t spend a significant portion of their day on a digital device—watching Hulu or YouTube, scrolling the latest news, shopping, streaming connected TV (CTV), etc.
The average consumer now spends eight hours a day on a connected device, and 81% of the U.S. population watches digital video across a mix of screens. All of this streaming video consumption gives brands a rare opportunity to maintain continuous, personalized conversations with consumers in a highly engaging format.
As a result, the industry is gearing up for the year of video.
Let’s explore more about why, what’s changing in the video landscape—and how Epsilon can help brands develop and execute a winning programmatic video strategy.
Why video will lead the programmatic landscape
Digital screens have become a ubiquitous part of our daily lives. People interact daily (and throughout the day) with phones, connected TVs, tablets, gaming consoles, smart speakers or home devices and retail media screens. These interactions include both passive and active engagement with digital content.
Video, in particular, uniquely suits users’ preferences for snackable content and their tendency to multitask on their devices—but it also serves as a connection point to people who are locked-in to long form content (binge session, anyone?). And with its engaging, captivating and often entertaining appeal to consumers, it is the stand-out leader in today’s programmatic landscape.
The continued growth of video and advancement of programmatic technology presents several opportunities for forward-thinking marketers:
Video can adapt across screen types, which means it can serve as a consistent thread for brand storytelling through cross-device consumption.
Consumers expect content to reflect their interests in real time. Video can offer resonance other formats can’t, especially with dynamic video and growing AI capabilities.
We’re also seeing more video-enabled ad inventory—including within retail media environments.
What “future-ready” digital video looks like
While video is everywhere, effective video isn’t. Video’s rise has outpaced most brands’ data capabilities. As a result, most still struggle with key aspects of video performance. Conversely, “future-ready” digital video must be:
Personalized and contextualized at scale
Real-time adaptable
Connected to the customer journey
Measurable
1. Personalized and contextualized at scale
Most brands struggle to personalize video at the individual level, but effective video is not one-size-fits-all (or even one-size-fits-many). Future-ready video personalizes creative not only based on each viewer’s demographics, but also their behaviors and transactions, ultimately producing limitless video iterations.
2. Real-time adaptable
Brands don’t have all day to produce those limitless video iterations—to effectively reach viewers with video, versions must adapt in real-time. Best practice is to use dynamic creative optimization (DCO) to automatically review signals to deliver the right version to the person instantly.
3. Connected to the customer journey
Most brands still struggle to connect video performance to the rest of the customer journey, scaling reach to consumers in the right channel, on the right device and in the right format. But the future of video is not siloed. Programmatic video—OLV, CTV and native video—must integrate seamlessly with display and audio and other formats as part of a holistic brand story and customer journey.
4. Measurable
Unfortunately, most brands struggle to tie video impressions to more meaningful metrics. Successful video programs will be able to measure from impression delivery to sales, as well as everything in between, including:
Reach and frequency
Video completion rate and engagement metrics
Online actions and conversions
In-store visits and sales
The capabilities required to make it happen
Digital video should be the most reached-for tool in marketers’ toolkits moving into 2026, but as we’ve outlined, not all video is created equal. To get the most out of your 2026 video strategy, you need a partner with:
Scale and access across various video channels and formats
Creative personalization capabilities
Identity resolution to connect the two
Scale across video channels and formats
To unlock the full value of a video, brands need a partner that can move creative fluidly across channels and formats—not one that treats each placement as a separate execution. As audiences shift between CTV, mobile, desktop, etc., speed and adaptability become critical. The right partner will help you evolve and iterate on new video opportunities—in the channels and formats where consumers are actually spending their time.
Creative personalization capabilities
To the point above, your video partner must be able to create the video iterations required to reach and engage individual viewers with creative that resonates, automatically and in real time. This requires advanced dynamic creative optimization capabilities with AI optimizations, which allows you to achieve maximum reach and engagement in the moments that matter—all while saving your team thousands of manual hours creating each video iteration.
Identity resolution to connect video channels + creative
Identity resolution is the connective tissue that ties your videos and your other channels together to reach your sales goals. When done right, it allows brands to effectively reach your audience with the right message—but the key is good data. Your video partner must also be able to integrate your first-party data, which brings richer insights into your video strategy to enable personalization centered around conversion and transaction habits. Strong data and identity gives you a more precise, end-to-end view of the customer journey, so you can see how video drives real results (far beyond impressions).
Epsilon’s philosophy: “Video Everywhere”
Future-ready video requires digital reach and scale, real-time creative personalization and identity-powered measurement. Epsilon brings all three together in a single, closed-loop system.
With Epsilon Digital, brands gain unmatched access to premium video inventory across OLV, CTV, native video and retail media—backed by AI-driven dynamic creative optimization that delivers the right video variation at the right moment.
But what truly sets Epsilon apart is COREid, the industry’s most accurate and durable identity solution. COREid connects every video impression to a real household and individual—not a cookie or anonymous device—so advertisers can personalize based on real behaviors and measure real outcomes.
Build your programmatic video strategy for the next era
Consumers now move through their days surrounded by screens—scrolling, streaming and watching video in countless moments.
To meet them there, brands need more than great creative or broad reach. They need the ability to recognize real people, personalize at scale and prove impact across the full customer journey. As video becomes the backbone of omnichannel experiences, the brands that will stand out are those that ground their strategies in identity, data and dynamic creative.
And Epsilon is the partner built for this next era.
Video is here to stay. If you want to dive deeper and learn how to take the next step with your Connected TV advertising, download our comprehensive guide.
---
## 10 types of loyalty programs (and how to choose the right one)
Type: eps_post
URL: /10-types-of-loyalty-programs
Last Modified: 2026-07-08T17:29:14Z
# 10 types of loyalty programs (and how to choose the right one)
Loyalty programs connect brands and customers across every stage of the customer journey, elevating everyday transactions into meaningful experiences. From paid memberships to cash-back rewards programs, customer loyalty programs attract, reinforce engagement and deepen emotional connections.
They are the most effective way to strengthen customer engagement while reinforcing positive brand perception over time. In fact Epsilon Pulse Research indicates, 75% of consumer respondents feel better about brands that have loyalty programs they can participate in, and 74% recommend their loyalty brands to others.
In this blog, we explore 10 types of loyalty programs, how they work and how the right approach can build more effective, customer-centric journeys for your members.
Why loyalty programs matter more than ever
Whether you’re a small, mid-market or enterprise-level brand, a well-designed loyalty layer does more than drive repeat purchases, it can help you nurture relationships, improve engagement and boost retention. For this reason, getting loyalty programs right can be the difference between creating interactions that people love and poor experiences that diminish their trust.Our research also shows 65% of consumers will leave a loyalty program if the rewards aren’t worth it to them. Nearly as many (59%) say they’ll walk away if the experience is too complicated.
An effective loyalty marketing strategy is key to helping brands better understand their customers. By analyzing purchase behavior, preferences and engagement patterns, loyalty program managers can leverage their first-party data to create an ongoing feedback loop—providing real-time insights, personalizing customer experiences and strengthening long-term engagement.
Advanced loyalty technology has high-quality data and identity resolution at its core, supporting personalization and smarter decision-making. As privacy expectations evolve and consumer data becomes increasingly fragmented across channels, the right loyalty partner will allow your brand to build direct consumer relationships that last.
When done right, loyalty programs connect data, identity and engagement for better outcomes that continually:
Prioritize relationships over transactions
Recognize and reward loyalty
Provide consistency across the customer journey
Create a strong sense of belonging and shared values
Our loyalty management platform offers a wide range of loyalty solutions designed to address different business goals.
1. Points-based loyalty programs
Points-based loyalty programs are programs that provide points for purchases to reward customers and encourage their ongoing participation. These types of customer rewards programs include various forms of incentives, such as referrals, reviews or in-app activity.
Once accrued, customers can apply their points towards discounts on purchases, free products, exclusive rewards or other promoted incentives. This strategy is commonly used across industries like retail, airlines, hospitality and financial services.
Brands focused on average order value and long-term loyalty engagement, often benefit from this type of rewards points system, because it allows them to:
Increase customer spend
Reward top customers
Create exclusivity and status
For example, Walgreens combines a points-based rewards system with personalized offers, while Dunkin’ supplements its points program with gamified challenges and bonus rewards to keep customers engaged.
2. Tiered loyalty programs
Tiered loyalty programs build on traditional points-based systems by creating membership tiers that reward customers for increased spending and engagement. While the concept is straightforward, it’s built around a VIP loyalty structure that's designed to encourage repeat buying and help your customers develop emotional loyalty through reaching recognition.
They introduce a sense of progression, allowing members to participate frequently and stay engaged over time. Common examples include:
Silver, Gold and Platinum memberships
VIP customer levels
Airline frequent flyer status programs
A good example is Sally Beauty, where customers earn points on eligible purchases and gain access to enhanced rewards and exclusive perks as they progress through the program’s membership tiers.
Tiered loyalty programs make it easy for brands to identify and reward their most valuable customers differently, boosting retention and customer lifetime value.
3. Cash-back rewards programs
Cash-back rewards programs are clear and straightforward. They shape customer behavior by offering a percentage of their purchase value back as cash, store credit or points that can be redeemed on future purchases.
Instead of earning status or accumulating points, financial incentives provide direct monetary encouragement for spending with the brand. For example, customers can easily earn 5% back on every purchase or receive ongoing benefits from credit card-style reward systems.
Cash-back loyalty systems work well for e-commerce and retail brands because they are structured to attract price-sensitive customers and boost customer satisfaction by:
Allowing shoppers to see instant value
Creating reasons for shoppers to return
Simple, frictionless design
Encouraging habitual shopping behavior
If your brand experiences low engagement because of complex rewards systems, cash-back programs can help you build loyalty with offers that are immediate and easy to understand.
4. Paid membership program
A paid loyalty program helps brands build loyalty while creating an expected revenue stream. After a customer pays a recurring fee or other condition up front, they’re given access to exclusive benefits, discounts, services or premium experiences.
Subscription loyalty models often incentivize participation through offering ongoing perks, like:
Free shipping
Member-only product pricing
Exclusive member-only product offerings
Quality content or services
Because a subscription loyalty model offers advantages that make their customers feel like they’re part of a VIP membership program, customers are more likely to engage after signup, feel a sense of exclusivity and commitment and ultimately stay loyal long term (e.g., Costco).
5. Value-based loyalty program
Many people are attracted to brands that advocate for the community, participate in social causes, focus on sustainability and strive to make a positive impact. A value-based loyalty program aligns brand values and customer loyalty with mission-driven incentives that benefit organizations, reinforce shared identities, and further mutual goals.
Similar to other programs, purpose-driven loyalty marketing can drive awareness for specific product categories. For example, someone that’s purchased pet products (e.g., food and toys) can earn bonus points that can be donated to animal rescue funds.
When consumer-brand interactions are rooted in common, heartfelt causes, brand affinity grows. Brands actively seeking to affect their communities, can leverage value-based loyalty programs to:
Align purchases with personal values
Build deeper trust and long-term loyalty
Help customers feel emotionally connected to the brand
6. Punch card loyalty program
A lot of brands build loyal communities using a visit-based or purchase-frequency rewarding system where customers earn rewards after accruing a fixed number of purchases, visits or activities. Although punch card loyalty programs originated as physical stamp cards, they are a low-effort way to shape repeat purchases with incentives and seamlessly:
Increase visit frequency
Encourage habitual behavior
Reduce friction and increase engagement
Whether through mobile, digital wallets or SMS, visit-based loyalty effectively provides simple incentives while gathering valuable first-party data: purchase frequency, visit behavior, customer preferences and engagement patterns.
Frequency rewards programs create a path to purchase members can easily understand, reinforce visible progress that shapes behavior and make connecting with customers seamless and scalable.
7. Referral loyalty program
Not all loyalty programs require a purchase or direct up-front cost. A referral marketing strategy creates scalable and organic growth by offering perks like cash rewards, store credits and free products when customers recommend their brand, product or services to others.
A referral loyalty program grants incentives to members for bringing in new customers, creating a pipeline for customer acquisition through referrals. For brands seeking to obtain new customers, referral programs encourage a cycle of brand advocacy and built-in credibility that:
Encourages customers to actively promote the brand
Rewards both loyalty and advocacy
Generates higher-quality leads
8. Gamified loyalty program
A gamified loyalty program involves game-like promotions that challenge members to earn points, win badges and achieve tiers, encouraging participation in ways that feel competitive and fun. This type of reward structure builds engagement by giving members clear goals to achieve, progress indicators to track and a sense they’ve earned rewards by reaching meaningful milestones.
Because this model uses leaderboards, winning streak notifications and badges to reward customer experiences, gamification in marketing is especially effective for brands looking to reconnect with customers when they lose interest between visits or disengage with your brand over time.
Customer engagement gamification builds community through accomplishment, reward anticipation and friendly competition. A gamified loyalty strategy works because it:
Makes engagement with your brand light and interactive
Shapes repeat behavior through rewards and progress
Increases the amount of time members spend with your brand
9. Coalition loyalty program
Loyalty coalitions are groups of businesses that share one rewards program. Whenever customers shop at one, they earn points redeemable on purchases from any coalition member.
Rather than focusing solely on a single standalone loyalty program, coalition loyalty programs help customers find value in a reward system that doesn’t feel limited, allowing for an easy way to interact across multiple participating brands. This type of loyalty strategy is typically leveraged by airline alliances, retail partnerships and partner loyalty ecosystems.
The real differentiating factor with multi-brand loyalty networks is that customer loyalty is directed towards the coalition rather than one brand. Where this mode gains traction is in its ability to:
Expand customer reach
Build strategic brand partnerships
Increase customer acquisition through cross-brand awareness
Increase customer lifetime value across ecosystems
10. Experiential loyalty program
Beloved brands leverage loyalty programs to deepen relationships and provide valuable experiences that recognize and celebrate customer commitment. Unlike some of the other loyalty programs, an experiential loyalty program offers members exclusive experiences, access and personalized rewards, creating value through emotional connection.
This approach is used by brands that want the customer journey to feel like a lifestyle choice they can’t get elsewhere. Unlike more transactional systems, experience-based loyalty programs emphasize engagement through exclusivity and recognition.
Experiential loyalty marketing is particularly powerful because it provides things like: VIP events, private access and personalized services. Customer experience rewards are designed to create memorable moments that:
Strengthen brand affinity and identity
Foster strong emotional connections
Encourage long-lasting loyalty beyond transactional interactions
How to choose the right loyalty program for you
Loyalty is interconnected. It doesn't just reward purchases with points, move customers through tiers, offer cashback or incentivize referrals—it connects. The brands customers love most, move beyond standalone programs, building ecosystems that evolve with customer behavior and amplify the brand experience over time.
When loyalty programs adapt beyond a single model, they can deliver the right message at the right time with dynamic experiences that feel relevant to each individual. A data-driven loyalty strategy connects data, identity and personalization to boost engagement across the customer journey using real-time insights, offer management and AI-assisted campaign creation.
Epsilon Loyalty makes this easy—our solutions offer flexibility that can support your brands loyalty strategy framework. Built on a solid data foundation, our industry-recognized loyalty technology provides a complete view of each member, fueled by advanced, expert-level insight and support to help you foster and maintain a thriving loyalty ecosystem.
Want to learn more about how the right loyalty provider can help shape your loyalty marketing strategy? Epsilon Loyalty can help. Whether your brand uses points, referrals or community-based incentives, our platform is designed to boost ROI, improve engagement and drive better outcomes, no matter what type of loyalty program you have in place.
Frequently asked questions about loyalty programs
What are the most common loyalty programs?
The most common loyalty programs include points-based, tiered, subscription-based, gamified and value-based programs. Points-based loyalty programs reward customers for their purchases, tiered programs incentive customers as their engagement with your brand increases. The best approach puts the customer at the center. Design a program that adapts to your customers’ behaviors and preferences will ensure you achieve your desired business outcomes.
What's the difference between tiered and points-based loyalty programs?
A points-based loyalty program allows customers to earn points they can later redeem for rewards after they complete certain actions, such as purchases or referrals. In a tiered loyalty program, customers benefits increase as they engage more deeply with a brand. While points programs encourage repeat interactions, tiered programs are designed to deepen long-term customer relationships. Many brands blend both, offering incentives for frequent purchases while simultaneously encouraging customers to reach higher levels of engagement.
Which loyalty program type is most effective?
The most effective loyalty programs are the ones that align with a brands business goals and customer behavior. For example, value-based programs are effective for increasing customer retention, lifetime value and engagement, while gamified loyalty works best highly engaged customers who interact with your brand frequently. Ultimately, the programs that thrive are person-first, delivering personalization, relevance and value—for both customers and brands.
How do I know which type of loyalty program is right for my brand?
Knowing what type of loyalty program is right for your brand depends on your business goals, customer behavior and purchase patterns. If you want customers buy frequently, a points-based program may encourage repeat purchases. If you’re looking to nurture your highest value-customers, a tiered loyalty program that rewards VIP members might be a better fit. Successful brands leverage programs that motivate their customers, while supporting their long-term growth.
Can a business combine loyalty program types?
Yes. In fact, most brands combine different loyalty program models to ensure their loyalty initiatives evolve alongside their customer’s needs, creating an ecosystem that meets people where they are throughout their journey. Combining different approaches will help you create a more engaging experience overall. For example, a coalition loyalty program can include VIP tiers, referral rewards or exclusive member benefits to encourage long-term loyalty for multiple brands.
What makes a loyalty program successful?
Successful loyalty programs offer rewards that customers genuinely value, are simple to understand and use, and provide a seamless experience across channels. Keeping your customers loyal, shaping repeat behavior and boosting customer lifetime value requires a strong data-driven foundation that provides ongoing insights and highlights optimization opportunities that ensure you continues to meet customer expectations and drive revenue growth.
---
## Identity resolution for connected TV: Reaching real people in a fragmented streaming world
Type: eps_post
URL: /identity-resolution-for-ctv
Last Modified: 2026-09-14T20:08:19Z
# Identity resolution for connected TV: Reaching real people in a fragmented streaming world
While CTV has largely surpassed linear TV as the preferred method for reaching a brand’s best customers, CTV has more screens, more apps and more of a fragmentation problem. That gap is exactly what identity resolution solves—and it's the single most important concept to understand if you're serious about CTV advertising.
In this guide, we’ll break down everything you need to know about identity resolution as it relates to CTV. Let’s dive in.
The CTV identity problem: Why streaming broke targeting
Streaming overtook traditional broadcast and cable in total share of TV viewing time during 2025, and that lead has held through early 2026—Nielsen's The Gauge has shown streaming consistently capturing roughly 47% of total TV viewing time, ahead of broadcast and cable individually.
That's the good news for CTV as a channel. Here's the problem it creates for advertisers: the average U.S. household subscribes to multiple streaming services simultaneously. Each one runs its own ad stack, its own measurement and often its own walled-off identity system. Without identity resolution tying those exposures together, the same household can see the same ad anywhere from 8 to 15 times across different services—and the advertiser has no way to know it's happening, let alone correct for it.
This is the core problem identity resolution solves.
What identity resolution actually means in CTV advertising
Identity resolution is the process of connecting disparate identifiers (device IDs, IP addresses, hashed emails, household graphs, registered logins) into a single, persistent view of a person or household.
It's worth being precise about a distinction that gets blurred constantly: an identity graph is the underlying linked-data asset—the actual record of which identifiers belong together. Identity resolution is the ongoing process of matching new signals into that graph. The graph is the map; resolution is the act of drawing new lines onto it.
Five identifier types show up regularly in CTV bid streams, and each comes with real tradeoffs:
IP address: Household-level, but shared across a home and increasingly anonymized by carriers and devices, making it a weaker signal on its own than it used to be.
Device IDs: IDFA/AAID-style identifiers on streaming sticks, plus gaming-console-specific IDs.
Hashed emails: Increasingly the most durable signal in a post-cookie landscape, since they don't depend on browser or device behavior.
Registered IDs: Logged-in identifiers from services like Hulu, Netflix or Amazon profiles.
Identity graph IDs: Proprietary, persistent IDs from vendors like Epsilon COREid, or The Trade Desk's UID2.0.
No single signal here is enough on its own. That's exactly why resolution exists—it's the discipline of combining multiple imperfect signals into something more reliable than any one of them alone.
Deterministic vs. probabilistic matching—and why most real systems use both
Deterministic matching relies on known, verifiable links, like a hashed email matched directly to a streaming login, for example. It's the highest-accuracy approach, but it has a ceiling: you can only match what you can verify, which limits scale.
Probabilistic matching works differently. It infers connections statistically from co-occurring signals—IP address, time of day, device type and content-viewing patterns, all considered together. It scales further than deterministic matching can, but with an accuracy tradeoff.
In practice, most modern identity systems blend both—deterministic anchors extended with probabilistic reach where verified data runs out. The decision framework is fairly simple: deterministic-only is enough for small-scale, high-trust use cases, like one-to-one messaging to a known customer list. Blended approaches become necessary for CTV reach campaigns, where the scale requirement makes deterministic-only matching impractical on its own.
Household vs. individual identity—a strategic choice with real tradeoffs
TV has always been a household medium—one screen, multiple viewers, one set of eyeballs counted together. CTV inherits that household framing, but it also adds something linear never had: the ability to identify individuals within that household through app-level logins.
Household identity treats every viewer in a home as a single audience unit. This works well for brand-suitability concerns, for frequency capping on shared screens, and for family-relevant categories like QSR, auto, and retail, where the purchase decision often involves the whole household anyway.
Individual identity differentiates within the household by app login, which matters for streaming-service-level targeting, genuine personalization or B2B targeting where one specific decision-maker in the house is the actual audience.
There's no universal right answer—it depends on the campaign. The best identity platforms are built to support both, and which one you lean on should follow from the campaign's actual goal rather than from whichever signal happens to be easiest to get. It's also worth noting that CTV inventory itself varies in which identifier gets exposed. Some publishers send IP only, some send logged-in IDs, and that variability is part of what makes a flexible identity approach so important.
Walled gardens and the identity resolution challenge
The biggest CTV performance streamers—Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, Disney+, Hulu, YouTube TV, Max—each maintain their own closed identity systems. You generally cannot bring your own identifier into Netflix's ad ecosystem and target against it directly. Instead, you bring your audience to Netflix, and they handle the matching on their side, inside their own walls.
Clean rooms are the industry's emerging answer to this problem. They’re privacy-safe environments where an advertiser's data and a publisher's data can be matched without either side directly exposing their raw data to the other. Disney's Real-Time Ad Exchange, Amazon Marketing Cloud and NBCUniversal's One Platform Total Audience are current examples of walled gardens building out this kind of collaborative infrastructure.
Epsilon approaches this through Epsilon Clean Room, which is built specifically to bridge identity, data and activation across these kinds of partner environments, which enables advertisers to activate inside walled gardens without losing the identity consistency that makes cross-platform measurement possible in the first place.
Privacy, consent and the post-cookie identity landscape
The privacy landscape that CTV identity operates in keeps getting more complex. State-level privacy laws like CCPA/CPRA in California, plus a growing list of other state laws, continue to expand the compliance requirements identity providers have to navigate.
On the cookie side, the long-anticipated story took an unexpected turn: Google ultimately abandoned its plan to forcibly deprecate third-party cookies in Chrome. As of 2026, Chrome retains third-party cookies under a user-choice model rather than phasing them out by default—a meaningful reversal from years of will-they-won’t they.
Here's why that reversal matters less for CTV than you might expect: CTV identity never depended on third-party cookies in the first place. It was built from day one on device IDs, household graphs, hashed emails and first-party data matching—none of which a browser-level cookie policy touches. That's not a coincidence; it's a structural advantage. The durable stack going forward is hashed-email matching, first-party data and clean room activation, which is the same stack CTV has relied on all along…regardless of what Chrome ultimately decided to do.
What to look for in a CTV identity partner
If you're evaluating identity providers, six criteria are worth running through as a checklist:
Scale of the identity graph. How many U.S. households and individuals does the graph actually cover?
Match accuracy. Is it third-party validated, or just self-reported by the vendor?
Privacy posture. What does their DPA (data processing agreement) look like, how is state-law compliance handled, and what opt-out mechanisms exist?
Walled-garden partnerships. Does the provider have real clean-room integrations and streamer alignments, or just aspirational ones?
Cross-channel persistence. Does the identifier hold up across linear, CTV, digital, and in-store, or does it break down outside one channel?
Anchoring methodology. What's the identifier actually anchored to? Physical-address-anchored identity tends to be more durable over time than identity anchored purely to email or IP, since addresses change far less often.
Epsilon's approach holds up well against each of these. Our CORE ID is anchored in physical addresses rather than relying solely on emails or IPs, spans both households and individuals, and is integrated across Epsilon CTV activations as well as major walled-garden environments—which is precisely the combination this checklist is built to surface.
How COREid solves CTV identity resolution
CORE ID's physical-address anchoring is the foundation of its durability: it doesn't depend on a browser policy, a device refresh or a login persisting. It spans households and individuals, which means it supports both of the targeting strategies covered earlier in this guide rather than forcing a choice between them. And it's integrated directly across Epsilon's CTV activations and major streaming partnerships, which is what makes the walled-garden challenge described above tractable in practice rather than theoretical.
This approach was recognized in the IDC MarketScape: Worldwide Connected TV Advertising Platforms 2025 Vendor Assessment, where Epsilon was named a Leader—with the report specifically citing Epsilon's identity-based targeting and COREid's role in reducing wasted ad spend through more precise, deduplicated reach.
If identity is the piece you're trying to get right, explore Epsilon's identity capabilities or Epsilon's CTV advertising platform.
FAQ
What is identity resolution in CTV?
The process of connecting disparate identifiers (IPs, device IDs, hashed emails, login IDs) into a single, persistent view of a household or individual, so an advertiser can target, frequency-cap and measure consistently across streaming services.
How is identity resolution different from an identity graph?
An identity graph is the underlying data asset—a linked record of identifiers tied to a person or household. Identity resolution is the matching process that connects new signals into that graph.
Why do you need identity resolution for CTV when you didn't need it for linear TV?
Linear was bought by demographic proxy via panels. CTV is bought against actual households and individuals via real bid-stream signals. Without identity resolution, you can't deduplicate frequency, retarget consistently, or measure outcomes with any confidence.
Is identity resolution privacy-safe?
When implemented with proper consent management, hashed identifiers, and clean rooms, yes. Modern identity resolution is generally more privacy-safe than the cookie-based identity systems it's replacing, since it depends on consented, governed data rather than passive browser tracking.
What's the difference between deterministic and probabilistic identity resolution?
Deterministic matches are based on known, verifiable links, like a hashed email matched to a login, for instance. Probabilistic matches are statistical inferences from co-occurring signals. Most production systems use both.
Can you do identity resolution inside walled gardens like Netflix or Disney?
Not directly—walled gardens don't expose their internal identifiers to outside partners. Instead, you activate identity inside walled gardens via clean rooms, like Disney's Real-Time Ad Exchange or Amazon Marketing Cloud, by matching your audience against theirs in a privacy-safe environment.
---
## Digital loyalty programs: A complete guide for enterprise marketers
Type: eps_post
URL: /digital-loyalty-programs-guide
Last Modified: 2026-09-03T18:27:07Z
# Digital loyalty programs: A complete guide for enterprise marketers
Replacing paper punch cards with an app or QR code works well for coffee shops, salons and other small businesses.
But enterprise brands need more than a digital version of a loyalty card—you need a way to recognize customers across every touchpoint, create personalized experiences and build lasting relationships.
That's where a digital loyalty program comes in.
Today's leading loyalty programs connect customer data, digital identity and real-time engagement across stores, websites, mobile apps, email, SMS and customer service. Instead of rewarding transactions alone, they reward relationships.
In this guide, we'll explain what enterprise digital loyalty programs are, how they differ from traditional loyalty programs and what marketers should consider when designing one that drives long-term growth.
What is a digital loyalty program?
A digital loyalty program is a customer loyalty program that uses digital channels and customer data to recognize members, personalize experiences and reward behaviors across online and offline touchpoints.
Unlike traditional loyalty programs that rely on physical membership cards or in-store transactions, digital rewards programs create a persistent customer profile that follows members wherever they engage with your brand. That profile allows brands to deliver relevant offers, rewards and communications based on each customer's preferences, behaviors and purchase history.
For example, a customer might:
Earn points by shopping in-store or online.
Receive personalized offers through email or a mobile app.
Redeem rewards during checkout or from a digital wallet.
Unlock exclusive experiences based on loyalty status.
Every interaction contributes to a richer understanding of the customer, helping brands continually improve the experience.
And that real-time, personalized experience is more critical than ever before. As a recent Digitas report explains: “Where traditional programs relied on delayed fulfillment, static tiers, and periodic rewards, today’s consumers, empowered by technology and conditioned for instant gratification, demand more. Every brand touchpoint is now judged on its ability to deliver relevance, speed, and sustained value.”
How digital loyalty programs differ from traditional programs
While traditional loyalty programs were designed around transactions, digital loyalty programs are designed around customers. Here are five important differences.
While many loyalty programs today are mostly driven by a digital component—such as mobile app, email communications or a digital membership account—that alone doesn't make a program strategically "digital loyalty." These programs may still operate largely on the same transactional principles as traditional loyalty programs, simply delivered through a digital platform.
Digital loyalty actually goes further, using customer identity, engagement, experience, personalization and measurement to build an ongoing relationship with the customer. The distinction is not just where the loyalty program lives, but how it is designed to create value for both the customer and the brand.
How identity powers digital loyalty experiences
If loyalty members aren’t scanning a card or entering a phone number at checkout, how do you know who each person is?
Every interaction a loyalty member has with your brand creates valuable, first-party customer loyalty data, from website visits and app activity to purchases, email clicks and reward redemptions. But on their own, those interactions provide only a partial view of the customer.
Identity resolution connects every customer interaction to a single customer profile, giving you a clear view of each customer's preferences, behaviors and engagement across channels.
That unified profile powers personalization.
Instead of sending every member the same offer, brands can tailor rewards, recommendations and communications based on purchase history, loyalty status and real-time behavior. Whether a customer shops online, visits a store or opens an email, every interaction becomes more relevant because it's informed by the full customer relationship, not a single transaction.
6 types of digital loyalty programs
Most enterprise loyalty programs combine multiple approaches rather than relying on a single reward structure. Understanding the most common models can help you design a program that aligns with customer behavior and business goals.
1. Points programs
Points programs are the most familiar type of loyalty program. Members earn points for purchases or other qualifying activities and redeem those points for rewards.
Best for: Retail, restaurants, travel and brands with frequent purchases.
Example: Dunkin' Rewards allows member to earn points on purchases and redeem them for free food and drinks.
2. Tiered programs
Tiered programs reward customers as their engagement increases. Instead of offering the same benefits to everyone, members unlock additional perks by reaching higher spending or activity thresholds. Higher tiers often include exclusive products, priority service, early access or premium experiences.
Best for: Airlines, hotels, luxury retailers and brands with high-value customers.
Example: Marriott Bonvoy offers progressively richer benefits as members advance through elite status levels.
3. Paid or premium membership programs
Some brands charge customers to join a premium loyalty program. In return, members receive benefits that go beyond traditional rewards, such as free shipping, exclusive pricing, entertainment or faster service. The membership fee helps strengthen customer commitment while creating recurring revenue.
Best for: Retailers, credit cards and marketplaces with frequent repeat purchases.
Example: Premium credit cards offer points, travel benefits, exclusive experiences and other perks in exchange for ongoing engagement.
4. Mission and behavioral programs
Not every valuable customer action is a purchase. Behavior-based loyalty programs encourage members to complete activities such as writing reviews, downloading an app, trying new products or visiting multiple departments. Many brands use loyalty gamification to make participation more engaging through challenges, badges or streaks.
Best for: Any brand looking to increase engagement, collect first-party data or encourage behaviors beyond purchases.
Example: Nike Membership rewards members for engaging with the broader Nike ecosystem through its fitness apps, product experiences and member-exclusive challenges — not just for buying products.
5. Coalition and partner programs
Coalition loyalty programs allow customers to earn and redeem rewards across multiple brands using a shared currency or partner network. Instead of rewarding customers for shopping with a single company, coalition programs encourage engagement across an ecosystem. This approach can increase member value by giving customers more ways to earn and more opportunities to redeem rewards.
Best for: Financial services, travel, retail groups and brands with strategic partnerships.
Example: Airline alliances and shared hotel rewards programs allow members to earn benefits across multiple travel brands.
6. Subscription-style continuity programs
Subscription loyalty programs reward customers for ongoing participation rather than individual purchases. Members typically receive recurring benefits, curated products or exclusive services as long as they remain subscribed. While these programs often include elements of paid memberships, they're centered on building habitual engagement over time.
Best for: Consumer products, beauty, meal delivery and subscription commerce brands.
Example: Many beauty brands combine recurring product deliveries with exclusive member perks and early access to new launches.
The core components of a digital loyalty program
The most successful digital loyalty programs are about more than points and rewards. They create a complete member experience that spans every stage of the customer journey.
Sign-up and onboarding
A great loyalty program starts with a clear value exchange. Customers need an immediate answer to a simple question: Why should I join? That value might be instant savings, exclusive experiences, faster service or early access to products. According to research by Digitas, 50% of consumers are influenced by the promise of a sign-up bonus or welcome reward.
Once members enroll, onboarding should introduce the program's benefits and encourage them to complete their profile or take their first action.
Enrollment is also the beginning of the first-party data relationship. Every preference, purchase and interaction helps brands better understand their customers over time. This is why loyalty programs have become one of the most valuable ways to build high-quality first-party data.
Member experience
The member experience is where the program comes to life. It should be easy for customers to see their status, understand their benefits, track rewards and know what action to take next.
For many brands, this happens through a mobile app, website account hub, digital wallet pass or loyalty dashboard. In-store experiences matter, too. Associates should be able to recognize members, apply benefits and explain how the program works. The easier the program is to use, the more likely members are to stay active.
Earn and redemption mechanics
Members should always understand how to earn rewards and how to redeem them. Programs that make rewards feel unattainable often struggle to keep members engaged. At the same time, rewards should encourage profitable behaviors—not simply give away discounts. The goal is to create a value exchange that benefits both the customer and the business.
Breakage rate is the percentage of rewards or points that go unused or expire—and a high level of breakage can undermine your entire loyalty program.
Personalized communications
A digital loyalty program should evolve as members do. Instead of sending the same email to every customer, brands can personalize communications based on shopping behavior, loyalty status, interests or lifecycle stage. Whether delivered through email, SMS, a mobile app or a website, relevant communications help members feel recognized instead of marketed to.
Personalization is particularly important for younger generations. Deloitte research shows 89% of Gen Z and 87% of millennials surveyed are willing to share personal information for more tailored offers or experiences. Similarly, 62% of Gen Z and 64% of millennials say they would opt into hyper-personalized loyalty settings to access better perks and rewards.
Recognition and status
As members become more engaged, a digital loyalty program should recognize and reward that loyalty. Many enterprise programs use tiers to offer progressively richer benefits based on a customer's spending, engagement or other qualifying activities.
Today’s consumers are driven by the feeling of progress and achievement—60% get excited about leveling up or earning special bonuses. Tier management should therefore feel transparent and motivating. Members should always understand their current status, how close they are to the next tier and what they'll gain by reaching it. When done well, tiered recognition encourages long-term engagement while making customers feel valued.
8 examples of enterprise digital loyalty programs
The best digital loyalty programs reflect each brand's unique value proposition. Here are a few that loyalty marketers frequently benchmark.
1. Starbucks Rewards
Starbucks Rewards transformed the coffee chain's mobile app into the center of its loyalty experience. Members can order ahead, pay, earn Stars and redeem rewards in one seamless workflow, making loyalty feel like a natural part of every purchase rather than a separate program. Frequent bonus challenges and personalized offers encourage customers to visit more often and try new menu items.
2. Sephora Beauty Insider
Sephora Beauty Insider has built one of retail's most aspirational tiered loyalty programs by combining points with exclusive experiences. Higher-tier members receive perks like early access to products, exclusive events and personalized beauty services, giving customers reasons to stay engaged even between purchases.
3. Marriott Bonvoy
Marriott Bonvoy is one of the world's largest hospitality loyalty programs, with more than 271 million members. Its six-tier program rewards both frequency and total spend across more than 30 hotel brands, while extending earning opportunities through partners like Uber and Starbucks. This broad ecosystem transforms hospitality from a series of individual stays into an ongoing customer relationship.
4. Dunkin' Rewards
Dunkin’s Rewards loyalty program delivers on omnichannel loyalty exceedingly well, personalizing experiences across the brand’s mobile app and mobile ordering, push notifications, direct mail and member statements. Connected to more than 9,000 locations, every order, reward and customer exchange is synced in real-time—enabling up-to-date experiences for more than 24 million members across channels.
5. Nike Membership
Nike Membership focuses less on discounts and more on strengthening customers' connection to the brand. Members receive exclusive product launches, personalized training content, fitness apps and member-only experiences that reinforce Nike's position as a lifestyle brand rather than simply a retailer.
6. myWalgreens
myWalgreens demonstrates how loyalty can support a broader brand mission. Rather than focusing solely on purchases, the program delivers personalized health and wellness experiences powered by first-party data, AI and connected technologies. With more than 105 million members, it helps Walgreens anticipate customer needs while strengthening long-term relationships built on trust.
7. Delta SkyMiles
Delta SkyMiles extends loyalty well beyond the airport. Members can earn miles through flights, hotels, rental cars, vacation packages and everyday spending with co-branded credit cards, allowing them to stay engaged even when they aren't traveling. This broad partner network keeps Delta top of mind throughout the customer journey.
8. Casey's
Casey's combines fuel, pizza and convenience-store purchases within its loyalty experience, creating opportunities to engage customers beyond the gas pump. By connecting multiple purchase occasions and categories, their program demonstrates how loyalty can extend across the broader customer relationship rather than focusing solely on rewarding fuel transactions.
How to design a digital loyalty program
Building a successful loyalty program starts long before you decide how customers earn points. The strongest programs are designed with a simple but easy-to-forget premise in mind: a loyalty program isn’t a campaign—it’s a standing part of the business, with its own budget, its own long-term goals and its own definition of success.
“It’s essentially a separate business unit within a company… It’s a whole business line," explains Tamara Oliverio, Vice President of Strategic Consulting, Epsilon.
Design decisions made with that lens look very different from ones made to hit a quarterly promotion target. Here’s how to approach each stage of design.
Start with the customer
Understand what motivates customers to join, participate and stay engaged. Design your program around those needs, not just discounts. That starts with getting unambiguous about intent before building anything. As Oliverio explains, "Be really clear about what you’re trying to achieve, what your goals are... from a business standpoint and from a consumer perspective."
Programs that skip this step tend to default to copying a competitor’s points structure instead of solving for what their own customers actually value.
Choose the right program model
Select the program type—or combination of types—that best supports your business goals and customer behavior. A high-frequency retailer, a premium hospitality brand and a subscription commerce company all need fundamentally different mechanics, even if the underlying goal (retention) is the same.
Design the value exchange
This is the crux of program design, and it comes down to a single, deceptively simple test: What is the give and the get? In other words, what is the business willing to give (e.g., savings, status, access, experiences) and what does it expect customers to give in return (e.g., spend, first-party data, advocacy or a specific behavior)?
Balance rewards that customers find meaningful with economics that support long-term profitability, and make sure that exchange still holds up as members earn, redeem and progress through the program. Programs that only think about the "get" (what the business extracts) without a compelling "give" rarely earn genuine loyalty.
Build for every touchpoint
Think beyond checkout. Plan how members will discover, join, engage with and benefit from your program across stores, ecommerce, apps and marketing channels. Since a loyalty program operates like its own business unit rather than a single campaign, it needs to show up consistently everywhere the customer already is, not just at the point of transaction.
Choose the right technology partner
The best loyalty strategy can only succeed if it's supported by the right loyalty program technology and strategic direction. Look for an enterprise loyalty platform that can scale with your business, integrate with your existing marketing and commerce systems, support personalized experiences across every customer touchpoint, and give you new ideas that build towards the future for your brand's loyalty strategy.
Launch, measure and evolve
The best loyalty programs are never finished. Use customer feedback and loyalty performance metrics to continuously optimize rewards, communications and member experiences. Treating go-live as the finish line, rather than the starting point, is one of the fastest ways a program loses momentum.
4 common mistakes that sink digital loyalty programs
Even a well-funded loyalty program can fall short if it isn’t designed around customer value—and if the business behind it treats loyalty like a campaign instead of a business line. Here are the mistakes that come up most often.
1. Treating launch like the finish line
The most common mistake is assuming the work ends once the program goes live:
"People [think] it’s a set it and forget it. I launched the program, it’s good. I don’t need to do anything or evolve,” explains Oliverio.
Member expectations, competitor offers and reward economics all shift continuously. A program that isn’t actively managed, tested and refreshed after launch will lose relevance quickly, no matter how strong the initial design was.
2. Skipping internal buy-in
A loyalty program can have the best rewards structure in the world and still underperform if the people delivering it every day aren’t bought in. That means securing support from the operations and frontline teams who interact with customers directly, not just the marketing team that built the program.
"If you’re a retailer or a QSR and you don’t have buy-in from the team members who are front line with your customers and have them advocating and evangelizing for the program, it makes it much more difficult for the program to actually become successful,” says Oliverio. “At the end of the day, yes, it’s digital, but there’s also the human element of it."
3. Ignoring personalization
Not only do generic offers miss opportunities to strengthen customer relationships, but customers have come to expect personalization and highly relevant offers. Our own loyalty program research shows 86% of loyalty members expect a relevant, two-way relationship with your brand.
The more brands learn about members over time, the more relevant the loyalty experience should become.
4. Measuring the wrong things
Enrollment numbers only tell part of the story. Leading brands measure active participation, retention, redemption, customer lifetime value and incremental business impact to understand whether their program is creating real value.
Learn more about loyalty measurement:Decoding popular loyalty metrics
Building loyalty that lasts
Digital loyalty programs have evolved far beyond digital punch cards and points balances.
Today's enterprise programs connect customer identity, first-party data and personalized experiences across every touchpoint. The result is a loyalty strategy that helps brands recognize customers, strengthen relationships and create value over time.
Technology certainly plays an important role. But the most successful programs begin with something much simpler: understanding what customers value and consistently delivering experiences that make them want to come back.
When loyalty is treated as an ongoing relationship—not just a rewards program—it becomes a powerful driver of retention, customer lifetime value and long-term growth.
Frequently asked questions about digital loyalty programs
What is a digital loyalty program?
A digital loyalty program is a customer rewards program that uses digital channels, persistent customer identities and first-party data to deliver personalized rewards and experiences across online and offline touchpoints.
What's the difference between a digital loyalty program and a digital loyalty card?
A digital loyalty card is simply a digital version of a physical membership or punch card. A digital loyalty program is much broader. It includes customer identity, personalized communications, rewards, recognition and omnichannel engagement.
What are examples of successful digital loyalty programs?
Well-known enterprise examples of digital loyalty programs include Starbucks Rewards, Sephora Beauty Insider, Marriott Bonvoy, Dunkin’ Rewards, Nike Membership, myWalgreens, Delta SkyMiles and Walmart+.
How do you build a digital loyalty program?
To build long-term customer retention and loyalty, start with what motivates your customers. Then design a clear value exchange—what the brand gives, and what it asks for in return. Personalize that value across every touchpoint with the right technology. Finally, treat launch as the starting point, not the finish line: the best programs keep evolving based on customer feedback and performance data.
---
## Optimize your loyalty program with an AI-driven approach
Type: eps_post
URL: /boost-loyalty-efficiency-with-ai
Last Modified: 2026-05-13T19:15:16Z
# Optimize your loyalty program with an AI-driven approach
When it comes to building and maintaining customer loyalty, few tools are more effective than a well-designed loyalty program. Across retail, restaurant, travel and beyond—these programs establish deeper relationships between brands and their customers.
But, with so many loyalty programs out there, simply providing point-based rewards isn’t enough to stand out. Today's customers expect brands to know them and respond with interactions that feel personal.
The problem? Loyalty marketers often find themselves handling manual logistics that shift their attention away from strategic thinking, creative execution and customer engagement. Optimizing your campaigns with an AI-driven customer loyalty approach reduces manual effort and enables scale, speed and efficiency.
AI helps your loyalty campaigns work smarter, not harder
To be clear—AI isn’t here to replace a marketer’s job—its role is to assist your work, not take it over. In fact, according to Epsilon's research on how marketers are using AI, over half of marketers cited improved efficiency as well as time and cost savings as the primary measures of AI performance.
When AI is embedded in a customer loyalty program, it alleviates the inefficient processes that lead to waste in how brands go to market, resulting in smarter targeting and improved ROI. Without the assistance of AI, even the most dedicated teams can fall behind by focusing on tasks that can be automated, like:
Running offer campaigns seamlessly
Tracking reports automatically, so insights aren't missed
Handling customer engagement without constant oversight
That's where an AI-driven customer loyalty approach can help. It streamlines processes, leading to significant time savings and performance gains by:
Dynamically customizing loyalty offers for individual customers
Optimizing campaign messages for better engagement across touchpoints
Generating predictive insights to guide strategy
Together, these capabilities enable marketers to make personalization smarter and foster loyal consumer-brand relationships.
Intelligent customer journeys start with loyalty data
Before AI can be effective—streamlining operations, optimizing performance and offering real-time innovation—it needs quality data and identity. Without the right data, AI can’t deliver the precision needed for better business outcomes.
Loyalty programs hold unique power in this regard. How data is acquired, unified and activated makes all the difference. Loyalty programs inherently gather customer insights—like reward redemptions and in-app activity—resulting in first-party data sets that lay the foundation for everything AI impacts. When paired with a privacy-first identity solution, these data sets can give brands stronger insights into their customers as they connect them across multiple digital touchpoints.
Simply put, strong data is the key to strong AI performance.
Solutions like Epsilon Loyalty are built on enriched first-party data that works hand-in-hand with AI. This approach provides the insights you need to turn everyday transactions into meaningful experiences that build loyalty at scale. When the right loyalty technology integrates with AI, it functions as more than just an engagement tool—it fuels better AI-driven decisions.
Using AI to power personalized customer loyalty programs at scale
In research that we recently conducted on consumer loyalty, 55% of consumer respondents said customized offerings and products were most likely to make them feel good about continuing to participate in a loyalty program, while 44% said it was special recognition—like birthday rewards.
There’s nothing more frustrating for a loyal customer than joining a brand’s program, only to receive the same generalized messages as everyone else. When your emails, SMS notifications and in-app messages fall flat, customer engagement dwindles—adversely impacting retention.
To solve this, AI-powered customer loyalty platforms can send timely, personalized messages and rewards that resonate. By integrating AI into their loyalty strategies, marketers can:
Eliminate logistical hurdles
Identify unmet customer needs
Optimize campaign performance in real time
An advanced, AI-driven platform can also offer guided workflow assistance that streamlines repetitive processes, predictive analytics that design campaigns of the most value and dynamic segmentation that provides customized journeys and the ability to analyze past loyalty campaign performance.
AI provides real-time insights that enable engaged ongoing consumer-brand conversations that feel personal and relevant. Bringing quality data and AI together ensures consistent, tailored communication that allows you to speak with one clear voice, no matter what channel your customers prefer—ultimately, transforming how you communicate across touchpoints.
Next-generation AI capabilities power the next best offer
Customers notice when loyalty programs reflect a genuine understanding of their needs—and they respond with greater trust and participation. In our research report, 80% of consumer respondents stated that they like when brands personalize their communications with them based on their loyalty program interactions and status.
To provide the level of recognition that people want from their loyalty programs, marketers need to understand more than who their customers are—they need to know what they do, what they value and how likely they are to interact—and then engage with them accordingly.
AI bases insights on a combination of customer behavior, individual preferences and intent from across touchpoints. With this clear view of your audience, your loyalty messages can dynamically reach people—based on their tier or level of engagement—and resonate. This level of real-time insight keeps communications on point and identifies the next best offer for each customer.AI-driven loyalty programs are here to stay
Some may view AI as a risky future-state venture, but it’s a powerful tool of today that’s vastly reshaping how brands personalize, engage and retain customers in transformative ways. According to IDC FutureScape: Worldwide Retail 2025 Predictions, by 2027, 40% of retailers will leverage GenAI-enabled content creation and delivery for dynamic product content, boosting conversion rates and cutting content management costs by 30%. But, in order to get there, predictive and prescriptive AI need to be in place—acting as the backbone that supports its powerful capabilities.
As Stacy Ward, SVP of client creative at Epsilon, shared in The Real Deal on AI and Ad Creative video, "Marketers need predictive AI to ensure a message is hyper-relevant, reaching the right person at the right moment. Epsilon's CORE AI continuously learns from consumer behaviors, honing in on individual preferences. Then, real-time decisioning chooses the next best creative—shifting and optimizing across channels...ultimately, delivering richer brand experiences and true personalization at scale—where and when people are the most receptive."
No matter where you stand, it’s time to take a leap—not into the unknown, but into a more strategic, AI-driven future. Marketers who lean in now will be better positioned for what's to come: the ability to design and test loyalty strategies in virtual environments, dynamically shift loyalty value propositions and orchestrate end-to-end customer journeys. As AI capabilities continually advance, they will bring with them new opportunities to innovate and create member journeys that ensure you're always ready for what's next and keep customers coming back.
Build stronger customer relationships with Epsilon Loyalty
Ultimately, you don’t need to be an expert in AI to get started—you just need the right support. Partnering with people that understand both loyalty and AI will ensure you have the right strategy, backed by the right tools.
That's where Epsilon comes in. Named a leader in the 2025 Forrester Wave, Epsilon Loyalty seamlessly integrates AI capabilities to help your brand engage your loyal customers in the moments that matter most. By combining enriched first-party data, a strong identity solution, and built-in AI decisioning, our platform enables brands to create loyalty programs that are relevant, personalized and scalable.
With the right AI-powered loyalty foundation, you can build smarter customer relationships—the kind that lead to lasting affinity, almost effortlessly.
---
## Why "routine" ad creative still matters—and what consumers really notice about it
Type: eps_post
URL: /why-routine-ad-creative-still-matters-and-what-consumers-really-notice
Last Modified: 2025-07-22T19:52:02Z
# Why "routine" ad creative still matters—and what consumers really notice about it
Brands today spend a lot of time, money and resources trying to figure out who to talk to and how to reach them with an ad. But once you reach them, what is their experience? How an ad looks—the different visual elements like colors, imagery and messaging, even for a "routine" or "simple" display ad—shape these experiences and influence how people perceive your brand.
To help marketers understand just how critical ad creative is in how consumers engage (and in some cases, whether or not they decide to buy), we conducted a survey of 500+ US consumers. The results were clear: creative isn’t just decoration. How people interpret and react to the different visual elements within digital ads has real influence on consumer behavior. Keep reading to see the full findings.
Surprise! People do notice your ad creative
An overwhelming majority of respondents (83%) say they at least sometimes notice the visual design elements of online ads. Nearly half (43%) say they “often” or “always” notice them. That means in most cases, people are looking—and that first impression matters.
When asked which elements stand out most, images (66%) and color (65%) rose to the top. These basic building blocks of design are often the very first things consumers register, ahead of logos (44%), fonts (41%) or even product displays (35%).
Interestingly, only 11% said they notice personalized design features like seeing their name in an ad. That number might seem low—but it shows that good, truly personalized ads are actually quite seamless. People might not necessarily notice how personalized an ad is to them, they just notice it resonates (i.e. something that just fits with their lifestyle, location, interests, likes and dislikes).
Creative design drives curiosity—and so does personalization
Noticing an ad is one thing, taking an action is another:
Three-quarters of respondents say the visual appeal of an ad at least sometimes influences their decision to learn more about a product. For nearly a third (32%), it often or always does.
50% of all respondents said they’ve purchased a product specifically because they were drawn in by the ad’s design. For one in five, this has happened more than once.
This influence was especially strong among middle-aged consumers. Respondents aged 30–59 were the most likely to report buying multiple times due to compelling ad design.
When asked to assess a stylized ad vs. an ad that features a simple product image, consumers were far more likely to engage with the stylized version: More than 80% said they’d be more likely to click a stylized ad versus a straightforward product-focused one. This trend held across age groups and genders.
When it comes to personalized ad creative (e.g. ads that use images relevant to their lifestyle or location, ads that include your name in the design):
42% of respondents have noticed an ad with personalized visual elements within the last month.
43% of respondents say personalized visuals make them more likely to learn about a product.
A third (33%) say personalized ad visuals make them like the brand more.
There's a chance people may be less likely to notice personalization because they aren't receiving a lot of good personalization—and that represents an opportunity for brands to stand out.
So, what should marketers take away from this?
1. Prioritize high-quality creative and visuals
Too often, creative can take a back seat when it comes to other elements of a marketing campaign like audience strategy and targeting. And while those things are incredibly important, at the end of the day, what people see are your ads. Your audience strategy might be on-point, but if you only have a handful of creative executions to show all those people, you're not going to succeed.
The findings show that images and colors are among the first things people notice—and ad creative as a whole does play a key role in determining whether someone engages. Brands should think beyond just “showing the product” and aim to tell a visual story that aligns with their audience’s lifestyle, values and aspirations. When given the choice, stylized creative outperformed basic product shots, indicating that thoughtful and strategic creative choices pay off.
2. Rethink what it means to personalize an ad
Ad personalization at the 1:1 level should always be a marketer's north star, but understand achieving true personalization is difficult—especially at scale. Personalization is more than just “Hello, [First Name],” it's the heartbeat of meaningful engagement with your customers. The key is starting with a strong foundation of data and identity.
Let's start with data. If you can't fundamentally understand your customers through meaningful insights about each person's unique needs, preferences and past behaviors, it's almost impossible to tailor each element of an ad to an individual. Strong identity resolution makes it possible to deliver the message you've worked so hard on to the right person across channels and formats. Without it, you risk missing your customers completely.
The bottom line
Consumers aren’t just seeing your ads—they’re evaluating them. Visual design remains one of the most powerful tools marketers have to spark interest, build brand affinity and drive purchases. At Epsilon, we believe creative is a key pillar of success in your marketing campaigns, and it should be treated as such. Having a strategic creative services partner that can provide real data and insights—and activate on them, at scale—will help you create strong and long-lasting relationships with your customers. Are you ready to create ads that don't just reach, but resonate?
Epsilon Pulse is the beating heart of Epsilon’s proprietary research. Designed to produce relevant and up-to-date insights about consumers, marketers and their preferences, Epsilon Pulse helps brands better understand the adtech and martech industry so they can make informed, data-driven marketing decisions.
---
## The 2026 data-quality audit: Why it matters for marketers
Type: eps_post
URL: /data-quality-audit
Last Modified: 2026-04-02T16:29:56Z
# The 2026 data-quality audit: Why it matters for marketers
Why data quality is important
What does your customer database look like? Are there multiple customers with variations on the same name (e.g., Jane D., Jane Doe, Jane S. Doe), plus a tangled mess of emails and incomplete addresses? Do you know how much money they make or how they spend across categories?
When you’re trying to improve marketing ROI, it’s only natural to focus on data quality first. After all, without high-quality data, your results won’t be nearly as impactful (and even more so when you’re building and implementing AI tools).
With high-quality data, you have a clearer understanding of who your customers are and can identify prospects who are more likely to convert, making it easier to reach them with relevant and engaging marketing messages. But how do you know if data is high-quality? We recommend considering the following 10 criteria to get started.
10 ways to evaluate data quality
Privacy: Does your internal and third-party data comply with legislation? What does your privacy policies and opt-out language look like?
Accuracy: How accurate is your first- and third-party data? Do you or your data platform utilize third-party validation methods like IAB Data Transparency label or Truthset scores?
Coverage: How much of your target universe is covered and how complete are your files? Do you have more than just a name and address?
Granularity: What level of detail do your first- and third-party data sets have? Do you know your customer’s ages or what types of cars are in their garages?
Timeliness: How much time has passed since your first- or third-party data was collected? How often is it refreshed?
Predictive power: Do you have a clear understanding of how your first- and third-party data can predict customer behaviors or outcomes (like purchases, churn or engagement) using historical data, statistical models or AI tools?
Consistency: Is your first- and third-party data organized in the same way, and does it include consistent attributes?
Transparency: Is it easy to know where your first- and third-party data is coming from? Third-party data providers should be able to show you details about the data source, how it was collected, segmentation criteria and data recency.
Omnichannel activation: Is your first- and third-party data available to use across channels like direct mail, email, advanced TVand digital platforms?
Usefulness: Is your data helping you achieve business goals and delivering value?
You can learn more about each of these criteria and why they're important in our Data Buyer’s Guide.
“Data is becoming more and more important in all aspects of marketing. It’s the foundation needed to power results. Third-party data accurately linked to first-party data drives performance and differentiation in an AI-powered world,” says Gillian MacPherson, Epsilon’s Senior Vice President of Product Management. “Marketers need to be proficient in how to evaluate different data sets to ensure they partner with high-quality data providers that have a proven track record to meet their business objectives.”
The 2026 data-quality audit
Because of Epsilon’s commitment to high-quality, performance-driven data, we authorized an in-depth third-party audit of Epsilon’s national consumer database.
As a benchmark, the audit compared Epsilon with two leading competitors with similarly positioned multi-sourced consumer databases. Data purchases were made from all three vendors to test coverage and accuracy, and the auditor supplied a client sample file with emails to evaluate the address-append rate.
The audit conducted a deeper analysis of the following elements:
File size and completeness
Data coverage
Data accuracy
Data performance
Address-append rate
The third-party audit found that Epsilon has successfully sustained its position as an industry leader while achieving notable advancements in several critical areas. It found that Epsilon offers the most descriptive, accurate and predictive data; highly targeted and responsive audiences; and strong identification rates across channels.
“Data performance isn’t optional—it’s everything,” says Laura Griffith, Vice President, Product Management at Epsilon. “Epsilon’s ongoing third‑party audits prove our data outperforms other market‑leading datasets, giving marketers the confidence to hit their goals with precision. These audits also fuel continuous innovation, so we stay number one.”
Kick-start 2026 with a strategic data partner
Data quality is only the beginning—high-quality data is the foundation for better understanding who your customers are, what they buy and what they care about.
Epsilon’s national consumer database outperformed the competition in this audit, meaning more data coverage and accuracy for marketers to personalize their marketing, acquire new customers and build meaningful connections with their current customers.
Learn more about choosing the right data partner for your business, including questions to ask in your RFP, top capabilities to consider (like predictability and coverage) and how Epsilon can help with our guide to choosing the right data solution for your business.
---
## Retail media’s losing its identity—literally and figuratively.
Type: eps_post
URL: /the-retail-media-identity-problem
Last Modified: 2025-07-02T18:47:41Z
# Retail media’s losing its identity—literally and figuratively.
Retail media was never meant to be simple. This bold new category converged commerce data, digital media and the in-store experience, and promised person-level targeting, closed-loop measurement and the ability to tie media investment to real shopper outcomes. But most of all, retail media offered something other channels couldn’t: proximity to the point of purchase, powered by a direct relationship with the shopper.
As the Boston Reporting Group put it back in 2021, “Retailers’ ability to access first-party data and ‘close the loop’ by identifying those who make a purchase after seeing an ad makes retail media a compelling new channel for advertisers.”
Yet, in the rush to stand up new offerings, retail media is at risk of being reduced to an oversimplified version of itself: a rebranded version of co-op, modeled too closely after broader media approaches, a turnkey ad channel with "retail" in the name but not in the mechanics. By prioritizing speed over structure, brands are treating retail media like a shortcut to ad revenue rather than a new kind of business and run the risk of degrading a winning long-term strategy for short-term gain.
What follows is a look at how that erosion is unfolding—and what it will take to restore retail media’s identity.
The importance of identity
Retail media’s promise was never just about data—it was about identity. Identity made the category complex by nature. It required deep first-party data access, cross-functional orchestration and systems built to handle nuance.
As Meggie Giancola, senior vice president of CPG and Epsilon Retail Media sales, puts it, “Shoppers today are, more than ever, multi-retailer. The real value in retail media isn’t that the data a retailer is providing to brands is exclusive; it’s that the retailer knows the person behind the data. That’s what makes it actionable. Retail media sits at a unique intersection of intent, identity and immediacy.”
Retail media thrives when it enables retailers to connect brands with real shoppers in ways others can't.. “Audience comes first, and the channels are the means with which we speak to them," says Chloe Weber, senior product marketing manager at Epsilon. "Being everywhere, on all the devices, through person-level identity, gives us more chances to meet that audience. That gives you the most bang for your buck.”
Weber says that strong identity allows retailers to locate hand-raisers—shoppers actively in-market for a product or category—across all channels. Whether they’re researching online, browsing in-store or streaming content on connected TV, person-level identity enables retailers to meet shoppers with relevant messaging at the right moment. That kind of precision is what sets retail media apart from broader national tactics.
But unlocking that kind of omnichannel relevance takes commitment. And somewhere along the way, that commitment and identity fell to the wayside in the great retail media rush.
Where identity got lost
Over the past few years, as retailers raced to capitalize on retail media’s revenue potential, many leaned on the models they knew (co-op advertising and national media) to start piecing together the many parts required to build their own media business. The result? Retail media strategies that looked familiar but didn’t functionally differ from existing ad offerings.
Take for example, Amazon’s recent unveiling of Retail Ad Services. While aimed at helping other retailers build their own media offerings, the solution underscores how vulnerable it is to copy-and-paste thinking. When success is defined by replicating Amazon’s surface-level outputs rather than building around one’s own identity, the category within maymay lose its distinct value.
To solve for this lack of shopper identity, many retailers are backfilling it: retrofitting shopper data into tech not built to handle it or relying on proxies that don’t offer true person-level precision. The effect is a watered-down version of what retail media is supposed to be: specificity, but only against known purchasers and website visitors, focusing on "easy-to-identify" converters. Scale, but only through modeling outside of a retailer's shopper file and filling audiences with lookalikes who aren't nearly as relevant or premium an audience. And conversions, but only among shoppers who were likely to convert already.
So why aren't retailers keen on structuring their retail media with identity resolution built in?
“Retailers often think it’s going to be as easy as flipping a switch,” says Rebekah Davila, senior vice president of business transformation at Epsilon Retail Media. “What often gets underestimated is the level of alignment and connectivity needed across the entire organization to actually make it work.”
Organizational readiness and an understanding about the inherent complexity in building retail media with a person-level identity spine can sometimes be part of the problem, says Alexis Ulgenalp, director of onboarding at Epsilon Retail Media.
“Shopper identity has always been the draw of retail media,” Ulgenalp says. “The teams responsible for activation must also be aware and understand the importance of this. Otherwise, they may miss the mark.”
Shopper identity isn’t a plug-and-play feature. It benefits from thoughtful coordination across the organization and a shared understanding of the shopper—especially when retailers attempt to bridge online and offline behavior.
“If you want to be a high-functioning retail media program, and drive growth, you have to invest in all of it: the tech, the data, the organizational structure,” Ulgenalp says. “It’s not about doing one thing well; it’s about putting focus and resources behind everything, all at once.”
Brands are starting to feel the promise vs. reality gap
In response, brands have become increasingly skeptical. A lack of identity delivers inconsistent targeting, attribution and sales outcomes, leaving advertisers weary.
According to eMarketer, 55% of US advertisers view lack of measurement standardization as the top challenge within retail media platforms. Meanwhile, a 2023 ANA survey referenced by Marketing Dive found that 42% of brands now consider themselves “reluctant buyers” of retail media, citing concerns over transparency and limited performance benchmarks.
Identity, once the backbone of the promise, has become an afterthought, says Davila. And yet, brands still crave the benefits of identity.
“Everybody wants to do closed-loop measurement,” Davila says. “But do they all know exactly what that means or invest the time and energy needed to achieve it? Not always. Identity is a critical part of the equation, and it takes real alignment across the organization to get it right. Retailers don’t have to tackle it alone—when they understand where they’re strongest and where to lean on partners, they can build a retail media strategy that’s both uniquely theirs and built to last.”
The disconnect is clear: Brands expected identity-driven, outcome-focused media. But what they too often receive is standardized ad placements that may not reflect the depth of retailer-shopper connection. That gap confidence could create confusion around retail media’s unique value proposition just as the category hits its mainstream stride.
Restoring identity, regaining value
For retail media to deliver on its original promise, identity must return to the center—not only as a data capability, but as the organizing principle for the entire ecosystem. That means moving beyond surface-level integrations and embracing the structural complexity that retail media requires.
This includes investing in persistent, person-level identity resolution; ensuring interoperability across in-store and online touchpoints; and resourcing teams that can navigate the many layers of activation, attribution and optimization. As Giancola puts it, “Identity is the bridge. Some brands are great at understanding consumers. Some are great at activating. But identity is what connects those capabilities.”
It also means acknowledging that the complexity needed to build and maintain an identity spine for retail media isn’t a liability—it’s a moat. When a retailer gets identity right, it creates unique value not just for its own media business, but also for brands and shoppers alike. For instance, when Ahold Delhaize USA's media network leveraged person-level identity to power a new unified attribution methodology, they were able to see the full picture of the impact of their impressions—no matter where they took place in the buying journey. As Giancola put it, “The most important thing to the future of retail media advertising is having a stable, future-proofed identity spine.”
Done right, retail media can offer something national media and co-op never could: true relevance, with real business outcomes to match. See what true identity-driven, intelligent retail media looks like.
---
## Shoptalk 2025: The “new” retail media market, customer centricity, in-store and more
Type: eps_post
URL: /shoptalk-recap
Last Modified: 2026-04-08T03:12:48Z
# Shoptalk 2025: The “new” retail media market, customer centricity, in-store and more
Retail media is already a cornerstone of modern marketing strategies for retailers—but as we heard time and time again this past week at Shoptalk 2025, it’s evolving. Fast.
Simply put, the convergence of media and commerce is fundamentally transforming how retailers and brands engage with their shoppers. The “new” retail media market comes with opportunities and, of course, challenges with data and identity, in-store experiences and loyalty programs taking center stage.
Here are four emerging trends and takeaways from Shoptalk that marketers should know about as retail media becomes an increasingly larger role for brands and retailers:
“Retail media is the future of all media”
In his session Retail is the New Media, Andrew Lipsman, Founder & Chief Analyst at Media, Ads + Commerce emphasized that “Retail media is the future of all media.” The technology has been a staple in retailers’ toolkits for quite some time—but it’s clear from Shoptalk there’s an unprecedented amount of growth that is happening within the space. Retail media is now synonymous with all media.
Placing high-quality media alongside commerce has been an unlock for brands and retailers to reach customers in a more meaningful and effective way. The combination of media and commerce is not just smoke and mirrors, but a tool that is redefining the way we engage customers: “that’s when marketing effectiveness happens,” Lipsman said.
And this doesn’t just apply to advertising on the retailer's site. An interesting nugget presented during Sarah Marzano, Principal Analyst at eMarketer’s session Retail Media Unfiltered, was the rising popularity of expanding advertising across the open web: “We’re headed to a near future where 1 in every 4 dollars spent on retail media will be allocated off-site,” said Marzano. “This presents so much opportunity to retailers across the retail media spectrum to better capitalize on their first-party data.”
Marketers that continue to take advantage of this convergence—on-site, off-site and in-store—with the right retail media partner will find themselves ahead in the race for consumer attention and engagement.
You can’t be customer centric without data and identity
Customer centricity was a hot theme this year. Retailers are always striving to put the shopper at the center of what they do—but you can’t do this effectively unless you know what they want. “Everything about retail is about being customer centric. It’s about knowing who your customers are,” Alexis Hoopes, VP Global Fashion at eBay echoed. And that’s where data and identity become a need-to-have, not a nice-to-have.
Lisa Valentino, President of Ads at Best Buy, gave a perfect example of using data to understand customer preferences in her session How Best Buy Ads Unlocks Insights, Audience, and Results. She noted that because Best Buy has strong identity resolution and robust first-party data, their customer tells them what they want—no guessing games needed. “We use Epsilon as a strategic data partner,” Valentino noted. "When you can reverse engineer the [identity] graph to understand the consumer through their passions and habits, that tells you where to go next.”
Valentino shared that Best Buy sees over 200M+ consumers across their identity graph, which gives them the opportunity to expand into rather uncharted territory. That’s true customer centricity: letting the shopper guide the content that resonates with their passions and habits.
The next major media channel is…in-store?
The role of physical stores in the retail media ecosystem is evolving. Going back to Marzano’s session, Retail Media Unfiltered, over 80% of transactions are still happening in physical stores, “which paints and increasingly clear picture that in order to unlock the full potential of retail media, we have to start thinking beyond the confines of retailers' websites.” By viewing physical spaces as integral parts of the retail media ecosystem, retailers can enhance customer engagement beyond digital confines to continue to engage shoppers.
Thinking beyond your website means thinking about stores as dynamic media channels through activations like digital signage, endcap displays, in-store audio advertising and interactive kiosks, to name a few. While in-store is surely not “new,” taking a data-driven approach to in-store retail media is a new way for retailers to reach shoppers across digital and physical channels—and tie those interactions back to each other—in a way they haven’t before.
To create loyalty, build communities and brand narratives
Loyalty continues to evolve from simple transactions and deals to building real emotional connections with shoppers. As Sarah Crockett, Chief Marketing Officer at DSW put it in the session Defining and Earning Loyalty in a Crowded Retail Environment, loyalty programs are all about “the combination of emotional benefit and transactional benefit.” They need to be more than just price and points; they should reflect the brand's essence. And to no surprise, data plays a pivotal role here: “I think of data as a fast track to personalization. It’s the personality of the consumer…it tells us what conversation we should be having,” explained Crockett.
And now with generative and predictive AI on the scene, we're moving towards a truly personalized 1:1 loyalty experience. Ultimately, “it’s no longer just a loyalty program—it’s a whole ecosystem of experience,” said Amanda Bailey, VP Loyalty & Customer Marketing at Lowe’s.
As Crockett noted, loyalty is about the transactions, sure, but it’s also about connection. Top brands focused on this sentiment repeatedly at Shoptalk: using storytelling to tap into authenticity and, in turn, build a community of brand fans. Sapna Parikh, Chief Digital Officer at Kendo Brands (LVMH), shared in the session Inspiration and Discovery in Digital Shopping, “What’s really important is developing a true brand, building a community and being authentic with that messaging.” Alexis Hoopes, VP Global Fashion at eBay echoed, “It’s very much about these community-based interactions at retailers where you’re having that active conversation."
It doesn’t have to stop there, either. “The insights you glean from your loyalty programs can and should be used to inform all other areas of your marketing,” says to Allison Royster, Senior Product Marketing Manager, Loyalty at Epsilon. “For example, Epsilon helped a leading pharmacy retailer harness the power of their loyalty program and use that rich first-party data to reach shoppers across the open web with co-branded ads that drove people to purchase—which was a huge unlock,” Royster explains. “That connection between their loyalty program and retail media network enabled one-to-one communication with all customers based on their unique preferences."
Navigating the “new” retail media market
As the retail media landscape continues to grow and become even more complex and persuasive, it’s important for marketers to incorporate the most effective strategies and technologies to reach its full potential.
Epsilon Retail Media is bringing people-based intelligence to retail media with a next-generation platform unlocking opportunities to drive stronger outcomes for advertisers and increase sales and shopper loyalty for retailers. Learn more about the first retail media platform to couple AI with person-first identity.
---
## Why high-quality data matters for AI performance
Type: eps_post
URL: /next-frontier-ai-data-quality
Last Modified: 2025-12-12T21:16:02Z
# Why high-quality data matters for AI performance
For marketers across industries, there’s no doubt that AI continues to be the topic du jour. Over the past few years, we’ve learned how to use tools like ChatGPT and Gemini to support us with basic tasks like providing meeting summaries, drafting cover letters—and even recommending holiday gifts.
But what makes an AI tool actually worth using? How do we know that the AI tools we build and implement are secure, high-quality and trustworthy products? Setting marketers up for success in AI is all about data inputs and outputs. Have you ever entered an AI prompt that gave you an inaccurate answer or an image that was completely wrong? Then, when you continue to ask the prompt more questions, clarify your request and add details, like magic, the answers become more predictive. What’s happening behind the scenes is telling data models what they’re doing right and wrong to create a stronger feedback loop.
Why data quality is paramount for effective AI in marketing
It all starts with a solid foundation of clean, updated and accurate data. All in all, if you fuel your AI engine with inaccurate, poor or outdated data, the results will also be inaccurate, poor and outdated. In other words? Garbage in, garbage out.
As a refresher, there are two main types of AI we typically encounter: predictive AI and generative AI, and how they work is pretty intuitive. Predictive AI, well, predicts, and generative AI generates, but really what it comes down to is how they interact with data.
In general, when we talk about predictive AI, we’re talking about a methodology (like machine learning) that combs through existing data to forecast future outcomes, while generative AI uses existing data to respond to a user’s prompt and create original content.
Now let’s get back to how data quality impacts AI. At Epsilon, we recommend evaluating data quality based on the following 10 key criteria.
10 criteria to assess data quality
1. Privacy
Privacy is the top consideration when it comes to data quality, and remember: It should never be sacrificed for the sake of performance.
Data providers should be able to share how they comply with current legislation and are preparing for new legislation. Always review privacy policies and opt-out language and how companies are handling consumer reporting, data deletion and the handling of sensitive personal information.
AI benefit: Privacy protects individual rights, builds trust in AI systems (which can aid in fair and accountable decision-making) and promotes using AI technology ethically by minimizing the potential for discrimination and manipulation via personal data.
2. Accuracy
To compare and evaluate data accuracy, use a truth-set file that has your full confidence. While we all know that there is no universal truth set for evaluating data quality at scale, there are ways to use smaller-scale options to get a relative read of data accuracy. This ensures you’re connecting to the right people at the right time with the best-possible messages and offers to maximize your marketing dollars.
AI benefit: Accuracy ensures that the AI models can make accurate predictions and decisions. Erroneous or noisy data can lead to incorrect model training, resulting in poor performance and unreliable outcomes.
3. Coverage
The data coverage conversation should determine how much of the target universe is covered, as well as the completeness of each record. High coverage with little depth of useful information won’t serve a purpose—coverage must go beyond name and address to include multiple channels. This translates to consistently higher identification rates across devices for more effective omnichannel marketing.
Many providers offer data hygiene and identity-completion solutions that clean and fill holes in customer data by appending or reverse-appending contact information (e.g., address, phone number and email). Make sure you understand average match rates and the quality of the referential data file that’s used. Tradeoffs between coverages and accuracy will happen, so the key to success is balancing, picking a priority and achieving high marks in both.
AI benefit: Carefully curated, clean data can mitigate biases. Incomplete or skewed datasets can lead to biased models, and cleaning can involve ensuring that the dataset is representative and balanced.
4. Granularity
Granularity characterizes the level of detail in a data set. Granular data is broken down into the smallest pieces possible to be more defined and detailed. For example, while a person’s entire address could be in a single field, a more granular approach would be to divide the address into multiple fields like street number, street name, city, state and ZIP code.
One of the advantages of granular data is that it can be aggregated and disassembled to meet the needs of different situations.
AI benefit: When data is well-organized and labeled, it’s easier to trace how decisions are made, which is crucial for explaining AI decisions, particularly in sensitive applications.
5. Timeliness
When it comes to data, timeliness tells us how much time has passed between when the data became available and when the actual event(s) occurred. Generally speaking, recent data is the most useful, so it’s important to understand how often data is refreshed.
Consumers’ attributes each have different sensitivity to timeliness, but for data that adds extreme value (such as financial, in-market, propensity to purchase or other economic or activity-influenced attributes), timeliness is even more crucial.
AI benefit: Algorithms can process data free of redundancies, duplicates and irrelevant information faster with less computational cost.
6. Predictive power
Predictive power is the cornerstone of the data-quality evaluation process and is directly associated with data performance. Understanding what data types lead to successful interactions—or what data would most likely generate specific activities—is the focus of this assessment and frequently requires use of more advanced data and analytics. Well-balanced models with data elements reflecting depth, breadth, variety and uniqueness typically drive the best performance.
AI benefit: Clean data plays a critical role in building models that are able to effectively generalize new, unseen data. If the training data contains irrelevant or misleading patterns, the model might fit the noise instead of the underlying trends, affecting its ability to generalize.
7. Consistency
Consistency requires that information or certain attributes will exist or be accurate in each observation. For example, if a data solution for an insurance policyholder requires knowing their mortgage value, age and house’s square footage, this data must be consistently available. Consistency is key for modeling solutions that require variable stability.
AI benefit: Uniformity across datasets leads to consistent AI model performance and predictions by eliminating discrepancies and variabilities that could otherwise hinder the decision-making progress.
8. Transparency
Data transparency is becoming more important, especially for certain industries. The Interactive Advertising Bureau (IAB) Tech Lab has partnered with leading associations and companies to create an industry standard, a Data Transparency Label. Similar to an nutrition label, it tells marketers what’s inside the data segments they buy, providing details on source, collection, segmentation criteria, recency and cleansing. It’s intended to give every marketer, agency, data provider and publisher a transparent view of syndicated audience segments.
AI benefit: Structured and well-organized data allows AI models to become more transparent and interpretable, allowing stakeholders to understand how decisions are made and enhancing model explainability. It is highly recommended that real people should monitor any AI outputs in a supervised environment.
9. Omnichannel activation
Data needs to be available for use across channels. This includes traditional channels (like direct mail and email) and all major digital platforms (including DSPs, DMPs, social networks and connected TV). Using a consistent identity for each consumer across all their online and offline channels drives a consistent experience.
You should understand what ID graph, matching methodology and partners your brand is using for data activation and identity resolution across different channels and devices. Data should hold up across all of them with scale and accuracy. Keep in mind that both your audience definition and activation channels may be different for upper-funnel awareness versus lower-funnel conversion.
AI benefit: Facilitates seamless integration and activation across multiple channels, enabling AI systems to deliver personalized and coherent experiences to users, regardless of the platform or touchpoint.
10. Usefulness
Usefulness assures that data achieves business goals and delivers value. The only way to gauge it is to test the data and see if it works. Ideally, test it how you plan to execute it.
For specific campaigns, assembling a valid test is critical, so be mindful of the number of variables so you can isolate the data’s performance. It’s an opportunity to revisit and optimize the data types and variables for future campaigns and see if something new or different can improve performance. Qualitative feedback from users is also important to ensure all users are maximizing their data usage and the knowledge the data provides.
AI benefit: By removing noise and irrelevant information, clean data improves the relevance and quality of insights generated by AI, making the outputs more actionable and valuable for decision-making and strategic planning.
Future-proof your marketing: embrace AI-powered data excellence with Epsilon
Unlock the full potential of your data with our Buyer's Guide for Data Solutions.
This article was published on January 30, 2025, and has since been updated.
---
## For brands, expanding isn't easy in a global data economy
Type: eps_post
URL: /-brands-expanding-global-data-economy
Last Modified: 2025-02-28T16:11:34Z
# For brands, expanding isn't easy in a global data economy
As the world becomes more connected than ever, brands are considering their global marketing strategies. But entering new global markets is far easier said than done.
Not only are people more connected—TikTok, for example, has 1 billion monthly active global users—consumers are far more exposed to brands that even 20 years ago would’ve been unreachable.
According to the Harvard Business School, the US alone has more than 268 million digital buyers accessing a variety of products largely unencumbered by “traditional” trade. Epsilon can reach more than 200+ million online U.S. consumers in our platforms. Against incredible odds, the global consumer class continues to rise. According to the World Data Lab, despite the COVID-19 pandemic and international economic pressures, including inflation and war, the global consumer class reached 4 billion people in 2023 and is estimated to grow to a staggering 5 billion by 2031.
But reaching new audiences across international lines requires more than just desire. A survey of 2,000 businesses globally found that in the US, 73% of business leaders consider identifying and entering new markets to be challenging.
To successfully launch in a new market, brands need the right strategy powered by data and technology.
“Brands need to start with an intentional strategy that includes data,” said Kate Sirkin, EVP of Global Data Partnerships at Epsilon. “Understanding current customers and category consumers using available consumer data and filling in gaps with market research will set them up for future success.”
The role of data in global expansion
Brand expansion offers companies—especially start-ups hungry for diversified revenue—a chance to compete on a global scale. In the past several years, bourgeoning US direct-to-consumer brands like Billie, a razor company, and Glossier, a makeup brand, have used international expansion as a key growth area for acquisition.
Billie co-founder Georgina Gooley said the company’s 2024 entry into Canada was part of a broader expansion strategy that included increased product offerings and in-store partnerships. They’re not alone: US-based brands commonly look to Canada as a testing ground because of its proximity geographically and culturally.
But not all brands find success abroad. In 2020, Walmart sold its majority stake in Japanese supermarket group Seiyu after failing to capture consumers. British beverage giant Diageo sold its shareholding in Guinness Nigeria in 2024 due to economic conditions in the country.
Often, a data strategy is the difference between a brand that succeeds on a global scale versus one that doesn’t—specifically, a data strategy that encompasses collection and enhancement.
“Success hinges on a brand's ability to understand and engage new consumers effectively,” said Rob Odd, Regional Managing Director of Asia, Pacific and Japan for Epsilon. “The challenges of navigating diverse markets, regulatory landscapes, and evolving consumer behaviors can be daunting— but with the right data and technology strategy, brands can turn these challenges into opportunities.”
Odd has identified four common pitfalls that brands often encounter:
Lack of a unified customer identity
Underestimating data privacy and compliance
Relying primarily on third-party data assets
Failing to optimize market spend without data-driven insights
Having robust and accurate first-party data, coupled with third-party customer behavior data, transaction trends, market potential and overall consumer research, creates a harmonized view of individuals and audiences.
A localized first-party data strategy, aligned with region-specific regulatory stipulations, should also prioritize proper collection and analysis for real-time insights. This includes using the right tools to collect, clean and enhance data through identity resolution to create a single source of data.
“A fragmented approach to data can lead to missed opportunities, inefficiencies, and wasted marketing spend,” he said. “Regardless of the region, brands need a unified data infrastructure.”
Turning insights into action
While consumers differ from region to region, one thing unites them: their desire for personalized messages.
Joshua Conrad Jackson, an Assistant Professor of Behavioral Science at the University of Chicago’s Booth School of Business, said that despite economic globalization, the unique cultural qualities of foreign markets are often where brands fail.
“The organizations that thrive when they expand across borders in the years ahead will be those that maintain their core identity while integrating partners, personnel, values and regulatory guidelines from their host culture,” he wrote in the Harvard Business Review.
Personalization requires brands to have deep knowledge supported by data and the right tech to make insights actionable. In a 2024 article examining why some US-based businesses struggle to expand globally, Pamela Ghosal, Director of Brand & Communications at Phrase, a translation tech start-up, said the inability to thoughtfully address cultural, behavioral and legal nuances of new markets holds brands back.
“Modern localization practices are increasingly sophisticated, leveraging cutting-edge advancements in artificial intelligence, large language models, and advanced machine translation,” Ghosal writes. “These technologies, when integrated with automated quality assessment frameworks, significantly diminish the risks commonly linked with expansion.
Elie Carrier-Walker, VP of Client Services at Epsilon in EMEA, said cultural complexities can be a make-it-or-break-it for brands hoping to leave their mark. Adaptability requires a holistic understanding of consumers, even from country to country within a greater region, and the ability to develop and deliver relevant messages on the right channels.
“Brands will come to us and say, ‘We’re doing the same thing in Germany that we’re doing in Spain, and we’re not getting the results we want.’ And the problem is they don’t realize they need to adapt their strategy,” Carrier-Walker said. “It’s not one-size-fits-all.”
She used the example of a major brand expanding its loyalty program from one European market to another. After Epsilon analyzed its data compared to the market analysis of the new region, the brand was able to identify regional-specific gaps and adjust its program. This included expanding communication channels and developing a dynamic journey that made program participation more achievable for the everyday consumer.
“We want to be able to drive behaviors that are specific to the real people living in that market,” she said. “And we want the offerings for those people to match what they’re actually interested in.”
What brands can do to win
Brands looking to expand need to be intentional about their data strategy, including the one in their country of origin.
“What you’re able to do with your tech, data and identity is going to vary by each country,” Sirkin said. “Brands need to understand what’s available to them and how it can be useful. Knowing what’s successful in their current and potential markets allows them to make informed hypotheses.”
Epsilon experts say brands can focus on a few key areas:
Data access and collection
Data enrichment and activation
Supplemental information like market research and readiness reports
Assessment of current tech and strategies
Prioritizing data collection, identity resolution and activation allows for more cohesion, Odd said. Stronger data begets stronger insights, which leads to stronger measurement, more seamless customer experiences across channels and strategies that build off proven effectiveness.
Both Sirkin and Odd said brands looking to expand should start small. A trusted partner can help vet market readiness and launch pilot campaigns to determine effectiveness before expanding full-scale. This gives brands a foundational jumping-off point: What tech do I have? What tech do I need? What strategies can bridge my gaps?
Epsilon is a global technology provider with industry-leading, person-first identity. Our solutions are built with privacy by design on a solid data foundation. And, coupled with AI and machine learning, Epsilon can produce personalized marketing at scale.
“At Epsilon, we believe that data isn’t just a tool—it’s the foundation for every successful global expansion strategy,” Odd said. “By combining advanced identity resolution, AI-driven personalization, and a privacy-first approach, we help brands scale smarter, engage deeper, and grow faster in new markets.”
---
## Loyalty program metrics: The KPIs, ROI framework, and attribution logic that prove it's working
Type: eps_post
URL: /loyalty-program-metrics
Last Modified: 2026-09-08T18:38:46Z
# Loyalty program metrics: The KPIs, ROI framework, and attribution logic that prove it's working
A quick Google search offers up all kinds of loyalty statistics saying that loyalty programs work.
But the more important question is whether or not your specific loyalty program is working for your brand. And unfortunately, your CFO is unlikely to be impressed with typical loyalty program metrics like enrollments or redemptions alone.
Loyalty program managers today need to present a credible business case proving not only member behavior metrics and program health, but also incrementality and profitability.
The key shift is to treat your loyalty program not like a finite promotion or media campaign, but as an ongoing business unit with its own P&L. This post explains how to measure customer loyalty in a way that resonates with the C-suite, using a connected measurement hierarchy that links everyday member behavior to program health and long-term business impact.
A three-tier framework for loyalty program metrics
Most brands track some mix of enrollment, engagement and revenue, but those numbers are rarely organized in a way that tells a clear story to finance.
A more useful framework is a connected measurement hierarchy that treats each level as a leading indicator of the next: member behavior metrics at the base, program health measures above them, and long-term business outcomes at the top.
No level is more important than the others. They are linked, and the lower levels are the early signals that eventually show up in customer lifetime value and profit.
Tier 1: Member behavior metrics
Member behavior metrics are the starting point for any customer loyalty measurement because they show whether people are actually using the program you built.
These are not “vanity” metrics—they are important leading indicators of program health. But they are best read in context rather than in isolation. A program with high enrollments and redemptions might still be unprofitable if rewards are too rich, liability is out of control or members would have purchased anyway. Member behavior metrics are necessary as early warning signals, but they need to be connected to program health and financial impact to tell a complete story.
Learn more: Decoding Popular Loyalty Metrics
1. Active member rate
Active member rate refers to the percentage of enrolled loyalty members who engage with the program at least once during a given period. This metric includes a variety of behaviors, like engaging with communications, earning or redeeming rewards or using other benefits.
A rising active member rate tells you that your enrolled base is finding reasons to engage with your program, which is usually a good sign for future revenue and data collection. If this metric is low or declining, it often means you have a “graveyard” of inactive members who rarely respond to your communications. This indicates your current offers and/or messaging aren’t compelling enough to bring them back.
Formula:
Active Member Rate = (# of Active Members / Total Members) * 100
2. Redemption rate
Redemption rate is the percentage of loyalty members who have redeemed rewards, points or offers. Redemption rate provides insight into whether members see enough value in your loyalty program to convert their balance into benefits.
High redemption rates are a good sign — members who actively use their rewards spend 3.1x more annually than those who collect points but never redeem them. Low redemption rates can indicate members are struggling to find value, which is a big red flag. Epsilon loyalty program research shows 65% of consumers say they’d leave a loyalty program if the rewards weren’t worth it or they’re hard to access.
Redemption rate formula:
Redemption Rate = (Total Rewards or Points Redeemed / Total Rewards or Points Issued) * 100
To understand redemption at the member level, brands can also track metrics such as the percentage of members who redeem rewards or the average number of points redeemed per member. These metrics provide additional context on individual member engagement.
3. Engagement rate
Engagement rate is the share of loyalty program members who meaningfully engage with the program in a given period. This metric usually includes earning activities (like making purchases, leaving reviews or referring friends), using accumulated points for discounts or rewards, and advancing tiers to unlock better benefits.
High engagement is a strong indicator of the financial success of your loyalty program. Customer lifetime value (CLV) increases up to 25% for engaged loyalty members, making each engaged member significantly more valuable throughout their relationship with your brand.
Engagement rate formula:
Engagement Rate = (# of Engaged Members / Total Members) * 100
4. Breakage rate
Breakage rate is the percentage of rewards or points that go unused or expire—and a high level of breakage can undermine your entire loyalty program.
According to a recent Forrester survey, 69% of respondents say many customers are earning rewards but not redeeming them. If your members aren’t using their rewards, there’s likely a disconnect between what you’re offering and what the customer actually wants. Breakage could also occur when points expire too quickly. Either way, you should evaluate your program details before members stop coming back altogether.
Breakage formula:
If you’re looking to measure overall breakage:
Breakage Rate = [(Total Points Issued - Total Points Redeemed) / Total Points Issued] * 100
If you’re looking to measure only points that have expired:
Breakage Rate = (Expired Points / Total Points Issued) * 100
For a more customer-level view, brands can also measure breakage across individual members—for example, the percentage of members with unredeemed or expired points or the average unredeemed points per member.
5. Tier progression rate
Also known as upgrade rate, tier progression rate refers to the percentage of eligible members who move up at least one tier in a tiered loyalty structure during a given period. Tier progression indicates how effectively the program motivates higher‑value behavior.
A healthy tier progression rate indicates your thresholds and benefits are calibrated correctly. Members are motivated to consolidate more of their spend with you to reach and keep higher tiers. If few eligible members ever move up, your tiers may feel out of reach or not worth the effort. And if almost everyone rushes to the top, your tiers may be too easy to attain. They could be eroding your margin without truly changing behavior.
Tier progression rate formula:
Tier Progression Rate = (# Members Who Upgraded / Total # Members in Lower Tier) * 100
Tier 2: Program health metrics
Program health metrics sit between day‑to‑day engagement and top‑line financials. They show whether your loyalty strategy is actually deepening relationships in ways that matter for the business, like:
Keeping customers longer
Encouraging them to buy more often
Shifting a greater share of their category spend to your brand
6. Retention rate
Retention rate is the percentage of customers who continue to buy from your brand over a defined time window, indicating how well the program is retaining existing customers.
Not only is it far less expensive to retain customers than to acquire new ones—increasing customer retention by just 5% can also boost profits by 25% to 95%. Retention is therefore a critical measure of loyalty program success.
Retention formula:
Retention Rate = [(# Customers at End of Period - # New Customers Acquired During Period) / # Customers at Start of Period] * 100
7. Repeat purchase rate
Repeat purchase rate (RPR) refers to the percentage of customers who make more than one purchase in a set period. This loyalty program KPI is a measure of how effectively the program (and marketing) encourages customers to come back.
A high repeat purchase rate indicates members are happy with the value exchange they receive from your brand and program. You may want to target this sub-group of loyal customers with tailored messaging and exclusive deals to ensure they continue to participate regularly.
Conversely, a low repeat purchase rate may indicate members only joined to take advantage of an attractive sign-up discount or deal. You should evaluate the ongoing value and experience you offer after signup. Consider marketing to these members to encourage additional purchases.
Repeat purchase formula:
RPR = (# Members with >1 Transactions / Total Members) * 100
8. Customer lifetime value (CLV)
Customer lifetime value is the total revenue or margin a customer is expected to generate over the length of their relationship with your brand. CLV is based on how often a customer buys, how much they spend, and how long they stay — and it’s one of the most important indicators of loyalty program health and profitability.
If CLV is high and rising, your retention and loyalty investment is paying off. If it is flat or declining, you’re likely rewarding behavior without truly deepening loyalty.
Customer lifetime value formula:
There are a variety of formulas for CLV depending on your business model. The following is the basic foundation of most variations.
CLV = Average Purchase Value * Purchase Frequency * Customer Lifespan
9. Share of wallet
Share of wallet (SOW) is the proportion of a customer’s total category spend that goes to your brand. Measuring this loyalty KPI is a practical way to see how much of a customer’s category spend you’re actually winning, not just whether they like you.
A high SOW indicates that customers see you as their primary category provider and prefer your brand over others. A low SOW shows the opposite and reveals how much potential business you’re losing to your competitors.
Share of wallet formula:
Like CLV, there are a variety of ways to calculate share of wallet, but the following formula will give you the most accurate customer loyalty insights. If you don’t have access to exact customer category spend, you can use a benchmark or modeled data (but you’ll give up some level of accuracy).
SOW = ($ Spent with Your Brand / Total $ Spend in Category) * 100
10. Net Promoter Score (NPS)
Net Promoter Score (NPS) measures how likely customers are to recommend your brand to others on a 0–10 scale. Brands measure this loyalty metric by surveying customers directly after a purchase and categorizing respondents as either promoters (responded 9 or 10) or detractors (responded 0 to 6).
A high NPS is a sign that customers are generally happy with your brand. Conversely, a low NPS alerts you to the fact that something’s out of whack in your customer experience.
But don’t overly rely on NPS as proof of loyalty program performance. This metric only measures surface-level interest, so it is unclear exactly what customers are happy about and/or what keeps them coming back. Instead, use fluctuations in this NPS to help explain shifts in customer behavior.
Net Promoter Score formula:
To calculate Net Promoter Score, you have to first calculate the percentages of promoters and detractors. Divide the number of respondents in each group by the total number of respondents. Then you’re ready to calculate NPS:
NPS = % Promoters - % Detractors
Tier 3: Business impact and ROI metrics
Program health KPIs like retention and NPS tell you whether relationships are deepening. Business impact measures tell you whether that is translating into value for the business. Metrics like incremental revenue and margin, ROI, CAC payback and overall program profitability show how effectively the program creates sustainable business value over time.
Unfortunately, over one-third (36%) of Forrester survey respondents still say they have difficulty measuring the incrementality of their campaigns.
11. Incremental revenue
Incremental revenue is the additional revenue generated specifically because of your loyalty program. It excludes any revenue the same customers would have spent in the absence of the program.
How you estimate this depends on the unit you are measuring. For a specific offer, feature or pilot with a start and end date, a control group or test-and-learn design is especially important—hold out a comparable set of customers, keep the offer away from them, and measure the lift for exposed members against that baseline rather than a raw member-versus-non-member difference. For the program overall, you are looking at sustained lift over time against a credible baseline, which does not always require a formal control group.
If incremental revenue is modest or inconsistent, it’s a sign your offers, tiers or experiences may be cannibalizing existing sales rather than creating new ones. In this case, you need to adjust mechanics, targeting or cadence until the lift becomes both statistically sound and repeatable.
Incremental revenue formula:
Incremental Revenue = New sales − Baseline sales
12. Incremental margin
Incremental margin (or incremental profitability) is the extra profit your loyalty program generates after you account for program costs, including rewards, discounts and operating expenses. This KPI calculates the true financial gain generated by the program.
Measuring incremental margin and profitability is non-negotiable—if a program doesn’t increase profits, it’s not sustainable as a long‑term marketing strategy. If member revenue does not sufficiently exceed the total cost of running the program, you should modify, revamp or scale back the design.
Incremental margin formula:
Incremental Margin = Incremental Revenue * Gross Margin − Total Reward Costs − Program Operating Costs
13. ROI on loyalty investment
Return on investment (ROI) is a measure of how much value an initiative returns relative to its total cost.
Before applying it, be clear about the unit of analysis: ROI is most naturally applied to finite campaigns, offers, features, or pilots with a defined start and end date and a specific goal. For a loyalty program as a whole, customer lifetime value, program profitability, and the program P&L over time are usually the more appropriate lens. Some teams still label that profit view “ROI,” but it is a different measurement than a campaign ROI.
ROI on loyalty should be treated like any other capital investment — judged on incremental profit, not just participation or topline sales. Strong ROI means that, after you fund rewards, technology, operations and staffing, the incremental margin from members clearly outweighs what you put in.
You can also expect ROI to evolve over time. Year‑1 ROI may be muted as you launch, test and refine the program. Steady‑state ROI should improve as enrollment grows, experiences are optimized and fixed costs are absorbed over a larger, more profitable member base.
Loyalty ROI formula:
ROI = [(Incremental Margin − Initiative Costs) ÷ Initiative Costs] × 100
14. Customer acquisition cost (CAC) payback impact
Customer acquisition cost (CAC) payback impact is a measure of how participation in the loyalty program changes the time it takes for a new customer’s profits to cover their acquisition cost. Loyalty programs that increase repeat purchase rate, average spend and retention shorten the CAC payback period and expand the profit you earn after payback.
If loyalty members pay back their acquisition cost substantially faster than non‑members, that’s a strong argument for investing in both the program and targeted acquisition into it. If there’s little or no difference in payback, it suggests your loyalty experience isn’t yet doing enough to change behavior beyond the initial conversion.
Customer acquisition cost payback impact formula:
CAC Payback Impact = CAC / Gross Profit per Period
How to measure incrementality (the part most programs skip)
The most common trap is confusing “members spend more than non-members” with “the program caused additional spend.” A raw member-versus-non-member gap reflects the fact that your best customers tend to join in the first place. True incrementality isolates the additional behavior your program actually drove.
However, there is no single method that fits every situation.
The right approach to measuring incrementality depends on the specific goal or outcome you are trying to gauge, and the data you have access to. Measuring the incrementality of a particular offer or campaign inside the program is a different exercise from estimating the incrementality of the program overall as it connects to customer lifetime value, and the two are usually measured differently.
In practice, you can use experimental and quasi-experimental designs, such as holdout or control groups, geo- or store-level test-and-learn, and matched cohorts, to get closer to a credible answer. Which one applies, and how far to take it, is a judgment call tied to your goal and the available data—so treat the choice of method as conditional rather than a fixed playbook.
A reporting cadence and dashboard structure that works
There is no single cadence that fits every program. The right rhythm depends on your industry, your typical purchase cycle, the specific metric and who the report is for.
A fast-moving retailer may want a simple daily top-line pulse—enrollments, sales from identified members and a couple of other high-level numbers—so the team can spot changes and adjust quickly. A business with a longer purchase cycle may find weekly, monthly or quarterly reviews more meaningful.
A useful way to think about it: leading indicators and program-health measures are often worth watching more frequently so you can react, while longer-term business outcomes and incrementality are refreshed on a slower cycle. Match the frequency and the level of detail to the audience. An operator scanning a daily pulse needs something different from a leadership team reviewing quarterly profitability.
Whatever the cadence, the guiding principle for a dashboard is that a reader should be able to understand performance within a few seconds. Simple status signaling—for example, clear green/yellow/red cues—and a clean visual hierarchy do more than a dense grid of numbers.
Building a measurement plan for your loyalty program
Building a workable measurement plan requires aligning business and customer goals, choosing the right metrics and connecting the right data, reporting and technology. The right loyalty partner can help bring these elements together into a cohesive strategy tailored to your program, customers and purchase cycle.
Learn how Epsilon Loyalty can help you move beyond disconnected metrics and build a clear view of program health, customer value and long-term business impact.
Loyalty measurement FAQs
What are the most important loyalty program metrics?
The most important metrics fall into three tiers — member behavior (active rate, redemption), program health (retention, CLV), and business impact (incremental revenue, ROI). Programs need at least one KPI from each tier.
How do you calculate loyalty program ROI?
Loyalty ROI = [(Incremental Margin − Initiative Costs) ÷ Initiative Costs] × 100. The hard part is isolating incremental margin via control groups, not naive member-vs-non-member comparison.
What's a good loyalty program redemption rate?
Healthy enterprise programs typically run 15–35%, varying by category. Too low signals broken value perception; too high may indicate over-rich earn or too-easy burn.
What's the difference between loyalty metrics and customer experience metrics?
Loyalty metrics measure program-specific behavior and incremental business impact. CX metrics (NPS, CSAT) measure perception. The best programs track both — perception drives behavior.
How do I measure if my loyalty program is actually causing more sales?
Use a holdout control group. Hold out a statistically valid set of comparable customers from the program (or new features) and measure incremental spend lift over a defined period.
---
## Better AI starts with strong data and identity
Type: eps_post
URL: /better-ai-strong-data-identity
Last Modified: 2025-05-01T16:15:25Z
# Better AI starts with strong data and identity
Artificial intelligence seems to be the biggest topic on everyone’s mind.
What once was considered a distant sign of the future, AI is now a staple in so many facets of our lives. From spellcheck to supply chain, AI is transforming the way people communicate, collaborate, and consume—and there’s no greater example than how it’s manifesting in marketing and advertising.
A recent Epsilon study, “The State of AI in Marketing,” shows marketers are fully bought into AI, but there isn’t a full view of ROI. While 94% percent of survey respondents say they are using AI to prepare or execute their marketing strategy, more than half say they face technical challenges, like model accuracy and integration with other tools and systems, when implementing it.
AI adoption alone won’t deliver perfect results. While AI can make life easier for marketers and advertisers seeking personalization and engagement at scale, having quality data and identity to fuel that AI is critical to realizing value.
AI is now essential
It comes as no surprise that marketers are no longer looking at AI as a nice to have.
In the Epsilon study, all respondents who say they don’t use AI for marketing and advertising strategies say they plan to implement it in the next six to 12 months. Additionally, 93% of respondents say they plan to allocate at least 5% of their budget to AI initiatives, with most forecasting a 5% to 10% overall budget for AI.
The reason is clear: They find it supports their goals. AI use can cut costs, improve efficiency, save time, and improve customer experience. Brands can use it for data analysis and insights, to generate content and ads, and for customer service via chatbots, among other things.
Getting your data AI-ready
While popular, AI implementation still has its pushback. Nearly half of the marketers surveyed say they faced technical challenges like model accuracy and integration with other tools. But others reported data quality issues and a lack of data as hurdles for AI adoption.
Data access and quality are critical components of AI. As brands adopt more AI technology, their data gaps are becoming increasingly clear. Although AI generally improves outcomes across the board, for it to produce accurate, scalable results, it needs a foundation of good data.
The quality of your output is only as good as the input. Without good data, AI becomes less effective. It’s like driving a Ferrari in stop-and-go traffic.
When first-party data is cleaned and enriched through a person-based identity solution, it creates a complete view of a brand’s customers online and offline. Having that person-based view is a jump-off point for hyper-personalization and engagement at scale.
Brands can use AI to craft relevant, personalized messages at scale because they have a deeper understanding of their customers and then deliver those in real time on the devices people prefer.
Choosing the right vendor matters
New AI vendors are popping up every day. Some of these vendors offer niche services, but most claim to be the end-all-be-all of AI implementation. So, how do brands parse out which partnerships are the real deal?
It’s important to understand what challenges you face and what outcomes you ultimately want to see. Implementation challenges are both organizational and technical. In the Epsilon survey, marketers say their top technical challenge was model accuracy, and their top organizational challenge was resistance to change.
Marketers facing doubt from senior leaders should lean on AI efficacy proof points to assuage fears of change, but they should also pick a vendor with a proven track record of data, identity, and AI collectively.
Brands also need to understand their current technical capabilities and gaps. What tools are at their current disposal? How are those integrated within their other marketing systems? Can these tools deliver scalability today?
This is why data quality and management are so important. Brands looking to really transform their marketing need AI built into their martech and adtech, and a tech stack that can work cohesively from a solid source of data.
Some key questions to ask: How does a vendor incorporate data and identity? How are they managing privacy and consumer safety? What technical expertise do they offer if the marketing team lacks the skill to use the solution? What experience do they have actually deploying AI with real brands that drove real results?
The future is bright
AI promises to transform our way of life, especially in traditional marketing and advertising. To use AI to its maximum potential, brands should lay the groundwork to make it possible.
When choosing an AI solution, make sure you’re finding a partner that is invested in that foundation, and one that can prove they know how to deliver results at scale.
This article originally appeared on Adweek.
---
## 2026 e-commerce look ahead: How website personalization will grow your brand
Type: eps_post
URL: /website-personalization-ecommerce-growth
Last Modified: 2025-12-18T20:23:17Z
# 2026 e-commerce look ahead: How website personalization will grow your brand
In recent years, brands have been racing to stay relevant and top-of mind—all while navigating mounting pressure to improve profitability. With inflation, tariffs and rising advertising costs reshaping the landscape—margins are tightening across the board.
The upside? E-commerce growth hasn’t slowed down—it’s ramped up. According to Forrester, global retail e-commerce sales will reach $6.8 trillion by 2028.
As we head into 2026, a year marked by rapid change and new opportunities, several key trends are emerging that will define how brands set themselves apart as leaders. E-commerce managers with a website strategy built to strengthen retention, manage rising customer acquisition costs and consistently meet customer expectations, will be met with deeper customer loyalty and stronger returns.
That said, you already have a powerful performance driver fully within reach: your website. Coupled with a leading website personalization platform, you can unlock key insights that will lay the foundation for growth and increased loyalty while amplifying your brand voice.
Capture e-commerce revenue where it happens—through website personalization
For e-commerce brands seeking to flourish in 2026, you have to unlock the potential you already have. Which means, instead of reacting to market conditions or trying to anticipate what trends lie ahead, focus on personalized web experiences that drive better outcomes instead.
When your website flows and adapts to your customers in real time, you can speak directly to their interests—and revenue follows. Strategic tactics like tailored reminders, timely recommendations and targeted reengagement campaigns renew interest, reduce friction and prevent churn.
If you're looking to boost revenue in the year ahead, here are few ways to start:
Recover high-intent shoppers using contextual data to shape intuitive exit-intent experiences, surface cart-abandon prompts naturally and display nudges that prevent people from bouncing.
Lift AOV with content surfaced to segments in a dynamic way, showing similar in-stock product recommendations and complementary products that guide segments to the right information effortlessly.
Customize the entire path to purchase in real-time based on behavioral segmentation data, leveraging traffic-shaping experiences, purchase history and visitor browsing patterns.
Use first-party data to fuel revenue by anticipating customer needs and guiding users to act—essentially, building a richer consumer database for email, SMS and retargeting campaigns.
These tactics work because they ensure every customer interaction on your website delivers what customers need, drive repeat purchases and builds loyalty.
Why owned digital experiences are the foundation of sustainable growth
Traffic comes from everywhere—organic search, social media, email campaigns and paid channels—but with a platform that drives personalized experiences, you don’t have to depend on increasing ad spend in the years ahead. A powerful website personalization technology puts you in control.
It unlocks value from the visitors you already. With a solid data foundation—and a website personalization platform to activate it—you can maximize existing traffic and boost growth without having to allocate additional resources on advertising spend.
Customized website experiences create relevance, making every interaction meaningful and allowing you to:
Convert organic traffic more effectively
Make paid campaigns more efficient
Ensure everyone sees the right message at the right time
Essentially, when you maximize the resources you already have—owned channels, website personalization and first-party data—you significantly improve customer lifetime value by offering people what matters to them on every page, no matter what drove them to visit your site.
Why customer experience is the primary conversion lever for brands
Let’s address the primary objective—the customer.
When you create website experiences that prioritize shoppers and meet their expectations, you stand out in ways that are distinct from other brands. In fact, analysts note that customer-obsessed organizations report 41% faster revenue growth, 49% faster profit growth and 51% better customer retention than those at non-customer-obsessed organizations.
Shannon Aronson, senior vice president of digital solutions consulting, explained in a recent 2026 marketing outlook webinar hosted by Epsilon, "To be competitive in this really high-cost environment, it's making sure that the consumer experience is right on target…that we're showing value and that we're also meeting the values that our consumers expect out of you as a brand."
Investing in a proven technology will help you lift AOV and drive engagement by curating experiences informed by what your customers need—allowing you to reduce the friction points blocking their path to purchase—and ultimately, lead the way to increased conversions.
A personalization platform that turns traffic into revenue
The year ahead promises major opportunities for e-commerce managers to reengage lapsed customers and acquire-new-customers. The key lies in leveraging personalization tools that signal customer intent, adapt experiences instantaneously and drive impact across all touchpoints.
A flexible, scalable solution, like Epsilon Accelerate, unlocks deep behavioral insights that reveal how customers shop and what they value in real time. It offers a full-funnel website engagement strategy you can leverage for better decision-making about what communications your visitors see and how their path to purchase is orchestrated.
A unified platform built for growth, provides actionable data, analytics and an easy-to-use interface that makes launching personalized campaigns effortless. With advanced technology, you can deliver relevant, meaningful experiences to everyone that visits your website—converting visitors more often.
How to turn your first-party data into revenue
Eighty-two percent of consumers recently surveyed stated they make a point of looking for sales, deals or discounts in response to rising prices. As consumer behaviors shift and competition intensifies, having a solid data foundation will be critical.
When data is paired with a proven technology, it gets cleansed and unified, offering a clear view of your customers that you can act. Instead of executing campaigns from assumptions, it reveals emerging patterns, like how customers navigate your website, what motivates purchasing decisions and where on-page messages slow them down or create friction.
"Where Epsilon comes into play is actually giving marketers and giving brands the ability to create that connection much earlier in the customer journey to—from that very first moment—identify who somebody is...such that that first experience hits that expectation that customers have for personalization," said David Salvay, account director, speaking during the same webinar.
In the evolving landscape, the key will be understanding that data and websites work hand in hand—first-party data informs the intended experience, and your website delivers it. This is what makes your first-party data a valuable growth driver.
How actionable data powers continuous growth
What role does data actually play in personalizing experiences, and how does that translate into growth for businesses? It helps to see the process as a continuous flywheel, where data, personalization and insights reinforce each other in an ongoing loop—helping brands anticipate customer needs and boost revenue.
E-commerce brands that leverage data and insights for smarter decision-making will reduce the cost of customer acquisitions and increase customer lifetime value by designing journeys people want to come back to time and again.
When done right, this cycle builds the momentum needed to fuel on-site customer experiences that resonate—increasing loyalty, retention and positioning your brand to grow faster and more sustainably.
Why it’s critical to optimize operations and digital experiences
Momentum is only effective if it’s applied the right way, and even the best revenue-driving tactics will fall short if operations aren’t optimized.
Establishing operational efficiency will allow you to create strategies that deliver consistent results. By ensuring every click, every scroll and every interaction is optimized at key moments on your website, you can shape experiences that flow smoothly.
Operations that enable revenue driving tactics
Leveraging the right platform, with advanced testing capabilities built-in, allows you to answer a question, meet a specific need or pique an interest—generating a response in real-time. Effective testing is critical to maximizing conversions, enhancing your site’s performance and aligning your marketing efforts to your brands’ overall business goals.
The table below highlights how website personalization tactics can make these principles actionable, improve the customer journey and create measurable business outcomes.
When executed thoughtfully, website customization provides clear messaging that moves customers forward to the next best action—turning insights into a better overall customer experience.
Looking ahead: Prepare your website for future growth
As we look ahead to 2026, the convergence of these trends means e-commerce brands have one clear directive: make personalization the core of your brand's website experiences. As consumer expectations rise—and having unified first-party data becomes essential—positioning your brand's website to identify returning visitors in real-time, tailoring content, offers and experiences will enable you to seamlessly deliver value.
Rising above the noise of a hyper-connected digital landscape with personalized website experiences is where brands can drive revenue at the lowest cost—especially as tariffs, inflation and rising acquisition continue to squeeze margins. Epsilon Accelerate can help.
More than a platform, it’s a solution that connects data with action—turning anonymous visitors into known customers, known customers into brand advocates and brand advocates into high-value repeat purchases. Our industry leading technology will allow you to evolve with your website visitors, meet their expectations and deliver experiences that feel genuine, building growth that lasts—in any economy.
For a deeper, expert-led look at e-commerce trends and what's ahead, watch our on-demand 2026 marketing outlook webinar.
---
## Want to engage more website visitors? Personalize experiences in real time.
Type: eps_post
URL: /website-personalization-boosts-engagement
Last Modified: 2025-12-15T19:52:58Z
# Want to engage more website visitors? Personalize experiences in real time.
Ever gone to a website looking for something simple, only to click around and find options that aren’t quite what you want—wrong color, wrong size or just slightly off? Before you know it, you leave without completing your purchase.
This common problem is where ecommerce marketers struggle: They have insights but can’t turn their website traffic into meaningful onsite journeys that engage. That’s the drawback of static experiences that don’t adapt to the customer in real-time.
According to Epsilon research, 65% of consumers said most companies do not do a good job using their personal information to create a personalized experience. The ability to understand what your customer’s do on your website—and respond with personalized offers—can make the difference between conversions and cart abandons.
With the right website personalization platform, delivering what visitors want isn’t just possible—it’s a reality that every high-traffic website can leverage.
The connection between personalization and customer loyalty
When people come to your website, it’s because they’re interested in your brand. They sign up for a newsletter, purchase a product or complete their user profile—all with the expectation of being recognized when they return.
Essentially, consumers want to connect through seamless experiences—easily shifting from a general experience to one tailored to their needs, interests and preferences. According to our loyalty research:
64% of consumer respondents felt comfortable sharing product preferences at signup with a brand they felt very loyal to.
50% of those surveyed felt comfortable sharing product preferences at signup with a brand they felt indifferent towards.
The 50% of consumer respondents willing to share information despite their indifference towards a brand, highlights a powerful truth—personalization earns trust, and trust earns data. Both are mutually reinforcing.
Why loyal customers expect tailored experiences
Consumers expect personalized experiences. They share their information in exchange for more relevant and rewarding experiences that make them feel understood and acknowledge their patronage with value.
The belief that a brand will use personal information to offer products of interest, provide valuable offers and make experiences better—not just sell—is what gets people to invest more fully in your brand. Understanding what someone does when they visit your website is just as important as knowing who they are.
Simply put, website personalization paves a clear path towards increasing conversions and building long-lasting loyalty through ongoing interactions based on trust.
Which personalization strategies have the biggest impact on engagement
Effective website experiences start with understanding.
Behavioral data on your website—like when someone searches for gym shoes and filters by price or returns to a category page—is rich with insight that signals intent. Clicks, exit-behavior and scrolling patterns provide hints about what customers want—and it’s up to you to understand these signals and respond with personalized experiences that resonate.
When behavioral data is paired with the right personalization platform, it allows you to seamlessly turn insights into experiences—making personalization scalable, measurable and effortless through:
Dynamic messaging – Sending overlays or product callouts to keep people on the page with relevant interactions.
Behavioral segmentation – Segmenting visitors by behavior and delivering tailored messages that match their interests.
Data-driven testing and experimentation – Leveraging advanced testing methods that reveal what drives connection.
Brands with a solid data strategy can spot valuable opportunities in real-time—transforming their first-party data into customized interactions that feel meaningful and authentic.
How behavior-based website journeys keep users engaged longer
Customers are hyper-connected—and hyper-aware. According to our research, 91% of survey respondents stated seeing at least one irrelevant ad every single day.
Customers notice when product highlights, offers and messages match their preferences, and when they do not. Website experiences that fail to resonate with visitors cause friction in the customer journey, but they also create a disconnect—resulting in disengagement, churn and lost credibility.
Creating better customer experiences starts with knowing the people behind the clicks and the scrolls. Partnering with the right technology provider, like Epsilon Accelerate, enriches your data to reveal more about your website visitors—why they're there, what they value and when they're ready to engage.
With the right platform, you can seamlessly design experiences that indicate you understand your customers by intuitively delivering what they need. Advanced tools make tailoring onsite experiences effortless—empowering you to create a path to purchase filled with relevant content that meaningfully engages—and drives measurable growth.
Data and insights: The foundation of effective personalization
When shoppers land on your product page or browse your homepage, they’re saying to your brand, “I want something you have to offer.” That’s the moment a meaningful exchange can happen.
Bridging the gap between intent and engagement takes building momentum by responding to your customers in real time, before their attention slips away. With the right tools, the smallest action a visitor takes on your site can start a journey of engagement that leads to real conversions and loyalty built over time.
How to leverage first-party data for seamless experiences
The right platform is built on a solid data foundation, ensuring your consumer data is cleansed and enhanced, empowering your brand with actionable insights. This is where your first-party data works for you—and with the right data strategy, intent can turn to action, fueling automated flows, like:
Intent recognition campaigns: Identifying exit-intent or repeat visits and triggering personalized notifications that encourage deeper engagement.
Advanced journey orchestration: Creating customized experiences at different stages, ensuring the next action feels intuitive and meaningful.
Progressive lead capture and form fills: Fluidly surfacing forms or surveys—gathering rich first-party data—while increasing personalization seamlessly.
When you create moments through personalization, you deliver the right message at the right time, closing the space between interest and action—ensuring every click is engaging and fuels the next best action for your customers.
Ultimately, visitor behavior is a goldmine for brands—providing actionable insights that boost engagement, increase retention and cultivate long-lasting loyalty.
Activate data in real time for stronger engagement
When your site responds in real time, it does more than surface products and display information—it drives action—resulting in better outcomes.
However, seamless customer experiences aren’t just about conversions—they’re a powerful way to build relationships with your customers. Building a solid first-party data foundation, through curated experiences is only the beginning.
The real power in personalizing the path to purchase—from one click to the next—lies in data activation. For example, a beauty brand might use browsing history to surface trending products on the next visit; a coffee brand could activate past search data to personalize an offer, or a clothing brand might trigger email campaigns tailored to those who’ve shown interest in certain products.
With the right data and technology, these actions happen seamlessly, elevating the customer journey through advanced, data-driven insights. The right website personalization technology can turn behavior into smarter recommendations that guide customers towards their next best action.
Harnessing data activation allows you to turn passive website traffic into meaningful experiences that build trust, loyalty, and revenue.
How website personalization fuels sustainable growth
Research shows that nearly 40% of consumers have abandoned over $100 per cart due to poor website experiences. Each cart a website visitor leaves behind represents lost revenue, and brands have the potential to reclaim billions by streamlining and personalizing the checkout process.
Personalization reduces website friction, increases onsite engagement and boosts customer retention. A powerful onsite personalization platform is the key to turning your high-traffic website into fuel for growth.
Brands that respond to cart abandonment with personalized messages—emails that remind visitors what’s in their cart or complementary product alerts—can turn untapped potential into relevant experiences that convert.
When marketers leverage their first-party data in real time, through personalization and data activation—they can intentionally build strategies that drive revenue.
Insights powered by expertise
With a solid data strategy, personalization becomes more than a brand tactic—it lays the foundation for increased trust, loyalty and retention. However, choosing the right technology is key.
Epsilon Accelerate enhances your data, making activation automatic—mapping journeys, creating relevant messages and testing and optimizing for better outcomes. Partnering with Epsilon can help you unlock the true power of your data—personalizing customer journeys at scale for one unified view, one shared vision and one consistent voice across your website.
When you're known for designing relevant journeys that provide value, it encourages visitors to return—not just to buy, but because they believe in your brand. That’s the true power of creating personalized website experiences.
---
## The top 3 digital media metrics you need to master
Type: eps_post
URL: /top-3-digital-media-metrics-master-heading-to-2026
Last Modified: 2026-03-26T17:36:58Z
# The top 3 digital media metrics you need to master
Can any marketing leader today afford to let media budget go unaccounted for? Not likely. Yet with the extended impact of signal loss, consumers’ cross-device consumption habits and continually increasing channel fragmentation, it’s harder than ever to prove media performance.
Digital media measurement is at an inflection point.
Many marketers are still relying on misleading “legacy” metrics that don’t reflect how media actually works today. To make the most out of ad spend, marketers need a new measurement playbook—a set of fresh, “leveled up” metrics to measure true efficiency, effectiveness and incrementality.
In The Digital Marketer’s Guide to Leveling Up Your Metrics, we unpack 10+ digital media metrics worth rethinking. These are the top three to master to set your brand up for success.
Metric #1: Why ROAS is out—and iROAS is in
Return on ad spend (ROAS) has been a gold standard in media measurement, but it isn’t telling you the full story. ROAS measures return from all conversions attributed to media—but not all conversions are caused by media.
This metric therefore inflates your performance when:
Baseline demand is high
When media is running alongside other influences outside your control
ROAS assumes all attributed revenue is caused by your advertising. But what about customers who would have purchased anyway? What about the impact of organic search, word-of-mouth or other marketing activations? Traditional ROAS often gives advertising credit for sales that would have happened regardless.
The shift for 2026: What iROAS tells you that ROAS can’t
Incremental ROAS (iROAS) is a conversion lift metric that isolates the lift generated specifically by your media—the conversions that would not have happened without the ad exposure. This metric separates correlation from causation by measuring all marketing efforts against your total revenue. iROAS offers a more accurate picture of whether media is actually driving performance by linking impression costs to downstream actions (like purchases).
In other words, iROAS measures how many conversions happened because of the advertising versus what would have happened anyway.
TLDR? iROAS helps to justify spend because it ties media spend to real, causal impact.
The double-click: Conversion lift 101
We know that not every meaningful outcome can be measured as a sale. Many of the actions that signal progress toward growth happen before revenue is realized: account creation, store visits, form fills, app installs or content engagement to name a few.
That’s where conversion lift comes in.
Conversion lift measures the incremental impact of advertising efforts on conversions, or in other words, the increase in number of conversions that can be attributed to media within a campaign or channel in your control versus factors outside of your control. Several methodologies exist, but the most accurate way is compare outcomes between a test group that was exposed to a brand’s ads and a control group that was not exposed (or even more rigorous: shown unbranded ads). By isolating the effect of media exposure, conversion lift helps marketers understand whether advertising actually changed behavior—or simply captured demand that already existed.
This test-versus-control approach is considered the gold standard for incrementality measurement. But even taking into consideration this methodology, not all conversion lift methodologies are created equal. The rigor of the experiment—how control groups are formed, how exposure is validated, who is doing the measurement and how bias is minimized—directly impacts how accurate and actionable the results are.
So what does this mean in practice for marketers?
While many walled gardens offer conversion lift reporting (which may seem compelling), those results often come with limited transparency and little insight into how lift was calculated and what actually performed well. On the other end of the spectrum, many other DSPs frequently rely on third-party lift vendors and cookie-based signals, which can introduce gaps in coverage and confidence. Epsilon is one of the only non-walled gardens that offers intensive conversion lift measurement conducted natively within our platform to deliver brands with transparency and objectivity.
Metric #2: CPM vs. eCPM: What you’re really paying for
In the current digital media environment, CPM is also a misleading metric. It measures the cost per thousand impressions—but not the quality of those impressions. As a result, CPM can reward cheap inventory that doesn’t reach real people or isn’t actually in view on the consumers’ screen.
Effective CPM (eCPM), on the other hand, adjusts CPM to be more accurate using performance factors like:
Quality of inventory
Ability to reach the right audience
Viewability
Identity accuracy
eCPM is therefore a more accurate reflection of what it really costs to reach a true, qualified consumer, which is becoming increasingly important today. With more media running across fragmented channels (CTV, mobile, in-app, retail media networks), cost surfaces are harder to compare. eCPM allows marketers to evaluate effectiveness across channels on an equal playing field.
Metric #3: Reach vs. unique reach: Why precision matters
The problem with standard reach is that the metric counts every impression, even if they come from the same person. This leads to inflated scale and misleading “coverage” metrics.
Unique reach is the new best practice for digital media measurement. It’s a true measurement of how many distinct people an ad reached. Relying on unique reach over traditional reach helps fight frequency waste, oversaturation and ad fatigue.
However, measuring unique reach can be harder than it sounds. It requires deterministic identity that can accurately find consumers and measure their ad impressions across devices and channels.
But many platforms rely on probabilistic modeling rather than deterministic identity. This results in both significant gaps (e.g., logged-out impressions that can’t be confidently tied back to a known consumer) and duplicate counts (e.g., failing to match multiple devices to the same consumer and counting them multiple times).
Epsilon COREid’s deterministic identity across 200M+ consumers helps brands reach and accurately measure more unique people rather than the same people repeatedly—improving efficiency and scale.
Why these 3 metrics matter
It’s no surprise that media budgets will continue to be under intense pressure. To meet targets and secure precious dollars, marketers need to measure performance with metrics that reflect real impact, not superficial activity.
iROAS, eCPM and unique reach help your team shift toward causality, effectiveness, efficiency and identity-driven measurement. These metrics aren’t just “nice to have”—they’re table stakes for smarter planning and reporting moving forward.
But this blog just scratches the surface. In our full guide, we break down how to level-up more foundational media metrics to better reflect real performance in today’s marketing landscape.
Get your copy now: Digital Marketer’s Guide to Leveling Up Your Metrics
---
## Are people traveling in 2026? It depends on their age and income
Type: eps_post
URL: /travel-trends
Last Modified: 2026-07-16T17:29:08Z
# Are people traveling in 2026? It depends on their age and income
From airport security stressors to economic instability, tariffs and global conflict, the travel industry has seen an incredible number of shifts over the past year—but that doesn't mean no one is traveling. It's more that the traveler profile has changed, and what travelers are interested in varies across age and income bracket.
In Epsilon Pulse research we've conducted over the past couple of years, we've noticed that when it comes to dealing with rising costs, the average consumer tends to adjust the "how" not the "what."
For holiday shopping, that might mean they choose to shop at less expensive stores. For travel, that might mean they opt to stay closer to home instead of prioritizing international trips, reduce their travel budget or opt for a "destination dupe."
For luxury consumers, however, the economic impact looks a little different. After all, price increases just don't impact this group in the same way they impact middle-class and lower-income consumers. This is an example of what economists call the K-shaped economy, where different segments of the population or different industries experience vastly different outcomes.
In the travel space, our research showed that luxury consumers are over-indexing on domestic and international travel, while other economic groups are feeling priced out.
In October 2025, Delta Airlines CEO Ed Bastian theorized that, in 2026, “effectively, none of our growth in seats will be in the main cabin. Virtually all will be in the premium sector,” speaking to the trend of luxury offerings outpacing more accessible options. So far, his prediction has been correct, with Delta's premium cabin ticket sales up 9% year over year.
So what does that mean for everyone else? Besides the adjustments mentioned above, our research found that 58% of travelers look for travel rewards programs to maximize savings (especially Gen Z and millennials), and 69% are willing to adjust their travel dates if it means scoring a better deal.
To give you a better sense of how people are traveling in 2026, we broke down our data by generation, highlighting the trends marketers need to know so they can reach their audience with messaging that resonates across channels.
How consumers travel across generations
Gen Z: The enthusiastic explorers
Gen Z travels and spends the most on both domestic and international trips. They're most likely to travel during the summer and over Christmas and New Year's, and 80% plan on traveling in the next year.
They're most interested in beach vacations, family-friendly trips and exploring major urban destinations and are more likely than any other generation to book a ski or snowboarding vacation. While they prefer booking hotels, they are more likely than other generations to book a vacation rental like Airbnb or Vrbo, a campsite, a bed and breakfast or a hostel.
Gen Z is eager to do more international travel and are most likely to book a trip based on something they saw on social media. They're also the most likely to use AI to plan their trips, with 68% of Gen Z saying they use AI in some way for travel (the most popular use cases include help with itinerary planning and packing tips).
Learn more about the latest Gen Z trends in our guide.
Millennials: The balanced adventurers
While they're not traveling or spending quite as much as Gen Z, millennials are still a big part of the modern travel mix. Seventeen percent of millennials report spending an upwards of $10,000 or more per household on travel, and like Gen Z, are more likely to travel during the summer months and Christmas and New Year's.
They are most likely to say they're planning to travel within the U.S. in the next year, and one in four millennials are planning to travel internationally. They prefer beach vacations, family-friendly locales and road trips and are mostly likely to book a hotel when they travel. Millennials are also more likely to prioritize local food and drink experiences compared to other generations and care the most about online reviews when they're planning a trip.
More than half say they've used AI for travel, with 30% of millennials using AI to search for travel deals and discounts and 28% using it to look for hotel reviews. Ultimately, this generation is leveraging AI to save time on research and simplify the trip-planning process.
Gen X: The practical planners
Gen X travels a lot less than their younger counterparts, but they still spend an average of $4,821 per household on travel (which is likely lower since they probably don't have kids at home). They travel pretty consistently throughout the year, especially in summer and fall, and prefer road trips, beach vacations and urban getaways compared to other types of trips.
They overwhelmingly prefer hotels when booking travel and are less likely to be open to different types of accommodations. Gen X highly values cleanliness, safety, value, price and location when choosing accommodations.
Thirty percent of this generation say they use AI for travel, mostly to look for deals and discounts and to find hotel reviews. For those who use AI for travel, the number one reason is to help them save time on research.
Boomers: The steady traditionalists
Boomers are most likely to say they haven't traveled domestically or internationally in the past year, but those who did spent an average of $4,976 per household.
They're most likely to travel in summer and fall, and they're more likely to travel in the fall than younger generations. Three in five boomers plan to travel in the next 12 months, with more than 50% planning to travel domestically and one in six planning to travel internationally.
How to win travel consumers in 2026
Travel may have changed a lot in the past year, but you can still optimize your marketing strategy to reach people when they're planning their next trip.
Focus on knowing your customers: Struggling to identify your customers? Leveraging first- and third-party data gives you a single view of every customer and all their associated touchpoints. With these insights, you can provide customized offers for every single person in your database. That might look like sharing premium offers with luxury travelers or sharing value offers for those who are looking for discounts.
Ensure you have high-quality data to power AI performance: As more people use AI to plan and book travel, keep AI visibility in mind when you're creating marketing collateral and partner with vendors that take an AI-first approach with their strategy. In an IDC White Paper sponsored by Epsilon, Lynne Schneider says, “In marketing, the success of AI-driven initiatives is directly tied to the quality of the data that powers them. When marketers rely on clean, current, and well-organized data, predictive and generative AI tools can effectively segment audiences, personalize messaging and optimize campaign performance."
Choose a partner who can help you reach your audience across channels: Look for a partner that can help you reach the right people with a message that resonates. Epsilon offers more than just data; we can help brands activate on it as well through display advertising, CTV, online video and more through Epsilon Digital.
Research methodology: This study was in field from April 17 to April 27, 2026, and aimed to uncover key insights into travel planning behaviors, what types of vacations consumers seek and how they choose between accommodations, loyalty program trends, factors that influence repeat bookings and customer retention. To qualify for the research, respondents had to be between 18 and 77 years of age.
IDC White Paper, sponsored by Epsilon, Improve Data Quality to Support Quality AI Outcomes, #US53663025, July 2025
---
## Super Bowl insights: Consumer viewing preferences, ad perceptions and more
Type: eps_post
URL: /super-bowl-consumer-insights
Last Modified: 2026-02-03T16:00:05Z
# Super Bowl insights: Consumer viewing preferences, ad perceptions and more
How are consumers tuning into the Super Bowl in 2026?
We finally know which teams are officially headed to Super Bowl LX, but before it’s time to dig into a game day–worthy spread of hot wings and seven-layer dip–let’s take a closer look at how consumers plan to watch the Big Game this year.
Epsilon’s sports marketing research looked at how consumers across generations are watching sports today, and we especially wanted to understand how they plan to engage with major sporting events like the Super Bowl.
We asked consumers how they’re watching sports—think streaming versus cable and TV versus smartphones—and asked them to break down their sports viewership in terms of frequency, by sport and the impact of advertisements.
Our research aimed to paint a picture of what the average Super Bowl viewer looks like today to help marketers make more strategic ad-spending decisions (and learn a little more about their audience along the way).
Let’s break down some of our top insights from the research to get started.
4 Super Bowl insights from Epsilon’s 2026 sports marketing research
7 in 10 consumers plan to watch the Big Game this year.
Football is the most popular sport across generations, with 67% of U.S. consumers tuning in, and the Super Bowl is the most popular sporting event by a landslide.
Younger generations are especially interested in watching the Big Game, with 76% of Gen Z planning on watching. Gen Z especially likes watching sports as a social event with friends and family and actively make time to watch games.
When it comes to where they're watching, consumers can access the Super Bowl via a number of streaming and traditional TV platforms, including NBC, SlingTV, Peacock and NFL+.
For advertisers, it's crucial that your advertising strategy reaches consumers no matter where they're watching and that it tells a cohesive story whether consumers view your ad on TV, streaming or social channels.
Commercials are more than fun to watch—they also drive purchasing decisions.
We wouldn’t be a marketing company if we didn’t talk about the commercials. When it comes to commercials, 41% of sports viewers always or often watch them (put that in your pitch deck).
More than 30% of Gen Z, millennials and Gen X find commercials fun to watch, and only 21% across generations find them intrusive or annoying (phew!).
And it’s not just for entertainment: Our research found that 25% of sports viewers go on to look for more information about a product or brand after watching a commercial, and 16% end up making a purchase, which is especially true for younger generations.
So, a Super Bowl commercial isn’t just a tool for brand awareness. With the right mix of messaging and value, it can help you discover more prospects, move them forward in the customer journey and hopefully increase conversions.
Most Super Bowl viewers plan to watch most or all of the game—and they may be watching it on their phones.
Compared to a typical sporting event, the Big Game is special when it comes to viewership. People don’t just have it on in the background or watch it for a little bit—they’re way more likely to watch most or all of the Super Bowl.
And what device are they watching it on? Similar to the results in our annual media consumption report, we found that among sports viewers, 92% watch on the big screen, but almost half (45%) watch on their smartphones. Gen Z and millennials are more likely than the older generations to use devices other than a TV to watch sports.
The Super Bowl is the #1 sporting event U.S. consumers are interested in actually attending.
Attending sports events in-person is a popular choice for sports enthusiasts and casual fans alike, whether it’s in their city or state or across the country, especially for younger generations.
We asked consumers about their interest in attending major sporting events this year, including:
The Super Bowl
The FIFA World Cup
March Madness
The MLB World Series
The Winter Olympics / Paralympics
Stanley Cup Playoffs
Tennis majors / Grand Slam events
Golf majors / special events
Unsurprisingly, the Super Bowl was consumers’ number one pick in terms of interest and likelihood of going. Fifteen percent across generations say they’re considering attending the event, and the number jumps to 33% of Gen Z and one in five millennials.
The second and third top events consumers want to see in-person include the FIFA World Cup and March Madness, and in general, there's a clear appetite for attending in-person sporting events. Our research found that consumers who go to sporting events spend up to $923 per year on attending in-person games.
How Epsilon can help you reach the right consumers
Targeting advertising spending during major sporting events can be a great way to engage with your audience, but it only works if you understand your customers and prospects on a deeper level.
Find out how Epsilon Data can help by filling in the gaps in your customer understanding and activating relevant pre-built and custom audiences in the channels where your customers are.
This research highlights data from a 12-minute online consumer survey ran by Epsilon’s Shopper’s Voice. It was in field from January 5 to January 8 of 2026 and included consumers from the ages of 18 to 77. The sample was weighted by age and gender to align with the U.S. census distribution.
---
## Target your customers by behavior: A guide to behavioral segmentation
Type: eps_post
URL: /segmenting-customer-behavior
Last Modified: 2025-12-08T21:07:35Z
# Target your customers by behavior: A guide to behavioral segmentation
Marketing segmentation has always been a key component of the most effective digital strategies. Dividing customers into smaller groups based on their needs and actions ensures you are best placed to efficiently solve their problems and in turn, sell more of your products.
Maximizing your first-party data—like customer location, age and gender—is a key first step towards seeing a clearer picture of who your customers are. But if you want to truly know what motivates them and offer them what matters—you need to go deeper. This is where behavioral-based data segmentation comes in.
Behavioral data segmentation can help you identify how your customers interact with your products and services. Fueling your strategy with tools like Epsilon’s proprietary data, can offer valuable insights that are actionable in real time, and help you guide shoppers through each touchpoint seamlessly.
This blog will define behavioral segmentation, break down its key benefits and outline the four main types of segmentation that—with the right solutions in place—can be leveraged to optimize your marketing strategy, create tailored onsite experiences and drive conversions.
What is behavioral segmentation?
In marketing, behavioral segmentation is a way to divide your customers into segments based on their behavioral patterns when they interact with a particular business or website.
Grouping people that visit your ecommerce business by purchase behavior, product usage and brand interaction in this way offers marketers a more holistic view of each shopper, enabling tailored onsite experiences that align products and messaging to each individual customer’s needs.
Going beyond the traditional demographic and geographic segmentation methods and utilizing behavioral data allows for the execution of more successful marketing campaigns.
Why is behavioral segmentation important?
If you have a successful ecommerce business, you most likely already know a bit about who your customers are. Behavioral segmentation goes a step further, revealing what they do—and why.
Every action a shopper takes on your site can provide you with deeper layers of insight into their motivation and intent—ensuring you connect seamlessly and provide onsite experiences that reflect their needs and interests.
Behavioral segmentation can enhance your marketing efforts in these important ways:
Identifies your most engaged users. The ability to filter existing customers and potential prospects by levels of engagement will enable you to make more informed decisions on how and where to best allocate time and resources—so you can focus on those most likely to make a purchase.
Improves messaging accuracy. Imagine you’ve already identified that 24- to 35-year-olds are the most active segment on your site. Behavioral segmentation can then adapt messaging and experiences to match those behavioral trends—based on shared engagement patterns.
Provides refined personalized experiences. Offeringpersonal touches—like recommending related products or sending a timely upsell email—can lower bounce rate, reduce cart abandonment and speed up the purchasing process.
Builds brand loyalty. Behavioral segmentation is key for ecommerce brands seeking to keep customers happy, boost repeat business and grow revenue over time by making targeting more accurate and offering unique onsite experiences.
Epsilon Accelerate provides granular data segmentation and analytics that you can tap into for advanced insights from various touchpoints. Fueled by industry-leading data and identity resolution, our solutions are built to provide a clear view of who is shopping your site—and respond in real time.
And the more clearly you can see your customers, the easier it will be to provide customized onsite experiences that build meaningful connections and drive higher ROI.
What are the four types of behavioral segmentation?
Customers expect personalized experiences. When done right, segmentation can help you create onsite experiences that feel personal to each customer—ensuring they feel like you know them.
Let’s break down four main types of behavioral segmentation that provide a holistic view of your customer throughout their buying journey. Each one reveals actionable insights you can use across touchpoints to help guide their purchase decisions.
1. Segmentation based on purchase and usage behavior
Segmenting by purchase behavior can help you pinpoint varying trends, and behavior patterns that customers have at purchase. Businesses that leverage this type of segmentation benefit from seeing a map of each customer’s position in their journey—their role in the purchasing process, the obstacles they are facing, the incentives they’re most likely to respond to—allowing for timely, personalized engagement.
2. Occasion or timing-based segmentation
Occasion-based segmentation categorizes customers who are most likely to interact with your brand or purchase from your website on either specific occasions or set times. It can also be triggered by a customer’s daily routine, like a happy hour round of drinks after work or routinely buying a morning coffee beverage.
3. Benefits-sought segmentation
Segmenting by benefits sought refers to dividing your audience based on the unique value proposition your customer is looking to gain from your product or service.
For example, some people buy toothpaste for whitening benefits while others seek comfort to their sensitive gums. Investing in the right technology can ensure that you surface products that are most relevant to the benefit each person cares about most.
4. Segmentation based on customer loyalty
Loyalty-based segmentation measures the level of engagement a customer has with your brand—distinguishing between first-time buyers, repeat shoppers or high-tiered rewards program members.
The goal of this type of segmentation isn’t just recognizing your best customers, it can help you focus on repeat customers, their needs, behavior patterns—ultimately, optimizing future campaigns, improving your businesses’ value proposition and strengthening your brand positioning.
Other types of behavioral segmentation
In addition to purchase, benefit, loyalty and timing-based segments, there are other types of behavioral segmentation you can use to optimize the onsite experiences of your ecommerce business—such as customer journey stage, engagement and customer satisfaction.
Segmentation based on customer journey stage
Segmenting by customer journey gives direction to your business objectives and helps you provide a path for customers to seamlessly move from awareness to retention. The insight to nudge customers from desire to purchase requires well-positioned product imagery and good website design.
Our onsite personalization platform provides a data-driven approach that streamlines website journeys, offering a comprehensive view of each stage your customer is in, as well as touchpoints they interact with—increasing opt-in rates, conversion rates and AOV.
Segmentation based on engagement
Just like customer journey stage segmentation, grouping customers based on their engagement levels can help you to understand the reasons why their behavior falls into specific categories.
Customer engagement is categorized by three levels:
Occasional: Occasional customers are not in regular contact with your brand.
Regular: Regular customers interact with your products or services but fail to use them to the full extent.
Intensive: Intensive customers are those who are intensive advocates of your product or service.
Segmenting your customers in this way will aid customer retention by dividing the relevant materials between those engaged, and those unengaged, and ultimately help to reduce churn.
Segmentation based on satisfaction
Behavioral segmentation based on satisfaction is the most straightforward of them all. Customer feedback—like surveys and NPS scores—can help you to enhance your product or service by understanding which features your customers most desire, or which could help you stay ahead of competitors.
Conclusion
By segmenting customers based on their behavioral data, you gain a more comprehensive look at how you can adjust your messaging, brand, marketing materials and ultimately products or services to stay ahead of the competition and reduce your customer churn.
While creating marketing campaigns that resonate and offering customized onsite experiences does require deeper insight into your customer—that’s just the start. Leveraging that insight effectively is the only way to execute higher performing campaigns and drive better outcomes.
Establishing an effective behavioral segmentation strategy takes an investment in a technology partner that can provide a solid foundation of data and identity for you to build on. Epsilon Accelerate offers best-in-class identification and onsite personalization capabilities that can help seamlessly communicate with your shoppers—always sending them the right message at the right time.
---
## 3 marketing challenges you faced in 2024, and how to solve them in 2025
Type: eps_post
URL: /3-marketing-challenges-you-faced-2024-how-solve-them-2025
Last Modified: 2025-05-01T16:15:25Z
# 3 marketing challenges you faced in 2024, and how to solve them in 2025
2024 was a year of dizzying changes in adtech: Google’s back-and-forth on cookie deprecation, Chrome’s potential spinoff and ongoing antitrust issues, increased fragmentation and wasted ad spend—oh, and an AI boom. With change happening constantly, how can marketers ensure their strategies for the rest of 2025 (and even 2026) are future-proofed and resilient?
In our recent Adweek webinar, Turning 2024 Marketing Challenges into 2025 Wins, experts Matt Feczko, VP of product management at Epsilon, and Nikhil Lai, guest speaker, senior analyst at Forrester, delved into the most common hurdles marketers face and the strategies to overcome them. Here’s what we learned.
1. You can still uniquely reach customers in the wake of data deprecation
Challenge: Data deprecation entails the interplay of various factors, which makes it a particularly tricky problem for marketers to solve. “This is not just about whether Google will deprecate third-party cookies in Chrome—it’s four forces coming together,” Lai said in the webinar. Lai continued to explore how data deprecation is really the confluence of consumers’ dissatisfaction with audience targeting’s status quo, regulatory restraints, browser and operating system restrictions, and walled gardens dimming signals across the open internet.
Solution: Shifting focus to first-party data is critical to uniquely reach customers. That can mean a few different things—but building a loyalty program and leveraging customer data platforms (CDP) to enhance your understanding of customer behavior are great ways to start. The key is to fill in the gaps in your customer file so you can get a comprehensive view of people and uniquely reach them across the open web, despite any data loss. "[First-party data] is like an amusement park fast pass where you can get right to the front of the line because you already know your customer so well," said Matt Feczko, VP of product development at Epsilon.
While building up your first-party data is essential, you also need to be conscious of whether or not you're stuck in the advertising "hot zone." The "hot zone" forms when marketers are struggling with the impact of data deprecation and signal loss, so they end up messaging easy-to-reach (but less valuable) customers over and over again, simply because they're reachable. But in reality, the most valuable customers are the ones that are hardest to find and reach. Here’s what we mean:
So, how do you ensure you’re not stuck with only reaching people in this “hot zone”? Alongside focusing on building a first-party data foundation, the key is to invest in people-based identity and work with a partner that is able to uniquely reach those people inside the "marketer opportunity" zone—which Feczko said means "reaching customers outside of walled gardens, recent site buys and inventory buys."
Still confused about the advertising "hot zone"? In the short video, our expert breaks it down further:
2. To get the most out of AI, start by asking the right questions
Challenge: AI has provided a huge unlock for marketers—we’ve seen it transform advertising, enhance targeting and personalization and democratize the creative process. “But better AI and more precise audiences are not excuses for ignoring the fact that you need a strong identity foundation, rich customer profiles, and the right identity resolution solutions to view customers comprehensively,” Lai highlighted.
And while AI presents tremendous potential, many organizations still struggle to use it fully.
Solution: “A lot of times from clients we hear, ‘Where should we start?' or 'How do I even use AI to improve my business?’” Feczko recalled. “I say, you should start with the business questions instead of starting with AI.” Those questions could be:
How are my recent customers different than lapsed customers?
How do I acquire younger customers?
How are my “one and done” customers different than my “loyal” customers?
By aligning on those questions beforehand, you align on what really matters—and what results you really want to see. “Start by understanding your customers and applying AI insights to inspire creative strategies," he advised.
And of course, as mentioned earlier by Lai, AI is not an excuse to skimp on a strong identity resolution solution. "Without a people-based identity solution and a strong data foundation, it's garbage in, garbage out when it comes to AI," Feczko noted.
3. The channels consumers are paying attention to are often the hardest to measure—but they don’t have to be
Challenge: Measuring performance across various channels and non-linear customer journeys is complex. “Marketers find offline channels relatively difficult to measure… and yet, although they find them harder to measure, that’s where consumers are spending the most time,” Lai noted. “There’s this paradox where marketers over-index spend and focus [on online channels]… but consumers are actually paying a lot more attention offline.” Essentially, the consumer journey is as non-linear as ever, and brands need to perform on all channels. Easy, right?
Solution: Effective measurement requires blending brand and performance strategies. As Lai pointed out, aligning marketing efforts across the funnel is paramount. “There’s in-market people everywhere, but they’re also going in and out of market constantly. Your best customers six months ago may not be your best customers today,” Feczko noted. This is where AI comes in—specifically, predictive AI. “It can help start to pick up these signals, build audiences and refresh them all the time. We’re really encouraging marketers to think about a broader strategy and try to engage as many customers as possible.” So, don’t isolate to a small subset of your customers on a single channel—instead, work towards an omnichannel strategy that can deliver the right message to all.
Taking it home
As we look to the second half of 2025, marketers have what they need to transform challenges into opportunities. By focusing on first-party data, leveraging AI, enhancing personalization, and refining measurements, brands can navigate the evolving landscape with confidence. If you found these insights helpful and want to learn more, listen to the full webinar here.
---
## Reimagine brand growth with AI-powered loyalty
Type: eps_post
URL: /create-brand-growth-with-loyalty-ai
Last Modified: 2026-02-09T19:49:17Z
# Reimagine brand growth with AI-powered loyalty
Every brand has a story. Whether it’s told through clothes, music or skincare, that story—when crafted in meaningful and creative ways—is what draws people in and keeps them coming back.
Loyalty programs are uniquely positioned to keep that story alive. Because they invite people in, loyalty programs play a pivotal role in nurturing a brand’s relationship with its customers through interactions that make people feel part of a distinct community.
How a brand acknowledges their customers, remembers them and invites them back, not just to purchase more—but to show gratitude and recognition—is what drives sustainable growth through deeper customer engagement, retention and increased lifetime value.
But, while many loyalty programs work, some fall short of the mark. The path forward is through AI. Leveraging advanced AI-enabled loyalty technologies can help brands bridge the gap, deepening customer relationships with fresh thinking that takes loyalty initiatives from a state of potential to measurable growth.
Redefining loyalty through AI
As consumer expectations evolve, so does the technology people use to connect, and both factors heavily influence how people engage with and experience your brand. It’s this evolution that’s outpacing industry standards.
What once grabbed attention—a discount or complementary gift at point-of-sale—is no longer enough to make an impact. Brands looking to cut through the noise and turn their loyalty programs into a strategic growth lever need to spark consumer interest in creative ways.
Yet, amid the challenges, new possibilities are taking shape, providing loyalty program managers the ability to cultivate strategies that tap into innovation without over-complicating their workloads. With AI introducing new ways to engage customers and create unique experiences, loyalty programs can become a vehicle for brands to attract, retain and inspire lifelong advocacy from their customers.
The right loyalty partner frees up time to surface real-time insights for smarter, better decision-making and faster campaign execution. AI-enabled technologies allow busy loyalty program managers the ability to strategize beyond short-term wins—setting in place campaigns that improve over time.
Investing in the right loyalty partner can help you combine data-driven personalization with meaningful forms of recognition that spark an active, ongoing conversation—reviving how you engage customers, provide value and orchestrate member journeys that resonate. And that’s what truly drives growth.
Maximize the true power of your loyalty data
According to Harvard Business Review, loyalty leaders grow revenues roughly 2.5 times faster than their competitors. The reason? Loyalty programs have powerful growth opportunities within them—data.
Your first-party data is what allows you to personalize offers, make product recommendations and build customer relationships through targeted segmentation. It gives direct insight into consumer behavior, preferences and motivations, allowing marketers a clear view of their customers.
With a solid data strategy, you can innovate—creating uniquely differentiated experiences that reengage your loyal customers and also allows you to connect with prospective high-value segments. The right loyalty software unifies customer profiles across channels, cleansing and connecting it, so you can see the full picture of each person, and cultivate loyal relationships.
With the right data, brands can elevate the conversation from rewards based on how customers engaged with them in the past to crafting messages based on a vision of what’s next. First-party data, enhanced through identity resolution and amplified by supporting data sources, allows you to:
Understand your customers more deeply
Personalize every touchpoint
Identify high-value customers
Predict churn and prevent it
The right data and technology lays the groundwork for what’s next: loyalty program interactions that make a lasting impact.
Harness AI to fuel growth and engagement
According to our loyalty research, 70% or consumer respondents are motivated to participate in loyalty programs because they like what's being offered and find it of value. AI allows loyalty marketers to make interactions unique, memorable and customized to each individual.
By using AI-driven strategies, marketers can create campaigns that personalize at scale and respond in real time, allowing them the ability to do more with their loyalty programs than ever before. AI-enabled technology informs and advises—empowering marketers to build effective strategies that bring the purpose, value and vision of their brand to life for their customers.
In this way, AI does more than connect—it ensures every purchase, click and interaction facilitates meaningful consumer-brand engagement that establishes an emotional connection. Leveraging real-time insights is what helps brands show genuine understanding of their customers in a way that stands out.
The right data and technology offers rich insights that, fueled by AI, supports decision-making that informs smarter strategic execution and enhanced creativity. Using AI-enabled technology can help facilitate:
Campaign testing and optimization – Test different versions of your loyalty campaigns and identify what resonates most with your customers.
Data-driven strategy enhancement – Leverage behavioral analytics to adapt to shifting customer interests and trends.
Customized offer optimization – Tailor offers in real-time based on past behavioral data, ensuring every offer is compelling and provides value.
Predictive forecasting analysis – Forecast campaign outcomes and identify untapped potential, trends and growth opportunities.
AI-powered loyalty is about transforming how you reach customers, allowing you to build seamless loyalty marketing campaigns that resonate with your customers across touch points.
Leverage AI as a partner
According to Epsilon Pulse research, 94% of marketers have adopted AI for marketing, leaving a small contingent that has yet to explore these capabilities. In essence, AI is changing the way marketers are looking to connect with their customers, how they go about creating and executing campaigns—and ultimately, what approach they take to driving revenue growth
Loyalty programs are entering an exciting point in their evolution. According to Forrester, in 2024, 54% of U.S. online adults agreed that loyalty programs influence what they buy, and 64% agreed that programs influence where they make purchases.
With AI-enabled technologies, loyalty marketers can re-envision each touchpoint, curate personalized offers and shape engaging member journeys that influence how customers experience their brand.
A pharmaceutical retailer builds wellness with data-driven loyalty
Rather than continue investing in a loyalty program model that offered basic rewards, Walgreens reimagined their approach. The pharmaceutical retailer made a strategic move to create a space where customers could look after their well-being by providing personalized experiences for over a million active myWalgreens members.
Recognizing their data potential, Walgreens made a strategic move to digitally transform member journeys and strengthen their relationships with personalized consumer-brand interactions that established them as a trusted health partner. "Our ability to take [first-party] data and connect at an individual level—and then serve up the things that are most important to meet [our customer's] needs— that is golden," says Tracey D. Brown, president of Walgreens retail and chief customer officer.
By predicting, personalizing and optimizing in real time, Walgreens gave their customers access to information important to their healthcare journeys, and created meaningful and holistic experiences. Partnering with Epsilon allowed Walgreens to anticipate customer needs, deliver value and continuously optimize the experience, resulting in authentically differentiated experiences that grossed $10 million in revenue in a single quarter.
As Brown explains, "We have to have the partnership of a great partner that brings that expertise of data, tools and technology—mixed with Walgreens. We got your health and wellness needs covered. That is how you actually start to help change the overall future of health and well-being..."
Walgreens delivered the kind or care that made their customers feel seen, understood and left them thinking, “They get me.” This level of personalized attention is what makes brands stand out—not because they offer discounts and rewards, but because of shared moments built on real customer understanding.
Innovation scaled by AI drives measurable outcomes
Loyalty programs are a valuable asset and play a critical role in building community, fostering affinity and driving growth. They are a powerful way to tell a cohesive brand story and create experiences that resonate.
The next frontier of loyalty is powered by quality data and AI. The right loyalty partner provides both.
Epsilon’s AI-powered loyalty technology can turn your data into meaningful action, reinvigorating the way you connect with your customers, helping you keep up with the latest trends—and drive them. Investing in the right partner frees your time to lead with imagination and execute loyalty initiatives with precision and speed—all while fostering a community of long-term loyalists, passionate about your brand.
---
## Navigating the challenges of a fragmented adtech stack
Type: eps_post
URL: /navigating-challenges-fragmented-adtech-stack
Last Modified: 2025-12-09T21:54:31Z
# Navigating the challenges of a fragmented adtech stack
How to avoid fragmentation in the adtech stack
Imagine working on a jigsaw puzzle where each piece is from a different set. That's how it feels to be an advertiser today.
As we've transitioned from static media buying of yesteryear to the dynamic digital ecosystem of today, a brand's adtech stack has come to feel like a sort of labyrinth; an amalgamation of different technologies that all do something different but are still, somehow, interconnected.
While each piece of the adtech stack plays a vital role, it's a breeding ground for fragmentation. And fragmentation, as most marketers know, creates chaos and hinders performance—and all around makes your job harder.
Keep reading to learn just how complicated the media buying process can get and how advertisers can solve for this complexity by unifying and connecting their adtech stack.
How to unravel the digital ad-buying ecosystem
Ad buying isn't as simple as it once was. The digital advertising ecosystem comprises several key technologies and platforms—each playing a role in how ads are bought, sold and delivered.
4 key components of the media-buying process
At a fundamental level there are four key components to understand how the process works:
Programmatic advertisers use demand-side platforms (DSPs) to purchase impressions.
Then, those DSPs communicate with ad exchanges or networks where the available advertising inventory is auctioned in real-time.
This process can also include customer data platforms (CDPs), which help brands get a clear view of their customer by collecting, aggregating and analyzing data from different sources.
And supply-side platforms (SSPs) manage inventory for publishers, ensuring their ad space is filled in the most optimal way.
Oftentimes, each of these pieces are different entities, which makes the process incredibly complicated simply coordinating between all these different partners. Add on the fact that marketers need to actually identify their customers in real-time to ensure their messages are reaching the right people, then measure the impact and insights of their campaigns, and it feels almost impossible.
How does fragmentation impact your adtech stack?
Unsurprisingly, this process contributes to significant pain points for marketers:
Cost inefficiencies from working with multiple disconnected vendors, leading to redundant spending as each technology carries its own costs and management.
Data gaps from disconnected systems lead to incomplete customer journeys, poor identity resolution, and ineffective targeting.
Scalability issues when vendors and systems don't seamlessly integrate.
What happens when the fragmented adtech stack (inevitably) fails
Let's look at specific problem areas within a fragmented tech stack and explore how advertisers can navigate these issues:
Poor identity resolution
The problem: Most platforms in an advertiser's stack likely rely on cookies or probabilistic signals for identity resolution instead of persistent identifiers that can recognize and reach customers across channels.
Let's say your DSP is looking for people based on a cookie, while the ad network identifies them based on a different identifier (and your DMP and SSP know them through their own cookies as well). This creates multiple disconnects when simply trying to deliver an ad to an individual. If your DSP is looking for one person, but the ad network doesn't recognize them in the same way, then they'll never match and you'll never reach that person. This leads to wasted ad impressions, duplicative messaging and limited personalization capabilities to name a few.
Identity resolution is the backbone of good campaign performance—without it, you risk missing your best customers.
The solution: To navigate these issues, marketers need an identity solution that is rooted in deterministic identity, meaning it does not rely on cookies. Think about it—what happens when those cookies crumble? You lose that connection with your best customers. The devil’s in the details. You need to ask your partners how they match to a person—and if you hear a lot of identifier terms like "email" and "devices," or they talk about using multiple identity graphs versus a person with offline and online signals, you’re probably dealing with identifiers (like a cookie) and not a true connected identity.
Strategy-to-execution misalignment
The problem: Another hurdle that comes with multiple pieces of technology and, in turn, multiple vendors is the misalignment between business goals and campaign execution. Anybody can buy media—not everyone can execute on an end-to-end customer strategy. Many platforms default to what's easily trackable rather than what's meaningful, like sales or loyalty.
The solution: Advertisers need to work with partners who actually understand what they're trying to achieve. Ensuring that campaign setups are clearly mapped to business goals and are planned against real behaviors—rather than proxies—can mitigate these missteps.
Massive execution silos
The problem: Lots of people and players can work together, but do they actually all live in the same ecosystem? For example, strategy, media and analytics functions often operate separately across teams or platforms. This separation causes delays in optimizations, missed insights and reactive planning instead of proactive strategies.
The solution: To break down these silos, advertisers should work to establish unified ownership across the campaign lifecycle. Real-time collaboration between the data, strategy and delivery teams, along with establishing a single source of truth for insights and performance data, ensures a seamless campaign execution.
Confusing attribution and measurement
The problem: Marketers are often settling for "good enough" measurement. Inflated or inconsistent attribution models can obscure performance, misallocate budgets, weaken forecasting, and erode cross-functional trust. But think about it—do you accept “good enough” in any other part of your business? Not in product innovation. Not in customer experience. Not in growth. So why settle for it in measurement?
The solution: You want to make sure you have holistic closed-loop measurement that connects media exposure to both online and offline conversions at the individual level. When you know exactly what's working—and what's not—you make smarter decisions and drive better outcomes.
Key questions to ask your measurement partner
Some key questions to ask your measurement partner include:
Are we measuring real people or relying on modeled assumptions?
How much of our attribution is deterministic vs. probabilistic?
Can we validate individual-level impressions and conversions?
Are we connecting media spend directly to revenue impact?
Can we see unified performance across all channels?
How quickly can we optimize based on real-time insights?
What to do based on the answers above:
If the answers are strong, double down. Ensure your teams are using this data to inform creative, targeting, and spend decisions. Push foreven more granularity (e.g., by channel, cohort, or geography)and consider layering in incrementality testing and lifetime value tracking.
If the answers are weak or unclear, you're likely leaving performance—and budget—on the table. Explore partners who offer deterministic, people-based measurement. Push for transparency, validation, and real-time feedback loops to power smarter marketing and start small by piloting closed-loop measurement on a campaign and compare results.
Ad buying is not as simple as it once was—and maybe that's okay.
So, the adtech stack is getting a little complicated—that doesn't mean it has to derail your campaign execution and performance. At the end of the day, the one thing that will truly solve for these challenges is a connected adtech stack, meaning one platform conducts the ad buying and serving process.
Connectivity reduces the number of handoffs between partners and platforms, ensuring seamless data integration throughout campaign stages. This connectivity allows your adtech platform to grow with you, preventing the need for constant patching and piecemeal solutions.
How Epsilon can help you connect
As the digital landscape continues to evolve—as we know it will—marketers need to invest in technologies that simplify their adtech stack rather than complicate it.
Epsilon Digital's end-to-end solution handles every step of the process for you, from onboarding to activation to measurement. It's is the only programmatic ad solution with full visibility into all consumer interactions and purchases across the open web, so you can learn and optimize on the fly.
See what a truly connected adtech can do for your advertising.
---
## Master customer understanding: How identity resolution transforms marketing
Type: eps_post
URL: /master-customer-understanding-identity-resolution-marketing
Last Modified: 2025-10-29T17:58:41Z
# Master customer understanding: How identity resolution transforms marketing
Identity resolution might sound overly technical or tedious, but it's foundational to marketing today. In today's digital-first environment, recognizing and reaching customers across channels and devices is incredibly complex. Being able to actually speak to people like you know them (because you do) starts with getting identity resolution right, which is no small task. It starts with cleaning up your own customer data—in fact, it might be one of the most critical ongoing processes in your marketing engine.
Keep reading to learn more about how identity resolution can power your marketing strategy.
Identity resolution: the foundation for deep customer understanding
Identity resolution is key for marketers looking to bolster their campaigns. It allows brands to know their customers more deeply because they can see beyond their limited view of them. As brands move away from using third-party cookies, identity resolution has emerged as a powerful means to connect with consumers.
That’s because it organizes a brand’s first-party data to align and enrich it. A solid first-party data strategy is centered around identity resolution, and when used in martech tools like customer data platforms (CDPs), clean rooms or engagement platforms, marketers can build higher-performing campaigns that reach the right people.
Unifying customer data for a holistic view
Consumer data is inherently fragmented. When brands use identity resolution inside their martech and adtech, they can see what their customers are doing in the wild and use that data to fill in data gaps. Once those gaps are filled, brands can build more holistic profiles and use those insights to build a better audience.
Identity resolution helps unify data by assigning individuals a unique, privacy-complaint identifier. These identifiers are accurate, constantly optimized and can connect disparate data points, giving brands a single view of each consumer.
This is important because consumers have, on average, more than five identifiers attached to them, such as emails, device IDs and cookies. Identity resolution helps brands identify customers in their existing file that they may be counting more than once, and connect disparate behaviors to a single profile. For instance, a brand might “count” a person twice because one profile is attached to their email while the other is attached to their device ID.
The power of "seeing customers better"
When a brand has more holistic customer profiles, they can create stronger marketing strategies for all their customers, including prospects. That's why identity resolution is critical in martech like CDPs.
For the customers they already know, they can develop more personalized marketing that speaks to an individual's interests on the channels and devices they prefer.
They can also identify customers who are loyal to their brand that they don’t have first-party data on. These are shoppers or customers who perhaps frequently buy but, for a variety of reasons (buying with cash, for example), haven’t attached their purchases to their name or device.
Brands can also identify potential reasons customers are dropping off. Customers abandon brands for a variety of reasons. When data gaps are filled, it often puts pieces into a puzzle. Did they leave because they moved out of the market? Have they been buying a competitor?
Speaking of dropping off, brands can now target disengaged customers because they have a fuller picture of what motivates them, including which devices they prefer. And they can win over competitors' customers by using third-party data to see whether customers are shopping with competitors. This helps marketers try to win them back.
And lastly, new customers are also easier to find. A more accurate view of their customers gives brands an important window into who buys from them now, and they can use those insights to find new customers who look just like them.
Driving precision and efficiency in digital media and advertising
Minimizing ad waste and maximizing reach
Holistic customer profiles narrow down which customers are most likely to engage with a brand, and that person-based identity solution gives brands the power to measure at an individual level. Knowing what works (and what doesn’t) reduces a brand’s media waste. And when something doesn't work, they can pivot faster because of granular attribution.
But it also opens up a brand's universe of buyers. Marketers can marry online and offline identities, including transaction data or identifiers like email, back to a pseudonymized ID and gain even more insights into a customer’s preferences and behaviors. This maximized reach is what allows brands to reach their customers—including those who've fallen off for whatever reason—and attract new customers who look like their best ones.
Overcoming walled gardens
This measurement capability extends to spaces like walled gardens. Walled gardens in the marketing ecosystem are extremely common and employed by tech giants like Google, Meta and Amazon. Brands using walled gardens to run ad campaigns often get limited view into their results and aren't given granular measurement on the people and audiences their ads reached.
Measurement is difficult within walled gardens because of the disparate nature of reporting and identity across environments. Each walled garden differs in what measurement it offers, meaning metrics can vary across each platform and can be hard to compare. And it's extremely hard to track and understand users across these platforms.
Technology like a data clean room that has identity resolution built in can provide multi-touch, multi-attribution at scale across channels and platforms, including walled gardens.
Enhancing retail media performance
Identity resolution also bolstered retail media performance. Retail media thrives when it enables retailers to connect brands with real shoppers in ways others can't. Person-level identity gives brands and retailers to connect those audiences and measure the success of campaigns delivered to them.
Strong identity allows retailers to locate hand-raisers—shoppers actively in-market for a product or category—across all channels. Whether they’re researching online, browsing in-store or streaming content on connected TV, person-level identity enables retailers to meet shoppers with relevant messaging at the right moment.
Elevating customer experience and cross-channel engagement
Delivering harmonized experiences
With persistent identity, brands can see a customer’s path to purchase from interest to actual conversion. These deeper view into the customer journey helps coordinate experiences across channels so they feel harmonized and seamless. Dynamic identity resolution coupled with machine learning and AI can examine a customer's historic signals and use them to predict what they might need next.
Most importantly, identity resolution acts as an anchor to a customer's true experience. Consumers react, and when a brand can see those reactions (both positive and negative), it can make adjustments in how it talks to and engages to boost customer experience. It's important to use data to learn and tailor a customer's behaviors and preferences to build an experience that fits them.
Rich customer profiles can also help predict what a customer might do and what they have done historically. Brands can step in when strange activity happens and help mitigate risk.
Enabling true personalization
When brands know their customers better, they understand what they like. Advertising and marketing can get more personal, delivering messages that matter to real in-market people on the devices they prefer.
Customers expect nothing less than personal, purposeful brand experiences with every interaction. According to Epsilon research, 76% of respondents said they view brands negatively when they include inaccurate information about them in their marketing. And more than half said they want to receive personalized marketing from brands.
Personalization should be integrated into the entire customer experience, from first visit to becoming a loyalty member and beyond.
Leveraging first-party data and privacy-safe solutions
Building a strong first-party data strategy
So where does a brand start? To deploy identity resolution, they first need data to clean. They need to consider how they're collecting data, what tools they're using to organize said data and how identity resolution is incorporated into those systems.
But brands need a comprehensive, thoughtful data strategy that goes beyond merely collecting data. To understand their best and next best customers, marketers need a holistic understanding of who each person is, not just how they engage with them. A complete data strategy, powered by the right technology and identity resolution, uses first-party data, enhanced by zero-, second- and third-party data to drive better customer experiences and higher performing campaigns.
A solid first-party data strategy also sets the stage for a stronger AI implementation strategy. Accurate, unified data creates a solid platform for tools like AI and machine learning to use. And with real-time insights on customers, it enables AI use on an individual level and at scale.
Securely expanding audiences with clean rooms
A data clean room is a secure environment where data from various sources—including walled gardens, partner data, regulated data, and much more—can come together in a privacy-safe way. While many expect these martech tools to be empty boxes used for collaboration with partners, the right data clean room can help you better understand your current customers and find new ones. The secret to success is using a clean room with data and identity pre-loaded.
Clean rooms pre-equipped with these features give brands a richer view of customers and prospects. They take a brand's customer data and augment it with the data already built in, making existing customer profiles more comprehensive and identifying potential buyers based on those insights.
Fostering long-term customer loyalty and retention
Nurturing customer relationships
Unsurprisingly, when a person feels like they’re being heard, they have a higher affinity for a brand. Emotional loyalty starts with continued positive customer experiences.
Customer identity management is foundational to modern marketing. It helps brands understand who an individual customer is across multiple channels (and devices) to better target and optimize marketing efforts, including digital advertising. When marketers attribute customer behavior and interactions accurately, they can build better customer relationships.
A huge tool that often goes overlooked are loyalty programs. These data-rich environments are full of customer insights, and when used effectively, can bolster a brand's first-party data and impact their overall business success.
Measuring true ROI and driving business growth
Proving marketing effectiveness
Measurement is the bread and butter of a marketing campaign. When fueled by strong data and identity, and activated through a single source of truth, brands can rest assured that their measurement is accurate and granular. When using martech and adtech in conjunction with things like AI and machine learning, you're enabling your data to continue to get better.
Holistic solutions are built for this type of feedback loop. As campaigns progress, marketers get feedback on success and can apply insights back to their data and adjust the strategy in the future.
At Epsilon, identity resolution is built into our suite of solutions. Epsilon's COREid is the industry's most accurate, stable, and scalable identity resolution solution. It delivers person-first marketing that resonates with shoppers across their channels and devices, giving brands peace of mind that they're reaching the right people with messages that matter.
Connect with Epsilon: See how identity resolution changes marketing.
---
## How marketers can extend their social media strategy to the open web
Type: eps_post
URL: /extend-social-strategy-to-open-web
Last Modified: 2026-03-24T13:34:54Z
# How marketers can extend their social media strategy to the open web
Brands are spending a good chunk of their budgets and manpower on social ads—but are they really getting the most value out of them? We don't think so.
Audiences today are diversifying their digital interactions; yes they are scrolling on social media, but they're also browsing on platforms across the open web and engaging with content in multiple formats. When you limit your ads to social platforms alone, you're no longer aligned with how consumers are actually spending their time online—plus, you're missing the opportunity to extend the shelf life of your social ads.
So what if social creative wasn’t a channel-specific tactic but a scalable, cross-channel asset?
In this blog, we'll explore how extending social-inspired creative to the open web can help brands unlock incremental reach, unify their messaging strategy across digital channels and meet people across the full decision journey.
Where attention really lives: The open web vs. social media walled gardens
There’s no question that social advertising is effective.
Social platforms are built around native formats that let brands tailor content specifically to each app while tapping into trends and current events in real time. In-app commerce features also help reduce friction, making it easier than ever for consumers to move through the purchase funnel without ever leaving the app. For these reasons, many marketers treat social platforms as the end destination for social creative.
But it shouldn't end there.
Consumers today spend ~66% of their time on the open web as opposed to walled gardens. Social media platforms are often considered walled gardens because they are powerful but closed ecosystems that only provide advertisers with the data, inventory and measurement capabilities available within each platform. Marketers that invest solely in social platforms are missing out on a huge number of valuable consumers that are simply browsing elsewhere—plus, they're missing out on key insights that walled gardens don't want to share.
The customer journey is also fragmented, and social media is only one stop along the way. Your best consumers are also:
Browsing websites
Streaming TV shows
Researching products
Reading reviews
It's is important to keep in mind that people don’t live exclusively inside feeds—social and scrolling is one moment in a much larger journey, not the journey itself.
Social creative doesn’t have to be disposable
So what happens once a campaign ends? Oftentimes that creative gets retired, budgets remain tied up in the social platform and your reach bottoms out, leading to:
Creative fatigue and audience saturation inside walled gardens
Limited ability to reach new people
To avoid this, savvy marketers are extending their social reach to the open web by repurposing their social creative for programmatic channels. This strategy keeps what makes social effective while pushing it into environments where people already are, like display, OLV and CTV.
This can unlock several key benefits for marketers, such as:
Incremental reach beyond social platform limits. Brands can talk to new, qualified audiences who may have never seen their message inside their social feeds.
Better frequency control. Activating programmatically at the person level helps to avoid over-messaging the same users.
More efficient use of existing creative. Instead of producing net-new assets, brands can extend the lifespan of their well-performing social ads.
Exposure to audiences not reachable on social alone. By showing up in other channels, brands can reach users in high-impact moments, and find people who aren't social media users to begin with.
An innovative way to repurpose your social media ads
This is where Epsilon Digital comes in. By taking existing social creative —everything from video to influencer-style content—and extending it across the open web, Epsilon helps brands reach people they may not encounter on social platforms alone. By pairing the speed and authenticity of social with the reach and intelligence of programmatic advertising, we help brands show up in more of the moments that actually influence decisions.
With Epsilon Digital's suite of unique social-inspired solutions, brands can:
Extract social audiences from walled gardens and message them on the open web. Reach millions of verified social users based on the brands, influencers and interests that they interact with on major social platforms.
Reach key demographic audiences outside of social platforms. Message Gen Z, millennial and multicultural audiences when and where they’re most receptive.
Elevate your influencer strategy with curated audiences. Find the right creators for your brand and reach their verified followers across multiple channels
These social solutions are amplified by Epsilon Digital's broader capabilities that enable brands to:
Reach real people, not cookies or devices. Our people-based identity solution collapses multiple touchpoints into a single ID, so you are reaching each unique customer and not just gaining impressions.
Activate Deliver consistent messaging across display, online video and CTV. Use multiple channels to reach your target audience wherever they are in their customer journey with a unified brand experience.
Understand the full picture with closed loop measurement. Connect your ads to real customer actions by integrating their online and offline touchpoints, something you can’t do if your social stays within walled gardens.
Epsilon Digital is also the only solution with identity rooted in real people and predictive AI that ranks each person in real-time, so you can be sure that you’re reaching the best people.
It’s not about replacing social, it’s about making it work harder.
Case Study: Soda brand maximizes reach of social campaign for new product launch
A popular soda brand worked with Epsilon Digital to transform their existing social content into programmatic ads, extending the reach of their social campaigns to online video channels on the open web. This enabled them to connect with their target audiences across the internet, which drove more views, engagement and a successful product launch.
2.9M unique individuals reached
9.7M impressions delivered
17% sales lift by top performing creative
Wrapping it up: The programmatic future of social media advertising
Social is incredibly important for many brands, and it’s taking up more and more budget—but it’s not sufficient on its own.
The brands that win will stop thinking in platforms and start thinking in people and moments. Where are your customers actually browsing? Are you reaching a person, rather than an account?
Want to learn more about how brands are already putting their social strategy to work across the open web? Click here.
---
## To create lasting impressions with consumers, leverage customer insights
Type: eps_post
URL: /customer-insights-media-buying
Last Modified: 2025-08-05T19:07:58Z
# To create lasting impressions with consumers, leverage customer insights
In today’s media landscape, it’s more important than ever to ensure advertisements not only get in front of the right audiences but also create lasting impressions.
But how do brands do it? According to the University of Southern California, consumers are exposed to as many as 5,000 ads a day. As our world becomes even more digital, with more channels and devices to engage each other, that number will continue to grow.
To break through the noise, brands need to leverage consumer insights and next-gen tech to create high-quality, tailored content that engages consumers in the right formats and on the right platforms.
Person-first approach to media buying
With consumers inundated with ads, it’s critical for brands to stand out. But having the loudest voice in the market isn’t always effective, and as budgets get tighter, brands can’t afford spray-and-pray tactics or flashy campaigns. So, how do brands actually move the needle? Leveraging better consumer data and insights to inform their programmatic media buying.
It starts with accurately identifying in-market customers who are ready to buy. Brands have customer data that gives them a view of who their current customers are, but often they can’t connect individual customer interactions across every channel and device, or the data they do have is limited. This creates a fragmented, one-way dialogue: brands are talking at customers and not with them.
Programmatic media solutions grounded in identity resolution(not just identity matching) ensure brands know who they’re talking to, enhancing customer data to understand consumers more deeply: who they are, what they buy and browse, and where (and how) to effectively reach them.
That data creates an audience strategy not only for that customer, but for prospects who act like them. And it can exclude current customers and prospects who most likely aren’t interested.
To further increase their viewability, brands can conduct research exercises to gain deeper insights. By using digital conversations happening across both search and social media platforms, brands can reveal their current perception in the market and identify key focus areas for messaging and creative. This will make sure they are not only reaching the right customers but are speaking to them about what matters.
This person-first approach drives smarter media buying because it’s always optimized around the individual’s wants, needs, and journey, not based on broad segments or a specific message at any given point.
Personalization at-scale (and at the right time)
Reaching the right people is only half the battle, though. To gain real impact, consumers need to connect with the messages they receive. Identity resolution helps craft a vision of who a customer is, but without a way to use that vision to craft the right messages at the right time, brands might not impact conversion.
Consumers notice when ads speak to them. According to Epsilon research, 91% of consumer respondents said they see at least one irrelevant ad every single day, and 76% said they view brands negatively when they include inaccurate information about them in their advertising and marketing.
Programmatic platforms equipped with AI-powered demographic audiences can determine who is likely to convert and at what time, and what messages are relevant to them. Coupled with dynamic creative capabilities, brands can build personalized creative tailored to individual preferences, too.
This means real people are seeing ads that create a conversation with them, rooted in their behaviors and preferences, and all these digital experiences are connected seamlessly across all touchpoints.
Why measurement matters
With limited budget, brands want to know that their media is working. Programmatic buying gives brands the power to measure beyond basic metrics and transform reporting data into strategic insights.
A person-based approach paves the way for person-based measurement. Brands can measure the impact of media on business outcomes, understand what makes customers take action (both individually and in the context of a larger audience), and foster quality customer engagements with certainty.
Building the best strategy
Pulling together all these capabilities isn’t an easy task. It is possible with the right programmatic partner that can provide not only the technology and tools but also the strategy, vision, and expertise to make it happen.
What should brands look for? Insights-driven programmatic buying requires a technology partner with deep experience in data strategy for channel activation. Look for partners who have the right people and experience to shape these strategies, and the adtech and martech to execute them, too. And consider how your partners are integrating things like data, identity resolution, and AI into those strategies and tools.
Having solid data and technology delivers a foundation for advertising and marketing to break through the fragmented digital landscape and deliver seamless, relevant, and positive experiences for their customers and prospects.
This article originally appeared on Adweek.com
---
## Epsilon expands adult age data coverage: Key updates for 2025
Type: eps_post
URL: /epsilon-expands-adult-age-data-coverage-key-updates
Last Modified: 2025-10-29T18:01:40Z
# Epsilon expands adult age data coverage: Key updates for 2025
Adult age demographics are among the most critical components of a national consumer database, shaping how brands identify, target and engage with consumers—but they're not always easy to access. Gen Z adults and younger millennials move frequently, tend to have multiple email addresses, and are often experiencing multiple life stage changes at once, including entering the workforce, getting married or having children. Understanding what this critical group of buyers is interested in, and when, is an increasingly difficult challenge for marketers but it doesn't have to be.
Using Epsilon’s rich data sets, you can draw a comprehensive view based on demographic, psychographic and transactional insights. However, to achieve quality results, you need comprehensive data across all generations.
In 2024, Epsilon committed to a focused initiative: expanding our coverage of the 18- to 34-year-old demographic, a notoriously difficult-to-reach audience due to their evolving behaviors, shifting digital habits and selective brand loyalties.
On March 10, 2025, we delivered on this initiative by significantly expanding our National Consumer Database coverage within the 18- to 34-year-old segment, strengthening our ability to help brands effectively connect with young consumers as they advance through key life stages and purchase milestones.
Through innovative sourcing, we've increased young adult coverage by 23% on the National Consumer Database, providing brands with an important audience view that unlocks real consumer connections at the ground level within the emerging market.
Defining the future of person-first marketing
To effectively engage with customers and prospects, marketers need to understand what matters to each individual, communicate a message that reflects that understanding and learn more about them as a result of each interaction to inform their strategy.
Truly understanding a consumer allows marketers to develop relevant messages for that individual consumer. Recognizing that individual consumer in a channel allows the marketer to both deliver that message to the right person and tie what they learn from the interaction back to the same person.
With this product update, Epsilon delivers a more powerful solution for reaching and engaging the 18- to 34-year-old consumer—a segment that brands struggle to capture effectively.
Beyond overall value, this update allows for more precise audience targeting, expanded insights on young adult behaviors to enhance personalization and better alignment with evolving market trends in entertainment, finance and lifestyle categories.
We remain committed to ensuring Epsilon’s National Consumer Database evolves alongside market demands. As we move through 2025, we will continue refining core models and launching new Market Trends to provide the most comprehensive and actionable consumer insights available.
Learn more about how Epsilon’s data solution can help you market more effectively.
---
## Customer loyalty data: How to use first-party data to build loyalty that lasts
Type: eps_post
URL: /customer-loyalty-data-first-party
Last Modified: 2026-09-15T17:34:01Z
# Customer loyalty data: How to use first-party data to build loyalty that lasts
How people search, shop and engage with brands has been transformed by digital technology, but the goal for businesses has not. Earning customer loyalty remains a fundamental driver for long-term growth.
The reason is simple: Loyal customers create disproportionate value. According to research, loyal customers spend an average of 67% more than new customers, and a 5% increase in customer retention can boost profits by 25% to 95%.
But attracting loyalty—and retaining it—is the challenge facing most brands today. With factors like third-party cookie deprecation, evolving privacy regulations and changing consumer expectations, the question is no longer whether loyalty matters—but how to earn it.
The solution lies in first-party data marketing.
Prioritizing customer loyalty data is one of the most effective ways to build sustainable growth. A customer loyalty provider, built on a solid data foundation, can help you consistently deliver valued experiences, earn consumer trust and create personalized experiences that keep customers coming back.
In this blog, we’ll explore what first-party data is, why it has become essential for customer loyalty and practical ways brands can use it to create personalized experiences that increase retention, engagement and customer lifetime value.
Why customer loyalty data is the new competitive advantage
Loyal customers will stand in line, spread the word about your products and consistently choose your brand above the rest. In return, they expect experiences that meet their expectations, recognize their needs and provide value.
In fact, customers believe it’s worthwhile to share data when they get value back. According to research, 83% of consumers are willing to share their data to receive a more a personalized experience.
This creates a significant opportunity for marketers. Instead of relying on data from external sources, they can use the information people are willing to share with them directly: customer loyalty data.
Customer loyalty data is the first-party data that people share directly with brands through loyalty programs and other consumer-brand exchanges, including purchase history, reward activity, engagement, preferences, demographics and behavioral patterns. As third-party cookies continue to disappear and consumer privacy expectations grow, loyalty marketing data is becoming more vital, giving marketers a deeper understanding of their customers.
Loyalty programs hold the unique ability to collect data directly from customers who have chosen to engage with your brand, making it more accurate, actionable and privacy compliant. Whether your program is points-based, tiered or gamified, loyalty programs reveal what people buy, which offers they redeem and the channels where they’re most likely to engage.
But, regardless of the loyalty program model, each type creates opportunities to collect data as a direct result of interactions with your brand. Ultimately, the more people engage with your loyalty program, the more you know about them.
Brands with a solid first-party data strategy, can turn their loyalty data into actionable insights. When brands use data effectively, they gain a competitive advantage because they are better positioned to identify high-value customers, predict future purchasing behavior and personalize communications across channels.
With better customer loyalty insights, you can build lasting relationships, increase customer lifetime value and differentiate your brand in an increasingly competitive marketplace.
The five types of customer loyalty data (and what each one unlocks)
Think of data as pages of a story. In that way, data helps you understand what’s happening with your customers.
Each interaction—a website visit, a purchase, a review—is another data plot point. When those moments are connected, it provides context around where the customer has been, what they value and what they want next.
What makes customer loyalty insights so powerful, is their ability to reveal each customer’s journey and the motivations driving them. That’s what truly puts the customer at the center: not simply gathering customer data, but using data to understand the person interacting with your brand.
Zero-party data
Zero-party data is information that a customer willingly and intentionally shares with your brand. Examples of zero-party data include communication preferences (email over text), favorite products or brand categories and survey responses.
Put simply, it’s what people choose to tell you about themselves. Because this data is voluntarily given, it gives marketers direct insight into what customers want and need.
Rather than relying on assumptions, or trying to interpret, you can make data-driven decisions that indicate you’ve listened to the voice of the customer by actively shaping experiences that matter to them.
First-party transactional data
Unlike zero-party data, which customers intentionally share, first-party data is gathered when a customer completes a transaction. This type of data reveals actions your customers take, including what they buy, where they shop and how they spend.
For example, data directly from credit and debit card transactions, returns, subscriptions and payments are different forms of transactional data. Each of these data sets provides a snapshot of key decisions your customers make and signals what happened in that customer’s journey.
With these insights, you can more accurately target high-value customers, reengage lapsed customers and increase customer loyalty over time. Ultimately, transactional data shows you what’s happening in the customer’s story, ensuring you can measure loyalty and optimize future interactions.
First-party behavioral data
If you think of transactional data as what customers do, behavioral data is how customers behave. Think of first-party behavioral data as answering the question: how did the customer arrive at the point-of-sale?
Website visits, products viewed, email opens and clicks are all examples of behavioral first-party data. This type of data reveals how someone moves through the customer journey, before during and after taking an action.
Behavioral data reveals their choices, interests and engagement patterns. These insights help brands predict future purchases, identify churn and create personalized experiences that are based on actions that reveal their motivations.
Behavioral data shows the path to purchase—what customers explore, what grabs their attention, how they engage—unlocking rich insight into the journey behind their decisions.
Identity and profile data
Before marketers can fully understand the customer journey, they must know who that journey belongs to. This is where identity and profile data come into play.
This type of data includes loyalty ID, email addresses, household information and demographic details. Consequently, identity and profile data is often the easiest for brands to obtain, yet challenging to accurately reconcile across systems and touchpoints.
If you want to put your customer at the center of brand experiences, unify and cleanse your data. With enhanced identity resolution capabilities, disparate data points come together, connecting every step in the customer journey to compose one complete view of that individual.
Essentially, you can recognize someone across channels, provide continuity in the customer journey and deliver connected experiences seamlessly. It creates connection points that allow brands to recognize the customer, unify their experiences and build a more complete understanding of each individual.
Consent and preference data
Within the customer’s story, consent and preference data helps marketers understand how each customer wants to build a relationship with their brand. It’s essentially the key that unlocks what they’re comfortable sharing with you, how they’d like to connect and what types of experiences are most relevant to them.
It holds the permissions, choices and communication preferences that someone gives to shape how brands interact with them. Examples of consent and preference data include marketing opt-ins, channel preferences, privacy choices and personalization preferences.
Essentially, this type of data provides clear guidance, so you can safeguard their preferences, earn trust and keep customers coming back.
Understanding each data type is only the start to building seamless, omnichannel member journeys. A solid first-party data strategy brings each data set together, fueling experiences that are highly personalized, consistent and person-first.
Unified customer profile
Figure 1. The building blocks of a unified customer loyalty profile, bringing together customer identity, data, consent, privacy and insights to create a connected customer view.
How to capture loyalty data without breaking trust
Most customers don’t think twice about joining a loyalty program at point-of-sale, opting-in to an email list, completing a survey or creating an account. Though these are routine interactions, each one represents an opportunity to gather valuable loyalty program data.
But it’s important to understand that people don’t just give their data away, they exchange it for value. Regardless of the expectation—personalized recommendations, faster service, exclusive content or more relevant experiences—the value exchange should be clear and meaningful to your customers.
For this reason, loyalty programs are uniquely positioned to engage with consumers while simultaneously presenting opportunities to collect data—provided it’s done transparently, with clear purpose, and in exchange for meaningful value.
Ultimately, valuable data can’t be obtained through hidden tracking mechanics or aggressive tactics. When brands are transparent, respecting customer choices and collecting data happens organically as an extension of value-driven moments, like:
Asking for an email or phone number during loyalty sign-up
Prompting for profile preferences after onboarding
Capturing interests, like favorite products in-app or online
The right data and technology put customer privacy first. Our industry-leading customer loyalty platform ensures the highest level of privacy, security and data protection available, providing a foundation for understanding and serving your customers more effectively.
Unifying loyalty data into a single customer view
Think back to the times you’ve received a “welcome” notification from a brand you’ve been loyal to for years or earned points in-store, only to discover that it’s not reflected in the brand’s app. Without a unified view of the customer, brands run the risk of treating the same person as multiple, disconnected customers.
This is what makes identity resolution so critical.
It fills in data gaps, connecting customer profiles across touchpoints, devices and systems. Without it, brand communications scale friction and inconsistency instead of personalization—creating experience debt which chips away at the very loyalty you’re trying to build.
Industry-recognized solutions, like Epsilon's COREid, unifies and cleanses your first-party data by attributing a unique, privacy-compliant identifier to each individual customer. This is important because a single customer view allows you to recognize customers on a 1:1 level, and:
Personalize offers
Send loyalty rewards people value
Create memorable customer experiences seamlessly
Forrester states, "Identity resolution capabilities are a mandatory investment to support consumer insights and engagement in the immediate term, putting buyers in the position of implementing solutions today that meet current marketing needs but also provide the flexibility to adapt to changing conditions in the future.”
That’s where the rubber meets the road. A loyalty platform with native identity management capabilities optimizes identifiers to connect disparate data points, ensuring you can identify your customers and their transactions in real time. When your loyalty data is unified, you can make more informed decisions and continuously maintain accurate member profiles that fuel deeper customer relationships and better customer experiences.
Activating loyalty data across the program
It’s one thing to have a unified customer view, it’s another to use it effectively. Once your customer profiles are unified, you can use it to enhance your first-party data and create member journeys that feel more relevant, recognizing customers at the person level instead of through a transactional view.
As Shamba Schmidt, Vice President of Sales Strategy notes in the Real Deal on Loyalty, "Data is just the start. What comes next is about orchestration, intelligence, and evolution of the customer journey." Activating loyalty across programs requires that same orchestration—connecting customer data, insights and experiences to create value at every touchpoint.
A data activation strategy turns collected data into actionable insights. Whatever your business goals—personalized experiences at scale, better customer service, increased loyalty or improved decision-making—activating your loyalty data transforms every interaction into an opportunity.
Unified customer profile
Figure 2. Activating customer insights across the journey to deliver relevant experiences and build stronger customer loyalty.
Data activation creates opportunities for marketers to create meaningful experiences that boost affinity, drive revenue growth and strengthen loyalty to your brand, providing actionable visibility into:
Customers that are likely to churn
High-value customers outside your program
Lapsed customers
Look-alike modeling
Dynamic member insights, like relevant next-best offers
Measuring whether your loyalty data is working
Customers don’t become loyal because of the data and technology behind a brand; they become loyal because of the experiences a brand delivers.
For this reason, brands that measure beyond customer enrollment and offer redemption, achieve better outcomes. But no single metric tells the whole story of what people love about your brand, or why they don’t.
To truly understand what motivates people to feel connected to your brand, buy your products and share their experiences with others, you need an advanced comprehensive reporting and customer loyalty data analytics dashboard that can combine behavioral, transactional and emotional loyalty.
Customer loyalty metrics—like customer lifetime value, share of wallet and retention rate—show the full picture of customer loyalty. When you understand what makes customers loyal to your brand, you can refine audience segments, optimize personalized experiences and continuously improve program performance.
Our technology indicates where your loyalty investments are creating the desired impact—increasing repeat purchases, bolstering engagement and retention—and where they are not. That’s what happens when you put loyalty metrics to work.
When brands demonstrate they know who their customers are, what they care about and continually curate member journeys that align with their needs and values, customers keep coming back.
A four-step roadmap to a first-party data loyalty strategy
Building life-long loyalty starts with knowing your customers—not just what they buy, but what they value. A data-driven loyalty strategy, with identity resolution and real-time activation, is the key to better customer experiences.
Audit your data: A fragmented customer view leads to fragmented experiences. Start by assessing your existing data sources (CRM, website activity, loyalty program data) and look for gaps that prevent a holistic customer view.
Capture quality data: Design member journeys that seamlessly collect customer information in a transparent, privacy-first way, offering clear value in return.
Unify and cleanse your data: When your data is organized, you can unify and cleanse, connecting data across touchpoints to create a complete view of each customer.
Activate data to build loyalty: Once your loyalty data is collected, you can turn it into better experiences by curating timely, personalized and relevant interactions that provide value and strengthen relationships.
Build smarter loyalty with actionable first-party data
Building customer loyalty takes knowing who your customers are on a deep level. For that, brands need to start with a solid first-party data strategy that does more than just collect data. Nurturing true customer loyalty requires the ability to activate insights, measure impact and evolve as your customers change.
Having the right loyalty provider makes all the difference. Whether you're building a new loyalty program or enhancing an existing one, our solutions offer advanced technology, quality data and expert-level support services brands can leverage to continuously improve their loyalty strategy, strengthen customer relationships and drive better outcomes.
Frequently asked questions about customer loyalty data
What is customer loyalty data?
Customer loyalty data is the first-party and zero-party information that brands gather to understand, engage and retain customers over time. It includes transactional data, purchase history, website and app behavior, loyalty program activity, preferences, communication choices and information customers intentionally share, such as product interest or shopping preferences.
What's the difference between first-party data and zero-party data in a loyalty program?
First-party data is information that a brand observes through consumer-brand interactions, such as purchases, website activity, email engagement, mobile app usage and loyalty program participation. Zero-party data is information customers intentionally and proactively share, including preferences, interests, communications preferences, product needs and survey responses.
Loyalty programs are uniquely positioned to collect both types of customer data organically. As members engage with their loyalty programs, brands can combine their observed behaviors with their shared preferences to create richer customer profiles, improve personalization and deliver more relevant rewards and experiences throughout the customer journey.
How do loyalty programs collect data?
Loyalty programs collect customer data through every interaction a member has with a brand. This includes setting up an account, purchase history, offer redemptions, website visits, mobile app activity, email engagement, customer service interactions, surveys, preference centers and in-store transactions.
What are the best metrics for customer loyalty data?
The best customer loyalty metrics measure both customer engagement and long-term business value. Common KPIs include customer retention rate, repeat purchase rate, customer lifetime value (CLV), loyalty program enrollment, active member rate, reward redemption rate, purchase frequency, average order value, churn rate and customer satisfaction or Net Promoter Score (NPS).
Tracking these metrics together provide a more complete view of loyalty program performance. Rather than focusing on participation alone, brands can evaluate whether their loyalty strategy is increasing engagement, improving retention and driving sustainable revenue growth over time.
How does Epsilon Loyalty use first-party data?
Epsilon Loyalty unifies behavioral, transactional, and third-party data, enabling a deeper understanding of each loyalty member in your customer file. These enhanced insights connect to your first-party data and form a holistic view of each person. This unified view allows better marketing activation—segmentation, personalization and measurement—across channels. Our solutions help brands create a closed feedback loop that enriches your customer view over time.
---
## What no-code website personalization can do for high-growth brands
Type: eps_post
URL: /marketing-led-no-code-website-personalization
Last Modified: 2026-04-30T20:12:45Z
# What no-code website personalization can do for high-growth brands
No-code website personalization is changing how marketers build, test and optimize website experiences without waiting on developers or writing a single line of code. As customer expectations rise and campaign timelines shrink, marketer-controlled website experiences give brands the speed and flexibility they need to act on real-time data. With the right no-code website personalization platform, personalized interactions become faster, more scalable and fully aligned with real customer behavior, equipping e-commerce marketers to operate with greater precision and efficiency.
How marketers can innovate faster with no-code website tools
Customer expectations change quickly. Even when shopping online, people have come to expect the personal touches that were once an integral part of shopping in their favorite brick-and-mortar stores.
Slow processes and developer bottlenecks can often make it hard to keep up with evolving customer interests and behaviors. Fortunately, advanced no-code website personalization capabilities give you the control to act in real-time, so you can test, iterate and ultimately create customized website experiences built around real customer behavior.
Sadhika Yamasani, Product Management Lead for Epsilon Accelerate, explains, “Marketers want to innovate faster and make smarter decisions, but fragmented tools, data engineering workflows often slow them down. No-code platforms give them the control to experiment and see impact in real time.”
Drag-and-drop platforms make your website work smarter
Increasingly, no-code website personalization tools are enabling non-technical users to build and deploy customer experiences quickly, freeing you to focus on growth strategy. Many of today’s advanced platforms offer a drag-and-drop web builder (also known as a "WYSIWYG website editor"), along with a host of other user-friendly tools that enable easy website customization.
High performance solutions, like Epsilon Accelerate, offer drag-and drop widgets that allow you to create and launch smarter, more effective campaigns without relying on developers. With everything at your fingertips, website updates can go live instantly—significantly fast-tracking optimization cycles.
Providing marketers with more autonomy means they can get their ideas out into the real world quickly and start collecting feedback. In the long run, it offers many more opportunities for experimentation and significantly faster optimization.
4 key benefits of marketer-controlled no-code website experiences
For many e-commerce marketers, the real breakthrough isn’t just personalization—it’s eliminating the technical barriers that slow it down.
In practice, Yamasani points out, “Setting up a campaign doesn’t require any technical work at all. It simply requires defining a list of the different targets and triggers—you can create groups and launch quickly. Epsilon Accelerate is very simple and straightforward.”
Here are some of the main benefits the right no-code website personalization solution can provide:
1. Enhanced speed to impact
Perhaps the most obvious benefit of DIY website editing is that it allows ideas to go live instantly, rather than being held back by engineering delays. Using simple drag-and-drop components, you can present your idea to customers and prepare it for testing in minutes or hours, rather than days or weeks.
2. More opportunities for A/B testing and optimization
Easy and intuitive website customization enables marketers to make changes quickly and run many tests, increasing the likelihood of performance breakthroughs.
3. Consistent customer experience across pages
No-code web design tools centralize content and templates, ensuring your campaigns, landing pages, merchandising and messaging remain uniform across your entire brand.
4. Reduced dependence on developers for updates
A drag-and-drop web builder enables DIY website editing for marketers, empowering them to take matters into their own hands and making them much less reliant on web dev teams.
The best no-code tools for marketers help teams move faster, experiment more, and deliver high-performing website experiences more consistently for users.
How no-code solutions drive effective website personalization
Code-free technology gives marketers the clarity and control to execute onsite tactics with greater impact, enabling faster updates, continuous texting and more effective outcomes.
Yamasani cautions that certain formats require careful testing: “Overlays are an interesting format - since they are immediately visible, they can either be disruptive to the user journey or can be extremely powerful in capturing user attention at the right moment. With Accelerate, you can compare and test whether in your use case, this format works best, or if something more subtle is more affective without interrupting the journey.”
The right platform makes this kind of experimentation possible through:
Drag-and-drop no-code website tools for marketers, which allow you to design and launch new experiences quickly, no engineering required.
DIY website editing with an instant preview, so marketers can make code-free content updates and see changes in real time before publishing. This improves accuracy and reduces errors.
Dynamic segmentation for personalized experiences, which enables marketers to deliver personalized experiences to specific audience segments instantly, without relying on developers.
Real-time activation of content and campaigns, which means marketers can gain instant access to customer insights and behaviors and use these to deliver the most relevant content and offers as visitors interact with the website.
A/B and testing to optimize engagement and conversions, which gives marketers the opportunity to experiment with different content, layouts, and offers, so they can measure performance and see what works. Then, they can use this feedback to optimize the website experience.
Rapid updates without developer assistance, which lets marketers implement changes to product pages, banners, recommendations, and navigation site-wide quickly, ensuring it aligns with their current campaigns.
Together, these capabilities can help marketers understand how to launch campaigns quickly without a dev team to ensure timely execution and maximum impact.
Why a strong data strategy is critical for personalized web experiences
To make better, more impactful decisions, marketers need access to customer behavior and preferences. There’s no better way to do this than through accessing unified first-party data, which provides an overview of engagement patterns across all touchpoints.
A strong data strategy allows marketers to segment their audience to ensure their campaigns are more relevant. This means they can target them appropriately and ensure they’re sending the right message, in the right place, exactly at the time when it has the greatest impact. It also means they can carefully track results across their campaigns and interactions, so they can jump in and make optimizations in real-time.
That level of visibility makes segmentation and personalization far more strategic.
In Yamasani’s experience, segmentation becomes most powerful when it drives tailored engagement: “By targeting specific audience segments, you can surface tailored experiences that encourage users to engage and submit information. Whether it’s a simple form field like name and email or more customized quizzes ad surveys, personalization helps drive meaningful data collection.”
The right no-code website personalization platform fulfills this criterion. It consolidates data from multiple sources (e.g., website interactions, purchase history, form submissions, and browsing behavior) into a unified user profile. It also provides tools to analyze this data and derive actionable insights, such as predicting interests or identifying high-value visitors.
As a result, you can make more informed decisions without manually piecing together disparate data sources. This can result in an exponential conversion lift—a game-changer for e-commerce brands.
Real success stories of no-code website personalization
One online bank partnered with Epsilon Accelerate to streamline the customer credit application journey. By reengaging customers with personalized messages, highlighting progress toward application completion and capturing post-application feedback, the bank simplified the application process across devices and increased credit card acquisitions by 20%.
This real-world example shows how no-code personalization can directly drive measurable business outcomes while keeping the customer experience seamless and user-centric. If you’re curious about the benefits of investing in tools that let marketers control website content independently, here are some success stories:
Hero banner swaps to boost engagement
During a flash sale, marketers can use a no-code, intuitive website editor to quickly update hero banners to reflect current campaign performance and highlight limited-time offers that customers are showing interest in. This means they can capture attention and increase engagement immediately, without the delays associated with engineering support.
Real-time personalized experiences for customers
A no-code personalization platform enables marketer-controlled website experiences. For example, this means teams can independently deliver code-free content updates and offers to new versus returning customers or launch personalized calls to action for different audience segments instantly. Giving marketers direct control over messaging and personalization enables them to deliver the most appropriate experience at the right moment, increasing relevance and driving conversions.
Independent A/B testing to measure impact
Marketers can leverage template-based building to quickly launch A/B and multivariate tests on product page layouts without relying on developers. This means they can experiment more quickly and optimize content more effectively, thereby continuously improving the customer experience based on real insights.
Fuel better website experiences with no-code and data-driven personalization
In the ever-changing e-commerce landscape, brands who understand how to control the digital experience are the ones who will come out on top. The future of website personalization is driven by data, and it relies on marketers who know how to use it effectively—and quickly.
While coding skills were once the gatekeepers of effective personalized website experiences, this is no longer the case. Today, your strategy depends on your tools, which is why providing marketers with intuitive, user-friendly platforms like Epsilon Accelerate is essential. Designed to fit seamlessly with your existing stack, this out-of-the-box solution gives you clear visibility into your customers, channels and performance, so you can create better customer experiences.
Want to see these concepts in action? Watch our webinar, where we dive into practical strategies for targeting, testing and optimizing website experiences in the year ahead—all without relying on developers.
---
## Level up your email conversions with identity resolution
Type: eps_post
URL: /level-up-your-email-conversions-identity-resolution
Last Modified: 2025-08-28T14:31:30Z
# Level up your email conversions with identity resolution
Businesses thrive on reaching their customers through email. eMarketer reports that the amount of email communications brands send is projected to increase to 392.5 billion emails per day by 2026. Given its ability to accomplish a variety of goals—from increasing website traffic and boosting customer loyalty to improving sales—it's no surprise.
As inboxes become more cluttered, brands are constantly competing for customer engagement. Customers, on the other hand, have grown tired of never-ending "one-size-fits-all" owned-channel communications (like email, SMS, mobile push).
Epsilon recently conducted research on consumer email preferences, and nearly three-fourths (71%) of respondents indicated that their top gripe with the owned-channel communications they receive is excessive brand messaging for both email and text/SMS. Marketers that continually push repetitive messages can have a negative impact on their brands if those communications ignore what the consumer cares about. So, what can marketers do to effectively cut through the congestion of the average inbox?
The truth is, marketers need to be more innovative in their approach to owned-channel (email, SMS, mobile push) communication strategies. Because every consumer is different, it’s important for marketers to deliver messages that speak to the individual needs of each consumer. Marketers need to combine the online activities of each individual customer across channels and devices and deliver one clear, unified view of who they are.
An effective messaging platform provides marketers with more than just basic functionality. It offers tools that enable them to develop and optimize their overall strategy for more tailored and enhanced personalization. A marketing strategy that can increase engagement and improve ROI requires an advanced technology with person-first identity resolution built in.
Build relevant emails from fragmented touchpoints
Most marketers struggle to integrate customer engagement data across multiple channels, devices and touchpoints, resulting in brands continually sending fragmented messages that lack personalization and relevance.
Person-first identity allows brands to recognize individuals across their various email accounts and device IDs. A strong cross-channel engagement solution leverages third-party data to enhance first-party data. It broadens your understanding of your customers beyond your direct interactions and fills in missing information—offering valuable insights into their behaviors. Together, they enable improved customer segmentation, more accurate targeting, better personalization, and ultimately, more effective campaigns.
An advanced technology is also designed to break through the siloes of disjointed customer data and provide deeper insights into the customer experience. Essentially, with an enhanced customer profile, brands can holistically understand where a consumer is across their buying journey and therefore optimize how they're speaking to them through owned channels.
Brands need to invest in a cross-channel engagement solution strong enough to turn their customer data into campaigns that are relevant, successful and effective. Robust technology, built with person-first identity, uses data to introduce new opportunities for marketers to reach their customers and deliver more personalized, dynamic and engaging campaigns easily. Innovative automation capabilities adapt to user behaviors, empowering marketers to create seamless customer experiences.
A strong data foundation does more than just enable personalization—it’s essential for defining your audience. Audience segmentation is crucial for targeted content, but equally important is using unified data to guide decision-making, which helps personalize not only the content but also the customer journey across different touchpoints.
With a holistic view of your customers' needs, interests and behaviors, you can create communications that speak directly to each customer. You can continue to engage them by sharing product suggestions based on past interactions with the brand, recommend special offers tailored to each individual's specific preferences and consistently create attention-grabbing messages at scale. It makes it easy to interact with them seamlessly and elevates their user experience.
Get personal with person-first identity (and get results)
Delivering personalization at the level customers expect is no longer a nice-to-have; it's a necessity for brands seeking to stand out and drive higher ROI. When customers consistently receive irrelevant brand communications, they become overwhelmed and start to ignore them. This is critical because, according to Forrester’s ConsumerVoices panel, just 6% of 759 respondents found promotional emails to be well-suited to their needs. (The Inbox Intimacy Conundrum, Forrester Research, Inc., April 12, 2023).
Our research on email, SMS and mobile push messaging found that when customers receive messages that reflect their interests, they are more inclined to open and engage with them. A campaign might start with a social media teaser, followed by an email promotion, and finally lead to a special in-store event. Identity resolution allows you to understand customer behavior from one platform to the next and tie it back to that individual, so you can send accurate follow-up communications based on the actions taken.
Today, it’s natural for customers to engage with brand messages interactively across multiple channels. Technology that allows you to have real-time conversations seamlessly, enables hyper-customized experiences that are meaningful. Brands that fail to deliver communications that engage in this way risk losing their customers' interest.
The power of the right technology
At Epsilon, identity is rooted at the core of everything we do. In Forrester’s Email Marketing Landscape report, Q1 2024, Epsilon was recognized among vendors, with personalization as one of the top three notable capabilities.
A strong cross-channel engagement solution can drive better results by harnessing your customer data, resolving identities and enriching your customer profiles. If you’re looking to revamp your messaging strategy, investing in a powerful technology with next-generation person-first identity resolution capabilities is a smart choice.
If you would like to learn more about the power of advanced cross-channel engagement solutions, and how they can enhance your brand’s messaging strategy, check out our cross-channel engagement solution buyer’s guide.
---
## Creating highly personalized campaigns with anonymized customer database
Type: eps_caseStudy
URL: /leading-us-bank
Last Modified: 2026-06-04T11:37:35Z
# Creating highly personalized campaigns with anonymized customer database
Creating highly personalized campaigns with anonymized customer database
High expense but low impact
---
## Increasing ROAS 61% for leading Pet Food brand
Type: eps_caseStudy
URL: /pet-food-brand
Last Modified: 2026-02-02T16:57:30Z
# Increasing ROAS 61% for leading Pet Food brand
Leading Pet Food Brand Increases ROAS 61% with ‘Always-On’ Strategy
Offering a diverse range of wet and dry options, along with treats, the brand wanted to increase its visibility and customer share on Coles Online. Working with Epsilon, the campaign increased sales 91%, surpassing its ROAS target.
---
## Expanding influencer campaigns across programmatic channels
Type: eps_caseStudy
URL: /popular-soda-brand
Last Modified: 2026-06-16T15:39:39Z
# Expanding influencer campaigns across programmatic channels
Expanding influencer campaigns across programmatic channels
Bubbling up excitement
We get it. Each industry and each company encounters their own unique set of challenges. But what if we repositioned those challenges as opportunities? See just how far we can go.
---
## A customer personalization strategy built with care
Type: eps_caseStudy
URL: /personal-care-brand-accelerate
Last Modified: 2026-06-16T15:51:59Z
# A customer personalization strategy built with care
A customer personalization strategy built with care
Soaking in a stronger D2C strategy
---
## 4X ROAS during Seasonal Campaign
Type: eps_caseStudy
URL: /dips-spreads
Last Modified: 2026-01-16T09:39:37Z
# 4X ROAS during Seasonal Campaign
Leading F&B Company Garners 4.43x ROAS during Seasonal Campaign
The company aimed to significantly enhance its online sales performance during the peak shopping period of the 2023 Christmas and New Year.
We get it. Each industry and each company encounters their own unique set of challenges. But what if we repositioned those challenges as opportunities? See just how far we can go.
---
## Precision journeys that drove fashion growth
Type: eps_caseStudy
URL: /premium-fashion-brand-accelerate
Last Modified: 2026-06-16T15:53:00Z
# Precision journeys that drove fashion growth
Precision journeys that drove fashion growth
Making fashion growth a smart fit
---
## Tailoring customer experiences with personalization
Type: eps_caseStudy
URL: /lifestyle-fashion-brand-accelerate
Last Modified: 2026-06-16T15:52:18Z
# Tailoring customer experiences with personalization
Tailoring customer experiences with personalization
Styling the right customer journey
---
## Achieving goals with strong digital media solutions & a results-driven partnership
Type: eps_caseStudy
URL: /auto-retailer
Last Modified: 2026-06-04T11:37:35Z
# Achieving goals with strong digital media solutions & a results-driven partnership
Achieving goals with strong digital media solutions & a results-driven partnership
We get it. Each industry and each company encounters their own unique set of challenges. But what if we repositioned those challenges as opportunities? See just how far we can go.
---
## Acquiring new and repeat customers with a fashionable multichannel strategy
Type: eps_caseStudy
URL: /lifestyle-apparel-brand
Last Modified: 2026-06-16T15:41:20Z
# Acquiring new and repeat customers with a fashionable multichannel strategy
Acquiring new and repeat customers with a fashionable multichannel strategy
Top-of-funnel investment, bottom-line impact
We get it. Each industry and each company encounters their own unique set of challenges. But what if we repositioned those challenges as opportunities? See just how far we can go.
---
## Maximizing retail media revenue with a best-in-class identity solution
Type: eps_caseStudy
URL: /national-pharmacy-retailer
Last Modified: 2026-03-30T20:14:32Z
# Maximizing retail media revenue with a best-in-class identity solution
Maximizing retail media revenue with a best-in-class identity solution
Building a top-tier retail media network
We get it. Each industry and each company encounters their own unique set of challenges. But what if we repositioned those challenges as opportunities? See just how far we can go.
---
## A new data-driven model for adult beverage retail growth
Type: eps_caseStudy
URL: /national-adult-beverage-retailer
Last Modified: 2026-06-16T15:53:24Z
# A new data-driven model for adult beverage retail growth
A new data-driven model for adult beverage retail growth
Built for BevAlc retail
We get it. Each industry and each company encounters their own unique set of challenges. But what if we repositioned those challenges as opportunities? See just how far we can go.
---
## Reaching incremental viewers with CTV and OLV
Type: eps_caseStudy
URL: /cat-food-brand
Last Modified: 2026-06-16T15:39:32Z
# Reaching incremental viewers with CTV and OLV
Reaching incremental viewers with CTV and OLV
Staying relevant with category buyers
We get it. Each industry and each company encounters their own unique set of challenges. But what if we repositioned those challenges as opportunities? See just how far we can go.
---
## Healthcare Brand Boosts Sales by 382% on Coles Online
Type: eps_caseStudy
URL: /Healthcare-Coles
Last Modified: 2026-01-15T15:25:39Z
# Healthcare Brand Boosts Sales by 382% on Coles Online
Healthcare Brand Boosts Sales by 382% on Coles Online
We get it. Each industry and each company encounters their own unique set of challenges. But what if we repositioned those challenges as opportunities? See just how far we can go.
---
## Reaching more valuable shoppers for a CPG brand with CTV and display
Type: eps_caseStudy
URL: /CPG-brand-pharmacy-CTV-retail-media
Last Modified: 2026-05-14T19:54:16Z
# Reaching more valuable shoppers for a CPG brand with CTV and display
Reaching more valuable shoppers for a CPG brand with CTV and display
Expanding reach to high-value, in-market shoppers
See how cross-channel activation can help you reach more valuable customers and drive stronger performance.
---
## Global Furniture Brand Boosts Sales by 573%
Type: eps_caseStudy
URL: /global-furniture-company
Last Modified: 2026-02-02T16:57:19Z
# Global Furniture Brand Boosts Sales by 573%
Global Furniture Brand Boosts Sales 573% with Top Sponsored Product Ad Spots
A leading manufacturer of ergonomic chairs and commercial furniture aimed to boost its presence on one of the largest retailers of office and stationery products during the End of Financial Year sale.
---
## Travelling further with combined digital and physical acquisition
Type: eps_caseStudy
URL: /audley-travel-direct-mail
Last Modified: 2026-08-10T15:20:32Z
# Travelling further with combined digital and physical acquisition
Kickstarting bespoke travel excursions with premium brand experiences
Audley Travel needed scalable new customer acquisition, with a focus on identifying high-value prospects in a competitive luxury travel market.
---
## Reaching qualified audiences with CTV
Type: eps_caseStudy
URL: /qsr-chain-ctv
Last Modified: 2026-03-31T19:25:33Z
# Reaching qualified audiences with CTV
Reaching qualified audiences with CTV
Finding the right guests
We get it. Each industry and each company encounters their own unique set of challenges. But what if we repositioned those challenges as opportunities? See just how far we can go.
---
## Driving in-store demand via CTV, online video and display
Type: eps_caseStudy
URL: /currys-tv
Last Modified: 2026-08-04T15:17:31Z
# Driving in-store demand via CTV, online video and display
Spotting ‘pre’-market audiences with Currys’ Tech Hunters
Currys recognised an opportunity to extend retail media beyond the bottom of the funnel, testing a full-funnel approach to engage tech enthusiasts before and during product launches.
“Epsilon’s collaboration with Currys set a benchmark in retail media.”
---
## Seeing customers and prospects through a new lens with connected TV
Type: eps_caseStudy
URL: /leading-optical-retail-brand
Last Modified: 2026-06-16T15:40:01Z
# Seeing customers and prospects through a new lens with connected TV
Seeing customers and prospects through a new lens with connected TV
A vision for a better performing, full-funnel campaign
We get it. Each industry and each company encounters their own unique set of challenges. But what if we repositioned those challenges as opportunities? See just how far we can go.
---
## Reaching new prospects and performance goals with CTV
Type: eps_caseStudy
URL: /non-for-profit-travel
Last Modified: 2026-06-16T15:43:24Z
# Reaching new prospects and performance goals with CTV
Reaching new prospects and performance goals with CTV
A ticket to real results
We get it. Each industry and each company encounters their own unique set of challenges. But what if we repositioned those challenges as opportunities? See just how far we can go.
---
## Improving household penetration and optimizing CTV reach and frequency
Type: eps_caseStudy
URL: /national-cpg-brand-CTV
Last Modified: 2026-06-16T15:43:50Z
# Improving household penetration and optimizing CTV reach and frequency
Improving household penetration and optimizing CTV reach and frequency
A comprehensive approach
We get it. Each industry and each company encounters their own unique set of challenges. But what if we repositioned those challenges as opportunities? See just how far we can go.
---
## Proving performance beyond foot traffic
Type: eps_caseStudy
URL: /multi-tenant-retailer
Last Modified: 2026-06-16T15:37:44Z
# Proving performance beyond foot traffic
Proving performance beyond foot traffic
When foot traffic isn’t enough
We get it. Each industry and each company encounters their own unique set of challenges. But what if we repositioned those challenges as opportunities? See just how far we can go.
---
## Expanding shopper reach for a CPG brand with retail media
Type: eps_caseStudy
URL: /CPG-brand-grocer-retail-media
Last Modified: 2026-06-16T15:52:05Z
# Expanding shopper reach for a CPG brand with retail media
Expanding shopper reach for a CPG brand with retail media
Maximizing brand's reach shoppers through cross-channel activation
See how offsite retail media can help boost traffic to your retail partner's site.
---
## Global energy brand revved up engagement with a personal approach
Type: eps_caseStudy
URL: /global-energy-brand-loyalty
Last Modified: 2026-06-16T15:38:43Z
# Global energy brand revved up engagement with a personal approach
Global energy brand revved up engagement with integrated loyalty solutions
A data-driven recharge fueled better journeys
For this brand, it's data, personalization and seamless engagement. A single platform turned everyday touchpoints into powerful member journeys that resonated, retained and rewarded.
---
## Driving awareness and qualified actions with a multichannel approach
Type: eps_caseStudy
URL: /b2b-communications-brand
Last Modified: 2026-06-16T15:48:13Z
# Driving awareness and qualified actions with a multichannel approach
Driving awareness and qualified actions with a cross-channel approach
Expanding horizons into CTV and OLV
We get it. Each industry and each company encounters their own unique set of challenges. But what if we repositioned those challenges as opportunities? See just how far we can go.
---
## Serving up restaurant visits with a tasteful audio strategy
Type: eps_caseStudy
URL: /global-quick-service-restaurant
Last Modified: 2026-06-16T15:40:45Z
# Serving up restaurant visits with a tasteful audio strategy
Serving up restaurant visits with a tasteful audio strategy
Hungry for new guests
We get it. Each industry and each company encounters their own unique set of challenges. But what if we repositioned those challenges as opportunities? See just how far we can go.
---
## Proving the impact of offsite media
Type: eps_caseStudy
URL: /cpg-brands-grocery-retail-media
Last Modified: 2026-06-16T15:51:00Z
# Proving the impact of offsite media
Proving the impact of offsite media
Driving unique sales
---
## Streamlining a video strategy to drive greater unique reach
Type: eps_caseStudy
URL: /national-QSR-retailer
Last Modified: 2026-06-16T15:47:39Z
# Streamlining a video strategy to drive greater unique reach
Streamlining a video strategy to drive greater unique reach
With fragmentation comes wasted spend and inefficiencies
We get it. Each industry and each company encounters their own unique set of challenges. But what if we repositioned those challenges as opportunities? See just how far we can go.
---
## A tailored approach to every touchpoint
Type: eps_caseStudy
URL: /premium-fashion-brand-accelerate
Last Modified: 2026-06-04T11:37:35Z
# A tailored approach to every touchpoint
Precision journeys that drove fashion growth
Making fashion growth a smart fit
---
## Unifying data to drive more relevant engagement
Type: eps_caseStudy
URL: /international-bank-customer-data-advisor
Last Modified: 2026-06-26T14:43:02Z
# Unifying data to drive more relevant engagement
Unifying data to drive more relevant engagement
Building a unified adviser view
---
## Reaching new QSR customers and driving conversion with retail media
Type: eps_caseStudy
URL: /quick-service-restaurant-brand-offsite
Last Modified: 2026-06-16T15:52:44Z
# Reaching new QSR customers and driving conversion with retail media
Reaching new QSR customers and driving conversion with retail media
Driving growth beyond the core customer base
See how offsite retail media helps you reach new customers and drive faster conversion.
---
## Unlocking unprecedented reach and conversions with online video
Type: eps_caseStudy
URL: /it-retailer
Last Modified: 2026-06-16T15:45:14Z
# Unlocking unprecedented reach and conversions with online video
Unlocking unprecedented reach and conversions with online video
Expanding beyond linear viewers with CTV
We get it. Each industry and each company encounters their own unique set of challenges. But what if we repositioned those challenges as opportunities? See just how far we can go.
---
## 6X ROAS with category cross-sell
Type: eps_caseStudy
URL: /leading-australian-foodservice-grocery-brand-small-goods-distributor
Last Modified: 2026-01-16T09:40:30Z
# 6X ROAS with category cross-sell
Leading Australian Foodservice and Grocery Brand Achieves 5.8x ROAS with Coles Online
We get it. Each industry and each company encounters their own unique set of challenges. But what if we repositioned those challenges as opportunities? See just how far we can go.
---
## Driving higher value engagement with unified data
Type: eps_caseStudy
URL: /auto-services-customer-data
Last Modified: 2026-06-26T15:10:37Z
# Driving higher value engagement with unified data
Driving higher value engagement with unified data
Connecting customer and vehicle data
---
## Premium Chocolatier Boosts Easter Sales by 91%
Type: eps_caseStudy
URL: /premium-chocolatier
Last Modified: 2026-02-02T16:58:07Z
# Premium Chocolatier Boosts Easter Sales by 91%
Global Premium Chocolatier Boosts Easter Sales by 91%
A pioneer in chocolates and confectionaries leveraged Epsilon Retail Media to enhance their product visibility for key search terms like “Chocolate” and “Easter” in the run up to and during Easter, achieving a significant sales boost on Coles Online as compared to previous year.
---
## Attracting & tracking high-yielding travelers
Type: eps_caseStudy
URL: /vspc
Last Modified: 2026-06-04T11:37:35Z
# Attracting & tracking high-yielding travelers
Attracting & tracking high-yielding travelers
Planning the itinerary
Breaking it down
Watch the video to learn more about how Epsilon and Visit St.Pete/Clearwater worked together to attract the right tourists to the Sunshine State.
We get it. Each industry and each company encounters their own unique set of challenges. But what if we repositioned those challenges as opportunities? See just how far we can go.
---
## Travelling further with combined digital and physical acquisition
Type: eps_caseStudy
URL: /audley-travel
Last Modified: 2026-08-04T18:05:18Z
# Travelling further with combined digital and physical acquisition
Travelling further with combined digital and physical acquisition
Luxury holiday and safari experts, Audley Travel, set out to build awareness and convert demand more effectively during peak booking periods, while experimenting with more impactful acquisition channels.
---
## Connecting guests with the beauty brands they love
Type: eps_caseStudy
URL: /ulta-beauty
Last Modified: 2026-06-04T11:37:55Z
# Connecting guests with the beauty brands they love
Creating customer joy with personalised experiences
With guests as varied as the products they sell, Ulta Beauty knows the importance of curating resonant messaging for each unique beauty journey. And for the past several years, the retailer’s partnership with Epsilon has yielded a seamless, integrated digital strategy.
Watch the video to hear Michelle Crossan-Matos, Chief Marketing Officer of Ulta Beauty, describe how the retailer is applying new insights and activating campaigns to reach guests where they are and bring greater joy with Epsilon as their partner.
We get it. Each industry and each company encounters their own unique set of challenges. But what if we repositioned those challenges as opportunities? See just how far we can go.
---
## Renewing momentum for flagship serum
Type: eps_caseStudy
URL: /john-lewis-cosmetics
Last Modified: 2026-06-04T12:37:54Z
# Renewing momentum for flagship serum
Finding new beauty buyers for a flagship serum
A prestige skincare brand set out to drive renewed momentum for its flagship serum, recruiting new beauty buyers while re‑engaging lapsed customers whose previous experience with the franchise signalled strong affinity for premium formulations.
---
## Supercharging new and renovated store visits and sales
Type: eps_caseStudy
URL: /retail-chain-creative
Last Modified: 2026-06-16T15:45:06Z
# Supercharging new and renovated store visits and sales
Supercharging new and renovated store visits and sales
Investing in the new
---
## Transforming customer engagement with data-driven foundation
Type: eps_caseStudy
URL: /media-and-entertainment-customer-data
Last Modified: 2026-06-25T20:51:03Z
# Transforming customer engagement with data-driven foundation
Transforming customer engagement with a data foundation
Building a connected customer foundation
---
## Monetizing inventory with Epsilon’s PubLink
Type: eps_caseStudy
URL: /trusted-media-brands
Last Modified: 2026-03-31T20:08:30Z
# Monetizing inventory with Epsilon’s PubLink
Monetizing inventory with Epsilon’s PubLink
Value-driven audience focus
We get it. Each industry and each company encounters their own unique set of challenges. But what if we repositioned those challenges as opportunities? See just how far we can go.
---
## Epsilon Accelerate Delivers 11% AOV Uplift
Type: eps_caseStudy
URL: /travel-and-hospitality-accelerate
Last Modified: 2026-03-23T10:35:54Z
# Epsilon Accelerate Delivers 11% AOV Uplift
Epsilon Accelerate Delivers 11% AOV Uplift for Online Travel & Hospitality Leader
The travel company sought to launch a targeted onsite personalisation campaign promoting earning and spending points. Powered by Epsilon Accelerate, the two-week engagement increased customer engagement, encouraged higher spend, and strengthened loyalty.
---
## Premium Whisky Brand Sees 31% Sales Increase
Type: eps_caseStudy
URL: /premium-whisky
Last Modified: 2026-03-26T09:59:02Z
# Premium Whisky Brand Sees 31% Sales Increase
Premium Whisky Brand Sees 31% Sales Increase with Epsilon Retail Media
A renowned whisky brand aimed to enhance its visibility and sales for its 12YO Single Malt Scotch Whisky during a prime promotional event - Father’s Day.
---
## Glistening reach and engagement with Epsilon Audio
Type: eps_caseStudy
URL: /national-jewelry-brand
Last Modified: 2026-06-16T15:43:08Z
# Glistening reach and engagement with Epsilon Audio
Glistening reach and engagement with Epsilon Audio
Bright new opportunities
We get it. Each industry and each company encounters their own unique set of challenges. But what if we repositioned those challenges as opportunities? See just how far we can go.
---
## Elevating beauty through an omnichannel approach
Type: eps_caseStudy
URL: /beauty-retailer-digital-omnichannel
Last Modified: 2026-06-16T15:46:54Z
# Elevating beauty through an omnichannel approach
Elevating beauty through an omnichannel approach
A promotional calendar makeover
---
## Uncorking high value customers through digital D2C strategy
Type: eps_caseStudy
URL: /wine-country-gift-baskets
Last Modified: 2026-06-04T11:37:35Z
# Uncorking high value customers through digital D2C strategy
Uncorking high-value customers through digital D2C strategy
Curating customers
---
## Boosting household penetration and ROAS with a multicultural strategy
Type: eps_caseStudy
URL: /cooking-oil-brand
Last Modified: 2026-06-16T15:47:23Z
# Boosting household penetration and ROAS with a multicultural strategy
Boosting household penetration and ROAS with a multicultural audience strategy
Reaching core customers
---
## Electronics retailer sees 17x incremental revenue
Type: eps_caseStudy
URL: /consumer-electronics-retailer-accelerate
Last Modified: 2026-03-26T09:40:20Z
# Electronics retailer sees 17x incremental revenue
Leading Consumer Electronics Retailer sees 17x increase in incremental revenue
The campaign centred on Shop to Win, an animated advent calendar website activation for November’s BFCM period, launched with Epsilon Accelerate. Daily deal reveals and prize draws encouraged repeat participation, while purchase-driven entry mechanics connected engagement to sales.
---
## Responsive. Redesigned. Reengaged.
Type: eps_caseStudy
URL: /golden1
Last Modified: 2026-04-14T16:13:11Z
# Responsive. Redesigned. Reengaged.
Responsive. Redesigned. Reengaged.
Looking for an experience that pays off
We get it. Each industry and each company encounters their own unique set of challenges. But what if we repositioned those challenges as opportunities? See just how far we can go.
---
## A website personalization strategy built to last
Type: eps_caseStudy
URL: /home-design-retailer-accelerate
Last Modified: 2026-06-16T15:51:51Z
# A website personalization strategy built to last
A website personalization strategy built to last
Furnishing a better personalization strategy
---
## Outdoor retailer achieves 8.6x greater unique reach in head-to-head test
Type: eps_caseStudy
URL: /national-outdoor-retailer-digital
Last Modified: 2026-06-16T15:38:23Z
# Outdoor retailer achieves 8.6x greater unique reach in head-to-head test
Outdoor retailer achieves 8.6x greater unique reach in head-to-head test
Exploring different identity solutions
We get it. Each industry and each company encounters their own unique set of challenges. But what if we repositioned those challenges as opportunities? See just how far we can go.
---
## I Run
Type: eps_caseStudy
URL: /i-run
Last Modified: 2026-06-04T11:37:58Z
Deploying data-driven marketing programs quickly and efficiently
I-RUN needed a simple way to use its first-party customer data at scale, so it could reach the right shoppers, grow sales, and rely less on closed advertising platforms.
---
## Carving the path to personalized website experiences that convert
Type: eps_caseStudy
URL: /ecommerce-footwear-retailer-accelerate
Last Modified: 2026-06-02T18:40:01Z
# Carving the path to personalized website experiences that convert
Carving the path to personalized website experiences that convert
Crafting a winning personalization approach
---
## A beauty brand that made skin and revenue shine
Type: eps_caseStudy
URL: /global-beauty-brand-accelerate
Last Modified: 2026-06-16T15:51:11Z
# A beauty brand that made skin and revenue shine
A beauty brand that made skin and revenue shine
The real beauty secret? A personal touch.
---
## Steering vehicle owners away from aftersales competition to capture $12.7M
Type: eps_caseStudy
URL: /aftersales-auto-brand
Last Modified: 2026-06-16T15:48:28Z
# Steering vehicle owners away from aftersales competition to capture $12.7M
Steering vehicle owners away from aftersales competition to capture $12.7M
Revving a new strategy
---
## Reaching high-intent appliance buyers
Type: eps_caseStudy
URL: /currys-connected-media-network
Last Modified: 2026-04-10T18:32:08Z
# Reaching high-intent appliance buyers
Driving appliance sales with retail media
Currys plc is a leading UK-based omnichannel retailer of technology products and services, operating online and 823 stores in 8 countries. It believes in the power of technology to improve lives, help people stay connected, productive, healthy and entertained.
We get it. Each industry and each company encounters their own unique set of challenges. But what if we repositioned those challenges as opportunities? See just how far we can go.
---
## Game-changing results through personalization
Type: eps_caseStudy
URL: /fashion-sports-retailer-accelerate
Last Modified: 2026-06-16T15:51:29Z
# Game-changing results through personalization
Game-changing results through personalization
Going for gold
---
## Using data for a 140% YoY lift in ROAS
Type: eps_caseStudy
URL: /display-technology-company
Last Modified: 2026-03-26T09:59:49Z
# Using data for a 140% YoY lift in ROAS
Leading Display Technology Company Grows ROAS by 140% with Epsilon Retail Media
During the End of Financial Year (EOFY) period, a global leader in display technology and Epsilon Retail Media came together to boost its presence on a major retail media network, leveraging data-driven strategies that brought in a 140% YoY lift in ROAS.
We get it. Each industry and each company encounters their own unique set of challenges. But what if we repositioned those challenges as opportunities? See just how far we can go.
---
## 272% Increase in Sales for Global Wine Leader
Type: eps_caseStudy
URL: /global-wine-leader
Last Modified: 2026-03-26T09:59:19Z
# 272% Increase in Sales for Global Wine Leader
Global Wine Leader Drives 272% Increase in Sales via Sponsored Product Ad Spots
One of the world’s largest wine companies aimed to increase their market share on a leading wholesale distribution network. Epsilon Retail Media helped build a strong relevancy score to secure top Sponsored Product Ad spots, ensuring greater visibility and more sales.
---
## Improving customer satisfaction with a data-driven strategy
Type: eps_caseStudy
URL: /us-bank-customer-satisfaction
Last Modified: 2026-06-16T15:44:07Z
# Improving customer satisfaction with a data-driven strategy
Improving customer satisfaction with a data-driven strategy
Banking on customer engagement
---
## Epsilon Accelerate Drives 58% Revenue Uplift
Type: eps_caseStudy
URL: /ecommerce-brand
Last Modified: 2026-02-02T16:57:49Z
# Epsilon Accelerate Drives 58% Revenue Uplift
Epsilon Accelerate Drives 58% Revenue Uplift for a leading eCommerce Brand
By leveraging Epsilon Accelerate for native on-site personalisation, the company enhanced its promotional campaigns, drove higher engagement, and boosted revenue – all while maintaining a seamless brand experience.
---
## Proving the value of video advertising
Type: eps_caseStudy
URL: /cheerz-01
Last Modified: 2026-06-04T12:39:59Z
# Proving the value of video advertising
Proving the value of video advertising for building awareness and sales
Cheerz recognised it needed to evolve its strategy to boost awareness and drive growth without compromising performance. Central to this was proving that brand-building activities could positively impact sales.
---
## Sally Beauty's loyalty makeover
Type: eps_caseStudy
URL: /sally-beauty
Last Modified: 2026-06-16T09:07:43Z
# Sally Beauty's loyalty makeover
Sally Beauty's loyalty makeover
Customers are always evolving, trying on new trends and finding new ways to express themselves. Sally Beauty was challenged to evolve with their customers and make their marketing as unique as each person's sense of style. They turned to their loyalty program to make it happen.
Watch the video to hear Gabriel Trujillo, VP of marketing at Sally Beauty, explore how Epsilon helped enhance and evolve their loyalty program to match their customers.
---
## Localized digital marketing powers grand openings and drives revenue
Type: eps_caseStudy
URL: /sandwich-chain-epsilon-digital
Last Modified: 2026-06-16T15:45:29Z
# Localized digital marketing powers grand openings and drives revenue
Localized digital marketing powers grand openings and drives revenue across 400 locations
Rolling out the red carpet
---
## The secret sauce to scoring new fans
Type: eps_caseStudy
URL: /chicken-restaurant-digital
Last Modified: 2026-06-16T15:44:53Z
# The secret sauce to scoring new fans
The secret sauce to scoring new fans
Making the fans flock
---
## eCommerce Marketplace Boosts Average Order Value 16%
Type: eps_caseStudy
URL: /ecommerce-marketplace
Last Modified: 2026-02-02T16:58:19Z
# eCommerce Marketplace Boosts Average Order Value 16%
Epsilon Accelerate Boosts Average Order Value by 16% for eCommerce Leader
A major eCommerce marketplace leveraged Epsilon Accelerate to optimise its promotional campaigns. The campaign drove higher Average Order Value (AOV) and conversions within just one week through a combination of native website solutions, personalised checkout banners, and on-site banners.
---
## 850% ad revenue growth over 4 years
Type: eps_caseStudy
URL: /major-australian-retailer
Last Modified: 2026-01-16T09:57:08Z
# 850% ad revenue growth over 4 years
Major Australian Retailer achieves 850%+ ad revenue growth with Epsilon Retail Media
Since the beginning of the partnership with Epsilon Retail Media, the Australian retailer has delivered impressive year - over - year growth in sales revenue, retail media ad revenue, and supplier (brand) engagements by harnessing Epsilon Retail Media.
We get it. Each industry and each company encounters their own unique set of challenges. But what if we repositioned those challenges as opportunities? See just how far we can go.
---
## Turning site visitors into long-term returning customers with Ariat
Type: eps_caseStudy
URL: /ariat
Last Modified: 2026-06-04T11:38:06Z
# Turning site visitors into long-term returning customers with Ariat
Turning site visitors into long-term returning customers with Ariat
Leading equestrian brand Ariat set out to rethink how onsite experiences could convert anonymous visitors into known customers, while collecting richer first-party data to support more relevant CRM activity across European markets.
---
## Raising the bar with adult beverage shopper data
Type: eps_caseStudy
URL: /national-adult-beverage-brand
Last Modified: 2026-06-16T15:53:13Z
# Raising the bar with adult beverage shopper data
Raising the bar with adult beverage shopper data
Built for BevAlc retail
We get it. Each industry and each company encounters their own unique set of challenges. But what if we repositioned those challenges as opportunities? See just how far we can go.
---
## Offsite display to acquire new customers at scale
Type: eps_caseStudy
URL: /john-lewis-apparel
Last Modified: 2026-06-04T12:25:46Z
# Offsite display to acquire new customers at scale
A premium approach to retention and acquisition
A global premium fashion brand aimed to drive growth by selectively reaching new and lapsed customers with a strong affinity towards high-quality, clean-cut clothing, using insight from its most valuable shoppers to target more affluent audiences.
---
## Reaching active shoppers across every screen
Type: eps_caseStudy
URL: /john-lewis-fitness-smart-watch
Last Modified: 2026-07-02T15:57:24Z
# Reaching active shoppers across every screen
Reaching active shoppers across every screen
A global fitness technology brand aimed to drive sales of its latest smartwatch during the peak gifting season, reaching health-conscious, tech-savvy shoppers using insight from its strongest existing buyers across multiple channels.
---
## Revealing the full impact of retail media for a bakery brand
Type: eps_caseStudy
URL: /bakery-brand-retail-media
Last Modified: 2026-06-16T15:51:19Z
# Revealing the full impact of retail media for a bakery brand
Revealing the full impact of retail media for a bakery brand
When online metrics only tell part of the story
See how comprehensive attribution can reveal the true value of every campaign.
---
## Boosting sales 846% with checkout ads
Type: eps_caseStudy
URL: /Frozen-Dessert-Brand
Last Modified: 2026-01-16T09:58:17Z
# Boosting sales 846% with checkout ads
Frozen dessert brand boosted sales 846% on Coles Online with Epsilon’s checkout ads. Higher visibility, more conversions!
A popular brand specialising in low-calorie, better-for-you frozen desserts sought to enhance visibility and drive sales on Coles Online.
We get it. Each industry and each company encounters their own unique set of challenges. But what if we repositioned those challenges as opportunities? See just how far we can go.
---
## Quadruple Digit Ad Revenue Growth for Leading Pet Retailer
Type: eps_caseStudy
URL: /pet-product-retailer
Last Modified: 2026-05-20T08:13:21Z
# Quadruple Digit Ad Revenue Growth for Leading Pet Retailer
Epsilon Onsite Retail Media Drives 17x YoY Ad Revenue Growth
The major pet product retailer set out to scale its onsite retail media capabilities and monetise growing digital traffic. Through Epsilon’s Onsite Retail Media, the retailer achieved exponential year-on-year revenue growth.
---
## Maximizing data to improve onsite media measurement
Type: eps_caseStudy
URL: /grocery-retailer-retail-media
Last Modified: 2026-06-16T15:51:45Z
# Maximizing data to improve onsite media measurement
Maximizing data to improve onsite media measurement
Using data to dive deeper
---
## Reaching new, high-value Waitrose shoppers
Type: eps_caseStudy
URL: /waitrose-sourdough
Last Modified: 2026-06-04T12:25:08Z
# Reaching new, high-value Waitrose shoppers
Raising sales for a leading sourdough brand
A popular premium bakery brand worked with Waitrose to grow online and in-store sales, reaching individual shoppers as they researched mealtime ideas and tracking the full impact of every media touchpoint on the purchases that followed.
---
## Winning the modern family with Chuck. E. Cheese
Type: eps_caseStudy
URL: /chuck-e-cheese
Last Modified: 2026-05-22T18:10:24Z
# Winning the modern family with Chuck. E. Cheese
Winning the modern family with Chuck. E. Cheese
Finding a new groove
---
## A multichannel strategy drives in-store guest counts for a global QSR
Type: eps_caseStudy
URL: /global-quick-serve-restaurant-omnichannel
Last Modified: 2026-06-16T15:44:29Z
# A multichannel strategy drives in-store guest counts for a global QSR
A multichannel strategy drives in-store guest counts for a global quick-service restaurant
Bringing guests to the table
We get it. Each industry and each company encounters their own unique set of challenges. But what if we repositioned those challenges as opportunities? See just how far we can go.
---
## Identified, connected, and cruising with marketview
Type: eps_caseStudy
URL: /ncl
Last Modified: 2026-06-15T14:30:56Z
# Identified, connected, and cruising with marketview
Identified, connected and cruising with MarketView
Less wander. More wanderlust.
Let the targeting set sail
We’re bringing NCLH and consumers closer than ever. We provided the data most predictive of consumer spending, our MarketView dataset — helping them understand individual consumer’s likes and lifestyles, identify high-value prospects and how to reach them in the right time and place.
Data
We set out to answer critical questions: where, when, how much and how often are consumers spending. Our proprietary matching allowed us to associate this transaction data with specific individuals—55+ years old with high net worth.
We get it. Each industry and each company encounters their own unique set of challenges. But what if we repositioned those challenges as opportunities? See just how far we can go.
---
## Optimising spend in the canned fruit category
Type: eps_caseStudy
URL: /global-food-beverage-company
Last Modified: 2026-01-16T09:40:37Z
# Optimising spend in the canned fruit category
How a multinational food company achieved 6.2x ROAS through Coles Online
We get it. Each industry and each company encounters their own unique set of challenges. But what if we repositioned those challenges as opportunities? See just how far we can go.
---
## Bringing guests back to the table
Type: eps_caseStudy
URL: /bar-louie
Last Modified: 2026-03-31T14:35:29Z
# Bringing guests back to the table
Bringing guests back to the table
An invitation to reconnect and recharge
Bar Louie went into 2020 knowing they needed a change. For many restaurants, it was a make-or-break moment. Here's how the gastropub staple leaned into location-based marketing messages to drive over 53K new conversions.
We get it. Each industry and each company encounters their own unique set of challenges. But what if we repositioned those challenges as opportunities? See just how far we can go.
---
## Using personalisation to build a digital brand and unlock cross-category growth
Type: eps_caseStudy
URL: /decathlon
Last Modified: 2026-06-15T10:20:54Z
# Using personalisation to build a digital brand and unlock cross-category growth
Using personalisation to build a digital brand and unlock cross-category growth
While COVID had driven a huge spike in online sales for the business, as retail re-opened, buying habits changed again. Decathlon wanted to ensure no customers were lost and they could continue to identify and market to their buyers going forward.
We get it. Each industry and each company encounters their own unique set of challenges. But what if we repositioned those challenges as opportunities? See just how far we can go.
---
## Leveraging first-party data to fast-track customer acquisition
Type: eps_caseStudy
URL: /lexoffice
Last Modified: 2026-06-04T11:37:35Z
# Leveraging first-party data to fast-track customer acquisition
Leveraging first-party data to fast-track customer acquisition
We get it. Each industry and each company encounters their own unique set of challenges. But what if we repositioned those challenges as opportunities? See just how far we can go.
---
## Sally Beauty's loyalty makeover
Type: eps_caseStudy
URL: /sally-beauty
Last Modified: 2026-03-31T20:05:55Z
# Sally Beauty's loyalty makeover
Sally Beauty's loyalty makeover
Customers are always evolving, trying on new trends and finding new ways to express themselves. Sally Beauty was challenged to evolve with their customers and make their marketing as unique as each person's sense of style. They turned to their loyalty program to make it happen.
Watch the video to hear Gabriel Trujillo, VP of marketing at Sally Beauty, explore how Epsilon helped enhance and evolve their loyalty program to match their customers.
We get it. Each industry and each company encounters their own unique set of challenges. But what if we repositioned those challenges as opportunities? See just how far we can go.
---
## Increasing conversions by bringing customers into focus
Type: eps_caseStudy
URL: /visionworks
Last Modified: 2026-03-24T19:23:18Z
# Increasing conversions by bringing customers into focus
Increasing conversions by bringing customers into focus
Blurry customer vision
An insightful partnership
Epsilon and Visionworks come together to collaborate, innovate and better each other. Hear Todd Jones, director of digital marketing at Visionworks, give his take on why this dynamic partnership is so successful.
---
## Maximizing retail media revenue
Type: eps_caseStudy
URL: /walgreens-retail-media
Last Modified: 2026-03-31T19:46:05Z
# Maximizing retail media revenue
Maximizing retail media revenue with a best-in-class identity solution
Building a top-tier retail media network
Walgreens wanted to build a leading retail media network and needed a best-in-class identity solution to do it. In 2020, they launched Walgreens Advertising Group (wag), which runs on Epsilon’s retail media solution.
Watch the video to see Tracey D. Brown, president of Walgreens retail and chief customer officer, talk through how the healthcare company works with Epsilon to build a top-tier retail media network.
We get it. Each industry and each company encounters their own unique set of challenges. But what if we repositioned those challenges as opportunities? See just how far we can go.
---
## Focusing on a data-driven approach drives growth for Wex Photo Video
Type: eps_caseStudy
URL: /wex
Last Modified: 2026-06-04T11:37:35Z
# Focusing on a data-driven approach drives growth for Wex Photo Video
Focusing on a data-driven approach drives growth for Wex Photo Video
We get it. Each industry and each company encounters their own unique set of challenges. But what if we repositioned those challenges as opportunities? See just how far we can go.
---
## Driving outcomes with traveler data and reach
Type: eps_caseStudy
URL: /amsterdampartners
Last Modified: 2026-05-05T20:57:24Z
# Driving outcomes with traveler data and reach
Driving outcomes with traveler data and reach
Data-driven messaging success
We get it. Each industry and each company encounters their own unique set of challenges. But what if we repositioned those challenges as opportunities? See just how far we can go.
---
## Accelerating RS's marketing approach to support its supplier partners
Type: eps_caseStudy
URL: /rs
Last Modified: 2025-02-12T16:44:45Z
# Accelerating RS's marketing approach to support its supplier partners
Accelerating RS's marketing approach to support its supplier partners influences over £50 million in revenue
RS’s thousands of partner suppliers rely on its Supplier Marketing Team as a vital distribution partner to drive sales. But managing expectations and supporting its supplier needs with its existing manually-oriented approach was becoming increasingly complex and difficult.
We get it. Each industry and each company encounters their own unique set of challenges. But what if we repositioned those challenges as opportunities? See just how far we can go.
---
## Maximizing campaign performance with audiences that get smarter over time
Type: eps_caseStudy
URL: /upscale-apparel-brand
Last Modified: 2026-06-16T15:46:07Z
# Maximizing campaign performance with audiences that get smarter over time
Maximizing campaign performance with audiences that get smarter over time
Tailor-made marketing
---
## Raising donor response and gift size with smarter, AI-powered audiences
Type: eps_caseStudy
URL: /international-humanitarian-organization
Last Modified: 2026-06-16T15:42:30Z
# Raising donor response and gift size with smarter, AI-powered audiences
Raising donor response & gift size with smarter, AI-powered audiences
Expanding the donor base
---
## Decathlon Fr
Type: eps_caseStudy
URL: /decathlon-fr
Last Modified: 2026-06-04T11:37:35Z
Turning First-Party data assets into marketing assets
How Decathlon built a new growth channel from the ground up, driving incremental revenue across digital and retail.
Building a new growth channel with first party-data.
Many retailers struggle with seasonality and the ability to identify and reach in-market individuals online.
Here begins the story.
We get it. Each industry and each company encounters their own unique set of challenges. But what if we repositioned those challenges as opportunities? See just how far we can go.
---
## Driving outcomes with traveler data and reach
Type: eps_caseStudy
URL: /amsterdampartners
Last Modified: 2026-06-04T11:37:35Z
# Driving outcomes with traveler data and reach
Driving outcomes with traveler data and reach
Data-driven messaging success
---
## Driving return trips and revenue by reengaging lapsed guests
Type: eps_caseStudy
URL: /taco-chain
Last Modified: 2026-06-16T15:42:14Z
# Driving return trips and revenue by reengaging lapsed guests
Driving return trips and revenue by reengaging lapsed guests
We get it. Each industry and each company encounters their own unique set of challenges. But what if we repositioned those challenges as opportunities? See just how far we can go.
---
## A loyalty program as unique as their customers
Type: eps_caseStudy
URL: /sally-beauty
Last Modified: 2025-02-12T16:44:45Z
# A loyalty program as unique as their customers
Sally Beauty's loyalty makeover
Customers are always evolving, trying on new trends and finding new ways to express themselves. Sally Beauty was challenged to evolve with their customers and make their marketing as unique as each person's sense of style. They turned to their loyalty program to make it happen.
Watch the video to hear Gabriel Trujillo, VP of marketing at Sally Beauty, explore how Epsilon helped enhance and evolve their loyalty program to match their customers.
---
## Inking new customers with strong identity & relevant audio ads
Type: eps_caseStudy
URL: /epson
Last Modified: 2026-03-31T19:58:24Z
# Inking new customers with strong identity & relevant audio ads
Inking new customers with strong identity & relevant audio ads
Building an omnichannel campaign
We get it. Each industry and each company encounters their own unique set of challenges. But what if we repositioned those challenges as opportunities? See just how far we can go.
---
## Valvoline tunes up guest communications
Type: eps_caseStudy
URL: /valvoline
Last Modified: 2026-03-31T19:57:08Z
# Valvoline tunes up guest communications
Valvoline tunes up guest communications
Most drivers know they need twice-annual oil changes, but often are unaware of other beneficial year-round services. To bridge this gap, Valvoline souped up their marketing approach. Using strong identity and 1:1 messaging, they can stay connected with guests between visits and educate them on what services they may be due for next.
Watch the video to hear Jake Lestan, Senior Director of Consumer Engagement, Valvoline Inc., describe how the brand is driving strong customer retention, increasing basket value and growing ROI with Epsilon as their partner.
We get it. Each industry and each company encounters their own unique set of challenges. But what if we repositioned those challenges as opportunities? See just how far we can go.
---
## The anniversary promotion that shook the home rental market
Type: eps_caseStudy
URL: /homes-villas-by-marriott-bonvoy
Last Modified: 2026-03-31T20:04:56Z
# The anniversary promotion that shook the home rental market
The anniversary promotion that shook the home rental market
A newcomer that's here to stay
New to the highly competitive home rental market, Homes & Villas by Marriott Bonvoy (HVMB) was looking for a way to shake up the scene. So, to celebrate their 4th anniversary, HVMB created their biggest incentive ever: 40,000 Marriott Bonvoy Points on stays of 4+ nights. To execute and gain awareness for the campaign, HVMB partnered with Epsilon to get the job done. Watch the video to learn more about the campaign.
We get it. Each industry and each company encounters their own unique set of challenges. But what if we repositioned those challenges as opportunities? See just how far we can go.
---
## Aspca
Type: eps_caseStudy
URL: /aspca
Last Modified: 2025-02-12T16:44:45Z
Abacus® Cooperative and modeling increases giving
Adopting Upgrade Opportunities
ASPCA, the oldest animal welfare organization in North America, needed help retaining and upgrading their donors — from direct marketing to mid-level giving, and ultimately to planned giving. Traditional methods for upgrading, like RFM selection, were not working.
Abacus® for Animal Rescue
We get it. Each industry and each company encounters their own unique set of challenges. But what if we repositioned those challenges as opportunities? See just how far we can go.
---
## Spreading and measuring the love for Virginia Tourism Corporation
Type: eps_caseStudy
URL: /virginia-tourism-corporation
Last Modified: 2026-06-17T18:46:41Z
# Spreading and measuring the love for Virginia Tourism Corporation
Spreading and measuring the love for Virginia
Accelerating recovery and growth
We get it. Each industry and each company encounters their own unique set of challenges. But what if we repositioned those challenges as opportunities? See just how far we can go.
---
## Private exchange for publishers Delivers Top Performance
Type: eps_caseStudy
URL: /tampa-bay-times
Last Modified: 2025-02-12T16:44:45Z
# Private exchange for publishers Delivers Top Performance
Private exchange for publishers delivers top performance
Creating connections to raise revenue
We get it. Each industry and each company encounters their own unique set of challenges. But what if we repositioned those challenges as opportunities? See just how far we can go.
---
## Collecting more donations using AI
Type: eps_caseStudy
URL: /international-humanitarian-organization
Last Modified: 2025-02-12T16:44:45Z
# Collecting more donations using AI
Raising donor response & gift size with smarter, AI-powered audiences
Expanding the donor base
---
## Creating smarter audiences with AI
Type: eps_caseStudy
URL: /upscale-apparel-brand
Last Modified: 2025-02-12T16:44:45Z
# Creating smarter audiences with AI
Maximizing campaign performance with audiences that get smarter over time
Tailor-made marketing
---
## Win-backs on the menu
Type: eps_caseStudy
URL: /jersey-mikes
Last Modified: 2025-04-21T13:11:16Z
# Win-backs on the menu
Win-backs on the menu
Hungry for customer wins
With a high number of lapsed customers, Jersey Mike’s needed an appetizing way to reconnect with customers and gain new ones. So they looked to Epsilon to cook up some fresh ideas for the menu.
We get it. Each industry and each company encounters their own unique set of challenges. But what if we repositioned those challenges as opportunities? See just how far we can go.
---
## Venturing toward new customers
Type: eps_caseStudy
URL: /road-scholar
Last Modified: 2025-04-21T14:16:41Z
# Venturing toward new customers
Venturing toward new customers
Setting higher sights
We get it. Each industry and each company encounters their own unique set of challenges. But what if we repositioned those challenges as opportunities? See just how far we can go.
---
## Retail Beauty
Type: eps_caseStudy
URL: /retail-beauty
Last Modified: 2025-02-12T16:44:45Z
Building new revenue and Partner relationships with a retail media network
Driving sales for brand partners
We get it. Each industry and each company encounters their own unique set of challenges. But what if we repositioned those challenges as opportunities? See just how far we can go.
---
## Blinded Us Brewing Company
Type: eps_caseStudy
URL: /blinded-us-brewing-company
Last Modified: 2025-02-12T16:44:45Z
Future proofing identity and accelerating transformation for a brewing company
A brewing challenge
---
## Creating customer joy with personalized experiences
Type: eps_caseStudy
URL: /ulta-beauty
Last Modified: 2026-03-31T13:48:06Z
# Creating customer joy with personalized experiences
Creating customer joy with personalized experiences
With guests as varied as the products they sell, Ulta Beauty knows the importance of curating resonant messaging for each unique beauty journey. And for the past several years, the retailer’s partnership with Epsilon has yielded a seamless, integrated digital strategy.
Watch the video to hear Michelle Crossan-Matos, Chief Marketing Officer of Ulta Beauty, describe how the retailer is applying new insights and activating campaigns to reach guests where they are and bring greater joy with Epsilon as their partner.
We get it. Each industry and each company encounters their own unique set of challenges. But what if we repositioned those challenges as opportunities? See just how far we can go.
---
## Specialty Retailer Intent Messaging
Type: eps_caseStudy
URL: /specialty-retailer-intent-messaging
Last Modified: 2025-12-10T15:46:27Z
Driving revenue and better customer experience with Intent Messaging
Unlocking new revenue and improving customer experience
---
## National quick serve restaurant finds more guests with Customer+
Type: eps_caseStudy
URL: /qsr
Last Modified: 2026-06-16T15:46:29Z
# National quick serve restaurant finds more guests with Customer+
National quick serve restaurant finds more guests with Customer+
The challenge
Customer+ uncovers the missing ingredients
We get it. Each industry and each company encounters their own unique set of challenges. But what if we repositioned those challenges as opportunities? See just how far we can go.
---
## Boosting awareness and conversions for ADHD medication via advanced TV
Type: eps_caseStudy
URL: /dishmedia
Last Modified: 2026-03-31T20:16:47Z
# Boosting awareness and conversions for ADHD medication via advanced TV
Boosting awareness and conversions for ADHD medication via advanced TV
Getting the word out
We get it. Each industry and each company encounters their own unique set of challenges. But what if we repositioned those challenges as opportunities? See just how far we can go.
---
## Kiehls
Type: eps_caseStudy
URL: /kiehls
Last Modified: 2026-06-04T11:37:35Z
How Globally Renowned Beauty Brand Boosted AOVs by up to 33% with Yieldify
We get it. Each industry and each company encounters their own unique set of challenges. But what if we repositioned those challenges as opportunities? See just how far we can go.
---
## Powering a digital transformation for a multi-brand retailer
Type: eps_caseStudy
URL: /jewelry-retailer-clean-room
Last Modified: 2026-06-16T15:38:00Z
# Powering a digital transformation for a multi-brand retailer
Powering a digital transformation for a multi-brand retailer
A diamond in the rough
---
## Building deeper audiences using a clean room
Type: eps_caseStudy
URL: /otc-healthcare-brand-clean-room
Last Modified: 2026-06-16T15:41:59Z
# Building deeper audiences using a clean room
Building deeper audiences using a clean room
A bitter pill to swallow
---
## Brewing up marketshare with new and unique audiences
Type: eps_caseStudy
URL: /at-home-coffee-brand-clean-room
Last Modified: 2026-06-16T15:42:40Z
# Brewing up marketshare with new and unique audiences
Brewing up marketshare with new and unique audiences
Drinking up the competition
---
## Optimizing the customer experience by bolstering data
Type: eps_caseStudy
URL: /fast-food-chain-clean-room
Last Modified: 2026-06-16T15:41:43Z
# Optimizing the customer experience by bolstering data
Optimizing the customer experience by bolstering data
Adding extra flavor to first-party data
---
## A future with more cheers
Type: eps_caseStudy
URL: /anheuser-busch
Last Modified: 2025-04-21T14:18:14Z
# A future with more cheers
Transforming connections to inspire more cheers
WATCH THE VIDEO
Anheuser-Busch's purpose is to create a "future with more cheers" for their consumers, communities and company.
Watch the video to seeSam Deutsch, Vice President, Commercial Data & Digital Platforms, and Juliana Wurzburger, Head of Media, at Anheuser-Busch talk through how the beverage giant works with Epsilon to enrich their data and insights and transform their consumer connections.
We get it. Each industry and company encounters their own unique set of challenges. What if we repositioned those challenges together into opportunities? See just how far we can go.
---
## Tuning up guest communications
Type: eps_caseStudy
URL: /valvoline
Last Modified: 2025-02-12T16:44:45Z
# Tuning up guest communications
Valvoline tunes up guest communications
Most drivers know they need twice-annual oil changes, but often are unaware of other beneficial year-round services. To bridge this gap, Valvoline souped up their marketing approach. Using strong identity and 1:1 messaging, they can stay connected with guests between visits and educate them on what services they may be due for next.
Watch the video to hear Jake Lestan, Senior Director of Consumer Engagement, Valvoline Inc., describe how the brand is driving strong customer retention, increasing basket value and growing ROI with Epsilon as their partner.
---
## Secret Escapes
Type: eps_caseStudy
URL: /secret-escapes
Last Modified: 2026-06-04T11:37:35Z
Allowing Secret Escapes to maximise its incremental revenue and advertising impact
We get it. Each industry and each company encounters their own unique set of challenges. But what if we repositioned those challenges as opportunities? See just how far we can go.
---
## Dishmediatravel
Type: eps_caseStudy
URL: /dishmediatravel
Last Modified: 2025-12-10T15:46:27Z
Boosting theme park visits and cruise bookings with advanced TV
Where the magic begins
---
## Acquiring new customers with AI-driven direct mail
Type: eps_caseStudy
URL: /earth-sun-moon
Last Modified: 2026-03-30T20:15:21Z
# Acquiring new customers with AI-driven direct mail
Acquiring new customers with AI-driven direct mail
You’ve got mail
---
## Igniting appetites & engagement with star-studded, multichannel campaign
Type: eps_caseStudy
URL: /mcdonalds
Last Modified: 2025-02-12T16:44:45Z
# Igniting appetites & engagement with star-studded, multichannel campaign
Igniting appetites & engagement with a star-studded, multichannel campaign
Hungry for engagement
The recipe to success
Watch the video to learn how Epsilon and McDonald's worked together to cook up excitement for the Famous Orders campaign.
---
## Authentically connecting with guests during COVID-19
Type: eps_caseStudy
URL: /marriott-international
Last Modified: 2025-04-21T14:19:01Z
# Authentically connecting with guests during COVID-19
Lighting the way with omnichannel marketing
Marriott has built their reputation as the premier brand in hospitality through authentic and personalized relationships with its customers. Here's how they got there.
Marriott's goal is to drive "loyalty beyond reason" on a global scale, connecting the local experience and stay with the reach of their 30+ brands. For a company of that size, executing omnichannel marketing with consistent communication is tough enough as is. Add a global pandemic to the mix, and things get even tougher.
Watch the video to see Chris Norton, senior vice president, marketing channels and optimization at Marriott talk through how the hospitality giant works with Epsilon to grow customer relationships through thick and thin.
---
## Intent Messaging And Digital
Type: eps_caseStudy
URL: /intent-messaging-and-digital
Last Modified: 2025-12-10T15:46:27Z
Optimizing abandonment efforts by combining digital and email
Engaging customers wherever they are
---
## Maximizing addressability and earnings with first-party publisher data
Type: eps_caseStudy
URL: /zoopla
Last Modified: 2026-03-31T19:36:04Z
# Maximizing addressability and earnings with first-party publisher data
Maximizing addressability and earnings with first-party publisher data
Opening the door to new opportunities
We get it. Each industry and each company encounters their own unique set of challenges. But what if we repositioned those challenges as opportunities? See just how far we can go.
---
## Win-backs on the menu
Type: eps_caseStudy
URL: /jersey-mikes
Last Modified: 2025-02-12T16:44:45Z
# Win-backs on the menu
Win-backs on the menu
Hungry for customer wins
With a high number of lapsed customers, Jersey Mike’s needed an appetizing way to reconnect with customers and gain new ones. So they looked to Epsilon to cook up some fresh ideas for the menu.
We get it. Each industry and each company encounters their own unique set of challenges. But what if we repositioned those challenges as opportunities? See just how far we can go.
---
## Measuring the complete economic impact of digital ad spend
Type: eps_caseStudy
URL: /visit-savannah
Last Modified: 2025-02-12T16:44:45Z
# Measuring the complete economic impact of digital ad spend
Destination: High ROAS
Putting out the welcome mat
We get it. Each industry and each company encounters their own unique set of challenges. But what if we repositioned those challenges as opportunities? See just how far we can go.
---
## Delivering an audience with digital
Type: eps_caseStudy
URL: /box-office
Last Modified: 2025-02-12T16:44:45Z
# Delivering an audience with digital
Driving ticket sales without TV ads
Connecting with filmgoers online at scale
Delivering an audience with digital
We get it. Each industry and each company encounters their own unique set of challenges. But what if we repositioned those challenges as opportunities? See just how far we can go.
---
## Engaging the right leads to fuel lower cost per lead
Type: eps_caseStudy
URL: /auto-insurance
Last Modified: 2025-02-12T16:44:45Z
# Engaging the right leads to fuel lower cost per lead
Using life event triggers to drive auto insurance policies
A focus on quality leads with life event triggers
We get it. Each industry and each company encounters their own unique set of challenges. But what if we repositioned those challenges as opportunities? See just how far we can go.
---
## Targeting in-market travelers and measuring their economic impact
Type: eps_caseStudy
URL: /vspc
Last Modified: 2025-04-21T14:39:29Z
# Targeting in-market travelers and measuring their economic impact
Attracting & tracking high-yielding travelers
Planning the itinerary
Breaking it down
Watch the video to learn more about how Epsilon and Visit St.Pete/Clearwater worked together to attract the right tourists to the Sunshine State.
We get it. Each industry and each company encounters their own unique set of challenges. But what if we repositioned those challenges as opportunities? See just how far we can go.
---
## Collecting more donations using AI
Type: eps_caseStudy
URL: /international-humanitarian-organization
Last Modified: 2025-02-12T16:44:45Z
# Collecting more donations using AI
Raising donor response & gift size with smarter, AI-powered audiences
Expanding the donor base
---
## Messaging real people at the right time
Type: eps_caseStudy
URL: /hot-topic
Last Modified: 2025-04-21T14:22:12Z
# Messaging real people at the right time
Teeing up sales and scale
We get it. Each industry and each company encounters their own unique set of challenges. But what if we repositioned those challenges as opportunities? See just how far we can go.
---
## Boosting Health and Wellness of the Business
Type: eps_caseStudy
URL: /swanson
Last Modified: 2025-04-21T14:35:13Z
# Boosting Health and Wellness of the Business
Revitalizing Online Customer Experiences
Boosting Health and Wellness of the Business
We get it. Each industry and each company encounters their own unique set of challenges. But what if we repositioned those challenges as opportunities? See just how far we can go.
---
## Generate profitable growth and influence customer behaviour.
Type: eps_caseStudy
URL: /petitbateau
Last Modified: 2025-02-12T16:44:45Z
# Generate profitable growth and influence customer behaviour.
Leveraging digital to stay connected with existing and new customers
We get it. Each industry and each company encounters their own unique set of challenges. But what if we repositioned those challenges as opportunities? See just how far we can go.
---
## Domino’s says Epsilon overcame GDPR data-security hurdles
Type: eps_caseStudy
URL: /dominos
Last Modified: 2025-04-21T14:21:00Z
# Domino’s says Epsilon overcame GDPR data-security hurdles
“Outsmarts rather than outspends”, generating £1m in display add trial
We get it. Each industry and each company encounters their own unique set of challenges. But what if we repositioned those challenges as opportunities? See just how far we can go.
---
## Increasing share of impressions on Safari
Type: eps_caseStudy
URL: /poolhost
Last Modified: 2025-02-12T16:44:45Z
# Increasing share of impressions on Safari
Monetizing web traffic on cookieless browsers
Increasing share of impressions on Safari
We get it. Each industry and each company encounters their own unique set of challenges. But what if we repositioned those challenges as opportunities? See just how far we can go.
---
## Making the right match on safari
Type: eps_caseStudy
URL: /crate-and-kids
Last Modified: 2025-04-21T14:24:06Z
# Making the right match on safari
Making the Right Match on Safari
Putting low match rates to bed
We get it. Each industry and each company encounters their own unique set of challenges. But what if we repositioned those challenges as opportunities? See just how far we can go.
---
## Tuning up guest communications
Type: eps_caseStudy
URL: /valvoline
Last Modified: 2025-02-12T16:44:45Z
# Tuning up guest communications
Valvoline tunes up guest communications
Most drivers know they need twice-annual oil changes, but often are unaware of other beneficial year-round services. To bridge this gap, Valvoline souped up their marketing approach. Using strong identity and 1:1 messaging, they can stay connected with guests between visits and educate them on what services they may be due for next.
Watch the video to hear Jake Lestan, Senior Director of Consumer Engagement, Valvoline Inc., describe how the brand is driving strong customer retention, increasing basket value and growing ROI with Epsilon as their partner.
---
## Upscale Apparel Brand
Type: eps_caseStudy
URL: /upscale-apparel-brand
Last Modified: 2025-02-12T16:44:45Z
Maximizing campaign performance with audiences that get smarter over time
Tailor-made marketing
---
## Retaining existing account owners through digital
Type: eps_caseStudy
URL: /fortune-100
Last Modified: 2025-02-12T16:44:45Z
# Retaining existing account owners through digital
Retaining existing account owners through digital
A leading Fortune 100 financial services organization wanted to expand their marketing beyond email and direct mail to message current account owners, all while maintaining the highest standards of PII security. After one year, they could message 89% of current customers with personalized messages.
We get it. Each industry and each company encounters their own unique set of challenges. But what if we repositioned those challenges as opportunities? See just how far we can go.
---
## Data-driven insights and personalised messages
Type: eps_caseStudy
URL: /deliveroo
Last Modified: 2025-02-12T16:44:45Z
# Data-driven insights and personalised messages
Delivering growth thanks to a feast of data-driven insights and personalised messages
We get it. Each industry and each company encounters their own unique set of challenges. But what if we repositioned those challenges as opportunities? See just how far we can go.
---
## Identifying & reaching the right audience
Type: eps_caseStudy
URL: /cdw
Last Modified: 2025-04-21T14:23:23Z
# Identifying & reaching the right audience
Powering win-win outcomes with digital co-op advertising
A win-win for CDW and its partner brands
Since 2011, Epsilon and CDW have worked together to enhance CDW’s digital media capabilities, integrate technology solutions into key points of the customer journey and leverage their customer data to the benefit of their brand partners.
We get it. Each industry and each company encounters their own unique set of challenges. But what if we repositioned those challenges as opportunities? See just how far we can go.
---
## Driving new-to-brand bookings with transparent reporting
Type: eps_caseStudy
URL: /luxury-cruise-line
Last Modified: 2025-04-21T14:37:22Z
# Driving new-to-brand bookings with transparent reporting
Getting new-to-file customers aboard a luxury cruise line
Working smarter, not harder
Recognizing new-to-brand prospects
---
## Personalization influences a lift in conversions and a strong return on ad spend
Type: eps_caseStudy
URL: /casual-dining
Last Modified: 2025-02-12T16:44:45Z
# Personalization influences a lift in conversions and a strong return on ad spend
SERVING UP INCREMENTAL RETURNS WITH PERSONALIZED MESSAGING
Hungry for better connections
---
## Delivering a next-generation customer segmentation and messaging solution
Type: eps_caseStudy
URL: /hackettlondon
Last Modified: 2025-02-12T16:44:45Z
# Delivering a next-generation customer segmentation and messaging solution
Delivering a next-generation customer segmentation and messaging solution that’s dressed to impress
We get it. Each industry and each company encounters their own unique set of challenges. But what if we repositioned those challenges as opportunities? See just how far we can go.
---
## Private exchange for publishers Delivers Top Performance
Type: eps_caseStudy
URL: /tampa-bay-times
Last Modified: 2025-02-12T16:44:45Z
# Private exchange for publishers Delivers Top Performance
Private exchange for publishers delivers top performance
Creating connections to raise revenue
We get it. Each industry and each company encounters their own unique set of challenges. But what if we repositioned those challenges as opportunities? See just how far we can go.
---
## Building long-term trust and profitability through consistent conversations
Type: eps_caseStudy
URL: /premierfarnell
Last Modified: 2025-02-12T16:44:45Z
# Building long-term trust and profitability through consistent conversations
Building long-term trust and profitability through consistent conversations
We get it. Each industry and each company encounters their own unique set of challenges. But what if we repositioned those challenges as opportunities? See just how far we can go.
---
## A person-level understanding of millions of consumers
Type: eps_caseStudy
URL: /large-retail-pharmacy
Last Modified: 2025-04-21T14:41:48Z
# A person-level understanding of millions of consumers
Driving medicine sales at a large pharmacy retailer
An over-the-counter (OTC) medicine brand wanted to drive sales at specific retailers at the end of flu season. Using our first-party data and NCSolutions’ (NCS) purchase-based data, we built a custom audience of cold/flu/allergy sufferers, brand purchasers and frequenters of the targeted retailers.
We get it. Each industry and each company encounters their own unique set of challenges. But what if we repositioned those challenges as opportunities? See just how far we can go.
---
## A scalable, accurate and transparent prescreen solution
Type: eps_caseStudy
URL: /fsi-transunion
Last Modified: 2025-04-21T14:26:20Z
# A scalable, accurate and transparent prescreen solution
Using digital prescreen to drive quality accounts
A national private-label credit card (PLCC) issuer needed to acquire quality, new accounts for their premium products. Epsilon and TransUnion’s partnership helped them to cost-effectively identify, prescreen and convert customers, exceeding their goals.
We get it. Each industry and each company encounters their own unique set of challenges. But what if we repositioned those challenges as opportunities? See just how far we can go.
---
## Engaging qualified leads to grow home insurance policies
Type: eps_caseStudy
URL: /home-insurance
Last Modified: 2025-02-12T16:44:45Z
# Engaging qualified leads to grow home insurance policies
Engaging qualified leads to grow home insurance policies
The challenge: quality leads.
---
## Venturing toward new customers
Type: eps_caseStudy
URL: /road-scholar
Last Modified: 2025-04-21T14:43:28Z
# Venturing toward new customers
Venturing toward new customers
Setting higher sights
We get it. Each industry and each company encounters their own unique set of challenges. But what if we repositioned those challenges as opportunities? See just how far we can go.
---
## Targeting the right person, with the best message at the optimal time
Type: eps_caseStudy
URL: /dunelondon
Last Modified: 2025-04-21T14:38:02Z
# Targeting the right person, with the best message at the optimal time
Targeting the right person, with the best message at the optimal time
We get it. Each industry and each company encounters their own unique set of challenges. But what if we repositioned those challenges as opportunities? See just how far we can go.
---
## Move ever closer towards the holy grail of multi-touch attribution
Type: eps_caseStudy
URL: /prettylittlething
Last Modified: 2025-04-21T14:34:19Z
# Move ever closer towards the holy grail of multi-touch attribution
Validating and optimising incremental growth with ‘unbeatable’ transparency
We get it. Each industry and each company encounters their own unique set of challenges. But what if we repositioned those challenges as opportunities? See just how far we can go.
---
## New customer acquisition now profitable
Type: eps_caseStudy
URL: /coxandcox
Last Modified: 2025-02-12T16:44:45Z
# New customer acquisition now profitable
Increasing incrementality through the power of perfect personalisation
We get it. Each industry and each company encounters their own unique set of challenges. But what if we repositioned those challenges as opportunities? See just how far we can go.
---
## Introducing a high level of data-driven relevance to drive customer acquisition.
Type: eps_caseStudy
URL: /gltc
Last Modified: 2025-02-12T16:44:45Z
# Introducing a high level of data-driven relevance to drive customer acquisition.
Data-driven relevance boosts customer acquisition for Great Little Trading Company
We get it. Each industry and each company encounters their own unique set of challenges. But what if we repositioned those challenges as opportunities? See just how far we can go.
---
## Publisher common id built to boost revenue
Type: eps_caseStudy
URL: /hometalk
Last Modified: 2025-02-12T16:44:45Z
# Publisher common id built to boost revenue
Publisher Common ID Built to Boost Revenue
Streamlining your DIY projects
We get it. Each industry and each company encounters their own unique set of challenges. But what if we repositioned those challenges as opportunities? See just how far we can go.
---
## Epsilon’s unique test-and-control model enables companies to make quick calculations.
Type: eps_caseStudy
URL: /bam
Last Modified: 2025-04-21T14:28:16Z
# Epsilon’s unique test-and-control model enables companies to make quick calculations.
Understanding the true value of personalised display using test and control
We get it. Each industry and each company encounters their own unique set of challenges. But what if we repositioned those challenges as opportunities? See just how far we can go.
---
## Strong customer knowledge boosts conversion rates and site visits.
Type: eps_caseStudy
URL: /leading-financial-brand
Last Modified: 2025-04-21T14:36:14Z
# Strong customer knowledge boosts conversion rates and site visits.
Driving speed-to-market by accessing target audience insights
Finding the right customers
We get it. Each industry and each company encounters their own unique set of challenges. But what if we repositioned those challenges as opportunities? See just how far we can go.
---
## A lookalike audience of the bank’s best customers
Type: eps_caseStudy
URL: /fortune-500-checking
Last Modified: 2025-02-12T16:44:45Z
# A lookalike audience of the bank’s best customers
Efficiently growing new checking accounts
A lookalike audience of the bank’s best customers
We get it. Each industry and each company encounters their own unique set of challenges. But what if we repositioned those challenges as opportunities? See just how far we can go.
---
## A future with more cheers
Type: eps_caseStudy
URL: /anheuser-busch
Last Modified: 2025-04-21T14:44:13Z
# A future with more cheers
Transforming connections to inspire more cheers
WATCH THE VIDEO
Anheuser-Busch's purpose is to create a "future with more cheers" for their consumers, communities and company.
Watch the video to seeSam Deutsch, Vice President, Commercial Data & Digital Platforms, and Juliana Wurzburger, Head of Media, at Anheuser-Busch talk through how the beverage giant works with Epsilon to enrich their data and insights and transform their consumer connections.
We get it. Each industry and company encounters their own unique set of challenges. What if we repositioned those challenges together into opportunities? See just how far we can go.
---
## Fashioning a new way to drive incremental mid-funnel growth
Type: eps_caseStudy
URL: /scotch_soda
Last Modified: 2025-02-12T16:44:45Z
# Fashioning a new way to drive incremental mid-funnel growth
FASHIONING A NEW WAY TO DRIVE INCREMENTAL MID-FUNNEL GROWTH
We get it. Each industry and each company encounters their own unique set of challenges. But what if we repositioned those challenges as opportunities? See just how far we can go.
---
## Strong data yields strong results
Type: eps_caseStudy
URL: /big-box-retailer
Last Modified: 2025-02-12T16:44:45Z
# Strong data yields strong results
Connecting customer data to increase credit card signups
Searching for the right prospects
We get it. Each industry and each company encounters their own unique set of challenges. But what if we repositioned those challenges as opportunities? See just how far we can go.
---
## Creating community impact through top-notch display
Type: eps_caseStudy
URL: /visit-franklin
Last Modified: 2025-02-12T16:44:45Z
# Creating community impact through top-notch display
Creating community impact through top-notch display
Visit Franklin, a destination marketing organization (DMO), needed to attract high-yielding visitors to spend locally to boost the town’s economy while proving impact to the town board. Epsilon consolidated their media and served eye-catching display showcasing the community to the right travelers for a strong ROAS, tracking impact along the way.
Proof, not promises
You don't have to take our word for it. Listen to Visit Franklin's Vice President of Marketing & Communications, Lauren Ward, discuss campaign success and proving impact with the right data:
We get it. Each industry and each company encounters their own unique set of challenges. But what if we repositioned those challenges as opportunities? See just how far we can go.
---
## Increasing viewer engagement
Type: eps_caseStudy
URL: /network-tune-in
Last Modified: 2025-02-12T16:44:45Z
# Increasing viewer engagement
Driving TV tune-in with maximal efficiency
Connecting with the right individuals
We get it. Each industry and each company encounters their own unique set of challenges. But what if we repositioned those challenges as opportunities? See just how far we can go.
---
## Identifying prospects with accuracy
Type: eps_caseStudy
URL: /home-furniture-brand
Last Modified: 2025-04-21T14:40:33Z
# Identifying prospects with accuracy
Identifying prospects with accuracy
Cookie targeting falls flat
Reaching and converting new-to-file customers
We get it. Each industry and each company encounters their own unique set of challenges. But what if we repositioned those challenges as opportunities? See just how far we can go.
---
## Better control of acquisition and CRM budgets
Type: eps_caseStudy
URL: /cheerz
Last Modified: 2025-02-12T16:44:45Z
# Better control of acquisition and CRM budgets
Strengthening brand value with continuous, cross-device communication
We get it. Each industry and each company encounters their own unique set of challenges. But what if we repositioned those challenges as opportunities? See just how far we can go.
---
## Moving new shoppers from awareness to consideration through ctv
Type: eps_caseStudy
URL: /ctv
Last Modified: 2025-02-12T16:44:45Z
# Moving new shoppers from awareness to consideration through ctv
Moving new shoppers from awareness to consideration through CTV
Tuning in new customers
---
## Analyzing “drive markets” to find the right tourists
Type: eps_caseStudy
URL: /visit-omaha
Last Modified: 2025-02-12T16:44:45Z
# Analyzing “drive markets” to find the right tourists
Attracting out of town visitors during off-season
Burr, it’s cold
Proof, not promises
Still not convinced? Hear Visit Omaha's Vice President of Marketing & Communications, Deborah Ward, share her thoughts on the effectiveness of advertising in bringing new visitors to Omaha.
We get it. Each industry and each company encounters their own unique set of challenges. But what if we repositioned those challenges as opportunities? See just how far we can go.
---
## Epsilon’s market-leading CMP helped Chums overcome data privacy
Type: eps_caseStudy
URL: /chums
Last Modified: 2025-02-12T16:44:45Z
# Epsilon’s market-leading CMP helped Chums overcome data privacy
Winning Boomer trust and data consent as incremental growth soars
We get it. Each industry and each company encounters their own unique set of challenges. But what if we repositioned those challenges as opportunities? See just how far we can go.
---
## Building robust, responsive website run on the Sitecore platform
Type: eps_caseStudy
URL: /golden
Last Modified: 2026-04-23T16:45:02Z
# Building robust, responsive website run on the Sitecore platform
Responsive. Redesigned. Reengaged.
Looking for an experience that pays off
We get it. Each industry and each company encounters their own unique set of challenges. But what if we repositioned those challenges as opportunities? See just how far we can go.
---
## Relevant messaging to the right people
Type: eps_caseStudy
URL: /bar-louie
Last Modified: 2025-02-12T16:44:45Z
# Relevant messaging to the right people
Bringing guests back to the table
An invitation to reconnect and recharge
Bar Louie went into 2020 knowing they needed a change. For many restaurants, it was a make-or-break moment. Here's how the gastropub staple leaned into location-based marketing messages to drive over 53K new conversions.
---
## Connecting with customers past, present and future
Type: eps_caseStudy
URL: /loccitane
Last Modified: 2025-04-21T14:27:05Z
# Connecting with customers past, present and future
Mixing up the perfect digital formula to generate sales and repeat customers
Connecting with customers past, present and future
L’Occitane was on a mission to better connect with all their customers—past, present and future—to boost engagement and revenue. Using our Epsilon Digital and Retail Media Network offering, backed with 200M+ robust customer profiles, industry-leading AI and comprehensive contextual and online behavior data, the beauty brand delivered relevant and performance-driven acquisition, reactivation and retention campaigns to the right customers across the web.
We get it. Each industry and each company encounters their own unique set of challenges. But what if we repositioned those challenges as opportunities? See just how far we can go.
---
## Abacus® reignites lapsed services
Type: eps_caseStudy
URL: /nature-conservancy
Last Modified: 2025-02-12T16:44:45Z
# Abacus® reignites lapsed services
Abacus® reignites lapsed services
Reactiving Deeply Lapsed Donors
Abacus® Delivers
We ran a head-to-head test of TNC’s internal model against Abacus Cooperative. With our model, we improved response rates by mailing deeply lapsed donors more effectively and efficiently. We armed TNC with additional data points, such as where else people are spending, to mail into a deeper universe.
The Nature Conservancy was able to identify donors and bring in 8% more from groups lapsed for 37+ months than they had with their internal model.
We get it. Each industry and each company encounters their own unique set of challenges. But what if we repositioned those challenges as opportunities? See just how far we can go.
---
## Connected Tv
Type: eps_caseStudy
URL: /connected-tv
Last Modified: 2025-02-12T16:44:45Z
Embracing connected TV to expand reach
Expanding brand awareness and knowledge
---
## Activate first-party customer data and target customers one-to-one
Type: eps_caseStudy
URL: /rs_components
Last Modified: 2025-02-12T16:44:45Z
# Activate first-party customer data and target customers one-to-one
Supercharging return on ad spend thanks to first-party data
We get it. Each industry and each company encounters their own unique set of challenges. But what if we repositioned those challenges as opportunities? See just how far we can go.
---
## Stay over, not stopover
Type: eps_caseStudy
URL: /singapore-tourism
Last Modified: 2026-06-04T11:37:35Z
# Stay over, not stopover
Stay over, not stopover
Using segmentation and personalisation to promote Singapore as a stand-alone destination for UK travellers
We get it. Each industry and each company encounters their own unique set of challenges. But what if we repositioned those challenges as opportunities? See just how far we can go.
---
## Harnessing the power of loyalty program data
Type: eps_caseStudy
URL: /tractor-supply-company
Last Modified: 2026-03-24T19:15:48Z
# Harnessing the power of loyalty program data
Harnessing the power of loyalty program data
Growing stronger relationships
Epsilon Loyalty gives brands like Tractor Supply Company insights into their customers to develop flexible, customizable and personalized loyalty programs.
---
## Dollar Store
Type: eps_caseStudy
URL: /dollar-store
Last Modified: 2025-12-10T15:46:27Z
Maximizing addressable shopper scale & revenue opportunity
Hitting the jackpot on customer insight
Epsilon Retail Media with Customer+ gives brands like the featured dollar store client access to all of their shoppers — not just the easy-to-identify ones. This helps retailers deliver on the true promise of retail media: helping brands reach all of their buyers.
---
## Empowering female athletes by boosting brand engagement through basketball
Type: eps_caseStudy
URL: /nil-work-together-win-together
Last Modified: 2026-03-31T14:07:51Z
# Empowering female athletes by boosting brand engagement through basketball
Empowering female athletes by boosting brand engagement through basketball
WATCH THE VIDEO
Epsilon is proud to have partnered with Opendorse to launch "Work Together to Win Together," a campaign that offered name, image and likeness (NIL) deals to all Division I women's college basketball players in the 2024 NCAA tournament.
Watch the video to hear Daryl Rappe, Senior Director of Recruiting at Epsilon who played Division I college basketball at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee and Susan Rothwell, Chief Revenue Officer at Epsilon, a DI swimmer at La Salle University, share what “Work Together to Win Together” means to them.
The power of team work is a slam dunk
---
## A first venture into CTV campaigns
Type: eps_caseStudy
URL: /fat-face
Last Modified: 2026-06-04T12:44:03Z
# A first venture into CTV campaigns
Broadcast reach, digital precision, transformative results
---
## First-Party Data Fuels Mokobara's Targeting and Growth
Type: eps_caseStudy
URL: /mokobara
Last Modified: 2025-02-12T16:44:45Z
# First-Party Data Fuels Mokobara's Targeting and Growth
First-Party Data Fuels Mokobara's Targeting and Growth
Epsilon Delivers an Impressive 4.4:1 iROAS, Exceeding Original Projection of 1.6:1
We get it. Each industry and each company encounters their own unique set of challenges. But what if we repositioned those challenges as opportunities? See just how far we can go.
---
## Tapping into Currys’ Connected Media Network
Type: eps_caseStudy
URL: /currys-01
Last Modified: 2026-06-04T11:37:35Z
# Tapping into Currys’ Connected Media Network
Tapping into Currys’ Connected Media Network to drive sales and buying efficiencies for a leader in home appliances.
We get it. Each industry and each company encounters their own unique set of challenges. But what if we repositioned those challenges as opportunities? See just how far we can go.
---
## Authentic moments straight to their inbox
Type: eps_caseStudy
URL: /coach
Last Modified: 2026-03-31T18:35:49Z
# Authentic moments straight to their inbox
Authentic moments straight to their inbox
Quality connections with a quality brand
Known for their high-end, luxury products, Coach wanted to establish relationships just as premium. As a way to cultivate more personal connections, they enlisted Epsilon to spark conversations via customer inboxes.
We get it. Each industry and each company encounters their own unique set of challenges. But what if we repositioned those challenges as opportunities? See just how far we can go.
---
## Win-backs on the menu
Type: eps_caseStudy
URL: /jersey-mikes
Last Modified: 2026-03-24T19:21:22Z
# Win-backs on the menu
Win-backs on the menu
Hungry for customer wins
With a high number of lapsed customers, Jersey Mike’s needed an appetizing way to reconnect with customers and gain new ones. So they looked to Epsilon to cook up some fresh ideas for the menu.
We get it. Each industry and each company encounters their own unique set of challenges. But what if we repositioned those challenges as opportunities? See just how far we can go.
---
## DD Perks® runs on Epsilon
Type: eps_caseStudy
URL: /dunkin-donuts
Last Modified: 2026-04-09T20:59:13Z
# DD Perks® runs on Epsilon
DD Perks® runs on Epsilon
Not your average cup of Joe
How does a brand stand out in a highly competitive market? You give your customers a little something to savor. Dunkin’ wanted to do more than differentiate, they wanted to resonate—with customers both loyal and soon-to-be loyal.
We get it. Each industry and each company encounters their own unique set of challenges. But what if we repositioned those challenges as opportunities? See just how far we can go.
---
## Fueling customer loyalty
Type: eps_caseStudy
URL: /bp
Last Modified: 2026-03-31T20:05:20Z
# Fueling customer loyalty
Fueling customer loyalty
Pumping up the rewards plan
Driving successful outcomes
We get it. Each industry and each company encounters their own unique set of challenges. But what if we repositioned those challenges as opportunities? See just how far we can go.
---
## Unfreeze, engage, empower through email
Type: eps_caseStudy
URL: /dellemc
Last Modified: 2026-03-31T18:34:36Z
# Unfreeze, engage, empower through email
Unfreeze, engage and empower through email
Thawing frozen customer segments with better data
Though showing a strong customer base, 70% of Dell EMC’s marketable B2B contacts were inactive and 43% never engaged with their email marketing materials. Instead of removing contacts, they partnered with Epsilon to better understand their inactive subscribers and re-engage them.
The “unfrozen” campaign
Each brand has its own unique set of challenges. See how these products can power you to turn challenges into outcomes.
---
## Personalizing wellness on an enormous scale
Type: eps_caseStudy
URL: /walgreens
Last Modified: 2026-03-31T13:45:57Z
# Personalizing wellness on an enormous scale
Personalizing wellness on an enormous scale
As Walgreens evolved its role from a retailer/pharmacy to a community healthcare partner, the brand had to have a better understanding of its customers to deliver the optimal healthcare journey for each person.
Watch the video to see Tracey D. Brown, president of Walgreens retail and chief customer officer, talk through how the healthcare company works with Epsilon to strengthen customer relationships and fulfill its mission.
We get it. Each industry and each company encounters their own unique set of challenges. But what if we repositioned those challenges as opportunities? See just how far we can go.
---
## Email execution that boosts downloads
Type: eps_caseStudy
URL: /edward-jones
Last Modified: 2026-03-31T18:34:13Z
# Email execution that boosts downloads
Email execution that boosts downloads
Filling the gaps for the app
Investment firm Edward Jones had two objectives they set out to accomplish: announce a new TouchID feature for their app and encourage customers to download. The blockers: the campaign had to increase KPIs for the mobile app, however, there was no segmentation between app users and non-app users.
We get it. Each industry and each company encounters their own unique set of challenges. But what if we repositioned those challenges as opportunities? See just how far we can go.
---
## Identified, connected, and cruising with marketview
Type: eps_caseStudy
URL: /ncl
Last Modified: 2026-06-17T18:39:49Z
# Identified, connected, and cruising with marketview
Identified, connected and cruising with MarketView
Less wander. More wanderlust.
Let the targeting set sail
We’re bringing NCLH and consumers closer than ever. We provided the data most predictive of consumer spending, our MarketView dataset — helping them understand individual consumer’s likes and lifestyles, identify high-value prospects and how to reach them in the right time and place.
Data
We set out to answer critical questions: where, when, how much and how often are consumers spending. Our proprietary matching allowed us to associate this transaction data with specific individuals—55+ years old with high net worth.
We get it. Each industry and each company encounters their own unique set of challenges. But what if we repositioned those challenges as opportunities? See just how far we can go.
---
## Attracting & tracking high-yielding travelers
Type: eps_caseStudy
URL: /vspc
Last Modified: 2026-03-24T19:29:48Z
# Attracting & tracking high-yielding travelers
Attracting & tracking high-yielding travelers
Planning the itinerary
Breaking it down
Watch the video to learn more about how Epsilon and Visit St.Pete/Clearwater worked together to attract the right tourists to the Sunshine State.
We get it. Each industry and each company encounters their own unique set of challenges. But what if we repositioned those challenges as opportunities? See just how far we can go.
---
## Franchize pizza giant drives sales with addressable TV
Type: eps_caseStudy
URL: /national-pizza-chain
Last Modified: 2026-06-16T15:43:35Z
# Franchize pizza giant drives sales with addressable TV
Franchise pizza giant drives sales with Addressable TV
We get it. Each industry and each company encounters their own unique set of challenges. But what if we repositioned those challenges as opportunities? See just how far we can go.
---
## Connecting online and offline drives ROI for women's retailer
Type: eps_caseStudy
URL: /womens-retailer
Last Modified: 2026-06-16T15:44:39Z
# Connecting online and offline drives ROI for women's retailer
Connecting online and offline drives ROI for women's retailer
Cookie-based targeting falls flat
Cultivating one-to-one relationships
We get it. Each industry and each company encounters their own unique set of challenges. But what if we repositioned those challenges as opportunities? See just how far we can go.
---
## Efficiently acquiring new customers with high quality, accurate data
Type: eps_caseStudy
URL: /bank-customer-aquisition
Last Modified: 2026-06-16T15:45:50Z
# Efficiently acquiring new customers with high quality, accurate data
Efficiently acquiring new customers with high quality, accurate data
Setting the right goals
High-impact audiences deliver efficient results
We get it. Each industry and each company encounters their own unique set of challenges. But what if we repositioned those challenges as opportunities? See just how far we can go.
---
## Putting performance marketing in the driver’s seat
Type: eps_caseStudy
URL: /auto-retailer
Last Modified: 2026-06-16T15:45:58Z
# Putting performance marketing in the driver’s seat
Putting performance marketing in the driver’s seat
We get it. Each industry and each company encounters their own unique set of challenges. But what if we repositioned those challenges as opportunities? See just how far we can go.
---
## Personalizing campaigns with anonymized customer database
Type: eps_caseStudy
URL: /leading-us-bank
Last Modified: 2026-06-25T20:04:12Z
# Personalizing campaigns with anonymized customer database
Personalizing campaigns with anonymized customer database
High expense but low impact
---
## Powering win-win outcomes with digital co-op advertising
Type: eps_caseStudy
URL: /cdw
Last Modified: 2026-05-06T19:46:43Z
# Powering win-win outcomes with digital co-op advertising
Powering win-win outcomes with digital co-op advertising
A win-win for CDW and its partner brands
Since 2011, Epsilon and CDW have worked together to enhance CDW’s digital media capabilities, integrate technology solutions into key points of the customer journey and leverage their customer data to the benefit of their brand partners.
We get it. Each industry and each company encounters their own unique set of challenges. But what if we repositioned those challenges as opportunities? See just how far we can go.
---
## In-Style aquisition with Abacus® data and modeling
Type: eps_caseStudy
URL: /justfab
Last Modified: 2026-03-31T14:27:35Z
# In-Style aquisition with Abacus® data and modeling
In-Style Aquisition with Abacus® data and modeling
Dressing up their VIP acquisition
JustFab, a leading subscription ecommerce site and lifestyle fashion brand, delivers personalized shopping experiences. So how could they add a personalized touch to the way they acquire VIP customers? They wanted to test the impact direct mail could make.
We get it. Each industry and each company encounters their own unique set of challenges. But what if we repositioned those challenges as opportunities? See just how far we can go.
---
## Private exchange for publishers Delivers Top Performance
Type: eps_caseStudy
URL: /tampa-bay-times
Last Modified: 2026-05-12T14:20:58Z
# Private exchange for publishers Delivers Top Performance
Private exchange for publishers delivers top performance
Creating connections to raise revenue
We get it. Each industry and each company encounters their own unique set of challenges. But what if we repositioned those challenges as opportunities? See just how far we can go.
---
## Multi-touch email program bolsters new brand launch
Type: eps_caseStudy
URL: /whole-foods-365
Last Modified: 2026-03-31T18:43:40Z
# Multi-touch email program bolsters new brand launch
Multi-touch email program bolsters new brand launch
Stocking their shelves with a loyalty program
We get it. Each industry and each company encounters their own unique set of challenges. But what if we repositioned those challenges as opportunities? See just how far we can go.
---
## Live content fuels local engagement
Type: eps_caseStudy
URL: /yard-house
Last Modified: 2026-03-31T20:15:59Z
# Live content fuels local engagement
Live content fuels local engagement
Serving up real-time, localized email campaign
We get it. Each industry and each company encounters their own unique set of challenges. But what if we repositioned those challenges as opportunities? See just how far we can go.
---
## Abacus® cooperative and modeling increases giving
Type: eps_caseStudy
URL: /aspca
Last Modified: 2026-03-24T19:40:38Z
# Abacus® cooperative and modeling increases giving
Abacus® Cooperative and modeling increases giving
Adopting Upgrade Opportunities
ASPCA, the oldest animal welfare organization in North America, needed help retaining and upgrading their donors — from direct marketing to mid-level giving, and ultimately to planned giving. Traditional methods for upgrading, like RFM selection, were not working.
Abacus® for Animal Rescue
We get it. Each industry and each company encounters their own unique set of challenges. But what if we repositioned those challenges as opportunities? See just how far we can go.
---
## Co-operative transactional data boosts customer acquisition
Type: eps_caseStudy
URL: /rhone
Last Modified: 2026-03-31T19:55:43Z
# Co-operative transactional data boosts customer acquisition
Co-operative transactional data boosts customer acquisition
Taking action for activewear acquisition
We get it. Each industry and each company encounters their own unique set of challenges. But what if we repositioned those challenges as opportunities? See just how far we can go.
---
## Teeing up sales and scale for Hot Topic
Type: eps_caseStudy
URL: /hot-topic
Last Modified: 2026-03-24T19:22:22Z
# Teeing up sales and scale for Hot Topic
Teeing up sales and scale
We get it. Each industry and each company encounters their own unique set of challenges. But what if we repositioned those challenges as opportunities? See just how far we can go.
---
## Increasing efficiency & revenue through data-driven models
Type: eps_caseStudy
URL: /ballard-designs
Last Modified: 2026-03-24T19:28:04Z
# Increasing efficiency & revenue through data-driven models
Increasing efficiency & revenue through data-driven models
Cataloger and online retailer, Ballard Designs, sought to strategically grow their brick-and-mortar footprint, while managing costs by reducing circulation. Epsilon data and modeling capabilities helped them identify the right Retail Trade Areas (RTAs) for profitable expansion.
We get it. Each industry and each company encounters their own unique set of challenges. But what if we repositioned those challenges as opportunities? See just how far we can go.
---
## B2C AI provider improves data quality, coverage and performance
Type: eps_caseStudy
URL: /faraday
Last Modified: 2026-03-31T14:29:08Z
# B2C AI provider improves data quality, coverage and performance
B2C AI provider improves data quality, coverage and performance
Improving Efficiency & Effectiveness
Data offering improves accuracy
We get it. Each industry and each company encounters their own unique set of challenges. But what if we repositioned those challenges as opportunities? See just how far we can go.
---
## Creating community impact through top-notch display
Type: eps_caseStudy
URL: /visit-franklin
Last Modified: 2026-06-17T18:44:58Z
# Creating community impact through top-notch display
Creating community impact through top-notch display
Visit Franklin, a destination marketing organization (DMO), needed to attract high-yielding visitors to spend locally to boost the town’s economy while proving impact to the town board. Epsilon consolidated their media and served eye-catching display showcasing the community to the right travelers for a strong ROAS, tracking impact along the way.
Proof, not promises
You don't have to take our word for it. Listen to Visit Franklin's Vice President of Marketing & Communications, Lauren Ward, discuss campaign success and proving impact with the right data:
We get it. Each industry and each company encounters their own unique set of challenges. But what if we repositioned those challenges as opportunities? See just how far we can go.
---
## Abacus® reignites lapsed services
Type: eps_caseStudy
URL: /nature-conservancy
Last Modified: 2026-03-24T19:22:55Z
# Abacus® reignites lapsed services
Abacus® reignites lapsed services
Reactiving Deeply Lapsed Donors
Abacus® Delivers
We ran a head-to-head test of TNC’s internal model against Abacus Cooperative. With our model, we improved response rates by mailing deeply lapsed donors more effectively and efficiently. We armed TNC with additional data points, such as where else people are spending, to mail into a deeper universe.
The Nature Conservancy was able to identify donors and bring in 8% more from groups lapsed for 37+ months than they had with their internal model.
We get it. Each industry and each company encounters their own unique set of challenges. But what if we repositioned those challenges as opportunities? See just how far we can go.
---
## Top bank's productivity, relevance & engagement revitalized
Type: eps_caseStudy
URL: /bank-email
Last Modified: 2026-06-16T15:51:36Z
# Top bank's productivity, relevance & engagement revitalized
Top bank’s productivity, relevance & engagement revitalized
From cluttered to cohesive
We get it. Each industry and each company encounters their own unique set of challenges. But what if we repositioned those challenges as opportunities? See just how far we can go.
---
## Scheduling intelligence pays off for specialty retailer
Type: eps_caseStudy
URL: /niche-retailer
Last Modified: 2026-06-16T15:52:23Z
# Scheduling intelligence pays off for specialty retailer
Scheduling intelligence pays off for specialty retailer
De-cluttering the inbox
We get it. Each industry and each company encounters their own unique set of challenges. But what if we repositioned those challenges as opportunities? See just how far we can go.
---
## Personalized messaging drives revenue
Type: eps_caseStudy
URL: /staples
Last Modified: 2026-05-06T19:45:45Z
# Personalized messaging drives revenue
Personalized messaging drives revenue
Making more happen with a unified digital marketing strategy
We get it. Each industry and each company encounters their own unique set of challenges. But what if we repositioned those challenges as opportunities? See just how far we can go.
---
## Publisher common ID built to boost revenue
Type: eps_caseStudy
URL: /hometalk
Last Modified: 2026-03-31T19:32:16Z
# Publisher common ID built to boost revenue
Publisher Common ID built to boost revenue
Streamlining your DIY projects
We get it. Each industry and each company encounters their own unique set of challenges. But what if we repositioned those challenges as opportunities? See just how far we can go.
---
## Fulfilling a QSR’s market share craving
Type: eps_caseStudy
URL: /qsr-restaurant
Last Modified: 2026-06-16T15:37:32Z
# Fulfilling a QSR’s market share craving
Fulfilling a QSR’s market share craving
Connecting with the right audience
We get it. Each industry and each company encounters their own unique set of challenges. But what if we repositioned those challenges as opportunities? See just how far we can go.
---
## Fueling customer loyalty
Type: eps_caseStudy
URL: /bp
Last Modified: 2025-02-12T16:44:45Z
# Fueling customer loyalty
Fueling Customer Loyalty
Pumping up the rewards plan
Driving successful outcomes
We get it. Each industry and each company encounters their own unique set of challenges. But what if we repositioned those challenges as opportunities? See just how far we can go.
---
## Abacus® reignites lapsed services
Type: eps_caseStudy
URL: /nature-conservancy
Last Modified: 2025-02-12T16:44:45Z
# Abacus® reignites lapsed services
Abacus® reignites lapsed services
Reactiving Deeply Lapsed Donors
Abacus® Delivers
We ran a head-to-head test of TNC’s internal model against Abacus Cooperative. With our model, we improved response rates by mailing deeply lapsed donors more effectively and efficiently. We armed TNC with additional data points, such as where else people are spending, to mail into a deeper universe.
The Nature Conservancy was able to identify donors and bring in 8% more from groups lapsed for 37+ months than they had with their internal model.
We get it. Each industry and each company encounters their own unique set of challenges. But what if we repositioned those challenges as opportunities? See just how far we can go.
---
## Live content fuels local engagement
Type: eps_caseStudy
URL: /yard-house
Last Modified: 2025-02-12T16:44:45Z
# Live content fuels local engagement
Live Content Fuels Local Engagement
Serving Up Real-Time, Localized Email Campaign
We get it. Each industry and each company encounters their own unique set of challenges. But what if we repositioned those challenges as opportunities? See just how far we can go.
---
## Authentic moments straight to their inbox
Type: eps_caseStudy
URL: /coach
Last Modified: 2025-02-12T16:44:45Z
# Authentic moments straight to their inbox
Authentic Moments Straight to Their Inbox
Quality connections with a quality brand
Known for their high-end, luxury products, Coach wanted to establish relationships just as premium. As a way to cultivate more personal connections, they enlisted Epsilon to spark conversations via customer inboxes.
Building high-end relationships
We get it. Each industry and each company encounters their own unique set of challenges. But what if we repositioned those challenges as opportunities? See just how far we can go.
---
## Abacus® boosts customer acquisition
Type: eps_caseStudy
URL: /rhone
Last Modified: 2025-02-12T16:44:45Z
# Abacus® boosts customer acquisition
Abacus® Boosts Customer Acquisition
Taking action for activewear acquisition
We get it. Each industry and each company encounters their own unique set of challenges. But what if we repositioned those challenges as opportunities? See just how far we can go.
---
## Healthy customers & customer relationships
Type: eps_caseStudy
URL: /walgreens
Last Modified: 2025-02-12T16:44:45Z
# Healthy customers & customer relationships
Healthy Customers & Customer Relationships
Results to feel good about
To encourage healthy outcomes, you need to make goals achievable. With a loyalty platform that supports and routes data for each interaction, Balance Rewards members see every day wins — in-store enrollments, online purchases and activity uploads from devices such as FitBit.
Loyalty
Achieving goals and earning points feels good. So we’re enabling members to earn rewards electronically and redeem points in real-time at the point-of-sale.
Strategic Consulting
Healthy choices are everywhere. So we integrated web services support and real-time enrollment through multiple channels.
Delivering healthy outcomes
We get it. Each industry and each company encounters their own unique set of challenges. But what if we repositioned those challenges as opportunities? See just how far we can go.
---
## Email execution that boosts downloads
Type: eps_caseStudy
URL: /edward-jones
Last Modified: 2025-02-12T16:44:45Z
# Email execution that boosts downloads
Email Execution that Boosts Downloads
Filling the gaps for the app
Investing in the execution
We get it. Each industry and each company encounters their own unique set of challenges. But what if we repositioned those challenges as opportunities? See just how far we can go.
---
## Connecting millions of consumers beyond the great outdoors
Type: eps_caseStudy
URL: /cabelas
Last Modified: 2025-02-12T16:44:45Z
# Connecting millions of consumers beyond the great outdoors
Connecting millions of consumers beyond the great outdoors
Getting outdoors enthusiasts excited
We get it. Each industry and each company encounters their own unique set of challenges. But what if we repositioned those challenges as opportunities? With our solutions, we can unlock the opportunities to boost your business. See just how far we can go.
---
## Unfreeze, engage, empower through email
Type: eps_caseStudy
URL: /dellemc
Last Modified: 2025-02-12T16:44:45Z
# Unfreeze, engage, empower through email
Unfreeze, Engage, Empower through Email
Thawing frozen customer segments with better data
Though showing a strong customer base, 70% of Dell EMC’s marketable B2B contacts were inactive and 43% never engaged with their email marketing materials. Instead of removing contacts, they partnered with Epsilon to better understand their inactive subscribers and re-engage them.
The “unfrozen” campaign
Each brand has its own unique set of challenges. See how these products can power you to turn challenges into outcomes.
---
## Brewing better customer connections
Type: eps_caseStudy
URL: /dunkin-donuts
Last Modified: 2025-02-12T16:44:45Z
# Brewing better customer connections
Brewing Better Customer Connections
The DD Perks® are percolating
Epsilon created a loyalty program that was easy-to-use and mouth-watering across channels – resulting in continuous sales growth. Whether they’re off to work, running errands or just starting of their day, DD Perks® served customers that first sip of coffee feeling.
Loyalty
Omnichannel loyalty platform enabled surprise perks so good you can taste.
Marketing Services
Creative offers and incentives baked in with tight, real-time integration between POS and the app.
Giving customers something to bite into
We get it. Each industry and each company encounters their own unique set of challenges. But what if we repositioned those challenges as opportunities? See just how far we can go.
---
## Multi-touch email program bolsters new brand launch
Type: eps_caseStudy
URL: /whole-foods-365
Last Modified: 2025-02-12T16:44:45Z
# Multi-touch email program bolsters new brand launch
Multi-touch email program bolsters new brand launch
Stocking Their Shelves with a Loyalty Program
We get it. Each industry and each company encounters their own unique set of challenges. But what if we repositioned those challenges as opportunities? See just how far we can go.
---
## In-Style aquisition with Abacus® data and modeling
Type: eps_caseStudy
URL: /justfab
Last Modified: 2025-02-12T16:44:45Z
# In-Style aquisition with Abacus® data and modeling
In-Style Aquisition with Abacus® data and modeling
Dressing Up their VIP Acquisition
JustFab, a leading subscription ecommerce site and lifestyle fashion brand, delivers personalized shopping experiences. So how could they add a personalized touch to the way they acquire VIP customers? They wanted to test the impact direct mail could make.
We get it. Each industry and each company encounters their own unique set of challenges. But what if we repositioned those challenges as opportunities? See just how far we can go.
---
## Monetizing web traffic on cookieless browsers
Type: eps_caseStudy
URL: /poolhost
Last Modified: 2026-03-31T19:44:07Z
# Monetizing web traffic on cookieless browsers
Monetizing web traffic on cookieless browsers
Increasing share of impressions on Safari
Value add
Watch the video to learn how Poolhost, an online office pool and sports site, partnered with Epsilon to boost the value of its advertising without increasing ad load.
We get it. Each industry and each company encounters their own unique set of challenges. But what if we repositioned those challenges as opportunities? See just how far we can go.
---
## Mixing up the perfect digital formula
Type: eps_caseStudy
URL: /loccitane
Last Modified: 2026-03-31T14:09:33Z
# Mixing up the perfect digital formula
Mixing up the perfect digital formula to generate sales and repeat customers
Connecting with customers past, present and future
L’Occitane was on a mission to better connect with all their customers—past, present and future—to boost engagement and revenue. Using our Epsilon Digital and Epsilon Retail Media offering, backed with 200M+ robust customer profiles, industry-leading AI and comprehensive contextual and online behavior data, the beauty brand delivered relevant and performance-driven acquisition, reactivation and retention campaigns to the right customers across the web.
We get it. Each industry and each company encounters their own unique set of challenges. But what if we repositioned those challenges as opportunities? See just how far we can go.
---
## Building new revenue and Partner relationships with a retail media network
Type: eps_caseStudy
URL: /retail-beauty
Last Modified: 2026-06-16T15:46:40Z
# Building new revenue and Partner relationships with a retail media network
Building new revenue and Partner relationships with a retail media network
Driving sales for brand partners
We get it. Each industry and each company encounters their own unique set of challenges. But what if we repositioned those challenges as opportunities? See just how far we can go.
---
## Embracing connected TV to expand reach
Type: eps_caseStudy
URL: /connected-tv
Last Modified: 2026-06-16T15:48:37Z
# Embracing connected TV to expand reach
Embracing connected TV to expand reach
Expanding brand awareness and knowledge
We get it. Each industry and each company encounters their own unique set of challenges. But what if we repositioned those challenges as opportunities? See just how far we can go.
---
## Healthy customers & customer relationships
Type: eps_caseStudy
URL: /walgreens
Last Modified: 2026-06-15T14:34:49Z
# Healthy customers & customer relationships
Healthy Customers & Customer Relationships
Delivering healthy outcomes
Results to feel good about
To encourage healthy outcomes, you need to make goals achievable. With a loyalty platform that supports and routes data for each interaction, Balance Rewards members see every day wins — in-store enrollments, online purchases and activity uploads from devices such as FitBit.
Loyalty
Achieving goals and earning points feels good. So we’re enabling members to earn rewards electronically and redeem points in real-time at the point-of-sale.
Strategic Consulting
Healthy choices are everywhere. So we integrated web services support and real-time enrollment through multiple channels.
We get it. Each industry and each company encounters their own unique set of challenges. But what if we repositioned those challenges as opportunities? See just how far we can go.
---
## Brewing better customer connections
Type: eps_caseStudy
URL: /dunkin-donuts
Last Modified: 2026-06-15T10:21:28Z
# Brewing better customer connections
Brewing Better Customer Connections
Giving customers something to bite into
The DD Perks® are percolating
Epsilon created a loyalty program that was easy-to-use and mouth-watering across channels – resulting in continuous sales growth. Whether they’re off to work, running errands or just starting of their day, DD Perks® served customers that first sip of coffee feeling.
Loyalty
Omnichannel loyalty platform enabled surprise perks so good you can taste.
Marketing Services
Creative offers and incentives baked in with tight, real-time integration between POS and the app.
We get it. Each industry and each company encounters their own unique set of challenges. But what if we repositioned those challenges as opportunities? See just how far we can go.
---
## Email execution that boosts downloads
Type: eps_caseStudy
URL: /edward-jones
Last Modified: 2026-06-04T11:37:35Z
# Email execution that boosts downloads
Email Execution that Boosts Downloads
Filling the gaps for the app
Investing in the execution
We get it. Each industry and each company encounters their own unique set of challenges. But what if we repositioned those challenges as opportunities? See just how far we can go.
---
## Authentic moments straight to their inbox
Type: eps_caseStudy
URL: /coach
Last Modified: 2026-06-04T11:37:35Z
# Authentic moments straight to their inbox
Authentic Moments Straight to Their Inbox
Quality connections with a quality brand
Known for their high-end, luxury products, Coach wanted to establish relationships just as premium. As a way to cultivate more personal connections, they enlisted Epsilon to spark conversations via customer inboxes.
Building high-end relationships
We get it. Each industry and each company encounters their own unique set of challenges. But what if we repositioned those challenges as opportunities? See just how far we can go.
---
## Connecting millions of consumers beyond the great outdoors
Type: eps_caseStudy
URL: /cabelas
Last Modified: 2026-06-04T11:37:35Z
# Connecting millions of consumers beyond the great outdoors
Connecting millions of consumers beyond the great outdoors
Getting outdoors enthusiasts excited
We get it. Each industry and each company encounters their own unique set of challenges. But what if we repositioned those challenges as opportunities? With our solutions, we can unlock the opportunities to boost your business. See just how far we can go.
---
## Multi-touch email program bolsters new brand launch
Type: eps_caseStudy
URL: /whole-foods-365
Last Modified: 2026-06-04T11:37:35Z
# Multi-touch email program bolsters new brand launch
Multi-touch email program bolsters new brand launch
Stocking their shelves with a loyalty program
We get it. Each industry and each company encounters their own unique set of challenges. But what if we repositioned those challenges as opportunities? See just how far we can go.
---
## Fueling customer loyalty
Type: eps_caseStudy
URL: /bp
Last Modified: 2026-06-04T11:37:35Z
# Fueling customer loyalty
Fueling Customer Loyalty
Pumping up the rewards plan
Driving successful outcomes
We get it. Each industry and each company encounters their own unique set of challenges. But what if we repositioned those challenges as opportunities? See just how far we can go.
---
## Live Content Fuels Local Engagement
Type: eps_caseStudy
URL: /yard-house
Last Modified: 2026-06-04T11:37:35Z
# Live Content Fuels Local Engagement
Live Content Fuels Local Engagement
Serving up real-time, localized email campaign
We get it. Each industry and each company encounters their own unique set of challenges. But what if we repositioned those challenges as opportunities? See just how far we can go.
---
## Scheduling intelligence pays off for specialty retailer
Type: eps_caseStudy
URL: /niche-retailer
Last Modified: 2026-06-04T11:37:35Z
# Scheduling intelligence pays off for specialty retailer
Scheduling intelligence pays off for specialty retailer
De-cluttering the inbox
We get it. Each industry and each company encounters their own unique set of challenges. But what if we repositioned those challenges as opportunities? See just how far we can go.
---
## Fulfilling a QSR’s market share craving
Type: eps_caseStudy
URL: /qsr-restaurant
Last Modified: 2026-06-04T11:37:35Z
# Fulfilling a QSR’s market share craving
Fulfilling a QSR’s market share craving
Connecting with the right audience
We get it. Each industry and each company encounters their own unique set of challenges. But what if we repositioned those challenges as opportunities? See just how far we can go.
---
## Top bank's productivity, relevance & engagement revitalized
Type: eps_caseStudy
URL: /bank-email
Last Modified: 2026-06-04T11:37:35Z
# Top bank's productivity, relevance & engagement revitalized
Top bank’s productivity, relevance & engagement revitalized
From cluttered to cohesive
We get it. Each industry and each company encounters their own unique set of challenges. But what if we repositioned those challenges as opportunities? See just how far we can go.
---
## Relevant messaging to the right people
Type: eps_caseStudy
URL: /bar-louie
Last Modified: 2025-02-12T16:44:45Z
# Relevant messaging to the right people
Bringing guests back to the table
An invitation to reconnect and recharge
Bar Louie went into 2020 knowing they needed a change. For many restaurants, it was a make-or-break moment. Here's how the gastropub staple leaned into location-based marketing messages to drive over 53K new conversions.
---
## Moving new shoppers from awareness to consideration through CTV
Type: eps_caseStudy
URL: /ctv
Last Modified: 2026-06-16T15:48:08Z
# Moving new shoppers from awareness to consideration through CTV
Moving new shoppers from awareness to consideration through CTV
Tuning in new customers
---
## Expanding reach beyond linear TV with the most qualified audiences
Type: eps_caseStudy
URL: /ctv-cpg-blind
Last Modified: 2026-06-16T15:47:09Z
# Expanding reach beyond linear TV with the most qualified audiences
Expanding reach beyond linear TV to the most qualified audience
Qualified cord-cutters
We get it. Each industry and each company encounters their own unique set of challenges. But what if we repositioned those challenges as opportunities? See just how far we can go.
---
## Increasing personalization & acquisition with dynamic creative
Type: eps_caseStudy
URL: /movie-theater-chain
Last Modified: 2026-06-16T15:47:50Z
# Increasing personalization & acquisition with dynamic creative
Increasing personalization & acquisition with dynamic creative
Going after smaller markets to drive ticket sales
---
## Chums
Type: eps_caseStudy
URL: /chums
Last Modified: 2026-06-04T11:37:35Z
Winning Boomer trust and data consent as incremental growth soars
We get it. Each industry and each company encounters their own unique set of challenges. But what if we repositioned those challenges as opportunities? See just how far we can go.
---
## The Nature Conservancy
Type: eps_caseStudy
URL: /the-nature-conservancy
Last Modified: 2025-12-10T15:46:27Z
Finding success in a new fundraising channel during the pandemic
A shifting environment
Acquiring new donors in a different environment
Watch the video to learn how The Nature Conservancy and Epsilon worked together to acquire new donors during the pandemic.
We get it. Each industry and each company encounters their own unique set of challenges. But what if we repositioned those challenges as opportunities? See just how far we can go.
---
## Retail Core Id
Type: eps_caseStudy
URL: /retail-core-id
Last Modified: 2025-12-10T15:46:27Z
USING CUSTOMER-LEVEL DATA TO RING UP RETAIL SALES
The right fit
We get it. Each industry and each company encounters their own unique set of challenges. But what if we repositioned those challenges as opportunities? See just how far we can go.
---
## Fedex
Type: eps_caseStudy
URL: /fedex
Last Modified: 2025-02-12T16:44:45Z
Delivering Value To A Delivery Partner
Connecting people with technology
One of the pioneers to offer a customers rewards program in the APAC region, today they partner with Epsilon to deepen connections further
The campaign
Each brand has its own unique set of challenges. See how these products can power you to turn challenges into outcomes.
---
## Igniting appetites & engagement with star-studded, multichannel campaign
Type: eps_caseStudy
URL: /mcdonalds
Last Modified: 2026-03-31T19:54:45Z
# Igniting appetites & engagement with star-studded, multichannel campaign
Igniting appetites & engagement with a star-studded, multichannel campaign
Hungry for engagement
The recipe to success
Watch the video to learn how Epsilon and McDonald's worked together to cook up excitement for the Famous Orders campaign.
We get it. Each industry and each company encounters their own unique set of challenges. But what if we repositioned those challenges as opportunities? See just how far we can go.
---
## Lighting the way with omnichannel marketing
Type: eps_caseStudy
URL: /marriott-international
Last Modified: 2026-05-06T19:52:31Z
# Lighting the way with omnichannel marketing
Lighting the way with omnichannel marketing
Marriott has built their reputation as the premier brand in hospitality through authentic and personalized relationships with its customers. Here's how they got there.
Marriott's goal is to drive "loyalty beyond reason" on a global scale, connecting the local experience and stay with the reach of their 30+ brands. For a company of that size, executing omnichannel marketing with consistent communication is tough enough as is. Add a global pandemic to the mix, and things get even tougher.
Watch the video to see Chris Norton, senior vice president, marketing channels and optimization at Marriott talk through how the hospitality giant works with Epsilon to grow customer relationships through thick and thin.
We get it. Each industry and each company encounters their own unique set of challenges. But what if we repositioned those challenges as opportunities? See just how far we can go.
---
## Amara
Type: eps_caseStudy
URL: /amara
Last Modified: 2026-06-04T11:37:35Z
Delivering high-quality personalisation - on brand and at scale
We get it. Each industry and each company encounters their own unique set of challenges. But what if we repositioned those challenges as opportunities? See just how far we can go.
---
## Bam
Type: eps_caseStudy
URL: /bam
Last Modified: 2026-06-04T11:37:35Z
Understanding the true value of personalised display using test and control
We get it. Each industry and each company encounters their own unique set of challenges. But what if we repositioned those challenges as opportunities? See just how far we can go.
---
## Cheerz
Type: eps_caseStudy
URL: /cheerz
Last Modified: 2026-06-04T11:37:35Z
Strengthening brand value with continuous, cross-device communication
We get it. Each industry and each company encounters their own unique set of challenges. But what if we repositioned those challenges as opportunities? See just how far we can go.
---
## Coxandcox
Type: eps_caseStudy
URL: /coxandcox
Last Modified: 2026-06-04T11:37:35Z
Increasing incrementality through the power of perfect personalisation
We get it. Each industry and each company encounters their own unique set of challenges. But what if we repositioned those challenges as opportunities? See just how far we can go.
---
## Deliveroo
Type: eps_caseStudy
URL: /deliveroo
Last Modified: 2026-06-04T11:37:35Z
Delivering growth thanks to a feast of data-driven insights and personalised messages
We get it. Each industry and each company encounters their own unique set of challenges. But what if we repositioned those challenges as opportunities? See just how far we can go.
---
## Dominos
Type: eps_caseStudy
URL: /dominos
Last Modified: 2026-06-04T11:37:35Z
“Outsmarts rather than outspends”, generating £1m in display ad trial
We get it. Each industry and each company encounters their own unique set of challenges. But what if we repositioned those challenges as opportunities? See just how far we can go.
---
## Beauty
Type: eps_caseStudy
URL: /beauty
Last Modified: 2026-06-04T11:37:35Z
Delivering data-driven incremental growth thanks to 1:1 personalisation
We get it. Each industry and each company encounters their own unique set of challenges. But what if we repositioned those challenges as opportunities? See just how far we can go.
---
## Dunelondon
Type: eps_caseStudy
URL: /dunelondon
Last Modified: 2026-06-04T11:37:35Z
Targeting the right person, with the best message at the optimal time
We get it. Each industry and each company encounters their own unique set of challenges. But what if we repositioned those challenges as opportunities? See just how far we can go.
---
## Premierfarnell
Type: eps_caseStudy
URL: /premierfarnell
Last Modified: 2026-06-04T11:37:35Z
Building long-term trust and profitability through consistent conversations
We get it. Each industry and each company encounters their own unique set of challenges. But what if we repositioned those challenges as opportunities? See just how far we can go.
---
## Gltc
Type: eps_caseStudy
URL: /gltc
Last Modified: 2026-06-04T11:37:35Z
Data-driven relevance boosts customer acquisition for Great Little Trading Company
We get it. Each industry and each company encounters their own unique set of challenges. But what if we repositioned those challenges as opportunities? See just how far we can go.
---
## Hackettlondon
Type: eps_caseStudy
URL: /hackettlondon
Last Modified: 2026-06-04T11:37:35Z
Delivering a next-generation customer segmentation and messaging solution that’s dressed to impress
We get it. Each industry and each company encounters their own unique set of challenges. But what if we repositioned those challenges as opportunities? See just how far we can go.
---
## Petitbateau
Type: eps_caseStudy
URL: /petitbateau
Last Modified: 2026-06-04T11:37:35Z
Leveraging digital to stay connected with existing and new customers
We get it. Each industry and each company encounters their own unique set of challenges. But what if we repositioned those challenges as opportunities? See just how far we can go.
---
## Prettylittlething
Type: eps_caseStudy
URL: /prettylittlething
Last Modified: 2026-06-04T11:37:35Z
Validating and optimising incremental growth with ‘unbeatable’ transparency
We get it. Each industry and each company encounters their own unique set of challenges. But what if we repositioned those challenges as opportunities? See just how far we can go.
---
## Rs_components
Type: eps_caseStudy
URL: /rs_components
Last Modified: 2026-06-04T11:37:35Z
Supercharging return on ad spend thanks to first-party data
We get it. Each industry and each company encounters their own unique set of challenges. But what if we repositioned those challenges as opportunities? See just how far we can go.
---
## Scotch_soda
Type: eps_caseStudy
URL: /scotch_soda
Last Modified: 2026-06-04T11:37:35Z
FASHIONING A NEW WAY TO DRIVE INCREMENTAL MID-FUNNEL GROWTH
We get it. Each industry and each company encounters their own unique set of challenges. But what if we repositioned those challenges as opportunities? See just how far we can go.
---
## Roman
Type: eps_caseStudy
URL: /roman
Last Modified: 2026-06-04T11:37:35Z
Activating customer data to unleash incremental growth
Kieren Stott, Roman Originals’ Paid Media Manager, says Epsilon’s focus on data measurement and collaboration has enabled the brand to truly understand how its marketing works.
We get it. Each industry and each company encounters their own unique set of challenges. But what if we repositioned those challenges as opportunities? See just how far we can go.
---
## Botb
Type: eps_caseStudy
URL: /botb
Last Modified: 2026-06-04T11:37:35Z
Epsilon drives “staggering” incremental uplift for dream car company
We get it. Each industry and each company encounters their own unique set of challenges. But what if we repositioned those challenges as opportunities? See just how far we can go.
---
## Blinded Us Brewing Company
Type: eps_caseStudy
URL: /blinded-us-brewing-company
Last Modified: 2025-12-10T15:46:27Z
Future proofing identity and accelerating transformation for a brewing company
A brewing challenge
---
## Emerging player in gaming adtech wins with Epsilon Publisher Solutions
Type: eps_caseStudy
URL: /pubfinity
Last Modified: 2026-03-31T19:40:47Z
# Emerging player in gaming adtech wins with Epsilon Publisher Solutions
Emerging player in gaming adtech wins with Epsilon publisher solutions
Ready, set, game
Filling the gap
Watch the video to learn how rising advertising network Pubfinity partnered with Epsilon to grow their business.
We get it. Each industry and each company encounters their own unique set of challenges. But what if we repositioned those challenges as opportunities? See just how far we can go.
---
## Energy Drink Blind
Type: eps_caseStudy
URL: /energy-drink-blind
Last Modified: 2025-12-10T15:46:27Z
To combat declining sales, A CPG brand turns to retention
The right flavor
---
## Igniting appetites & engagement with a star-studded, multichannel campaign
Type: eps_caseStudy
URL: /mcdonalds
Last Modified: 2026-06-04T11:37:35Z
# Igniting appetites & engagement with a star-studded, multichannel campaign
Igniting appetites & engagement with a star-studded, multichannel campaign
Hungry for engagement
---
## Authentically connecting with guests during covid-19
Type: eps_caseStudy
URL: /marriott-international
Last Modified: 2026-06-04T11:37:35Z
# Authentically connecting with guests during covid-19
AUTHENTICALLY CONNECTING WITH GUESTS DURING COVID-19
You’ve got mail
---
## Commanding inbox attention to drive sales
Type: eps_caseStudy
URL: /vioc
Last Modified: 2026-03-31T14:14:53Z
# Commanding inbox attention to drive sales
Commanding inbox attention to drive sales
Filling the digital tank
FUELING RESULTS
Watch the video to learn how Valvoline Instant Oil Change and Epsilon worked together to drive email engagement.
---
## Fueling a record-setting tourism year with outcome-based marketing
Type: eps_caseStudy
URL: /the-shoals
Last Modified: 2026-06-17T18:43:04Z
# Fueling a record-setting tourism year with outcome-based marketing
Fueling a record-setting tourism year with outcome-based marketing
A journey to deeper knowledge
Proof, not promises
You don't have to take our word for it. Listen to The Shoals' President & CEO, Rob Carnegie, discuss how Epsilon helped to drive expectation-exceeding results.
We get it. Each industry and each company encounters their own unique set of challenges. But what if we repositioned those challenges as opportunities? See just how far we can go.
---
## Connecting employees with a flexible messaging platform
Type: eps_caseStudy
URL: /marcel
Last Modified: 2026-03-31T20:07:43Z
# Connecting employees with a flexible messaging platform
Connecting thousands of employees worldwide with a flexible messaging platform
Connecting the Publicis Groupe umbrella with Marcel
We get it. Each industry and each company encounters their own unique set of challenges. But what if we repositioned those challenges as opportunities? See just how far we can go.
---
## Uncorking high value customers through digital D2C strategy
Type: eps_caseStudy
URL: /wine-country-gift-baskets
Last Modified: 2026-03-31T20:02:52Z
# Uncorking high value customers through digital D2C strategy
Uncorking high-value customers through digital D2C strategy
Curating customers
We get it. Each industry and each company encounters their own unique set of challenges. But what if we repositioned those challenges as opportunities? See just how far we can go.
---
## Increasing share of impressions on Safari
Type: eps_caseStudy
URL: /poolhost
Last Modified: 2025-04-21T13:27:42Z
# Increasing share of impressions on Safari
Monetizing web traffic on cookieless browsers
Increasing share of impressions on Safari
We get it. Each industry and each company encounters their own unique set of challenges. But what if we repositioned those challenges as opportunities? See just how far we can go.
---
## Staples
Type: eps_caseStudy
URL: /staples
Last Modified: 2025-02-12T16:44:45Z
Personalized Messaging Drives Revenue
Making more happen with digital marketing
We get it. Each industry and each company encounters their own unique set of challenges. But what if we repositioned those challenges as opportunities? See just how far we can go.
---
## Publisher common id built to boost revenue
Type: eps_caseStudy
URL: /hometalk
Last Modified: 2025-02-12T16:44:45Z
# Publisher common id built to boost revenue
Publisher Common ID Built to Boost Revenue
Streamlining your DIY projects
We get it. Each industry and each company encounters their own unique set of challenges. But what if we repositioned those challenges as opportunities? See just how far we can go.
---
## Building robust, responsive website run on the Sitecore platform
Type: eps_caseStudy
URL: /golden
Last Modified: 2026-04-21T15:43:17Z
# Building robust, responsive website run on the Sitecore platform
Responsive. Redesigned. Reengaged.
Looking for an experience that pays off
We get it. Each industry and each company encounters their own unique set of challenges. But what if we repositioned those challenges as opportunities? See just how far we can go.
---
## Visit Savannah
Type: eps_caseStudy
URL: /visit-savannah
Last Modified: 2025-02-12T16:44:45Z
Destination: High ROAS
Putting out the welcome mat
We get it. Each industry and each company encounters their own unique set of challenges. But what if we repositioned those challenges as opportunities? See just how far we can go.
---
## Connecting with customers past, present and future
Type: eps_caseStudy
URL: /loccitane
Last Modified: 2025-04-21T13:27:08Z
# Connecting with customers past, present and future
Mixing up the perfect digital formula to generate sales and repeat customers
Connecting with customers past, present and future
L’Occitane was on a mission to better connect with all their customers—past, present and future—to boost engagement and revenue. Using our Epsilon Digital and Retail Media Network offering, backed with 200M+ robust customer profiles, industry-leading AI and comprehensive contextual and online behavior data, the beauty brand delivered relevant and performance-driven acquisition, reactivation and retention campaigns to the right customers across the web.
We get it. Each industry and each company encounters their own unique set of challenges. But what if we repositioned those challenges as opportunities? See just how far we can go.
---
## Boosting Health and Wellness of the Business
Type: eps_caseStudy
URL: /swanson
Last Modified: 2025-04-21T14:04:19Z
# Boosting Health and Wellness of the Business
Revitalizing Online Customer Experiences
Boosting Health and Wellness of the Business
We get it. Each industry and each company encounters their own unique set of challenges. But what if we repositioned those challenges as opportunities? See just how far we can go.
---
## Creating community impact through top-notch display
Type: eps_caseStudy
URL: /visit-franklin
Last Modified: 2025-02-12T16:44:45Z
# Creating community impact through top-notch display
Creating community impact through top-notch display
Visit Franklin, a destination marketing organization (DMO), needed to attract high-yielding visitors to spend locally to boost the town’s economy while proving impact to the town board. Epsilon consolidated their media and served eye-catching display showcasing the community to the right travelers for a strong ROAS, tracking impact along the way.
Proof, not promises
You don't have to take our word for it. Listen to Visit Franklin's Vice President of Marketing & Communications, Lauren Ward, discuss campaign success and proving impact with the right data:
We get it. Each industry and each company encounters their own unique set of challenges. But what if we repositioned those challenges as opportunities? See just how far we can go.
---
## Making the right match on safari
Type: eps_caseStudy
URL: /crate-and-kids
Last Modified: 2025-04-21T13:17:05Z
# Making the right match on safari
Making the Right Match on Safari
Putting low match rates to bed
We get it. Each industry and each company encounters their own unique set of challenges. But what if we repositioned those challenges as opportunities? See just how far we can go.
---
## Identifying & reaching the right audience
Type: eps_caseStudy
URL: /cdw
Last Modified: 2025-02-12T16:44:45Z
# Identifying & reaching the right audience
Powering win-win outcomes with digital co-op advertising
A win-win for CDW and its partner brands
Since 2011, Epsilon and CDW have worked together to enhance CDW’s digital media capabilities, integrate technology solutions into key points of the customer journey and leverage their customer data to the benefit of their brand partners.
We get it. Each industry and each company encounters their own unique set of challenges. But what if we repositioned those challenges as opportunities? See just how far we can go.
---
## Analyzing “drive markets” to find the right tourists
Type: eps_caseStudy
URL: /visit-omaha
Last Modified: 2025-04-21T13:19:45Z
# Analyzing “drive markets” to find the right tourists
Attracting out of town visitors during off-season
Burr, it’s cold
Proof, not promises
Still not convinced? Hear Visit Omaha's Vice President of Marketing & Communications, Deborah Ward, share her thoughts on the effectiveness of advertising in bringing new visitors to Omaha.
We get it. Each industry and each company encounters their own unique set of challenges. But what if we repositioned those challenges as opportunities? See just how far we can go.
---
## Strong customer knowledge boosts conversion rates and site visits.
Type: eps_caseStudy
URL: /leading-financial-brand
Last Modified: 2025-04-21T13:32:17Z
# Strong customer knowledge boosts conversion rates and site visits.
Driving speed-to-market by accessing target audience insights
Finding the right customers
We get it. Each industry and each company encounters their own unique set of challenges. But what if we repositioned those challenges as opportunities? See just how far we can go.
---
## Messaging real people at the right time
Type: eps_caseStudy
URL: /hot-topic
Last Modified: 2025-02-12T16:44:45Z
# Messaging real people at the right time
Teeing up sales and scale
We get it. Each industry and each company encounters their own unique set of challenges. But what if we repositioned those challenges as opportunities? See just how far we can go.
---
## Domino’s says Epsilon overcame GDPR data-security hurdles
Type: eps_caseStudy
URL: /dominos
Last Modified: 2025-02-12T16:44:45Z
# Domino’s says Epsilon overcame GDPR data-security hurdles
“Outsmarts rather than outspends”, generating £1m in display add trial
We get it. Each industry and each company encounters their own unique set of challenges. But what if we repositioned those challenges as opportunities? See just how far we can go.
---
## Fashioning a new way to drive
incremental mid-funnel growth
Type: eps_caseStudy
URL: /rs_components
Last Modified: 2025-04-21T13:13:19Z
# Fashioning a new way to drive
incremental mid-funnel growth
Supercharging return on ad spend thanks to first-party data
We get it. Each industry and each company encounters their own unique set of challenges. But what if we repositioned those challenges as opportunities? See just how far we can go.
---
## Data-driven insights and personalised messages
Type: eps_caseStudy
URL: /deliveroo
Last Modified: 2025-02-12T16:44:45Z
# Data-driven insights and personalised messages
Delivering growth thanks to a feast of data-driven insights and personalised messages
We get it. Each industry and each company encounters their own unique set of challenges. But what if we repositioned those challenges as opportunities? See just how far we can go.
---
## Move ever closer towards the holy grail of multi-touch attribution
Type: eps_caseStudy
URL: /prettylittlething
Last Modified: 2025-02-12T16:44:45Z
# Move ever closer towards the holy grail of multi-touch attribution
Validating and optimising incremental growth with ‘unbeatable’ transparency
We get it. Each industry and each company encounters their own unique set of challenges. But what if we repositioned those challenges as opportunities? See just how far we can go.
---
## Epsilon’s market-leading CMP helped Chums overcome data privacy
Type: eps_caseStudy
URL: /chums
Last Modified: 2025-04-21T14:04:46Z
# Epsilon’s market-leading CMP helped Chums overcome data privacy
Winning Boomer trust and data consent as incremental growth soars
We get it. Each industry and each company encounters their own unique set of challenges. But what if we repositioned those challenges as opportunities? See just how far we can go.
---
## Building long-term trust and profitability through consistent conversations
Type: eps_caseStudy
URL: /premierfarnell
Last Modified: 2025-04-21T14:07:10Z
# Building long-term trust and profitability through consistent conversations
Building long-term trust and profitability through consistent conversations
We get it. Each industry and each company encounters their own unique set of challenges. But what if we repositioned those challenges as opportunities? See just how far we can go.
---
## Fashioning a new way to drive incremental mid-funnel growth
Type: eps_caseStudy
URL: /scotch_soda
Last Modified: 2025-04-21T13:18:20Z
# Fashioning a new way to drive incremental mid-funnel growth
FASHIONING A NEW WAY TO DRIVE INCREMENTAL MID-FUNNEL GROWTH
We get it. Each industry and each company encounters their own unique set of challenges. But what if we repositioned those challenges as opportunities? See just how far we can go.
---
## Better control of acquisition and CRM budgets
Type: eps_caseStudy
URL: /cheerz
Last Modified: 2025-04-21T13:22:13Z
# Better control of acquisition and CRM budgets
Strengthening brand value with continuous, cross-device communication
We get it. Each industry and each company encounters their own unique set of challenges. But what if we repositioned those challenges as opportunities? See just how far we can go.
---
## Generate profitable growth and influence customer behaviour.
Type: eps_caseStudy
URL: /petitbateau
Last Modified: 2025-04-21T14:03:26Z
# Generate profitable growth and influence customer behaviour.
Leveraging digital to stay connected with existing and new customers
We get it. Each industry and each company encounters their own unique set of challenges. But what if we repositioned those challenges as opportunities? See just how far we can go.
---
## Delivering a next-generation customer segmentation and messaging solution
Type: eps_caseStudy
URL: /hackettlondon
Last Modified: 2025-02-12T16:44:45Z
# Delivering a next-generation customer segmentation and messaging solution
Delivering a next-generation customer segmentation and messaging solution that’s dressed to impress
We get it. Each industry and each company encounters their own unique set of challenges. But what if we repositioned those challenges as opportunities? See just how far we can go.
---
## Beauty
Type: eps_caseStudy
URL: /beauty
Last Modified: 2025-02-12T16:44:45Z
Delivering data-driven incremental growth thanks to 1:1 personalisation
We get it. Each industry and each company encounters their own unique set of challenges. But what if we repositioned those challenges as opportunities? See just how far we can go.
---
## Targeting the right person, with the best message at the optimal time
Type: eps_caseStudy
URL: /dunelondon
Last Modified: 2025-04-21T14:06:30Z
# Targeting the right person, with the best message at the optimal time
Targeting the right person, with the best message at the optimal time
We get it. Each industry and each company encounters their own unique set of challenges. But what if we repositioned those challenges as opportunities? See just how far we can go.
---
## New customer acquisition now profitable
Type: eps_caseStudy
URL: /coxandcox
Last Modified: 2025-04-21T13:29:37Z
# New customer acquisition now profitable
Increasing incrementality through the power of perfect personalisation
We get it. Each industry and each company encounters their own unique set of challenges. But what if we repositioned those challenges as opportunities? See just how far we can go.
---
## Bam
Type: eps_caseStudy
URL: /bam
Last Modified: 2026-06-04T11:37:35Z
Understanding the true value of personalised display using test and control
We get it. Each industry and each company encounters their own unique set of challenges. But what if we repositioned those challenges as opportunities? See just how far we can go.
---
## Epsilon’s unique test-and-control model enables companies to make quick calculations.
Type: eps_caseStudy
URL: /bam
Last Modified: 2025-04-21T13:30:42Z
# Epsilon’s unique test-and-control model enables companies to make quick calculations.
Understanding the true value of personalised display using test and control
We get it. Each industry and each company encounters their own unique set of challenges. But what if we repositioned those challenges as opportunities? See just how far we can go.
---
## Introducing a high level of data-driven relevance to drive customer acquisition.
Type: eps_caseStudy
URL: /gltc
Last Modified: 2025-04-21T13:28:34Z
# Introducing a high level of data-driven relevance to drive customer acquisition.
Data-driven relevance boosts customer acquisition for Great Little Trading Company
We get it. Each industry and each company encounters their own unique set of challenges. But what if we repositioned those challenges as opportunities? See just how far we can go.
---
## Strong data yields strong results
Type: eps_caseStudy
URL: /big-box-retailer
Last Modified: 2025-04-21T14:10:42Z
# Strong data yields strong results
Connecting customer data to increase credit card signups
Searching for the right prospects
We get it. Each industry and each company encounters their own unique set of challenges. But what if we repositioned those challenges as opportunities? See just how far we can go.
---
## Womens Retailer
Type: eps_caseStudy
URL: /womens-retailer
Last Modified: 2025-02-12T16:44:45Z
Connecting online and offline drives ROI for women's retailer
Cookie-based targeting falls flat
Cultivating one-to-one relationships
We get it. Each industry and each company encounters their own unique set of challenges. But what if we repositioned those challenges as opportunities? See just how far we can go.
---
## Identifying prospects with accuracy
Type: eps_caseStudy
URL: /home-furniture-brand
Last Modified: 2025-04-21T14:11:14Z
# Identifying prospects with accuracy
Identifying prospects with accuracy
Cookie targeting falls flat
Reaching and converting new-to-file customers
We get it. Each industry and each company encounters their own unique set of challenges. But what if we repositioned those challenges as opportunities? See just how far we can go.
---
## Driving new-to-brand bookings with transparent reporting
Type: eps_caseStudy
URL: /luxury-cruise-line
Last Modified: 2025-04-21T14:05:48Z
# Driving new-to-brand bookings with transparent reporting
Getting new-to-file customers aboard a luxury cruise line
Working smarter, not harder
Recognizing new-to-brand prospects
---
## Engaging qualified leads to grow home insurance policies
Type: eps_caseStudy
URL: /home-insurance
Last Modified: 2025-04-21T14:12:56Z
# Engaging qualified leads to grow home insurance policies
Engaging qualified leads to grow home insurance policies
The challenge: quality leads.
---
## Auto Retailer
Type: eps_caseStudy
URL: /auto-retailer
Last Modified: 2025-02-12T16:44:45Z
Achieving goals with strong digital media solutions & a results-driven partnership
We get it. Each industry and each company encounters their own unique set of challenges. But what if we repositioned those challenges as opportunities? See just how far we can go.
---
## Fast Casual Brand
Type: eps_caseStudy
URL: /fast-casual-brand
Last Modified: 2025-02-12T16:44:45Z
Serving up new and competitors’ customers
Reaching SoCal with the right data
We get it. Each industry and each company encounters their own unique set of challenges. But what if we repositioned those challenges as opportunities? See just how far we can go.
---
## Fsi Womens Retailer
Type: eps_caseStudy
URL: /fsi-womens-retailer
Last Modified: 2025-02-12T16:44:45Z
Efficiently increasing private-label credit card signups
Finding new, high-value customers at scale
The key: strong first-party data
We get it. Each industry and each company encounters their own unique set of challenges. But what if we repositioned those challenges as opportunities? See just how far we can go.
---
## Fsi Large Bank
Type: eps_caseStudy
URL: /fsi-large-bank
Last Modified: 2025-02-12T16:44:45Z
Cross-selling banking customers through digital media
The goal: boost cross-sell
We get it. Each industry and each company encounters their own unique set of challenges. But what if we repositioned those challenges as opportunities? See just how far we can go.
---
## Delivering an audience with digital
Type: eps_caseStudy
URL: /box-office
Last Modified: 2025-04-21T13:29:08Z
# Delivering an audience with digital
Driving ticket sales without TV ads
Connecting with filmgoers online at scale
Delivering an audience with digital
We get it. Each industry and each company encounters their own unique set of challenges. But what if we repositioned those challenges as opportunities? See just how far we can go.
---
## Targeting in-market travelers and measuring their economic impact
Type: eps_caseStudy
URL: /vspc
Last Modified: 2025-04-21T14:09:37Z
# Targeting in-market travelers and measuring their economic impact
Attracting & tracking high-yielding travelers
Planning the itinerary
Breaking it down
Watch the video to learn more about how Epsilon and Visit St.Pete/Clearwater worked together to attract the right tourists to the Sunshine State.
We get it. Each industry and each company encounters their own unique set of challenges. But what if we repositioned those challenges as opportunities? See just how far we can go.
---
## Travel Hotel Brand
Type: eps_caseStudy
URL: /travel-hotel-brand
Last Modified: 2025-12-10T15:46:27Z
Conquesting guests from hotel competitors
Going after competitive marketshare
---
## Travel Hotel Brand
Type: eps_caseStudy
URL: /travel-hotel-brand
Last Modified: 2025-02-12T16:44:45Z
Conquesting guests from hotel competitors
Going after competitive marketshare
---
## Personalization influences a lift in conversions and a strong return on ad spend
Type: eps_caseStudy
URL: /casual-dining
Last Modified: 2025-04-21T14:11:52Z
# Personalization influences a lift in conversions and a strong return on ad spend
SERVING UP INCREMENTAL RETURNS WITH PERSONALIZED MESSAGING
Hungry for better connections
---
## A scalable, accurate and transparent prescreen solution
Type: eps_caseStudy
URL: /fsi-transunion
Last Modified: 2025-04-21T13:25:55Z
# A scalable, accurate and transparent prescreen solution
Using digital prescreen to drive quality accounts
A national private-label credit card (PLCC) issuer needed to acquire quality, new accounts for their premium products. Epsilon and TransUnion’s partnership helped them to cost-effectively identify, prescreen and convert customers, exceeding their goals.
We get it. Each industry and each company encounters their own unique set of challenges. But what if we repositioned those challenges as opportunities? See just how far we can go.
---
## Driving new customers and improved ROAS
Type: eps_caseStudy
URL: /retail-pharmacy-chain
Last Modified: 2025-04-21T13:20:27Z
# Driving new customers and improved ROAS
Increasing existing customer value through cross-selling
Driving new sales from existing customers
We get it. Each industry and each company encounters their own unique set of challenges. But what if we repositioned those challenges as opportunities? See just how far we can go.
---
## Increasing viewer engagement
Type: eps_caseStudy
URL: /network-tune-in
Last Modified: 2025-04-21T13:21:27Z
# Increasing viewer engagement
Driving TV tune-in with maximal efficiency
Connecting with the right individuals
We get it. Each industry and each company encounters their own unique set of challenges. But what if we repositioned those challenges as opportunities? See just how far we can go.
---
## A person-level understanding of millions of consumers
Type: eps_caseStudy
URL: /large-retail-pharmacy
Last Modified: 2025-04-21T14:12:21Z
# A person-level understanding of millions of consumers
Driving medicine sales at a large pharmacy retailer
An over-the-counter (OTC) medicine brand wanted to drive sales at specific retailers at the end of flu season. Using our first-party data and NCSolutions’ (NCS) purchase-based data, we built a custom audience of cold/flu/allergy sufferers, brand purchasers and frequenters of the targeted retailers.
We get it. Each industry and each company encounters their own unique set of challenges. But what if we repositioned those challenges as opportunities? See just how far we can go.
---
## A lookalike audience of the bank’s best customers
Type: eps_caseStudy
URL: /fortune-500-checking
Last Modified: 2025-04-21T13:24:41Z
# A lookalike audience of the bank’s best customers
Efficiently growing new checking accounts
A lookalike audience of the bank’s best customers
We get it. Each industry and each company encounters their own unique set of challenges. But what if we repositioned those challenges as opportunities? See just how far we can go.
---
## Engaging the right leads to fuel lower cost per lead
Type: eps_caseStudy
URL: /auto-insurance
Last Modified: 2025-04-21T13:26:37Z
# Engaging the right leads to fuel lower cost per lead
Using life event triggers to drive auto insurance policies
A focus on quality leads with life event triggers
We get it. Each industry and each company encounters their own unique set of challenges. But what if we repositioned those challenges as opportunities? See just how far we can go.
---
## Connected Tv
Type: eps_caseStudy
URL: /connected-tv
Last Modified: 2025-02-12T16:44:45Z
Embracing connected TV to expand reach
Expanding brand awareness and knowledge
---
## Activating first-party data to spark electronics giant’s growth
Type: eps_caseStudy
URL: /electronicsdistributor
Last Modified: 2026-06-04T11:37:35Z
# Activating first-party data to spark electronics giant’s growth
Activating first-party data to spark electronics giant’s growth
We get it. Each industry and each company encounters their own unique set of challenges. But what if we repositioned those challenges as opportunities? See just how far we can go.
---
## Retaining existing account owners through digital
Type: eps_caseStudy
URL: /fortune-100
Last Modified: 2025-02-12T16:44:45Z
# Retaining existing account owners through digital
Retaining existing account owners through digital
A leading Fortune 100 financial services organization wanted to expand their marketing beyond email and direct mail to message current account owners, all while maintaining the highest standards of PII security. After one year, they could message 89% of current customers with personalized messages.
We get it. Each industry and each company encounters their own unique set of challenges. But what if we repositioned those challenges as opportunities? See just how far we can go.
---
## Moving new shoppers from awareness to consideration through ctv
Type: eps_caseStudy
URL: /ctv
Last Modified: 2025-02-12T16:44:45Z
# Moving new shoppers from awareness to consideration through ctv
Moving new shoppers from awareness to consideration through CTV
Tuning in new customers
---
## Transforming connections to inspire more cheers
Type: eps_caseStudy
URL: /anheuser-busch
Last Modified: 2026-03-31T18:11:22Z
# Transforming connections to inspire more cheers
Transforming connections to inspire more cheers
WATCH THE VIDEO
Anheuser-Busch's purpose is to create a "future with more cheers" for their consumers, communities and company.
Watch the video to see Sam Deutsch, Vice President, Commercial Data & Digital Platforms, and Juliana Wurzburger, Head of Media, at Anheuser-Busch talk through how the beverage giant works with Epsilon to enrich their data and insights and transform their consumer connections.
We get it. Each industry and company encounters their own unique set of challenges. What if we repositioned those challenges together into opportunities? See just how far we can go.
---
## Cross-sell to existing customers
Type: eps_useCases
URL: /cross-sell-to-existing-customers
Last Modified: 2026-07-30T14:57:06Z
# Cross-sell to existing customers
Cross-sell to existing customers
Existing customers are already brand fans—why not offer them more?
Brands that want to grow their revenue don’t need to go any further than their own backyards. Existing customers are already familiar with your products, easier to reach, and more likely to respond to relevant offers. If you know how to engage them, cross-selling is not only more cost-effective than acquiring new customers, but it also boosts average order value and strengthens long-term loyalty.
How it works
More resources
Learn more about our solutions
---
## Create customized web experiences
Type: eps_useCases
URL: /emea-create-customized-web-experiences
Last Modified: 2025-11-25T16:09:53Z
# Create customized web experiences
Create customized web experiences
Your customers are unique—their web experiences should be too.
A strong brand strategy aligns both online and in-store experiences. That’s why your web presence needs to do more than display products and services—it must connect. Having the right technology can help you establish real connections by delivering tailored, high-performing web experiences that form lasting impressions.
How it works
More resources
Learn more about our solutions
---
## Create customized web experiences
Type: eps_useCases
URL: /create-customized-web-experiences
Last Modified: 2026-07-30T15:04:57Z
# Create customized web experiences
Create customized web experiences
Your customers are unique—their web experiences should be too.
A strong brand strategy aligns both online and in-store experiences. That’s why your web presence needs to do more than display products and services—it must connect. Having the right technology can help you establish real connections by delivering tailored, high-performing web experiences that form lasting impressions.
How it works
More resources
Learn more about our solutions
---
## Understand your customer insights
Type: eps_useCases
URL: /understand-customer-insights
Last Modified: 2026-07-30T15:00:27Z
# Understand your customer insights
Understand your customer insights
Know your customers more deeply, and find new ones just like them.
The customer journey is as fragmented as ever, and understanding your customers across paid and owned channels is vital. The right technology can dive deeper into customer data and fill in gaps about the customers you know and the ones you have yet to meet.
How it works
More resources
Learn more about our solutions
---
## Reengage lapsed customers
Type: eps_useCases
URL: /emea-reengage-lapsed-customers
Last Modified: 2025-11-25T14:53:06Z
# Reengage lapsed customers
Reengage lapsed customers
Reacquiring lost customers can be difficult. Reengaging them doesn’t have to be.
Without a clear, data-driven strategy, it’s difficult to identify which customers are worth reengaging, and how to do so effectively. To reengage dormant customers, you need to understand who they are, where they interacted with your brand and what will motivate them to return.
How it works
More resources
Learn more about our solutions
---
## Reengage lapsed customers
Type: eps_useCases
URL: /reengage-lapsed-customers
Last Modified: 2026-07-30T15:02:56Z
# Reengage lapsed customers
Reengage lapsed customers
Reacquiring lost customers can be difficult. Reengaging them doesn’t have to be.
Without a clear, data-driven strategy, it’s difficult to identify which customers are worth reengaging, and how to do so effectively. To reengage dormant customers, you need to understand who they are, where they interacted with your brand and what will motivate them to return.
How it works
More resources
Learn more about our solutions
---
## Identify high-value customers
Type: eps_useCases
URL: /apac-identify-high-value-customers
Last Modified: 2025-11-26T10:21:10Z
# Identify high-value customers
Identify high-value customers
Are you chasing the wrong customers or connecting with your best?
As a brand, it’s important to stay top of mind with high-value customers. The trouble is, their long-term value may not be easily measured, making them hard to recognize—and engage. Technology built to unify customer data will help you identify your best customers—and stay with them once you have.
How it works
More resources
Learn more about our solutions
---
## Connect messages across paid and owned channels
Type: eps_useCases
URL: /connect-messages-across-email-and-digital-media
Last Modified: 2026-07-30T14:56:25Z
# Connect messages across paid and owned channels
Connect messages across paid and owned channels
Serving up the next best message—no matter where they are interacting with your brand.
Your customers are in many places across owned and paid channels. The reality is, you may only get one shot to connect, and you can’t predict where or how they’ll engage. You need technology that works across channels to serve messages via email or digital media—connecting every interaction for a seamless customer journey.
How it works
More resources
Learn more about our solutions
---
## Amplify your social media reach to the open web
Type: eps_useCases
URL: /amplify-social-media-reach-to-the-open-web
Last Modified: 2026-07-30T14:59:14Z
# Amplify your social media reach to the open web
Amplify your social media reach to the open web
Move millions of consumers closer to conversion.
Where consumers spend their time and where marketers are spending their media dollars isn’t lining up. Social platforms are valuable, sure—but they're just the beginning. Your best customers and prospects are spending most of their time across the open web, not just within walled gardens. Our innovative solution connects your social strategy across display, connected TV and online video channels with the power of precise, person-level targeting, so you can reach the right people wherever they’re browsing.
How it works
More resources
Learn more about our solutions
---
## Personalize media across channels
Type: eps_useCases
URL: /personalize-media-across-channels
Last Modified: 2026-07-30T14:58:55Z
# Personalize media across channels
Personalize media across channels
Deliver tailored messages that speak to each individual's unique preferences—no matter where they're browsing.
Personalization is more than a buzzword—it's the heartbeat of meaningful, long-lasting engagement with your customers. But delivering true 1:1 personalization, at scale and across channels, is no walk in the park. Our rich customer insights, strong identity resolution capabilities and real-time dynamic creative optimization help marketers get personalization right, reaching people with relevant messages across every touchpoint.
How it works
More resources
Learn more about our solutions
---
## Increase customer loyalty and retention
Type: eps_useCases
URL: /increase-customer-loyalty-and-retention
Last Modified: 2026-07-30T14:56:09Z
# Increase customer loyalty and retention
Increase customer loyalty and retention
If you want revenue growth, keep your customers coming back.
At the heart of every successful brand story are loyal customers. They spend more, refer others and cost less to maintain, making their engagement a critical growth driver you can nurture. To make sure they keep coming back, you need the right tech stack—one that delivers value through data-driven experiences.
How it works
More resources
See more use cases
---
## Identify high-value customers
Type: eps_useCases
URL: /emea-identify-high-value-customers
Last Modified: 2025-11-25T15:23:58Z
# Identify high-value customers
Identify high-value customers
Are you chasing the wrong customers or connecting with your best?
As a brand, it’s important to stay top of mind with high-value customers. The trouble is, their long-term value may not be easily measured, making them hard to recognize—and engage. Technology built to unify customer data will help you identify your best customers—and stay with them once you have.
How it works
More resources
Learn more about our solutions
---
## Identify your unknown customers
Type: eps_useCases
URL: /identify-your-unknown-customers
Last Modified: 2026-07-30T14:58:17Z
# Identify your unknown customers
Identify your unknown customers
Capture customer signals—no matter where they interact with your brand.
Struggling to identify unknown customers? If you don’t have key transactional data points like names, emails and other identifiers, you won’t be able to connect with the people who are already buying with you in a meaningful way. To understand them, you need integrated tools that enable you to reach them with personalized messages across paid and owned channels.
How it works
More resources
Learn more about our solutions
---
## Unify your brand and performance media
Type: eps_useCases
URL: /unify-brand-and-performance-media
Last Modified: 2026-07-30T15:02:32Z
# Unify your brand and performance media
Unify your brand and performance media
Bring together all media to deliver consistent, performance-driven shopper experiences.
Retailers and brands often manage national and performance campaigns in separate silos, missing the opportunity to reinforce messages and drive greater results. By unifying activation and measurement across all campaigns, you can create seamless shopper journeys that convert—while giving advertisers more confidence in the value of your commerce media network.
How it works
More resources
Learn more about our solutions
---
## Identify which customers to market to
Type: eps_useCases
URL: /identify-which-customers-to-market-to
Last Modified: 2026-07-30T14:58:37Z
# Identify which customers to market to
Identify which customers to market to
Identify the right customers.
Writing effective marketing messages is tough enough—and it’s even harder when you’re not sure it’s reaching the right people. High-quality data makes it easy to identify ideal consumers and develop messaging tailored perfectly to them, so you can expand your audience and market to customers who are ready to convert.
How it works
More resources
Learn more about our solutions
---
## Unify and cleanse your first-party data
Type: eps_useCases
URL: /unify-and-cleanse-your-first-party-data
Last Modified: 2026-07-30T15:03:48Z
# Unify and cleanse your first-party data
Unify and cleanse your first-party data
Juggling data from different places? We make it simple.
Your customer data is scattered, and it’s costing you. Fragmented data leads to inefficiencies and missed opportunities. By unifying and transforming your first-party data into actionable insights, you can drive smarter decisions, improve engagement and maximize marketing ROI.
How it works
More resources
See more use cases
---
## Unify and cleanse your first-party data
Type: eps_useCases
URL: /emea-unify-and-cleanse-your-first-party-data
Last Modified: 2025-11-25T15:42:24Z
# Unify and cleanse your first-party data
Unify and cleanse your first-party data
Juggling data from different places? We make it simple.
Your customer data is scattered, and it’s costing you. Fragmented data leads to inefficiencies and missed opportunities. By unifying and transforming your first-party data into actionable insights, you can drive smarter decisions, improve engagement and maximize marketing ROI.
How it works
More resources
See more use cases
---
## Reengage lapsed customers
Type: eps_useCases
URL: /apac-reengage-lapsed-customers
Last Modified: 2025-11-26T09:52:23Z
# Reengage lapsed customers
Reengage lapsed customers
Reacquiring lost customers can be difficult. Reengaging them doesn’t have to be.
Without a clear, data-driven strategy, it’s difficult to identify which customers are worth reengaging, and how to do so effectively. To reengage dormant customers, you need to understand who they are, where they interacted with your brand and what will motivate them to return.
How it works
More resources
Learn more about our solutions
---
## Build a data strategy
Type: eps_useCases
URL: /build-a-data-strategy
Last Modified: 2026-07-30T15:01:46Z
# Build a data strategy
Build your first-party data strategy
Drive stronger customer engagement and revenue with a solid data strategy.
Brands face a constant battle when it comes to effectively reaching their customers. From disjointed digital channels to weakened identifiers across the open web, brands are searching for a more sustainable solution. If you're looking to drive better customer engagement and reach across channels, consider how to improve your first-party data strategy.
How it works
More resources
Learn more about our solutions
---
## Connect messages across email and digital media
Type: eps_useCases
URL: /apac-connect-messages-across-email-and-digital-media
Last Modified: 2025-11-26T10:21:38Z
# Connect messages across email and digital media
Connect messages across email and digital media
Serving up the next best message—no matter where they are interacting with your brand.
Your customers are in many places across owned and paid channels. The reality is, you may only get one shot to connect, and you can’t predict where or how they’ll engage. You need technology that works across channels to serve messages via email or digital media—connecting every interaction for a seamless customer journey.
How it works
More resources
Learn more about our solutions
---
## Gamify your customer experiences
Type: eps_useCases
URL: /gamify-your-customer-experiences
Last Modified: 2026-07-30T14:56:45Z
# Gamify your customer experiences
Gamify your customer experiences
The key to creating better experiences? It happens move by move.
A small challenge to overcome, a reward to unlock, or a milestone to applaud. Celebrating moments of recognition—one level, one win at a time—builds community and increases engagement. Advanced technology can help you deliver measurable value by providing interactive experiences that strengthen brand connections and unlock direct, consent-based data.
How it works
More resources
Learn more about our solutions
---
## Acquire new customers
Type: eps_useCases
URL: /acquire-new-customers
Last Modified: 2026-07-30T14:59:56Z
# Acquire new customers
Acquire new customers
Reach new customers, with Epsilon.
Finding the right new customers can feel like a game of cat and mouse, but with a personalized, integrated solution, it’s easier than you think. The right technology enables you to reach engaged customers effectively across owned and paid channels, whether they’re scrolling on their phones, watching TV or on the go.
How it works
Case studies
More resources
Learn more about our solutions
---
## Identify high-value customers
Type: eps_useCases
URL: /identify-high-value-customers
Last Modified: 2026-07-30T14:59:35Z
# Identify high-value customers
Identify high-value customers
Are you chasing the wrong customers or connecting with your best?
As a brand, it’s important to stay top of mind with high-value customers. The trouble is, their long-term value may not be easily measured, making them hard to recognize—and engage. Technology built to unify customer data will help you identify your best customers—and stay with them once you have.
How it works
More resources
Learn more about our solutions
---
## Connect messages across email and digital media
Type: eps_useCases
URL: /emea-connect-messages-across-email-and-digital-media
Last Modified: 2025-11-25T15:47:09Z
# Connect messages across email and digital media
Connect messages across email and digital media
Serving up the next best message—no matter where they are interacting with your brand.
Your customers are in many places across owned and paid channels. The reality is, you may only get one shot to connect, and you can’t predict where or how they’ll engage. You need technology that works across channels to serve messages via email or digital media—connecting every interaction for a seamless customer journey.
How it works
More resources
Learn more about our solutions
---
## Monetize your first-party data
Type: eps_useCases
URL: /monetize-your-first-party-data
Last Modified: 2026-07-30T15:01:13Z
# Monetize your first-party data
Monetize your first-party data and inventory
Turn your shopper relationships into smarter revenue with person-level identity.
Brands are sitting on a goldmine of first-party data. But too often, it goes underutilized. With commerce media on the rise in nearly every industry, brands can activate more of their audiences, drive greater advertiser value and grow new revenue streams—all while staying true to what makes their brand unique.
How it works
More resources
Learn more about our solutions
---
## Unify and cleanse your first-party data
Type: eps_useCases
URL: /apac-unify-and-cleanse-your-first-party-data
Last Modified: 2025-11-26T10:13:16Z
# Unify and cleanse your first-party data
Unify and cleanse your first-party data
Juggling data from different places? We make it simple.
Your customer data is scattered, and it’s costing you. Fragmented data leads to inefficiencies and missed opportunities. By unifying and transforming your first-party data into actionable insights, you can drive smarter decisions, improve engagement and maximize marketing ROI.
How it works
More resources
See more use cases
---
## The Real Deal: Fragmentation in the AdTech Stack
Type: eps_resource
URL: /the-real-deal-fragmentation-adtech-stack
Last Modified: 2025-08-05T14:16:31Z
# The Real Deal: Fragmentation in the AdTech Stack
Being an advertiser today feels a lot like working on a jigsaw puzzle where each piece is from a different set. You can have all the components of an adtech stack, but if they’re not working in the same ecosystem, it creates fragmentation and poor campaign performance.
"Marketers need to invest in technologies that simplify their adtech stack rather than complicate it," says Edina Kalamperovic, Epsilon's Senior Vice President of Client Team Leadership.
In our latest Real Deal video, we’ll talk about:
How the media-buying process works and where it can fall short without proper connectivity.
The impact of a fragmented adtech stack.
How to evaluate your adtech stack.
Want to learn more? Learn how to navigate the challenges of a fragmented adtech stack.
---
## Recent Forrester Identity Resolution Landscape categorizes Epsilon as one of only three large vendors
Type: eps_resource
URL: /2023-forrester-identity-resolution-landscape
Last Modified: 2025-08-27T19:56:34Z
# Recent Forrester Identity Resolution Landscape categorizes Epsilon as one of only three large vendors
CORE ID provides the industry’s most accurate, stable and scalable identity resolution solution to recognize and reach 200M+ U.S. consumers in a privacy-safe way. Don’t just take our word for it, allow us to be an extension of your team to realize the value of a strong identity resolution offering.
Research and advisory firm, Forrester, recently shared its third-party perspective and represented vendors, including Epsilon. Forrester states, “identity resolution capabilities are a mandatory investment to support consumer insights and engagement in the immediate term, putting buyers in the position of implementing solutions today that meet current marketing needs but also provide the flexibility to adapt to changing conditions in the future.”
---
## Buyer's Guide: Data Solutions
Type: eps_resource
URL: /buyers-guide-data-solutions
Last Modified: 2026-06-04T16:46:50Z
# Buyer's Guide: Data Solutions
Best practices: How to choose a data partner
Today, marketers face increasing pressure to make data-driven decisions. Clients are leveraging their own first-party data, collaborating with partners for second-party data and sourcing third-party data to get a complete customer view.
This data, when properly utilized, helps brands strengthen relationships with existing customers and build profitable new ones—ultimately improving the effectiveness of their marketing spend.
However, many businesses struggle to fully unlock the potential of their first-party data, missing out on crucial insights on target buyers and personalization opportunities.
5 challenges of building a complete foundational data strategy
When building a complete foundational data strategy, marketers typically run into five primary challenges:
Limited and incomplete first-party data
Ensuring data security, privacy & ethical sourcing
Inconsistent performance
Fragmented customer view
Disjointed customer experience
So how can they sidestep these challenges and unlock the power of complete foundational data? It all starts by choosing a strategic data partner
10 essential capabilities to look for when choosing a data partner
Whether you're in the RFP process with a vendor or just starting to research the best data partner for your business, there are 10 essential capabilities to consider, including:
Privacy
Accuracy
Coverage
Granularity
Timeliness
Predictive power
Consistency
Transparency
Omnichannel activation
Usefulness
Choose the best data partner for your business needs
Ready to take the next step? This guide walks you through everything you need to know when selecting a data partner, from essential capabilities and value drivers to case studies, and even includes key questions to ask during the RFP process.
Download your step-by-step guide to get started today!
This guide was originally published in April of 2025 and has since been updated.
---
## The Real Deal on Paid and Owned Media
Type: eps_resource
URL: /real-deal-video-paid-and-owned-media
Last Modified: 2026-08-05T16:53:25Z
# The Real Deal on Paid and Owned Media
Today's customers don't move through your brand in a single channel. They interact across owned media like brand websites, apps and email, as well as paid media like display, social and connected TV ads. Yet while customers move seamlessly between these experiences, the data behind them often remains disconnected.
The challenge is that most organizations still manage paid and owned marketing separately. Different teams work in different platforms, measure different outcomes and operate from different views of the customer. The result is fragmented experiences, incomplete measurement and, ultimately, missed opportunities.
Many marketers assume the solution is collecting more data. But more data doesn't solve a disconnected system.
In this Real Deal video, Michelle Dieschbourg, Senior Manager, Product Marketing, explores why paid and owned channels often provide only part of the customer story, and how identity helps create a more complete understanding of the people behind every interaction.
How CDPs, clean rooms and identity help connect the customer journey
Creating a more complete view of the customer requires more than simply collecting additional data. It requires the ability to connect interactions across channels and environments.
Customer data platforms (CDPs) help brands unify and activate first-party data across owned channels. Clean rooms help brands work with data in privacy-safe ways, unlocking insights into customers and prospects beyond what can be observed through owned channels alone. Those insights can then be used to inform audience activation and decision-making across paid environments.
Powered by identity, these tools help marketers bring paid and owned marketing together, making it easier to create more connected customer experiences.
Key takeaways
Customers don't think in paid and owned channels
Fragmented systems create incomplete customer understanding
More data doesn't solve disconnected marketing
Identity helps connect customer interactions across channels
The roles CDPs and clean rooms play in creating a more connected marketing strategy
Watch this video to learn how connecting paid and owned marketing can help create better customer experiences and a more complete view of the customer journey.
---
## Halloween shopping insights: 2025 retail trends, tariff impacts and top spending categories
Type: eps_resource
URL: /halloween-research-report
Last Modified: 2025-09-04T15:00:21Z
# Halloween shopping insights: 2025 retail trends, tariff impacts and top spending categories
Celebrating Halloween goes beyond just one day. As it’s gotten more popular,
it’s become an entire season of movie marathons, parties, pumpkin carving
and more.
Nowadays, consumers of all ages start shopping for costumes and décor earlier than you think—some even start as early as November 1 the year before.
So if you’re planning your marketing spend for this spooky season, ensure you truly understand your consumers so you can market to them accordingly.
Keep reading to explore what consumers have to say about:
When they start Halloween shopping
How tariffs are impacting their spending and cost-saving strategies
How they’re budgeting and spending across categories
Whether they prefer to shop in-store or online for Halloween items
Their inspiration sources and when they prefer to see Halloween advertisements across channels
---
## Connected TV: How to find a CTV partner that reaches real people, not just screens
Type: eps_resource
URL: /buyers-guide-connected-tv
Last Modified: 2026-04-07T18:38:15Z
# Connected TV: How to find a CTV partner that reaches real people, not just screens
Connected TV (CTV) isn't a new or shiny channel anymore. It has solidified itself as a key player in the digital marketing mix—but the proliferation of streaming platforms and the rise of subscription hopping have left many marketers asking the same questions: Am I truly reaching my target audience? How do I know I'm not hitting them with the same message repeatedly? Am I really making the most out of my CTV buys?
Choosing the right CTV advertising partner is critical. The right solution reaches real people efficiently at the right frequency, expands reach using proprietary first- and third-party data, treats CTV as part of a larger channel mix and measures what's actually working, so you can make smarter future spending decisions.
This buyer’s guide is meant to help with this evaluation process. Don’t know where to start? Want to validate you’re looking for the right things? We’ve got you. Flip through the guide to learn:
Key capabilities to look for in a partner
Value-drivers that set great CTV solutions apart
Key questions to ask in your RFPs
And more
5 essential capabilities to evaluate in any CTV partner
Here’s a quick look at the key capabilities you should be looking for in your next connected TV partner.
Identity resolution
The TV screen is often shared across a household, so device-level signals alone aren't enough. Look for identity rooted in physical addresses, not just IP addresses or emails, to accurately reach real individuals.
Audience targeting and inventory
Audience-based buying means campaigns are built around real consumer signals—demographics, interests, purchase behaviors—not just which publisher happens to have inventory.
Reach and frequency management
Finding the right viewers is only half the equation. Controlling how often they see your ads (across devices and channels) prevents oversaturation and wasted spend.
Creative solutions
Running a high-quality video ad isn't enough to stand out. True personalization at scale means messaging that adapts to the individual without hours of manual asset creation.
Measurement and insights
Surface-level metrics like impressions and clicks don't tell the full story. Look for people-based measurement that ties CTV investment to real outcomes—web actions, site visits, and online and offline sales.
Download the full buyer's guide for a complete breakdown of essential capabilities, value drivers, the industry report card and the full RFP question list.
---
## 2026 marketing outlook: What matters for e-commerce brands
Type: eps_resource
URL: /2026-ecommerce-marketing-outlook-webinar
Last Modified: 2025-12-16T15:35:36Z
# 2026 marketing outlook: What matters for e-commerce brands
How brands must rethink growth in 2026
As inflation, tariffs, and rising advertising costs tighten margins, e-commerce brands are feeling the strain. With customer acquisition growing more costly and consumers increasingly value-driven, maximizing the value of each visitor scrolling your website is vital for survival and growth.
What you'll learn
In this on-demand session, Epsilon experts Shannon Aronson, senior vice president of digital solutions consulting, and David Salvay, account director, share practical strategies for using first-party data, personalized website experiences, and customer reviews to drive higher conversions and long-term loyalty.
Key takeaways
Why tailored on-site experiences are the smartest way to convert and keep customers during economic uncertainty.
How to use first-party data to read intent and price sensitivity, segment bargain seekers from value-driven loyalists, and move them to checkout.
How to use high-value customer reviews to persuade hesitant visitors, while reserving offers and reassurance for at-risk carts.
---
## Privacy or loyalty? You don’t have to choose. Epsilon named a Leader in The Forrester Wave™: Loyalty Platforms, Q4 2025
Type: eps_resource
URL: /forrester-wave-loyalty-platforms-q4-2025-assessment
Last Modified: 2026-04-20T10:45:38Z
# Privacy or loyalty? You don’t have to choose. Epsilon named a Leader in The Forrester Wave™: Loyalty Platforms, Q4 2025
The Forrester Wave™: Loyalty Platforms, Q4 2025
Strong loyalty programs do more than reward, they make their customers feel recognized, valued and invested over time. But that can’t happen without trust. The Forrester Wave™: Loyalty Platforms, Q4 2025 evaluated providers throughout the market on how they manage customer memberships, deliver actionable insights and maintain consumer privacy. In it, Epsilon was named a Leader.
Does better AI start with strong data?
For loyalty program managers, AI can improve targeting, personalization and campaign efficiency at scale. But AI is only as powerful as the data behind it. At Epsilon, high-quality data sits at the foundation—empowering our technology to provide the real-time insights that lead to fast decision-making and better outcomes.
In their assessment, Forrester stated that, “Its focus on an integrated end-to-end solution lifts Epsilon in categories like fraud management and member experience optimization. The platform’s predictive AI insights are competitive, with deeper AI integration with offers and promotions on the roadmap.”
A loyalty technology platform with consumer-privacy built-in
We help brands strengthen the consumer-brand relationship and orchestrate meaningful member journeys while protecting their consumer data.
Consumer privacy first
Our data and technology manages your first-party data with strict privacy controls and compliance standards in place, ensuring quick adherence to changing regulations.
Consent and transparency
Our solution allows you to build member journeys that respect consumer preferences, while maintaining transparent data use.
Trust at scale
Building trust means that your privacy and performance work together, enabling your loyalty program to grow without compromise.
For smarter loyalty, start with an industry-leading provider that has strong data and AI capabilities, while maintaining trust through privacy-preserving capabilities—all in one platform.
Get the report to learn more about the breadth of loyalty technologies in the market, and how Epsilon was named a Leader.
Forrester Disclaimer
Forrester does not endorse any company, product, brand, or service included in its research publications and does not advise any person to select the products or services of any company or brand based on the ratings included in such publications. Information is based on the best available resources. Opinions reflect judgment at the time and are subject to change. For more information, read about Forrester’s objectivity here.
---
## The consumer state of AI: Generational breakdowns, top tools, use cases, pain points and more
Type: eps_resource
URL: /consumer-ai-research
Last Modified: 2026-04-28T15:00:09Z
# The consumer state of AI: Generational breakdowns, top tools, use cases, pain points and more
How do consumers use AI in 2026?
The AI landscape is constantly evolving. How consumers use and engage with it is, too. At Epsilon, we've been asking consumers about how they use AI as it's become more integrated into everyday lives.
What started as a simple question: “Do you use AI?” has turned into inquiries about the nuances of AI use between our personal and professional lives, what AI tools get right and where they still fall short. Our research also explores the various scenarios for AI use and how that differs across generations.
What’s especially clear is that as consumer AI use increases, marketers need to adapt their strategy to make sure their messages are reaching the right people at the right time.
Let’s dive into some of the high-level findings from the research.
5 key takeaways from the research
1. One-third of consumers say they use AI now more than ever before.
More than any other age group, millennials are using AI more than they were a year ago. Many Gen Z are using AI the same amount as a year ago, but one in 10 say they’re using AI less now. Boomers are most likely to report that they have never used AI.
When we asked consumers to look ahead, 24% say they expect to use AI more in the next six months. The top reasons consumers said they’d increase their use are that AI tools are becoming easier to use, more accessible and more readily available. Privacy and security concerns were listed as the top reason for users expecting to decrease their use.
2. AI is increasingly becoming a part of everyday life, with 34% using it at least once per day.
Younger generations are far more likely to use AI than older generations, and usage of AI tends to decrease with age.
Nearly 20% of Gen Z and millennials use AI about once per day, and the numbers are similar when we look at professional use. Boomers are more likely than other generations to say they’ve never used AI, regardless of use case.
3. Despite an increase in usage, consumers are still concerned about data privacy and security, job replacement and inaccuracy.
A smaller percentage are concerned about the environment and aren’t sure when and how to use the technology.
Fifty-one percent of consumers find AI tools easy to use, and 46% find that AI increases convenience in day-to-day life. The top drivers of negative AI sentiment are worries about privacy and security, fear of losing jobs to AI and concerns over accuracy.
4. Beyond general inquiries, shopping and entertainment are the top AI use cases.
Consumers use AI for a wide variety of use cases, and when it comes to tools, ChatGPT is the top tool in virtually all cases. Consumers like using AI to save time and for ease of use, but they get frustrated when the information is unreliable or not personalized enough.
5. Six in 10 consumers use AI when shopping, especially younger generations.
Naturally, online searches and retailer website visits are the most popular first steps people take when shopping, but AI is increasingly becoming a part of the consumer journey.
Twenty-one percent of consumers use AI platforms to learn more about a product they’re interested in buying, and that number jumps to 32% of Gen Z and 31% of millennials.
The top use cases for using AI when shopping online are initial research, product and price comparisons and to search for deals and discounts. More than one in three consumers exit AI platforms when they need more information on the product from the website, to read customer reviews or when they want to check out the product in person.
“A lot of people are asking us about agents buying on behalf of consumers, but that isn’t really happening yet,” says Rachel Cascisa, Epsilon’s VP of Platform Adoption. “Consumers still want to make purchases themselves; they’re not willing to let AI spend their dollars. Marketers have a big opportunity to provide value via personalized recommendations and really take advantage of every touch point—because it might be the only interaction they get.”
Want to take a closer look at the research? Download the full report to learn more.
---
## The identity gap: How marketers perceive success and where performance breaks down
Type: eps_resource
URL: /ama-epsilon-identity-resolution-research-report
Last Modified: 2026-09-11T17:42:55Z
# The identity gap: How marketers perceive success and where performance breaks down
Why marketing can seem like it’s working—until it’s put to the test
Most marketers believe their marketing is working. Campaigns launch, audiences are reached and results appear sufficient on the surface. But as customer journeys grow more complex and expectations rise, that confidence becomes harder to maintain.
New research from the American Marketing Association and Epsilon Pulse reveals a clear gap between perceived success and actual performance.
This gap in perception often remains hidden until marketers are asked to do more: reach new audiences, deliver personalized experiences and prove impact. At that point, what once felt effective begins to break down. The research shows that this breakdown is often tied to the absence, or incomplete use, of identity resolution.
3 key findings from identity research
A new survey of 203 business-to-consumer marketers fielded by the American Marketing Association reveals a consistent pattern: marketers who use identity resolution report stronger performance across the areas that matter most.
1. Performance breaks down during audience growth
Marketers feel confident working with known customers, but that confidence declines when they try to reach new audiences. Even when prospects can be identified, consistently reaching them proves far more difficult without connected data.
2. Identity users outperform across core marketing capabilities
Marketers using identity resolution are significantly more likely to report effectiveness in reaching prospects, delivering personalized experiences and running successful digital campaigns. These differences become most visible as demand for precision and relevance increase.
3. Identity is in place, but not fully realized
While many organizations have adopted identity resolution, its impact is often limited by partial implementation. Identity is frequently applied to only a portion of the marketing stack, leaving gaps in execution, measurement and optimization.
Together, these findings highlight a clear gap between perceived effectiveness and actual performance—and reinforce identity resolution as a critical foundation for closing the gap.
Why identity resolution is becoming essential for modern marketing performance
As marketing organizations scale, expectations continue to increase. Leaders demand clearer results, stronger accountability and more efficient use of data. In this environment, “good enough” performance is no longer sufficient.
The research highlights a consistent pattern: marketers can operate without identity under simpler conditions, but when it is time to scale, growth and complexity expose its absence. Identity resolution becomes the foundation that connects data, improves visibility and enables sustained performance over time.
Understanding this shift is critical for any organization looking to close the gap between how their marketing appears to perform and what it actually delivers.
Want to take a closer look at the research? Download the full report to learn more.
---
## The impact of the double screen
Type: eps_resource
URL: /webinar-impact-of-double-screen-samsung-ads
Last Modified: 2025-02-04T17:17:07Z
# The impact of the double screen
Watch our webinar recording, “The impact of the double screen,” featuring experts from Epsilon and Samsung Ads to explore how consumers are engaging with their smartphones and TVs simultaneously—and how to adapt your marketing strategy to reach them effectively.
---
## Your CTV playbook: A guide for linear TV, digital and performance marketers
Type: eps_resource
URL: /taking-the-right-steps-with-connected-tv-advertising
Last Modified: 2026-03-18T12:41:12Z
# Your CTV playbook: A guide for linear TV, digital and performance marketers
CTV advertising for linear, digital and performance marketers
A connected TV advertising strategy shouldn’t be one-sized-fits-all. Whether you're a linear TV buyer shifting budget to streaming, a digital advertiser expanding to the big screen or a performance marketer evaluating whether CTV can actually drive ROI, the right CTV strategy can drive real impact for your brand.
Inside the guide we explore:
How connected TV advertising has evolved and why it matters
A practical breakdown for linear TV advertisers on complementing (not replacing) your current strategy
How digital advertisers can integrate CTV into their existing media buy and avoid fragmentation
Why performance marketers can use CTV as a full-funnel tool—and how to measure it
FAQs by job function, with real answers to the hesitations each type of marketer actually has
Download the guide to find your CTV sweet spot.
---
## Your CTV playbook: A guide for linear TV, digital and performance marketers
Type: eps_resource
URL: /taking-the-right-steps-with-connected-tv-advertising-emea
Last Modified: 2026-04-23T13:46:15Z
# Your CTV playbook: A guide for linear TV, digital and performance marketers
CTV advertising for linear, digital and performance marketers
A connected TV advertising strategy shouldn’t be one-sized-fits-all. Whether you're a linear TV buyer shifting budget to streaming, a digital advertiser expanding to the big screen or a performance marketer evaluating whether CTV can actually drive ROI, the right CTV strategy can drive real impact for your brand.
Inside the guide we explore:
How connected TV advertising has evolved and why it matters
A practical breakdown for linear TV advertisers on complementing (not replacing) your current strategy
How digital advertisers can integrate CTV into their existing media buy and avoid fragmentation
Why performance marketers can use CTV as a full-funnel tool—and how to measure it
FAQs by job function, with real answers to the hesitations each type of marketer actually has
---
## Buyer's Guide: Loyalty Platforms 2026
Type: eps_resource
URL: /loyalty-buyers-guide-2026
Last Modified: 2026-07-23T14:57:17Z
# Buyer's Guide: Loyalty Platforms 2026
How to choose a loyalty provider
Loyalty is one of the few remaining places where marketers can grow revenue without paying more for reach. Members spend three times more than non-members, and emotionally connected customers deliver up to four times the lifetime value.
But when you “look under the hood” of many loyalty programmes, you’ll find many promise the same thing: short-term, price-based engagements. What you really want is a loyalty programme that turns casual customers into lifetime members and continually evolves as you do.
What capabilities to look for when choosing a loyalty platform provider
This guide is designed to help you navigate the process and find a loyalty solution that:
Provides value for both you and your customers
Moves beyond transactional engagement predicated purely on discounts to memorable experiences that fuel long-term relationships
Enables scalability and flexibility so that your programme evolves as your business grows
Helps you measure and prove the value of your loyalty programme to business stakeholders
Download our guide to learn more about the essential capabilities and value drivers you should look for in a loyalty solution, and what questions to ask during your evaluation process.
---
## Predict churn before it happens
Type: eps_resource
URL: /predict-churn-before-it-happens-adweek-webinar
Last Modified: 2026-08-28T14:56:24Z
# Predict churn before it happens
Perhaps the biggest challenge facing brands today is keeping up with the ever-changing expectations of their customers.
Every day, customers engage with brands in different ways. When they sign up for your loyalty program, make a purchase or redeem an offer, they are sending signals to you about what they want.
And when those signals start to change, some brands continue with their usual marketing tactics—more rewards, more points, more perks. The continued disconnect between customer expectations and technology creates experience debt and makes it hard to see what’s driving, or preventing, customer loyalty.
Many brands are turning to AI as a solution, but without a connected understanding of who your customers are and what they’ve done, AI will only amplify the gaps that already exist. Brands need a solid foundation of data and identity resolution to create seamless customer journeys, boost engagement and decrease churn rates.
In this webinar, Shamba Schmidt, Vice President of Sales Strategy at Epsilon and guest speakerJohn Pedini, principal analyst at Forrester, discuss how to use AI as a strategic driver of customer loyalty. Their discussion covers practical tactics for leveraging AI to create relevant interactions, boost engagement and strengthen loyalty.
Key takeaways:
Move beyond ‘frequent messaging” to create member journeys that seamlessly engage every customer with the right message at the right time—across channels.
Discover how unified customer data and identity resolution create a connected view of each customer across interactions, channels and behaviors, allowing you to recognize the same person across the journey.
Understand how to leverage data-driven AI to activate customer intelligence and create more relevant, hyper-personalized journeys at scale.
Explore the importance of building a data foundation that allows you to create a continuous feedback loop, where each interaction sharpens your understanding and improves the next interaction.
---
## How consumers feel about data privacy
Type: eps_resource
URL: /consumer-privacy-report
Last Modified: 2025-03-12T14:13:28Z
# How consumers feel about data privacy
Data privacy is (rightfully so) a hot topic for consumers today.
There’s a continued push from legislators in the U.S. to regulate the handling of consumer data—but what does “data privacy” really mean to people?
This evolving landscape is incredibly important to players in the marketing and advertising industry as they strive to create relevant and meaningful communications with customers, which, plain and simple, requires customer data to get right. But marketers should keep a pulse on how people are feeling about the topic to show trust and transparency to their customers.
In this report, we asked consumers of all ages how they feel about data privacy, if they understand its impact and how clued-in they are to the rules and regulations.
This report will help you:
Gauge U.S. consumer awareness of state and national privacy laws
Explore generational views related to privacy-centric topics
Understand online behaviors related to personal data
Determine consumer knowledge of how personal data is used by different organizations
Measure levels of concern related to how personal data is collected and used
---
## The state of AI in marketing
Type: eps_resource
URL: /the-state-of-ai-in-marketing
Last Modified: 2025-03-12T15:40:29Z
# The state of AI in marketing
Ever find yourself wondering how other marketers are using AI?
It might feel like every marketer under the sun is using AI today—or at least talking about it. But there's a real lack of understanding around how AI is integrated into marketing strategies: if the investment is worth it, how people are measuring success, what kinds of challenges they're facing...you get it.
In our new Epsilon Pulse research report, The state of AI in marketing, we talk to marketers across the retail, financial services, travel, restaurant and consumer packaged goods (CPG) industries to understand their motivations, investments and barriers when it comes to AI. The report will help you get a pulse on where you're at in your AI journey, and show you what there is to learn from your peers (and competitors).
Dive into the report, and you'll learn:
An overview of AI adoption in marketing
What is driving brands to invest in AI
How much budget they're allocating to AI tools and technologies
How marketers are measuring success
Challenges, barriers to adoption and lessons learned
Key recommendations on how to approach AI—no matter where you're at in your maturity
Let's begin.
Epsilon Pulse is the beating heart of Epsilon’s proprietary research. Designed to produce relevant and up-to-date insights about consumers, marketers and their preferences, Epsilon Pulse helps brands better understand the adtech and martech industry so they can make informed, data-driven marketing decisions.
---
## 61% of marketers say AI is already boosting the bottom line
Type: eps_resource
URL: /ai-investment
Last Modified: 2026-05-01T12:27:59Z
# 61% of marketers say AI is already boosting the bottom line
A new study by Epsilon reveals how senior marketers across Europe are moving from AI experimentation to measurable business impact and what sets leaders apart.
Uncover:
Where your organisation sits on the AI adoption curve
The role of autonomous AI in decision-making
What’s holding others back — and how to move forward
“What stands out is how expectations evolve once AI tools are actually deployed. They deliver on topline metrics like revenue and acquisition, but gaps emerge when it comes to deeper performance indicators like conversion or ROAS. That’s where identity becomes essential. Without a connected view of the customer across channels, AI doesn’t know what it’s optimising for." - Esme Robinson, Director, Platform Solutions at Epsilon
Download the full report to see how your AI strategy stacks up and what’s driving results for leading marketers
---
## Drive customer loyalty with advanced loyalty platform capabilities
Type: eps_resource
URL: /customer-loyalty-platform-capabilities-infographic
Last Modified: 2026-07-14T16:39:14Z
# Drive customer loyalty with advanced loyalty platform capabilities
Some things aren’t for everyone, and that’s the point. Recognizing what makes people different—what certain customers need, what others value and why some disengage—lies at the heart of every great brand experience.
Advanced customer loyalty management platforms can help your brand do this effectively, offering personalization at scale, privacy built-in and managed service support as an all-in-one solution. Built for scalability, leading loyalty providers have earned recognition from industry experts for their ability to drive better outcomes.
This infographic provides a quick snapshot of the key capabilities found in industry-recognized loyalty solutions.
Benefits of using advanced enterprise customer loyalty solutions
Most popular large retail brands leverage advanced loyalty program management software to consistently deliver tailored experiences across touchpoints. Instead of relying on disconnected data and unclear strategy, the right omnichannel rewards software can help your loyalty marketing team:
Deliver personalized experiences that resonate
Gain deep insight that can guide better member journeys
Deliver the right messages at the right time
Key capabilities of a customer loyalty management platform
Creating meaningful, results-driven loyalty programs that keep your customers coming back doesn’t have to be complex. Having a solid foundation of data and identity can fuel membership growth, drive value and deliver measurable revenue impact.
Personalization
Create dynamic, personalized experiences throughout the customer journey that respond to member behavior in real-time, increasing ongoing communication and engagement.
Member insights
Gain a holistic view of members and nonmembers, ensuring every interaction is consistent and relevant to each member journey—online and offline.
Data-driven decision-making
Access the industry’s #1 consumer database for enriched member insights to optimize your program and shape strategies that boost engagement and retention.
Strategic guidance
Tap into expertise that begins at program launch and lasts throughout every stage of program development—maximizing your brand’s impact with strategies aligned to your goals.
Trust and security
Leverage best-in-class data security and privacy compliance and foster trust with your customers, while protecting sensitive information.
Next steps for building a successful loyalty program
Investing in the right partner can help your loyalty program transform into a smarter growth engine. Here’s how to bring these capabilities to life:
Assess your goals
Define what success looks like for your brand and compare solutions to identify the best partner for your brand.
Plan a solid loyalty strategy
Collaborate with a provider focused on high-quality, performance-driven data to develop a loyalty strategy that delivers maximum impact.
Prioritize continually enhancing customer experiences
Monitor program health and responsiveness, track campaign performance and adapt to ensure interactions are customer-centric, intuitive and value-driven.
Want to unlock the full potential of customer loyalty? Access the infographic for a closer look at core Epsilon Loyalty capabilities—assessed in The Forrester Wave™: Loyalty Platforms, Q4 2025—and discover how to build a high-performing loyalty program that lasts.
Forrester disclaimer
Forrester does not endorse any company, product, brand, or service included in its research publications and does not advise any person to select the products or services of any company or brand based on the ratings included in such publications. Information is based on the best available resources. Opinions reflect judgment at the time and are subject to change. This report is part of a broader collection of Forrester resources, including interactive models, frameworks, tools, data, and access to analyst guidance. For more information, read about Forrester’s objectivity here: https://www.forrester.com/about-us/objectivity.
---
## IDC MarketScape evaluated Connected TV advertising solutions industry-wide. Surprise twist: Epsilon is a Leader.
Type: eps_resource
URL: /idc-marketscape-worldwide-connected-tv-advertising-platforms-2025-emea
Last Modified: 2026-02-25T14:51:39Z
# IDC MarketScape evaluated Connected TV advertising solutions industry-wide. Surprise twist: Epsilon is a Leader.
IDC MarketScape: Worldwide Connected TV Advertising Platforms 2025 Vendor Assessment
The CTV space is fragmented and confusing, without clear guidance for brands about where to spend their advertising dollars. Until now.
IDC recently released the first and only report of its kind: the IDC MarketScape: Worldwide Connected TV Advertising Platforms 2025 Vendor Assessment. In it, Epsilon is named a Leader.
What are Epsilon’s unique CTV capabilities?
We believe the recognition marks a significant milestone for Epsilon’s CTV capabilities by reinforcing our unique capabilities, including industry-leading identity, person-based audiences and connected measurement.
1. Industry-leading identity
We consolidate disparate customer data into a single ID, ensuring deduplicated reach across a large portion of UK households, more precise targeting and less wasted ad spend.
2. Person-based audiences
With our vast library of granular audiences, brands can connect with consumers across multiple channels, including display, online video and audio. And we can activate or model off brands' customer data for comprehensive audience strategies.
3. Connected measurement
Brands can observe and analyse their campaign performance with a wide range of media KPIs, and, in many cases, optimise toward performance KPIs.
4. AI-powered real-time decisioning
Using machine learning and predictive AI, our model optimises in real-time so brands reach the right prospects when they’re ready to buy and suppress those who already made a purchase.
Epsilon’s unified platform
“Advertisers running integrated campaigns across display, online video, audio, and CTV will benefit from Epsilon’s unified platform, which connects consumers across various channels and streamlines campaign management.” – IDC MarketScape: Worldwide Connected TV Advertising Platform 2025 Vendor Assessment
Read the excerpt for a look at the smartest ways for brands to use their CTV budgets.
---
## Understanding the CTV fragmentation challenge
Type: eps_resource
URL: /guide-understanding-the-ctv-fragmentation-challenge
Last Modified: 2026-08-06T21:01:49Z
# Understanding the CTV fragmentation challenge
Connected TV has become a central part of how people watch and engage with video today.
With more streaming platforms available than ever and audiences spending increasing amounts of time with ad supported content, CTV offers the strongest way for marketers looking to reach viewers beyond traditional TV. However, this level of growth has introduced new challenges:
Audiences are spread across platforms and devices, and data is often disconnected, making it difficult to see how everything fits together
Marketers are left to piece together incomplete signals as they try to understand who they’re reaching and what’s working in their campaigns
The CTV fragmentation challenge
Today’s audiences don’t just watch content in one place; they move across multiple streaming services, frequently subscribe and unsubscribe, and watch on different screens throughout their homes. While this flexibility is great for audiences who like to consume a variety of content, it makes the situation more complicated for advertisers. It’s become extremely difficult to get a single, consistent view of who’s watching what, where or when.
A lot of organizations are relying on IP addresses, but the main problem here is that IP addresses don’t reliably represent individual viewers. They’re shared across devices and change frequently throughout the day, making them an unstable signal. What appears to be a single household may include multiple people, while what looks like a new viewer may actually be the same person returning on a different device. This leads to:
Wasted ad spend
Frequency issues
Inability to measure true reach
How this guide can help
CTV is only going to continue to grow, and so will the challenges with fragmentation. Audiences continue to move freely across streaming services, devices and screens, while data and measurement remain disconnected. The key to solving these fragmentation challenges largely boils down to identity. Having a solid identity resolution framework in place—one that does not rely on IP addresses—gives marketers the ability to actually know who they’re reaching across streaming platforms.
Download the guide to learn:
Why IP addresses are not reliable identifiers
Why identity can help solve the fragmentation challenge
How measurement becomes much easier across streaming platforms when you get identity right
The importance of personalized creative for CTV
---
## Advertising Under Pressure: Your guide into Golden Quarter 2026 and beyond
Type: eps_resource
URL: /advertising-under-pressure-2026-golden-quarter-research-report
Last Modified: 2026-08-10T08:28:01Z
# Advertising Under Pressure: Your guide into Golden Quarter 2026 and beyond
Your guide to the 2026 Golden Quarter
UK ad spend is on course to pass £50bn this year (AA/WARC), growing far faster than the economy around it, while the audience it chases has barely grown at all. Against that backdrop, our latest study finds UK consumers plan to spend £17.9bn across the Golden Quarter retail window, from Black Friday through to the January sales.
That pool is large but static, which puts a premium on reaching the right people rather than more of them. Marketers are heading into the Golden Quarter with confidence, and that sits awkwardly against the caution consumers report. Shoppers aren't retreating from peak, they're adapting to it, editing what they buy, when they buy it and who they buy it from. The brands most exposed are the ones planning for the volume they hope for rather than the demand in front of them.
What you'll learn
How confidence between marketers and consumers diverges, and why budgets are becoming exposed
How consistent visibility and trusted retailer context shape shopper confidence, and how Gen Z weights them differently
Where consumers are actually discovering brands, and how consolidation into three platforms narrows the view of intent
Which retailer-led peaks carry the strongest consumer conversion, and where the most cost-effective reach sits across the H2 calendar
Five practical moves for brands planning H2 against £17.9bn of UK spending intent
Download the report for the full findings and the Golden Quarter action plan.
---
## Micro-Learning Video Series: Half Is Not Enough
Type: eps_resource
URL: /half-is-not-enough-micro-learning-video-series
Last Modified: 2026-09-14T19:27:25Z
# Micro-Learning Video Series: Half Is Not Enough
Marketers have access to more customer data than ever before, yet much of it remains divided between paid and owned environments. The Half Is Not Enough Micro-Learning Video Series explores why this disconnect creates an incomplete view of the customer, how identity resolution helps bridge the gap and what connected marketing looks like when those systems work together. Watch the videos below to learn more.
Video 1: You’re only seeing half the journey
As this video explains, more data doesn't automatically create better customer understanding. When paid and owned systems operate separately, each captures only part of the customer journey. Creating a more complete view of the customer requires more than collecting data. It requires connecting it across channels, systems and touchpoints.
Video 2: Why identity changes everything
As this video explains, identity resolution helps create a shared understanding of customers across systems, channels and touchpoints. By connecting the identifiers and interactions that exist across paid and owned environments, marketers can move beyond isolated channel views and build a more complete understanding of the customer journey.
Video 3: What connected marketing actually looks like
Throughout this series, you've seen why paid and owned environments often create an incomplete view of the customer, how identity helps create connection across channels and systems and what becomes possible when that connection is put to work.
With Epsilon’s identity resolution, customer data platform and data clean room solutions, marketers can connect customer understanding, audience intelligence and activation across the broader marketing ecosystem. When those capabilities operate from the same foundation, marketing becomes more connected and more effective.
Ready to take the next step? Connect with an Epsilon expert to learn more: Get in touch.
---
## Transform member engagement with data-driven loyalty AI
Type: eps_resource
URL: /ai-powered-loyalty-guide
Last Modified: 2026-02-26T21:10:20Z
# Transform member engagement with data-driven loyalty AI
Turn engagement into meaningful action
When customers are truly loyal, they don’t just buy more—they advocate, engage and help your brand grow.
But that type of loyalty isn’t built on rewards alone, it’s built on relevance and trust that happens consistently over time.
Our technology provides AI-powered insights that help you move beyond reactive marketing and start delivering predictive, data-driven experiences that increase engagement and accelerate program growth.
Better data builds better loyalty—AI makes it actionable
What if you could orchestrate loyalty experiences that actually connect—faster and smarter?
When clean, connected data fuels your platform, AI-enabled solutions can assist and amplify your strategy. With AI as your strategic partner, you gain clarity to create relevant, personalized experiences on an enhanced 1:1 member level that adds value and resonates.
With the right in-platform AI capabilities, you can drive smarter loyalty performance.
Predictive customer insights
Know what your customers want before they do. Forecast performance, spot trends, monitor fraud while building a relevant, personalized program strategy.
Generative AI content and offers
Automate content creation, complex queries, so you can instantly produce campaigns that feel personalized—without being overwhelmed by manual tasks.
Adaptive customer journey optimization
Our technology evolves with your members—learning from every interaction, improving offers, journeys and engagement strategies automatically.
Drive measurable loyalty performance
Loyal customers don’t just open emails, they respond, redeem, share and connect on an ongoing basis. AI-powered loyalty assists you—helping you engage authentically and stay in control of every consumer-brand interaction—resulting in better outcomes.
---
## Connecting paid and owned with Adobe and Epsilon
Type: eps_resource
URL: /adobe-epsilon-integration-video
Last Modified: 2026-06-25T18:51:44Z
# Connecting paid and owned with Adobe and Epsilon
Marketers are under increasing pressure to deliver connected, relevant experiences while navigating privacy constraints, fragmented data and disconnected teams.
This Adobe + Epsilon partnership brings a new way forward. By integrating Adobe Real-Time CDP with Epsilon’s identity and activation capabilities, brands can connect paid and owned channels, expand the value of their first-party data and activate audiences more intelligently without moving or exposing underlying customer data.
Watch this session featuring Adobe’s Lory Mishra and Epsilon’s Joran Lawrence to learn how the integration works, what problems it solves and how brands are already using it to improve cross-channel execution and measurement.
Key Takeaways:
A new bi-directional integration allows brands to collaborate on data and activate audiences without moving or exposing sensitive customer data.
Adobe Real-Time CDP unifies data across owned sources, while Epsilon enriches it with identity and activation, making it easier to orchestrate journeys across channels.
Brands can activate audiences in paid media, receive real-time exposure signals and continuously optimize campaigns based on performance feedback.
By enriching first-party data and identifying unauthenticated visitors, marketers can move beyond known users to power prospecting.
---
## How people access healthcare information today
Type: eps_resource
URL: /access-healthcare-information-infographic
Last Modified: 2025-09-30T14:11:54Z
# How people access healthcare information today
Whether it’s because they have a new symptom or are due for a checkup, when people search for healthcare information, they often do additional research and leverage sources like social media sites, search engines and AI chatbots.
Check out this infographic to see what Epsilon’s consumer research discovered about how people search for healthcare information, including:
Who relies on AI tools to search for healthcare information
How people use search engines like Google, Yahoo and Bing
Which social media sites people use to search for healthcare information
What criteria make healthcare information trustworthy
---
## 3 successful retail media strategy elements
Type: eps_resource
URL: /3-successful-retail-media-strategy-guide
Last Modified: 2026-04-29T16:38:49Z
# 3 successful retail media strategy elements
Retail media is growing fast, but successful brand returns are not guaranteed.
Retail media has quickly become one of the fastest‑growing advertising channels. As retailers unlock their data and media inventory, brands now have unprecedented access to shoppers across onsite, offsite and in‑store environments.
But rapid growth does not automatically translate into brand results.
While spend in retail media is rising, many brands struggle to build a retail media strategy that consistently delivers defensible performance outcomes. The core problem is not access; brands have more retail media options than ever.
The challenge is how retail media is planned, activated and measured.
Without a disciplined approach to reach, activation and measurement, retail media quickly becomes fragmented spend that inflates frequency, duplicates audiences and produces ROAS figures that are difficult to defend.
This guide is written for brands that want retail media to become a dependable growth driver, not just to appear on more retail shelves.
In this guide, you’ll learn:
Why identity‑led reach is the foundation of retail media effectiveness, and how brands can assess whether their partners are delivering true incremental scale or simply recycling existing audiences.
How treating each retail media channel in isolation undermines performance, and how brands can plan people‑first activation that manages frequency, extends reach and creates consistent shopper experiences across the full journey.
What credible retail media measurement actually looks like, why closing the loop between impression and transaction is non‑negotiable, and how brands can distinguish between surface‑level reporting and insight that supports confident investment decisions.
Download the guide: 3 Successful Retail Media Strategy Elements
---
## Webinar: How adaptive brands will win in a shifting consumer landscape
Type: eps_resource
URL: /foresight-factory-consumer-trends-webinar
Last Modified: 2026-02-03T15:29:17Z
# Webinar: How adaptive brands will win in a shifting consumer landscape
Consumer behaviors are evolving faster than ever. AI is accelerating decision-making, economic pressure is reshaping value, and people are seeking deeper meaning and belonging in their choices. As Foresight Factory’s 2026 outlook shows, consumers are using initiative as a powerful adaptation advantage.
The real challenge? Most organizations aren’t built to adapt at the same pace.
In this webinar, Foresight Factory's Lindsay Kunkle, EVP of North America Strategy & Advisory, and Epsilon's Heather Campain, VP of Growth Strategy, will unpack the emerging signals driving consumer change, and translate those signals into the operational shifts marketers need to stay relevant. Together, we’ll explore how to recalibrate your customer strategy for deeper connection and stronger business outcomes in the year ahead.
You’ll learn:
The consumer trends shaping 2026—and what they reveal about future expectations
Where brands are falling behind: identity gaps, siloed data, and slow feedback loops
How to build adaptive, customer-centric systems that turn insight into action
How unified identity and connected data unlock more meaningful, anticipatory engagement
---
## The state of AI in marketing
Type: eps_resource
URL: /the-state-of-ai-in-marketing
Last Modified: 2025-04-22T19:40:03Z
# The state of AI in marketing
Ever find yourself wondering how other marketers are using AI?
It might feel like every marketer under the sun is using AI today—or at least talking about it. But there's a real lack of understanding around how AI is integrated into marketing strategies: if the investment is worth it, how people are measuring success, what kinds of challenges they're facing...you get it.
In our new Epsilon Pulse research report, The state of AI in marketing, we talk to marketers across the retail, financial services, travel, restaurant and consumer packaged goods (CPG) industries to understand their motivations, investments and barriers when it comes to AI. The report will help you get a pulse on where you're at in your AI journey, and show you what there is to learn from your peers (and competitors).
Dive into the report, and you'll learn:
An overview of AI adoption in marketing
What is driving brands to invest in AI
How much budget they're allocating to AI tools and technologies
How marketers are measuring success
Challenges, barriers to adoption and lessons learned
Key recommendations on how to approach AI—no matter where you're at in your maturity
Let's begin.
Epsilon Pulse is the beating heart of Epsilon’s proprietary research. Designed to produce relevant and up-to-date insights about consumers, marketers and their preferences, Epsilon Pulse helps brands better understand the adtech and martech industry so they can make informed, data-driven marketing decisions.
---
## Beyond the buzzword: What marketers are really saying about AI
Type: eps_resource
URL: /BeyondBuzzword-AI-Webinar
Last Modified: 2025-08-07T15:37:10Z
# Beyond the buzzword: What marketers are really saying about AI
AI is everywhere. From major brands to the everyday consumer, AI is becoming an integral part of how we live and work. But how are marketers actually using AI, and what barriers are they facing in its adoption?
In this webinar, Epsilon experts Rachel Cascisa, Vice President of Platfrom Adoption, and Owen McCumber, Sr. Director of Digital Solutions Consulting, discuss new research that investigates this very question and explain what marketers should look for when it comes to next-gen tech powered by AI.
Some key takeaways:
AI is a powerful tool, but to deliver the best results, it needs to be supported by a meaningful strategy and a solid foundation of data.
AI implementation and use will depend on each individual brand’s goals, use cases and KPIs. Understanding those three things are critical when considering what AI-powered tech belongs in your tech stack.
The right partner will not only provide AI-powered tech, but they will also have strategic insights, implementation support and a proven track record of success.
---
## How Chuck E. Cheese is winning modern families
Type: eps_resource
URL: /chuck-e-cheese-webinar
Last Modified: 2025-09-22T14:48:31Z
# How Chuck E. Cheese is winning modern families
The "eat"-ertainment space is shifting fast. With rising costs and economic pressure, it’s no longer enough to simply serve great food and friendly service. Today’s brands must truly understand their visitors and deliver personalized, unique experiences.That’s because modern families crave meaningful connections.The ones that win are those that truly understand who their visitors are, what matters most to them, and how to stay connected in ways that resonate.
Join Chuck E. Cheese and Epsilon to explore how to better understand your visitors to make smarter, more impactful investments around their experience. Discover how to harness data-driven insights, next-gen technology to deepen engagement and build lasting loyalty—guiding them through every step of their dining journey.
You’ll learn:
Key challenges the food and entertainment sector faces in truly understanding their guests— and how leading brands are tackling them today
How different data sources combined with the right tech and identity resolution gives you a clearer picture of who your visitors really are (and why knowing is worth it)
Real-world examples of how engagement tactics between visits boost experience, build loyalty and grow lifetime value
Modern tools that connect in-store and digital visitor interactions—capturing rich data to map the path to purchase and refine channel strategy
---
## Why identity is the engine behind retail media outcomes
Type: eps_resource
URL: /idc-whitepaper-retail-media-identity-emea
Last Modified: 2026-03-04T09:32:44Z
# Why identity is the engine behind retail media outcomes
Retail media is becoming more competitive, and that shifts the expectations placed on brands and agencies. When most retailers can offer onsite inventory, the real difference lies in whether campaigns can reliably reach genuine buyers and demonstrate which activity influenced sales, rather than simply reporting clicks.
What IDC highlights
In Identity Drives End-to-End Retail Media Outcomes, IDC analyst Ananda Chakravarty outlines how person-level identity underpins precision targeting, closed-loop measurement and scaled activation across channels and formats. It separates networks that are limited to retargeting site visitors from those able to extend reach across the full customer journey.
Why the timing matters
Many retail media networks are encountering the same constraint. Data quality and accessibility are becoming the bottleneck, with IDC’s research identifying “data issues” as the leading challenge at 36.2%. Without strong identity foundations, teams end up spending more time stitching together customers, channels and transactions than improving campaign performance.
Where momentum is building
The report also points to the next phase of growth in-store, where almost four in five retail purchases still take place. Robust identity infrastructure, paired with AI-driven decisioning to interpret fragmented signals, is what enables genuine omnichannel attribution and practical optimisation rather than theoretical ambition.
Download the whitepaper to explore what delivering true end-to-end retail media actually involves, along with the key questions worth considering before investment increases.
---
## Data-driven conversations that move and resonate
Type: eps_resource
URL: /data-driven-conversations-that-resonate-webinar
Last Modified: 2025-09-12T19:13:42Z
# Data-driven conversations that move and resonate
From email to social media to in-person, your marketing should meet customers wherever they are, at every stage of their journey. And while many brands think they’re tailoring experiences to individuals across touchpoints, they really aren’t. What’s holding them back? Teams and technologies that don’t talk seamlessly.
Discover an integrated approach to break down siloes between teams, data and platforms with guest speaker Roger Beharry Lall, research director at IDC, and Tyler McDaniel, vice president of product management at Epsilon.
You’ll find out:
Why marketers who fail to deliver hyper-customized experiences will lose brand affinity and dollars.
How a connected tech stack centralizes data and breaks down team and tech silos, empowering clean, actionable customer insights that are key to personalization
Why identity and data are not enough—marketers need the right technology with capabilities like AI to create unified customer journeys
---
## How each generation prefers to be rewarded
Type: eps_resource
URL: /cross-generational-loyalty
Last Modified: 2025-12-17T16:23:24Z
# How each generation prefers to be rewarded
Different generations expect different things—building smarter loyalty depends on knowing them.
Loyalty is deeply personal and widely varied from one generation to the next. What people of one generation value—whether it’s a brand’s ethics or their customer service— another age group might not, prioritizing price or functionality above all else.
This infographic highlights key points from an Epsilon Pulse cross-generational consumer research report and shares how different generations engage with loyalty programs, including:
Varying shopping styles and tech habits by generation
What drives brand love—and what doesn't
How brand loyalty is different for Gen Z, Millenials, Gen X and Boomers
---
## How to reach Gen Z in 2026: 8 insights about the fastest-growing generation
Type: eps_resource
URL: /gen-z-guide
Last Modified: 2026-06-22T16:58:25Z
# How to reach Gen Z in 2026: 8 insights about the fastest-growing generation
Gen Z is quickly gaining ground in the workforce and economy, and it can be a struggle for brands to keep up and reach them effectively.
To better understand this ever-evolving demographic, we compiled a guide exploring their preferences and habits based on Epsilon Pulse research and third-party sources. We explored:
Gen Z's AI usage and preferences
Where and how they watch TV
Their social media habits
How they shop
Their loyalty habits and attitudes
Their travel preferences
“Looking at customers and prospects by generation is a simple way to get a deeper understanding of consumers beyond what they are buying and uncover differences in behaviors, engagement, preferences and motivators," said Gillian MacPherson, Senior Vice President of Product at Epsilon. "Starting to segment by generation lays the groundwork to have a better view of each individual, allowing you to reach them with an impactful message that resonates in the channels they use."
Let's take a look at some of the high-level insights from the research.
Unpacking generational differences: 5 attributes that set Gen Z apart
1. Gen Z might be AI power users, but they’re still learning just like the rest of us.
Gen Zs grew up fully immersed in the internet. With that digital fluency comes an inherent ease with AI and learning new tools, but Gen Z still might struggle to evaluate whether AI outputs are wrong or inappropriate, especially in the workplace.
At work, 32% of Gen Z adults say they use AI tools or technology for professional tasks. Compared to other generations, Gen Z has fewer concerns about the technology, but 15% of Gen Z minors and 35% of Gen Z adults worry about privacy and data security. Eight percent of Gen Z minors and 25% of Gen Z adults also said they're concerned about losing jobs to AI.
As AI takes on more prominence in the workplace, companies will need to update policies, infrastructure and processes to meet the demands of the new workforce.
Key stat: 36% of Gen Z use AI every day. They mainly leverage AI for tasks like shopping, navigation and idea generation.
The takeaway: Don't be afraid to test emerging channels, trends and technology when trying to reach younger audiences. Edina Kalamperovic, Epsilon’s Senior Vice President of Client Team Leadership, recommends, “Brands should lean into employees and creators as authentic ambassadors, and then use AI to amplify, edit and scale that content without losing the human signal. As AI scales content creation and automates the mundane, human connection becomes more valuable, not less."
2. Gen Z watches content across a vast array of platforms and channels but value flexibility over price and availability.
Our research shows that more than half of Gen Z sometimes subscribes to a streaming service just for a specific show or movie—they especially value having access to live sports. For sports and news, Gen Z prefers cable, but for shows and movies, it’s all about streaming services.
Key stat: 52% of Gen Z say they use another device “always” or “often” while watching content.
The takeaway: To connect with Gen Z, marketers and brands need to understand how to reach this demographic across channels—and that includes FAST Channel platforms.
“If you’re trying to reach Gen Z via CTV, incorporate the whole landscape of services into your media plan, including FAST Channel delivery on platforms such as Pluto TV, Tubi and the Roku Channel. They mimic the cable TV format but in a streaming environment and can reach a substantial number of younger viewers and cord-cutters while keeping your CPMs down,” says Joshua Simons, a Senior Product Manager at Epsilon.
3. Gen Z uses many social media platforms, but there are nuances in how they use each one.
At least 25% of Gen Z use at least seven different social media platforms, but they use TikTok, YouTube and Instagram the most.
How they engage with each platform varies significantly. On YouTube, Gen Z is more open to watching long-form videos, while on Instagram, they prefer short-form videos. Gen Z is more likely to engage with other people’s content than create their own, and only 40% report posting or sharing a status update on social media.
Key stats: This generation spends more than six hours consuming media every day (the highest of any generation). When searching online, almost 50% of Gen Z uses social media first.
The takeaway: “To reach Gen Z on social media, brands need to speak their language—and it might not be in traditional channels like display. Brands need to create original content and leverage influencers because that’s what Gen Z is seeing and interacting with on social media," says Rachel Cascisa, Vice President of Platform Adoption and Analytics at Epsilon.
4. While Gen Z mostly shops online, they still have an appetite for in-store shopping and experiences.
Despite having such a large digital footprint, Gen Zs still yearn for in-person connection. “They’re not looking to hide behind screens; they’re actively seeking opportunities to build interpersonal skills and meaningful professional relationships. This generation has a sophisticated understanding of when technology helps and when it hinders real connection,” Janet Dell, the CEO of Freeman, an event marketing company, told CNBC.
We see that trend carry over for shopping preferences, too, as 31% of Gen Z minors and 26% of Gen Z adults see shopping as a social activity—higher than any other generation. This is likely due to the fact that third places are disappearing at an increasing rate and most nightlife options don't cater to minors or adults under the age of 21.
Key stats: 86% of Gen Z adults use their smartphones when shopping online. Laptops are the second most popular device for online shopping.
The takeaway: Gen Z still values in-store shopping for tactile experiences and immediacy. To better serve this generation, brands should offer hybrid shopping experiences, like buy-online-pick-up-in-store, immersive retail spaces and fast shipping options, and marketers need to know which customers to target with the right messaging no matter where they shop.
5. Gen Z travels more than any other generation, and they're interested in a variety of vacation types.
Taking an average of 2.8 trips per year, Gen Z prefers destinations that offer a good balance of affordability and experience and often seek out budget-friendly travel options. They tend to travel domestically, but 38% do some international travel.
81% of Gen Z travels with friends or family, and one in four typically take adults-only trips. Gen Z plans most of their travel online and frequently read reviews for restaurants and activities.
Key stats: 64% of Gen Z travelers prefer hotels, while 39% prefer vacation rentals like Airbnb or VRBO.
The takeaway: “Gen Z expects a seamless digital experience—and that extends to how they're researching and booking travel. They want to easily compare options while seeking peer input, from hotels and accommodations to flights, ground transportation and experiences. Travel brands need to make it easy for consumers to book as many elements of their trip as possible, supported by user-generated content and reviews," says John Adamo, the Vice President, Travel & Hospitality Portfolio Lead at Epsilon.
Read more: The secret to connecting with Gen Z
As the Gen Z consumer base continues to grow, brands need to find unique way to meet them where they're at. Download the full report for more insights.
---
## Your data readiness assessment
Type: eps_resource
URL: /data-readiness-assessment
Last Modified: 2026-04-16T14:50:04Z
# Your data readiness assessment
Data readiness assessment: Your quick guide
Wherever you’re at in your journey, this resource will help you start taking actionable steps toward using data to drive measurable marketing outcomes.
When you’re trying to identify new customers, it can be tough to know where to start.
Take our assessment to better understand where you’re at so we can make sure you have all the resources you need to choose the best data partner for your needs.
From there, we can help you clean up your first-party data, incorporate third-party data and AI audiences and ultimately reach more customers.
What questions our data readiness assessment covers
Here’s what topics we cover in the assessment:
How your business uses data
Ways your business uses first- and third-party data
How your business wants to better leverage data in the future
What stands in the way of your data strategy
How your business captures data
What marketing channels your business uses
How your business activates data for marketing
How to evaluate your data readiness score
Once you’ve taken the assessment, you’ll be able to calculate your data readiness score.
Based on your score, your data strategy will fit into one of three categories below.
(0-6): Getting started
If you’re just getting started, you might have limited first-party data access, questionable data quality and some opportunities to expand your activation channels to better reach your customers.
Next steps for your business:
Establish data hygiene best practices: de-dupe, standard fields and validation cadence
Inventory your first-party data sources and centralize access across sources
Start leveraging your centralized and cleaned data for some foundational segmentation of your current customers to help with customer insights and marketing planning
(7-13): Building momentum
If your data foundation exists but has gaps in data quality, tech or strategy, you might be limiting your ability to drive business outcomes.
What’s next for your business:
Improve identity resolution and consistent customer IDs
Test our enrichment pilots (test third-party data to better customer understanding for an upcoming campaign or initiative)
Expand your activation with lookalike modeling, campaign optimization or by reaching customers across channels with omnichannel activation
(14-20) Ready to scale
If you have a strong first-party data foundation paired with a solid activation plan that’s ready to leverage high-quality, incremental third-party data, you’ll be able to boost results and add value fast.
What’s next for your business:
Scale enrichment and modeling (LTV, propensity, churn)
Standardize governance and privacy workflows
Multi-channel activation across all channels
---
## IDC MarketScape evaluated Connected TV advertising solutions industry-wide. Surprise twist: Epsilon is a Leader.
Type: eps_resource
URL: /idc-marketscape-worldwide-connected-tv-advertising-platforms-2025-vendor-assessment
Last Modified: 2025-12-08T20:19:27Z
# IDC MarketScape evaluated Connected TV advertising solutions industry-wide. Surprise twist: Epsilon is a Leader.
IDC MarketScape: Worldwide Connected TV Advertising Platforms 2025 Vendor Assessment
The CTV space is fragmented and confusing, without clear guidance for brands about where to spend their advertising dollars. Until now.
IDC just released the first and only report of its kind: the IDC MarketScape: Worldwide Connected TV Advertising Platforms 2025 Vendor Assessment. In it, Epsilon is named a Leader.
What are Epsilon’s unique CTV capabilities?
We believe the recognition marks a significant milestone for Epsilon’s CTV capabilities by reinforcing our unique capabilities, including industry-leading identity, person-based audiences and connected measurement.
1. Industry-leading identity
We consolidate disparate customer data into a single ID, for deduplicated reach across a large portion of U.S. TV households, more precise targeting and less wasted ad spend.
2. Person-based audiences
With our vast library of granular audiences, brands can connect with consumers across multiple channels, including display, online video and audio. And we can activate or model off brands' customer data for comprehensive audience strategies.
3. Connected measurement
Brands can observe and analyze their campaign performance with a wide range of media KPIs, and, in many cases, optimize toward performance KPIs.
4. AI-powered real-time decisioning
Using machine learning and predictive AI, our model optimizes in real-time so brands reach the right prospects when they’re ready to buy—and suppress those who already made a purchase.
Epsilon’s unified platform
“Advertisers running integrated campaigns across display, online video, audio, and CTV will benefit from Epsilon’s unified platform, which connects consumers across various channels and streamlines campaign management.” – IDC MarketScape: Worldwide Connected TV Advertising Platform 2025 Vendor Assessment
Read the excerpt for a look at the smartest ways for brands to use their CTV budgets.
---
## AI is changing the way loyalty drives growth
Type: eps_resource
URL: /ai-enabled-loyalty-marketing-infographic
Last Modified: 2025-12-16T22:34:23Z
# AI is changing the way loyalty drives growth
What makes loyalty programs thrive isn’t just offers—it’s the experiences they provide. AI can help loyalty marketers go beyond surface-level metrics to make faster, smarter decisions that drive real results.
What AI unlocks in loyalty programs
By leveraging AI, you can analyze patterns at scale and adapt in real time— turning everyday interactions into deeper customer connections that build advocacy.
The benefits of an AI-enabled loyalty solution
Faster decision-making, reduce manual work
Understand customer behavior and predict trends
Increase engagement and customer value
Get the infographic to see how AI reshapes loyalty performance.
---
## Measurement strategies for the ROI-obsessed marketer
Type: eps_resource
URL: /measurement-strategies-for-the-roi-obsessed-marketer
Last Modified: 2025-11-21T20:17:49Z
# Measurement strategies for the ROI-obsessed marketer
Modern marketers are faced with evolving economic challenges and increased scrutiny on the business ROI they’re delivering. But how do they know if their media spend is as efficient as possible? It starts with how marketers structure their campaigns—what data is coming in, how they’re understanding who they’re reaching and why, and how they’re optimizing each channel, audience and individual.
In the on-demand webinar, Loch Rose, Chief Analytics Officer at Epsilon, and guest speaker Brad Haag, senior analyst at Forrester, have a candid conversation about how marketers can measure what matters to optimize their digital media investments.
Watch now to learn:
The factors that make measurement especially challenging for today’s marketers
What matters most for advertisers—from data inputs and campaign setup—to achieve closed-loop reporting
How to choose measurement partners in a platform-first marketing world
---
## The identity gap: Where marketing feels effective and where it breaks down
Type: eps_resource
URL: /ama-epsilon-identity-research-webinar
Last Modified: 2026-08-28T15:00:37Z
# The identity gap: Where marketing feels effective and where it breaks down
Marketers are under pressure to deliver more relevant, personalized experiences while navigating fragmented data, disconnected systems and rising expectations for performance.
This webinar explores new research on how marketing feels effective and where that perception starts to break down as organizations push for growth, scale operations and turn on more advanced capabilities.
Watch this session featuring the American Marketing Association and Epsilon to learn how identity and connected data impact audience reach, operational alignment and measurement—and what marketers can do to improve performance as complexity increases.
Key takeaways:
Marketing can appear effective when based on a limited view, but gaps become more visible as expectations increase
Identifying the right prospect is one thing; reaching them is another challenge entirely
Adding new tools alone does not solve operational challenges—alignment across systems is critical
Stronger measurement and learning capabilities help marketers understand performance and improve outcomes over time
New Research
Want to take a closer look at the research? Download the full report.
---
## The 2026 sports media landscape
Type: eps_resource
URL: /sports-research
Last Modified: 2026-07-16T17:33:30Z
# The 2026 sports media landscape
How do consumers watch sports in 2026?
Whether viewers are tuning in to watch the Super Bowl, March Madness or an international event like the Olympics, there’s no doubt that watching sports is popular across generations.
But how does the average consumer watch sports in 2026, and which devices and channels are the most popular? We wanted to better understand how consumers across generations watch sports today so marketers like you can make more informed and strategic decisions and better reach your audience.
Our research covered topics ranging from:
How consumers feel about commercials when they're watching sports
Where they get sports information (like AI, social media or a traditional search engine)
The top platforms for watching sports content
Viewers' favorite sports to watch, including men's and women's events, international events and professional versus college-level events
What devices people use to watch sports (we also took a look at double-screening behavior here)
Let's dive into three of the high-level findings from the research to give you a head start.
3 key findings from Epsilon's sports media research
1. Commercials drive purchasing decisions.
Marketers, rejoice: When it comes to commercials, 41% of sports viewers always or often watch them, while less than 20% rarely or never watch them. More than 40% of Gen Z, millennials and Gen X find commercials fun to watch, and only 21% across generations find them intrusive or annoying. So the next time finance questions whether it's a good idea to increase your ad spend, you can send them a copy of this research.
2. Nearly 20% of Gen Z and 16% of millennial sports viewers use AI to access sports information.
While traditional search engines like Google are still the primary way people access sports information, our research shows that a growing number of consumers (especially younger generations) are turning to AI tools to do the heavy lifting.
3. Sports viewers’ attention is spread across an increasing number of platforms.
We love to keep track of which platforms people use to watch TV and media, and sports is no different.
Major players like Amazon Prime Video, Cable and Netflix each have a solid percentage of consumers tuning in, but sports viewers also leverage platforms like Peacock and ESPN+ in their media stack, and that includes free, ad-supported, shared and premium accounts.
Key takeaways: Reach the modern sports viewer
When it comes to ad spending, we know consumers watch sports on a wide variety of platforms and channels.
To reach and connect with the right people, marketers need to understand what matters to each consumer so they can engage them with a relevant, personalized message.
It's key to partner with a solution that focuses on understanding who you’re targeting and can reach them where they’re watching so you can connect with your audience even more effectively.
Learn how Epsilon Data can help you connect with more of your target audience.
---
## Craft a quality AI marketing strategy that goes beyond the hype
Type: eps_resource
URL: /craft-a-quality-ai-marketing-strategy-that-goes-beyond-the-hype
Last Modified: 2025-02-24T05:14:30Z
# Craft a quality AI marketing strategy that goes beyond the hype
Advancements in predictive and generative AI over the last few years have cemented AI as the next big thing—a shiny toy that promises to revolutionize the industry. But getting "good" AI—i.e., successfully messaging and reaching people on the open web—really depends on a few things: Having quality data, well-crafted algorithms and integrating AI into your marketing in a way that doesn't overpower it.
In this webinar recording, experts from Epsilon and guest speaker Forrester explore how successfully use AI to better understand your customers and create higher performing campaigns. Watch to learn:
What you stand to gain from implementing AI into marketing campaigns
How data and identity play an integral role in "good" AI
The importance of choosing partners that have a solid, proven track record in AI capabilities
Speakers include:
---
## 6 gaps blocking great customer experiences
Type: eps_resource
URL: /customer-loyalty-experience-gaps
Last Modified: 2026-06-09T20:55:33Z
# 6 gaps blocking great customer experiences
Customers don’t leave loyalty programs on a whim. Hard to use benefits, low-value rewards and inconsistent customer experiences accumulate over time, eroding trust.
In response, brands try to solve friction and reduced customer engagement by sending more messages to their customers and offering more rewards. However, this approach compounds the issue, increasing dissatisfaction without driving meaningful engagement.
Understanding the root causes behind poor user experiences—limited personalization, fragmented customer data and missed opportunities—is the first step to creating seamless customer experiences.
This infographic outlines what’s behind loyalty experience gaps and how a strong, data-driven strategy can drive meaningful engagement.
What marketers overlook in the customer loyalty journey
Brands that try to build loyalty by driving engagement through rewards and campaigns, often underestimate how much customers expect personalized, seamless experiences across touchpoints. In fact. when loyalty experiences don’t evolve with the customer, gaps appear, impeding the very behavior that brands seek to nurture.
Focusing on the customer, not just the transaction, allows you to deliver meaningful, tailored interactions in real time. A strong customer data foundation is the key brands need to offer what people value and build long-term customer loyalty.
How data and identity resolution create better customer experiences
Bad user experiences stem from incomplete or fragmented data. When fragmented customer data is cleansed and unified, it provides a complete view of customer behaviors, preferences and engagement.
The right loyalty provider leverages advanced identity resolution capabilities to fill in contextual insights and create more complete member profiles. These insights can help deliver relevant offers and personalized messages at scale.
Ultimately, with a holistic customer view, you can create on ongoing feedback loop that ensures you send the right message at the right time.
How great experiences turn loyalty into revenue
Great customer experiences start with knowing your customers. And when you know your customers, it creates the foundation for long-term loyalty.
With a solid data strategy, brands can use first-party data to strengthen engagement, increase retention and encourage repeat buying behavior. Over time, meaningful interactions turn into measurable business outcomes and sustainable revenue growth.
---
## Privacy or loyalty? You don’t have to choose. Epsilon named a Leader in The Forrester Wave™: Loyalty Platforms, Q4 2025
Type: eps_resource
URL: /forrester-wave-loyalty-platforms-q4-2025-apac
Last Modified: 2026-02-10T15:53:22Z
# Privacy or loyalty? You don’t have to choose. Epsilon named a Leader in The Forrester Wave™: Loyalty Platforms, Q4 2025
The Forrester Wave™: Loyalty Platforms, Q4 2025
Strong loyalty programs do more than reward, they make their customers feel recognized, valued and invested over time. But that can’t happen without trust. The Forrester Wave™: Loyalty Platforms, Q4 2025 evaluated providers throughout the market on how they manage customer memberships, deliver actionable insights and maintain consumer privacy. In it, Epsilon was named a Leader.
Does better AI start with strong data?
For loyalty program managers, AI can improve targeting, personalization and campaign efficiency at scale. But AI is only as powerful as the data behind it. At Epsilon, high-quality data sits at the foundation—empowering our technology to provide the real-time insights that lead to fast decision-making and better outcomes.
In their assessment, Forrester stated that, “Its focus on an integrated end-to-end solution lifts Epsilon in categories like fraud management and member experience optimization. The platform’s predictive AI insights are competitive, with deeper AI integration with offers and promotions on the roadmap.”
A loyalty technology platform with consumer-privacy built-in
We help brands strengthen the consumer-brand relationship and orchestrate meaningful member journeys while protecting their consumer data.
Consumer privacy first
Our data and technology manages your first-party data with strict privacy controls and compliance standards in place, ensuring quick adherence to changing regulations.
Consent and transparency
Our solution allows you to build member journeys that respect consumer preferences, while maintaining transparent data use.
Trust at scale
Building trust means that your privacy and performance work together, enabling your loyalty program to grow without compromise.
For smarter loyalty, start with an industry-leading provider that has strong data and AI capabilities, while maintaining trust through privacy-preserving capabilities—all in one platform.
Get the report to learn more about the breadth of loyalty technologies in the market, and how Epsilon was named a Leader.
Forrester Disclaimer
Forrester does not endorse any company, product, brand, or service included in its research publications and does not advise any person to select the products or services of any company or brand based on the ratings included in such publications. Information is based on the best available resources. Opinions reflect judgment at the time and are subject to change. For more information, read about Forrester’s objectivity here.
---
## The Real Deal: Foundational Data Essentials
Type: eps_resource
URL: /the-real-deal-foundational-data-essentials
Last Modified: 2025-12-03T17:35:18Z
# The Real Deal: Foundational Data Essentials
How to build a complete foundational data strategy
In your database, you might have a customer's name, an email and a zip code, plus what they bought from you and when.
But you might not know that they have three email addresses, moved in 2020, enjoy traveling and spent more with your competitors.
A solid foundation for your customer data is critical to achieving one view of each customer as a person and truly understanding who they are.
How to get started with first-party data
It starts with the first-party data you already have, like customer names, emails, transaction history and their digital and channel engagement.
It’s important to make sure your first party data is always accurate with home address, all emails and phone numbers. This enables you to consolidate data to one person, accurately identify customers and reach more of them across online and offline channels.
Why you need to incorporate third-party data into your data strategy
As robust as your first party data may be, you’re not always able to see what customers are doing outside of your owned channels—like what other brands they're looking at, what they're buying, how much they're spending and what influences their purchases.
That’s why you have to bring in high-quality third-party data to create one vision to engage each person and deliver more than just the right message at the right time.
What are the three primary types of foundational data?
There are three types of foundational data you can use to enhance your customer data strategy:
Transactional data: How much people are spending at specific merchants on clothes, travel or meals.
Demographic and lifestyle data: Attributes like someone’s age, their level of education, their household income and what cars they have in their garage.
Psychographic data: How consumers prefer to shop, channel preferences and preferred charities to support.
How Epsilon can help you improve your data strategy
To find a data provider you can trust, make sure to consider essential data capabilities like:
Privacy and accuracy
Data quality
Coverage of data attributes
The predictive power of the data
How the data can be used effectively across channels
For decades, Epsilon has invested to build a suite of best-in-class data offerings. Whether you're building or refining your data strategy, Epsilon can help you efficiently identify and engage with your best and next-best customers with third-party data.
Find out how you can leverage best-in-class foundational data.
---
## Website personalization guide: Driving performance with actionable data
Type: eps_resource
URL: /website-personalization-guide-accelerate
Last Modified: 2025-11-24T20:45:41Z
# Website personalization guide: Driving performance with actionable data
Create personalized website experiences that convert
Ecommerce managers have control over a significant point in the customer journey—the website experience.
Yet, even though brands attract high amounts of traffic—many struggle with increasing bounce rates, cart abandonment and low rates of conversion. Orchestrating website experiences using customized clicks, overlays and product recommendations creates a seamless path to purchase—making the decision to convert frictionless.
How to use actionable data to personalize your website
Our website personalization guide, Driving performance with actionable data, provides a practical framework that will allow you to customize conversion-ready website experiences that:
Leverage the right data and technology and enable you to deploy website campaigns that fuel growth and increase brand advocacy.
Maximize key stages of the customer journey—including journey mapping, segmentation and real-time personalization.
Quickly improve conversion rates, average order value (AOV) and engagement.
Take control of your website experiences—grab the guide to learn more.
---
## Fostering affinity through smarter loyalty programs
Type: eps_resource
URL: /loyalty-program-research
Last Modified: 2025-03-19T21:15:38Z
# Fostering affinity through smarter loyalty programs
Loyalty programs are critical for brands that want to create dynamic interactions with consumers. By offering their most loyal customers incentives like free products or services, elite status and more, these programs drive affinity and have become a mainstay for the modern consumer.
In our latest Epsilon Pulse research report, Fostering affinity through smarter loyalty programs, we surveyed consumers to find out what drives their engagement, satisfaction, and continued loyalty to brands through participation in loyalty programs.
Access the report to:
Discover what drives consumer engagement and affinity for loyalty programs.
Learn about consumer expectations regarding the loyalty programs they participate in and how those expectations impact consumer satisfaction, brand advocacy, and retention.
Get actionable insights that you can leverage to optimize your brand’s loyalty program strategy.
Epsilon Pulse is the beating heart of Epsilon’s proprietary research. Designed to produce relevant and up-to-date insights about consumers, marketers and their preferences, Epsilon Pulse helps brands better understand the adtech and martech industry so they can make informed, data-driven marketing decisions.
---
## Fostering affinity through smarter loyalty programs
Type: eps_resource
URL: /loyalty-program-research
Last Modified: 2025-03-19T21:15:38Z
# Fostering affinity through smarter loyalty programs
Loyalty programs are critical for brands that want to create dynamic interactions with consumers. By offering their most loyal customers incentives like free products or services, elite status and more, these programs drive affinity and have become a mainstay for the modern consumer.
In our latest Epsilon Pulse research report, Fostering affinity through smarter loyalty programs, we surveyed consumers to find out what drives their engagement, satisfaction, and continued loyalty to brands through participation in loyalty programs.
Access the report to:
Discover what drives consumer engagement and affinity for loyalty programs.
Learn about consumer expectations regarding the loyalty programs they participate in and how those expectations impact consumer satisfaction, brand advocacy, and retention.
Get actionable insights that you can leverage to optimize your brand’s loyalty program strategy.
Epsilon Pulse is the beating heart of Epsilon’s proprietary research. Designed to produce relevant and up-to-date insights about consumers, marketers and their preferences, Epsilon Pulse helps brands better understand the adtech and martech industry so they can make informed, data-driven marketing decisions.
---
## Match Ready: World Cup audience report
Type: eps_resource
URL: /match-ready-world-cup-audience-report
Last Modified: 2026-03-18T11:06:06Z
# Match Ready: World Cup audience report
Match Ready: World Cup audience report
Reach, engage and convert World Cup audiences with fresh UK consumer insight built for advertisers.
This year’s World Cup is set to be the largest ever with 16 extra teams competing, resulting in 40 more matches. With over 34 million UK consumers set to tune in, this scale is an opportunity, but it also makes broad targeting inefficient. This report breaks down how UK consumers plan to watch, shop and second-screen before kick-off and throughout the tournament, plus what it means for brands that want to drive interest and sales around the event.
Key insights:
Insight you discover from the report:
A World Cup audience is not one audience: discover who’s tuning in, who’s ‘once-every-four-years’, and why demographics alone won’t cut it
Pre tournament intent (your biggest advantage): what consumers plan to buy before the first whistle and how to activate early without waste
Second screen reality: how viewers move from TV to mobile to the open web (and even to the shopping cart) during matches
Category-level opportunity: what shifts in tech upgrades and food & beverage purchases look like through a World Cup lens
Why identity-led audience targeting matters: connect fragmented signals to real people and sequence video, CTV and display campaigns while controlling reach/frequency across devices.
Who is the report for:
Brand and agency teams planning World Cup-adjacent investment
Retailers and retail media teams looking to connect offsite audiences to onsite and in-store outcomes
Teams navigating identity challenges across devices and hard-to-reach environments like iOS
Download the report to discover how to win the World Cup audience
---
## Gourmet food brands can bring cheer all year (and more revenue)
Type: eps_resource
URL: /gourmet-food-brands-holiday-planning-strategies-infographic
Last Modified: 2025-02-05T17:00:18Z
# Gourmet food brands can bring cheer all year (and more revenue)
Gourmet food brands can make the most of holidays like Easter, Father's Day and Memorial Day to grow their audience and build brand awareness.
By analyzing shopping trends from more than 2,000,000 consumers, brands can strategically plan marketing promotions for 2025.
Download this infographic to understand key opportunities for fruits and nuts, meats and seafood, specialty foods and spices and sweets and baked goods.
---
## AI tactics for reaching customers in-market
Type: eps_resource
URL: /clean-room-forrester-digidaywebinar-ai
Last Modified: 2025-11-06T20:31:13Z
# AI tactics for reaching customers in-market
For marketers, reaching customers is key. Whether it’s engaging with current ones or finding new ones, brands need to build meaningful conversations with the right people wherever they are, including across multiple channels.
So what’s holding them back? It may be their tech stack. In this webinar, guest speaker Steph Liu, senior analyst at Forrester and Joran Lawrence, SVP of Product Management at Epsilon, discuss why marketers looking to break down silos and reach in-market and prospective customers at scale should consider adopting a data clean room powered by identity resolution and AI.
Key Takeaways:
With audiences more fragmented than ever and budgets under strain, brands risk losing big if they can't connect meaningfully with the right people.
When brands use the right martech tools-powered by a foundational harmonized clean data set that uses AI-they can effectively identify in-market and prospective customers and make a huge impact on their marketing success.
As AI continues to advance, data clean rooms are poised to integrate this technology to help brands better understand their customers and reach them in more meaningful, impactful ways.
---
## RetailX 2026 Report: Reliable forecasting from mixed signals
Type: eps_resource
URL: /finding-customers-from-mixed-signals-retailx
Last Modified: 2026-07-13T09:53:23Z
# RetailX 2026 Report: Reliable forecasting from mixed signals
Marketers have more customer data than ever, yet fewer reliable ways to connect it into a coherent view of the shopper. Discovery has fragmented across search, social, retail media, CTV and AI assistants, and the response to each new channel too often makes the underlying problem worse.
This report, in partnership with Internet Retailing, looks at what UK consumers are actually doing, where recognition breaks down, and what that means for the cost of finding and keeping the right customers.
Key findings
68% say the brands they buy from regularly already know what they want from them. But 53% are bothered when a brand treats them as a new customer despite previous purchases, and more than 65% limit or reject cookies. Recognition is expected, but the digital signals that enabled it are being withdrawn.
Almost 80% of consumers say repeated ads become annoying, and 73% say excessive repetition damages their view of a brand. Over-frequency looks like a media problem but is more accurately an identity one.
71% agree that being logged in or a loyalty member results in more relevant communication, emphasising the value of person-based data and the tangible value exchange customers experience.
Perceived product quality climbed from 38% to 47% between January and May as an everyday purchase influence, while low price fell from 57% to 54%. Brand work still earns its keep, even under pressure on discretionary spend.
74% would not want AI tools making purchase decisions on their behalf, and more than 70% still verify AI recommendations by visiting retailer sites or reading reviews before buying.
What you'll learn
Why acquisition costs keep climbing even as data volumes grow.
What CTV solves, and what it complicates.
Why the useful question is no longer which channel converted, but which combination did.
How over-frequency exposes weak identity, not weak media planning.
Why value exchange sits underneath the strongest identity frameworks, and where loyalty programmes fit.
How retention data is quietly becoming the sharpest acquisition tool marketers have.
What happens to a category when consumers let AI assistants choose the retailer.
How brands are responding
The report features work from Currys, Cheerz and Fat Face, showing how first-party data, identity and coordinated activity across channels are helping brands turn fragmented signals into measurable customer growth.
Download the report
For the full survey data, alongside Epsilon's perspective on why rising acquisition costs are really an identity problem.
---
## Fostering affinity through smarter loyalty programs
Type: eps_resource
URL: /loyalty-program-research
Last Modified: 2025-12-17T15:28:24Z
# Fostering affinity through smarter loyalty programs
Loyalty programs are critical for brands that want to create dynamic interactions with consumers. By offering their most loyal customers incentives like free products or services, elite status and more, these programs drive affinity and have become a mainstay for the modern consumer.
In our latest Epsilon Pulse research report, Fostering affinity through smarter loyalty programs, we surveyed consumers to find out what drives their engagement, satisfaction, and continued loyalty to brands through participation in loyalty programs.
Access the report to:
Discover what drives consumer engagement and affinity for loyalty programs.
Learn about consumer expectations regarding the loyalty programs they participate in and how those expectations impact consumer satisfaction, brand advocacy, and retention.
Get actionable insights that you can leverage to optimize your brand’s loyalty program strategy.
Epsilon Pulse is the beating heart of Epsilon’s proprietary research. Designed to produce relevant and up-to-date insights about consumers, marketers and their preferences, Epsilon Pulse helps brands better understand the adtech and martech industry so they can make informed, data-driven marketing decisions.
---
## Match Ready: Rapport d’audience de la Coupe du Monde
Type: eps_resource
URL: /match-ready-world-cup-audience-report-fr
Last Modified: 2026-04-20T10:42:03Z
# Match Ready: Rapport d’audience de la Coupe du Monde
Atteindre, engager et convertir les audiences de la Coupe du Monde au bon moment, sur les bons écrans, avec le bon message, dès le coup d’envoi le 11 juin.
La Coupe du Monde 2026 sera d’une ampleur sans précédent. Mais pour les marques, l’enjeu n’est pas seulement l’audience : c’est comprendre qui regarde, comment l’attention se fragmente, et quand l’intention d’achat se forme réellement.
Basé sur une étude française représentative, le rapport Match Ready : Audiences Coupe du Monde décrypte les signaux clés qui transforment un événement sportif mondial en levier de croissance mesurable.
Téléchargez le rapport complet pour transformer l’insight en activation efficace.
Pourquoi ce rapport est différent
La Coupe du Monde ne se résume pas à 90 minutes devant un écran. Elle crée une dynamique d’attention distribuée, de parcours non linéaires et de décisions qui commencent bien avant le coup d’envoi.
Ce rapport vous aide à :
Aller au-delà de l’audience « fan » pour adresser une audience large, hybride et occasionnelle
Comprendre où et quand l’attention se partage (TV, mobile, lieux collectifs)
Identifier les fenêtres d’intention commerciale souvent sous-exploitées
Activer avec cohérence dans un contexte multi-écrans, multi lieux, multi moments
Les enseignements clés en un coup d’œil
1. Une audience massive… mais loin d’être homogène
La Coupe du Monde rassemble une audience hors norme, dont la majorité n’est pas composée de fans réguliers de football. Ces spectateurs occasionnels, sociaux ou événementiels représentent une opportunité majeure — à condition de ne pas les traiter comme un bloc unique.
2. L’attention est partagée, pas absente
Les matchs captent rarement toute l’attention : les spectateurs échangent des messages, consultent les réseaux sociaux, recherchent des informations ou achètent en ligne en parallèle. Le défi pour les marques n’est pas d’ajouter un message de plus, mais de rester cohérentes à travers les écrans et les contextes.
3. L’intérêt et l’intention démarrent avant le premier match
La dynamique commerciale commence dès la phase de préparation : équipement, achats alimentaires, organisation de moments collectifs. Deux Français sur trois anticipent une évolution de leurs dépenses avant même le coup d’envoi. Attendre le premier match, c’est arriver trop tard.
4. Du moment sportif à l’impact de marque
Les marques actives pendant la Coupe du Monde influencent concrètement le choix, en particulier chez les fans — mais aussi au-delà du tournoi, grâce à un effet de traîne sur la préférence et la mémorisation. Les activations les plus efficaces ? Celles qui font partie du moment, plutôt que celles qui cherchent simplement à capter l’attention.
Ce que vous apprendrez dans le rapport complet
Les six signaux clés qui structurent l’audience Coupe du Monde
Les comportements multi-écrans et multi lieux à intégrer dans vos plans médias
Les moments d’intention commerciale avant, pendant et après le tournoi
Les activations de marque les plus appréciées par profils d’audience
·Comment relier les expositions pour mesurer l’impact réel et éviter la sur‑pression
Transformez l’insight en action
La Coupe du Monde crée un contexte rare où émotion, attention et intention se rencontrent.
Les marques qui sauront commencer plus tôt, penser au-delà du match en direct et concevoir pour des audiences distinctes seront celles qui capteront un impact durable, pas seulement un pic éphémère.
Téléchargez le rapport complet
---
## Video: The future of retail media with AD Retail Media
Type: eps_resource
URL: /ad-usa-future-of-retail-media-video
Last Modified: 2026-08-03T15:53:43Z
# Video: The future of retail media with AD Retail Media
What does the future of retail media hold?
Will we focus on further addressing identity resolution or find new ways to leverage predictive and generative AI? Will we harness the power of data clean rooms or focus on unifying our retail media networks to avoid fragmentation and wasted ad spend?
Instead of consulting a crystal ball, we turned to industry expert Bobby Watts, the SVP of AD Retail Media (the retail media arm of the grocery giant Ahold Delhaize), Digital Merchandising and Marketing, who sat down with Pamela Young, EVP, Epsilon Media Solutions at Publicis Groupe, to discuss creating a unified customer journey, the future of retail media and more.
Watch the full video to hear their predictions for what's next in retail media.
What is the future of retail media?
As far as Watts is concerned, the future of retail media is twofold—and the customer of tomorrow is at the center. It lies in better connecting with their customers and helping AD USA's major grocery store brands like Food Lion, Stop & Shop and Giant activate at scale by increasing consumer relevancy at a local level.
"For me, when we think about partnering with our advertisers, it's really about understanding that value of being locally relevant and then leveraging the full scale of AD USA through AD Retail Media," Watts says.
Beyond those two tenets, Watts also envisions a future where consumers use AI to compare prices at the basket level so they can find which store offers the best value for all the things they need, as opposed to searching for the best price for one-off items and potentially going to multiple stores.
3 pillars of a strong retail media strategy
For brands looking to stay ahead, Watts outlines three pillars of a strong retail media strategy:
Increase advertising relevancy to the customer.
Ensure retail media is connected to your broader advertising strategy.
Strengthen retail media partnerships to drive results.
1. Increase advertising relevancy to the consumer.
When planning an effective retail media strategy, relevancy should be front and center. Beyond understanding the items a consumer might be interested in, it's important to take it a step further and think about what kinds of ads make sense in your geographical area.
For example in the winter, people in northern states like New York and Maine might be in the market for comfort food and pantry staples, while those in warmer locales might be open to lighter fare. Watts says it all comes down to putting the customer at the center.
“[We're rethinking] how we engage with consumers to connect that and tether that all the way through," Watts says.
2. Ensure retail media is connected to your broader advertising strategy.
Long gone are the days of siloed retail advertising strategies.
As Watts says, it's essential to avoid "advertising for the sake of advertising." He recommends thinking about retail media on a deeper level and making sure your omnichannel plan activates consistently across channels.
"We've continued to consolidate things across our retail media practice," Watts says. "It's not about whether I need to have my retail media program over here, my commercial activation program over here and my marketing program over there. It's really about how we make all of those things come together harmoniously to deliver the best-in-class customer experience."
He also explains AD USA's process when it comes to connecting marketing messages with content to nudge consumers along the journey as they engage with the channels they prefer.
3. Strengthen retail media partnerships to drive results.
Partnerships offer a clear path to retail media growth. Watts shares how AD USA has seen real value in strengthening its partnership with Epsilon and bringing a unified view to its advertisers.
"[We bring] measurement for in-store and online together to really help showcase the performance that we're seeing across the channels because the media itself has impact across both the in-store and online channels," Watts says. "When we partner with you, it's bringing that unified story to our partners, and we've seen great results when we do that."
Epsilon: Your retail media partner
You don't have to build and implement your future-proof retail media strategy alone.
With a partner like Epsilon, you can find the right balance of on- and off-site ads, unlock (or take better advantage of) an additional revenue stream and create a better shopping experience for your customers.
Learn more about how to create a retail media strategy that will connect the dots between your target market, the evolving customer journey and dynamic original content.
---
## Digital Marketer's Guide: Level up your metrics
Type: eps_resource
URL: /digital-media-marketers-guide-to-level-up-metrics
Last Modified: 2026-04-16T16:35:21Z
# Digital Marketer's Guide: Level up your metrics
How to rethink your digital media KPIs
Digital marketing has never been more sophisticated, yet many of us are still measuring campaign success with metrics that barely scratch the surface.
It’s not that traditional metrics like reach, clicks and ROAS aren’t helpful, but if you’re serious about understanding true campaign performance and driving real business impact, it’s time to think bigger.
Key challenges of measuring digital media success
Many marketers are up to their eyeballs in data, desperately trying to make sense of numbers that don’t always tell the full story. We’ve all been there: celebrating a campaign with impressive reach numbers that didn’t drive sales. The list goes on.
Attribution is getting more complex. With third-party cookies already eliminated from most browsers and privacy regulations tightening, the old ways of tracking customer journeys are becoming obsolete.
Executives want proof of ROI. CMOs are under increasing pressure to demonstrate clear business impact, not just marketing activity.
Consumer behaviour has evolved. People interact with brands across multiple touchpoints and channels, making single-metric evaluation nearly impossible.
Competition for attention is fierce. With more brands vying for consumer attention than ever before, understanding true effectiveness is crucial.
3 essential digital media metrics
To help you take your digital media metrics to the next level, in this guide, we explore three “industry standard” metrics and show you how to level up.
1. Moving past broad exposure: Reach vs. unique reach.
Reach numbers help you figure out how many people you’re talking to, but are they the right people?
2. Above basic counting: Clicks vs. cost per action.
Clicks often fall short when it comes to actually measuring achievement, CPA can help you see what’s working and what’s not.
3. More than simple returns: ROAS vs. incremental ROAS (iROAS).
ROAS can help you celebrate campaigns that drive attention, but iROAS will help you prioritise the ones that actually drive demand.
Ready to upgrade your measurement mindset? Download the full guide to learn more.
---
## Level up your digital media metrics
Type: eps_resource
URL: /the-digital-media-marketers-guide-to-leveling-up-your-metrics
Last Modified: 2025-12-12T17:42:01Z
# Level up your digital media metrics
How to think differently about digital media marketing success
Digital marketing has never been more sophisticated, yet many of us are still measuring campaign success with metrics that barely scratch the surface.
It’s not that traditional metrics like CPM, impressions and clicks aren’t helpful—they serve a purpose—but if you’re serious about understanding true campaign performance and driving real business impact, it’s time to think bigger.
4 key challenges of measuring digital media marketing success
Many marketers are up to their eyeballs in data, desperately trying to make sense of numbers that don’t always tell the full story. We’ve all been there: celebrating a campaign with impressive reach numbers that didn’t drive sales. The list goes on.
Attribution isgetting more complex. With third-party cookies already eliminated from most browsers and privacy regulations tightening, the old ways of tracking customer journeys are becoming obsolete.
Executives want proof of ROI. CMOs are under increasing pressure to demonstrate clear business impact, not just marketing activity.
Consumer behavior has evolved. People interact with brands across multiple touchpoints and channels, making single-metric evaluation nearly impossible.
Competition for attention is fierce. With more brands vying for consumer attention than ever before, understanding true effectiveness—not just visibility—is crucial.
5 essential digital media metrics
To help you take your digital media metrics to the next level, in this guide, we explore five “industry standard” metrics and show you how to level up.
1. Beyond basic impressions: CPM vs. effective CPM (ECPM).
Instead of looking only at CPM to buy the cheapest impressions, use ECPM as a guidepost to efficiently buy meaningful exposure to your best customers.
2. More than simple returns: ROAS vs. incremental ROAS (iROAS).
ROAS can help you celebrate campaigns that drive attention, but iROAS will help you prioritize the ones that actually drive demand.
3. Moving past broad exposure: Reach vs. unique reach.
Reach numbers help you figure out how many people you’re talking to—but are they the right people?
4. Beyond surface level: Impressions vs. viewability.
You might ask “how many ads did we serve?” but the real question is “how many ads did people actually have a chance to see?”
5. Above basic counting: Clicks vs. cost per action.
Clicks often fall short when it comes to actually measuring achievement—CPA can help you see what’s working and what’s not.
Ready to upgrade your measurement mindset? Download the full guide to learn more.
---
## Whitepaper: Direct mail as a strategic growth channel
Type: eps_resource
URL: /direct-mail-strategic-growth-whitepaper
Last Modified: 2026-06-03T15:31:46Z
# Whitepaper: Direct mail as a strategic growth channel
Why direct mail deserves a critical role in your marketing mix
Direct mail is a high-impact, precision marketing channel for organizations seeking measurable growth and brand credibility.
In an environment of rising digital costs and attribution challenges, physical mail offers a controllable, testable way to reach high-value customers.
Modern data, automation and attribution tools have transformed direct mail into a performance channel—not a legacy tactic.
For executives focused on ROI, direct mail delivers clarity, incrementality and long-term brand value.
Why direct mail matters in 2026
Direct mail is a highly accountable, data-driven growth channel that gives marketers unmatched control over who they reach, how they engage and what results they generate.
Organizations now dedicate an average of 25% of their marketing budgets to direct mail, and nine in 10 leaders increased investment year over year, signaling confidence in its performance and predictability.
Direct mail is taking on a more strategic role in today’s marketing mix as a high-impact complement to other channels that helps brands create demand, strengthen performance and build longer-lasting relationships. It offers a physical brand moment that supports stronger recall, emotional engagement and credibility.
Recent Epsilon research also points to the channel being a strong driver of customer engagement, with 41% of Gen Z and 45% of millennials stating that they are likely to use catalogs for holiday shopping.
Powered by first-party and permission-based data, direct mail gives marketers precision, measurable outcomes and resilience in a privacy-first landscape. But direct mail doesn’t just deliver on its own—it also lifts the impact of surrounding channels.
By creating durable touchpoints that reinforce digital impressions, it increases engagement and conversion across campaigns. When integrated effectively, it turns fragmented media into a more cohesive, higher-performing system.
Download the full whitepaper to learn more about how to make the most of direct mail.
Topics covered in this whitepaper
Direct mail costs versus value
How to manage direct mail costs
How direct mail delivers measurable growth
---
## Boost your customer experience and ROI with a strong data strategy and integrated martech
Type: eps_resource
URL: /cdp-institute-whitepaper-2024
Last Modified: 2025-11-26T09:28:32Z
# Boost your customer experience and ROI with a strong data strategy and integrated martech
Marketers are always being asked to do more with less. Today, brands are turning to a variety of different tactics to optimize their return on investment. Customer data offers particularly rich opportunities to do this through new data sources, analytical tools and technology.
Achievements happen when brands know to go beyond merely building a data strategy to actually activating and using it. A thoughtful, comprehensive data strategy—one with data as a central core to brand activities—starts with the right tools and mindset to support it. A customer data platform (CDP) with strong identity resolution can make it happen.
This new whitepaper from CDP Institute, sponsored by Epsilon, explores what brands stand to lose when they don't organize, clean, and activate their data through the right CDP. It also highlights important questions brands should consider against their desired goals, including steps they can take today to improve their ROI and customer experiences.
---
## Privacy or loyalty? You don’t have to choose. Epsilon named a Leader in The Forrester Wave™: Loyalty Platforms, Q4 2025
Type: eps_resource
URL: /forrester-wave-loyalty-platforms-q4-2025-vendor-assessment
Last Modified: 2026-04-20T15:58:28Z
# Privacy or loyalty? You don’t have to choose. Epsilon named a Leader in The Forrester Wave™: Loyalty Platforms, Q4 2025
The Forrester Wave™: Loyalty Platforms, Q4 2025
Loyalty has evolved from standalone programs to operating systems that power deeper customer relationships.
Strong loyalty programs do more than reward, they make their customers feel recognized, valued and invested over time. But that can’t happen without trust.
The Forrester Wave™: Loyalty Platforms, Q4 2025 evaluated 11 providers throughout the market on how they manage customer memberships, deliver actionable insights and maintain consumer privacy. In it, Epsilon was named a Leader, one of only three in the evaluation.
Does better AI start with strong data?
For loyalty program managers, AI can improve targeting, personalization and campaign efficiency at scale. But AI is only as powerful as the data behind it. At Epsilon, high-quality data sits at the foundation—empowering our technology to provide the real-time insights that lead to fast decision-making and better outcomes.
In their assessment, Forrester stated that, “Its focus on an integrated end-to-end solution lifts Epsilon in categories like fraud management and member experience optimization. The platform’s predictive AI insights are competitive, with deeper AI integration with offers and promotions on the roadmap.”
What to look for in a loyalty provider
Many loyalty providers promise short-term, price-based engagements, but what you really want is a loyalty program that turns casual customers into lifetime members and continually evolves as you do.
When choosing a loyalty solution, it needs to:
Collect first-party data and manage it in a privacy-safe way.
Offer personalized experiences that allow customizable strategies across channels.
Provide self-service insights and reporting to help brands understand customers, increase engagement, optimize performance and prove value.
Offer platform flexibility and scalability that helps you evolve your program as your needs change.
To learn more about how to choose the right loyalty solution for your needs, check out our buyer’s guide.
Epsilon’s key differentiators: A loyalty technology platform with consumer privacy built in
Epsilon’s industry-leading loyalty platform is powered by data management, AI and identity resolution.
Offering cross-channel personalization at scale, we help brands strengthen customer relationships and orchestrate meaningful member journeys while protecting consumer data.
The Forrester report noted that “Epsilon is well suited for B2C and B2B brands seeking a scalable, omnichannel loyalty platform with proven capabilities in financial services, retail and quick-service restaurants.”
Let’s break down three elements of Epsilon’s loyalty program that make it stand out from other providers on the market.
Consumer privacy first
Our data and technology manage your first-party data with strict privacy controls and compliance standards in place, ensuring quick adherence to changing regulations.
Consent and transparency
Our solution allows you to build member journeys that respect consumer preferences, while maintaining transparent data use.
Trust at scale
Building trust means that your privacy and performance work together, enabling your loyalty program to grow without compromise.
For smarter loyalty, start with an industry-leading provider that has strong data and AI capabilities, while maintaining trust through privacy-preserving capabilities—all in one platform.
Get the report to learn more about the breadth of loyalty technologies in the market, and how Epsilon was named a Leader.
Forrester Disclaimer
Forrester does not endorse any company, product, brand, or service included in its research publications and does not advise any person to select the products or services of any company or brand based on the ratings included in such publications. Information is based on the best available resources. Opinions reflect judgment at the time and are subject to change. For more information, read about Forrester’s objectivity here.
---
## The 2026 holiday strategy playbook
Type: eps_resource
URL: /holiday-strategy-playbook
Last Modified: 2026-06-09T13:55:19Z
# The 2026 holiday strategy playbook
What did consumer spending look like during the 2025 holiday shopping season?
Summer is the best time to kick off holiday planning. To help you put your best foot forward, we asked consumers in earlyJanuary to break down how much they actually spent during the 2025 holiday season—while it was still fresh.
We covered top spending categories, timing, how they used AI, the in-store versus online breakdown and the impact of cost increases on shopping decisions. With this inside look, your holiday marketing strategy will be even more precise.
After all, the most successful marketers will be those who lean into what they can control, like value-driven messaging, operational efficiency and smart integration of online and in-store experiences.
3 key findings from Epsilon’s 2026 holiday strategy playbook
1. Nearly 30% of consumers used AI to help them with holiday shopping.
More than half of Gen Z and 41% of millennials said they used AI for holiday shopping. Most consumers used AI for gift ideas and price comparisons. Other top use cases included food or meal ideas, looking for deals and discounts and product recommendations.
Most users found AI tools to be effective for holiday shopping and planning, but 22% found that AI offered irrelevant recommendations and suggestions,
19% had privacy or data security concerns and 18% said the tools generated inaccurate or biased information.
2. Holiday advertising drove shopping decisions across paid, owned and shared channels, especially for younger generations.
As marketers, we always want to know what ad mix will give us the biggest bang for our buck.
It’s clear that social media advertisements are most likely to drive purchases this holiday season, but web and email channels are a safe bet, too. For other channels, it depends on the audience you’re trying to reach and the type of product you’re selling.
It’s key to partner with a data and identity solution that can help you efficiently reach more customers for tailored omnichannel recommendations based on your business needs.
3. Most consumers started shopping for the holiday season in November and continued well into December.
Across generations, November and December were the most popular times to shop, but there were small generational differences worth noting.
The last two weeks of November (around Black Friday) were the most popular time for millennials and Gen X to start shopping, while boomers were more likely to get most of their shopping done in September or October.
Download the full research report to learn more about:
Strategies for navigating the 2026 holiday season
Holiday spending broken down by generation
How consumers used AI for holiday shopping
Timing of holiday shopping
The split between in-store and online shopping
How much consumers spent and how they managed price increases
---
## 2026 benchmark study: Marketing’s AI inflection point
Type: eps_resource
URL: /2026-benchmark-study-marketings-ai-inflection-point
Last Modified: 2026-08-20T14:43:00Z
# 2026 benchmark study: Marketing’s AI inflection point
Artificial intelligence has moved from a buzzword to a boardroom mandate over the past couple of years. Adoption is no longer the story—we found 100% of marketers surveyed are using AI. What matters now is value, not usage.
Are marketers are seeing real returns? Do they have the right foundation built
to push their organization ahead as AI evolves? Unsurprisingly, the answer isn’t as straightforward as it seems.
This study, conducted with 250+ marketing decision-makers across five industries including retail, consumer packaged goods (CPG), financial services, travel and restaurants, finds marketers at an inflection point—one where early enthusiasm has been validated, but where confidence is beginning to outpace the foundations beneath it.
In the research, we explore:
Why marketers are using AI today and how they’re measuring success
How brands are approaching the next wave of the technology like consumer agents and agentic AI
Why leadership’s view of AI differs from the rest of the organization
What challenges (and opportunities) marketers are facing with AI today—and where to go from here
What the data tells us about the state of AI in marketing in 2026
This research explores the friction marketers are experiencing with AI today:
Marketers say they find these tools extremely valuable, but their primary AI uses don’t match how they’re proving its value for their organization.
91% of marketers said AI is “extremely” or “very” valuable to their organization, which continues to paint the picture that marketers are fully investing their time, effort and budgets into AI—but they’re prioritizing certain outcomes over others. The majority (71%) noted they are primarily using AI for “productivity and efficiency” gains, (i.e., it’s helping them do their job faster) while only 9% said they are using AI for revenue generation.
Here’s the kicker: When asked how marketers are primarily measuring the performance of their AI tools, 46% said they’re looking at revenue gains. There’s quite a discrepancy in what most marketers say they’re using it for and how they’re actually measuring success.
They say their organizations are “extremely mature” when it comes to AI but cite data quality—the quintessential foundation of all AI tools—as their top challenge.
Confidence in AI is extremely high in the industry right now. Half of marketers rated their organization as “extremely mature” in using AI, and almost no one said they were “not at all mature.” This represents a pretty significant shift in how marketers view their AI skills:
In 2025, only 35% of marketers said they were “extremely mature” in using AI. Additionally, 91% of marketers said AI is “extremely” or “very” valuable to their organization, which continues to paint the picture that marketers are fully investing their time, effort and budgets into AI.
However, 45% of marketers cite data quality—incomplete, inconsistent or unreliable data feeding their AI models—as their top challenge. Despite half of marketers feeling their organization is “extremely mature” when it comes to AI, the most popular technical challenge they’re facing is data quality or incomplete data feeding the AI models.
Having quality data is the single most important thing when it comes to making the most out of your AI tools. A model can only be as good as the data behind it, so a “mature” AI program built on shaky data might not be so mature. It really is a matter of garbage in, garbage out.
There’s also a significant gap between leadership’s perception of how AI is used and its impact compared to the rest of the organization.
When you slice the data by job designation (C-level, VP, director, senior director, senior manager) an interesting trend occurs: Leadership is far more bullish on AI than the rest of their organization. 67% of C-level marketers say their organization is “extremely mature” when it comes to AI use, compared to only 33% of senior managers. In terms of AI tools and their value, 73% of leadership think the AI tools they’ve implemented are “extremely valuable” while only 25% of senior managers feel the same.
There are a couple of viable reasons for this perception gap, but one thing is certain: Organizations that aren’t aligned on why they use AI and how they’re assessing its value will struggle to then prove that value.
Why it’s important to have this conversation now
This all becomes even more important as agentic AI takes the throne as the “next big thing” in the industry, and the questions of human oversight, investment and results become even more pressing. If marketing organizations can’t align on why they’re using AI and how to accurately convey value, how can they keep up and continue to evolve? There’s also a real argument to be made that if marketing organizations are struggling with the data feeding their AI models, they may not be getting what they need out of the tech.
As we move forward into the next era of AI in marketing, this research can help you understand the importance of using AI as a growth engine and show you how to set your organization up for success.
---
## Identity drives end-to-end retail media outcomes
Type: eps_resource
URL: /idc-whitepaper-retail-media-identity-emea
Last Modified: 2026-02-24T16:52:10Z
# Identity drives end-to-end retail media outcomes
Retail media is getting crowded, and that changes the brief for brands and agencies. If every retailer can sell onsite placements, the differentiator becomes whether campaigns can reach real buyers consistently and show what moved sales, not just what won a click.
What IDC is saying
In Identity Drives End-to-End Retail Media Outcomes, IDC’s Ananda Chakravarty argues that person-level identity is the engine behind precision, closed-loop attribution and scaled activation across formats. It is the difference between a network that can only retarget site visitors and one that can build unique reach across the wider journey.
Why this matters now
Most Retail Media Networks are hitting the same wall. Data quality and accessibility become the limiting factor, with IDC’s survey pointing to “data issues” as the top blocker at 36.2%. When identity is weak, teams spend their days reconciling customers, channels and transactions instead of optimising outcomes.
Where it is heading
The paper also flags the next growth frontier, in-store, where nearly four in five retail sales still happen. Strong identity infrastructure, plus AI-led decisioning to handle messy signals, is what makes omnichannel attribution and smarter optimisation realistic rather than aspirational.
Download this whitepaper for a clear view of what “end to end” actually requires, and the questions worth asking before budgets shift.
---
## How retail marketers are making AI work for them
Type: eps_resource
URL: /how-retail-marketers-are-making-ai-work-for-them-infographic
Last Modified: 2025-08-27T19:58:29Z
# How retail marketers are making AI work for them
We’ve heard time and time again that AI is changing the game for marketers. And that’s true—but not every marketer is using AI in the same way. Different industries have their own set of challenges. Retailers, for example, are using AI to help tackle tricky pain points like understanding consumer behavior and improving the shopping experience. And most retailers are on board: Data from the Epsilon Pulse report, The state of AI in marketing, showed 94% of retail marketers are currently using AI to prepare or execute their marketing.
We know AI is an important tool in the marketer’s toolkit, but it’s time to look under the hood and understand how and why retailers specifically are using AI. Let’s dive in.
Epsilon Pulse is the beating heart of Epsilon’s proprietary research. Designed to produce relevant and up-to-date insights about consumers, marketers and their preferences, Epsilon Pulse helps brands better understand the adtech and martech industry so they can make informed, data-driven marketing decisions.
---
## Buyer's Guide: Digital Media Platforms
Type: eps_resource
URL: /buyers-guide-digital-emea
Last Modified: 2026-04-16T13:59:49Z
# Buyer's Guide: Digital Media Platforms
How to choose a digital media platform
A high-performing media buying platform can enable you to successfully manage integrated campaigns, use your budget wisely and maximise your digital advertising ROI. But it can be hard to know what to look for when selecting the best media buying platform for your brand.
On the surface, many platforms or providers may look or sound similar to compelling claims about benefits and performance. So you need to know the right questions to ensure you get what you need.
3 steps to choosing the right digital media platform
This buyer's guide will help you navigate the process and find a platform that will get your brand’s messages to the right audience, convert your brand’s best buyers and provide accurate measurement so you can further optimise your strategy and reach prospects who are more likely to convert.
1. Get your brand's messages to your real target audience
Talking to real in-market customers with wallets, not to emails or devices, makes all the difference when it comes to choosing a media buying platform worth your investment. Why? Because messaging devices, cookies or emails alone won’t reach the right people.
2. Convert your brand's best buyers
Once you’ve identified your best customers, your digital media platform should help you serve up the right message, at the right time and on the right channel. How you engage should adapt to your customers, tailoring the message to the individual and guiding them to an easy purchase.
3. Measure precisely what's working and what's not
Your marketing is only as good as your metrics. Fortunately, digital media allows us not only to see what people are consuming but also when and how much. The key is a partner that provides granular-level detail—every impression and outcome, online or offline.
---
## The real value of value exchange in loyalty
Type: eps_resource
URL: /the-real-value-of-value-exchange-in-loyalty
Last Modified: 2025-11-26T08:18:00Z
# The real value of value exchange in loyalty
In the age of shifting loyalties, loyalty marketing is the ace up the CMO’s sleeve.
When done right, loyalty programs deepen consumer trust because it shows you’re listening to what people want. And in a post-COVID world, trust is marketing gold. But the loyalty paradigm is evolving.
Download the whitepaper to learn why creating a true value exchange with your customers will:
Create long-lasting relationships and reinforce brand loyalty
Help mitigate the impact of third-party cookie deprecation
Get you the first-party data you need to fuel your marketing
Create intrinsic rewards that make customers feel human
Let’s tap into the science behind the loyalty value exchange and make consumers fall in love with your brand again.
---
## Retail MediaX 2026 Report: Navigating the new retail media order
Type: eps_resource
URL: /retail-mediax-2026-report
Last Modified: 2026-06-05T10:57:45Z
# Retail MediaX 2026 Report: Navigating the new retail media order
Retail media's initial "big bang" growth phase is over. What follows is a deeper, more consequential transformation where retail media becomes the audience operating system for the entire sales funnel.
Moving beyond simple performance, the sector is evolving into a complex system spanning onsite, offsite, in-store, and AI-driven discovery.
The Retail MediaX 2026 Report explores this inflection point, mapping how fragmentation and expectations are forcing a shift from discrete channels to fully integrated systems.
What’s inside?
Shape of the Market in 2026
A global and regional analysis of spend, including the shifting balance between China, the US, and the rest of the world.
Scaling Up Retail Media
Strategies for integrating onsite performance engines with offsite reach and instore visibility.
The Attention Economy
Managing audience fragmentation across social feeds, streaming TV, and emerging AI interfaces.
Measurement and Attribution
Overcoming the "standardisation gap" and the rise of incrementality as the metric that matters.
AI in Retail Media
How orchestration is replacing simple automation across the entire retail media value chain.
Sector-Specific Messaging
Exclusive data on how consumer receptiveness varies across categories from FMCG to luxury and services.
Three key questions this report answers
How brands are reallocating budgets toward offsite channels like CTV, social platforms, and the open web.
Why 100% of networks now offer closed-loop attribution, yet mature "data plumbing" like incrementality remains a critical differentiator.
Why trust in the brand remains the primary gateway for AI-delegated purchases.
Ready to move from channel optimisation to journey orchestration?
---
## Buyer's Guide: Connected TV platforms
Type: eps_resource
URL: /buyers-guide-connected-tv-emea
Last Modified: 2026-04-20T15:23:49Z
# Buyer's Guide: Connected TV platforms
Choosing the right CTV advertising partner is critical. The right solution reaches real people efficiently at the right frequency, expands reach, treats CTV as part of a larger channel mix and measures what's actually working, so you can make smarter future spending decisions.
This buyer’s guide is meant to help with this evaluation process. Don’t know where to start? Want to validate you’re looking for the right things? We’ve got you. Flip through the guide to learn:
Key capabilities to look for in a partner
Value-drivers that set great CTV solutions apart
Key questions to ask in your RFPs
And more
Essential capabilities to evaluate in any CTV partner
Here’s a quick look at the key capabilities you should be looking for in your next connected TV partner.
Audience targeting and inventory
Audience-based buying means campaigns are built around real consumer signals like demographics, interests, purchase behaviours, not just which publisher happens to have inventory.
Reach and frequency management
Finding the right viewers is only half the equation. Controlling how often they see your ads (across devices and channels) prevents oversaturation and wasted spend.
Creative solutions
Running a high-quality video ad isn't enough to stand out. True personalisation at scale means messaging that adapts to the individual without hours of manual asset creation.
Measurement and insights
Surface-level metrics like impressions and clicks don't tell the full story. Look for people-based measurement that ties CTV investment to web actions, site visits, and online and offline sales.
Download the full buyer's guide for a complete breakdown of essential capabilities, value drivers, the industry report card and the full RFP question list.
---
## AI is everywhere. But is it actually delivering for marketers?
Type: eps_resource
URL: /ai-is-everywhere-but-is-it-delivering-for-marketers
Last Modified: 2026-09-14T20:10:07Z
# AI is everywhere. But is it actually delivering for marketers?
AI adoption is now table stakes for marketers, but simply using AI isn’t enough. The focus is shifting to whether organizations are seeing meaningful results—and whether they’re prepared for what comes next.
Join guest speaker & Forrester VP & Principal Analyst Rusty Warner and Epsilon’s Dale Older as they unpack findings from Epsilon’s 2026 State of AI in Marketing study, based on insights from 250 marketing decision-makers. They’ll explore where AI is delivering real-world impact, how leadership’s vision compares with the realities facing marketing teams, and how organizations are preparing for the rise of agentic AI.
Discover what marketers need to move beyond adoption and build the technology, strategy and foundation to turn AI into a lasting competitive advantage.
Key takeaways include:
Explore where marketers are seeing measurable value from AI—and where gaps remain.
Understand how leadership’s AI ambitions compare with the priorities and experiences of marketing teams.
Learn how organizations are preparing for agentic AI and increasingly autonomous technology.
Identify the tools, technology and foundations needed to turn AI adoption into meaningful business impact.
---
## Buyer's Guide: Digital Media Solutions
Type: eps_resource
URL: /Digital-Buyer's-Guide-Digital-Media
Last Modified: 2025-04-07T14:45:16Z
# Buyer's Guide: Digital Media Solutions
A high-performing media buying solution can enable you to successfully manage integrated campaigns, use your budget wisely and maximize your digital advertising ROI. But it can be hard to know what to look for when selecting the best media buying solution for your brand.
On the surface, many platforms or providers may look or sound similar with compelling claims about benefits and performance. So, you need to "look under the hood," dig a bit deeper and ask the right questions to ensure you get what you need.
This buyer's guide will help you navigate the process and find a platform that will:
Get your brand's messages to your real target audience: unique, high-value individuals (not just modeled audiences)
Convert your brand's best buyers and find more in-market customers who are most likely to act like your best buyers
Measure precisely what's working and what's not—because the financial stakes are too high to get anything less
---
## The Real Deal: Turn data into smarter loyalty
Type: eps_resource
URL: /loyalty-real-deal-turn-data-into-loyalty
Last Modified: 2025-10-14T16:18:17Z
# The Real Deal: Turn data into smarter loyalty
If you want to create meaningful moments that resonate with your customers—power your loyalty program with a strong data foundation. Data-powered loyalty creates consistent experiences that seamlessly build trust and foster long-lasting brand affinity.
In this short video, Shamba Schmidt, VP of Sales Consulting at Epsilon, discusses how data is an asset that brands can leverage to move beyond points to personalized, value-driven customer relationships that grow their brand.
---
## Dining out for less: How consumers manage rising costs
Type: eps_resource
URL: /dining-report
Last Modified: 2025-08-19T19:26:25Z
# Dining out for less: How consumers manage rising costs
As dinner trends evolve, how are consumers spending?
Dining—and specifically going out to dinner—is experiencing an evolution.
With rising costs and inflation, people have started to get creative, whether that’s by forgoing appetizers or sharing entrées, going out less frequently or prioritizing casual over fine dining.
"Understanding how consumer preferences and expectations are evolving is critical, especially in a category like Dining, which is so emotionally driven and experience focused," says Brian Giannone, Epsilon's Senior Vice President of its Dining Vertical. "Brands that succeed in creating loyalty with guests are those that harness the power of data and technology to deliver on personalization and relevance along the guest journey. Research like this supports why it’s imperative to understand what motivates each guest so that brands can create value that resonates across their customer base."
Download a copy of this report to learn:
How often people go out to dinner (and which generation goes out the most)
Budgeting strategies for going out to dinner
Which restaurant types are most popular by occasion
Factors for choosing restaurants to eat dinner at
---
## Buyer's Guide: Cross-channel engagement solutions
Type: eps_resource
URL: /buyers-guide-cross-channel-engagement-solutions
Last Modified: 2025-11-26T07:55:20Z
# Buyer's Guide: Cross-channel engagement solutions
Relationship-building is more digital than ever before—and email remains a core strategy. Forrester data from 2023 shows that email is the number-one way people find out about brands, sales and promotions. As competition for the inbox continues to mount, it’s more important than ever to select a cross-channel engagement solution that leverages technology and expertise to drive measurable value for both your brand and your consumers.
This guide is designed to help you navigate the process and find a cross-channel engagement solution that:
Makes it easy for marketers to drive meaningful results, understand their customers and meet their expectations, build messages and orchestrate journeys
Respects and protects the privacy and preferences of consumers
Streamlines the setup and execution of your communications in owned channels
Sets your brand apart from competitors
---
## The Real Deal on Loyalty and AI
Type: eps_resource
URL: /real-deal-video-loyalty-and-ai
Last Modified: 2026-07-23T14:28:49Z
# The Real Deal on Loyalty and AI
With all the talk about how AI magically “understands” us, much of today’s automation is still running on old data. More and more, brands are turning to AI to power intelligent member journeys, drive strategic innovation and ultimately, build stronger customer relationships. But poor inputs lead to bad outputs.
Before brands can benefit from AI in loyalty, they need a better understanding of how to leverage it effectively.
In this Real Deal video, Shamba Schmidt, Vice President of Sales Strategy, discusses how to transform raw data into real-time decisions and orchestrate smarter loyalty engagement across the full customer lifecycle.
Why experience debt is costing you customer loyalty
In our research, 88% of consumers notice when brands send messages repeatedly. Yet, many brands view overfrequencing as the reality of doing business—a necessary tradeoff in the pursuit of increased engagement and personalization at scale.
The assumption being that if only a few people tune out their communications or unsubscribe, the overall reach still justifies their marketing efforts. But the hidden cost is much higher.
With every interaction, your brand is either building loyalty or losing it. Irrelevant, poorly timed or redundant messages not only waste advertising dollars, but it also erodes customer trust—increasing the likelihood that customers will disengage or lose interest in your brand altogether.
Though AI has made it easier to reach people and personalize at scale, that alone doesn’t repair the damage excessive and irrelevant communications create. Not because AI isn’t powerful, but because it needs a solid data foundation to be effective.
How quality data and identity fuel better AI output
AI has the potential to boost your loyalty marketing efforts. It can help you execute faster, optimize loyalty campaigns in real-time and continuously evolve your program to meet customer needs.
But quality data and identity resolution are critical to AI’s efficacy. When your first-party data is cleansed, unified and enriched with identity resolution, you gain a holistic view of your customers that allows you to meet them where they are, with the right message.
With data-driven insights, brands can leverage AI to craft messages that resonate on a 1:1 level. AI-driven loyalty helps marketers move beyond static campaigns and turn routine customer experiences into relevant moments that resonate.
Key takeaways
Why over-messaging is the hidden driver of customer churn
The limitations of AI when data is fragmented or incomplete
Practical strategies for using AI, meaningful data and identity to strengthen customer relationships
Watch this video to understand how you can use AI to reduce customer fatigue, improve personalization and create more valuable customer experiences.
---
## Improve data quality to support quality AI outcomes
Type: eps_resource
URL: /idc-whitepaper-improve-data-quality-ai-outcomes
Last Modified: 2026-01-12T21:36:15Z
# Improve data quality to support quality AI outcomes
IDC research on the value of high-quality data on AI performance
The evolving landscape of artificial intelligence is shifting from broad, generic discussions to a more nuanced focus on foundational data quality as a key differentiator.
In a new whitepaper, sponsored by Epsilon, titled "Improve data quality to support quality AI outcomes," IDC’s Lynne Schneider explains why investing in data quality is essential for driving AI performance—and why having a strategy that refines the data your enterprise gathers into a clean and consolidated foundation for enrichment, analysis and action can lead to results.
How does data quality impact AI outcomes?
“In marketing, the success of AI-driven initiatives is directly tied to the quality of the data that powers them. When marketers rely on clean, current, and well-organized data, predictive and generative AI tools can effectively segment audiences, personalize messaging, and optimize campaign performance,” Schneider writes. “On the other hand, if the underlying data is inaccurate, incomplete, or outdated, AI models may misidentify customer preferences, target the wrong segments, or deliver irrelevant content—ultimately leading to wasted resources and missed opportunities.”
Download this whitepaper to learn:
Why building a foundation of high-quality data is essential to using AI to its fullest potential
The benefits of leveraging third-party data and partner data
Why broad foundational data leads to higher-quality identity resolution, supporting more trusted and valuable insights
How higher-quality identity resolution fuels a modern AI-enabled marketing function
How AI-enabled marketing execution ultimately drives better business outcomes
Why your data strategy needs to take an agile approach
IDC White Paper, sponsored by Epsilon, Improve Data Quality to Support Quality AI Outcomes, #US53663025, July 2025
---
## 2026 travel trends: Flights, accommodations and higher-income travelers
Type: eps_resource
URL: /travel-research-report
Last Modified: 2026-07-16T17:16:56Z
# 2026 travel trends: Flights, accommodations and higher-income travelers
2026 travel trends and preferences
What does travel look like in 2026?
Consumer preferences and expectations have shifted over the years, leading to myriad changes across the travel industry.
With an increase in consumer expectations, economic uncertainty and policy changes at major airlines and hotels, it can be hard for marketers to keep up and ensure messaging and campaigns are relevant, timely and engaging across channels.
To help you reach travelers across demographics, we surveyed consumers about how they plan and book travel today and created three insight-rich one-pagers. Download the full bundle for an overview of how consumers are booking flights and accommodations and a deep dive on higher-income travel preferences.
How consumers book flights
Consumers still want to travel in 2026, but they’re doing it through a much more value-conscious, digitally influenced and loyalty-sensitive lens, especially younger travelers, who are the clearest growth audience for international trips, AI-assisted planning and premium airport perks.
4 key stats about how consumers book flights
41% use AI when planning a vacation, especially younger generations.
19% would pay more for lounge access, priority boarding or other complementary services at the airport.
45% have an airline-specific travel rewards credit card.
58% prefer to book flights directly with the provider.
How consumers book accommodations
Travelers expect more from accommodations in 2026. Travelers in 2026 choose accommodations based on trust, value and flexibility, while younger guests increasingly expect variety, personalization and experience-driven stays.
4 key stats about how consumers book accommodations
80% are willing to pay for upgrades.
44% participate in a hotel travel rewards program.
55% prefer to book directly with accommodation providers.
30% are willing to pay more for high-end hotels, resorts and rentals.
Higher-income travel preferences and trends
Higher-income travelers lead the demand for travel in 2026. Despite macroeconomic challenges, higher-income travelers aren't feeling the squeeze as much as other demographics and are willing to prioritize travel.
4 key stats about higher-income travelers
69% have a travel rewards credit card (nearly twice as likely as the total average).
55% plan to travel internationally in the next 12 months.
63% prioritize travel over other spending.
4 trips taken on average per year.
Ready to get the full picture? Download the full one-pager bundle to learn about:
Updated stats on how often people across generations travel domestically and internationally.
How people book flights, including AI usage, interest in luxury options like lounge access and priority boarding and travel rewards preferences.
What types of accommodations people prefer when planning a vacation, plus consumer expectations, interest in hotel loyalty programs and the impact of AI and social media on booking trends.
The difference in how higher-income consumers approach travel planning and booking, plus how they engage with travel rewards programs.
---
## Marketing to all 5 stages of the financial lifecycle
Type: eps_resource
URL: /marketing-to-all-5-stages-of-the-financial-lifecycle
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Marketing to all 5 stages of the financial lifecycle
The financial industry is drastically changing. So how can your financial brand compete?
The key is to focus on building lifetime loyalty with the right customers. Today's financial marketers need to adjust their digital strategy to focus on the full financial lifecycle, from acquisition to retention.
Check out this infographic for more on how to bring customers through each stage of the financial lifecycle.
---
## 5 ways to drive tune-in with digital marketing
Type: eps_resource
URL: /5-ways-to-drive-tune-in-with-digital-marketing
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# 5 ways to drive tune-in with digital marketing
In a fragmented industry, how can TV marketers drive tune-in?
With the current state of TV, it’s difficult to know the best way to market your programs.
This report will give you a firm understanding of how digital marketing campaigns drive tune-in results.
---
## How each generation uses technology
Type: eps_resource
URL: /how-each-generations-uses-technology
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T22:17:52Z
# How each generation uses technology
Technology isn’t just for the young: even silents are embracing digital life. Some generations gravitate toward certain devices or channels, and other generations use the same technology but in different ways.
See this infographic for insights on how each generation uses technology, including:
Streaming and traditional TV viewing habits
Actions they take to secure privacy online
Gen Z's influence on their Gen X and boomer parents
---
## The Forrester Wave™: Loyalty Technology Solutions, Q1 2023
Type: eps_resource
URL: /the-forrester-wave-loyalty-technology-solutions-q1-2023
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# The Forrester Wave™: Loyalty Technology Solutions, Q1 2023
Epsilon named a Leader in The Forrester WaveTM: Loyalty Technology Solutions, Q1 2023
There are lofty expectations on today's loyalty marketers. They’re tasked with building lifelong connections with current customers, reactivating lapsed ones, creating value for both their brands and members, and offering experiences that go beyond just points—all while constantly proving ROI.
But the right partner can support loyalty marketers through tough terrain and propel them to the top of their game.
We are proud to be recognized as a Leader in The Forrester WaveTM: Loyalty Technology Solutions, Q1 2023. The report helps marketers assess Loyalty technology providers, evaluating each vendor on relevant criteria to ensure they find a partner that can help them reach their peak.
Rock-solid results
Epsilon PeopleCloud Loyalty scored 5 out of 5 in 15 criteria, including:
Data management and Scale
Member engagement capabilities
Promotions and offer management
Program KPI measurement
Marketer user experience
Download the report to learn more.
---
## The Forrester Wave™: Loyalty Technology Solutions, Q1 2023
Type: eps_resource
URL: /the-forrester-wave-loyalty-technology-solutions-q1-2023
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# The Forrester Wave™: Loyalty Technology Solutions, Q1 2023
Epsilon named a Leader in The Forrester WaveTM: Loyalty Technology Solutions, Q1 2023
There are lofty expectations on today's loyalty marketers. They’re tasked with building lifelong connections with current customers, reactivating lapsed ones, creating value for both their brands and members, and offering experiences that go beyond just points—all while constantly proving ROI.
But the right partner can support loyalty marketers through tough terrain and propel them to the top of their game.
We are proud to be recognized as a Leader in The Forrester WaveTM: Loyalty Technology Solutions, Q1 2023. The report helps marketers assess Loyalty technology providers, evaluating each vendor on relevant criteria to ensure they find a partner that can help them reach their peak.
Rock-solid results
Epsilon PeopleCloud Loyalty scored 5 out of 5 in 15 criteria, including:
Data Management and Scale
Member Engagement Capabilities
Promotions and Offer Management
Program KPI Measurement
Global and Local Support
Download the report to learn more.
---
## Beyond clicks: The email marketer’s role to build meaningful metrics for the CMO
Type: eps_resource
URL: /beyond-clicks-the-email-marketers-role-to-build-meaningful-metrics-for-the-cmo
Last Modified: 2025-07-18T18:18:39Z
# Beyond clicks: The email marketer’s role to build meaningful metrics for the CMO
In the ever-evolving marketing landscape, today’s CMOs wear many hats. And understanding how to keep customers engaged during the entire customer lifecycle is top of mind.
As an email marketer, you play an important role in helping the CMO achieve engagement objectives. And, a better understanding of engagement enables your company to personalize brand communications and produce stronger outcomes. That’s why email marketers have moved beyond measuring just opens and clicks and are taking a closer look at email engagement.
Watch this 38-minute on-demand webinar to learn:
The demands on CMOs, how they’re managing, and where you can help
The role of personalized email to engage with customers
How to leverage the best KPIs to measure engagement and report to your CMO
Case study examples of successful brands, including Coach
---
## Niches 5.0
Type: eps_resource
URL: /niches-5.0-brochure
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Niches 5.0
Identify and reach your ideal audience with a robust segmentation system
Niches 5.0 is a powerful clustering system that classifies every household in our national consumer marketing file TotalSource Plus® into one of 26 meaningful groups for efficient segmentation.
Use Niches 5.0 to gain deeper customer insights, identify your best customer or prospect audiences and develop tailored messaging and offers.
Download the brochure to explore the in-depth Niches profiles* encompassing:
Demographics, financials, insurance preferences, vehicle ownership, lifestyles and interests, highly concentrated Nielsen DMA® regions
Spend behavior, categories and merchants
Travel, media usage, attitudes and preferences
*Include data from GfK MRI Survey of the American Consumer®, Doublebase 2018, courtesy of MRI-Simmons
---
## The right ad tech partner: 5 signs you might be settling
Type: eps_resource
URL: /ad-tech-webinar-visionworks-adweek
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# The right ad tech partner: 5 signs you might be settling
Have you ever settled for "good enough" in your love life? The same can happen with your ad tech partner. If you’re finding yourself sighing at your match rates and ROAS and saying, “every relationship has its slumps,” please know they don’t have to. You—and your customers—deserve better.
In this Adweek-hosted webinar recording, Epsilon’s Matt Feczko and Stan Lippelman, CMO of Visionworks talk about Visionworks’ digital advertising challenges and their journey to finding the right partner to help build stronger customer relationships. You’ll learn:
Five red flags you’re not getting what you need from your current provider
Essential capabilities to seek in your ad tech Prince(ss) Charming
How to navigate the selection process & the right questions to ask
What a healthy relationship looks like: the Epsilon/Visionworks story
---
## The state of retail media: Global survey of brands' and retailers' thoughts and feelings
Type: eps_resource
URL: /state-of-retail-media-2023
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# The state of retail media: Global survey of brands' and retailers' thoughts and feelings
What brands and retailers can learn from each other
The opportunity for retail media is huge right now. But you may feel like there are many difficulties that are stopping you from jumping in on the action.
That's why we partnered with Phronesis Partners to conduct the largest global retail media survey of brands and retailers to date. From this data, we pulled insights and takeaways on brands' and retailers' thoughts and feelings about retail media you won't find anywhere else.
In the report, you'll learn:
Five key research takeaways
An understanding of retailers' and brands' wants and needs
Guidance for taking the next steps on your retail media journey
---
## The state of retail media in 2023: Global survey of brands' and retailers' thoughts and feelings
Type: eps_resource
URL: /state-of-retail-media-2023
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# The state of retail media in 2023: Global survey of brands' and retailers' thoughts and feelings
What brands and retailers can learn from each other
The opportunity for retail media is huge right now. But you may feel like there are many difficulties that are stopping you from jumping in on the action.
That's why we partnered with Phronesis Partners to conduct the largest global retail media survey of brands and retailers to date. From this data, we pulled insights and takeaways on brands' and retailers' thoughts and feelings about retail media you won't find anywhere else.
In the report, you'll learn:
Five key research takeaways
An understanding of retailers' and brands' wants and needs
Guidance for taking the next steps on your retail media journey
---
## The state of retail media in 2023: Global survey of brands' and retailers' thoughts and feelings
Type: eps_resource
URL: /state-of-retail-media-2023
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# The state of retail media in 2023: Global survey of brands' and retailers' thoughts and feelings
What brands and retailers can learn from each other
The opportunity for retail media is huge right now. But you may feel like there are many difficulties that are stopping you from jumping in on the action.
That's why we partnered with Phronesis Partners to conduct the largest global retail media survey of brands and retailers to date. From this data, we pulled insights and takeaways on brands' and retailers' thoughts and feelings about retail media you won't find anywhere else.
In the report, you'll learn:
Five key research takeaways
An understanding of retailers' and brands' wants and needs
Guidance for taking the next steps on your retail media journey
---
## The email marketer's guide to BS metrics
Type: eps_resource
URL: /the-email-marketers-guide-to-bs-metrics
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# The email marketer's guide to BS metrics
In a world of KPIs, ROI and CTR, understanding the real impact of your marketing may have you saying, “IDK.”
Measurement is the bread and butter of any good email marketing campaign, but no single metric is going to give you a full picture of your performance. Each metric is a piece of a giant puzzle: The “right” metric may not fit if you place it incorrectly, and the “wrong” metric may fit just fine but end up creating a distorted picture.
You need to choose metrics that fit together in the right ways.
Why read this guide and what will you take away?
Email marketing metrics don’t have to mystify, and there’s no “one-size-fitsall” metric. But understanding who you want to talk to and what you want to achieve helps pin down which metrics are BS and which ones aren’t.
Better measurement drives better outcomes and allows for strategic optimisation. Don’t let your email marketing fall flat. Take hold of your destiny and start making data-driven decisions on how to better your overall strategy.
This guide will help you understand which metrics prove your performance and inform decisions, as opposed to those that don’t.
---
## Loyalty marketing in the data-driven era: What you need to know for 2020
Type: eps_resource
URL: /chief-marketer-loyalty-marketing-in-the-data-driven-era
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T22:16:49Z
# Loyalty marketing in the data-driven era: What you need to know for 2020
With today’s customers jumping from brand to brand, marketers need their loyalty programs to inspire deeper emotional connections.
In our special collaborative report with Chief Marketer, you’ll learn about the crucial role data-driven marketing strategies play in motivating customers toward lifetime brand loyalty, including:
the difference between big "L" loyalty and little "L" loyalty and why smart marketers need a healthy mix of both
how machine learning is helping increase loyalty program engagement
ways to inspire deeper emotional connections, including ideas for using emerging data points as emotion indicators
the five habits of highly successful loyalty marketers
---
## The journey toward better: 9 ways healthcare marketers can enhance the customer experience
Type: eps_resource
URL: /the-journey-toward-better
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# The journey toward better: 9 ways healthcare marketers can enhance the customer experience
As a healthcare marketer, you understand the needs and key concerns of pharmaceutical and medical device companies: cost containment, clinical efficacy, ease of integration into existing workflows, whether a product is on formulary, reasonable copays and expected customer-service levels.
And within all this, you need to focus on ways to improve the customer experience and communicate with each customers as an individual.
Download this e-book to learn 9 ways to enhance the customer experience within healthcare marketing.
---
## Buyer's Guide: Digital Media Platforms
Type: eps_resource
URL: /buyers-guide-digital
Last Modified: 2025-12-02T19:20:02Z
# Buyer's Guide: Digital Media Platforms
How to choose a digital media platform
A high-performing media buying platform can enable you to successfully manage integrated campaigns, use your budget wisely and maximize your digital advertising ROI. But it can be hard to know what to look for when selecting the best media buying platform for your brand.
On the surface, many platforms or providers may look or sound similar to compelling claims about benefits and performance. So you need to "look under the hood," dig a bit deeper and ask the right questions to ensure you get what you need.
3 steps to choosing the right digital media platform
This buyer's guide will help you navigate the process and find a platform that will get your brand’s messages to the right audience, convert your brand’s best buyers and provide accurate measurement so you can further optimize your strategy to reach prospects and customers who are more likely to convert.
1. Get your brand's messages to your real target audience
Talking to real in-market customers with wallets, not to emails or devices, makes all the difference when it comes to choosing a media buying platform worth your investment. Why? Because messaging devices, cookies or emails alone won’t reach the right people.
2. Convert your brand's best buyers
Once you’ve identified your best customers, your digital media platform should help you serve up the right message, at the right time and on the right channel. Real-time creative should adapt to your customers, tailoring the message to the individual and guiding them to an easy purchase.
3. Measure precisely what's working and what's not
Your marketing is only as good as your metrics. Fortunately, digital media allows us not only to see what people are consuming but also when and how much. The key is a partner that provides granular-level detail—every impression and outcome, online or offline.
---
## What retailers really think about Black Friday
Type: eps_resource
URL: /black-friday-sentiment-2023
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# What retailers really think about Black Friday
Study reveals the perceptions and attitudes of retailers around this key trading period.
Love it or loath it, whatever the sentiment, you can’t deny that since Black Friday arrived in the UK in 2010, it's changed the retail landscape and buying behaviours like nothing before. And from being an event that spanned just a few days, it’s established itself as a phenomenon that encompasses the whole of November – and beyond.
And no Black Friday is the same. As we approach it this year, retailers are again faced with new challenges – inflation at a generational high, rising cost issues and a cost-of-living crisis impacting people’s confidence and their ability – or willingness - to spend.
So what do retailers think about Black Friday? How are they preparing for it this year? And with expectations embedded in people for discounts while retailers face increasing costs and falling margins, are some beginning to question its value? Given a choice, would they participate?
To discover the truth, we commissioned a survey of retailers and conducted several in-depth client interviews to dig into what Black Friday means for them and provide new market insights into their sentiments around this crucial trading period.
---
## New CDP Institute whitepaper highlights the importance of identity
Type: eps_resource
URL: /cdp-institute-whitepaper-2023
Last Modified: 2025-10-03T14:41:48Z
# New CDP Institute whitepaper highlights the importance of identity
A customer data platform (CDP) can help brands organize their first-party data—but is that enough?
For personalized and persistent marketing across channels, brands need to look for CDPs with identity at the core. In a new whitepaper, “Identity resolution lays the groundwork for stronger media activation through customer data platforms,” the CDP Institute explains why identity resolution is critical for CDPs to deliver accurate and actionable cross-channel activation.
“CDPs underpinned by a strong and persistent identity layer develop deeper customer profiles on an individual level, leaving behind vague segmentation and inaccurate profile information,” writes author David Raab, founder of the CDP Institute.
Download this whitepaper to learn why identity should be an essential capability when deploying a CDP solution.
---
## Turn DTC insights into growth: 88 brands open up about marketing expectations in a DTC world
Type: eps_resource
URL: /dtc-research
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Turn DTC insights into growth: 88 brands open up about marketing expectations in a DTC world
Everywhere you look, a new direct-to-consumer (DTC) brand is popping up. It started with mattresses and eyewear, and now it’s in nearly every category.
Even traditional brands admit that DTCs excel in digital media, social and curated experiences. What’s the impact of all this, and what can brands learn from it?
To find the answers, we partnered with The CMO Club to survey traditional and DTC marketers. Here’s a sneak peek of the results:
For all the findings—and for tips on how your brand can take advantage of them—download this infographic preview of the research findings, and be sure to download the full report, Direct to growth: What all brands can gain from the new DTC world.
---
## New CDP Institute whitepaper highlights the importance of identity
Type: eps_resource
URL: /cdp-institute-whitepaper-2023
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T22:17:52Z
# New CDP Institute whitepaper highlights the importance of identity
A customer data platform (CDP) can help brands organize their first-party data—but is that enough?
For personalized and persistent marketing across channels, brands need to look for CDPs with identity at the core. In a new whitepaper, “Identity resolution lays the groundwork for stronger media activation through customer data platforms,” the CDP Institute explains why identity resolution is critical for CDPs to deliver accurate and actionable cross-channel activation.
“CDPs underpinned by a strong and persistent identity layer develop deeper customer profiles on an individual level, leaving behind vague segmentation and inaccurate profile information,” writes author David Raab, founder of the CDP Institute.
Download this whitepaper to learn why identity should be an essential capability when deploying a CDP solution.
---
## IDC: Customer experience suffers without omnichannel alignment
Type: eps_resource
URL: /idc-whitepaper-bridging-adtech-martech
Last Modified: 2025-09-12T19:14:12Z
# IDC: Customer experience suffers without omnichannel alignment
The right marketing tech can give brands a plethora of customer insights—but how are those insights improving the customer experience? For true customer-centric marketing, brands should adopt a connected tech stack that crosses the adtech and martech divide.
In a new whitepaper, sponsored by Epsilon, titled “Customer experience suffers without omnichannel alignment” IDC’s Roger Beharry Lall explains why connecting martech and adtech gives brands the power to create more comprehensive data management strategies that pull through to campaign and media activation.
“Marketers need to embrace a more unified approach that connects advertising and marketing silos,” Lall writes. “Whether through a single tool, a deeply integrated stack, or the use of bridging data constructs, aligning these two areas is essential.”
Download this whitepaper to learn why you should consider a connected tech stack.
---
## New CDP Institute whitepaper highlights the importance of identity
Type: eps_resource
URL: /cdp-institute-whitepaper-2023
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T22:17:52Z
# New CDP Institute whitepaper highlights the importance of identity
A customer data platform (CDP) can help brands organize their first-party data—but is that enough?
For personalized and persistent marketing across channels, brands need to look for CDPs with identity at the core. In a new whitepaper, “Identity resolution lays the groundwork for stronger media activation through customer data platforms,” the CDP Institute explains why identity resolution is critical for CDPs to deliver accurate and actionable cross-channel activation.
“CDPs underpinned by a strong and persistent identity layer develop deeper customer profiles on an individual level, leaving behind vague segmentation and inaccurate profile information,” writes author David Raab, founder of the CDP Institute.
Download this whitepaper to learn why identity should be an essential capability when deploying a CDP solution.
---
## The right ad tech partner: 5 signs you might be settling
Type: eps_resource
URL: /ad-tech-webinar-visionworks-adweek
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# The right ad tech partner: 5 signs you might be settling
Have you ever settled for "good enough" in your love life? The same can happen with your ad tech partner. If you’re finding yourself sighing at your match rates and ROAS and saying, “every relationship has its slumps,” please know they don’t have to. You—and your customers—deserve better.
In this Adweek-hosted webinar recording, Epsilon’s Matt Feczko and Stan Lippelman, CMO of Visionworks talk about Visionworks’ digital advertising challenges and their journey to finding the right partner to help build stronger customer relationships. You’ll learn:
Five red flags you’re not getting what you need from your current provider
Essential capabilities to seek in your ad tech Prince(ss) Charming
How to navigate the selection process & the right questions to ask
What a healthy relationship looks like: the Epsilon/Visionworks story
---
## Marketing leaders talk AI in 2023 and beyond
Type: eps_resource
URL: /marketing-leaders-talk-ai-in-2023-and-beyond
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T22:16:49Z
# Marketing leaders talk AI in 2023 and beyond
As generative AI has reached new levels of capability and accessibility, AI as a topic has reached new levels of buzz. Digital marketers everywhere are eager to learn how the exciting world of AI technology can support them in their efforts to make great customer connections.
In this video, hear how marketing leaders from Valvoline, Wyndham Hotels and Epsilon see AI impacting marketing in the next two years.
---
## Decoding popular loyalty metrics
Type: eps_resource
URL: /decoding-popular-loyalty-metrics
Last Modified: 2026-07-21T20:35:49Z
# Decoding popular loyalty metrics
In a world of KPIs, ROAS and CTRs, understanding your marketing’s real impact may have you saying, “IDK.”
Measurement is the bread and butter of any good loyalty program—but no single metric is going to give you a full picture of your performance. Each metric is a piece of a giant puzzle: The “right” metric may not fit if you place it incorrectly, and the “wrong” metric may fit just fine, but end up creating a distorted picture. You need to choose metrics that fit together in the right ways.
Your loyalty program is only as good as your metrics. Using metrics incorrectly can inflate (or deflate) your true loyalty efforts, which means you’re wasting time and money.
This guide will help you understand:
Which popular loyalty metrics actually bolster your marketing efforts (and which don't)
How to use metrics to really understand your program health
How a good partner will help prove your loyalty program impact
---
## Loyalty marketing: Your key to unlocking zero- and first-party data
Type: eps_resource
URL: /loyalty-marketing-your-key-to-unlocking-zero-and-first-party-data
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T22:17:52Z
# Loyalty marketing: Your key to unlocking zero- and first-party data
Data deprecation got you down? As a marketer, you’ve probably heard a lot about the impending phase-out of third-party identifiers—we certainly have. But what we don’t talk about enough are the unique, strategic and actionable ways to mitigate these challenges.
Hint: Your loyalty program can help a lot more than you might think.
In this webinar, guest speaker, Mary Pilecki, VP Principal Analyst at Forrester and Tamara Oliverio, VP Strategic Consulting at Epsilon, will share tips on how to leverage your loyalty program to collect invaluable zero- and first-party data. Amp up your customer experiences—all without the cookie.
Key topics include:
Why zero- and first-party data is so important for marketers today
How loyalty programs can accelerate customer data collection
Why tactics like gamification can introduce value and benefits to customers, while also aiding in data collection
How to measure and prove this return on investment to stakeholders
---
## The loyalty marketer's guide to BS Metrics
Type: eps_resource
URL: /digitalmedia-bsmetrics
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# The loyalty marketer's guide to BS Metrics
In a world of KPIs, ROAS and CPAs, understanding your marketing’s real impact may have you saying, “IDK.”
Measurement is the bread and butter of any good marketing campaign—but no single metric is going to give you a full picture of your performance. Each metric is a piece of a giant puzzle: The “right” metric may not fit if you place it incorrectly, and the “wrong” metric may fit just fine, but end up creating a distorted picture. You need to choose metrics that fit together in the right ways.
So, why should you give a s**t?
Your marketing is only as good as your metrics. Using metrics incorrectly can inflate (or deflate) your true marketing efforts, which means you’re wasting time and money.
This guide will help you understand which metrics actually bolster your marketing efforts instead of ones that just make you feel good. And, by the end, you’ll be able to identify a partner who won’t sell you a load of bulls**t.
---
## How to assess data quality in an omnichannel world: 10 key criteria
Type: eps_resource
URL: /data-quality-ebook
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# How to assess data quality in an omnichannel world: 10 key criteria
High-performance marketing is rooted in strong data, but not all data is equal. Having quality data is critical to maximizing your marketing’s effectiveness,making every customer and prospect interaction count.
This guide will help you navigate and assess data quality in today’s complex marketing landscape. It outlines:
Converging market trends and the need for high quality data
10 key criteria to consider when evaluating data quality
Examples of data quality in action
---
## Inside a clean room: Solving classic CPG media activation challenges
Type: eps_resource
URL: /inside-a-clean-room-solving-classic-cpg-media-activation-challenges
Last Modified: 2025-10-03T13:55:03Z
# Inside a clean room: Solving classic CPG media activation challenges
CPG marketers, do any of these requests sound familiar?
“We’re launching a new product and need to find the right buyers.”
“We need to drive growth by stealing share from competitors.”
“How do we convince current buyers to buy more?”
Classic!
But CPGs face a unique set of challenges that can make executing these requests difficult. A lack of first-party and person-level transaction data leave marketers in the dark, struggling to activate efficient media campaigns. Enter, the clean room.
In the webinar, experts from Epsilon and Circana go inside Epsilon’s Clean Room to demo how marketers can use the tool to access unparalleled data and insights for better-performing campaigns.
Marketers will walk away from the webinar having learned:
What is a clean room, and how they benefit CPGs.
Overview of the profile and transaction data available in Epsilon Clean Room that fuel audience insights.
Step-by-step demonstration on how marketers can harness clean room technology to turbocharge their media planning and activation.
Individual case studies detailing how our clients used a clean room to find new customers.
---
## Buyer's Guide: Customer Data Platforms (CDPs)
Type: eps_resource
URL: /customer-data-platforms-buyers-guide
Last Modified: 2025-12-17T18:58:51Z
# Buyer's Guide: Customer Data Platforms (CDPs)
How to choose a customer data platform (CDP)
With the latest developments in customer data platforms (CDPs), it’s easier than ever to connect with your customers on a true one-to-one level. But how do you know which CDP solution is right for you?
Brands need a CDP that does more than just organize customer data. To drive better reach and maximize your digital media activation, you need a CDP that can enhance your data to its highest potential.
3 steps to finding the right CDP solution for your business
This buyer's guide will help you navigate the process and find a platform that will give you a 360-degree view of your customers, organize and enhance your first-party data and enable better insights and granular measurement.
1. Organize and enhance your existing first-party data
A CDP equipped with identity resolution allows brands to unify, harmonize and cleanse their first-party data. This is critical since customer data is often inaccurate, duplicative or incomplete.
Identity resolution fills in gaps about a customer beyond what you know about them, including what they browse, buy and engage with outside your channels. Some CDP providers go a step further by providing proprietary data that can be used on day one to build robust profiles.
it's also stronger than identity matching. Identity resolution connects real people who might have multiple emails or devices. Matching typically relies on digital identifiers and can be unreliable in producing valuable and predictive signals.
2. Get a 360-degree view of your customer
Having that extended view of who your customer is beyond your owned channels gives marketers the power to personalize their messages in ways that resonate. Augmented data bolstered by things like demographic, psychographic and buyergraphics builds more complete profiles on the person-level.
A better customer experience starts with a cohesive, intelligent and non-fragmented omnichannel approach. Brands can reach their customers with relevant messages and creative on all devices, even connecting paid and owned campaigns.
A persistent, unified view of an individual means you can speak to their customers about the right products on the right devices at the right time. It also illuminates the customers who have perhaps fallen off: people who are seasonal shoppers, people who have gone to a competitor, or people who are strong in-market candidates for a product you hadn't previously thought to market them.
3. Enable better insights and granular measurement
Thanks to unified data, brands can measure campaign efficacy and draw insights back into what they already know about an individual. This allows marketers to construct a multistep journey with real-time personalization across all channels to optimize performance and engagement, and then analyze those results in real-time to adjust or double-down on a strategy depending on its efficacy.
---
## Unforgettable: How Preferred Hotels & Resorts builds long-term loyalty
Type: eps_resource
URL: /loyalty-week-preferred-hotels-and-resorts-webinar-customer-loyalty
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Unforgettable: How Preferred Hotels & Resorts builds long-term loyalty
Preferred Hotels & Resorts has built an empire of over 750 independent hotels, resorts and residences by crafting memorable experiences and strong customer loyalty. But there is a catch—their customers are not only the guests, but the hotels themselves. How can they best equip independent locations to thrive?
In this webinar, Jeri Salazar, Vice President of Loyalty shares her story of how Preferred Hotels & Resorts created a loyalty program (I Prefer Rewards) that gave each individual location the tools necessary to showcase their unique stories, enhance their position, and grow marketshare and revenue.
Download the webinar to learn tips loyalty marketers can use to craft an unforgettable loyalty program that will engage customers while building brand affinity.
---
## Now Tech Identity Resolution, Q3 2020: Forrester’s overview of identity resolution providers
Type: eps_resource
URL: /forresters-overview-of-identity-resolution-providers
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T22:16:49Z
# Now Tech Identity Resolution, Q3 2020: Forrester’s overview of identity resolution providers
In the research, Epsilon is the only vendor to be categorized in all four of the primary functionality segments: first-person PII identity, onboarding, embedded digital identity and digital identity.
The growth of touchpoints and devices, data sources and marketing and advertising technologies leaves marketers with a fragmented landscape from which to build an accurate and complete view of the customer. And recent industry developments such as the deprecation of third-party cookies by Google and identifier for advertisers (IDFA) by Apple will require marketers to take new approaches to collecting and assembling data for audience building, activation and measurement.
Marketers can combat ecosystem complexity and futureproof their customer engagement efforts by leveraging the data, technology and processes that comprise identity resolution to address their business objectives. But to achieve this, most will need to select the right identity resolution partner from a diverse group of vendors.
B2C marketers should use this report to better understand:
Marketplace definition
The value proposition for identity resolution solutions
The functionality that customers can expect
An overview of vendors in the market, including geographic presence, vertical focus and sample customers
To learn more about what to consider when evaluating an identity resolution partner, download the report.
---
## Preparing for a world without third-party identifiers
Type: eps_resource
URL: /preparing-for-a-world-without-third-party-identifiers
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T22:17:52Z
# Preparing for a world without third-party identifiers
The imminent death of third-party identifiers (3PIDs), including third-party cookies and mobile device identifiers, has shaken the digital advertising industry. Adtech companies, agencies and publishers are scrambling to solve for this disruption. And while there’s been much reporting and speculation by industry pundits, firsthand marketer sentiment is hard to come by.
So, Epsilon conducted a survey to find out:
How do marketers feel about these changes?
And what are they doing to prepare?
This report includes the top findings from our research, plus key insights by industry, including consumer packaged goods, financial services, restaurants, retail and travel.
Read on to see how your colleagues are responding to 3PID deprecation, and how we think marketers should prepare.
---
## A guide to cross-generational marketing
Type: eps_resource
URL: /cross-generational-marketing
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T22:17:52Z
# A guide to cross-generational marketing
Today's marketers must engage more generations than ever before.
Download our research, Age matters: A guide to cross-generational marketing, to learn how to adapt your marketing to the Silent Generation, Gen Z and everyone in between.
This report features our proprietary transaction and survey data dives into similarities and differences across generations, including:
Spend by industry
Industries with the highest spend: Travel and retail
Loyalty preferences across generations
Technology behaviors across generations
Media, influences and social across generations
Influence of Gen Z
---
## Data quality audit
Type: eps_resource
URL: /data-quality-audit
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Data quality audit
Know more, do more, expect more with our #1 ranked consumer file
Because of our commitment to high-quality, performance-driven data, we authorized an in-depth, third-party audit of our compiled consumer file, TotalSource Plus®.
As a benchmark, the audit compares four main competitors with similarly positioned multi-sourced consumer databases.
Download the audit to see deeper analysis of:
File size and completeness
Data coverage
Data accuracy
Element similarity
Data performance
Reverse-append rate
---
## Data, identity and activation: Optimize channels, build loyalty and drive revenue
Type: eps_resource
URL: /crmc-wingstop-data-webinar
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T22:17:52Z
# Data, identity and activation: Optimize channels, build loyalty and drive revenue
Today’s consumers interact with brands across a mix of 20+ channels, on average. As a result, many companies serve countless messages across multiple channels but overlook channel management and optimization. This can lead to ad waste, bad customer experiences and low ROI.
In order to win in this environment, marketers must deliver seamless, consistent digital experiences that engender trust. This means finding and recognizing new and existing loyal customers across channels, and serving them relevant messages, where they want them, in real time. To achieve this, you need high-quality data, strong identity resolution and the right technology to activate across all channels.
Listen to Epsilon and Matt Warren, VP of Media and Digital Marketing Strategy at Wingstop, discuss how these underpinnings work together to help you grow your brand loyalty and build an efficient marketing eco-system that maximizes business outcomes.
---
## Buyer's Guide: Clean Rooms
Type: eps_resource
URL: /clean-room-buyers-guide
Last Modified: 2026-02-06T17:24:59Z
# Buyer's Guide: Clean Rooms
Why do you need a data clean room?
Data clean rooms offer a path forward for marketers who want to deliver personalized, person-based campaigns in a privacy-compliant way. But how do you know which clean room is for you?
Solutions run the gamut when it comes to usability, capabilities and price, and it can be hard to narrow down a clean room that fits your needs. Asking the right questions—of yourself and your future vendor—can clear some of the confusion.
How to choose a data clean room provider
This guide is designed to help you navigate the process and find the right clean room. Here's three key capabilities to consider:
1. Build rich, granular insights that drive higher-performing media activation
Data clean rooms are great tools to increase the quality and scope of known customer data by expanding into unknown customer data. Brands can access a broader scope of who their prospective customers are, which is especially critical for brands without a lot of first-party data.
A clean room that is equipped with identity and data enables brands to understand their current customers more deeply, build lookalike audiences based on their best customers and transform those unauthenticated customers into known ones.
With a complete, dynamic and persistent understanding of user behavior, preferences and demographics, you can personalize marketing campaigns across owned and paid channels, improving ad engagement and overall campaign performance.
2. Offers a secure, privacy-safe environment for data aggregation
Data clean rooms provide a safe, pseudonymized data science environment for audience insights and analytics. This allows brands to drive prospect engagement based on consumer behaviors in the wild and use first-party and third-party data to build audiences, activate media and provide measurement, including data that's pre-loaded into the clean room and from trusted partners.
3. Solves for a variety of use cases and is easy for any member of your marketing team to use
Your clean room should be able to tackle many use cases: audience expansion, granular measurement, media activation and more. And it also shouldn't be hard to use.
Clean room solutions can be extremely technical and are often designed for an IT professional vs. a marketer. Many brands have data scientists as part of their greater marketing team, but many don’t—and finding a clean room that can be used by the marketing side is critical.
Read on to learn more about the essential capabilities and value drivers you should look for in a clean room solution, and what questions to ask during your evaluation process.
---
## The Forrester Wave™: Email Marketing Service Providers, Q1 2022
Type: eps_resource
URL: /the-forrester-wave-email-marketing-service-providers-q1-2022
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T22:16:49Z
# The Forrester Wave™: Email Marketing Service Providers, Q1 2022
Epsilon named a leader in The Forrester Wave™: Email Marketing Service Providers, Q1 2022
If we’ve learned anything over the last few years, it’s that planning for the future is tough. The email marketing landscape is changing every minute (second, really). And consumers themselves are adapting, too—preferences, behaviors, communication desires—are fleeting. So how do you prepare?
Finding the right partner is a good place to start.
We’re proud that Forrester has recognized Epsilon as a Leader in The Forrester Wave™: Email Marketing Service Providers, Q1 2022. In the report, Epsilon received the highest scores possible in ten criteria, including:
Innovation Roadmap
Privacy
First-Party Data Resources
Artificial Intelligence Ethics
Security
Full-Service Support & More
In this report, Forrester helps marketers find email marketing service providers best suited to fit their needs, assessing a vendor’s Current Offering, Strategy and Market Presence through 24 relevant criteria. Download to learn more.
---
## Stop wasting your retail media budget: Why accurate measurement is key
Type: eps_resource
URL: /stop-wasting-retail-media-budget-accurate-measurement-is-key
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Stop wasting your retail media budget: Why accurate measurement is key
For many brands, navigating retail media budgets can be challenging. Brand marketers often struggle with knowing where (and how much) to allocate budget to get the biggest bang for their buck.
But all is not lost. Brands can—and should—advocate for themselves and work with retail media networks equipped to give them accurate and granular measurement that supports smarter budgets, less ad waste and better customer connections. In this Adweek webinar, "Stop wasting your retail media budget: Why accurate measurement is key," Dave Peterson, global head of retail media at Epsilon, and guest speaker Nikhil Lai, senior analyst at Forrester, discuss what brands should look for when forming retail media partnerships and how they can start instituting a more effective strategy today.
Key takeaways:
Brands serve an important role within a retail media network, and harnessing that power requires defining (and refining) purpose, goals and strategy.
Effective cross-channel targeting of verified retailer shoppers—not devices—requires a strong, person-based identity solution that spans multiple channels and devices.
Actionable insights need accurate, granular measurement that go beyond reach to understanding your campaign successes.
---
## The email marketer's guide to metrics
Type: eps_resource
URL: /the-email-marketers-guide-to-metrics
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# The email marketer's guide to metrics
Long gone are the days of launching campaigns and praying it worked. Did that print ad really bring people into your store? Did someone open that email and actually buy something?
Measurement is the bread and butter of any good email marketing campaign, but no single metric is going to give you a full picture of your performance. Each metric is a piece of a giant puzzle: The “right” metric may not fit if you place it incorrectly, and the “wrong” metric may fit just fine but end up creating a distorted picture.
You need to choose metrics that fit together in the right ways.
In the guide, we decode popular email metrics to help you understand which ones will help you prove your email marketing performance (and which don't), like:
Open rate
Click-thru rate
Click to open rate
Unsubscribe rate
Complaint rate
Inbox rate
ROI
Attribution
Read on to learn more.
---
## Epsilon named a Leader in data clean room IDC MarketScape
Type: eps_resource
URL: /idc-clean-room-marketscape-2023
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T22:17:52Z
# Epsilon named a Leader in data clean room IDC MarketScape
Epsilon is proud to be positioned as a Leader in the IDC MarketScape for Worldwide Data Clean Room Technology for Advertising and Marketing 2023-2024 Vendor Assessment. This is Epsilon's second IDC recognition this year: Epsilon was named a Leader in the IDC MarketScape: Worldwide Demand-Side Platforms 2023 Vendor Assessment.
The MarketScape evaluated several clean room solution vendors, and looked specifically at privacy, data collaboration and activation capabilities. The report highlighted Epsilon's use of ID-based data and its ability to provide a comprehensive view of customers and prospects.
The report highlighted Epsilon's use of ID-based data and its ability to provide a comprehensive view of customers and prospects. It also noted, “Epsilon has highly satisfied customers that are pleased with the direction of the solution.”
According to the report, "Identity resolution is a pre-built capability of the data clean room, utilizing Epsilon’s CORE ID. Epsilon’s data clean room has immediate connection to enrichment data from the firm as well as other third-party data providers for use in the platform."
---
## The email marketer's guide to metrics
Type: eps_resource
URL: /the-email-marketers-guide-to-metrics
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# The email marketer's guide to metrics
Long gone are the days of launching campaigns and praying it worked. Did that print ad really bring people into your store? Did someone open that email and actually buy something?
Measurement is the bread and butter of any good email marketing campaign, but no single metric is going to give you a full picture of your performance. Each metric is a piece of a giant puzzle: The “right” metric may not fit if you place it incorrectly, and the “wrong” metric may fit just fine but end up creating a distorted picture.
You need to choose metrics that fit together in the right ways.
In the guide, we decode popular email metrics to help you understand which ones will help you prove your email marketing performance (and which don't), like:
Open rate
Click-thru rate
Click to open rate
Unsubscribe rate
Complaint rate
Inbox rate
ROI
Attribution
Read on to learn more.
---
## Recent Forrester Identity Resolution Landscape categorizes Epsilon as one of only three large vendors
Type: eps_resource
URL: /2023-forrester-identity-resolution-landscape
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T22:17:52Z
# Recent Forrester Identity Resolution Landscape categorizes Epsilon as one of only three large vendors
CORE ID provides the industry’s most accurate, stable and scalable identity resolution solution recognize and reach 200M+ U.S. consumers in a privacy-safe way. Don’t just take our word for it, allow us to be an extension of your team to realize the value of a strong identity resolution offering.
Research and advisory firm, Forrester, recently shared its third-party perspective and represented vendors, including Epsilon. Forrester states, “identity resolution capabilities are a mandatory investment to support consumer insights and engagement in the immediate term, putting buyers in the position of implementing solutions today that meet current marketing needs but also provide the flexibility to adapt to changing conditions in the future.”
---
## The cookie crumbles: People-based profiles vs. cookie-based solutions
Type: eps_resource
URL: /people-based-profiles-vs.-cookie-based-solutions
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# The cookie crumbles: People-based profiles vs. cookie-based solutions
How would you feel if your diet consisted of only cookies? Sick to your stomach.
Well, that's how people feel when you only use cookie data to build your ads.
Many digital marketing solutions are based on perishable cookie data that crumbles quickly. But if you use extensive person-level profiles instead, you'll keep your messaging fresh and extend your shelf life by years.
Check out this infographic to see the difference while following Jane along her customer journey.
---
## Forrester study: Is your identity program built on a house of cards?
Type: eps_resource
URL: /forrester-study-identity-program
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T22:16:49Z
# Forrester study: Is your identity program built on a house of cards?
To drive business performance and customer engagement, you need to have good identity resolution. But that hinges on getting identity right in the first place.
We commissioned Forrester Consulting to evaluate how U.S. brands are doing at identity resolution strategies. Forrester found that at best only half of brands are capable of fundamental identity resolution capabilities, like finding customers across devices, controlling messaging frequency and building a unified customer profile.
The research assesses:
how marketers are really using identity management today
the gaps in their strategies
recommendations to get on the right path
---
## 5 keys to building a better identity program
Type: eps_resource
URL: /5-keys-to-building-a-better-identity-program
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# 5 keys to building a better identity program
There’s too much at stake for brands to guess on identity.
A recent Forrester Consulting thought leadership paper commissioned by Epsilon-Conversant surveyed more than 200 brand marketers on their identity resolution strategies. The research shows that only half of brands at best are capable of fundamental identity resolution, like finding customers across devices, controlling messaging frequency and sequencing and building a unified customer profile.
In this webinar, hear from guest speaker Joe Stanhope, VP and principal analyst at Forrester, and Joel Pulliam, SVP of product management for Epsilon-Conversant, to learn what you can be doing to get more from identity resolution, including:
Why identity is critical solving marketing waste and accountability problems for brands
Why brands face challenges in identity resolution and what can be done
The 5 keys brands need to build a better identity resolution program and do more for their marketing
---
## Fix disconnected customer experiences with a better tech stack
Type: eps_resource
URL: /adweek-connected-tech-idc-webinar
Last Modified: 2025-09-12T19:14:39Z
# Fix disconnected customer experiences with a better tech stack
With so many marketing channels, partners and technologies, many brands are struggling to unify their customer experience across their various activations. And the growing number of data challenges and the deprecation of third-party cookies only amplify this issue. The solution is a connected tech stack, which leverages first-party data to provide a more seamless, person-first experience while enhancing your team’s ability to collaborate.
Uncover why a connected tech stack can deliver a truly person-first approach to marketing from guest speaker Roger Beharry Lall, research director at IDC, and Joe Doran, chief product officer at Epsilon.
Key takeaways:
Why a connected tech stack with native identity offers a more holistic view of each person, fueling better campaigns
How to build true omnichannel marketing with first-party data at the center for both strategy and execution that you can measure against
How connected tech increases ROAS, reduces media inefficiency and bolsters collaborative goals
---
## IDC MarketScape: Worldwide Demand-Side Platforms 2023 Vendor Assessment
Type: eps_resource
URL: /idc-marketscape-q423
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# IDC MarketScape: Worldwide Demand-Side Platforms 2023 Vendor Assessment
Epsilon is proud to be recognized as a Leader in the IDC MarketScape: Worldwide Demand-Side Platforms 2023 Vendor Assessment.
Data deprecation and the impending demise of third-party cookies is resulting in signal loss for many demand-side platforms (DSPs). During this industry transition, marketers who embrace DSPs that remain resilient in the face of this third-party data deprecation will position themselves for success and ensure optimal experiences for their customers.
To assess the efficacy of various DSP vendors in the market, the International Data Corporation (IDC) launched the IDC MarketScape: Worldwide Demand-Side Platforms 2023 Vendor Assessment. Epsilon is proud to be distinguished as a Leader in the MarketScape, with four recognized strengths that make customers happier through stronger connections:
Native identity solution: Serve and optimize ads to real individuals, not cookies or devices.
Cross-channel optimization: Deliver personalized digital ads dynamically across multiple channels.
Performance-based measurement: Eliminate 50%+ media waste by ensuring media is delivered accurately.
All-in-one solution: Experience all digital functions – ID resolution, creative capabilities, attribution, publisher relationships, and more – along with core DSP capabilities.
Read the excerpt to see Epsilon's recognized strengths and learn.
---
## Buyer's Guide: Customer Data Platforms (CDPs)
Type: eps_resource
URL: /customer-data-platforms-buyers-guide
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Buyer's Guide: Customer Data Platforms (CDPs)
With the latest developments in customer data platforms (CDPs), it’s easier than ever to connect with your customers on a true one-to-one level. But how do you know which CDP solution is right for you?
Brands need a CDP that does more than just organize customer data. To drive better reach and maximize your digital media activation, you need a CDP that can enhance your data to its highest potential.
This buyer's guide will help you navigate the process and find a platform that will:
Give you a 360-degree view of your customer to drive more effective media activation across owned and paid channels
Organize and enhance your existing first-party data
Enable better insights and granular measurement that makes you feel confident and in control of your campaigns
---
## Epsilon Loyalty Index - UK
Type: eps_resource
URL: /epsilon-loyalty-index-uk-2024
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Epsilon Loyalty Index - UK
A consumer centric framework that gives you actionable loyalty insights, find out more when you download the Epsilon Loyalty Index - UK report.
Best-selling marketing consultant, Roy H Williams says “The first step in exceeding your customer’s expectations is to know those expectations.” Epsilon Loyalty Index empowers brands to know the diverse world of consumer drivers, measure themselves against them, and keep raising their loyalty game. Partner with Epsilon to leverage over 50 years of loyalty expertise, and the most recent insights from Australia to strengthen your loyalty marketing. The “Epsilon Loyalty Index” is a definitive guide that uses proprietary methodology to measure true customer loyalty in specific markets worldwide. The Loyalty Index takes a holistic approach using data science to understand loyalty drivers, enabling brands to understand underlying attitudes that predict and measure true customer loyalty over time.
---
## Buyer's Guide: Digital Media Solutions
Type: eps_resource
URL: /buyers-guide-digital
Last Modified: 2025-04-07T14:47:45Z
# Buyer's Guide: Digital Media Solutions
A high-performing media buying solution can enable you to successfully manage integrated campaigns, use your budget wisely and maximize your digital advertising ROI. But it can be hard to know what to look for when selecting the best media buying solution for your brand.
On the surface, many platforms or providers may look or sound similar with compelling claims about benefits and performance. So, you need to "look under the hood," dig a bit deeper and ask the right questions to ensure you get what you need.
This buyer's guide will help you navigate the process and find a platform that will:
Get your brand's messages to your real target audience: unique individuals (not just modeled audiences)
Convert your brand's best buyers and find more in-market customers who are most likely to act like your best buyers
Measure precisely what's working and what's not—because the financial stakes are too high to get anything less
---
## Data, identity and activation: Optimize channels, build loyalty and drive revenue
Type: eps_resource
URL: /crmc-wingstop-data-webinar
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T22:17:52Z
# Data, identity and activation: Optimize channels, build loyalty and drive revenue
Today’s consumers interact with brands across a mix of 20+ channels, on average. As a result, many companies serve countless messages across multiple channels but overlook channel management and optimization. This can lead to ad waste, bad customer experiences and low ROI.
In order to win in this environment, marketers must deliver seamless, consistent digital experiences that engender trust. This means finding and recognizing new and existing loyal customers across channels, and serving them relevant messages, where they want them, in real time. To achieve this, you need high-quality data, strong identity resolution and the right technology to activate across all channels.
Listen to Epsilon and Matt Warren, VP of Media and Digital Marketing Strategy at Wingstop, discuss how these underpinnings work together to help you grow your brand loyalty and build an efficient marketing eco-system that maximizes business outcomes.
---
## Buyer's Guide: Loyalty programs
Type: eps_resource
URL: /buyers-guide-loyalty-programs
Last Modified: 2025-12-08T22:07:49Z
# Buyer's Guide: Loyalty programs
How to choose a loyalty provider
A smart loyalty strategy is the key to growing customer affinity toward your brand. It makes sense: When people love you, they want to stay with you. Loyalty members spend three times more than non-loyalty members, and consumers with an emotional connection to your brand can have four times higher customer lifetime value.
But when you “look under the hood” of many loyalty programs, you’ll find many promise the same thing: short-term, price-based engagements. What you really want is a loyalty program that turns casual customers into lifetime members and continually evolve as you do.
What capabilities to look for when choosing a loyalty platform provider
This guide is designed to help you navigate the process and find a loyalty solution that:
Provides value for both you and your customers
Moves beyond transactional engagement predicated purely on discounts to create data-driven, memorable experiences that fuel long-term relationships from enrollment to beyond
Enables scalability and flexibility so that your program evolves as your business grows
Helps you measure and prove the value of your loyalty program to business stakeholders
Download our guide to learn more about the essential capabilities and value drivers you should look for in a loyalty solution, and what questions to ask during your evaluation process.
---
## How to assess data quality in an omnichannel world: 10 key criteria
Type: eps_resource
URL: /data-quality-ebook
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# How to assess data quality in an omnichannel world: 10 key criteria
High-performance marketing is rooted in strong data, but not all data is equal. Having quality data is critical to maximizing your marketing’s effectiveness,making every customer and prospect interaction count.
This guide will help you navigate and assess data quality in today’s complex marketing landscape. It outlines:
Converging market trends and the need for high quality data
10 key criteria to consider when evaluating data quality
Examples of data quality in action
---
## Creating retail media that reaches the right shoppers everywhere
Type: eps_resource
URL: /webinar-retail-media-right-shopper-reach
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Creating retail media that reaches the right shoppers everywhere
Retail media conversations often revolve around what brands want and what retailers can offer them. But this often overlooks the most important player: the shopper. New global retail media research from Epsilon and CitrusAd reveals something that retailers and brands agree on: Tech fragmentation hurts the shopper experience. So how can retailers and brands work together to fix this?
In this webinar, hosted by the Path to Purchase Institute, hear from Mark Williamson of Epsilon/CitrusAd, Bobby Watts of Peapod Digital Labs, and Mike Peroutka of Gopuff as they discuss strategies to create more shopper-centric retail media, given today’s tools and limitations. Some of the questions the speakers explore include:
How has tech fragmentation played a role in your retail media journey — as a brand, a retailer or even as a shopper?
How do shoppers factor into your retail media decision-making?
What solutions and strategies can help center retail media networks around the shopper journey? What role does data collaboration play in all this?
What advice do you have for retailers and brands as they make their tech buying decisions?
What’s your ideal shopper journey (both from a brand and retailer perspective), and how do we can actually achieve it?
---
## Fix disconnected customer experiences with a better tech stack
Type: eps_resource
URL: /adweek-connected-tech-idc-webinar
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T22:17:52Z
# Fix disconnected customer experiences with a better tech stack
With so many marketing channels, partners and technologies, many brands are struggling to unify their customer experience across their various activations. And the growing number of data challenges and the deprecation of third-party cookies only amplify this issue. The solution is a connected tech stack, which leverages first-party data to provide a more seamless, person-first experience while enhancing your team’s ability to collaborate.
Uncover why a connected tech stack can deliver a truly person-first approach to marketing from guest speaker Roger Beharry Lall, research director at IDC, and Joe Doran, chief product officer at Epsilon.
Key takeaways:
Why a connected tech stack with native identity offers a more holistic view of each person, fueling better campaigns
How to build true omnichannel marketing with first-party data at the center for both strategy and execution that you can measure against
How connected tech increases ROAS, reduces media inefficiency and bolsters collaborative goals
---
## Data trends report: Key events that will define marketing in 2024
Type: eps_resource
URL: /data-trends-report-key-events-that-will-define-marketing-in-2024
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T22:17:52Z
# Data trends report: Key events that will define marketing in 2024
There’s a lot going on in 2024: The Summer Olympics are on deck, followed by a presidential election that will take us right into a shortened holiday season.
These big events—ones that only happen once every 4 years—shift how consumers operate and spend their money. And If marketers are smart, they’ll use these shifts to their advantage.
In this report, we’ll get down in the details and compare how consumers spent in the weeks leading up to, during, and after the last time a key event occurred. The goal is to show how these events impacted purchasing behavior and help marketers make strategic decisions around planning for 2024.
Download the trends report to further explore:
How the consumer market has shifted in the last four years
What spend looked like the last time the key event occurred
Why these events may have impacted purchasing behavior
How to make data-driven decisions around your marketing throughout 2024
---
## The push and pull of personalization
Type: eps_resource
URL: /personalization-research
Last Modified: 2026-07-07T16:01:09Z
# The push and pull of personalization
Brands have more information than ever on who consumers are and what they’re doing, but that information is often lost in the shuffle of a disappearing cookie, an outdated email address or a poorly connected tech stack. This impacts not only the brand’s ability to personalize a marketing or advertising message for the consumer, but also how the consumer experiences the brand.
So, we asked consumers how they really feel about personalized, relevant advertising and marketing to better understand when they feel seen by brands and when (and why) they may feel ignored or misunderstood. The results help us understand how marketing can be helpful and additive for consumers, and when it may detract from the brand experience.
Key insights from the survey:
65% of respondents say brands have become better at personalizing advertising and marketing the past few years but 91% see at least one irrelevant ad every single day.
76% of respondents say they view brands negatively when they include inaccurate information about them in their advertising and messaging.
Only 45% of respondents feel they have some control over how brands engage with them.
Download the full report for the findings and analysis.
---
## Why identifier deprecation won't kill the open web
Type: eps_resource
URL: /why-identifier-deprecation-wont-kill-the-open-web
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T22:17:52Z
# Why identifier deprecation won't kill the open web
Many marketers are concerned that third-party identifier deprecation will threaten their ability to reach people on the open web. But with the right solutions and partners, brands can not only still reach in-market customers at scale, wherever they are, but also achieve better results than they did with cookies.
Loch Rose, Epsilon’s chief analytics officer, and guest speaker Tina Moffett, principal analyst at Forrester, discuss new research and insights on identifier deprecation and what marketers can do today—and tomorrow—to deliver high-performing campaigns.
Watch now to learn:
What marketers believe are their greatest pain points right now
How the right tools and strategies can empower an omnichannel approach across the open web that surpasses the third-party cookie-driven capabilities of yesterday
How strong identity resolution that respects consumer privacy enables better measurement and person-based marketing regardless of data deprecation
---
## Breaking down barriers to marketing personalization
Type: eps_resource
URL: /personalization-research-infographic
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T22:16:49Z
# Breaking down barriers to marketing personalization
Personalization is considered table stakes for marketing today--but is it really as easy as it seems?
New research from Epsilon shows that consumers view brands negatively when they include inaccurate information about them in their advertising messages, and what's more, 91% of consumers see at least one irrelevant ad every day. One might say the stakes are much higher than the table.
As marketers strive for better, more relevant connections with consumers, it's clear that there are numerous barriers to making it happen. This infographic takes a look at how consumers perceive personalization today and new insight from IDC's Roger Beharry Lall on what barriers exist to making that relevant actually happen.
Check out the infographic for more insight, and be sure to download both pieces of research for the full scoop:
Epsilon research: The push and pull of personalization
IDC whitepaper: Customer experience suffers without omnichannel alignment
---
## Why identifier deprecation won't kill the open web
Type: eps_resource
URL: /why-identifier-deprecation-wont-kill-the-open-web
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T22:17:52Z
# Why identifier deprecation won't kill the open web
Many marketers are concerned that third-party identifier deprecation will threaten their ability to reach people on the open web. But with the right solutions and partners, brands can not only still reach in-market customers at scale, wherever they are, but also achieve better results than they did with cookies.
Loch Rose, Epsilon’s chief analytics officer, and guest speaker Tina Moffett, principal analyst at Forrester, discuss new research and insights on identifier deprecation and what marketers can do today—and tomorrow—to deliver high-performing campaigns.
Watch now to learn:
What marketers believe are their greatest pain points right now
How the right tools and strategies can empower an omnichannel approach across the open web that surpasses the third-party cookie-driven capabilities of yesterday
How strong identity resolution that respects consumer privacy enables better measurement and person-based marketing regardless of data deprecation
---
## Harness the power of your loyalty program data
Type: eps_resource
URL: /harness-the-power-of-your-loyalty-program-data
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T22:17:52Z
# Harness the power of your loyalty program data
Your loyalty program is full of rich first-party data, and using it the right way can open up a world of benefits for you and your customers.
A modern, data-focused loyalty program powers personalized marketing and strategies that evolve with your customers. In a recent Adweek webinar, Neil Tenzer, VP of Customer Loyalty, Insights & Engagement at Tractor Supply Company and Shamba Schmidt, VP of Sales Consulting at Epsilon, discussed the true value of loyalty program data, and how unlocking its power creates better customer experiences and business.
Discover how leading rural lifestyle retailer Tractor Supply Company (with more than 2,200 U.S. stores) and Epsilon partnered together to create a loyalty program that supports over $10B in sales.
You'll also learn:
How loyalty programs can drive a data-driven strategy that fuels privacy-forward, personalized marketing
Why identity empowers a clearer view of customer and more granular measurement
How a loyalty-driven first-party data strategy helps Tractor Supply Company use customer analytics to deliver marketing across channels.
---
## Choosing the right email vendor for your needs, based on the recent Forrester landscape
Type: eps_resource
URL: /forrester-email-landscape-q124
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Choosing the right email vendor for your needs, based on the recent Forrester landscape
Email is the workhorse of marketing channels. Connected TV and mobile might get more attention, but email is more cost-effective and what marketers tend to build their customer relationships around.
So how do you get the most value out of your email budget when vendors often make similar-sounding claims?
Forrester’s Email Marketing Landscape report, Q1 2024, gives an overview of 18 email vendors to help you choose the one that fits your business needs. Epsilon has been recognized among notable vendors and self-reported these extended use cases as the top three that our clients choose us for:
Personalization: Customizing each email based on the recipient’s preferences, behavior or context
List activation: Driving email subscriptions from new or lapsed customers
Deliverability assurance: Getting emails to more recipients through sender reputation management, inbox monitoring and threat detection
To see the full list of email use cases, and to see which vendor might be the right match for your company’s needs, read the report.
---
## The 2026 media landscape: The impact of industry shifts on consumer viewership trends
Type: eps_resource
URL: /generational-media-consumption-trends
Last Modified: 2026-06-16T15:02:19Z
# The 2026 media landscape: The impact of industry shifts on consumer viewership trends
How are people watching TV in 2026?
Streaming platforms continue to dominate the entertainment landscape, capturing audiences with abundant content across genres and interests, but traditional cable and satellite television remains a strong contender.
As media habits evolve, your brand needs to be ready to meet them on any screen at any time. To tune further into how consumers are engaging with media, Epsilon Pulse asked people about their viewing and spending habits.
In the report, we explore:
The impact of advertising while watching and factors that influence purchase behavior
Consumers’ preferred channels and platforms, including their perception of cable/satellite TV
What drives subscription choices and how much consumers are spending on cable/satellite TV and streaming
The state of double-screening today, including top social channels used and top activities people do while double-screening
3 findings from the research
1. Nearly all consumers watch ads, and 22% end up researching the product or service featured.
While a smaller percentage of viewers actually made purchases after they saw an ad, 20% looked up reviews to learn more. Half of those who made a purchase said the product was something they liked, and nearly 40% said the product was something they needed.
All in all, it’s clear that advertisements are still driving brand and product discovery and that consumers still find value in the format. Younger viewers are more likely to find ads engaging or fun, while older viewers are more likely to find them annoying or intrusive.
To get the most out of the channel, brands should create ads that focus on product education and how their products help consumers.
2. It’s not just about cable vs. streaming: Content type determines where you watch.
Everyone always wants to know whether cable or streaming is better, but consumers are torn—it really depends on what they’re watching, and a large percentage feel like cable and streaming offerings are equally good.
When we ask about content quality specifically, streaming services get ranked slightly higher than cable (66% vs. 57%).
3. Price is the most important factor in subscription choice, but content variety and convenience still move the needle.
While breadth and depth of content is important, people are most likely to cancel a streaming subscription when the price increases. They also like to be able to cancel or pause their subscriptions whenever they want. Most people use an ad-supported plan to cut costs, but 37% are willing to pay more for ad-free experiences, especially younger generations.
Consumers ultimately want to access as much content as possible while being able to keep track of their subscriptions and trying to cut costs.
After all, it’s easier to sign up for a provider to access a specific show and cancel it, rather than continue to pay for the service over time.
Ready to get the full picture? Download the report to learn more.
---
## How marketers really feel about a world beyond third-party cookies
Type: eps_resource
URL: /how-marketers-really-feel-about-third-party-cookies-infographic
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T22:16:49Z
# How marketers really feel about a world beyond third-party cookies
Not sure how to feel about third-party cookie (3PC) deprecation? You're not alone. Google continues to be wishy-washy with their timelines, and marketers are left trying to figure out what a world without 3PCs really means for their brand.
First-hand marketer sentiment on the topic is hard to come by, so we conducted a survey to find out: How are marketers really feeling about cookie deprecation? Have their feelings towards Google shifted as a result of the changes? What kind of technology are they investing in to prepare?
In the infographic, we've synthesized the top findings from our research. Let's explore how your colleagues are responding to Google's moves, and discuss steps you can take to get ahead.
You can download the full research, Preparing for a world without third-party cookies, here.
---
## Buyer's Guide: Cross-channel engagement solutions
Type: eps_resource
URL: /buyers-guide-cross-channel-engagement-solutions
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Buyer's Guide: Cross-channel engagement solutions
Relationship-building is more digital than ever before—and email remains a core strategy. Forrester data from 2023 shows that email is the number-one way people find out about brands, sales and promotions. As competition for the inbox continues to mount, it’s more important than ever to select a cross-channel engagement solution that leverages technology and expertise to drive measurable value for both your brand and your consumers.
This guide is designed to help you navigate the process and find a cross-channel engagement solution that:
Makes it easy for marketers to drive meaningful results, understand their customers and meet their expectations, build messages and orchestrate journeys
Respects and protects the privacy and preferences of consumers
Streamlines the setup and execution of your communications in owned channels
Sets your brand apart from competitors
---
## The Real Deal on Advanced TV
Type: eps_resource
URL: /video-the-real-deal-on-advanced-tv
Last Modified: 2025-02-26T17:12:58Z
# The Real Deal on Advanced TV
Did you know 79% of people across generations would rather watch content on TV screens than on computers or phones? With Advanced TV advertising, it’s never been easier for marketers to grab attention—no matter what people are watching.
In this short video, Shannon Fazendin, Director, Advanced TV Solutions at Epsilon, gives you the full picture on Advanced TV and explains why it’s an efficient and effective advertising channel.
Let's explore:
What is Advanced TV?
Why are so many marketers shifting budget to Advanced TV?
What is the difference between OTT, Connected TV and Addressable TV?
Does it really drive results?
Want to learn more? Take a deeper dive on how your customers are watching content across linear and Advanced TV:
---
## How marketers really feel about a world without third-party cookies
Type: eps_resource
URL: /how-marketers-really-feel-about-third-party-cookies-infographic
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T22:16:49Z
# How marketers really feel about a world without third-party cookies
Not sure how to feel about third-party cookie (3PC) deprecation? You're not alone. Google continues to be wishy-washy with their timelines, and marketers are left trying to figure out what a world without 3PCs really means for their brand.
First-hand marketer sentiment on the topic is hard to come by, so we conducted a survey to find out: How are marketers really feeling about cookie deprecation? Have their feelings towards Google shifted as a result of the changes? What kind of technology are they investing in to prepare?
In the infographic, we've synthesized the top findings from our research. Let's explore how your colleagues are responding to Google's moves, and discuss steps you can take to get ahead.
You can download the full research, Preparing for a world without third-party cookies, here.
---
## Message Received: What consumers have to say about their owned-channel messaging preferences
Type: eps_resource
URL: /message-received-research-report
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Message Received: What consumers have to say about their owned-channel messaging preferences
Owned-channel communication (e.g., email, SMS, mobile push) is more popular than ever—and ever-growing.
Brands use email and mobile messaging to build strong relationships with their customers, creating ongoing conversations in the channels that are most accessible to both brand and consumer alike. But as much as we know about consumers’ buying and browsing behaviors, it’s sometimes less clear how they interact with communications and what they think of them in general.
With this in mind, we surveyed a group of U.S. consumers to explore their patterns with, perceptions of and preferences for owned-channel communications: both email and text/SMS. This report includes key findings, deeper insights and analysis, and recommendations to consider before you next hit send.
---
## Mastering Omnichannel Marketing for Businesses
Type: eps_resource
URL: /mastering-omnichannel-marketing-for-businesses
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Mastering Omnichannel Marketing for Businesses
While most companies believe in the value of having a robust omnichannel strategy, only 11% say they have an advanced implementation of omnichannel. This discrepancy highlights the challenges in integrating customer data across multiple channels to create a seamless experience. Platforms like Epsilon Digital address these challenges through:
First-Party Data Utilisation: Leveraging detailed insights into customer behavior and preferences.
First-Party Cookie Integration: Ensuring persistent customer recognition across sessions.
Combining Adtech and Martech: Seamless integration across marketing channels for cohesive campaigns.
Unified Partnership: Simplifying strategy execution through a single comprehensive approach.
Identity Resolution: Advanced techniques for recognising customers across touchpoints, enhancing personalisation.
---
## Unifying Experience - Impact of Data Integration in Omnichannel Retail
Type: eps_resource
URL: /unifying-experienceimpact-of-data-integration-in-omnichannel-retail
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Unifying Experience - Impact of Data Integration in Omnichannel Retail
Despite the abundance of data generated by retailers, 60% of it remains unknown or inaccessible. Breaking down these data silos is a major challenge for 96% of omnichannel retailers surveyed worldwide.
Poor data quality affects 35% of marketers' ability to target consumers effectively with digital ads. Meanwhile, 40% of consumers spend more with retailers offering personalised shopping experiences across channels. Retailers investing in personalisation can achieve significant returns, with some seeing up to $20 in return for every dollar spent.
Effective data integration is essential for enhancing retail operations, refining marketing strategies, and fostering customer engagement.
Supercharge your next campaign with streamlined data integration using Epsilon Digital.
---
## Master First - Party Cookie Strategy to Win in Retail
Type: eps_resource
URL: /master-first-party-cookie-strategy-to-win-in-retail
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Master First - Party Cookie Strategy to Win in Retail
Explore how first-party cookies can transform your retail strategy. From real-time insights with session cookies to cross-device personalisation with persistent cookies, discover how to enhance customer experiences while adapting to digital marketing. Revolutionise your retail approach and empower your business with secure, personalised, and seamless customer interactions to drive engagement and retention.
---
## Boosting Omnichannel Strategies: A Roadmap
Type: eps_resource
URL: /boosting-omnichannel-strategies-roadmap-with-epsilon
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Boosting Omnichannel Strategies: A Roadmap
Today's customer journey is multi-stop and dynamic. First-party data, collected directly from customers, enables tailored marketing messages that resonate. However, collecting and utilising this data can be challenging due to organisational silos.
Epsilon Digital provides tools to gather, integrate, and activate first-party data, turning it into a strategic asset that enhances every customer interaction.
Harness the power of first-party data for a seamless omnichannel experience.
---
## Optimising Campaigns for Revenue with iROAS
Type: eps_resource
URL: /optimising-campaigns-for-revenue-with-iroas
Last Modified: 2025-01-14T14:26:03Z
# Optimising Campaigns for Revenue with iROAS
Discover how iROAS (Incremental Return on Ad Spend) measures direct revenue impact, not just clicks and impressions. Traditional metrics like CPM and CPC provide insights, but iROAS focuses on incremental revenue from ads, giving a clearer picture of campaign effectiveness.
Key Benefits:
Precision:Measure exact revenue increases, ensuring efficient spending.
Decision-Making:Optimize budget allocation for maximum revenue growth.
Targeting:Identify and convert high-value audience segments effectively.
Achieve effective iROAS with Epsilon Digital Marketing Explorer (DiME)
---
## Forrester study: Don't let your marketing performance collapse
Type: eps_resource
URL: /forrester-study-identity-program
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T22:16:49Z
# Forrester study: Don't let your marketing performance collapse
To drive business performance and customer engagement, you need to have good identity resolution. But that hinges on getting identity right in the first place.
We commissioned Forrester Consulting to evaluate how U.S. brands are doing at identity resolution strategies. Forrester found that many brands are making the same mistakes when it comes to their identity resolution strategies. They found that without strong identity management, brands can’t deliver relevant messages, reduce waste and optimize their ROMI (return on marketing investment).
The research assesses:
how marketers are really using identity management today
the gaps in their strategies
recommendations to get on the right path
---
## 2026 back-to-school spending trends
Type: eps_resource
URL: /back-to-school-retail-report
Last Modified: 2026-07-29T15:00:04Z
# 2026 back-to-school spending trends
It might still be summer, but parents in the U.S. have already started back-to-school shopping. Inflation and rising costs are cited as the primary reason 80% of parents expect to spend more this year, and our research shows a trend of low consumer confidence and less optimism overall.
This year, most parents expect to spend more on back-to-school shopping, with 54% expecting to go over budget. And it's no surprise parents are feeling the squeeze, since inflation rose to a new three-year high in May.
To help marketers navigate the busy back-to-school shopping season ahead, we surveyed parents of children in grade school, high school and college/university about when they’re starting to shop, how they’re approaching budgeting for the 2026/2027 school year, factors influencing their purchasing behavior, where they prefer to shop and more. Download the full report above to dig a little deeper.
5 research-backed takeaways for back-to-school marketing in 2026
Aside from the impact of inflation on the back-to-school shopping experience, we explored topics including:
Which channels have the most influence on shopping decisions
Top categories parents plan to prioritize this year
Shifts in the types of retailers and brands parents choose for back-to-school supplies
Let’s dive into some of the key findings from the research.
1. AI is increasingly influencing parents' shopping decisions.
It's no surprise that as AI tools become more accessible, almost half of the parents we surveyed are using them to help with back-to-school shopping. Eighteen percent noted AI as extremely or very influential, and usage is especially popular among Gen Z and millennial parents.
ChatGPT is the most popular AI tool, with 64% of AI users using it. The top AI use cases for back to school include comparing prices, searching for deals and discounts and information gathering.
Marketing takeaway: As AI tools continue to change the consumer journey, brands need to keep AI search visibility in mind when they're building their websites, products pages and offers. Learn more about how consumers are using AI in 2026 and how to adapt your strategy to reach your audience.
2. 59% of parents say that the ability to earn rewards influences where they shop.
Loyalty programs play an important role in retailer preferences during the back-to-school shopping season. Twenty-seven percent of parents surveyed say that loyalty programs influence which brands they choose, and 46% (+7% year over year) say they use loyalty rewards and perks to save money.
Marketing takeaway: Consider including loyalty program details or earning potential in back-to-school messaging campaigns, rewarding loyalty members with exclusive deals or offers (like earning 3x points on back-to-school supplies) or providing early access to back-to-school products on your app. To make sure that your loyalty program offers good value, it’s key to know what’s important to your customer by leveraging third-party data.
3. Most parents plan to shop in late July and early August, with a slightly higher percentage waiting until August to shop.
Most parents are back-to-school shopping in late July and early August, with 42% shopping in July alone and 31% waiting to shop until August (a slight increase since 2025). Overall, parents are spending more time looking for sales and discounts and are trying to spread expenses over a longer period of time.
“Retailers will need to take a truly individualized approach, with personalized offers and messaging complementing the overall shopping experience for parents—no matter if executed in-store, online or both. First-party and third-party data will be the key for retailers in unlocking the wallet share with this season’s rush to get kids ready for their first days at scale,” says Heather Campain, Epsilon’s VP of Growth Strategy.
Marketing takeaway: For back-to-school, make sure to have value-driven offers throughout the shopping season to target those who shop early for the best selection and those who shop late for the best deal. It’s also important to highlight what products you have available and make it easy for parents to get everything they need for the best price.
4. Consumers shop in-store and online for back-to-school; it just depends on what they're buying.
When it comes to brand and retailer preferences, it comes down to balancing the best price with good value and product quality. And between managing kids’ busy schedules, maintaining homes and demanding jobs, parents are always looking for ways to save time and money, which often means shopping both in-store and online.
How parents choose to shop also depends on the item category. The top categories parents expect to prioritize are clothing, backpacks and electronics. Sports equipment and school uniforms are also high on the list for parents of grade/high school children.
Marketing takeaway: No matter the shopping event, it's important to have consistent messaging across channels so consumers can shop however and whenever makes sense for their busy schedules. It's also important to make sure that your website has clearly marked sections for events like back-to-school and holiday shopping so consumers can easily find and choose the items they're looking for.
5. Sales, discounts and deals have a strong impact on parents when it comes to brand and store choice, but nearly 50% still choose to shop early to get the best selection.
Unsurprisingly, sales and discounts have the strongest impact on the brands and stores parents choose, but nearly 50% of parents anticipate shopping early to get the best selection.
To reach these parents, it’s key to promote and merchandise products that will go fast so they can get exactly what they want.
Marketing takeaway: Make sure the offers you're sharing for key shopping events like back to school align with what consumers are really looking for and what they plan to spend the most money on (like electronics and clothing items). Consumers are more likely to choose a retailer that helps them cross more items off their list and get the best deal.
How marketers can leverage back-to-school shopping data
For marketers to win during this back-to-school season, it's key to prioritize both in-store and online experiences. They also need to keep key shopping categories in mind for children across the education spectrum, as the most popular categories and the categories with the highest spend differ depending on the child's age.
Promotional timing also matters: Since the bulk of back-to-school shopping takes place in late July and early August, ensure marketing campaigns and ad spend are aligned to those dates to make the biggest splash. When it comes to channels to prioritize, marketers should take an integrated approach to ensure campaign messages resonate across channels.
Want to learn more about what to expect for the 2026/2027 back-to-school shopping season? Dive into the data and download a copy of the report today.
---
## How are people using TikTok in 2024? Usage trends, potential ban sentiment & more
Type: eps_resource
URL: /tiktok-ban-sentiment-research
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# How are people using TikTok in 2024? Usage trends, potential ban sentiment & more
Since 2016, TikTok has evolved from a niche app for dancing teens and tweens into an essential element of your omnichannel marketing strategy.
Brands today can leverage TikTok to advertise directly to customers and prospects, tap into influencer marketing opportunities and keep a pulse on what people are talking about in their industry—but that might all be about to change.
With a potential TikTok ban on the horizon (refresher: President Joe Biden signed a bill on April 24, 2024 that would ban the app if Byte Dance doesn’t sell it within the year), Epsilon conducted a survey to better understand how people from different generations feel, how they use and engage with the app and how that might change if the policy goes into effect.
Download this report to learn about:
The amount of time the average American spends on TikTok and how often they use the app.
The average dollar amount Americans spend in the TikTok shop.
If consumers are aware of the ban and how they feel about it.
How users from different generations interact with the TikTok app.
---
## Adweek panel: How to effectively message and reach customers who are trying to tune you out
Type: eps_resource
URL: /how-to-effectively-message-and-reach-customers-who-are-trying-to-tune-you-out-adweek-2019-presentation
Last Modified: 2025-07-18T18:19:56Z
# Adweek panel: How to effectively message and reach customers who are trying to tune you out
Reaching the right audiences is about seeing people behind numbers, respecting their privacy and understanding what they want and need.
Messaging custom audiences for omni-channel activation delivers a clear, concise and consistent message and stream of communication to attract and retain customers.
This session will explore how advanced analytics and machine learning techniques enable activation of best-suited audiences across integrated online and offline channels to effectively reach custom audiences across all channels.
Panelists:
Stacey Hawes, President, Data Practice, Epsilon and Conversant
Lung Huang, Head of Growth Solutions, Mars Petcare
Heather Steiger, Senior Marketing Manager, Freshly
James Hercher, Reporter, AdExchanger
Steven Abrahamson, Vice President, Direct Response, National Audubon Society
Watch the 40-minute panel discussion or read the transcript below.
James Hercher: Let's bring the panelists up. You can come on up and I'll let you each... We'll go down the line and you can introduce yourselves.
Heather Steiger: Okay. Hi guys. I'm Heather Steiger. I'm from Freshly, I'm a senior marketing manager there for acquisition.
Steven Abrahams: I'm Steve Abrahams, I'm vice-president direct response at the National Audubon Society.
Stacey Hawes: I'm Stacey Hawes. I'm president of Epsilon's data practice.
Lung Huang: I'm Lung Huang. I lead growth for kinship at Mars Petcare.
James Hercher: Great. Well welcome, I'm glad you could all join us. I think there'll be a good one. Some quick housekeeping. We'll have some Q and A opportunity afterwards, so if you want to submit questions you can do it with the Slido app. And yeah, welcome to this nice cool theater. Let's start with some quick background from you Stacey, on what the data practice is and then we could jump into it.
Stacey Hawes: Sure. I think I'll start with a quick visual here if that works. So at Epsilon, we our a adtech martech company. The data practice is really responsible for curating as well as monetizing our third party data assets. So what does that mean? We work with thousands of brands across sectors, across verticals to help them really understand who their customers are and how to reach them and activate them in all channels. So everything from onboarding via a live ramp into a DSP or a DMP, social media campaigns on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Instagram, addressable television, both data-driven linear, as well as addressable television and digital media channels. So what we do is take identity at its core and tie that to real people. So if you can't actually reach a real person, we don't consider it effective data or effective marketing.
James Hercher: Great. Well I'll try to keep this informal and for the panelists, definitely feel free to interject, jump in. Let's start with each of you. I think would be good to just know what channels you're in, where you're spending, especially if there's any recent additions to that mix, but Lung, we'll start with you and then move down.
Lung Huang: Yeah. I'm with Mars Petcare and I'm in a fairly newer division called kinship. And I think kinship, it's a diverse group of people and there's a lot of us who just joined it. It was launched by Mars Petcare about in April. So we're still very new and we're kind of trying to shape the future of pet care, and it's such an exciting time. So I'm sure there are many of you who are both pet parents, as we like to call them, as well as you have a pet at home. So it's a really dynamic area in pet care. There's actually more pet care households than there are human households. So there's quite a bit of really growth around it, beyond just nutrition. We're also the world's largest vets, Banfield, and VCA, and Blue Pearl or some of our brands.
So as far as messaging, we're across the board. Both from an identity standpoint as also in reach. I think that we're getting into a point where I think many brands were just relying on proxies to try to reach people, and now we're getting the case where it's really true to it. And I loved your slide because I could sit there and watch that slide for a while I was mesmerized.
Stacey Hawes: Well, I could've left it out the whole time, but I thought people would leave in a trance.
Lung Huang: Flash, Epsilon, Epsilon, Epsilon.
Stacey Hawes: Subliminal messaging.
Lung Huang: It was great. So across the board I think direct mail for a lot of our different brands, we're in many different countries. So we tried to take the similar approach and scale it, so I'd be more than happy to talk about identity because I've been kind of in that space for the last seven years.
James Hercher: Cool. Steve?
Steven Abrahams: Yeah, well as a charity, direct mail is probably the biggest channel for us and that's true for a lot of our sector. We're in a lot of digital channels, obviously email, like mail, it's direct and people click on the link and give us money. A lot of digital advertising, mostly Facebook, Instagram, we have large followings as well. So that's the main things. We're not in DRTV, a lot of other charities are. You'll see those ads in the middle of the night, like ASPCA. I'd like to be there, but not quite there yet. The other channel is just people on the street stopping you and saying, "Do you have a minute to talk about birds? Save conservation." So that's an interesting channel because that's one where unfortunately we don't know the people until we finally get their information.
Stacey Hawes: Let me know when you solve attribution.
Steven Abrahams: Yeah, that's a little challenging.
James Hercher: Heather.
Heather Steiger: Yeah, so I'm at Freshly, I'm probably not as direct mail focused and centric as my other counterparts here on the stage. So we're D to C. Primarily we bring in most of our consumers through paid social and then we also have our other digital channels, paid search affiliates, email, that bring in a sizeable amount of our business. And then for our offline channels, which are pretty new for our business, is primarily direct mail and television.
James Hercher: Great. Well it's an interesting set and I think it's good that we have so much sort of direct mail, a lot of offline work, which I think gets missed out but is also sort of an interesting part of the data mix here. I want to start with something broad. The idea of omni-channel marketing, it gets kicked around a lot, has been for a long time. Things still seem pretty channel-based, people's jobs, campaigns. I'm curious about your thoughts on where we are in that process and is that even where things are going? Maybe it just makes sense to be channel-based. I'll start with you Heather, since you sort of do have a focus.
Heather Steiger: Okay. So basically where I am, I am direct mail. So the reason why marketing seems so channel focused and teams are channel focused is because they are. And it's not necessarily a bad thing because every single channel has its own nuance. So T behaves one way that direct mail doesn't, that email doesn't, that paid social doesn't. It's more of just trying to gain an inherent understanding that while they operate the way they do, they all kind of talk to each other and play in a sandbox. And it's trying to figure out how they do that. So I think when it gets to omni-channel, we're trying to understand how the different channels play together. And once we get to that level of understanding, then we can try to have omni-channel campaigns.
James Hercher: Right. And I think Lung you're sort of in the most channels I would say.
Lung Huang: Like all channels.
Heather Steiger: Channels are great.
James Hercher: Yeah. So how does that work sort of internally even for you?
Lung Huang: As Heather, was kind of talking about it. I mean we all kind of came from various backgrounds. Like listen, I was in radio, I mean God's sakes, I was in radio and I'm here now. So I got to thank my lucky stars on one hand. But if you look at the channel mix that is today, and as Heather was kind of talking about it, it was really about, where are we kind of got here is what can we measure? You can't manage what you can't measure. And the fact that you have an industry in various pockets, you have outdoor, you have OTT, you have all these great ones. But if you actually didn't know who the person was, it was really hard to build metrics to say, "I'm going to invest more money in email, versus direct mail, versus television."
And I think we're at that great place because we've really been... Direct mail and email were kind of the first two to be most addressable. And I'll say this, in 2015 I kept on saying, "Addressable's here, addressable television is here." And it isn't yet. I don't know why, I still believe in it, but I'll still kind of say that I think addressable TV will be here. But I think the brands and then their partners such as agencies, we have to catch up and really say what really works. And it's not easy, but we'll invest when we see performance. And that's what I love about where we're at today is we are getting closer to the case where we can really use data in a function to show performance. And so that's the world I want to live in.
James Hercher: Stacey, I think this is sort of a good jumping off point for you. It's certainly on the sort of offline data side. Because you do have a bunch of direct mail in the conversation. What you're seeing, I think people would think about the data practice a lot of like digital media, the kind of most data-driven channels. But what are you seeing with the mix? And that's my question.
Stacey Hawes: It's really both and I mentioned I have the opportunity to work with so many different brands across different verticals. I still see a lot of silos that have been set up. There are people responsible for direct mail, versus people responsible for email, versus digital media, TV separately. I actually think that's still a positive. You have to have expertise in those various channels. I think the key is organizationally that organizations align up to someone who's ultimately responsible for all of those channels. And that's what I haven't seen still yet a lot of today. I think that they still are set up to sometimes have competing goals. Like if I acquire a customer in this channel versus you acquired a customer in that channel, who gets credit for it? And a fault I see a lot of organizations still making today is they're giving it to the new shiny object.
They're giving it to the digital channel, or they're giving it to the addressable TV channel to try to boost it up because I'm with you, someday it's going to really pay off and work. But the key is really setting up your org to have someone ultimately responsible, so that at the end of the day you can measure, here's how many sales came in, here's how much dollars we generated across every channel, and here's the return, and here's what we spent. So we understand that ROI. Instead, what I see is if you really add it up from a channel perspective, all the sales from each of those, it would be a greater number than the gross revenue generated by that organization. So when you still see that happening, there's really a big flaw.
Lung Huang: Just on that point. I agree with you and I wonder if it's going to be on the agency holding companies side. And I know you guys represent one now, but I think... That's why they paid so much money for you guys is-
Stacey Hawes: What? $4.4 Billion.
Lung Huang: Yeah that was a lot. And I was at one. I was at Merkle, that was bought out by Dentsu. So their identity is big. But I think the tipping point is really going to be, in the next couple of years hopefully, not for my competitors, but for other ones, where you really start seeing where it is not the social team going to take the credit for it. It's going to be the customer development because ultimately the stack of of agencies is so awful because you're just thinking about each channel. But now when you look at it from a stack around identity and really looking at it from an omnichannel basis, it's completely different. And the metrics will. And it'll just take time because they still have to report to us based on certain silos.
Stacey Hawes: Yeah.
Lung Huang: Which suck. But-
James Hercher: Yeah. That's another, that sort of that measurement angle where we've been hearing a lot about the end of last touch, multi-touch attribution, lots of fun buzzwords. But you know it does seem like last click is still pretty prevalent. It is hard to kind of like kick it up to that level. The sort of promise that's there. Steve, I think you have the direct fundraising.
Steven Abrahams: Right. So it's like whatever got the money into us is probably the most important thing. Getting back to the earlier question, I'm fortunate in that in my organization all of those channels report up to me. And I know in a lot of a lot of organizations in the nonprofit sector, that's not true. Because digital came in years after direct mail, it ended up in communications, or it ended up under some group doing the website, and so you have like fundraising in different places, which is a disaster because then then you get into fights over attribution.
So that's a thing. The other thing is we use a form for our analytics that just looks at all of the channels. So while we have a digital agency in a direct mail agency, the analytics come from a third party. And that's helpful because we're not relying on the analytics coming from each agency. Obviously when you dig down deep into sort of your testing and things like that, you have the individual agencies, but when we're looking at our KPIs, that's a third party that is neutral. So it becomes less about each channel fighting for what it is and looking overall, trying to understand where donors are, looking at donor migration from channel to channel. Which actually isn't that large.
Lung Huang: Donor migration?
Steven Abrahams: Yeah. Going to Florida.
Lung Huang: I was going to say that was a bad bird pun.
Heather Steiger: Or North Carolina.
James Hercher: He sort of mentioned with last click, the kind of feuding over attribution in a sense, and you hear about that. With you being, you're responsible for direct mail. People sort of have their channels. Do you see the same thing?
Heather Steiger: It's interesting the term fighting over retribution because we don't fight. It's more like trying to just understand how each channel talks to each other. Because literally where I sit, I have one person to my right who does paid search, the person to my left as television, the person to the paid search person's right does paid social, and the person in front of him does affiliate. We're also highly specialized where because we use promo codes within each one of our individual sources. So if someone goes to Freshly.com, orders whatever meal selection that they choose and puts in a promo code, that's how we're able to attribute a specific order to a specific channel.
But we also know too that maybe they saw something on TV, but they searched for it and then went into Facebook. So it's kind of like how do we possibly attribute it? So what we actually do for acquisition is we pull all the spend, all the users acquired, and we have a blended number. That's the number that we report.
James Hercher: Got you. Yeah. I think things used to be maybe more commission-based around that. And I think that probably was part of those complications too. Steve, you said before it's sort of interested in getting into RTB. And one of the questions I wanted to ask the marketers here, is if someone just sort of gave you, here's some money and try something new. What would you sort of like the opportunity to try? We're talking about new media channels, new strategies. Yeah. What do you think? If you had X dollars to work with, what would be the thing you'd like to experiment with? I'll throw that to you Lung.
Lung Huang: Oh, money's always good, and there's no lack of ideas or vendors out there. I think for us, right now, is we are in a very dynamic industry of pet care. So we do nutrition, we do vets, we do DNA testing, we do smart collars. So we believe we are one of the leading brands in that, but there's a lot of things where I think we're trying to help shape the future of pet care and make it better for pets. So how do we help some of our eCommerce pet specialties? Or groomers? There's a lot of things that go into that. And so I think for me, it would be really investing in the whole ecosystem because that's really what we're trying to do, is accelerate our ecosystem. So a lot of it really with the way consumer acts today, and the millennials, I know that everyone hates that term, but by percentage, they're one of the largest pet parents there are of any other generation.
That age group really has an affinity to our pets and we're just trying to foster how they spend their lives and to make the pets world better. So for us, that's how I'd really invest it, in really seeing new things because it's not like I can get a lot of stuff off the shelf for their needs.
Stacey Hawes: Can I jump in?
James Hercher: Yeah. Please.
Stacey Hawes: I'm just curious from the millennial perspective, do you see certain channels working better targeting millennials than other generations?
Lung Huang: Yeah, I think so. I think it's to be seen because they're very diverse on where they live, what they shop, their tendencies. So I think for a lot of things it's very digital first and it is very much on an ad need basis. So there's such a on demand generation that it's just trying to keep up and use data for predictability. And that's why I like identity is that you can learn from that. I mean, we're at a wonderful place where we're trying to predict what are their future needs around science, technology, pet healthcare. That's another industry, people need to take care of their pets. So I think from that end, that's really where we're trying to foster a lot of our innovation budget around, and really capture how do we serve those needs to make their lives better.
James Hercher: We'll call that way upper funnel.
Lung Huang: Yeah. I don't know if it's in the funnel yet. Yeah.
James Hercher: Yeah. Got to get the measurement program in place. Steve, same question to you. You mentioned RTB before, but don't feel bound by that.
Steven Abrahams: Yeah, no, I mean that's obviously one thing. I think if I had money right now, the main thing I would do is build up our texting platform and our capability. The most important thing for us is to be able to connect with people. Right now most of our emails are read on mobile phones, isn't surprising. And more than half of our donations coming through mobile and obviously nobody's picking up their phone and answering a call anymore. So texting is really a much more important way for us to reach people. I mean I used to be able to telemarket to people even 10 years ago, and reach most of my donors and get gifts from them. And now it falls flat, it's dead, nobody's picking up their phone. Even if I can call them on a cell phone, nobody answers.
Heather Steiger: If someone's cellphone rings, they're just like, "Who the hell is this?"
James Hercher: Yeah.
Heather Steiger: "How could this person call me?"
Steven Abrahams: So building up texting and being able to do that and effectively do that. A lot of organizations are doing that and there's different platforms, but we need to really build that up. That's kind of where I would invest money right now because it's going to have the most biggest pay back.
James Hercher: What about you, Heather? Any channels you think are...
Heather Steiger: It's like none of my coworkers are here, so I'll just take all the money for my own account. But that's really not true. What's interesting with where I get to come from is everything's new. So we started digital only. We only branched out into print in 2018, we haven't even been a national brand for a full year yet. So it's not so much about finding a new channel, it's more about how can we take the current channels that we make and make them better? How do we make the reporting better? Because I know we use... I was talking to my coworker about television and we were talking about reporting there, and if you have an ad that airs on like the Hallmark channel at the same time it's airing on HDTV and someone orders, how do you know which channel they ordered from?
Which and did they see that prompted them. And getting into that type of, I think she said she uses machine learning in order to be able to attribute that consumer. For me, it would be about data refinement. Right now prospecting is done on a pretty elementary level using data enhancements, and using lookalikes, but there's so much more out there. I got to test a machine learning model in direct mail, just to see can I get incremental audience and what can that do for me? I would take money and want to invest in non-brand, which would make my friend who works in paid search very happy because the temptation is to just stick with brand, stick with brand, but you need the non-brand in order to truly prospect and grow your channel. And Facebook gets all the damn money at work anyway. They got enough money.
Stacey Hawes: I think it's interesting too. You said you're pretty new into direct mail?
Heather Steiger: Yeah.
Stacey Hawes: I mean as a channel?
Heather Steiger: Yes.
Stacey Hawes: When you did have extra money to figure out how to go test, someone chose direct mail as a channel. How did that decision come up?
Heather Steiger: I know that prior to me starting... So my role is brand new. It was basically they said, "We want to bring direct mail in house." So prior to that they went through an agency and I think they... I'm not exactly sure where they got the agency from, but it was pretty much, "What are our competitors doing. Oh I know. Hello Fresh is in the mail and they mail a crap ton. So maybe we can figure out a way to make this work for us."
Stacey Hawes: Yeah. I think it's interesting that what we've seen in the last few years, by far the biggest growth channel for digital natives or pure plays has been the direct mail channel, which is kind of counterintuitive and why I was asking about the millennial question as well. If you make an assumption that millennials prefer digital channels all day and all night, you're missing out on opportunities to reach them somewhere else.
Lung Huang: I did say that.
Stacey Hawes: You didn't say that.
Heather Steiger: ...also digital is so loud, there's so much happening. You're scrolling through Instagram, or you're scrolling through your Facebook feed and you're just being sold stuff constantly. Where with direct mail it's like you can actually sit back and there's nothing else happening around it. You're just holding a piece of print, and then you can put it down and pick it up later if you want.
Lung Huang: And that's the thing. As we are chatting beforehand, a lot of what is really good is the old stuff. You start with the old stuff and then you adapt it. Because two years ago everyone was talking about Messenger. Everyone's going to IM everyone. There's going to be chatbots in IMs and I don't know where that is. Maybe it's taken off. But I think it's really around the consumer behavior and consumer behaviors just don't turn on overnight. They don't start with a generation. This is something that they have to adopt over time and as a marketer you can't afford not to be there. You really have to try and be a practitioner around it because it could be the next thing, but you have to do it smartly. I think this is the main thing
James Hercher: And we were also mentioning something we were talking about earlier as well. That's just the explosion of the ecosystem, just trying to manage the point solutions, and vendors, and analytics that are coming in. I think it would be good to get a sense of... For you all, I'm sure it just manifests itself as annoying emails, but how you think about and handle the sort of vendor portfolio or roster you work with.
Stacey Hawes: Some of us call them partners.
Lung Huang: The thing about all of that and like emails, email's a wonderful channel but it's also difficult. We all have multiple emails and unless you get into the worlds of where Epsilon, or any of those other companies, you really have to test out which is the best email because they may give the Audubon Society a certain one, but their personal one is another. Not that they would, they would give you the best one. But then that's when all of the brands, you really have to test. Is this the one that goes to the one folder? Is this the AOL account or is this the real Gmail one? You have to really start testing out the availability around that, which is totally worthwhile because each person is unique around how they want to be messaged. And I think email is kind of giving people the chance to kind of filter in some respects there.
Heather Steiger: Well, even with Gmail it depends on the algorithm because what is fine today is spam tomorrow.
Lung Huang: Oh God, don't get me started on Gmail.
Heather Steiger: It happened at my last job, it was like, "Oh my God, all of our mail is going into spam boxes. What the hell do we do?"
James Hercher: Yeah, I mean we hear a lot about... There's the email policies too. There's the cookie policies, browser issues. A lot of ink is spilled on. It would be good to get a sense of how it impacts you sort of in the trenches. Steven, ask you, is that on your plate, those problems?
Steven Abrahams: Yeah, I mean if our emails don't get delivered, Thanksgiving Tuesday is a huge day. If suddenly Gmail decides to throw all of our emails into spam, we are in serious trouble. So we have to worry about deliverability all the time. And in terms of privacy, yeah, I mean it's a concern because some of the new privacy laws are being written in such a way that the burden on nonprofits to meet the requirements would be just overwhelming. So we're trying to figure out how to make sure legislators are thinking about that. That there's different approaches for charitable organizations because the compliance can just kill us and kill a channel for us if it's not done right. So that keeps me up at night sometimes.
James Hercher: Yeah. I mean my sort of next question was going to be about, got CCPA coming out, I don't know how much in Europe, any of you are with sort of GDPR. From the reporting side, it seems like there's less anxiety or urgency about CCPA. So for the marketers is it top of mind for you? Are you sort of undergoing compliance? Have you brought in any new help? Or is it something you even have to address or is it just business as usual?
Lung Huang: I'll start. I think from a GDPR standpoint I was fortunate enough where I was launching data businesses there in Europe during the start of it. We had to scrap one and build one. And the thing is I would much prefer a GDPR legislation than I would anything around what California is attempting to do. Because in GDPR the goals are much more defined and the rules or really there. It's around showing that you did take the proper steps, that if somebody wants to be forgotten you could, if they want their information to be corrected. And they also want to know if you use their data, where does it go?
I don't think that there's any marketer out there, maybe some of them, but most of them will be like, "Yeah, those are clear lines of how do I engage." The unfortunate thing with the California law, it isn't as defined and I think that's really going to make a lot of companies a lot more money, who have to provide marketing services. So from that standpoint, I think we all welcome it. But I really believe the federal government will come in prior and quash something.
Stacey Hawes: No. No.
Lung Huang: It's getting too late. It's getting too late.
Stacey Hawes: Too late. Do you mind if I jump in here?
James Hercher: Yeah, this one's... Yeah.
Stacey Hawes: We got our European business GDPR compliant, it's been what? A year and a half ago now. It seems like anyway. CCPA is different in that it doesn't require an opt in. And I agree with you that I think that brands and consumers should be able to share with consumers how we collected their data, what type of information we have on them, and where we send their data, and certainly the right to opt out, or to be forgotten. Absolutely. The way that the CCPA law is written is still so vague and left to interpretation, and there are nuances around it that I don't think we're going to get answers to from the California AG anytime before this law goes into effect in January.
So what that means, I mean companies like Epsilon, we've kind of had all hands on deck getting prepared for CCPA. Obviously we manage third party data assets, we have to be compliant on January 1st and will be. But that's required us to invest a significant amount of money to build a privacy platform basically on top of all of our data assets, to be able to enable that to and from reporting. We've been working across the industry with other data providers, to figure out from a consumer perspective, what type of information is going to be digestible because if you think about it, just take your marketing hats off in here for a minute and just be a consumer. If we started telling you where we got your information and I described it from a subscriber file, and someone else described it from a publisher file, or a donor file, or a retailer, those words mean different things to different consumers and different people, and how you digest them.
So even just telling someone where you got their information, because it doesn't have to be at a brand level. I'm not telling someone I got their information from Audubon Society, I'm saying I got it from this type of a category of a business is where I got that information. And where I sent it the same way, it's at the category level. There's so little consumer education that has gone on around what we do as marketers in this space and how we use data, I actually think the vast majority of us are really good stewards of the data. That we each own, that we use and leverage, and what we do with it. To just open up the floodgates with consumers and tell them all of this at one time, it's really scary and I don't think it's what the intent of the law was even meant to do.
For instance, if you tell someone they have the right to be forgotten and they tell you, "Delete my information. Erase me from your database." How do we know 30 days from now. When you came back in through somebody else, that we already forgot you? We don't know that we forgot you. I mean just the way that it's written, there are some inconsistencies within the law. I do think federal legislation will come. So it's the timing of when I think it's going to come.
James Hercher: How about you Heather? I'm sort of curious what the compliance picture looks like.
Heather Steiger: Yeah, it's not front of mind yet, but it's in the back of my mind because I know that it's coming. And for me personally, California is a very responsive market for the company I work in. So if I now can't promote to them, Oh crap, what do I do and where do I go? And then once California's law goes into effect, what's to stop Oregon, Washington, Texas, Florida, and every other state coming up with their own way of thinking what their privacy action be? And then from there you have when does it become a federal thing?
Stacey Hawes: Yeah. I think there's 21 states now lined up behind California.
Heather Steiger: Crazy.
Stacey Hawes: So the answer is not to stop marketing into California residents. By the way, they can be sitting in New York or Florida and still be a California resident.
Heather Steiger: Yeah. Well, even with what I do, I know that for every mailing that I do, I have a do not promote file that are just consumers who call freshly and say, "I don't want anything from you." Then we have the direct mail direct marketing association. So you have, their list of people who say, "These people do not want anything from anybody." If you don't want to hear from me, I don't want to talk to you. It's okay. It's okay.
Stacey Hawes: Just market to those people who are going to respond.
Heather Steiger: Exactly. I can really refine a list of 98% response. It'll be 12 people, but they are going to want to hear from me.
James Hercher: I'm going to start pulling some questions from the Q and. A. I see here actually. For Steven, I see this, in regards to acquiring new donors, what digital channel do you find most effective? How much priming do those prospects require?
Steven Abrahams: In our ads on Facebook, probably most effective and that goes back and forth with search. And that depends on what's going on. If something breaks in the news and a lot of people are searching for us and they they want to find out about the issue, and they care about what's going on, search will be a lot cheaper. Otherwise, generally day to day Facebook. I'm not really sure how much priming, I mean it's hard for us to know all the channels that people are seeing us in, seeing things in. So I don't have a good answer to that, but it's a good question. I have to sort of think about how to get a better handle on measuring that.
James Hercher: Yeah. Well, I mean I think for one thing, in terms of the social media, taking on users and converting them into donors, what's the sort of success rate there? What do you see in terms of that?
Steven Abrahams: In terms of just, I mean we have whatever, a million and a half, 2 million followers on Facebook and very few of them are going to become donors. There's not a good conversion there.
James Hercher: Right. So if some big wave of Twitter followers or some vies doesn't necessarily-
Steven Abrahams: Yeah. We rarely convert people. We get people onto our email list and convert them, and we use lookalike models to find people who look like our current donors and that's where we have success. And we do more directed acquisition of lookalikes as opposed to just general list acquisition because we get very low conversion rates there.
Lung Huang: You guys should own Twitter. I would hopefully The Audubon Society has a good... We Twitter, we tweet a bit.
Steven Abrahams: Our is Instagram because photography and visuals of birds obviously that's our more bigger growing channel.
Lung Huang: The puns I would have if I-
Stacey Hawes: The tweeting. I just got it.
Lung Huang: Yeah.
James Hercher: And here's a good one, which is-
Stacey Hawes: It's a bird, right?
Heather Steiger: All together.
James Hercher: We've done a lot of on the offline channels, direct mail. So where does out of home, digital out of home fit in for any of you? Is that part of the mix?
Lung Huang: Yeah, out of home is great. It's a sign with a stick on it for the most part. Those type of ones, they are out there, but they give nothing back. So when we talk about attribution in this, and I love outdoor, but the industry needs to come together because they have digital out of home. But if you actually see how many can you actually get a response back for us to do all our attribution, it's very little. And so I guess that's my biggest challenge on outdoor or non-addressable media, is we're playing and we're getting information from all these great channels and then we get nothing from another. It's really hard to really justify that, to say, "Yes, I'm going to throw in money each and every year on that," or, "I'll throw money now because of it." There's definitely a reason for out of home, but I think that to me, not having enough feedback to be able to run some analysis on it is kind of hindering that industry as a whole.
Stacey Hawes: Not as measurable.
Heather Steiger: Yeah. Basically the same thing here. We're just way too conservative at this point to tackle out of home.
Steven Abrahams: It's interesting. We're not an out of home, but there are other nonprofits that do use out of home, and going back to texting, they use texting as the reply channel. And through a series. So if somebody texts you send them a message, "Great, you care about our issue. Here's some more information. Sign up on our email list." And then there's a follow up, "Hey, how about giving?" And you send them a link so they can do a mobile donation form. So it becomes a direct channel through that way. Then I don't have the resources to do that now, but I see some other organizations that have been successful with that. So there's ways at least of of doing that on limited basis, making it work.
Lung Huang: And I think it gets back to the, when we were talking about the channels and everything if I'm building awareness or branding, yeah, there were some cases where you can't just attribute that. If somebody can figure that out, that'd be great. But there are times where we have that, but a lot of times with what we're focusing on is really what is the working performance media. And that's the one where you really have to know and be able to really get in there and measure what you can. And so I think that's the most interesting thing when you talk about omni-channel and what we're looking at. But I don't spend as much time on the awareness side or branding portions. I'm saying, "We invest this dollar, when do I get back?"
James Hercher: I'm going to sort of loosely paraphrase this, but do you have a perspective on what type of content is most useful? And I think that sort of goes along with a recent trend, a lot of big expansions, a lot of investment in contextual targeting, a lot of sort of interest in that category. I don't know if that's something you're looking at, but yeah, this same sort of question. What sort of content do you find is good for breaking through? And if you're doing anything around sort of personalization, contextualization?
Lung Huang: Cats, people love cat. Cats are cute on the internet.
James Hercher: Breaking news.
Lung Huang: Yeah. Breaking news there. I think when you think about personalization, I mean that's where you have to be right. So if I'm going to speak to a consumer and they're a cat household, they're not a dog household, and now all of a sudden I'm showing them all these dog things, it's going to fall flat and we waste the money. So I think that's really the ultimate answer to that question is just, I want to be at a place where I'm personalizing everything. And if regulatory items doesn't allow that, then I think you're going to have a lot of consumer backlash, that why am I getting these dog ones from my competitors?
Stacey Hawes: Yeah, I think in general, figuring out, I mean really starting with the basics of who your customers are, what they care about, what they're passionate about, where they shop, what they prefer, not just what they're doing with you, but what they're doing out there across the ecosystem, and then tailoring that content around it. So I'm not a cat person, don't market a cat to me. Maybe I'm a bird person. Figure out what the right imagery is that's going to evoke emotions, so it's relevancy, it's personalization. But it's kind of crafting that strategy around how do you emote someone to want to do something or to take an action? And you can't figure that out one to one, much less at scale, without the right data at the core to help you understand who they are.
James Hercher: Well, I actually would like to throw the same question to you.
Heather Steiger: Okay. I don't exactly go into a campaign on-
James Hercher: Do you any sort of programmatic out of home retargeting or anything like that?
Heather Steiger: No.
James Hercher: Like do you... No?
Heather Steiger: No. No. For us the most recent thing we tried, we don't necessarily go in with the, okay, they're trying to tune us out. What do we do? It's more like a where can we capture them at a moment in their life and show that we are an effective solution for them?
James Hercher: Right. If there's no ad blocker for the mailbox.
Heather Steiger: No. Like for paid search for example, let's say you've recently retired, I can target an ad to say, "Why cook? You can have fresh meals delivered to your house." If you recently moved, like "Unpacking your kitchen's a pain in the butt, keep it clean. Here. Here's some fresh meals you can order." It's more in trying to find someone at a moment in their life and trying to help them.
James Hercher: Great. Well, we're, we're coming up on the end now. I don't think we have time for another question, so thank you everyone.
---
## Building a data strategy that engages the consumer and drives revenue
Type: eps_resource
URL: /building-a-marketing-data-strategy
Last Modified: 2026-05-08T16:19:08Z
# Building a data strategy that engages the consumer and drives revenue
The tides of marketing are changing. Brands are working against many factors that make reaching their customers exponentially harder: Disjointed channels, the reduction of third-party cookies on the open web, reduced media budgets and rising walled gardens.
Consumer data has emerged as a titan against these headwinds. According to new Epsilon research, 60% of brands surveyed said they are looking to first-party data strategies to combat third-party identifier deprecation.
But it is not a silver bullet.
Brands need a comprehensive, thoughtful data strategy that goes beyond merely collecting data. To understand their best and next best customers, marketers need a holistic understanding of who each person is, not just how they engage with you. A complete data strategy, powered by the right technology, uses first-party data, enhanced by zero-, second- and third-party data to drive better customer experiences and higher performing campaigns
Our whitepaper, "Building a data strategy that engages the consumer and drives revenue," explains why brands need to think differently about data, and helps guide marketers in crafting their own data strategy.
Key takeaways:
Digital transformation starts with data and identity resolution: When data is used effectively, brands open the door to more cohesive, connected digital marketing across channels.
A fully realized data strategy draws from all types of data, and understanding their individual origins and uses (as well as how they intersect with other types of data) gives brands the ability to see their customers and prospects more clearly.
Data creates a roadmap, and the right martech and adtech tools can help you collect, organize, harmonize and activate it.
---
## Your 3-step game plan for winning first-party data strategy
Type: eps_resource
URL: /game-plan-first-party-data-strategy
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Your 3-step game plan for winning first-party data strategy
First-party data can get muddy quickly: Customers move, they open new email accounts, and they change their names, and it can be hard to keep track. Inaccurate and fractured first-party data makes it more difficult to personalize campaigns and drive results. The secret to seamlessly cleaning up customer files for good? Leveraging third-party data to fill in the gaps.
Download this infographic to learn:
Red flags to look out for with first-party data
3 steps to leverage third-party data effectively
How Epsilon can help
---
## The Real Deal on Customer Data Platforms
Type: eps_resource
URL: /the-real-deal-on-customer-data-platforms
Last Modified: 2025-12-17T19:32:47Z
# The Real Deal on Customer Data Platforms
Why your CDP needs high-quality data to effectively connect with customers
Customer data platforms (CDPs) are popular martech tools brands use to organize their customer data.
CDPs are designed to organize a brand’s first-party data. This rich data is a critical component of a brand’s understanding of the customer, but it’s often incomplete, duplicative or riddled with inaccuracies, making it difficult to connect a customer’s journey across paid and owned channels.
How a customer data platform (CDP) can drive stronger media campaigns
In this video, Tyler McDaniel, Vice President of Product Management at Epsilon, explains how the right CDP can lay the foundation for better media campaigns on your owned and paid channels.
“Identity resolves inaccuracies and duplications and enhances your customer file with third-party data, giving a more complete view of real individuals,” McDaniel says.
Let's explore:
The impact of having identity resolution in your CDP
How a CDP can help deliver relevant messages to individual customers across channels and devices
Why you should look for a CDP that seamlessly ties to your media activation solution
Watch the video to learn more.
---
## Building a data strategy that engages the consumer and drives revenue
Type: eps_resource
URL: /building-a-data-strategy-that-engages-the-consumer-and-drives-revenue
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T22:17:52Z
# Building a data strategy that engages the consumer and drives revenue
The tides of marketing are changing. Brands are working against many factors that make reaching their customers exponentially harder: Disjointed channels, the reduction of third-party cookies on the open web, reduced media budgets and rising walled gardens.
Consumer data has emerged as a titan against these headwinds. According to new Epsilon research, 60% of brands surveyed said they are looking to first-party data strategies to combat third-party identifier deprecation.
But it is not a silver bullet.
Brands need a comprehensive, thoughtful data strategy that goes beyond merely collecting data. To understand their best and next best customers, marketers need a holistic understanding of who each person is, not just how they engage with you. A complete data strategy, powered by the right technology, uses first-party data, enhanced by zero-, second- and third-party data to drive better customer experiences and higher performing campaigns
Our whitepaper, "Building a data strategy that engages the consumer and drives revenue," explains why brands need to think differently about data, and helps guide marketers in crafting their own data strategy.
Key takeaways:
Digital transformation starts with data and identity resolution: When data is used effectively, brands open the door to more cohesive, connected digital marketing across channels.
A fully realized data strategy draws from all types of data, and understanding their individual origins and uses (as well as how they intersect with other types of data) gives brands the ability to see their customers and prospects more clearly.
Data creates a roadmap, and the right martech and adtech tools can help you collect, organize, harmonize and activate it.
---
## Holiday shopping insights: 2025 retail trends, tariff impacts and how consumers are using AI
Type: eps_resource
URL: /holiday-shopping-report
Last Modified: 2025-12-09T15:47:15Z
# Holiday shopping insights: 2025 retail trends, tariff impacts and how consumers are using AI
Holiday 2025: A renewed time for joy and cheer
Despite a challenging economic climate, consumers across generations are ready to spend. Is your marketing ready to take advantage as December nears?
While Mariah Carey and “Jingle Bells” aren’t playing on the radio quite yet, retailers and marketers are already starting to prepare for the busy holiday season ahead.
If last year was marked by post-election stress and tightening purse strings, this year, U.S. consumers are clinging to optimism and looking for ways to celebrate. But what does that mean for brands?
Even with fresh concerns over tariffs and the economy at large, consumers across generations are planning to spend about the same this holiday season, and younger generations are planning to spend more.
We’re also seeing an increase in AI usage for holiday shopping and inspiration and an increase in holiday travel spending. How can brands capitalize on the excitement?
Download Epsilon's holiday shopping report to learn what consumers have to say about:
How they’re budgeting and spending across categories
How tariffs are impacting their spending and cost-saving strategies
Their preferred retailers and product/brand choices
Whether they prefer to shop in-store or online for holiday items
AI usage for holiday shopping and inspiration
Social media and influencer impact on holiday shopping
Epsilon Pulse is the beating heart of Epsilon’s proprietary research. Designed to produce relevant and up-to-date insights about consumers, marketers and their preferences, Epsilon Pulse helps brands better understand the adtech and martech industry so they can make informed, data-driven marketing decisions.
---
## The Real Deal on Shopper-First Retail Media
Type: eps_resource
URL: /real-deal-shopper-first-retail-media
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# The Real Deal on Shopper-First Retail Media
Retail media isn't just another digital advertising channel — but its promise of shopper-level targeting and outcomes requires specialized technology and strategies.
In this video, Alexandria Garripoli, Vice President of Product Management for Epsilon Retail Media, explains how, if a retailer wants its media network to stand out, it needs to get away from traditional digital media tactics and become shopper-first.
Let's explore:
How retail media can help brands reach their actual shoppers
The common pitfall that can lead to tons of shopper data loss
What "shopper-first retail media" entails and how to get there
---
## How retail marketers feel about a world beyond third-party cookies
Type: eps_resource
URL: /how-retail-marketers-feel-about-a-world-beyond-third-party-cookies
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# How retail marketers feel about a world beyond third-party cookies
Google may have shocked the industry by announcing they will no longer deprecate third-party cookies on Chrome, but the reality is that signal loss is still going to happen. It may seem like a game-changer for retailers, but they still need to work towards a cookieless future.
To understand retailers' sentiments around the topic, Epsilon conducted a survey to find out: How do retailers really feel about Google's best-laid plans to ditch the cookie? And how are they preparing for what's ahead?
Dive into our infographic to explore the top findings from our Q1 2024 research and see how your peers are navigating this evolving landscape.
---
## 5 Signs You Need to Embrace Identity Marketing
Type: eps_resource
URL: /5-signs-you-need-to-embrace-identity-marketing
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T22:16:49Z
# 5 Signs You Need to Embrace Identity Marketing
Is your marketing strategy struggling to connect with your audience? Identity marketing
might be the missing piece.
In our latest article, we explore 5 key signs that signal its time to embrace identity-
based marketing. From stagnant engagement and generic messaging to customer
retention challenges and siloed data, learn how personalised, data-driven strategies can
reignite your campaigns.
Discover how Epsilon Digital can help unify your customer data and drive impactful,
identity-led campaigns from a single platform.
---
## Use identity and AI to supercharge your campaigns
Type: eps_resource
URL: /use-identity-and-ai-to-supercharge-your-campaigns
Last Modified: 2025-10-03T13:54:44Z
# Use identity and AI to supercharge your campaigns
Data clean rooms can open the door for brands to collaborate with trusted partners and find prospects out in the wild, taking their campaign performance to the next level. But many marketers aren’t maximizing the powerful potential of these tools. The key? Coupling AI and identity resolution within the clean room to empower high-performing campaigns, reduce media waste and provide stronger customer connections.
In this webinar, Joran Lawrence, Senior Vice President of Product Management at Epsilon, and guest speaker Lynne Schneider, Research Director at IDC, explain why the right clean room combines strong data and identity with AI to build better campaigns.
---
## First- and third-party data: A winning duo to accelerate marketing outcomes & revenue growth
Type: eps_resource
URL: /data-webinar-accelerate-marketing-outcomes-revenue-growth
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# First- and third-party data: A winning duo to accelerate marketing outcomes & revenue growth
Building brand loyalty and increasing sales starts with a comprehensive understanding of your customers.
In this webinar, Epsilon’s Vice President of Products, Gillian MacPherson, and Senior Director, Data Strategy and Analytics, Greg Cardone will share how integrating first- and third-party data can offer a complete view of your customers, enhance marketing efforts, and deliver personalized experiences that drive business results.
You will learn about:
Strategies to maintain clean and accurate first-party customer data
Why third-party data is crucial for true data-driven marketing
Actionable steps to tackle customer data challenges
Insight from Epsilon’s exclusive customer data to inform your strategic decisions
---
## The Real Deal on CDPs vs. Data Clean Rooms
Type: eps_resource
URL: /video-the-real-deal-cdps-vs-data-clean-rooms
Last Modified: 2025-12-17T19:28:46Z
# The Real Deal on CDPs vs. Data Clean Rooms
What's the difference between CDPs and data clean rooms?
Customer data platforms (CDPs) and data clean rooms are two powerful pieces of martech, but do you know which one is right for you.
What is a customer data platform (CDP)?
CDPs (or customer data platforms) are used for known customer data collection and analysis. They organize a brand's first-party data to unify everything they already have, and then, more sophisticated solutions will cleanse, complete and expand the data via identity resolution technology.
This gives brands insight into what a customer does outside of their owned channels, so they can go beyond just their first-party data to better understand what people are buying, what they're browsing and what they're watching (and on what devices).
In this video, Michelle Dieschbourg, Senior Manager of Product Marketing at Epsilon, explains the differences between these two solutions and why some brands might consider using both.
Learn more about CDPs.
What is a data clean room?
A data clean room is a safe, pseudonymized space for known and prospective customer data. This allows marketers to analyze marketing and advertising data from many different sources in one, singular view while protecting the privacy of the data from each individual source.
This is most helpful in marketing and advertising contexts, where brands often have their own first-party data, data from partners and platforms and permissioned or purchased data from third parties they're trying to resolve across each data source. Data clean rooms allow brands to sync all these data streams into one view of each person across these different contexts, increasing the value of the information they already own.
Learn more about data clean rooms.
Do you need both a CDP and a data clean room?
While both a CDP and a data clean room are designed to connect a brand to its customers using data, they’re different. And understanding these differences will determine which is best for you.
In this video, Michelle Dieschbourg, Senior Manager of Product Marketing at Epsilon, explains the differences between these two solutions and why some brands might consider using both.
This short video explores:
The power and capabilities of CDPs vs. clean rooms
How they work with your current data and technology
Watch the video to learn more.
---
## Gearing up for Black Friday 2024
Type: eps_resource
URL: /black-friday-guide-2024
Last Modified: 2025-01-14T14:15:27Z
# Gearing up for Black Friday 2024
As Black Friday fast approaches, we’re already seeing brands promoting to set expectations and prime consumers well in advance of 29th November.
This year follows what was a muted 2023 event for retailers. And it was no surprise in an environment defined by a triple whammy of high inflation, rising costs, and a cost-of-living crisis, which combined to erode consumer confidence and spending.
In this guide we will cover:
Reasons for Black Friday optimism
Looming challenges for Black Friday
Learning from the past - Lessons retailers can adopt for a successful Black Friday
6 ways Epsilon can support your Black Friday success
---
## Branding with A Bottom Line
Type: eps_resource
URL: /brandingwithabottomline
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Branding with A Bottom Line
How FatFace are using 1PD to make every activation count and accountable
How can brands balance branding and performance in today's data-driven world? At a recent event, Maria Giacobbe, Senior Vice President at Epsilon shared insights into how companies can use first-party data to create personalised, impactful marketing strategies that boost customer loyalty and business outcomes.
Joined by Sophia Holland Thomas, Senior Digital Marketing Manager at FatFace, they discussed how FatFace, a brand known for defying economic trends, transformed its approach by integrating branding and performance strategies. By leveraging Epsilon’s solutions, FatFace optimised cross-channel marketing and saw significant improvements in both profitability and customer engagement.
Want to learn how first-party data can revolutionise your marketing strategy? Watch the full recording for invaluable insights!
Watch Recording
Send us an email at hello@epsilon.com
---
## Boost your customer experience and ROI with a strong data strategy and integrated martech
Type: eps_resource
URL: /cdp-institute-whitepaper-2024
Last Modified: 2025-10-03T14:40:29Z
# Boost your customer experience and ROI with a strong data strategy and integrated martech
Marketers are always being asked to do more with less. Today, brands are turning to a variety of different tactics to optimize their return on investment. Customer data offers particularly rich opportunities to do this through new data sources, analytical tools and technology.
Achievements happen when brands know to go beyond merely building a data strategy to actually activating and using it. A thoughtful, comprehensive data strategy—one with data as a central core to brand activities—starts with the right tools and mindset to support it. A customer data platform (CDP) with strong identity resolution can make it happen.
This new whitepaper from CDP Institute, sponsored by Epsilon, explores what brands stand to lose when they don't organize, clean, and activate their data through the right CDP. It also highlights important questions brands should consider against their desired goals, including steps they can take today to improve their ROI and customer experiences.
---
## Make personalization your marketing superpower
Type: eps_resource
URL: /marketing-personalization-guide
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T22:17:52Z
# Make personalization your marketing superpower
Customers expect nothing less than personal, purposeful brand experiences with every interaction. According to Epsilon research, 76% of respondents said they view brands negatively when they include inaccurate information about them in their marketing. And more than half said they want to receive personalized marketing from brands.
Personalization should be integrated into the entire customer experience with your brand, from first visit to becoming a loyalty member and beyond. But it's so much more than knowing a customer's name or their birthday; it's about the ability to have 1:1 conversations and deliver powerful, human experiences.
In this guide, we highlight why the right strategy and data—coupled with robust technology—is key to getting personalization right to drive better customer experiences and boost the business bottom line.
---
## Create life-long brand fans out of casual customers
Type: eps_resource
URL: /webinar-creating-brand-fans
Last Modified: 2025-10-03T14:42:03Z
# Create life-long brand fans out of casual customers
Customer experience is the bedrock of brand affinity. After all, Epsilon research found that about half of consumers choose to engage with marketing messages when they are “familiar with and like the brand.” The trouble is that CX is often an area where brands drop the ball. Why can’t they get it right? They lack the right data and technology to deliver the kinds of personalized experiences their customers crave.
Hear Epsilon SVP Dana Moroze and guest speaker Rusty Warner, VP, Principal Analyst, at Forrester, discuss how the right technology, powered by strong identity and data, can help marketers create seamless, 1:1 personalized experiences that create life-long brand fans.
You’ll learn:
How marketers can enhance CX using predictive customer insights and personalization
What is the right technology to create conversations that complete conversions
How to avoid competitive pressure by maintaining seamless experiences with your customers across all touchpoints
---
## The Real Deal on Data Clean Rooms
Type: eps_resource
URL: /video-the-real-deal-clean-rooms
Last Modified: 2025-12-17T19:24:50Z
# The Real Deal on Data Clean Rooms
How data clean rooms can help you reach new customers
Data clean rooms are privacy-compliant marketing solutions that connect with current and future customers through identity, data and media activation. They can help your brand understand who to reach now, who to reach next—and who to avoid—but not all are created equal.
Why marketers struggle to connect with customers
In the current digital landscape, it can be hard to connect with consumers. For example: U.S. consumers have an average of five identifiers that marketers can use to reach them, like multiple email address or devices. This can make one person seem like several people, contributing to wasted media dollars and poor business results.
Why you need data and identity resolution for a high-performing clean room
In this video, Michelle Dieschbourg, Senior Manager of Product Marketing at Epsilon, explains what a data clean room is, the importance of quality data and how Epsilon can help.
“Data clean rooms bridge the gap brands face when finding new customers. These data-rich environments allow brands to connect with current customers and use AI to model audiences for potential ones,” Dieschbourg says.
Watch the video to learn:
Why quality data and identity resolution should be included in your data clean room
How the right data clean room can drive better media activation
What a clean room can do to strengthen the customer experience
Watch the video to learn more.
---
## A Unified Identity is Key to Enhanced Customer Experience
Type: eps_resource
URL: /a-unified-identity-is-key-to-enhanced-customer-experience
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T22:16:49Z
# A Unified Identity is Key to Enhanced Customer Experience
In today’s multi-channel marketing landscape, delivering a seamless customer experience is a must have. Yet, many businesses struggle with fragmented data that leads to inconsistent interactions.
The solution lies in unified identity which provides a comprehensive view of customers by merging their data across all touchpoints—online and offline. This enables marketers to understand their needs and preferences better, fostering meaningful engagement.
Epsilon combines cutting-edge ad tech and martech tools to create a single customer view. With our identity resolution technology, we eliminate data silos and empower marketers to run effective cross-channel campaigns that maximise engagement and ROI.
Dive into the whitepaper to see how you can create better customer experiences and foster loyalty.
---
## Omnichannel Dynamics, One Truth, Many Perspectives
Type: eps_resource
URL: /cracking-omnichannel-code
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T22:16:49Z
# Omnichannel Dynamics, One Truth, Many Perspectives
Customers today switch between three to five channels per journey, expecting a seamless experience across each one. Yet, fragmented data often holds brands back, leading to disconnected campaigns and missed opportunities. Our latest eBook reveals how to overcome these obstacles with a unified approach—combining a Single Source of Truth (SSOT) for accurate data with Multiple Versions of Truth (MVOT) for tailored messaging. Learn how to eliminate data silos, boost campaign effectiveness, and create consistent, personalised interactions across all touchpoints. Master omnichannel marketing and elevate customer experiences. Download the eBook.
---
## The Real Deal on the Advertising "Hot Zone"
Type: eps_resource
URL: /the-real-deal-on-the-advertising-hot-zone
Last Modified: 2025-12-17T19:38:09Z
# The Real Deal on the Advertising "Hot Zone"
What is the advertising "Hot Zone"?
More than ever before, it seems like advertisers are ramping up their media spend and impressions in the hopes of acquiring new customers.
Increasing media spend and impressions in walled gardens like Facebook, Amazon and Google may seem like a magic bullet, but it often leads to wasted budgets and disappointing results.
This is what we call the “Advertising Hot Zone”: Customers are easy to find, but they’re aggressively over-messaged.
How to get out of the advertising "Hot Zone"
The key to escaping the advertising “Hot Zone” is connecting with high-value customers, not just easy-to-reach customers. But where are they? And how do you find them?
In this short video, Karissa VanHooser, Senior Director of Product Marketing at Epsilon, explores how to:
Expand your reach to Apple users, a set of users we know are often some of the most valuable consumers but are often neglected by providers that can’t actually find them.
Focus on high-value customers, and if your brand has a retail media network, make sure your retail media and enterprise dollars are working together to expand reach.
Re-engage lapsed customers instead of constantly chasing new ones. It’s more cost-effective and drives better business results.
Ready to elevate your marketing strategy? Break free from the advertising “Hot Zone.”
---
## Craft a quality AI marketing strategy that goes beyond the hype
Type: eps_resource
URL: /craft-a-quality-ai-marketing-strategy-that-goes-beyond-the-hype
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Craft a quality AI marketing strategy that goes beyond the hype
Advancements in predictive and generative AI over the last few years have cemented AI as the next big thing—a shiny toy that promises to revolutionize the industry. But getting "good" AI—i.e., successfully messaging and reaching people on the open web—really depends on a few things: Having quality data, well-crafted algorithms and integrating AI into your marketing in a way that doesn't overpower it.
In this webinar recording, experts from Epsilon and guest speaker Forrester explore how successfully use AI to better understand your customers and create higher performing campaigns. Watch to learn:
What you stand to gain from implementing AI into marketing campaigns
How data and identity play an integral role in "good" AI
The importance of choosing partners that have a solid, proven track record in AI capabilities
Speakers include:
---
## Balancing Act: Elevating Omnichannel Marketing with Data Insights
Type: eps_resource
URL: /balancing-act-elevating-omnichannel-marketing-with-data-insights
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T22:17:52Z
# Balancing Act: Elevating Omnichannel Marketing with Data Insights
Unlock the Power of Data-Driven Omnichannel Strategies to Boost Customer Engagement
According to Gartner, 63% of digital marketing leaders struggle with personalisation although they understand that effective omnichannel strategies can boost customer engagement by 5-15%. This whitepaper will delve into how you can transform your marketing strategy with a balanced approach to create meaningful customer experiences.
What you will learn:
How to use data-driven insights to create personalised experiences at scale
Strategies to eliminate data silos and unify your marketing
Ways to leverage real-time insights for marketing enhancements
Best practices for responsible data management that keeps customer trust intact
---
## The Real Deal on Connected TV
Type: eps_resource
URL: /the-real-deal-on-connected-tv
Last Modified: 2025-12-12T17:49:02Z
# The Real Deal on Connected TV
How has CTV changed for marketers?
At its core, connected TV (CTV) refers to internet connected devices like smart TVs or streaming sticks that enable viewers to watch streaming or video on demand content.
To consumers, not much has changed: They’re used to traditional commercials through a cable subscription. Now, they’re seeing those same ads on streaming apps.
But for marketers, a lot has changed: CTV leverages the input of data to determine who marketers can actually reach—and by knowing who they’re reaching, they can measure if those specific people take an action after viewing the ad. This is different from traditional TV, where you have limited control over who you reach and how you measure their responses.
How can CTV benefit your marketing strategy?
In the fast-paced world of marketing, no other channel has made more of a splash than connected TV. It’s all about having one holistic view of consumers so you can then engage them with a single, harmonized voice across channels and over time.
To do this, look for a CTV provider that has focuses on person-first marketing through identity resolution that enables you to:
Connect with the right individuals
Message them the optimal amount of times
Understand if that message influenced them or not
To break it down, Karissa VanHooser, Senior Director of Product Marketing at Epsilon, gives a play-by-play on why connected TV is so beneficial for brands—and what they need to get it right.
Prepared to take your marketing strategy to the next level? Learn more by watching the full video.
---
## A Unified Identity is Key to Enhanced Customer Experience
Type: eps_resource
URL: /a-unified-identity-is-key-to-enhanced-customer-experience-0
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T22:16:49Z
# A Unified Identity is Key to Enhanced Customer Experience
Unlock Seamless Customer Experiences with Unified Identity
In today’s fast-paced, multi-channel world, delivering a smooth and consistent customer journey is no longer a luxury—it’s an essential. Yet, many businesses in the UK still struggle with fragmented data, leading to disconnected experiences that frustrate customers and hinder growth.
The solution? Unified identity.
By connecting customer data across every touchpoint—whether online or in-store—you gain a single, clear view of your audience. This empowers you to truly understand their needs and preferences, ensuring every interaction feels personal and meaningful.
At Epsilon, we specialise in breaking down data silos with advanced ad tech and martech tools. Our industry-leading identity resolution technology enables UK marketers to deliver consistent, cross-channel campaigns that engage customers and drive measurable results.
Ready to take your customer experience to the next level?
Download our whitepaper to discover how unified identity can help you:
Deliver more personalised and relevant interactions
Build stronger relationships with your customers
Maximise engagement and boost ROI
Transform the way you connect with your customers.
---
## Epsilon is recognized as a notable vendor in The Forrester Data Clean Room Solutions Landscape, Q4 2024
Type: eps_resource
URL: /2024-forrester-clean-room-landscape
Last Modified: 2025-10-03T13:56:23Z
# Epsilon is recognized as a notable vendor in The Forrester Data Clean Room Solutions Landscape, Q4 2024
Data clean rooms are becoming a major tool for B2C marketers. From understanding campaign performance to collaborating with partners and targeting audiences, clean rooms give marketers access to granular, user-level data in a space designed with consumer privacy in mind.
But with so many emerging technology players, it's important for brands to understand which solution is right for them. In this report, Forrester defines the potential value of data clean rooms and gives an overview of the current clean room market.
Some key takeaways:
Marketers are using clean rooms to better understand campaign performance and collaborate with partners to identify and target key audiences.
Clean room solutions run the gamut on capabilities, leading to a complex clean room landscape.
To find the best solution, marketers need to evaluate their use cases and the scope of their current customer data.
Epsilon is proud to be listed among the notable vendors.
Read the full piece to get a look inside the burgeoning data clean room market.
---
## Direct to growth: What all brands can gain from the new DTC world
Type: eps_resource
URL: /direct-to-consumer-research-dtc
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Direct to growth: What all brands can gain from the new DTC world
The direct-to-consumer (DTC) business model has taken off. In categories from toothpaste to mattresses to pet food, DTCs are moving at an exponential clip, and non-DTC consumer brands are taking note.
New research from Epsilon, in partnership with The CMO Club, finds that 80% of marketers agree that DTCs impact their marketing and how they think about marketing, and 82% of marketers are worried about DTCs’ popularity with digitally native generations like Gen Z and millennials.
For more insights, download the research for the full findings and for recommendations on how brands of all stripes can win a DTC-led world.
---
## The Real Deal: Big "L" loyalty
Type: eps_resource
URL: /the-real-deal-big-l-loyalty
Last Modified: 2026-06-01T17:31:12Z
# The Real Deal: Big "L" loyalty
Personalization should be integrated into the entire customer experience—including your loyalty program.
As you develop your personalization strategy, you must do so at both the brand and program level.
Watch this 2 minute video to see Tamara Oliverio, Senior Director of Strategic Consulting, define Big "L" vs little "l" loyalty and talk about how you can shift from program-centric to customer-centric loyalty.
Video transcript:
Tamara Oliverio: Personalization should be integrated into the entire customer experience—including your loyalty program. As you develop your personalization strategy, you must do so at both the brand and program level. It’s important to understand your brand-level loyalty, or “Big L” Loyalty. Big L Loyalty is the passion, dedication, feelings and trust people have for your brand that moves them through the customer lifecycle and motivates them toward lifetime loyalty.
“Little l” Loyalty is implemented at the program level. It’s the fundamental components that support Big L Loyalty, like what rewards your members earn and how they redeem them. Transitioning to Big L occurs in three stages:
Transactional. During this first stage of maturity, brands don’t have extensive programs to retain customers. There’s nothing “purposeful” keeping them connected, such as messaging and campaigns that are personalized using 360-degree customer views. Brands rely on discounts, sales and non-targeted communications to win customers back.
Customer centricity. During this stage, brands develop an explicit loyalty program or an implicit behind-the-scenes best customer strategy, and use data capture to get a fuller picture of their customers. They may implement institutional tactics to entice customers to come back. CRM and loyalty programs are actively in use here, and personalization strategies are in play.
Enculturation. Here’s where brands go above and beyond the traditional loyalty program. Loyalty is enculturated. During this stage, brands build customer-centricity into their DNA and culture, creating experiences that draw customers back. It’s here where marketers can communicate with 1:You messages—a holistic customer experience that’s personalized to the individual across all interactions.
To make the transition between stages, marketers need to understand ‘the how.’ This shift requires an integration of systems and programs across the company. Additionally, culture adjustments are needed from the highest levels of leadership and change management is recommended. The mindset (or leadership style) needs to be re-prioritized from what the company needs to what’s best for the customer, a customer-centric approach. Lastly, it requires a leap of faith in that customers will respond favorably.
---
## The new "data privacy" world: From freak-out to opportunities
Type: eps_resource
URL: /the-new-data-privacy-world-from-freak-out-to-opportunities
Last Modified: 2025-07-18T18:22:55Z
# The new "data privacy" world: From freak-out to opportunities
As data privacy becomes more top-of-mind for all industries, this CMO Club panel, featuring TD Bank, Conversant and Costello Ventures, takes a look at how to tackle growing privacy concerns while delivering human-powered marketing.
Watch the 21-minute video to learn how to take your data privacy concerns from freak-out to opportunities.
---
## How data drives box office: A keynote at Variety Innovate Summit
Type: eps_resource
URL: /how-data-drives-box-office-a-keynote-at-variety-innovate-summit
Last Modified: 2025-07-18T18:24:00Z
# How data drives box office: A keynote at Variety Innovate Summit
Watch as our very own Matt Weisbecker and Variety's Andrew Wallenstein discuss how studios are reaching consumers and driving demand at the theatre.
Matt also shares a case study of how a studio reached verified moviegoers using digital and the best ways to use ticket-purchase data, frequency, cross-device delivery and personalization in digital campaigns to get people to the theater on opening weekend.
---
## How CPG brands can win in the Amazon era
Type: eps_resource
URL: /how-cpg-brands-can-win-in-the-amazon-era
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# How CPG brands can win in the Amazon era
CPG brands can learn a thing or two from Amazon’s consumer-first approach.
The biggest lesson: once you see your shoppers clearly as individuals, you’ll connect with each of them in the most meaningful ways when and where they want.
Check out this infographic for insights on what Amazon shoppers are looking for in CPG brands and tips on how to compete.
---
## How retailers can win in an Amazon era
Type: eps_resource
URL: /how-retailers-can-win-in-an-amazon-era
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T22:17:52Z
# How retailers can win in an Amazon era
Anxious about Amazon?
You’re not alone.
44% of retailers say they don’t know how to respond to the online retail giant. Instead of retreating, we’ll help you learn from Amazon’s approach. Check out this infographic to learn more.
---
## The history of advertising
Type: eps_resource
URL: /the-history-of-advertising
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# The history of advertising
Advertising started with pushing our impersonal content to large audiences through traditional mass media.
But as new ad tech developed, so did efficiency and the demands of the market. Now, brands are expected to find the individuals who are most interested in their message and create personalized ads to pull them in.
To learn more, check out this infographic on the history of ad tech.
---
## How an ad becomes fraudulent
Type: eps_resource
URL: /how-an-ad-becomes-fraudulent
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# How an ad becomes fraudulent
Do you know how ads end up in fraudulent placements?
Watch Adweek's short video to see how it works.
---
## Attribution: How to get it right
Type: eps_resource
URL: /attribution-how-to-get-it-right
Last Modified: 2025-07-18T18:27:43Z
# Attribution: How to get it right
Watch as Dave Scrim from Epsilon-Conversant talks attribution at The CMO Club: how it works, how to get it right and who is ultimately responsible for aggregating the data and pulling the pieces together.
---
## What is ad fraud?
Type: eps_resource
URL: /what-is-ad-fraud
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# What is ad fraud?
Pixel stuffing, ad stacking, misidentification of a domain and ad injections are all common types of ad fraud.
Do you know the difference?
Watch Adweek's short video to learn the difference and understand if you've been exposed.
---
## Driving tune in with advanced digital media and data: A keynote from Variety's TV Summit
Type: eps_resource
URL: /driving-tune-in-with-advanced-digital-media-and-data-a-keynote-from-varietys-tv-summit
Last Modified: 2025-07-18T18:28:58Z
# Driving tune in with advanced digital media and data: A keynote from Variety's TV Summit
This keynote conversation between Epsilon-Conversant's Matthew Weisbecker and Variety's Andrew Wallenstein describes how TV marketers can improve the impact and efficiency of tune-in campaigns to multi-platform audiences.
Watch the video for more on how networks are using digital marketing to increase tune-in, measure lift of linear tune-in and message viewers appropriately as they bounce between linear TV and streaming.
For more information, download the e-book: 5 ways to drive tune-in with digital marketing
---
## The Real Deal: How to accurately identify people online
Type: eps_resource
URL: /the-real-deal-how-to-accurately-identify-people-online
Last Modified: 2025-07-18T18:29:44Z
# The Real Deal: How to accurately identify people online
Accuracy is a core tenet of identity resolution. In this context, it's all about continuously verifying people’s identities across all their channels and devices to ensure you know who you're talking to.
Many marketers fail to realize that it's easy to not do accuracy well or get it wrong. For example, you could think you’re messaging multiple people, when you’re actually messaging the same person with the same ad on all of their devices.
To explain this concept more, our SVP of product management, Dave Scrim, shares the two most important things to know for ensuring your programs have accurate identity.
Video transcript:
Dave Scrim: Being able to reach your target audience at scale is critical, but it's not enough. Vendors often talk about match rates or reach rates, but you rarely hear anybody talking about accuracy rates.
Accuracy is about continuously verifying someone's identity in a privacy-safe way. To get accuracy, right, you need two things, quality data and the ability to scale it.
Most identity solutions out there today use unstable or fragmented IDs, such as device IDs, cookies or email addresses. This makes it really difficult to tie a profile together and get a holistic view of the customer.
For a more accurate connection, transactions are the gold standard because when you buy something, you use your real name and address every time.
You're probably saying to yourself, I have transactions, so I can make that connection myself. The trouble is, you typically only see a couple of transactions a year, not the volume you need to really tie together all the various cookies and device IDs. In order to do that, you need a network of thousands of partners working together.
It's important that you ask your vendors not just about match rates or reach rates, but what are the accuracy rates? How do I validate them? From my perspective, you shouldn't settle for anything less than at least 95% accurate.
Accuracy is the foundation of any strong marketing program. Without it, you won't be able to target the right audience, you won't be able to get the right message out, and you won't be able to measure your programs effectively.
---
## The Real Deal: Matching consumers to online profiles
Type: eps_resource
URL: /the-real-deal-matching-consumers-to-online-profiles
Last Modified: 2025-07-18T18:31:13Z
# The Real Deal: Matching consumers to online profiles
Across cookies, devices, emails and more, the amount of consumer touchpoints keeps expanding. Knowing exactly who you’re talking to online has only become more complicated over time.
Here, our SVP of product management, Dave Scrim, talks about the different ways that a person's online and offline actions can be matched to an online profile to help brands market to specific individuals.
---
## The Real Deal: Getting reach right for identity resolution
Type: eps_resource
URL: /the-real-deal-getting-reach-right-for-identity-resolution
Last Modified: 2025-07-18T18:32:05Z
# The Real Deal: Getting reach right for identity resolution
Reach is all about accurately identifying and connecting with people online and offline, at scale. To have effective reach, you need to know how a vendor is connecting to people online and what they’re using to measure reach.
Ultimately, if you can’t reach your intended audience, you won’t get your desired marketing outcome, which will negatively impact your campaign. But, if you get reach right, you’ll can accurately identify your customers and prospects and send them the right messages, in the right place and at the right time.
Hear from Sara Stevens, VP of product management at Epsilon-Conversant and an expert on identity resolution, on three critical areas to explore when evaluating identity vendors on reach.
Video transcript:
(Sara Stevens) Marketers start out with a seemingly simple goal: I want to reach real people with my marketing message.
Reach is one of the fundamental components of identity resolution. When evaluating reach capabilities with vendors, there are three areas to explore.
The first is how a vendor defines reach. If a series of cookies and devices are connected to a real person, the reach metrics can be drastically overstated. Weak signals may cause these touch points to be over-clustered and multiple people maybe considered one person. And some of these people could be out of target, which leads to waste.
The second is the concept of active reach. This means that of those that may be matched, the reach number quoted may not truly represent if they can be recognized right now online and delivered a message.
Finally, over time, how effectively can you reach the same people? Methods that really solely on cookies and device IDs as a proxy for people have weak persistence, because these elements can decay over time.
One of the biggest problems we see in the marketplace is that sometimes vendors report that they can reach more people than are in a given category. If there are only 20 million people in a given category, but a vendor says they can reach 30 million individuals, they're likely identifying people using cookies or devices.
Ultimately, you need to make sure you're reaching real people. Don't be afraid to challenge vendors to provide in-depth examples of their identity resolution methods.
---
## The Real Deal: Building persistent connections with real people
Type: eps_resource
URL: /the-real-deal-building-persistent-connections-with-real-people
Last Modified: 2025-07-18T18:33:22Z
# The Real Deal: Building persistent connections with real people
As a marketer, you typically don’t want to just talk to your customer once or twice. You want to have persistent, meaningful conversations with them every time you get the chance.
With accurate identity, it’s possible to have persistent conversations with the same customers for years, allowing you to build relationships with your customers over time.
In this video, our VP of product management and identity resolution expert, Sara Stevens, shares the importance of creating persistent connections with current and potential audience members over time.
---
## It's Personal: An article from Progressive Grocer
Type: eps_resource
URL: /its-personal
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# It's Personal: An article from Progressive Grocer
Consider taking these steps toward more customized digital marketing solutions in 2019.
By Randy Hofbauer
**This article first appeared in the March 2019 issue of Progressive Grocer. See the full issue here.
Today's brands exist in an age when every fan wishes to engage on a personal level — and the most beloved brands out there know how to do so. That reality is no different for grocers, which are expected to reach every customer by understanding needs and guiding each person along the path to purchase in the most friction-less way possible.
Some 90 percent of respondents to a 2017 survey said that they find personalization appealing, and 80 percent said that they would be more likely to do business with a company if it offers personalized experiences, according to "The Power of Me: The Impact of Personalization on Marketing Performance," a 2018 report from Irving, Texas-based digital marketing firm Epsilon. Moreover, consumers who believe personalized experiences are very appealing are 10 times more likely to be a brand's most valuable customer — those expected to make 15-plus transactions in one year. And those respondents who believe that companies are doing very well on offering personalized experiences shop more than three times more frequently.
The fact is, you can't be a truly progressive grocer today and not offer personalized marketing to your shoppers, and this is only going to become more pressing in the coming years.
To offer more personalized marketing, consider doing the following:
Unifying Data Across Disparate Systems
Understanding the shopper is a data-intensive process, and all too often, there are too many barriers to communication between the people managing shoppers' data, since it's siloed across online and offline systems, which are often managed by separate teams with separate priorities and KPIs.
"For example, at a large grocer, the loyalty team might be focused on in-store purchase behavior and loyalty-specific promotional tactics, while digital and ecommerce are focused solely on online purchases and digital marketing channels," says Waleed Ayoub, chief technology officer at Rubikloud, a Toronto-based provider of artificial intelligence software.
Having centralized data means that both teams can have a consolidated, full view of the shopper across all touchpoints — from in-store to online, or via mobile apps.
Emailing Personalized Offers
Grocers should be capitalizing on their regular emails sent to shoppers by leveraging loyalty and historical transactional data, and combining them with on-sale and recommended items based on that data that a shopper might purchase, advises Sylvain Perrier, president and CEO of Mercatus, a Toronto-based provider of platforms for grocery ecommerce. This strategy enables a grocer to slowly shift consumers toward new items and move them up in the category or laterally toward adjacent products.
Minneapolis-based Target Corp. does this, basing deals off past purchases, according to David Bishop, partner with Barrington, Ill.-based retail consultancy Brick Meets Click. Bishop notes that his household, which signed up to receive special deals, receives offers based on past purchases that his household members have made at the retailer — in their case, both online and in-store, and paid for through Target's Redcard loyalty program.
Additionally, grocers should leverage the same data on their ecommerce platforms, Perrier suggests.
"Combined with individual shoppers' preferences and recommended products that are tied to their lifestyles — vegan, kosher, heart-friendly, etc. — this speeds up discoverability for the shopper and enables a retailer to generate additional revenue," he observes.
Offering a Substitute
All too often when ordering online, shoppers don't have a real-time view of what's on shelf or in the fulfillment center, leader to orders of out-of-stock products.
Some grocers have a way to get around this, however, including Woodman's, a Janesville Wis.-based grocer that operates 16 independent grocery stores in Wisconsin and Illinois. The grocer's mobile app allows shoppers to identify whether they'll accept substitutes.
"While others will either notify the customer when this happens or confirm the substitution is acceptable with the customer is receiving the order, Woodman's gives the customer control in the app to identify exactly what items they deem as acceptable alternatives," Bishop points out.
This example isn't linked to a household's ID, but it's still a personalization tactic that, in the end, will help improve the shopper's experience.
Personalizing the At-Shelf Moment of Truth
Retailers are personalizing shelf tags and channel displays to provide product ingredient transparency, improve "findability," and communicate their commitment to helping shoppers make healthful choices for themselves and their families, says Rich Coleman, VP at Conversant, a Chicago-based provider of personalized digital marketing solutions. Grocers are doing this through feedback provided by shoppers and loyalty data.
"For example, Raley's recently revamped their entire private label lines by removing many ingredients that have been deemed harmful from their products, based on consumer feedback and the products most often purchased by their shoppers," Coleman notes. "They are also using their loyalty data to market specific health-and-wellness messages and products based on attributes through their email and direct mail campaigns."
Another example that Coleman points to is the Cincinnati-based grocery giant Kroger Co., which recently launched its electronic shelf technology in partnership with Microsoft. The innovation guides shoppers to products that fit their purchase profile — consumers can actually personalize the icon displayed on the shelf where the product is located.
"This is significant because, according to Forrester, 65 percent of surveyed consumers say their purchasing decisions are influenced by words and actions of a company's leaders, and 76 percent of surveyed consumers say they are attracted to organizations that are committed to using good-quality ingredients," he says. "Aligning marketing messages and merchandising, and ultimately the retailer's customer value proposition, to their customer's personal values and beliefs will create trust, loyalty and a differentiation from their competitors. This spells a growth in market share and maintaining sales and trips to the store."
Reminding Shoppers About Unfinished Purchases
All too often, we get distracted by a better deal or get cold feet at the last minute, causing us to abandon a site in the middle of building a cart — thus abandoning that cart. In fact, the average ecommerce store loses more than three-quarters of its sales to cart abandonment, according to New York-based data provider Statista.
If, as a grocer, you have this problem — and well as these shoppers' contact info on hand — you can reach out to them to remind them of their unfinished transactions, and even drive some additional sales in the process. Be honest and let them know whether a product in their cart is almost sold out. Or remind them that something in their cart is now — or still — on sale, but only for a limited time.
Pointing to Target again, Bishop notes something similar he experienced at the mass merchandiser, only instead of focusing on the cart, it involved an individual product he scanned via Target's mobile app to take advantage of any special deals.
"I scanned a bottle of Nature's Best Melatonin, but elected to buy another brand that was a better deal without scanning it with the app," he recounts. "Today, I received an email, asking if I still wanted the Nature's Best — and it offered a deal, e.g., 'Buy One and Get One 25 Percent Off.' Clearly, to me at least, their process didn't' analyze whether I purchased a different, but still similar type of product. However, I'm assuming that will be done in the near future."
Track Their Movements
This is arguably the most intrusive suggestion for personalizing shopper marketing, but it's also the one most in its infancy at the grocery level: eye tracking and sensor technology. As an example of this, David Rich, CEO of Chicago-based simulation software provider InContext Solutions, points to a test by Deerfield, Ill.-based drug store chain Walgreen Co.
"Walgreens recently piloted a technology at six of its stores that equip commercial refrigerators and freezers with cameras and eye-tracking technology," he notes. " As customers walk past the stores' glass beverage cases, the surface of the glass actually changes via an LED screen display to highlight a specific product in the case."
In this pilot — and for any grocer choosing to try something similar — the technology chooses which product to highlight based on a shopper's characteristics, such as age and gender. Walgreens even tested the ability to track emotional response to products, which the technology also picks up, for an even more personalized experience.
---
## The Real Deal: TV marketing: Driving optimal tune in
Type: eps_resource
URL: /the-real-deal-tv-marketing-driving-optimal-tune-in
Last Modified: 2025-07-18T18:34:06Z
# The Real Deal: TV marketing: Driving optimal tune in
TV has changed. People now bounce back and forth between linear TV streaming, on demand and DVR to watch their favorite shows.
This makes measuring the effectiveness of your tune-in programs increasingly difficult. To help understand what is and isn't working in tune-in marketing today, we analyzed all of our tune-in campaigns in the past three years and compiled the insights into a report, 5 ways to drive tune-in with digital marketing.
Here, our VP of product on our tune-in solution, Lori Kimpton, shares a few of the findings and context for what they mean for your marketing efforts.
Watch the video above and then download the report for all of the findings and strategy recommendations.
---
## Email for everyone: Accessibility and advocacy
Type: eps_resource
URL: /email-accessibility-webinar
Last Modified: 2025-07-18T18:34:56Z
# Email for everyone: Accessibility and advocacy
Accessibility is an important topic of discussion; and there’s a need for us to create content that is more accessible.
In this webinar, you'll learn:
What accessibility is
How accessibility impacts customer decisions
How assistive technology is used
How to comply with accessibility expectations
What myths and expectations hold us back
How to gain executive buy-in for accessibility efforts
---
## 5 building blocks of identity management
Type: eps_resource
URL: /identity-management-ebook
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T22:16:49Z
# 5 building blocks of identity management
Identity management is all about knowing who your customers are, recognizing them across their devices and tailoring every message based on what they need and want.
This guide will challenge you to take a new path, one that leads to measurable business outcomes.
Download the guide to learn about:
The true currency of marketing: Identity, not attention
The key challenges around identity resolution
The 5 pillars of an effective identity resolution framework: Recognition, Reach, Accuracy, Persistence and Privacy
---
## Forrester: Lack of C-level buy-in adds to marketers' identity issues
Type: eps_resource
URL: /forrester-c-level-buy-in-adds-to-marketer-identity-problems
Last Modified: 2025-07-18T18:35:43Z
# Forrester: Lack of C-level buy-in adds to marketers' identity issues
Identity management is an enterprise-wide priority, but what happens if there is a disconnect across the organization?
In a study on identity resolution from Forrester Consulting commissioned by Epsilon-Conversant, Forrester found that C-suite executives were 25 percentage points more likely to be “very confident” in the completeness and accuracy of their identify programs over their director-level counterparts. This shows a lack of organizational alignment on identity resolution and an overall disconnect between organization leaders and their teams actually doing the work.
Hear more from featured speaker, Joe Stanhope, VP and principal analyst at Forrester, on this finding from the research in the above video.
Download the full research: Is your identity program built on a house of cards?
---
## Market across the financial lifecycle
Type: eps_resource
URL: /market-across-the-financial-lifecycle
Last Modified: 2025-07-18T18:36:48Z
# Market across the financial lifecycle
How can financial brands compete with some of the most advanced brands today? By focusing on building lifetime loyalty with the right customers. Instead of focusing on spray-and-pray digital marketing, financial marketers need to shift your digital strategy to focus on managing the full financial lifecycle for existing and potential customers.
Want to learn more about building better customer experiences?Download this guide to learn how to bring current and new customers through each stage of the financial lifecycle.
---
## The Real Deal: Email Marketing Deliverability
Type: eps_resource
URL: /the-real-deal-email-marketing-deliverability
Last Modified: 2025-07-18T18:39:31Z
# The Real Deal: Email Marketing Deliverability
Critical factors such as list hygiene and health, engagement, frequency and cadence, and relative engagement are all key contributors to your reputation as an email sender and ultimately determine your ability to deliver your messages in the inbox of your intended audience.
Have you entrusted your email marketing to an Email Service Provider that understands just how vital deliverability is?
In this 3 minute video, Kara Trivunovic, our SVP of Digital Solutions, shares what you need to know about deliverability success.
---
## How travel brands can adapt messaging in the current moment
Type: eps_resource
URL: /insights-shared-from-our-travel-experts
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T22:17:52Z
# How travel brands can adapt messaging in the current moment
In this time of uncertainty with the travel restrictions in place, marketers are taking a step back and re-evaluating their plans, programs and so on. The focus has shifted from promotional communications to how can I best engage with my customer, in this current moment. Nothing matters more right now than relationships.
Consumers will travel again and the interactions they have with brands today, will determine who they choose to travel with in the future. Watch our video to learn more.
Transcript
JASON SIMON: Hi, welcome to Epsilon from Home. I'm Jason Simon, senior vice president of sales inside of the travel and hospitality practice. Very excited to have everybody aboard today. I'm joined by two very excellent colleagues and professionals in our marketplace. First, I want to introduce Bob Brown. Bob comes from Brown Analytics Advisory Group. Bob, you want to say hello and introduce yourself?
BOB BROWN: Hi, everybody, thanks for listening today. As Jason mentioned, I'm founder of Brown Analytics Advisory Group, and prior to that I spent about 12 years on the client side in the travel and hospitality industry with Vail Resorts and Caesars Entertainment.
SIMON: Cool. And Rob Cosentino, who is the senior vice president of strategy and insights for our travel and hospitality practice here at Epsilon. Hey, Rob, how are you doing?
ROB COSENTINO: Doing well, thanks for having me. Excited to be here with both Jason and Bob. I've got about 20 years of core consulting experience, which to me is a lot of fun. I've spent my entire career solving problems for clients, so it's sort of one puzzle after another. And I'm looking forward to joining this series. Thank you.
SIMON: And every once in a while creating problems for clients, too.
COSENTINO: Yeah. That's the whole trick to consulting. You gotta create more problems than you solve.
SIMON: Right. Don't tell anybody that. So, guys, before we get into some of the content that we're going to talk about today, we all work in the travel sector and so, right now obviously things are a little bit challenged. But I thought it would be fun to start off and maybe share with each other some pictures and favorite memories that you have of some vacation or destination that you went to. So, Bob, why don't we start with you out there in Colorado.
BROWN: Yeah. I last year at this time was planning an Alaska vacation. [Holds up photo of dog sled team.] Got a good shot there of the family doing a dog sledding trip on a glacier in Alaska. That was near Denali National Park. That was our great vacation last summer, and this summer we were looking to head to Hawaii. So, obviously that's a little bit on hold, but starting to think about what we want to do there and having lots of thoughts and dreams about it.
SIMON: Like a lot of people. Cool location, too. Rob, anything with you?
COSENTINO: Yeah, I'm probably the only American that's gone to the country of Montenegro on three separate occasions. It's absolutely phenomenal. I think it's been more discovered more recently, but it's sort of a phenomenal country. I think this year, from a planning standpoint—I think all of us in the travel industry are experiencing this—we've got a pretty big trip planned in Europe. I'm actually planning on buying a car and sort of driving it across the continent before having it shipped back. So those are the plans for this fall. And I think like a lot of people, I still haven't stopped dreaming about it, I'm still doing all the trip planning. So it's going to happen; it's just a matter of when.
SIMON: And I bet we can talk about it later, but I know what manufacturer you found that car from.
COSENTINO: Yes, absolutely.
SIMON: Absolutely. So, for me, it was a trip that I took with my family to Costa Rica several years ago, which is just an awesome country. [Holds up photo of himself holding a fish.] It's sort of like before all the tourism thing gets going. And, I call it a fish—a mahi-mahi. And my children were with me, and they still tell me to this day that despite their being born and my getting married, they think this was the greatest day of my life with that fish. And they will tell you about how I walked around with a smile on my face for the rest of the trip. So, it's good. It's good to talk about that aspirational stuff, because a lot of our clients and people we work with in this industry obviously sell vacations. They sell travel, they sell all these components of what people are going to do with their recreational money, as well as obviously the business spending. So, you know, it kind of leads to an interesting question, as most of our industry isn't cruising really is implying hotels aren't very cool right now. You know, it leads me to think about, what should we be doing? What should we be talking to our customers about?
COSENTINO: I can pick that one up first. I mean, I think we relate it to our own stories, right? Like, we haven't stopped dreaming. We're still dreaming; it's just that we're not quite sure when we're going to hit the road again. And I think more than anything else, this is the time not to be sending a whole bunch of transactional promotional material. This is the time to sort of keep that dream of travel alive. It's probably the best opportunity in the last 20 years for clients and brands in this space to really focus on that engagement or emotional-related communications with their customers and their members.
SIMON: Yeah, I totally agree with that.
BROWN: You know, nothing matters more right now than relationships. And we're seeing that in our personal lives, as connections are being formed and reformed as people are locked away in their homes. There are so many Zoom conferences and video chats, and things going on personally. And I think for travel companies, you should always be pushing for that relationship side and the emotional connection with customers. But now more than ever, that's the escape from reality. That's the refresh, that's the renewal that people are looking forward to. And so, I think in a lot of ways, it's a great time to connect with customers on that emotional level. And there aren't transactions happening, so you don't need to push for those.
SIMON: Yeah, and I know the three of us were talking about this the other day: There's rarely a time where an industry, let alone a business, can put their foot on the brake and assess what they're doing, who they're communicating with. Kind of a funny—and maybe not appropriate—analogy is that I've been cleaning out the pantries and the junk drawers in my house and finding all kinds of things. I found a Blockbuster coupon from 2010—great deal, not happening. And so, there's a lot of things in those closets. And with what you said, Bob, it makes me think about how you said people aren't transacting right now, but there's always been a rhythm to how marketers are communicating with their audiences in our sector. And maybe this is a time to think about that a little differently.
BROWN: I've got Eminem's "Cleanin' Out My Closet" going through my head right now, so thanks for that. But, what gets in our way so much as travel marketers—and this was certainly my experience, and I'm sure many of the folks watching this—really, two things stop you from being creative and rethinking how you're approaching your communication with customers. One of those is not enough time, because you're caught up in supporting the day-to-day operations, and there's so much that happens to just keep the ship afloat, keep the lights on, keep that constant communication with guests and pushing for those transactions. And then the other side of it is a fear of lost revenue. We all have programs that we're attached to because we're afraid to let them go. And I think this is a great time when those things that you know haven't really been working but you've been afraid to pull off of because of the revenue that's associated. You know, you don't have people booking, or your booking volumes are way down at the moment. And then teams don't have as much of that day-to-day. So, for a lot of organizations, I think this is a great opportunity to take a bit of a fresh-start look at and more design that journey-based approach to customer communications that you've been wanting to do.
COSENTINO: Yeah, it's interesting. You know, being on the vendor, or the partner, or the consulting side, it's interesting what you said, Bob. We'd go into situations all the time and usually ask the question, "What's going out the door today?" And everyone thinks they understand how they're engaging or touching customers. But what happens is you start asking enough people, and you find out that nobody's got that total view. There's one great example where they thought there were roughly 100 campaigns or programs going out the door. In the end, it turned out there were like 263. So this stuff accumulates like the pantry over time. And I think you're right, Bob: People are just afraid of lost revenue. And right now, revenue's flat. So it's the best time to clean out all of that stuff, especially things that are much more transactional in nature. There's too much of that going out the door, and customers aren't ready to transact. So, it's time to clean house.
SIMON: Yeah, and I don't even know, Rob, if it's so much about the idea that with these programs, people are afraid to turn off the revenue. But I also think—in my experience running through the vertical for all these years—that maybe a new person came in, and the program's always been running, and it just sort of becomes part of the "furniture," if you will, in the department. And that sort of leads to this idea that we can't turn it off, because it must mean something.
COSENTINO: Yeah, I agree. And there's also too much doubt and too many KPIs out there, right? Listen, there's enough data that you can rationalize whatever goes out the door. But I think mostly what happens is people are looking at pretty tactical data usually at some sort of channel campaign or episodic level. I think if you start looking at data in terms of how you're actually moving the needle at an audience level as they interact across marketing and advertising, I think that's the best way to determine what should stay and what should go.
BROWN: I guess what I've seen and experienced is that there's so much of a focus on that bottom of funnel, the conversion. And to your point, Rob, on the KPIs and the metrics, when we're looking at revenue attribution and especially last-click attribution, those are all pointing towards the transactional communication. And so we get caught up in that cycle. But I think it is, again, back to where we are today: Transactions aren't happening, so transactional communication isn't. So, you know, thinking about the long-term relationship and how do you build that.
SIMON: Yeah, I mean it makes a lot of sense. And I also think that the recipients of the marketing are probably attuned a little bit right now to the type of content they're getting relative to what they're seeing around them in the real world. We're all from home right now, we're working in a really unique environment—and so are the customers, or the clients, or the travelers, or the guests. And so, not only are they not going out and using the travel apparatus, but they're probably not thinking about it too much. So, talking to them in a certain way is probably a little bit of an opportunity here to think differently about what people are doing versus those types of programs that have been sort of episodic or rhythmic in their approach.
BROWN: Yeah. Rob, I'm curious how you think about the transition back. If you think back to where we started two to four weeks ago when it was crisis communications to where we are right now to some TBD point down the road when things are open again and we're out of this. How do you think of a travel marketing team evolving through that communication from a strategy standpoint?
COSENTINO: Yeah, it's interesting. I think there's probably two things. I think the first thing we have to recognize is that there's no one day, right? There's no "day one." I mean, everyone's going to be on their own schedule to get back. And so, you can look at things like when shelter-in-place might lift or when people start flying again, but everyone's going to be on their own schedules. I think the best thing marketers can do is try to pick up data signals to determine when people start to exhibit intent again, because some people might get back on the road like us—from a business standpoint—possibly late summer. But a lot of people from a leisure standpoint may not want to go out until October, November, December. So, I think timing's everything.
SIMON: And there's probably going to have to be communication around the safety of their properties or their ships or their airplanes. To me, that's going to go a long way to generating some of that competence back to that sector of traveler who, like you and I and Bob, are going to probably jump on the planes pretty quick when it's OK. But I think there's going to be an audience out there that is going to want to be reassured. And the brands have an opportunity now to connect a little bit more emotionally with their databases than they do right now, which may be more transactional, to your point, Bob.
COSENTINO: Yeah. I also wonder, Bob, question for you: You came from a business that at times is very seasonal, right? So you essentially had a plan for the high season and a plan for engagement during the low season. And that's essentially what we're experiencing right now—just not within a specific subsector of travel, but across the board. So, what were some of the things you guys did from a low season standpoint to keep folks engaged?
BROWN: Yeah, I mean it goes back to what we were talking about earlier. It's the relationship. During a low season or during this period right now for everyone, you're not going to drive those transactions. So, how do you get somebody in the summertime to think about a ski vacation or in the wintertime to think about, you know, their beach vacation, even while they're not ready to book it or plan it? And I think it goes to what you were talking about, too, with data and recognizing at an individual level, what is my booking time frame? Do I usually go six months out, or is it two months or four weeks out? And talking to me about that, the correct content during that time when I'm in that mindset. And I think the smarter organizations can be about this, the better they're going to come out of it. It's an interesting time as we start to open the doors and travel again. I think there's going to be a lot of loyalty up for grabs. It's going to be a different market dynamic, and there's going to be a lot of pent-up demand to capture, and I think that the organization that can really resonate with people and connect with them based on where they are at that point in time is really going to reap the rewards of it.
COSENTINO: Yeah, I agree. One of the most important tools at the moment right now, if you think about it, is essentially TripIt. But TripIt is great functionality wise, but it's not great form wise. I would actually love to see some of the big travel brands help me with my travel planning in a very content-rich way today. So essentially, help me keep the dream alive or the big trip that I want to take this fall. But don't do it from a logistics TripIt standpoint. Do it from a very content-rich, experiences standpoint.
BROWN: Yeah. And I've seen some great examples of the content that's streaming from some different travel companies. What I'm still longing for is more of a personalized approach to content. You know, I'm here with a 10-year-old and a 12-year-old kid that are being sort of homeschooled a bit by me while they're mostly just on their own getting into God knows what; my travel patterns are this; this is what I liked to do in the past; this is where I am; this is how I might be affected by this economically. I think there's a lot of data that's out there and available where this can start to evolve to a bit more of personalized content. Speak to me, the experiences I've had with your brand in the past, not just what you offer more broadly. And I'd love to see some travel companies start to make that transition now.
SIMON: Yeah, this is great. I think this is a really important topic, and it gets back to where we started with this whole idea of, you know, go in and clean that marketing pantry out. Rethink what you're seeing. There might be programs in there that you've been running that aren't necessarily going to either a) resonate or b) not be that effective in terms of what they've been probably doing for you historically. And now, because everybody's in the same challenge, it's not necessarily that because you're doing this that you're going to fall behind in terms of getting your ship in order. So, really good content today to kick us off with this Epsilon from Home. A couple of things before we move on today. First of all, you guys talked a little bit earlier about places you've been, but plans for when this is over?
BROWN: I want to get a haircut.
SIMON: Yeah, totally. I threatened my kid today with the razor, you know, the shears. We'll go crew cuts.
BROWN: Beyond that, like I mentioned earlier, looking forward to planning that Hawaii trip. I'm anxious to get to Las Vegas; I'm past due for a Vegas trip. Standing around the craps table probably isn't a great idea right now, but I can't wait for the time when I can.
COSENTINO: And from my standpoint, I think we're all experiencing this right now: I think we always travel. Every year we go somewhere, but I think this year it's got even more meaning. And I think that's for everybody, right? Everyone's having a tough year for one reason or another. And so I think when we do travel this year and we go to Western Europe, it's going to have a lot more meaning. I think it's going to be less about checking the boxes and more about appreciating the fact that we got through this year. And I think all travelers are going to experience that. And I think brands really need to touch on that when they communicate.
SIMON: I agree. For me, it's been a rough year, and I think it'll be great to just go to some island and relax for a week. Something like Aruba, or some type of place where there's no worries—something to just chill out with. So, really great initial conversation from home. We're going to continue to do these. As you guys know, there's so much to talk about: martech stacks, data insights, digital signals, lots of things out there to come for everyone that's touching the digital or online marketing channels for travel and hospitality. This Epsilon from Home series and video set is going to ultimately be a great place for us to have conversations, interactive conversations with people, and really drive strong discussions in our space about what we do moving forward. We can't do much about what happened yesterday, but we can certainly think about tomorrow.
BROWN: I'll add a thanks to everybody who watched this today and also encourage you to share your comments, your feedback, open the discussion up on the topics we talked about today and then share anything you'd like to hear.
COSENTINO: Yeah, same thing. We'd love to hear what you guys want to hear about. So, get the topics in and we'll send around those topics and it'll be a lot of fun for us. Thank you.
SIMON: Absolutely. And, thanks again and we'll see you soon. And, like I've always said: We're going to fly again, we're going to cruise again and we're going to stay in hotels again. It's all going to happen. So, thanks for joining us.
---
## The cookie crumbles: People-based profiles vs. cookie-based solutions
Type: eps_resource
URL: /people-based-profiles-vs.-cookie-based-solutions
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# The cookie crumbles: People-based profiles vs. cookie-based solutions
How would you feel if your diet consisted of only cookies? Sick to your stomach.
Well, that's how people feel when you only use cookie data to build your ads.
Many digital marketing solutions are based on perishable cookie data that crumbles quickly. But if you use extensive person-level profiles instead, you'll keep your messaging fresh and extend your shelf life by years.
Check out this infographic to see the difference while following Jane along her customer journey.
---
## How to build trust with your customers today and in the future
Type: eps_resource
URL: /build-trust-with-customers-today-and-in-the-future
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T22:16:49Z
# How to build trust with your customers today and in the future
It’s now more important than ever to be build trust with your customers. And the messaging you create to communicate with them that’s based on past memories and experiences is what’s going to garner engagement today, and in the future.
So think beyond the transactional nature of your campaigns and use the concept of identity to further your ability to connect with your customers. Watch our video to learn more.
---
## Email trends guide: Interactive content
Type: eps_resource
URL: /email-2020-trends-guide-interactive-content
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T22:17:52Z
# Email trends guide: Interactive content
Pioneering email marketers are using interactive methods such as kinetic techniques, agile content and AMP experiences to make their messages personal, engaging and fun. The result: increases in customer engagement up to 40%.
This guide shares insights that will help you:
• Understand common types of interactive email
• Recognize the challenges and overcome the intimidation factor associated with interactive email content
• Dive into performance metrics and best-in-class examples
• Plan actionable steps to get started with interactive content
• Begin to achieve 1:1 personalization at scale
---
## How presidential elections impact consumer spending
Type: eps_resource
URL: /how-presidential-elections-impact-consumer-spending
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T22:17:52Z
# How presidential elections impact consumer spending
With the upcoming presidential election in November, it’s important for marketers to understand consumer behavior so they can plan their marketing campaigns and programs accordingly. There’s so much distraction for consumers during the election and the advertising marketplace is cluttered with political ads, so the typical business advertisement doesn’t get as much ‘air time’ making it more difficult for brands to connect with and reach consumers.
Here we share: how to develop an effective direct marketing strategy to make sure you have ‘the right’ plan in place, when consumers will be the most attentive to your holiday marketing campaigns and how to effectively plan for the timing, and the role of digital and how to balance your direct marketing strategy with email, mobile and beyond.
---
## Let's talk loyalty podcast
Type: eps_resource
URL: /lets-talk-loyalty-podcast
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Let's talk loyalty podcast
In this episode of Let's Talk Loyalty, Paula Thomas interviews Epsilon's Joseph Taylor, Vice President of International Operations, who shares his insights on key opportunities for loyalty program managers around the world.
With a background running customer programs and platforms for leading brands like Adidas and Nokia, Joseph explains how to manage complex global data privacy requirements, program design evolution and even the sensitive but important area of managing program liability in the current challenging climate of COVID-19.
They discuss how loyalty programs are becoming an even more critical tool for brands to build trust and relationships - beyond just transactions and rewards.
With fascinating insights on loyalty preferences around the world, Joseph shares his experience how members have vastly different expectations of brands and their loyalty programs in countries such as China, Japan and France. A truly global perspective with plenty of ideas for program managers worldwide.
---
## Forrester: Why retailers struggle with identity management
Type: eps_resource
URL: /forrester-study-why-retailers-struggle-with-identity-management
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T22:17:52Z
# Forrester: Why retailers struggle with identity management
In order for retail brands to understand and react to what customers want, they need an identity management program that recognizes each person across every interaction with their brand.
But this research from Forrester Consulting commissioned by Epsilon shows that fewer than half of retailers can do it.
Learn what’s stopping retailers from truly knowing each customer—and how they can improve. In this infographic, you will gain a better understanding of:
Why retailers struggle with identity resolution
What retailers risk from an ineffective identity resolution program
The benefits of getting identity resolution right
And if you're interested in learning more about identity resolution's impact across industries, check out the full Forrester study.
---
## Forrester: Raise the bar for your identity programs
Type: eps_resource
URL: /forrester-raise-the-bar-for-your-identity-programs
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Forrester: Raise the bar for your identity programs
Identity management is a big concept; how can brands actually improve their customer understanding, within and outside their organization?
In a study on identity resolution from Forrester Consulting commissioned by Epsilon, Forrester found that many identity programs today are underperforming, due to factors like a lack of executive buy-in, organizational challenges, and an inability to tie identity programs back to marketing objectives and performance.
To address these challenges, Forrester's Joe Stanhope walks through several crucial recommendations for marketers who want to make the most of their identity programs.
---
## How to improve digital messaging during this ‘new normal’
Type: eps_resource
URL: /how-to-improve-digital-messaging-during-new-normal
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# How to improve digital messaging during this ‘new normal’
Brands are continuing to achieve success with their digital messaging strategy during this time of disruption, and email is an effective channel. In fact, from our research, we learned that 1 in 3 consumers across the generations would like to receive promotional related emails from travel brands. Email creates an opportunity for brands to have a cohesive conversation with consumers, and one that’s relevant to their specific interests.
Join the Epsilon team as they explore what marketers need to be thinking about to further advance their email strategy including why email should not be viewed as episodic, the importance of measurement, how to create the best inbox experience for your guests and more.
---
## Forrester: Why financial services brands struggle with identity resolution
Type: eps_resource
URL: /forrester-why-financial-services-struggle-with-identity-resolution
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Forrester: Why financial services brands struggle with identity resolution
Financial services want to deliver better customer experiences. However, only 40% of brands are confident that their customer profiles are complete and accurate. How can financial brands improve the customer experience if they don't truly know their customers?
In this research from Forrester Consulting commissioned by Epsilon, you will learn what’s stopping financial services brands from understanding each customer—and how they can improve. In this infographic, you will gain a better understanding of:
Why financial services brands are not seeing results from their identity programs
What financial services risk when they undervalue identity programs
The benefits of getting identity resolution right
And if you're interested in learning more about identity resolution's impact across industries, check out the full Forrester study.
---
## Business (Un)Usual: Get interactive with email to engage
Type: eps_resource
URL: /business-unusual-get-interactive-with-email-to-engage
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Business (Un)Usual: Get interactive with email to engage
During the COVID-19 crisis, more emails have been delivered, according to Epsilon PeopleCloud Messaging statistics. And, we're seeing that the volume send-to-open ratio increased 22% from February to March and April (23% to 28%). With the influx of email communications, it's crucial to consider how yours can stand out from the crowd and drive customer engagement.
Epsilon has seen live time-of-open content increase email engagement by as much as 40%, and according to DemandGen, 91% of B2B buyers prefer to consume interactive and visual content. Martech Advisor reports that “interactive email content increases the click-to-open rate by 73% and adding videos to email can boost click rates up to 300%.”
Watch the video to hear from our Messaging experts on how brands are enhancing their email communications with interactive elements to best connect with customers during this unprecedented time.
Read more: Email 2020 trends guide: Interactive content
---
## Forrester: Why travel brands struggle with identity management
Type: eps_resource
URL: /why-travel-brands-struggle-with-identity-management
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Forrester: Why travel brands struggle with identity management
Our research found that 1 in 3 consumers across the generations would like to receive promotional related emails from travel brands. But can travel brands identify the right people to message?
In this infographic, we highlight some of the findings from our commissioned research with Forrester surrounding travel brands' struggle with identity management. You will learn:
Travel brands top business objectives for the year.
How those goals are hindered by a poor identity management solution.
What travel brands risk when their identity solution is lacking.
The benefits of a strong identity solution.
---
## CORE magazine, Issue One
Type: eps_resource
URL: /core-magazine-issue-1
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T22:22:35Z
# CORE magazine, Issue One
Amid a marketing landscape that is more unpredictable than ever, CORE is a new digital magazine for marketers challenging the possibilities within their marketing.
Key topics in issue one include:
The strengths and weaknesses of walled gardens in understanding the full consumer journey from brand, agency and martech perspectives
Marketing experts weigh in on what consumer habits will disappear and what’s here to stay post-COVID
How marketers can break free from email’s transactional roots in a Q&A with Forrester's Shar VanBoskirk
Download CORE today for conversations that carve the path forward.
---
## Email trends guide: Renaissance
Type: eps_resource
URL: /email-2020-trends-guide-renaissance
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T22:17:52Z
# Email trends guide: Renaissance
In this guide, we'll cover:
The role email played during brands' initial response phase
How the pandemic changed the way marketers view email and our new normal
Recommendations for how to use email through the phases of recovery, rebuilding and renaissance—with the ultimate goal of helping your brand thrive again
---
## Let's talk loyalty: Exploring gamification with Dell
Type: eps_resource
URL: /lets-talk-loyalty-exploring-gamification-with-dell-podcast
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Let's talk loyalty: Exploring gamification with Dell
In this podcast episode of Let's Talk Loyalty, Paula Thomas interviews our client, Mitch Kennedy, the GlobalLoyalty Strategy Lead at Dell. We all know Dell as one of the world’s best known computer companies, and Dell looks to the future as "powering the next technological revolution."
With a laser focus on driving clear and measurable business outcomes, Mitch discusses with Paula his key insights on the impact of transactional rewards, the power of gamification, understanding the importance of human psychology, as well as the increasing importance of the Advantage Rewards program and loyalty initiatives in Dell worldwide.
Transcript
Epsilon's PeopleCloud Loyalty is a market leading end to end solution. And it is in fact, the only company that has been named a leader in both the loyalty technology platforms and the loyalty services providers, Forrester waves in 2019. As you can imagine, I'm delighted to be working with Epsilon and creating awareness of their people cloud loyalty solution. So if you want more information, visit their epsilon.com forward slash let's talk loyalty, or drop me an email, and I'll put you in touch that website again is emea.epsilon.com forward slash let's talk loyalty.
Now let's get on with the interview.
So welcome...To the latest episode of let's talk loyalty. And before I get into introducing my guest today, I first of all, wanted to celebrate a mini milestone in that I've been able to get out of lockdown and get into my professional recording studio. So for the first time in three months, it's fantastic not to be just working from home and to be back in a professional environment, obviously with mask in hand. But I have to say it feels really good to have a sense of normality. And the other thing I wanted to say is just a huge thanks to my friends and Epsilon who introduced me to the fantastic guy.
We're going to have a conversation with today. And I think all of you probably appreciate the amount of time and effort. It takes really just to get somebody of this caliber on a call and particularly from a global brand and one that you all know and love. So without further ado, I am going to welcome Mitch Kennedy, who is the global loyalty strategy lead for Dell based in Austin, Texas to let's talk loyalty. Thanks for the invite. I appreciate it. Great to have you here, Mitch. And I know you've been off on leave, so it's probably crazy busy on your end, but I'm, I'm super happy to get into your calendar before anything else does it's adjustment coming.
Back from having taken a week off that just mentally get yourself to reengage and yeah.
Don't open the email for awhile. I think that's my advice. Great stuff. So Mitch listen, and there's so many fantastic subjects we've talked about before offline, and you're doing some amazing work there with, and the Dell advantage loyalty program. And, but before we get into all of your kind of career background and some of your favorite loyalty topics, I just, first of all, wanted to start with my usual question, which is what is your favorite loyalty status?
You know, it's funny, the, and this is an old statistic and it's not one of like sort of earth shattering insider revelation, but I always come back to the idea and like I said, the statistic is old, but I read a number of years ago that in the US the average person is a member of 18 loyalty programs and engaged in one. And I always try to keep that in mind, because it's very easy, particularly in a larger organization, when you have people trying to sort of push down KPIs on you and membership is one of them.
And I always have to sort of use that statistic. It's like the one that I throw out all the time to say, listen, membership is in the KPI. I don't really care how big the program is that doesn't speak to efficacy. I could streamline membership. If you, if you want to pay me a bonus on how many members I have, I'll be a rich man. Right. I can write, I can make that work, but that doesn't mean that I'm driving positive outcomes.
Sure, brilliant. Well, my God, 18 to one, and I know they they're very around the world, Mitch, but certainly, you know, I know how few loyalty programs I engage with, and this is our profession. So you're absolutely right. We often sign up and we don't, we don't bother after that. So did the top job (or doing).
Right. And I always think it's interesting too. And I'm not, I'm curious if you and the people listening are the same way when you're in a store and they asked you, do you, do you want to join the loyalty program? Someone who actually manages loyalty programs? Yeah. If I sign up, it's out of curiosity, but for the most part, I'm like, no.
You know, I see it as a direct challenge, Mitch. So I use that particular question to test whether they've executed well. So whether they've trained their staff. So, so I'm a nightmare customer. If you want to ask me to join your loyalty program, I'm going to ask why, and I'm really going to dig into, can they articulate that? Because again, there's no point building a loyalty program if they're not passionate about it at the point of sale. So yeah. I'm a tough customer.
Yeah, exactly. I was at a store yesterday, actually, and I had a very unique experience where as I was checking out, it came up on the screen to join the loyalty program. And the person checking me out told me to click now. Yeah. They just said, Oh, you know, cause you know, you go through the screens and then the other person was like, check.
Oh no.
Yeah, exactly. Like you guys have gotten off the rails somewhere here. I don't think that was the preferred customer experience.
Oh no, my God. That's hilarious. Well, hopefully nobody does that with the Tel program.
It just goes to show too, when you have a retail outlet at the end of the, you know, you can sit back and have all of these very imaginative, very innovative processes. But at the end of that, that trail is going to be an employee that probably didn't care all that much. And so to take that new account.
Yeah. Brilliant. Brilliant. So I'd love to get a sense of your program. First of all, Mitch and I know you've done, I think it's over five years now in a number of roles with Dell am and the advantage program. I didn't know a lot about actually, it's not M a program I'd seen in my home country of Ireland. For example, I don't think it's live here in the UAE, but obviously it's a massive program in the U S Canada, I think Brazil and lots of other countries around the world. So tell us exactly about the program.
Well, it does, from a loyalty perspective, Dell is sort of a unique entity in that we have a, a really kind of long purchase cycle. And, and so the Dell advantage program, it has evolved quite a bit over the last number of years. And it's about to evolve a great deal more as it's currently constructed, it's basically a transactional rewards program. We, we pay out transactional rewards at sets amounts based on revenue generated from select customer groups.
The outcome of that, you know, the objectives as currently constructed are pretty straight forward, right? We're looking to drive a transaction velocity, maintain some level of engagement in between large purchases and, and get loyalty outcomes, basically out of that very narrow sort of defined program benefits. We're evolving that to a much more nuanced, much more expanded program.
That's, that's more focused on the customer experience, but it's currently constructed. It's a very transactional program now to be fair, it does that effectively, right? Like I'm not on yeah. Not discounting the impact of that, but realistically, right now, as, as we're currently constructed, we're buying transactions, we're doing that thoughtfully and selectively, but at the end of the day, that's what we're doing. Okay.
And it is a consumer program and a small business program. Am I right?
Correct. Correct. Currently active in us, Canada, Brazil, UK. Okay, fantastic. We have them, we have some like mini programs in other markets that I'm using to test some new concepts or I'm about to use it to test new concepts, wonderful stuff.
Okay. Well, we'll definitely get in. I think we, we discussed, I think we're both mutually fascinated by the concept of gamification. And as you said, transactional programs, they have a logic, they have a function, they definitely drive some behavior. And, but I think as the world evolves, there's definitely a need to be more engaging. So are you at the early stages of that? Or, or where are you at.
Very early stages, but we have a sort of organizational commitment to walk that path. And given that's a Testament to Dell in that given Dell size and complexity of the business, that's not an easy path to walk right there. You're committing to some level of pain in the short term to make that, that level of change. And one of the things I like about Dallas is organizationally I've, I've seen a lot of courage.
You can be, you know, I come from sort of an entrepreneurial background and I was really worried about working for a large company. Cause I was afraid that I couldn't be innovative. And what I've been pleasantly surprised by was still sort of willingness to take a unique look at something. I mean, to sit in a meeting and have, and to be able to say, I don't know that we're asking the right question and to have people stop and go, okay, well, let's talk about that. What, what is the right question?
And, and to me, that's where innovation comes from is the ability to step back and redefine the question. And Dell has an organizational willingness to do that, that I found very surprising. And that for me, that makes it very exciting because I can be innovative at scale though. I was laughing the other day. I said, when I sold Dell on the idea of, of making some pretty dramatic changes, having a point of view is all well and good until tell them a hundred billion company goes, okay, let's do it.
Then you're like two guys talking here. I'm not willing to go that far. I mean, I'm not saying I'm right. I just it's. So it's exciting times where we're in the process of sort of re-imagining ourselves.
It takes a lot of courage as well for you Mitch, even to take that approach because as you said, you know, the, you know, the whole thing, you know, it can go, you know, lots of different ways. There's lots of unforeseeable factors. I know you're a very curious man. And you've told me, you read a lot and, and there's, there's some amazing concepts out there, which I know you're just dying to try.
Yeah. You know, my, my wife had argued that on, on often wrong, but never uncertain. And so yeah, I have a willingness to say, actually, you know, it's funny. I think there's, there's a, loyalty's an interesting thing to me and that there's been a lot of very smart people that have done a great deal of research. And so there's a lot of knowledge. There's a great deal of a knowledge base out there that you can tap into. I would argue that, that my, my skill set is just basically a willingness to, to comb through that find something that resonates with me and having willingness to apply.
Some of that comes from, from an entrepreneurial background, you know, to get, to get clients. Basically you had to be willing to propose a course of action that wasn't apples to apples. I always laughed, you know, no one got fired for hiring IBM. They hired Joe blow and his Merry band of, of consultants, you know, from some, no name agency they could get fired. And so that sort of work.
And Dell hard, Mitch Kennedy well done Dell.
Yeah. It was funny, you know, I, I started to dial and I was just doing analytics and so sort of an interesting experience to, to sit down and, and, you know, they, they, my first day they gave me this, these, all these dashboards and it was very interesting. And then I'm like, these aren't the right questions. Like, you're not, you're not looking at the right data here, you know, like, what are your, what are the objectives here? What are you, what are you trying to accomplish?
And then let's talk about whether there's a path to get there. And so pretty quickly I think I sort of migrated out of that role, but yeah, it was interesting, you know, I was the first big boy company I worked for where, you know.
Where you were led to have a, an entrepreneurial mindset, because I know that's where you came from, tell us exactly, you know, the kind of background. It was much more startup land, wasn't it? In terms of your career?
Oh yeah, no. Yeah, actually it was interesting, you know, my, my first foray in anything similar, close to loyalty, I had started a yield management company in the travel industry, specifically golf. And, but we, we envisioned ourselves as a software company and we had to make a pretty rapid transition when we ran out of money. And we had the choice between having to go home and tell our wives that, Hey, we want to come make the house payment or find a new way to do this.
And what we figured out was that no one really knew how to use this great software. And so we flipped it on its head and turned it into basically a, we will use the software in your behalf. And, and as little as we knew, we'd seem to know more than anybody else. And that was, that was disturbing on one level and an opportunity on another. And so that's sort of what opened it up to sort of number based efforts to, to drive loyalty outcomes.
You know, how do I drive freak? And I didn't, I didn't recognize it as loyalty at the time I just do now do looking back, how do I drive frequency? How do I drive sort of engagement with my clients and all of that.
Wonderful. And I used to work in the airline industry actually Mitch many years ago. And I always said, it's the yield management guys have all the power.
Yeah. You know, what was funny? We did, we were so wrong about so many things. And, but it was funny because you, you, if there's great outcomes in being wrong, sometimes what we found was that we could not get somebody to spend more money on, on golf. We could just shape where they spent it. And I can remember talking to I'm the one that did all the business development.
And so I, I remember talking to the guy and he was like, Oh my gosh, that's extortion. And I was like, no, no, it's not. And then, then I remember getting in my car going, I mean, like who owns the customer, owns a great deal. And, and by applying sort of best practices from a loyalty and engagement perspective, you own the customer. And that, that was sort of the objective. And that kind of opened my eyes to that. And then once I moved from there, I started seeing, and then I started getting some exposure to point based systems.
And, and then that sort of opened up gamification and, and some other things very easy and appoint based system to get off track.
Sure. Oh, of course. Absolutely.
And I always say in loyalty, like it's very easy to change. It's just very hard to change back. So you've gotta be really careful. Like people go, Oh, how hard would it be to do whatever it's not a problem at all. It's very hard to get out of that. If we're wrong, though, you have to be a little careful.
So how did you end up in Dell and, and, and really, I mean, it's such a different lifestyle and a corporate experience, you know, I mean, what tempted you there and how does it compare?
You know, it's funny. I took the job to be Frank Adele. I didn't, it was a test. I just wanted to see what it was like. And then I found out that I really liked it at the time. I just, I needed something. I needed a break from doing the entrepreneurial bit, you know, having an yeah. And having employees is I can remember we had a technical problem and I had to go and, and visit clients and explain what was happening. And I remember being on the plane thinking I have the, the livelihood of all of the, my employees, families in my hand.
And I had one key employee whose was very excited because their daughter was going off to college. And the weight of that was so great. I don't know if you've never been in that position. You, you may not realize just how all encompassing that is. But I remember being on the plane thinking if I can't deal with this problem successfully, I'm going to have to let some people go. I mean, yes, it's going to impact the finances of my family, but it's going to impact more than, I mean, even more than that. And so that was an experience.
And I, and to be honest, I needed a little bit of a break. I'm sure I can remember when I started at Dell coming out of a meeting with someone saying, Oh boy, that was stressful. You may not be used to that. And I was like, Oh my gosh, that was war with Nerf guns. It's like, there's no stress there. And no one's losing their job. I'm not like if I'm wrong, I don't have to look at someone and say, I'm very sorry, but I, I, I don't, I can't keep you, you know what I mean? Like, nah, it's a whole different discussion. Yeah. It is totally different. And, and solving problems with almost no resources.
You mean like my, the first loyalty platform I put together, it was like, our gamification is the best example someone was saying, well, how do we know this works? And I'm thinking, because I've done millions of entries. And I did them on a system that was like a caveman drawn pictures in the dirt with a stick compared to what's available now. And so, you know, the psychology behind it is strong. I promise you because what I had lacked nuance and to me, it was pretty rough.
So I know you found gamification and I know that's your core passion now in terms of loyalty. So that's the direction I gather. You're going to take the Dell program. So tell me how you got into the game of vacation sided and why is it that you believe that that's, I suppose that the next big thing and the model that's going to be most effective for you?
Yeah, I, you know, it's funny. I gamification for me is it's it does a couple things amazingly well, by leveraging gamefication, you can get members to engage in content more frequently and more deeply than they would otherwise. And you can create a varied reward structure in any type of cash based reward structure. It's been my experience and research shows that that it's an amazing short term driver of behavior, but only for the short term and that it gets more expensive over time.
I'm making it variable. You can extend that. I got into gamification, to be honest with you, because I had a client without naming names or even what the name of my agency was. Cause it was somewhat come back into it, but they had, they had released a cash base reward into a point system and they needed some way to lower the cost of points issued and redeemed. And like I said before, you can't just, you can't like put an Amazon card in there and go, Oh gosh, we shouldn't have done that.
We're going to take it back. Members tend to frown on that. And they express that by going elsewhere. And so I needed a way to sort of relieve that pressure. And so I made a number of changes, but one of the things I did is I actually released entries to games of chance as a redeemable reward option. And so people were redeeming two and $3 worth of points for something that costs 10 cents, 8 cents. And I had done a bunch of research before doing this.
I didn't know to be Frank. I didn't know anything about it. I had the idea of sitting on a plane. And, and so when I got to my hotel that night, I started doing all this research and, and there's a great deal of research out there. And I found this fantastic Dissertation written by, and I've always laughed because dissertation written by a PhD student in behavioral psychology. And I based massive program changes on this dissertation.
And I remember as I was doing it thinking, I don't know what grade she got,
No professor!
Yeah, this isn't even close to being true. And yet I was basing all of this stuff on, but it was just, it was just such a compelling. She cited all this research going back generations, and I can save that reservation. It's proven to be completely true. The idea behind it was basically this concept of Brussels.
If you take a game entries to a game of chance and you put them in front of you put two entries to two different games of chance in front of somebody and you ask them, what's the better game. They will say the one with the best odds of winning. But if you ask them to put a monetary value on entries to the games of chance, they put the higher monetary value on the game with the greatest, the most appealing grand prize, regardless of lots of money. And I've found that to be amazingly true to the point where the odds of winning are meaningless and beyond a willingness to look at yourself in the mirror the next day.
And so it allowed me a great deal of flexibility in controlling cost controlling, sort of what's there and shaping games based on sort of what's the underlying psychology and how they're going to respond to it. And what was interesting is that the psychology behind it is so great. And, and I'm a big believer in that having people lose, isn't a bad thing, but a lot of people will have a few talk to people about a game of chance. They have a heart attack.
Well, Oh my gosh. What about the people who lose? Are they going to be mad? No, no, exactly, exactly. And so the, the difference for me is it's that engagement, it's that sort of interacting with that, that content that allows them to be more fully engaged in what's there, you know, if you send an email out with content, we all do it, right? Like it's the subject line and maybe, and I, and I made the first Sam a bit cynical on a lot of this, largely because it's not my area of expertise, therefore, but it was the game.
I mean, I sent out a change in terms of conditions embedded in, in the game. And I had tens of thousands of people play the game, Gates content and answer questions about program terms and conditions on the backside. They would never have done that. If I'd sent that in an email, people would have thought I was crazy, but in indicating game, no one even, and my reward mix was, I mean, it was so small, but as a matter of sport, people engaged and they were happy.
So what do you think is the key success factor then in gamification? Like, is it the big dream, you know, as you said, that reward mix and just getting one big prize, is it about the visual design of the game and how easy it is to understand, or tell us a bit about how, how you would design something like that?
It's interesting to me is it's definitely about the instant gratification. If you look at a sweepstakes, I don't consider sweepstakes to be sort of viable gamification because I described sweepstakes as it's like a casino that has a blackjack table or a roulette table. For those of you who aren't gamblers, you know, you drop the ball and spend some lands on them. It's like you walked up through roulette table and you said, listen, here's a hundred dollars, put it on red. And then you went up to your room and you may or may not have one.
And if you didn't, no one will ever talk to you again. And you'll never hear about it, not a very engaging game and not one you're going to play very frequently. It's a difference between that and then spinning the wheel. You watch the ball drop and see whether you one right there. If that's the case, then we're willing to do that over and over and over again. One of the things that stunned me about gamification is that people will engage it over and over again. I'll never forget. We had one person redeemed, $3 worth of points to play one of the games 67 times in a month.
Wow. My first thought was, my first thought was, Oh my gosh, we had a technical issue. And we just drain points out of this poor guy's account by that. No, there's no tactical issue. This guy did a willingly. I'm like, okay, well then let's call this guy and figure out sort of what the, no, he's totally fine with the experience. And the interesting thing is for $3, I mean, he could have redeemed for most of the prizes in the game anyway. And that kind of keyed me into sort how strong the psychology is on that.
It just allows me to sort of breadcrumb behavior through a larger ecosystem because my cost for people will do so much more for an entry to a game, the costs you pennies than they will for a $4 reward, $5 reward. And, and so it allows me to solve problems at scale move members through sort of complex decision trees, you know, identify points in the customer experience where people stall out and give it a little boost to get them through to the next level, to get them to engage in content that they wouldn't have.
Otherwise it's fantastic for training, but to be clear, it is a tool in a larger program as opposed to a program in, and of it self. Sure. You know what I mean? Like you can overdo it, you can take it too far. It can become too frequent. And the psychology behind it. It's a bit binary in that, in my experience for those it engages, Oh my gosh was engaged. I mean, it can engage them to a frightening degree for some people.
It doesn't really resonate with them. So you have to be a little, a little careful anyway, that's, that's been my, I'm a huge proponent of it and I, and I use it all the time, but, but definitely as one piece of a larger puzzle. Yeah. Yeah. But what's interesting. What I think most people don't realize is they think of it as the psychology behind it to be like computer gaming. And it's a little less of that.
And more obviously that's not probably the best way to put a button, but it's more akin to gambling then. And if you think about the, if you walk into a casino in any casino in the world, you see sort of a pretty broad based cross section across ethnicity, gender, everything. And so it has a really broad based appeal. And that helps.
Exactly. Yes. So it is personality. It's not a particular income or rock or anything else or demographic it's it's very much. Yeah. Yeah. Because for example, I went to Vegas and I was bored out of my tree. I was just like, when can I get out of here? I mean, literally does it appeal to me?
Yeah. It's funny too. Cause I'm a huge proponent of gamification and I'm not someone who gamble in Vegas. We've all. If you, if you do any business in the U S and you go to any conference you you're in and out of Vegas somewhat frequently. And I remember I was just walking up to my room and I don't normally carry cash, but I had 20 bucks. I stopped at a, at a blackjack table, played like four or $5 hands or something, lost my money in about 30 seconds. And I remember getting in the elevator going. That was so exactly.
Yeah, exactly like that did absolutely nothing for me that could have. Yeah. I just spent that money in almost any other way and gotten a better outcome, but for some pretty strong, sorry.
Totally. But no, what I really like about what you're saying though, is its relevance, particularly in industries that have a very tight margins and I've seen, you know, gamification working super well, particularly in fuel retail programs. And I mentioned one in Ireland, for example, coal player park, which was an extraordinary program. So, and that's clearly what's happening in Dallas as well. You know, you're moving in the direction of engagement when literally the margins are tight.
Also too. I think that's absolutely true. But also too, we live at we're, we're entering this sort of big data world where we all have access to so much more data and we can apply machine learning to it and take much more nuanced looks at at the customer journey. And so we can identify non transactional behaviors that are incredibly valuable, could incredible indicators of potential value or drivers of number value that are too far removed from the transaction to directly reward at a level that would actually drive the behavior.
And gamefication allows you to lean on that, that behavior in a way that's economically viable. You know, if I know that you updating your profile within the first 30 days, for instance of signup, it makes you more likely to be engaged at a year. I can't really, I can't, it's unlikely. I should say that I can reward you at a level. That's gonna make you do that.
But the using gamification, I can sort of lead you through that and do that in a way that's economically viable.
Okay. And there is still, I guess, then a value exchange as well. Whereas at least I get the fun to go. Okay, cool. That was, that was really good fun. And I like this brand more so there's kind of a halo effect and you get the data that you need without any investment.
Absolutely. And it's funny Mo that's exactly the way I describe it too. That's why I started kind of smiling. Yeah. There's there is a value exchange and for people who don't, they, they look on the go, it's just a silly little game. You have any idea how much time the average person spends on their phone doing some there's a value to it and if structured correctly. And so one of the things that I always do is, is I go through sort of a set when I'm working with, with stakeholders to build a game, always starting with the objective, because sometimes it's just for it to be fun, we'll do that in our and our gaming community.
Right. Sounds like there's no value to them other than it's just sort of fun. And it's a way for them to interact with a brand that's positive, it's not earth shattering, curing cancer or selling computers. Right. I think at the end of the day, sometimes it's just being fun is okay. And yeah, sometimes I want them to engage content. Sometimes it, you know what I mean? Like there is even for the losers, there's a value exchange and we see an increase in positive outcomes, even from those who lose. But, Oh my gosh, did I have to document that?
Because I'm sure people were very, and I always say to you, if everybody wins, did anybody do you mean if I play a game and I won, but everyone else did as well. It's not the same charge as if somebody lost. I mean, that sounds terrible. And you think, gosh, are we really that bad? But yeah, we're a competitive species, Mitch. There is absolutely no dash.
Yeah. And you know, it's funny, one of the first books I read on gamification, they talked about sort of that competitive drive and they always talked about the, one of the, I just don't always remember this because I'm a avid recreational tennis player and I want to stress avid as opposed to accomplished or good, but I am habits. And that's one of the key indicators of some reason. Tennis is one of the key indicators of a competitive personality. Really. Yeah. I always thought that was somewhat interesting, but anyway, totally, totally off topic, but yes, we're all competitive.
And so for it to be really effective, you need to have, in my opinion, you need to have losers in my experience, I should say. Yes. And so there are times when I'll set up a game and everybody wins. And then to be honest with you, my objective is to issue the rewards. I'm just layering in the game to get them to gain a little bit of content and to create some breakage, to make them take a step towards me before I give them something in return. Sure. But the reality is I'm not my objective, isn't brand engagement. I'm trying to give you a transactional reward and I'm gonna follow up with, I have a marketing plan for how I'm going to follow that up.
And I'm going to, I want to issue rewards in a broad based way. And I want to get you to take a step towards me so I don't have to issue quite, I don't have quite the liability out there. And so that's the one time I won't have winners or excuse me, I won't have losers, but for the most part, I like having losers start a little bit more engaging.
Yeah, no, I totally get it Mitch. But what, what kind of resistance internally would you expect? So again, thank you about people listening to the show and who may not have considered gamification as a strategy previously, you've mentioned the casino piece. And I think there's sometimes a bit of nervousness. Obviously legality has to be checked every country's got its own, you know, ins and outs and complexity, but what, you know, just from a purely strategic perspective, what should they be thinking about in terms of a gamification loyalty strategy?
It is a way for you to the way I sold it internally was that you tell me what you want more of and I'll get it for you and I'll do it cheaply. And I'll do it in a way that, that people will enjoy, which sounds strange, but getting someone to interact with your brand in a way that they enjoy is a win in and of itself, that's the value exchange. And so that's kind of how I sold it internally. And I, I walked people through sort of a waterfall.
This is how many people would like send out an email for instance, right? This is the waterfall would expect this open rate, this, this game engagement rate we would expect. And it was very interesting, you know, to watch people sort of have their eyes open to sort of the possibilities. But even at that, they, they allowed me to test it. And that's one of things I like about Dell. They'll allow you to test it. And I'm a big believer in and testing ideas and concepts. Because if, if, and I even say, listen to, to be innovative, you have to be willing to fail.
And so you needed to structure tests in a way that give you a way to back out. And so when I first started testing gamification, I did it in our game. Community, not gamers are actually the worst audience for it. So it was not that interesting. Yeah. They're not the game. Cause they were like, Hey, I did really well in this game. I don't understand why I didn't get more rewards. Like it's a game of chance.
Yes. Yeah, they're too well-educated.
Oh exactly. I know they had much higher expectations for the graphics for the game and everything. Wow. I tested it in a way that I could back out of. I didn't get the outcome I wanted. And so I just, I have slowly sort of pushed it out into more and more parts of the business. And as we sort of evolve the program, it will, it will play a larger role in how we collect data and how we, because one of the things to remember about gamification is it allows you to ask something in return for giving them a reward.
I asked you to opt in. I asked you to answer to question, you know, we all have marketing programs based on predictive models, those predictive models, hinge on a handful of data points. This allows you to collect meaningful data at scale, the one challenge I would, the one for visa, I would say, and this isn't just me. I hate when someone asks me for a data point and then they don't use it. If you ask me for a data point, I want it to shape the customer experience. I want to shape how the brand interacts with me.
And so that's the one thing with gamification is that it's so easy to collect data the time you're collecting data, just because you can. And then the customer's like, well, I already told you that.
Exactly. Yeah. Yeah. You're not listening.
So it allows you to too. And that's one of the dangers. It is that you can sort of collect more data than you can use. And that's easy in today's world. It's much easier. We all, I think probably know more about our customers than we can actually act on it.
Absolutely. And like I said earlier, actually, Mitch, you know, is in the same way that I'm a difficult customer in retail. If loyalty comes up as a subject, cause I'll never am ask about it. And I'm also am on my birthday, very challenging to the brands that I'm a member of their loyalty program. Cause I'm sitting, waiting for something to happen. Usually I tell them, I don't know, it's like Jesus is my birthday and I get a little kiss on the cheek here. Come on, give me some.
Exactly, you know, the, the it's funny, you know, the, the challenge with being in, in loyalty is that you do have sort of weird. Like I will go through a game in excruciating detail making observations as I go to my wife's dismay. I'm sure about what's there and how they structured it. Why they shouldn't have done it this way or why they should have done it that way or, Oh my gosh, I really liked this. I never thought of doing it this way. Yeah. And yeah, so I never have an organic reaction to anything.
My reaction is always tend to like, will this make me look smarter if I could totally copied it? And I, and I'm so willing to do that by the way. So completely. Yeah, there is no, none of us need to be the ones that solve all problems, right? Like somebody else has had a great idea and all are part of it is probably applicable to what you're doing.
And there's a great phrase actually, which I really use regularly now. And it comes through and I told you, I'd do a lot of work in, in fuel loyalty and it's, it's literally copy with pride. And that is the way that entire industry approaches sharing of knowledge, sharing of ideas. And I just think it's extraordinary because again, I probably would have been a little bit guilty in the back kind of, you know, in the past to go, okay, maybe this is a my concept and whatever, but now I'm like, no copy with pride. We go, here we go.
It's funny as I've gone through my career, I, I will ask somebody to send something to me and I will be completely transparent. Could you send that to me? Cause I'm going to totally plagiarize the crap out of that. Absolutely love that. And I'm going to take it and yeah, a guy in my, on my team made this comment one time and it was just so obvious, but I hadn't thought of it in that way. And it was just, I just it's totally changed how I think about transactional rewards. And he was just like, it's demand. And I now envision transactional rewards as, as demand.
But as a, this is gonna sound really strange. But as the fluid, the fluid that I can direct around an ecosystem. So I can time when it gets to a certain point, I can time what points it touches and what point it doesn't. And at first I gave him credit for that. And I now give him that time, like, listen, I'd run out of wasted to say, Hey, you're one that had this idea. It's now mine. Yeah. So just FYI and I use it all the time. So five years from now, if this, yeah, I could write a book and no one knew you existed.
Absolutely. But I'm curious, Mitch, in terms of KPIs within Dell, you know, running the loyalty for such a big global brand, what is it that you add that you measure that you am actively managed? I guess, because clearly, as you said, you can do all sorts of things. What is it that keeps you awake at night? And that you're really focused on driving.
I'm a huge believer in objectives. And I started almost any discussion about loyalty with the objectives, right? Customer value and customer retention. And I get asked to do all of these things. I get asked. We know when we have to report out outcomes or someone tries to direct us in a certain area. I always come back to that. Listen, I'm looking to drive longterm value and retention.
If what you're asking me to do is outside of those, we could conceivably do that, but it's not something that we're currently pushing. And we get asked that we're a large organization with a ton of teams. And so you knew you get someone that wants to know, like what percentage of your members do what I, you know, something like that. And I always have to say, listen, that doesn't dovetail with our objectives. It's not something we're trying to drive so I can give you the number, but it's just a number it'll go up or down based on things that are completely outside of the loyalty program.
And when I first started at Dell, it was interesting. You know, I had, I had run large point-based systems previously and the people that were running the program had, and they'd asked me for some numbers and I remember giving it to him and saying, listen, that I don't know you, but just take this piece of advice. You don't control any of those numbers. So they're good today. They're good. They're good. Because your organization as a whole is driving those numbers, do not claim these numbers, States them as numbers because the business will shift.
That number is going to go South and they're going to go, Hey, why, you know, what happened? What are you doing? And, and so, you know, you had to be a little careful in the large, large organization and that, you know, the KPIs are strange. So I, I, we have a very small set of what I would call a KPI. And then we have a ton of metrics that we use as sort of performance measurements that give us insight into what's happening.
But they're not a KPI. They're just, it's a number that tells us something about the program or it's time not to. Exactly. Exactly. And some of them are ones we don't even control, but it's just good to know. It gives you insight into what's happening in the business as a whole.
Wow. Okay. Well, I mean, I actually, can I ask Mitch M just occurred to me, how big is the team that runs loyalty for Dell? So how many are you managing? I guess directly.
We have loyalty is to think here five people.
My goodness. That's tiny. Yeah.
We met with, we met with another brand through Epsilon and it was like a clown car. I mean, they just a conference room door open and they just, they kept coming in and I was like, Oh my gosh, like they're so much bigger than ours. Wow. And I remember when I had my agency, they, one of the clients was like, Oh, I need to talk to the person who does this. Okay. And then I need to, you know, by the time he's done, he's like, wait, you're doing all of that. Yes, of course.
There's we have five employees. Yes. I'm the one that's going to do all of those things and that, and Dell's a little bit that way as well. We don't have very many people touching it. Now. Obviously we leverage a bunch of other teams and all of that. So if we need to do creative, we need to, but the actual loyalty team is, is, yeah. That's why people, wow, I will do this. They are good. It's a very high quality team and they do amazing work.
And indeed that is totally reflective of anyone I've ever met with Dell. And I'm not just saying that because you're on the call, Mitch. But as I said, I've had lots of friends work for Dell in Ireland. There's a huge center there that manages the UK as well as Ireland. And even actually I've worked in recruitment over the years and anyone who's come from Dell, Jill seems to be super sharp. So it's a credit to the company. Actually. I always like to know there's very few companies that I would genuinely say, actually, that's a really good pedigree to have. So there you go. You've, you've got a very good pedigree in my humble opinion.
I was due because prior to Dell, my pedigree was a bunch of companies. No one had ever heard of. So yeah. One of the interesting things that Dell is, is yeah, we do. Dell has an internship program where we do both undergraduate and graduate interns. And so we'll bring in really smart people coming out of college, very, very smart people. And they will be assigned a project. And then they will have to they'll have like five or six weeks to do this project. And then they present it to senior managers, senior executives.
I had a, it's an amazingly valued group at Dell. And it's this amazing source of innovation because they're giving really widely way to, to redefine their, their problems, their, their questions do all this research. There's an expectation. The one time I've been in trouble with Dell is cause no one explained to me how important the internship program was. And I was really busy and this intern was like, Hey, I need this, this data. I'm taking me a day. I'm like, no, I don't have time to do that. I'm sorry.
And I moved on with my life. Only the weight of the world fell on me. And I was like, Oh my gosh is like Michael. Dell's like personal project. Yeah.
And they're like, no, no, no, no, no. Someone had to pull me aside and go, no, no, no, no. It's the intern. The internship program is incredibly valuable a Dell. And they, they use it as a way of, of fostering innovation and identifying talent. But yeah, I totally restructured the consumer loyalty program in the U S based on an intern project. My goodness. And he was absolutely right. Yeah. I mean, it was astounding to me how right he was, but that's one of the things I like about Dell is that it values people at all.
The organization values people at all levels. And so you get a lot of talent because even if you are a fairly junior person, your point of view is, is for the most part, heard more than I would have expected. And so you see some dramatic changes coming from some interesting places. Yeah. That's that makes for a, I think a much more dynamic, they still work.
I think you get more innovation and, and you can recruit better talent.
Yeah. And as you said earlier, as well mentioned, fact, like we're all so busy doing our day jobs that we just don't have the time to necessarily be creative and innovative. So you kind of need to be challenged externally. And whether that's the intern or the guys at Epsilon, I know you lean on them as well. So it really is important just to have people that you can kind of go give me an idea here. Cause you know, I need something new.
Yeah. We have, we have a couple interns doing a project this summer and it touches one part of the loyalty program and they were, they were kind of careful in their initial conversation with me. I think they worried about stepping on my toes and I'm like, listen, I'm praying for you. You guys are two geniuses. And because it doesn't matter, you have to understand it. Doesn't have you come up with something amazing that I've never thought of. Yeah. That's a win for me. I don't fantastic. Who has the idea?
It means nothing to me. And I'm like, besides I'm just going to steal it anyway. Don't worry about it. But no, it's interesting. You know, I mean, they are all over the loyalty program. I'm talking to a lot of the same people and Dell's a huge organization. Sometimes the hardest thing to Dallas, just knowing who to, like, I remember one time we had a problem with the flow of points and it was some decision made somewhere in it. The hardest thing was finding out who made it. I mean, Dell, is it 15,000 people at the times?
The biggest challenge is just knowing who to talk to.
Yeah. I'm hearing though, is that loyalty is very well respected in Dal. Am I right?
Yes it is. It's getting, it's getting even more. So I think people are seeing the value of loyalty outcome and I'm a big believer in that. My objective is our loyalty outcomes, whether that comes as the result of a structured program or something a little less fenced in is a different question, but without question and even more so moving forward, Dell values loyalty for all the obvious reasons, right?
It's incredibly expensive to get a new customer, all that kind of stuff, but it's, it's taken a little bit, but it's also expensive to run a loyalty program. So I think that's where the M the internal justification isn't always, and, and I heard you hesitate there, Micha, you know, and I hear that that's what's happening is that there's an amazing awareness of the outcomes being attributable to the work that's being done. And that does take time, but does it again, it's a credit to you and it's a credit to them, like, you know, and, and hopeful for the future.
For all of us, we've had to use. I started when I took over the program in the U S I started reporting out grudgingly at first, to be honest with you, it wasn't part of like my master plan to solve this problem. I just find that to put the thumb on me said, Hey, we need to see these numbers weekly. And I'm like, Oh my gosh. Like, I do not want to have conversations about weekly changes in redemption rates and all that kind of stuff. Like it's, yeah. It's just, it's so overly complex.
And in you and anyone who's, who's run up large points based systems, those conversations where someone will make a statement and you're like, they're like, is that true? Like ish kind of, it's like, kind of true, but what we've done is sort of report out with Epsilon's help. They've helped us sort of clean up the views of the program and get a more refined look at the flow of points and tie the flow of points to outcomes.
And that's helped us and ended get the company, the, the business to take a step back. Cause one of the challenges I think we all have is that the benefits of a loyalty program play out over time. And that time is rarely consistent with how the larger business views its own performance. And so they're saying, they're asking you for performance metrics within a time period where you're like, it doesn't look like without going into great detail. If, if for our current loyalty program, if we look at an active buyer we're not driving biggest value of the program is not that I'm driving value in an active buyer.
I'm keeping the active buyer for far longer period of time. And so the same value over a short period of time experienced over that same increment, many times over that of a nonmember. And it took a little bit to sort of educate the business that that's the form the value would take. And to do that in a way that was simple enough. I mean, if you talk to somebody who's senior, you, you have no time.
You, you have exactly. I always say it's like the big red crayon, right? You have to communicate concepts with a big red crown. Now at Dell, Dell has incredibly smart people. So it's, it's interesting, you know, you'll, do you report out something or you you'll present to somebody very, very senior at Dell and you will have one or two slides and then 50 backups based on, on how you answered their questions and you better know your numbers because they, I always laugh. I mean, they can sense fear and weakness, right?
Like if you have one number you're a little squishy on no, put it in there because you'll find yourself in a long, drawn out conversation about the one number you didn't want to talk about. And so it's funny, you know, the, the loyalty Adele is, is going to be an evermore expensive part of the business. And I'm excited to see the form that, that takes. And we're still early in the process. We're defining what that is going to look like. But when I'm excited about is organizationally, we are dealing with all the things we want to deal with.
How do we, how do we deal with the data? That's that lots of programs throw off a ton of data. How do we make certain throwing off the right data? And how are we managing that? How do we using this to shape the customer experience across the entire breadth of the business? And then you have to understand with Dell, we are global and we deal with everyone buying a tablet for streaming movies at home to a federal government buying mainframe computers, right? Like we were so broad.
Yeah. And so we have to have a system that is incredibly fluid that has sort of a rigid sort of exoskeleton. And then all of this flexibility on the inside that allows us to localize by region and by, by customer group and all of that, because the, just the margin rate between a consumer and you know what I mean? Like it's not even the same world. And yet we still have customers that sort of migrate up through that.
Now we don't have consumers, all of a sudden owning a banana Republic in there, but they migrate up into SB and all of that.
But it's, I can just imagine the complexity actually, of, of sourcing the platform originally, like when you did go and start working with that salon, like, like how could you even foresee the requirements for a company like Dell? Like, I mean, that's the extraordinary part in my mind in looking at the, the new structure. I mean, I'm a big believer because I've been on the other side of that conversation as well. Right. I'm pretty confident if I go to Epsilon and I say, listen, that I come up with the craziest thing you could possibly think of. Can you do that? The answer is not, it's not a question of yes or no. It's a question of how big the check is I have to write. And then I'm, I'm, that's what I want. And I mean, it's not to start with, that's what I want. Epsilon has been a great help in that they are a good sounding board for yeah.
Sort of directions. We need to take. Anything you do in the modern world obviously has rides on support system of technology. And so I needed a partner that would work with us, has the flexibility to sort of step back at times. And they've been good at that and saying, listen, I don't care what your system does currently. I don't care what we are doing currently. This is the problem I'm trying to solve. Let's find a way to do that.
And they're very good at stepping back. And then once we identify that, then trying to apply their, their technology to that solution. And the times we'll adjust sort of how we're going to go do something based on what's more easily done, but I've, I've found that that's the best way to be innovative, right? Like don't, don't worry about all the constraints, find the solution and then apply the resources to it.
Amazing, amazing Mitch. The last thing I wanted to ask you about is, is really just, I suppose, more on the education side, I know you confess to being an avid reader slash cigar smoker. I'm not sure which, which we want to highlight.
Yeah. Which is causal in, which is—
Exactly. But, but clearly you're very well read. Clearly you have a real passion for loyalty. I'm sure you have great fun in the office. And I'm sure there is plenty of stress along the way, but just in terms of, again, listeners, you know, if they're looking to grow their knowledge about loyalty, what would you suggest they be doing in terms of educating themselves?
It's funny, you know, I'm a huge believer in the psychology behind rewards. I believe that if you understand that, then you, you can sort of innovate based on foundational truths that remain unchanged over time. One of the hard things about how people interact with rewards, well, two things, one, the minute you insert any rewards into any system, you've changed it. Yeah. And so you have to sort of have some awareness of, to what impact that's going to happen.
The second is people are full of crap, right? Like if I, if I ask you what you want, what you tell me is not what actually drives your behavior. And so too often, like I'll have people in the organization come to me and they say, Hey, I want to do this. I want to pay out rewards to do this and for this behavior to get this outcome. And I'm like, it's not going to have the cap. It's not going to do what you think it's going to do.
You know, there's either unintended consequences or that's just not how it works. And so I would strongly advocate, like one of the first books I read is a book called drive and it talks in there about cash based system. And it's theirs. It was just the first one I read. And so it's kind of, kind of a positive place in my heart from it. Okay. I read, I skim fast. Like if I'm reading something and I go, ah, okay, I'll move on.
I'll blow right through. I don't like try to get weighted down with some esoteric discussion of something that I, I know I'll never use. And so I will go through books fairly quickly, but, but for me, anyway, my journey started with a book drive by Daniel pink. There was this, it was gonna sound really interesting, but there was one study in there. And I don't know why. I just, even all these years later, it just so resonates with me. But they went to a preschool and they had the measured, how many pictures kids were drawing.
They put out on a table, paper and crayons, and then just kind of, we pitched people and they divided the kids into two groups and one group got a cookie or something for every picture they drew and the other one got nothing. And the groups that got nothing continued on at the same rate and the one that got a cookie do more pictures in the short term. And then eventually it took two cookies to get them to draw more pictures. And he took away the cookies in dry, any pictures.
And I can, I've used that. It sounds great. There's a, there's a foundational truth there. And it's, and it's absolutely accurate in my experience. And so I've had that conversation where for part of the business, they said, Hey, we want to, you know, for budgetary reasons, we don't wanna pay rewards on this anymore. I'm like, okay, that's fine. But please understand you, you, aren't going to go back to the baseline. You're going to go below the baseline. That's what happens when you start paying a reward out on something. And I use that explanation when people want to start paying rewards out, transactional rewards out on something new.
I'm like, listen, that's great. We can do that. You will give more of it, but please understand there is a predictable cycle to this and it holds true. Anytime you release rewards out into that, if anybody has anybody listening has a book or any content like that, please let me know. I, I, Paula has sent me some stuff and I've started to devour it. Wonderful. It's actually hard on my, I just spent a week off and I had made myself read something else.
But yeah. But yeah, I I'm, there's so much great work out there and I sort of find it just in this endlessly. Fascinating.
And actually, Mitch, have you heard of a gentle by that gentleman by the name of Ukiah Cho from Stanford university, he lectures and gamification there. No. Okay. So I am going to make your day hopefully, but yeah,
I'm writing it down to three streets,
You know, and I, I won't do, Oh, I know what he calls it. The framework. He has literally captured what you've been describing Mitch in terms of the drivers of human psychology and human behavior. And I totally agree with your point, if I was to go back and redo my career, I'd probably start with a degree in psychology. And in fact, I might do one at some other point. I just think it's so fun.
It's definitely, I'm the same way. I'm the same way. If I could go back in time, they would be a behavioral psychology and economics. Yeah. To me. Yeah. Because the interplay between we all want to be rational. Yes. I didn't. And, but we're not. Yeah. We're just not totally. No, no, no. And so I love the fact that, that if I ask a group of people a question, the answer I get is what they wish to be true rather than what's actually none of them actually like, actually it's not them. It's us. Yeah. You're totally right.
Well, no, no, exactly. I'm not. I'm excluding to say I am no better. Right, right. I like to think I'm self aware, but the reality is yeah, no, no, No brilliant. So I will link to that when I've remembered, it's called actionable gamification. So I'll make sure to link to that in the show notes and the book that you mentioned also drive as well. Mitch. I'll definitely link to that and I don't have any more questions from my side. I have loved hearing about all of your work in Dell and your career and your insights. Is there anything else you wanted to mention Mitch before we wrap up?
No. Other than, like I said, if anyone has any content out there, please send it, sends it over. I would love to see it.
Okay. Brilliant. Well, listen, obviously I'll make sure to link to your LinkedIn profile as well, Mitch. And just to make sure that people can connect with you because I do believe in the power of sharing. So you're absolutely right. The resources we all need to, to recommend them to, with each other. So listen, without further ado, I know you have a busy week to get back to so Mitch Kennedy from Dell loyalty, thank you so much. Let's talk loyalty. This show is sponsored by “The Wise Marketer”, the world's most popular source of loyalty marketing news, insights and research.
The Wise Marketer also offers loyalty marketing training, both online and in workshops around the world through its Loyalty Academy, which has already certified over 150 executives in 18 countries as Certified Loyalty Marketing Professionals. Thanks so much for listening to this episode of “Let's Talk Loyalty”. If you'd like me to send you the latest show each week, simply sign up for the show newsletter on Let's Talk Loyalty.com and I'll send you the latest episode to your inbox every Thursday, or just head to your favourite podcast platform, find “Let's Talk Loyalty” and subscribe. Now, of course I'd love your feedback and reviews and thanks again for supporting the show.
---
## Expanding on email: In conversation with Forrester and Epsilon
Type: eps_resource
URL: /expanding-on-email-in-conversation-with-forrester-and-epsilon
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T22:16:49Z
# Expanding on email: In conversation with Forrester and Epsilon
Email marketing is a victim of its own success. Not only do overcrowded inboxes present a challenge for marketers, but email’s effectiveness at driving immediate results can also distract from its broader potential to build customer relationships through even the most complex customer journey.
We asked two email experts—Oded Benyo, president of Epsilon’s PeopleCloud Messaging solution, and Shar VanBoskirk, vice president and principal analyst at Forrester—for their take on the future of email marketing and how marketers can accordingly evolve their email marketing strategy. Read our CORE Content feature “Email’s growth potential” for the full story, and then listen to Steve Hendershot from CORE converse with Benyo and VanBoskirk in this supplemental audio recording.
Main image credit: IAndis Rea/Shutterstock
Soundcloud image credit:Illustration by Caleb Fox; Source imagery: DamienArt/Shutterstock
---
## 5 steps to selecting the right data provider
Type: eps_resource
URL: /5-steps-to-selecting-the-right-data-provider-data-quality-infographic
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# 5 steps to selecting the right data provider
While marketers are focused on incorporating quality data into their marketing programs and plans, they don’t always have the access to the right data resources. And 30% of business revenue is lost due to poor data quality. The key to having a successful data quality strategy is understanding how to select a data provider that will set up your marketing for success.
In this infographic, you will gain a better understanding of:
The questions you should ask during the data provider evaluation process to confirm they will meet your business objectives
How to ensure you’re reaching the right consumers with messages that will get them to take action and respond to your brand
Epsilon’s top 10 criteria for evaluating data quality
---
## Contactless loyalty: Build connections in a contactless world
Type: eps_resource
URL: /contactless-loyalty-guide-2020
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T22:16:49Z
# Contactless loyalty: Build connections in a contactless world
2020 has been quite a year.
Brick-and-mortar stores have historically been an anchor for fostering strong customer relationships. But thanks to COVID-19 lockdowns and business closures, in-person interactions have been limited, and people have been looking for new ways to shop and engage.
From retail to travel, financial services to restaurants, the customer experience as we know it has completely changed. And that's why we've created this guide—to help marketers foster loyalty with their customers, even when everything looks different.
In the guide, we explore how marketers can create contactless loyalty and human-like connections with their customers in this new normal.
Topics include:
The definition of contactless loyalty
Current consumer trends
Types of contactless experiences (with examples)
Four steps to creating contactless loyalty
We’ll share what we’ve learned, which brands are doing it well and Epsilon’s unique methodology for creating contactless loyalty. You’ll walk away with actionable insights for improving customer experiences and fostering loyalty for your brand.
---
## Lou Paskalis on the "black box" that is walled gardens advertising
Type: eps_resource
URL: /lou-paskalis-black-box-walled-gardens
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T22:17:52Z
# Lou Paskalis on the "black box" that is walled gardens advertising
"Ultimately, at the end of the day we have a fiduciary responsibility to understand how our customers are being treated."
Delivering relevant and personalized messages to customers is a must, but, as Lou Paskalis, SVP of Customer Engagement and Media Investment at Bank of America, explains, that can be difficult to do and understand the true impact within walled gardens.
In this video, Paskalis discusses why marketers have a responsibility to their customers to ensure they are being treated fairly—and how walled gardens make that difficult.
For more on this topic, read The incongruous nature of walled gardens, with more insights from Paskalis and other industry thought leaders.
---
## Email 2020 trends guide: Renaissance
Type: eps_resource
URL: /email-2020-trends-guide-renaissance-emea
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T22:17:52Z
# Email 2020 trends guide: Renaissance
Social connection & communication have been upended in 2020.
As the world went into various levels of lockdown, and people continue to spend more and more time at home, we all looked to new means of staying in touch - relying more heavily on video chat technologies like FaceTime, Zoom and Google Hangout.
Brands have also had to rely more on technology-driven interactions, and marketers turned to their most reliable method of staying in touch: email. Moving forward, email will play an important role in our collective emotional and economic recovery.
In this guide, we'll cover:
The role email played during brands' initial response phase
How the pandemic changed the way marketers view email and our new normal
Recommendations for how to use email through the phases of recovery, rebuilding and renaissance—with the ultimate goal of helping your brand thrive again
---
## Huddle House-Perkins hustling toward pandemic-era marketing moves
Type: eps_resource
URL: /huddle-house-perkins-hustling-toward-pandemic-era-marketing-moves
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T22:17:52Z
# Huddle House-Perkins hustling toward pandemic-era marketing moves
EpsilonMktg · Huddle House-Perkins hustling toward pandemic-era marketing moves
Since the start of the pandemic, restaurant marketers have had to shift (and continue to shift) their marketing strategies to not only function, but thrive, in this new normal.
Atlanta-based Huddle House-Perkins has always had it covered. That doesn't mean, however, that the brand didn't have to hustle to catch up with customers' demands for heightened safety measures and more contactless, out-of-restaurant options.
On FastCasual's QSRweb podcast, Huddle House-Perkins CMO Alison Delaney joins our own Brian Giannone, vice president of client development at Epsilon, to explain how this dine-in-centered brand is attracting out-of-restaurant customers. Listen to the podcast to learn more.
(Left to right) Alison Delaney and Brian Giannone. (Photos provided)
Transcript
Shelley:
You are listening to the QSR web podcast.
Hello, and welcome back to today's podcast with me, your host, QSR web and pizza marketplace editor, Shelly Whitehead, happy to have you all in the virtual house today. And one of the reasons for that is that this is such a dynamic period for all restaurants. As far as each brand's marketing and strategic efforts to recover in this pandemic era economy are concerned. Now, many of you have already changed your operating models to feature at least partial takeout and delivery service. In fact, you almost had to, to stay afloat this year. Now, though, many of you are prime to go ahead and push past those initial immediate pandemic service changes and do something more. More longterm to really recover in full. And it's no doubt, you've got a lot of questions and that's a good thing today, since our guests are here to answer some of those issues related to the path forward.
Shelley:
Beginning with Perkins and Huddle House CMO, Alison Delaney, she's here to relay a restaurant marketers story around how her brands pivoted? What they learned? And what her best advice from the past few months is for brands hoping to fuel growth the rest of this year? Also here today is Brian Giannone, vice president of Client Development, Epsilon the leader in outcome based marketing across CRM, digital media, loyalty and email programs. In his past seven plus years at Epsilon, Brian has helped restaurant brands create data-driven strategies to better connect with their guests.
Shelley:
So let's get started right now. First by siding a little data from the start of the pandemic when Yelp reported a 160% increase in interest for grocery stores just between March 8th and March 18th. That was among a slew of other spikes in interest for produce and take out over restaurant services. So since we know that cooking at home is a higher priority now, and demand for dining out in any form is lower than before the pandemic. Alison, can you tell us how Perkins and Huddle House have reworked their marketing strategies to accommodate the new reality?
Alison:
You bet. And thanks for having me today. We of course, pivoted to off-premise, online ordering for pickup or delivery and curbside service as an option. It was our belief that people still didn't want to cook during this time. They were anxious and frazzled due to job insecurity, having to work from and just all sorts of issues with having school aged kids at home. And they were forced into cooking at home as a result of restaurants being closed. And it was also our belief that people still wanted the quality of food they traditionally buy at full service restaurants, but were willing to accept less, in other words, QSR, to stay safe. But if we could offer a seamless experience for guests to enjoy their favorite comfort foods and comfort was a big and still is a big desire at this time and make it feel safe. So then we could salvage a huge portion of our business.
Alison:
So at both brands pre COVID roughly 10% of our sales were already off premise, but most of that was phone in or takeout or in-person ordering for takeout. We were not far down the path of online ordering and third party delivery. And here's the interesting thing, what the pandemic showed us is that we could move very fast if we had to, even if the technology solutions weren't perfect. And we moved faster than ever thought possible. We tripled our off premise sales at both Huddle House and Perkins, and a significant portion of that was through online ordering and third party delivery. Even though we weren't even close to having that system-wide and we sort of now, but we weren't even close to having that system-wide back then. And these initiatives allowed us to survive until dining room started reopening again.
Alison:
And like many other chains, we immediately began selling groceries and I kept a watch on all sorts of press releases and news announcements and I really have to say that I think Huddle House was literally one of the first to do this. We found that our Huddle House concept in particular that sales really took off because in this brand more rural footprint, people literally couldn't find items in their local grocery store. So us offering groceries was seen as a huge service to the local community because they don't have as many retail choices in these smaller towns and cities and our being able to offer these items, we were able to save folks a trip to a larger city and potential greater exposure to COVID during that time.
Shelley:
Wow. That's really interesting. Brian, did you have anything to add to that?
Brian:
Yeah, I think you, from what Alison said, we've seen a lot of the same, a lot of creativity and innovation that's been happening in the industry. And one common response is that everyone has had to pivot in some way, shape or form the way that they've been able to do that has been unique, by merchant, by brand. And from a marketing perspective, we've really seen the gamut as we try to, or they try to communicate the messages to their guests. Some have paused marketing altogether to see how things would shake out over time. Others, as Alison mentioned, they've tweaked their messaging to focus on delivery or new order channels that maybe didn't exist previously, which has been really interesting and fun to partner with clients on. And just try to, how do we creatively get a new message out in the marketplace?
Brian:
And who's the right person to talk to about those things? And others have really increased marketing efforts to focus on customer retention. We've seen some partners that have had more traffic on their website or their app than they ever had before. And so how do we capture that and help restaurant brands bring that guest to the restaurants or communicate with the restaurant in a way that gets them to engage? It's been really interesting to see what the industry has been able to accomplish over the last couple of months.
Shelley:
[inaudible 00:07:14] now from Alison, from those initial strategy shifts. How have these brands proceeded in an environment where many restaurants have opened and then had the close again? Alison have your brands altered, not just how they're communicating with customers now, but also what they're saying and the ways they're saying it?
Alison:
Yeah sure. I'm not sure the challenge is so much for marketing per se. I think there are concept challenges or category challenges as many other people have said, I believe the world is changed for the foreseeable future and maybe forever. And even after a vaccine is found and distributed it'll take a long time for people to go back to their old daily lives. And some never will, some are scarred from losing family members and friends, others must deal with financial ruin, and this might indicate that full-service dining will never return to their old levels. But I think on the other hand, human beings are social creatures, you simply can't do everything virtual. People want to be with each other physically and dining together is fundamental.
Alison:
Now, you can do that at home with your family anytime, but people want to see those outside their own households. And because people are even more frazzled and anxious, I don't think they really want to make cooking at home permanent. And I don't think even fast food, even though there are many great offerings out there from a food quality standpoint, I don't think eating fast food is going to be acceptable to people in the long run. So, I think there's an important place for full service dining and with many full service restaurants closing for good, those that survived will actually gain market share.
Brian:
That's interesting. We've heard from a lot of clients about, you talked about gaining market share in a unique way and how do I do smarter conquesting or where do I lean in and marketing or not? Just they're growing, they're shrinking. And so it's, knowing that folks still want to have that experience, it is really thinking about not only what to say, but how do I say it? What are the right channels to communicate those things so that people can still experience restaurants the way that they have previously. So it's going to be interesting to see how... We've had one partner that's I think the customer journey is permanently fragmented. And so, how do you get past that and move forward and innovate around the new customer? And it's going to be interesting to see how you can use data and other technology platforms as they become available to do that.
Shelley:
Okay. So now we know each restaurant brand responded a little differently to this year's extraordinary challenges with, for instance, many fast food chains staying open, but shifting to drive through only service. So what marketing challenges did Perkins and Huddle House face that you're QSR partners maybe didn't have to deal with? And what advice would you give leaders in other service categories about their path forward, Alison?
Alison:
Yeah. So, obviously the differences are that dining rooms of course, had to close and look, our concepts, most of those concepts were built on a business model of dining. And so we have all pivoted, as they say to an off premise model, but that's not the core of what we do. So I think for our concepts to work in this new world, and look I think also early on, the first couple of months, I think everyone, certainly we did at our company, we thought, "Look, this is going to be over in a couple months and everything's going to go back to normal" and now everybody realizes that it's not. There will be some sense of normalcy, I think, as time goes on, but we don't really know what form that's going to take.
Alison:
But obviously, full service concepts are not quick service. We weren't built on the premise of drive throughs or pickups, we were built on the premise of people socializing. And that's what the service is. It's seeing people face to face. It's sitting down with each other, it's being served by a server or a bartender or something. So I think for our concepts to work in this new world, we have to do two things. We have to ensure the absolute highest standards and highest execution of those standards of cleanliness and sanitation for on premise dining and make sure that we can communicate that to the guest in all of our guest facing messaging for a long, long time to come.
Alison:
And the second thing, I think we have to accept that we have to grow our off-premise business, even though we don't have drive throughs and even though that's not what we were built on. And that means evolving our food so that it travels well, it means implementing technology so that ordering, payment, pick up, is intuitive and easy, which is something that the pizza people have been doing well for 10 years and getting the message out to guests and potential guests that they can enjoy some of the same quality food from our concept, our brands, wherever they might be. So it's kind of playing two ends against the middle.
Alison:
We certainly can't abandon buy in because that's where our concepts are. And when you have a legacy concept, you have to accept the reality of your concept, the reality of your physical buildings, and be able to salvage and then build on that. At the same time, we also have to become more competitive in off-premise because though off-premise might fall back a little bit, it's never going to go back to where it was before. And if we want to thrive, well, survive and even thrive, then we have to get better at really playing both sides, both dining an off-premise.
Brian:
And I think from our point of view on the marketing side, knowing that those challenges are new and some of them haven't been explored to the degree that you would have maybe wanted to in the past. And what's good is better than perfect. And the importance of flexibility, being nimble, iterating quickly in terms of how you communicate a message, which is important. I think, as marketing partners out there, this is something we've spent a lot of time focusing on is, how do we make sure that we can provide an environment where if you do have to pivot or you do have to change, how do we do that?
Brian:
And a lot of our clients have actually leaned into digital marketing a little more during this timeframe. And not just because it's flexible, but because of the adaptability, the message to people where they are, knowing that you can personalize on the fly and change that messaging or update it. So it's been interesting to talk to partners that maybe hadn't been using certain marketing channels previously, just like they hadn't invested in certain technology previously, are now kind of rethinking the way that they communicate those things. Because I think it's extremely important to show the safety and the commitment, but also the new things that you're offering.
Alison:
Yeah and we've seen that too as well in one of our brands Huddle House, we were mostly digital anyway, which might seem counterintuitive to a lot of people because Huddle House is a rural brand and it's a legacy brand and people seeing customers at a Huddle House kind of as a older and less able to or less willing to adopt digital. And that's just a falsehood, as people in your business know, in rural America, people might not have computers or the internet, but they have their mobile phone, that is their computer. And so a lot of times in rural America, they're even more willing to adopt some of this, or at least as willing to adopt some of these new technologies than people in even suburban areas.
Alison:
And so, for Huddle House, we've been down the digital platform for a long time. What we've really seen that's been different is on a Perkins brand. And this is a brand that also is a legacy brand and has an older clientele, but Perkins has relied on TV advertising and that's going to change a lot. TV bought the traditional way and consume the traditional way over, cable or satellite or something. Media consumption has changed dramatically over the past five months. And we don't know where it's all going to shake out, but people that have cut off their cable and have cut off their software, they're never going to bring that back. And advertising companies are evaluating the fallout and will be for many months to come, of the shift from cable and satellite to OTT and streaming. And it's imperative that companies quickly figure out what content their guests are consuming and where they are getting this content and changing the media post appropriately.
Shelley:
Wow. So there appears to be a massive shift and I guess this has been going on for a little while and how consumers actually consume information and entertainment. And you as marketers have to address that.
Alison:
Yeah. That's one of the first conversations we had with our agency at Perkins was, "Look, we went off the air for several months, everybody did, dining rooms are closed, we're not bringing any money into the marketing fund from marketing, for contributions." So allowed us to take a pause and we talked very early on that when we come back, it is not going to be just pick up where we left off, because I certainly had a sense that meal habits were just going to change dramatically. And all the research that's coming out now shows that, that in fact happened. And I'm not saying, of course the traditional consumption of media is completely gone, but it really has changed. And so, I'm sure companies are looking at this but I would just say if yours is not, they need to and you need to push them to do that because, it certainly turned out to be real in our case.
Brian:
Yeah. And what we're hearing from industry partners is, in the sense that there is a ton of data out there, and there's also new data out there and kind of, how do I make sense of it? And trying to use it to make more informed marketing decisions. And we're hearing, how do I know more about my guests? Who's my best guest? Where am I winning share? Where am I losing share? Do I need an offer? How do I answer these key marketing questions? And some of the things that we're talking about is just, not just using that data for learning, but then also pairing it with activation. So that you're seeing all the things that you're learning and understanding in real time. And then, does that actually bring somebody into the restaurant? Does it actually bring someone to order from an off premise channel that maybe they never did before? And so I think, as we look forward, better use of data, more use of the right data and the right tactics, I think are going to be more prevalent as marketing decisions shift from maybe a TV channel to OTT or programmatic or something else.
Alison:
Yeah. Well said. As marketers, that's a common problem that we all have is, we're just drowning in data and it's being able to parcel out the most important and relevant, and what's going to help you the most from all the other stuff out there that's interesting, but not necessarily usable right now.
Brian:
Right. And a lot of our partners and the way that they're evaluating that is, they're asking for better measurement and we can test a lot of things out there. And we find that it's impactful, especially folks like you that are sitting in C level meetings and board meetings and trying to validate or ask for investment to try new things or invest in new ways is, how do we defend these investments again, when you're moving from TV, which is tried and true, the brands have been doing it for years, to something more digital that's a new thing is, how do I prove that this is actually something I should continue to do?
Alison:
To me, it's no different than how it's always been. And I know that companies that specialize in digital advertising have a lot of issues with this. They're measuring service and attribution and impressions and a whole sort of other metrics, but honestly, why did we 40 years ago, go on TV in the first place? Why do we do digital advertising? Because we think it's going to bring in customers. So when you still measure, it doesn't matter whether it's TV advertising, or print advertising or digital, you still measure it the same way, which is three posts that have control the restaurants that have the digital media versus the restaurants that don't have a digital media.
Alison:
And then pre-post. Because you can talk all you want about the specific media metrics and all sorts of things that we can do with geo-targeting and geotracking and attribution. But if it really doesn't lift that group of stores from a comp sales standpoint versus another group of stores that didn't have the benefit of that advertising, then what are we doing? In my mind, and when I'm talking to our board, I would be the first to say, "Well, it didn't work. And so, I can show you all these media metrics, but look, if our comp sales didn't improve, then we need to understand why and move on."
Brian:
I think that's exactly right. I think that the more that you can evaluate those individual decisions in terms of, is this actually bringing more people to the restaurant if I didn't do it otherwise? And if you can answer those questions, I think that's where most marketers want to be and how marketing should be evaluated. And so I think that's, we're hearing more and more of that in the industry, especially like I said before, marketing investments are not infinite. And so the more that you can make sure that you're using those investments for the good, to drive more revenue, to drive more [inaudible 00:23:00] into the restaurant, proving that out is extremely impactful.
Shelley:
Let's take a little longer term view now, which I get a sense of restlessness just across the restaurant industry, we've been here, we've come up with the methods to stay afloat, but we want to innovate again, when does that happen? So what do you think about that, Alison?
Alison:
Yeah. Everybody's been talking about, it's not a new idea, but I think we will have to evolve more quickly. I'm specifically talking about full service restaurants, well actually it doesn't have to full service, certainly fast casual as well, but we're going to have to evolve more quickly to ghost kitchens. And there's a couple of definitions people use. One is locating kitchen facilities and areas solely for the purpose of delivery, maybe for pickup, it's certainly not dine in. This saves on labor, you don't have to bear the responsibilities of keeping a dining, public safe. Plus it allows you to gain market share by going into an underserved area without spending a lot on real estate.
Alison:
The second definition I hear a lot is launching virtual only concepts. So no physical restaurants at all, the brand lives online, it's created for online, it's launched online, it's available for delivery and potentially even pick up from one of those ghost kitchens. I think for established full service chains, it was on the explore list prior to COVID. But now I think it has to be accelerated and added to the to do list. And second, I don't think we can forget the basics of our industry, which is delivering a differentiated food experience at a consistently high level of execution, at a great value. These have always been the strategic pillars of all successful concepts. And though we may have paused our innovation against these pillars during this crisis, it's now time to move past, as you say, staying afloat, towards strengthening those elements that brought us to the party in the first place.
Brian:
The ideas of the new restaurant going forward. And as I mentioned before, the customer journey is new. And it's going to be different and I like to use the word adaptability because we're not sure what the next month what it may look like or the next few months, but I do know that restaurants are going to be there and they're going to find ways to communicate to their customers and bring them into enjoy the things that Alison just mentioned, whether it's in that physical location or whether it's the food being brought to them and the experience being translated in another way. So I think innovation is going to be consistent and constant, and I think it's exciting. And the more that we can do to help bring customers into the restaurant from a marketing point of view to experience that, that's where I think our job as partners can really come forward to say, and help the restaurant [inaudible 00:26:28] from all the investments that they're putting back in.
Alison:
Yeah. And Brian, I think you're absolutely right about the customer journey. That's one of the things that's very fluid right now. And we might have mapped the customer journey and backed it up with measurement techniques down to the nth degree. But I think we're all kind of reexamining that now and having to really do that all over again. What percentage of your customers are entering the funnel from this channel? And what are their needs? And how has that changed? And how have the different segments changed in their waiting across all of the groups of people that the entered the funnel? And so it's certainly going to be interesting, but I think if we think that the customer journey is going to snap back to being the same that we put all this work into mapping before, I think we follow that path at our peril.
Shelley:
Okay. Now, I have a question for you, Allison, as part of the executive team at Perkins and Huddle House, how did you ensure alignment across the executive suite on the priorities you have and the marketing budget in the last few months, and then going forward?
Alison:
Yeah. I think if you're part of the executive leadership team that wasn't tightly aligned before this hit, I would hate to have lived through what would you might've lived through the last five months or so. We were tightly aligned and I think like any good crisis management process, we started out every day from March, whatever it was, March 13th on with the teams meeting with all top executives of both brands. COVID hit when we were only six months into our acquisition and really absorption of the Perkins brand. So we were dealing with that and then COVID hit. So we assigned roles, in store safety, regulations and guidelines, guest facing messaging, assistance to the franchise space, cashflow management. All the things that we had to do in this crisis we literally on day one when we could, actually I think it was probably March 11th or 12th, on day one, when we could kind of see where things are going, we literally all got in a room and just started mapping out everything that we knew we were going to have to face.
Alison:
And then we stayed in constant communication with each other. Even though we were all very quickly after that time working remotely, except for our central personnel who had to be on site. So, eventually we gradually moved to every other day, then once a week. We've always run our business, utilizing the OKR system of objectives and key results. And we, by no means cost our earlier defined OKRs, but we added a big one. And the big one was stabilizing the business, that was first and foremost, that was the priority. We were all aligned with that and we just talked a lot. And that was the purpose of starting the day with the morning meeting where we could all, not only run down things in our specific area, but so that the entire executive team could understand what was going on across the enterprise and be able to provide help and input to the other executives and their functional areas.
Shelley:
Lastly today and taking the larger restaurant marketplace into consideration, what marketing tactics have you found to be most successful for your brands over the past seven months or so? And how would you tell other restaurants CMOs to apply those learnings to their own brands?
Alison:
Yeah. I think I would go back to digital of course. This just accelerated needing to get into a more refined digital marketing plan for one of our brands. We were already there for the other brand and necessity just caused it. But digital of course is attributable, it's ultimately targetable because you can get so close around the restaurant. And one of the things that we've seen during the pandemic as well is not replace of course, recovers equally. So we really used a lot of our sales data to pinpoint exactly what we're going to tackle first and what we think we can actually effect. We have a lot of patients that we know we just can't affect right now because they're in parts of the country that haven't opened up. They might be in tourist areas and being able to use the various digital marketing strategies and tactics has allowed us to really have that pinpoint decision.
Alison:
And I think the other thing from a tactic standpoint that has been really successful is, just changing our tonality. People are scarred, I think as I said before, and we have to present responsible but positive messages. It doesn't have to be sober, humor is good at this point, but we have to make people feel safe again, we have to be genuine in our conversations and we have to acknowledge what everyone is going through even while we're trying to build the business back. So being genuine, really taking a look at our media tactics from top to bottom of where we're going to channel that and look let's face it, our marketing budgets were chopped by, anywhere from a quarter to a third as we look forward for the next eight months or so, just protecting sales.
Alison:
Look, when you had virtually no sales for two months, because you're a dining concept, that's rough, that puts quite a dent in your marketing budget. So we've really had to really start all over again and really focus on those tactics that we can target specific restaurants, we can target specific guest groups and use those messages with the right tonality. And one thing we haven't talked about too much in this podcast that I think is going to really rear its head, is the whole value thing. Honestly, it hasn't been a big issue up to this point, as a lot of people have said because of the stimulus and because of unemployment benefits, but as that begins to peter out, unless employment really picks up again, I think there's a lot of restaurants, individual restaurants that are going to be in bad shape, just because their target group is just not going to be able to afford restaurants.
Alison:
And a lot of restaurants have been raising prices to deal with all of the extra sanitation and safety supplies, certainly all the extra packaging material, because so much of the business has shifted to off premise. So I would say, kind of in summary that, from what's been successful, it's been the digital media tactics that we've been able to target. And that includes not only digital advertising, but email and social media as well. It's been just the sheer fact that we changed the content of our messaging, our tonality, what we say to people, and that we're getting even more value forward, because we know it's coming where people are going to have less and less money in their pockets. And we want to make sure that we still get a share of those visits.
Shelley:
Brian, is there anything you can add to that?
Brian:
I don't know, I think that was very well said and perfectly put, and I think the underlying thing is that even if you've thrown your marketing calendar, your marketing approach away because you've had to rethink everything, it's going to be okay in the sense that you can try new things, you're going to test new things. There might be new channels that you didn't know customers were interested in and understanding that tonality and the value I think is going to be extremely critical as we go forward. And it's going to change in ways that we can't predict. And that's something that we'll have to work together as partners on, on how to take the right approach and being flexible and nimble and adaptable, I think are going to be critical for success as we go forward.
Alison:
Yeah. Just one kind of parting thought that you made me think of is, one of the other things I said at the beginning of the podcast that we really learned is that we can move a lot faster than we ever thought we could. And that's really shown us that when necessity calls for it, that we can really be lightening fast. And so I think one of the things that we probably will take a look at is the whole testing process, because testing takes time.
Alison:
And I think now we'll look at all sorts of things and evaluate it more through the lens of risk and reward. So if something is very, very risky and it could affect sales in a big way, then obviously we'll do our testing. But we used to be just kind of in this testing mode of, we test everything. And I'm not sure that's needed anymore when we kind of look at the risk and reward, if the risk isn't all that great, and the reward has much more upside? Then we want to get there sooner rather than later. And that's one thing that we would have never learned if it hadn't been for this crisis.
Shelley:
You are both getting to be, already are pros at adaptability and flexibility. So you could start your own bootcamp. Alison DeLaney is CMO at Perkins and Huddle House. And Brian Giannone is the vice president of Client Development at Epsilon. We appreciate you both being on the podcast today and wish you great success in the future. As we wrap up this edition of the show, a big thanks to all our listeners and have a great day.
---
## Using identity, data and AI to achieve a lifetime of financial loyalty
Type: eps_resource
URL: /using-identity-data-ai-lifetime-financial-loyalty
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Using identity, data and AI to achieve a lifetime of financial loyalty
Anticipate consumers’ needs across all five stages of the financial lifecycle.
If financial brands want to succeed in a consumer-first world, they must move away from channel- and product-first interactions and start addressing customers’ current and future financial needs.
Download this guide to learn how to engage with current and new customers at each stage of the lifecycle with a single, integrated approach that anticipates each person’s unique next action. Focusing on the customer—not the brand—builds lasting, trusting relationships.
---
## Contactless Loyalty: Build Connections in a Contactless World
Type: eps_resource
URL: /contactless-loyalty-guide-2020
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T22:16:49Z
# Contactless Loyalty: Build Connections in a Contactless World
2020 has been quite a year.
Brick-and-mortar stores have historically been an anchor for fostering strong customer relationships. But, thanks to COVID-19 lockdowns and business closures, in-person interactions have been limited, and people have been looking for new ways to shop and engage.
From retail to travel, financial services to restaurants, the customer experience as we know it has completely changed. And that's why we've created this guide - to help marketers foster loyalty with their customers, even when everything looks different.
In the guide, we explore how marketers can create contactless loyalty and human-like connections with their customers in this new normal.
Topics include:
The definition of contactless loyalty
Current consumer trends
Types of contactless experiences (with examples)
Four steps to creating contactless loyalty
We’ll share what we’ve learned, which brands are doing it well and Epsilon’s unique methodology for creating contactless loyalty. You’ll walk away with actionable insights for improving customer experiences and fostering loyalty for your brand.
---
## How to Build Customer Loyalty in an Increasingly Contactless World
Type: eps_resource
URL: /loyalty-week-building-loyalty-in-an-increasingly-contactless-world
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# How to Build Customer Loyalty in an Increasingly Contactless World
2020 has been quite a year.
Brick-and-mortar stores have historically been an anchor for fostering strong customer relationships. But, thanks to COVID-19 lockdowns and business closures, in-person interactions have been limited, and people have been looking for new ways to shop and engage. The customer experience as we know it has completely changed - from retail to travel, financial services to restaurants.
In this webinar, the Wise Marketer interviewed Tamara Oliveria, Senior Director of Strategy, Loyalty & Customer Experience, who shared our new concept of contactless loyalty.
Download the webinar to learn how to build loyalty in an increasingly contactless world.
---
## Forrester: The future of loyalty is bright—here's how to prepare
Type: eps_resource
URL: /forrester-future-of-loyalty-is-bright-how-to-prepare
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T22:17:52Z
# Forrester: The future of loyalty is bright—here's how to prepare
"Loyalty programs still have a lot of power during this time."
COVID-19 has led marketers into uncharted territory. According to Forrester, consumer spend is forecasted to continue to fall as we reach the end of 2020, which has lead CMOs to focus on retaining existing customers rather than acquire new ones. Right now, maintaining relationships with customers is an urgent task. Enter loyalty programs.
In this webinar, Forrester's Interim Research Director Emily Collins discusses why loyalty programs still have a lot of power during the pandemic. Emily gives her insights and expertise on how marketers can best position their loyalty programs to drive revenue, and help brands move towards recovery.
---
## From destination marketing to destination management
Type: eps_resource
URL: /from-destination-marketing-to-destination-management
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# From destination marketing to destination management
It’s time for destination marketing organizations (DMOs) to evolve.
While the pandemic has certainly caused an abrupt disruption to the industry (travel numbers won’t be returning to pre-COVID figures for years to come), it also presents a key inflection point: to continue marketing as usual, or to meet the need of showing clear, demonstrable ROI for their destination.
Featuring insights from Epsilon and destination marketers, this guide is meant to help DMOs adapt to today’s new normal and the future, showing you how to deliver results that meet and exceed stakeholder expectations.
---
## Creating contactless loyalty: Q&A with Epsilon and The Wise Marketer
Type: eps_resource
URL: /contactless-loyalty-webinar-epsilon-loyalty-week
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T22:17:52Z
# Creating contactless loyalty: Q&A with Epsilon and The Wise Marketer
It's no secret the pandemic has uprooted commonplace loyalty strategies and best practices. The in-person interactions marketers typically relied on to inspire meaningful customer loyalty are now limited. How can marketers find a way to bring a human touch to today's consumer experiences?
Contactless loyalty is the new reality for not just loyalty marketers, but all marketers. Investing in contactless loyalty allows brands to foster meaningful connections with their customers while addressing the needs of a pandemic-laden world.
In the webinar, Tamara Oliverio, Senior Director, Loyalty & Customer Experience at Epsilon is interviewed by Bill Hanifin, CEO & Managing Editor of The Wise Marketer to discuss the importance of trust during the pandemic, and how brands can start building it today.
In the session, Bill and Tamara will answer all your contactless loyalty questions, like:
What is contactless loyalty?
Why is it important now?
What contactless experiences are prevalent today?
What brands are doing it well?
How can brands get started?
---
## 3 ways digital media can grow deposits for regional banks right now
Type: eps_resource
URL: /regional-bank-marketers-guide-to-growing-deposits
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# 3 ways digital media can grow deposits for regional banks right now
With branches closed and in-person interactions limited, Epsilon research found that 48% of consumers are spending more time browsing the internet than they did pre-COVID. This means regional banks have to make a necessary shift many have been putting off till now: adapting to digital marketing.
In this guide, see real client results and video interviews reviewing digital media strategies that with grow your accounts quickly during this time.
Learn how to:
Identify more profitable current and potential clients and close more accounts digitally
Reach your best customers the moment they’re ready to act using digital media
Measure the full impact and value of your digital marketing efforts
Find out how to use digital media to drive deposit growth and know what questions to ask your partners to increase accounts now.
---
## Building loyalty in an increasingly contactless world
Type: eps_resource
URL: /loyalty-week-building-loyalty-in-an-increasingly-contactless-world
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Building loyalty in an increasingly contactless world
2020 has been quite a year.
Brick-and-mortar stores have historically been an anchor for fostering strong customer relationships. But, thanks to COVID-19 lockdowns and business closures, in-person interactions have been limited, and people have been looking for new ways to shop and engage. The customer experience as we know it has completely changed - from retail to travel, financial services to restaurants.
In this webinar, the Wise Marketer interviewed Tamara Oliveria, Senior Director of Strategy, Loyalty & Customer Experience, who shared our new concept of contactless loyalty.
Download the webinar to learn how to build loyalty in an increasingly contactless world.
---
## Contactless loyalty: Build connections in a contactless world
Type: eps_resource
URL: /contactless-loyalty-guide-2020
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T22:16:49Z
# Contactless loyalty: Build connections in a contactless world
2020 has been quite a year.
Brick-and-mortar stores have historically been an anchor for fostering strong customer relationships. But, thanks to COVID-19 lockdowns and business closures, in-person interactions have been limited, and people have been looking for new ways to shop and engage.
From retail to travel, financial services to restaurants, the customer experience as we know it has completely changed. And that's why we've created this guide - to help marketers foster loyalty with their customers, even when everything looks different.
In the guide, we explore how marketers can create contactless loyalty and human-like connections with their customers in this new normal.
Topics include:
The definition of contactless loyalty
Current consumer trends
Types of contactless experiences (with examples)
Four steps to creating contactless loyalty
We’ll share what we’ve learned, which brands are doing it well and Epsilon’s unique methodology for creating contactless loyalty. You’ll walk away with actionable insights for improving customer experiences and fostering loyalty for your brand.
---
## Email 2020 trends guide: Renaissance
Type: eps_resource
URL: /email-2020-trends-guide-renaissance-emea
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T22:17:52Z
# Email 2020 trends guide: Renaissance
Social connection & communication have been upended in 2020.
As the world went into various levels of lockdown, and people continue to spend more and more time at home, we all looked to new means of staying in touch - relying more heavily on video chat technologies like FaceTime, Zoom and Google Hangout.
Brands have also had to rely more on technology-driven interactions, and marketers turned to their most reliable method of staying in touch: email. Moving forward, email will play an important role in our collective emotional and economic recovery.
In this guide, we'll cover:
The role email played during brands' initial response phase
How the pandemic changed the way marketers view email and our new normal
Recommendations for how to use email through the phases of recovery, rebuilding and renaissance—with the ultimate goal of helping your brand thrive again
---
## Let's talk loyalty: Cracking the code to emotional loyalty
Type: eps_resource
URL: /lets-talk-loyalty-epsilon-talks-emotional-loyalty
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T22:17:52Z
# Let's talk loyalty: Cracking the code to emotional loyalty
In this episode of Let's Talk Loyalty, Tamara Oliverio, Senior Director of Loyalty and Customer Experience at Epsilon, and Julie Smith, as Vice President of Loyalty Technology at Epsilon discuss how the US market is evolving dramatically due to the pandemic, and how brands are re-inventing their programs to keep up with the changing perception of what customers find valuable.
Key insights include a significant shift towards contactless loyalty and how to approach the complex process of effective loyalty program evolution. They also discuss how brands continue to capture data, with consumers increasingly expecting it to be useful in real ways and in real time.
This episode includes fascinating insights on designing & optimizing loyalty programs from some industry experts who clearly love loyalty.
Transcription
Paula Thomas (00:04):
Welcome to Let's Talk Loyalty, an industry podcast for loyalty marketing professionals. I'm your host, Paula Thomas, and if you work in loyalty marketing join me every week to learn the latest ideas from loyalty specialists around the world.
Paula Thomas (00:22):
This episode is brought to you by Epsilon and their award winning PeopleCloud loyalty solution. Epsilon has actually just released a guide on the topic of contactless loyalty, which explores how marketeers can create human-like connections with their customers in an increasingly contactless world. I would highly recommend you have a look, so to download the guide visit emea.epsilon.com/letstalkloyalty and you'll find the guide in the resources section.
Paula Thomas (00:58):
So, welcome to this episode of Let's Talk Loyalty. And, as most of you will know, particularly if you've been listening for quite a while, I have first been sponsored with this amazing show with a fantastic technology partner. So Epsilon is an extraordinary company, powering some of the most powerful loyalty programs around the world. And I've bene working with Epsilon since April of this year, and first and foremost, the two episodes we've done together in terms of guests are some of my most listened to episodes of the show. So for regular listeners, if you haven't listened to episode 33 with Joseph Taylor, or episode 46 with Mitch Kennedy from Dell, then definitely do tune into those.
Paula Thomas (01:44):
So today, I am delighted to be talking to two of the ladies who are key and integral to the role of loyalty within Epsilon. First of all, I have Julie Smith, who is the vice president of development for loyalty. And separately, I also have Tamara Oliverio, who is the senior director of strategy, loyalty, and customer experience. So Julie and Tamara, welcome to Let's Talk Loyalty.
Tamara Oliverio (02:10):
Thank you.
Julie Smith (02:11):
Thank you.
Paula Thomas (02:12):
So you're up bright and early on a Monday morning, so first and foremost, want to thank you for coming on air. As you know, we've done lots of amazing shows, I think we're on episode 59 now, with you guys together. My favorite opening question is always this about really talking about loyalty statistics that can be super useful for listeners. Maybe Tamara, you might start by telling us what is your favorite loyalty statistic?
Tamara Oliverio (02:40):
Sure. Mine actually comes from some Epsilon research that we recently did, and it was that loyalty members actually can spend three times more as non-members. That stat alone is incredibly powerful in what loyalty can do for brands. So understanding driving the incremental behavior, and motivating and rewarding people for doing so, it's a very powerful stat for every brand to understand.
Paula Thomas (03:11):
Absolutely.
Tamara Oliverio (03:11):
So that's my favorite.
Paula Thomas (03:13):
Wonderful, thank you for that. And I know we'll get into your background now, in a couple of minutes. But, what I do love is, obviously, you have access to some very big loyalty programs and talking to the senior people leading them, so to have the insights, I suppose, coming from those kind of programs and scale is always super interesting. I'm a little bit jealous of your job.
Tamara Oliverio (03:33):
We're hiring.
Paula Thomas (03:34):
Oh my goodness, that's amazing. Don't tempt me. Julie, now tell me, you're more on the tech side, which again is going to be absolutely fascinating to hear what you're seeing and see what you're thinking about, in terms of your roadmap. But first of all, again, want to ask you exactly the same question. Tell me, what is your favorite loyalty statistic?
Julie Smith (03:57):
The one that's intrigued me is the one where the average consumer is part of so many loyalty programs, 14 to 18 on average. But, you're only active in a small percentage of those. So why I love that stat is that it reinforce the fact that the programs have to find ways to differentiate themselves. So you have to be different than your competitor, or someone else in that. Why that's interesting to me, from the technical perspective, is because that's a challenge for me and my technology, to be able to support a wide variety of programs that have to be out there, so they are differentiating themselves and still able to solve that problem with our technology.
Paula Thomas (04:48):
Wonderful.
Julie Smith (04:49):
That's an interesting challenge for us.
Paula Thomas (04:51):
It sure is, Julie. I've always been intrigued, actually, I worked once in a technology company. It was a small startup now in Dublin, so not at on the scale of what Epsilon does. But, prioritizing developments for clients, because clearly at the end of the day, we all have this unlimited wishlist of what our technology can do. So how on Earth you manage, I'm dying to try to understand.
Paula Thomas (05:17):
Before we get into all of that, actually, tell us about your loyalty background, I suppose from both sides. Maybe Julie, as we're talking tell me, I know you've been with Epsilon quite a long time.
Julie Smith (05:28):
I have, actually. I was in technology, and that's where I studied. But then, I fell in with Epsilon, and I've been in loyalty technology with Epsilon for 18 years. That's how I've actually learned the loyalty business, is all the way through the technology in my career here.
Paula Thomas (05:49):
Wow.
Julie Smith (05:49):
I got to work with a lot of different programs, big and small. That's actually how I got into loyalty marketing, was all the way through the technology.
Paula Thomas (05:58):
I always love to acknowledge employee loyalty. And actually, I was talking genuinely to some colleagues of yours in the Asia-Pacific region recently, and I know Epsilon actually had a couple of days where everybody was just asked to take a day off. To me, that just showed an incredible, I suppose, company culture. 18 years, you must have seen a hell of a lot, but clearly they're doing something right to keep you there, huh?
Julie Smith (06:25):
I have. They have fantastic employees.
Paula Thomas (06:28):
Wow.
Julie Smith (06:28):
Everybody I work with, it is the people, absolutely, that has kept me here. They're very, very bright, and challenging, and it's fantastic. I love it here, obviously.
Paula Thomas (06:39):
Yeah. Never gets dull, huh?
Julie Smith (06:41):
No, no.
Paula Thomas (06:42):
Brilliant. Tamara, tell us about your loyalty background?
Tamara Oliverio (06:46):
Sure. I haven't been here nearly as long as Julie, but it'll be five years in May. I was brought on board to help design a loyalty program for General Motors.
Paula Thomas (06:55):
Wow.
Tamara Oliverio (06:55):
So, My GM Rewards.
Paula Thomas (06:57):
Okay.
Tamara Oliverio (06:58):
Sign up today!
Tamara Oliverio (07:02):
My career's actually spanned about 20 years, where I've been both on the client side and on the agency side.
Paula Thomas (07:08):
Wow.
Tamara Oliverio (07:09):
Always, for the most part, in loyalty or CRM. But interestingly enough, how I fell into loyalty is my degree is actually in public relations, and my first part of my career was in public relations and investor relations.
Paula Thomas (07:22):
Wow.
Tamara Oliverio (07:22):
Where I had an assignment about this really cool ... I worked for a company called Valassis in Lavonia, Michigan. I had an assignment around this really cool thing called the Aztec Code, and it was all about collecting data, and what you can do with data, and I just fell in love with the whole concept and joined their startup, and got involved with frequent shopper programs, and CRM, and loyalty. Worked at Borders, managed the loyalty program for Borders.
Paula Thomas (07:51):
Wow.
Tamara Oliverio (07:51):
Gas Buddy, ran rewards for Gas Buddy. And, here I am. Here, basically working with a number of very large brands on designing loyalty programs and proving their current loyalty programs, and it's very exciting.
Paula Thomas (08:07):
Absolutely yes. Yeah. I'm sure there's just an ongoing extraordinary pipeline. Do you focus mainly on US clients? Do you work internationally? Because I know you do have an incredible number of colleagues around the world, but your team, you specifically focus on US programs, am I right?
Tamara Oliverio (08:24):
Specifically US programs, but we do a lot of programs that have global reach. We do partner, also, with colleagues around the world in those different locations.
Paula Thomas (08:35):
Yeah, wonderful. Wonderful. I remember saying to you, actually, when we spoke on the phone before, Tamara, about your background in public relations I think is just perfect, because I did read about one loyalty program, just for listeners I'll repeat myself, where the program was designed with the press release first. So the headline was written, and then the technology, the platform, the proposition was retrofitted to match up to the press release that the company wanted to release. So, I'm guessing you sometimes have very ambitious clients that start exactly the same way?
Tamara Oliverio (09:10):
We do, yes. How a loyalty program comes about does vary from client to client, but that is certainly one way.
Paula Thomas (09:18):
Yeah. But, I definitely write a lot about loyalty, as I think you both know, and I do see an awful lot of coverage across all channels, whether it's big news media websites, TV, so it genuinely has consumers interest so I think that's absolutely superb. I'm not sure every country is advanced, in terms of monitoring and reporting on that, so super exciting for you guys.
Tamara Oliverio (09:47):
Definitely, yeah.
Julie Smith (09:49):
Yes.
Paula Thomas (09:51):
Great! I'd love to get into a discussion, I suppose, around trends, really. Because, at the end of the day, everyone listening to this show ... At the moment, I think, I was looking, there's probably over 400 loyalty managers and directors around the world listening to every single episode, so it's a big audience. I think by virtue of the fact that they're listening to podcasts probably means they value innovation, they value new ideas, and that's what they're here to listen for.
Paula Thomas (10:18):
So, tell us exactly what you're seeing in terms of the industry?
Tamara Oliverio (10:23):
Since we're talking global, I will say it does vary from market to market because, to your point, the US market is extremely mature in comparison to other markets.
Tamara Oliverio (10:33):
Specific to the US, a big trend that we see right now is people wanting to reinvent their loyalty strategies. Because obviously in 2020, but even before 2020, there's been a lot of disruption, and the tactics and strategies of yesterday don't necessarily work anymore. So you have to completely reinvent what your program strategies are. I will say, there are a number of reinventions underway right now, specifically in the US, that will be launching in the near future. Which we can't talk about right now, but there are a lot of common themes to them that are around having more than just rewards, and having the value proposition being more than just a discount, having convenience be a factor.
Tamara Oliverio (11:22):
Obviously, in the day of COVID having a contactless experience and contactless loyalty is going to be a really big key as well, around the trends. Obviously, mobile plays a big part in a lot of the new reinventions that we're seeing. But, I would say overall, the general value proposition, in terms of the value exchange a brand has with the consumer, is being shaken up.
Paula Thomas (11:47):
Wow.
Tamara Oliverio (11:49):
Because what consumers perceive to be valuable a year ago, two years ago, three years ago, isn't necessarily the same as it is today, so there are things that are changing pretty drastically.
Paula Thomas (12:02):
Wow. And I love that, particularly. I do a lot of work in convenience retail, and it's something that I've noticed as well, Tamara, you're absolutely right. Again, this pre-dates COVID, but where you can actually simplify the customer's experience at the point of sale, be that in store or online, it really is about removing friction, about making it easy. Actually, it's one of the reasons I did call this show Let's Talk Loyalty not Let's Talk Loyalty Programs, because really the emotion of loyalty comes the whole customer experience, so that's really cool that that's coming through.
Paula Thomas (12:40):
You'll definitely have to make sure I get whatever press release you issue about the new programs you alluded to there, Tamara, because it sounds like there's some interesting stuff up and coming, so that's really interesting.
Paula Thomas (12:52):
I suppose, what format does it come to you? Would it come to you from senior executives that sit down to do a formal review and workshops on, I suppose, a scheduled basis? Do you conduct your own customer research? Or, how does Epsilon, I suppose, keep up to date on those trends?
Tamara Oliverio (13:11):
Yeah, I would say all of the above. We have a really in-depth group. Obviously, Epsilon's very well known for not just the technology in loyalty, but we have a huge data division, too.
Paula Thomas (13:21):
Okay.
Tamara Oliverio (13:21):
So on top of that, we have access to a lot of data, we can understand and see a lot of trends. In fact, I know if you go to Epsilon, our website, there's a lot of recent trends out there and information tied to COVID, and how consumer dynamics are changing.
Tamara Oliverio (13:35):
But really, it comes down to the client relationships we have, and or new client relationships, and just talking to different brands on a day-to-day basis to see what's going on with their brands, what their challenges are, and how we could help improve them. And, leaning in on what we're seeing with the data. A lot of the decisions and recommendations that we make, in terms of program optimization or evolution, is tied to what the consumer data is telling us. Obviously, mirroring that up with what the brand needs are, and that's how you come up with the value exchange that's the most appropriate.
Paula Thomas (14:11):
Absolutely. There's a couple of things that you did recently as well, which again, I think listeners will be very interested in. First of all was Loyalty Week, so I know there was a lot of amazing webinars that you guys did. So I'll make sure that we get access to those and share them in the show notes, so anyone that wasn't able to attend, some of us in inhospitable timezones for example didn't get to listen live.
Paula Thomas (14:36):
But also, I know you've developed a loyalty assessment in conjunction with Forrester Research. We did mention it on the show there, a couple of weeks ago. I was saying to all there that I just went through that assessment myself with a previous client's program, which shall remain nameless. But, it was a really good experience. Maybe just talk to us a bit about that tool, because I think everybody listening is always looking for validation, I suppose, in terms of how are they performing, what areas maybe have they not looked at or thought about. Can you talk a little bit about that loyalty tool?
Tamara Oliverio (15:10):
Sure. Like you said, if you go to the website ... I think where it's really helpful, putting my brand hat on if I was on the client side like I used to be, you're in the day-to-day and you're operating your program, and you're working with executive management and executive leadership to get them the information, and reporting and doing KPIs, so you don't necessarily have the time to really say, "Okay, what should I do? Or, what can I do next?"
Tamara Oliverio (15:35):
But, what I really like about this tool, it's just a quick five, maybe 10 minutes, exercise and then there's some immediate recommendations on areas you might want to look at and consider exploring for future innovation.
Paula Thomas (15:49):
Absolutely.
Tamara Oliverio (15:49):
It's just being time crunched, we all have time crunch, especially now. But, especially if you're on the brand side and operating a loyalty program, it's a good way to help guide what directions you might want to lean into.
Paula Thomas (16:02):
Absolutely. Again, having done a lot of client projects myself, I think it's a great tool to take to senior management to say, "Look, we need to invest more."
Tamara Oliverio (16:10):
Exactly.
Paula Thomas (16:10):
"We need to do more stuff, because we haven't got X, Y, or Z sorted," so that's brilliant.
Tamara Oliverio (16:15):
Exactly.
Paula Thomas (16:16):
Brilliant.
Paula Thomas (16:17):
Julie, I want to bring you back in, I suppose, in terms of what trends you might be seeing in the industry.
Julie Smith (16:24):
From the technology side and the platform side, the trends are really more around how to get that loyalty experience in all of the touchpoints. Tamara talked a little bit about being mobile, and convenient and everything, and a lot of the work that we do is more around how do we connect the ecosystems of our clients so that loyalty is a way of life in that business. Every part of that company understands what it is, and understands how to engage, and make it prominent in the conversation with the customer, no matter where you're touching them. Whether it's on the mobile, or at the website, or in store, or whatever the case may be.
Julie Smith (17:07):
So, getting all of those touchpoints to have the same data at the same time, in real time and connected, is really the challenge that we've been working on, helping that loyalty execution on the operations side is a big part of what we've been doing, probably in the past five years or so.
Julie Smith (17:28):
Now that we've got the framework to accomplish that, and help our clients integrate to that, and make that somewhat seamless, our next vision is a little bit what Tamara was talking about, as far as the insights, and proving the value, and bringing all that data together and grabbing the right insights about that data, at the right time, to the loyalty marketer so they can continue to grow the program and expend in the right places and everything.
Julie Smith (17:59):
So, gathering the data, the touchpoints, it's probably the trend. Definitely, more real time is the way to get it all together.
Paula Thomas (18:09):
The challenge?
Julie Smith (18:09):
A little bit.
Paula Thomas (18:11):
Yeah. I'm sure all of us are the same. As consumers, we totally expect that the brands that we do interact with should have all of our data, and it should be available across all touchpoints. I think we probably underestimate the complexity, and it's only when we do go into run these big loyalty programs that we realize the challenge that people like you have, Julie, in making sure that it is at all of those touchpoints.
Paula Thomas (18:35):
I know you have a long roadmap as well, ahead. I think you ran some events, you mentioned, for example during Loyalty Week, talking about the product vision for the future. Can you tell us a bit about where you're going with the technology?
Julie Smith (18:53):
Yeah. Like I said, the last focus has been the real time and the connectedness of all the platforms and stuff. Now, we're turning our focus to empowering the loyalty marketer to be able to change and evolve their program, as they need to, and get it into market as quickly as possible. But also, continuing to focus on letting them create experiences for their consumers that are delightful, personalized, and relevant to where they are in their journey with the brand. That's our vision.
Julie Smith (19:31):
How to do this, to empower that loyalty marketer, and bring the right data to them at the right point in time is some of our roadmap items. So, collecting that data and not doing just KPI metrics, but also giving insights about those metrics. You know, trends that you're seeing, which part of the customer base do we need to focus on, or the member base. And, what promotions or offers in the past have worked, and now start to give relevant suggestions to that loyalty marketer about what to do next, and make that all available in our platform, in real time, and easy access.
Julie Smith (20:12):
So, using machine intelligence to help bring that together in a real time perspective in our application is one of our main focuses in the next six to 12 months. And then again, using some of the machine intelligence as well, around that one-to-one marketing is another big part of the vision that we're talking about. So, if you have a ton of offers that you want to put into market, how do I talk to Paula differently than I talk to Tamara, based on where they are with their brand and what they like, and grabbing all of that data to sort through it and personalize. That's our next challenge that we're taking on.
Paula Thomas (20:53):
Yeah. Again, I mean even within the industry, it's one thing to collect all of the data and have it available, but to make it accessible in a way that I, for example, as a non-techy, as very much somebody who really wants a very simple set of recommendations, I think that must be a huge challenge. Literally, to bring it into a way that's actionable, because as we all know, you can get buried in data and swamped with insights, but one big thing.
Paula Thomas (21:22):
And again, I suppose it's what I always love in terms of talking to partners. It's what have we seen in one industry, so you'll probably see what's happening in a client like Dell which we've done the interview on, and see how that might be appropriate to other clients who are looking to evolve. I think that cross industry expertise gives you a unique perspective. And again, I always say everyone should talk to their partners, their technology partners, to say, "What is happening outside of our industry?" And take that, I suppose, head above the fence and see what's going on in the big, bad world.
Julie Smith (21:57):
Absolutely. The working with the multiple verticals and the clients across that, like you said, you can bring those experiences and give different ideas to the other side, the different verticals. Absolutely.
Paula Thomas (22:11):
Yeah, absolutely. It's why always liked consulting, actually, it's exactly the same thing. I started in the telco sector, and then moved into energy, and banking. And at the end of the day, they were all massive databases of human beings who didn't want to be on a database, they just wanted to be connected.
Paula Thomas (22:28):
Tamara, from your side then, I know you're a big fan of driving emotional loyalty. So, tell us what you're seeing coming through on that side of things?
Tamara Oliverio (22:37):
Yeah. There's a lot of innovation in that area, specifically around ... Since we're talking about data, I think one of the big challenges that marketers have, or loyalty marketers have, is around understanding what kind of data can help indicate and inform what an emotion happens to be.
Tamara Oliverio (22:55):
There are some projects that we're working on internally here, to get a better and much more scientific approach to that, that's all data driven. So it comes down to data attribution to an actual emotion within a moment, about a brand. And then, what does that mean? How does that impact share of dollar, how does that impact share of heart, share of time? You know, how much time you're engaging with the brand. To that point, how can you use that information to then inform your future offers, messages, whatever it is, to drive that incremental behavior you're trying to drive?
Tamara Oliverio (23:35):
So, there's a lot of work currently being done at Epsilon, around this, and I would expect to maybe see more about that in the future.
Paula Thomas (23:46):
Yeah, coming soon.
Tamara Oliverio (23:47):
Coming soon! A lot of exciting things happening right now.
Paula Thomas (23:49):
Oh, completely. Yeah. But, do you know what I love, Tamara? When you talk about share of heart, it's something I'm very passionately agree with you on, and I believe that we should be having those type of conversations. I'm wondering, in your experience, are most brands ready to have that conversation? I'm sure every market around the world is different. Again, a lot of people listening to this show are in the US, but a lot are not. I'm wondering, for example, how much of share of heart is being discussed maybe in the UK, or here in the Middle East for example? What's your sense on the readiness of senior people to talk about something that may feel a little softer than those hard metrics of loyalty we're used to in the past?
Tamara Oliverio (24:37):
That's a great question. Honestly, I think it does vary, and it varies based on the brand. And especially, you hit the nail on the hid, how do you quantify that, and measure that, and show some sort of return on an increased share of heart?
Tamara Oliverio (24:51):
Some of the work that we're doing right now is to build out what that return could be or would be, so hopefully we'll have some analytics to help nudge that conversation along.
Paula Thomas (25:02):
Super.
Tamara Oliverio (25:02):
That we could share. But, it really comes down to, at the end of the day, as a brand, what are you trying to achieve? What's important, what are the goals of loyalty for your organization? And, while we're always going to say ...
Tamara Oliverio (25:17):
At the end of the day, when you're talking about big L loyalty, share of heart is extremely important. You want brand love, that's what leads to a lot of other things, retention, long time value, all of that, advocacy.
Paula Thomas (25:33):
Yeah.
Tamara Oliverio (25:33):
But, at the end of the day, it comes down to what is the goal of the program, or the initiative that you're trying to drive, from an executive standpoint. Sometimes brand love is it, and sometimes it's something else.
Tamara Oliverio (25:46):
But, I would say there is definitely much more interest in it. There's a lot of companies out there talking about it. But, I don't think anyone's quite cracked the code just yet.
Paula Thomas (25:57):
Totally, totally. It's ironic I suppose, but given the current challenges, for example, a pandemic does force a rethink, and it may be that we now have permission, as marketeers, to be braver and say, "Actually, you know what? I want to stand for something differently." Or, "I want to really show up for my customers now, in a bigger and better way." Yeah, it almost is a defining time, I think. As we know, the behavior is changing dramatically. But, it also is a unique window of opportunity to say, "This is how we want to manage our business, and to be loyal to our customers."
Paula Thomas (26:37):
Because, that's what I think is the opportunity. We've all talked about how do we get our customers to be loyal to us, but it sounds like you're helping people think the other way around, as well.
Tamara Oliverio (26:46):
Yeah. And I think what's exciting right now, too, especially for Epsilon because we were recently acquired by Publicis.
Paula Thomas (26:53):
Of course.
Tamara Oliverio (26:54):
This whole emotional loyalty question, from a strategic standpoint, is exciting to me because we now have [inaudible 00:27:02] of the art and science of it all.
Paula Thomas (27:04):
Wow.
Tamara Oliverio (27:04):
And, really come up and crack the code because I think the answer is a mixture, somewhere in between of using the art and science of it all. I think that, and the conversations we're having internally, and exploring, and some of the initiatives we're working on, I'm feeling that we're closer to understanding it than we have been in the past because of that. It's been a great mix.
Paula Thomas (27:25):
Absolutely. It's actually very reassuring, because again, I'm the one who's usually going, "I have no idea how we're going to make this transition into emotional loyalty," for example, "because there is no easy answers." Yes, I will be certainly watching with interest.
Paula Thomas (27:40):
The next thing I wanted to talk to you both about was I suppose you mentioned already about companies that want to evolve their programs, and that's actually something that's certainly happening here in the Middle East. We have some extraordinary loyalty programs, and again, they're working on their emotional loyalty propositions and evolving forward. But, what should they be doing, in terms of that complex procedure? It's one thing to say, "Yeah, we want to continually improve our perform against KPIs." But if you actually want to evolve a program rather than starting from scratch, how do you recommend they go about that?
Tamara Oliverio (28:20):
Well, I think you always have to start with the consumer. Start with the consumer, really understand the consumer. Sometimes, from an exercise standpoint this could be done through a customer journey map of some sort, or really understanding. And also, customer research, survey them, talk to them, focus groups. But also, if you happen to have data or access to data to help inform some of that. So, it really starts with the consumer and understanding where you're at.
Tamara Oliverio (28:49):
I always compare it, it's like planning a journey. "I want to go on a trip, but I don't know necessarily where." At least, first figure out where you are right now.
Paula Thomas (28:58):
Okay, sure.
Tamara Oliverio (28:58):
And then, figure out where you want to be, and then plan the journey to get there. So understanding where you are now is really, really critical to getting to the next place. That's probably the first step. And lean in, and let the consumers inform you because, I will guarantee, every time we go through this exercise in taking a deep dive into the consumer, there's always some surprises.
Paula Thomas (29:22):
Really?
Tamara Oliverio (29:22):
That the brand doesn't know. Yeah, there's always something that comes up that you're like, "Oh, I didn't realize that was ..." That helps shift what the journey might be, and how to get to where you need to go.
Paula Thomas (29:33):
Okay. I like that. Look for surprises in your data?
Tamara Oliverio (29:38):
There's always going to be surprises.
Paula Thomas (29:40):
Wow. Again, I suppose it's a brave company that goes looking for those surprises, because sometimes it's easier to just continue as is.
Tamara Oliverio (29:48):
Yeah, absolutely. That's a good point, because sometimes there might be thing in the data you don't want to see.
Paula Thomas (29:54):
Totally.
Tamara Oliverio (29:54):
But, you have to know what it is and what you're up against, and what your consumers ... Because, at the end of the day, having loyalty is about instilling loyalty with your consumer, it's just like any other relationship. I know we've said that a million times as loyalty marketers, but you have to understand who it is that you're trying to connect with. The better you can understand, the better you can connect.
Paula Thomas (30:18):
Absolutely. Love it.
Paula Thomas (30:19):
Julie, from your side, what do you see in terms of programs that do want to evolve, from a technology perspective?
Julie Smith (30:29):
From the technology side, we probably focus more on just being ready to go where they need to go. So when they've decided, they've looked at where they are, and they've worked with Tamara and they understand where they want to go, having the right levers and the right consultation to work with them, to bring those experiences to life. To enable them to take that next step, introduce that new aspect of the program. Whether it's now surprise and delight, or whether it's a new gamification feature, or whatever it is, just being ready to equip them and arm them to enable the experience that they want to put in place. That's what we've been able to prepare our application to do, or our technology to do, is help them connect those dots with their systems and go to market with whatever those experiences are going to be.
Paula Thomas (31:25):
I really have to ask you the question, Julie, I alluded to at the start. I told you I worked for a technology start point, and every time I would go and meet a client, they would tell me they needed a new feature. I'm sure you guys have this constantly. How does that process work? If I was a client or a brand, and I'm pretty sure Epsilon does everything I would need it to do, but just let's say, I did have a big idea. How do you manage it, first of all, in terms of sometimes saying no? I guess there's plenty of you might have to say, "We can't do that right now." But, how does that technology planning process work?
Julie Smith (32:01):
Well, we listen and we pay attention to what's coming, and we start to draw parallels between common themes, or new ideas. We try to get ahead of it. Configuration and extension is huge. We've gotten skilled at being able to put slight extensions into certain parts of the application where needed, so that brands can be customer specific in that one area and still use the core platform.
Julie Smith (32:37):
Same way with the platform itself, there's a lot of levers and a lot of configurations that you can mix and max together to bring that, to have one technology platform go in and service multiple, multiple ideas.
Paula Thomas (32:52):
Yeah.
Julie Smith (32:52):
We've gotten a little bit crafty there, to be able to do that. Yes.
Paula Thomas (32:57):
Oh, of course.
Julie Smith (32:57):
Because you want to say yes.
Paula Thomas (32:59):
I was going to say, you have to provide a solution and that's the right approach. Yes.
Julie Smith (33:03):
Yeah. Absolutely.
Paula Thomas (33:06):
I mean, Mitch Kennedy was brilliant. I know you guys powered the Dell loyalty program. He was like, "You know what? Anything I've ever asked for has always been available. Yes, there might be a cost associated with it." But, it is very much like that partnership approach of, how do we get to what we're ultimately trying to achieve on both sides? Yeah, that's pretty cool.
Paula Thomas (33:27):
Awesome. Yeah, I wanted to talk a bit about, then, just coming just towards the end of the show, just about future proofing. What do you think that clients should be doing to think about future proofing their loyalty programs? How should they be thinking ahead, do you think? Maybe Tamara you might come in, I suppose again, with the journey mapping approach that you're recommending?
Tamara Oliverio (33:52):
Sure. Well, journey mapping for sure, but I would say ... We're having these conversations with our current clients right now. So, any sort of journey mapping you may have done up until maybe six months ago, or data analysis, it's pretty much out the window right now.
Paula Thomas (34:09):
That's true.
Tamara Oliverio (34:10):
You need to redo it all right now, so I wouldn't lean too much in on that.
Tamara Oliverio (34:15):
In terms of future proofing, going back to we need to understand and level set where are we right now.
Paula Thomas (34:19):
Sure.
Tamara Oliverio (34:20):
And really understanding, to help guide that. But, in terms of future proofing strategies, first and foremost, you have to understand that your strategies are going to have to continuously evolve, because consumers continuously change.
Paula Thomas (34:32):
Sure.
Tamara Oliverio (34:33):
You're continuously getting more data that you can have access to, to help inform your decisions and be smarter.
Paula Thomas (34:40):
Yeah.
Tamara Oliverio (34:40):
And then the journey mapping, like you had said, really understanding the whole experience of where a consumer happens to be, where's those moments that matter, really fine tuning that. But, it should necessarily be a document's one and done, it should be a living and breathing document that's constantly changing and evolving, and you're constantly looking at how you can improve experience.
Tamara Oliverio (34:59):
So, in terms of future proofing from a strategic standpoint, it's about always being proactive, and always informing and leaning in on where those certain areas that you can improve and make things better. It's really about being proactive. And I think to that point, that can help you isolate those types of features that you should maybe add down the road, or which ones you shouldn't. Just because it's a shiny object doesn't necessarily mean you should have it.
Paula Thomas (35:28):
Totally, yeah.
Tamara Oliverio (35:29):
And having those types of conversations, and understanding and honing, and then letting that help guide what the technology solutions should be.
Paula Thomas (35:39):
Yeah. I know what I've also found to be quite useful, actually, is to bring in maybe other departments that aren't might traditionally, or let's say day-to-day involved with the running of the loyalty program. So, do you tend to find that your clients would be good at that? Or, do they need maybe to be reminded to do that from time to time?
Tamara Oliverio (35:59):
Yes. Especially if you're having a loyalty program, depending on the kind of program, there's so many departments that are involved in this.
Paula Thomas (36:07):
Sure.
Tamara Oliverio (36:09):
That touch it, in some way, shape, or form. I always recommend that, especially if you're going through these types of exercises, consumer journey mapping, bring in other groups because it really helps. One, from an ownership standpoint, these other teams that you're going to need to be involved, and have a stake in the game, for the success of your initiative, get them involved in the journey mapping process. Get them involved in the ideation sessions, because they'll have that sense of ownership of something when it comes to life.
Paula Thomas (36:40):
Yeah.
Tamara Oliverio (36:40):
And, it really helps with alignment, overcoming any internal obstacles you might have with silos or all that, because when you have large organizations, it's everywhere. It's not just at one, it's at everywhere. Having that internal alignment out the gate helps internally, and also helps sell into the executives, too. If you can get the whole team aligned, it's easier to get the executives aligned, and makes it much less painful internally, as a client or as a brand.
Paula Thomas (37:12):
Yeah, yeah. Again, yes, I remember exactly and my own experience was exactly the same. Let's preempt any concerns that the leadership team may have by ensuring all of their people have had the opportunity to contribute, and challenge, and all of that. It is a very good approach because then everyone goes, "Okay, right. You've taken my requirements and my objectives into the overall scheme of things." Yeah, that's awesome.
Paula Thomas (37:38):
That's brilliant. The last real question I wanted to ask you both, I suppose, was much more around what do you recommend in terms of helping, again, listeners to this show to stay up to date? What kind of resources do you like, do you read, do you consume? Please, totally fill us in on what you recommend in terms of media resources.
Julie Smith (37:59):
Honestly, a lot of the things that I focused on from learning loyalty, to be honest, is through the clients. So, as I fold that into the application and technology, I learn a lot from our clients and what they want to do, and the challenges they have with operationalizing a program, and that helps me focus on how to streamline the application and help them do that. From a technology perspective, I get a lot of input from our clients and our experiences, and the different challenges that they have, and help to solve those problems.
Julie Smith (38:38):
I also listen to your loyalty podcast, and learning those different experiences.
Paula Thomas (38:45):
Cool.
Julie Smith (38:45):
A couple of business growth podcasts, like the Masters of Scale. Again, also listening to those challenges and how they've solved those problems, to help stay up to date, and help evolve our application. So, those are a couple of the things I've done.
Paula Thomas (39:00):
Wonderful. Well, I'm glad you're a podcast listener. Clearly, selfishly I'm happy you listen to mine. But yeah, I haven't listened to Masters of Scale, so that's definitely one will tune into.
Paula Thomas (39:12):
It's funny, I was talking to somebody, actually, just recently because I think podcasts probably had, initially, a bit of a dip when COVID came in and people stopped commuting, because that was, I suppose, the time of day a lot of people were consuming this type of content that I'm putting out, and that we're putting out. But actually, I think those people have found new times to listen, because they realize they value the content. But, I do believe there's a whole new audience as well, and I'm sure there's loads of Epsilon clients will be listening to this type of content, so there are a whole new range of people who are loving the audio format. So I think it's cool that you're in the early adopter group, Julie, that's brilliant.
Julie Smith (39:52):
I am. Thanks.
Paula Thomas (39:54):
Wonderful. And Tamara, where do you go to, to stay up to date from your side?
Tamara Oliverio (39:59):
I second Let's Talk Loyalty podcast, so there you have it.
Paula Thomas (40:03):
Thank you for the plugs, ladies.
Tamara Oliverio (40:04):
Absolutely. I second that. Where I like it is it helps in terms of understanding what other loyalty practitioners are seeing, and having those conversations. Pre-COVID, we'd have conferences that we might go to with the Loyalty Academy, I'm still a member of the Loyalty Academy.
Paula Thomas (40:26):
Yes.
Tamara Oliverio (40:27):
CLMP.
Paula Thomas (40:28):
Yes, yes.
Tamara Oliverio (40:29):
I've got your certification. With the Wise Marketer, that's a great resource in really help pushing a loyalty practitioner's thinking. And it's across different industries, and there's competitors in the room but we're all talking together, and really pushing our thinking and pushing the industry, which I think is really exciting.
Tamara Oliverio (40:49):
On top of that, of course talking to our clients. What are they experiencing, day-to-day? Looking at the data, what is the data telling us in terms of what consumers are seeing and saying. And on top of that, I've always been a bit of a geek for any kind of futuristic consumer trend stuff.
Paula Thomas (41:07):
Oh, cool. Yeah.
Tamara Oliverio (41:09):
There's a few different ... Trendspotters, Trend Hunters, there's a couple of really cool trending. Foresight Factory was another great one, that really hones in on interesting trends around the globe, so it's not just the US. But, there's always really cool inspiration that I might see in one market, say South Africa, that you could apply in Canada, or something like that.
Paula Thomas (41:30):
Totally.
Tamara Oliverio (41:30):
So there's always really great insights and trends around the world, just to get the creative juice going, helping inspire more loyalty, and keeping Julie really busy.
Julie Smith (41:45):
You're very good at that.
Paula Thomas (41:46):
Oh, I can only imagine the rivalry in the office. Oh, it must be hilarious.
Paula Thomas (41:52):
Genuinely, I know you create a lot of content as well, so what I'll do is I'll make sure that we link to the Epsilon's website, obviously both for Europe and also for the US, because you guys are putting out some extraordinary stuff yourselves. So, I do want to make sure that anybody who wants to stay up to date has access to the Epsilon content as well, so we'll make sure to include that in the show notes.
Tamara Oliverio (42:14):
Thank you.
Paula Thomas (42:15):
I think that's all the questions I had, ladies, from my side. Is there anything else that you wanted to contribute or comment on, before we wrap up?
Julie Smith (42:23):
I don't. But, thank you for having us, it's been great talking with you this morning.
Paula Thomas (42:27):
Wonderful.
Julie Smith (42:28):
A good way to start the week.
Paula Thomas (42:28):
Great, Julie. Thank you. Tamara, anything from your side?
Tamara Oliverio (42:31):
Yeah, same. Thank you for your time, this has been a lot of fun. And congratulations, on the success of the podcast. This is number 59?
Paula Thomas (42:41):
Exactly, exactly.
Tamara Oliverio (42:42):
Fantastic.
Paula Thomas (42:43):
Absolutely. Yes. Yeah, I think I signed up, in my own head, to do four. Between the jigs and the reels, my goodness, yeah it's been an extraordinary rollercoaster. And genuinely, you know how much I value the Epsilon partnership, so definitely want to acknowledge that. From my side, Julie Smith and Tamara Oliverio, thank you so much from Let's Talk Loyalty.
Paula Thomas (43:09):
This show is sponsored by The Wise Marketeer, the world's most popular source of loyalty marketing news, insights, and research. The Wise Marketeer also offers loyalty marketing training through its Loyalty Academy, which has already certified over 170 executives in 20 countries as Certified Loyalty Marketing professionals. For more information, check out thewisemarketeer.com and loyaltyacademy.org.
Paula Thomas (43:44):
Thanks so much for listening to this episode of Let's Talk Loyalty. If you'd like me to send you the latest show each week, simply sign up for the show newsletter on letstalkloyalty.com and I'll send you the latest episode to your inbox, every Thursday. Or, just head to your favorite podcast platform, find Let's Talk Loyalty, and subscribe. Of course, I'd love your feedback and reviews, and thanks again for supporting the show.
---
## Optimizing your RFP: The marketer's guide to choosing the right email provider
Type: eps_resource
URL: /optimizing-your-rfp-the-marketers-guide-to-choosing-the-right-email-provider
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T22:16:49Z
# Optimizing your RFP: The marketer's guide to choosing the right email provider
The RFP can be an exciting, yet laborious process. Exciting because you're choosing a new partner to help elevate your business. Laborious because, let's face it, RFPs take time and effort. And for all this work, you may not get the info you need to make the right decision.
This e-book explores key factors to consider when choosing an email partner—factors that are unlikely to be uncovered in a traditional RFP—and offers five tips on how to structure your RFP to get the insights you need.
---
## How to thrive in the first-party data world, with or without cookies
Type: eps_resource
URL: /marketer-playbook-how-to-succeed-without-third-party-cookies
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# How to thrive in the first-party data world, with or without cookies
Google recently shocked the industry and announced they are no longer planning to deprecate third-party cookies on Chrome.
While this may feel like a major change, we think the opposite—it doesn’t really change anything. It’s critical that marketers continue to invest in tools and tactics that don’t rely on third-party cookies.
This playbook gives actionable recommendations to help marketers continue to future-proof their digital marketing. Dive in and uncover:
The latest news on Google's plans to deprecate third-party cookies
How your marketing colleagues are feeling about the changes
How to build and boost your first-party data
The different types of person-based identity resolution and why they matter
Alternative tech to third-party cookies
How Epsilon can help guide marketers through a cookieless future
For more insight on third-party cookie deprecation, read our full research, Preparing for a world beyond third-party cookies, here.
---
## Forrester: The future of loyalty is bright - here's how to prepare
Type: eps_resource
URL: /forrester-the-future-of-loyalty-is-bright-heres-how-to-prepare
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T22:17:52Z
# Forrester: The future of loyalty is bright - here's how to prepare
"Loyalty programmes still have a lot of power during this time."
COVID-19 has lead marketers into uncharted territory. According to Forrester, consumer spend is forecasted to continue to fall as we enter 2021, which has lead CMOs to focus on retaining existing customers rather than acquire new ones. Right now, maintaining relationships with customers is an urgent task. Enter loyalty programmes.
In this webinar, Forrester's Interim Research Director Emily Collins discusses why loyalty programmes still have a lot of power during the pandemic. Emily gives her insights and expertise on how marketers can best position their loyalty programmes to drive revenue, and help brands move towards recovery.
---
## The insurance marketer's guide to acquiring new policies
Type: eps_resource
URL: /insurance-marketers-guide-to-acquiring-new-policies
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# The insurance marketer's guide to acquiring new policies
Acquiring new policies is more important than ever, with the pandemic causing significant P&C losses estimated at $100 billion.
With customer lives changing daily, insurance companies need to proactively see life event triggers that indicate future policy needs before it's too late—both with existing and net-new customers.
In this guide, learn how to:
Identify quality leads using life event triggers digitally
Reach your best leads the moment they're ready to act using digital media
Measure the full impact and value of your digital marketing efforts
---
## The New Consumer
Type: eps_resource
URL: /the-new-consumer
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T22:17:52Z
# The New Consumer
In August 2020, we conducted a survey of 1,000 UK consumers, in partnership with Retail Week, to find out what is driving shopper behavior and encouraging brand loyalty. The research found consumers are very driven by things like price, discounts, free delivery and returns, and online experience right now.
Based on this research, together we created a blueprint for recession-proof retail. Download it now for our detailed findings, along with advice from experts such as Pour Moi chief executive, Michael Thomson, former Boden marketing director, David Lockwood and Aequip co-founder and investor and former Figleaves CEO, Miriam Lahage.
---
## Preparing for a world beyond third-party cookies
Type: eps_resource
URL: /preparing-for-a-world-without-third-party-identifiers
Last Modified: 2025-04-07T22:22:26Z
# Preparing for a world beyond third-party cookies
Third-party cookies (3PCs) live to see another day—but they’re still not here to stay.
Signal loss is still going to occur on Chrome, and the industry needs to continue preparing for a world beyond third-party cookies. In our research report, 250+ marketing decision-makers across five verticals weigh in on the change.
In the research, you will:
Explore marketer sentiment, readiness and strategies for 3PC deprecation.
Investigate how marketer sentiment towards 3PC deprecation has evolved since Google's first announcement.
Hear from retail, CPG, travel, restaurant and financial services marketers on how their brands are affected by the change.
Learn our recommendations on how to future-proof your digital media strategy.
---
## How to succeed without third-party cookies ?
Type: eps_resource
URL: /how-to-succeed-without-third-party-cookies
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# How to succeed without third-party cookies ?
What will happen to digital advertising once third-party cookies (3PCs) are eliminated from the major web browsers?
More importantly: Is your brand ready for it?
Our new playbook will help you:
Understand the effects of 3PC phase-out on the digital advertising ecosystem.
Explore options to invest your resources in preparation for the change.
Build an action plan to succeed in a world without 3PCs.
---
## The Real Deal: Email Marketing Deliverability
Type: eps_resource
URL: /the-real-deal-email-marketing-deliverability
Last Modified: 2025-07-18T18:37:56Z
# The Real Deal: Email Marketing Deliverability
Critical factors such as list hygiene and health, engagement, frequency and cadence, and relative engagement are all key contributors to your reputation as an email sender and ultimately determine your ability to deliver your messages in the inbox of your intended audience.
Have you entrusted your email marketing to an Email Service Provider that understands just how vital deliverability is?
In this 3 minute video, Kara Trivunovic, our SVP of Digital Solutions, shares what you need to know about deliverability success.
---
## Modernize your approach to retail media networks
Type: eps_resource
URL: /modernize-your-approach-to-retail-media
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Modernize your approach to retail media networks
With margins tightening, third-party cookies crumbling and attribution always in question, investing in a strong media network is one of the most important initiatives retailers can take in 2023.
Walgreens and Amazon have invested in their own robust media networks and are seeing results—but you don’t have to be a retail giant to make it a reality for your brand.
Check out this infographic to learn the components of a successful, modern media network and what needs to go into building and maintaining one.
---
## Loyalty with a small “l”
Type: eps_resource
URL: /loyalty-with-a-small-l
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T22:17:52Z
# Loyalty with a small “l”
2021 – The year of retention
There was a high level of online customer acquisition last year. The challenge for 2021 is to keep those customers – and drive long-term value from them, by using the data they have given you to provide great experiences.
We partnered with IMRG at Fashion Connect 2021 to understand what and how consumers think. We found:
55% of consumers are willing to more for simpler experiences
68% of consumers are happy to provide personal information when they order to receive a more tailored shopping experience
7% of respondents believe retailers do an excellent job of personalising the experience
In this guide you’ll learn:
The three pillars of customer loyalty
Examples of brands who are doing it right
5 key takeaways
---
## CORE Content, Issue Two
Type: eps_resource
URL: /core-content-issue-two
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T22:22:35Z
# CORE Content, Issue Two
CORE is a magazine by and for marketers. With 23 brands and 17 marketers represented, this second issue explores the topics actually impacting marketers today, like:
The evolving role of the CMO in a time of heightened performance scrutiny
How AI can play a more substantial role in your marketing
The purpose of purpose-driven marketing in today’s marketplace
Download the issue today to hear from a variety of your peers and challenge your marketing beliefs.
---
## 3 strategies for a successful retail media network
Type: eps_resource
URL: /guide-retail-media-networks
Last Modified: 2025-08-28T16:17:43Z
# 3 strategies for a successful retail media network
Retail media is no longer a question of "If?" but "How?" And there's no simple answer.
Retailers are trying to build, flex and optimize their retail media networks to create the best outcomes for their customers and partners—and do it smarter, at scale and with greater efficiency.
Projections point to continued momentum—and retailers that can scale intelligently across channels will unlock the most value for their brand partners. The opportunity is bigger than ever before.
But the stakes are higher. Brands don’t just want to reach some shoppers—they expect access to all shoppers, across in-store, digital, CTV and more, with consistent measurement and transparent ROAS reporting.
In this guide, you’ll learn:
How to position your retail media network to win in a competitive brand advertiser market.
Three key components to a winning retail media strategy that benefits consumers and brand advertisers.
Questions to ask partners as you're making decisions about what technology to incorporate into your existing (or new) retail media tech stack.
Download the guide for these insights and more.
---
## The quest for identity
Type: eps_resource
URL: /the-quest-for-identity
Last Modified: 2025-10-03T14:41:07Z
# The quest for identity
As brands elevate their first-party data strategies, getting to the single customer view presents great challenges—but greater opportunities.
This could have been a moment of despair for marketers. The deprecation of third-party identifiers (3PIDs)—such as cookies and mobile ad IDs—arrives at a time when many brands are still struggling with the basics of identity resolution. Take third-party cookies away, and the situation might have seemed bleak. But this transition comes amid a broader wave of brands focusing on restructuring and realigning their most valuable asset: first-party data.
The nascent customer data platforms (CDP) market—promising to unify customer experiences for more powerful personalization—has recently evolved to better support enterprise-level businesses, not just the mid-tier brands that built the category. Looking ahead, the CDP market is projected to grow to over $10 billion by 2025, and according to Gartner, CDP technology companies have received more than $1.8 billion in venture capital funding.
Brands are facing a serendipitous moment whether they realize it or not: CDPs brought the first-party data alignment conversation to a fever pitch, and 3PID deprecation pushed it from a want to a need.
“What it comes down to is deciding what your core competencies are and then being smart about choosing partners who can supplement what you already have.” —Rosa Pantoja, Data-Driven Marketing Lead for North America, Unilever (U.S.)
“The first-party model forces every brand to look at their most valuable assets,” says Helen Lin, chief digital officer at Publicis Groupe. “We now think of it as being very traditional, but digital was the evolution of television and print advertising, so there’s a carryover of old ways of planning with ‘buying audiences.’ But now, with identity resolution solutions, you can actually understand mindset, motivation and need-state, and you can continuously super-serve customers with the right information at every stage. This shift is actually going to help brands focus on what’s most important: building the best customer experience regardless of the channel.”
Some companies are already on this path. Unilever recently completed a massive data unification project across the 64 brands in its portfolio. And Walgreens revamped its loyalty program to better align customer data so it can match profile history to real-time personalization opportunities—getting as granular as reminding a customer to get a flu shot as they’re passing their local Walgreens.
“We’ve come to a place where there’s a general recognition that data has value and can be a competitive advantage. But unlocking that value has been a long journey,” says Rosa Pantoja, data-driven marketing lead for North America at Unilever (U.S.).
The challenge lies in fusing all those inputs—from sources that include external channels and partnerships as well as first-party interactions—into a single coherent, actionable view of each customer, also known as the golden record.
“Even brands that have done a great job with their own data are still going to be extremely challenged to reach those customers outside of their owned brand interactions in the future.” —Matt Feczko, Vice President of Product Management, Epsilon
“People expect big companies to understand every single customer touchpoint. But it’s so much more complex on the back end than most consumers know,” explains Dana Moroze, senior vice president of Epsilon’s Platform Solutions Management group.
As brands stand on the precipice of enormous first-party data alignment projects, the question becomes: How will they use that to solve for the same reach, scale and alignment to business outcomes they once had in a pre-3PID world?
As always, the answer lies in the data.
What’s a world without 3PIDs?
First-party data has always been at the heart of marketers’ efforts to deliver meaningful, personalized interactions. But identity is inherently a mix of first-, second- and third-party data. When enough data is woven together, it creates an accurate portrait of a person, their context and what they are likely to want from your brand at specific moments—driving unique and memorable personalization. With only one component and not all three, brands risk basing their marketing off a sliver of a person’s digital experience.
“Knowing your customer and her expectations is a fundamental necessity for moments-based marketing,” Forrester’s Joe Stanhope and Rusty Warner wrote in a November 2020 report, The Future of Enterprise Marketing Technology. “As such, identity resolution must be the foundation of any modern marketing engine.”
So what will marketers do once they’re missing a peg in that three-legged stool?
More than two-thirds of marketers expect digital advertising to take a step backward as a result of 3PID deprecation, and fewer than half (46%) feel very prepared for the transition, according to an October 2020 Epsilon survey.
“Even brands that have done a great job with their own data are still going to be extremely challenged to reach those customers outside of their owned brand interactions in the future,” says Matt Feczko, vice president of product management at Epsilon. “They’re going to start to waste a lot of dollars because they can’t recognize their customers out in the programmatic space anymore.”
“For a long time, it’s been easier to rely on third-party signals. While we’re losing some of that data, the industry is turning more to other solutions that enable us to tie individual-level identity to business outcomes and measure true lifetime value.” —Helen Lin, Chief Digital Officer, Publicis Groupe
And not all are convinced that these changes are coming from altruistic motives on the part of Google and Apple. Getting rid of 3PIDs benefits the tech giants because they have access to troves of first-party data—their own identity-based marketing products will emerge relatively unscathed.
The other—and arguably larger—issue is that the data from walled garden environments isn’t really portable outside of their platforms. Which, again, is a design choice in the name of privacy, but it forces brands to continue working with those platforms to keep generating insights for their audience on that platform, without being able to use that information across marketing activations.
“The audience is clearly on these walled garden platforms like Facebook and Google, but I’m not in a clean, well-lit environment,” said Lou Paskalis, senior vice president of customer engagement and media investment at Bank of America, in an interview with Beet.TV. “I am not able to really see if the media is performing the way that I need to understand it. I am not able to understand those data signals that are coming off so that I can curate more relevant experiences, not just within the confines of Facebook and Google, but across the digital world.”
Therein lies the challenge for marketing teams: needing to create their own universe of first-party data as their true golden record, which can then be leveraged across marketing activations, channels and instances.
“For a long time, it’s been easier to rely on third-party signals,” Lin says. “While we’re losing some of that data, the industry is turning more to other solutions that enable us to tie individual-level identity to business outcomes and measure true lifetime value.”
The path forward starts with aligning data internally
The good news is that marketers are already planning ahead. The 2020 Epsilon survey shows that 67% of marketers are looking at building a CDP, and 62% are strategizing around first-party data.
If the goal is aligned, actionable first-party data, what is needed to get there? Many brands rightfully struggle with this. Whether it’s due to legacy silos across systems, martech investments that don’t connect properly or simply poor data hygiene, brands struggle to get to a single unified view of their customers across online and offline interactions.
This is why many have turned to CDP solutions. But not every CDP is created equal.
“If you think about CDPs as broadly referring to a people-first technology platform, then absolutely that’s the only way forward. But I’d argue that CDPs are kind of a blank canvas,” says Liane Nadeau, senior vice president and head of precision media and investments at Digitas North America. “If we see CDPs as a kind of base and a technology, not a strategy, then we’ll be able to build something stronger on top of that.”
“First-party data is the strongest anchor you’ve got, and it’s grounded by purchases, registration, online consent, preferences, etc. You need that strong reference data and data hygiene to build your profile from the most accurate data set. If you don’t have that data in your arsenal, you should be figuring out how to get it.” —Dana Moroze, Senior Vice President of the Platform Solutions Management group, Epsilon
A 2020 Forrester report notes that legacy CDPs often struggle with unifying customer profiles across multiple brands and bringing together online and offline data to create advanced personalized experiences for customers.
“The CDP market continues to be a confusing and convoluted one,” the Forrester report says. “But to find a CDP that will meet not just current needs but also future ones, marketers must proceed with caution and seek CDPs that can deliver stronger capabilities than the tools they already have.”
Traditional CDP offerings typically have two major gaps:
Identity management and resolution
Quality data to enable advanced personalization
It’s not uncommon for a brand to have four or more profiles for the same customer. For multi-brand companies, errors from multiple profiles are compounded and create a foundation of fragmented identities.
On top of that, many existing CDP solutions are lacking in that added data layer that can help turn owned insights into actionable information. Augmenting consumer profiles with unique insights around browsing history, demographics, lifestyles and propensity to purchase all help further differentiate each individual’s experience. Distinctive third-party data—that is not rooted in third-party cookies or device IDs—is required to create an enriched profile.
“First-party data is the strongest anchor you’ve got, and it’s grounded by purchases, registration, online consent, preferences, etc.,” Moroze says. “You need that strong reference data and data hygiene to build your profile from the most accurate data set. If you don’t have that data in your arsenal, you should be figuring out how to get it.”
Unilever’s data alignment story
CPG giant Unilever was in pursuit of that strong anchor as it sought to move beyond having email capture as its primary database for profile storing and instead align first-party data across its 64-brand portfolio. One of the first key decisions was whether to build a solution from scratch or partner with an outside vendor. Between ever-shifting privacy regulations and the complexities of safeguarding its own data while using it alongside second-party data sources, building and maintaining a resilient solution was a tall order.
There’s a delicate balance between data independence and strategic partnership, Pantoja says, but for Unilever, it was a path worth pursuing.
“Sometimes it sounds like I’m talking out of both sides of my mouth,” she explains. “I’m saying, ‘We have to have a laser focus on internal capability’ while also highlighting the importance of having a strong partner by your side to bring expertise and thought leadership. What it comes down to is deciding what your core competencies are and then being smart about choosing partners who can supplement what you already have and whose expertise fits with your ambition and your roadmap.”
“We’re connecting data to consumers in a way that we weren’t able to before.” —Rosa Pantoja, Data-Driven Marketing Lead for North America, Unilever (U.S.)
In partnership with Epsilon, Unilever launched its new enterprise CDP in September 2020. Pantoja focused on achieving quick wins to build internal support, capitalizing on the ability to synthesize efforts across brands. One early example was standardizing the signup forms at each brand site after determining the most effective approach to building user profiles.
Then the Unilever team aimed higher, using the platform to solve a problem that had vexed it for years: identifying users who had received email offers and then visited a brand website, but who did so without clicking on a link in the email. The platform quickly facilitated a fivefold improvement in those efforts.
“That gives us an opportunity to continue the conversation by personalizing the site experience and engaging these customers through media,” Pantoja says. “It was a gap that we’ve been able to close.”
The improved resolution has inspired the company’s leaders to seek even bigger gains.
“We’re connecting data to consumers in a way that we weren’t able to before,” Pantoja says, “and that’s sparked conversations: What are the other use cases? How do we bring this to life? How do we change how we’re engaging customers and extend that customer journey? I didn’t anticipate that would happen, and it’s been really nice.”
Building on first-party data for cross-channel activation
First-party data alone won’t solve every marketing challenge. Reach and acquisition still matter, which means publisher partnerships will play a critical role, as will retail media networks—programmatic advertising exchanges pioneered by retailers such as Target, Amazon and Walmart, with brands like Walgreens and Ulta now following suit.
On launching its own retail media network (with the help of partners), Walgreens Vice President of Integrated Media Luke Kigel told AdExchanger: “In many ways, this has all been part of a multiyear macro transformation of Walgreens towards digitization. And from a marketing and communications standpoint, it’s enabling us to unlock the value of our first-party data—which is easy to say and not so easy to do.”
Brands like Walgreens leverage their vast first-party data to make high-value connections between customers and their brand partners, fueled by SKU-level insights, such as a product that a customer adds to their cart but doesn’t buy.
“Many marketers focus on reach as the fundamental pain point with third-party cookie deprecation, but ultimately that’s not what the marketer wants—they want better outcomes.” —Matt Feczko, Vice President of Product Management, Epsilon
“You still need the digital perspective of the consumer,” Moroze says. “And especially in COVID times, digital transactions and engagement are at an all-time high. The companies that can anchor through a network of publishers and partners while tracking multiple identifiers to a single person are going to provide that digital insight that adds to the first-party data in your CDP, resulting in a stronger customer view.”
Even though many 3PIDs are going away, the marketing ecosystem is getting smarter about how to deliver 3PID-style insights through different mediums and in a way that delivers more value to the brand and the consumer.
“Many marketers focus on reach as the fundamental pain point with third-party cookie deprecation, but ultimately that’s not what the marketer wants—they want better outcomes,” Feczko says. “Once marketers shift their focus from raw reach to specific goals, like better return on ad spend or stronger customer retention, they’ll likely find that new mix of tools in a post-3PID world to deliver positive results and a good customer experience.”
---
## Email deliverability health check
Type: eps_resource
URL: /email-deliverability-assessment
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T22:16:49Z
# Email deliverability health check
Building a solid deliverability rate is like maintaining your health. You know diet and exercise are the ways to get in shape, but you’re tempted by shortcuts in hopes of getting quicker results. Those won’t last.
Similarly, when it comes to deliverability, the only way to succeed long-term is to follow best practices and consider the value your emails present to your customers. You need to send emails that they expect and want.
Take this 2-minute assessment to determine if your deliverability is in good health, or if it’s a little out of shape.
---
## Does your deliverability need a health check?
Type: eps_resource
URL: /email-deliverability-needs-health-check
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T22:16:49Z
# Does your deliverability need a health check?
Critical factors such as list hygiene and health, engagement, frequency and cadence, and relative engagement are all key contributors to your reputation as an email sender and ultimately determine your ability to deliver your messages in the inbox of your intended audience.
So how can you take a better approach to your email programme when it comes to deliverability? Ask yourself these 10 questions to determine if your deliverability is in good health, or if it’s a little out of shape.
---
## Research Summary: Preparing for a world without third-party cookies
Type: eps_resource
URL: /research-preparing-for-a-world-without-third-party-cookies
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Research Summary: Preparing for a world without third-party cookies
2020 has been a year of seeing online identifiers fade away. In January, Google announced that it’s phasing out third-party cookies (3PCs) in Chrome. In June, Apple made a similar announcement about changes coming to IDFA.
Google and Apple claim that identifier deprecation is about honoring consumer privacy. But it’s also true that these companies’ moves personally benefit them, because their direct customer relationships will keep them relatively unaffected while many other identity solutions are weakened. These moves are disrupting the industry, sending adtech companies, agencies and publishers scrambling. And while there’s been much reporting and speculation on the topic by industry pundits, firsthand marketer sentiment is hard to come by.
So Epsilon went straight to the source and conducted a survey with Phronesis Partners Inc. to find out:
How do marketers feel about these changes? What are they doing to prepare?
This summary provides highlights of our findings.
Get the findings
Want to learn more?
Sign up to get the detailed research report, third-party cookie playbook and more great content on this topic as it becomes available.
---
## Exposing the myths surrounding contactless commerce
Type: eps_resource
URL: /exposing-the-myths-surrounding-contactless-commerce
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T22:17:52Z
# Exposing the myths surrounding contactless commerce
Contactless commerce is one of the biggest retail trends to emerge from the pandemic. Our research shows consumers across virtually all segments have changed the way they shop – limiting or avoiding time spent in store. But are retailers equipped to capitalise on this dramatic shift in behavior and grow customer loyalty?
We bust some of the biggest myths around contactless shopping and show how retailers can still build lasting loyalty in a socially-distanced world.
---
## Building back better: Why email marketing is key to your brand’s recovery ?
Type: eps_resource
URL: /building-back-better-why-email-marketing-is-key-to-your-brands-recovery
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T22:17:52Z
# Building back better: Why email marketing is key to your brand’s recovery ?
Email marketing emerged as a standout performer during lockdown, satisfying the rigorous demands of marketers and consumers alike.
73% of consumers welcomed the increase in email messaging
+350% increase in unique email click-through rates
Society is now reopening, but email still has much to offer, helping us to navigate the ‘new normal’ and ensuring brands are equipped to withstand future shocks.
Download this guide for four ways email marketing can help your brand thrive post lockdown.
---
## The Forrester Wave™: Loyalty Solutions, Q2 2021
Type: eps_resource
URL: /the-forrester-wave-loyalty-solutions-q2-2021
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T22:16:49Z
# The Forrester Wave™: Loyalty Solutions, Q2 2021
The hits keep coming: Epsilon named a Leader
Loyalty marketing has evolved a lot over the last few years. Many brands have bought into the importance of transforming cut-and-dry offers and programmatic rewards into personalized, engaging experiences that connect with customers on a human level. This shift was driven in part out of necessity—the COVID-19 pandemic exposed an even greater need for brands to build genuine loyalty with customers. But marketers can’t go at it alone.
This report helps marketers assess Loyalty solution providers, evaluating vendors on relevant criteria to ensure they find the right partner to fit their needs. That’s why we’re extremely proud to be named a Leader in the Forrester Wave™: Loyalty Solutions, Q2 2021.
Epsilon also has the Highest Score in Current Offering Category, receiving the top score possible in 17 of the evaluation’s 28 criteria, including:
Personalization
Predictive Analytics and Machine Learning
Solution Vision and Execution
Innovative Roadmap
Download the report to learn more.
---
## EMEA Forrester Wave™: Loyalty Solutions, Q2 2021
Type: eps_resource
URL: /the-forrester-wave-loyalty-solutions-q2-2021
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T22:16:49Z
# EMEA Forrester Wave™: Loyalty Solutions, Q2 2021
The hits keep coming: Epsilon named a Leader
Loyalty marketing has evolved a lot over the last few years. Many brands have bought into the importance of transforming cut-and-dry offers and programmatic rewards into personalized, engaging experiences that connect with customers on a human level. This shift was driven in part out of necessity—the COVID-19 pandemic exposed an even greater need for brands to build genuine loyalty with customers. But marketers can’t go at it alone.
This report helps marketers assess Loyalty solution providers, evaluating vendors on relevant criteria to ensure they find the right partner to fit their needs. That’s why we’re extremely proud to be named a Leader in the Forrester Wave™: Loyalty Solutions, Q2 2021.
Epsilon also has the Highest Score in Current Offering Category, receiving the top score possible in 17 of the evaluation’s 28 criteria, including:
Personalization
Predictive Analytics and Machine Learning
Solution Vision and Execution
Innovative Roadmap
Download the report to learn more.
---
## Let's Talk Loyalty: The opportunity of omnichannel loyalty
Type: eps_resource
URL: /lets-talk-loyalty-the-opportunity-of-omnichannel-loyalty
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T22:17:52Z
# Let's Talk Loyalty: The opportunity of omnichannel loyalty
This episode of Let’s Talk Loyalty features Elliott Clayton, SVP of Media at Epsilon. Elliott discusses:
Why other channels can learn a lot from the loyalty market.
The biggest challenge facing marketers this year: retention.
The role loyalty programs play in solving this challenge.
The opportunity for digital media over the next five years.
The importance of first party data as 3PC are deprecated.
Elliott also highlights the merge of Epsilon & Conversant, and how Epsilon's power of customer identity is thriving in the world of third-party cookie deprecation.
Transcript:
Speaker 1:
Welcome to let's talk loyalty and industry podcast for loyalty marketing professionals. I'm your host, Paula Thomas. And if you work in loyalty marketing, join me every week to learn the latest ideas for Morty specialists around the world. Hello, and welcome to episode 92 of let's talk loyalty where I'm chatting with Elliot Clayton, senior vice president of media at Epsilon based in the UK. Our discussion is a fascinating insight into some huge changes that are unfolding in the world of digital media. Particularly some massive changes announced by Google in terms of how they handle third-party data and cookies for brands. Elliot described these changes as potentially having a greater impact for loyalty marketers than GDP or, or European privacy regulations. So for me, it was a fascinating opportunity to learn about these changes and how, and when they are likely to affect loyalty program owners. So Elliot, tell me, what is your favorite loyalty statistic?
Speaker 2:
So my, my favorite loyalty statistic at the moment has come from a recent survey that we did where, um, 7% of the consumer survey felt that they were being well, well, personalized to buy brands, which is a little bit disappointing, but it also shows that there's a big opportunity for people who can do it properly.
Speaker 1:
Wow. Oh my God. That's actually a Bismal Elliot seven, like with, you know, nothing before or after it seven.
Speaker 2:
Yeah, no, just the seven, but if I think about my own sort of experiences as a consumer, I think that's quite fair. I mean, there are rare, rare brands that do it well, but if there's far more, that kind of fall over it. Yeah.
Speaker 1:
Yeah. Sure. And actually, because I knew you were going to use that statistic, I did go back and look at the whole an origin, you know, that phrase data is the new oil. So this idea of the importance of personalization would you believe that goes back to Clive Humvee in 2006? So we're 14 years being told that data is the new oil and personalization is critical. And unfortunately we don't seem to have made much progress.
Speaker 2:
No, absolutely. I did something very similar recently actually, which was to look for first, first comments about personalization at scale. And it was called the Holy grail about 15 years ago. And I think it still is. Yeah,
Speaker 1:
It's your, is my goodness. Okay. Well hopefully you're going to give us some solutions today, Elliott and before we get into what those solutions might start to look like, because I know there's a lot of change happening right now. And tell us a bit about your background and how you ended up as speaking to me today with Epsilon.
Speaker 2:
Well, thank you. So my, yeah, my Emilia I'm actually, I've worked at Epsilon now for 13, 14 years, but background is actually through digital. So digital media particularly, and I'm a business that Exxon acquired a few years ago called converse and which is it's unique in market because it was built to replicate a loyalty program in digital in about 2007, which was, it turns out visionary to be able to be honest. Um, and as my career has progressed of beginning to work in other parts of the, of our business, so loyalty CRM, um, which has been, which has been incredibly interesting, actually very inspiring, insightful.
Speaker 1:
Absolutely. Yeah. And digital digital can mean so many things I think Elliot. So I really think it'd be, it'd be great to get an insight in terms of M you know, maybe some of the, the digital work has been done quite well, um, in the past couple of years, but I do think we're probably facing unique challenges, you know, 20, 21 and all of the behavior changes we've seen in the last 12 months. So, so I'd love to get your perspective. Obviously you're leading, um, the media business for Epsilon in the UK, very mature, very sophisticated business. So, so from your perspective on the kind of clients you're working with, what would you think are the kind of biggest challenges and things that you're hearing at the moment?
Speaker 2:
So what, what you hear people talk about a lot within digital media or digital advertising. You hear people talk about, um, hyper personalization or personalization, but the tools that are in market what's actually happening is people are talking to segments and they're customizing messaging. They're not really doing true one-to-one messaging and that's that's to do with the systemic issues with the market. They've always been there. Um, obviously the big news is that, um, Google is about to start or continue process that other businesses have started of third-party cookie deprecation. And that's gonna, that's gonna be, that's going to make some pretty seismic changes to the market. So again, um, some surveys, we did have marketers, um, very high percentages, like 77% plus per se. And they thought that this change was going to be bigger than GDPR. And I'm not sure everyone is completely aware of what's.
Speaker 1:
Yeah. Well, I wasn't, I will be totally honest with you Elliot. Um, we spoke a week ago and I had no idea what third-party cookie deprecation was, and it's even a bit of a mouthful, as I said to you here today. So what I did do is first of all, I went off and got the definition of a cookie, even though I am a digital marketeer as well. And, but I liked one that Forester at used, and again, for lots of listeners, they mightn't know the definition of a cookie. So a third-party cookie, which they said for all its faults is the underlying mechanism by which the whole digital advertising ecosystem transacts and communicates. And I think for as long as you've been in media, digital media, as long as I've been in digital media, so let's say 14, 15, 20 years, and the cookie has been the solution to all of our problems, you know, admittedly not perfect, but, um, what is happening with cookies? Tell us, so,
Speaker 2:
Yeah, so that, that piece about cookies, what they've been used to do, they've been used to track a user within, within web. So typically what you would use in for is to frequency cap media personalize, a site visit on a, on an e-commerce site. So that the next page is relevant based on the last thing that somebody looked at, or it would help you to measure like you would be able to track all of those things and then measure, measure outputs of media spend, et cetera, or, you know, marketing spend over time. Um, what's been happening slowly is I don't think the consumers are completely aware that they're being tracked. So based, based on privacy and rightly so, people have been looking at it saying this needs to be addressed. There's there's been two P two problems with cookies. One is that they get deleted.
Speaker 2:
They're not there. They don't hang around for very long. They're not a very good indicator. They don't work in mobile and there's people have become more cross device into mobile. They've been less able to connect to a real person. So one issue that one issue, um, that they've had, um, then there's the, this, this point about, um, tracking without, without consent so that they, the process where cookies have gone away has been happening for a while anyway. So Safari stopped using them and Firefox has stopped using them. And that's about 20% of the market online browsers. You can't see what consumers doing. Okay. Um, what's about to happen is that Google is also going to stop using them, um, in 2022 and they make up another 60% of the browser market online. So come 20, 20 to 80% of consumers are not going to be addressable through those channels. Um, and that creates, that creates opportunities for marketers. It creates threats. Um, it, it absolutely creates a huge opportunity for loyalty marketers and the loyalty industry as a whole. Um, which I, which I think is really, really interesting.
Speaker 1:
Exciting. Yeah, yeah. Yeah. So 2022 is, is, is certainly not very far away. Um, and especially, uh, you know, I think we're all, you know, really waiting for it to come round, given how 2021 is unfolding dare I say. Um, but, uh, that is certainly sooner than expected. Um, for me, I suppose, with my consumer hat on and nothing to do with loyalty, but I have noticed, um, and I assumed it was purely GDPR. Um, you know, perhaps because I'm a European citizen. So allowing cookies on websites is something that I've become, you know, slightly frustrated, but, you know, very, um, I suppose tolerant because I do understand what the cookies are and I know that the GDPR means that the website has to protect itself. So is this something that only applies in Europe Elliot, or does it apply for websites globally? Um, it literally just, just, you know, to give me a sense of if this is a, a global situation,
Speaker 2:
So I it's it's for, um, certainly what Google is doing is, um, that, that piece around consent management platforms. So GDPR, I think what you see is in additional markets that haven't got it yet, they use it as a standard to look towards or to go towards. So very often in say APAC or MEA, we will be asked, are you compliant with GDPR or not? Um, so I think it's, I think it's a good thing. It's a good, it's a good model. Um, totally assume of consumer do need to know what's happening with their data. Um, and I just think it's something that everyone can get on board with basically.
Speaker 1:
Yeah, absolutely. Okay. So we won't have cookies, um, but yes, clearly digital is, is the way of the future. So, so what are you thinking and recommending in terms of solutions and you mentioned opportunities and challenges, and again, listeners to this show are loyalty marketeers. Um, so definitely, um, you know, very appreciative, I suppose, of the, uh, opportunity side of things, but what do you think the, the, um, I suppose both sides are, because again, I think the audience are going to be communicating with, let's say their colleagues in marketing to am to help them understand that they no longer have these cookies, for example, for their acquisition campaigns. So what kind of things are you recommending?
Speaker 2:
So well, th th that's the first thing is, is that the digital ecosystem has not really, in my opinion, worked very well for loyalty marketers up to now. So where you want to have a consented one-to-one communication with somebody and you know, who it's talking to, that's not been, that's not been how digital works. You push a message out to some sort of media platform, and you can't be sure that you're saying what you think you are to the right person. If you actually just got no idea, really who that, who that has gone to, and that the piece around the third party data, it's not your consent, you know, there's no consent involved in that interaction. So the ability to personalize well has not been established in digital as it's been done previously. So, so what's changing is what I would talk about as marcomms like big push to segments in digital is moving much more towards what I would consider Lloyd comms, which is personalized one-to-one communication based on consent. Okay. Now I can think of a, of a, of an industry that started all of that 50 or 60 years ago. That's got that nailed down, obviously, which is all the loyalty practitioners, so
Speaker 1:
Totally Elliott.
Speaker 2:
So what, what we're saying to, um, businesses is that you need to build up a first party data asset. You need to know who your consumers are, um, law, in my opinion, and our opinion, loyalty is a really, really good, good way to do that because it's a self-funding first party data asset, if you do it well.
Speaker 1:
Okay. Okay. To talk about that. Yeah. Yeah.
Speaker 2:
The, um, the, it comes with marketing consent because you've built it part of it, and it's got a very transparent value exchange with the consumer about what you're doing with their data and, and the facility to use it properly. Yeah. So, um, this move away from third-party towards first party plays really well to businesses that operate within loyalty. Now, the threats that loyalty also overcomes is as, um, you're less able to use third party cookies. You're kind of, you're kind of pushed towards investing more with Amazon, with Facebook, with Google, but, and using their models, their data, and using their consent talk to people problem with that is that they are inserting themselves further into the customer relationship with a brand taking the brand away from the consumer because they don't give, you know, they don't give businesses a lot of insight back about what their consumers are doing, et cetera, et cetera. But a loyalty program is a really good way to reestablish that value and that relationship and to own the customer relationship. And you see, yeah. You know, I, I think of McDonald's what McDonald's is doing with their loyalty programs. I think of that in those terms, like they're creating the opportunity to maintain relationships with their consumers, which is really interesting.
Speaker 1:
Yeah, absolutely. And you're right. It does go back 40, 50, 60 years Elliot because, you know, airlines, I think were the very first to recognize actually there was an intermediary, which at the time was the travel agent. So they didn't have that very valuable, direct consumer relationship. And clearly the technology has now caught up. So, you know, all retail sectors have that ability. Um, and what I like, what you're saying is, you know, this kind of messaging is important for this audience to be able to have internal conversations, to really emphasize, you know, the challenges of, of third-party data and intermediaries interrupting their customer relationships and hopefully drive further investment in their loyalty programs. Yeah,
Speaker 2:
Absolutely. It's a, it's a great time to be in loyalty, I think. Yeah,
Speaker 1:
Yeah, yeah. You're right. Actually, and to be honest, um, I think it's always a great time to be in loyalty to be, to be honest, when the economy is suffering, that's when I got into loyalty. So it is quite counter cyclical. And I remember it being incredibly impressed with certain brands deciding it was time to invest. And for me, again, listeners will know it was O two priority. It was, it was very innovative. And even, I think the pandemic had already driven that particular increase in the reliance on loyalty programs. And I think what you're telling me today, Elliott is, is actually the third party deprecation is, is another reason to, to focus on the loyalty business.
Speaker 2:
Yeah. So I, I can't say who they are obviously, but my, my second favorite stat is that in the law, in the last two months, we've re we've received more RFPs for loyalty than the whole of last year. And I think that's because people are, wow. I wouldn't say it's a response to third-party cookies necessarily, but a lot of people have got a lot, a lot of new customers in new channels, like D like INdigital. Yes. So how do you, so it's like the year of retention, how do you retain those customers, a loyalty program? That's the answer to in many cases, a loyalty program as a solution to that, or how do you stay connected when loyalty is contactless or in digital, again, loyalty programs are very, very able to solve that problem. So that's been really interesting. Brilliant. Yeah.
Speaker 1:
Wow. Well, that's extraordinarily exciting obviously for, for your whole team. And you mentioned another very exciting term as well, Elliot there about self-funding as an opportunity and something I'm very passionate about. Can you talk a bit more about that?
Speaker 2:
Um, yeah, so, I mean, I'm, I'm relatively new to the loyalty industry, but I, I see that the, one of the huge opportunities of loyalty, um, is that, you know, you set up a loyalty program, you assume it's been set up well back of, back of an envelope. You can kind of expect to a 10% incremental return year on year compared to not doing it previously. Okay. So I really liked that loyalty operates in incrementality, additional thing generated by this cause a lot of marketing just can't prove its value and loyalty can. So I think that's, that's quite impressive. There's the, there's the second year where that increase becomes part of your baseline. And it's down to your creativity as a loyalty marketer and you know, how you engage customers that allow you to do, to, to grow and continue, continue to keep that growth within the business, um, where we are engaging in the market and where I think we are looking at being able to uniquely engage with it is there's two ways to increase the performance of the loyalty program.
Speaker 2:
Assuming it's well, run one, you can get, you can get more people signed up to the loyalty program, but the second is you can increase contacts and communications and outputs from the loyalty program. And the way that we're able to do that in media is we work from first party data. And we always have done because the program is built to mimic a loyalty programs that comes to consent. So what that means is we're able to push one-to-one communication in digital. So you get this additional automated layer, that's pushing out the messaging. So you know, where you can't reach a consumer, maybe because they're not opening emails or they're not looking at SMS, you've got these additional touch points in which can be quite soft in digital, but they drive that additional value and they drive those incremental touches and they drive incremental return. So that's what I think is exciting. Cause you're talking about, you know, 20, 30% more return from an existing asset, which I think is quite a game changer. Yeah,
Speaker 1:
Absolutely. And I know when we talked before as well, Elliot, you made the point about, you know, yes, loyalty marketers, you know, communicating internally to the base. But I think as well, what you're starting to say is, you know, being able to take those one-to-one messages across the whole spectrum of digital and, and again, to compensate for, for the cookies, which are no longer available. Um, and that sounds incredibly powerful. And again, I haven't done communications for a loyalty program for a long time, but that sounds pretty extraordinary. Yeah. I think you can.
Speaker 2:
I think what it allows you to do is it, it allows you to push loyalty style communication, where you are driving deeper lifetime value through digital, but you extend that into digital, which historically has not worked like that. So not only are you improving the, the loyalty programs return, you also increase the efficiency of spend you're already making in digital. So you've already got, there's already wasted spend there. So you can accrue that to a loyalty model, which drives incremental return, which digital media is struggles to prove. So yeah, it's a lot going on.
Speaker 1:
Oh, for sure. Absolutely. And again, just forgive my simplistic understanding, but you know, known customers are one, um, you know, again, one-to-one communications are essential for them, but you're saying the, the same capability applies for, for prospects and for acquisition as well as for retention.
Speaker 2:
Yeah. So you can, the way that we operate, we can drive one-to-one communication for acquisition. So you could, for example, look at, um, a loyalty program and model the best customers and then go and target individuals that, you know, look like that. But more, more importantly, you consistently message them over time rather than a big burst. And that's, what's, that's, what's like loyalty. And then you can speak to your, you know, your, your best customers, get them to buy more. You can speak to your retention customers, you know, to retain them. You can get to one more purchase and you just have a model that looks like loyalty, but it has these additional reaches and you could, you could drive it through media, you could drive it through video, you could drive it through connected TV.
Speaker 1:
Yeah. Yeah. And have you any examples of video? That's certainly a format I'm I'm dabbling with Elliot. I will say
Speaker 2:
We're starting to see it. Yes. So we were seeing, say what Walgreens is a, is a client of ours and they are pushing video into their app. Now, the reason I think that's quite exciting is because the type of video content they're pushing is personalized, but you can also only get it if you're on the loyalty program. Cool. I think so. I think you're starting to see a value exchange around content and communication, which I think is a inevitable, an ongoing trend. Um, similarly, um, auto zone, uh, provide kind of video personalized how tos to people as well. Um, so I think it's, you know, you are, you are showing your con you're showing your customers that you understand them, but then you're using, uh, drivers of emotion and brand engagement rather than just, you know, there's, I think there's always a place for a hard value exchange, but you've got this additional way of showing people, you know, who they are, which I think is really important.
Speaker 1:
Sure. Yeah. Well, I've been saying a lot as well recently, Les, you know, the, the, the power of the human voice I think is proving particularly compelling. So both audio and video for me are, um, really coming into their own. Um, and I know you guys do work with email marketing, but to be able to personalize that and embed videos as well, and to make sure that that's relevant to the person receiving it, like, you know, I often talk about the fact that I haven't had enough personalization on my birthday. Um, so I want a video from somebody at some point, singing me happy birthday, Elliot. I don't know if Walgreens could do it, but, but genuinely like it's, it's, it's something I noticed as a consumer. And I always think good marketing people should, should think like consumers for, you know, anybody that I am, you know, wishing a happy birthday. Let's say my family and friends, I don't just WhatsApp them where I normally do. I will actually then send a video. So it's a form of escalation to say, I'm really seeing you today and I really want to connect with you today. So yeah. I love the sound of what Walgreens is doing.
Speaker 2:
Yeah. I think that, I think the opportunity to increase engagement or relevancy at every interaction you have with a person is super important when there's a gen a general lack of engagement because people aren't coming to store, they're not seeing all the norm, they're not seeing out of home ads. So as an overall loyalty has a way to bridge that to other people, other channels don't so, yeah.
Speaker 1:
Yeah. Powerful. And I know as well, Walgreens have done, um, some very impressive work in terms of becoming a media player in their own rice. And I started wrote an article about it and literally, you know, January, I think it was this year. So is this something that you also see, particularly with the cookie deprecation issue that you mentioned already, do you think other loyalty program owners are starting to explore this a media opportunity as well?
Speaker 2:
So I, yeah. So w w w yeah, there's the, what, what term you would think of in loyalty within partner funded marketing, which again, something Lord's has been doing for a really, really long time that is now the fastest growing segment of digital media is what is being called retail. It's exceeds extending that communication with a loyalty base about a specific product, not just using email, but then pushing that out into digital channels or video, et cetera. And then that what's happening is for Walgreens. They're becoming a media owner like, um, Amazon, um, but they, they have a better engagement. I'd argue they have a better engagement with their customer base and Amazon do. And then we're supporting them by providing very, very personalized, very, very relevant, very, very well measured communication to people, um, that it benefits the consumer because of relevancy benefits, Walgreens, because they're showing the consumer, they understand them what they're interested in, why they should care. And it benefits the partner because they're getting much higher quality executions of media better than measured. They've getting much better measurement of what's happening. So, yeah.
Speaker 1:
And dare I say it, I mean, the, the, the, you know, loyalty program owner is also benefiting commercially because then there's media fees, obviously with this as a whole new business model.
Speaker 2:
Yeah. And also very high profit line margins against what they might expect, expect as a retailer as well. So, yeah, absolutely. And we're seeing it in, um, w you know, we're seeing lot, we're being asked about a lot at the moment by a lot of, uh, lots of big retailers.
Speaker 1:
I was going to say, because I've only seen examples, like you mentioned, obviously Walgreens. Um, but it, but I haven't seen it for example, in the UK market as yet, but sounds like something that's absolutely eminent from your experience.
Speaker 2:
Yes. So it's, it's across all, I would say it's a Crow, it's anyone that sells anybody else's product it works for. So we see it for urban Outfitters who are obviously very interested in creating strong brand brand engagements for a slightly younger audience who would be in mobile. Typically we see it for B2B. So kind of very large components, businesses with very complicated audiences and tens of millions of schools like products, schools. So very difficult to manage a lot easier to execute through digital and using machine learning to support all of that. Um, yeah, we really, a lot of places, I mean, it's, that's, that's two very different intersection let's see here,
Speaker 1:
But I hadn't thought about it in a B2B context. So, um, so that's a, that's a big one as well, I think, for anybody listening, right?
Speaker 2:
Yeah, absolutely. And then the classic one is obviously a soup supermarkets, so supermarkets are doing this, but they are now focusing on the digital offsite, uh, aspect of that. But in, in, in, in the majority of cases, I would say a loyalty program at some point is driving the engagement with the consumer and the understanding in the client's business of what is possible, because they've already got that learning inside.
Speaker 1:
Wow. My goodness, Elliot, there's so much going on. Um, as you said, I, I think I was a bit scared when I heard about the whole third party cookie, uh, piece, but I think at least I understand it now and probably slightly relieved. I'm not going to be followed around the internet with all these, you know, messages anymore. Are there any other kind of trends that you're seeing coming through Elliot that you think, um, you know, loyalty marketers should be thinking about, or, or even the messaging internally, I suppose, around this whole, you know, focus on driving investment in their marketing assets, let's be honest. Um, give it given the challenges of their colleagues in marketing are going to face.
Speaker 2:
Um, I, I, I just, just generally the move towards digital transformation of very, very large businesses, they kind of, they've, they've kind of, they've had to make those changes. Um, so I think that, um, within that the loyalty team have a very, very key role in talking to those businesses about how to talk to people on a one-to-one basis or how to drive value from a first party data asset. So, yeah, I think, I think the main trend I think is that there is going to be a lot more work done around loyalty and the way that loyalty works generally and how businesses are coming closer to their consumer, I think is it, I think that's, I think that's, that's the trends that I think are ongoing now for a few years, I think.
Speaker 1:
Absolutely. So my final question then is really just Elliot for you, as you said, your background's media, but, um, you know, very much a full, full systems ahead on the loyalty front now. So how are you staying up to date on the loyalty industry for, from, for your own knowledge?
Speaker 2:
Um, um, I dunno, there's this podcast let's talk [inaudible] um, I mean, th th the other one is we've, we've got a, a really, really strong team Epsilon and, uh, globally. And I think that everybody has done a lot of work to support with that. The other thing that I've, um, I'm always really interested in people just having a very high level of market knowledge. So we've committed to all of the kind of business filament team being certified law team marketing practitioners. Wonderful.
Speaker 1:
That's really cool. So we're both CLN PS. Absolutely. And we do loads with the loyalty Academy. So you're putting your whole team through that. That's amazing. Yeah.
Speaker 2:
Yeah. Everyone. So like everyone will come to the table with an understanding of a full understanding of, of how to support our plants, which I think is just critical.
Speaker 1:
Yeah, it is. Well, you know, at that that's a huge gesture for your clients to be reassured that, you know, you're all coming at it from this very commercial understanding of loyalty. So I think in the past, what we have struggled with as an industry is being able to, you know, prove the commerciality, prove the returns and, and as a digital marketeer, obviously you're extremely well-placed to have that level of accountability. Um, but it's important that your whole team does as well. Because again, I felt that was lucky my own background. So, um, so that's a huge decision. So that's it from my side. Elliot, is there anything else you wanted to mention as we wrap up? Nope.
Speaker 2:
Just thank you very much. It's been very interesting,
Speaker 1:
Wonderful Elliot. Listen. Thank you so much. Andy Elliott, Clayton senior vice president of media at Epsilon UK. Thank you so much. Let's talk loyalty. This show is sponsored by the wise market here. The world's most popular source of loyalty marketing news insights and research. The wise marketeer also offers loyalty marketing training through its loyalty Academy, which has already certified over 170 executives in 20 countries as certified loyalty marketing professionals. For more information, check out the wise market tier.com and loyalty academy.org. Thanks so much for listening to this episode of let's talk loyalty. If you'd like me to send you the latest show each week, simply sign up for the show newsletter on let's talk loyalty.com and I'll send you the latest episode to your inbox every Thursday, or just head to your favorite platform.
Speaker 3:
Find let's talk loyalty and subscribe. Of course, I'd love your feedback and reviews. And thanks again for support.
---
## #EpsilonPersonalive Happy 1/2 Hour Recipes
Type: eps_resource
URL: /epsilonpersonalive-happy-half-hour-recipes
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# #EpsilonPersonalive Happy 1/2 Hour Recipes
Marketers, thank you so much for joining us at #EpsilonPersonalive's Happy 1/2 Hour, where our experts spoke with Auzerais Bellamy, founder of Blondery, a completely virtual direct-to-consumer bakery.
Below you'll find instructions on how to layer your very own cake jar, and even make the delectable Devil's Food Cake and Cheesecake Filling yourself. Let's get baking!
Blondie Cheesecake Jar Structure
Cheesecake Filling
Devil's Food Cake
We want to see your creations! Tweet a picture of your stunning cake jars to @EpsilonMKTG for a feature.
---
## CORE Conversations: CMO to CMO (feat. Alan Gellman)
Type: eps_resource
URL: /core-conversations-cmo-to-cmo-feat.-alan-gellman
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T22:16:49Z
# CORE Conversations: CMO to CMO (feat. Alan Gellman)
Want to hear straight from CMOs on how they manage up, down and all around? In our first iteration of “CORE Conversations: CMO to CMO,” hear from Epsilon's CMO, Jeff Fagel, and Convivo Leadership's founder and CEO (and former fintech CMO), Alan Gellman, as they have a candid discussion on the evolving role of the CMO, including how marketing leaders need to think about, speak to and advocate for the value of marketing differently in today’s environment.
Parts of their discussion are included in our article, “Proving results: 4 CMOs on how they build buy-in and prove outcomes” featured in the latest issue of Epsilon’s CORE magazine.
---
## Enhancing the consumer experience with artificial intelligence
Type: eps_resource
URL: /enhancing-the-consumer-experience-with-artificial-intelligence
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T22:16:49Z
# Enhancing the consumer experience with artificial intelligence
AI is no longer science fiction.
If you ask someone on the street what comes to mind when they hear “artificial intelligence” or “machine learning,” you’d probably get an assortment of classic Hollywood titles—2001: A Space Odyssey, maybe Star Wars.
But over the years, artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning have jumped off the big screen into our everyday lives. What was once considered speculative fiction is now powering businesses around the world—and its presence is only going to grow.
We know AI is not the easiest concept to grasp, let alone execute. Which is why we created this guide. Read on for the marketer’s perspective on:
Why AI is key to crafting personalized experiences
How it can enhance your business and drive ROI
What it takes to plan and execute a machine learning strategy
---
## Beware the personalisation gap!
Type: eps_resource
URL: /beware-the-personalisation-gap
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Beware the personalisation gap!
Research reveals shoppers crave personalisation, but retailers are struggling to deliver
It has never been more important for retailers to differentiate themselves by leveraging shopper data and personalising the customer journey.
But while shoppers crave individualised experiences, Retail Week-Epsilon consumer research shows fashion retailers are struggling to hit the mark.
Take a look at the key findings below, or download the PDF with the button above.
Dowload the full report here.
---
## The brand marketer's guide to retail media spend
Type: eps_resource
URL: /the-brand-marketers-guide-to-retail-media-spend
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T22:17:52Z
# The brand marketer's guide to retail media spend
As the world shifts to be more digital-centric, brands—and retailers—are reimagining how advertising can speak to customers. Retail media networks are taking a tried-and-true tradition of brands advertising directly with retailers and driving it into our new digital world: on websites, in apps and even through connected TV.
In a Goldman Sachs report, 82% of CPG brands surveyed said they’re already investing in at least one retail media platform. And according to the Path to Purchase Institute, marketers haven’t found one retail media network that reigns superior when it comes to capturing personal behavior data coupled with actual sales data.
We know it can be difficult to evaluate which retail media networks to engage. So what criteria should you be looking at, and what can you expect to get out of your partnerships?
In this guide, you’ll learn:
What differentiates an adequate retail media network from a highly effective, data-driven one
Why on-site and off-site advertising are needed to maximize your budget
What questions you should ask of your retail media partners
---
## LIVE podcast recording: Let’s Talk Loyalty across the customer journey
Type: eps_resource
URL: /live-podcast-recording-lets-talk-loyalty-across-the-customer-journey
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# LIVE podcast recording: Let’s Talk Loyalty across the customer journey
Personalization should be integrated into the entire customer experience—including your loyalty program. And in the past year, the customer experience as we know it has completely changed, forcing marketers to pivot and find new ways to foster loyalty.
Now, more than ever, as you develop your personalization strategy, it’s important to consider both rational and emotional loyalty. Ask yourself:
Which approach will engender passion, dedication and trust with your brand?
Do you have the right strategy and data to guide you?
An aligned org structure to support you?
Robust technology to capture and deliver interactions at the right time and place?
If you don’t know or don’t like the answers, it’s time to reevaluate (and watching this panel is a good place to start). Let’s Talk Loyalty podcast host Paula Thomas engages in an outcome-driven conversation with Publicis’ EVP of Commerce and loyalty expert Amy Lanzi, FedEx's SVP of Digital Guest Experience Stephanie Meltzer-Paul alongside Epsilon's SVP & General Manager of Loyalty Prabhu Kannan.
---
## CMP and the CX: what retailers need to know about privacy, cookies and consent management platform strategy
Type: eps_resource
URL: /consent-management-platform-strategy
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# CMP and the CX: what retailers need to know about privacy, cookies and consent management platform strategy
Seeking consumers’ consent to use their digital data is no longer simply a tick box exercise to meet escalating regulation — the way it’s done is increasingly becoming a customer experience (CX) differentiator for retailers and brands.
How data is captured, managed and used is now focusing on consumer choice. Educating your customers about how their data is managed and respecting their choices gives brands the opportunity to deliver what their customers now require, while building positive brand value, loyalty and an edge over competition.
This report explores the background, highlights good consent management platform (CMP) practice, and delivers insight from those navigating a new privacy landscape.
You will learn:
Privacy and digital ad timeline — a potted history
The carrot and the stick — why is CMP best practice important?
Examples of best practice CMP
5 key takeaways
---
## Enhancing the Consumer Experience with Artificial Intelligence
Type: eps_resource
URL: /enhancing-the-consumer-experience-with-artificial-intelligence
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T22:16:49Z
# Enhancing the Consumer Experience with Artificial Intelligence
AI is no longer science fiction.
If you ask someone on the street what comes to mind when they hear “artificial intelligence” or “machine learning,” you’d probably get an assortment of classic Hollywood titles—2001: A Space Odyssey, maybe Star Wars.
But over the years, artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning have jumped off the big screen into our everyday lives. What was once considered speculative fiction is now powering businesses around the world—and its presence is only going to grow.
We know AI is not the easiest concept to grasp, let alone execute. Which is why we created this guide. Read on for the marketer’s perspective on:
Why AI is key to crafting personalized experiences
How it can enhance your business and drive ROI
What it takes to plan and execute a machine learning strategy
---
## Happy 1/2 hour: The recipe for personalization
Type: eps_resource
URL: /2-hour-the-recipe-for-personalization
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T22:17:52Z
# Happy 1/2 hour: The recipe for personalization
Dip your toe into the world of fine dining with this two-part session from #EpsilonPersonalive featuring Auzerais Bellamy, professional pastry chef and founder of Blondery. Joined by experts from Epsilon, the group explores the recipe for stellar marketing personalization: what it really means to double-down on personalization, and how brands can achieve it—big or small.
The group explores:
The 4 ingredients to the perfect personalization recipe
The importance of robust data in crafting those personalized experiences
What big brands can learn about building loyalty from Blondery, a completely virtual DTC bakery
How personalized touches, no matter how small, make an impact on a customer's perception of your brand
Take a bite out of this sweet session today.
---
## Third-Party Cookies Phase Out
Type: eps_resource
URL: /third-party-cookies-phase-out
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Third-Party Cookies Phase Out
There’s a revolution under way in the world of online user identification that will have far-reaching consequences.
Epsilon went straight to the source and conducted a survey to find out:
How do marketers feel about these changes?
What are they doing to prepare?
Which sectors are expected to be affected most?
What is their approach to gathering first-party data?
And what does the future hold?
This report includes the top findings from our research, plus key insights by industry, including consumer packaged goods, financial services, restaurants, retail and travel.
Learn more about how Epsilon can help you succeed without 3PC.
---
## Personalizing the loyalty experience
Type: eps_resource
URL: /personalizing-the-loyalty-experience
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Personalizing the loyalty experience
80% of people are more likely to do business with a company that offers personalized experiences.
Personalization should be integrated into the entire customer experience—including your loyalty programme. Loyalty marketing isn’t just about rewards and offers. It should be about the ability to have conversations on an individual level to deliver powerful, human experiences. Brands must anticipate customers’ needs and encourage their feedback. To do this, you need the right strategy and data to guide you, an aligned org structure to support you, robust technology to capture and deliver interactions and employees who are trained to respond.
This guide will :
Challenge you to do some housekeeping and reconsider how you think about your current and future loyalty personalization efforts.
Cover six key components to put you on the path to personalizing the entire customer experience.
---
## Let's Talk Loyalty: Leveraging loyalty to build your brand
Type: eps_resource
URL: /lets-talk-loyalty-leveraging-loyalty-to-build-your-brand
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T22:16:49Z
# Let's Talk Loyalty: Leveraging loyalty to build your brand
In this episode of Let's Talk Loyalty, host Paula Thomas and Epsilon's Paul Davies, Senior Vice President for Epsilon APAC and EMEA discuss how loyalty marketers and brand marketers can work closely together to build customer connection and trust, particularly businesses evolve to reflect changing customer needs in global markets.
Transcript
Speaker: [Host]
Welcome to Let's Talk Loyalty, an industry podcast for loyalty marketing professionals. I'm your host, Paul Thomas and if you work in loyalty marketing, join me every week to learn the latest ideas from loyalty specialists around the world.
This episode is brought to you by Epsilon and their award-winning People Cloud loyalty solution. I am always delighted to have epsilon on board as a sponsor, and particularly right now, as they were just named a leader in the Forrester wave loyalty solutions quarter to 2021 reports with the top score in the current offering category. This report is designed to help you as marketers - find the perfect partner for your loyalty programme. So to download your copy of the report, visit epsilon.com/letstalkloyalty.
Hello, and welcome to Episode 116. of Let's Talk Loyalty.
Today I'm chatting with Paul Davies, Senior Vice President for Epsilon APAC and EMEA based in Singapore. Paul's marketing career began in the UK in the world of analytics and data, but also he spent many years on the more creative and agency side of the marketing worlds. This gives him a unique perspective on the power of leveraging the entire marketing toolkit to ultimately build brand loyalty. In today's show, we discuss some innovative ideas around her loyalty marketers and brand marketers can and ideally should work even more closely together to build customer connection and trust, particularly as we evolve our businesses to reflect changing customer needs in global markets. So Paul, please do tell me what is your favorite loyalty statistic?
Speaker: [Guest]
Hi, Paula. Yes, my favorite loyalty statistic goes back to my education and marketing, which I got taught very early age a number of statistics, but one of them really stopped for me is that 5% of your customers will can help you generate 95% profits. So it's, you know, to answer so very simple math’s we can undertake on a spreadsheet.
Speaker: [Host]
Absolutely, yes. And I'm sure you from lots of spreadsheets in your time, because I know you've an extraordinary background in data and analytics, which we're going to go through. And you know, as we were talking about that I was thinking that's something that we as loyalty marketers, I think we know it so well, that we perhaps forget to remind our colleagues in our companies of exactly how powerful loyalty can be. So I think you're right to bring it back to the simplest stuff. And yeah, if we're able to do it on a spreadsheet and prove the point, I think it's incredible.
Speaker: [Guest]
I think it goes back to these beliefs that I have is that your loyalty just part of marketing, right? marketing communications. And, you know, it's an evidential point to say why it's so essential, a part of the, of your mix that you're actually sort of constructing so yeah, to me, it makes all sense.
Speaker: [Host]
Absolutely. And I definitely think it's getting increasing respect and recognition. And it was looking back at your own career, Paul, and I think you're the only person in 1989 I think it was, who was actually maybe talking about data and analytics. So tell us about your career that some incredible experience there?
Speaker: [Guest]
well I wasn't the only one. There's a lot of us actually, back in the UK in those days. But yeah, I started my first ever project and marketing was to build a deduplication algorithm,
Speaker: [Host]
okay,
Speaker: [Guest]
for business to business. So that's how I started so it was in the sort of technology world, but I, when I came into the agency world in 89, I started I started actually in, in loyalty sort of developing gold running a loyalty programme for British Telecom. bt. Yeah, and yeah, and that wasn't typical loyalty programme. It was didn't have points didn't have tears, but very much the client viewed it as a loyalty programme very much viewed as part of the brand building efforts to generate large customers. every 12 weeks was a communication going out. Educating the customer, the products or services, engaging with them, trying to get some reaction. Yeah.
Speaker: [Host]
Okay, so good old fashioned direct mail. Hey,
Speaker: [Guest]
yes, those days. That's all you can do. Yeah. And then, and then from a loyalty perspective, my next sort of big four A, I did that for a number of years. It Was in Holiday Inn in Hong Kong? I run the loyalty programme from a technology standpoint, so they appointed us. That's how I got to wager actually I came out to run that programme because we run all the loyalty solution for holiday in the priority club, as it's called. Wow, across APAC in 1994.
Speaker: [Host]
My goodness, yeah. So you've been an expert for I think about 35 years,
Speaker: [Guest]
too long. not quite that long. pretty long.
Speaker: [Host]
Okay, for sure. And a lot of us actually on the marketing agency side, Paul as well, which I think is a lovely context in terms of, I suppose understanding a client's requirements, because obviously now the technology side, you know, you obviously have to build and launch and, you know, it's a whole different mindset. But I suppose the whole marketing world is extraordinary. And ironic, as well since that you're back with the publishing scoop, actually, through epsilon. So some incredible work. So do you think it's a useful context and background to have that kind of, I suppose client side perspective, and given you know, I suppose how loyalty is evolving?
Speaker: [Guest]
Oh, definitely, I think, you know, I was fortunate enough to actually work on the client side before I joined an agency. Yeah, and then I went to the agency side, and then I got into the technology area more than the consulting sort of tech. Okay. And so I've sort of seen a mixture of all three, and I think, you know, it, particularly an agency side, you have to be very close to your clients understand your client's needs. And I think that is invaluable to understanding how to leverage, loyalty and loyalty solutions to maximize their effect. And also what I'm a big believer that is part of the actual mix of marketing communications that a client should use,
Speaker: [Host]
for sure. So given that kind of perspective poll, and I suppose loyalty programmers have been around, while 30-40 years now, how do you think they've evolved over that entire time? And I suppose then we'll look at where we are now in 2021? And what's going on at the moment?
Speaker: [Guest]
Yeah, well, they've moved on tremendously, right, they've gone from points and transactional sort of solution programme or not solutions, to much more engagement and, and surprise and delight, and, you know, much more sort of becoming much more highly personalized as well, in terms of its interaction with a member. So I think, yes, they've changed beyond recognition, to some extent, some of the core fundamentals are still there. Because you can't, you can't walk away from that, and neither should you. But I think Yeah, the ability now to engage with a customer or a member Have you want to praise him is so much more powerful nowadays, the will to do and so easier, more responsive? gives you much more sort of closer, brand building with a client with the actual membrane itself. Yeah,
Speaker: [Host]
yeah. And you're based in Singapore now. So looking after actually a fairly massive region, so APAC, and Mia, and how would you describe because again, a lot of our listeners are on the US, in the UK, and obviously, in Australia, so I suppose very mature markets in many ways. So how is it in Singapore and particularly in Asia? And from your perspective?
Speaker: [Guest]
Well, Singapore, sorry Asia, generally, again, there's some exceptions. So Australia is quite a mature market versus Indonesia or Philippines, which may be less mature. Big, predominately, acquisition focused markets. So demographics in particular, you've got a young population growing, coming off the land, going into cities, growing your wealth, then ultimately, brand marketers, the job has really been to how do I acquire these customers? How do I bring them into my brand? And sort of, and then drive that forward? So, you know, so a lot of marketing in Asia has been acquisition focus? Yeah, clearly, you know, the pandemic, clearly sort of issues around data and importance. Now it's done to change. There has been a mix of clients, obviously, some clients have obviously realized the importance of data and customer loyalty and retention, as well. But generally, that's, that's, that's how they view it. I think. So, you know, I'm not getting a different industry, different perspectives. FMCG, particularly that way, obviously, we got transactional data, then.
Speaker: [Host]
Yes, different? Absolutely. Well, at some point, I definitely want to do a whole show on FMCG loyalty, Paul, so I'll be picking your brains on that. Because certainly, in my mind, that's probably one of the next big trends. And in terms of people recognizing I suppose that relationship building capability, but interesting to hear you talking about acquisition. And I guess if I was in a country with a billion people, you probably, you know, understand, okay, if I can keep filling the pipeline, I guess. And it's a really good strategy to build the business. But I think as you're saying very clearly, and you know, it becomes retention to your point, the favorite statistic at the beginning, if you can retain those people, you can build your profits so much more easily. So, so great to hear you're having those conversations with clients. But given I suppose COVID and the current situation, I suppose, how do you think clients are feeling about the loyalty programme? Like do they see them as a core part of addressing and I suppose that the different behavior changes going on right now.
Speaker: [Guest]
We see more interest in loyalty in the last two years and I think anything else typically. So we're getting definitely more inquiries More often [inaudible 10:00] are being run, you know, a number of things are driving that much. So it's, it's not just a pandemic, and obviously then consumers going to ecommerce, but it's a, it's a data challenges are sort of not recognized with the cookies. And they realize the first byte of data is more important. So it's a number of factors that are driving it. But yeah, you see increasingly see that sort of that trend that I think in last few years, it's just accelerated across all industries. It's not, you know, it's not just a transactional industry, it's going across even some smaller one’s retail. You know, sort of many others. Yep.
Speaker: [Host]
Yeah. Wow. And in terms of how it's positioned in most of those countries, Paul, would you say, you know, in my experience, I've often said on the show that, you know, we always felt like a lower priority, for example, than, let's say, the brand's team, so, so a lot of the big budgets would go to the TV campaign, and everyone was super excited, and they were all off kind of shooting, super sexy stuff. But, you know, for us in loyalty, it really felt like, I suppose much more of a long term customer relationship building piece. And but again, didn't seem to always get the respect that it deserved. So I'd love to get your perspective in terms of how is loyalty positioned in the clients you're working with? Is it seen as central? or is it more the brands teams that tend to lead?
Speaker: [Guest]
It's not. So, in terms of loyalty, it is used, typically owned by a separate division, or department or team. And they be typically separate from the brand teams or separate from the big one teams. And again, there's different structures within every organization. What you've start to see, I think, though, is because now the importance of first party data, the importance of recognition, or for how to bring loyalty to customers, and brand building is only one, you know, loyalty is one part of that component. That's what you're trying to do, really at a brand level. So I think they're increasingly coming together. But ultimately, how you do that the organizational design you need to work is still in evolution. So if you look at our clients around the region, that's definitely happening. They've recognized the importance of putting more money behind those programme. Okay. But, you know, obviously, it's all evolving, I would argue, at least in Asia, I think you're maybe behind the curve, maybe this was a while maybe, potentially more, I don't know, in the US, or something like that. So yeah.
Speaker: [Host]
Yeah, no, it's definitely something I'm hearing more and more about. So, you know, I think, as you alluded to earlier, and, you know, originally, I suppose we all started with promotional programme, direct mail, and all of that kind of stuff, then we all evolved through a considerably built all of our points, and whether it's gamification or whatever else, but increasingly, I think a lot of the conversations about emotional loyalty mean that, you know, brand really needs to be involved. So, so I think what I'm hoping is to see more loyalty, marketers having bigger conversations about, uh, you know, where they sit in the marketing structure, and it's definitely not something that's going to shift overnight. But I think what we've seen, certainly, you know, even a couple of shows that I did in the last year or so, you know, loyalty programme, first of all, are being seen as a strategic asset. And I think we've seen that most clearly in the airline business, and where, you know, certainly the bring us to, to raise debt and, and to finance through the pandemic. Put increasingly, again, with this feedback from customers, I do think, you know, really what we want is to be more connected with our brands. And, and I think Loyalty is obviously the only kind of infrastructure that facilitates that. So again, in Asia, do you see that opportunity? Do you think you have that potential?
Speaker: [Guest]
No, absolutely. Definitely. I mean, because consumer's a consumer, right, so how do you build a brand with the consumer, okay. In part, obviously, you've got the recollections of what that brand means to you in your history, or you got the images they create or the smells or colors. But ultimately, it's engagement. You know, if you go into a shop and you haven't engaged with that particular brand, or an experience, and technology can facilitate that much easier. You mentioned, gamification, you now create much more interactive, immersive experience with a particular member. So you know, you're seeing activities like that and been coming in predominance. And I think it will go into for retail clients, particularly how they use their retail shops, me more virtual reality, augmented reality, leveraging their customer data to drive customers in particularly the high value customers, to give them that experience, which will then drive the sort of brand preference and brand loyalty going forward. So I think definitely, yeah.
Speaker: [Host]
yeah. And do you see your clients and again, I suppose epsilon around the world has some extraordinary, you know, build capabilities. And, and also, what I'm seeing, I suppose, is the example of gamification. Obviously, as Dell we did a fantastic show about Dell. And I wrote an article recently as well about Wood greens because I can see again, particularly again, maybe in mature markets, where there is this potential to build almost a separate profit center around the loyalty as an asset. And so I think that's an extraordinary capability. And I did a full show about it actually, as well. But, you know, Wood greens have developed this entire advertising group, which again, I'm not saying is absolutely right for every single brand. But I think what I'm hearing coming through Paul is that loyalty doesn't just have the reliance on points and prizes and the transactional stuff we've talked about before. You alluded to the experiences, and there's so much more, but I think the whole, you know, loyalty is a profit center is a super exciting idea.
Speaker: [Guest]
Yeah, and, I mean, a number of companies have gone that way. And, and even separated companies out, I mean, you know, there are, even as we know, like, Mars, for example, is always been a separate, yeah, what his own company and makes his own, on margins and profits. And a number of, particularly the companies that have large scale transactional data has that advantage to do that. We leverage the programming in a big way. So, you know, but obviously, that requires good design of your programme. How do you do that? Well, yeah, but also how then therefore, because it's become such high profile. So take Singapore Airlines, it really becomes representative of your brands, we go back to that brand discussion about how does it support? How does it work? How does it sort of align and build value across each one of them? But, yeah, going back to that sort of, you know, the actual sort of financial sort of opportunity that law provides? Yeah, I think the other thing that, as new clients coming to space is the risk reward balance that you have to have. Obviously, with every programme, there's always some sort of element of risk as well as significant reward otherwise, you know, totally. There's no risk. Everybody just be doing it anyway. Right. So. So yeah, yeah. So. So I think that's the equation that I think newer brands are entering this is to say, well, not only does it work with my brand, but also how do I make sure it's actually sustainable, provides real value, generates customer lifetime value for me. Yeah, over the longer term.
Speaker: [Host]
okay. And would you be included in that I suppose, and strategic planning pieces’ piece in general, in terms of understanding exactly, you know, at the very early stages, what your potential clients, I suppose, are looking to create, like, what they what they bring you into to help design and structure it?
Speaker: [Guest]
Yes, I mean, I got example, as a Telco in the region that we're doing the programme design, so it's always good. It's called programme design. So what was a point worth? If you're using points? How do partners play a role? And how do you use them to maximize and generate value? and leverage them? Yeah, how do you use T as if you're going to use T is how do? you know, what is experienced You want to create at the front ends. So your whole programme design is actually very broad and very sort of immersive in terms of what you have to include. So yeah, good, good, something, we're pretty much we're doing.
Speaker: [Host]
Okay. Yeah, I'm happy to hear that, because sometimes they hear that, you know, that a lot of companies, I suppose, may be under estimating the element of complexity. And so they might come in with them an idea about what the value proposition might be, but might not include you know, their technology partners, like you guys in you know, is it going to work? leveraging your learning as well, I think that's a really big opportunity. And I love that you reference Singapore airline as well, because I actually think that's a that's a brilliant example of where the brands are extraordinary. And again, their loyalty programme supported absolutely beautifully. And I know, we talked before, Paul about, you know, there are risks, as we know, and I think there's one that we had that we share in terms of a memory of a loyalty programme that went very badly wrong, and very early in both of our careers. And I don't ever, like talking about you know, making anybody look bad. But I think we have to just, you know, as a caution, perhaps for maybe younger listeners, who wouldn't have been around like you and I back in the UK and Ireland when Hoover launched their famous and let's call it promotional programme, it wasn't exactly a loyalty programme, but I know you witnessed it as well as me. Yeah.
Speaker: [Guest]
Yes, we did talk about this earlier. But so yeah, no, it's, it's a great example, because it's so long ago is in the early 90s. Right? Because the brand no longer exists, I guess we're not damaging anybody's reputations or smearing them, not something it happen to anybody. There's, there's good examples of Miles having issues. Many other major brands so it's not actually just one or two brands you can Yeah, again, because it's [inaudible 19:38] use typically these problems are very large scale involved in and therefore if you do a promotion or any activity, you can have big upsides but you if you get the calculations wrong, of downsides. It's important that you go back to that data analytics phase- is a central part of the consideration whether you're doing a campaign or you're doing the programme design. It's got to be all the way through the process.
Speaker: [Host]
for sure. Yeah, and I'm not the analytic side as well. So Paul, I always kind of really do kind of need somebody who's totally geeking out on that stuff. So I can go and get creative. Because I do believe Loyalty can be super creative. And but yeah, the Hoover example, do you want to just tell listeners Exactly, and I suppose how it was intended to work and how it unfolded?
Speaker: [Guest]
Yeah. So Hoover, for people who don't know, is a vacuum cleaner manufacturer back in. In the UK, I think the US base as well, I think, I'm not sure exactly what countries are in. So they manufactured Hoovers or vacuum cleaners, and they basically, we're struggling at the time of the 80s, I had a poor sort of period of sales and performance. And they came up with a promotional idea with a travel agent to offer to if you bought free vacuum, you could get two free flights to the US. Wow. And I know this way you want to dive in because you've actually went to Bolton, Hoover, I think so to do that. And the problem is they got such a big response. Yes, which they couldn't cope with. And overestimated that they couldn't fulfil it. They also tried little tricks and treats to sort of not tricks, treats, but little tricks to get away with it, which also backfired on them from a customer service perspective. Wow. So yeah, it was a disaster.
Speaker: [Host]
Yeah, yeah. And in this day and age, obviously, you know, everything can be magnified if you do get this wrong, because obviously social media does amplify everything. But you're absolutely right. The proposition was extraordinary. And again, as loyalty professionals, I think what we typically focus on is, you know, first of all, you know, can we drive engagement? you know, the concern about, you know, under redemption, but equally I suppose there needs to be absolute peace of mind in terms of the risk of over redemption. So, clearly, that's what Hoover got wrong. And yes, I will say I actually went out and I bought two Hoover's, I didn't just buy. And I clearly didn't need two Hoover's in one household so it is an amusing example. Hmm.
Speaker: [Guest]
that’s right. quite amusing. Yeah, there's actually I was reading a little bit before this call. And there's a good example of a guy in northern England he bought a Hoover, and to get the free flights. Fortunately, Hoover broke down. So he got to service engineers come out, repair it. And the guy was saying, Well, why have you bought his Hoover? He said, hope is not for free flights, because you'll never get them. So he decided then to say, Okay, well, I'll make sure you don't get home very well. So he stole his van from him.
Speaker: [Host]
Oh, my God.
Speaker: [Guest]
So anyway, little anecdote.
Speaker: [Host]
Aside yet, yeah, I thought you were going to say he returned to the Hoover and golf. I got a refund as well as the free flight. Yeah, yeah.
Speaker: [Guest]
Because the customer service guy payback for him. So good.
Speaker: [Host]
Yeah. But on the I suppose again, back to the positive side of the of the brand story, Paul, and one, I suppose I think is probably my favorite example. And I don't know if you're familiar with this programme at all, actually. But um, it's called Vitality by a company called discovery in South Africa. And I'm dying to get them on the show. So if anybody's listening from discovery, please do contact me because I'm dying to do a full show on it. And I have talked about it before. But I think the most extraordinary example because first of all, I don't always think South Africa gets the recognition it deserves in terms of how mature it is, as a loyalty market. But I think what Vitality did was really start with this whole, I suppose it was a business model as well as a loyalty model, I would say. So I think it's this opportunity to say, Look, how can we build the business to be loyal to our customers. So with I suppose the whole mindset of loyalty, but then, you know, just expands into everything. And what I particularly love about that one poll, and again, just for listeners, essentially, I suppose it's a shared value model. So again, I'm sure you do love of this kind of stuff, poll, and we'll advise all your clients about it. But the whole idea that if I'm healthier, for example, let's say I go for walks that go for runs, then my health insurance premiums should be lower, my claims long term should be lower. And but really, I think, in addition to the transactional piece of you know, the typical, you know, earn this kind of loyalty, I think the discovery brand has just exploded in terms of how it's perceived by customers, because they feel that integrity coming through, to the extent and I don't know if you saw it, but I think it was about two years ago, they now launched a bank on the back of the health insurance company, the car insurance company, so I just think it's a great example of what you're saying in terms of building the brand.
Speaker: [Guest]
And I've actually seen Vitality advertise. So obviously, they're carrying through that whole strategy into their advertising approach. So I didn't know about the bank. I didn't know some aspects of it, but I'd certainly seen it. And yeah, I haven't actually been quiet about it, but sort of seen this strategy, what they're trying to do, and it was all about that of, you know, be healthier, and then you get benefits in terms of services and the products. So yeah, it's interesting, go back to that brand building. They're leveraging the loyalty aspects that will help build a brand.
Speaker: [Host]
Absolutely, yeah. So what kind of things I suppose a you can have talking to clients about now, Paul, so, you know, we've talked about changing customer behavior, I'm sure there's a massive amount of market research going on from every brand left, right and center at the moment to see what customers do value. And but I suppose from an epsilon perspective, you know, you've done extraordinary work. And I know recently, obviously, you got the top score in the current offering category. And in the latest Forrester Wave Loyalty Solutions Reports just in quarter two, and 2021. So congratulations, actually, you must be thrilled with that coming out again.
Speaker: [Guest]
it's fantastic news. I mean, yeah, we we've got the highest scores possible in 17 over 28 sectors. So Wow, it really is evidence of our real strength in this area at the moment. But in fact, we've actually won this award. sorry not won this award but been in the actual sort of wave leader area for I think, I think the last six years, so it's not sort of just a one off. It's a consistent focus and dedication to loyalty and that went Yeah, yeah, but now very, very pleasing. And I also supplement all the other awards that we have in the Forrester wave on email. and database and other things. So it's Yes.
Speaker: [Host]
What is your view on email? Actually, Paul? Because what I'm hearing is it's still the most powerful communications tool available. And, and, you know, just a couple of days ago, obviously, I was speaking with Persona Leas. So your colleagues in the US about lots of different things that I'm hearing coming through from, from having conversations like this, so is that the same in Asia, that email is still you know, the default and the most powerful tool that clients need to be focused on?
Speaker: [Guest]
No, it’s different by markets. So email is not the maybe the only channel. In all markets. Obviously, there are some real outliers like China, it's all WeChat. So you look at Marriott, which is a customer of ours, envoys a loyalty programme, it's a great programme. If you go into China, you'll find it all on WeChat. It's all within the HR ecosystem, your points, your booking your hotels, etc. You go to somewhere like Thailand, and you'll find programme online. The line is the app, the social messaging app, and you'll find the programme embedded within the so what we're seeing is a lot of social messaging, sort of tools and capability are being used by consumers across the region. Okay, email is certainly part of the mix, but it's not the only part of the mix.
Speaker: [Host]
Okay, okay. Um, clients, then like Marriott Bonvoy, I mean, if I literally had a magic wand, Paul, I'd love to ask whoever had the marketing budget to launch that programme. It was just extraordinary. And I mean, global dominance from what I saw incredible to have a client like that. I happened to be in Hong Kong at the time, I think when the rebrand happened. And again, here in Dubai, over in Hong Kong, everywhere I went, I saw Marriott Bonvoy. So that's absolutely extraordinary. And so yeah, I'm really kind of excited about the power of them. And I suppose tailoring by market, which, again, as loyalty professionals, I suppose we don't need to be told to do that. And but amazing amount of variety that you're having to execute on, in order to keep a global programme to some level of consistency.
Speaker: [Guest]
yeah, I mean, that's, that's the way the world proliferation of journals now and is really part of the mix. And it's a challenge for marketers, because obviously increases cost to serve these customers. So they all want to have their own preferences and choices. And so yeah, so yeah, it's just, I think just one of these things you need, you now need to cope with and manage. Obviously, you know, that's where you can use analytics, or you can use AI, for example. So embedded in our tool is a AI model, which says, Okay for email, when do you send that email, it's automatically sort of runs at the background, and then helps you determine that sort of sequence of events. I think that's a sort of what will happen start to happen across orchestration across all channels, which channel does that particular consumer sort of prefer to use? When should you send it? How do you best do it? I think that's where technology will start to play a bigger part.
Speaker: [Host]
Yeah. And you're right, absolutely. Paul, I think this whole piece around, you know, the global nature and reflecting exactly the way of the world to use your, your term. And there's a retailer I spoke to recently, I can't name them, but they are restructuring. And instead of Loyalty, being headquartered in Europe, they're taking an opportunity to, to locate this in China, and for global. So that was really interesting. So I think geographically, you're in a really good place. And, and, you know, I guess digital transformation is essential. But would you agree with us?
Speaker: [Guest]
No.
Speaker: [Host]
Why, tell me Okay.
Speaker: [Guest]
Well because your ecosystem in China is very different from a technology standpoint. What that team is going in to do and what their role is, but I know a number of major clients including, when I was on the agency side for this client of IBM, they tried to relocate the whole regional team into China after a year and a half, they realize it was too difficult. Now, that was quite a few years ago, it's changed- a lot has changed since then. I think China's is such a big and unique market in its own right. Okay, I think you can start to dominate your sort of your team ultimately, because there's so much opportunity or pressures. Well, I think if you're in if you're in Singapore or some of the other markets, to some extent, it's you know, you wouldn't focus on the local market as much you don't get dragged into all of that sort of challenges. Okay, I think I think yeah
Speaker: [Host]
okay be careful. that's obviously what I'm hearing. Yeah.
Speaker: [Guest]
this is what my experience says is, it will be a challenge.
Speaker: [Host]
But I do follow a lot of people in loyalty, obviously. But, you know, particularly when I see stuff coming through from the Chinese market, a lot of the kind of messaging from people who are executing stuff there is around, you know, it's, it's totally underestimated in terms of the complexity needed to be ready for that market. So, so again, if you're going to build a brand on WeChat, build a loyalty lead brand on WeChat, obviously, you need local expertise, but again, the rest of the world doesn't have WeChat, so we have to go back to our loyalty mechanics and, you know, all of our you know, various tools in the toolbox in the in the epsilon toolbox to be able to build that. so yeah, so as supposed to, you know, what's coming next to loyalty, Paul, and we hear a lot of the buzzwords around AI, machine learning. You've talked there about predictive algorithms in terms of, you know, knowing my, you know, preferred channels of communication, for example, which I think everybody's getting better at, well, what are you thinking are the next big things that we need to be either hand holding listeners through or brands through in terms of making sure that we get these kind of returns that we need?
Speaker: [Guest]
So I think, again, it'll be different, I think, by markets and by industries, to some extent, annual maturity. So you know, when we look at totally new clients coming into us, is the latest gamification, the latest engagement, how you engage the consumer, how you bring that brand component into the engagement process, and build a brand loyalty. In some other areas, it's more about personalization. So it's real time, personalization, creating that sort of Agile Content writing ability to, you know, provide the latest offer of example or product to them. So again, it's a little differently, each one, so they all have sort of the requirements and changes. I don't think there’s little, I think, big bank or sort of new, I think it's all sort of, to a client's needs or challenges or where they are in the majority of loyalty.
Speaker: [Host]
Okay. And would you hear a lot about them saying that we expect this loyalty programme to build our brand? And or were, you know, diverting brand resources? Or do you still hear the more traditional kind of, you know, this is a, you know, an earn and burn, we need to drive behavior change? Where would you say the balances in terms of the people you're speaking to,
Speaker: [Guest]
I said, this is moving out of the transactional more into this sort of recognizing it's more of a brand programme, but it's still it's a journey. What we are seeing as well as clients were appropriately assigned to realization before one brand, but doing across group brands. So they're doing it more group level, as opposed to a sort of single Yeah. And then you've got that, again, you've got more variety for that customer, you got abilities of mobility to cross sell, as well as an upsell. So, you know, that also makes sense. But it's more complex and managing certainly, more potentially politics, because you got your brand manager, here's. his brand, and you know, somebody over there and they lose the data.
Speaker: [Host]
yeah, but you're right, consumers love it like that breath of potential where I can, you know, reward my everyday behavior, for example, across everything I'm doing. I'm definitely seeing huge amount of that. I know, I did a show about a group wide programme in Mauritius, for example, recently, and also in Hong Kong. So definitely a big kind of global trend. And again, here where I live, you know, there's plenty of them, you know, I suppose big conglomerates that the Masterbrand might be known, but they certainly are kind of creating programme and running them, you know, across multiple categories.
Speaker: [Guest]
Yeah. And we've seen that as well, in the Middle East. It's a trend of the Middle East sort of enrollments coming in looking to bring the individual portfolios together. Yeah, definitely. And leverage rally from it. Yeah.
Speaker: [Host]
And the other part I'm also fascinated about Paul is, you mentioned social messaging earlier. So you know, whether brands are interested and comfortable, I suppose with incentivizing non transactional behavior. So things like, you know, if somebody is posting nice stuff on Twitter, or Facebook or whatever else, and you know, is it worth rewarding? Are they comfortable investing in that, again, given the focus away from, you know, budgets have been spent on acquisition, and now hopefully, moving back into the loyalty space? So, so do you see that kind of behavior coming through as well as programme revolving?
Speaker: [Guest]
Yes, no, I mean, in building our platform is the ability to, you know, you give points to somebody who's shared something or tweeted something or whatever. So they get value from doing that, which is a two-way sort of benefit. So yeah, so it's definitely seeing that sort of coming into it. I wouldn't say it's been the primary focus, but definitely, it's an area that sort of evolving more and more, and I think it's social channels increase, you know, become not just a messaging channel. But if you take line, for example, it's you know, started off purely as a messaging channel. Now you can do a lot more in line a bit like WeChat, we can actually have many programme and other things, that that also means you need to engage in those channels more interactively, rather than just message. It's not about pushing your message out; it's about using the channel effectively in that way. I think that will be a big area to, to marketers to understand how they use that, you know, I'm pretty sure things like Tick tock, for example, will also understand how to use that particular channel, which is, yeah, that's growth.
Speaker: [Host]
Yeah, you're absolutely right. I hadn't thought about Tick Tock. So now I have another potential podcast, to figure out how to how to do. But again, actually, to the conversation earlier, I think what that does, again, illustrates the importance of, you know, the loyalty team intersecting with the brand's team to decide how are we going to message or communicate or connect, and to use the simplest term and in new emerging channels, because clearly Tick Tock is one of the big news stories, but certainly not going to be the last one. So hopefully, there'll be more of that going on.
Speaker: [Guest]
And it's all video, right? So obviously, therefore, you have a more immersive experience, you have much more emotional pole potentially, in your communications. And that's where it becomes a brand message, or is it a loyalty message? And I know, we all sort of become, you know, sort of merged together to some extent or totally agree.
Speaker: [Host]
Yeah, I hope they're at least starting to measure that. So again, I must kind of ask more of my guests coming up on the brand side, whether, you know, I know, obviously, things like NPS and the KPIs and all of that kind of stuff is being measured. But and certainly when I worked, let's say without to priority, as you know, I also started in Telco’s. And when we did our brand research, and the loyalty programme was a part of that. And in terms of its influence on the overall brand, so hopefully, that's something that's starting to come through as well, and the clients you're working with.
Speaker: [Guest]
Yeah, I've brand research I've seen is certainly see Loyalty, as Are you a member of it? And how do you how do you experience it, as opposed to saying, how's it contributing to the brand? So I wouldn't say I mean, I'm not saying I'm sure the clients are doing it, I have not seen that experience of really seeking as part of the brand component yet. Yeah, that will definitely come through, because I think it is an integral part.
Speaker: [Host]
It is an integral part. And it feels to me, Paul, and I don't know if I'm overstating it, but it feels like it's maybe the next big opportunity. Because as we've said, before, you know, you can have all the technology in the world. And again, you have an extraordinary platform, and you're very proud of it and winning awards and getting recognition for it from the foresters of the world. But I think the shift in customer expectations is I don't think they'd ever used the word emotional loyalty, for example, as a consumer, but I think that's what they're expecting to feel coming through. So I think brands have to show up, have to be there. And I think it's that critical intersection. And I've talked about it in I'd say, broader terms Paul, where I would have called it maybe customer experience, but certainly what I'm starting to feel like now is no, the TV budgets and those other kind of brands teams are probably people that we can get closer to.
Speaker: [Guest]
Yeah, I mean, if we look at what's happened, I mean, particularly in the last 12-18 months, with a pandemic, you know, all the research you saying people are looking for a deeper, deeper, more meaningful connections. Yeah, brands are starting to look more for purpose or authenticity, too, and you want to describe it, but its purpose driven brands. And, and therefore, ultimately, I think you've got to bring those things in and loyalty can help sort of demonstrate some of that and become more purposeful and authentic, it certainly can drive more meaningful conversations and experiences with those consumers, because obviously, you have the data on them. So I think, you know, this this sort of consumer need, with this ability to sort of bring loyalty into costs, the brand will actually serve both parties.
Speaker: [Host]
Yeah, you're right. Yeah, I think as consumers, we feel it, I think as brands, we see that consumers need it, and a case of just kind of Yeah, coming together to leverage things in a way that is, you know, a fair value exchange and really kind of driving the overall business, but feels a bit better and feels less transactional. And as you said, grows the overall value over the long term.
Speaker: [Guest]
Yep. Correct. That's right. I think it's going, yeah.
Speaker: [Host]
yeah, So I think that's, that's a really interesting conversation, Paul. And as I said, I really I get excited about any loyalty conversation that has, you know, I suppose a commercial focus, but also the integrity of the emotional piece coming into it as well. So I love the fact as you said that you were working back in analytics in 1989. And all the way through to, to building extraordinary programme and running them like Marriott Bonvoy. So are there any other kind of key topics that you're seeing coming through that we should, you know, just kind of chat about in terms of what the listeners around the world might learn from?
Speaker: [Guest]
I think I think this whole of loyalty and brand coming together. back to, when I started in my industries is recognizing that you have left and right sided brains in marketing, right, the creative and the rational. Yeah. And I think how you bring those together, I think is really important. So you've got to have the creative side of you got to have that emotional side of it. Yeah. But you got to have this rationality about the value of the programme. And sometimes those twos don't always connect. And I think also from a marketing standpoint, how do you recruit people that has those skills and bring them getting to work together? Okay, because it requires, right do you go to your analytics person, which is usually much more rational? Yeah, yeah, by numbers perspective, he got somebody who's much more about experience or engagement, you know, yeah. But ultimately, now, engagement can be uncertainty informed by the data, right. So you've got to now start to bring these two together to work together. And I think agencies have been able to do this for a while because they've had analytics built into the business marketers not so much, possibly, yet, and don't tend to have usually out and out creatives as well, in marketers, I mean, obviously, it has changed within housing. But there's an interesting dilemma there for those senior marketers, how they bring that sort of skills, and understanding. And as you're trying to bring your loyalty programme into your brand programme, and have the two district sides work in tandem in harmony.
Speaker: [Host]
I like that idea, Paul. Because I've often said, I feel like I missed a bit in my career, and in various things, I would have loved to have worked in prior, and I would have loved to work in a creative marketing agency. And because I really do think you get permission almost to come at business objectives, like loyalty, actually, and come up with a totally different perspective. And you've reminded me of another good example, actually a show I did over a year ago. Now, Paul, but it was British Gas rewards. And again, in the UK, I'd like both of us in the utility sector. But what I really loved about that, again, particularly was they were struggling on the brand side. So the whole energy sector, I think, particularly the British media give it a really tough time, you know, energy prices rise. And you know, the service providers are almost blamed for that. But British Gas rewards, then gave them almost a new tool, a new whole set of messaging, to, to give back and have that overall experience for the customer where they could connect, I think in them in a different way, they have a lovely character called I think, Wilbur where, you know, you can just kind of make it friendly, maybe make it family focused. And actually people then kind of see it not just as a utility and as an energy company, but they start to like the brand a lot more.
Speaker: [Guest]
Yeah, although maybe not even see it as a programme they now see as a figure, you know, representation of the programme and date sort of becomes less corporate in a way and much more consumer orientated. Yeah, I think that's what, you know, part of what creative brings to the table?
Speaker: [Host]
Yes, yes, absolutely. Well, I doubt it was a data analyst who came up with Wilbur, so I think it proves your point that we probably need to be looking to the marketing agency community to bring those into our loyalty programme to see what we can do to dehumanizes, to emotionalize it if that's a word, and yeah, really drive the feeling of loyalty, not just the overall loyalty programme.
Speaker: [Guest]
Yeah, I think the other thing is again, now coming back into a purposes agency, they don't have a loyalty agency, let’s say. I mean, a lot of big agencies don't, you know, they've been sort of the sort of domains of specialist loyalty companies in a way. So again, it's another interesting sort of dynamic or whether that becomes now more mainstream and an agency environment.
Speaker: [Host]
Absolutely, yes. And I knew I was looking at publicists, I know which is still one of the largest and longest established and marketing and PR agencies in the world. And obviously headquartered in Paris. So publicist does extraordinary work. So I think the partnership between publicist and epsilon is just extraordinary. So Paul Davies, Senior Vice President for APAC media for epsilon, thank you so much from Let's Talk Loyalty.
Speaker: [Guest]
Thanks, Paula.
Speaker: [Unknown]
This show is sponsored by the wise marketer, the world's most popular source of loyalty, marketing news, insights and research. The wise marketer also offers loyalty marketing training through its loyalty Academy, which has already certified over 170 executives in 20 countries as certified loyalty marketing professionals. For more information, check out the wise marketeer.com and loyaltyacademy.org.
Speaker: [Unknown]
Thanks so much for listening to this episode of Let's Talk Loyalty. If you'd like me to send you the latest show each week, simply sign up for the show newsletter on letstalkloyalty.com and I'll send you The latest episode to your inbox every Thursday. Or just head to your favorite podcast platform. Find Let's Talk Loyalty and subscribe. Of course, I'd love your feedback and reviews and thanks again for supporting the show.
---
## Creating a digital retail marketing strategy that dominates
Type: eps_resource
URL: /creating-a-digital-retail-marketing-strategy-that-dominates
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Creating a digital retail marketing strategy that dominates
As the world becomes more connected, are you reaching the right customers?
There’s no doubt that marketing isn’t what it used to be—especially for retail marketers trying to reach people online. The COVID-19 pandemic has propelled e-commerce five years into the future, with no signs of slowing. And consumer-centric privacy measures such as the deprecation of third-party cookies and IDFA will make it harder for marketers to know they’re reaching the right people.
Consumers are moving toward multichannel brand experiences, engaging across TV, mobile, web and more. Retailers are starting to feel overwhelmed by the myriad of channels, devices and accounts customers flit between. That’s why it’s never been a more important time to return to retail’s roots: identity.
Marketers need to know how to speak to the individual customer experience and reach every person when and where they’re most receptive to buy. This means getting a firm grip on capturing, storing, labeling and using data to benefit both the brand and the customer.
In this guide you’ll learn:
How to make your data actionable so you can understand your customers better than you do today.
How to orchestrate and optimize unique experiences when and where your customers are most receptive, both online and offline.
Questions to ask your current partners and actionable next steps.
---
## LIVE podcast recording: Let's Talk Loyalty across the customer journey
Type: eps_resource
URL: /live-podcast-recording-lets-talk-loyalty-across-the-customer-journey
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# LIVE podcast recording: Let's Talk Loyalty across the customer journey
Personalization should be integrated into the entire customer experience—including your loyalty program. And in the past year, the customer experience as we know it has completely changed, forcing marketers to pivot and find new ways to foster loyalty.
Now, more than ever, as you develop your personalization strategy, it’s important to consider both rational and emotional loyalty. Ask yourself:
Which approach will engender passion, dedication and trust with your brand?
Do you have the right strategy and data to guide you?
An aligned org structure to support you?
Robust technology to capture and deliver interactions at the right time and place?
If you don’t know or don’t like the answers, it’s time to reevaluate (and watching this panel is a good place to start). Let’s Talk Loyalty podcast host Paula Thomas engages in an outcome-driven conversation with Publicis’ EVP of Commerce and loyalty expert Amy Lanzi, FedEx's SVP of Digital Guest Experience Stephanie Meltzer-Paul alongside Epsilon's SVP & General Manager of Loyalty Prabhu Kannan.
---
## How “simple” retail boosts customer loyalty?
Type: eps_resource
URL: /how-simple-retail-boosts-customer-loyalty
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# How “simple” retail boosts customer loyalty?
Research reveals that streamlined customer journeys ensure shoppers keep coming back for more.
Retailers who understand their customers’ entire buying journey and can eliminate friction at each touch point drive user numbers, repeat visitors and incremental revenue growth.
Fashion pureplays like Boohoo and marketplaces like Amazon, an early adopter of mobile retail and one-click buying functionality, exemplify the drive for frictionless, convenient and loyalty-boosting simplicity.
Dowload the full report here.
Retailers looking to simplify their customer proposition should scrutinise and map the full length of their customer journey, identify points of friction and fine tune them. Simplification isn’t a one-and-done operation it should be treated as an on-going process that requires constant review.
---
## EMEA Forrester Wave™: Loyalty Service Providers, Q3 2021
Type: eps_resource
URL: /emea-forrester-wave-loyalty-service-providers-q3-2021
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T22:17:52Z
# EMEA Forrester Wave™: Loyalty Service Providers, Q3 2021
Epsilon is proud to be part of Publicis Groupe, named as a Leader with the top score in the Current Offering category in The Forrester Wave™: Loyalty Service Providers, Q3 2021.
With the deprecation of third-party identifiers, increasing customer expectations and more competition than ever, loyalty marketers are standing at a crossroads. Continually building brand loyalty and customer retention is an imperative—but they also need to plan for what’s next. A strong partner that can help brands future-proof their loyalty strategies and set them up for end-to-end success (now and down the line) is key.
In this report, Forrester helps marketers find loyalty service providers best suited to fit their needs, assessing a vendor’s Current Offering, Strategy and Market Presence through relevant criteria. Publicis Groupe (Epsilon is a part of Publicis Groupe) was named a Leader with the top score in the Current Offering category and received the highest scores possible in 15 criteria, including omnichannel loyalty strategy, data services and more.
This recognition comes on the heels of Epsilon being named a Leader with the top score in the Current Offering category in The Forrester Wave™: Loyalty Solutions, Q2 2021 report.
Publicis Groupe and Epsilon (as a part of Publicis Groupe) are the only family of providers named amongst the Leaders in both the Loyalty Services and Loyalty Solutions Wave reports.
Download the report to learn more.
---
## Defining Your Black Friday Strategy
Type: eps_resource
URL: /defining-your-black-friday-strategy
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Defining Your Black Friday Strategy
Another year, another Black Friday. But change is in the air, and retailers are evolving their strategies for this crucial trading period.
Traditionally used to sell off unsold stock, retailers are now taking a more nuanced approach to Black Friday, adopting different start points and strategies around their involvement.
In this report, Epsilon has identified six emerging retailer personas. Each has specific traits and objectives, and we have suggested potential marketing approaches that each group should
consider to ensure a successful Black Friday.
You will learn:
• The forecasting challenges
• The importance of going early
• What type of retailer are you? The six Black Friday retailer personas
• The rise of non-participants
• 7 key takeaways
---
## The demise of third-party cookies—and what it means for CPG brands
Type: eps_resource
URL: /the-demise-of-third-party-cookies-and-what-it-means-for-cpg-brands
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# The demise of third-party cookies—and what it means for CPG brands
Starting in 2022, third-party cookies will be all but gone.
Tech giant Google announced that it would postpone its third-party cookie deprecation on Chrome by a year, giving marketers a bit more time to optimize their marketing without this widely used identifier.
For some, the change will be minimal. But for others—including many brands in the CPG space—this signals the end of longstanding marketing strategies and will impact the ability to reach the right customers with the right messaging.
All is not lost. Marketers have a unique opportunity now to stop following crumbs and start taking a bite out of the marketshare by using first party data. In this webinar, we explain why third-party cookie deprecation isn’t the end of the world and why marketers should be making moves to implement better strategies now.
---
## Seven steps for retail success over Black Friday
Type: eps_resource
URL: /seven-steps-for-retail-success-over-black-friday
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Seven steps for retail success over Black Friday
Another year, another Black Friday. But Black Friday is changing, and retailers need to evolve their approach to this critical trading period. So, what should they be doing?
Adopting these seven strategies will help them deliver a successful Black Friday and put them in a good position for the future.
Take a look at the listicle below, or download the PDF with the button above.
Dowload the full report here.
---
## The six types of Black Friday retailer
Type: eps_resource
URL: /the-six-types-of-black-friday-retailer
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# The six types of Black Friday retailer
Traditionally used as an opportunity to shift unsold stock, retailers are reappraising Black Friday and taking a more nuanced approach. Epsilon has identified six broad retailer types based on their strategy around this crucial trading period.
Success over Black Friday requires retailers to adopt marketing strategies aligned to their commercial objectives. Each of the six retailer personas has specific activities they can implement to achieve their aims.
Take a look at the infographic below, or download the PDF with the button above.
Download the full report here.
---
## How an ID-based retention strategy unlocks big returns for CPG brands
Type: eps_resource
URL: /epsilon-iri-webinar-retention-strategy-cpg
Last Modified: 2025-11-19T19:49:32Z
# How an ID-based retention strategy unlocks big returns for CPG brands
CPG brands saw massive increase in sales during COVID-19, and consequently, brands found themselves with scores of new customers. On its face, it’s a good problem to have. But once you have new customers, how exactly do you keep them?
Combining the strength of Epsilon’s marketing solutions and IRI’s robust verified purchase data and granular measurement, CPG brands are benefiting from targeted persistent connections reaching the highest-value consumers with relevant, efficient campaigns.
In this joint webinar, Epsilon and IRI discuss why retention is more important now than ever—and show how three CPG brands bolstered huge returns using data.
---
## The brand marketer’s guide to digital retail media spend
Type: eps_resource
URL: /the-brand-marketers-guide-to-digital-retail-media-spend-1
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# The brand marketer’s guide to digital retail media spend
HOW TO MAKE YOUR DIGITAL RETAIL MEDIA SPEND WORK HARDER?
Amazon, Walmart, Tesco and other large corporates are developing retail media networks to provide brands access to their customers; leveraging their first-party customer data and their owned channels such as their high traffic websites.
Brands engaging with these platforms can reach in-market buyers across formats and owned channels at the point of purchase, in several different ways but mainly via ads.
So what is digital retail media and why is it important?
This guide will help you understand:
What differentiates an adequate retail media network from a highly effective, data-driven one?
Why on-site and off-site advertising are needed to maximise your budget?
What questions you should ask of your digital retail media partners?
Which retail media network is worth your digital marketing pounds and euros?
---
## 4 Considerations for Evaluating New Digital Retail Media Opportunity
Type: eps_resource
URL: /4-consideration-factors-for-evaluating-new-digital-retail-media-opportunity
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# 4 Considerations for Evaluating New Digital Retail Media Opportunity
Digital Retail media is the new digital channel brands need to pay attention to. By engaging with these platforms, brands can reach in-market buyers at the point of purchase. It’s a huge opportunity for them, and according to eMarketer, ad spend in this e-commerce channel is expected to grow by 29.8% in 2021.
Download the guide here.
---
## How rue21 used data to transform their marketing
Type: eps_resource
URL: /how-rue21-used-data-to-transform-their-marketing
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T22:17:52Z
# How rue21 used data to transform their marketing
Digital engagement has skyrocketed during the pandemic. You’d think this would be a goldmine for retailers—more online interactions, more opportunities to understand your customers. But not so fast. Retailers are still struggling to fill the gaps in their customer profiles and activate on the data they have.
In this webinar, you’ll hear from experts at Epsilon and rue21 on how to patch up your customer profiles and use data to completely transform your marketing.
Key takeaways include:
How rue21’s newly enriched customer data transformed their brand strategy and put customers in the driver’s seat
What actionable steps retailers can take to achieve rue21’s level of success
Why a comprehensive set of first and third-party data can set your brand on the right path
How to unlock proprietary insights about your customers that you can use across your business
This webinar is part of the CRMC webinar series hosted by The Wise Marketer.
---
## Let's Talk Loyalty: 2022 Loyalty Trends
Type: eps_resource
URL: /lets-talk-loyalty-2022-loyalty-trends
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Let's Talk Loyalty: 2022 Loyalty Trends
Epsilon's VP of Loyalty Consulting, Brad Macdonald, reflects on the key consumer trends that arose in loyalty in 2021 and discusses insights and predictions for loyalty professionals in 2022.
If you like Let's Talk Loyalty, check out our other episodes.
---
## Let's Talk Loyalty: 2022 Loyalty Trends
Type: eps_resource
URL: /0cede412590911ec850226544a463c58
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T22:17:52Z
# Let's Talk Loyalty: 2022 Loyalty Trends
https://anchor.fm/letstalkloyalty/embed/episodes/165-2022-Loyalty-Trends--Gamification-and-Subscription-with-Epsilons-Vice-President-of-Loyalty-Strategy-e1aiilh/a-a6uibgq"
Epsilon's VP of Loyalty Consulting, Brad Macdonald, reflects on the key consumer trends that arose in loyalty in 2021 and discusses insights and predictions for loyalty professionals in 2022.
If you like Let's Talk Loyalty, check out our other episodes.
---
## Why brands have nothing to fear from a cookieless world
Type: eps_resource
URL: /why-brands-have-nothing-to-fear-from-a-cookieless-world
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Why brands have nothing to fear from a cookieless world
In this podcast, digital marketing leaders give the brand perspective on the impending post-cookie landscape.
The recent announcement by leading web browsers, including Google Chrome, that they are phasing out the use of third-party cookies has created a major challenge for marketers who rely on cookies for targeted advertising and remarketing. Google has extended its cookie deadline until late 2023, but after that the impact will be significant.
The lowdown
In this podcast, digital marketing leaders give the brand perspective on the impending post-cookie landscape. These leaders include David Simms, Business Development Director at Epsilon, Istvan Kozari, Global Head of Digital Media at home cybersecurity firm Kaspersky, and John Beebe Senior VP of Marketing & Customer Experience at Epsilon.
In a nutshell
The phasing out of third-party cookies will seriously impede brands’ efforts to reach the right customers with the right messaging. Cookies are used for tracking, targeting, and measuring the success of campaigns. Without them, many digital marketers are wondering how to reach customers online, and how to have a cross-brand view of their customers’ behaviour.
But cookies have been going stale for a while.
Here’s what our podcast participants had to say:
“In the past few years we have become more and more aware of how cookies are diminishing in terms of value, because we are losing quite a lot of them. And also, we have started to find alternatives for efficient digital marketing, which are not reliant on this seemingly simple, but actually very difficult concept of the tracker.”
Istvan Kozari, Global Head of Digital Media at Kaspersky
“I'm kind of grateful that cookies are going the way of the dodo. Everyone’s got an example of being followed by online ads long after making a purchase, in my case a handbag as a gift for my sister. In that instance, my data was onboarded, and they had mis-labelled me in my cookie. I was frozen in that moment in time, consigned to a segment of 50-year-old women.”
John Beebe, SVP of Marketing and Customer Experience at Epsilon
Stay calm and keep marketing
Third-party cookie deprecation isn’t the end of the world, the podcast experts agreed. Marketers have a unique opportunity now to get better returns from their digital marketing spend, by utilising first-party data, and also by thinking about offline as well as online behaviours.
Alternatives to targeted advertising were discussed. It was agreed that marketers should be making moves to implement better strategies now.
The deprecation transition is forcing many brands to re-examine their first-party data strategies, discovering they already own much of the data they need to gain an end-to-end view of the customer journey.
For instance, loyalty programmes can identify and engage segments online, making it possible to personalize messages, optimize campaigns and measure performance.
Marketers now have a unique opportunity to get higher returns from their digital marketing spend, by using a mix of alternatives to third-party cookie-powered targeted advertising.
This might include targeted advertising in collaboration with publishers, more contextual advertising, and more creative use of first-party data.
Our podcast participants said marketers must seize this opportunity:
“For many advertisers, first-party data will be a very important element of their marketing and CRM. With education, customers can be willing to exchange their information in order to improve their experience.”
Istvan Kozari, Global Head of Digital Media at Kaspersky
“Looking ahead, it’s going to be important for marketers to find the right partners who can really help enhance their first-party data in a way that respects a customer’s privacy, yet still meets their expectation for personalization. A good partner will help you reach customers as living individuals, at the moments that matter most.”
John Beebe, SVP of Marketing & Customer Experience at Epsilon
The bottom line
The podcast discussion ended with the participants concluding customers are likely to be happier if brands – and their trusted digital marketing partners – used first-party data, real-time technology, and expertise to personalize experiences.
Using this hybrid method, it is possible to respect individuals for who they are, and what they want today; not who they were or what they did days, weeks, or months before.
---
## Dining dilemma: Consumer sentiment towards restaurants late-pandemic
Type: eps_resource
URL: /dining-dilemma
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T22:17:52Z
# Dining dilemma: Consumer sentiment towards restaurants late-pandemic
Sure, consumer behavior shifted monumentally when the COVID-19 panic first set in—but how do people feel now, almost two years into the pandemic?
The restaurant industry, like many others, was hard hit. Closures, capacity limits and labor shortages all contributed to the uncertainty. But has widespread vaccine availability and general pandemic fatigue created a new—and complicated—relationship with restaurants?
To find out the answer, we went straight to the source and asked consumers how they felt about restaurant dining at this stage in the pandemic.
In this report, we explore:
How guests feel about third-party delivery versus native restaurant ordering
Pickup and delivery preferences
Why they returned to restaurants and more
Some of the answers may surprise you. We hope these insights reveal valuable new truths about consumers that will help you market to them in 2022 and beyond.
---
## Why identity is the passport to success for the travel industry
Type: eps_resource
URL: /why-identity-is-the-passport-to-success-for-the-travel-industry
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Why identity is the passport to success for the travel industry
The big picture
As the travel industry looks to rebuild after what has been one of its most difficult times, marketers in the sector are bracing themselves for their next challenge – ensuring they can continue to market effectively when third-party identifiers finally die. So Epsilon surveyed them to understand if they are ready.
Why it matters
Targeted, relevant communications are the bedrock of successful marketing for customer acquisition and retention – and this is all built on data. But as the building blocks of digital advertising – third party cookies and device identifiers – are dismantled, travel marketers are faced with the prospect of losing access to critical data. With nearly 90% of the travel market saying they are reliant on them for targeting, personalising, and measuring their digital activity, this could significantly impact their ability to deliver effective marketing – unless they take action now.
And marketers are concerned. The majority (58%) believe that these developments will compromise advertising effectiveness. And while 52% of travel marketers reported their organisations are "very prepared" for these changes because they can access first-party data, they need to assess how relevant, fresh, and usable it is. With so little travel taking place in the last 20 months, many companies lack good, accurate data, with much of their existing information being outdated.
Deeper dive: What travel marketers must do to address these issues
To safeguard future success, travel marketers must focus on developing their identity strategy around three priority areas:
1. Build out their first-party data
Data is king – and first-party data reigns supreme. Legislation, the demise of cookies, and browser and device changes are placing more emphasis on first-party data for digital advertising. And given its importance, 67% of travel companies are focusing on developing a first-party data strategy. After all, this data is more accurate, insightful, converts better and is essential for fostering client relationships. With travel being such a personal decision, it's critical marketers understand their customers and prospects as individuals. And fresh data brings fresh insights, with research from McKinsey & Company and Skift Research advising travel companies "to toss out many of their pre-COVID-19 customer lenses and invest in understanding customers' new perspectives and behaviours."
2. Invest in a Customer Data Platform (CDP)
Having the data is critical but achieving a true customer view is only possible when it is unified. But aligning, curating, managing, and making the data available at scale when needed is complex, with only half of travel brands capable of building a single unified traveller profile. Investing in a CDP is essential today for identity management and data activation – and 56% of travel marketers stated they are pursuing this. But not all solutions are equal. Marketers must address their identity data infrastructure weaknesses by ensuring their platform is built to manage person-level identity, and the data can be augmented with additional, relevant insights to activate personalisation at scale for precise, personalised, and timely communications.
3. Ensure they have a stable digital identifier
Delivering people-based advertising across the web so marketing activity realises its full potential requires travel brands to connect their first-party data to a digital identifier. Only then can they recognise and reach people in real-time at scale – be they new prospects or existing customers – and deliver authentic one-to-one communications. 44% of travel brands are investing in their ID graph. In doing so, they must ensure their identity graph offers an accurate, constantly optimised, and persistent unique identifier that is anchored in robust reference data and tied to a real person – and not reliant on third-party identifiers.
In summary
Travel marketers must act now to prepare for the new advertising landscape and ensure they can still deliver precision, personalised, data-driven communications going forward. But this is complex. Future-proofing their marketing requires the right combination of data, technology, and expertise, so they must ensure they choose the right vendor to support them. By doing so, they can then take advantage of the acquisition and retention opportunities that the re-emerging travel market offers.
Explore further
Find out how Epsilon is empowering travel brands to deliver effective data-driven marketing in a post-third-party identifier world through Epsilon PeopleCloud.
---
## Guide: 3 ways to escape from your travel marketing woes
Type: eps_resource
URL: /guide-3-ways-to-escape-from-your-travel-marketing-woes
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T22:16:49Z
# Guide: 3 ways to escape from your travel marketing woes
It's been a wild ride for the Travel industry over the past couple of years. Airplanes have been grounded and flights have been delayed, hotels have hosted far fewer guests, and cruise lines have started to once again see a rise in online travel agency booking competition. Marketing in the industry today can feel like an uphill battle, with stress being triggered by every new wrench thrown into the mix.
But just like your customers travel to alleviate their stress, you can alleviate your stress by taking a break from unoptimized marketing tactics. In this guide, learn how to:
Find travel-ready customers and prospects easily
Optimize your messaging efficiently
Drive more direct bookings
Kick your feet up and relax; an escape from your marketing stressors may just be what you need.
---
## Panel: Making sense of retail media
Type: eps_resource
URL: /panel-making-sense-of-retail-media
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Panel: Making sense of retail media
From Amazon to Walmart, Target to Lowe's, big box retailers are becoming major media properties in their own right as e-commerce takes off and digital placement is the new shelf space. When we look to the future, we see retail media growing to a $50 billion-dollar market. So how do we best utilize retail media innovations?
This panel from Campaign US's "Tech Talks: The New Retail Media Landscape" will help you make sense of this emerging and fast-moving trend and set you up with key strategies for success. Hear from three panelists:
Joe Doran, Chief Product Officer, Epsilon
Josh Williams, Director of Commerce Marketing, Food & Beverage, The J.M. Smucker Co.
Saket Mehta, Head of Ad-Tech & Channel Partnerships, Gopuff
Click here to see all sessions from the event.
---
## Tourism ROI calculator: How impactful is your investment today?
Type: eps_resource
URL: /tourism-roi-calculator
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Tourism ROI calculator: How impactful is your investment today?
You're likely underreporting the economic impact of your marketing.
Tourism marketers drive so much value for their destinations, but all too often the full scope is not measured due to a singular focus on lodging.
Plug your typical annual media spend and return on ad spend into our tourism ROI calculator to see how Epsilon’s NEI solution can measure the full (estimated) value of your marketing investment. This estimated value includes all destination categories—not only lodging—for a fuller picture of the impact your marketing dollars truly have.
Plus, see how your true ROI can be improved with an upgraded ability to identify and connect with high-value visitors in a way that resonates with them.
---
## Power of me: More than a [FirstName]
Type: eps_resource
URL: /power-of-me-more-than-just-a-firstname
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T22:17:52Z
# Power of me: More than a [FirstName]
Our research found that personalization is profitable. And it's what consumers expect.
To help your brand win at personalization, we asked real consumers about the personalized experiences they expect. We learned that 90% of them find personalization appealing, but they differ in how they view privacy and what types of personalized experiences they prefer.
Visit the microsite to see the findings.
---
## How to survive and thrive in an Amazon world
Type: eps_resource
URL: /amazon-research
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T22:17:52Z
# How to survive and thrive in an Amazon world
67% of online shoppers agree that Amazon is America's most innovative retailer. So how can you apply what people love about Amazon to your brand?
We turned to our own data assets to find out. Download this e-book to learn:
what high-value Amazon shoppers look like
how Amazon has changed online shoppers' expectations
how to give your customers the same personalized experiences they've come to expect
---
## How consumers manage their health
Type: eps_resource
URL: /consumer-health-research
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T22:17:52Z
# How consumers manage their health
Today's consumers are actively involved in their treatment plans.
They research online, make suggestions to their providers about medications and expect to be an informed partner throughout the process.
We survey consumers to learn more about their health management, and we turned those findings into actionable advice for healthcare marketers.
Download the findings to learn:
how consumers expect to partner with their doctor
how this partnership changes for patients with chronic conditions
how likely patients are to accept information from drug manufacturers
what age group is most likely to self-medicate
and more!
---
## Optimizing your RFP: A guide to choosing the right email provider
Type: eps_resource
URL: /e-book-optimizing-your-rfp
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T22:16:49Z
# Optimizing your RFP: A guide to choosing the right email provider
The RFP can be an exciting, yet laborious process. Exciting because you're choosing a new partner to help elevate your business. Laborious because, let's face it, RFPs take time and effort. And for all this work, you may not get the info you need to make the right decision.
This e-book explores key factors to consider when choosing an email partner—factors that are unlikely to be uncovered in a traditional RFP—and offers five tips on how to structure your RFP to get the insights you need.
---
## Solving the identity crisis
Type: eps_resource
URL: /solving-the-identity-crisis-infographic
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Solving the identity crisis
The deprecation of third-party identifiers gives brands an opportunity to focus on first-party data strategies that ultimately improve marketing outcomes.
What will a world without third-party identifiers (3PIDs) look like? That’s the question many marketers are asking themselves in the wake of Google’s decision to do away with third-party cookies by 2022 and Apple’s move to make it easier for users to opt out of its identifier for advertisers (IDFA). The majority of marketing professionals think the loss of 3PIDs will diminish outcomes and won’t make for better CX, according to research from Epsilon.
Look through the statistics in this infographic to see:
How marketers have been feeling about this industry shift
How prepared they believe themselves to be
Actions we recommend marketers should take to future-proof
---
## The Forrester Wave™: Email Marketing Service Providers, Q1 2022
Type: eps_resource
URL: /the-forrester-wave-email-marketing-service-providers-q1-2022
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T22:16:49Z
# The Forrester Wave™: Email Marketing Service Providers, Q1 2022
Epsilon named a leader in The Forrester Wave™: Email Marketing Service Providers, Q1 2022
If we’ve learned anything over the last few years, it’s that planning for the future is tough. The email marketing landscape is changing every minute (second, really). And consumers themselves are adapting, too—preferences, behaviors, communication desires—are fleeting. So how do you prepare?
Finding the right partner is a good place to start.
We’re proud that Forrester has recognized Epsilon as a Leader in The Forrester Wave™: Email Marketing Service Providers, Q1 2022. In the report, Epsilon received the highest scores possible in ten criteria, including:
Innovation Roadmap
Privacy
First-Party Data Resources
Artificial Intelligence Ethics
Security
Full-Service Support & More
In this report, Forrester helps marketers find email marketing service providers best suited to fit their needs, assessing a vendor’s Current Offering, Strategy and Market Presence through 24 relevant criteria. Download to learn more.
---
## EMEA - The Forrester Wave™: Email Marketing Service Providers, Q1 2022
Type: eps_resource
URL: /emea-the-forrester-wave-email-marketing-service-providers-q1-2022
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T22:16:49Z
# EMEA - The Forrester Wave™: Email Marketing Service Providers, Q1 2022
Epsilon named a leader in The Forrester Wave™: Email Marketing Service Providers, Q1 2022
If we’ve learned anything over the last few years, it’s that planning for the future is tough. The email marketing landscape is changing every minute (second, really). And consumers themselves are adapting, too—preferences, behaviors, communication desires—are fleeting. So how do you prepare?
Finding the right partner is a good place to start.
We’re proud that Forrester has recognized Epsilon as a Leader in The Forrester Wave™: Email Marketing Service Providers, Q1 2022. In the report, Epsilon received the highest scores possible in ten criteria, including:
Innovation Roadmap
Privacy
First-Party Data Resources
Artificial Intelligence Ethics
Security
Full-Service Support & More
In this report, Forrester helps marketers find email marketing service providers best suited to fit their needs, assessing a vendor’s Current Offering, Strategy and Market Presence through 24 relevant criteria. Download to learn more.
---
## Q2 2019 email trends & benchmarks
Type: eps_resource
URL: /email-trends-and-benchmarks
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T22:17:52Z
# Q2 2019 email trends & benchmarks
With quarterly aggregated data from over 18 billion emails across verticals, the quarterly Email trends and benchmarks report showcases email marketing outcomes for both business as usual (BAU) and triggered emails.
The current report, for Q2 2019, highlights:
Performance metrics for both BAU and triggered emails
Breakdowns by vertical and message type
Analysis of trends spotted over the past two years
---
## Your Loyalty Programme’s Role in Driving Better Acquisition
Type: eps_resource
URL: /your-loyalty-programmes-role-in-driving-better-acquisition
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Your Loyalty Programme’s Role in Driving Better Acquisition
In this episode of Let’s Talk Loyalty, host Paula Thomas speaks to Joseph Taylor, SVP of Strategic Consulting and Operations about how to use the data and profiles of your most valuable loyalty programme members to help acquire new customers with the same profit potential.
Loyalty programmes are traditionally designed to retain customers, but rarely is that incredible data used by marketing teams to inform how they run acquisition campaigns to ensure they focus on "profitable" new customers - quality over quantity!
This powerful new idea will prove invaluable as cookies disappear from the toolset that digital marketers have relied on for so many years.
Joseph shares real case studies and examples of brands who have already leverages this clever idea - so you can too!
{{cta('50fe76f9-d840-45de-8c12-5247148e7c0e')}}
---
## The new retail game: A panel discussion from AdWeek
Type: eps_resource
URL: /the-new-retail-game-video
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# The new retail game: A panel discussion from AdWeek
From the stage at Advertising Week in New York, Jeff Fagel, Head of Marketing at Epsilon-Conversant, joins a panel of industry experts to talk about engaging retail consumers.
This 40-minute video covers:
How to win in the new game of retail
The role of personalization, customer identity and loyalty
How to enhance the user experience to drive tangible business results
The role of data and analytics in keeping up with changes
You can also read the transcript of the 40-minute presentation below.
Lydia Belanger: Hi I'm Lydia Belanger, I'm an associate editor at Entrepreneur. Our topic today is The New Retail Game. All of our panelists work for various companies that assist with personalization, data collection, analysis and targeting.
And so, we're going to speak with them and hear their perspectives, how they're all differentiated in this space but all have a common goal of personalizing the experience for consumers in a changing world.
So I'll let them introduce themselves.
Jeff Fagel: Hi I'm Jeff Fagel, I lead the marketing team for Epsilon and Conversant. We're in the data driven and digital media space.
Prior to ad tech and marketing tech, I spent most of my career in retail and CPG, both in Sears Holdings and Pepsico, so hopefully can bring some perspective of the client-side experience to this discussion as well.
Suz Lampert: Hi everyone, I'm Suz Lampert. I'm the Vice President for east coast sales with GasBuddy.
GasBuddy is a media company and a driving companion with the largest addressable audience reaching fuel and convenience store customers in the United States and Canada.
I've been in digital marketing for many, many years and worked at companies like Cardlytics, for quite some time Microsoft, and worked with many major retailers throughout my career.
Dallas Lawrence: I'm Dallas Lawrence, I lead marketing communications for OpenX. We're the world’s largest independent advertising exchange. What that basically means, is we connect the largest brands in the world with about a billion consumers across the most trafficked websites and mobile apps globally.
Before that, spent a long time in the digital space, was the chief global digital strategist for WPP's largest PR agency, working the Ford, Coca-Cola, J&J, helping to solve a lot of the challenges we're here to talk about today.
Rachel Sonenshine: And good morning, I'm Rachel Sonenshine, Vice President of National Advertising Partnerships at Cardlytics, based in Atlanta. Cardlytics is a company that probably a lot of you have never heard of, but most of you I'm guessing are Chase customers, so you'll know about us soon. We are a purchase intelligence company, and powering cash-back rewards programs for banks.
So any Chase? Raise your hand if you have Chase. Right, that's what I thought.
So you'll be experiencing us in November, so look out.
Lydia Belanger: Great, well considering some of the backgrounds you have, I think to talk about the new retail, we have to talk briefly about the old retail so to speak, what's changed.
Jeff, I know, in your time, PepsiCo and Sears, you have perspective on just the extraordinary shift that's been happening.
Jeff Fagel: Yeah, I mean, one of the things to think about, it used to be, we used to say “innovate or die.” And I think these days it's a combination of “innovate and buy.”
And both from retail and the CPG side, if you look at Walmart for example, the purchase of Jet.com, the purchase of MooseJaw Bonobo's. And CPG's side, there's been purchase after purchase for CPG companies trying to, either reach new customers or they're too slow in the innovation and they have to buy the innovation.
A good example, give you a quick story when I was at Sears. So Eddie Lampert, who's the CEO and chairman, multi-billionaire hedge fund manager. We all know the struggles that Sears and K-Mart have had.
Seven years ago, I got into a debate with him on why we should have free next day shipping or delivery. We were getting beat by Lowes, we were getting beat by Home Depot and this was seven years ago. We were getting beat by, in the Chicago land area, a retailer called Abt, ABT. It's a family-based store, 250 million dollars, one store. Now they're up to probably half a billion dollars and shipping nationwide.
And his response to me was, well so Abt, ABT, they're too small, why aren't the big enough? Why aren't they bigger than they are? And if we were to offer free shipping or free delivery, we would have to not pay commissions. So would we rather not pay commissions? Or will they offer free shipping?
This was seven years ago, and think about the choice that consumers have now. I mean, choice now is really changing the dynamic of no matter what business you're in.
So I mean, that just gives you some perspective, because, as we look at the landscape now, there're so many choices for consumers right now, and that's really changing the dynamic of all businesses, retail and CPG included.
Lydia Belanger: Mm hm, in terms of the changing behaviors that go along with those choices and with the technology that we have today, I know Dallas mentioned that OpenX just did a poll, with Harris Poll, got a lot of great data if you'd like to share some examples of just how radically behavior is changing.
Dallas Lawrence: I think it speaks to exactly what you just talked about, and that is the funnel has just changed dramatically.
The steps are the same, that we would talk about as you move through kind of awareness, consideration and purchase. But the way that brands are reaching consumers and the fragmented environment is something we've never seen before.
So if you take a couple stats from the new survey that Harris put out, and there's a copy in the back for anybody who wants it, not too surprising, but TV isn't dead but it's certainly not where most of the eyeballs are going.
So you have 25% of all consumers who watch zero live television, none. One out of four millennials watch zero live television.
So if you're thinking, okay, those who are watching live television, I'll get those with my television commercials. 71% of millennials who watch live television, watch zero commercials. They either DVR it or go through other paid services.
So they're stepping away from things like, that we've traditionally used for that purchase consideration funnel, they're moving into other areas.
And for those of us in this town who are holding out that TV's going to come back because we paid for the beach house with that large television commission that we get every year, they're not coming back.
You've got 25% of consumers have already cut the cord. A third of millennials have already cut the cord. Grandma's not going to save us, those over 65, 25% have cut the cord, a third plan to cut it in the next couple of weeks.
So they are really are saying that we're going to significantly change how we consume content.
And where they're moving is no surprise to all of us. They're moving to mobile. The average consumer spends five times as much time on their mobile device every day as they do watching television. And they're doing their entire lives on this device.
And as we talk about the retail path to purchase, what's really interesting in the data, is they've moved in the last 12 months from using their phone to research products and really moved to buying.
One of my favorite stats that came out of this this year, was that 41% of dads, dads are very frisky at night in bed with their mobile device. 41% of dads are making purchases every week from their mobile device in bed.
Meanwhile mom next door, 30% of moms every night are playing mobile games. So you think in bed, so you think about those options for how you engage the consumer today, when they're thinking about making purchases, when they're available to be captured by content, and it really makes us think differently about that funnel.
Lydia Belanger: Rachel, do you have anything to add in terms of just the reasons to target mobile and not to go with traditional media?
Rachel Sonenshine: Yeah so, it's interesting to think about and alright, we all think about ourselves and our own behaviors and how we shop. But the truth is that people like to be in logged in environments. There's a lot of value that we get from being in a logged in environment and our expectations, frankly, increase dramatically when we are in a logged in environment.
So if you think about when you're in your Amazon account, you expect that Amazon is going to remember everything that you bought before, they're going to remind you when you've run out of something, they're going to make suggestions of other things that you might need, right? Our expectations have increased dramatically there.
And so, being able to connect with customers when they are in that logged in environment is incredibly valuable, but also our expectations are only going to increase.
So there are still so much to be done there.
I know for me personally, I get really frustrated when there's a website that I buy clothes from frequently, why do I have to put in my size every single time? Just ask me if my size has changed? Or just assume.
And it's a little thing, but having to go through that process, there's still that friction there, and so I think that's one thing, I know a lot of the retailers that we are working with are trying to think about, how do you even remove some of that additional friction within those logged in environments.
Dallas Lawrence: And the survey data completely supports that, it's counter intuitive to all the conversations you see happening outside around privacy. Consumers overwhelmingly are willing to trade privacy for relevance.
So they want to give up anonymity in exchange for not having to put their size in or having you deliver an ad to me, not off of re-targeting because I searched for a trip to Hawaii two weeks ago, which I've already purchased, but now give me something about going to Hawaii, the top restaurants in Hawaii or what I need to buy and pack for Hawaii.
Learn that data and they're much more likely to engage.
Lydia Belanger: Yeah, and it's just about more and more of that real time targeting. That learning what people will want next. I know one of the case studies for Conversant is how Cabela's see's that maybe someone who was into hunting before, they now have been kind of poking around, searching about kayaking.
And so, being able to be smart and reach them where they are when they make those changes or when mom wants to start playing a new game with maybe there's a new aesthetic and there's a new creative opportunity to reach her in a more personalized way.
Jeff Fagel: Yeah, I mean I think that it comes down to four areas, is we see kind of where marketing and data driven personalization is going. Number one is identity, you have to have enough scale to be able to match and reach individuals. Number two is personalization. Third is optimization for machine learning. I think there's so much that could be done these days through AI and machine learning, and the fourth is being able to measure and show a return on marketing investment.
It's easier said than done. I mean, I think that's the thing. But ultimately we're at a place now where it's possible, and it's possible, and it's possible as you look at trying to compete against the likes of Amazon, Walmart, Target, others, right?
Big brands and small brands have the ability to really make those shifts, but again, it starts with identity and matching and being able to understand, based upon real people who you're trying to reach.
Lydia Belanger: I think it's fascinating, this idea that you're really really hyper-targeting the individual and knowing who they are, and how do you think about that? How do you, there's one sense of having all that data and then there's the other hand of really understanding the data that you have and applying it in a more wholistic way.
Suz Lampert: Yeah, I think one of the things to add to that is when you talk about personalization, which is something that we're focusing on here as well, and the value exchange with your consumer. So fighting for those dollars and fighting for that space but more importantly, fighting for the eyeballs and the engagement.
Because we all know that you can show a lot of different advertising, whether it's through your mobile ads, TV, whatnot, that's actually going to get seen.
More importantly, is there going to be any interaction and engagement. And the idea of content and putting out really thoughtful, meaningful integrated content that is seamless to the consumer where they're getting a value back, right? They feel that, I want to engage with this content.
There might be brand messaging and a call to action that's integrated through it, but they're going to give you more of that information, they're going to share more of that data with you, they're going to let you, in our case, have your location on your GPS tracking on at all times, because there's a value that we're giving back to those consumers in exchange for that data, that we can then, you can use for personalization.
So I think companies that do that and focus on that having a better chance of maintaining a stronger consumer base that's going to stay with them and be sticky because there are a lot of options to choose from.
Jeff Fagel: I think an example of that is Netflix and those who have Netflix understand just how the content is so personalized.
And not so long ago, Reed Hastings, who's the CEO of Netflix, who was asked about competing against Amazon and he said, "I'm not competing against Amazon, my biggest competitor is sleep."
And so, if you think about it that way, it's time and attention for brands. And as you said, it's how do you compete against time and attention because we all know that we as consumers are all fickle, and if you're not getting what you're being delivered, you're going to go somewhere else.
Dallas Lawrence: Our industry is advertising at large, is just traditionally very slow to change. And I think if anybody were to check in today, we were talking about this backstage, we'll give you a sense for how slow we are to check in, you had actually print a badge and wait in line.
I mean, you can board an airplane without doing that today, but you can't get into ad week without doing that.
And I think--
Suz Lampert: Someone in this room can fix that.
Dallas Lawrence: Someone can fix that by tomorrow maybe, just show your phone and get in.
But it just shows how slow we are, just as a group. We're incredibly creative individuals, but as far as change becomes hard.
And where I think it's really exciting, is where the creative gets to come and play. There's this debate going on about, does programmatic or digital advertising kill the creative?
And if you think about it from the other standpoint and say no, now we're advertising at the atomic level where you're reaching consumers on a one to one basis, which means you need to have a creative that inspires me and gets me to move.
You need to find a way, you know, one of the things we hear all the time when I was in the agency business, and you would go to a big brand and you would say, for example, the data point we have, 30% of moms play bubble games every single day.
Let's reach mom Johnson & Johnson or Ford with an ad. And they say, well we don't have a gaming budget. And we say, but you have a millennial mom budget don't you?
Let's think about how you create an engaging ad format that reaches her where she's spending her time versus hoping she's going to come where you want her to see it. So that to me gets really exciting from a creative perspective and how we think about retail.
And the last point I would make is, this is not an online versus in-store debate. If you look at the survey, most of the online purchases, setting Amazon aside, although Amazon now is going into retail, brick and mortar, is both.
So this really is more about your omni-channel strategy as a retailer and how are you thinking about engaging your consumer, when they're on their mobile device, when they walk into the store, and be okay if they walk back out and buy it from their car. And have all those metrics aligned.
Suz Lampert: One thing I challenge you on that, is that--
Dallas Lawrence: Bring it.
Suz Lampert: Got it.
Is that I am a mom and I do play three dots, the game, addictively. And when I'm in that stage of mind, I don't want an ad.
Dallas Lawrence: Yeah.
Suz Lampert: You know, I don't, it's my time to veg out and to play that addicting game.
I read an article recently about the difference between buying and shopping. And so when you're impulse buying on Amazon, you can buy anything you need on Amazon. But when I shop, I want to shop for something.
So reaching them in those right, I hate the saying, right time, right place, is cliché.
Dallas Lawrence: You might love however, I don't know that game. But you might love an opt-in video ad, for example.
Suz Lampert: Correct.
Dallas Lawrence: Where the brand comes to you and says, hey, if you watch this 15 second ad, we'll give you and extra life, an extra skin or, you know, part of the survey, we surveyed folks and said, if you want an opt-in ad, average consumer they would watch a 60 second ad in a gaming environment, in exchange for a retail coupon, or for an extra life or something like that. So it's make the ad unit relevant.
Suz Lampert: Correct, and we, at GasBuddy, that is something with our challenges that we do do. And it is incredible how much they engage with that because they want to win free gas and so they're willing to watch a Verizon commercial or video ad for that time being, to earn that because there is that value exchange, so spot on.
Jeff Fagel: I think one of the areas we're talking a lot about advertising and omni-channel. We know, still that 90% of retail is still happening in physical stores. But if you take out the pure plays, it's only 6% of retail is happening with e-comm.
It goes beyond just the advertising, and it's about the full marketing mix. And it starts again, it starts with understanding the customers, you look at, on our end, as we've worked with the likes of Sephora, and Coach, and others.
You've got email, right? You've got text messaging, you have website, you have own channels and then you have the ability to reach people and your customers, and prospects off your sites.
And in one of the challenges that all retailers face is, you have an understanding of who your customers are within your channels, but then when they shop other places, often times they're shopping your competitors more than they're shopping you.
And so, understanding that full mix of, it's not just the CRM, it's a customer prospect relationship management as well.
And that's what we're seeing as we look at the likes of the retailers that are trying to figure out how they reach consumers in a way that goes beyond their walls.
That's ultimately what retailers are going to have to figure out if they're going to win omni-channel. And that's the biggest challenge that I think exists these days.
Rachel Sonenshine: Right, it's a great point because I think what's happening is that retailers are getting so much data, they know so much about their customer when they're in their stores, when they're their environment, whether it's physical store or logged in environment.
They know so much, where they know absolutely nothing is the second the customer walks out of the store. And at Cardlytics, that's a huge thing that we talk to our clients about, because we're seeing the full purchase intelligence and we know where the customers are going.
But what we find, and still there's this friction is that, I think a lot of retailers, you know we were talking about in the ad world we're still a little slow, right? Guess who's way slower? Retailers.
It's really tough for these companies who have been around for 50 or 100 years to move as quickly as they want to. But the challenge is, is they have no know so much about their customers, they kind of bury their head in the sand a little bit and believe with, not everybody, but they can.
It's easy when they're so much data to bury your head in it and get caught up, and essentially not making any decisions and not be able to progress the business and innovate on the business because you can kind of believe your own hype a little bit.
So, I think the companies that are doing really well are really open and really listening, and saying, okay, I really need to understand this other behavior and how can I take the key points of the data that I'm seeing an actually apply it. And that does not mean send me more emails, by the way.
So whoever runs email marketing, whoever sells email marketing, can you charge more please, so that retailers will stop sending so many damn emails.
Dallas Lawrence: It's cheap, it must be really efficient.
Rachel Sonenshine: It's so efficient, yeah.
That's not the solution, but that's kind of the easy place to go. So, I'm excited to see, as marketing's getting better, the intelligence is getting better, what smart retailers will do with that.
Jeff Fagel: I think the point about email as an example, so Coach, the fashion retailer is one of our clients, we work with them at Epsilon for email.
And to your point, it's not just about cheap, right, and just sending quantity. We're working with them on, biggest challenge is just getting people to open an email and being able automate, and think about machine learning related just to subject lines.
But then not just the subject lines, it's also what's in the email that connects based upon your past purchases.
And so, going back to the idea of a segment of one, the opportunity that if you do open it, right, then it's related and connected to you, so related to, as you were talking about, you know, shopping on site, right, understanding past purchase, understanding size, understanding kind of what you might want to purchase next, that's ultimately, I think, the real opportunity.
When we think about personalization and when we think about how to shift emails so it becomes more relevant.
Rachel Sonenshine: Well and they know it, I mean that's the truth.
The truth of the matter is they know it and they have the information, but because there's so much, I don't think that most retailers really know how to leverage it to make that experience better.
Dallas Lawrence: I'm curious, especially in the gas space, how do you deal with affinity? Because it's such a commoditized space now, and we're seeing that again, with both the media fragmentation but also consumers have less brand affinity for they've ever before in some cases.
But in other cases, more than ever before. I mean, how are you, I'm just fascinated by how you, because I always think, I go wherever is closest, but some don't.
I know some who drive the extra mile to get to the Shell station.
Suz Lampert: Yeah, no, I appreciate that question.
Right, so the idea is, we say know your spread. So down the street you'll be paying one price, or you could be paying another price just a few miles down the road.
And we call them our gas buddies, they are the most passionate consumer audience I've come across in a really long time. People love to talk about fuel, and it's the only commodity that people talk in cents. You'd think, I want to pay 20% off, I could save five cents on the gallon, and they're really excited about it, and they track it, and they share it, and they post it, and they tweet it.
So, I think when its something very finite like that, there is that cost saving piece of it, but it's also crowd sourced data where they really feel like they're part of this community and they all help each other.
And they're the ones that are reporting the prices, the cleanliness of the station, the C stores, all of it comes from the gas buddies. So that's all the data that we collect and it's a very specific audience, and they're going there for a specific need.
And so they're logging in multiple times a week, but it's not like we're trying to boil the ocean like an Amazon.
Dallas Lawrence: So it's less about Shell brand affinity and more about community brand affinity.
Suz Lampert: It's about community, from a GasBuddy, as a marketer, it's more about the community affinity of engaging our customers and given them payment solutions, all different types of solutions to help them as drivers.
From a marketing, as a media company from a marketing perspective, we do work with major fuel brands to help them message, why it's important for Exxon, is a huge partner of ours, why it's important for them to showcase that they can reach a consumer that drives premium fuel, and Exxon has great premium fuel.
So there is brand affinities there, but we always know this, we say this at Cardlytics, loyalty is dead. And it really is about price and value.
Lydia Belanger: In about 10 minutes we're going to start a Q&A portion.
I wanted to mention on your advertising week apps, you can go look for Slido, SLIDO, and specify the Foursquare stage. You can submit any questions and then when we have about five minutes left, we'll read off some of the ones that you can up vote and are most popular.
So, but going back to this idea that you're taking what would normally be an analog experience and bringing it online and finding that community. I think, an interesting talk on the flip side of how can you bring the experience that is able to be created online through data into the physical brick and mortar store. I know backstage, Rachel had some ideas about that.
Rachel Sonenshine: Yeah so, I think that's a huge challenge, right?
Because, as Jeff said, 90% of sales are still happening in store. I overheard somebody, when we were outside, being like, oh retail's dead. Guys, stop. It's not, okay?
My grandmother used to say, "Nobody goes to the mall anymore because you can't get a parking spot."
You live in the suburbs, trust me, you can go to the mall, it's not that.
And so, I think the challenge is, process it, it'll hit you in a second.
Ultimately, the retail experience, going into a store, that experience is not changing as fast as it needs to.
We have all of these expectations when we're logged in environment, like we talked about earlier. But yet when we walk into a store, you're completely anonymous, they, again, you might have shared a lot of information with this company and yet, you're walking in and you're getting treated as if someone who's never been into the store. So, I think there's a lot to be done there.
You start to look at some of the newer retailers who are really, really changing the face of it. Someone like a Warby Parker. I am new to the glasses market and I had to go and buy a pair of glasses, and I went to do it at the eye doctor, and I was like, this is just the most boring process on the planet.
And I went to a Warby Parker with my husband and he did not need new glasses but he got them anyway because it was such a cool experience. They've got the photo booth, I mean, we were there for an hour and not because they made us.
So, I think the retailers that are, when you think about these companies that have been around for 50 or 100 years, they cannot change quickly. We understand that. But I think, knowing all this data, how do you kind of make that logged in experience even just a little similar when you're in the store, will help them sell more, be more effective, keep them in business for years to come.
It's not easy to do, but I think ultimately by testing, failing fast, you're not going to be able to execute a strategy at a thousand stores overnight. But I think there's people just sit around and talk, and think, and talk, and think and they don't just do it.
You just have to execute and it's okay if you fail.
Jeff Fagel: Part of the personalization piece is just being able to get the stuff that you want, right?
I mean, two examples that I'd give you, so the jeans I'm wearing today, I bought them last night at 7pm at Nordstrom. I forgot my jeans, awkward right? So I called up Nordstrom's and I said, "Hey can you stay open?"
Stayed open, they had four pairs of jeans waiting for me.
And then when I checked out, they were like, oh, we didn't know this but we price matched online and they're $50 off. So that sales associate didn't know that, but that was something that, oh surprise and delight.
The opposite example of that, not so long ago, I was at Gap. They had a shirt that I liked, they didn't have it in stock, hey let us call around, call around to the other stores. I'm like, I don't have time for that, can't you just ship it to me? Oh our inventory systems don't sync.
So, I mean, these are the real problems but also the opportunities, because the expectation now is everything is on demand, now at the click of a button.
And those that can't get there, I mean, they're going to be gone. So that's ultimately where retail, and just where business is going as a whole.
Dallas Lawrence: I think that's a great example.
Who's been to a Best Buy recently? Just a show of hands. I don't know if you've experienced what I've experienced in the last year.
Best Buy has been on the life support list for the last four years as companies that may disappear, until the last 12 months.
And what Best Buy fundamentally understood is, people generally don't believe the sales person knows more than Google. And so they stopped going to ask.
And if they were going to go, maybe they would do some show-rooming and look at it, but then they'd go back home and Google it.
If you go into a Best Buy showroom today, the way it's organized, it is organized the way you would search. You walk in, every compartment is compartmentalized, people even wear different colored shirts, so you know if you're talking to the Geek Squad, or if you're talking to the phone person.
In the smart phone area they have the Apple person who is the apple expert, versus the Samsung person. You go to that person, you ask questions and they don't say, I don't know. They pull out their own phone, they're users, they're brand advocates and they're there waiting for you to answer your questions.
It is a fantastic 30 minute experience. Go in there and be able to get smart about a product with somebody who uses it, and actually turn to purchase.
And that's why you're seeing there sales numbers turn around, why they're willing to grow. So it's understanding your customer, that Nordstrom example is a great one, because it's in Nordstrom's DNA to be customer first. That is what they've talked about before there was ever an online.
This was there huge focus, is putting the customer first. But understanding how you get someone first to even want to come in, has to be an experience.
But then two, to make the purchase in the store they have to have the confidence that they're getting the best deal.
Lydia Belanger: Yeah, and those are just some great examples of the new player. Warby Parker obviously has dozens of stores, so they're already a pretty big player, but still relatively new compared to Best Buy.
A lot of talk about other examples of, even though it's hard to compete with an Amazon, it's interesting to talk about what they're doing well with their Go stores, Amazon Go where you can go in and there are sensors, and you have the app, the Amazon app, and whatever you pick up, for those of you who aren't familiar, you don't have to go to a checkout line.
Or here in New York, they just opened their four star store, which, like the Best Buy online experience translated into physical. They have the products that are rated four stars or more on Amazon on display in the store.
What other examples of the big players do you think are doing well? And how can, really, I think, what's more important is how can small players emulate that when they don't have as many resources?
Jeff Fagel: Well look at mattresses, has anyone bought a mattress in the last year?
Your choices of mattresses and being able to ship it direct to store, from a Casper, to Purple, to Tuft & Needle. You can get a mattress tomorrow and you don't even have to try it out. I mean, this is an example where they realized that there is a new consumer that is okay with that, plus they offer free returns.
And then they're opening physical stores as well. I think that many of these direct to consumer brands are realizing that the experience is part of what they're trying to accomplish.
From Peloton to UNTUCKit to others. The ability to, the reason why retail has grown so much is because people like shopping and they like the experience. And for many, it's an escape.
We saw this is in the Kmart business, our average household income for the Kmart shopper was less than $40,000. What they enjoyed was being able to go out and experience retail. And the shopping experience was an escape.
So many of these direct to consumer brands realized that to not only drive a level of awareness, but also kind of brand experience, that you'll probably start seeing a lot more of that happening across the country.
Dallas Lawrence: I think price is not the driver.
So the big take away is consumers are in complete control of price shopping. One of the things we surveyed was on Black Friday, overwhelming majority of consumers no longer going to Black Friday this year.
They do not believe it's where they'll find the best deal, and they don't want to get stampeded at a particular retail outlet while walking in.
But the biggest driver for them not going? They can find it cheaper somewhere else at some other time that's more convenient to them. And that's the take away for retailers, is that you are not in control of when they come, how they shop or where they shop.
You need to be ready for all those angles when they are ready and where they do come from. And I think, it's exciting, it's also nerve-wracking.
The flip side I think is really interesting, is the online retailers who are trying to go brick and mortar are also not doing as seamlessly as they could.
If you've ever been to an UNTUCkit experience, it's not good. I mean, they do not know how to run a retail operation. They're fantastic at running the in store, I love the UNTUCKit shirts. You go to the store, they don't have the Nordstrom touch that you would expect that they have from the offline.
So the lessons are going both ways I think.
Lydia Belanger: Maybe now's a good time to take questions if the Slido team could populate the screen with any that we've received. Okay, great.
Power of loyalty, no one has really touched on the power of loyalty, specifically loyalty programs. Suz, what does the new generation look like?
Suz Lampert: So I think from our experience, and it kind of goes back to the earlier point that I said about that value exchange.
So a loyalty program can mean a bunch of different things. In this day and age, now it's your app, right, so pull up your app. I'm at CVS and I have to constantly give them my, thank God they went to the app, and you can, show them your loyalty card.
And I have a loyalty card at Nordstrom, and you have all these different loyalty cards and you're just trying to collect pennies on how you can make savings. But for me, for us, what I think loyalty goes, and I think Nordstrom is a good example, is beyond that.
Is when there's more to it that I'm going to keep going back, not just to get my pennies back or my cashback, or a free coupon, right? It's more of that brand, you feel like you're part of that brand and you have--
Loyalty, we think of loyalty cards but loyalty, I think is a movement. For example, we were talking a little bit about Nike and what they're doing.
Like that's now loyalty, right? You feel like you're part of a movement, you feel like you are part of something, regardless of where you stand. But in order to increase loyalty, I think sometimes it has to go a little bit bigger, where you feel like you're passionate about that brand, and you feel like you're part of that movement, and you're also getting savings and exchange, and more personalized customer shopping experiences.
Jeff Fagel: And on our end, on the Epsilon side, we power Dunkin Donuts and Walgreens and others.
And it's beyond just the acquisition of a customer, then what?
So now you're a loyalty member, now you have to chart out and map out, how do you keep people engaged on a daily, weekly, ongoing basis.
And that's difficult, it's difficult just based upon the fact that you have to try and keep people engaged.
And so, I think that's one of the areas, whether it be loyalty or email, many clients get wrong it's, feel it's just about the acquisition piece, but really it's about how do you bring people through the actual journey on an ongoing basis.
Dallas Lawrence: I'd say, it's old fashioned, but especially in today's day and age, trust is probably one of the biggest drivers of loyalty.
And I don't know who here has a Costco card, but you would have grab that card out of my cold, dead hands before I would cancel my Costco membership. I've got three kids, we go there for everything. And I go there because I trust Costco. I trust that there's a problem a year out, they'll take it back without even making me feel bad. I trust that when they say it's organic product, it's an organic product.
And so, that trust builds this affinity. And I think that you can't fake trust, you can't advertise trust, you can't market trust. You can highlight trust, you can highlight the trust components of it, but at the end of the day, I think what's driving affinity in many cases is just that you have deep, deep trust that you're going to have the Nordstrom experience every time you go to one of those retailers.
Lydia Belanger: Consistency.
Next question's interesting too.
You know, we talked a little bit about email subject lines, why is the retail email so behind the eight-ball in terms of personalization.
Zappos, this anonymous asker says, is sending ads after purchase. So, is that because they don't have the technology, the AI that can create, use the data? Is that because it's just not there yet, and it's trying, the technology--
Jeff Fagel: The technology is there, it starts with the data, right, and whether that's being re-targeted and shoes following you for weeks.
We all have experienced that, that's a bad user experience. Realistically that's not going to drive more purchase, so that's an example.
Ultimately, again, it comes back to understanding from an identity stand point. And then being able to put a plan in place to drive personalization.
Can't speak specifically to Zappos, I just know that shoes have been following me around for anytime I go to Zappos, following me around for weeks with banner ads, which obviously is not the experience that you want.
Rachel Sonenshine: Yeah, there's no excuse. I mean honestly, there is no excuse anymore for these things to not be buttoned up.
And especially email, that is the easiest way for personalization. You have somebody's way to get into their inbox, they're not out on the web so it doesn't feel creepy. They've given you their email, that your welcoming the retailer into their inbox. You know everything about them, whatever they've bought from you, whatever you see, there is no excuse for email to be still incredibly general and not personalized.
And then for things to continue to track you for weeks.
Dallas Lawrence: Well you still have companies to say, well you can only send one email a week to our customer base.
Or we can only send two or three, versus recognizing, actually with most of the software that you could send thousands if not hundreds of thousands of emails.
The goal is the need to be, I need to get just one that's for me. Versus one that's for somebody who bought a shoe in the last two weeks and might want a holiday discount.
Rachel Sonenshine: You would open it, you would read it and you would engage with that, that's the difference.
Suz Lampert: I actually think that there are many companies that do, they remind me I left something in the shopping cart, and a trick is if you do, sometimes they do offer you that 15% off, but in a smart way.
But after that, I don't want to see the email. But it's more importantly, is that same product, that's where Amazon and some of these others feed in and they are watching you, and they're able to, I already did buy those shoes at Nordstrom stopped following me to purchase them in every other location, but I think we're far from that.
Lydia Belanger: So, that's where we are, that's what you have to do to survive. The retails not dying if you just take the steps.
So that's all the time we have, thank you everyone, thank you to our panel.
---
## Loyalty Marketing: Your Key to Unlocking Zero- and First-Party Data
Type: eps_resource
URL: /loyalty-marketing-your-key-to-unlocking-zero-and-first-party-data
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T22:17:52Z
# Loyalty Marketing: Your Key to Unlocking Zero- and First-Party Data
Data deprecation got you down? As a marketer, you’ve probably heard a lot about the impending phase-out of third-party identifiers—we certainly have. But what we don’t talk about enough are the unique, strategic and actionable ways to mitigate these challenges.
Hint: Your loyalty programme can help a lot more than you might think.
In this webinar, Forrester VP Principal Analyst, Mary Pilecki, and Epsilon VP Strategic Consulting, Tamara Oliverio, will share tips on how to leverage your loyalty program to collect invaluable zero- and first-party data. Amp up your customer experiences—all without the cookie.
Key topics include:
Why zero- and first-party data is so important for marketers today
How loyalty programs can accelerate customer data collection
Why tactics like gamification can introduce value and benefits to customers, while also aiding in data collection
How to measure and prove this return on investment to stakeholders
{{cta('50fe76f9-d840-45de-8c12-5247148e7c0e')}}
---
## The great reshuffling of shoppers
Type: eps_resource
URL: /the-great-reshuffling-of-shoppers
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T22:17:52Z
# The great reshuffling of shoppers
What does “The Great Reshuffling” mean for your brand?
The term is being used to describe employees, but “The Great Reshuffling” could also describe consumer behavior over the past few years. Many people have tried new brands during the pandemic or shifted away from brands they were previously loyal to as their lifestyles changed.
Marketers need to refine their understanding of these new customers—and dive deeper into why existing customers may have lapsed. We decided to understand these shifts in consumer behavior by asking consumers themselves.
This report digs into how:
New, lapsed and re-engaged customers engage with brands in the pandemic.
The contactless world is changing consumer behaviors, habits and preferences, indicating relevant, purposeful shifts that brands need to account for in the longer term.
Brands should engage with new and re-engaged customers, and previously loyal customers who are now lapsed.
---
## How to sustain the new digital momentum ?
Type: eps_resource
URL: /how-to-sustain-the-new-digital-momentum
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T22:17:52Z
# How to sustain the new digital momentum ?
During the pandemic, brands and consumers have been on a journey, and it is clear that the markets they have emerged into are radically altered. With high streets closed and business disrupted, online blossomed as customers turned to ecommerce to deliver what they could no longer get in the shuttered up "real world".
Research by Epsilon, in conjunction with Campaign, explored the extent of the digital transformation and found it has reshaped many businesses. And it turns out the majority (78%) believe this is a permanent transformation.
Download the full report: How to Sustain the New Digital Momentum: how can brands maintain online growth and build customer loyalty in a post-pandemic world?
In this report, you'll learn:
Was the digital boom a lasting transformation?
Instilling brand loyalty
Understanding customer behaviour
Sustaining digital momentum
Strategies to stay front of mind
---
## Marketing Law in 2022: The need to know trends & insights
Type: eps_resource
URL: /marketing-law-in-2022-the-need-to-know-trends-insights
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Marketing Law in 2022: The need to know trends & insights
With new trends in the consumer protection space and new interpretations of existing ones, the net of compliance liability is expanding for marketers. Understanding how to future-proof your business in this complicated ecosystem is essential.
In this webinar presented by Epsilon and featuring BakerHostetler, experts discuss the key questions and next steps leaders should consider regarding their organization’s regulatory approach, how to move safely and strategically through the evolving regulatory environment and how to future-proof your business in this complex federal and state landscape.
Watch Epsilon’s Kyle Antoian and Linda Iger and special guests Linda Goldstein and Daniel Kaufman of BakerHostetler as they provide their expertise on the data compliance landscape.
---
## Winning strategies to reach today's omnichannel traveler
Type: eps_resource
URL: /winning-strategies-to-reach-todays-omnichannel-traveler
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Winning strategies to reach today's omnichannel traveler
How can travel brands succeed in the new era of omnichannel marketing?
We partnered with Skift to find out.
Watch this on-demand webinar to discover top strategies for delivering personalized experiences to consumers who are increasingly concerned about relevancy and privacy.
---
## Driving more visits: How restaurant marketers fare in the digital age
Type: eps_resource
URL: /restaurant-research
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Driving more visits: How restaurant marketers fare in the digital age
Download the research from Informa Engage, Nation's Restaurant News and Epsilon to learn:
how restaurants use data in their digital marketing
how well restaurants know their current customers
where there's room for improvement
---
## Your guide to cross-generational marketing in 2025
Type: eps_resource
URL: /cross-generational-marketing
Last Modified: 2025-05-19T20:42:42Z
# Your guide to cross-generational marketing in 2025
Cross-generational marketing is key when it comes to efficiently identifying and engaging with your best and next-best customer.
Download our report, Your guide to cross-generational marketing in 2025, to learn how to adapt your marketing for Gen Z, boomers and everyone in between.
This report features Epsilon's best-in-class foundational data and dives into similarities and differences across generations, including:
Consumer spending behavior
Media consumption preferences
How consumers feel about loyalty programs and brand loyalty overall
How consumers use AI
The continued impact of inflation on consumer buying behavior
Epsilon Pulse is the beating heart of Epsilon’s proprietary research. Designed to produce relevant and up-to-date insights about consumers, marketers and their preferences, Epsilon Pulse helps brands better understand the adtech and martech industry so they can make informed, data-driven marketing decisions.
---
## Achieving accessibility in email marketing
Type: eps_resource
URL: /email-accessibility
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Achieving accessibility in email marketing
As digital marketing plays a bigger role in everyone's lives, email accessibility is becoming more important.
In the U.S., the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) requires that everyone can access and read your emails, including people who use assistive technology such as screen readers, magnifiers, joysticks and eye-tracking devices.
Read this e-book to learn more about accessibility in email, why you should care and how to build emails for everyone.
---
## Epsilon named a leader in IDC MarketScape
Type: eps_resource
URL: /idc-marketscape-worldwide-customer-data-platforms-focused-on-data-and-marketing-operations-users-2022-vendor-assessment
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Epsilon named a leader in IDC MarketScape
Epsilon® announced today that it has been named a Leader in the “IDC MarketScape: Worldwide Customer Data Platforms (CDPs) Focused on Data and Marketing Operations Users 2022 Vendor Assessment.” The report, which is the first major CDP vendor evaluation of its kind by an independent analyst firm, evaluates the functional capabilities and go-to-market strategies of Epsilon alongside 11 other CDP solution providers that primarily serve users in marketing technology and operations, data science and analytics, IT, data operations, and privacy and compliance.
The IDC MarketScape highlights several strengths of Epsilon’s CDP offering, specifically data management, analytics – segmentation, and activation – test and optimization, and suggests that large enterprises in the retail, automotive, financial services, life sciences, manufacturing, and restaurant industries consider Epsilon’s enterprise-ready CDP.
“We are honored to be recognized by the IDC MarketScape as a ‘Leader’ in the inaugural MarketScape for Worldwide CDPs,” said Dana Moroze, SVP for Platform Solutions at Epsilon. “The recognition by the IDC MarketScape affirms our position in the data and marketing operations landscape and is further validation of Epsilon’s mission to empower marketers to harness the power of their first-party data and engage consumers with timely, relevant messages.”
---
## Let’s Talk Loyalty: Leveraging known customer data to acquire new members
Type: eps_resource
URL: /lets-talk-loyalty-leveraging-known-customer-data-to-acquire-new-members
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Let’s Talk Loyalty: Leveraging known customer data to acquire new members
In this episode, host of Let's Talk Loyalty Paula Thomas talks with Epsilon's Joseph Taylor, SVP of Strategic Consulting and Operations about how to use the data and profiles of your most valuable customer loyalty program members to help acquire new customers with the same profit potential.
Loyalty programs are traditionally designed to retain customers, but rarely is that incredible data used by marketing teams to inform how they run acquisition campaigns to ensure they focus on "profitable" new customers—quality over quantity!
This powerful new idea will prove invaluable as cookies disappear from the toolset that digital marketers have relied on for so many years.
If you like Let's Talk Loyalty, check out our other episodes.
---
## Leveraging known customer data to acquire new members
Type: eps_resource
URL: /leveraging-known-customer-data-to-acquire-new-members
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Leveraging known customer data to acquire new members
https://anchor.fm/letstalkloyalty/episodes/201-Leveraging-Known-Customer-Data-to-Acquire-New-Members-e1fon5f/a-a7k6eba
In this episode, host of Let's Talk Loyalty Paula Thomas talks with Epsilon's Joseph Taylor, SVP of Strategic Consulting and Operations about how to use the data and profiles of your most valuable customer loyalty program members to help acquire new customers with the same profit potential.
Loyalty programs are traditionally designed to retain customers, but rarely is that incredible data used by marketing teams to inform how they run acquisition campaigns to ensure they focus on "profitable" new customers—quality over quantity!
This powerful new idea will prove invaluable as cookies disappear from the toolset that digital marketers have relied on for so many years.
If you like Let's Talk Loyalty, check out our other episodes.
---
## The digital media marketer's guide to bulls**t metrics
Type: eps_resource
URL: /digitalmedia-bsmetrics
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# The digital media marketer's guide to bulls**t metrics
In a world of KPIs, ROAS and CPAs, understanding your marketing’s real impact may have you saying, “IDK.”
Measurement is the bread and butter of any good marketing campaign—but no single metric is going to give you a full picture of your performance. Each metric is a piece of a giant puzzle: The “right” metric may not fit if you place it incorrectly, and the “wrong” metric may fit just fine, but end up creating a distorted picture. You need to choose metrics that fit together in the right ways.
So, why should you give a s**t?
Your marketing is only as good as your metrics. Using metrics incorrectly can inflate (or deflate) your true marketing efforts, which means you’re wasting time and money.
This guide will help you understand which metrics actually bolster your marketing efforts instead of ones that just make you feel good. And, by the end, you’ll be able to identify a partner who won’t sell you a load of bulls**t.
---
## From acquisition to loyalty: Long-term engagement
Type: eps_resource
URL: /fsi-customer-loyalty-virtual-panel
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# From acquisition to loyalty: Long-term engagement
Today’s client expects more from their financial institution than ever before. To stand out from the wide spectrum of financial institutions and disruptors, companies must find the right balance of personalized content and services alongside empathy.
In this virtual panel, Jim Stapleton, senior vice president, client partner at Epsilon, is joined by Alex Yang, connected banking at Bank of America and Tyler Brown, senior analyst for banking at Insider Intelligence, to discuss how financial marketers can build better customer relationships.
In this session, you will learn:
Understanding how to bring customer expectations and customer experience into alignment.
Finding new opportunities for acquisition through creative use of analytics.
Understanding how to deploy people strategically for more targeted customer interactions.
Increasing customer satisfaction and personalization to build lifetime loyalty.
---
## How Inspire Brands is navigating the 'new normal' and adapting to consumer behavior
Type: eps_resource
URL: /how-inspire-brands-is-navigating-the-new-normal-and-adapting-to-consumer-behavior
Last Modified: 2025-05-14T20:54:03Z
# How Inspire Brands is navigating the 'new normal' and adapting to consumer behavior
The restaurant industry, like many others, has faced its set of challenges. Closures, capacity limits and labor shortages all contribute to today’s market uncertainty. But has widespread vaccine availability and general pandemic fatigue created a new—and complicated—relationship with restaurants?
Restaurant marketers have been agile, innovative, and resilient through many new challenges. And now more than ever, it’s important to deliver personalized messages that connect with guests on a 1:1 level.
Join Travis Freeman of Inspire Brands and Heather Hicks of Epsilon in this fireside chat from the 2022 Restaurant Leadership Conference as they review new research from Epsilon on consumer sentiment toward restaurant ordering and eating, and how marketers can adjust their strategy accordingly to ensure success.
Read the full research here.
---
## Brands navigating the 'new normal' and adapting to consumer behavior
Type: eps_resource
URL: /233b5d64dd2311ec8faf625dff395ca3
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T22:17:52Z
# Brands navigating the 'new normal' and adapting to consumer behavior
The restaurant industry, like many others, has faced its set of challenges. Closures, capacity limits and labor shortages all contribute to today’s market uncertainty. But has widespread vaccine availability and general pandemic fatigue created a new—and complicated—relationship with restaurants?
Restaurant marketers have been agile, innovative, and resilient through many new challenges. And now more than ever, it’s important to deliver personalized messages that connect with guests on a 1:1 level.
Join Travis Freeman of Inspire Brands and Heather Hicks of Epsilon in this fireside chat from the 2022 Restaurant Leadership Conference as they review new research from Epsilon on consumer sentiment toward restaurant ordering and eating, and how marketers can adjust their strategy accordingly to ensure success.
Read the full research here.
---
## Back to basics: Understanding identity, data, attribution and platforms
Type: eps_resource
URL: /back-to-basics-video-adweek
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T22:16:49Z
# Back to basics: Understanding identity, data, attribution and platforms
Watch the presentation from Advertising Week New York about the key areas of marketing: Identity, data, attribution and platforms.
From this presentation, you will learn:
the differences between 1st and 3rd party data
the 'must-haves' for identity resolution (including how PII and non-PII differ)
the difference between DMPs, DSPs, CDPs and more, including tips for simplifying tech stacks
why marketers must focus on the total return of their investment to gauge performance
Presenters:
Dave Scrim, SVP Product & Pricing, Epsilon-Conversant
Carl Madaffari, SVP Database, Epsilon-Conversant
You can also read the transcript of the 1 hour, 34 minute presentation below.
Dave Scrim: All right, welcome everyone.
Carl Madaffari: Hello.
Dave Scrim: All right. This is a back to basics session, if you're expecting Will Smith to walk out here in the wrong room. This is really broken up into four different sessions today, we're going to do kind of 30 minute modules, they get better and better so I'd encourage you to stay on. They do fit together into a story but they're also broken up into four components. I'm going to take half of them and Carl is going to take the other half, so my name is Dave Scrim. I've been working with Conversant Epsilon for almost 10 years now and we do kind of identity and measurements and all those kind of things, database management and prior to that, I used to work for a company called Experience, some of you guys might know, running databases for them.
Carl Madaffari: I'm Carl Madaffari. I've been with Epsilon Conversant for 19 years. Actually, this is my 19th year. I started off as a very technical person, managing databases, systems integrations, those types of things. In the last three or four years, I've migrated more to the marketing side, helping tell our story to our clients.
Dave Scrim: Awesome. There's four pillars we're going to talk about today as I mentioned. We're hearing a lot here at this session and they're all cool stuff, right, everything from voice activation, to AI, to social media, to addressable TV but really at the end of the day, you kind of need the pillars and the fundamentals to drive that and so this is the basics for some of those folks who are ... who haven't spend as much time in those basics areas and Carl and I have 20 years each experience in the space so we can go as deep as you want, we'll get to the Q and A but we've designed this at the base level for the New Years as mostly.
Dave Scrim: Also, it goes without saying, ask questions throughout. We have someone here who can take your questions through the app. What it's called, Slido? He can ... through the conversation, if you want ask a question or if you want to save them to the end, we'll leave five minutes at the end of each presentation. All right.
Carl Madaffari: Great.
Dave Scrim: Thanks, Carl.
Carl Madaffari: I'll step aside.
Dave Scrim: With that, I'll start with identity. Really one of the cornerstones of what you want to do and when we talk about identity, these are some players in the market, Signal, Neustar, Drawbridge, Epsilon and Conversant, LiveRamp. Just to get a sense of this audience, how many people are familiar with those names? Yeah, show of hand. Okay, right, so this is a pretty good audience. You guys knows what's going on. These are essential people for managing identity. Now, I'm going to define identity, I might not have the perfect answer to what identity is but this is the definition I'm going to be using throughout the presentation.
Identity resolution, what do we mean by that? The ability to accurately, super important word, and persistently, so over time, identify real people. Not just cookies, not just devices, not email address. Real people across channels and then the last word that if any of you are trying to do this today, you know it's a big problem doing that at scale, all right? As we dive into it, why is identity important? It really is the roots or the foundations to everything you're doing. If you're doing targeted marketing and you bought into personalization and you know that you need to get the right message, the right customer at the right time.
Well, how do you know that that's the right customer? How do you know that you are messaging the right person? What if you're getting the right message to the wrong person at the right time? This is why it's so commonly important and then, if you're going to measure anything and you're going to do close loop measurement and you're going to try to figure out what's working and what's not working, well, how do I know that the message I sent to this person is the person who converted maybe on a different device or a different channel? How do I know what's working if I don't have true identity?
We really think it's the cornerstone of what you're doing and if you did anything, first try to optimize your identity before you put a lot of special tools and additional things on top of it. Why is this so hard? Why is identity so hard, when we are running direct mail campaigns and sending mail and post cards to people's houses and catalogs, it wasn't that hard. We had their name and address. When we were sending emails, we might not have known exactly who the person was but we had to place to send them. The problem is there is no post office for the internet. There's not post office for digital.
There's no way to look up that Dave Scrim is this ID. We spend a lot of time trying to join the PII World, name and address and email with the non-PII world. What makes that super hard as well is we got to take people's privacy into account. We got to be super, super privacy because we haven't seen anything yet, as far as it goes on taking control and helping the customer be privacy centric and take the end consumer's space in mind. It's really hard to kind of manage this. One of the challenges is, cookies which was kind of the ecosystem of the digital world, they break all the time.
They break for all kinds of different reasons. People have antivirus, packages that automatically delete them. You change device, you change your browser, you go on a different device but cookies are always breaking. In fact, up to 40% of cookies are gone within the first 24 hours. How do you have accurate identity if you can't connect a person to a cookie on a consistent basis? Another problem is what we call clustering. In clustering, is when I try to overdo it. I can't keep track of these cookies so I'm going to use something else. I'm going to use a WIFI address at my house.
I don't know with you guys, but I have five people living in my home and any given month I have 25 people that have been on that WIFI. That's a real challenge because a lot of companies are combining those people, clustering and they're saying they're the same person so then, if I see an ad in my home, on my device, any one of those 25 people convert and that's called a conversion. You get into ... Again, you see the measurement trouble you get into. Another story on the targeting that that's a problem with, there was a media company and they were launching one of their big racy kind of shows, an adult show.
Not too racy but kind of in the HBO type framework. They pushed out an ad that was designed for people who were 18 plus and it wasn't ... there wasn't too much bad in it but all these kids all of a sudden got that ad because they'd all been at the person's house with a WIFI. There's a lot of complaints, it just shows you how audience targeting can be affected by the clustering as well. How do we get around that? How do we match to real people? There's a few ways to do that but I'm going to kind of try to go through a simple method and really foolproof and one that we stand behind. It's called deterministic matching.
One of the simple ways to do that is via transaction because when people buy things, they wanted to show up to their real house. They want to use their real name when they're buying something and so they don't use some fake email address. They're not just a cookie and they're not just device ID, they're giving you a name and address. What you do is, you take a customer order online and you associate that with a cookie. You have an order to a cookie, you have a match. Everyone does that day and night. At the same time what happens is that order goes through an offline transaction, all right?
It goes to the client called Signet Jewelers or call them Victoria's Secret or Home Depot. What happens is the name and address go to them and they strip that off and turn it into a number and you're onboarder strips that number into a common number across all clients. If I am the gap, Dave Scrim turns into the same number. If I am Home Depot, Dave Scrim turns into the same number. Now, that number is associated with the order ID. Over here, I've got a cookie and an order ID and over here I have an order ID and an anonymous number which maintains privacy. I join those two together and that's how you create a deterministic match because now, I have an anonymous name and ID which protects privacy, associated with the cookie.
I can do real targeting, real measurement and then the trick, we talked about how that deletes over time and gets erased and what you have you. If you're doing that across brands, over and over and over and over again, you hear about these ad consortiums that are trying to get together, that's what they're trying to do. That's kind of how you do deterministic matching. I think the big takeaway there is, when you're talking to your onboarder, talk to them about how many people they have behind those IDs they have, because we throw around a lot of numbers, a lot of match rates.
How many of them are backed by real people? Oldie but a goodie, on the internet no one knows you're dumb. This is literally from 15 years ago when I started in this space. Who are you matching? The main number you'll hear today if you work with most companies if you're like most people, you'll hear the match rate. My match rate is 40%, my match rate is 50%. I've got a match rate of 70%. Well, is that an accurate match rate? I talked a little bit about how companies can be better and accurate. See, you need to ask that question. A match is not a match. You need an accurate match.
The next question you say after you hear, "Oh my match rate is 80%," is can you tell me what the accuracy rate is of that match? How do you prove, how do I test your accuracy rate because what we've seen from a lot of providers is that accuracy rate is 60%. If I take my 80% match rate and I apply a 60% on top of that, now, I really only got a 50% match rate. All of a sudden the number is starting to fall down a little bit. The question to ask ... my big takeaway on this one is, a match is not a match. A match is match and accuracy and you should ask and they should be able to tell you how they measure accuracy and you should be able to prove that.
All right, that's a basic 101, you should be asking for. Scale. A couple of years ago, I think it's kind of gotten a little bit better now, I use to hear, "Oh my god, I've got 406 million consumers in the United States that you can target and message." It sounds a little off because there's not 406 million of us here and so you get these numbers inflated because everyone is trying to show that they have scale and the truth is you need to not only ask how many people base matches are because that number come down, right? You also have to ask what countries does it represent. Is this a match in Europe, is this a match in China, is this a match in Japan or is it a match in the United States?
Let's get our universe straight when you talk about how many IDs I have. The biggest point on this slide and the most important is ... so we talk about match accuracy, the reachable audience in a 30 day period, because if I match somebody to a Cookie that I haven't seen in six months ago, it doesn't mean anything. That person is not addressable. You need an addressable audience. You should be asking for a match rate, the accuracy of that match rate and how many people in that audience have been addressable in the last 30 days. That'll give you a good sense for who you can actually message to.
What I'm going to tell you is bad news, you then get another cut, you then get another hair cut of about 50% so now we're down from 80, we're down to 50, you're probably down at 25% now. Which leaves us to persistency. From a persistency standpoint, this is 10 second Bob, anybody watched 50 first dates? I love that movie. Ten Second Bob, says, "Hi, I'm Bob. Nice to meet you," and I'll say, hi, I'm Dave and what do you like Dave. I really like watching hockey and so Bob is like, 10 seconds later, Bob is like, "Hi. What's your name?" I was like, "I'm Dave." What do you like Dave? I really like watching hockey.
If think about it on the web, that happens all the time these days. You go to a website, you look at something, you leave and you come back three days later, either you have one of two things. Either they follow you around for two weeks and just chase you everywhere you go or they completely forget who you are because they've lost that identity. You log in on a different device, you're at your work versus your home. You're on a tablet, versus your mobile device. Your cookie got deleted. They don't know who you are and so they can't have that conversation with you.
The take away from this slide is you need to look for the persistency of that ID. In this day and age, when we're competing against big, big brands, mass retailers like Amazon, we need to build our brand. We need to build our relationship with our customers and the only way you can do that is by having a consistent conversation over time with your customers and to do that you need persistency and so all of this wraps into identity. A litmus test I use is you should be looking for something like, I can communicate over the course of the year with 80% of my audience.
I can talk to them on a regular basis. I'm not losing connection with 80% of those IDs. I'm going to talk quickly about a little case study, about a client we worked with at Conversant Epsilon and it's Road Scholar. They do adventure travel, education travel for adults. They get people in through all kinds of different marketing activities. They have a catalog, they bring them in but the real sweet spot is, repeat customers. They get most ... they don't get a lot of website traffic. They don't get a lot of conversions on their website. They got a lot of conversions from people who have been there before.
They came to us and said, "Look, we're not getting much traffic. We're having trouble reaching these people, we don't know where to find ... there's no directory to where to find our customers and they're not responding as much to direct mail anymore." What we said to them is, well, let's run a match test so give us a list of name and addresses and we'll see how many people we saw in the last 30 days. We saw 70 ... a more detailed version of this is available on our website, 71% of their offline customers that have bought before, we were able to reach online. Most of us people had never been to their website, ever.
We don't think about identity as the web based people or the offline people. They're really connected together. If you go a step further, of those people we messaged, 55% of the conversions were offline conversions. This could have been a call center conversion, they could have been a catalog or a write in or once he walked into the store but again, cross channel, we were messaging an audience who had never been on the website and many of them, even if they got their media online, converted offline and identity is critical to doing that. This is my favorite one of this, 28% of the people that did convert online, converted on a different device than they were messaged on.
We are messaging them on their mobile phone or we are messaging them on their PC or their tablet and they decided to convert on a different device. Now, I'll tell you that the biggest group of that is usually mobile devices. People get a lot of ads in their mobile devices and then convert somewhere else. We have a later case study that's going to talk a little bit about that. The quote from the client on this one was, "Conversant helps us reach an audience, we couldn't find before." If I go through the checklist, it's people, make sure you're talking to real people. Device IDs in themselves aren't real people. Email addresses aren't real people. I sometimes use ... I don't know about you I have a little fake email address. I have to sign up for a newsletter, I keep it over here, right?
Cookies aren't real people. They all have to be tied back and it's really, really hard to do. Make sure you can ... they have a way to show you accuracy and that you can test accuracy with identity. Make sure you can get it at scale and make sure that it's a persistent relationship over time. Those are the four questions you need to ask for identity. Nobody is perfect. It's a super, super hard thing to do and the best and smartest companies are trying to do it but there are better companies than others and so if you lay those four out and when you're looking at any of those vendors, you put them side by side, that's a great metric to use.
There is a more detailed blog post we have at conversant.com, blog which goes into, "Hey, look, if you're looking at a DNP or a CDP or you're evaluating a platform, here are some questions you want to ask." I gave you like four or five of them, has a lot more details behind it. With that, I'm going to pause for a second and see if there is any questions in the audience. Like I said, I try to keep it simple but if you guys want to ask more complex questions or less complex questions, that's fine too. Yes. We're going to ... You're jumping at third session here today, it's measurement.
We're going to talk about lookback windows for measurement but it's a great question. I'm talking about ... when I talk about 30 days, I'm talking about reachability. The ability to deliver that message but I think you're right, depending on the industry that you're talking about, that lookback window changes and we can have a whole conversation about lookback windows in the third session. All right. Yeah. Does it show up for me somewhere? What's the biggest misconception clients have with identity? That's a great question. That the match rate will let me talk to my audience.
The match rate from what I currently understand, you guys, tell me if I'm wrong is still the currency, is the word that's used, is the thing that's touted by clients. If I take that waterfall we talked about and I didn't talk about with persistency, if I really cascade that waterfall, the 80% match rate which most people don't start out at, probably more like a 60 turns into a 30% accuracy rate, turns into a 15% reach rate and all of a sudden the biggest problem is I can't talk to my customers and so that's one of the biggest challenges and misperception I think in the industry today. The other one is that anybody has got this completely figured out. Anyone that tells you they got it completely figured out, they're wrong.
New channels are popping up all the time, X-Box, Alexa, everything and so it's a moving target. Yes sir. That's a great question. Social, actually people based marketing is actually the best thing you can do for social because the walled gardens, one of the benefits they have is, they're one of the few people who actually deal in real people. Google and Facebook are for the most part, talking about real people. There's a measurement challenges there that we'll get into, the measurement section. If you could take your real people and port them over with name and address to this social networks, then it works, you're in a people based environment.
Again, there's a downside to that because there's a bit of a lack of transparency in measurement there that we'll talk about later but there's an upside. I would say they're the, one of the cleaner ways to do people based marketing.
Moderator: If you could give us a second and get the microphone?
Dave Scrim: Yeah, sure. I can hear you.
Moderator: We're live streaming.
Dave Scrim: Yeah.
Audience Member: First comes the money, "Hey, I've got a million dollars," and then great, let's do this. We do all this and then we have to go, whoever is this, yeah, we can only spend about 10 grand. That's it. Well, what do I do? I think how do we then work with customers? How do customers work with their partners then to understand that we have to do this legwork first to really understand how much budget can then go there because I just feel like what I'm saying, the money usually comes first then the project comes.
Dave Scrim: Got it. If I understand the question, just want to make sure I understand ...
Audience Member: How do we basically ... all this work, how do we then translate that into actual media budget? How do we then translate that better into how much we can actually spend against these uses?
Dave Scrim: Absolutely. What I would do is I'd have a little calculator and I'd say ... I'd backed into it and I'd say, so look if I get a million dollars and that's targeting this many customers, I'm only going to ... you're going to target with that million dollars, you can say, "Hey, I want to reach 10,000 people or I want to reach 100,000 cookies or whatever it is." You're going to need to understand, you're only going to be able to get 15 to 20% of that and we hear that all the time. I've got my budget, I want to spend more money, how come you can't execute?
You're going to take your little list, those four things and you stack them up into a waterfall and you're going to compare them across vendors and you're going to say, okay, if I really want to spend that million dollars and I really want to hit this many people, I'm going to have to start higher than I thought I did. Does that answer your question? Not quite. Okay. We do, I would recommend ... I'm really trying super hard not to do a sales pitch but I would tell you that if you go with ... let me put it this way.
If you go with the people base deterministic, those things that I talked about your fall off is going to be so much less than in some of those alternatives out there today. Companies like Google, Facebook, Conversant, Epsilon, if you do that, you're only going to get a 20% haircut and you're probably going to spend the majority of your money. Time for one, maybe two more if we have any questions. A couple on here, great. Thank you. I'm not used to this. Beyond asking the questions proposed, how do we hold vendors accountable for ensuring accuracy scale and persistency? This is down to the numbers.
I think you can't let up anymore that you can the performance that you're hearing, that you're getting back, "Oh, we had this many conversions, we had this many clicks. We had this many whatever," right? What is our match rate this month? What was it last month. Is it growing, is it shrinking? What is the accuracy rate, how are you showing me? This has to be a key metric for you because it drives everything else in your business. You can put the prettiest software on top of poor identity and you're not going to have an effective marketing program. To me, what I'd love to see and I'm closer to it than most people, this becomes a core KPI for your business identity. Good question.
How does identity work in the world of GPR and other privacy laws? You have to be privacy first. You can't get this wrong. It's not going away. What's happening in Europe, what's happening in California, it's the beginning, not the end. You have to treat people's privacy, their rights to what you collect, what you don't collect. You have to treat that very seriously and that has to be a part of the conversation with any of the clients you're working with. We have a privacy first, first. We tried to be ahead of the market on privacy and consumer privacy. We were the first company in Europe to launch a GDPR tool, to allow consumers to manage their consent and we're going to plan to stay ahead of that market.
That should be what you're hearing from whoever you're working with. If you're not using these identifiers available, cookies, email, et cetera, how can we identify our leads to target them with relevant ads? I like using this there. Whoever asked the question, what kind of identifiers are you using? Maybe that came in from offline. I apologize, I'm not sure I understand the question. Other identifiers you can use, traditional ones, direct mail, TV is becoming addressable. The world would become addressable, there will be ways to target and personalize across any channel at some point, even if it's not there yet today, 100%. Again, those four questions are what you need to focus on.
Carl Madaffari: On the different identifiers ... here we go. I know on the different identifiers. I know that there are traditional identifiers in keys that were built on top of traditional databases, those types of things. As Dave mentioned, we're working and the industry is working to bridge those together such that offline and online are tied together. It may not be in one key but with crossover between them, it allows you to link them over time. That is an evolving ...
Dave Scrim: Yeah, and with that, I'm going to, kind of switch gears. We're going to switch over to Carl. He's going to talk about data. When we originally set this up, they told us to be four sessions, people might be coming in and out, looks like we're good, we'll probably just go through one long thing and if you need a two minute break, you let us know.
Carl Madaffari: Yeah, it works.
Dave Scrim: Go ahead.
Carl Madaffari: Fantastic. Yes, as Dave mentioned, we got these four main topics. Identity, we're going to go into data next and data for us ... you don't need to see our ugly mugs there again. Data for us, this is a ... again, the idea here is that this is a session about introducing you to the concepts in this industry or bringing you back in. We've taken this down a level. We talk about data today, this is going to be the 101 version. This is the way I try and explain it to my parents as they ask what I do and they still don't understand after all these years. Data is one of those very ubiquitous terms. We all talk about data like we understand it. Data lives everywhere. It's in the nooks and crannies, it's in big giant chunks, it's in little pieces and it's become more and more important.
As we talk about that, it's important to understand who we're talking about in this space when we talk about data. On this slide, we obviously have Epsilon Conversant. We've got companies like Nielsen. Everybody is familiar with them. They're there to help track some of the traditional television ratings those types of things. IRI works very much in the CPG and retail spaces. Dun and Bradstreet for those of you who aren't familiar, has a compilation of data around businesses. When you're trying to solve a business to business problem, understanding who you're marketing to, who you're advertising to, data like that is very critical. ComScore is obviously there for other types of digital measurements and those types of things.
When we talk about data, why is more data critical? More is always better but there's risks in working with more data. The issue that we run into now is that the worlds of Adtech and Martech are coming together and both of those worlds use data a little bit differently and as evidence by Dave and I being up here on stage together, Epsilon and Conversant came from two different worlds. Epsilon was a traditional and we struggle with these delineators because the lines blur but we are traditional offline marketers, one to one marketers with email and direct mail and driving personalization that way.
Conversant was much more in the advertising space, the media space and they looked at data a different way as well but there's overlap and that overlap is starting to extend itself into this industry and it's something we found when we came together three years ago was that there was certain terminology, there were certain concepts around this data that sounded like we were talking about the same thing but we were just enough out of phase that it caused conflict, it caused confusion. What we're going to do today is we're going to talk a little bit about some of these at a very basic level and we'll let you through your questions take us deep as you need to going forward.
When we talk about data, it's important to understand what moves the needle. There is a lot of data and we're going to talk about these three types. We're going to spend a few minute on this slide and talk about the different types of data. First and foremost and attitudinal versus behavioral data. When you look at this, attitudinal data is the very squishy but very relevant stuff that lets you know how a consumer feels. This is data that you might collect through surveys, through preference centers where they tell you what subscriptions they want to hear about or what channels they opt into.
You get it through your call center data. You might get it through social networking where you start to see that linkage of who their friends are, who their influencers, those types of things. That's the attitudinal data that let's you know how somebody feels. It's very good data, it's very rich, relevant data but you actually ... if you're managing it yourself, you have to have an engaging brand to gather that type of data. Very few people ... and not to pick on anybody that works in the CPG space but very few people give a lot of feedback on paper goods. That's not going to get as engaging a brand as say, Axe Body Spray.
A lot of people have their opinions about that, one way or the other. Your engagement level as a brand dictates the level with which you can collect that attitudinal data. The other thing about that data is it's very hard to quantify, so when you take that data, it's great for measuring, it's great for when you look at something like say a brand awareness campaign, did it work? Did it drive awareness? Did it drive a certain feeling about a brand? Those are the types of things that you can sort of register a yes or no. Any depth or any quantifiable detail level gets much harder to do.
It's great data, attitudinal data but if you kind of take into an example of who maybe have this type of data, and it leads us to a transitional into behavioral is Netflix. Netflix is a place that when they started out, they asked me a lot of questions about what I like to watch. I might have said that I was very interested in period dramas or thought provoking documentaries. That's not really true, which takes us to the behavioral data. Behavioral data is not what I feel but what I actually do. Netflix as you all have noted, stopped giving me the recommendations based on the fact that I said, I like period dramas and thought provoking documentaries.
Gave me stuff that was based on what I actually watched which is just Adam Sandler movies and Avenger movies. Once they have that information, that is very concrete solid information. Behavioral data is the stuff that you gather from point of sale systems or the systems that collect and manage the dispositions of emails or ad servers or those types of things. It's concrete, it's transactional data so you're actually getting the data that says, hey, this is something that has happened. This is something that somebody chose to do. It's actually the behavior that we are trying to draw or something that we can tangential ... very concretely measure. Very powerful data.
The downside with that behavioral data is if you look at it in its own silo, is that it can be limiting and it can grow stale and it can be somewhat myopic in its focus. As we talk about the Netflix example, that is where that holy grail of putting them on an axis of how I feel and what I do is the type of data that works well in conjunction with each other. Attitudinal versus behavioral data, understanding that data as you collect and gather and prioritize it in your organization, so it's important to understand how it fits into your organization. Do you have an engaging brand, do you have the ability to collect this.
Those are the types of things to think about. Now, we move on to talking about first, second and third party data. This is one of those terms that I hear a lot of people talk about like they know what they mean and then they ... when you kind of question them, they don't really get it and it's really a very simple concept. First party data is the data that you as a brand, own and manage. This is your data. This is data you've collected about your consumers, be it attitudinal, behavioral, PII, non-PII. This is stuff you've collected about the experiences and the engagement you have with your consumers.
This is very, very powerful data. This is the space that Epsilon has worked for years in, it's where I personally grew up, in managing that consumer data. You heard about building 360 degree view databases. This was the start of that. The limiting factor in this type of data is really twofold. It's really hard to collect, there's a lot of it. It's builds, it evolves, it grows. The second part is that it's actually limiting in the sense that it is only data about you and your consumer. The experience you have, the channels you interact with, the transactions that they have with you as a brand, which is very powerful as you craft and deliver your messaging but it can be somewhat limiting.
It is limiting to their ... where are they in their overall lifecycle, where are they in their buying decisions and those types of things. First party data, very powerful but can be limiting. Second party data isn't really used very much but it's the idea of an exchange of data between partners. This is done in a lot of co-marketing efforts. A lot of efforts where you're maybe partnering with a brand to say, "Hey, if we work together, we'll share this data or we'll take data from my brand, what I know about them and give this to you in exchange for this or some sort of monetary exchange."
The problem with second party data, the reason it's not used very heavily is twofold. One, not a lot of people know how to monetize and put a value on the data that they have about their consumers. It's very hard to put a concrete number on it so it's very hard to make a transaction around that. The second reason is, it gets into that somewhat creepy area. That fine line between being a solid boyfriend who listens and that creepy stalker who knows way more about you than he should. That's second party data exchange, those fine lines are the reason second party data is not used as often but it is still a market that we think will evolve over time.
That takes us to third party data. Third party data is where you're going out and actually transacting. Buying data from typically a broker or compiled data sources. Data that is aligned to solve specific problems. In many cases, it's already been proven to solve that case so a lot of pros in third party data in bringing that together. Just like with the attitudinal versus behavioral, they all have their strengths, their weaknesses and triangulating across those is critical. The third area we're going to talk about is PII versus non-PII and I use this phrase like everybody knows what it means and inevitably somebody walks up to me afterwards and says, what does that mean?
I'll go ahead and explain it. PII is personally identifiable information. This is all the information around the name and the address. The contact information that Dave referenced earlier that made building IDs in the early days very easy. Non-PII information is everything that we know about an individual but that there are boundaries in place that you've got to keep that distance, that you can turn it into some sort of anonymize profile, that you can do your analysis on, that you can do certain decisionings behind walls but that you can't actively use it in that decision making process.
PII and non-PII, very critical parts, critical elements in bringing data together, about your consumer, helping you know who they are but different challenges and bringing them together throughout your organization. Where do you find this data. This data obviously lives all over the place. There's volumes of it everywhere. The three main sources we'll talk about today, your own backyard so you've got this data and the interactions you have with your consumers today and so this is where through either your own IT department or through maybe systems integrators, you gain access and collect this data about your consumers.
That is fundamentally where that first party PII centric data comes in, attitudinal behavioral data comes in. That is the first place to get that. Rich data, obviously it's great. The challenges as I mentioned earlier, it can be difficult to collect and difficult to manage over time. Getting it into a database is easy. Taking care of it, making sure it's evergreen is a challenge and has cost associated with it. Second source is compiled sources, data brokers, agencies ... I'm sorry, data brokers, list providers, those types that have built compiled data sources and deliver to you for a cost.
Again, as I mentioned earlier, this is data that is usually proven to have a good track record of the success and solving a very specific business problem and can just ... it just got to bounce out against the budget that you're working against. The third place is agencies. Agencies typically are sort of the best of both worlds. They take the data that you have in house. They take data from brokers, they apply a lot of analytic focus to it and prove out the value of that data set and did it work, does it apply to your business need and bringing that together. Between your internal, your own backyard, agencies and data providers is where you'll find that data throughout the ecosystem.
Let's talk about some of the challenges in making the most of your data. There's really three fundamental challenges that we talk about in this. First and foremost is that data lives in silos. It's inherently ... It's an idea that as a database administrator growing up, I envisioned this world where all data lived in this Utopian giant database that I can access through SQL or some sort of neural implant and that's not a reality and as much as I'd love it to be, it's not going to be a reality anytime soon. Mainly because this data is voluminous. It lives everywhere. It grows very quickly, trying to transfer it, bring it all together for no purpose is a big challenge.
That'll take us to our second challenge in a second. The other reason is, it's very utilitarian, it's very effective where it lives. Trying to move it and migrate it adds overhead to the management of that data, that makes it very difficult. What we recommend to get across that is something that Dave talked about earlier, is that identity layer. How can you link the data across those silos and have that decoder, if you will, that lets you know that the data about this person and this silo is tied to this person in this silo through identities, through keys, those types of things, is a much more effective way to do it than to try and do what is our second challenge, which is boil the ocean.
Trying to bring all of your data together in one ecosystem, I have been part of these projects. I have led and somewhat successfully gotten them off the ground but this idea of I'm going to build an enterprise data lake or an enterprise data warehouse that will be the end all be all monument to technology, that we'll never have to replace because we've done it so well this first time and those are really, really hard to get off the ground because you're trying to fight a lot of fires. You're trying to build for a lot of different challenges, some of which you can see. Most of which you can't and at the same time the technology is evolving and leapfrogging past what you can do today.
What I've seen a lot of cases in this data management mindset is, I'm going to stop down our business for nine to 18 months to build something that by the time I get there may not even solve my business challenges or worst yet, is I've seen companies get locked down in that sort of analysis paralysis of trying to decide what am I going to solve first. Boiling the ocean in this case, deadly, dangerous and then the third challenge ... and this mainly applies to the do it yourselfer is the regulatory concerns. This is an evolving space. This is something that as people become aware of the fact that when systems like Facebook are free, you're not really the consumer as much as you are the product.
Rules are evolving. Privacy rules are evolving and they're evolving in different regions and locations. What we have found is trying to do this yourself, micromanaging this is an ongoing battle, recommendation is obviously to work with somebody who has resources and expertise in this space. We'll wrap this section up with a case study about discovery communications that came to us several years ago. This is a case study that brings together all of the data that we've talked about. Discovery had a challenge. They were trying to evolve their audiences. They're trying to reach the right audiences. As tune in for the TV shows was dropping.
They were looking for ways to spend media dollars effectively and reach the right consumers, where it would be resonant and effective. They came to us with ... and one example of panel of say 10,000 households of people who actually watched their show. We took that along with our compiled data source and extended that out. We found lookalikes, people who had the same demographic and behavioral and attitudinal data, that expanded that audience out to say a million. We then took that million and took it to the digital ecosystem with Conversant to say, what are their online behaviors?
How do those look like the same consumers and expanded that audience even more and found audiences that we could reach, that the ads for these shows would be effective based on that information. What we found was ... in our first year that we launched this, they had ratings of 30% over prior season premieres and the other thing we were able to do is deliver this in a much shorter timeframe than they used to with a much smaller set of data. This used to be about a 12 week measurement turnaround. We turn this around for them in about four weeks. Again, part of that was all of that data lived in different silos but we had the ability to link it together, tie it together for purpose driven solutions to solve problems specifically for them.
When you are tasked with managing the data within your organization, few things you should think about. First and foremost, prioritize what you're focusing on. You can't get stuck boiling the ocean. Decide what problems you're trying to solve for and understand what data works in your industry and doesn't. This is one of those cases where I'd love to be able to tell you that, "Oh, yeah focus on behavioral, focus on attitudinal, focus on second party, third party." Each industry and each business has their own specific needs and knowing that will help you prioritize where to focus.
Second, centralize only what you need to, to drive that effectiveness. Don't boil the ocean, don't get stuck trying to build a monument to technology. Third, it's always important to measure and this is a nice transition into Dave's conversation here in a second. Measure not just your programs or your offers or the content but measure the data because every piece of data you manage, costs money to take care of. When we first started building databases for our clients 20 years ago, marketing database maybe had 50 attributes. We built one for a client recently, it had 3,000 attributes on any given consumer.
I know that even today, no more than 50 to 100 of those attributes are relevant at any given time but everyone of those attributes has a cost associated with it from managing the metadata around it, managing the interface agreements, the exchanges, the understanding of what that data is, all has a very high cost so measure what works, not just in terms of programs but in terms of the data and the effectiveness and finally, be prepared to evolve. This is not a one stop shop. There's not one universal project that will solve this problem for you, the data problem.
It will constantly grow, it will constantly evolve and our recommendations are to treat it that way and be prepared for this to be a lifelong pursuit to understand your consumers through better data. I'll stop there to see if there are any questions on data? All right, we have one here. I have heard the term data leakage used a lot recently, what is it and how do you prevent it? I have actually not heard the term data leakage in this regards. Does anybody here in the room that can ... Yes, come on up.
Dave Scrim: There's nothing more powerful to your business than data about your customers. You got to be protective about that data. You got to make sure ... I mean, there's a big ... anybody want to name one of the biggest companies out there that's responsible for data leakage right now? You all got it, right? Everything you do, every campaign you run on that company is sold. In fact, there was an article, I couldn't believe it, I read in two days ago or on Thursday, two business days, about the fact that your backup phone number that you're using in Facebook, you know, contact me if anything goes wrong. They're selling that and monetizing that.
Data leakage is about understanding when you're partnering with somebody, when you're allowing your data to be accessed, your data ... valuable data is brands and is customers, what happens to that data and where does it go because there's a lot of people who want to take that data and want to leverage it for you. That's a little bit about data leakage.
Carl Madaffari: The other thing I'd say about that is kind of what we talked about earlier, just because you can collect the data and manage it doesn't always mean that that's valuable data. To your example there, having that data sometimes that data gets misused so it's another point to managing only the data, centralizing only what's important especially from a marketing and ad perspective. Great question. Any others in the room. All I can see is bright shiny lights. All right.
Dave Scrim: Awesome.
Carl Madaffari: Fantastic. We'll jump ahead to ...
Dave Scrim: Measurement.
Carl Madaffari: Measurement.
Dave Scrim: This is a big one. Actually, it's called attribution and so I'm definitely going to spend some time on attribution but I'm also ... I'll open it up to measurement. We can take testing control questions. We can take how do you measure search. I want it to be ... this is a really tough space. Anybody feel like they're doing perfect measurement today in the market, anybody doing that? All right. We're not. I was surprised if ... most people I ran into this one is their biggest problems. How do I measure what's working, what's not working? That's going to be the gist of our presentation.
A couple of other level setting questions. How many people measure on clicks today. Are there still some click based folks out there? This is an advanced group. This shouldn't be called one on one. We should have up our game. They're still a lot of folks by the way that are click based measurement. A lot of folks out there. It was ... when it was the only currency out there, it was fine. There's a lot of better ways to do it today. I'll throw up a few companies. Attribution vendors, because the gist is attribution. Google is now a big attribution vendor. Facebook has its own attribution solution.
Bizible, Brightfunnel, Conversant, Epsilon, Visual IQ. Who uses a third party attribution solution here, can you raise your hands, anybody use a third party? All right. Anybody use one of these companies, anybody? Okay. I'm going to pick on somebody. How are you doing measurement today? You, yeah. You don't do measurement. Anybody, anyone who can tell me how they're doing measurement? Yeah, go ahead. Yeah, just taking the data and do it yourself. Yeah, higher media mix company, something like that, maybe a third party analytics company do it. Great, okay. There's a good reason why we don't have a lot of folks in here using these measurement.
Nobody is happy with the measurement providers out there. I'm going to get to that in a little bit. Before I start on that, what do I mean when I say attribution? What am I talking about and we can debate this but I want a level set. It's as simple as taking a marketing event. Some marketing event, an email that was opened, an impression that was sent to somebody, an affiliate message that somebody clicked on. An impression that was set on a mobile device. Something, some marketing event, a direct mail piece, right? Some marketing event that was sent to somebody and a conversion event.
That conversion event doesn't have to be a sale. It could be an online sale. It could be an offline sale. It could be a website visit, it could be sign up for an email or sign up for my loyalty program. Attribution is about connecting a marketing event to some kind of conversion event that I want to take place. Easy as that, pretty simple. What's the problem? Well, one of the problems is that most of the institutions still works on what's called last touch attribution. I say well, I did an email campaign, I sent a display ad to a PC and I sent it to a mobile provider but I was running an affiliate campaign and they clicked on the affiliate campaign and they converted and therefore the purchase goes to the affiliate provider.
That's called last touch attribution. The next one is, multi-touch attribution. More complicated and you could see why people have trouble especially now you're starting to see why identity might matter in the solution, why persistency might matter in keeping things together because multi-touch attribution tries to say how does different activities combine to drive a sale? You put a weighted score on the different channels. You look at the consumer's path to conversion so that you know where to invest so you know what's working and know what's not working. Somebody opened an email and then they saw an impression on their mobile device with media partner A.
Then, they looked on their computer and got an impression and then a click and then they visited a site and either did an online or offline purchase. That is called multi-touch attribution. All right but in order to do that, you need to see the full cycle of the person. Then, there was a question early in the audience about lookback windows and in fact, I'm going to stop after I do this next slide and we'll go back and see if this answers your question or if you had a different question on it. Lookback windows. A lookback window is how far do I look back because I might have been messaging that person for five years.
I'm not going to take into account every message in every channel and every contact I had with them for five years as part of the purchase cycle. I'm going to say, what's the reasonable timeframe I should look back on all my marketing activities. If I'm Walgreens or CVS, I might only look back seven days because the purchase cycle of convenience pharmacy is really quick. If I'm a retail clothing manufacturer, I might look back 30 days because that's kind of the decision cycle that it go through. If I'm selling cars, I want to go back months in time, three, four, five months.
It really depends on what the purchase cycle is of your industry, in order to decide what your lookback window could be and that's a really flexible thing and something that people should play with and figure out. Now, did I answer your question about attribution or did you have a different ... about lookback windows? They want more credit for the sale. One of the key things and I'm going to say this to the end because it's going to take away us in the flow but I want to come back to it. I want to encourage you because this is mostly about attribution. I would encourage you all where you can to use ... there's a classic thing that's been around since direct mail, we kind of forgot all about in the digital world.
It's called test and control. It's called creating a group of people that I'm going to send an email to and a group of people that I'm not going to send an email to and looking at the difference in sales between the two. It's about taking a group of people I'm sending a display ad and not sending a display ad and looking at the difference in the sales and creating a hold out group because you're exactly right, because for any of you in this room that have added up all of the conversions that your email company tells you they got, that your display company got out. If you got multiple escape companies, you end up with five times the sales, you actually have sitting in your conversion in your business.
A lot of people are claiming sales and that's why you want to centralize, you want to use testing control and you want to bring that all together to an individual level. So we can unpack that a little bit, that's a little ... not too much, it's a little more sophisticated so we'll save that one if we want to go deeper into that in the end. It can vary by type. It can vary by channel, how far you want to look back for attribution? Why do I care about attribution? The number one thing is I want to understand what media is working to drive budget allocation. Do I spend ... is this digital media provider working better for me than that one.
Is this website working better for me than that one? How about my channel, should I invest more in email, should I invest more in mobile, should I invest more in direct mail, should I cut back on direct mail? How do I invest my marketing budget in channels, how do we get the most leverage possible out of my marketing dollar? The good news is, it's more measurable than it ever has been, especially in digital today. The bad news is it's super complicated because of some things we'll talked about. We're going to talk about that in a minute. Understand the customer value ... sorry, customer journey path, what path do people take to purchase, what steps do they take along the way.
Again, so you know where to invest. Understand the customer value of the customer by channel or by conversion path. Maybe the people who are on mobile are more or less valuable than the people that are only answering emails. Maybe it's the opposite, right? How do I understand the value of the customer, with those channels? The thing is, attribution is really just math. It's not that hard, you come up with a lookback window. It's seven days, it's 30 days, you come up with a fractional attribution. I'm going to give 10% to email. I'm going to give 30% to display ads. I'm going to weight that a little bit, depending on how long each of those were but it's just a math formula at the end of the day.
Why is it so hard, why is the net promoter score for attribution vendors negative 29%? The net promoter score is don't work with this company. I don't care which of those companies it was out there. Nobody is happy with attribution vendors. Nobody is happy with their attribution. It's messy. It's messy because there's a lack of trust. It's messy because there's a lack of transparency. It's messy because data management is really, really hard. I'm going to talk about each of these in a little more detail and as we learned earlier today, it's messy because identity is super, super hard.
We'll just going to go into that in little bit more detail. Trust. I put up a bunch of names up there and there's only one of them that's still branded as the same company that was Visual IQ. There was Visual IQ, this is only two years ago. Convertro. Adometry, Datasong. These were independent attribution companies that said, "Hey look, I know you're working with Google. I know you're looking with Facebook. I know you're working with Conversant. I know you're working with whatever, media company. I'm going to look across all those, I'm going to help you with this. I've got some great math and I'm going to help you understand what's working for you and what isn't."
As a standalone company, none of those companies exist today. The only branded company that exist today is Visual IQ but it's not independent. These companies are owned by ... Visual IQ is owned by Nielsen, who's in the media business. Convertro is owned by Oath, who's in the media business. Adometry is owned by Google, who's in the media business and Datasong is now owned by Neustar who's in the media business. A little bit of fox guarding the hen house. How do you trust the providers, how do you find an independent provider? Well, the truth is, these marketing platforms are really complicated and they take a lot to run and that's why some of these companies have been absorbed.
You can have trust if some of these companies are doing it, if you have transparency. This would be the number one ... my number one takeaway from this whole session is not how you do the math, because you can argue about that. It's not who to trust because trust is earned. It's that trust comes through transparency. I'll use an example of ... As I was taking the cab from the airport today or last night, I was thinking about the old days when I used to take the cab to New York from the airport and I was sure that person was driving me in circles all the way around. I didn't know where it's going.
The meter was going up. You might be right, you might be wrong. I didn't have trust and I didn't have transparency. What came along today on the ride this time and I don't ... the guy was a great guy. I said, I do not have any reason to double check him. Let's say I was nervous. I could have pulled out my Google Maps. I could have seen the right path to go and I could have directionally had transparency that I was going in the right direction. I actually think attribution is hard enough that you do want to work with somebody else, whether it would be one of these big partners.
Whether it would be a small boutique shop who takes in data and analyzes it for you but if you are a larger organization, you can certainly have the analytics people to do it yourself but the key, the key to it is ask for transparency and that means, you're saying, give me the data. Give me all of the conversions you saw, give me all of the impressions you saw across all of the channels and let me validate that myself. I might get you to do this on a regular basis, but occasionally I'm going to test you. I'm going to spot check this. I'm going to have another party take a look at this data.
Without the transparency, then you're just taking their word for it that the results are right there. There is a real lack of transparency industry and I think that's the number one thing, we all need to drive for. I'm not saying anyone is out to cheat anybody but they're also out to make their solutions look good and you validating that is an important part of your business. These are two of the least transparent organizations and they are the two of the biggest organizations out there. We all should be doing social media, it's a great channel.
It's where our customers are and yet even with them, you need to drive for transparency because what you're going to find at some of these companies and you probably know if you're using them, you're going to get aggregated results. You'll get nice reports, you'll get some performance goals and stuff like that but you're not going to get the raw data. My big question would be why, what's anybody afraid of. It's working, it's working. Just show me the individual level results of those programs and that would be the question and it's going to take a lot of time.
It's an industry problem, it's going to take the big players, pushing, and pushing and pushing but we got to keep doing that. Data management, this sounds about as dry ... this is about as dry as it's going to get. The data management is how do I collect that data in the first place? Hi Stacy. Stacy is the data expert at Epsilon Conversant and runs our whole data business. She is the one to go to for questions after the show for you, if you have that. Data management. How do I collect data, it seems easy, right? Just send me over a file and I got ... I know how many people I direct mailed. I know how many people I emailed.
What about mobile apps? How many of you are doing a really good job at connecting which individuals visited your mobile apps? What about tagging all the different media companies that you're working with and having those tags on the internet flow into one individual place across all the different vendors. What about your Facebook and your Google, right? How easy is it for you to do data management? According to Forrester, it was the number one criteria of importance when people are evaluating attribution vendors. Can they even collect the data in the first place?
That's a super, super important question to ask. How do you collect data, can you collect it on all the channels? Can you collect the search data, the paid search data that you're running against? There are ways to do that. I don't know if you guys know but through AdWords, you can actually identify who the individual was that hits your site from your paid search thing. Ask your vendor, can they do that? Can they capture that? We can talk about that later if you want. Identity, again, most of you here were in the first sessions so I'm not going to bore you with that again.
Number one thing so I grab the data, I pull it all in. I have my math but none of it matters if I don't have the accuracy persistency and scale to identify this at an individual level because all it says is, I put 25 cookies out and I got a conversion. Well, did those 25 cookies go to 25 different people or those 25 cookies all of the same person? You've got to come up with a common denominator around identity. Client success story. This is a retail brand in the clothing space, 30 days as we talked about attribution window. What they found was, they were running attribution and their mobile conversions were less than 1% and the division head of the mobile unit said, I got a real problem.
They're divesting in my business, they're not funding us. They don't think mobile does anything. I'm telling you, I know, I've been out there, I talked to the ... it was an 18 to kind of 25 year old brand. The kids are all on mobile. I don't get what's going on and the truth was he couldn't track it. What happened was, as he migrated to a system that could track identity, could track persistency, could track all across these channels, he found out that prior to a conversion, he might only be getting 1% of the sales on their mobile device but 42% at the time, people were seeing mobile ads and consuming the media and getting the brand consideration on their mobile device.
Huge change within the organization. Huge shift in understanding about how mobile affects the sales process. That's just one little story. You'll all have your own stories but it's super, super important and shows you the difference between, where you might invest your money or not. You must have checklist. It's just math at the end of the day. If it's just math, then demand trust and transparency. Make sure you're getting the best data management and you're able to capture the data from all those channels. Another thing I didn't hit was you get some people in the space who were good at online data capture and some people that are good at offline data capture.
It's a very rare combination to find a company that was designed to do both. I would keep looking for those companies. Epsilon Conversant, that's one of the unique and powerful things of Epsilon and Conversant so a machine was plug there. We've been doing offline forever and we've been doing online forever, now, we've kind of put them together. Then, make sure identity is correct. Again, we'd point you to that blog, more questions. The questions are aligned around measurement, attribution, identity data, the questions to ask at that blog that we talked about earlier. With that, if there's any questions, I will take them now. Yes sir. Yeah.
Audience Member: How do you get to the right combination mostly when you have non-transparent channels like Facebook for example and Google but mostly in Facebook, that you'll not even get the order ID to be able to max the data.
Dave Scrim: Yeah, if I could solve the Facebook attribution problem, I probably wouldn't be standing here right now. It's the biggest problem. Social is so important to us but it's such a black hole and I wish I had a magic answer for you. It's the one channel we can't. The only thing I can say is look, you're going to ... remember the days when AOL was the only thing in the world or Yahoo was the only thing in the world. Well, more pressure is going to come, more players are going to come. Amazon is getting ... What we saw upstairs, Target has got a big ad initiative.
The more pressure, the more competition that comes to the market, the more those companies are going to be transparent with their data, the more we're going to see and force everybody to be transparent with the data. I would say, you got to put your money where your mouth is. Yeah, you put some dollars in but maybe don't put as many dollars in and I will tell you, the biggest clients we have are making some dense, are getting more than the average person, is starting to lead the way in putting pressure on this companies. Yes.
Audience Member: The campaign managers of the ad server, they've said they're not going to release event level or ... yeah, event level data that's required for attribution.
Dave Scrim: This would be ... is that Facebook campaign manager?
Audience Member: Google.
Dave Scrim: Google Campaign manager. You are ... you're just at the mercy of their attribution. You're going to ... if you're going to use them, you're going to have to not have individual level insight to who is being measured or not. You're going to have to wonder if you were here in the identity session, if there's clustering going on or not and you're going to have to take the word for it. That's the only answer I could have on Google and Facebook. Yes.
Audience Member: When you talk about transparency, with some of the big players besides Facebook and Google and you say allow for spot checks. I mean, just the hurdle in getting everything where you talked about data management, getting everything to that, getting everything flowing. How do you do the spot checks?
Dave Scrim: That's a great question. What I would do, if I was a mid-sized company and I had mid-sized resources, I would say, look, I really trust you, I went through my checklist, you passed most of the things or at least you're better than most people out there, I want you to kind of do my attribution for you. I don't have a ton of resources, I'm going to do but I what I want you to do is I want you to give me a data feed. I don't want you to send me that data feed every week. It's going to have the impressions in it, served across all media, whether that would be my media or somebody else's media. I'm going to send you my direct mail and email files and you're going to send those back through the impression feed.
It's going to have all the conversions across any channel in it and you're going to send me that feed each week. Now, you might not do anything with that feed for week one, week two, week three, week four, week 20 and then one day, you hire a third party, a nice little analytics firm, you say, "Hey, here's this data feed. Could you validate what we're hearing from this company and just double check that everything is okay?" One of two things is going to happen. You're going to have a big discrepancy and you're going to need to get everyone in the room and start talking about that or things are going to look directionally correct.
It's okay, if they aren't perfect. They're going to look directionally correct and they're going to go, "Okay, I think this is working. I think this is fair. I double checked that person with somebody else and I'm going to move on now for another five months or six months. I think that's the way I would do it." Yes, in the back.
Audience Member: Advertiser who's run the marketing mix, so I'll give you actually, a real example. Trying to break into Nielsen's Black Box and I'm getting ... asking some of these questions but understanding what are those questions I'm not asking. Their panel doesn't even match the data and the targeting we're selling so we don't even know what that is, where ... our uses are mobile first so we already calculated a 70% drop off of the measured media.
Dave Scrim: Yeah.
Audience Member: Do I ask for data feed as well? How do I recheck the actual sales that I know are modeled on modeled data?
Dave Scrim: Right. It sounds like you're asking some of the right questions but you're not necessarily breaking through and one of the suggestions I would have is, find a third party to help be your advocate. Find a firm who's doing this on a regular basis and if you ... it doesn't have to be us, right, if you want to ask after we can give you a few names of places or it can be us. I mean, we do this all the time and we help companies with the right questions and like I said, there's a list on the blog but there's a list of bigger questions and we can put a little pressure on those. What I can't promise is, I can't promise, we're always going to get the magic answer.
I can promise we'll get to the right questions or we'll get some more data probably than you do but again, they're called walled gardens for a reason, right? Nielsen, maybe not so bad. Nielsen, I think we ... we know a lot about Nielsen on ROI where we can help you a little bit more of that. Any other questions? All right. Thanks so much and, at the end I'll be around if you want to talk anymore.
Carl Madaffari: Great. Well, we are in the home stretch, moving along quickly here. Our last section is platforms. I'll jump ahead here and give a few people, if you want to switch sessions, you're good. We're going to talk platforms now. Platforms is sort of the final of these pillars and it's an important one. What we found is over the last ... in my 20 years in this industry, there's a pendulum that swings back and forth, between the, we need to own this ourselves internally and manage this data, this orchestration, this content and switching in the other way which is, well, we need to just outsource this.
This is too expensive, too costly, we can't keep the resources in house so we need to outsource this. Then, the problem becomes, well, I've outsourced this to some agency that I now can't see what's going on. Now, I need to pull it back in house. That pendulum in my 20 years has swung back and forth. A couple of things have happened over the last five years that have really led to the advent of the platform. Obviously, the cost of storage and housing and horsepower in cloud computing has been universal in helping all of these. There's a couple of big changes, am I cutting it out there?
First and foremost the big software providers years ago started acquisitions. They started buying in pieces and parts and stitching them together into a larger ecosystem. The second thing that happened is that these big social media networks went from Farmville to Madison avenue. They sort of realized that they had this audience, they had this group of engaged individuals and they found a way to sell advertising on that. Then, the third thing is that an advent of venture capital has started to apply platform technology. The problems that were ... have been around forever but it's just always been solved in a very manual focus.
Those three initiatives have led to this advent of age of the platform. The problem with the platform is that there are a lot of players. In this case, we're just listing a handful, the Salesforces, the Adobes, the Oracles. There's obviously the IBMs, the Facebook, all the social media providers. Epsilon and Conversant is sort of a different breed and that we kind of come from the ... we were a services organization and agency, if you will and we are pushing to be more platform oriented. To take our intellectual property and our experience and package it in such a way that we sell it as platforms. You have everybody converging towards this software as a service model. It becomes a problem, it becomes a struggle because they all have an overlap.
We're all sort of playing in the same space. In fact, if you take all of our story and you turn it to the elevator pitch, it's, we help you understand to know your consumers and reach them across every channel. That's the story of everybody in the platform page, whether it's in detail or not, it's the same story at the highest level. How do you get through that? How do you solve for this? How do you pick the right platform? I'm going to just roll really fast ahead. There's not one platform that solves it all. I mean, I would love to tell you it's us, it's not. There's not a single platform that does it all and it's the single easy choice to make that will get you promoted to be a CMO.
There is a lot of things you have to go into the decisions around your platform. First and foremost, can you articulate what you're trying to do? Each of these platforms that we discussed has a different strength, has a different focus, came from a different set of DNA that means it solves problems better than others or maybe it started at a point where you got to leapfrog certain problems. Understanding, what you're trying to do, what you're trying to achieve is important because the other problem you get is you will get bombarded with the big stack, it can do everything and anything and if you buy one tool, you'll get four more thrown in and that can lead to a lot more confusion down the road.
Can you articulate what your problems are, what you're trying to solve for. The second is, can you prioritize that, because the reality is, as we talked about earlier, these projects take a while to get stood up. Even the platforms that are multichannel marketing hubs that have it all put together, are still built out of acquisition and some of these are built out of 10 to 12 acquisitions that have been stitched together or are being stitched together after you close the deal and stitched together behind the scenes, by companies like ours to make them work together.
Being able to prioritize what's important, three months, six months, 12 months, 18 months down the road is important as you make these decisions because as we talked about earlier, technology is constantly leapfrogging and evolving. A player in a certain space may acquire somebody that makes that solution something they could do themselves and yet, you've already purchased something that now has to be stitched together. Prioritizing is key. Then, the third, and this is really the most important as you look internally, is are you building around an organization or are you going to shape your organization around a new vision.
A lot of tools and a lot of people where I've seen go wrong in the platform decision is they buy a platform and they try and make that platform fit a broken model and in many cases, I even see this broken model shape how the decision for platforms are made and cause of the problems. You have the VP of email marketing, making the decision on the platform they're going to use for email and the VP of measurement and analytics is going to choose their partner and somebody else is going to choose one for web analytics and media and now you're dealing with different pieces and parts from the different platforms.
Are you trying to work around that? As you get into the level deeper, the orchestration of those audiences is now going to become more complicated who approves this audience being used in this channel. Those are things that technology by itself and these platforms will not solve for, you as an organization have to be ready to understand that there are going to be changes made around that to fix them. The other big challenge in these platform decisions are what's in place that works for you today? Either because it works really well or because it would be difficult to replace and that shouldn't be underrated or third because you've already got some sort of long term engagement.
Some sort of licensing deal already in place but the provider that can provide that functionality and you or somebody in your organization is incented to get the most and leverage that platform. Those deals are signed and sometimes they sit idle for two, three years on the back end of those long term deals and those platform decisions ... your best bet is try to make the most out of those while you've got that licensing in place. A lot of decisions you got to consider, that then takes you to the ... which of the platforms, what does the landscape look like? We talked a lot in this about the marketing clouds, the big software giants we talked about.
What I would say in this space is that, this is why it goes back to understanding, what it is you're trying to do and what you're prioritizing. Each of the clouds has a strength, a position they may have started from or an acquisition that was foundational. Adobe is really solid in web analytics space and in managing content. IBM is obviously fantastic at their analytic capabilities and some of their orchestration. You've got Salesforce which is great taking from the call center and understanding those consumers. Each of them has a strength and each of them has tried to bolt on certain components to give them the complete stack.
Sometimes, it was a game of musical chairs and some were left without an E-commerce platform or others are finding strategic partnerships. One thing that I would note is ... an announcement came out last week and I think you're going to see more of this. Adobe announced the strategic partnership across, I think it was SAP and Microsoft. An open API set that allows for the exchange of data and information between these three platforms. I think you're going to see more of this as each of these software giant sort of realizes that no one is buying their big black box of technology and landing it in a data center and dealing with that as their sole tool set.
Everybody is working around the different tool sets. The other thing that's important to note when you're buying, when you're looking at marketing clouds the one thing that they don't tell you about is that for every dollar in licensing, they look to spend between four and eight dollars to either integrate or manage on an ongoing basis those platforms. A lot of times, the salesperson for those platforms is in there telling the story about hey, look, this tool is going to solve this problem and it's very compelling but the problem is there is another four to eight times that spend in managing that. It's something that you got to understand and prepare for.
Moving on walled gardens. We've talked quite a bit about them. I think we've kind of kicked them around a little bit and the reality is there are strengths and we see a lot of clients, depending on the problems they're looking to solve, maybe just fine working in this space and saying, look, I'm going to take my consumer base and I'm going to fish where the fish are. I know where they're at. I'm going market to them and I'm going to trust that there ... that that's effective and for several clients, that's all they need and that's where they spend and that's where they spend a bulk of their spend and that works for them.
For everybody else, and as we've heard today and I heard in this room, very few people are looking to put all their eggs in that one basket. Looking to exchange, looking to work across that is where most people are looking to take their platform investments. It's something to keep in mind as you consider them. The final frontier ... and this is sort of that new area that I talked about in the introduction. This is that idea of customer data management. This is an evolving space. This is really my sweet spot, this is where I grew up. For Epsilon, we built these as one off custom databases.
We use to start working with a client in a blank whiteboard and we'd say, what do you want to do? Great. What data do you have and we'd evaluate that and we'd put together. More and more companies are looking for ... the other thing about that, that engagement was, everything we go into a client even in a particular vertical, we would say, look is there somebody else you want to model your business after, somebody else you want to model your marketing? We were always told, "Nope, we're unique, we're different. We do things completely different than anybody else. This has to be a custom solution."
Nowadays, over the last two years, CMOs and CEOs are saying, if you can give me 80% of the functionality, out of the box and prevent me having to build and manage my own monument to technology, I would rather do that. This is where about three or four years ago, this idea of managing it yourself with customer data platforms, customer data management platforms and there's a huge list of different types that you see up there, that are all up there competing in the same space and they're all saying the same thing in a much smaller sphere around understanding your consumers.
This is a report from Gartner that came out earlier this year to help people understand what CDPs are. A year and a half ago, no one knew what a CDP was. Now, everybody believes, they have to have a CDP. The reality is when you look at what platforms do ... and this is really important. I'm not going to go through everything on the left side there but I think it's important to talk about the categories on the top. Across the top, you've got the idea of data collection. This is that idea of bringing data together, putting the identity together to that, keying it, bringing it together.
Fleshing that out with profile unification, which is a deeper level of that ... that identity resolution. Taking your online and offline, matching it together. That takes you into that segmentation layer so you now know who your consumers are. How do you bucket them into audiences and groups that you want to drive behaviors in. How do you then activate on those. This is a really important one. Activation versus native marketing execution. What you find a lot of is these platforms will talk about the ability to activate and the reality is, you can activate an audience by pulling a list and handing it off to any number of providers.
That's activation, that's the definition. How can you orchestrate that. There's a level of complexity in that, that gets very, very deep and very sophisticated if this is the type of client or the type of audience you're looking for. How do you manage multi-wave touchpoints that if they saw this banner ad and then they click through the website, do I then send them a follow up email and if I sent them a follow up email and it wasn't read, what do I do there? That's that level of activation and then the native marketing execution is, do I have the ability to actually push that message in my channel?
This is where you've seen some of these big cloud providers buying up email platforms so that they can drive that and drive the push messaging and those types of things. All of them getting into that space. The next one there, and this is a really important one and this is an interesting final frontier for a lot of people. The marketer managed. We work at Epsilon and Conversant in the fortune 500 enterprise client set. The idea of marketer managed works really, really well in a single brand organization or maybe an 800 pound gorilla brand within an enterprise type organization.
Marketer managed means that the marketer is in control of ingesting the data, bringing it together and then driving through all of the activation and orchestration. The reality is, stitching that data together has a level of complexity, it's a very unsexy part of this but it's about managing that metadata and the data about the data. How that data is stitch together. How do you bucket large sets of data. Do you bucket it in groups of five or do you give the actual identity or the actual number, integer number for each of those? That's a very unsexy part of it but if a brand does it one way and another brand does it another, then trying to do that across an enterprise is very, very complicated.
We see that marketer managed is being something that everybody is looking for and it's definitely something we push for in the segmentation and activation but the idea of ingesting and bringing that data together in enterprise level is something that is best left to IT organizations or systems integrators or others to drive the least sexy part of this which is data governance and how do you manage that across that so that data is consistent across brands and relative to each other at the enterprise level. Marketer managed is a very big buzz word that you're seeing driven through the CDP platforms today but as you see, it's not really done in many other places.
Then, the final one is real time decisioning. This is obviously critical. This involves both the ability to ingest data in real time, get it back out decisioned with some sort of real time decisioning, machine learning that builds and learns on its own modeling and drives those results out. Again, this is where we think the industry will leapfrog a lot of the, sort of the orchestration levels but that's going to take time. There is a lot of technology debt, there's a lot of investment and time and organizations that manage those workflows. Letting the machine do that is something that's technically capable today but is something that will take challenges, hurdles to overcome organizationally over the next several years.
All of that, those are the top decisions around the platforms if you will and then the final question is who is going to do the work? This is one ... we talked about earlier, that on the walled gardens in particular and true on the customer data management as well, there is a licensing cost and then there is a people cost. That people cost is not just in terms of the bodies it takes to do the work, to push the buttons, to drive the integration but it's also the expertise and the know how to say, "Hey, look, if I do this, is it going to drive efficiency downstream?"
"Is it going to be manageable in the next six months? How do I take care of that?" There's really several options here. A lot of agencies do this type of work. A lot of the big consultancy firms do this work. A lot of what you're seeing is, very much like in the late 90s where all of the accounting software was sort of centralized into one platform. The big consultancies has built practices around that. You're seeing that now with platforms that those consultancies are building big expertise, basis behind that, to drive off of these platforms. The good news on this front is there are people out there to do this work.
It's definitely worth considering as you budget for this, that doing this, without side help is critical because one of the biggest challenges that I have found organizations have is managing the career path for people that integrate or manage these systems over time. A lot of companies have made a big investment in a big cloud provider technology, they've hired somebody they thought that could take care of the job, that person comes in builds their resume, halfway through their project and leapfrogs their career and they're left holding half built, half integrated technology and try to chase that down.
The decision, not just around the technology platform but the availability of resources is a critical decision as you look at decisions around what you're going to decide. We're going to wrap with a case study around a retailer, that was a multi-brand retailer that had a big challenge and I would love to tell you that they picked one platform, it was ours Mesobase and it solved all their problems and that would be a fantastic case story for us, case study for us. The reality is, it's deeper than that. It takes ... this was a client of ours that already had big chess pieces on the board with Oracle and Adobe.
It was up to us to help them make sure they were leveraging those, not just for the length of the contract they had left but for the technology debt, they had already paid into it that could go even longer. We work with them not just to stand up a platform we call Mesobase but we work with them to build out a strategy and a technology roadmap for them that took and help them focus and articulate very clearly the problems they were trying to solve with their platform decisions. We help them build the roadmap and prioritize the problems they were going to solve at which point so that everybody had transparency and visibility into what to expect.
Then, we help them even with some of the organizational decisions around what does their organization need to look like today and tomorrow to support the evolution of this platform decision as they go forward and then putting in the governance and the processing around that to help them get the most out of not just the platform we delivered for them but the systems they already had in place. As you get to making decisions around which platforms to put in place, which ones to implement into your ecosystem, it's important to know what problems you're trying to solve.
It's important to internalize and that means the resources, the skillsets, those types of things, only where critical. Only where it moves your business. Focus on what your business is, where those people have career paths within your organization. Drive to measurement, excuse me. Drive to measurement. As Dave talked about earlier, measurement is the only way that you're able to see the results and articulate them very clearly. That doesn't just happen with math, with good data. It takes a drive and a push and a prioritization of that within your organization. Everything should be measured and everything should be measured from front to back.
Finally, budget. Budget not just for the licensing cost, not just for the infrastructure, not just for the operational cost, but budget for the know how and the expertise and the skillsets to stand up and help you drive the most value for the investments that you've made and those that you're about to make. With that, I will wrap for questions. There is one question on the screen. We got one on the screen and then ... where would you rank attribution in terms of ... that's from earlier. Okay. You got another for me? Do we want to come back to ... is this one that Dave answered before or ... okay.
It's funny you say the must haves. Attribution and identity are book ends in our opinion. Your attribution with bad identity leads to fragmented or bad attribution, whether Dave is one person or two, if you see him as two, then you're going to get double counts on what works or half counts where it did and didn't work. For us, identity and attribution go hand in hand. When you get the attribution right and you have the transparency into all the data, the attribution is just math. It just adds up and gives you what you need. For us, it goes hand in hand.
All right, any other questions online, in house? Fantastic. Well, thank you all very much. We appreciate your time and enjoy the rest of the show. I do. They're on the inside. Thank you. Yes.
Audience Member: Nice presentation.
Carl Madaffari: Thanks. Thank you.
---
## Six stats summing up the state of ecommerce post pandemic
Type: eps_resource
URL: /six-stats-summing-up-the-state-of-ecommerce-post-pandemic
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T22:17:52Z
# Six stats summing up the state of ecommerce post pandemic
The big picture
This transformation has been wide-ranging, leaving few consumer-facing sectors untouched and strategic imperatives such as ecommerce investment, digital marketing and customer loyalty all deeply affected.
7% experienced online business greater than predicted during 2020
78% of businesses believe this rapid online growth is permanent
79% of firms invested in their ecommerce channels during 2020 in response to the customer shift to online
70% of companies invested in digital marketing
6% of businesses say they feel under pressure to beat or maintain the peak in ecommerce achieved during 2020
7% of respondents say that even in this fast-evolving environment they are confident about attracting second-time customers.
In a nutshell
Epsilon’s research shows that the pandemic has dramatically accelerated the growth and maturation of ecommerce across a broad range of sectors and business types. This transformation is permanent, but organisations feel under real pressure to maintain their slice of the ecommerce action and justify their investment.
Find out more
For more insights download Epsilon's new report How to sustain the New Digital Momentum.
---
## The rideshare effect
Type: eps_resource
URL: /the-rideshare-effect
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T22:17:52Z
# The rideshare effect
The impact of rideshare services on the car rental industry
As rideshare services continue to increase in prevalence and accessibility, many are wondering what impact that has on the car rental industry.
Using our proprietary data assets, we analyzed $140 billion of travel transactions to find out what effect rideshare services have on car rental companies’ bottom lines and what to do about it.
---
## The Forrester Wave™: Customer Data Strategy & Activation Services, Q2 2022
Type: eps_resource
URL: /the-forrester-wave-customer-data-strategy-activation-services-q2-2022
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T22:16:49Z
# The Forrester Wave™: Customer Data Strategy & Activation Services, Q2 2022
Epsilon is named a leader in The Forrester Wave™: Customer Data Strategy & Activation Services, Q2 2022.
Data deprecation and increased privacy regulations are just a few of the issues marketers face in 2022—and if we’ve learned anything over the past few years, it’s that new challenges will continue to pop up. But marketers have a trick up their sleeves: first-party data.
Brands have the opportunity to acquire and harness the power of their first-party data in order to future-proof their marketing and reclaim their competitive advantage, but that’s easier said than done. Limits to the amount of first-party data brands can capture, siloed approaches to online and offline marketing and rapidly changing technology can lead to fractured customer journeys and difficult data management strategies. But with the right partner, things get easier.
To navigate this complicated landscape, Forrester created this report to evaluate customer data strategy and activation service providers on specific criteria, so marketers can find a partner that fits their needs. Epsilon is thrilled to be named a leader in the report, receiving the highest scores in 21 out of the 27 following criteria, including:
First party PII management
Data enrichment
Marketing technology
Privacy thought leadership
Partner ecosystem & more.
Epsilon also received the strongest strategy score out of all evaluated vendors.
A bit about us
Epsilon PeopleCloud is the only connected end-to-end marketing technology platform built to integrate within your ecosystems and interoperate with your other software solutions. Epsilon can help brands harness the power of their first-party data while ensuring their approaches are future proofed—so you’re ready no matter where the industry goes next. Download the full report to learn more about what Epsilon PeopleCloud can do for you.
---
## From personalization to profits in banking
Type: eps_resource
URL: /from-personalization-to-profits-in-banking
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# From personalization to profits in banking
What could you do if you understood your customers better?
Consumers crave integrated experiences from the brands they trust, including from their financial institutions. Banks and credit unions can develop deep connections with their customers and leverage insights to create intuitive experiences.
To do this, financial institutions need to build a data infrastructure with analytics capabilities to understand the entire customer journey. Personalization is essential and data opens the door to a differentiated value exchange with consumers in real-time.
Jim Stapleton, senior vice president at Epsilon, sat down with Jim Marous, co-publisher of The Financial Brand and host of the Financial Brand Banking Podcast to discuss how banks and credit unions can understand their customers' behavior better to strengthen relationships.
---
## Not-for-profit giving trends 2018
Type: eps_resource
URL: /not-for-profit-sector-trends
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T22:17:52Z
# Not-for-profit giving trends 2018
Download the non-for-profit sector trends report to understand the state of charitable giving from 2018, including:
Online vs. offline giving
Overall annual giving
Giving trends by sector
And more!
---
## Data quality audit
Type: eps_resource
URL: /data-quality-audit
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Data quality audit
Know more, do more, expect more with our #1 ranked consumer file
Because of our commitment to high-quality, performance-driven data, we authorized an in-depth, third-party audit of our compiled consumer file, TotalSource Plus®.
As a benchmark, the audit compares four main competitors with similarly positioned multi-sourced consumer databases.
Download the audit to see deeper analysis of:
File size and completeness
Data coverage
Data accuracy
Element similarity
Data performance
Reverse-append rate
---
## Bank CMOs and personalization - Insider Intelligence interview
Type: eps_resource
URL: /bank-cmos-and-personalization-insider-intelligence-interview
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Bank CMOs and personalization - Insider Intelligence interview
In a recent report for Insider Intelligence, Epsilon's Senior Vice President of Client Partnerships Jim Stapleton was interviewed as part of the research on the importance of personalization strategies amid looming economic uncertainty.
With budgets tightening, Stapleton lends his expert insight to explore how pursuing personalization strategies directly ties into the bottom line as it brings critical advantages to competitive differentiation in the long run. While creating personalized journeys is no small feat, personalized customer experiences were found to be vital in several aspects of successful customer interactions. Among other subjects, the research also delves into how to become a leading voice in digital transformation and the shifting priorities and roles for banking CMOs.
Looking to learn more? Read the full report "Bank CMOs and Personalization" on Insider Intelligence.
---
## 10 Types of Loyalty Programmes to Inspire Your Own
Type: eps_resource
URL: /10-types-of-loyalty-programmes-to-inspire-your-own
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T22:17:52Z
# 10 Types of Loyalty Programmes to Inspire Your Own
Businesses are always looking for new strategies that increase customer loyalty. According to Accenture, over 90% of companies use a loyalty programme of some kind. And for good reason!
But how do you start? If you’re considering a loyalty programme, how should it be structured?
Epsilon knows how to structure loyalty programmes for businesses of all sizes. Our platform offers seamless uptime and powers over 4 billion messages every month at 96% accuracy.
Ultimately, what matters is meeting your customers where they are. So the best programme for any business is one that engages customers in ways they find meaningful and valuable. Below, we’ll break down 10 types of loyalty programmes to help you find the right one for you.
10 Types of Loyalty Programmes
1. Points-Based Programmes
Volume-based programmes—specifically points programmes—are the original loyalty and customer rewards structure. The amount customers spend correlates to the reward they get.
In a points system, points are then redeemed for discounts or additional merchandise after reaching some established threshold. For example, accumulating 100 points might require spending €1000.
Upon reaching the threshold, a loyal customer might be entitled to:
A promotional T-shirt, mug, or tote bag
A 5% discount on one (select) purchase
Access to limited-edition merchandise
With traditional points programmes, the reward rate is flat. Regardless of customers’ individual spending, or the items purchased, they’ll all receive the same reward at the same threshold.
2. Cash-Back Programmes
Cash-back programmes are better regarded as a subtype of their point-based counterparts.
Instead of accumulating points, customers earn back currency at a set rate, which can be spent at their discretion—depending on your programme’s terms.
Despite how much we’d all enjoy receiving envelopes of legal tender, sending physical notes to customers isn’t a good idea.
Instead, the archetype for these programmes has been established by credit card companies.
A given card’s rewards typically include a set cash-back percentage on each card purchase, which is then collectively applied to your next billing statement or at the end of the year.
For businesses, accrued cash-back rewards are often applied during a future purchase.
Often, these rewards are only applicable to a business’s own offerings, which somewhat muddies the distinction between points programmes. And not placing loyalty constraints on your programme may incentivise more customers to sign up, but you risk them spending their reward elsewhere.
Of course, that’s a little easier for credit card companies to achieve, as their business relates to the payment method.
Still, many companies have partnered with the likes of Mastercard and Visa to launch branded credit cards that incentivise purchasing their goods and services.
3. Tiered Programmes
Tiered programmes take the idea of points and apply volume- or frequency-based thresholds for even better rewards.
Customers who spend enough or regularly enough—e.g., spend €500 annually or make five purchases per month—will eventually enter into a higher reward tier.
On the business side, the main differences between these and other programmes include:
Points programmes often operate on a flat rewards structure applying to all purchases
Tiered programmes require additional tracking for a greater variety of loyalty rewards
However, your customers will be further incentivised by the allure of higher-value rewards at the next level. Those on the cusp of a new tier will be more likely to place more or larger orders.
4. Category-Based Programmes
Another approach to tiered programmes is applying different accumulation rates based on product categories. For this model, higher value or margin products reward a better return.
For example, suppose customers spending €500 at a given electronics store would normally earn 50 points (€10 per point). With tiered products, they might instead earn 93 points:
80 points for a €400 laptop, at €5 per point (i.e., x2 bonus rate multiplier)
8 points for €50 headphones, at roughly €6 per point (i.e., x1.5 bonus rate, rounded)
5 points for €50 in other accessories, all valued at €10 per point (i.e., normal rate)
Similarly, rates can be temporarily increased for promotional value or to facilitate turnover.
5. Membership Programmes
Memberships invert the traditional loyalty programme by assigning a fee or other condition upfront. After customers have earned membership, they’re given access to rewards or better deals. Some businesses have even adopted member-customer-only sales models (e.g., Costco).
The upfront fee is seen as little to no hurdle when instant rewards and gratification are on offer.
Aside from fees, membership programmes are a phenomenal means to gather customer data. Personal data protections are increasing globally, which impacts marketers' ability to develop engagement strategies. As perceptions of data (and its value) change, more transactional relationships emerge. An analogous example can be seen in the B2B space with gated content.
6. Coalition Programmes
Loyalty coalitions are groups of businesses that share one rewards programme. Whenever customers shop at one, they earn points redeemable on purchases from any coalition member.
The major benefit of coalition programmes is customers' greater willingness to sign up. They're more likely to join when they know their rewards aren't limited to a single brand. However, this also means loyalty is directed towards the coalition rather than your company in particular.
7. Community Affiliation Programmes
Community affiliation programmes invert coalition programmes, creating coalitions of buyers that collectively benefit from any purchase made by people affiliated with the group. The rewards apply to the community, which—in theory—uses them for each individual’s benefit.
Suppose you run an eCommerce sporting goods business and have built designated links for a specific club to reach your storefront or have a dropdown option at checkout for them to select whom they play for. Purchasing items like boots or shin guards earn points for the team's account.
These points can then be used to purchase equipment necessary for the whole group. In this way, all group members benefit, rather than just the individual members placing the orders.
8. Referral Programmes
Not all loyalty programmes require a purchase or direct up-front cost.
Whenever your current customers refer your business to their network, you could reward them. The biggest consideration with referral programmes is recording (often) offline referrals, with:
Designated links for redemption
Single-use codes (i.e. via SMS)
Phone or (e)mail confirmation
Many customers will appreciate the chance to earn rewards without spending money. Further, your business may benefit more than from small-volume sales depending on your customer acquisition costs, average lifetime customer value, and other metrics you should be tracking.
9. Activity Programmes
Another avenue for your customers to earn rewards is participating in activities promoting or utilising the goods you sell. For example, if you sell athletic wear, you could develop an app for tracking fitness. Customers who reach certain goals can earn rewards while feeling your brand's support. They'll then be more likely to purchase your products as their athletic gear wears out.
Every eCommerce business benefits from detailed customer reviews, for many reasons.
So, why not award customers with points for every product review they leave? Even better, if they include photos or videos of the products in use, they can earn double or triple points.
There are infinite ways you can develop deeper relationships with your customers and provide rewards that incentivise future engagement. They don’t always have to purchase them to earn them.
10. Values-Based Programmes
Some customers may be incentivised most by rewards benefiting causes they care about.
When implementing a value programme, you could provide customers with a list of charities or causes you’ll donate to on their behalf when they reach specific points thresholds. Or customers can redeem their points toward donations and actually make the charitable gifts themselves.
As with other programmes above, these rewards can also be geared toward specific product categories, or tiered. For example, purchases of pet products (e.g., food and toys) can earn bonus points toward or trigger an automatic donation to animal rescue funds.
Build the Best Loyalty Programme For You
When it comes to building the best loyalty programme for you and your customers, you need data-driven insights to determine what resonates with them—you need to identify touchpoints and engagement frequencies that carry the greatest impact. Epsilon makes that easy.
As the global leader in outcome-based marketing strategies, our solutions and expertise will help you identify the perfect loyalty programme for your customers. Reach out to us today to learn about why our partners trust us with more than 600 million of their loyalty customers.
More of Your Loyalty Programme Questions Answered
Why Should I Start a Loyalty Programme?
How Much Does it Cost to Start a Loyalty Programme?
How Do I Get Customers to Sign Up for a Loyalty Programme?
---
## How to navigate Black Friday uncertainty 2022
Type: eps_resource
URL: /how-to-navigate-black-friday-uncertainty-2022
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T22:17:52Z
# How to navigate Black Friday uncertainty 2022
As another Black Friday approaches, once again, it takes place during another challenging economic climate for retailers. As a result, they will need to adjust their strategies to reflect these trading conditions.
Epsilon has identified six distinct retailer personas, each with specific traits and objectives linked to this critical promotional period. And for each one, we’ve suggested actions they could take to help them deliver a successful Black Friday.
You will learn:
The challenges of crystal ball gazing
Get set for Black Friday!
The importance of going early
Setting yourself up for Black Friday success and beyond with a customer data platform
What kind of Black Friday retailer are you? The six Black Friday retailer personas
5 Key takeaways
---
## Another Black Friday and another set of retailer challenges
Type: eps_resource
URL: /another-black-friday-and-another-set-of-retailer-challenges
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T22:17:52Z
# Another Black Friday and another set of retailer challenges
Much can happen in a year, and retailers can attest to this. A year on from Black Friday 2021, retailers face yet more challenges – but a different set – as they attempt to navigate this key trading time.
So how have things changed in the last year? Well, let’s compare this year’s challenges to those of 2021.
Download the guide here.
---
## The real value of value exchange in loyalty
Type: eps_resource
URL: /the-real-value-of-value-exchange-in-loyalty
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# The real value of value exchange in loyalty
In the age of shifting loyalties, loyalty marketing is the ace up the CMO’s sleeve.
When done right, loyalty programs deepen consumer trust because it shows you’re listening to what people want. And in a post-COVID world, trust is marketing gold. But the loyalty paradigm is evolving.
Download the whitepaper to learn why creating a true value exchange with your customers will:
Create long-lasting relationships and reinforce brand loyalty
Help mitigate the impact of third-party cookie deprecation
Get you the first-party data you need to fuel your marketing
Create intrinsic rewards that make customers feel human
Let’s tap into the science behind the loyalty value exchange and make consumers fall in love with your brand again.
---
## The CPG Guys: Outcome-based customer journey marketing
Type: eps_resource
URL: /the-cpg-guys-outcome-based-customer-journey-marketing
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T22:17:52Z
# The CPG Guys: Outcome-based customer journey marketing
The CPG Guys are joined in this episode by our own Dan Perez, SVP of CPG media solutions at Epsilon. In this episode, the experts answer pressing industry questions, like:
How Publicis Groupe's acquisition of Epsilon creates synergy for clients, coupled with the addition of Citrus Ad.
Why our latest solution—verified purchase optimization powered on the IRI platform—means a better analytics engine for optimization.
How we measure success for our CPG clients, and what metrics truly matter when it comes to measurement.
How Epsilon can help brands retain their most loyal customers and keep them from brand switching due to price promotions.
Our key capabilities and data assets.
Why AI and ML is at the center of everything we do, and how we leverage the power of tech to analyze and forecast.
It's a stimulating and fun conversation you won't want to miss.
---
## Path to Purchase Institute: CPG Industry Outlook with guest Dan Perez
Type: eps_resource
URL: /path-to-purchase-institute-industry-outlook-with-dan-perez
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Path to Purchase Institute: CPG Industry Outlook with guest Dan Perez
As part of the Industry Outlook video program, Dan Perez, SVP at Epsilon, talks with Lori Pugh Marcum, Events Content Director at Path to Purchase Institute, about new trends and solutions to challenges marketers are facing. Watch the video to learn about the impact of inflation, changing consumer behavior and how CPGs can benefit from verified purchase optimization.
---
## The Rise of Value and Emotional Driven Loyalty
Type: eps_resource
URL: /the-rise-of-value-and-emotional-driven-loyalty
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# The Rise of Value and Emotional Driven Loyalty
In this episode of Let’s Talk Loyalty, host Paula Thomas speaks to Ralph Browning, Business Development Director at Epsilon, why brands needs to switch from targeting 'coupon cutters' to building community, content and charity in order to reinvigorate the loyalty space and secure access to customers' valuable first party data.
In this discussion, Ralph showcases some exciting ideas that have been launched recently by some of Epsilon’s clients. including the latest innovation in FMCG loyalty, with Kelloggs as one iconic industry leader that’s creating compelling new concepts to connect with their end customers.
Ralph also shares the strategies he believes are important to drive loyalty in 2022, and the increasing importance of connecting with consumers in meaningful ways to drive your brand loyalty.
{{cta('50fe76f9-d840-45de-8c12-5247148e7c0e')}}
---
## Gain insight into your customers' spend with your competitors and beyond
Type: eps_resource
URL: /emarketer-tech-talk-tuesday-webinar
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Gain insight into your customers' spend with your competitors and beyond
Do you know where your customers spend when they aren’t spending with you?
Watch this on-demand webinar with eMarketer—featuring Jason Simon, senior vice president of sales, and Amit Deshpande, senior vice president of analytics, at Epsilon—to learn:
The spending habits of the customers you know and the customers you want to know
How customers spend with your competitors and with brands outside of your industry
How to use insights to create more relevant experiences and gain wallet share
What a global hotel brand did to transform their analytics and improve personalization
---
## Future-proof your first-party data strategy: The marketer’s blueprint
Type: eps_resource
URL: /future-proof-your-first-party-data-strategy-the-marketers-blueprint
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T22:17:52Z
# Future-proof your first-party data strategy: The marketer’s blueprint
Many marketers are struggling to build a corporate-level first-party data strategy. Especially those managing disconnected brand teams amidst organizational changes and the ever-changing ad tech industry.
In this webinar, Kate Sirkin, EVP of Global Data Partnerships at Epsilon, joined by guest speaker Stephanie Liu, Privacy & Marketing Analyst at Forrester, will lay the groundwork of today’s consumer data landscape and provide a blueprint to help your organization build a strong foundation of data, so you can prepare for what’s to come. They will share clear steps, benefits, and challenges associated with market and category maturity to help marketers win with data-driven strategies from now until post 2024.
The blueprint will include:
Why you need a first-party data strategy
Requirements & a step-by-step plan to get started
How leading brands are succeeding
Criteria to choose the right partner
---
## From destination marketing to destination management
Type: eps_resource
URL: /from-destination-marketing-to-destination-management
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T22:17:52Z
# From destination marketing to destination management
As we approach 2023, destination marketers can no longer rely on absorbing existing demand as part of their marketing impact. Now it’s about actively building demand. With consumers looking to spend more time researching and comparing costs as they plan their holidays, while travel is a growing market, it’s also even more competitive. Now is the time to start afresh and upgrade your marketing approach.
While the past years have caused an abrupt disruption to the industry, for DMOs, it also presents a key inflection point: to continue marketing as usual, or to meet the need of showing clear, demonstrable ROI for their destination. For many, resting on laurels or “what we’ve always done” isn’t a viable option.
Featuring insights from Epsilon and destination marketers, this guide is designed to help DMOs adapt to changing customer needs, today and in the future, to deliver results that meet and exceed stakeholder expectations.
You will learn:
Marketing strategies that lead to clear, demonstrable ROI for your community.
Specific action items to help ground your efforts and kickstart your evolution.
Case studies of travel and tourism organizations that have successfully boosted their ROI.
Insights from other destination marketers on their COVID challenges and successes.
---
## Report on State of Loyalty Marketing in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia Launched
Type: eps_resource
URL: /state-of-loyalty-marketing-in-ksa-0
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Report on State of Loyalty Marketing in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia Launched
Epsilon and Martechvibe undertakes a study to evaluate the challenges marketers face when building loyalty programmes in the region, injecting data and intelligence and consumer trends.
The State of Loyalty report aims to establish the relationship between loyalty drivers, attitudes, and consumer behaviour. This report will study operational challenges, market dynamics across the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, consumer behaviour and success metrics. It seeks to highlight the maturity of loyalty marketing in the region.
The Middle East marketing community is witnessing huge changes. Brands are leveraging technology to better understand their consumers, identify pain points and deliver to rising customer expectations in real-time with personalised recommendations. Enterprises are investing heavily in Martech stacks that can action these ambitious strategies at scale.
Data is at the heart of increasing retention, especially in a competitive landscape.
Loyalty marketing is critical towards this objective.
The report aims to uncover;
Loyalty programme mechanics
Consumer behaviours and benefit assessment
Cost and value of implementation
Scaling up tech stacks
Channels and analytics
---
## The digital media marketer's guide to bulls**t metrics
Type: eps_resource
URL: /digitalmedia-bsmetrics
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# The digital media marketer's guide to bulls**t metrics
In a world of KPIs, ROAS and CPAs, understanding your marketing’s real impact may have you saying, “IDK.”
Measurement is the bread and butter of any good marketing campaign—but no single metric is going to give you a full picture of your performance. Each metric is a piece of a giant puzzle: The “right” metric may not fit if you place it incorrectly, and the “wrong” metric may fit just fine, but end up creating a distorted picture. You need to choose metrics that fit together in the right ways.
So, why should you give a s**t?
Your marketing is only as good as your metrics. Using metrics incorrectly can inflate (or deflate) your true marketing efforts, which means you’re wasting time and money.
This guide will help you understand which metrics actually bolster your marketing efforts instead of ones that just make you feel good. And, by the end, you’ll be able to identify a partner who won’t sell you a load of bulls**t.
---
## Interactive guide: How to future-proof your first-party data strategy
Type: eps_resource
URL: /interactive-guide-how-to-future-proof-your-first-party-data-strategy
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T22:17:52Z
# Interactive guide: How to future-proof your first-party data strategy
Organizational changes, ad-tech evolution and privacy regulations are keeping marketers on their toes—and leaving many struggling to build a corporate-level first-party data (1PD) strategy amongst the chaos.
And with the cookie deprecation on the horizon, marketers need to act fast. According to a study conducted by Epsilon, 80% of marketers are ‘very’ or ‘moderately’ reliant on third-party cookies.
Feeling overwhelmed? Don't worry—we can help. This blueprint will share clear steps, benefits and challenges associated with market and category maturity to help marketers win with data-driven strategies post 2023.
Click through to learn:
Why you need a first-party data strategy
Requirements & a step-by-step plan to get started
How leading brands are succeeding
Criteria to choose the right partner
---
## Cost of living research - Today’s Cost-Conscious Consumer Spending Traits
Type: eps_resource
URL: /cost-of-living-research
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T22:17:52Z
# Cost of living research - Today’s Cost-Conscious Consumer Spending Traits
As the economic climate changes, so are people's buying behaviours. Here's a snapshot of what's currently happening at the minute.
---
## 5 ideas for destination marketing organisations to take advantage of the returning travel market
Type: eps_resource
URL: /ideas-for-destination-marketing-organisations-to-take-advantage-of-the-returning-travel-market
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# 5 ideas for destination marketing organisations to take advantage of the returning travel market
Looking for inspiration? Then download our Future of Tourism ebookand gain new information, insights, and ideas on how to shift your marketingto embrace the new travel reality.
---
## Epsilon Loyalty Index - Australia
Type: eps_resource
URL: /epsilon-loyalty-index-australia-2023
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Epsilon Loyalty Index - Australia
---
## 8 best practices for a successful loyalty programme
Type: eps_resource
URL: /best-practices-for-a-successful-loyalty-programme
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# 8 best practices for a successful loyalty programme
---
## E-book: Building (and future-proofing) your first-party data strategy
Type: eps_resource
URL: /e-book-building-and-future-proofing-your-first-party-data-strategy
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T22:17:52Z
# E-book: Building (and future-proofing) your first-party data strategy
Yes, marketers, you need a first-party data strategy.
Many marketers want to build a corporate-level first-party data strategy but feel overwhelmed with organizational changes, ad-tech evolution and privacy regulations. If this sounds familiar, we have something that can help.
Read the e-book to learn:
Why you need a first-party data strategy
Requirements & a step-by-step plan to get started
Why you need to future-proof your first-party data strategy
How leading brands are succeeding
Criteria to choose the right partner
---
## The Real Deal: Customer satisfaction in email marketing
Type: eps_resource
URL: /the-real-deal-email-marketing-customer-satisfaction
Last Modified: 2025-07-03T18:50:54Z
# The Real Deal: Customer satisfaction in email marketing
How are you measuring satisfaction with your ESP (email service provider) today?
Watch this 1 minute, 15 second video for a snapshot on questions to ask yourself about ESP satisfaction.
---
## When creative clicks: What people really notice when it comes to your ads
Type: eps_resource
URL: /when-creative-clicks-what-people-really-notice-when-it-comes-your-ads
Last Modified: 2025-08-15T16:01:03Z
# When creative clicks: What people really notice when it comes to your ads
What do consumers really notice when they see your ad creative?
We surveyed 500+ US consumers to uncover which aspects of everyday ads catch their eye, shape their opinions and influence buying decisions. This report shares the surprising creative elements that matter most—and what marketers need to prioritize to stay memorable without fading into the background.
Dive into the full findings in the report.
---
## The new customer journey: How to reach the modern consumer with messages that matter
Type: eps_resource
URL: /adweek-cdp-cleanroom-webinar-2026
Last Modified: 2026-03-17T16:40:25Z
# The new customer journey: How to reach the modern consumer with messages that matter
Can you reach your customers on all their channels?
The modern consumer is engaging with the digital world differently, making it difficult for marketers to identify and deliver seamless experiences. But with the right tech, marketers can maintain a unified view of known and unknown customers and build orchestrated experiences across paid and owned channels, wherever customers are.
In this webinar, we will break down what tools marketers need to get there and why data and identity resolution are critical to better outcomes.
Hear Epsilon's Kate Sirkin and Rachel Cascisa and Publicis Groupe's Gavin Brown discuss:
How brands must deploy tech tools that put the customer experience and path to purchase at the center
Why identity resolution is critical in today’s digital world
How deploying integrated tech solutions, like CDPs and data clean rooms, gives marketers the power to know their customers more deeply and deliver personalized, relevant campaigns across paid and owned channels
---
## AI is packaging up consumer insights for CPGs
Type: eps_resource
URL: /ai-is-packaging-up-consumer-sights-cpgs
Last Modified: 2025-06-17T18:54:59Z
# AI is packaging up consumer insights for CPGs
CPGs aren’t just dabbling in AI—they’re going all in.
A staggering 96% of CPG marketers say they’re using AI to support their marketing efforts, according to data from The state of AI in marketing. From uncovering consumer trends to accelerating product development, find out what’s behind this surge in adoption—and what it means for the future of CPG. Get the insights in one quick infographic.
Epsilon Pulse is the beating heart of Epsilon’s proprietary research. Designed to produce relevant and up-to-date insights about consumers, marketers and their preferences, Epsilon Pulse helps brands better understand the adtech and martech industry so they can make informed, data-driven marketing decisions.
---
## Boost AI performance with smarter data strategies
Type: eps_resource
URL: /ai-performance-smarter-data-strategies-webinar
Last Modified: 2025-10-07T20:14:28Z
# Boost AI performance with smarter data strategies
AI is transforming marketing, but only when it’s powered by the right data.
Without clean, current and well-organized inputs, even the most advanced models can misfire, leading to missed opportunities and wasted spend. Quality data fuels smarter segmentation, personalization and optimization at scale. But where do you start, and how do you ensure your foundation is strong enough to support meaningful AI outcomes?
In this webinar recording, IDC guest speaker and research director Lynne Schneider joined Epsilon's Senior Vice President of Product Management, Gillian McPherson, for a practical conversation on building a data strategy that unlocks AI’s full potential.
What you’ll learn
Why clean, high-quality data drives stronger AI
How to close data gaps with identity resolution and third-party sources
What questions to ask partners to strengthen your data foundation
---
## How AI is serving up better dining experiences for restaurant marketers
Type: eps_resource
URL: /how-ai-is-serving-up-better-dining-experiences-restaurant-marketers
Last Modified: 2025-06-27T18:17:03Z
# How AI is serving up better dining experiences for restaurant marketers
Here's what we know: AI is reshaping marketing as we speak. That much is clear—but marketers across different sectors aren't approaching AI the same way. Each industry faces unique hurdles. Take restaurants and QSRs (quick service restaurants), for instance: they're leveraging AI to address specific challenges around operational efficiency and personalization. According to the Epsilon Pulse report, The state of AI in marketing, a whopping 94% of restaurant marketers are already incorporating AI into their marketing prep and execution.
Sure, AI has become a must-have in every marketer's arsenal, but it's worth peeling back the layers to see exactly how and why the restaurant industry is putting AI to work. We break it down in the infographic.
---
## Costco and Epsilon: Using retail media to drive business and member value
Type: eps_resource
URL: /costco-retail-media
Last Modified: 2025-05-08T20:57:04Z
# Costco and Epsilon: Using retail media to drive business and member value
Costco’s retail media strategy starts with what makes the brand unique—its members. In this conversation, Mark Williamson, Assistant VP of Retail Media at Costco, talks with Epsilon Retail Media's Austin Leonard about how the warehouse club is using retail media to fuel growth, drive member value and keep the “treasure hunt” alive.
“Epsilon has been a great partner to help us accelerate our offsite ambition, whether it’s through CORE ID or through private exchange,” shared Mark.
From in-warehouse signage to personalized offsite ads, every touchpoint is backed by rich member data and a deep commitment to relevance. With Epsilon’s CORE ID and turnkey solutions, Costco is scaling its reach beyond the warehouse—while ensuring that every media dollar delivers measurable impact for brands and more value for members.
In the conversation, Mark and Austin discuss:
Why Costco’s trusted member relationships create a unique retail media opportunity
The evolving role of offsite media in reaching more members
How Costco’s partnership with Epsilon is driving speed-to-market and relevant member connections
Learn how Epsilon helps the world’s biggest brands connect with real people.
---
## Identity drives end-to-end retail media outcomes
Type: eps_resource
URL: /idc-whitepaper-retail-media-identity
Last Modified: 2025-09-12T19:09:21Z
# Identity drives end-to-end retail media outcomes
Retail media networks (RMNs) are growing fast—but many retailers still lack the core infrastructure needed to unlock their full potential. Chief among these missing elements? Identity.
In a new white paper, sponsored by Epsilon, titled "Identity Drives End-to-End Retail Media Outcomes," IDC’s Ananda Chakravarty explains why person-level identity is essential to driving outcomes in retail media—and how end-to-end solutions built around identity can future-proof RMNs for scale and success.
“Person-level identity is key to targeting, closed-loop attribution, data, and personalized scaled activation of ads. Without such capabilities, technology and staffing are rendered useless,” Chakravarty writes. “Retail media requires retailers to work with partners that not only offer a broad set of services but also bring identity infrastructure, experience, and expertise to deliver results.”
Download this white paper to learn why person-level identity is the engine behind every retail media outcome.
---
## The Real Deal on personalizing creative at scale
Type: eps_resource
URL: /-real-deal-personalizing-creative-at-scale
Last Modified: 2025-12-12T17:45:20Z
# The Real Deal on personalizing creative at scale
How to leverage data and identity to personalize ad creative
Think you're personalizing your ads? Think again. True ad personalization goes beyond targeting the right audience—it's about creating unique experiences that resonate for each individual customer.
Data is the backbone of personalization. If you don’t have meaningful insights about a customer’s unique needs, preferences and past behavior, it’s almost impossible to tailor each element of an ad to that person. Plain and simple.
Strong identity resolution makes it possible to deliver that message across multiple channels and formats to the correct individual. Without identity resolution, you risk missing your customers completely.
Why data and identity are essential for dynamic creative optimization (DCO)
Marketers need to remember that data and identity is essential for a worthwhile dynamic creative optimization (DCO) solution.
DCO uses real-time data to tailor content within an ad to the individual. When coupled with rich customer insights and the ability to find and reach unique people across channels, marketers can:
Achieve true personalization at scale by eliminating manual work and increasing speed to market,
Optimize messages based on customers’ unique preferences,
Deliver messages across channels in a brand compliant and unified voice
Continuously explore the possibility of data-fueled creativity.
How Epsilon can help
In the short video, Stacy Ward, SVP of client creative at Epsilon, shares how data, identity resolution and AI-powered dynamic creative optimization (DCO) can transform your marketing from generic messaging to truly personalized experiences that drive real engagement.
Ready to move beyond buzzwords and create authentic, meaningful customer interactions? Watch the full video to learn more.
---
## Too much of a good thing? How consumers perceive ad repetition
Type: eps_resource
URL: /too-much-good-thing-how-consumers-perceive-ad-repetition
Last Modified: 2025-08-14T15:57:49Z
# Too much of a good thing? How consumers perceive ad repetition
Do consumers notice when your ads repeat—and does it change how they feel about your brand? Hint: It does.
We surveyed 500+ US consumers to uncover how often they notice ad repetition, how it shapes their opinions about what they're purchasing, and whether it influences their likelihood to buy. This report reveals when memorability turns into frustration—and what marketers need to know to strike the right balance.
Dive into the report for more findings.
---
## The CTV paradox: More streaming choices, less customer connection
Type: eps_resource
URL: /-ctv-paradox-more-streaming-choices-less-customer-connection
Last Modified: 2026-04-30T18:51:20Z
# The CTV paradox: More streaming choices, less customer connection
Connected TV (CTV) isn't new and shiny anymore—it's a core part of the digital marketing mix. And with the explosion of streaming options and the sheer volume of content flowing through these platforms, marketers should be ecstatic—but it's harder than ever to reach and maintain a connection with people. Why? Because of the streaming paradox: more platforms, more data and less connection with the audiences that matter most.
As consumers hop between ad-supported streaming services and devices, maintaining consistent reach, controlling frequency and proving performance can feel nearly impossible for brands—but it doesn't have to.
In this AdAge webinar replay, Meggie Giancola, EVP, Head of Epsilon Media Solutions at Publicis Groupe and Moe Ismail, SVP, Product Management at Epsilon unpack this streaming paradox and explore how identity-driven, audience-first CTV strategies help brands cut through fragmentation.
Key takeaways include:
Why streaming fragmentation is weakening traditional reach, frequency and relevance
How an audience-first CTV approach can alleviate many of these challenges
What makes CTV the best channel to expand reach to both prospects and existing customers
How the right partner can turn CTV into a measurable, connected driver of digital performance
Ready to press play?
---
## Solving the retail media challenge of scale and attribution
Type: eps_resource
URL: /ahold-delhaize-usa-webinar
Last Modified: 2025-05-22T18:55:00Z
# Solving the retail media challenge of scale and attribution
Today’s shoppers move fluidly between digital and physical channels—browsing online, buying in-store and engaging across countless touch points. For retailers, keeping up requires more than broad reach. It demands a connected retail media strategy built on identity, enabling accurate measurement and more meaningful engagement.
In this exclusive RETHINK Retail webinar, Austin Leonard, SVP of Business Development at Epsilon, sits down with Margit Kittridge, Retail Media Technology Lead at Ahold Delhaize USA, to share how person-level identity helped one of the world’s largest food retailers tackle fragmentation and attribution challenges.
In this candid fireside chat, they reveal how identity-based targeting and unified attribution are reshaping campaign activation, performance tracking and the value delivered to both brands and shoppers.
---
## The Real Deal on AI and ad creative
Type: eps_resource
URL: /-real-deal-ai-ad-creative
Last Modified: 2025-12-09T20:49:07Z
# The Real Deal on AI and ad creative
Why marketers struggle to deliver personalized experiences to consumers
As marketers, our mission is to create hyper-personalized experiences that truly resonate with people. And how an ad looks—the different visual elements like colors, imagery and text—shape those experiences.
Unfortunately, crafting meaningful experiences has gotten harder and harder as brands continue to tighten their belts and decrease ad spend while recessionary fears and tariff uncertainties grow, and many marketers are looking for ways to do more with less.
How generative and predictive AI can help marketers deliver personalized ad experiences
In this short video, Stacy Ward, SVP of client creative at Epsilon, explains the difference between generative AI and predictive AI (learn more about how marketers are using AI today in our Epsilon Pulse research—and why you need both to deliver hyper-personalized ad experiences that actually convert.
She shares how ads that are tailor-made to each customer and their preferences are more efficient and impactful, ultimately helping brands maximize their budget and decrease ad waste.
And while tailoring each ad and the creative elements within the ad to an individual, at scale, is no walk in the park, advancements in predictive and generative AI have made it possible.
In this video, we discuss:
A high-level overview of dynamic creative optimization (DCO)
How to define predictive and generative AI and how to leverage each to fuel DCO
How Epsilon can help
Watch the full video to learn more.
---
## How TD Bank is making marketing more human
Type: eps_resource
URL: /td-bank-marketing-personalization-webinar
Last Modified: 2026-06-11T16:20:53Z
# How TD Bank is making marketing more human
In a machine-driven world, a marketing strategy and client experience framework that puts people at the center can be the strongest way to stand out. Through strategic use of data, AI-powered technology, cross-channel orchestration, and advanced insights, marketers can not only anticipate what their clients need, but deliver personalized messages that matter.
Learn first-hand from TD Bank’s Rejeesh Ramachandran and Epsilon’s Michael Smith as they discuss TD Bank’s approach of how to use data-rich strategies to build more human connections in the digital age.
Key Takeaways:
Data and the right technology play an essential role in creating a connected, omnichannel experience.
Next-gen tech like AI can turn data into actionable insights, enabling greater personalization at scale.
Customer-centricity is the future of banking in a digital‑first world.
---
## More Is More: Epsilon’s MacPherson Argues Broader Data Is the Key to Better AI
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-12-12T15:22:02Z
# More Is More: Epsilon’s MacPherson Argues Broader Data Is the Key to Better AI
---
## Why Multi-Channel Activation is Crucial for Proving CTV’s Value
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2026-06-19T11:01:29Z
# Why Multi-Channel Activation is Crucial for Proving CTV’s Value
---
## Inside Publicis Groupe's Surprise Acquisition of ID Business Lotame
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-03-26T20:08:41Z
# Inside Publicis Groupe's Surprise Acquisition of ID Business Lotame
---
## Epsilon’s Heather Campain: Identity Resolution Transforms Transactional Relationships Into Personal Connections
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-10-13T18:46:24Z
# Epsilon’s Heather Campain: Identity Resolution Transforms Transactional Relationships Into Personal Connections
---
## Campaign’s Inspiring Women Awards 2025 shortlist revealed
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-03-21T10:16:28Z
# Campaign’s Inspiring Women Awards 2025 shortlist revealed
---
## From Spikes to Synergy: Why Seasonal Moments Need Evergreen Muscle
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-08-18T18:00:43Z
# From Spikes to Synergy: Why Seasonal Moments Need Evergreen Muscle
---
## How to fix a leaky retail media pipeline
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2026-05-07T18:35:43Z
# How to fix a leaky retail media pipeline
---
## Why data accuracy matters more than data scale amid the rise of AI
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2026-06-18T12:56:07Z
# Why data accuracy matters more than data scale amid the rise of AI
---
## The cause of, and solution to, most media headaches? It’s the identity, stupid
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2026-02-04T12:50:28Z
# The cause of, and solution to, most media headaches? It’s the identity, stupid
---
## 2026 Shopper Marketing Predictions: What’s Shaping the Next Era of Commerce
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-12-11T21:25:37Z
# 2026 Shopper Marketing Predictions: What’s Shaping the Next Era of Commerce
---
## For HFSS sake: How brand strategy will be reshaped in 2026
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2026-01-23T17:39:05Z
# For HFSS sake: How brand strategy will be reshaped in 2026
---
## How AI agents will reshape every part of marketing
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2026-05-07T18:39:20Z
# How AI agents will reshape every part of marketing
---
## These myths might be hurting your CTV planning
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2026-05-07T18:20:20Z
# These myths might be hurting your CTV planning
---
## Who you gonna call when your CTV strategy is a mess?
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2026-07-10T15:11:02Z
# Who you gonna call when your CTV strategy is a mess?
---
## Publicis hires an Epsilon CEO as data becomes core to its growth strategy
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-10-24T17:54:31Z
# Publicis hires an Epsilon CEO as data becomes core to its growth strategy
---
## How hyper‑personalized gamified loyalty is changing the game
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2026-05-07T18:57:33Z
# How hyper‑personalized gamified loyalty is changing the game
---
## Connecting Category Management To Shopper Experience
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-10-28T17:59:13Z
# Connecting Category Management To Shopper Experience
---
## Why AI Has Ended the Probabilistic vs Deterministic Data Debate
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2026-06-05T16:41:36Z
# Why AI Has Ended the Probabilistic vs Deterministic Data Debate
---
## Retail media is the engine, not the destination
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-09-05T12:39:24Z
# Retail media is the engine, not the destination
---
## Epsilon, New York Times Advertising, Sela and Newcastle United are among the 2024 Digiday Awards Europe winners
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2026-02-04T12:50:38Z
# Epsilon, New York Times Advertising, Sela and Newcastle United are among the 2024 Digiday Awards Europe winners
---
## Agentic might be changing the game, but data still determines who wins
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2026-05-07T19:00:43Z
# Agentic might be changing the game, but data still determines who wins
---
## Five key trends shaping the future of retail media in 2025
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-03-10T05:33:47Z
# Five key trends shaping the future of retail media in 2025
---
## Parents prioritize value, convenience during back-to-school shopping
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-08-04T17:46:51Z
# Parents prioritize value, convenience during back-to-school shopping
---
## Why DSW teamed with Epsilon to bring footwear brands to retail media
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-09-10T18:12:06Z
# Why DSW teamed with Epsilon to bring footwear brands to retail media
---
## Creative Dining Shifts: Understanding Guest Behavior Amid Rising Costs
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-09-10T18:10:01Z
# Creative Dining Shifts: Understanding Guest Behavior Amid Rising Costs
---
## John Lewis Partnership rolls out offsite advertising for partners
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-07-03T14:46:02Z
# John Lewis Partnership rolls out offsite advertising for partners
---
## AI, Identity and Blurring of Digital and Physical Worlds Drive Retail Media’s Future, Say Uber, Albertsons and Epsilon Leaders
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-07-15T13:42:06Z
# AI, Identity and Blurring of Digital and Physical Worlds Drive Retail Media’s Future, Say Uber, Albertsons and Epsilon Leaders
---
## Publicis Groupe to buy Lotame in a rare instance of agency-led ad tech consolidation
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-03-26T20:06:55Z
# Publicis Groupe to buy Lotame in a rare instance of agency-led ad tech consolidation
---
## Ex-Dentsu Americas Boss Sean Reardon Returns to Publicis as Epsilon CEO
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-10-24T17:53:29Z
# Ex-Dentsu Americas Boss Sean Reardon Returns to Publicis as Epsilon CEO
---
## March Madness adds more marketing wins to a sports-heavy 2026
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2026-03-30T17:19:06Z
# March Madness adds more marketing wins to a sports-heavy 2026
---
## Only 11% of UK consumers rely on influencers for travel purchases
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-03-21T09:58:59Z
# Only 11% of UK consumers rely on influencers for travel purchases
---
## Connected Identity, Predictive AI and Push Beyond Walled Gardens are Reshaping Ad Industry: Epsilon’s Mike Ng
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-07-15T13:39:01Z
# Connected Identity, Predictive AI and Push Beyond Walled Gardens are Reshaping Ad Industry: Epsilon’s Mike Ng
---
## Performance Marketing World - Power List 100 names Epsilon's Esme Robinson
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-06-25T14:53:32Z
# Performance Marketing World - Power List 100 names Epsilon's Esme Robinson
---
## AI & retail media are set to transform UK shopping
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2026-05-07T18:53:22Z
# AI & retail media are set to transform UK shopping
---
## Epsilon’s Adam Skinner: Connected Identity Prevents Post-Purchase Ad Bombardment
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-10-28T18:00:13Z
# Epsilon’s Adam Skinner: Connected Identity Prevents Post-Purchase Ad Bombardment
---
## Epsilon audiences are now available on Pinterest
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-12-12T15:41:53Z
# Epsilon audiences are now available on Pinterest
---
## AI Agents Will Place Retailers Back at the Centre of Commerce
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2026-02-04T12:50:09Z
# AI Agents Will Place Retailers Back at the Centre of Commerce
---
## First-Party Data Feeds Sustainable Growth for Brands in Southeast Asia
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-01-22T08:45:31Z
# First-Party Data Feeds Sustainable Growth for Brands in Southeast Asia
---
## MRM Research Roundup: Generational Dining Trends, Beverage Preferences, and The United States of Ranch
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-09-10T18:08:22Z
# MRM Research Roundup: Generational Dining Trends, Beverage Preferences, and The United States of Ranch
---
## How will retail media affect the future of advertising?
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2026-05-13T07:51:35Z
# How will retail media affect the future of advertising?
---
## Gamification: boosting customer loyalty
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2026-02-04T12:51:09Z
# Gamification: boosting customer loyalty
---
## Epsilon Exec: AI-Powered Identity will Democratize Advertising
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-08-14T16:32:40Z
# Epsilon Exec: AI-Powered Identity will Democratize Advertising
---
## How AI, CTV and Identity Will Drive Results
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2026-05-07T18:46:26Z
# How AI, CTV and Identity Will Drive Results
---
## Microsoft Advertising, Publicis Media Exchange (PMX) and Epsilon Unveil Data-Driven Breakthrough at CES
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2026-01-08T15:01:25Z
# Microsoft Advertising, Publicis Media Exchange (PMX) and Epsilon Unveil Data-Driven Breakthrough at CES
---
## Getting Offsite Retail Media Infrastructure in Place
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-06-04T17:48:15Z
# Getting Offsite Retail Media Infrastructure in Place
---
## The top marketing misconceptions of 2025, and how to fix them
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2026-01-08T14:58:53Z
# The top marketing misconceptions of 2025, and how to fix them
---
## Christmas ads are already rehearsing for HFSS
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2026-05-07T18:48:02Z
# Christmas ads are already rehearsing for HFSS
---
## How AI will define the next evolution of retail media this year
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2026-02-18T09:51:37Z
# How AI will define the next evolution of retail media this year
---
## The Retail Media Reality Check: Separating False Promises from Performance
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-06-04T17:40:08Z
# The Retail Media Reality Check: Separating False Promises from Performance
---
## No Tricks, Just Trust: Using Loyalty to Treat Hiddenflation
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-10-13T18:45:34Z
# No Tricks, Just Trust: Using Loyalty to Treat Hiddenflation
---
## Epsilon’s quiet bet against the LLM gold rush
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2026-03-13T16:49:58Z
# Epsilon’s quiet bet against the LLM gold rush
---
## AI, Identity and Influencers: Epsilon’s Austin Leonard on the Next Frontier for Retail Media
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-07-15T13:41:01Z
# AI, Identity and Influencers: Epsilon’s Austin Leonard on the Next Frontier for Retail Media
---
## H-E-B Retail Media gives brands more control with self-service capability
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-06-23T20:29:07Z
# H-E-B Retail Media gives brands more control with self-service capability
---
## Inside Snap’s efforts to scale custom audiences with Epsilon’s clean room
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-10-22T16:34:38Z
# Inside Snap’s efforts to scale custom audiences with Epsilon’s clean room
---
## Commerce media: the death of the traditional funnel?
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2026-07-10T15:12:23Z
# Commerce media: the death of the traditional funnel?
---
## World Cup set to spur consumer spending
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2026-05-07T18:22:59Z
# World Cup set to spur consumer spending
---
## Blain’s Farm & Fleet Elevates Specialty Retail Media Offerings with 'Neighbor Network' Launch
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-03-26T20:07:17Z
# Blain’s Farm & Fleet Elevates Specialty Retail Media Offerings with 'Neighbor Network' Launch
---
## Ace Hardware Launches RedVest Retail Media Network
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-08-19T16:58:27Z
# Ace Hardware Launches RedVest Retail Media Network
---
## H-E-B launches self-service retail media network capabilities
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-06-23T20:21:35Z
# H-E-B launches self-service retail media network capabilities
---
## In-store experience becomes retail’s pressure valve in 2026
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2026-02-02T16:59:21Z
# In-store experience becomes retail’s pressure valve in 2026
---
## 3 Marketing Strategies Restaurants Can Invest in During Lean Times
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-10-14T20:57:30Z
# 3 Marketing Strategies Restaurants Can Invest in During Lean Times
---
## Q&A: Elliott Clayton, Managing Director, International, Epsilon
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2026-02-04T12:50:59Z
# Q&A: Elliott Clayton, Managing Director, International, Epsilon
---
## How Retail Media can bridge the gap between idea and reality
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2026-05-07T18:26:42Z
# How Retail Media can bridge the gap between idea and reality
---
## Data Language Gap Undermining Retail Media Progress and Potential
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-10-13T18:52:48Z
# Data Language Gap Undermining Retail Media Progress and Potential
---
## MMM is a powerful tool, if used correctly.
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2026-05-07T18:32:30Z
# MMM is a powerful tool, if used correctly.
---
## Gen Z, millennials drive adoption of AI for holiday shopping
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-10-22T15:34:04Z
# Gen Z, millennials drive adoption of AI for holiday shopping
---
## Helpful agents, frictionless AI, and easy payments: How convenience will reshape retail in 2026
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-12-19T16:31:57Z
# Helpful agents, frictionless AI, and easy payments: How convenience will reshape retail in 2026
---
## Together, AI and first-party data can supercharge marketing
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-09-05T12:38:03Z
# Together, AI and first-party data can supercharge marketing
---
## How Aggregation & Syndication Will Reshape the Retail Media Landscape in 2025
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-06-04T17:50:20Z
# How Aggregation & Syndication Will Reshape the Retail Media Landscape in 2025
---
## What Shopper Marketers Need to Know About Back-to-School 2025
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-07-24T17:43:54Z
# What Shopper Marketers Need to Know About Back-to-School 2025
---
## The Retail Media rush
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2026-05-07T18:49:12Z
# The Retail Media rush
---
## Blain’s Farm & Fleet offers advertisers AI-based ad targeting to reach customers
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-03-26T19:55:53Z
# Blain’s Farm & Fleet offers advertisers AI-based ad targeting to reach customers
---
## Loyalty Beyond Transactions: Building the Relevance Engine
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2026-05-04T21:20:35Z
# Loyalty Beyond Transactions: Building the Relevance Engine
---
## How AI is Improving CTV Measurement
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2026-05-07T18:46:36Z
# How AI is Improving CTV Measurement
---
## Streamlining retail media risks erasing what makes it so special
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-03-21T10:22:39Z
# Streamlining retail media risks erasing what makes it so special
---
## If you want data-led marketing, let the data lead
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2026-06-05T16:39:55Z
# If you want data-led marketing, let the data lead
---
## The customer-brand relationship is changing: How to prepare
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2026-05-07T18:18:20Z
# The customer-brand relationship is changing: How to prepare
---
## How agentic AI will reshape shopping in 2026
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2026-01-08T14:57:36Z
# How agentic AI will reshape shopping in 2026
---
## The Future of Marketing Briefing: Epsilon’s quiet bet against the LLM goldrush
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2026-03-06T10:02:45Z
# The Future of Marketing Briefing: Epsilon’s quiet bet against the LLM goldrush
---
## Go Addressable, Blockgraph, Epsilon, Experian and TransUnion to Automate Audience Counts Across All Major Addressable TV Providers
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-12-12T15:20:27Z
# Go Addressable, Blockgraph, Epsilon, Experian and TransUnion to Automate Audience Counts Across All Major Addressable TV Providers
---
## Fantix, Epsilon Build Partnership That Does Not Require Movement Of Data
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Fantix, Epsilon Build Partnership That Does Not Require Movement Of Data
---
## Walgreen's Appoints Publicis Groupe's Epsilon As Its New Media AOR
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Walgreen's Appoints Publicis Groupe's Epsilon As Its New Media AOR
---
## IAB Tech Lab Releases Data Transparency Standard, With Audits To Give It ‘Teeth’
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# IAB Tech Lab Releases Data Transparency Standard, With Audits To Give It ‘Teeth’
---
## Epsilon’s Chief Privacy Officer: Compliance Is ‘An Ongoing Journey’
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Epsilon’s Chief Privacy Officer: Compliance Is ‘An Ongoing Journey’
---
## Publicis Groupe completes acquisition of Epsilon for $3.95bn
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Publicis Groupe completes acquisition of Epsilon for $3.95bn
---
## Personalized Email Marketing: 5 Keys to Success
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Personalized Email Marketing: 5 Keys to Success
---
## Publicis Groupe's Epsilon and Samba TV Reach Ad Targeting Deal
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Publicis Groupe's Epsilon and Samba TV Reach Ad Targeting Deal
---
## Online Shoppers Are Doing What Brands Should Do: Using Technology Smartly
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Online Shoppers Are Doing What Brands Should Do: Using Technology Smartly
---
## Forrester Research Names Epsilon a Loyalty Leader in Two Evaluations
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Forrester Research Names Epsilon a Loyalty Leader in Two Evaluations
---
## 'You're supposed to be at arm's length': Some ad agencies see potential conflicts of interest as their competitors spend billions to acquire data
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# 'You're supposed to be at arm's length': Some ad agencies see potential conflicts of interest as their competitors spend billions to acquire data
---
## Mediaocean, Epsilon Partner To Help Advertisers Reach Audience Segments
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Mediaocean, Epsilon Partner To Help Advertisers Reach Audience Segments
---
## The 50 best workplaces for innovators
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# The 50 best workplaces for innovators
---
## Epsilon Taps Target Veteran Dave Peterson To Lead Its Retail Media Ops
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Epsilon Taps Target Veteran Dave Peterson To Lead Its Retail Media Ops
---
## Global retail media survey uncovers frustrations with targeting and reporting
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Global retail media survey uncovers frustrations with targeting and reporting
---
## Retail media frenzy overlooks the consumer
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Retail media frenzy overlooks the consumer
---
## Starcom and Epsilon Prevail in Novartis Global Media Review
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Starcom and Epsilon Prevail in Novartis Global Media Review
---
## Novartis Consolidates $600 Million Global Media Account With Publicis Groupe
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Novartis Consolidates $600 Million Global Media Account With Publicis Groupe
---
## Sweeping regulations like California's upcoming privacy bill threaten to wipe out the advertising industry. These 10 tech companies are trying to help marketers survive.
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Sweeping regulations like California's upcoming privacy bill threaten to wipe out the advertising industry. These 10 tech companies are trying to help marketers survive.
---
## Report: Too Many Tech Providers Spoil The Shopper Experience
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Report: Too Many Tech Providers Spoil The Shopper Experience
---
## Marketers, You Now Live In A Barbie World
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Marketers, You Now Live In A Barbie World
---
## Agencies Are Embracing AI and Making It Part of Their Workflow
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Agencies Are Embracing AI and Making It Part of Their Workflow
---
## People Don't Actually Like Streaming Services More Than Linear TV
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# People Don't Actually Like Streaming Services More Than Linear TV
---
## LiveRamp And Epsilon Partner On Ad Capability For Publishers
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# LiveRamp And Epsilon Partner On Ad Capability For Publishers
---
## Samsung Ads Working With Epsilon on Advanced TV Audiences
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Samsung Ads Working With Epsilon on Advanced TV Audiences
---
## How First-Party Data Is Helping The Container Store Think Outside The Box
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# How First-Party Data Is Helping The Container Store Think Outside The Box
---
## At Advertising Week, Publicis Groupe's Arthur Sadoun Pressed on Revenue Decline
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# At Advertising Week, Publicis Groupe's Arthur Sadoun Pressed on Revenue Decline
---
## MediaPost EIS Awards
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# MediaPost EIS Awards
---
## Currys Teams With Epsilon To Boost Off-Site Retail Media
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Currys Teams With Epsilon To Boost Off-Site Retail Media
---
## AI Can Help Marketers Adapt to Post-Cookie World: Epsilon’s Joe Doran
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# AI Can Help Marketers Adapt to Post-Cookie World: Epsilon’s Joe Doran
---
## Epsilon: A Quarter of Consumers Expect To Spend More This Holiday Season
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Epsilon: A Quarter of Consumers Expect To Spend More This Holiday Season
---
## Neutronian Announces That Epsilon Has Earned the Neutronian - IAB Tech Lab Certification
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Neutronian Announces That Epsilon Has Earned the Neutronian - IAB Tech Lab Certification
---
## The New Power Couple: How CMOs and CTOs Can Drive Innovation Together
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T22:16:49Z
# The New Power Couple: How CMOs and CTOs Can Drive Innovation Together
---
## Epsilon and Comscore Aim to Boost Contextual Classification and Brand Safety in New Deal
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Epsilon and Comscore Aim to Boost Contextual Classification and Brand Safety in New Deal
---
## Epsilon Evolves Retail Media Platform
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Epsilon Evolves Retail Media Platform
---
## Report: Brands Are Getting Better At Personalized Marketing
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Report: Brands Are Getting Better At Personalized Marketing
---
## Epsilon CMO Jeff Smith on Marketers' Biggest Tech Stack Challenges
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Epsilon CMO Jeff Smith on Marketers' Biggest Tech Stack Challenges
---
## AI & Person-Level Identifiers Drive Results in Retail Media: Epsilon’s Dave Peterson
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# AI & Person-Level Identifiers Drive Results in Retail Media: Epsilon’s Dave Peterson
---
## Epsilon Retail Media Unveils AI-Driven Identity Solution: Jaclyn Nix
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Epsilon Retail Media Unveils AI-Driven Identity Solution: Jaclyn Nix
---
## How Retail Media Networks boost grocery sales
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# How Retail Media Networks boost grocery sales
---
## ‘Be loved not needed, for personalisation to hit home’
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# ‘Be loved not needed, for personalisation to hit home’
---
## Epsilon’s Shane Hanby: Post-Cookie Era Relies On “Teamwork” Between Brands, Marketers & Tech
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Epsilon’s Shane Hanby: Post-Cookie Era Relies On “Teamwork” Between Brands, Marketers & Tech
---
## Cookie-cutter loyalty programmes won’t cut it anymore
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Cookie-cutter loyalty programmes won’t cut it anymore
---
## As Sure As Night Becomes Day, The End Of Third-Party Cookies Has Been Delayed
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# As Sure As Night Becomes Day, The End Of Third-Party Cookies Has Been Delayed
---
## Retail media's next big growth spurt in Australia
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Retail media's next big growth spurt in Australia
---
## Top of the shops: Publicis, Omnicom, WPP outpoint IT consulting giants on commerce capability as holdcos ride disruption with fuller service – but Accenture keeps pace
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Top of the shops: Publicis, Omnicom, WPP outpoint IT consulting giants on commerce capability as holdcos ride disruption with fuller service – but Accenture keeps pace
---
## Consumers Engage With Your Marketing Because They Like You, Not Because They Need You
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T22:20:56Z
# Consumers Engage With Your Marketing Because They Like You, Not Because They Need You
---
## Third-party cookies are hanging on, but Epsilon says brand marketers should still focus on first-party data
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T22:20:56Z
# Third-party cookies are hanging on, but Epsilon says brand marketers should still focus on first-party data
---
## Email is Under-used and Episodic: Epsilon's Benyo
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Email is Under-used and Episodic: Epsilon's Benyo
---
## Email Marketing 2019
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Email Marketing 2019
---
## Epsilon, Fallon Worldwide Lock Up Key Bank Account
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Epsilon, Fallon Worldwide Lock Up Key Bank Account
---
## Rob Odd on retail media’s rapid evolution in Australia’s advertising scene
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Rob Odd on retail media’s rapid evolution in Australia’s advertising scene
---
## Consumer Loyalty, Data & Partnerships with Epsilon’s Dave Peterson
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Consumer Loyalty, Data & Partnerships with Epsilon’s Dave Peterson
---
## Building Brand Connections to Consumers With Kimberly-Clark’s Stacie Medley and Epsilon’s Meggie Giancola
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Building Brand Connections to Consumers With Kimberly-Clark’s Stacie Medley and Epsilon’s Meggie Giancola
---
## AI in media strategy: Think personal, plan smarter
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# AI in media strategy: Think personal, plan smarter
---
## Building Brand Connections to Consumers With Kimberly-Clark’s Stacie Medley and Epsilon’s Meggie Giancola
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Building Brand Connections to Consumers With Kimberly-Clark’s Stacie Medley and Epsilon’s Meggie Giancola
---
## CES Brings Marketers New Opportunities – And New Challenges: Epsilon’s Doran
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T22:20:56Z
# CES Brings Marketers New Opportunities – And New Challenges: Epsilon’s Doran
---
## As AI Takes Center Stage at CES, Consumer Data Still Rules: Epsilon’s Gillian MacPherson
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T22:20:56Z
# As AI Takes Center Stage at CES, Consumer Data Still Rules: Epsilon’s Gillian MacPherson
---
## Second-Quarter Drift: Email Opens And Clicks Fell Slightly, Epsilon Reports
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Second-Quarter Drift: Email Opens And Clicks Fell Slightly, Epsilon Reports
---
## Presenting the Winners of Adweek’s Readers’ Choice: Best of Tech Awards
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Presenting the Winners of Adweek’s Readers’ Choice: Best of Tech Awards
---
## Meet 22 of the most important executives shaping the future of marketing technology
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Meet 22 of the most important executives shaping the future of marketing technology
---
## Rethink the Value of a Customer’s Email Address
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Rethink the Value of a Customer’s Email Address
---
## Amazon Opens AWS Data Exchange – And New Opportunities For Data Sellers
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Amazon Opens AWS Data Exchange – And New Opportunities For Data Sellers
---
## Five Last Minute Tips for Holiday Season Success in 2019
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Five Last Minute Tips for Holiday Season Success in 2019
---
## The lines between DTC and traditional B2C are blurring
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# The lines between DTC and traditional B2C are blurring
---
## Three Imperatives For Winning with Personalization at Scale
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Three Imperatives For Winning with Personalization at Scale
---
## Should You Still Be Using Email Benchmarks?
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Should You Still Be Using Email Benchmarks?
---
## Q&A With Oded Benyo of Epsilon
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Q&A With Oded Benyo of Epsilon
---
## How to Scale Your UX Design Process — Without Sacrificing Creative
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# How to Scale Your UX Design Process — Without Sacrificing Creative
---
## Box office boost
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Box office boost
---
## Why brands should look to affiliate for global growth in APAC
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Why brands should look to affiliate for global growth in APAC
---
## The pursuit of a holistic view of consumers
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T22:16:49Z
# The pursuit of a holistic view of consumers
---
## “People will treat you differently because of your title. (It’s the reason I never use it.)”
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# “People will treat you differently because of your title. (It’s the reason I never use it.)”
---
## Implementing martech? Don’t skip this step
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T22:16:49Z
# Implementing martech? Don’t skip this step
---
## How influencer marketing’s relationship with affiliate will develop in 2018
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# How influencer marketing’s relationship with affiliate will develop in 2018
---
## Unleashing digital video’s potential for one-to-one marketing
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Unleashing digital video’s potential for one-to-one marketing
---
## How personalization will evolve in 2018
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# How personalization will evolve in 2018
---
## Women you need to know in martech: Agatha Rymanowska
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Women you need to know in martech: Agatha Rymanowska
---
## CJ Affiliate gives web publishers the tools and data insights to maximize affiliate revenue with performance marketing
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# CJ Affiliate gives web publishers the tools and data insights to maximize affiliate revenue with performance marketing
---
## Top 10 most-read affiliate marketing articles month-by-month in 2017
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Top 10 most-read affiliate marketing articles month-by-month in 2017
---
## Pulling back the curtain on acquisition measurement
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T22:17:52Z
# Pulling back the curtain on acquisition measurement
---
## Considering DIY CRM? Beware the job hopper
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T22:16:49Z
# Considering DIY CRM? Beware the job hopper
---
## The 4 areas of personalization – how data and technology can personalize the customer experience
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T22:16:49Z
# The 4 areas of personalization – how data and technology can personalize the customer experience
---
## Affiliate marketing: How can publishers increase global growth?
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Affiliate marketing: How can publishers increase global growth?
---
## TechBytes with Agatha Rymanowska, SVP, Enterprise Operations, Conversant
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T22:16:49Z
# TechBytes with Agatha Rymanowska, SVP, Enterprise Operations, Conversant
---
## School is always in session for brick-and-mortar retailers
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T22:17:52Z
# School is always in session for brick-and-mortar retailers
---
## Moving the conversation beyond DSPs
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T22:16:49Z
# Moving the conversation beyond DSPs
---
## CJ Affiliate debuts global cross-device tracking
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# CJ Affiliate debuts global cross-device tracking
---
## CJ Affiliate wins Best Managed Affiliate Programme
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# CJ Affiliate wins Best Managed Affiliate Programme
---
## Biz dev: Epsilon expands relationship with Road Scholar
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Biz dev: Epsilon expands relationship with Road Scholar
---
## How to get the best from content affiliates in 2017
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# How to get the best from content affiliates in 2017
---
## Land of Nod isn't just playing around with cross-device
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T22:16:49Z
# Land of Nod isn't just playing around with cross-device
---
## Personalization 2.0: messaging with precision
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T22:16:49Z
# Personalization 2.0: messaging with precision
---
## New system will replace online ads with emergency alerts
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# New system will replace online ads with emergency alerts
---
## Why marketers still haven't mastered personalization
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Why marketers still haven't mastered personalization
---
## Real-time automation, in-app tracking comes to affiliate marketing
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Real-time automation, in-app tracking comes to affiliate marketing
---
## Is location a vital data point in mobile targeting?
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Is location a vital data point in mobile targeting?
---
## Focus on people, not the device
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Focus on people, not the device
---
## Why are brands so bad at identity resolution?
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Why are brands so bad at identity resolution?
---
## Email Remains at the Heart of Identity Resolution Efforts
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Email Remains at the Heart of Identity Resolution Efforts
---
## Chicago Tech is Booming. Grow Along With It At These 12 Companies
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Chicago Tech is Booming. Grow Along With It At These 12 Companies
---
## CMOs Need to Focus on Managing Multiple Brands, Not Multiple Identities
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# CMOs Need to Focus on Managing Multiple Brands, Not Multiple Identities
---
## 10 tech companies helping marketers survive changing privacy laws
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# 10 tech companies helping marketers survive changing privacy laws
---
## The 50 best workplaces for innovators
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# The 50 best workplaces for innovators
---
## Publicis Groupe completes acquisition of Epsilon for $3.95bn
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Publicis Groupe completes acquisition of Epsilon for $3.95bn
---
## Why Marketers Look to Identity Resolution for Answers
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Why Marketers Look to Identity Resolution for Answers
---
## Seven takeaways from Variety’s 2019 TV Summit
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Seven takeaways from Variety’s 2019 TV Summit
---
## Personalization and data-driven experiences
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Personalization and data-driven experiences
---
## Audience segmentation and targeting
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Audience segmentation and targeting
---
## Using KPIs that matter to achieve influencer marketing success
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Using KPIs that matter to achieve influencer marketing success
---
## The right way to engage with new affiliate partners
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# The right way to engage with new affiliate partners
---
## Brands seek deeper insights from AI
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Brands seek deeper insights from AI
---
## Conversant helps marketers create human connections that count
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Conversant helps marketers create human connections that count
---
## When it comes to cookies, don't settle for crumbs of customer and prospect data
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# When it comes to cookies, don't settle for crumbs of customer and prospect data
---
## Here are the industry's martech heroes
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T22:16:49Z
# Here are the industry's martech heroes
---
## Identity resolution - defined
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Identity resolution - defined
---
## Bloomberg Media Group and New York Media take top honors in the Digiday Worklife Awards
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Bloomberg Media Group and New York Media take top honors in the Digiday Worklife Awards
---
## Most technology for marketing has a big gap: prospects
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Most technology for marketing has a big gap: prospects
---
## Winners announced at the IPMAs 2018
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Winners announced at the IPMAs 2018
---
## 5 things you need to know to successfully manage a team, with Bryan Kennedy the CEO of Epsilon and Conversant
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# 5 things you need to know to successfully manage a team, with Bryan Kennedy the CEO of Epsilon and Conversant
---
## It’s time to pull back the curtain on black box solutions
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T22:17:52Z
# It’s time to pull back the curtain on black box solutions
---
## Corporate innovator: Dave Scrim, SVP of Product and Pricing at Conversant
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Corporate innovator: Dave Scrim, SVP of Product and Pricing at Conversant
---
## Swanson Health selects Alliance Data’s Conversant for personalized digital marketing services
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Swanson Health selects Alliance Data’s Conversant for personalized digital marketing services
---
## A day in the life of... SVP Enterprise Operations at Conversant
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# A day in the life of... SVP Enterprise Operations at Conversant
---
## Don't just talk about transformation. Do it
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T22:16:49Z
# Don't just talk about transformation. Do it
---
## What is cross-device identification and how can marketers use it?
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T22:16:49Z
# What is cross-device identification and how can marketers use it?
---
## How to drive measurable tune-in — and viewer connections — with data-driven marketing
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# How to drive measurable tune-in — and viewer connections — with data-driven marketing
---
## Conversant and CJ Affiliate launch new GDPR compliance tool for digital advertising
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Conversant and CJ Affiliate launch new GDPR compliance tool for digital advertising
---
## ITA spotlight: Agatha Rymanowska, Senior VP, Enterprise Operations, Conversant
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# ITA spotlight: Agatha Rymanowska, Senior VP, Enterprise Operations, Conversant
---
## The battle against ad fraud: It's all about performance
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T22:09:52Z
# The battle against ad fraud: It's all about performance
---
## Is GDPR an opportunity to improve CX? Yes – if you do right by your data subjects
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Is GDPR an opportunity to improve CX? Yes – if you do right by your data subjects
---
## 4 digital marketing techniques movie studios should use to drive attendance in theaters
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T22:17:52Z
# 4 digital marketing techniques movie studios should use to drive attendance in theaters
---
## What Google and Salesforce’s shared data play means for marketers
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T22:16:49Z
# What Google and Salesforce’s shared data play means for marketers
---
## Tackling ad fraud & data leakage for success: Q&A with Ric Elert, Conversant
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T22:16:49Z
# Tackling ad fraud & data leakage for success: Q&A with Ric Elert, Conversant
---
## Meet Chicago’s Top 100 tech companies: Employee count up 15 percent in 2017
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Meet Chicago’s Top 100 tech companies: Employee count up 15 percent in 2017
---
## Understanding cross-device: 3 things marketers need to know
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Understanding cross-device: 3 things marketers need to know
---
## What does “mar tech” actually mean?
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T22:16:49Z
# What does “mar tech” actually mean?
---
## How internet retailers can capitalize on Amazon Prime Day
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T22:17:52Z
# How internet retailers can capitalize on Amazon Prime Day
---
## A dive into the world of affiliate marketing
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# A dive into the world of affiliate marketing
---
## Why you need both technology and people to ensure brand safety
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T22:16:49Z
# Why you need both technology and people to ensure brand safety
---
## Three data signals travel marketers need to examine
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T22:16:49Z
# Three data signals travel marketers need to examine
---
## Conversant offers ad quality guarantee
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Conversant offers ad quality guarantee
---
## Affiliate marketing Q&A with CJ Affiliate
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Affiliate marketing Q&A with CJ Affiliate
---
## One on one: Ric Elert and the person-centric approach
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T22:16:49Z
# One on one: Ric Elert and the person-centric approach
---
## AdTech/programmatic company, winner: Conversant
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T22:16:49Z
# AdTech/programmatic company, winner: Conversant
---
## 10 ways digital marketing will evolve in 2017
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# 10 ways digital marketing will evolve in 2017
---
## What to look for in search 2017
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# What to look for in search 2017
---
## WTF are wrapper tags?
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# WTF are wrapper tags?
---
## CMO.com's top 10 marketing trends for 2017
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# CMO.com's top 10 marketing trends for 2017
---
## Lost your number: The game of telephone and data leakage
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T22:16:49Z
# Lost your number: The game of telephone and data leakage
---
## Retailers reevaluate their affiliate marketing programs
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Retailers reevaluate their affiliate marketing programs
---
## DMA moves against jargon and confusion in cross-device measurement
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T22:14:19Z
# DMA moves against jargon and confusion in cross-device measurement
---
## ITA spotlight: Conversant
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# ITA spotlight: Conversant
---
## Best practices for affiliate marketing on Pinterest
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Best practices for affiliate marketing on Pinterest
---
## Marketing tech: from audit to implementation (eBook)
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Marketing tech: from audit to implementation (eBook)
---
## One tough question: mobile marketing means business
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# One tough question: mobile marketing means business
---
## Are your videos mobile ready?
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Are your videos mobile ready?
---
## What pushes up today's desktop and mobile ad prices
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# What pushes up today's desktop and mobile ad prices
---
## One tough question: programmatic 2016
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# One tough question: programmatic 2016
---
## Reaching people with a life saving message
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Reaching people with a life saving message
---
## Marketers place personalization at the top of the priority pyramid
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Marketers place personalization at the top of the priority pyramid
---
## Digital marketers: personalization critical to long-term brand objectives
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Digital marketers: personalization critical to long-term brand objectives
---
## Citi targets small publishers for fresh ad inventory
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Citi targets small publishers for fresh ad inventory
---
## 3 ways to improve your next cross-device campaign
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# 3 ways to improve your next cross-device campaign
---
## CJ Affiliate named best US affiliate network
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# CJ Affiliate named best US affiliate network
---
## Marketing mythology
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Marketing mythology
---
## What the %!X&! does "personalized marketing" really mean?
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# What the %!X&! does "personalized marketing" really mean?
---
## Mobile measurement tops media pros' focus
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Mobile measurement tops media pros' focus
---
## Online advertising takes the lead
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Online advertising takes the lead
---
## Conversant Q&A - the rebrand, challenges & what next
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Conversant Q&A - the rebrand, challenges & what next
---
## Conversant (formerly ValueClick) on the uptick for now
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Conversant (formerly ValueClick) on the uptick for now
---
## ValueClick rebrands to Conversant
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# ValueClick rebrands to Conversant
---
## ValueClick rebrands as Conversant and launches personalization platform
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# ValueClick rebrands as Conversant and launches personalization platform
---
## ValueClick no more, Conversant pushing "personalization"
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# ValueClick no more, Conversant pushing "personalization"
---
## ValueClick [now Conversant] rings the NASDAQ opening bell
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# ValueClick [now Conversant] rings the NASDAQ opening bell
---
## ValueClick rebrands into ‘single marketing powerhouse’
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# ValueClick rebrands into ‘single marketing powerhouse’
---
## ValueClick becomes 'Conversant,' seeks to align tech assets
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# ValueClick becomes 'Conversant,' seeks to align tech assets
---
## Most marketers ‘failing to link data to customer behaviour’ – report
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Most marketers ‘failing to link data to customer behaviour’ – report
---
## It's personal
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# It's personal
---
## Box office campaigns: unlocking returns beyond opening weekend
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Box office campaigns: unlocking returns beyond opening weekend
---
## Meet the Crain's Tech 50 of 2018
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Meet the Crain's Tech 50 of 2018
---
## The costly drive down the ad tech “road of regret”
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T22:16:49Z
# The costly drive down the ad tech “road of regret”
---
## Interview with Steve Nowlan, SVP of Decision Sciences – Conversant
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Interview with Steve Nowlan, SVP of Decision Sciences – Conversant
---
## True 1-1 marketing isn’t segment or persona-based – Conversant’s AI personalization story
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T22:16:49Z
# True 1-1 marketing isn’t segment or persona-based – Conversant’s AI personalization story
---
## Three predictions for the affiliate marketing industry in 2018
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Three predictions for the affiliate marketing industry in 2018
---
## A 'naughty or nice' list: the best and worst ad tech & digital media trends of 2017
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T22:16:49Z
# A 'naughty or nice' list: the best and worst ad tech & digital media trends of 2017
---
## Experts predict: What's in store for viewability in 2018
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T22:09:52Z
# Experts predict: What's in store for viewability in 2018
---
## Who gets this ad online? She builds tech at Conversant that decides
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Who gets this ad online? She builds tech at Conversant that decides
---
## Why A/B testing of web ads is less important than showing them to the right shoppers
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Why A/B testing of web ads is less important than showing them to the right shoppers
---
## How networks can leverage digital campaigns to keep ratings strong in the cord cutting age
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T22:16:49Z
# How networks can leverage digital campaigns to keep ratings strong in the cord cutting age
---
## 3 affiliate marketing strategies for the 2017 holiday retail season
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# 3 affiliate marketing strategies for the 2017 holiday retail season
---
## Why wait for the walls to come down? Verifying people-based marketing claims
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T22:16:49Z
# Why wait for the walls to come down? Verifying people-based marketing claims
---
## Experts predict how the industry challenges of 2016 will evolve in 2017
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T22:16:49Z
# Experts predict how the industry challenges of 2016 will evolve in 2017
---
## Check out the winners of the first Shorty Social Good Awards
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Check out the winners of the first Shorty Social Good Awards
---
## Six steps to a successful digital marketing strategy
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Six steps to a successful digital marketing strategy
---
## Pharma takes a big step forward in mobile—finally
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Pharma takes a big step forward in mobile—finally
---
## Curing marketers' attribution addiction
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Curing marketers' attribution addiction
---
## Three key learnings for new affiliate marketing managers
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Three key learnings for new affiliate marketing managers
---
## Say goodbye to national e-commerce borders
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Say goodbye to national e-commerce borders
---
## Why CRM data-savvy marketers invest more in customer loyalty vs. acquisition
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Why CRM data-savvy marketers invest more in customer loyalty vs. acquisition
---
## After a year at Epsilon, Conversant wants to make some noise
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# After a year at Epsilon, Conversant wants to make some noise
---
## There’s more work to be done on personalization
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# There’s more work to be done on personalization
---
## 100 ways to build your business online
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# 100 ways to build your business online
---
## Performance marketing: why 2014 looks set to trump 2013
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Performance marketing: why 2014 looks set to trump 2013
---
## Going the extra mile
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Going the extra mile
---
## US travel providers witness huge upsurge in online bookings
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# US travel providers witness huge upsurge in online bookings
---
## Retail: Digital marketing trends and challenges
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Retail: Digital marketing trends and challenges
---
## Myths Belong in Stories, Not People-Based Advertising
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Myths Belong in Stories, Not People-Based Advertising
---
## At Conversant, Employees Know the End Goal.
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# At Conversant, Employees Know the End Goal.
---
## Looking beyond traditional affiliates: is content king?
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Looking beyond traditional affiliates: is content king?
---
## Marketers need outcomes, not more tools
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T22:16:49Z
# Marketers need outcomes, not more tools
---
## Decoding Conversant’s Mesobase, martech's first customer and prospect relationship management (CPRM) platform
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T22:17:52Z
# Decoding Conversant’s Mesobase, martech's first customer and prospect relationship management (CPRM) platform
---
## Video: What is ad fraud and how does it happen?
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T22:09:52Z
# Video: What is ad fraud and how does it happen?
---
## ‘Reporting is a struggle’: To grow commerce revenue, publishers have to spend time, money to manage the data
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# ‘Reporting is a struggle’: To grow commerce revenue, publishers have to spend time, money to manage the data
---
## The Amazon Prime day effect – how brands can capitalize on the global shopping event
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# The Amazon Prime day effect – how brands can capitalize on the global shopping event
---
## The great debate: Should you manage data activation yourself?
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T22:17:52Z
# The great debate: Should you manage data activation yourself?
---
## Epsilon/Conversant taps Fagel to lead marketing
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Epsilon/Conversant taps Fagel to lead marketing
---
## The 10 hottest jobs—and who's hiring in Chicago
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# The 10 hottest jobs—and who's hiring in Chicago
---
## Four focus areas for travel marketers to unlock the mobile opportunity
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Four focus areas for travel marketers to unlock the mobile opportunity
---
## 5 things we learned about ads.txt in 2017
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T22:09:52Z
# 5 things we learned about ads.txt in 2017
---
## Top affiliate marketing trends for 2018: Predictions by 15 experts
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Top affiliate marketing trends for 2018: Predictions by 15 experts
---
## Data wars fuel an online marketing arms race
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T22:17:52Z
# Data wars fuel an online marketing arms race
---
## Flying blind: The struggle for people-based digital identity resolution
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T22:17:52Z
# Flying blind: The struggle for people-based digital identity resolution
---
## What marketers need to know about location-based advertising and where it’s headed
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T22:16:49Z
# What marketers need to know about location-based advertising and where it’s headed
---
## What a tougher 100% viewability standard would mean
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T22:09:52Z
# What a tougher 100% viewability standard would mean
---
## How CJ Affiliate leverages Conversant’s data to help retailers drive better returns
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# How CJ Affiliate leverages Conversant’s data to help retailers drive better returns
---
## Generate offline return with site-to-store affiliate marketing
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Generate offline return with site-to-store affiliate marketing
---
## Tech 50 2017
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Tech 50 2017
---
## Five predictions for the future of affiliate partnerships
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Five predictions for the future of affiliate partnerships
---
## CRM builders beware: Don’t fall into the DIY trap
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T22:16:49Z
# CRM builders beware: Don’t fall into the DIY trap
---
## The pillars of marketing
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T22:16:49Z
# The pillars of marketing
---
## How to get advertiser buy-in for big affiliate projects
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# How to get advertiser buy-in for big affiliate projects
---
## Confronting the cross-device fallacy
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Confronting the cross-device fallacy
---
## Looking back on search 2016
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Looking back on search 2016
---
## Target consumers around specific needs, get real about real-time marketing
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Target consumers around specific needs, get real about real-time marketing
---
## Conversant finally converges? Epsilon-owned ad tech company unveils integrated stack
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Conversant finally converges? Epsilon-owned ad tech company unveils integrated stack
---
## Why brands should care about brand safety in mobile advertising
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Why brands should care about brand safety in mobile advertising
---
## Performance marketing in US retail
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Performance marketing in US retail
---
## Seven experts on marketing problem six: competing in dynamic global markets
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Seven experts on marketing problem six: competing in dynamic global markets
---
## Internet mysteries: why do the same ads keep showing up when I stream video?
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Internet mysteries: why do the same ads keep showing up when I stream video?
---
## Don't become "that brand"
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Don't become "that brand"
---
## Don't talk to digital strangers
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T22:16:49Z
# Don't talk to digital strangers
---
## 50 first dates: why digital marketing is so bad
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# 50 first dates: why digital marketing is so bad
---
## IAB continues to make mobile work in 2016
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# IAB continues to make mobile work in 2016
---
## Infographic: who's watching political ads, and are they finishing them?
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Infographic: who's watching political ads, and are they finishing them?
---
## Professionalized sales associates may reduce conflict in-store, online
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Professionalized sales associates may reduce conflict in-store, online
---
## Study shows marketers struggle with personalization
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Study shows marketers struggle with personalization
---
## Breaking down a common marketing scourge
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Breaking down a common marketing scourge
---
## The ultimate bare-knuckle boxing match: attribution vs. causality
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# The ultimate bare-knuckle boxing match: attribution vs. causality
---
## Mobile travel sites on rocky road
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Mobile travel sites on rocky road
---
## Cross-device advertising a hot topic in 2014
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Cross-device advertising a hot topic in 2014
---
## Digital marketing trends: more money going to proven channels
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Digital marketing trends: more money going to proven channels
---
## Conversant 4th-quarter profit up 24% on broad sales growth
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Conversant 4th-quarter profit up 24% on broad sales growth
---
## One-to-one marketing gains traction but skills still an issue
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# One-to-one marketing gains traction but skills still an issue
---
## ValueClick rebrands, launches marketing personalization platform as Conversant
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# ValueClick rebrands, launches marketing personalization platform as Conversant
---
## Domino's generates more than £1m with personalised display ads
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Domino's generates more than £1m with personalised display ads
---
## 2020 DMN Award Winners
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# 2020 DMN Award Winners
---
## D2C Shopping Gains a Significant, Dedicated Audience
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# D2C Shopping Gains a Significant, Dedicated Audience
---
## The Demise of Brandless and Other D2C Brand Struggles
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# The Demise of Brandless and Other D2C Brand Struggles
---
## Publicis Groupe Launches Tool To Help Midsize Businesses Weather The COVID-19 Crisis
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Publicis Groupe Launches Tool To Help Midsize Businesses Weather The COVID-19 Crisis
---
## Publicis Groupe Makes ‘The Pact’ With Midsize Clients, Guaranteeing Business Results
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Publicis Groupe Makes ‘The Pact’ With Midsize Clients, Guaranteeing Business Results
---
## Publicis says it will deliver on business outcomes or your money back
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Publicis says it will deliver on business outcomes or your money back
---
## Publicis Groupe launches money-back guarantee to marketers
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Publicis Groupe launches money-back guarantee to marketers
---
## Arthur Sadoun: 'It’s not just about surviving, but transforming for a new normal'
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Arthur Sadoun: 'It’s not just about surviving, but transforming for a new normal'
---
## Take It To The Bank: Publicis Guarantees Outcomes Under New 'Pact'
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Take It To The Bank: Publicis Guarantees Outcomes Under New 'Pact'
---
## The Best Of The Best? Forrester Ranks Email Vendors
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# The Best Of The Best? Forrester Ranks Email Vendors
---
## Banking Needs 360-Degree View of Customer Journey
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Banking Needs 360-Degree View of Customer Journey
---
## Email Volume And Engagement Grew In March And April, Study Says
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Email Volume And Engagement Grew In March And April, Study Says
---
## Debenhams Joins CJ Affiliate to Launch UK & Ireland Affiliate Activity
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Debenhams Joins CJ Affiliate to Launch UK & Ireland Affiliate Activity
---
## Reigniting the Value of Digital Advertising
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Reigniting the Value of Digital Advertising
---
## Right to reply: Google ‘s new Chrome adblocker – what does this mean for advertisers?
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Right to reply: Google ‘s new Chrome adblocker – what does this mean for advertisers?
---
## A dive into the murky, but very important world of affiliate marketing
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# A dive into the murky, but very important world of affiliate marketing
---
## CJ Affiliate announces launch of cross-device tracking
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# CJ Affiliate announces launch of cross-device tracking
---
## Learning from PMA 17: CJ Affiliate Wins Best Managed Affiliate Programme with TUI
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Learning from PMA 17: CJ Affiliate Wins Best Managed Affiliate Programme with TUI
---
## Conversant’s Robin Davies: why publishers need to beware new Chrome ad blocker
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Conversant’s Robin Davies: why publishers need to beware new Chrome ad blocker
---
## CJ Affiliate debuts global cross-device tracking
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# CJ Affiliate debuts global cross-device tracking
---
## Seven steps to plan & manage your affiliate marketing campaigns
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Seven steps to plan & manage your affiliate marketing campaigns
---
## Ad viewability standards to get tougher?
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Ad viewability standards to get tougher?
---
## GOOGLE LIKELY TO APPEAL $2.7 BILLION FINE FOR 'ABUSING ITS DOMINANCE'
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# GOOGLE LIKELY TO APPEAL $2.7 BILLION FINE FOR 'ABUSING ITS DOMINANCE'
---
## The winners and losers of Google’s $2.7 billion fine from Europe
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# The winners and losers of Google’s $2.7 billion fine from Europe
---
## Future of personalisation is here – are you in the loop?
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Future of personalisation is here – are you in the loop?
---
## Global affiliate marketing revenue growth up 16% during winter holiday period
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Global affiliate marketing revenue growth up 16% during winter holiday period
---
## Google Shopping fine: the retail industry response
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Google Shopping fine: the retail industry response
---
## Rising Star Series: Victoria Baeckstroem – Account Manager, CJ Affiliate
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Rising Star Series: Victoria Baeckstroem – Account Manager, CJ Affiliate
---
## Debenhams goes on affiliate marketing drive with CJ Affiliate
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Debenhams goes on affiliate marketing drive with CJ Affiliate
---
## Debenhams and CJ Affiliate launch exclusive affiliate programme
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Debenhams and CJ Affiliate launch exclusive affiliate programme
---
## Reigniting the Value of Digital Advertising
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Reigniting the Value of Digital Advertising
---
## What will Google Chrome's ad blocker mean for marketing?
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# What will Google Chrome's ad blocker mean for marketing?
---
## Can an ad blocker in Chrome really solve intrusive advertising?
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Can an ad blocker in Chrome really solve intrusive advertising?
---
## Debenhams and CJ Affiliate launch exclusive affiliate programme
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Debenhams and CJ Affiliate launch exclusive affiliate programme
---
## Google Ad Blocker: Don't get too excited, it might be a bad thing
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Google Ad Blocker: Don't get too excited, it might be a bad thing
---
## Breathing New Life into Digital Advertising
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Breathing New Life into Digital Advertising
---
## CJ Affiliate by Conversant Announced Headline Sponsor of IPMAs
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# CJ Affiliate by Conversant Announced Headline Sponsor of IPMAs
---
## Programmatic: time to hit the reset button?
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Programmatic: time to hit the reset button?
---
## 10 stupendous digital marketing stats we’ve seen this week
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# 10 stupendous digital marketing stats we’ve seen this week
---
## Dune London gets personal with Conversant and sees 64% increase in ROI
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Dune London gets personal with Conversant and sees 64% increase in ROI
---
## Studies highlight importance of data in targeting consumers
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Studies highlight importance of data in targeting consumers
---
## 10 marvellous digital marketing stats we’ve seen this week
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# 10 marvellous digital marketing stats we’ve seen this week
---
## What a tougher 100% digital ad viewability standard would mean
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# What a tougher 100% digital ad viewability standard would mean
---
## Consumers Fed up with Irrelevant Brand Communications
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Consumers Fed up with Irrelevant Brand Communications
---
## 65% of consumers fed up with irrelevant brand communications
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# 65% of consumers fed up with irrelevant brand communications
---
## Dune London benefits from personalisation
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Dune London benefits from personalisation
---
## 10 stupendous digital marketing stats we’ve seen this week
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# 10 stupendous digital marketing stats we’ve seen this week
---
## Brits turn to mobile for shopping sprees
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Brits turn to mobile for shopping sprees
---
## Mobile devices account for a third of online Christmas orders
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Mobile devices account for a third of online Christmas orders
---
## 3 Ways to Ensure Positive ROI for Your Media Spend
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# 3 Ways to Ensure Positive ROI for Your Media Spend
---
## Will We Ever Stop Ad Fraud?
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Will We Ever Stop Ad Fraud?
---
## The personalisation mismatch: shoppers want customisation and service but brands offering discounts
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# The personalisation mismatch: shoppers want customisation and service but brands offering discounts
---
## Consumers want customisation and service while brands offer discounts
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Consumers want customisation and service while brands offer discounts
---
## Ad-savvy Brits clicking less but spending more
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Ad-savvy Brits clicking less but spending more
---
## Amazon Prime Day retail effect set to be felt well beyond its own website
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Amazon Prime Day retail effect set to be felt well beyond its own website
---
## Coupons & Cashback Deals Completed Within 24 Hour, CJ Affiliate Finds
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Coupons & Cashback Deals Completed Within 24 Hour, CJ Affiliate Finds
---
## Shoppers will go in-store if they have loyalty points and coupons on their phones, says study…
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Shoppers will go in-store if they have loyalty points and coupons on their phones, says study…
---
## Prime Day is not just for Amazon: other retailers see 64% spike in revenue
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Prime Day is not just for Amazon: other retailers see 64% spike in revenue
---
## EDITORIAL Leveraging peak for omni-channel retailing
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# EDITORIAL Leveraging peak for omni-channel retailing
---
## High Street Adapting too Slowly; September Start for Campaigns Results in Higher Sales
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# High Street Adapting too Slowly; September Start for Campaigns Results in Higher Sales
---
## Retailers get more sales with early Black Friday campaigns
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Retailers get more sales with early Black Friday campaigns
---
## Black Friday Losing Stranglehold on Sales; Millennials Giving Mobile the Cold Shoulder
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Black Friday Losing Stranglehold on Sales; Millennials Giving Mobile the Cold Shoulder
---
## Consumers Three Times More Likely to Purchase Products During Black Friday
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Consumers Three Times More Likely to Purchase Products During Black Friday
---
## Will a GDPR complaint spell the end of programmatic advertising?
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Will a GDPR complaint spell the end of programmatic advertising?
---
## Alexa, if we all shop using Google Home, will I need a website in five years’ time?
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Alexa, if we all shop using Google Home, will I need a website in five years’ time?
---
## Madtech: convergence of adtech and martech creates incredible opportunities – but buyer beware
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Madtech: convergence of adtech and martech creates incredible opportunities – but buyer beware
---
## Voice assistants set to make an impact on Christmas e-commerce market
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Voice assistants set to make an impact on Christmas e-commerce market
---
## Alexa, all I want for Christmas is… more straightforward shopping
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Alexa, all I want for Christmas is… more straightforward shopping
---
## How European regulators are targeting Google’s search dominance
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# How European regulators are targeting Google’s search dominance
---
## Younger Shoppers Fuelling High Street Revival
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Younger Shoppers Fuelling High Street Revival
---
## Younger consumers are using their smartphones to browse and buy while in stores
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Younger consumers are using their smartphones to browse and buy while in stores
---
## Scotch & Soda raises glass to personalisation strategy
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Scotch & Soda raises glass to personalisation strategy
---
## Scotch & Soda boosts ROI with personalised ads
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Scotch & Soda boosts ROI with personalised ads
---
## Ethical retailer, BAM, moves beyond re-targeting, driving £700,000 in incremental revenue
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Ethical retailer, BAM, moves beyond re-targeting, driving £700,000 in incremental revenue
---
## 56% of people click on online adverts to find information, but quality woes abound
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# 56% of people click on online adverts to find information, but quality woes abound
---
## Consumers want to see an end to 'advert stalking': report
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Consumers want to see an end to 'advert stalking': report
---
## GDPR, sport sponsorship, commercial radio: 5 killer stats to start your week
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# GDPR, sport sponsorship, commercial radio: 5 killer stats to start your week
---
## Dune boosts sales using personalised advertising
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Dune boosts sales using personalised advertising
---
## No more cat and mouse advertising? Brits ‘fed up’ of retargeted ads
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# No more cat and mouse advertising? Brits ‘fed up’ of retargeted ads
---
## Christmas to offer salvation for brands suffering from poor summer sales
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Christmas to offer salvation for brands suffering from poor summer sales
---
## Consumers demand quality not quantity from online ads
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Consumers demand quality not quantity from online ads
---
## Christmas to offer salvation for brands suffering from poor summer sales – if they get mobile right
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Christmas to offer salvation for brands suffering from poor summer sales – if they get mobile right
---
## Taking Affiliate Worldwide: Top Tips for Global Program Success
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Taking Affiliate Worldwide: Top Tips for Global Program Success
---
## Best affiliate marketing programs of 2019: opportunities to make money online
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Best affiliate marketing programs of 2019: opportunities to make money online
---
## EDITORIAL Black Friday: a lesson in engagement
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# EDITORIAL Black Friday: a lesson in engagement
---
## Is Black Friday’s real opportunity the building of long-lasting customer acquisition?
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Is Black Friday’s real opportunity the building of long-lasting customer acquisition?
---
## The lines between DTC and traditional B2C are blurring
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# The lines between DTC and traditional B2C are blurring
---
## The Domino’s effect: New personalised advertising campaign sees tenfold return
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# The Domino’s effect: New personalised advertising campaign sees tenfold return
---
## Majority (62%) of consumers don’t think brands should stop advertising during coronavirus
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Majority (62%) of consumers don’t think brands should stop advertising during coronavirus
---
## Affiliate Programmes Going Global as E-Commerce Booms in Emerging Markets
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Affiliate Programmes Going Global as E-Commerce Booms in Emerging Markets
---
## Domino‘s generates more than £1m and gives new delivery players a run for their money with personalised ad
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Domino‘s generates more than £1m and gives new delivery players a run for their money with personalised ad
---
## Domino‘s generates more than £1m with personalised display ads
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Domino‘s generates more than £1m with personalised display ads
---
## Americans Deem Pandemic Advertising Appropriate, Looking For Good Deals
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Americans Deem Pandemic Advertising Appropriate, Looking For Good Deals
---
## Education, fitness and arts are brand categories gaining most during coronavirus, CJ Affiliate shows
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Education, fitness and arts are brand categories gaining most during coronavirus, CJ Affiliate shows
---
## Display adverts preferred during Covid-19 crisis, as many consumers rate email and social ads ‘too overwhelming’, research shows
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Display adverts preferred during Covid-19 crisis, as many consumers rate email and social ads ‘too overwhelming’, research shows
---
## Display Ads Least Disruptive Channel for Consumers During COVID-19, Study Finds
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Display Ads Least Disruptive Channel for Consumers During COVID-19, Study Finds
---
## Affiliate display adverts preferred during Covid-19 crisis, as many consumers rate email and social ads ‘too overwhelming’
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Affiliate display adverts preferred during Covid-19 crisis, as many consumers rate email and social ads ‘too overwhelming’
---
## Why CMOs need to stop investing in marketing technology
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Why CMOs need to stop investing in marketing technology
---
## Education, fitness and arts: the brand categories gaining the most during coronavirus revealed
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Education, fitness and arts: the brand categories gaining the most during coronavirus revealed
---
## Publishers see DTC services as bright spots in a bleak ad landscape
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Publishers see DTC services as bright spots in a bleak ad landscape
---
## Dune London benefits from personalisation
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Dune London benefits from personalisation
---
## Dune London sees investment in message personalisation pay off
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Dune London sees investment in message personalisation pay off
---
## 65% of consumers fed up with irrelevant brand communications
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# 65% of consumers fed up with irrelevant brand communications
---
## 10 stupendous digital marketing stats we’ve seen this week
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# 10 stupendous digital marketing stats we’ve seen this week
---
## Consumers Fed up with Irrelevant Brand Communications
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Consumers Fed up with Irrelevant Brand Communications
---
## Untargeted retail offers ‘a turn-off’ for consumers
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Untargeted retail offers ‘a turn-off’ for consumers
---
## Dune London gets personal with Conversant and sees 64% increase in ROI
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Dune London gets personal with Conversant and sees 64% increase in ROI
---
## Consumers want personalised communications
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Consumers want personalised communications
---
## Why consumers are fed up with irrelevant brand communications
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Why consumers are fed up with irrelevant brand communications
---
## Dune London sees investment in message personalisation pay off
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Dune London sees investment in message personalisation pay off
---
## UK ‘dominating’ m-commerce holiday orders
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# UK ‘dominating’ m-commerce holiday orders
---
## Getting ready for a mobile Christmas – and beyond
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Getting ready for a mobile Christmas – and beyond
---
## UK leading a mobile shopping charge this Christmas
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# UK leading a mobile shopping charge this Christmas
---
## Brace for impact: mobile devices account for a third of online Christmas orders
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Brace for impact: mobile devices account for a third of online Christmas orders
---
## 85 per cent of marketers admit to double vision
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# 85 per cent of marketers admit to double vision
---
## Effective personalisation? You’re more likely to see yeti
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Effective personalisation? You’re more likely to see yeti
---
## Majority of CMOs struggling to unify online and offline
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Majority of CMOs struggling to unify online and offline
---
## How does the Industry Waste $20bn of Marketing Budget a Year?
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# How does the Industry Waste $20bn of Marketing Budget a Year?
---
## Most marketers ‘still can’t unify online and offline worlds’
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Most marketers ‘still can’t unify online and offline worlds’
---
## Consumers looking for the perfect loyalty scheme – how to take advantage
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Consumers looking for the perfect loyalty scheme – how to take advantage
---
## All consumers want for Christmas is free shipping
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# All consumers want for Christmas is free shipping
---
## All Talk? Weak Personalisation Efforts Proving “Waste of Marketing Spend”
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# All Talk? Weak Personalisation Efforts Proving “Waste of Marketing Spend”
---
## All consumers want for Christmas is free shipping
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# All consumers want for Christmas is free shipping
---
## Transform Everything You’re Doing to Drive Growth
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Transform Everything You’re Doing to Drive Growth
---
## Conversant and CJ Affiliate Launch New GDPR Compliance Tool for Digital Advertising
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Conversant and CJ Affiliate Launch New GDPR Compliance Tool for Digital Advertising
---
## New GDPR compliance tool launched for digital advertising
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# New GDPR compliance tool launched for digital advertising
---
## Asking the Affiliate Networks: Where Do You Stand on GDPR?
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Asking the Affiliate Networks: Where Do You Stand on GDPR?
---
## The personalisation disconnect: rift grows between brand offerings and consumer desires
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# The personalisation disconnect: rift grows between brand offerings and consumer desires
---
## Google’s Chrome ad blocker switches on tomorrow
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Google’s Chrome ad blocker switches on tomorrow
---
## Chrome adblockalypse will 'accelerate Google-Facebook duopoly'
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Chrome adblockalypse will 'accelerate Google-Facebook duopoly'
---
## Prime Day is not just for Amazon: all retailers see a spike in revenue, says affiliate agency
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Prime Day is not just for Amazon: all retailers see a spike in revenue, says affiliate agency
---
## UK Consumers to Trigger Data Privacy Requests; Multi-Device Shoppers Spend More
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# UK Consumers to Trigger Data Privacy Requests; Multi-Device Shoppers Spend More
---
## Conversant and CJ Affiliate launch new GDPR compliance tool for digital advertising
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Conversant and CJ Affiliate launch new GDPR compliance tool for digital advertising
---
## Retailers See 64% Increase in Revenue Year-On-Year On Amazon Prime Day
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Retailers See 64% Increase in Revenue Year-On-Year On Amazon Prime Day
---
## Creative Opinions: Unpacking the “Cannes of Worms” at Cannes Lions 2018
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Creative Opinions: Unpacking the “Cannes of Worms” at Cannes Lions 2018
---
## ‘Multi-Device Shoppers’ Browsing On Smartphones Spend 23% More
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# ‘Multi-Device Shoppers’ Browsing On Smartphones Spend 23% More
---
## Retailers are ready for Black Friday – but are shoppers starting to ignore ‘peak’?
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Retailers are ready for Black Friday – but are shoppers starting to ignore ‘peak’?
---
## New research shows majority of British people will buy local this Christmas
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# New research shows majority of British people will buy local this Christmas
---
## Marketing for Black Friday and Cyber Monday in September generates higher sales, study finds
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Marketing for Black Friday and Cyber Monday in September generates higher sales, study finds
---
## Why are marketers still breaking the first rule of marketing?
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Why are marketers still breaking the first rule of marketing?
---
## Holiday Shopping: UK Consumers Buying from Home-Grown Brands
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Holiday Shopping: UK Consumers Buying from Home-Grown Brands
---
## Retailers Willing to Invest More in Tech; Retailers Can Win With Voice in the Holidays
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Retailers Willing to Invest More in Tech; Retailers Can Win With Voice in the Holidays
---
## Showrooming in-store to evolve in 2019 as Millennials and Gen Z buy on their mobiles – saving the High Street
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Showrooming in-store to evolve in 2019 as Millennials and Gen Z buy on their mobiles – saving the High Street
---
## Scotch & Soda personalises ads, achieving five-fold incremental return on investment
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Scotch & Soda personalises ads, achieving five-fold incremental return on investment
---
## Showrooming to evolve in 2019 as Millennials and Gen Z buy on mobiles – while in-store, Conversant finds
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Showrooming to evolve in 2019 as Millennials and Gen Z buy on mobiles – while in-store, Conversant finds
---
## The evolution of showrooming for omnichannel retail
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# The evolution of showrooming for omnichannel retail
---
## TV ad revenue, dark social, retail performance: 5 killer stats to start your week
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# TV ad revenue, dark social, retail performance: 5 killer stats to start your week
---
## Consumers don’t click on ads to make purchase and half of ads are irrelevant
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Consumers don’t click on ads to make purchase and half of ads are irrelevant
---
## Relationship status
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Relationship status
---
## BAM boosts turnover with change to ad approach
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# BAM boosts turnover with change to ad approach
---
## BAM shows demand-driving advertising increases revenue
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# BAM shows demand-driving advertising increases revenue
---
## Brands are damaging their reputation with stale advertising techniques that are pushing away consumers – study
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Brands are damaging their reputation with stale advertising techniques that are pushing away consumers – study
---
## £2m revenue boost at Cox and Cox driven by personalised display ads
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# £2m revenue boost at Cox and Cox driven by personalised display ads
---
## £2m revenue boost in just 18 months for retailer Cox and Cox
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# £2m revenue boost in just 18 months for retailer Cox and Cox
---
## The best digital marketing stats we’ve seen this week
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# The best digital marketing stats we’ve seen this week
---
## Homeware retailer, Cox and Cox, achieves £2m revenue boost in 18 months through personalised ads
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Homeware retailer, Cox and Cox, achieves £2m revenue boost in 18 months through personalised ads
---
## Dune revenue rises by £4.4m thanks to personalisation
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Dune revenue rises by £4.4m thanks to personalisation
---
## Getting to know its customers through data helps Dune London boost its sales
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Getting to know its customers through data helps Dune London boost its sales
---
## Fashion retailers can have good Christmas, but must look beyond Black Friday - report
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Fashion retailers can have good Christmas, but must look beyond Black Friday - report
---
## 80% of Consumers in UK & US Still Approve Traditional Ads, Study Finds
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# 80% of Consumers in UK & US Still Approve Traditional Ads, Study Finds
---
## Direct to consumer start-ups pushing out traditional brands as lines blur
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Direct to consumer start-ups pushing out traditional brands as lines blur
---
## #BlackFriday2019: Real Opportunity for Retailers to Secure Long-Lasting Customer Acquisition
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# #BlackFriday2019: Real Opportunity for Retailers to Secure Long-Lasting Customer Acquisition
---
## Browser Tools are Retail Winners - Sales Increase 349% Year-On-Year
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Browser Tools are Retail Winners - Sales Increase 349% Year-On-Year
---
## Mobile-only marketing: the millennial goldmine?
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Mobile-only marketing: the millennial goldmine?
---
## Black Friday evolves in the UK
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Black Friday evolves in the UK
---
## 2019 International Performance Marketing Awards Winners Announced
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# 2019 International Performance Marketing Awards Winners Announced
---
## Brands Shouldn’t Press Pause on Advertising Efforts During Pandemic, Study Finds
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Brands Shouldn’t Press Pause on Advertising Efforts During Pandemic, Study Finds
---
## Domino‘s generates more than £1m with personalised display ads
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Domino‘s generates more than £1m with personalised display ads
---
## Personalisation gives Domino’s big slice of the market
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Personalisation gives Domino’s big slice of the market
---
## Affiliate programmes set to go global as ecommerce booms in emerging markets
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Affiliate programmes set to go global as ecommerce booms in emerging markets
---
## COVID-19: Consumers condemn inappropriate ads but crave brand response details
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# COVID-19: Consumers condemn inappropriate ads but crave brand response details
---
## Sorry Sorrell, you’re wrong: Consumers do want ads
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Sorry Sorrell, you’re wrong: Consumers do want ads
---
## Brands warned against email and social bombardment
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Brands warned against email and social bombardment
---
## Majority of consumers don’t think brands should stop advertising during coronavirus
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Majority of consumers don’t think brands should stop advertising during coronavirus
---
## Loungewear and casual fashion sales explode during UK lockdown
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Loungewear and casual fashion sales explode during UK lockdown
---
## UK demand for loungewear and casualwear surges 49 percent amid lockdown
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# UK demand for loungewear and casualwear surges 49 percent amid lockdown
---
## Coronavirus News Roundup: Six Months Ad Spend Freeze, Discounts to NHS Staff and More
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Coronavirus News Roundup: Six Months Ad Spend Freeze, Discounts to NHS Staff and More
---
## UK relaxes into new way of working – and loungewear emerges as winner with 49% increase in shopper demand
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# UK relaxes into new way of working – and loungewear emerges as winner with 49% increase in shopper demand
---
## Loungewear and casualwear are key lockdown buys says Epsilon-Conversant data
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Loungewear and casualwear are key lockdown buys says Epsilon-Conversant data
---
## The DTC pandemic boom: What can we learn?
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# The DTC pandemic boom: What can we learn?
---
## With Cookies Crumbled and IDFA DOA, It’s Time for Better Identity Strategy
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# With Cookies Crumbled and IDFA DOA, It’s Time for Better Identity Strategy
---
## How to Drive Better Outcomes for Your Customers
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# How to Drive Better Outcomes for Your Customers
---
## The Case for Bringing Balance Back to the Marketing Ecosystem
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# The Case for Bringing Balance Back to the Marketing Ecosystem
---
## The 16 Most Innovative and Relevant Ad-Tech and Mar-Tech Companies, According to You
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# The 16 Most Innovative and Relevant Ad-Tech and Mar-Tech Companies, According to You
---
## Email Crisis Control: Retailers Say It's Their Main Channel During Pandemic
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Email Crisis Control: Retailers Say It's Their Main Channel During Pandemic
---
## The 4 Ingredients You Need to Move from Mass Communication to Mass Personalization
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# The 4 Ingredients You Need to Move from Mass Communication to Mass Personalization
---
## What Brands Can Learn From DTC to Weather the Current Storm
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# What Brands Can Learn From DTC to Weather the Current Storm
---
## The executives shaping the future of marketing technology in 2020
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# The executives shaping the future of marketing technology in 2020
---
## The COVID-19 Wallet: Consumers Are Spending Again, But They Want Discounts
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# The COVID-19 Wallet: Consumers Are Spending Again, But They Want Discounts
---
## Epsilon Launches Brand Consideration Metrics at Individual Level
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Epsilon Launches Brand Consideration Metrics at Individual Level
---
## How Epsilon Is Future-Proofing For The Loss Of Online Identifiers
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# How Epsilon Is Future-Proofing For The Loss Of Online Identifiers
---
## Apple’s IDFA Change Will Hurt Publishers & Advertisers: Epsilon’s Elert
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Apple’s IDFA Change Will Hurt Publishers & Advertisers: Epsilon’s Elert
---
## Report: Marketers Pessimistic About Third-Party Cookie Changes
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Report: Marketers Pessimistic About Third-Party Cookie Changes
---
## How Epsilon Built a ‘Central Point of Truth’ for Customers in Less Than 90 Days
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# How Epsilon Built a ‘Central Point of Truth’ for Customers in Less Than 90 Days
---
## Epsilon Study Shows Big Marketer Backlash To Cookie Deprecation
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Epsilon Study Shows Big Marketer Backlash To Cookie Deprecation
---
## The DTC pandemic boom: What can we learn?
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# The DTC pandemic boom: What can we learn?
---
## UK demand for loungewear and casualwear surges 49 percent amid lockdown
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# UK demand for loungewear and casualwear surges 49 percent amid lockdown
---
## UK relaxes into new way of working – and loungewear emerges as winner with 49% increase in shopper demand
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# UK relaxes into new way of working – and loungewear emerges as winner with 49% increase in shopper demand
---
## Loungewear and casualwear are key lockdown buys says Epsilon-Conversant data
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Loungewear and casualwear are key lockdown buys says Epsilon-Conversant data
---
## Publishers see DTC services as bright spots in a bleak ad landscape
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Publishers see DTC services as bright spots in a bleak ad landscape
---
## Affiliate display adverts preferred during Covid-19 crisis, as many consumers rate email and social ads ‘too overwhelming’
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Affiliate display adverts preferred during Covid-19 crisis, as many consumers rate email and social ads ‘too overwhelming’
---
## Americans Deem Pandemic Advertising Appropriate, Looking For Good Deals
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Americans Deem Pandemic Advertising Appropriate, Looking For Good Deals
---
## Brands Shouldn’t Press Pause on Advertising Efforts During Pandemic, Study Finds
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Brands Shouldn’t Press Pause on Advertising Efforts During Pandemic, Study Finds
---
## Majority (62%) of consumers don’t think brands should stop advertising during coronavirus
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Majority (62%) of consumers don’t think brands should stop advertising during coronavirus
---
## The Domino’s effect: New personalised advertising campaign sees tenfold return
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# The Domino’s effect: New personalised advertising campaign sees tenfold return
---
## Domino‘s generates more than £1m and gives new delivery players a run for their money with personalised ad
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Domino‘s generates more than £1m and gives new delivery players a run for their money with personalised ad
---
## Domino‘s generates more than £1m with personalised display ads
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Domino‘s generates more than £1m with personalised display ads
---
## Domino‘s generates more than £1m with personalised display ads
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Domino‘s generates more than £1m with personalised display ads
---
## Affiliate Programmes Going Global as E-Commerce Booms in Emerging Markets
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Affiliate Programmes Going Global as E-Commerce Booms in Emerging Markets
---
## Affiliate programmes set to go global as ecommerce booms in emerging markets
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Affiliate programmes set to go global as ecommerce booms in emerging markets
---
## Direct to consumer start-ups pushing out traditional brands as lines blur
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Direct to consumer start-ups pushing out traditional brands as lines blur
---
## Mobile-only marketing: the millennial goldmine?
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Mobile-only marketing: the millennial goldmine?
---
## EDITORIAL Black Friday: a lesson in engagement
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# EDITORIAL Black Friday: a lesson in engagement
---
## Is Black Friday’s real opportunity the building of long-lasting customer acquisition?
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Is Black Friday’s real opportunity the building of long-lasting customer acquisition?
---
## Black Friday evolves in the UK
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Black Friday evolves in the UK
---
## Most marketers ‘failing to link data to customer behaviour’ – report
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Most marketers ‘failing to link data to customer behaviour’ – report
---
## Christmas to offer salvation for brands suffering from poor summer sales
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Christmas to offer salvation for brands suffering from poor summer sales
---
## Taking Affiliate Worldwide: Top Tips for Global Program Success
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Taking Affiliate Worldwide: Top Tips for Global Program Success
---
## Consumers demand quality not quantity from online ads
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Consumers demand quality not quantity from online ads
---
## Getting to know its customers through data helps Dune London boost its sales
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Getting to know its customers through data helps Dune London boost its sales
---
## £2m revenue boost at Cox and Cox driven by personalised display ads
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# £2m revenue boost at Cox and Cox driven by personalised display ads
---
## GDPR, sport sponsorship, commercial radio: 5 killer stats to start your week
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# GDPR, sport sponsorship, commercial radio: 5 killer stats to start your week
---
## No more cat and mouse advertising? Brits ‘fed up’ of retargeted ads
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# No more cat and mouse advertising? Brits ‘fed up’ of retargeted ads
---
## Consumers want to see an end to 'advert stalking': report
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Consumers want to see an end to 'advert stalking': report
---
## Brands are damaging their reputation with stale advertising techniques that are pushing away consumers – study
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Brands are damaging their reputation with stale advertising techniques that are pushing away consumers – study
---
## BAM boosts turnover with change to ad approach
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# BAM boosts turnover with change to ad approach
---
## 56% of people click on online adverts to find information, but quality woes abound
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# 56% of people click on online adverts to find information, but quality woes abound
---
## Relationship status
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Relationship status
---
## Younger consumers are using their smartphones to browse and buy while in stores
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Younger consumers are using their smartphones to browse and buy while in stores
---
## Alexa, if we all shop using Google Home, will I need a website in five years’ time?
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Alexa, if we all shop using Google Home, will I need a website in five years’ time?
---
## How European regulators are targeting Google’s search dominance
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# How European regulators are targeting Google’s search dominance
---
## Retailers Willing to Invest More in Tech; Retailers Can Win With Voice in the Holidays
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Retailers Willing to Invest More in Tech; Retailers Can Win With Voice in the Holidays
---
## Voice assistants set to make an impact on Christmas e-commerce market
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Voice assistants set to make an impact on Christmas e-commerce market
---
## Will a GDPR complaint spell the end of programmatic advertising?
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Will a GDPR complaint spell the end of programmatic advertising?
---
## Marketing for Black Friday and Cyber Monday in September generates higher sales, study finds
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Marketing for Black Friday and Cyber Monday in September generates higher sales, study finds
---
## Prime Day is not just for Amazon: other retailers see 64% spike in revenue
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Prime Day is not just for Amazon: other retailers see 64% spike in revenue
---
## Prime Day is not just for Amazon: all retailers see a spike in revenue, says affiliate agency
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Prime Day is not just for Amazon: all retailers see a spike in revenue, says affiliate agency
---
## Creative Opinions: Unpacking the “Cannes of Worms” at Cannes Lions 2018
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Creative Opinions: Unpacking the “Cannes of Worms” at Cannes Lions 2018
---
## Shoppers will go in-store if they have loyalty points and coupons on their phones, says study…
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Shoppers will go in-store if they have loyalty points and coupons on their phones, says study…
---
## ‘Multi-Device Shoppers’ Browsing On Smartphones Spend 23% More
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# ‘Multi-Device Shoppers’ Browsing On Smartphones Spend 23% More
---
## Chrome adblockalypse will 'accelerate Google-Facebook duopoly'
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Chrome adblockalypse will 'accelerate Google-Facebook duopoly'
---
## Transform Everything You’re Doing to Drive Growth
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Transform Everything You’re Doing to Drive Growth
---
## All Talk? Weak Personalisation Efforts Proving “Waste of Marketing Spend”
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# All Talk? Weak Personalisation Efforts Proving “Waste of Marketing Spend”
---
## 85 per cent of marketers admit to double vision
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# 85 per cent of marketers admit to double vision
---
## Majority of CMOs struggling to unify online and offline
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Majority of CMOs struggling to unify online and offline
---
## Brits turn to mobile for shopping sprees
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Brits turn to mobile for shopping sprees
---
## UK ‘dominating’ m-commerce holiday orders
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# UK ‘dominating’ m-commerce holiday orders
---
## Brace for impact: mobile devices account for a third of online Christmas orders
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Brace for impact: mobile devices account for a third of online Christmas orders
---
## Why consumers are fed up with irrelevant brand communications
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Why consumers are fed up with irrelevant brand communications
---
## Consumers Fed up with Irrelevant Brand Communications
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Consumers Fed up with Irrelevant Brand Communications
---
## 10 stupendous digital marketing stats we’ve seen this week
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# 10 stupendous digital marketing stats we’ve seen this week
---
## Consumers Fed up with Irrelevant Brand Communications
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Consumers Fed up with Irrelevant Brand Communications
---
## Dune London benefits from personalisation
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Dune London benefits from personalisation
---
## Dune London gets personal with Conversant and sees 64% increase in ROI
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Dune London gets personal with Conversant and sees 64% increase in ROI
---
## Untargeted retail offers ‘a turn-off’ for consumers
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Untargeted retail offers ‘a turn-off’ for consumers
---
## Consumers want personalised communications
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Consumers want personalised communications
---
## What a tougher 100% digital ad viewability standard would mean
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# What a tougher 100% digital ad viewability standard would mean
---
## Studies highlight importance of data in targeting consumers
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Studies highlight importance of data in targeting consumers
---
## Google Ad Blocker: Don't get too excited, it might be a bad thing
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Google Ad Blocker: Don't get too excited, it might be a bad thing
---
## Right to reply: Google ‘s new Chrome adblocker – what does this mean for advertisers?
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Right to reply: Google ‘s new Chrome adblocker – what does this mean for advertisers?
---
## CJ Affiliate announces launch of cross-device tracking
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# CJ Affiliate announces launch of cross-device tracking
---
## Learning from PMA 17: CJ Affiliate Wins Best Managed Affiliate Programme with TUI
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Learning from PMA 17: CJ Affiliate Wins Best Managed Affiliate Programme with TUI
---
## Can an ad blocker in Chrome really solve intrusive advertising?
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Can an ad blocker in Chrome really solve intrusive advertising?
---
## Debenhams and CJ Affiliate launch exclusive affiliate programme
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Debenhams and CJ Affiliate launch exclusive affiliate programme
---
## Debenhams and CJ Affiliate launch exclusive affiliate programme
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Debenhams and CJ Affiliate launch exclusive affiliate programme
---
## Debenhams Joins CJ Affiliate to Launch UK & Ireland Affiliate Activity
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Debenhams Joins CJ Affiliate to Launch UK & Ireland Affiliate Activity
---
## Why CMOs need to stop investing in marketing technology
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Why CMOs need to stop investing in marketing technology
---
## Coronavirus News Roundup: Six Months Ad Spend Freeze, Discounts to NHS Staff and More
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Coronavirus News Roundup: Six Months Ad Spend Freeze, Discounts to NHS Staff and More
---
## Loungewear and casual fashion sales explode during UK lockdown
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Loungewear and casual fashion sales explode during UK lockdown
---
## Education, fitness and arts: the brand categories gaining the most during coronavirus revealed
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Education, fitness and arts: the brand categories gaining the most during coronavirus revealed
---
## Education, fitness and arts are brand categories gaining most during coronavirus, CJ Affiliate shows
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Education, fitness and arts are brand categories gaining most during coronavirus, CJ Affiliate shows
---
## Display Ads Least Disruptive Channel for Consumers During COVID-19, Study Finds
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Display Ads Least Disruptive Channel for Consumers During COVID-19, Study Finds
---
## Display adverts preferred during Covid-19 crisis, as many consumers rate email and social ads ‘too overwhelming’, research shows
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Display adverts preferred during Covid-19 crisis, as many consumers rate email and social ads ‘too overwhelming’, research shows
---
## Brands warned against email and social bombardment
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Brands warned against email and social bombardment
---
## COVID-19: Consumers condemn inappropriate ads but crave brand response details
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# COVID-19: Consumers condemn inappropriate ads but crave brand response details
---
## Sorry Sorrell, you’re wrong: Consumers do want ads
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Sorry Sorrell, you’re wrong: Consumers do want ads
---
## Majority of consumers don’t think brands should stop advertising during coronavirus
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Majority of consumers don’t think brands should stop advertising during coronavirus
---
## Personalisation gives Domino’s big slice of the market
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Personalisation gives Domino’s big slice of the market
---
## The lines between DTC and traditional B2C are blurring
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# The lines between DTC and traditional B2C are blurring
---
## #BlackFriday2019: Real Opportunity for Retailers to Secure Long-Lasting Customer Acquisition
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# #BlackFriday2019: Real Opportunity for Retailers to Secure Long-Lasting Customer Acquisition
---
## Browser Tools are Retail Winners - Sales Increase 349% Year-On-Year
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Browser Tools are Retail Winners - Sales Increase 349% Year-On-Year
---
## 2019 International Performance Marketing Awards Winners Announced
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# 2019 International Performance Marketing Awards Winners Announced
---
## Best affiliate marketing programs of 2019: opportunities to make money online
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Best affiliate marketing programs of 2019: opportunities to make money online
---
## Fashion retailers can have good Christmas, but must look beyond Black Friday - report
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Fashion retailers can have good Christmas, but must look beyond Black Friday - report
---
## Christmas to offer salvation for brands suffering from poor summer sales – if they get mobile right
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Christmas to offer salvation for brands suffering from poor summer sales – if they get mobile right
---
## 80% of Consumers in UK & US Still Approve Traditional Ads, Study Finds
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# 80% of Consumers in UK & US Still Approve Traditional Ads, Study Finds
---
## Why Marketers Look To Identity Resolution For Answers
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Why Marketers Look To Identity Resolution For Answers
---
## Dune boosts sales using personalised advertising
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Dune boosts sales using personalised advertising
---
## Dune revenue rises by £4.4m thanks to personalisation
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Dune revenue rises by £4.4m thanks to personalisation
---
## Homeware retailer, Cox and Cox, achieves £2m revenue boost in 18 months through personalised ads
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Homeware retailer, Cox and Cox, achieves £2m revenue boost in 18 months through personalised ads
---
## £2m revenue boost in just 18 months for retailer Cox and Cox
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# £2m revenue boost in just 18 months for retailer Cox and Cox
---
## The best digital marketing stats we’ve seen this week
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# The best digital marketing stats we’ve seen this week
---
## BAM shows demand-driving advertising increases revenue
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# BAM shows demand-driving advertising increases revenue
---
## Ethical retailer, BAM, moves beyond re-targeting, driving £700,000 in incremental revenue
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Ethical retailer, BAM, moves beyond re-targeting, driving £700,000 in incremental revenue
---
## TV ad revenue, dark social, retail performance: 5 killer stats to start your week
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# TV ad revenue, dark social, retail performance: 5 killer stats to start your week
---
## Consumers don’t click on ads to make purchase and half of ads are irrelevant
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Consumers don’t click on ads to make purchase and half of ads are irrelevant
---
## The evolution of showrooming for omnichannel retail
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# The evolution of showrooming for omnichannel retail
---
## Scotch & Soda personalises ads, achieving five-fold incremental return on investment
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Scotch & Soda personalises ads, achieving five-fold incremental return on investment
---
## Scotch & Soda raises glass to personalisation strategy
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Scotch & Soda raises glass to personalisation strategy
---
## Scotch & Soda boosts ROI with personalised ads
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Scotch & Soda boosts ROI with personalised ads
---
## Younger Shoppers Fuelling High Street Revival
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Younger Shoppers Fuelling High Street Revival
---
## Showrooming to evolve in 2019 as Millennials and Gen Z buy on mobiles – while in-store, Conversant finds
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Showrooming to evolve in 2019 as Millennials and Gen Z buy on mobiles – while in-store, Conversant finds
---
## Showrooming in-store to evolve in 2019 as Millennials and Gen Z buy on their mobiles – saving the High Street
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Showrooming in-store to evolve in 2019 as Millennials and Gen Z buy on their mobiles – saving the High Street
---
## Madtech: convergence of adtech and martech creates incredible opportunities – but buyer beware
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Madtech: convergence of adtech and martech creates incredible opportunities – but buyer beware
---
## Why are marketers still breaking the first rule of marketing?
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Why are marketers still breaking the first rule of marketing?
---
## Alexa, all I want for Christmas is… more straightforward shopping
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Alexa, all I want for Christmas is… more straightforward shopping
---
## Holiday Shopping: UK Consumers Buying from Home-Grown Brands
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Holiday Shopping: UK Consumers Buying from Home-Grown Brands
---
## New research shows majority of British people will buy local this Christmas
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# New research shows majority of British people will buy local this Christmas
---
## High Street Adapting too Slowly; September Start for Campaigns Results in Higher Sales
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# High Street Adapting too Slowly; September Start for Campaigns Results in Higher Sales
---
## Retailers get more sales with early Black Friday campaigns
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Retailers get more sales with early Black Friday campaigns
---
## Consumers Three Times More Likely to Purchase Products During Black Friday
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Consumers Three Times More Likely to Purchase Products During Black Friday
---
## EDITORIAL Leveraging peak for omni-channel retailing
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# EDITORIAL Leveraging peak for omni-channel retailing
---
## Black Friday Losing Stranglehold on Sales; Millennials Giving Mobile the Cold Shoulder
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Black Friday Losing Stranglehold on Sales; Millennials Giving Mobile the Cold Shoulder
---
## Retailers are ready for Black Friday – but are shoppers starting to ignore ‘peak’?
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Retailers are ready for Black Friday – but are shoppers starting to ignore ‘peak’?
---
## Amazon Prime Day retail effect set to be felt well beyond its own website
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Amazon Prime Day retail effect set to be felt well beyond its own website
---
## Retailers See 64% Increase in Revenue Year-On-Year On Amazon Prime Day
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Retailers See 64% Increase in Revenue Year-On-Year On Amazon Prime Day
---
## Coupons & Cashback Deals Completed Within 24 Hour, CJ Affiliate Finds
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Coupons & Cashback Deals Completed Within 24 Hour, CJ Affiliate Finds
---
## UK Consumers to Trigger Data Privacy Requests; Multi-Device Shoppers Spend More
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# UK Consumers to Trigger Data Privacy Requests; Multi-Device Shoppers Spend More
---
## Asking the Affiliate Networks: Where Do You Stand on GDPR?
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Asking the Affiliate Networks: Where Do You Stand on GDPR?
---
## Conversant and CJ Affiliate launch new GDPR compliance tool for digital advertising
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Conversant and CJ Affiliate launch new GDPR compliance tool for digital advertising
---
## The personalisation mismatch: shoppers want customisation and service but brands offering discounts
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# The personalisation mismatch: shoppers want customisation and service but brands offering discounts
---
## Consumers want customisation and service while brands offer discounts
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Consumers want customisation and service while brands offer discounts
---
## The personalisation disconnect: rift grows between brand offerings and consumer desires
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# The personalisation disconnect: rift grows between brand offerings and consumer desires
---
## New GDPR compliance tool launched for digital advertising
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# New GDPR compliance tool launched for digital advertising
---
## Conversant and CJ Affiliate Launch New GDPR Compliance Tool for Digital Advertising
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Conversant and CJ Affiliate Launch New GDPR Compliance Tool for Digital Advertising
---
## Google’s Chrome ad blocker switches on tomorrow
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Google’s Chrome ad blocker switches on tomorrow
---
## Will We Ever Stop Ad Fraud?
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Will We Ever Stop Ad Fraud?
---
## Ad-savvy Brits clicking less but spending more
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Ad-savvy Brits clicking less but spending more
---
## How does the Industry Waste $20bn of Marketing Budget a Year?
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# How does the Industry Waste $20bn of Marketing Budget a Year?
---
## Consumers looking for the perfect loyalty scheme – how to take advantage
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Consumers looking for the perfect loyalty scheme – how to take advantage
---
## 3 Ways to Ensure Positive ROI for Your Media Spend
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# 3 Ways to Ensure Positive ROI for Your Media Spend
---
## All consumers want for Christmas is free shipping
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# All consumers want for Christmas is free shipping
---
## All consumers want for Christmas is free shipping
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# All consumers want for Christmas is free shipping
---
## Most marketers ‘still can’t unify online and offline worlds’
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Most marketers ‘still can’t unify online and offline worlds’
---
## Effective personalisation? You’re more likely to see yeti
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Effective personalisation? You’re more likely to see yeti
---
## Getting ready for a mobile Christmas – and beyond
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Getting ready for a mobile Christmas – and beyond
---
## UK leading a mobile shopping charge this Christmas
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# UK leading a mobile shopping charge this Christmas
---
## Mobile devices account for a third of online Christmas orders
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Mobile devices account for a third of online Christmas orders
---
## Dune London sees investment in message personalisation pay off
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Dune London sees investment in message personalisation pay off
---
## Dune London sees investment in message personalisation pay off
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Dune London sees investment in message personalisation pay off
---
## 10 stupendous digital marketing stats we’ve seen this week
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# 10 stupendous digital marketing stats we’ve seen this week
---
## Dune London benefits from personalisation
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Dune London benefits from personalisation
---
## Dune London gets personal with Conversant and sees 64% increase in ROI
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Dune London gets personal with Conversant and sees 64% increase in ROI
---
## 65% of consumers fed up with irrelevant brand communications
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# 65% of consumers fed up with irrelevant brand communications
---
## 65% of consumers fed up with irrelevant brand communications
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# 65% of consumers fed up with irrelevant brand communications
---
## 10 marvellous digital marketing stats we’ve seen this week
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# 10 marvellous digital marketing stats we’ve seen this week
---
## Programmatic: time to hit the reset button?
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Programmatic: time to hit the reset button?
---
## Global affiliate marketing revenue growth up 16% during winter holiday period
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Global affiliate marketing revenue growth up 16% during winter holiday period
---
## 10 stupendous digital marketing stats we’ve seen this week
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# 10 stupendous digital marketing stats we’ve seen this week
---
## Future of personalisation is here – are you in the loop?
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Future of personalisation is here – are you in the loop?
---
## Ad viewability standards to get tougher?
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Ad viewability standards to get tougher?
---
## CJ Affiliate by Conversant Announced Headline Sponsor of IPMAs
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# CJ Affiliate by Conversant Announced Headline Sponsor of IPMAs
---
## Seven steps to plan & manage your affiliate marketing campaigns
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Seven steps to plan & manage your affiliate marketing campaigns
---
## Google Shopping fine: the retail industry response
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Google Shopping fine: the retail industry response
---
## A dive into the murky, but very important world of affiliate marketing
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# A dive into the murky, but very important world of affiliate marketing
---
## GOOGLE LIKELY TO APPEAL $2.7 BILLION FINE FOR 'ABUSING ITS DOMINANCE'
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# GOOGLE LIKELY TO APPEAL $2.7 BILLION FINE FOR 'ABUSING ITS DOMINANCE'
---
## The winners and losers of Google’s $2.7 billion fine from Europe
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# The winners and losers of Google’s $2.7 billion fine from Europe
---
## Breathing New Life into Digital Advertising
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Breathing New Life into Digital Advertising
---
## Conversant’s Robin Davies: why publishers need to beware new Chrome ad blocker
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Conversant’s Robin Davies: why publishers need to beware new Chrome ad blocker
---
## What will Google Chrome's ad blocker mean for marketing?
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# What will Google Chrome's ad blocker mean for marketing?
---
## CJ Affiliate debuts global cross-device tracking
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# CJ Affiliate debuts global cross-device tracking
---
## Debenhams goes on affiliate marketing drive with CJ Affiliate
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Debenhams goes on affiliate marketing drive with CJ Affiliate
---
## Reigniting the Value of Digital Advertising
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Reigniting the Value of Digital Advertising
---
## Reigniting the Value of Digital Advertising
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Reigniting the Value of Digital Advertising
---
## Rising Star Series: Victoria Baeckstroem – Account Manager, CJ Affiliate
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Rising Star Series: Victoria Baeckstroem – Account Manager, CJ Affiliate
---
## How Worried Marketers Can Rediscover Identity: Epsilon’s Stevens
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# How Worried Marketers Can Rediscover Identity: Epsilon’s Stevens
---
## Ad targeting as we know it is going away — meet the 20 experts working on high-profile fixes for advertisers
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Ad targeting as we know it is going away — meet the 20 experts working on high-profile fixes for advertisers
---
## 5 Ways Marketers Are Preparing for Third-Party Cookie Deprecation
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# 5 Ways Marketers Are Preparing for Third-Party Cookie Deprecation
---
## How to Build Loyalty in a Contactless World
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# How to Build Loyalty in a Contactless World
---
## Don’t Be Fooled: Most CDPs Are Not Enterprise-Ready
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Don’t Be Fooled: Most CDPs Are Not Enterprise-Ready
---
## Can Collaboration Fill the Void Left by Third-Party Cookies and IDFA?
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Can Collaboration Fill the Void Left by Third-Party Cookies and IDFA?
---
## Epsilon Launches Signals to Recognize In-Market Intent Faster, Optimize Audiences and Remove Barriers to Activation
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Epsilon Launches Signals to Recognize In-Market Intent Faster, Optimize Audiences and Remove Barriers to Activation
---
## 4 HR Leaders Share How They’re Keeping Culture Alive in a Remote Environment
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# 4 HR Leaders Share How They’re Keeping Culture Alive in a Remote Environment
---
## 2021 Is Email’s Time to Shine, Especially as an Outcomes-Based Channel
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# 2021 Is Email’s Time to Shine, Especially as an Outcomes-Based Channel
---
## Meet the Top Executives Leading Advertising Giant Publicis' Turnaround as It Takes on Rivals WPP and Omnicom
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Meet the Top Executives Leading Advertising Giant Publicis' Turnaround as It Takes on Rivals WPP and Omnicom
---
## AB InBev Names Epsilon its Data AOR in the U.S., As Brewer Builds More Granular Consumer Targeting Model
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# AB InBev Names Epsilon its Data AOR in the U.S., As Brewer Builds More Granular Consumer Targeting Model
---
## Email-Based Ad Targeting Works For Epsilon And Publisher PoolHost
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Email-Based Ad Targeting Works For Epsilon And Publisher PoolHost
---
## Epsilon Expands Verizon Partnership
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Epsilon Expands Verizon Partnership
---
## Epsilon and The Trade Desk partner to preserve targeting as cookies disappear
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Epsilon and The Trade Desk partner to preserve targeting as cookies disappear
---
## Epsilon Is Making Its Identity Platform Interoperable with Unified ID 2.0
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Epsilon Is Making Its Identity Platform Interoperable with Unified ID 2.0
---
## Publicis Groupe’s Epsilon, Trade Desk Form Strategic Partnership
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Publicis Groupe’s Epsilon, Trade Desk Form Strategic Partnership
---
## Publicis Groupe’s Epsilon and The Trade Desk Ink Cookie-less Targeting Pact
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Publicis Groupe’s Epsilon and The Trade Desk Ink Cookie-less Targeting Pact
---
## Publicis Strikes Exclusive Deal With The Trade Desk, Integrates Epsilon's Consumer IDs As Cookie Solution
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Publicis Strikes Exclusive Deal With The Trade Desk, Integrates Epsilon's Consumer IDs As Cookie Solution
---
## Mastering the Intimacy of the Inbox Has Paid Off for Marriott
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Mastering the Intimacy of the Inbox Has Paid Off for Marriott
---
## Epsilon Teams Up With Adobe And Publicis Sapient To Help Brands Navigate Cookieless World
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Epsilon Teams Up With Adobe And Publicis Sapient To Help Brands Navigate Cookieless World
---
## Epsilon President Ric Elert Outlines Company's Top Priorities
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Epsilon President Ric Elert Outlines Company's Top Priorities
---
## Apple’s Privacy Fortress Signals the End for Ad-Tech Patchwork Solutions
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Apple’s Privacy Fortress Signals the End for Ad-Tech Patchwork Solutions
---
## Apple’s iOS 14.5 privacy updates: ‘more purgatory than paradise’ for users
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Apple’s iOS 14.5 privacy updates: ‘more purgatory than paradise’ for users
---
## Elliott Clayton by Internet Retailing
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Elliott Clayton by Internet Retailing
---
## Publicis' Epsilon First To Receive MRC Stamp For Measuring Outcomes
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Publicis' Epsilon First To Receive MRC Stamp For Measuring Outcomes
---
## Epsilon brings multichannel messaging to the midmarket
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Epsilon brings multichannel messaging to the midmarket
---
## Epsilon Introduces Email-SMS Delivery Tool For Mid-Market Brands
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Epsilon Introduces Email-SMS Delivery Tool For Mid-Market Brands
---
## Publicis Groupe Buys Retail Media Platform To Hook Its Identity Into Epsilon
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Publicis Groupe Buys Retail Media Platform To Hook Its Identity Into Epsilon
---
## Diving Deeper into Publicis Groupe's Acquisition of CitrusAd
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Diving Deeper into Publicis Groupe's Acquisition of CitrusAd
---
## Bank of America Taps Epsilon for Ad Targeting in Post-Cookie World
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Bank of America Taps Epsilon for Ad Targeting in Post-Cookie World
---
## Experience is everything: Why Walgreens revamped its loyalty program
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Experience is everything: Why Walgreens revamped its loyalty program
---
## Why Simply Having First-Party Data Is Only the Beginning
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Why Simply Having First-Party Data Is Only the Beginning
---
## 3 Lessons From Tourism Brands That Innovated in Turbulent Times
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# 3 Lessons From Tourism Brands That Innovated in Turbulent Times
---
## Epsilon Integrates Its CORE ID Offering With The Salesforce Customer Data Platform
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Epsilon Integrates Its CORE ID Offering With The Salesforce Customer Data Platform
---
## How to crack first-party data collection
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# How to crack first-party data collection
---
## PLT doubled down on personalized media; its revenue jumped 38%
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# PLT doubled down on personalized media; its revenue jumped 38%
---
## How game-changing marketing measurement helped propel PrettyLittleThing to a 38% annual revenue increase
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# How game-changing marketing measurement helped propel PrettyLittleThing to a 38% annual revenue increase
---
## The Top Marketing Trends to Adopt and Drop in 2022
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# The Top Marketing Trends to Adopt and Drop in 2022
---
## Neglected email marketing tools - Media Post
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Neglected email marketing tools - Media Post
---
## Digital transformation requires total company buy-in - CMO.com
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Digital transformation requires total company buy-in - CMO.com
---
## What’s hot in email marketing? - Direct Marketing News
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# What’s hot in email marketing? - Direct Marketing News
---
## ROI is dead. A new metric is needed for customer relationships - Ad Age
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# ROI is dead. A new metric is needed for customer relationships - Ad Age
---
## Ad Age data conference explores most effective ways marketers can use data - Ad Age
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Ad Age data conference explores most effective ways marketers can use data - Ad Age
---
## Don Draper, maverick ad man, dead at 88 - Media Post
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Don Draper, maverick ad man, dead at 88 - Media Post
---
## Epsilon, Klout bring social data to email marketing - MediaPost
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Epsilon, Klout bring social data to email marketing - MediaPost
---
## First class marketing relies on customer experience - MediaPost
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# First class marketing relies on customer experience - MediaPost
---
## A holiday preview of what shoppers want and where they want to buy it - AdWeek
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# A holiday preview of what shoppers want and where they want to buy it - AdWeek
---
## Direct Marketing Club of New York announces Silver Apple Honorees for 2015 - Target Marketing
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Direct Marketing Club of New York announces Silver Apple Honorees for 2015 - Target Marketing
---
## 7 ways to use email to combat email disengagement - Direct Marketing News
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# 7 ways to use email to combat email disengagement - Direct Marketing News
---
## It takes an ecosystem: Technology’s role in driving consumer experience - Ad Exchanger
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# It takes an ecosystem: Technology’s role in driving consumer experience - Ad Exchanger
---
## The email opportunist - Direct Marketing News
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# The email opportunist - Direct Marketing News
---
## Ad blocking a no-show at Apple event, while Apple TV hits the spotlight - Ad Exchanger
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Ad blocking a no-show at Apple event, while Apple TV hits the spotlight - Ad Exchanger
---
## Live from Epsilon - Direct Marketing News
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Live from Epsilon - Direct Marketing News
---
## Conversant debuts personalized video, enhanced by Epsilon data - AdExchanger
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Conversant debuts personalized video, enhanced by Epsilon data - AdExchanger
---
## Native ADvice: Andy Frawley, CEO, Epsilon
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Native ADvice: Andy Frawley, CEO, Epsilon
---
## VentureBeat: How tech's big 4 are getting ready to read your emotions
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# VentureBeat: How tech's big 4 are getting ready to read your emotions
---
## Epsilon sets high data management standards for customer engagement and marketing professionals - Loyalty 360
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Epsilon sets high data management standards for customer engagement and marketing professionals - Loyalty 360
---
## Marketers: 5 technologies you should watch for at CES 2016
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Marketers: 5 technologies you should watch for at CES 2016
---
## Mediapost: The joy is in the doing not in the winning
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Mediapost: The joy is in the doing not in the winning
---
## 1to1 Media: Everything new is old
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# 1to1 Media: Everything new is old
---
## International Business Times: Facebook Inc. (FB) Q1 2016 earnings: 1.65 billion monthly active users ensures social network’s dominance in tech
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# International Business Times: Facebook Inc. (FB) Q1 2016 earnings: 1.65 billion monthly active users ensures social network’s dominance in tech
---
## The Review Colorado: Realizing the promise of one-to-one marketing
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# The Review Colorado: Realizing the promise of one-to-one marketing
---
## USA Today: Budweiser renames beer 'America' this summer
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# USA Today: Budweiser renames beer 'America' this summer
---
## Direct Marketing News: The battle for marketers' mindshare
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Direct Marketing News: The battle for marketers' mindshare
---
## Live Mint: Emphasis on greater ROI fuels mar-tech
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Live Mint: Emphasis on greater ROI fuels mar-tech
---
## Marketing News: 10 minutes with Andy Frawley
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Marketing News: 10 minutes with Andy Frawley
---
## Full Service Restaurant Magazine: Cracker Barrel expands reach with target-driven marketing campaign
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Full Service Restaurant Magazine: Cracker Barrel expands reach with target-driven marketing campaign
---
## CMO.com: 3 ways to manage successful interagency relationships
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# CMO.com: 3 ways to manage successful interagency relationships
---
## Ad Week: Infographic: Consumers don't mind hearing from brands on messaging apps
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Ad Week: Infographic: Consumers don't mind hearing from brands on messaging apps
---
## Chicago Business Journal: Cracker Barrel and Epsilon Chicago pitch tent with world's worst camper
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Chicago Business Journal: Cracker Barrel and Epsilon Chicago pitch tent with world's worst camper
---
## Ad Week: In a shift Del Monte picks data-focused Epsilon as its new creative agency
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Ad Week: In a shift Del Monte picks data-focused Epsilon as its new creative agency
---
## Ad Age: Del Monte consolidates agency business with CRM shop Epsilon
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Ad Age: Del Monte consolidates agency business with CRM shop Epsilon
---
## Campaign US: Camping leads to catastrophes in Cracker Barrel campaign
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Campaign US: Camping leads to catastrophes in Cracker Barrel campaign
---
## Customer Alchemy: 5 marketing "shoulds" in an overwhelming list of "coulds"
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Customer Alchemy: 5 marketing "shoulds" in an overwhelming list of "coulds"
---
## Chicago Inno: Here are Chicago Inno's 11 coolest companies winners for 2016
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Chicago Inno: Here are Chicago Inno's 11 coolest companies winners for 2016
---
## AdWeek: Dentsu Aegis is diving deeper into data, acquiring a majority stake in Merkle
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# AdWeek: Dentsu Aegis is diving deeper into data, acquiring a majority stake in Merkle
---
## Marketing IE: Epsilon bucks global gender trend
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Marketing IE: Epsilon bucks global gender trend
---
## Luxury Daily: Connection between offline, online will have major role in holiday shopping
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Luxury Daily: Connection between offline, online will have major role in holiday shopping
---
## Industry Crunch: Using data to make decisions: How Epsilon helps retailers understand & market to their customers
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Industry Crunch: Using data to make decisions: How Epsilon helps retailers understand & market to their customers
---
## Mediapost: Ad-tech execs on why Dentsu Aegi's majority stake in Merkle is a smart move
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Mediapost: Ad-tech execs on why Dentsu Aegi's majority stake in Merkle is a smart move
---
## Campaign US: The recommendation engine: Epsilon's Jill Frank
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Campaign US: The recommendation engine: Epsilon's Jill Frank
---
## Data is still the trump card for driving business growth
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Data is still the trump card for driving business growth
---
## The Drum: How Apple could succeed where Google stumbled with smart glasses
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# The Drum: How Apple could succeed where Google stumbled with smart glasses
---
## Shopper Marketing Magazine: Sanpellegrino rediscovers wandering
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Shopper Marketing Magazine: Sanpellegrino rediscovers wandering
---
## AdExchanger: Epsilon's president of data talks changing relationships with CMOs
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# AdExchanger: Epsilon's president of data talks changing relationships with CMOs
---
## Ad Week: 7 challenges Snapchat's parent company has to overcome before it can be Wall Street's 'New Facebook'
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Ad Week: 7 challenges Snapchat's parent company has to overcome before it can be Wall Street's 'New Facebook'
---
## The Dallas Cowboys are considering buying an E-sports team
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# The Dallas Cowboys are considering buying an E-sports team
---
## Ad Age: Marketing technology trailblazers - Tom Edwards
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Ad Age: Marketing technology trailblazers - Tom Edwards
---
## MediaPost: Ad-supported jobs add $1 trillion to economy
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# MediaPost: Ad-supported jobs add $1 trillion to economy
---
## AdExchanger: Google lays out its vision for an AI-driven world
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# AdExchanger: Google lays out its vision for an AI-driven world
---
## CMO.com: Heeding the CX call
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# CMO.com: Heeding the CX call
---
## CMO.com: 7 digital trends of the future
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# CMO.com: 7 digital trends of the future
---
## Ad Age: Stacey Hawes named 2017 Women to Watch
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Ad Age: Stacey Hawes named 2017 Women to Watch
---
## For the consumer’s sake: CMOs must unleash the power of marketing technology
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T22:16:49Z
# For the consumer’s sake: CMOs must unleash the power of marketing technology
---
## DMN: DMN's 2017 agency snapshot
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# DMN: DMN's 2017 agency snapshot
---
## Econsultancy: A day in the life of Chief Client Officer at Epsilon
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Econsultancy: A day in the life of Chief Client Officer at Epsilon
---
## Mead: Strength not stress by Epsilon
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Mead: Strength not stress by Epsilon
---
## Dealer Marketing Magazine: The wonder women in the automotive industry
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Dealer Marketing Magazine: The wonder women in the automotive industry
---
## Marketers continue to push ahead to a more holistic attribution process
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T22:14:19Z
# Marketers continue to push ahead to a more holistic attribution process
---
## Loyalty 360: What's trending in loyalty
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Loyalty 360: What's trending in loyalty
---
## MediaPost: Red Lobster launches new creative, tagline
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# MediaPost: Red Lobster launches new creative, tagline
---
## MediaPost: Limit me: Why we need limits even in the age of disruption
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# MediaPost: Limit me: Why we need limits even in the age of disruption
---
## Exchange4Media: Guest column: 3 myths to avoid when marketing to boomers+ and millennials
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Exchange4Media: Guest column: 3 myths to avoid when marketing to boomers+ and millennials
---
## Rackspace: Enabling Epsilon's seamless migration to AWS
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Rackspace: Enabling Epsilon's seamless migration to AWS
---
## Loyalty360: Trending in loyalty - how the Internet of Things increases consumer engagement
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Loyalty360: Trending in loyalty - how the Internet of Things increases consumer engagement
---
## Leveraging gamification to increase customer engagement
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Leveraging gamification to increase customer engagement
---
## C-Suite Radio: Disruption is the new normal
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# C-Suite Radio: Disruption is the new normal
---
## Loyalty360: Epsilon receives esteemed honor for customer loyalty excellence
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Loyalty360: Epsilon receives esteemed honor for customer loyalty excellence
---
## CRM and customer loyalty in the restaurant space and what it means for marketers
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# CRM and customer loyalty in the restaurant space and what it means for marketers
---
## How loyalty programs build trust in your brand
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# How loyalty programs build trust in your brand
---
## Marketing Interactive: Leveraging gamification to increase customer engagement
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Marketing Interactive: Leveraging gamification to increase customer engagement
---
## Loyalty360: Domino's Pizza fixes fundamentals and inspires brand loyalty
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Loyalty360: Domino's Pizza fixes fundamentals and inspires brand loyalty
---
## Exchange4Media: Epsilon to focus on the global Fortune 500 companies in India
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Exchange4Media: Epsilon to focus on the global Fortune 500 companies in India
---
## COLLOQUY: Finding loyalty amid digital disruption
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# COLLOQUY: Finding loyalty amid digital disruption
---
## LiveMint: Epsilon plans formal entry into Indian market
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# LiveMint: Epsilon plans formal entry into Indian market
---
## DMN: What CMOs of tomorrow need to focus on today
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# DMN: What CMOs of tomorrow need to focus on today
---
## Martech Exec: 50 women you need to know in martech 2018: Lisa Henderson
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Martech Exec: 50 women you need to know in martech 2018: Lisa Henderson
---
## Forbes: Six little-known networking hacks to improve your results and brand image
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Forbes: Six little-known networking hacks to improve your results and brand image
---
## Marketing Charts: What does personalization mean to consumers?
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T22:17:52Z
# Marketing Charts: What does personalization mean to consumers?
---
## Martech Series: Interview with Wayne Townsend
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T22:16:49Z
# Martech Series: Interview with Wayne Townsend
---
## Retail Dive: Amazon's free shipping attracts 88% of shoppers
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T22:17:52Z
# Retail Dive: Amazon's free shipping attracts 88% of shoppers
---
## Adweek: How Amazon Go will drive brands to develop new ways to target customers
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Adweek: How Amazon Go will drive brands to develop new ways to target customers
---
## Mobile continues to dominate marketing opportunities, but brands should consider what's next
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Mobile continues to dominate marketing opportunities, but brands should consider what's next
---
## Twice: 4 brands that nailed their CES 2018 marketing
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Twice: 4 brands that nailed their CES 2018 marketing
---
## What marketers should do differently in 2018 -- or not
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# What marketers should do differently in 2018 -- or not
---
## MKTG Insight: Digital and traditional marketers aren't so different after all
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# MKTG Insight: Digital and traditional marketers aren't so different after all
---
## Mediapost: Painting the right picture with data
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Mediapost: Painting the right picture with data
---
## Here's why people shop on Amazon - and why they'd shop elsewhere too
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Here's why people shop on Amazon - and why they'd shop elsewhere too
---
## Four ways to simplify the complex world of loyalty
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Four ways to simplify the complex world of loyalty
---
## The power of data: Achieving trust in your loyalty program
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# The power of data: Achieving trust in your loyalty program
---
## Martech Advisor: Travel and hospitality marketers: It’s time to up your email measurement game
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Martech Advisor: Travel and hospitality marketers: It’s time to up your email measurement game
---
## MKTG Insight: Busting the biggest myths about digital transformation
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# MKTG Insight: Busting the biggest myths about digital transformation
---
## Marketing Charts: Email click rates stable in Q3 2017; open rates decline
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Marketing Charts: Email click rates stable in Q3 2017; open rates decline
---
## Adweek: As SXSW continues to grow, is it still worthwhile for brands to activate there?
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Adweek: As SXSW continues to grow, is it still worthwhile for brands to activate there?
---
## Reel Chicago: Immesoete directs Epsilon's new Cracker Barrel spots
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Reel Chicago: Immesoete directs Epsilon's new Cracker Barrel spots
---
## Chicago Business Journal: Cracker Barrel on mission to pull in millennial diners with new ads
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Chicago Business Journal: Cracker Barrel on mission to pull in millennial diners with new ads
---
## The Drum: Cracker Barrel: Whats cookin' today? By Epsilon Agency
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# The Drum: Cracker Barrel: Whats cookin' today? By Epsilon Agency
---
## Customer lifetime value revisited
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T22:14:19Z
# Customer lifetime value revisited
---
## Marketing Tech Outlook: Setting direction in an era of continuous transformation
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Marketing Tech Outlook: Setting direction in an era of continuous transformation
---
## Adweek: The time to prioritize workplace diversity and inclusivity is now. Is your agency ready?
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Adweek: The time to prioritize workplace diversity and inclusivity is now. Is your agency ready?
---
## The Drum: Nature's Way: The way we grow together
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# The Drum: Nature's Way: The way we grow together
---
## Forbes: The data brokers so powerful even Facebook bought their data - but they got me wildly wrong
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Forbes: The data brokers so powerful even Facebook bought their data - but they got me wildly wrong
---
## Drive brand loyalty through data-driven email creative
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Drive brand loyalty through data-driven email creative
---
## In Focus: Interview with Jill Frank, Executive Producer, Head of Content Production at Epsilon Agency
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# In Focus: Interview with Jill Frank, Executive Producer, Head of Content Production at Epsilon Agency
---
## Epsilon’s dockmaster keeps business humming
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Epsilon’s dockmaster keeps business humming
---
## Epsilon discusses subscription-based loyalty model
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Epsilon discusses subscription-based loyalty model
---
## The key to unlocking print's future lies in data and its direct mail past
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# The key to unlocking print's future lies in data and its direct mail past
---
## Five star campaign by Epsilon
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Five star campaign by Epsilon
---
## Mastering retailer ad platforms
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Mastering retailer ad platforms
---
## Beyond the demo: How to drive measurable tune-in — and viewer connections — with data-driven marketing
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Beyond the demo: How to drive measurable tune-in — and viewer connections — with data-driven marketing
---
## Using marketing data for merchandising
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Using marketing data for merchandising
---
## Unlimited and well-interpreted data is the edge for creatives
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Unlimited and well-interpreted data is the edge for creatives
---
## AMC improves CX by adding new subscription tier
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# AMC improves CX by adding new subscription tier
---
## Epsilon wins Sparkling Ice AOR
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Epsilon wins Sparkling Ice AOR
---
## Powering lifetime connections – The retail ecosystem
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Powering lifetime connections – The retail ecosystem
---
## Podcast: You’ve got (less) mail
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Podcast: You’ve got (less) mail
---
## Cathy Lang and Stacey Hawes of Epsilon are shaking up how data is used in marketing
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Cathy Lang and Stacey Hawes of Epsilon are shaking up how data is used in marketing
---
## HERoes: Champions of women in business
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# HERoes: Champions of women in business
---
## Dell EMC thaws the frozen crowd: A CRM elite customer awards case study
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T22:16:49Z
# Dell EMC thaws the frozen crowd: A CRM elite customer awards case study
---
## Marketing tools that will generate value for your business
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T22:16:49Z
# Marketing tools that will generate value for your business
---
## Announcing the 2018 40 under 40 winners
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Announcing the 2018 40 under 40 winners
---
## Digital drives the store of the future - Multichannel Merchant
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Digital drives the store of the future - Multichannel Merchant
---
## Epsilon CEO Bryan Kennedy champions Big Data - Washington Post
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Epsilon CEO Bryan Kennedy champions Big Data - Washington Post
---
## Why do customers switch brands? (Part 2 of 3) - Loyalty360
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Why do customers switch brands? (Part 2 of 3) - Loyalty360
---
## What subject line? - ClickZ
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# What subject line? - ClickZ
---
## Stepping stones to marketing success - Direct Marketing News
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Stepping stones to marketing success - Direct Marketing News
---
## Pharma and data management—can DMPs help? - PM360
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Pharma and data management—can DMPs help? - PM360
---
## Epsilon CEO: Buying conversant will help connect cross-channel dots - Ad Age
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Epsilon CEO: Buying conversant will help connect cross-channel dots - Ad Age
---
## Agencies need to step up data capabilities - WSJ CMO Today
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Agencies need to step up data capabilities - WSJ CMO Today
---
## Agencies tell us which video platforms they think is best for brands - Digiday
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Agencies tell us which video platforms they think is best for brands - Digiday
---
## Which types of brand communications most influence purchase decisions - MarketingCharts
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Which types of brand communications most influence purchase decisions - MarketingCharts
---
## Fox Business: Why big brands are skipping Super Bowl 50
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Fox Business: Why big brands are skipping Super Bowl 50
---
## Top CEOs cite business game changers and strategy - Forbes
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Top CEOs cite business game changers and strategy - Forbes
---
## Direct Marketing News: Three data points on the horizon
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Direct Marketing News: Three data points on the horizon
---
## SF Business Times: Advertising agencies ranked by Bay Area full-time employees
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# SF Business Times: Advertising agencies ranked by Bay Area full-time employees
---
## DMN: Forward to the future: The state of predictive
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# DMN: Forward to the future: The state of predictive
---
## Econsultancy: Marketing is failing at its top priority: Three findings from new research
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Econsultancy: Marketing is failing at its top priority: Three findings from new research
---
## COLLOQUY: Creating loyalty that pays
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# COLLOQUY: Creating loyalty that pays
---
## Mediapost: Epsilon promotes Townsend to President, Technology
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Mediapost: Epsilon promotes Townsend to President, Technology
---
## DMN: Experience over points in customer loyalty
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# DMN: Experience over points in customer loyalty
---
## Epsilon and others scramble for Alexa data
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Epsilon and others scramble for Alexa data
---
## BizReport: Report: Finances key to engaging boomers
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T22:17:52Z
# BizReport: Report: Finances key to engaging boomers
---
## CMO.com: The 3 fundamentals of CX innovation
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# CMO.com: The 3 fundamentals of CX innovation
---
## Campaign US: Big tech and media activations eclipse startups at SXSW this year
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Campaign US: Big tech and media activations eclipse startups at SXSW this year
---
## Perspectives: Women in advertising - Jill Frank
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Perspectives: Women in advertising - Jill Frank
---
## Here's why CMOs hate agencies that are lion-obsessed
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Here's why CMOs hate agencies that are lion-obsessed
---
## 37 women who are disrupting the status quo in advertising and tech
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# 37 women who are disrupting the status quo in advertising and tech
---
## Exchange 4 Media: Leveraging data in an omnichannel world
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Exchange 4 Media: Leveraging data in an omnichannel world
---
## Should marketers ditch channel-specific KPIs?
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T22:14:19Z
# Should marketers ditch channel-specific KPIs?
---
## Automotive dealers keep brand safety top of mind to drive loyalty
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Automotive dealers keep brand safety top of mind to drive loyalty
---
## Huffington Post: Don't blame the data, blame the truth
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Huffington Post: Don't blame the data, blame the truth
---
## Adexchanger: Apple’s new IPhone was ‘created for augmented reality’ – and brands should pay attention
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Adexchanger: Apple’s new IPhone was ‘created for augmented reality’ – and brands should pay attention
---
## CIOReview: Enable, stand by and get out of the way
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# CIOReview: Enable, stand by and get out of the way
---
## Huffington Post: 4 requirements for linking CX to ROI
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Huffington Post: 4 requirements for linking CX to ROI
---
## The new meaning of loyalty at Dunkin' Brands
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T22:16:49Z
# The new meaning of loyalty at Dunkin' Brands
---
## Dealer Marketing Magazine: 3 ways connected cars can be the catalyst that drives mobile marketing
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Dealer Marketing Magazine: 3 ways connected cars can be the catalyst that drives mobile marketing
---
## SmartBrief: 4 things marketers should do this holiday season
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T22:17:52Z
# SmartBrief: 4 things marketers should do this holiday season
---
## The time is now -- The shift from transactional to relational rewards is in full swing
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# The time is now -- The shift from transactional to relational rewards is in full swing
---
## Personalization is not just personal, it's profitable
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Personalization is not just personal, it's profitable
---
## Ad Age: This holiday season, make your marketing merry and personalized
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Ad Age: This holiday season, make your marketing merry and personalized
---
## UX Design: Experience design in the age of big data
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# UX Design: Experience design in the age of big data
---
## Reader's Digest: 15 technology trends you can expect to see dominate in 2018
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T22:16:49Z
# Reader's Digest: 15 technology trends you can expect to see dominate in 2018
---
## Five strategies to combat 'retail apocalypse"
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Five strategies to combat 'retail apocalypse"
---
## 5 key factors for a successful restaurant loyalty program
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# 5 key factors for a successful restaurant loyalty program
---
## The Drum: Industry insight: Reaction to CES's response to lack of keynote diversity
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# The Drum: Industry insight: Reaction to CES's response to lack of keynote diversity
---
## Huffington Post: To evolve customer experiences in 2018, focus on the three E’s
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Huffington Post: To evolve customer experiences in 2018, focus on the three E’s
---
## Internet Retailer: Retail strategies made for the age of Amazon
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T22:17:52Z
# Internet Retailer: Retail strategies made for the age of Amazon
---
## Attribution beyond marketing: Using all company touchpoints achieve true customer view
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T22:14:19Z
# Attribution beyond marketing: Using all company touchpoints achieve true customer view
---
## Martech Series: 6 unstoppable disruptions in marketing technology
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T22:16:49Z
# Martech Series: 6 unstoppable disruptions in marketing technology
---
## Ad Age: SXSW preview: A lot more than booze and tacos
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Ad Age: SXSW preview: A lot more than booze and tacos
---
## DMN: Epsilon and Media IQ weigh in with tips on building women in leadership initiatives
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# DMN: Epsilon and Media IQ weigh in with tips on building women in leadership initiatives
---
## Understanding customer engagement
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T22:16:49Z
# Understanding customer engagement
---
## Ready for the evolution of creative awards: Function=form
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Ready for the evolution of creative awards: Function=form
---
## How marketers across industries use customer engagement to drive loyalty, sales
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T22:16:49Z
# How marketers across industries use customer engagement to drive loyalty, sales
---
## Creating harmonized experiences that drive loyalty for life
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Creating harmonized experiences that drive loyalty for life
---
## Email marketers never get a vacation
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Email marketers never get a vacation
---
## Selling AI: R/GA pitches brands on the next level
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Selling AI: R/GA pitches brands on the next level
---
## Interested in Selling Your City? The Super Bowl Is Buying
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Interested in Selling Your City? The Super Bowl Is Buying
---
## The digital boom: short-term trend or lasting transformation?
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# The digital boom: short-term trend or lasting transformation?
---
## Two Years Since the First Lockdown, What’s Changed for Online Retail?
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Two Years Since the First Lockdown, What’s Changed for Online Retail?
---
## 5 Areas for Consideration, When Choosing a Digital Retail Media Partner
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# 5 Areas for Consideration, When Choosing a Digital Retail Media Partner
---
## Making sense of the big box retailer trend
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Making sense of the big box retailer trend
---
## Convene: TV Measurement — What does cross-screen really mean?
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Convene: TV Measurement — What does cross-screen really mean?
---
## Pubfinity’s Big Cookieless Plans For In-Game Ads
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Pubfinity’s Big Cookieless Plans For In-Game Ads
---
## What the Netflix show Inventing Anna can teach us about consumer data
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# What the Netflix show Inventing Anna can teach us about consumer data
---
## DMN 2018 Award Winners
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# DMN 2018 Award Winners
---
## What Martech Decision Makers Should Focus on in 2019
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T22:16:49Z
# What Martech Decision Makers Should Focus on in 2019
---
## Harnessing the Resurgence of Packaged Beverages
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Harnessing the Resurgence of Packaged Beverages
---
## Dunkin’ Brands wants to get more personal with its customers
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T22:16:49Z
# Dunkin’ Brands wants to get more personal with its customers
---
## Let personalization drive your Mother’s Day experience
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Let personalization drive your Mother’s Day experience
---
## One on One: Jeff Fagel on Marketing's Three Centers of Gravity
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T22:16:49Z
# One on One: Jeff Fagel on Marketing's Three Centers of Gravity
---
## Interview with Jeff Fagel, SVP, Marketing, Epsilon and Conversant
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T22:16:49Z
# Interview with Jeff Fagel, SVP, Marketing, Epsilon and Conversant
---
## Epsilon To Help Dell In Loyalty Program Launch
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Epsilon To Help Dell In Loyalty Program Launch
---
## Across the Generations: How Gen Z Influences the Rest of Us
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Across the Generations: How Gen Z Influences the Rest of Us
---
## Epsilon partners with TransUnion, iSpot.tv to boost CTV targeting, measurement
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Epsilon partners with TransUnion, iSpot.tv to boost CTV targeting, measurement
---
## Publicis Execs Outline Retail Media Trends as Citrus Ad and Epsilon Offer Unified Platform
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Publicis Execs Outline Retail Media Trends as Citrus Ad and Epsilon Offer Unified Platform
---
## Bringing Humanity to the Forefront of Customer Experiences
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Bringing Humanity to the Forefront of Customer Experiences
---
## Car Rental Companies Are Losing Customers to Rideshares, Report Says
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Car Rental Companies Are Losing Customers to Rideshares, Report Says
---
## Five Marketing Lessons Restaurants Can Learn From Retail Marketers
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Five Marketing Lessons Restaurants Can Learn From Retail Marketers
---
## How Publicis' Epsilon PeopleCloud Helps Smucker's ID Its Customers and Tailor Messages to Them
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# How Publicis' Epsilon PeopleCloud Helps Smucker's ID Its Customers and Tailor Messages to Them
---
## Epsilon Offering Reduces Digital Ad Waste
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Epsilon Offering Reduces Digital Ad Waste
---
## Gopuff Ads Expands Retail Media Capabilities
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Gopuff Ads Expands Retail Media Capabilities
---
## Audigent and Epsilon Bring Custom Audiences to Private Marketplaces
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Audigent and Epsilon Bring Custom Audiences to Private Marketplaces
---
## CPG Brands Get Data Clean from Epsilon and IRI
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# CPG Brands Get Data Clean from Epsilon and IRI
---
## The Rising Marketer’s Guide to Epsilon’s New Grad Program
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# The Rising Marketer’s Guide to Epsilon’s New Grad Program
---
## Epsilon PeopleCloud Rebrands With a Simpler Message to Resonate With Marketers
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Epsilon PeopleCloud Rebrands With a Simpler Message to Resonate With Marketers
---
## Sapient and Epsilon Business Transformation Services Continue to Fuel Publicis Groupe Growth
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Sapient and Epsilon Business Transformation Services Continue to Fuel Publicis Groupe Growth
---
## Grocery Giant Ahold Delhaize USA Has Hired CitrusAd, Powered by Epsilon To Expand Its Retail Media Offering
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Grocery Giant Ahold Delhaize USA Has Hired CitrusAd, Powered by Epsilon To Expand Its Retail Media Offering
---
## Third-party cookies: the blind spot you’re not checking
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Third-party cookies: the blind spot you’re not checking
---
## Epsilon acquires Retargetly, expanding database to Latin America
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Epsilon acquires Retargetly, expanding database to Latin America
---
## The Rising Marketer’s Guide to Epsilon’s Intern Program
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# The Rising Marketer’s Guide to Epsilon’s Intern Program
---
## Publicis Groupe Acquires Personalization Platform Yieldify
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Publicis Groupe Acquires Personalization Platform Yieldify
---
## Epsilon Hires Susan Rothwell as Chief Revenue Officer
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T22:20:56Z
# Epsilon Hires Susan Rothwell as Chief Revenue Officer
---
## The Key to Retaining Agency Talent? Letting Them Leave
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# The Key to Retaining Agency Talent? Letting Them Leave
---
## How ChatGPT and Lensa AI are transforming creative work
Type: eps_news
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# How ChatGPT and Lensa AI are transforming creative work
---
## Epsilon Named a Leader in Loyalty Platforms, Q4 2025 Evaluation
Type: eps_pressRelease
URL: /epsilon-named-a-leader-in-loyalty-platforms-q4-2025-evaluation
Last Modified: 2026-02-09T08:55:55Z
# Epsilon Named a Leader in Loyalty Platforms, Q4 2025 Evaluation
Epsilon offers superior capabilities in identity resolution and data management as well as global scale
Epsilon, a global advertising and marketing technology company, today announced it has been named a Leader in ‘The Forrester Wave™: Loyalty Platforms, Q4 2025’, which evaluates 11 providers throughout the loyalty technology market. Epsilon received the highest scores possible in nine criteria with the most notable being Customer & Member Profiles, Consumer Privacy, and Supporting Services & Offerings.
In its assessment of Epsilon, Forrester wrote, “Epsilon’s solid vision of cross-channel personalization at scale, supported by the company’s proprietary data assets, resonates with clients’ need for unified customer understanding.”
Epsilon’s loyalty offering brings together data, identity, and program orchestration in a way that’s designed to deliver engaging member experiences for brands of all sizes, in multiple regions.
Epsilon delivers the capabilities and flexibility needed to power modern loyalty programs, from identity resolution and data management to end-to-end program operations that enhance cross-channel personalization. The platform is well suited for both B2C and B2B brands across a range of industries, including financial services, retail and quick-service restaurants.
“Being named a Leader in Forrester’s most recent loyalty Wave reflects, for us, the work we’ve done to give brands a loyalty foundation built on enriched member data for AI-driven personalization,” said Prabhu Kannan, Managing Director, Loyalty at Epsilon. “Loyalty only works when marketers can trust the insights behind it, activate their loyalty data - enhanced by third party data across channels, and uncover the opportunities already within their customer base. Epsilon’s loyalty offering helps identify those opportunities and turn them into behavior-shifting experiences that drive meaningful outcomes and long-term customer value.”
Looking ahead to 2026, Epsilon is sharpening its investments in identity, data and AI—introducing an intelligence layer leveraging predictive, generative, and agentic AI—to help brands modernize loyalty. This goes beyond automating workflows: Epsilon’s loyalty offering uses AI to deepen insights, improve efficiency and speed to market, forecast opportunities and outcomes, and uncover new areas for growth. The goal is to give marketers the clarity and adaptability they need to evolve their loyalty strategies as customer expectations continue to shift.
To learn more about Epsilon’s approach to modern loyalty and explore its full suite of capabilities, visit the Epsilon PeopleCloud Loyalty page.
About Epsilon
Epsilon is a global advertising and marketing technology company positioned at the center of Publicis Groupe. We help brands use their first-party data to reach the right consumers, improve marketing performance, and measure results with confidence in a privacy-first way. For more information, visit www.epsilon.com.
Forrester does not endorse any company, product, brand, or service included in its research publications and does not advise any person to select the products or services of any company or brand based on the ratings included in such publications. Information is based on the best available resources. Opinions reflect judgment at the time and are subject to change. For more information, read about Forrester’s objectivity here: https://www.forrester.com/about-us/objectivity.
---
## Epsilon Named a Leader in 2025 IDC MarketScape for CTV Advertising Platforms
Type: eps_pressRelease
URL: /epsilon-named-a-leader-in-2025-idc-marketscape-for-ctv
Last Modified: 2026-07-29T15:29:45Z
# Epsilon Named a Leader in 2025 IDC MarketScape for CTV Advertising Platforms
DALLAS, Texas – June 17, 2025 – Epsilon today announced it has been named a Leader in the IDC MarketScape: Worldwide Connected TV Advertising Platforms 2025 Vendor Assessment (Doc #US52039725, April 2025). The report noted, “Epsilon’s CORE ID solution consolidates disparate audiences into a single ID, enabling more precise targeting and reducing wasted ad spend.” The report also noted, “Brands prioritizing identity-based targeting will find Epsilon’s CORE ID solution valuable, particularly for campaigns focused on reaching individuals across multiple touch points.”
“Epsilon’s people-based identity solution, COREid, enables advertisers to reduce waste and improve precision in CTV campaigns by reaching real consumers across devices and channels,” said Roger Beharry Lall, Research Director at IDC. “Epsilon’s unified platform supports integrated media activation and measurement, helping brands navigate a fragmented CTV ecosystem with greater clarity and control.”
As the first major CTV advertising-specific evaluation from a top analyst firm, the report provides marketers with clarity in a fragmented landscape. We believe the recognition marks a significant milestone for Epsilon’s CTV capabilities, reinforcing the power of its people-first, performance-led approach and providing marketers with insight into platforms that deliver more than impressions.
“Advertisers don’t need more impressions, they need more impact,” said Allen Klosowski, Senior Vice President, Digital at Epsilon. “We built our platform to do what others can’t: unify media across display, video, audio, and CTV with a consistent view of the consumer. Most providers optimize CTV to boost their own ad volume, not your results. Epsilon flips that model, putting advertiser’s results first by delivering media at scale that reaches real people and drives real impact on their bottom line.”
While many in the industry focus on optimizing CTV campaigns solely to secure larger budgets, Epsilon prioritizes delivering measurable real-world results that matter to our clients' bottom lines."
Epsilon’s CTV offering stands apart by using people-based identity—not devices or cookies—to unify fragmented signals into a single, persistent ID. Powered by its proprietary COREid, the platform enables deduplicated reach across TV households and seamless activation across channels. Brands can incorporate their own first-party data to expand reach or refine targeting, while optimizing performance based on real business outcomes, not just media metrics. With centralized campaign management and cross-device coordination, Epsilon helps marketers reach real individuals in the right places, with the right message—at scale and with less waste.
“Epsilon’s CTV solution didn’t just meet our expectations—it redefined them,” said Steve August, VP, Marketing at Road Scholar. “We’ve seen lower acquisition costs, more new customers, and now have the transparency to know exactly who we were reaching. It’s rare to find a partner that combines scale, precision, and accountability this effectively.”
“For us, this recognition isn’t just about CTV—it reinforces what we’ve built across Epsilon Digital as a whole,” added Klosowski. “We believe the acknowledgment from IDC confirms our ability to deliver consistent, addressable, performance-driven results across every digital channel, not just one.”
For more information on Epsilon’s CTV capabilities, click here.
About IDC MarketScape
IDC MarketScape vendor assessment model is designed to provide an overview of the competitive fitness of technology and service suppliers in a given market. The research methodology utilizes a rigorous scoring methodology based on both qualitative and quantitative criteria that results in a single graphical illustration of each vendor’s position within a given market. IDC MarketScape provides a clear framework in which the product and service offerings, capabilities and strategies, and current and future market success factors of IT and telecommunications vendors can be meaningfully compared. The framework also provides technology buyers with a 360-degree assessment of the strengths and weaknesses of current and prospective vendors.
About Epsilon
Epsilon is a global technology, data and services company that the world’s leading brands use to harmonize consumer engagement across their paid, owned and earned channels. The Epsilon PeopleCloud platform includes capabilities such as data, identity resolution, customer data platforms, clean rooms, digital media, retail media, site personalization, direct mail, loyalty, email marketing and measurement. By applying artificial intelligence against privacy-centric identity resolution–embedded in data-enriched analytic, marketing and media solutions and services—Epsilon allows marketers to bridge the divide between marketing and advertising technology, engaging consumers with 1 View, 1 Vision and 1 Voice. 1 View of their universe of potential buyers. 1 Vision for engaging each individual. 1 Voice to harmonize engagement across paid, owned, and earned channels. For more information, visit www.epsilon.com.
---
## Ocado Ads Partners with Epsilon for People-Based Precision
Type: eps_pressRelease
URL: /ocado-partners-epsilon-people-based-precision-offsite
Last Modified: 2026-02-04T12:48:50Z
# Ocado Ads Partners with Epsilon for People-Based Precision
LONDON, 3 December 2025 - Ocado Ads has partnered with Epsilon, a leader in technology, data and services, to develop a retail media solution powered by COREid — Epsilon’s industry-leading identity resolution platform. This people-based approach allows brands to connect with real individuals, not proxies, across a wide range of offsite environments, including TV.
It marks a major step forward in Ocado Ads’ vision to build a media platform grounded in precision, performance and advertiser control. With COREid integrated, the groundwork is laid for brands to connect offsite activity through a unified attribution framework that links exposure to outcomes across channels, establishing a single, connected view of performance.
“This partnership reinforces our commitment to putting real control in the hands of advertisers,” said Ben O’Mahoney, AdTech & Data Partnerships Lead from Ocado Ads. “By bringing digital media, data and retail execution together, we’re making it easier for more brands to participate—and more likely for shoppers to connect with the brands that matter to them.”
Ocado’s retail media proposition is underpinned by a unique operating model, a foundation that has helped make it Britain’s fastest-growing retailer for over a year (Kantar). Operating exclusively online, Ocado offers one of the richest, most complete grocery data sets in market with no requirement for loyalty card data.
Collaborating with the Epsilon Retail Media platform further leverages the data by enabling brands to extend their reach beyond Ocado’s properties, seamlessly activating across the open web, connected TV and audio. Whether it’s Netflix, Disney+ or Spotify, brands can connect with verified audiences wherever they are, while maintaining consistent, personalised messaging.
Epsilon’s COREid brings stability and accuracy to activation. With closed-loop measurement and actionable insight built in, advertisers can now tie investment directly to sales performance, supporting incrementality, faster optimisation, and greater accountability across campaigns.
“The focus is on enhancing the entire shopping experience and driving incremental value for brands and shoppers, delivering on the full promise of retail media”, commented Tim Frankcom, President of Europe and APAC, Epsilon. “Together, we’re giving brands a single, powerful route to real, verified shoppers across every screen. It’s retail media without any guesswork.”
##
About Ocado Ads
Ocado Ads, the retail media network for the world's largest online-only supermarket, Ocado Retail, empowers advertisers with a suite of advertising solutions and a robust, verified audience powered by extensive first-party data. This enables highly relevant advertising and personalised customer experiences. Offering full-funnel solutions that span onsite, offsite, social media, and connected TV, Ocado Ads provides a flexible operating model with both managed service and self-serve options. Products like Ocado Ads Manager, Beet by Ocado, and the Brand & Supplier Toolkits enable diverse advertising use cases across insights, measurement, and activation. Ocado Ads aims to be the leading platform for grocery advertising innovation in the UK, providing brands and agencies with a unique environment for testing and learning within digital retail media.
About Epsilon
Epsilon is a global technology, data and services company that the world’s leading brands use to harmonize consumer engagement across their paid, owned and earned channels. The Epsilon PeopleCloud platform includes capabilities such as data, identity resolution, customer data platforms, clean rooms, digital media, retail media, site personalization, direct mail, loyalty, email marketing and measurement. By applying artificial intelligence against privacy-centric identity resolution–embedded in data-enriched analytic, marketing and media solutions and services—Epsilon allows marketers to bridge the divide between marketing and advertising technology, engaging consumers with 1 View, 1 Vision and 1 Voice. 1 View of their universe of potential buyers. 1 Vision for engaging each individual. 1 Voice to harmonize engagement across paid, owned and earned channels. For more information, visit http://www.epsilon.com
---
## Epsilon Named a Leader in 2025 IDC MarketScape for Data Clean Room Technology for Advertising and Marketing Use Cases
Type: eps_pressRelease
URL: /epsilon-named-a-leader-in-2025-idc-marketscape
Last Modified: 2026-07-29T15:28:08Z
# Epsilon Named a Leader in 2025 IDC MarketScape for Data Clean Room Technology for Advertising and Marketing Use Cases
IRVING, TEXAS – AUGUST 8, 2025 – Epsilon announced it has been named a Leader in the IDC MarketScape: Worldwide Data Clean Room Technology for Advertising and Marketing Use Cases 2025 Vendor Assessment (Doc #US520835525, May 2025). Epsilon Clean Room enables secure, privacy-safe collaboration between brands, publishers, and partners, bridging identity, data, and activation to drive measurable performance.
The IDC MarketScape evaluated clean room technology vendors across capabilities and strategies, citing Epsilon’s differentiated identity resolution, AI-powered usability and global partnerships as key strengths.
“At a time when marketers are under pressure to prove results, clean rooms can’t just be secure—they need to be effective. And to be effective, they need to be more than just an empty box,” said Joran Lawrence, Senior Vice President, Product Management at Epsilon. “Unlike other marketplace offerings, our solution comes loaded with the data assets, identity resolution, and artificial intelligence needed to drive value out of the gate. That foundation allows us to help brands unify the right data securely and intelligently to power more efficient person-based marketing.”
Epsilon Clean Room is anchored in its proprietary COREid and COREai enabling marketers to plan, activate and measure against real people, not proxies. Unlike most clean rooms that function purely as technology requiring clients to do all the heavy lifting, Epsilon Clean Room comes pre-loaded with high-quality data, proven identity resolution, and turnkey connections across media and measurement platforms. Epsilon’s fully loaded clean room reduces the operational burden and accelerates time to value, giving marketers a head-start in driving outcomes.
“Epsilon's data clean room solution is a privacy-centric platform that empowers brands and publishers to securely collaborate on data, activate personalized campaigns, and derive actionable insights while adhering to collaborator-defined privacy standards,” said Lynne Schneider, Research Director, Data Collaboration and Monetization at IDC. “The solution includes some of the most robust offerings in third-party data sets and preconfigured integrations with technology and other parts of the advertising and marketing ecosystem.”
Epsilon Clean Room is part of the Epsilon PeopleCloud platform, which includes capabilities that support all aspects of person-based marketing and advertising. The platform allows marketers to engage individuals with:
• 1 View of the universe of potential buyers for their products;
• 1 Vision for engaging each individual; and
• 1 Voice to harmonize engagement across paid, owned and earned channels.
For more information on our clean room capabilities, click here.
About IDC MarketScape
IDC MarketScape vendor assessment model is designed to provide an overview of the competitive fitness of technology and service suppliers in a given market. The research methodology utilizes a rigorous scoring methodology based on both qualitative and quantitative criteria that results in a single graphical illustration of each vendor’s position within a given market. IDC MarketScape provides a clear framework in which the product and service offerings, capabilities and strategies, and current and future market success factors of IT and telecommunications vendors can be meaningfully compared. The framework also provides technology buyers with a 360-degree assessment of the strengths and weaknesses of current and prospective vendors.
About Epsilon
Epsilon is a global technology, data and services company that the world’s leading brands use to harmonize consumer engagement across their paid, owned and earned channels. The Epsilon PeopleCloud platform includes capabilities such as data, identity resolution, customer data platforms, clean rooms, digital media, retail media, site personalization, direct mail, loyalty, email marketing and measurement. By applying artificial intelligence against privacy-centric identity resolution–embedded in data-enriched analytic, marketing and media solutions and services—Epsilon allows marketers to bridge the divide between marketing and advertising technology, engaging consumers with 1 View, 1 Vision and 1 Voice. 1 View of their universe of potential buyers. 1 Vision for engaging each individual. 1 Voice to harmonize engagement across paid, owned, and earned channels. For more information, visit www.epsilon.com.
---
## Publicis to acquire Lotame the world's leading independent end-to-end data solution
Type: eps_pressRelease
URL: /lotame-acquisition
Last Modified: 2025-03-06T16:51:54Z
# Publicis to acquire Lotame the world's leading independent end-to-end data solution
Present in 109 countries, Lotame is the #1 independent global data and identity solution, with more than 1.6 billion IDs and built on 100+ data sources.
Combination of Lotame and Epsilon’s identity and data will connect clients to over 90% of consumers worldwide through the Groupe’s CORE AI capability.
Publicis Groupe [Euronext Paris FR0000130577, CAC 40] today announced that it has entered into an agreement to acquire Lotame, the world’s leading independent identity solution, in an update on its AI strategy presented by Arthur Sadoun (click HERE to see the film).
A global leader in data, identity and technology, Lotame is home to one of the largest end-to-end data marketplaces in the world, spanning 109 countries. Its proprietary identity solution delivers consistent and relevant addressable audiences built on 100+ data sources and activated through more than 1.6 billion IDs, for over 4,000 of the world’s leading brands and publishers to leverage at scale and with precision.
The combined data and identity assets of Lotame and Publicis Groupe’s 2.3 billion global profiles will enable clients to reach 91% of adult internet users with personalized messaging at scale with even greater accuracy. Concretely, Epsilon and Lotame, will put the leadership of identity-driven marketing in the hands of all our clients through:
Expanded Global Identity: The combined footprint of Epsilon and Lotame will expand Groupe’s unique profiles to almost 4 billion, extending global coverage to more than 90% of consumers worldwide. This scale combined with unmatched breadth and depth of data allows marketers to find and activate against the right audiences with even greater accuracy, to engage their consumers in more relevant and meaningful ways.
Talent and Expertise: Lotame’s 19 years of earned data expertise and trusted innovation, coupled with its team of experts across data and identity, will power global and local-market product development, supported by dedicated engineering, partnerships, and operations specialists.
Regional Product Focus: Lotame will drive APAC and EMEA expansion of Epsilon, continuing to work with publishers, data partners, and brands across the regions. Lotame’s identity solution brings critical interoperability and data connectivity to digital marketers everywhere.
Led by Founder and CEO Andy Monfried, Lotame will be positioned as part of Epsilon, accessible to all Publicis clients and teams to enhance their ability to deliver personalized marketing services at scale.
Arthur Sadoun, Chairman and CEO Publicis Groupe commented:
“In the age of AI, the name of the game is connect or die.
By connecting Lotame to Epsilon, we’re reinforcing our industry-leading identity graph, giving clients the unique competitive advantage of seeing and engaging with 91% of all adults who use the internet, safely and transparently.
By connecting that best-in-class identity to our clients’ data thanks to AI, and leveraging it across their marketing spectrum, from their PESO media ecosystem to content production, all in their owned environments, we are truly delivering measurable outcomes for their business.
It’s how we are making CoreAI a reality, and how we’ve built a category of one for Publicis that means today we are the world’s largest advertising group, leading the industry on every KPI.
As we continue to invest in the products, services and talent that drive differentiation and growth for our clients, I couldn’t be happier to welcome Andy and the outstanding teams at Lotame on board.”
Andy Monfried, Lotame CEO said: “We have a rich history of innovation, building out our global data marketplace and scaling our identity solution to become among the most trusted and adopted in the industry. We are beyond thrilled to join Publicis Groupe, who shares our commitment to industry interoperability, connectivity, and privacy. Together with Epsilon, we look forward to delivering the next chapter of connected identity for Publicis.”
This acquisition remains subject to customary conditions to closing and is expected to close early in the second quarter of 2025.
---
## Iceland Foods Expands Retail Media Network with Epsilon, Launching Offsite, Video and Auction-Based Capabilities
Type: eps_pressRelease
URL: /iceland-foods-epsilon-partner-launching-offsite-video-auction-capabilities
Last Modified: 2025-10-01T08:20:48Z
# Iceland Foods Expands Retail Media Network with Epsilon, Launching Offsite, Video and Auction-Based Capabilities
London, UK – 1 October 2025 – Iceland Foods is enhancing its retail media capabilities through a new partnership with Epsilon, the global data, technology and services company. The move will introduce offsite media, onsite video formats and a new auction-based buying model, making it easier for more brands to engage with Iceland’s nine million annual shoppers in smarter, more relevant ways.
Adam Smith, Head of Retail Media, Iceland Foods, commented: “Our partnership with Epsilon is a big moment for us. It ultimately gives our brand partners more choice, more channels, and the ability to reach our customers in a smarter, more dynamic way. It also means we can now open up our media to more types and sizes of brand advertisers. Today’s announcement is our latest commitment to providing a retail media platform that works for all brands and delivers value back to our shoppers.”
The new capabilities are announced within a year of Iceland’s partnership with GIG Retail, which enabled onsite display ads and in-store digital screens. Now, with Epsilon onboard, Iceland is adding to the scale and maturity of its retail media offer, offering advertisers the ability to bid in real time for both onsite and offsite placements, including video.
According to IAB Europe’s latest ‘Attitudes to Retail Media' report, off-site investment has grown significantly; 46% of buyers allocated more than 41% of their digital spend to off-site in 2025. Despite this, only 30% of retailers and RMNs currently offer offsite ads. For brand partners, this will unlock greater flexibility and reach.
Offsite capabilities allow campaigns to extend across wider digital environments, including online video and display channels, while onsite video placements offer richer ways to connect with shoppers directly in the purchase journey.
Iceland represents a uniquely valuable audience in UK grocery, with an estimated 7% share of the online market. The expanded retail media network opens the door to brands looking to reach more price-sensitive and underrepresented consumers, broadening the types of advertisers who can participate and benefit from people-based media.
Tim Frankcom, President, Europe and APAC at Epsilon, said: “Iceland has a clear ambition to build a modern, inclusive retail media offer and we’re proud to support that journey. By adding offsite scale, launching new formats like video, and introducing a flexible auction model, we’re helping unlock the full potential of people-based advertising. This gives brands a route to real people, not proxies, with measurable results across every touchpoint.”
The partnership marks a further step towards Iceland’s ambition to build one of the most extensive full-funnel retail media propositions in the UK. Future phases will include connected TV and broader video activation, giving brands more ways to reach verified audiences across more screens and channels.
###
ABOUT ICELAND
Iceland Foods is recognised as the UK’s leader in frozen food and operates over 950 stores across the country, including The Food Warehouse locations, together with a multi-award-winning online shopping service.
It prides itself on being a convenient and friendly place to do the family’s weekly shop, as well as meet everyone’s daily top-up shopping needs for fresh, chilled, frozen food and groceries. For more than 20 years Iceland has also offered a unique, free home delivery service for in-store purchases.
Iceland was voted the UK’s favourite online grocery service at the Good Housekeeping Awards in 2021 and 2022. The retailer was also named the UK’s Best Online Supermarket in a survey by consumer champion Which? in 2022.
Iceland and The Food Warehouse enjoy exclusive partnerships with a range of leading brands including Blue Dragon, Cathedral City, Harry Ramsden’s, Myprotein, Slimming World, Mumsnet, Ninja and TGI Fridays.
Iceland has always been a responsible retailer, operating under its ‘Doing it Right’ ethos. Recognised as the only UK supermarket to rank in The Sunday Times Best Place to Work for 2024 and 2025, Iceland is dedicated to doing the right thing in its supply chain and in the way it treats its people and customers. Iceland is also committed to minimising its impact on the environment and contributing to the communities where it operates by regenerating high streets, creating jobs, providing outstanding customer service and giving generous support to a range of good causes.
ABOUT THE FOOD WAREHOUSE
Founded in 2014, The Food Warehouse is part of Iceland Foods, which operates over 950 stores across Britain, including The Food Warehouse locations. All 190 Food Warehouse stores are large format stores with a car park, providing the value and convenience of a wholesale store without the hassle of membership.
The Food Warehouse is opening new stores up and down the country in retail parks and larger shopping districts. Each store is given a high-quality warehouse style fit out and covers between 10,000 and 25,000 sq. ft. of retail space. The Food Warehouse offers great value, family-favourite products across frozen, chilled, fresh, branded grocery and homeware lines. With big deals, big choice and big packs across many big brands, customers can make great savings with bulk deals where savings are passed directly onto shoppers.
About Epsilon
Epsilon is a global technology, data and services company that the world’s leading brands use to harmonize consumer engagement across their paid, owned and earned channels. The Epsilon PeopleCloud platform includes capabilities such as data, identity resolution, customer data platforms, clean rooms, digital media, retail media, site personalization, direct mail, loyalty, email marketing and measurement. By applying artificial intelligence against privacy-centric identity resolution–embedded in data-enriched analytic, marketing and media solutions and services—Epsilon allows marketers to bridge the divide between marketing and advertising technology, engaging consumers with 1 View, 1 Vision and 1 Voice. 1 View of their universe of potential buyers. 1 Vision for engaging each individual. 1 Voice to harmonize engagement across paid, owned and earned channels. For more information, visit www.epsilon.com (http://www.epsilon.com).
---
## Epsilon Launches Predictive Lift for CPG Campaigns
Type: eps_pressRelease
URL: /epsilon-launches-predictive-lift-for-cpg-campaigns
Last Modified: 2026-02-25T21:20:50Z
# Epsilon Launches Predictive Lift for CPG Campaigns
Epsilon is excited to announce a major enhancement to Verified Purchase Optimization (VPO), powered by Circana: campaigns now include Predictive Lift, enabling brands to monitor tactics and make adjustments based on incrementality before the campaign ends for clients in the US.
Through Epsilon’s partnership with Circana, VPO is the first and only solution in the market that predicts which tactics are most likely to drive incremental outcomes—aligned to Circana’s Lift Measurement—weeks before final sales lift measurement. As brands increasingly focus on measurable business outcomes, not just media efficiency, VPO helps turn data into confident decisions, ensuring marketing investment is continuously optimized for maximum impact across all channels.|
Why Predictive Lift Matters
Unlike traditional lift measurement that arrives after a campaign ends, Epsilon’s latest VPO release gives brands earlier indicators of incremental impact—so they can optimize tactics and reallocate spend while campaigns are still in flight. This helps reduce wasted media and improves efficiency when conditions change and performance signals shift. Because Predictive Lift is aligned to Circana’s Lift Measurement, it forecasts which tactics are most likely to drive lift as it will be quantified in the Circana measurement. With mid-campaign insight, marketers can act with greater confidence, lowering risk and focusing investment on the tactics most likely to drive meaningful outcomes and reach more customers.
According to Epsilon Product leader, Matt Feczko, "it's like having GPS when you're driving your car. Traditional lift is like seeing where you should’ve driven after you arrive. Predictive Lift is GPS that shows congestion while you’re driving and reroutes you to the faster route."
What Is VPO?
First announced in 2022, VPO is our solution for CPG brands looking to maximize ad efficiency by messaging only consumers who are ready to buy. Developed in partnership with Circana and powered by Epsilon’s COREid, VPO helps deliver digital media aligned with each individual’s purchase cycle. The solution stops ads once a purchase is detected, optimizes campaigns in-flight and keeps brands connected to consumers over time. That means marketers can move beyond “set it and forget it” campaigns—confirming what’s working while a campaign is still live and shifting investment accordingly. With Predictive Lift supplied by Circana, brands can identify which tactics are most likely to drive lift—consistent with how lift will be read in Circana’s Lift Measurement—early enough to optimize before the campaign ends. It’s especially valuable for launches and new tactics, where early signals reduce risk and enable faster iteration toward measurable lift.
What Sets VPO Apart?
For marketers, VPO means minimizing wasted spend and improving results faster than ever. The solution:
-Assurance: Monitor performance and optimize tactics before the campaign ends.
-Speed & Quality: Bi-weekly predictive insights without compromising Circana’s deterministic data quality.
-Precision: Optimization at the tactic level based on actual UPC-defined buyers. Visit the Verified Purchase Optimization page on our website to learn more.
VPO is one example of how Epsilon continues to help brands turn data into meaningful customer connections. Across identity, media, and measurement, Epsilon’s solutions are designed to work together, giving marketers flexible ways to engage consumers, prove impact, and drive growth. Whether brands begin with optimization, insights, or activation, Epsilon provides a scalable foundation to support their marketing goals today and as their needs evolve.
---
## Epsilon Named a Leader in 2025 IDC MarketScape for Data Clean Room Technology | Epsilon EMEA
Type: eps_pressRelease
URL: /epsilon-named-a-leader-in-2025-idc-marketscape-emea
Last Modified: 2026-09-10T10:00:22Z
# Epsilon Named a Leader in 2025 IDC MarketScape for Data Clean Room Technology | Epsilon EMEA
IRVING, TEXAS – AUGUST 8, 2025 – Epsilon announced it has been named a Leader in the IDC MarketScape: Worldwide Data Clean Room Technology for Advertising and Marketing Use Cases 2025 Vendor Assessment (Doc #US520835525, May 2025). Epsilon Clean Room enables secure, privacy-safe collaboration between brands, publishers, and partners, bridging identity, data, and activation to drive measurable performance.
The IDC MarketScape evaluated clean room technology vendors across capabilities and strategies, citing Epsilon’s differentiated identity resolution, AI-powered usability and global partnerships as key strengths.
“At a time when marketers are under pressure to prove results, clean rooms can’t just be secure—they need to be effective. And to be effective, they need to be more than just an empty box,” said Joran Lawrence, Senior Vice President, Product Management at Epsilon. “Unlike other marketplace offerings, our solution comes loaded with the data assets, identity resolution, and artificial intelligence needed to drive value out of the gate. That foundation allows us to help brands unify the right data securely and intelligently to power more efficient person-based marketing.”
Epsilon Clean Room is anchored in its proprietary COREid and COREai enabling marketers to plan, activate and measure against real people, not proxies. Unlike most clean rooms that function purely as technology requiring clients to do all the heavy lifting, Epsilon Clean Room comes pre-loaded with high-quality data, proven identity resolution, and turnkey connections across media and measurement platforms. Epsilon’s fully loaded clean room reduces the operational burden and accelerates time to value, giving marketers a head-start in driving outcomes.
“Epsilon's data clean room solution is a privacy-centric platform that empowers brands and publishers to securely collaborate on data, activate personalized campaigns, and derive actionable insights while adhering to collaborator-defined privacy standards,” said Lynne Schneider, Research Director, Data Collaboration and Monetization at IDC. “The solution includes some of the most robust offerings in third-party data sets and preconfigured integrations with technology and other parts of the advertising and marketing ecosystem.”
Epsilon Clean Room is part of the Epsilon PeopleCloud platform, which includes capabilities that support all aspects of person-based marketing and advertising. The platform allows marketers to engage individuals with:
• 1 View of the universe of potential buyers for their products;
• 1 Vision for engaging each individual; and
• 1 Voice to harmonize engagement across paid, owned and earned channels.
For more information on our clean room capabilities, click here.
About IDC MarketScape
IDC MarketScape vendor assessment model is designed to provide an overview of the competitive fitness of technology and service suppliers in a given market. The research methodology utilizes a rigorous scoring methodology based on both qualitative and quantitative criteria that results in a single graphical illustration of each vendor’s position within a given market. IDC MarketScape provides a clear framework in which the product and service offerings, capabilities and strategies, and current and future market success factors of IT and telecommunications vendors can be meaningfully compared. The framework also provides technology buyers with a 360-degree assessment of the strengths and weaknesses of current and prospective vendors.
About Epsilon
Epsilon is a global technology, data and services company that the world’s leading brands use to harmonize consumer engagement across their paid, owned and earned channels. The Epsilon PeopleCloud platform includes capabilities such as data, identity resolution, customer data platforms, clean rooms, digital media, retail media, site personalization, direct mail, loyalty, email marketing and measurement. By applying artificial intelligence against privacy-centric identity resolution–embedded in data-enriched analytic, marketing and media solutions and services—Epsilon allows marketers to bridge the divide between marketing and advertising technology, engaging consumers with 1 View, 1 Vision and 1 Voice. 1 View of their universe of potential buyers. 1 Vision for engaging each individual. 1 Voice to harmonize engagement across paid, owned, and earned channels. For more information, visit www.epsilon.com.
---
## Epsilon Named a Leader in Loyalty Platforms, Q4 2025 Evaluation
Type: eps_pressRelease
URL: /epsilon-named-a-leader-in-loyalty-platforms-q4-2025-apac
Last Modified: 2026-02-25T16:20:04Z
# Epsilon Named a Leader in Loyalty Platforms, Q4 2025 Evaluation
Epsilon offers superior capabilities in identity resolution and data management as well as global scale
Epsilon, a global advertising and marketing technology company, today announced it has been named a Leader in ‘The Forrester Wave™: Loyalty Platforms, Q4 2025’, which evaluates 11 providers throughout the loyalty technology market. Epsilon received the highest scores possible in nine criteria with the most notable being Customer & Member Profiles, Consumer Privacy, and Supporting Services & Offerings.
In its assessment of Epsilon, Forrester wrote, “Epsilon’s solid vision of cross-channel personalization at scale, supported by the company’s proprietary data assets, resonates with clients’ need for unified customer understanding.”
Epsilon’s loyalty offering brings together data, identity, and program orchestration in a way that’s designed to deliver engaging member experiences for brands of all sizes, in multiple regions.
Epsilon delivers the capabilities and flexibility needed to power modern loyalty programs, from identity resolution and data management to end-to-end program operations that enhance cross-channel personalization. The platform is well suited for both B2C and B2B brands across a range of industries, including financial services, retail and quick-service restaurants.
“Being named a Leader in Forrester’s most recent loyalty Wave reflects, for us, the work we’ve done to give brands a loyalty foundation built on enriched member data for AI-driven personalization,” said Prabhu Kannan, Managing Director, Loyalty at Epsilon. “Loyalty only works when marketers can trust the insights behind it, activate their loyalty data - enhanced by third party data across channels, and uncover the opportunities already within their customer base. Epsilon’s loyalty offering helps identify those opportunities and turn them into behavior-shifting experiences that drive meaningful outcomes and long-term customer value.”
Looking ahead to 2026, Epsilon is sharpening its investments in identity, data and AI—introducing an intelligence layer leveraging predictive, generative, and agentic AI—to help brands modernize loyalty. This goes beyond automating workflows: Epsilon’s loyalty offering uses AI to deepen insights, improve efficiency and speed to market, forecast opportunities and outcomes, and uncover new areas for growth. The goal is to give marketers the clarity and adaptability they need to evolve their loyalty strategies as customer expectations continue to shift.
To learn more about Epsilon’s approach to modern loyalty and explore its full suite of capabilities, visit the Epsilon PeopleCloud Loyalty page.
About Epsilon
Epsilon is a global advertising and marketing technology company positioned at the center of Publicis Groupe. We help brands use their first-party data to reach the right consumers, improve marketing performance, and measure results with confidence in a privacy-first way. For more information, visit www.epsilon.com.
Forrester does not endorse any company, product, brand, or service included in its research publications and does not advise any person to select the products or services of any company or brand based on the ratings included in such publications. Information is based on the best available resources. Opinions reflect judgment at the time and are subject to change. For more information, read about Forrester’s objectivity here: https://www.forrester.com/about-us/objectivity.
---
## Putting Identity to Work Where the Data Lives
Type: eps_pressRelease
URL: /putting-identity-to-work-where-the-data-lives
Last Modified: 2026-06-18T20:09:13Z
# Putting Identity to Work Where the Data Lives
As data environments continue to evolve, identity has become a critical layer for turning information into insight and action. That is why Epsilon is excited to be a launch partner for Databricks CustomerLake, bringing Epsilon PeopleCloud to the platform to help marketers enrich, connect and activate first-party data through trusted identity capabilities.
CustomerLake reflects a growing demand for more connected customer data strategies. By bringing identity, enrichment and activation capabilities closer to where data already lives, organizations can create more complete profiles, gain deeper audience insights and activate those insights more effectively—without creating new silos or adding unnecessary complexity.
Marketers and data teams are looking for ways to make existing data more useful. They want to recognize individuals across touchpoints, enrich profiles with deeper insights and create a stronger foundation for activation, measurement and engagement.
Epsilon PeopleCloud helps make that possible. Built on Epsilon's trusted identity foundation, it enables marketers to resolve fragmented records into a unified view of the individual and enrich first-party data with valuable consumer insights. With a stronger identity foundation, marketers can build more complete audience profiles, improve targeting and personalization, and measure performance with greater confidence. The result is deeper audience understanding, richer customer context and a more connected view of the people behind the data.
More broadly, the move to bring identity closer to where data already lives reflects a larger shift taking place across the industry. Marketers increasingly want access to identity, enrichment and activation capabilities within the environments where their data already resides. Rather than moving data between disconnected systems or creating new silos, they're looking for more connected approaches that preserve governance, reduce complexity and make data easier to use.
By making Epsilon PeopleCloud identity resolution, data enrichment and activation capabilities available within Databricks CustomerLake, Epsilon is enabling organizations to strengthen the foundation behind their data and marketing investments while powering agentic AI. Marketers can connect and enrich profiles, gain deeper audience insights and activate those insights more effectively across the channels, platforms and customer engagement efforts they already rely on, all while working within their existing data ecosystem.
As expectations for relevance, measurement and performance continue to rise, identity will remain a foundational capability for turning data into action. Bringing identity closer to where data lives helps marketers create more connected experiences, activate with confidence and measure what matters.
Learn more about Epsilon PeopleCloud and Databricks CustomerLake.
---
## Epsilon Named a Leader in 2025 IDC MarketScape for CTV Advertising Platforms
Type: eps_pressRelease
URL: /epsilon-named-a-leader-in-2025-idc-marketscape-for-ctv
Last Modified: 2025-11-25T10:50:47Z
# Epsilon Named a Leader in 2025 IDC MarketScape for CTV Advertising Platforms
DALLAS, Texas – June 17, 2025 – Epsilon today announced it has been named a Leader in the IDC MarketScape: Worldwide Connected TV Advertising Platforms 2025 Vendor Assessment (Doc #US52039725, April 2025). The report noted, “Epsilon’s CORE ID solution consolidates disparate audiences into a single ID, enabling more precise targeting and reducing wasted ad spend.” The report also noted, “Brands prioritizing identity-based targeting will find Epsilon’s CORE ID solution valuable, particularly for campaigns focused on reaching individuals across multiple touch points.”
“Epsilon’s people-based identity solution, COREid, enables advertisers to reduce waste and improve precision in CTV campaigns by reaching real consumers across devices and channels,” said Roger Beharry Lall, Research Director at IDC. “Epsilon’s unified platform supports integrated media activation and measurement, helping brands navigate a fragmented CTV ecosystem with greater clarity and control.”
As the first major CTV advertising-specific evaluation from a top analyst firm, the report provides marketers with clarity in a fragmented landscape. We believe the recognition marks a significant milestone for Epsilon’s CTV capabilities, reinforcing the power of its people-first, performance-led approach and providing marketers with insight into platforms that deliver more than impressions.
“Advertisers don’t need more impressions, they need more impact,” said Allen Klosowski, Senior Vice President, Digital at Epsilon. “We built our platform to do what others can’t: unify media across display, video, audio, and CTV with a consistent view of the consumer. Most providers optimize CTV to boost their own ad volume, not your results. Epsilon flips that model, putting advertiser’s results first by delivering media at scale that reaches real people and drives real impact on their bottom line.”
While many in the industry focus on optimizing CTV campaigns solely to secure larger budgets, Epsilon prioritizes delivering measurable real-world results that matter to our clients' bottom lines."
Epsilon’s CTV offering stands apart by using people-based identity—not devices or cookies—to unify fragmented signals into a single, persistent ID. Powered by its proprietary COREid, the platform enables deduplicated reach across TV households and seamless activation across channels. Brands can incorporate their own first-party data to expand reach or refine targeting, while optimizing performance based on real business outcomes, not just media metrics. With centralized campaign management and cross-device coordination, Epsilon helps marketers reach real individuals in the right places, with the right message—at scale and with less waste.
“Epsilon’s CTV solution didn’t just meet our expectations—it redefined them,” said Steve August, VP, Marketing at Road Scholar. “We’ve seen lower acquisition costs, more new customers, and now have the transparency to know exactly who we were reaching. It’s rare to find a partner that combines scale, precision, and accountability this effectively.”
“For us, this recognition isn’t just about CTV—it reinforces what we’ve built across Epsilon Digital as a whole,” added Klosowski. “We believe the acknowledgment from IDC confirms our ability to deliver consistent, addressable, performance-driven results across every digital channel, not just one.”
For more details on the IDC MarketScape report and our position as a Leader, click here.
About IDC MarketScape
IDC MarketScape vendor assessment model is designed to provide an overview of the competitive fitness of technology and service suppliers in a given market. The research methodology utilizes a rigorous scoring methodology based on both qualitative and quantitative criteria that results in a single graphical illustration of each vendor’s position within a given market. IDC MarketScape provides a clear framework in which the product and service offerings, capabilities and strategies, and current and future market success factors of IT and telecommunications vendors can be meaningfully compared. The framework also provides technology buyers with a 360-degree assessment of the strengths and weaknesses of current and prospective vendors.
About Epsilon
Epsilon is a global technology, data and services company that the world’s leading brands use to harmonize consumer engagement across their paid, owned and earned channels. The Epsilon PeopleCloud platform includes capabilities such as data, identity resolution, customer data platforms, clean rooms, digital media, retail media, site personalization, direct mail, loyalty, email marketing and measurement. By applying artificial intelligence against privacy-centric identity resolution–embedded in data-enriched analytic, marketing and media solutions and services—Epsilon allows marketers to bridge the divide between marketing and advertising technology, engaging consumers with 1 View, 1 Vision and 1 Voice. 1 View of their universe of potential buyers. 1 Vision for engaging each individual. 1 Voice to harmonize engagement across paid, owned, and earned channels. For more information, visit www.epsilon.com.
---
## Sean Reardon Named CEO of Epsilon
Type: eps_pressRelease
URL: /sean-reardon-named-ceo-of-epsilon
Last Modified: 2025-10-23T13:10:04Z
# Sean Reardon Named CEO of Epsilon
Epsilon today announced the appointment of Sean Reardon as CEO. Reardon, who will fully assume the role by the end of the year, brings more than 25 years of data, ad tech and business transformation leadership. As CEO, Reardon steps into an integral role responsible for day-to-day operations and driving Epsilon’s unmatched data and technology, including its robust identity resolution solutions, within Publicis Groupe’s Connected Media ecosystem.
Having spent the past decade in CEO roles across the ad tech, media and marketing industries, Reardon is recognized across the industry for his vision, innovation and ability to drive significant growth for the clients and organizations he leads. Notably, he served as Global CEO and US CEO of MiQ, which he helped bolster to become the world's largest independent programmatic media partner for brands and agencies. Most recently, Reardon was CEO of Media in the Americas for Dentsu. Prior to that, he dedicated more than 15 years of his career to leadership roles at Publicis, including CEO of Zenith in the US.
John Giuliani, Epsilon’s Executive Chairman, will work alongside Reardon to drive Epsilon’s growth, including its unique competitive advantage and differentiation for clients, while also focusing more fully on long-term strategic initiatives.
Reardon and Giuliani will report to Dave Penski, CEO, Publicis Connected Media. Reardon will also join the Publicis Groupe Management Committee.
Sean Reardon, CEO of Epsilon: “Epsilon's impact in the industry has been undeniable, and its trajectory has only risen since joining Publicis Groupe in 2019. We sit at the forefront of innovation in applying data and technology to help clients create personal, meaningful customer relationships. I look forward to working with our teams to unlock Epsilon’s full potential for our clients and for Publicis Groupe as a greater whole.”
John Giuliani, Executive Chairman of Epsilon: “Sean brings a deep industry experience and sharp focus that will strengthen our commitment to our clients, our people and our performance. I look forward to partnering closely with him on key business priorities, while focusing more fully on long-term initiatives and strategic oversight, which was my aspiration when I re-joined Epsilon over four years ago.”
Dave Penski, CEO of Publicis Connected Media: “In a market defined by complexity, we have never been in a stronger position to bring our clients the immediate business solutions they need to grow, anchored by the power of Epsilon’s industry-leading identity solutions. Sean’s rich understanding of the complexities of this business, alongside the opportunity found in bringing together data, digital, commerce and influencer capabilities within our Connected Media offering will only continue to drive growth, differentiation and powerful outcomes for our clients. I have no doubt the addition of Sean’s leadership will only amplify Epsilon’s current success.”
###
About Epsilon
Epsilon is a global technology, data and services company that the world’s leading brands use to harmonize consumer engagement across their paid, owned and earned channels. The Epsilon PeopleCloud platform includes capabilities such as data, identity resolution, customer data platforms, clean rooms, digital media, retail media, site personalization, direct mail, loyalty, email marketing and measurement. By applying artificial intelligence against privacy-centric identity resolution–embedded in data-enriched analytic, marketing and media solutions and services—Epsilon allows marketers to bridge the divide between marketing and advertising technology, engaging consumers with 1 View, 1 Vision and 1 Voice. 1 View of their universe of potential buyers. 1 Vision for engaging each individual. 1 Voice to harmonize engagement across paid, owned and earned channels. For more information, visit www.epsilon.com.
---
## New Epsilon report: World Cup spurs spending as two-thirds of fans plan purchases to improve viewing experience
Type: eps_pressRelease
URL: /epsilon-match-ready-world-cup-report-press-release
Last Modified: 2026-03-18T11:36:03Z
# New Epsilon report: World Cup spurs spending as two-thirds of fans plan purchases to improve viewing experience
London, UK – 18 March 2026 – As UK football fans eagerly await this summer’s World Cup, preparation is underway with over two-thirds (69%) of fans already planning purchases, from new TVs to outdoor equipment and home furnishings. This is according to new research published by Epsilon, a global leader in technology, data and services, looking at people’s media and purchasing behaviour before, during and after the event.
Based on a survey of 1,000 consumers in the UK, the Match Ready: World Cup Audiences report shines a light on the different motivations, interests and habits of a richly nuanced fanbase. It reveals only 50% of the 34 million strong audience is made up of regular football league fans, many only tune in during big events, driven by excitement, participation and social value.
While a minority (29%) don’t expect to spend any differently in the build up to the event, most will get into the spirit early. For many people, it puts them in a more social/hosting mindset, while others expect to spend more than normal or buy things they hadn’t planned to.
This year’s event will be the largest ever with an extra 16 teams competing in a record 104 matches, 40 more than the 2022 tournament. For the first time, mid‑game water breaks will create built‑in moments, and opportunities for brands and retailers, when viewers step away from the TV and onto their phones.
Key report findings:
Don’t wait for kick-off - Audience interest begins early, with 69% of respondents planning to improve their viewing experience by purchasing big ticket items like TVs and projectors (18%), smartphones (17%) and outdoor accessories like firepits and BBQs (8%).
Attention wavers as fans second screen – 71% of fans admit they won’t be focusing just on the game, but also messaging friends, checking stats, scrolling social feeds or spending money. Nearly one in five respondents (18%) say they will shop or browse online during live games.
The ongoing buzz between fixtures – Fans take in commentary, build-up and analysis across TV channels including the BBC and ITV (41%), sports channels like Sky and TNT Sports (32%), YouTube (27%) and official apps and websites including FIFA and league/club sites (22%).
Emotions drive opportunity for HFSS brands - The majority (71%) say their spending habits are likely to change, with an uplift in snacks and soft drinks for when they are watching on their own or hosting others, opening up unique opportunities for brands in high fat, sugar and salt (HFSS) categories.
Influence beyond the World Cup - Three in 10 football fans say they are likely to choose a brand that launches timely promotions during the World Cup, while a further two in 10 believe this influence extends beyond the tournament. Even among non-league fans, 37% say World Cup activity increases their likelihood of choosing a brand during the competition.
Responding to the findings, Esme Robinson, Director, Platform Solutions at Epsilon, said: “This is a once-every-four-years opportunity for brands and retailers to reach an audience that is both unusually large and unusually mixed, attracting an equal mix of men and women and across the generations. It’s a truly shared experience.
“But it’s crucial they grasp the nuances of individuals who are influenced differently and at different times. Treating a World Cup audience as a single group, or assuming it reflects the normal football fan base, risks overlooking the differences. By understanding who watches, how they watch, and how this shapes engagement and spending, marketers can plan with precision. For those that succeed, we see a clear opportunity to treat the world's biggest sporting event not just as a one-off, but the start of lasting customer relationships.”
Ends
*ONS figure UK total, 18+ = 33,7M (63%)
Methodology
The research was conducted by Censuswide, on behalf of Epsilon among a sample of 2000 nationally representative UK consumers, aged 18+ (from which 1000 World Cup followers were further surveyed). The data was collected between 16/01/26 - 21/01/26. Censuswide abides by and employs members of the Market Research Society and follows the MRS code of conduct and ESOMAR principles. Censuswide is also a member of the British Polling Council.
About Epsilon
Epsilon is a global technology, data and services company that the world’s leading brands use to harmonize consumer engagement across their paid, owned and earned channels. The Epsilon PeopleCloud platform includes capabilities such as data, identity resolution, customer data platforms, clean rooms, digital media, retail media, site personalization, direct mail, loyalty, email marketing and measurement. By applying artificial intelligence against privacy-centric identity resolution–embedded in data-enriched analytic, marketing and media solutions and services—Epsilon allows marketers to bridge the divide between marketing and advertising technology, engaging consumers with 1 View, 1 Vision and 1 Voice. 1 View of their universe of potential buyers. 1 Vision for engaging each individual. 1 Voice to harmonize engagement across paid, owned and earned channels.
---
## H-E-B Launches New Self-Service Capabilities in the H-E-B Retail Media Network
Type: eps_pressRelease
URL: /h-e-b-launches-new-self-service-capabilities
Last Modified: 2025-06-11T18:07:53Z
# H-E-B Launches New Self-Service Capabilities in the H-E-B Retail Media Network
H-E-B Launches New Self-Service Capabilities in the H-E-B Retail Media Network
New offering launched in partnership with Epsilon and its Epsilon Retail Media platform
AUSTIN, Texas – June 11, 2025 – Epsilon, a global advertising and marketing technology company, and H-E-B, a Texas-based omnichannel retailer, have launched new self-service capabilities, which expand the tools available to brands in the H-E-B Retail Media Network. Leveraging Epsilon Retail Media, the new self-service capabilities empower brands to independently activate and manage promoted products campaigns across heb.com and the My H-E-B App. This latest innovation for H-E-B Retail Media further strengthens advertisers’ ability to reach customers across onsite, offsite, in-store, and email channels.
“H-E-B is focused on creating a retail media platform that meets the unique needs of our Partners, brands, and customers,” said Sean Ransenberg, Managing Director and GM, H-E-B Retail Media. “These new self-service capabilities support our mission to make it easier for brands of all sizes to connect with local Texas communities throughout their digital shopping journey. It’s another way we’re helping our brand partners drive results while staying true to H-E-B’s tailored and local approach.”
Through this offering, H-E-B Retail Media offers 24/7 real-time reporting for retailers and advertisers, with metrics including sales, cost per click, click-through rate, and more. Advertisers have access to campaign pacing and reporting by time period, providing marketers with deeper performance insights based on key levels of reporting. The platform’s bulk management UI capabilities allow advertisers to be more efficient, giving users the ability to bulk pause, archive, and activate campaigns. Additionally, teams can update products, keywords, and bidding.
The collaboration between H-E-B and Epsilon represents a strategic alignment aimed at giving national and local advertisers the ability to connect with Texas communities through enhanced tools and opportunities to drive impactful marketing initiatives.
“As we continue to innovate and adapt to the evolving digital landscape, we are thrilled to work with H-E-B to deliver solutions that empower advertisers and drive growth for retail brands,” said Adam Skinner, managing director, global unified retail media at Epsilon. “We are also helping H-E-B meet brands’ calls for standardization and increased access to buying options, while still customizing for their unique differentiators and ecosystems.”
Additionally, H-E-B Retail Media Network adopted enhanced capabilities from Skai, a leading omnichannel advertising platform specializing in commerce media. This integration offers another access point for advertisers, providing them with advanced solutions to plan, manage, optimize, and measure their campaigns and reach their target audiences more effectively. Leveraging both Skai and Epsilon further enhances the H-E-B Retail Media Network platform, offering advertisers a seamless experience and additional opportunities to drive impactful marketing initiatives.
H-E-B Retail Media is the in-house retail media network of H-E-B, which was named the #1 retailer in the nation by dunnhumby. H-E-B Retail Media connects brands with over 8 million households weekly through authentic, data-driven campaigns: online, in-store, and everywhere Texans shop. For more information, visit hebretailmedia.com.
About H-E-B
H-E-B, with sales of more than $46 billion, operates over 455 stores in Texas and Mexico. Known for its innovation and community service, H-E-B celebrates its 120th anniversary this year. Recognized for its fresh food, quality products, convenient services, and a commitment to environmental responsibility and sustainability, H-E-B strives to provide the best customer experience and low prices. Based in San Antonio, H-E-B employs over 170,000 Partners in Texas and Mexico and serves millions of customers in more than 300 communities. For more information, visit heb.com and the H-E-B Newsroom.
About Epsilon
Epsilon is a global technology, data, and services company that the world’s leading brands use to harmonize consumer engagement across their paid, owned, and earned channels. The Epsilon PeopleCloud platform includes capabilities such as data, identity resolution, customer data platforms, clean rooms, digital media, retail media, site personalization, direct mail, loyalty, email marketing, and measurement. By applying artificial intelligence against privacy-centric identity resolution—embedded in data-enriched analytic, marketing, and media solutions and services—Epsilon allows marketers to bridge the divide between marketing and advertising technology, engaging consumers with 1 View, 1 Vision, and 1 Voice. For more information, visit www.epsilon.com.
---
## Epsilon Named a Leader in Loyalty Platforms, Q4 2025 Evaluation
Type: eps_pressRelease
URL: /epsilon-named-a-leader-in-loyalty-platforms-q4-2025-evaluation
Last Modified: 2025-12-12T15:05:38Z
# Epsilon Named a Leader in Loyalty Platforms, Q4 2025 Evaluation
Epsilon offers superior capabilities in identity resolution and data management as well as global scale
Epsilon, a global advertising and marketing technology company, today announced it has been named a Leader in ‘The Forrester Wave™: Loyalty Platforms, Q4 2025’, which evaluates 11 providers throughout the loyalty technology market. Epsilon received the highest scores possible in nine criteria with the most notable being Customer & Member Profiles, Consumer Privacy, and Supporting Services & Offerings.
In its assessment of Epsilon, Forrester wrote, “Epsilon’s solid vision of cross-channel personalization at scale, supported by the company’s proprietary data assets, resonates with clients’ need for unified customer understanding.”
Epsilon’s loyalty offering brings together data, identity, and program orchestration in a way that’s designed to deliver engaging member experiences for brands of all sizes, in multiple regions.
Epsilon delivers the capabilities and flexibility needed to power modern loyalty programs, from identity resolution and data management to end-to-end program operations that enhance cross-channel personalization. The platform is well suited for both B2C and B2B brands across a range of industries, including financial services, retail and quick-service restaurants.
“Being named a Leader in Forrester’s most recent loyalty Wave reflects, for us, the work we’ve done to give brands a loyalty foundation built on enriched member data for AI-driven personalization,” said Prabhu Kannan, Managing Director, Loyalty at Epsilon. “Loyalty only works when marketers can trust the insights behind it, activate their loyalty data - enhanced by third party data across channels, and uncover the opportunities already within their customer base. Epsilon’s loyalty offering helps identify those opportunities and turn them into behavior-shifting experiences that drive meaningful outcomes and long-term customer value.”
Looking ahead to 2026, Epsilon is sharpening its investments in identity, data and AI—introducing an intelligence layer leveraging predictive, generative, and agentic AI—to help brands modernize loyalty. This goes beyond automating workflows: Epsilon’s loyalty offering uses AI to deepen insights, improve efficiency and speed to market, forecast opportunities and outcomes, and uncover new areas for growth. The goal is to give marketers the clarity and adaptability they need to evolve their loyalty strategies as customer expectations continue to shift.
To learn more about Epsilon’s approach to modern loyalty and explore its full suite of capabilities, visit the Epsilon PeopleCloud Loyalty page.
About Epsilon
Epsilon is a global advertising and marketing technology company positioned at the center of Publicis Groupe. We help brands use their first-party data to reach the right consumers, improve marketing performance, and measure results with confidence in a privacy-first way. For more information, visit www.epsilon.com.
Forrester does not endorse any company, product, brand, or service included in its research publications and does not advise any person to select the products or services of any company or brand based on the ratings included in such publications. Information is based on the best available resources. Opinions reflect judgment at the time and are subject to change. For more information, read about Forrester’s objectivity here: https://www.forrester.com/about-us/objectivity.
---
## Epsilon Launches In‑Store Attribution to Reveal the True Impact of Retail Media in Australia
Type: eps_pressRelease
URL: /epsilon-launches-instore-attribution-for-retail-media-apac
Last Modified: 2026-03-09T08:09:16Z
# Epsilon Launches In‑Store Attribution to Reveal the True Impact of Retail Media in Australia
Sydney, Australia, 9 March 2026 - Epsilon today announced the launch of in-store sales attribution reporting through its Epsilon Retail Media platform, giving retailers and brands the ability to directly measure how digital retail media drives physical, on-shelf sales.
Retailers can now see how retail media investment influences both online and real-world purchasing within a single, unified platform, creating the foundation for effective reach at scale.
The new capability closes one of the biggest gaps in retail media measurement. More than 87% of Australian retail sales still take place in physical stores (ABS, 2025), but the ability to link digital media to in-store conversion has long been absent. Brands have relied on assumptions or fragmented reporting.
Built directly into the Epsilon Retail Media platform, the new capability automatically reconciles on-site activity with in-store point-of-sale transactions. The result is a complete, end-to-end view of performance across the shopper journey, without sacrificing the digital performance metrics brands rely on.
“This innovation reinforces Epsilon’s pioneering role in retail media,” said Esme Robinson, Director Global Platform Solutions and Enablement at Epsilon. “By closing the loop between digital exposure and in‑store sales, we’re giving retailers and brands the proof they need to invest with confidence and optimise with precision at any scale.”
Designed for the Australia’s in‑store reality
Australia’s retail landscape remains overwhelmingly store‑led, making in‑store attribution essential. Powered by a proprietary data infrastructure built to process large volumes of real‑time data, Epsilon Retail Media enables deterministic measurement of in‑store impact at scale, setting a benchmark for retail media measurement in the market.
Transparent omnichannel measurement
To support retailer transparency and advertiser confidence, Epsilon now delivers enhanced performance metrics within its platform, including:
Online ROAS: maintaining continuity with existing digital / ecommerce benchmarks
Total ROAS: omnichannel measurement capturing both online and in‑store sales impact
Halo Instore ROAS: measuring influence across a brand’s full in‑store product portfolio
Together, these metrics provide a level of omnichannel accountability that has previously been out of reach, enabling smarter investment decisions without losing digital performance granularity.
Closing the loop in retail media
By automating the connection between digital media exposure and in‑store sales, Epsilon delivers true closed‑loop measurement across online and offline channels. The capability can be made available to all Epsilon Retail Media onsite clients, regardless of size or maturity, ensuring consistent and accountable measurement.
With this launch, Epsilon establishes a new standard for retail media in Australia, empowering retailers and brands with the clarity, confidence and proof required to grow faster and invest smarter.
Discover more about Epsilon Retail Media.
ENDS
About Epsilon
Epsilon is a global technology, data and services company that the world’s leading brands use to harmonise consumer engagement across their paid, owned and earned channels. The Epsilon PeopleCloud platform includes capabilities such as data, identity resolution, customer data platforms, clean rooms, digital media, retail media, site personalisation, direct mail, loyalty, email marketing and measurement. By applying artificial intelligence against privacy-centric identity resolution–embedded in data-enriched analytic, marketing and media solutions and services—Epsilon allows marketers to bridge the divide between marketing and advertising technology, engaging consumers with 1 View, 1 Vision and 1 Voice. 1 View of their universe of potential buyers. 1 Vision for engaging each individual. 1 Voice to harmonise engagement across paid, owned and earned channels.
---
## Epsilon Clean Room Fuels the Next Generation of First-Party, People-Based Advertising on Snapchat
Type: eps_pressRelease
URL: /epsilon-clean-room-fuels-people-based-advertising-on-snapchat
Last Modified: 2026-03-30T19:57:52Z
# Epsilon Clean Room Fuels the Next Generation of First-Party, People-Based Advertising on Snapchat
New integration helps brands like Inspire activate audiences faster, reach real people, and prove performance
IRVING, TEXAS – OCTOBER 16, 2025 – Epsilon today announced a new integration with Snap Inc., giving marketers a faster, smarter way to activate their first-party data on Snapchat via Epsilon Clean Room. With this integration, brands can push privacy-safe audience segments from Epsilon Clean Room directly into their Snapchat Ad accounts. The result: improved match rates of up to 50% for audience activation, enabling more precise targeting for campaigns.
Inspire Brands, one of the largest restaurant companies in the U.S., is among the first brands to use the integration.
“At Inspire, we’re focused on turning data into action, and this integration helps us do that with more speed and confidence while better connecting with our highly engaged Gen Z and Millennial audiences,” said Travis Freeman, Chief Media Officer and SVP, Demand Generation at Inspire Brands. “With Snap and Epsilon, we can reach the right guests on one of their most-engaging platforms and understand how our campaigns are driving actual results across our portfolio of brands.”
Snapchat, which is known for its highly active user-base and mobile-first experiences, is the latest platform to integrate with Epsilon’s technology. The platform joins a growing list of Epsilon direct integration partners.
“Snapchat is where real relationships and conversations happen every day—and that gives brands a unique opportunity to connect in more personal and impactful ways,” said Risa Teksten, Head of Agency Development for Publicis at Snap Inc. “Through our partnership with Epsilon, we’re making it easier for advertisers to bring their most valuable audiences into Snapchat, target with precision, and see measurable outcomes—without relying on outdated signals or fragmented IDs.”
Epsilon Clean Room gives brands a more efficient and effective way to activate first- and third-party data to connect with audiences where they’re most engaged. The technology is built specifically to unite identity, media, and measurement in a privacy-safe environment, making it easier to launch campaigns and tie them to real results.
“This is what connected marketing looks like—real identity, real speed, and real outcomes,” said Dale Older, SVP of Product at Epsilon. “Our work with Snap represents where the industry is headed, and that’s away from patchwork solutions and toward clean, efficient collaboration that drives results.”
The Snap integration is currently available for Epsilon Clean Room clients in the U.S., with plans to expand to Epsilon Clean Room clients in the U.K. market soon.
About Snap Inc.
Snap Inc. is a technology company. We believe the camera presents the greatest opportunity to improve the way people live and communicate. We contribute to human progress by empowering people to express themselves, live in the moment, learn about the world, and have fun together. The Company's three core products are Snapchat, a visual messaging app that enhances your relationships with friends, family, and the world; Lens Studio, an augmented reality platform that powers AR across Snapchat and other services; and its AR glasses, Spectacles. For more information, visit snap.com.
About Inspire Brands, Inc.
Inspire Brands, Inc. is a multi-brand restaurant company whose portfolio includes more than 33,000 Arby’s, Baskin-Robbins, Buffalo Wild Wings, Dunkin’, Jimmy John’s, and SONIC restaurant locations worldwide. The company was founded in 2018 and is headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia. For more information, visit InspireBrands.com
---
## Wickes Launches Retail Media Platform to Connect Brands with Home Improvement Customers
Type: eps_pressRelease
URL: /wickes-connected-retail-media-epsilon-partnership
Last Modified: 2026-03-02T09:14:47Z
# Wickes Launches Retail Media Platform to Connect Brands with Home Improvement Customers
London, UK - 2 March 2026 – Wickes today announces the launch of Wickes Connected Retail Media, a new retail media network that goes live with both onsite and offsite capabilities from day one. This is a first-of-its-kind proposition in the home improvement category, designed to help brands connect with the UK’s diverse home improvement audience wherever they are browsing, researching or shopping for products. Developed in partnership with Epsilon, Wickes Connected Retail Media enables brands to reach DIYers, design and installation customers, and trade professionals with tailored messages that align with the project they’re working on, from start to finish.
Powered by Epsilon’s COREid identity graph, Wickes Connected Retail Media supports more precise activation both within Wickes’ ecosystem and web-wide by helping brands bring together digital and in-store signals into a consistent view of their audience.
The proposition is underpinned by Wickes’ investment in linking its digital channels with 230 stores. With 96% of sales touching a Wickes store and two-thirds digitally enabled, the business provides a natural bridge between online discovery and in-store action, supported by board-level commitment to retail media as a long-term growth lever.
Gary Kibble, Chief Marketing and Digital Officer at Wickes, said: “We’re proud to launch Wickes Connected Retail Media in partnership with Epsilon, a major step forward for our business. This network makes it easier than ever for our customers to discover the brands and products that help them get their projects right. From first-time DIYers and design and installation customers to trade professionals managing multiple jobs each week, our shoppers have distinctive ways of researching, browsing and buying. We’re excited to see the impact this will have for brands and customers alike, connecting them at the moments that matter most.”
Simon Trewavas, SVP Commerce at Epsilon says, “Wickes brings together a uniquely broad and highly engaged home improvement audience across both its digital platforms and store network. Customers come to Wickes to plan projects, sense check their ideas and buy products that often form part of an ongoing relationship with the brand. That creates a real opportunity for advertisers to think beyond short term performance and focus on how they support customers in ways that build trust, confidence and long term loyalty.
We’re excited to support Wickes as they continue to test, learn and scale across categories, building a connected retail media proposition that truly reflects how people plan, shop and complete home improvement projects.”
Wickes Connected Retail Media is designed to support a wide range of advertisers, from established manufacturers to smaller specialist trade brands, with flexible ways to test, learn and scale activity over time.
About Wickes
Wickes is a digitally-led, service-enabled home improvement retailer, delivering choice, convenience, value and best-in-class service to customers across the United Kingdom, making it well placed to outperform its growing markets. In response to gradual structural shifts in its markets over recent years, Wickes has a balanced business focusing on three key customer journeys - TradePro, DIY (together reported as Retail) and our project-based Design & Installation division.
Wickes operates from its network of 230 right-sized stores, which support nationwide fulfilment from convenient locations throughout the United Kingdom, and through its digital channels including its website, TradePro mobile app for trade members, and Wickes DIY app. These digital channels allow customers to research and order an extended range of Wickes products and services, arrange virtual and in-person design consultations, and organise convenient Home Delivery or Click-and-Collect.
About Epsilon
Epsilon is a global leader in marketing and advertising technology solutions, helping brands across EMEA deliver measurable business outcomes. Our modular platform activates marketing across channels - from display and online video to CTV and direct mail - and powers advanced onsite and offsite retail media, as well as industry‑leading loyalty solutions. At the heart of Epsilon is COREid, the most accurate and stable deterministic identity graph, giving brands a single, durable customer view to efficiently identify existing, lapsed and prospective buyers both online and in-store. Our mission is to remove the guesswork from marketing; drive efficiency, reduce waste, and enable marketers to invest confidently in what works, backed by transparent measurement. Discover more at ww.epsilon.com/emea
---
## The Container Store Partners with Epsilon to Deliver Highly Personalized Marketing and Enhance After-buy Journey for Customers
Type: eps_pressRelease
URL: /the-container-store-partners-with-epsilon-to-deliver-highly-personalized-marketing-and-enhance-after-buy-journey-for-customers
Last Modified: 2025-11-26T09:25:10Z
# The Container Store Partners with Epsilon to Deliver Highly Personalized Marketing and Enhance After-buy Journey for Customers
The Container Store adds Epsilon Digital Customer Data Platform to its digital
toolbox to manage, analyze and activate first-party customer data
Epsilon, a global advertising and marketing technology company, today announced that it has partnered with The Container Store to organize and activate the retailer’s first-party customer data in a privacy-safe environment. With a passion for creating compelling and relevant interactions across the entire customer journey, The Container Store has tapped into the power of Epsilon Digital Customer Data Platform (CDP)to deliver highly personalized marketing campaigns and create more engaging experiences for its shoppers.
The Container Store’s decision to leverage Epsilon’s Digital CDP comes at a time when all marketers seek to unlock value from their rich first-party customer data at scale and in real-time. The move represents a significant step in The Container Store’s digital transformation journey, demonstrating its dedication to delivering unparalleled value and experiences to customers while staying ahead in the competitive retail landscape.
The Container Store Vice President, Loyalty, Tory Marpe, said, “Epsilon's expertise in customer data and insights helps The Container Store execute our purpose to transform lives through the power of organization. Whether it's parents sending their kids back to school, young adults entertaining family and friends during football season or the festive neighbors eager to grab the holiday decorations from storage, Epsilon’s Digital CDP helps reinforce our dedication to retail innovation and investing in technologies that help create seamless, personalized and memorable experiences for every shopper.”
Powered by Epsilon’s proprietary industry-leading identity solution, Epsilon Digital CDP is an extended first-party data solution that connects a customer’s online and offline worlds by syncing each customers devices, digital data, transactions, and engagements with a brand. This unique “connected identity” helps deliver a 360-degree view of individual customers that marketers do not have today providing unique insights that can be natively activated from Epsilon Digital CDP, to Epsilon Digital, additional DSPs and/or social media platforms. Epsilon Digital CDP is a continuously improving platform that collects new data about each individual consumer in real-time and can be activated at scale.
Marpe added, “Epsilon’s Digital CDP was chosen because it contains knowledge about our shoppers that we didn’t possess while enriching our customers’ identity profiles. This is not an empty container, but rather a data rich platform that brought us speed to market faster than any other player in the space.”
In addition, the self-service capabilities of Epsilon Digital CDP, which enable customer data for analytics and decision support across the organization, aligned with the shared needs of The Container Store’s marketing and IT teams.
Epsilon Managing Director, Data Platforms, David Melnick, added, “Epsilon Digital CDP is a data rich platform that is uniquely positioned to support The Container Store in building stronger connections and delivering value to every one of its customers. Epsilon and The Container Store may work in different industries, but we share the same commitment to innovation through organization solutions. Together, I have no doubt that we’ll deliver the types of differentiated customer experiences and after-buy journeys for shoppers that drive results across the open web."
Epsilon Digital CDP is the only CDP that comes fully working and ready to activate at scale in just weeks. More information can be found by visiting www.epsilon.com.
###
About Epsilon
Epsilon is a global advertising and marketing technology company positioned at the center of Publicis Groupe. We connect advertisers with consumers to drive performance while respecting and protecting consumer privacy and client data. Epsilon accelerates clients’ ability to harness the power of their first-party data to enhance, activate and measure campaigns with confidence. We believe in an open, privacy-first advertising ecosystem. Over decades, we’ve built the industry’s most comprehensive identity graph to give brands, agencies and publishers the ability to reach real consumers across all channels and the open web. For more information, visit www.epsilon.com.
About The Container Store
The Container Store Group, Inc. (NYSE: TCS) is the nation's leading specialty retailer of organizing solutions, custom spaces, and in-home services – a concept they originated in 1978. Today, with locations nationwide, the retailer offers more than 10,000 products designed to transform lives through the power of organization. Visit www.containerstore.com for more information about products, store locations, services offered and real-life inspiration.
---
## Epsilon launches in‑store attribution to reveal the true impact of retail media
Type: eps_pressRelease
URL: /epsilon-launches-in-store-attribution-for-retail-media
Last Modified: 2026-05-01T12:39:39Z
# Epsilon launches in‑store attribution to reveal the true impact of retail media
London UK, 9 March 2026 - Epsilon today announced the launch of in-store sales attribution reporting through its Epsilon Retail Media platform, giving retailers and brands the ability to directly measure how digital retail media drives physical, on-shelf sales.
Retailers can now see how retail media investment influences both online and real-world purchasing within a single, unified platform, creating the foundation for effective reach at scale.
The new capability closes one of the biggest gaps in retail media measurement. More than 70% of UK retail sales still take place in physical stores (ONS Retail Sales Index), but the ability to link digital media to in-store conversion has long been absent. Brands have relied on assumptions or fragmented reporting.
Built directly into the Epsilon Retail Media platform, the new capability automatically reconciles on-site activity with in-store point-of-sale transactions. The result is a complete, end-to-end view of performance across the shopper journey, without sacrificing the digital performance metrics brands rely on.
“This innovation reinforces Epsilon’s pioneering role in retail media,” said Esme Robinson, Director Global Platform Solutions and Enablement at Epsilon. “By closing the loop between digital exposure and in‑store sales, we’re giving retailers and brands the proof they need to invest with confidence and optimise with precision at any scale.”
Designed for the UK’s in‑store reality
The UK’s retail landscape remains overwhelmingly store‑led, making in‑store attribution essential. Powered by a proprietary data infrastructure built to process large volumes of real‑time data, Epsilon Retail Media enables deterministic measurement of in‑store impact at scale, setting a benchmark for retail media measurement in the market.
Transparent omnichannel measurement
To support retailer transparency and advertiser confidence, Epsilon now delivers enhanced performance metrics within its platform, including:
Online ROAS: maintaining continuity with existing digital / ecommerce benchmarks
Total ROAS: omnichannel measurement capturing both online and in‑store sales impact
Halo Instore ROAS: measuring influence across a brand’s full in‑store product portfolio
Together, these metrics provide a level of omnichannel accountability that has previously been out of reach, enabling smarter investment decisions without losing digital performance granularity.
Closing the loop in retail media
By automating the connection between digital media exposure and in‑store sales, Epsilon delivers true closed‑loop measurement across online and offline channels. The capability can be made available to all Epsilon Retail Media onsite clients, regardless of size or maturity, ensuring consistent and accountable measurement.
With this launch, Epsilon establishes a new standard for retail media in the UK, empowering retailers and brands with the clarity, confidence and proof required to grow faster and invest smarter.
Discover more about Epsilon Retail Media.
ENDS
About Epsilon
Epsilon is a global technology, data and services company that the world’s leading brands use to harmonise consumer engagement across their paid, owned and earned channels. The Epsilon PeopleCloud platform includes capabilities such as data, identity resolution, customer data platforms, clean rooms, digital media, retail media, site personalisation, direct mail, loyalty, email marketing and measurement. By applying artificial intelligence against privacy-centric identity resolution–embedded in data-enriched analytic, marketing and media solutions and services—Epsilon allows marketers to bridge the divide between marketing and advertising technology, engaging consumers with 1 View, 1 Vision and 1 Voice. 1 View of their universe of potential buyers. 1 Vision for engaging each individual. 1 Voice to harmonise engagement across paid, owned and earned channels.
---
## Epsilon to Launch “Front Row Connection,” For DSW Giving Brands Premium Shelf Space Online
Type: eps_pressRelease
URL: /epsilon-to-launch-front-row-connection-for-dsw
Last Modified: 2025-09-11T11:34:03Z
# Epsilon to Launch “Front Row Connection,” For DSW Giving Brands Premium Shelf Space Online
Powered by Epsilon Retail Media, Front Row Connection transforms inspiration into action for footwear and accessories brands
IRVING, TX – SEPTEMBER 10, 2025 — Epsilon today announced a partnership with footwear retailer, DSW, Designer Shoe Warehouse, to launch “Front Row Connection”, a new self-serve retail media network designed to help footwear and accessories brands elevate their SKUs, grow loyalty, and connect with style-conscious shoppers at the digital shelf on www.DSW.com.
Front Row Connection puts footwear and accessories brands front and center on the digital shelf, offering high-impact placements like sponsored product ads and banners that align with how consumers browse, discover, and buy. It brings together inspiration, intent, and action—helping shoppers find the right fit while delivering real results for brands. Designed for both discoverability and performance, the network makes it easier for brands to turn moments of consideration into measurable outcomes.
“Front Row Connection gives our brand partners smarter, more direct access to the customers they care about most,” said Mike Donk, Senior Vice President, Digital at DSW Designer Shoe Warehouse. “It’s designed to make discovery easier for shoppers and deliver measurable results for advertisers—whether they’re promoting new arrivals or perennial best-sellers. This is about meeting consumers where they are and making the most of every moment on the digital shelf.”
Powered by the Epsilon Retail Media platform, Front Row Connection applies AI to person-first identity resolution in the ad server to connect brands with all their shoppers. In addition, the network’s unified omnichannel attribution connects media performance to real people across digital and in-store channels, not just cookies or proxies. Access to transparent performance metrics across physical and digital channels gives brands the transparency and agility needed to drive real business outcomes.
“Brands like DSW are showing how retail media can evolve from static placement to smart performance, especially in a category like footwear, where consumers crave inspiration, relevance, and convenience at every step of the path to purchase,” said Adam Skinner, managing director, global unified retail media at Epsilon. “By combining identity resolution, transparency, and flexibility, DSW is giving its brand partners the confidence to invest—and the tools to grow.”
To learn more about how Epsilon is helping retailers like DSW build smarter, performance-driven retail media networks, visit www.epsilon.com/retailmedia.
About Epsilon
Epsilon is a global technology, data and services company that the world’s leading brands use to harmonize consumer engagement across their paid, owned and earned channels. The Epsilon PeopleCloud platform includes capabilities such as data, identity resolution, customer data platforms, clean rooms, digital media, retail media, site personalization, direct mail, loyalty, email marketing and measurement. By applying artificial intelligence against privacy-centric identity resolution–embedded in data-enriched analytic, marketing and media solutions and services—Epsilon allows marketers to bridge the divide between marketing and advertising technology, engaging consumers with 1 View, 1 Vision and 1 Voice. 1 View of their universe of potential buyers. 1 Vision for engaging each individual. 1 Voice to harmonize engagement across paid, owned and earned channels. For more information, visit www.epsilon.com.
About DSW Designer Shoe Warehouse
Founded in 1991, DSW Designer Shoe Warehouse is a leading branded footwear and accessories retailer offering a wide selection of dress, casual and athletic footwear and accessories for women, men and kids. DSW operates approximately 525 stores in the U.S. and Canada and offers shoppers an award-winning omnichannel shopping experience. DSW is the flagship retail brand of Designer Brands Inc., one of North America's largest designers, producers and retailers of footwear and accessories. For more information, visit www.dsw.com.
---
## Blain’s Farm & Fleet Elevates Specialty Retail Media Offerings with 'Neighbor Network' Launch
Type: eps_pressRelease
URL: /blains-farmandfleet-elevates-specialty-retail-media-offerings
Last Modified: 2025-03-11T13:04:05Z
# Blain’s Farm & Fleet Elevates Specialty Retail Media Offerings with 'Neighbor Network' Launch
Neighbor Network Extends Retail Media Beyond CPG to Deliver Unmatched Visibility and Consumer Engagement for Brands Spanning Agriculture, Lawn & Garden and More
New Offering Launched in Partnership with Epsilon and Its Epsilon Retail Media Platform
JANESVILLE, Wisc. – March 11, 2025 – Blain’s Farm & Fleet is furthering cementing its position as The Modern General StoreTM, today announcing the launch of its retail media offering, Neighbor Network. Launched in partnership with Epsilon and its Epsilon Retail Media platform, Neighbor Network combines artificial intelligence and person-first identity in the ad server to give marketers a single retail media offering to reach customers on Blain’s Farm & Fleet website (farmandfleet.com), app or across the open web with relevant, personalized messages.
Neighbor Network is the specialty retailer’s latest commitment to providing best-in-class services and offerings. Known for its dedication to delivering high-quality products, competitive prices, and reliable service to its customers, the launch of Neighbor Network signals Blain’s Farm & Fleet commitment to meeting the growing needs of the diverse brands sold through the retailer.
“At Blain’s Farm & Fleet, we pride ourselves in treating each customer like a neighbor, whether they're shopping in-store or online,” said Eliza Ollinger, GM, eCommerce at Blain’s Farm & Fleet. “Neighbor Network gives our brand partners the opportunity to tap into what we know about our neighbors and use first-party data to better understand each individual neighbor and deliver personalized ads at the right place and time. Our SKU-optimized targeting is powered by AI that uses billions of intent signals to make hundreds of decisions in milliseconds, so brands don’t need to worry if their campaign is reaching the right individual. Most importantly, Neighbor Network will help brands achieve their goals, whether it’s to increase category share, convert new shoppers or build brand loyalty.”
By coupling artificial intelligence with person-first identity, Neighbor Network enables brands to optimize their advertising budgets by targeting verified retailer shoppers through the most effective methods and channels. Brands connecting with Blain’s Farm & Fleet customers through the retailer’s website or app have the option to engage customers through sponsored product placements, display ads, and native advertisements. In addition, brands can reach Blain’s Farm & Fleet customers through offsite channels including the open web, connected TV and social media.
Neighbor Network not only allows brands to reach the right audience with the appropriate message at the optimal time but also provides valuable insights into where, how frequently, and how much to engage with shoppers for successful conversions. The complete retail media network offers person-level, omnichannel analytics, providing complete visibility into campaign performance and allowing brand marketers to leverage these insights to continually refine and enhance their strategies.
“Our partnership with Blain’s Farm & Fleet underscores our commitment to innovation and our shared vision of fostering deeper, more meaningful connections between brands and their audiences. By leveraging first-party data, we're equipping brands with the tools to deliver personalized, impactful experiences that resonate with consumers at every touchpoint,” said Dave Peterson, general manager, global head of retail media at Epsilon.
###
About Blain’s Farm & Fleet
Blain’s Farm & Fleet is a specialty retailer with 45 locations throughout Illinois, Iowa, Wisconsin, and Michigan. This Modern General Store remains steadfast in its commitment to offering customers high-quality products, competitive prices, and reliable service.Visit http://www.farmandfleet.com or download the Blain’s Farm & Fleet mobile app.
In addition to high-quality products with the Blain’s Farm & Fleet brand name, they carry top-rated brands, including:
Clothing: Ariat, Carhartt, Dickies, Under Armour, Columbia, Levi's, Wrangler, Kuhl, WorkNSport
Footwear: Skechers, Puma, Keen, Ariat, Asics, New Balance, CAT, Carhartt, Hey Dude, Sorel, TimberlandPro, Crocs
Tools & Hardware: DeWalt, Milwaukee, Stanley, Craftsman, Hobart
Paint & Supplies: Benjamin Moore, Valspar, MinWax, Rustoleum, Graco, Purdy
Automotive: Pennzoil, Valvoline, Mobil 1, Mystik, Fram, Prestone, Sea Foam, Meguiar’s
Tire & Auto Repair Service: Michelin, Goodyear, Cooper
Sporting Goods: Realtree, Scent Blocker, Yeti, Coleman, Rapala, Plano, St. Croix, Browning, Winchester
Home & Housewares: KitchenAid, Cuisinart, Keurig, T-Fal, Lodge, Dyson, Calphalon
Pet Department: Purina, Blue Buffalo, Hill's Science Diet, Iams, Canidae, Taste of the Wild, Kong, Greenies, Diamond, Eukanuba
Agriculture: King Kutter, Nutrena, Behrens, Guardian, Manna Pro, Ware, Weaver Leather, Agrimaster
Lawn & Garden: Scotts, Miracle-Gro, RoundUp, Fiskars, Weber, Char-Broil, Estate
Outdoor Power Equipment: Troy-Bilt, Cub Cadet, Briggs & Stratton
Electrical & Plumbing: Reliance, GE, Southwire, Whirlpool, Klein, Superior, JMF, BestAir
About Epsilon
Epsilon is a global technology, data and services company that the world’s leading brands use to harmonize consumer engagement across their paid, owned and earned channels. The Epsilon PeopleCloud platform includes capabilities such as data, identity resolution, customer data platforms, clean rooms, digital media, retail media, site personalization, direct mail, loyalty, email marketing and measurement. By applying artificial intelligence against privacy-centric identity resolution–embedded in data-enriched analytic, marketing and media solutions and services—Epsilon allows marketers to bridge the divide between marketing and advertising technology, engaging consumers with 1 View, 1 Vision and 1 Voice. 1 View of their universe of potential buyers. 1 Vision for engaging each individual. 1 Voice to harmonize engagement across paid, owned and earned channels. For more information, visit www.epsilon.com.
---
## Epsilon has first Digital CDP to provide native omni-channel activation
Type: eps_pressRelease
URL: /epsilon-digital-cdp-first-customer-data-platform-to-provide-native-omni-channel-activation-for-marketers
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Epsilon has first Digital CDP to provide native omni-channel activation
Epsilon Digital CDP Empowers Smarter Marketing and Improves Business Outcomes with Single Self-Service Platform Activation and 360-Degree View of the Customer
New Platform Accelerates Time to Value for Marketers; Ready to Operationalize in Weeks, Not Months
Epsilon, a global advertising and marketing technology company and part of Publicis Groupe (Euronext Paris FR0000130577, CAC 40), today announced the availability of Epsilon Digital Customer Data Platform (CDP), the industry’s first and only CDP to give marketers the ability to obtain a true, 360-degree view of their customers and activate campaigns across owned and paid channels via a simple, powerful and privacy safe self-service environment.
Powered by Epsilon’s proprietary, industry-leading identity solution, Digital CDP is an extended first-party data solution that connects each customer’s online and offline worlds, unifying their devices, digital data, transactions, and engagements with a brand, and is constantly improving through new data about the individual. The connected identity provides a unified view of individual customers that can be natively activated through Epsilon PeopleCloud and hundreds of additional DSPs and social media platforms.
By adding their first-party data to Epsilon Digital CDP, marketers can be confident in delivering a better customer experience and more effective marketing at scale, fundamentally reducing waste and data leakage while accelerating time to value.
“First generation CDPs were primarily focused on unifying a collection of customer data across touch points for analysis purposes. And while this is a key objective, it left marketers with little ability to take direct action on their customer data,” said Joe Doran, Chief Product Officer at Epsilon. “CDPs shouldn’t be just a place to learn about your customers. We want to make sure that marketers can transform their business, build loyalty and drive sales as quickly as possible. Epsilon Digital CDP is the first and only self-service CDP environment where marketers can truly activate and engage with customers natively.”
“The tasks of modern marketing — generating insights, targeting campaigns, personalizing and delivering interactions, and measuring performance — are overwhelmingly dependent on a steady supply of complete, accurate and timely data,” according to VP, Principal Analyst Joe Stanhope’s Now Tech: Customer Data Platforms, Q1 2022, Forrester Research, Inc., published February 2022.
“It’s more important now than ever that marketers have an extended first-party data solution in place in order to build a clear, 360-degree view of their customers and ensure a disciplined and more efficient approach to marketing,” added David Melnick, Managing Director, Data Platforms at Epsilon.
Dozens of brands are already benefiting from the capabilities that Epsilon Digital CDP provides and are rapidly onboarding to take advantage of the total platform solution.
“In conversations with clients and prospects around CDPs, the one consistent bit of feedback is how Epsilon Digital CDP stands out among the competition for its ability to meet the needs of both Marketing and IT teams,” continued Melnick. “Brands see the significance behind native activation and having a full view of the customer in a single privacy safe environment, and how it will bolster collaboration across teams and deepen informed decision making, ultimately building more lifetime value with customers and improving business outcomes.”
Epsilon Digital CDP is available now to all marketers and is the only CDP that comes fully working and ready to activate at scale in just weeks. More information can be found by visiting epsilon.com.
###
About Epsilon
Epsilon is a global advertising and marketing technology company positioned at the center of Publicis Groupe. We connect advertisers with consumers to drive performance while respecting and protecting consumer privacy and client data. Epsilon accelerates clients’ ability to harness the power of their first-party data to enhance, activate and measure campaigns with confidence. We believe in an open, privacy-first advertising ecosystem. Over decades, we’ve built the industry’s most comprehensive identity graph to give brands, agencies and publishers the ability to reach real consumers across all channels and the open web. For more information, visit www.epsilon.com
---
## Epsilon Named a Leader in Loyalty Technology Solutions Report by Independent Research Firm
Type: eps_pressRelease
URL: /epsilon-named-a-leader-in-loyalty-technology-solutions-report-by-independent-research-firm
Last Modified: 2025-10-23T12:49:31Z
# Epsilon Named a Leader in Loyalty Technology Solutions Report by Independent Research Firm
Epsilon Achieves Highest Score in Strategy Category, Receives Highest Scores Possible in 15 Criteria Including Global and Local Support and Member Engagement Capabilities
Latest Recognition Follows Epsilon’s Q2 2022 Inclusion as a Leader in the Customer Data Strategy and Activation Services Evaluation
Epsilon, a global advertising and marketing technology company and part of Publicis Groupe (Euronext Paris FR0000130577, CAC 40), today announced it has been named as a Leader in "The Forrester WaveTM: Loyalty Technology Solutions, Q1 2023" by Forrester Research, Inc. Epsilon earned the top score in the Strategy category and the highest score possible in 15 evaluation criteria, including global and local support, data management and scale, member engagement measurement, promotions and offer management, program KPI measurement and marketer user experience.
Epsilon was evaluated on the loyalty capabilities of its end-to-end loyalty solution, Epsilon PeopleCloud Loyalty. The company was one of 12 loyalty solutions providers assessed on their current offering, strategy and market presence.
“Epsilon leads with feature rich technology and well-resourced supporting services,” noted the report. “Epsilon’s solutions aim to create a value exchange between brands and customers that generates lasting emotional connections. And its planned enhancements are well-aligned to those goals, including optimizing AI/ML for more personalized offers and recommendations and modularizing its loyalty solution to reduce functionality that overlaps with clients’ existing martech stacks.”
“Epsilon PeopleCloud Loyalty is a powerful platform that excelled in many areas of our evaluation,” the report continued. “Its strongest capabilities lie in data management; the platform has privacy-focused expertise in stringing together customer data from a variety of sources. Epsilon also offers robust preference management capabilities, which include zero-party data collection and activation for a variety of loyalty use cases.”
Epsilon PeopleCloud Loyalty offers brands unparalleled performance and scale for accurate first-party data capture to deliver a one-to-one journey for each customer—creating more value for both brands and customers. The solution leverages a Value-Led LoyaltyTM approach that helps brands anticipate loyalty members’ needs, activate personalized offers in real-time across channels, measure results, and continuously optimize to drive loyal relationships and business goals.
“Epsilon has a rich tradition of powering some of the world’s most recognizable loyalty programs, and we are proud to be named as a Leader,” said Prabhu Kannan, Managing Director, Loyalty at Epsilon. “Our goal is to help brands unlock the power of their first-party data and create a value exchange with their customers. We work with marketers to develop and adapt their loyalty programs to meet the evolving needs of their customers. Epsilon PeopleCloud Loyalty gives brand marketers control over their loyalty programs and allows them to deliver customers’ curated experiences resulting in lasting, meaningful connections."
Epsilon’s holistic approach to first-party data management helps brands be more strategic in how they build, grow and activate their data and insights to engage with customers when and where they are most receptive. This latest recognition by Forrester compliments Epsilon’s previous inclusion as a Leader in “The Forrester WaveTM: Customer Data Strategy & Activation Services, Q2, 2022.
###
About Epsilon
Epsilon is a global advertising and marketing technology company positioned at the center of Publicis Groupe. We connect advertisers with consumers to drive performance while respecting and protecting consumer privacy and client data. Epsilon accelerates clients’ ability to harness the power of their first-party data to enhance, activate and measure campaigns with confidence. We believe in an open, privacy-first advertising ecosystem. Over decades, we’ve built the industry’s most comprehensive identity graph to give brands, agencies and publishers the ability to reach real consumers across all channels and the open web. For more information, visit www.epsilon.com.
---
## Epsilon Named a Leader in Loyalty Technology Solutions Report by Independent Research Firm
Type: eps_pressRelease
URL: /epsilon-named-a-leader-in-loyalty-technology-solutions-report-by-independent-research-firm
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Epsilon Named a Leader in Loyalty Technology Solutions Report by Independent Research Firm
Epsilon Achieves Highest Score in Strategy Category, Receives Highest Scores Possible in 15 Criteria Including Global and Local Support and Member Engagement Capabilities
Latest Recognition Follows Epsilon’s Q2 2022 Inclusion as a Leader in the Customer Data Strategy and Activation Services Evaluation
Epsilon, a global advertising and marketing technology company and part of Publicis Groupe (Euronext Paris FR0000130577, CAC 40), today announced it has been named as a Leader in "The Forrester WaveTM: Loyalty Technology Solutions, Q1 2023" by Forrester Research, Inc. Epsilon earned the top score in the Strategy category and the highest score possible in 15 evaluation criteria, including global and local support, data management and scale, member engagement measurement, promotions and offer management, program KPI measurement and marketer user experience.
Epsilon was evaluated on the loyalty capabilities of its end-to-end loyalty solution, Epsilon PeopleCloud Loyalty. The company was one of 12 loyalty solutions providers assessed on their current offering, strategy and market presence.
“Epsilon leads with feature rich technology and well-resourced supporting services,” noted the report. “Epsilon’s solutions aim to create a value exchange between brands and customers that generates lasting emotional connections. And its planned enhancements are well-aligned to those goals, including optimizing AI/ML for more personalized offers and recommendations and modularizing its loyalty solution to reduce functionality that overlaps with clients’ existing martech stacks.”
“Epsilon PeopleCloud Loyalty is a powerful platform that excelled in many areas of our evaluation,” the report continued. “Its strongest capabilities lie in data management; the platform has privacy-focused expertise in stringing together customer data from a variety of sources. Epsilon also offers robust preference management capabilities, which include zero-party data collection and activation for a variety of loyalty use cases.”
Epsilon PeopleCloud Loyalty offers brands unparalleled performance and scale for accurate first-party data capture to deliver a one-to-one journey for each customer—creating more value for both brands and customers. The solution leverages a Value-Led LoyaltyTM approach that helps brands anticipate loyalty members’ needs, activate personalized offers in real-time across channels, measure results, and continuously optimize to drive loyal relationships and business goals.
“Epsilon has a rich tradition of powering some of the world’s most recognizable loyalty programs, and we are proud to be named as a Leader,” said Prabhu Kannan, Managing Director, Loyalty at Epsilon. “Our goal is to help brands unlock the power of their first-party data and create a value exchange with their customers. We work with marketers to develop and adapt their loyalty programs to meet the evolving needs of their customers. Epsilon PeopleCloud Loyalty gives brand marketers control over their loyalty programs and allows them to deliver customers’ curated experiences resulting in lasting, meaningful connections."
Epsilon’s holistic approach to first-party data management helps brands be more strategic in how they build, grow and activate their data and insights to engage with customers when and where they are most receptive. This latest recognition by Forrester compliments Epsilon’s previous inclusion as a Leader in “The Forrester WaveTM: Customer Data Strategy & Activation Services, Q2, 2022.
###
About Epsilon
Epsilon is a global advertising and marketing technology company positioned at the center of Publicis Groupe. We connect advertisers with consumers to drive performance while respecting and protecting consumer privacy and client data. Epsilon accelerates clients’ ability to harness the power of their first-party data to enhance, activate and measure campaigns with confidence. We believe in an open, privacy-first advertising ecosystem. Over decades, we’ve built the industry’s most comprehensive identity graph to give brands, agencies and publishers the ability to reach real consumers across all channels and the open web. For more information, visit www.epsilon.com.
---
## Epsilon Named a Leader in Loyalty Technology Solutions Report by Independent Research Firm
Type: eps_pressRelease
URL: /epsilon-named-a-leader-in-loyalty-technology-solutions-report-by-independent-research-firm
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Epsilon Named a Leader in Loyalty Technology Solutions Report by Independent Research Firm
Epsilon Achieves Highest Score in Strategy Category, Receives Highest Scores Possible in 15 Criteria Including Global and Local Support and Member Engagement Capabilities
Latest Recognition Follows Epsilon’s Q2 2022 Inclusion as a Leader in the Customer Data Strategy and Activation Services Evaluation
Epsilon, a global advertising and marketing technology company and part of Publicis Groupe (Euronext Paris FR0000130577, CAC 40), today announced it has been named as a Leader in "The Forrester WaveTM: Loyalty Technology Solutions, Q1 2023" by Forrester Research, Inc. Epsilon earned the top score in the Strategy category and the highest score possible in 15 evaluation criteria, including global and local support, data management and scale, member engagement measurement, promotions and offer management, program KPI measurement and marketer user experience.
Epsilon was evaluated on the loyalty capabilities of its end-to-end loyalty solution, Epsilon PeopleCloud Loyalty. The company was one of 12 loyalty solutions providers assessed on their current offering, strategy and market presence.
“Epsilon leads with feature rich technology and well-resourced supporting services,” noted the report. “Epsilon’s solutions aim to create a value exchange between brands and customers that generates lasting emotional connections. And its planned enhancements are well-aligned to those goals, including optimizing AI/ML for more personalized offers and recommendations and modularizing its loyalty solution to reduce functionality that overlaps with clients’ existing martech stacks.”
“Epsilon PeopleCloud Loyalty is a powerful platform that excelled in many areas of our evaluation,” the report continued. “Its strongest capabilities lie in data management; the platform has privacy-focused expertise in stringing together customer data from a variety of sources. Epsilon also offers robust preference management capabilities, which include zero-party data collection and activation for a variety of loyalty use cases.”
Epsilon PeopleCloud Loyalty offers brands unparalleled performance and scale for accurate first-party data capture to deliver a one-to-one journey for each customer—creating more value for both brands and customers. The solution leverages a Value-Led LoyaltyTM approach that helps brands anticipate loyalty members’ needs, activate personalized offers in real-time across channels, measure results, and continuously optimize to drive loyal relationships and business goals.
“Epsilon has a rich tradition of powering some of the world’s most recognizable loyalty programs, and we are proud to be named as a Leader,” said Prabhu Kannan, Managing Director, Loyalty at Epsilon. “Our goal is to help brands unlock the power of their first-party data and create a value exchange with their customers. We work with marketers to develop and adapt their loyalty programs to meet the evolving needs of their customers. Epsilon PeopleCloud Loyalty gives brand marketers control over their loyalty programs and allows them to deliver customers’ curated experiences resulting in lasting, meaningful connections."
Epsilon’s holistic approach to first-party data management helps brands be more strategic in how they build, grow and activate their data and insights to engage with customers when and where they are most receptive. This latest recognition by Forrester compliments Epsilon’s previous inclusion as a Leader in “The Forrester WaveTM: Customer Data Strategy & Activation Services, Q2, 2022.
###
About Epsilon
Epsilon is a global advertising and marketing technology company positioned at the center of Publicis Groupe. We connect advertisers with consumers to drive performance while respecting and protecting consumer privacy and client data. Epsilon accelerates clients’ ability to harness the power of their first-party data to enhance, activate and measure campaigns with confidence. We believe in an open, privacy-first advertising ecosystem. Over decades, we’ve built the industry’s most comprehensive identity graph to give brands, agencies and publishers the ability to reach real consumers across all channels and the open web. For more information, visit www.epsilon.com.
---
## Publicis Groupe Finalizes the Acquisition of Epsilon
Type: eps_pressRelease
URL: /publicis-groupe-finalizes-the-acquisition-of-epsilon
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Publicis Groupe Finalizes the Acquisition of Epsilon
WITH THE ACQUISITION OF EPSILON, PUBLICIS GROUPE IS COMPLETING ITS TRANSFORMATION TO BECOME THE INDUSTRY LEADER IN DELIVERING PERSONALIZED EXPERIENCES AT SCALE.
PLACED AT THE HEART OF PUBLICIS GROUPE’S ORGANIZATION, EPSILON WILL TURBOCHARGE ITS CREATIVE, MEDIA AND TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS TO ACCELERATE GROWTH.
THE TRANSACTION IS POSITIVE FOR SHAREHOLDERS, WITH AN ACCRETION OF 12.5% ON HEADLINE EPS AND 18.3% FOR FREE CASH FLOW , EXCLUDING ANY TRANSACTION-RELATED SYNERGIES.
Publicis Groupe (Euronext Paris: FR0000130577, CAC 40) today announced the completion of the acquisition of data-driven marketing company, Epsilon, from Alliance Data Systems Corporation (NYSE: ADS), at a net value of 3.95 billion dollars after tax step- up, implying an 8.2 times Adjusted EBITDA multiple.
Based on pro-forma 2018 numbers, the transaction is 12.5% accretive to headline EPS and 18.3% to Free Cash Flow, excluding any transaction-related synergies.
Arthur Sadoun, Chairman and CEO of Publicis Groupe, stated: “We are very pleased to have finalised the closing of the Epsilon acquisition in record time, at a very compelling price, creating immediate value for our shareholders. This acquisition completes our sets of assets harmoniously, with data capabilities that are second to none, and propels the Groupe as the global leader of personalized experiences at scale.
With the addition of Epsilon’s capabilities in data to our existing creative, media and technology firepower, we have all the necessary assets and talent to help our clients leapfrog their competition and grow profitably, in a data-led, digital-first world.
Our clients will benefit from a seamless, end-to-end service to solve all their marketing and transformation challenges across creative, media, data and technology.
Our focus in the next months will be to successfully execute the integration while implementing our model, the Power of One, with our clients.
Over the last few weeks, client feedback has been overwhelmingly positive, showing a huge amount of interest and demand that we will now be able to address. All of this gives us great confidence for the future.”
Integration
Since the signing was first announced, many meetings between the Publicis Groupe and Epsilon teams have taken place, laying the foundations of the integration, based on three key principles:
1. Epsilon will be at the core of Publicis Groupe
Epsilon will become the unique data-tech platform of Publicis Groupe, to deliver personalization at scale. Its expertise in onboarding, enriching and activating clients’ first party data, its unique data sets and its vertical expertise in the Auto sector will be placed at the core of the Groupe. The very successful Publicis PeopleCloud platform and related activities will be folded into Epsilon.
It will be run by its current CEO Bryan Kennedy, who will join the Groupe Executive Committee and report directly to Arthur Sadoun.
Synergies will be created by combining Epsilon’s creative agency businesses with Publicis Communications North America, while CJ Affiliate will be aligned with Publicis Media to leverage its growth potential.
2. Epsilon will turbocharge all of Publicis Groupe’s operations
The integration of Epsilon will accelerate the seamless implementation of the Power of One for the benefit of our clients.
Publicis Communications will leverage Epsilon’s customer insights to improve ideation and build more relevant campaigns, and will power Epsilon’s Dynamic Creative Engine to adapt to real-time consumer context.
Publicis Media’s billions of touchpoints will be connected with Epsilon’s data sets to provide superior intelligence to build consumer IDs, segment audiences and maximize media buying ROI.
Publicis Sapient will gain access to deep proprietary customer insights to optimize their clients’ organization and business model.
And Publicis Health will partner with Epsilon’s health practice to deliver outcomes-based measurement and optimization across strategic, creative and media engagements.
3. Unlocking growth
Every Publicis Groupe client will be able to access Epsilon through their Groupe Client Leaders. This will be effective immediately in the US and will ramp up internationally in the months to come.
The integration plan is focused on unlocking growth: 6 strategic workstreams have been defined, to address subjects ranging from the definition of ‘a go to market’ approach to lead the change in the industry, to how Publicis Groupe is able to leverage Epsilon’s incredibly talented teams of engineers and data experts in India with its own Publicis Sapient-led expertise in the region.
All other integration topics including data privacy, real estate, support functions or shared services are covered by 19 operational task forces.
Financial details of the acquisition
Publicis Groupe financed the acquisition of Epsilon through the successful placement of 2.25 billion euros bonds in three tranches on June 5, 2019, combined with a term loan and the use of 650 million dollars of cash on the Groupe’s balance sheet.
The financing of the transaction aims to maintain a financial profile in line with current BBB+ / Baa2 ratings, with full deleveraging four years after completion of the transaction. Publicis Groupe remains committed to its current dividend pay-out of 45%.
Publicis Groupe will begin consolidating Epsilon’s financial results as of July 1, 2019.
Upcoming events
Half year results: July 18th, 2019 post market close.
1 Headline EPS adjusted for Epsilon stand-alone carve-out costs and the runrate cost reduction being implemented at Epsilon.
2 FCF per share reflecting above adjustements, as well as yearly tax step up effects.
---
## Epsilon Named a Leader for Loyalty Services; Only Provider Also Recognized as a Leader in Loyalty Technology by Independent Research Firm
Type: eps_pressRelease
URL: /epsilon-named-a-leader-for-loyalty-services-only-provider-also-recognized-as-a-leader-in-loyalty-technology-by-independent-research-firm
Last Modified: 2025-10-28T17:37:58Z
# Epsilon Named a Leader for Loyalty Services; Only Provider Also Recognized as a Leader in Loyalty Technology by Independent Research Firm
DALLAS — July 15, 2019 — Epsilon®, a global leader in interaction management, today announced that it was named a Leader in the July 2019 report “The Forrester Wave™: Loyalty Service Providers, Q3 2019” by Forrester Research, Inc. This recognition is in addition to being named a Leader in The Forrester Wave™: Loyalty Technology Platforms, Q2 2019 for its Agility Loyalty® solution. Only Epsilon is a leader in both evaluations.
The report found that nearly every US online adult belongs to a loyalty program, yet only 44% agree that programs make them feel more loyal to a brand. Further, 62% of the companies surveyed for the evaluation plan to increase their spending on loyalty at least 5% in the next 12 months. Authored by Emily Collins, Principal Analyst at Forrester, the report stated: “Marketers need strategic guidance to make the most of their programs and, more importantly, to contextualize the role of the program in a larger strategy for earning, recognizing, and maintaining customer loyalty regardless of whether that customer is a loyalty program member.”
According to Forrester, Epsilon delivers capabilities to build impactful interactions with loyal customers. “Its full-service offering brings together traditional loyalty services like strategy and program design with omnichannel orchestration capabilities, analytics and data augmentation to make ‘every interaction count,’ regardless of whether or not a consumer is enrolled in the loyalty program.”
“We are honored Forrester named us a Leader in both loyalty services and technology. We believe these recognitions are a proof point of our unique ability to deliver business outcomes by helping brands know consumers better, anticipate their needs, and optimize personalized interactions across customer touchpoints,” shared Bryan Kennedy, CEO at Epsilon-Conversant. “Epsilon was built around the belief that tech for tech’s sake doesn’t work. We believe that every brand experience should be personal and purposeful, and every customer wants to be recognized, respected and protected.”
Forrester cited that Epsilon’s experience in the loyalty space and well-rounded offering make it a good fit for enterprises looking for a reliable data-driven partner. Epsilon was the biggest loyalty practice evaluated by Forrester, with “thousands of employees focused on delivering loyalty services for enterprise firms….” According to the report, “Reference clients comment on Epsilon’s deep and expansive knowledge of the loyalty space, excellent execution capabilities, and impact: ‘All of their work drives incremental business.’”
Forrester Research’s evaluation included a review of the 14 most significant loyalty service providers across 22-criterion. Epsilon received the highest scores possible in 13 criteria, including the loyalty strategy services, loyalty program management services, data management services and privacy and security criteria within the current offering category.
For the full report “The Forrester Wave™: Loyalty Service Providers, Q3 2019” click here.
About Epsilon
Positioned at Publicis Groupe's core, Epsilon is a leader in interaction management, empowering brands to transform ordinary customer experiences into meaningful, human experiences. Our connected suite of products and services combine leading-edge identity management, industrial strength data and technology expertise with big brand acumen gained over five decades working with the industry’s top brands. Our human-powered, data-led marketing delivers unmatched depth, breadth and scale to help brands turn meaningful human interactions into exceptional business outcomes. For more information, visit www.epsilon.com. Follow us on Twitter at @EpsilonMktg.
---
## Epsilon Expands Digital Activation and Measurement Capabilities to Audio
Type: eps_pressRelease
URL: /epsilon-expands-digital-activation-and-measurement-capabilities-to-audio
Last Modified: 2025-10-23T12:29:43Z
# Epsilon Expands Digital Activation and Measurement Capabilities to Audio
Clients now able to launch campaigns across connected TV, audio, online video and display on a single platform
Epsilon Digital Among the Few Industry Offerings to Provide Activation on Audio
Full channel capabilities provide seamless channel extension, expanded reach and connected audience activation and measurement
Epsilon, a global advertising and marketing technology company, today announced the expansion of its digital capabilities to include audio across broadcast live streamed, on-demand streaming and podcast inventory. The addition gives marketers the ability to activate and measure campaigns with personalized messages across all four main digital channels – connected TV, audio, online video and display – on a single platform.
Brands and agencies working with Epsilon can extend their reach to a new channel and control frequency across the industry’s leading publishers via open web and private marketplaces. The capability allows marketers to create a holistic audience strategy that includes all digital channels and minimizes overlap, all while guided by the highest levels of brand safety. In addition, marketers can measure and optimize desirable KPIs, such as completion rate, with consolidated cross-channel reporting.
Similar to its other digital media offerings, Epsilon can offer clients creative services to produce and refine audio assets.
“We want to give marketers the ability to reach their customers across the open web with a single, connected identity that allows them to reach people, not devices or demos, with relevant, personalized messages,” said Heather Swarens, SVP of Media Development at Epsilon. “The addition of audio makes Epsilon one of the few platforms to activate on the channel, and the only offering that can deliver expanded reach at scale."
According to eMarketer’s “US Time Spent with Media 2022” report, U.S. adults first started listening to digital audio more than traditional radio beginning in 2020. This year, eMarketer forecasts that adults will spend 1 hour and 43 minutes with digital audio compared to 1 hour and 21 minutes with traditional radio.
“As the audio ecosystem becomes more sophisticated and robust from a targeting perspective, being able to introduce first-party and specific third-party audiences is paramount to advertisers’ success in the space. Epsilon’s best in class identity offerings enable us to ensure our client’s audiences are fully engaged and leaned in with brands whenever and wherever they consume audio,” said Chris Yarusso, National Audio Practice Lead, Publicis Media Exchange. “Further, the cross-channel measurement and insights we’re able to glean from Epsilon’s DSP allow for greater optimization both mid-and-post campaign.”
---
## Epsilon Strengthens Its Retail Media Offering with the Addition of Industry Pioneer Dave Peterson
Type: eps_pressRelease
URL: /epsilon-strengthens-its-retail-media-offering-with-the-addition-of-industry-pioneer-dave-peterson
Last Modified: 2025-10-23T12:30:23Z
# Epsilon Strengthens Its Retail Media Offering with the Addition of Industry Pioneer Dave Peterson
With 19 years’ experience at Target, Peterson will drive client adoption of Epsilon’s retail media platform
Epsilon, a global advertising and marketing technology company, today announced the hiring of Dave Peterson as general manager, global head of retail media. In the newly created position, Peterson will be responsible for unifying Epsilon’s global retail media assets and teams, including CitrusAd, and driving retailer and brand adoption of the company’s unified retail media platform around the world. Peterson will also partner with leaders throughout Publicis Groupe to develop best-in-class capabilities and offerings for clients.
Peterson is a recognized digital and e-commerce leader whose work has helped raise the prominence of retail media as a $50+ billion industry. Peterson spent 19 years at Target where he led the development and growth of Target’s retail media business (now Roundel), one of the industry’s first and largest retail media networks. During his tenure, he led teams responsible for sales strategy and execution of digital media and omni-channel marketing programs for Target’s National Brand and Agency partners.
Prior to Target, Peterson was the director of global sales with National Car Rental and held senior product management roles at U.S. Bank and United Health Group.
Ric Elert, president and chief operating officer at Epsilon, said “People are at the center of everything we do, which is why we work tirelessly to make sure the industry’s brightest minds are working with us to solve our clients’ most pressing challenges. Dave is a pioneering leader who has been an integral player in transforming retail media into the booming business it is today. His addition to the Epsilon family is another example of our commitment to helping retailers and brands win in this space, and we’re eager to chart the future of retail media with him at the helm.”
Dave Peterson, general manager, global head of retail media at Epsilon, said “Epsilon’s commitment to creating an ecosystem that is more efficient and effective for retailers, brands and consumers is second to none, and I’m excited to have the opportunity to work with leaders and teams across Publicis Groupe, Epsilon and CitrusAd as we chart the future of retail media. It doesn’t matter where a consumer is engaging with a brand—whether it’s in-store, on social or through an emerging channel like CTV—marketers must be able to activate messages across platform to ensure that they are constantly improving the consumer experience, growing audience reach and ultimately, improving their outcomes.” Peterson has been a frequent speaker at industry events and most recently served as a co-chair of Ascendant Network’s Retail Media Network. Based in Minneapolis, Minnesota, Peterson holds an MBA from the University of St. Thomas and a B.A. in Advertising from the University of Minnesota.
###
About Epsilon
Epsilon is a global advertising and marketing technology company positioned at the center of Publicis Groupe. Epsilon accelerates clients’ ability to harness the power of their first-party data to activate campaigns across channels and devices, with an unparalleled ability to prove outcomes. The company’s industry-leading technology connects advertisers with consumers to drive performance while respecting and protecting consumer privacy. Epsilon’s people-based identity graph allows brands, agencies and publishers to reach real people, not cookies or devices, across the open web. For more information, visit epsilon.com.
About CitrusAd
CitrusAd is a leading retail media company and part of Epsilon, a global advertising and marketing technology company. The CitrusAd platform sits at the center of Epsilon’s comprehensive, scalable retail media network offering. By harnessing the power of first-party data and industry-leading identity resolution, the unified, self-serve platform delivers shopper-relevant advertising experiences on commerce websites and across the open web resulting in higher conversions. Leading retailers across the globe rely on CitrusAd to help grow retail media as a core function for incremental media revenue and sales volume that delivers great ROI for brands. For more information, visit citrusad.com.
---
## Fragmented Retail Media Networks Negatively Impact Consumers the Most, Epsilon Study Finds
Type: eps_pressRelease
URL: /fragmented-retail-media-networks-negatively-impact-consumers-the-most-epsilon-study-finds
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Fragmented Retail Media Networks Negatively Impact Consumers the Most, Epsilon Study Finds
64% of respondents believe the existence of multiple technology providers in retail media networks results in a poor advertising experience for consumers
48% of brands expect their retail media investments to increase over the next three years
Largest global retail media study of brands and retailers explored perceptions of and approaches to retail media
Epsilon, a global advertising and marketing technology company, today announced the findings of the industry’s largest, most comprehensive global study of retailers and brands on the current and future state of retail media. The research, conducted in partnership with Phronesis Partners surveyed 689 mid- to large-sized brands and retailers across 12 countries between January 2023 and March 2023.
The survey sought to better understand brands’ and retailers’ perception of and approaches to retail media. In addition, respondents were asked to share what actions they have taken, or are planning to take, in their retail media strategies and offerings along with the key criteria used to evaluate retail media platforms.
Key findings from the study include:
brands and retailers are frustrated by fragmentation…
respondents identified inconsistent targeting and disparate reporting across channels/tactics as the top inefficiency drivers of retail media
but shoppers pay the price
64% of respondents agree that retail media networks with multiple technology providers have a negative impact on shoppers
“The consumer experience is too often overlooked in the retail media frenzy,” said Joe Doran, chief product officer at Epsilon. “We’re so caught up in the hype around the latest offerings that we ignore the fact that fragmentation leads to poor advertising experiences and frustrated shoppers. We believe that solutions that focus on messaging individual shoppers across channels deliver better performance. Brands want to talk to existing and potential in-market shoppers. Retailers should facilitate those conversations at scale and across channels that can reach in-market shoppers wherever they may be in the consumer journey. So, when we put the individual shopper at the center of the advertising, everyone wins.”
In addition, the survey found that:
retailers are not tapping into the potential of reaching shoppers across the open web (off-site retail media)…
Only 37% of retailers are using off-site for retail media monetization
42% of brands identified audience targeting customization/accuracy as the top barrier to off-site retail media adoption
...and brands want easy-to-use retail media networks that can reach more in-market shoppers
76% of all respondents believe the quality of advertiser experience is the most important aspect of retail media for their organizations
75% believe the amount of inventory available is the most important
“Good technology is fundamental to good retail media. Brands and retailers must navigate a sea of constantly growing and changing retail media technology partners while responding to more volatile consumer behaviors,” said Adam Skinner, managing director of retail media networks at CitrusAd. “It is exciting to see almost 700 retail media professionals have validated the path and strategy we have been on for years. Our unified platform offers brands an intuitive, easy-to-use interface backed with best-in-class technology that provides scale to reach in-market shoppers wherever they are on their journey – on-site or off-site across the open web.”
Visit epsilon.com to download the report, “The state of retail media in 2023,” and for more insights regarding retailer and brand perception regarding retail media.
###
About Epsilon
Epsilon is a global advertising and marketing technology company positioned at the center of Publicis Groupe. Epsilon accelerates clients’ ability to harness the power of their first-party data to activate campaigns across channels and devices, with an unparalleled ability to prove outcomes. The company’s industry-leading technology connects advertisers with consumers to drive performance while respecting and protecting consumer privacy. Epsilon’s people-based identity graph allows brands, agencies and publishers to reach real people, not cookies or devices, across the open web. For more information, visit epsilon.com.
About CitrusAd
CitrusAd is a leading retail media company and part of Epsilon, a global advertising and marketing technology company. The CitrusAd platform sits at the center of Epsilon’s comprehensive, scalable retail media network offering. By harnessing the power of first-party data and industry-leading identity resolution, the unified, self-serve platform delivers shopper-relevant advertising experiences on commerce websites and across the open web resulting in higher conversions. Leading retailers across the globe rely on CitrusAd to help grow retail media as a core function for incremental media revenue and sales volume that delivers great ROI for brands. For more information, visit citrusad.com.
About Phronesis Partners
Phronesis Partners, including our group companies, Simplify Growth and Fuld & Company, is a global research and analytics firm. We deliver high-quality, best-in-class corporate, industry, and market research to many of the world’s largest research and consulting firms, private equity firms, financial institutions, and publishers. www.phronesis-partners.com
---
## Fragmented Retail Media Networks Negatively Impact Consumers the Most, Epsilon Study Finds
Type: eps_pressRelease
URL: /fragmented-retail-media-networks-negatively-impact-consumers-the-most-epsilon-study-finds
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Fragmented Retail Media Networks Negatively Impact Consumers the Most, Epsilon Study Finds
64% of respondents believe the existence of multiple technology providers in retail media networks results in a poor advertising experience for consumers
48% of brands expect their retail media investments to increase over the next three years
Largest global retail media study of brands and retailers explored perceptions of and approaches to retail media
Epsilon, a global advertising and marketing technology company, today announced the findings of the industry’s largest, most comprehensive global study of retailers and brands on the current and future state of retail media. The research, conducted in partnership with Phronesis Partners surveyed 689 mid- to large-sized brands and retailers across 12 countries between January 2023 and March 2023.
The survey sought to better understand brands’ and retailers’ perception of and approaches to retail media. In addition, respondents were asked to share what actions they have taken, or are planning to take, in their retail media strategies and offerings along with the key criteria used to evaluate retail media platforms.
Key findings from the study include:
brands and retailers are frustrated by fragmentation…
respondents identified inconsistent targeting and disparate reporting across channels/tactics as the top inefficiency drivers of retail media
but shoppers pay the price
64% of respondents agree that retail media networks with multiple technology providers have a negative impact on shoppers
“The consumer experience is too often overlooked in the retail media frenzy,” said Joe Doran, chief product officer at Epsilon. “We’re so caught up in the hype around the latest offerings that we ignore the fact that fragmentation leads to poor advertising experiences and frustrated shoppers. We believe that solutions that focus on messaging individual shoppers across channels deliver better performance. Brands want to talk to existing and potential in-market shoppers. Retailers should facilitate those conversations at scale and across channels that can reach in-market shoppers wherever they may be in the consumer journey. So, when we put the individual shopper at the center of the advertising, everyone wins.”
In addition, the survey found that:
retailers are not tapping into the potential of reaching shoppers across the open web (off-site retail media)…
Only 37% of retailers are using off-site for retail media monetization
42% of brands identified audience targeting customization/accuracy as the top barrier to off-site retail media adoption
...and brands want easy-to-use retail media networks that can reach more in-market shoppers
76% of all respondents believe the quality of advertiser experience is the most important aspect of retail media for their organizations
75% believe the amount of inventory available is the most important
“Good technology is fundamental to good retail media. Brands and retailers must navigate a sea of constantly growing and changing retail media technology partners while responding to more volatile consumer behaviors,” said Adam Skinner, managing director of retail media networks at CitrusAd. “It is exciting to see almost 700 retail media professionals have validated the path and strategy we have been on for years. Our unified platform offers brands an intuitive, easy-to-use interface backed with best-in-class technology that provides scale to reach in-market shoppers wherever they are on their journey – on-site or off-site across the open web.”
Visit epsilon.com to download the report, “The state of retail media in 2023,” and for more insights regarding retailer and brand perception regarding retail media.
###
About Epsilon
Epsilon is a global advertising and marketing technology company positioned at the center of Publicis Groupe. Epsilon accelerates clients’ ability to harness the power of their first-party data to activate campaigns across channels and devices, with an unparalleled ability to prove outcomes. The company’s industry-leading technology connects advertisers with consumers to drive performance while respecting and protecting consumer privacy. Epsilon’s people-based identity graph allows brands, agencies and publishers to reach real people, not cookies or devices, across the open web. For more information, visit epsilon.com.
About CitrusAd
CitrusAd is a leading retail media company and part of Epsilon, a global advertising and marketing technology company. The CitrusAd platform sits at the center of Epsilon’s comprehensive, scalable retail media network offering. By harnessing the power of first-party data and industry-leading identity resolution, the unified, self-serve platform delivers shopper-relevant advertising experiences on commerce websites and across the open web resulting in higher conversions. Leading retailers across the globe rely on CitrusAd to help grow retail media as a core function for incremental media revenue and sales volume that delivers great ROI for brands. For more information, visit citrusad.com.
About Phronesis Partners
Phronesis Partners, including our group companies, Simplify Growth and Fuld & Company, is a global research and analytics firm. We deliver high-quality, best-in-class corporate, industry, and market research to many of the world’s largest research and consulting firms, private equity firms, financial institutions, and publishers. www.phronesis-partners.com
---
## Fragmented Retail Media Networks Negatively Impact Consumers the Most, Epsilon Study Finds
Type: eps_pressRelease
URL: /fragmented-retail-media-networks-negatively-impact-consumers-the-most-epsilon-study-finds
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Fragmented Retail Media Networks Negatively Impact Consumers the Most, Epsilon Study Finds
64% of respondents believe the existence of multiple technology providers in retail media networks results in a poor advertising experience for consumers
48% of brands expect their retail media investments to increase over the next three years
Largest global retail media study of brands and retailers explored perceptions of and approaches to retail media
Epsilon, a global advertising and marketing technology company, today announced the findings of the industry’s largest, most comprehensive global study of retailers and brands on the current and future state of retail media. The research, conducted in partnership with Phronesis Partners surveyed 689 mid- to large-sized brands and retailers across 12 countries between January 2023 and March 2023.
The survey sought to better understand brands’ and retailers’ perception of and approaches to retail media. In addition, respondents were asked to share what actions they have taken, or are planning to take, in their retail media strategies and offerings along with the key criteria used to evaluate retail media platforms.
Key findings from the study include:
brands and retailers are frustrated by fragmentation…
respondents identified inconsistent targeting and disparate reporting across channels/tactics as the top inefficiency drivers of retail media
but shoppers pay the price
64% of respondents agree that retail media networks with multiple technology providers have a negative impact on shoppers
“The consumer experience is too often overlooked in the retail media frenzy,” said Joe Doran, chief product officer at Epsilon. “We’re so caught up in the hype around the latest offerings that we ignore the fact that fragmentation leads to poor advertising experiences and frustrated shoppers. We believe that solutions that focus on messaging individual shoppers across channels deliver better performance. Brands want to talk to existing and potential in-market shoppers. Retailers should facilitate those conversations at scale and across channels that can reach in-market shoppers wherever they may be in the consumer journey. So, when we put the individual shopper at the center of the advertising, everyone wins.”
In addition, the survey found that:
retailers are not tapping into the potential of reaching shoppers across the open web (off-site retail media)…
Only 37% of retailers are using off-site for retail media monetization
42% of brands identified audience targeting customization/accuracy as the top barrier to off-site retail media adoption
...and brands want easy-to-use retail media networks that can reach more in-market shoppers
76% of all respondents believe the quality of advertiser experience is the most important aspect of retail media for their organizations
75% believe the amount of inventory available is the most important
“Good technology is fundamental to good retail media. Brands and retailers must navigate a sea of constantly growing and changing retail media technology partners while responding to more volatile consumer behaviors,” said Adam Skinner, managing director of retail media networks at CitrusAd. “It is exciting to see almost 700 retail media professionals have validated the path and strategy we have been on for years. Our unified platform offers brands an intuitive, easy-to-use interface backed with best-in-class technology that provides scale to reach in-market shoppers wherever they are on their journey – on-site or off-site across the open web.”
Visit epsilon.com to download the report, “The state of retail media in 2023,” and for more insights regarding retailer and brand perception regarding retail media.
###
About Epsilon
Epsilon is a global advertising and marketing technology company positioned at the center of Publicis Groupe. Epsilon accelerates clients’ ability to harness the power of their first-party data to activate campaigns across channels and devices, with an unparalleled ability to prove outcomes. The company’s industry-leading technology connects advertisers with consumers to drive performance while respecting and protecting consumer privacy. Epsilon’s people-based identity graph allows brands, agencies and publishers to reach real people, not cookies or devices, across the open web. For more information, visit epsilon.com.
About CitrusAd
CitrusAd is a leading retail media company and part of Epsilon, a global advertising and marketing technology company. The CitrusAd platform sits at the center of Epsilon’s comprehensive, scalable retail media network offering. By harnessing the power of first-party data and industry-leading identity resolution, the unified, self-serve platform delivers shopper-relevant advertising experiences on commerce websites and across the open web resulting in higher conversions. Leading retailers across the globe rely on CitrusAd to help grow retail media as a core function for incremental media revenue and sales volume that delivers great ROI for brands. For more information, visit citrusad.com.
About Phronesis Partners
Phronesis Partners, including our group companies, Simplify Growth and Fuld & Company, is a global research and analytics firm. We deliver high-quality, best-in-class corporate, industry, and market research to many of the world’s largest research and consulting firms, private equity firms, financial institutions, and publishers. www.phronesis-partners.com
---
## Currys Launches Retail Media Solution with Epsilon to Better Reach Tech-Savvy Shoppers Across the Open Web
Type: eps_pressRelease
URL: /currys-launches-retail-media-solution-with-epsilon
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Currys Launches Retail Media Solution with Epsilon to Better Reach Tech-Savvy Shoppers Across the Open Web
New offering leverages Currys’ robust first-party data with Epsilon’s industry-leading marketing capability
LONDON – JULY 25, 2023 – The UK’s leading tech retailer, Currys, today announces a partnership with global advertising and marketing technology company, Epsilon, to create a new solution to enhance the power of its off-site retail media capabilities. The new proposition called ‘Tech Hunters’ gives Currys’ brand partners the ability to better reach consumers with targeted online advertising to suit their specific needs and interests, leveraging Currys' rich first-party data. Part of Currys Connected Media, Currys’ retail media operation, and in conjunction with Spark Foundry, the platform will combine Currys’ unique customer insights with Epsilon’s industry-leading identity solution, CORE ID, to give brands the best opportunity to reach in-market tech shoppers across the U.K.
“I couldn’t be more excited about the launch of Tech Hunters,” said Dan Rubel, marketing director at Currys. “This cutting-edge, personalised advertising vehicle allows tech brands to engage in-market consumers in real time. No company in the U.K. is better at spotting Tech Hunting consumers than Currys because no other company can match our scale, high brand awareness, omnichannel capabilities and rich first-party data. Paired with Epsilon’s world-class identity offering and expertise, we have a product that can enhance return on investment for hundreds of brand marketing departments and media agencies across the U.K., as well as delivering a uniquely personalised experience for our consumers.”
Launched in 2022, Epsilon's retail media platform is the industry’s first offering to unite on-site and off-site retail media capabilities in a single user interface. The platform’s off-site capabilities increase reach for Currys’ brand partners across the open web and allows brands to scale their marketing through high-impact ad formats such as connected TV, display and video with a direct link back to a brand’s marketing investment. In addition, the platform gives Currys’ brand partners the ability to use real-time, SKU-level data to deliver more relevant messages and transparent measurement to tie digital campaigns to in-store sales.
Data from Epsilon’s 2023 global study on the current and future state of retail media indicated that only 37% of retailers leverage programmatic off-site as part of their retail media monetisation strategy, with audience targeting customisation/accuracy and distance from a consumer’s purchase decision serving as brands’ leading barriers to adoption.
“Currys continues to lead in customer-centric retail innovation, and we believe they are truly bringing this to how they approach their retail media solution,” said Ben Foulkes, commercial director, at Epsilon. “Our partnership ensures that brands tapping into the combined strength of Currys’ shopper data and our CORE ID can activate personalised campaigns no matter where an individual is in the purchase cycle, creating an always on opportunity brands can’t afford to miss out on. In addition, Currys’ new off-site capabilities give brands the ability to optimise those campaigns based on an individual’s propensity to purchase a particular product and determine the effectiveness of those campaigns with closed-loop reporting and measurement for both online and offline sales.”
###
About Currys
Currys plc is a leading omnichannel retailer of technology products and services, operating online and through 826 stores in 8 countries. We Help Everyone Enjoy Amazing Technology, however they choose to shop with us.
In the UK & Ireland we trade as Currys; in the Nordics under the Elkjøp brand and as Kotsovolos in Greece. In each of these markets we are the market leader, employing 30,000 capable and committed colleagues. Our full range of services and support makes it easy for our customers to discover, choose, afford and enjoy the right technology for them, throughout their lives. The Group’s operations include state-of-the-art repair facilities in Newark, UK, a sourcing office in Hong Kong and an extensive distribution network, enabling fast and efficient delivery to stores and homes.
Our vision, we help everyone enjoy amazing technology, has a powerful social purpose at its heart. We believe in the power of technology to improve lives, help people stay connected, productive, healthy, and entertained. We’re here to help everyone enjoy those benefits and with our scale and expertise, we are uniquely placed to do so.
We’re a leader in giving technology a longer life through repair, recycling and reuse. We’re reducing our impact on the environment in our operations and our wider value chain and we will achieve net zero emissions by 2040. We offer customers products that help them save energy, reduce waste and save water, and we partner with charitable organisations to bring the benefits of amazing technology to those who might otherwise be excluded.
About Epsilon
Epsilon is a global advertising and marketing technology company positioned at the center of Publicis Groupe. Epsilon accelerates clients’ ability to harness the power of their first-party data to activate campaigns across channels and devices, with an unparalleled ability to prove outcomes. The company’s industry-leading technology connects advertisers with consumers to drive performance while respecting and protecting consumer privacy. Epsilon’s people-based identity graph allows brands, agencies and publishers to reach real people, not cookies or devices, across the open web. For more information, visit epsilon.com.
---
## BikesOnline Taps Epsilon to Power its Retention Marketing and Advertising in Australia
Type: eps_pressRelease
URL: /bikesonline-taps-epsilon-to-power-its-retention-marketing-and-advertising-in-australia
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# BikesOnline Taps Epsilon to Power its Retention Marketing and Advertising in Australia
Epsilon Digital solution to activate first-party data, measure digital ad performance and improve business outcomes for BikesOnline
BikesOnline can now find and engage its most valuable customers with people-based marketing at-scale
SYDNEY – AUGUST 2, 2023 – Epsilon, a global advertising and marketing technology company and part of Publicis Groupe (Euronext Paris FR0000130577, CAC 40), today announced it has been selected by online specialty bike and accessory retailer BikesOnline to lead its digital advertising campaigns in Australia. BikesOnline will use Epsilon Digital—Epsilon’s suite of solutions for people-based, performance-driven digital media, to find and engage its most valuable customers.
Epsilon Digital is powered by Epsilon’s industry-leading identity offering, CORE ID. This powerful combination gives BikesOnline the insights needed to send individual-level messages to the right people at the right time, driving repeat purchases from existing customers. Data shows that acquiring a new customer can cost between 5-25 times as much than retaining a customer. On average, active customers will spend 30% more on a purchase than a new customer, and active customers are 50% more likely to try a new product than a new customer.
Rainer Schmid, Global Direct Marketing Managerat BikesOnline, said, “Epsilon played a crucial role in the expansion of our top-of-funnel campaign strategy. We chose to work with Epsilon due to their CORE ID solution and ability to measure incremental growth in revenue generated directly from the platform. The use of test and control groups to measure these incremental gains along with product category-level insights has been quite valuable to the BikesOnline business. Partnering with the Epsilon team has been an amazing experience. The level of account management, analytics and creative process is wonderfully refreshing compared to what we’ve experienced with other adtech and martech companies.”
Ashish Sinha, Managing Director of Epsilon APAC MEA, said, “Our belief in and respect for first-party data and the highest standards of privacy help our clients win customer trust. Ultimately, that is what drives long lasting business relationships and we’re honoured that BikesOnline selected Epsilon to create those relationships. Clients like BikesOnline know that with Epsilon, they can be intentional in how they engage customers and activate the type of timely messages that are key to driving performance. Together, we are pushing boundaries to activate first-party data, measure performance and validate marketing investments.”
Sinha continued, “Epsilon Digital was the first offering to be accredited for correlated outcomes, validating our ability to connect marketing events, such as a purchase, to business outcomes. Brands deserve best-in-class solutions that deliver results, and consumers deserve brand experiences that are timely and relevant. We’re eager to begin our work with BikesOnline and show them the full power of Epsilon Digital.”
About Epsilon
Epsilon is a global advertising and marketing technology company positioned at the center of Publicis Groupe. We connect advertisers with consumers to drive performance while respecting and protecting consumer privacy and client data. Epsilon accelerates clients’ ability to harness the power of their first-party data to enhance, activate and measure campaigns with confidence. We believe in an open, privacy-first advertising ecosystem. Over decades, we’ve built the industry’s most comprehensive identity graph to give brands, agencies and publishers the ability to reach real consumers across all channels and the open web. For more information, visit www.epsilon.com/apac.
About BikesOnline
BikesOnline is an Australian owned, online specialty retailer of road bikes, mountain bikes, parts, accessories, and clothing. We deliver the personalized service of the best local shops, but with a dynamic, interactive experience only possible on the web — specially designed to make you knowledgeable and confident about every product we sell. For more information, please visit www.bikesonline.com.au.
---
## Epsilon appoints MD for Australia and New Zealand
Type: eps_pressRelease
URL: /epsilon-appoints-md-for-australia-and-new-zealand
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Epsilon appoints MD for Australia and New Zealand
Industry veteran joins Epsilon to drive adtech and martech transformation across ANZ
SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA – AUGUST 29, 2023 – Epsilon, a global advertising and marketing technology company and part of Publicis Groupe (Euronext Paris FR0000130577, CAC 40), today announced the appointment of Shane Hanby as the Managing Director for Australia & New Zealand. Hanby, an industry veteran with 23 years of expertise and a proven track record spanning adtech, martech and digital media, will lead Epsilon's expansion efforts in the high-potential market. The hiring of Hanby comes at a time when marketers in the region are eagerly embracing the benefits of adtech and martech platforms as a way of driving long term business growth.
Hanby joins Epsilon from MediaMath where he served as VP, Client Success/ Country Manager, Australia. During his tenure, Hanby facilitated the adoption of data-driven strategies, empowering agencies and advertisers to gain a competitive edge in media buying.
Hanby will spearhead Epsilon's efforts to amplify the value it delivers to brands, agencies and publishers through innovative technology, data-driven strategies and seamless digital campaign activation across the open web. Collaborating closely with Epsilon's regional leadership team, Hanby will build upon the company's current successes, which include a growing portfolio of clients across platforms, a refined go-to-market strategy and enhanced alignment with other Publicis Groupe agencies within the region.
Ashish Sinha, Managing Director of APAC & MEA, shared his perspective on Hanby's appointment, saying, "Shane's unwavering energy for innovation and marketing coupled with his commitment to driving client and business success is truly remarkable. Building engagement on owned platforms is the most effective way of assuring consumers that brands truly understand and value them, and Epsilon presents an exciting opportunity for Shane to guide clients in the creation of these personalized, one-on-one relationships. Shane will be instrumental in sustaining our growth trajectory as an increasing number of clients choose our performance-driven and privacy-safe platforms."
Mike Rebelo, CEO Publicis Groupe, Australia & New Zealand, welcomes Hanby to Publicis Groupe, stating, “Shane’s appointment signals the continued strengthening of our end-to-end marketing and digital business transformation capabilities. As brands see value in transforming the way they reach and engage people in a digital-first world, Epsilon adds to our arsenal of solutions that lead with performance, transparency and accountability. Shane’s experience in adtech and martech, coming together with the power of Epsilon’s platforms,will continue to benefit our clients and their customers too.”
Hanby has a profound enthusiasm for adtech, martech and emerging media technologies as well as his commitment to aiding businesses in their digital transformation journeys. His dedication to cultivating enduring partnerships and inspiring high-performance teams has been a hallmark of his career, with prior roles at companies such as Sitecore, ROKU (formerly dataxu) and GumGum.
Shane Hanby, Managing Director for Australia & New Zealand at Epsilon, stated, "Epsilon's vision of democratizing access to cutting-edge technologies by tailoring platforms to individual needs deeply resonates with me. I’m dedicated to the future of businesses in Australia & New Zealand and passionate about helping them forge lasting relationships with customers through strategic deployment of adtech and martech solutions. I eagerly anticipate serving our industry while collaborating closely with current and potential Epsilon clients and all agencies within Publicis Groupe."
With an MBA from the Australian Institute of Business, Hanby is known for his team-centric approach and is poised to mentor and foster the growth of emerging professionals within the industry.
About Epsilon
Epsilon is a global advertising and marketing technology company positioned at the center of Publicis Groupe. We connect advertisers with consumers to drive performance while respecting and protecting consumer privacy and client data. Epsilon accelerates clients’ ability to harness the power of their first-party data to enhance, activate and measure campaigns with confidence. We believe in an open, privacy-first advertising ecosystem. Over decades, we’ve built the industry’s most comprehensive identity graph to give brands, agencies and publishers the ability to reach real consumers across all channels and the open web.
---
## Epsilon Unlocks the Power of AI with Epsilon AI Audiences, Advanced Data Models that Drive Performance
Type: eps_pressRelease
URL: /epsilon-unlocks-the-power-of-ai-with-epsilon-ai-audiences-advanced-data-models-that-drive-performance
Last Modified: 2025-10-23T12:27:26Z
# Epsilon Unlocks the Power of AI with Epsilon AI Audiences, Advanced Data Models that Drive Performance
Epsilon combines powerful AI with robust transactional data to deliver marketing’s gold standard: individual, in-market consumers with immediate intent to purchase or donate
DALLAS – SEPTEMBER 21, 2023 – Epsilon, a global advertising and marketing technology company, today announced the launch of Epsilon AI Audiences, an advanced offering that combines industry-leading data with powerful AI to find more consumers who are in the market to make a purchase or make a donation. Unlike a traditional audience or segment-based marketing, Epsilon AI Audiences is comprised of three distinct intelligent solutions that can activate personalized, people-based marketing with a focus on real business outcomes. It is underpinned by the industry’s most robust set of U.S. transactional data, driving unmatched ROI for marketers.
With feedback loops to identify macro trends and optimize audience modelling, innovative brands and not-for-profits like World Food Program USA can harness the power, speed and precision of Epsilon AI Audiences to activate personalized marketing campaigns and drive performance through Epsilon Digital and other advertising platforms.
Compared to traditional modeled audiences, which are manually optimized only a handful of times each year, Epsilon uses AI to update audiences in near real time through feedback loops that make the audiences stronger over time. As a result, more than 1,700 Epsilon AI Audiences have been activated by brands in 2023, yielding performance that surpass industry benchmarks, including response rate index (108), average order/gift index (101) and dollar per book index (108).
Angela Kung, Director of Digital Advertising and Marketing at World Food Program USA said, “With Epsilon AI Audiences, we’ve seen improvements in our marketing efficiency and return on investment. The rate at which we can activate data across many marketing channels and target ideal donors has been a game changer. The combined power of Epsilon’s data with continuously improving artificial intelligence allows us to engage like never before, giving us a major leg when building meaningful donor relationships that drive our organization forward.”
The AI Audience suite enables clients to:
identify and target individuals with unparalleled precision and personalization at scale;
reach new, incremental prospect audiences that can be activated across channels to drive stronger response rates; and
combine multi-sourced transactional data, demographic data, proprietary modelling algorithms and insights to create smarter audiences that can be continuously optimized for performance.
Dennis Self, General Manager of Data Solutions at Epsilon, said, “With customer behaviors and expectations constantly shifting, data-driven marketers can no longer wait for occasional person-level or audience updates to campaigns. Brands need to act fast, and their data has to keep up. AI helps amplify the power and quality of data to build desired audiences, and Epsilon AI Audiences is a force multiplier. Working together with our clients, we have a tremendous opportunity to bring true innovation into the marketplace and help our clients achieve faster, better and smarter results by reaching and converting in-market audiences with absolute precision.”
Epsilon AI Audiences is available to brands now. For more information, please visit www.epsilon.com/us/products-and-services/data/ai-audiences.
###
About Epsilon
Epsilon is a global advertising and marketing technology company positioned at the center of Publicis Groupe. We connect advertisers with consumers to drive performance while respecting and protecting consumer privacy and client data. Epsilon accelerates clients’ ability to harness the power of their first-party data to enhance, activate and measure campaigns with confidence. We believe in an open, privacy-first advertising ecosystem. Over decades, we’ve built the industry’s most comprehensive identity graph to give brands, agencies and publishers the ability to reach real consumers across all channels and the open web. For more information, visit www.epsilon.com.
---
## The Container Store Partners with Epsilon to Deliver Highly Personalized Marketing and Enhance After-buy Journey for Customers
Type: eps_pressRelease
URL: /the-container-store-partners-with-epsilon-to-deliver-highly-personalized-marketing-and-enhance-after-buy-journey-for-customers
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# The Container Store Partners with Epsilon to Deliver Highly Personalized Marketing and Enhance After-buy Journey for Customers
The Container Store adds Epsilon Digital Customer Data Platform to its digital
toolbox to manage, analyze and activate first-party customer data
Epsilon, a global advertising and marketing technology company, today announced that it has partnered with The Container Store to organize and activate the retailer’s first-party customer data in a privacy-safe environment. With a passion for creating compelling and relevant interactions across the entire customer journey, The Container Store has tapped into the power of Epsilon Digital Customer Data Platform (CDP)to deliver highly personalized marketing campaigns and create more engaging experiences for its shoppers.
The Container Store’s decision to leverage Epsilon’s Digital CDP comes at a time when all marketers seek to unlock value from their rich first-party customer data at scale and in real-time. The move represents a significant step in The Container Store’s digital transformation journey, demonstrating its dedication to delivering unparalleled value and experiences to customers while staying ahead in the competitive retail landscape.
The Container Store Vice President, Loyalty, Tory Marpe, said, “Epsilon's expertise in customer data and insights helps The Container Store execute our purpose to transform lives through the power of organization. Whether it's parents sending their kids back to school, young adults entertaining family and friends during football season or the festive neighbors eager to grab the holiday decorations from storage, Epsilon’s Digital CDP helps reinforce our dedication to retail innovation and investing in technologies that help create seamless, personalized and memorable experiences for every shopper.”
Powered by Epsilon’s proprietary industry-leading identity solution, Epsilon Digital CDP is an extended first-party data solution that connects a customer’s online and offline worlds by syncing each customers devices, digital data, transactions, and engagements with a brand. This unique “connected identity” helps deliver a 360-degree view of individual customers that marketers do not have today providing unique insights that can be natively activated from Epsilon Digital CDP, to Epsilon Digital, additional DSPs and/or social media platforms. Epsilon Digital CDP is a continuously improving platform that collects new data about each individual consumer in real-time and can be activated at scale.
Marpe added, “Epsilon’s Digital CDP was chosen because it contains knowledge about our shoppers that we didn’t possess while enriching our customers’ identity profiles. This is not an empty container, but rather a data rich platform that brought us speed to market faster than any other player in the space.”
In addition, the self-service capabilities of Epsilon Digital CDP, which enable customer data for analytics and decision support across the organization, aligned with the shared needs of The Container Store’s marketing and IT teams.
Epsilon Managing Director, Data Platforms, David Melnick, added, “Epsilon Digital CDP is a data rich platform that is uniquely positioned to support The Container Store in building stronger connections and delivering value to every one of its customers. Epsilon and The Container Store may work in different industries, but we share the same commitment to innovation through organization solutions. Together, I have no doubt that we’ll deliver the types of differentiated customer experiences and after-buy journeys for shoppers that drive results across the open web."
Epsilon Digital CDP is the only CDP that comes fully working and ready to activate at scale in just weeks. More information can be found by visiting www.epsilon.com.
###
About Epsilon
Epsilon is a global advertising and marketing technology company positioned at the center of Publicis Groupe. We connect advertisers with consumers to drive performance while respecting and protecting consumer privacy and client data. Epsilon accelerates clients’ ability to harness the power of their first-party data to enhance, activate and measure campaigns with confidence. We believe in an open, privacy-first advertising ecosystem. Over decades, we’ve built the industry’s most comprehensive identity graph to give brands, agencies and publishers the ability to reach real consumers across all channels and the open web. For more information, visit www.epsilon.com.
About The Container Store
The Container Store Group, Inc. (NYSE: TCS) is the nation's leading specialty retailer of organizing solutions, custom spaces, and in-home services – a concept they originated in 1978. Today, with locations nationwide, the retailer offers more than 10,000 products designed to transform lives through the power of organization. Visit www.containerstore.com for more information about products, store locations, services offered and real-life inspiration.
---
## Epsilon Named a Leader in IDC MarketScape Assessment of Worldwide Demand-Side Platforms
Type: eps_pressRelease
URL: /epsilon-named-a-leader-in-idc-marketscape
Last Modified: 2025-10-28T14:30:33Z
# Epsilon Named a Leader in IDC MarketScape Assessment of Worldwide Demand-Side Platforms
Epsilon today announced it has been named a Leader in the IDC MarketScape: Worldwide Demand Side Platforms 2023 Vendor Assessment (doc #US50403823, November 2023), the inaugural IDC MarketScape report of the DSP market. Epsilon, which was one of 12 companies included in the report, was evaluated based on the capabilities of Epsilon Digital, the company’s comprehensive suite of solutions for people-based, performance-driven digital media.
“Beyond core DSP functionality, [Epsilon] offers a native, people-based identity resolution solution (i.e., CORE ID) that serves ads to individuals, as opposed to cookies or devices. This approach can help brands future proof their strategy and improve reach, relevance, performance, and measurement.”
Epsilon Digital offers clients a single platform for identity resolution, data onboarding, creative capabilities, publisher relationships, activation, attribution and transparent measurement. Clients using Epsilon Digital realize scale and accuracy, 4x higher people-based reach, 2x higher ROAS, 2x lower CPA and the ability to attribute 80% more outcomes.
In addition, the platform’s strengths provide brands and agencies:
People-based identity: Epsilon's CORE ID brands achieve the highest-quality omnichannel customer reach, relevancy, performance, efficiency and measurement accuracy. As a result, clients can reach customers with confidence wherever they are consuming media, whether it’s through display, watching an online video or streaming TV at home, or using a mobile app on the go.
Cross-channel optimization: Epsilon’s CORE AI delivers digital ads, dynamically, to individuals across multiple channels—including display, online video, audio and connected TV—all with advanced optimization geared towards likeliness to convert.
Performance-based measurement: Epsilon Digital was the first platform to earn MRC accreditation for correlated outcomes and allows clients to tap into consolidated reporting and insights across channels. The platform’s transparent, performance-based measurement means marketers eliminate 50% or more of media waste by messaging individuals accurately at scale rather than over frequencing a smaller audience.
Addressing another of Epsilon’s strengths, the report notes, “Customers appreciate the all-in-one nature of the solution, commenting that it would be difficult and prohibitively expensive to manually pull together comparable functions (i.e., ID resolutions, creative capabilities, publisher relationships, attribution, etc.) along with core DSP capabilities.”
Joe Doran, Chief Product Officer at Epsilon, said: “Marketers often do a double take when we walk them through the full breadth of Epsilon Digital’s capabilities. Epsilon Digital was built, and has grown, to be what traditional DSPs want to be: a first-party data fuelled, AI-driven, performance platform for the cookieless age of advertising. We believe Epsilon Digital is the premiere solution for marketers looking to build relationships with their customers, and we are proud to be recognized by the IDC MarketScape for our strengths.”
Click here to download an excerpt of the IDC MarketScape evaluation of Epsilon.
---
## Rebel unveils refreshed loyalty program
Type: eps_pressRelease
URL: /rebel-unveils-refreshed-loyalty-program
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Rebel unveils refreshed loyalty program
19 October 2023: Australia’s largest sporting retailer, rebel, has unveiled a refreshed loyalty program that’s providing more value, and more rewards, for members.
rebel Active marks a complete refresh of rebel’s loyalty program, from how members are rewarded for their shop at rebel, right through to the perks they get through the program – whilst keeping the things members love today.
The new points collection and redemption structure will see rebel Active members rewarded with one point for every dollar they spend on product in-store or online. 100 points equates to $5 available to be used on future purchases making it one of the most generous Loyalty programs in the Australian market. The refreshed program will see members continue to receive discounted member pricing, exclusive experiences, member-only prize draws and exclusive offers from some of Australia’s favourite sporting brands.
rebel Active members can also opt-in to receive unique booster point offers and limited early access to products and experiences that money just can’t buy. Members can also receive information about the latest product promotions at rebel, providing them with even more value on every shop. rebel General Manager of eCommerce and Marketing, Rosemary Martin, said, “We’ve completely redesigned our loyalty program to ensure our members are supported and rewarded as they pursue their sporting dreams and passions.”
“These updates to our loyalty program are just the beginning, and we’re excited to roll-out a range of exciting new features over the coming months. Whether you’re shopping with us for a new pair of trainers, gym gear, or to get the kids kitted out for their sport of choice, you’ll be receiving more value, more relevant offers, and more ways to be rewarded.”
rebel Active's refreshed loyalty program is powered by global advertising and marketing technology company Epsilon.
Epsilon Managing Director, Australia & New Zealand, Shane Hanby added, “Epsilon is pleased to have partnered with rebel to re-launch rebel Active, a points-based loyalty offering that puts its members at the heart of the program."
There are no minimum thresholds before members can redeem their points, they are rewarded for spending at rebel right away.
Existing members of rebel’s loyalty program were transitioned into the rebel Active program at re-launch. Customers of rebel who are not members of the loyalty program are able to sign up for free in-store, or online at rebelsport.com.au.
---
## Epsilon Named a Leader in IDC MarketScape for Worldwide Data Clean Room Technology for Advertising and Marketing Use Cases
Type: eps_pressRelease
URL: /epsilon-named-a-leader-in-idc-marketscape-for-worldwide-data-clean-room-technology-for-advertising-and-marketing-use-cases
Last Modified: 2025-10-28T14:31:06Z
# Epsilon Named a Leader in IDC MarketScape for Worldwide Data Clean Room Technology for Advertising and Marketing Use Cases
Epsilon today announced it has been named a Leader in the inaugural IDC MarketScape: 2023 Worldwide Data Clean Room Technology for Advertising and Marketing Use Cases Vendor Assessment (doc # US51047323). Epsilon, which was one of 11 companies featured in the report, was assessed for the capabilities of Epsilon’s clean room, the company’s privacy-safe environment that enables data collaboration and high-performance activation.
Epsilon’s clean room provides clients the industry’s fastest way to realize value of their data and marketing. The solution comes pre-loaded with third-party data connected to real people. The data is then attached to each client’s first-party data, enabling marketers to enhance, activate and measure campaigns with speed and confidence. With Epsilon, clients can learn more about their audiences and reach their best in-market customers and prospects.
Dave Melnick, Managing Director, Data Platforms at Epsilon, said: “What makes Epsilon’s clean room unique is how from day one, it helps clients understand their customers both on their platform and in-store—but most importantly, throughout the rest of the digital ecosystem. Marketers can learn about their audiences, engage their best customers and then find more like them with the solution, significantly improving ROI. We believe being named a Leader in the IDC MarketScape evaluation for data clean rooms further validates the industry-wide business impact of our solution.”
According to the report, "Identity resolution is a pre-built capability of the data clean room, utilizing Epsilon’s CORE ID. Epsilon’s data clean room has immediate connection to enrichment data from the firm as well as other third-party data providers for use in the platform."
In addition, Epsilon’s clean room provides:
An integrated, native and future-proof identity solution delivering a full view of customers and prospects all aligned to industry-leading, person-based CORE ID built from name, address and verified transaction data.
Out-of-the-box, proprietary data, audience insights and individual level consumer understanding powering high performance activation, creating value in weeks not months.
Privacy-safe collaboration among multiple parties for enhanced customer understanding and marketing, and to ensure each party has control of their data.
Further addressing the strengths of Epsilon’s clean room, the report goes on to note, "Epsilon has many features that make the technology quick to install and get productive for advertisers, publishers and brands. Many frequent queries and processes are pre-built, enabling a short time to value."
Visit epsilon.com to download an excerpt of the IDC MarketScape evaluation of Epsilon’s clean room capabilities.
###
About Epsilon
Epsilon is a global advertising and marketing technology company positioned at the center of Publicis Groupe. We connect advertisers with consumers to drive performance while respecting and protecting consumer privacy and client data. Epsilon accelerates clients’ ability to harness the power of their first-party data to enhance, activate and measure campaigns with confidence. We believe in an open, privacy-first advertising ecosystem. Over decades, we’ve built the industry’s most comprehensive identity graph to give brands, agencies and publishers the ability to reach real consumers across all channels and the open web. For more information, visit www.epsilon.com.
About IDC MarketScape
IDC MarketScape vendor assessment model is designed to provide an overview of the competitive fitness of ICT (information and communications technology) suppliers in a given market. The research methodology utilizes a rigorous scoring methodology based on both qualitative and quantitative criteria that results in a single graphical illustration of each vendor’s position within a given market. IDC MarketScape provides a clear framework in which the product and service offerings, capabilities and strategies, and current and future market success factors of IT and telecommunications vendors can be meaningfully compared. The framework also provides technology buyers with a 360-degree assessment of the strengths and weaknesses of current and prospective vendors.
---
## Epsilon Brings People-Based Intelligence to Retail Media with Launch of Next-Generation Platform
Type: eps_pressRelease
URL: /epsilon-retail-media
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Epsilon Brings People-Based Intelligence to Retail Media with Launch of Next-Generation Platform
Epsilon Retail Media First to Couple Artificial Intelligence with Person-First Identity in the Ad Server
Epsilon, a global advertising and marketing technology company, today announced the launch of the next generation of its retail media platform. Epsilon Retail Media applies artificial intelligence and person-first identity in the ad server, unlocking opportunities to drive stronger outcomes with shoppers on retailers’ properties, across the open web or in tandem. As a result, retailers and advertisers can exponentially grow their ability to drive sales while increasing brand loyalty.
“Epsilon enables Ahold Delhaize USA brands to offer a cutting-edge, differentiated platform to advertisers that allows them to better engage shoppers wherever they may be,” said Bobby Watts, SVP, Executive Lead AD Retail Media at Peapod Digital Labs. “The retail media landscape is getting more crowded by the day, and advertisers are demanding impactful solutions. Epsilon Retail Media helps us deliver just that, enabling advertisers to engage shoppers in ways not before possible, driving more sales while building brand loyalty.”
Epsilon brings the company’s unique capabilities in applying artificial intelligence against person-first identity to retailers looking to address advertisers’ desire to intelligently engage shoppers on retailers’ properties and across the open web. Epsilon’s CORE AI analyzes every potential shopper encountered, regardless of where they’re found, ensuring 100% of potential buyers are evaluated for engagement. The company’s CORE ID, the industry’s most accurate and privacy-centric consumer identifier, powers the recognition of a specific individual in any channel and feeds additional data on the shopper into the AI’s decisioning process. Armed with rich, person-level insights, 5,000+ decisions are evaluated in the milliseconds before a bid must be placed, drastically improving outcomes. The AI also learns from the result of each engagement, continually rewriting its models to further optimize outcomes across channels and time. This allows advertisers and retailers to go far beyond delivering the ‘right message to the right person at the right time.’ The AI also determines where to engage shoppers at any given time, decides how often to engage them in a channel or across channels, harmonizes engagement across channels, and optimizes the spend to acquire an impression based on the value of the shopper.
“Our person-first intelligence takes a dramatically different approach from traditional DSPs and retail media technology providers, who filter audiences based on where they are versus who they are, excluding a large portion of shoppers that advertisers want to reach out the gate,” said Dave Peterson, GM and Global Head of Epsilon Retail Media. “They then evaluate their ‘best guess’ of the shopper behind the impression, given their IDs are rooted in email addresses or other digital identifiers, not verified offline data. And when they do get around to evaluating the bid, they can only take a few variables into consideration before making a decision. Coupled with an inability to learn in real time, they materially limit the outcomes retailers can drive for advertisers.”
"Today’s announcement is another huge step in the evolution of our platform that started with the acquisition of CitrusAd in 2021,” said John Giuliani, Executive Chairman of Epsilon. “With the launch of Epsilon Retail Media, we are introducing next generation capabilities to our clients that have not previously existed in the medium. We look forward to continuing to innovate in this space - providing solutions that allow advertisers and retailers to drive sales in the moment while building the brand relationships they need to drive sales in the future.”
---
## Epsilon Brings People-Based Intelligence to Retail Media with Launch of Next-Generation Platform
Type: eps_pressRelease
URL: /epsilon-retail-media
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Epsilon Brings People-Based Intelligence to Retail Media with Launch of Next-Generation Platform
Epsilon Retail Media First to Couple Artificial Intelligence with Person-First Identity in the Ad Server
Epsilon, a global advertising and marketing technology company, today announced the launch of the next generation of its retail media platform. Epsilon Retail Media applies artificial intelligence and person-first identity in the ad server, unlocking opportunities to drive stronger outcomes with shoppers on retailers’ properties, across the open web or in tandem. As a result, retailers and advertisers can exponentially grow their ability to drive sales while increasing brand loyalty.
“Epsilon enables Ahold Delhaize USA brands to offer a cutting-edge, differentiated platform to advertisers that allows them to better engage shoppers wherever they may be,” said Bobby Watts, SVP, Executive Lead AD Retail Media at Peapod Digital Labs. “The retail media landscape is getting more crowded by the day, and advertisers are demanding impactful solutions. Epsilon Retail Media helps us deliver just that, enabling advertisers to engage shoppers in ways not before possible, driving more sales while building brand loyalty.”
Epsilon brings the company’s unique capabilities in applying artificial intelligence against person-first identity to retailers looking to address advertisers’ desire to intelligently engage shoppers on retailers’ properties and across the open web. Epsilon’s CORE AI analyzes every potential shopper encountered, regardless of where they’re found, ensuring 100% of potential buyers are evaluated for engagement. The company’s CORE ID, the industry’s most accurate and privacy-centric consumer identifier, powers the recognition of a specific individual in any channel and feeds additional data on the shopper into the AI’s decisioning process. Armed with rich, person-level insights, 5,000+ decisions are evaluated in the milliseconds before a bid must be placed, drastically improving outcomes. The AI also learns from the result of each engagement, continually rewriting its models to further optimize outcomes across channels and time. This allows advertisers and retailers to go far beyond delivering the ‘right message to the right person at the right time.’ The AI also determines where to engage shoppers at any given time, decides how often to engage them in a channel or across channels, harmonizes engagement across channels, and optimizes the spend to acquire an impression based on the value of the shopper.
“Our person-first intelligence takes a dramatically different approach from traditional DSPs and retail media technology providers, who filter audiences based on where they are versus who they are, excluding a large portion of shoppers that advertisers want to reach out the gate,” said Dave Peterson, GM and Global Head of Epsilon Retail Media. “They then evaluate their ‘best guess’ of the shopper behind the impression, given their IDs are rooted in email addresses or other digital identifiers, not verified offline data. And when they do get around to evaluating the bid, they can only take a few variables into consideration before making a decision. Coupled with an inability to learn in real time, they materially limit the outcomes retailers can drive for advertisers.”
"Today’s announcement is another huge step in the evolution of our platform that started with the acquisition of CitrusAd in 2021,” said John Giuliani, Executive Chairman of Epsilon. “With the launch of Epsilon Retail Media, we are introducing next generation capabilities to our clients that have not previously existed in the medium. We look forward to continuing to innovate in this space - providing solutions that allow advertisers and retailers to drive sales in the moment while building the brand relationships they need to drive sales in the future.”
---
## Nothing But Net: Epsilon First to Offer NIL Deal for all Women's D1 Basketball Tournament Participants
Type: eps_pressRelease
URL: /nothing-but-net-epsilon-first-to-offer-nil-deal-for-all-womens-d1-basketball-tournament-participants
Last Modified: 2025-10-23T12:34:15Z
# Nothing But Net: Epsilon First to Offer NIL Deal for all Women's D1 Basketball Tournament Participants
Epsilon and Opendorse Team Up to Launch the First and Only NIL Opportunity Of Its Kind
Epsilon, a global advertising and marketing technology company, today announced it is partnering with Opendorse, the leading athlete marketplace and NIL technology company, to launch “Work Together to Win Together,” the first and only name, image and likeness (NIL) deal available to every female student-athlete participating in the Women’s Division I basketball championship.
“Work Together to Win Together” will highlight the power of collaboration with participating athletes sharing what teamwork means to them on Instagram. Athletes will be compensated $500 for their individual participation. Epsilon will also be offering participating student-athletes free career planning resources and mentorship opportunities to help support their transition from one team to the next.
When it comes to NIL earnings, “Division I women’s college players project to make just 20% of what their men’s basketball counterparts will earn,” according to a 2023 Opendorse report.
“We are proud to be the only company extending an NIL offer to every female athlete participating in the Division I basketball championship over the next few weeks,” said Susan Rothwell, chief revenue officer at Epsilon and a former Division I athlete. “‘Work Together to Win Together’ is one of Epsilon’s core values and exemplifies our belief that collaboration is the catalyst that unlocks our full potential.”
Since 2012, Opendorse has made it their mission to help every athlete. Today, over 100,000 athletes use the platform to monetize their name, image and likeness. The company will provide full-service program management for the “Work Together to Win Together” campaign, which runs March 19 through April 30, to ensure athletes meet the program qualifications and review athlete-curated content.
“As a former Division I women's basketball player, I am so honored to be a part of a company that supports NIL initiatives,” said Daryl Rappe, senior director of recruiting at Epsilon. “The commitment to empowering female athletes, particularly providing them with opportunities to capitalize on their own identities and achievements, resonates deeply with me. I’ve had the opportunity to grow my career at Epsilon over the past seven years, I am proud to work for a company that believes in supporting women and the power of what’s possible when we ‘Work Together to Win Together’ – on and off the court.”
With more than 9,000 employees around the world, Epsilon is committed to investing in women and developing top-performing talent through its Early Career Programs, which empower participants to unlock their full potential as tomorrow's leaders.
###
About Epsilon
Epsilon is a global advertising and marketing technology company positioned at the center of Publicis Groupe. We connect advertisers with consumers to drive performance while respecting and protecting consumer privacy and client data. Epsilon accelerates clients’ ability to harness the power of their first-party data to enhance, activate and measure campaigns with confidence. We believe in an open, privacy-first advertising ecosystem. Over decades, we’ve built the industry’s most comprehensive identity graph to give brands, agencies and publishers the ability to reach real consumers across all channels and the open web. For more information, visit www.epsilon.com.
About Opendorse
Opendorse is the leading athlete marketplace and NIL company, providing technology and services to the athlete endorsement industry. More than 100,000 athletes use Opendorse to build and monetize their name, image, and likeness with support from the world’s top brands, colleges, NIL collectives, and partners including Team USA, LEARFIELD, Keller Williams Real Estate, and more.
---
## Better to Be Loved than Needed When Driving Consumer Engagement, Epsilon Study Finds
Type: eps_pressRelease
URL: /better-to-be-loved-than-needed-when-driving-consumer-engagement-epsilon-study-finds
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Better to Be Loved than Needed When Driving Consumer Engagement, Epsilon Study Finds
60% of respondents engage with marketing because they know and like a brand; 37% engage because they need the brand/product
Epsilon, a global advertising and marketing technology company, today released the findings of its study on consumers’ perceptions of personalization in marketing and advertising. The report, “The Push and Pull of Personalization,” reveals that consumers’ feelings about a brand, more than need, drive stronger engagement with marketing.
The study found that 60% of respondents engage with a marketing message because they are “familiar with and like the brand,” while 56% interact because they want to know more about a new brand or product. By comparison, 37% of respondents indicated their engagement is driven by need.
“These findings remind marketers of the importance of creating relationships with consumers that are not just transactional, given ‘brand’ is the context in which all purchase decisions are made,” said Jeff Smith, chief marketing officer at Epsilon. “The implication is that marketers need to stop thinking of ‘branding’ or ‘performance’ as separate and disconnected initiatives. Effective marketing and media not only capture sales in the moment, but also build relationships with your brand that drive more purchases over time.”
The report, which includes responses from 600 consumers between 18 and 65 years of age, goes on to reveal several insights into how marketing can be helpful and additive for consumers, or when it may detract from the brand experience.
Additional key findings from the study include:
Brands are getting better at personalized advertising, but there’s room to grow:
65% of respondents say brands have become better at personalizing advertising and marketing the past few years but 91% see at least one irrelevant ad every single day.
People have a negative reaction when advertising messages don’t know them:
76% of respondents say they view brands negatively when they include inaccurate information about them in their advertising and messaging.
Consumers don’t feel in control of their advertising and marketing:
Only 45% of respondents feel they have some control over how brands engage with them.
“Our customers, who represent many of the world’s leading brands, recognize the upside of getting personalization right and downside of failing to do so,” added Smith. “In providing them with the unique capability to engage consumers with a single voice that is harmonized across their paid and owned channels, we enable brands to drive in-market sales in ways that also build stronger consumer relationships. This allows them to increase both the efficiency and efficacy of their marketing and advertising investments.
Visit epsilon.com to download “The Push and Pull of Personalization.”
---
## The Sky’s the Limit: Epsilon and Loylogic Partner to Enhance Loyalty Programs
Type: eps_pressRelease
URL: /epsilon-and-loylogic-partner-to-enhance-loyalty-programs
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# The Sky’s the Limit: Epsilon and Loylogic Partner to Enhance Loyalty Programs
London, UK – 24 April, 2024Global advertising and marketing technology company Epsilon and Loylogic, a global leader in loyalty and rewards engagement, announced today a partnership that unites the power of Epsilon’s industry-leading loyalty offering, Epsilon Loyalty, and Loylogic’s loyalty solution and payment platform, PointsPay.
“Epsilon and Loylogic are uniquely positioned to help marketers turn loyalty programs into data-driven partnership marketing machines,” said Elliott Clayton, managing director of international sales at Epsilon. “Together, we can further ensure that customers’ rewards are uniquely tailored and personalised to their preferences. In travel, for example, members can swiftly accumulate points towards their desired rewards in frequent flier programs or frequent guest programs, whether it's their next dream getaway or another coveted item.”
The partnership provides:
seamless accrual and redemption of existing rewards programs across leading brands;
an opportunity for marketers to build stronger relationships with loyalty members over time as they tap into the broader portfolio of brands and loyalty programs through Epsilon and Loylogic; and
integration with additional Epsilon technologies and solutions for a richer, more unified experience.
Epsilon Loyalty offers brands a superior level of performance and scale for precise first-party data collection, facilitating a personalised journey for each customer and thereby enhancing value for both parties involved. Using a Value-Led Loyalty™ methodology, Epsilon Loyalty helps brands in predicting the needs of their loyalty members. It enables real-time customization of offers across various channels, provides a measurable outcome, and consistently improves strategies to foster loyal relationships and achieve business objectives.
“Loyalty programs must meet travelers and shoppers where they are — at the retailer's doorstep — and make it effortless for them to leverage the benefits of the program,” continued Clayton. “By leveraging real-time data insights, loyalty programs can align with users' preferences, motivating and rewarding them with personalised offers and rewards in their preferred currency or spending, thus creating a seamless, user-centric experience.”
About Epsilon
Epsilon is a global advertising and marketing technology company positioned at the center of Publicis Groupe. We connect advertisers with consumers to drive performance while respecting and protecting consumer privacy and client data. Epsilon accelerates clients’ ability to harness the power of their first-party data to enhance, activate and measure campaigns with confidence. We believe in an open, privacy-first advertising ecosystem. Over decades, we’ve built the industry’s most comprehensive identity graph to give brands, agencies and publishers the ability to reach real consumers across all channels and the open web. For more information, visit www.epsilon.com.
---
## Epsilon Third-Party Cookie Deprecation Study Uncovers Nearly 75% of Marketers Not Testing or Investing in Resilient Activation Partners
Type: eps_pressRelease
URL: /epsilon-third-party-cookie-deprecation-study-uncovers-nearly-75-of-marketers-not-testing-or-investing-in-resilient-activation-partners
Last Modified: 2025-10-23T12:32:54Z
# Epsilon Third-Party Cookie Deprecation Study Uncovers Nearly 75% of Marketers Not Testing or Investing in Resilient Activation Partners
On the heels of another delay with the deprecation of third-party cookies, Epsilon has released a new study revealing that most marketers are unhappy with Google’s moves and feel underprepared and uncertain about their advertising future, yet still aren’t actively seeking new solutions: Preparing for a world without third-party cookies
78% of marketers feel negative emotions towards Google’s move
73% of marketers are concerned about the potential loss in their ability to effectively do ‘person-based advertising’
On one hand, our research shows that most marketers (~60%) are expanding their first-party data assets. They recognize the importance of owning and leveraging their own data and are investing resources to build it into a foundation for targeted advertising and personalized customer experiences—one of very few encouraging trends from our report.
On the other hand, while marketers are expanding their first-party data strategies, the study also revealed that many marketers are not adequately investing in seeking partners whose ability to activate first-party data will survive third-party identifier deprecation.
Only 26% of marketers are testing with new, more resilient partners
The hesitancy to explore and adopt alternative activation methods reveals a significant gap in readiness for the post-cookie era. Instead, many marketers are choosing to rely on their current partners to furnish solutions for post-third-party identifier activation and are looking backwards to less precise, outdated approaches. Despite that, marketers have pervasive skepticism about their existing partners’ abilities to deliver effective strategies and solutions, leaving marketers feeling overwhelmed by the challenges.
79% of marketers are not confident their partners will find a viable solution to replace key identifiers
The growing sentiment among marketers is to shift more budget towards existing walled garden partners post-third-party identifiers. While this reflects a cautious approach to safeguarding advertising efforts in the absence of proven alternatives, this dependence on walled gardens comes with some apprehension as marketers anticipate a potential drop in ROI on paid media as their options are narrowed.
All this to say, Google's latest delay in third-party cookie deprecation has likely made them more enemies than friends while further intensifying the challenges for marketers.
As the industry braces for a new and drastically different advertising landscape, the stakes for marketers have never been higher. They can choose to be boxed into walled gardens and continue to waste dollars with ineffective partners, or they can be successful by exploring the right strategies and working with the right technology providers to help them reach the highest value consumers across the Open Web.
In short, marketers that recognize the urgency and importance to test new solutions and approaches for effective post-third-party identifier activation now will see sustained, if not improved, media performance and increased competitiveness, while the marketers that don’t will not just fall behind… they’ll never recover.
---
## Epsilon Third-Party Cookie Deprecation Study Uncovers Nearly 75% of Marketers Not Testing or Investing in Resilient Activation Partners
Type: eps_pressRelease
URL: /epsilon-third-party-cookie-deprecation-study-uncovers-nearly-75-of-marketers-not-testing-or-investing-in-resilient-activation-partners
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Epsilon Third-Party Cookie Deprecation Study Uncovers Nearly 75% of Marketers Not Testing or Investing in Resilient Activation Partners
On the heels of another delay with the deprecation of third-party cookies, Epsilon has released a new study revealing that most marketers are unhappy with Google’s moves and feel underprepared and uncertain about their advertising future, yet still aren’t actively seeking new solutions: Preparing for a world without third-party cookies
78% of marketers feel negative emotions towards Google’s move
73% of marketers are concerned about the potential loss in their ability to effectively do ‘person-based advertising’
On one hand, our research shows that most marketers (~60%) are expanding their first-party data assets. They recognize the importance of owning and leveraging their own data and are investing resources to build it into a foundation for targeted advertising and personalized customer experiences—one of very few encouraging trends from our report.
On the other hand, while marketers are expanding their first-party data strategies, the study also revealed that many marketers are not adequately investing in seeking partners whose ability to activate first-party data will survive third-party identifier deprecation.
Only 26% of marketers are testing with new, more resilient partners
The hesitancy to explore and adopt alternative activation methods reveals a significant gap in readiness for the post-cookie era. Instead, many marketers are choosing to rely on their current partners to furnish solutions for post-third-party identifier activation and are looking backwards to less precise, outdated approaches. Despite that, marketers have pervasive skepticism about their existing partners’ abilities to deliver effective strategies and solutions, leaving marketers feeling overwhelmed by the challenges.
79% of marketers are not confident their partners will find a viable solution to replace key identifiers
The growing sentiment among marketers is to shift more budget towards existing walled garden partners post-third-party identifiers. While this reflects a cautious approach to safeguarding advertising efforts in the absence of proven alternatives, this dependence on walled gardens comes with some apprehension as marketers anticipate a potential drop in ROI on paid media as their options are narrowed.
All this to say, Google's latest delay in third-party cookie deprecation has likely made them more enemies than friends while further intensifying the challenges for marketers.
As the industry braces for a new and drastically different advertising landscape, the stakes for marketers have never been higher. They can choose to be boxed into walled gardens and continue to waste dollars with ineffective partners, or they can be successful by exploring the right strategies and working with the right technology providers to help them reach the highest value consumers across the Open Web.
In short, marketers that recognize the urgency and importance to test new solutions and approaches for effective post-third-party identifier activation now will see sustained, if not improved, media performance and increased competitiveness, while the marketers that don’t will not just fall behind… they’ll never recover.
---
## Epsilon Helps Marketers Fully Capture the Value of SMS/MMS, Mobile, Email and Emerging Channels with New Capabilities
Type: eps_pressRelease
URL: /mms-mobile-email-and-emerging-channels-with-new-capabilities
Last Modified: 2025-10-23T12:31:18Z
# Epsilon Helps Marketers Fully Capture the Value of SMS/MMS, Mobile, Email and Emerging Channels with New Capabilities
In the ever-evolving landscape of digital marketing, staying ahead means meeting your customers where they are. With third-party cookies fading away, that task has never been more daunting. Fortunately, for marketers tapping into cross-channel customer engagement —including SMS/MMS, mobile and email—meeting customers where they are, and whenever they’ve opted in, is easier than ever.
Data from a soon-to-be released Epsilon study found that consumers prefer to see brand updates, product offers or new messages through email and text/SMS. Further underscoring their value, email messaging continues to be one of the most important and valuable communication medium for marketers, generating $42 for every $1 spent. Unfortunately, according to Forrester’s ConsumerVoices panel, just 6% of 759 respondents found promotional emails to be well-suited to their needs. (The Inbox Intimacy Conundrum, Forrester Research, Inc., April 12, 2023).
Building relationships with consumers is harder, and more digitally driven, than ever. Every interaction represents a new opportunity to build or deepen a relationship, which is why we are reimagining our solution to ensure every interaction feels tailor-made. It is an identity-first data-activation platform that empowers marketers to harness the power of their data when the future of digital marketing is uncertain.
We are building on our continued success to bring the industry a next-generation platform poised to redefine how marketers connect with their customers wherever they are and empower marketers to:
• Ignite revenue with personalization at scale with a market-leading identity resolution platform, allowing personalized experiences across email, SMS/MMS, mobile and more when your customers opt in to receive messages from you.
• Launch campaigns with confidence through Epsilon’s intuitive user interface and pre-built curated templates, making it easier than ever to launch impactful campaigns. Plus, advanced testing and reporting capabilities will enable messaging optimization for maximum impact.
• Unleash the power of AI and automation to optimize campaigns in real time and stay true to a brand’s voice to create engaging content.
• Seamlessly integrate with Epsilon’s CDP, Epsilon Customer, and 100+ pre-built integrations and core functionalities, providing a holistic view of customers and their journeys. The unified approach ensures consistent and personalized messaging across all touchpoints.
Marketing hinges on personalized experiences and with our re-imagined platform, marketers can directly engage with consumers who have opted in. With a post-cookie world on the horizon, marketers are worrying about their next steps, which is why now is the time to make sure your cross-channel marketing is done right. Click here to be part of the next generation.
---
## JOHN LEWIS LAUNCHES RETAIL MEDIA PLATFORM TO CONNECT BRANDS AND CUSTOMERS
Type: eps_pressRelease
URL: /john-lewis-launches-retail-media-platform
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# JOHN LEWIS LAUNCHES RETAIL MEDIA PLATFORM TO CONNECT BRANDS AND CUSTOMERS
London, 31 July, 2024: John Lewis has announced a suite of new retail media capabilities, helping brands connect with customers shopping on johnlewis.com. The move will allow brands to create and manage their own campaigns, including via banner ads and sponsored product listings. It also offers users a clear dashboard showing exactly how their campaigns are performing, how customers are engaging, and how many sales are coming through.
Brands can maintain always-on campaigns, and quickly adapt to seasonal trends and sales peaks such as Back to School and Black Friday. In addition, thanks to real-time data and performance metrics, brands can measure the impact of their initiatives right down to the individual product level and search terms.
The options have been delivered in partnership with Epsilon, the global advertising and marketing technology company which recently launched a similar offer for Waitrose.
As well as helping household names connect with millions of customers, the new options can also be particularly helpful for helping customers explore new brands that are relevant to their search and browse activity.
All ads are carefully reviewed by John Lewis’ in-house team to make sure they are suitable, beneficial and relevant for customers. The investment underscores its dedication to improving the customer experience by better connecting individuals with the brands they care about, at the right time in their purchase journey.
Jemma Haley,Retail Media Business & Proposition Strategy at John Lewis, said: “While retailers have long been advertising on their own websites, we want to improve the experience, and make it even easier for customers to connect with the brands and products that meet their needs.
“As part of this, we’re providing brands with more targeted and relevant ways to connect with customers. Our shoppers are unique in terms of the ways they research, browse and buy, and we need to be ready to meet them in the moments they are ready to purchase or engage with a brand.”
Owen McAdam, Trade Marketing Manager, BSH UK & Ireland, commented, "John Lewis’ sponsored product ads performance is exceptional, driving both awareness and sales. Placing our Bosch and Siemens products in a prestigious setting like John Lewis helps to maintain a premium image and resonates with discerning consumers. The platform's ease of use, campaign control, and transparency make it an invaluable tool for our marketing strategy."
Epsilon’s Regional CEO Europe, Alban Villani, added: “John Lewis offers a unique and scaled audience across its online and in-store environments. People visit John Lewis in search of inspiration, to validate their research and to make purchases that often initiate a longer-term brand relationship. It’s a real opportunity for brands to evolve their strategies beyond performance goals to think about how they engage customers in ways that build awareness and loyalty.
“We look forward to supporting John Lewis further as they continue to test and learn across categories and build an even more impactful omni-channel media proposition for brands.
###
About the John Lewis Partnership
The John Lewis Partnership owns and operates two of Britain's best-loved retail brands - John Lewis and Waitrose. Started as a radical experiment over a century ago, the Partnership is now the largest employee-owned business in the UK, with over 74,000 employees who are all Partners in the business. The Partnership is purpose-driven, existing to create a fairer and more sustainable future for our Partners, customers, brands and communities. Our Purpose not only inspires our principles, drives our decisions and acts as our guide to be a force for good, it steers us to do things differently and better - all in service of creating a happier world for everyone and everything we touch.
For more details contact pressoffice@johnlewis.co.uk or 01344 825 080
About Epsilon
Epsilon is a global advertising and marketing technology company positioned at the center of Publicis Groupe. Epsilon accelerates clients’ ability to harness the power of their first-party data to activate campaigns across channels and devices, with an unparalleled ability to prove outcomes. The company’s industry-leading technology connects advertisers with consumers to drive performance while respecting and protecting consumer privacy. Epsilon’s people-based identity graph allows brands, agencies and publishers to reach real people, not cookies or devices, across the open web. For more information, visit epsilon.com.
---
## Epsilon adds Simrat Sawhney to Leadership Team as VP, Sales and Client Growth for Asia
Type: eps_pressRelease
URL: /epsilon-adds-simrat-sawhney-to-leadership-team-as-vp-sales-and-client-growth-for-asia
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Epsilon adds Simrat Sawhney to Leadership Team as VP, Sales and Client Growth for Asia
Sawhney to lead commercial growth for Epsilon focusing on India, Southeast Asia, and expansion into North Asia
SINGAPORE – SEPTEMBER 24, 2024 – Epsilon, a global advertising and marketing technology company, today announced that it has added industry-veteran Simrat Sawhney to its leadership team as VP, sales and client growth, Asia. Reporting to Regional CEO Alban Villani who oversees India, Southeast Asia and Europe, Sawhney will be responsible for Epsilon’s commercial strategy, sales and client partnerships across Asia, with a focus on India and Southeast Asia. Based in Singapore, Sawhney will oversee the development of Epsilon’s sales team in the Asia Pacific region as it solidifies itself as the leading technology partner for marketers seeking growth and customer loyalty.
“Simrat brings a wealth of experience, personal development coaching and an energy that perfectly align with our ambitious goals,” said Villani. “As we continue to tell the story of Epsilon around the world, we’re eager to bring on strong leaders such as Simrat to introduce our team and industry-leading capabilities to the market.”
Sawhney brings more than 15 years of commercial leadership in the Asia Pacific region and a proven track record of building billion-dollar businesses and driving transformative growth. Prior to joining Epsilon, she led ad sales for Global Gaming as the Head of Sales for the vertical’s Asia-Pacific Growth business at Meta. In that role, Sawhney was responsible for client partnerships, business development, and account management across Greater China, Southeast Asia, India, Japan, Korea, Australia and New Zealand.
With more than 40 offices and 9,000 employees around the world, Epsilon’s industry-leading technology enables advertisers to harness the power of their first-party data and connect with consumers to drive performance. The company’s platform drives full-funnel growth – from targeted programmatic advertising to onsite personalization and retail media – fostering lasting relationships that unlock each brand's full potential.
“Epsilon offers marketers the most comprehensive approach to marketing technology, and the company’s ability to connect data, insights and identity across the entire customer journey is a game-changer,” said Sawhney. “I'm energized by the opportunity to contribute through a perfect blend of people and commercial leadership as I lead a talented team to drive growth for our clients and solidify Epsilon's position as a market leader.”
She continued, “I understand the evolving needs of marketers throughout the customer lifecycle, from user acquisition and onsite personalization to retention and cross-platform measurement. I've consistently delivered results by maintaining a client-centric approach and leveraging targeted strategies, which aligns perfectly with Epsilon’s focus on personalized consumer journeys and measurable business outcomes.”
Sawhney is a graduate of the Strathclyde Business School at the University of Strathclyde and the Lee Kong Chian School of Business at the Singapore Management University. A life-long learner dedicated to mental resilience and continuous self-development, Sawhney is committed to empowering individuals and organizations as a leadership coach and active advocate for diversity, inclusion and community-building. She founded and led Women@ APAC at Meta for five years, co-founded and served as Executive Chair of Connected Women Singapore and worked on several DEI initiatives for the gaming industry. She has also partnered with external organizations such as UN Women, HeForShe and Female Founders, and educational institutions, delivering keynote addresses, promoting STEM education and career opportunities for women in tech.
About Epsilon
Epsilon is a global advertising and marketing technology company positioned at the center of Publicis Groupe. We connect advertisers with consumers to drive performance while respecting and protecting consumer privacy and client data. Epsilon accelerates clients’ ability to harness the power of their first-party data to enhance, activate and measure campaigns with confidence. We believe in an open, privacy-first advertising ecosystem. Over decades, we’ve built the industry’s most comprehensive identity graph to give brands, agencies and publishers the ability to reach real consumers across all channels and the open web. For more information, visit www.epsilon.com.
Contacts
Joanna Ong
Publicis Groupe Asia Pacific
joanna.ong@publicisgroupe.com
Josh Dysart
Epsilon
joshua.dysart@epsilon.com
---
## Lotte Retail Group Accelerates RMN Business
Type: eps_pressRelease
URL: /lotte-retail-group-accelerates-rmn-business
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Lotte Retail Group Accelerates RMN Business
Partners with global ad-tech and martech company Epsilon to launch Retail Media Network
business
SINGAPORE – SEPTEMBER 25, 2024Lotte Retail Group is accelerating its Retail Media Network (RMN) business to provide customized advertising solutions to customers.
Last month, Lotte Retail Group signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Epsilon, a global ad-tech and martech company based in the United States, to launch a retail media service. Lotte Retail Group and Epsilon plan to jointly develop a retail media network system.
A retail media network is a business that provides advertising services not only through online shopping mall search bars and banners but also through various offline store channels. By combining Lotte Retail Group's online and offline channels with Epsilon's ad-tech and data utilization technology, it is expected to build a differentiated retail media business system.
Lotte Retail Group aims to provide highly personalized, customized advertising to customers by integrating the advertising environment in online shopping malls and offline stores that are scattered across different business units such as department stores, marts/supermarkets, Lotte On, Hi-Mart, and Seven Eleven. To this end, it will build an on-and-offline retail media network platform based on 40 commerce and service apps visited by an average of 25 million people per month and 15,000 offline stores nationwide.
For advertisers, it provides one-stop operational convenience that allows them to advertise on various channels owned by Lotte Retail Group through a single integrated platform. In addition, it will enable efficient cost allocation through precise targeting and media optimization based on customer behavior analysis and provide data analysis on ad performance such as the number of product exposures, purchases, and return on investment to create an environment where ads can be executed more effectively.
Kwon Won-sik, Executive Vice President and Head of the RMN Promotion Task Force at Lotte Retail Group, said, "The global RMN market is worth about 200 trillion won and has been growing rapidly every year. Many global retailers are pursuing RMN businesses to increase profitability. Lotte Retail Group plans to foster RMN as a new growth engine for continued growth."
Meanwhile, Epsilon operates over 40 offices worldwide and has partnered with hundreds of retailers around the world to pursue RMN businesses. It has various platforms and data that can provide end-to-end solutions from data to advertising business.
"We are excited to join forces with Lotte to launch their groundbreaking retail media network,” said John Giuliani, CEO at Epsilon. “Lotte is a known innovator in retail, so it’s no surprise that they have been on the forefront of developing this platform and experience in Korea. Our partnership combines our cutting-edge technology and data capabilities with Lotte 's retail prowess, setting the stage for a new era of personalized consumer engagement. We’re eager to help Lotte harness the power of data to deliver impactful, relevant marketing experiences. Together, we’re redefining the future of retail, and the possibilities are truly limitless."
---
## Epsilon Named a Leader in IDC MarketScape for Retail Loyalty Software Providers
Type: eps_pressRelease
URL: /epsilon-named-a-leader-in-idc-marketscape-for-retail-loyalty-software-providers
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Epsilon Named a Leader in IDC MarketScape for Retail Loyalty Software Providers
Epsilon has been named a Leader in the IDC MarketScape: Worldwide Retail Loyalty Software Providers 2024 Vendor Assessment (doc #US51234024, June 2024). We believe this recognition reaffirms that Epsilon puts the customer at the center of the brand experience with superior customer data management and AI, empowering retailers and Consumer Packaged Goods (CPG) brands to build meaningful customer relationships.
Meeting Rapidly Changing Needs with Advanced Capabilities
To meet the needs of today’s consumer, Retailers and CPG brands need intelligent tools that drive performance and create customer conversations well beyond a points program. Epsilon PeopleCloud is a CX platform designed to help brands define their loyalty offering, understand their customers and engage them on the best channel with the right message—all while learning from those interactions.
The IDC MarketScape highlights two of Epsilon’s distinctive loyalty platform capabilities:
Machine Learning and Predictive Analytics: Epsilon embeds AI/ML capabilities into the platform. This includes our proprietary Value, Attrition, and Potential loyalty member segmentation which helps brands automate targeted segment creation and deliver personalized communications. It also comprises Reward Redemption Fraud Detection Management to protect brands from fraudulent behaviors such as misuse of loyalty points and fake accounts.
Emotional Loyalty Measurement: Epsilon has developed a proprietary three-dimensional model—Head/Heart/Wallet—to help brands in the complicated process of measuring emotional loyalty. This score is included in the customer profile dashboard along with other behavioral and financial insights.
Smarter Data Management for More Personalized Customer Experiences
In today’s marketplace, shoppers want to feel valued and respected by brands. These high-value customer relationships are built by talking with consumers, not at them. The collection, understanding and optimization of consented first-party data helps brands create personalized experiences that grow and shift with the customer.
The IDC MarketScape stated, “A key differentiator of the Epsilon loyalty solution lies in its advanced customer data management capabilities.”
Epsilon’s data clean room allows CPG brands to align their first-party data with their partners’ datasets, like retailer transaction data to create actionable profiles while allowing the partner to maintain a high standard of data privacy and security. With persistent identity resolution, it allows brands to go beyond basic audience capabilities and create one-to-one connections with in-market and prospective customers. No matter how much or little data a brand has, Epsilon's clean room solutions find and connect them with the best unique in-market prospects through use of top-notch, privacy-protected consumer data.
Additionally, Epsilon Customer enhances brand insights with proprietary data to fill gaps and increase customer understanding with an accelerated time to value. It's the only customer data platform that doesn’t rely singularly on first-party data or require third-party cookies to stay connected to your customers, allowing for a more detailed and actionable understanding of each customer in a privacy-compliant manner.
Innovating for the Future of Retail and CPG Loyalty
Epsilon’s forward-looking product roadmap is designed to meet the most pressing needs of the retail and packaged goods industries. We’ve incorporated AI into the marketer process to accelerate and streamline customer engagements that are more personal and relevant to each individual shopper. And our advanced insights dashboards provide instant program performance comparisons with industry leaders, helping brands benchmark their loyalty efforts and identify areas for improvement.
We always have our eye on the future to ensure that our clients are innovating with the latest tools and strategies to stay ahead of the competition.
Why Choose Epsilon? Here’s the IDC MarketScape’s Advice...
“Retail companies should consider Epsilon loyalty platform to benefit from its strategic advisory and industry expertise across many fields, including loyalty management program design, digital marketing strategies, advertising, and media campaigns optimizations.”
Looking Ahead
Epsilon is dedicated to helping brands across retail and CPG redefine what loyalty means for their business and for their customers. We believe our position as a Leader in the IDC MarketScape report reflects our dedication to innovation, excellence and the success of the brands we work with.
For more details on the IDC MarketScape report and our position as a Leader, click here.
---
## Epsilon announces participation in AWS Data Exchange
Type: eps_pressRelease
URL: /epsilon-announces-participation-in-aws-data-exchange
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Epsilon announces participation in AWS Data Exchange
DALLAS – November 15, 2019 – Epsilon®, a global leader in interaction management, today announced participation in AWS Data Exchange, a new service that makes it easy for millions of Amazon Web Services (AWS) customers to securely find, subscribe to, and use third-party data in the cloud. Starting today, authenticated AWS users will now have access to Epsilon proprietary data through AWS Data Exchange. The availability of Epsilon’s aggregated consumer data, including a national consumer marketing file and a comprehensive transactional database will enable enhanced planning, stronger insights, and improved analytics models.
Epsilon’s proprietary data includes:
National consumer marketing file, with vast attributes, which helps clients to quickly identify the insights, needed to address critical business questions.
Comprehensive transactional database, which offers exclusive access to a multi-sourced transactional dataset capturing $2T of aggregated consumer spend across hundreds of leading merchants. This database helps clients target valuable customers and learn what they spend with them and their top competitors.
“We are very excited to be one of the first providers to make data available on AWS Data Exchange. We are looking forward to helping clients tap into even deeper insights with the addition to our data files,” says Stacey Hawes, President, Data Practice at Epsilon.
Through AWS Data Exchange, customers can find and subscribe to more than 1,000 data products from more than 80 qualified data providers including Epsilon in just a few minutes. AWS Data Exchange provides this growing list of qualified data providers with a secure and transparent channel to grow their revenues by reaching millions of AWS customers through the AWS Marketplace and lower their costs by not having to develop and maintain any data delivery, entitlement, or billing technology.
“The availability of data sets across categories like retail, CPG, financial services, and media & tech can help AWS customers worldwide make more informed marketing and media planning decisions,” said Stephen Orban, General Manager, AWS Data Exchange, Amazon Web Services, Inc. "We are delighted to have Epsilon available on AWS Data Exchange to help our customers harness the power of AWS to build smarter applications and innovate faster.”
To get started with AWS Data Exchange, visit https://aws.amazon.com/data-exchange
---
## Epsilon Strengthens Its Automotive Lifecycle Marketing Solution with Addition of SearchForce
Type: eps_pressRelease
URL: /epsilon-strengthens-its-automotive-lifecycle-marketing-solution-with-addition-of-searchforce
Last Modified: 2025-10-28T17:39:36Z
# Epsilon Strengthens Its Automotive Lifecycle Marketing Solution with Addition of SearchForce
DALLAS — January 06, 2020 — Epsilon®, a global leader in interaction management, today announced that the SearchForce technology platform and capabilities will be integrated into its Automotive business.
SearchForce, a leading search and social media software-as-a-service platform, serves over 600 automotive dealers in the U.S., providing a customizable advertising software platform that enables clients to create, automate and optimize digital advertising campaigns, dramatically reducing campaign management overhead. SearchForce works across paid search and social media channels, providing features that help automotive dealers reach customers and drive revenue.
Epsilon’s Automotive business brings together data, decisioning and channel activation into an end-to-end automotive lifecycle marketing platform tailored specifically for dealers and auto manufacturers. Epsilon currently works with seven of the top ten global auto manufacturers helping clients align the customer, vehicle and dealer across channels. SearchForce will complement Epsilon’s existing omnichannel stack that serves over 11,000 dealers to help clients deliver personalized experiences at scale.
“The evolution of the digital landscape has greatly impacted how consumers research and purchase cars. Automotive companies need data and technology solutions that address how consumers want to be communicated with, from buying a car, to bringing it in for service, to upgrading to the latest model,” said Cathy Lang, President, Automotive of Epsilon. “As brands continue to invest more in digital, the SearchForce platform will play a critical role within Epsilon. We’ve heard great feedback from clients on how SearchForce enables them to maximize the ROI of their search and social media budgets and look forward to embedding their unique offering within the company.”
Jeff Rachor, Chief Executive Officer of Berkshire Hathaway Automotive described the impact of SearchForce on his dealers. “The SearchForce platform makes it incredibly easy to make smart buying decisions across paid search and social media. Every dealer should be using this tool to reach their customers and potential customers at the right time with the most relevant message.”
“The SearchForce team has invested many years building a powerful platform that delivers results for clients and drives more advertising revenue. With Epsilon, an industry leader, we will bring together expert skillsets, best in class technologies and rich data assets to provide our clients with transformative results via intelligent digital marketing decisioning systems,” shared Dhiren D’Souza, CEO of SearchForce.
About Epsilon
Positioned at Publicis Groupe's core, Epsilon is a leader in interaction management, empowering brands to transform ordinary customer experiences into meaningful, human experiences. Through a connected suite of products and services, Epsilon combines leading-edge identity management, industrial strength data and technology expertise with big brand acumen gained over five decades working with the industry’s top brands. Our human-powered, data-led marketing delivers unmatched depth, breadth and scale to help brands turn meaningful human interactions into exceptional business outcomes. For more information, visit www.epsilon.com. Follow us on Twitter at @EpsilonMktg.
About SearchForce
Founded in 2004, SearchForce offers a cutting-edge, end-to-end digital ad-technology solution that addresses scalable workflow automation, performance optimization & reporting, bridging the gap between core business objectives and marketing execution across Google, Bing & Facebook.
---
## New Independent Study Commissioned by Epsilon-Conversant Reveals Less Than Half of Marketers Are Fully Capable of Identity Resolution Management
Type: eps_pressRelease
URL: /new-independent-study-commissioned-by-epsilon-conversant-reveals-less-than-half-of-marketers-are-fully-capable-of-identity-resolution-management
Last Modified: 2025-10-28T17:39:47Z
# New Independent Study Commissioned by Epsilon-Conversant Reveals Less Than Half of Marketers Are Fully Capable of Identity Resolution Management
Epsilon-Conversant, a global leader in interaction management, today announced the findings of a commissioned study on the state of identity resolution strategies in marketing, which was conducted by Forrester Consulting on behalf of Epsilon-Conversant.
The study of 200+ marketing and customer data decision-makers explored topics ranging from why companies invest in identity programs, including how they manage their programs and use cases, and the type of identifiers used for programs (email address, cookies, device ID, etc.). The study also explored the respondents’ confidence levels regarding their brands’ identity resolution capabilities.
“Identity is the foundation that allows brands to deliver relevant messages, while reducing waste, customer churn and optimizing return on marketing investment,” said Ric Elert, president at Conversant. “When brands get identity right, it gives them a fighting chance to not only survive but thrive.”
KEY DATA & INSIGHTS
Insight 1: The top goals over the next 12 months for marketers surveyed include winning new customers (34%) and increasing profitability per product/service (38%). Yet, the study reveals that too many programs are unable to measure business and marketing performance.
Overall, 43% of respondents say their brands use their ID resolution programs to measure online and offline marketing performance.
29% of respondents said that they receive excellent support from identity resolution programs for reducing marketing waste.
33% said that they receive excellent support for decreasing customer attrition and 42% for helping increase revenue per customer.
“We speak with marketing executives who tend to be too focused on data collection or campaign execution and aren’t thinking about measurement at all,” said Elert. “Brands that are seeing real results from their people-based advertising are committed to looking at all these areas holistically. You can’t measure performance without strong identity, and if you don’t measure, you won’t know what portion of your marketing spend is being wasted and you won’t have marketing efficiency.”
Insight 2: The study revealed a lack of alignment between C-level executives and less senior respondents regarding real-time application of insights, accuracy and persistence of identity. C-level executives who responded to the survey were:
25% more likely than directors to be extremely confident in their customer profiles’ completeness and accuracy;
32% more likely than directors to rate their programs’ ability to reach people over time as excellent; and
16% more likely to believe their brands are ready to leverage new online and offline customer data to update customer profiles and activate against new information.
“The net result of this misalignment is significant damage to a brands’ ability to succeed. A lack of program ownership can exacerbate the measurement and performance problems … because it can lead to a lack of true understanding across teams,” writes Forrester Consulting in the study. “Brands with misaligned identity resolution are left with broken customer experiences, wasted marketing spend, and lost opportunities to expand customer relationships with relevant cross-sell and upsell offers.”
“In the era of the direct brand economy, customer engagement has become the brand differentiator, said Elert. “Brands are challenged to deliver on customer expectations across every interaction while dealing with the complexity of the mar tech and ad tech supply chain and increased privacy concerns. Building a unified customer identity is central to delivering on consumer expectations and company growth.”
Visit conversantmedia.com to download the complete study.
About Epsilon
Positioned at Publicis Groupe's core, Epsilon is a leader in interaction management, empowering brands to transform ordinary customer experiences into meaningful, human experiences. Our connected suite of products and services combine leading-edge identity management, industrial strength data and technology expertise with big brand acumen gained over five decades working with the industry’s top brands. Our human-powered, data-led marketing delivers unmatched depth, breadth and scale to help brands turn meaningful human interactions into exceptional business outcomes. For more information, visit www.epsilon.com. Follow us on Twitter at @EpsilonMktg.
Epsilon® is a trademark of Epsilon Data Systems, LLC.
###
---
## Nearly 80 percent of marketers don’t have or use the right technology to deliver one-to-one marketing, latest study from The CMO Club and Conversant reveals
Type: eps_pressRelease
URL: /latest-study-from-the-cmo-club-and-conversant
Last Modified: 2025-10-28T17:40:02Z
# Nearly 80 percent of marketers don’t have or use the right technology to deliver one-to-one marketing, latest study from The CMO Club and Conversant reveals
The CMO Club, in thought leadership with Conversant®, today announced the findings of a study to better understand marketers’ use of technology to create seamless personal consumer connections.
The CMO Club Solution Guide, “5 Ways to Win Customers with Tech,” was augmented by a survey of more than 60 senior marketers and in-depth insights from executives at Edward Jones, Innisfree Hotels, Studio Movie Grill, TD Bank, TIAA and Western Union.
Insights gleaned from the research uncovered these key solutions:
Unite each customer’s data and activity into one view.
Ditch cookie-based messaging for person-level knowledge.
Dynamically personalize each message—in real time.
Measure what matters: incremental sales.
Automate digital marketing with the right end-to-end technology.
“Brands realize it’s about bonding, not branding. In order to reach an emotional connection with their customers, brands must create a personalized digital media experience, which requires that you have the right technology in place to continuously deliver those experiences.” said Pete Krainik, CEO and Founder, The CMO Club. “This customized, curated CMO Club Solution Guide provides senior marketers with 5 proven and specific solutions, gained from challenges other CMOs have faced, to help other marketers create effective digital experiences.”
“Understanding how consumers are spending their time and money is only part of the equation,” said Ric Elert, president at Conversant. “Brands have to be able to recognize consumers across their devices and reach them with relevant and unique conversations. That means working with a partner that not only has the right technology, but also the ability to be nimble and make adjustments as needed to ensure marketers are getting the most from their investment and optimizing return on ad spend.”
The survey also found that 52% of marketers connect with fewer than 50% of their customers online.
“The challenge with people having multiple devices per user and shared devices in a household is that it can be difficult to serve up relevant content for a specific individual,” said Ivy Brown, TIAA, VP Brand Marketing & Advertising in responding to the survey. “iPads can be used by a couple of people in the family, plus you’re on your desktop or you’re on your phone, which can further complicate creating a seamless advertising engagement. That’s an industry conundrum that absolutely must be solved. How do you match multiple users and sessions on a shared device or single users across several devices?”
Results from the survey, and insights regarding how to win today’s customer with technology, are available in “5 Ways to Win Customers with Tech” at conversantmedia.com/cmo.
CMO Club members can view the The CMO Club Solution Guide here.
###
About the CMO Club
The CMO Club is the world's most engaged and inspired community of Senior Marketing Executives who help each other solve their biggest challenges within a candid, trusted and sharing environment. Collaboration fueled by inspiring events and within the members-only Digital Solutions Clubhouse raises the standard for what is required to be a successful Chief Marketing Officer. With more than 650 members, The CMO Club is the go-to center for today's Senior Marketer for peer-based personal and career success support. For more details, please visit http://www.thecmoclub.com.
About Conversant
Conversant® is the digital media arm of Epsilon® and a leader in personalized digital marketing. We help the world's biggest companies grow by creating personalized experiences that deliver higher returns for brands and greater satisfaction for people. We offer a fully integrated personalization platform, personalized media programs and one of the world's largest affiliate marketing networks—CJ Affiliate by Conversant®—all fueled by a deep understanding of what motivates people to engage, connect and buy. For more information, please visit http://www.conversantmedia.com.
For more information, contact:
Cassady Nordeen
Blast PR on behalf of The CMO Club
+1.718.644.0273
cassady@blastpr.com
Josh Dysart
Director, Public Relations
Conversant
jdysart@conversantmedia.com
312.477.5368
---
## Publicis Groupe launches The Pact, Powered by Epsilon to Guarantee Business Results for U.S. Midsize Companies
Type: eps_pressRelease
URL: /publicis-groupe-launches-the-pact-powered-by-epsilon-to-guarantee-business-results-for-u.s.-midsize-companies
Last Modified: 2025-10-28T17:42:11Z
# Publicis Groupe launches The Pact, Powered by Epsilon to Guarantee Business Results for U.S. Midsize Companies
The Pact: a business outcomes solution that guarantees KPIs including sales, new client acquisition, return-on-ad spend, from digital marketing investments
Provides 100% refund to clients if The Pact does not deliver the agreed outcomes
Powered by the U.S.’ most accurate and stable identity management platform from Epsilon and Publicis’ market-leading media scale
April 30, 2020 - Publicis Groupe [Euronext Paris: FR0000130577, CAC 40] today unveiled The Pact, Powered by Epsilon, a new solution to provide U.S. midsize businesses with guaranteed outcomes, to maximize their return-on-advertising spend through the current crisis and to set the foundation for these businesses to be recovery ready.
Every marketing dollar invested in The Pact will be guaranteed to drive real business outcomes such as sales, new customer acquisitions, return-on-advertising spend, registrations, or other agreed KPIs. If results are not delivered, 100% of The Pact investment will be refunded.
Arthur Sadoun, Chairman & CEO of Publicis Groupe, commented: “With the acquisition of Epsilon, the plan has always been to create data-led packages using AI technology, to guarantee outcomes. We’ve accelerated that product roadmap in service of the times, and we’re starting with the clients that need it most: midsized companies.
While they may be focused on cutting costs to weather the current storm, they are also well aware that driving sales is critical both now and when recovery returns.
They need to move immediately and create measurable business impact with scarce resources. Every dollar invested will have to deliver.
This is why we have created this unique product that is available now and allows clients to make investments backed by guarantees against targeted outcomes. If we don’t deliver, they get a total refund.
Midsized companies have very clear and measurable KPIs including sales, registration, coupon redemption, and new customer acquisition. These distinct KPIs allow for quick alignment on success criteria.
At a moment when lockdowns have generated new digital behaviors leading to massive additional insight on individual customers, we are able to bring to our clients what they need most in this uncertain period: the confidence to make the right investment for the future of their business.
After accelerating on Marcel for our people, we are now doing the same for our clients with The Pact.
The Pact is the living proof of our commitment to help our clients get through the crisis today and transform for the world of tomorrow.
The Pact is a package that combines the power of Epsilon’s CORE ID and AI with the unrivalled scale of Publicis Media. Epsilon’s CORE ID is the most accurate and stable identity management platform in the U.S. It represents 200+ million people and is rooted in transactional data underpinned by powerful AI. Publicis Media boasts the largest media buying operation in the US, delivering unparalleled efficiency and competitive advantage for businesses.
Together, through The Pact, these capabilities tap into the proliferation of new data signals from rapidly changing consumer behaviors – such as increased streaming, evolving TV viewership and shopping shifting from in-store to online – to drive timely, relevant messaging. Epsilon’s CORE ID serves as the backbone for The Pact AI models that self-learn and re-write themselves every second to optimize to targeted KPIs. The Pact harnesses the power of billions of digital contextual signals to deliver rich audiences, dynamic creative and one-to-one personalization at scale. The Pact clients will be provided with transparent measurement of every marketing impression and conversion, with a guaranteed return.
Bryan Kennedy, CEO of Epsilon, said: “The rapid shift of behavioral data signals from our new normal of social distancing and shelter in place has further enriched the heart of Epsilon, Publicis Groupe’s data platform, by increasing digital touchpoints by more than 20%, making it an even more powerful, precise source for consumer understanding and personalization at scale.
By combining these newly boosted signals with our set of 200 million CORE IDs, powerful machine learning and a private exchange of thousands of publishers, we created an outcome-based product for clients who need it most.”
About Publicis Groupe – The Power of One
Publicis Groupe [Euronext Paris FR0000130577, CAC 40] is a global leader in communication. The Groupe is positioned at every step of the value chain, from consulting to execution, combining marketing transformation and digital business transformation. Publicis Groupe is a privileged partner in its clients’ transformation to enhance personalization at scale. The Groupe relies on ten expertise concentrated within four main activities: Communication, Media, Data and Technology. Through a unified and fluid organization, its clients have a facilitated access to all its expertise in every market. Present in over 100 countries, Publicis Groupe employs around 83,000 professionals.
www.publicisgroupe.com | Twitter:@PublicisGroupe | Facebook | LinkedIn | YouTube | Viva la Difference!
For more information on The Pact, Powered by Epsilon, visit epsilon.com/the-pact
---
## Epsilon Named a Leader for Email Marketing Services; Highest Ranked in Current Offering category and cited as having Strongest Professional Services in the Study
Type: eps_pressRelease
URL: /epsilon-named-a-leader-for-email-marketing-services
Last Modified: 2025-10-28T17:42:27Z
# Epsilon Named a Leader for Email Marketing Services; Highest Ranked in Current Offering category and cited as having Strongest Professional Services in the Study
Epsilon received the highest scores possible in the analytics, artificial intelligence, data integration & privacy and security criteria within the current offering category
DALLAS — May 12, 2020 — Epsilon®, a global leader in interaction management, today announced that it was named a Leader in the May 2020 report “The Forrester Wave™: Email Marketing Service Providers, Q2 2020” by Forrester Research, Inc., which evaluated the Epsilon PeopleCloud Messaging* platform.
The report states, “Epsilon stays strong as an email agency. A longtime powerhouse in this study, Epsilon continues a model that many email service providers have eschewed: It balances good email technology with the strongest professional services in the study.”
“Change across consumer industries has accelerated. As marketers search for ways to drive sales, email has regained its place as a primary and profitable channel to reach customers,” said Oded Benyo, President, Messaging and International Offerings at Epsilon. “We believe our longtime leadership in email proves the value of a partner that combines AI-led data activation, technology and services to help marketers adapt quickly to changing business needs. Now is the time for marketers to move beyond sending episodic email and instead focus on developing customer conversations over time that create sustainable brand growth.”
According to Forrester, data integration, artificial intelligence (AI) and professional services differentiate and “today’s marketers care about how immediately they can segment off of myriad data types; if AI helps optimize process, not just creative; and if the vendor provides a level of professional services that suits their needs.” In the report, Epsilon ranked highest in the current offering category and received the highest scores possible in the analytics, artificial intelligence, data integration and privacy and security criteria. Epsilon also received the top score in the services criterion.
For the full report “The Forrester Wave™: Email Marketing Service Providers, Q2 2020” click here.
About Epsilon
Positioned at Publicis Groupe's core, Epsilon is a leader in interaction management, empowering brands to transform ordinary customer experiences into meaningful, human experiences. Through a connected suite of products and services, Epsilon combines leading-edge identity management, industrial strength data and technology expertise with big brand acumen gained over five decades working with the industry’s top brands. Our human-powered, data-led marketing delivers unmatched depth, breadth and scale to help brands turn meaningful human interactions into exceptional business outcomes. For more information, visit www.epsilon.com. Follow us on Twitter at @EpsilonMktg.
*Epsilon PeopleCloud Messaging was formerly known as Agility Harmony.
---
## 65% of consumers fed up with irrelevant brand communications
Type: eps_pressRelease
URL: /holidayretail
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# 65% of consumers fed up with irrelevant brand communications
London, 24 August 2017: Almost two-thirds (65%) of consumers say companies, retailers or brands send them too many irrelevant communications, according to new research.
According to the 2017 Holiday Retail Outlook Report by Conversant, Epsilon and LoyaltyOne, 87% of 25 to 34-year-olds are more likely to shop at a retailer if it gives personalised offers. Just under a third (60%) of younger shoppers want these personalised offers through their mobile device, compared to a fifth (20%) of baby boomers, and 35% of 18 to 24-year-olds also prefer to communicate with retailers via texting.
When it comes to the top influences on shopping habits, the report highlighted key generational differences. Millennials place the most importance on price and value, as well as the functional and emotional aspects of the shopping experience for deciding which brands to buy from. Value for money is also an important consideration for generation X, who also expect innovation that will make their busy lives easier. For baby boomers, functionality is the top influence on where and how to shop.
Elliott Clayton, VP of Media UK, Conversant, commented, “Consumers expect a lot more from brands today. They certainly do not want to be inundated with mass, irrelevant communications and it is only by focusing on true personalised communications that brands will be able to build a mutually beneficial relationship with consumers.”
The report also confirms the trend for consumers making purchases across different channels. The majority (80%) of consumers now buy online and have their purchases delivered and 75% compare product prices online. Three quarters (75%) of online sales, excluding Amazon, were from brands with a brick and mortar presence, and just over half (51%) of consumers buy online and pick up in store.
Clayton concluded, “Though most consumers are buying online, the purchasing process is still operating across multiple channels. Retailers and brands need to have an ongoing one-to-one conversation with consumers across all consumer devices, including offline. Using data is key for brands to stop just serving up the same ads and instead have tailored messages to reach consumers on an individual level across all channels.”
---
## September start for Black Friday and Cyber Monday campaigns results in higher sales
Type: eps_pressRelease
URL: /holidayplanning2018
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# September start for Black Friday and Cyber Monday campaigns results in higher sales
Marketers need to start their campaigns now to maximise sales and revenue during peak week
New research has revealed that when consumers receive promotional messages in September, they are three times more likely to buy products and services during Black Friday and Cyber Monday. According to the study, marketers and advertisers who start their campaigns earlier treble their sales conversion rates compared to those who leave it until November.
According to the research, published by Conversant, a planned approach from September also results in more website visits. The number of consumers visiting websites on Black Friday and Cyber Monday in 2017 was four times higher for those messaged consistently from September, resulting in over half (56%) visiting the brands’ websites, compared with just 13% of those consumers who were first messaged in November.
Getting started early has an even greater effect on certain industries. For those marketers working with fashion brands, commencing creative consumer campaigns for Black Friday and Cyber Monday in September led to a sextupling of sales conversion rates and eight times more website visits in 2017.
“When it comes to Black Friday and Cyber Monday, this research proves that it pays-off to start early with brand-led messaging,” commented Elliott Clayton, Senior Vice President Media UK at Conversant. “After all, just ask yourself as a consumer: are you likely to take notice of a one-off message within the flood of Black Friday promotions, or a slowly built up, tantalising ad campaign that builds up the desirability of a brand during September, then offers you a discount on Black Friday? With so many brands vying for consumers’ limited attention during this peak period, the most successful strategy to ensure that your brand is noticed is to start gradually building up that awareness and to form a relationship with the consumer over time.”
The research further revealed that in 2017 there was an increase in the number of consumers seeing adverts on one device and completing their purchase on a second device. Cross-device conversions increased during the Peak Week of Black Friday and Cyber Monday from 29% in 2016 to more than half (57%) in 2017.
“To draw shoppers to purchase, it’s not only a question of timing your advertising and starting early, it’s also about paying attention to how you reach consumers. Retailers need to build their relationships with consumers by reaching shoppers on all their devices, but to do so it’s essential to recognise exactly who it is using each device before you deliver a message to them,” concluded Clayton.
---
## Ad-savvy Brits clicking less but spending more
Type: eps_pressRelease
URL: /holidayretail2018-2
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Ad-savvy Brits clicking less but spending more
New report reveals 13% decrease in ad clicks over 2017 holiday season – but revenues rise by 33%
London, 7th February, 2018: Brits are spending more but being more selective about the ads they click on, CJ Affiliate’s 2018 Holiday Performance Benchmarks Report has revealed, showing that getting ads right pays off for advertisers. Whilst the UK saw a spike in order and revenue growth over Black Friday and Cyber Monday, the number of clicks on Black Friday fell by 10% and for Cyber Monday they almost halved (-46%). “The good news for retailers is that whilst order numbers only rose by 7%, revenue rose by a colossal 33% compared to the previous year. It boils down to this: smart, persistent, multichannel advertising works,” says Owen Hancock, Head of Strategy for Europe, CJ Affiliate. However, the UK is bucking the general trend. Comparing these results to those for the US and overall in Europe, these markets witnessed an increase in clicks over the Christmas period. The number of people clicking on adverts grew by 9% in the US and the Europeans showed themselves to be even more click-happy, with an average increase of 25% in ad clicks over the holiday season. Hancock concluded, “Marketers need to be aware of two things: firstly, well-targeted, good quality ads will convert. Consumers are being choosier, but are potentially spending more, so there is a huge opportunity for great ads to have a powerful impact. Secondly, what we call the ‘oh-go-on-then’ factor. Many people will browse during their working day, then purchase in the evening when they’re at home or travelling. This means that marketers must persevere with smart retargeting to capture these people and make sure that websites are navigable on mobile and PC. It may seem simple, but many marketers still aren’t putting this into practice. If you want a share of the 33% rise in revenue we saw over the holiday season, it’s an easy change to make.”
About CJ Affiliate by Conversant
CJ Affiliate by Conversant (formerly Commission Junction) is a leading global affiliate marketing network, specialising in pay-for-performance programs to drive results. Our network helps to create connections amid millions of online consumers daily by facilitating equitable, lucrative relationships between advertisers and publishers. Many of the world's most recognised and specialised brands run their affiliate programs on CJ's platform. For more information, please visit http://www.uk.cj.com/.
---
## When should retailers end their online promotions? Research reveals that orders drop after December 19th
Type: eps_pressRelease
URL: /holidayintelligencereport2
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# When should retailers end their online promotions? Research reveals that orders drop after December 19th
More consumers are shopping closer to Christmas, but online sales drop off on 19th December
December 19th marks the beginning of the end for online Christmas shopping, according to CJ Affiliate’s Holiday Intelligence Report. While more consumers are shopping later in December, shoppers stop buying online from December 19th, heading in-store instead.
“Online shopping volumes typically drop by approximately 20% each day from the 19th December until Christmas Eve,” explained CJ Affiliate’s Regional Vice President, Jules Bazley. “It’s highly likely that this is due to shoppers getting nervous about shipping and delivery, and opting to do their last-minute buying in-store instead. This has a clear implication for online retailers – act now, then reduce online activity between the 19th and 24th of December, but be ready to catch the ‘splurge’ after Christmas.”
According to the research, online shopping volumes do increase steadily between Christmas Eve and Boxing Day as shoppers take advantage of greater spare time or buying missed ‘must have’ items – but then drops off until the New Year as the impact of present buying really hits bank accounts. This is in contrast to 2016, where consumers were ordering for Christmas delivery until the 21st December and continued to shop online for gift cards and subscriptions right up until Christmas Eve.
When it comes to the final lead up to Christmas, consumers are concerned about speed not price, with December deal initiatives, like free shipping day, failing to spike interest for consumers. Indeed, rather than inciting an increase in sales, free shipping day saw a decrease in overall sales in 2017. The week period including free shipping day also witnessed a four percent decrease in global revenue share, compared to the same time frame in 2016.
“Plenty of retailers offer free shipping as a given now, so promotions on the back of free shipping day this year would not be budget well spent. Instead, marketers should focus their attention on promoting services like express or next day delivery as well as gift cards and subscriptions. And for those marketers who are really feeling the Christmas pinch, with Boxing Day seeing little uplift in sales, from December 19th you can save that budget for those January sales,” concluded Bazley.
---
## BAM moves beyond re-targeting, driving £700,000 in incremental revenue
Type: eps_pressRelease
URL: /case-study-1
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# BAM moves beyond re-targeting, driving £700,000 in incremental revenue
Shifting to long-term demand-driving advertising has attracted 18,000 new customers and boosted repeat purchases
BAM, the ethical retailer of bamboo clothing, has generated £700,000 of incremental revenue through updating its display advertising programme. This overhaul has also spurred new customer growth, with BAM winning 18,000 new customers. BAM’s new display programme uses Conversant’s CRM Media Solution to show a mixture of brand, offer and product ads, customised to the individual viewer and providing a much more relevant advertising experience.
BAM bamboo clothing, the environmentally sustainable and ethically-minded retailer founded by former pole vault athlete and explorer David Gordon, had previously focused on running re-targeting and struggled to measure ROI for its advertising efforts. Realising the need to align its retention and acquisition strategies across online and offline, BAM turned to Conversant to build a new personalised display programme and be able to grow its channels.
“In the old days it was pretty straight forward; the customer saw an ad, used an offer code, and your cost of acquisition was very easy to work out. For digital display, I had been used to working with the mentality of the banner and the creative – that how it looks is not as important as getting the click. But we’ve evolved beyond that now – just looking at the different touch-points of how customers are interacting shows you can’t take a single journey anymore. The trick is to find a model that gives credit where credit is due,” explained Steve Newman, eCommerce Manager at BAM.
On Conversant’s recommendation, BAM’s new display programme aimed to provide a long-term view and drive demand over time throughout the whole sales funnel. As part of this, messages to consumers are now personalised according to a huge range of variables, notably whether they are return or new customers and what they as a buyer want to see, such as offers or similar items.
“This challenge of alignment and measurement is not unique to BAM,” commented Elliott Clayton, Senior Vice President of Media UK, Conversant. “It’s one that many other brands are coming across as the customer journey evolves. Using re-targeting alone there’s no way for marketers to know where the real value is coming from and precious budget should be invested – not to mention, the limited opportunity for bringing in new customers. But the value this new programme has already driven speaks for itself.”
As a result of this change in approach, BAM witnessed a 30% increase in customers making a second purchase and a 9% increase in orders per person. BAM also saw a 20% increase in site visitation after customers had seen a BAM advert from Conversant. “In the occasional month when we had no direct mail activity – so it didn’t have a strong impact ‒ I could only see Conversant as the influencer,” said Newman. “That was when it clicked that what they’d been telling us was incredibly accurate – the programme was doing exactly what it was meant to be doing. It shows touch-points across our entire attribution model – it’s helping all the other channels in our marketing mix.”
To accurately measure ROI for this new programme, BAM harnessed Conversant’s test and control measurement – similar to A/B testing – alongside their existing attribution system. Instead of relying on clicks, test and control allowed BAM to focus on the long-term growth of the brand and incremental value, rather than short-term goals. In turn, this enabled BAM to see the true lift created by the programme and allowed full transparency into the programme’s return.
Newman concluded, “With the test and control mode they (Conversant) have ‒ unique to them ‒ you can do very quick calculations; ‘if I take that tiny percent uplift out, that’s how much impact it can have’ – which could be huge. Some of the customer insights they were able to give us about our audience were really useful as well. They could show us stuff I’d been screaming out for!”
---
## The personalisation mismatch: Rift grows between brand offerings and consumer desires
Type: eps_pressRelease
URL: /epsilon-report
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# The personalisation mismatch: Rift grows between brand offerings and consumer desires
Buyers want customisation and service but brands offering discounts
Marketers still aren’t getting personalisation right, new research has revealed. According to Epsilon’s new report The Power of me: The impact of personalisation on marketing performance, there is a disconnect between marketers and consumers, with brands failing to understand what their customers want from personalisation.
The personalised experiences most wanted by consumers are customisation and service, with a third of consumers (32%) wanting brands to suit something exactly to them and their needs, and another third (32%) considering service, a company knowing their likes and dislikes, as the most important aspect of personalisation.
However, this does not correlate with the personalised experiences most commonly offered by brands. Brands aren’t focusing on customisation and service but are instead providing consumers with discounts and rewards programmes (31%) or simple recommendations based on previous purchases (22%). In fact, both of these factors are considered far less important by consumers (16% and 8% respectively).
“With the report revealing that 80% of consumers are more likely to do business with a company that offers personalised experiences, it’s a no-brainer. But brands need to be aware that there are so many factors within ‘personalisation’ and this doesn’t always mean saving money on your next purchase,” commented Elliott Clayton, SVP Media UK, Conversant.
Furthermore, beyond brands getting personalised experiences wrong, the report also reveals that almost a third (27%) of consumers feel that brands aren’t improving their personalisation and almost one in 10 (7%) believe brands are actually getting worse at personalisation.
“If consumers feel that brands are offering less personalisation, then clearly something is going very wrong,” concluded Clayton. “The only way for brands to truly understand their customers’ buying motivations and what their consumers want is to access insight on both past and real-time consumer actions and decisions through a true single customer view.
“However, they also need to be able to act on this insight, creating real one-to-one conversations, gradually building them up over time and across all their devices.”
---
## Brits believe in the quality of print and online ads as Germans call for more experiential advertising
Type: eps_pressRelease
URL: /survey-release
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Brits believe in the quality of print and online ads as Germans call for more experiential advertising
Germany shows the least understanding of the need for ads to pay for free content, whilst French, British and American consumers show more patience
Attitudes to online advertising vary wildly across Europe, a new survey has shown. According to research from Conversant, almost half (47%) of Germans want more experiential advertising, compared to just 16% of the UK and USA, and just 11% of the French. Consumers in Germany are also the least tolerant of ads as a means of providing free content, with just 30% admitting that they understand this, compared to 41% of the UK.
“Both the British and Germans are united in pushing for better standards of advertising,” commented Elliott Clayton, Senior Vice President, Conversant. “Half of Germany [50%] and 47% of the UK dislike being followed around the web by the same ads, as well as 39% of France, showing that many brands are using retargeting poorly. Clearly, a great deal needs to change if advertising is to achieve its objective of building brands effectively.”
Despite these objections to advertising, British and US consumers still have significant faith in ads, with 80% of both saying that more traditional forms of advertising still have a place in the world. However, many consumers demanded change across the industry, with almost half (48%) of the UK believing that the advertising industry needs to change, as well as 40% of French consumers.
“What consumers want from advertising is coming through loud and clear,” concluded Clayton. “Better quality ads, greater relevancy, and better handling of data. It’s high time that brands realise that adverts aren’t just a quick way of pushing more visitors into the top of their sales funnels, and instead, should be treated as a way of building a close, one-to-one relationship with both existing and potential customers. In return, advertisers will see higher conversion rates throughout their funnel.”
---
## Black Friday: real opportunity in long-lasting customer acquisition, Conversant data reveals
Type: eps_pressRelease
URL: /black-friday-peak-week
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Black Friday: real opportunity in long-lasting customer acquisition, Conversant data reveals
New insight shows long-term boost to customer pipeline following Black Friday and ‘Peak Week’
London, 26th November 2019: This year’s Black Friday will present an opportunity to build new, loyal customers, according to data from Conversant. While the average order value from last year’s Black Friday shoppers remained almost identical to the majority of ‘regular’ customers, the period has the potential to attract – and retain – new buyers.
Conversant’s analysis shows that the average order value from a new customer on Black Friday of 2018 sat at around £75, fluctuating between £70 and £85 across the week – almost identical to that of a ‘regular’ customer.
“’Peek Week’ has historically been seen as a time for bargain hunters, but over the past few years retailers have seen a gradual plateauing of sales in favour of higher orders throughout the surrounding month,” said Elliott Clayton, SVP at Conversant. “While the sales peak in ‘Peak Week’ will be less pronounced, retailers will see an increase in sales over a longer period, plus gain new customers who will come back for more over the following 12 months. It’s a valuable, long-term opportunity, rather than the short, sharp sales rush it’s normally considered as.”
Data from IMRG – a UK-based online retail association – indicates that 2019’s Black Friday will be the worst on record for some years, with only 2-3% growth in sales for some sectors. However, Conversant’s analysis shows that the week and weeks surrounding Peak Week still represent an opportunity for retailers to secure new, loyal customers – in fact, almost 20% (19.4%) of new customers during this period will return to buy again.
“We’re increasingly seeing Black Friday evolve into a mature, accepted shopping period, where retailers can secure returning shoppers who will deliver genuine value,” concluded Clayton. “It has not historically been seen as a good time for long-term lead generation, but this has clearly shifted in recent years. Marketers who adjust their strategies, understand and adapt to consumer preferences can significantly boost their long-term pipeline and make a real, revenue-driving difference to their brands.”
---
## Outsmart not outspend: Domino‘s generates more than £1m with personalised display ads
Type: eps_pressRelease
URL: /dominos-generates-1m-with-personalised-ads
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Outsmart not outspend: Domino‘s generates more than £1m with personalised display ads
UK’s leading pizza brand achieved 10:1 incremental return on ad spend, increasing customer lifetime value and customer purchases in just three months
London, 7th February 2020: In the increasingly crowded delivery market, Domino’s, the UK’s leading pizza brand, has driven a £1.13m boost in incremental revenue in just three months by launching a new digital display advertising programme. Domino’s partnered with Conversant to harness its data to identify and reach consumers, reaching 3.1 million people and achieving an impressive 10:1 incremental return on ad spend.
With over 1,000 stores across the UK, Domino’s has built up its leading status through both its pizzas and its use of technology for better customer experience. But in the past three years, the delivery market has exploded with quick-service restaurants (QSRs) moving into delivery and the emergence of delivery aggregators, such as Deliveroo and Uber Eats. To maintain its market position, Domino’s knew it needed to harness its data and utilise the full breadth of its channels to not only win new customers but retain existing ones who may be tempted to switch to a delivery aggregator.
“There are so many businesses fighting for that pizza or takeaway occasion, and they have deep pockets. We need to be on the front foot when it comes to driving efficiency through data - using our data architecture and understanding of our customers to outsmart competitors. All the while, measuring effectively using a mix of econometrics, last click and revenue incrementality. That's our mantra - to outsmart rather than outspend,” explained Karl Boyce, Head of Digital and CRM at Domino’s.
Whilst already a first mover with channels like social, Spotify or specific publishers thanks to its single customer view database, like other brands, Domino’s hadn’t seen healthy return on investment from standard digital display advertising. With some channels too fragmented and others like TV becoming too expensive, Domino’s turned to personalised digital marketing provider, Conversant, to re-introduce display into its media mix and demonstrate incremental return.
Conversant aided Domino’s to further activate its first-party data, harnessing the solution’s transaction-driven ID map of real British consumers. In turn, this enabled Domino’s to effectively identify and reach the right consumers at scale, simultaneously optimising media buying for measurable return.
Elliott Clayton, Senior Vice President at Conversant said, “We ensured to take the time to really get under the skin of the Domino’s business and truly understand its operational and business challenges before outlining the best strategy. This also meant being fully transparent and engaging with all stakeholders, particularly the likes of the data security and the legal team. We knew we’d then be able to deliver and prove the desired return for Domino’s.”
Now, Domino’s is able to match customers down to a single, pseudonymous customer contact ID, tracking that customer accurately from media delivery through to order. The solution allows delivery of automated, personalised messaging to increase new and existing customer lifetime value, driving purchases across its customer base. Beyond a ten-fold incremental return on an investment of £113,000 - more than double the targeted 4:1 return - it also reached 3.1 million customers. Importantly, the partnership with Conversant has entailed a greater business impact by highlighting the value of marketing data to the wider business.
“Many marketers are trying to drive value in their data, so they're having conversations with board members about getting that data architecture in place, managing compliance and creating audience segments. It is a costly, time-consuming part of anybody's role. For us to be able to create an audience sample and visibly show a return is music to the ears of any head of department trying to validate a business case to their board,” concluded Boyce.
---
## 85% of marketers admit to double vision: majority of CMOs still can’t unify online and offline worlds
Type: eps_pressRelease
URL: /cmoreport
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# 85% of marketers admit to double vision: majority of CMOs still can’t unify online and offline worlds
London, November 7th, 2017: The majority of marketers (85%) are still unable to tie together online and offline customer data, a new report has found. According to the CMO report by Conversant, this is compounded by the admission that a mere 16% of CMOs were ‘very confident’ that they could identify the same person over multiple devices online, running the risk of alienating customers.
“The word personalisation is often bandied about by marketers, but few are actually doing it right,” said Elliott Clayton, VP of Media UK, Conversant. “In fact, the large majority of marketers don’t have sufficient clarity to tell if it’s the same customer online and offline, or between their smartphone and laptop. Not only will this annoy customers, but it’s a waste of marketing spend – you could easily be advertising a product to a customer who just purchased it.”
According to the survey of more than 60 international CMOs, 61% aim to build close customer relationships, but many are failing to use technology to reach customers on a personal level. In fact, only 15% of marketers are confident that they really know their customers, and many aren’t taking basic steps to help correct this and build customer relationships.
“A big obstacle to delivering one-to-one marketing at scale is correctly measuring and tracking customer data,” continued Clayton. “To see clearly and reach customers on a personal level, marketers need to analyse their customers’ purchasing habits and behavioural data online, offline and across devices.”
The group of CMOs admitted that almost two-thirds (65%) of them do not track both online and offline sales and fewer than a quarter (24%) use real-time customer activity to tailor their digital marketing, relying instead on serving one-off messages. A third (34%) of marketers are also still measuring channel impact solely based on click data.
Clayton concluded, “With 17% of all retail spend occurring online[1], it’s essential to understand what’s going on offline. Data is such a vital asset for this, but only if it is used correctly – it’s tempting to rely on lazy metrics like clicks, but these simply don’t gauge return. And if you can’t identify your customers, nor identify incremental improvement from your marketing activity, then you don’t actually know who you’re communicating with and how these communications are affecting your business.”
---
## The price of contemplation: Shoppers browsing on more than one device spend 23% extra
Type: eps_pressRelease
URL: /cross-devicereport2018
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# The price of contemplation: Shoppers browsing on more than one device spend 23% extra
New cross-device study reveals that smartphones usually start the battle for attention – but desktops finish it
London, 2nd May 2018: An indecisive shopper is not necessarily a bad one, according to CJ Affiliate’s new Cross-Device Intelligence Report. Consumers using more than one device to make a purchase spend almost a quarter more (23%) than single-device shoppers. In fact, multi-device shoppers who begin browsing on a smartphone spend 37% more than single-device shoppers, representing a clear opportunity for retailers.
“We’ve all hesitated over a big purchase at one time or another, but this is great news for retailers and marketers,” explains CJ Affiliate’s Head of Strategy for Europe, Owen Hancock. “Longer decision-making processes mean higher value orders, partly because shoppers will be exposed to more products and advertising when they’re browsing for longer periods of time.”
According to the study, almost equal numbers of users start their browsing on ‘mobiles’ and ‘desktops / laptops’ before finishing on a ‘desktop / laptop’ device (30% and 31% respectively) clearly showing that consumers still prefer to finish purchases with a larger display and interface. Slightly more users (48% vs 47%) start cross-device purchases on a smartphone compared to ‘desktop / laptop’ devices, highlighting the smartphone’s ‘browsing power’ in the early stages of buying.
“Cross-device tracking has quickly become an essential tool for marketers,” concluded Hancock. “Without cross device tracking retailers can’t hope to make informed decisions about how to invest their resources effectively and get the best possible results in the future.”
---
## Give us discounts, but make us feel special: Consumers still looking for the perfect loyalty scheme
Type: eps_pressRelease
URL: /holidayretail2018
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Give us discounts, but make us feel special: Consumers still looking for the perfect loyalty scheme
London, 8th January 2018: Despite the highs and lows of loyalty programmes in the last decade, the majority of consumers still want retailers to offer reward schemes, research revealed today. The 2017 Holiday Retail Outlook Report by Conversant, Epsilon and LoyaltyOne found that almost three-quarters (72%) of consumers are more likely to shop at a specific retailer if it offers a loyalty programme – but it needs to be personal.
“Following the Christmas rush, retailers want to hold onto those new customers they enticed in over the Christmas period as well as making sure their existing customers keep coming back,” explained Elliott Clayton, VP of Media UK, Conversant. “Returning customers are highly likely to spend more on their next visit, with retailers seeing a 20% lift in basket size, compared to new customers[1]. Every customer interaction is a chance to solidify that loyalty. It’s about finding the right means to create one-to-one conversations and build up a relationship over time – and loyalty programmes are a tried-and-tested way of achieving that.”
However, whilst the majority of consumers (88%) do want to earn rewards for making purchases, simply offering a loyalty scheme is not enough. More than one in ten (14%) consumers want to be able to use these rewards for experiences, rather than discounts, offers or buying new items. Similarly, nearly one third (32%) of consumers want to receive special services through their loyalty programme and almost one in ten (8%) want to be recognised as having a ‘higher status’ if they are part of a loyalty scheme.
Clayton concluded, “Loyalty programmes are a great way to connect with customers on a deeper level, but brands need to get it right. Consumers want simplicity and meaningful rewards – but also prestige and special treatment for being part of a loyalty scheme. There is still a significant opportunity for loyalty schemes to build long-lasting relationships with customers, but it’s vital that marketers think about what really motivates their audience – something as simple as a free coffee can be a powerful motivator, but it isn’t always the holy grail.”
[1] LoyaltyOne proprietary sources
---
## Coupons and cashback convert within a day; Search and social builds the brand over six weeks
Type: eps_pressRelease
URL: /cross-devicereport
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Coupons and cashback convert within a day; Search and social builds the brand over six weeks
CJ Affiliate study sheds light on affiliate marketing publisher ‘sales velocities’
The majority of sales driven by coupon and cashback offers complete within just twenty-four hours, research has today revealed. According to CJ Affiliate’s Cross-Device Intelligence Report, which examined cross-device purchases, 64% of coupon publishers and 54% of cashback publishers saw conversion in this period, compared to content, search and social publishers, where almost two-fifths (38%) saw conversions between eight and 49 days after the last click on a promotion.
“On average, cross-device purchases have a 23% higher order value than single-device purchases, but clearly, not all publisher strategies have equal ‘sales velocities’,” commented Owen Hancock, Head of Strategy, CJ Affiliate. “Coupons and cashback get quick returns but must be worked with differently to build brand value. Comparatively, search, social and content campaigns have a longer payoff period, but often create a longer-lasting, more memorable impact on consumer buying behaviour.”
The study also examined consumers’ preferred devices and days of the week for making purchases. Unsurprisingly, weekends saw more cross-device sales, with smartphone shopping highest on Fridays and sales on tablets peaking on Sundays. Finally, the greatest number of cross-device sales completed on a desktop occur on Tuesdays, while Saturdays and Sundays see the least number of these kinds of purchases.
“With smartphone shopping reaching its peak on Fridays, it seems that many consumers are revelling in some celebratory end of week purchases, with relaxed browsing happening on tablet devices on Sundays. Similarly, having made it through Monday, a spot of retail therapy on work PCs on a Tuesday may be how a lot of us make it through the start of a new week! Whatever the reasons for buying, these insights highlight the best times and the right devices for marketers to engage with their customers, ensuring they maximise on those high-converting days,” Hancock concluded.
---
## Prime Day is not just for Amazon: Other retailers see 64% spike in revenue
Type: eps_pressRelease
URL: /amazonprimeday
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Prime Day is not just for Amazon: Other retailers see 64% spike in revenue
New figures from CJ Affiliate reveal retailers have witnessed average revenue growth of 64% on Prime Day
Prime Day is not just for Amazon, new research has revealed. Brand new figures from across CJ Affiliate’s global network reveal that from 2016 to 2017, across the two days of Prime Day retailers globally saw an average year on year revenue growth of 64% and year on year sales grew by 38%. This is a huge increase compared with the average global year on year growth for a day in July of 22% and 15% for sales.
“We’ve seen the effects of Black Friday and Cyber Monday but now retailers and marketers should also be marking Prime Day in their calendars, preparing deals to take advantage of the Amazon-inspired shopping phenomenon. Throughout July, many brands will hold their summer sales, but these figures show that it’s on Prime Day that they’re seeing the biggest returns, and if 2018 follows the growth of 2016 and 2017, this is only set to increase” commented Jules Bazley, Regional Vice President, CJ Affiliate.
Pets pampered on Prime Day
Prime Day is not only affecting other retailers’ performance, it is also experiencing unexpected areas of growth. Despite Prime Day traditionally being associated with the buying of consumer electronics, revenue growth for these goods only saw an increase of 22% from 2016 to 2017.
Perhaps unsurprisingly for the summer months, Home & Garden wares are the most popular products, but many shoppers are clearly holding off until Prime Day to stock up on their garden furniture and start their home improvement. Sales increased year on year by an average of 197% and average revenue growth for Home & Garden purchases was 263%.
It is also pampered pets who will likely be reaping the benefits this Prime Day with pet ware the other category to see the largest year on year increase in revenue and sales. Revenue grew by 176% and sales by 200%.
Cultural differences
For brands looking to cash in on the wider impact of Prime Day on consumers, they will need to be aware of regional differences, with the research revealing discrepancies between customer behaviour in the US and Europe.
In both the US and Europe, the first day of deals saw the greatest number of shoppers clicking on ads, witnessing an increase in ad clicks of 14% and 17% respectively. Europeans are quicker to jump on deals for lots of items, whilst US consumers like to mull over their purchases, buying fewer but higher priced items. In Europe, the greatest increase in revenue and sales was on the first day of Prime Day, with year on year revenue growing by 42% and year on year sales by 58%. For shoppers in the US on the other hand, sales were higher on the second day, increasing by 44% and achieving revenue growth of 77%.
“The clear diversity of retail sectors having their revenue and sales influenced by Prime Day is clear proof of how all retailers and marketers can seek to benefit from this mid-summer peak. Knowing the specific products and which day to target certain consumers means that marketers and retailers can better target shoppers and tailor their efforts to maximise this opportunity,” concluded Bazley.
---
## All consumers want for Christmas is free shipping
Type: eps_pressRelease
URL: /christmas2017
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# All consumers want for Christmas is free shipping
London, 21 November 2017: The majority (92%) of consumers’ shopping purchases will be influenced by offers and promotions this Christmas, according to research from the 2017 Holiday Retail Outlook Report by Conversant, Epsilon and LoyaltyOne.
Free shipping (58%) tops customers’ Christmas offers wish list, followed by money off purchases (48%) and “buy one, get one free” offers from retailers (37%). More than half (59%) of shoppers will be using loyalty program rewards for their Christmas purchases and a fifth (21%) of consumers want to gain loyalty points or rewards though their Christmas shopping.
Elliott Clayton, Vice President of Media UK, Conversant, comments, “With retailers making 40% or more of their yearly revenue over the Christmas period, it’s a critical time of year. But competition for business is fierce and retailers need to understand what will best motivate their customers to shop with them. Nobody likes to be the person who offers that terrible Christmas gift and the same principle applies to brands and their Christmas promotions.”
Andy Mulcahy, Strategy and Insight Director, IMRG, adds “Delivery charges can have quite a significant impact on shopper psychology, even when that charge is quite small. A previous survey found that 56% of respondents had abandoned their baskets due to delivery concerns, with a further 68% saying additional costs of delivery were the main reason for doing so[1].” ( IMRG-Blujay UK Consumer Home Delivery Review 2017)
“This is why we see so many retailers competing over delivery promise, offering free delivery – including next-day, if spend is over a certain threshold – and in some cases free returns. This may be an issue of particular sensitivity during the major discounting period around Black Friday – as shoppers are very focused on getting the best possible deal, seeing additional charges added could have a negative impact on a decision to purchase,” comments Mulcahy.
Apart from offers and promotions, the report also highlights the importance of non-controllable, external factors on consumers’ Christmas purchases, with the second greatest influence on consumers for the upcoming holiday season being family and friends (84%). The products themselves do also play a role in purchasing decisions, as consumers are influenced by the product information available on a store’s website (79%) and by product reviews (77%).
Christmas through the ages
The top influences on millennials’ Christmas shopping are loyalty programs and fast checkout. Three-quarters (75%) of millennials would also be very likely to shop at a retailer this Christmas if in-store technology is available.
Fast checkout is also a top influence on Christmas shopping for Gen X (40%), along with the availability of technology, ratings and reviews. The majority (70%) of Gen Z will have a say in family purchasing decisions, with rewards programs, in-stock availability, discounts and coupons topping their Christmas wish list.
Clayton concludes: “The differing generational expectations that’s highlighted in the report is just one example that shows why brands need to be able to communicate with consumers on an individual level. But truly personalised marketing isn’t just a Christmas fad – this is a method of marketing that businesses have generated, and are continuing to generate increased return from throughout the year.”
---
## 56% of people click on ads to find information, but quality woes abound
Type: eps_pressRelease
URL: /consumer-survey
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# 56% of people click on ads to find information, but quality woes abound
Give us fewer, better ads, consumers plead, as half of adverts branded irrelevant
Consumers click on online adverts to find out more information, but marketers may be wasting half their budget with poor targeting, a study has revealed. According to new research from Conversant, which questioned consumers across seven different countries, 49% still see ads that are irrelevant or for products that they already own.
“Clearly marketers are missing the mark when it comes to consumer targeting and with half of consumers being shown products that aren’t of interest, marketers are simply throwing away half their budget,” commented Elliott Clayton, SVP, Conversant. “Many marketers still see adverts as a way to promote new or existing products and forget the first rule of marketing: build the brand, educate, inform and entertain. There’s a place for promotions and sales, but if marketers don’t get the balance right, they risk alienating customers.”
The research revealed why consumers click on adverts, with only 2% of global consumers clicking on an advert to make a purchase. It is instead the desire to find out more information that drives a click, with 56% of global consumers clicking on ads for this reason.
With information, not purchases, driving clicks, consumers would like marketers to make more use of display ads (41%) and sponsored content (31%), rather than ads on voice platforms like Alexa and Google Home (0.5%). Almost half (45%) of consumers also wish to see fewer but more relevant and useful ads – and 79% of consumers believe that traditional advertising is alive and well.
“Online advertising is thriving, but there are some fundamental challenges that need to be addressed if marketers are to be successful in 2019,” concluded Clayton. “There is still plenty of room for improvement in the industry and marketers need to put consumers’ preferences first and personalise experiences for individuals. Consumers aren’t anti-advertising, they just don’t want bad, irrelevant adverts.”
---
## Defiant shoppers breaking Black Friday stranglehold to buy gifts when they want
Type: eps_pressRelease
URL: /holidayintelligencereport
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Defiant shoppers breaking Black Friday stranglehold to buy gifts when they want
CJ Affiliate’s Holiday Intelligence Report reveals when high sales conversion periods occur during the holiday season
Despite increasing hype, consumers are not holding out for Black Friday and Cyber Monday deals as much as in previous years, new research has revealed. According to CJ Affiliate’s Holiday Intelligence Report, consumers are starting their Christmas shopping from the first week of November.
The study shows that the beginning of November experienced increases in its share of holiday revenue and double-digit growth, particularly in the second week of November, where year-on-year order growth increased by almost a third (29%).
The share of revenue for the weeks of Black Friday and Cyber Monday, on the other hand, decreased from 2016 to 2017. These weeks saw the least amount of growth for the whole of the 9-week holiday season – year-on-year order growth was only 14%.
“Black Friday and Cyber Monday did still both prompt a spike in sales last year, but their control over consumers is decreasing,” commented CJ Affiliate’s Regional Vice President, Jules Bazley. “This report shows that other weeks are emerging as critical time periods for marketers to release promotions. If they are to maximise their returns during the Christmas period, marketers must consider these changing consumer shopping patterns and execute strategic campaigns that target consumers during the high sales conversion periods, and not just around Black Friday and Cyber Monday.”
While some consumers are starting their shopping earlier, others are waiting until just before Christmas to complete their purchases. The new study revealed that the third week of December accounted for the greatest increase in converted sales, alongside the second week in November, showing a split in consumers between last-minute panic buyers and those who favour ‘planned buying’. Conversion rates for both of these weeks increased by 18%, with the third week of December also witnessing year-on-year order growth of 29%.
“With sales becoming more evenly spread throughout the Christmas period, this shift in consumer behaviour highlights the importance of needing to track consumer buying habits. For many, it seems it’s not about getting the best deals but it’s becoming more about convenience – consumers want to buy their Christmas gifts when it suits them. Marketers need to be aware of this to ensure they promote their products at the right time this Christmas season or lose out to savvier competitors,” concluded Bazley.
---
## Alexa, All I Want for Christmas Is…Simpler Shopping
Type: eps_pressRelease
URL: /retailoutlookreport
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Alexa, All I Want for Christmas Is…Simpler Shopping
Ease and convenience mean more shoppers are buying through voice assistants and social media but stores still winning at Christmas
More consumers will be turning to the likes of Alexa and Google Home to buy their Christmas gifts this year, research has revealed. According to the Holiday Retail Outlook Report by Conversant, Epsilon and LoyaltyOne, a third (31%) of consumers made Christmas purchases via a voice assistant last year.
The report, which analysed consumer Christmas shopping trends, also showed that mobile is increasing its Christmas shopping dominance. According to the research, two-thirds (66%) of Christmas digital orders in 2017 were on a phone or tablet, an increase from 58% in 2016, while Christmas Day in-app purchases were up 12% compared with the previous year.
The option to multi-task is the big draw for voice and mobile shoppers. Two-fifths (40%) of consumers do their Christmas shopping while watching TV and a third (31%) when flipping through social media. In fact, more than half (55%) of consumers have made a purchase via a social media channel, yet only two-fifths (40%) of retailers currently offer social media as a purchase channel.
“It’s clear that ease and convenience is what consumers want this Christmas. Recent research from CJ Affiliate even showed that it’s more important than bagging those cheap Christmas deals,” commented Elliott Clayton, SVP Media UK, Conversant. “However much a shopper may want that latest gadget, or if they’ve finally found the perfect gift, if buying it is difficult or takes too much effort, it puts them off. This Christmas, marketers need to make the buying process as simple and convenient as possible so that shoppers can grab the perfect gift on their mobile while commuting home from work, binging on Christmas TV, or making a last-minute purchase before bed.”
While mobile shopping and new tech are on the rise, traditional stores do still have their place at Christmas. The report revealed that 88% of consumers still make in-store purchases during the Christmas period ‒ but marketers shouldn’t consider these in-store experiences separate from online shopping activities.
According to the research, 46% of consumers start their shopping in store and then purchase online, while more than half (58%) first browse online and buy their Christmas shopping instore. For those marketers wishing to target younger shoppers, the vast majority (78%) were revealed to shop both in-store and online.
“Today, the omnichannel consumer experience is key,” continued Clayton. “It’s getting rarer and rarer for shoppers to research and buy in one single environment, be it in store, on their laptop, their mobile phone or tablet. Instead, it’s far more common for consumers to shop across these channels – research the product on their laptop for instance, then popping into a store to see a product in person, before finally making a purchase on their mobile phone. Making this multi-environment experience as seamless as possible is key to ensuring the consumer stays loyal to your brand.”
---
## Showrooming to evolve in 2019 as Millennials and Gen Z buy on their mobiles – while in-store
Type: eps_pressRelease
URL: /holidayintelligencereport3
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Showrooming to evolve in 2019 as Millennials and Gen Z buy on their mobiles – while in-store
Retailers must adapt to boom in ‘browse in-store, buy online’ if they are to thrive in 2019
Millennial and Gen Z shoppers are increasingly browsing and purchasing online while in-store, reveals retail research from Conversant. According to the findings, 78% of younger generations shop both in-store and online simultaneously, and are 34% more likely than older customers to use a mobile device in a store.
“A few years ago, in-store Wi-Fi was seen as a basic marketing channel and time-waster for bored friends and partners waiting around,” comments Elliott Clayton, Senior Vice President of Media UK at Conversant. “Today’s young, savvy customers will do price comparison on their mobiles, but they might also be ordering the right size or colour of an item from your store that isn’t available on the premises.”
Research recently released from Hitachi Consulting suggests the UK’s big-name high-street retailers have acknowledged the need to adapt to online and offline channels overlapping, with three-quarters prioritising in-store Wi-Fi, alongside services like Click and Collect.
“The customer journey is not linear but merges across channels and brick-to-clicks is on the rise. Given this, providing the likes of free and reliable Wi-Fi for customers will become increasingly important as brick-and-mobile shopping becomes the norm. Smaller retailers and independents would be wise to take note and follow suit.”
The research also reveals how multi-channel customers are the most valuable for brands. Customers who shop multiple brand channels make around three more trips than those who only shop one channel.
“The fast-growing brick-and-mobile shopping trend benefits both the brand and the customer. Brands have multiple opportunities to market to consumers and capture a sale, while consumers themselves make more informed decisions when purchasing. It may seem like we’re bemoaning the closure of shops on the high-street but there’s good reason why former online-only retailers are opening physical stores – the key is syncing up offline and online,” commented Clayton.
“To seize the opportunity around brick-and-mobile engagements, brands need an online experience that enhances in-store device activity and a marketing strategy that also complements it.”
---
## Scotch & Soda personalises ads, achieving five-fold incremental return on investment
Type: eps_pressRelease
URL: /case-study
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Scotch & Soda personalises ads, achieving five-fold incremental return on investment
Scotch & Soda’s transition from one-off ad campaigns to data-driven, personalised and always-on-media has generated revenue growth and increased customer lifetime value
Scotch & Soda, a premium omni-channel fashion retailer, has boosted its incremental return on ad spend to £5.50 for every £1 invested (5.5:1), thanks to a major overhaul in its digital advertising strategy.
The retailer is stocked in 8,000 outlets globally and worn by famous actors and musicians such as Eddie Redmayne and Justin Timberlake, but the team knew that there was much more they could do to keep the brand top of mind amongst unpredictable fashion consumers. As part of a strategic review, the team adopted Conversant’s CRM Media solution, which enabled one-to-one communications through highly personalised messages.
“We try to build memory structures in everything we do – everything should be aligned. Conversant allowed us to create individual communication stories on a continuous basis efficiently - right person, right product and right look and feel for Scotch & Soda,” explains the fashion brand’s Media Manager, Leon Wharton.
“The trends that govern the fashion industry mean many advertising campaigns only penetrate consumers’ short-term memory, which means the brand may not be recalled at a later date. Scotch & Soda’s new strategy enables them to cement their place in customer’ long-term memory, as the go-to for premium, stylish clothing and accessories,” explains Elliott Clayton, Senior Vice President of Media at Conversant. “The results achieved so far clearly show the personalisation approach is working for Scotch & Soda, and many other companies across industry already benefit from a similar strategy.”
In its most recent review, the Scotch & Soda team examined incremental ROI – that is, returns compared to baseline brand performance without advertising. When compared to this group, Scotch & Soda generated sales 25 percent more often when using Conversant’s personalisation technology, while also increasing the lifetime value of customers that it messaged by 23 percent. The solution tracks over 120 million online and offline daily purchases, building profiles across more than 7,000 dimensions, enabling personalised conversations with Scotch & Soda’s customers across multiple devices.
“Conversant is driving new incremental demand from our mid-funnel, and I don’t think we serviced that properly before, or that the tools to do that existed previously,” continued Wharton.
A major boon for Wharton and his team is the added benefit of seeing how advertising efforts contribute to Scotch & Soda’s overall media mix, as well as learning more about its customers, their buying habits and advertising preferences.
"The audience insights we get are really helpful. Not only are we delivering measurable revenue into the business, but we’re able to better understand our audience and leverage that internally – for example, the data helps us build a case for creative strategies across other media."
---
## The Brexit effect? Brits will be buying local this Christmas
Type: eps_pressRelease
URL: /holidayreport2
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# The Brexit effect? Brits will be buying local this Christmas
Consumers buying Christmas gifts overseas is on the rise around the world, but Brits are favouring home-grown brands
The latest research into holiday season shopping has revealed that Brits are increasingly buying from home-grown brands – in stark contrast to continental Europe and North America. The research, from CJ Affiliate’s Holiday Intelligence Report, identified how Christmas seasons in recent years have seen cross-border shopping volumes peak around the world, except for in Britain.
The volume of UK cross-border retail sales over the holiday period decreased from 20% in 2016 to 17% of overall sales in 2017, resulting in the UK being ranked 25th out of the 80 top markets for the volume of retail sales completed on non-native sites.
“Clearly, more flexible payment and shipping options are helping encourage more Christmas shoppers to buy their presents from overseas retailers, but British brands are the preference for UK shoppers, with retailers such as Argos being revealed as particularly popular,” commented CJ Affiliate’s Head of Strategy, Owen Hancock. “It seems Brits want to support local businesses, while also having a greater aversion towards international shipping fees, even with the introduction of the likes of free shipping day.”
The research revealed that Canadian shoppers are the happiest to set their sights beyond their geographic border for purchasing the perfect Christmas gift. For two years running (2016 and 2017), Canada has topped the rankings as the country with the greatest volume of cross-border retail holiday sales. France and Germany, meanwhile, both featured among the top ten countries for consumers shopping overseas in 2017, claiming the fifth and sixth spots.
“Though there’s been a rise in cross-border sales, marketers and brands still need to be offering a localised experience to entice shoppers, particularly Brits. For those aiming to reach foreign markets, a proficient partner with a high-quality affiliate marketing network will play a major role in achieving this and help convert both local and overseas shoppers this Christmas,” concluded Hancock.
---
## £2m revenue boost at Cox and Cox driven by personalised display ads
Type: eps_pressRelease
URL: /case-study-2
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# £2m revenue boost at Cox and Cox driven by personalised display ads
Beloved homeware company Cox and Cox employed personalised display ads to achieve a remarkable incremental return on ad spend of over £2 million – 15% of total revenue
Homeware brand Cox and Cox has successfully complemented its catalogue-based business model with personalised display ads to generate an incremental return on ad spend (iROAS) of over £2 million over the last 18 months.
The Somerset-based company, founded by BBC television presenter Fiona Cox, acknowledged its previous marketing set up – whereby prospects and customers were treated the same way – lacked relevance and personalisation. To overcome this, it partnered with Conversant and undertook a three month proof of concept to better understand the impact of personalisation. The goals of the campaign were to create profitable acquisition of new customers, help existing customers make a second purchase by understanding their product affinity and to generate a profitable incremental return across all of Conversant's activity for Cox and Cox. The results far exceeded the brand’s expectations.
“The numbers in the forecast were real, the proof of concept did what it was supposed to, we saw an immediate business impact and it was completely painless to set up,” explains Richard Bell, Cox and Cox’s COO. “All across the board – the results, the account management, the insight, I just thought ‘why haven’t we done this before?’”
Over the next 18 months, Cox and Cox and Conversant went on to secure £2,088,462 in incremental revenue, a proportion of which was achieved by generating almost 25,000 new customers. To do this, they created 12,690 unique display creatives, to ensure all ads were personalised to the interests of prospects and existing customers.
Jacqui Whitewick, Cox and Cox's Head of Acquisition, added: "The most effective feature is around the understanding and delivery of product affinity and category recommendations. It’s clear that the more relevant and personalised we can make it for our customers, the better we’re going to do."
Understanding customer data provided unique insight to drive business objectives outside of the display channel, while the display channel – and Conversant's work – generated new profit, which has subsequently allowed Cox and Cox to invest in business growth.
“Conversant would work for anyone, but where it comes into its own is with people who don’t have the massive budgets to get the numbers – companies who need to spend carefully, spend wisely and can be fleet of foot and flexible,” said Bell. “Anyone can spend a lot of money, but being able to spend a little bit of money really well – that’s tricky.”
---
## Convenience arms race heightens as browser tools and clever content helps brands win during holiday season
Type: eps_pressRelease
URL: /holiday-season-convenience-arms-race
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Convenience arms race heightens as browser tools and clever content helps brands win during holiday season
Consumers turn to Honey, Piggy and Nectar to make smarter shopping decisions, forcing brands to pay attention to stay competitive
London, 20th November 2019: New research from CJ Affiliate has found that sales via browser tools like Honey and Piggy have increased by 349% year-on-year. As retail brands face ever-increasing competition for mind- and market-share, the race to make life easier for buyers has resulted in the development of new tools and content programmes that are driving significant benefits for the brands adopting them. In fact, according to CJ Affiliate’s studies, brands publishing reviews, shopping guides and top product lists also saw gains of 117% year-on-year.
“70% of consumers[1] wish that it was easier to buy online, especially during frenetic periods like Christmas,” said Jules Bazley, Regional Vice President, Europe at CJ Affiliate. “It’s clear that retailers helping their customers to make decisions intelligently, buy the best products for them or their loved ones, and provide smart shopping tools, will really reap the rewards.”
Tools like Honey will automatically check the web for better deals, as well as searching out discount codes and offering cashback or credit when consumers buy from certain stores. Many of these tools exist as browser extensions, whilst others use their own mobile apps.
However, this trend goes beyond providing intelligent software and creating content. 37% of 18-29-year-olds now consult the web before making a purchase and 30% of all holiday gifting during 2018 was done on mobile phones. This means that unless retailers provide a mobile-first, search-friendly environment where consumers can shop easily, then they risk losing clicks to simpler, more user-friendly competitors.
“It’s an absolutely critical time for retailers now, especially in certain categories,” concluded Bazley. “Online clothing and apparel sales were up 37% during last year’s holiday season, so fashion sites should pay particular attention. Black Friday may represent a spike of holiday shopping, but the first three weeks of December as a whole are very significant for online retailers, so now is absolutely the time to act.”
---
## No more cat and mouse advertising! Consumers demand end to being chased around the internet
Type: eps_pressRelease
URL: /no-more-cat-and-mouse-advertising-consumers-demand-end-to-being-chased-around-the-internet
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# No more cat and mouse advertising! Consumers demand end to being chased around the internet
Brands are damaging their reputation with stale advertising techniques that are pushing away consumers
Consumers have spoken: being followed around the internet by the same adverts is the thing they dislike most about online advertising, according to new state of the industry research from Conversant. The study questioned consumers across seven* different countries and found 48% of UK consumers dislike seeing the same ads multiple times. So annoying do they find this that almost half (48%) of Brits believe the advertising industry needs to change.
Brits aren’t alone: consumers in the US and Germany experience a similar level of advert stalking – with the desire for the industry to move away from this activity also between 47-49% respectively. However, only 38% of consumers in France dislike this advertising technique, with only 40% believing change is needed.
“We’ve all experienced it, that same advert following us around and continuing to pop up everywhere – it’s an issue that’s inherent with ad retargeting. Far from inciting a purchase, this is more likely to lead to the consumer becoming annoyed and potentially cause reputational damage in the long run than lead to a sale,” commented Elliott Clayton, Senior Vice President, Conversant. “Our state of the industry research has revealed that by delivering high-volume low-quality retargeting to consumers, marketers are pushing customers away, wasting their marketing budget in the process.”
The research also revealed that more than a quarter (29%) of UK consumers judge brands poorly when they produce bad advertising. While consumers are open to adverts, almost half (44%) would prefer to see fewer ads, with those that they do see to be more relevant and useful to the individual.
Consumers in the US (45%) and Germany (48%) would also like to see this change of fewer but more relevant adverts. In Germany in particular, bad advertising can have a big effect on a brand’s reputation, with over a third (36%) of German consumers judging a brand poorly for bad advertising. In France on the other hand, only 15% of French consumers would be put off a brand by its poor advertising.
"The only way to ensure genuine relevancy to the individual consumers that see your ads is with personalisation. Truly personalised advertising has been around for a while now, but it’s unfortunate that many marketers still confuse it with retargeting – from looking at these survey results, that’s a risky mistake to make! Often, retargeting involves repeatedly showing a consumer a product that they have already chosen not to purchase. Instead, the relevancy created by personalisation lies with being able to properly identify customers across different devices, tracking activity online and offline, then adapting your creative in real-time, on the fly,” continued Clayton.
There is some good news, however, as these figures do show that improvements are being made compared to previous years. Conversant’s 2017 Holiday Report revealed that 65% of consumers said companies, retailers or brands send them too many irrelevant communications.
“While we are seeing progress, there’s still a way to go for marketers to build those true, close customer relationships. Consumers want brands to reach out to them on a personal level, and that means marketers need to have a real understanding of their customers’ purchase behaviour and habits, not just online but also combining this with offline activities and analysing it across all channels and devices,” concluded Clayton.
### Notes to the Editor:
*The seven countries included in the research are: UK, US, France, Germany, Canada, Switzerland, and Austria.
About Conversant
Conversant is the leader in personalised digital marketing, transforming the industry through cutting-edge technology, bold creative and a staggering amount of data. Its roster of 4,000 clients includes 400+ blue chip brands and 65 of the Internet Retailer Top 100. Coupled with the world's largest affiliate marketing network, CJ Affiliate, they drive incremental sales better than anyone. Conversant is a division of Epsilon, the global leader in creating customer connections that build brand and business equity.
---
## New Independent Study Commissioned by Epsilon-Conversant Reveals Less Than Half of Marketers Are Fully Capable of Identity Resolution Management
Type: eps_pressRelease
URL: /half-of-marketers-fully-capable-of-identity-resolution-management
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# New Independent Study Commissioned by Epsilon-Conversant Reveals Less Than Half of Marketers Are Fully Capable of Identity Resolution Management
Measurement and optimisation emerge among missed opportunities and top challenges with identity resolution, the foundation for relevancy, efficiency and optimisation
London – October 3, 2019 – Epsilon-Conversant, a global leader in interaction management, has announced the findings of a commissioned study on the state of identity resolution strategies in marketing, which was conducted by Forrester Consulting on behalf of Epsilon-Conversant.
The study of 200+ marketing and customer data decision-makers explored topics ranging from why companies invest in identity programs, including how they manage their programs and use cases, and the type of identifiers used for programmes (email address, cookies, device ID, etc.). The study also explored the respondents’ confidence levels regarding their brands’ identity resolution capabilities.
“Identity is the foundation that allows brands to deliver relevant messages, while reducing waste, customer churn and optimising return on marketing investment,” said Ric Elert, president at Conversant. “When brands get identity right, it gives them a fighting chance to not only survive but thrive.”
KEY DATA & INSIGHTS
Insight 1: The top goals over the next 12 months for marketers surveyed include winning new customers (34%) and increasing profitability per product/service (38%). Yet, the study reveals that too many programmes are unable to measure business and marketing performance.
Overall, 43% of respondents say their brands use their ID resolution programmes to measure online and offline marketing performance.
29% of respondents said that they receive excellent support from identity resolution programmes for reducing marketing waste.
33% said that they receive excellent support for decreasing customer attrition and 42% for helping increase revenue per customer.
“We speak with marketing executives who tend to be too focused on data collection or campaign execution and aren’t thinking about measurement at all,” said Elert. “Brands that are seeing real results from their people-based advertising are committed to looking at all these areas holistically. You can’t measure performance without strong identity, and if you don’t measure, you won’t know what portion of your marketing spend is being wasted and you won’t have marketing efficiency.”
Insight 2: The study revealed a lack of alignment between C-level executives and less senior respondents regarding real-time application of insights, accuracy and persistence of identity. C-level executives who responded to the survey were:
25% more likely than directors to be extremely confident in their customer profiles’ completeness and accuracy;
32% more likely than directors to rate their programmes’ ability to reach people over time as excellent; and
16% more likely to believe their brands are ready to leverage new online and offline customer data to update customer profiles and activate against new information.
“The net result of this misalignment is significant damage to a brands’ ability to succeed. A lack of programme ownership can exacerbate the measurement and performance problems … because it can lead to a lack of true understanding across teams,” writes Forrester Consulting in the study. “Brands with misaligned identity resolution are left with broken customer experiences, wasted marketing spend, and lost opportunities to expand customer relationships with relevant cross-sell and upsell offers.”
“In the era of the direct brand economy, customer engagement has become the brand differentiator,” said Elert. “Brands are challenged to deliver on customer expectations across every interaction while dealing with the complexity of the mar tech and ad tech supply chain and increased privacy concerns. Building a unified customer identity is central to delivering on consumer expectations and company growth.”
---
## Fashion retailers to reap benefits from Christmas sales
Type: eps_pressRelease
URL: /holiday-intelligence-report-fashion
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Fashion retailers to reap benefits from Christmas sales
New report reveals Christmas sales could see double or triple revenue and orders growth, but marketers need to streamline the whole customer journey on mobile to target UK consumers
London: 24th September 2019: While retailers have struggled in the summer sales, new research suggests fashion retailers will be benefitting later in the year, with apparel goods set to be the most popular purchase in the Christmas sales. This is according to CJ Affiliate’s latest Holiday Intelligence Report, which revealed that apparel goods were the most-purchased items in the Christmas sales last year, boasting the highest year-on-year increase in orders and revenue. On Cyber Monday alone, online apparel orders increased by more than a third (37%) year-on-year.
Yet, Black Friday and Cyber Monday are losing their dominance, with the report revealing other emerging high sales conversion periods that will likely play an even bigger role in 2019. Black Friday boasted the most orders in one day last year, but the following weekend saw more customer conversions. Order growth increased by a third (33%) and sales by almost a quarter (24%), demonstrating how British consumers like to shop in their free time at the weekend.
“The Christmas season isn’t just about buying gifts. When already browsing around for the perfect presents, shoppers will also be looking to stock up on other items they need for the rest of the year,” commented Jules Bazley, Regional Vice President at CJ Affiliate. “It’s been a tough summer, with both in-store and online fashion retailers forced to slash their summer sale prices early this year, leaving marketers with a strong desire to maximise returns over the Christmas season. That means looking beyond Black Friday and Cyber Monday, delivering more balanced campaigns before, during and after the perceived Christmas season peak with well-placed promotions targeting the right consumers at exactly the right time.”
Brits also panic buy Christmas gifts last-minute, with the third week of December accounting for the greatest increase in orders and revenue growth year-on-year. This week boasted triple digit growth (111%) in orders and almost doubled its revenue and share of the winter sales (45%). Boxing Day sales continue to play an important role for British consumers, with year-on-year order growth matching that of Black Friday (20%) last year and generating greater year-on-year sales growth at 8%, compared to 5% growth on Black Friday.
Mobile rules in the UK A growing trend in recent years, mobile devices have now officially overtaken desktops and Brits in particular like to shop on the go. Almost half (46%) of UK winter sales orders in 2018 were made on smartphones, beating purchases made on desktops for the first time and highlighting the need to not only push mobile-first marketing approaches but to also consistently ensure a great mobile user experience throughout the customer journey, including easy mobile checkout options, to convert more shoppers this year. Tablets, on the other hand, are losing popularity with Brits – usage is down 36% compared with the previous year.
Mobile also dominated amongst publishers. Share of order and sales were boosted most by mobile publishers, followed by ad networks and social publishers, who both boasted a 40% increase in share of orders, demonstrating shoppers’ increasing reliance on features such as shopping assistants, product reviews and product discovery platforms. In contrast, email publishers saw the biggest decline in order and revenue share.
“For fashion brands targeting British consumers, mobile promotions and easy mobile checkout will win out this year,” concluded Bazley. “However, this alone will not cut it, consumers are savvier, carrying out their own research, checking reviews and they expect a lot more from their shopping experience. To really make the most of the winter season opportunities this year, marketers need to be executing campaigns that put consumers’ needs first through creating a seamless, holistic shopping experience across all devices.”
---
## Christmas to offer salvation for brands suffering from poor summer sales
Type: eps_pressRelease
URL: /holiday-intelligence-report
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Christmas to offer salvation for brands suffering from poor summer sales
New report reveals Christmas sales could see double or triple revenue and orders growth, but marketers need to streamline the whole customer journey on mobile to target UK consumers
London, 24th September 2019: While UK retail sales growth declined this summer, new research suggests that the Christmas season will be an opportunity to recoup lost sales. According to CJ Affiliate’s latest Holiday Intelligence Report, orders and revenue saw double or triple digit growth over the 2018 Christmas period.
While Black Friday continued to maintain dominance, boasting the most orders in one day, the report also revealed the emergence of other higher sales conversion periods that will likely play an even bigger role in 2019. The weekend following Black Friday saw more customer conversions from online ads, with order growth increasing by a third (33%) and sales by almost a quarter (24%). Cyber Monday on the other hand saw a 4% decrease in order growth, demonstrating how British consumers like to shop in their free time at the weekend.
"We have heard from our clients that it’s been a tough summer for many brands, leaving marketers with a strong desire to maximise returns during the rest of the year, especially over the Christmas period,” commented Jules Bazley, Regional Vice President at CJ Affiliate. “To do this, marketers need to look beyond the recognised sales spikes during Black Friday and Cyber Monday and should instead play the long game this year, executing more balanced campaigns before, during and after the perceived Christmas season peak, with well-placed promotions to target the right consumers at the right time with the right content.”
According to the report, Brits also panic buy Christmas presents last minute, with the third week of December accounting for the greatest increase in orders and revenue growth year-on-year. This week boasted triple digit growth (111%) in holiday orders in 2018 and almost doubled its revenue and share of holiday sales (45%). Boxing Day sales continue to play an important role for British consumers, with year-on-year order growth matching that of Black Friday (20%) last year and generating greater year-on-year revenue growth at 8%, compared to 5% growth on Black Friday.
Mobile rules in the UK
A growing trend in recent years, mobile devices have now officially overtaken desktops and Brits in particular like to shop on the go. Almost half (46%) of UK holiday sales orders in 2018 were made on smartphones, beating purchases made on desktops for the first time and highlighting the need to not only push mobile-first marketing approaches but to also consistently ensure a great mobile user experience throughout the customer journey, including easy mobile checkout options, to convert more shoppers this year. Tablets, on the other hand, are losing popularity with Brits – usage is down 36% compared with the previous year.
Mobile also dominated amongst publishers. Share of order and sales were boosted most by mobile publishers, followed by ad networks and social publishers who both boasted a 40% increase in share of orders, demonstrating shoppers’ increasing reliance on shopping assistants, product reviews and product discovery platforms. In contrast, email publishers saw the biggest decline in order and revenue share.
“Mobile promotions and easy mobile checkout will win out this year,” concluded Bazley. “However, this alone will not cut it, consumers are savvier, carrying out their own research, checking reviews and they expect a lot more from their shopping experience. To really make the most of holiday season opportunities this year, marketers need to be executing campaigns that put consumers’ needs first through creating a seamless, holistic shopping experience across all devices.”
---
## Affiliate programmes set to go global as ecommerce booms in emerging markets
Type: eps_pressRelease
URL: /affiliate-programme-set-to-go-global
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Affiliate programmes set to go global as ecommerce booms in emerging markets
There’s never been a better time to expand affiliate programmes – 2020 is the year brands can seize the opportunity to go truly global, thanks to growing demand and market maturity
London, 14th January 2020: 2020 will be the year that brands expand their affiliate programmes beyond mature markets like the UK and US and complement their programmes with affiliates in emerging markets, according to CJ Affiliate. Mexico, Malaysia and the Philippines are three of the top five biggest risers for e-commerce spend in 2019, with the other two spots filled by India and China.
“Most retailers will be aware of the substantial opportunities to be had in mature markets. Dig a little deeper, though, and you’ll find so many hidden gems that are now generating billions in online revenue and many brands are missing out by neglecting them,” explains Jules Bazley, Regional Vice President, Europe at affiliate marketing network CJ Affiliate.
“Expanding affiliate programmes in markets such as these could have been a risk ten, or even five, years ago, but ecommerce growth of over 30% compared with the year before, have made them the logical next step for marketers.”
According to an Accenture and AliResearch report, it’s expected that more than 900 million consumers will shop internationally by the start of 2020, importing $994 million worth of products and services – three times as much as 2015. Increasing access to the internet and accessibility of mobile are major drivers behind the growth in e-commerce spend, connecting those who can’t afford a desktop or tablet, as well as growing numbers of new sellers and secondary industries, adding to market momentum.
“As a result of more consumers being able to shop abroad, and the ability and willingness of businesses to expand abroad, we’ve witnessed huge demand among advertisers for local market experts, offering the capabilities to recruit publishers in emerging territories and supply granular insight into the potential of each region,” says Bazley.
Retailers can launch in a market with little more than a single member of staff on the ground, supported by dedicated companies that have been set up to help them launch in some of the more challenging markets.
“Challenges do remain. Logistics remains one of the biggest barriers to cross-border selling, but it’s not the same problem it once was,” explains Bazley. “Part of the improvement has been linked to increased urbanisation within highly populated areas of Asia and Africa, which has opened more customers up to home delivery.”
---
## Direct to consumer start-ups pushing out traditional brands
Type: eps_pressRelease
URL: /direct-to-consumer-pushing-out-traditional-brands
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Direct to consumer start-ups pushing out traditional brands
As brands evolve the lines between DTC and traditional B2C are blurring
London, 11th December 2019: The boom in direct to consumer businesses, such as Made.com and Casper Mattresses, is causing more traditional brands to lose out, new research has revealed.
According to a new report from the CMO Club and Epsilon-Conversant, 80% of B2C brands believe DTCs are impacting their market and forcing them to adapt their marketing strategies. Big consumer brands like Gillette have even recorded a 20% drop in market share due to emerging rival DTCs[1].
“Marketers are now seeing huge fragmentation across different channels and platforms but the popularity of direct to consumer brands shows they are filling a gap and need in the industry,” commented Elliott Clayton, SVP, Conversant. “With DTCs continuing to gain market authority, other brands need to be taking action.”
It is direct to consumer brands’ ability to excel at personalisation that means they are bettering other brands. This is in contrast to a recent Gartner report that predicted personalisation in marketing is on the way out. The new Epsilon-Conversant report reveals that DTCs’ appeal lies with being more customer centric, offering products to solve customer needs and delivering better buyer experiences, with 81% of B2C brands believing that DTCs have changed consumer expectations of their own brand. This appeal is also extending beyond digitally native millennial and Gen Z audiences, as DTCs increasingly target older generations who have more disposable income.
Swanson Health is an example of how DTCs are better understanding and effectively reaching both current and potential customers with the right messages at the right time. Following a 5:1 incremental return on ad spend and a 20% increase in messaged site traffic, President Corey Bergstrom commented, “Given we know our customers, we have the ability to make a more personalised conversation through our touchpoints rather than a generic one-size-fits all offer… We’re trying to have conversations that pick up from the prior conversation and create the relationship rather than just be a place for them to purchase.”
This increasing competition is not necessarily bad news. As traditional brands seek to catch up, 88% are now more focused on offering personalised experiences and almost half of B2C brands (42%) say DTCs have influenced how they use their data to achieve better customer experiences. Moreover, 47% of traditional brands are actively working on incorporating more of the personalised experiences that DTCs excel at.
This emergence of challengers is also causing B2C brands to look beyond general awareness and to push for more performance-driven marketing (53%). B2C brands are looking for real measurable success and to connect marketing spend with measurable sales outcome to demonstrate ROI.
However, it is not all plain sailing for DTCs, with the majority (71%) of these startups expecting challenges with scaling their businesses and retaining customers. Traditional B2C brands (58%) also believe that DTCs will be increasingly threatened by a rise in copycat competitors. As a result, the research reveals that more DTCs will be moving away from a purely DTC approach, even opening up more brick and mortar stores like Made.com’s Tottenham Court Road high street store.
“As both traditional B2C brands and DTCs realise the benefits of effectively reaching customers and the need to switch up approaches and activities, the line between the two is going to increasingly blur ‒ there will likely soon come a point when we no longer make the distinction. What all these brands need to remember is the importance of being where the customer is, delivering that desired personalisation across all channels and throughout the whole customer journey,” concluded Elliott Clayton, SVP, Conversant.
---
## Majority (62%) of consumers don’t think brands should stop advertising during coronavirus
Type: eps_pressRelease
URL: /majority-of-consumers-dont-think-brands-should-stop-advertising-during-coronavirus
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Majority (62%) of consumers don’t think brands should stop advertising during coronavirus
New research reveals consumers do want to receive adverts, but think before you speak
London, 9th April: Half (48%) of global consumers have received a marketing message in the past two weeks that they felt was poorly timed or inappropriate, new research from Epsilon-Conversant and CJ Affiliate has revealed. According to a study of 4,045 consumers across five regions, the majority of consumers do want to receive advertising, but many – including just over half of Americans and Brits – admit that they have received a message they felt was inappropriate in the current climate.
However, the majority of consumers (62%) said that they did want to receive adverts at this time, with three-quarters of consumers in the US (72%) and Italy (76%) believing it is appropriate for brands to be sending ads. This clearly shows that brands should not be pressing pause on all their advertising efforts despite tough times across the world.
“Turning off paid marketing channels could lead to a decreased share of voice and the research shows that this knee-jerk reaction would be unnecessary. The majority of respondents do not think brands need to stop advertising during the COVID-19 outbreak. Instead, brands must align their products, services and promotions with the needs of consumers in this situation. This is a human problem that requires brands to find their human sides,” explained Elliott Clayton, SVP, Epsilon-Conversant.
The study reinforced the need for brands to show sensitivity. For example, many consumers preferred to receive messages of wellbeing and positivity (49%) from brands, although many were also still looking for discounts and offers (58%). Only 14% of consumers wanted to see product-focused content from brands at this time.
British respondents were keen for wellbeing to be at the forefront of advertising amidst an overwhelming call for messages of positive thinking (61%). In contrast, respondents from the US and Italy wanted to see adverts and marketing communications around deals and discounts.
“There is opportunity but not for opportunists. Right now, brands must ask themselves, how might I be able to help or inform my customers, not just push through that sale? Even restaurants have used this time to offer their recipes for free over social channels to stay relevant, and as this situation continues to develop differently across the globe, brands need to be listening and responding to consumers’ varying concerns and needs. That means opening up communication channels and starting a real, honest dialogue one-to-one,” concluded Clayton.
About Epsilon-Conversant
Positioned at Publicis Groupe's core, Epsilon-Conversant is a leader in interaction management, empowering brands to transform ordinary customer experiences into meaningful, human experiences. Through a connected suite of products and services, Epsilon-Conversant combines leading-edge identity management, industrial strength data and technology expertise with big brand acumen gained over five decades working with the industry’s top brands. Our human-powered, data-led marketing delivers unmatched depth, breadth and scale to help brands turn meaningful human interactions into exceptional business outcomes.
About CJ Affiliate
With over 20 years of experience, we are the most trusted and established name in affiliate marketing. Located across 14 offices worldwide, our employees are dedicated to delivering innovative solutions and strategies designed to drive big results. We dig deep and tackle the tough questions for our clients. As part of Publicis Groupe, our access to unparalleled data allows us to offer a truly customer-centric approach to affiliate marketing.
---
## Display adverts preferred during Covid-19 crisis, as many consumers rate email and social ads ‘too overwhelming’
Type: eps_pressRelease
URL: /email-and-social-ads-too-overwhelming-covid-19
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Display adverts preferred during Covid-19 crisis, as many consumers rate email and social ads ‘too overwhelming’
Channel choice and relevance critical during coronavirus as research reveals consumers’ ad preferences
London, 21st April: Consumers are happy with the amount of display ads currently shown by brands but feel overwhelmed by email and social media marketing, research from Epsilon-Conversant and CJ Affiliate has shown.
The study of 4,045 consumers across five regions revealed that the majority (87%) of consumers don’t think they are seeing too many display ads from brands, demonstrating that across every demographic group, display is considered the least obtrusive or overwhelming channel they’ve been exposed to.
In contrast, more than half (47%) of consumers feel they are receiving too many email marketing messages and another third (35%) are overwhelmed by the amount of social media marketing. British consumers in particular are receiving too many social media marketing messages, with this figure rising to 44%.
“It’s not just what you say but also how you say it,” said Elliott Clayton, SVP Epsilon-Conversant. “Many of us will have experienced an influx of email newsletters ‒ perhaps even some we didn’t know we signed up to. If not sent in a relevant and timely fashion, and in a way that is properly aligned to consumers’ needs this could be more of a turn off than showing customers you care. It can be done well, but it takes understanding, thought and time.”
The research also unveiled different demographic advertising preferences, with some groups feeling more overwhelmed by email marketing than others. For example, almost two-thirds (61%) of Gen Z believe they are sent too many marketing emails, alongside those currently looking for work (55%). The opposite is true for those who are retired, with just over a third (34%) stating that they feel overwhelmed by emails.
However, the study did show that email and other channels have their place. More than a third (38%) of consumers do want to receive email marketing from brands during coronavirus. For those living in urban areas, email is their favourite means for receiving brand communications (39%), contrasting with those in suburban or rural areas who favour TV ads (40%).
“This is an opportunity for brands to better reach and communicate with their customers – talking the language they want to hear and also finding and speaking with them when and where it suits them. It’s important that marketers have the right tools to understand this nuance - those marketers who are able to understand and adapt to this will stand a much better chance of success during these difficult times,” concluded Clayton.
About Epsilon-Conversant
Positioned at Publicis Groupe's core, Epsilon-Conversant is a leader in interaction management, empowering brands to transform ordinary customer experiences into meaningful, human experiences. Through a connected suite of products and services, Epsilon-Conversant combines leading-edge identity management, industrial strength data and technology expertise with big brand acumen gained over five decades working with the industry’s top brands. Our human-powered, data-led marketing delivers unmatched depth, breadth and scale to help brands turn meaningful human interactions into exceptional business outcomes.
About CJ Affiliate
With over 20 years of experience, we are the most trusted and established name in affiliate marketing. Located across 14 offices worldwide, our employees are dedicated to delivering innovative solutions and strategies designed to drive big results. We dig deep and tackle the tough questions for our clients. As part of Publicis Groupe, our access to unparalleled data allows us to offer a truly customer-centric approach to affiliate marketing.
---
## Education, fitness and arts: the brand categories gaining the most during coronavirus revealed
Type: eps_pressRelease
URL: /brands-gaining-the-most-during-coronavirus
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Education, fitness and arts: the brand categories gaining the most during coronavirus revealed
Daily analysis of CJ Affiliate’s global network uncovers buyer trends and changing consumer purchasing preferences during COVID-19
London, 30th April: Brands in education (+518% change YoY), Fitness (+138%) and arts, photos and music (102%) are gaining the most through affiliates in the time of coronavirus but there is also opportunity for those in other categories, new data analysis has revealed.
This is according to the Covid-19 Network and Consumer Trends Report by CJ Affiliate, which has been tracking and analysing changing consumer trends and behaviours during the coronavirus pandemic since 1st March 2020. The report is being updated on a weekly basis and captures data from CJ Affiliate’s own network reaching over 1 million consumers in over 240 countries, comparing the results with the same time period in 2019.
Consumers hesitant to commit to purchases but confidence growing
Prior to the introduction of social distancing, online clicks and actions were on a similar level or even below those of the same time last year, but the introduction of lockdowns around the world has seen a resurgence in clicks in mid-March (+32%).
However, with much uncertainty over the length and impact of lockdown, initially there was only an increase in clicks as consumers were happy to look but not buy. From the start of April this eventually led to a rise in actions (+15%), and as a result, purchases. This trend is also continuing and increasing throughout the month, rising to (36%) by the third week of April - demonstrating a growing opportunity for both new customer sales and re-purchases.
“With many of us now at home, and with more time on our hands, it’s understandable that more people are going to be browsing and searching online. The challenge is converting the browsing to purchases. To succeed, brands need to be reaching out to both existing and prospective customers with the right messages, at the right time and through the right channels to push them through to that purchase. As the data shows, there is opportunity here, but brands need to act sensitively,” explained Jules Bazley, Regional Vice President EMEA, CJ Affiliate.
Sector winners shifting
Education is the clear category winner for brands during coronavirus, experiencing a 518% YoY increase in actions and 199% YoY rise in clicks. With the need for home schooling and learning set to be in place for a while longer, this trend is also likely to continue. This is followed by fitness (+138% actions and +101% clicks YoY) and arts, photos and music (+102% actions and +70% clicks YoY), which consumers are leaning on during lockdown to stay healthy and entertained.
Other brand categories and sectors are also emerging with an increasing uptake in consumer demand. Games and toys (+81%), computer and electronics (+65%) and accessories (+65%) have all seen a reasonable increase in actions YoY, but computer and electronics (+44%) and accessories (+10%) haven’t seen as strong an increase in clicks YoY. Brands under the home and garden category have seen an increase of 51% in actions YoY but, with these brands, consumers are happier to just browse rather than to continue through to a purchase, with the home and garden category seeing a bigger increase in clicks (+62% YoY) than actions.
Beauty also trumps business for consumers, with beauty seeing a 67% increase in actions and purchases and 217% in clicks YoY, compared to a 62% rise in actions and 204% in clicks YoY for those brands, such as productivity tools and accounting and other business software, falling under the business category.
Predictably, travel has seen an 85% decrease in actions YoY, hitting a low at the beginning of April but there are early signs of renewing confidence (-84% towards the end of April).
Overall, whilst many retailers are currently struggling during the current pandemic, the data shows that certain brand categories within the retail and home and business service sectors could make gains in affiliate activities from the coronavirus crisis, with these sectors seeing a steady increase in actions from the beginning of March to the end of April (4% to 57% and 34% to 57% respectively).
“It’s to be expected as we all adapt and get used to this ‘new normal’ that consumer behaviour will change. Many people have settled into working from home adapted to the demands and limitations of the current situation, and many of us are now looking towards new means to keep ourselves entertained and occupied. This will continue to evolve. The global pandemic has hit many brands and retailers hard – those making the most of digital services and ad opportunities could still secure returns, but brands need to keep a close eye on what to keep the same and where strategies may need to shift to best respond to consumers’ needs,” concluded Bazley.
About CJ Affiliate
With over 20 years of experience, we are the most trusted and established name in affiliate marketing. Located across 14 offices worldwide, our employees are dedicated to delivering innovative solutions and strategies designed to drive big results. We dig deep and tackle the tough questions for our clients. As part of Publicis Groupe, our access to unparalleled data allows us to offer a truly customer-centric approach to affiliate marketing.
---
## Epsilon Launches Industry’s First Solution to Prove the Impact of Brand Campaigns at the Individual Level
Type: eps_pressRelease
URL: /epsilon-launches-industrys-first-solution-to-prove-the-impact-of-brand-campaigns-at-the-individual-level
Last Modified: 2025-10-28T17:47:10Z
# Epsilon Launches Industry’s First Solution to Prove the Impact of Brand Campaigns at the Individual Level
CHICAGO — September 2, 2020 — Epsilon® today announced the launch of its new digital media branding solution, the industry’s first offering for measuring brand consideration at the individual level, and at scale. Instead of relying on self-reported survey results from relatively small sample groups, Epsilon’s branding solution measures brand consideration by looking at the behaviors of every consumer messaged. The consideration rate metric is calculated as the percentage of messaged consumers who later visited a brand’s website, opened a brand’s app or email, or researched the brand on a third-party website.
The solution is the newest addition to Epsilon PeopleCloud, the marketing platform for personalizing consumer journeys with performance transparency. As part of Epsilon PeopleCloud’s Digital Media Solutions suite, the offering helps marketers drive engagement and brand consideration across multiple formats, such as display, online video and OTT streaming. Its launch comes at a time when marketers are struggling to prove return on their investments.
Thirty-one percent (31%) of brand marketers surveyed in the Gartner 2019 CMO Brand Strategy and Innovation Survey identified measuring the impact of brand investments as one of their top three challenges around brand marketing. According to the report, “brand investments remain some of the most difficult expenditures to accurately track. Despite technology advancements and the creation of more sophisticated attribution models, marketing leaders continue to struggle to measure the impact of brand investments.”
“The industry’s expectations have been too low for far too long. Brand marketers deserve better measurement,” said Ric Elert, President and Chief Operating Officer at Epsilon. “I’ve spoken to brand marketers who are fighting for a bigger slice of the marketing budget without precise metrics to prove how their campaigns are performing. We took our clients’ feedback and developed a solution we feel fills a gap and moves all digital media in a direction where we can message and measure all campaigns at the individual level.”
How It Works
Marketers using the solution tap into Epsilon’s CORE® ID and 200M+ comprehensive consumer profiles that include demographics, psychographics, browsing behavior and purchase data.
Using 200B+ daily observations, Epsilon’s CORE® AI serves consumers with high impact ads across display, pre-roll digital video and OTT streaming.
Success is measured by looking at the four distinct actions that indicate brand consideration, and media is optimized in real time to increase Epsilon’s unique consideration rate metric.
“We worked with one client whose search rankings saw a significant decrease following updates to their website. On the surface, it seems like no big deal, right? But the website was an important channel for people researching products before heading in-store to make a purchase,” said Elert. “We were able to work with the client to identify people who were considering a purchase, deliver ads across channels and measure the success of those messages.”
Digital Media Solutions is one of six distinct offerings within Epsilon PeopleCloud that work together or independently. Powered by Epsilon’s CORE Onboarding, ID, Data and AI to drive real-time personalization and optimization, other Digital Media Solutions include:
Retention – motivate existing customers to buy more, more often
Acquisition – find new customers who are in market for your product
Category Driver – drive sales in specific product categories
Retail Media Network – sell more of your partner brands’ products
Actions – encourage customers to reach goals beyond purchases
Location Driver – drive customers to buy at specific locations
###
About Epsilon
Epsilon is the leader in outcome-based marketing. We enable marketing that’s built on proof, not promises. Through Epsilon PeopleCloud, the marketing platform for personalizing consumer journeys with performance transparency, Epsilon helps marketers anticipate, activate and prove measurable business outcomes. Powered by CORE ® ID, the most accurate and stable identity management platform representing 200+ million people, Epsilon’s award-winning data and technology is rooted in privacy by design and underpinned by powerful AI. With more than 50 years of experience in personalization and performance working with the world’s top brands, agencies and publishers, Epsilon is a trusted partner, leading CRM, digital media, loyalty and email programs. Positioned at the core of Publicis Groupe, Epsilon is a global company with over 8,000 employees in over 40 offices around the world. For more information, visit epsilon.com. Follow us on Twitter at @EpsilonMktg.
---
## Epsilon Launches New Loyalty Solution for Mid-Size Brands, Expanding Industry-Leading Capabilities
Type: eps_pressRelease
URL: /epsilon-launches-new-loyalty-solution-for-mid-size-brands-expanding-industry-leading-capabilities
Last Modified: 2025-10-28T17:47:27Z
# Epsilon Launches New Loyalty Solution for Mid-Size Brands, Expanding Industry-Leading Capabilities
Epsilon’s “Launch and Learn” Approach Demonstrates ROI Before Brands Sign a Long-Term Contract
BOSTON – September 16, 2020 – Epsilon® today announced the launch of Epsilon PeopleCloud Loyalty Essentials, a new offering that simplifies and optimizes loyalty management for mid-size brands by providing key capabilities and services available in Epsilon PeopleCloud Loyalty. Epsilon’s “Launch and Learn” approach demonstrates ROI to mid-size brands over a four-month period before rolling out a formal program and long-term commitment. As brands shift from prioritizing acquisition to customer loyalty in today’s uncertain market, Loyalty Essentials will provide mid-size brands with the quality and proven technology that has helped grow Fortune 500 companies for years.
With Loyalty Essentials, mid-size brands can strengthen and grow their loyalty programs with access to rich technology from Epsilon’s enterprise-level loyalty solution. Epsilon was the only loyalty provider named a Leader in both “The Forrester Wave™: Loyalty Service Providers, Q3 2019” and “The Forrester Wave™: Loyalty Technology Platforms, Q2 2019” by Forrester Research, Inc.
Epsilon’s loyalty offerings are powered by CORE ID, Epsilon’s industry-leading identity management solution of 200+ million persistent consumer profiles. CORE ID enables marketers to tie together customer loyalty across online, offline and in-app channels so brands can reach each of their members at exactly the right moment with personalized rewards and experiences that are driven by real-time behavior. The stability and accuracy of CORE ID ensures improved engagement and lifetime value among brands’ loyalty members, and Epsilon data shows consumers can spend up to three times as much with brands to which they are loyalty members than non-members.
“We noticed a real need in the market for an affordable, quick-to-market and efficient loyalty solution specifically for mid-size brands,” said Wayne Townsend, President, Technology at Epsilon. “We can now launch comprehensive loyalty programs for our clients in a matter of weeks with Loyalty Essentials, built directly from our enterprise loyalty solution that has helped grow the world’s largest brands for decades.”
Mid-size brands can now access the same rich capabilities as enterprise clients in a format designed specifically for their customers and business needs. For example, Preferred Hotels & Resorts is the world’s largest independent hotel brand, representing 750 distinctive hotels, resorts, residences, and unique hotel groups across 85 countries. The brand partnered with Epsilon for a reliable platform to enable loyalty program enhancements, personalized conversations with members and opportunities for future growth.
“We needed a loyalty solution that would provide us with flexibility and faster speed to market. With Epsilon, it’s not only the services and the technology, it’s their thought leadership in the loyalty space. We are more confident than ever in our ability to take on new opportunities, test initiatives, and continuously improve and evolve. Given the many challenges all brands face today, a strong loyalty partner is crucial for any business regardless of size or industry,” said Jeri Salazar, Vice President of Loyalty, Preferred Hotels & Resorts.
Loyalty and Loyalty Essentials are part of Epsilon PeopleCloud, the marketing platform for personalizing consumer journeys with performance transparency. Additional products in the Epsilon PeopleCloud suite include:
Customer: A customer data hub to create meaningful connections with a brand’s customers when and where it matters most
Digital Media Solutions: Seven offerings for delivering personalized, performance-based media across mobile, desktop and video
Discovery: An ID-based insights platform for planning a brand’s growth strategy and optimizing media
Messaging: An industry-leading email and digital solutions platform to bring customers personalized, cross-channel messages in the moments that matter most
Prospect: A privacy-safe clean room to analyze a brand’s best customers and efficiently acquire new ones
About Epsilon
Epsilon is the leader in outcome-based marketing. We enable marketing that’s built on proof, not promises. Through Epsilon PeopleCloud, the marketing platform for personalizing consumer journeys with performance transparency, Epsilon helps marketers anticipate, activate and prove measurable business outcomes. Powered by CORE ID®, the most accurate and stable identity management platform representing 200+ million people, Epsilon’s award-winning data and technology is rooted in privacy by design and underpinned by powerful AI. With more than 50 years of experience in personalization and performance working with the world’s top brands, agencies and publishers, Epsilon is a trusted partner leading CRM, digital media, loyalty and email programs. Positioned at the core of Publicis Groupe, Epsilon is a global company with over 8,000 employees in over 40 offices around the world. For more information, visit epsilon.com. Follow us on Twitter at @EpsilonMktg.
---
## Epsilon Positioned at the Center of Publicis Groupe Growth Strategy
Type: eps_pressRelease
URL: /epsilon-positioned-at-the-center-of-publicis-groupe-growth-strategy
Last Modified: 2025-10-23T12:49:03Z
# Epsilon Positioned at the Center of Publicis Groupe Growth Strategy
Helping clients build first-party data and take back control of their customer relationships
Building on a fast integration within the Groupe to create the product suite Epsilon PeopleCloud, already embedded in over half of Publicis Groupe’s top 30 accounts
Uniquely positioned for a cookie-less world with CORE ID, the industry’s most stable and accurate identity offering, leveraging more than 200 million profiles
DALLAS — October 22, 2020 — In just over a year since its acquisition by Publicis Groupe, Epsilon® is transforming the way brands reach and engage consumers through its product suite Epsilon PeopleCloud, the marketing platform for personalizing consumer journeys with performance transparency. Today, Epsilon is already embedded in more than half of Publicis Groupe’s top 30 accounts, including Kraft Heinz and McDonald’s.
The former data platform of the Groupe was successfully integrated into Epsilon’s tech stack within 90 days. The newly-formed product suite, Epsilon PeopleCloud, is currently delivering data-driven outcomes for both Epsilon and the Groupe’s historical clients. Major milestones over the past year include:
Active partnership with Publicis Media on new business momentum, contributing to the leadership position of Publicis Groupe in new business for 2019 with significant wins like Novartis, Disney, and more recently Kraft Heinz. The combination of Groupe assets also enabled the launch of The Pact, Powered by Epsilon, a media solution to provide U.S. midsize businesses with guaranteed outcomes.
Integration with Publicis Sapient’s Digital Business Transformation strategy, strengthening its direct-to-consumer (DTC), digital acquisition, customer data platform (CDP) and Risk and Credit Migration offerings.
Proven success supporting Publicis Groupe’s personalization capabilities and in developing breakthrough ideas and formats. These capabilities played a critical role in new business wins with the Groupe’s creative agencies over the last 15 months, particularly with the assignment of Mondelēz.
Participation with Publicis Health to launch HealthLab, Publicis Health’s data platform that pulls together de-identified patient level data into a secure environment, connecting into Epsilon’s robust consumer data to create enhanced audience profiles and segmentation.
Global expansion with significant growth in EMEA, where its digital media offering converted new clients with the online food delivery company Deliveroo, women’s fashion retailer PrettyLittleThing, as well as 15+ other new brands in 2020. Building on this success, Epsilon’s Digital Media Solutions will be available in APAC as soon as Q1 2021.
Epsilon is ideally positioned to help clients overcome their current and future marketing challenges. Third-party cookie deprecation and IDFA changes are creating massive disruption in marketers’ ability to identify consumers and personalize messages at an individual level. Since 2012, Epsilon has built immunity to these changes with its CORE ID, the industry’s most stable and accurate identity offering. It is anchored in deterministic and transactional data and leverages 200 million privacy-protected consumer profiles. Epsilon was the only company to appear in all four functionality segments in Forrester Research’s “Now Tech: Identity Resolution, Q3 2020.”
“Facing uncertainty, clients are looking to create immediate business impact with scarce resources. They need to do more with less and are looking for trusted partners to help them deliver true personalization,” said Arthur Sadoun, chairman and CEO of Publicis Groupe. “With Epsilon at the center of the Groupe, we are uniquely positioned to help clients build first-party data and take back control of their customer relationships. Through Epsilon PeopleCloud, we have the proven data and technology platforms to build, enrich and connect our clients’ data assets. This is the only way to be truly customer-first in a cookieless world.”
“Brands need assurance that they can continue to reach customers with relevant messages and proven return on their marketing investment,” said Epsilon CEO Bryan Kennedy. “There must be better balance in marketing spend, a higher bar of performance transparency and an increased ability to build cohesive consumer journeys. With Epsilon PeopleCloud, we’re able to deliver that promise.”
With its six distinct platforms and a modular design, Epsilon PeopleCloud is the ideal partner for marketers, spanning across the data and tech value-chain. This integrated suite, powered by Epsilon’s CORE Onboarding, ID, Data and AI, includes:
Discovery: A solution for uncovering insights, planning your growth strategy and optimizing marketing.
Prospect: A privacy-by-design data clean room designed to uncover unique insights and enable open activation and measurement.
Digital Media Solutions: A solution for delivering personalized display media across mobile, desktop and video.
Customer: A Customer Data Platform to manage and activate first-party data, as the marketing source of truth and backbone of a unified customer experience.
Loyalty: A leading loyalty platform to create meaningful experiences with customers that last a lifetime1.
Messaging: An industry-leading email and SMS solution that helps brands create the most relevant conversations in each customer's preferred channels2.
Visit epsilon.com and check out this video to see how Epsilon PeopleCloud is transforming one-to-one marketing for brands, publishers and consumers.
###
About Epsilon
Epsilon is the leader in outcome-based marketing. We enable marketing that’s built on proof, not promises. Through Epsilon PeopleCloud, the marketing platform for personalizing consumer journeys with performance transparency, Epsilon helps marketers anticipate, activate and prove measurable business outcomes. Powered by CORE ID®, the most accurate and stable identity management platform representing 200+ million people, Epsilon’s award-winning data and technology is rooted in privacy by design and underpinned by powerful AI. With more than 50 years of experience in personalization and performance working with the world’s top brands, agencies and publishers, Epsilon is a trusted partner leading CRM, digital media, loyalty and email programs. Positioned at the core of Publicis Groupe, Epsilon is a global company with over 8,000 employees in over 40 offices around the world. For more information, visit epsilon.com. Follow us on Twitter at @EpsilonMktg.
[1] Epsilon has been named as a leader in both the Forrester Wave for Loyalty Technology Platforms, Q2 2019 & the Forrester Wave for Loyalty Service Providers, Q3 2019
[2] Epsilon has been named as a leader in the Forrester Wave for Email Marketing Service Providers, Q2 2020
---
## Epsilon Study Finds Marketers Disappointed, Frustrated and Overwhelmed Ahead of Third-Party Cookie Deprecation
Type: eps_pressRelease
URL: /epsilon-study-finds-marketers-disappointed-frustrated-and-overwhelmed-ahead-of-third-party-cookie-deprecation
Last Modified: 2025-10-28T17:47:52Z
# Epsilon Study Finds Marketers Disappointed, Frustrated and Overwhelmed Ahead of Third-Party Cookie Deprecation
67% of Marketers Surveyed Have Negative Feelings About the Elimination of Third-Party Cookies and Mobile Ad Identifiers like IDFA; 62% Believe the Changes Will Not Help Consumers
CHICAGO — October 27, 2020 — Epsilon® today released the initial findings of its study into marketers’ perceptions, readiness and concerns regarding the future deprecation of third-party cookies and changes to mobile ad identifiers (MAIDs) like Apple’s IDFA.
The study, conducted in partnership with global research firm Phronesis Partners Inc., surveyed more than 250 U.S. mid-to-large enterprise marketers from retail, financial services, CPG, restaurant and travel industries. Survey participants were asked to provide insight on a range of topics related to third-party cookies and MAIDs, including the extent of their reliance on the key identifiers, vendors’ ability to develop viable solutions to replace the identifiers and how the changes compare to the impact of GDPR and CCPA.
Key findings include:
67% of respondents have negative feelings about the pending changes, with 44% responding that they are disappointed with the plans.
70% of respondents believe digital advertising will be adversely affected by these changes and will take a step backwards.
62% of respondents believe the changes will not help consumers.
63% indicated the changes will result in little to no improvement to consumers’ control of personal data.
55% think consumers will receive a less personalized ad experience.
50% believe privacy concerns will persist.
69% of respondents believe the changes will have a greater impact than GDPR and CCPA.
“These changes have caused mass frustration for marketers who are trying to protect privacy without sacrificing the consumer experience,” said Ric Elert, President and Chief Operating Officer at Epsilon. “There was positive intent, but this research shows that there is little confidence that consumers will actually benefit from these changes; in fact, the experience across devices and channels is likely to get worse. Thankfully, there is a path forward where marketers can lean into first party data and people-based ID strategies that are not dependent on device IDs or third-party cookies. By pursuing this type of future-proof identity strategy, you can achieve the best of both worlds – personalization at the individual level with respect for choice and privacy.”
The survey also explored marketers’ current preparedness in adapting their digital advertising strategy to account for the deprecation of third-party cookies.
Less than half (46%) of respondents are “very prepared.”
The changes are forcing many marketers (69%) to take active steps to prepare. The top three actions include:
building a customer data platform (67%),
strategizing around first-party data (62%), and
building out a private ID graph (60%).
Since 2012, Epsilon’s industry-leading CORE ID has enabled the company’s clients to future-proof their marketing efforts. Epsilon’s 200+ million consumer profiles are anchored in deterministic transactional data and built from years of historical and real-time data across more than 7,000 attributes. It is this deep understanding of individuals that powers Epsilon PeopleCloud, the marketing platform for personalizing consumer journeys with performance transparency, and enables brands to anticipate consumer needs, activate messages across the entire customer journey and prove outcomes.
Visit epsilon.com to download the executive summary and find additional resources to help you prepare for consumer identification and personalization in a cookie-less world.
###
About Epsilon
Epsilon is the leader in outcome-based marketing. We enable marketing that’s built on proof, not promises. Through Epsilon PeopleCloud, the marketing platform for personalizing consumer journeys with performance transparency, Epsilon helps marketers anticipate, activate and prove measurable business outcomes. Powered by CORE ID®, the most accurate and stable identity management platform representing 200+ million people, Epsilon’s award-winning data and technology is rooted in privacy by design and underpinned by powerful AI. With more than 50 years of experience in personalization and performance working with the world’s top brands, agencies and publishers, Epsilon is a trusted partner leading CRM, digital media, loyalty and email programs. Positioned at the core of Publicis Groupe, Epsilon is a global company with over 8,000 employees in over 40 offices around the world. For more information, visit epsilon.com. Follow us on Twitter at @EpsilonMktg.
---
## Outsmart not outspend: Domino‘s generates more than £1m with personalised display ads
Type: eps_pressRelease
URL: /dominos-generates-1m-with-personalised-ads
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Outsmart not outspend: Domino‘s generates more than £1m with personalised display ads
UK’s leading pizza brand achieved 10:1 incremental return on ad spend, increasing customer lifetime value and customer purchases in just three months
London, 7th February 2020: In the increasingly crowded delivery market, Domino’s, the UK’s leading pizza brand, has driven a £1.13m boost in incremental revenue in just three months by launching a new digital display advertising programme. Domino’s partnered with Conversant to harness its data to identify and reach consumers, reaching 3.1 million people and achieving an impressive 10:1 incremental return on ad spend.
With over 1,000 stores across the UK, Domino’s has built up its leading status through both its pizzas and its use of technology for better customer experience. But in the past three years, the delivery market has exploded with quick-service restaurants (QSRs) moving into delivery and the emergence of delivery aggregators, such as Deliveroo and Uber Eats. To maintain its market position, Domino’s knew it needed to harness its data and utilise the full breadth of its channels to not only win new customers but retain existing ones who may be tempted to switch to a delivery aggregator.
“There are so many businesses fighting for that pizza or takeaway occasion, and they have deep pockets. We need to be on the front foot when it comes to driving efficiency through data - using our data architecture and understanding of our customers to outsmart competitors. All the while, measuring effectively using a mix of econometrics, last click and revenue incrementality. That's our mantra - to outsmart rather than outspend,” explained Karl Boyce, Head of Digital and CRM at Domino’s.
Whilst already a first mover with channels like social, Spotify or specific publishers thanks to its single customer view database, like other brands, Domino’s hadn’t seen healthy return on investment from standard digital display advertising. With some channels too fragmented and others like TV becoming too expensive, Domino’s turned to personalised digital marketing provider, Conversant, to re-introduce display into its media mix and demonstrate incremental return.
Conversant aided Domino’s to further activate its first-party data, harnessing the solution’s transaction-driven ID map of real British consumers. In turn, this enabled Domino’s to effectively identify and reach the right consumers at scale, simultaneously optimising media buying for measurable return.
Elliott Clayton, Senior Vice President at Conversant said, “We ensured to take the time to really get under the skin of the Domino’s business and truly understand its operational and business challenges before outlining the best strategy. This also meant being fully transparent and engaging with all stakeholders, particularly the likes of the data security and the legal team. We knew we’d then be able to deliver and prove the desired return for Domino’s.”
Now, Domino’s is able to match customers down to a single, pseudonymous customer contact ID, tracking that customer accurately from media delivery through to order. The solution allows delivery of automated, personalised messaging to increase new and existing customer lifetime value, driving purchases across its customer base. Beyond a ten-fold incremental return on an investment of £113,000 - more than double the targeted 4:1 return - it also reached 3.1 million customers. Importantly, the partnership with Conversant has entailed a greater business impact by highlighting the value of marketing data to the wider business.
“Many marketers are trying to drive value in their data, so they're having conversations with board members about getting that data architecture in place, managing compliance and creating audience segments. It is a costly, time-consuming part of anybody's role. For us to be able to create an audience sample and visibly show a return is music to the ears of any head of department trying to validate a business case to their board,” concluded Boyce.
---
## Direct to consumer start-ups pushing out traditional brands
Type: eps_pressRelease
URL: /direct-to-consumer-pushing-out-traditional-brands
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Direct to consumer start-ups pushing out traditional brands
As brands evolve the lines between DTC and traditional B2C are blurring
London, 11th December 2019: The boom in direct to consumer businesses, such as Made.com and Casper Mattresses, is causing more traditional brands to lose out, new research has revealed.
According to a new report from the CMO Club and Epsilon-Conversant, 80% of B2C brands believe DTCs are impacting their market and forcing them to adapt their marketing strategies. Big consumer brands like Gillette have even recorded a 20% drop in market share due to emerging rival DTCs[1].
“Marketers are now seeing huge fragmentation across different channels and platforms but the popularity of direct to consumer brands shows they are filling a gap and need in the industry,” commented Elliott Clayton, SVP, Conversant. “With DTCs continuing to gain market authority, other brands need to be taking action.”
It is direct to consumer brands’ ability to excel at personalisation that means they are bettering other brands. This is in contrast to a recent Gartner report that predicted personalisation in marketing is on the way out. The new Epsilon-Conversant report reveals that DTCs’ appeal lies with being more customer centric, offering products to solve customer needs and delivering better buyer experiences, with 81% of B2C brands believing that DTCs have changed consumer expectations of their own brand. This appeal is also extending beyond digitally native millennial and Gen Z audiences, as DTCs increasingly target older generations who have more disposable income.
Swanson Health is an example of how DTCs are better understanding and effectively reaching both current and potential customers with the right messages at the right time. Following a 5:1 incremental return on ad spend and a 20% increase in messaged site traffic, President Corey Bergstrom commented, “Given we know our customers, we have the ability to make a more personalised conversation through our touchpoints rather than a generic one-size-fits all offer… We’re trying to have conversations that pick up from the prior conversation and create the relationship rather than just be a place for them to purchase.”
This increasing competition is not necessarily bad news. As traditional brands seek to catch up, 88% are now more focused on offering personalised experiences and almost half of B2C brands (42%) say DTCs have influenced how they use their data to achieve better customer experiences. Moreover, 47% of traditional brands are actively working on incorporating more of the personalised experiences that DTCs excel at.
This emergence of challengers is also causing B2C brands to look beyond general awareness and to push for more performance-driven marketing (53%). B2C brands are looking for real measurable success and to connect marketing spend with measurable sales outcome to demonstrate ROI.
However, it is not all plain sailing for DTCs, with the majority (71%) of these startups expecting challenges with scaling their businesses and retaining customers. Traditional B2C brands (58%) also believe that DTCs will be increasingly threatened by a rise in copycat competitors. As a result, the research reveals that more DTCs will be moving away from a purely DTC approach, even opening up more brick and mortar stores like Made.com’s Tottenham Court Road high street store.
“As both traditional B2C brands and DTCs realise the benefits of effectively reaching customers and the need to switch up approaches and activities, the line between the two is going to increasingly blur ‒ there will likely soon come a point when we no longer make the distinction. What all these brands need to remember is the importance of being where the customer is, delivering that desired personalisation across all channels and throughout the whole customer journey,” concluded Elliott Clayton, SVP, Conversant.
---
## Black Friday: real opportunity in long-lasting customer acquisition, Conversant data reveals
Type: eps_pressRelease
URL: /black-friday-peak-week
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Black Friday: real opportunity in long-lasting customer acquisition, Conversant data reveals
New insight shows long-term boost to customer pipeline following Black Friday and ‘Peak Week’
London, 26th November 2019: This year’s Black Friday will present an opportunity to build new, loyal customers, according to data from Conversant. While the average order value from last year’s Black Friday shoppers remained almost identical to the majority of ‘regular’ customers, the period has the potential to attract – and retain – new buyers.
Conversant’s analysis shows that the average order value from a new customer on Black Friday of 2018 sat at around £75, fluctuating between £70 and £85 across the week – almost identical to that of a ‘regular’ customer.
“’Peek Week’ has historically been seen as a time for bargain hunters, but over the past few years retailers have seen a gradual plateauing of sales in favour of higher orders throughout the surrounding month,” said Elliott Clayton, SVP at Conversant. “While the sales peak in ‘Peak Week’ will be less pronounced, retailers will see an increase in sales over a longer period, plus gain new customers who will come back for more over the following 12 months. It’s a valuable, long-term opportunity, rather than the short, sharp sales rush it’s normally considered as.”
Data from IMRG – a UK-based online retail association – indicates that 2019’s Black Friday will be the worst on record for some years, with only 2-3% growth in sales for some sectors. However, Conversant’s analysis shows that the week and weeks surrounding Peak Week still represent an opportunity for retailers to secure new, loyal customers – in fact, almost 20% (19.4%) of new customers during this period will return to buy again.
“We’re increasingly seeing Black Friday evolve into a mature, accepted shopping period, where retailers can secure returning shoppers who will deliver genuine value,” concluded Clayton. “It has not historically been seen as a good time for long-term lead generation, but this has clearly shifted in recent years. Marketers who adjust their strategies, understand and adapt to consumer preferences can significantly boost their long-term pipeline and make a real, revenue-driving difference to their brands.”
---
## Fashion retailers to reap benefits from Christmas sales
Type: eps_pressRelease
URL: /holiday-intelligence-report-fashion
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Fashion retailers to reap benefits from Christmas sales
New report reveals Christmas sales could see double or triple revenue and orders growth, but marketers need to streamline the whole customer journey on mobile to target UK consumers
London: 24th September 2019: While retailers have struggled in the summer sales, new research suggests fashion retailers will be benefitting later in the year, with apparel goods set to be the most popular purchase in the Christmas sales. This is according to CJ Affiliate’s latest Holiday Intelligence Report, which revealed that apparel goods were the most-purchased items in the Christmas sales last year, boasting the highest year-on-year increase in orders and revenue. On Cyber Monday alone, online apparel orders increased by more than a third (37%) year-on-year.
Yet, Black Friday and Cyber Monday are losing their dominance, with the report revealing other emerging high sales conversion periods that will likely play an even bigger role in 2019. Black Friday boasted the most orders in one day last year, but the following weekend saw more customer conversions. Order growth increased by a third (33%) and sales by almost a quarter (24%), demonstrating how British consumers like to shop in their free time at the weekend.
“The Christmas season isn’t just about buying gifts. When already browsing around for the perfect presents, shoppers will also be looking to stock up on other items they need for the rest of the year,” commented Jules Bazley, Regional Vice President at CJ Affiliate. “It’s been a tough summer, with both in-store and online fashion retailers forced to slash their summer sale prices early this year, leaving marketers with a strong desire to maximise returns over the Christmas season. That means looking beyond Black Friday and Cyber Monday, delivering more balanced campaigns before, during and after the perceived Christmas season peak with well-placed promotions targeting the right consumers at exactly the right time.”
Brits also panic buy Christmas gifts last-minute, with the third week of December accounting for the greatest increase in orders and revenue growth year-on-year. This week boasted triple digit growth (111%) in orders and almost doubled its revenue and share of the winter sales (45%). Boxing Day sales continue to play an important role for British consumers, with year-on-year order growth matching that of Black Friday (20%) last year and generating greater year-on-year sales growth at 8%, compared to 5% growth on Black Friday.
Mobile rules in the UK A growing trend in recent years, mobile devices have now officially overtaken desktops and Brits in particular like to shop on the go. Almost half (46%) of UK winter sales orders in 2018 were made on smartphones, beating purchases made on desktops for the first time and highlighting the need to not only push mobile-first marketing approaches but to also consistently ensure a great mobile user experience throughout the customer journey, including easy mobile checkout options, to convert more shoppers this year. Tablets, on the other hand, are losing popularity with Brits – usage is down 36% compared with the previous year.
Mobile also dominated amongst publishers. Share of order and sales were boosted most by mobile publishers, followed by ad networks and social publishers, who both boasted a 40% increase in share of orders, demonstrating shoppers’ increasing reliance on features such as shopping assistants, product reviews and product discovery platforms. In contrast, email publishers saw the biggest decline in order and revenue share.
“For fashion brands targeting British consumers, mobile promotions and easy mobile checkout will win out this year,” concluded Bazley. “However, this alone will not cut it, consumers are savvier, carrying out their own research, checking reviews and they expect a lot more from their shopping experience. To really make the most of the winter season opportunities this year, marketers need to be executing campaigns that put consumers’ needs first through creating a seamless, holistic shopping experience across all devices.”
---
## Christmas to offer salvation for brands suffering from poor summer sales
Type: eps_pressRelease
URL: /holiday-intelligence-report
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Christmas to offer salvation for brands suffering from poor summer sales
New report reveals Christmas sales could see double or triple revenue and orders growth, but marketers need to streamline the whole customer journey on mobile to target UK consumers
London, 24th September 2019: While UK retail sales growth declined this summer, new research suggests that the Christmas season will be an opportunity to recoup lost sales. According to CJ Affiliate’s latest Holiday Intelligence Report, orders and revenue saw double or triple digit growth over the 2018 Christmas period.
While Black Friday continued to maintain dominance, boasting the most orders in one day, the report also revealed the emergence of other higher sales conversion periods that will likely play an even bigger role in 2019. The weekend following Black Friday saw more customer conversions from online ads, with order growth increasing by a third (33%) and sales by almost a quarter (24%). Cyber Monday on the other hand saw a 4% decrease in order growth, demonstrating how British consumers like to shop in their free time at the weekend.
"We have heard from our clients that it’s been a tough summer for many brands, leaving marketers with a strong desire to maximise returns during the rest of the year, especially over the Christmas period,” commented Jules Bazley, Regional Vice President at CJ Affiliate. “To do this, marketers need to look beyond the recognised sales spikes during Black Friday and Cyber Monday and should instead play the long game this year, executing more balanced campaigns before, during and after the perceived Christmas season peak, with well-placed promotions to target the right consumers at the right time with the right content.”
According to the report, Brits also panic buy Christmas presents last minute, with the third week of December accounting for the greatest increase in orders and revenue growth year-on-year. This week boasted triple digit growth (111%) in holiday orders in 2018 and almost doubled its revenue and share of holiday sales (45%). Boxing Day sales continue to play an important role for British consumers, with year-on-year order growth matching that of Black Friday (20%) last year and generating greater year-on-year revenue growth at 8%, compared to 5% growth on Black Friday.
Mobile rules in the UK
A growing trend in recent years, mobile devices have now officially overtaken desktops and Brits in particular like to shop on the go. Almost half (46%) of UK holiday sales orders in 2018 were made on smartphones, beating purchases made on desktops for the first time and highlighting the need to not only push mobile-first marketing approaches but to also consistently ensure a great mobile user experience throughout the customer journey, including easy mobile checkout options, to convert more shoppers this year. Tablets, on the other hand, are losing popularity with Brits – usage is down 36% compared with the previous year.
Mobile also dominated amongst publishers. Share of order and sales were boosted most by mobile publishers, followed by ad networks and social publishers who both boasted a 40% increase in share of orders, demonstrating shoppers’ increasing reliance on shopping assistants, product reviews and product discovery platforms. In contrast, email publishers saw the biggest decline in order and revenue share.
“Mobile promotions and easy mobile checkout will win out this year,” concluded Bazley. “However, this alone will not cut it, consumers are savvier, carrying out their own research, checking reviews and they expect a lot more from their shopping experience. To really make the most of holiday season opportunities this year, marketers need to be executing campaigns that put consumers’ needs first through creating a seamless, holistic shopping experience across all devices.”
---
## Brits believe in the quality of print and online ads as Germans call for more experiential advertising
Type: eps_pressRelease
URL: /survey-release
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Brits believe in the quality of print and online ads as Germans call for more experiential advertising
Germany shows the least understanding of the need for ads to pay for free content, whilst French, British and American consumers show more patience
Attitudes to online advertising vary wildly across Europe, a new survey has shown. According to research from Conversant, almost half (47%) of Germans want more experiential advertising, compared to just 16% of the UK and USA, and just 11% of the French. Consumers in Germany are also the least tolerant of ads as a means of providing free content, with just 30% admitting that they understand this, compared to 41% of the UK.
“Both the British and Germans are united in pushing for better standards of advertising,” commented Elliott Clayton, Senior Vice President, Conversant. “Half of Germany [50%] and 47% of the UK dislike being followed around the web by the same ads, as well as 39% of France, showing that many brands are using retargeting poorly. Clearly, a great deal needs to change if advertising is to achieve its objective of building brands effectively.”
Despite these objections to advertising, British and US consumers still have significant faith in ads, with 80% of both saying that more traditional forms of advertising still have a place in the world. However, many consumers demanded change across the industry, with almost half (48%) of the UK believing that the advertising industry needs to change, as well as 40% of French consumers.
“What consumers want from advertising is coming through loud and clear,” concluded Clayton. “Better quality ads, greater relevancy, and better handling of data. It’s high time that brands realise that adverts aren’t just a quick way of pushing more visitors into the top of their sales funnels, and instead, should be treated as a way of building a close, one-to-one relationship with both existing and potential customers. In return, advertisers will see higher conversion rates throughout their funnel.”
---
## No more cat and mouse advertising! Consumers demand end to being chased around the internet
Type: eps_pressRelease
URL: /no-more-cat-and-mouse-advertising-consumers-demand-end-to-being-chased-around-the-internet
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# No more cat and mouse advertising! Consumers demand end to being chased around the internet
Brands are damaging their reputation with stale advertising techniques that are pushing away consumers
Consumers have spoken: being followed around the internet by the same adverts is the thing they dislike most about online advertising, according to new state of the industry research from Conversant. The study questioned consumers across seven* different countries and found 48% of UK consumers dislike seeing the same ads multiple times. So annoying do they find this that almost half (48%) of Brits believe the advertising industry needs to change.
Brits aren’t alone: consumers in the US and Germany experience a similar level of advert stalking – with the desire for the industry to move away from this activity also between 47-49% respectively. However, only 38% of consumers in France dislike this advertising technique, with only 40% believing change is needed.
“We’ve all experienced it, that same advert following us around and continuing to pop up everywhere – it’s an issue that’s inherent with ad retargeting. Far from inciting a purchase, this is more likely to lead to the consumer becoming annoyed and potentially cause reputational damage in the long run than lead to a sale,” commented Elliott Clayton, Senior Vice President, Conversant. “Our state of the industry research has revealed that by delivering high-volume low-quality retargeting to consumers, marketers are pushing customers away, wasting their marketing budget in the process.”
The research also revealed that more than a quarter (29%) of UK consumers judge brands poorly when they produce bad advertising. While consumers are open to adverts, almost half (44%) would prefer to see fewer ads, with those that they do see to be more relevant and useful to the individual.
Consumers in the US (45%) and Germany (48%) would also like to see this change of fewer but more relevant adverts. In Germany in particular, bad advertising can have a big effect on a brand’s reputation, with over a third (36%) of German consumers judging a brand poorly for bad advertising. In France on the other hand, only 15% of French consumers would be put off a brand by its poor advertising.
"The only way to ensure genuine relevancy to the individual consumers that see your ads is with personalisation. Truly personalised advertising has been around for a while now, but it’s unfortunate that many marketers still confuse it with retargeting – from looking at these survey results, that’s a risky mistake to make! Often, retargeting involves repeatedly showing a consumer a product that they have already chosen not to purchase. Instead, the relevancy created by personalisation lies with being able to properly identify customers across different devices, tracking activity online and offline, then adapting your creative in real-time, on the fly,” continued Clayton.
There is some good news, however, as these figures do show that improvements are being made compared to previous years. Conversant’s 2017 Holiday Report revealed that 65% of consumers said companies, retailers or brands send them too many irrelevant communications.
“While we are seeing progress, there’s still a way to go for marketers to build those true, close customer relationships. Consumers want brands to reach out to them on a personal level, and that means marketers need to have a real understanding of their customers’ purchase behaviour and habits, not just online but also combining this with offline activities and analysing it across all channels and devices,” concluded Clayton.
### Notes to the Editor:
*The seven countries included in the research are: UK, US, France, Germany, Canada, Switzerland, and Austria.
About Conversant
Conversant is the leader in personalised digital marketing, transforming the industry through cutting-edge technology, bold creative and a staggering amount of data. Its roster of 4,000 clients includes 400+ blue chip brands and 65 of the Internet Retailer Top 100. Coupled with the world's largest affiliate marketing network, CJ Affiliate, they drive incremental sales better than anyone. Conversant is a division of Epsilon, the global leader in creating customer connections that build brand and business equity.
---
## Scotch & Soda personalises ads, achieving five-fold incremental return on investment
Type: eps_pressRelease
URL: /case-study
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Scotch & Soda personalises ads, achieving five-fold incremental return on investment
Scotch & Soda’s transition from one-off ad campaigns to data-driven, personalised and always-on-media has generated revenue growth and increased customer lifetime value
Scotch & Soda, a premium omni-channel fashion retailer, has boosted its incremental return on ad spend to £5.50 for every £1 invested (5.5:1), thanks to a major overhaul in its digital advertising strategy.
The retailer is stocked in 8,000 outlets globally and worn by famous actors and musicians such as Eddie Redmayne and Justin Timberlake, but the team knew that there was much more they could do to keep the brand top of mind amongst unpredictable fashion consumers. As part of a strategic review, the team adopted Conversant’s CRM Media solution, which enabled one-to-one communications through highly personalised messages.
“We try to build memory structures in everything we do – everything should be aligned. Conversant allowed us to create individual communication stories on a continuous basis efficiently - right person, right product and right look and feel for Scotch & Soda,” explains the fashion brand’s Media Manager, Leon Wharton.
“The trends that govern the fashion industry mean many advertising campaigns only penetrate consumers’ short-term memory, which means the brand may not be recalled at a later date. Scotch & Soda’s new strategy enables them to cement their place in customer’ long-term memory, as the go-to for premium, stylish clothing and accessories,” explains Elliott Clayton, Senior Vice President of Media at Conversant. “The results achieved so far clearly show the personalisation approach is working for Scotch & Soda, and many other companies across industry already benefit from a similar strategy.”
In its most recent review, the Scotch & Soda team examined incremental ROI – that is, returns compared to baseline brand performance without advertising. When compared to this group, Scotch & Soda generated sales 25 percent more often when using Conversant’s personalisation technology, while also increasing the lifetime value of customers that it messaged by 23 percent. The solution tracks over 120 million online and offline daily purchases, building profiles across more than 7,000 dimensions, enabling personalised conversations with Scotch & Soda’s customers across multiple devices.
“Conversant is driving new incremental demand from our mid-funnel, and I don’t think we serviced that properly before, or that the tools to do that existed previously,” continued Wharton.
A major boon for Wharton and his team is the added benefit of seeing how advertising efforts contribute to Scotch & Soda’s overall media mix, as well as learning more about its customers, their buying habits and advertising preferences.
"The audience insights we get are really helpful. Not only are we delivering measurable revenue into the business, but we’re able to better understand our audience and leverage that internally – for example, the data helps us build a case for creative strategies across other media."
---
## Alexa, All I Want for Christmas Is…Simpler Shopping
Type: eps_pressRelease
URL: /retailoutlookreport
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Alexa, All I Want for Christmas Is…Simpler Shopping
Ease and convenience mean more shoppers are buying through voice assistants and social media but stores still winning at Christmas
More consumers will be turning to the likes of Alexa and Google Home to buy their Christmas gifts this year, research has revealed. According to the Holiday Retail Outlook Report by Conversant, Epsilon and LoyaltyOne, a third (31%) of consumers made Christmas purchases via a voice assistant last year.
The report, which analysed consumer Christmas shopping trends, also showed that mobile is increasing its Christmas shopping dominance. According to the research, two-thirds (66%) of Christmas digital orders in 2017 were on a phone or tablet, an increase from 58% in 2016, while Christmas Day in-app purchases were up 12% compared with the previous year.
The option to multi-task is the big draw for voice and mobile shoppers. Two-fifths (40%) of consumers do their Christmas shopping while watching TV and a third (31%) when flipping through social media. In fact, more than half (55%) of consumers have made a purchase via a social media channel, yet only two-fifths (40%) of retailers currently offer social media as a purchase channel.
“It’s clear that ease and convenience is what consumers want this Christmas. Recent research from CJ Affiliate even showed that it’s more important than bagging those cheap Christmas deals,” commented Elliott Clayton, SVP Media UK, Conversant. “However much a shopper may want that latest gadget, or if they’ve finally found the perfect gift, if buying it is difficult or takes too much effort, it puts them off. This Christmas, marketers need to make the buying process as simple and convenient as possible so that shoppers can grab the perfect gift on their mobile while commuting home from work, binging on Christmas TV, or making a last-minute purchase before bed.”
While mobile shopping and new tech are on the rise, traditional stores do still have their place at Christmas. The report revealed that 88% of consumers still make in-store purchases during the Christmas period ‒ but marketers shouldn’t consider these in-store experiences separate from online shopping activities.
According to the research, 46% of consumers start their shopping in store and then purchase online, while more than half (58%) first browse online and buy their Christmas shopping instore. For those marketers wishing to target younger shoppers, the vast majority (78%) were revealed to shop both in-store and online.
“Today, the omnichannel consumer experience is key,” continued Clayton. “It’s getting rarer and rarer for shoppers to research and buy in one single environment, be it in store, on their laptop, their mobile phone or tablet. Instead, it’s far more common for consumers to shop across these channels – research the product on their laptop for instance, then popping into a store to see a product in person, before finally making a purchase on their mobile phone. Making this multi-environment experience as seamless as possible is key to ensuring the consumer stays loyal to your brand.”
---
## Defiant shoppers breaking Black Friday stranglehold to buy gifts when they want
Type: eps_pressRelease
URL: /holidayintelligencereport
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Defiant shoppers breaking Black Friday stranglehold to buy gifts when they want
CJ Affiliate’s Holiday Intelligence Report reveals when high sales conversion periods occur during the holiday season
Despite increasing hype, consumers are not holding out for Black Friday and Cyber Monday deals as much as in previous years, new research has revealed. According to CJ Affiliate’s Holiday Intelligence Report, consumers are starting their Christmas shopping from the first week of November.
The study shows that the beginning of November experienced increases in its share of holiday revenue and double-digit growth, particularly in the second week of November, where year-on-year order growth increased by almost a third (29%).
The share of revenue for the weeks of Black Friday and Cyber Monday, on the other hand, decreased from 2016 to 2017. These weeks saw the least amount of growth for the whole of the 9-week holiday season – year-on-year order growth was only 14%.
“Black Friday and Cyber Monday did still both prompt a spike in sales last year, but their control over consumers is decreasing,” commented CJ Affiliate’s Regional Vice President, Jules Bazley. “This report shows that other weeks are emerging as critical time periods for marketers to release promotions. If they are to maximise their returns during the Christmas period, marketers must consider these changing consumer shopping patterns and execute strategic campaigns that target consumers during the high sales conversion periods, and not just around Black Friday and Cyber Monday.”
While some consumers are starting their shopping earlier, others are waiting until just before Christmas to complete their purchases. The new study revealed that the third week of December accounted for the greatest increase in converted sales, alongside the second week in November, showing a split in consumers between last-minute panic buyers and those who favour ‘planned buying’. Conversion rates for both of these weeks increased by 18%, with the third week of December also witnessing year-on-year order growth of 29%.
“With sales becoming more evenly spread throughout the Christmas period, this shift in consumer behaviour highlights the importance of needing to track consumer buying habits. For many, it seems it’s not about getting the best deals but it’s becoming more about convenience – consumers want to buy their Christmas gifts when it suits them. Marketers need to be aware of this to ensure they promote their products at the right time this Christmas season or lose out to savvier competitors,” concluded Bazley.
---
## Coupons and cashback convert within a day; Search and social builds the brand over six weeks
Type: eps_pressRelease
URL: /cross-devicereport
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Coupons and cashback convert within a day; Search and social builds the brand over six weeks
CJ Affiliate study sheds light on affiliate marketing publisher ‘sales velocities’
The majority of sales driven by coupon and cashback offers complete within just twenty-four hours, research has today revealed. According to CJ Affiliate’s Cross-Device Intelligence Report, which examined cross-device purchases, 64% of coupon publishers and 54% of cashback publishers saw conversion in this period, compared to content, search and social publishers, where almost two-fifths (38%) saw conversions between eight and 49 days after the last click on a promotion.
“On average, cross-device purchases have a 23% higher order value than single-device purchases, but clearly, not all publisher strategies have equal ‘sales velocities’,” commented Owen Hancock, Head of Strategy, CJ Affiliate. “Coupons and cashback get quick returns but must be worked with differently to build brand value. Comparatively, search, social and content campaigns have a longer payoff period, but often create a longer-lasting, more memorable impact on consumer buying behaviour.”
The study also examined consumers’ preferred devices and days of the week for making purchases. Unsurprisingly, weekends saw more cross-device sales, with smartphone shopping highest on Fridays and sales on tablets peaking on Sundays. Finally, the greatest number of cross-device sales completed on a desktop occur on Tuesdays, while Saturdays and Sundays see the least number of these kinds of purchases.
“With smartphone shopping reaching its peak on Fridays, it seems that many consumers are revelling in some celebratory end of week purchases, with relaxed browsing happening on tablet devices on Sundays. Similarly, having made it through Monday, a spot of retail therapy on work PCs on a Tuesday may be how a lot of us make it through the start of a new week! Whatever the reasons for buying, these insights highlight the best times and the right devices for marketers to engage with their customers, ensuring they maximise on those high-converting days,” Hancock concluded.
---
## Give us discounts, but make us feel special: Consumers still looking for the perfect loyalty scheme
Type: eps_pressRelease
URL: /holidayretail2018
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Give us discounts, but make us feel special: Consumers still looking for the perfect loyalty scheme
London, 8th January 2018: Despite the highs and lows of loyalty programmes in the last decade, the majority of consumers still want retailers to offer reward schemes, research revealed today. The 2017 Holiday Retail Outlook Report by Conversant, Epsilon and LoyaltyOne found that almost three-quarters (72%) of consumers are more likely to shop at a specific retailer if it offers a loyalty programme – but it needs to be personal.
“Following the Christmas rush, retailers want to hold onto those new customers they enticed in over the Christmas period as well as making sure their existing customers keep coming back,” explained Elliott Clayton, VP of Media UK, Conversant. “Returning customers are highly likely to spend more on their next visit, with retailers seeing a 20% lift in basket size, compared to new customers[1]. Every customer interaction is a chance to solidify that loyalty. It’s about finding the right means to create one-to-one conversations and build up a relationship over time – and loyalty programmes are a tried-and-tested way of achieving that.”
However, whilst the majority of consumers (88%) do want to earn rewards for making purchases, simply offering a loyalty scheme is not enough. More than one in ten (14%) consumers want to be able to use these rewards for experiences, rather than discounts, offers or buying new items. Similarly, nearly one third (32%) of consumers want to receive special services through their loyalty programme and almost one in ten (8%) want to be recognised as having a ‘higher status’ if they are part of a loyalty scheme.
Clayton concluded, “Loyalty programmes are a great way to connect with customers on a deeper level, but brands need to get it right. Consumers want simplicity and meaningful rewards – but also prestige and special treatment for being part of a loyalty scheme. There is still a significant opportunity for loyalty schemes to build long-lasting relationships with customers, but it’s vital that marketers think about what really motivates their audience – something as simple as a free coffee can be a powerful motivator, but it isn’t always the holy grail.”
[1] LoyaltyOne proprietary sources
---
## All consumers want for Christmas is free shipping
Type: eps_pressRelease
URL: /christmas2017
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# All consumers want for Christmas is free shipping
London, 21 November 2017: The majority (92%) of consumers’ shopping purchases will be influenced by offers and promotions this Christmas, according to research from the 2017 Holiday Retail Outlook Report by Conversant, Epsilon and LoyaltyOne.
Free shipping (58%) tops customers’ Christmas offers wish list, followed by money off purchases (48%) and “buy one, get one free” offers from retailers (37%). More than half (59%) of shoppers will be using loyalty program rewards for their Christmas purchases and a fifth (21%) of consumers want to gain loyalty points or rewards though their Christmas shopping.
Elliott Clayton, Vice President of Media UK, Conversant, comments, “With retailers making 40% or more of their yearly revenue over the Christmas period, it’s a critical time of year. But competition for business is fierce and retailers need to understand what will best motivate their customers to shop with them. Nobody likes to be the person who offers that terrible Christmas gift and the same principle applies to brands and their Christmas promotions.”
Andy Mulcahy, Strategy and Insight Director, IMRG, adds “Delivery charges can have quite a significant impact on shopper psychology, even when that charge is quite small. A previous survey found that 56% of respondents had abandoned their baskets due to delivery concerns, with a further 68% saying additional costs of delivery were the main reason for doing so[1].” ( IMRG-Blujay UK Consumer Home Delivery Review 2017)
“This is why we see so many retailers competing over delivery promise, offering free delivery – including next-day, if spend is over a certain threshold – and in some cases free returns. This may be an issue of particular sensitivity during the major discounting period around Black Friday – as shoppers are very focused on getting the best possible deal, seeing additional charges added could have a negative impact on a decision to purchase,” comments Mulcahy.
Apart from offers and promotions, the report also highlights the importance of non-controllable, external factors on consumers’ Christmas purchases, with the second greatest influence on consumers for the upcoming holiday season being family and friends (84%). The products themselves do also play a role in purchasing decisions, as consumers are influenced by the product information available on a store’s website (79%) and by product reviews (77%).
Christmas through the ages
The top influences on millennials’ Christmas shopping are loyalty programs and fast checkout. Three-quarters (75%) of millennials would also be very likely to shop at a retailer this Christmas if in-store technology is available.
Fast checkout is also a top influence on Christmas shopping for Gen X (40%), along with the availability of technology, ratings and reviews. The majority (70%) of Gen Z will have a say in family purchasing decisions, with rewards programs, in-stock availability, discounts and coupons topping their Christmas wish list.
Clayton concludes: “The differing generational expectations that’s highlighted in the report is just one example that shows why brands need to be able to communicate with consumers on an individual level. But truly personalised marketing isn’t just a Christmas fad – this is a method of marketing that businesses have generated, and are continuing to generate increased return from throughout the year.”
---
## 85% of marketers admit to double vision: majority of CMOs still can’t unify online and offline worlds
Type: eps_pressRelease
URL: /cmoreport
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# 85% of marketers admit to double vision: majority of CMOs still can’t unify online and offline worlds
London, November 7th, 2017: The majority of marketers (85%) are still unable to tie together online and offline customer data, a new report has found. According to the CMO report by Conversant, this is compounded by the admission that a mere 16% of CMOs were ‘very confident’ that they could identify the same person over multiple devices online, running the risk of alienating customers.
“The word personalisation is often bandied about by marketers, but few are actually doing it right,” said Elliott Clayton, VP of Media UK, Conversant. “In fact, the large majority of marketers don’t have sufficient clarity to tell if it’s the same customer online and offline, or between their smartphone and laptop. Not only will this annoy customers, but it’s a waste of marketing spend – you could easily be advertising a product to a customer who just purchased it.”
According to the survey of more than 60 international CMOs, 61% aim to build close customer relationships, but many are failing to use technology to reach customers on a personal level. In fact, only 15% of marketers are confident that they really know their customers, and many aren’t taking basic steps to help correct this and build customer relationships.
“A big obstacle to delivering one-to-one marketing at scale is correctly measuring and tracking customer data,” continued Clayton. “To see clearly and reach customers on a personal level, marketers need to analyse their customers’ purchasing habits and behavioural data online, offline and across devices.”
The group of CMOs admitted that almost two-thirds (65%) of them do not track both online and offline sales and fewer than a quarter (24%) use real-time customer activity to tailor their digital marketing, relying instead on serving one-off messages. A third (34%) of marketers are also still measuring channel impact solely based on click data.
Clayton concluded, “With 17% of all retail spend occurring online[1], it’s essential to understand what’s going on offline. Data is such a vital asset for this, but only if it is used correctly – it’s tempting to rely on lazy metrics like clicks, but these simply don’t gauge return. And if you can’t identify your customers, nor identify incremental improvement from your marketing activity, then you don’t actually know who you’re communicating with and how these communications are affecting your business.”
---
## Education, fitness and arts: the brand categories gaining the most during coronavirus revealed
Type: eps_pressRelease
URL: /brands-gaining-the-most-during-coronavirus
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Education, fitness and arts: the brand categories gaining the most during coronavirus revealed
Daily analysis of CJ Affiliate’s global network uncovers buyer trends and changing consumer purchasing preferences during COVID-19
London, 30th April: Brands in education (+518% change YoY), Fitness (+138%) and arts, photos and music (102%) are gaining the most through affiliates in the time of coronavirus but there is also opportunity for those in other categories, new data analysis has revealed.
This is according to the Covid-19 Network and Consumer Trends Report by CJ Affiliate, which has been tracking and analysing changing consumer trends and behaviours during the coronavirus pandemic since 1st March 2020. The report is being updated on a weekly basis and captures data from CJ Affiliate’s own network reaching over 1 million consumers in over 240 countries, comparing the results with the same time period in 2019.
Consumers hesitant to commit to purchases but confidence growing
Prior to the introduction of social distancing, online clicks and actions were on a similar level or even below those of the same time last year, but the introduction of lockdowns around the world has seen a resurgence in clicks in mid-March (+32%).
However, with much uncertainty over the length and impact of lockdown, initially there was only an increase in clicks as consumers were happy to look but not buy. From the start of April this eventually led to a rise in actions (+15%), and as a result, purchases. This trend is also continuing and increasing throughout the month, rising to (36%) by the third week of April - demonstrating a growing opportunity for both new customer sales and re-purchases.
“With many of us now at home, and with more time on our hands, it’s understandable that more people are going to be browsing and searching online. The challenge is converting the browsing to purchases. To succeed, brands need to be reaching out to both existing and prospective customers with the right messages, at the right time and through the right channels to push them through to that purchase. As the data shows, there is opportunity here, but brands need to act sensitively,” explained Jules Bazley, Regional Vice President EMEA, CJ Affiliate.
Sector winners shifting
Education is the clear category winner for brands during coronavirus, experiencing a 518% YoY increase in actions and 199% YoY rise in clicks. With the need for home schooling and learning set to be in place for a while longer, this trend is also likely to continue. This is followed by fitness (+138% actions and +101% clicks YoY) and arts, photos and music (+102% actions and +70% clicks YoY), which consumers are leaning on during lockdown to stay healthy and entertained.
Other brand categories and sectors are also emerging with an increasing uptake in consumer demand. Games and toys (+81%), computer and electronics (+65%) and accessories (+65%) have all seen a reasonable increase in actions YoY, but computer and electronics (+44%) and accessories (+10%) haven’t seen as strong an increase in clicks YoY. Brands under the home and garden category have seen an increase of 51% in actions YoY but, with these brands, consumers are happier to just browse rather than to continue through to a purchase, with the home and garden category seeing a bigger increase in clicks (+62% YoY) than actions.
Beauty also trumps business for consumers, with beauty seeing a 67% increase in actions and purchases and 217% in clicks YoY, compared to a 62% rise in actions and 204% in clicks YoY for those brands, such as productivity tools and accounting and other business software, falling under the business category.
Predictably, travel has seen an 85% decrease in actions YoY, hitting a low at the beginning of April but there are early signs of renewing confidence (-84% towards the end of April).
Overall, whilst many retailers are currently struggling during the current pandemic, the data shows that certain brand categories within the retail and home and business service sectors could make gains in affiliate activities from the coronavirus crisis, with these sectors seeing a steady increase in actions from the beginning of March to the end of April (4% to 57% and 34% to 57% respectively).
“It’s to be expected as we all adapt and get used to this ‘new normal’ that consumer behaviour will change. Many people have settled into working from home adapted to the demands and limitations of the current situation, and many of us are now looking towards new means to keep ourselves entertained and occupied. This will continue to evolve. The global pandemic has hit many brands and retailers hard – those making the most of digital services and ad opportunities could still secure returns, but brands need to keep a close eye on what to keep the same and where strategies may need to shift to best respond to consumers’ needs,” concluded Bazley.
About CJ Affiliate
With over 20 years of experience, we are the most trusted and established name in affiliate marketing. Located across 14 offices worldwide, our employees are dedicated to delivering innovative solutions and strategies designed to drive big results. We dig deep and tackle the tough questions for our clients. As part of Publicis Groupe, our access to unparalleled data allows us to offer a truly customer-centric approach to affiliate marketing.
---
## Display adverts preferred during Covid-19 crisis, as many consumers rate email and social ads ‘too overwhelming’
Type: eps_pressRelease
URL: /email-and-social-ads-too-overwhelming-covid-19
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Display adverts preferred during Covid-19 crisis, as many consumers rate email and social ads ‘too overwhelming’
Channel choice and relevance critical during coronavirus as research reveals consumers’ ad preferences
London, 21st April: Consumers are happy with the amount of display ads currently shown by brands but feel overwhelmed by email and social media marketing, research from Epsilon-Conversant and CJ Affiliate has shown.
The study of 4,045 consumers across five regions revealed that the majority (87%) of consumers don’t think they are seeing too many display ads from brands, demonstrating that across every demographic group, display is considered the least obtrusive or overwhelming channel they’ve been exposed to.
In contrast, more than half (47%) of consumers feel they are receiving too many email marketing messages and another third (35%) are overwhelmed by the amount of social media marketing. British consumers in particular are receiving too many social media marketing messages, with this figure rising to 44%.
“It’s not just what you say but also how you say it,” said Elliott Clayton, SVP Epsilon-Conversant. “Many of us will have experienced an influx of email newsletters ‒ perhaps even some we didn’t know we signed up to. If not sent in a relevant and timely fashion, and in a way that is properly aligned to consumers’ needs this could be more of a turn off than showing customers you care. It can be done well, but it takes understanding, thought and time.”
The research also unveiled different demographic advertising preferences, with some groups feeling more overwhelmed by email marketing than others. For example, almost two-thirds (61%) of Gen Z believe they are sent too many marketing emails, alongside those currently looking for work (55%). The opposite is true for those who are retired, with just over a third (34%) stating that they feel overwhelmed by emails.
However, the study did show that email and other channels have their place. More than a third (38%) of consumers do want to receive email marketing from brands during coronavirus. For those living in urban areas, email is their favourite means for receiving brand communications (39%), contrasting with those in suburban or rural areas who favour TV ads (40%).
“This is an opportunity for brands to better reach and communicate with their customers – talking the language they want to hear and also finding and speaking with them when and where it suits them. It’s important that marketers have the right tools to understand this nuance - those marketers who are able to understand and adapt to this will stand a much better chance of success during these difficult times,” concluded Clayton.
About Epsilon-Conversant
Positioned at Publicis Groupe's core, Epsilon-Conversant is a leader in interaction management, empowering brands to transform ordinary customer experiences into meaningful, human experiences. Through a connected suite of products and services, Epsilon-Conversant combines leading-edge identity management, industrial strength data and technology expertise with big brand acumen gained over five decades working with the industry’s top brands. Our human-powered, data-led marketing delivers unmatched depth, breadth and scale to help brands turn meaningful human interactions into exceptional business outcomes.
About CJ Affiliate
With over 20 years of experience, we are the most trusted and established name in affiliate marketing. Located across 14 offices worldwide, our employees are dedicated to delivering innovative solutions and strategies designed to drive big results. We dig deep and tackle the tough questions for our clients. As part of Publicis Groupe, our access to unparalleled data allows us to offer a truly customer-centric approach to affiliate marketing.
---
## Majority (62%) of consumers don’t think brands should stop advertising during coronavirus
Type: eps_pressRelease
URL: /majority-of-consumers-dont-think-brands-should-stop-advertising-during-coronavirus
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Majority (62%) of consumers don’t think brands should stop advertising during coronavirus
New research reveals consumers do want to receive adverts, but think before you speak
London, 9th April: Half (48%) of global consumers have received a marketing message in the past two weeks that they felt was poorly timed or inappropriate, new research from Epsilon-Conversant and CJ Affiliate has revealed. According to a study of 4,045 consumers across five regions, the majority of consumers do want to receive advertising, but many – including just over half of Americans and Brits – admit that they have received a message they felt was inappropriate in the current climate.
However, the majority of consumers (62%) said that they did want to receive adverts at this time, with three-quarters of consumers in the US (72%) and Italy (76%) believing it is appropriate for brands to be sending ads. This clearly shows that brands should not be pressing pause on all their advertising efforts despite tough times across the world.
“Turning off paid marketing channels could lead to a decreased share of voice and the research shows that this knee-jerk reaction would be unnecessary. The majority of respondents do not think brands need to stop advertising during the COVID-19 outbreak. Instead, brands must align their products, services and promotions with the needs of consumers in this situation. This is a human problem that requires brands to find their human sides,” explained Elliott Clayton, SVP, Epsilon-Conversant.
The study reinforced the need for brands to show sensitivity. For example, many consumers preferred to receive messages of wellbeing and positivity (49%) from brands, although many were also still looking for discounts and offers (58%). Only 14% of consumers wanted to see product-focused content from brands at this time.
British respondents were keen for wellbeing to be at the forefront of advertising amidst an overwhelming call for messages of positive thinking (61%). In contrast, respondents from the US and Italy wanted to see adverts and marketing communications around deals and discounts.
“There is opportunity but not for opportunists. Right now, brands must ask themselves, how might I be able to help or inform my customers, not just push through that sale? Even restaurants have used this time to offer their recipes for free over social channels to stay relevant, and as this situation continues to develop differently across the globe, brands need to be listening and responding to consumers’ varying concerns and needs. That means opening up communication channels and starting a real, honest dialogue one-to-one,” concluded Clayton.
About Epsilon-Conversant
Positioned at Publicis Groupe's core, Epsilon-Conversant is a leader in interaction management, empowering brands to transform ordinary customer experiences into meaningful, human experiences. Through a connected suite of products and services, Epsilon-Conversant combines leading-edge identity management, industrial strength data and technology expertise with big brand acumen gained over five decades working with the industry’s top brands. Our human-powered, data-led marketing delivers unmatched depth, breadth and scale to help brands turn meaningful human interactions into exceptional business outcomes.
About CJ Affiliate
With over 20 years of experience, we are the most trusted and established name in affiliate marketing. Located across 14 offices worldwide, our employees are dedicated to delivering innovative solutions and strategies designed to drive big results. We dig deep and tackle the tough questions for our clients. As part of Publicis Groupe, our access to unparalleled data allows us to offer a truly customer-centric approach to affiliate marketing.
---
## Affiliate programmes set to go global as ecommerce booms in emerging markets
Type: eps_pressRelease
URL: /affiliate-programme-set-to-go-global
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Affiliate programmes set to go global as ecommerce booms in emerging markets
There’s never been a better time to expand affiliate programmes – 2020 is the year brands can seize the opportunity to go truly global, thanks to growing demand and market maturity
London, 14th January 2020: 2020 will be the year that brands expand their affiliate programmes beyond mature markets like the UK and US and complement their programmes with affiliates in emerging markets, according to CJ Affiliate. Mexico, Malaysia and the Philippines are three of the top five biggest risers for e-commerce spend in 2019, with the other two spots filled by India and China.
“Most retailers will be aware of the substantial opportunities to be had in mature markets. Dig a little deeper, though, and you’ll find so many hidden gems that are now generating billions in online revenue and many brands are missing out by neglecting them,” explains Jules Bazley, Regional Vice President, Europe at affiliate marketing network CJ Affiliate.
“Expanding affiliate programmes in markets such as these could have been a risk ten, or even five, years ago, but ecommerce growth of over 30% compared with the year before, have made them the logical next step for marketers.”
According to an Accenture and AliResearch report, it’s expected that more than 900 million consumers will shop internationally by the start of 2020, importing $994 million worth of products and services – three times as much as 2015. Increasing access to the internet and accessibility of mobile are major drivers behind the growth in e-commerce spend, connecting those who can’t afford a desktop or tablet, as well as growing numbers of new sellers and secondary industries, adding to market momentum.
“As a result of more consumers being able to shop abroad, and the ability and willingness of businesses to expand abroad, we’ve witnessed huge demand among advertisers for local market experts, offering the capabilities to recruit publishers in emerging territories and supply granular insight into the potential of each region,” says Bazley.
Retailers can launch in a market with little more than a single member of staff on the ground, supported by dedicated companies that have been set up to help them launch in some of the more challenging markets.
“Challenges do remain. Logistics remains one of the biggest barriers to cross-border selling, but it’s not the same problem it once was,” explains Bazley. “Part of the improvement has been linked to increased urbanisation within highly populated areas of Asia and Africa, which has opened more customers up to home delivery.”
---
## Convenience arms race heightens as browser tools and clever content helps brands win during holiday season
Type: eps_pressRelease
URL: /holiday-season-convenience-arms-race
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Convenience arms race heightens as browser tools and clever content helps brands win during holiday season
Consumers turn to Honey, Piggy and Nectar to make smarter shopping decisions, forcing brands to pay attention to stay competitive
London, 20th November 2019: New research from CJ Affiliate has found that sales via browser tools like Honey and Piggy have increased by 349% year-on-year. As retail brands face ever-increasing competition for mind- and market-share, the race to make life easier for buyers has resulted in the development of new tools and content programmes that are driving significant benefits for the brands adopting them. In fact, according to CJ Affiliate’s studies, brands publishing reviews, shopping guides and top product lists also saw gains of 117% year-on-year.
“70% of consumers[1] wish that it was easier to buy online, especially during frenetic periods like Christmas,” said Jules Bazley, Regional Vice President, Europe at CJ Affiliate. “It’s clear that retailers helping their customers to make decisions intelligently, buy the best products for them or their loved ones, and provide smart shopping tools, will really reap the rewards.”
Tools like Honey will automatically check the web for better deals, as well as searching out discount codes and offering cashback or credit when consumers buy from certain stores. Many of these tools exist as browser extensions, whilst others use their own mobile apps.
However, this trend goes beyond providing intelligent software and creating content. 37% of 18-29-year-olds now consult the web before making a purchase and 30% of all holiday gifting during 2018 was done on mobile phones. This means that unless retailers provide a mobile-first, search-friendly environment where consumers can shop easily, then they risk losing clicks to simpler, more user-friendly competitors.
“It’s an absolutely critical time for retailers now, especially in certain categories,” concluded Bazley. “Online clothing and apparel sales were up 37% during last year’s holiday season, so fashion sites should pay particular attention. Black Friday may represent a spike of holiday shopping, but the first three weeks of December as a whole are very significant for online retailers, so now is absolutely the time to act.”
---
## New Independent Study Commissioned by Epsilon-Conversant Reveals Less Than Half of Marketers Are Fully Capable of Identity Resolution Management
Type: eps_pressRelease
URL: /half-of-marketers-fully-capable-of-identity-resolution-management
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# New Independent Study Commissioned by Epsilon-Conversant Reveals Less Than Half of Marketers Are Fully Capable of Identity Resolution Management
Measurement and optimisation emerge among missed opportunities and top challenges with identity resolution, the foundation for relevancy, efficiency and optimisation
London – October 3, 2019 – Epsilon-Conversant, a global leader in interaction management, has announced the findings of a commissioned study on the state of identity resolution strategies in marketing, which was conducted by Forrester Consulting on behalf of Epsilon-Conversant.
The study of 200+ marketing and customer data decision-makers explored topics ranging from why companies invest in identity programs, including how they manage their programs and use cases, and the type of identifiers used for programmes (email address, cookies, device ID, etc.). The study also explored the respondents’ confidence levels regarding their brands’ identity resolution capabilities.
“Identity is the foundation that allows brands to deliver relevant messages, while reducing waste, customer churn and optimising return on marketing investment,” said Ric Elert, president at Conversant. “When brands get identity right, it gives them a fighting chance to not only survive but thrive.”
KEY DATA & INSIGHTS
Insight 1: The top goals over the next 12 months for marketers surveyed include winning new customers (34%) and increasing profitability per product/service (38%). Yet, the study reveals that too many programmes are unable to measure business and marketing performance.
Overall, 43% of respondents say their brands use their ID resolution programmes to measure online and offline marketing performance.
29% of respondents said that they receive excellent support from identity resolution programmes for reducing marketing waste.
33% said that they receive excellent support for decreasing customer attrition and 42% for helping increase revenue per customer.
“We speak with marketing executives who tend to be too focused on data collection or campaign execution and aren’t thinking about measurement at all,” said Elert. “Brands that are seeing real results from their people-based advertising are committed to looking at all these areas holistically. You can’t measure performance without strong identity, and if you don’t measure, you won’t know what portion of your marketing spend is being wasted and you won’t have marketing efficiency.”
Insight 2: The study revealed a lack of alignment between C-level executives and less senior respondents regarding real-time application of insights, accuracy and persistence of identity. C-level executives who responded to the survey were:
25% more likely than directors to be extremely confident in their customer profiles’ completeness and accuracy;
32% more likely than directors to rate their programmes’ ability to reach people over time as excellent; and
16% more likely to believe their brands are ready to leverage new online and offline customer data to update customer profiles and activate against new information.
“The net result of this misalignment is significant damage to a brands’ ability to succeed. A lack of programme ownership can exacerbate the measurement and performance problems … because it can lead to a lack of true understanding across teams,” writes Forrester Consulting in the study. “Brands with misaligned identity resolution are left with broken customer experiences, wasted marketing spend, and lost opportunities to expand customer relationships with relevant cross-sell and upsell offers.”
“In the era of the direct brand economy, customer engagement has become the brand differentiator,” said Elert. “Brands are challenged to deliver on customer expectations across every interaction while dealing with the complexity of the mar tech and ad tech supply chain and increased privacy concerns. Building a unified customer identity is central to delivering on consumer expectations and company growth.”
---
## £2m revenue boost at Cox and Cox driven by personalised display ads
Type: eps_pressRelease
URL: /case-study-2
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# £2m revenue boost at Cox and Cox driven by personalised display ads
Beloved homeware company Cox and Cox employed personalised display ads to achieve a remarkable incremental return on ad spend of over £2 million – 15% of total revenue
Homeware brand Cox and Cox has successfully complemented its catalogue-based business model with personalised display ads to generate an incremental return on ad spend (iROAS) of over £2 million over the last 18 months.
The Somerset-based company, founded by BBC television presenter Fiona Cox, acknowledged its previous marketing set up – whereby prospects and customers were treated the same way – lacked relevance and personalisation. To overcome this, it partnered with Conversant and undertook a three month proof of concept to better understand the impact of personalisation. The goals of the campaign were to create profitable acquisition of new customers, help existing customers make a second purchase by understanding their product affinity and to generate a profitable incremental return across all of Conversant's activity for Cox and Cox. The results far exceeded the brand’s expectations.
“The numbers in the forecast were real, the proof of concept did what it was supposed to, we saw an immediate business impact and it was completely painless to set up,” explains Richard Bell, Cox and Cox’s COO. “All across the board – the results, the account management, the insight, I just thought ‘why haven’t we done this before?’”
Over the next 18 months, Cox and Cox and Conversant went on to secure £2,088,462 in incremental revenue, a proportion of which was achieved by generating almost 25,000 new customers. To do this, they created 12,690 unique display creatives, to ensure all ads were personalised to the interests of prospects and existing customers.
Jacqui Whitewick, Cox and Cox's Head of Acquisition, added: "The most effective feature is around the understanding and delivery of product affinity and category recommendations. It’s clear that the more relevant and personalised we can make it for our customers, the better we’re going to do."
Understanding customer data provided unique insight to drive business objectives outside of the display channel, while the display channel – and Conversant's work – generated new profit, which has subsequently allowed Cox and Cox to invest in business growth.
“Conversant would work for anyone, but where it comes into its own is with people who don’t have the massive budgets to get the numbers – companies who need to spend carefully, spend wisely and can be fleet of foot and flexible,” said Bell. “Anyone can spend a lot of money, but being able to spend a little bit of money really well – that’s tricky.”
---
## BAM moves beyond re-targeting, driving £700,000 in incremental revenue
Type: eps_pressRelease
URL: /case-study-1
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# BAM moves beyond re-targeting, driving £700,000 in incremental revenue
Shifting to long-term demand-driving advertising has attracted 18,000 new customers and boosted repeat purchases
BAM, the ethical retailer of bamboo clothing, has generated £700,000 of incremental revenue through updating its display advertising programme. This overhaul has also spurred new customer growth, with BAM winning 18,000 new customers. BAM’s new display programme uses Conversant’s CRM Media Solution to show a mixture of brand, offer and product ads, customised to the individual viewer and providing a much more relevant advertising experience.
BAM bamboo clothing, the environmentally sustainable and ethically-minded retailer founded by former pole vault athlete and explorer David Gordon, had previously focused on running re-targeting and struggled to measure ROI for its advertising efforts. Realising the need to align its retention and acquisition strategies across online and offline, BAM turned to Conversant to build a new personalised display programme and be able to grow its channels.
“In the old days it was pretty straight forward; the customer saw an ad, used an offer code, and your cost of acquisition was very easy to work out. For digital display, I had been used to working with the mentality of the banner and the creative – that how it looks is not as important as getting the click. But we’ve evolved beyond that now – just looking at the different touch-points of how customers are interacting shows you can’t take a single journey anymore. The trick is to find a model that gives credit where credit is due,” explained Steve Newman, eCommerce Manager at BAM.
On Conversant’s recommendation, BAM’s new display programme aimed to provide a long-term view and drive demand over time throughout the whole sales funnel. As part of this, messages to consumers are now personalised according to a huge range of variables, notably whether they are return or new customers and what they as a buyer want to see, such as offers or similar items.
“This challenge of alignment and measurement is not unique to BAM,” commented Elliott Clayton, Senior Vice President of Media UK, Conversant. “It’s one that many other brands are coming across as the customer journey evolves. Using re-targeting alone there’s no way for marketers to know where the real value is coming from and precious budget should be invested – not to mention, the limited opportunity for bringing in new customers. But the value this new programme has already driven speaks for itself.”
As a result of this change in approach, BAM witnessed a 30% increase in customers making a second purchase and a 9% increase in orders per person. BAM also saw a 20% increase in site visitation after customers had seen a BAM advert from Conversant. “In the occasional month when we had no direct mail activity – so it didn’t have a strong impact ‒ I could only see Conversant as the influencer,” said Newman. “That was when it clicked that what they’d been telling us was incredibly accurate – the programme was doing exactly what it was meant to be doing. It shows touch-points across our entire attribution model – it’s helping all the other channels in our marketing mix.”
To accurately measure ROI for this new programme, BAM harnessed Conversant’s test and control measurement – similar to A/B testing – alongside their existing attribution system. Instead of relying on clicks, test and control allowed BAM to focus on the long-term growth of the brand and incremental value, rather than short-term goals. In turn, this enabled BAM to see the true lift created by the programme and allowed full transparency into the programme’s return.
Newman concluded, “With the test and control mode they (Conversant) have ‒ unique to them ‒ you can do very quick calculations; ‘if I take that tiny percent uplift out, that’s how much impact it can have’ – which could be huge. Some of the customer insights they were able to give us about our audience were really useful as well. They could show us stuff I’d been screaming out for!”
---
## 56% of people click on ads to find information, but quality woes abound
Type: eps_pressRelease
URL: /consumer-survey
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# 56% of people click on ads to find information, but quality woes abound
Give us fewer, better ads, consumers plead, as half of adverts branded irrelevant
Consumers click on online adverts to find out more information, but marketers may be wasting half their budget with poor targeting, a study has revealed. According to new research from Conversant, which questioned consumers across seven different countries, 49% still see ads that are irrelevant or for products that they already own.
“Clearly marketers are missing the mark when it comes to consumer targeting and with half of consumers being shown products that aren’t of interest, marketers are simply throwing away half their budget,” commented Elliott Clayton, SVP, Conversant. “Many marketers still see adverts as a way to promote new or existing products and forget the first rule of marketing: build the brand, educate, inform and entertain. There’s a place for promotions and sales, but if marketers don’t get the balance right, they risk alienating customers.”
The research revealed why consumers click on adverts, with only 2% of global consumers clicking on an advert to make a purchase. It is instead the desire to find out more information that drives a click, with 56% of global consumers clicking on ads for this reason.
With information, not purchases, driving clicks, consumers would like marketers to make more use of display ads (41%) and sponsored content (31%), rather than ads on voice platforms like Alexa and Google Home (0.5%). Almost half (45%) of consumers also wish to see fewer but more relevant and useful ads – and 79% of consumers believe that traditional advertising is alive and well.
“Online advertising is thriving, but there are some fundamental challenges that need to be addressed if marketers are to be successful in 2019,” concluded Clayton. “There is still plenty of room for improvement in the industry and marketers need to put consumers’ preferences first and personalise experiences for individuals. Consumers aren’t anti-advertising, they just don’t want bad, irrelevant adverts.”
---
## Showrooming to evolve in 2019 as Millennials and Gen Z buy on their mobiles – while in-store
Type: eps_pressRelease
URL: /holidayintelligencereport3
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Showrooming to evolve in 2019 as Millennials and Gen Z buy on their mobiles – while in-store
Retailers must adapt to boom in ‘browse in-store, buy online’ if they are to thrive in 2019
Millennial and Gen Z shoppers are increasingly browsing and purchasing online while in-store, reveals retail research from Conversant. According to the findings, 78% of younger generations shop both in-store and online simultaneously, and are 34% more likely than older customers to use a mobile device in a store.
“A few years ago, in-store Wi-Fi was seen as a basic marketing channel and time-waster for bored friends and partners waiting around,” comments Elliott Clayton, Senior Vice President of Media UK at Conversant. “Today’s young, savvy customers will do price comparison on their mobiles, but they might also be ordering the right size or colour of an item from your store that isn’t available on the premises.”
Research recently released from Hitachi Consulting suggests the UK’s big-name high-street retailers have acknowledged the need to adapt to online and offline channels overlapping, with three-quarters prioritising in-store Wi-Fi, alongside services like Click and Collect.
“The customer journey is not linear but merges across channels and brick-to-clicks is on the rise. Given this, providing the likes of free and reliable Wi-Fi for customers will become increasingly important as brick-and-mobile shopping becomes the norm. Smaller retailers and independents would be wise to take note and follow suit.”
The research also reveals how multi-channel customers are the most valuable for brands. Customers who shop multiple brand channels make around three more trips than those who only shop one channel.
“The fast-growing brick-and-mobile shopping trend benefits both the brand and the customer. Brands have multiple opportunities to market to consumers and capture a sale, while consumers themselves make more informed decisions when purchasing. It may seem like we’re bemoaning the closure of shops on the high-street but there’s good reason why former online-only retailers are opening physical stores – the key is syncing up offline and online,” commented Clayton.
“To seize the opportunity around brick-and-mobile engagements, brands need an online experience that enhances in-store device activity and a marketing strategy that also complements it.”
---
## When should retailers end their online promotions? Research reveals that orders drop after December 19th
Type: eps_pressRelease
URL: /holidayintelligencereport2
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# When should retailers end their online promotions? Research reveals that orders drop after December 19th
More consumers are shopping closer to Christmas, but online sales drop off on 19th December
December 19th marks the beginning of the end for online Christmas shopping, according to CJ Affiliate’s Holiday Intelligence Report. While more consumers are shopping later in December, shoppers stop buying online from December 19th, heading in-store instead.
“Online shopping volumes typically drop by approximately 20% each day from the 19th December until Christmas Eve,” explained CJ Affiliate’s Regional Vice President, Jules Bazley. “It’s highly likely that this is due to shoppers getting nervous about shipping and delivery, and opting to do their last-minute buying in-store instead. This has a clear implication for online retailers – act now, then reduce online activity between the 19th and 24th of December, but be ready to catch the ‘splurge’ after Christmas.”
According to the research, online shopping volumes do increase steadily between Christmas Eve and Boxing Day as shoppers take advantage of greater spare time or buying missed ‘must have’ items – but then drops off until the New Year as the impact of present buying really hits bank accounts. This is in contrast to 2016, where consumers were ordering for Christmas delivery until the 21st December and continued to shop online for gift cards and subscriptions right up until Christmas Eve.
When it comes to the final lead up to Christmas, consumers are concerned about speed not price, with December deal initiatives, like free shipping day, failing to spike interest for consumers. Indeed, rather than inciting an increase in sales, free shipping day saw a decrease in overall sales in 2017. The week period including free shipping day also witnessed a four percent decrease in global revenue share, compared to the same time frame in 2016.
“Plenty of retailers offer free shipping as a given now, so promotions on the back of free shipping day this year would not be budget well spent. Instead, marketers should focus their attention on promoting services like express or next day delivery as well as gift cards and subscriptions. And for those marketers who are really feeling the Christmas pinch, with Boxing Day seeing little uplift in sales, from December 19th you can save that budget for those January sales,” concluded Bazley.
---
## The Brexit effect? Brits will be buying local this Christmas
Type: eps_pressRelease
URL: /holidayreport2
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# The Brexit effect? Brits will be buying local this Christmas
Consumers buying Christmas gifts overseas is on the rise around the world, but Brits are favouring home-grown brands
The latest research into holiday season shopping has revealed that Brits are increasingly buying from home-grown brands – in stark contrast to continental Europe and North America. The research, from CJ Affiliate’s Holiday Intelligence Report, identified how Christmas seasons in recent years have seen cross-border shopping volumes peak around the world, except for in Britain.
The volume of UK cross-border retail sales over the holiday period decreased from 20% in 2016 to 17% of overall sales in 2017, resulting in the UK being ranked 25th out of the 80 top markets for the volume of retail sales completed on non-native sites.
“Clearly, more flexible payment and shipping options are helping encourage more Christmas shoppers to buy their presents from overseas retailers, but British brands are the preference for UK shoppers, with retailers such as Argos being revealed as particularly popular,” commented CJ Affiliate’s Head of Strategy, Owen Hancock. “It seems Brits want to support local businesses, while also having a greater aversion towards international shipping fees, even with the introduction of the likes of free shipping day.”
The research revealed that Canadian shoppers are the happiest to set their sights beyond their geographic border for purchasing the perfect Christmas gift. For two years running (2016 and 2017), Canada has topped the rankings as the country with the greatest volume of cross-border retail holiday sales. France and Germany, meanwhile, both featured among the top ten countries for consumers shopping overseas in 2017, claiming the fifth and sixth spots.
“Though there’s been a rise in cross-border sales, marketers and brands still need to be offering a localised experience to entice shoppers, particularly Brits. For those aiming to reach foreign markets, a proficient partner with a high-quality affiliate marketing network will play a major role in achieving this and help convert both local and overseas shoppers this Christmas,” concluded Hancock.
---
## September start for Black Friday and Cyber Monday campaigns results in higher sales
Type: eps_pressRelease
URL: /holidayplanning2018
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# September start for Black Friday and Cyber Monday campaigns results in higher sales
Marketers need to start their campaigns now to maximise sales and revenue during peak week
New research has revealed that when consumers receive promotional messages in September, they are three times more likely to buy products and services during Black Friday and Cyber Monday. According to the study, marketers and advertisers who start their campaigns earlier treble their sales conversion rates compared to those who leave it until November.
According to the research, published by Conversant, a planned approach from September also results in more website visits. The number of consumers visiting websites on Black Friday and Cyber Monday in 2017 was four times higher for those messaged consistently from September, resulting in over half (56%) visiting the brands’ websites, compared with just 13% of those consumers who were first messaged in November.
Getting started early has an even greater effect on certain industries. For those marketers working with fashion brands, commencing creative consumer campaigns for Black Friday and Cyber Monday in September led to a sextupling of sales conversion rates and eight times more website visits in 2017.
“When it comes to Black Friday and Cyber Monday, this research proves that it pays-off to start early with brand-led messaging,” commented Elliott Clayton, Senior Vice President Media UK at Conversant. “After all, just ask yourself as a consumer: are you likely to take notice of a one-off message within the flood of Black Friday promotions, or a slowly built up, tantalising ad campaign that builds up the desirability of a brand during September, then offers you a discount on Black Friday? With so many brands vying for consumers’ limited attention during this peak period, the most successful strategy to ensure that your brand is noticed is to start gradually building up that awareness and to form a relationship with the consumer over time.”
The research further revealed that in 2017 there was an increase in the number of consumers seeing adverts on one device and completing their purchase on a second device. Cross-device conversions increased during the Peak Week of Black Friday and Cyber Monday from 29% in 2016 to more than half (57%) in 2017.
“To draw shoppers to purchase, it’s not only a question of timing your advertising and starting early, it’s also about paying attention to how you reach consumers. Retailers need to build their relationships with consumers by reaching shoppers on all their devices, but to do so it’s essential to recognise exactly who it is using each device before you deliver a message to them,” concluded Clayton.
---
## Prime Day is not just for Amazon: Other retailers see 64% spike in revenue
Type: eps_pressRelease
URL: /amazonprimeday
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Prime Day is not just for Amazon: Other retailers see 64% spike in revenue
New figures from CJ Affiliate reveal retailers have witnessed average revenue growth of 64% on Prime Day
Prime Day is not just for Amazon, new research has revealed. Brand new figures from across CJ Affiliate’s global network reveal that from 2016 to 2017, across the two days of Prime Day retailers globally saw an average year on year revenue growth of 64% and year on year sales grew by 38%. This is a huge increase compared with the average global year on year growth for a day in July of 22% and 15% for sales.
“We’ve seen the effects of Black Friday and Cyber Monday but now retailers and marketers should also be marking Prime Day in their calendars, preparing deals to take advantage of the Amazon-inspired shopping phenomenon. Throughout July, many brands will hold their summer sales, but these figures show that it’s on Prime Day that they’re seeing the biggest returns, and if 2018 follows the growth of 2016 and 2017, this is only set to increase” commented Jules Bazley, Regional Vice President, CJ Affiliate.
Pets pampered on Prime Day
Prime Day is not only affecting other retailers’ performance, it is also experiencing unexpected areas of growth. Despite Prime Day traditionally being associated with the buying of consumer electronics, revenue growth for these goods only saw an increase of 22% from 2016 to 2017.
Perhaps unsurprisingly for the summer months, Home & Garden wares are the most popular products, but many shoppers are clearly holding off until Prime Day to stock up on their garden furniture and start their home improvement. Sales increased year on year by an average of 197% and average revenue growth for Home & Garden purchases was 263%.
It is also pampered pets who will likely be reaping the benefits this Prime Day with pet ware the other category to see the largest year on year increase in revenue and sales. Revenue grew by 176% and sales by 200%.
Cultural differences
For brands looking to cash in on the wider impact of Prime Day on consumers, they will need to be aware of regional differences, with the research revealing discrepancies between customer behaviour in the US and Europe.
In both the US and Europe, the first day of deals saw the greatest number of shoppers clicking on ads, witnessing an increase in ad clicks of 14% and 17% respectively. Europeans are quicker to jump on deals for lots of items, whilst US consumers like to mull over their purchases, buying fewer but higher priced items. In Europe, the greatest increase in revenue and sales was on the first day of Prime Day, with year on year revenue growing by 42% and year on year sales by 58%. For shoppers in the US on the other hand, sales were higher on the second day, increasing by 44% and achieving revenue growth of 77%.
“The clear diversity of retail sectors having their revenue and sales influenced by Prime Day is clear proof of how all retailers and marketers can seek to benefit from this mid-summer peak. Knowing the specific products and which day to target certain consumers means that marketers and retailers can better target shoppers and tailor their efforts to maximise this opportunity,” concluded Bazley.
---
## The price of contemplation: Shoppers browsing on more than one device spend 23% extra
Type: eps_pressRelease
URL: /cross-devicereport2018
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# The price of contemplation: Shoppers browsing on more than one device spend 23% extra
New cross-device study reveals that smartphones usually start the battle for attention – but desktops finish it
London, 2nd May 2018: An indecisive shopper is not necessarily a bad one, according to CJ Affiliate’s new Cross-Device Intelligence Report. Consumers using more than one device to make a purchase spend almost a quarter more (23%) than single-device shoppers. In fact, multi-device shoppers who begin browsing on a smartphone spend 37% more than single-device shoppers, representing a clear opportunity for retailers.
“We’ve all hesitated over a big purchase at one time or another, but this is great news for retailers and marketers,” explains CJ Affiliate’s Head of Strategy for Europe, Owen Hancock. “Longer decision-making processes mean higher value orders, partly because shoppers will be exposed to more products and advertising when they’re browsing for longer periods of time.”
According to the study, almost equal numbers of users start their browsing on ‘mobiles’ and ‘desktops / laptops’ before finishing on a ‘desktop / laptop’ device (30% and 31% respectively) clearly showing that consumers still prefer to finish purchases with a larger display and interface. Slightly more users (48% vs 47%) start cross-device purchases on a smartphone compared to ‘desktop / laptop’ devices, highlighting the smartphone’s ‘browsing power’ in the early stages of buying.
“Cross-device tracking has quickly become an essential tool for marketers,” concluded Hancock. “Without cross device tracking retailers can’t hope to make informed decisions about how to invest their resources effectively and get the best possible results in the future.”
---
## The personalisation mismatch: Rift grows between brand offerings and consumer desires
Type: eps_pressRelease
URL: /epsilon-report
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# The personalisation mismatch: Rift grows between brand offerings and consumer desires
Buyers want customisation and service but brands offering discounts
Marketers still aren’t getting personalisation right, new research has revealed. According to Epsilon’s new report The Power of me: The impact of personalisation on marketing performance, there is a disconnect between marketers and consumers, with brands failing to understand what their customers want from personalisation.
The personalised experiences most wanted by consumers are customisation and service, with a third of consumers (32%) wanting brands to suit something exactly to them and their needs, and another third (32%) considering service, a company knowing their likes and dislikes, as the most important aspect of personalisation.
However, this does not correlate with the personalised experiences most commonly offered by brands. Brands aren’t focusing on customisation and service but are instead providing consumers with discounts and rewards programmes (31%) or simple recommendations based on previous purchases (22%). In fact, both of these factors are considered far less important by consumers (16% and 8% respectively).
“With the report revealing that 80% of consumers are more likely to do business with a company that offers personalised experiences, it’s a no-brainer. But brands need to be aware that there are so many factors within ‘personalisation’ and this doesn’t always mean saving money on your next purchase,” commented Elliott Clayton, SVP Media UK, Conversant.
Furthermore, beyond brands getting personalised experiences wrong, the report also reveals that almost a third (27%) of consumers feel that brands aren’t improving their personalisation and almost one in 10 (7%) believe brands are actually getting worse at personalisation.
“If consumers feel that brands are offering less personalisation, then clearly something is going very wrong,” concluded Clayton. “The only way for brands to truly understand their customers’ buying motivations and what their consumers want is to access insight on both past and real-time consumer actions and decisions through a true single customer view.
“However, they also need to be able to act on this insight, creating real one-to-one conversations, gradually building them up over time and across all their devices.”
---
## Ad-savvy Brits clicking less but spending more
Type: eps_pressRelease
URL: /holidayretail2018-2
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Ad-savvy Brits clicking less but spending more
New report reveals 13% decrease in ad clicks over 2017 holiday season – but revenues rise by 33%
London, 7th February, 2018: Brits are spending more but being more selective about the ads they click on, CJ Affiliate’s 2018 Holiday Performance Benchmarks Report has revealed, showing that getting ads right pays off for advertisers. Whilst the UK saw a spike in order and revenue growth over Black Friday and Cyber Monday, the number of clicks on Black Friday fell by 10% and for Cyber Monday they almost halved (-46%). “The good news for retailers is that whilst order numbers only rose by 7%, revenue rose by a colossal 33% compared to the previous year. It boils down to this: smart, persistent, multichannel advertising works,” says Owen Hancock, Head of Strategy for Europe, CJ Affiliate. However, the UK is bucking the general trend. Comparing these results to those for the US and overall in Europe, these markets witnessed an increase in clicks over the Christmas period. The number of people clicking on adverts grew by 9% in the US and the Europeans showed themselves to be even more click-happy, with an average increase of 25% in ad clicks over the holiday season. Hancock concluded, “Marketers need to be aware of two things: firstly, well-targeted, good quality ads will convert. Consumers are being choosier, but are potentially spending more, so there is a huge opportunity for great ads to have a powerful impact. Secondly, what we call the ‘oh-go-on-then’ factor. Many people will browse during their working day, then purchase in the evening when they’re at home or travelling. This means that marketers must persevere with smart retargeting to capture these people and make sure that websites are navigable on mobile and PC. It may seem simple, but many marketers still aren’t putting this into practice. If you want a share of the 33% rise in revenue we saw over the holiday season, it’s an easy change to make.”
About CJ Affiliate by Conversant
CJ Affiliate by Conversant (formerly Commission Junction) is a leading global affiliate marketing network, specialising in pay-for-performance programs to drive results. Our network helps to create connections amid millions of online consumers daily by facilitating equitable, lucrative relationships between advertisers and publishers. Many of the world's most recognised and specialised brands run their affiliate programs on CJ's platform. For more information, please visit http://www.uk.cj.com/.
---
## 65% of consumers fed up with irrelevant brand communications
Type: eps_pressRelease
URL: /holidayretail
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# 65% of consumers fed up with irrelevant brand communications
London, 24 August 2017: Almost two-thirds (65%) of consumers say companies, retailers or brands send them too many irrelevant communications, according to new research.
According to the 2017 Holiday Retail Outlook Report by Conversant, Epsilon and LoyaltyOne, 87% of 25 to 34-year-olds are more likely to shop at a retailer if it gives personalised offers. Just under a third (60%) of younger shoppers want these personalised offers through their mobile device, compared to a fifth (20%) of baby boomers, and 35% of 18 to 24-year-olds also prefer to communicate with retailers via texting.
When it comes to the top influences on shopping habits, the report highlighted key generational differences. Millennials place the most importance on price and value, as well as the functional and emotional aspects of the shopping experience for deciding which brands to buy from. Value for money is also an important consideration for generation X, who also expect innovation that will make their busy lives easier. For baby boomers, functionality is the top influence on where and how to shop.
Elliott Clayton, VP of Media UK, Conversant, commented, “Consumers expect a lot more from brands today. They certainly do not want to be inundated with mass, irrelevant communications and it is only by focusing on true personalised communications that brands will be able to build a mutually beneficial relationship with consumers.”
The report also confirms the trend for consumers making purchases across different channels. The majority (80%) of consumers now buy online and have their purchases delivered and 75% compare product prices online. Three quarters (75%) of online sales, excluding Amazon, were from brands with a brick and mortar presence, and just over half (51%) of consumers buy online and pick up in store.
Clayton concluded, “Though most consumers are buying online, the purchasing process is still operating across multiple channels. Retailers and brands need to have an ongoing one-to-one conversation with consumers across all consumer devices, including offline. Using data is key for brands to stop just serving up the same ads and instead have tailored messages to reach consumers on an individual level across all channels.”
---
## Epsilon Launches Signals to Recognize In-Market Intent Faster, Optimize Audiences and Remove Barriers to Activation
Type: eps_pressRelease
URL: /epsilon-launches-signals-to-recognize-in-market-intent-faster-optimize-audiences-and-remove-barriers-to-activation
Last Modified: 2025-10-28T17:48:08Z
# Epsilon Launches Signals to Recognize In-Market Intent Faster, Optimize Audiences and Remove Barriers to Activation
Signals Boosts Omni-Channel Effectiveness by Opening Up Audiences to Any Channel or Partner, Giving Marketers Full Control Over Personalization and Outcomes
DALLAS – December 22, 2020 – Epsilon® today launched Signals, a new product that recognizes near real-time consumer buying signals with back-end data science and modeling included, enabling marketers to focus on optimizing audiences and personalization across channels. Part of Epsilon PeopleCloud Prospect, Signals enriches a brand’s first party data with Epsilon’s proprietary data, yielding valuable insights such as a consumer’s likelihood to be in market to purchase a product or service. Unlike the predictive audiences made popular by other martech partners and consumer platforms, Signals gives marketers direct access to these optimized audiences with no restrictions on leveraging them outside of Epsilon’s platform for omni-channel campaigns.
“Signals strikes the right balance of predictive capabilities, ease of use and flexible activation for marketers who have been frustrated by siloed campaigns and fragmented personalization,” said Wayne Townsend, President, Technology at Epsilon. “The closed nature of most predictive audiences can cost brands millions in missed revenue and wasted marketing spend. Signals is designed to even the playing field and give control back to marketers, without the burden of building extensive AI and data science capabilities in-house. It’s something marketers really appreciate, especially as they are navigating a path forward in a cookie-less world.”
Signals has been proven to increase customer lifetime value by improving the effectiveness of up-sell and cross sell campaigns. The client’s first party-data is enriched with proprietary data, including browsing behavior, interests and demographics. Epsilon then applies machine learning to deliver an audience that is updated regularly and optimized for the client’s specific KPIs and outcomes.
Signals comes in three packages to meet marketers’ needs:
Custom: Uses Epsilon’s machine learning models to optimize towards an outcome, delivering the best results.
Configurable: Rule-based triggers leveraging open web browsing and a client’s first-party data, such as browsing of a brand’s website, for when a high degree of transparency into model creation is required.
Pre-defined audiences: Access to curated attributes that organize users by life stage (e.g., newlywed or new mover), interests (e.g., luxury travel or sports cars) and propensities (e.g., discount shopper).
Townsend added, “The data powering Signals unveils the moments of inspiration that occur before a purchase. In the case of a high-ticket purchase like a new home, it could be months in advance. Or, if it’s like most retail purchases, it could be days or weeks. Brands have asked for access to this type of data for a long time because they have seen the exponential growth it can deliver. We’re excited to provide an innovation that finally gives it to them in a way that is easy to use and doesn’t require any data science capabilities on the client’s end.”
Epsilon PeopleCloud Prospect and Signals are both part of Epsilon PeopleCloud, the marketing platform for personalizing consumer journeys with performance transparency. The Epsilon PeopleCloud suite includes:
Discovery: A solution for uncovering insights, planning your growth strategy and optimizing marketing.
Prospect: A privacy-by-design data clean room designed to uncover unique insights and enable open activation and measurement.
Digital Media Solutions: A solution for delivering personalized display media across mobile, desktop and video.
Customer: A Customer Data Platform to manage and activate first-party data, as the marketing source of truth and backbone of a unified customer experience.
Loyalty: A leading loyalty platform to create meaningful experiences with customers that last a lifetime.
Messaging: An industry-leading email and SMS solution that helps brands create the most relevant conversations in each customer's preferred channels.
###
About Epsilon
Epsilon is the leader in outcome-based marketing. We enable marketing that’s built on proof, not promises. Through Epsilon PeopleCloud, the marketing platform for personalizing consumer journeys with performance transparency, Epsilon helps marketers anticipate, activate and prove measurable business outcomes. Powered by CORE ID®, the most accurate and stable identity management platform representing 200+ million people, Epsilon’s award-winning data and technology is rooted in privacy by design and underpinned by powerful AI. With more than 50 years of experience in personalization and performance working with the world’s top brands, agencies and publishers, Epsilon is a trusted partner leading CRM, digital media, loyalty and email programs. Positioned at the core of Publicis Groupe, Epsilon is a global company with over 8,000 employees in over 40 offices around the world. For more information, visit epsilon.com. Follow us on Twitter at @EpsilonMktg.
---
## Epsilon Named a “Data and Tech Powerhouse” and Positioned as a Leader in Report by Independent Research Firm
Type: eps_pressRelease
URL: /epsilon-named-a-data-and-tech-powerhouse-and-positioned-as-a-leader-in-report-by-independent-research-firm
Last Modified: 2025-10-28T17:49:12Z
# Epsilon Named a “Data and Tech Powerhouse” and Positioned as a Leader in Report by Independent Research Firm
Epsilon Ranked Highest in Current Offering Category and Earned Highest Score Possible in 20 of the Evaluation’s 29 Criteria
Epsilon® today announced it was named a Leader in the February 2021 report, “The Forrester Wave™: Customer Database and Engagement Agencies, Q1 2021” by Forrester Research, Inc. Epsilon was the highest ranked company in the Current Offering category, which evaluated each company’s identity resolution, data enrichment capabilities, data practices (including privacy and security), and approach to first-party data management. Companies were also assessed on their customer engagement strategy through a mock pitch.
“Epsilon is a data and tech powerhouse for brands that are heavily invested in media,” the report states. “Now part of Publicis Groupe, Epsilon’s considerable data assets and tech strategy & integration chops form the backbone of the holding company’s ‘Power of One’ strategy. Its discipline evolving the Epsilon PeopleCloud offering shows: it’s modular, scalable, and better integrated with CORE ID, Epsilon’s ID resolution product. That means better reach and scale across the digital media ecosystem. Epsilon’s vision for the future of marketing is ambitious, but the agency has a deliberate and attainable roadmap to reach its goals.”
Epsilon PeopleCloud, the marketing platform for personalizing consumer journeys with performance transparency, is currently embedded in more than half of Publicis Groupe’s top 30 accounts. The integrated product suite features six distinct platforms, with capabilities including digital media services, data platforms, messaging and loyalty, and is powered by Epsilon’s CORE Onboarding, ID, Data and AI.
“With the deprecation of third-party cookies, digital marketers know they have to tap into their first-party data to continue their quest for one-to-one personalization at-scale. The problem is, marketers have been left to figure out which of the many ad tech or martech partners can help them reach their goals,” said Ric Elert, president and chief operating officer at Epsilon. “We have always been confident in our ability to help marketers connect the dots—from data management and activation through measurement. We feel our position as a Leader is strong and is validation of our ability to do just that.”
Forrester Research’s evaluation included eight of the top customer database and engagement agencies across 29 criteria. Epsilon received the highest score possible in 20 of the 29 criteria, including customer engagement strategy, identity resolution, governance and security, GDPR and CCPA compliance, and privacy expertise & thought leadership.
“Epsilon is one of the most globally well-represented agencies in this year’s study; multinational firms will likely find a local office in every region,” the report continues. “[Epsilon] is particularly well-known for its financial, retail, and automotive footprint, and in a world that’s increasingly direct-to-consumer (DTC), a multitude of industries will benefit from that depth as well as from its expertise in loyalty marketing and the insights it drives out of its vast consumer data assets.”
Last year, Epsilon was named a Leader with the top score in the Current Offering category in “The Forrester Wave™: Email Marketing Service Providers, Q2 2020” in May 2020. In addition, Epsilon was the only company to appear in all four functionality segments in Forrester Research’s “Now Tech: Identity Resolution, Q3 2020.”
Click here to read the full report, “The Forrester Wave™: Customer Database And Engagement Agencies, Q1 2021.”
###
About Epsilon
Epsilon is the leader in outcome-based marketing. We enable marketing that’s built on proof, not promisesTM. Through Epsilon PeopleCloud, the marketing platform for personalizing consumer journeys with performance transparency, Epsilon helps marketers anticipate, activate and prove measurable business outcomes. Powered by CORE ID®, the most accurate and stable identity management platform representing 200+ million people, Epsilon’s award-winning data and technology is rooted in privacy by design and underpinned by powerful AI. With more than 50 years of experience in personalization and performance working with the world’s top brands, agencies and publishers, Epsilon is a trusted partner leading CRM, digital media, loyalty and email programs. Positioned at the core of Publicis Groupe, Epsilon is a global company with over 8,000 employees in over 40 offices around the world. For more information, visit epsilon.com. Follow us on Twitter at @EpsilonMktg.
---
## Epsilon Named a "Data and Tech Powerhouse" and Positioned as a Leader in Report by Independent Research Firm
Type: eps_pressRelease
URL: /epsilon-named-a-data-and-tech-powerhouse-and-positioned-as-a-leader-in-report-by-independent-research-firm-0
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Epsilon Named a "Data and Tech Powerhouse" and Positioned as a Leader in Report by Independent Research Firm
Epsilon Ranked Highest in Current Offering Category and Earned Highest Score Possible in 20 of the Evaluation’s 29 Criteria
DALLAS – February 8, 2021 – Epsilon® today announced it was named a Leader in the February 2021 report, “The Forrester Wave™: Customer Database and Engagement Agencies, Q1 2021” by Forrester Research, Inc. Epsilon was the highest ranked company in the Current Offering category, which evaluated each company’s identity resolution, data enrichment capabilities, data practices (including privacy and security), and approach to first-party data management. Companies were also assessed on their customer engagement strategy through a mock pitch.
“Epsilon is a data and tech powerhouse for brands that are heavily invested in media,” the report states. “Now part of Publicis Groupe, Epsilon’s considerable data assets and tech strategy & integration chops form the backbone of the holding company’s ‘Power of One’ strategy. Its discipline evolving the Epsilon PeopleCloud offering shows: it’s modular, scalable, and better integrated with CORE ID, Epsilon’s ID resolution product. That means better reach and scale across the digital media ecosystem. Epsilon’s vision for the future of marketing is ambitious, but the agency has a deliberate and attainable roadmap to reach its goals.”
Epsilon PeopleCloud, the marketing platform for personalizing consumer journeys with performance transparency, is currently embedded in more than half of Publicis Groupe’s top 30 accounts. The integrated product suite features six distinct platforms, with capabilities including digital media services, data platforms, messaging and loyalty, and is powered by Epsilon’s CORE Onboarding, ID, Data and AI.
“With the deprecation of third-party cookies, digital marketers know they have to tap into their first-party data to continue their quest for one-to-one personalization at-scale. The problem is, marketers have been left to figure out which of the many ad tech or martech partners can help them reach their goals,” said Ric Elert, president and chief operating officer at Epsilon. “We have always been confident in our ability to help marketers connect the dots—from data management and activation through measurement. We feel our position as a Leader is strong and is validation of our ability to do just that.”
Forrester Research’s evaluation included eight of the top customer database and engagement agencies across 29 criteria. Epsilon received the highest score possible in 20 of the 29 criteria, including customer engagement strategy, identity resolution, governance and security, GDPR and CCPA compliance, and privacy expertise & thought leadership.
“Epsilon is one of the most globally well-represented agencies in this year’s study; multinational firms will likely find a local office in every region,” the report continues. “[Epsilon] is particularly well-known for its financial, retail, and automotive footprint, and in a world that’s increasingly direct-to-consumer (DTC), a multitude of industries will benefit from that depth as well as from its expertise in loyalty marketing and the insights it drives out of its vast consumer data assets.”
Last year, Epsilon was named a Leader with the top score in the Current Offering category in “The Forrester Wave™: Email Marketing Service Providers, Q2 2020” in May 2020. In addition, Epsilon was the only company to appear in all four functionality segments in Forrester Research’s “Now Tech: Identity Resolution, Q3 2020.”
Click here to read the full report, “The Forrester Wave™: Customer Database And Engagement Agencies, Q1 2021.”
###
About Epsilon
Epsilon is the leader in outcome-based marketing. We enable marketing that’s built on proof, not promisesTM. Through Epsilon PeopleCloud, the marketing platform for personalizing consumer journeys with performance transparency, Epsilon helps marketers anticipate, activate and prove measurable business outcomes. Powered by CORE ID®, the most accurate and stable identity management platform representing 200+ million people, Epsilon’s award-winning data and technology is rooted in privacy by design and underpinned by powerful AI. With more than 50 years of experience in personalization and performance working with the world’s top brands, agencies and publishers, Epsilon is a trusted partner leading CRM, digital media, loyalty and email programs. Positioned at the core of Publicis Groupe, Epsilon is a global company with over 8,000 employees in over 40 offices around the world. For more information, visit epsilon.com. Follow us on Twitter at @EpsilonEMEA
---
## Epsilon and Verizon Media Partner to Strengthen Identity
Type: eps_pressRelease
URL: /epsilon-and-verizon-media-partner-to-strengthen-identity-and-build-on-activation-capabilities
Last Modified: 2025-10-28T17:49:00Z
# Epsilon and Verizon Media Partner to Strengthen Identity
Partnership Connects Epsilon’s Industry-Leading CORE ID and Verizon Media’s ConnectID, Enabling Brands to Activate Custom Audiences in Verizon Media’s DSP
As marketers look for proven solutions to stay connected to their customers in a cookie-less world, Epsilon and Verizon Media are expanding their long-standing partnership with the interoperability of Epsilon’s CORE ID and Verizon Media’s ConnectID. The new integration enables Publicis Groupe and Epsilon clients to build persistent custom audiences in Epsilon PeopleCloud, the marketing platform for personalizing consumer journeys with performance transparency, and access and activate those audiences through Verizon Media’s DSP. The stability and accuracy of CORE ID, when mapped to similarly deterministic IDs like Verizon Media’s ConnectID, will drive increased reach and improved performance and consumer experiences across all channels.
“As we look to a cookie-less future, Epsilon and Verizon Media have a shared vision to deliver the best consumer experience while moving away from third-party cookies and mobile ad IDs,” stated Ric Elert, President and Chief Operating Officer at Epsilon. “Our partnership gives our clients the ability to tap into the power of CORE ID to create audiences within our data platforms, Epsilon PeopleCloud Prospect and Discovery, and connect them to Verizon Media’s ConnectID through our integration. This new capability is mutually beneficial to brands and the consumers they’re trying to reach.”
Epsilon’s CORE ID is anchored in deterministic and transactional data, not cookies or mobile ad identifiers. It has been validated to have 96% accuracy as well as industry leading match and reach rates. Built in 2012 using open web standards and with Privacy by Design & Default, the persistency of CORE ID allows Epsilon to maintain consumer choice over time while identifying and serving 98% of brands’ ads to individuals, not orphaned cookies or device IDs.
Epsilon has partnered with Yahoo (now part of Verizon Media) since 2013 to provide both targeting and measurement solutions that enable marketers to take full advantage of their data footprints on the Verizon Media platform. The expanded partnership follows several identity-related announcements made by both companies in December 2020, including Epsilon’s work with Prebid and the launch of the Verizon Media ConnectID.
“The Verizon Media ConnectID is built on our consumer-first values and market-leading advertising technologies,” said Iván Markman, Chief Business Officer, Verizon Media. “It is designed to support advertisers, publishers and consumers as the digital landscape continues to move away from cookies. We’re proud to be partnering with Epsilon and to be integrating further with the company to provide enhanced targeting solutions for advertisers.”
Epsilon and Verizon Media’s new integration comes at a time when marketers have a bleak outlook regarding the elimination of third-party cookies and mobile ad identifiers. Epsilon’s study of more than 250 mid-to-large enterprise marketers, conducted in partnership with global research firm Phronesis Partners Inc., found that 67% of respondents have negative feelings about the changes and nearly half (44%) are disappointed with the plans.
“We’re working hard to make sure that our powerful identity, data and AI capabilities can be activated with the right partners, helping alleviate marketers’ concerns as third-party cookies are eliminated while delivering better, personalized experiences for consumers,” added Elert. “Today, our clients can activate their custom audiences across the massive consumer reach and targeting scale that only Verizon Media can offer.”
###
About Epsilon
Epsilon is the leader in outcome-based marketing. We enable marketing that’s built on proof, not promisesTM. Through Epsilon PeopleCloud, the marketing platform for personalizing consumer journeys with performance transparency, Epsilon helps marketers anticipate, activate and prove measurable business outcomes. Powered by CORE ID®, the most accurate and stable identity management platform representing 200+ million people, Epsilon’s award-winning data and technology is rooted in privacy by design and underpinned by powerful AI. With more than 50 years of experience in personalization and performance working with the world’s top brands, agencies and publishers, Epsilon is a trusted partner leading CRM, digital media, loyalty and email programs. Positioned at the core of Publicis Groupe, Epsilon is a global company with over 8,000 employees in over 40 offices around the world. For more information, visit epsilon.com. Follow us on Twitter at @EpsilonMktg.
About Verizon Media
Verizon Media, a division of Verizon Communications, Inc., houses a trusted media ecosystem of premium brands like Yahoo, TechCrunch and Engadget to help people stay informed and entertained, communicate and transact, while creating new ways for advertisers and media partners to connect. From XR experiences to advertising and content technology, Verizon Media is an incubator of innovation and is revolutionizing the next generation of content creation in a 5G world.
---
## Epsilon Named a Leader in Latest Loyalty Solutions Report by Independent Research Firm
Type: eps_pressRelease
URL: /epsilon-named-a-leader-in-latest-loyalty-solutions-report-by-independent-research-firm
Last Modified: 2025-10-28T17:49:29Z
# Epsilon Named a Leader in Latest Loyalty Solutions Report by Independent Research Firm
Epsilon Top Ranked in Current Offering Category with Highest Scores Possible in 17 of 28 Criteria
Epsilon today announced it has been named a Leader in “The Forrester Wave™: Loyalty Solutions, Q2 2021” by Forrester Research, Inc. Epsilon was the top ranked company in the Current Offering category with the highest scores possible in 17 criteria including privacy practices and compliance, emotion measurement, campaign design and orchestration, personalization, and execution and innovation roadmap. Epsilon was evaluated on the loyalty capabilities of Epsilon PeopleCloud, the marketing platform for personalizing consumer journeys with performance transparency.
“Epsilon leads with a robust data-driven platform and compelling agency services,” the report states. “Epsilon’s steadfast client base across the retail, financial services, and travel and hospitality industries take full advantage of its broad and deep technology and service offering ... Its vision is to create trusted, lasting customer connections to improve client performance, and its 2021 roadmap includes using analytics and AI to translate insights into actionable strategies and in-platform ‘nudges.’”
Epsilon PeopleCloud includes an enterprise-level loyalty solution and Loyalty Essentials, which launched in September 2020 for mid-size brands. Both loyalty solutions are powered by CORE ID, the industry’s most stable and accurate identity management offering of more than 200 million privacy-protected consumer profiles. Anchored in deterministic and transactional data, CORE ID gives marketers the ability to connect customer loyalty across all channels so brands can use real-time behavior to reach people with personalized rewards and experiences at precisely the right moment.
“Loyalty programs are the purest form of opt-in consent, so it’s no surprise that we’ve seen an increased emphasis in this space, especially as we move towards a cookie-less world,” said Wayne Townsend, President, Technology at Epsilon. “In the past year, we’ve had 100% client retention and launched Loyalty Essentials to meet the needs of mid-size brands. Partnering with our clients to achieve and exceed their goals is success in and of itself, and we’re honored to be named a loyalty marketing leader by Forrester.”
The report evaluated 14 of the most significant loyalty solutions providers across 28 criteria. Companies were evaluated on their current offering, strategy and market presence.
“Our goal is to empower brands with future-proof loyalty solutions that build trust and create lasting connections with customers,” said Prabhu Kannan, SVP & Business Lead, Loyalty at Epsilon. “We stepped up and stepped in when our clients needed us most this past year, and through continuous innovation, we strive to understand the needs of our clients and the needs of their loyal customers.”
Epsilon is the only company to be named a Leader with the highest score in the Current Offering category in customer database and engagement, loyalty and email. The company was recognized as a Leader in “The Forrester Wave™: Customer Database and Engagement Agencies, Q1 2021” and the May 2020 report "The Forrester Wave™: Email Marketing Service Providers, Q2 2020" for its Epsilon PeopleCloud Messaging platform.
###
About Epsilon
Epsilon is the leader in outcome-based marketing. We enable marketing that’s built on proof, not promisesTM. Through Epsilon PeopleCloud, the marketing platform for personalizing consumer journeys with performance transparency, Epsilon helps marketers anticipate, activate and prove measurable business outcomes. Powered by CORE ID®, the most accurate and stable identity management platform representing 200+ million people, Epsilon’s award-winning data and technology is rooted in privacy by design and underpinned by powerful AI. With more than 50 years of experience in personalization and performance working with the world’s top brands, agencies and publishers, Epsilon is a trusted partner leading CRM, digital media, loyalty and email programs. Positioned at the core of Publicis Groupe, Epsilon is a global company with over 8,000 employees in over 40 offices around the world. For more information, visit epsilon.com. Follow us on Twitter at @EpsilonMktg.
---
## Epsilon and Publicis Sapient partner with Adobe
Type: eps_pressRelease
URL: /epsilon-and-publicis-sapient-partner-with-adobe-to-power-the-next-generation-of-personalized-customer-experiences
Last Modified: 2025-10-28T17:48:45Z
# Epsilon and Publicis Sapient partner with Adobe
Epsilon to Become a Key Strategic Adobe Identity Partner, Positioning Enterprise Brands for Success in a Cookieless World and Building on Publicis Groupe’s Long-Standing Relationship with Adobe
Powered by Epsilon’s CORE ID, Publicis Sapient to Deliver Customer-Centric Digital Transformation for Clients
Fueled by the power of 250 million privacy-protected consumer IDs, Epsilon and Publicis Sapient are expanding Publicis Groupe’s long-standing relationship with Adobe to help enterprise brands deliver one-to-one personalization at scale. Epsilon’s CORE ID, the industry’s most accurate, stable and scalable identity solution, is now integrated with Adobe Experience Platform through Epsilon’s newest offering to augment customer data platforms (CDP), CDP Essentials. Enterprise brands using Adobe’s Real-time Customer Profiles, available in Adobe Experience Platform, can now enhance their first-party data with Epsilon’s CORE ID to create more robust customer profiles, with Epsilon becoming one of Adobe’s key strategic partners.
Publicis Sapient, a recognized leader in Adobe Experience Cloud applications, will bring CORE ID integration to its global client portfolio and work closely with Adobe and Epsilon to create custom experiences built on Adobe Experience Platform to deliver personalized experiences across every channel.
CDP Essentials, which is available to all marketers, elevates customer experiences through three key capabilities:
Unified, Enterprise View of the Customer: Connect online and offline data to obtain a privacy-compliant, enterprise-wide view of each customer in real time;
Enriched Customer Profiles and Intent Behaviors: Enhance first-party data to recognize in-market intent, and optimize audiences and decisioning through machine learning; and
Intelligent Activation: Recognize and reach more customers to orchestrate real-time, cross-channel experiences that connect to each step of the customer journey and enhance personalization at scale.
Epsilon, Adobe and Publicis Sapient have also published a new whitepaper covering the challenges marketers are facing in the cookieless world: Building Digital Resilience – How Marketers Can Succeed Without Third-Party Cookies. The joint whitepaper outlines a path for brands to scale digital marketing, without relying on third-party cookies, and emerge with a stronger view of customers than brands they’ve ever had before. The identity resolution and enriched customer profiles that Epsilon brings to Adobe through Publicis Sapient are both critical prerequisites to effectively deliver high-performing personalization at scale.
Wayne Townsend, Chief Strategic Growth Officer at Epsilon said: “Our partnership with Adobe gives brands the critical advantage of enriching their own first-party data to build people-based identity that is more accurate, actionable and future-proof, even with the imminent changes to IDFA and deprecation of third-party cookies next year. Even the best brands have a limited view of their customers. The integration of CORE ID into Adobe Experience Platform will enhance marketers’ ability to connect and organize their data, creating more personalized, real-time experiences that deliver significant growth without sacrificing privacy. This partnership continues our strategy to make CORE ID available beyond Epsilon PeopleCloud to prepare more brands for a future without third-party cookies.”
Since 2012, Epsilon has built immunity to data deprecation with CORE ID and was the only company to appear in all four functionality segments in Forrester Research’s “Now Tech: Identity Resolution, Q3 2020,” including Digital Identity, First-Person PII Identity, Onboarding and Embedded Digital Identity.
Vishnu Indugula, Senior Vice President and Head of the Adobe practice at Publicis Sapient, commented: “Publicis Sapient has been developing digital solutions in partnership with Adobe for over a decade. We have a proven history of implementing Adobe Experience Cloud applications to accelerate digital transformation for established companies and we’re thrilled to be evolving our partnership. Building digital resilience in a privacy-aware, cookieless world is critical. Now is the time for brands to make the shift to the next generation of personalized customer experiences and together with Adobe and Epsilon, we are best positioned to help them create what’s next.”
Justin Merickel, VP of Business Development at Adobe said: “We're thrilled to further strengthen our partnership with Epsilon and Publicis Sapient and offer brands access to industry-leading identity capabilities that enhance their ability to deliver real-time personalization. If organizations can build a unified and complete view of the customer journey—from acquisition through nurture, purchase, service and support—they’ll reduce operational costs and drive increased revenue."
###
About Epsilon
Epsilon is the leader in outcome-based marketing. We enable marketing that’s built on proof, not promises. Through Epsilon PeopleCloud, the marketing platform for personalizing consumer journeys with performance transparency, Epsilon helps marketers anticipate, activate and prove measurable business outcomes. Powered by CORE ID®, the most accurate and stable identity management platform representing 200+ million people, Epsilon’s award-winning data and technology is rooted in privacy by design and underpinned by powerful AI. With more than 50 years of experience in personalization and performance working with the world’s top brands, agencies and publishers, Epsilon is a trusted partner leading CRM, digital media, loyalty and email programs. Positioned at the core of Publicis Groupe, Epsilon is a global company with over 8,000 employees in over 40 offices around the world. For more information, visit epsilon.com. Follow us on Twitter at @EpsilonMktg.
About Publicis Sapient
Publicis Sapient is a digital transformation company. We help global brands create and sustain competitive advantage in a world that’s constantly changing and increasingly digital. Our expert SPEED capabilities: Strategy and Consulting, Product, Experience, Engineering and Data, combined with our culture of curiosity means that we know how to identify and convert opportunities in new ways. Every differentiated product, service or experience that Publicis Sapient builds across the customer journey is designed to deliver meaningful impact for our client’s business and their customer. Publicis Sapient is the digital transformation hub of Publicis Groupe with 20,000 people and over 50 offices worldwide. For more information, visit publicissapient.com
---
## Epsilon PeopleCloud Digital Media Solutions Receives Accreditation from the Media Rating Council for Correlated Outcomes
Type: eps_pressRelease
URL: /epsilon-peoplecloud-digital-media-solutions-receives-accreditation-from-the-media-rating-council-for-correlated-outcomes
Last Modified: 2025-10-28T17:37:40Z
# Epsilon PeopleCloud Digital Media Solutions Receives Accreditation from the Media Rating Council for Correlated Outcomes
Accreditation for correlated outcomes validates tying marketing events to business outcomes
Epsilon today announced that Epsilon PeopleCloud Digital Media Solutions (DMS, formerly known as Conversant) is the first offering to be accredited by the Media Rating Council (MRC) for correlated outcomes—a metric defined as an event (i.e. purchase, action, etc.) connected to an underlying ad served—across display and video advertising on desktop, mobile web and mobile in-app. The recognition validates the ability of Epsilon PeopleCloud DMS to tie online and offline marketing events to business outcomes. MRC accreditation also confirms that the calculation and reporting of those metrics are valid and reliable.
The rigorous accreditation process evaluated the correlated outcome, tracked ads, and rendered impression metrics available through Epsilon PeopleCloud DMS along with internal procedures in areas that included first-party onboarding, data flow to reporting and the detection of defined outcomes.
“MRC accreditation is a reflection of Epsilon’s dedication to the highest level of quality and performance transparency, giving marketers complete confidence that they are driving business outcomes that really matter,” said Chad Peplinski, Chief Media Officer at Epsilon. “We’ve cleared a high bar to validate our ability to accurately measure client performance and tie it back to their marketing efforts. Now, the entire industry has the validation that Epsilon provides accredited, accurate, and unbiased measurement of correlated outcomes.”
“We congratulate Epsilon for meeting the standards required to gain MRC accreditation for its correlated outcomes measure,” said George W. Ivie, Executive Director and CEO of the MRC. “In offering the first metric to be accredited by the MRC that connects a digital advertisement to a defined consumer event, even if that subsequent event occurs offline, Epsilon PeopleCloud DMS has provided a view into future directions for measurement.”
About Epsilon PeopleCloud DMS
Epsilon PeopleCloud DMS is one of six modular offerings that form Epsilon PeopleCloud, the marketing platform for personalizing consumer journeys with performance transparency. It is the only offering in the integrated suite to be accredited by the MRC. Epsilon PeopleCloud is powered by Epsilon’s CORE ID, Onboarding, Data and AI. CORE ID is anchored in transactional and deterministic data, making it the industry’s most stable and accurate identity offering. The power of CORE ID allows marketers to follow their customers along the path to purchase and match transactions back to more than 200 million privacy-protected customer profiles.
“We chose to work with Epsilon because of their integrity,” said Stephanie Davidson, CMO at Bar Louie. “We have a high level of trust in the data Epsilon provides, and they work hard to understand Bar Louie and our goals—both our long-term strategic plan and short-term initiatives. Because of this, we have been able to develop campaigns that reach the guests that matter the most to us and drive predictable sales. We think the best is ahead of us, and we’re just getting started.”
According to a study of 200+ marketing and customer data decision-makers conducted by Forrester Consulting on behalf of Epsilon, 52% of respondents noted that proving performance and measurement of customer marketing is among the top challenges their organizations face with using and activating their customer data. According to the report, “Measurement ultimately sits at the heart of brands’ efforts to effectively choose the next best message to move customers through their buying journeys. Without the right data to base decisions on, brands risk delivering ineffective marketing and poor customer experiences.”
Epsilon is trusted by more than 3,000 brands across industries to deliver proven outcomes. The company delivers 98% of all impressions to a people-based CORE ID while maintaining a less than 1% invalid traffic, as measured by Integral Ad Science.
###
About Epsilon
Epsilon is the leader in outcome-based marketing. We enable marketing that’s built on proof, not promisesTM. Through Epsilon PeopleCloud, the marketing platform for personalizing consumer journeys with performance transparency, Epsilon helps marketers anticipate, activate and prove measurable business outcomes. Powered by CORE ID®, the most accurate and stable identity management platform representing 200+ million people, Epsilon’s award-winning data and technology is rooted in privacy by design and underpinned by powerful AI. With more than 50 years of experience in personalization and performance working with the world’s top brands, agencies and publishers, Epsilon is a trusted partner leading CRM, digital media, loyalty and email programs. Positioned at the core of Publicis Groupe, Epsilon is a global company with over 8,000 employees in over 40 offices around the world. For more information, visit epsilon.com. Follow us on Twitter at @EpsilonMktg.
About MRC
The Media Rating Council is a non-profit industry association established in 1963 comprised of leading television, radio, print and digital media companies, as well as advertisers, advertising agencies and trade associations, whose goal is to ensure measurement services that are valid, reliable and effective. Measurement services desiring MRC accreditation are required to disclose to their customers all methodological aspects of their service; comply with the MRC Minimum Standards for Media Rating Research as well as other applicable industry measurement guidelines; and submit to MRC-designed audits to authenticate and illuminate their procedures. In addition, the MRC membership actively pursues research issues they consider priorities in an effort to improve the quality of research in the marketplace. Currently approximately 110 research products are audited by the MRC. Additional information about MRC can be found at www.mediaratingcouncil.org.
---
## Epsilon PeopleCloud Digital Media Solutions Receives Accreditation from the Media Rating Council for Correlated Outcomes
Type: eps_pressRelease
URL: /epsilon-peoplecloud-digital-media-solutions-receives-accreditation-from-the-media-rating-council-for-correlated-outcomes
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T22:14:19Z
# Epsilon PeopleCloud Digital Media Solutions Receives Accreditation from the Media Rating Council for Correlated Outcomes
Accreditation for correlated outcomes validates tying marketing events to business outcomes.
LONDON – May 12, 2021 – Epsilon® today announced that Epsilon PeopleCloud Digital Media Solutions (DMS, formerly known as Conversant) is the first offering to be accredited by the Media Rating Council (MRC) for correlated outcomes—a metric defined as an event (i.e. purchase, action, etc.) connected to an underlying ad served—across display and video advertising on desktop, mobile web and mobile in-app. The recognition validates the ability of Epsilon PeopleCloud DMS to tie online and offline marketing events to business outcomes. MRC accreditation also confirms that the calculation and reporting of those metrics are valid and reliable.
The rigorous accreditation process evaluated the correlated outcome, tracked ads, and rendered impression metrics available through Epsilon PeopleCloud DMS along with internal procedures in areas that included first-party onboarding, data flow to reporting and the detection of defined outcomes.
“MRC accreditation is a reflection of Epsilon’s dedication to the highest level of quality and performance transparency, giving marketers complete confidence that they are driving business outcomes that really matter,” said Chad Peplinski, Chief Media Officer at Epsilon. “We’ve cleared a high bar to validate our ability to accurately measure client performance and tie it back to their marketing efforts. Now, the entire industry has the validation that Epsilon provides accredited, accurate, and unbiased measurement of correlated outcomes.”
“We congratulate Epsilon for meeting the standards required to gain MRC accreditation for its correlated outcomes measure,” said George W. Ivie, Executive Director and CEO of the MRC. “In offering the first metric to be accredited by the MRC that connects a digital advertisement to a defined consumer event, even if that subsequent event occurs offline, Epsilon PeopleCloud DMS has provided a view into future directions for measurement.”
About Epsilon PeopleCloud DMS
Epsilon PeopleCloud DMS is one of six modular offerings that form Epsilon PeopleCloud, the marketing platform for personalizing consumer journeys with performance transparency. It is the only offering in the integrated suite to be accredited by the MRC. Epsilon PeopleCloud is powered by Epsilon’s CORE ID, Onboarding, Data and AI. CORE ID is anchored in transactional and deterministic data, making it the industry’s most stable and accurate identity offering. The power of CORE ID allows marketers to follow their customers along the path to purchase and match transactions back to more than 200 million privacy-protected customer profiles.
“We chose to work with Epsilon because of their integrity,” said Stephanie Davidson, CMO at Bar Louie. “We have a high level of trust in the data Epsilon provides, and they work hard to understand Bar Louie and our goals—both our long-term strategic plan and short-term initiatives. Because of this, we have been able to develop campaigns that reach the guests that matter the most to us and drive predictable sales. We think the best is ahead of us, and we’re just getting started.”
According to a study of 200+ marketing and customer data decision-makers conducted by Forrester Consulting on behalf of Epsilon, 52% of respondents noted that proving performance and measurement of customer marketing is among the top challenges their organizations face with using and activating their customer data. According to the report, “Measurement ultimately sits at the heart of brands’ efforts to effectively choose the next best message to move customers through their buying journeys. Without the right data to base decisions on, brands risk delivering ineffective marketing and poor customer experiences.”
Epsilon is trusted by more than 3,000 brands across industries to deliver proven outcomes. The company delivers 98% of all impressions to a people-based CORE ID while maintaining a less than 1% invalid traffic, as measured by Integral Ad Science.
###
About Epsilon
Epsilon is the leader in outcome-based marketing. We enable marketing that’s built on proof, not promisesTM. Through Epsilon PeopleCloud, the marketing platform for personalizing consumer journeys with performance transparency, Epsilon helps marketers anticipate, activate and prove measurable business outcomes. Powered by CORE ID®, the most accurate and stable identity management platform representing 200+ million people, Epsilon’s award-winning data and technology is rooted in privacy by design and underpinned by powerful AI. With more than 50 years of experience in personalization and performance working with the world’s top brands, agencies and publishers, Epsilon is a trusted partner leading CRM, digital media, loyalty and email programs. Positioned at the core of Publicis Groupe, Epsilon is a global company with over 8,000 employees in over 40 offices around the world. For more information, visit epsilon.com. Follow us on Twitter at @EpsilonEMEA.
About MRC
The Media Rating Council is a non-profit industry association established in 1963 comprised of leading television, radio, print and digital media companies, as well as advertisers, advertising agencies and trade associations, whose goal is to ensure measurement services that are valid, reliable and effective. Measurement services desiring MRC accreditation are required to disclose to their customers all methodological aspects of their service; comply with the MRC Minimum Standards for Media Rating Research as well as other applicable industry measurement guidelines; and submit to MRC-designed audits to authenticate and illuminate their procedures. In addition, the MRC membership actively pursues research issues they consider priorities in an effort to improve the quality of research in the marketplace. Currently approximately 110 research products are audited by the MRC. Additional information about MRC can be found at www.mediaratingcouncil.org.
---
## New Independent Study Commissioned by Epsilon, Adobe and Publicis Groupe Examines Marketers’ Priorities and Challenges in Enabling CDPs
Type: eps_pressRelease
URL: /epsilon-adobe-publicis-marketers-priorities-and-challenges-in-enabling-cdps
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# New Independent Study Commissioned by Epsilon, Adobe and Publicis Groupe Examines Marketers’ Priorities and Challenges in Enabling CDPs
Study provides marketers in APAC and Middle East guidance on how to design a comprehensive CDP strategy
India, June 8, 2021: Epsilon, Adobe and Publicis Groupe today released the findings of a commissioned study that examines marketers’ priorities and challenges in enabling customer data platforms (CDPs) and the broader data value chain, and to understand the current approach, mindset, and existing data practices. The study, conducted by Forrester Consulting, surveyed 250 decision-makers ranging from senior managers to C-level executives across Australia, Singapore, New Zealand, India and United Arab Emirates from the BFSI, Hospitality & Tourism, and Retail industries.
“The Asia Pacific and Middle East regions are at the cusp of leveraging data strategies and insight for action and outcomes,” the study states. “The time to talk insights from data is long gone; organizations must now look for actions that are driven by data insight. Mature countries like Australia and Singapore point the way.”
“We believe this insightful study clearly indicates that marketers in the region have embarked on a journey to leverage data intelligently to create personalized marketing campaigns that deliver results,” said Ashish Sinha, Managing Director for APAC and MEA, Epsilon. “While CDPs emerge as the holy grail, it will be on a solid foundation of identity that allows brands to deliver relevant messages, while reducing waste, customer churn, and optimising return on marketing investment. When brands get identity right, it gives them a fighting chance to not only survive but thrive.”
The study yielded three findings:
Lack of data maturity hampers CDP success: The study reveals that data management issues stifle the success of CDPs. Decision-makers whose organizations have implemented some version of a CDP, cited challenges with merging data into a single repository; keeping customer profiles up to date; and analyzing the data and finding actionable insights.
Firms plan to increase investment in CDPs: 35% of respondents said they are planning to invest/ increase their investment in CDPs in the next 12 months. The study highlighted three key factors that drive CDP adoption:
Ability to create a single unified customer profile across channels and devices (83%)
Ability to increase customer acquisition through more targeted ads (71%)
Ability to customize experiences, for both known and unknown customers (63%)
Elevate customer identity management practices to foster better business outcomes, with convenience: When asked about customer identity management practices, half of decision-makers said that first-party data is mostly or significantly combined across online and offline sources and linked to customer records for sales and marketing teams to have a complete view of their customers. 70% of respondents believe that integration of online and offline data sources provides a differentiated customer experience.
According to Adrian Farouk, CEO, Epsilon ANZ, “This study highlights that deprecation of third-party cookies is necessitating brands to not only own their first-party data but to build an ecosystem whereby it is continually replenished, relevant and up-to-date. They need to discover the value of the data they own before supplementing it with external data to gain end-to-end view of the customer journey. The future will see brands being in better control of their destinies and enhancing trust with consumers.”
Click here to download the full study.
---
## Epsilon Expands Messaging Capabilities for Mid-Size Brands
Type: eps_pressRelease
URL: /epsilon-expands-industry-leading-messaging-capabilities-with-new-solution-for-mid-size-brands
Last Modified: 2025-10-28T17:48:24Z
# Epsilon Expands Messaging Capabilities for Mid-Size Brands
Epsilon PeopleCloud Messaging Essentials Offers Marketers a Flexible, Quick-To-Market Solution With No Long-Term Contract
Epsilon today announced that it is expanding its industry-leading messaging capabilities with the launch of Epsilon PeopleCloud (EPC) Messaging Essentials, a new quick-to-market and scalable solution for email and cross-channel marketers at mid-market companies, without the need for a long-term contract. EPC Messaging Essentials leverages the power of Epsilon’s enterprise-level solution, EPC Messaging, to help marketers deliver individualized messages to customers across email, SMS, mobile push and more, all powered by Epsilon’s industry-leading identity resolution capabilities.
EPC Messaging Essentials features new, campaign-specific capabilities that can be activated by mid-market companies looking to enhance their messaging strategy with personalized, 1:1 communications. These capabilities include:
Dialogues: Helps marketers define a set of real-time marketing automations that react to customer behaviors and signals across various channels to drive engagement, conversion and brand loyalty.
SignUp+: Identifies the best targets for a brand, serves them a digital ad that connects to a smart capture email opt-in experience, which captures robust profile data so marketers can instantly engage their new subscribers with an interactive and personalized onboarding experience.
EPC Messaging Essentials leverages the same technology that powers EPC Messaging to deliver real-time campaign execution, helping marketers send personalized, engaging marketing experiences to every customer’s inbox, optimized for the ideal send time and device. Marriott is among the more than 450 brands around the world using EPC Messaging, leveraging the solution’s power to make more than one billion real-time decisions every five minutes as it engages 200M+ consumers.
The new solution allows mid-market companies to benefit from the success of EPC Messaging and Epsilon’s industry-leading identity capabilities, including its CORE ID identity graph. Through CORE ID, marketers can connect identity across the open web, tying together customer experiences across online, offline and in-app, so brands can reach each of their members with relevant and personalized experiences in real-time. The result is a seamless, consistent conversation with consumers that allows brands to build relationships with their customers over time while improving the strength and efficiency in their marketing programs.
“Marketers are looking for quick solutions to their customers’ everyday problems. Messaging Essentials allows us to bring the power of our enterprise-level solution to midmarket brands so marketers can optimize their programs and drive measurable business outcomes,” stated Kara Trivunovic, Managing Director, Messaging. “We can now launch comprehensive email, SMS and mobile push programs for our clients in a matter of weeks with Messaging Essentials, built directly from our enterprise messaging solution that has helped grow the world’s largest brands for decades.”
Epsilon was named a Leader in the May 2020 report “The Forrester Wave™: Email Marketing Service Providers, Q2 2020” by Forrester Research, Inc., which evaluated EPC Messaging. Epsilon ranked highest in the current offering category with the highest scores possible in 12 criteria, including privacy and security, analytics, data integration and artificial intelligence. According to the report, “A longtime powerhouse in this study, Epsilon continues a model that many email service providers have eschewed: It balances good email technology with the strongest professional services in the study.”
Epsilon is focused on making its enterprise technology approachable for mid-sized brands through a series of Essential offerings. EPC Messaging Essentials is the latest in a series of other platform announcements. CDP Essentials launched earlier this year as part of EPC Customer, and EPC Loyalty Essentials launched in September 2020 to simplify and optimize loyalty management.
###
About Epsilon
Epsilon is the leader in outcome-based marketing. We enable marketing that’s built on proof, not promisesTM. Through Epsilon PeopleCloud, the marketing platform for personalizing consumer journeys with performance transparency, Epsilon helps marketers anticipate, activate and prove measurable business outcomes. Powered by CORE ID®, the most accurate and stable identity management platform representing 200+ million people, Epsilon’s award-winning data and technology is rooted in privacy by design and underpinned by powerful AI. With more than 50 years of experience in personalization and performance working with the world’s top brands, agencies and publishers, Epsilon is a trusted partner leading CRM, digital media, loyalty and email programs. Positioned at the core of Publicis Groupe, Epsilon is a global company with over 8,000 employees in over 40 offices around the world. For more information, visit epsilon.com. Follow us on Twitter at @EpsilonMktg.
---
## Publicis Groupe to Acquire CitrusAd to Lead the New Generation of Identity-Led Retail Media
Type: eps_pressRelease
URL: /publicis-groupe-to-acquire-citrusad-to-lead-the-new-generation-of-identity-led-retail-media
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Publicis Groupe to Acquire CitrusAd to Lead the New Generation of Identity-Led Retail Media
CitrusAd is a SaaS platform that optimizes the marketing performance of brands directly one-commerce sites
By combining CitrusAd with Epsilon's CORE ID, Publicis Groupe will create the first retail media offer based on identity
Publicis Groupe [Euronext Paris FR0000130577, CAC 40] today announces the acquisition of CitrusAd, a technological platform (SaaS) that optimizes the marketing performance of brands directly on e-commerce sites. With more than 50% of its activities in the United States, CitrusAd is present in 22 countries and 6 business sectors.
CitrusAd brings its cutting edge technology to more than 70 of the world's leading distributors and more than 4,000 brands that use the self-service platform.
In 2023, online sales of consumer goods will have doubled compared to 2019. In this context, retail media will experience exponential growth. Estimated today at $ 30 billion per year, advertising investments in this sector are expected to double over the next five years. The media retail will become one of the main channels of the media spending of consumer brands in the coming years.
Our ambition is to combine CitrusAd's expertise on e-commerce sites with Epsilon's retail media offer on publishers' sites, and to feed them both through CORE ID. This offer will be unique in the industry and will allow Publicis Groupe to take the leadership of the new generation of identity-based retail media , with fully transparent performance measurement, validated directly by transactions.
This acquisition will bring three decisive competitive advantages to Publicis Groupe customers for their e-commerce activity:
Growth: Customers will be able to accelerate their growth in this very dynamic industry, increasing the conversion rate and maximizing the return on their advertising spend. CitrusAd's conversion rate is among the highest in the media industry with over 60% after a click.
Knowledge of consumers : brands will gain access to a better knowledge of their customers, based on first-party data from e-commerce sites, allowing them to prepare for a world without cookies. By associating Epsilon's expertise with CitrusAd, Publicis Groupe will unify consumer profiles, not dependent on third-party cookies, to increase the performance of media activation. All of these operations are based on the consent of consumers, in full compliance with respect for their privacy.
Total transparency of performance: brands will be able to target their consumers both onsite (in the merchant ecosystem) and offsite (in the publisher ecosystem), and to measure the performance of their media investments in real time. , regardless of the conversion channel (in-store or online), with precision at the product level (SKU: stock management unit) and validated by the transaction.
CitrusAd is an Australia-based company founded in 2017 by Brad Moran and Nick Paech. It brings together 130 engineers and retail media experts around the world. CitrusAd will remain independent within Epsilon, while being tightly integrated with their technology to generate synergies. This transaction remains subject to the usual regulatory approvals and should be concluded in the coming weeks.
Brad Moran, co-founder and CEO of CitrusAd says: “It's not every day that you meet a partner the size of Publicis Groupe who not only shares CitrusAd's entrepreneurial vision but who can also connect their incredible advertising power to a technology company like ours. E-commerce sites and brands are entering a territory that is still largely unexplored, while retail media is booming. Thanks to the combination of CitrusAd and Publicis , clients will benefit from long-standing media expertise, coupled with cutting-edge technology and a team of retail media experts. "
Arthur Sadoun, Chairman of the Management Board of Publicis Groupe, said: “We are very happy to welcome Brad, Nick and the entire CitrusAd team to Publicis. The technology they have developed, coupled with Epsilon's CORE ID, will allow major brands to accelerate their growth and e-commerce sites to generate new sources of revenue to earn in a world dominated by platforms. This acquisition will also give Publicis a decisive competitive advantage, in a sector which, by 2025, is expected to exceed media investments in traditional television. "
About Publicis Groupe - The Power of One
Publicis Groupe [Euronext Paris FR0000130577, CAC 40] is a global leader in communication. The Groupe is positioned at every step of the value chain, from consulting to execution, combining marketing transformation and digital business transformation. Publicis Groupe is a privileged partner in its clients’ transformation to enhance personalization at scale. The Groupe relies on ten expertise concentrated within four main activities: Communication, Media, Data and Technology. Through a unified and fluid organization, its clients have a facilitated access to all its expertise in every market. Present in over 100 countries, Publicis Groupe employs around 80,000 professionals.
www.publicisgroupe.com | Twitter:@PublicisGroupe | Facebook | LinkedIn | YouTube | Viva la Difference!
About CitrusAd
CitrusAd is the world-leading, white-label, self-serve, ecommerce ad-serving platform that enables retailers to monetize their digital shelf-space while enabling brands to increase sales by launching targeted and cost-effective digital campaigns into retailer websites. Since it was launched in 2017, CitrusAd powers the fastest growing ecommerce ad network in the USA and has become the global, retail industry’s preferred ad-serving platform, service and retail media sales organization. Successful retailers, in all verticals across 25 countries are leveraging the CitrusAd platform and real-time relevancy engine to create a more personalized shopping experience and deliver greater ROI for suppliers. For more information, visit https://www.citrusad.com
---
## Publicis Groupe Announces Retirement of Epsilon CEO Bryan Kennedy. John Giuliani Appointed Executive Chairman
Type: eps_pressRelease
URL: /publicis-groupe-announces-retirement-of-epsilon-ceo-bryan-kennedy-john-giuliani-appointed-executive-chairman
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Publicis Groupe Announces Retirement of Epsilon CEO Bryan Kennedy. John Giuliani Appointed Executive Chairman
Publicis Groupe [Euronext Paris FR0000130577, CAC 40] today announced that Epsilon CEO Bryan Kennedy plans to retire at the end of 2021 after 25 years with the company. Kennedy will step down as CEO and transition into an Executive Strategic Advisor role, effective immediately, to provide guidance and ensure a smooth transition through the end of the year.
John Giuliani, former CEO of Conversant (now Epsilon PeopleCloud Digital Media Solutions), will rejoin Epsilon as Executive Chairman. Giuliani will oversee Epsilon and take on the responsibilities previously held by Kennedy, including driving growth for Publicis Groupe clients and shaping long-term strategy. He will also join the Publicis Groupe Management Committee. Giuliani will report to Arthur Sadoun, CEO of Publicis Groupe.
Giuliani will work directly with Ric Elert, who will expand his current role as President and COO of Epsilon. Elert will continue to lead Epsilon’s operations and drive organic growth, while assuming additional responsibilities to accelerate strategic initiatives including partnerships, vertical and international expansion.
Both Giuliani and Elert will work closely with Sadoun to further strengthen Epsilon’s position at the core of Publicis Groupe.
Arthur Sadoun, Chairman and CEO of Publicis stated: “I would like to sincerely thank Bryan for his outstanding leadership of Epsilon and for his partnership with the Publicis management team over the last two years. With Ric, he has been a key driving force behind the successful integration of Epsilon into Publicis. This is clearly demonstrated by the +31.1% growth of Epsilon in Q2 2021. And I’d like to welcome John back to Epsilon. He and Ric have already proven that they know what it takes to build a successful business together, to drive sustainable growth in a digital world. With their teams and the support of Publicis Groupe as a whole, I know that they will take Epsilon to new heights.”
John Giuliani, Executive Chairman of Epsilon: “I am excited to be re-joining Epsilon and honored to work with so many truly talented and outstanding people. Epsilon has a set of assets that are superior in the industry and I see tremendous opportunity to continue to transform the way brands reach and engage consumers in a digital-first world. I look forward to partnering with Arthur, Ric and the entire team to build on the positive momentum as part of Publicis Groupe.”
Bryan Kennedy, Executive Strategic Advisor of Epsilon: “After 25 years at Epsilon, I’m incredibly grateful to retire with confidence that Epsilon, our employees, and our clients are in the best position for continued growth as part of Publicis. It’s been a privilege to work alongside our teams around the world to establish Epsilon as an industry-leader in identity, customer database and engagement, loyalty, and email. I look forward to working with Arthur, John and Ric through the remainder of the year to ensure Epsilon is set up for success today and in the future.”
About John Giuliani, Executive Chairman, Epsilon
John Giuliani brings over 30 years of experience helping and growing successful businesses. He joined Serra Ventures as a Venture Partner in 2017 and previously served as CEO of Conversant where he led the company to significant growth and a sale to Alliance Data (Epsilon) in December 2014. In addition, he led and built display media company Dotomi until it was sold to ValueClick (Conversant) in 2011.
Before joining Dotomi, Giuliani founded Rainmaker Consulting Group Inc., which specialized in strategic sales and marketing consulting for marketing services firms. He also served as President of North America for Catalina Marketing Services, providing behavioral insights, database marketing and Internet solutions to key Fortune 1000 companies. His leadership at Catalina resulted in record revenues and net profits. Additionally, Giuliani's tenure includes four years at ACTMEDIA (New Corp) as well as in CPG sales and marketing with Beecham Products (GlaxoSmithKline) and Frito-Lay, Inc. Currently, John is a Special Advisor to DataPoint Capital, the Executive Chairman of Yieldify (London, UK) and a Director at Opendorse (Lincoln, NE). He has participated on boards for WEB.com, Conversant/ValueClick, Dotomi, Bluestem Brands, Q Interactive, SuperMarkets Online, Affinova, Claria, Imagitas, and El Dorado Marketing. Giuliani has an MBA from Northwestern University's Kellogg Graduate School of Management, as well as a B.S. from the University of Illinois.
About Ric Elert, President and COO, Epsilon
Ric Elert has more than 25 years of experience building big systems that solve big problems. As President and COO, he is responsible for leading Epsilon’s business operations across the company’s Data, Digital Media and Technology offerings as well as guiding the company’s corporate and product strategies. As advertisers face growing complexity and increased scrutiny, Elert works closely with the C-suite to educate them and navigate the digital ad world.
Under his leadership, Epsilon has been recognized as the leader in Identity, Data, Customer Engagement, Loyalty and Email Marketing. Since joining Epsilon in 2009, Ric has played an integral role for the company’s ongoing growth and momentum, becoming President and COO of Epsilon after the acquisition of Epsilon by Publicis Groupe in 2019. Ric is a graduate of the University of Wisconsin–Madison and sits on several boards, including the Federation for Internet Alerts (FIA), and is a founding member of the IAB Data Center of Excellence.
About Publicis Groupe - The Power of One
Publicis Groupe [Euronext Paris FR0000130577, CAC 40] is a global leader in communication. The Groupe is positioned at every step of the value chain, from consulting to execution, combining marketing transformation and digital business transformation. Publicis Groupe is a privileged partner in its clients’ transformation to enhance personalization at scale. The Groupe relies on ten expertise concentrated within four main activities: Communication, Media, Data and Technology. Through a unified and fluid organization, its clients have a facilitated access to all its expertise in every market. Present in over 100 countries, Publicis Groupe employs around 80,000 professionals.
---
## Publicis Groupe Named a Leader in Loyalty Services report by Independent Research Firm
Type: eps_pressRelease
URL: /publicis-groupe-named-a-leader-in-loyalty-services-report-by-independent-research-firm
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Publicis Groupe Named a Leader in Loyalty Services report by Independent Research Firm
Publicis Groupe is Top Ranked in Current Offering Category; Only Provider with Highest Possible Score in Data Services criterion
Publicis Groupe and Epsilon (as a part of Publicis Groupe) are the only family of providers named amongst the Leaders in both the Loyalty Services and Loyalty Solutions Wave reports
Publicis Groupe Deems First Evaluation as a Multi-Agency Holding Group as Demonstrating the Strength of its ‘Power of One’ Approach
Publicis Groupe [Euronext Paris FR0000130577, CAC 40] today announced that it was named a Leader in “The Forrester Wave™: Loyalty Service Providers, Q3 2021” by Forrester Research, Inc. Publicis Groupe was the top ranked company in the Current Offering category and received the highest scores possible in 15 criteria, including: omnichannel loyalty strategy, machine learning & AI, customer insights services, emotional loyalty measurement and use, media and advertising, creative and content, execution and innovation roadmap, and more. Publicis Groupe is the only company recognized with the highest possible score (5.0) in the data services criterion, which is comprised of customer data management services, privacy practices and compliance, and data security and governance.
With loyalty marketing spend booming, the report advises brands to increase their reliance on expertise from loyalty service providers that look at loyalty as an outcome, not necessarily just a program. Forrester recommends that brands look for providers that hinge their loyalty strategies on emotional connections with consumers as well as provide qualitative and quantitative customer insights. The 12 providers in the report were evaluated based on current offering, strategy, and market presence.
Publicis Groupe’s recognition as a leader comes on the heels of Epsilon being named a Leader in “The Forrester Wave™: Loyalty Solutions, Q2 2021” report. Publicis Groupe and Epsilon (as a part of Publicis Groupe) are the only family of providers named amongst the Leaders in both the Loyalty Services and Loyalty Solutions Wave reports.
The “Forrester Wave™: Loyalty Service Providers, Q3 2021” report states that Publicis Groupe offers an industry-backed approach and accelerated path to delivery. The report goes on to state that Publicis’ Power of One model offers a single client P&L, whose loyalty services offerings are supported by their brands: Digitas, Epsilon, Hawkeye, Leo Burnett, Publicis Sapient, Rauxa, Razorfish, and Starcom, among others.
The report further states that, “Publicis invests significantly in talent and co-creation with partners…[and]…excels in delivering highly effective loyalty marketing and design services (including campaign, media, and creative), customer insights services and data security, and privacy capabilities. Publicis Groupe understands the value of privacy thought leadership and of considering how to use customer data effectively and ethically.”
“We have always believed that building trust with customers through meaningful connections is foundational to brands’ success in the digital age, which is why we are so proud that we are being recognized as a leader in loyalty services by Forrester,” said Arthur Sadoun, CEO & Chairman, Publicis Groupe. “Our world-class creative, media and business transformation capabilities, coupled with Epsilon’s industry-leading platform, data and personalization, powered by the CORE ID, enables us to drive growth for our clients in a platform world.”
###
---
## Epsilon Appoints Leader for Market Expansion in Middle East & Africa
Type: eps_pressRelease
URL: /epsilon-appoints-leader-for-market-expansion-in-middle-east-africa
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Epsilon Appoints Leader for Market Expansion in Middle East & Africa
Saira Mehdi Joins Team to Ramp-Up New Business and Product Growth in the region
Dubai – August 19, 2021 – Epsilon®, a global leader in outcome-based marketing, today announced the appointment of Saira Mehdi as the Sales Director for the Middle East & Africa (MEA) region, effective immediately. Saira will own the mandate for top line revenue growth, drive new business opportunities for Epsilon’s products and solutions and grow the company’s client base in the region. She will also play a significant role in positioning Epsilon as a premier martech and adtech player in MEA.
Saira comes with 14 years of work experience in the IT industry across North America and MEA. Having worked with organizations like Oracle and Rackspace, Saira is keen to build on this experience and deliver value.
Speaking on her appointment, Saira stated, “I am excited to join Epsilon and will collaborate with the leadership’s vision for growth in this region. With consumer expectations rising and the market at the cusp of marketing maturity, businesses need to evaluate their customer engagement strategies and I see Epsilon PeopleCloud filling that gap.”
Ashish Sinha, Managing Director for APAC & MEA, said, “I am delighted to welcome Saira into the Epsilon family. This is an exciting time for us and I am happy that we have Saira take charge to deliver our best-in-class Epsilon PeopleCloud suite of solutions to customers in the region that has great market potential.”
About Epsilon
Epsilon is the leader in outcome-based marketing. We enable marketing that’s built on proof, not promisesTM. Through Epsilon PeopleCloud, the marketing platform for personalizing consumer journeys with performance transparency, Epsilon helps marketers anticipate, activate and prove measurable business outcomes. Powered by CORE ID®, the most accurate and stable identity management platform representing 200+ million people, Epsilon’s award-winning data and technology is rooted in privacy by design and underpinned by powerful AI. With more than 50 years of experience in personalization and performance working with the world’s top brands, agencies and publishers, Epsilon is a trusted partner leading CRM, digital media, loyalty and email programs. Positioned at the core of Publicis Groupe, Epsilon is a global company with over 8,000 employees in over 40 offices around the world. For more information, visit apac.epsilon.com. Follow us on Twitter at @EpsilonAPAC.
---
## Epsilon & CitrusAd Recognized in Retail Media Solutions Report
Type: eps_pressRelease
URL: /epsilon-and-citrusad-recognized-in-sell-side-retail-media-solutions-report-by-independent-research-firm
Last Modified: 2025-10-23T12:28:13Z
# Epsilon & CitrusAd Recognized in Retail Media Solutions Report
CitrusAd Named a Leader with the Top Score in Performance, and Measurement and Reporting Criteria, Highest Possible Score in On-site Monetization Criterion
Epsilon Named a Strong Performer and Received the Highest Possible Score in Off-site Ad Inventory, Identity Solutions and Innovation Roadmap Criteria
Epsilon and CitrusAd today announced that they were named a Strong Performer and a Leader, respectively, in “The Forrester Wave™: Sell-Side Retail Media Solutions, Q3 2021” by Forrester Research, Inc. Epsilon received the highest possible score in the off-site ad inventory, integration, identity solutions, omnichannel measurement and innovation roadmap criteria. CitrusAd was the only company to earn the top score in the performance, and measurement and reporting criteria, and the highest score possible in the on-site monetization criterion.
Forrester evaluated the sell-side retail media solutions of eight companies across 25 criteria and grouped into three high-level categories: current offering, strategy, and market presence.
The report follows the July 2021 announcement of Publicis Groupe’s planned acquisition of CitrusAd.
Epsilon’s and CitrusAd’s strengths and complimentary offerings will enable Publicis Groupe to lead a new generation of retail media based on real identity. The full-funnel, integrated approach will allow brands to optimize messages when consumers are most receptive across on-site, off-site and in-store channels, leading to greater conversation rates and allowing consolidated measurement at SKU-level. The combined offering will be informed by a common identity layer, Epsilon’s CORE ID, the only identity offering to be recognized in all four functionality segments in Forrester Research’s “Now Tech: Identity Resolution, Q3 2020.”
Thibault Hennion, Director of International Operations at Epsilon, said: “We are thrilled to see both CitrusAd and Epsilon recognized in the Forrester Wave as a Leader and Strong Performer. Their strong performance, in our opinion, confirms Publicis Groupe’s ambition to lead the next generation of retail media. With CitrusAd, brands can optimize their footprint directly on a retailer’s website, with full transparency of their performance at product level. With Epsilon, brands and retailers can unleash all the power of their partnership by expanding their reach, increasing retention and converting new customers. Epsilon and CitrusAd’s complimentary offerings will provide clients with a combined solution that is even more powerful than the sum of its parts. In the end, the unified offering will create a better value exchange between brands, retailers and consumers.”
In the assessment of Epsilon and CitrusAd, Forrester Senior Analyst Collin Colburn writes:
“CitrusAd offers superior on-site search, display media, and measurement capabilities in an easy-to-use platform. One client reference said, ‘Our suppliers love the flexibility and ease of use of the platform to buy media. And their reporting is stellar.’ Clients love CitrusAd’s flexible commercial model because it allows retailers to choose from a network model approach or isolated instance of the platform, which can be done through managed service, self-serve, or a bit of both.”
“Epsilon’s data backbone gives it a unique position within retail media. Epsilon’s vision for retail media centers around creating a value exchange between the retailer, brand, and customer, and breaking down barriers between brands and customers. This strategy makes sense for a company known for its data and customer engagement, loyalty, and email capabilities.” The report continues, “[It] is strongest in off-site media where its CORE ID solution enriches retailers’ first party data for activation. In addition, its identity resolution functionality and off-site media partnerships are top-notch.”
This is the latest recognition for Publicis Groupe and its companies. Forrester Research recently named Publicis Groupe a Leader in “The Forrester Wave™: Loyalty Service Providers, Q3 2021,” and earlier this year, Epsilon was recognized as a Leader in both “The Forrester Wave™: Customer Database and Engagement Agencies, Q1 2021” and “The Forrester Wave™: Loyalty Solutions, Q2 2021.”
Visit epsilon.com to access “The Forrester Wave™: Sell-Side Retail Media Solutions, Q3 2021,” and join Epsilon’s webinar with guest speaker, Forrester Senior Analyst Collin Colburn, on Wednesday, October 27, as they discuss the future of retail media networks.
The acquisition of CitrusAd by Publicis Groupe remains subject to customary approvals and is expected to close in the next weeks.
---
## Epsilon and Publicis integrate capabilities with Salesforce CDP
Type: eps_pressRelease
URL: /epsilon-and-publicis-sapient-extend-the-availability-of-core-id
Last Modified: 2025-10-28T17:34:09Z
# Epsilon and Publicis integrate capabilities with Salesforce CDP
Epsilon and Publicis Sapient continue to transform the way brands reach and engage consumers through personalized digital experiences, today announcing the integration of Epsilon’s industry-leading CORE ID with Salesforce Customer Data Platform (CDP). The integration allows clients to create a richer, singular view of each customer across all Salesforce clouds and orchestrate more personalized customer journeys through Salesforce and Epsilon PeopleCloud. The alignment also increases the availability of CORE ID across the open web. Salesforce CDP, integrated with Epsilon CDP Essentials, will be shown at Dreamforce 2021 in September.
Publicis Sapient will tap into its deep Salesforce experience and rich understanding of Epsilon’s CORE ID to drive digital transformation and orchestrate customer journeys across all Salesforce clouds.
“Third-party data deprecation is challenging marketers to rethink their martech platform strategies and accelerate their first-party data strategies,” said Wayne Townsend, Chief Strategic Growth Officer at Epsilon. “While other solutions offer the promise of one-to-one personalization, they often lack the deep consumer understanding that is needed to build and maintain relationships with consumers over time. CORE ID requires an offline name and address anchor and is validated in transactions. Its integration into Salesforce CDP through our own CDP Essentials offering will allow brands to deliver true people-based identity that enables efficient and personalized marketing within CDPs, all while respecting and protecting consumer privacy and choice.”
CDP Essentials differentiated value helps enterprise brands maximize the return on investment and improve performance of their existing CDP by providing modular access to Epsilon PeopleCloud. Backed by CORE ID, CDP Essentials augments brands’ existing CDPs and enhances customer experiences through:
Unified, Enterprise View of the Customer: Safely connect online and offline touchpoints back to real people using Epsilon’s proprietary identity graph of 250M privacy-protected consumer IDs;
Enriched Customer Profiles and Intent Behaviors: Enhance first-party data to recognize in-market intent, and optimize audiences and decisioning through machine learning; and
Intelligent Activation: Recognize and reach more customers to orchestrate real-time, cross-channel experiences that connect to each step of the customer journey and enhance personalization at scale.
The agility and richness of CORE ID allows marketers to reach consumers across all channels with a consistent conversation, maintaining data separation and adhering to channel-specific privacy protocols. Epsilon was the only company to appear in all four functionality segments in Forrester Research’s “Now Tech: Identity Resolution, Q3 2020,” including First-Person PII Identity, Onboarding, Digital Identity and Embedded Digital Identity.
Jason English, Senior Vice President and Global Salesforce Practice Leader at Publicis Sapient, said: “Personalization at scale is the north star for companies looking to grow. Epsilon’s industry-leading identity and data solutions, combined with the first-party data Salesforce manages for brands, will allow marketers to engage with consumers in more meaningful ways. The Publicis Sapient Salesforce practice is well-positioned to support companies in this journey.”
“Accurate and stable people-based identity that connects online and offline channels is critical to helping customers meet their goals,” said Chris O’Hara, VP of Product Marketing at Salesforce. “The integration of CORE ID with Salesforce CDP will deliver a single view of the customer for Salesforce clients and unlock new opportunities.”
Salesforce, CDP and others are among the trademarks of salesforce.com, inc.
###
---
## Epsilon named a leader for email marketing services by independent research firm; Recognized for unmatched balance of strong technology and professional services
Type: eps_pressRelease
URL: /epsilon-named-a-leader-for-email-marketing-services-by-independent-research-firm
Last Modified: 2025-10-28T17:37:27Z
# Epsilon named a leader for email marketing services by independent research firm; Recognized for unmatched balance of strong technology and professional services
Epsilon Agility Harmony Highest Ranked in the Current Offering Category with the Highest Scores Possible in the Artificial Intelligence, Collaboration, Corporate Governance and Compliance, Security and Services Criteria
DALLAS — June 22, 2018 — Epsilon®, a global leader in creating connections between people and brands, today announced that it was named a Leader in the June 2018 report “The Forrester Wave™: Email Marketing Service Providers, Q2 2018” by Forrester Research, Inc., which evaluated Epsilon’s Agility Harmony® digital messaging platform.
The report stated, “Epsilon demonstrates an unmatched balance of strong technology and professional services. Advanced marketers looking beyond purely promotional email will like its dedicated ‘agility keying’ module to identify users, enhance profiles using Epsilon’s data resources and then consolidate profiles across platforms.”
“We are pleased to be recognized by Forrester as a leader in the evaluation,” said Oded Benyo, President, Email Practice at Epsilon. “CMOs require solutions that can simplify the complex, are flexible and can deliver real-time personal conversations through machine learning with customers in the moments that matter most. We believe the current offering and roadmap we have in place for Agility Harmony, backed by our rich services expertise, not only positions us as a leader today but enables us to continue to deliver on our vision for email as a personalized, performance-driven channel that eliminates marketing spend waste and drives return on marketing investment for our clients.”
Epsilon received the top score in the current offering category, which assessed product and services offerings, focusing on key differentiators within campaign management, dynamic content, analysis and reporting, collaboration, integration, corporate governance, security and artificial intelligence capabilities.
In the report, Forrester cited Epsilon as one of just two vendors that proactively represent a philosophy and exercises their capabilities to use email marketing for market research, branding, or profile-building purposes.
Epsilon received the highest scores possible in the corporate vision and development road map criteria within the strategy category, which evaluated the experience each management team has had working together, how articulate and plausible vendor visions were against demonstrated and planned capabilities, as well as employee and customer retention.
For the full report “The Forrester Wave™: Email Marketing Service Providers, Q2 2018” click here.
Forrester Research’s evaluation included a review of the eight most significant email marketing service providers across 26 criteria focused on email marketing fundamentals as well as capabilities that would help marketers advance their email marketing applications.
About Epsilon
Epsilon® is an all-encompassing global marketing innovator. We provide unrivaled data intelligence and customer insights, world-class technology including loyalty, email and CRM platforms and data-driven creative, activation and execution. Epsilon’s digital media arm, Conversant®, is a leader in personalized digital advertising and insights through its proprietary technology and trove of consumer marketing data, delivering digital marketing with unprecedented scale, accuracy and reach through personalized media programs and through CJ AffiliateTM, one of the world’s largest affiliate marketing networks. Together, we bring personalized marketing to consumers across offline and online channels, at moments of interest,that help drive business growth for brands. An Alliance Data® company, Epsilon employs over 8,000 associates in 70 offices worldwide. For more information, visit www.epsilon.com and follow us on Twitter @EpsilonMktg.
---
## New Epsilon research indicates 80% of consumers are more likely to make a purchase when brands offer personalized experiences
Type: eps_pressRelease
URL: /new-epsilon-research-indicates-80-of-consumers-are-more-likely-to-make-a-purchase-when-brands-offer-personalized-experiences
Last Modified: 2025-10-28T17:36:53Z
# New Epsilon research indicates 80% of consumers are more likely to make a purchase when brands offer personalized experiences
Epsilon’s Digital Transformation Team Helps Brands Assess the People, Process and Technology Required to Deliver the Best Personalized Customer Experiences
DALLAS – January 09, 2018 – Epsilon®, a global leader in creating connections between people and brands, today revealed a new research report, “The power of me: The impact of personalization on marketing performance.” The findings aim to help brands better understand how personalization efforts can be used to enhance relationships with consumers, produce customer loyalty and positively impact the bottom line. The study was conducted in collaboration with GBH Insights, a full-service marketing insights and custom analytics practice.
According to the 2017 online survey of 1,000 consumers ages 18-64, the appeal for personalization is high, with 80% of respondents indicating they are more likely to do business with a company if it offers personalized experiences and 90% indicating that they find personalization appealing. To dive deeper into the relationship between personalization and actual purchasing behavior, Epsilon linked the survey data to transactional data from Epsilon’s Abacus® Cooperative, which spans more than 2,700 members and billions of transactions. Findings from the transactional analysis indicate that consumers who believe personalized experiences are very appealing are ten times more likely to be a brand’s most valuable customer – those that are expected to make more than 15 transactions in one year. Additionally, those respondents who believe companies are doing very well on offering personalized experiences shop more than three times more frequently.
To help brands better assess and improve personalized customer experiences and maximize the ROI of their marketing efforts, Epsilon, which was recently named as one of the 14 most significant digital experience service providers by Forrester Research, has created a Digital Transformation team. As part of Epsilon’s Strategic Consulting arm, led by Kevin Mabley, SVP Strategy and Analytics, the Digital Transformation team leads brands through a digital transformation diagnostic evaluation to assess five dimensions of customer experience maturity including strategy, activation and orchestration, technology enablement, organizational culture and level of customer intelligence. The evaluation process, backed by Epsilon’s rich data expertise and industry-leading technology, advises brands on how to bring together their people, processes and technology and ultimately execute superior data-driven customer experiences.
“Digital transformation is no longer optional. It is required for brands to improve customer experiences and remain competitive. The research findings are further evidence that bringing together customer intelligence and customer experience to drive personalization has a direct impact on a brand’s bottom line,” shared Mabley. “Yet, many brands are still lacking the end-to-end digital maturity required to be successful, including a customer-centric organizational structure, connected and integrated marketing technology and actionable data-driven insights. I look forward to helping more of our clients become industry leaders in digital customer experience and enabling them to better serve their customers as a result.”
Additional findings from the report highlight personalization opportunities for specific industries:
Grocery/Drug Store Websites/Mobile Apps
90% of respondents say they are much/somewhat more likely to do business with grocery/drug store websites/apps offering personalized experiences but only 71% say grocery/drug store websites/apps are currently delivering personalized experiences very/somewhat well.
Respondents ranked the following personalized experiences as the first- and second-most motivating to do business with a grocery/drug store: providing offers or coupons based on consumer’s physical location (29%); providing offers or coupons based on past purchases or preferences consumer set (29%); sending consumers customized communications (25%).
Travel & Leisure Websites/Mobile Apps
87% of respondents say they are much/somewhat more likely to do business with travel websites/apps offering personalized experiences but only 64% say travel websites/apps are currently delivering personalized experiences very/somewhat well.
Respondents ranked the following personalized experiences as the first- and second-most motivating to do business with a travel and leisure brand: providing offers or coupons based on consumer’s physical location (35%); home page automatically shows best fares / hotel deals in frequently-travelled cities (32%); providing offers or coupons based on past trips or preferences consumer set (28%).
Automotive Industry Websites/Mobile Apps
86% of respondents say they are much/somewhat more likely to do business with automotive websites/apps offering personalized experiences but only 55% say automotive websites/apps are delivering personalized experiences very/somewhat well.
Consumers ranked the following personalized experiences as the first- and second-most motivating to do business with an auto brand: storing purchase or maintenance history (49%); reminders of upcoming scheduled service needs (44%); allowing consumer to set up recurring maintenance for a vehicle (38%).
To learn more about what consumers really think about personalized marketing, click here.
About Epsilon
Epsilon® is an all-encompassing global marketing innovator. We provide unrivaled data intelligence and customer insights, world-class technology including loyalty, email and CRM platforms and data-driven creative, activation and execution. Epsilon’s digital media arm, Conversant®, is a leader in personalized digital advertising and insights through its proprietary technology and trove of consumer marketing data, delivering digital marketing with unprecedented scale, accuracy and reach through personalized media programs and through CJ AffiliateTM, one of the world’s largest affiliate marketing networks. Together, we bring personalized marketing to consumers across offline and online channels, at moments of interest, that help drive business growth for brands. Recognized by Ad Age as the #1 World’s Largest CRM/Direct Marketing Network, #1 Largest U.S. Agency from All Disciplines, #1 Largest U.S. CRM/Direct Marketing Agency Network and #1 Largest U.S. Mobile Marketing Agency, Epsilon employs over 8,000 associates in 70 offices worldwide. Epsilon is an Alliance Data® company. For more information, visit www.epsilon.com and follow us on Twitter @EpsilonMktg.
###
---
## Study reveals luxury brands miss huge opportunities by not understanding their customer
Type: eps_pressRelease
URL: /study-reveals-luxury-brands-miss-huge-opportunities-by-not-understanding-their-customer
Last Modified: 2025-10-28T17:40:27Z
# Study reveals luxury brands miss huge opportunities by not understanding their customer
Epsilon and the Luxury Institute release “The new face of luxury”; uncover that brands are targeting the wrong shopper and losing nearly half their customers
DALLAS, TX – December 26, 2014 – Luxury brands lose 50% of their top customers annually because they routinely misidentify their demographic and economic profile while also failing to create a personalized sales experience for them, according to new research from Epsilon and The Luxury Institute.
Epsilon, the global leader in helping clients create customer connections that build brand and business equity, analyzed and compared 30,000 luxury shoppers to uncover insights, myths and stereotypes of the luxury shopper. The study was conducted in collaboration with The Luxury Institute, an independent, global voice of the high net-worth consumer.
Luxury brands mistakenly believe their customers are typically female and on average 45-years old with a net worth over $1 million, the study found. However, 57.5% of luxury spenders are in fact, male. They are likely to be of Asian and Middle-Eastern descent with a net worth over $500,000. Additionally, nearly 13.8% of shoppers with a net worth over $1 million invest mostly in modern, contemporary décor and gifts as opposed to high-ticket apparel items.
“Luxury brands need to truly understand who their customers are and what they are looking for in a luxe shopping experience,” said Jean-Yves Sabot, vice president, retail business development at Epsilon. “This is critical in creating a personalized experience for the customer that drives engagement, retention and satisfaction.”
Key to the report is its break down of the different types of luxury shoppers and the revelation that they are not all alike and therefore should be marketed to accordingly. These shoppers fall into four distinct groups:
Aspirational Shopper: These shoppers desire to own pieces from a brand, but may not have the means to do so on a regular basis.
Moments of Wealth: This shopper may save for a specific piece, but does not purchase from the brand frequently.
Dressed for the Part: This customer purchases luxury items to give off the appearance of being someone who lives a luxury lifestyle, but may not have the financial resources to be a true luxury buyer.
True Luxe: This individual has the means to purchase luxury items at will without financial concern.
The study also found that online shopping accounts for less than a quarter of sales for multichannel luxury retail brands, because these consumers typically want to see and touch the product. While 98% of luxury shoppers use the internet regularly, more than 50% of the time they are researching products and comparing prices on their mobile devices. Luxury shoppers crave the experience of the brand and look for a VIP interaction, according to the report.
Based on the study findings, Epsilon recommends that luxury goods marketers consider the following tactics to reach consumers:
Use insights to tailor marketing communication to the optimal targets for more personalized and relevant communication.
Leverage external shopper behavior for true one-on-one interaction both in-store and online.
Tap into third-party data including purchase behavior, to get a complete and accurate picture of your luxury shoppers.
To download the full whitepaper, The New Face of Luxury, click here.
About Epsilon
Epsilon is the global leader in creating connections between people and brands. An all-encompassing global marketing company, we harness the power of rich data, groundbreaking technologies, engaging creative and transformative ideas to get the results our clients require. Recognized by Ad Age as the #1 World CRM/Direct Marketing Network and #1 U.S. Agency from All Disciplines, Epsilon employs over 7,000 associates in 70 offices worldwide. Epsilon is an Alliance Data company. For more information, visit www.epsilon.com, follow us on Twitter @EpsilonMktg or call 1.800.309.0505.
About the Luxury Institute
Luxury Institute is a boutique research and consulting firm that helps clients to build highly profitable, customer-centric enterprises. We offer luxury intelligence, brand strategy, relationship-building culture, membership associations, and industry and brand events to top-tier luxury brands, as well as startups. For more information, visit luxuryinstitute.com.
###
---
## New Epsilon research indicates high-spending Amazon shoppers spend two times more than the average consumer across retailers and channels
Type: eps_pressRelease
URL: /new-epsilon-research-indicates-high-spending-amazon-shoppers-spend-two-times-more-than-the-average-consumer-across-retailers-and-channels
Last Modified: 2025-10-28T17:37:11Z
# New Epsilon research indicates high-spending Amazon shoppers spend two times more than the average consumer across retailers and channels
Epsilon’s Data Practice Unveils Shopper Categories to Help Brands Better Understand Where Consumers Are Shopping and What They Are Buying
DALLAS – February 26, 2018 – Epsilon®, a global leader in creating connections between people and brands, today revealed findings from a new research report, “Amazon doesn’t mean the decline of your brand: Research shows how to survive and thrive in an Amazon world.” The findings, which looked at demographic, lifestyle, purchase and survey data from Epsilon’s Agility Audience suite of data solutions, reveal who shops at Amazon, how much they’re spending across retailers and information about how they shop across channels.
The study found that high-spending Amazon shoppers spend two times more than the average shopper across all retailers and channels in Epsilon’s Abacus ® cooperative transactional database, which contains more than 3,000 members among retail, catalog, e-commerce and more, including billions of transactions. On average, the top one percent of Amazon shoppers spent $2,574 annually at retailers other than Amazon, while Prime members spent $3,246 in the one-year period analyzed.
According to the quantitative study, conducted via a Shopper’s Voice® survey of 3,975 consumers, those who shopped on Amazon during the past six months cite price (64%), free shipping (60%) and ‘it was so easy to buy it this way’ (52%) as the top reasons they shop on Amazon. These numbers are even higher for Amazon Prime members. Amazon shoppers are most likely to purchase from other retailers because of price (81%), free shipping (60%) and promotions (44%). The promotions most likely to persuade Amazon shoppers to go elsewhere include free shipping (35%), $5 discount on purchase (25%) and buy one, get one half-price (18%).
“The findings from this comprehensive research show that retailers don’t have to be intimidated about losing share of a customer’s wallet because Amazon shoppers are spending everywhere,” shared Stacey Hawes, President, Data at Epsilon. “With competition comes opportunity. To succeed in today’s digital-first environment, retailers need to focus on their ability to know where consumers are shopping and why – across channels – so they can reach them in personalized ways at moments of interest. The results of these findings offer retailers the data and insights required to gain a deeper understanding of consumers.”
To better help retailers uncover where and why consumers are shopping, the findings from this report led Epsilon to develop Shopping Styles, a clustering system that categorizes households by their attitudes and channel preferences toward shopping as follows:
Amazon Rules
These Amazon loyalists are not fans of shopping, so they prefer to shop online rather than in-store with Amazon being their preferred destination. They will only shop elsewhere if the brand offers comparable pricing and free two-day shipping.
Click & Go
These convenience shoppers prefer to shop online because it’s fast. They like Amazon Prime for free shipping, music and videos but will shop anywhere online, including for groceries, and use retailers’ mobile apps.
Bricks & Clicks
These shoppers shop online and in-store as they bargain hunt. They always check online for deals before shopping in-store and use a number of credit cards and points.
Luxury & Leisure
These high-end shoppers spend a lot and like to buy from brands they trust. They prefer shopping in-store and will sometimes browse and shop their favorite retailers online.
Retail Therapy
These impulsive shoppers enjoy shopping with friends, at the store, and are motivated by surprise samples and giveaways. They’re on a budget and look for deals and coupons online.
@ the Store
These traditional shoppers shop at the store and mall because they like to touch and try on products before they purchase. They don’t trust the online channel and get coupons from the newspaper and weekly circular.
To uncover more insights from the report, Amazon doesn’t mean the decline of your brand: Research shows how to survive and thrive in an Amazon world, click here.
Methodology
This research included a four-pronged approach:
Profile known Amazon shoppers and Amazon Prime members using Epsilon’s MarketViewä
Epsilon’s Abacus® cooperative database to understand actual spend data and actual number of transactions on individuals, separated by Amazon shoppers vs. Amazon Prime shoppers.
Epsilon’s TotalSource® Plus database to learn more about consumers who shop on Amazon, including demographics, finances, lifestyles and interests.
A Shopper’s Voice® survey of 3,975 consumers — including Prime vs. non-Prime shoppers and online vs. offline shoppers ¾ to understand shopping preferences, behaviors and motivators.
Definitions
Amazon shoppers – Regular (or Prime non-member) shoppers who don’t pay a membership fee, and as such, don’t get any additional benefits and pay standard shipping rates.
Prime member – Amazon shoppers who pay a membership fee in exchange for benefits such as free two-day shipping.
Online shopper – People who have purchased something online in the past six months.
Offline shopper – People who have not purchased anything online in the past six months.
*For the purposes of this report, findings from the above methodology were extrapolated and applied to these definitions and in some instances the general consumer population.
About Epsilon
Epsilon® is an all-encompassing global marketing innovator. We provide unrivaled data intelligence and customer insights, world-class technology including loyalty, email and CRM platforms and data-driven creative, activation and execution. Epsilon’s digital media arm, Conversant®, is a leader in personalized digital advertising and insights through its proprietary technology and trove of consumer marketing data, delivering digital marketing with unprecedented scale, accuracy and reach through personalized media programs and through CJ AffiliateTM, one of the world’s largest affiliate marketing networks. Together, we bring personalized marketing to consumers across offline and online channels, at moments of interest, that help drive business growth for brands. Recognized by Ad Age as the #1 World’s Largest CRM/Direct Marketing Network, #1 Largest U.S. Agency from All Disciplines, #1 Largest U.S. CRM/Direct Marketing Agency Network and #1 Largest U.S. Mobile Marketing Agency, Epsilon employs over 8,000 associates in 70 offices worldwide. Epsilon is an Alliance Data® company. For more information, visit www.epsilon.com and follow us on Twitter @EpsilonMktg.
###
---
## Dunkin' further integrates with Epsilon
Type: eps_pressRelease
URL: /dunkin-further-integrates-with-alliance-datas-epsilon-to-modernize-customer-experience
Last Modified: 2025-10-28T17:40:58Z
# Dunkin' further integrates with Epsilon
Signs New Agreement for Email Marketing Services and Renews Loyalty Agreement
Integrated Agility Loyalty and Agility Harmony Offering Will Enable Deep Personalization and Scalability Across DD Perks® Program and Multiple Marketing Channels
PLANO, TX – November 8, 2018 – Epsilon®, an Alliance Data (NYSE: ADS) company, has signed a new multiyear agreement with Dunkin’ Brands (Nasdaq: DNKN), the parent company of Dunkin’ and Baskin-Robbins. Epsilon will continue to provide loyalty marketing technology and related services in support of Dunkin’s popular DD Perks® customer loyalty program. Additionally, in 2019 Epsilon will also provide email marketing technology and services to Dunkin’ for communication with its customers.
Founded in 1950, Dunkin’ is a market leader in the hot regular/decaf/flavored coffee, iced coffee, donut, bagel and muffin categories, with more than 9,200 locations across the U.S. Dunkin' has earned a No. 1 ranking for customer loyalty in the coffee category by Brand Keys for 12 years running. The brand is known for keeping busy, on-the-go people running with its range of hot and iced coffees, espresso-based beverages, teas, breakfast sandwiches and baked goods.
Epsilon has provided the technology for Dunkin’s successful customer loyalty program, DD Perks, since its launch in 2013, which has grown to over 9 million members in the US. Under the terms of the renewal agreement, Epsilon will leverage its industry-leading Agility Loyalty® platform to support the DD Perks program with enhanced capabilities, also integrating with digital messaging platform Agility Harmony®. Members of the DD Perks program will receive highly personalized direct mail, email, mobile notifications and other messaging in real-time with information about relevant benefits and offers. Additionally, Epsilon will now seamlessly integrate technology with Dunkin’s new cloud-based point-of-sale system and DD Perks On-the-Go Mobile ordering, allowing for more one-to-one communications.
“Integrated and omni-channel communications are the foundation of our customer engagement strategy, where we aim to build personalized relationships with our loyal customers by interacting at the moments that matter,” said Stephanie Meltzer-Paul, Vice President, Digital and Loyalty at Dunkin’. “Epsilon’s platform and marketing expertise enable us to effectively scale across new communications formats, modernizing the Dunkin’ experience and further growing our business.”
“Thanks to a strong partnership and our best-in-class technology platform, we’ve spent the last four years supporting Dunkin’ Brands as a leading ‘on-the-go’ offering with a loyal customer base,” said Bryan Kennedy, chief executive officer at Epsilon/Conversant. “The strong integration of Epsilon’s loyalty and email marketing solutions, paired with Dunkin’s focus on individualized customer engagement, has allowed for a sophisticated, all-encompassing and real-time customer program which will continue to improve and evolve.”
About Dunkin’
Founded in 1950, Dunkin' is America's favorite all-day, everyday stop for coffee and baked goods. Dunkin' is a market leader in the hot regular/decaf/flavored coffee, iced regular/decaf/flavored coffee, donut, bagel and muffin categories. Dunkin' has earned a No. 1 ranking for customer loyalty in the coffee category by Brand Keys for 12 years running. The company has more than 12,600 restaurants in 46 countries worldwide. Based in Canton, Mass., Dunkin' is part of the Dunkin' Brands Group, Inc. (Nasdaq: DNKN) family of companies. For more information, visit www.DunkinDonuts.com.
About Epsilon
Epsilon® is an all-encompassing global marketing innovator. We provide unrivaled data intelligence and customer insights, world-class technology including loyalty, email and CRM platforms and data-driven creative, activation and execution. Epsilon’s digital media arm, Conversant®, is a leader in personalized digital advertising and insights through its proprietary technology and trove of consumer marketing data, delivering digital marketing with unprecedented scale, accuracy and reach through personalized media programs and through CJ AffiliateTM, one of the world’s largest affiliate marketing networks. Together, we bring personalized marketing to consumers across offline and online channels, at moments of interest, that help drive business growth for brands. An Alliance Data® company, Epsilon employs over 8,000 associates in 70 offices worldwide. For more information, visit www.epsilon.com and follow us on Twitter @EpsilonMktg.
About Alliance Data
Alliance Data® (NYSE: ADS) is a leading global provider of data-driven marketing and loyalty solutions serving large, consumer-based industries. The Company creates and deploys customized solutions, enhancing the critical customer marketing experience; the result is measurably changing consumer behavior while driving business growth and profitability for some of today's most recognizable brands. Alliance Data helps its clients create and increase customer loyalty through solutions that engage millions of customers each day across multiple touch points using traditional, digital, mobile and emerging technologies. An S&P 500, FORTUNE 500 and FORTUNE 100 Best Companies to Work For company headquartered in Plano, Texas, Alliance Data consists of three businesses that together employ approximately 20,000 associates at more than 100 locations worldwide.
Alliance Data’s card services business is a provider of market-leading private label, co-brand, and business credit card programs. Epsilon® is a leading provider of multichannel, data-driven technologies and marketing services, and also includes Conversant®, a leader in personalized digital marketing. LoyaltyOne® owns and operates the AIR MILES® Reward Program, Canada’s most recognized loyalty program, and Netherlands-based BrandLoyalty, a global provider of tailor-made loyalty programs for grocers.
Follow Alliance Data on Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram and YouTube.
Forward Looking Statements
This release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. Forward-looking statements give our expectations or forecasts of future events and can generally be identified by the use of words such as “believe,” “expect,” “anticipate,” “estimate,” “intend,” “project,” “plan,” “likely,” “may,” “should” or other words or phrases of similar import. Similarly, statements that describe our business strategy, outlook, objectives, plans, intentions or goals also are forward-looking statements.
We believe that our expectations are based on reasonable assumptions. Forward-looking statements, however, are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from the projections, anticipated results or other expectations expressed in this release, and no assurances can be given that our expectations will prove to have been correct. These risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to, factors set forth in the Risk Factors section in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the most recently ended fiscal year, which may be updated in Item 1A of, or elsewhere in, our Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q filed for periods subsequent to such Form 10-K.
Our forward-looking statements speak only as of the date made, and we undertake no obligation, other than as required by applicable law, to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, subsequent events, anticipated or unanticipated circumstances or otherwise.
# # #
---
## Epsilon Named a Leader in Latest Email Marketing Services Report by Independent Research Firm
Type: eps_pressRelease
URL: /epsilon-named-a-leader-in-latest-email-marketing-services-report-by-independent-research-firm
Last Modified: 2025-10-28T17:33:47Z
# Epsilon Named a Leader in Latest Email Marketing Services Report by Independent Research Firm
Epsilon announced today that it has been named a Leader in “The Forrester Wave™: Email Marketing Service Providers, Q1 2022” by Forrester Research, Inc. Epsilon was evaluated alongside 12 other companies on email capabilities and received the highest score possible in 10 criteria including first party data resources, measuring engagement, innovation roadmap and artificial intelligence ethics.
Launched in 2021, EPC Messaging Essentials is a flexible, quick-to-market version of Epsilon’s enterprise-level solution, EPC Messaging. The new solution enables mid-market companies to deliver personalized messages to customers across mobile push, SMS and email without committing to a long-term contract.
“Email is intuitive, easy to use and responsive. With a customer-centric approach, brands can quickly adjust or create new messaging to accommodate changing customer priorities,” shared Kara Trivunovic, Managing Director of Messaging at Epsilon. “Email acts as a connective tissue between brand and consumer. It keeps people informed in a way that is easily accessible for most, and helps brands maintain that one-to-one connection with consumers while not feeling like mass communication.”
EPC Messaging and Messaging Essentials are both powered by CORE, Epsilon’s platform for building personalized customer journeys with hyper speed and precision.
“Epsilon’s data and agency capabilities are the strongest pieces of its current offering; 70% of clients work with Epsilon in a full-service capacity,” the report continues. “The company offers a BI environment where marketers can create customer value scores and explore correlations. It provides proprietary data resources to supplement audience profiles and measure customer engagement across channels. Security practices are baked into product design and internal processes and partners undergo regular security audits. And it leads industry standards bureaus around establishing ethical data use.”
This is Epsilon’s fourth recognition by Forrester in the past 18 months. The company was recognized as a Leader in both “The Forrester Wave™: Customer Database and Engagement Agencies, Q1 2021” and “The Forrester Wave™: Loyalty Solutions, Q2 2021,” and as a Strong Performer in “The Forrester Wave™: Sell-Side Retail Media Solutions, Q3 2021.”
###
About Epsilon
Epsilon is a global advertising and marketing technology company positioned at the center of Publicis Groupe. We connect advertisers with consumers to drive performance while respecting and protecting consumer privacy and client data. Epsilon accelerates clients’ ability to harness the power of their first-party data in order to enhance, activate and measure campaigns with confidence. We believe in an open, privacy-first advertising ecosystem. Over decades, we’ve built the industry’s most comprehensive identity graph to give brands, agencies and publishers the ability to reach real consumers across all channels and the open web. For more information, visit epsilon.com.
---
## Epsilon Named to Forbes 2019 list of the Best Employers for Diversity
Type: eps_pressRelease
URL: /epsilon-named-to-forbes-2019-list-of-the-best-employers-for-diversity
Last Modified: 2025-10-28T17:40:43Z
# Epsilon Named to Forbes 2019 list of the Best Employers for Diversity
DALLAS – January 15, 2019 – Epsilon®, a global leader in creating connections between people and brands, today announced that the company has been named to the 2019 list of America’s Best Employers for Diversity by Forbes.
The top 500 employers were chosen based on an independent survey and representative sampling of 50,000 employees working for companies with over 1,000 associates in their U.S. operations. Respondents were asked open-ended questions about their employers based on a series of statements surrounding the topics of age, gender equality, ethnicity, disability, LGBTQ+ and general diversity. The rankings were accumulated using four criteria: Direct Recommendations, Indirect Recommendations, Diversity Among Top Executives/Board Members and Diversity KPIs.
“At Epsilon we believe that embracing a diverse, inclusive workforce is key to understanding a diverse consumer marketplace—the same marketplace we’re committed to helping our clients reach. Receiving this recognition is an honor and a testament to our culture and community as it showcases direct associate feedback,” shared Jane Huston, Chief People Officer at Epsilon-Conversant.
Epsilon piloted its first Diversity and Inclusion Council in 2015. Now a company-wide endeavor, the Council focuses on the four priority areas, including education, community, talent management and supplier diversity.
“When people bring their complete selves to work, their output and ability is at a maximum. Their energy goes into work, and we are more capable as a company at solving problems for our clients when we buy into an inclusive approach,” shared David McMillian, Senior Copywriter/Content Editor and Epsilon Diversity and Inclusion Council Chair.
To view current job openings across Epsilon-Conversant click here.
###
About Epsilon
Epsilon® is an all-encompassing global marketing innovator. We provide unrivaled data intelligence and customer insights, world-class technology including loyalty, email and CRM platforms and data-driven creative, activation and execution. Epsilon’s digital media arm, Conversant®, is a leader in personalized digital advertising and insights through its proprietary technology and trove of consumer marketing data, delivering digital marketing with unprecedented scale, accuracy and reach through personalized media programs and through CJ AffiliateTM, one of the world’s largest affiliate marketing networks. Together, we bring personalized marketing to consumers across offline and online channels, at moments of interest, that help drive business growth for brands. An Alliance Data® company, Epsilon employs over 8,000 associates in 70 offices worldwide. For more information, visit www.epsilon.com and follow us on Twitter @EpsilonMktg.
---
## Epsilon Named a Leader in IDC MarketScape for Worldwide Customer Data Platforms for Data and Marketing Operations Users
Type: eps_pressRelease
URL: /epsilon-named-a-leader-in-idc-marketscape-for-worldwide-customer-data-platforms-for-data-and-marketing-operations-users
Last Modified: 2025-10-28T14:31:29Z
# Epsilon Named a Leader in IDC MarketScape for Worldwide Customer Data Platforms for Data and Marketing Operations Users
IDC MarketScape evaluation recognizes Epsilon’s strengths in data management, activation, and analytics
Epsilon® announced today that it has been named a Leader in the “IDC MarketScape: Worldwide Customer Data Platforms (CDPs) Focused on Data and Marketing Operations Users 2022 Vendor Assessment.” The report, which is the first major CDP vendor evaluation of its kind by an independent analyst firm, evaluates the functional capabilities and go-to-market strategies of Epsilon alongside 11 other CDP solution providers that primarily serve users in marketing technology and operations, data science and analytics, IT, data operations, and privacy and compliance.
The IDC MarketScape highlights several strengths of Epsilon’s CDP offering, specifically data management, analytics – segmentation, and activation – test and optimization, and suggests that large enterprises in the retail, automotive, financial services, life sciences, manufacturing, and restaurant industries consider Epsilon’s enterprise-ready CDP.
“We are honored to be recognized by IDC as a ‘Leader’ in the inaugural MarketScape for Worldwide CDPs,” said Dana Moroze, SVP for Platform Solutions at Epsilon. “Our inclusion in the IDC MarketScape affirms our position in the data and marketing operations landscape and is further validation of Epsilon’s mission to empower marketers to harness the power of their first-party data and engage consumers with timely, relevant messages.”
Epsilon PeopleCloud Customer is Epsilon’s enterprise-ready CDP for brands to grow, manage, and activate their first-party data, serving as the marketing source of truth and the backbone of a unified customer experience. Powered by Epsilon’s CORE ID, which spans both online and offline worlds, Epsilon PeopleCloud empowers marketers to capitalize on the value of first-party data to seamlessly activate and reach real people across owned and paid channels with precision and efficiency, all in one platform. Epsilon’s combined approach of Epsilon PeopleCloud and its experienced services professionals helps marketers, strategists, and analytics professionals achieve better business outcomes.
The IDC MarketScape for Worldwide Customer Data Platforms comes amid an explosion in brands looking to harness and monetize their first party data. According to IDC, the worldwide customer data platform software market will grow at 19.5% CAGR from $1.3 billion in 2020 to $3.2 billion in 2025.
"CDPs are essential to providing end-to-end customer experience management capabilities," said Gerry Murray, research director, Marketing and Sales Technology research practice at IDC. "CDPs are exceptionally well suited to connecting data, connecting use cases and, ultimately, solving for continuity across all customer touch points and will therefore boost customer loyalty, lifetime value, and market share."
To download a copy of IDC’s MarketScape evaluation of Epsilon, please visit the Epsilon resource center.
###
About Epsilon
Epsilon is a global advertising and marketing technology company positioned at the center of Publicis Groupe. We connect advertisers with consumers to drive performance while respecting and protecting consumer privacy and client data. Epsilon accelerates clients’ ability to harness the power of their first-party data to enhance, activate, and measure campaigns with confidence. We believe in an open, privacy-first advertising ecosystem. Over decades, we’ve built the industry’s most comprehensive identity graph to give brands, agencies, and publishers the ability to reach real consumers across all channels and the open web. For more information, visit epsilon.com.
About IDC MarketScape
IDC MarketScape vendor assessment model is designed to provide an overview of the competitive fitness of ICT (information and communications technology) suppliers in a given market. The research methodology utilizes a rigorous scoring methodology based on both qualitative and quantitative criteria that results in a single graphical illustration of each vendor’s position within a given market. IDC MarketScape provides a clear framework in which the product and service offerings, capabilities and strategies, and current and future market success factors of IT and telecommunications vendors can be meaningfully compared. The framework also provides technology buyers with a 360-degree assessment of the strengths and weaknesses of current and prospective vendors.
---
## Epsilon now participating in the General Motors Dealer Digital Solution Digital Advertising Program
Type: eps_pressRelease
URL: /epsilon-now-participating-in-the-general-motors-dealer-digital-solution-digital-advertising-program
Last Modified: 2025-10-28T17:41:50Z
# Epsilon now participating in the General Motors Dealer Digital Solution Digital Advertising Program
Epsilon is now participating in Enhanced Digital Advertising and in-Market Retail
We are proud to announce that Epsilon has completed all requirements to participate in the Digital Advertising Program under the GM Dealer Digital Solution.
This allows dealers the opportunity to leverage in-Market Retail (iMR) funds to reimburse themselves for the cost of their Digital Advertising services. Please refer to the iMR Dealer Program guidelines located at www.gmlam.com for further information.
Providers who are participating in the Digital Advertising Program provide advertising solutions that include:
Improved efficiency, coordinated spend and strategy across all tiers of advertising
Participation commitment for:
Streamlined packages each offering full service solutions for sales and fixed ops
A single, managed monthly fee with cap
Performance accountability
Day 1 Go-to-Market readiness
Strategic and tactical advertising coordination with brands and LMA
Dashboard for visibility into performance
If you have any questions about the benefits of Digital Advertising Program, please do not hesitate to reach out to our Support Team at 1-800-292-9220 or via gmdigitalpackage@epsilon.com for further details.
---
## New Epsilon Research Finds Gen Z is 2x More Likely to Use an Online-Only Store or Brand Website Than Any Other Generation; Uncovers Preferences and Behaviors Across Generations
Type: eps_pressRelease
URL: /new-epsilon-research-finds-gen-z
Last Modified: 2025-10-28T17:41:16Z
# New Epsilon Research Finds Gen Z is 2x More Likely to Use an Online-Only Store or Brand Website Than Any Other Generation; Uncovers Preferences and Behaviors Across Generations
Gen Z accelerates technology adoption and fuels multichannel purchase activity of older generations
DALLAS – February 7, 2019 – Epsilon®, a global leader in interaction management, today revealed findings from a new research report Age matters: A guide to cross-generation marketing. The findings, which looked at demographic, lifestyle, purchase and survey data from Epsilon’s suite of data solutions, uncovered spend behaviors and channel preferences that will help marketers glean insights about consumers across various generations and inspire more personalized, effective marketing strategies.
According to the research, baby boomers are the biggest annual spenders ($548.1B), followed by Gen X ($357B). Younger generations don’t exhibit the same spending power, however Gen Z and millennials do make a greater number of purchases in a 12-month period. Gen Z has the highest annual average of total transactions (358 transactions) compared to millennials (330 transactions), Gen X (306 transactions), baby boomers (269 transactions) and the silent generation (202 transactions).
With the younger generations, the study found a noticeable change in spending and brand interactions, preferring self-serve options and services that put consumers in control:
More Gen Z (22.5%) spend with industry disruptors like Uber compared to millennials (21.6%) and Gen X (17.1%).
Gen Z has the highest number of transactions in travel and over-index on self-serve options like Airbnb, Uber and Lyft.
Gen Z is 2x more likely to use an online-only store or brand website than any other generation.
Millennials spend more online than other generations, including at retailers such as Amazon, Gilt and Zappos.
“Marketers face a unique challenge trying to engage a diverse pool of consumers across generations at any given time. To stand out, brands must own every interaction with their customers and deliver more human experiences that are driven by data,” shared Stacey Hawes, President, Data at Epsilon. “Rather than thinking about generations in isolation, marketers need data and insights to understand how generations influence one another and to address consumers’ channel preferences and behaviors, including the makeup of their household, how much they spend and what they buy. Rich marketing data that is transparent, verifiable and trustworthy can equip marketers to know more about their customers and do more with the data they already have. These rich insights help to create custom audiences that activate more customers across more channels and achieve business goals.”
Additional findings uncover differences in channel preferences and behaviors across generations:
All generations exhibit multichannel shopping behaviors with important nuances.
80% of consumers in each generation have recently shopped in a store.
Going to stores is preferable for almost every generation except millennials, who shop in-store and online equally.
About 75% of Gen Z and millennials use smartphones to shop online – more than any other generation.
Boomers with kids are more likely to shop online (42%) than boomers without (33%).
Gen Z and millennial tech adoption influences older generations in the household.
Voice assistant usage is increasing, yet only 3% of consumers use them to order online, mainly Gen Z, millennials and Gen X.
Gen X and boomers with kids are more likely to have at least one voice assistant and a vehicle that’s connected to the internet.
Boomers with kids are more likely than those without to watch movies or TV shows via streaming devices such as Netflix and Amazon.
Privacy awareness varies across generations.
Millennials, followed by Gen X and boomers, have taken the most steps to secure their privacy, including reviewing setting in apps, setting up two-step verification and restricting access.
More millennials, Gen X and boomers use ad-blocking features than Gen Z or silents.
50% of older generations are concerned about privacy online, but 22% of Gen Z minors don’t cite any concerns.
Social media is used across generations but platform preferences vary.
Two-thirds of millennials use Facebook daily while 50%+ of Gen Z use Instagram and Snapchat daily.
Instagram usage is dominated by Gen Z (60%) and millennials (40%).
The youngest (Gen Z) and oldest generations (silents) are more likely to have given up on social media; 5-17% don’t use it at all.
To uncover more insights from the report Age matters: A guide to cross-generation marketing, click here.
Methodology
The findings in this report came from two unique sources:
The 12-month spend of 85 million U.S. consumers was analyzed using Epsilon’s proprietary transactional data.
3,000+ U.S. individuals were surveyed using Epsilon’s proprietary consumer panel, Shopper’s Voice®, on a variety of topics including shopping preferences, technology attitudes, media usage and privacy.
*For the purposes of this report, findings from the above methodology were extrapolated and applied to these definitions and in some instances the general consumer population.
**Data for Gen Z minors was obtained from a partner research panel that has opted-in consumers under 18 for research purposes.
About Epsilon-Conversant
Epsilon-Conversant is a leader in interaction management, empowering brands to transform ordinary customer experiences into meaningful, human experiences. Our connected suite of products and services combine leading-edge identity management, industrial strength data and technology expertise with big brand acumen gained over five decades working with the industry’s top brands. Our human-powered, data-led marketing delivers unmatched depth, breadth and scale to help brands turn meaningful human interactions into exceptional business outcomes. Epsilon-Conversant employs over 8,000 associates in 87 offices worldwide. For more information, visit www.epsilonconversant.com. Follow us on Twitter at @EpsilonMktg and @Conversant.
Epsilon-Conversant™, Epsilon®, Conversant®, and CJ Affiliate®, are trademarks of Epsilon Data Systems, LLC or its affiliated companies.
###
---
## Epsilon Taps iSpot.tv for CTV Ad Measurement
Type: eps_pressRelease
URL: /epsilon-taps-ispot.tv-for-ctv-ad-measurement
Last Modified: 2025-10-28T17:53:21Z
# Epsilon Taps iSpot.tv for CTV Ad Measurement
Integration enhances Epsilon’s CTV measurement capabilities, provides advertisers a clearer path to unlocking the true worth of CTV
Epsilon announced today that it is expanding its relationship with iSpot.tv, the real-time TV measurement company, to supercharge Epsilon’s connected TV (CTV) measurement and reporting capabilities available through Epsilon PeopleCloud. The measurement integration allows marketers to assess the incremental reach of their CTV campaigns over linear TV by tapping into Epsilon’s privacy-protected CORE ID now coupled with iSpot’s industry leading Unified Measurement capabilities.
iSpot, which utilizes Epsilon to help inform audience personas and segment-based measurement on its platform, is now the default measurement option for verifying incremental reach campaigns using Epsilon’s CTV platform delivery over linear.
“Crucial to CTV advertising success is a marketer’s ability to reach customers with the right messages—wherever they are—and at the times when they’re most receptive,” said Joe Doran, chief product officer at Epsilon. “Our partnership with iSpot represents Epsilon’s latest step in our unwavering commitment to strengthen and innovate our CTV offering. This integration provides marketers with a clearer path for planning linear and CTV together, reaching new customers, and unlocking the true worth of CTV using our activation platform.”
Epsilon’s CTV offering provides linear and digital advertisers with an easy-to-activate, centralized platform to target, buy, and measure across broadcast-quality streaming and video on demand (VOD) inventory. Powered by CORE ID, Epsilon’s CTV offering enables advertisers to identify customers at the person-level and connect them to brands during moments that matter.
Multiple CPG brands have been running advertising campaigns with Epsilon designed to drive awareness and brand engagement across channels including CTV. Through Epsilon’s integration with iSpot, brands spanning from beauty products to pet food will be able to identify the CTV impressions that were incremental to Linear TV, providing valuable insights to support post-campaign cross channel planning.
“Brands need to have independent, unbiased verification around the audience delivery for ads to invest with confidence,” said Stu Schwartzapfel, SVP of Media Partnerships and Currency at iSpot. “This expanded partnership with Epsilon goes beyond verification that an ad was seen and a tally of reach, it also helps brands understand the net new audiences and frequency of ad exposures that using the Epsilon platform delivers.”
Epsilon’s partnership with iSpot is the latest strategic move in CTV for Publicis Groupe agencies. In January, Publicis Media and NBCUniversal announced that they would be testing a new way to measure video audiences, adding to a short but growing list of advertising and media entities seeking alternatives to Nielsen ratings data.
“With the continued proliferation of smart, connected TVs and devices into homes across the globe, advertisers are turning to Epsilon’s CTV capabilities via Epsilon PeopleCloud to help put their CTV media buys in context of their full media plans and address challenges such as oversaturation and inventory fragmentation,” said Doran. “We work closely with our clients to ensure their messages achieve maximum reach, precise frequency management, and accurate measurement all while serving up better experiences for viewers of CTV ads.”
---
## Publicis Groupe Launches the Industry’s First Unified On-site and Off-site Retail Media Platform – CitrusAd, powered by Epsilon
Type: eps_pressRelease
URL: /publicis-groupe-launches-the-industrys-first-unified-on-site-and-off-site-retail-media-platform-citrusad-powered-by-epsilon
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Publicis Groupe Launches the Industry’s First Unified On-site and Off-site Retail Media Platform – CitrusAd, powered by Epsilon
CitrusAd, powered by Epsilon gives brands the ability to manage on-site and off-site campaigns on a self-serve platform with a direct link back to their marketing investment
The unified platform maximizes retailers’ monetization opportunities and increases reach on-site and across the open web
Privacy-centric clean room technology enables retailers and brands to securely collaborate on permissioned data to optimize brand sales in a cookieless world
Publicis Groupe [Euronext Paris FR0000130577, CAC 40] today announces the launch of CitrusAd, powered by Epsilon, the industry’s first self-serve retail media platform that unites CitrusAd’s on-site and Epsilon’s off-site capabilities in a single user interface.
CitrusAd, powered by Epsilon enables retailers to maximize monetization as they extend reach for brand partners beyond the retailer’s owned channels. The platform also empowers brands to scale their marketing through high-impact ad formats to increase sales on-site and in-store, with a direct link back to a brand’s marketing investment.
The launch realizes Publicis Groupe’s promise to unite on-site and off-site capabilities with transparent measurement validated by transactions, leading the new generation of identity-led retail media platforms.
See the launch video here.
According to eMarketer, ad spending in retail media is forecasted to reach c.$60 billion by 2024, confirming its position as one of the most innovative media opportunities.
CitrusAd, powered by Epsilon provides retailers and brands with:
A unified, self-serve platform that combines industry-leading offerings for on-site, off-site and in-store activation, across multiple formats and channels such as sponsored product, display, video, CTV, digital screens and email. CitrusAd and Epsilon were named a Leader and Strong Performer, respectively, in “The Forrester Wave™: Sell-Side Retail Media Solutions, Q3 2021” by Forrester Research, Inc.
Industry-leading identity that is underpinned by more than 300 million global privacy-protected CORE IDs, bringing an unprecedented level of scale that does not rely on third-party cookies.
Transparent measurement to tie digital campaigns to on-site and in-store sales, evaluating campaign performance in real time and at the SKU level.
Clean room technology that gives retailers and brands the ability to securely collaborate on permissioned data in a privacy-safe environment to optimize brand sales in a cookieless world.
The launch of CitrusAd, powered by Epsilon comes one month after Publicis Groupe announced the acquisition of Profitero, a leading SaaS global ecommerce intelligence platform.
Arthur Sadoun, Chairman of the Management Board of Publicis Groupe, said: “With the launch of CitrusAd, powered by Epsilon, Publicis Groupe is leading the new generation of identity-led retail media. We are pushing the boundaries of retail media platforms, empowering brands to connect with real people across the full customer journey and make investment decisions that are informed by real-time measurement and validated by transactions. The strength of our technology allows us to bring the brand/retailer partnership to a new era, one where both parties can work together to strengthen the backbone of customers' understanding and enhance their readiness for a cookieless world. The launch of our unified platform is a critical milestone in helping brands take back control of their customer relationships.”
Brad Moran, co-founder and CEO of CitrusAd, said: “By uniting the power of CitrusAd with the scale and identity capabilities of Epsilon, no one else can provide retailers with more monetization opportunities across on-site, off-site and in-store. And no one else can provide brands with a simple and trusted platform to capitalize on retailers’ assets for media investment. Our DNA has always been to help retailers maximize their revenue potential from retail media and strengthen the relationship with their suppliers. With CitrusAd, powered by Epsilon, we are delivering the promise of the retail media revolution.”
###
About Publicis Groupe
Publicis Groupe [Euronext Paris FR0000130577, CAC 40] is a global leader in communication. The Groupe is positioned at every step of the value chain, from consulting to execution, combining marketing transformation and digital business transformation. Publicis Groupe is a privileged partner in its clients’ transformation to enhance personalization at scale. The Groupe relies on ten expertise concentrated within four main activities: Communication, Media, Data and Technology. Through a unified and fluid organization, its clients have a facilitated access to all its expertise in every market. Present in over 100 countries, Publicis Groupe employs around 85,000 professionals.
About Epsilon
Epsilon is a global advertising and marketing technology company positioned at the center of Publicis Groupe. We connect advertisers with consumers to drive performance while respecting and protecting consumer privacy and client data. Epsilon accelerates clients’ ability to harness the power of their first-party data in order to enhance, activate and measure campaigns with confidence. We believe in an open, privacy-first advertising ecosystem. Over decades, we’ve built the industry’s most comprehensive identity graph to give brands, agencies and publishers the ability to reach real consumers across all channels and the open web. For more information, visit epsilon.com.
About CitrusAd
CitrusAd is the world-leading, white-label, self-serve, ecommerce ad-serving platform that enables retailers to monetize their digital shelf-space while enabling brands to increase sales by launching targeted and cost-effective digital campaigns into retailer websites. Since it was launched in 2017, CitrusAd powers the fastest growing ecommerce ad network in the USA and has become the global, retail industry’s preferred ad-serving platform, service and retail media sales organization. Successful retailers, in all verticals across 25 countries are leveraging the CitrusAd platform and real-time relevancy engine to create a more personalized shopping experience and deliver greater ROI for suppliers. For more information, visit https://www.citrusad.com
---
## Publicis Groupe Named a Leader for Global Digital Experience Services by Independent Research Firm
Type: eps_pressRelease
URL: /publicis-groupe-named-a-leader-for-global-digital-experience-services-by-independent-research-firm
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Publicis Groupe Named a Leader for Global Digital Experience Services by Independent Research Firm
Publicis Groupe achieved the highest score in the Current Offering category
The results of the company’s latest evaluation follow a Leader ranking in Loyalty Service Providers, Q3 2021 report
Publicis Groupe [Euronext Paris FR0000130577, CAC 40] today announced that it has been named a Leader in “The Forrester Wave™: Global Digital Experience Services, Q2 2022” by Forrester Research, Inc. In the evaluation, Publicis Groupe was the top ranked company in the Current Offering category and received the highest scores possible in nine criteria, including: customer experience strategy services, experience design services and systems, digital marketing strategy and implementation services, content technology services, analytics technology services, and more.
Publicis Groupe also earned the highest scores possible in criteria within the Strategy category: vision, execution roadmap, market approach, planned enhancements, and innovation roadmap. The report used 21 criteria to evaluate 14 of the most significant digital experience service providers, including how they deliver integrated and orchestrated solutions to unlock value across marketing campaigns, CX, and commerce.
“Through bold creative, smart and scaled media, resonant CRM, and cutting-edge commerce solutions, we are uniquely equipped to solve the fundamental challenges marketers are facing amidst a rapidly evolving landscape, characterized by an always-on and multi-dimensional consumer journey,” says Jem Ripley, CEO, Publicis Digital Experience U.S. “We’re thrilled by Forrester’s recognition of our digital experience services, represented by our Razorfish, Digitas, Hawkeye, Publicis Health, and Epsilon businesses, to name a few.”
This newest ranking follows the company’s ranking as a Leader with the highest score in the Current Offering category in The Forrester Wave™: Loyalty Service Providers, Q3 2021, which credits the Groupe for exceling in delivering highly effective loyalty marketing and design services, among other capabilities.
The “Forrester Wave™: Global Digital Experience Services, Q2 2022” report states that “Publicis Groupe leads with experience transformation in a platform-centric world”. It goes on: “The company’s digital experience strategy is to help brands thrive in a world in which platforms like Facebook, TikTok, and Amazon shape consumer engagement” and “…to achieve this vision, Publicis Groupe acquired Epsilon in 2019 as the foundation for managing identity across the customer journey.”
###
About Publicis Groupe - The Power of One
Publicis Groupe [Euronext Paris FR0000130577, CAC 40] is a global leader in communication. The Groupe is positioned at every step of the value chain, from consulting to execution, combining marketing transformation and digital business transformation. Publicis Groupe is a privileged partner in its clients’ transformation to enhance personalization at scale. The Groupe relies on ten expertise concentrated within four main activities: Communication, Media, Data and Technology. Through a unified and fluid organization, its clients have a facilitated access to all its expertise in every market. Present in over 100 countries, Publicis Groupe employs around 90,000 professionals.
---
## Publicis Groupe Launches the Industry’s First Unified On-site and Off-site Retail Media Platform – CitrusAd, powered by Epsilon
Type: eps_pressRelease
URL: /publicis-groupe-launches-the-industrys-first-unified-on-site-and-off-site-retail-media-platform-citrusad-powered-by-epsilon
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Publicis Groupe Launches the Industry’s First Unified On-site and Off-site Retail Media Platform – CitrusAd, powered by Epsilon
CitrusAd, powered by Epsilon gives brands the ability to manage on-site and off-site campaigns on a self-serve platform with a direct link back to their marketing investment
The unified platform maximizes retailers’ monetization opportunities and increases reach on-site and across the open web
Privacy-centric clean room technology enables retailers and brands to securely collaborate on permissioned data to optimize brand sales in a cookieless world
Publicis Groupe [Euronext Paris FR0000130577, CAC 40] today announces the launch of CitrusAd, powered by Epsilon, the industry’s first self-serve retail media platform that unites CitrusAd’s on-site and Epsilon’s off-site capabilities in a single user interface.
CitrusAd, powered by Epsilon enables retailers to maximize monetization as they extend reach for brand partners beyond the retailer’s owned channels. The platform also empowers brands to scale their marketing through high-impact ad formats to increase sales on-site and in-store, with a direct link back to a brand’s marketing investment.
The launch realizes Publicis Groupe’s promise to unite on-site and off-site capabilities with transparent measurement validated by transactions, leading the new generation of identity-led retail media platforms.
See the launch video here.
According to eMarketer, ad spending in retail media is forecasted to reach c.$60 billion by 2024, confirming its position as one of the most innovative media opportunities.
CitrusAd, powered by Epsilon provides retailers and brands with:
A unified, self-serve platform that combines industry-leading offerings for on-site, off-site and in-store activation, across multiple formats and channels such as sponsored product, display, video, CTV, digital screens and email. CitrusAd and Epsilon were named a Leader and Strong Performer, respectively, in “The Forrester Wave™: Sell-Side Retail Media Solutions, Q3 2021” by Forrester Research, Inc.
Industry-leading identity that is underpinned by more than 300 million global privacy-protected CORE IDs, bringing an unprecedented level of scale that does not rely on third-party cookies.
Transparent measurement to tie digital campaigns to on-site and in-store sales, evaluating campaign performance in real time and at the SKU level.
Clean room technology that gives retailers and brands the ability to securely collaborate on permissioned data in a privacy-safe environment to optimize brand sales in a cookieless world.
The launch of CitrusAd, powered by Epsilon comes one month after Publicis Groupe announced the acquisition of Profitero, a leading SaaS global ecommerce intelligence platform.
Arthur Sadoun, Chairman of the Management Board of Publicis Groupe, said: “With the launch of CitrusAd, powered by Epsilon, Publicis Groupe is leading the new generation of identity-led retail media. We are pushing the boundaries of retail media platforms, empowering brands to connect with real people across the full customer journey and make investment decisions that are informed by real-time measurement and validated by transactions. The strength of our technology allows us to bring the brand/retailer partnership to a new era, one where both parties can work together to strengthen the backbone of customers' understanding and enhance their readiness for a cookieless world. The launch of our unified platform is a critical milestone in helping brands take back control of their customer relationships.”
Brad Moran, co-founder and CEO of CitrusAd, said: “By uniting the power of CitrusAd with the scale and identity capabilities of Epsilon, no one else can provide retailers with more monetization opportunities across on-site, off-site and in-store. And no one else can provide brands with a simple and trusted platform to capitalize on retailers’ assets for media investment. Our DNA has always been to help retailers maximize their revenue potential from retail media and strengthen the relationship with their suppliers. With CitrusAd, powered by Epsilon, we are delivering the promise of the retail media revolution.”
###
About Publicis Groupe
Publicis Groupe [Euronext Paris FR0000130577, CAC 40] is a global leader in communication. The Groupe is positioned at every step of the value chain, from consulting to execution, combining marketing transformation and digital business transformation. Publicis Groupe is a privileged partner in its clients’ transformation to enhance personalization at scale. The Groupe relies on ten expertise concentrated within four main activities: Communication, Media, Data and Technology. Through a unified and fluid organization, its clients have a facilitated access to all its expertise in every market. Present in over 100 countries, Publicis Groupe employs around 85,000 professionals.
About Epsilon
Epsilon is a global advertising and marketing technology company positioned at the center of Publicis Groupe. We connect advertisers with consumers to drive performance while respecting and protecting consumer privacy and client data. Epsilon accelerates clients’ ability to harness the power of their first-party data in order to enhance, activate and measure campaigns with confidence. We believe in an open, privacy-first advertising ecosystem. Over decades, we’ve built the industry’s most comprehensive identity graph to give brands, agencies and publishers the ability to reach real consumers across all channels and the open web. For more information, visit epsilon.com.
About CitrusAd
CitrusAd is the world-leading, white-label, self-serve, ecommerce ad-serving platform that enables retailers to monetize their digital shelf-space while enabling brands to increase sales by launching targeted and cost-effective digital campaigns into retailer websites. Since it was launched in 2017, CitrusAd powers the fastest growing ecommerce ad network in the USA and has become the global, retail industry’s preferred ad-serving platform, service and retail media sales organization. Successful retailers, in all verticals across 25 countries are leveraging the CitrusAd platform and real-time relevancy engine to create a more personalized shopping experience and deliver greater ROI for suppliers. For more information, visit https://www.citrusad.com
---
## Epsilon Named a Leader in Latest Customer Data Strategy and Activation Services Report by Independent Research Firm
Type: eps_pressRelease
URL: /epsilon-named-a-leader-in-latest-customer-data-strategy-and-activation-services-report-by-independent-research-firm
Last Modified: 2025-10-28T17:35:44Z
# Epsilon Named a Leader in Latest Customer Data Strategy and Activation Services Report by Independent Research Firm
Epsilon® announced that it has been named a Leader in “The Forrester Wave™: Customer Data Strategy and Activation Services Report, Q2 2022” by Forrester Research, Inc. Epsilon was the highest ranked company in the Strategy category, and earned the highest score possible in 21 of 27 criteria, including first party PII management and marketing technology. In addition, it was the only company to receive the highest score possible in the data enrichment, innovation roadmap and partner ecosystem criteria.
“Epsilon delivers a one-stop-shop, unifying strategy, tech, and execution,” the report notes. “It has a clear vision of how to execute marketing in a world that is fragmented by platforms and a roadmap to support its data deprecation story. Epsilon stands out for continually leading clients to be more strategic in their customer engagement decisions and to optimize their use of data. Companies seeking a strategic partner for data strategy and customer engagement should consider Epsilon.”
Epsilon also earned the highest score possible in the identity resolution and identity graph creation criteria. Launched in 2007, Epsilon’s CORE ID is built with a privacy by design approach and is the industry’s most accurate, stable and scalable identity solution to recognize and reach 300M+ global consumers. It is anchored in an offline name and address and validated by transactions, ensuring that ads are delivered to individuals, not orphaned cookies or device IDs.
CORE ID is part of the CORE platform that powers Epsilon PeopleCloud (EPC), Epsilon’s connected marketing platform. EPC enables brands to
grow their first-party data by directly engaging with consumers;
organize and manage offline/online profiles and enrich them with unique data;
activate everywhere their customers and prospects are and reach them with compelling personalized content; and
measure and optimize their marketing to drive the best outcomes.
The platform includes digital media, messaging, clean room, and loyalty offerings as well as the company’s enterprise-ready customer data platform (CDP), EPC Customer. The CDP manages and activates clients’ first-party data and serves as the marketing source of truth and backbone of a unified customer experience.
"With a strong CDP asset, you can effectively overcome data deprecation issues with your digital media campaigns,” says Dana Moroze, Senior Vice President of Platform Solutions at Epsilon in a recent Adweek article. “Data management platforms (DMPs) as we’ve known them are effectively going away with third-party cookie deprecation, and your CDP can enable you to work in the new cookieless world to identify the correct audience and then export it to activate across digital media channels.”
Epsilon has been recognized five times by Forrester in the past 18 months, being named a leader in three others—“The Forrester Wave™: Email Marketing Service Providers, Q1 2022,” “The Forrester Wave™: Loyalty Solutions, Q2 2021” and “The Forrester Wave™: Customer Database and Engagement Agencies, Q1 2021”—and a Strong Performer in “The Forrester Wave™: Sell-Side Retail Media Solutions, Q3 2021.”
In addition, Publicis Groupe was named a Leader in both “The Forrester Wave™: Global Digital Experience Services, Q2 2022” and “The Forrester Wave™: Loyalty Service Providers, Q3 2021.
###
About Epsilon
Epsilon is a global advertising and marketing technology company positioned at the center of Publicis Groupe. We connect advertisers with consumers to drive performance while respecting and protecting consumer privacy and client data. Epsilon accelerates clients’ ability to harness the power of their first-party data in order to enhance, activate and measure campaigns with confidence. We believe in an open, privacy-first advertising ecosystem. Over decades, we’ve built the industry’s most comprehensive identity graph to give brands, agencies and publishers the ability to reach real consumers across all channels and the open web. For more information, visit epsilon.com.
---
## 5 ways Al can enhance the customer journey from conversation to conversion
Type: eps_pressRelease
URL: /5-ways-al-can-enhance-the-customer-journey-from-conversation-to-conversion-gene-yap-heaby-eud-of-consulting-strategy-and-analytics-apac
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# 5 ways Al can enhance the customer journey from conversation to conversion
How can organizations better use technology to process their data, and build personalized customer experiences and enhanced customer journeys?
The COVID-19 pandemic has altered the global business landscape. The pace and volume of data creation have accelerated with the increase in remote working arrangements and digital transactions, transforming economic realities for businesses everywhere. With this unprecedented change, technology – particularly artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) – is now crucial in helping businesses adapt for growth and continuity. In Singapore, almost half of IT professionals are seeing the roll out of AI tools in their companies to better manage productivity, security, data processing, and sales.
AI technology is becoming faster, smarter, and cheaper, bringing the marketing industry closer to the next level of human-machine interaction. It is raising the bar for what brands can do to enhance the customer journey, improve customer experiences, and better meet customer needs. AI is shaping modern marketing, and as we approach the ‘next normal’ we will need to consider the key benefits AI can bring to the table to holistically improve the customer experience throughout their journey.
Customers feel like you understand them
AI and ML have revolutionized the marketing sector. They have enabled machines to crunch enormous amounts of data and do the heavy lifting on data aggregation and cleansing,which in turn enables marketers to spend their time analysing customers’ behavioural patterns. Focusing on the customer while having technology analyse and make sense of the data is a given in today’s digital age. In fact, the Adobe 2022 Digital Trends: APAC report highlights that the trend of relying on technology for data extraction and management is growing, and 60% of businesses in APAC plan on accelerating investment in customer data technology.“ The challenge for most marketers today is not the availability of data – but making sense of the data. [Epsilon] uses machine learning to help brands turn data into actionable insights by building human-centric models that predict what consumers are going to do, what they are going to buy, and even the type of ads they are going to respond to, in a way that respects consumer privacy and choice.” said Eugene Yap, Epsilon’s APAC Head of Consulting, Strategy and Insights.
The ability to process and understand customer data is invaluable to personalise communications at the individual level. Implementing machine learning can unlock the huge untapped potential to personalise across a brand’s marketing channels, connecting marketers with high-value consumers in the process. Plus, with the machines doing the heavy lifting, marketers have time to really dig into those insights to inform their strategy.
Customers receive thoughtful recommendations
We’ve all seen an ad for a product that you’d simply never buy or need—and it’s frustrating. You feel like that brand doesn’t know you at all. In this digital age, trust in technology cannot be assumed; it must be earned. Customers today are looking for personalised experiences. According to OpenText, 71% of Singaporean consumers are more likely to buy from brands more than once when they feel that they have been treated as an individual, rather than the same as any other customer. This highlights an important trend moving forward: a personalised experience is essential for success.
While machine learning algorithms can predict consumer behaviour to deliver personalised products, offers, messaging, content, and rewards for loyalty members, what is important is the impact. When customers receive a brand communication built by one of these algorithms, it’s more effective if it is something they need, rather than a compilation of products with little significance that they are likely to easily dismiss.
Personalised content creates a “human” connection
In the wake of the pandemic, consumers expect the brands they interact with to deliver better, safer, and more seamless interactions. The 2020 Customer Experience Excellence (CEE) Singapore Survey by KPMG noted three distinct trends in changes to consumer behaviour: consumers expect more personalised marketing, greater protection of their personal data, and more responsive services.
Effective audience development, segmentation, and out reach can take on a new life by adding AI as an element in the decision-making process. Each profile becomes a segment of one, so you’re treating customers like the unique individual they are, rather than part of a batch-and-blast scheme. Brands that are able to better leverage and protect customer data can provide tailored experiences quickly and more efficiently, ensuring a memorable customer journey. Ultimately, greater data management and the clever use of AI can help brands build stronger relationships with their customers. Aligning marketing activities to their needs can strengthen affinity towards your brand.
Customer service is fast and friendly
AI allows marketers to enhance the customer experience with around-the-clock attention. Bots and virtual assistants embedded in websites or apps offer a 1:1 communication channel for brands – one that’s highly relevant and personalised to the individual. Conversational AI ultimately sits at the intersection of customer engagement and need. In fact, new research from AI Rudder shows that 25% more businesses in the Asia Pacific plan to invest in conversational AI, such as chatbots and virtual assistants, in 2022. Fueled by past behaviour, conversational AI can:
⦁Greet customers by their first names
⦁Ask them if they need any quick problem solving
⦁Recommend relevant products based on current chat dialogue or their last browsing session or purchase.
Marketers can also nurture these customers post-conversion. When someone returns to your site, the insights gained from previous interactions will help brands immediately connect with relevant content.
Customers feel supported through each buying stage
Machine learning and AI support natural language processing (NLP), which allows for organisation, optimisation and generation of content quickly. From a marketer’s perspective, this saves time and money by processing large volumes of content that can be searchable and intelligently tagged for easy use. From a consumer’s perspective, this helps successfully guide them through the customer journey with ease.
A fractured experience often deters people from continuing to engage with your brand. That’s where AI comes in. AI patterns allow marketers to make decisions on what a customer’s next best action is, so they’re constantly building on past interactions to inform what should come next.
Moving forward, continuous innovation and investment in AI that can better impact and benefit customer experience must be a business imperative for success and long-term growth. Brands on their digital transformation journey must look towards gaining a deeper understanding of the future consumer and be ready to stay agile in order to match their needs through the use of technology.
---
## The Future of Work Needs Inclusivity and a New ‘Think-Feel-Do’ Paradigm
Type: eps_pressRelease
URL: /the-future-of-work-needs-inclusivity-and-a-new-think-feel-do-paradigm-1
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# The Future of Work Needs Inclusivity and a New ‘Think-Feel-Do’ Paradigm
The world around us is becoming visibly diverse by the day, and workplaces are striving to keep up. In times like these, observing and ensuring that best practices of global events such as International Women’s Day are continuously practiced and accounted for at work is significant on two counts: First, it recognizes the continuing need to focus on gender equity as a way of compensating for the historical and social disadvantages that prevent men and women from operating on a level playing field.
Secondly, it broadcasts the organization’s intent to be empowering of various marginalized segments across society. The most enlightened organizations realize that they perhaps gain more than they give when they create a culture that embraces and promotes participation across all demographics and identities.
At the most fundamental level, a healthy diversity ratio means that the business is representative of the world they service and will thus do a better job of satisfying a larger number of customers. And even more deep-rooted is the proven benefits to business in terms of better cash flows, stronger team performance and improved revenues.
Although, Southeast Asia has come a long way with women’s participation in the workforce and efforts are being made to address the gender gap, there are still areas where we have yet to find much-needed breakthroughs. According to a LinkedIn survey, up to 41% of women in APAC feel they get fewer career development opportunities than men.
There are external as well as internal factors driving this gap. Conditioning drives gender conforming behaviors and these carry over from home to the workplace. If not consciously checked and addressed, career and life-limiting experiences could hold both men and women from achieving their true potential in all aspects of their life.
The corporate world recognizes the business impact of inclusion, and that drives tangible efforts to change behaviors. I propose we flip the popular Think – Feel – Do Model, and start with the ‘Do’.
ACTIONS speak louder than words
Many organizations have begun to take active steps such as hiring Diversity Managers, and these are signals that DE&I are becoming integral towards cultivating strong leaders and stronger organizations. Singapore sees a shift taking place, with a search on LinkedIn revealing that 202 professionals working in Singapore hold DEI-related roles for their organization.
When organizations make it easy to demonstrate the right behaviors, we make the first leap in driving real and tangible change. I consider myself lucky to have seen many of these at work.
1. We ensure that the benefit of flexibility at work is gender neutral. Women no longer feel conscious about needing time to balance life at work and beyond. Men experience the joy of packing in more than office work in their waking hours. And the downstream effect on our partners at home is not lost either, as the partners of our male colleagues experience the effects of equal participation in their homes and are able to make the time to thrive in their own careers.
2. We consciously work on ensuring a zero gender pay gap. By ensuring that women are paid for the scope of their roles, we are able to eliminate historical pay gaps that they may otherwise have carried forward from their earlier jobs.
3. Diversity ratio is a leading business goal. When inclusion becomes as important a factor as business delivery or technical expertise, every leader is able to step up and implement policies that ensure all genders in our teams have opportunities to succeed, grow and stay with the organization.
"When companies create processes that bring focus on diversity centerstage, leaders think before unconsciously falling into traps of comfortable behaviors.”
This movement will soon take root across all forward-thinking companies. The Global Gender Gap Report 2020 compiled by the World Economic Forum shows that Singapore has improved 13 notches to rank 54 out of 153 countries in promoting gender diversity and inclusion in the workforce. Still, this momentum must carry on. The advancement of women’s interests may still be a “work in progress”, but policy changes over the last few years are already beginning to deliver impact.
THINK diversity as you coach, mentor, and grow your teams
When companies create processes that bring focus on diversity centerstage, leaders think before unconsciously falling into traps of comfortable behaviors. I find myself being encouraged to consciously adopt this way of thinking through various aspects at work.
It begins with hiring. Almost all sectors probably see a 50:50 diversity ratio at entry levels, because our young women and men are equally educated, ambitious and raring to go. But as we go up the seniority levels, hiring diverse talent becomes a challenge as fewer women’s resumes seem to make their way in. When leaders work with recruiters to ensure a 50:50 split in the number of resumes they review, they help consciously create a level playing field across the hierarchy.
Keep an eye on the employee journey across life milestones. Marriage, childbirth, and elder care are key fault lines that can drive deep career losses unless managed effectively for work-life balance. When leaders recognize this and mentor their teams on the possibility of achieving balance irrespective of life stage, it results in happy employees and happier organizations. Personally, my advice to young women seeking counsel hinges on 3 key considerations.
If you choose to commit to a relationship, your choice of partner is one of the most important factors that will ensure a thriving career for you, so choose someone who respects your ambition and the money you bring to the table. Childcare is not a one-woman task and it truly takes a village, so nurture a support network of partner, extended family, friends and paid services to ensure your little one’s care is never compromised.
Eldercare is a societal responsibility and nothing brings more satisfaction, so find a way to balance your physical, mental, and emotional investment in caring for parents and in-laws with the right level of paid support, it is truly difficult for one person to do it all.
Consciously fill the leadership pipeline. Organizations that grow women across all levels, do not struggle with leadership or board representation. It took me by surprise the first time I was asked during a team performance appraisal meeting to start with one metric – The percentage of women amongst those being recommended for promotion. Now, we work through the year to ensure that the metric is met by the right type of hiring, mentoring and appropriate opportunities being offered.
To FEEL the need for diversity – that is the touchstone today
In a world that is designed by men, and therefore skews toward men succeeding, the world recognizes the powerful role that men play in driving change. And this majority needs to be empowered if change is to be truly achieved. As I personally experienced a MARC training at work recently, I understood what a minefield of emotions exist amongst each one of us, irrespective of gender when it comes to DE&I conversations.
"At the most fundamental level, a healthy diversity ratio means that the business is representative of the world they service and will thus do a better job of satisfying a larger number of customers.”
Organizations that create safe spaces for both men and women to question, understand and commit to action are at the forefront of driving change not just at the workplace, but across society too. And men advocating for and sponsoring women is a surefire way to undo many decades of unequal representation at the workplace.
In Singapore, some organizations have already taken this crucial next step, and men becoming allies to address bias and advocate for is driving real change.
The recent International Women’s Day in 2022 has seen an equal number of supporters and detractors. While we all do wish for a world that should no longer need a day to remind the corporate world of the value of diversity, it is also a leadership responsibility that each one of us carries to act, observe, call out and celebrate every small step that eliminates bias and celebrates our difference.
---
## Where do customers’ loyalty lie?
Type: eps_pressRelease
URL: /where-do-customers-loyalty-lie
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Where do customers’ loyalty lie?
Customer retention is becoming increasingly difficult as brands compete against each other. Ganga Ganapathi, VP Head – Marketing and Client Success, Epsilon APAC & MEA, EU provides further insight into where customers’ loyalties lie in 2022.
Loyalty. A word that evokes emotion and brings to mind relationships where one is willing to go to great lengths to keep the other happy. Loyalty cannot be bought or sold with points, freebies and discounts alone, but needs to transcend the altar of emotions.
With COVID-19 and all its challenges came intense competition for a share of the customer’s heart and mind. As Digital Transformation leapfrogged across businesses, marketers gained access to a treasure trove of data. And customers began to consolidate their brand affinities to interact with fewer stores, delivery services and loyalty cards.
So how do we now redefine and reinvent our relationships with increasingly discerning customers?
Brands that truly understand their customers are intuitive to customers’ aspirations, motivations and barriers. Mapping these intangibles to technology brings alive the entire customer journey, experience and channels. Finding a platform partner who delivers strategy as well as the tech platform to anticipate a consumer’s needs, activate to deliver on those needs and finally measure and optimise to ensure proof of performance is key.
According to research by ResearchAndMarkets.com, the APAC loyalty management market is expected to reach US$3642.77 million by 2026, registering a CAGR of 25.1%, from 2021 to 2026. The report found that increasing customer retention boosts profit margins and also brings stability to revenues. And while necessary and important must always be weighed against the typical marketing priority of acquisition which is 25% more expensive than retaining current customers.
Brands that are agile and can anticipate customer needs are better able to build a culture of customer loyalty, enabling them to be the ones who will come out stronger and more successful.
Three key loyalty trends that will shape 2022
When building or reimagining a loyalty marketing programme, there are three imperatives to ensure that your brand continues being an engagement magnet for your most important customers.
Building empathy and human connections
Customers who feel an emotional connection to a brand are far more valuable.
While the pandemic has forced brands and their customers to be physically apart for health and safety reasons and to turn to more digital interactions, those that have been able to humanise their brands and create emotional connections with their customers have been able to garner even greater customer loyalty and ride out the wave of economic uncertainty.
Loyalty programmes are a proxy for customers to connect with the brand. If brands can provide flexibility and compassion to customers as well as generosity and goodwill, they will find that customers will be more willing to engage with them, especially since customers are providing companies with personal data which allows brands to establish and nurture a more intimate relationship with their customers.
Bolstering belief-driven buyers
As consumers become more socially and politically engaged, brands have an opportunity to build loyalty with their customers. 2021 saw a rise of belief-driven buyers where customers now ‘vote’ with their wallets which will continue well into this year.
Brands that take a stand for their values such as sustainability, recycling or ethical trading, can harness a loyal customer case as consumers feel a sense of pride associating with brands that do this.
With the needs of non-profit organisations skyrocketing in part accelerated by the COVID-19 crisis, a Mintel report found that 46% of consumers surveyed would like the option to donate their points or benefits to charities or others in need. This is even higher for Gen Zs and Millennials, with an average of 60% in agreement.
Companies that set up programmes where customers can earn points for what they purchase or where brands donate to certain causes which are near and dear to the heart of their customers, can help a brand to build a loyal customer base.
Programmes such as these are a testament to how building customer loyalty can benefit a brand if the right causes and mechanics are put in place.
The rise of gamification
More brands will use gamification this year to make their loyalty programmes more attractive and relevant to their customers.
Gamification elevates the personalisation experience, providing consumers with incentives to purchase more frequently, buy more or use loyalty points for rewards. It plays off many aspects of human psychology including reward-seeking behaviour, natural competitiveness and the classic fear of missing out (FOMO).
A Mintel Trends Report saw that as money became tighter for consumers with the ongoing pandemic, Brands took to gamifying the discount process to provide consumers with a sense of control over their spending, as well as being a fun and playful way to engage with them. Tying the discount or value proposition up with the key message of the campaign can reinforce that message while simultaneously providing value to the consumer.
Gamification not only increases a brand’s share of wallet but also its share of life among its customers.
Nike developed the Nike Run Club app, which tracks a user’s runs with data ranging from exercise duration up to the wear of their trainers, has been successful at this. Through the app, Nike collects data about users’ chosen sports, activity levels, and preferred styles, using that data to personalise experiences. Nike’s app uses a range of gamification features such as milestone unlocks, reward systems, and leader boards. In 2020, Nike reported that its app saw download growth of over 45%, compared to the average global increase of 10%.
Customer loyalty has never been more important than in today’s digital landscape where it is the key to cultivating repeat purchases and engagement. In the long run, this sets us up for mutual success, and what could be better than an environment where brands and consumers thrive, because of their relationship with each other.
---
## Excellent CX requires first party data and robust strategies, survey finds
Type: eps_pressRelease
URL: /your-bexcellent-cx-requires-first-party-data-and-robust-strategies-survey-finds
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Excellent CX requires first party data and robust strategies, survey finds
With the imminent shift away from cookie technologies, customer identity data optimisation will be greater than ever before.
Brands must look at managing their data collection strategies, investment strategies, and deploying improvement in their identity management practices to reach, engage, and retain customers moving forward.
This is based on a new Epsilon Identity Management survey titled ‘Key Drivers for Identity Management in Asia-Pacific, the Middle East, and Africa’, created in partnership with CX Network, an online community focused on building intelligent enterprises.
The global survey draws insights from almost 200 Customer Experience (CX) and marketing experts based in Asia-Pacific, the Middle East, and Africa on their key drivers for customer Identity Management, with the goal of supporting brands with improving their identity management practices.
Epsilon senior VP of APAC and MEA Patrick Sim says, “The decay of cookie technology is now forcing many brands to alter their strategies to meet changing customer expectations.
"Moving forward, CX practitioners and marketers should conduct frequent assessments of their data management and customer engagement strategies to deliver loyalty-winning customer experiences and boost customer lifetime values.”
The survey found that although cookie-based customer engagement is under question, most brands are still unprepared to address their own identity data infrastructure weaknesses.
More than 60% of those surveyed suffer from incomplete customer profiles that hamper customer engagement tactics, and 24% of respondents have data that is fragmented and siloed by channel or business function, disabling their ability to adapt to changes in customer behaviour quickly.
In addition, more than 40% of those surveyed are in the early stages of rolling out first party data capture strategies, indicating a shift in identity data management.
However, a majority do not currently enrich their first party data with third-party data and are unable to manage marketing programs without depending on third-party platforms, the survey shows.
This highlights that despite companies potentially having a more complete view of the customer, a crucial challenge to overcome lies in managing and optimising growth through identity management.
Sim says, "Campaigns run on third-party platforms rarely provide customer intelligence to companies, and this lack of intelligence in the system leads to a vicious cycle of continued dependency on these platforms.
"The solution is to invest in owned platforms and software for customer engagement, allowing for relevant, timely and compelling communication.
Businesses need to prioritise gaining an understanding of their data footprint and enhancing their data strategies, which must include capturing and leveraging first-party data to drive optimal customer experiences."
Considering the cookie deprecation, 61% of respondents plan to alter their engagement strategies. In selecting a solution provider and identity resolution partner to assist in managing customer identity data more effectively, accuracy (77%) and compliance (68%) emerged as the most desired traits, beating cost (2%).
The focus then is on an identity resolution partner that can strike the balance between respecting customer privacy regulations while also delivering intuitive, personalised, data-informed customer experiences that enhance the customer journey.
In the future, brands absolutely have to start increasing spend and focus on customer identity data management, as it will be crucial to navigating a post-cookie landscape, further enabling them to win customers' hearts and retain strong loyalty in the future.
Brands must consider investing in platforms that can craft direct relationships with customers through personalised engagement techniques, gaining an advantage over their competitors by boosting customer lifetime values through enhanced experiences.
Published in:
CFO Tech Australia
Ecommerce news NZ
IT brief Australia
---
## Gopuff Goes Off-Site; Becomes First Retail Media Network to Tap into the Full Capabilities of CitrusAd, powered by Epsilon
Type: eps_pressRelease
URL: /gopuff-goes-off-site-becomes-first-retail-media-network-to-tap-into-the-full-capabilities-of-citrusad-powered-by-epsilon
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Gopuff Goes Off-Site; Becomes First Retail Media Network to Tap into the Full Capabilities of CitrusAd, powered by Epsilon
Gopuff Ads Launches Off-site and On-site Ad Integration for Full Customer Journey
Gopuff, the go-to platform for immediate delivery of consumers’ everyday needs, today announced the expansion of its retail media network for full shopper journey campaigns. Gopuff Ads, the first instant ad platform, is the first retail media network to roll out the highly anticipated off-site capabilities of CitrusAd, powered by Epsilon. The unified approach builds on Gopuff Ads’ initial integration with CitrusAd, enabling brands to reach not only Gopuff site visitors, but also the entirety of Gopuff's shopper audience across the open web with timely and relevant advertising.
Daniel Folkman, SVP of Business at Gopuff said, "As the first instant ad platform, we are bringing advertisers closer to their desired audience by collapsing the marketing funnel from impression to consumption in 30 minutes. Now, Gopuff Ads’ expansion into off-site media with CitrusAd - powered by Epsilon’s first-party purchase and future intent data - delivers amplified, relevant reach for our brand partners. We look forward to introducing this enhanced and streamlined capability to our partners.”
Gopuff, which has the unparalleled ability to transform an ad impression to consumption in minutes, is also expanding on-site ad inventory beyond sponsored products and search to include relevant sponsored product carousels - all managed and measured on the full-scope platform. Brands leveraging Gopuff Ads are seeing ROIs as high as 430%. Platform revenue grew nearly 170% YoY in July as active products more than doubled onsite.
With these enhancements, brands can influence consumers at the point of purchase with on-site advertising, while also generating demand across the open web by reaching Gopuff customers with relevant, off-site display, video and connected TV advertising tied directly to in-stock inventory. Brands are also able to understand their ad performance through SKU-level sales reporting that combines both on-site and off-site campaigns.
CitrusAd's on-site and Epsilon's off-site retail media capabilities were recognized as a Leader and a Strong Performer, respectively, by Forrester Research, Inc. in “The Forrester Wave™: Sell-Side Retail Media Solutions, Q3 2021”. CitrusAd, powered by Epsilon, was launched by Publicis Groupe in June as the first unified self-serve, retail media platform in a single user interface.
“When companies like Gopuff make the decision to unify on-site and off-site media capabilities as a one-stop shop, they will grow advertiser adoption, revenues and site traffic. Through CitrusAd’s easy to use self-service, white-label platform, full-funnel Gopuff Ads campaigns can now easily be managed by brands under one roof to expand audience reach and attract new customers,” said David Haase, CEO of CitrusAd Americas.
Joe Doran, Chief Product Officer at Epsilon said, “Gopuff continues to be a leader in retail media. By engaging consumers both on-site and off-site, brands can reach shopper audiences with relevant and compelling messages that drive impulse sales. This is a win for Gopuff and the brands it serves. We look forward to more brands being able to tap into the power of over 200 million privacy-protected CORE IDs in the U.S. and reach their customers through high-impact ad formats at an unprecedented level of scale.”
Ad spending in retail media is forecasted to reach c.$60 billion by 2024, according to eMarketer, indicating strong support for its closed-loop transparent measurement and proven effectiveness.
For more information and to reach Gopuff customers with built-in relevancy at scale, visit www.gopuff.com/go/ads.
###
About Gopuff
Gopuff is the go-to instant commerce platform, fulfilling consumers’ evolving, everyday needs. With an unmatched assortment that includes cleaning and home products, medicine, pet care, office supplies, beauty and wellness items, baby products, food and drinks, local brands, as well as alcohol and fresh prepared food in some markets, Gopuff brings a unique, reliable and magical experience to customers around the world.
Founded in 2013 by co-founders and co-CEOs Rafael Ilishayev and Yakir Gola, Gopuff created the instant needs category and continues to build the rails that define the future of commerce. To learn more, visit www.gopuff.com or follow Gopuff on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram. Download the Gopuff app on iOS and Android.
About CitrusAd
Founded in 2017 by co-founders Nick Paech and Brad Moran, CitrusAd created the first world-leading, self serve Retail Media platform enabling retailers to monetize their on-site and off-site digital assets. By partnering with Retailers, CitrusAd now enables brands to launch and review advertising campaigns across the full customer journey in one single platform and in just a few clicks. CitrusAd was named a leader in “The Forrester Wave™: Sell-Side Retail Media Solutions, Q3 2021 and subsequently ranked as the second fastest growing tech company by Deloitte in the Deloitte Fast 50. CitrusAd was later acquired by Publicis Groupe in 2021 and aimed at bringing the first unified on-site and off-site self serve platform to market, which it successfully accomplished in July 2022. Industry leading retailers, in all verticals across 30 countries are leveraging the CitrusAd platform and real-time relevancy engine to create a more personalized shopping experience and deliver greater ROI for suppliers. For more information on the new off-site capabilities, visit. www.citrusad.com/off-site
About Epsilon
Epsilon is a global advertising and marketing technology company positioned at the center of Publicis Groupe. We connect advertisers with consumers to drive performance while respecting and protecting consumer privacy and client data. Epsilon accelerates clients’ ability to harness the power of their first-party data in order to enhance, activate and measure campaigns with confidence. We believe in an open, privacy-first advertising ecosystem. Over decades, we’ve built the industry’s most comprehensive identity graph to give brands, agencies and publishers the ability to reach real consumers across all channels and the open web. For more information, visit epsilon.com.
---
## Epsilon Named a Leader for Loyalty Technology by Independent Research Firm; Recognized for “Wealth of Experience in Powering Loyalty…”
Type: eps_pressRelease
URL: /epsilon-named-a-leader-for-loyalty-technology-by-independent-research-firm-recognized-for-wealth-of-experience-in-powering-loyalty-
Last Modified: 2025-10-28T17:52:23Z
# Epsilon Named a Leader for Loyalty Technology by Independent Research Firm; Recognized for “Wealth of Experience in Powering Loyalty…”
Epsilon “Brings More than Loyalty to the Table in Service of its Mission to ‘Make Every Interaction Count’”
DALLAS — April 09, 2019 — Epsilon®, a global leader in interaction management, today announced that it was named a Leader in the April 2019 report “The Forrester Wave™: Loyalty Technology Platforms, Q2 2019” by Forrester Research, Inc., which evaluated Epsilon’s Agility Loyalty® solution.
According to Forrester, “Epsilon excels at executing complex loyalty programs [and] has a wealth of experience in powering loyalty for retail, travel and hospitality, restaurant, and financial services. And, it brings more than loyalty to the table in service of its mission to ‘make every interaction count’. Its Agility Loyalty solution integrates with the full suite of Epsilon’s marketing, data, and media products and even includes a license for its Agility Harmony email platform; this vendor was a Leader in the The Forrester Wave™: Email Marketing Service Providers, Q2 2018 .” The report also states that Epsilon’s Agility Loyalty interface is intuitive, the Ignite training portal is easy to navigate, and Epsilon is investing in making the user interface more marketer-friendly.
“Consumers are exercising greater control over how they interact with brands. As a result, loyalty is critical to consumer engagement. Through loyalty programs, we are able to provide value to consumers, where they share information and preferences in exchange for relevant, clear and wanted experiences.” shared Wayne Townsend, President, Technology at Epsilon. “Epsilon has been innovating in the loyalty space for decades and we are proud to be recognized by Forrester as a leader in loyalty technology. We will continue to focus on delivering comprehensive loyalty technology and services in our mission to help brands deliver ongoing rich and rewarding experiences to consumers.”
According to the report, “Clients agree that Epsilon ‘knows loyalty and its customers really well.’ They see Epsilon as a ‘responsive, flexible, and communicative partner…’.” Additionally, Forrester cited Epsilon as an “experienced and hands-on tech partner.” Epsilon received the highest scores possible in the AI, services, and privacy and security criteria within the current offering category. In the strategy category, Epsilon received the highest score possible in the vision criterion which is described as being forward-looking and inspiring, or differentiated from others included in the evaluation.
Forrester Research’s evaluation included a review of the 13 most significant loyalty technology platforms across 28-criterion including each vendor’s standalone loyalty technology solution.
For the full report “The Forrester Wave™: Loyalty Technology Platforms, Q2 2019” click here.
About Epsilon
Epsilon is a leader in interaction management, empowering brands to transform ordinary customer experiences into meaningful, human experiences. Our connected suite of products and services combine leading-edge identity management, industrial strength data and technology expertise with big brand acumen gained over five decades working with the industry’s top brands. Our human-powered, data-led marketing delivers unmatched depth, breadth and scale to help brands turn meaningful human interactions into exceptional business outcomes. Epsilon employs over 8,000 associates in 87 offices worldwide. For more information, visit www.epsilon.com. Follow us on Twitter at @EpsilonMktg.
---
## Epsilon Launches in Latin America with the Acquisition of Retargetly
Type: eps_pressRelease
URL: /epsilon-launches-in-latin-america-with-the-acquisition-of-retargetly
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Epsilon Launches in Latin America with the Acquisition of Retargetly
Retargetly is a leading data and technology company in Latin America, providing clients first-party data management, enrichment and activation
The company provides unparalleled audience insights and measurement capabilities to more than 250 clients across Latin America
Retargetly’s extensive and cookieless identity graph, IDx, will expand the reach of Epsilon’s CORE ID
Epsilon, a global advertising and marketing technology company and part of Publicis Groupe (Euronext Paris FR0000130577, CAC 40), today announced the launch of its Latin America operations with the acquisition of Retargetly, a leading data and technology company. Retargetly works with marketers and publishers to combine first-party data with partner data for custom audience targeting and measurement across digital channels, all while respecting and protecting customer data. The addition of Retargetly gives Epsilon the ability to deliver its industry-leading data, technology and media platforms across North America, Europe, Middle East, Asia-Pacific and now, Latin America.
Retargetly will be the Latin America arm of Epsilon, continuing to work with all brands and agencies across the region. Retargetly’s unique identity graph, IDx, will be a key component of Epsilon's CORE ID across the region. Similar to CORE ID, IDx is anchored in persistent, first-party identifiers that enable Retargetly to recognize and reach consumers. With the addition of Epsilon’s CORE technologies, including the strength and stability CORE ID, Retargetly will be able to build more accurate, individual profiles that deliver true personalization without relying on third-party cookies.
Retargetly will also tap into Epsilon’s rich 50-year history and experience to accelerate its media delivery capabilities and bring additional value to its existing and growing customer base.
Retargetly has established itself as a leader in Latin America, working with more than 250 brands across auto, CPG, financial services and retail to deliver a suite of products and offerings that span the digital customer journey. The company’s work to collect, organize and enrich first-party data allows clients to build custom addressable audiences that are activated across all major digital channels and measured against core marketing KPIs such as sales and brand engagement. Retargetly’s direct publisher integration gives the company access to high-quality insights on customers with behavioral and contextual data, and the company's offline data onboarding capabilities allow it to bridge the gap between online and offline.
Retargetly was founded in 2014 by Co-Founder and CEO Daniel Czaplinski, Co-Founder and CTO Federico Nieves, and former executive Paula Ambrogi. The company will exist with its original name, current leadership and organization.
Retargetly is headquartered in Buenos Aires with main operations in Mexico, Brazil, Chile and Colombia, and brings 120 technology and data science experts to Epsilon.
Thibault Hennion, Managing Director of Epsilon International Operations, said: "I would like to welcome Daniel and the entire Retargetly team to the Epsilon and Publicis Groupe family. Our successful partnership goes back four years, during which time we have seen an increased demand for our combined capabilities. Retargetly’s reputation in the market is second to none, and we have been impressed by their technological clout, best-in-class products and their ability to innovate to build future-facing solutions. We share the same ambition for Latin America and are committed to build an industry-leading identity solution, powering a set of products through first-party data. By combining Retargetly assets and local footprint with Epsilon technology, we will be at the core of our clients’ marketing transformation journey, with a unique data-led approach.”
Daniel Czaplinski, Co-Founder and CEO of Retargetly, said: “We are excited to join forces with Epsilon in this unique moment of industry transformation. After several years of successful partnership, we are convinced they are the right partner to build the next generation of marketing and data platforms for Latin America. Just like Epsilon, we believe in working with all clients and agencies to create new advertising experiences across the open web that are both personalized and private, while delivering great outcomes for brands, publishers and consumers. We are convinced this will allow us to go further and faster by leveraging Epsilon’s expertise, team, technology and global resources.”
###
About Publicis Groupe – The Power of One
Publicis Groupe [Euronext Paris FR0000130577, CAC 40] is a global leader in communication. The Groupe is positioned at every step of the value chain, from consulting to execution, combining marketing transformation and digital business transformation. Publicis Groupe is a privileged partner in its clients’ transformation to enhance personalization at scale. The Groupe relies on ten expertise concentrated within four main activities: Communication, Media, Data and Technology. Through a unified and fluid organization, its clients have a facilitated access to all its expertise in every market. Present in over 100 countries, Publicis Groupe employs around 96,000 professionals.
About Epsilon
Epsilon is a global advertising and marketing technology company positioned at the center of Publicis Groupe. We connect advertisers with consumers to drive performance while respecting and protecting consumer privacy and client data. Epsilon accelerates clients’ ability to harness the power of their first-party data in order to enhance, activate and measure campaigns with confidence. We believe in an open, privacy-first advertising ecosystem. Over decades, we’ve built the industry’s most comprehensive identity graph to give brands, agencies and publishers the ability to reach real consumers across all channels and the open web. For more information, visit epsilon.com.
About Retargetly
Retargetly is a Buenos Aires-based advertising technology company that works with over 250 customers in Latin America to supercharge their first party data, help them reach the right customers across all digital channels, and monetize their media and data assets. Founded by Daniel Czaplinski, Federico Nieves, and Paula Ambrogi in 2014, it employs over 120 people throughout Latin America. For more information, visit retargetly.com.
---
## Carrefour Group Euronext Paris and Publicis Groupe announce their intention to create a joint-venture to address the booming retail media market in Continental Europe and Latin America
Type: eps_pressRelease
URL: /carrefour-group-euronext-paris-and-publicis-groupe-announce-their-intention-to-create-a-joint-venture-to-address-the-booming-retail-media-1668164214698
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Carrefour Group Euronext Paris and Publicis Groupe announce their intention to create a joint-venture to address the booming retail media market in Continental Europe and Latin America
Retail Media is the fastest-growing channel for media spend, revolutionizing traditional media hierarchies. Within the next three years, it is expected to overtake TV advertising spend for U.S. consumer packaged goods companies. In continental Europe, retail media is rapidly gaining traction and the addressable market is expected to exceed €5bn by 2026 according to IAB and internal analysis.
Through this joint venture and as founding partners, Carrefour and Publicis will leverage their leadership positions in their respective industries, aiming to bring to Europe and Latin America the same scale and connectivity that is enabling the retail media boom in the U.S.
By combining Publicis’ advanced technologies, ‘CitrusAd powered by Epsilon’, with Carrefour Links’ retail media knowledge and expertise, this new venture will build a comprehensive media player that addresses the entire Retail Media value chain. It will span technology for inventory creation and data sharing for merchants to the full commercialization of media and data solutions for advertisers, backed directly by merchant transactions, across Continental Europe, Brazil and Argentina.
This joint venture has the ambition to rally multiple new retailers, to build an unparalleled network of inventories and accelerate the development of retail media in Europe and Latin America. Its ultimate goal is for any company with direct customer touchpoints and first party data to join the platform, in order to monetize their assets and partner with advertisers to build more efficient marketing strategies, and boost their business.
Alexandre Bompard, Chairman and CEO of Carrefour Group, declared: “We understood very early on that our data had tremendous value potential. We were one of the first retailers to launch retail media. Last year, we accelerated by creating Carrefour Links. Today, we want to go further and beyond the limits of our current model. We are going to create an alliance with an industry expert, the Publicis Groupe, to change three things: first, we will put tech at the heart of our model, second, we will go up in the value chain, by creating retail media solutions by ourselves, and third, we will conquer new markets, both in continental Europe and in Brazil. With this alliance, our digital transformation takes on a new dimension and allows us to access a new market with tremendous growth.”
Arthur Sadoun, Chairman of the Management Board of Publicis Groupe, said: “After the digital media revolution in the 2000’s and the social media revolution in the 2010’s, retail media is revolutionizing once again established hierarchies and opening up new opportunities for marketers. Until now, the fragmentation of the market in Europe and Latin America has made it difficult for brands to fully unlock its potential. This is why we are acting today. By joining forces with Carrefour, a clear leader in this domain across Europe and Latin America, we will be able to provide clients with unparalleled customer understanding, and direct access to premium inventories, the ones that generate the highest conversion rates and Return-On-Ad-Spend for advertisers. This is a critical milestone to help marketers take back control of their customer relationships, accelerate their readiness for a cookie-less world and deliver a successful media strategy.”
The joint venture will be held 51% by Carrefour and 49% by Publicis Groupe. It is expected to start operations in the first half of 2023, subject to customary regulatory conditions and usual legal consultations.
Additional information
Retail Media leverages retailers’ premium relationships with their customers to help marketers deliver targeted marketing campaigns on retailer premises (on-site or instore) and expand their reach on publisher premises thanks to retailer data. It provides measurement validated directly by on-line and instore transactions.
New data regulation and the anticipated end of third-party cookies are setting a real challenge for digital platforms and marketing players to continue to reach customers. In this context, the large loyalty programs operated by retailers, with strong consented databases, as well as their regular touchpoints with customers online and instore, provide them with unparalleled assets that can benefit their industrial partners and, more broadly, any advertiser.
By joining forces, both companies will further reinforce their retail media leadership in their respective industries:
Carrefour identified the market potential very early on and paved the way in Europe by building Carrefour Links, its data collaboration platform & retail media offer. Thanks to its first-party data, unique in volume and in quality, representing 8 billion transactions and 80 million customers around the world, Carrefour Links is already serving more than 300 Brand partners.
Similarly, Publicis has developed best-in-class retail media capabilities since the acquisition of Epsilon and CitrusAd, launching in June 2022 the industry’s first unified on-site and off-site retail media platform: CitrusAd, powered by Epsilon. This platform, fueled by Epsilon's 300 million CORE IDs, delivers best-in-class identity resolution, with no dependency on third-party cookies, for optimized activation in a privacy-by-design way. Epsilon and Citrus equip more than 150 retailers across the world, and have a leading position both in the U.S. and the UK.
---
## Publicis Groupe Acquires Marketing Technology Company Yieldify
Type: eps_pressRelease
URL: /publicis-groupe-acquires-marketing-technology-company-yieldify
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Publicis Groupe Acquires Marketing Technology Company Yieldify
Yieldify delivers website personalization for small business and enterprise-level brands
Acquisition will extend the reach of Epsilon’s enterprise-level solutions to clients in the mid-market
Publicis Groupe (Euronext Paris FR0000130577, CAC 40), today announced the acquisition of Yieldify, a London-based marketing technology company. Founded in 2013, Yieldify ’s leading platform and service enable companies to better personalize consumers’ website experiences driving incremental revenue and other desired outcomes by delivering the right message/experience at the right time based on a consumer's profile and stage in their purchase journey.
Yieldify will become part of Epsilon, and its onsite personalization, conversion optimization and customer journey offerings will complement Epsilon PeopleCloud to expand Epsilon’s presence in the mid-market. Epsilon previously announced the launches of quick-to-market and simplified iterations of its enterprise-level email and loyalty solutions with Epsilon PeopleCloud Messaging Essentials and Epsilon PeopleCloud Loyalty Essentials.
The Yieldify platform will also realize increased performance and benefits over time as it is integrated with Epsilon’s industry-leading CORE ID.
The Yieldify platform is easy to use and provides clients with:
end-to-end website personalization based on comprehensive audience targeting
customer journey analytics to help discover personalization opportunities and in-depth testing to rapidly identify winning experiences and learn and
supports custom design and creative for high-quality digital experiences
Initially, Yieldify will continue to retain its name and organization as it is integrated into Epsilon over time. Yieldify serves hundreds of clients and supports leading e-commerce websites across North America, Europe and Asia-Pacific. In addition to the company’s London headquarters, Yieldify’s 90+ employees are spread across regional offices in New York, Sydney and Singapore.
###
About Publicis Groupe - The Power of One
Publicis Groupe [Euronext Paris FR0000130577, CAC 40] is a global leader in communication. The Groupe is positioned at every step of the value chain, from consulting to execution, combining marketing transformation and digital business transformation. Publicis Groupe is a privileged partner in its clients’ transformation to enhance personalization at scale. The Groupe relies on ten expertise concentrated within four main activities: Communication, Media, Data and Technology. Through a unified and fluid organization, its clients have a facilitated access to all its expertise in every market. Present in over 100 countries, Publicis Groupe employs around 96,000 professionals.
About Epsilon
Epsilon is a global advertising and marketing technology company positioned at the center of Publicis Groupe. We connect advertisers with consumers to drive performance while respecting and protecting consumer privacy and client data. Epsilon accelerates clients ’ability to harness the power of their first-party data in order to enhance, activate and measure campaigns with confidence. We believe in an open, privacy-first advertising ecosystem Over decades, we’ve built the industry’s most comprehensive identity graph to give brands, agencies and publishers the ability to reach real consumers across all channels and the open web. For more information, visit epsilon.com.
About Yieldify
Yieldify is a website personalization engine that helps e-commerce businesses drive increased revenue from every website visitor. By combining our end-to-end service and proprietary technology, with deep industry expertise you can expect significant onsite conversion and revenue impact. Yieldify delivers customer journey optimization for leading e-commerce websites, from SMB to Enterprise businesses including Homair, L’Oréal, Made in Design, and New Balance.
Learn more at www.yieldify.com.
---
## Publicis Groupe Acquires Marketing Technology Company Yieldify
Type: eps_pressRelease
URL: /publicis-groupe-acquires-marketing-technology-company-yieldify
Last Modified: 2025-02-19T18:25:30Z
# Publicis Groupe Acquires Marketing Technology Company Yieldify
Yieldify delivers website personalization for small business and enterprise-level brands
Acquisition will extend the reach of Epsilon’s enterprise-level solutions to clients in the mid-market
Publicis Groupe (Euronext Paris FR0000130577, CAC 40), today announced the acquisition of Yieldify, a London-based marketing technology company. Founded in 2013, Yieldify ’s leading platform and service enable companies to better personalize consumers’ website experiences driving incremental revenue and other desired outcomes by delivering the right message/experience at the right time based on a consumer's profile and stage in their purchase journey.
Yieldify will become part of Epsilon, and its onsite personalization, conversion optimization and customer journey offerings will complement Epsilon PeopleCloud to expand Epsilon’s presence in the mid-market. Epsilon previously announced the launches of quick-to-market and simplified iterations of its enterprise-level email and loyalty solutions with Epsilon PeopleCloud Messaging Essentials and Epsilon PeopleCloud Loyalty Essentials.
The Yieldify platform will also realize increased performance and benefits over time as it is integrated with Epsilon’s industry-leading CORE ID.
The Yieldify platform is easy to use and provides clients with:
end-to-end website personalization based on comprehensive audience targeting
customer journey analytics to help discover personalization opportunities and in-depth testing to rapidly identify winning experiences and learn and
supports custom design and creative for high-quality digital experiences
Initially, Yieldify will continue to retain its name and organization as it is integrated into Epsilon over time. Yieldify serves hundreds of clients and supports leading e-commerce websites across North America, Europe and Asia-Pacific. In addition to the company’s London headquarters, Yieldify’s 90+ employees are spread across regional offices in New York, Sydney and Singapore.
###
About Publicis Groupe - The Power of One
Publicis Groupe [Euronext Paris FR0000130577, CAC 40] is a global leader in communication. The Groupe is positioned at every step of the value chain, from consulting to execution, combining marketing transformation and digital business transformation. Publicis Groupe is a privileged partner in its clients’ transformation to enhance personalization at scale. The Groupe relies on ten expertise concentrated within four main activities: Communication, Media, Data and Technology. Through a unified and fluid organization, its clients have a facilitated access to all its expertise in every market. Present in over 100 countries, Publicis Groupe employs around 96,000 professionals.
About Epsilon
Epsilon is a global advertising and marketing technology company positioned at the center of Publicis Groupe. We connect advertisers with consumers to drive performance while respecting and protecting consumer privacy and client data. Epsilon accelerates clients ’ability to harness the power of their first-party data in order to enhance, activate and measure campaigns with confidence. We believe in an open, privacy-first advertising ecosystem Over decades, we’ve built the industry’s most comprehensive identity graph to give brands, agencies and publishers the ability to reach real consumers across all channels and the open web. For more information, visit epsilon.com.
About Yieldify
Yieldify is a website personalization engine that helps e-commerce businesses drive increased revenue from every website visitor. By combining our end-to-end service and proprietary technology, with deep industry expertise you can expect significant onsite conversion and revenue impact. Yieldify delivers customer journey optimization for leading e-commerce websites, from SMB to Enterprise businesses including Homair, L’Oréal, Made in Design, and New Balance.
Learn more at www.yieldify.com.
---